Georgia Bound
A presidential trip today to Rome, Ga. will test Donald Trump’s ability to stay on-message.
Trump’s objectives are to encourage Republican voters to show up for a special election, and then motivate them to go through a long list to choose his preferred candidate, Clay Fuller.
The winner of the March 10 balloting (or the April 7 runoff if no candidate cracks 50%) will fill the seat of former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R).
Earlier this week, Trump created a bit of a political distraction by referring to his backer-turned-antagonist as “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Greene.” That gave the ex-lawmaker an opening to counter on social media with a jab about the sex-trafficking investigative files gathered on the late Jeffrey Epstein.
In 2024, Greene pulled 64% of the vote in that district. Mica Soellner reports that less-ruby-red turf will be targeted in future Trump campaign swings.
Ex-Prince Arrested
The brother of King Charles, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after further details of his relationship relationship with Epstein emerged, Lucy White and Ellen Milligan report.
Emails DOJ released last month showed Mountbatten-Windsor allegedly disclosing confidential government information to Epstein during his time as UK trade envoy, a position he held between 2001 and 2011. Mountbatten-Windsor has not been charged, and consistently denied any allegations of wrongdoing.
Also Read:
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- Billionaire Wexner Says He Visited Epstein’s Private Island
Age Limits ‘Difficult’
Mark Zuckerberg says it’s “very difficult” to enforce Instagram’s age limits and downplays how much teen users do for the company’s business, Riley Griffin and Madlin Mekelburg report.
The Meta CEO was sharply questioned on the witness stand at a landmark trial over social media addiction. Attorneys probed the company’s efforts to attract and engage teens, and whether it adequately policed accounts belonging to children under 13, despite rules barring them from using the app. Read More
Also Read:
- Macron Says Social Media Curbs for Youth Will Be G-7 Priority
- Ireland, Home to EU Tech Hubs, Mulls Teen Social Media Ban
- California’s TikTok Child Addiction Suit Gets Boost From Judge
Redistricting Miss
Democrats who want to offset Republican congressional remaps by getting rid of Maryland’s only GOP district are going to be disappointed.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t sway his party’s legislative leaders in Maryland, Maeve Sheehey and Greg Giroux report.
After meeting with Jeffries, state Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) released a statement saying “it’s precisely because we want Leader Jeffries in the majority that most members in the Maryland Senate Democratic Caucus do not support moving forward with mid-cycle redistricting.” He warned the redraw would backfire on their party. Read More
Peace Day
Trump’s Gaza rebuilding-focused “Board of Peace” has its first meeting today, with some countries sending representatives only to observe, not participate.
After Russia was invited to join — despite waging war on Ukraine, some US allies chose to stay away. The Vatican both declined an invitation to join the board and argued that the U.N. should lead any peacemaking efforts.
There are multiple barriers to overcome in Gaza, not least of which is the question of how to disarm Hamas and avert a resumption of full-on conflict. Read More from Sam Dagher.
Eye on Interest Rates
We get four possible glimpses into the future today with separate public appearances by Federal Reserve officials.
Scheduled to speak: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic, Fed Governor Michelle W. Bowman, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee, and Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari.
Astute listeners will have their ears trained for comments about inflation and jobs — the big considerations that get weighed when the policy-makers discuss changing interest rates.
Enda Curran reports that the minutes of the most recent rate-setting meeting showed that the discussion included the possibility of “upward adjustments” if inflation doesn’t come down.
Before You Go
DC Mayor Asks Trump for Disaster Declaration Over Potomac Spill
DC Mayor
Anthropic-Backed Group Jumps Into New York Congressional Race
A political action committee backed by
Pharma Seeks Relaxed FDA Oversight to Move Drugs to Over Counter
Drugmakers are urging the FDA to reassess the regulatory process of switching medications from prescription to over-the-counter, a rigorous procedure that must demonstrate a patient no longer needs a doctor’s supervision to access a treatment.
Democrats Call for Scrutiny of Ex-Lobbyists in Trump Cabinet
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and other Democrats called on federal agencies to investigate whether ex-lobbyists in the Trump administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, used their government jobs to benefit former clients.
House Democrats Seek Classified Briefing on El Paso Air Closure
Three prominent Democratic congressmen sent a letter Wednesday to the heads of the Pentagon, Transportation Department and
Trump’s Immigration Court Detention Precedent Vacated by Judge
A California judge has vacated the Board of Immigration Appeals decision that Trump administration immigration judges around the country have relied on to deny detained noncitizens a chance to argue for their release.
Justice Department Probes Warner Sale’s Impact on Theaters
The
Trump Family Crypto Bash Convenes Wall Street’s New Believers
Wall Street executives and government officials gathered in Mar-a-Lago’s gilded ballroom for a conference hosted by the Trump family’s cryptocurrency platform — underscoring how digital assets have become both a policy priority and personal profit center in President Donald Trump’s second term.
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