Abby Vesoulis
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social
Currently: National Politics reporter at Mother Jones magazine. Previously: TIME Magazine. Always: Trying my best. Sometimes: Coming up short.
Email me at avesoulis@cir[dot]org
Encrypted contact info:
Signal: abbyvesoulis.09
Email me at avesoulis@cir[dot]org
Encrypted contact info:
Signal: abbyvesoulis.09
Pinned
Watching the media reckoning unfold in a now-shuttered broadcast newsroom
Scripps sought to dominate national breaking news. Instead it became a paradigm of a broken industry.
www.motherjones.com
Usually, we learn about the fall of media organizations retrospectively, in postmortems. I wanted to see one in its liminal moment between bustling existence and relative extinction. So I spent Election Day in the Scripps News offices. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scoop: Eric Neff is the new head of the DOJ voting section, per legal filing.
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scoop: New Justice Department voting rights chief had prior job suspension for ties to election deniers
California prosecutor Eric Neff relied on a right-wing group's intel to bring charges. Now, he's apparently in charge of voting rights at the DOJ.
www.motherjones.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Scoop: Eric Neff is the new head of the DOJ voting section, per legal filing.
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
His old job put him on administrative leave in 2022 after he based a prosecution around tips from election fraud conspiracy group True the Vote. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
big day for me. for *us.*
I Am Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
So are you. Congrats!
www.theatlantic.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:09 PM
big day for me. for *us.*
Today, the DOJ sued Colorado for access to its complete voter roll. This marks the 15th state sued over private voter info, 13 of which are led by Democrats. My colleague @ariberman.bsky.social and I published a big piece last week about why this should scare you. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 11, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Today, the DOJ sued Colorado for access to its complete voter roll. This marks the 15th state sued over private voter info, 13 of which are led by Democrats. My colleague @ariberman.bsky.social and I published a big piece last week about why this should scare you. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
December 11, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
“Asian wife sharing,” Pentagon press policy, and me: Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
I asked the Pentagon about Pete Hegseth's mentor. Then the threats started.
Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal.
www.motherjones.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:17 PM
“Asian wife sharing,” Pentagon press policy, and me: Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reporter @dfriedman.bsky.social was working on a story about a top aide to Pete Hegseth. Then Pizzagate promoter Jack Posobiec threatened to write a scurrilous story about him. ow.ly/EpQp50XHpYo
I asked the Pentagon about Pete Hegseth's mentor. Then the threats started.
Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal.
ow.ly
December 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reporter @dfriedman.bsky.social was working on a story about a top aide to Pete Hegseth. Then Pizzagate promoter Jack Posobiec threatened to write a scurrilous story about him. ow.ly/EpQp50XHpYo
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Eileen O’Connor, Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center, spoke with @motherjones.com about the Justice Department suing states across the country to obtain their complete voter files, which contain private voter data like driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. 1/2
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Eileen O’Connor, Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center, spoke with @motherjones.com about the Justice Department suing states across the country to obtain their complete voter files, which contain private voter data like driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. 1/2
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Trump’s Justice Department is hellbent on accessing our private voter info—Social Security numbers, party affiliation, driver's licenses—resulting in what experts warn would be a gold mine for hackers.
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Trump’s Justice Department is hellbent on accessing our private voter info—Social Security numbers, party affiliation, driver's licenses—resulting in what experts warn would be a gold mine for hackers.
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
“It's a hacker's dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere.”
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
"The danger is once you compile all this information, then hackers only have to go to one place instead of going to all 50-plus jurisdictions that run elections... It’s a hacker’s dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere..."
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
"The danger is once you compile all this information, then hackers only have to go to one place instead of going to all 50-plus jurisdictions that run elections... It’s a hacker’s dream to have all of this private, sensitive information collected somewhere..."
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
The Justice Department has waged an unprecedented campaign to intimidate states into handing over voters’ private information.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
bit.ly
December 6, 2025 at 6:00 PM
The Justice Department has waged an unprecedented campaign to intimidate states into handing over voters’ private information.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
The goal, as @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social report, could result in the unprecedented harassment of individual citizens like you and me.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Excellent and deeply troubling article by @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social @ariberman.bsky.social.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 6, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Excellent and deeply troubling article by @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social @ariberman.bsky.social.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Over the last 6 months, the Justice Department has demanded full, unredacted voter rolls from dozens of states.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Over the last 6 months, the Justice Department has demanded full, unredacted voter rolls from dozens of states.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
The goal? To build the federal government’s first-ever national database of registered voters using their private info.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
So many scandals now but pay attention to this: DOJ has sued 14 states-12 led by Dems-to demand full unredacted voter files in order to turbocharge Trump voter suppression plans
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
So many scandals now but pay attention to this: DOJ has sued 14 states-12 led by Dems-to demand full unredacted voter files in order to turbocharge Trump voter suppression plans
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
@abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & I detail threat this poses to voting rights ahead of 2026 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Important @motherjones.com piece here:
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
www.motherjones.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Important @motherjones.com piece here:
New via @ariberman.bsky.social & me: For years, right-wing groups have pushed for access to voter rolls, hoping to bolster unproven claims of widespread fraud.
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Trump’s DOJ is building a voter purge machine—powered by your private data
The federal agency ordinarily would prevent attacks on voting rights. Now it’s carrying them out.
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 5:21 PM
New via @ariberman.bsky.social & me: For years, right-wing groups have pushed for access to voter rolls, hoping to bolster unproven claims of widespread fraud.
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Now, Trump’s Justice Department is leading that effort. “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.” bit.ly/4phNz1V
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
RFK Jr. is at it again: Now he blames pills—not guns—for school shootings. He's pushing a long disproven theory and promising “massive” new research on it. Weirdly enough, the agency he runs refused to give me any details at all when I inquired. My latest 🧵 👉 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
RFK Jr. blames pills—not guns—for school shootings
There is no credible evidence that antidepressants cause violence, but Kennedy now vows a “massive” effort to prove the failed theory.
www.motherjones.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:28 PM
RFK Jr. is at it again: Now he blames pills—not guns—for school shootings. He's pushing a long disproven theory and promising “massive” new research on it. Weirdly enough, the agency he runs refused to give me any details at all when I inquired. My latest 🧵 👉 www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Working on an article about "constituent services" and would love your anecdotes. Have you ever reached out to a politician's office for help cutting through red tape, accessing an entitlement, fast-tracking a passport, etc? Did they respond? Was your issue resolved?
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Working on an article about "constituent services" and would love your anecdotes. Have you ever reached out to a politician's office for help cutting through red tape, accessing an entitlement, fast-tracking a passport, etc? Did they respond? Was your issue resolved?
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
I’ve spent a lot of the last three years investigating the rise of anti-trans politics. Often, it came back to the controversy over trans women athletes.
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
How right-wing superstar Riley Gaines built an anti-trans empire
The swimmer tied a trans woman for fifth. The MAGA industrial complex took care of the rest.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I’ve spent a lot of the last three years investigating the rise of anti-trans politics. Often, it came back to the controversy over trans women athletes.
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
The real problems on Riley Gaines’ college swim team, according to teammates and university documents: abusive coaching, sexual harassment, eating disorders. But Gaines climbed the MAGA ladder by vilifying trans women in sports. Now, teammates speak out: ow.ly/o3wq50XuCzp
How right-wing superstar Riley Gaines built an anti-trans empire
The swimmer tied a trans woman for fifth. The MAGA industrial complex took care of the rest.
ow.ly
November 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The real problems on Riley Gaines’ college swim team, according to teammates and university documents: abusive coaching, sexual harassment, eating disorders. But Gaines climbed the MAGA ladder by vilifying trans women in sports. Now, teammates speak out: ow.ly/o3wq50XuCzp
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Records we obtained, reported on by @MotherJones, show the Trump admin plans to expand its national citizenship-check system to include driver’s license and passport data—info that could be used to justify large-scale voter purges, including of eligible voters.
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
November 15, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Records we obtained, reported on by @MotherJones, show the Trump admin plans to expand its national citizenship-check system to include driver’s license and passport data—info that could be used to justify large-scale voter purges, including of eligible voters.
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
americanoversight.org/demanding-an...
Scott Wiener Doesn't Care About Your "Neighborhood Character." He just thinks we need a lot more housing. And he's running for Nancy Pelosi's seat.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scott Wiener defeated California’s NIMBYs. Can he fix America’s housing crisis?
By running for Nancy Pelosi's House seat, he's putting the abundance theory to the test.
www.motherjones.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Scott Wiener Doesn't Care About Your "Neighborhood Character." He just thinks we need a lot more housing. And he's running for Nancy Pelosi's seat.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Scoop from @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social: Docs obtained by @weareoversight.bsky.social show efforts DHS is making to gather drivers' license data from all 50 states in order to weaponize Trump’s false claims of voter fraud. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
New docs show DHS is gathering drivers’ license data in voter fraud crusade
Experts worry the Trump administration will use the info to disenfranchise voters.
www.motherjones.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Scoop from @abbyvesoulis.bsky.social & @ariberman.bsky.social: Docs obtained by @weareoversight.bsky.social show efforts DHS is making to gather drivers' license data from all 50 states in order to weaponize Trump’s false claims of voter fraud. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
Jury nullification is good and it's a good sign for America's path out of authoritarianism that juries are recognizing their power to nullify.
November 6, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Jury nullification is good and it's a good sign for America's path out of authoritarianism that juries are recognizing their power to nullify.
Reposted by Abby Vesoulis
In 2021, @nlanard.bsky.social came back from a hunger strike of taxi drivers and told me that a politician who had just turned 30 might be the future of politics in NYC. Here's a look back at a pivotal moment in Mamdani's rise
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
The moment that made Mamdani
How a 15-day hunger strike foreshadowed his campaign.
www.motherjones.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 PM
In 2021, @nlanard.bsky.social came back from a hunger strike of taxi drivers and told me that a politician who had just turned 30 might be the future of politics in NYC. Here's a look back at a pivotal moment in Mamdani's rise
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...