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Virgil Abt

@abtnatural.bsky.social

Federal Register Enjoyer. PACER pay-pig since it was 7 cents/page. Knitting theorist. Ancient UNIX and Lisp hackery. Knows the T cycle count for every Z-80 instruction.

3376 Posts3637 Follower513 Folgt
Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3w ago

Yes, it's a semiquincentennial dollar. Like a state quarter, it will be mixed in with the general distribution of dollar coins. But because dollar coins, unlike quarters, are so rarely used, you're unlikely to see a Trump coin unless a MAGA derp tries to use one to own you.

govinfo.gov

Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 10mo ago

His easiest option may be to make it a semiquincentennial coin, which may have a living person on the front (but not the back). All he would have to do is make a bullshit argument that he's "emblematic" to the nation's anniversary and go through some processes controlled by the executive branch.

31 USC 5112(y)(1)(C) (C) DOLLARS.—The Secretary may, in addition to the coins produced under subsections (r) and (w), mint for issuance during the one-year period beginning January 1, 2026, $1 dollar [sic] coins with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial.
Eric Columbus@ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 3w ago

This is incorrect. That language refers only to a specific 2007 commemorative coin program authorized under 31 USC 5112(n). That's why the quote from 31 USC 5112(n)(2)(E) refers to coins minted "under this subsection"—i.e. subsection (n). (It's still outrageous, but it appears to be legal.)

The New Republic@newrepublic.com · 3w ago

This move is technically illegal, as 31 U.S. Code § 5112 proclaims that no coin shall “bear the image of a living former or current President,” until at least two years after their death. trib.al/FTvz6Mn

Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 4w ago

Right, the highlighted section is self-refuting, but the last two sentences are solid. On April 15, 1888, Le Figaro really did print a devastating summation of Alfred Nobel's life on page one, and in the next day's correction, it said numerous people contacted him about it.

Un homme qu'on ne pourra que très difficilement faire passer pour un bienfaiteur de l'humanité est mort hier à Cannes. C'est M. Nobel, inventeur de la dynamite. M. Nobel était Suédois.A man who can hardly be considered a benefactor of humanity died yesterday in Cannes. He was Mr. Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. Mr. Nobel was Swedish.C'est par erreur que les journaux ont annoncé la mort de M. Nobel, inventeur de la dynamite. C'est son frère qui vient de succomber après une longue maladie. Quant à l'inventeur de la dynamite, qui habite Paris depuis de longues années, il est en excellente santé et a reçu lui-même hier, dans son hôtel de l'avenue Malakoff, les nombreux amis qui s'étaient effrayés des mauvaises nouvelles données le matin à son sujet.The newspapers mistakenly announced the death of Mr. Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. It is his brother who has just passed away after a long illness. As for the inventor of dynamite, who has lived in Paris for many years, he is in excellent health and yesterday personally received, at his hotel on Avenue Malakoff, the many friends who had been alarmed by the bad news reported about him that morning.
Jared@jaredmcclain.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Good news for Leo: The court ruled he has standing & set an evidentiary hearing for next Wednesday. The court agreed we showed the DHS policies exist and that, despite Kavanaugh’s concurrence in Perdomo, Leo is likely to be injured by these policies again. www.courtlistener.com/docket/71498...

A. Plaintiff has sufficiently established the DHS policies exist According to the Government, Plaintit has not shown that he faces an imminent injury from any policy, pattern or practice implemented by the Federal Defendants" because "no such policies exist." (Doc. 46). For support, the government relies on the Declaration of Philip Lavoie (Docs. 44-1). (Id.) In response, Plaintit argues the policies exist based on Plaintitt's declarations deschoine nis two previous encounters with uns and the encounters or two orners ne personally witnessed. Plaintiff has also relied on public statements, news reports, and declarations. To show an actionable "policy, pattern, or practice," plaintiffs must identify conduct that is systemic and widespread, not merely the result of isolated or sporadic incidents. Thus, to establish standing, Plaintiff must show that the policy, in tact, exists and that it requires federal Otcials to take the challenged actions. The Court is not compelled by the Government's position that no policies exist tor several reasons. First, treating the allegations in the Complaint as true, it is beyond question that Plaintiff has alleged the three subiect policies exist. Plaintiff has additionally put forth factual support that the policies exist. Second, a declaraton, like the one submitted by the Government, does not - at this stage-override what a olaint has clearly alleged. Ihird. even it the decaranon were dispositive, the Court is unsatisfied that it conclusively negates that such policies exist. Rather, at best, Mr. Lavoie has contrmed he is not aware or such policies. Fourth in addition to the court's determination that the Government's supporting documentation is not compelling, the Court also finds that the totality of Plaintiff's supporting documentation when considered along with the well pled allegations of the Complaint, support the conclusion that the policies exist for purposes of Article III standing.The Government's alternative position based on Lyons is equally unconvincing. … Here, Lyons and Noem do not support the outcome Defendants seek. More specifically, the facts here plainly establish that Plaintiff's exposure to the alleged policies are not limited to a single isolated incident in the past. Rather, at the time the Complaint was filed, Plaintiff had already been on the receiving end of the policies twice. Since the litigation has been pending. Plaintiff has been stopped a third time. These facts establish what the Plaintiff in Lyons could not. Moreover, even if Plaintiff here had not been stopped numerous times already, the nature of the policies here and factual allegations are distinguishable from the policies at issue in Lyons, given that the policies in this action a will subject an individual to future encounters when he/she is simply going about his life. Accordingly, the Court finds the instant case more analogous to Church because Plaintiff "is unable to avoid repeating the conduct that led to the original injury at the
Jared@jaredmcclain.bsky.social · 3mo ago

On Saturday, Leo Garcia Venegas was wrongfully detained by ICE for a 3rd time in a year. Officers followed him home; he said he’s a citizen and had his REAL ID in hand. But they didn’t care. They tackled and shackled him, no questions asked. We’ve got a hearing tomorrow on our prelim injunction.

Photo of Leo being led by five ICE agents into the back of an unmarked ICE vehicle. His hands are cuffed behind his back and he’s in leg shackles.
Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Financial Times has now corrected this bogus headline, from Trump "to be 'forever' exempt from tax audits", to Trump being "granted ‘forever’ immunity from existing tax audits". The document doesn't purport to do anything about enforcement of future years' taxes. www.justice.gov/opa/media/14...

FINANCIAL TIMES Donald Trump and sons to be 'forever' exempt from tax auditsFINANCIAL TIMES Donald Trump and sons granted ‘forever’ immunity from existing tax audits Justice department deal comes day after government set up $1.8bn fund to pay president’s allies hit by alleged ‘lawfare’ Donald Trump said on Monday that he did not play a role in setting up the government fund and knew ‘very little about it’ © Getty Images Donald Trump and sons granted ‘forever’ immunity from existing tax audits on x (opens in a new window) Donald Trump and sons granted ‘forever’ immunity from existing tax audits on facebook Alex Rogers in Washington Published May 19 2026May 19 doc signed by Blanche
Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 3mo ago

“.. What we are talking about is nothing short of the sitting president of the United States looting from the Treasury for his own gain,” she said. @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/5733...

Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I just Recapped Rhode Island Hospital's first brief to the 5th Circuit about Judge Reed O'Connor's incredibly bogus (more bogus than DOJ requested!) order to enforce a transvestigatory subpoena. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

INTRODUCTION Last Thursday, without any notice to RIH, the Federal Government petitioned the District Court to enforce a 10-month-old administrative subpoena it had been negotiating with RIH. That subpoena demands troves of personal and highly sensitive medical information about RIH’s patients, along with identifying information of hospital personnel and materials relating to medical treatment and diagnoses. See Pet., ECF No. 1.1 Courts across the country have quashed the same subpoena issued to other hospitals and clinics as overbroad and improper. The same day that the Government filed its petition, the District Court granted it. See Order, ECF No. 2. The District Court gave RIH no chance to respond to the petition. Instead, within hours, the District Court summarily entered the Government’s proposed order verbatim. See id.; ECF No. 1-4. The Order gives RIH only 14 days to comply with the subpoena in full. Order 1-2. That Order is likely to be reversed on appeal. While the appeal is decided, the Order should be stayed. Every relevant factor weighs strongly in favor of a stay. Most importantly, RIH is highly likely to prevail on the merits. The District Court blatantly denied RIH due process, which alone provides a clear basis for reversal, even before examining the subpoena’s many other deficiencies. And RIH will suffer irreparable constitutional and monetary harms if it must comply before the Order is reversed. The equities and public interest also favor a stay, as the Government will not face harm from further delay after waiting 10 months to pursue the petition, while RIH’s patients will suffer immensely if RIH must comply with the illegal subpoena. RIH thus requests that this Court grant its emergency motion for a stay pending appeal as soon as possible, but no later than Tuesday, May 12, 2026. BANo. 26-10431 In the United States Court of Appeals For the Fifth Circuit __________________ IN RE ADMINISTRATIVE SUBPOENA NO. 25-1431-032 __________________ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Petitioner-Appellee, v. RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL, Respondent-Appellant. _________________ On Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Honorable Reed O’Connor, Chief District Judge Case No. 4:26-mc-00006-O __________________ EMERGENCY MOTION FOR STAY PENDING APPEAL __________________ Kathryn M. Barber MCGUIREWOODS LLP Gateway Plaza 800 East Canal Street Richmond, VA 23219 Eric G. Olshan MCGUIREWOODS LLP Tower Two-Sixty 260 Forbes Avenue, Suite 1800 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (additional counsel listed on inside cover)
Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

And this order seems to have been granted completely ex parte. There isn't even a certificate of service on file. I also see no indication that petitioner was requesting same-day or any kind of urgent relief. First time I've seen a judge totally out-MAGA the MAGA DOJ.

Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Looks like 1st contested hearing in the Cole Tomas Allen (WHCD crasher) case will happen at Noon tomorrow. Judge Faruqui wants a jail official to personally appear and explain the solitary confinement bullshit. Probably also wondering about the earlier Hannibal Lecter bullshit. @joshuajfriedman.com

May 3, 2026 MINUTE ORDER as to COLE TOMAS ALLEN (1): Defendants 20 Motion to Vacate is Denied. The Court has grave concerns about the defendants seemingly unprompted solitary confinement for days and overall conditions of confinement. As such the parties and a representative of the Department of Corrections shall appear in Courtroom 4 at noon on May 4, 2026 to explain the conditions of confinement.Signed by Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui on 5/3/2026. (ztl)
Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

DC jail is using Hannibal Lecter protocols for Cole Tomas Allen. The warden definitely thinks this site has the juice. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

On April 28, 2026, undersigned counsel attempted to meet with Mr. Allen ahead of the detention hearing set for tomorrow, April 30, 2026. Counsel initially were forced to wait for nearly an hour for unknown reasons. Despite then being told that they would be able to meet with Mr. Allen in a private attorney room—as is routine and required for confidential and privileged communications —DOC staff informed counsel that they would have to meet in what is essentially a public location. Specifically, Mr. Allen was forced to sit inside of a locked cage in full, five-point restraints, and speak over a phone—of which there is only one—to be able to confer with counsel. Counsel were forced to sit in an open, lobby area with jail staff and other attorneys standing nearby who could overhear the entirety of counsel’s side of the conversation. When counsel asked for an explanation, Captain Haynie advised that it was “administrative” at the “direction of the Warden.” Counsel asked if the requirement was related to anything that Mr. Allen did or said while in DOC custody, and Captain Haynie replied in the negative.
Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

And this order seems to have been granted completely ex parte. There isn't even a certificate of service on file. I also see no indication that petitioner was requesting same-day or any kind of urgent relief. First time I've seen a judge totally out-MAGA the MAGA DOJ.

Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

In case you were worried that the viral post with public-speaking tips from 19th-century coke-fiend Sigmund Freud was fake, I'm quite happy to report that it's legit.

"So, I gave my lecture yesterday. Despite the lack of preparation, I spoke quite well and without any hesitation, which I ascribe to the cocaine I had taken before hand. I told about my discoveries in brain anatomy, all very difficult things that the audience certainly did not understand, but all that matters is that they get the impression that I understand it."
Virgil Abt@abtnatural.bsky.social · 3mo ago

To gather info from around the thread: Crew's note 19 cites a 2015 collection with the German text of the letter transcribed to type; images of the handwritten original are at LoC; and English translations by @brianfairley.bsky.social and by Google are both pretty close to the translation in the OP.