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This Week…

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Unwanted Telemarketers Face Bigger Fines Under Senate-Passed Bills
MIRS News

Dirty Duggan Throws Trans Youth Under the Bus for Cheap Political Points
Progress Michigan

Texas Democrats score landslide upset in race Trump badly wanted to win
The DownBallot

In the News

Murder in Minneapolis

VIDEO: The Streets of Minneapolis – Bruce Springsteen

• Overflow Crowd Listens To Bills Limiting ICE’s Abilities In MI | MIRS News
• Michigan’s U.S. Senate candidates have disparate perspectives on dealing with ICE overreach | Michigan Advance
• Peters eyes DHS reforms to hold agents to same standards as local police | Detroit News
• How legacy media fell for Trump’s fake “pivot” in Minnesota | Popular Information Substack
• How Minnesota Can Convict – by Harry Litman/Talking Feds

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Unpaid medical debt? Michigan may soon limit how creditors can come after it – Bridge Michigan
• GOP clerk and candidate’s estimate of noncitizen voters too high, Michigan says – Votebeat
• Where is Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood? • Michigan Advance
• Senate poll shows McMorrow ahead, Stevens frontrunner status in doubt | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers campaigns from Florida as carpetbagger questions return – Detroit Metro Times
• GOP linked to group touting ‘progressive champ’ in key Michigan Senate race | Detroit News
• Morning Digest: Why are Michigan Republicans trying to boost this Democrat? | The Downballot
• Michigan population grows in 2025 as residents move in, census shows | Detroit Free Press
• ICE in Michigan: More arrests, detainees and protests – Bridge Michigan
• Senators Highlight Efforts to Improve Public Safety, Increase Transparency in Immigration Enforcement  |Senator Stephanie Chang
• Trump threatens 100 percent tariffs on Canadian imports in response to new trade deal with China – POLITICO
• Slotkin, Peters to vote no on DHS funding | Detroit Free Press
• Source: Trump urged Perry Johnson to enter Michigan governor’s race | WLNS TV
• “‘The Dollhouse’: Four Transgender Women Run For The Michigan House | MIRS News
• McMorrow pitches nationwide program to pay new mothers, inspired by Michigan’s Rx Kids | Michigan Public Radio
• MSF Approves $6.7M For Volkswagen, Detroit; Creates New Program | MIRS News
• Mark Totten drops out of Democratic race for Michigan attorney general | Detroit Free Press
• Nessel’s office now demanding Gotion pay back millions to Michigan | Detroit Free Press

The GOP Economy

• Editorial | Energy Department mandates to keep coal plants mean higher electric bills | The Washington Post
• ‘I don’t want to drive housing prices down’: Trump sparks backlash with latest declaration | Maddow Blog
• Consumer confidence collapses to lowest level since 2014 | CNN Business
• KFF Health Tracking Poll: Health Care Costs, Expiring ACA Tax Credits, and the 2026 Midterms | KFF
• Health Care Costs Tops the Public’s Economic Worries as the Runup to the Midterms Begins; Independent Voters Are More Likely to Trust Democrats than Republicans on the Issue | KFF
• Mark Carney stands firm on Davos speech, plans new Canada trade deals | AP News

King Donald

• ‘Spy Sheikh’ Bought Secret Stake in Trump Company | Wall Street Journal
• Trump sues IRS for $10 billion over leaked tax info | AP News
• Trump’s Lawsuit Against I.R.S. Creates ‘Enormous Conflict of Interest’ – The New York Times
• Trump’s First National Bank of Scams Is Coming | The New Republic
• Donald Trump promised to make the US the world’s crypto capital. His businesses are seizing on it. – POLITICO
• Trump favors 250-foot arch that would tower over other monuments – The Washington Post
• FBI Raids Georgia Election Office as Trump Expands Attack on Democracy | The New Republic
• Exclusive | Spy Chief Tulsi Gabbard Is Hunting for 2020 Election Fraud | Wall Street Journal
• Republicans Introduce Their Biggest Attack on Voting Rights Yet | The New Republic
• DOJ’s “Ransom” Letter to Minnesota Reveals How Trump Plans to Rig the Midterms – Mother Jones
• Social media as state media | Popular Information Substack
• Trump says Justice Department is investigating Ilhan Omar | POLITICO
• After Donations, Trump Administration Revoked Rule Requiring More Nursing Home Staff – The New York Times

Trump’s “Gestapo”

GOP Incompetence

• HHS Wasn’t Worried About South Carolina’s Measles Outbreak. It’s Now Enormous. – Mother Jones
• RFK Jr. Wants to End the “War” on Unproven Treatments Like Stem Cell Therapy – Mother Jones
• Defying CDC, Pediatricians Recommend All Kids Get Vaccinations Against 18 Diseases | Wall Street Journal
• $17 Billion in FEMA Aid to States Held Up by Extra Scrutiny – The New York Times

Across the Nation

• DOJ Just DELETED This Document from the Epstein Files. We Saved It. | Meidas+
• How the Trump Administration Hobbled Federal Labor Unions – The New York Times
• Editorial: Mass Deportation by the Numbers | Wall Street Journal
• California governor Gavin Newsom accuses TikTok of suppressing content critical of Trump | The Guardian
• History exhibits removed from Grand Canyon, 16 other national parks – The Washington Post

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This Week…

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How Trump Doomed the American Auto Industry
The American Prospect

Ex-Ally Warns Trump’s Decline Is “Significant”
After Disastrous Speech | The New Republic

Spring Endorsement Convention – 4/19/2026
Michigan Democratic Party 

In the News

Murder in Minneapolis

• Senators Highlight Efforts to Improve Public Safety, Increase Transparency in Immigration Enforcement  | Senator Stephanie Chang
• Michigan’s U.S. Senate candidates have disparate perspectives on dealing with ICE overreach | Michigan Advance
• ICE Barbie Kristi Noem Spews Vile Accusations Against Slain VA Nurse Alex Pretti | Daily Beast
• The Instant Smear Campaign Against Border Patrol Shooting Victim Alex Pretti | WIRED
• Alex Pretti did not brandish gun, witnesses say in sworn testimony | The Guardian
• Man Killed by Federal Agents in Minneapolis Was Holding a Phone, Not a Gun – The New York Times
• The ICE killing of Alex Pretti, the second in Minneapolis, prompts quick legal responses | LawDork.com
• Federal immigration agents keep shooting at drivers. We tracked 15 cases since July. | MS NOW

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Group touting ‘progressive champ’ in key Michigan race might be GOP | Detroit News
• Mike Rogers made almost $100K advising a company that helped Maduro regime spy on its citizens • Michigan Advance
• Mike Rogers Doubles Down, Dismissing Stellantis’ 48,000 Michigan Workers – WLNS TV
• VIDEO – Gretchen Whitmer on midterms, Trump administration and Democrats | NPR
• Slotkin accuses EPA of denial, deflection and delay in Flint water crisis cases – mlive.com
• Michigan tribes warn members about ICE stops: ‘Irony maybe is the word’ | Bridge Michigan

The GOP Economy

• Trump threatens 100 percent tariffs on Canadian imports in response to new trade deal with China – POLITICO
• How Trump’s promise to slash energy bills in half has failed across the US | The Guardian
• Trump brags about his ‘promises kept’ — but there’s a whole lot he didn’t deliver | MS NOW
• 6,000 Truth Social Posts Later, Here Are the Promises Trump Kept—and Broke | Wall Street Journal
• Fact-Checking Trump’s Misleading Claims After One Year Back in Office – The New York Times
• Farmers Now Owe a Lot More for Health Insurance – KFF Health News

King Donald

• Opinion | How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion – The New York Times
• Pulling out of 66 international organizations, Trump turns his back on science, facts, reason | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
• Donald Trump Squeezes Key Allies In Brazen $1 Billion ‘Peace’ Grift | Daily Beast
• Goodbye Cronkite, Hello Trump | Jennifer Schulze/Indistinct Chatter
• White House Warns CBS: Air Trump Interview in Full, or ‘We’ll Sue’ | The New York Times
• The MAGA Plan to Take Over TV Is Just Beginning | The New York Times

Trump’s “Gestapo”

• ICE Drags Half-Naked Citizen Out of His Home Into Freezing Cold | The New Republic
• Under Patel, F.B.I. Scours Its Records to Discredit Trump Opponents | The New York Times
• ICE has stopped paying for detainee medical treatment – Judd Legum/Popular Information substack
• New Depths of Corruption in Minnesota | Harry Litman/Talking Feds Substack
• Justice Department subpoenas Walz and others in immigration enforcement obstruction probe | AP News

GOP Incompetence

• Trump’s long-awaited healthcare “plan” is a joke – Public Notice
• Pam Bondi Desperately Tries to Keep Damning Trump Files Hidden Forever | Daily Beast
• Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional, Rejecting Decades of Science – The New York Times
• As US Is Poised To Lose Measles-Free Status, RFK Jr.’s New CDC Deputy Downplays Its Significance – KFF Health News
• White House Posts Altered Photo Showing Arrested Minnesota Protester Crying – The New York Times
• Turns Out FBI Director Kash Patel Hates Reading | The New Republic

Across the Nation

• Buttigieg, Booker Lead Midterm Democratic Health Care Push | The New York Times
• Microsoft Has a Plan to Keep Its Data Centers From Raising Your Electric Bill | WIRED
• ‘No other option’: inside the refugee camp for trans Americans fleeing Trump | The Guardian

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This Week…

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In Detroit speech, Trump touts economic boom invisible to many
Detroit Free Press

Fact check: Donald Trump touts economy, downplays costs in Michigan speech
Bridge Michigan

Trump picks the wrong time to lie to the public about grocery prices
Maddow Blog

Michigan voters sour on Trump economy
ahead of visit, poll shows
Detroit News

Trump makes obscene gesture, mouths expletive at Detroit factory heckler
The Washington Post

Spring Convention – 4/19/2026
Michigan Democratic Party 

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Sen. Slotkin is being investigated for Democrats’ video to troops | AP News
• $25 Billion. That’s What Trump Cost Detroit. | The New York Times
• Michigan Democrats attack Rogers’ opposition to extending ACA tax credits | Michigan Advance
• Michigan election official’s claim of 15 noncitizen voters could be inflated | Votebeat
• Michigan Democrats attack Rogers’ States push for the front of the line in Democrats’ 2028 presidential contest | NBC News
• opposition to extending ACA tax credits | Michigan Advance
• Rogers, Stevens tied in Michigan U.S. Senate matchup, poll finds | Detroit News
• Whitmer announces geologic hydrogen investment, emphasizes collaboration at Detroit Auto Show | Michigan Advance
• McClain ‘100%’ denies insider knowledge of Musk AI investment | | Detroit News
• Gilchrist ends bid for governor to run for secretary of state | Detroit News
• Dana Nessel: Bar immigration arrests at Michigan courthouses | Bridge Michigan
• DSCC Memo: Flipping the U.S. Senate
• Insider: History suggests ‘I was born here’ won’t be winning message | Detroit News
• Michigan nears school cellphone ban. What to know | Bridge Michigan
• Swanson Critical Of ICE’s Handling Of Minnesota Shooting | MIRS News
• GoFundMe pages raise money for Ford worker after Trump exchange | Detroit Free Press
• UAW vows to fight for worker suspended for comments to Trump | Detroit Free Press
• Economic and Fiscal Impact of Michigan’s Public Universities – Anderson Economic Group
• 40,000 fewer Michiganders seek Affordable Care Act health insurance | Bridge Michigan
• Are tariffs vs. affordability driving Michigan’s politics? – POLITICO
• Representative Kara Hope: The law still matters in Lansing

The GOP Economy

• Why Trump’s pitiful new health care ‘plan’ is even worse than it appears | MS NOW
• Trump’s manufacturing boom fails to materialize | The Washington Post
• Editorial: The Affordability Problem in One Chart | Wall Street Journal
• One Year of Trumponomics – Paul Krugman Substack
• One year in, Trump’s economy is a mess | Paul Waldman/Public Notice
• Inflation in 2025: How Prices for Food, Cars and Clothing Moved in 5 Charts | Wall Street Journal
• As Trump Pushes Housing Affordability, His Mortgage Chief Undermines It | The New York Times
• At CES, One Thing Became Clear: China Is Surging Ahead in Energy and Solar Innovations | PCMag

King Donald

• Trump in fresh Greenland outburst as ministers arrive for talks with Vance | The Guardian
• Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time – The New York Times
• Fed Chair Jerome Powell Rings Every Alarm Bell About DOJ Investigation | The New Republic
• Trump is trying to change how the midterm elections are conducted | The Washington Post
• Donald Trump wants to make imperialism great again | Hayes Brown/MS NOW
• Trump’s Saudi payback – by Judd Legum/Popular Information Substack
• Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment text at National Portrait Gallery | The Washington Post
• Trump’s Smithsonian censorship agenda is escalating | MS NOW
• Trump’s Ethnic Cleansing Campaign in Minneapolis – The American Prospect

Trump’s “Gestapo”

• ICE Barbie Warns Americans Must Be Prepared to Prove Citizenship | Daily Beast
• ICE Attacks Car Full of Kids, Leaving 6-Month-Old Baby Unconscious | The New Republic
• Video Analysis of ICE Shooting Sheds Light on Contested Moments – The New York Times
• ICE error meant some recruits were sent into field offices without proper training, sources say
• ICE recruitment: MInimal screening, reduced training. | Slate
• DHS Picks Fight With Reporter Who Exposed ICE’s Shoddy Hiring | The New Republic
• Medical examiner likely to classify ICE detainee death as homicide, call says | The Washington Post
• Family of man killed by off-duty ICE agent in LA demands charges: ‘The ache will never go away’ | The Guardian

GOP Incompetence

• HHS causes confusion by cutting grants, then reversing course | AP News
• Trump and Hegseth Face New War Crime Allegation Over Drug Boat Strikes | The New Republic
• VIDEO: How the Trump Administration Is Remaking Public Education | ProPublica
• An unraveling Justice Department appears to be coming apart at the seams | Maddow Blog

Across the Nation

• Exclusive | WSJ Poll: Trump’s Approval Rating Flat as Voters’ View of Economy Sours – WSJ
• A Majority of Voters Say ICE’s Use of Lethal Force in Minneapolis Was Not Justified | Data for Progress
• AP/NORC Poll:What Americans think about Trump’s recent foreign intervention | AP News
• Half of Americans think ICE is making American cities less safe, CNN poll finds | CNN Politics
• From Viral Video to Federal Occupation: How Nick Shirley Ignited the Minneapolis ICE Surge | Jennifer Schulze/Lincoln Square
• Stop calling Nick Shirley a journalist. He’s a MAGA political operative.
• Judges Uphold California’s New Congressional Map | Wall Street Journal
• Initial Review Finds No Widespread Illegal Voting by Migrants, Puncturing a Trump Claim | The New York Times
• FBI agents search Washington Post reporter’s home | The Washington Post
• Supreme Court Battle Over Trans Athletes Is About So Much More Than Sports | Mother Jones
• Trump Says Civil Rights Led to White People Being ‘Very Badly Treated’ | The New York Times

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This Week…

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Michigan Republicans vote ‘no’ on restoration of
health insurance subsidies | Detroit News

Spring Convention – 4/19/2026
Michigan Democratic Party 

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Nessel says House GOP’s veto of $645M in spending ‘unconstitutional’ | Detroit Free Press
• House GOP files lawsuit over AG Dana Nessel’s ‘work projects’ opinion | Detroit Free Press
• Physicians Recommend AAP and AAFP Childhood Immunization Schedules Despite Federal Changes – Michigan State Medical Society
• Mike Duggan independent campaign faces barrage of Democratic criticism | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan teachers weaving lessons on Jan. 6 uprising into history classes | Bridge Michigan
• Michigan has ‘zero tolerance’ for child care fraud, agency says amid push for audit | Bridge Michigan
• Michigan makes gains in moving data, with fewer people leaving state | Bridge Michigan
• Grand Rapids Preschool Teacher, 22, Arrested on TV After Condemning Donald Trump over Nicolas Maduro Venezuela Capture | Daily Beast
• Benson Proposes $5K Caregiver Tax Credit | MIRS News
• Here are facts shaping Michigan as state gears for big election year | Bridge Michigan
• Electricity rates climb, powering calls for change in Michigan | Detroit News
• Detroit homicides in 2025 drop to fewest since 1964 | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan doctors say these 5 changes are coming to health care in 2026 | Detroit Free Press
• Five ways the Trump administration reshaped Michigan in 2025 | mlive.com
• Representative Penelope Tsernoglou: Bills would help protect dogs from freezing to death | Detroit News
• 9 Big Questions Heading Into 2026 | MIRS News
• Insider: History suggests ‘I was born here’ won’t be winning message | Detroit News
• Rogers, Stevens lead Michigan U.S. Senate fundraising with wealthy and corporate donors | Michigan Advance
• The Most Interesting Primary of 2026 | The American Prospect
• Gilchrist weighs dropping bid for governor, to run for secretary of state | Detroit News
• Swartz drops out of race for Congress in Fourth District | 94.9 WSJM

The GOP Economy

• Job Gains Cooled in December, Capping Year of Weak Hiring | Wall Street Journal
• US economy added 50,000 jobs in December, capping off one of the weakest years of job gains in decades | CNN Business
• Job growth slowed markedly in Trump’s first year back in office | POLITICO
• Judge halts Trump administration block on child care, other program money for 5 states | AP News
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting dissolves itself | AP News

King Donald

• Venezuela raid enriches MAGA billionaire | Judd Legum/Popular Information
• You Won’t Believe Who Trump Told About Venezuela Attack Ahead of Time | The New Republic
• The Emperor’s New Oil Wealth | Paul Krugman
• Exclusive | Trump Team Works Up Sweeping Plan to Control Venezuelan Oil for Years to Come | Wall Street Journal
• ‘Dictator’ Trump Floats Idea of Canceling Midterm Elections
• Trump proposes massive increase in defense spending to $1.5T | AP News
• Putting a sticker over Trump’s face on your parks pass might cost you | The Washington Post
• The Trump Doctrine: Violence Is Us – Mother Jones
• White House ballroom addition height will match mansion, architect says | The Washington Post

• Trump administration unleashes torrent of untruths after woman shot dead by ICE | The Guardian
• MAGA Is Already Rewriting the ICE Shooting in Minneapolis | WIRED
• Video shows ICE agent in Minneapolis fired at driver as vehicle veered past him | The Washington Post
• January 6, five years on: sustained effort by Trump to rewrite history | Wall Street Journal
• White House Recasts Jan. 6 Riot as ‘Peaceful Protest’  | The Guardian
• Jan. 6 plaque absent from Capitol around fifth anniversary of attack AP News
• Washington National Opera Is Leaving the Kennedy Center | The New York Times
• Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment text at National Portrait Gallery | The Washington Post

GOP Incompetence

• ‘The perfect storm’: Trump has left the US less prepared for natural disasters, experts say | The Guardian
• US drops some vaccine recommendations for children | AP News
• Pete Hegseth moves to demote Mark Kelly over illegal orders video | WGN TV
• The Kelly-Hegseth Grudge Match Helps No One | Wall Street Journal
• Judge says Trump’s acting US Attorney investigating Letitia James is serving unlawfully | CNN Politics

Across the Nation

• Trump Responds to Minnesota ICE Shooting—and Makes It Way Worse | The New Republic
• Monetizing Regime Change via Prediction Market Bets | The American Prospect
• Trump gerrymandering showdown puts democracy at risk in 2026 | Opinion | Detroit Free Press
• Federal immigration officers shoot 2 outside hospital in Portland, Oregon | AP News

 

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This Week…

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Health subsidies expire for millions of Americans | AP News
Expiring ACA subsidies will affect these Americans most | CNBC

Michigan Election Rocked by AI Deepfakes
Targeting GOP Candidate MichiganNewsSource.com

Spring Convention – Michigan Democratic Party 4/19/26

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Michigan officials react to U.S. strike in Venezuela | Detroit News
• Childcare bill would take a Michigan cost-sharing model national | Detroit News
• After ‘chaotic’ year, Michigan leaders eye transparency, literacy, taxes – Bridge Michigan
• Trump, DOGE and deep divides: Biggest Michigan politics stories of 2025 | Bridge Michigan
• Singh Named Senator Of The Year | MIRS News

The GOP Economy

• The Winners and Losers From 2026’s Mix of Tax and Benefit Cuts | Wall Street Journal
• Trump’s First Year Back, in 10 Charts | Steven Rattner/New York Times
• Trump says jobs market is booming for U.S.-born. Here’s what data really shows. | The Washington Post

Grift, Lies, Crimes and Corruption

• Jack Smith: Jan. 6 riot wouldn’t have happened without Trump | AP News
• Transcript: Jack Smith Deposition – Trump “Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt”
• Trump Administration Upends Prosecution of White-Collar Crime | Wall Street Journal
• How Trump circumventing Congress is different from previous presidents | The Guardian
• How Trump circumventing Congress is different from previous presidents | The Guardian
• Editorial: Trump’s Attack on Venezuela Is Illegal and Unwise | The New York Times
• Trump Tells Fans to Donate to Him or Else Dems Will Steal Their Money | The New Republic
• The Most Fooled Nation | Michael Cohen/Meidas+
• Trump’s second-term revenge tour could be headed to Florida | Barbara McQuade/MS NOW
• Border czar Tom Homan didn’t receive normal background check during bribery probe | MS NOW
• Trump says he’s ended eight wars. His numbers are off | AP News
• Signs of Aging Emerge, Trump Responds With Defiance | Wall Street Journal
• These bipartisan bills were noncontroversial — until Trump vetoed them

The Resistance

• VIDEO: Censored 60 Minutes report on CECOT Prison in El Salvador
• HOME | Trump Kennedy Center (Parody website, owned by a South Park writer)

Across the Nation

• Democrats deny GOP a supermajority with Iowa Senate election win
• Opinion: How America Loses Vaccine Access | The New York Times
• Trump administration says it’s freezing child care funds to Minnesota | AP News
• What the MN Star Tribune found at day cares in viral video | Minneapolis Star Tribune
• Nick Shirley’s Somali Daycare Fraud Video Is Bullsh*t. Here’s Why It Worked Anyway. | Weaponized Spaces
• MAGA’s Favorite ‘Journalist’ Nick Shirley Busted Paying to Fake ‘News’ | | Daily Beast
• Homeland Security seeks emergency demolition of historic buildings in D.C. – The Washington Post
• Opinion | One of America’s Most Successful Experiments Is Coming to a Shuddering Halt – The New York Times

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This Week…

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Could It Be That She Just Wants To Be With Her Friends?
Kyle Melinn/Lansing City Pulse

Trump and Republicans push ‘hate and chaos’ with
anti-trans ads, advocates say
The Guardian 10-11-2024

The Trump Ads That Pushed Transgender Rights to
Center Stage In a Presidential Election
Wall Street Journal 11-7-2024

Trump and Vance make anti-trans
attacks central to campaign
AP News 11-1-2024

In the News

Video: “Merry Christmas to all, and to Donald Trump, good night”
The Daily Show

Trump’s 11 Most Senile Moments This Year
The New Republic

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Michigan MAGA Senate Candidate Mike Rogers Mocks Americans’ Affordability Fears | MeidasTouch News
• Mike Rogers justifies Trump’s tariffs with return of manufacturing jobs, which are decreasing – WCPT Radio
• Michigan Republicans may try to impeach Attorney General Dana Nessel | Detroit News
• Michigan families facing higher heating bills, concerns about economy
• Long lines at the food pantry: Inflation tests Trump’s base in Michigan | Reuters
• Debbie Dingell: Republican bill raises energy costs for Michiganians | Detroit News
• Bankole Thompson: Lawmakers in Lansing need to show more empathy | Detroit News
• Vail: Skyrocketing hospital costs worsen affordability crisis | Detroit News
• Guide to competitive Michigan Senate special election in 35th District | Detroit Free Press
• AI videos in key Michigan race could test new law on deepfakes | | Detroit News
• Michigan OK’s ticket bot ban as Legislature quietly ends 2025 | Bridge Michigan
• Michigan lost billions in climate-related investments in Trump’s first year | Bridge Michigan
• Data centers raise electricity prices, economists warn | Detroit News
• Marijuana group appeals Michigan court order upholding 24% wholesale tax | Detroit News
• First Two Bills Authored by Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet Signed into Law | Representative McDonald Rivet
• Protesters fear new MSU investment panel will stifle dissenting voices | Detroit News

Assorted Trump Outrages

• The Nine Worst Trump Scandals of 2025 | The New Republic
• 25 Worst Villains of the Trump Admin | Ron Filipkowski/Meidas+
• ‘Very Stable Genius’ Once Again Demonstrates Wide-Ranging Ignorance | Lincoln Square
• Another Mass Staffing Purge at the VA | The American Prospect
• Trump’s Education Department is Ignoring Discrimination Against Black Students | ProPublica
• How Did DOGE Disrupt So Much While Saving So Little? | The New York Times
• How Trump and DOGE cuts have transformed climate change science | The Washington Post
• Trump’s war on windmills showcases a broken government | MS NOW
• Editorial: Trump’s pause on offshore wind leases is ominous for permitting reform | The Washington Post
• American Academy of Pediatrics sues Trump administration over halted grants | The Hill
• Kennedy Center Christmas Eve jazz concert canceled amid Trump name addition | AP News
• Donald Trump’s attempted takeover of DC golf courses sets off controversy | The Hill
• Wage garnishment for defaulted student loan borrowers to start in January, Trump administration says | CNN Politics
• Here’s What Happens Now That We’re Going Over the Obamacare Cliff | The New Republic
• New Class of Warship to Be Named After Trump | Wall Street Journal
• The Immanent Joy of Detrumpification | The New Republic

Grift, Lies, Corruption and Incompetence

• Opinion: Trump’s First Year Back, in 10 Charts | Steven Rattner/New York Times
• ‘Don’s Best Friend’: How Epstein and Trump Bonded Over the Pursuit of Women | The New York Times
• Donald Trump calls NY Times a ‘serious threat’ after Jeffrey Epstein coverage | The Hill
• Fifty Shades of Black Marker | Michael Cohen/Meidas+
• Jeffrey Epstein letter to Larry Nassar: Was Donald Trump was mentioned? | USA Today
• Members eye ‘inherent contempt’ against Bondi after incomplete Epstein disclosures | Maddow Blog
• Trump’s 10 Biggest, Most Shameful Billionaire Toadies | The New Republic
• Hundreds of Big Post-Election Donors Have Benefited From Trump’s Return to Office | The New York Times
• Trump removes nearly 30 career diplomats from ambassadorial positions | AP News
• Jim Beam halts bourbon production at Kentucky distillery for a year | AP News
• How Kash Patel Ordered Himself a New Fleet of BMWs With FBI Money | The New Republic

The Resistance

• US labor unions gear up to fight against Trump’s ‘Billionaire First’ agenda | The Guardian
• Democrats spy rare opening in rural America – POLITICO
• The destruction of CBS News | MeidasTouch
• 60 Minutes Staff in Uproar After CBS Kills Story on Trump Deportations | The New Republic
• Katie Couric Unloads on New CBS Boss: ‘What a Disgrace’ | Daily Beast
• The Media’s Price on Morality | Lisa Senecal/Lincoln Square

Across the Nation

• Takeaways from an eventful 2025 election cycle | The New York Times
• The 2028 Democratic presidential contenders, ranked | The Washington Post
• MAGA Is Eating Itself Alive | Mother Jones
• Turning Point showcases the discord that Republicans will need to navigate | AP News

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This Week…

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In the News

Trump, 79, Falls Asleep After Signing
Marijuana Executive Order | The New Republic

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Mike Rogers’ Senate campaign team promotes election fraud claims | WLNS TV
• Michigan regulators approve DTE Energy plan for massive data center | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan’s top doc: State should no longer follow CDC vaccine schedule | Detroit Free Press
• 5 Michigan health systems defy federal vaccine panel’s advice | Detroit Free Press
• Michigan set to lose millions under Trump SNAP reforms | Bridge Michigan
• Groups, schools grapple with loss of funding after House GOP’s $645M in cuts | | Detroit News
• Speaker Hall unfazed as groups describe pain from recent budget cuts | Detroit Free Press
• Brinks Says Hall Gave ‘Sore Loser Vibe’ For Trying To Redirect Past Budget Dollars – MIRS News
• Wigs 4 Kids cancer recovery group blasts ‘unconscionable’ Michigan funding cut | Bridge Michigan
• Slotkin, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Cryptocurrency Scams | Senator Elissa Slotkin
• Gretchen Whitmer says solving literacy crisis in Michigan remains her ‘No. 1 priority’ | Bridge Michigan
• Is the Midwest the next frontier for data centers? | Lansing State Journal
• Michigan lawmakers unveil plan to repeal data center tax breaks | Bridge Michigan
• Court blocks Michigan ban on conversion therapy for minors | AP News
• Michigan won’t vote on ranked choice voting amendment in 2026 | Votebeat
• ‘You cannot hide’: Democrats’ swaggering approach stymies House Republicans | POLITICO
• Ex-Chatfield staffer reveals rape claim before sentencing | Detroit News
• Huizenga will run for reelection to U.S. House | Detroit News

Assorted Trump Outrages

• Trump moves to dismantle National Center for Atmospheric Research lab | USA Today
• Trump Administration Aims to Strip More Foreign-Born Americans of Citizenship | The New York Times
• The cost of Trump’s White House ballroom has doubled over the past five months | Maddow Blog
• GOP Forcing Eight Million Student Loan Borrowers Into Repayment | The American Prospect
• Trump administration says White House ballroom construction is a matter of national security | AP News

Grift, Lies, Corruption and Incompetence

• An A+++++ Economy, My A++ | Paul Krugman Substack
• The top 10 most brazen lies from Trump’s year-end prime-time address | Maddow Blog
• Trump claims credit for military bonus that Congress already approved – POLITICO
• FACT FOCUS: Trump’s boasts aren’t all supported by the stats | AP News
• Trump says he has ‘solved’ seven conflicts. Here’s what to know about them. – The Washington Post
• Trump Derails His Christmas Speech to Ramble About Snakes | The New Republic
• The Kennedy Center of Contagious Diseases | The American Prospect
• As measles ravages South Carolina, RFK Jr. undermines the vaccinev| Judd Legum/Popular Information Substack
• Study Finds Benefits From Cutting Saturated Fats, as RFK Jr. Promotes Them | Wall Street Journal
• After Backlash, Jared Kushner Drops Plan to Build a Trump Hotel in Serbia | Wall Street Journal

Weaponizing the Federal Government

• Sen. Kelly says Pentagon is investigating him to halt dissent | AP News
• Brendan Carr Says FCC ‘Isn’t Independent’ Amid Concerns of How Trump Might Use the Agency | The New York Times
• Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan found guilty of obstruction for helping immigrant dodge agents | AP News
• RFK Jr. Could Defund Your Hospital if He Doesn’t Get His Way on Trans Health Care | Mother Jones
• Trump’s BBC lawsuit is his latest fight with media | AP News

Across the Nation

• ‘Don’s Best Friend’: How Epstein and Trump Bonded Over the Pursuit of Women | The New York Times
• Poll: Voters prefer moderate candidates in 2028 presidential race | The Hill
• The Hero We Need Now | Borowitz Report
• New Poll Puts Democratic Star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ahead of JD Vance in 2028 Showdown | Daily Beast
• Harvard Youth Poll 51st Edition – Fall 2025 | The Institute of Politics at Harvard University
• States defend congressional gerrymandering as `fair’ | AP News
• Call 911 or Risk Losing the Baby? Raids Force Some Immigrants To Avoid Care | KFF Health News

New Trump-Kennedy Center sign is affixed to building
facade despite concerns about legality | NBC News

Trump Adds Unhinged Insults to Tacky
Presidents Walk of Fame | Daily Beast

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This Week…

State House Speaker Matt Hall’s “A Special Place in Hell”
Bridge Michigan

House speaker says Flint water emergency is over, blocks aid for students
Detroit News

Dr. Mona Hanna says GOP funding cuts to Rx Kids program ‘devastating’
Detroit Free Press

House GOP funding cuts could take time to parse through
Detroit Free Press

Senate R’s Stung By Work Project Cuts
MIRS News

---

MDP Chair Curtis Hertel

• State House GOP’s closed door attack on Michigan families
• DC Republicans’ votes support skyrocketing health insurance rates while Trump sits on the sideline
• More Democratic “Flips” : Miami Mayor, Georgia State Representative

Trump Bleeding Support Among Voters 18-34
Yale Youth Poll

Trump’s approval rating slips on the economy and immigration – AP-NORC

In the News

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Attack ads target John James’ Michigan governor bid – WLNS TV
• Rogue John James (Website)
• Democrats Make a Fresh Push to Win State Legislatures – The New York Times
• Downballot Democrats Are Gearing Up for “2010 in Reverse” – Mother Jones
• Swing district Republicans brace for fallout over health care | AP News
• Michigan to use $38M in opioid funds to expand housing for people in recovery | Bridge Michigan
• Slotkin wants boat-strike video released, questions Pentagon’s changing tactics on survivors | mlive.com
• Local Officials Waver on Water Fluoridation in Michigan, Where It Started | ProPublica
• Michigan’s new pot tax still a go after judge denies injunction to block it | Bridge Michigan
• Michigan lottery commissioner resigns to run for secretary of state | Detroit Free Press

Trump’s Economic Mess

• Michigan farmers to lose $167M in exports this year as tariffs raise costs | mlive.com
• Trump Tariffs Rock West Michigan Economy; Ambassador Pete Hoekstra Reverses Anti-Tariff Stance | ProPublica
• Tariffs, tight imports may shape Michigan’s holiday shopping season | The Michigan Independent
• ‘Only so long’ before Trump’s tariff costs hit consumers, businesses warn | POLITICO
• U.S. Manufacturers Slow Orders Ahead of Supreme Court Tariff Ruling | Wall Street Journal
• Autos sector keeps racking up tariff costs from Mexico, new data shows | Detroit News
• Trump Signs Executive Order That Threatens to Punish States for Passing AI Laws | WIRED

Grift, Lies, Corruption and Incompetence

• Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal | ProPublica
• Trump Commuted David Gentile’s Sentence. His Victims Are Seething. |The New York Times
• Trump touts over $20 trillion in new U.S. investments, but the numbers don’t add up | CBS News
• Paramount CEO Made Trump a Secret Promise on CNN in Warner Bros. Convo | The New Republic
• Jared Kushner Is Part of Paramount’s Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery – The New York Times
• Trump Personally Intervenes to Block Release of January 6 Documents | The New Republic
• Trump to Build Arena on White House Grounds for His 80th Birthday Brawl | Daily Beast
• Noem Gets Most Awkward Fact-Check of Her Life on Deported Veterans | The New Republic
• A Visual Breakdown of Trump’s Pardon Spree | Wall Street Journal
• Trump symbolically pardons former Colorado elections clerk | AP News

Weaponizing the Federal Government

• Dozens ready to take US oath denied final step to citizenship in Indianapolis | IndyStar.com
• State Universities Are Scrambling to Appease the Bigoted MAGA Regime | The New Republic
• Is This The End of the Free World? – Paul Krugman Substack
• CBS News journalists are sidelined for network’s Erika Kirk town hall | Jennifer Schulz/Indistinct Chatter
• The Simple, Legal Way Trump Could Steal the Midterms | The New Republic
• Lashing out at women in media, Trump can’t seem to help himself | Maddow Blog

Across the Nation

• Polling on December Congressional Actions (December 2025) | Data for Progress
• Trump’s “Gold Card” plan is a cynical immigration gimmick – Philip Bump/MS NOW
• Indiana lawmakers reject Trump’s mid-decade redistricting push – Indianapolis Star
• Editorial: The Supreme Court Is Failing at Its Most Important Job | The New York Times
• How Abortion Access Became a Major Sticking Point in the GOP Healthcare Fight | Wall Street Journal
• Republicans in Congress mocked Trump privately, Marjorie Taylor Greene says | The Guardian
• Democratic governors say the party must focus on voters’ pocketbook concerns | AP News
• Why some Republicans are sweating their party’s redistricting plan | The Washington Post

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This Week…

In the News

Dozy Don: A Pictorial History – Andy Borowitz

Trump, 79, Repeatedly Falls Asleep in
His Own Cabinet Meeting | The New Republic

The Painful Decline of Donald Trump
Rick Wilson/Lincoln Square

VIDEO: Dr. Gupta — Trump’s MRI Excuse Raises
More Questions Than Answers| Meidas+

Kristi Noem Thanks Trump for Keeping
Hurricanes Away | The New Republic

 

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Duggan’s political makeover raises questions about who he really is in gubernatorial bid – Detroit Metro Times
• Opinion — Barry Goodman: Mike Duggan’s Refusal to Condemn Political Violence is Unacceptable | Deadline Detroit
• McCann-Huizenga Polling | Public Policy Polling
• Michigan Supreme Court eyes limits on courthouse immigration arrests | Bridge Michigan
• Hmong refugee from Lansing area released from ICE custody | Lansing State Journal
• Employer-Provided Insurance Seeing ’15, 20, 25, 35 . . . 50 Percent’ Rate Hike | MIRS News
• Tariffs trigger steep declines in Michigan farm exports, raising concerns for long-term stability | WGVU NEWS
• Electricity prices jump after Trump rejects disaster aid for Michigan utilities – POLITICO
• Peters pushes bill that responds to misconduct at Detroit VA hospital – Detroit News
• Peters Letter re Paul Ingrassia at GSA – Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
• Conservative activists get probation in voter intimidation case | Detroit Free Press
• Stefanie Lambert, ex-clerk to stand trial in Michigan election tampering case | Bridge Michigan
• New Report: Line 5 Tunnel Could Stick Michigan Taxpayers With $4 Billion Bill – Oil & Water Don’t Mix
• With clock ticking on 2025, Michigan officials eye biz incentives deal – Bridge Michigan
• New GOP bills seek to resume collection of abortion data in Michigan – Detroit News
• AG Nessel Launches Holiday Consumer Protection Campaign – Attorney General Nessel
• The 6 Democrats’ Video Is Accurate and Necessary – Harry Litman/Talking Feds Substack
• The Closest U.S. Senate Democratic Primary Elections In Michigan History – MIRS News
• Trump Administration Lowers Fuel-Economy Rules For Carmakers | Wall Street Journal
• This 2028 possibility is Trump’s favorite Democrat – POLITICO

Weaponizing the Federal Government

• Kristi Noem defends deporting Venezuelans to El Salvador despite court order – The Hill
• Trump Trashes Somali Immigrants as He Orders ICE to Target Them | The New Republic
• Justice Department expands legal action against states that have refused its demands for voter data – Detroit News
• Trump administration warns it will withhold some SNAP funds from states that don’t share data | AP News

Trump-World Grift, Lies, Corruption and Incompetence

• A New Era of Crony Capitalism | Brennan Center for Justice | Michael Waldman/Brennen Center for Justice
• How Sovereign Wealth Funds Grease Trump’s Kleptocracy | The New Republic
• Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine | Wall Street Journal
• Kushner’s Moscow mission wasn’t just corrupt. It was unconstitutional. | Judd Legum/Popular Information
• Trump: Pro-crypto or Pro-crime? – Paul Krugman
• The Melania Meme Coin Collapse — and What It Means – Lincoln Square
• Top Trump negotiator retains partnership with Ukraine-sanctioned billionaire – Judd Legum/Popular Information
• Silicon Valley’s Man in the White House Is Benefiting Himself and His Friends – The New York Times
• Trump Frees Fraudster Just Days Into Seven-Year Prison Sentence – The New York Times
• Trump Scion Who’s Made Most While Dad Is in Office Named | Daily Beast
• Trump Jr.-backed startup receives $620 million Pentagon loan | Popular Information Substack

Trump’s Economic Mess

• Layoffs Hit Record High as Trump Brags About Economy | The New Republic
• Private Hiring Sank in November, ADP Says | Wall Street Journal
• Hopes fade in Congress for a health care deal before premiums soar in January – NBC News
• Poll: 1 in 3 ACA Marketplace Enrollees Say They Would “Very Likely” Shop for a Cheaper Plan If Their Premium Payments Doubled; 1 in 4 Say They “Very Likely” Would Go Without Insurance – Kaiser Family Foundation
• Poll Suggests Voters May Blame Republicans More if Affordable Care Act Subsidies Go Away – The New York Times
• Bah humbug: Tariffs muffle holiday cheer, raise prices, squeeze margins – Detroit News
• The unbearable lightweightness of being Kevin Hassett | Paul Krugman Substack

The Battle to Defend the Constitution

• MAGA’s State-by-State Plot to Butcher Democracy | The New Republic
• DHS swept Chicago to get ‘the worst’ criminals. Many have no record. – The Washington Post
• Anti-redistricting sentiment twice as intense as support among Indiana voters, poll finds – Indiana Capital Chronicle
• Why Indiana lawmakers are careful to call redistricting ‘political’ | Indy Star
• At least a dozen Indiana legislators receive “credible threats” – IndyStar.com
• Supreme Court to Allow Texas to Use New Congressional Map in Win for Republicans – WSJ
• Despite talk of ‘transparency,’ Team Trump wants to keep Jack Smith’s findings under wraps | Maddow Blog

Across the Nation

• Biden Slams Republicans for Using L.G.B.T.Q. Identity as ‘Political Football’ – The New York Times
• Trump’s birthday free at national parks; MLK, Juneteenth cut | AP News
• Trump, 79, Cranks ‘Live and Let Die’ Before ‘Delivering Peace’ Event |Daily Beast
• FDA officials said COVID-19 vaccines killed at least 10 children, providing no evidence | Politifact
• RFK Jr. said ‘we’re not cutting science’ or research. That’s Pants on Fire! | Politifact
• Trump Defends Plan To Pardon Drug-Dealing Ex-President Of Honduras | HuffPost Latest News
• Don’t Expect a Trump “Tariff Check” Anytime Soon | The New Republic
• Since Trump’s Return, Bets on His Brand Have Soured | Wall Street Journal
• Trump calls Ilhan Omar ‘garbage,’ says Somalis should ‘go back to where they came from’ – NBC News
• Watchdog finds Hegseth risked endangering troops by sharing of sensitive war plans on Signal, sources say | CNN Politics

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This Week’s “Party on the Peninsulas”

• Politicizing A Tragic Death
• Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Trump’s Tariffs
• Attacking Venezuela
• Organizing for 2026 – Michigan Could Upend the U.S. House
• The Secret to a Perfect 30-Pound Turkey!

In the News

Second-Term Tab For Trump’s Golf Hobby Tops $70 Million,
On Track To Exceed $300 Million – HuffPost

Michigan Politics and Policy

• Nessel has joined 38 lawsuits challenging Trump’s actions this year | Detroit News
• GOP seeks federal oversight of Michigan’s 2026 election, meaning what? – Votebeat
• Changes to the agency that helps secure elections lead to midterm worries – AP News
• Electricity prices jump after Trump rejects disaster aid for Michigan utilities – Politico
• NEW: Duggan Refuses to Condemn Trump’s Threats to Execute Lawmakers – Michigan Democratic Party
• Speaker Matt Hall gets Lions tickets from lobbyist while blocking open records – Detroit News
• New Statewide Poll: Overwhelming Support for Protecting the Great Lakes, Strong Opposition to Fast-Tracking Line 5 Oil Tunnel Project – Great Lakes Business Network
• New Statewide Poll: Overwhelming Support for Protecting the Great Lakes, Strong Opposition to Fast-Tracking Line 5 Oil Tunnel Project – Great Lakes Business Network
• Senate rankings: The 5 seats most likely to flip – The Hill
• Lions’ Sam LaPorta pushing to limit dog experimentation in Michigan – Bridge Michigan
• Exclusive | Senate Committee to Challenge Auto-Safety Mandates That Hurt ‘Affordability’ | Wall Street Journal
• Michigan gun task force: Ban assault weapons, raise minimum buying age – Bridge Michigan
• Opinion: Sinclair Broadcasting’s news heralds big change for WXYZ – Detroit Free Press
• MSU study says SNAP work requirements aren’t effective – Detroit News

Weaponizing the Federal Government

• Editorial: Trump overreaction to illegal orders video helps Democrats, Mark Kelly – The Washington Post
• Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all – The Washington Post
• FBI’s Frantic Scramble to Redact the Jeffrey Epstein Files Revealed – Daily Beast

Trump-World Grift, Lies, Corruption and Incompetence

• Democratic senators file FOIA request, demand answers about Tom Homan controversy – Maddow Blog
• Trump Family’s Crypto Holdings Lose Nearly $1 Billion Amid Market Collapse – Lincoln Square
• Judge tosses cases against Trump targets James Comey, Letitia James |- Detroit Free Press
• Appeals court upholds $1M penalty against Trump in lawsuit against Hillary Clinton – POLITICO
• Georgia election case against Trump dismissed | AP News
• Counterterrorism officials vetted D.C. ambush suspect before he entered U.S. – The Washington Post
• Trump’s clown car Cabinet keeps humiliating him – Jen Psaki/MS NOW
• Kennedy Sharpens Vaccine Attacks, Without Scientific Backing – KFF Health News
• South Carolina’s Measles Outbreak Shows Chilling Effect of Vaccine Misinformation – KFF Health News
• Kash Patel’s girlfriend being protected by FBI SWAT agents as security perk – MS NOW
• Trump Target Skewers ‘Unqualified’ Pentagon Pete on Kimmel After Court-Martial Threat – Daily Beast
• Trump Is Boosting MAGA X Accounts Operating Overseas | WIRED

The Federal Budget Mess

• Reno-Obsessed Trump Reveals His Next D.C. Remodel Target – Daily Beast
• Trump says Jack Nicklaus will lead golf course overhaul at Joint Base Andrews – The Hill
• Drug Arrests and Gun Seizures Fell as Homeland Security Pursued Immigration – The New York Times
• The Trump Trade is Unraveling – Paul Krugman Substack

The Battle to Defend the Constitution

• Planning No Kings Demonstrations for July 4, 2026 – The American Prospect
• Trump Says He Is Canceling Biden Executive Orders Signed With Autopen | Wall Street Journal
• More than 220 judges have now rejected the Trump admin’s mass detention policy – POLITICO
• DOJ Flouts Court Order on Trump’s Illegally Installed Attorney | The New Republic
• Trump Suffers Supreme Court Blow in Quest to Control Copyright Office – The New Republic

Across the Nation

• Readers’ choice: Vote for your 2025 Lie of the Year – PolitiFact
• Is Trump Giving Illegal Orders? Dems Just Blew the Question Wide Open. | The New Republic
• US manufacturing slows in November as high prices curb demand – Reuters
• House Republican Warns More “Explosive” Resignations Coming After MTG | The New Republic
• Could GOP lose House majority by next spring?- Punchbowl News
• Trump Delays His Health Care Plan After Revolt From Republicans | The New Republic
• Indiana lawmakers will meet over redistricting after Senate reverses course | Indianapolis Star
• Political violence surge raises concerns for state lawmakers – The Hill
• Pollution from coal plants was dropping. Then came Trump and AI. – POLITICO