Benjamin Freed @brfreed

Trump threatens additional tariffs on European countries using digital service taxes dlvr.it/TTDhd3

Wow..House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone calls for a nationwide data center moratorium at start of markup of legislation on more modest Ratepayer Protection Act. Becomes highest-ranked Dem to call for this

SCOOP: James Talarico has quietly been making overtures to Silicon Valley donors, including in a multi-day fundraising swing through the Bay Area. politico.com/news/2026/06/1…

How Senate Democrats are planning to push back on potential election interference dlvr.it/TSzpRG

Knicks provide boon to Mamdani political brand dlvr.it/TSyrww

JUST IN: New letter from DOJ No.3 @ASGWoodward stresses there's been no action on Anti-Weaponization Fund (but not repeating acting AG Blanche's remark that it won't go forward or Trump's that he'd still like to do it) Doc: documentcloud.org/documents/2822… Earlier: politico.com/news/2026/06/0…

Air-safety legislation sparks partisan brawl over taxing private jets dlvr.it/TSwt2l

UPDATE: DOJ's nod to Graham's idea seems to be gone x.com/i/status/20620…

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein

4 weeks ago

JUST IN: DOJ's No. 3 official @ASGWoodward signals dept will take up an option we raised here and pay off many J6ers using ordinary DOJ procedures politico.com/news/2026/06/0…

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NEWS - Speaker Mike Johnson tells @politico the Trump admin's “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is “off the table” for reconciliation “I think the president’s been pretty clear via the Department of Justice — their statement [is] that it’s now being set aside,” Johnson said in an interview. “So I understand there’s some senators that want a little more than that, but in terms of clarification, so I suppose they’re in the process of doing that.” Johnson met with Trump yesterday and raised concerns about the viability of the fund given the current meltdown in the Senate GOP, as we've reported. The speaker also told us the WH ballroom security money is likewise "off the table" for the GOP bill - amid a rebellion of some of his own Republicans. politico.com/live-updates/2…

Dr. Dre and Maxine Waters are clashing in Compton over a $360 million bond measure that would rebuild a high school that Eazy-E and other notables attended. Waters is urging a “no” vote, baffling local leaders. Dre, who supports the measure, responds here: politico.com/news/2026/06/0…

BREAKING: Judge opens inquiry into settlement of Trump-IRS lawsuit with $1.8B "Anti-Weaponization Fund." Judge Kathleen Williams (Obama/SDFL) says if fatally flawed suit was filed just to justify a settlement, it could merit sanctions. w/@kyledcheney politico.com/news/2026/05/2…

Top NJ and NY prosecutors announce investigation of World Cup ticket prices dlvr.it/TSlJYg

NEW: A federal court ruled that lawmakers acted improperly in canceling cost-of-living adjustments. But members should not expect a raise anytime soon — if ever. politico.com/news/2026/05/2…

SCOOP: An IRS proposal raises privacy concerns over a third-party contractor retaining taxpayer biometric data for multiple years to aid fraud investigations. politico.com/news/2026/05/2…

IRS proposal would have company preserve biometric data longer dlvr.it/TSgF8n

It's a done deal @jordainc reports: No ballroom money in Recon 2.0 politico.com/news/2026/05/2…

Justice Department expands Trump settlement to cover his tax audits dlvr.it/TScp3t

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) tells @politico the $1.8 billion fund set up by Trump admin "appears like conflict of interest and a partial process." “We have the claimant negotiating with the defense, and the claimant also happens to be the boss of the defense." "The White House should bring in an independent arbitrator to protect itself from accusations.” Todd Blanche in Senate testimony just now didn't rule out making payments to those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as part of the Justice Department’s new “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” politico.com/live-updates/2… via @politico

JUST IN: DOJ releases text of Trump IRS settlement. Doesn't appear to resolve past/future tax audits. Doc: documentcloud.org/documents/2813… Earlier: politico.com/news/2026/05/1…

JUST IN: Trump settles $10B suit over leaking of his tax returns, as well as Russia probe & Mar-a-Lago raid damages claims by setting up $1.8B "weaponization" fund at DOJ to issue payments to unspecified victims of "lawfare." w/@dannyn516 politico.com/news/2026/05/1…