Robert Richards
rrichard09.bsky.social
Robert Richards
@rrichard09.bsky.social

I study how people talk about politics and law and participate in governing their communities. Opinions expressed here are mine alone, not those of my employers or institutions.
https://rcrjr.wordpress.com

Political science 19%
Environmental science 17%

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Why is the FBI investigating something that is not a crime? It's a waste of precious resources and is designed exclusively to intimidate people into silence. It's an abuse of power.

abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics...
FBI attempting to schedule interviews with 6 members of Congress who made video about troops disobeying illegal orders
The FBI is attempting to schedule interviews with the six Democratic members of Congress who made a video saying troops should not obey any illegal orders.
abcnews.go.com
NEW: DOJ said tonight that it was DHS Secretary Kristi Noem who made the call to proceed with the deportation of more than 100 Venezuelan men to El Salvador, despite a judge's order seeking to block the transfer.

w/ @joshgerstein

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

Congratulations!
National police investigate members of the opposition who call for military to follow the law
www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
FBI seeks interviews with six Democrats Trump accused of 'seditious behavior'
The lawmakers, who released a video urging members of the military and the intelligence community not to follow illegal orders, accused Trump of trying to intimidate them.
www.nbcnews.com
The first official confirmation that Noem herself made the decision not to turn the planes around. A couple hundred men were tortured as a result — and soon after, the Supreme Court confirmed that the Trump admin’s Alien Enemies Act process was a total violation of due process.
BREAKING:

“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
BREAKING:

“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

My thoughts on the latest civ-mil fracas: "the American military cannot save us from the politicians we elect to high office...the proper role for our military is political inertness. However well-meaning, to encourage them to be otherwise is further pulling them into the political fray.”
www.aei.org

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

“People are not outraged enough” @replamonica.bsky.social tells a Town Hall meeting in Essex County about the Trump/GOP attacks on the working poor, healthcare and the rule of law.

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

More: Doctor Critical of Vaccines Quietly Appointed as C.D.C.’s Second in Command, via @nytimes.com
Doctor Critical of Vaccines Quietly Appointed as C.D.C.’s Second in Command
www.nytimes.com
🚨 NEW/EXCLUSIVE: The FBI turned over dozens of emails to me in response to my #FOIA request that provides a behind-the-scenes look at discussions involving the review and redaction of the Epstein files

www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social New decision in this case appears to give classwide relief to people the govt now says are not amenable to bond, under the govt's bananas interpretation of everyone as arriving (for bond)* www.courtlistener.com/docket/70895...

*but not for CAA relief!
Lazaro Maldonado Bautista v. Ernesto Santacruz Jr, 5:25-cv-01873 - CourtListener.com
Docket for Lazaro Maldonado Bautista v. Ernesto Santacruz Jr, 5:25-cv-01873 — Brought to you by Free Law Project, a non-profit dedicated to creating high quality open legal information.
www.courtlistener.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

NEW: The FBI reached out yesterday to the sergeant-at-arms in connection with the six Democrats who filmed the video re: illegal orders.

The unusual inquiry was quickly redirected to the House’s legal office.

w/ @nicholaswu12.bsky.social

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Democrats say they are subjects of FBI probe after filming anti-Trump video
Congressional Democrats who have law enforcement and military backgrounds were criticized by the Trump administration for their message to the troops.
www.politico.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Despite the horrors Viola Fletcher experienced in her childhood, she never gave up on her belief in our nation, that everyone deserves justice. Our country has lost a hero, my prayers are with her family.
Oldest living survivor of Tulsa Race Massacre dies at 111 years old | CNN
Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre, died at 111 years old Monday, her grandson Ike Howard told CNN.
www.cnn.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

ALERT: Civil rights groups sue to stop Justice Dept from closing office tasked with preventing unrest in cities

www.cbsnews.com/news/civil-r...
Civil rights groups sue to stop DOJ from closing office tasked with preventing unrest in cities
The Trump administration has for months planned to close the Justice Department Community Relations Service.
www.cbsnews.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

“You hear the hard, gut-wrenching punches,” he said, “the screams, the ‘I’m sorrys,’ ‘I can’t breathes,’ ‘You’re going to kill me.’ You hear ‘Mom,’ and it gets quiet and you just keep hearing the thuds.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/n...
Restrained, Beaten, Asphyxiated: New York Prison Guards’ Brutality Grows
www.nytimes.com
I got an early career scholar grant from APSA. Yaaaaaay!
Look, women no longer do shit for free is actually at the root of a lot of social disruption. The question is whether you think the solution is women going back to being unpaid and unprotected by their own labor.

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Here's a deep dive into rural communities doing data center deals with big tech companies... by Jordan Novet @cnbc.com www.cnbc.com/2025/11/25/m... (longread)
Why rural Wisconsin is blocking the AI data center boom: 'Horses are skittish'
Tech giants are increasingly facing community backlash as they select places to build mammoth AI data centers.
www.cnbc.com
MS NOW confirms: The FBI is working with Capitol Police to schedule interviews with the six Democratic lawmakers who urged service members to refuse to comply with illegal orders.
Today is a good day to remind you that none of the classic vote studies thought very highly of women's political competence.

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Turns out Mamdani's controversial proposal for government-run supermarkets isn't so novel. Other cities also are toying with the idea to bring fresh, affordable food to communities that do not have easy access to it. Good WSJ read (gift link)
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
Inside Atlanta’s First Government-Funded Supermarket
The goal is for the store to become profitable without any government subsidy within three years.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

I spoke with @mathurashton.bsky.social of US News to discuss how AI is changing healthcare

health.usnews.com/health-care/...
health.usnews.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Meet the 21st class of EWA Reporting Fellows!

Six will focus on ambitious higher ed topics, receiving up to $10K. Three reporters will each receive $5K micro-fellowships for K-12 special ed topics.

ewa.org/members-news...
"My mentor always tells me, 'Kim, dogs don’t bark at parked cars." They’re coming after critical race theory, 1619, intersectionality because these ideas mobilized people. They gave them the language to actually articulate what they were seeing with their own eyes," says Kimberlé Crenshaw.

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

Will public services change course when they receive tough feedback but face no penalties? New research by Prof Thomas Elston and Han Wang shows that even “low-stakes” accountability can spark real turnaround behaviours in local government.
Read open-access 👇
https://ow.ly/ccCW50XxpSp

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

This is happening because of Trump & Vance

Deported and Desperate to Be Reunited With Their Children
Deported and Desperate to Be Reunited With Their Children
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Robert C. Richards

RIP Jimmy Cliff
Worth taking 3 minutes this morning to watch this profound and lovely performance.
And if you’re my age, to remember where you were when you first heard the song.
#ManyRiversToCross
youtu.be/twf7LhQIBkQ
Jimmy Cliff- Many Rivers To Cross
YouTube video by rockyfl86
youtu.be
I received the reader reports back for my book manuscript. Thank you (you know who you are) for the most generous, supportive, & helpful comments!

I guess this book thing is happening! Look for Doctoring the West: Women Physicians and the Politics and Practice of Medicine sometime next year!