- Jon Swaine @ The Washington Post: Tulsi Gabbard, her guru and the mysterious messages that helped shape her political career
I obtained hundreds of confidential memos detailing politics and policy guidance for Gabbard from her years in Congress, then embarked on a quest to identify who was behind them.
- Annie Knox @ Utah News Dispatch: New elections official said women in office ‘do not have what it takes.’ They returned the criticism
23-year-old Kai Schwemmer, hired to help run elections in Utah County, has a new title and less authority.
- Ellie Ashby @ The Texas Tribune: Which Bible passages are in Texas’ proposed student reading list? Here’s what the selections reveal.
The chosen readings, to be voted on soon by the State Board of Education, draw heavily from Christian perspectives.
- Ben Taub @ The New Yorker: Inside the Ludicrous, Deadly Serious Plan to Take Over Greenland
“We want Greenland,” Trump said. Four men sprang into action to make fantasy a reality.
- Jacob Wendler @ Politico: A small conservative group rises in influence under Trump 2.0
Republicans are increasingly turning to the Capital Research Center’s work in their investigations into nonprofits.
- Anna Maria Barry-Jester @ ProPublica: “A Huge Grab of Power”: Trump Is Defying Congress on Foreign Aid
Congress gave orders to Trump officials on foreign aid spending, but officials have largely refused to follow many of them, likely in violation of the law, experts say.
- Anthea Butler @ MS Now: JD Vance’s book ‘Communion’ reveals he hasn’t changed as much as he says he has
As he promotes his new book about his conversion, Vance seems confused about what Catholicism is, and he doesn’t seem to understand that Christian beliefs aren’t the same as a list of conservative talking points.
- Greg Jaffe and Kate Kelly @ The New York Times: Secret Vetting and Blocked Promotions: Inside Hegseth’s War on Diversity
A Black admiral fixed one of the Navy’s worst messes. Mr. Hegseth blocked his promotion anyway.
- Marisa Taylor, Chris Prentice, Kaylee Kang and Allison Martell @ Reuters: How to get a Trump pardon: Forget the DOJ, call “Bobby” and other influencers
A Reuters investigation found nearly all the clemency decisions made by President Trump during his current term flouted longstanding Justice Department guidelines. In place of traditional rules, the White House relies on a network of influential advocates espousing pardons based on partisan, personal criteria.
