Top Items:
Punchbowl News:
A Texas-sized gamble: Details on the new map — We have a lot of news for you on the new shape of the political universe in Texas. — As early as today, Texas Republicans will release their proposed new congressional map for the Lone Star State. — This proposal could change some as it winds …
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Trump's Epstein Fiasco Worsens as Dems Suddenly Find Big New Weapon — Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but they also call for creative ones. Faced with a criminal president and a GOP congressional majority that's wholly devoted to shutting down any and all transparency …
Discussion:
Axios and Washington Times
The Texas Tribune:
Texas House Republicans unveil new congressional map that looks to pick up five GOP seats — The first draft of the lower chamber's new redistricting map targets Democratic members of Congress in the Austin, Dallas and Houston metro areas and in South Texas.
Discussion:
Politico, Dallas Morning News, NBC News, New York Sun, The Gateway Pundit, The Hill, Axios, New Jersey Online, Roll Call, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, New Republic, Lone Star Left, Deseret News, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, NewsMax.com, Pluribus News, The Daily Signal, Strength In Numbers, Bloomberg and Washington Post
Ari Berman / Mother Jones:
Trump's Texas Gerrymander Is Supercharging a New War on Democracy
Discussion:
New York Times, Politico, PoliticusUSA, Raw Story, Daily Kos and Democrats
David Weigel / Semafor:
Democrats struggle against Trump-waged redistricting battle
Democrats struggle against Trump-waged redistricting battle
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Hill and NewsMax.com
Gary Fineout / Politico:
DeSantis says a census redo could be in works amid state redistricting wars
DeSantis says a census redo could be in works amid state redistricting wars
Discussion:
Florida Politics and RedState
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
Why Won't Democrats Fight?
Why Won't Democrats Fight?
Discussion:
One America News Network and The Daily Caller
Michael Gold / New York Times:
Senate Democrats Try to Force Release of Epstein Files With Little-Known Law
Senate Democrats Try to Force Release of Epstein Files With Little-Known Law
Discussion:
The Hill, ABC News, Politico, Washington Examiner, HuffPost, New Republic, Deseret News, CBS News, CNBC and Raw Story
Ben Casselman / New York Times:
U.S. Economy Slowed in First Half of 2025 as Tariffs Scrambled Data — Gross domestic product rebounded in the spring after contracting at the start of the year, but consumer spending remained weak. — Economic growth softened in the first half of the year, as tariffs …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, MSNBC, The Hill and New York Sun
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Harriet Torry / Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Economy Grew at 3.0% Rate in Second Quarter — Consumer spending rose 1.4% but was offset by weaker business spending — Created with Highcharts 9.0.1GDP, change from previous quarterSources: Commerce Department (actual); WSJ survey of economists (forecasts)Notes …
Discussion:
U.S. Bureau …, Financial Times, Associated Press, CNBC, ABC News, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Reuters, NPR, HotAir, Washington Examiner, UPI, Axios and CBS News
Maeve Reston / Washington Post:
Kamala Harris will not run for California governor, opening door for 2028 run — Harris has not ruled out another run for the White House, according to confidantes, while exploring the formation of a new group. — LOS ANGELES — Kamala Harris will not run for governor of California next year …
Discussion:
Deadline, HotAir, New York Times, The Washington Free Beacon, CNN, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Pluribus News, Bloomberg, ABC News, New Jersey Online, Daily Caller News Foundation, New York Daily News, Deseret News, RedState, twitchy.com, USA Today, Mercury News, Raw Story, The Guardian and The Independent
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Natasha Korecki / NBC News:
Kamala Harris decides not to run for governor of California
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Hill, Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, NOTUS, Reuters, Scripps News, MeidasTouch News, Axios, CBS News, ABC News, Breitbart, Deadline, USA Today, Ace of Spades HQ, Townhall, Blaze Media, Mediaite, Newsweek, The 19th, CalMatters, One America News Network, The Parnas Perspective, Advocate, New York Times, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, TheGrio and The National Pulse
Melanie Mason / Politico:
Kamala Harris won't run for California governor
Kamala Harris won't run for California governor
Discussion:
New York Magazine, ABC News and IJR
Michael Gold / New York Times:
House Democrats Sue ICE for Barring Them From Detention Facilities — The 12 Democrats accused the Trump administration of violating the law when it turned them away from immigrant detention sites and imposed a new policy limiting congressional access. — A dozen House Democrats who were barred …
Discussion:
Fox News, Roll Call and Denver Westword
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Jacob Knutson / Democracy Docket:
House Dems Sue ICE For Blocking Oversight on Immigration Facilities — A dozen House Democrats sued Trump administration officials Wednesday, alleging that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has prevented them from conducting oversight on federal immigration detention facilities.
Discussion:
Congressman Joe Neguse, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Axios, Los Angeles Times, JURISTnews and TheGrio
U.S. Department of the Treasury:
Treasury Sanctions Alexandre de Moraes — WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) justice Alexandre de Moraes (de Moraes), who has used his position to authorize arbitrary pre-trial detentions …
Discussion:
NBC News, The Hill, RedState, Los Angeles Times, The National Pulse, Bloomberg and The Gateway Pundit
RELATED:
New York Times:
Brazil's President Lula Voices Frustration With Trump Amid Tariff Battle
Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Times, Breitbart, New Yorker and The Guardian
Eric Bazail-Eimil / Politico:
US sanctions Brazilian judge for prosecuting Trump ally Bolsonaro
US sanctions Brazilian judge for prosecuting Trump ally Bolsonaro
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, CBS News, Fox News, Al Jazeera, Axios, Associated Press and Reuters
Washington Examiner:
Trump calls for Pelosi investigation over insider trading: ‘Disgraceful’ — President Donald Trump called for an investigation into an old foe when asked about a bill to ban stock trading among members of Congress. — “What I do think is Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) should be investigated,” …
RELATED:
Fox News:
Patel found thousands of sensitive Trump-Russia probe docs inside ‘burn bags’ in secret room at FBI — EXCLUSIVE: FBI Director Kash Patel found a trove of sensitive documents related to the origins of the Trump-Russia probe buried in multiple “burn bags” in a secret room inside the bureau, sources told Fox News Digital.
ProPublica:
Now That They're Free — Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration say they endured months of physical and mental abuse inside a Salvadoran prison. Though happy to be home, they say the fact that they were released is proof of how senseless their detentions were. — Reporting Highlights
Discussion:
Rolling Stone
Financial Times:
Paramount deal thrusts David Ellison into Trump's war with US media — What began as a Hollywood studio merger has become a test of how far corporate America will bend to president's will — Anna Nicolaou and James Fontanella-Khan in New York, Christopher Grimes in Los Angeles and Daniel Thomas in London
US Food and Drug Administration:
High Noon Announces Recall of its Vodka Seltzer Beach Pack (12 Pack) Due to Inclusion of CELSIUS® ASTRO VIBE ™ Energy Drink Cans that were Inadvertently Filled with Vodka Seltzer — When a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company's announcement as a public service.
Gregory Svirnovskiy / Politico:
DHS' new ICE recruitment strategy: 50K signing bonuses, student loan forgiveness and Trump posters … The GOP domestic policy package allocated $170 billion for immigration and border efforts, a major shot in the arm for the White House's ambitious deportation agenda. … “Look, this isn't easy.
Discussion:
Department of Homeland …, KGW-TV and New York Magazine
Daniel Orton / Newsweek:
Zohran Mamdani Scores 17-Point Lead with Jewish Voters in NYC Mayoral Race — New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani commands a 17-point lead among Jewish voters in the upcoming New York City mayoral race, according to newly released polling. — The survey from Zenith Research …
Discussion:
New York Times, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Midwesterner and Hell Gate
Adrian Carrasquillo / The Bulwark:
His Name Is Jesus. He's a Carpenter. ICE Arrested Him. — Seriously. — ∙ Paid — JESUS TERAN FLED PERSECUTION in Venezuela, seeking asylum in the United States in 2021 and joining his family in Imperial, Pennsylvania, half an hour outside Pittsburgh. He was living a version of the American Dream.
Discussion:
The Independent
Ariana Baio / The Independent:
Musk's America Party can't get off the ground and was just to ‘blow off steam’ about Trump's bill … After his fallout with Trump and departure from the White House, Musk is transitioning back to focusing on his various companies and finding firmer footing in the political sphere.
Jeremy Roebuck / Washington Post:
Epstein grand jury transcripts include testimony from two witnesses, feds say — The disclosure raises questions on whether unsealing the transcripts would satiate the appetite for more information. — just now — The grand jury transcripts the Justice Department is seeking to make public …
Discussion:
CBS News, Associated Press, USA Today, Washington Examiner, The Guardian, New York Post, NewsMax.com, MSNBC, Forbes, NBC News, CNBC and Fox News
Isaac Chotiner / New Yorker:
How the Israeli Right Explains the Aid Disaster It Created — The fiercest defenders of Netanyahu's war in Gaza continue to insist that Palestinians aren't starving. — Last week, in a piece for the Guardian, Nick Maynard, a volunteer surgeon at a hospital in southern Gaza, wrote …
Discussion:
The Contrarian and The Intercept
Michael Stratford / Politico:
Bessent hails new ‘Trump accounts’ as ‘backdoor way to privatize Social Security’ … Trump accounts, Bessent said, would make “everyone a shareholder” in the success of the economy. “People who are part of the system do not want to bring down the system,” Bessent said.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, USA Today, NewsMax.com, New Republic, Associated Press and Democrats
Cristina Laila / The Gateway Pundit:
BREAKING: GOP Virginia Lawmaker Doused in Gasoline, Set on Fire in His Office - Attacker Identified and in Custody — A Danville, Virginia, City Councilman Lee Vogler was doused in gasoline and set on fire in his office on Tuesday. — According to reports, the attacker …
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System:
Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement — For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT — Although swings in net exports continue to affect the data, recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. The unemployment rate remains low, and labor market conditions remain solid.
Discussion:
Fox Business, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, Daily Caller News Foundation, NewsMax.com, The Gateway Pundit, RedState, CBS News and GB News
C.J. Ciaramella / Reason:
Woman Who Died of Heart Disease in ICE Custody Reportedly Told Son She Wasn't Allowed to See Doctor for Chest Pains — Questions about the death of Marie Blaise at a South Florida ICE detention center have lingered since she collapsed in April. — A woman who died of a heart attack …
Discussion:
WBUR
Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
Democrats Introduce Bill To Audit What DOGE Bros Did To Government Data Systems — Senate Democrats are introducing a bill Wednesday that would require a sweeping audit of the federal government's computer systems to figure out what, exactly, Elon Musk's team of unvetted workers did when they meddled …
Natalie Allison / Washington Post:
As MAGA storm over Epstein calms, White House plans next steps — Officials concede the furor has hurt Trump's standing, but the White House believes they've survived the worst of the furor. — Three weeks ago, White House officials were battling a frenzy from President Donald Trump's supporters over the Jeffrey Epstein case.
Discussion:
Press Watch, emptywheel, The Daily Beast, The Independent, The Hill and Daily Kos
Mary Clare Jalonick / Associated Press:
Live updates: Trump administration to launch new private health tracking system with Big Tech's help — EDITED BY BRIDGET BROWN, MICHAEL WARREN AND SHARON L. LYNCH — The Trump administration is pushing an initiative for millions of Americans to upload personal health data and medical records …
Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Times and NewsNation
Paul Krugman:
Fossil Fool — How Europe took Trump for a ride — Like many U.S. institutions, the European Union has abysmally failed the Trump test. The EU is an economic superpower and could have retaliated effectively against Trump's illegal tariffs — illegal under both U.S. and international law.
Discussion:
New Republic and The Mahablog
Vittoria Elliott / Wired:
How Edward ‘Big Balls’ Coristine and DOGE Got Access to a Federal Payroll System That Serves the FBI — Hundreds of pages of records reviewed by WIRED show just how quickly DOGE gained access to systems at the Small Business Administration—and through it, a USDA system that handles payroll for federal law enforcement.
Seth Masket / Tusk:
Murdering higher education, 1-2-3 — Much of Donald Trump's governing approach in his second term is to take conservative bogeymen — long used for fundraising and for riling up base voters — and actually use the power of the government to attack them. We've seen that with foreign aid …
Heather Hunter / Washington Examiner:
Kamala Harris ally Katy Perry dines with Justin Trudeau in Montreal, stirring speculation — Pop superstar Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were spotted having dinner together at a Montreal fine-dining restaurant Monday night, prompting speculation …
Discussion:
The Sun, Daily Mail and The Hill
Ethan Stark-Miller / AM New York:
NYC Mayor's Race: Mamdani returns from Uganda trip without incident, immediately rejoins the campaign trail — Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani returned to the United States on Wednesday from a week-and-a-half-long trip to his native country of Uganda and was allowed through Customs without …
Discussion:
The Washington Free Beacon, Fox News, Hell Gate, New York Post and New York Times
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
Please, Mr. President, Keep Talking Epstein — Much of the Pacific coast spent the night on high alert after a massive earthquake off the coast of Russia sent tsunami waves rushing toward Japan, China, Hawaii, Alaska, California, Canada, and Russia itself. Millions scrambled to evacuate.
Discussion:
Popular Information, CNN and Blaze Media
Tim Renaud / The Hill:
Report says radioactive wasp nest was found near South Carolina nuclear facility — AIKEN, S.C. (WCBD) - A radioactive wasp nest was recently found in South Carolina, according to a report from the Department of Energy. — The report says Radiological Control Operations …
Discussion:
CBS News, Metro.co.uk, Post and Courier and IJR
Zaid Jilani / Washington Post:
I might lean left — but Marjorie Taylor Greene is winning my respect — The congresswoman, who represents my district, has shown genuine political courage lately. — Just now — I'm not a big fan of political labels. They invite people to put you in a box, and the only box I want to be in is one labeled “open-minded.”
Discussion:
The Hill, HuffPost, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Forward
James Osborne / Houston Chronicle:
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz files bill to target activist groups with anti-organized crime laws — Activist groups that fund and organize protests could be targeted by federal law enforcement under the same statute used to go after organized crime if U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz gets his way.
