1. For weeks, EITM has reported that Republicans would push a trans healthcare ban in their ACA negotiations. Now, the plan is released, and it includes heavy restrictions on ACA plans, a medicaid ban, an EHB ban, and more. Democrats must not capitulate.

Dozens of vulture carcasses—at least some and probably all infected with HPAI—were reportedly left strewn about the grounds of an elementary school for days while bureaucrats wrangled over who would clean up the site, illustrating what appears to be a huge crisis of state and local capacity in Ohio.

Waste. Fraud. Abuse.

And even if you're right, the punishment for drug smuggling isn't death.

A federal judge ORDERS the disclosure of Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury materials. But Judge Engelmayer swipes repeatedly at Trump's DOJ for paying "lip service" to then sidelining victims — and misleading the public about what the records contain. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Actually, Saudi Arabia is covering Kushner's travel expenses

These grand jury materials will “not add to the public knowledge.” A judge says Trump misled the public and disregarded the victims.”

I rediscovered this post I wrote in May, about how Trump has shifted the money the US used to spend on curing cancer into snatching your neighbors. I think I'll keep harping on this point. www.emptywheel.net/2025/05/09/s...

NEW: Justice Department Under Scrutiny for Legal Opinion on Venezuelan Boat Strikes Just filed to CBS News www.cbsnews.com/news/justice...

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in this case today, which could decide whether big donors can use political parties to funnel money to candidates. Twenty years ago, the Court upheld party coordination limits—and we're urging them to do it again.

Govt asks Judge Kollar-Kotelly to dissolve her injunction freezing its access to Dan Richman's property. Argues that it is effectively enjoining govt from investigating Comey & improperly using Rule 41g to "obstruct" Comey's potential prosecution. www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

1. Paramount's hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery exposes Jared Kushner's game Kushner is not running a private equity fund. He's running an influence peddling operation. It's spelled out on page 42 of Paramount's new SEC filing

“These political parties, they’re like shipwrecks: metal structures, they’re dead. Street protests, youth politics come into them like shoaling fish, to turn them into living reefs.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

The Trump regime has announced a new escalation in its war on free speech and civil society. Pam Bondi sent a memo to every federal prosecutor directing them to go on offense against all organizations connected to “ANTIFA” — a loose ideology rather than an actual organization or group.

Important detail on Paramount's hostile takeover bid to buy WBD: Paramount's financing partners include Jared Kushner's private equity firm, plus Saudi Arabia's, Qatar's and Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth funds. Kushner's involvement was NOT publicized by Paramount. www.axios.com/2025/12/08/p...

Interesting. End The Fed.

👇👇

The Supreme Court is working hard to turn this country into a despot's dreamscape—while making it nigh impossible for good people to make lasting change for the better. Those of us who begged folks (and national media) to put SCOTUS before everything else in 2016 are in an endless Cassandrian hell.

They're using the confinement box, one of the most horrific methods of CIA torture in the post-9/11 black sites, against migrants now. This is the direct result of the lack of consequences for the architects of the torture program. Either there will be criminal penalties for this or it will expand.

Congressional investigations are likely the ONLY accountability this administration will face. Bondi won't arrest anyone. US officials can't be tried at the Hague. And even if we get a new AG in 2029, Trump is going to pardon everyone. These midterms are crucial for accountability.

Trump just attacked a woman reporter for the sixth time in the span of a month.

Jan 6 was real Note this letter from one of the riot defendants.... in which he makes clear, it was no hoax storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Some news as I try to bring some order to all the different things I do:

Fired FBI agents file lawsuit against FBI director Kash Patel and DOJ, alleging unlawful retaliation www.cbsnews.com/news/fired-f...

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will potentially treat opponents of President Donald Trump’s policies as “domestic terrorists,” according to a leaked memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi to all U.S. law enforcement agencies. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

The headlines on Slaughter are all about SCOTUS giving their pet more power. Sure, that's accurate. But it is, specifically, about gutting consumer protection. Trump's FTC head was among those WAAAAAIIIIILLLLLLLLING that the EU fined Xitter for fraudulent blue checks (of which I have one).

"The woman, a U.S. citizen who was born in Edina Minnesota, was zip-tied when she was detained near Nicollet Mall..." www.fox9.com/news/u-s-cit...

"'They all were scared, crying... they were pointing with the guns not to move,' he said. He said all four are U.S. citizens..." www.kare11.com/article/news...

"After her hearing ended, three-year-old Lucy cuddled her teddy bear as she walked back from the lawyer’s table and took a seat. Moments later, the next child was called up to face the judge..." coppercourier.com/2025/12/05/c...

"She said she repeatedly told the agents she’s a U.S. citizen. “I just kept repeating it — I’m a U.S.-born citizen. I was born and raised here. This is my home. My baby’s waiting for me...” She screamed “Leave me alone...” www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Alina Habba was first ruled to be playacting as US Attorney on August 21 (though she had already been playacting at that point since July 1). So taxpayers have paid for Alina to pretend she's US Attorney for 109 days.

404 Media is making a print zine! About the surveillance technologies used by ICE. 16 pages, riso printed. Shipping early January. Features reworked versions of our best reporting and a few new things. We're very excited! And hope to do more if people like it: www.404media.co/404-media-is...

Spot on.

A little discourse on the problem of consuming the news instead of being consumed by the news. open.substack.com/pub/joycevan...

Silent Middle Child nails it. Again:

December 7, 2025

Reminder that the entire Hunter Biden investigation was predicated on sex workers investigation. Now Gary Shapley, who championed that investigation by badly misrepresenting it, is in a senior IRS position.

“It was kind of ridiculous” - the jurors from the trial of the “DC sandwich thrower” speak about the proceedings youtube.com/shorts/G-nQF...

Today’s “One First” tackles the grant of certiorari in one of the birthright citizenship cases, and then Justice Kagan’s TX redistricting dissent—“yet another warning about the majority’s seeming willingness to do … whatever it wants, at least where rulings on emergency applications are concerned.”

ALERT: "A reasonable person wouldn’t think a sandwich is a weapon" "It was kind of ridiculous" Jurors who acquitted "sandwich guy" speak with CBS News Just filed ====> www.cbsnews.com/news/sandwic...

1. In a Sunday Night surprise, the trans healthcare coverage ban has been removed from the military NDAA. Congressional leaders released the negotiated bill this evening, and though the House AND Senate contained the provision, it is not in the final bill! Subscribe to support our journalism.

They’re desperately trying to separate the pipe bomber from MAGA, Trump, and 1/6. It’s why there’s a 22-day gap in the arrest affidavit. I’ll be covering this on the @meidastouch.com channel tomorrow at noon PT.

"The group rallied amid frigid conditions at the Target store on East Lake Street, alleging it allowed agents to stage raids in the parking lot. 'You cannot celebrate our communities on your commercials while letting ICE stalk them in your parking lot'...” www.startribune.com/twin-cities-...

"As masked agents dragged the woman from her car, wrestled her to the ground and forced handcuffs on her, she yelled, 'I’m a US citizen. Please help me! This is unfair. Why are you doing this to me?' She was wearing scrubs and appeared to be on her way to work." www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

Given that the Russians quite literally drafted our capitulation plan for Ukraine one has to wonder about whether there wasn’t at least a bit of cutting and pasting here.

"The small figures huddled together at Miami's airport carried backpacks, stuffed animals and suitcases. One wore a silver cross necklace. Families of the travelers – ages 3 to 15 – have been torn apart this year by Trump's deportation campaign..." www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

The Kremlin had to exhibit self-control to praise this only after it was published.

And Ukrainian journalists, civil society, and legal institutions still work.