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The Left Is Not More Violent
Aaron Blake: “How do the right and left compare when it comes to 1) perpetrating violence and 2) their support for it?”
“The data, save for a few polls cherry-picked by the right, doesn’t generally back up Trump’s claims that this is a bigger problem on the left. In fact, it usually shows the opposite.”
Wall Street Bets Rates Will Drop Much More
“Wall Street thinks interest rates are poised to come down faster than the Federal Reserve does—a wager that is already boosting the economy and markets by making it cheaper for Americans to borrow,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
U.S. Attorney Quits Before He’s Fired
“The U.S. attorney investigating New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, and the former F.B.I. director James Comey said he had resigned on Friday, hours after President Trump called for his ouster,” the New York Times reports.
“Erik S. Siebert, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, had recently told senior Justice Department officials that investigators found insufficient evidence to bring charges against Ms. James and had also raised concerns about a potential case against Mr. Comey.”
However, Trump posted on Truth Social that he had withdrawn Siebert’s nomination: “He didn’t quit, I fired him!”
Trump Says Critical Coverage of Him Is ‘Really Illegal’
“President Trump said Friday that news reporters who cover his administration negatively have broken the law, a significant broadening of his attacks on journalists and their First Amendment right to critique the government,” the New York Times reports.
“A day after asserting that broadcasters should potentially lose their licenses over negative news coverage of him, Mr. Trump escalated his condemnations of the press, suggesting reporters were lawbreakers.”
Trump Rolls Out $1 Million Gold Visa Fast-Track
“President Donald Trump on Friday rolled out a version of his administration’s long-promised gold card, a $1 million fast-track for wealthy foreigners to live and work in the United States,” Politico reports.
Pentagon Demands Journalists Take Pledge
“The Trump administration unveiled a new crackdown Friday on journalists at the Pentagon, saying it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey,” the Washington Post reports.
Trump Wants U.S. Attorney Fired
“President Donald Trump said he wants the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia removed, after investigators reportedly failed to find sufficient evidence to charge New York Attorney General Letitia James with mortgage fraud,” Politico reports.
“The president pointed to endorsements from Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine to justify the firing.”
Said Trump: “Yeah, I want him out. When I saw that he got approved by those two men, I said ‘pull it.’ Because he can’t be any good.”
Trump to Add $100K Fee for H-1B Visas
“President Trump plans to introduce a new $100,000 application fee for H-1B worker visas, in an effort to reduce their use as part of his broader immigration crackdown,” Reuters reports.
“The H-1B program has become critical for technology and staffing companies who rely on foreign workers to fill a variety of technical roles.”
Vaccine Panel No Longer Recommends Covid Shots
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s handpicked vaccine advisers voted Friday to nix positive recommendations for Covid shots for all Americans, and instead advised “individual decision-making,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
The Shutdown Showdown Is On
Politico: “Democrats had telegraphed in advance of Friday’s vote that they would oppose the GOP bill because Republicans had not responded to entreaties from Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to hold a bipartisan summit meeting to discuss government funding.”
“But Republicans appear to be perfectly comfortable blaming Democrats — and particularly Schumer — for a funding lapse, as the Democratic leader faces pressure on his side of the aisle to put up a fight against Trump and congressional Republicans after caving in March.”
Mike Waltz Confirmed as U.N. Ambassador
“The Senate on Friday confirmed Mike Waltz as President Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, filling a key post days before the United Nations General Assembly kicks off in New York next week,” The Hill reports.
Schumer Holds Out on Mamdani
New York Times: “His hesitance reflects the complicated calculus of a leader facing unique political challenges of his own, including an approval rating at a 20-year low, and who is single-mindedly focused on leading his party back to the Senate majority next year — a task that will require victories in competitive states with little appetite for a democratic socialist who is deeply critical of Israel.”
“It also springs from Mr. Schumer’s sense of responsibility to Jewish voters, and the influence of donors and Democrats in New York City, particularly in the real estate industry, many of whom are vocal with their concerns about a Mamdani mayoralty.”
Russian Jets Breach Estonia’s Airspace
“Three Russian military jets on Friday violated NATO member Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes in an ‘unprecedentedly brazen’ incursion, its government said, amid rising tensions on the alliance’s eastern flank,” Reuters reports.
Path Cleared for Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio
“Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel announced Friday he will not run for Ohio governor next year, ending months of speculation about the former star football coach’s political plans,” the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
“Tressel’s decision further cements Vivek Ramaswamy’s near-lock on the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2026.“
Senate Rejects Stopgap Funding Bill
“The Senate rejected competing measures on Friday to fund federal agencies for a few weeks when the new budget year begins on Oct. 1, increasing prospects for a partial government shutdown on that date.,” the AP reports.
“Leaders of the two parties sought to blame the other side for the standoff. Democrats accused Republicans of not negotiating with them to address some of their priorities on health care as part of the funding measure, even though they knew some Democratic votes would be needed to get a bill to the president’s desk.”
Ted Cruz Calls FCC’s Actions ‘Dangerous as Hell’
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) admonished FCC Chair Brendan Carr for demanding ABC suspend Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show — calling Carr’s actions “dangerous as hell” and “right out of ‘Goodfellas,’” Politico reports.
Said Cruz: “If the government gets in the business of saying, ‘We don’t like what you, the media, have said; we’re going to ban you from the airwaves if you don’t say what we like’ — that will end up bad for conservatives.”
He added: “They will silence us. They will use this power, and they will use it ruthlessly.”
Vaccine Panel Postpones One Vote, Reverses Another
“The chaos from the first day of a meeting of the federal vaccine committee appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. bled into the second day, as the panel reversed one decision and indefinitely postponed a vote on a hepatitis B vaccine they had already deferred once,” the New York Times reports.
