146 Comments
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Deborah Potter's avatar

Liam Conejo Ramos and his father Adrián Alexander Conejo Arias are back in Minnesota in compliance with Judge Fred Biery's order!! https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/02/01/liam-conejo-ramos-5-returned-to-minnesota-following-judges-order and as in the NYT gfit article I previously posted.

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492.9.0.pdf

Judy Wherley's avatar

Because od PUBLIC PRESSURE

Deborah Potter's avatar

I'd say it's also because it's the law.

Nancy Kullman's avatar

Both of the above.

SW's avatar
1dEdited

yes, here it's law, an instance of the judiciary holding. Glenn Kirschner has a 17 plus minute video post reading the ruling. Judge Bierly notes the T admin's " apparent ignorance of an American historical document called 'the Declaration of Independence' .. 33 year old Thomas Jefferson enumerated grievances against a would-be authoritarian king .... among those grievances [enumeration familiar to Hopiumites] ... 4th Amendment ... perfideous lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest... - closes, above his signature, "with a judicial finger in the constitutional dike, it is so ordered."

Lisa Iannucci's avatar

Thanks, just watched the vid. Powerful ruling, fantastic language by the judge!

SW's avatar
1dEdited

Judge Bierly included the picture of little Liam in his snow hat in his ruling

MrsCQ's avatar

Wow. Did I miss the link?

SW's avatar

So sorry I must have deleted when I edited original comment. here it is

https://glennkirschner.substack.com/p/with-a-judicial-finger-in-the-constitutional-edf

MrsCQ's avatar

I just watched Glenn Kirshner. Powerful. It was hard not to get chocked up along with him. Thank you again for the link.

MrsCQ's avatar

Thank you. The picture of little Liam is heartbreaking and encompasses the cruelty and inhumanity of Trump's ICE. Do we know who took the picture that went viral?

MrsCQ's avatar

Oh thank goodness! Hopefully, he can get the help he needs to help him through his trauma.

Kate Feldman's avatar

Thank you for this news Deborah... I have been losing sleep over this child.

David Salzillo's avatar

Hello everyone,

Check out my latest post in a series of posts about what I call "The Big Beautiful Middle Finger" (https://davidsalzillo.substack.com/p/the-big-beautiful-middle-finger-part-f68). Any feedback from this community is much appreciated.

Gary Scharrer's avatar

Texas Dems won a special election yesterday.. a state senate seat in the reddest part of Tarrant County (Fort Worth)

The Dem (a union leader) won by 14 plus points in a district Trump carried by 17. Dems had not won that state Senate seat since 1978.

The vacancy happened when Sen Kelly Hancock resigned to become Texas Comptroller. Hancock won reelection by 20 points .. four years ago.

This can only energize Texas Dems and deflate the Trumpers.

MrsCQ's avatar

A union leader! Wow. Fantastic!

KathyintheWallowas's avatar

Thanks, better details than I had but what good news and how energizing!

KBH's avatar

And Ds sent a new Texas Congressman to Washington, as well, further narrowing the R majority mirage. Congrats especially to the Texas Democratic Party that is fighting tooth and nail and making real progress. Before the special election for the State Senate seat, Gov. Abbott made lots of statements about how confident he was that the R party knew where its voters were and would turn them out. Ooops. To swing from Trump +17 to a D +14 win by a union official over a well-known R activist is quite an accomplishment!!

Gary Scharrer's avatar

Texas Dems typically don’t perform

well in special elections or runoff elections.

But Trump has inspired people and deflated others.

Jan Schaper's avatar

With the Dems racking up inspiring, valuable wins in special elections, I'm wondering why the DNC finances continue to be so poor compared to the RNC. I think Simon has done a great job highlighting the valuable investments that the DNC is making in state parties and in critical races. Is the DNC reputation that bad? https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/us/politics/republican-national-committee-dnc-money.html?unlocked_article_code=1.JVA.-pLj.xA_7QlfjCijn&smid=url-share It seems like individual Democratic Senate candidates are doing well: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/01/senate-fundraising-campaign-finance-fec-00759078

Gary Scharrer's avatar

I can’t answer your question.. don’t know the facts and circumstances

Jan Schaper's avatar

Thanks for replying @Gary

Gary Scharrer's avatar

All I know is that Texas Gov Abbott already has more than $100 million and plans to spend it. Dems can counter the money by inspiring huge voter turnout. The Dem who won the special Texas state Senate election Saturday in the deep red district … won by 14 points

Jan Schaper's avatar

That was a great victory and shows the power of having a solid ground game.

Michael G Baer's avatar

Outspent 10-1 in TX but moved the dial 31 points to the Blue!!!

THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!!!

Take the wins, baby🎉🎉🎉

Keep pushing... relentlessly.

JCOK's avatar

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Texas GOP calls a special session to roll back the aggressive gerrymander they just enacted. If the political needle shifts even 7–8 points—their entire safety margin in those new districts—they’re in serious trouble in November 2026, let alone a swing on the order of the 30-plus points we saw in this election.

Janice Boomstein's avatar

Beth Van Duyne's seat now overlaps a large part of Senate District 9 - would love to see her lose.

Kent Boyer's avatar

As a former Dallasite, seeing Fort Worth turn blue with the election of Taylor Rehmet yesterday makes me so proud! He will make us proud in the Texas lege.

Marie desJardins's avatar

Spot on commentary, as always.

But... the soccer mom photo is a terrific piece of art, but it is a photoshopped photo, and you should have marked it that way. We don't need more misinformation than we already have.

MrsCQ's avatar
2dEdited

Everyone makes mistakes and constructive criticism and suggestions, I believe, are welcome. Respectfully, please consider amending your comment to indicate that the picture is photoshopped and perhaps Simon would like to indicate that in his newsletter - rather than telling him what he should do or not do and giving the appearance you are admonishing him by stating what we don't need. It is his newsletter. Just a suggestion, respectfully.

Deborah Potter's avatar

Where is the citation for that analysis? If it was on SNOPES, I'd believe it. The sources I see are not very reliable themselves, just repeats of the same language on social media like tiktok and reddit -- Edited Picture Of Woman Blocking Line Of ICE SUVs Based On Historical 1989 Photo From Events In China -- Does NOT Show Minneapolis. However, I did find the referenced original photo on Getty Images entitled Protester Blocking Tanks Approaching Tiananmen Square. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/beijing-demonstrator-blocks-the-path-of-a-tank-convoy-along-news-photo/517198274?initiatedfrom=nlsribbon&adppopup=true

Marie desJardins's avatar

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fact-check-edited-picture-woman-023105602.html

It is very clearly the same street as the famous Tank Man photo of Tiananmen Square. (same street markings, lightings, street light, crosswalk...). It's an excellent work of art but it is not an authentic original photo of an actual event.

Deborah Potter's avatar

Yes, I saw yahoo news, but that's not my source of info. Yahoo News is itself based on AI. I do see the similarity of the two pictures.

Marie desJardins's avatar

Well, it's up to you how you interpret it, and whether you "believe" yahoo news, but you could use your eyes and it's pretty obvious.

Deborah Potter's avatar

As stated above, I do see the similarity of the two pictures. Normally when a citation is needed here it is included with the original post.

Marie desJardins's avatar

"Normally when a citation is needed here it is included with the original post." I'm sorry, I'm really not sure what you mean by that. Are you saying that I shouldn't have pointed out it is a fake photo without a "proper citation" from somewhere like snopes or the NYT? I don't think I need a "citation" in this case.

Judy Wherley's avatar

Everyone everywhere hates ice. Today is emails. Tomorrow I will call my senators and reps and tell them what I want--NO MORE MONEY FOR ice. If you don't ask you don't get. Altho defeated 51-49 in the senate there was a vote to repeal the funding for ice out from the 1bbb(I call it bubba). It could be done and that is what I want.

John Payne's avatar

This article was funny about a Reddit thread of NFC north football fans who generally are dissing each other’s teams but have united behind dissing ICE https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/1/27/2365647/-Push-to-abolish-ICE-takes-root-in-unexpected-circles

KathyintheWallowas's avatar

excellent. I hate references to the porno bill title that quote it in full.

JCOK's avatar

I’m sure you have all seen the allegations from the Epstein victim who accuses Trump of hosting “calander girl parties” at Mara Lago (with Epstein) during which Trump would inspect the genitalia of young teen girls for size and tightness, using his finger as a probe. There are other equally disturbing allegations about Trump in the recent Epstein release—e.g., he’s accused of hitting little girls who did not perform oral sex on him properly.

Why is this not front and center in every single legacy and alternative media outlet?

I’m truly astonished. If there were similar accusations against Obama or Biden, all media would be nonstop—24/7— on this and the country would likely be on the cusp of a right-wing military coup,

I don’t get why folks are sitting in this. I’m dumbfounded at the silence.

Rachel Poliner's avatar

I had not heard those details yet. OMG. OMG. 😫🤯😢

JCOK's avatar

Yes. Trump’s name appears over 1,000 times in the new release/dump late Friday afternoon. The allegations are beyond disturbing. They are nightmarish—it appears this was a truly evil sex cult in which 12-14-years olds—the preferred age for these sick MF’ers—were abused in horrific fashion in private rooms and in groups in a ceremonial fashion. Trumps is alleged to be a leader, and his kids were allegedly present for some of this.

Bondi and the DOJ are saying this morning that the allegations were investigated and are not true. As Andrew Weissman noted a few moments ago, this is the DOJ thats is calling Goode and Pretti domestic terrorists. So, meaningless garbage from the DOJ. No credibility whatsoever.

Why isn’t everyone—or at least Dems—apoplectic in rage about this?

CODE RED PEOPLE!

Kate Feldman's avatar

Please substantiate. Where is the source? I don't want to read all the files.

SW's avatar

Just released on Friday I think. gallons of sewage, difficult reading

SW's avatar
1dEdited

Ppl on the thread give some links, Meidas network covering also

Lisa Iannucci's avatar

right? How the F did he get by this the first time he ran-- still offended and flabbergasted. GRRR

Elizabeth T.'s avatar

Flooding the zone in action. It's hard to make your screams heard when you're in the middle of a hurricane.

Kate Feldman's avatar

This is beyond the most abusive, disgusting, heinous, depraved of all graphic descriptions I have heard so far. What a brave woman for speaking up like this. HOLY S!.

Where is this link and info. I'm going to pass it on to people I know will care and share and yell about it. This can go underground because of Minneapolis. We have to be loud about both!

Fisher's avatar

This is old news and unsubstantiated. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true

Kent Boyer's avatar

I haven't read any of the stories about the latest release of the documents. The abuse of these children is almost too much for me to take in. I couldn't read Virginia's book either - sexual abuse of children is just too much. But I don't have any doubt that Trump and other men did this to these girls. It disgusts me beyond beyond.

MrsCQ's avatar

No. I did not know this. I haven't read what was released. Maybe it was just the post I saw, but the print was so small, I couldn't strain my eyes enough. Plus, it is all so disgusting.

KathyintheWallowas's avatar

There's a poster on Bluesky collecting all the released info on one thread. I think the tranches are being released en mass without system so we don't know what we need to know (and if we aren't diligent, we don't have to).

SW's avatar

There are ppl collating it. I read some yesterday, gallons of sewage, difficult reading

Nancy Bruski's avatar

I hadn’t seen anything about this! It should be in headlines all over the globe! Where did you see it? I, too, would like the link to this information…I know some of the accusations haven’t been “corroborated” at this point…but this kind of behavior sounds just like the heinous Trump we all know!

JCOK's avatar

Meidas Network is covering this extensively. The Pod Save America (did I get that right?) also are covering it. Can you do links here. I keep trying but can’t get it to work.

JCOK's avatar

Thanks. I have no idea why I am unable to do a link. I’m a paying member. I guess user error.

Kate Feldman's avatar

I think you can copy and paste right here and we can get it.

MrsCQ's avatar

Can you imagine if it were Biden or Obama that had these accusations against them? Hello, Jake Tapper. Where's your book on this? I understand Clinton is in the files. Anyone know what the claims against him are?

TBlack's avatar

Simon, would you consider adding a fund that supports defense attorney funds for independent journalists who are arrested by the regime. Don Lemon can hire Abbe Lowell, but many of these reporters do not have these types of resources. Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman, discussed yesterday on their What to Heck Just Happened? YouTube video that all the four journalists arrested were black and independent journalists. These are the reporters that are breaking the major push back stories as MSM outlets are generally too cowered to cover this news. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDa9i5boHww

Lisa Iannucci's avatar

Agree - this is an excellent idea. I know Miles Taylor is doing it.

Rachel Poliner's avatar

Timothy Snyder posted a long essay today, "Ethnic Cleansing in Ohio?," mapping out the steps toward vilifying and ethnic cleansing of Haitians in Springfield OH. The ICE invasion is expected this week. It's a lesson to me about not discounting the comments in 2024 about "eating the pets," but rather seeing them as intentional. The JD Vance - US nazis - right wing amplification interplay is really evil. And going to a state with GOP elected officials means they're unlikely to put up the fight that a blue state would.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-186457987

Boston has a large Haitian population currently in panic. Snyder's essay applies to all potentially targeted communities and to all of us about what to watch for at far earlier stages.

Simon Rosenberg's avatar

I wrote about this in yesterday's post, and even used the term ethnic cleansing, which has been something Greg Sargent has been using these past few weeks - https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/the-senate-advances-2-week-funding

Simon Rosenberg's avatar

Yes, this could come this week across the US as the regime cancels legal status for 330,000 people with no transition then uses ICE to deport them back to a dangerous country. It's fucking barbaric.

Lisa Iannucci's avatar

Yes, and there are a ton of Haitians here at the Jersey Shore who must be terrified.

Ted N's avatar

But there’s a reason they haven’t invaded a red state yet - they have more to lose. A large operation in Ohio (or Florida, or Texas) is a big risk for them.

Rachel Poliner's avatar

Yes, it either advances their ethnic cleansing or it backfires, showing at least some GOP voters who they really are and harming GOP candidates' races. They went into Maine, did a bunch of damage for a week, but were wiping out Susan Collins' chances of re-election so are winding down - supposedly. And they've been in some blue cities in red states. But the big move of cancelling TPS produces a whole other level of potential victims.

Ted N's avatar

Also I hadn’t thought about Boston/NE. We visited there a few years ago and I loved that there were so many Jamaican (and I guess also Haitian) people and business there were in cape cod. I got some great goat curry and jerk chicken there.

kitkatmia's avatar

ice still at it in minneapolis. same old tricks. 3 ice cars box in woman in car who was videotaping them. approach her with guns drawn. also walking in front of car. drag her out of car. take her in. watch the video. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/30/st-peter-police-chief-intervenes-prevents-federal-agents-from-arresting-resident

Kate Feldman's avatar

Thanks Simon. As always. Hope you can have a rest day. It's a high of 8 degrees here in Amherst Mass.

Kate's avatar

As an addition to calling regarding judicial warrants, due process for all, and no troops in U.S. cities, Signs of Justice has these postcards to be sent to senators and congresspeople. Printed ones can be ordered, or files can be downloaded free for printing at home. https://www.signsofjustice.com/products/we-the-people

Lisa Iannucci's avatar

Folks just did one of these protests yesterday, have been doing them since last fall here at Jersey Shore. Thanks for sharing!

Barbara Perra's avatar

Sent to Sen. Thune on 1-20-26:

Sen. Thune,

Are you seriously going to allow an individual who is clearly not functioning within the realm of reality to upend NATO and the destroy our world order? This in addition to violating multiple Constitutional guarantees. Where do you draw the line that DJT must cross before the Republican Congress will take action to stop the lawlessness, corruption, abuse and cruelty? How will future generations judge your actions - if they even have the freedom to do so?

Elizabeth T.'s avatar

Senator Tillis's DC voicemail box is full. I'll call one of his local offices after I take a nice walk in the beautiful snow. I left a nice rant on Budd's DC voicemail. I learned this morning that I had accidentally signed up to get a monthly delivery of postcard stamps. An expensive mistake! But I kept the order coming for February and will sign up for a second set of 200 news boosting postcards. I am just sick to my core over all the cruelty, and I know there's more to come.

Lisa Iannucci's avatar

Thank you for doing postcards! I just ordered more myself.

Paul Carhartt's avatar

The only insurrectionists are those who claim to be arresting, killing, disappearing and terrorizing those they claim to be insurrectionists. We need to start defining these MFR's as who they are, not their bastardized titles.

Randy Safford's avatar

Not sure if it is ok to include this, but my law partner and I are supporting Eric Lee and his firm in trying to win a habeas corpus petition in Texas for the El Gamal family, an immigrant mother and her five children who have been in detention for months. They can use all the support they can get. Trying to raise $$ in a Go Fund Me campaign. Habeas judge is Fred Biery also!! Also filing a motion to reconsider in the Immigration Court.

Some links: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/28/us/boulder-antisemitic-attack-colorado-ice;

https://x.com/EricLeeAtty/status/2016674955799232891;

Funding ask from Eric Lee: We need to raise $100,000 as evidence we plan to file to support a Motion to Reconsider IJ Adams’ decision denying bond based on lack of property/assets. Once released the family can pursue the appeals of their immigration case. The family has a wonderful sponsor with a great home for them, and the bond from the first bond grant has already been paid.