How 2 fringe groups and a friendly judge helped pull off Sheriff Chad Bianco’s ballot seizure Emails obtained by CalMatters trace the development of a years-long case that ultimately led to the unprecedented seizure of 650,000 ballots.

calmatters.org/investigatio...

F.B.I. Said to Have Investigated Times Reporter After Article on Patel’s Girlfriend

BREAKING NYT:

The FBI began investigating a New York Times reporter last month after she wrote about Kash Patel using bureau personnel to provide his girlfriend with government security and transportation, according to a person briefed on the matter.

Data centers have contaminated ground water in Oregon.

They've released smog into the air in Memphis.

And they've contributed to electricity bill spikes — all while receiving millions of dollars in tax breaks.

Is it any wonder why a nationwide backlash against AI data centers is brewing?

George Washington’s Woke Vaccines What the Founders would have thought about Pete Hegseth lifting the requirement that service members get the flu vaccine.

Hegseth's repeal of universal flu vaccines is nonsense on so many levels, but his claim vaccine mandates were an "era of betrayal" irked me as a historian. Here's my response, in @thebulwark.com this morning;

www.thebulwark.com/p/george-was...

The Texas legislature rammed through a gerrymandering bill at the request of Trump.

Virginia actually voted in favor of redistricting to counterbalance what Texas and other Republican-controlled states have done.

Yet only one is considered a "power grab."

Oligarch-owned media in a nutshell.

SPLC Indictment Reactions A federal fraud indictment against a civil rights nonprofit shocked many Americans.

SPLC Indictment Reactions.. condemnation for this abusive, sloppy, incoherent indictment meant to save Kash's job and get Blanche the AG job permanently. Shame on ANYONE who had anything to do with this outrage open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

Zelensky warned Ukraine’s air defense stocks could be exhausted within weeks due to the intensity of ongoing attacks. He said counter drone systems remain sufficient but stressed a critical shortage of anti ballistic defense capabilities. #Ukraine

@SecWar: The War Department is once again restoring freedom to our Joint Force. We are discarding the mandatory flu vaccine requirement, effective immediately. 21 Apr 26

Washington ordered smallpox inoculations for the Continental Army beginning in 1777.

Hegseth, therefore, is taking a mid-18th century, pre-Industrial Age approach to medicine and warfare.

Spent Saturday with President Obama and New York's Cutest — turns out my first name is Mayor and I need to be doing more squats. 

Here’s to building a City where families can thrive and every classroom is full of this much joy.

And .. here come the Freedom of Information Act requests for Kash Patel records

DC watchdog group Democracy Forward has formally requested Patel's calendars & any messages from security detail that include words "drinking", "hungover", "inebriated"

democracyforward.org/wp-content/u...

200,000 acres of Native Hawaiian land. 100 years of federal trust obligation.

Trump's move: reclassify them as a racial group, not a tribal nation. Same land. New legal category. Zero obligation.

That's not a budget cut. That's a legal erasure. #taxtherich

BREAKING: Donald Trump just boosted Democrats’ chances of taking the House.

He said the quiet part out loud, “fair elections” means he loses power.

That’s not a warning, that’s a confession.

Your State-by-State Guide to the 2026 Supreme Court Elections - Bolts Abortion, redistricting, and ballot access remain heated issues as voters face dozens of supreme court races across 32 states this year.

I decided to write about at each & every one of the 32 states with supreme court elections this year.

Why? On abortion, redistricting, death penalty, & more, these institutions & their elections remain so critical.

So here's everything you need to know. NEW from me:

Hey Virginia! TOMORROW, April 21, 6am–7pm, we get our chance to protect our state from the power grabs already destroying Texas, Florida, ＆ North Carolina. This amendment keeps things fair ＆ democratic everyone. Same-day registration available at polls. Vote YES! #VoteYesVirginia

LAPD Deployed Drones to Spy on No Kings Protest Flight records show that Los Angeles police dispatched drones 32 times over last month’s No Kings rally.

NEW: Flight data reveals that the LAPD's "Drone as First Responder" program—sold to the public as a public safety measure—is in fact being used to spy on anti-ICE/anti-Trump protests in Los Angeles.

theintercept.com/2026/04/20/l...

In the 1990s, the working class of this country was told that unfettered free trade would create millions of new jobs and raise wages.

As many of us understood then, that claim was a lie.

Now they’re being sold the same false promises about AI.

Oil company founded by DOE chief Wright paid no US taxes last year Liberty Energy made $193 million last year and received more than $10 million back in tax benefits, according to a nonprofit analysis released on Tax Day.

"The company founded and formerly run by Trump Energy Secretary Chris Wright recorded $193 million of income last year but paid no 2025 federal corporate income taxes, according to its regulatory filings, and actually got more than $10 million back from the IRS..."

www.eenews.net/articles/oil...

Beloved Naperville Central teacher named 2026 Illinois Teacher of the Year A longtime Naperville Central teacher has been named the 2026 Illinois Teacher of the Year. Social studies teacher Seth Brady, with more than two decades in the classroom, was surprised with the honor...

Huge congrats to Illinois’ Teacher of the Year, Seth Brady!

For over 20 years, Seth has encouraged and empowered our youngest to think critically and think big at Naperville Central High.

The United States is destroying itself | Rebecca Solnit The daily news can’t adequately convey the administration’s sabotaging of our government, economy, alliances and environment

“The United States is being murdered, and it’s an inside job. Every department, every branch, every bureau and function of the federal government is being fatally corrupted or altogether dismantled or disabled.”

everything is terrible so here’s mamdani and obama laughing and reading to kids to soothe your soul

Has anyone in the media asked Trump how he feels about his DOJ being 0-5 in lawsuits to gain access to state voter rolls?

Seems like an important thing to ask.

Pete Hegseth Nailed It. No Really. talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/pete-...

A tweet from Representative Thomas Massie that reads: I just viewed 2 Top Secret FISA docs. 1) FISA Court opinion that raises serious concerns about FBI implementation of FISA 702. 2) letter by Senator Wyden describing a secret government interpretation of FISA law. The Constitution requires I vote No on FISA 702 reauthorization.

I sent a classified letter to House and Senate colleagues about a secret interpretation of surveillance law that every American should be concerned about.

Representative Massie is right. The Constitution requires EVERY member to vote against a clean reauthorization.

The richest 10% of Americans own roughly 87% of stocks.

The richest 1% alone own roughly half of all stocks.

It's worth pointing out once again that the stock market is not the economy.

Here’s the thing—especially on April 15: cutting the IRS isn't some abstract budget trim. It's a tax cut delivered through weaker enforcement. And it mostly goes to people with the most scope to hide income.

MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson Day as every player wears No. 42 on anniversary of his historic debut Major League Baseball is celebrating Jackie Robinson Day with every player, coach and umpire wearing his No. 42 to mark the 79th anniversary of the infielder breaking the sport’s color barrier.

Major League Baseball is celebrating Jackie Robinson Day with every player, coach and umpire wearing his No. 42 to mark the 79th anniversary of the infielder breaking the sport's color barrier.

“He cheated on the golf course. He cheated on his taxes. He cheated on his wives. He cheated the business contractors he stiffed. He tried to cheat in the 2020 election. And now he’s trying to cheat on the 2026 midterms - because he knows he can’t win.”

🤷🏼

This really should not be a surprise to anyone. But then I wrote a post in 2024 listing Hungary's influence op as one of the things NOT being covered bc of the 1000th Joe Biden Old story.