Ahead of WHCD, I interviewed the biggest celebrities in town — the TMZ guys. -Yes, they’re trolling us -They’ve been starstruck by @AOC, surprised by @timburchett and impressed by @repscfigures -Best food they’ve found in DC? Just wait for the kicker www.politico.com/news/2026/04...

NEW: As Trump picks high-profile legal fights with prominent Democrats, more and more Dem lawmakers are taking out liability insurance in case they’re next “That’s just, unfortunately, the nature of the job,” one House Democrat said w/ @riley-rogerson.bsky.social www.notus.org/democrats/li...

NEW: After Trump mastered the ‘new media’ circuit in 2024, Dems are now catching up in embracing podcasts/social media Dem comms aren’t “an email blast from Mailchimp anymore,” one aide said An inside look at Dems’ new media strategy w/ @riley-rogerson.bsky.social www.notus.org/congress/dem...

The DOGE subcommittee’s meeting this week is sounding like must-see TV. Here’s what you need to know about Dem attitudes, Connolly’s advice, Chairwoman MTG’s strategy, why Comer picked her etc. TLDR; “It’s gonna be a shit show,” Rep. Crockett said. www.notus.org/congress/law...

After Elon Musk called USAID “evil,” we rounded up some Republican senators’ connections to the agency. Here’s Sens. Lindsey Graham and Thom Tillis visiting a USAID project in Egypt circa 2016.

Trump’s most vocal GOP critics say they’re extinct in Congress, and no one is coming to fill their shoes. “It’s gone,” Mark Sanford told me of the GOP resistance to Trump. “It’s extinct.” www.notus.org/congress/tru...

Both Alaska Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski prefer the Athabaskan name Denali over McKinley. www.adn.com/politics/202...

Republicans don’t want “American Carnage” from Trump’s inaugural address today. Instead they want his speech to be funny, off-script and full of “awesomeness.” www.notus.org/donald-trump...

Inside Senate Dems’ confirmation prep: - Schumer told Dems to push noms to explain how they plan to execute Trump campaign promises, per source - Dems laying groundwork for "we warned you" moments down the line - Sens grappling with being firm without reading overly partisan - Early attack lines

Today’s NOTUS Newsletter Line-Up: - @EvanMcS with H-1B backstory - A preview of an awesome Marco Rubio profile from @byrdinator - The latest on reconciliation ahead of Trump’s hill visit - An update on Dick Durbin’s pre-inauguration moves from me www.notus.org/newsletters/...

Age and tenure, Dems told @notusreports.bsky.social, may no longer be a winning argument as the party tries to turn the page on older senior committee members AOC’s race against Gerry Connolly to become the top House Dem on Oversight will test if that’s true www.notus.org/congress/ale...