Happy Wednesday and thanks for being here. Thirteen days to go, and I woke up in a fighting mood. The stories I have for you in this edition are why.
Before you read on, hit the ❤️ like button, then restack. Students in North Carolina walked 45 minutes in the heat to cast their ballots. A few taps from you put their story and more in front of people who would never see it otherwise.
I’ve been fighting Trump since 2016, so I’m taking nothing for granted over these next 13 days. We will continue to fight MAGA propaganda on social media in ways that most can’t, delivering the truth to millions every single day. Our pressure campaigns on Congress are running stronger than ever. And on top of our daily great news briefs, we’re digging through thousands of pages of GOP Senate campaign finance reports, with more exclusive investigations coming before Election Day.
Paid readers allow us to do this work—independent of billionaires, advertisers, and boardrooms. Today they also get my breakdown of why Republicans just walked away from their own incumbents. You’ll also unlock access to my election night war room—a safe place for our members where I’ll be reporting the results seat by seat. Join us as a paid subscriber.
Earlier this month, Pete Hegseth announced that the military execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, would be broadcast live. “We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public,” he said. No American execution has ever been streamed to the public. Our Secretary of Defense wanted his to be the first.
The backlash was swift. America’s Catholic bishops objected. So did the United Nations. Then last Thursday morning, an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found eight in 10 Americans didn’t want it streamed.
That same morning, Trump folded. “This event will not be streamed,” he posted, while grumbling that a livestream “might have been a strong deterrent.” He didn’t find a conscience overnight. I think he saw that poll. On Tuesday, Hegseth said he fully supports Trump’s decision to drop the idea.
After Trump backed down, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania called the episode “as clear an illustration as any that Hegseth is dangerously unqualified.” Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island said Hegseth “deserves to be admonished for his lack of judgment.”
Hegseth bet that we’d all gone numb. He lost that bet to the people saying no, all at once.
The DOJ sued the city of New York last year over their limits on helping ICE.
After taking office, Zohran Mamdani was forced to take it on. And just last Thursday, he won it. Judge Ramón Reyes threw the whole case out, writing that the regime’s arguments were “nothing more than a backdoor around the Tenth Amendment.” Translation—Washington can’t make a city do ICE’s job for it.
I read the entire ruling, and my favorite part is buried in the footnotes. Reyes listed 11 other cases like this one—Trump had lost all of them. His lawyers also brought two federal laws into court to help their case. Reyes ruled both of them unconstitutional.
Mamdani called the ruling “a rebuke to ICE’s deportation agenda.” Trump keeps picking the same fight—and he keeps losing it.
On July 30, Border Patrol agents arrested Jesus Verde Hernandez in Lewistown, Montana, with no warrant. According to his lawyers, agents were looking for someone who looked like him. They kept him in custody for 30 hours, pressuring him to sign papers agreeing to self-deport. He has lived in Montana for ten years with his partner, and they have three young children.
A Helena nonprofit, Upper Seven Law, took his case. On August 7, Chief District Judge Brian Morris ordered him released. Then he expanded the case to everyone arrested that way in Montana since late July and declared those arrests illegal.
The regime didn’t fall in line. In Morris’ words, the government “declined to abide by the Court’s declaratory judgment and continued to hold wrongfully detained class members.” So he had every person’s case brought to him one at a time and ordered the government to answer for at least five every business day.
Upper Seven says at least 50 people have been freed so far. “We will not stand down,” the firm said. The Trump regime assumed no one in Montana would push back. They were wrong.
So last Thursday, on the first day of early voting, they marched. More than 100 students from A&T and UNC Greensboro walked around 45 minutes in the heat to the nearest early voting site. Bennett College students joined along the way. The line ran out the door.
“You turned out when they took your voting site away,” Robert Reives, the top Democrat in the state House, said. He then challenged them to get every student who hasn’t voted yet to show up.
More than 201,000 North Carolinians voted in person on day one, up roughly 47% from 2022. Through Tuesday, about 877,000 had voted in person, and registered Democrats had cast about twice as many ballots as Republicans.
My read on House races with just 13 days to go.
She called it a flat-out lie. On October 9, reporters asked Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks about reports that Republican groups might pull money out of her Iowa race. “You just saw Speaker Johnson here, that’s a flat-out lie,” she said. Days later, the super PAC aligned with Johnson canceled its remaining ads for her. So did a Trump-aligned super PAC.
Kean was cut too. New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. had about $2 million in canceled bookings in his district, according to AdImpact data. It’s the first time national Republicans have walked away from their own incumbents during this election cycle.
Republicans are on their heels. Trump’s party gave up on trying to beat Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman in Ohio and Kristen McDonald Rivet in Michigan. They pulled about $3 million they had reserved against Henry Cuellar in South Texas—in a district Republicans redrew to win. On Tuesday, they dropped their efforts to oust Rep. Jared Moskowitz in South Florida too.
Now they’re defending Trump country. That Cuellar money is going after Democrat Vicente Gonzalez and protecting Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz, whose district Trump carried by 18 points. About $10 million from the first four races they dropped is moving into 16 districts from Florida to California.
Their money isn’t buying much. GOP groups dumped more than $740 million into congressional races from Labor Day through October 14. At least $220 million of it came from Trump-linked groups, according to a CNBC analysis of AdImpact data. Republicans have already walked away from at least six races.
The Bottom Line: Republicans are retreating. Democrats need to gain a net of just three seats to take the House. So we keep running like we’re behind, and sprint through the finish. No matter what.
I remember exactly what it felt like 715 days ago when Trump won the presidential race. Before it was even called—no joke—I immediately got to work on what we could do to fight back. I never imagined how much we’d be able to pull off since then, but we all knew exactly how Trump would be.
I also remember standing next to President Obama 6,483 days ago after he was sworn in. I remember being in front of soon-to-be Speaker Pelosi 2,906 days ago when Democrats won back the House in 2018. And I watched the fireworks reflecting off President Biden as he emerged from the White House balcony on inauguration night exactly 2,100 days ago.
Now, we have just 13 days left to turn Trump into a lame duck, which would be the beginning of the end of his tyranny. Thank you for joining me for this journey, and for having my back through it all. Whether you’ve been supportive for decades or days, I truly appreciate it.
We will not stop, or take any days off. We work through every holiday, rain or shine, sleet or snow, as we have for years. We are full speed ahead. And there are no brakes.
Help us keep up the momentum by joining us as a paid subscriber today.
Before you go, hit the ❤️ like button and restack this. Someone you know needs to be reminded that this regime can be beaten. You can be the one who delivers that message.
Onward!
Scott
Do you think GOP schemes to cut polling places will backfire?
Is there a House race you are watching closely?
/ @legalafmtn
Become a member of Legal AF YouTube community: 
Greensboro students walked 45 minutes in the heat to vote. Thirteen days left, and these take about a minute each:
Impeach Pete Hegseth: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-impeach-pete-hegseth/
Back impeachment of Trump: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-begin-drafting-articles-of-impeachment-against-trump/
Release all of the Epstein files now: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-demand-acting-ag-blanche-release-all-of-the-epstein-files-now/
Stop Trump’s illegal plan to destroy the U.S. Forest Service: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-stop-trumps-illegal-plan-to-destroy-the-us-forest-service/
Tell me below which ones you sent.
JUST A FEW COMMENTS:
I keep thinking about those students who just walked. That’s the energy. Thirteen days. Stay with it.
If you are not of a certain age or from NC, you may not realize the North Carolina A & T connection. It was 4 black college students from A&T who staged the Woolworth's Lunch Counter sit-in in 1960 that ultimately led to desegregation of the previously "white's only" lunch counter.
I don't think the NC GOP quite realizes what a hornet's nest they stirred up.
Carolina Forward introduced a very slick turnout tracker that drills down on the NC early vote turnout relative to prior elections, including the voter's age cohort, ethnicity and party affiliation.
https://carolinaforward.org/news/the-carolina-forward-turnout-tracker/
Early in-person voting is the most popular voting method in NC, irrespective of party affiliation. Typically, Democrats turn out in higher numbers during the first few days of early voting, but then GOP voters will narrow the gap. Here are some interesting stats from the turnout tracker:
Compared to the same point in the EV cycle in 2022, early voting turnout is up 30%:
* Democrats make up 44% of votes so far, 4 points more than at this point in 2022 (40%).
* Republicans make up 22% of votes so far, 9 points less than at this point in 2022 (31%).
* Unaffiliated voters make up 34% of votes so far, 5 points more than at this point in 2022 (29%).
Overall turnout is down 47% compared to 2024, since that was a presidential year, but the relative makeup of who has voted so far is telling:
* Democrats are running 10 points ahead relative to this point in 2024 (34%).
* Republicans are running 12 points behind relative to this point in 2024 (34%).
* Unaffiliated voters are running 3 points ahead relative to this point in 2024 (31%).
And things are even more encouraging for Democrats if you assume that unaffiliated voters are breaking the way recent polling suggests.
13 days. Don't get complacent. We've been fooled by the polls before. Vote early. Vote on the day. Just VOTE. #VoteBluetoSaveAmerica
Thirteen days and the people who never stop are still the ones moving the needle. Proud of every one of you still in it. Let’s finish strong.
My 18 year old read what happened at NC A&T/UNC-G, registered to vote in South Carolina, and just gave Annie Andrews and Jim Clyburn her first ever lifetime votes - before anticipated Circus Clown ICE-capades on Voting Day aka "The Reckoning."
Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms already got the rest of my family's vote.
Bravo for your daughter! Well done. Annie Andrews for the Blue win!
Speaking as a proud graduate of an HBCU, the NC AT&T response to their voting machines being removed, was RIGHT ON! But, to hear about your daughter and UNC-G joining in to make ‘good trouble’ was off the chain! Thank you for sharing your post.
Trump cutting back election opportunities for people of color, the less wealthy, ANYBODY: that’s where we who have cars and a minimum of energy can be lined up along the curbs to take whoever wants to vote but can’t get to the polls due to distance, the person’s mobility and/or feeling intimidated - we can drive them and bolster them and also make new friends doing it. We can MAKE trump’s suppression efforts backfire bigly! LET’S GET OUT THE VOTE!!
So important! My friend Rose and I did just that on Tuesday. Took a neighbor to the polls. I got an email from our Secretary of State's Office here in Michigan, that advised people to now find a drop box or their clerk's Office to turn in their ballot, and not rely on the slow mail service at this point. We helped Sharon do just that!
Both of us have turned in our Blue ballots already.
Yes I do think GOP schemes to cut polling places will backfire because of the intense preparation the Resistance has done to prevent this sort of thing. We are well prepared for the GOP shenanigans that are being flung our way.
Here’s another question regarding Trump’ Lame Duck Presidency which is coming. Because there will be 2 months before our “ Takeover” in Congress , and with Trump being more corrupt than ever, what are we facing as far as holding Trump and his lackeys accountable, and how do we mitigate the damage he will undoubtedly incur? How do we survive the 2 months as a country?
This is my fear too. If the BlueWave actually occurs as predicted, trump will burn the country down. Ugh.
Now we keep the momentum going and the pressure on the MAGAt's, as they keep losing in court over and over again!
Those students are inspiring, giving us hope for the future. That lame duck 🦆 could become a cooked goose 🪿 the way he is spiraling.
Instead of a press pool, a swimming
pool, perfect for a swan 🦢 dive.
All these distractions to avoid the Trumpstein files!
I read this morning that Trump's Legal Defense fund is out of money and donors have stopped giving to it. In fact it's bankrupt, with large outstanding bills. I don't remember the name of the specific PAC, but this means more desperation on the part of Trump!
Oh! I remembered. It is the Save America PAC.
Couldn't have happened to a more deserving felon....
Mad respect for the NC students. It reminds me of the unwavering resolve of the Civil Rights activists in the 1960s.
I voted mail-in/election drop box very early.
We can't let up on the gas pedal. Keep reminding those in the tightest states to vote whether they are family, personal friends, your neighbors, or those on your preferred social media platforms. Every single vote counts, even if the polls show wide margins in Dems' favor. We can't be complacent, not a single one of us.
I received another email from Abdul El Sayed MD PHD in a tight race here for Senate in Michigan. Republicans have dumped a Hundred Million into Roger's race. If anyone has 5 dollars left that they can spare, it could be very helpful to Abdul's race and Medicare for All!
Just donated to him yesterday. Loved how he handled Hawley's staffer at that town hall.
Coward Hawley's staffers are just as inept as he is.
I have donated three times this month, as I keep scraping a few more dollars out of this and that in my budget. I was going door knocking this weekend, but I came down with the flu on Tuesday, so I will have to cancel. I didn't get my flu shot soon enough. Probably got the flu exposure the same day as my vaccination, as I shopped at Costco that day. Stupid me, didn't wear a mask.
I do think the GOP’s plan to close voting sites will backfire. “We’re mad and we’re not going to take it anymore!!” 😡 VOTE!!
United Nations report highlights significant increase in U.S. climate pollution
The U.S. is the only major economy where planet-warming pollution dramatically increased last year. The United Nations warns the planet is on track for catastrophic warming. Read more.
https://www.wbur.org/npr/nx-s1-6003553/america-oil-gas-coal-climate-change-trump-carbon-emissions?
https://www.wbur.org/npr/nx-s1-6003553/america-oil-gas-coal-climate-change-trump-carbon-emissions?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WBURToday_Editorial_102126&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.wbur.org%2fnpr%2fnx-s1-6003553%2famerica-oil-gas-coal-climate-change-trump-carbon-emissions&utm_id=241027&sfmc_id=24374920&mid=546001099