Sam Feldman
@srfeld.bsky.social
Appellate public defender, trade unionist, NYC-DSA member. Washingtonian by birth, Chicago alum. He/him. Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto.
Mayor-elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social plans to create a new department of community safety to provide a better alternative to armed police response for things like mental health crises. This @vitalcitynyc.bsky.social article looks at what that department might look like.
Vital City | A Department of Community Safety: Theory Meets Practice
Mamdani’s proposed agency must deliver outcomes, not just add programs.
www.vitalcitynyc.org
November 25, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Mayor-elect @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social plans to create a new department of community safety to provide a better alternative to armed police response for things like mental health crises. This @vitalcitynyc.bsky.social article looks at what that department might look like.
Seems like nothing but bad news from across the pond these days. Has this Labour government done anything but step on rakes and prepare the ground for Nigel Farage's dictatorship?
The UK has gone from "We need to enshrine the right to jury trial in a British Bill of Rights" to "We need to abolish jury trial" in the space of about 3 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Jury trials could be scrapped except in most serious cases
Only cases of alleged murder, rape or manslaughter will be decided by a jury under new proposals to cut court backlogs.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Seems like nothing but bad news from across the pond these days. Has this Labour government done anything but step on rakes and prepare the ground for Nigel Farage's dictatorship?
Reposted by Sam Feldman
I have to give it up for these public defenders. This is what zealous advocacy looks like. Cc @donzeko.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump may have inadvertently issued mass pardon for 2020 voter fraud, experts say
Pardons of Giuliani and others who participated in fake elector scheme were largely symbolic, but still could have a big effect
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I have to give it up for these public defenders. This is what zealous advocacy looks like. Cc @donzeko.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
I would love to read some explanation of why cities like NYC & DC, which blossomed with streeteries during the pandemic, have made it so difficult for this popular & profitable innovation to continue. Is it pressure from NIMBY neighbors? Reflexive conservatism from city governments? Something else?
DC is enforcing a “crackdown” on streeteries—outdoor seating for cafes—charging the cafes huge amounts of money to keep the facilities in place, and forcing them to use seating that doesn’t work in the winter. It’s a huge self-own, likely to end up hurting businesses, reducing street vibrancy.
Exclusive: Le Dip streetery to come down as D.C. crackdown reshapes outdoor dining
It's over for many D.C. streeteries, as the city starts to charge what you might call "road rent" and other fees.
www.axios.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:18 AM
I would love to read some explanation of why cities like NYC & DC, which blossomed with streeteries during the pandemic, have made it so difficult for this popular & profitable innovation to continue. Is it pressure from NIMBY neighbors? Reflexive conservatism from city governments? Something else?
Reposted by Sam Feldman
She has it exactly backwards. The domestic deployments to date are a much weaker case for being so manifestly illegal as to justify refusal; that's a high bar. The boat strikes are outright unambiguous murder, everyone in that chain down to the one pulling the trigger has had a clear duty to refuse.
Sen. Slotkin said today—to my surprise—that she's unaware of any illegal orders *so far*.
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
abcnews.go.com/Politics/wee...
November 24, 2025 at 12:24 AM
She has it exactly backwards. The domestic deployments to date are a much weaker case for being so manifestly illegal as to justify refusal; that's a high bar. The boat strikes are outright unambiguous murder, everyone in that chain down to the one pulling the trigger has had a clear duty to refuse.
When you get arrested, the police take your belongings. Getting it back can be awfully hard, as the @southsideweekly.bsky.social shows in this great look at how it works in Chicago. Imagine what this process might look like if the city cared about safeguarding & returning property.
Getting Your Property Back After Jail is Hard
During arrest, people are separated from their property. Getting it back is not easy.
southsideweekly.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:06 AM
When you get arrested, the police take your belongings. Getting it back can be awfully hard, as the @southsideweekly.bsky.social shows in this great look at how it works in Chicago. Imagine what this process might look like if the city cared about safeguarding & returning property.
The modern private prison industry started in Tennessee in the 1980s and spread to the rest of the U.S. & a few other countries. But private prisons themselves weren’t new; this is what they looked like in 18th century England, as described by Australian historian Robert Hughes in “The Fatal Shore.”
November 17, 2025 at 7:18 AM
The modern private prison industry started in Tennessee in the 1980s and spread to the rest of the U.S. & a few other countries. But private prisons themselves weren’t new; this is what they looked like in 18th century England, as described by Australian historian Robert Hughes in “The Fatal Shore.”
Reposted by Sam Feldman
In 1582, a papal bull introduced the Gregorian calendar, still used today by most of the world. Because it’s 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar, countries introducing it simply skipped a third of October, and if you scroll back far enough in the iPhone calendar app you can see it change
December 31, 2024 at 2:41 PM
In 1582, a papal bull introduced the Gregorian calendar, still used today by most of the world. Because it’s 11 days ahead of the Julian calendar, countries introducing it simply skipped a third of October, and if you scroll back far enough in the iPhone calendar app you can see it change
Will no one set this modern folk song to the music it deserves?
THE BALLAD OF SANDWICH MAN
This is the taLE of Sandwich Man,
Whose aim was straight and true,
Who fought for his home with deli meats
As any man should do.
Border Patrolman Lairmore
Wore armor thick snd strong
When he felt the sting of a whole wheat roll
He shouted, “This is wrong!!
This is the taLE of Sandwich Man,
Whose aim was straight and true,
Who fought for his home with deli meats
As any man should do.
Border Patrolman Lairmore
Wore armor thick snd strong
When he felt the sting of a whole wheat roll
He shouted, “This is wrong!!
November 7, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Will no one set this modern folk song to the music it deserves?
Reposted by Sam Feldman
Sandwich Guy thanks everyone for their support, “emotional, spiritual, artistic or financial.” Intones, “Let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says…‘ out of many, one.’…You all have a right to live a life that is free.”
November 6, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Sandwich Guy thanks everyone for their support, “emotional, spiritual, artistic or financial.” Intones, “Let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says…‘ out of many, one.’…You all have a right to live a life that is free.”
This is great news for sandwich guy, of course, but it's also a big news story that other future jurors will see, helping to spread and legitimize the idea that they don't need to convict on charges that seem unjust. Jury nullification (if that's what happened here) is self-propagating in that way.
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent
Sean Dunn faced single misdemeanor offense after federal grand jurors refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by prosecutors.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM
This is great news for sandwich guy, of course, but it's also a big news story that other future jurors will see, helping to spread and legitimize the idea that they don't need to convict on charges that seem unjust. Jury nullification (if that's what happened here) is self-propagating in that way.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
I wouldn’t be too surprised if there is no prior record of a single federal misdemeanor charge ever going to trial and acquittal
November 6, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I wouldn’t be too surprised if there is no prior record of a single federal misdemeanor charge ever going to trial and acquittal
Reposted by Sam Feldman
Reposted by Sam Feldman
There’s a converse 1983 bill recently introduced in NYS: The New York Civil Rights Act, S.8500 (Myrie)/ A.9076 (Romero).
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
November 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
There’s a converse 1983 bill recently introduced in NYS: The New York Civil Rights Act, S.8500 (Myrie)/ A.9076 (Romero).
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
@jcschwartzprof.bsky.social @sifill.bsky.social
(www.nysenate.gov/legislation/...)
Pelosi is notable not only for serving well into her old age (she’ll be 86 when she leaves), which has become unfortunately common, but also for sticking around past the end of her tenure as Speaker. The last Speaker to do that was Joseph Martin (Speaker until 1955, stayed in the House until 1967).
Nancy Pelosi, first female speaker of the House, won't seek re-election to Congress www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Nancy Pelosi, first female speaker of the House, won't seek re-election to Congress
The California Democrat led her party in the House for two decades. Her decision will open up her San Francisco-based seat for the first time in nearly 40 years.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Pelosi is notable not only for serving well into her old age (she’ll be 86 when she leaves), which has become unfortunately common, but also for sticking around past the end of her tenure as Speaker. The last Speaker to do that was Joseph Martin (Speaker until 1955, stayed in the House until 1967).
In light of @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's big victory yesterday, reupping this piece about how my union, the @uaw.org, was the first to endorse his campaign last fall & has remained among his strongest supporters in labor ever since.
The @uaw.org endorsed Zohran Mamdani when he was a relatively unknown state legislator, thanks to "rank and file activism and a new culture of openness, transparency, and progressivism in the UAW," wrote Sam Feldman, member of the Executive Board of UAW Local 2325:
Why the UAW Endorsed Zohran When Other New York City Unions Held Back
Zohran Mamdani’s shock victory in this year’s New York City Democratic mayoral primary upended New York politics and called into question the effectiveness of big local unions, which mostly lined up b...
labornotes.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM
In light of @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social's big victory yesterday, reupping this piece about how my union, the @uaw.org, was the first to endorse his campaign last fall & has remained among his strongest supporters in labor ever since.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
ATTORNEYS: Do you like state courts, appellate litigation, and… winning sometimes? The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative is hiring for a 2-year attorney position!
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
Careers at ACLU
Join our team! We’re looking for committed, passionate people for open roles at the ACLU.
www.aclu.org
November 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
ATTORNEYS: Do you like state courts, appellate litigation, and… winning sometimes? The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative is hiring for a 2-year attorney position!
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
Apply here: www.aclu.org/careers/appl...
I assume the reason it took so long to get Adams to go along with this deal is that there’s obviously no way for him to make Trump pay up if he doesn’t feel like it. And Zohran winning is likely to make Trump not feel like it.
One hilarious thing you can’t forget in all of this: Trump cut some back door deal with Adams to make him drop out, and is now just stuck with the guy in whatever fake role he’s about to get in the White House AND Zohran STILL won.
November 5, 2025 at 6:47 AM
I assume the reason it took so long to get Adams to go along with this deal is that there’s obviously no way for him to make Trump pay up if he doesn’t feel like it. And Zohran winning is likely to make Trump not feel like it.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
If the sandwich stayed whole, the defense meets its goal
The defense team presses Lairmore on whether the sandwich really 'exploded.' They return to the photo of the sandwich and wrapper on the ground.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
"That sandwich hasn't exploded at all, has it?" defense asks.
"It looks like a little bit is coming out towards the bottom," Lairmore replies.
November 4, 2025 at 5:44 PM
If the sandwich stayed whole, the defense meets its goal
Reposted by Sam Feldman
one of those funny little things where a one-term democratic administration picking the wrong lawyer with an inflated sense of doing things as written rather than as intended leads to catastrophic downside (in this case, Carter, 1980, and government shutdowns) www.govexec.com/management/2...
That Time a Lawyer Invented the Government Shutdown
For nearly 200 years, shutdowns simply didn’t happen, even when Congress didn’t finish spending bills.
www.govexec.com
November 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
one of those funny little things where a one-term democratic administration picking the wrong lawyer with an inflated sense of doing things as written rather than as intended leads to catastrophic downside (in this case, Carter, 1980, and government shutdowns) www.govexec.com/management/2...
I don't think I've ever seen vote totals before where the 18-29 demographic has higher turnout than not one, not two, but three other demographics (30-39, 40-49, 80+). This is just early voting and we'll see if it holds, but the young people are really showing up for this NYC election.
Early vote numbers in NYC paint a picture of an electorate I don’t think anyone could have predicted.
November 3, 2025 at 2:10 PM
I don't think I've ever seen vote totals before where the 18-29 demographic has higher turnout than not one, not two, but three other demographics (30-39, 40-49, 80+). This is just early voting and we'll see if it holds, but the young people are really showing up for this NYC election.
Reposted by Sam Feldman
Perceptions of crime are changing. Fewer than 50 percent of Americans told Gallup that crime rose nationally in the last year for the first time since 2001. Only 30 percent said crime rose locally, also the lowest since 2001.
news.gallup.com/poll/697124/...
news.gallup.com/poll/697124/...
October 31, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Perceptions of crime are changing. Fewer than 50 percent of Americans told Gallup that crime rose nationally in the last year for the first time since 2001. Only 30 percent said crime rose locally, also the lowest since 2001.
news.gallup.com/poll/697124/...
news.gallup.com/poll/697124/...
Reposted by Sam Feldman
Maybe the 7th Circuit has a legitimate point re "inquisitor"
And maybe Judge Sara Ellis and other federal judges should impose contempt on federal officials a lot more quickly
And vindicate equal justice by treating DOJ as just another litigant among litigants
And maybe Judge Sara Ellis and other federal judges should impose contempt on federal officials a lot more quickly
And vindicate equal justice by treating DOJ as just another litigant among litigants
#BREAKING The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sides against U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, who had asked Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino to appear in her Chicago courtroom on a daily basis.
The appeals court finds that her order "infringes on the separation of powers."
The appeals court finds that her order "infringes on the separation of powers."
October 31, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Maybe the 7th Circuit has a legitimate point re "inquisitor"
And maybe Judge Sara Ellis and other federal judges should impose contempt on federal officials a lot more quickly
And vindicate equal justice by treating DOJ as just another litigant among litigants
And maybe Judge Sara Ellis and other federal judges should impose contempt on federal officials a lot more quickly
And vindicate equal justice by treating DOJ as just another litigant among litigants
Reading a medieval history (Christendom by Peter Heather), I was struck by this point about how literacy really encompasses two skills, reading and composition, that can be acquired by different people for different purposes. Thinking about this while editing students’ writing…
October 31, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reading a medieval history (Christendom by Peter Heather), I was struck by this point about how literacy really encompasses two skills, reading and composition, that can be acquired by different people for different purposes. Thinking about this while editing students’ writing…
Reposted by Sam Feldman
On top of the raw cruelty and the lack of any reason for this beyond the GOP commitment to allowing every rip-off they can imagine, this is also a decision to make prison *worse* at reforming/rehabilitating people, because we're making it harder for them to stay connected with people outside.
It literally took decades of advocacy to pass these reforms, which would have prevented prison phone and teleconferencing companies from ripping off inmates and their families to the tune of hundreds of millions annually
F.C.C. Changes Course on the Price of Prisoners’ Phone Calls
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:23 AM
On top of the raw cruelty and the lack of any reason for this beyond the GOP commitment to allowing every rip-off they can imagine, this is also a decision to make prison *worse* at reforming/rehabilitating people, because we're making it harder for them to stay connected with people outside.