Good afternoon everyone. I hope you had a meaningful Presidents’ Day. There is an enormous amount of consequential news to cover. We have new details about the Epstein files, including a key Trump official named in them, as well as the confirmed identity of the family that purchased the New Mexico ranch where the abuse of children occurred.
At the same time, a horrific mass shooting has shaken a Rhode Island community. Congressman Dan Goldman tells me impeachment must remain firmly on the table, and that he intends to lead investigative efforts into the Trump presidency next year if Democrats retake the House of Representatives. All of this unfolds as Trump spends Presidents’ Day lashing out at critics and political opponents.
This work does not happen without you. I do not have billionaire backers. I rely entirely on this community to continue reporting and demanding accountability.
If you believe in independent journalism that follows the facts and holds the powerful to account, please subscribe today. Your support directly funds the time, research, and persistence required to pursue the truth where others refuse to look.
Here’s the news:
- Newly released Justice Department files reveal that Tom Barrack, a longtime Trump confidant and current U.S. ambassador to Turkey, maintained regular contact with Jeffrey Epstein for years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, exchanging emails and texts, arranging high-level introductions to global political and business figures, and communicating during the 2016 presidential campaign and early Trump administration. The records show Epstein sought to leverage Barrack’s proximity to Trump and encouraged encrypted communications, though there is no evidence Barrack relayed information to Trump or had knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
- New documents show the family of Donald Huffines, a Texas businessman and self-described “Trump Republican” running for state comptroller, bought Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro ranch in New Mexico at a public auction in 2023 for a reassessed value of $13.4 million; the property was the site where Epstein abused teenage girls and was purchased through an LLC linked to the Huffines family, and the campaign has not explained the purpose of the acquisition. To this day, the Zorro ranch has not been searched by state or federal authorities.
- Billionaire Tom Pritzker announced he is stepping down as executive chairman of Hyatt and will not seek re-election to the board after newly released Justice Department files detailed his past association with Jeffrey Epstein, prompting him to admit he exercised “terrible judgment” in maintaining contact.
- Two victims were killed and three others hospitalized after a shooting broke out during a high school hockey game at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with at least 14 shots heard on a livestream before panic spread through the rink; police said the violence appears to stem from a family dispute and described it as an isolated incident, while students from multiple schools were accounted for and authorities continue investigating.
- Speaking at a university event in Berlin, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to resign or face impeachment, criticizing her handling of the Epstein files and accusing her of failing to hold alleged offenders accountable.
- Donald Trump lashed out at a new green energy agreement between UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and California Governor Gavin Newsom, calling it inappropriate for the UK to work directly with Newsom, after the two signed a memorandum in London to expand cooperation on clean energy, climate resilience and technology ties between Britain and California.
- The President put out his Presidents’ Day message:
- A large protest took place outside Trump Tower in New York City during a “President’s Day Flip Off” demonstration, where participants gathered to express opposition to Donald Trump.
- According to WFAA, the owner of a Hutchins, Texas warehouse said it will not sell or lease the property to the Department of Homeland Security for use as a proposed ICE detention facility that could hold up to 9,500 people, following strong opposition from local officials, residents and a state lawmaker, while federal authorities have not confirmed any plans for the site.
- Donald Trump said the federal government will intervene to coordinate the response to a massive sewage spill into the Potomac River after a collapsed sewer pipe in Montgomery County, Maryland, released more than 200 million gallons of wastewater, with FEMA tasked to help manage the cleanup amid public health concerns over elevated bacteria levels, while local officials say drinking water remains safe and are working to contain and repair the damage.
- Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to the $16 billion Gateway tunnel project connecting New York and New Jersey, said the federal government would not cover any cost overruns, and denied that he had pushed to rename Penn Station or Dulles International Airport after himself in exchange for releasing federal funding, stating the idea was raised by others.
- A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration acted improperly in removing exhibits about slavery from the President’s House historic site in Philadelphia, which commemorates the residence of George Washington and John Adams, finding that the decision to eliminate the slavery-related displays was unlawful.
- The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said the FBI has refused to share evidence from its investigation into the Jan. 24 shooting death of Alex Pretti by Department of Homeland Security agents during immigration raid protests in Minneapolis, calling the lack of cooperation unprecedented and pledging to pursue legal avenues to obtain information while the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division conducts a separate review.
- According to the Guardian, John Paulson, a billionaire hedge fund manager and early Trump donor who has publicly criticized offshoring and promoted domestic manufacturing, is planning to close Conn Selmer’s brass instrument plant in Eastlake, Ohio, by June 2026 and shift most production to China, eliminating 150 union jobs; workers represented by UAW Local 2359 say the decision contradicts his public stance, describe it as a betrayal and an attack on the union, and are rallying to reverse the closure amid concerns about economic harm to the local community.
- U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the FDA will consider revoking the “Generally Recognized as Safe” status of corn syrup and dozens of processed sweeteners and starches unless companies prove they are safe, backing a petition from former FDA Commissioner David Kessler and signaling a potential crackdown on ultraprocessed food ingredients while stopping short of calling for new regulations.
- Civil rights groups including the NAACP have sued to block the Trump administration from using voter data seized by the FBI during a January raid on the Fulton county, Georgia, elections office, arguing the sweep of nearly 700 boxes of ballots, voter rolls and election materials is part of Trump’s continued effort to relitigate his 2020 election loss and threatens voting and privacy rights, while county officials also seek the return of the materials.
- A federal judge ordered ICE to release Greggy Sorio, a Filipino lawful permanent resident detained in Tacoma, Washington, ruling that a pattern of inadequate and unreasonable medical care at the facility likely led to extreme pain, permanent disability and two partial foot amputations, finding his constitutional rights were violated after delayed hospital treatment and unfilled prescriptions contributed to serious health complications.
- Savannah Guthrie made a new public appeal for information about her missing 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared 15 days ago in Tucson, Arizona, saying “it’s never too late to do the right thing,” as investigators examine a glove found near the home that carries an unknown man’s DNA; authorities believe she is alive, have made no arrests, are pursuing forensic and database leads, and have cautioned against speculation about family members while the FBI and local sheriff continue the search.
- Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor known for iconic roles in films such as Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, MASH, and To Kill a Mockingbird, has died at 95; over a career spanning more than six decades he earned seven Oscar nominations, won best actor for Tender Mercies in 1984, delivered legendary performances including Lt Col Kilgore and Tom Hagen, directed several films, and received a late-career nomination for The Judge.
- NBC News has confirmed that about 100 U.S. troops and equipment have arrived in Nigeria to train and support Nigerian forces in intelligence and technical operations as the country battles Islamic militant groups and armed bandits, with officials emphasizing the Americans will not engage in combat and that Nigerian forces retain full command authority amid ongoing security challenges and recent U.S. airstrikes against ISIS-affiliated militants.
See you soon.
— Aaron
Loading comments...