Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

John Koester @johnkoester.bsky.social · 8m

Again I must say, I wish we had an uncorrupted supreme court protecting our civil rights.
The lower courts are great but they only had to buy 5 justices on the supreme court to destroy the legacy of this country. Well, at least the good legacy. The evil legacy is thriving.

ProPublica @propublica.org · 2h

NEW: The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did.

We found more than 170 such incidents since the start of the second Trump administration. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes nearly 20 children, two of whom have cancer.

More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.

The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...

www.propublica.org

John Koester @johnkoester.bsky.social · 13m

At least the lower courts still support our civil rights.

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 2h

BREAKING: Immigration officers in the Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras after the use of tear gas and other actions against protesters, a judge rules.

'Startled' judge orders agents in Chicago area to wear body cameras after violent clashes

A judge says federal immigration officers in the Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras after the use of tear gas and other aggressive steps against protesters.

bit.ly

Reposted by John Koester

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 10h

Oklahoma's new public schools superintendent is rescinding a mandate from his predecessor that forced schools to incorporate the Bible into lesson plans for students.

New Oklahoma schools superintendent rescinds mandate for Bible instruction in schools

Oklahoma's new public schools superintendent is rescinding a mandate from his predecessor that forced schools to incorporate the Bible into lesson plans for students.

bit.ly

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Reposted by John Koester

WIRED @wired.com · 4h

Former GOP operative Scott Leiendecker just bought Dominion Voting Systems, giving him ownership of voting systems used in 27 states. Election experts have concerns.

One Republican Now Controls a Huge Chunk of US Election Infrastructure

Former GOP operative Scott Leiendecker just bought Dominion Voting Systems, giving him ownership of voting systems used in 27 states. Election experts have concerns.

wrd.cm

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Reposted by John Koester

Teri G @terilg.bsky.social · 19h

When a picture says a thousand words…

#TrumpsShutdownDragsOn

When a picture says a thousand words…

Photo of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson biting his lip

#TrumpsShutdownDragsOn

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John Koester @johnkoester.bsky.social · 17h

Keep it up, Portland

Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · 19h

The Real Portland War-zone 😱

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Reposted by John Koester

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 19h

Was it America First or Argentina First? Somehow there’s $40 billion for Argentina.

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Just Jack @just-jack-1.bsky.social · 18h

If you’ve recently awoken from a coma, the Speaker of the House is stalling the swearing in of a newly elected member from Arizona because she would be the deciding vote in the discharge petition to release the Epstein files, which would be trouble for his boss.

You’re caught up.

Ps: Welcome back.

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Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 18h

BREAKING via WSJ

The Trump administration is planning sweeping changes in criminal division at the IRS.

Full Story: on.wsj.com/3LbVFtK

The Trump administration is preparing sweeping changes at the Internal Revenue Service that would allow the agency to pursue criminal inquiries of left-leaning groups more easily, according to people familiar with the matter.
A senior IRS official involved in the effort has drawn up a list of potential targets that includes major Democratic donors, some of the people said.
The undertaking aims to install allies of President Trump at the IRS criminal-investigative division, or IRS-CI, to exert firmer control over the unit and weaken the involvement of IRS lawyers in criminal investigations, officials said. The proposed changes could open the door to politically motivated probes and are being driven by Gary Shapley, an adviser to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

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Reposted by John Koester

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 19h

A state senator's racist text. A thirty-something GOP flack saying "I love Hitler." To JD Vance, they're all just "a kid telling a stupid joke."

No one in the GOP Hitler chat was a "kid"

We checked. Sorry, JD Vance.

www.motherjones.com

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Reposted by John Koester

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 23h

BREAKING: President Donald Trump’s administration for now must stop firing workers during the government shutdown, a federal judge in San Francisco ordered.

Judge temporarily blocks the Trump administration from firing workers during the government shutdown

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from firing workers during the government shutdown. U.S.

bit.ly

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Reposted by John Koester

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 21h

BREAKING: Journalists exited the Pentagon after refusing to agree to the Trump administration's new restrictions on access.

Journalists turn in access badges, exit Pentagon rather than agree to new reporting rules

Journalists at the Pentagon turned in access badges and cleaned out their workspaces on Wednesday, the price for refusing to agree to new restrictions on their jobs being removal from being at the seat of U.S. military power.

bit.ly

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Reposted by John Koester

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

Pete Hegseth’s attempt to gag journalism is a resounding failure | Margaret Sullivan

Hegseth wants journalists to only publish ‘explicitly authorized’ information. That is not how the free press works

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by John Koester

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 2d

Breaking News: Janet Mills, the Democratic governor of Maine, is running for Senate, aiming to unseat Senator Susan Collins, a Republican.

Gov. Janet Mills of Maine to Run for Senate, Aiming at Senator Susan Collins

A two-term Democratic governor, Ms. Mills called herself “battle tested” in an interview. But she faces a Democratic primary before she can challenge the Republican incumbent.

nyti.ms

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Reposted by John Koester

Politico @politico.com · 2d

EXCLUSIVE: Thousands of leaked messages show leaders of Young Republican groups joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape in a private Telegram chat.

Inside rising GOP leaders’ racist chats — obtained by POLITICO and spanning more than 7 months👇

‘I love Hitler’: Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat

Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

www.politico.com

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Reposted by John Koester

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 2d

BREAKING: The Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones' appeal of $1.4 billion judgment for calling Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.

Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones' appeal of $1.4 billion defamation judgment in Sandy Hook shooting

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and left in place the $1.4 billion judgment against him over his description of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting as a hoax staged by crisis actors.

bit.ly

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Reposted by John Koester

NPR @npr.org · 2d

Tom Bowman has held his Pentagon press pass for 28 years. He says the Pentagon's new media policy makes it impossible to be a journalist, which means finding out what's really going on behind the scenes and not accepting wholesale what any government or administration says. n.pr/4q87Jwb

Opinion: Why I'm handing in my Pentagon press pass

Tom Bowman has held his Pentagon press pass for 28 years. He says the Pentagon's new media policy makes it impossible to be a journalist, which means finding out what's really going on behind the scenes and not accepting wholesale what any government or administration says.

n.pr

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John Koester @johnkoester.bsky.social · 4d

Fuck the billionaires.

Bay Area News @bayarea.bsky.social · 4d

Marc Benioff says he wants Trump to send National Guard to San Francisco; mayor’s office responds

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office responded Saturday to Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s saying that President Donald Trump should send the National Guard to The City. The billionaire was recently quoted in The New York Times, saying that the federal troops could help reduce crime in the city. Benioff’s comments were [...]

www.kron4.com

John Koester @johnkoester.bsky.social · 5d

Maybe we should be trying this instead?

‘It’s a question of humanity’: how a small Spanish town made headlines over its immigration stance

Mayor explains why Villamalea unanimously backed call to regularise undocumented migrants – across party lines

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by John Koester

NPR @npr.org · 6d

Venezuela's opposition leader María Corina Machado has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.

Venezuela's opposition leader María Corina Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

Venezuela's opposition leader María Corina Machado has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.

n.pr

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Reposted by John Koester

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 7d

Justice Department lawyers reposted President Trump’s statements and may have inadvertently endangered their prosecution of Luigi Mangione, violating the judge’s explicit orders that DOJ employees refrain from public comment about the case. trib.al/b9U7CY1

DOJ in Trouble After Lawyers Reposted Trump Rants on Luigi Mangione

The Justice Department’s case against Luigi Mangione just hit a major obstacle.

trib.al

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Reposted by John Koester

WIRED @wired.com · 7d

NEW: A professor at Rutgers University who wrote a book about “antifa” almost a decade ago is trying—and struggling—to flee the US for Europe after a weeks-long online campaign against him by far-right influencers was followed by death threats. www.wired.com/story/mark-b...

He Wrote a Book About Antifa. Death Threats Are Driving Him Out of the US

Rutgers historian Mark Bray is trying to flee to Spain after after an online campaign from far-right influencers was followed by death threats. He was turned back at the airport on his first attempt.

www.wired.com

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Reposted by John Koester

NPR @npr.org · 7d

For the first time on record, renewable energy generated more electricity for the planet than coal, a new report says. n.pr/47hcegr

Renewable energy outpaces coal for electricity generation in historic first, report says

For the first time on record, renewable energy generated more electricity for the planet than coal, a new report says.

n.pr

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Reposted by John Koester

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 7d

Pope Leo XIV has blasted how wealthy people live in a “bubble of comfort and luxury” while the poor suffer. In his first teaching document Thursday, Leo confirms that he is in perfect lockstep with Pope Francis on matters of social injustice.

Pope Leo blasts economy that marginalizes poor while wealthy live in bubble of luxury

Pope Leo XIV has blasted how wealthy people live in a “bubble of comfort and luxury” while the poor suffer.

bit.ly

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Reposted by John Koester

Democracy Docket @democracydocket.com · 8d

BREAKING: Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to two felony charges. The charges stem from a politically fraught indictment brought by one of Trump’s former personal attorneys amid public pressure from the president on the DOJ.

Comey Pleads Not Guilty To Charges Brought by Trump’s Former Personal Attorney