| | | Good morning. We're making today's Capitol Reset newsletter, sent every Friday to Upward News members, available to all readers. If you're not a member, we encourage you to upgrade here to get all of our content — 7 days a week. |
| | |
| | | WHAT WE'RE WATCHING | | 🚨 Trump ends Minneapolis immigration surge. Border czar Tom Homan announced that Operation Metro Surge, which deployed over 3,000 agents to Minneapolis, will conclude following a reported 4,000 arrests since November. Homan made the decision with President Trump citing "success" in the operation, including fewer criminal illegal migrants on the streets and stronger coordination with local officials. | 🍎 MAHA PAC pledges $1M against Senator Cassidy. Tony Lyons, co-chairman of the MAHA PAC and ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced his group would spend $1 million to help Rep. Julia Letlow defeat Sen. Bill Cassidy in Louisiana's Republican primary. Cassidy, a doctor, cast the pivotal vote in favor of Kennedy's confirmation but has frequently clashed with the secretary. | 💰 Republicans hold massive cash advantage over Democrats. New federal records show Republican Party committees and aligned super PACs entered 2026 with more than double the cash of their Democratic counterparts: $320 million to roughly $137 million. Trump advisers are also weighing an early spring or summer ad campaign funded by his super PAC to help shape the midterm landscape. | 🛡️ Pentagon puts defense contractors on notice. The Department of War warned companies to brace for sweeping performance reviews following President Trump's executive orders targeting delays and cost overruns. Defense contractors like RTX have faced particular scrutiny, with Trump threatening to cancel contracts unless companies invest in new production plants and equipment. |
| | |
| | | INSIDER RADAR | Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) stated that "a witness at my hearing confirmed that at least $60 million in dark money is funding the Minnesota protests." CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins thanked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for sticking up for her when the Saudi Royal Guard "freaked out" because Collins asked a question during a press conference. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook urging a "comprehensive review" of Apple News over allegations it systematically promotes left-wing outlets while suppressing conservative content. Republican senators are urging the DOJ to claw back millions in fraudulent Obamacare subsidy payments, citing a GAO report that found $94 million in taxpayer subsidies went to deceased individuals.
|
| | |
| | | HOAX TRACKER | Irishman claims he's being held in an ICE "concentration camp" | The Independent reported that Irish national Seamus Culleton has been held in an ICE "concentration camp" for five months despite having a valid work permit and being married to a US citizen. But DHS says Culleton entered under the 90-day visa waiver program in 2009, overstayed for 16 years, and received a final order of removal from an immigration judge after full due process. Officials say he was offered immediate removal to Ireland but chose to remain in detention while contesting his case. |
| | |
| | | QUICK AND IMPORTANT | The House voted 219-211 to rescind tariffs President Trump imposed on Canada, with six Republicans joining Democrats. House Republicans introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act to address Christian persecution in Nigeria. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) became the first Republican senator to oppose the SAVE America Act, while Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are still holding out. President Trump is reportedly moving towards installing a Christopher Columbus statue on White House grounds. The most clicked link in our last newsletter was the mass shooting by a transgender person at a Canadian school.
|
| | |
| | | THE MAIN STORY | Republicans reel from Epstein file fallout | | _WHAT'S HAPPENING_ | The release of more than 3 million Jeffrey Epstein files has turned into a political liability for Republicans, with Attorney General Pam Bondi facing bipartisan criticism over the Justice Department's handling of the documents. | The fallout has implicated several Trump administration figures, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and former White House strategist Steve Bannon, giving Democrats a new line of attack heading into the midterms. | | _THE FACTS_ | Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) reviewed unredacted Epstein files and identified six names that were "likely incriminated." Among the names: billionaire Leslie Wexner, who was designated as a "coconspirator of Epstein for 'child sex trafficking'" and Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, whose email address was linked to correspondence about a "torture video." Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified he visited Epstein's Caribbean island in 2012 with his family, years later than he had previously disclosed. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) slammed Lutnick: "As a mom, I wouldn't sit and have lunch with a convicted pedophile." The Epstein files revealed thousands of texts and emails between Epstein and conservative commentator Steve Bannon from 2018 and 2019. Bannon spent significant time with Epstein at his Manhattan townhouse and Paris residence, filming what he described as a documentary project and offering Epstein advice on handling media scrutiny. In a contentious House hearing, Attorney General Pam Bondi sparred with Democrats and Rep. Massie, who accused Bondi of "incompetence." Multiple Epstein victims were present in the room as Bondi dismissed Democrats' calls for her to turn around and apologize to them as "theatrics." Bondi deflected lawmakers' questions by asking why they weren't talking about the strong stock market and accused Massie of having "Trump derangement syndrome."
|
|
| _OUR TAKE _ | Republicans once leaned into the Epstein saga as proof of elite corruption. That strategy is faltering. While the latest disclosures show Trump distancing himself from Epstein years ago, they also reveal uncomfortable ties between Epstein and prominent figures orbiting the current administration. | Now, Democrats smell blood in the water. On the campaign trail, figures such as Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) have branded the GOP the "Epstein class." If Democrats retake the House in the midterms, we can expect subpoenas, expanded hearings, and a far more aggressive push for accountability, once promised by Trump and Republicans. |
|
| | | What do you think about the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files? | |
| | |
| | | MEDIA BIAS SPOTTER | How left and right outlets frame Pam Bondi's House hearing | _LEFT_ | Refusing accountability to victims: The Washington Post reported that Bondi "combatively defended her leadership" and refused Rep. Pramila Jayapal's (D-WA) request to apologize to Epstein survivors seated behind her. (The Washington Post) | Accusations of lying under oath: CNN detailed how Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) accused Bondi of lying under oath when she said "there is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime," pointing to a witness statement about allegations involving Trump and Epstein. (CNN) | _RIGHT_ | Democrats ignored issue for years: Newsmax highlighted Bondi's point that during the Biden administration, Democrats "had dozens of opportunities to interview" Attorney General Merrick Garland and "not once did they ask him a single question about Jeffrey Epstein." (Newsmax) | Democratic theater: RedState argued Democrats are "really good at grandstanding about this issue, but they never actually give any names of who they think should be indicted," characterizing the hearing as "all theater" instead of a substantive inquiry. (RedState) |
| | |
| TODAY'S DEBATE | 📊 Are you concerned by the relationship between certain Trump allies and Jeffrey Epstein?Want your comment to be featured? Be sure to include your name. | |
| | |
| POLL RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY | Are the scrutinized leftist groups engaged in protected speech? | ⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ ✅ Yes (52)
🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🔎 Yes, but they should be investigated (284)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🇨🇳 No, this crosses into foreign influence (785)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Unsure (80) | ✅ Yes: "Free speech is entirely protected under the First Amendment. Just because they're saying things not aligned with American ideals doesn't mean we should censor them." — TJ 🔎 Yes, but should be investigated: "They should be monitored and thoroughly investigated to determine if they cross lawful lines as set forth by our constitution." — Paul 🇨🇳 No, it's foreign influence: "They spew treasonous propaganda and shouldn't be allowed to influence young people with ideas that contradict our democracy." — Marlene | | | | 1,201 votes |
|
|
| | |
| WE WANT YOUR QUESTIONS | Have a question you want somebody on the team to answer? Submit it here. |
| | |
| POP QUIZ | Which Republican senator is NOT holding out on the SAVE America Act? | |
| | |
| Thanks for joining us today. We scoured 100s of sources to bring you stories and insights you won't find in the mainstream media—Ariel David and Brandon Goldman. |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment