September 24, 2026

The New York Times is liveblogging developments in the battle between the POTUS* and news outlets: From the liveblog at 4:00 pm ET: “The reporters are back, but the television coverage isn’t. Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were allowed back into the White House around noon on Thursday. Their return came after a chaotic morning in which the Trump administration had blocked them from entering, despite an overnight order from a federal judge that required the immediate restoration of their access. It was the latest twist in a nearly weeklong standoff between ... [Donald] Trump and the press corps that covers him, and which has not yet been fully resolved.... 

“As of early Thursday afternoon, the TV pool remained suspended. The networks had previously indicated that they would not film the president until the White House not only restored CNN’s access, but also agreed that CNN could once again participate in the pool. The result, on Thursday, was a bizarre spectacle: a president hosting China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, for a pomp-filled summit at the White House, with Chinese state television on-hand but no American network airing any live footage.” Read on. We are living in BizarroWorld, Donald Trump, producer.

Holmes Lybrand, et al., of CNN, republished by ABC 10 News (Denison, Texas): "CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed an emergency request for a hearing Thursday morning after reporters were refused access to the White House despite a court order.... CNN reporter Betsy Klein and a photojournalist were denied access to the White House grounds despite multiple attempts, including one after 9:00 a.m. One CNN producer was able to enter the White House using their pass after 6:00 a.m. It was not immediately clear why the person had been able to access the building. Reporters from MS NOW and Politico were also barred from entering the building early Thursday morning, according to the outlets.... [Federal Judge Timothy] Kelly ordered the Justice Department to respond by 12:30 p.m. ET." Thanks to RAS for the link. ~~~

~~~ Akhilleus has found more on that gummit lawyer Michael Velchik who screwed up the DOJ's response to the lawsuit filed by the three media outlets (stories linked below). See also Akhilleus's commentary below:

No more of this. Coverage
will now be unfeathered.

Not to Worry! We'll Be Getting “Unfeathered” and “Unadultered” Coverage of Trump! Will Sommer of the Bulwark: “Into [the] void [created by the White House pools' decision not to produce video feeds] have stepped some ever-entrepreneurial, pro-Trump media outlets, which have decided to launch a White House pool operation of their own.Over the past few days, fledgling operations like Real America’s Voice and LindellTV — yes, from the former MyPillow guy — have been producing their own feed of Trump’s comings and goings.... Real America’s Voice executive Parker Sigg [said] ... the outlet launched its pool after receiving 'a late middle-of-the-night phone call' asking it to cover Trump’s visit to the United Nations. Sigg, who didn’t respond to a request for comment, didn’t explain who made that request, or whether it came from the administration. But he promised to offer an 'unfeathered,' 'unadultered' view of Trump.”

Feeling optimistic about the future? This opinion piece should sober you right up: ~~~  

~~~ Thomas Wright of the Brookings Institution in the Atlantic: “Donald Trump offered perhaps the clearest summation yet of his worldview in an otherwise discursive address to the United Nations General Assembly yesterday. Defending the American takeover of Venezuelan oil, he invoked an old maxim: 'To the victor belongs the spoils.' He then presented Iran with a choice between accepting his terms and being driven 'into hell with no chance of survival.' These remarks are the latest sign that world politics is entering an era when might makes right. Yet Trump is only one of the leaders driving this rupture from the post–World War II international order. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have also broken the order, although their methods differ profoundly.... Since taking office for a second term, in 2025, Trump has turned American power against U.S. allies and partners.... Trump has broken the restraint that made American primacy tolerable to most of the rest of the world. The rupture has produced an international environment that feels ever more like that of a prewar period. This does not mean that a major conflict is inevitable. But if one occurs, future historians will not find its causes sudden or mysterious. They are in plain sight.” Thanks to akaWendy for this gift link.

Some people can admit their mistakes. Here's Josh Johnson. Thanks to akaWendy for the link: ~~~

I love Josh Johnson. Watch video 🤣

[image or embed]

— MadGreek 🧿 (@madgreek2024.bsky.social) September 23, 2026 at 2:51 PM

Chris Nesi of the New York Post: “Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville claimed the airline industry is full of members of the 'furry' subculture in a bizarre speech from the Senate floor connecting transgenderism to mental illness.” According to Senator Potato Head, you'd better check the cockpit next time you get on the plane because the outfit the pilot is wearing might not be a Delta uniform but an animal costume. MB: Mr. Potato Head says “you can't make this up.” But I would guess he did.

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Ever the “Accommodating Host” (to Ruthless Dictators). Erica Green of the New York Times: “... as his meeting with [President Xi Jinping of China] approached, Mr. Trump has repeatedly found ways to give him a pass — portraying him more as a personal friend than as a geopolitical competitor despite significant rivalries on matters of global power, trade, artificial intelligence and more. Mr. Trump has spent weeks boosting the visit as a major event for the United States, sprucing up the White House beforehand, and planning for a state visit that will start with a rare greeting at Joint Base Andrews.... Foreign policy experts say that Mr. Trump’s posture has been striking even for a president who prides himself on his personal brand of diplomacy. 'Trump is displaying an extraordinary degree of deference to Xi,' said Julian Gewirtz ... [of] Columbia University.... 'He is lavishing honors on China’s leader while downplaying threats to American interests. Beijing could scarcely have asked for a more accommodating host.'” The link is a gift link. ~~~

Have Ballroom, Can Dance. John Travolta and Princess Diana at a Reagan state dinner, 1985.

~~~ Trump Throws Another Forgettable State Dinner. Roxanne Roberts of the Washington Post: “One of the most important events of the Trump administration takes place Thursday night: A White House state dinner honoring Chinese leader Xi Jinping.... But unlike many previous state dinners, most of the event will happen behind closed doors. Typically, the press had three opportunities to interact with guests and observe the dinner.... However, after the demolition of the East Wing, press coverage of April’s state dinner for U.K.’s King Charles was limited to the exchange of toasts.... If this state dinner is similar to the one in April, there’s likely to be no guest photographs, no interviews and no real sense of how the two world leaders and their guests interacted.” ~~~

~~~ Say, Let's Welcome Another Dictator! Edward Wong & Michael Crowley of the New York Times: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that ... [Donald] Trump had invited President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to attend the Group of 20 leadership summit in Miami in December, in what would mark Mr. Putin’s first in-person appearance at the annual gathering since 2019. Mr. Rubio added that Mr. Trump would speak with Mr. Putin in Miami if he accepted the invitation. Mr. Trump last met with the Russian leader in August 2025 at a summit in Alaska [MB: which also began with a red-carpet welcome].... Many G20 leaders are unlikely to welcome Mr. Putin at the event, to be held at the Trump National Doral Golf Club. When the country’s finance minister attended a gathering of his G20 counterparts in Asheville, N.C., last month at the invitation of the Trump administration, his presence drew European protests. He was excluded from the customary 'family photo' of ministers in attendance.” The link is a gift link. MB: I doubt Trump will allow that kind of snub of his hero Vlad. Putin, of course, is not some passive or opportunistic opponent to the U.S. & Europe; he's at war with Western democracy. I don't suppose the will, but I hope many of those democracies boycott the Doral Club meeting. ~~~

~~~ Ana Swanson & Keith Bradsher of the New York Times: “Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary who is leading trade talks with China this week, said Wednesday in an interview on Fox News that the United States and China had agreed to extend a trade truce for two more months past a November deadline. The truce was struck in South Korea last year after ... [Donald] Trump imposed steep tariffs on Chinese exports and the United States and China became embroiled in a tit-for-tat trade war. The truce has involved the United States’ suspending certain tariffs and other restrictions on the Chinese economy, and China’s agreeing to provide a steady flow of rare earth minerals needed by U.S. factories making cars, semiconductors, planes, power tools and other products. The agreement will be extended until Jan. 10, Mr. Bessent said.... He Yadong, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce, confirmed that the two sides had agreed on an extension, but he did not specify its duration.” The link is a gift link. 

Marie: I linked a few reports yesterday that I somehow managed to "disappear." Here's the essence of one of them: ~~~

~~~ Neal Rothschild of Axios: Donald "Trump welcomed Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews for the Chinese leader's state visit to Washington D.C. Wednesday evening. U.S. presidents typically receive visiting foreign leaders at the White House, making Trump's airport welcome an unusual diplomatic gesture." The ABC News story is here. Private Bonespurts saluted during the playing of "The Star Spangled Banner."

Edward Wong of the New York Times: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that U.S. negotiators had tried to jump start diplomacy with Iran on its nuclear program through talks on the side of a United Nations summit the previous day. The flurry of diplomacy came as Iran’s partners, the Houthis, pressed forward with their offensive in the region, widening a second front in a conflict that began when the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February. Mr. Rubio said that the Americans involved in the talks, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were carrying out ... [Donald] Trump’s orders to continue a dialogue with Iran that prioritized persuading the country to end nuclear development involving enriching uranium. Mr. Rubio added that Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, which occurred as a result of the war, must also be addressed.... The hourslong meeting between Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner on one side and Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, on the other was mediated by Qatar.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Not to be a spoilsport, but Wong reminds us, “On Tuesday, Mr. Trump threatened to 'annihilate the Islamic republic' if a deal to end the war was not reached.” How's that for diplomacy!

The Court is skeptical — at least on this record — that Defendants’ interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation for, or is even advanced by, the revocation of Plaintiffs’ hard passes. -- Judge Timothy Kelly, Temporary Restraining Order, September 24 ~~~ 

⭐~~~ Erik Wemple of the New York Times: “A federal judge on Thursday said that ... [Donald] Trump’s order barring CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House was likely unconstitutional and ordered the administration to restore access to the three news outlets. Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court in Washington granted a 14-day restraining order and told the White House to 'immediately return, reinstate, and restore' the press credentials held by employees of the three outlets. The news organizations were likely to succeed in their claim that the White House had violated their constitutional due process rights by revoking their press credentials without advance notice or an opportunity to respond, Judge Kelly wrote in the order issued in the early hours of Thursday. He also rejected, for now, the administration’s argument that revoking the outlets’ press credentials was necessary to protect national security.... Judge Kelly’s rationale for ruling against the White House echoed his own reasoning in a similar case from November 2018, when Mr. Trump, in his first term, revoked the White House press credentials of the CNN journalist Jim Acosta. Mr. Acosta had not been given an opportunity to contest the decision, Judge Kelly said at the time.” The link is a gift link. Here's an NPR report. Politico's report is here. ~~~

      ~~~ Marie: I am truly sorry the judge acted so soon. Now, it's likely Trump will get "normal" coverage of Xi Jinping's visit. So Kelly did Trump a favor. ~~~

     ~~~ Here's the ruling, via the court. ~~~

     ~~~ Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein wrote before the ruling: During the hearing, “U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said ... Donald Trump’s effort to strip credentials from Politico, CNN and MS NOW appeared to violate binding legal precedents requiring that journalists have advance notice of the rules they must observe. An attorney for the news organizations, Theodore Boutrous Jr., urged Kelly to rule as quickly as possible — preferably by Wednesday evening — to ensure they can cover a series of high-profile White House events this week, including Thursday’s visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington. Boutrous asked the judge to conclude that Trump’s ban also violated the media organizations’ First Amendment protections against 'viewpoint discrimination' by the government. Trump, he noted, repeatedly said the three outlets were being banned because of their 'negative' coverage. Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued that the ban was rooted in national security concerns based on reporting the three news organizations had published in recent months — a rationale adopted only after the restrictions were announced.”

~~~ ⭐White House Defies Judge's Order, Confiscates Press Pass. Megan Messerly of Politico: “A Politico reporter was denied access to the White House Thursday and his press credentials confiscated after a judge ordered the Trump administration overnight to immediately restore access for news organizations that ... Donald Trump banned from the complex last week.... The Politico reporter had his pass confiscated by the Secret Service Thursday morning and was denied entry to White House grounds. A Secret Service agent said the reporter was not cleared to enter but might be able to with a temporary day pass, which the White House grants to those who do not hold what are known as 'hard passes,' which grant permanent access to press facilities at the White House.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In his order (linked above), Judge Kelly specifically required “that Defendants (except for President Trump) and their agents, representatives, and all persons or entities acting in concert with them shall immediately return, reinstate, and restore the White House 'hard pass' press credentials held
by employees of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO that were revoked on or about September 18, 2026....” (Emphasis added.) A day pass (which wasn't even granted to the Politico reporter) won't do. The confiscation of that reporter's hard pass was in direct defiance of the court's order. Let's see what happens later in the day. ~~~

~~~ How phony was the White House's defense? Incredibly phony: ~~~

~~~ Scott Nover of the Washington Post: “The White House told Politico in a letter Tuesday that it had taken the unusual step of revoking its press passes last week because the news organization had violated professional standards, including by using anonymous sources and 'trafficking in verifiable falsehoods about national security ... and publishing sensitive or classified information.' But among the examples the White House cited was an article based on a press call the White House hosted, according to an invitation reviewed by The Washington Post. In the call, reporters were instructed to cite an anonymous 'senior administration official' in relaying the news to the public.... The source in Politico’s story was not speaking against the White House’s wishes, but spoke in an authorized call during which reporters were instructed to attribute information to a 'senior administration official.'... After this article published, the media newsletter Status reported that the senior administration official who spoke on the call was Vice President J.D. Vance.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Just to be clear, the White House instructed news organizations, including Politico, to describe Vance, not as the vice president but as an unnamed "senior administration official." This is a common practice, and many administrations do this for various reasons. (It's effective an "authorized leak": "We won't go on the record, but these are the facts.") They do not then confiscate a news outlet's press passes for obeying their own instructions. As Oliver Darcy put it in his (subscriber-firewalled) Status report, 'It’s not unusual for White Houses — Republican or Democrat — to make senior officials available for sanctioned background briefings with the press. In fact, it’s quite common. What is unusual is for an administration to attack news organizations for relying on anonymous sourcing while simultaneously requiring reporters to grant its own senior officials anonymity in exchange for information." Scott Lemieux excerpts a good bit of Darcy's report and opines (with satirical insouciance), "I am beginning to think that Department of Justice claims cannot be taken with a presumption of good faith at this particular historical juncture."

~~~ See also RAS commentary on the quality of "Trump TV" in yesterday's thread. ~~~ 

~~~ Amanda Marcotte of Salon: Natalie Harp's willingness to show Trump bad press “suggests that ... she is actively dangerous. It’s unclear why she apparently showed the president clips that were guaranteed to anger him, but the result is that he launched the most serious assault in his ongoing war on the free press and the First Amendment.... This move works out very nicely for Harp; it will almost certainly make Trump more dependent on her. She’s setting up a contrast for the praise-hungry Trump, between the 'nasty' media that says stuff that offends his ego and what she has on offer as a lithe blonde exalting his magnificence. Plus, having had his feelings hurt by the press coverage, he’ll be even more eager for her services as a professional ego-fluffer.The situation is potentially dangerous for the country. As his press ban shows, Trump’s sense of entitlement and demands for adulation are getting worse, making him more prone to lash out at those he feels show insufficient deference.” Thanks to akaWendy for this gift link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I usually agree with Amanda Marcotte, and I will concede I agree that covering Natalie's influence on Trump -- even if titillating and smirk-inducing -- is necessary. But -- whatever Natalie's motives -- it's way past time Trump started getting regular updates on real news. I understand that he's nuts and growing nuttier, but I think if, for the past decade, he had not been fed a constant stream of false assurances from his aides, if there had been lots of staff with the guts to ground him in reality, things like January 6 might not have happened. He might not still be fantasizing about voter fraud and threatening the security of this year's elections. He might not be starting unwinnable wars. He might not be building monuments to his failed presidency*. What's "dangerous" in the Trump briefing cycle is that no one gives him the bad news: the war he's losing, the military who are overtaxed, the arsenals that are depleted, the gas prices that have skyrocketed, the diesel prices, the food and other consumer goods prices, and who ends up paying his stupid tariffs. For instance. Trump was never smart enough or honorable enough to be a good president. But he might have been a marginally better one if he had any idea WTF was going on. 

So Much Winning. Ishani Desai of the New York Times: “A judge in Iowa on Wednesday dismissed ... [Donald] Trump’s lawsuit against The Des Moines Register, which published a poll of Iowans before the 2024 election that showed him trailing Kamala Harris, then the vice president. Mr. Trump filed the lawsuit in December 2024, after winning the presidency, and Iowa, as he escalated his threats of retribution against the mainstream media and his political enemies. His lawsuit accused the pollster J. Ann Selzer, her polling firm, The Des Moines Register and Gannett, the newspaper’s parent company, of 'brazen election interference' for a poll published shortly before the election that showed Ms. Harris leading Mr. Trump in Iowa by three points. Though Mr. Trump won in Iowa by double digits, Ms. Selzer’s poll had galvanized Democrats about their prospects in deep-red Iowa and prompted theories about how women might be rejecting the former president in his race against Ms. Harris....

“Judge Scott J. Beattie of the State District Court said that the case 'involves a speech on a matter of public interest and concern' and that allowing such a lawsuit to proceed could discourage others from 'reporting and debating public affairs.' Judge Beattie rejected Mr. Trump lawyer’s argument that the First Amendment had no relevance in the case, and said that election polling had constitutional protection.... Judge Beattie dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning the lawsuit cannot be refiled.” The link is a gift link. Here's the Courthouse News Service report.

     ~~~ Marie: This was always one of Trump's infamous frivolous lawsuits designed to punish and intimidate. A poll is nothing more than "a snapshot in time," and Selzer's poll could have been absolutely correct in reflecting the mood of voters before they went to the real polls. Unless Trump had some hard evidence that Selzer planned to skew her results to harm his chances to win Iowa, he never had a case, even without the obvious First Amendment protections the pollster enjoyed.

Greg Jaffe & Eric Schmitt of the New York Times: “Eight sailors who were part of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln strike group attempted to take their lives during its long deployment in support of the war against Iran, according to a letter from the Navy. One of those sailors assigned to the Lincoln’s air wing 'went overboard from the ship' in early August and was recovered by one of the carrier’s rescue helicopters, Hung Cao, the acting Navy secretary, said in the letter. A second sailor attempted to go overboard in March but was stopped by shipmates, Mr. Cao wrote. The new information about the crew aboard the Lincoln and the other ships in the strike group was released to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, who pressed the Navy for information about the crew.... 

“Ms. Gillibrand criticized ... [Donald] Trump and the Pentagon on Wednesday for minimizing the strain on the crew.... Last month..., [Mr.] Trump dismissed concerns about difficult conditions reported aboard the ship. Asked whether he was concerned about the crew’s mental health and whether he thought the deployment had gone on too long, the president said: 'No. No. No.' He added: 'Not nearly long enough.” The link is a gift link. The Guardian's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Jaffe & Schmitt note, “The Lincoln with its crew of about 5,000 sailors has spent more than 300 days at sea and recently set a Navy record for the longest time at sea without making a port call.” In fairness to Trump & Drunk Pete (and, yes, I know they would not be fair to me), it would be helpful to know how many people in a general population of 5,000 attempt suicide in any given 300-day period. If the answer is eight or more, then Trump is right to "dismiss concerns."

Ben LeFebvre, et al., of Politico: “The Trump administration is preparing a plan to ban exports of diesel for 90 days, despite splits inside the administration and with the oil industry, in a bid to bring down energy prices weighing on Republicans leading into the midterms.... A ban, the legal process of which is still being worked out, has been opposed by U.S. fuel producers who have warned that any short-term benefit would be outweighed by higher fuel prices in the future. Any halt to shipments would be the first restriction on U.S. energy exports since the Obama administration lifted a decades-old ban on oil exports in 2015.... The average price for a gallon of diesel was $6.52 Wednesday, up 91 cents from a month ago and $2.83 from last year, according to AAA.... Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have protested the idea of a total ban, people familiar with the internal discussions said.” ~~~

     ~~~ Nico Portuondo, et al., of Politico: “The marriage between Hill Republicans and the fossil fuel industry is showing signs of fracture, as a potential diesel export ban puts strain on a long-standing alliance. Farm-state Republicans and MAGA populists are decrying the greed of 'Big Oil' and lining up behind diesel export bans amid skyrocketing prices that the fossil fuel industry argues would make a 'difficult situation worse.' Conservatives are hesitant to put the blame on the war in Iran — and by extension..., Donald Trump — leaving the industry to shoulder the blame.” ~~~

“'This is another fake news story from Politico,' a White House official” told LeFebvre & his colleagues ~~~

~~~ BUT Paul Krugman says, "... I think a diesel export ban is highly likely, and not just because it would be one of the few Hail Mary plays left for an epically corrupt president.... A sudden ban on diesel exports would, in effect, be a broken promise — a de facto breach of multiple contracts. It would be a betrayal of energy companies that invested in refining capacity. More important, it would be a breach of trust with America’s allies, especially anyone who bought into Trump’s vision of an America-centered energy future. And breaking trust, breaching contracts, is a very Trumpian thing to do.... Both the Northeast and the West Coast buy much of their diesel (and heating oil, which is a closely related commodity) from other countries, so a ban on U.S. exports, by driving up world prices, would actually make energy more expensive in [these] parts of the country. Also, refineries normally produce gasoline along with diesel, so if an export ban causes them to cut overall refining, gasoline prices might well go up." ~~~

~~~ Meredith Hill of Politico: “A small group of White House officials is exploring whether to cut back ... Donald Trump’s decision to increase foreign beef imports, as GOP panic rises ahead of the midterms. The proposal to reduce the amount of imports is being discussed within the Domestic Policy Council headed by Vince Haley, a longtime Trump speechwriter and former campaign official, and a few other officials at the White House.... Trump officials are unsure if anything will come of the talks.... But their conversations about partly rolling back the beef policy — which Trump instituted in August — is a clear sign the White House is trying to stem the alarm from battleground and farm-state Republicans as high prices and Trump’s tariffs roil their election campaigns.”

Marie: Yesterday we learned that JayDee & Dr. Oz were saving us lots of money by knocking three-quarters of a million people off the Affordable Care Act's marketplace, with hundreds of thousands more set to be purged. I expressed skepticism at these fine gentlemen's effort to spare us taxpayers, and I found people who know what they're talking about to explain why the gentlemen's plan appeared to be another ploy to remove eligible Americans from the affordable marketplace. Here's a related opinion: ~~~

~~~ Miranda Yaver of the University of Pittsburg in an MS NOW opinion piece titled, "You should be skeptical of JD Vance’s claims about Obamacare fraud": "Notably, the first Trump administration helped empower the very brokers it now claims are fraudulently enrolling people.... In fact, the Trump administration reinstated 850 agents and brokers who had been suspected of engaging in fraudulent health insurance enrollment practices, highlighting yet another disconnect between the administration’s expressed policy preferences and their ultimate policy choices.... It is especially puzzling that [Dr. Mehmet] Oz used the absence of a submitted claim as evidence that one need not remain enrolled in a marketplace health plan. By its very design, health insurance protects in part against unpredictable risks; its legitimacy does not depend on frequent use. In fact, people who pay premiums but don’t file claims are crucial to the healthcare system."

Stephanie Kirchgaessner of the Guardian: “Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), was for about a decade a member of a rogue Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group when he was in his late teens and 20s that some former members compared to a 'cult'.... Former [members of Washington, D.C.'s Midtown group] say its one-time leader Michael Quinones – who died of cancer in 2007 – came to control nearly every aspect of their lives, including where they lived, worked and went to school. Former members who spoke to the Guardian also allege that teenage girls and young women were sexually exploited at Midtown, where they were regularly pressured and coerced into 'dating' and having sex with multiple men who were also Midtown members – sometimes decades older than them. In at least one case, a former member said she believes that what happened to her could be described as sex trafficking. People who knew Carr during his years in Midtown say they do not believe he participated in inappropriate behavior.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Being an ICE Agent Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry. Bill Witz of the New York Times has a bit more on a story RAS linked earlier this week about ICE agents detaining and roughing up a U.S. citizen in Evanston, Illinois: “Ryan Garton, 56, a marketing executive in Evanston, said he noticed a commotion as he approached the site of the confrontation on the way home from his son’s soccer game. As he drew closer, he said, 'I saw two ICE agents pinning a guy to the ground,' adding that they were 'beating him up.' Mr. Garton said he then parked his car and joined several other bystanders, many of whom were filming the incident. Others shouted that the man was a U.S. citizen, he said, and Mr. Garton said he yelled at an agent to get off the man.... Mr. Garton said the agent’s conduct was unacceptable... 'If you tackle the wrong guy, you don’t leave him on the ground bleeding and drive off. It’s like fleeing the scene of a crime.'” MB: Yes, exactly like that. The link is a gift link.

Ted Hesson of the Washington Post: “Immigrants who historically would have been able to live and work in the U.S. while pursuing asylum are being taken into custody by immigration officers at airports, during interviews related to their claim and after routine traffic stops. Many of their cases are then being fast-tracked through the immigration courts, where judges are ordering the deportation of people seeking protection from persecution at an unprecedented rate. A Washington Post analysis of immigration court records shows immigration judges, who work at the behest of the Justice Department, have ordered more than 440,000 asylum seekers removed during ... Donald Trump’s first 19 months back in office — more than during the previous eight years combined.... 

“Trump has long argued that the U.S. asylum system is rife with abuse and that asylum seekers are exploiting a legal 'loophole' to enter the country and remain during the long period it takes to complete their cases. And even many Democrats concede the nation’s asylum system, created in the decades after World War II, is outdated. But Congress has not succeeded in rewriting asylum laws, and now Trump officials are undoing some of the system’s long-standing policies.” 

Jennifer Szalai of the New York Times reviews the memoir of Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident and Columbia graduate student whom the Trump administration has detained (even during the birth of his child) and is still trying to deport because of his advocacy for Palestine. The link is a gift link.  

Matthew Goldstein & Devlin Barrett of the New York Times: “Federal authorities in Manhattan have begun investigating some of the activities of Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accountant and lawyer, who both serve as executors of the sex offender’s once vast estate, said two people.... Mr. Epstein’s longtime lawyer, Darren Indyke, and his accountant, Richard Kahn, have repeatedly denied any knowledge of their former employer’s sexual abuse of hundreds of teenage girls and young women.... The Justice Department has been under pressure for years to more aggressively investigate some of Mr. Epstein’s associates, including people who may have enabled his sex trafficking. Some of his victims have denounced past announcements by federal authorities that the Epstein matter was essentially closed.” The link is a gift link.

Kate Conger & Victoria Kim of the New York Times: “OpenAI’s artificial intelligence went rogue this year in at least four additional incidents, hacking and trying to break into government and university websites without being instructed to do so, according to researchers and government officials. The attacks took place in May and June, before OpenAI’s technology breached the A.I. start-up Hugging Face in July and set off a global debate about A.I. safety. Unlike the Hugging Face attack and other incidents in which A.I. systems were told to complete cybersecurity tests that effectively invited the models to demonstrate their hacking skills, the new incidents occurred when A.I. systems were directed to perform relatively mundane data collection, researchers said. When OpenAI’s systems struggled to gather data from websites, they resorted to hacking techniques to get the information. Three of the incidents were identified by Transluce, a research lab focused on A.I. oversight, and all were confirmed by OpenAI.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

~~~ Victoria Kim of the New York Times: “Artificial intelligence agents for OpenAI infiltrated a government-run public health care website in Australia in June and accessed nonpublic information, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday. The case prompted a government investigation into the breach and raised alarm about rogue activities by fast-advancing A.I. systems. OpenAI informed Australia of the unauthorized access on Sept. 10, nearly three months after it happened, Mr. Albanese said in disclosing details of the incident, the first known instance of a breach into government systems.... Mr. Albanese, who was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, said he had personally raised his concerns with Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, earlier in the day.” The link is a gift link.

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Marie: I hate to link to stories about polls, but I'll be doing a few from now till Election Day. Here's one: ~~~ 

~~~ Maine, Michigan & New Hampshire Senate Races. Lisa Lerer, et al., of the New York Times: “Democrats appear to be holding off Republican attempts to flip Senate seats in Michigan and New Hampshire but are struggling in their efforts to oust a Republican in Maine, according to New York Times/Siena University polls of three battlegrounds. In Michigan, the party’s nominee, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, has consolidated Democratic support despite worries about party unity after a divisive primary race. He leads his Republican opponent, former Representative Mike Rogers, by five percentage points. In New Hampshire, the Democratic nominee, Representative Chris Pappas, is running five points ahead of his Republican rival, former Senator John E. Sununu. The result could dampen Republican hopes that the state might be more competitive than expected. But in Maine, Senator Susan Collins, who has been seen as her party’s most vulnerable incumbent, holds an edge of three points over Troy Jackson, her Democratic challenger. Her showing, which comes after a sudden switch of the Democratic nominee, could fuel Democratic worries that they will again lose to Ms. Collins in the light-blue state.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If it turns out Chuck Schumer was right, and Democrats should have gone with good old Gov. Janet Mills, I guess I'll have to find a nice recipe for crow en croûte. Say, here's one for "Pigeon En Croute with Truffle Jus" that I could adapt and it looks like it would only take me a couple of days to whip up -- and lots of money for ingredients like truffle shavings. (Finding those ingredients here in the boondocks could be a challenge.) ~~~

~~~ That Nice Lady Senator Is a Liar. William Turton, et al., of ProPublica: "As the scandal over Susan Collins’ relationship with Hawaii defense contractor Navatek became the central issue in her hotly contested senate campaign, she and her top aides mustered a defense with a series of incorrect and misleading claims. On Tuesday, ProPublica published an investigation into the senior senator from Maine’s relationship with Martin Kao, the former Navatek CEO and a major donor who told law enforcement he exchanged campaign cash for government contracts. His confession came after his guilty plea for campaign finance and loan fraud. The ProPublica story revealed that the FBI had been circling the senator, her top aides and a pro-Collins super PAC in recent years, asking questions about their relationship with Navatek. Since returning to office..., Donald Trump fired or pushed out most of the federal agents and lawyers investigating high-profile federal corruption matters, including those working on the Kao case. The dismissals ended the corruption review, which was in its early stages. After the story published, Collins and her campaign denied any wrongdoing in numerous media appearances. Some of the statements made by Collins and her representatives are not accurate."

Alaska Senate Race. Democratic Candidate Is a Screaming Crazy Lady. Kellen Browning of the New York Times: “... behind the scenes, [Mary Peltola's] political operation has been marked by tumult, a pattern that stretches back to her time in Congress. Former aides describe angry and profane outbursts.... In one instance, she shoved an aide, according to a former staff member who was present and two others who were told about it at the time. Another conflict led to a surprising staff shake-up on the eve of the primary election last month. Four former staff members said they directly heard her use the word 'faggot' over the years, in some cases about her own staff members, an allegation the campaign denied. She also used the word 'retarded,' according to former aides and text messages viewed by The New York Times.... 

“Sometimes she jumped up and down and stomped her feet, three of these former aides said.... Her demands could be unusual, such as requiring aides to feed live crickets to her family’s pet chameleon, Meatball. Ms. Peltola’s displays of anger, the extent of which has not been previously reported, have been spilling out into the high-stakes race.... Ms. Peltola racked up one of the highest staff turnover rates on Capitol Hill during her time in Congress, according to the research website LegiStorm.” Oh, and she's not a big fan of Planned Parenthood: “'... FUCK THOSE BITCHES,' she ... wrote in a text message to her staff in January 2024 that was viewed by The Times.” The link is a gift link.

Arizona. "If You'll Be My Bodyguard...." Alexis Cortez & Micaela Marshall of KASW-TV (Phoenix): "The former bodyguard accused of having an affair with former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is facing felony charges for allegedly breaking into her home and destroying over $200,000 worth of property. Matthew Ammel, 39, was taken into custody on Sept. 18 in connection with the incident that happened late last month. Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies were called to investigate a report of criminal damage at a Cave Creek home on Sept. 3. According to court documents, Sinema told investigators that her ex-boyfriend, Ammel, damaged her home and personal property while she was out of town four days earlier on Aug. 30."

Marie: There is no panaceas, no rule-of-thumb that guarantees a person -- even a seemingly well-qualified, experienced person -- will be good at governance. One of the primary arguments of the suffragette movement was that women would "clean up corruption" because women were inherently more "moral" than men. Well, take a look at Susan Collins, who has sneaky bones where most of us have spines, or Mary Peltola, who apparently abuses her staff, and Krysten Sinema, who was a disaster on so many levels. IMO, these women have exhibited flaws that are just as serious as Al Franken's reputed handsy proclivities. 

~~~~~~~~~~  

The New York Times is liveblogging events at the United Nations General Assembly meeting; this is a gift link. From the pinned item at 5:00 am ET: “President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Wednesday warned that Russia’s 'ridiculous and never-ending war' on his country could soon spread to other parts of Europe and called for increased economic pressure on Moscow to force a peace agreement before the fighting enters another deadly winter. Diplomatic impasses and the global economic fallout from armed conflicts have dominated discussions during the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly. In his speech to the body, which he delivered in English, Mr. Zelensky offered reminders of the wide-ranging effects of Russia’s war, from grain shortages to fuel prices to the frenzied race to create ever more deadly drone technology. And he predicted how artificial intelligence, which has catapulted to the top of the Assembly’s agenda, might find some of its darkest uses. 'As early as next year, there is a real possibility that A.I., not only people, will decide what happens on the battlefield,' Mr. Zelensky said. 'We need peace before we reach that point.'” The link is a gift link.

A Declaration of Independence. Matina Stevis-Gridneff, et al., of the New York Times: “In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times at its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, [Canadian Prime Minister Mark] Carney described in meticulous detail how he was systematically reducing Canada’s reliance on the United States for key technology — from space satellites to fighter jets — in an effort to make his country far less vulnerable to American threats. He outlined a plan to diversify Canada’s relationships and suppliers, and said that even with a different future president 'we will be a better partner for the U.S. because of what we are doing.' He talked about reducing reliance on Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite systems; considering alternatives to buying F-35 fighter jets; and a focus on deepening economic — though not defense — relationships with China. Mr. Trump’s exploitation of Canadian dependency on American products had taught the country a bitter lesson: 'There’s certain things, once you’ve seen them, you can’t unsee them.'” The link is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Carney is a star, and other leaders recognize that: “Over the past year, he has emerged as the most prominent global leader to take on Mr. Trump. Along the way, he has also begun to define a path toward reducing dependence on a superpower neighbor that he has come to regard as predatory. Around the world, other leaders have looked to him as a model for dealing with an erratic, unreliable ally — one that remains, in Canada’s case, critical to national defense and economic survival.” Trump destroyed the U.S.'s position as the “leader of the free world,” but Carney is leading the “free world”'s management of the end of U.S. hegemony. We'll be lucky if we can get back on the team, and if we do, we won't be the captain again.