Aaron Schaffer
@aaronschaffer.com
news researcher doing OSINT things and more at @washingtonpost.com. signal: aaronschaffer.01 https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/aaron-schaffer/
Pinned
Aaron Schaffer
@aaronschaffer.com
· Nov 15
Noticing a bunch of new followers on here recently and I wanted to say hi and introduce myself! I’m on the @washingtonpost.com news research team, where I dig into court records, databases, online footprints, archives, and a million other things! Oh, and I’m also a member of @postguild.bsky.social
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Exclusive: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to “kill everybody” in the first strike on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. After two men survived, the mission commander ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions, according to two sources.
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Exclusive: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave an order to “kill everybody” in the first strike on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. After two men survived, the mission commander ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions, according to two sources.
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Photos from a witness show the attack on two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
Exclusive | Witness Photos Captured the Attack on the National Guard
Footage from a passerby at Wednesday’s shooting shows a man holding a revolver and a U.S. National Guardsman returning fire.
on.wsj.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Photos from a witness show the attack on two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
it's monday night, it's blossoms shanghai night www.criterionchannel.com/blossoms-sha...
Blossoms Shanghai - The Criterion Channel
In 1990s Shanghai, fortunes are waiting to be made—but not everyone can be a winner. In his first-ever television series, legendary director Wong Kar Wai (IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE) orchestrates a sprawlin...
www.criterionchannel.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:03 PM
it's monday night, it's blossoms shanghai night www.criterionchannel.com/blossoms-sha...
“Bluntly, the taxpayers of D.C. are being screwed by this,” said Kirk McClure, a professor emeritus for the public affairs school at the University of Kansas and a former loan underwriter for the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...
How D.C. developers made big money on a taxpayer-funded housing project
The Ethel was built on land provided by the city and benefited from a cascade of government subsidies that helped enrich its developers, a Washington Post investigation found.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
“Bluntly, the taxpayers of D.C. are being screwed by this,” said Kirk McClure, a professor emeritus for the public affairs school at the University of Kansas and a former loan underwriter for the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency. www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Nursing home magnate Joseph Schwartz was sentenced in April to three years for defrauding the government of $38 million.
Seven months later, President Trump pardoned him, but the White House denies a lobbying tie.
Seven months later, President Trump pardoned him, but the White House denies a lobbying tie.
The case of a felon who paid lobbyists nearly $1 million to seek a Trump pardon
Nursing home magnate Joseph Schwartz was sentenced in April to three years for defrauding the government of $38 million. Seven months later, Trump pardoned him, but the White House denies a lobbying t...
www.washingtonpost.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Nursing home magnate Joseph Schwartz was sentenced in April to three years for defrauding the government of $38 million.
Seven months later, President Trump pardoned him, but the White House denies a lobbying tie.
Seven months later, President Trump pardoned him, but the White House denies a lobbying tie.
Nursing home magnate Joseph Schwartz paid nearly $1 million to right-wing provocateurs Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl — who noted on their lobbying filing that they were “seeking a federal pardon” — per lobbying disclosures. Trump ultimately granted Schwartz a pardon. wapo.st/4igndux
The case of a felon who paid lobbyists nearly $1 million to seek a Trump pardon
Nursing home magnate Joseph Schwartz was sentenced in April to three years for defrauding the government of $38 million. Seven months later, Trump pardoned him, but the White House denies a lobbying t...
wapo.st
November 23, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Nursing home magnate Joseph Schwartz paid nearly $1 million to right-wing provocateurs Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl — who noted on their lobbying filing that they were “seeking a federal pardon” — per lobbying disclosures. Trump ultimately granted Schwartz a pardon. wapo.st/4igndux
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
In an era defined by political divisions and massive wealth accumulation for the richest Americans, billionaires are spending unprecedented amounts on U.S. politics.
As a result, politicians are more dependent on their donations than ever before.
As a result, politicians are more dependent on their donations than ever before.
How billionaires took over American politics
The current concentration of wealth is unlike anything in history. So is billionaires’ involvement in politics.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:00 PM
In an era defined by political divisions and massive wealth accumulation for the richest Americans, billionaires are spending unprecedented amounts on U.S. politics.
As a result, politicians are more dependent on their donations than ever before.
As a result, politicians are more dependent on their donations than ever before.
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announces she is resigning from House www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announces she is resigning from House
The longtime MAGA supporter says she is stepping down from office as of Jan. 5.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:45 AM
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announces she is resigning from House www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Fox announced a massive new podcast on the life of Jesus starring Kristen Bell as the voice of Mary Magdalene.
Bell was blindsided by the announcement saying she recorded the audio for a separate project 15 years ago.
Bell was blindsided by the announcement saying she recorded the audio for a separate project 15 years ago.
Kristen Bell Is the Star of a New Jesus Podcast From Fox. No One Told Her
Fox's new Jesus podcast features Kristen Bell as the voice of Mary Magdalene. Bell, however, recorded the audio 15 years ago for a different project.
rollingstone.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Fox announced a massive new podcast on the life of Jesus starring Kristen Bell as the voice of Mary Magdalene.
Bell was blindsided by the announcement saying she recorded the audio for a separate project 15 years ago.
Bell was blindsided by the announcement saying she recorded the audio for a separate project 15 years ago.
Coast Guard "will no longer classify the swastika, an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 U.S. troops died fighting against in World War II, as a hate symbol," per new policy taking effect next month wapo.st/3Mbd9a6
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
wapo.st
November 20, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Coast Guard "will no longer classify the swastika, an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 U.S. troops died fighting against in World War II, as a hate symbol," per new policy taking effect next month wapo.st/3Mbd9a6
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Jeffrey Epstein appeared to text with Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) during Michael Cohen's 2019 congressional hearing and may have influenced her questions.
Text message time-stamp match up with hearing video reviewed by The Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Text message time-stamp match up with hearing video reviewed by The Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
November 14, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Jeffrey Epstein appeared to text with Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) during Michael Cohen's 2019 congressional hearing and may have influenced her questions.
Text message time-stamp match up with hearing video reviewed by The Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Text message time-stamp match up with hearing video reviewed by The Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
NEW: Epstein appeared to text with House member during Cohen hearing, documents show. Gift link: wapo.st/4nVTnfY
Epstein appeared to text with House member during Cohen hearing, documents show
Newly released documents from the convicted sex offender’s estate include text messages from him that appear to inform the lawmaker’s questions to President Donald Trump’s personal attorney at a 2019 ...
wapo.st
November 14, 2025 at 10:09 PM
NEW: Epstein appeared to text with House member during Cohen hearing, documents show. Gift link: wapo.st/4nVTnfY
In a rare group statement, U.S. Catholic bishops voted nearly unanimously to condemn the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants as an attack on “God-given human dignity” and advocated for “meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws” www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Catholic bishops condemn ‘indiscriminate mass deportation’ in rare statement
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ vote and new national campaign to support migrants are the group’s first responses to the Trump administration’s crackdown.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:14 AM
In a rare group statement, U.S. Catholic bishops voted nearly unanimously to condemn the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants as an attack on “God-given human dignity” and advocated for “meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws” www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
New: The Supreme Court DENIES Kim Davis' request to overturn Obergefell, the marriage equality decision. No noted dissents. www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 PM
New: The Supreme Court DENIES Kim Davis' request to overturn Obergefell, the marriage equality decision. No noted dissents. www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...
NSO Group says investor group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds has taken controlling stake of company, and Trump’s first-term ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, named executive chairman www.wsj.com/tech/israeli...
Israeli Spyware Maker NSO Gets New Owners, Leadership and Seeks to Mend Reputation
Hollywood producer Robert Simonds is taking a controlling stake in the company behind Pegasus and appointing former Trump official David Friedman.
www.wsj.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:39 PM
NSO Group says investor group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds has taken controlling stake of company, and Trump’s first-term ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, named executive chairman www.wsj.com/tech/israeli...
Timeline cleanse: The full story of how A-ha emerged from the Norwegian tundra with the ultimate ’80s pop song, and its unexpected afterlife @gedge1.bsky.social wapo.st/4oobhco
‘Take On Me’ has been stuck in our heads for 40 years. Here’s how it got there.
“Take On Me,” the 1980s synth-pop hit song from the band A-ha, marks 40 years of global ubiquity even while personal disputes have chilled the Norwegian trio.
wapo.st
November 8, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Timeline cleanse: The full story of how A-ha emerged from the Norwegian tundra with the ultimate ’80s pop song, and its unexpected afterlife @gedge1.bsky.social wapo.st/4oobhco
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
New: The FBI is quietly urging ICE agents to properly ID themselves in the field.
In a bulletin to law enforcement last month, it warned of criminals posing as ICE to rob, rape, kidnap—a problem it says now demands national coordination to confront.
By me & @carolinehaskins.bsky.social:
In a bulletin to law enforcement last month, it warned of criminals posing as ICE to rob, rape, kidnap—a problem it says now demands national coordination to confront.
By me & @carolinehaskins.bsky.social:
FBI Warns of Criminals Posing as ICE, Urges Agents to ID Themselves
In a bulletin to law enforcement agencies, the FBI said criminal impersonators are exploiting ICE’s image and urged nationwide coordination to distinguish real operations from fakes.
www.wired.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:34 PM
New: The FBI is quietly urging ICE agents to properly ID themselves in the field.
In a bulletin to law enforcement last month, it warned of criminals posing as ICE to rob, rape, kidnap—a problem it says now demands national coordination to confront.
By me & @carolinehaskins.bsky.social:
In a bulletin to law enforcement last month, it warned of criminals posing as ICE to rob, rape, kidnap—a problem it says now demands national coordination to confront.
By me & @carolinehaskins.bsky.social:
D.C. ‘sandwich guy’ goes on trial, says prosecution is half-baked www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
D.C. ‘sandwich guy’ goes on trial, says prosecution is half-baked
Authorities initially sought to charge Sean C. Dunn with a felony. But grand jurors declined to indict, and prosecutors downgraded the charge to a misdemeanor.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:07 PM
D.C. ‘sandwich guy’ goes on trial, says prosecution is half-baked www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
👀 The NRA is furloughing dozens of staff and restructuring operations www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
NRA furloughs staff as it prepares to rebuild ahead of 2026
The once-mighty gun rights group is trying to balance its books after years of misspending.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:22 PM
👀 The NRA is furloughing dozens of staff and restructuring operations www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
BREAKING: "Federal officials have charged Maryland state Sen. Dalya Attar, a Democrat from Baltimore, on extortion and conspiracy charges, according to public court filings." www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Justice Dept. indicts Maryland state Sen. Dalya Attar
The Democrat from Baltimore was charged with eight crimes, according to a court docket.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM
BREAKING: "Federal officials have charged Maryland state Sen. Dalya Attar, a Democrat from Baltimore, on extortion and conspiracy charges, according to public court filings." www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
The Jerskin Fendrix is a late(ish, I guess) album of the year shout. I think an album about the profoundest grief, by someone who is genuinely very very funny, is exactly what the doctor ordered
October 10, 2025 at 4:19 PM
The Jerskin Fendrix is a late(ish, I guess) album of the year shout. I think an album about the profoundest grief, by someone who is genuinely very very funny, is exactly what the doctor ordered
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Scoop - Trump has fired all the sitting members on the Commission on Fine Arts, an independent agency expected to review his construction projects.
White House fires arts commission expected to review Trump construction projects
The moves comes as President Donald Trump pursues efforts to build a White House ballroom and a triumphal arch in Washington.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Scoop - Trump has fired all the sitting members on the Commission on Fine Arts, an independent agency expected to review his construction projects.
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Exclusive: The Indian government allegedly directed $3.9 billion from the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation to India’s second richest man Gautam Adani’s businesses amid the mogul’s legal and financial challenges, a Post investigation reveals.
India’s $3.9 billion plan to help Modi’s mogul ally after U.S. charges
Internal documents detail how Indian officials oversaw a plan to steer billions in investments to Gautam Adani’s businesses from the state life insurance agency.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Exclusive: The Indian government allegedly directed $3.9 billion from the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation to India’s second richest man Gautam Adani’s businesses amid the mogul’s legal and financial challenges, a Post investigation reveals.
Reposted by Aaron Schaffer
Turned in the badge today.
My colleagues and I will stay on the beat, but in a new way. The work continues.
Danlamothe.30
My colleagues and I will stay on the beat, but in a new way. The work continues.
Danlamothe.30
October 15, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Turned in the badge today.
My colleagues and I will stay on the beat, but in a new way. The work continues.
Danlamothe.30
My colleagues and I will stay on the beat, but in a new way. The work continues.
Danlamothe.30