Billy Binion
@billybinion.bsky.social
Journalist. Criminal justice & government accountability. Yes, this is my real name.
I still can’t get over this story. A Tennessee man spent 37 days in a cage—on *$2 million* bond—for posting a meme, because police said he was trying to “create hysteria.”
This was the meme. I would expect this to happen in China, not the United States. reason.com/2025/10/30/p...
This was the meme. I would expect this to happen in China, not the United States. reason.com/2025/10/30/p...
November 19, 2025 at 5:01 AM
I still can’t get over this story. A Tennessee man spent 37 days in a cage—on *$2 million* bond—for posting a meme, because police said he was trying to “create hysteria.”
This was the meme. I would expect this to happen in China, not the United States. reason.com/2025/10/30/p...
This was the meme. I would expect this to happen in China, not the United States. reason.com/2025/10/30/p...
Words aren't violence. Silence isn't violence.
I wrote this back in 2020—still true today. If you oppose violence, you need a coherent definition.
We should be more careful with our words. But they're not violence.
I wrote this back in 2020—still true today. If you oppose violence, you need a coherent definition.
We should be more careful with our words. But they're not violence.
September 12, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Words aren't violence. Silence isn't violence.
I wrote this back in 2020—still true today. If you oppose violence, you need a coherent definition.
We should be more careful with our words. But they're not violence.
I wrote this back in 2020—still true today. If you oppose violence, you need a coherent definition.
We should be more careful with our words. But they're not violence.
The wildest thing about the Texas law is that its sponsors didn’t even try to hide that it was specifically written to protect Big Ag. The same party that likes to talk about the importance of “free markets” is making it illegal to buy a product from anyone but their friends.
September 9, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The wildest thing about the Texas law is that its sponsors didn’t even try to hide that it was specifically written to protect Big Ag. The same party that likes to talk about the importance of “free markets” is making it illegal to buy a product from anyone but their friends.
This is 82-year-old pilot Ken Jouppi. Alaska seized his $95,000 plane—and has spent *13 years* trying to keep it forever.
Why? Because a passenger once brought a 6-pack of beer on his flight.
Now he has one last hope. A thread.
Why? Because a passenger once brought a 6-pack of beer on his flight.
Now he has one last hope. A thread.
September 3, 2025 at 10:08 PM
This is 82-year-old pilot Ken Jouppi. Alaska seized his $95,000 plane—and has spent *13 years* trying to keep it forever.
Why? Because a passenger once brought a 6-pack of beer on his flight.
Now he has one last hope. A thread.
Why? Because a passenger once brought a 6-pack of beer on his flight.
Now he has one last hope. A thread.
Here we have the Department of Homeland Security—the agency allegedly responsible for protecting the U.S. from terrorism—rounding up delivery bikes outside of my office in Dupont Circle. What a fabulous waste of taxpayer dollars.
August 18, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Here we have the Department of Homeland Security—the agency allegedly responsible for protecting the U.S. from terrorism—rounding up delivery bikes outside of my office in Dupont Circle. What a fabulous waste of taxpayer dollars.
One of the men I wrote about is a dissident who fled Cuba under threat from the communist government. He entered the U.S. legally, obtained work authorization, married a citizen, and has no criminal record. Yet the government is trying to deport him anyway. Sorry, that’s evil.
August 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM
One of the men I wrote about is a dissident who fled Cuba under threat from the communist government. He entered the U.S. legally, obtained work authorization, married a citizen, and has no criminal record. Yet the government is trying to deport him anyway. Sorry, that’s evil.
Michigan is one of several states trying to evade the law. They passed a wild debt-collection law that makes it nearly impossible to get your equity back.
Ask Chelsea Koetter. She fell $3,863 behind on taxes, lost her home & the govt kept the $102,636 profit.
Why? Because.../9
Ask Chelsea Koetter. She fell $3,863 behind on taxes, lost her home & the govt kept the $102,636 profit.
Why? Because.../9
August 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Michigan is one of several states trying to evade the law. They passed a wild debt-collection law that makes it nearly impossible to get your equity back.
Ask Chelsea Koetter. She fell $3,863 behind on taxes, lost her home & the govt kept the $102,636 profit.
Why? Because.../9
Ask Chelsea Koetter. She fell $3,863 behind on taxes, lost her home & the govt kept the $102,636 profit.
Why? Because.../9
In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed: Home equity theft is illegal.
That case centered around 94-year-old Geraldine Tyler, who fell behind on her taxes.
So the government seized her Minneapolis condo, sold it—and, once again, *kept the profit.* Just bonkers. /5
That case centered around 94-year-old Geraldine Tyler, who fell behind on her taxes.
So the government seized her Minneapolis condo, sold it—and, once again, *kept the profit.* Just bonkers. /5
August 7, 2025 at 9:58 PM
In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed: Home equity theft is illegal.
That case centered around 94-year-old Geraldine Tyler, who fell behind on her taxes.
So the government seized her Minneapolis condo, sold it—and, once again, *kept the profit.* Just bonkers. /5
That case centered around 94-year-old Geraldine Tyler, who fell behind on her taxes.
So the government seized her Minneapolis condo, sold it—and, once again, *kept the profit.* Just bonkers. /5
In 2020, the supreme court in Michigan—where the Halls lived—ruled that home equity theft is illegal.
That case involved Uri Rafaeli, who underpaid his tax bill by $8.41.
So the government seized his home, sold it, and kept the profit. Over an $8 bill. /4
That case involved Uri Rafaeli, who underpaid his tax bill by $8.41.
So the government seized his home, sold it, and kept the profit. Over an $8 bill. /4
August 7, 2025 at 9:57 PM
In 2020, the supreme court in Michigan—where the Halls lived—ruled that home equity theft is illegal.
That case involved Uri Rafaeli, who underpaid his tax bill by $8.41.
So the government seized his home, sold it, and kept the profit. Over an $8 bill. /4
That case involved Uri Rafaeli, who underpaid his tax bill by $8.41.
So the government seized his home, sold it, and kept the profit. Over an $8 bill. /4
This is Tawanda Hall. She fell $900 behind on a property-tax payment plan.
So the government seized her home—which sold for *$308,000.*
Hall got nothing.
The Supreme Court said stealing home equity is illegal. But some states are *still* trying to defy the law. A thread.
So the government seized her home—which sold for *$308,000.*
Hall got nothing.
The Supreme Court said stealing home equity is illegal. But some states are *still* trying to defy the law. A thread.
August 7, 2025 at 9:55 PM
This is Tawanda Hall. She fell $900 behind on a property-tax payment plan.
So the government seized her home—which sold for *$308,000.*
Hall got nothing.
The Supreme Court said stealing home equity is illegal. But some states are *still* trying to defy the law. A thread.
So the government seized her home—which sold for *$308,000.*
Hall got nothing.
The Supreme Court said stealing home equity is illegal. But some states are *still* trying to defy the law. A thread.
There were tons of victims in this particular raid, by the way. Here are just a few of them. I highlighted the one that increases my blood pressure the most (a high bar).
A reminder that the FBI violated a warrant to do this. This is the kind of thing that can really ruin lives.
A reminder that the FBI violated a warrant to do this. This is the kind of thing that can really ruin lives.
July 28, 2025 at 9:58 PM
There were tons of victims in this particular raid, by the way. Here are just a few of them. I highlighted the one that increases my blood pressure the most (a high bar).
A reminder that the FBI violated a warrant to do this. This is the kind of thing that can really ruin lives.
A reminder that the FBI violated a warrant to do this. This is the kind of thing that can really ruin lives.
One of the most predictable disasters in recent memory. NYC effectively banned short-term rentals like Airbnb—and now working-class people need to take out a second mortgage just to spend a weekend there. All in the name of ~helping.~ Total economic illiteracy.
July 25, 2025 at 9:32 PM
One of the most predictable disasters in recent memory. NYC effectively banned short-term rentals like Airbnb—and now working-class people need to take out a second mortgage just to spend a weekend there. All in the name of ~helping.~ Total economic illiteracy.
The tariff conversation is fascinating because the announcements really do *sound* like wins for the US. But in practice, this means Americans will pay a 19% tax on goods from the Philippines. Filipinos, meanwhile, will pay nothing on ours. America First?
July 22, 2025 at 9:25 PM
The tariff conversation is fascinating because the announcements really do *sound* like wins for the US. But in practice, this means Americans will pay a 19% tax on goods from the Philippines. Filipinos, meanwhile, will pay nothing on ours. America First?
This tweet is still up—just one example of NPR’s obvious slant. Confirmation bias is a powerful drug that affects everyone. But believing NPR is immune is absurd to anyone who’s paid attention. They have a right to their perspective. They don't have a right to our public funds.
July 18, 2025 at 2:37 PM
This tweet is still up—just one example of NPR’s obvious slant. Confirmation bias is a powerful drug that affects everyone. But believing NPR is immune is absurd to anyone who’s paid attention. They have a right to their perspective. They don't have a right to our public funds.
The search headline is even better www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
July 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
The search headline is even better www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Cannot emphasize enough that this is an actual op-ed in The Washington Post
July 11, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Cannot emphasize enough that this is an actual op-ed in The Washington Post
There are *many* such examples of this competitive advantage, by the way. Transgender people deserve respect, kindness & decency, which are often missing from the conversation. But denying reality at this point just makes people look like conspiracy theorists.
July 3, 2025 at 1:49 AM
There are *many* such examples of this competitive advantage, by the way. Transgender people deserve respect, kindness & decency, which are often missing from the conversation. But denying reality at this point just makes people look like conspiracy theorists.
This is Rhogena Nicholas & Dennis Tuttle.
Police shot & killed them—and their dog—during a no-knock raid on their home. A Texas officer claimed an informant had bought heroin there.
The problem? That cop lied. The couple hadn’t sold heroin—and there was no informant. A thread.
Police shot & killed them—and their dog—during a no-knock raid on their home. A Texas officer claimed an informant had bought heroin there.
The problem? That cop lied. The couple hadn’t sold heroin—and there was no informant. A thread.
June 23, 2025 at 9:52 PM
This is Rhogena Nicholas & Dennis Tuttle.
Police shot & killed them—and their dog—during a no-knock raid on their home. A Texas officer claimed an informant had bought heroin there.
The problem? That cop lied. The couple hadn’t sold heroin—and there was no informant. A thread.
Police shot & killed them—and their dog—during a no-knock raid on their home. A Texas officer claimed an informant had bought heroin there.
The problem? That cop lied. The couple hadn’t sold heroin—and there was no informant. A thread.
Just one example: Megyn Kelly—now demanding Terry Moran be fired for saying Stephen Miller is driven by hate—said Kamala Harris “slept her way to the top,” and called her “weak and stupid,” among many other insults. Please spare us the lecture about civility & objectivity.
June 8, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Just one example: Megyn Kelly—now demanding Terry Moran be fired for saying Stephen Miller is driven by hate—said Kamala Harris “slept her way to the top,” and called her “weak and stupid,” among many other insults. Please spare us the lecture about civility & objectivity.
I agree with Elon here. But I gotta say: His righteous indignation over insane government spending is a bit rich coming from someone who just had a powerful job meant to fix that—and mostly used it to stage performative cuts to own the libs. Miss me with this.
June 5, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I agree with Elon here. But I gotta say: His righteous indignation over insane government spending is a bit rich coming from someone who just had a powerful job meant to fix that—and mostly used it to stage performative cuts to own the libs. Miss me with this.
It is outrageous that lawmakers routinely vote for legislation that they have not even read. They pass laws without knowing what's in them. And they do it on the taxpayer's dime.
June 4, 2025 at 5:05 PM
It is outrageous that lawmakers routinely vote for legislation that they have not even read. They pass laws without knowing what's in them. And they do it on the taxpayer's dime.
Of course it was.
DOGE fired a bunch of people while managing to save almost no money at all because Musk et al were primarily interested in performative cuts to fight the culture war. So taxpayers got a less efficient govt for the same price. But at least the libs were owned.
DOGE fired a bunch of people while managing to save almost no money at all because Musk et al were primarily interested in performative cuts to fight the culture war. So taxpayers got a less efficient govt for the same price. But at least the libs were owned.
May 31, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Of course it was.
DOGE fired a bunch of people while managing to save almost no money at all because Musk et al were primarily interested in performative cuts to fight the culture war. So taxpayers got a less efficient govt for the same price. But at least the libs were owned.
DOGE fired a bunch of people while managing to save almost no money at all because Musk et al were primarily interested in performative cuts to fight the culture war. So taxpayers got a less efficient govt for the same price. But at least the libs were owned.
Marco Rubio had someone arrested & jailed over an op-ed.
May 28, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Marco Rubio had someone arrested & jailed over an op-ed.
Just want to remind people that there are thousands of inmates in federal prison who are deserving of clemency—including people who've served huge chunks of time for things like drug offenses. Many have waited years hoping to have their petitions heard. This stuff is so corrupt.
May 28, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Just want to remind people that there are thousands of inmates in federal prison who are deserving of clemency—including people who've served huge chunks of time for things like drug offenses. Many have waited years hoping to have their petitions heard. This stuff is so corrupt.