Morning, Kitties. The Russian money trail around Don Jr.’s wedding keeps producing receipts, one in five members of Congress reportedly has household investments tied to the AI industry they may be asked to regulate, and Kash Patel’s FBI hiring rules have somehow kept livestock in the national conversation. Meanwhile, France is escalating its fight with Elon Musk’s X, questions are growing about government control of internet infrastructure, the military is struggling in the Arctic, and the House crammed in votes before leaving town for an extended break. Apparently America has entered the part of the movie where everybody owns stock in the machine they are supposed to regulate.
The American Shit Show
Lauren Boebert Denies Explosive Ethics Allegations
Lauren Boebert is denying allegations contained in an ethics complaint involving relationships with staff members and an alleged payment, calling the claims false and defamatory. The allegations remain allegations, and the people named in them have disputed key claims.
A Major International Story Raises New Questions
The BBC reports on another consequential international development with implications extending beyond the immediate event. As geopolitical tensions multiply, separating verified developments from speculation remains particularly important.
ProPublica Shows How It Found Don Jr.’s Russian Wedding Benefactor
ProPublica explains how reporters used photographs, social media, records, and interviews to establish Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev’s presence at Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding weekend and his financing of two nights of celebrations. Sometimes investigative journalism really does begin with a suspicious fucking wicker chair.
France Escalates Its Fight With Elon Musk’s X
French authorities have intensified scrutiny of X as European governments investigate the platform and its compliance with national and European laws. Claims about specific investigative actions should be distinguished from broader political commentary surrounding Musk.
Kash Patel Opens the FBI Stable
The PunchUp examines FBI hiring changes that allow individualized consideration of applicants whose histories include conduct that previously could trigger automatic disqualification, including prostitution and bestiality. Patel says the changes are intended in part to prevent victims of trafficking or abuse from being automatically excluded.
The House Crammed in Votes Before an Extended Break
House members packed legislation into their final days before leaving Washington for an extended pre election recess. Several politically contentious matters remain unresolved, proving once again that congressional urgency has a remarkably precise vacation schedule.
Trump’s Internet Kill Switch Raises Civil Liberties Questions
Resistance Media examines presidential emergency powers involving communications infrastructure and the circumstances under which federal authority could potentially affect internet services. The important distinction is between statutory emergency authorities that exist and claims that a president possesses a literal button capable of simply turning off the American internet.
Trump Administration Moves to Redefine Informed Consent
Mueller, She Wrote examines proposed changes involving federal informed consent standards and the implications for patients, researchers, and medical ethics. Changes to informed consent deserve particular scrutiny because consent only works when patients actually understand what the fuck they are consenting to.
One in Five Members of Congress Has Household Investments Tied to AI
Sludge found at least 105 members of Congress reporting household investments in AI developers, chipmakers, cloud providers, data center companies, or specialized AI firms, collectively valued between roughly $75 million and $287 million. Financial ownership does not establish improper conduct, but it matters when lawmakers write rules affecting industries represented in their portfolios.
UN Expert Challenges the Legal Framework for Narco Terrorism Strikes
A United Nations special rapporteur examines the expanding use of terrorism terminology and military force against alleged drug trafficking organizations, questioning whether existing international law supports some targeting practices. Calling someone a terrorist does not erase the legal requirements governing the use of lethal force.
U.S. Military Struggles During Arctic Exercise
Defence Blog reports operational problems during an American Arctic military exercise, highlighting the extraordinary logistical demands of fighting and sustaining forces in extreme cold. The Arctic is becoming strategically more important while remaining deeply unimpressed by military PowerPoint presentations.
Trump’s Media Strategy Comes With a Multimillion Dollar Price Tag
The PunchUp examines spending connected to Trump’s media operation and the financial ecosystem surrounding political messaging. Following who gets paid to manufacture, distribute, and amplify political content can reveal considerably more than simply counting views.
Fairfax Parents Group Draws New Scrutiny
Heather Ashley examines the Fairfax Grassroots Parents Coalition, its political activity, and the broader network surrounding education activism in Virginia. Local organizations can exercise substantial political influence, making their funding, leadership, affiliations, and claims legitimate subjects for scrutiny.
America’s Political Crisis Gets Framed as a Psychiatric Emergency
America, America examines American political behavior through a psychological lens and argues that the country faces a deeper crisis involving collective fear, normalization, and institutional stress. Psychological language applied to political movements or public figures should be treated as analysis rather than clinical diagnosis.
Closing RK Thoughts
Today’s stories are about systems that become dangerous when nobody bothers to inspect the wiring.
Congress is writing AI policy while lawmakers hold investments tied to AI. Governments are debating surveillance and communications powers while private platforms control enormous pieces of public discourse. Military strategy is expanding into the Arctic and drug interdiction. Medical policy is reopening questions about informed consent. Political money continues flowing through media ecosystems that increasingly determine what millions of people believe happened.
And then there is Don Jr.’s wedding, where investigative reporters followed photographs, financial records, social media posts, interviews, and apparently one very useful wicker chair until a previously hidden Russian benefactor emerged.
That is the lesson.
Follow the money. Follow the ownership. Follow the contracts. Follow the photographs. Follow the metadata.
Sometimes democracy really does depend on somebody looking at a fucking chair and saying, “Wait a minute.”
Claws out. Receipts ready.
Featured Resisters and Resources
- The Hush Line Whistleblower Support Directory is a public resource designed to help whistleblowers, journalists, and researchers securely connect with trusted recipients who can safely receive sensitive information. The directory lists verified journalists, attorneys, security researchers, advocacy organizations, and other professionals who are prepared to receive confidential disclosures about corruption, wrongdoing, or matters of public interest.
- We Are CASA (formerly CASA de Maryland) is a powerful grassroots immigrant advocacy and community service organization that builds power for working-class, Black, Latino/a/e, Indigenous, and immigrant families through legal services, community organizing, education, and policy advocacy. With a network of Welcome Centers in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, CASA provides immigration legal consultations, citizenship assistance, financial education, workforce development support, health outreach, and leadership training while fighting for tenants’ rights, equitable education, and fair immigration enforcement policies. This resource is essential for organizers and community members seeking both direct services and strategic tools to strengthen immigrant and working-class communities.
What We Are Watching Today
- House Committee on the Budget | 2:00 PM Local Time | Meeting Details
- 9:20 AM EDT
Secretary of State Rubio Rings NYSE Opening Bell - 10:30 AM EDT
U.S. House of Representatives - 12:00 PM EDT
U.S. Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI) Holds Town Hall With Students - 12:30 PM EDT
Transportation Secy. Duffy Holds Air Traffic Control Briefing - 12:45 PM EDT
Vice President JD Vance Campaigns for GOP Candidates in North Carolina - 1:45 PM EDT
Pres. Trump Holds White House Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - 3:00 PM EDT
House Budget Committee Field Hearing on Establishing Federal Fiscal Commission - 6:00 PM EDT
U.S. Senate Candidate Troy Jackson (D-ME) Holds Town Hall in Scarborough, Maine - 7:00 PM EDT
Governor Candidate Rob Sand (D-IA) Holds Town Hall in Ames, Iowa - 10:00 PM EDT
Alaska Governor Energy Forum
Today’s Call to Action
1. Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guides
2. Sign these Petitions and Send These Pre Written Letters
- Tell Congress: Investigate Hegseth’s secret Pentagon influencers
- Tell Congress: Investigate ICE’s Austin Shooting Now
3. Verify your voter registration status and help at least one other person check theirs
4. Save contact information for local legal aid and voting support organizations
5. Attend a Virtual Event
- Monday, September 21 at 9:00 p.m.: Weekly Organizing Briefing with Team Becerra. Meet campaign organizers, hear current priorities, and learn how to volunteer virtually.
- Tuesday, September 22 at 6:00 p.m.: Politics Chat with Heather Cox Richardson. Join the live political history discussion and audience question session.
- Tuesday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m.: Holler for Democracy: The Monthly Briefing. Hear updates on democracy issues and learn about upcoming Indivisible actions.
- Thursday, September 24 at 6:00 p.m.: Politics Chat with Heather Cox Richardson. Join the second live politics discussion of the week.
- Any day this week: Virtual Phone Bank for North Carolina Democrats. Contact voters from home and help support Democratic turnout in critical congressional races.
6. Contact Your Lawmakers Directly
- Protect Press Freedom: Hello, my name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY, ZIP CODE]. I am calling to ask the lawmaker to condemn the White House ban on journalists and support protections against government retaliation. Please defend the First Amendment and demand congressional oversight.
- Support Epstein Survivors: Hello, my name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY, ZIP CODE]. I am calling to ask the lawmaker to cosponsor and support the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act. Survivors deserve meaningful financial and medical support after the federal government failed to protect them.
- End the Unauthorized Iran War: Hello, my name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY, ZIP CODE]. I am calling to demand a War Powers vote to end unauthorized hostilities against Iran. Please oppose further military action without congressional authorization and support immediate diplomacy.
7. Who Are We Boycotting This Week?
- AutoZone for aggressively opposing workers trying to form the company’s first union.
- Starbucks until it delivers a fair contract for unionized baristas.
- Target for retreating from its diversity commitments and abandoning communities that helped build its brand.
