Major development this afternoon: This morning, I helped break the story that the United States Library of Congress had removed two critical sections of the U.S. Constitution from an official government website:
Article I, Section 9, which protects Habeas Corpus and due process, and
Article I, Section 10, which outlines states’ rights.
After my report — and a wave of public outrage — the Library of Congress issued a statement claiming the disappearance was due to a "coding glitch" and promised to fix it. But that explanation didn’t sit well with many.
Now, after even more public pressure, the full text of the Constitution is back online. This is a powerful reminder: public accountability still works — if we demand it.
At the same time, platforms like TikTok are throttling my reach and burying critical stories like this. That’s why I’m doubling down here on Substack — where I can break real news, amplify stories others ignore, and speak freely.
But I can’t do it alone. If you believe in independent journalism and exposing the truth, now’s the time to get behind it.
Subscribe today — let’s keep building this movement together.
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With that, here’s the news you missed today:
Texas Democrats are still sheltering in blue states nationwide after breaking quorum for two days to protest a new GOP-drawn congressional map, escalating the issue into a national redistricting fight.
Former Democratic congressman Beto O’Rourke is financially supporting the lawmakers’ exodus through his group ‘Powered by People,’ saying they can “stay out long enough to stop this deal in Texas.”
Texas legislators in Illinois were evacuated from their hotel due to a bomb threat; no device was found, and Governor JB Pritzker vowed accountability for any threats of violence.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into Beto O’Rourke’s political group, Powered by People, accusing it of illegally funding the out-of-state travel of Democratic lawmakers who left Texas to block a GOP redistricting plan; Paxton claims the group is running a “financial influence scheme” and vows legal action against any Democrat who took a “Beto Bribe.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, in a Houston Chronicle op-ed, denounces Texas Republicans’ mid-decade redistricting as a “legal insurrection” and urges Democrats to fight back against what she calls a coordinated GOP effort to undermine democracy.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, with President Trump’s approval, released a lightly redacted 46-page House Intelligence Committee report on Russia’s 2016 election interference—overriding CIA concerns that the document could expose sensitive spying sources and methods—prompting criticism from Democrats and former intelligence officials who warn it may damage U.S. intelligence credibility and security.
JD Vance is hosting a meeting tonight at his residence with Susie Wiles, Pam Bondi, Deputy AG Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other top Trump officials to discuss the Epstein scandal.
Ghislaine Maxwell told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche during a nine-hour interview that Donald Trump never did anything concerning in her presence, according to sources; the Trump administration is considering releasing the transcript, and possibly the audio, of the meeting as Maxwell appeals her conviction and Trump signals openness to a potential pardon.
Epstein survivor Annie Farmer, through her lawyers, called for the release of grand jury transcripts, stating that “given the magnitude and abhorrence of Epstein and Maxwell's crimes, unsealing the grand jury transcripts is not just appropriate, it is necessary to understand the full scope of the abuse and those who enabled it.”
According to the American Prospect, FEMA probationary employees on paid administrative leave have been reassigned to ICE with just seven days to accept or face termination, as the Trump administration scrambles to fill thousands of ICE positions following a massive budget increase—signaling major recruitment challenges at the controversial agency and raising concerns about rushed hiring and lack of proper training.
In protest of the bombings in Hiroshima 80 years ago, a small doll was placed in Disney World’s It’s a Small World After All ride.
DHS conducted a high-profile early morning immigration raid in LA's MacArthur Park, arriving in Penske trucks at a Home Depot; 16 migrants were taken into custody as others scattered, with officials citing MS-13’s control of the area as justification.
A new report from Senator Jon Ossoff’s office reveals 510 credible cases of human rights abuses at U.S. immigration detention centers since January 2025, including deaths in custody, physical and sexual abuse, mistreatment of pregnant women and children, lack of medical care, and overcrowding—amid claims that the Department of Homeland Security is obstructing congressional oversight.
GOP Rep. Cory Mills is accused by ex-girlfriend Lindsey Langston of threatening to release sexually explicit images and videos of her after their breakup; Mills denies the allegations, which are now under review by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Langston is seeking a restraining order.
Trump praised a “highly productive” three-hour meeting between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, announced plans to meet both Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky as early as next week, and confirmed that new sanctions on Russia will proceed Friday—while Russia continues deadly attacks on Ukraine and Trump imposed additional tariffs on India for buying Russian oil.
Trump issued an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, citing the country’s alleged importation of Russian oil, bringing total tariffs to 50%.
After Zohran Mamdani defeated Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for NYC mayor, Donald Trump reportedly spoke with Cuomo and was briefed by allies about his chances as an independent candidate; while Trump has attacked Mamdani as a “communist,” he’s encouraged Cuomo to stay in the race, signaling potential involvement in the election — a move likely to benefit Mamdani, who positions himself as the strongest anti-Trump candidate.
Apple has pledged to invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the next four years—bringing its total domestic investment to $600 billion—as it seeks to avoid steep tariffs threatened by Trump, who has criticized the company’s shift of iPhone production to India.
Five soldiers were shot and wounded in an active shooter incident at Fort Stewart military base in Georgia; the shooter, reportedly an active-duty soldier, was taken into custody, and all victims were hospitalized—prompting a temporary lockdown of the base and nearby schools as federal and state officials monitored the situation.
Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, a staunch Trump ally and vocal opponent of abortion, has announced her candidacy for governor of Tennessee, promising hardline conservative policies and potentially becoming the state’s first female governor if elected in 2026.
McDonald’s will launch a new adult “McDonaldland Meal” on August 12, featuring nostalgic mascots like Grimace and the Hamburglar, a collectible character-themed tin, and a new berry-flavored Mt. McDonaldland Shake, in a bid to boost sales ahead of its Q2 earnings report.
Asher Watkins, a 52-year-old Texas hunter, was killed on August 3 during a safari in South Africa’s Limpopo province when a 1.3-ton Cape buffalo he was tracking suddenly charged at him at 35 mph; the incident was confirmed by the safari company, which described it as a tragic and unprovoked attack.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
