Virginia Scharff

Virginia Scharff

@vscharff.bsky.social

Historian, novelist, gardener, cook

5.9K followers1.4K following11.8K posts

Virginia Scharff reposted

Lorenzo Salgado, jr.
@oznezol.bsky.social

Justice for Alex Pretti and his family. We will get justice.

Oliver Willis@owillis.bsky.social

just heartbreaking stuff Alex Pretti's mother calls out ICE and the Trump administration for killing her son and smearing his name, and calls for justice to be done.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Leah Feiger
@leahfeiger.bsky.social

This is pretty massive...there are tons of legal cases challenging the firings of USAID/government employees in 2025, as DOGE ran amok, and the revelations here could be really impactful:

This post is unavailable.

Virginia Scharff reposted

The Associated Press
@apnews.com

A U.N.-backed inquiry is reporting that Russia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine by intentionally attacking energy infrastructure, which left millions of people without electricity and heat in freezing temperatures.

bit.lyRussia committed war crimes in Ukraine by attacking its energy grid, UN-backed inquiry saysA U.N.-backed inquiry is reporting that Russia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine by intentionally attacking energy infrastructure, which left millions of people without electricity and heat in freezing temperatures.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Marisa Kabas
@marisakabas.bsky.social

i am inviting anyone from a legacy media organization to explain to me why the house judiciary dems report on trump’s epstein’s ties and multiple allegations of rape isn’t worthy of extensively reporting on. i’m serious. i want to understand.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Brandi Buchman
@brandibuchman.bsky.social

From the Dems House Judiciary report:

Brandi Buchman@brandibuchman.bsky.social

Katie Johnson, 13, reported Epstein and Trump argued over who would take her virginity, and Epstein became angry and violently raped her when he learned that Donald Trump had done so. As shown by official FBI interview notes, Johnson, through her attorney, reported these alleged crimes to the FBI.

Virginia Scharff reposted

The American Prospect
@prospect.org

Social Security is projected to run out of the funds that it needs to pay full benefits by 2032. It’s up to progressives to turn this threat around on the right and improve America’s most cherished (and socialistic) support system while they’re at it. prospect.org?p=146821

Virginia Scharff reposted

Phillips OBrien
@phillipspobrien.bsky.social

Replying to @phillipspobrien.bsky.social

Also, pay attention to what Elon Musk is now saying and doing in US politics. This is extreme, extraordinary and unprecedented.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Anne Applebaum
@anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu

Another story impossible to imagine in any other administration: the president's son goes hunting with a Russian criminal who is part of Putin's security entourage

Financial Times@financialtimes.com

The remote rendezvous in August highlights the remarkable relationship between a son of the US president and a businessman with ties to the Kremlin. ft.trib.al/9g7wnme

Virginia Scharff reposted

Justin Hendrix
@justinhendrix.bsky.social

Elon Musk was introduced at a MAGA rally as “the greatest capitalist in history.” Reviewing Alex Gibney’s “Musk,” Paul M. Barrett writes that Musk instead combined “an uncanny ability to hoover up government subsidies and contracts with a P.T. Barnum-level talent for hucksterism.”

techpolicy.press‘The Greatest Capitalist In History’? A Review of Alex Gibney’s ‘Musk’“Musk” offers a portrait of an unsettling figure with the ability to impose his warped ideas on US society and the world at large, writes Paul M. Barrett.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Rep. Ilhan Omar
@repilhan.bsky.social

Another person has died in ICE custody — this is the 28th known death this year. The cruelty of this rogue agency is beyond unconscionable. Abolish ICE.

Virginia Scharff reposted

kristinekenyon.bsky.social
@kristinekenyon.bsky.social

Replying to @atrupar.com

New Brazil rules: share Dr. Andrews’ new ad 10x more to counteract negative GOP attacks👇 #LFG bsky.app/profile/dran...

Dr. Annie Andrews@drannieandrews.com

This is what putting South Carolina first looks like. I’m honored to have the support of two former governors — Republican David Beasley and Democrat Jim Hodges. We may not agree on everything, but we share a belief that matters most: S.C. deserves leaders who will always put its people first.

Virginia Scharff
@vscharff.bsky.social

Hungary showed the way. Keep going.

Adam Schwarz@adamjschwarz.bsky.social

Hungarian PM Péter Magyar: "I have just spoken by phone with the leaders of the Students List, who won the elections in Serbia, to congratulate them... I assured them of Hungary’s support. I was delighted to hear how much strength our victory in April had given them during this difficult struggle."

Virginia Scharff reposted

Stephen Wolf
@stephenwolf.bsky.social

A single billionaire megadonor is propping up the Republican effort to stop Dems from flipping Pennsylvania’s Senate and gaining full control of government—to a much greater degree than Elon Musk is doing it at the federal level

Adam Bonin@adambonin.bsky.social

Via @stephenjcaruso.bsky.social, who really should post here more than there, I'm counting $8.52M from Jeffrey Yass to try to preserve a GOP state senate majority in PA (candidate giving, SRCC, and State GOP) and another $1.1M to stanch the bleeding in the state house, where Dems lead 103-100.

Virginia Scharff reposted

dell cameron
@dell.bsky.social

NEW: US lawmakers say the Trump administration is breaking the law by withholding a secret court opinion about the surveillance of Americans, even as it presses Congress to renew America’s most sweeping surveillance program.

wired.comThe US Government Is Hiding a Secret Court Ruling About How It Spies on AmericansTwo US senators say the Trump administration is breaking the law by withholding the FISA court decision while it presses Congress to renew America’s most sweeping surveillance program.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Nicholas Grossman
@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social

The powerful executives who cozied up to Trump didn't oops accidentally forget about pendulum swings. They either: 1) Like the fascism 2) Calculated it was here to stay, so going along was savvy 3) Saw no real downside, no consequences when the pendulum swung Crucial to show them 3 was a mistake

Schooley@schooley.bsky.social

That this is in THE WASHINGTON POST is almost too much irony to bear.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Ian Dunt
@iandunt.bsky.social

Replying to @iandunt.bsky.social

The people who trade in despair, including progressives on here, are not their enemies. They are their handmaidens.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Adam Schwarz
@adamjschwarz.bsky.social

Meanwhile, pro-democracy, pro-Europe protesters in Tbilisi, Georgia, are tonight nearing their 700th consecutive day of protest against the pro-Russian government. They haven't missed a single day in the last 23 months.

Virginia Scharff
@vscharff.bsky.social

How he did it

Adam Schwarz@adamjschwarz.bsky.social

So how did Lula come from behind to defeat Bolsonaro? In short, turnout. Bolsonaro's vote share barely moved. But Lula banked millions of votes from those who didn't vote in the first round & won eliminated candidates' votes. A remarkable mobilisation. Second round turnout is usually below first.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Rachel Maddow
@maddow.bsky.social

Trump admin arrests Colorado priest. Incarcerates him for over a year. Judge orders him released without charges. They release him without the wheelchair he needs -- other prisoners have to bodily carry him out. He's now being tested for latent TB: www.newsfromthestates.com/article/colo...

newsfromthestates.comColorado priest from Uganda released after 13 months in ICE detention in AuroraAfter 13 months in an Aurora immigrant detention center, where he became reliant on a wheelchair as his health deteriorated, a Ugandan priest who has lived in Colorado for more than 25 years was relea...

Virginia Scharff reposted

Michael Clemens
@mclem.org

Liberal democracy remains a towering achievement of humanity and it is worth fighting for.

The Associated Press@apnews.com

The long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government.

bit.lySerbia’s strongman leader Vucic concedes defeat to student-led movement in seismic political shiftThe long-serving strongman leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has conceded defeat in an election that pitted him and his right-wing party against a diverse student-led opposition movement that spent two years protesting his government.
Virginia Scharff
@vscharff.bsky.social

Pretty pretty pretty cute

Governor JB Pritzker@govpritzker.illinois.gov

I think the word you're searching for is 'Space Ranger.' It was truly out of this world to welcome trick-or-treaters to the Governor’s Mansion today — thanks to everyone who stopped by!

Virginia Scharff
@vscharff.bsky.social

Wtf Santa Fe?

The Santa Fe New Mexican@thenewmexican.bsky.social

According to a yearly New Mexico State University report released last week, Santa Fe reported 53 teacher vacancies as of Sept. 1, second only to the 68 in Albuquerque Public Schools — a district with roughly seven times the student enrollment. www.santafenewmexican.com/news/educati...

santafenewmexican.comSanta Fe Public Schools grapples with high teacher vacancy ratesSanta Fe Public Schools is seeking solutions after its number of teacher vacancies nearly doubled last year.

Virginia Scharff reposted

Sanho Tree
@sanho.bsky.social

“Shellie Flockhart, who called Iowa Democratic House candidate Sarah Trone Garriott “dangerous” for kids, pleaded guilty after authorities said she drove drunk with her children in the car in 2017.“

washingtonpost.comWoman in ad who said a Democrat endangers kids pleaded guilty to endangering kidsShellie Flockhart, who called Iowa Democratic House candidate Sarah Trone Garriott “dangerous” for kids, pleaded guilty after authorities said she drove drunk with her children in the car in 2017.