I’m making this another quick Round Up so we can all enjoy the holiday weekend and get back to watching the MAGA circular firing squad currently happening on Twitter. BUT, this week’s pod is a special treat, starring special guests George Conway and Norm Eisen, who joined me to discuss a less discussed aspect of the authoritarian playbook: Weaponizing libel laws to go after enemies and silence critics.
Check out the recommended readings for this week for info on how to contribute to effort Norm mentions to create a professional services network to help protect individuals targeted by the new Trump administration. And make sure to scroll down to the bottom for info on upcoming events, including our Holiday Happy Hour (tomorrow!) and our upcoming Wine & Fries special guest!
Articles worth reading:
This NBC News piece explains the State Democracy Defenders Fund, which seeks to create a network of legal, financial, and psychological experts to assist people who might be targeted by the Trump administration with baseless criminal investigations, selective IRS audits, frivolous libel lawsuits, or other forms or harassment and intimidation. If you are so inclined, you can contribute to this effort here.
A district court just upheld the law requiring ByteDance, which owns the social media TikTok, to divest its foreign ownership by January 19, finding that the government met its burden of justification under the First Amendment. Here is my backgrounder for Cafe Insider on the national security threat posed by TikTok that prompted the U.S. government to take this unprecedented step.
I don’t usually cite Fox News articles, but I have to say this one, which actually covers the plea deal reached by Alex Smirnov, an informant who provided false information about the Bidens to the FBI, was surprising. Weird how this whole episode got basically zero coverage before the election (by Fox News or any other mainstream outlet)
Upcoming events:
TOMORROW! Sunday, December 29, 5 p.m. EST, The Freedom Academy Virtual Holiday Happy Hour! NO Trump talk allowed! Everything is so heavy nowadays…I just want to have a fun, positive discussion as we close out the year. This is a great way for new members to meet the “upperclassmen”! :) Zoom link will be sent to paid subscribers three hours before the happy hour.
DATE CHANGE: Guest speaker Ruth Ben Ghiat, author of Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present, on Sunday, January 12, at 8 p.m. EST. Due to scheduling conflicts I had to push this event out one week, but I hope you can still make it! Ruth and I will springboard from our Brookings talk to take hard look at what lies ahead in the coming Trump administration, and how to prepare for the worst while remaining active and engaged. Ruth’s paid subscribers will also be joining us so you’ll get a chance to mingle with other Substackers!
NEW! Wine & Fries Club Happy Hour with Special Guest, CNN Contributor Elliot Williams, Date/Time TBA. Elliot has been killing it on air lately but you may not know about his ninja baking skills or the cool book he is writing…we’ll gab about both. Zoom link will be sent to Founding Members three hours ahead of the event.
I hope you had a wonderful holiday, however you celebrate. As we wind down 2024, I’d love to know: What was (or were) your greatest accomplishment(s) this year?
My biggest accomplishments this year revolve around self determination, self care, and saying No! (Broke X-mas tradition of being with my son and his wife's family because they are Republican tRump supporters. Supported my sister in Col. setting up home care for her daughter who is suffering from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, I am in the process of sueing my adult son for the right to remove my name from the title of a 4-plex he bought with me but can no longer manage due to his addiction to meth and his refusal/denial to be helped, became the group representative for my Al-anon home group, quit my membership to my church due to it being dysfunctional, quit smoking in November, decorated very minimally for Christmas, read articles and books and clarified my understanding of democracy, freedom, our constitution, and took a stand against the Republicans, tRump, Project 2025 etc. by supporting sites like this one, voicing my opinion whenever the opportunity presented itself, refusing to use X, FB, Instagram, and canceling my WP and NY Times subscriptions.)
Two accomplishments for me in 2024: 1) I visited Egypt and saw many of the Nile Valley’s historic and archaeological sites; and 2) I’ve taken up jewelry making as a hobby, and am getting decent at it.