US/World News
MN Shooting Fallout/ICE
Who Takes the Fall?
0:03:37 Trump White House distances itself from provocative claims by Noem, others on Pretti shooting (ABC)
‘President Donald Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt are distancing themselves from the provocative statements made by top administration officials in the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti involving federal agents in Minneapolis.’
‘Trump, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, notably declined to say whether he thought the agents involved in the Pretti shooting acted appropriately and said his administration was “reviewing everything and will come out with a determination.”’
‘The shooting is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, Leavitt told reporters. Customs and Border Protection is also conducting their own internal review, she said.’
0:04:50 Blame game erupts over Trump team’s false claim Alex Pretti sought “massacre” (Axios)
‘Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is under fire for issuing misleading and incendiary information that claimed immigration agents killed an armed Minnesota protestor Saturday because he wanted to “massacre” them.’
‘White House officials are blaming Customs and Border Patrol for furnishing inaccurate information, while others are targeting Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and top Trump adviser, six sources with knowledge of the situation told Axios.’
‘”Everything I’ve done, I’ve done at the direction of the president and Stephen,” Noem told a person who relayed her remarks to Axios.’
0:05:25 AFGE demands resignations of Noem, Miller following member’s slaying (Government Executive)
‘On Monday, the leaders of both the American Federation of Government Employees and AFGE Local 3669, of which Pretti was a member, demanded that Miller and Noem resign from their posts over statements they made Saturday; Noem called Pretti a “domestic terrorist,” while Miller described him as a “would-be assassin,” claims belied by the wide array of videos capturing the encounter and subsequent killing. Those same videos appear to show that Pretti had already been disarmed when he was shot.’
‘House Democratic leaders, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., similarly called for Noem to resign Tuesday morning, and threatened to begin impeachment proceedings if she does not.’
0:05:53 Patrol head Bovino and some agents leaving Minnesota (Axios)
‘Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino and some federal agents will begin leaving Minnesota on Tuesday, according to local leaders and multiple media reports.’
‘Reports of the pullback came hours after Trump and Gov. Tim Walz had a “productive” phone call on the situation in Minnesota.’
‘Earlier Monday, Trump also announced that he sent [border czar Tom] Homan to Minneapolis, saying Homan will “report directly to me.”
Trump said Walz was “happy” with the news, and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) welcomed Homan’s arrival as an “opportunity for a reset.”
Republican pushback?
0:08:49 Over 60 Minnesota CEOs call for de-escalation (KSTP)
‘Signed by the CEOs of major businesses in Minnesota, the letter called for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together.”’
Minnesota Republican drops out of governor’s race, citing GOP’s handling of immigration enforcement (NBC)
‘Republican Chris Madel announced Monday that he was ending his run for Minnesota governor, pointing to his party’s handling of immigration enforcement in his state as his rationale.’
‘”I cannot support the national Republicans’ stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so,” Madel said in a video posted to X.’
‘In the nearly 11-minute video, Madel emphasized that he supports Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “originally stated goals” in its Operation Metro Surge in his state. He argued, though, that the operation “has expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats.”’
0:10:41 Two Republican senators say it’s time for Noem’s departure from DHS (MSNOW)
‘GOP Sens. Thom Tillis, N.C., and Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, on Tuesday called for Noem to leave her post leading DHS.’
‘“I think that what she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying,” Tillis told reporters on Tuesday, saying he hadn’t decided whether to back a push to impeach Noem. “She should be out of a job.”’
‘Murkowski stopped short of demanding that Trump force out Noem. But she did say she was “disappointed” in the DHS secretary and that it was time for Noem to move on.’
0:12:12 Republican calls for investigation into Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis increase (NBC)
‘Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Mike Crapo of Idaho, John Curtis of Utah, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have all said there needs to be a thorough probe into Saturday’s fatal shooting of Pretti, a U.S. citizen, by Border Patrol.’
‘Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, on Monday called on the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to testify before his panel at an oversight hearing next month.’
0:12:45 ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ Minnesota judge says after immigrant released following contempt threat (CNBC)
‘[ICE Director Todd] Lyons had been ordered to appear in the judge’s courtroom [Friday] to explain why federal officials refused to hold a bond hearing for a detained immigrant as [US District Court Chief Judge Patrick] Schiltz had ordered, and to explain why ICE had repeatedly violated court orders in Minnesota over immigration enforcement actions.’
‘The immigrant, Juan Hugo Tobay Robles, was released from custody in Texas on Tuesday, a day after Schiltz scheduled the hearing.’
“That does not end the Court’s concerns, however,” Schiltz said, also writing “ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence,” attaching an appendix identifying nearly 100 such violations to the court filing.
0:13:36 DOJ opens a civil rights probe into Alex Pretti’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis (NBC)
‘The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights probe into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday.’
0:13:45 NRA attacks Trump after he says Alex Pretti should not have had a gun (Independent)
‘When asked Tuesday if he agreed with some officials who described Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Trump replied: “I haven’t heard that, but certainly shouldn’t have been carrying a gun.”’
‘“The NRA unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be,” the gun lobby wrote on X following Trump’s remarks.’
‘This comes after the NRA slammed a Justice Department official appointed by the Trump administration who weighed in on the shooting just hours after it happened.’
‘‘Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wrote on X: “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Don’t do it!”’
‘The NRA replied directly to his post, calling his sentiment “dangerous and wrong.”’
‘“Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens,” the NRA wrote.’
They’re Still At It
0:18:51 Trump reshuffles his Minnesota operation after backlash from second fatal shooting (NBC)
‘[Administration officials and allies] acknowledged to NBC News that they needed a strategic shift amid a public uproar over Pretti’s killing, though the White House is still very much focused on its original agenda of cracking down on immigration and fraud.’
‘“The visuals were not playing well. He understands TV. … He saw it for himself,” said a Republican lawmaker.’
‘Trump has publicly expressed frustration with the way his administration is being portrayed on a number of issues. In a Truth Social post on Jan. 19, he said there was “too much media attention on ICE” in Minnesota. The following day, during a rare appearance at the White House press briefing, Trump also mused, “Maybe I have bad public relations people. I think we’re doing a much better job than we’re able to promote. We’re not promoting. ... It’s one of the reasons I’m doing this news conference.”’
0:19:45 Trump ‘likes his tough guys’ and will stay aggressive on immigration (NewsNation)
The Trump administration is planning to reduce its federal footprint in Minnesota after two fatal shootings this month, but sources say the president remains “happy” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, and that he likes the “tough guy” storyline.
‘Despite messaging from the president about de-escalating, one source told NewsNation that federal officers have been given “absolute power” by Trump and that he would not direct agents to tone down their aggressive tactics, adding they are emboldened from the top down.’
‘A former DHS senior official under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden told NewsNation that despite staying aggressive on immigration, the operation in Minnesota will likely move away from “performative tactics”’
0:20:27 Trump calls Alex Pretti an ‘insurrectionist’ and ‘agitator’ after new video of ICU nurse emerges (NBC)
‘Donald Trump on Friday called Alex Pretti an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist,” marking an increase in the intensity of his rhetoric toward the ICU nurse fatally shot by federal agents after the president recently said he wanted to “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota.’
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that Pretti’s “stock has gone way down” after a video surfaced showing the 37-year old in an altercation with federal immigration agents 11 days prior to the incident in which he was killed, in which he can be seen yelling at the officers and kicking out the rear taillight on one of their vehicles.
0:24:16 Man arrested after charging Rep. Ilhan Omar, spraying her with liquid during town hall (ABC)
‘In Tuesday’s incident, police say 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak was observed by officers using a syringe to spray an unknown liquid onto the congresswoman. Kazmierczak was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault, Minneapolis police said.’
‘Preliminary reports indicate the liquid was non-toxic, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said Wednesday.’
‘Asked Wednesday about the attack, Omar said the man who attacked her “was specifically upset that Trump’s order to deport Somalis was not yielding enough deportations of Somalis, so he wanted to come get the person he thought was protecting the Somalis?”’
They’re kidnapping children!
0:25:41 Mother of Liam Conejo Ramos shares her story from hiding (MPR)
‘Liam’s mother, Erika Ramos, spoke to MPR News about what she witnessed that day. She also discussed her phone conversations with her son and her husband and the pain she has experienced.’
‘Ramos, 33, is three months pregnant and in hiding now. She said she fears ICE will detain her despite her legal status to be in the United States. Ramos and her 13-year-old son fled their home after ICE agents took away Liam and his father on Jan. 20.’
‘Since their detainment, she said she had to go to a hospital emergency room because of bleeding. Ramos said she is experiencing what she called “extreme levels of stress.”’
Meanwhile, Liam and his father ‘are currently being held by federal authorities in the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, an hour plus drive southwest of San Antonio.’
‘[Adrian] Conejo Arias (the father) tells her that Liam has been sick. He’s had stomach pain, fever and won’t eat the food because it’s cold, Ramos said.’
2 more kids from Liam Conejo Ramos’ Columbia Heights school taken into ICE custody (MPR)
‘Two more Minnesota children — a second grader and a fifth grader — were taken into custody with their mother on Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.’
‘Columbia Heights school officials said Thursday’s detention happened after agents apprehended the children’s mother during her court appointment earlier that day.’
‘At least six children from the Columbia Heights school district have been taken into ICE custody this month.’
In Scathing Ruling, Federal Judge Orders Release of Liam Ramos From Detention (Mother Jones)
‘Judge Fred Biery of the Federal District Court for the Western District of Texas has ruled that the detention of Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, was unconstitutional. They are both asylum seekers.’
‘In a scathing opinion, the judge wrote that the father and son “seek nothing more than some modicum of due process and the rule of law,” adding that immigration agents were “traumatizing children.”’
‘Biery wrote of the detainment: “Observing human behavior confirms that for some among us, the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency.”’
0:27:50 Ecuador says ICE agent tried to enter its Minneapolis consulate (Axios)
‘An ICE agent on Tuesday attempted to forcibly enter Ecuador’s consulate in Minneapolis, according to the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.’
‘Federal agents, under international law, are generally not allowed to enter an embassy or consulate without permission of the consul or ambassador.’
‘A note of protest was “immediately” submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador, asking that similar acts not be repeated at any offices in the country.’
Public Pushback
0:32:18 Trump approval among independent voters hits new low (The Hill)
‘The [Economist/YouGov] survey, conducted [last] weekend, shows Trump’s net job approval among independents at negative 40 percentage points, with 27 percent approving and 67 percent disapproving.’
0:32:38 Trump Underwater in Fox News Poll (Fox News)
‘Voters say the economy is in bad shape, that President Donald Trump’s policies haven’t helped, that he isn’t spending enough time on the economy and that things are unlikely to get better this year. That’s according to a new Fox News survey released Wednesday.’
‘The poll finds a 54% majority thinks the country is worse off today than it was a year ago compared to 31% who say it is better off. That 23 percentage-point deficit comes from most Democrats (84%) and independents (71%) saying the U.S. is worse off and a smaller majority of Republicans saying the country is better off (61%).’
0:33:22 Thousands of anti-ICE protesters take to US streets in day of action (Guardian)
‘The demonstrations were part of a nationwide day of action, advocating “no work, no school, no shopping” in a protest against the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration crackdowns.’
‘Protesters in Philadelphia, New York, Boise and Columbus gathered at city halls, courthouses, statehouses and legislative buildings, according to an action tracker. Students at high schools and colleges in Florida, California and other states staged walkouts. In Milwaukee and in Buffalo, Wyoming, people are gathering at parks and on street corners.’
‘In Minnesota, where tens of thousands turned out for economic actions and a rally last Friday to protest ICE’s surge in the city, some businesses closed for the day while others stayed open under different models, either donating revenue from the day or providing free coffee and a place for people in the community to rest safely.’
ICE Funding Debated by Congress
0:37:13 Senate passes funding deal but a partial government shutdown is on tap for this weekend (Yahoo! Finance)
‘The Senate passed a deal Friday evening to fund the federal government but the legislation requires House approval which led to a partial government shutdown that began early Saturday morning and is set to last at least a few days.’
‘It was a bipartisan vote of 71-29 Friday evening advanced an agreement between Senate Democrats and the White House to push off a final decision on funding the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks and approve five other spending bills in the meantime.’
‘The current state of play means that many government functions in focus for markets — from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to the Federal Aviation Administration to the Internal Revenue Service — are facing a short lapse in funding but minimal disruptions are expected if the stoppage ends by next week as expected.’
‘Funding for the Pentagon and State Department, as well as Health & Human Services and Education, would also be approved if this quintet of other bills advances.’
Democrats Cave on Demands for DHS Reforms, Agree to Short-Term Spending Bill (Truthout)
‘Earlier in the day, Democrats blocked a spending bill using a filibuster in order to force the Trump administration into negotiations over its violent deportation campaign in cities across the US.’
‘Democrats were hoping they could force negotiations, issuing three specific demands:
Ending roving patrols by immigration agents and tightening rules requiring the use of warrants;
Creating a universal code of conduct for federal agents when it comes to the use of force;
And forbidding agents from wearing masks, requiring them to display their identification more clearly, and making body cameras an essential feature of their work.’
‘However, mere hours after they blocked the spending package, the White House announced it had reached a deal with Senate Democrats, who later confirmed the deal was legitimate.’
‘Funding for DHS will last for the next two weeks, allowing for negotiations between Democrats and Republicans on the issues listed above to commence during that time.’
‘The deal represents a major concession from Democrats — by allowing spending for most of the government to be approved, they give up a large bargaining chip to ensure their demands, however milquetoast, are taken seriously.’
‘Critics have blasted Democrats’ list of demands as weak and ineffectual to begin with, pointing out that they don’t even include a call for federal immigration agents to leave Minneapolis. Notably, ICE is already ignoring dozens of judicial orders, and any reforms included in a new funding bill may be similarly disregarded.’
0:44:29 Federal judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota as a lawsuit proceeds (PBS)
‘Judge Katherine M. Menendez on Saturday denied a preliminary injunction sought in a lawsuit filed this month by state Attorney General Keith Ellison and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul.’
‘It argues that the Department of Homeland Security is violating constitutional protections. State and local officials sought a quick order to halt the enforcement action or limit its scope. Lawyers with the U.S. Department of Justice have called the lawsuit “legally frivolous.”’
‘The ruling on the injunction focused on the argument by Minnesota officials that the federal government is violating the Constitution’s 10th Amendment, which limits the federal government’s powers to infringe on the sovereignty of states.’
‘The judge also said she was influenced by the government’s victory last week at the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court set aside her decision putting limits on the use of force by immigration officers against peaceful Minnesota protesters.’
‘”If that injunction went too far, then the one at issue here — halting the entire operation — certainly would,” Menendez said.’
Georgia Election Center Raid
0:45:15 FBI’s Search of Georgia Election Center Is “Dangerous,” Experts Warn (ProPublica)
‘When the FBI executed a warrant on Wednesday to seize records from the 2020 presidential vote in Fulton County, Georgia, it marked both an extraordinary event in the history of American elections and a significant escalation in President Donald Trump’s breaking of democratic norms, several legal experts said.’
‘Trump has long claimed, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen from him and blamed Georgia, in particular, for his loss to Joe Biden. After the election, he famously made a call pressuring the secretary of state to “find” him enough votes to win. About a week ago, in a speech at the World Economic Forum, Trump once again called the 2020 election “rigged” and promised, “People will soon be prosecuted for what they did.”
‘The warrant served on the Fulton County election center sought ballots, tabulator tapes, digital data and voter rolls, which it alleged might constitute “evidence of the commission of a criminal offense.” It cited stiff criminal penalties related to “the procurement, casting, or tabulation” of fraudulent ballots.’
‘Mo Ivory, a Democratic Fulton County commissioner, arrived on the scene shortly after the FBI agents and said that once an error on the warrant was corrected, they backed up lines of trucks to the elections warehouse and spent hours carting away boxes of ballots and other materials. The search began in the morning and was still going well past nightfall.’
Commissioner Mo Ivory on Reels (Instagram)
Fulton County leaders react to FBI raid at election center near Atlanta (FOX5)
‘Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chair Rob Pitts and Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections Chair Sherri Allen spoke outside the election center on Wednesday night, detailing what they knew about the seizure.’
‘Both Pitts said they do not know where the FBI is taking the boxes or what they will do with them.’
‘”We can no longer, and I can no longer, as the chair of this board, satisfy not only the citizens of Atlanta but the citizens of the world that those ballots are still secure,” Pitts said.’
‘The ballots have been sealed under court order in a civil trial, and Commissioner [Marvin] Arrington said one of the primary concerns now that they are being seized is what will happen to them once they are out of Fulton County’s custody.’
FBI’s Fulton County raid may have been illegal, legal experts warn. But it definitely raises fears for 2026 (Democracy Docket)
‘Election law experts are questioning the legality of the FBI’s unprecedented seizure of 2020 election ballots in Fulton County, Ga. in a raid that has further inflamed fears of federal interference in the upcoming midterm elections.’
‘There is widespread doubt that the records will produce any evidence of prosecutable criminal activity, and not just because the 2020 election results have been recounted, audited, and litigated to death already. ‘
‘But, they warn, 2020 isn’t the investigation’s real target — 2026 is.’
“We know the 2020 election was secure, with paper ballots throughout the country counted and recounted and audited to confirm the results,” Center for Election Innovation and Research executive director David Becker said in a press call Thursday. “Ongoing through the 2026 — and perhaps 2028 — election cycles, the administration is going to use some of its actions to fuel false claims of fraud, to spread disinformation, to encourage distrust of our election system, particularly when elections yield results that the President doesn’t like.”
‘Some observers also questioned why the attorney signing off on the application was Thomas Albus, the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. Bloomberg Law reported Thursday that Bondi had quietly assigned Albus to investigate election integrity cases nationwide.’
0:48:41 DNI Gabbard’s role in Trump election probe under scrutiny (ABC)
‘She was seen on Wednesday at the county’s Elections Hub and Operations Center as the FBI conducted a search warrant and seized voting records, but she did not explain her presence in any statements.’
‘And congressional Democrats are demanding answers about why the president’s spy chief -- who normally deals with foreign intelligence threats -- is involved.’
‘Alexa Henning, DNI’s deputy chief of staff, claimed in an X post Friday morning that “Intelligence has found that foreign actors are developing more and more sophisticated cyber capabilities that target critical infrastructure, which reinforces the need for the [ODNI] to ensure that these efforts do not impact the election process.”
DOJ Arrests Journalists
0:55:25 Journalists Georgia Fort, Don Lemon among 4 arrested over protest during St. Paul church service (Star Tribune)
‘Independent journalists Georgia Fort and Don Lemon were arrested by federal agents in connection with their role in documenting an anti-ICE demonstration in a St. Paul church during a service on Jan. 18.’
‘Fort’s attorney told the Minnesota Star Tribune that she was arrested about 6 a.m. Jan. 30 at her Twin Cities home and taken to the Whipple Federal Building, site of much of the judicial activity in connection with the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota.’
‘Lemon, a former CNN news anchor, also was in Cities Church during the protest and covering it as a journalist. He was arrested late on Jan. 29 in Los Angeles.’
‘Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X that the arrests of Fort and Lemon were at her direction. Bondi said she also ordered the arrests of politician and Black Lives Matter-Minnesota co-founder Trahern Crews and DFL activist and former state House staffer Jamael Lundy,the intergovernmental affairs manager for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.’
‘Charged with participating in the protest are Minneapolis civil rights activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen and military veteran William Kelly.’
‘The Trump administration sought to charge eight people in all over the episode, citing a law that protects people seeking to participate in a service in a house of worship. But a magistrate judge who reviewed the evidence approved charges against only Levy Armstrong, Allen and Kelly, rejecting the evidence against the others as insufficient.’
Don Lemon Speaks Out After Arrest By Donald Trump’s DOJ (Newsweek)
‘A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota previously denied arrest warrants for Lemon and others, but a federal grand jury later indicted individuals, including Lemon and journalist Georgia Fort, alleging conspiracy to deprive congregants of their rights and interference with religious freedom at a house of worship.”
‘“I have spent my entire career covering the news,” Lemon said. “I will not stop now. There is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.”’
The federal charges against Don Lemon raise serious concerns for press freedom (FIRE)
‘Section 241 criminalizes conspiring to “injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person . . . in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States.” It’s unclear whether the government has ever invoked § 241 to protect First Amendment religious exercise. Supreme Court precedent suggests that when the government moves to protect First Amendment rights under similar civil rights statutes, the prosecution must prove that state actors were involved. If so, the government faces a steep uphill battle proving the § 241 charge.’
Judge Shiltz, in denying prosecutors’ request to indict Lemon wrote, “The government lumps all eight protestors together and says things that are true of some but not all of them. Two of the five protestors were not protestors at all; instead, they were a journalist and his producer. There is no evidence that those two engaged in any criminal behavior or conspired to do so.”
Economy
1:03:29 What economic experts think about Trump’s choice of Kevin Warsh for Fed chair (PBS)
‘President Donald Trump announced Friday that he would nominate Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, an independent agency that has been under pressure from the president to lower interest rates for the last year.’
‘‘If confirmed, Warsh would succeed Fed Chair Jerome Powell — a previous Trump nominee who has incurred the president’s ire for not heeding his demands — when Powell’s term expires in May.’
‘Warsh served on the Fed Board of Governors from 2006 through 2011, where he had an opportunity to help shape the U.S. economy during one of its greatest periods of turmoil in recent history. Now a fellow at the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank, and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, he also worked as an economic advisor to President George W. Bush.’
Everything you need to know about Kevin Warsh, Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Reserve (CNBC)
‘Warsh emerged from [his term on the board] as a Fed critic.’
‘He warned that large-scale asset purchases and near-zero benchmark interest rates ran the risk of distorting markets and undermining long-term price stability. While supporting the earlier efforts, Warsh voted against the second round of Fed bond buying, a program known as quantitative easing.’
‘Warsh has further criticized the post-financial crisis Fed with going too far in monetary policy stimulus, contending that it is helping sow the sees for further crises. In some respects, President Donald Trump is appointing a Fed chair who may be even less inclined to accommodate political pressure than Jerome Powell.’
‘If Trump thinks Warsh will be able to just push through aggressive rate cuts with ease, he might be in for an unpleasant surprise. Multiple voting members on the Federal Open Market Committee have expressed resistance to cutting further until there’s more evidence that inflation is definitively moving towards the central bank’s 2% inflation goal.’
Trump sues IRS, Treasury for $10 billion over tax returns leak (ABC)
‘President Donald Trump, two of his sons and his namesake organization sued his own Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department on Thursday over the unauthorized disclosure of his tax information during his first term, for which a former IRS contractor pleaded guilty in 2023.’
‘In their suit, the president, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and the Trump Organization accused the two government agencies of failing in their “duty to safeguard and protect Plaintiffs’ confidential tax returns and related tax return information from such unauthorized inspection and public disclosure.”’
‘In doing so, the government caused them “reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, unfairly tarnished their business reputations, portrayed them in a false light, and negatively affected President Trump, and the other Plaintiffs’ public standing.”’
Epstein Files
1:07:00 DOJ releases millions of pages of additional Epstein files (NBC)
‘The new document dump dwarfed the two earlier Epstein file releases and included more than 3.5 million pages, 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a press conference.’
‘And that constituted about half of the more than six million Epstein-related documents the DOJ collected, Blanche said.’
So half are still outstanding?
‘The DOJ missed a December deadline to turn over all the unclassified documents, with certain exceptions, required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law Nov. 19 by Trump and gave Attorney General Pam Bondi 30 days to release all of the department’s Epstein files.’
‘That law also requires the agency to explain any redactions to Congress. But some of the newly released documents were heavily redacted, including 81 pages of an 82-page document that refers to Epstein’s psychological review. One seven-page document was completely redacted and later appeared to have been removed from the DOJ website.’
‘A group of 20 women who say Epstein preyed on them issued a statement criticizing the DOJ for not releasing all of the documents.’
Early takeaways from DOJ’s big Epstein files drop (CNN)
‘President Donald Trump’s name shows up a lot in the latest batch of files, which includes material ranging from investigative documents to emails to news clips. A few of the mentions stand out so far.’
‘First is an email chain from August 2025 in which an apparent FBI employee displays a list of apparently unsubstantiated tips involving Trump and Epstein – many of them quite salacious.’
US officials dismiss ‘sensational’ Trump claims in Epstein files (Times)
‘The US Department of Justice warned that the Epstein files contained “unfounded and false” claims about President Trump as it released three million new pages of documents.’
‘The president is mentioned more than 3,000 times in the latest batch of documents. Trump administration officials said “untrue and sensationalist” claims about the president submitted just before the 2020 election were included in the 3.5 million pages published online.’
A much-anticipated draft indictment from the Southern District of Florida from the 2000s would have charged Epstein alongside what appear to be three others who are described as having been “employed” by Epstein. The individuals, whose names are redacted, are mostly described as facilitating appointments between Epstein and girls.
‘New questions about prominent figures including Lutnick and Musk’
Documents show Trump Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in 2012 planning a trip to Epstein’s island, years after when he said he had cut ties with Epstein.
‘Similarly, the documents show tech billionaire Elon Musk trying to coordinate trips to Epstein’s island in 2012 and 2013, despite Musk’s claims to having rebuffed Epstein’s attempts to invite him.’
‘The files continue to feature significant mentions of [Former President Bill] Clinton. Those include Epstein in a 2016 deposition being asked about Clinton, and repeatedly invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.’
‘The documents also suggest an extensive relationship between Epstein and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon that could add to pressure on Bannon to account for it.’
Also This Week
Other US News
Nearly 800 cases in South Carolina’s record-breaking measles outbreak (ABC)
Landmark social media lawsuits head to a trial that could put CEOs on the stand (NBC)
ICE says it’s arrested more than 200 people since last week in Maine operation (Maine Public)
Sen. Susan Collins announces end to ICE large-scale operations in Maine after talks with Noem (AP)
International
The ‘Doomsday Clock’ is now 85 seconds to midnight (Yahoo)
Trump is a bigger threat to Nato than Putin, says alliance’s former commander (Independent)
US military moves Navy, Air Force assets to the Middle East (Al Jazeera)
China’s top general under investigation for alleged violations amid corruption crackdown (Guardian)
Trump says tariffs on South Korean autos, pharma to rise to 25% (CNBC)
Ex-FIFA president joins those calling for boycott of World Cup in US (ABC)
Spain is granting legal status to immigrants lacking authorization — potentially 500,000 people (AP)
Indiana News
The Crossroads: Intersection of US/Indiana Politics
1:14:47 Trump signs executive order confirming IndyCar race in Washington DC (Motorsport)
‘United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy posted an AI-generated video last week, depicting IndyCar racing around the National Mall. U.S. President Donald Trump shared the video and expressed support for the idea, wanting it as part of celebrations for the country’s 250th birthday.’
‘On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order confirming plans for a race, calling it the ‘Freedom 250.’ He is instructing the city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, to work with his administration on putting the race together. The Interior and Transportation departments will be tasked with designing the track layout alongside IndyCar, and finding the funding for the race.’
‘Trump awarded Roger Penske the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and he joined Trump in the Oval Office for the signing of this executive order.’
1:15:42 FBI searched two IU biology labs in December (IPM)
‘The FBI searched two labs in the Indiana University biology department last month. One of them employed a Chinese researcher who faces smuggling charges for bringing plasmid DNA from E. coli into the country. ’
‘The laboratories belong to professors Roger Innes and Xindan Wang, both microbiologists who work with bacteria’
‘Innes employed postdoctoral fellow Youhuang Xiang, who the FBI arrested in November. ’
‘DNA of E. coli plasmids is generally harmless and commonly researched in labs. One biology graduate student knowledgeable of the searches said that they often send and receive plasmids from out of the country. ’
1:16:45 Indiana hospitals nearing ‘breaking point’ as financial pressures mount (FOX59)
‘The Indiana Hospital Association has called on local and federal lawmakers to help address the “mounting pressure” that hospitals across the Hoosier state continue to experience amid Medicaid cuts and other systemic issues.’
‘According to an analysis that was completed by Kaufman Hall, a company that specializes in providing healthcare management consulting and insights, Indiana hospitals continue to face obstacles such as a reduction in Medicaid reimbursement rates, operating on “razor-thin” margins, and navigating the growing costs of medical services and products outpacing projected revenues.’
‘In response to all of these challenges, the Indiana Hospital Association urged lawmakers to consider the following changes to ease the burden on healthcare providers and hospitals across the state.
Modernizing Medicaid reimbursement rates
Reducing administrative burdens and insurer-imposed delays and denials
Ensuring hospitals can continue providing essential services, particularly in rural areas
Supporting financial stability to prevent hospital closures and service reductions’
Trump posts more endorsements of GOP challengers to Indiana redistricting foes (ICC)
‘President Donald Trump is publicly backing Republican primary challengers to longtime state Sens. Jim Buck and Greg Walker over their opposition to the Indiana congressional redistricting demanded by the president.’
‘Trump has vowed political revenge against Republican legislators who helped defeat the redistricting bill — and in separate Monday social media posts he endorsed state Rep. Michelle Davis in her challenge to Walker and Tipton County Commissioner Tracey Powell to defeat Buck.’
‘The president used similar language last week in endorsing a primary challenger to Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, for also voting against the redistricting bill. Trump said he was supporting Blake Fiechter, a Bluffton City Council member who has not yet filed a candidacy for the Senate seat.’
At the Statehouse
1:22:02 Clere won’t seek re-election to Indiana Statehouse (News & Tribune)
‘After nearly two decades in office, Ed Clere will not seek another term this year as the Indiana House District 72 representative.’
‘Instead, Clere is leaving the Republican Party and will again run for mayor of New Albany in next year’s municipal elections, but this time as an independent.’
“There are many good Republicans, but the Republican Party has lost its way, and I can no longer be a part of it.”
Clere broke with the party on redistricting, syringe exchange programs, transgender rights, and partisan school board elections, among other issues.
‘There’s been a “fault line” that’s developed in the party after the investigation and conviction of Jamey Noel, Clere said. Noel is a former Clark County sheriff and former chair of the 9th District Republican Party who was sentenced to prison in a public corruption and theft case.’
‘Clere said he and others in the party who were strongly opposed to Noel and his influence were in one group, and those who “were under the influence of Jamey Noel and did his bidding” were in the other group.’
Indiana Statehouse sustains damage following record-breaking snow (FOX59)
‘Members of the House Ways and Means Committee were forced to relocate their meeting early Tuesday morning due to a leaky ceiling at the Statehouse following a massive winter storm.’
‘The discovery of the damage came roughly 24 hours after the Indiana House postponed its Monday session due to inclement weather — the first time the legislative body had done so in years.’
Legislation
Indianapolis education changes, Bears stadium and more bills moving on deadline week (Axios Indy)
Indiana bill tracker: Senate OKs school cell phone ban, Bears bill advances. What else moved (IndyStar)
1:27:14 Indiana National Guard ‘military police’ bill passes House (ICC)
‘Following 90 minutes of intense debate, a bill empowering Indiana’s governor to deploy a “military police force” of Indiana National Guard members throughout the state advanced Wednesday from the House on a 67-29 vote. It now heads to the Senate.’
‘Proponents maintain the measure ensures Hoosier soldiers and airmen are ready for emergencies — citing the fractured response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.’
‘Opponents fear the provisions could be abused, pointing to President Donald Trump’s ongoing, lethal deployment of federal immigration officers to Minnesota.’
‘The governor would be able to order the force to active duty and deploy them anywhere in the state in the case of war, disaster or “at any other time the governor considers necessary.” He’d have to provide “reasonable notice” to affected local law enforcement agencies, and coordinate with them, “as circumstances permit.”’
1:29:33 Hemp-related bill passes Indiana Senate, moves to Indiana House of Representatives (FOX59)
‘A bill that would alter the state’s definition of hemp to match the federal definition recently passed the Indiana Senate and will move to the Indiana House of Representatives.’
‘Under the bill, residents under 21 years of age will not be able to enter an establishment that mainly sells tobacco products and products containing THC. Those individuals would also be prevented from purchasing hemp-based THC products and would require IDs to be checked before purchases are made. This bill would also ban products with high amounts of THC in the state of Indiana, officials said.’
‘With the reclassification of marijuana being discussed at the federal level, the bill would also allow the Indiana General Assembly to decide to follow the federal government should they reclassify marijuana. The state’s current statute would automatically lower a drug on Indiana’s drug schedule if the federal government made the change.’
1:29:33 Indiana to pursue permitting primacy over carbon dioxide storage wells (ICC)
‘A bill under consideration by the Indiana General Assembly would require the Department of Natural Resources’ autonomous board to seek primary enforcement authority over Class VI wells. House Bill 1368 also outlines a state-level regulatory scheme.’
‘They’re one of six classes of wells the EPA regulates under an Underground Injection Control program, for substances like oil, gas and now, the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide.’
‘Six states already hold primary enforcement authority for Class VI wells, according to an EPA table: Arizona, Louisiana, North Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming.’
‘Kerwin Olson, the executive director of Citizens Action Coalition, said his ratepayer advocacy organization and peers think agencies like DNR can be too lax.’
1:35:12 Indiana lawmakers move to permit — but not require — display of Ten Commandments in schools (Chalkbeat)
‘Indiana lawmakers have advanced a bill allowing school districts to permit the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and elsewhere — but teachers would be prohibited from reading it aloud in front of students.’
‘Lawmakers also stopped short of requiring that the Ten Commandments be posted in all public school classrooms and libraries, as the original bill proposed.’
‘Critics of HB 1086 said giving Indiana districts permission to display the Ten Commandments rather than a mandate would effectively shift the legal burden from the state to school districts.’
Indiana lawmakers amend bill, save school protections for kids with diabetes (WTHR)
‘The Indiana House approved an amendment Tuesday afternoon to keep a 2007 law that provides additional protections for schoolchildren managing diabetes. The change means enhancements to federal protections will remain in Indiana.’
‘A spokesperson for [Indiana School Board Association] confirmed the organization recommended elimination of the [Hunter’s Law] because it believes the protections are already provided under federal law.’
‘Advocates of the law, including the American Diabetes Association, said federal law is not enough and were excited when lawmakers approved the amendment.’
1:36:46 Indiana House narrowly rejects firing squad execution bill (ICC)
‘A bill to add the firing squad as an execution method in Indiana failed in the House on Wednesday, falling three votes short of the required constitutional majority.’
‘Bipartisan opposition to House Bill 1119 doomed the measure with a 48-47 tally. In the 100-member House, a bill must earn at least 51 votes to advance or be defeated.’
‘Nineteen Republicans and 28 Democrats voted against the bill, which would allow the Indiana Department of Correction to choose between lethal injection and a firing squad when carrying out death sentences.’
‘The unsuccessful vote came a day after lawmakers removed nitrogen hypoxia as an execution option. Additional amendments adopted Tuesday added mental health screening requirements for members of the execution team and revised language governing media witnesses to executions.’
LEAP Water Boone-doggle
1:41:21 Here’s how Citizens will treat and ship water to the LEAP district (IndyStar)
‘Construction is underway to build Lebanon’s up and coming tech park, known as the LEAP district despite opposition from thousands of Indianapolis residents over the way the state plans to supply water to the project.’
‘At the heart of the controversy sits Eagle Creek Reservoir, from which water will be pulled for the district and eventually returned. Residents and environmental activists have expressed concern about potential contaminants entering the water in Lebanon and then being discharged with it into the reservoir.’
‘To ship up to 25 million gallons of water to Lebanon every day, Citizens will increase the amount of water it regularly pulls from Eagle Creek Reservoir by about 2-3 million gallons. The rest of the water will come from the Citizens water system, which includes groundwater sources, Fall Creek, the White River and three other reservoirs.’
An expansion project at one water treatment plant, the construction of another, four new booster stations, and 50+ miles of transmission mains will move the additional water.
‘Plans exist for a pipe from Lebanon back to Eagle Creek, where Lebanon Utilities intends to discharge the treated wastewater, estimated to be more than 100 million gallons each week.’
1:43:08 Follow up: the Effluent pumping of wastewater to the Eagle Creek Reservoir. (IndyStar)
‘Over the past several months, hundreds of Hoosiers who oppose the project have implored public officials to halt the project, shown up at public meetings, and protested construction. Dumping the treated wastewater into Eagle Creek’s ecosystem has proved a key sticking point for many, who note that research shows that wastewater, even when treated, can alter ecosystems.’
‘Discharging treated wastewater into a place like Eagle Creek isn’t uncommon — wastewater has to go somewhere. Several miles upstream from Eagle Creek, the TriCo Regional Sewer Utility and the Zionsville Wastewater Treatment Plant discharge into streams that feed the reservoir. But what is odd in this instance, said [retired IDEM & USGS hydrologist Martin] Risch, is that the discharge site is located in a contained reservoir instead of flowing water.’
Hogsett Corruption
1:48:10 Hogsett allies routinely benefit from no-bid city contracts (Mirror Indy)
‘At least four people with close ties to [Indianapolis Mayor Joe] Hogsett, including two former city employees, a top donor and a former council Democrat, worked on contracts related to Old City Hall. Yet, a decade later, the building on Alabama Street remains empty.’
‘The contracts, worth up to $1.5 million in total since 2017, were awarded without a competitive bidding process — exactly the kind of practice Hogsett criticized on the campaign trail. His first policy announcement while running for mayor in 2015 was an ethics reform package that included a promise to reduce no-bid contracts.
‘An IndyStar/Mirror Indy investigation has found that, after a decade in power, Hogsett’s administration continues to regularly award contracts without a competitive process.’
‘In addition to the Old City Hall contracts, the city and public agencies over which Hogsett has influence have awarded $5 million in other no-bid legal contracts benefiting four of the mayor’s former top advisers since 2020.’
‘All of them left their city positions for jobs with big downtown law firms, then either signed or worked on multiple contracts with the city or other public agencies — sometimes within weeks or months of leaving.’
‘Hogsett’s spokesperson defended the use of no-bid contracts in response to questions from reporters.’
‘“Lawyers are evaluated through a qualitative rather than a quantitative lens,” the spokesperson said. “Unlike searching for the contractor who can pour a quality curb ramp at the lowest possible cost, legal-service providers are selected based on skill, knowledge in a particular area of the law, experience, availability based on deadlines, and focus of practice.”’
‘Other municipalities, however, have found it not only feasible but prudent to award legal contracts through a competitive process.’
‘Three of the former staffers signed or awarded contracts as city employees to the firms they later went to work for. Two returned to law firms where they had worked prior to joining the Hogsett administration.’
‘In many cases, the former staffers performed work under contract similar to what they did while working for Hogsett, raising questions about why the city’s own attorneys couldn’t handle the work and whether the former staffers gained an unfair advantage based on their connections to the city.’
‘The city ethics code prohibits former employees from working on the same “particular matters” they worked on at the city.’
Hogsett: “The cranes seen in the sky all across Downtown Indianapolis and the continued accolades from entities such as LinkedIn and CNBC speak to the impact of these investments in the overall growth and success of our city,” he said. “I am incredibly proud of what this administration has been able to achieve for Downtown Indianapolis, and of the ripple effects that success is having on all of our neighborhoods.”
Hogsett hasn’t delivered a ‘Disclose Indy’ ethics portal. So we built one. (Mirror Indy)
‘Mayor Joe Hogsett promised to create a digital “one-stop shop” for public records such as ethics filings, campaign finance reports and city contracts. But he never did.’
‘While some of that information is scattered across the city’s website, there is no single online destination for it as envisioned under Hogsett’s “Disclose Indy” plan, which he signed into law in 2016.’
‘So journalists at Mirror Indy and IndyStar set out to create one,’ which is included in the linked article.
Young Adult Hoosiers Care—But Don’t Vote
1:54:28 ‘ReCenter Indiana conducted a focus group with young adults, and a survey of 307 Hoosier adults (ages 18–34) in Marion, Hamilton, and Boone counties who were registered to vote but did not participate in the 2024 election.’
KEY FINDINGS
‘They feel like the government isn’t listening to them.’
‘Feeling that their vote doesn’t matter is the top reason young adults give for not voting. Disinterest was among the least-cited reasons.’
While young adults share common frustrations, the specific barriers to voting differ by gender, race, and party.
Men, White voters, and Independents are less likely to vote because they don’t like either candidate
Women and Black voters because of personal obligations
Democrats because they think their vote doesn’t matter
Republicans because they forgot/missed the deadline
‘Focus group participants viewed Election Day as the chance to vote—few mentioned early voting or other options. Most were uninterested in voting by mail, and if they were working or away on Election Day, they simply did not vote. They say that work, limited voting hours, and long lines are obstacles to voting.’
‘Respondents were most motivated by candidates who feel genuine, speak to issues they care about, and reduce the toxicity of politics. Practical improvements like more convenient voting options and clearer information can also increase engagement. Together, these findings show that when voting feels both meaningful and accessible, young adults are more likely to participate.’
