Paul says Fauci will face ‘repercussions’ for taking the Fifth.  That could get complicated.  —  Rand Paul says Anthony Fauci can expect consequences for the former Covid czar's decision to exercise his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination to avoid testifying before Paul's Senate committee on Wednesday.

Trump Demanded Details of Agents' Interview of Comey, New Filing Says  —  The demand suggests the intense personal involvement of President Trump in investigating one of his longtime critics, the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey.  —  Secret Service agents who questioned the former F.B …

Blanche nomination hangs by a thread as Cornyn stands by settlement ultimatum  —  GOP Sen. John Cornyn said Wednesday, less than 24 hours before a critical committee vote, that he is “not prepared” to support Todd Blanche's confirmation as attorney general as the two continue to tangle …

Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk's Racist Commentary?  —  “The Turner Diaries” is a work of white supremacist agitprop.  It purports to be the diary of a neo-Nazi militant, Earl Turner, who is working to overthrow the United States government — or as the book calls it, “the System” — through a group called “the Organization.”

6 In 10 Voters Oppose U.S. Military Action In Iran Amid Spike In Expectations It Will Last A Year Or More, Trump Approval Hits New Low, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; 49% Worse Off Financially Than A Year Ago As Majority Thinks Economy Is Worsening  — mail_outline

Scoop: Inside the White House pitch for pre-election MAGA megabill … President Trump and his team disagree.  — White House officials want the Senate to build in flexibility to jam through as much of the SAVE America Act as possible, and they are insisting it can be crafted to avoid tough amendment votes.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Ties the Knot With Brian Glenn in Las Vegas  —  EXCLUSIVE  —  RECOUNT ORDERED ON WEDDING GUESTS  —  UPDATE  —  7:46 AM PT ... Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the newylweds had dinner at Spago and got married at the Terrazza di Sogno in The Bellagio.

Saudi Arabia's Strikes in Iraq Mark Entry Into U.S.-Iran War.  —  The U.S. and Saudi Arabia said they had carried out joint airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, and Iran targeted U.S. military sites in Jordan.  —  Here's the latest.  —  American and Saudi fighter jets attacked …

Trump overrode his own agencies to deny four Democratic disaster requests  —  President Donald Trump overruled his own agencies when he denied disaster aid for four Democratic-led states this month.  —  Emails between state and federal officials obtained by POLITICO along with more than 150 pages …

Trump set to unveil Dulles makeover after months of personal edits  —  The multibillion-dollar project to overhaul the airport would replace aging terminals and eliminate its long-disparaged “people movers.”  —  Summary  —  President Donald Trump on Wednesday is set to announce a sweeping plan …

The fake historian advising Trump's anti-Smithsonian crusade  —  Last Friday, President Trump released an executive order directing officials to install signs outside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History (NMAH) informing visitors that the museum presents history inaccurately.

Bari's New ‘60’ Slate … On Tuesday afternoon, I received an urgent tip on the encrypted-messaging app Signal: Ross Douthat, the conservative opinion columnist at The New York Times, was set to leave the newspaper and join “60 Minutes.”  Initially, I was skeptical.

Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement  —  For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT  —  The Federal Open Market Committee approved the following statement for release by a 9 - 3 vote:  —  The Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 percent, in support of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate.

Alex Jones calls for immediate Trump impeachment  —  Alex Jones, formerly of InfoWars, on Tuesday said President Trump must be impeached over the Iran conflict, describing the situation as “absolutely out of control” and warning that the administration is preparing for a national draft.

FIFA is going into business with a Kushner.  Democrats smell blood.  —  Gianni Infantino's political future may be on the U.S. midterm ballot.  —  For years, FIFA's president has nurtured one of the closest relationships between any world leader and President Donald Trump …

Trump Administration Is Repurposing Federal Land for A.I. Data Centers  —  In the latest example, the Energy Department will convert a shuttered Cold War-era uranium enrichment facility into a data center campus and gas plants.  —  The Trump administration is repurposing large chunks …

Trump administration ending Medicare premium subsidy program  —  The Trump administration on Tuesday said it would move to end a Biden-era Medicare premium subsidy program, alleging it benefited insurance companies more than enrollees.  —  As a result, Medicare Part D subsidies will expire …

Sanctions Bill Would Give Trump Sweeping New Tariff Powers  —  A bipartisan bill in the Senate would allow President Trump to impose tariffs on the biggest importers of Russian energy.  —  The sanctions legislation that moved forward in the Senate this week goes beyond enacting new financial restrictions on Russia and Iran.

Trump said he would ask the Supreme Court to reconsider his birthright order.  The clock's run out.  —  President Donald Trump appears to have missed a deadline to carry out his promise to ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling last month that virtually everyone born on U.S. soil …

US commander warns troops their videos help Iran, sources say  —  The top U.S. commander for the Middle East has warned troops that cellphone videos shared online can help Iran target American bases, and sources told Reuters some deployed personnel could soon be ordered to surrender their phones.

Mills calls Collins ‘vulnerable’ but stops short of endorsing Troy Jackson  —  Governor Janet Mills says she has not spoken with newly nominated Democratic candidate for Senate Troy Jackson and declined to endorse him but believes Republican Senator Susan Collins “should be defeated.”

‘Pleading the Fifth’ invokes a constitutional amendment that has a long history in US society  —  It was important enough to the framers of the U.S. Constitution to be included in the first 10 amendments known as the Bill of Rights — that no person “shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.”

A New Age of Missiles Reshapes Battlefields Around The World  —  The world is on the cusp of a third missile age, with conventional ballistic weapons proliferating at unprecedented speed in the wake of widespread, battlefield-warping deployment in Iran and Ukraine.

Trump administration seeks $10 million more for Freedom 250 events  —  The Interior Department has asked Congress for more money to pay for National Mall events marking the country's 250th anniversary.  —  Summary  —  The Trump administration is asking Congress for an additional $10 million …

Todd Blanche Colluded with an Italian Mafioso ... and Also Rudy Guiliani ... to Indict Jim Comey  —  Jim Comey has filed his pretrial motions.  The memoranda and backup for each are here (Fitzgerald's affidavit is a worthwhile place to start):  — Motion to Dismiss (MTD) for lack of a true threat