September 3, 2025

 

A review of the administrative record makes it difficult to conclude anything other than that Defendants used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities.... The idea that fighting antisemitism is Defendants’ true aim is belied by the fact that the majority of the demands they are making of Harvard to restore its research funding are directed, on their face, at Harvard’s governance, staffing and hiring practices, and admissions policies — all of which have little to do with antisemitism and everything to do with Defendants’ power and political views. -- Judge Allison Burroughs, ruling for Harvard against the Trump administration ~~~

~~~ Alan Blinder of the New York Times: “Harvard University won a crucial legal victory in its clash with the Trump administration on Wednesday, when a federal judge [-- Allison D. Burroughs of the U.S. District Court in Boston --] said that the government had broken the law by freezing billions of dollars in research funds in the name of stamping out antisemitism.... Although the ruling was a milestone for Harvard, the only university to sue over the administration’s assault on its research funding..., [Donald] Trump had vowed to appeal any decision that went against him. His administration has spent months seeking to pressure Harvard in ways beyond research money, and while Judge Burrough’s ruling may not put an end to that campaign, her opinion was a bracing rebuke.... As a part of the decision, Judge Burroughs said the Trump administration could not issue new blockades on Harvard’s federal research funding 'in retaliation for the exercise of its First Amendment rights, or on any purported grounds of discrimination without compliance with the terms' of civil rights law.” The AP's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Kind of a kick in the nuts for Trump's retaliation & retribution program. The ultimate question to be answered by this and other unconstitutional and/or unlawful crooked Trump stunts is whether or not the Supine Supremes can rewrite the law fast enough to accommodate Dictator Don's complete usurpation of every aspect of American life. 

Rule by Quackery. Apoorva Mandavilli, et al., of the New York Times: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to nominate seven new advisers to a scientific committee that recommends which vaccines Americans should take and when, according to two former federal officials with knowledge of the matter. The panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, wields enormous influence. Insurance companies and government programs like Medicaid are required to cover the vaccinations it recommends. After Mr. Kennedy’s confirmation hearing, Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, said he had received assurances that Mr. Kennedy would 'maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes.' In June, Mr. Kennedy fired all 17 members of the panel, asserting without evidence that the committee members were 'plagued with persistent conflicts of interest,' even though they had been carefully vetted for such conflicts.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Gosh, Senator Bill, this might be a good time to ask your friends in the House to please begin impeachment proceedings against RFKJ. 

Christina Jewitt of the New York Times: “Memos released in recent days by the Food and Drug Administration show that the agency’s vaccine chief overruled staff scientists who favored widespread access to Covid shots, setting off a firestorm of criticism from lawmakers, state officials and doctors. Agency staff members had concluded that the F.D.A. should allow a wide range of age groups to receive the vaccines, citing high hospitalization rates among young children with Covid and saying that the virus’s evolution is 'complex and remains unpredictable.' But Dr. Vinay Prasad, the agency official in charge of vaccines and gene therapies at the F.D.A., disagreed, overriding those scientists and deciding to issue very narrow eligibility limits. The F.D.A. last week said that no one under 65 was eligible to receive the Covid vaccines made by Moderna or Pfizer unless they had underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe disease.”

Florida. Curt Anderson of the AP: “Florida plans to become the first state to eliminate vaccine mandates, a longtime cornerstone of public health policy for keeping schoolchildren and adults safe from infectious diseases. State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who announced the decision Wednesday, cast current requirements in schools and elsewhere as 'immoral' intrusions on people’s rights that hamper parents’ ability to make health decisions for their children.... Florida’s move, a significant departure from decades of public policy and research that has shown vaccines to be safe and the most effective way to stop the spread of communicable diseases, especially among schoolchildren, is a notable embrace of the Trump administration’s agenda led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist.” The New York Times story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The first vaccinations I remember getting I got in school in Miami, Florida, in 1950 or 1951. I assume the shots were mandated at some government level, and I'm reasonably sure my parents didn't pay for them. People like Ladapo, DeSantis, Prasad, RFKJ & Trump, who are stealing the health of today's children, belong in Guantanamo. 

Julian Barnes, et al., of the New York Times: “Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee and a long-serving member of the panel, had planned to visit the Virginia headquarters of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency this week.... Mr. Warner’s visit was classified and not intended to be publicized.... But Pentagon officials told his office on Tuesday that the visit was canceled, and also imposed new requirements on congressional visits to military intelligence facilities ...  after the far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer complained [about Sen. Warner].... The Trump administration has been steadily eroding the power of Congress, chipping away at its ability to set spending priorities and ignoring its role in authorizing military force. Restrictions on oversight now appear to be an emerging front in the administration’s efforts to enhance executive authority.... While the public and journalists have broad access to most government agencies, intelligence agencies operate under a veil of secrecy, making congressional oversight particularly important.”

Michael Gold of the New York Times: “With the Capitol towering behind them, several women who said they had been among Jeffrey Epstein’s victims shared harrowing stories of sexual abuse, pleading with members of Congress to demand that the Trump administration release all of its investigative files in the case. Lawmakers in both parties stood behind them, vowing to keep the pressure on for the disclosures. Even one of Mr. Trump’s closest allies, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, said the files must come out. None of it appeared to be enough to outweigh the pressure from Mr. Trump and Republican leaders, who have moved quickly to squelch legislation that would require the Justice Department to quickly and completely release what it uncovered about Mr. Epstein.... Momentum was flagging behind an effort by Representatives Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, and Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, to force the House to vote on the measure, after most Republicans who initially said they would back it fell in line with the president’s exhortations to let the issue die.” ~~~

~~~ Alex Griffing of Mediaite: “A reporter asked Trump during an Oval Office presser about Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-KY) ongoing effort to release the Epstein Files.... 'He says ... many of your friends and donors may be [implicated in these files], and he says that’s why the Justice Department is redacting them and slow-walking the release. Is the Justice Department protecting any friends or donors?'  asked the reporter about Massie’s accusations. [Trump replied, in part,] '... from what I understand..., thousands of pages of documents have been given. But it’s really a Democrat hoax because they’re trying to get people to talk about something that’s totally irrelevant to the success that we’ve had as a nation since I’ve been president.'” ~~~

~~~ Jason Lalljee of Axios: "Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) suggested on Wednesday that she's willing to take advantage of a constitutional immunity rule to reveal sex offenders from Epstein's trafficking ring.... Greene said at a press conference that if asked, she would make accusations on behalf of accusers of Epstein's sex trafficking operation. 'If they want to give me a list, I will walk in that Capitol on the House floor and I'll say every damn name that abused these women,' she said. Greene also called for more transparency into the investigation, urging Congress to vote on releasing the full files."

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Will Weissert & Sophia Tareen of the AP: “... Donald Trump said Tuesday that he’s ready to order federal authorities to mobilize and combat crime in Chicago and Baltimore, despite staunch opposition from elected leaders and many residents in both cities. Asked by reporters in the Oval Office about sending National Guard troops to the nation’s third-largest city, Trump said, 'We’re going in,' but added, 'I didn’t say when.... I have an obligation.... This isn’t a political thing.' Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, scoffed at the notion of sending military troops and federal agents into Chicago, reiterating Tuesday that federal intervention was not required or wanted. Local officials in Baltimore have joined Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in similarly opposing federal law enforcement intervention.... [Trump] has said he plans similar [to what he has done in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.] ... in other Democrat-run cities even as a federal judge on Tuesday deemed the California deployment illegal.... The president praised Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser for working with federal forces....” ~~~

     ~~~ Emily Davies, et al., of the Washington Post: “D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) on Tuesday ordered indefinite coordination between the city and federal law enforcement officials, a powerful indication of her willingness to cooperate with ... Donald Trump’s effort to take over public safety in the capital city.... By law, Trump’s federalization of the D.C. police force lasts 30 days and is set to expire next week. Bowser’s announcement may quell any showdown over what happens after that deadline passes by authorizing continued coordination between the city and federal authorities.... The Democratic mayor’s olive branch to the president reflects her approach to the unprecedented incursion into local affairs.... Bowser’s advisers think that earning Trump’s trust will ultimately give her more authority and is their best chance at preserving home rule, a federal law that grants D.C. the authority to manage its own city affairs. The mayor is also working to finalize a deal that brings RFK Stadium to Washington, which requires cooperation with the federal government.” 

Michelle Price of the AP: “... Donald Trump said Tuesday that a video circulating online that showed items being tossed out of an upstairs window of the White House was created with artificial intelligence, despite his press team seeming to confirm the veracity of it hours earlier. Trump denied that the windows can be opened and said 'I know every window up there.'... He went on to tell a story in which he said first lady Melania Trump recently complained that she wanted fresh air from an open window in the White House, 'But you can’t. They’re bulletproof. And number one, they’re sealed, and number two, each window weighs about 600 pounds. You have to be pretty strong to open them up.'... Trump, who has boasted of being an expert in building design..., told reporters that the video has 'got to be fake' because the windows, he said, are heavy and sealed shut. The video, which circulated Monday, appears to show a small black bag and a long white item being tossed out of a window on the building’s east side. Trump blamed the video on AI, saying..., 'If something happens that’s really bad, maybe I’ll have to just blame AI.' Hours earlier, the White House ... told several news outlets ... that it was 'a contractor who was doing regular maintenance while the President was gone.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: IOW, Trump once again follows the too-common (usually male) rule: "When you don't know the answer, make up something." In Trump's case, the rule has a corollary: "If you know the answer to a question about a scandal or issue and want to distance yourself from it, say, 'I know nothing about it.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Update: A January 6, 2025 Reader's Digest story suggests Trump probably was partially telling the truth here. The story lists seven ordinary things U.S. presidents aren't allowed to do. One is: “Open the Windows.... For security reasons, opening windows is prohibited in the White House and the car. Michelle Obama did mention one exception, though: 'One day, as a treat, my lead agent let me have my windows open on the way to Camp David. It was like five minutes out. He was like, “Windows open. Enjoy it.”'” This is still not evidence the windows are sealed shut nor that they weigh 600 pounds, which is highly-unlikely, IMO.

~~~  The following is a good example of Trump's attempt to first distance himself from a story AND then to answer, evidently with some lies. 

Katie Rogers of the New York Times: Donald “Trump had nothing on his public schedule for three days last week. He is often sporting a large, purple bruise on his right hand, which he sometimes slathers with makeup. His ankles are swollen. He is the oldest person to be elected president.... Mr. Trump’s critics have speculated about his health for as long as he has been in national politics. And for his part, he has long declined to explain when and why he has sought out medical care, whether he was suffering from Covid or undergoing routine procedures. But there had never been a conspiracy wave as feverish as this one.... When asked by a reporter [-- MB: Peter Doocy of Fox 'News'! --] how he first learned that he was dead, Mr. Trump said that he was not aware of the rumors that he had died. Then he started speaking about those rumors at length, saying he had done media appearances, gone golfing at his Virginia club and posted prolifically on his social media site.” (Also linked yesterday.) The link has been updated to what appears to be a gift link. ~~~

~~~ Peter Nicholas, et al., of NBC News: "Trump’s televised appearance in the Oval Office on Tuesday doubled as a proof-of-life test for the conspiracy-minded after a week’s worth of speculation that he was gravely ill or worse.... For years, [Trump] has relentlessly cast doubt on Joe Biden’s vitality and mental fitness. Since he returned to office, he has depicted Biden as the infirm puppet of controlling aides who used an autopen to mask his decline." MB BTW: If you relied this report, you would never know Trump first tried to pretend he knew nothing about the rumors of his demise. Because -- like most White House journalists -- Nichols, et al., don't report Trump's initial false denial. ~~~

Timothy Snyder contrasts Trump with Ramses II: “We are living through a regime in which there is no creativity between the boasting and the vanity. It is not that Trump is building great things and boasting about them, and that only time will reveal the inherent tragedy of human achievement. He is bragging about destroying what others have created.... In the present circumstances, the future of the United States cannot be taken for granted.... Trump and Vance ... can push the Constitutional regime of the United States past the breaking point. But they lack an alternative to replace it. They want fascism, and they don’t mind death of others, but they do not want to take responsibility for the death.” Thanks to RAS for the link. Worth reading the entire essay. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Snyder argues that the antidote to what he calls "sadopopulism" is resistance. But it takes more than that. It takes, I think, spurning the "rugged individual" as the American ideal and replacing him with the social intellectual. The country was founded under the guidance of intellectuals. But even the most thoughtful, liberal founders were narrow-minded, self-interested White men who treated and thought of everyone who was unlike them -- women, minorities, poor people -- as inferior to them. "Remember the ladies.... That your Sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute...." Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John in March 1776. John's response: "I cannot but laugh." These misogynists did not even believe in the idea they most famously espoused, "that all men are created equal." 

It was to this elite Tyranny that the rugged individual responded. That tension between the elite and the self-sufficient common man persists to this day. But like the elite founders, the Western hero represents but one "type," and the rest of us remain marginal. Fortunately, there are sociopolitical intellectuals who embrace others: Jamie Raskin & Jon Ossoff, for instance. Until the average American learns to honor, admire and try to emulate these sociopolitical intellectuals over hardy men who fend for themselves (and for no or few others), we will continue down the path to doomsday. 

A Bad Day in Court for Fathead von Clownstick: ~~~ 

John Yoon of the New York Times: “A federal appeals court late Tuesday blocked ... [Donald] Trump from using an 18th-century wartime law to quickly deport a group of Venezuelan migrants, rejecting the administration’s argument that they were part of an 'invasion' of the United States. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said it did not find that the law, the Alien Enemies Act, applied in the case of these migrants, who are accused by the Trump administration of being members of Tren de Aragua, a violent gang with roots in Venezuela. The court said in a 2-1 ruling that it found no 'invasion or predatory incursion' by a foreign power. The case is seen as a test by the government and the American Civil Liberties Union of how the courts would view Mr. Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a powerful wartime statute that is rarely invoked, to deport migrants.”

Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein of Politico: “A federal judge has declared ... Donald Trump’s use of military troops in Los Angeles illegal, barring the Pentagon from using National Guard members and Marines from performing police functions, like arrests and crowd control. In a 52-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer warned that Trump appears intent on 'creating a national police force with the President as its chief.'... Breyer, a Clinton appointee based in San Francisco, concluded that Trump’s LA deployment — an operation overseen by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — violated a longstanding law meant to prevent domestic law enforcement by the military: the Posse Comitatus Act. His decision followed a four-day trial last month that included testimony from the Pentagon officials overseeing the troop deployment in Los Angeles.” MB: Judge Breyer is the brother of former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Charlie Savage of the New York Times: “A federal judge’s ruling that ... [Donald] Trump has been using troops illegally to perform law enforcement functions in Los Angeles will — if it stands — pose impediments to any plans Mr. Trump may have for sending the military into the streets of other cities, like Chicago.... The judge barred the federal government from using troops anywhere in California to engage in 'arrests, apprehensions, searches, seizures, security patrols, traffic control, crowd control, riot control, evidence collection, interrogation, or acting as informants.' Speaking to reporters later on Tuesday, Mr. Trump called Judge [Charlies] Breyer a 'radical left judge.' The judge’s order is scheduled to take effect Sept. 12, giving the Trump administration time to appeal.”

Cecilia Kang of the New York Times: “A federal appeals court on Tuesday reinstated a Democrat who was fired by ... [Donald] Trump from the Federal Trade Commission earlier this year, dealing a blow to Mr. Trump’s monthslong attempt to permanently remove her from the consumer protection and antitrust enforcement agency. In a split 2-to-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said that the Trump administration’s attempt to block the commissioner, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, from resuming her role at the F.T.C. had 'no prospect of success.' The court said that Mr. Trump had fired her without cause rather than on the required grounds of 'inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.'... Ms. Slaughter said in an interview Tuesday evening that she planned to go to the F.T.C. on Wednesday morning to work.” Trump fired another Democratic commissioner, Alvaro Bedoya; he initially “fought the dismissal but resigned in June, citing financial reasons.” The Politico story is here.

 

~~~ Michael Kunzelman of the AP: “Federal grand jurors in the nation’s capital have refused to indict two people who were charged separately with threatening to kill ... Donald Trump, more evidence of a growing backlash against Trump’s law enforcement intervention in Washington, D.C. It is extraordinarily rare for a grand jury to balk at returning an indictment, but it has happened at least seven times in five cases since Trump last month ordered a surge in patrols by federal agents and troops in the District of Columbia.... Elizabeth Mullin, [the attorney for one of the defendants,] said she has never seen anything like this in over 20 years as a public defender in Washington. She said prosecutors are responding to Trump’s surge by bringing 'weak cases' that don’t belong in federal court. 'And the grand juries are seeing through it,' Mullin said. 'It’s a huge waste in resources.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Evan Hurst of Wonkette thinks the photo above -- of SNL's Cecily Strong portraying "DC US Attorney Jeanine 'Boxwine' Pirro, Idiot, Esq." -- is the appropriate one to accompany a story about Pirro's failure to indict a flying ham sandwich, etc. MB: I feel it would be wrong to argue with Hurst, because he seems to take such pleasure in explaining his what-for.

Alex Horton, et al., of the Washington Post: “A U.S. military strike on suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea killed 11 people Tuesday, according to ... Donald Trump, who claimed that the 'Narcoterrorists' targeted in the operation were affiliated with a criminal gang that he says acts at the direction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The attack occurred 'while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,' Trump wrote on social media. '… Please let this serve as notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE!' Overhead imagery that Trump posted along with his statement shows a modestly sized boat speeding through open water. Moments later, an explosion occurs, and the vessel appears engulfed in flames.... In a news conference Monday, Maduro denounced the U.S. military’s heightened presence in the Caribbean and called the recent deployment of eight warships there 'an extravagant, unjustified, immoral and absolutely criminal' threat against Venezuela.” 

    ~~~ Aamer Madhani, et al., of the AP: “The video, which is largely in black and white, is not clear enough to see if the craft is carrying as many as 11 people. The video also did not show any large or clear stashes of drugs inside the boat.... The White House did not immediately explain how the military determined that those aboard the vessel were Tren de Aragua members.... [Venezuela's] Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez questioned the veracity of the video. 'Based on the video provided, it is very likely that it was created using Artificial Intelligence,' he said on his Telegram account. He ... said it showed an 'almost cartoonish animation, rather than a realistic depiction of an explosion.'... In a brief exchange with reporters before departing Miami for Mexico City, [U.S. Secretary of State Marco] Rubio deferred questions about the specifics of the strike to the Pentagon. He said the drugs on the vessel were likely headed to Trinidad or elsewhere in the Caribbean. For years, Rubio has spoken out against Maduro and other Latin American leftist governments and supported opposition leaders.” The New York Times story is here.

David Pierson of the New York Times: “China’s leader, Xi Jinping, presided over a massive military parade in Beijing on Wednesday featuring fighter jets, missiles and goose-stepping troops as he issued a defiant warning to rivals not to challenge his country’s sovereignty. His message was underscored by the leaders gathered by his side in the viewing gallery, representing states that have challenged or questioned American dominance of the global order. He was flanked by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, along with the leaders of Iran, Pakistan and other mostly authoritarian nations.... [During a speech at Tiananmen Gate, above a large portrait of Mao Zedong, Mr. Xi] drew a direct line between [China's] sacrifices of World War II and the challenges that China says it faces today....

“Within minutes of the start of the ceremony..., [Donald] Trump weighed in from Washington, accusing Mr. Xi of ignoring America’s role in helping China during the war. On Truth Social, he wrote that the 'big question' was whether Mr. Xi would 'mention the massive amount of support and “blood” that The United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM from a very unfriendly foreign invader.' Mr. Trump added: 'Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Niha Masih & Lyric Li of the Washington Post: “Alongside the spectacle, a quieter campaign is unfolding: one to recast wartime history in service of today’s geopolitical tensions with Washington. China and Russia were the victorious powers in World War II, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said Tuesday while hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing ahead of the parade. The two countries are 'fully demonstrating China’s and Russia’s great responsibility as the main victorious countries in World War II and permanent members of the UN Security Council, in a manner befitting major powers,' Xi told Putin, according to video of the opening remarks.” ~~~

     ~~~ Ishan Tharoor of the Washington Post: “Trump’s trade wars and dramatic turn against India and Brazil ... have compelled many governments elsewhere, including those in Brasília and New Delhi, to reckon with Washington as a potential threat and adversary, and to forge new understandings with Beijing.... Trump has plunged the world into an uncertain era of economic coercion and combat, one where many countries might see the merits in taking China’s side.” 

Nathaniel Weixel of the Hill: “More than 1,000 current and former employees of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are demanding that Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resign, following his ousting of the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other actions they say are 'compromising the health of the nation.'... The letter builds on an effort from last month when HHS staff called on Kennedy to do more to protect public health professionals following the Aug. 8 shooting at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta. Since the letter’s release on Aug. 20, an additional 887 HHS staff have signed on, according to the organizing group Save HHS. The group said Kennedy has not responded to the letter; HHS released a statement accusing them of politicizing the tragedy.”  

Rachel Roubein of the Washington Post: “Paul Offit, a pediatrician who has sparred with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over childhood vaccination, has been blocked from participating in a vaccine advisory committee for the Food and Drug Administration. An HHS spokesman said Offit was among a dozen members of eight FDA advisory panels who were notified they can no longer participate because their terms as special government employees expired.... Offit’s term on the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee ... was originally slated to end in January 2025. He said an FDA official asked him to remain on the panel, and Offit agreed to serve another two years. But on Aug. 28, Offit received an email thanking him for his service and was given no reason for why his extension was not approved. His name has since been removed from the committee’s online roster; no other names were removed.”

Real Scientists Slam Administration's Fake Climate Change Report. Lisa Friedman & Sachi Mulkey of the New York Times: “More than 85 American and international scientists have condemned a Trump administration report that calls the threat of climate change overblown, saying the analysis is riddled with errors, misrepresentations and cherry-picked data to fit the president’s political agenda. The scientists submitted their critique as part of a public comment period on the report, which was to close Tuesday night.... They compared the administration’s report to efforts by the tobacco industry to create doubt around the health links between smoking and cancer. The five researchers who prepared the administration’s July report were handpicked by Chris Wright, the energy secretary, and they all reject the established scientific consensus that the burning of oil, gas and coal is dangerously heating the planet. They acknowledged that the Earth is warming but said that climate change is 'less damaging economically than commonly believed.'” The link appears to be a gift link. NPR's report is here.

Hailey Fuchs of Politico: “The GOP-controlled House has released the first tranche of documents in its investigation into convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein — a move intended to quash the mounting calls for answers around why the Justice Department allowed Epstein to continue to prey on victims for decades. The trove of materials, however..., subpoenaed by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, contains almost exclusively information that has already been released publicly; Oversight Committee Democrats say that, based on their initial review of 33,000 files, only three percent of the documents contained new details. Many of the files appeared to be public court filings....”

~~~ James Liddell, et al., of the Independent: “Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are reportedly assembling their own 'client lists' amid mounting concern that the Trump administration is stalling the release of the full, unredacted files on the late sex offender. As dozens of Epstein victims and other survivors prepared to rally in Washington, D.C, on Wednesday, six victims of the disgraced financier told NBC News that they are determined to 'seek justice on our own.' 'A lot of us survivors know we’ve been compiling lists of our own,' victim Lisa Phillips said Tuesday, flanked by three relatives of Virginia Giuffre.” ~~~

~~~ Erik Ortiz, et al., of NBC News: "Six women who say they were sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein or convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell shared a unified message Tuesday as they implored the federal government to release more documents related to the case and urged ... Donald Trump to pledge he won’t pardon Maxwell.... NBC News brought together a panel of women who included accusers and three relatives of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a prominent Epstein and Maxwell accuser who died by suicide in April."

David McCabe of the New York Times: “Google must hand over its search results and some data to rival companies but does not need to break itself up by selling its Chrome web browser, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. The decision, by Judge Amit P. Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, falls short of the sweeping changes proposed by the government to rein in the power of Silicon Valley. Judge Mehta said in the 223-page ruling that Google must share some of its search data with 'qualified competitors' to resolve its monopoly. The Justice Department had asked the judge to force the company to share even more of its data, arguing it was key to Google’s dominance. Judge Mehta also put restrictions on payments that Google uses to ensure its search engine gets prime placement in web browsers and on smartphones. But he stopped short of banning those payments entirely and did not grant the government’s request that Google be forced to sell Chrome....” Looks like a gift link.