Taniel
@taniel.bsky.social
Daniel Nichanian. Editor in chief of @boltsmag.org (follow us!). Elections, (local) politics, voting rights, criminal justice, and drag race.
Reposted by Taniel
![Loizon balked at the suggestion that police would lie about lower-level charges like gun possession. She said in an interview that police misconduct “generally involve[s] high-level felonies” like murder or aggravated battery. The bypass program, she said, lets prosecutors “focus their attention on those cases where we do need to be worried about those things. That way they don’t waste time on these other cases where we really don’t.”
But headlines of police misconduct have extended beyond high-profile crimes in recent years, and lower-level cases like gun possession charges are particularly reliant on circumstantial evidence and police testimony.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:yiehokin5zwf3t4wxj5cc6yy/bafkreicelibibjgxu6gv4rtvatlp2o5wui2e5ylwjhkmm7crtibxd6m3ae@jpeg)
December 16, 2025 at 5:43 PM
A quite startling overperformance for Democrats in tonight's special election for a state Senate seat in Kentucky:
Democrat Gary Clemons won 72% to 25%.
He was defending a Dem-held seat where Kamala Harris beat Trump by 5% last year.
Democrat Gary Clemons won 72% to 25%.
He was defending a Dem-held seat where Kamala Harris beat Trump by 5% last year.
December 17, 2025 at 12:31 AM
A quite startling overperformance for Democrats in tonight's special election for a state Senate seat in Kentucky:
Democrat Gary Clemons won 72% to 25%.
He was defending a Dem-held seat where Kamala Harris beat Trump by 5% last year.
Democrat Gary Clemons won 72% to 25%.
He was defending a Dem-held seat where Kamala Harris beat Trump by 5% last year.
Reposted by Taniel
New Jersey’s largest cities have been pushing for stronger police oversight for years. But state law currently forbids civilian boards from having any real power over police. Read my latest on where recent elections have left this impasse between cities and the state: boltsmag.org/new-jersey-c...
New Jersey Cities Are Pressing Resistant State Officials for Civilian Police Oversight - Bolts
Local officials in Newark, Jersey City, and Trenton want civilian agencies that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But they keep running into the state’s Democratic leaders.
boltsmag.org
December 16, 2025 at 4:21 PM
New Jersey’s largest cities have been pushing for stronger police oversight for years. But state law currently forbids civilian boards from having any real power over police. Read my latest on where recent elections have left this impasse between cities and the state: boltsmag.org/new-jersey-c...
Polls closing in Kentucky for the day’s major special election:
In Jefferson County, Kentucky, today, a Democratic union leader will try to keep a state Senate seat for his party. Harris won the district, which contains Louisville, by a slim margin last year, but Dems have performed better here in non-federal races.
The 25 Elections to Watch This December - Bolts
On the heels of their sweeping wins in November, Democrats have opportunities to gain further ground in December runoffs and special elections. They’re hoping for upsets in conservative territory, from... Read More
boltsmag.org
December 16, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Polls closing in Kentucky for the day’s major special election:
Reposted by Taniel
There's a special election tonight for the KY Senate in a seat that Harris won by just 5 points last year, but the GOP doesn't seem to be contesting it seriously.
One possible reason? Their candidate called young women “coddled americunts."
Our writeup: www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-di...
One possible reason? Their candidate called young women “coddled americunts."
Our writeup: www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-di...
December 16, 2025 at 6:52 PM
There's a special election tonight for the KY Senate in a seat that Harris won by just 5 points last year, but the GOP doesn't seem to be contesting it seriously.
One possible reason? Their candidate called young women “coddled americunts."
Our writeup: www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-di...
One possible reason? Their candidate called young women “coddled americunts."
Our writeup: www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-di...
Reposted by Taniel
Throughout 2025, Democrats gained 25 state legislative seats that were held by the GOP—21 percent of the total. Their gains were spread across six states.
boltsmag.org/legisla...
boltsmag.org/legisla...
December 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Throughout 2025, Democrats gained 25 state legislative seats that were held by the GOP—21 percent of the total. Their gains were spread across six states.
boltsmag.org/legisla...
boltsmag.org/legisla...
Reposted by Taniel
“In an interview with CBS News published on Monday, Dec. 15, the 43-year-old's parents — who arrived in Sydney from Syria two months ago — said they were terrified when they first learned he was in the area when the shooting that left 15 people dead broke out.”
"When he saw those people on the ground covered in blood, his conscience and his morals compelled him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon,” said the father of hero Ahmed al Ahmed: people.com/parents-of-a...
Parents of Man Who Disarmed Sydney Shooter Speak Out About Son's Courage: 'My Son Is a Hero'
The parents of Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who disarmed one of the gunmen involved in the mass shooting at a Hanukkah event on Australia's Bondi Beach, are speaking out about their son's bravery. Ahmed, 4...
people.com
December 16, 2025 at 1:28 AM
“In an interview with CBS News published on Monday, Dec. 15, the 43-year-old's parents — who arrived in Sydney from Syria two months ago — said they were terrified when they first learned he was in the area when the shooting that left 15 people dead broke out.”
Reposted by Taniel
Some local leaders in New Jersey want to create civilian groups that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But there are several roadblocks. boltsmag.org/new-jersey-c...
New Jersey Cities Are Pressing Resistant State Officials for Civilian Police Oversight - Bolts
Local officials in Newark, Jersey City, and Trenton want civilian agencies that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But they keep running into the state’s Democratic leaders.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Some local leaders in New Jersey want to create civilian groups that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But there are several roadblocks. boltsmag.org/new-jersey-c...
Reposted by Taniel
NEW: One of the most significant accomplishments of the Trump Admin: Decimating the US's humanitarian aid.
We went to S. Sudan to see the effects.
Rubio says no one has died from the cuts.
Spoiler: That's not true.
@annamaria.bsky.social & Brett Murphy:
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
We went to S. Sudan to see the effects.
Rubio says no one has died from the cuts.
Spoiler: That's not true.
@annamaria.bsky.social & Brett Murphy:
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera.
Behind closed doors in Washington, top advisers made a series of decisions that had devastating repercussions for the poorest country on earth. We went to South Sudan and found people who died as a re...
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 12:10 PM
NEW: One of the most significant accomplishments of the Trump Admin: Decimating the US's humanitarian aid.
We went to S. Sudan to see the effects.
Rubio says no one has died from the cuts.
Spoiler: That's not true.
@annamaria.bsky.social & Brett Murphy:
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
We went to S. Sudan to see the effects.
Rubio says no one has died from the cuts.
Spoiler: That's not true.
@annamaria.bsky.social & Brett Murphy:
www.propublica.org/article/usai...
Reposted by Taniel
In Colorado, representatives of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe are negotiating with elections officials to work out a new program to register more Native people. The idea is running into a legacy of violence and mistrust.
On Native Land, a New Push to Expand Voting Meets the Long Tail of State Violence
Ongoing negotiations between tribal leaders and Colorado officials may chart a new path for automatically registering Native voters and growing voter rolls nationwide. But first the state is having to confront a legacy of mistrust.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 11:00 PM
In Colorado, representatives of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe are negotiating with elections officials to work out a new program to register more Native people. The idea is running into a legacy of violence and mistrust.
Reposted by Taniel
Another irreplaceable independent media outlet -- consider supporting!
Bolts is in final weeks of our 'year-end' fundraising drive.
Money we raise helps us budget for reporting trips, original artwork & photos, translations—& more articles!
our work is free & has no paywall: but if you can afford it, support us with a subscription or gift! boltsmag.org/donate
Money we raise helps us budget for reporting trips, original artwork & photos, translations—& more articles!
our work is free & has no paywall: but if you can afford it, support us with a subscription or gift! boltsmag.org/donate
Support Bolts
We are a nonprofit publication that covers the nuts and bolts of political change, from the local up, and we need reader support to build our journalism.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Another irreplaceable independent media outlet -- consider supporting!
Reposted by Taniel
Report on ICE agents entering NYC shelters (without warrants, as almost goes without saying, not that warrants would make it okay) in open violation of NYC policy. gothamist.com/news/ice-ent...
ICE enters NYC shelters armed and without judicial warrants, reports show
Here's how 'incident reports' detail interactions between federal immigration enforcement officers and staff at city shelters for immigrants.
gothamist.com
December 15, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Report on ICE agents entering NYC shelters (without warrants, as almost goes without saying, not that warrants would make it okay) in open violation of NYC policy. gothamist.com/news/ice-ent...
The roadblocks being police unions — and the new governor-elect telling police unions she opposes this.
Some local leaders in New Jersey want to create civilian groups that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But there are several roadblocks. boltsmag.org/new-jersey-c...
New Jersey Cities Are Pressing Resistant State Officials for Civilian Police Oversight - Bolts
Local officials in Newark, Jersey City, and Trenton want civilian agencies that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But they keep running into the state’s Democratic leaders.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 9:17 PM
The roadblocks being police unions — and the new governor-elect telling police unions she opposes this.
Bolts is in final weeks of our 'year-end' fundraising drive.
Money we raise helps us budget for reporting trips, original artwork & photos, translations—& more articles!
our work is free & has no paywall: but if you can afford it, support us with a subscription or gift! boltsmag.org/donate
Money we raise helps us budget for reporting trips, original artwork & photos, translations—& more articles!
our work is free & has no paywall: but if you can afford it, support us with a subscription or gift! boltsmag.org/donate
Support Bolts
We are a nonprofit publication that covers the nuts and bolts of political change, from the local up, and we need reader support to build our journalism.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Bolts is in final weeks of our 'year-end' fundraising drive.
Money we raise helps us budget for reporting trips, original artwork & photos, translations—& more articles!
our work is free & has no paywall: but if you can afford it, support us with a subscription or gift! boltsmag.org/donate
Money we raise helps us budget for reporting trips, original artwork & photos, translations—& more articles!
our work is free & has no paywall: but if you can afford it, support us with a subscription or gift! boltsmag.org/donate
powerful story about people trying to make a difference via local activism — and the heavy toll it takes:
Sonya Massey’s cousin says he almost quit the Massey Commission over concerns about the group’s efficacy. “Is this going to be a big group talking session, or is there actually going to be some things involved that’s going to make some substantive change?”
A Police Killing Drew National Protests. At Home, a Commission Struggles with How to Make a Difference.
More than a year after Sonya Massey was killed by police in Illinois, a namesake commission has wrestled over changes that would prevent future tragedies.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 8:08 PM
powerful story about people trying to make a difference via local activism — and the heavy toll it takes:
icymi, there were two elections in Texas last night that were on my guide of December elections.
here are the results (via boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...):
here are the results (via boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...):
December 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
icymi, there were two elections in Texas last night that were on my guide of December elections.
here are the results (via boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...):
here are the results (via boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...):
Reposted by Taniel
New Jersey law forbids civilian boards from holding real investigatory powers over police and from issuing subpoenas. Officials in many NJ cities want to give boards subpoena powers, but Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill has so far said she opposes that.
New Jersey Cities Are Pressing Resistant State Officials for Civilian Police Oversight
Local officials in Newark, Jersey City, and Trenton want civilian agencies that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But they keep running into the state’s Democratic leaders.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM
New Jersey law forbids civilian boards from holding real investigatory powers over police and from issuing subpoenas. Officials in many NJ cities want to give boards subpoena powers, but Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill has so far said she opposes that.
Reposted by Taniel
Masked men wearing ICE vests—but who refused to present a warrant or identify themselves—roped off a construction site, trapping two men on a roof for hours in subzero temps. Protesters gathered. Masked men eventually left, and one man on the roof was taken away by ambulance kstp.com/kstp-news/to...
December 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Masked men wearing ICE vests—but who refused to present a warrant or identify themselves—roped off a construction site, trapping two men on a roof for hours in subzero temps. Protesters gathered. Masked men eventually left, and one man on the roof was taken away by ambulance kstp.com/kstp-news/to...
Reposted by Taniel
Assigned to a prison job paying $0.13 per hour, Abron Arrington refused to work, figuring his time could be better spent learning physics.
The Colorado DOC punished him with bouts of solitary confinement.
The Colorado DOC punished him with bouts of solitary confinement.
Forced Labor Continues in Colorado, Years After Vote to End Prison Slavery
Coloradans voted in 2018 to amend their state constitution to ban forced labor in prison. Years later, incarcerated people are still being punished for refusing work assignments.
boltsmag.org
December 14, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Assigned to a prison job paying $0.13 per hour, Abron Arrington refused to work, figuring his time could be better spent learning physics.
The Colorado DOC punished him with bouts of solitary confinement.
The Colorado DOC punished him with bouts of solitary confinement.
Reposted by Taniel
You have to admit that Bari Weiss taking over CBS News and instantly turning it into her personal Tiktok page is freaking funny as hell
December 14, 2025 at 4:48 AM
You have to admit that Bari Weiss taking over CBS News and instantly turning it into her personal Tiktok page is freaking funny as hell
what left victories in local elections can mean: local officials in different cities feeling empowered by each other boltsmag.org/new-jersey-c...
December 14, 2025 at 1:54 AM
what left victories in local elections can mean: local officials in different cities feeling empowered by each other boltsmag.org/new-jersey-c...
Election returns are coming in from Texas (yup, it’s Election night).
1/ In Houston’s at-large city council race, progressive newcomer Alejandra Salinas leads the more moderate former councilmember looking for a comeback, 57% to 43% with all early and mail in.
1/ In Houston’s at-large city council race, progressive newcomer Alejandra Salinas leads the more moderate former councilmember looking for a comeback, 57% to 43% with all early and mail in.
December 14, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Election returns are coming in from Texas (yup, it’s Election night).
1/ In Houston’s at-large city council race, progressive newcomer Alejandra Salinas leads the more moderate former councilmember looking for a comeback, 57% to 43% with all early and mail in.
1/ In Houston’s at-large city council race, progressive newcomer Alejandra Salinas leads the more moderate former councilmember looking for a comeback, 57% to 43% with all early and mail in.
Reposted by Taniel
Every major city needs this.
NEW in Bolts: Local officials in Newark, Jersey City, and Trenton want civilian agencies that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But they keep running into the state’s Democratic leaders.
New Jersey Cities Are Pressing Resistant State Officials for Civilian Police Oversight
Local officials in Newark, Jersey City, and Trenton want civilian agencies that can investigate police and issue subpoenas. But they keep running into the state’s Democratic leaders.
boltsmag.org
December 13, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Every major city needs this.
Reposted by Taniel
Over 1 year, the commission has navigated community mistrust & government intransigence & debated how to propose genuinely systemic changes – not just the same old reforms. It’s been a fascinating ride, filled with victories & disappointments alike. boltsmag.org/sonya-massey...
A Police Killing Drew National Protests. At Home, a Commission Struggles with How to Make a Difference. - Bolts
Part I: “I’m going to still try” On July 6, 2024, the morning after Sonya Massey was murdered by a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy, a local citizen journalist named Calvin... Read More
boltsmag.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Over 1 year, the commission has navigated community mistrust & government intransigence & debated how to propose genuinely systemic changes – not just the same old reforms. It’s been a fascinating ride, filled with victories & disappointments alike. boltsmag.org/sonya-massey...
Reposted by Taniel
A quote from @yonahfreemark.com:
"It is, frankly, demonstrative of the way that too many local and state governments treat their transit systems, which is a mechanism to move poor people around. Board members don’t see themselves as users of the system."
www.startribune.com/metro-transi...
"It is, frankly, demonstrative of the way that too many local and state governments treat their transit systems, which is a mechanism to move poor people around. Board members don’t see themselves as users of the system."
www.startribune.com/metro-transi...
Met Council members oversee Twin Cities transit, but rarely ride it
In the last year, just half of those appointed to the Metropolitan Council have taken advantage of the free Metro Transit rides that come with their job.
www.startribune.com
December 13, 2025 at 7:29 PM
A quote from @yonahfreemark.com:
"It is, frankly, demonstrative of the way that too many local and state governments treat their transit systems, which is a mechanism to move poor people around. Board members don’t see themselves as users of the system."
www.startribune.com/metro-transi...
"It is, frankly, demonstrative of the way that too many local and state governments treat their transit systems, which is a mechanism to move poor people around. Board members don’t see themselves as users of the system."
www.startribune.com/metro-transi...