Post 4 of 4:

Done with figuring out what's not posting, but the roundup not covered is (you can search any of these directly):

Iran says does not trust US as Trump toughens terms.

Trump and Netanyahu Are Clashing Over How to End the Iran War.

Iran declares support for Hezbollah with wider peace deal in doubt.

Four Republicans Rebuke Trump as House Passes Iran War Powers Resolution

2 Trump supporters wounded at Butler sue federal government.
“Two Trump supporters who were wounded during the Butler, Pennsylvania, assassination attempt against then-candidate Donald Trump in 2024 are suing the federal government for negligence around security for the event.
“James Copenhaver and David Dutch, two Pennsylvania residents who attended the July 2024 Trump rally, are seeking damages from the federal government after they were shot. Both claimed that the Secret Service’s failure to properly secure the rally made the U.S. government liable for their injuries.
Copenhaver was shot twice and admitted for emergency surgery for injuries to his abdomen, spine and left arm, his attorneys wrote in the lawsuit.
Dutch was also shot and suffered “severe, serious, permanent and grievous injuries,” according to his lawsuit. Both men are still rehabilitating from their injuries.”
https://apple.news/AtQoX7R2dQuaw3yAQbD6ClA


Inflation is squeezing American consumers and the Fed's latest report shows it's getting worse.
“Consumer prices up 3.8% year-over-year in April, nearly double the Fed's 2% long-term target of inflation.”
https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/inflation-squeezing-american-consumers-feds-latest-report-shows-its-getting-worse


Trump's 'big beautiful bill' has a 'double taxation' trap for top earners, tax lawyers say.
“The "one big beautiful bill" came with many tax benefits for top earners, despite limiting how much they can deduct. However, lawyers for the wealthy said they have discovered a surprise buried in the footnotes of a tax law guide released last week by Congress' policy staff that could amount to double taxation.
The deduction cap is imposed on trusts and estates, the lawyers said, which was unexpected. Even if a trust gave all its income to its beneficiaries, it would have to pay taxes on a portion of that income, according to the lawyers' interpretation of the document.
While the consequences are steeper for trusts and estates of the ultra-wealthy, trusts with as little as $16,000 in income would also be subject to additional taxes, the lawyers said.”
https://apple.news/AD-YJ1IzlQcOjhMK6II6z4A


Americans Are Falling Behind on Their $1.25 Trillion Credit-Card Bill.
“Soaring interest rates and stubborn inflation have led to highest delinquencies since the financial crisis; ‘a pattern of survival debt’”
https://apple.news/Aacae2oeDRDa1YRVWdbPemQ


Amanda McGonigle, creator of JD Vance troll site @catsonacouch, is suing the Vice President after his Secret Service barred her from entering an official public event of his that she registered for after being told her content was problematic.
Refer to her IG.

LOL: Susie Wiles, Mr. Trump’s chief of staff, recently advised Mr. Vance to take a break from social media, as have other officials in the West Wing.

Bizarre Trump Oval Office Moments Lead To 25th Amendment Call.

LOL: Milli Vanilli—one of the last holdouts—changes tune on Freedom 250 concerts, says he too Is quitting the ‘Circus,’ after Trump’s tirade against artists.

Post 3 of x:

Four Senate Republicans again unite with Dems to block Trump's SAVE America Act.
“Four Senate Republicans broke ranks to kill another effort to pass President Donald Trump's marquee voter ID and election integrity legislation as the GOP marches to fund immigration enforcement. 
Just like last time, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Thom Tills, R-N.C., joined all Democrats to thwart the move.
It’s the second attempt by Republicans to attach the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to their budget reconciliation package, and the second time that they’ve failed to get the legislation across the line months after launching a quasi-floor takeover to debate the bill.”
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/four-senate-republicans-unite-dems-block-trumps-save-america-act


Albanians protest over Kushner-linked luxury resort on pristine coastline.
“Thousands of Albanians took to the streets of Tirana on Tuesday night protesting against ‌a development planned by a company linked with Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner on an environmentally sensitive part of the Adriatic coast.
The €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) resort is being led by Kushner's investment firm Affinity Partners on an island off Albania and an undeveloped stretch of coastline near the Vjosa-Narta protected landscape, a wetland home to flamingos, seals and sea turtle nesting sites.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/albanians-protest-over-kushner-linked-luxury-resort-pristine-coastline-2026-06-03/


ICE agent charged in shooting of Venezuelan immigrant during Operation Metro Surge arrested in Texas.
““shooting a Venezuelan immigrant in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge and lying about the circumstances has been arrested in Harlingen, Texas, after Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents tracked him there.
Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody Friday by Texas Rangers who executed the nationwide arrest warrant issued for Castro by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office last week.”
https://apple.news/A78Vgp3WsQYuq5PVGeRH1mA


James Comey seashell case prosecutor suddenly steps down, assistant US attorney steps in—A notice of substitution filed Friday does not explain attorney Matthew Petracca's departure.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/james-comey-86-47-seashell-case-prosecutor-suddenly-steps-down-assistant-us-attorney-steps


Federal Judge Bars National Park Service from Removing Anti-Trump Flag from Demonstration Near White House.
https://www.acludc.org/press-releases/judge-bars-park-service-removing-flag-demonstration/

post 2 of x:

DC National Guard surge didn’t reduce violent crime: Research
"The nearly 10-month presence of National Guard troops in Washington has not helped reduce violent crime in the nation’s capital, according to a new study from the Niskanen Center, a Washington policy think tank. 
While the guard’s presence in Washington helped drive down some crime — including a 24 percent decline in opportunistic property crime — the report found it is not the correct tool for violent offenses and comes at a far higher cost than traditional police law enforcement.”
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5905888-national-guard-dc-crime-study/


A Horrific Parasite (the screwworm!) Is Back—And Elon Musk's DOGE Could Be Partly To Blame.
“Prior to the parasites’ U.S. eradication in the 1970s, they caused tens of millions of dollars in losses to cattle ranchers yearly.
Roughly two months before the suspension, the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency gutted the United States Agency for International Development, which included a program dedicated to preventing the spread of the parasite across the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a report from Agri-Pulse published last March, which cited a list of cut programs sent to Congress.
The screwworm prevention program was part of roughly 5,300 grants and programs cut from USAID. The program also monitored outbreaks of avian flu in Asia, according to the report.”


Trump’s Grip on GOP Weakens as He Suffers Shock Defeat in Iowa.
“A candidate backed by President Donald Trump suffered a narrow primary defeat to a rival backed by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement—marking the first loss for a Trump-endorsee in the 2026 midterms election cycle.
Representative Randy Feenstra conceded the Republican primary for Iowa’s next governor to businessman and farmer Zach Lahn on Tuesday night.”
https://apple.news/A4Jakw5zgRuSGgKIOY6U4pQ


Bannon: GOP ‘going to lose the Senate’ in midterms.
“Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon predicted this week that the Republican Party will lose its majority in the Senate in the midterm elections this fall. 
In a Thursday episode of his “War Room” podcast, the conservative commentator said he has witnessed a deflation in excitement from GOP voters ahead of the November elections “because now it has to be a showdown.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5910570-bannon-predicts-gop-senate-loss/?tbref=hp


Tech ‘got spank—’ in this week’s primaries—Tech is poised to suffer more electoral defeats this summer in New York, Florida and elsewhere, where industry detractors are frontrunners in their upcoming primaries.
“The anti-tech mood is rising across the U.S., with the California results just the latest demonstration of populist opposition. Voters are angry about water and energy-hungry data centers in their communities, and parents are concerned that chatbots are harming their children. Tech is poised to suffer more electoral defeats this summer in New York, Florida and elsewhere, where detractors challenging the industry are frontrunners in their upcoming primaries.”
https://apple.news/AfCvY96tbRc-54Peyg0xO7w


Mike Lindell, the My Pillow Guy election conspiracist, loses GOP endorsement in Minnesota governor’s race.
“Mike Lindell, the My Pillow Guy who’s long worked feverishly to throw the 2020 election to Donald Trump, may be out of the running for the GOP nomination in the Minnesota governor’s race. 
At the Republican Party’s state convention this weekend, where members cast ballots for the party’s official endorsements, Lindell came in third place among gubernatorial candidates, which removed him from eligibility for the endorsement. 
This means that Lindell – a politician notorious for conspiring with Trump to stir 2020 election conspiracies – won’t be on the ticket as the state’s GOP-picked runner. He can continue campaigning to win the August primary, but it will be without the full support of the Minnesota Republican Party.”
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/mike-lindell-the-my-pillow-guy-election-conspiracist-loses-gop-endorsement-in-minnesota-governors-race/


New York Democrats take first step toward drawing new congressional lines ahead of 2028.
“The Democratic-led state Legislature on Wednesday night took its first step toward passing a constitutional amendment that would give lawmakers more authority on redistricting. Legislators must pass the amendment again next year before going to voters for final approval.
If the amendment clears these hurdles, New York lawmakers could draw a new map with as many as four new Democratic-leaning seats ahead of the 2028 elections.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/new-york-democrats-first-step-new-congressional-map-2028-rcna348344


Arizona AG will seek to revive 2020 ‘fake elector’ case.
“The Arizona attorney general’s office said on Thursday that it will seek fresh indictments against a group of so-called fake electors after the state’s highest court refused to revive the 2020 election subversion case.
“The Arizona Attorney General’s Office will return this case to the grand jury,” a spokesperson for Attorney General Kris Mayes’s (D) office said in a statement to The Hill. “We decline to comment further at this time.”
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5911038-fake-electors-case-arizona-ag/


Judge blocks series of Trump policies halting immigration processing.
“A federal judge on Friday vacated a series of President Trump’s policies enacted in the wake of a deadly attack on National Guard members, forcing immigration agencies to again process applications from citizens of nearly 40 countries.
In the days surrounding last Thanksgiving, Trump barred the processing of any immigration application for those from 39 travel ban countries, halting the ability to get green cards and leading to widespread cancellation of naturalization ceremonies.”
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5912086-immigration-applications-trump-policies-vacated/

Thanks pps!

This is post 1 of X today -- I'm having a terrible time posting this week's and got blocked yesterday. But, it was a no good, very bad week for Trump et al...

Trump’s $1.8 Billion Settlement Fund Sparks Alarm Inside White House.
“President Trump’s top aides have discussed whether he should kill the administration’s nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund in exchange for getting immigration enforcement funding passed next month, according to people familiar with the matter.
More than a dozen Republican senators have privately urged top Trump aides to drop the fund since its creation last week, said people familiar with the outreach, including Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who is usually supportive of the president’s efforts. ”
https://apple.news/AeRIH8OLPQwiabjW2nJx1Zw

...so TACO time…Trump administration retreated on payout fund, but some in GOP want proof it’s dead.
“The Justice Department backed off a court fight over the nearly $1.8 billion fund for alleged victims of unfair prosecution. Republican senators say a pause isn’t a promise.”
https://apple.news/AMgYexGSJSlKkmkTVZbaJUg


House passes Democratic bill to aid Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia.
“The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., seeks to cement U.S. assistance for Ukraine by providing more than $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid. It would make another $8 billion available for Ukraine's defense through loans.
The 226-195 vote is a sign of impatience with President Donald Trump's approach to the war and represents the House's second major foreign policy break with Trump this week. The day before, the House, for the first time, approved a war powers resolution aimed at halting U.S. military action against Iran .
Supporters were able to force action on the Ukraine bill by gathering 218 signatures on a discharge petition, a legislative tool that allows a majority of the House to effectively bypass leadership.”
https://apple.news/AVa494m76TbChaxJ6ryWI8A


A Federal Judge Just Kicked Pete Hegseth’s A— in an Immensely Satisfying Decision—The Secretary of Talking About War’s pogrom against trans people in the military was rightfully smacked down.
“Here’s what His Honor Judge Robert Wilkins had to say:
“In this litigation, the government has not attempted to defend or provide any factual basis for these disparaging characterizations of American citizens. Indeed, the government has not contested that the Plaintiff-Appellees who are currently serving (and who have collectively earned more than 80 commendations) have served honorably and pose no threat to national security, even though they happen to be transgender and have suffered from gender dysphoria.”
…
“I conclude that the Hegseth Policy is both arbitrary and based upon animus, and for those reasons the Policy violates Plaintiff-Appellees’ constitutional right to equal protection of the law.”
In other words, you’re a bigot, and you should shut your gob and have a seat. And so should your boss.”
https://apple.news/Ar0lEP3m-TEex5oAcaYCEQg


Trump says Bill Pulte will serve only in an acting capacity as DNI—The controversial pick drew bipartisan pushback when Trump announced he would nominate him to the position permanently.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-says-bill-pulte-will-only-serve-acting-capacity-dni-rcna348560

…and uh oh…3 GOP senators vote to bar Pulte from serving as temporary director of national intelligence.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5911098-amendment-vote-pulte-dni/


Trump’s name is disappearing from more than just the Kennedy Center—Lawyers are ordering staff to remove Trump from email signatures, letterhead, webpages, brochures, promotional materials, press releases, signs, and more.
https://apple.news/AplDsOtFkQNG4Q_HlXh0E1g

Anonymous wrote:I ALWAYS appreciate your posts, OP!!!

I second that.

Anonymous wrote:I ALWAYS appreciate your posts, OP!!!

A master chronicler! 👏🏼OP👏🏼

I ALWAYS appreciate your posts, OP!!!

Post 2 of 2 today — had a problem link or word. TGIF!



A federal judge on Tuesday blocked restrictions imposed by the Trump administration that prevent faculty at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (USMA) from speaking to external groups without permission.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5896734-federal-judge-blocks-trump-era-restrictions/


Even the Ronald Reagan Institute doesn’t believe the ‘waste, fraud and abuse’ baloney.
“Have you heard? Even the organization created to continue Ronald Reagan’s life work has now admitted that we cannot rescue Social Security, rescue Medicare or bring the federal deficit under control by eliminating supposed trillions of dollars of “waste, fraud and abuse.”
“Voters continue to believe that federal spending consists of vastly more waste, fraud and abuse than researchers and auditors have heretofore been able to identify,” reports the Reagan Institute in its latest national economic survey.
“‘Waste, fraud and abuse’ are notoriously difficult to define, much less measure,” the institute admits. “Most analysts believe that improper payments and fraud cost the federal government several hundreds of billions of dollars annually. A 2024 report by the Government Accountability Office estimated that between 3% and 7% of federal spending was lost to fraud, and annual estimates of federal overpayments come close to $200 billion.”
https://apple.news/AnsnKGygLS4qpXpzi0wiBjQ


Key inflation gauge worsens as Americans' income and spending power erodes.
“Thursday's inflation report also showed that in addition to gasoline, prices for groceries, clothing and electricity are also on the rise, indicating that inflation may be growing more entrenched. Inflation is notably above the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, which means Fed policymakers may decide to forego any cuts to their key short-term interest rate this year. Some officials have signaled that the central bank's most substantial move under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh could be a rate hike, rather than a cut.
Yet Trump and some his top officials are showing little concern about higher prices and the impact of the Iran war on Americans' financial health.”
https://apple.news/ACHhVeLYSTeq6B42OqVX4dA


This Summer’s Teen Job Market Is the Toughest in DECADES.
“All signs point to this summer being the worst for teen employment since 1948, when the federal government started tracking the data, as rising inflation and higher fuel prices squeeze the small businesses and restaurants that typically hire them, says Andy Challenger, who tracks workplace trends for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement firm.
…
Challenger projects that teens will get a total of 790,000 jobs in May, June and July. If the firm’s predictions come true, it would be the lowest summer-hiring total for teens in nearly 80 years. Last summer, teen jobs plunged by more than 25% from a year earlier to 801,000. The jobs filled last year were down from 2022, 2023 and 2024, when more teens worked coming out of the pandemic and there were more jobs for them.”
https://apple.news/AVfat7jgLSGCK-pK5KQkyog


One Million New-Car Buyers Are Gone and They’re Not Coming Back Soon.
““Until recently, auto executives, analysts and economists believed that U.S. new-car sales were on a steady climb back to volumes last seen before the pandemic closed factories and scrambled global supply chains.
That’s no longer the case. General Motors, Ford Motor, Toyota and other automakers have said they are planning for sales of new cars to shrink or stagnate this year after consumers—stung by persistent inflation, rising fuel prices and high interest rates—are balking at prices that have risen to around $50,000 on average. ”
https://apple.news/A8HV-04QARJW_T5VZK99xag


Food insecurity affects more families now than during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
https://apple.news/AN2YePArmSKqDwvxpSRyAvw


SNAP Benefits: Fresh Fruit, Vegetable Funding Cut in Missouri.
“The Double Up Food Bucks program doubles the value of SNAP benefits spent on fruits and vegetables and is available at more than 70 grocery stores and farmers markets across Missouri.
However, Missouri lawmakers eliminated $2 million in state funding for the program as part of a broader $50.7-billion state budget.”
https://www.newsweek.com/snap-benefits-fresh-fruit-vegetable-funding-cut-in-missouri-12004107


Consumer Sentiment Drops to a Record Low.
“The University of Michigan's closely watched consumer sentiment index fell to 44.8 in May, down from April's already record-low of 49.8, reports the Wall Street Journal. Respondents cited higher gas prices, tensions in the Middle East, and the strain of day-to-day costs. Lower-income households and those without college degrees were especially negative, often pointing to damage to their personal finances.”
https://www.newser.com/story/389858/consumer-sentiment-hits-a-record-low.html


Factions inside the Trump administration wrestle over how to handle AI.
“President Donald Trump’s sudden decision to scrap an AI executive order on May 21 has exposed a rift within the White House on how to regulate the emerging technology.
There are three main camps in the West Wing, per two senior White House officials, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive internal dynamics. The first, which includes former AI czar David Sacks, favors less regulation to help the industry compete against China. It was Sacks who called the president last week and derailed the EO at the last minute due to industry concerns that the order could be too onerous for the relatively nascent industry.
…
Hegseth and Michael are among the “AI hawks who are afraid of it, who think that it could be exploited for nefarious purposes, who want to make sure that we do everything we can to make sure it [doesn’t] go to China,” the first senior White House official said.
Then, according to the White House officials, there’s the middle ground camp involving chief of staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who have pushed for a regulatory framework in which AI companies voluntarily provide the U.S. government first glance at its new models.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/21/trump-ai-order-sacks-00933295


From Texas To New York, Resistance To Data Centers Is Growing.
“Policy action appears to be shifting alongside public sentiment. A recent Gallup Poll found that seven in 10 Americans object to building artificial intelligence data centers in their community.”
https://www.newsweek.com/resistance-data-centers-growing-12002472


Starbucks scraps AI inventory tool across North America: Reuters.
“Starbucks SBUX.O terminated a worker-facing AI program for automating inventory counts this week, nine months after deploying it across its North American stores, according to an internal newsletter reviewed by Reuters and two people with direct knowledge of the situation.
The tool was part of CEO Brian Niccol’s efforts to fix the coffee chain’s persistent product shortages that he has blamed for hurting sales.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/21/starbucks-scraps-ai-inventory-tool-across-north-america.html


Florida biologist fired over Charlie Kirk post after his death wins $485K settlement.
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/florida-biologist-fired-over-charlie-kirk-post-after-his-death-wins-485k-settlement/3812344/


It took a while, but Kristi Noem has finally left her waterfront Coast Guard home.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/took-while-kristi-noem-finally-193423900.html


Thomas Massie files to run in 2028 after losing to Trump pick Ed Gallrein.
“Kentucky conservative says ‘I haven’t made a final decision about which office to seek, if I run’
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/26/thomas-massie-run-2028


LOSER: Trump Accused of Falling Asleep Again, His Team Hits Back With Blinking Posts.
“The footage, from the May 25 observance at Arlington National Cemetery, circulated widely online and prompted fresh debate about the 79‑year‑old president’s stamina—particularly as it came just one day before a scheduled medical exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.”
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-accused-falling-asleep-again-team-hits-back-blinking-posts-12002702


LOL: People Are Absolutely Roasting MAGA After They Threw A Tantrum Over Dems Calling Stephen Miller An "Ugly F—“
https://apple.news/A2antJBXyR0CIuUbaP3JwaQ

Iran has hit far more U.S. military assets than reported, satellite images show.
“Imagery published by Iranian state-affiliated media and verified by The Post shows damage to at least 228 structures or pieces of equipment at U.S. military sites.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/05/06/iran-us-bases-satellite-images/


Trump’s Pressure Had Little Effect on Iran’s Terms for a Peace Deal.
“Since President Trump announced a cease-fire with Iran in April, he has sought to force Tehran to accept his terms for a peace deal with a mixture of threats and limited military operations.
But more than a month later, the contours of a deal emerging this week to end the war reflected how Mr. Trump’s pressure campaign does not appear to have decisively shifted Iran’s stance on its nuclear program.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/world/middleeast/iran-deal-trump-pressure.html


FAFO: Trump Says ‘I Don’t Care About the Midterms’ Over Iran War.
“Trump’s remarks arrive as polling shows Americans increasingly uneasy about the war in Iran and its economic impact. Slipping support for Trump amid the conflict could dampen turnout and complicate efforts to defend vulnerable seats for Republicans as Democrats make opposition to the war central to their midterm message.”
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-says-i-dont-care-about-the-midterms-over-iran-war-what-polls-show-12000098


Trump keeps claiming victory in Iran. Our new poll shows voters aren’t buying it.
“New results from The POLITICO Poll show that support for military action is weak — just 38 percent of Americans back the strikes — and views remain largely unchanged from the days following the joint U.S.-Israel strikes, even as the administration has now had weeks to make its case.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/17/trump-iran-war-poll-voters-midterms-00877754


States Threaten to Tax Trump Anti-Weaponization Funds.
“California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that his state could impose a 100 percent tax on payments distributed from President Donald Trump’s controversial “anti-weaponization fund."
The move escalates a growing effort by Democratic-led states and federal lawmakers to block or claw back payouts they argue could reward Trump allies, including some tied to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol waged by his supporters. New proposals in California, New York and Congress could leave recipients with no financial benefit and trigger legal fights over the scope of state and federal tax powers.”
https://www.newsweek.com/states-tax-trump-anti-weaponization-fund-newsom-new-york-12000917


Megyn Kelly, New York Post call out Trump over IRS slush fund, 'corruption’—You know the optics are pretty bad when even the people usually defending President Trump are starting to ring the alarm.
https://apple.news/AduQRku78SUixzp68pewxrw


Appeals court lets Raskin oppose DOJ bid to vacate Jan. 6 convictions.
“The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has granted Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat and former Trump impeachment manager, amicus curiae status in cases involving the DOJ’s motion to vacate seditious conspiracy convictions for Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders. This allows a formal dissenting voice in proceedings where the DOJ now supports dismissal. The court vacated prior district court rulings and ordered reconsideration of all arguments in multiple consolidated cases.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/appeals-court-lets-raskin-oppose-doj-bid-to-vacate-jan-6-convictions/gm-GM6A47BE73?gemSnapshotKey=GM6A47BE73-snapshot-9&ocid=windirect


House Democrats announce bill to block construction of Trump’s arch.
“The Democrats’ bill faces long odds in Congress, where Republican leaders have hesitated to publicly oppose Trump’s construction projects. But some Republicans have begun to signal concerns about Trump’s swift remaking of Washington and have balked at committing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to security-related costs for his planned White House ballroom.
Democrats have also said they will prioritize investigating and halting Trump’s planned construction projects if they retake one or both chambers of Congress after November’s midterm elections.”
https://apple.news/AKYJQOIzmQ7GMgOSUWCxejQ


The nonpartisan Cook Political Report nudged its rating for the contest from "likely Republican" to "lean Republican" on Tuesday after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ousted Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP runoff.
https://www.newser.com/story/389932/texas-prediction-changes-to-lean-gop-after-paxton-win.html


Paxton win sparks GOP money panic.
“Republicans are bracing for a Texas-sized cash drain.
After Attorney General Ken Paxton’s win over Sen. John Cornyn on Tuesday, nine state and national GOP strategists and donors told POLITICO they fear that their already record-breaking Senate primary will become an even more costly general election campaign — one that siphons party resources from key battlegrounds.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/28/republicans-texas-money-concerns-battlegrounds-00939207


Angry protests erupt outside New Jersey ICE facility.
“The New Jersey protests are in response to allegations that detainees at the ICE immigration detention center are being held in dire conditions, with food containing m*ggots.”
https://apple.news/AIteT0qX-RQya5lSpfR-LAQ


Judge dismisses charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying Todd Blanche spurred a ‘tainted investigation’.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/22/politics/judge-dismisses-charges-against-kilmar-abrego-garcia


Crimes involving fake ICE agents are on the rise and becoming ‘much more aggressive and violent’
“A Noticias Telemundo investigation documented a marked increase in cases of people posing as federal agents to rob, intimidate and even injure or rape immigrants.”
https://apple.news/AKPYvcsNVSxKSIzi5_W-u2A

House Republicans on Thursday delayed a vote on a war powers resolution that would restrict Trump’s ability to continue U.S. military operations in Iran after it became clear that the legislation would pass.
“Lawmakers will have to vote on the resolution in June, however, after they return from their Memorial Day recess.
Congressional support for the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which Trump launched on Feb. 28 without lawmakers’ approval, has been slipping even among Republicans as the conflict disrupts global energy supplies and sends U.S. gas prices soaring.”
https://apple.news/AGRtoDD31RfGNQRPA43JbXg


Fuming at Trump over 'slush fund,' Senate GOP skips town without passing ICE bill.
“Fuming about President Donald Trump's nearly $1.8 billion Justice Department fund that could compensate his allies, Senate Republicans derailed a massive immigration enforcement bill and left town until early June.
Unease about the so-called "anti-weaponization fund" reached a fever pitch during a Thursday morning meeting with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The DOJ's top lawyer was summoned to the Capitol to assuage lawmakers' concerns with what Democrats have characterized as a "slush fund" that may dole out money to individuals involved in the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/05/21/senate-gop-doj-trump-weaponization-fund-ice-funding-bill/90198509007/


Bipartisan House effort aims to kill ‘anti-weaponization’ fund.
“A bipartisan House effort is afoot to kill the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created by the Justice Department that could pay allies of President Donald Trump, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss the effort ahead of a formal announcement.
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) have drafted text and are taking steps to unveil the legislation soon, the people said.
Speaker Mike Johnson raised the level of urgency to block the fund among some congressional skeptics when he refused to say Wednesday whether violent Jan. 6 convicts should have access to the taxpayer money.”
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/05/21/congress/fitzpatrick-suozzi-weaponization-fund-00931761


Officers who defended Capitol from rioters sue to block payouts from $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund.
“Two police officers who helped defend the U.S. Capitol from an attack by a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters sued on Wednesday to block anyone — including Jan. 6, 2021, rioters — from receiving payouts from a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for people who claim to be victims of politically motivated prosecutions.
…
More than 100 police officers were injured during the Capitol riot. Nearly 1,600 people were charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, but Trump used his pardon powers to erase all of those cases in a sweeping act of clemency last year.”
https://apple.news/ANBMgJ17CSQy6WUQJL2z6tA


In blow to Trump, Republicans ready to scrap $1B for ballroom security.
“Some Republican senators expressed unease about the funding, which would have forced a difficult vote for some ahead of the midterm elections on a ballroom Democrats have slammed as a Trump vanity project.
Complicating matters further, the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, ruled the security funding can't be included in the reconciliation bill ‒ which Trump wants Republicans to pass along party lines with a simple majority ‒ and instead needs 60 votes for approval. That would mean some Democrats would need to vote for it.”
https://apple.news/AYp2P4me-Qm2erBJbiDOjuw


Republicans can’t get traction on affordability legislation.
“Republicans believe they’ve already taken some steps to address cost-of-living concerns, including the tax cuts included in last year’s “big, beautiful bill” that they hope Americans are beginning to feel benefits from.
…
The issue for congressional Republicans is that many of the ideas currently being batted around to address high prices divide their ranks, giving them an unclear path to Trump’s desk.”
https://apple.news/AyODUuVy7TgCzYe_-G-MTbw


TACO Time: Trump's Reversal on China Buying U.S. Farmland Angers MAGA Supporters.
“During his 2024 campaign for the White House, then-candidate Donald Trump repeatedly pledged to block Chinese nationals and companies from purchasing U.S. farmland as part of his “America First” agenda, and shortly after winning a second term, his Administration moved aggressively to curtail Chinese student visas. 
Today, however, President Trump has reversed course on both issues, a development that threatens to isolate many in his base who view China as an existential threat to U.S. sovereignty. Trump’s pivot on the issues was drawn into focus following his visit to Beijing this week for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.”
https://time.com/article/2026/05/17/Chinese-farmland-trump-students/


Close advisers to President Trump fear the biggest substantive result of the China summit is heightened danger that Chinese President Xi Jinping will invade Taiwan in the next five years, potentially choking off the chips used to power AI to U.S. companies.
https://www.axios.com/2026/05/17/trump-xi-summit-china-taiwan-invasion


Trump DOJ loses in Maine, Wisconsin as courts rebuff demand for voter rolls—Thursday’s dismissals bring the DOJ’s record to 0-8 out of 31 lawsuits brought against states and Washington, D.C. 
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-doj-loses-in-maine-wisconsin-as-courts-rebuff-demand-for-voter-rolls/


WSJ Editorial Board: Trump Has Lost the Governing Plot.
“Republicans don’t want to say this publicly, but privately they do: President Trump’s personal political obsessions are hurting his Presidency, harming the chances for further policy gains the rest of this year, and putting control of the House and Senate in jeopardy.
That’s the backdrop to the GOP revolt this week in Congress on war powers and funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Trump’s unrelated priorities are handing Democrats gift after gift and forcing Republicans to take difficult votes that could cost them in November. His desire for political revenge is also alienating Members of Congress he will need this year.”
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-has-lost-the-governing-plot-4879dd64


Huzzah!: Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum bill fails in House amid Democratic backlash.
“The bill failed by a vote of 204-216, with all Democrats and six Republicans opposing it.
While the bill was originally drafted with strong bipartisan backing, Democrats peeled away their support after it was amended to allow the president to “designate an alternative site for the Museum within 180 days” of the measure’s enactment. The legislation notes that the museum’s location will be designated as the South Monument site, located on the National Mall.
The amended measure also includes a transgender ban, noting that “the Museum may not identify, present, describe, or otherwise depict any biological male as a female.’’
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5890090-smithsonian-womens-museum-bill/


Federal judge bans ICE arrests in New York City immigration courts.
“Federal agents can no longer make arrests without exceptional circumstances in and around three Manhattan buildings where immigration proceedings occur, a judge ruled.
The decision by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel on Monday brings an abrupt halt to a practice begun under the Trump administration that enabled agents to take into custody individuals who follow requirements to appear before immigration judges.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/federal-judge-bans-ice-arrests-in-new-york-city-immigration-courts/


LOL: The White House plans to start counting people who were quickly removed after crossing the border in its deportation statistics, a change that will put it closer to its goal of one million deportations a year. Why it matters: Republicans fumed that former President Obama was "cooking the books" when he used the same playbook to tout record deportations during his administration.”
https://www.axios.com/2026/05/21/trump-obama-deportations-statistics


Phone data reveals 42% drop in Canadian visits to U.S. last year.
“A study by the University of Toronto suggests a roughly 42% reduction in visits to U.S. cities by residents of Canada last year. The drop — much steeper than official border crossing statistics suggest — is largely attributed to mounting political and trade tension between the two countries.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/canada-us-tourism-travel-decline/


Plans for Australia's first Trump Tower scrapped due to 'toxic' brand, developer says.
“Plans to build a Trump Tower in Australia were scrapped on Wednesday as the developer declared the US president’s brand had become “toxic”.
Altus Property Group had signed a deal for 1.5 billion Australian dollars (£800m) with Donald Trump’s organisation to build a 91-storey hotel and residential tower on an empty block in Surfers Paradise, one of the most popular tourist destinations on Queensland’s Gold Coast.”
https://apple.news/AfrqPViRIQemoRv9sh7TXng


Trump’s plan to use his library as a hotel sparks lawsuit.
“The litigants — who include a current Miami Dade College student — allege that the land transfer violates the Constitution’s domestic emoluments clause, which bars states from attempting to influence a president by giving him gifts. They argue that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and his handpicked board of trustees at the state-operated college were wrong to give a nearly three-acre parcel in downtown Miami to Trump’s library foundation last year in exchange for $10. The county’s property appraiser had said the land was worth more than $67 million.
“With its waterfront views and central location in bustling Downtown Miami, the [Miami Dade College] Parcel would likely sell for over $300 million on the open market, according to local real estate experts,” the litigants wrote of the land. “But President Trump paid nothing for it.”
The lawsuit also cites Trump’s public comments in March that he expects to use his future library, which is being run by a nonprofit foundation, as a hotel.”
https://apple.news/A4jWFa4e1QiGuAU3e70Ujew


A Republican U.S. Senate candidate says noncitizen truckers are making America’s roads unsafe. His own truckers have caused harm.
“ProPublica’s analysis of federal motor vehicle data from the past two years shows that Collins’ business has a higher rate of unsafe driving and speeding violations per mile than the majority of trucking companies with substantial mileage. The analysis also shows that the company’s recent crash rate sits around the median of similar companies, while the rate of injury from those crashes sits in the top fifth.”
https://apple.news/A1VxSZiTzRvOvKHPz5gP8KQ


Amazon is facing a new class action lawsuit accusing the company of failing to refund tariff-related costs it passed on to consumers through higher prices in order to appease the Trump administration.
“Consumers allege in a proposed lawsuit filed in Seattle that the tech giant collected hundreds of millions of dollars in unlawful tariff costs by raising prices on imported goods before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February that President Donald Trump lacked authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose certain tariffs.
While thousands of companies have sought billions of dollars in refunds from the government following the ruling, Amazon has failed to do so, the complaint states, "not because it lacks a legal basis to do so, but because it seeks to curry favor with Trump by allowing the federal government to retain the funds."
https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/amazon-accused-keeping-hundreds-millions-tariff-costs-curry-favor-trump-administration


Data Centers Are Splintering the American Right—Mounting evidence shows that Republican voters are rapidly turning against artificial intelligence.
“In the last week, I’ve seen a surge of Republican politicians pushing to temporarily ban data centers in conservative states. In South Carolina, Representative Nancy Mace, a leading GOP gubernatorial primary candidate, called for a statewide moratorium on new data centers. In Texas, the sitting agriculture commissioner Sid Miller proposed the same for the Lone Star State. Ditto in North Dakota where the idea got backing from a GOP primary candidate for a Public Service Commission seat.
I also witnessed a wave of anti-data center sentiment bursting forth online over the last few weeks. Major figures in the online right like Matt Walsh and Tucker Carlson have been posting videos lambasting the pace and practices of the data center boom, joined by a flood of commentary on YouTube and conservative video platforms like Rumble. On X and Facebook, the right has split into factions with figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene siding with activists while other pundits and personalities play data center defense, mocking critics as misinformed and antithetical to free market conservatism.”
https://heatmap.news/plus/the-fight/spotlight/data-center-backlash-republicans


Inflation rate projected to hit 6% in the second quarter, top economic forecasters say.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/15/inflation-rate-projected-to-hit-6percent-in-the-second-quarter-top-economic-forecasters-say.html


Nearly 800,000 Louisianians voted in the May 16 election, with voters rejecting all five state constitutional amendments put forward by GOP Gov. Jeff Landry.
https://www.wwno.org/politics/2026-05-16/may-16-election-results-louisiana-voters-reject-all-5-amendments-see-full-results


Five Idaho members of an ultra-conservative group of lawmakers, called the Gang of Eight, lost their Republican primary elections…

and…Democrats ran in all Idaho legislative districts, statewide and federal seats.
“This year, at least one Democrat ran in each of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts, for each statewide constitutional office and for all federal seats on the ballot, the Idaho Democratic Party says. That’s out of the 116 Democrats who filed for statewide, federal and legislative offices this year. That’s twice the number of Democrats who ran in Idaho in 2022, when just 58 ran, and up by dozens compared to 2024, when 89 ran, the Democratic Party said.”
https://idahocapitalsun.com/2026/05/20/six-idaho-republican-lawmakers-lose-primary-election-two-more-are-trailing/


FAFO: GOP senator begs donors to help him 'pay for gas' after voting to continue Trump's war.
In a fundraising email titled "Alaska needs you!!" obtained by Raw Story, Sullivan told donors, "To continue ushering in America's Golden Age and delivering results for Alaska, I'm personally reaching out to you to ask for a grassroots donation of $3, $5, or $10."
The email continued: "Your donation will instantly go to the funds to: Recruit volunteers; Run digital ads; Invest in integral mailpieces to keep Alaska voters up to date; Pay for gas as we visit isolated rural areas of Alaska."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/gop-senator-begs-gas-money-100418679.html


Tennessee man jailed over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement.
https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-facebook-arrest-tennessee-bushart-b8c5808d77f47a2d93497d12cf0daf84


Winning Bigly: Donald Trump Breaks Five Unwanted Polling Records Within Days.
Those unwelcome milestones, from polls by Fox News, New York Times/Siena, YouGov/The Economist and AP/NORC, range from record-high disapproval to slipping base support and rock-bottom economic ratings.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-polling-record-approval-rating-polls-11978079


The biggest loser: Trump to skip his son’s wedding due to ‘circumstances pertaining to government’
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/22/trump-wedding-stay-in-washington-00934239

TPUSA event with Chloe Cole at University of Washington canceled.

The Daily Beast:

Judges across the country are overwhelmingly rejecting Trump’s hopes to indefinitely detain immigrants as part of his mass deportation plans.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/judges-humiliate-donald-trump-by-ruling-against-ice-10000-times/No

The losses don't stop...stay positive!

Tehran could withstand blockade for four months, CIA report shows, as fighting flares.
“A CIA assessment indicated that Iran would not ‌suffer severe economic pressure from a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports for about another four months, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter, suggesting that U.S. leverage over Tehran remains limited as the two sides seek to end a conflict that has been unpopular with U.S. voters.”
https://apple.news/ARYu_S_SqQEeeH8GbkNAQUw


Chevron CEO warns of oil shortages from Strait of Hormuz closure.
“Physical oil shortages are on the way, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth warned Monday — a consequence, he said, of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world's crude oil usually moves.
During remarks at a Milken Institute event reported by Reuters, Wirth said the tightening of supply would force demand lower, with Asian economies among the first to feel the contraction. Wirth invoked the twin energy crises of the 1970s — episodes that brought rationing and pump-line gridlock to economies worldwide — as a historical parallel, calling the closure's potential impact "potentially as big as in the 1970s."
https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/energy/articles/chevron-ceo-warns-oil-shortages-123446204.html


Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Why Fertilizer Relief is Years Away for U.S. Farmers.
“As the Strait closure enters its tenth week, supply chain gridlock and policy hurdles suggest high input costs will persist through the 2027 planting season, according to Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer with StoneX.”
https://www.agweb.com/news/business/strait-hormuz-crisis-why-fertilizer-relief-years-away-u-s-farmers


Two-thirds say Trump hasn't made a case for Iran war, poll finds.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/05/11/trump-iran-war-approval-rating-reuters-poll/90033080007/


Senate Republicans warn Trump against Cuba military attack.
“Senate Republicans are cautioning President Trump against ordering military strikes against the socialist regime in Cuba, arguing the U.S. military already has its hands full with Iran.
The Trump administration, these Republicans say, should not be thinking about opening another front for the military in a midterm election year where voters are already showing their displeasure with the war in Iran.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5873176-senate-republicans-caution-trump-cuba/


A U.S. trade court on Thursday ruled that President Trump's latest round of global 10% tariffs are invalid.
“In a 2-1 decision, a panel of judges in the U.S. Court of International Trade sided with 24 states and a small group of businesses who filed a lawsuit in March challenging the legality of the Trump administration's tax on most imports.”
https://apple.news/AVjMLtw5NTQ2Wyi9ethvvWA


Survivors testify at shadow hearing on Jeffrey Epstein case in West Palm Beach.
“The hearing, described as an unofficial congressional hearing held by the minority party without subpoena power, was voluntary and emotional.”
https://www.wpbf.com/article/epstein-hearing-palm-beach-survivors-testify/71283060


Trump administration axes fast-track training for new ICE recruits.
“The Department of Homeland Security is overhauling its training program for immigration agents, including restoring training that had been shortened amid a rush to put agents on the street.”
https://apple.news/A3fFmGFj9TxeO-eIXHfN27A


US judge rules humanities grant terminations by DOGE were unlawful, discriminatory.
“A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the terminations of hundreds of humanities grants last year by the Trump administration's so-called Department of ‌Government Efficiency were unconstitutional, and involved "blatant" discrimination.
In April last year, President Donald Trump's administration terminated more than 1,400 grants, representing over $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds awarded to scholars, writers, research institutions and other humanities organizations.”
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-judge-rules-humanities-grant-terminations-by-doge-were-unlawful-2026-05-08/


Marty Makary resigns as FDA commissioner following industry and White House backlash.
“Makary’s tenure was marked by internal dysfunction at the FDA, leadership turmoil and mounting backlash from drugmakers, physicians and patient groups on regulatory decisions.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/12/trump-fda-commissioner-marty-makary-out.html


Supporters gather at Government Plaza as recall petition targets Gov. Jeff Landry.
“People gathered at Government Plaza in downtown Shreveport today, May 11, in response to the recall petition against Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry that began on May 4. According to Ballotpedia:The petition is an effort to criticize Jeff Landry for actions and statements that undermine fair representation, neglect community needs, and prioritize punishment over meaningful solutions for Louisiana communities.”
https://www.ksla.com/2026/05/11/supporters-gather-government-plaza-recall-petition-targets-gov-jeff-landry/


Trump Administration Sued Over Reflecting Pool Paint Job.
“The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a DC nonprofit that focuses on landscape advocacy and education, filed a lawsuit against the Department of Interior today regarding the repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The organization is hoping for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction to halt ongoing work to coat the pool’s surface “American Flag Blue” ahead of the nation’s Semiquincentennial on July 4—a deadline that already seems a little tight for such an intensive project.”
https://washingtonian.com/2026/05/11/trump-administration-sued-over-reflecting-pool-paint-job/


The U.S. debt now exceeds the country's GDP for the first time since WWII.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/us-debt-exceeds-gdp-first-time-since-wwii/


Inflation hits 3.8%, outpacing wage growth for the first time since 2023.
“Increased energy costs are “accounting for over forty percent of the monthly all items increase,” said the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/april-inflation-data-iran-war-rcna344586


April home sales disappoint as higher mortgage rates weigh on buyers.
““We really need to see 30% growth in inventory, but we are not seeing that,” Yun said. “Multiple offers, though not as intense as a few years ago, are still occurring. At the same time, days on market are lengthening on average, implying that consumers are taking their time before making decisions.”
That pushed prices higher. The median price of a home sold in April was $417,700, up 0.9% from the year before. That is the highest price NAR has recorded for April.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/11/april-home-sales-disappoint-higher-mortgage-rates.html


Donald Trump’s Approval Rating on Economy Sinks Across Three New Polls.
“President Donald Trump’s approval on the U.S. economy fell sharply in multiple national polls conducted in early May, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with rising costs and economic conditions.
Major national polls from CNN/SSRS, Reuters/Ipsos and YouGov/Economist pointed to a similar pattern of weakening support, with net approval ratings ranging from minus-24 to minus-40.”
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-economy-sinks-polls-11941760


Social Security Recipients Say Tariffs Will Outpace COLA Increase—Poll.
“The poll, conducted by the Nationwide Retirement Institute, found that 66 percent of current Social Security recipients believe tariffs will drive inflation beyond what the program’s yearly COLA can offset.”
https://www.newsweek.com/social-security-recipients-say-tariffs-will-outpace-cola-increase-poll-11931036


AI isn’t paying off in the way companies think. Layoffs driven by automation are failing to generate returns, study finds.
“Instead, the study found companies with the highest gains were those using AI as a form of “people amplification,” implementing the technology to make workers more productive rather than outright replacing them.“
https://apple.news/AhkKEaBiTQIqVB3OnJ8R_Yg


Utah residents are protesting a massive AI data center project backed by Kevin O’Leary.
“A group of Box Elder voters this week applied to add a referendum to the local ballot in November to overturn the county commission's approval of the project, County Clerk Marla Young confirmed to CNN. The application, earlier reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, is now undergoing legal review and would need more than 5,000 signatures for the referendum to appear on the ballot.
Similar protests are occurring around the country, with some communities seeking to ban data centers. Developers are now scrambling to address those public concerns, fearing that a slowdown in progress could dent America's competitiveness in AI.”
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/utah-residents-protesting-ai-data-center-kevin-oleary/71258120


Georgians outraged after data center drains 30M gallons of water amid drought conditions: report.
“Residents of a suburban Georgia town are furious after they discovered a massive new data center had guzzled up 30 million gallons of water without initially paying for it – leaving members of the populace with weak water pressure during a drought.
Georgians living in Annelise Park, a mansion-packed neighborhood in Fayetteville, which has a roughly 20,000 population, noticed last year that their water pressure was unusually weak, according to a Politico report.
A county investigation found a nearby 6.6 million-square-foot data center project by Quality Technology Services, a Blackstone-owned developer, was to blame, according to the publication.”
https://www.aol.com/articles/georgians-outraged-data-center-drains-172444228.html


TACO Time: House Republicans introduce bill to extend renewables tax credits.
“The American Energy Dominance Act would remove the accelerated deadlines that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act placed on the renewable energy 45Y production tax credit and 48E investment tax credit.”
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/republican-introduce-bill-renewable-tax-credits/818536/


Spirit Airlines lawyer says jet fuel price surge left carrier with 'no remaining way out' of bankruptcy.
“Creditor objections killed a proposed $500M Trump administration bailout, the airline's lawyer told bankruptcy court.”
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/spirit-airlines-lawyer-says-iran-war-fuel-price-surge-left-carrier-no-remaining-way-out-bankruptcy.amp


When Spirit folded, this tiny airport in Pennsylvania suddenly had zero flights.
“A week into his new job, the airport’s executive director may have to lay off co-workers he has known for years as he scrambles to find a replacement airline.”
https://apple.news/AtOvCwsbvSd-NjqH_Hf7Hkw


Virginia asks Supreme Court to restore Democrats’ congressional map. 
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5873036-virginia-democrats-supreme-court-appeal-redistricting/

and…also considers dropping Supreme Court retirement age from 73 to 54.
“Democratic lawmakers discussed lowering the mandatory retirement age for Virginia Supreme Court justices after last week’s ruling striking down Virginia’s congressional redistricting amendment.
The discussions reached U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., during a private Saturday call involving members of Virginia’s congressional delegation, according to reporting by The New York Times.
The proposal involved lowering the mandatory retirement age for Virginia Supreme Court justices from 73 to 54. All seven today are older than 54.”


Hawaii Legislature passes first-in-nation bill targeting Citizens United ruling.
“nvoking America’s Founding Fathers, the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the outsized influence of the sugar industry over island politics, Hawaii lawmakers on Friday passed a first-in-the-nation bill to strip corporations of the power to spend money in state elections.
The bill takes aim at the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money in elections. Lawmakers, drawing from a legal theory developed by the Center for American Progress, argued that because states create corporations and grant them their powers, Hawaii could simply decline to grant corporations the power to spend in elections.
The Democrat-dominated Hawaii Legislature voted 24-0 in the Senate and 50-1 in the House to send Senate Bill 2471 to Governor Josh Green’s desk. If signed into law, it would take effect July 1, 2027.”
https://www.courthousenews.com/hawaii-legislature-passes-first-in-nation-bill-targeting-citizens-united-ruling/


Ben Shapiro's Slide: The Daily Wire's $200M Revenue Crisis.
“The sudden, precipitous decline of Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire—with its sweeping layoffs and a steep drop-off in audience—has actually been a long time coming. And while it’s easy to point to MAGA’s shift away from Israel, its co-C.E.O.’s dream of producing an Arthurian fantasy series isn’t helping either.”
https://puck.news/ben-shapiros-slide-the-daily-wires-200m-revenue-crisis/


LOL: Stephen Miller in retreat—The once-powerful aide’s influence has quietly diminished.
“But the second year of Trump’s second term is being directed by a new immigration-enforcement team. The new secretary of homeland security, former Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, took over in late March with a mandate to get back to basics. Leaders of the department who had been sidelined by Noem, such as Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, suddenly found themselves empowered. Employees she had pushed out, such as former Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar and the CBP official Matt Eagan, were welcomed back. Andrew Block, a close ally of Miller who served as CBP’s chief counsel, was shown the door, according to two people briefed on the change. (Block did not respond to a request for comment.)”
https://apple.news/Aa3cm2f0hTmmkXmBmKto4Kg


LOL: Trump vents over Secret Service removing ‘little boy’ JD Vance from DC dinner shooting faster than him.
“I saw them take JD by the shoulders and lift him up like he was a little boy,” the 79-year-old president continued. “I said ‘how come they didn’t lift me up so fast?’ They lifted JD — got ripped out of the chair. That was a view of the week, but they did the job, JD, right? I think so.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-vance-shooting-little-boy-b2974975.html


Fact checking Dementia Don: Trump denied he made this remark about Iran. He made it on camera one day earlier.
“On Saturday, President Donald Trump told reporters that he was “looking at” a new Iranian peace proposal. Then a reporter reminded Trump that he had said the previous night that the US might be better off not making a deal with Iran.
“Well, I wouldn’t have to. I didn’t say that,” Trump responded. “I said that if we left right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild. But we’re not leaving right now. We’re gonna do it so nobody has to go back in two years or five years.”
In reality, Trump did say — on camera — what the reporter told him he said. His denial was yet another case in which the president wrongly asserted he hadn’t said something he had said in a public forum.”
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/03/politics/trump-iran-comment-fact-check


Three dozen medical experts say Trump ‘mentally unfit,’ should be removed from office with ‘greatest urgency’
The 36 neurologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals said in the letter that they had seen “objectively observable” signs of serious medical concerns in Trump, including deterioration of cognitive function, grandiose and delusional beliefs, and severely impaired judgment and impulse control.
“Emphasizing that he presents a clear and present danger to our country and to the world,” the letter concludes, “it is our expert opinion that Donald J. Trump is mentally unfit to be the President of the United States, and that steps to remove him from office must be undertaken with the greatest urgency, with vital responsibilities on the shoulders of those in positions of leadership.”
https://www.oregonlive.com/nation/2026/05/three-dozen-medical-experts-say-trump-mentally-unfit-should-be-removed-from-office-with-greatest-urgency.html

NATO, top Republicans question US troop withdrawal from Germany.
“The decision is being met with skepticism by top Republican lawmakers who oversee US military policy.
In a joint statement Saturday, Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, chairs of the Armed Services Committees in their respective chambers, warned that pulling troops from Germany risks "sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin."”
https://apple.news/AR4LSEhDGSwO_v1IfqZC1qA


TACO Time: Trump reverses course on helping ships transit the Strait of Hormuz.
“President Trump said his recently announced plan to help ships cross the Strait of Hormuz is now on pause. The Hill reports that the move came hours after U.S. officials said combat operations in Iran have concluded.”
https://apple.news/A4KaMQ9gPQoWhnq6Uu3aLbA


GOP groaning over Mike Johnson reaches a fever pitch.
“Republicans say Johnson’s habit of making last-minute, often contradictory promises to keep his tiny majority functioning is starting to catch up with him. Frustrations over his leadership, they say, are at an all-time high.
“I think this guy has divided us with a smile,” said Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), a longtime Johnson skeptic who has grown more vocal with his criticism and now says “without question” he will vote against keeping Johnson as top GOP leader in the next Congress.”
…
Johnson tried to quell a rebellion among conservative hard-liners by privately reneging on an agreement with a group of midwestern Republicans that would have tied legislation allowing year-round sales of an ethanol fuel blend to the must-pass farm bill.”
https://apple.news/AyxieHTDkTGuBxcDM353ltg


MAGA Infighting: GOP opposition grows to moving third reconciliation package on Trump agenda.
Some Republican senators want to advance a third budget reconciliation package this summer to allocate more money for the Department of Defense, but senior GOP colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee are slamming the brakes on the idea. They are worried it may further diminish their power and the regular appropriations process.
There’s also a push by some conservatives, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to enact new tax cuts, or to extend the working-class Trump tax cuts that are due to soon expire.
But that effort is meeting resistance from Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who is warning colleagues it could force Republicans to relitigate all of the tax cuts and spending cuts enacted in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
As a result, GOP senators are growing increasingly pessimistic about achieving any partisan legislative accomplishments after they enact legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol through 2029.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5864821-trump-tax-cuts-defense-spending/


Drugmakers ask Supreme Court to restore abortion pill access by mail.
“Two drug manufacturers asked the Supreme Court on Saturday to temporarily allow patients to continue to access a commonly used abortion pill through the mail.
Danco Laboratories filed the first emergency appeal after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans issued a ruling Friday making it harder for women to access the abortion pill, mifepristone. Later Saturday, GenBioPro, which manufacturers a generic version of the drug, also formally requested the justices weigh in.”
https://apple.news/A9bChIuy6QKaoBEFEe3oDpQ


Immigration Scams Surged as Trump’s Sweeps Lured Desperate People to Eager Defrauders.
“Urbina had fallen prey to “notario fraud,” in which scammers provide legal advice, often by saying they’re public notaries or other legal professionals. In many Latin American countries, a public notary is the equivalent of a lawyer, and notario fraudsters rely on this mistranslation to fake credentials.
Urbina shared documents that detail how she was lured into the scam, and ProPublica corroborated her story with her husband and Catholic Charities. After Urbina told local and federal authorities she had been tricked out of her day in court, Immigration and Customs Enforcement switched her scheduled December virtual check-in to an in-person meeting. When she showed up, agents arrested her. In January, she said, officers shackled her hands and feet and loaded her on a plane to Nicaragua.”
https://apple.news/AQbmKTiiMS-6SEBTYiZ4UQg


Americans Spent $125 Million More on Gas Friday Than They Did a Week Ago.
“A 33-cent jump in the price of regular gasoline in a single week is hitting wallets fast, with the summer driving season still ahead.”
https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/americans-spent-125-million-more-on-gas-friday-than-they-did-a-week-ago-0038690c


Democrats Win in Republican Stronghold in Texas.
“A Democratic-backed candidate has won a closely contested mayoral race in Pearland, Texas, a Republican-leaning suburb of Houston in Brazoria County that has consistently voted for President Donald Trump since 2016.
Winning candidate Quentin Wiltz shared the results of the contest on his Instagram account on Saturday, writing: “I am deeply humbled, incredibly grateful, and honored by the trust you have placed in me.”
https://www.newsweek.com/democrats-win-republican-stronghold-texas-pearland-11907572


Former ICE official falls short in Ohio battleground district GOP primary.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/05/madison-sheahan-loses-ohio-primary-00907626


Thousands of Virginians will regain the right to vote next month.
“A federal court ruled earlier this year that Virginia’s current disenfranchisement of anyone with felony convictions violates laws that required former Confederate states to guarantee voting rights for newly-emancipated Black residents.
The series of laws, called the Readmission Acts, had barred states from constitutionally disenfranchising people other than those convicted of crimes considered common law at the time. Under current law, however, all ex-felons  lost voting rights unless they’ve petitioned a governor successfully.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/thousands-virginians-regain-vote-next-092627496.html


Foreclosure rates climb to six-year highs as cities in one region hit the hardest.
“States with the highest foreclosure rate - number of homes in foreclosure versus total number of homes - were Indiana (1 in 739), followed by South Carolina (1 in 743), Florida (1 in 750), Delaware (1 in 757) and Illinois (1 in 833), according to the report.
For cities with at least 200,000 people, the South was hit hardest. Two Florida cities, Lakeland and Punta Gorda, had the two highest foreclosure rates in the country, followed by Columbia, South Carolina; Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Macon, Georgia, ATTOM reported.”
https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/foreclosure-rates-climb-six-highs-133559433.html


America's real estate market was all set for a hot selling season. Those hopes have been dashed.
“For the second year in a row, sellers, agents, and analysts are mourning a spring bump that failed to materialize. And once again, they're pointing the finger at geopolitical turmoil: this time, it's the war in Iran, which sent borrowing rates skyward and made everyday items, notably gas, more expensive. The conflict has weighed on both consumers' finances and their psyches — if there's one thing homebuyers hate to hear before the biggest purchase of their lives, it's "uncertainty." To top it all off, the war began just as sellers would typically start planting for-sale signs in their thawing front yards.”
https://apple.news/AA1PSzU2lTLyERSgXfKLNNw


Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth.
“In almost every case, the babies’ deaths could have been prevented with a long-standard vitamin K shot. But across the country, families — first in smatterings, now in droves — are declining the single, inexpensive injection given at birth to newborns to help their blood clot.
…
Two weeks ago, at a House subcommittee hearing, Rep. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reassure parents that the vitamin K shot is safe. He refused and pushed back.
“I’ve never said, literally never said, anything about it,” Kennedy said.
“That’s exactly the point,” responded Schrier, who is a doctor. “You don’t say anything about it, but the doubt you’ve created about all of medicine and science is causing parents to make dangerous decisions.””
https://apple.news/AILfklhbqToOdkpsHVDk57g


MAGA Boycott: A GOP lawmaker supported an immigration crackdown—The situation cost Idaho state Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld and her husband most of their income and highlights an escalating split in the party.
“The call came as Tom Zuiderveld was driving last month, just minutes from his home on five verdant acres of Southern Idaho’s agricultural heartland. It was his district manager, relaying that three of the dairies he sold synthetic oil to had refused to continue working with him.
Zuiderveld felt blindsided — he had known the dairy owners for years, and the accounts represented 80 percent of his income. But it wasn’t about his performance, the manager explained on the phone and in a later email. It was about the politics of Zuiderveld’s wife.
Glenneda Zuiderveld is a Republican state senator and member of a far-right bloc that was pushing for strict immigration laws. Idaho’s dairy industry, which powers the economy of the Magic Valley region anchored by Twin Falls, depends on foreign-born labor and fiercely opposed the measures.”
https://apple.news/ASy6BDmz0QcepPctfFNwtDg


MAHA Splits With Trump Admin Over Key Issues.
“The Trump administration has been clashing with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and those aligned with his 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) campaign over a number of key issues in recent weeks, causing tension and infighting in the GOP, threatening its future agenda.
From pesticide regulation, not only regarding measures in the recently passed Farm Bill, but also wider policies on the chemicals, to the new surgeon general nomination, MAHA-aligned lawmakers and supporters have been outraged by some of the latest policymaking, resulting in a heated divide in the Republican Party as the U.S. midterms draw closer.”
https://www.newsweek.com/maha-splits-with-trump-admin-over-key-issues-11909264


Kash Patel’s FBI still can’t find Nancy Guthrie, so he’s blaming Sheriff Nanos—Drama explained.
https://www.newsweek.com/nancy-guthrie-investigation-sheriff-nanos-kash-patel-drama-explained-11917233


LOL: Andy Ogles Gets Defensive With College Students In Heated Town Hall.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) faced criticism and some laughter from a group of Belmont University students in Nashville, who challenged him on multiple arguments he made during a heated town hall meeting Monday.
“It’s delightfully ironic that he’s here. He just strikes me as a charlatan and a grifter, and I’ve been sorely underwhelmed and unhappy with him,” student Nelson Hester told the Nashville Scene.
…
Ogles began his town hall by recalling the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, claiming “there were layers of security, but it was more relaxed, arguably, than it has been historically.”
A ripple of noise went through the crowd after he said “there were no assassination attempts” on Presidents Joe Biden or Barack Obama, but multiple against President Donald Trump.
“You can murmur all you want,” Ogles shot back.
“Sir, there was an assassination attempt on Obama,” a student told him, likely referencing the 2011 incident in which a shooter fired at the White House or other assassinationplots that were foiled.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/andy-ogles-gets-defensive-college-182800746.html


Tampa MAGA influencer Craig Long arrested in Grady Judd’s prostitution sting—which also included a Jan 6th insurrectionist Trump pardoned.
“Judd started the press conference thanking the multiple departments and individuals that assisted with the operation, and proceeded to run through a list of the more prominent arrests, like convicted Jan. 6 insurrectionist Ryan Yates, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump, and Tampa-based LA Fitness owner and MAGA YouTube personality Craig Long. 
“Then there’s Craig Long we arrested,” said Judd. “He was seeking the services of a prostitute.
…
Judd, a Republican, is very familiar with Long’s media work. Back in 2024, Long interviewed Judd, and defended ICE agents who shot and killed Renee Good in Minnesota. 
“He appreciates law enforcement,” continued Judd. “Well, there you go. Got arrested in the human trafficking sting. Influence that for a while.”
https://www.cltampa.com/news/tampa-maga-influencer-craig-long-arrested-in-grady-judds-prostitution-sting/


Trump's approval rating has dipped to 37%, the lowest of this presidential term, and his 62% disapproval rating is a record high over both presidential terms.
“The poll finds Trump is also underwater on managing every issue measured, as two-thirds of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction and Democrats' midterm lead over Republicans has increased slightly to 5 points.”

… and not to be forgotten the poll has JD Vance's approval rating at 35% and 13 points underwater.
https://abcnews.com/Politics/thirds-americans-country-headed-wrong-direction-abc-newswashington/story?id=132583099

‘Subtle rebuttals’: what the papers say about King Charles and Trump—Monarch’s meeting with president and speech to Congress feature on front pages in UK and US.
“Online and on its print front page, the WashPo focuses on the arguably barbed moments of Charles’s speech. “King Charles urges checks on executive power as Trump hosts royal visit,” reads the paper’s headline online, with a similar missive in print.
Likewise, the LA Times focuses on the more pointed references in Charles’s speech rather than the jokes and pleasantries he offered.
In the UK, the papers all focused heavily on the pointed references to the strained relations between the UK and US and some of the controversial aspects of Trump’s second term.
https://apple.news/AveozVNn3TAuQKJUC1b744g


Bipartisan senators unveil bill pushing back on Trump easing Russia oil sanctions.
“ A bipartisan group of senators led by Sens. Rube Gallego (D-Ariz) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) pushed back on President Trump’s decision to loosen sanctions on Russian oil amid a global shortage of oil supplies by introducing legislation to restore congressional oversight of U.S. sanctions on Russia.
Gallego and Grassley’s No Oil Profits for Enemies (NOPE) Act would strengthen existing sanctions law and restore congressional oversight over sanctions against Russia.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5848062-congressional-oversight-trump-russia-sanctions/


Uh Oh: Putin Warns Trump: Resuming Iran War Would Be ‘Dangerous and Unacceptable’.
“The Kremlin on Wednesday warned of “dire consequences” if fighting against Iran resumes amid a ceasefire, after Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue in a phone call with President Donald Trump.
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin told Trump that renewed hostilities would be “dangerous and unacceptable,” especially any ground operation on Iranian territory. Putin stressed, according to the Kremlin, that such a move would carry serious risks not only for Iran but for the broader international community, Ushakov said.”
https://www.newsweek.com/kremlin-warns-dire-consequences-iran-hostilities-putin-trump-11895071


NACHO: Wall Street Is Reportedly Mocking Trump With A New 5-Letter Nickname.
“The acronym is more spicy than cheesy, as it bluntly stands for “Not A Chance Hormuz Opens,” a reference to Iran’s decision to restrict movement through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf where 20% of all traded oil and natural gas normally passes.”
https://apple.news/AK7ZBVR_hQbSizEXbirvZcA


MAGA Firebrands Furious Over Epstein Files Could Derail Trump’s Agenda.
GOP representatives Lauren Boebert , Nancy Mace, and Anna Paulina Luna publicly criticized the White House after the Justice Department declined to release additional Epstein‑related records.
Boebert and Mace said they could derail a procedural vote that GOP leaders need to advance three major priorities at once: extending spying powers enabled by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, passage of the Farm Bill and a budget blueprint to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).”
https://www.newsweek.com/maga-firebrands-furious-over-epstein-files-could-derail-trumps-agenda-11892999


How a Farm Bill Fight Is Threatening the GOP Agenda.
“A Republican fight over the Farm Bill is threatening to derail far more than agricultural policy, as GOP leaders brace for a high-stakes procedural vote that could stall multiple party priorities and expose Speaker Mike Johnson’s shaky grip on the House.
At issue is a House “rule”—the procedural step required to bring legislation to the floor—that bundles the Farm Bill with a three-year extension of the government’s foreign surveillance authority and a budget resolution tied to immigration enforcement. Republican leaders hoped the package would streamline voting and hold the party together, but objections to the Farm Bill, particularly over changes affecting food assistance programs, have sparked a broader rebellion that now risks blocking all three measures at once, with Johnson able to afford only a handful of defections.”
https://apple.news/AGUy8P-YPTsCL_HeC9tK7IQ


Cole Allen case reveals Secret Service failures that could have led to tragedy at D.C. gala.
“Contradicting a prior claim by Blanche that officers had "promptly tackled and detained" Allen, prosecutors wrote that the 31-year-old tutor from Torrance simply "fell to the ground" after blowing past a team of agents just two open flights of stairs from the ballroom.
They wrote that one officer fired at Allen five times, but never hit him.
…
They said nothing about the Secret Service officer who Blanche said was shot in his ballistic vest during the incident — adding to speculation that the officer may have been shot not by Allen, but by a fellow officer.
In all, the court filing brought further into focus a chaotic Secret Service response that appeared flawed from the start, including in a video Trump posted shortly after the incident in which agents appeared to be idling around an unobstructed entrance when Allen ran past them.”
https://apple.news/AVVWLFlVRT5uROY-S7DtimA


Mexico to require federal projects to use local steel in response to US tariffs.
“The president's initiative is one of the first public ​efforts by the Mexican government to reduce its economy's ⁠enormous dependence on the U.S. While Trump's global tariffs have inspired ​other countries, such as Canada, to try to scale back their dependence ​on the U.S., Mexico has previously been reluctant to take steps that could irritate its largest trading partner, and the destination of 80% of its exports.
…
Mexican officials have repeatedly ‌said ⁠the tariffs are unfair, in part because the United States runs a trade surplus with Mexico in steel and aluminum.”
https://apple.news/APlXS4NJYSoOUtsG0OC6S1w


Trump’s DOJ cuts thousands of law-enforcement jobs — despite promising to be tough on crime: report
““The administration talks a big game when it comes to crime and terrorism, but the fact that it’s hollowing out agencies tasked with addressing them shows that they don’t stand behind their words,” Stacey Young, a former Justice Department lawyer, told the outlet.
The FBI has lost more than seven percent of its staff since the 2024 fiscal year, about 2,600 people, according to the outlet.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, meanwhile, has lost about six percent of workers, while the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives dropped more than double that figure.
Within the main Justice Department, the agency’s national security division lost more than a third of its staff and its civil rights division lost more than half, per Reuters, while about 7,000 DOJ jobs remain unfilled.
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-doj-fbi-firings-national-security-b2963993.html


Judge signals trouble for Trump’s $10B lawsuit against the IRS.
“President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leaking of his tax returns ran into turbulence Friday as a judge ordered a hearing on whether the Constitution allows the president to sue the federal government he oversees.
…
“Although President Trump avers that he is bringing this lawsuit in his personal capacity, he is the sitting president and his named adversaries are entities whose decisions are subject to his direction,” Williams wrote in a four-page order. “It is unclear to this Court whether the Parties are sufficiently adverse to each other so as to satisfy [the Constitution’s] case or controversy requirement.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/24/trump-lawsuit-irs-00891894


Collapse of Jerome Powell case adds to Jeanine Pirro’s embarrassing losing streak.
“Pirro was, however, quickly overwhelmed by reality. The politically motivated investigation obviously had no merit; a federal judge had already quashed the Justice Department’s subpoenas, emphasizing the inconvenient fact that prosecutors “produced essentially zero evidence”; and the longer the baseless case continued, the more it threatened to delay confirmation of Trump’s new Fed chair nominee.”
https://apple.news/AsVHiszTcQZ-pPlrdWp3lVA


Appeals court rules against ICE’s mandatory detention policy.
“A federal appeals court has rejected the Trump administration’s bid to lock up the majority of people it is seeking to deport without an opportunity for release on bond — even if they have no criminal records and have resided in the country for decades.
In a 3-0 ruling, a panel of the New York-based 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals found that ICE’s policy was based on a flawed, implausible and unprecedented interpretation of decades-old laws. But more fundamentally, the panel said the Trump administration’s position would raise acute constitutional concerns by instituting “the broadest mass detention-without-bond mandate in our Nation’s history for millions of noncitizens.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/28/ice-mandatory-detention-appeals-court-ruling-00895115


Trump’s changes to Reflecting Pool worry preservationists, locals—Some warned that the president’s blue-tinted resurfacing would distort the experience for visitors and make the national symbol resemble a “large lap pool.”
“Some historic preservationists and other experts warned that Trump’s renovations could distort the experience for visitors. Charles A. Birnbaum, who heads the Cultural Landscape Foundation, an education and advocacy organization, noted that the neutral colors used for the pool’s basin were intended to convey greater depth and reflection that could now be threatened by the president’s changes.
“A blue-tinted basin risks reading more like a large lap pool than the solemn and hallowed visual and spatial connection between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial,” Birnbaum wrote in an email.
He also pointed to a 2009 National Park Service report, conducted before the last major renovation, which detailed the careful intention of the pool’s designers and Park Service officials to preserve vistas.”
https://apple.news/AIV2Lik2YRe6DGnDLMX0AKQ


LOL: Todd Blanche’s bid to join elite private Washington club hits resistance.
“Some members of one of Washington’s most exclusive clubs have a message for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche: We don’t want you.
Around February last year, Blanche started the rigorous process to join the Metropolitan Club, which is one of Washington’s oldest private clubs and claims D.C. royalty as members. But at least six members have written to the Met Club’s board of directors to object to Blanche’s joining, saying he’s too polarizing and has politicized the Justice Department, according to two current members who have seen or been told about the letters.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/28/todd-blanche-metropolitan-club-00894299


Appeals court won't rehear Trump's challenge to E. Jean Carroll verdict.
“A federal appeals court in New York on Wednesday rejected President Donald Trump's request to rehear his challenges to the writer E. Jean Carroll's successful defamation and sex assault claims.
Carroll successfully argued during a nine-day trial in 2023 that Trump sexually abused her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s and defamed her in 2022 with comments he made after he left office.”
https://apple.news/ANilqIaa1RB2ditrzc_NLbg


Education Department layoffs backfire.
“The decision to slash staffing at the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has left the agency buried under a massive backlog of discrimination complaints, with Secretary Linda McMahon testifying yesterday that it’s now working to hire more people.
Lawmakers cited roughly 12,000 unresolved cases nationwide; data shows the department resolved 30 percent fewer complaints in 2025 than the year before and reached resolution agreements in fewer than 1 percent of investigations. If a case is not resolved, schools aren’t required to change their policies, provide accommodations for students or correct alleged discrimination.”
https://apple.news/AGkEThIrlQ-qse93ZHMhLyg


A crypto mogul’s lawsuit against a Trump-linked crypto firm shows the peril of investing with Trump.
“First, don't believe what crypto firms tell you about the security of your investments.
Second: Be wary — very wary — of investing with a crypto firm associated with the Trump family.
These warnings come from Justin Sun, one of the leading tycoons in the crypto space, who last week filed a $45-million lawsuit in San Francisco federal court against World Liberty Financial, an arm of the family's investments in crypto.
Sun claims that World Liberty Financial, a Florida company, has blocked his transfers of the WLF crypto tokens he values at $45 million, largely in retaliation for his refusal to invest more than that in the firm.”
https://apple.news/A8QZlEmAsQbOWmmheGWCdkw


The Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin has plunged to an all-time low on Saturday, down about 96% from its peak, amid U.S. President Donald Trump's preparations to host top token holders at an exclusive crypto-themed event at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/cryptocurrency/trump-crashes-to-all-time-low-down-while-maralago-gala/cZBKXRlRecy


How a Republican state lawmaker tried (and failed) to let Holocaust deniers hijack history lessons.
“This January, in a drab committee room of the New Hampshire state legislature, a Republican state lawmaker teamed up with a German Holocaust denier to propose that the state’s public schools incorporate a conspiracy theory when developing their lesson plans: namely, that the Nazis’ murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust was a hoax.
Though their effort failed, the incident was just the latest example of antisemitic extremism creeping further into the American political mainstream, to the point that prominent conservative voices have warned of a “cancer” destroying the pro-Trump MAGA movement from within. And in a sign of just how normalized these incidents of anti-Jewish bigotry have become, the state lawmaker responsible for the effort, Rep. Matt Sabourin dit Choinière, appears to have faced no consequences and minimal backlash from Republican leadership in New Hampshire.”
https://apple.news/Ab3t9uIxhT66C0d2VbU4EEQ


Democrats have a 10-point lead over Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, according to a new poll.
https://apple.news/ARvUEgDZNTq-cSmWBa6usRQ


LOL: Less Than Half of Republicans Want a Passport With Donald Trump’s Portrait.
“Only 40 percent of Republicans said they would select the passport with Trump’s image, compared to 37 percent who said they would pick the passport without his portrait and 23 percent who were unsure which passport they’d select, the poll found.
Overall, only 18 percent of Americans said they would pick the passport with Trump’s portrait, while 67 percent said they would pick the passport without the portrait, according to the poll.”
https://apple.news/AiCpUS9IDTRS6PRW-peAeVg