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Rob Reiner Lives On Rent-Free In Trump’s Broken Brain, Minnesota Communities Stand Up To ICE, and Newsom Hires Experts Trump Purged

Our spirit of defiance is stronger than ever

Scott Dworkin Dec 16

I’m glad you’re here for today’s news brief. You’ll probably notice we never run any ads, and that’s because our work is powered entirely by readers like you. Your support guarantees we have no corporate bosses and that we’ll never bow to Trump. So if you want to stand up for journalism that fights back, join us as a paid subscriber today:

Let’s dive in.

ROB AND MICHELE REINER

What happened to Rob and Michele Reiner was beyond tragic. I got to know Rob around a decade ago, as he was right there with me at the forefront of the anti-Trump movement. He was very supportive of the work we did, even speaking out in defense of my Trump-Russia investigation, which started in 2016. I’m proud to call him a friend.

The first time I interviewed Rob, he told me: “There’s no question about it. This is the most corrupt and criminal presidency that we’ve ever seen. Not only corrupt and criminal. He’s inept. He’s not qualified, and he’s incredibly stupid.” That still holds true.

Beyond making people laugh, Rob wanted what was best for everybody. He had a platform and he used it for good—always pushing for the truth. And I’m sure Rob is smiling about the fact he still lives rent-free in Trump’s broken brain.

My thoughts go out to those who loved Rob and Michele. They will both be dearly missed.

PROTEST STOPS ARREST

In Chanhassen, Minnesota this weekend, residents gathered to protest against ICE agents who were trying to arrest two people working on a house nearby. Even in sub-zero wind chills, people came out to peacefully fight back against the arrest. Their main message: “Leave!”

Demonstrators brought blankets, extra jackets, and other things to help the two men on the rooftop, but ICE agents refused to allow them to hand off the items. State Rep. Alex Falconer was there, repeatedly demanding to see a warrant.

After waiting around for a few hours, agents finally left the scene. Due to the cold, both men got checked out at a local hospital—but they were not detained by ICE.

GOOD LOUD TROUBLE

Also in Minnesota, people have been demonstrating outside of hotels where federal immigration agents have allegedly been staying. One of them is the Homewood Suites in Edina, where last Thursday protesters blew whistles, blasted music, and banged on pots and pans.

There was a high level of energy in the crowd, as folks held signs that read “My parents work harder than the president,” and “ICE Out of MN.” Two ICE officers tried to disperse the crowd, but that only made them louder.

EXITING FEDERAL CONTRACTS

Pushback against Trump’s immigration abuses is sprawling and has grown across the country.

In North Carolina, the Alamance County Sheriff ended its agreement with ICE to move and house detainees. The municipalities of Stowe and Munhall, Pennsylvania, quashed their partnerships after reporters exposed the deals. And in Kansas, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is looking to end their nearly $30 million contract with ICE.

All of these changes are a result of massive public pushback—a great reminder that our pressure makes a huge difference.

NEWSOM HIRES TRUTH-TELLERS

Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed he hired two former officials who recently departed the CDC after standing up to failing head of HHS Bob Kennedy. Dr. Susan Monarez is the former CDC Director, and Dr. Debra Houry was the CMO at the agency.

Newsom stated: “By bringing on expert scientific leaders … we’re strengthening collaboration and laying the groundwork for a modern public health infrastructure that will offer trust and stability in scientific data not just across California, but nationally and globally.”

This is the kind of leadership we desperately need right now, especially with so many lies coming from the Trump propaganda machine. We know this regime will never prioritize facts over their extremist ideologies—that’s why we must hold the line like Newsom is. For a decade, we’ve never stopped fighting Trump and his allies—not once—and we aren’t stopping now.

We do more than just report the news, we help shape the narrative to counter maga lies and demand accountability. On top of our daily news briefs, our Watchdog Coalition generates billions of impressions on social media, and has contacted Congress more than half a million times in the last year alone.

But in order to keep doing this work, we need to remain independent and 100% free of corporate influence. So if you haven’t yet, please help fuel our fight by becoming a paid subscriber today:

Onward!

Scott

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I have two questions for you today.

What are your thoughts about Gavin Newsom hiring former top CDC officials?

What do you make of communities showing up to support people who are being targeted by federal immigration agents?

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Today we are focused on these four actions:

Stand with Ukraine over Russia: https://tinyurl.com/2khn59cr

Pass bill on unmasking ICE and displaying clear ID: https://tinyurl.com/bp8cau82

Demand answers about Trump’s visibly deteriorating health: https://tinyurl.com/sk9xm38v

Help us push for an investigation into Trump's Epstein coverup: https://tinyurl.com/4pfh2p4f

My interview with Rep. Swalwell: https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/live-with-eric-swalwell-writing-americas