Elliskatz
elliskatz.bsky.social
Elliskatz
@elliskatz.bsky.social
Devoted mom to a rambunctious, almost-but-not-quite-tuxedo cat
Books, Libraries, Booklists, Books about Books
Anti-Trump, pro-Democracy



Reposted by Elliskatz
New: Immigration agents have shot a dozen people since Sept--yet police are often skipping any investigation

After agents near Chicago killed a man, an officer asked if chief who would investigate. The answer: “You’re not going to investigate a federal officer”

www.propublica.org/article/why-...
“You’re Not Going to Investigate a Federal Officer”
It doesn’t happen often, but local law enforcement can arrest and charge federal agents. Legal experts say there’s a moral obligation to at least try to hold federal immigration officers accountable w...
www.propublica.org
February 5, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
This is real, and it’s located near Tesla’s flagship London store in Tottenham.
February 5, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
NEW: since last year, a pair of "highly trained" feds have been involved in an array of incidents attacking crowds with chemical weapons.

We used public records and open source analysis to identify Edgar Vazquez and Michael Sveum, alongside some other members of their tactical team.

Read more:
Identified: the El Paso BORTAC crew rampaging through the Midwest
One violent duo in particular, U.S. Border Patrol agents Michael Sveum (EZ-2) and Edgar Vazquez (EZ-17), have been frequently seen alongside former commander-at-large Greg Bovino terrorizing crowds wi...
unraveledpress.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
Most North Carolinians Say Prices Are Up, Budgets Are Tight, and Affordability Is a Critical Issue

According to January's Catawba-YouGov Survey, majorities report cutting back on purchases and expecting further price increases in 2026.

www.catawba.edu/news/all-new...

#ncpol
YouGov #22
Catawba College is ranked #4 among the best colleges in the South. Located in historic Salisbury, NC, it is a private, coeducational liberal arts college established in 1851. Our mission is to enrich ...
www.catawba.edu
February 5, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
One lesson from the Epstein–Mandelson affair is that we need to stop routinely rehabilitating political careers after serious scandals.

When politicians knowingly engage in grave ethical wrongdoing, that should permanently end their political careers. Being "talented" should not override that.
February 4, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
one of my strongest beliefs is that we're in our situation right now bc some of the most prominent talking heads (e.g. joe rogan, andrew schulz) are learning about politics in their 40s and 50s, instead of their teens and early 20s, and we have to go along for the ride as they learn basic things
February 4, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
Bannon (and his buddies) are using an informational strategy called reflexive control that intentionally exploits the reaction of his adversaries (on the left) to inflict damage on their own side. Don't become an unwitting agent in their information operation.
February 4, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
Third, journalists, non-profits, social media influencers, and everyday people need to be VERY discerning and careful about not amplifying unsubstantiated rumors about ICE or other law enforcement at or near the polls, because false rumors (even if well-meaning) WILL suppress the vote.
February 4, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
What Bannon is proposing is illegal.

Brennan Center: “It is illegal to deploy federal troops or armed federal law enforcement to any polling place. In fact, it is a federal crime for anyone in the U.S. military to interfere in elections in any way.”

www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
Federal and State Election Laws Ban Federal Forces from Polling Places
Americans should feel safe to vote free from intimidation by the presence of the military or federal agents.
www.brennancenter.org
February 4, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
ICE at the polls! Bannon is basically yelling “fire” in a crowded theater here. His objective is to cause chaos (and suppress votes on the left). And it’s already working.

This threat works on multiple levels and doesn’t have to be “real” to serve its purpose.

Let me explain & offer some advice.
February 4, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
This entire thread, and also this: don't do Bannon's work for him
Third, journalists, non-profits, social media influencers, and everyday people need to be VERY discerning and careful about not amplifying unsubstantiated rumors about ICE or other law enforcement at or near the polls, because false rumors (even if well-meaning) WILL suppress the vote.
February 4, 2026 at 9:46 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
I’m on the scene at Franklin and 1st. A convoy of about a couple dozen ICE/HSI agents broke the entryway into an apartment building at 6am. No warrant presented. Less than 24 hours ago, Tom Homan announced the end of large convoys in Minnesota… Bullshit.
February 5, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
There is zero reason for a billionaire to own an adversarial news outlet in a kleptocracy. And so billionaires are gutting the media companies they own, reorienting them to better align with the regime, and spending money on bribes rather than journalists

www.404media.co/the-washingt...
The Washington Post Is No Longer Useful to Jeff Bezos
In a kleptocracy, there is no reason for a billionaire to own an adversarial news outlet.
www.404media.co
February 5, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
As always, the answer to "what should I do if I'm worried about Rs loudly announcing their aspirations to try & ratfuck elections?" is go volunteer to be a poll worker or an elections observer. That is, if you actually want to so something beyond just wallowing in despair & untreated anxiety online
February 4, 2026 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
The only response here is a motion to enjoin the whole operation

If the government's position is "I'm sorry your honor but we don't be the capacity to both respect constitutional rights and conduct the operation as it is currently being conducted" the answer is "then you must stop the operation"
February 5, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
For today's bonus issue of "One First," I wrote about Monday's @nytimes.com scoop regarding Chief Justice Roberts having clerks and other employees sign non-disclosure agreements, and why #SCOTUS's transparency problems run far deeper and wider than just NDAs:

www.stevevladeck.com/p/bonus-207-...
Bonus 207: The Court's True Transparency Problem(s)
Monday's New York Times scoop on Chief Justice Roberts having employees sign non-disclosure agreements would hit differently if the justices were *remotely* committed to more transparency elsewhere.
www.stevevladeck.com
February 5, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
2/ Justice Kavanaugh's logic (in Noem v Vasquez Perdomo):

"If the person is a U. S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, that individual will be free to go after the brief encounter."

Sworn affidavits show how, on the ground, this is simply not how it plays out with ICE.
February 5, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
We just published database: @aclu.org plaintiffs' sworn declarations of ICE enforcement actions in Minnesota

Devastating

Racial profiling-arrests-headlock-handcuffs-shackles

Mostly US citizens

A big lesson here for Justice Kavanaugh. I believe he'll get it
www.justsecurity.org/130745/minne...
🧵
February 5, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
This is insane. Under absolutely no circumstances should a prof ever discuss the physical appearance of a student in a rec letter! I can’t believe I even have to say that!
Yale prof David Gelernter defends his letter urging Epstein to hire "v small goodlooking blonde" student by saying that he was "keep[ing] the potential boss's habits in mind."

This creep shouldn't be allowed anywhere near students.

yaledailynews.com/articles/gel...
February 5, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
February 5, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
New meme just dropped
February 5, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Reposted by Elliskatz
The owner of Twitter is inciting murder, according to the owner of Twitter.
February 4, 2026 at 9:19 AM
Reposted by Elliskatz
THOU SHALT NOT PROTECT PEDOS!!! WHY THE FUCK IS THIS SENDER’S NAME REDACTED?!?
February 4, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Reposted by Elliskatz
All 83,000 acres of an Alabama National Forest.

I did not want to share this week’s USDA press release as there’s no comment or objection period, and I don’t want things to seem hopeless.

So I’ll note the comment and objection period is the midterms.

These are your lands.

These are the stakes.
February 4, 2026 at 2:53 AM
Reposted by Elliskatz
Quiet. We’re busy rebuilding Venezuelan infrastructure. And the Kennedy Center. 🤡
Tens of thousands of people across Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana have gone a week without power or heat after a brutal ice storm. At least three dozen people have died in connection with the storm, officials have said.
Fear and Anger Grow as Thousands Remain Without Power in the South
More than 30 people have died across three Southern states in connection with last week’s storm, and thousands remain without power.
nyti.ms
February 2, 2026 at 1:37 AM