Tom Clark
@tomsclark.bsky.social
Political scientist at Stanford University studying law, courts, policing, public safety. www.tomclarkphd.com Go birds.
Pinned
Tom Clark
@tomsclark.bsky.social
· May 8
Well, look what just showed up! Advance copies are in, and you can pre-order yours now. It ships June 3. press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
The way ICE officers are acting is shameful. And Americans should point it out often.
November 26, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The way ICE officers are acting is shameful. And Americans should point it out often.
Reposted by Tom Clark
One note: No mention of the White House or Stephen Miller here. Or the State Department.
UPDATE: DOJ filed its response, maintaining its opposition to contempt proceedings, but identifying Ensign, Blanche, Bove, Mazzara, and Noem as having been involved in discussions from Boasberg’s March 15 TRO to the decision not to “recall the flights” taking people to El Salvador under the AEA.
November 26, 2025 at 2:10 AM
One note: No mention of the White House or Stephen Miller here. Or the State Department.
Reposted by Tom Clark
Not beating the “America invades countries to grab their oil” allegations
Rep. Salazar on Venezuela: "We're about to go in ... we need to go in ... Venezuela for the American oil companies will be a field day"
November 24, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Not beating the “America invades countries to grab their oil” allegations
The judge has dismissed the cases against James Comey and Letitia James, saying that Halligan's appointment was illegal. This must be a record for the number of US Attorneys found to have been illegally appointed by a president. apnews.com/live/trump-n...
Live updates: Judge dismisses cases against Comey and James, says prosecutor was illegally appointed
Cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James were dismissed. The judge who said prosecutor Lindsey Halligan was illegally appointed.
apnews.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:08 PM
The judge has dismissed the cases against James Comey and Letitia James, saying that Halligan's appointment was illegal. This must be a record for the number of US Attorneys found to have been illegally appointed by a president. apnews.com/live/trump-n...
Reposted by Tom Clark
An ICE agent was caught removing a sign marking an ICE kidnapping in DC last week! Do we think he did it out of anger, embarrassment, or most appropriately shame? If you think what you’re doing is right, why are you trying to hide the evidence? 👀
November 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
An ICE agent was caught removing a sign marking an ICE kidnapping in DC last week! Do we think he did it out of anger, embarrassment, or most appropriately shame? If you think what you’re doing is right, why are you trying to hide the evidence? 👀
Reposted by Tom Clark
Trump says he’s ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali refugees in Minnesota “immediately.”
November 22, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Trump says he’s ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali refugees in Minnesota “immediately.”
It certainly does seem that Grok is a tool for disinformation.
French authorities are taking X to court because Grok is now doing straight up holocaust denial. Gas chambers intended for disinfection, cyanide residue tiny, ‘story’ persists because of taboo against critical examination. (Full translation in alt text)
November 21, 2025 at 6:33 PM
It certainly does seem that Grok is a tool for disinformation.
Reposted by Tom Clark
ICE, which has seen its budget triple, said it did not have the resources to maintain videos of detainees
ICE’s Detention Center outside Chicago was sued on October 30 for allegedly abusing detainees. One day later, a "system crash" lost all video footage that could have shown how detainees were being treated. trib.al/QwT3aqI
November 21, 2025 at 1:40 PM
ICE, which has seen its budget triple, said it did not have the resources to maintain videos of detainees
Reposted by Tom Clark
Reposted by Tom Clark
Whether it's Barack Obama wearing a tan suit to a press conference or Donald Trump calling for the execution of Democrats, both presidents engaged in norm-busting behavior.
November 21, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Whether it's Barack Obama wearing a tan suit to a press conference or Donald Trump calling for the execution of Democrats, both presidents engaged in norm-busting behavior.
Given the Trump Administration's deep concern with antisemitism, I assume we're about the have a massive investigation into the Coast Guard's decision to no longer classify a swastika as a hate symbol?
November 20, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Given the Trump Administration's deep concern with antisemitism, I assume we're about the have a massive investigation into the Coast Guard's decision to no longer classify a swastika as a hate symbol?
Reposted by Tom Clark
Where are all the free market types? Turning the most powerful economy in the history of the world into a hotbed of crony capitalism with a rigged justice system
NEW: As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick drives billions of dollars in foreign payments to help build AI data centers in the US, his sons help run a company earning tens of millions in fees helping finance AI data centers. A NYT investigation. (Free link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Family Affair: Commerce Secretary’s Sons Cash In on A.I. Frenzy
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Where are all the free market types? Turning the most powerful economy in the history of the world into a hotbed of crony capitalism with a rigged justice system
Reposted by Tom Clark
Elon Musk can't get humans to love him so he made a robot to love him instead and now all the humans are making fun of the robot. This is the smartest man in the world, a once-in-a-generation genius and clear member of the natural aristocracy
this thread is unbelievable
November 20, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Elon Musk can't get humans to love him so he made a robot to love him instead and now all the humans are making fun of the robot. This is the smartest man in the world, a once-in-a-generation genius and clear member of the natural aristocracy
The DOJ just admitted in court that after the grand jury voted no on the indictment of Comey, they presented a new indictment, but not to the full grand jury. That is, the indictment was not in fact reviewed and approved by the grand jury. Absolute amateur hour.
November 19, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The DOJ just admitted in court that after the grand jury voted no on the indictment of Comey, they presented a new indictment, but not to the full grand jury. That is, the indictment was not in fact reviewed and approved by the grand jury. Absolute amateur hour.
Reposted by Tom Clark
BREAKING: Prosecutors in the Comey case just told the judge that they’re under orders from the Deputy Attorney Generals’s office not to disclose whether career prosecutors wrote a memo recommending *against* indicting Comey prior to Halligan going to the grand jury.
November 19, 2025 at 3:51 PM
BREAKING: Prosecutors in the Comey case just told the judge that they’re under orders from the Deputy Attorney Generals’s office not to disclose whether career prosecutors wrote a memo recommending *against* indicting Comey prior to Halligan going to the grand jury.
Reposted by Tom Clark
Gig economy vigilantes
NEW: a contractor is paying random people $300 to physically track immigrants for ICE. They're given addresses, vehicles, told to monitor the target. That information then goes back up to ICE. These are not licensed private investigators; members of the public
www.404media.co/contractor-p...
www.404media.co/contractor-p...
Contractor Paying Random People $300 to Physically Track Immigrants for ICE
“The more I listened to it, the more I’m like, something doesn’t sound right,” a person who was briefed on the pilot plans told 404 Media.
www.404media.co
November 19, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Gig economy vigilantes
Discharge petitions are certainly rare. It makes me wonder, when successful, how often do we see lopsided votes (only one GOP voted against the bill) and how often do these bills get then unanimously passed by the Senate? Today makes Johnson's protection of the files harder to understand.
Rare House discharge success today. Reminder that the rule was born of legislators' frustration with an overbearing and overreaching Speaker (Czar) Joe Cannon in 1910. Granted, Speakers Cannon & Johnson had different reasons to batten down the floor agenda. But overreach can sometimes prove costly!
November 18, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Discharge petitions are certainly rare. It makes me wonder, when successful, how often do we see lopsided votes (only one GOP voted against the bill) and how often do these bills get then unanimously passed by the Senate? Today makes Johnson's protection of the files harder to understand.
To me what’s weird is how consistently Trump is intervening to help accused sex traffickers. Among of his defining characteristics are inconsistency and a fast impulse to throw people under the bus when they can’t help him anymore.
NEW: When Andrew Tate landed in the US, Customs & Border Protection seized his electronic devices. But @propublica.org found that a White House official told DHS to return the devices, emphasizing that the request came from the White House.
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
The White House Intervened on Behalf of Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation
Federal authorities were chided for seizing electronic devices from Tate and his brother, and told to return them, records and interviews show. Experts said the intervention was highly inappropriate.
www.propublica.org
November 18, 2025 at 2:44 PM
To me what’s weird is how consistently Trump is intervening to help accused sex traffickers. Among of his defining characteristics are inconsistency and a fast impulse to throw people under the bus when they can’t help him anymore.
Reposted by Tom Clark
Look, I know we're all sick of hearing "if this had happened with any other president ..." but it's absolutely true and absolutely can't be forgotten.
For some reason, this nation gives this idiotic spoiled brat a free pass from things that would destroy the administration of any other person.
For some reason, this nation gives this idiotic spoiled brat a free pass from things that would destroy the administration of any other person.
When asked if there was anything "incriminating" in Epstein's emails, Trump pointed a finger in a female reporter's face and snapped. 'Quiet. Quiet, Piggy.'
people.com/donald-trump...
people.com/donald-trump...
Donald Trump Snaps at Female Reporter Who Asks About Epstein Files: 'Quiet Piggy'
Donald Trump Says 'Quiet Piggy' to Female Reporter Asking About Epstein Files
people.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Look, I know we're all sick of hearing "if this had happened with any other president ..." but it's absolutely true and absolutely can't be forgotten.
For some reason, this nation gives this idiotic spoiled brat a free pass from things that would destroy the administration of any other person.
For some reason, this nation gives this idiotic spoiled brat a free pass from things that would destroy the administration of any other person.
Seems like a dignified way for the the elected head of state to speak to a journalist.
When asked if there was anything "incriminating" in Epstein's emails, Trump pointed a finger in a female reporter's face and snapped. 'Quiet. Quiet, Piggy.'
people.com/donald-trump...
people.com/donald-trump...
Donald Trump Snaps at Female Reporter Who Asks About Epstein Files: 'Quiet Piggy'
Donald Trump Says 'Quiet Piggy' to Female Reporter Asking About Epstein Files
people.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Seems like a dignified way for the the elected head of state to speak to a journalist.
So, the magistrate is asserting no that the WH-aide-turned-prosecutor has lied to the grand jury and to the court. There’s a lot in here, but it’s basically exposing what kangaroo prosecution looks like. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
So, the magistrate is asserting no that the WH-aide-turned-prosecutor has lied to the grand jury and to the court. There’s a lot in here, but it’s basically exposing what kangaroo prosecution looks like. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Tom Clark
Maybe a minor point but maybe there’s a better phrase than “immigration crackdown” for the assault and targeting of a US citizen by masked federal agents because of his appearance. No crime alleged. Just looked brown so they defaulted to “shouldn’t be here.”
November 17, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Maybe a minor point but maybe there’s a better phrase than “immigration crackdown” for the assault and targeting of a US citizen by masked federal agents because of his appearance. No crime alleged. Just looked brown so they defaulted to “shouldn’t be here.”
Like all things Trump, this can’t be what it seems. After all, the DOJ is led by perhaps the most sycophantic AG ever; certainly Bondi would just release the files if Trump said to. The point of the proposal is that Trump was blocking their release.
President Trump on Sunday urged House Republicans to back a measure that would compel the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, a sudden reversal after his campaign to tamp down Republican dissent and halt the vote.
Trump Says House Republicans Should Vote to Release Epstein Files
President Trump reversed himself as he faced the prospect that dozens of Republicans could vote this week to compel his administration to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
nyti.ms
November 17, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Like all things Trump, this can’t be what it seems. After all, the DOJ is led by perhaps the most sycophantic AG ever; certainly Bondi would just release the files if Trump said to. The point of the proposal is that Trump was blocking their release.
Reposted by Tom Clark
The difference between the sociopathic and non-sociopathic takes is really quite stark
November 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
The difference between the sociopathic and non-sociopathic takes is really quite stark
Reposted by Tom Clark
<all together now>
November 16, 2025 at 5:16 PM
<all together now>