Paul Blest

Reporter

I'm a reporter based in the South covering labor, politics, and breaking news. I was previously a news editor at Splinter and a reporter at INDY Week, and I cofounded the newsletter Discourse Blog. I've also written for The Nation, The New Republic, In These Times, and more.

Trump

Trump’s Ridiculous CNN Town Hall Proves They Have Learned Nothing

It is insulting to claim CNN’s decision—to air 70 minutes of the former president riffing, lying, and insulting the network’s own moderator—was about anything other than money.
Paul Blest
5.11.23
News

America Is Obsessed With Vigilantism

The mainstream response to the killing of Jordan Neely has been shockingly callous, and it’s part of a growing and disturbing strain of vigilantism.
Paul Blest
5.10.23
News

Republicans Just Banned Montana’s First Trans Legislator From the House Floor

Rep. Zooey Zephyr had been banned from speaking for nearly a week, after saying the GOP would have “blood on their hands” for a ban on transition care for minors.
Paul Blest
4.26.23
News

Republicans Are Trying to Expel the First Trans Legislator in Montana

GOP leaders have refused to recognize Rep. Zooey Zephyr in floor debates after she said they’d have “blood on their hands” for passing a ban on gender-affirming care.
Paul Blest
4.26.23
News

Now Neil Gorsuch Has His Own Mystery Money Scandal

And he likely won’t face any consequences for it!
Paul Blest
4.25.23
News

Texas Agency Threatens to Fire People Who Don’t Dress ‘Consistent With Their Biological Gender’

The internal department memo is just the latest attempt by state officials in Texas to crackdown on trans and gender non-conforming people.
Paul Blest
4.25.23
News

The Cop Who Killed Breonna Taylor Is Now a Sheriff’s Deputy 

“We felt like he was a good candidate to help us in our county,” the new employer said of a cop who was fired after he shot and killed an unarmed woman.
Paul Blest
4.24.23
Tennessee

Republican Who Voted to Kick Out Tennessee 3 Accused of Sexually Harassing a Teen Intern

The student reportedly said in the email that Campbell made repeated sexual comments and “grabbed me around my neck.”
Paul Blest
4.21.23
News

The Florida GOP Wants to Keep DeSantis’ Taxpayer-Funded Jet Flights a Secret

The Florida Legislature is set to shield the governor’s official travel records from public records laws as his presidential campaign looms. 
Paul Blest
4.20.23
News

The GOP Kicked Justin Jones Out of the Tennessee House. Two Days Later, He’s Back.

Rep. Justin Jones was sworn in last night, and a vote on the seat vacated by former Rep. Justin Pearson is set for Wednesday.
Paul Blest
4.11.23
News

Greg Abbott Says He’ll Pardon a Man Who Killed a BLM Protester, Before He’s Even Sentenced

The Texas governor hasn’t handed out many pardons in nearly a decade in office, but says he will approve this one “as soon as it hits [his] desk.”
Paul Blest
4.10.23
News

Why the Hell Is It So Hard to Get Adderall Right Now?

The shortage announced in October is still ongoing, and it’s making patients, providers, and psychiatrists’ lives much more difficult.
Paul Blest
Sam Eagan
4.10.23
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