Top Items:
Holly Otterbein / Axios:
Scoop: Platner privately told staff he'll formally exit Senate race Monday — Graham Platner privately told staff that he is planning to officially file paperwork to end his Senate campaign on Monday — the drop-dead deadline for him to exit the race.
Discussion:
NOTUS, Politico, The Portland Press Herald, WBUR, Fox News, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, Townhall, MS NOW, JONATHAN TURLEY, The American Conservative, Election Law Blog, The Guardian, WNYW-TV, One America News Network, Legal Insurrection, The Downballot, CBS News, CNN and Washington Monthly
RELATED:
New York Times:
‘A Slow-Rolling Disaster’: Inside the Implosion of the Platner Campaign — Graham Platner's bid for the Senate inspired progressive Democrats. But the campaign, which he suspended Wednesday, was messy, disorganized and ultimately doomed by a steady drip of scandal. — They told him that he was “the guy.”
Discussion:
Fox News, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Maine Wire, Politico, Semafor, MS NOW, twitchy.com, The Guardian, TMZ.com, Bloomberg, CBS News, Washington Post, WBUR, The Independent and New Republic
Politico:
Morris Katz: 'I'm deeply disappointed' — One of Graham Platner's top political advisers said he and others suggested Platner drop out of the Maine Senate race when they “became aware of the rape allegations.” “As soon as the team became aware of the rape allegations against Graham Platner …
Discussion:
New York Post, New York Sun and twitchy.com
Wall Street Journal:
The Democratic Influencer Who Helped Bring Down Graham Platner
Discussion:
Columbia Journalism Review, more at Mediagazer »
New York Times:
'There's No Graham Platner Without Donald Trump': 3 Writers on the Fiasco in Maine
'There's No Graham Platner Without Donald Trump': 3 Writers on the Fiasco in Maine
Discussion:
Christian Science Monitor, Bangor Daily News, RedState and Bloomberg
Wall Street Journal:
The Red Flag That Led to Graham Platner's Implosion Was Hiding in Plain Sight
The Red Flag That Led to Graham Platner's Implosion Was Hiding in Plain Sight
Discussion:
NPR, HotAir, Ace of Spades HQ, Centralmaine.com, Politico, Washington Examiner, NOTUS, Semafor, twitchy.com, MS NOW and Washington Post
Caroline Wilburn / HuffPost:
Graham Platner Waiting Until Last Minute To Formally Withdraw From Senate Race: Reports
Graham Platner Waiting Until Last Minute To Formally Withdraw From Senate Race: Reports
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Blaze Media, The Daily Wire, Axios, Fox News, The Daily Signal, Scripps News, Salon, Raw Story, Advocate, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, UPI, Roll Call, New York Post and RedState
Talking Points Memo:
A Pro-Trump Christian Group Wants to Put a Cross on the Moon
A Pro-Trump Christian Group Wants to Put a Cross on the Moon
Discussion:
Raw Story, YouTube and The Register
Joanna Slater / Washington Post:
Graham Platner's small hometown in Maine will never see him the same way
Graham Platner's small hometown in Maine will never see him the same way
Discussion:
HotAir, USA Today, The Philadelphia Inquirer and MS NOW
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Texas ICE Killing Darkens: Rep Says Witnesses Pressured to Self-Deport — After a federal agent killed an undocumented Mexican man in his van during a traffic stop in Houston on Tuesday, the government rushed to follow a familiar template. Just as it has after other shootings …
Discussion:
HuffPost, Associated Press, The Independent, Mercury News, TheGrio, The Atlantic, Washington Examiner and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
New York Times:
Mexican Man Fatally Shot by ICE Wasn't the Intended Target — Officials say agents believed a passenger resembled one suspect, but the encounter quickly escalated into a fatal shooting. — Federal immigration agents who killed a man during a traffic stop in Houston on Tuesday had been searching …
Discussion:
Associated Press and Democracy Now
Will Bunch / The Philadelphia Inquirer:
ICE killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. They want you to be apathetic. Don't be. — Lorenzo Salgado Araujo woke up at 5 a.m. Tuesday and started his day like almost every other one for the last 35 years since he came to Houston from Mexico and built his own American Dream brick by brick …
Discussion:
MS NOW, CNN, Esquire, Breitbart, Steady, Real Patriotism …, Houston Public Media, Staff Stories, The Hill, Blaze Media, Reuters, The Texas Tribune, Al Jazeera and Axios
José Olivares / The Guardian:
‘New terrifying levels’: 10 people fatally shot by immigration officials in Trump's second term — As Trump's immigration crackdown continues, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's death marks another high-profile killing by ICE officers — Early on Tuesday morning, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo took …
Discussion:
Truthout, Washington Post, Mother Jones, New Republic, Breitbart, Houston Public Media, The Contrarian, Click2Houston.com, Time and Straight Arrow
Axios:
Mexico threatens legal action over citizens' deaths in ICE custody — Mexico plans to file criminal complaints in the United States over the deaths of Mexican nationals in ICE custody, Mexico's Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Álvarez said Thursday.
Michael Adkison / Houston Public Media:
Hundreds march in protest of fatal ICE shooting in Houston's Magnolia Park
Hundreds march in protest of fatal ICE shooting in Houston's Magnolia Park
Discussion:
The Hill, TheGrio, New Republic, Straight Arrow, Mediaite, Salon, Esquire, Davis Vanguard, The Texas Tribune, CBS News and Truthout
Rick Hasen / Election Law Blog:
BREAKING: “Trump fires all Election Assistance Commission members, leaving agency unable to act” (This is going to be a BFD if Trump Tries to Assert the EAC's Powers over the Federal Voter Registration Form) — Jessica Huseman for Votebeat: … To me, the bigger question is what Trump might try …
RELATED:
Jacob Knutson / Democracy Docket:
In sweeping attack on elections, Trump fires leadership of key federal voting assistance commission — President Donald Trump Thursday dismissed all remaining commissioners on the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), a bipartisan federal agency created to help states administer elections, according to multiple media reports.
Elena Schneider / NOTUS:
A New Poll Shows a Tight Fight for Platner Replacements — A poll of potential replacements for Graham Platner, who dropped out of the Maine Senate race on Wednesday, found a trio of former gubernatorial candidates in tight head-to-head battles against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
RELATED:
C.J. Robinson / New York Times:
Replacing a Senate Nominee Is Rare. Has It Ever Worked?
Discussion:
Ballotpedia News, Straight Arrow and Los Angeles Times
Alec Hernandez / Politico:
Jordan Wood joins crowded Maine Senate race
Jordan Wood joins crowded Maine Senate race
Discussion:
PBS NewsHour, Them, Bangor Daily News, LGBTQ Nation, CBS News, Washington Post and New York Times
David Nir / The Downballot:
The Downballot releases presidential results for every new House district, sponsored by Grassroots Analytics — The Downballot is pleased to present our calculations of the results of the 2024 presidential election for every congressional district that will be used in the 2026 midterms …
Washington Post:
Rubio tries to enlist other nations in antifa fight, but some allies recoil — The secretary of state plans to convene foreign ministers in Washington next week. The event has unsettled some U.S. and European officials. — Summary — Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invited senior ministers …
Discussion:
The Daily Wire, Deseret News, NextDraft, Staff Stories, Raw Story and NewsMax.com
Victor Ray / MS NOW:
In ruling against Florida's Stop WOKE Act, this Trump judge took DeSantis to school — The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals' 2-1 decision Tuesday upholding a lower court decision against Florida's so-called Stop WOKE Act is a necessary rebuke of state lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, NewsMax.com, New York Sun, Truthout, The Daily Caller and LGBTQ Nation
Dan Diamond / Washington Post:
Trump's proposed triumphal arch clears another key hurdle — The National Capital Planning Commission, led by the president's allies, voted to advance the project near Arlington Cemetery, tabling a height question for later. — Summary — A federal commission Thursday advanced President …
Discussion:
ABC News, Associated Press, Raw Story, CBS News and Straight Arrow
RELATED:
Ken Dilanian / MS NOW:
Dem lawmakers want Kash Patel to answer for his spending — but this time they're not alone — A powerful Republican who has publicly defended the FBI director is now demanding answers on his BMW purchases and his use of the bureau jet. — FBI Director Kash Patel has been demanding special perks …
Discussion:
NOTUS, House Committee …, The Hill, Politico, Mediaite, New Republic, HuffPost, Washington Examiner, The Independent, Raw Story and The Daily Wire
Ryan King / New York Post:
Jeb Bush hails President Trump for decimating Iran, but warns of growing threat from Cuba — WASHINGTON — Iran has reportedly armed Cuba with a fleet of 300 kamikaze drones, putting the US mainland at risk of suffering a devastating attack, Jeb Bush warned Wednesday.
Discussion:
Fox News, NewsMax.com, RedState and NBC 6 South Florida
RELATED:
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
An American Life Cut Short — Whoever said “brevity is the soul of wit” never ran for Senate in Maine. Days after he was accused of sexual assault—and weeks after the first reports of his suspect behavior towards women raised worries that more serious allegations could emerge …
RELATED:
Arelis R. Hernández / Washington Post:
He saw a video of a Mexican man shot by ICE. It was his father.
He saw a video of a Mexican man shot by ICE. It was his father.
Discussion:
New Republic, USA Today, El País, The Independent, TheGrio, Wonkette, The Guardian, Associated Press, The Texas Tribune, The Hill, Scripps News, The Bulwark and New York Times
CNN:
Israel shared intelligence with US of Iranian plot to assassinate Trump, sources say — Israel shared intelligence with the United States that Iran had recently devised a new plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, two sources familiar with matter told CNN, adding another layer of tension …
Discussion:
Fox News, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Daily Mail, The Independent, NewsMax.com and Washington Times
THE INSIDER:
Shooting Starlink: The “no limits” partnership between Russia and China is taking aim at Elon Musk — A joint investigation by The Insider, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde. — By the fall of 2023, Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet network, had become a primary means of communication on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Discussion:
Semafor, Wall Street Journal and Breaking Defense
Rebecca Szlechter / The Jewish Chronicle:
Mamdani's office accused of excluding Jews from map of NYC immigrant neighbourhoods — The map included ‘Little Palestine’ and ‘Little Egypt’, but not its Jewish, Irish and Italian enclaves — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani lights the Empire State Building in celebration of America 250 on July 04, 2026 (Getty Images)
Discussion:
twitchy.com, New York Sun, NewsMax.com, Blaze Media, Fox News and Jewish Telegraphic Agency
RELATED:
Steve Benen / MS NOW:
Trump denies disaster aid to four blue states, after approving aid to six red states — A White House spokesperson said there is “no politicization to the president's decisions on disaster relief.” There's compelling evidence to the contrary. — The White House was already facing credible allegations …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, The Intellectualist, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Politico
Associated Press:
Victor Marx wins the Republican primary for Colorado governor — Marine Corps veteran Victor Marx won the Republican primary for Colorado governor on Thursday. — Marx defeated state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, his stiffest competition in the June 30 election.
Gary Fineout / Politico:
‘They got their rear end kicked,’ DeSantis says of U.S. team — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (former captain of the Yale University baseball team) said he's not “a soccer fan.” But he did take some time to talk about the World Cup and U.S. national team while guest hosting Sean Hannity's radio …
Wall Street Journal:
The Fight Over Hormuz Boils Down to One Poorly Worded Clause in Trump's Deal — Paragraph 5 hands Iran a leading role in opening the waterway, but one the U.S. and its allies aren't comfortable with — President Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran was supposed to open the Strait …
Discussion:
CNBC, Al Jazeera, Raw Story, NewsMax.com, Bloomberg, Axios, Breitbart, Responsible Statecraft and Middle East Monitor
Mallory Wilson / The Hill:
White House says Trump's Air Force One switch was a ‘misdirection’ — The White House on Thursday defended the new retrofitted Air Force One as safe and secure after reports emerged indicating President Trump switched to the older model to leave Turkey out of an abundance of caution.
Reis Thebault / New York Times:
New Mexico Accuses D.O.J. of Obstructing Epstein Ranch Inquiry — New Mexico's attorney general unveiled a letter he sent last week to the acting U.S. attorney general, Todd Blanche, accusing the Justice Department of withholding critical evidence. — New Mexico's attorney general …
Discussion:
Reuters and New Republic
