Sam Feldman
@srfeld.bsky.social
Appellate public defender, trade unionist, NYC-DSA member. Washingtonian by birth, Chicago alum. He/him. Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
It's been truly remarkable to see the grand jury system actually act as a real line of defense.
Especially since--as I bet most non-lawyers don't know--the only legal person in the GJ room is the prosecutor: no defense, no judge.
There is NO place more favorable to the state. And they keep losing.
Especially since--as I bet most non-lawyers don't know--the only legal person in the GJ room is the prosecutor: no defense, no judge.
There is NO place more favorable to the state. And they keep losing.
JUST IN: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell just confirmed, at the prodding of U.S. Magistrate Judge Keri Holleb Hotaling, that this motion for dismissal followed a "no bill" from a grand jury.
That means the grand jury refused to indict.
That means the grand jury refused to indict.
U.S. prosecutors in Chicago are dropping another case tied to Operation Midway Blitz, "without prejudice."
It's USA v. Nathan Griffin. Below is the motion, followed by excerpts from the complaint.
The feds don't say why they're dropping it, but they had until today to secure an indictment.
It's USA v. Nathan Griffin. Below is the motion, followed by excerpts from the complaint.
The feds don't say why they're dropping it, but they had until today to secure an indictment.
December 10, 2025 at 4:31 PM
It's been truly remarkable to see the grand jury system actually act as a real line of defense.
Especially since--as I bet most non-lawyers don't know--the only legal person in the GJ room is the prosecutor: no defense, no judge.
There is NO place more favorable to the state. And they keep losing.
Especially since--as I bet most non-lawyers don't know--the only legal person in the GJ room is the prosecutor: no defense, no judge.
There is NO place more favorable to the state. And they keep losing.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
If we just did an up-down referendum on whether to take a mulligan on the past 10 years as a whole, what percentage of world nations do you think would go for it at this point
I found this today (from Peter Kellner/YouGov) which answers part of your query.
December 9, 2025 at 9:49 PM
If we just did an up-down referendum on whether to take a mulligan on the past 10 years as a whole, what percentage of world nations do you think would go for it at this point
It seems like the American right has turned even more toward Christian nationalism over the past five years, so it's interesting that neither the country as a whole nor any demographic subgroup has become any more religious.
Pew Research Center just released a big report on religiosity in America, finding little shift since 2020 across four big indicators of religious commitment in its high response-rate NPORS surveys. Worth a read -> www.pewresearch.org/religion/202...
Religion Holds Steady in America
Analysis of our polls and other data shows no clear evidence of a religious revival among young adults. Read more about religiousness by age and gender.
www.pewresearch.org
December 9, 2025 at 6:20 PM
It seems like the American right has turned even more toward Christian nationalism over the past five years, so it's interesting that neither the country as a whole nor any demographic subgroup has become any more religious.
NYC under Eric Adams spent millions paying cops & city employees to raid & destroy the belongings of people who have no place else to go. Not a single person was housed as a result, according to the city's own data. These sweeps end now in NYC, but let this disaster be a warning to other cities.
Mamdani Vows to Sweep Out Crackdowns on Homeless Camps
City numbers show that sweeps started under Mayor Eric Adams have not delivered on referrals for housing in more than a year.
www.thecity.nyc
December 8, 2025 at 6:50 PM
NYC under Eric Adams spent millions paying cops & city employees to raid & destroy the belongings of people who have no place else to go. Not a single person was housed as a result, according to the city's own data. These sweeps end now in NYC, but let this disaster be a warning to other cities.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
Congressional Republicans have found plenty of big-ticket ways to interfere in D.C. this year. This week they found another one. A House committee approved a bill to prohibit D.C. courts from deferring to city agencies on how to interpret local laws: 51st.news/chuck-brown-...
Wilson Building Bulletin: The Chuck Brown post office is no-go
Also: D.C. gets no deference from Congress, and there won't be a referendum on the tipped wage (though the fight isn't over)
51st.news
December 4, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Congressional Republicans have found plenty of big-ticket ways to interfere in D.C. this year. This week they found another one. A House committee approved a bill to prohibit D.C. courts from deferring to city agencies on how to interpret local laws: 51st.news/chuck-brown-...
Reposted by Sam Feldman
NYS has a shortage of court interpreters, so I was shocked (but not surprised, otherwise there wouldn’t be a shortage!) that my friend said he took just the initial English test today and was told to expect his results in 7-9 mos., at which point he’ll have to do the Arabic test and wait again
New York courts grapple with shortage of interpreters, the ‘ears and voice’ of non-English speakers | amNewYork
In the New York state court system, the people translating for non-English speaking litigants are called interpreters for a reason.
www.amny.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:06 PM
NYS has a shortage of court interpreters, so I was shocked (but not surprised, otherwise there wouldn’t be a shortage!) that my friend said he took just the initial English test today and was told to expect his results in 7-9 mos., at which point he’ll have to do the Arabic test and wait again
Many red states have passed anti-trans laws in the last couple years, but only North Dakota did it while multitasking to this extent. www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
December 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Many red states have passed anti-trans laws in the last couple years, but only North Dakota did it while multitasking to this extent. www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
Interesting split in this politically charged case: of the 9th Circuit's 13 Republican appointees, only the 2 most flamboyantly right-wing Trump I appointees, plus the sole Trump II appointee, dissented from denial of rehearing.
UPDATE: The 9th Cir. will not rehear this case en banc.
Judges VanDyke and Bumatay dissent from the denial of rehearing en banc, arguing that parents have a constitutional right to prevent their trans children who run away from getting mental health care and shelter services.
Judges VanDyke and Bumatay dissent from the denial of rehearing en banc, arguing that parents have a constitutional right to prevent their trans children who run away from getting mental health care and shelter services.
I missed this important one on Friday.
9th Cir. holds anti-trans organizations and parents lack standing to challenge Washington laws providing mental health care and shelter to trans minors who run away.
cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/op...
9th Cir. holds anti-trans organizations and parents lack standing to challenge Washington laws providing mental health care and shelter to trans minors who run away.
cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/op...
December 5, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Interesting split in this politically charged case: of the 9th Circuit's 13 Republican appointees, only the 2 most flamboyantly right-wing Trump I appointees, plus the sole Trump II appointee, dissented from denial of rehearing.
Mayor-elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social plans to create a new department of community safety to provide a better alternative to armed police response for things like mental health crises. This @vitalcitynyc.bsky.social article looks at what that department might look like.
Vital City | A Department of Community Safety: Theory Meets Practice
Mamdani’s proposed agency must deliver outcomes, not just add programs.
www.vitalcitynyc.org
November 25, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Mayor-elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social plans to create a new department of community safety to provide a better alternative to armed police response for things like mental health crises. This @vitalcitynyc.bsky.social article looks at what that department might look like.
Seems like nothing but bad news from across the pond these days. Has this Labour government done anything but step on rakes and prepare the ground for Nigel Farage's dictatorship?
The UK has gone from "We need to enshrine the right to jury trial in a British Bill of Rights" to "We need to abolish jury trial" in the space of about 3 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Seems like nothing but bad news from across the pond these days. Has this Labour government done anything but step on rakes and prepare the ground for Nigel Farage's dictatorship?
Reposted by Sam Feldman
I have to give it up for these public defenders. This is what zealous advocacy looks like. Cc @donzeko.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump may have inadvertently issued mass pardon for 2020 voter fraud, experts say
Pardons of Giuliani and others who participated in fake elector scheme were largely symbolic, but still could have a big effect
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I have to give it up for these public defenders. This is what zealous advocacy looks like. Cc @donzeko.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
I would love to read some explanation of why cities like NYC & DC, which blossomed with streeteries during the pandemic, have made it so difficult for this popular & profitable innovation to continue. Is it pressure from NIMBY neighbors? Reflexive conservatism from city governments? Something else?
DC is enforcing a “crackdown” on streeteries—outdoor seating for cafes—charging the cafes huge amounts of money to keep the facilities in place, and forcing them to use seating that doesn’t work in the winter. It’s a huge self-own, likely to end up hurting businesses, reducing street vibrancy.
Exclusive: Le Dip streetery to come down as D.C. crackdown reshapes outdoor dining
It's over for many D.C. streeteries, as the city starts to charge what you might call "road rent" and other fees.
www.axios.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:18 AM
I would love to read some explanation of why cities like NYC & DC, which blossomed with streeteries during the pandemic, have made it so difficult for this popular & profitable innovation to continue. Is it pressure from NIMBY neighbors? Reflexive conservatism from city governments? Something else?
Reposted by Sam Feldman
She has it exactly backwards. The domestic deployments to date are a much weaker case for being so manifestly illegal as to justify refusal; that's a high bar. The boat strikes are outright unambiguous murder, everyone in that chain down to the one pulling the trigger has had a clear duty to refuse.
Sen. Slotkin said today—to my surprise—that she's unaware of any illegal orders *so far*.
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
November 24, 2025 at 12:24 AM
She has it exactly backwards. The domestic deployments to date are a much weaker case for being so manifestly illegal as to justify refusal; that's a high bar. The boat strikes are outright unambiguous murder, everyone in that chain down to the one pulling the trigger has had a clear duty to refuse.
When you get arrested, the police take your belongings. Getting it back can be awfully hard, as the @southsideweekly.bsky.social shows in this great look at how it works in Chicago. Imagine what this process might look like if the city cared about safeguarding & returning property.
Getting Your Property Back After Jail is Hard
During arrest, people are separated from their property. Getting it back is not easy.
southsideweekly.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:06 AM
When you get arrested, the police take your belongings. Getting it back can be awfully hard, as the @southsideweekly.bsky.social shows in this great look at how it works in Chicago. Imagine what this process might look like if the city cared about safeguarding & returning property.
The modern private prison industry started in Tennessee in the 1980s and spread to the rest of the U.S. & a few other countries. But private prisons themselves weren’t new; this is what they looked like in 18th century England, as described by Australian historian Robert Hughes in “The Fatal Shore.”
November 17, 2025 at 7:18 AM
The modern private prison industry started in Tennessee in the 1980s and spread to the rest of the U.S. & a few other countries. But private prisons themselves weren’t new; this is what they looked like in 18th century England, as described by Australian historian Robert Hughes in “The Fatal Shore.”
Reposted by Sam Feldman
In 1582, a papal bull introduced the Gregorian calendar, still used today by most of the world. Because it’s 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar, countries introducing it simply skipped a third of October, and if you scroll back far enough in the iPhone calendar app you can see it change
December 31, 2024 at 2:41 PM
In 1582, a papal bull introduced the Gregorian calendar, still used today by most of the world. Because it’s 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar, countries introducing it simply skipped a third of October, and if you scroll back far enough in the iPhone calendar app you can see it change
Will no one set this modern folk song to the music it deserves?
THE BALLAD OF SANDWICH MAN
This is the taLE of Sandwich Man,
Whose aim was straight and true,
Who fought for his home with deli meats
As any man should do.
Border Patrolman Lairmore
Wore armor thick snd strong
When he felt the sting of a whole wheat roll
He shouted, “This is wrong!!
This is the taLE of Sandwich Man,
Whose aim was straight and true,
Who fought for his home with deli meats
As any man should do.
Border Patrolman Lairmore
Wore armor thick snd strong
When he felt the sting of a whole wheat roll
He shouted, “This is wrong!!
November 7, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Will no one set this modern folk song to the music it deserves?
Reposted by Sam Feldman
Sandwich Guy thanks everyone for their support, “emotional, spiritual, artistic or financial.” Intones, “Let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says…‘ out of many, one.’…You all have a right to live a life that is free.”
November 6, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Sandwich Guy thanks everyone for their support, “emotional, spiritual, artistic or financial.” Intones, “Let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says…‘ out of many, one.’…You all have a right to live a life that is free.”
This is great news for sandwich guy, of course, but it's also a big news story that other future jurors will see, helping to spread and legitimize the idea that they don't need to convict on charges that seem unjust. Jury nullification (if that's what happened here) is self-propagating in that way.
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent
Sean Dunn faced single misdemeanor offense after federal grand jurors refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by prosecutors.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM
This is great news for sandwich guy, of course, but it's also a big news story that other future jurors will see, helping to spread and legitimize the idea that they don't need to convict on charges that seem unjust. Jury nullification (if that's what happened here) is self-propagating in that way.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
I wouldn’t be too surprised if there is no prior record of a single federal misdemeanor charge ever going to trial and acquittal
November 6, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I wouldn’t be too surprised if there is no prior record of a single federal misdemeanor charge ever going to trial and acquittal
Reposted by Sam Feldman
Reposted by Sam Feldman
There’s a converse 1983 bill recently introduced in NYS: The New York Civil Rights Act, S.8500 (Myrie)/ A.9076 (Romero).
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
November 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
There’s a converse 1983 bill recently introduced in NYS: The New York Civil Rights Act, S.8500 (Myrie)/ A.9076 (Romero).
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
Pelosi is notable not only for serving well into her old age (she’ll be 86 when she leaves), which has become unfortunately common, but also for sticking around past the end of her tenure as Speaker. The last Speaker to do that was Joseph Martin (Speaker until 1955, stayed in the House until 1967).
Nancy Pelosi, first female speaker of the House, won't seek re-election to Congress www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Nancy Pelosi, first female speaker of the House, won't seek re-election to Congress
The California Democrat led her party in the House for two decades. Her decision will open up her San Francisco-based seat for the first time in nearly 40 years.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Pelosi is notable not only for serving well into her old age (she’ll be 86 when she leaves), which has become unfortunately common, but also for sticking around past the end of her tenure as Speaker. The last Speaker to do that was Joseph Martin (Speaker until 1955, stayed in the House until 1967).
In light of @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's big victory yesterday, reupping this piece about how my union, the @uaw.org, was the first to endorse his campaign last fall & has remained among his strongest supporters in labor ever since.
The @uaw.org endorsed Zohran Mamdani when he was a relatively unknown state legislator, thanks to "rank and file activism and a new culture of openness, transparency, and progressivism in the UAW," wrote Sam Feldman, member of the Executive Board of UAW Local 2325:
Why the UAW Endorsed Zohran When Other New York City Unions Held Back
Zohran Mamdani’s shock victory in this year’s New York City Democratic mayoral primary upended New York politics and called into question the effectiveness of big local unions, which mostly lined up b...
labornotes.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM
In light of @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's big victory yesterday, reupping this piece about how my union, the @uaw.org, was the first to endorse his campaign last fall & has remained among his strongest supporters in labor ever since.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
ATTORNEYS: Do you like state courts, appellate litigation, and… winning sometimes? The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative is hiring for a 2-year attorney position!
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
Careers at ACLU
Join our team! We’re looking for committed, passionate people for open roles at the ACLU.
www.aclu.org
November 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
ATTORNEYS: Do you like state courts, appellate litigation, and… winning sometimes? The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative is hiring for a 2-year attorney position!
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...