As an Oregon duck fan, can we use a term other than lame duck to describe Trump? Maybe lame elephant?

We wrote for @theintercept.com last month about why we need a federal anti-SLAPP law. Red and blue states alike have passed these laws. This should be an easy sell to Democrats as well as Republicans looking to distance themselves from the SLAPP-ster in chief.

An Arkansas Mom Obtained Public Records About a New Data Center. Then She Got Sued.

Cases in Arkansas and California show how desperately we need a federal law against lawsuits intended to chill free speech.

theintercept.com

We saw the consequences of failing to get the bipartisan PRESS Act across the finish line in 2024 — repeated subpoenas and chilling threats against journalists. The new Congress has no excuse not to protect journalist-source confidentiality. Read more here:

Pass the PRESS Act

The PRESS Act is a federal reporter-source shield bill that would protect journalists from being forced to reveal their confidential sources and would stop the government from spying on journalists.

freedom.press

After the blue tsunami, expect the red undertow: Resignations and distancing from Trump.

“The spokesperson said similar messages had been sent in the past.” Oh, I guess it’s fine then? 🙄

The Independent@the-independent.com · 3d ago

White House tells 3,000 conservative groups it is ‘monitoring’ their public statements

Trump talks construction all the time because he thinks that’s the one thing no one can question he’s good at that. He’s not. It is expensive, unnecessary, and gaudy.

Anna Bower@annabower.bsky.social · 5d ago

In his first public appearance since his party suffered crushing electoral losses, Trump is at the site of the White House ballroom, talking about the marble he ordered for the floor.

Really, really important for Democrats to understand that if we allow "enforcing the rule of law" to be redefined as "getting even" we are cooked.

MS NOW@ms.now · 5d ago

"The American people don't want us to get even; they want us to get things done on their behalf." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is now poised to become the next House Speaker, says that Democrats will focus on affordability concerns and not retribution after their midterm wins.

Pretty sure the guy she’s voting for doesn’t want Democrats to win

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last wk.

Haley Stevens says "we all want Democrats to win" while repeatedly dodging Anderson Cooper's question about what changed from last night, when she was saying she would vote for Abdul El-Sayed, to today

Stevens thinks voters will follow her? Her own staff won’t follow her.

Phil Lewis@phillewis.bsky.social · last wk.

Statement from Justin German, (former) Chief of Staff to Rep. Haley Stevens: “We are shocked and heartbroken by Congresswoman Stevens' decision to support Mike Rogers. As of this morning, many members of our team have resigned, including myself”

On Wednesday, I think many Trump-supporting politicians will finally begin their retreat from MAGA and Trump. Too late. Really. I don’t always vote party lines, but I will never support a politician who supported Trump. I believe I’m not alone.

THREAD: As we head into the midterms, I've tried to take stock of Trump's reign, the damage to our country, and how we’ve already gotten used to a level of fascism, authoritarianism, and corruption that would be unthinkable and shocking to us just a decade ago. Here's the whole series of essays:

I was hoping someone would write this article. Great read.

CNN@cnn.com · 2w ago

Before there were two Dan Sullivans, there were three Bob Fergusons. In 2024, Washington's Democratic state Attorney General Bob Ferguson was joined in the gubernatorial primary race by two other Democratic hopefuls with the same name. https://cnn.it/4BBp1Yo

When a reporter is denied access to the White House, it isn't just that news organization that suffers. The American people rely on a free press to know what their government is up to, and whether it is acting wisely and lawfully.

6 citizens sue Trump, saying media ban deprives them of news as audience stakeholders

A new lawsuit against President Donald Trump's media ban stakes a claim for the public itself

abcnews.com

"Freedom of the press doesn’t just guarantee the rights of the press – it also guarantees the public’s right to independent and uncensored information about what our government is doing."

Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News@froomkin.bsky.social · 2w ago

Why I’m suing Donald Trump (the extended cut, featuring Monica Alba) presswatchers.org/2026/10/why-...

Beyond disgusted by even more rape allegations against the President of the United States. "In total, more than 25 different women...have independently accused Donald Trump of rape, sexual assault, or other sexual misconduct." Report w/ new details: democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...

Rotten

The Daily Beast@thedailybeast.bsky.social · 3w ago

White House officials gave orders to curb Ukrainian access to a vital system used by frontline forces in the fight against Russia, according to a report.

This is outrageous. Donald Trump just announced a deal with Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel, and Treasury immediately lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports through April. Those sanctions exist for one reason. They limit the money Putin can use to wage his brutal war on Ukraine.

Nailed it. 🔨

Support your local, independent bookstores. Order your copy of "Threat of Dissent" from @bookshop.org. Anti-Prime Day & free shipping today ⬇️🗃️ bookshop.org/p/books/thre...

Threat of Dissent: A History of Ideological Exclusion and Deportation in the United States

"Suspicion of foreigners goes back to the earliest days of the republic...Kraut traces how different ideologies would be considered intolerably dangerous according to the dominant fears of a given era...

bookshop.org

Bookshop.org@bookshop.org · last mo.

Anti-Prime Day starts…NOW! 🥳 Today through midnight on 10/7, enjoy free shipping site-wide, all while supporting local, independent bookstores.

"The Trump administration pushed the FBI to investigate Los Angeles protesters in violation of their constitutional rights and the bureau’s policies, a former FBI supervisor alleges in a new whistleblower complaint." NBC's indefatigable @ryanjreilly.com reports buff.ly/bBe5Xnz

FBI whistleblower says White House pushed unconstitutional probe of protesters

The former analyst says supervisors were told not to put things in writing, so many of the directives came in face-to-face meetings.

buff.ly

And for those who may have forgotten this image of US service members on their knees rolling the red carpet for Putin. Trump literally has our brave service members bending the knee to Putin and Xi. Grotesque.

Adam Keiper@adamkeiper.com · 2mo ago

I've been thinking about this photo all day. Considering how the Trump administration is constantly ranting about Communists, and how Pete Hegseth is always nattering on about our WARFIGHTERS, it's genuinely crazy to me that this image exists. www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-kowt...

What a terrific response.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com · 2mo ago

President Trump berated a CNN reporter, days after barring the network from the White House. “I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me,” he said. Kaitlan Collins, CNN’s White House correspondent, responded, “The United Nations allowed us in, sir.”

You’re right—that plane shouldn’t have gone there. That’s my fault, and I should have made sure there wasn’t a terminal in the landing path. Would you like me to call emergency services, or assist with lining up takeoffs?

This is troubling

The Daily Beast@thedailybeast.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Todd Blanche’s Department of Justice is making an extraordinary attempt to break into a reporter’s LinkedIn DMs without them knowing.

44% of U.S. adults say the press has become less free since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, compared with 12% who say it has become more free. About a quarter (26%) say there has been no change, and 17% aren’t sure. #PewKnightInitiative

👇👇👇

Knight First Amendment Institute@knightcolumbia.org · 2mo ago

Can the government sue its critics for libel? @matthewschafer.bsky.social tells the story of how 1920s Chicago politics helped answer this question. Read more below: knightcolumbia.org/blog/what-a-...

Could you imagine anyone else in the history of history, let alone the President of the United States, so blatantly defiling the memory of our fallen brethren? What a terrible, broken person.

We’re suing to bring transparency back to Trump’s State Department—and you can help! Are you aware of an international agreement that the U.S. may have concluded since Jan. 2025? Have you been unable to locate it on the State Department’s site? Let us know 👇 ⬇️ www.lawfaremedia.org/article/why-...

Why We’re Suing the State Department Over International Agreements

Lawfare is suing to bring transparency back to international agreements—and you can help.

lawfaremedia.org

One day, “Trump” will be common shorthand for people who are so spectacularly bad as leaders that they are, at best, acting only in their own self-interest, and, at worst, actively trying to destroy what they lead. Like “Benedict Arnold” is shorthand for traitor. That will be the Trump legacy.

President Trump’s threat to sue a liberal think tank attempts to transform defamation law into a modern-day Sedition Act that could be wielded against journalists.

The dangerous new twist in Trump’s latest defamation threat

Trump’s saber-rattling against a liberal think tank over its report on his administration’s deployment of the National Guard is an attempt to turn criticism of government policy into personal…

freedom.press