This week on Slate Political Gabfest: the raucous State of the Union; the spy balloon and *best part* Susan Dominus on menopause: how women have been misled & our options for treatment.
slate.com/podcasts/polit…

I've covered L.A. County jails for over a year now.

Amidst all the misery of incarceration, this is one fact that stands out to me:

📚The nation's largest jail has no official library system. Why? ⤵️⤵️⤵️

laist.com/news/criminal-…

Important piece by the always fabulous Susan Dominus, spotlighting the neglect of older women's needs and care by the medical establishment

This week on Slate Political Gabfest: the killing of Tyre Nichols; Alec MacGillis on violence interruption efforts; and the State of the Union. slate.com/podcasts/polit…

Why emphasize Comstock? At least now, a national ban is impossible thru majoritarian politics, but Comstock would achieve that, at least with pills. And some abortion foes think they can't lose in SCOTUS, especially when the justices don't need to constitutionalize personhood

Friday, 11 am: join @mrdayala @danielforkkio
Premal Dharia for a conversation about responsible storytelling. We'll discuss how to tell hard stories about without exploiting people’s trauma or exposing them to increased legal risk. Register: bit.ly/3kY5pLg

Where are they now? Carol Rosenberg interviews the named plaintiffs in two landmark #SCOTUS rulings--and says she could not locate a third, Salim Hamdan, whose case, argued by Neal Katyal, victory quashed Bush 43's plan for military tribunals answerable only to the president.

People asking how this OLC memo will prevent a future GOP admin from retroactively prosecuting people for actions in 2023-24. Prosecutors must prove intent, & can't convict someone for taking an action that DOJ itself said at the time was lawful. See also: Bush OLC torture memos.

For the legal landscape, DOJ's move today is a big deal.

We rise!

It's one of the best days of the year: the annual Slate Political Gabfest Conundrum episode is out!

Go enjoy! David Plotz John Dickerson Emily Bazelon Alison Bechdel 🎙️

New investigation from me: A 5 month long investigation with NPR David Folkenflik & Mario Ariza for Floodlight tracked how 2 major power companies infiltrated news sites in order to manipulate positive coverage and in some cases-- oust adversarial political foes
🧵

A gut punch

Thank you to the woman who saw my umbrella break on 46th street and gave me hers. She was going into her office. Serendipity + Mitzvah! I would have been so wet all day.

Philly-area friends:
I'm looking forward to speaking tomorrow (and sharing the stage with amazing journalists Emily Bazelon and Cherri “I'm Just Here for the Comments” Gregg) at the 'Ideas We Should Steal Festival.' Many other great speakers and panels are scheduled as well.
thephiladelphiacitizen.org/iwss-2022-regi…

Glad to go deep on Moore v. Harper with Harry Litman and Laurence Tribe 🇺🇦 ⚖️ for Talking Feds Podcast. And Senator Whitehouse joined to talk about his amicus brief (on dark money). bit.ly/ContortTF