1. Thread - summarizing a post on how the Trump administration is weaponizing the bank payment system. As I say in the post, if anything is useful, STEAL IT AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN. Long version here - www.programmablemutter.com/p/trump-is-w... - summarized takeaways below. - ThreadSky

himself.bsky.social • 8 days ago

1. Thread - summarizing a post on how the Trump administration is weaponizing the bank payment system. As I say in the post, if anything is useful, STEAL IT AND MAKE IT YOUR OWN. Long version here - https://www.programmablemutter.com/p/trump-is-weaponizing-financial-payments - summarized takeaways below.

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speedofdebbie.bsky.social•8 days ago

📌

reddirtmermaid.bsky.social•8 days ago

They've corrupted a feature/system designed to stop fraud. I've used this exact process more times than I can count to help get funds back to a victim before they dissipate. Like everything else DOGE touches, I'm not certain there's a simple solution.

pdambournet.bsky.social•8 days ago

💯

danaaddydesigns.bsky.social•8 days ago

📌

editer.bsky.social•8 days ago

📌

himself.bsky.social•8 days ago

2. The Trump administration has moved from weaponizing internal payments systems within Treasury to weaponizing the private banking system. We know of two cases so far. It has grabbed $80 million from New York, and wants to do the same for $20 billion in funds given by the EPA to 8 organizations.

himself.bsky.social•8 days ago

3. Citibank apparently handed the $80 million back without even notifying the New York comptroller. That is Not Good. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/a-valentine-for-vladimir?open=false#%C2%A7musk-and-the-great-citibank-heist

himself.bsky.social•8 days ago

4. So how should we understand this? As I argue, on the basis of work with @abenewman.bsky.social , it is weaponizing payment systems that are ordinarily completely boring (you send money from point A to point B and don't have to think about them) and making them political.

himself.bsky.social•8 days ago

5. The payments that the administration is clawing back don't appear to have been irregular or unlawful. It is just that Trump people/Elon Musk don't like them. Also, folks like Chris Rufo want to defund the non-profit sector, which they see as the Enemy. This is an easy way to do it ...

himself.bsky.social•8 days ago

6. working around the ordinary blocks and the fact that Congress, under the constitution, is supposed to have the power of the purse. So what do you do? Based on the work of Patrick McKenzie (who is well to my right politically - he may or may not agree with the specifics ), the following.

himself.bsky.social•8 days ago

7. If you have a bank account, put pressure on the bank as follows. Don't go to customer support (they are trained to avoid escalating), and your bank branch is not much better. Go instead to the bank's website. Look for addresses for investor relations, the bank's president etc.

capitolmuckrakr.bsky.social•8 days ago

📌

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