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.
Tesla Fired Dozens of Autopilot Workers the Day After a Union Drive Started
Fired employees at Elon Musk’s company say the it’s retaliation for organizing.
Bellicose, Antagonistic, Pugnacious: Ron DeSantis Has Declared War on the SATs
After the group that administers the test criticized him, the Florida governor questioned the “need” for SAT tests in his state.
Florida Straight Up Lied About AP African-American Studies Course, College Board Says
“We deeply regret not immediately denouncing the Florida Department of Education’s slander,” the College Board said on Saturday.
Woof! George Santos Has Even More Sketchy Dog-Related Stuff In His Past
Now he’s accused of writing bad checks to an Amish dog breeder.
This School Is Charging Grad Students Thousands of Dollars for Going on Strike
Some students were told they have to come up with $20,000 in tuition—by March 1.
Starbucks Asked a COVID-Positive Employee to Work, Then Fired Him for Tweeting About It
Well over a hundred pro-union Starbucks employees have claimed the company fired them illegally in retaliation for union organizing.
What it's Like When Ron DeSantis Takes Over Your College
Students at Florida’s tiny New College are alarmed by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ hostile takeover—and worry who his next targets will be.
George Santos Accused of Sexually Harassing a Former Aide
Derek Myers claims Santos asked him if he had a Grindr account, and later touched his aide’s inner thigh and groin.
Looks Like Cops Put a Fake MLK Quote on a Police Cruiser for Black History Month
The director of The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University said “we have no record of the maxim.”
Miami Is Celebrating Black History Month With a New Cop Car
Miami-Dade police kicked off Black history Month by unveiling a police cruiser that had been painted with images of raised fists and a map of Africa.
The FBI Is Reportedly Investigating George Santos’s Totally Legit Dog Charity
A veteran who says Santos stole $3,000 in donations meant for his dying service dog handed his text messages with Santos over to the feds.
Alec Baldwin Was ‘Distracted’ on His Phone During ‘Rust’ Gun Training, Prosecutors Say
Alec Baldwin was formally charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter for the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of “Rust” in Oct. 2021.