Laura Powell
@LauraPowellEsq • 85,172 subscribers
Mother. Attorney. Truth teller. Politically nonbinary. Californian. @CA4Governance
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When asked about the possibility of ending up with two Republican candidates for governor and no Democrats, Gavin Newsom responded: “We all have agencies. We can shape the future… I don’t anticipate this need to be the case, but there is a ‘break the glass scenario.’ There’s many people that have a deep understanding of what it would look like if Democrats were locked out, and we’re going to do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’ll leave it there.” It would be nice if he gave a hint about what lengths he intends to go to in order to ensure a Democrat wins. 🤨
Laura Powell3,439,200 views • 3 months ago
The Amish coming out to vote in 2024 reminds me of the trees going to battle in the Lord of the Rings.
Laura Powell14,912,911 views • 1 year ago
I rewatched Prince’s iconic Super Bowl halftime show from 2007, and one difference that jumped out at me—other than the massive disparity in talent —was that Prince was performing for a live audience rather than for the cameras. Bad Bunny’s performance might as well have been prerecorded. The audience in the stands had a subpar experience. The magic that comes from a live show was missing.
Laura Powell3,031,047 views • 6 months ago
“You HAVE to wear an AIDS ribbon.” “I have to?” “Yes!” “See, that’s why I don’t want to.”
Laura Powell1,120,746 views • 2 months ago
“The notion that rights don’t come from laws and don’t come from the government, but come from the Creator — that’s what the Iranian government believes. It’s a theocratic regime that bases its rule on Sharia law and targets Sunnis, Bahá’ís, Jews, Christians and other religious minorities. And they do it because they believe that they understand what natural rights are from their Creator. So the statement that our rights do not come from our laws or our governments is extremely troubling.” Tim Kaine Incredible that the current Senator from Virginia rejects the core principle of the Declaration Of Independence.
Laura Powell2,972,146 views • 1 year ago
A group of Berkeley law students accepted an invitation to dine at the private home of dean Erwin Chemerinsky and his wife, a law professor, then disrupted the event and refused to leave. Bizarrely, this student claims her conduct is protected by the 1st Amendment. Activists are attacking the dean and professor as "white supremacist" and "Zionist."
Laura Powell6,387,342 views • 2 years ago
Michelle Obama explains that having a team of three people taking care of her hair and makeup and clothing was a necessity, not a luxury, because she—like the vast majority of women—can’t be seen in public without tailored clothes. Who paid for this lifestyle? “I know having a glam team—a trifecta—it feels like a luxury, but it was a time necessity. There’s absolutely no way that I would be able to do my hair and makeup and have clothes ready that fit because rare is the woman who can live off the rack.”
Laura Powell1,985,822 views • 9 months ago
Katie Porter: I can’t believe anyone is talking about my temperament when the other candidates are being disrespectful and calling each other names. Chad Bianco: You did it too. Katie Porter: “Oh, cowboy up, cupcake!” She can’t even hold it together for a minute. Incredible.
Laura Powell657,527 views • 3 months ago
One part of the confrontation between Shamake Omar and Shiloh Hendrix that has been edited out of every version I’ve seen is what happened in the parking lot. According to Omar himself, Hendrix went to her car and called someone, asking him to come help her because a man was following her and recording her. Omar denied that he was following her, but the video clearly shows Hendrix repeatedly trying to move away while Omar continued to pursue her. Hendrix’s language was offensive, but it didn’t give bystanders a free pass to harass her in the pursuit of a viral moment.
Laura Powell193,883 views • 1 month ago
One of the spokespeople for the UCLA protesters explains their end goal is for “more than divestment.” She says, “Given that the University of California is founded on colonialism, it’s inherently a violent institution.” She argues the UC system is linked to both foreign wars and domestic police brutality and demands this be addressed. She’s saying the quiet part out loud. They intend to dismantle our domestic institutions. The Palestinian cause is just a warmup.
Laura Powell4,793,430 views • 2 years ago
A school district in Chatham, New Jersey, maintains a policy allowing schools to “socially transition” children without their parents’ consent, in defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Mirabelli v. Bonta. After attorneys demanded that the district rescind the policy, school board president Ann Ciccarelli read a statement asserting that the Supreme Court’s opinion is “NOT binding on public school districts in New Jersey.” While it is technically true that Mirabelli was not a final decision on the merits, the Court’s opinion communicated its clear position that such policies likely violate parents’ constitutional rights. Ciccarelli nevertheless argued that state law and guidance from the department of education require the district to maintain its policy and that changing it could embroil the district in “costly litigation.” I’ve noticed that elected officials suddenly become deeply concerned about the cost of potential litigation when they’re asked to abandon a policy they support, while showing no concern about the potentially far greater costs of defending that same policy in court. Ciccarelli’s professed concern about litigation costs is particularly comical here. The district had already received a formal demand from attorneys insisting that it rescind its unconstitutional policy. And the demand came from the very law firm that took Mirabelli all the way to the Supreme Court and secured an award of $4.8 million, and counting, in attorneys’ fees. Did she think they were bluffing? Now the district is being sued. And it will lose.
Laura Powell28,104 views • 6 days ago
🚨BREAKING Des Moines Public Schools just placed Superintendent Ian Roberts on paid leave. Board Chair Jackie Norris made a statement providing some information about how Roberts was hired. She says that he claimed to be a citizen and that the outside firm hired to do a background check did not turn up any concerns about his immigration status. She concluded with a plea to “cool down the rhetoric” and to stop spreading “misinformation,” urging people to consider how upsetting the situation is for children, who she said are on social media “24/7.”
Laura Powell1,271,038 views • 11 months ago
Claire Lehmann argues that if the UK and France send troops to Ukraine, and Russian troops fire at them, then the NATO treaty would require the United States to go to war against Russia. But obviously, Article 5 only applies to attacks that occur within a member state’s territory. NATO members can’t force other members to join them in foreign wars, as European countries have frequently declined to do for the US. No one on the panel corrected her. This is such a bad take that I hope I am misunderstanding. Claire Lehmann
Laura Powell1,870,629 views • 1 year ago
Yesterday, a trans activist attacked a man protesting against boys in girls’ sports at the California track and field championships. He was in his car with his wife and 4-year-old child at the time. He fought the attacker off with pepper spray before police intervened. 1/3
Laura Powell710,906 views • 1 year ago
A jury has now convicted activists who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge and trapped thousands of motorists, but it appears those responsible have learned nothing. Criminal defense attorneys are supposed to defend their clients’ legal rights, not celebrate their crimes. In this case, the defense never disputed that the defendants intentionally committed the acts charged. Instead, they argued that blocking the bridge was “necessary” to save lives in Gaza and that the defendants therefore reasonably believed their conduct was lawful. But a public defender publicly embraced that absurd argument at a press conference, even after the guilty verdicts. She declared that “taking a bridge and blocking traffic” is “the bare minimum” Americans should be doing and vowed to continue fighting for the Palestinian cause. One defendant who spoke—herself an attorney—was unrepentant. Referring to blocking the bridge, she said it “felt like such a relief that I could actually do something.” Those statements are potentially relevant to sentencing because they suggest a lack of remorse and an ongoing commitment to engage in similar conduct. Before trial, defense attorneys for several defendants asked the judge to dismiss the charges in the interest of justice. Their 18-page motion focused almost entirely on Israel’s alleged conduct and concluded by declaring that the defendants had “taken a stand on the right side of history.” If support for the Palestinian cause is a free pass to commit these crimes, what is the limit to that principle? The activist organizations backing the defendants issued calls for supporters to pack the courtroom for the verdicts. According to reports, the proceedings became so disruptive when the judge thanked the jurors for their service that she had to order the courtroom cleared. Before they left, some reportedly shouted at the jurors that they should be ashamed. In other words, when the legal system holds them accountable, the response is to intimidate the people enforcing the law. It’s scary how quickly these sorts of movements can gain power.
Laura Powell105,304 views • 2 months ago