Senior politics reporter for HuffPost. On Bluesky: @jbendery.bsky.social. Tips: jen.bendery@huffpost.com. Signal: jbendery.41

Washington, DC
gaslighting (v.) -- to manipulate someone by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
The cattle ranchers voted for Trump in part to crack down on illegal immigration - now they're complaining about ICE raids
A joint statement from Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Kansas Livestock Association and Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association regarding the ongoing ICE operations in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas: “The Kansas Livestock Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Texas Cattle Feeders Association are closely monitoring reported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity affecting agricultural communities in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. Our organizations respect the responsibility of federal agencies to enforce the law. At the same time, cattle producers, feedyards, dairies, livestock markets, processors, and other rural businesses depend on a stable workforce to care for animals, protect food safety, and keep the supply chains operating. Sudden workforce disruptions can create immediate animal-welfare, operational, and economic consequences that extend well beyond an individual business. These ICE operations are having a massive chilling effect on the legal, documented, skilled workers that put beef on the table and keep the cattle supply chain moving. Additionally, these types of disruptions will lead to higher beef prices for consumers. Reported impacts to our organizations throughout the past few days have been: - Thousands of fed cattle slated for shipping to processors now delayed, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue and additional costs. - Workforce disruptions at numerous supply chain chokepoints such as feedyards, dairies, processors, feed and grain companies, transportation hubs, and community services. These disruptions come at a time of enhanced focus and pressure on the cattle and beef supply chain. They are a costly and unnecessary impact to cattle producers already suffering from unwelcome political interference to both the markets as well as the physical supply chain. Frustratingly, the harm these actions cause to cattle producers last for days and weeks after such operations conclude. We urge federal officials to conduct enforcement actions in a lawful, orderly, and transparent manner; respect due process; and communicate clearly with affected employers and communities.”
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
New @CookPolitical: GOP on track to lose House majority as 15 race ratings shift towards Dems. Full analysis by @ercovey: cookpolitical.com/analysis/h…
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Just read the NYT piece with former aides saying Mary Peltola is a mean boss, used slurs, etc. Having just been in Alaska talking to voters for days about this Senate race, I'll just say I don't think this story will change voters' very strong feelings about this race.
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I feel like this can all be true at once: *Peltola's slurs are offensive, if true. *This story feels petty and sexist (demanding women are bad bosses!) *Peltola had just lost her husband + mom, feed her fuckin lizard, aides *This is not at all what AK voters are focused on
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
ProPublica often shares their investigations with local outlets because it’s free for those outlets to print them. We printed several of them when I worked at @statesman. Obviously, when you report on a matter of public significance, you want it read as widely as possible.
ProPublica publishes a story. Then @propublica's "communications manager" pitches it to Maine TV stations and online influencers. Next up: the “organic” conversation about it... 🤔🤔
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
ChatGPT helped a kid plan a mass shooting.
Exclusive: Our new investigation uncovers the horrifying ChatGPT history of the Tumbler Ridge mass shooter. OpenAI’s chatbot fueled the shooter’s violent fantasies and planning up to the day of the school massacre. motherjones.com/media/2026/0…
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
!!!
Hasan Piker mentioned during Netanyahu’s speech at the UN
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
Everyone walks out when Netanyahu is at the podium #UNGA
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Senate now voting on another Iran war powers resolution (i.e. it expresses a sense of Congress that Trump end the Iran war, remove all U.S. troops). So far three Republicans in the YES column: Susan Collins Rand Paul Thom Tillis One Dem in the NO column: John Fetterman
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War powers resolution fails. 49-50. All three of these vulnerable GOPers vote NO: Dan Sullivan Roger Marshall Jon Husted GOPers John Cornyn and Mitch McConnell -- neither returning after Nov -- both voted NO, too. So did Dem John Fetterman.
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This vote also might be the first time Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), also not coming back after Nov, voted YES.
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
.@MSpicuzzaMJS welcomed me into the press room when I was a newbie in the Capitol a dozen years ago. She's a fair reporter and a good person who takes her job seriously, and that's true of our whole team.
Liberal activist @MSpicuzzaMJS was notified yesterday that she would not be permitted to attend. MJS has a photographer at the event, and we welcome all balanced journalists across Wisconsin, including @jessieopie. That’s why WISN, CBS 58, and other outlets are in attendance.
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Jennifer Bendery retweeted
Incredible. First @SecMullinDHS claimed that @DHSgov identified 15,903 noncitizens on Nevada’s voter roll. Then DHS officials said, no no no, that’s just people we flagged, here’s the names of 185 people we KNOW aren’t citizens. All 185 were citizens. DHS got 100% wrong.
From 16,000 to 185 to Zero: Trump’s Claims of Illegal Voting in Nevada Fizzle. "The state sent a strongly worded rebuke to the federal government: Every single person on the list was a lawful citizen." nytimes.com/2026/09/24/us/po…
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Texas State Rep. Garnet Coleman (D) has died. I covered him for a few years in the early aughts. He was always sticking up for people who had the least, and not shy about calling out others who didn't. RIP. houstonpublicmedia.org/artic…
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In a statement, James Talarico says he is "heartbroken." Coleman was "a trailblazing leader, tireless advocate for healthcare, and a champion for Houston & our state. Let us strive to follow his example & lead like he did: with candor & unrelenting hope for the future of Texas."
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