Top recent posts by Brooklyn Community Builders on Bluesky

<thread> On the left: June 12, Judge Breyer writing that THE test for whether the US Marines/Guard violate Posse Comitatus will be whether they've engaged in "detaining" civilians. On the right: June 13: See for yourself. Note: The DoD has confirmed the detention of civilian to Reuters.

Kristi Noem thinks her lie about Sen. Padilla not identifying himself is a real own when, in fact, her supposed inability to recognize a US Senator--who is the chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship & Border Safety--makes her goons' thuggery even more disgraceful.

The coin-operated presidency. @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/5481...

Two phrases that need to be retired: “We are better than this.” (We’re not.) The U.S. president is “the leader of the free world.” (He’s not.)

DC federal judge REFUSES to give into the gov & stay her order that it was illegal for Trump admin to fire federal labor relations board head Her decision stands--another success for the rule of law Another @democracydefendersaction.org litigation win!

We're going to see quite a split screen today: Millions protesting peacefully in defense of democracy, and a would-be dictator ordering tanks to tear up DC streets to make him feel powerful. It's obvious what the right side is. Be on it.

Fox 9 Minneapolis reports that two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were shot by someone impersonating a police officer. Their conditions are not known. www.fox9.com/news/melissa...

Big day today – another major legal win in federal court, this time prohibiting mass layoffs by Marco Rubio at the State Department We @democracydefendersaction.org are proud to be a part of the coalition of incredible lawyers, labor unions & nonprofit groups litigating this case

Happy No Kings Day to all of us who celebrate.

Remains to be seen….if they are torn down or not But someone has plastered “no kings since 1776” on poles along route of tomorrow’s military parade here in DC You can see one here (blue sign)

Scoop: Threat intelligence reports obtained by WIRED and @propertyofthepeople.org show military and state-run fusion centers are tracking civilian-made ICE encounter maps, while others distribute "threat" alerts about tomorrow's "No Kings" protests. By me @wired.com (free to read):

Love my neighborhood.

Trump’s parade in D.C. will feature more than 5 million pounds of the government’s machinery. The No Kings gatherings across America will feature more than 5 million of the country’s people.

Interesting. Polls are showing American voters don’t like the idea of being under military occupation by a wildly angry game show host for no reason www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

To those who still somehow say you’re overreacting to say we are far past the point of historic crisis, go back to summer 2024 and say that in less than a year the president of the United States would be deploying the literal Marines on American soil to deal with and intimidate his political enemies

Update: Gov. Walz confirms that Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed. Officials are “cautiously optimistic” that state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife will survive their injuries.

um what? sounds like more than a stern warning www.cnn.com/2025/06/13/u...

"No Kings must break through to normies, independents, and Trump voters feeling remorse...Size is persuasion...If 100,000 people show up for Trump’s parade, but 5,000,000 people turn out across the country for No Kings rallies, who looks strong and who looks weak?" www.thebulwark.com/p/no-kings-n...

Good night Blue Sky. Let's make history tomorrow #nokings

I'm feeling the need to be very LA here. The Marines are at the Wilshire Federal Buidling, where there ain't nothin' goin' on. Right now, it'd take like an hour for them to get to downtown. Maybe 45 minutes if they're lucky.

Two Democratic (DFL) Minnesota lawmakers and spouses shot by man impersonating police officer. www.fox9.com/news/melissa...

Show us your No Kings signs!

NEW: Feds cut off public/press access to Sacramento Immigration Court, via @sacbee_news www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

I don't think people understand how many high level government employees have been getting paid for months not to work. It's an enormous number. For efficiency, or something.

BREAKING: The decision suggested that the scale of President Trump’s mass deportation campaign — an issue that is at the heart of his presidency — is hurting industries and constituencies that he does not want to lose.

The Declaration of Independence specifies 27 grievances with King George III and Britain. Donald Trump has committed at least 16 of those same offenses. #NoKings

Obvious point: Most of the undocumented immigrants who are being rounded up are better Americans, in the ways that matter, than Donald J. Trump.

Trump throwing a military parade for himself despite never serving in the military is a metaphor for his entire existence.

“When President Trump first sought to stage a military parade in Washington, a four-star general argued against it, telling him that “it’s what dictators do.” Mr. Trump was unbothered by the comparison…” @peterbakernyt.bsky.social @nytimes.com Gift Article www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/u...

Melissa Hortman, who was assassinated last night, was the Speaker of the Minnesota House in the 2023-2024 session, when Democrats ran the state government. That means she had a leading role in shepherding the many landmark reforms that Dems adopted in that period—an important legacy. Brief 🧵.

Law firms who cut deals continue to bleed from it. "Two of the partners leaving Willkie led its San Francisco office [and] told others they were extremely disappointed that the firm capitulated to Mr. Trump, according to two people briefed on the matter." www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/b...

For my money, the wildest under-the-radar story in politics right now is that Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's official position is that they are about to raise FIFTY TRILLION DOLLARS in easy revenue by selling 10 million Trump "gold cards" at $5 million apiece

UPDATE: In the California National Guard case, DOJ asks Judge Breyer to put the preliminary injunction schedule on hold while the Ninth Circuit considers DOJ's appeal of the TRO. California opposes the request and will file an opposition brief. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

This aged poorly.

“.. Trump keeps claiming that all the wars that broke out under his predecessor .. would never have happened on his watch, because he .. is so strong and universally respected. Well, here is a close US ally, Bibi, ignoring Trump’s wishes ..” @opinion.bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

From my column, linked below

Can report a strong turnout at our local No Kings rally. Lots of American flag waving and supportive horn honking. Many homemade signs, some indignant, some witty. One that seemed particularly McLean appropriate: “If only Kamala had won, we’d all be at brunch.”

“It’s a vulgar display. It’s the kind of thing you see with Kim Jong-un, you see it with Putin, you see it with dictators around the world that are weak. Weakness masquerading as strength. That’s about as small as it gets. That’s Donald Trump.” — Newsom on Trump’s military parade.

NEW: In a letter to the Senate, the U.S. Postal Service says a proposal to auction off 7,200 USPS electric vehicles and rescind Inflation Reduction Act funding for more EVs would hurt its ability to deliver mail and "waste crucial funds for no reasonable purpose" about.usps.com/who/governme...

@annamerlan.bsky.social on the "No Sleep for ICE" activists tracking down which hotels they're being billeted at and causing a scene: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

“A mannequin simulating a child crossing the street .. was crushed over and over again by a Tesla equipped with a self-driving feature on Thursday — safety advocates' latest warning .. as it prepares to launch robotaxis on Austin roads.” @houstonchronicle.com $TSLA www.chron.com/culture/arti...

Trump’s Military Crackdown Is Starting To Dent His Poll Numbers

the skies over tel aviv right now

Makes me nuts when people say Noem should step down. Or Hegseth should step down. Yes, of course they should ALL step down. They're all unqualified fascist hacks. But in fascism, nobody steps down. They double down. Get that through your heads.

Kristi Noem, Dr Phil, and some men dressed for full combat searched this pregnant woman’s home full of kids like it was the battle of Fallujah. Just insane and enraging www.tiktok.com/t/ZTjGXFbSs/

“Trump has now admitted his mass deportations are sweeping up countless people who make essential contributions to economies and communities, to the detriment of our country. Yet after that, we saw only a handful of perfunctory statements from Democrats about it.” newrepublic.com/article/1968...

I should add, the two lead partners who left Willkie for Cooley, Simona Agnolucci and Ben Hur, are powerhouses who built Willkie's 50-person SF office. They represent major tech companies so this is a big loss for Willkie and gain for Cooley (Cooley represents Jenner & Block in their case v Trump).

ngl, I’m a little jelly

“Oklahoma City Thunder” still looks and sounds like a basketball team in a movie that couldn’t get the rights to use real NBA teams

If I spent an hour typing out a bunch of really specific details about government activity, naming names, quoting restricted law enforcement information, and you respond to me like this because you just Know Things, I will fucking block you.

Remember when millions of people nationwide protested Biden? Yeah, me neither.

With Elon off wondering what to get Trump for Fathers Day the Veterans Administration today officially ended the weekly 5 awesome things you did this week email.

Let’s go TACO!

“It surely does feel like we are at an inflection point after this week’s alarming events...I have such high hopes that millions and millions of Americans—the largest collection of its kind—will come out in public to say they’ve had enough.” www.americaamerica.news/p/snapshot-n...

A Minnesota state Senator and a state representative, former Speaker Melissa Hortman and state Senator John Hoffman, both Democrats, were shot in their homes this morning in what’s being called “targeted shootings.” www.startribune.com/brooklyn-par...

The "appeal" of Trumpism is so bizarre. Even if you're "not political," if you don't get off on cruelty, then what's in it for anybody? "Big business scams me more because there's no regulation and my local universities & hospitals & transit are going broke and my stonks keep going wiggy." Yay?

After being forcibly removed from a press conference, Senator Alex Padilla has shown what will happen to those willing to speak out against this administration. I react to Padilla's forced removal and explain why it signals the end of American ideals. Watch here: youtu.be/41qhkhFeIOo

🇺🇸 Good morning. Happy Flag Day! #NoKings

NEW: Colorado has adopted legislation strengthening requirements that election offices provide people with ballots in Spanish. The reform comes at a time where the federal government has become very hostile to language accommodations, and to immigrants more broadly. boltsmag.org/colorado-lan...

Prices were double this last weekend for WorldPride.

A federal judge blocked Trump from seizing control of California’s National Guard—calling it illegal and unconstitutional. As Mimi Rocah writes, this is a major win for the rule of law. But the fight isn’t over yet.

Trump and his inner circle now claim the LA protests are fake, aka protesters are paid actors. As if indiscriminate ICE raids, military in the streets, and a $45 million tank parade wouldn’t get people angry enough to protest?

Goddamnit, #BrokenTimes, your headline implies LA started this. It is not a war. It is an attack on the city and its residents by the fascist regime. Headlines like this give their crimes cover. How L.A. Ignited a New War Over Immigration www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/u...

I hate this wording: “L.A. Ignited a New War Over Immigration” and “Los Angeles struck the match that led thousands of Americans to take to the street.” LA was going about its business until Trump sent in ICE and the military to terrorize people. Trump struck the match.

The most broken thing the #BrokenTimes doesn't do today: It doesn't cover the NoKings protests on its home page (can you find it?). There is a link to a 6/11 story about other protests. There is plenty of coverage of Trump's fascist parade. The rest of us? No.

The military is arresting civilians.

Can't help but think that there are Kyle Rittenhouses all over America tonight, loading up their guns and ammo, making sure their mom can drive them to a protest where they can cosplay a police officer and, well, you know the rest.

There's a cottage industry churning out articles about left-leaning "bubbles" and "echo chambers" but very little written about how numerous members of Congress live in a bubble of nonsense peddled by lobbyists and consultants. I have no doubt he was told this by a 20-something crypto lobbyist.

Coming up: Gov. Tim Walz and state officials are scheduled to hold a press conference to provide updates on the shootings of two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota. Watch live at 9:30 CT/10:30 ET: www.youtube.com/live/VHtHNAb...

1/ Incredible story from @dfriedman.bsky.social and @noturtlesoup17.bsky.social (fixed!) on how MAGA organizers of Jan 6 "Stop the Steal" rally have quietly taken over the entity running the military/birthday parade organizing entity: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/o...

Ready to go!

ABOLISH AND PROSECUTE ICE www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Walz confirms Melissa Hortman and spouse died in attack Minnesota lawmaker, her spouse shot and killed in their home www.live5news.com/2025/06/14/2...

I need to take the night off. Catch you tomorrow. Night, all, and let us try to be good to one another — and ourselves.

The “No Kings” protest in northeast Minneapolis has been cancelled following the shootings of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Hoffman.

Extremely funny to read about all the times that Brad Bondi, a D.C. bar president candidate and Pam Bondi's sister, insisted that he had no political reasons for running for the position, and then D.C. bar members turned out at like 6x the normal rate and he lost by 31,000 votes

Didn’t plan to attend a “No Kings” protest on Saturday? Act on impulse — just show up, sign or no sign, alone or with family and friends. Take this opportunity to surround yourself with others who love democracy. There’s almost certainly a protest near you — check the link below.

What if you’re in a tank?

> @axios.com

As Republicans double down on cracking down on immigrants, here's an alternative vision: Democrats in Colorado strengthen mandates for ballots to be available in Spanish. boltsmag.org/colorado-lan...

US scrambles to bring back VOA’s Persian service amid Iran-Israel conflict. Staggering incompetence by the Trump Admin that just keeps breaking things on purpose only to later realize those things might be needed. www.politico.com/news/2025/06...

The Minnesota assassinations, the attempted arson at Governor Shapiro's home, and the violent arrest of Senator Padilla are all straight out of the Jim Crow terrorism playbook. Same goes with cops aiming for journalists covering the ICE protests. None of these are new tactics, just a new iteration.

“Law enforcement is sounding the alarm over implausible, hypothetical risks allegedly posed by these ICE raid tracking platforms. But transparency is not terrorism and the real security threat is militarized secret police invading our communities and abducting our neighbors.” - @rshapiro.bsky.social

A compelling ad against Trump’s deportations. youtu.be/1B8XY8RywXs?...

Inspired by Tom Homan is a bitch.

And, as I said yesterday: A large protest is a safe protest. Normies, please go! White folks, especially!

Reuters photos capture Marines helping with a detention of some kind. www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

There are literally No Kings protests all over the WORLD tomorrow. Find yours here and stop by: www.mobilize.us/nokings/

Fucked up peoples lives, hollowed out America's ability to reach Iranians, and didn't even save a penny.

Well said.

Probably checked out the DC weather forecast a few more times than is healthy tbqh

“We are currently clean on OPSEC,” Hegseth added. “Why would Pete Hegseth say this into the Signal group?” Micah Lee, an independent security researcher, asks me, sounding genuinely puzzled. “I’ve put a lot of thought into this and I think he was just trying to sound cool.” nymag.com/intelligence...

"Two recent international polls...show that many people in Western democracies understand what’s happening here, even if some Americans are slow to see it. Perhaps more instructive are the views of people in nations that have watched their own democracies erode, such as Hungary, Poland and Turkey."

lol. tells me all i need to know. (i already knew.)

The federal courts have held the line once again - for now. My latest for @contrariannews.org open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

To understand this weekend, you need to understand who the audiences for both the parade and the protests are. www.thebulwark.com/p/no-kings-n...

Cuomo PAC's anti-Zohran mailer just landed in my inbox. It's ... not subtle

"...Trump’s turn against Ukraine in favor of Russia and his desire to accept an ostentatious gift from Qatar show his willingness to befriend anti-democratic nations...protesting this parade does not have to mean 'hating America.' It can mean loving America."