Pick your poison.
Government Nonsense
The FTC is asking nine companies whether your personal data changes the price, because apparently the checkout page has been profiling you
The agency ordered airlines, rideshare and food-delivery companies to explain how personal information may affect what consumers pay and what gig workers are offered.
READ STORY ↗A former Army official pleaded guilty after allegedly steering contracts for bribes, because apparently military procurement needed a loyalty program
The DOJ says Carlos Duque helped two contractors win subcontracts, inflated government costs to cover the bribes, and received about $55,000 while the Army paid the comp…
READ STORY ↗DOJ charged 15 people in alleged $1.8 billion health-care fraud schemes, because apparently “do no harm” needed a legal footnote
The Justice Department says the cases include sham substance-abuse treatment, unnecessary medical procedures, hospice billing for patients who were not terminally ill, a…
READ STORY ↗A lab allegedly billed $66 million for COVID tests it never performed, because apparently the swab was optional
The DOJ says an Illinois laboratory owner fabricated hundreds of thousands of negative PCR results and submitted about $66.2 million in claims to a federal program for u…
READ STORY ↗IMF delegates walked out when Russia’s finance minister spoke in Russian, because apparently translation was the final straw
Reuters reports that many delegates left an IMF steering-committee meeting as Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov addressed the group in Russian.
READ STORY ↗Martin Shkreli allegedly treated a lifetime pharma ban like a suggested speed limit
The FTC and seven states are asking a federal judge to hold Shkreli in contempt, alleging he kept trading pharmaceutical stocks and broadcasting biotech opinions after b…
READ STORY ↗An auto group advertised cars thousands below the real price and mailed fake prize notices, because apparently the dealership wanted a carnival
The FTC says Greenway Auto Group’s advertised prices averaged $3,350 below what most consumers paid and that its “you won” mailers offered prizes that were not real.
READ STORY ↗The FTC reminded 24 healthcare companies to disclose prices, because apparently “how much?” remains a disruptive medical question
The agency warned that incomplete, inaccurate or late pricing information can be deceptive, especially for routine care scheduled in advance.
READ STORY ↗The White House is building an underground visitor screening facility, because apparently visiting the president now requires a bunker appetizer
A federal panel approved the final design for a 33,000-square-foot facility beneath Sherman Park to screen White House visitors, event guests, staff and contractors.
READ STORY ↗A California tech owner allegedly routed $300 million in restricted servers through third countries, because export controls apparently needed a scenic route
The DOJ charged Greg Lui with allegedly buying U.S. servers containing restricted GPUs, sending them through Malaysia and Singapore, and ultimately reshipping them to Ch…
READ STORY ↗The FTC settled with a giant wine distributor over alleged price discrimination, because apparently even booze needed a tiered-membership program
The FTC says Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits agreed to protections for small businesses after the agency alleged discriminatory pricing practices.
READ STORY ↗The government paid for a TV ad that sounds like Trump’s midterm message, because apparently “public service” needed a campaign trailer
AP reports that a U.S.-funded advertisement meshes with Republican campaign messaging and has drawn accusations that government employees may have violated the Hatch Act.
READ STORY ↗An Atlantic City official allegedly took cannabis bribes, because apparently constituent services needed a cash-and-weed upgrade
The DOJ charged the city’s director of constituent services and a school-board member with allegedly soliciting bribes related to a cannabis business.
READ STORY ↗The Kennedy Center is closing most of the venue while a judge demands 30 days’ notice before demolition, because apparently the arts needed a hostage negotiator
The Trump-aligned board voted to close most of the performing arts center for repairs after a judge blocked plans tied to Trump’s name and ordered advance notice before …
READ STORY ↗Ohio’s Supreme Court says “boneless wings” can contain bones, because apparently the menu was only making a suggestion
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that diners should understand “boneless wings” as a cooking style, even after a bone seriously injured a customer.
READ STORY ↗Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to stop competing, so the FTC ordered Redfin to come back
The FTC says a proposed order unwinds key parts of Zillow and Redfin’s 2025 agreement, including Redfin’s exit from online rental advertising. Redfin must relaunch its r…
READ STORY ↗The national debt hit $40 trillion while Trump showed off the helipad and ballroom, because apparently the apocalypse needs curb appeal
The Associated Press reports that U.S. national debt crossed $40 trillion on August 20, the same news cycle in which President Trump gave reporters a tour of White House…
READ STORY ↗A former Fauci adviser pleaded guilty to hiding federal records, because apparently “public” was an inconvenient email setting
AP reports that David Morens admitted conspiring to evade public-records laws and conceal government documents tied to COVID-19 research and grant discussions.
READ STORY ↗The FTC is asking whether companies should disclose personalized prices, because apparently the checkout page can now size you up like a casino
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking comment on a proposed enforcement policy addressing personalized pricing, in which businesses use personal data to estimate what …
READ STORY ↗A judge allowed limited testing for Trump’s plan to paint the Eisenhower Building white, because apparently architecture now needs a courtroom beta release
The New York Times reports that a judge allowed the administration to conduct limited testing connected to its plan to alter the Eisenhower Executive Office Building whi…
READ STORY ↗CBP records show workers allegedly used government databases to look up crushes, exes and coworkers, because apparently surveillance needed a dating feature
WIRED reviewed hundreds of internal allegations involving Customs and Border Protection employees and contractors accused of misusing sensitive law-enforcement data for …
READ STORY ↗DOJ says a network arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages, because apparently immigration paperwork needed a wedding planner
Prosecutors charged 11 people in what they describe as a decade-long, multimillion-dollar marriage-fraud network that staged ceremonies, coached applicants and charged u…
READ STORY ↗GAO says DOGE’s $110 billion savings wall has errors and missing receipts, because the wall was apparently built before anyone found the receipts
The Government Accountability Office found that some DOGE savings estimates were incorrect or unsupported, including $1.7 billion claimed for a contract that was never t…
READ STORY ↗The Senate voted to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt after he pleaded the Fifth more than 100 times, because apparently the hearing needed a replay button
A Senate committee voted 8-7 to refer Fauci to the Justice Department after he refused to answer questions about the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci said he was protecting hims…
READ STORY ↗The State Department showed a map that mislabeled every African country, because apparently geography was an optional briefing note
A State Department presentation at an international AIDS conference in Brazil displayed a map that incorrectly labeled every African country it identified. Officials cal…
READ STORY ↗Britain is opening a “No. 10 North” in Manchester, because apparently one Downing Street was not enough government per square mile
AP reports that Britain’s new leader is shifting some power from Downing Street to Manchester with a northern office called “No. 10 North,” giving regional government a …
READ STORY ↗Trump blamed the Reflecting Pool mess on vandalism without proof, because apparently algae needed a fall guy on a bicycle
AP reports President Trump claimed vandalism caused problems with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool redo, offered no substantiation beyond saying arrests had been mad…
READ STORY ↗Kansas City wanted facial-recognition cameras on buses for the World Cup, but the rollout hit tech and money potholes, because privacy panic needed transit delays too
AP reports Kansas City, Missouri, plans to install facial-recognition cameras on buses, but technical and financial problems delayed a rollout officials hoped would be r…
READ STORY ↗Bosch avoided prosecution after alleged Huawei export-control violations, because national security apparently came with a self-report coupon
DOJ says it declined to prosecute Bosch after the company voluntarily disclosed years of export-control violations involving Huawei-linked entities, cooperated, remediat…
READ STORY ↗A court said the Trump administration can replace a slavery exhibit at Washington's Philadelphia home, because apparently history needed a removable panel setting
AP reports a 3rd Circuit panel struck down an injunction requiring the National Park Service to reinstall interpretive panels at the President's House site in Philadelph…
READ STORY ↗A Navy contractor paid $507,144 after allegedly flunking cyber requirements with a minus-170 score, because apparently national security got graded on a cliff
DOJ says Alabama defense contractor LOGZONE agreed to resolve False Claims Act allegations after allegedly billing on Navy contracts while missing required cybersecurity…
READ STORY ↗January 6 defendants are reportedly pursuing millions through an obscure federal claims process, because apparently the slush fund found a side door
The Guardian reports that some pardoned January 6 defendants, including defendants accused of assaulting police, are pursuing monetary claims through the Federal Tort Cl…
READ STORY ↗The DOJ says New York turned a $10 billion Medicaid home-care program into a one-contractor tollbooth, because apparently bureaucracy needed a boss fight
The Justice Department sued New York health officials and Public Partnerships LLC, alleging a sham bidding process and unauthorized taxpayer-funded profits tied to the s…
READ STORY ↗The White House hosted UFC fights with corporate sponsors, Trump crypto cash and no public tickets, because apparently the presidency needed a private cage-side VIP package
Reuters reported that President Donald Trump hosted seven UFC bouts on the White House lawn, the first professional sporting event held there, while corporate sponsors a…
READ STORY ↗RFK Jr. overruled experts to keep a symptom-free cruise passenger in quarantine, because apparently medical freedom has an exception for Nebraska hotel-prison vibes
The Associated Press reported that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to release cruise passenger Angela Perryman from a Nebraska quarantine facility despite…
READ STORY ↗The Interior Department compared vacuuming algae out of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to the Iran war, because apparently pond scum needed a foreign policy doctrine
The Guardian reported that after a $14.2 million effort to turn the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool “American Flag blue,” algae kept turning it green — and Interior’s p…
READ STORY ↗FBI Director Kash Patel accused of directing $1M+ in taxpayer-funded bonuses to loyalist agents through a "personal slush fund," because paying people extra for doing their jobs is standard government practice, apparently
Representative Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House judiciary committee, alleged that FBI Director Kash Patel has authorized more than $1 million in taxpayer-funded…
READ STORY ↗Five men charged with plotting a drone-and-sniper attack on a UFC event at the White House, because apparently government security is a choose-your-own-adventure
The Justice Department charged five men for an alleged plot to deploy armed drones and snipers to attack the UFC "Freedom 250" event held at the White House, with the go…
READ STORY ↗New Jersey Republican Tom Kean has been absent from Congress for 100 days straight, missing 135 votes, because apparently ghosting your job still counts as showing up
Representative Thomas Kean Jr. hasn't been seen in Congress since March 5, 2026. He missed the vote to end the Iran war. He missed the vote to fund ICE. He's missed ever…
READ STORY ↗Congress let a critical U.S. surveillance law expire because they were mad about who Trump appointed, because national security apparently has a "I'm taking my ball home" clause
A key provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) lapsed in mid-June 2026 after the House refused to extend it. The problem? Trump appointed Bill Pulte…
READ STORY ↗The Trump administration is giving millions to a company partially led by a QAnon activist and telecom executive to build a coal-fired power plant, because energy policy is now a TruthSocial comment thread
The Energy Department is funding what could be the nation's first coal-fired power plant since 2013, and the man driving the deal is known more for his devotion to consp…
READ STORY ↗The Energy Department is handing millions to a company led by a far-right activist and telecom executive to build America's first new coal plant in over a decade, because apparently merit-based government contracting was an optional feature.
The Trump administration is funding a coal-fired power plant project led by a MAGA organizer with no energy sector experience, using Defense Production Act funds and a r…
READ STORY ↗ICE denied maintaining a protester database while admitting it collects and preserves information on people who never got arrested, which is basically the definition of a database
NPR reported that in a previously unpublicized letter to Congress, recently departed ICE director Todd Lyons acknowledged the agency collects "biographic and biometric i…
READ STORY ↗The government's most powerful spy tool expired at midnight on Friday because Congress couldn't agree on whether to extend it, and now the intelligence community is scrambling without the authority it's used for nearly two decades
The House rejected a short-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on Thursday, June 11, allowing the law to expire for the first time…
READ STORY ↗A parasite eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s showed up in Texas again, because apparently decades of success can reset overnight
The USDA confirmed the New World screwworm—a devastating livestock pest that was eliminated from the United States 60 years ago—has returned to Texas, and federal agenci…
READ STORY ↗A judge struck down Trump's $100,000 H-1B fee, because apparently immigration policy cannot just be a luxury cover charge
AP reports a federal judge in Boston ruled the Trump administration exceeded its authority by imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions.
READ STORY ↗Insurers promised vaccine coverage through 2027, because apparently public health now needs a private-sector backup generator
The Guardian and AHIP say major health plans will keep covering ACIP-recommended routine vaccines with no cost-sharing through 2027 as the administration revisits the ch…
READ STORY ↗A lawsuit wants to stop Trump's White House UFC birthday fight, because apparently the South Lawn needed a cage match permit
AP reports that two Virginia residents sued to halt a June 14 UFC fight card on the White House South Lawn for Trump's 80th birthday and the nation's 250th anniversary.
READ STORY ↗ICE will stop reporting deaths after release, because apparently accountability has a 30-day unsubscribe button
The Guardian reports that ICE rescinded a Biden-era policy requiring reports to Congress and investigations when a detainee dies within 30 days of release.
READ STORY ↗DOJ argued courts cannot stop Trump's White House ballroom, because apparently demolition comes with boss-level immunity
The Guardian reports that a Justice Department lawyer told an appeals court no court has authority to halt construction of Trump's $400 million White House ballroom proj…
READ STORY ↗Treasury told banks to watch immigration payroll red flags, because apparently the compliance department needed a passport vibe check
AP and Treasury say FinCEN issued an advisory asking financial institutions to watch for identity theft, payroll fraud and money laundering tied to unauthorized employme…
READ STORY ↗The FTC says a law-firm DEI architect dissolved itself, because apparently hiring rules needed a group project
The FTC says Diversity Lab, the company behind the Mansfield Certification program for law firms, permanently ceased operations after an antitrust inquiry.
READ STORY ↗A judge struck down the 39-country immigration freeze, because apparently lawful applications got sent to the panic drawer
AP reports that a federal judge struck down Trump administration policies that halted final decisions on immigration benefits for people from 39 countries.
READ STORY ↗The FTC sent Congress an adoption-intermediary report, because apparently growing a family needed a consumer-protection chaperone
The FTC issued a report to Congress on private-adoption practices, including warning letters to 31 adoption intermediaries over fair advertising and gag-clause concerns.
READ STORY ↗The Supreme Court let the FCC keep its fine pipeline, because apparently telecom privacy penalties did not need jury duty
The Supreme Court ruled against AT&T and Verizon in a fight over whether the FCC's enforcement and forfeiture process violates the Seventh Amendment.
READ STORY ↗DOJ says an affordable-housing bribery scheme built zero units, because apparently the houses were imaginary too
DOJ says a former Hawaii County housing official was sentenced after bribes tied to affordable housing agreements that produced land, credits and no affordable homes.
READ STORY ↗The FCC says students lose up to 38 minutes an hour to digital distractions, because apparently class needed a loading bar
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the agency will review E-Rate rules as connected devices fill classrooms and student screen time keeps rising.
READ STORY ↗A judge tossed DOJ's Boston sanctuary lawsuit, because apparently ICE cooperation still needs legal authority
Reuters says a federal judge threw out the Trump administration's challenge to Boston's Trust Act after finding DOJ lacked legal grounds to sue.
READ STORY ↗The White House wants political appointees reviewing grants, because apparently peer review needed a campaign chaperone
AP says OMB proposed rules that would give senior political appointees more power over federal grants and more room to terminate awards already made.
READ STORY ↗OPM wants federal workers to sign NDAs, because apparently whistleblower law needed a permission slip
AP says the Trump administration proposed a template NDA for current and future federal employees, while OPM says it is aimed at workers handling sensitive government in…
READ STORY ↗Trump may replace a 250th birthday concert with himself, because apparently America needed Elvis without a guitar
Reuters says Trump will headline a National Mall event after several performers dropped out of the planned 250th anniversary celebration.
READ STORY ↗Green card applicants may have to leave the country first, because legal immigration apparently needed a boomerang mode
AP and PBS say a Trump administration policy shift tells many green-card seekers in the U.S. to apply from abroad, leaving lawyers and families trying to decode the exce…
READ STORY ↗DOJ sued four states over undercover plates, because apparently license tags are now immigration policy
AP and DOJ say the Trump administration sued Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington over state limits on confidential license plates for federal agents.
READ STORY ↗A judge said Trump cannot rename the Kennedy Center by vibes, because apparently Congress still owns the label maker
AP says a federal judge ruled Trump's name was illegally added to the Kennedy Center and blocked the administration from closing it for major renovations.
READ STORY ↗HHS is feeding state audits to ChatGPT, because apparently the fraud hunt needed a robot intern with a highlighter
AP says HHS is expanding its use of AI tools, including ChatGPT, to analyze state and grant audits for fraud risks.
READ STORY ↗The White House drafted NDAs for federal workers, because apparently democracy needed a hush form
The Guardian, citing OPM and Reuters reporting, says the Trump administration proposed nondisclosure agreements for federal workers to curb unauthorized disclosures to j…
READ STORY ↗The Supreme Court sent immigration judges back through the speech-permission maze, because bureaucracy apparently needed a gag-order lobby
Reuters says the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration in a procedural fight over immigration judges challenging limits on public speech.
READ STORY ↗Reuters says a former DOJ lawyer emailed herself a sealed Trump report as cake recipes, because apparently classified-adjacent paperwork needed frosting
Reuters reports a former Justice Department attorney pleaded not guilty to charges tied to emailing herself an unreleased Jack Smith report volume under dessert-themed f…
READ STORY ↗The government says barring some green-card holders is "comparatively less burdensome," because apparently residency came with a dimmer switch
The Guardian reports a new HHS/CDC order lets officials temporarily bar some lawful permanent residents from entering the U.S. after recent travel to Ebola-affected coun…
READ STORY ↗The White House is trying the Venezuela playbook on Cuba, because apparently foreign policy has a copy-paste button
AP reports the Trump administration is applying a Venezuela-style pressure campaign to Cuba, with an oil blockade, more U.S. military presence, federal charges and repea…
READ STORY ↗DHS floated pulling customs from sanctuary-city airports, because apparently international flights needed a loyalty test
AP says the travel industry condemned Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin after he reiterated a threat to withdraw CBP officers from sanctuary-city airports.
READ STORY ↗Trump fast-tracked deep-sea mining and investors stampeded, because apparently the ocean floor needed a startup bubble
AP says Trump's deep-sea mining order sparked millions in investment, soaring stock prices and a federal race to fast-track seabed-mining permits.
READ STORY ↗DOJ says defense contractors hid bribes inside innovation-lab costs, because apparently procurement needed a cover charge
DOJ says two Florida defense contractors were arrested in a bribery and major-fraud case tied to an Army technology innovation campus in Hawaii.
READ STORY ↗DOJ indicted 94-year-old Raul Castro over a 1996 shootdown, because apparently foreign policy found a courtroom time machine
NBC and CBS say DOJ charged Raul Castro and five others over the Brothers to the Rescue plane shootdown, nearly 30 years after the deadly incident.
READ STORY ↗The Senate immigration bill hit a ballroom pothole, because apparently border funding needed a chandelier attachment
AP and The Guardian say a GOP immigration funding push stalled amid backlash over White House ballroom security money and Trump's new $1.8 billion settlement fund.
READ STORY ↗Interior canceled the public-lands conservation rule, because apparently healthy land was getting too much equal footing
AP says the Interior Department is canceling a Biden-era rule that put conservation on equal footing with drilling, logging, mining and grazing on public lands.
READ STORY ↗Trump delayed the beef-price executive orders, because apparently grocery inflation needed a marinade period
Reuters says Trump delayed planned executive orders meant to boost beef imports and rebuild the U.S. cattle herd after the White House had said he would sign them Monday.
READ STORY ↗Drugmakers asked the Supreme Court to stop Medicare haggling, because apparently negotiation is tyranny when the buyer is enormous
AP and Reuters say the Supreme Court declined to hear pharmaceutical companies' challenges to Medicare drug-price negotiations, leaving lower-court losses in place.
READ STORY ↗DOJ wrote itself a voter-roll permission slip after six courts said no, because apparently losing repeatedly just means sing louder
Reuters says DOJ issued a formal legal opinion backing demands for unredacted state voter rolls even after federal judges in six states blocked the push.
READ STORY ↗Iran-war diesel prices are eating school budgets, because apparently the bus route now has a foreign-policy surcharge
Reuters says diesel prices have jumped 67% since December, forcing school districts to raid reserves, shift money and rethink basic transportation costs.
READ STORY ↗The FDA drug center got another acting boss, because apparently medicine regulation needed a spin cycle
Reuters says FDA drug-center acting head Tracy Beth Hoeg was fired after Commissioner Marty Makary was replaced, continuing a wider agency shake-up.
READ STORY ↗The feds may cut Colorado River deliveries by up to 40%, because apparently the Southwest budgeted water like vibes were a reservoir
Reuters says a federal Colorado River proposal could slash current supplies to Arizona, California and Nevada by up to 3 million acre-feet a year.
READ STORY ↗A veterans group sued over the VA abortion ban, because apparently health-care policy got routed through the memo express lane
The Guardian reports Minority Veterans of America sued the Trump administration over VA restrictions on abortion services and counseling for veterans and dependents.
READ STORY ↗DOJ told a court Trump can punish law firms through security clearances, because apparently national security is now a mood ring
Reuters reports a federal appeals court sounded skeptical as the Trump administration tried to revive executive orders targeting four major law firms.
READ STORY ↗DOJ told judges Trump security-clearance punishments are “unreviewable,” because apparently due process fell into a classified filing cabinet
Reuters says a federal appeals court sounded skeptical as the Trump administration tried to revive executive orders targeting major law firms and defended broad presiden…
READ STORY ↗DOJ sued D.C. bar disciplinary officials over Jeff Clark, because apparently the referee needed to be named as defendant
The Justice Department says it filed a complaint against D.C. bar disciplinary authorities to stop discipline tied to former DOJ lawyer Jeff Clark’s 2020 election conduc…
READ STORY ↗The U.S. is scrutinizing Brazil's beloved free PIX payment system, because apparently instant payments offended the card-network toll booth
AP reports Brazil's hugely popular PIX instant-payment system is under Trump administration scrutiny over claims it bypasses traditional credit networks like Visa and Ma…
READ STORY ↗An appeals court put Trump's 10% global tariff back on ice/on fire, because apparently import policy is now a courtroom strobe light
Reuters reports a federal appeals court temporarily paused a ruling against Trump's 10% global tariff, keeping the duties in place for the importers that had just won re…
READ STORY ↗Trump released UFO files and told America “have fun,” because apparently disclosure now comes with a carnival barker
Reuters says the Defense Department released about 160 previously classified UFO/UAP files, though analysts said many had already been public and none proved alien techn…
READ STORY ↗Trump renominated the FEMA chief fired for opposing FEMA abolition, because apparently disaster response needed a plot twist
The Guardian reports Trump renominated Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA after Hamilton was previously fired as acting administrator for publicly opposing plans to eliminate…
READ STORY ↗The Trump administration cut a new deal over D.C. public golf courses, because apparently the capital needed a fairway custody battle
Reuters reports the Trump administration and National Links Trust reached a deal keeping all three Washington public golf courses open, with the nonprofit leasing two an…
READ STORY ↗A $6.9 million no-bid reflecting-pool contract went to Trump's golf-course pool people, because apparently procurement needed swim trunks
The Guardian, citing New York Times reporting, says a no-bid contract to turn the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue went to a Virginia company tied to work at Trump'…
READ STORY ↗Trump wants to paint the Eisenhower building white for at least $7.5 million, because apparently granite needed makeup
AP reports the White House told planners that coating the historic Eisenhower Executive Office Building in white paint could cost taxpayers at least $7.5 million, and th…
READ STORY ↗A judge said DOGE had no authority to cancel $100 million in humanities grants, because apparently the robot budget axe still needed laws
AP reports a federal judge ruled the Trump administration unlawfully canceled more than $100 million in humanities grants and said DOGE lacked authority to terminate the…
READ STORY ↗The SEC is moving to scrap its climate-risk disclosure rule, because apparently investors should learn about floods from vibes
Reuters reports the Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing regulations to rescind a stayed Biden-era rule requiring public companies to disclose certain climate…
READ STORY ↗DOJ says a fired contractor helped delete 96 government databases, because apparently the exit interview needed a cybercrime speedrun
A federal jury convicted a Virginia man after prosecutors said he and his twin brother retaliated against their former employer by accessing systems, write-protecting da…
READ STORY ↗A judge blocked the FTC's trans-care probe as likely retaliatory, because apparently consumer protection needed a culture-war side quest
Reuters reports a federal judge blocked FTC document demands aimed at medical groups that support gender-affirming care for transgender youth, finding the groups were li…
READ STORY ↗Prosecutors say a Chinatown office was a secret Chinese police outpost; the defense says it was for licenses, mahjong, and ping-pong, naturally
AP reports Lu Jianwang went on trial in Brooklyn after prosecutors accused him of helping run an undeclared Chinese government outpost in Manhattan, while his lawyer arg…
READ STORY ↗A court killed the FCC broadband discrimination rule and the FCC chair celebrated, because apparently losing your own rule can be a press release now
Ars Technica reports the Eighth Circuit vacated FCC digital-discrimination rules opposed by internet-provider groups, and FCC Chair Brendan Carr welcomed the decision ag…
READ STORY ↗Trump's DOJ sued an entire bench of federal judges, because apparently losing in court now means naming the court as defendant
Reuters reports Maryland federal judges asked an appeals court to reject what they called a misguided and unprecedented Justice Department lawsuit against them.
READ STORY ↗Trump says EU auto tariffs are jumping to 25%, because apparently a trade deal is just a draft until the Sharpie gets lonely
Reuters and AP report Trump said he will raise tariffs on European Union cars and trucks from 15% to 25%, accusing the bloc of not complying with a trade deal without of…
READ STORY ↗Senators want the FTC to police fuel prices harder, because apparently every gas pump now needs a congressional grief counselor
Reuters reports three Democratic senators proposed expanding FTC oversight of fuel prices, market manipulation, and transportation-fuel transparency as war-driven costs …
READ STORY ↗The House cleared a path for another $70 billion in immigration enforcement, because apparently the last enforcement money needed a sequel with overtime
Reuters reports the House approved a three-year budget outline that could unlock another $70 billion for immigration enforcement, after holding the vote open for more th…
READ STORY ↗Trump signed a DHS funding bill after an 11-week shutdown, because apparently homeland security now runs on partial payments and vibes
Reuters reports Trump signed legislation funding much of DHS after a nearly 11-week partial shutdown tied to disputes over ICE operations.
READ STORY ↗Carmakers booked $2.3 billion in expected tariff refunds, because apparently Trump’s trade war now has a receivables department
Reuters reports Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis have started booking expected tariff refunds after a Supreme Court ruling knocked down part of Trump’s tariff regi…
READ STORY ↗The State Department is making Trump-face passports for America’s 250th birthday, because apparently your ID document needed a campaign souvenir mode
AP says the State Department is preparing limited-edition commemorative passports for America’s 250th anniversary featuring President Trump’s picture, a first for a livi…
READ STORY ↗A judge asked DOJ if it will actually oppose Trump’s $10 billion IRS lawsuit, because apparently the government is now both plaintiff and awkward roommate
The New York Times reports a federal judge ordered DOJ to explain whether it intends to contest President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over his tax-return…
READ STORY ↗GAO says agencies made about $186 billion in improper payments, because apparently the federal wallet has a screen door
GAO says 15 agencies reported roughly $186 billion in improper payments across 64 programs in fiscal 2025, an increase that makes the phrase 'payment integrity' do a tho…
READ STORY ↗Trump fired the entire National Science Board, because apparently science advice now needs a trapdoor and a loyalty test
Reuters reported that the Trump administration terminated all 22 current members of the National Science Board, the independent body created to help govern the National …
READ STORY ↗Iran offered to talk peace now and nukes later, and Trump is unhappy because apparently the war came with a mandatory bundle package
Reuters reported that Trump is unhappy with Iran’s latest proposal to end the two-month war because Tehran wants to settle the fighting and Gulf shipping disputes before…
READ STORY ↗Trump reviewed a new Iran proposal while energy supplies stayed squeezed, because apparently war now comes with quarterly deal flow
Reuters reported Trump discussed a new Iranian proposal with national-security aides as the war remained in stalemate and energy supplies from the region stayed reduced.
READ STORY ↗Americans oppose ending birthright citizenship while the Supreme Court weighs Trump's workaround, because apparently settled text still needed a reboot
Reuters/Ipsos polling found Americans broadly oppose ending birthright citizenship as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on the Trump administration's attempt to limit i…
READ STORY ↗SpaceX may lean on Texas law to shield itself from activist investors, because apparently rockets needed a legal moat too
Reuters reports a SpaceX regulatory filing says Elon Musk's company could use enhanced Texas-law protections to fend off hostile bidders or activist investors pushing fo…
READ STORY ↗The Education Department opened a civil-rights probe over a pro-Palestinian educator group NYC says is not even connected to its schools, because the culture-war machine apparently runs on loose cables
Reuters reports the Trump administration launched a Title VI probe into New York City's Department of Education over NYC Educators for Palestine, while the city says the…
READ STORY ↗A judge blocked the rule making wind and solar projects get Doug Burgum's personal blessing, because apparently renewable energy permits had been converted into Cabinet-level hall passes
AP reports a federal judge struck down Trump administration policies slowing wind and solar development, including a requirement that projects on federal lands and water…
READ STORY ↗Trump said he will "remember" companies that do not ask for tariff refunds the Supreme Court says they are owed, because apparently obeying the law now counts as a character test
Reuters reports Trump praised companies for not seeking refunds from a new customs portal and suggested he would keep track of who declines to collect money the governme…
READ STORY ↗Trump said he never approved Kristi Noem's $200 million homeland-security ad blitz, because apparently even the border propaganda campaign needed a post-launch "who greenlit this?" meeting
Reuters reports Trump distanced himself from a massive ad campaign featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, even as DHS insisted the contract followed normal p…
READ STORY ↗Judges are asking whether Trump’s global tariffs were built on a 1974 economic time capsule, because apparently trade policy now runs on haunted paperwork
Reuters reports a federal trade court openly questioned whether a modern trade deficit can justify Trump’s 10% global tariffs under a statute aimed at old balance-of-pay…
READ STORY ↗The government is launching a portal to refund up to $166 billion in illegal tariffs, and businesses are already bracing for the website to implode like concert tickets for bureaucrats
Reuters reports importers are scrambling to use a new U.S. Customs system to recover illegally collected Trump tariffs, with many expecting glitches, registration nonsen…
READ STORY ↗The IRS collected less from tax enforcement after mass job cuts, which is a pretty innovative way to fight deficits by letting cheats breathe easier
Reuters reports IRS enforcement revenue fell 5% in 2025 after the administration slashed staffing, including enforcement workers, proving once again that gutting the peo…
READ STORY ↗A federal judge said your AI chats are not protected like lawyer conversations, because apparently we now need a courtroom reminder that ChatGPT is not your attorney
Reuters reports U.S. lawyers are warning clients not to dump sensitive case strategy into chatbots after a federal judge ruled a former executive had to turn over Claude…
READ STORY ↗Trump's Cabinet gave a press conference where they made 47 false statements. AP Fact Check rated them "Mostly True."
73 claims examined. 47 were factually inaccurate. AP's rating methodology apparently allows systematic falsehood as long as it's directionally consistent.
READ STORY ↗TSA screeners have not been paid in 18 days because Congress "forgot" to include the agency in the continuing resolution
A 1,247-page bill omitted an entire federal agency. TSA workers kept showing up, kept doing their jobs, kept not getting paid. Congress called it an administrative overs…
READ STORY ↗A federal judge blocked Trump's $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" because apparently using taxpayer money to compensate Jan. 6 rioters needed judicial supervision
After the Justice Department agreed to establish a fund to pay people who alleged they were wrongly targeted under Biden — in exchange for Trump dropping his $10 billion…
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