Ben Schaeffer

For anyone who wants the details... www.texastribune.org/2026/05/19/k...

Ken Paxton: The criticism has been that I let a child predator out after one day. Well guess what? They served 60 days.

As expected, Putin has signed today a decree increasing the size of the Russian army at 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel, effectively immediately.

Roy Cooper (D) leads Michael Whatley (R) by 8.9 points in our North Carolina Senate polling average, in a remarkably stable race. Cooper has cleared 50% in the average, leading 50.3% to 41.4%. That closely tracks our forecasted final margin of Cooper +8.7.

Love a one-sentence letter from the clerk after cert grant and briefing to announce recusal!

Despite the fact that the frontlines are still moving in this area, one thing can be said already: The third Battle of Lyman in this war is basically over and Ukraine won. Again.

PSA: If Trump isn’t threatening to pull your broadcast license you’re doing it wrong

Sigh. One of the problems with regulatory law is not the standards used to analyze issues, but rather public servants who fail to serve the public or the public interest. Corrupt people can misuse any standard to the detriment of the citizenry. www.propublica.org/article/para...

About that Blue Angel Hornet low pass: 1. If you have no aviation experience, keep on walking 2. I’d have lost my wings at a minimum if I’d done that while I was in 3. The idea that Hegseth is going to wave his hand and make this go away is just another example of how unfit he is for the job

WATCH — Rep. @rokhanna.bsky.social on being detained: “The arrogance in the eyes of those settlers… the arrogance of those IDF soldiers that my tax dollars are funding… the arrogance of power, and no accountability. Total impunity.” (From @mintpressnews.bsky.social )

Of course THIS Administration would try to bring charges against reporters for...reporting... www.bbc.com/news/article...

Lame duck courage is the damndest thing, ain’t it?

❗️The Netherlands is buying 700 Ruta Block 2 cruise missiles for Ukraine in a €250 million package, NRC reported. The AI-guided weapons carry a 250 kg warhead, fly at low altitude and have a range exceeding 700 km, allowing strikes beyond Moscow. #Ukraine

BREAKING: Federal judge blocks DOJ from seeking NYC trans care information via grand jury subpoena. Judge Failla's temporary restraining order is the first such ruling in DOJ's recent escalation in its effort to go after gender-affirming medical care for minors. Today, at Law Dork:

Close call for those guys when the silo of Russia’s Kapotnya refinery in Moscow exploded and launched the roof into the air. Simultaneously a second drone came in.

The Kapotnya refinery in Moscow, Russia, is severely damaged. At least 2 possibly three major fires can be seen.

The sky over Moscow, Russia, has darkened the same way we saw it in dozens of other cases. The oil and dust rain will cover the city.

i’ll admit i did not think the retired judges’ motion to re-open the Trump v. IRS case would succeed. but now that is has…lfg? at a minimum, DOJ will be forced to justify its conduct in writing

Rhodes: What have we learned? These Iranian drones that you can make in your garage have hit our bases, have hit our Gulf Arab allies. An aircraft carrier cannot stop a speedboat from closing the Strait of Hormuz.

NEWS The U.S. is pausing visa issuance for any travelers who have been in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Uganda within 21 days of planned travel to the United States as part of a sweeping response to contain a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak.

Seems like we have standing for another slush fund test case.

Reuters: U.S. JUDGE DISMISSES INDICTMENT AGAINST SALVADORAN MIGRANT KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA - COURT FILING

BREAKING: Federal judge dismisses the case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia in Tennessee. Opinion: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... Order: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

BREAKING: MS NOW confirms: Tulsi Gabbard is resigning as Director of National Intelligence.

The exquisite stupidity of these people

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1/ The Ukraine war is deadlocked, writes the imprisoned Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin. He warns that Russia's current tactics are ineffective and Ukraine's intensifying drone strikes on the Russian rear may be leading up to a new counter-offensive. ⬇️

SEN. TILLIS (R): “These people don't deserve restitution. Many of them deserve to be in prison. This is just stupid on stilts. Republicans need to speak up. This is beyond the pale… This is bad policy, bad timing, bad politics.” (H/T @acyn.bsky.social )

👀

And look at this:

⚡️Cuba seeking Russian drones, military equipment amid discussions of attack on Guantanamo Bay, Axios reports.

Cult member says other members of cult must not challenge the leader of the cult.

I'm reminded of the scene in Interstellar where Coop is reprimanded by his daughter's teacher and principal for telling her that the Apollo moon landings were real.

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed strikes on Angstrem, which produces microchips for precision weapons, and Solnechnogorskaya, a critical oil pipeline station near Moscow. Ukrainian RS-1 Bars, FP-1 Firepoint and BARS-SM Gladiator drones were used. #Ukraine

⚡️Update: At least three people were killed and multiple residential buildings damaged in a large-scale drone attack on Moscow. Reports also cited strikes near Sheremetyevo Airport, as Russian authorities said more than 100 drones were intercepted overnight on May 16-17.

NEW: The Senate parliamentarian has rejected major provisions in the GOP's reconciliation package -- aka the $72B spending bill for ICE + Trump's ballroom. These bits now need 60 vs 51 votes to pass: *ALL CBP funding *Funds for initial screenings of unaccompanied migrant kids *$2.5B for DHS

BREAKING: The Supreme Court just allowed the abortion pill mifepristone to continue to be available by mail without an in-person appointment with a clinician while a lawsuit plays out.

KNOXVILLE: “Knox County Schools has banned the 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Roots", credited with raising awareness about Black American history…”😕🤔 Republican censorship continues. (Alex Haley is buried by his boyhood home in Henning, TN) www.wbir.com/article/news...

The Trump Justice Department is suing the D.C. Bar over its efforts to discipline Trump admin lawyers. The lawsuit defends Jeffrey Clark and Ed Martin — both sought to undo the results of the 2020 election.

⚡️Ukraine now has 'strongest, most powerful' military in Europe, Rubio says "If you look, the Russians are losing five times as many soldiers a month as the Ukrainians are, and Ukraine is a smaller country and a smaller army for that matter," Rubio said.

Modern Readers, Thank you for making The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader a bestseller! James Madison and I are celebrating!

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has begun fitting its boats with cage armor to protect against kamikaze drones. #Russia

reupping because I feel passionate about sharing this with the uninitiated

Because of course he did. newrepublic.com/post/210174/...

There are three docket numbers involved here: 26A1229, 26A1230, and 26A1231.

😕🇺🇸

BREAKING: ABC has accused Trump's FCC of violating its free speech rights — arguing that regulators had a "chilling effect" on free speech by trying to punish political content they disagreed with.