Since President Trump first returned to the White House, he has predictably taken significant steps to whitewash the entire events of 2021, which culminated in a violent mob of his supporters storming the US Capitol in an attempt to stop the Electoral College’s certification of President Biden’s 2020 victory.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Taranto is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and making false threats earlier this year. In the sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White reportedly described the Jan. 6 attack as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.”
Shortly after, they were suspended, WaPo reported.
Maryland Dem shuts down redistricting campaign
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Taranto is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and making false threats earlier this year. In the sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White reportedly described the Jan. 6 attack as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.”
Shortly after, they were suspended, WaPo reported.
Maryland Dem shuts down redistricting campaign
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
The Washington Post I reported on Wednesday that the Justice Department had placed two federal prosecutors on leave after they filed a document with the court in a separate case against the Washington man I mentioned above, Taylor Taranto. Although Taranto’s case was dismissed on January 6 after Trump’s sweeping clemency action, Taranto was later charged after threatening several politicians — which included recording himself driving around Washington, D.C., in June 2023, saying he was looking for tunnels to get to former President Obama’s home. For every wabo:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White were told they had been suspended just hours after submitting a sentencing recommendation in the case against Taylor Taranto, a Washington state man accused of participating in the Capitol attack who now faces sentencing on unrelated weapons charges, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
Taranto is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and making false threats earlier this year. In the sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White reportedly described the Jan. 6 attack as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.”
Shortly after, they were suspended, WaPo reported.
Maryland Dem shuts down redistricting campaign
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Now, it appears that Justice Department employees who use language to accurately describe the events of January 6 — but language that does not, of course, fit Trump’s whitewashed narrative about the attack — are being punished.
The Washington Post I reported on Wednesday that the Justice Department had placed two federal prosecutors on leave after they filed a document with the court in a separate case against the Washington man I mentioned above, Taylor Taranto. Although Taranto’s case was dismissed on January 6 after Trump’s sweeping clemency action, Taranto was later charged after threatening several politicians — which included recording himself driving around Washington, D.C., in June 2023, saying he was looking for tunnels to get to former President Obama’s home. For every wabo:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White were told they had been suspended just hours after submitting a sentencing recommendation in the case against Taylor Taranto, a Washington state man accused of participating in the Capitol attack who now faces sentencing on unrelated weapons charges, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
Taranto is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and making false threats earlier this year. In the sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White reportedly described the Jan. 6 attack as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.”
Shortly after, they were suspended, WaPo reported.
Maryland Dem shuts down redistricting campaign
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
Naturally, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion to dismiss the case against Trump for his role in inciting the January 6 insurrection after Trump won the 2024 election and before he was sworn back into office, a reference to the Justice Department’s longstanding policy of preventing the prosecution of a sitting president. In contrast, the Trump Justice Department not only fired several federal prosecutors who worked on the Trump-related Smith case on January 6, but also fired or reassigned several prosecutors who worked on cases against those accused of participating in the attack.
Now, it appears that Justice Department employees who use language to accurately describe the events of January 6 — but language that does not, of course, fit Trump’s whitewashed narrative about the attack — are being punished.
The Washington Post I reported on Wednesday that the Justice Department had placed two federal prosecutors on leave after they filed a document with the court in a separate case against the Washington man I mentioned above, Taylor Taranto. Although Taranto’s case was dismissed on January 6 after Trump’s sweeping clemency action, Taranto was later charged after threatening several politicians — which included recording himself driving around Washington, D.C., in June 2023, saying he was looking for tunnels to get to former President Obama’s home. For every wabo:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White were told they had been suspended just hours after submitting a sentencing recommendation in the case against Taylor Taranto, a Washington state man accused of participating in the Capitol attack who now faces sentencing on unrelated weapons charges, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
Taranto is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and making false threats earlier this year. In the sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White reportedly described the Jan. 6 attack as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.”
Shortly after, they were suspended, WaPo reported.
Maryland Dem shuts down redistricting campaign
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
In one of Trump’s first executive actions upon his return to power, Trump pardoned hundreds of defendants on January 6 who had been convicted of various crimes for their roles in the storming of the Capitol. He also dropped all charges against those who still had pending cases, including the case against a Washington state man named Taylor Taranto, which I will discuss in more detail below.
Naturally, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion to dismiss the case against Trump for his role in inciting the January 6 insurrection after Trump won the 2024 election and before he was sworn back into office, a reference to the Justice Department’s longstanding policy of preventing the prosecution of a sitting president. In contrast, the Trump Justice Department not only fired several federal prosecutors who worked on the Trump-related Smith case on January 6, but also fired or reassigned several prosecutors who worked on cases against those accused of participating in the attack.
Now, it appears that Justice Department employees who use language to accurately describe the events of January 6 — but language that does not, of course, fit Trump’s whitewashed narrative about the attack — are being punished.
The Washington Post I reported on Wednesday that the Justice Department had placed two federal prosecutors on leave after they filed a document with the court in a separate case against the Washington man I mentioned above, Taylor Taranto. Although Taranto’s case was dismissed on January 6 after Trump’s sweeping clemency action, Taranto was later charged after threatening several politicians — which included recording himself driving around Washington, D.C., in June 2023, saying he was looking for tunnels to get to former President Obama’s home. For every wabo:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White were told they had been suspended just hours after submitting a sentencing recommendation in the case against Taylor Taranto, a Washington state man accused of participating in the Capitol attack who now faces sentencing on unrelated weapons charges, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
Taranto is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and making false threats earlier this year. In the sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White reportedly described the Jan. 6 attack as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.”
Shortly after, they were suspended, WaPo reported.
Maryland Dem shuts down redistricting campaign
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
In one of Trump’s first executive actions upon his return to power, Trump pardoned hundreds of defendants on January 6 who had been convicted of various crimes for their roles in the storming of the Capitol. He also dropped all charges against those who still had pending cases, including the case against a Washington state man named Taylor Taranto, which I will discuss in more detail below.
Naturally, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion to dismiss the case against Trump for his role in inciting the January 6 insurrection after Trump won the 2024 election and before he was sworn back into office, a reference to the Justice Department’s longstanding policy of preventing the prosecution of a sitting president. In contrast, the Trump Justice Department not only fired several federal prosecutors who worked on the Trump-related Smith case on January 6, but also fired or reassigned several prosecutors who worked on cases against those accused of participating in the attack.
Now, it appears that Justice Department employees who use language to accurately describe the events of January 6 — but language that does not, of course, fit Trump’s whitewashed narrative about the attack — are being punished.
The Washington Post I reported on Wednesday that the Justice Department had placed two federal prosecutors on leave after they filed a document with the court in a separate case against the Washington man I mentioned above, Taylor Taranto. Although Taranto’s case was dismissed on January 6 after Trump’s sweeping clemency action, Taranto was later charged after threatening several politicians — which included recording himself driving around Washington, D.C., in June 2023, saying he was looking for tunnels to get to former President Obama’s home. For every wabo:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White were told they had been suspended just hours after submitting a sentencing recommendation in the case against Taylor Taranto, a Washington state man accused of participating in the Capitol attack who now faces sentencing on unrelated weapons charges, according to the people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
Taranto is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after being found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and making false threats earlier this year. In the sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White reportedly described the Jan. 6 attack as a “riot” carried out by a “mob.”
Shortly after, they were suspended, WaPo reported.
Maryland Dem shuts down redistricting campaign
in Tuesday’s messageMaryland Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson has halted redistricting efforts in the state, saying the efforts could affect “resilience and confidence in democracy.”
Over the past few months, the Trump administration has put pressure on red states across the country to approve new congressional maps as a way to predetermine midterm election results and ensure Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Missouri, North Carolina and Texas have all caved to pressure from the Trump White House and approved gerrymandered maps that are expected to flip seats currently held by Democrats to Republicans in 2026. Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana are also in the process of approving redrawn maps.
In response to these efforts, some Democratic-led states, including California, Virginia and Illinois, have pushed redistricting proposals to try to offset the impact of Trump’s ongoing gerrymandering campaign.
Maryland Democrats were part of this counter-campaign, until Ferguson announced that he would not move forward with a mid-session redistricting campaign. Although he acknowledged that the redistricting fight is one that Trump started and continues to perpetuate as a means to rig the midterm elections, he asserted that the effort is simply “risky” and that it “jeopardizes Maryland’s ability to fight back against an extremist Trump administration.”
“Despite deep shared frustrations about the state of our country, Maryland’s mid-cycle redistricting represents a reality where the legal stakes are too high, the timeline for action is dire, the downside risks to Democrats are catastrophic, and the certainty of our current map will be undermined,” he wrote.
– Khia Himmelman
SNAP benefits are set to lapse with the shutdown still in effect
Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the nation’s largest food assistance program — is set to expire for the first time in modern history on November 1.
Majority Leader John Thune (R-N.M.) on Wednesday shut down a Democratic measure introduced by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), which would keep SNAP benefits going beyond the November deadline. Thune called the effort a “cynical attempt at political cover,” as he shouted at Lujan on the Senate floor, adding that Democrats should just support the GOP and reopen the government instead. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has also introduced a similar bill to protect SNAP benefits. Hawley’s measure will also likely go nowhere.
The campaign to protect SNAP comes as the Trump administration said last week that it would not tap emergency funds to continue the program during the government shutdown. Since the shutdown first began earlier this month, the administration has been picking and choosing which programs to fund based on Trump’s political interests.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed the finger at Thune, saying Thune refuses to bring up the measure because he “knows there is broad Republican support for it.”
“He’s afraid of Trump. That’s all. He knows best,” Schumer told Politico.
Some Democrats are calling the situation a GOP ploy to continue shifting blame for the shutdown on Democrats.
“This is a trick that this administration is perpetrating for political reasons to point the finger at Democrats,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, according to Punchbowl. “They have $5 [billion] To $6 billion in an emergency fund that he says is designated for this type of purpose…they are violating the law.”
– Amina Yucel
In case you missed it
From Josh Marshall: Will Trump’s epic Middle East peace deal collapse?
Morning note: Judge grants US Attorney in Los Angeles treatment for Alina Haba
The latest from Josh Kovinsky: 911 audio reveals horrific escalation in Chicago
Yesterday’s most read story
There is no democratic future without Supreme Court reform
