Caleb Mercer's Desk
@calebmercersdesk.bsky.social
Systems, governance, and failure modes. Interested in how democracies break and how they hold.
*The Trumpism Germ* *Resiste tyranno*
*The Trumpism Germ* *Resiste tyranno*
Pinned
TRUMPISM GERM PATHOLOGY
Trumpism functions as a reward-driven political pathogen. When norm-breaking earns attention and avoids consequence, systems select for repetition. This framework maps the conditions that sustain it and the levers that can interrupt persistence.
Trumpism functions as a reward-driven political pathogen. When norm-breaking earns attention and avoids consequence, systems select for repetition. This framework maps the conditions that sustain it and the levers that can interrupt persistence.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Trump's dictatorship coup is now fully in the open. Wake up America.
February 14, 2026 at 3:00 AM
Trump's dictatorship coup is now fully in the open. Wake up America.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Both of these men on camera are in the Epstein files.
February 13, 2026 at 11:24 PM
Both of these men on camera are in the Epstein files.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Leonard Leo is a lawyer, but he's never argued a case in court. He's never held elected office.
But for years he rebuilt the American legal system, resulting in the Supreme Court's right-wing supermajority.
(Published Oct. 2023)
But for years he rebuilt the American legal system, resulting in the Supreme Court's right-wing supermajority.
(Published Oct. 2023)
We Don’t Talk About Leonard: The Man Behind the Right’s Supreme Court Supermajority
The inside story of how Leonard Leo built a machine that remade the American legal system — and what he plans to do next.
www.propublica.org
February 14, 2026 at 4:00 AM
Leonard Leo is a lawyer, but he's never argued a case in court. He's never held elected office.
But for years he rebuilt the American legal system, resulting in the Supreme Court's right-wing supermajority.
(Published Oct. 2023)
But for years he rebuilt the American legal system, resulting in the Supreme Court's right-wing supermajority.
(Published Oct. 2023)
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
There is no way Senate Dems should vote for DHS funding while Republicans are threatening to nationalize elections and Trump is threatening to do it by executive order. ICE reforms are no longer enough. Their authoritarianism must be fought with every legislative lever available.
February 13, 2026 at 11:41 PM
There is no way Senate Dems should vote for DHS funding while Republicans are threatening to nationalize elections and Trump is threatening to do it by executive order. ICE reforms are no longer enough. Their authoritarianism must be fought with every legislative lever available.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Rep Jayapal: “Bondi showed up today with a burn book that held a printed history of exactly what emails I searched — we’re going to demand an end to that”
Rep Raskin: "Spying on Members of Congress conducting oversight in yet another blatant attempt to intrude into Congress’s oversight processes"
Rep Raskin: "Spying on Members of Congress conducting oversight in yet another blatant attempt to intrude into Congress’s oversight processes"
February 13, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Rep Jayapal: “Bondi showed up today with a burn book that held a printed history of exactly what emails I searched — we’re going to demand an end to that”
Rep Raskin: "Spying on Members of Congress conducting oversight in yet another blatant attempt to intrude into Congress’s oversight processes"
Rep Raskin: "Spying on Members of Congress conducting oversight in yet another blatant attempt to intrude into Congress’s oversight processes"
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Trump claimed he hadn't spoken to Jeffrey Epstein since 2004. But here is an email from 2018 wherein Epstein claims he was asked for 3 names to replace Steven Mnuchin. Everything Donald says is a lie.
February 13, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Trump claimed he hadn't spoken to Jeffrey Epstein since 2004. But here is an email from 2018 wherein Epstein claims he was asked for 3 names to replace Steven Mnuchin. Everything Donald says is a lie.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
It's clearly a cover up, and they think we’re all stupid and won't notice.
February 13, 2026 at 9:30 PM
It's clearly a cover up, and they think we’re all stupid and won't notice.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
US paid $32m to five countries to accept about 300 deportees
The Trump administration has spent more than $1m per person to deport some migrants to countries they have no connection to, only to see many sent back to their home nations at further taxpayer expense.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
The Trump administration has spent more than $1m per person to deport some migrants to countries they have no connection to, only to see many sent back to their home nations at further taxpayer expense.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
US paid $32m to five countries to accept about 300 deportees, report shows
Some of the world’s most corrupt countries have received huge payments in third-country deportation scheme
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:50 PM
US paid $32m to five countries to accept about 300 deportees
The Trump administration has spent more than $1m per person to deport some migrants to countries they have no connection to, only to see many sent back to their home nations at further taxpayer expense.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
The Trump administration has spent more than $1m per person to deport some migrants to countries they have no connection to, only to see many sent back to their home nations at further taxpayer expense.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Jack Smith was sent a copy of Volume II to prepare for his testimony on the Hill, though he told Congress he didn't open it. So I think he has a copy, unless it was some kind of temporary access to a DOJ system like the DOJ Epstein Files computer terminals.
JUST IN: Knight 1st Amend. Institute & American Oversight ask 11th Circuit to force Judge Aileen Cannon (Trump) to release Vol. II of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report AND to block her from ordering it destroyed as Trump's co-defendants have asked. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/27...
2026.02.13--Smith-Mandamus--Second-Mandamus-Petition-FINAL PDFA
www.documentcloud.org
February 13, 2026 at 11:34 PM
Jack Smith was sent a copy of Volume II to prepare for his testimony on the Hill, though he told Congress he didn't open it. So I think he has a copy, unless it was some kind of temporary access to a DOJ system like the DOJ Epstein Files computer terminals.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
"Conway struck [an] urgent tone: 'We are facing a president who does not care about the rule of law …. He has to go. We cannot last three more years of this. It’s either him or us. It’s America or Trump.”
February 13, 2026 at 10:16 PM
"Conway struck [an] urgent tone: 'We are facing a president who does not care about the rule of law …. He has to go. We cannot last three more years of this. It’s either him or us. It’s America or Trump.”
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' is feeling lotsa love from President Trump this Valentine's Day.
February 13, 2026 at 5:33 AM
'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' is feeling lotsa love from President Trump this Valentine's Day.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
NEW: A federal tool meant to find noncitizens on voter rolls is consistently marking citizens as noncitizens, especially if they were born outside the U.S., causing chaos as election clerks try not to disenfranchise voters, @zachdespart.bsky.social and I found. 🧵 www.propublica.org/article/save...
“Not Ready for Prime Time.” A Federal Tool to Check Voter Citizenship Keeps Making Mistakes.
The Department of Homeland Security pushed out the revamped tool while it was still adding data. That led to widespread misidentification, particularly for citizens born outside the U.S.
www.propublica.org
February 13, 2026 at 1:21 PM
NEW: A federal tool meant to find noncitizens on voter rolls is consistently marking citizens as noncitizens, especially if they were born outside the U.S., causing chaos as election clerks try not to disenfranchise voters, @zachdespart.bsky.social and I found. 🧵 www.propublica.org/article/save...
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
February 12, 2026 at 10:46 PM
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
So dark — Tennessee-based @CoreCivic wants to be making even more money on ICE detentions.
“ICE was our first customer 43 years ago, and has been our largest customer for over a decade,” CoreCivic CEO Patrick Swindle said on the earnings call.
theappeal.org/ice-geo-grou...
“ICE was our first customer 43 years ago, and has been our largest customer for over a decade,” CoreCivic CEO Patrick Swindle said on the earnings call.
theappeal.org/ice-geo-grou...
February 13, 2026 at 4:57 AM
So dark — Tennessee-based @CoreCivic wants to be making even more money on ICE detentions.
“ICE was our first customer 43 years ago, and has been our largest customer for over a decade,” CoreCivic CEO Patrick Swindle said on the earnings call.
theappeal.org/ice-geo-grou...
“ICE was our first customer 43 years ago, and has been our largest customer for over a decade,” CoreCivic CEO Patrick Swindle said on the earnings call.
theappeal.org/ice-geo-grou...
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Intelligence Dispute Centers on Kushner Reference in Intercepted Communication
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 2:44 AM
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
When the Supreme Court allowed immigration agents to consider race during sweeps, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that citizens shouldn’t be concerned because agents will “promptly let the individual go.”
For these Americans, that wasn’t true.
(Published Oct. 2025)
For these Americans, that wasn’t true.
(Published Oct. 2025)
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.
The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...
www.propublica.org
February 13, 2026 at 4:00 AM
When the Supreme Court allowed immigration agents to consider race during sweeps, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that citizens shouldn’t be concerned because agents will “promptly let the individual go.”
For these Americans, that wasn’t true.
(Published Oct. 2025)
For these Americans, that wasn’t true.
(Published Oct. 2025)
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Examples of "the best government that money can buy" are becoming more depressing. Ohio Republican Senator Jon Husted accepted more than $115,000 in campaign contributions from Les Wexner, one of 6 people listed as Epstein's co-conspirators, and then voted against releasing the Epstein files.
Husted took donations from Epstein co-conspirator Les Wexner, then voted to block file release
Campaign records show Sen. Jon Husted took $116,892 from Les Wexner since 2001, including months before voting to block release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents.
tiffinohio.net
February 13, 2026 at 2:50 AM
Examples of "the best government that money can buy" are becoming more depressing. Ohio Republican Senator Jon Husted accepted more than $115,000 in campaign contributions from Les Wexner, one of 6 people listed as Epstein's co-conspirators, and then voted against releasing the Epstein files.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
you should see the Maxwell docs not just the Epstein files
February 11, 2026 at 10:58 PM
you should see the Maxwell docs not just the Epstein files
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Trump nominated a legit white nationalist to a top post at the State Department. I asked him some basic questions about his belief in the “erasure of white culture”. Watch this embarrassing, fumbling answer. Like he has never before been asked to explain his views.
February 12, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Trump nominated a legit white nationalist to a top post at the State Department. I asked him some basic questions about his belief in the “erasure of white culture”. Watch this embarrassing, fumbling answer. Like he has never before been asked to explain his views.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
This ad should concern Susan Collins.
February 13, 2026 at 1:54 AM
This ad should concern Susan Collins.
Reposted by Caleb Mercer's Desk
Pam Bondi showed up before the Judiciary Committee with a burn book that had a printed search history of exactly what emails I searched.
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. This is beyond unacceptable.
https://bit.ly/4aMQuuC
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. This is beyond unacceptable.
https://bit.ly/4aMQuuC
February 13, 2026 at 1:45 AM
Pam Bondi showed up before the Judiciary Committee with a burn book that had a printed search history of exactly what emails I searched.
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. This is beyond unacceptable.
https://bit.ly/4aMQuuC
The DOJ is spying on members of Congress. This is beyond unacceptable.
https://bit.ly/4aMQuuC