Mark Norton

🇺🇦🇨🇦🇬🇱

[Ryan Grim @ryangrim]

It's kind of wild to find out that the Republican in the NYT story that says she had a toxic relationship with Graham Platner is Lyndsey Fifield. Having been in DC for too long, I know a decent number of people who know her quite well. For a long time she was the co-host of a podcast with her best friend Bethany Mandel, called Ladybrains, though she has also worked for multiple super PACs, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Heritage Foundation.

Some background, presented without judgment: In 2014, Fifield began work as digital director for American Action Network, a Republican Super PAC that oversees House races. The next year she became social media manager for the Heritage Foundation, where she stayed for the next seven years.

In 2022, she joined the Super PAC backing Nikki Haley for president, switching to the official campaign side the next year, and staying until the campaign flamed out. She now lists herself as a visiting fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum, a prominent dark money group that is best known for helping usher Brett Kavanaugh on to the Supreme Court and giving Susan Collins the talking points she needed to make her decisive speech in his favor.

The NYT breezed past all this, saying she was "a Virginia conservative who has worked for right-leaning groups and Republican campaigns."

In an interview for a news outlet called Red Alert Politics that named her to a “30 under 30” list back in 2016, she said that she wanted to “emulate the late conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart’s approach to online activism.” Breitbart, known for pushing the boundaries when it came to political combat, is perhaps best remembered for having exposed Anthony Weiner’s penchant for sending nudes to young girls, and for his work elevating James O’Keefe.

That she worked for Independent Women's Forum recently is even wilder since IWF played a critical role in Kavanaugh's confirmation and in persuading Collins to support it.

Heather Higgins, chair of IWF, laid out the group’s role in a talk several years ago. “We wrote a memo. It was used by a lot of members of the Senate and the House, Fox News, and elsewhere. Most important, Susan Collins told me that without that memo, she would not see how to support him,” Higgins said. “And if you look at the speech she gave on the Senate floor, it’s entirely the playing out and architecture of how we said to structure the argument — what to say and how to say it, which is just so gratifying. We’re watching TV and we’re like, ‘That’s ours! That’s ours!’”

Meanwhile, the timeline Fifield gives of their relationship is confusing, because during at least some of that time she was actually dating a different person, her longterm boyfriend who became her fiancee before she called off the wedding in 2018. We all know this because she and Mandel did a podcast episode on it that went mega-viral in Republican circles back then. Apparently this is the kind of thing the NYT thinks is important now, so I guess it requires more reporting. I'll report back.

Here is Heather Higgins celebrating IWF's role in getting Susan Collins to confirm Kavanaugh:

[Joe G @EastEndJoe]

2 mins and 47 seconds well spent. 👇

[Meidas_Charise Lee @charise_lee]

84 years later. That note was haunting. This administration clearly did not attend a single history class‼️

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

🚨NEW: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has rejected the Trump Administration’s offer of federal funding in exchange for aligning with Trump’s agenda. This is the first university to do so.

RETWEET to thank MIT President Sally Kornbluth for standing up to Trump!

[Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @DisavowTrump20]

🚨NEW: Department of Justice Attorney Maya Song has been fired for telling the Trump Administration there was insufficient evidence to indict James Comey.

RETWEET if you stand with Song against Trump!

[Boston 25 News @boston25]

Boston mayoral candidates speaking following results of preliminary election https://t.co/72eZbmYOva

[Caolan @CaolanReports]

My videos like this would reach a million views in hours until recently because manchild Elon has deboosted me.

That’s fine because the truth still sees light, I’ve had 10 million views on YouTube & Instagram this month instead so please follow me there 🫡🇺🇦❤️

[Mark Norton @MNorton99]

🇺🇦

[MIT Urban Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social @MITdusp]

Please join us in celebrating the life, achievements, impact, & legacy of Mel King, a professor emeritus, renowned activist, community leader, & politician, who passed away on March 28, 2023 at the age of 94.

https://t.co/wPmlhERSSH

[President Biden Archived @POTUS46Archive]

We cannot allow an out-of-control Supreme Court and Republican elected officials push an extreme agenda that takes away freedoms and personal autonomy.

[Adam Gaffin @universalhub]

No Nazi Homophobes in Jamaica Plain rally on Saturday https://t.co/YKj4BQMkKq

[Mark Norton @MNorton99]

https://t.co/k5e8spPTQk

[Occupy Democrats @OccupyDemocrats]

BREAKING NEWS: The city of Boston announces that it will now begin banning the unvaccinated from entering all restaurants, bars, nightclubs, sports arenas, fitness centers, movie theaters, concert venues, museums, and entertainment venues. RT IF YOU SUPPORT BOSTON’S DECISION!

[NEIYA @NEIYAweb]

NEIYA Annual Event is ON For Oct 23th https://t.co/Oz46WeD2os

[Mark Norton @MNorton99]

@_MsBravo_ @JerryCraft What is the list of books in your bracket?

[Cleveland Monsters @monstershockey]

Our panel conversation features:

‣ Creator of Soul On Ice @kwamster007

‣ @NHL's VP of Community Development & Growth Jeff Scott

‣ Euclid-native hockey pro @SportBlake

and is moderated by Cavaliers VP of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement @kevinlclayton.

[Mark Norton @MNorton99]

🖤RBG

[Mark Norton @MNorton99]

🖤

[Live @Live]

https://t.co/Gtc9HXoLyW

[Adam Parkhomenko @AdamParkhomenko]

this is one of the most powerful ads i have ever watched