Today's Headlines: The fate of the Traitor Fund remains unknown — Blanche said they're dropping it but won't put it in writing, Trump said he loves it but "ask the lawyers," Senate Democrats tried to force a vote to block it and Republicans voted against the block anyway, and January 6th defendants are already filing claims — while what is confirmed is that Trump is still getting permanent IRS audit immunity for himself and his family regardless. Meanwhile, Trump is officially nominating Todd Blanche — his personal criminal defense attorney — as permanent Attorney General, while Bill Pulte, the family friend with no intelligence experience named as acting DNI, is already being phased out with Trump hinting he'll be tasked with investigating whether past elections were rigged. In slightly more satisfying news, Trump's name is officially coming off the Kennedy Center less than a week after a judge ordered it — off the facade, out of email signatures, and off employee ID cards. In other news, John Bolton pleaded guilty to illegally retaining classified national security documents after Iranian hackers breached his email, agreeing to pay over $2 million with up to 60 months in prison — less revenge prosecution, more bad judgment. And now that Congress is back to work, the House passed a measure cutting food aid for over 5 million pregnant women and children, great. In war updates, Israel and Lebanon announced a ceasefire that Hezbollah immediately rejected because it would ban their operatives from parts of their own country with no maps or implementation details. And finally, a flesh-eating New World screwworm — not seen in US livestock for 60 years — was found in a Texas calf, with quarantines now in place, which is bad timing for beef prices already at record highs.
Resources/Articles mentioned:
NYT: Trump Administration Live Updates: Republicans Defeat First Attempt to Block President's $1.8 Billion Payout Fund
WaPo: House bill rolls back food aid for pregnant women, children
Politico: Trump expected to nominate Todd Blanche to be attorney general
AP News: Trump says Pulte won’t be his nominee for director of national intelligence
WaPo: Kennedy Center orders staff to begin removing Trump’s name after ruling
CNN: Exclusive: John Bolton reaches plea deal over mishandling of sensitive national security information
BBC: Hezbollah rejects US-backed Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
Axios:New World screwworm confirmed in Texas, stoking fresh cattle fears
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