@mbalter — investigations and commentary

What we talk about when we talk about antisemitism. And good luck to "The Voice of Hind Rajab" this evening. open.substack.com/pub/michaelbal…

Last night, an alleged member of the Jewish Defense League—designated by the FBI as a "known violent extremist organization"—attempted to blow up the home of Nerdeen Kiswani in a chilling act of political violence and an apparent assassination plot. The defendant allegedly planned to flee to Israel following the attack. This comes amidst an alarming rise in threats and violence across the country targeting Palestinian human rights advocates. I am thankful that the NYPD and FBI thwarted this plot, which could have endangered Nerdeen’s life and those of other New Yorkers. Let me be clear: We will not tolerate violent extremism in our city. No one should face violence for their political beliefs or their advocacy. I am relieved that Nerdeen is safe. Our city must meet hate with solidarity, and meet fear with an unshakable commitment to justice and to one another.

The Israeli military tortured an 18-month-old baby in front of his father for 10 hours in Gaza. The soldiers reportedly dug sharp objects into the baby’s body and burned him with cigarettes. mondoweiss.net/2026/03/israel…

In light of the resonance between Alex Odeh and the assassination plot against @NerdeenKiswani, I highly recommend @thaqafatalhind's article!

Today we filed a #FOIA lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency regarding two FOIA requests. Our requests seek communications between the CIA and Dr. Ralph Baric, a coronavirus expert at the University of North Carolina. We also seek intelligence products relating to Dr. Baric and his work. usrtk.org/wp-content/upl… This is our 44th FOIA lawsuit for documents related to the origin of COVID-19, gain-of-function research and related matters. For background, see: usrtk.org/covid-19-origi…

I need to go back and look but I assume the @nytimes report on the death of Charlie Kirk also told us why, as an equal opportunity bigot, he also deserved to be killed.

BREAKING: The U.S. Justice Department confirmed in court Thursday that it is sharing sensitive voter data with Homeland Security. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has given the Trump Justice Department personal info for 8 million Ohio voters. ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/03/27/rep…

2/ “Pro-Palestinian” is a devious phrase designed to make us think that basic issues of human rights should be determined based on primitive tribalism. I prefer the term “anti-genocide” which is more consistent with international law.

It appears that at least half of this ⁦@nytimes⁩ article is explaining to us why Nerdeen Kiswani should be killed. nytimes.com/2026/03/27/nyr… via @NYTimes

I’m sorry what

President Trump spent five minutes of his Cabinet meeting boasting of his thrift with a story about negotiating for $5 personalized Sharpies. The company that makes the permanent markers said the exchange never happened. wapo.st/4bLTOWd

I don’t really mind someone declining to use the word #genocide to describe #Israel’s actions in #Gaza as long as they clearly agree that they constitute war crimes. But anyone who can’t go at least that far is complicit in murder.

Finally someone says it.

Yes. Now add: Every Israeli regime has done this. We just didn't have Google Translate available for the first 70 years of it.

In Orange County, feds have been picking up jailed detainees and driving them not to immigrant detention sites, but around town for a few hours. They would rebook detainees into the jail, to restart a three-day clock in which they are allow to hold people. nytimes.com/2026/03/27/us/…

#COVID19 may have caused 155,536 more deaths in the United States between March 2020 and December 2021 than were officially recorded, according to a new @ScienceAdvances study. scim.ag/4rLOCYy

Israel is dropping 2,000lb bombs in residential districts in Tehran. "40-50 people" killed in a single strike, local authorities and residents told BBC. The Israeli military says 3,600 bombs dropped on the Iranian capital alone. bbc.com/news/articles/…

I'll say it again: It's not that violence and corruption and racism don't happen everywhere. They do. The problem is that in Israel, these things are state policy and the population is made complicit.

9-year-old who pleaded to be released so he could attend his state spelling bee. What a country we have become.

“I’m not racist” is what all racists say.

“We're not a racist organization, and we don't racial profile.” That’s a claim that Sheriff Jerry Sheridan has made again and again. But annual reviews of every traffic stop or arrest of a Latino person have repeatedly contradicted him. propublica.org/article/sherif…