RI Smith
@rismith.bsky.social
Lawyer writing about law, genealogy, and bad ethics. He/him
On advice of counsel, lol no.
MS NOW confirms: The FBI is working with Capitol Police to schedule interviews with the six Democratic lawmakers who urged service members to refuse to comply with illegal orders.
November 25, 2025 at 6:07 PM
On advice of counsel, lol no.
Reposted by RI Smith
god damn I love being an American
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
god damn I love being an American
My rebuttal is now out
November 25, 2025 at 4:18 PM
My rebuttal is now out
If only someone in the press could have reminded him that he is an attorney who fancies himself a constitutional law scholar
Mike Johnson on Trump calling for Democrats to be executed: "Attorneys have to parse the language and determine all that."
November 21, 2025 at 2:18 AM
If only someone in the press could have reminded him that he is an attorney who fancies himself a constitutional law scholar
Reposted by RI Smith
I mean, I believe the last part
November 21, 2025 at 1:21 AM
I mean, I believe the last part
Dress for the plane crash you want to be in
Trump's Transportation Secretary on how to improve air travel:
"People dress up like they're going to bed when they fly... We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up"
"People dress up like they're going to bed when they fly... We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up"
November 21, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Dress for the plane crash you want to be in
Reposted by RI Smith
Reposted by RI Smith
Huh, I wonder why
November 20, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Huh, I wonder why
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@philinvestigates.com continues to kick ass
November 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
@philinvestigates.com continues to kick ass
Reposted by RI Smith
“Gaines’ teammates also care about protecting women in sports. But their concerns are different. Their head coach is facing a rape lawsuit. Another was suspended for sexual harassment, per university records. And UK investigated other reports of abusive coaching, eating disorders, punishments.”
I’ve spent a lot of the last three years investigating the rise of anti-trans politics. Often, it came back to the controversy over trans women athletes.
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
So I teamed up with @pablo.show to look into the leading figure on the issue: Riley Gaines.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202... 1/
How right-wing superstar Riley Gaines built an anti-trans empire
The swimmer tied a trans woman for fifth. The MAGA industrial complex took care of the rest.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
“Gaines’ teammates also care about protecting women in sports. But their concerns are different. Their head coach is facing a rape lawsuit. Another was suspended for sexual harassment, per university records. And UK investigated other reports of abusive coaching, eating disorders, punishments.”
Shouldn't have trained your LLM on Conan
November 20, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Shouldn't have trained your LLM on Conan
Donald Trump announces trade deal with Mordor
November 20, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Donald Trump announces trade deal with Mordor
I, for one, would not willingly admit that I don't know why an appellate court applied a particular standard of review and why that standard would not be applied by a trial court in my posts bragging about being a lawyer.
November 20, 2025 at 2:38 AM
I, for one, would not willingly admit that I don't know why an appellate court applied a particular standard of review and why that standard would not be applied by a trial court in my posts bragging about being a lawyer.
Reposted by RI Smith
There's a lot of amazing disassociated ranting in there, but my favorite is on page 5, where he says "... if there were a Nobel Prize in fiction..."
Um, there is, actually.
Um, there is, actually.
November 19, 2025 at 11:12 PM
There's a lot of amazing disassociated ranting in there, but my favorite is on page 5, where he says "... if there were a Nobel Prize in fiction..."
Um, there is, actually.
Um, there is, actually.
Imagine being a Republican who is so unethical that Nancy Mace thinks you've gone too far.
JUST IN: The House Ethics Committee is launching an investigation into a stunning range of allegations against Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.).
This development comes as Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is moving forward tonight with an effort to formally censure Mills. www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
This development comes as Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is moving forward tonight with an effort to formally censure Mills. www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
House Ethics Panel Announces Probe Into GOP Rep. Cory Mills
www.huffpost.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Imagine being a Republican who is so unethical that Nancy Mace thinks you've gone too far.
I am launching a probe into federal restrictions on the press. I think there's a law or something about it.
Trump's censor in chief at the FCC, Brendan Carr, just sent a letter to the heads of BBC, NPR and PBS informing them he's launching a "news distortion" probe into the BBC's editing of a documentary on Trump's Jan. 6 activities.
Here it is:
Here it is:
November 19, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I am launching a probe into federal restrictions on the press. I think there's a law or something about it.
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Whoa, this officer is just indiscriminately attacking all the protestors exercising their First Amendment rights, so you can’t establish he was retaliating at you for your exercise of your First Amendment rights.
November 19, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Whoa, this officer is just indiscriminately attacking all the protestors exercising their First Amendment rights, so you can’t establish he was retaliating at you for your exercise of your First Amendment rights.
Reposted by RI Smith
The screengrab below is nuts. "This officer was so indiscriminate about shooting protesters that plaintiff, as a matter of law, cannot demonstrate he was targeted in retaliation for his First Amendment activity."
DO WE NOT SEE THE PROBLEM HERE
DO WE NOT SEE THE PROBLEM HERE
6th Cir. holds that because police officer also shot pepper balls at George Floyd protesters who weren't filming police, plaintiff (causing permanent vision loss) cannot show the officer shot him in retaliation for filming.
QI for officer.
ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/25/11...
QI for officer.
ecf.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/25/11...
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The screengrab below is nuts. "This officer was so indiscriminate about shooting protesters that plaintiff, as a matter of law, cannot demonstrate he was targeted in retaliation for his First Amendment activity."
DO WE NOT SEE THE PROBLEM HERE
DO WE NOT SEE THE PROBLEM HERE
Reposted by RI Smith
/3 But it’s the 5th Circuit so graded on the curve we’ll call it “arguably intemperate”
November 19, 2025 at 9:01 PM
/3 But it’s the 5th Circuit so graded on the curve we’ll call it “arguably intemperate”
We need to study how to give imposter syndrome to narcissists before they destroy the world
November 19, 2025 at 8:43 PM
We need to study how to give imposter syndrome to narcissists before they destroy the world
Ya, that was too broad and we are going to narrow the restrictions later, but for now, uh, I guess just don't go too crazy. No, we can't define too crazy. I'm sure it will be fine.
#BREAKING The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has stayed Judge Sara Ellis' preliminary injunction, which restricted the feds' use of force in Chicago.
The appeals court says her order is "overbroad" but warns "do not overread today's order."
The appeals court says her order is "overbroad" but warns "do not overread today's order."
![ORDER
On November 6, 2025, the district court ordered a preliminary injunction forbidding defendants from using certain crowd control techniques and imposing additional requirements on law enforcement activities. Dist. Ct. DE 250.
Defendants seek a stay pending appeal, and plaintiffs oppose. A stay is appropriate if the movant demonstrates a likelihood of success on the merits and irreparable injury. Nken v. Holder, 556 U.S. 418, 434 (2009); Camelot Banquet Rooms, Inc. v. Small Bus. Admin, 14 F.4th 624, 628 (7th Cir. 2021) (per curiam). And “[i]n close
cases ... [a court] will balance the equities and weigh the relative harms to the applicant and to the respondent.” Hollingsworth v. Perry, 558 U.S. 183, 190 (2010) (per curiam).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:elipdmmf5istuvtyituspske/bafkreie7x6qul3od6bez5gb2n6fnnesex6ouiucocxyjfwab42nvn7gcly@jpeg)
November 19, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Ya, that was too broad and we are going to narrow the restrictions later, but for now, uh, I guess just don't go too crazy. No, we can't define too crazy. I'm sure it will be fine.
I wonder how Trump would react if a journalist responded, "That'll do, pig," rather than, "Thank you, Mr. President."
The White House stands by Trump's repulsive, misogynistic insult.
people.com/white-house-...
people.com/white-house-...
White House Defends Donald Trump's 'Quiet, Piggy' Snap at Female Reporter: 'You Have to Be Able to Take' It
The White House is defending Donald Trump for calling a female reporter 'Piggy' during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One on Friday, Nov. 14. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, an official said she '...
people.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I wonder how Trump would react if a journalist responded, "That'll do, pig," rather than, "Thank you, Mr. President."
Reposted by RI Smith
Indictment (cleaned up)
November 19, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Indictment (cleaned up)
Reposted by RI Smith
“I gave away money to my favorite charity…me.”
—Elon
—Elon
November 19, 2025 at 1:32 AM
“I gave away money to my favorite charity…me.”
—Elon
—Elon
Reposted by RI Smith
The timing of this article coming out today is exquisite.
"I don't regret voting for someone closely associated with a known pedophile!"
"I don't regret voting for someone closely associated with a known pedophile!"
November 19, 2025 at 1:19 AM
The timing of this article coming out today is exquisite.
"I don't regret voting for someone closely associated with a known pedophile!"
"I don't regret voting for someone closely associated with a known pedophile!"