#judicial conference

[saywhat-politics]

Jan. 2, 2025, 7:21 PM MST / Updated Jan. 2, 2025, 7:53 PM MST

By Zoë Richards

A judicial organization that sets national policy for federal courts has rejected a request from two Democratic lawmakers to refer Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the Justice Department over free travel and gifts from wealthy benefactors that were largely omitted from his financial disclosure forms.

The group, the Judicial Conference, sent identical letters Thursday to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., who chairs the Judiciary subcommittee on federal courts, and Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., the ranking member of the Judiciary subcommittee on courts, who asked it in 2023 to refer Thomas to the attorney general for investigation following a ProPublica report on free travel and gifts to Thomas by billionaire Harlan Crow and others.

Judicial Conference Secretary Robert J. Conrad Jr. said Thomas had filed amended financial disclosures "that address several issues identified in your letter" and argued that there is legal uncertainty over whether the Judicial Conference has the authority to refer complaints about Supreme Court justices.

[genocidepreventionday]

Panel discussion: Memorialization of genocide: Justice, truth, healing - Case study Srebrenica.

This panel discussion (with Bosnian-English interpretation) aims to delve into the multifaceted dimensions and importance of memorializing genocide, with a particular focus on the Srebrenica genocide, not least in light of the proposed draft resolution on designating 11 July as International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.

The war that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia claimed more than 100,000 lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995, mostly of Bosnian Muslims, and displaced more than two million others. The list of atrocities committed during that time is overwhelming, but Srebrenica, without a doubt, became its darkest chapter. Previously declared as the UN "safe area," 8,372 women, men, and children were systematically executed in July 1995 in and around the town of Srebrenica, the largest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, adjudicated as genocide by international courts. It stands as a harrowing reminder of the consequences of unchecked ethnic hatred and political failure.

Remembering is a basic human instinct, and memory cannot be imprisoned—it will usually come out in one form or another. The challenge is to find ways to harness memory to learn lessons from the past to avoid repeating it.

Memorialization is a process that satisfies the desire to honor those who suffered or died during the conflict, to examine the past, and to address contemporary issues. The memorialization of genocide rests at the complex intersection of justice, truth, and healing for affected communities and the global collective conscience. It can either promote social recovery after violent conflict ends or crystallize a sense of victimization, injustice, discrimination, and the desire for revenge. It is important to be firmly based on judicial determination, as memorialization can also be shaped by those in power in a highly political process.

Concept note

Watch the Panel discussion: Memorialization of genocide: Justice, truth, healing - Case study Srebrenica

[whatstheusgovernmentdoing]

11/15/24 - Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is having a close-doors conference today to potentially vote on the cases heard earlier this week. Will update on it tomorrow

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Keith Edwards at No Lies Detected:

Fascism doesn’t come for every generation, but it has come for ours.  This is not a fight on the beaches of Normandy, but in our own country. This article begins a series on what opposing Donald Trump and his movement can look like. I hope you will join me as these progress.

[...]

Do not leave. Faced with the might of the United States government aligned against you, you might consider resigning preemptively to avoid the humiliation of inevitable termination. This is counterproductive for at least two reasons: If you leave, you save Trump Administration officials the time and effort of identifying you, which otherwise could have taken months or years. Second, your principled stand would likely only result in your replacement by an unprincipled Trump loyalist. By staying on, you may find yourself helping to implement policies you find hateful, but by refusing to leave, you can ensure that you have some influence on those policies, because then you can...

Delay. Delay. Delay. Waiting out the enemy until he moves on, gives up, or forgets is a time-honored strategy not just among civil servants but also history’s best generals. That email about a proposed rule change to healthcare protections? Bury it in everyone’s inbox by sending it late. A meeting on reviewing the U.S. government’s foreign aid commitments to a region you oversee? Oops, you’ll be out that day! That agency conference your political-appointee boss requested you arrange? Next month didn’t fit everyone’s schedule, so you had to push it to after the new year! Slow-walking is the classic tool in any bureaucrat’s toolbox, and in the next Trump Administration, you can use it in defense of the Constitution.

Be intentionally incompetent. As a career employee, you likely have always had the advantage of knowing your workplace better than your politically appointed overlords. This is perhaps your most potent weapon against Trump. Draft rules unlikely to survive judicial review. Favor lengthy rulemaking or review processes over expedited ones. Complete tasks sequentially rather than in parallel to draw out timelines. Add complexity, stakeholders, and process wherever possible. In short, exploit the knowledge gap you hold over your bosses to diminish, defuse, and defeat their plans.

Leak. Federal employees have the right to report what they believe to be illegal or abusive of authority to their agency’s inspector general (IG) without fear of retaliation. Trump however has singled out IGs for replacement after one played a pivotal role in his first impeachment, so the availability of this option may depend on how politically prominent your agency is. Fortunately, you can anonymously tip prominent news outlets like the New York Times and Washington Post, which boast extensive investigative units and employ rigorous safeguards to protect sources’ identities. You can also seek out sympathetic elected officials, such as Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee, whose main function is investigation of the federal government. (If you choose disclosure, be sure that the information is not classified, the unauthorized disclosure of which carries stiff federal penalties.)

Disregard and refuse. When you have exhausted all other options, you may want selectively to resort to riskier behaviors. These include going behind political appointees’ backs to subvert their activities, say by picking up the phone and countermanding their directions. In extreme cases, you may have outright to refuse direct orders to the appointee’s face. Though such actions seem like a fasttrack to termination, you may still be protected by the fact that overwhelmed political appointees might hesitate to go through the onerous process of finding a politically reliable replacement. Remember, the longer you stay in, the harder you make it for Trump to do what he wants. Know your rights. If the worst happens and your agency moves to terminate you, you can still fight back. There are multiple avenues an employee designated for dismissal can pursue to delay, reduce, or reverse agency penalties against them.1 The beauty of these options is that they can take months or even years to resolve and may be appealed to higher bodies, further extending the process. All the while, you are collecting a salary and occupying a full-time equivalent (FTE) position that your agency can’t fill until you finally depart. (This is not legal advice. If you find yourself in this situation, please seek a lawyer.)

Keith Edwards writes in his No Lies Detected Substack on how civil servants can show resistance to the tyrannical Trump 2.0 Regime from within.

[mariacallous]

The U.S. Senate voted 52-41 on Tuesday to confirm Mary Kay Costello as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, thereby setting a record for the number of LGBTQ federal judicial appointments made under the Biden-Harris administration, 12.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights says less than three percent of the country’s nearly 900 federal judges are LGBTQ. Until this week, the Obama-Biden administration had appointed the most, 11, over two terms.

Costello is a prosecutor who has served as assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia since 2008.

In a post on X, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Democratic majority wrote that she “exhibits a breadth of experience and a strong dedication to public service” and is “ready to serve as a federal judge.”

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the Democratic majority whip and chair of the committee, shared another post on X celebrating the administration’s record-breaking number of LGBTQ judicial appointments, writing, “We’re diversifying the federal judiciary for generations to come.”

[oatmealwrites]

A Night To...Forget? Ch.4

Aizawa x Eidetic memory! Law student! F Reader

Part 3 | Part 5

[a night to forget masterlist here]

Synopsis: It's time for you the case debrief going over the prosecution process for a handful of members captured from the LOV. Aizawa waits for you after the meeting concludes as your mentor pawns off even more work for you to complete. Minutes turn to hours and eventually he's offering you a ride home...

Tags: Jealous! Aizawa, he's kinda cute and caring hehe, mentions of car sex, mention of erection, mention of female arousal, make out, french kissing, hickies, hair pulling, horny thoughts, 'what are we', he's down bad, so are you tho, Keigo is an indirect instigator, 18+, MDNI

Word count: 6k

[it's getting hot n heavy...]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The debrief is scheduled to begin promptly at 3:45 on Tuesday afternoon at your mentor’s office with a handful of heroes from UA, first responders, and prosecution team working on the case. Just prior to the student dorms being built, an attack against the students of classes 1-a and 1-b from the LOV resulted in a few arrests that now needed to be filtered through the judicial systems. Both the pro-heroes and police responders who were in attendance are at this meeting. 

You linger in the breakroom, watching the way coffee drips into the glass pot and fills the air with a warm aroma, silently counting down the hours left until you could clock out. Leaning against the counter, you straighten the fabric of your newly returned blazer and tap the side of your mug to an impatient rhythm. 

You clocked in promptly at 9:30 this morning after your 8am lecture and haven’t left since. Keigo texted you a few hours earlier, a mix of daily life updates and the link to a brand new fried chicken shop he happened to hear about, but you haven’t been able to fully respond. 

Ughhh

A soft ‘beep’ emits from the coffee maker and you slide the glass pot from its stand to pour the hot contents into your awaiting mug. You stayed up way too late last night….aside from your evening moment of ‘self care’, you struggled to fall asleep with nerves keeping you awake. It was a weird mix of giddiness at the prospect of going on a date and anxiety that you were misinterpreting a ‘work dinner’. 

“Ready for the debrief? I’m hoping to have all the paperwork signed before 5.”

The voice of your mentor resonates from the entrance of the break room causing you to instantly stand up a little straighter. He chuckles and saunters in, reaching for the coffee pot and grabbing a spare mug from the counter.

You back up a little bit and bring the ceramic mug to your lips to blow steam away. “Yes, sir. Hopefully it will go smoothly.”

He doesn’t turn to you when he responds, too focused on his own beverage to look up. “Good, good. I have to run out of here at 6pm on the dot…. Mind filing the residual documents and forwarding copies to all parties? Need it done in 48 hours.”

You pause, mentally adding up all the hours it would take to complete such a task before he spins around and gives you a pat on the back while heading for exit.

“Thanks, kid!” He waves with his back facing you, and heads for the conference room.

Great.

You sigh into your cup and can feel a migraine already beginning to form from the amount of tasks you have to complete. A late night would be guaranteed tonight, and you could always come into the office before your class tomorrow morning…. On top of the other case assignments you have to sort through.

Making a mental note to update your agenda, you glance at the clock on the wall and resolve to finally head for the conference room. You were only supposed to take meeting minutes for this debrief and highlight applicable clauses the prosecution team and heroes can use during the case. Not the most involved role, but a mentally draining one regardless. 

Small heels clicking on the granite office floors, you walk down the hallway past glass office windows and pull the meeting room door open. A variety of police officers are already inside, along with the majority of the prosecution team and the heroes ‘Erasurehead’ and ‘Vlad King’.

Mindless chatter fills the space, but as soon as you make your way into the room Aizawa looks up from his conversation with Kan and locks eyes with you. The baggy pro-hero uniform enhances the rugged look while his hair is left down and tousled from the commute over. 

Damn, he’s hot.

Swallowing any horny inappropriate thoughts and maintaining a professional decorum, you raise your hand in a slight wave ‘hello’ which he immediately returns. Kan notices and follows his gaze to you, offering a slight greeting as well before throwing a gentle elbow into the side of his colleague; Aizawa blinks once before murmuring something under his breath to the man. 

You peel your eyes off the two of them and observe the large oval table that makes up the majority of the room. At the main head is your mentor with support prosecution staff flanking both sides until it dissolves into police officers and finally Aizawa and Kan on the mirroring end. You roll out a chair from between another lawyer and first responder and sit down; taking out your pad and pen, you wait for the meeting to commence. 

It’s relatively routine; there’s a detailed review of the evening, timeline of the act and arrest, and a list of charges the villains can be prosecuted under given the offense. You occasionally remind the legal limitation regarding one of the arrests, a middle school boy, and offer separate charges given his age before the debrief is nearly done. 

Going from your notes to observing everything being discussed, you can’t help but glance in Aizawa’s direction every so often. And every time you look up, he’s already staring in your direction.

It’s awkward at first, both of you immediately looking away once you realize you’ve been caught, before inevitably glancing back over once again. By the end of the meeting, when you lock eyes he doesn’t turn away; Aizawa holds the gaze until you eventually look back down at your meeting notes with cheeks dusted red. 

“Alright everyone.” Your mentor stands up and signals to you. “Y/N is going to assist in the paperwork process for the case. You’ll be contacting her for documents, case updates, and any questions you have.”

You rise to your feet and give a light wave to the table, ready to introduce yourself before your mentor cuts you off. “I have to excuse myself given the hour, but please don’t hesitate to remain here until you’re all caught up to speed on the process.”

An invitation to the heroes and police officers, but a silent obligation reminding you of your now ensured overtime work. The table stands up as you pass out a variety of legal documents that require their signature and explain the estimated timeline for the court cases if there’s no bail payment or appeals. 

After about 30 minutes of questions and document processing, the conference room is nearly empty except for Aizawa, Kan, and a few other prosecutors on the case. Tapping a stack of documents against the table, you reach forward to collect a few scatter papers and sort them into the pile in family name order. 

The sun has already set given the time of year, and the fluorescent lights from other offices outside have flicked on. From the large glass window wall of the conference room, you can see into said office buildings and peer down at the busy traffic picking up from the street below. 

“Heading home soon?”

Aizawa’s deep voice rumbles from behind you, and you spin to admire the man once again before sorting the last paper into the pile; Kan stands further behind him on his phone, scrolling without thought as he waits for his colleague. You sigh and hug the stack into your chest and lean against the glossy wooden table.

“No, I have to scan all of these before digitally and physically filing them.”

Aizawa raises an eyebrow and glances down at the pile. “That’s a lot of work. You’re doing it all by yourself?”

“I mean, yea? I have to send you, and everyone else, a copy within 2 days so I have to get a headstart tonight.”

The man in front of you frowns at the response and looks over at the clock on the wall which ticks absentmindedly.

“It’s nearly 7pm already. How late are you staying?”

You blink and peel your eyes off of him and down to the papers in your hands. “Uh, maybe another 2 hours?”

Aizawa scoffs and furrows his brows at the response but doesn’t say anything right away. It’s not like he’s your boss and can give you better working hours, but the complacency you have in the shitty task makes him annoyed that you’ve grown used to being so overworked. 

When he still doesn’t answer, you pivot past him and flip through the first documents on the top before opening the conference door with your hip.

“I’ll bring you home then.”

Stopping the door with your foot, you pause in the doorway while Aizawa walks over in an effort to  follow you to the printer. Kan stops scrolling on his phone and shrugs at the man; his attention preoccupied on a food order app that he has pulled up. 

“Wait, what?”

Aizawa doesn’t answer you and instead turns to his coworker. “Is that alright, Kan? I know we drove here together, but I’d like to make sure she gets home safe.”

Kan looks back up and heads towards the room exit as well, giving a slight eyebrow at the chivalry Aizawa was offering you. “That’s fine. I was going to stop by this one restaurant nearby anyways. There’s a train station not far from it.”

The three of you now standing in the hallway, flourenscent lights reflecting on the shiny stone floors, you look between the two men. 

“W-Wait you don’t have to–” your voice is quiet as the two continue speaking as if you weren’t even in there.

“Ah, so it works out then. I’ll be back on campus by around 10, hopefully the dorms won't be burned down by then.”

Kan laughs and sets up the map feature for the walk to the restaurant. “With this year’s class I wouldn���t be surprised. But Toshinori is covering your students, so they should be ok.”

Words dead in your throat, your body acts on autopilot to wave goodbye to the pro-hero as Aizawa stands beside you; once Kan disappears into the elevator, you snap back into reality.

“Wait. You don’t need to do all of this! I’ll be ok.”

Aizawa turns and finally looks down at you with a neutral face as if he had offered you advice on a good recipe he heard of, not a ride home in his car. 

“It’s dangerous to walk around late at night.”

You raise an eyebrow and spin to head towards the printer. “Why, because I’m a lady?”

“Yes. And, you’re working with heroes carrying important legal information. That makes you an even bigger target.” He replies while following you.

You purse your lips and line up the first set of documents into the tray before tapping though the options on the screen, “Touche.”

Aizawa watches you start the scan, collect the papers, and load up the next set to the tray. You’ve done this a million times before, but having an audience watch your every move is a mix of comforting at the company and nerve wracking considering it’s him.

He sits in a plush office seat facing the printer and crosses his legs in contentment while resting his head in his hand.

“Do you usually work this late?”

You load the next set of papers and look at the screen option selections. “Mmm, sometimes. When there’s big cases like this one… yea. Sometimes later.”

Aizawa grunts and peers out of the window. “It’s bad to head home so late… and alone.”

The word choice makes your gut stir in multiple ways; anticipation and curiosity at his tone leaves you speechless for a moment. Whirring as it scans the next set of papers, you rock back on your heels and glance over at the man.

“Keigo walks me home sometimes.”

He holds your gaze and his jaw tightens at the mention of Keigo’s name; he swings his leg off the other and splays his thighs to sit back in the chair more comfortably. The movement has your gaze lingering on the muscular swell of his legs a moment too long before awkwardly spinning back around to load in the next set of documents. 

Aizawa exhales as you place the last set of papers in the tray and press the ‘start’ button to finish the scan. “You should’ve told me– or someone– to bring you home all those times.”

His subtle save at offering anybody else in helping you home leaves a warm feeling in your chest; you collect the papers and stack them into the same neat pile before motioning for him to follow you.

Heels clicking softly, you head over to your cubicle near your mentor’s main office. “Well, you’re here now to bring me home. So it's ok.” You place the stack on your desk and slide out your rolling chair. 

Aizawa leans against the half-wall and watches the way you sit in front of your computer and pull up the new scans that have been forwarded to your email. Silently, he pushes off the wall and walks over to another cubicle to roll your colleague's office chair over to your own.

“Sorry, this must be pretty boring.” You mumble, saving the documents into new folders based on the signature’s name.

The man beside you hums and pulls out his phone to sort through his messages, clearly in no rush to go home. 

Minutes feels like hours, and it takes roughly 90 minutes to have everything organized in digital folders on the company cloud, email all recipients their respective copy, and prepare an outline of the prosecution timeline. Tomorrow you could better go through the individual charges and sort out which court the case would be filtering through; sitting back in your chair, you crack your back while raising your arms above your head.

Satisfied with the few ‘pops’ that emit from your spine, you spin in your chair and peer over at the empty space where Aizawa had been sitting. When did he leave? Putting your computer on sleep mode, you stand and push in your chair before returning your coworker’s seat to their cubicle. 

Most overhead lights are off, and while you slide your belongings into your soft briefcase, a set of footsteps echoes on the granite floor. Only throwing your winter puffer coat over your blazer and straightening out your skirt does a voice ring out.

“Oh, you're finished?”

Aizawa stands at the entrance of your cubicle with two paper cups of coffee and a small bag of chips tucked under his arm.

“I grabbed these in case you needed more time…”

Blinking for a moment, a grin spreads across your lips as you take the snack from under his arm and place it on your desk. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“Maybe, the two coffees were for me.” 

Aizawa cracks a small smirk as you shake your head and graciously take a cup from his hand and blow away the steam. “Thank you, though. That's very sweet of you.”

He smiles gently back at you, a small heat on his cheeks, before pivoting to take in the dark and emptiness of the office around you. It’s cold and lonely; the large glass windows reflect the city lights and the lack of color in the furniture limits the personality of the building.

“Ready? I parked in the garage underground; I assume we can just take the elevator down?”

“Yep.”

You adjust the straps of your briefcase and walk next to him, heart pounding at the proximity despite sitting next to him for the past 2 hours. Aizawa matches your speed and eyes the way you fiddle with the bag to get a better weight balance; your winter coat causes the fabric to slip off your shoulder occasionally.

“Here, let me.”

Deft hands wrap around the leather, and you pause in surprise before tilting your head down for him to slide the straps off. Silently, Aizawa places it on his own shoulder and motions for you to continue walking towards the elevator.

“You didn’t have to do that either; it’s kinda heavy…”

Aizawa doesn’t answer for a moment before pressing the call button for the lift and shrugging. “It’s pretty light. Besides, it’s probably annoying to carry this while wearing those.”

He points to your puffy coat and kitten heeled shoes when the elevator dings upon arrival and you both step in. The silence in between your conversation isn’t awkward or forced; the casualness of it all makes your heart swell in a domestic sort of way.

“It should be part of hero training for you. Saving people in heels would be the needed score to pass.”

“That sounds more like torture.” He rolls his eyes but keeps a small grin on his lips.

“Oh? Think you would fail?”

The elevator descends down to the level -3 and you both step out into the cold and lonely parking garage. Most cars have left, and the only two you can spot are two sedans; a sleek black model and an older gray one. Aizawa digs out his car keys and unlocks the newer car from a distance causing the headlights to turn on; walking past the silver car, you notice the windows are completely fogged.

“Huh?”

You both pause and watch the car for a moment before an embarrassed blush covers both of your faces; it jerks side to side on occasion before a hand shoots up to blur the condensation of the fog on the back passenger window. Both you and Aizawa stand there for a moment in shock at the scene before awkwardly turning your attention back to his car and walking faster. 

“Well.. uh, i guess a few people were working late–” he awkwardly mumbles, opening the driver’s door and sliding behind the wheel.

You take your briefcase back from his hands and place it at your feet while buckling, “oh.. Yea.”

It’s an uncomfortable atmosphere that Aizawa notices before he reaches forward to turn on the radio and steer the car towards the garage exit. The last station playing was a real time news outlet relaying current events and traffic information on the nearby highways.

He rolls down his window to scan the paper visitor pass before the gate opens up and the car pulls into the street.

“Where are we headed?”

“Oh, right!” you sit upright and tap the address to your apartment on the screen of the car navigation system before sheepishly apologizing. 

The open endedness of the question isn’t lost on you though, he was asking where to go… not necessarily implying you two were going straight to dropping you off. Did he want to get a drink? Go for a drive? Maybe–

“Why do you keep doing that?”

His voice is deep and sincere while his eyes occasionally drift off the road to look over at you; short winter parka still zipped up to your chin, you tilt your head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Smooth hands turn the wheel at an intersection before the car rolls to a stop at a light; red LEDs painting you both in a warm glow.

“You keep apologizing. Why?”

“I don’t know…” you dig your chin into your coat collar and look out the windshield at the car ahead of you before glancing back at Aizawa. “I just feel bad when people go out of their way when it’s unnecessary.”

A short horn peels his attention back to the road; the light now green and his foot hitting the acceleration from the impatient driver behind you both. A sigh escapes his lips as he occasionally glances between the road, the navigation, and you. 

“It’s not unnecessary. Helping you isn’t unnecessary… I offered because I want to, not because I’m obligated to.”

Heat rises to your face and you squirm slightly in your seat at the conversation; the intensity and confidence in his own explanation makes your pulse spike. You absentmindedly tap against the window button on the side of the car door and glance at the passing buildings as the scenery becomes more residential from the proximity to your neighborhood. 

“But it is your obligation. You’re a hero so… you have to do nice things.”

It’s the only thought that prevents you from fully believing the man at your side was giving you special treatment and not simply fulfilling his usual role of assisting people. Now that it hangs in the air, Aizawa remains quiet for a moment with his hands tracing the seam of the leather wheel in silent thought. 

“Listen, y/n.. I–”

RING!

Aizawa is cut off by your cell phone buzzing away in your bag which instantly cuts the tension in the situation. With a sigh and slight apology, you lean over to dig through the contents of your leather briefcase before pulling out your phone and rolling your eyes at the caller ID plastered on the screen.

Incoming Call: Bird Brain [Keigo]

Decline Accept

Aizawa motions for you to answer, unable to read the person’s contact on the screen and continues driving; his eyes linger on you through his peripherals as you scoff while accepting the call.

“What do you want?”

“Woaaaa what’s with the hostility right away? I haven’t even said anything~” Keigo’s voice jokes from the other side of the line.

You lean against the window and watch the traffic trickle to nearly nothing as Aizawa keeps his eyes on the road. You weren’t particularly in the mood for a phone call with him right now; too tired from a long day of work to hear about whatever ramblings he had this time. 

“Ok, fine. What’s up?”

He laughs lightly on the other side. “Well, since you haven’t answered any of my texts, I wanted to know if you wanted to stop by that chicken place I sent you.”

You glance at the clock on the car screen and raise an eyebrow. “At this hour? Aren’t they probably closed?”

Keigo doesn’t answer for a moment, the sound of a microwave beeping in the background and feet shuffling can be heard before he answers. “Yea, they are.”

“Then why are you–”

This prick. He’s obviously not still out, considering the background noise of kitchen equipment and suddenly an array of slight construction work can be heard on the other end.

You sit up right and clench the phone tight in your hand; Aizawa looks over and raises an eyebrow, ready to ask if you’re alright before you raise your voice into the phone.

“Are you at my apartment?!”

Keigo presumably shuts the microwave door and leans into his shoulder holding up the phone with a laugh. “Hey~ winner winner, chicken din–”

“You asshole; what’s the point of asking me to dinner if you’re already at my house?”

A slight curse from the temperature of the plate causes Keigo to pause before replying. “So you can’t skip out on it. Duh. I picked it up earlier after my parole and figured you would probably be getting off work around now.”

If Aizawa was doing his very best not to eavesdrop earlier, he made no effort to hide it now. You give him an apologetic glance while his eyebrows are furrowed at the conversation; his jaw noticeably tighter ever since the phrase ‘ask me to dinner’ left your lips. 

Pinching your temple with your thumb and index finger, you lean against the cool glass of the window and sigh. “Alright, whatever. I’ll be home in–” you glance at the navigation, “3 minutes. So please don’t burn down my apartment in the meantime.”

“No promises~”

Silently cursing yourself for ever giving him a spare key, you end the call and rub your temples in stress from his stupid antics. Aizawa swallows thickly and continues down the road, your apartment building and slight scaffolding from renovations, coming into view. 

“Is everything alright?”

His voice causes you to look up and face the man at your side, suddenly embarrassed for how much of a bitch you probably sounded like when yelling at your friend on the phone. Cutting your losses, you shrug and slide your phone into your pocket as Aizawa turns into the parking lot. 

“Yea, just Keigo inviting himself over. As usual.”

Sucking in the flesh of his cheek between his molars, Aizawa glides the vehicle into a ‘Visitor - 15 Minute Parking’ spot but keeping his foot on the brake and the car in drive. You shuffle to organize your belongings as the news continues playing in the background while Aizawa plugs in the directions back to UA campus.

“Does he do that a lot?”

You look up from your briefcase at the man and shrug slightly. “Yea, kinda.”

He nods once and turns back to the screen before frowning and glancing back at you; a serious look on his face now as a million indiscernible thoughts run through his head.

“Maybe we should cancel next week.”

Huh?

Your heart drops to your stomach, and you turn your head up at him so fast that your neck nearly cracks from the speed. 

“W-what? Why?”

Aizawa awkwardly scratches the light scruff on his chin that has already begun to grow back from yesterday’s shave. “It would impose on what you and...him have going on. I don’t want to make things weird between you two.”

…

Me and… him? 

“Him…? -KEIGO?”

Aizawa winces at the tone before looking at you as if you were the crazy one in this conversation. Sitting back upright in your seat, briefcase haphazardly open at your feet, you bring your hands up and shake your head violently. 

“Yea, you two are close–”

“No!” you wave your hands again “I mean, yes, we’re close. But not like that. We’re best friends, not anything else.”

Aizawa silently calculates your response and watches the way you’ve spun in your seat to lean closer to the center console to deny his suspension. Taking a few deep breaths, you calm down and stare into his dark eyes, silently trying to communicate you’re serious. 

He waits a moment and wets his lips; his eyes never leaving yours. “That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

Your immediate response is a bit desperate, but you’d be damned if you let Keigo indirectly cause your date(?) to be canceled. Aizawa nods once, his foot still on the break but his body facing yours; the proximity and intensity of the situation causes arousal to pool in the fabric of your panties.

He swallows thickly once more, his eyes leaving your own to now stare down at the shine of chapstick on your lips. “So he won’t mind that we’re getting dinner next week?”

Your own gaze lingers on his lips as you lean in slightly to portray more certainty. “No, he won’t.”

Aizawa nods once, his eyes flickering up to yours for a moment before settling back down your lips. In a moment of clarity, he begins backing up in his seat, realizing the thick sexual tension in the atmosphere before you lean in again.

“He won’t mind–...”

Your words trail off, but the bait works as Aizawa leans back down again, presumably to continue the conversation before you pivot forward and connect your lips to his. It only lasts a few seconds, and the stiffness of his lips makes your heart rate spike.

Fuck. what if he didn’t–

“Hmpf”

Before you can overanalyze the aftermath of your actions, Aizawa snakes his hand up behind your head and tugs your lips back into his with force. Eyes fluttering shut and cunt clenching pathetically around nothing, your hand digs into the fabric of his hero uniform and pulls him in even closer. 

Head tilting slightly, you part your lips to breathe for a moment before reconnecting your lips; the kiss no longer timid but now full of desperation and longing. Pouring all the pitiful months you spent thinking about him into the action, Aizawa doesn't hesitate to meet the intensity with equal force. 

Your nose brushing into his cheek while the slight stubble rubs into the flesh of your chin, your hand raises to wrap around his shoulders and grab at his long, unruly hair. The kiss stays closed-mouth until his lips part slightly to lick your own in a silent question to open; the moment they do, his tongue is snaking inside your mouth and grinding against your own. 

Hot muscle running along yours, the bitter taste of black coffee makes your mind fuzzy as your fingers pull at the long tresses of his hair. On one particular tug, a groan escapes his throat and reverberates on your lips before the car jerks.

“Oh.. shit–”

Aizawa releases his gentle hold on your waist from over the console and pivots his body back to the wheel. “Forgot to put this in park. Heh..”

Hand firmly adjusting the shifter and sliding it to ‘park’, you barely have a moment to wonder if the moment is over before he’s clicking off his seat belt and leaning in once again. Effectively silenced by his tongue, your hands wrap around his neck again and find solace in his hair; lips chasing yours every time you part for air, Aizawa runs his tongue against yours one more time before sitting back slightly. 

Saliva running down the corner of your lips, your hand lifts to wipe it away while panting and staring at the man in front of you. Aizawa’s pupils are blown wide, causing his already dark eyes to become even more unreadable as he stares at you like prey; his chest lifts with each pant escaping his lips. 

Blinking once, but not moving, you sit up slightly and glance towards the back seat with a mind hazy with pent up sexual desire. Sure, you didn’t expect to be so horny as to silently offer fucking in the back seat of his car…but desperate times call for…

Aizawa doesn’t give you the chance to finish the thought process, instead he reaches over to release the seat belt holding you to the passenger seat and wraps his fingers around the zipper of your coat. Only tugging it down maybe 6 inches from your chin, he tugs the fabric open as his eyes are locked on your throat the same way a wolf stalks a rabbit.

Pulse beating rapidly, he doesn’t hesitate to lean into the warmth of your neck and connect his lips to the flesh in an array of open mouth kisses. Gasp escaping your lips as Aizawa’s free hands reaches up to tug your head juuust slightly to the side to allow for more room, his teeth begin to sink into the delicate flesh.

“Oh… fuck-”

Bitting your lip to prevent from embarrassing yourself further, Aizawa’s lips find the thrumming heart rate on your pulse point and latch his mouth to the area in a drunken haze. His body is half over the shallow console, pining you to the leather seat and car door as his mouth sucks ugly purple bruises all over the flesh of your neck.

Nimble fingers rub circles into your hips with enough force that you can feel the pressure of his fingertips through the thick pencil skirt and lower portion of your blazer; your hands tug at the strands of his hair while clawing at him in a desperate attempt to be closer, closer, closer.

You need him. Pussy aching and dripping into the flimsy fabric of your panties leaves your thighs sticky and desperately rubbing together in a pathetic heat to ease the desire. 

A hot tongue runs down the side of your neck to soothe the bullied skin while the tip of Aizawa’s nose tickles the flesh just under your ear. Hips twitching at the sensation as your mind becomes a puddle of feral attraction. 

“Stop squirming.” Strong hands push you further into the seat as Aizawa glances at your drunken face before moving hair away from the other side of your neck. “Gotta keep still f’me.”

Lips latching on to the other side of your throat, your back arches uncomfortably in the car and you tilt your hips further into his hands. Surely he’s just as horny as you are.. So why won’t he…?

“A-Aizawa–”

“Shōta.” He corrects, before digging his canines into the flesh just above where your pretty corporate button up sits on your neck. 

“...shit.. S-Shōta–” Mind reeling as your hands leave the mess of his hair and fall to his capture weapon, pathetically clawing at it to loosen from his shoulders.

As soon as you’re able to pull maybe a single loop of the scarf from his neck, Aizawa backs up away from your bruised throat and wraps a hand around your own. A silent plea to stop, your fingers drop the material and peer up at him as you both pant and take in the moment around you.

“Is something..wrong?” You question nervously, wondering if you had been rushing things.

Aizawa breathes deeply a few more times, his lips swollen from their suction on your neck, and focuses his breath to calm himself rather than calm you. 

“Not like this… I can’t do this with you, in here.” He motions to the car and shuts his eyes for a brief moment, using all the strength in the world to not pivot you both to the back seat and continue where you left off. “I want this, but– it needs to happen a certain way… a better way. It would be rude to take you in here when I’ve already planned it out properly.”

If you weren’t completely drunk in sexual desire, your heart would be doing cartwheels at his desperate admission to imagining having sex with you in a more gentlemanly fashion than the back seat of his car. It’s honestly more chivalrous than half the shitty dates you’ve been on. 

Panting slightly and sitting upright, you nod and try to cool yourself off from the situation; the 'what the fuck just happened' topic lingers in the air. Brushing through your hair and zipping your coat up to your chin once more; a nervous anticipation builds as you can feel the slick in your panties stick to your thighs.

He was able to get you so embarrassingly wet without even removing either of your clothes. Bicep flexing in his shirt as he adjusts his capture weapon, you silently settle on the outcome that you were absolutely fucked. 

Aizawa shifts uncomfortably in his seat and positions his seat belt delicately across his waist; the action makes your eyes dip down to the very noticeable erection in his pants before embarrassingly peeling away. 

“I guess I should go inside then.” You offer awkwardly while sliding the briefcase strap over your shoulder. 

“Yea...”

Aizawa swallows thickly and taps on the navigation screen for the fastest route back to UA while you open the passenger side door and wince at the cold wind blowing. Not totally standing upright, you pivot back to face him and take a breath of sexual-tension-induced courage. 

“So, I’ll see you next week then? For our date?”

The wording makes Aizawa whip his head in your direction this time, and his eyes are wide with dusted cheeks; he looks as if he wasn’t just sucking the nastiest bruises into your neck. “O-Oh, yea of course. Our date.”

You smile at his sudden reserved nature and lean over to plant a small kiss to the side of his cheek; lips brushing his slight stubble before you fully stand up and exit the car. Aizawa cranes his neck to watch you through the passenger window as you shut the door and offer a slight wave before running to the lobby of your apartment building to escape the winter wind.

His hand grazing the spot where you kissed him, Aizawa’s brain finally catches up with what just happened as all the oxygen escapes his lungs. You watch him from the entrance for a moment, enjoying the heat and giggling as he takes several minutes to compose himself. Phone pinging with ‘WYA’ messages from Keigo, you don’t bother to take your eyes off his car until it leaves the parking lot and drives down the road out of view. 

a/n : its finally doneeee

I've finally found a better way to get into writing and the speed at which i finished this is kinda impressive

ANYWAYS, it's getting steamy and i'm thinking of making ch.5 a whole moment hehe [plot will still be continuing dw, we will eventually fully learn what happened that night ;) ]

reblogs/comments/likes all appreciated! lmk if you wanna join the tag list

-oatmeal <33

Tags: @idkidk32 @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @aizawasbaeee @smashley351 @beachaddict48 @lynnesm @lashaemorow @kriscr0ss @hotvillianapologist @loverofdeepspace

[waitmyturtles]

This is INCREDIBLY EXCITING news, as South Korea lags behind many other Asian countries on public viewpoints about LGBTQ+ rights. Well done, South Korea’s Supreme Court, on equal public healthcare rights! Also note, at the end of the article, how fast attitudes are changing about same-sex marriage in South Korea over the last 24 years. Keep the upward trend going! (I’m calling for more South Korean BLs, obviously.)

Paywall-free paste below:

In a landmark ruling for gay rights in South Korea on Thursday, the country’s Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples qualify for the national health insurance’s dependent coverage, a decision that rights activists hoped could pave the way for legalizing same-sex marriage in the country.

The decision would allow same-sex couples in the country to register their partners as dependents in national health insurance coverage, as married couples or couples in a common-law marriage can. Numerous other benefits are denied to same-sex and other couples living outside the traditional norms of family in South Korea.

In its ruling on Thursday, the country’s highest court ruled that denying a same-sex couple national health insurance dependent coverage “just because they are of the same sex” constitutes a serious discrimination that infringed upon citizens’ “dignity and values, their rights to pursue happiness, their freedom of privacy and their rights to be equally treated by the law.”

The plaintiff, So Seong-wook, filed the legal complaint in 2021. Mr. So wanted to register in the national health insurance program as a dependent of his partner, Kim Yong-min, arguing that their union should be treated as a common-law marriage. But South Korea’s health insurance service rejected his request and told him to pay a separate monthly insurance premium — a decision later affirmed by a district court.

But in February last year, an appeals court overturned the lower-court ruling. It said that although Mr. Kim and Mr. So’s union could not be considered a common-law marriage under South Korean laws, they should still qualify for the national health insurance’s dependent coverage.

In its final say on the case on Thursday, the Supreme Court endorsed the appeals court ruling. It said that same-sex couples formed an “economic cohabitation tantamount to” married and common-law couples.

“I hope today’s ruling will serve as a steppingstone toward enabling sexual minorities to gain equality in the system of marriage,” Mr. So said in a news conference on Thursday.

Mr. Kim said while he describes himself as Mr. So’s “husband” and “companion,” he has never been able to enjoy those titles legally in South Korea.

“I am so happy that the court recognized some of that today,” he said.

Borang Jang, an East Asia researcher at Amnesty International, the rights group, described the ruling as historic.

“The court has taken a significant step towards dismantling systemic discrimination and ensuring inclusivity for all,” she said in a statement. “The case itself is a sobering reminder of the lengthy judicial processes that same-sex couples must endure to secure basic rights that should be universally guaranteed.”

There is no official data on how many people live together in same-sex unions in the country. But between 2016 and 2022, the number of people who live together in “non-kin households” — people living together outside legal marriage — doubled to 1 million, according to government data.

Conservative Christians in South Korea have long campaigned against legalizing same-sex marriage or introducing an anti-discrimination law that protects people of any gender, age, sexual identity or physical ability. But attitudes are changing. At the turn of the century, only 17 percent of South Koreans were in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, according to Gallup Korea, a survey company. By May of last year, that figure had grown to 40 percent.

By Choe Sang-Hun

[darkmaga-returns]

We Give Social Security to People 150 Years Old

by Independent Sentinel

During a press conference in the Oval Office, Elon Musk revealed that the Department of Government Efficiency allegedly uncovered disbursed social security payments to two individuals who are 150 years old. “That’s the case where I think they’re probably dead,” said Musk. “Or they should be very famous. One of...

“Beef Apocalypse”: Why Shelf-Stable Beef Will Be Extremely Valuable in the Near Future

by Sponsored Post

Recent reports from multiple sources say we're on the verge of a "Beef Apocalypse." As Tyler Durden at Zero Hedge noted in last year, "Fears over a 'meat recession' are growing as traders see high prices and a consumer downturn as a perfect recipe for stoking demand destruction." Concerns have...

Alan Dershowitz Puzzled by Courts Overstepping into Trump’s Presidential Powers

by Publius

(American Political Report)—A legal expert expressed confusion and concern over recent judicial actions that he believes significantly encroach upon the authority of President Donald Trump. Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz, speaking on "Hannity," highlighted what he sees as an unusual level of judicial interference. Dershowitz argued that the courts are...

Age of Transparency: We Need Mass Surveillance of Governments Instead of Citizens

by Brandon Smith

(Alt-Market)—In the wake of Donald Trump’s return to the White House there has been an atmosphere of palpable panic among the usual suspects. Establishment bureaucrats are screaming bloody murder in aisles like spoiled toddlers at Walmart after being told they’re not going to get whatever they want from the American...

[littlesparklight]

The way that, when it comes to the Judgement itself, what the ancient Greek writers were saying Paris did wrong isn't that he chose the objectively wrong goddess. For the first, it's of course that he was bribed (let's ignore that he did not ask for anything and each goddess on their own offers a gift; choosing a goddess then becomes choosing a bribe/gift).

For the second; there is in fact a couple sources that, in arguing that the very idea of the Judgement is silly, basically points out that the other two goddesses wouldn't have competed with Aphrodite in beauty [because they wouldn't care/she is the objectively correct winner in such a contest].

It's not even that he chooses wrong because another option would definitely not lead to Troy destroyed and so many people dead.

(Which it would. Hera's gift assures the destruction of Troy's royal house, at the least, and Athena's with war... well. People die in war. Cities get attacked and sacked in war. Why would Troy be spared?)

It's that Paris chooses the unmanly option.

As a man, he shouldn't prioritize a relationship/marriage, and certainly not sex; that shows a lack of (manly) self-control over his body and urges. As a man, he should want/should be dedicating himself either to war or kingship, among the gifts/bribes the goddesses offer. As a man, it doesn't matter that not choosing Aphrodite c/would be objectively wrong; by what they offer only either Athena or Hera are the "right" options in the view of Ancient Greek social mores.

The goddesses' individual beauty does not matter in terms of "correctness" of Paris' choice.

That Troy (and others) are equally doomed no matter which goddess chosen doesn't matter in terms of "correctness" of Paris' choice.

The only thing that matters (again, aside from complaints of judicial corruption when the judge also cannot refuse the gifts involved), is that Paris confers the prize to the goddess offering him the unmanly gift/life option/what have you.

Like Blondell phrases it, Paris' affirms who/what he already is (effeminate) by choosing who he will henceforth be (sex/love-oriented, that is, effeminate) though awarding Aphrodite the apple.

[vague-humanoid]

Apparently, Clarence Thomas just didn’t understand how to read the nearly 50-year-old statute requiring him to report massively expensive gifts. That’s the Judicial Conference’s official take in a new letter to the Senate panel looking into the ethical cesspool. The letter becomes public just as Chief Justice Roberts releases his annual report asserting that most criticism of the Court should be seen as improper intimidation and even violence. Before the holidays, we discussed Biglaw firms bucking the trend and not paying out special bonuses. Happy to report that they’ve reversed course.

[a-d-nox]

lenormand cards: key phrases and an example of a card combo (part 2)

this is just a beginners guide to the lenormand. these are key phrases that come to mind when i think of the cards - NOT how they should be directly applied. they needs to be thought about situationally - the card / when it is in specific combos can change or alter its meaning in a reading.

paid reading options: astrology menu & cartomancy menu

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child: innocence, nativity, spontaneity, seeing only the good in people, carefree attitude, an actually child, smallness, newness, beginnings, playing, immaturity, etc.

child + heart = young love, blind devotion, puberty, just happy to be around others, small joys in life, parallel play, nostalgia, an olive branch, etc.

fox: plotting, protection, security, stealth, deviousness, treachery, manipulation, deception, trickery, loyalty, work, routine, obligation, responsibility, duty, cons, etc.

fox + child = white lies, feigning ignorance/innocence, impulsive actions based on opportunity, pretending to be better than you are, avoiding responsibilities, etc.

bear: defensive, fierceness, resourcefulness, power, strength, courage, protection, maturity/matriarchy, stability, security, management, finances, investments, income, possessions, diet, food, etc.

bear + fox = protective yourself, a fierce loyalty, seven of swords energy, white collar crime, savings account, etc.

stars: peacefulness, tranquility, guidance, direction, happiness, hope, encouragement, perseverance, confidence, etc.

stars + bear = protecting your peace, the power of ones mindset, seeing a way out of the red / debt, etc.

stork: esteem, admiration, respect, babies, fertility, fruitfulness, productivity, birth, renewal, change, movement, new job, new home, new person in your life, extra money, improvements, pregnancy, adoption, new activity, new projects, progress, advancement, renovations, evolution, etc.

stork + stars = good self-esteem, becoming pregnant soon, encouragement from the universe to get a new job, don't lose hope in a project/task, etc.

dog: best friend, companionship, protection, loyalty, fidelity, guidance, sincerity, partnership, acquaintanceship, therapist, boyfriend/girlfriend, an affair, advisor, doctor, reliability, etc.

dog + stork = your best friend is pregnant, meeting a new friend, renewal of vows, a reliable new source of income, real estate agent, taking things to the next level in a relationship, etc.

tower: shelter, protection, confinement, imprisonment, government, corporation, judicial system, military, guarding, ego, ambition, isolation, guidance, schools, law, hospitals, high self-esteem, condos, movie theaters, office building, mall, airports, chain businesses, legal matters, bureaucracy, etc.

tower + dog = a sheltered friend, a friend you protect, roommate, an egotistical friend, water cooler encounters at the workplace, needing to visit the doctor for testing, etc.

garden: courting, public gatherings, harmony, beauty, relaxation, birthday parties, concert, play, movies, restaurants, public/private occasions, reunions, conferences, seminars, meetings, crowds, audiences, celebrations, abundance, etc.

garden + tower = little to no dating experience, solitude, hotel stay, movie theater, cafeteria, airport reunions, a convention, etc.

mountain: immobility, resistance, standing still, endurance, blockage, obstacles, what must be overcame, challenges, delays, interruptions, burdens, postponement, procrastination, remoteness, faraway retreats, etc.

mountain + garden = stage fright, an enduring relationship, social anxiety, social burden, secrets, a rain date for an event, etc.

crossroads: options, choices, free will, multiple directions, doubts, hesitation, double lives, cheating, etc.

crossroads + mountain = analysis paralysis, the many ways to overcome an obstacle, challenges within a relationship ("where do we go from here"), etc.

mice: sickness, fast, smart, group work, damage, reproduction, stress, worry, restlessness, agitation, palpitations, anxiety, nervousness, apprehension, tension, fatigue, lost items, small problems, tediousness, repetitiveness, excitement, eagerness, agitation, etc.

mice + crossroads = options of treatment, anxiety, paranoia, worrying about doing the wrong thing or picking the wrong choice, decision fatigue, etc.

heart: love, passion, devotion, affection, emotions, connections with others, appreciation of others, happiness, joy, contentment, satisfaction, fulfillment, gratification, peace, harmony, delight, pleasure, enjoyment, kindness, charity, generosity, hospitality, feelings, desires, fondness, intentions, fidelity, etc.

heart + mice = heart break, a wave of emotions, instant gratification, manifesting, etc.

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© a-d-nox 2024 all rights reserved

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

The Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) has concluded its review of the July 28 presidential elections in the Caribbean country.

On Thursday, Venezuela’s maximum judicial authority ratified President Nicolás Maduro’s victory to secure a third term that will run from January 10, 2025, to January 10, 2031.

In a press conference with state officials, diplomatic representatives and reporters, TSJ President Caryslia Rodríguez began by reaffirming the court’s jurisdiction and recalling recent electoral processes in Brazil, Mexico and the United States that were ultimately settled by judicial rulings. The magistrate then proceeded to read the verdict.

“We certify in an unobjectionable way that the examined electoral evidence confirms the results proclaimed by the National Electoral Council (CNE) which saw Nicolás Maduro reelected as president,” she said.

The CNE declared Maduro the winner with 52 percent of the vote, compared to 43 percent for US-backed opposition candidate Edmundo González.

Rodríguez stated that a team of national and international experts had conducted a review “with the highest technical standards” of the voting records submitted by electoral parties and candidates and found them to “fully coincide” with data from the CNE’s tallying centers.

[whatstheusgovernmentdoing]

11/8/24 - Supreme Court

Today is a conference day for the Supreme Court, where cases argued earlier this week (before this blog started) are discussed and voted on. It seems pretty tight-lipped, so we probably won't know what's going on behind the closed doors until tomorrow

[justinspoliticalcorner]

David Smith at The Guardian:

A pitiless crackdown on on illegal immigration. A hardline approach to law and order. A purge of “gender ideology” and “wokeness” from the nation’s schools. Erosions of academic freedom, judicial independence and the free press. An alliance with Christian nationalism. An assault on democratic institutions. The “electoral autocracy” that is Viktor Orbán’s Hungary has been long revered by Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” (Maga) movement. Now admiration is turning into emulation. In the early weeks of Trump’s second term as US president, analysts say, there are alarming signs that the Orbánisation of America has begun. With the tech billionaire Elon Musk at his side, Trump has moved with astonishing velocity to fire critics, punish media, reward allies, gut the federal government, exploit presidential immunity and test the limits of his authority. Many of their actions have been unconstitutional and illegal. With Congress impotent, only the federal courts have slowed them down. “They are copying the path taken by other would-be dictators like Viktor Orbán,” said Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator for Connecticut. “You have a move towards state-controlled media. You have a judiciary and law enforcement that seems poised to prioritise the prosecution of political opponents. You have the executive seizure of spending power so the leader and only the leader gets to dictate who gets money.” Orbán, who came to power in 2010, was once described as “Trump before Trump” by the US president’s former adviser Steve Bannon. His long-term dismantling of institutions and control of media in Hungary serves as a cautionary tale about how seemingly incremental changes can pave the way for authoritarianism. Orbán has described his country as “a petri dish for illiberalism”. His party used its two-thirds majority to rewrite the constitution, capture institutions and change electoral law. He reconfigured the judiciary and public universities to ensure long-term party loyalty.

The prime minister created a system of rewards and punishments, giving control of money and media to allies. An estimated 85% of media outlets are controlled by the Hungarian government, allowing Orbán to shape public opinion and marginalise dissent. Orbán has been also masterful at weaponising “family values” and anti-immigration rhetoric to mobilise his base. Orbán’s fans in the US include Vice-President JD Vance, the media personality Tucker Carlson and Kevin Roberts, the head of the Heritage Foundation thinktank, who once said: “Modern Hungary is not just a model for conservative statecraft but the model.” The Heritage Foundation produced Project 2025, a far-right blueprint for Trump’s second term. Orbán has addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference and two months ago travelled to the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for talks with both Trump and Musk. He has claimed that “we have entered the policy writing system of President Donald Trump’s team” and “have deep involvement there”. But even Orbán might be taken aback – and somewhat envious – of the alacrity that Trump has shown since returning to power, attacking the foundations of democracy not with a chisel but a sledgehammer.

[...] Borrowing from Orbán’s playbook, Trump has mobilised the culture wars, issuing a series of executive orders and policy changes that target diversity, equity and inclusion programmes and education curricula. This week he signed an executive order aimed at banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports and directed the attorney general, Pam Bondi, to lead a taskforce on eradicating what he called anti-Christian bias within the federal government. He is also seeking to marginalise the mainstream media and supplant it with a rightwing ecosystem that includes armies of influencers and podcasters. A “new media” seat has been added to the White House press briefing room while Silicon Valley billionaires were prominent at his inauguration. Musk’s X is a powerful mouthpiece, Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook has abandoned factchecking and the Chinese-owned TikTok could become part-owned by the US. Trump has sued news organisations over stories or even interview edits; some have settled the cases. The Pentagon said it would “rotate” four major news outlets from their workspace and replace them with more Trump-friendly media. Jim Acosta, a former White House correspondent who often sparred with Trump, quit CNN while Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, was hired to host a new weekend show on Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News. But the most dramatic change has been the way in which Trump has brought disruption to the federal government on an unprecedented scale, firing at least 17 inspectors general, dismantling longstanding programmes, sparking widespread public outcry and challenging the very role of Congress to create the nation’s laws and pay its bills. Government workers are being pushed to resign, entire agencies are being shuttered and federal funding to states and non-profits was temporarily frozen. The most sensitive treasury department information of countless Americans was opened to Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge) team in a breach of privacy and protocol, raising concerns about potential misuse of federal funds. Musk’s allies orchestrated a physical takeover of the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), locking out employees and vowing to shut it down, with the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, stepping in as acting administrator. “We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper,” Musk posted on X. Musk’s team has also heavily influenced the office of personnel management (OPM), offering federal workers a “buyout” and installing loyalists into key positions. It is also pushing for a 50% budget cut and implementing “zero-based budgeting” at the General Services Administration (GSA), which controls federal properties and massive contracts.

[...] One guardrail is holding for now. Courts have temporarily blocked Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship, cull the government workforce and freeze federal funding. Even so, commentators warn that the blatant disregard for congressional authority, erosion of civil service protections and concentration of power in the executive branch pose a grave threat.

The US is rapidly careening towards Orbánism.

[mariacallous]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal courts will not refer allegations that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas may have violated ethics laws to the Justice Department, the judiciary’s policymaking body said Thursday.

Thomas has agreed to follow updated requirements on reporting trips and gifts, including clearer guidelines on hospitality from friends, the U.S. Judicial Conference wrote to Democratic senators who had called for an investigation into undisclosed acceptance of luxury trips.

Thomas has previously said he wasn’t required to disclose the many trips he and his wife took that were paid for by wealthy benefactors like Republican megadonor Harlan Crow because they are close personal friends. The court didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

The Supreme Court adopted its first code of ethics in 2023 in the face of sustained criticism, though the new code still lacks a means of enforcement.

It’s unclear whether the law allows the U.S. Judicial Conference to make a criminal referral regarding a Supreme Court justice, U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad wrote. He serves as secretary for the conference, which sets policy for the federal court system and is led by Chief Justice John Roberts.

A referral in this case isn’t necessary, Conrad said, because two Democratic senators called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel over the summer. No such appointment has been publicly made.

The group Fix the Court said the financial disclosure law is clear and should apply to justices. “The Conference’s letters further underscore the need for Congress to create a new and transparent mechanism to investigate the justices for ethics violations since the Conference is unwilling to act upon the one method we had presumed existed to do that,” Executive Director Gabe Roth said in a statement.

Conrad also sent a similar response to a separate complaint from a conservative legal group, the Center for Renewing America, in regard to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s reports on the source of her husband’s consulting income. Jackson has since amended her disclosures and also agreed to updated reporting requirements, Conrad wrote.