News? Henry Giardina (Queerty) reports::
The past two years of Democrats caving to anti-trans sports “debates” and policies have set a horrible new precedent. With MAGA 2.0 in full swing, even the bluest of blue state leaders started to feel a little too comfortable shying away from anything that could be considered Woke 2.0—including any common sense, compassionate discussion of trans existence.
Now, with MAGA 2.0 nearly dead in the water and midterm mixups threatening to hand everything over to the Democrats, it’s time for a new radical tactic. As in: how about we start standing up for trans people instead of throwing them under the bus?
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed have led this charge admirably. In recent interviews, they’ve failed to take the anti-trans bait, with beautiful results. Not long ago, El-Sayed gave Fox host Jesse Watters enough rope to hang himself with, and hang he did. Now, Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown is following suit.
Here’s some context: in the past few weeks, Brown’s Republican opponent Jon Husted has been screening an ad focusing on the state’s presumed laxity regarding anti-trans policies. In the ad, one Ohio resident and detransitioner claims that she was given access to gender-affirming care that “ruined her life.” Quickly enough, we learned that the detransitioner in question was not given this access in Ohio, but in Texas, where she was an adult at the time of receiving care.
Brown doesn’t linger on that part. Instead, he orchestrates a smooth redirect towards the actual problems facing Ohioans, a state that already has several strict anti-trans ordinances in effect.
“Jon Husted…protected men who abused young girls by voting in the Senate to block the release of the Epstein files.”
And just like that, it’s Husted who’s on the defensive.
The ad also states that Husted received “over $116,000 from associates of Jeffrey Epstein—10 times more than any other senator.”
Oops!
Good for Sherrod Brown.
This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot" for Monday:
Elon Musk has quietly funneled more than $276 million into Republican groups and his super PAC since the start of July, building a huge turnout operation to help the party battle headwinds in the midterm elections.
The staggering amount of money makes Mr. Musk, the richest person in the world, by far the largest known donor in the midterms. Representatives for Mr. Musk supplied the previously unreported figures on his political giving to The New York Times before a federal filing deadline on Thursday.
In an effort to save Republicans’ Senate majority, gave a total of $158 million this summer to the Senate Leadership Fund, the main super PAC backing the party’s candidates for the chamber, according to his team. In sum, that is one of the largest political donations in American history, and more than the group’s Democratic rival raised from all of its donors that quarter.
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
The Justice Department has launched an investigation into the five major American television networks that share duties covering President Trump every day. The president and the press are already in a pitched battle. CNN, MS NOW and Politico have been suing the White House after it permanently barred their reporters. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik is tracking this and joins us now. Good morning.
DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Good morning, Ayesha.
RASCOE: Things must be getting pretty heated if you have the Justice Department going after TV networks, right?
FOLKENFLIK: I think that's right. I mean, I think that this is all in the context of that court case where you saw - as you mentioned - CNN, MS NOW and Politico going after the president. The judge temporarily forced the White House to return those passes. He says he'll decide more permanently by the end of business Tuesday. But in the process of that, the White House says, taking new action. So it barred CNN from what's called a shared video pool. These are five networks - as you mentioned - CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News. And they share both the logistics and burden financially of compiling video of Trump in public appearances, but in tight space, places like Air Force One or the Oval Office. CNN was barred by that.
The president had made clear he didn't want CNN, Politico or MS NOW in at all because he just didn't like their coverage. He thought it was too relentlessly negative. When he was forced to take them back, they started banning them from appearing in those small spaces as part of that video pool. And the others essentially said, we're not going to fill the gap on those days that CNN is scheduled to do it but has been shut out. The Justice Department said the Antitrust Division is investigating for what they're calling collusion. They say a group boycott can be a anti-competitive act.
They shared a statement with us last night saying, quote, "members of the television press pool have proudly boycotted covering White House events. Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act." And that's the core of antitrust law, hence the investigation.
RASCOE: How did we find out about this investigation?
FOLKENFLIK: Well, the New York Times first published about this yesterday. And I spoke with four people who have direct knowledge about this. They're not authorized to speak publicly, so we're not going to use their names.
RASCOE: Let's talk about the CNN lawsuit. What are the networks arguing?
FOLKENFLIK: Well, they're saying nothing in terms of this. But, you know, what they are arguing is that the White House is violating their First Amendment free speech proposition. That is, the president doesn't have to invite those reporters in in the first place, but once he does, he can't have them barred because he doesn't like the coverage they do. They're also arguing they have due process concerns. That's the Fifth Amendment. It establishes a right that, you know, you need to be notified that the federal government will take action against you before it does, and you have a process to appeal that.
The judge seems inclined to accept the arguments that Justice - excuse me, the White House hasn't done that. Justice Department - since the court cases started - has invoked the question of national security, but that was after the fact. What we're seeing about this latest act is silence from the networks, the five networks I named so far. You've got to imagine that that will be incorporated by CNN in its filings. It's got to take place, basically, first thing Tuesday before Judge Timothy Kelly actually makes a ruling in that case.
But you saw a number of journalism advocacy groups weighing in. One of them, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, called it a brazen attempt to intimidate the press, presumably from the kinds of coverage it's been doing.
RASCOE: Well, you know, presidents always complain about the press. That's not just Trump. But this does seem different. Is it?
FOLKENFLIK: I think it's really audacious as a move to look at this and to see them doing this. Particularly, you know, the Reporters Committee called it brazen. But it is brazen to do it at the height of a court battle about these and associated issues. It also occurs during another major court battle, ABC and its parent company. You know, ABC, one of the networks that the president and the White House has taken action against. ABC and its parent company, Disney, are suing the president's chief broadcast regulator who basically said he was going to have a review of all eight of their local TV licenses at the same time - essentially, a threat to their bottom line - effectively unprecedented.
Leslie Briones, who is the Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 4, released a statement on Saturday saying, "I am horrified to learn that an ICE vehicle struck a man on Clay Road this morning in Precinct 4. While we wait to learn more, my prayers are with his family. Under the Trump administration, ICE has brought chaos and destruction to communities across our country. ICE must cooperate fully with the Harris County Sheriff's Office and release all video evidence of this incident. We demand full transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law."
Cesar Espinosa with FIEL Houston released a statement on Saturday afternoon saying, "We have more questions than answers. The biggest question we have is why does this keep happening? We demand answers and transparency from all agencies involved. the community needs to know the identities of the agents and if there are charges that are filed for the wrongdoing committed."
Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin released on statement late Saturday afternoon saying, "This morning, there was another incident involving ICE actions in Harris County. Time is of the essence in getting the facts, and the public deserves clear, accurate answers. ICE must cooperate fully with the local investigation. My office supports Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and District Attorney Sean Teare in their ongoing independent investigation, and the Harris County Attorney's Office stands ready to assist and support these critical efforts. We will continue to monitor developments closely as the facts become clear."
Alejandra Salinas, Council Member Houston-At Large for Position 4, released a statement on Facebook Saturday saying, "ICE agents hit a Houstonian with a vehicle while pursuing him during an enforcement operation this morning, leaving him hospitalized with serious injuries. This is yet another example of ICE operating without accountability and harming our community. All video evidence should be released, and ICE must cooperate fully with a transparent investigation by local law enforcement so those responsible are held accountable."
Tony Atkins (ABC 13) explains:
Surveillance video obtained by ABC13 shows the moment an unmarked SUV carrying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ran over a man during a pursuit at a shopping center in west Harris County.
The video shows a white pickup truck stopping along Clay Road, facing oncoming traffic. Two men get out of the truck. One runs toward Highway 6, while the other, identified by ICE as Miguel Parra-Hernandez, runs through a shopping center parking lot.
Moments later, a dark, unmarked SUV turns into the parking lot and runs over Parra-Hernandez.
A witness who spoke with ABC13 on the condition of anonymity said he saw the incident unfold.
"He said, 'Ah! Ah! Ah! You broke my leg! You broke my leg!'" the witness recalled.
So now they're running down suspects -- please note, a suspect, they had no idea who this man was -- with their cars and inflicting physical damage.
ICE is out of control. They are terrorizing people across the country. They are poorly trained and often unqualified. Which makes them not unlike their current leader Markwayne Mullin.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I'm not asking about him. I'm asking about the livestreaming and the risk that could be created by it.
SECRETARY MARKWAYNE MULLIN: Listen, once again, no one has to watch it if they don't choose to.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Why livestream it?
SECRETARY MARKWAYNE MULLIN: I – I follow President Trump. He's a the commander – he's the commander in – in chief of the – of the country, and he does a phenomenal job.
Hegseth made the announcement in an interview on Wednesday, and it was the first time many in the Army and Pentagon had even heard about the idea. While the Pentagon confirms plans for a livestream, President Donald Trump says he has not yet made a final decision on the matter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: There are two thoughts. Don't show it and show it. Because, you know, by showing it, maybe other people won't be doing what he did. So I'll make a decision ultimately. I know what the military would like to do, but we'll make a decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARSH: Well, joining me now is a reporter for the Associated Press, Jeffrey Collins. He actually witnessed the firing squad execution of Brad Sigmon back in March of 2025.
Jeffrey, good morning. Thanks for joining us. I mean, as someone who has witnessed lethal injection, the electric chair, and even firing squad executions, how does the reality of witnessing a firing squad differ from some of those other execution methods?
JEFFREY COLLINS, REPORTER, ASSOCIATED PRESS: The biggest difference between a lethal injection and the firing squad is just the firing squad is just much quicker and much more violent. A lethal injection, you know, it happens slowly. You know, the person kind of slowly ceases breathing.
The inmate, you know, whereas with the firing squad, it happens very quickly. You know, they put the hood over the inmate's head. Forty- five seconds later, without any warning, one, two, three, or anything like that, a shot's fired -- three shots, actually, in South Carolina. There were three volunteers. And, you know, it's just over that quickly. But it's also, like I said, a very violent kind of thing. MARSH: And I know you have witnessed that in 2025. I just wonder, after seeing that in person, how that has impacted you and just even the replaying of that, having witnessed that.
COLLINS: Well, it's, you know, part -- a big part, this is my job to be able to witness executions and tell the public what I see. You know, in the United States, executions aren't held in public. So oftentimes myself and two other media members are the only people that tell people what this looks like.
So, you know, the -- it's important to me to be able to see these, to be able to say, this is what it looks like. I've seen three firing squad executions, so I can compare one to the other. You know, if something seems wrong, I'm quickly able to discern that. And so, you know, I try to remember that it's that consistency and being able to tell people what I saw that's important.
MARSH: In a traditional witness room, your view is pretty controlled. You're through -- looking through a window and the shooters themselves, they are actually hidden behind a partition. But if there was a live stream of this sort of execution, what are some of the key details that a camera might miss or even highlight that the public might not even anticipate?
COLLINS: Well, again, you know, part of the situation with the firing squad is I can only look one place at a time as a human being. So, you know, there's questions about, you know, how is this just going to be like a camera set up just that just streams? Is it going to be, you know, multi-camera set up? Is it going to be somebody cutting between shots? I mean, there's, you know, when you're just witnessing it, it's done in a very, in a private kind of setting. It's done very sterile, you know, everything's set up. The inmates are already in place before the firing squad begins? You know, they're already strapped in when the curtain opens and the witnesses can begin to see.
So, you know, when -- and again, like I said, you look at so many different places because when the shots are fired, you're looking at the inmate, but you're also trying to look towards where the shooters are at, where you can't see, but you're trying to see what you might be able to see. Trying to look at witness reactions and things like that as a witness. I'm trying to see so many different things and what time it happens. I'm trying to keep that clock in my head too.
RENE MARSH, CNN ANCHOR: The defense officials, they have expressed deep concern over the psychological toll on service members who are actually ordered to carry out the execution. Based on your observation and even your reporting, how heavy of a burden is it for the personnel inside the chamber?
COLLINS: The -- what -- South Carolina, they -- everyone involved in an execution from helping out the media to making sure witnesses get where they need to go or volunteers. And the prison system makes a big deal out of that because they feel like being volunteers, they already kind of, they accept their role and they understand their role. And so, it lessens that psychological burden. But as you talk about witnesses themselves, especially, you know, I'll talk to defense attorneys or even families of victims. And, you know, it has an impact on everybody. I mean, I don't think that you can ever watch someone die in front of you and not have some kind of psychological impact. That's -- you know, we're human beings. So, you know, watching someone lose their life is always going to affect us in some way.
MARSH: Yes. Well, Jeffrey Collins, thanks so much for joining us and sharing your insight.
COLLINS: Oh, you're welcome. Thanks for having me.
And joining me now is the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin.
Secretary Mullin, thank you so much for being here. We appreciate it.
Let's start by showing our viewers this NYPD video of the shooting. You can see Oscar Belgal in a parking spot. A plainclothes officer approaches the driver's side window with his gun drawn. Another plainclothes officer approaches by the driver's side headlight.
Belgal then appears to try to reverse and try to drive away. One of the officers is banging on his window with a gun. So, I understand that Oscar Belgal in the country illegally, and he has a criminal record, including grand larceny.
I guess the question I have is, do you see how, for anyone, a bunch of men not clearly identified as with the government, as with ICE, banging on windows with a gun might cause anyone to flee? And I wonder, would it not be safer for the officers if they were clearly identified as with ICE?
MULLIN: Well, Jake, what you're not understanding is the full gravity of the situation, that Oscar
TAPPER: Yes, so I'm just asking about the tactics. I'm not defending the character of any of these gentlemen, because, obviously, one of the reasons this has gotten so much attention is that Oscar Belgal's 5-year-old son was in the backseat of the car.
Now, you have said that the agents were not aware that there was this child in the backseat of the car. But I wonder also about, in terms of tactics, shouldn't agents be checking for things like that before they fire into the vehicle?
Thankfully, the kids fine, but if this was a targeted operation, they were surveilling Mr. Belgal, are you 100 percent sure that the tactics being used don't need to change in any way here?
MULLIN: Well, let's be clear about this too. Do you know who knew the 5-year-old was in the car?
TAPPER: Sure, Oscar Belgal, yes.
Markwayne started into another fantasy and was winging it -- as evidenced by "If I'm a father -- if I'm a father -- which I am a father" -- and we're not putting his nonsense in here. Again, ICE has lied too much and too often. They've given up the right to be believed. They surrendered that right when they lied repeatedly to the public and repeatedly in court.
TAPPER: So let me just ask you another thing. We have seen a bunch of these incidents where agents go after someone who is behind the wheel of a car. And sometimes it ends with the target winding up dead, including two incidents like this since you have become secretary, a Venezuelan man in Texas, a Dominican man in Maine in July.
Tactically, should DHS institute practices where officers are suggested -- it's suggested that they wait for someone to get out of the car before going after them so that the car cannot be weaponized?
MULLIN: Well, the problem that you continue to have is individuals like this are going to flee.
Markwayne spews a lot of nonsense about murder that is intended to outrage but has nothing to do with the shooting that ICE carried out in a residential neighborhood.
TAPPER: So you said ICE agents were wearing body cameras during the encounter.
MULLIN: Yes.
[09:10:00]
TAPPER: The NYPD have already released its bodycam footage.
MULLIN: Yes.
TAPPER: Will the -- is the ICE agents' bodycam footage going to be released to the public as well? And, if so, when?
MULLIN: I'm sure it will be. Right now, FBI and HSI are doing the investigation. So, as it develops and we get all the information out correctly, we'll release information at due time.
One thing that we have learned for sure is that we never want to get ahead of the investigation. That's even with me and the speech or the conversations that I have about it. I want to be very clear that the investigation will go through, and when we find it and we are -- complete the investigation, we'll be very, very transparent with the public.
"I can't comment on an ongoing investigation."
ICYMI: At HELP Hearing, Murray Grills Trump Nominees on AI Denying Seniors’ Health Care
ICYMI: On Senate Floor, Murray Urges Colleagues to End Trump Administration’s AI Program that is Delaying and Denying Seniors’ Health Care
***VIDEO OF FULL ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION HERE***
***PHOTOS HERE***
Vancouver, WA — Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-OR), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance, held a roundtable discussion with providers to discuss how the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model, a new pilot program implemented by the Trump administration that’s using artificial intelligence (AI) to conduct prior authorization in Traditional Medicare, has been overruling doctors and denying or delaying critical health care for seniors. The WISeR pilot model began on January 1, 2026, and is set to last for six years in six selected states, including Washington state.
Joining Senators Murray and Wyden for the discussion at the Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington today were: Dr. Keren Rosenblum, MD, MBA, President, The Vancouver Clinic; Dr. Leon McCook, family medicine physician, PeaceHealth; and Dr. Ettore Palazzo, MD, FACP, CEO, EvergreenHealth.
“Despite a lot of empty promises from Republicans to not cut Medicare—Trump’s new WISeR model is essentially a cut to Medicare. What else do you call it when seniors are getting cut off from the health care they need, for no good reason? Under this dystopian system—Washington state seniors are seeking doctor-recommended care to treat debilitating pain, only to be told by Trump’s AI system that Medicare won’t pay for it, or that they must wait weeks on end to get their treatment,” said Senator Murray. “The truth is—the WISeR model has been a complete mess. This cannot continue—and it absolutely cannot expand. That’s why I’m here to continue talking with folks on the ground—patients, doctors and more—and gathering evidence and stories we can use to make the case back in Congress. We are going to keep pushing hard to stop private companies from raiding Medicare, and cheating seniors with AI. Republicans may be sitting on their hands but a Democratic majority will be aggressive in pushing back and working to end this experiment, and save Medicare.”
“Dr. Frankenstein isn’t the only one conducting dangerous experiments this Halloween season. The mad scientists given free rein in the Trump administration are quite willing to risk seniors’ access to lifesaving health care with their latest scheme grafting AI on to authorization decisions for traditional Medicare,” said Senator Wyden. “As the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee overseeing Medicare, I’m proud to stand with Senator Murray in the battle against Trump empowering unaccountable AI companies to delay and deny certain types of care in traditional Medicare.”
“Physicians support innovation and efforts to reduce waste and improve value in health care. But those goals should not come at the expense of timely access to medically necessary care,” said Dr. Keren Rosenblum, MD, MBA, President, The Vancouver Clinic. “WISeR moves Traditional Medicare toward the same prior authorization system physicians already know creates administrative burdens, delays appropriate care, and creates uncertainty for patients. At a time when physicians are already facing significant administrative burdens and workforce challenges, we should be looking for ways to make health care simpler—not adding new layers of complexity. Innovation should strengthen the patient-physician relationship, not create new obstacles between patients and the care their physicians believe they need.”
“After almost a full year of WISeR, it is clear how its implementation has negatively impacted our patients and staff, but we are still unsure if the program is achieving its intended purpose. As a community-owned public hospital district, EvergreenHealth supports efforts to reduce fraud, waste and the inappropriate utilization of Medicare benefits. However, we must pursue those goals in a way that does not delay care nor create unnecessary hardship for the patients we serve,” saidDr. Ettore Palazzo, MD, FACP, CEO, EvergreenHealth. “In the months following WISeR’s January implementation, we saw patients live with prolonged pain due to delayed authorizations for their treatment. Confusion and inconsistent processes have created additional workloads for our providers, making it difficult for them to support their patients effectively. Let’s continue to improve quality, value and program integrity in Medicare, but let’s focus on patient-centered implementation, timely decision-making and reducing unnecessary burdens on our care teams.”
Under the WISeR model, patients on Traditional Medicare across six states—Arizona, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, and Washington—are subject to prior authorization requirements for several types of procedures or treatments, meaning that a claim needs to run through an opaque A.I.-driven system that may deny it with limited explanation. This forces starting the whole approval process over again and setting the patient back weeks in the process. Several of the procedures subject to prior authorization under the WISeR model are treatments for patients experiencing debilitating pain, who are now having to wait to receive necessary care. Before this model, patients would have been able to receive care within the same week, or even day, in most cases. Prior authorization requirements are used routinely by Medicare Advantage plans and private insurers, but rarely in Traditional Medicare—which is often one of the reasons seniors choose it for their coverage. While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has described the model as voluntary, it is effectively mandatory for providers and their patients with Traditional Medicare in the selected states.
Each participating state is operating the pilot through a different for-profit company that contracts with CMS to use AI technology to process prior authorizations and conduct reviews for the specific services subject to WISeR. These participants are compensated based on a share of “averted expenditures.” In other words, they are financially incentivized to deny prior authorization requests, as they profit from denied services.
Senators Murray and Wyden have been pushing back on this harmful pilot program from the start, and for the past year and a half, Murray has been meeting with providers and patients across the state to hear about the implementation and harms of this program. In September of last year, Senators Murray, Wyden and other Senate Democrats sent a letter to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Director Abe Sutton, urging CMS to halt implementation of the model until a full analysis is conducted of the program’s impact on patient access—which, they argued, should include input from beneficiaries and their families, consumer and patient advocates, health care providers and suppliers. In December last year, Senators Murray and Wyden introduced the Seniors Deserve SMARTER (Streamlined Medical Approvals for Timely, Efficient Recovery) Care Act, legislation that would prohibit CMS from implementing the WISeR model that began on January 1, 2026.
This July, Murray and Wyden forced a vote on a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the WISeR program—Republicans chose to side with the Trump administration and blocked the CRA. In September, Senator Murray grilled Chris Klomp, the nominee to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), on the WISeR model and how the private companies conducting the prior authorization assessments are profiting from the denials.
Senator Murray is also an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 to streamline and crack down on prior authorization practices in Medicare Advantage plans.
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