Amy Ruffo
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amyrulocal.bsky.social
Amy Ruffo
@amyrulocal.bsky.social
650 followers 880 following 1.1K posts
focused on state and local news and politics. I repost as a filing method, which means - a lot.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
democracydocket.com
NEW: By trying to stop a voter-led referendum, Missouri’s GOP is testing whether politicians can insulate their gerrymander from public judgment altogether. The outcome could reshape how, and whether, voters can check partisan power.

✍️ @jenrice.bsky.social
Federal Court Hears ‘Unprecedented’ GOP Bid to Deny Missouri Voters a Voice on Gerrymander
Read more here.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
jennycohn.bsky.social
Texas Young Republicans are calling upon TX lawmakers to pass a law allowing Governor Abbott to put blue TX cities into receivership. They say the State Leadership Initiative (SLI)—co-founded by Nate Fischer of New Founding — suggested the idea. New Founding partner Nathan Halberstadt loves it. 1/
November 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
anneapplebaum.bsky.social
"By 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"

Read the Stanford report:
siepr.stanford.edu/publications...
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 25, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
emptywheel.bsky.social
Judge Lynn Adelman has issued his ruling on motions in limine in the Hannah Dugan case (the WI judge charged w/impeding an immigration arrest). Mostly, he ruled in Dugan's favor, except on whether she's allowed to talk abt Kash and Bondi's statements.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
10. Attorney general statements Defendant seeks permission to elicit statements made to the media and on social media by the Attorney General and the Director of the FBI about her alleged actions on April 18, 2025. She contends such statements are admissible as statements made by a party opponent, Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2), and are relevant because they show bias in the investigation and prosecution. (R. 59 at 3.) The government responds that, while bias is broadly admissible on issues of credibility, neither the Attorney General nor the FBI Director will testify in this case. (R. 67 at 19.) Without more, I agree with the government defendant should not be permitted to inject national political figures into this trial. Any slight probative value of this evidence is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusing the issues, misleading the jury, undue delay, and wasting time. Fed. R. Evid. 403. Defendant’s motion is denied.
November 25, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
mollyjongfast.bsky.social
The crazy thing is Republican members of Congress gave away their power and now they’re mad that they gave away their power. Like Trump didn’t do this to you, you did it to yourselves
November 24, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
steventdennis.bsky.social
Imagine for a minute if Mark Kelly had said the opposite statement: That a soldier must follow illegal orders, and that their oath to defend the Constitution does not matter, only their orders matter.
What would the reaction be?
November 25, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
justinhendrix.bsky.social
"Meta shut down internal research into the mental health effects of Facebook after finding causal evidence that its products harmed users mental health, according to unredacted filings in a lawsuit by US school districts against Meta and other social media platforms." www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
In a 2020 research project code-named “Project Mercury,” Meta (META.O), opens new tab scientists worked with survey firm Nielsen to gauge the effect of “deactivating” Facebook, according to Meta documents obtained via discovery. To the company’s disappointment, “people who stopped using Facebook for a week reported lower feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness and social comparison,” internal documents said. Rather than publishing those findings or pursuing additional research, the filing states, Meta called off further work and internally declared that the negative study findings were tainted by the “existing media narrative” around the company. Privately, however, a staffer insisted that the conclusions of the research were valid, according to the filing. “The Nielsen study does show causal impact on social comparison,” (unhappy face emoji), an unnamed staff researcher allegedly wrote. Another staffer worried that keeping quiet about negative findings would be akin to the tobacco industry “doing research and knowing cigs were bad and then keeping that info to themselves.” Despite Meta’s own work documenting a causal link between its products and negative mental health effects, the filing alleges, Meta told Congress that it had no ability to quantify whether its products were harmful to teenage girls.
November 25, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
piperformissouri.bsky.social
Oh, hey! I was interviewed by Jenn Rubin of The Contrarian on why Democrats should invest in running everywhere.

No seat uncontested.

contrarian.substack.com/p/theyre-eng...
"They're engaged, they're optimistic!" Jess Piper on Rural Voters, Gerrymandering, and Voting Blue
"We know that gerrymandering doesn't always work."
contrarian.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
phillewis.bsky.social
Breaking: Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died. She was 111 years old
Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died
Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died. She was 111 years old.
www.whatimreading.net
November 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
grza.bsky.social
And even if you win (as we've seen in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia among others), they're simply ignoring any court rulings that they don't like.

WATCH: Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s attorney gives update on legal battle over ICE efforts to deport him | PBS News www.pbs.org/newshour/nat...
WATCH: Kilmar Abrego Garcia's attorney gives update on legal battle over ICE efforts to deport him
Kilmar Abrego Garcia entered the news in March 2025 after he was deported to El Salvador despite a court ruling that should have prevented it. His complicated legal fight since then has galvanized bot...
www.pbs.org
November 23, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
grza.bsky.social
The teenager told officers he was a U.S. citizen, but an officer broke the car’s driver’s side window and detained him. In a video, the boy can be heard telling an officer that he is a citizen, to which the officer replies, “Get out of the car” and “I don’t care.”
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...
High school senior, a U.S. citizen, detained by ICE in Oregon
The 17-year-old was held more than five hours Friday in an ICE facility, his brother said.
www.oregonlive.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
sltrib.com
Remember last year when we said we would drop The Tribune's paywall if we raised enough money to support the transition to free? About that… 😁
The Salt Lake Tribune will drop its paywall next year, CEO tells donors at NewsMakers gala
After years of requiring people to pay for online news content, The Tribune announced an upcoming change during its 2025 annual NewsMakers Gala.
www.sltrib.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
yasharali.bsky.social
NEWS

The IRS is suing GOP Senator Jim Justice and his wife saying they owe more than $5 million in back taxes.
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA BECKLEY DIVISION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, V. JAMES C. JUSTICE, II, and CATHY L. JUSTICE Defendants. Case No. 5:25-cv- COMPLAINT FOR FEDERAL TAXES The United States of America, at the request of the Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service, a delegate of the Secretary of Treasury, and at the direction of the Attorney General of the United States, brings this action to collect the unpaid federal income tax assessments, including statutory additions, owed by Defendants James C. Justice, II, and Cathy L. Justice. Jurisdiction and Venue The Plaintiff is the United States of America. ri The Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1340, and 1345 and 26 U.S.C. § 7402. Venue is proper in the Southern District of West Virginia pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §$ 1391 and 1396. Defendants James C. Justice, II, and Cathy L. Justice, reside in Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, which is also where the tax liabilities at issue accrued. Upon information and belief, the Taxpayer Defendants, James C. Justice, II, and Cathy L. Justice, maintain an address in Lewisburg, West Virginia. I: Collect Federal Income Tax Assessments against Defendants A delegate of the Secretary of Treasury properly and timely made income tax assessments against Defendants James C. Justice, II, and Cathy L. Justice as follows: Assessment Type Tax Period Ending Dates of Assessments Amounts of Assessments Outstanding Balance (as of Aug. 4, 2025) Income Tax (Form 1040) 12/31/2009 11/25/2015 $319,683.00 $32,445,072.00 $5,164,739.75 6. Penalties and interest have accrued according to law on the unpaid balance of assessments set forth in Paragraph 5, and will continue to accrue until paid in full. A delegate of the Secretary of the Treasury gave notice of the tax assessments set forth in Paragraph 5, to Defendants James C. Justice, II, and Cathy L. Justice, and made demand for payment of those assessments. Despite notice and demand for payment of the assessments set forth in Paragraph 5, Defendants James C. Justice, II, and Cathy L. Justice have neglected or refused to make full payment of those assessments to the United States. 9. As of August 4, 2025, with respect to the assessments described in Paragraph 5, Defendants James C. Justice, II, and Cathy L. Justice are indebted to the United States in the amount of $5,164,739.75 for federal income taxes, penalties, and interest, plus statutory additions accruing after that date as provided by law for the 2009 tax year.
November 25, 2025 at 12:43 AM
amyrulocal.bsky.social
Crazy. And Trump’s supporters will shrug or say “right on”
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Rep. Salazar on Venezuela: "We're about to go in ... we need to go in ... Venezuela for the American oil companies will be a field day"
November 25, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
hjhstaff.bsky.social
Who should the enlisted ask? You got rid of the JAGs! There is no one to ask, which is a tell that you plan on issuing illegal orders!
November 24, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
mcfaulmike.bsky.social
Someone very close to Putin once explained to me that Putin thinks that all Westerners can be bought. We have no values; only a price. Dmitriev's prominent role in drafting the latest "peace plan" underscores that Putin assessment. I hope Putin is wrong. I fear for some, he might be right.
November 24, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
joshuajfriedman.com
Judge Currie rejects AG Bondi's attempt to bless the indictments after the fact:

"It would mean the Govt could send any private citizen off the street — attorney or not — into the grand jury room to secure an indictment so long as the AG gives her approval after the fact. That cannot be the law."
I have already concluded that Ms. Halligan’s original appointment was invalid and that the Attorney General’s attempt to retroactively bestow Special Attorney status on her was ineffective. As a result, the Attorney General “could not have authorized” Ms. Halligan, who was not an attorney for the Government at the time, to present Mr. Comey’s indictment to the grand jury on September 25. Restatement (Second) of Agency, supra, § 84(2) (stating that if “the purported or intended principal could not have authorized” the challenged “act” when it was “done,” “he cannot ratify” it). The implications of a contrary conclusion are extraordinary. It would mean the Government could send any private citizen off the street — attorney or not — into the grand jury room to secure an indictment so long as the Attorney General gives her approval after the fact. That cannot be the law.
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
whstancil.bsky.social
What is also true is that it’s a huge country and there are many, MANY people living at the bottom of the social and economic ladder, and the world’s richest country can afford to lift them up, specifically because it is very rich and there’s a staggering amount of wealth to go around
November 24, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
prisonpolicy.org
As the Trump administration continues to ramp up its immigration agenda, taxpayers are left footing the bill.

A new report from @bloomberg.com shows that on average, it costs more $17,000 to detain and deport a single person.

More here 👇
bit.ly/3M2Fe3r
U.S. map showing the cost and journey of one person detained by ICE.
November 22, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
joshtpm.bsky.social
Amazing story, state legislator and Turning Points USA leader who crusaded against bogus voter fraud claims pleads guilty to attempted election fraud. azmirror.com/briefs/turni...
Turning Point leader, former GOP Rep pleads guilty to attempted election fraud | Arizona Mirror
Austin Smith election fraud guilty plea: Former GOP Rep admits forging 100+ signatures on ballot petitions in Arizona
azmirror.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
karaswisher.bsky.social
A must read from @anandwrites.bsky.social. This line —
“The clubby deal-making and moral racketeering of the Epstein class is now the United States’ governing philosophy” — is spot on. How the Elite Behave When No One Is Watching: Inside the Epstein Emails www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Opinion | How the Elite Behave When No One Is Watching: Inside the Epstein Emails
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
kibblesmith.com
As somebody situated in that exact cultural space at that time, this is *mind blowingly accurate.* The landscape is SO different, it feels like remembering a parallel universe.
November 21, 2025 at 8:34 PM
amyrulocal.bsky.social
Insane.
lizzieohreally.bsky.social Lizzie O'Leary @lizzieohreally.bsky.social · 4d
I cannot read this without blood-curdling rage
eliothiggins.bsky.social Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 4d
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
November 23, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
onestpress.onestnetwork.com
After talking to Rubio, Sen Rounds announces that the 28 point plan was a Russian document, not a US document.
November 23, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Reposted by Amy Ruffo
meidastouch.com
Stunning development: Senators now confirm the Trump admin’s 28-point “peace plan” for Ukraine wasn’t a U.S. plan at all. It was a Russian wish list. Follow along. This is crazy. 1/
November 23, 2025 at 12:26 AM