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Michael Sozan

@michaelsozan.bsky.social

260 followers 92 following 68 posts

Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress @americanprogress.bsky.social. Democracy crusader. Former Senate chief of staff, DOJ. Opinions my own, reposts aren’t endorsements.

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Michael Sozan @michaelsozan.bsky.social · Jul 15

This can't be buried! The Trump/Paramount settlement could be bribery in plain sight.
Trump himself seemed to tie settlement to FCC review of the unrelated Paramount merger. This contradicts FCC chair Brendan Carr.
Read more in my @talkingpointsmemo.com op-ed.
talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/media-c...

Media Companies Like Paramount Should Think Twice Before Settling With Trump

This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news...

talkingpointsmemo.com

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Michael Sozan @michaelsozan.bsky.social · 5d

Important analysis from my @americanprogress.bsky.social colleague…

Devon Ombres @doo-dc.bsky.social · 5d

Next up on #SCOTUS's hit list - Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Louisiana v. #Callais is being argued next week and decades of progress will likely be thrown out the door. My new piece: www.americanprogress.org/article/loui...

Louisiana v. Callais: The End of the Voting Rights Act?

Louisiana v. Callais puts Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in the Supreme Court’s crosshairs and could result in the elimination of the last remaining bulwark against racial discrimination in voting...

www.americanprogress.org

Reposted by Michael Sozan

The Tent Pod @thetentpod.bsky.social · 21d

New Pod

@michaelsozan.bsky.social from @americanprogressaction.org joins the pod to discuss Trump’s authoritarian plan to consolidate power & go after perceived enemies

Mike & @colin-seeberger.bsky.social also discuss #JimmyKimmel, the potential government shutdown & how Democrats are pushing back

Mike Sozan on the State of U.S. Democracy

Podcast Episode · The Tent · 09/24/2025 · 38m

podcasts.apple.com

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Sydney 🐝 @sydkneeb.bsky.social · 9d

SCOTUS has been hacking away at the separation of church and state. This is the legacy of the Roberts Court. More from @thedailyhayley.bsky.social and I on that for @americanprogress.bsky.social, here: www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...

How the Supreme Court Is Dismantling the Separation of Church and State

Chief Justice John Roberts’ court is actively eroding the separation of church and state, breaking with centuries of First Amendment jurisprudence.

www.americanprogress.org

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Reposted by Michael Sozan

The Daily Hayley @thedailyhayley.bsky.social · 9d

Today is the first day of the 2025-2026 Supreme Court term and we just released our major new report on religion at the Roberts Court: www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...

How the Supreme Court Is Dismantling the Separation of Church and State

Chief Justice John Roberts’ court is actively eroding the separation of church and state, breaking with centuries of First Amendment jurisprudence.

www.americanprogress.org

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Reposted by Michael Sozan

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 24d

It’s really all we should be talking about today.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 24d

There is no world in which it is normal for the president to publicly call upon his attorney general to hurry up and prosecute his political foes. It’s like the Watergate tapes but posted on social media. Let’s get a grip on what’s happening here.

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 25d

To be absolutely clear on what just happened here, Trump ousted this veteran career prosecutor *precisely because* he would *not* cook the facts to bring a corrupt prosecution against one of Trump's leading enemies.

To Trump, refusing to prosecute his foes for fake crimes is a firing offense.

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 25d

Trump's scam of inventing "mortgage fraud" charges against his foes is failing. So he's set to fire a top prosecutor who is failing to bring charges, ABC reports.

Failing to bring corrupt prosecutions is now a firing offense. This is profound misconduct.

New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2006...

Trump Firing Top Prosecutor for Failing to Invent Fake Crimes by Foes

A U.S. attorney in Virginia is finding no evidence that Letitia James broke the law. In America, that’s justice. In Trumpworld, it’s a firing offense.

newrepublic.com

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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 24d

Tom Homan, who was later named President Trump’s border chief, was recorded in September 2024 accepting a bag with $50,000 in cash in an undercover FBI investigation, according to people familiar with the case, which was later closed by Trump administration officials.

Trump Justice Dept. Closed Investigation Into Tom Homan for Accepting Bag of Cash

Mr. Homan came under scrutiny after he was said to be recorded last year taking $50,000 in cash from undercover F.B.I. agents.

nyti.ms

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Michael Sozan @michaelsozan.bsky.social · 26d

It’s incredible: Trump is unpopular — 40% approval rating. Yet, corporations and others are capitulating to him, like they did to Orbán in Hungary.
Civil society and the media need to push back in a strong, concerted effort. It can be scary but it must be done.

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 26d

"Orbánization has surged forward in the last 24 hours."

Yep, and Trump has since made it explicit that he's instructed FCC chair Brendan Carr to abuse broadcast licensing to suppress network criticism of him. He's stated it right in the open.

Jay Rosen @jayrosen.bsky.social · 26d

The government is “using the public interest standard to go after anything it doesn’t like" says Anna Gomez. She is the only Democratic-appointed commissioner on the three-member Federal Communications Commission.
newrepublic.com/article/2006...

Orbánization has surged forward in the last 24 hours.

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Social Security Works @socialsecurityworks.org · 26d

Ezra Levin: This is a movement that understands cowardice is contagious. When Disney and ABC capitulate 1,000 other institutions are looking at them...That cowardice, it endangers all of us, but it is not inevitable. This is a movement that also knows the courage is contagious. #NoKingsKickOff

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 26d

Ro Khanna: "They're making comedy illegal. Brendan Carr pressured ABC to cancel Jimmy Kimmel, and Disney cancels Jimmy Kimmel. This canceling from an administration that lectured us about cancel culture. That's why today I'm introducing a motion to subpoena Brendan Carr."

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Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 26d

my conversation with @gregsargent.bsky.social about censorship, 1st A and cowardly legacy media: newrepublic.com/article/2006...

Trump’s Crazed New Rants Make Jimmy Kimmel Mess Look Even More Corrupt

As Trump’s ramblings reveal how corrupt his pressure on ABC to suspend Kimmel truly was, The Contrarian’s Jennifer Rubin explains what all this says about his consolidation of power—and how to fight i...

newrepublic.com

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Tom Moore @thmoore.bsky.social · 28d

Delighted that USA Today published my opinion piece today on @americanprogress.bsky.social's plan to undo Citizens United through state corporation laws.

Americans want dark money out of politics. We don't have to wait for Supreme Court. | Opinion

Corporations are not born; they are built. And the Supreme Court has always held that the power to build them belongs to states alone.

www.usatoday.com

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Tom Moore @thmoore.bsky.social · Sep 15

Some personal news: CAP published my report, "The Corporate Power Reset That Makes Citizens United Irrelevant," today, and I'm proud to share it with the world.

State by state, this approach can be used to rid our politics of corporate and dark money. It may be the most meaningful work I ever do.

The Corporate Power Reset That Makes Citizens United Irrelevant

By using their authority to define what corporations are—and what powers they hold—states can end the era of corporate and dark money in U.S. politics.

www.americanprogress.org

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Reposted by Michael Sozan

Tom Moore @thmoore.bsky.social · Sep 15

Fifteen years after Citizens United opened the floodgates of corporate and dark political money, the Center for American Progress has figured out how to slam them back shut.

CAP published its groundbreaking how-to report today: "The Corporate Power Reset That Makes Citizens United Irrelevant."

The Corporate Power Reset That Makes Citizens United Irrelevant

By using their authority to define what corporations are—and what powers they hold—states can end the era of corporate and dark money in U.S. politics.

www.americanprogress.org

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Reposted by Michael Sozan

Center for American Progress @americanprogress.bsky.social · Sep 15

Americans from across the political spectrum overwhelmingly oppose Citizens United and would like to rid the U.S. political system of corporate and dark money. Learn more from CAP's @thmoore.bsky.social:
www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...

The Corporate Power Reset That Makes Citizens United Irrelevant

By using their authority to define what corporations are—and what powers they hold—states can end the era of corporate and dark money in U.S. politics.

www.americanprogress.org

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Michael Sozan @michaelsozan.bsky.social · Sep 15

An important read…….

Cathleen Kelly @cmkelly.bsky.social · Sep 15

NEW: President Trump and RFK Jr. promised to “Make America Healthy Again” but the administration’s assault on environmental safeguards will expose kids and families to more cancer-causing pollution as RFK Jr. cuts cancer research and treatment: www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...

The Trump Administration’s Attack on Environmental Protections Will Increase Cancer-Causing Pollution

The Trump administration’s plan to torpedo air pollution limits and cancer prevention programs while ripping away health care and cancer treatment and canceling clean energy investments will increase ...

www.americanprogress.org

Reposted by Michael Sozan

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 7

Massie: "I don't know if the Speaker misspoke when he said Donald Trump was an informant ... the Speaker needs to clarify that. And if it's a hoax, why was Donald Trump an informant to a hoax?"

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Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · Sep 6

Can’t express in words how big this rally in Chicago is. The president’s fascist goon squad is not welcome here.

A completely full Chicago on Michigan Avenue protesting Donald Trump.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 7

TAPPER: Hepatitis A, whooping cough, & chickenpox cases are rising in Florida. Before you made this decision to lift vaccine mandates, did your dept do any analysis of how many new cases there will be?

LADAPO: Absolutely not

T: You didn't even do a projection?

L: It's an issue of right & wrong

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Public Citizen @publiccitizen.bsky.social · Sep 5

Trump's pick to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics had a Twitter account with sexually degrading and bigoted attacks.

Sounds like he'll fit perfectly into Trump's current cast of characters.

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Public Citizen @publiccitizen.bsky.social · Sep 4

GOP Senator Barrasso just pushed back against RFK Jr.'s attacks on vaccines.

What RFK Jr. has done at HHS is not "Make America Healthy Again."

It's "Making America go back back hundreds of years to a time before we believed in science."

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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · Sep 4

First Bernie Sanders. Then the CDC directors.

Now, more than 1,000 current and former HHS staffers are demanding he step down.

RFK Jr.’s enemies list just got a lot longer

First Bernie Sanders. Then CDC directors. Now, more than 1,000 current and former HHS staffers are demanding he step down.

www.motherjones.com

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Michael Sozan @michaelsozan.bsky.social · Sep 3

Civil society and all pro-democracy patriots should follow the example set by @georgetownlaw.bsky.social. This is how to push back firmly against Trump administration overreach in ways that firmly embrace values, history, religion, and constitutional freedoms. (2/2)

Michael Sozan @michaelsozan.bsky.social · Sep 3

Powerful article from 2 leaders at @georgetownlaw.bsky.social, incl. former Dean Treanor.
In the face of Trump admin. attacks, they make potent arguments about protecting educ. & religious institutions, freedom of speech/religion, & diverse democracy. (1/2)
www.americamagazine.org/faith-and-re...

At Jesuit universities, the government’s D.E.I. crackdown is an attack on religious freedom

Now more than ever, it is urgent to stand up for our university’s autonomy to make curricular decisions based on its Jesuit mission.

www.americamagazine.org

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Public Citizen @publiccitizen.bsky.social · Sep 3

Trump's military occupation is targeting Black and Brown residents, immigrants, youth, and unhoused neighbors in DC.

DC is our home, not a military zone.

On Sept 6, march with us to demand an end to Trump’s unprecedented takeover of DC.

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