October 22, 2026

The Ass-Man-in-Chief. Anderson Cooper proves himself a master of double entendres. Thanks to RAS for the link:

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Dareh Gregorian & Erika Angulo of NBC News: “A federal judge in Florida on Thursday ordered ... Donald Trump to sit for a deposition in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11 or face the possibility of having his $10 billion action dismissed. U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett handed down the order after the BBC’s lawyers complained that Trump was stalling. He was supposed to sit for a deposition on Oct. 16 but canceled it for a 'matter of national importance.' BBC attorney Charles Tobin told the judge that matter turned out to be a political rally and a fundraiser. 'He was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition, Tobin said.... Discovery in the case is supposed to close on Dec. 18, and Trump is the single most important witness in the case since he’s the one who claims he suffered billions of dollars in damages from the BBC’s 2024 story, Tobin said. Lett also ruled that the deposition can be videotaped — something Trump attorney Alejandro Brito argued against.The judge agreed with Brito that the deposition date could be pushed back if the district judge overseeing the case extends the deadline for discovery, but only that judge, Jeffrey Kuntz, has the power to do that.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Let's hope the deposition leaks. The case centers on Trump's January 6 speech. The BBC has subpoenaed Jack Smith to testify.

Marco Hernandez & Anushka Patil of the New York Times: “The president declared in a Truth Social post on Monday that construction on East Potomac Park would begin 'IMMEDIATELY,' even as the redevelopment plan remains tied up in contentious litigation. His new design aims to attract elite golf tournaments, but it drastically cuts down on the current park’s multiple functions and changes the East Potomac Golf Links from a 36-hole, three-course facility to a single 18-hole course that stretches to the edges of the peninsula. For the casual players of all ages who use the current golf course, there is a 'lot to lose,' said Mark Mungeam, a former president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, noting that the two nine-hole courses that will be lost under the new design 'could be played by beginners and advanced players alike.' A single 18-hole course will take longer to play, and courses of the caliber that Mr. Trump desires typically allow fewer golfers to play at once, ultimately reducing the number of available tee times, he said. But for Washington’s families, cyclists, runners, birders and fishermen, the loss of the outdoor space provided by the scenic Ohio Drive and Hains Point recreational area is the 'bigger shame,' he said.” The link is a gift link.

Kevin Breuninger of CNBC: “... Donald Trump asked Elon Musk to ease restrictions he had imposed on the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink system in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing U.S. officials. The Starshield system, which Ukraine depends on in its war against Russia, was 'working more normally Thursday, shortly after' Trump spoke to Musk by phone, U.S. and Ukrainian officials told the Journal. The newspaper reported Tuesday that Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX and a critic of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had ordered the Starlink slowdown.... Trump has repeatedly denied involvement in the decision and said he does not know if Musk was behind it.”

Molly Parks of the Washington Examiner: “Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky mocked U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday for calling Russian president Vladimir Putin a 'humanitarian' as the two countries exchanged overnight strikes. 'Three waves of ballistic missiles have been launched at Kyiv by Russian “humanitarians” since yesterday evening. They used 21 missiles. Unfortunately, numerous sites across the city have been hit and damaged: ordinary residential buildings, energy facilities, infrastructure at one of the railway stations and the metro, shopping malls, and businesses,' Zelensky wrote on X.” ~~~

~~~ Noah Keate of Politico: “Asked whether London agreed that Putin is a humanitarian, Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s spokesperson said: 'We certainly do not recognize that characterization.... President Putin has killed thousands of people, both innocent Ukrainians and his own Russian people, who he has sent to their deaths on the front line. He is starving children and the elderly of heat and warmth and systematically targeting critical national infrastructure.' The spokesperson echoed the comments of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who tweeted Thursday morning: 'Overnight, Kyiv residents heard what Russian “humanism” truly sounds like' after Moscow attacked the Ukrainian capital with ballistic missiles. At least two people were killed and 22 wounded, including four children.”

Ohio. Cheyanne Daniels of Politico: “Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday condemned a recent controversial campaign ad from Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican he endorsed to succeed him, that featured the estranged mother of Democratic candidate Amy Acton. Speaking to reporters in Columbus, DeWine called the ad 'deeply, deeply troubling.... It’s wrong to run this ad,' said DeWine. 'When you know the rest of the story, when you know the backstory, when you know that the husband of the mom was indicted by a grand jury after hearing testimony, and that he took off along with the mother and that two children never saw the mother after that. When you know that, it just, to me, makes it more serious. It makes it just more wrong.' Though DeWine urged Ramaswamy to take the ad down, he did not rescind his endorsement.” ~~~

     ~~~ So Then. Chris Stein of the Guardian: “Donald Trump issued a swift rebuke against Mike DeWine, Ohio’s Republican governor, who on Thursday said gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was “wrong” to release an ad critical of his Democratic rival Amy Acton that featured her estranged mother.... On Truth Social Thursday afternoon, Trump ... [said] DeWine was 'disloyal to the Republican party'... 'He probably wants a Dumocrat to win, and certainly doesn’t want someone who will do a much better job than he is capable of doing,' Trump wrote. 'I suggested, on the other hand, that Vivek should keep it up, and let everyone listen to the mother of a defective, dishonest, and incapable Candidate, explain how the daughter is a DISASTER who, uncontrollably, lies, cheats, and steals!'”

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Emily Davies of the New York Times: “More than half a dozen clashes between rallygoers and protesters interrupted ... [Donald] Trump at an appearance in Clemson, S.C., on Wednesday night, where he had traveled to boost the campaign of Senator Darline Graham.... One after the next, security officers escorted the protesters out of the arena, while the president’s fans whooped, jeered and chanted 'U.S.A.' Mr. Trump did little to de-escalate the atmosphere. 'They’re terrible people,' he said after hearing one disruption. 'Who’s that guy who threw a punch?' he asked after another, appearing to celebrate when a rallygoer physically confronted a demonstrator.... Mr. Trump drew a full house to the facility, and the crowd whooped and hollered at his punchlines on immigration and the media with energy reminiscent of his rallies in prior cycles.... On Tuesday, the Cook Political Report shifted the Senate race toward [the Democratic candidate, Dr. Annie] Andrews] for the second time in less than a month, this time from Likely Republican to Lean Republican.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Here you have some reporting that veers from cautious to purposely misleading (or what you might call "lying.") Davies reports, "Mr. Trump did little to de-escalate the atmosphere." Now, read the Guardian's report, linked next. Assuming the Guardian's report is accurate (and I reckon that it is), Davies' report is a flagrant mischaracterization of Trump's responses to the intermittent violence at the rally. He did not do "little to de-escalate" the situation. He actively encouraged it. He said that one of his supporter's punching out a protester was "great" he "loved that," it was "incredible," it was "unbelievable." Obviously, Trump intended to incite his other supporters to violence in what Davies acknowledged was a crowded room interrupted by numerous incidences of protest. ~~~

     ~~~ Uwa Ede-Osifo of the Guardian: “Multiple protesters were removed from Donald Trump’s rally at South Carolina’s Clemson University on Wednesday, including one who was apparently punched by a rally attender – to the US president’s delight. 'That was great, man. Wow. Man, I loved that. I watched that,' Trump said. 'That was incredible. Wow. That was unbelievable. Is everybody OK? Who’s the guy that threw that punch?' he continued. 'You know, you reminded me of Evander, the real deal, Holyfield,' referring to the former heavyweight champion, who was also in attendance at the rally. 'You gotta give them credit. It takes courage to do that at a Trump rally,' he said. 'He got whacked.' According to a pool report, the president was interrupted at least nine times by hecklers.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Appropriately enough, the rally was held in a "livestock facility." 

A Slush Fund by Any Other Name.... Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: As Donald “Trump this week announced a new $25 million whistle-blower incentive program to provide information to combat fraud. But the program has raised concerns after Mr. Trump said he would personally determine who would get the money, seeming to bypass the traditional processes around the awarding of federal funds. 'I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,' Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving, and I’ll determine, and I will be very generous.' Whistle-blowers already receive hundreds of millions of dollars annually for reporting fraud through existing legal avenues, including filing complaints under the False Claims Act and whistle-blower programs at the I.R.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Payouts under such programs are typically determined by a commission or by a federal court, not the president....

“Mr. Trump’s first award, of $10,000, went to Nick Shirley, a conservative YouTube personality who promoted allegations of fraud among the Somali community in Minnesota. Mr. Trump and other Republicans have used those allegations to attack Democrats in the state. Joe Spielberger ... [of] the Project on Government Oversight, said what Mr. Trump laid out was not a serious anti-fraud or whistle-blower incentive program.'... According to the White House, the 'Fraud Whistle-blower Incentive Program' ... would award up to $30,000 to anyone who submits a tip that leads to a successful conviction for fraud or a significant federal enforcement action. But Mr. Trump ... said he would award a '1 percent commission' to the tipster based on the value of the fraud found.... 'And if it’s $10 billion, $200 billion, $400 billion, we’re giving a 1 percent commission to that person.... a lot of money....'” The link is a gift link.

    ~~~ Marie: IOW, Trump will hand out monetary prizes to bad actors who do his bidding. He won't be rewarding people who expose waste, fraud & abuse; he's be rewarding people who promote his unconscionable agenda. But it's worse than that: as with everything Trump does, he will grant the awards in the most slipshod, chaotic & unjustified manner imaginable. Theoretically (but, okay, not in reality), choosing the "winners" would require him to pore over dozens of long, boring analyses of the effectiveness & scope of purported whistleblowers' contributions, then calculate the appropriate size of their monetary awards. Talk about micromanaging! Even on its face, this slush fund is not presidential*!

Beat the Press. Scott Nover & Miriam Waldvogel of the Washington Post: “The White House this week launched new broadsides against the news media, blocking a reporter from serving in the pool covering the president and sending a letter threatening Politico over its coverage of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. On Wednesday, a reporter for the British outlet the Independent, Andrew Feinberg, received notice from the White House that he will be not allowed to serve as the designated representative of the out-of-town print pool for Trump’s trip to Iowa on Thursday.... Feinberg received an unsigned email from the White House press office.... The move against Feinberg, after a contentious encounter with Trump on Wednesday, marks the latest attempt by the White House to push back on coverage it dislikes by revoking access normally granted to members of the press. The move quickly prompted pushback from the White House Correspondents’ Association.... Meanwhile..., a lawyer for the White House demanded that Politico retract 'defamatory' articles about Wiles and issue corrections or 'face the consequences.'” (See yesterday's page for video of Trump's lashing out at Feinberg for asking a question during a press availability." ~~~

     ~~~ Marc Caputo of Axios elaborates on the threat to Politico. ~~~

     ~~~ Marcy Wheeler lets on that these latest attacks on the press are part of the palace intrigue.

He's Not Gay; He's a Nazi! Paul Waldman: "Trump a href="https://paulwaldman.substack.com/p/trumps-lust-for-hunky-dudes-goes" target="_blank">has always been interested in the physical appearance of both women and men, which until recently one could put down to his belief that politics is a show that requires casting conventionally attractive people. But in the last year or so ... he has been talking more and more about handsome men and their bodies.... Meanwhile, wherever possible Republicans charge their Democratic opponents with being gay, like fifth-grade bullies mocking the smaller kids on the playground.... [Nevertheless,] Trump is hardly the only one on the right ogling muscly men.... But it isn’t quite homoerotic, because it isn’t erotic. Instead, it falls within a long tradition of fascist aesthetics, clothed in Trump’s allergy to subtlety or subtext.... A key part of the fascist aesthetic is that the perfect man is de-sexualized.... The prominent men of MAGA and the manosphere [-- including Trump --] do want to sleep with women, but mostly as a way of outdoing other men.... Once you realize how anti-erotic the iconography and rhetoric of today’s conservative movement is, you begin to see it everywhere.... For instance, last year, government accounts began posting a variety of white supremacy-tinged memes, including some featuring fair-haired, square-jawed young men.... [The images] were directly evocative of Nazi propaganda imagery in which Hitler’s government promoted the image of the perfect Aryan man." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: An interesting read. I'm not quite convinced yet, but I could become a believer.

Valerie Hopkins of the New York Times: “... Mr. Putin has never been so close to his goal of normalizing relations with Washington without having to make any compromises on Ukraine. Over the past week and a half, Mr. Trump has set aside years of U.S. foreign policy by openly embracing Mr. Putin and easing the economic pressure on the Kremlin. At the same time, Mr. Trump has vilified President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, the putative American ally trying to defend his nation against a Russian invasion.... The White House now says [U.S. & allied entities making business] deals [with Russia] will help Russia see the benefits of peace. The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Mr. Putin, meeting with Mr. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had agreed to talks with Ukraine and the United States next month. But they would involve relatively low-level representatives, and a Russian official played down the Kremlin’s openness to forging a comprehensive agreement now.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

~~~ Veronika Melkozerova of Politico: “At least one person was killed and 34 wounded in Kyiv as the Russian army attacked Ukraine with ballistic missiles and attack drones overnight, the capital city’s prosecutor’s office reported on Thursday. Overall, 12 Ukrainian regions were under bombardment, authorities said. 'Russian “humanitarians” have launched three waves of ballistic missile strikes against Kyiv, using a total of 21. Unfortunately, the city has sustained significant damage and multiple hits, affecting residential buildings, energy infrastructure, a railway station and the metro, shopping centers, and industrial enterprises. Even a monastery is among the damaged sites,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram after the attack. Ukrainian forces reported shooting down 181 out of 210 Russian drones but none of the ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy said Russia launched its attack “almost immediately” after talks between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended Wednesday. Witkoff left St. Petersburg after praising Vladimir Putin as a 'humanitarian.'... 'We’re getting close to ending the war. We may be closer now than ever before,' ... Donald Trump said shortly after the talks.” ~~~

     ~~~ AP, published by MS NOW: " The strikes in Kyiv came hours after the Kremlin agreed to restart U.S.-brokered talks aimed at ending the war." ~~~

     ~~~ Peter Nichols of NBC News: Expert observers say Trump thinks he can flatter Putin into ending his war against Ukraine. MB: I am definitely not an expert, but I can just about promise that Trumplomacy will not work. Decades ago, I saw a "60 Minutes" segment in which Bob Simon interviewed an Israeli peasant woman in the West Bank. The woman reached down, picked up a clump of West Bank dirt and said, "God gave us this land." That's more or less the way Putin feels about Ukraine. He believes in his shriveled heart that Ukraine is Russia. Trump, who understand nothing about anybody, does not understand that fundamental fact, if he thinks he can wheedle an end to war out of Russia. On the other hand, I don't agree with the experts that Trump's flattery of Putin is a ruse. That sis standard journalistic wishful thinking. I think Trump is a Russian asset, and that is what underlies all of his actions & remarks regarding Putin & Russia. ~~~

~~~ Lawrence O'Donnell comments on the Importance of Being Witless: ~~~

Evan Hurst of Wonkette: “This is more of that famous Trump administration Art-of-the-Dealing that the Trump regime is convinced is going to get Putin to take a break from raping and murdering Ukrainian babies and end the war. You can tell it’s working by how the Russian government is posting it for the glorification of Dear Leader, as if to say to the Russian people, 'LOL, look who’s our bitch!' In related news, the Wall Street Journal has a big scoop on who actually gave the final go-ahead to slow down Starlink in Ukraine, so that it would be easier for Vladimir Putin to bomb, rape and murder Ukrainian babies and children and adults. Surprise, it was Elon himself, going rogue in service of Putin. Or was it? Yeah, it’s still kinda fucking unclear....” Do read on. ~~~

~~~ Siobhán O’Grady, et al., of the New York Times: “Ukrainian accounts of Starshield’s abrupt throttling have become a flashpoint in a worsening feud between President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and ... [Donald] Trump. A week after the first problems were reported, Ukrainian troops said that the situation had improved but that connectivity issues remained. The Trump administration has offered mixed messages, both denying any change to Starshield service and saying that service has been restored....

“A senior Ukrainian commander said he had dozens of armed drones soaring toward Russian military targets last week when, all at once, the video feeds streaming their flight paths went fuzzy. The drones had lost their connection to pilots on the ground through Starshield..., said the commander, Oleh.... Many of the drones simply fell from the sky, he said: The effect cost his units more than $1 million worth of weaponry. The Starshield disruptions forced Oleh to halt almost all operations for the next three days, he said, including strikes on Russian command posts and fuel hubs. Such attacks, he said, help save the lives of Ukrainian troops holding positions on the front and slow Russian advances....

“The initial Starshield throttling caused Ukrainian drones to lose their connection to the system when flying at speeds as low as 40 miles an hour, Ukrainian officials said. Connectivity has since improved, Ukrainian officials say, but drones still lose their connection when they exceed 100 m.p.h. Some models can operate normally under that speed, but others, including those used by Oleh’s troops, must fly faster to strike.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

~~~ Heather Cox Richardson: “Congress members, including Republicans, have vowed to hold whoever was responsible for the cuts [to Ukraine's Starlink & Starshield sytems] accountable.... Musk is not taking that threat calmly. In response to a report by Calen Razor in Politico that Democrats intend to investigate Musk’s role in cutting Ukraine’s access to Starlink..., Musk posted on social media: 'Live by the sword, die by the sword. Those who pick fights with me should understand that I will find out who is really pulling the strings and come for them, not just their puppets …' His was a shocking threat against members of Congress, but the move of Europeans and Canadians to develop their own satellite communications systems given the dangers of relying on Starlink seems to be worrying Musk. If Congress also moves the United States away from his contracts, he could be in real trouble. As Douglas P. McCormick noted in Fortune last June, Musk’s trillion-dollar fortune is not real. Almost all of his net worth is unrealized equity in companies he runs. His wealth is simply the market’s estimate of the worth of his promises to deliver in the future, and those promises depend on government contracts.” ~~~

~~~ Paul Krugman: "... control of Starlink must, one way or another, be taken away from Elon Musk. It’s a matter of national security: we cannot let private individuals make foreign and defense policy, and it would be totally irresponsible to leave a crucial military asset in the hands of a racist, authoritarian conspiracy theorist.... Slowing down Starlink was, in effect, a U.S. intervention in a foreign conflict. It helped Russia, our long-time adversary, and hobbled Ukraine, during a very critical time in this war. It also helped Russia at a time when Putin is increasingly emboldened to menace Europe through acts of sabotage, intimidation and support of the extreme right such as the AfD in Germany. (Recall that Musk has openly supported the AfD.)... Capitalism is not an excuse for treason." Read on. MB: Krugman is right. Let's make sure Trump & Drunk Pete control Starlink & Starshield. Oh, wait. Uh....

Peter Baker of the New York Times: “The rules of the road when it comes to ... [Donald] Trump’s relations with foreign leaders are clear: He may trash you. But woe unto you if you whack back. No one knows that better than President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who has been through this particular diplomatic wringer more than once. But he got a pointed reminder during a closed-door meeting in Oslo this week with Mr. Trump’s negotiators. Steve Witkoff, the president’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, reproached Mr. Zelensky on Tuesday for his sharp comments responding to Mr. Trump’s sharp comments about him, telling the Ukrainian leader that the way he conducted himself has infuriated the president, according to a person informed about the exchange. Mr. Zelensky pushed back at times during the discussion as the Americans complained about certain comments.... But he clearly got the message. When he addressed journalists afterward, a subdued Mr. Zelensky strained to offer a positive assessment while sidestepping his recent criticisms of Mr. Trump....

“The one-way-street school of diplomacy has worked for Mr. Trump in the sense that his belligerence leaves many world leaders reluctant to cross him for fear of blowback or even, depending on his mood, a fresh round of tariffs. Mr. Trump demands deference while rarely giving any, except to those who accede to his wishes or to those he courts, notably autocrats like President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, President Xi Jinping of China and Kim Jong-un of North Korea.” The link is a gift link.

Julian Barnes, et al., of the New York Times: “The U.S. and Israeli militaries have developed specific plans for renewed strikes against Iran after the American midterm elections, according to U.S. officials and other people briefed on the deliberations. As planning for a short but intensive operation progresses, the U.S. and Israeli militaries have stepped up exercises, flying planes over Iraq to practice strike maneuvers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week to discuss new strikes, U.S. officials said.... There are reasons to be skeptical that a renewed war would be any more successful than the first phase of intense U.S.-Israeli strikes between February and April. Those rounds of fighting drove up energy prices and inflation around the world, eroded security in the Middle East and severely strained the Pentagon’s supply of missile interceptors. It is also far from certain Mr. Trump will approve fresh strikes. Repeatedly this year he has vetoed plans for a return to major combat operations....” The link is a gift link. MB: This would be one of those “approved leaks.” Both Bibi & Trump want to look like macho warlords right before their respective national elections (Israeli elections are this coming Tuesday). ~~~

     ~~~ Scott Lemieux of LG&$: "... you know a war is going really badly when reporters are willing to say that it’s going really badly in straight news articles." ~~~

~~~ Sean James of Mediaite: “The State Department is preparing to order some personnel and family members to evacuate American embassies in the Persian Gulf, according to a Wednesday report from Reuters. Multiple U.S. officials told the outlet 'the move was due to a possible resumption of hostilities, particularly with Iran-aligned Houthi militia in Yemen.' It would also come as the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert earlier on Wednesday, which was potentially tied to more Houthi attacks. The decision is being made as ... Donald Trump has said multiple times in the last week the Iran war — which launched 235 days ago at the end of February — is coming to an end 'very soon.'”

Priya Sridhar of MS NOW reports on the entirely foreseeable attack on the U.S. Naval installation in Bahrain. The chaotic evacuation of military families was harrowing & preventable. Sometimes "they really don't know what they're doing" is funny. Here it decidedly is not. Thanks to RAS for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) Lawrence O'Donnell elaborates: ~~~

~~~ They Really Don't Know What They're Doing. They're Bumbling Idiots! Alex Horton & Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: “Two floor globes said to be used by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II are housed in the Pentagon, where subsequent generations of Army leaders became custodians of the artifacts.... The historical significance was attractive to [Pete] Hegseth..., and his staff requested that the secretary’s office become the new home to one of the 30-inch globes. Ordinarily, moving historical items within the building is a deliberate process overseen by trained curators. Instead, Hegseth’s staff dispatched its own team to relocate an Eisenhower globe. They lost control of the artifact and dropped it, sending the globe crashing onto its base and impaling the fragile shell near Antarctica....

“Pentagon officials denied The Washington Post’s request for a photo of the globe or to examine the artifact in person, but The Post separately obtained images of the damage.... Aside from the hole, 'the spherical portion of the globe was detached from the metal mounting that allows it to rotate,' spokesman Christopher Surridge said in response to questions. Ultimately, the damaged relic was not relocated, he said.... The history staffers were furloughed due to a partial government shutdown..., [so] Hegseth’s staff decided to move the globe themselves.... It is unclear why Hegseth’s team did not wait for experienced help to move the artifact during the ... shutdown, which ended the same day the globe was damaged. An 'apparent lack of patience,' said one person familiar with the situation, appeared to be a factor.” Update: the link has been changed to a gift link.

JayDee is “Disgusted” with Republicans Who Condemn Child Sexual Abuse. Megan Brand of NBC News: “Vice President JD Vance told Republicans to 'stop whining' about Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s controversial ad featuring his Democratic opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother. 'Politics is a tough business, and my message to my fellow elected Republicans is if you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days,' Vance told reporters on Wednesday in Cincinnati.... 'I have to admit that I’m a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America,' he said.” Here's more from Mediaite. (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times report is here; this is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is a contemptible, untrue, stomach-churning exploitative ad. Ramaswamy and JayDee are as disturbed as the mother who allowed her children to be abused and now is victimizing one of them again. JayDee is fine with this. Vivek is doubling down on it. I don't care why JayDee & Vivek are twisted misogynists. But we need to let JayDee get back to his relationship with his couch ASAP & Vivek to his many other interests. ~~~

     ~~~ Judd Legum, et al., of Popular Information: "The ad was financed by Ramaswamy’s campaign, which has raised money from numerous major corporations — both through corporate PACs and from top executives.... A Popular Information analysis of campaign finance records reveals that the ad was funded, in part, with contributions from the PACs and executives of major American corporations, including Bank of America, Deloitte, DraftKings, Kroger, and Nationwide.... In the ad..., Donna Arthur called her daughter a liar.... Arthur’s account, however, is not credible.”

Tomo Chien of L.A. Material: “When the Department of Justice unveiled voter fraud charges against 28 defendants in California on Monday morning, it summoned a media circus, news helicopters and all, to the Commerce home of 72-year-old Omar Muñoz, who is accused of voting in five elections despite not being a citizen. Within minutes of his arrest, Muñoz’s perp-walk photos were plastered in the California Post and touted on Truth Social by ... [Donald] Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that Democrats are cheating in elections by allowing noncitizens to vote. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson posted a statement claiming that 'the playbook for Democrats and their Marxist pals is clear: Reopen the border. Allow millions of illegals into America. Let them vote in our elections.' But Muñoz ... is actually a registered Republican, according to voter records.... Of the 12 people who prosecutors allege were illegally registered to vote in L.A. County, just one is a registered Democrat. Among the others, five are listed as no party preference, two are Republicans, and one belongs to the socialist Peace and Freedom Party. Four do not appear at all in databases of active California voters under the names, ages, and cities of residence listed by the DOJ.” Thanks to RAS for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: Sorry to go all-in on Lawrence O'Donnell, but he hit the low-lights last night. Here he is on the big raids (and he doesn't even claim Muñoz is a Republican):

~~~ Zach Montague & Shawn Hubler of the New York Times: “A federal judge in California on Wednesday blocked the Homeland Security Department from carrying out most field operations focused on uncovering voter fraud in nine states as part of a broader push to identify noncitizen voters. The ruling came less than two weeks before the midterm elections. The Trump administration has launched a blitz of operations focused on finding evidence of noncitizen voting or tying up election processes in states where it has dubiously claimed that large numbers of noncitizens are registered to vote. The ruling covered stops and field interviews being carried out by hundreds of Department of Homeland Security agents assigned to fan out across the country in search of instances of voter fraud, under what the administration has referred to as the 'Unlawful Voter Initiative.' In a concise 19-page ruling, Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguin wrote that the stops appeared likely to hamper voter engagement and registration by a coalition of local governments and nonprofit groups. As with other initiatives in which the Trump administration has used federal immigration data to infer the citizenship status of people on state voter rolls, she wrote there were already signs that the 'target lists' the government had generated contained errors and included naturalized citizens.” The link is a gift link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I'm not sure if the story above is a response to the suit cited below. I doubt it because knocking out a 19-page decision overnight is unusual. But I could definitely be wrong; I'm just guessing. ~~~

~~~ Josephine Walker of Axios: "Democratic groups sued the Trump administration Tuesday, accusing it of using unfounded voter fraud claims to muscle its way into how states run elections.... The groups say the administration is issuing a stream of threats to intimidate and bully both voters and election officials. They're asking a judge to declare the administration's actions unlawful and block further interference.... The lawsuit condemns the administration for targeting state voter rolls by insisting that local officials review federally compiled lists of alleged noncitizens on their voter rolls." ~~~

~~~ Yunior Rivas of Democracy Docket: "The Department of Justice (DOJ) is considering filing lawsuits against additional states before or after the midterms as part of its effort to force states to investigate alleged noncitizens on their voter rolls, according to an NBC News report. A DOJ official involved in the investigations told NBC News that the department is looking at states that automatically send mail ballots to registered voters, though the official would not identify which specific states could face lawsuits. The revelation comes less than a week after the Trump administration sued California and Los Angeles County, demanding that election officials set aside ballots belonging to thousands of people federal agencies have identified as likely noncitizens until their citizenship can be verified." The NBC News story is firewalled.

Former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin in a New York Times op-ed on the potential economic impact of more Trumpian election interference: "There is ... the possibility that the election will be, like so much else over the past two years, chaotic at best and lawless at worst. From amplifying false claims of fraud and slashing defenses against foreign meddling in our elections to attempting to bully states into using an error-prone database to purge voter registrations, the Trump administration has already thrown up obstacles to fair and free midterm elections. There are widespread fears Mr. Trump and his allies could go further, including by sending armed federal agents to polling locations, seizing ballot boxes and exploiting a procedural loophole involving the clerk of the House that could enable them to refuse to seat duly elected Democratic members when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3. If the Trump administration launches an effort to manipulate the outcome of the midterms, the economic impact [of the diminished rule of law] could be felt immediately, and it could last long after Mr. Trump’s presidency ends.” The link is a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.)

Abbie Van Sickle of the New York Times: “The Trump administration on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to allow it to move forward with construction of a border wall along hundreds of miles in the Big Bend region of southwest Texas. A federal judge in Texas had blocked construction of the barriers, which had drawn local objections. In an emergency application to the justices, Solicitor General D. John Sauer urged the justices to intervene and allow the project to proceed. Mr. Sauer ... asserted that halting the section of the wall at issue would leave 'a 300-plus-mile gap in border defenses' and 'act as a dangerous magnet for cartels and other bad actors to exploit.' A river boat guide, a church preservation group and an environmental group, along with local landowners, sued in April to stop the administration’s plan to construct barriers across more than 500 miles along the frontier with Mexico. The plan included erecting some barriers in Big Bend National Park, and it has prompted months of protests and behind-the-scenes lobbying.” The link is a gift link.

Ann Marimow of the New York Times: “The Supreme Court on Wednesday prevented the Trump administration from immediately denying certain gender-transition medical treatments for transgender inmates at federal prisons. The court’s unsigned, unexplained order was a rare example of the conservative-dominated bench siding, at least temporarily, with the rights of transgender individuals. Two conservative justices, Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Clarence Thomas, said they would have granted the administration’s emergency request to stop the treatments.” The link is a gift link.

Dustin Volz of the New York Times: “Security researchers using OpenAI’s advanced artificial intelligence models unearthed major bugs in a piece of software used widely across the internet, setting off fears around the world about significant disruptions for consumers and businesses. The Trump administration and some governments in Europe and Asia warned that all organizations that rely on the software, which is known as PHP, should immediately install updates released Wednesday to patch the flaws. By some estimates, about 70 percent of all websites and web applications use the software. Recent data suggests its adoption is waning. While the fixes are readily available, their public release creates a kind of road map for hackers, who could easily reverse engineer the patches in order to initiate attacks before businesses, governments and people can protect their systems. Successful attacks could allow hackers to take control of servers, steal private data and deface websites, experts said.” The link is a gift link. A Politico story is here.

Eli Tan & Cecilia Kang of the New York Times: “A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion on Wednesday for deceiving users about its data privacy practices, one of the largest penalties levied against a tech giant. New Mexico sued Meta in 2021 over a scandal involving the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, saying the social media company had misled users with its public statements about their data privacy. Last month, after a two-week trial, a jury in the State District Court in Santa Fe ruled against Meta, saying the company had committed 43 million violations of New Mexico’s consumer protection laws. Each violation carried a penalty of up to $5,000. On Wednesday, Judge Francis J. Mathew of the Santa Fe court issued the landmark penalty, writing that the company and its executives purposefully misled the public.” The link is a gift link. A Courthouse News Service report is here.

Zuck Is Not About to Share the Wealth. Eli Tan & Theodore Schleifer of the New York Times: Mark Zuckerberg “told Meta’s board that he planned to list his Silicon Valley home for sale [to avoid paying California's proposed wealth tax, which is on the ballot in November]. The company remade its stock structure to help him pay the tax if voters pass it.... In January, it will issue a new class of stock to shareholders, which Mr. Zuckerberg can sell to pay the potential wealth tax without cutting into his 60.6 percent voting power at the Silicon Valley firm. It also helps the tech giant fund its enormous investments in artificial intelligence.... At his estimated net worth, Mr. Zuckerberg, 42, could face a tax liability of nearly $12.5 billion. But even billionaires do not have those amounts of cash on hand. If he had to sell his existing Meta shares — known as 'supervoting' shares, which give him more voting power at the company — to pay that tax, his voting power could be reduced to 53 percent, Meta said in the filings.” The link is a gift link.

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Kansas Senate Race. Jess Bidgood & Lisa Lerer of the New York Times report on the debate between Sen. Roger Marshall (R) and Adam Hamilton (D). The link is a gift link.

Michigan Senate Race. Reid Epstein of the New York Times: “The two Senate candidates in Michigan have spent months trying to tear each other down. During their debate on Wednesday, [Mike] Rogers questioned Dr. [Abdul] El-Sayed’s loyalty to the country and sought to tie him to overseas Islamist groups. Dr. El-Sayed characterized Mr. Rogers as bought and paid for by corporate donors and in thrall to ... [Donald] Trump. And somehow this debate was more civil and substantive than the last time they met, two weeks ago.... Here are five takeaways from their second and final debate[.]” The link is a gift link.

Minnesota House Race. Oops! Praveena Somasundaram of the Washington Post: “Minnesota congressional candidate Eric Pratt’s campaign appeared to have clear instructions for its website: Keep ... Donald Trump out of it. That guidance accidentally became public this week as the Republican’s website featured the line: 'The President is not popular, so all messaging should be focused on local politics and needs.' It appeared on a page laying out Pratt’s platform, which is focused on affordability, government accountability and public safety. Screenshots of the page spread on social media before the campaign removed the line about Trump. The line came from an internal staff note and was accidentally published to Pratt’s website, his campaign said Wednesday. Beneath the mistake is a reflection of the political terrain for Republicans this year.”

Ohio Senate Race. Jasper Goodman of Politico: “A super PAC funded by the cryptocurrency industry is dumping an additional $9 million into an effort to block Sherrod Brown from recapturing an Ohio Senate seat, raising the group’s total spending in the race above $55 million. The staggeringly large spending against Brown, a former Senate Banking chair who has been a critic of the crypto sector, makes his Ohio race the PAC group’s biggest target of the 2026 cycle by far. Its spending in Ohio dwarfs any other race the PAC network, known as Fairshake, is playing in around the country. It comes as polls show Brown in a close race with GOP Sen. Jon Husted, who has voted in favor of crypto-friendly legislation. The Fairshake network spent about $40 million to help defeat Brown during his failed 2024 reelection campaign against GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno.”

Washington State House Race. Myla Roundy of the Washington Post: “An ambulance manufacturer led by Republican House candidate John Braun received another fine this week, adding to the scrutiny of his business safety record in one of the most competitive races for control of Congress. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries on Monday issued a nearly $13,000 fine against Braun’s company, Braun Northwest in Chehalis, for not protecting employees using a heavy duty Accurshear from a shear point hazard, when machine parts move close enough to each other that a person’s body parts can become caught. One employee using the cutting machine, which had an inadequate guard, had two fingertips amputated in June, according to public records obtained by The Washington Post. The details of the incident that led to the fine have not previously been reported. Braun, who is also minority leader of the state Senate, said the company will appeal the citation.... The Post previously reported that Braun’s company, which manufactures emergency vehicles for government agencies, received three state citations for child labor violations in 2025 involving two teenagers hired through an apprenticeship program.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Nothing like unleashing untrained teenagers in your dangerous sweatshop to show you are worthy of voters' trust.

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Israel. Liam Stack of the New York Times: “Brad Lander, a Democratic House nominee in New York City, was detained on Wednesday in the West Bank by the Israeli military [link fixed] while he participated in an international delegation to harvest olives alongside Palestinian farmers. Mr. Lander shared news of his detention on social media, where he posted a photo of himself on a bus and said he was with a group of rabbis and other volunteers. In a phone interview, he said he had been detained for roughly three hours and then released, but that dozens of Israeli and international participants in the solidarity mission remained in custody. 'I was eventually released and I was told I was being given a warning, that my actions were illegal and wrong, and that we had created a public disturbance and gone where we weren’t supposed to go,' Mr. Lander said in an interview.... 'The rabbis and others are still there in detention and we don’t know — obviously they’re under threat of deportation, and all we were doing was harvesting olives,' he added.” The link is a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.) MS NOW's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This so irritated me that I made a small contribution to Lander's election campaign. I doubt he needs the money. If Lander's trip to Israel during the final weeks of the campaign was an election gimmick, it worked on me!