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July 31, 2025
Family of Epstein abuse survivor urges Trump not to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell: 'A monster who deserves to rot in prison'
(NBC News) The family of a key survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse urged President Donald Trump on Wednesday not to consider clemency for the late financier's co-conspirator and confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell. The family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a sexual abuse advocate who died by suicide in April, made their plea to Trump in a public statement after he told reporters that Epstein, a convicted sex offender, "stole" Giuffre from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where she worked as a locker-room attendant at age 16 during the summer of 2000.
Go to discussionSupreme Court sets date to consider whether to review Ghislaine Maxwell's appeal
(MSNBC) The Supreme Court has officially set a date — Sept. 29 — to consider at a private conference whether it will review Ghislaine Maxwell’s challenge to her sex trafficking convictions. This typical scheduling development might not normally be relevant to national political news. But Maxwell is at the center of a controversy stemming from the Trump administration’s refusal to release all information related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late disgraced financier. Maxwell was convicted of conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.
Go to discussionDemocrats invoke rare federal law to force release of Epstein files
(Deseret News) Senate Democrats invoked an obscure and rarely used law on Wednesday, compelling the Department of Justice to release all files related to its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced the maneuver on Wednesday, marking the latest escalation in the Epstein saga that has plagued Republicans on Capitol Hill and, at times, thwarted President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Go to discussionArmy rescinds West Point role for ex‑CISA director after Laura Loomer criticism
(The Hill) Army Secretary Dan Driscoll on Wednesday announced that he had rescinded a U.S. Military Academy at West Point job offer given to the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a move that came less than 24 hours after far-right activist Laura Loomer criticized the hiring. Jen Easterly, who led CISA under former President Biden, is a West Point graduate and was planning to serve as the next Robert F. McDermott Distinguished Chair in the school’s Department of Social Sciences. But Loomer, in a Tuesday post to X that tagged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, decried the hiring, declaring that “some of your underlings are trying to screw you,” at the Defense Department.
Go to discussionTrump drove firing of FDA official
(Politico) President Donald Trump overruled his health secretary and FDA chief on Tuesday, and ordered the removal of the government’s top vaccine regulator, four people with knowledge of the decision told Politico. The four, granted anonymity to speak about the details of Trump’s decision, said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary opposed dismissing Vinay Prasad, who had been on the job three months and had recently come under attack by right-wing provocateur Laura Loomer.
Go to discussionFed's preferred inflation gauge shows price increases accelerated in June amid tariff uncertainty
(Yahoo Finance) The latest reading of the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge showed price increases accelerated in June as inflation remained above the Fed's 2% target. The "core" Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, which strips out food and energy costs and is closely watched by the central bank, rose 0.3% from the prior month, in line with the 0.3% economists had expected and above the 0.2% increase seen in May. On an annual basis, core prices rose 2.8%, above the 2.7% economists had expected and in line with May's reading.
Go to discussionTrump calls GOP's Hawley 'second tier' senator after bill to ban stock trades in government advances
(AP) President Donald Trump lashed out at Sen. Josh Hawley on Wednesday after the Republican’s proposal to ban stock trading by members of Congress — and the president and vice president — won bipartisan approval to advance in a committee vote. It’s the second time in as many days that Trump laid into senators in his own party as the president tries, sometimes without success, to publicly pressure them to fall in line. A day earlier, Trump tore into veteran GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa over an obscure Senate procedure regarding nominations.
Go to discussionDespite grand claims, a new report shows noncitizen voting hasn't materialized
(NPR) After President Trump and many other Republicans warned that vast numbers of non-U.S. citizens would influence last year's election, states and law enforcement have devoted more resources than ever before to root out those ineligible voters. More than six months into Trump's second term, they haven't found much. New research out Wednesday tracking state government efforts across the country confirms what election experts have said all along: Noncitizen voting occasionally happens but in minuscule numbers, and not in any coordinated way.
Go to discussionTrump's mass deportations are hurting local economies
(Salon) L.A. still hasn’t recovered from the devastating wildfires that destroyed an estimated 16,000 homes in January. With a mass recovery effort underway, the city needs its immigrant labor force more than ever before. But the administration’s cruel actions have forced a wide swath of workers, businesses and customers into the shadows, leaving them terrified and paranoid. They have good reason to feel that way.
Go to discussionScientist detained at SFO for over a week, left sleeping in chair
(SF Gate) The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown appears to have kept a Texas scientist who was born in Korea locked inside San Francisco International Airport for over a week with little access to basic necessities, according to the man’s attorney. Tae Heung “Will” Kim, a 40-year-old who has permanent residency in the United States and has lived in the country since he was five, was detained at the airport on July 21 after returning from Korea, according to the Washington Post. Eric Lee, one of Kim’s attorneys, said the man has been denied access to an attorney.
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