Top Items:
Heather Cox Richardson / Letters from an American:
Virginia voters yesterday agreed to a constitutional amendment that would temporarily redistrict the state if any other state redistricted for partisan reasons: that is, in retaliation for the partisan redistricting President Donald J. Trump launched in Texas in 2025 in an effort to retain control of the House of Representatives.
Discussion:
Tangle, New Republic, The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, Straight Arrow News, Mediaite, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Blaze Media, Democracy Docket, Fox News, The Hill, The Guardian, The Gateway Pundit, MS NOW, Reason, The Federalist, Breitbart, The Post Millennial, New York Post, Politico and Mother Jones
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Kate Santaliz / Axios:
“I wish none of this had happened”: GOP's buyer's remorse on redistricting — Buyer's remorse is hitting House Republicans over their mid-cycle redistricting war — a strategy meant to protect their majority that's now deeply in danger of backfiring.
Discussion:
MS NOW, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Raw Story and Politico
Wall Street Journal:
Republicans Are Worried the Redistricting Fight Is Backfiring
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Examiner, Raw Story, The Hill, Democracy Docket, MS NOW, Slate, HuffPost, Politico, Semafor, Associated Press, Newsweek, NOTUS, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Axios, NBC News and Vox
CNN:
Republicans pressure Ron DeSantis to redistrict in Florida after Virginia Democrats' win
Republicans pressure Ron DeSantis to redistrict in Florida after Virginia Democrats' win
Discussion:
Florida Politics, IJR, The Hill, NewsMax.com, The Guardian, Joe.My.God. and Washington Examiner
Politico:
‘All eyes are on Ron DeSantis’: Florida could make or break the GOP's redistricting edge
‘All eyes are on Ron DeSantis’: Florida could make or break the GOP's redistricting edge
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, The Hill, Fox News, The Daily Wire, American Greatness, Newsbusters, Florida Politics and Salon
Winston Rogers / WJLA-TV:
Virginia judge blocks redistricting referendum from being certified
Virginia judge blocks redistricting referendum from being certified
Discussion:
Loomered, The Daily Wire, Reuters, Blaze Media, WTVR-TV, WAGA-TV, CNBC, Roll Call, France 24, Breitbart, NewsMax.com, Adam Kinzinger, Washington Times, WVEC, The Hill, NOTUS, HotAir, Washington Examiner, WUSA, The Post Millennial, The Dispatch, Fox News, CBS News, New York Times and The Guardian
New York Times:
Senate Adopts G.O.P. Budget, Defeating Democrats' Affordability Proposals — Republicans pushed through a budget plan with a $70 billion increase for immigration enforcement after an overnight session in which they beat back Democratic proposals aimed at lowering costs.
Discussion:
Election Law Blog, Punchbowl News, NOTUS, NPR, Bloomberg, Forbes, The Guardian, ABC News, Roll Call, The Hill, CBS News, Fox News, Deseret News, Washington Examiner and Politico
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Politico:
Senate Republicans clear go-it-alone path for ICE funding … “Our Democratic colleagues have refused to provide funding for the Border Patrol and ICE,” Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said ahead of the Senate's late-night session. “This needs to be done.”
Politico:
Senate GOP braces for Cabinet shakeup — Presented by IN TODAY'S EDITION: — Senate finishes vote-a-rama — How Thune hopes to confirm Warsh — Florida GOP revolts on endangered species bill — The Trump administration saw yet another high-profile departure Wednesday …
Discussion:
Mock Paper Scissors, Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Raw Story
Jordain Carney / Politico:
‘Just do the math’: GOP senators get antsy about Trump Cabinet shakeup … That's not to mention the growing uncertainty about what will happen in the midterms themselves, with many Republicans growing concerned that their four-seat majority could be at risk.
Discussion:
Semafor, The Parnas Perspective and Raw Story
David Gardner / The Daily Beast:
Trump's Plans for ‘Mic-Drop’ Media Confrontation Are Leaked — AFTER-DINNER SCREECH — The president is planning a rage-fueled moment at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. — Donald Trump will launch a “revenge” attack on the White House media when he confronts …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Washington Times, Joe.My.God., The Bulwark, Raw Story, Vanity Fair and Media Matters for America
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Margaret Sullivan / The Guardian:
Why are White House journalists partying with Trump?
Why are White House journalists partying with Trump?
Discussion:
Associated Press, Fox News and The Hill
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
Why voters say the Democrats are “weak,” in their own words — This article reports results from the April 2026 Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll. You can read our previous poll releases here. Subscribers to Strength In Numbers have access to additional trended charts and a full archive of crosstabs …
Discussion:
The Cross Section and Digby's Hullabaloo
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Paul Steinhauser / Fox News:
Voters say Republicans outdo Democrats on these key issues: Fox News poll
Voters say Republicans outdo Democrats on these key issues: Fox News poll
Discussion:
Bangor Daily News and Washington Times
Jason P. Frank / Vulture:
Russell Brand Admits to ‘Exploitative’ Sexual Behavior — Russell Brand, who will soon stand trial for rape, admitted to “exploitative” sexual behavior but insisted it was lawful. Brand went on Megyn Kelly's radio show yesterday to explain himself publicly.
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter, Page Six, Deadline, The Wrap, TMZ.com, Variety and Just Jared
J.K. Trotter / Streetsblog New York City:
To Protect And Swerve: NYPD Cop Has 547 Speeding Tickets Yet Remains On The Force — Is this public enemy #1? — James Giovansanti lives and works on Staten Island. Since 2022, traffic cameras have caught his pickup truck blasting through school zones or running red lights more than 547 times in that one borough.
Discussion:
Honolulu Civil Beat
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Trump DOJ will avenge the KKK by taking out SPLC — Public Notice is supported by paid subscribers. Become one ⬇️ — 🧠 Subscribe to PN 🧠 — “The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed on Tuesday.
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Richard Fausset / New York Times:
How the Southern Poverty Law Center Drew the Ire of Conservatives
How the Southern Poverty Law Center Drew the Ire of Conservatives
Discussion:
Wonkette, Fox News, New York Post, The Free Press, The American Spectator, MS NOW, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Wire, JURISTnews, The Federalist, Newsbusters, Reason, Catholic World Report, Townhall, New York Sun, Israpundit, The Contrarian, Associated Press, The American Conservative, UPI, BBC and ABC News
New York Times:
Trump Administration Aims to Strip Citizenship From Hundreds of Naturalized Americans — The Trump administration is assigning denaturalization cases to regular prosecutors, which could lead to a surge of people stripped of U.S. citizenship. — The Justice Department has identified 384 …
Declan Harty / Politico:
‘F-k this coin’: Trump set to attend memecoin conference after 96 percent wipeout … “Nobody likes it,” said Morten Christensen, a crypto investor who still plans to attend the Mar-a-Lago event and was at the 2025 dinner. “People are losing on the coin, and they are vocal.
Discussion:
Joe.My.God., Raw Story, The Guardian, ABC News, Mother Jones and CBS News
New York Times:
Navy Secretary John Phelan Is Leaving the Pentagon and the Trump Administration — John Phelan is leaving the Pentagon after months of tension with Pete Hegseth and other Pentagon leaders. The tumult comes as the Navy has been engaged in war with Iran. — Navy Secretary John Phelan …
Discussion:
New York Magazine, Axios, Associated Press, CNN, Reuters, Council on Foreign Relations, Politico, Raw Story, Washington Post, Jewish Insider, NPR, The Independent, Al Jazeera, Straight Arrow News, WVEC, MS NOW, The Week, American Greatness, The Hill, Breitbart, One America News Network, Wall Street Journal, The Daily Wire, UPI, Defense One, GB News, Charleston Daily Mail, Breaking Defense, New York Post, Bloomberg, Forbes, Federal News Network, Eschaton, Joe.My.God., Task & Purpose, Semafor, NewsMax.com and CBS News
RELATED:
Victoria Craw / Washington Post:
Who's out in the Trump administration's spring shakeup
Who's out in the Trump administration's spring shakeup
Discussion:
Military and Veteran …, Daily Kos, The Guardian, CBS News, DefenseScoop, Washington Examiner and NOTUS
Reuters:
Exclusive: Trump's DOJ has cut thousands of law-enforcement jobs while vowing to get tough on crime — The Trump administration has cut more than 4,000 employees from some of the nation's top law-enforcement agencies, even as it vowed to crack down on crime, according to records obtained by Reuters.
Eric Tucker / Associated Press:
Justice Department's watchdog is reviewing compliance with the law mandating Epstein files release — The Department of Justice's internal watchdog said Thursday that it is reviewing the department's compliance with the law mandating the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Discussion:
The Hill, CNBC, Joe.My.God. and HuffPost
New York Times:
Iran War Live Updates: Trump Threatens Iranian Boats He Says Are Mining the Strait of Hormuz — President Trump's latest threats came after the Pentagon said the U.S. military had boarded a second tanker carrying oil from Iran. Both sides are trying to exert authority over shipping amid uncertainty over the status of peace talks.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Associated Press, New York Post, CBS News, Agence France-Presse, HuffPost and Middle East Monitor
RELATED:
Kevin Breuninger / CNBC:
Trump orders Navy to ‘shoot and kill any boat’ laying mines in Hormuz Strait
Trump orders Navy to ‘shoot and kill any boat’ laying mines in Hormuz Strait
Discussion:
Axios, The Hill, HotAir, Politico, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Al Jazeera, Townhall, Forbes, NewsMax.com, IJR, UPI, Mediaite, Raw Story, GB News, Metro.co.uk, Middle East Monitor and Washington Times
Jorge Liboreiro / Euronews:
Breaking news. EU approves €90 billion loan for Ukraine after Hungary lifts controversial veto — The two-month-long impasse over the €90 billion for Ukraine came to an end on Thursday after Hungary lifted its contentious veto. Brussels says the first payment will be made “as soon as possible”.
Discussion:
New York Times, Bloomberg, Politico, France 24, Breitbart, Joe.My.God., NewsMax.com, The Guardian, CBS News, Washington Examiner, New York Sun, UPI, Washington Post, Military and Veteran … and Semafor
Associated Press:
Trump reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in a historic shift — President Donald Trump's acting attorney general on Thursday signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug, a major policy shift long sought by advocates …
Discussion:
Fox News, The Hill, Straight Arrow News, New York Times, NOTUS, The Guardian, The Detroit News, NBC News, Reuters, New York Post, US Department of Justice, Wall Street Journal, WXIA-TV, CNBC, Bloomberg, UPI, CBS News, Charleston Daily Mail, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Washington Times, WTTG-TV, Reason, Forbes, KIFI-TV, The Daily Wire, Mediaite, IJR, The American Conservative, The Independent, NewsMax.com, Joe.My.God., Axios and Washington Post
Robert Gehrke / Salt Lake Tribune:
Four people accuse Eva Lopez Chavez, a SLC Council member, of unwanted ‘sexual’ advances — Four people from Utah political circles — three of them elected officials — accuse Eva Lopez Chavez, a Salt Lake City Council member and Democratic congressional candidate, of restraining them during …
Discussion:
Deseret News
Andrew Egger / The Bulwark:
What We Found When We Investigated Trump's Latest Election Theft Claim — The Cook Political Report is out this morning with a midterms vibe check, and Democrats have to like what they see: Across the 36 competitive districts most likely to decide control of the House of Representatives …
Discussion:
New Republic, Politico, The Daily Wire and Reuters
Mike Hixenbaugh / NBC News:
RFK Jr. draws backlash for ripping Medicaid programs that pay people to care for relatives — Advocates for disabled people and those who care for them said they were insulted by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s allegations that the programs are “rife with fraud.”
Politico:
New Jersey's most vulnerable GOP incumbent is MIA — Rep. Tom Kean Jr. represents New Jersey's most competitive district this November — but nobody, even his GOP colleagues, can say where he's been for the past month. A scion of one of the state's most storied political dynasties …
Discussion:
Raw Story, IJR, The Gateway Pundit, The Independent, Washington Examiner, HuffPost, New Republic and Mediaite
Chris Cameron / New York Times:
RFK Jr. Defends Trump's Mathematically Impossible Drug Discount Claims — President Trump has claimed that he has secured discounts of 400 to 1,500 percent on prescription drugs. A price discount cannot be more than 100 percent because that would lower the price to zero.
Sarah Longwell / The Atlantic:
Trump Voters Like Marco Rubio More and More — And J. D. Vance less and less — President Trump reportedly likes to go around asking aides about who his successor should be: J. D. Vance or Marco Rubio. If Trump were to ask his own voters the same question, he would …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Peter Eavis / New York Times:
Iran Again Tightens Its Grip on Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz — Traffic in the strait has all but halted as Iran renews its attacks, striking two vessels on Wednesday. More than 300 ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait since the war began.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, NewsMax.com, Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Reuters, Ace of Spades HQ, Military and Veteran …, Forbes and MS NOW
Charlie Nash / Mediaite:
‘Not a Moral Man’: Megyn Kelly Calls Out Trump ‘Demons,’ Including Being ‘Thin-Skinned’ and ‘Not the Greatest Husband’ — Former Trump ally Megyn Kelly criticized President Donald Trump for being neither “a moral man” nor “the greatest husband in the world” during a discussion about the president's “demons” on Wednesday.
Discussion:
The Independent and IJR
NBC News:
ICE tells officers to curtail court arrests, stop entering homes without warrants — The Trump administration has curbed some of its most aggressive immigration enforcement policies, officials say.
Discussion:
The Independent, NewsMax.com and Blaze Media
Weekend Reading:
Yes, Virginia, There Is an Appetite to Fight Fascism — Redistricting, saying “concentration camps,” and more on “Meeting the Moment” with Anat Shenker-Osorio — Going along to get along is a powerful human survival instinct. But when it comes to fighting fascism, sometimes …
