Alison Frankel
@alisonfrankel.bsky.social
Senior advisor to the Ethics and Journalism Initiative at NYU. Ex-legal journo. Cat lady.
And the quoted lawyer advised US Special Forces during the peak of counterterrorism operations. He presumably isn’t squeamish about what constitutes a war crime.
"Even if the U.S. were at war with the traffickers, an order to kill all the boat’s occupants if they were no longer able to fight 'would in essence be an order to show no quarter, which would be a war crime,' said Huntley, now director of the national security law program at Georgetown Law."
SCOOP: For the Trump admin's Sept. 2 strike targeting 11 men on a boat suspected of ferrying drugs, SecDef Hegseth gave an order, officials say, to kill them all. When two men were still alive, orders were given to strike again, finishing them off.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
November 28, 2025 at 7:06 PM
And the quoted lawyer advised US Special Forces during the peak of counterterrorism operations. He presumably isn’t squeamish about what constitutes a war crime.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
SCOOP: For the Trump admin's Sept. 2 strike targeting 11 men on a boat suspected of ferrying drugs, SecDef Hegseth gave an order, officials say, to kill them all. When two men were still alive, orders were given to strike again, finishing them off.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
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 6:03 PM
SCOOP: For the Trump admin's Sept. 2 strike targeting 11 men on a boat suspected of ferrying drugs, SecDef Hegseth gave an order, officials say, to kill them all. When two men were still alive, orders were given to strike again, finishing them off.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
I’m already full after eating the clingy bits from the pumpkin cheesecake pan and taste testing the whipped cream. This is what happens when your Thanksgiving assignment is dessert.
November 27, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I’m already full after eating the clingy bits from the pumpkin cheesecake pan and taste testing the whipped cream. This is what happens when your Thanksgiving assignment is dessert.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
A REUTERS SPECIAL REPORT
Trump’s campaign of retribution:
At least 470 targets and counting
The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.
By PETER EISLER, NED PARKER, LINDA SO and JOSEPH TANFANI
Trump’s campaign of retribution:
At least 470 targets and counting
The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.
By PETER EISLER, NED PARKER, LINDA SO and JOSEPH TANFANI
November 26, 2025 at 6:35 PM
A REUTERS SPECIAL REPORT
Trump’s campaign of retribution:
At least 470 targets and counting
The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.
By PETER EISLER, NED PARKER, LINDA SO and JOSEPH TANFANI
Trump’s campaign of retribution:
At least 470 targets and counting
The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.
By PETER EISLER, NED PARKER, LINDA SO and JOSEPH TANFANI
Reposted by Alison Frankel
Do this, people! It's a great award!
Journalist friends: If you navigated tough ethics issues to produce a great story, you should apply for a Collier Award from NYU's Ethics and Journalism Initiative! $15K for local and national winners, plus a prize for student journos. Application link: collier.awardsplatform.com. Spread the word!
collier.awardsplatform.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Do this, people! It's a great award!
Journalist friends: If you navigated tough ethics issues to produce a great story, you should apply for a Collier Award from NYU's Ethics and Journalism Initiative! $15K for local and national winners, plus a prize for student journos. Application link: collier.awardsplatform.com. Spread the word!
collier.awardsplatform.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Journalist friends: If you navigated tough ethics issues to produce a great story, you should apply for a Collier Award from NYU's Ethics and Journalism Initiative! $15K for local and national winners, plus a prize for student journos. Application link: collier.awardsplatform.com. Spread the word!
Reposted by Alison Frankel
BREAKING: Judge dismisses DOJ charges against former FBI Director James Comey and NY AG Letitia James
A federal judge has thrown out two criminal cases pursued by President Donald Trump because the prosecutor who secured the charges was unlawfully appointed.
A federal judge has thrown out two criminal cases pursued by President Donald Trump because the prosecutor who secured the charges was unlawfully appointed.
Judge dismisses DOJ charges against James Comey and Letitia James
A judge ordered that charges against Trump targets, James Comey and Letitia James, be dismissed because the prosecutor was unlawfully appointed.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 PM
BREAKING: Judge dismisses DOJ charges against former FBI Director James Comey and NY AG Letitia James
A federal judge has thrown out two criminal cases pursued by President Donald Trump because the prosecutor who secured the charges was unlawfully appointed.
A federal judge has thrown out two criminal cases pursued by President Donald Trump because the prosecutor who secured the charges was unlawfully appointed.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
Judge Rao is just wrong to say the courts can't enjoin the president. We briefed this in Knight Institute v. Trump -- see pp. 9-13. knightcolumbia.org/documents/77...
November 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Judge Rao is just wrong to say the courts can't enjoin the president. We briefed this in Knight Institute v. Trump -- see pp. 9-13. knightcolumbia.org/documents/77...
Reposted by Alison Frankel
This DC Circuit argument in the AP case isn't promising. Judge Wilkins is sympathetic to AP but for the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, Judge Rao wants to expand the "rule" barring injunctions against the president into a rule barring injunctions against anyone whom the president might ask to do things.
Tomorrow morning, the DC Circuit will consider whether Trump violated the First Amendment by ejecting @apnews.com from the White House press pool after it refused to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. Very glad that the AP is fighting this. knightcolumbia.org/blog/the-fig...
November 24, 2025 at 3:26 PM
This DC Circuit argument in the AP case isn't promising. Judge Wilkins is sympathetic to AP but for the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, Judge Rao wants to expand the "rule" barring injunctions against the president into a rule barring injunctions against anyone whom the president might ask to do things.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
New Yorkers have been training at churches and community centers across the city in recent weeks in preparation for an expected ramp-up in ICE activity.
https://gothamist.com/news/our-neighbors-are-in-danger-new-yorkers-prep-for-an-immigration-crackdown
https://gothamist.com/news/our-neighbors-are-in-danger-new-yorkers-prep-for-an-immigration-crackdown
'Our neighbors are in danger': New Yorkers prep for an immigration crackdown
Immigrant advocates, community activists and others have been meeting, canvassing neighborhoods, and preparing for increased enforcement.
gothamist.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:15 PM
New Yorkers have been training at churches and community centers across the city in recent weeks in preparation for an expected ramp-up in ICE activity.
https://gothamist.com/news/our-neighbors-are-in-danger-new-yorkers-prep-for-an-immigration-crackdown
https://gothamist.com/news/our-neighbors-are-in-danger-new-yorkers-prep-for-an-immigration-crackdown
Reposted by Alison Frankel
BREAKING at SCOTUS: Texas Republicans file emergency plea to rescue their gerrymandered map
November 21, 2025 at 11:32 PM
BREAKING at SCOTUS: Texas Republicans file emergency plea to rescue their gerrymandered map
Reposted by Alison Frankel
Still wearing my shirt from my friend @grovesprof.bsky.social and thinking about all the local journalists enduring so much violence as they report on protests against ICE and more. Solidarity to you all.
November 21, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Still wearing my shirt from my friend @grovesprof.bsky.social and thinking about all the local journalists enduring so much violence as they report on protests against ICE and more. Solidarity to you all.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
November 20, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Reposted by Alison Frankel
ALERT: @veritenews.org has started a tip line for people to report ICE/CBP sightings in the greater New Orleans area ahead of the upcoming deployment of Border Patrol agents to the region. If you see an enforcement action, raid, illegal detainment, etc., please let us know!
November 20, 2025 at 5:17 PM
ALERT: @veritenews.org has started a tip line for people to report ICE/CBP sightings in the greater New Orleans area ahead of the upcoming deployment of Border Patrol agents to the region. If you see an enforcement action, raid, illegal detainment, etc., please let us know!
Reposted by Alison Frankel
Big dispute about that. Comey says if the indictment is void then the statute ran out Sept. 30 & the case is over. Govt will argue that they should get 6 more months under 18 USC 3288 (below). Comey also argues that case should be dism'd with prejudice under court's supervisory powers.
November 19, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Big dispute about that. Comey says if the indictment is void then the statute ran out Sept. 30 & the case is over. Govt will argue that they should get 6 more months under 18 USC 3288 (below). Comey also argues that case should be dism'd with prejudice under court's supervisory powers.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
James Comey’s criminal case is hanging by a thread after a judge repeatedly pressed DOJ lawyers about irregularities in Lindsey Halligan’s indictment.
Comey case hanging by a thread as judge squeezes DOJ over Halligan’s handling
The judge also appeared puzzled after a lead prosecutor said he couldn’t reveal whether career attorneys initially recommended against charging the former FBI director.
www.politico.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:54 PM
James Comey’s criminal case is hanging by a thread after a judge repeatedly pressed DOJ lawyers about irregularities in Lindsey Halligan’s indictment.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
New: Reuters has tallied job losses, suspensions and investigations stemming from the reaction to Charlie Kirk's Sept. 10 assassination. Its findings: More than 600 Americans have been punished, and the figure is likely to be an under-count.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
November 19, 2025 at 11:35 AM
New: Reuters has tallied job losses, suspensions and investigations stemming from the reaction to Charlie Kirk's Sept. 10 assassination. Its findings: More than 600 Americans have been punished, and the figure is likely to be an under-count.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Alison Frankel
You know what media is NOT bending the knee in the Trump era? College journalists! The Harvard Crimson's brutal takedown of the lecherous ex-prez Larry Summers is just the latest example of students showing a failing 'grown-up' media how it's done
My new column www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...
My new column www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...
College journalism exposes the rot of ‘grown-ups’ | Will Bunch Newsletter
Plus a history lesson on the real ‘Charlotte’s Web,’ and fascism,
www.inquirer.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
You know what media is NOT bending the knee in the Trump era? College journalists! The Harvard Crimson's brutal takedown of the lecherous ex-prez Larry Summers is just the latest example of students showing a failing 'grown-up' media how it's done
My new column www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...
My new column www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...
Reposted by Alison Frankel
NEW: The White House intervened in a DHS investigation.
The target? Sex offender Andrew Tate.
The WH person? Paul “Nazi Streak” Ingrassia.
Who was previously also Tate’s lawyer.
A banger from @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Shapiro
www.propublica.org/article/andr...
The target? Sex offender Andrew Tate.
The WH person? Paul “Nazi Streak” Ingrassia.
Who was previously also Tate’s lawyer.
A banger from @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Shapiro
www.propublica.org/article/andr...
November 18, 2025 at 11:41 AM
NEW: The White House intervened in a DHS investigation.
The target? Sex offender Andrew Tate.
The WH person? Paul “Nazi Streak” Ingrassia.
Who was previously also Tate’s lawyer.
A banger from @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Shapiro
www.propublica.org/article/andr...
The target? Sex offender Andrew Tate.
The WH person? Paul “Nazi Streak” Ingrassia.
Who was previously also Tate’s lawyer.
A banger from @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Shapiro
www.propublica.org/article/andr...
Here’s an example of journalistic dedication. My husband, @danfagin.bsky.social, wrote the butterfly story. To fact-check the rice grains analogy, he asked a rice scientist (yes, there are such a thing) to weigh a dozen grains so Dan could get the average weight of a single grain.
wake up babe, new units of measurement just dropped www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/s...
November 17, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Here’s an example of journalistic dedication. My husband, @danfagin.bsky.social, wrote the butterfly story. To fact-check the rice grains analogy, he asked a rice scientist (yes, there are such a thing) to weigh a dozen grains so Dan could get the average weight of a single grain.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
"... asked to drop cases for political reasons, to find evidence for flimsy investigations, to take positions in court they thought had no legitimate basis.
"Work they were told to abandon — investigations of terrorist plots, corruption and white-collar fraud..."
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
"Work they were told to abandon — investigations of terrorist plots, corruption and white-collar fraud..."
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
60 Attorneys on the Year of Chaos Inside Trump’s Justice Department
Sixty former staffers describe an environment of suspicion and intimidation within the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agency.
www.nytimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:21 PM
"... asked to drop cases for political reasons, to find evidence for flimsy investigations, to take positions in court they thought had no legitimate basis.
"Work they were told to abandon — investigations of terrorist plots, corruption and white-collar fraud..."
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
"Work they were told to abandon — investigations of terrorist plots, corruption and white-collar fraud..."
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Alison Frankel
BREAKING: Magistrate orders DOJ to turn over grand jury materials to Comey, finding real prospect that "government misconduct" may have tainted the case.
November 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
BREAKING: Magistrate orders DOJ to turn over grand jury materials to Comey, finding real prospect that "government misconduct" may have tainted the case.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
Never forget that just a week ago, Ross Douthat and the NYTimes were asking if women ruined the workplace.
November 17, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Never forget that just a week ago, Ross Douthat and the NYTimes were asking if women ruined the workplace.
Reposted by Alison Frankel
Transformative work of the day, that's some pig edition
November 17, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Transformative work of the day, that's some pig edition
Reposted by Alison Frankel
The BBC has told President Trump’s lawyers that it would fight his lawsuit for up to $5bn, claiming nobody in America watched its misleading Panorama programme and it didn’t damage his reputation
BBC says Trump has no case as misleading Panorama did not air in US
www.thetimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The BBC has told President Trump’s lawyers that it would fight his lawsuit for up to $5bn, claiming nobody in America watched its misleading Panorama programme and it didn’t damage his reputation