TODAY! We added more tix--they're going fast: 7:00 PM ET: Virtual screening, Democracy Under Siege (55 min) 7:55 PM ET: Conversation Steven Levitsky ("How Democracies Die") & Maria McFarland, moderated by Eric Umansky (ProPublica) + Q&A Join us! Free tix here: kinema.com/events/Democ...
Democracy Under Siege - RepresentUs Special Screening & Panel Discussion
Get tickets for the virtual screening of Democracy Under Siege
kinema.com
For 16 years, billionaires have enjoyed a "right" to unlimited Super PAC donations — thanks to a 2010 court ruling that simply got it wrong. A federal appeals court will hear arguments July 29 on a case to fix this mistake and restore contribution limits. Learn more: equalcitizens.us/against_supe...
Against Super PACs - Equal Citizens
Join our fight to end the corruption of our democracy
equalcitizens.us
Join us on Thursday, July 30, at 7:00 PM ET for a special free virtual screening of Democracy Under Siege, followed by a live panel discussion featuring @mariamcfarlandsm.bsky.social, Steven Levitsky, moderated by @ericumansky.bsky.social.
Trump is restarting combat with Iran, all while new financial disclosures show that brokers representing him purchased $9.7-$24.3 million in stocks from major defense contractors like Palantir and Lockheed Martin in 2025, according to Responsible Statecraft.
Trump acquired at least $10 million in defense stocks last year
The president's portfolio kept accumulating shares in companies — like Palantir and Lockheed Martin — that were benefiting directly from his global military escalations
responsiblestatecraft.org
A New York poll worker says two federal agents confronted her at her polling place over a social media post criticizing ICE. The incident didn't disrupt voting, but it raises a bigger question: why is ICE keeping tabs on the people helping run our elections?
Elon Musk's xAI built a $20 billion AI data center in Mississippi – powered by dozens of natural gas turbines running near homes, schools & churches – without getting the permits required by the Clean Air Act. apnews.com/article/musk...
In boost to Musk, Justice Department seeks to dismiss air pollution lawsuit against xAI data center
The Trump administration is helping one of Elon Musk’s companies fight a civil rights lawsuit that alleges it is illegally running dozens of natural gas turbines to power a $20 billion data center in ...
apnews.com
The Not Above the Law Coalition started when Jim Comey was fired, but its work is more relevant now than ever. Our conversation with @publiccitizen.bsky.social's Lisa Gilbert on coming together to protect the rule of law: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b5l...
A bipartisan group of senators just introduced legislation to crack down on prediction market trading by people in power. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Dave McCormick want to bar federal lawmakers from placing wagers on prediction markets.
Gillibrand, McCormick team up to crack down on prediction markets
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Dave McCormick are introducing a bill that would ban members of Congress from trading on prediction markets and push regulators to tighten rules.
politico.com
The Trump administration has ordered ABC to seek to renew licenses early for 8 stations – years ahead of schedule – after Melania Trump criticized the network over a Jimmy Kimmel joke. The president called for Kimmel to be fired. www.npr.org/2026/04/28/n...
FCC orders early license renewal for ABC stations following Kimmel's first lady joke
The Federal Communications Commission has ordered Disney's ABC to seek early broadcast license renewals for the eight TV stations it owns amid backlash over Jimmy Kimmel's joke about Melania Trump.
npr.org
The Trump administration-controlled Justice Department is seeking to vacate seditious conspiracy convictions for members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers involved in planning the violent Jan. 6 2021 riot in the Capitol. www.npr.org/2026/04/15/n...
Trump administration moves to erase Jan. 6 riot convictions for seditious conspiracy
The Trump administration is moving to vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions of extremists involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack who earlier received commutations instead of full pardons.
npr.org
Wannabe autocrats who start to lose popular support often become more repressive. On cue, DOJ's announcement today it indicted SPLC for paying informants (work it did in collaboration with the FBI!) is a brazen effort to intimidate critics & civil rights groups. www.youtube.com/watch?v=25dl...
A Beacon of Hope in the Fight Against Hate and Extremism
YouTube video by Southern Poverty Law Center
youtube.com
People are placing bets on war and walking away with millions. Lawmakers are calling for investigations into Polymarket after at least 50 new accounts placed large bets on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire shortly before it was announced by President Trump. www.npr.org/2026/04/10/n...
Well-timed bets on Polymarket tied to the Iran war draw calls for investigations from lawmakers
Calls are increasing inside Congress for investigations into the prediction market platform Polymarket after the latest instance where groups of anonymous traders made strategic, well-timed bets on a ...
npr.org
The Justice Department quietly closed more than 23,000 criminal investigations in the first six months of Trump’s administration, abandoning cases involving corruption, white-collar crime, domestic terrorism, and more as it shifted resources toward immigration enforcement.
Trump’s Justice Department Dropped 23,000 Criminal Investigations in Shift to Immigration
Under Attorney General Pam Bondi, the DOJ abandoned a record number of cases — including hundreds of investigations into terrorism, white-collar crime and drugs — in just the first six months of President Donald Trump’s second term.
propublica.org
A reminder that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are not just international offenses--they are ILLEGAL UNDER US LAW and can and should be prosecuted. Following orders is not an excuse, and conspiracy laws apply. www.justice.gov/criminal/cri...
justice.gov
Members of Congress who have failed to act own whatever Trump tries to do tonight. Congress can refuse to authorize wars. It can refuse to fund wars. It can impeach presidents and cabinet members who pursue illegal wars and order war crimes or genocide. Act or you own it. @represent.us
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs@sarajacobs.house.gov · 4mo agoThe President just threatened genocide. The Joint Chiefs of Staff must disregard any such military orders that violate federal and international law. Republicans in Congress can't hide anymore: we must consider all options – including impeachment – to stop Trump.
A broker for the U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to make a large investment in major defense companies in the lead-up to the Iran war, according to the Financial Times. The attempt was made just weeks before the conflict escalated. www.cnbc.com/2026/03/31/p...
Pete Hegseth's broker attempted to make defense investments before Iran war: Financial Times
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell dismissed the report in a post on X, calling it "entirely false and fabricated."
cnbc.com
A bipartisan bill was just introduced to ban members of Congress, the president, and senior officials from trading on prediction markets tied to political events and policy decisions. The PREDICT Act would also apply to their spouses, dependents, senior staff, and political appointees.
Lawmakers introduce bill to prohibit members of Congress, president from prediction market trading
The bill comes amid an uptick of bipartisan legislation focused on prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi.
politico.com
A NYT investigation reveals a growing “pardon industry” has emerged around Trump. Wealthy offenders pay lobbyists and lawyers with ties to President Trump’s orbit to seek clemency – sometimes spending hundreds of thousands or even millions to try to secure a pardon. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/u...
Pardon Industry Offers Rich Offenders a Path to Trump
nytimes.com
Congress is ramping up debate on the SAVE Act this week. If there’s ever been a moment to tell your member of Congress where you stand, this is it. Call them. Email them. Speak up now. represent.us/fairelections26
Tell Congress: Reject the SAVE America Act
If either of these bills become law, millions of Americans could lose their ability to vote and the executive branch would gain tremendous new powers to interfere with elections.
represent.us
I learned a lot from the brilliant CEO of @represent.us @mariamcfarlandsm.bsky.social on today's show! standupwithpete.libsyn.com/1552-maria-m...
Billionaires are reshaping American politics. In the 2024 election cycle, 300 billionaires and their immediate family members donated more than $3 billion – about 19% of all federal campaign contributions, according to a New York Times analysis. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/u...
The Scale of Billionaires’ Campaign Donations is Overwhelming U.S. Politics
nytimes.com
In his State of the Union speech, Trump endorsed a ban on members of Congress trading stocks, drawing bipartisan applause in the chamber. If Congress is serious about ending insider trading, it needs to pass a bill that actually bans it – not one that leaves loopholes.
Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi quietly held Palantir stock while the company became central to federal immigration enforcement, according to a NOTUS review of federal records. Lawmakers shouldn’t profit from companies tied to the agencies they fund. www.notus.org/money/tom-su...
Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi Owned Palantir Stock While Voting to Fund Homeland Security
Palantir is doing huge business with the federal government as its share price soars.
notus.org
Our CEO, Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno is speaking at the biggest rebuttal to Trump's State of the Union. Tues, Feb 24 | Washington, D.C. | Streaming LIVE from: defiance.org/sotu
Join us for the real State of the Union event — DEFIANCE.org
Opposition figures, current & former elected officials, celebrities, and other leaders will gather to tell the TRUTH and to counter Donald Trump’s lies. They’ll lay out how Trump’s historic abuses of ...
defiance.org
A Coast Guard pilot was fired after Kristi Noem’s blanket wasn’t moved to a second plane during a trip, according to the WSJ. The pilot was told to take a commercial flight home – then reinstated because no one else was available to fly them back. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
A Pilot Fired Over Kristi Noem’s Missing Blanket and the Constant Chaos Inside DHS
Secretary faces fire for confrontational immigration crackdown and self-promotional style; White House to wind down Minnesota operations.
wsj.com
Last year, lawmakers tried and failed to pass the dangerous SAVE Act, a bill that would have disenfranchised millions of American voters. Now they’re back trying to interfere with our elections with two new bills: the SAVE America Act and the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act.
"The administration has been quick to investigate those who were shot"--yet those claims have repeatedly unraveled in court. Meanwhile, "there are only two cases in which civil rights or criminal investigations into the officers’ conduct have been announced." www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/u...
When Trump Officials’ Claims About Shootings Unravel in Court
nytimes.com
The killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good were not just tragedies – they were atrocities. And instead of ensuring accountability, senior administration officials have blocked it.
The Pretti and Good executions are part of a pattern of growing abuse encouraged by senior officials, and total lack of accountability. That's a recipe for escalating brutality. The answer to these crimes is not shuffling staff. It's ensuring full accountability. open.substack.com/pub/mariamcf...
