Eliot Higgins
@eliothiggins.bsky.social
Founder and creative director of Bellingcat and director of Bellingcat Productions BV. Author of We Are Bellingcat.
Pinned
🧵 @jburnmurdoch.ft.com is spot on about the conditions in his FT piece. Liberal democracy held it together thanks to growth, good demographics, and the promise of a better future. Those days are gone, and that’s the "why" behind the erosion. However...
Democratic politicians have, though, pursued growth in GDP at the expense of other values. One response to @jburnmurdoch.ft.com pessimistic scenario is refocus on those values, combined with egalitarianism, sufficiency and quality of life. Not "it's the economy, stupid" but "it's the the society"
The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
A handyman from Florida who received a pardon from President Trump for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was convicted on state charges of child sex abuse and exposing himself to a child. n.pr/4tx7oVq
A Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Trump was convicted of sexually abusing children
A handyman from Florida who received a pardon from President Trump for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was convicted on state charges of child sex abuse and exposing himself to a child.
n.pr
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 PM
A handyman from Florida who received a pardon from President Trump for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was convicted on state charges of child sex abuse and exposing himself to a child. n.pr/4tx7oVq
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Goldman: "Will the survivors and victims who are here please stand up one more time. By show of hands, how many of you or your loved ones actually have met with the DOJ? None ... How many of you were ignored by the DOJ? All of them." (Bondi responds by smearing Goldman.)
February 11, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Goldman: "Will the survivors and victims who are here please stand up one more time. By show of hands, how many of you or your loved ones actually have met with the DOJ? None ... How many of you were ignored by the DOJ? All of them." (Bondi responds by smearing Goldman.)
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
GOLDMAN: Will you commit to providing the unredacted version of this email so the American people can understand the extent of Trump's lies about his relationship w/ Epstein?
BONDI: You're about as good of a lawyer as you were when you tried to impeach President Trump. Have you apologized for that?
BONDI: You're about as good of a lawyer as you were when you tried to impeach President Trump. Have you apologized for that?
February 11, 2026 at 7:36 PM
GOLDMAN: Will you commit to providing the unredacted version of this email so the American people can understand the extent of Trump's lies about his relationship w/ Epstein?
BONDI: You're about as good of a lawyer as you were when you tried to impeach President Trump. Have you apologized for that?
BONDI: You're about as good of a lawyer as you were when you tried to impeach President Trump. Have you apologized for that?
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Moskowitz: "Trump's name appears more times in the Epstein files than God's name appears in the book about God"
February 11, 2026 at 7:24 PM
Moskowitz: "Trump's name appears more times in the Epstein files than God's name appears in the book about God"
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
LOL -- Moskowitz wraps up his 5 minutes by asking Bondi what oppo she has on him, and he then gets out a whiteboard and marker to grade her
Bondi replies by saying, "there's nothing funny about mocking the Bible and holding up a Trump Bible. I find it offensive"
Bondi replies by saying, "there's nothing funny about mocking the Bible and holding up a Trump Bible. I find it offensive"
February 11, 2026 at 7:26 PM
LOL -- Moskowitz wraps up his 5 minutes by asking Bondi what oppo she has on him, and he then gets out a whiteboard and marker to grade her
Bondi replies by saying, "there's nothing funny about mocking the Bible and holding up a Trump Bible. I find it offensive"
Bondi replies by saying, "there's nothing funny about mocking the Bible and holding up a Trump Bible. I find it offensive"
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
but to them it clearly is a game. none of this is about actually answering questions or anything resembling dialogue. it’s a spectacle to be clipped and ginned up into something else entirely, a performance of fealty to the leader, etc. you won’t get answers from these kind of folks by asking them.
BALINT: Was the president aware of Secretary Lutnick's ties to Epstein when he chose him to lead the Department of Commerce?
BONDI: Chris Malen was a Border Patrol agent----
BALINT: So I'm going to conclude that he did know!
BONDI: Shame on you
BALINT: This is pathetic! This is not a game
BONDI: Chris Malen was a Border Patrol agent----
BALINT: So I'm going to conclude that he did know!
BONDI: Shame on you
BALINT: This is pathetic! This is not a game
February 11, 2026 at 7:11 PM
but to them it clearly is a game. none of this is about actually answering questions or anything resembling dialogue. it’s a spectacle to be clipped and ginned up into something else entirely, a performance of fealty to the leader, etc. you won’t get answers from these kind of folks by asking them.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Bondi laughing at the end is the real pièce de résistance. This is all just a big joke to her.
BONDI: You didn't ask Merrick Garland anything about Epstein
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
February 11, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Bondi laughing at the end is the real pièce de résistance. This is all just a big joke to her.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Rep. Jesús García comes out swinging: "You're one of the worst attorney generals in our history and an instrument of Donald Trump's lawless authoritarian agenda, and I'm glad the American people are seeing who you are."
February 11, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Rep. Jesús García comes out swinging: "You're one of the worst attorney generals in our history and an instrument of Donald Trump's lawless authoritarian agenda, and I'm glad the American people are seeing who you are."
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
BONDI: You didn't ask Merrick Garland anything about Epstein
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
February 11, 2026 at 7:04 PM
BONDI: You didn't ask Merrick Garland anything about Epstein
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
BALINT: Weak sauce
BONDI: And with this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution--
BALINT: You want to go there! Really? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust! *storms off*
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
This is how CBS Evening News depicted data showing that less than 14% of ICE arrests involved those accused or convicted of violent crimes, and less than 2% had homicide or sexual assault charges or convictions.
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 PM
This is how CBS Evening News depicted data showing that less than 14% of ICE arrests involved those accused or convicted of violent crimes, and less than 2% had homicide or sexual assault charges or convictions.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Pam Bondi has nothing more to say about why she hired a Jan. 6 insurrectionist who was indicted on multiple charges and yelled for the killing of police officers defending the Capitol
NEGUSE: AG Bondi, that man works for you now, right? The man in that video from J6 yelling 'kill them!' at cops. His name is Jared Wise.
BONDI: He does work for us, yes. I believe he was pardoned
NEGUSE: And you expect hard-working police officers to believe you take law enforcement seriously?
BONDI: He does work for us, yes. I believe he was pardoned
NEGUSE: And you expect hard-working police officers to believe you take law enforcement seriously?
February 11, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Pam Bondi has nothing more to say about why she hired a Jan. 6 insurrectionist who was indicted on multiple charges and yelled for the killing of police officers defending the Capitol
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
holy shit -- Bondi's new tactic is refusing to answer Democratic questions, then using time during the next Republican questioner to smear the previous Democratic member and accuse them of being complicit in violence crimes
February 11, 2026 at 6:40 PM
holy shit -- Bondi's new tactic is refusing to answer Democratic questions, then using time during the next Republican questioner to smear the previous Democratic member and accuse them of being complicit in violence crimes
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
(AXIOS) - Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) told Axios in an interview Tuesday that, when he searched President Trump's name in the unredacted Epstein files the previous day, it came up "more than a million times."
@axios.com
www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
@axios.com
www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
February 10, 2026 at 6:13 PM
(AXIOS) - Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) told Axios in an interview Tuesday that, when he searched President Trump's name in the unredacted Epstein files the previous day, it came up "more than a million times."
@axios.com
www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
@axios.com
www.axios.com/2026/02/10/t...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
This is the aftermath of an ICE kidnapping a few blocks from my home in St. Paul—an hour ago. A quiet street full of broken glass and at least three wrecked cars. The target of the kidnapping was taken away by ambulance. He was on a stretcher and covered by a sheet, though a cop said he was alive.
February 11, 2026 at 4:46 PM
This is the aftermath of an ICE kidnapping a few blocks from my home in St. Paul—an hour ago. A quiet street full of broken glass and at least three wrecked cars. The target of the kidnapping was taken away by ambulance. He was on a stretcher and covered by a sheet, though a cop said he was alive.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
US employment growth through March revised down by 862,000 jobs reut.rs/3Zw6FWV
US employment growth through March revised down by 862,000 jobs
The U.S. economy created 862,000 fewer jobs in the 12 months through March 2025 than previously estimated, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said on Wednesday.
reut.rs
February 11, 2026 at 6:15 PM
US employment growth through March revised down by 862,000 jobs reut.rs/3Zw6FWV
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Please note that she's READING this. She PREPARED this as a rebuttal for questions about Epstein. She planned this, had someone write it down, and read it.
Bondi crashes out over Epstein: "The Dow is over 50,000 dollars! I don't know why you're laughing. You're a great stock trader as I hear, Raskin. The Dow is over 50,000 right now. The S&P at almost 7,000, and the Nasdaq smashing records. That's what we should be talking about."
February 11, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Please note that she's READING this. She PREPARED this as a rebuttal for questions about Epstein. She planned this, had someone write it down, and read it.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
In Jan OpenAI fired VP of public policy (safety) for discrimination against a male colleague. There are no details about the alleged complaint but she had raised concerns about the ChatGPT’s proposed adult mode and was vocal that co wasn’t doing enough to stop CSAM. She also led mentorship for women
Exclusive | OpenAI Executive Who Opposed ‘Adult Mode’ Fired for Sexual Discrimination
Ryan Beiermeister, who served as the vice president leading OpenAI’s product policy team, had raised concerns about the upcoming launch of erotic content.
www.wsj.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:57 PM
In Jan OpenAI fired VP of public policy (safety) for discrimination against a male colleague. There are no details about the alleged complaint but she had raised concerns about the ChatGPT’s proposed adult mode and was vocal that co wasn’t doing enough to stop CSAM. She also led mentorship for women
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Pam Bondi is asked whether it's true that 1000 people were tasked at the Justice Department with scrubbing Trump's name from the Epstein files.
She says Trump's name has appeared "countless times" in the Epstein files.
She thinks this is a win.
She says Trump's name has appeared "countless times" in the Epstein files.
She thinks this is a win.
February 11, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Pam Bondi is asked whether it's true that 1000 people were tasked at the Justice Department with scrubbing Trump's name from the Epstein files.
She says Trump's name has appeared "countless times" in the Epstein files.
She thinks this is a win.
She says Trump's name has appeared "countless times" in the Epstein files.
She thinks this is a win.
I've seen beached whales less out of their depth.
Pam Bondi starts ranting about the DOW and S&P in the middle of questions about the Epstein files.
February 11, 2026 at 4:40 PM
I've seen beached whales less out of their depth.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Trump tried to throw Members of Congress in jail for reminding servicemembers they don't have to follow illegal orders. He is weaponizing the DOJ to silence dissent & not one Republican has stepped up to stop him. Thankfully, a grand jury rejected it. We will not be intimidated.
Trump administration fails to indict Democrats involved in 'illegal orders' video
President Donald Trump had accused six Democratic lawmakers of "seditious behavior" after they urged members of the military and intelligence communities to refuse unlawful orders.
www.nbcnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Trump tried to throw Members of Congress in jail for reminding servicemembers they don't have to follow illegal orders. He is weaponizing the DOJ to silence dissent & not one Republican has stepped up to stop him. Thankfully, a grand jury rejected it. We will not be intimidated.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Pam Bondi starts ranting about the DOW and S&P in the middle of questions about the Epstein files.
February 11, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Pam Bondi starts ranting about the DOW and S&P in the middle of questions about the Epstein files.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
No grand jurors found the Trump DOJ met low probable cause threshold in failed indictment of Democratic lawmakers
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
No grand jurors found the Trump DOJ met low probable cause threshold in failed indictment of Democratic lawmakers
None of the D.C. grand jurors who heard the Trump administration’s pitch on why they should indict Democratic lawmakers over a video urging members of the
www.nbcnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:46 PM
No grand jurors found the Trump DOJ met low probable cause threshold in failed indictment of Democratic lawmakers
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
wow -- Bondi throws a fit in response to Nadler's question about how many of Epstein's co-conspirators, if any, she's investigating, aggressively pointing at him and yelling. The hearing then devolves into chaos and Raskin and Bondi start yelling at each other.
February 11, 2026 at 4:01 PM
wow -- Bondi throws a fit in response to Nadler's question about how many of Epstein's co-conspirators, if any, she's investigating, aggressively pointing at him and yelling. The hearing then devolves into chaos and Raskin and Bondi start yelling at each other.
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
ICYMI - We released another edition of our "Who the Hell?" biographical series on Steven Crowder. It chronicles his start in acting and stand-up comedy, explores his pivot into politics, and traces how his rise into conservative podcasting stardom (and the poor decisions now catching up to him)
Who the Hell is Steven Crowder? The latest installment in our longform biography series features Byron from @thancrowder.bsky.social to explore how a Canadian kid with Hollywood dreams wound up becoming one of the biggest right-wing podcasters to ever do it
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
078: Who the Hell is Steven Crowder? feat. Byron McKoy
Podcast Episode · Posting Through It · 02/09/2026 · 2h 28m
podcasts.apple.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:45 PM
ICYMI - We released another edition of our "Who the Hell?" biographical series on Steven Crowder. It chronicles his start in acting and stand-up comedy, explores his pivot into politics, and traces how his rise into conservative podcasting stardom (and the poor decisions now catching up to him)
Reposted by Eliot Higgins
Jayapal: To the survivors in the room, if you are willing, please stand. And if you are willing, please raise your hands. If you have still not been able to meet with this DOJ. Please note for the record that every single survivor has raised their hand.
February 11, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Jayapal: To the survivors in the room, if you are willing, please stand. And if you are willing, please raise your hands. If you have still not been able to meet with this DOJ. Please note for the record that every single survivor has raised their hand.