Top Items:
Politico:
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.
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NBC News:
Anthony Fauci invokes 5th Amendment right not to testify at Covid hearing, calls Sen. Rand Paul ‘unhinged’ — The former top health official said he would invoke his 5th Amendment right not to testify to avoid the possibility that Republicans might try to prosecute him for perjury.
Discussion:
CBS News, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Fox News, The Hill, CNN, STAT, Time, Associated Press, HotAir, The Gateway Pundit, Legal Insurrection, Blaze Media, The Maine Wire, The Post Millennial, The Federalist, PBS NewsHour, Washington Times, The American Conservative, Politico, Joe.My.God. and Washington Examiner
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic:
Fauci Pleads the Fifth and Kills Republicans' Big Covid Hearing — Anthony Fauci will not testify before Congress Wednesday. — The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was subpoenaed to testify before a Republican-led Senate committee regarding his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
NPR:
Anthony Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment in Rand Paul Senate hearing — Anthony Fauci declined to answer any questions before a Senate committee focused on the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday morning. — “Although it pains me to do so, because of the respect I have for the legislative branch of government …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Fox News, Rolling Stone, Axios, The Hill, Associated Press, New York Magazine, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, Florida Politics, The Gateway Pundit, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, UPI, Breitbart, New York Sun, Straight Arrow, ABC News, The Independent, Scripps News, One America News Network, FOX 32 Chicago, twitchy.com, OutsideTheBeltway, Raw Story, NewsMax.com, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Forbes, The Federalist, Washington Times, CBS News, CNN and STAT
Herb Scribner / Axios:
The most fiery moments from Fauci's Senate hearing — Dr. Anthony Fauci faced dozens of questions and theatrics Wednesday before the Senate's Homeland Security Committee. … - Many senators' questions Wednesday cited the diary, which covers COVID's origins, Fauci's growing public profile …
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Trump Administration Live Updates: Fauci Repeatedly Refuses to Answer Senators' Questions at Volatile Hearing
Discussion:
New York Times, Bloomberg, CBS News, twitchy.com, The Gateway Pundit and Washington Examiner
Karoun Demirjian / New York Times:
Fauci's Pardon From Biden Would Not Shield Him From New Offenses
Fauci's Pardon From Biden Would Not Shield Him From New Offenses
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Washington Times, The Post Millennial, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, CBS News, The Hill and New York Sun
New York Times:
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 …
Discussion:
New Republic, NewsMax.com, The Independent, Raw Story and Joe.My.God.
RELATED:
MS NOW:
Secret Service felt pressure from administration to surveil James Comey, new documents reveal — Documents detail worries about the legality of a directive to surveil the former FBI director after the “seashells” photo the government claims amounts to a threat to President Donald Trump's life.
Discussion:
Democracy Docket and Talking Points Memo
Politico:
‘Preposterous’: Comey team attacks charges over alleged threat to Trump — A May 2026 FBI interview with notorious mobster “Sammy the Bull.” A text message from a disgruntled acquaintance misled by a Rudy Giuliani podcast. An actress' late-night television routine.
Discussion:
MS NOW, Washington Examiner, The Daily Beast, Associated Press, The Guardian, CBS News, New Republic, The Hill, The Bulwark, NBC News and One America News Network
Jamelle Bouie / New York Times:
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.”
Discussion:
The New World
Chris Marquette / Politico:
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 …
Discussion:
New York Times, CNBC, MS NOW, Washington Examiner, Talking Points Memo, Forbes, Raw Story, NewsMax.com, NOTUS, The Daily Caller and Bloomberg
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New York Times:
With Blanche Nomination at Stake, Payouts to Trump Allies Continue
Discussion:
Associated Press, Roll Call, New York Sun, The Daily Wire, Courthouse News Service and The Hill
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
Cornyn meeting with Blanche canceled ahead of key Judiciary Committee vote
Cornyn meeting with Blanche canceled ahead of key Judiciary Committee vote
Discussion:
NOTUS, Bloomberg, The Daily Caller, Newsweek and New York Sun
Thomas Frank / Politico:
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 …
Discussion:
Raw Story, MS NOW, The Parnas Perspective and New Republic
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Stef W. Kight / Axios:
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.
Discussion:
Joe.My.God.
RELATED:
Jordain Carney / Politico:
GOP governors back new reconciliation bill as Senate sputters
GOP governors back new reconciliation bill as Senate sputters
Discussion:
Axios
Gerry Doyle / Bloomberg:
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.
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Colby Smith / New York Times:
Live Updates: Federal Reserve to Make a Close Call on Interest Rates — Kevin M. Warsh, after his second meeting as the Fed's chairman, will explain how officials are thinking about persistent inflation and a resilient job market. — What to watch at the meeting.
Discussion:
Board of Governors …, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, Fortune, UPI, NPR and Semafor
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Mary Cunningham / CBS News:
Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady amid signs inflation is cooling
Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady amid signs inflation is cooling
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, NOTUS, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, NewsMax.com, CoinDesk and Semafor
Noel Sims / Popular Information:
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.
Discussion:
Raw Story, Washington Blade and SCOTUSblog
Riley Moser / CBS News:
Elon Musk's xAI sues to stop Minnesota law banning nudification technology — Add CBS News on Google — Billionaire Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company is suing Minnesota over a first-of-its-kind law that bans apps and websites that create fake, sexualized pictures of individuals, claiming it violates the First Amendment.
Discussion:
Straight Arrow, Ars Technica, New York Sun, Breitbart, Joe.My.God. and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »
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Oliver Darcy / Status:
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.
New York Times:
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 …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Washington Post, CBS News, Reuters, Breitbart, Taipei Times, France 24, Fox News, BOE Report, Bloomberg, Phillips's Newsletter, The Times of Israel, Al Jazeera, UPI, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Examiner, Washington Times, Associated Press, Middle East Monitor and Semafor
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Iran resumes missile attacks as US and Saudis strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq
Iran resumes missile attacks as US and Saudis strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq
Discussion:
Vox, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Times of Israel, CBS News, One America News Network, Bloomberg, Courthouse News Service, BOE Report, FDD's Long War Journal, Washington Examiner, CNN, Israpundit, BBC, Al Jazeera, Military.com, Reuters, Raw Story, Washington Times, Associated Press, Straight Arrow, Daily Mail, Informed Comment, The American Conservative, France 24, Middle East Monitor and Breitbart
Sophia Cai / Politico:
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 …
Discussion:
Telegraph, New York Magazine, NPR, Inside FIFA, Associated Press, The Athletic, Forbes, Al Jazeera, Raw Story, Politico, BBC, NOTUS and Truthout
Ryan King / New York Post:
Marjorie Taylor Greene marries MAGA reporter Brian Glenn in Las Vegas — What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. — Former firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene officially tied the knot with her fiancé, MAGA reporter Brian Glenn, in a private ceremony in Sin City Tuesday.
Discussion:
TMZ.com, Us Weekly, Mercury News, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, The Independent and Newsweek
Ariel Edwards-Levy / CNN:
CNN Poll: Americans doubt Trump is paying enough attention to the country's most important problems — A record-high 73% of US adults say that President Donald Trump hasn't paid enough attention to the country's most important problems, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds, with just 27% saying he's had the right priorities.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Hill, Truthout, DCCC, Palm Beach Post, Raw Story, Louder With Crowder, Newsweek and Staff Stories
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
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.
Discussion:
Newsweek and New Republic
Phil Stewart / Reuters:
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.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, RedState, Raw Story, The Independent, Daily Mail and The Intercept
Quinnipiac University Poll:
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
Discussion:
The Federalist
Graig Graziosi / The Independent:
Judge tosses Kash Patel's $10M defamation lawsuit against blogger who called him a ‘chud’ — Jim Stewartson accused Patel of helping to organize the Jan 6 attack on the US capitol — FBI Director Kash Patel's $10 million defamation lawsuit targeting a blogger who called him a “Kremlin asset” …
Discussion:
New Republic, The Daily Beast, Raw Story and Townhall
Dan Diamond / Washington Post:
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 …
Discussion:
NOTUS, Washington Examiner and Joe.My.God.
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Harmeet Dhillon demonstrates danger of posting through it — This edition of PN is made possible by paid subscribers. Become one ⬇️ — 🫵 Subscribe to PN 🫵 … On October 3, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division …
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
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 …
Discussion:
The Hill, MS NOW, Newsweek, WNYW-TV, NewsMax.com, Washington Post, Above the Law and SCOTUSblog
emptywheel:
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
New York Times:
Trump's Tariffs Are Sending Some Companies Back to China … Workers at factories in China and Thailand assembling and testing flashlights for sale to American customers.Videos by Lauren DeCicca and Qilai Shen — On a dusty piece of land south of Bangkok, a flashlight factory stands full of promise.
Discussion:
NewsMax.com and PRICKLY PEAR
Theodore Schleifer / New York Times:
Why Republicans Aren't Funding a Key Senate Race Yet … Ken Paxton, attorney general of Texas, is the Republican nominee for Senate there but has struggled to raise money.Antranik Tavitian for The New York Times — In one of this year's most competitive Senate races, Republicans are refusing to spend money — so far.
Discussion:
Election Law Blog

