Top Items:
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Trump Has No Clue What His Supreme Court Has Just Unleashed … Now that the Supreme Court has gutted yet another piece of the Voting Rights Act, this one concerning redistricting, here's one thing we know for sure: Democrats will have to enter into a new era of procedural total war.
Discussion:
USA Today, Slate and Washington Examiner
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Louise Radnofsky / Wall Street Journal:
Republicans Rush to Redraw Maps After Supreme Court Race Ruling — GOP eager to gain from decision curbing use of race in electoral maps — WASHINGTON—Republican leaders are pushing for Southern states to rapidly redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterm elections …
Discussion:
Semafor, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, The National Pulse, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller, UPI and Reuters
Politico:
Jeffries lays out more targets for gerrymanders in response to GOP's renewed push … The Supreme Court decision has given Republicans a big opportunity to gerrymander more seats as they look to keep House control. But Jeffries insisted Republicans' options for redraws before the midterms are limited given the calendar.
Erin Cox / Washington Post:
Speaker Johnson calls for redistricting Southern states before November — After the Supreme Court limited the Voting Rights Act, Johnson said states should consider redrawing House maps before the midterms. New boundaries would help the GOP. — Summary
Discussion:
The Hill, NewsMax.com, The Guardian and The Post Millennial
Yunior Rivas / Democracy Docket:
Louisiana sued for suspending active election, nullifying votes to draft GOP gerrymander
Discussion:
Letters from an American
Cameron Peters / Vox:
Trump's next redistricting targets
Trump's next redistricting targets
Discussion:
Townhall, The Bulwark, Breitbart, Raw Story, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Democracy Docket and Semafor
New York Times:
How the Voting Rights Act Bolstered Black Representation in the House
How the Voting Rights Act Bolstered Black Representation in the House
Discussion:
Townhall, Fox News, Daily Kos, The Daily Wire, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Florida Politics, The Nation, Capital B News, RNS, France 24 and Truthout
Yunior Rivas / Democracy Docket:
‘We are ON IT!’: Trump DOJ vows to weaponize Supreme Court ruling against minority voters
‘We are ON IT!’: Trump DOJ vows to weaponize Supreme Court ruling against minority voters
Discussion:
SCOTUSblog, Axios and Talking Points Memo
Seung Min Kim / Associated Press:
Trump administration says its war in Iran has been ‘terminated’ before 60-day deadline — The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.
Discussion:
Newsweek, Reuters, Senator Schiff, The Independent, Associated Press, The Hill, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, CNBC, Toledo Blade and Political Wire
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Wall Street Journal:
Trump Poised to Defy Congress on War Authorization — Defense Secretary Hegseth tells lawmakers that the U.S.-Iran cease-fire stopped the clock on the war authorization deadline — The Trump administration is on course to blow past an initial deadline for congressional approval for the Iran war …
Connor O'Brien / Politico:
GOP unity cracks with latest Iran war vote — GOP unity over the Iran war started to crack Thursday when Sen. Susan Collins of Maine voted with Democrats to halt the conflict, marking the first time a Republican has changed their vote on the military campaign in the Middle East.
Discussion:
The Hill, The Portland Press Herald, Washington Examiner, NOTUS and Fox News
Politico:
Schumer's primary slump — With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray — Happy Friday. It's Adam Wren. We made it through another news-addled week. Get in touch. — In today's Playbook ... — Chuck Schumer stumbles at a critical moment in Dems' race for the Senate.
Discussion:
The Hill
Victoria Craw / Washington Post:
A deadline for the Iran war is here. What does the War Powers Act say? — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted an ongoing ceasefire “pauses” the clock on the 60-day deadline to end hostilities in Iran or seek congressional approval. — Summary — Friday marks a significant moment …
Amanda Friedman / Politico:
Casey Means: Murkowski sank my nomination — The surgeon general nominee is a close ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. … Kennedy also called out her opponents for a “lack of integrity” and “lack of courage” and said it was indicative of “the tribalism that is polarizing and destroying our country.”
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
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Associated Press:
Trump pulls Casey Means' stalled surgeon general nomination. New pick is radiologist Nicole Saphier
Trump pulls Casey Means' stalled surgeon general nomination. New pick is radiologist Nicole Saphier
Discussion:
The Hill, New Republic, STAT, The Guardian, The Independent, NPR, RedState, The Daily Wire, Crooked Media, Scientific American, Straight Arrow News, MS NOW, Charleston Daily Mail, Mediaite, Associated Press, Washington Times, Deadline, Axios, New York Post, Scripps News, Raw Story, Bloomberg, ABC News, Talking Points Memo and Fox News
Beth Mole / Ars Technica:
Trump nominates Fox News doctor to be the next surgeon general
Trump nominates Fox News doctor to be the next surgeon general
Discussion:
Axios, The Hill, CNN, The Atlantic, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, CBS News, UPI, The Daily Caller, Townhall, Fox News, DNYUZ, Mediaite and IJR
NBC News:
Congress expected to end the record 75-day partial government shutdown — The House expects to vote to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security by the end of the day. ICE and border patrol will be funded separately due to Democratic opposition. — WASHINGTON — The House is expected …
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Theodoric Meyer / Washington Post:
A key Senate rule is slowly losing its grip, and both parties know it
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Fox News, Raw Story, Breitbart, Mediaite, NewsMax.com and Townhall
Lisa Mascaro / Associated Press:
House approves bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end the record shutdown
House approves bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security and end the record shutdown
Discussion:
Reuters, CNBC, New York Times, NPR, NewsMax.com, Washington Times, New York Magazine, Newsweek, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, The Daily Signal, Los Angeles Times, PBS NewsHour, Task & Purpose, Washington Examiner, DNYUZ, ABC News, UPI, The Hill, The Guardian, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, WGSO 990AM, Toledo Blade and CBS News
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Platner-Mills ending in Maine leaves Democrats questioning Schumer strategy — A group of Senate Democrats are questioning Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) recruiting and broader political strategy heading into the 2026 midterm election after his prize recruit in Maine …
Discussion:
New York Times, The Daily Wire, Instapundit, NOTUS, Politico, Slow Boring, The Portland Press Herald and DNYUZ
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Trump said he would end her political career, but Democrats did her in
Discussion:
Bangor Daily News
Michelle Goldberg / New York Times:
Don't Underestimate the Fury of Democratic Voters
Don't Underestimate the Fury of Democratic Voters
Discussion:
NBC News, Vox, Semafor, The Hill, Associated Press, HuffPost, twitchy.com, Jewish Insider, Roll Call, NewsMax.com, Bangor Daily News, RedState, Bloomberg, Townhall, The Portland Press Herald, The Intercept, The Maine Wire, WBUR, Wall Street Journal, Straight Arrow News, Zeteo, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, New Republic, The Daily Signal, Scripps News, NOTUS, Washington Times, New York Post, DNYUZ, CNN, Political Wire, CBS News, The Post Millennial, Mediaite, UPI and Politico
New York Times:
Jeffrey Epstein's Possible Suicide Note Hidden From Public View … A suicide note purportedly written by Jeffrey Epstein in a Manhattan jail has been kept secret for nearly seven years, locked up in a New York courthouse. — A cellmate said he discovered the note in July 2019 …
Discussion:
Forbes, Charleston Daily Mail, GB News, Washington Examiner, The Parnas Perspective, TMZ.com, Metro.co.uk, New Republic, House Inhabit, Mediaite and Raw Story
Politico:
‘Divided us with a smile’: GOP groaning over Mike Johnson reaches a fever pitch … This week's chaos came to a head late Wednesday, with multiple members of key Republican factions yelling and swearing at Johnson on the House floor and in closed-door meetings.
Discussion:
DNYUZ
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Nathaniel Weixel / The Hill:
Nebraska faces challenges as first state to impose Medicaid work requirements under GOP bill — Nebraska on Friday is set to become the first state to impose Medicaid work requirements under the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, racing ahead of the national deadline by eight months.
Discussion:
KFF, NPR and Washington Examiner
Scott Dance / New York Times:
FEMA Is Reversing Job Cuts Made Under Kristi Noem — The agency said staff members who had been let go or placed on administrative leave were now needed to prepare for hurricanes and the World Cup. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reversing job cuts that Kristi Noem …
Discussion:
The Guardian and NewsMax.com
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Laura Strickler / NBC News:
FEMA is welcoming back 15 whistleblowers placed on leave during Kristi Noem's tenure
FEMA is welcoming back 15 whistleblowers placed on leave during Kristi Noem's tenure
Discussion:
The Hill
CNN:
House Ethics Committee investigating allegations of sexual harassment against GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards — The House Ethics Committee is investigating allegations of sexual harassment against GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
Raw Story
RELATED:
Kate Santaliz / Axios:
Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards under investigation by House Ethics
Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards under investigation by House Ethics
Discussion:
Raw Story, NewsMax.com and Mediaite
Financial Times:
Trump sons take stake in Kazakh miner that won $1.6bn US contract — Donald Jr and Eric have sought to capitalise on sectors backed by father's presidential administration — A shell company backed by Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump has merged with a critical minerals group that last year secured …
Zoe Hussain / New York Post:
Missing Republican Oklahoma Senate candidate, 54, found dead in rural area — The body of a missing Republican Senate candidate was found inside a truck in rural Oklahoma, according to authorities and reports. — Barry Christian, a 54-year-old candidate for District 38 in western Oklahoma …
Discussion:
KOCO, News9.com, Washington Examiner, NonDoc, Charleston Daily Mail, Raw Story and The Gateway Pundit
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
Pundits are wrong about the Democrats' “missing” voters — In individual-level polling data, two-thirds of Trump disapprovers who aren't backing Democrats on the generic ballot look like closeted Republicans, not swing voters waiting for a pivot on crime
Richard L. Hasen / Slate:
The Slaying of the Voting Rights Act by the Coward Samuel Alito — Sign up for Executive Dysfunction, a newsletter that highlights one under-the-radar story each week about how Trump is changing the law—or how the law is pushing back. You'll also receive updates on the latest from Slate's Jurisprudence team.
Discussion:
JONATHAN TURLEY, Raw Story, Election Law Blog, Decider, New York Times, Fox News, Diane Ravitch's blog, The Contrarian and The Atlantic
Gregory Svirnovskiy / Politico:
‘Just go to Hell’: Ed Martin, Thom Tillis squabble amid Tillis' anti-Jan. 6 litmus test — Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and pardon attorney Ed Martin traded personal insults Thursday on social media, a remarkably public feud between a sitting Republican senator and member of the administration.
Discussion:
Newsweek, Mediaite, Washington Examiner and NewsMax.com
New York Times:
Congress Passes Another Short-Term Extension of Expiring Surveillance Law — Senator Ron Wyden secured an agreement to seek the declassification of a recent intelligence court ruling about the FISA Section 702 program. — Congress voted on Thursday to extend a high-profile warrantless surveillance law …
Discussion:
The Intercept, RedState, The Guardian, Deseret News, New York Post, Washington Times, American Prospect and The Hill

