“Why Now?" Retribution and Propaganda in the Midterms

In this episode: 

• Thing one: retribution. “We are IN the midterms,” Mary stresses when discussing federal agents executing a search on Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in relation to an unspecified “ongoing federal criminal investigation.” “The Department of Justice is taking a very, very overt public action targeted at a sitting congressperson.”  
• Even more retribution: Mary and Andrew say President Trump’s committee of inquiry to assess whether Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook committed mortgage fraud is the administration’s latest attempt to fire her. 
• Thing two: attacks on the press. The White House media ban nears a decisive conclusion as Trump launches an anti-trust investigation into five networks. Andrew says “the investigation IS the punishment.” Editors' Note: After recording (and as predicted by Andrew and Mary), U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled Tuesday night to restore White House press access to MS NOW, CNN, and Politico indefinitely. For more on this story visit ms.now.
• Thing three: propaganda. Trump’s political ads are struck down, but Andrew and Mary say the damage has already been done.  

Further Reading:  

• Here is the Charlie Savage piece for The New York Times, which Andrew says gives insight into the administration’s “effort to create and manufacture propaganda and misinformation.”

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