In reversal, key House panel votes to release Matt Gaetz ethics report  —  The House Ethics Committee secretly voted earlier this month to release its report into the conduct of former Rep. Matt Gaetz before the end of this Congress, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.

Trump planning to target progressive non-profits, US watchdog warns  —  Congressional Integrity Project creates initiative to counter growing ‘authoritarianism’ and defend progressives  —  Donald Trump and his Republican allies are planning to target progressive groups they perceive …

CDC confirms first case of severe bird flu  —  A hospitalized patient in Louisiana is the first confirmed severe case of bird flu in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday.  —  The case was confirmed Dec. 13.

Inside Disney's Decision to Settle a Trump Defamation Suit  —  Talks started and finished on the same day, after Disney decided that fighting the lawsuit could potentially hurt the company and protections for the press.  —  When Disney reached a settlement last week with President-elect Donald J. Trump …

Democrats' playbook to beat Republicans in 2 years: work with them now  —  “I think we are telling them that we're here to govern,” one Democrat said.  —  DCCC chair Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., speaks during the House Democrats' post-caucus meeting news conference in the Capitol, Sept. 18, 2024.

Inside a Huge Spending Deal: Disaster Money, a Football Stadium and More  —  The mammoth year-end federal funding measure congressional leaders agreed on does far more than just keep the government running.  It is stuffed with all manner of policy and other changes.

What Do Democrats Need to Do?  Act Like an Opposition Party.  —  Democrats may be in the minority, but they are not yet an opposition.  —  What's the difference?  —  An opposition would use every opportunity it had to demonstrate its resolute stance against the incoming administration.

I Was a Health Insurance Executive.  What I Saw Made Me Quit.  —  I left my job as a health insurance executive at Cigna after a crisis of conscience.  It began in 2005, during a meeting convened by the chief executive to brief department heads on the company's latest strategy: “consumerism.”

The No-Win ‘Mystery Drone’ Clusterfuck  —  To political grifters boosting their profiles, government inaction is unacceptable, and government action cannot be trusted.  There is no acceptable explanation.  —  If you are wondering what to think of the New Jersey mystery drone situation …

More On Ethical Populism  —  The sweet spot lies in demagogic appeals that can withstand factual scrutiny.  —  ∙ Paid  —  The competition is stiff, but for me the most demoralizing spectacle from November 5 through the Nancy Pelosi-led whip operation to deny AOC Democrats' top oversight role …

US Supreme Court to hear South Carolina Planned Parenthood defunding case  —  The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to hear South Carolina's bid to cut off public funding to Planned Parenthood in a case that could bolster efforts by conservative-leaning states to deprive the reproductive healthcare …

Transcript: Trump's Angry New Tirade on Truth Social Signals Dark 2025  —  The following is a lightly edited transcript of the December 17 episode of the  —  Daily Blast podcast.  Listen to it here.  —  Greg Sargent: This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR network.

‘Everything is so bad’: Argentina's poor hit hard by Milei's ‘chainsaw’ measures  —  Rightwing president vowed to rescue country from years of ‘impoverishment’ - but for many the situation is desperate  —  Harriet Barber, Tom Phillips and Facundo Iglesia in Buenos Aires

Trump: Canada becoming 51st state ‘great idea’  —  President-elect Trump questioned Canada early Wednesday, asking why the U.S. provides its northern neighbor with subsidies, and suggesting that it should become the 51st state.  —  “No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year?

Done With Never Trump  —  It's been more than nine years since I first denounced Donald Trump as a “loudmouth vulgarian appealing to quieter vulgarians.”  I've called myself a Never Trump conservative ever since, even when I agreed with his policies from time to time.  I also opposed him throughout his run this year.

Slight Majority Oppose Tariffs On Mexico, Canada & China, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Nearly 6 In 10 Want To Follow Australia's Lead In Banning Social Media For Teens Under 16  —  mail_outline  —  As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to begin a second term in the Oval Office …

The upcoming GOP assault on Social Security  —  🌎 Public Notice is made possible by paid subscribers.  If you aren't one, please click the button below to sign up and support our independent journalism.  🌎  —  👉 Subscribe to Public Notice 👈

Ice deports mother and children, including newborn twins, to Mexico  —  Despite the infants being US citizens, Christina Salazar and all four of her children were put on a plane on 11 December  —  After his wife and children, including newborn twins, were suddenly deported to Mexico …

Are Democrats coconut-pilled?  Some want to see Kamala Harris run again.  —  Top officials gathered in Washington suggested an openness to backing the vice president again next time.  —  Senior Democrats aren't ruling out Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate for 2028.