John Benton - OLY
@jbcurler2010-oly.bsky.social
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;
OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION...
OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION...
Pinned
June 14, 2025 - A Minnesota Rep and Speaker Amerita, and her husband were assassinated, and another Minnesota politician and his wife were shot.
As another person said, it's not Hillary's emails or Hunter's Laptop, but maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't just be moving on like it never happened, FFS!
As another person said, it's not Hillary's emails or Hunter's Laptop, but maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't just be moving on like it never happened, FFS!
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
In case you’re wondering why Pete Hegseth is freaking out about a congressional video reminding the military not to participate in illegal orders:
To put a finer point on this whole thing: "Two people with direct knowledge of the operation" — presumably uniformed military leaders — are accusing the U.S. Secretary of Defense of personally ordering specific war crimes. That's a historic accusation.
Textbook war crime/extrajudicial killing
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
November 29, 2025 at 12:14 AM
In case you’re wondering why Pete Hegseth is freaking out about a congressional video reminding the military not to participate in illegal orders:
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
If the Venezuelan sailors were enemy combatants, then the 2nd strike is a war crime.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
November 30, 2025 at 8:42 PM
If the Venezuelan sailors were enemy combatants, then the 2nd strike is a war crime.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Wanna know how bad the Arizona legislator's petition forgeries were? Here's the examples from the Austin Smith indictment.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24...
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24...
November 24, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Wanna know how bad the Arizona legislator's petition forgeries were? Here's the examples from the Austin Smith indictment.
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24...
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24...
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
it's insane how good it feels to see someone with actual political clout give a single honest response to something
Governor Hochul on Elise Stefanik doubling down on her claims that Mamdani is a “jihadist.”
Video: Kathy Hochul via X (@KathyHochul)
Video: Kathy Hochul via X (@KathyHochul)
November 23, 2025 at 12:39 AM
it's insane how good it feels to see someone with actual political clout give a single honest response to something
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Here's another bit of conventional wisdom Zohran completely blew away: His speech was at well above a 10th-grade level. It was complex, erudite, punctuated by deep and fluent references. You don't have to condescend to voters with baby talk! Part of re-establishing norms is speaking like an adult.
November 5, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Here's another bit of conventional wisdom Zohran completely blew away: His speech was at well above a 10th-grade level. It was complex, erudite, punctuated by deep and fluent references. You don't have to condescend to voters with baby talk! Part of re-establishing norms is speaking like an adult.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
The Illinois legislature had passed the “Illinois Bivens Act,” allowing people to sue ICE agents in state court. Just waiting for Pritzker’s signature.
dailynorthwestern.com/2025/11/03/c...
dailynorthwestern.com/2025/11/03/c...
November 5, 2025 at 6:46 AM
The Illinois legislature had passed the “Illinois Bivens Act,” allowing people to sue ICE agents in state court. Just waiting for Pritzker’s signature.
dailynorthwestern.com/2025/11/03/c...
dailynorthwestern.com/2025/11/03/c...
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
He has threatened to annex Canada & Greenland, conduct strikes in Mexico, Venezuela & now Nigeria.
He has orchestrated 50+ extrajudicial killings. No evidence provided for his actions.
He is openly enriching himself and his billionaire donors while waging war against the working class.
1/3
He has orchestrated 50+ extrajudicial killings. No evidence provided for his actions.
He is openly enriching himself and his billionaire donors while waging war against the working class.
1/3
November 2, 2025 at 12:25 PM
He has threatened to annex Canada & Greenland, conduct strikes in Mexico, Venezuela & now Nigeria.
He has orchestrated 50+ extrajudicial killings. No evidence provided for his actions.
He is openly enriching himself and his billionaire donors while waging war against the working class.
1/3
He has orchestrated 50+ extrajudicial killings. No evidence provided for his actions.
He is openly enriching himself and his billionaire donors while waging war against the working class.
1/3
The Administration of Cruelty is at it again.
October 26, 2025 at 2:45 AM
The Administration of Cruelty is at it again.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
“What is to stop Trump from making comparably inflated claims about the situations on the ground in other American cities as a pretextual basis for deploying troops? And what’s to stop him from making those claims not tomorrow, but next November—on the eve of the midterms?”
Me, via “One First”:
Me, via “One First”:
184. The Massive Stakes of Trump v. Illinois
The Trump administration's 29th emergency application—to let it deploy federalized National Guard troops in Chicago on a profoundly dubious factual predicate—is a make-or-break moment for the Court.
www.stevevladeck.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:29 AM
“What is to stop Trump from making comparably inflated claims about the situations on the ground in other American cities as a pretextual basis for deploying troops? And what’s to stop him from making those claims not tomorrow, but next November—on the eve of the midterms?”
Me, via “One First”:
Me, via “One First”:
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
We're going to win.
October 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
We're going to win.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Yes, part of the implication of No Kings, especially repeating it, is to communicate both to wavering elites and to MAGA that the will and numbers exist to color revolution the administration if elections are subverted or cancelled.
However, it's a very good sign of what we'll be able to do when he actually attempts to overtly rule by force.
The 3.5% "rule" also applies to consistent, constant protesting. Not one off events imho.
So yeah, if 15 millionesh people were in the streets every day you could see why that would be problematic for the admin.
We are certainly not there yet.
So yeah, if 15 millionesh people were in the streets every day you could see why that would be problematic for the admin.
We are certainly not there yet.
October 18, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Yes, part of the implication of No Kings, especially repeating it, is to communicate both to wavering elites and to MAGA that the will and numbers exist to color revolution the administration if elections are subverted or cancelled.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
🚨 NEWS: Colombian President Gustavo Petro accuses U.S. government officials of murder and violating Colombia’s sovereignty and says the Trump-ordered strike of a boat in the Caribbean killed a fisherman named Alejandro Carranza.
October 19, 2025 at 3:09 AM
🚨 NEWS: Colombian President Gustavo Petro accuses U.S. government officials of murder and violating Colombia’s sovereignty and says the Trump-ordered strike of a boat in the Caribbean killed a fisherman named Alejandro Carranza.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Hey. Hi. Tom Homan is on camera taking a $50k bribe and no one knows where the money went. If this was any other administration, this would be non-stop on the news. Why are we normalizing this stuff?
October 15, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Hey. Hi. Tom Homan is on camera taking a $50k bribe and no one knows where the money went. If this was any other administration, this would be non-stop on the news. Why are we normalizing this stuff?
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
OBAMA: “What if I sent the National Guard into Texas and said I don’t care what Governor Abbott says… and just kind of took over?”
Imagine that.
Fox News would’ve held a 96-hour emergency broadcast with 18 split screens and a countdown to “Tyranny Day.”
But when it’s Trump doing it? Crickets.
Imagine that.
Fox News would’ve held a 96-hour emergency broadcast with 18 split screens and a countdown to “Tyranny Day.”
But when it’s Trump doing it? Crickets.
October 15, 2025 at 5:47 AM
OBAMA: “What if I sent the National Guard into Texas and said I don’t care what Governor Abbott says… and just kind of took over?”
Imagine that.
Fox News would’ve held a 96-hour emergency broadcast with 18 split screens and a countdown to “Tyranny Day.”
But when it’s Trump doing it? Crickets.
Imagine that.
Fox News would’ve held a 96-hour emergency broadcast with 18 split screens and a countdown to “Tyranny Day.”
But when it’s Trump doing it? Crickets.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
There is no conceivable argument that these ships, even if we assume they were carrying narcotics, could not be dealt with in some other way. I think we can just drop the caveats and say: This is mass murder.
Unless and until some kind of compelling legal and moral argument is presented as to why this is a legitimate use of deadly force, this is just…mass murder.
The military has now killed 27 people as if they were enemy soldiers in a war zone and not criminal suspects. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/u...
October 15, 2025 at 12:10 AM
There is no conceivable argument that these ships, even if we assume they were carrying narcotics, could not be dealt with in some other way. I think we can just drop the caveats and say: This is mass murder.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Due process. Academic freedom. An independent judiciary. A free press. A professional civil service. A protected environment. These aren't partisan talking points; they are the pillars of a healthy nation. And every single one of them is under direct assault by the Trump administration.
October 14, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Due process. Academic freedom. An independent judiciary. A free press. A professional civil service. A protected environment. These aren't partisan talking points; they are the pillars of a healthy nation. And every single one of them is under direct assault by the Trump administration.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
#ICYMI: Yesterday’s “One First” summarized just how weak the defenses of the Supreme Court’s behavior on Trump-related emergency applications have been—and explained what someone would have to do to *actually* defend all that the Court’s majority has been doing:
www.stevevladeck.com/p/183-the-mi...
www.stevevladeck.com/p/183-the-mi...
October 14, 2025 at 11:41 AM
#ICYMI: Yesterday’s “One First” summarized just how weak the defenses of the Supreme Court’s behavior on Trump-related emergency applications have been—and explained what someone would have to do to *actually* defend all that the Court’s majority has been doing:
www.stevevladeck.com/p/183-the-mi...
www.stevevladeck.com/p/183-the-mi...
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
If Republicans are going to label you a terrorist for peacefully protesting Trump's failing presidency, abuses of power, and treatment of blue America as an enemy nation, let's turn out in even bigger numbers.
On the pod, @jilldlawrence.bsky.social and me on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2016...
On the pod, @jilldlawrence.bsky.social and me on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2016...
MAGA Rage at “No Kings” Boils Over—and It Quickly Backfires on Trump
As Trump allies smear the coming protests, a good writer on MAGA skewers the absurdity of these attacks on large swaths of Americans—and explains why our best recourse will be to turn out in force.
newrepublic.com
October 14, 2025 at 11:33 AM
If Republicans are going to label you a terrorist for peacefully protesting Trump's failing presidency, abuses of power, and treatment of blue America as an enemy nation, let's turn out in even bigger numbers.
On the pod, @jilldlawrence.bsky.social and me on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2016...
On the pod, @jilldlawrence.bsky.social and me on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2016...
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
"Cleary’s departure is the latest in a string of resignations and firings in the Eastern District of Virginia in less than a month."
She was among those opposing the Comey sham indictment.
She was among those opposing the Comey sham indictment.
October 13, 2025 at 10:33 PM
"Cleary’s departure is the latest in a string of resignations and firings in the Eastern District of Virginia in less than a month."
She was among those opposing the Comey sham indictment.
She was among those opposing the Comey sham indictment.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Multiple airports are now announcing they will refuse to play Kristi Noem’s government-funded video blaming “Democrats” for the government shutdown.
“We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” one airport said.
“We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” one airport said.
October 13, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Multiple airports are now announcing they will refuse to play Kristi Noem’s government-funded video blaming “Democrats” for the government shutdown.
“We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” one airport said.
“We believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” one airport said.
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Before us are illegal and unnecessary Republican mass firings, which they will own; behind us, millions of Americans whose health care Republicans attack, and will own.
We stand our ground.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
We stand our ground.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
Trump’s Shutdown Layoffs Deepen Impasse, Angering Democrats
www.nytimes.com
October 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Before us are illegal and unnecessary Republican mass firings, which they will own; behind us, millions of Americans whose health care Republicans attack, and will own.
We stand our ground.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
We stand our ground.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
If only there were a Nobel prize for narcissism ….
Trump: "The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me, and said 'I'm accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it.' A really nice thing to do. I didn't say 'Then give it to me, though.'"
October 11, 2025 at 1:45 PM
If only there were a Nobel prize for narcissism ….
Reposted by John Benton - OLY
Kristi Noem, while governor of South Dakota, supplemented her roughly $130,000 salary by secretly accepting $80,000 donated to a political nonprofit she was affiliated with, records show.
She never disclosed this income on federal ethics forms.
(Published June)
She never disclosed this income on federal ethics forms.
(Published June)
Kristi Noem Secretly Took a Cut of Political Donations
A dark money group paid $80,000 to Noem’s personal company when she was governor of South Dakota. She did not include this income on her federal disclosure forms, a likely violation of ethics requirem...
www.propublica.org
October 10, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Kristi Noem, while governor of South Dakota, supplemented her roughly $130,000 salary by secretly accepting $80,000 donated to a political nonprofit she was affiliated with, records show.
She never disclosed this income on federal ethics forms.
(Published June)
She never disclosed this income on federal ethics forms.
(Published June)