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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1h

This CJS ethics and procedure 101 level stuff. I'm not surprised the Departments of Homeland Repression and Injustice ignore these things given what they have become under Trump, but it takes some ignorant balls to state so openly in court. /3

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1h

In other words it's the duty of the criminal justice system to pursue and retain exculpatory evidence. To do otherwise, on purpose or through incompetence, destroys justice.

/2

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1h

"...but would have made the effort if it was inculpatory, just not if it was exculpatory."

Whoa there! That statement is giant humongous big red flag for the judge to consider. It flies in the face of ethical police and prosecutorial procedure. /1

emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 2h

Residovic then explained that he didn't know how to preserve video, but would have made the effort if it was inculpatory, just not if it was exculpatory.

Agent Residovic also acknowledged that he did not recover the video because he “didn’t
see anything in the video that was criminal.” Tr. 10/10/25 at 48. While he first stated that he
would not recover an inculpatory video because he didn’t know how, he admitted that if he saw
strong evidence for the prosecution, he would reach out to others to learn how to preserve the
video. He said that he did not try to learn how to preserve the video in question because it was
short and because it “didn’t show evidence of anything criminal.” Tr. 10/10/25 at 49-50. He did
not and could not express that he did not think it was possible to capture the video.

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 2h

Government is moving from serving the people, to serving only power. It becomes "We who rule." We who know best."

They are taking away our ability to live with dignity as a free people, and turning us into a people that are only deemed worthy of being ruled - with fear, force and repression. /3

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 2h

Though important, those issues pale in comparison to the loss of our supposedly guaranteed freedoms, the rule of law, the value of our vote, or even our ability to vote. These actions by Trump and his minions are a more serious than the price of eggs.
Government is no longer "We the People."

/2

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 2h

Democratic messaging concerns me on one level. We talk about what Trump and the GOP is taking away: healthcare, the social safety net, and the attacks on our pocketbook. /1

Mjkwho @mjkwho.bsky.social · 3h

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 20h

It's all part of the service. 😎

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 20h

As I have quipped, it's the ultimate horror: just being equal. They recoil from what they view to be the existential threat of some Lovecraftian abyss: not having all the privileges they view as their due, and not always being in power. /4

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 20h

existentially threatened. The backlash that has resulted has sundered the Republic, not into civil war (at least not yet) but into a reactionary dictatorship driven by white grievances. /3

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 20h

The huge edifices of narrative, law and worldviews that those original goals generated have persisted for many forms for almost 250 years.
The Obama presidency and the demographic shifts affecting America made those that clung to those beliefs viewed their world, their America, to be /2

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 20h

It's both amazing and saddening when you consider the determination and persistence of the original idea that white male landowners should be the only ones with power. Slavery and the rabid racism it bred were fully integrated and protected in the early Republic.
/1

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 21h

The book serves as a seering indictment of American conservatism and racism. It chronicles when rigid ideology and hate are used as the only justification and of measure of government policy.

raventerp1.bsky.social @raventerp1.bsky.social · 22h

Dyingofwhiteness.com

Dying of Whiteness

Winner of the 2020 RFK Book Award. In "Dying of Whiteness" Dr. Jonathan Metzl reveals how right-wing backlash policies have mortal consequences–even for the white populations they promise to help.

Dyingofwhiteness.com

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

We got an imperfect system run by imperfect, often greedy, petty, and power hungry people.

"A Republic, if you can keep it." It was start. As imperfect as it was and is, it kept some of the wolves from the door, while failing to drive away others. /3

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

We didn't get the dream: an egalitarian secular pluralistic democracy that lifts up, and serves and protects all the people. Instead we got one that often punches down, divides, and mostly, if not exclusively, serves those with power to perpetuate their power. /2

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

The Oath doesn't include an expiration date.

I long ago concluded that our Constitution contained numerous flaws and many laws were unjust. Equal justice under law was just as much of an unrealized dream as all equality.

/1

Jack Hopkins-The Original @therealjackhopkins.bsky.social · 1d

I have never forgotten the oath I raised my hand for. I never will.

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

Any DOJ lawyers anywhere near being asked to be enforcers of dictatorship should resign. To remain means an erosion, if not outright elimination, of all ethical and professional standards the "officers of the court" are supposed to maintain.

Remaining is simply not worth the risk.

#TuckFrump @realtuckfrumper.bsky.social · 1d

'Hall of shame': DOJ lawyers said to face 'severe consequences' for following Trump orders

www.rawstory.com

'Hall of shame': DOJ lawyers said to face 'severe consequences' for following Trump orders

twp.ai

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

Widespread violence is possible, but numerous nations were able to expel an authoritarian government without a full civil war. That includes those where the ruler(s) were not reluctant to use state violence/terror against their own people.
It's impossible to say at this point how it will turn out.

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

I strongly recommend not trying to shoot our way out of this, because civil wars are extremely destructive, much more so than those who glibly call for them often realize.
I do say our gun-loving countrymen and women should at least voice their opposition to dictatorship en masse. So far, crickets.

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

If there is anyone left to write it.....

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

On the lighter side, there are some good things about baseball. 😎

Casey Drottar @caseydrottar.bsky.social · 2d

Please enjoy Barrelman soaking in the Brewers' NLCS clinch from right above Milwaukee's dugout

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

A brief look at public surveys where people are asked about basic knowledge (e.g. Sen. Tubberville initially couldn't name the three branches of the federal government) suggests that much of the American public is alarmingly deficient. /2

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

The literature on Critical Thinking contains papers that put forth what I think is a strongly substantiated claim. A command of basic knowledge is a prerequisite for effective critical thought and assessment. /1

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

For such people the facts have little to no power to change their beliefs.

Critical thinking, the piecing together facts, assumptions and argument to create defensible claims and beliefs is hard work. It is far easier to be lazy, and leave that work to authority figures and group narratives. /2

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

What does it mean to be stupid?

I've long held that Epistemic Virtues are more important than raw IQ.

The greatest engine of stupidity is likely that people are drawn into beliefs by narratives, particularly if those narratives are shared by pier groups or authority figure. /1

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Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54.bsky.social · 1d

As the current slumber of the gunaholics in response to dictatorship attests, the toxic man-bro tactical operator as the last line of defense of the flag freedoms narrative they used to build that market was always a lie.

/4

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