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6:40 PM ET, August 12, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Meridith McGraw / Wall Street Journal:
White House to Vet Smithsonian Museums to Fit Trump's Historical Vision  —  Top White House officials will scrutinize exhibitions, internal processes, collections and artist grants ahead of America's 250th anniversary  —  The White House plans to conduct a far-reaching review …
RELATED:
New York Times:   White House Announces Comprehensive Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions
NBC News:
White House reviewing Smithsonian exhibits to make sure they align with Trump's vision
Discussion: USA Today and The Independent
Amanda Macias / Fox Business:
Trump's pick to lead labor stats agency could pause monthly jobs report over accuracy concerns  —  ‘Major decision-makers from Wall Street to DC rely on these numbers, and a lack of confidence in the data has far-reaching consequences’  —  E.J. Antoni, the economist tapped by President Donald Trump …
RELATED:
Josh Dawsey / Wall Street Journal:   Trump Advisers Consider Changes to How Government Collects Jobs Data
Washington Post:
Pentagon plan would create military ‘reaction force’ for civil unrest  —  Documents reviewed by The Post detail a new National Guard mission that, if adopted, would require hundreds of troops to be ready around-the-clock.  —  Just now  —  The Trump administration is evaluating plans that would establish a …
RELATED:
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
Trump Isn't Liberating D.C. He's Subduing It.  —  New consumer price numbers out this morning!  Overall, inflation held steady at 2.7 percent year over year last month, the Labor Department reported.  But core inflation was elevated, coming in at 3.1 percent as tariff-related price hikes started to kick in.
Ian Millhiser / Vox:
There's a big, important limit on Trump's power to seize control of DC's police
Jeremy Pelzer / Plain Dealer:
Sherrod Brown to run for U.S. Senate in 2026, challenging Jon Husted  —  COLUMBUS, Ohio—Democrat Sherrod Brown has decided to run in 2026 for U.S. Senate, attempting a return to the office that he lost last year after a savagely fought reelection campaign, according to Ohio labor leaders Brown told of his thinking.
RELATED:
Politico:
Sherrod Brown to run for Senate
Discussion: NBC News and PoliticusUSA
Igor Bobic / HuffPost:   Democrat Sherrod Brown To Run For Senate Again In Ohio
Ben Glickman / Wall Street Journal:
Trump Calls on Goldman to Replace Economist Over Tariff Stance  —  Bank's economists had predicted tariffs could cause inflation and slow economic growth  —  President Trump on Tuesday appeared to call for Goldman Sachs Chief Executive David Solomon to replace the bank's top economist …
RELATED:
Jeff Cox / CNBC:
Consumer prices rise 2.7% annually in July, less than expected amid tariff worries
Colby Smith / New York Times:
Live Updates: U.S. Inflation Report Shows Effects of Trump's Tariffs
Matt Brown / Associated Press:
Trump's rhetoric about DC echoes a history of racist narratives about urban crime  —  President Trump said he was declaring a public safety emergency, taking over the DC police and calling in National Guard troops to fight crime and tackle homelessness in the nation's capital.  Some DC residents are reacting.
RELATED:
Kayla Guo / The Texas Tribune:
Ken Paxton asks judge to jail Beto O'Rourke for fundraising Texas Dems' walkout  —  Paxton sued O'Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, last week, arguing that the group was deceptively fundraising for and illegally supporting Texas Democrats' walkout.  —  Editor's note: This story contains profanity.
RELATED:
Texas Attorney General:
Attorney General Ken Paxton Takes Action to Hold Robert Francis O'Rourke in Contempt for Violating Court Order and Scamming Texans
New York Times:
Russia Is Suspected to Be Behind Breach of Federal Court Filing System  —  Federal officials are scrambling to assess the damage and address flaws in a sprawling, heavily used computer system long known to have vulnerabilities.  —  Investigators have uncovered evidence that Russia is at least …
Jo Yurcaba / NBC News:
Minnesota teen says server forced her to prove her gender in restaurant bathroom  —  The 18-year-old high school student alleged the server would not let her exit the Buffalo Wild Wings restroom until she unzipped her hoodie and showed she had breasts.  —  A Minnesota teen filed a charge …
David Edwards / Raw Story:
Ghislaine Maxwell cleared to leave prison on work release: report  —  Convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has reportedly been cleared to leave prison on work release.  —  Podcast host Allison Gill obtained information about Maxwell's security score, sex offender waiver …
RELATED:
Allison Gill / The Breakdown:
EXCLUSIVE: I Have Ghislaine Maxwell's Security Score, Custody Level, Transfer Code, and Sex Offender Waiver
Discussion: emptywheel and Raw Story
CNN:
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein's relationship: A visual timeline  —  They flew together on a private jet, partied side by side at Mar-a-Lago, appeared at Victoria's Secret runway shows, and reportedly dined with royalty at a luxury Upper East Side townhouse.
RELATED:
Siena Research Institute:
Hochul Approval & Favorability Ratings Up a Little; Hochul Lead Over Stefanik In 2026 Race Falls to 14 Points, 45-31%, from 23 Points, 47-24%, in June; Voters Say if Stefanik Runs & Is Elected Gov, It Would Be Bad for NY,49-37%  — If BBB Cuts Federal $ to NY, 36% Say Reduce Services, 24% …
RELATED:
Analisa Novak / CBS News:
Dana White says UFC will host first-ever White House fight on July 4: “It is definitely going to happen”  —  The Ultimate Fighting Championship will stage a historic fight at the White House on July 4, 2026, marking America's 250th birthday with what would be the first professional mixed …
Farrah Tomazin / The Daily Beast:
White House May Award ‘Big Balls’ Same Medal as Rosa Parks  —  BALLS UP!  —  The move would appeal to Trump's MAGA base.  —  An ex-DOGE staffer known as “Big Balls” could end up receiving the highest civilian honor in the United States, placing him in the company of luminaries such as Rosa Parks …
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
The Ministry of Truth Is Real Now  —  E.J. Antoni's nomination isn't designed to reassure markets, the Fed, or the business community.  It's designed to provoke them.  And force them to submit.  —  ∙ Paid  —  I realize I promised you Russia-Ukraine today.  It'll have to wait.
Discussion: Heritage Foundation
Richard Luscombe / The Guardian:
‘Petri dish for disease’: attorney raises alarm of possible Covid outbreak at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’  —  A respiratory disease is running rampant through Florida immigration jail, according to attorney of a detained person  —  An outbreak of a respiratory disease, possibly Covid-19 …
Discussion: Miami New Times
Tess Owen / Wired:
The Trump Administration Is Using Memes to Turn Mass Deportation Into One Big Joke  —  Memes shared by the White House, DHS, and ICE have used catchy TikTok tunes to normalize mass deportation and Christian nationalist narratives.  Experts say that's the point.
Tom Abrahams / ABC13:
Texas Democrats to return home for second special session, ABC13 sources confirm  —  After breaking quorum, Texas House Democrats will return to the Lone Star State for another special session, according to sources.  —  AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) — ABC13 has confirmed with multiple sources that House Democrats will return to Texas.
Zach Montague / New York Times:
Appeals Court Allows DOGE Access to Sensitive Data at Several Agencies  —  The decision cited a Supreme Court order in June granting DOGE analysts sweeping access to other data stored at the Social Security Administration.  —  A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed teams affiliated …
Layla A. Jones / Talking Points Memo:
Courts Let Trump Strip Collective Bargaining Rights From Huge Number of Federal Workers  —  Just days after a federal appeals court cleared the way for President Donald Trump to yank dozens of agencies and government offices out of their contracts with federal labor unions …
Jill Filipovic:
Yes, They're Coming for Same-Sex Marriage  —  This was always part of the right-wing plan.  And it won't stop here.  —  ∙ Paid  —  The Supreme Court has been asked to accept a case challenging Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
Discussion: PinkNews, Blaze Media, RedState and Newsweek
Toluse Olorunnipa / The Atlantic:
Kari Lake's Attempt to Deport Her Own Employees  —  After rushing to shut down the government-funded media outlets she was tapped to lead, Kari Lake has launched on a mission so strange that it is perhaps unprecedented: She is trying to force her own employees out of the country.
Discussion: Raw Story and American Greatness
 
 
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 More Items: 
Laura Barrón-López / MSNBC:
Trump's moves are making immigration courts dysfunctional
Discussion: The UnPopulist
Molly Olmstead / Slate:
We Asked Pete Hegseth if Women Should Have the Right to Vote. The Answer Was ... Unsettling.
Dominic Pino / National Review:
Trump Wants a Bureau of MAGA Statistics
Discussion: Raw Story and Daily Mail
Jacob Richards / The Revolutionist:
GJPD Cameras Accessed Five Times During Goncalves Incident
 Earlier Items: 
Reid J. Epstein / New York Times:
The D.N.C.'s New Leader Seeks to Curb Dark Money Influence in 2028 Primaries
Discussion: The Hill, KVIA-TV and Election Law Blog
Greg Olear / PREVAIL:
Defying Trump: Lessons From 1933 Germany (Part One)
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Trial exposes internal tension over Trump's use of National Guard in LA
Paul Krugman:
Trump Plays the Carnage Card
 

 
From Techmeme:

Kif Leswing / CNBC:
Apple says general counsel Kate Adams and policy chief Lisa Jackson will retire, and Jennifer Newstead, Meta's former chief legal officer, will replace Adams

Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg:
Sources: Meta is considering deep budget cuts to its metaverse efforts in 2026, potentially as high as 30% and most likely including layoffs as early as January

Will Oremus / Washington Post:
Two studies suggest AI chatbots can shift political views more effectively than TV campaign ads, especially by presenting many claims, regardless of accuracy
 
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