Eric Columbus
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ericcolumbus.bsky.social
Eric Columbus
@ericcolumbus.bsky.social
Senior Editor @lawfaremedia.org. Previously: Obama appointee at DOJ/DHS. Litigator for Speaker Pelosi and Jan. 6 Committee. Yankee Stadium 🌭 vendor. NYC born and bred. Wannabe historian. Dad joker.
Reposted by Eric Columbus
there should be states in earlier timezones called ninessee, eightessee and sevenessee
December 3, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
You really can't trust these folks as far as you can throw them.

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...
State becomes the latest agency to proceed with RIFs despite statutory pause
The deal to end the shutdown placed a moratorium on any action to implement layoffs, but some agency are moving forward anyway.
www.govexec.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
NEW: The official USCIS guidance on this pause is out. Until further notice from the USCIS Director, all immigration benefits (including citizenship) are indefinitely suspended for nationals of 19 countries, as are all affirmative asylum applications from nationals of any country.
December 3, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Elon vindicated almost immediately
December 3, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Might as well predict TN-07: GOP by 7.
December 3, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Timeline poetry
December 2, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
George Will: "Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement. ... The killing of the survivors by this moral slum of an administration should nauseate Americans. A nation incapable of shame is dangerous, not least to itself" www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | A sickening moral slum of an administration
Regarding Venezuela, Ukraine and much more, Trump and his acolytes are worse than simply incompetent.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Whatever inspires you to donate to @lawfaremedia.org this Giving Tuesday, including my abject humiliation at the hands of @annabower.bsky.social, I salute: givebutter.com/journalism?s...
December 2, 2025 at 6:02 PM
LARRY SUMMERS: I hereby resign from your organization.

AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION: Oh yeah? We hereby ban you from having anything to do with us until you die.
www.aeaweb.org/news/aea-sta...
December 2, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Even if Hegseth didn’t authorize the second strike, he has since said that it was the right thing to do so. That’s enough to disqualify him.
A most important question on the Sept. 2 double-tap strike is who had "target engagement authority" (TEA).

Wall Street Journal:

"A Defense Department official ... said Hegseth was the 'target engagement authority,' the key figure who authorized the strike."

www.wsj.com/politics/whi...
December 2, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Didn't someone just get murdered in DC that was front page news around the country and caused the Trump administration to change its immigration policy toward an entire country?
Trump: "Washington now is, uh, no murders. It's been a miracle."
December 2, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Just a reminder that the flack doing this Pentagon presser for the Mos Eisley crowd (because DoD booted the legit journos) is a frothing bigot. www.npr.org/2025/03/06/n...
A Pentagon press secretary has history of pushing antisemitic, extremist theories
Members of Congress and civil rights groups are condemning past comments from Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson, including some which critics called antisemitic.
www.npr.org
December 2, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
This year, Lawfare has published analysis and reporting on the prosecution of the president's adversaries, the legality of domestic deployments, how AI is impacting national security, and more–always without a paywall.

On this #GivingTuesday, support our work at givebutter.com/journalism.
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Support the impactful and trustworthy coverage of Lawfare
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December 2, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Trump had a full-blown meltdown on social media last night that went on for hours and featured more than 160 posts and reshares, plus a new conspiracy about Michelle Obama. www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
Trump Launches Into Massive, Unhinged Late Night Posting Spree
The president made over 160 posts and reshares in just a matter of hours including one "WILD" claim from far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
www.huffpost.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
December 2, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
Fox News faces critical test in 2nd big defamation suit over spurious 2020 election fraud claims

My story for NPR

www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...
Fox News faces critical test in 2nd case over false 2020 election claims
The allegations in the multibillion-dollar case sound familiar: A voting-tech company accuses Fox News of defamation for false claims it broadcast about rigged votes in the 2020 presidential election.
www.npr.org
December 2, 2025 at 3:11 PM
I read the relevant posts yesterday but seeing it summarized in a sentence just might break me.
The publisher of “Franklin the Turtle,” a book franchise aimed at preschoolers, expressed criticism after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a doctored image that showed the well-known turtle character attacking the crew of a narcotics vessel.
‘Franklin the Turtle’ publisher slams Hegseth post joking about boat strike
Hegseth, who is under pressure over his order to kill the entire crew of a suspected smuggling vessel, shared a doctored image of the well-known children’s book on social media.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
One notable thing about the Trump administration picking winners and losers among businesses is that that GOP bitterly complained about Democrats doing the same thing with renewable energy. It's almost like that wasn't the real reason for turning off the spigot.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Commerce Department to Back Chip Startup From Former Intel CEO
The US Commerce Department has agreed to invest as much as $150 million in xLight Inc., a chip technology startup tied to former Intel Corp. Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger.
www.bloomberg.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:09 PM
If Pete Hegseth is the worst Secretary of Defense of your lifetime, you're not old enough to buy alcohol.
December 2, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Shorter Noem: Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets.
December 2, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Sure the Butler cliffhanger was a letdown, but once LIZZA learned that NUZZI knew an IZZY, he had to mention her — she was a human Chekhov’s gun!
Lizza says Nuzzi had a “poor quality” recording that might or might not have included Trump saying something about his bloody ear that might or might not have contradicted the official narrative about the assassination attempt but then deleted the recording after talking with RFKJr.

So tiresome 💤💤💤
December 1, 2025 at 10:17 PM
If memory serves, earlier this year it was reported that Trump had scheduled a meeting re Iran—and then we bombed Iran before the meeting was supposed to occur. I don't know if we ever learned whether the meeting announcement was a fake-out or plans changed.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/p...
Trump to hold Venezuela Oval Office meeting amid growing questions about his military moves | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump will hold a meeting at the White House on Monday evening about next steps on Venezuela, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, as the administration intensifies its pressure...
www.cnn.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Eric Columbus
What did I miss in my list?
www.thebulwark.com/p/jackie-cha...
December 1, 2025 at 4:16 PM
“A lead investigator in that case was Emil Bove, then a prosecutor for the Southern District of New York.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
This is ridiculous. It was the first TRUMP admin which developed the cases against President Hernandez. His brother Tony Hernandez was indicted in 2018 and convicted in 2019, and key ally Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez was indicted in 2020.

Both were later sentenced to life in prison!
Leavitt: "The people of Honduras have highlighted to him how the former President Hernandez was set up. This was a clear Biden over prosecution."
December 1, 2025 at 7:42 PM
DOJ says immigration judges, as "inferior officers," may be fired on the basis of sex, religion, race, or national origin. Leaving aside the law, it's *politically* remarkable they're taking this position.
washingtonlitigationgroup.org/news/former-...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 1, 2025 at 6:40 PM