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This Week…

FBI Investigating Mike Duggan’s
Dirty Dirt Scandal

Ex-Michigan party leaders: Time to ditch nominating conventions
Bridge Michigan

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• MDP Condemns Trump DOJ’s Demand for 2024 Ballots – Michigan Democratic Party
• Michigan Senate Democrats propose long-term funding plan for schools | Detroit News
• Michigan congressman [Barrett] in the crosshairs of gas price politics | Reuters
• Progressive voter contact group spends $44M on engagement efforts ahead of  2026 midterms | The Hill
• House Democrats to put $29M, GOP $20M into key Michigan Congress races | Detroit NewsExclusive | Democrats Go on Offense With $272 Million Ad Strategy Ahead of Midterm Elections | Wall Street Journal
• Republicans Are Worried the Redistricting Fight Is Backfiring | Wall Street Journal
• Secretary Benson: Court of Claims dismisses lawsuit that threatened voting rights of Michigan’s military and overseas citizens
• SCOTUS rules against Enbridge on Michigan Line 5 case | Detroit Free Press
• GOP Michigan candidates still claim Trump won 2020 election | American Journal News
• Leonard Ends Governor’s Bid; Absent James Takes More Shots At MPA Forum | MIRS News
• Johnson: James’ campaign materials unlawful in Michigan governor’s race | Detroit Free Press
• Voters in Multiple States [including Michigan] Say Iran War Benefits Israel and That U.S. Military Aid to the Country Should Be Halted | Data for Progress
• Michigan, Michigan State would see state funding drastically reduced | Detroit News
• DTE to ask for $474M hike to electric rates | Detroit Free Press
• Bill would require insurers to cover infertility treatment in Michigan | Lansing State Journal
• Rep. McDonald Rivet calls foul on SNAP ban on rotisserie chickens | Detroit Free Press
• Data center moratorium a fault line in Dem primaries | E&E News by POLITICO
• Ford, Geely Held Talks About Bringing Chinese Tech to America | Wall Street Journal

The GOP Economy

• Trump’s approval on economy falls, new poll shows | AP News
• Families Have Already Paid $16 Billion More for Gasoline Since the Iran War Began | Joint Economic Committee Minority
• Families Have Spent $2,300 More Due to Inflation Under Trump | Joint Economic Committee Minority
• Tariffs Raised Consumers’ Prices, but the Refunds Go Only to Businesses – The New York Times
• It’s not just gasoline. U.S.-Iran war could drive prices higher for many products derived from petroleum | CBS News
• Impact of Iran War on Consumer Prices | Anderson Economic Group, LLC

Our President

• Video Reveals Trump’s Sexual Misconduct With Children
• Trump says a bit too much in his weird rant about the Southern Poverty Law Center | Maddow Blog

Grifters and Thieves

• Trump Says He Dislikes Prediction Markets. His Family Invests in Them. – The New York Times
• The media blackout of Jared Kushner’s historic, ongoing corruption scandal | Judd Legum/Popular Information Substack
• Eric Trump Brags About $24 Million Pentagon Deal His Company Landed | The New Republic
• Mike Tyson, Trump watches and meme coins: Crypto takes over Mar-a-Lago – The Washington Post
• Trump’s ballroom fundraising is an ethical disaster | MS NOW
• How Trump Uses our Government as his Personal ATM | Edwin Eisendrafh/Lincoln Square

Attacking the Planet

• This Earth Day, Two-Thirds of Voters Say Ensuring Clean Air and Water for All Should Be a Top Priority | Data for Progress
• The world is searching for oil. This summit is looking to get rid of it. – POLITICO
• GOP Lawmakers Are Pushing “Alarming” Bills to Shield Big Oil From Climate Liability – Mother Jones
• 5 ways MSU research is building a greener future | MSUToday | Michigan State University

Across the Nation

• Fed Chair Nominee Caught in Massive Lie on What Trump Told Him | The New Republic
• Democrats gain edge in national redistricting battle with Virginia victory – POLITICO
• The SPLC indictment, the Klan history behind it, and the ignominy of Todd Blanche | Law Dork
• The Justice Department Sides With the Ku Klux Klan | The New Republic
• SPLC Funding Extremism? Please| | Harry Litman/Talking Feds Substack
• CDC blocks study showing covid shots cut hospital visits after earlier delay | The Washington Post

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This Week…

MDP Endorses Candidates for Key Statewide Offices
 Michigan Democratic Party

VIDEO: 2026 Michigan Democratic party state endorsement convention
WOOD TV

Govs. Andy Beshear, Gretchen Whitmer speak to Michigan Democrats in Detroit
Detroit News

Former VP Kamala Harris calls Donald Trump an ‘insecure man’ in Detroit
mlive.com

Potential 2028 Democrats Audition in Michigan,With a Focus on Trump
The New York Times

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Opinion: Nessel, Benson vow to fight Trump Wayne County ballot demand | Jocelyn Benson & Dana Nessel via Detroit Free Press
• MDP Condemns Trump DOJ’s Demand for 2024 Ballots – Michigan Democratic Party
• Fired DOJ prosecutor in Michigan abortion clinic case speaks out | Detroit Free Press
• Antrim County clerk improperly changed, canceled voter registrations, Michigan says – Votebeat
• Anti-Voter Bill Passed in MI House is Dangerous and Unnecessary | Promote the Vote
• Michigan 2026 Poll: Abdul El-Sayed, Mallory McMorrow Tied for Lead in Democratic Senate Primary | Emerson Polling
• Michigan US Senate Poll | Data for Progress
• Rogers Rocks $4M In Senate Race, McMorrow Out Raises With $3M In 1Q; More Campaigns | MIRS News
• Michigan petition groups begin final push. What will make the ballot? – Bridge Michigan
• NEW POLL: Michigan House Democrats’ Priorities Have Bipartisan Support | Progress Michigan
• Chris Swanson, Jocelyn Benson poised for contested Democratic governor primary | Detroit News
• Republican Field Complete; Every Candidate Wants To Eliminate A Major Tax | MIRS News
• Morning Digest: John James no longer leads as his absentee campaign enrages Republicans | The Downballot
• House Advances Budget Out Of Subcommittee Slashing MSU, U-M By 63%, Shifts Funds To Scholarships | MIRS News
• Bill Huizenga trails Democrat Sean McCann in early 2026 fundraising | Detroit News
• Citizenship Voting Bill Clears House Amid Partisan Clash | MIRS News

The GOP Economy

• U.S. Inflation Surged in March as Iran War Pushed Up Prices – The New York Times
• Brace Yourself for More Expensive Prices on 12 Basic Items | AARP
• $30m an hour: big oil reaping huge war windfall from consumers, analysis finds | The Guardian
• These highly profitable corporations paid zero federal income taxes last year | Popular Information Substack

Our President

• Trump and the Pope Debate the Bible | Andy Borowitz
• Archdiocese of Miami criticizes shutdown of minors’ program | Miami Herald
• Trump Yanks Millions From Catholic Charities Amid Pope Feud | Daily Beast
• FACT FOCUS: Trump says drug trafficking by sea is down 98.2%. The numbers don’t show that | AP News
• Despite Marie Antoinette comparisons, Trump leans into opulence | AP News
• Trump, 79, Hints That Supreme Court Justices Are Too Old | Daily Beast
• DoorDash Meltdown After Donald Trump Oval Office Stunt Backfires | Daily Beast

Grifters and Thieves

• House Judiciary Investigates Kushner: “Pawn of the Saudi Monarchy” | The New Republic
• Does the SEC Care Whether Hegseth Is Killing Iranians To Get Rich? | The New Republic
• Trump Library Saga Takes Dark Turn: Where Did Millions in Funding Go? | The New Republic
• $500,000 buys a “one-on-one meeting” with Trump | Popular Information Substack
• Traders placed over $1bn in perfectly timed bets on the Iran war. What is going on? | The Guardian
• Donald Trump’s Latest Crypto Corruption: A Mar-a-Lago Party for His Coin Buyers | Mother Jones
• IRS signals negotiations with Trump over controversial $10 billion leak lawsuit | Maddow Blog
• Meet the new power players raising massive money for the midterms – POLITICO
• Donald Trump Admin Hands $20B Mega-Deal to Anduril Weapons Group Backed by Jared Kushner’s Little Brother | Daily Beast
• DOJ moves to undo Jan. 6 rioters’ convictions for seditious conspiracy – The Washington Post
• He Championed the Trumps’ Crypto Venture. Now He’s Attacking It. | Wall Street Journal

Attacking the Planet

• Coral reefs are nearing extinction. 2026 must mark a turning point | Jason Momoa via The Guardian
• The Denialism Presidency | The New Republic

Across the Nation

• A Progressive Group Rolls Out a Campus Competitor to Turning Point – The New York Times
• Democrats Raise Record Cash in Midterm Warning to Trump | Daily Beast
• Virginia becomes 19th state to enact National Popular Vote
• Meet the New Boss (at DOJ); Worse than the Old Boss – Talking Feds Substack
• Pentagon Seeks Help From Ford and G.M. – The New York Times
• Why Americans hate data centers: Let us count the ways | American Prospect
• Battleground Republicans are starting to worry about the Senate – POLITICO
• Government Workers Say They’re Getting Inundated With Religion | WIRED
• American Politics Is Already Inundated With AI Deepfakes. It’s Only Getting Worse | The American Prospect
• Kash Patel’s Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job | The Atlantic
• ICE went on a hiring spree. Sterling credentials not required | AP News

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This Week…

Vision for a Brighter Michigan
Michigan House Democrats

3 months, 7 bills: Michigan lawmakers moving slow as campaign season looms
Bridge Michigan

Legacy Dinner Tickets – Click Here
MDP Endorsement Convention – Click Here

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Whitmer Won’t Endorse In U.S. Senate, SOS Democratic Races | MIRS News
• John James Not Participating In Oakland County GOP’s April 30 Debate | MIRS News
• Statement on John James Failure to Agree to OCRP Debate – Oakland County Republican Party
• GM bets on EV growth despite industry pivot to hybrids | Detroit News
• Michigan betting that space is next frontier to create jobs – Bridge Michigan
• Data centers opposed at protests in Ann Arbor, across Michigan | Detroit News
• Abdul El-Sayed courts college voters, controversy in Michigan Senate stop – Bridge Michigan
• Slotkin in Iowa – Would consider presidential run | AP News
• Could Slotkin pull a Dick Cheney? – POLITICO
• Rheingans, 28 Michigan Legislators Petition For Invocation Of 25th Amendment | MIRS News
• Trump DOJ sues Washtenaw County officials over immigration | Detroit News

The GOP Economy

• Consumer Sentiment Hits Record Low, Michigan Survey Shows | Wall Street Journal
• Why More People Are Dropping Out of the Job Market | Wall Street Journal
• ‘This is very real’: Surging gas prices drive inflation to highest level in 2 years – POLITICO
• Despite Any Refunds, You’re Probably Paying More Taxes Under Trump While Richest Pay Less – Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
• Millions of people without health coverage in 2024 | KFF
• Inside the Jaw-Dropping 2026 ACA Premium Hikes | Lincoln Square/The Waiting Room
• Trump’s Math Behind Medicaid Fraud Claims Doesn’t Add Up—Literally – Mother Jones

Our President

• Trump and Pope Leo are at odds over Iran | AP News
• Trump Unveils Massive Gold Arch as War Sends Inflation Soaring | Daily Beast
• The Melania Files | Kristoffer Ealy/Lincoln Square

Grifter in Chief

• Trump Promises Mass Pardons to Staff Before Leaving Office | Wall Street Journal
• Trump’s CFTC goes to war with states — to protect his family’s business partners | Popular Information
• Melania Gets First Dibs on ICE Barbie’s Mile High Jet | Daily Beast
• DOJ settles lawsuit from Trump ally Michael Flynn for $1.2 million, AP source says | AP News
• State Department sends $1.25B from other programs to Board of Peace | Semafor

Attacking the Planet

• Trump’s offshore wind opposition was never really about whales | Canary Media
• The emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal have been declared endangered | The Washington Post
• Why Green Energy Makes More Sense With Each Price Shock | Wall Street Journal

Across the Nation

• ‘We lose the midterms’: Republicans worry Iran might have already cost them Congress | POLITICO
• Republican fears grow as Democrats notch special election wins | AP News
• Republican Clay Fuller wins Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former House seat in Georgia | AP News
• Liberal Chris Taylor cruises to Wisconsin Supreme Court win | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• Top C.D.C. Official Delays Report on Covid Shot’s Effectiveness | The New York Times
• DOJ presses for its own search of Post reporter’s phone, laptop | The Washington Post
• Stung by Voters, Republican Legislators Move to Curb Citizen Initiatives | The New York Times

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This Week…

President Trump said federal government shouldn’t spend on childcare | Detroit Free Press

Trump asks Congress to supersize military budget, slash domestic programs | POLITICO

Voters Want $200 Billion Spent on Domestic Priorities Like Health Care, Not War | Data for Progress

Legacy Dinner Tickets – Click Here
MDP Endorsement Convention – Click Here

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Trump Is Waging War on Our Elections. These People Are Fighting Back. | The New Republic
• Attorney General Nessel Issues Statement on Trump’s Blatantly Unlawful Elections EO
• Secretary Benson statement on illegal executive order targeting mail-in ballots
• Finley: Does John James really want to be governor? | Detroit News
• Senate hopeful Mike Rogers floats copays, high-risk pools for health care – Bridge Michigan
• U.S. Senate candidate Rogers taps students who defended Hitler group chat and spread misogynistic comments – Detroit Metro Times
• Fact check: Perry Johnson’s $4,747 plan overstates Michigan tax cut savings – Bridge Michigan
• Now Deleted Post Shows MI GOP Chair Calling Strategist ‘Scumbag’ After Interviews On $50 Convention Fee | MIRS News
• Slotkin, Democratic Senators Call on Trump to Block Chinese Automakers From Manufacturing in U.S. | Wall Street Journal
• Gov. Whitmer aims to steady Michigan’s Medicaid program in her final year in office | The Michigan Independent
• Whitmer Temporarily Eases Regulations For Cheaper Gas | MIRS News
• Administration Instructed To Help Businesses Get Tariff Refunds | MIRS News
• US Supreme Court refuses Michigans’s immunity claim in Line 5 case | Interlochen Public Radio
• Supreme Court ruling puts Michigan’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban in jeopardy – Bridge Michigan
• Michigan GOP boots ranked choice voting group from convention | Detroit News

The GOP Economy

• A year later, Trump’s manufacturing revival hasn’t happened | POLITICO
• The tale of the tape: Trump repeatedly pledged to cut gas prices by 50% | Popular Information
• A Year After DOGE Cuts, GSA Now Plans to Hire Hundreds of Employees | WIRED
• Medicaid cuts threaten hundreds of hospitals, new report finds | NBC News

Our President

• 3 FBI agents fired after investigating Trump sue for their jobs back | AP News
• The Art of War by Donald J. Trump <satire> | The Borowitz Report
• President Donald Trump Orders JD Vance to Launch Crusade Against Blue States in Morning Rage Post | Daily Beast
• Trump again orders changes to ‘save’ college sports – The Washington Post
• Trump downplays bipartisan housing bill, shrugging at key opportunity on economy | Maddow Blog
• Another blow to White House transparency: Trump’s DOJ rejects Presidential Records Act | Maddow Blog
• Judge blocks Trump order to end funding for NPR and PBS | AP News
• Judge orders Trump administration to halt construction of ballroom | AP News

Grifter in Chief

• He’s Not Grifting Anymore. He’s Just Taking It. | Meidas+
• Trump Reveals Presidential Library Design: A Glass Tower in Miami | Wall Street Journal
• Taxpayers’ Tab for Donald Trump’s Golf Habit Crosses $100 Million | HuffPost
• Congratulations, Trump: You Played Yourself | Rick Wilson/Lincoln Square
• DOJ and Flynn Collude to Raid Taxpayer Coffers | Harry Litman/Talking Feds Substack
• Donald Trump’s Business Is Now Selling Merch Tied to America’s 250th Anniversary | NOTUS — News of the United States

Attacking the Planet

• In Batteries We Trust | Paul Krugman Substack
• Rice’s whales predate modern humans. Now Trump could make them extinct | The Guardian
• Trump officials issue exemption for Gulf drilling from Endangered Species Act | AP News

Across the Nation

• Another state, another Senate election Republicans try to rig | Daily Kos
• Republicans Seek Protections for Oil Giants Against Climate Lawsuits – The New York Times
• ICE Arrested Hundreds in Blue States. Here’s How Many Were Criminals. | The New Republic
• Trump DOJ Dropped 23,000 Criminal Investigations in Shift to Immigration — ProPublica

Easter Messages

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This Week…

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Do Back-to-Back Courtroom Losses Herald
Meta’s ‘Big Tobacco’ Moment?
Wall Street Journal

Parents seek changes after
verdicts against social media companies
AP News

 

Legacy Dinner Tickets – Click Here
MDP Endorsement Convention – Click Here

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Michigan Democrats oppose proposal to bring new voter ID standards | Detroit News
• Opinion | Chuck Schumer: What the SAVE Act Would Really Do – The New York Times
• ICE plans immigrant detention center in Romulus | Detroit Free Press
• Senate D’s Target Trump Energy Policies; GOP Calls Resolution ‘Political Theater’ | MIRS News
• James leads Michigan lawmakers in missed votes in Congress | Detroit News
• Mike Rogers on rising gas prices: ‘We’re gonna be fine’ | Punchbowl News
• Mike Rogers distorts opioid record to boost Senate bid | American Journal News
• Michigan poll: 63% blame Trump policies for higher energy costs | Detroit Free Press
• EPIC-MRA Poll March 2026
• ‘Kids Over Clicks’ bill package passes state Senate panel – The Oakland Press
• Michigan Republicans contend they learned from past missteps and can win | Detroit News
• Perry Johnson’s Michigan governor campaigns have problem – Nancy Kaffer | Detroit Free Press
• Hamtramck uncounted ballots should’ve been tallied, Michigan appeals court rules | Detroit News
• Data center debate pits Lansing officials against vocal residents | Lansing State Journal
• Greene, Tunney spar on budgets, gun laws and affordability in 35th Senate District candidate forum  | Michigan Advance
• Former House Speaker Joe Tate Won’t Seek Reelection | The Michigan Chronicle
• In Senate race, Mallory McMorrow pitches plan to do data centers ‘right’ – Bridge Michigan
• New Polling – McMorrow Leads in Gubernatorial Primary Battle | Global Strategy Group
• Impact Research Poll – US Senate, Michigan – via X
• Haley Stevens proposes $1B in wastewater grants to treat PFAS – mlive.com
• MIGOP Precinct Delegate Appears to be Recruiting ICE Impersonators for Polls | Progress Michigan
• State Of The Region Reports – Detroit Regional Chamber
• Decision 2026: Michigan Governor Republican primary poll – JMC Enterprises of Louisiana/JMC Analytics and Polling
• Minimum wage campaign stalls, stops pursuit of 2026 ballot measure | Michigan Public

The GOP Economy

• 171,000 or more Michiganders will lose Medicaid by 2028 – mlive.com
• Michigan’s average gas price hits $4 a gallon point, AAA says – CBS Detroit
• Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Is Hitting Republican States Hard | The New Republic
• Rising Health Costs Push Some Middle-Aged Adults To Skip the Doc Until Medicare – KFF Health News
• Opinion | China has pulled ahead in electric battery race, but U.S. can leapfrog – The Washington Post
• Trump Destroyed the EV Industry, Just When We Need It Most | The Bulwark
• Sick of High Gas Prices? EV Deals Are Everywhere Right Now | Wall Street Journal

Our President

• Everything With Trump’s Signature, Name and Likeness: Currency, Buildings and More – The New York Times
• Taxpayers’ Tab for Donald Trump’s Golf Habit Crosses $100 Million | HuffPost
• Trump, 79, Falls Asleep in Memphis Task Force Meeting | The New Republic
• Trump, Who Calls Mail-in Voting ‘Cheating,’ Just Voted by Mail – The New York Times
• Trump disapproval hits second-term high at 59%, Fox News poll finds | Fox News
• Trump imagines negotiation with Sharpie maker for $5 signature pens – The Washington Post
• Trump’s Signature Is Set to Be Added to America’s Currency – The New York Times
• Trump considers renaming Strait of Hormuz after either America or himself — once he evicts Iran | NY Post
• Desperate Trump Goons Suck Up to Him With Bogus Gold Award | Daily Beast
• Trump’s Ballroom Design Has Barely Been Scrutinized – The New York Times

Grifter in Chief

• Trump’s Profiteering Hits $4 Billion | The New Yorker
• Trump appeared to have business motive for keeping classified documents, Jack Smith finds | MS NOW
• DOJ settles lawsuit from Trump ally Michael Flynn for $1.2 million, AP source says | AP News
• Interior Department and Total Energies announce end of US offshore wind projects – POLITICO

Attacking the Bill of Rights

• This Is How Trump Is Already Threatening the Midterms | WIRED
• Opinion | How We Stopped a Bid to Seat Election Deniers in Fulton County – The New York Times
• New York Times Accuses Pentagon of Defying Court Order – The New York Times
• Michigan immigrant detentions: Longtime residents, no criminal records | Detroit Free Press
• ICE presence rising at Michigan health care facilities, rights groups say – Bridge Michigan
• Wormy Food, Intimidating Guards, Sick Kids: Inside ICE’s Only Family Detention Center – Mother Jones
• ‘Do Your Own Research’: How the Rabbit Hole Actually Works | Trygve Olson/Lincoln Square
• Kash Patel’s push against Democratic lawmaker raises concerns within FBI – The Washington Post
• Opinion: Ohio’s drag show ban is an affront to free expression | The Washington Post

Across the Nation

• Trump’s $1B payoff to stop offshore wind is stranger than it sounds | Grist
• It’s three times harder for blue states to get disaster funding under Trump – POLITICO
• Brutal Poll Says Men Are Abandoning Trump | The New Republic
• Minnesota officials sue Trump administration over shooting deaths | AP News
• Florida Democrats flip Donald Trump’s home district in Palm Beach | The Down Ballot
• Most say US military action against Iran has gone too far: poll | AP News
• Trump’s move to put ICE at airports fails to break DHS funding impasse – The Washington Post
• Democrats Say FEMA Official Who Has Claimed to Be Teleported Is ‘Unfit’ for Role – NOTUS — News of the United States
• DHS Ad Investigation Reveals Thousands Spent on Horse, Hair, Makeup – NOTUS — News of the United States

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This Week…

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New Report: President Trump’s SOTU ‘Slam Dunk’ Is Anything But as Millions Lose Health Care
Protect Our Care Michigan

In depth: How the Affordable Care Act changed America
The Obama Foundation

Millions of Americans Are Going Uninsured Following Expiration of ACA Subsidies
Wall Street Journal

Child vaccination rate drops sharply in Michigan
under RFK Jr’s influence
Reuters

Legacy Dinner Tickets – Click Here
MDP Endorsement Convention – Click Here

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• 115 ‘No Kings’ events planned in Michigan. See current locations | | Lansing State Journal
• Peters, Slotkin question Mullin in heated DHS nomination hearing | Detroit Free Press
• Peters & Slotkin Press National Weather Service for Answers on Lack of Tornado Watch Alert for Southwest Michigan Tornadoes (News Release)
• JD Vance Michigan visit: voting claims, dissing John James | Detroit Free Press
• Fact check: JD Vance touts jobs in Michigan, says gas prices will drop – Bridge Michigan
• Nessel seeks major cut to DTE gas rate hike request | Detroit News
• In Michigan, lawmakers call for artificial intelligence regulations | Detroit Free Press
• Mike Cox: John James Misleads Voters with False Trump Endorsement Ad
• Conservative PAC to spend $15 million to elect Mike Rogers | Detroit Free Press
• Ex-wife’s claims rattle Michigan attorney general race | Detroit News
• Jocelyn Benson targets ‘dark money’ in Michigan transparency plan – Bridge Michigan
• Pete Buttigieg’s 2026 project – POLITICO
• Business, labor, democracy groups: Vote NO on Con- Con to protect Michigan’s constitution – Protect MI Constitution from Special Interests
• 6 major issues in Michigan’s US Senate race – Bridge Michigan
• Senate Says Yes To Making Anti-Terrorist Penalties 1st-Amendment-Proof | MIRS News
• As signature deadline looms, petition fraudster gets prison time in 2022 scandal – Bridge Michigan
• Who Gave You That Award Again? | MIRS News

The GOP Economy

• How Trump’s tariffs have hurt manufacturers instead of helping them | AP News
• Iran war jolts oil markets, sending US gas prices to a 2.5-year high | AP News
• US wholesale prices surged last month, before Iran war sent oil and gasoline prices soaring | AP News
• Democrats Hammer Trump on ‘Energy Affordability’ – The New York Times
• Trump’s Attack on Renewables Means High Utility Prices for Everyone | The New York Times
• Administration to Convene ‘God Squad’ With Power to Override Environmental Law – The New York Times

The Bungled Trump-Created War

• Trump Wants $200 Billion for Bombs. Here’s What That Could Buy Instead. – Mother Jones
• Republicans Start to Rebel as Trump Asks for $200 Billion for Iran War | The New Republic
• For the Same Cost as Another Mideast War, We Could Make Oil Irrelevant | The New Republic
• Top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Trump’s Iran war | AP News
• Team Trump gives away the game with its crusade against media coverage of the Iran war mblog

Grifter in Chief

• Like Julius Caesar before him, Trump gets his image on a coin – The Washington Post
• See the U.S. anniversary coins that made the cut and who was left out – Washington Post
• Trump Organization Eyes Transylvania Golf Course Deal – The New York Times
• Jared Kushner’s conflicts of interest become even more controversial | Maddow Blog
• Democrats Press GOP Oversight Chair To Probe Interlochen’s Epstein Links | MIRS News

Attacking the Bill of Rights

• Judge rules Pentagon press policy unconstitutional in case brought by NYT – The Washington Post
• Hegseth’s Christian rhetoric draws renewed scrutiny during Iran war | AP News
• Florida professors quietly defy restrictions on race and gender: ‘This is how authoritarianism works’ | The Guardian
• Jim Crow Redux: The “SAVE America” Act Is a Poll Tax, Plain and Simple | The New Republic
• John Roberts Sends Trump a Message After His Tirade on Supreme Court | The New Republic
• Trump team pushes media to tell Iran war story the White House’s way | AP News

Across the Nation

• Senate Republicans worry they’re losing ground in the midterms – POLITICO
• No H.I.V. Aid Without More Access to Minerals: U.S. Ponders ‘Sticks’ Against Zambia – The New York Times
• Prosecutors seek to dismiss charges against two Louisville officers in the Breonna Taylor case | AP News
• Trump Officials Weigh New Plan to Stop Offshore Wind Farms – The New York Times
• The GOP’s Character Cancer | Stuart Stevens/Lincoln Square

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This Week…

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Trump’s Economy Grew Slowly Last Year—While Inflation Rose
The New Republic

Trump’s tariff plan could cost American households $2,512 by 2026
AP News

Higher Jet Fuel Prices Could Melt Your Summer Travel Plans
WIRED

Legacy Dinner Tickets – Click Here
MDP Endorsement Convention Program – Click Here

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Whitmer meets with Trump, secures emergency aid, talk Great Lakes | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan won’t join antitrust settlement between DOJ and Live Nation | Detroit Free Press
• Mike Duggan made millions while DMC workers accused hospital system of union busting – Detroit Metro Times
• Johnson spending big bucks to make you believe: your government for free | Lansing City Pulse
• Big investors, banking industry figures gave millions to Mike Rogers over decades in politics | Michigan Advance
• Faith leader for Rogers Senate campaign didn’t believe Midland church sex assault victims – WJRT TV-Flint
• Southfield protest opposes office building housing ICE lawyers | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan Senate votes to cap interest, late fees on medical debt | Detroit News
• Slotkin seeks to ‘bring temperature down’ in wake of Temple Israel attack | Detroit News
• Michigan judge voids 1997 conviction against Hmong refugee held by ICE | Detroit News
• GOP ‘false electors’ to sue Dana Nessel, alleging ‘malicious’ prosecution – Bridge Michigan
• BYD Launches New Fast-Charging Battery Amid Slowing Demand in China | Wall Street Journal
• Opinion: Michigan’s raw milk ban limits legal sale for a reason | Detroit Free Press
• 50,000-acre West Michigan wind turbine plan dead after years of debate | Michigan Public Radio
• St. Clair County public health gets ‘MAGA’ makeover, from fluoride to vaccines – Bridge Michigan
• Haley Stevens proposes federal grants to address teacher shortages – mlive.com
• Tech group: Michigan will be sued over efforts to restrain social media – Bridge Michigan

The GOP Economy

• A Third of Americans Have Cut Spending or Borrowed Money for Health Care – The New York Times
• Fertilizer costs up amid Iran war. How Farm Bureau is reacting | Detroit Free Press
• Economy Was Even Slower in Fourth Quarter, New Estimate Shows | Wall Street Journal
• The US economy grew just 0.7% last quarter, ahead of a potentially destabilizing war with Iran | CNN Business
• The US economy grew just 0.7% last quarter, ahead of a potentially destabilizing war with Iran | CNN Business
• Donald Trump, Oil Market Obliterator – The American Prospect

The Bungled Trump-Created War

• The worst cabinet in American history | Paul Waldman/Public Notice Substack
• Trump administration says cost of Iran war’s first two days was $5.6 billion, source says | Reuters
• ‘War leader’ Trump fixates on trivial matters as Iran death toll mounts | The Guardian
• Trump Team Spirals Over Damning Report on Bungled Iran War Planning | The New Republic
• Hegseth ignored military officials when he slashed offices that limit risk to civilians – POLITICO

Grifter in Chief

• Fund-raising Email Features Trump at Ritual for Soldiers Killed in Iran War – The New York Times
• Fox News uses old clip of Trump after he wore hat while saluting slain US soldiers | The Guardian
• Fox News Apologizes After Lying About Trump Honoring Dead Troops | The New Republic
• Trump Org Files Trademarks to Put the President’s Name Front and Center at America’s 250th – NOTUS — News of the United States
• New drone maker partly owned by Trump sons hopes to win Pentagon contracts | AP News
• A Trumpworld Events Company Is Raking In Millions in Federal Contracts | WIRED
• Trump has questioned aides about Corey Lewandowski’s role in DHS ad campaign, sources say | NBC News
• Donald Trump, 79, Uses Jaw-Dropping Show of Disrespect to Beg For Money | Daily Beast
• How Taxpayers Are Still Getting Screwed on Kristi Noem’s Big Beautiful Jet – Mother Jones

Attacking the Bill of Rights

• 

  Some Republicans warn Trump’s SAVE America Act is doomed to fail as Senate tees up a vote | NBC News

• Florida Republicans Pass Bill Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote – The New York Times
• FCC chief threatens broadcasters as Trump criticizes coverage of Iran war – The Washington Post
• It’s not the public interest Carr cares about
• How ICE Plans to Put 8,500 Immigrants in This Georgia Warehouse – The New York Times
• Documents required by GOP’s voting bill can be difficult and costly to get | AP News
• Democrats Are Fielding Questions About Republicans’ Election Agenda – NOTUS — News of the United States
• Corporate Media Is about to Get So Much Worse | Lincoln Square
• A Call for Reporting Tips Rankles Pentagon Officials – The New York Times
• Pentagon puts restrictions on photographers, adding to Hegseth’s anti-press campaign | Maddow Blog
• How ICE defies judges’ orders to release detainees, step by step – POLITICO

Across the Nation

• New Tax Cuts for the Middle Class Planned by Democrats | Wall Street Journal
• Democrats Score Stunning Victory in New Hampshire District Trump Won Easily in 2024 | The New Republic
• The Quiet Way Trump Has Made Life Easier for Polluters | The New Republic
• DOGE member took Social Security data on a thumb drive, whistleblower alleges | The Washington Post
• Trump policies set to increase rates of lung disease and death, study finds | The Guardian
• Trump administration sues California over vehicle-emission rules | AP News
• Congressional Republicans echo anti-Muslim rhetoric as Islamophobic incidents rise | Reuters
• Dark money group offers influencers $1,500 for posts attacking Chicago Democratic primary candidate | MS NOW

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This Week…

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U.S. Loses 92,000 Jobs in January
Wall Street Journal

Michigan gas prices jump 24 cents as Iran conflict escalates
Bridge Michigan

Legacy Dinner Tickets – Click Here
MDP Endorsement Convention Program – Click Here

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Moroun family backed Mike Rogers as he defends blocking Gordie Howe bridge – Detroit Metro Times
• Deadline Detroit | State Rep. Jason Morgan: ‘Mike Rogers Thinks You’re a Sucker’
• Michigan is victorious in legal battle over voter rolls | Secretary of State
• Michigan Democrats vow to challenge any federal interference in 2026 midterms | The Michigan Independent
• Jocelyn Benson pitches housing plan with homebuyer tax credits, Airbnb tax – Bridge Michigan
• Michigan sues prediction market Kalshi, alleging illegal sports betting – Bridge Michigan
• Michigan utility regulators would be elected under new House bills | Detroit News
• In Michigan’s Trump country, a local Democratic Party returns to life – mlive.com
• Perry Johnson releases his first TV ad targeting Rep. John James | Detroit News
• Lots of tax cut promises, few specifics, from GOP gov hopefuls at forum  – Bridge Michigan
• Michigan SOS race puts voting rights at stake | Garlin Gilchrist via Detroit Free Press
• Michigan would regulate police license plate cameras under bipartisan bill – Bridge Michigan
• Michigan child care wage-boosting expands statewide as payments begin | Detroit Free Press
• Rx Kids for Michigan parents expands into all Upper Peninsula counties | Detroit News
• Can Michigan block new ICE facilities? How officials are fighting back – Bridge Michigan
• Sam Singh is leaving Michigan’s Legislature … just as voters intended | Kyle Melinn/Lansing City Pulse
• Michigan Republican lawmakers look to eliminate need for concealed carry license | wzzm13.com
• Marijuana tax payouts dip in Michigan amid sales slump – Bridge Michigan
• Detroit lawmaker says she won’t seek reelection amid six-month absence | Detroit News

The GOP Economy

• Impact of auto tariffs still being felt by metro Detroit dealers & drivers | ABC Detroit
• Nessel warns Michigan ratepayers will pay for Trump’s coal plant order | Detroit News
• ‘Ugly’: Trump’s job market shrinks as oil fears mount – POLITICO
• New A.C.A. Plans Could Increase Family Deductibles to $31,000 – The New York Times
• Judge Orders Government to Begin Refunding More Than $130 Billion in Tariffs | Wall Street Journal
• China no longer buys US exports: Drawing the right lessons for the next Trump-Xi deal | PIIE
• It’s not just Blue States – Trump tariffs hit Indiana jobs, farms even after SCOTUS ruling | Opinion/IndyStar

Federal Incompetence

• Kash Patel Fired Entire Team of Iran Experts Right Before Trump’s War | The New Republic
• We’re Low on Ammo: Trump Is Burning through our Weapons and Troops in Iran | Rick Wilson/Lincoln Square
• Trump ‘Had a Feeling, Based on Fact,’ That There Was an Imminent Iran Threat, White House Says – NOTUS — News of the United States
• ‘We were ready’: Democratic attorneys general lead fight to stop Trump | The Guardian
• In South Carolina Measles Outbreak, Vaccine Skepticism Led to Largest Outbreak Since 2000 – The New York Times
• National Park Service flags hundreds of items that might ‘disparage’ U.S. – The Washington Post

Destroying the Planet

• Global sea levels have been underestimated due to poor modelling, research suggests | The Guardian
• Scientists, Engineers and Legal Experts Condemn Partisan Attack on Scientific Reference Manual for Judges – Inside Climate News
• Greenland’s sea ice is melting. Fishermen worry what comes next | AP News

Corruption, grifting and criminality

• 

  Documents Reveal Ties Between Trump Officials and Industries They Regulate — ProPublica

• ‘Operation Epstein Distraction’: Trump’s bloody Iran ‘hype videos’ seem to target niche audience | The Guardian
• DOJ Abruptly Posts Interviews With Trump Accuser From Epstein Files | The New Republic
• GOP lawmakers push DOJ for charges against Jan. 6 star witness Cassidy Hutchinson | CNN Politics
• Trump is still going after the press in court. Here’s where his lawsuits stand. – POLITICO

Across the Nation

• Barack Obama Buries Donald Trump in Barbs at Civil Rights Icon Jesse Jackson’s Funeral | Daily Beast
• Donald Trump Finds Jaw-Dropping Way to Disrespect His Own War Dead | Daily Beast
• Volkswagen Dealers Revolt Over Plan to Sell a New Brand of SUV Directly to Consumers | Wall Street Journal
• Ben Stiller Tells White House to Remove ‘Tropic Thunder’ From Iran War Propaganda Video | Yahoo News Canada
• Pop Star Tells White House ‘Perverts’ to Stop Using Her Song | Daily Beast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:20 — 21.2MB)

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This Week…

Trump’s Own Intel Agencies Say His Iran Claims Are Nonsense
Daily Beast

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A Tale of Two Speeches

5 ways Whitmer bet on bipartisanship in contrast to President Trump
Detroit News
Whitmer Goes Reflective In Final State Of State
MIRS News
Literacy leads final Whitmer State of the State, other takeaways
Detroit Free Press

Fact-check: Trump exaggerates on economy, immigration
PolitiFact
Fact-check: A look at Trump’s false and misleading claims
AP News

Opinion: Trump’s threats to ‘federalize’ elections is serious threat
John Lindstrom/Detroit Free Press
John Lindstrom Inducted Into Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame
State Affairs Pro

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Congressman Tom Barrett’s Campaign Seeks High School Students’ Emails After Anti-ICE Walkout – East Lansing Info
• Sean McCann Added to DCCC’s Coveted ‘Red to Blue’ Program – DCCC
• Ford to begin production at massive Michigan battery plant this summer – mlive.com
• GOP leader proposes $4.7B Michigan service tax to pay for property tax cuts – Bridge Michigan
• Michigan senators urge ICE to drop plans for Romulus detention center freep
• US plans to clear-cut in Michigan forest. Some fear for endangered species – Bridge Michigan
• DTE to seek another rate increase weeks after $242M hike approval | Detroit Free Press
• Walmart to pay $100M in FTC settlement over Spark Driver earnings | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan GOP leader called opponents ‘scum’ after hearing on ICE bills | Detroit News
• Republican governor hopeful Perry Johnson launching record $10M ad blitz | Detroit News
• Cut taxes? Just eliminate them! Why didn’t we do this before? | <Satire> Kyle Melinn/Lansing City Pulse

The GOP Economy

1

• State Representative Kara Hope: Trump, Barrett, Big Oil making everything cost more | Lansing State Journal
• Michigan economy takes a hit as Canadian visits plummet amid Trump’s barbs | Detroit News
• Michigan Retail Index Reports Sales Drop for Second Month in a Row – Michigan Retailers Association
• Stellantis won’t offer profit-sharing checks for 2025 after loss | Detroit Free Press
• Trump touts booming economy but some say costs still sting | Fox 47 Lansing

Federal Incompetence

• RFK Jr. Suggests People Eat Liver if They’re So Broke | The New Republic
• States (including Michigan) sue Trump administration over vaccine recommendations | AP News

Trampling the Constitution

• Marty Baron talks Trump, ‘faint-hearted’ media owners at IU | IndyStar
• The FCC’s ‘Patriotic, Pro-America’ Scheme Is More Media Intimidation | Lincoln Square
• The Four Ways Trump Plans to Delegitimize this Fall’s Elections | The New Republic
• Trump’s New Voter I.D. Threat Is His Gravest Attack on Democracy Yet | The New Republic
• MAGA Activists Pitch Trump on Chilling “National Emergency” Plot | The New Republic
• DoJ cases against protesters keep collapsing as officers’ lies are exposed in court | The Guardian
• “It Ends Today”: Judge Threatens to Haul in DOJ Officials Under Oath | The New Republic
• ICE Took Their Papers—and Won’t Give Them Back | Mother Jones
• DHS official tells state election chiefs there won’t be ICE agents at polling places | NBC News
• Judge bars government from ‘wholesale’ search of Washington Post reporter’s seized devices | AP News
• Trump’s ICE Is Quietly Stockpiling Weaponry—and It Should Alarm Us All | The New Republic

Corruption, grifting and criminality

• Before Moroun’s donation to Trump’s super PAC, others in Michigan gave millions – mlive.com
• Double Standard | It’s Not Your Imagination. The Rules Really Are Different for Trump. | Lincoln Square
• DOJ removed, withheld Epstein files related to accusations about Trump | NPR
• The Trump boys are Making Corruption Great Again | Public Notice Substack
• Deeply conflicted, Kushner represents the U.S. in high-stakes negotiations with Iran | Judd Legum/Popular Information
• Opinion | One Man Stole $660 Million. He’ll Never Pay It Back. – The New York Times
• Days after $5M donation, Trump administration backs Crypto.com in lawsuit | Judd Legum/Popular Information Substack
• Don Jr.’s Fiancée Uses Historic White House Room for Tacky Grift | Daily Beast
• A White House Staffer Appears to Run Massive Pro-Trump X Account | WIRED
• Kash Patel’s use of jet delayed FBI team’s mass shooting response, whistleblower tells top senator | MS NOW

Across the Nation

• Former President Biden flies commercial and faces delays | AP News
• CBS News and CNN staffers fear ‘disaster’ as Paramount wins Warner Bros battle | The Guardian
• The $130 Billion Race for Companies to Get Their Tariff Money Back | Wall Street Journal
• Trump Media’s Stock Price Is Falling Even Faster Than His Poll Numbers – Mother Jones
• Team USA women’s captain Hilary Knight responds to President Trump’s ‘distasteful’ joke | CBS Sports

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:17 — 21.5MB)

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This Week…

8 ways Jesse Jackson impacted Detroit, Michigan | Detroit Free Press
How Michigan helped the Rev. Jesse Jackson make history | Detroit News

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New bills aim to lower housing costs in Michigan, cut red tape
mlive.com
How home builders responded to Whitmer’s call to ‘build, baby, build’
Detroit Free Press

Moroun gave $1M to MAGA Inc. before Trump’s Gordie Howe bridge threat
USA Today
Gordie Howe International Bridge hits a Trump speed bump
Debbie Stabenow/MS NOW
Rep. Rashida Tlaib hikes pressure on Moroun over Trump’s bridge threat
Detroit Free Press
Michigan Dems double down for timely Gordie Howe bridge opening
mlive.com
‘Secret’ Windsor meeting led to construction of Gordie Howe bridge
Windsor Star

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• DOJ starts investigations into 3 Michigan school districts, including Lansing | | Lansing State Journal
• Dievendorf, Pohutsky Introduce SAFER Act Designed to Protect Students – Michigan House Democrats
• ‘We still don’t have answers’: Michigan congresswomen visit ICE detention center in Baldwin | Interlochen Public Radio
• Scholten, Stevens call for answers in inmate death at ICE facility | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan lawmakers say DHS has secured SE Michigan building for possible use as ICE detention facility | wtol.com
• ‘We will not accept a warehouse prison’: Michigan Democratic leaders blast planned ICE site in Romulus | mlive.com
• As ICE Buys Up Warehouses, Even Some Trump Voters Say No – The New York Times
• Karen McDonald promises to hold ICE agents accountable in Oakland Co. | Detroit Free Press
• Trump admin. extends order for Michigan coal power plant to remain open | Detroit Free Press
• Mike Duggan campaign says false post about endorsements was an error | Detroit News
• Duggan’s inconsistency on trifecta raises alarms for Dems: ‘I really don’t know who Mike Duggan is’ • Michigan Advance
• Trump’s trade threats against Canada could hit Michigan drivers at the pump – Fox 17 Grand Rapids
• Would Republicans rather be right or be happy? | Kyle Melinn/Lansing City Pulse
• GOP fallout from LaFave endorsement continues to unravel | Mining Journal
• Jocelyn Benson wants to bring high-speed rail to Michigan. What would it take? | Bridge Michigan

The GOP Economy

• US economy hits the brakes: Q4 GDP slows to 1.4% as spending cools, the Commerce Department reports | AP News
• Economic Growth Slowed in Fourth Quarter, Hurt by Government Shutdown | Wall Street Journal
• West Michigan faces job losses and uncertainty, as economy takes toll | Bridge Michigan
• Michigan nurse goes without health insurance as ACA costs double for 2026 – mlive.com
• Why the United States Is Seeing an Ongoing Tourism Slump – The New York Times

Trump’s War on the Planet

• Trump’s Climate Repeal Will Kill America’s Transition From Gas Guzzlers to EVs – Mother Jones
• Trump cancels federal climate regulations. Here’s what it means for Michigan | Bridge Michigan
• Trump just blew up the endangerment finding behind climate regulation. Now what? | Vox
• The Fight Over US Climate Rules Is Just Beginning | WIRED
• With Latest Rollback, the U.S. Essentially Has No Clean-Car Rules – The New York Times
• Team USA skiers and others raise alarm over accelerating melt of world’s glaciers | AP News
• A new Ohio bill could be a de facto statewide ban on solar/wind energy | Canary Media
• Editorial | Trump’s order for the military to purchase coal energy defies markets – The Washington Post
• Turning Our Back on Clean Energy – Paul Krugman Substack

Federal Incompetence

• Healthcare group urges RFK Jr to resign after remarks on cocaine and toilet seats | The Guardian
• RFK Jr. Allies Target States to Overturn Vaccine Mandates for Schools – The New York Times
• Try to Make Any Sense of RFK Jr.’s New “Workout” Video | The New Republic
• Inside the Debacle That Led to the Closure of El Paso’s Airspace – The New York Times
• U.S. considers building pricey alternative to World Health Organization – The Washington Post

Trampling the Constitution

• Justice Department struggles as White House presses on voter fraud – The Washington Post
• How Trump undermined election assistance agency ahead of the midterms | MS NOW
• Justice Department issues new subpoenas in Florida-based Trump probe | AP News
• Trump tells soldiers to vote GOP in campaign-style rally at Fort Bragg | MSN
• F.T.C. Chair Warns Apple Against Bias in Apple News – The New York Times
• What if everyone had to prove their citizenship to register to vote? | Votebeat
• Republicans, Braced for Losses, Push More Voting Restrictions in Congress – The New York Times
• New Trump order could mean arrest for thousands of legal refugees in the US | AP News
• ICE Is Expanding Across the US at Breakneck Speed. Here’s Where It’s Going Next | WIRED
• Homeland Security Demands Social Media Sites Reveal Names Behind Anti-ICE Posts – The New York Times
• Judge orders Trump administration to restore George Washington slavery exhibit in Philadelphia | AP News

Corruption, grifting and criminality

• ‘No expense has been spared’: Inside a luxury jet DHS wants to buy for deportations | NBC News
• DOJ Scrubs Record of Interviews With Trump Accuser From Epstein Files | The New Republic
• How much money has Trump made as president? The answer should worry us all. | MS NOW
• Trump Organization files to trademark Donald J. Trump International Airport | AP News
• Egomaniac Trump Closes in on Having Another Building Named After Him | Daily Beast
• How Trump Media collapsed | Judd Legum/Popular Information Substack
• Giant banner of Donald Trump hung at Justice Department headquarters | CNN Politics
• Trump Reveals He’s Taking $10 Billion From Taxpayers for His New Board | The New Republic

Across the Nation

• Democrats tap influencers in new strategy to reach Latino voters | AP News
• UAW members ratify contract at Chattanooga Volkswagen plant | Detroit Free Press
• Measles Outbreak Hits Ave Maria University in Florida – The New York Times

CBS Didn’t Want Colbert to Talk to This Democratic Candidate.
He Did It Anyway. – Mother Jones