Trina's Kitchen

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Lemon Pepper Cod in the Kitchen

Billie e-mailed to note All Recipes' recipe for Lemon Pepper Cod:

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 ½ pounds cod fillets

1 lemon, juiced

ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Add fillets and squeeze 1/2 of the lemon's juice over the tops. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Cook for 4 minutes and turn. Squeeze with the remaining lemon's juice and sprinkle with pepper to taste. Continue to cook until fillets flake easily with a fork.

That's a solid fish recipe.

News? Eva Roytburg (Fortune) reports:

Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged Wednesday that the AI-fueled data center boom is contributing to inflation, pushing back on the popular argument that the productivity gains from artificial intelligence should be bringing prices down already.

“In the short term, what’s happening is we’re building data centers everywhere, and that’s actually putting pressure on all kinds of goods and services that go into building these things,” Powell said at a press conference following the Fed’s decision to hold interest rates steady. “So that’s actually probably pushing inflation up.”

The comments came in response to a question about whether the Fed’s own long-run growth estimates—which officials revised up from 1.8% to 2%—reflected optimism about AI-driven productivity, and whether that should translate into lower inflation and lower rates.

Powell wasn’t buying the logic, at least not yet. He said AI likely raises the neutral interest rate in the near term rather than lowering it, because the demand side—the massive physical buildout required to power AI—is running ahead of any productivity payoff.

“In the near term, you’re not looking at something that would immediately call for lower rates, or that would be lowering inflation,” he said. The disinflationary benefits of AI, he suggested, remain theoretical for now.

His remarks might serve as vindication to the Americans feeling the squeeze from the data center boom. Goldman Sachs warned last month that consumer electricity prices could jump 6% from 2026 to 2027, driven in part by the strain data centers are placing on the power grid. Utilities requested a record $31 billion in rate increases in 2025—more than double the prior year—and lower-income households are bearing a disproportionate share of those costs.

Also on AI, Michelle Boorstein and Tara Copp (Washington Post) report:

The fight between the Trump administration and the artificial intelligence company Anthropic over the ethical uses of the firm’s AI just officially got theological.

A group of 14 Catholic moral theologians, ethicists and philosophers have filed briefs in federal court supporting Anthropic in its effort to limit certain military uses of its AI chatbot, Claude, particularly concerns it could be used for mass domestic surveillance or to power autonomous weapons whose targets and firings are picked by AI, not humans.

The filings come with the arrival of a new American pope who calls the ethical challenges of AI one of his top priorities. Pope Leo XIV picked a name to follow Pope Leo XIII, a pivotal Catholic figure in addressing social challenges of the Industrial Revolution. Days after Leo was elected last year, he called AI “another industrial revolution ... that poses new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.” He is expected to release a major teaching on the subject this spring, andso far has warned priests not to use AI for sermons and called for media to label anything made by AI.

While humans have always debated the ethics of war and technology, the scholars say cutting-edge AI technology that pulls humans further from moral decisions creates a different set of questions.

“In order for a violent act to be justified under the conditions of a just war ... a particular judgment by a human must be made,” the scholars wrote. Catholic tradition “has consistently emphasized that decisions affecting human life, freedom and dignity must remain the responsibility of human actors.”

This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot" for Thursday:

Thursday, March 19, 2026. Tulsi Gabbard provides the Senate Intelligence Committee with answers that did not back up Donald Chump's many lies, despite Donald claiming that he kicked his buddy Jeffrey Epstein out of his resort a document emerges explaining that never happened, Pam Bondi tries to get over on the House Oversight Committee, and much more,

For three weeks now, Donald Chump has been saying that this couldn't have been predicted and that couldn't have been predicted. Who could have known that the Strait of Hormuz -- for example -- could be used by Iran to cut off the flow of oil? Who could have known?

Well, it turns out anyone listening to the intelligence briefings.

Yesterday, Tulsi Gabbard declared, "I am here today to present the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, joined by the Directors of the CIA, DNI, FBI and NSA. This briefing is being provided in accordance with ODNI’s statutory responsibility and represents the Intelligence Community’s assessment of the threats facing U.S. citizens, our Homeland, and our interests." The Director of National Intelligence was speaking before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Senator Mark Warner (Ranking Member or Vice Chair of the Committee) noted in his opening remarks that the DNI had not been updating them or meeting with them.

Senator Mark Warner: Instead, unfortunately, we have seen the DNI involve herself in purely domestic matters. Last month, we saw Director Gabbard personally participate in a law enforcement raid to seize election ballots and voting machine records in Fulton County, Georgia -- a raid tied to an election that the president lost six years ago. When the warrant supporting the raid was unsealed, it showed something deeply troubling: There was no foreign connection to justify the involvement of our nation's top spy. Instead, the predicate for the warrant was a slop of debunked conspiracy theories that had already been rejected repeatedly by courts, by independent investigators and even by Georgia's own Republican Secretary of State. Yet the nation's top intelligence official was personally involved in this operation. This raises one very serious question: If the intelligence community is not being deployed to mobilize against foreign threats, why is it being deployed at all on a domestic issue? The DNI's appearance at this raid, as well as her involvement in seizing voting machines from Puerto Rico, suggests something that should also alarm every American -- I believe an organized effort to misuse her national security powers to interfere in domestic politics and potentially provide a pretext for the president's unconstitutional efforts to seize control of the upcoming elections. Don't take my word for it. The president has repeatedly pushed for the nationalization of our elections, calling for federal government to override the state election laws and quote, "Take over voting" while continuing to make false statements about election fraud. And we have heard troubling rhetoric from senior officials that reinforce these concerns. As former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said publicly, "We've been" -- and this is a quote -- "We've been proactive trying to make sure we have the right people voting electing the right leaders to lead this country."

He returned to this topic during his questioning.

Senator Mark Warner: Director Gabbard, the whole country knows that you were recently involved in a FBI raid to seize ballots in Fulton County, Georgia. Yet this was despite the fact that the warrant showed no foreign interference or nexus. Matter of fact, the warrant was based entirely on conspiracy theories that have already been examined and rejected repeatedly. Now where is the authority for you to involve yourself in a domestic law enforcement activity?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: Thank you, Vice Chairman, I appreciate the question. I, as you know, I've addressed every issue you've raised in detail in a letter but I'm grateful for the opportunity to do it in this forum. As you stated, Congress provided by statute, ODNI, with the responsibility of election security and counter intelligence in 2021. As you also know, ODNI has purview and --

Senator Mark Warner: Could you -- could you -- I know the history very well but could just

-- addressing the question? ODNI also has purview and overview over two domestic related agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, both of which have purview over election security responsibilities to ensure the integrity of our elections. I want to correct one of your statements that you've made multiple times which is false. I did not participate in a law enforcement activity nor would I because that does not exist within my authorities.

Senator Mark Warner: You were present on the scene. Are the photos -- are the photos of you on the scene?

I was at Fulton County, sir, at the request of the president and to work with the FBI to observe this action that had long been awaited. I was not aware of what was in the warrant or was not in --

Senator Mark Warner: What was the president's specific request for you to go? What was the specific request that was made by the president for you to show up in Fulton County.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: To go and observe the FBI's activities on this issue.

Senator Mark Warner: Look -- Do you have the answer why the president was knowing about this affidavit before it was even served?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: I'm not aware that the president knew about an affidavit before it was served.

Senator Mark Warner: Then why was he sending you to Fulton County?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: This occurred the day that the FBI had it approved, their warrant approved by a local judge and they began to execute this. To answer your question, sir, about the foreign nexus question in order for us to better understand the vulnerabilities in our election systems that may exist today as we look to 2026 and, yes, we are very focused on trying to make sure that this election is one that the American people have --

Senator Mark Warner: Director Gabbert, let me -- I've got a number of questions, Director Gabbert. I have a number of questions. Let me ask my next question, please. You have not provided any of the required reports or briefings to this committee on foreign interference. This is the first threat assessment since 2017 that didn't even mention foreign interference. Last year when you were in already confirmed, it mentioned it at high level. Are you saying there is no foreign threat to our elections in the midterms this year?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: As I stated in the outset of my remarks, this year's annual threat assessment matches the prioritization of threats and --

Senator Mark Warner: Please answer the question. Yes or no, is there foreign threat interference to our elections this year? Are there --

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: Please allow me to answer the question, sir. The intelligence community has been and continues to remain focues on any collection and intelligence products that show a potential foreign threat for those who are --

Senator Mark Warner: So far there have been none, ma'am, because you've made on system. Excuse me, ma'am, if you want to ask the questions, you should have stayed in Congress. Please answer the questions.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: I didn't ask you a question, sir, I'm trying to answer your questions.

Senator Mark Warner: So, you're saying the failure to provide any reports or the failure to have any mention of a foreign threat assessment -- I would draw the conclusion there must be no foreign threat to our elections in '26. So that brings me to a question that I have for both you ma'am and [FBI] Director [Kash] Patel. There are reports that in 2020 the president was preparing an executive order to potentially seize ballots or bring in federal forces. There is a published report that there is a similar EO being drafted right now about 2026 citing China. Director Patel, do you have any knowledge of that draft EO?

FBI Director Kash Patel: Thank you, Vice Chairman, I do not, sir.

Senator Mark Warner: Director Gabbard, do you have any?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: I do not.

Senator Mark Warner: Thank you. Let me move to Iran. Now I understand and I appreciated, Director Gabbard, your comments yesterday about agreeing that the president has sole authority, I guess, in his bones to declare whether something is an imminent threat. I didn't agree with your friend, Mr. [Joe] Kent, but I didn't again -- I agreed with him yesterday on the fact that there was no imminent threat. I guess what I'm concerned about -- one thing -- is even in your printed testimony today on page six and your last paragraph on page six, as a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. There's been no efforts to try to rebuild their enrichment capability. You omitted that paragraph from your oral opening. Was that because the president had said there was an imminent threat two weeks?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: No, sir. I recognized that the time was running long and I skipped through some of the portions.

Senator Mark Warner: You chose to omit the parts that contradict the president. The president continues to say as well that you know he had no idea. He was shocked that the Iranians had moved to take over the Strait of Hermoz. Did you provide any intelligence that would say that it would be -- that it was not likely that the Iranians would try to move on this trade.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: I'm not aware of those remarks and I think that those of us here at the table can point to the fact that historically the Iranians have always threatened to leverage their control.

Senator Mark Warner: Why would the president say he was amazed?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: I'm not aware of those remarks.

Senator Mark Warner: What about the comments the president made that he was surprised again reports that Iran struck the adjacent Gulf States?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: Again, I'm not aware of those remarks. We have --

Senator Mark Warner: Let me ask you, did you brief the president? Did you brief the president? Did you brief the president if he starts a war of choice that the likely result would be that Iran would strike adjacent Gulf nations and close the Strait of Hoemuz? Did you brief on those two facts that I think have been consistently the con -- the assumptions of the intelligence community.

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: I have not and won't divulge internal conversations. I will say that those of us within the intelligence community continue to provide the president with all of the best objective intelligence available to inform his decisions.

Let's note a line of questioning from Senator Mark Warner.

Senator Ron Wyden: Director Gabbard, last year you testified -- and I quote -- "Iran's large conventional forces are capable of inflicting substantial damage to an attacker, executing regional strikes and disrupting shipping -- particularly energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. In other words, every problem we're seeing now was not only foreseeable but was actually predicted by the intelligence agencies. So, Director, in the lead up to the start of this war three weeks ago, did intelligence agencies stick to their assessment that in response to an attack, the Iranians had the capability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: Thank you, Senator Wyden. The intelligence community has continued to provide the president and his team with the intelligence related to this operation in Iran before and on an ongoing basis.

Senator Ron Wyden: So right now we're in a global energy crisis. We're paying more for gas, the economy is in danger, and it seems to me -- and I heard you discuss this with Senator Warner, too, that there's a lot of hedging going on with respect to entirely foreseen consequences of the war and that strikes me, Madam Director, as what amounts to a historic mistake. Now my second question is: Did the intelligence agencies assess that the Iranians could respond to a regime change attack from us by attacking US forces and other Americans in the region?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: The IC assessment has always taken very seriously the threat of the Iranian regime's missile capabilities and how our American troops within the region may be put at risk.

Senator Ron Wyden: Again, you know, it seems to me with Americans dying in the war, it's hard to see how you can sit here and say that the intelligence agencies couldn't provide a clear warning that, if attacked, the Iranians would respond by attacking our people. Now, on Monday, Madam Director, Donald Trump was asked about Iranian strikes on the Gulf States. He said, and I quote, "Nobody, nobody, no, no, no, the greatest experts -- nobody thought they were going to hit the Gulf States." You all are supposed to be the greatest experts. That's what we have you there for. Director Gabbard, did the intelligence agencies assess that Iran could conduct strikes on our own partners in the region if it was attacked?

DNI Tulsi Gabbard: The intelligence community has continued to assess the potential threats to the region, the existing threats to the region and providing those assessments to the policy makers and decision makers.

There was a lot of commentary about Tulsi's testimony. I think Lawrence O'Donnell gets it right in his commentary below.

In the hearing, Senator Michael Bennet noted:

President Trump has offered no credible justification for the imminent threat, no clear goals, no strategy or timeline. His message keeps changing, I think, in really damaging ways. President Trump said Iran’s nuclear facilities had been "totally obliterated" in June 2025. But when he launched this latest war, he said we need to "eliminate the imminent nuclear threat of those totally obliterated nuclear facilities."

Chump just says anything and moves on. He lies and his lies go against his earlier lies.

"The lack of clarity," Bennet observed, "should matter to everybody."

But it doesn't. And it certainly did not matter to the Committee Chair Tom Cotton.

Bennet was asking questions of CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Ratcliffe was refusing to answer and misdirecting and getting louder and louder and Bennet asked to reclaim his time but Cotton muttered something about both being grown men and they could handle it.

Does he not know what the duties are for Committee chairs?

Or was he just choosing to -- as he did throughout the hearing -- avoid the realities that Chump has lied and lied and lied about the war on Iran?

Yesterday another hearing took place that was scheduled. But there was also the House Oversight Committee. They had subpoenaed Attorney General Pam da Bimbo Bondi to be deposed in April as part of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Late Monday, Pam announced she would show up Tuesday. And did. And it was all nonsense from Pam and protection from Committee Chair James Comer.

While Bondi again attempted to defy the rule of law and to lie for Chump, something else happened yesterday. US House Rep Dan Goldman took to the floor of Congress to read into the record a page Pam's Justice Department had released but had heavily redacted. Removing the redactions, Goldman saw that this was not about shielding the victims, it was about letting Chump continue to lie.

Pramila Tripathi (INQUISITR) reports:

President Donald Trump’s name has appeared several times on the already released Jeffrey Epstein files. Having said that, the president has time and again denied any wrongdoings and dismissed having any knowledge of the crimes of the late sex offender.

The president and his administration have also repeatedly claimed that Trump allegedly kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago as the latter was trafficking female employees from the club.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has missed the deadline to release all the Epstein files. Even among the released sections, there have been alleged instances of attempts to redact Trump’s name and images.

Among the files that were released, there was a heavily redacted version of a 2009 email from Epstein’s attorney, Jack Goldberger. On Wednesday, March 18, New York Rep. Dan Goldman said on the House floor that he had seen the unredacted version and displayed the same, which he mentioned was the complete email.

With the email at his disposal, Goldman accused the president of “false statements over the past quarter century about Jeffrey Epstein,” and also criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi for the decision of her department to redact the contents of the mail.

Goldman further voiced his concern, saying, “If the attorney general is covering up this information that she then reveals to Congress, what else is she covering up about Donald Trump’s involvement in the Epstein files?”

The conversations that took place in the course of the whole email appeared to be directly contradicting Trump’s claims that he had expelled Epstein from Mar-a-Lago as the mail showed that the disgraced financier was “never asked to leave.”

Hafiz Rashid (THE NEW REPUBLIC) also covers the story:

The document is an October 2009 email containing information about a conversation between one of Epstein’s attorneys, Jack Goldberger, and an attorney for Trump, Alan Garten. The email was initially released to the public in redacted form. In the unredacted version, as Goldman highlighted, Goldberger wrote that Garten said Epstein was never asked to leave Trump’s Mar-a-Lago country club in Florida as he was not a member, but may have been a guest.

This directly contradicts Trump’s claim that he kicked Epstein out of the resort in 2004 due to his poaching of Mar-a-Lago employees. Goldman claimed that the document was being deliberately withheld by the Department of Justice, violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act that Trump signed into law in November.

“This document here was redacted to the public. It was unredacted to Congress and it completely disputes everything that Donald Trump has said about Jeffrey Epstein,” Goldman said, displaying a blown-up poster of the email. “Now, why is this important? Because if the attorney general is covering up this information that she then reveals to Congress, what else is she covering up about Donald Trump’s involvement in the Epstein files?”

In other Epstein news, Jason Leopold (BLOOMBER NEWS) reports:

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is blocking the Drug Enforcement Administration from releasing an unredacted document from the Jeffrey Epstein files about an investigation involving drug trafficking and money laundering, according to a letter Democratic Senator Ron Wyden sent to Blanche on Tuesday.

The document, a 69-page target profile prepared for the DEA by the Department of Justice’s now-defunct Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, was released in January along with millions of pages of other documents from the Epstein files. Although heavily redacted, it showed that the DEA and the Task Forces, known as OCDETF, investigated Epstein, 12 other people and two businesses in 2015.

The target profile said the “individuals are involved in illegitimate wire transfers which are tied to illicit drug and/or prostitution activities occurring in the U.S. Virgin Islands and New York City.” (OCDETF, a transnational crime fighting unit created in the Reagan era, was defunded and shuttered last year.)

Earlier this month, Bloomberg News reported that the DEA-OCDETF probe centered on the procurement of Eastern European prostitutes for high-profile clients and the illicit funding and distribution of so-called club drugs, including ecstasy, methamphetamines and ketamine, a drug known to facilitate date rape. The individuals, whose identities were redacted in the target profile, included Epstein’s brother, accountants, attorneys and European women who worked as his assistants or fashion models, according to the people familiar with the case.

Yesterday, the Senate Homeland Security Committee heard from Senator Markwayne Mullen whom Chump has nominated to be the new Secretary of Homeland Security. Jim Newall (SLATE) offers:

The issue for Mullin is that there’s one Republican colleague he absolutely does not get along with, and the feeling is mutual. It’s a senator whom Mullin recently called a “freaking snake.” Mullin also said he understood why that senator’s neighbor “did what he did”—beat him to a pulp—in a 2017 assault. That senator is Rand Paul, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which confirms DHS nominees.

During Wednesday’s Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing into Mullin’s nomination, bygones would not be bygones. It didn’t take long to recognize that the core of the hearing would be an honor dispute between two strong-willed men.

Paul opened the hearing by describing his attack in rich detail: The six broken ribs, the damaged lung, the infections and pneumonias, the coughing of blood, the chest tubes.

“Tell the world why you believe I deserved to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken, and a damaged lung,” Paul addressed the nominee. “Tell it to my face why you think I deserved it. And while you’re at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents.”

A hearing like this, in which the nominee has recently joked about an assault on the committee chairman, is a rarity. But the opportunity was nevertheless there for a sort of staged closure: Mullin could apologize, say he got carried away, and pledge to work with the chairman going forward.

Mullin did not choose that path. When he first responded to Paul, Mullin acknowledged that the two “just don’t get along,” and aggressively said to Paul that it “seems like you fight Republicans more than you work with us.” When Paul pressed him again about his lack of apology, lack of contrition, and inability to even say he “misspoke,” while ribbing him about his “low impulse control” and presentation of “machismo,” Mullin didn’t waver.

“I did not say I supported” the attack, Mullin said. “I said I understood it.”

[. . .]

One thread that [Senator Gary] Peters pulled on was whether Mullin had inflated his background. As the Washington Post reported before the hearing, Mullin has never served in the military, but he has often told stories alluding to being in hairy situations “overseas” while on “special assignments.” He has referred to the “smell” of war. In the hearing, Mullin described an “official,” “classified” trip from a decade ago which only “four people” were read in on. He refused to offer any more details in an open setting. As Paul and Peters tried to get more information, they lost their ability to not wryly make fun of him, with Paul describing it as “this super-secret mission.”

“No, I did not say ‘super-secret,’ sir,” Mullin responded.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:

NYT: Republicans, Braced for Losses, Push More Voting Restrictions in Congress

AP: The biggest change to voting in Republican election bill could become a burden for many US voters

PBS: How Trump’s SAVE America Act would reshape voting and why critics are concerned

NPR: Trump wants to stop states from voting by mail and using voting machines

***WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE HERE, DOWNLOAD HERE***

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference to sound the alarm on the dangers of Trump and Republicans trying to ram through the SAVE America Act to make it harder and more expensive for Americans to register to vote and cast their ballots—as they do nothing to make life more affordable for working people. Senator Murray was joined by, Mary Hall, Thurston County Auditor, and Eliza Sweren-Becker, Deputy Director, Voting Rights and Elections, Democracy at the Brennan Center, who spoke to how the SAVE America Act will make it harder and more expensive for Americans to vote.

Trump and Republicans’ SAVE America Act would push states to purge American citizens from the voter rolls, kill voter registration by mail and online, reject common IDs used to register to vote—making Americans pay for new IDs and therefore making it more expensive to vote, force Americans to register to vote in person, and penalize married women who have changed their last names.

“Republicans are charging ahead to jam through the so-called SAVE America Act, with no regard for common sense, cost, or our democracy and our values. This push on this bill isn’t going to save anyone, but it is going to make it more expensive and harder to vote. You might as well call it the Suppressing American Voters Effectively Act,” said Senator Murray. “Your Real ID, your driver’s license, student ID, or even Tribal ID, none of the forms of ID you might actually be carrying on a daily basis will cut it under the new law Republicans want to pass. Instead, you may need to track down your birth certificate—or shell out for a new copy. Or you may pay $165 at least to get a passport… And let’s talk about what this means for married women: there are 69 million women who have changed their names in this country—I’m one of them. And Republicans are insisting that in addition to providing proof of citizenship, we may have to provide additional documentation like a marriage certificate or something showing the name change. Just my opinion—but it’s not very pro-family of Republicans to throw up roadblocks to keep married women from voting. And let’s talk about voting by mail—because no state votes by mail better than we do in Washington state. Well under this legislation, you’d need to mail a photocopy of an acceptable ID to submit your ballot… This bill is a disaster for democracy and I’m not going to let this get passed into law. I will stay on the Senate floor and debate this bill until the sun comes up if that’s what it takes. But the American people need to recognize that Republicans are serious about trying to nationalize our elections. Trump is serious about taking them over.”

In Washington state, there are currently 1.6 million married women whose names don’t match their birth certificates. The SAVE America Act would create additional administrative barriers for these women to register to vote and require all voters to include a photocopy of an acceptable photo ID in the envelope returning their ballot—every election. This will make it more difficult for local county officials to handle and count ballots efficiently. It would also require Americans to register to vote in person with an acceptable photo ID and with proof of citizenship, a driver’s license, tribal ID, or military ID would not be sufficient on their own.

Trump and Republicans are using conspiracy theories to justify making it harder and more expensive for Americans to vote. The SAVE America Act would dismantle the safe, proven systems millions of Americans rely on to register to vote. Republicans want to make online registration, mail registration, and voter registration drives illegal—forcing voters to register in person with documents like a birth certificate or passport, even though about 146 million Americans, roughly half the country, don’t have a passport. A new passport costs $165—Trump and Republicans effectively want to implement a modern-day poll tax. The Save America Act would also hit women especially hard. Millions of women around the country change their last name after marriage, which can make it much harder to produce documents required to register to vote under the new requirement. Under the SAVE America Act, states would share their voter rolls with the DHS SAVE Program and be pushed to remove anyone flagged by that program from the rolls. The SAVE Program would make recommendations on which voters to purge from the rolls based on their database, which was rebuilt by DOGE and has already misidentified U.S. citizens as being ineligible to vote.

“The SAVE America Act is the most dangerous, anti-democratic piece of legislation I have ever seen,” said Mary Hall, Thurston County Auditor. “This bill isn’t about security. It is a burdensome attempt to push millions of eligible voters out of the democratic process. It creates mandates that ignore the reality of how Washington State residents want to vote. From an administrative standpoint, implementing this before a general election is impossible.”

“If this bill becomes law, it would be the first federal voter suppression law ever. Congress is supposed to be protecting the freedom to vote, not undermining it,” said Eliza Sweren-Becker, Deputy Director, Voting Rights and Elections, Democracy at the Brennan Center.

Senator Murray believes that the right to vote is essential to making sure our democracy stays a democracy. The ability for people to use their voice and their vote to have a say in our government is foundational, and that means people have to have the power in our elections—not special interests, dark money, or just those at the very top. Senator Murray is working to use every legislative tool available to strengthen voting rights and protect every American’s right to have their voice heard in our democracy. As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray continues to ensure that election security is prioritized. In FY 2026, Murray secured $45 million for election security grants for states and U.S. territories, a $30 million increase over fiscal year 2025—to improve the administration of federal elections, upgrade voting equipment, make security enhancements, and protect Americans’ right to have their vote counted in free and fair elections. In 2023, Senator Murray cosponsored the Freedom to Vote Act, legislation to improve access to the ballot for Americans, advance commonsense federal election standards and campaign finance reforms, and protect our democracy.

Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

“Unfortunately, we’re here to talk about how the delusions of one President have pushed a major American political party to try—in the most ham-handed way possible—to nationalize our elections. Republicans are charging ahead to jam through the so-called SAVE America Act, with no regard for common sense, cost, or our democracy and our values.

“This push on this bill isn’t going to save anyone, but it is going to make it more expensive and harder to vote for everyone. You might as well call it the Suppressing American Voters Effectively Act.

“So how did we get here? Since 2020, President Trump has ranted and raved about how the election was stolen from him.It’s important to know that Trump’s conspiracy theories were soundly and thoroughly debunked—by Republican election officials,by journalists on all sides, and, importantly, by the courts.

“But here’s the thing about Trump’s inner circle, they were cowards by every measure that mattered, they were cynical enough to just go along with him—never mind the catastrophic damage being done to our democracy.

“Worse, many of them aggressively championed this false cause—that election fraud is rampant, and Trump had the 2020 election stolen from him. To this day, in our Senate hearings, Trump administration nominees will twist themselves into pretzels when you ask them if the 2020 election was stolen. They will dance around giving an honest answer for fear of angering the President. It is a really pathetic display.

“But that dynamic is key to understanding why Congressional Republicans are focused on passing this dumbfounding voter suppression bill, instead of addressing the urgent crises we face like, oh, I don’t know funding TSA, conducting even basic oversight of the war with Iran, or working with Democrats to lower costs.

“Well now we’re here. The bill is on the Senate floor. So, let’s talk about it. Everyone should know how this bill is going to make their life worse.

“First off, you’re going to have to dig up, or pay for, all kinds of paperwork you honestly may not even have anymore. If you’re registering to vote for the first time, or moved to Washington state, and are registering to vote here for the first time, you’re going to have to do that in person now. That really makes no sense. This bill is not solving problems—it is creating them.

“And guess what: your Real ID, your driver’s license, student ID, or even Tribal ID, none of the forms of ID you might actually be carrying on a daily basis will cut it under the new law Republicans want to pass. Instead, you may need to track down your birth certificate—or shell out for a new copy. Or you may pay $165 at least to get a passport. Half of all Americans do not even have a passport. And 21 million Americans do not have easy access to the other kinds of documentation they need to prove their citizenship.

“And let’s talk about what this means for married women: there are 69 million women who have changed their names in this country—I’m one of them. And Republicans are insisting that in addition to providing proof of citizenship, we may have to provide additional documentation like a marriage certificate or something showing the name change. Just my opinion—but it’s not very pro-family of Republicans to throw up roadblocks to keep married women from voting.

“And let’s talk about voting by mail—because no state votes by mail better than we do in Washington state. Well under this legislation, you’d need to mail a photocopy of an acceptable ID to request your ballot and again to submit your ballot. Sorry, but who even owns a photocopier anymore?

“This is all so absurd—to say nothing about how this President wants to ban all voting by mail. Forget the fact that Trump himself has voted by mail plenty of times.

“Look, I got into politics to help people and solve problems. This bill creates problems and helps no one.

“Voter fraud is not a real issue we have yet to solve—because it is already incredibly rare and it is already illegal—if you try to commit voter fraud you can already be put in jail. But I cannot overstate how rarely this happens. The average American is more likely to be struck by lightning than they are to commit voter fraud—seriously. That is a real stat.

“And here’s the thing: many of my Republican colleagues recognize that none of this is necessary or practical to force on our states. But they are going along to get along with this President—and in some ways, that’s a whole lot worse.

“So, here’s where the rubber hits the road: this bill is a disaster for democracy and I’m not going to let this get passed into law. I will stay on the Senate floor and debate this bill until the sun comes up if that’s what it takes.

“But the American people need to recognize that Republicans are serious about trying to nationalize our elections. Trump is serious about taking them over.

“So that’s why I’m here today. To get the word out. And I’m pleased to be joined by some experts—people who really understand the nuts and bolts of democracy.

“So, with that, I’m very pleased to introduce Mary Hall, she is the auditor for Thurston County. Mary is someone who is highly regarded by both sides—that’s the way it should be. Administering elections is not partisan and it never should be.

“So, Mary thank you for joining me today, and with that I am going to turn this over to you.”

###

The following sites updated:

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup in the Kitchen

Lawrence e-mailed to note Parade's recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup:

Ingredients

1 (28-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 (15-oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

In a six-quart slow cooker, mix together tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and 1 ½ cups chicken broth. Add chicken breasts to the cooker, turning to coat with the tomato-herb mixture. Cook on HIGH for three hours.

Remove chicken and shred it, then add it back to the cooker. Add the black and kidney beans, along with the remaining 2½ cups of chicken broth. Cook on MEDIUM for another two hours.

So there's a soup recipe that's also a slow cooker recipe. News? Morgan Rimmer (CNN) notes of a hearing today:

A typically friendly setting for one of their own turned tense on Capitol Hill Wednesday with senators grilling Markwayne Mullin for roughly three hours as he vies to become President Donald Trump’s next Department of Homeland Security chief.

[. . .]

Mullin, who has no history of US military service, was also questioned about accusations that previous, vague statements he has made about serving overseas and smelling war amounted to stolen valor.

The Republican senator chalked the allegations up to a “misunderstanding,” saying he was asked to train with a “very small contingency and go to a certain area” around 2016. As part of that trip, he said he participated in Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape training, which he simultaneously described as “kind of fun” and “absolutely awful.”

Aspects of that training and trip were classified, he said.

“So where did you smell war, sir?” Peters, a Michigan Democrat, asked.

Mullin responded that his answer would be classified.

The line of questioning was brought up at different times during Mullin’s appearance, with Peters later telling him: “You’ve not been forthcoming with me or this committee. The story always seems to evolve, to kind of change. And as you know, candor, honesty, transparency are absolutely critical, particularly at this time, to try to build trust as the Secretary of Homeland Security.”

After Paul threatened to cancel the committee’s Wednesday vote unless Mullin provided them with clarity on the classified work he claimed to have done, Mullin agreed to meet with lawmakers in a secure setting after the hearing.

Multiple lawmakers emerged from that classified session later Wednesday unsure what to make of the senator’s past comments.

But Paul appeared to signal the committee vote would move forward. “I think we’re sort of done. There are still some mysteries regarding his war service, but I think that, you know, we’ve gone about as far as I think we’re going to go. People have to make a judgment,” he told CNN.

This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot" for Wednesday:

Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Chump loses a supporter in the administration over the war on Iran, the State Dept is now -- now, just now -- advising US embassies to conduct security evaluations, Ka$h Patel comes under scrutiny, a whistle-blower appears to have some information on Epstein's New Mexico ranch, Senator Patty Murray calls out the GOP's effort to make voting more difficult for Americans, and much more.

Yesterday, Team Chump saw a member bail. Seung Min Kim and David Klepper (AP) report:

Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran and saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war.

“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent said in a statement posted on social media, making claims President Donald Trump has denied.

Kent, a former Green Beret and political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed last July on a 52-44 vote. As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats.

Jacob Magid (TIMES OF ISRAEL) adds:

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” writes Kent, who faced criticism over ties to white nationalists before he was tapped for the senior post in the Trump administration.

“Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran.

“This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again,” Kent claims.

Chump was taken by surprise by the remarks and action. As the shock wore off, he found time to blame someone. Alex Griffing (MEDIAITE) reports:

Fox News White House correspondent and anchor Aishah Hasnie reported on Tuesday in the wake of Joe Kent’s scathing resignation that the Trump White House had pushed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to fire him.

Kent, a MAGA influencer who served as Trump’s director of the National Counterterrorism Center, became the first major administration official to resign in protest over the Iran war on Tuesday morning. Gabbard, along with Kent, has long been a leading isolationist figure inside the Trump administration. Having once been aligned with the Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party, Gabbard has been a vocal anti-interventionist in DC and was once a fierce critic of Trump’s foreign policy in the Middle East.

Hasnie reported that, according to a “senior administration official,” Kent was long cut off from intelligence briefings and was suspected of leaking. Hasnie wrote on social media that the official told her:

-a known leaker and he was cut out of POTUS intelligence briefings months ago.

-the WH told DNI Tulsi Gabbard he should be fired for suspected leaks but she never did.

-he has not been part of any Iran planning discussions or briefings at all.

The White House went into attack mode following Kent’s letter, which accused the administration of misleading the public about the threat Iran posed to the U.S. Kent claimed in his letter, “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Isaac Schorr (MEDIAITE) notes that an unnamed intelligence official is saying that the FOX "NEWS" report was not accurate and that Tulsi was never asked to fire Joe Kent.

Five minutes into the video below, Jen Psaki covers Kent and, seven minutes in, notes Tulsis suck up public remarks.

In other news, Ewan Palmer (DAILY BEAST) reports on the response of US allies -- or US allies before Chump got sworn in and started attacking them:

Major allies have no intention of getting directly involved in Donald Trump’s war on Iran—and are telling him so bluntly.

The response to the president’s demands for military help to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane has ranged from skepticism to “Hell, no,” sources familiar with the diplomatic talks told Axios.

The narrow passage between Iran and Oman through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes has been closed off by Iran as a retaliatory measure since U.S. and Israel began bombing the Middle Eastern country on Feb. 28. The closure of the Strait has resulted in a worldwide oil crisis, with crude oil prices rising past $100 a barrel and gas prices surging in the U.S.

Ashleigh Fields (THE HILL) reports that Chump is also receiving criticism from War Hawks:

Former National Security adviser John Bolton on Monday said President Trump failed to make a “compelling case” to the American people about the threat Iran’s nuclear program and terrorist network pose to the United States.

“Trump made some critical mistakes that are becoming – the effects of which are becoming more apparent. Before the war, he didn’t prepare the American people,” Bolton said during a Monday appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill.”

“And I don’t mean by telling them what the operation would be or how long it would be, but by making what I think is a very compelling case that the Iranian nuclear threat and the Iranian terrorism threat affect us directly, affect our friends and allies, like Israel, like the Gulf Arabs, like Europe in particular, and that, after 25 or 30 years of negotiation, we were coming to the view that the only way this was going to be solved would be by eliminating the regime,” Bolton added in his comments to anchor Blake Burman.

Bolton, a longtime Iran hawk, has criticized Trump’s war on Iran for a lack of planning, arguing the administration did not lay the groundwork for a new government to replace the hardline Islamic regime.

Adam Taylor (WASHINGATON POST) notes:

The State Department has ordered all U.S. diplomatic posts worldwide to “immediately” undertake security evaluations, citing “the ongoing and developing situation in the Middle East and the potential for spill-over effects,” according to a cable sent Tuesday that was reviewed by The Washington Post.

The cable stated that “ALL posts worldwide” should convene Emergency Action Committees (EAC), multidisciplinary teams designed to identify and plan for threats, and to review their “security posture.” The cable was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and stated that the order had come from Undersecretary for Management Jason Evans.

Though similar orders have been sent to diplomatic posts in the Middle East over past weeks, Tuesday’s order appeared to mark the first time that all posts globally had been ordered to review their security due to the Iran war.

Multiple U.S. embassies have been targeted by Iran and its proxies since the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign started Feb. 28, with several missions temporarily closing and U.S. personnel ordered to leave several countries.

This is being done now? Not before the war started? Not when the war started? Not when the first US Embassy got attacked? It would appear to me that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has admirers in the press who promote and applaud him. Where are the actual journalists? I can't imagine Condi Rice, Hillary Clinton or John Kerry getting away with this kind of a misstep.

Nicole Charky-Chami (RAW STORY) notes Ka$h Patel is being called out for his lack of preparation:

FBI insiders had sharp critiques of FBI Director Kash Patel's leadership amid rising terrorism threats, according to reports on Monday.

Patel has come under fire after four separate terror-related incidents since the Iran war began four weeks ago, and an overall increase in terrorism, The Daily Beast reported. Experts warned that Patel's missteps could lead to even bigger problems ahead.

A former FBI agent told Miranda Devine, conservative commentator for The New York Post, during her podcast Pod Force One that the FBI should have acted more urgently to review its surveillance methods, including its flagging systems, investigative and screening processes, and its threat monitoring systems.

“The FBI should be directly questioned on these matters on their prior knowledge and applicable actions,” the agent said. “If not, then this violence will continue to happen and intensify.”

Bruce Haring notes that the FBI is coming under more criticism:

A veteran FBI special agent claims the agency is “consumed by politically motivated revenge and conspiracy theories, distracting the F.B.I., once again, from the danger of terrorism.”

Writing in The New York Times, Jacqueline Maguire said the spreading war with Iran significantly elevates the regime’s threat to Americans at home and abroad.

That means, she claims, “the F.B.I. must return its focus to its core work: protecting Americans from terrorists and cyberattacks and halting foreign intelligence operations and espionage.”

But nothing in the age of Trump 2.0 is ever that simple.

Although the FBI in her 2000-era tenure was admittedly “distracted from the threat by Al Qaeda that had taken root in the United States,” the agency quickly got up to speed after 9/11. It bolstered its national security work, she claimed.

However, the author of the piece was among those “pushed out” of the FBI last year when the Trump administration started its second term in January 2025. Among the dozens who departed were Iran specialists.

You may remember Rachel Maddow noting the Iran experts being pushed out of the FBI two weeks back.

Meanwhile, Matthew Rozsa explains:

President Donald Trump’s Iran war consistently polls in the low 40s, historically poor for a nascent military campaign — and a prominent columnist predicts his efforts to bully Americans into changing their minds will not work.

“On Sunday night, during a tirade on his Truth Social website, the president attacked The Wall Street Journal for reporting on an Iranian military strike against American planes in Saudi Arabia, and called on other news outlets to be charged with ‘TREASON,’” seasoned columnist Michelle Goldberg wrote for The New York Times. “Brendan Carr, Trump’s thuggish Federal Communications Commission chairman, threatened to revoke broadcasters’ licenses over their war coverage. Criticizing CNN’s reporting on the war last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made clear that he’s hoping its new owners quash its independence: ‘The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.’”

Goldberg argued that “rarely in modern history has an American administration made such blatantly authoritarian efforts to subdue its critics. Such naked coercion is a screaming sign of democratic breakdown. But we shouldn’t lose sight of how Trump is failing to bend the country to his will. Even as he’s wrecking American institutions, Trump is revealing the limits of his cultural influence.”

Goldberg went on to list prominent conservatives who are splitting with Trump on the war, including Megyn Kelly, a right-wing streamer; Tucker Carlson, a right-wing podcaster; and Joe Rogan, a fellow right-wing podcaster.

[. . .]

“One reason the old hawkish canards no longer work is that Trump has so degraded the aura that used to surround America’s commander in chief,” Goldberg explained. “A recent fund-raising email for Trump’s political action committee used a photograph of the president — wearing a white baseball hat — receiving the remains of American service members. With his war raging, he’s spent the last two weekends golfing. Trump refuses to treat his role with reverence, so others don’t feel much need to either.”

Meanwhile, SEEKING ALPHA notes the impact the war is having on American farmers:

The Trump administration is seeking alternative fertilizer supplies for U.S. farmers as the war in Iran disrupts a key global trade route just weeks before the spring planting season.

“We’ve been all over the fertilizer problem,” White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said on CNBC Tuesday. “I’m not saying that we can eliminate what disruption there is so far, but we can minimize it for sure.”

The effort reflects growing concern in Washington that supply bottlenecks, particularly those tied to the Strait of Hormuz, could tighten availability and push up costs for farmers at a critical moment in the agricultural calendar.

And RELIGIOUS NEWS SERVICE notes:

The U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran is now in its third week, and the consequences of the war for Americans are beginning to hit home. Not only have we lost servicemen and women, we have expended billions of dollars on weapons and logistical costs. And the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas travels, has reduced exports, raising gas prices and, indirectly, almost all prices

President Donald Trump’s energy policy has left the country unprepared for his war. At a time when the country desperately needs alternatives to oil and gas, his policies have left us naked to the storms of war.

Pope Francis was a prophetic voice on behalf of peace and the environment, and Pope Leo XIV has taken up this mission. Diplomacy should always be preferred to war. And if Francis’ warnings about climate change had been heeded by Trump, our country would be better prepared for the current energy crisis. Even if you do not accept the popes’ moral arguments, green energy is not only good for the planet, it is good for national security.

The closing of the Strait of Hormuz has caused the price of crude oil to go over $100 a barrel. This means higher prices for gasoline, diesel and everything in the economy that runs on oil or is made from oil. Not only will it cost more to drive your car, it will cost more to deliver goods by rail and truck to consumers.

Chump never learns lessons. Which is why Ari Natter (BLOOMBERG NEWS) reports, "US President Donald Trump said he wanted to have no wind turbines built during his presidency, reiterating his distaste for the renewable energy source after his administration has made multiple moves to thwart its development."

Let's move over to Homeland Security. Conrad Hoyt (LAW & CRIME) reports:

The Trump administration has admitted that agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatened to put Maine women observing their activities onto a federal watchlist.

In a 24-page court filing, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sought to convince a judge that a temporary restraining order (TRO) and immediate relief by the legal observers are unnecessary. Though conceding that DHS officers "suggested" that citizens' information would be taken during interactions at immigration-enforcement operations, the DOJ maintains that no such promises were followed up on.

"While DHS, as do other law enforcement agencies, maintains databases relevant to law enforcement investigations, the officers involved in the encounters with Plaintiffs did not enter their information into a database or watchlist related to those encounters," the filing states. "Defendants acknowledge that officers on the ground suggested otherwise, however, those statements were contrary to DHS policy."

The Trump administration went so far as to share declarations from DHS Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) leaders stating that neither Elinor Hilton nor Colleen Fagan were placed on any database. Moreover, the federal immigration agency sent a memo to agents reminding them of "First Amendment Protected Activities."

So the US government is saying 'We lied to the women when we told them that we were putting their names on a watchlist. We are telling the truth now, however, when we say we didn't do that.' Were I Elinor or Colleen, I don't know that I'd be so quick to take them at their word.

Cassian Holt (MORNING OVERVIEW) reports:

A hacktivist group claims to have breached a Department of Homeland Security portal used by private companies to pitch surveillance and research technologies, exposing two structured databases that detail proposals for biometric phone adapters, AI-powered airport monitoring, and geospatial heat maps built from 911 calls. The leaked data, drawn from the Office of Industry Partnership within DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate, has reignited questions about how federal agencies solicit and vet invasive tools, particularly those that could be deployed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. No official DHS response to the breach has been made public as of this writing.

[. . .]

The claimed breach produced two structured databases, according to reporting from The Guardian. Entries in the leaked dataset include proposals for biometrics-on-phones adapters, which would allow field agents to capture and match fingerprints or facial data using mobile devices. Other entries describe AI surveillance systems designed for airport environments and a tool that ingests 911-call data to generate geospatial heat maps, potentially giving agencies a real-time picture of emergency activity across regions.

Each of these technologies carries direct implications for how DHS components, including ICE, could expand monitoring capabilities. A biometric phone adapter, for instance, would let officers verify identities during street-level encounters without returning to a fixed terminal. Airport AI surveillance proposals suggest automated tracking of individuals through transit hubs, potentially combining video feeds, travel records, and watchlist data. And 911-call heat mapping could layer emergency response information into immigration enforcement patterns, raising civil liberties concerns that go well beyond the original purpose of those emergency calls.

The databases do not appear to contain finalized contracts or deployment records, based on available reporting. Instead, they reflect the proposal pipeline: what companies offered and what DHS was willing to consider. That pipeline, however, reveals the agency’s appetite for specific surveillance capabilities in ways that official procurement announcements rarely do. Even unsuccessful bids can indicate areas where the department is actively exploring new ways to collect, analyze, and share data about people’s movements and associations.

Today, Senator Markwayne Mullen is set to appear before the Senate Homeland Security Committee as senators determine whether or not to support his bid to be the new Secretary of Homeland Security.

Turning to Chump's best buddy Jeffrey Epstein, Khadeeja Safdar (WALL STREET JOURNAL) reports:

After Jeffrey Epstein’s death, Svetlana Pozhidaeva said she finally felt free and started building her life. The former Russian model, who became one of Epstein’s “assistants” and a victim of his abuse, changed her name and moved to another city.

Then the Epstein files dropped.

She didn’t pay much attention, preferring not to revisit that period—the years from 2008 to 2019, when she had been caught in Epstein’s web. She assumed her name would be redacted like the other women who were vetted by settlement administrators in previous victim lawsuits.

The Justice Department did redact her name as the sender and receiver in most emails, but mistakenly left it in the body of some messages. She was among the dozens of victims whose personally identifiable data was initially left unredacted in the Jan. 30 release.

Since the files dropped, Pozhidaeva said she has been playing whack-a-mole with the Justice Department, sending emails to flag redaction errors. The Justice Department addressed initial errors, but when it reposted corrected files, some instances of her name remained exposed.

The Justice Department has said only a fraction of the released files had redaction errors and it is fixing any mistakes when notified by victims or their attorneys. The department didn’t respond to requests for comment.

For Pozhidaeva, the pressure reached a breaking point in recent days, when a blogger started contacting her family and announced plans to expose her new name on the grounds that she was in her 20s at the time of the abuse and said her links to Russia disqualified her from victim protections. The Wall Street Journal isn’t publishing her current name.

“I am so exhausted. I haven’t slept or eaten properly for weeks,” she said in a recent interview. “I’d rather tell this embarrassing story myself and get it over with once and for all so I can finally be free and close this chapter.”

It's a shame that the Justice Dept made life harder for the survivors. It's a greater shame that Attorney General Pam da bimbo Bondi couldn't apologize to those women. Maybe she'll get another chance this year? In the meantime, she's been asked to be deposed by the House Oversight Committee. Rebecca Beitsch (THE HILL) reports:

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Tuesday formally subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer questions about the Epstein files.

The committee voted earlier this month to subpoena Bondi, following a motion from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who said it was unclear whether the Justice Department had turned over all records related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that were required under a law mandating their release.

“The Committee has questions regarding the Department of Justice’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his associates and its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act,” Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) wrote in the cover letter of the subpoena.

“As Attorney General, you are directly responsible for overseeing the Department’s collection, review, and determinations regarding the release of files pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and the Committee therefore believes that you possess valuable insight into these efforts.”

The subpoena requests Bondi appear for an April 14 deposition.

SCRIPPS NEWS GROUP adds:

Bondi testified before the House Judiciary Committee in February, where she was pressed on the Epstein files.

With accusers of Epstein watching from the hearing room, Bondi defended the DOJ’s handling of the files.

In other news, Crisnel Longino (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES) reports:

A whistleblower has claimed to have discovered 'grave-like plots' at Jeffrey Epstein's former Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, sharing photos with state lawmakers investigating the late financier. The images, which have not been independently verified, reportedly show several dug-up burial sites on the property.

The revelation comes amid renewed attention on Epstein's activities and raises fresh questions about the FBI and other authorities' handling of evidence linked to the controversial estate.

The tipster, whose identity has been redacted, reportedly broke into the ranch in 2020 and discovered multiple plots they believed had been used for burials. They sent the images to Democratic Representatives Andrea Romero and Marianna Anaya last month, along with an email stating that the sites appeared to have had bodies removed.

'I realise this might be illegal,' the tipster wrote, 'but men like that don't deserve the protection of the law.' Romero, who heads a bipartisan commission investigating Epstein in New Mexico, forwarded the correspondence to Kyle Hartsock, director of special investigations at the state Department of Justice, who assured her that the tip was 'being looked into.'

Let's wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:

NYT: Republicans, Braced for Losses, Push More Voting Restrictions in Congress

AP: The biggest change to voting in Republican election bill could become a burden for many US voters

PBS: How Trump’s SAVE America Act would reshape voting and why critics are concerned

NPR: Trump wants to stop states from voting by mail and using voting machines

***WATCH: Senator Murray’s floor remarks***

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to slam Republicans for trying to ram through the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to make it harder and more expensive for Americans to register to vote and cast their ballots.

Trump and Republicans’ SAVE America Act would purge American citizens from the voter rolls, kill voter registration by mail and online, reject common IDs used to register to vote—often making Americans pay for new IDs and therefore making it more expensive to vote, force Americans to register to vote in person, and penalize married women who have changed their last names.

Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

“When it comes to broken promises, it seems like Trump and Republicans have raised every price they ever said they would lower.

“[They raised] costs on groceries with Trump’s sweeping tariffs—the largest tax increase on working families in American history. They sent energy costs higher by cancelling clean energy projects. They sent gas prices skyrocketing by starting a new war in the Middle East, and they let health care premiums skyrocket for patients doubling, tripling, and more through sheer indifference!

“And now, desperate to avoid the wave of angry voters who Republicans had promised lower prices and no new wars, Republicans are even going to raise the cost of voting.

“Because their SAVE Trump Act would nickel and dime Americans who are just trying to vote but have to slog through one new Republican roadblock after another. Under Republicans’ bill, one of our citizens’ most basic freedoms now comes with a price and it comes with a lot of brand-new hurdles that serve no purpose but to trip people up.

“Some folks will have to shell out for a copy of their birth certificate. Some will have to get a passport— and that is $165 by the way. Some folks will have to travel hours away to register in person, costing time, travel fare, or maybe gas costs—which Trump is sending through the roof.

“And that’s not the half of it. Just consider all the people who will face new challenges to vote—for no good reason.

“If you are a student who just moved to start college, Republicans will make it harder for you to vote. Because if this bill passes, you will need to show a photo I.D. and proof of citizenship in every single state—but a student I.D. won’t count. Many Tribal I.D.’s also won’t be enough under the new Republican restrictions.

“If you are a married woman who changed her last name, like me and the overwhelming majority of moms across the country, Republicans will make it harder for you to vote. Because you would now have to bring an ID, proof of citizenship, and some additional paperwork showing your name change. That could affect 70 million people.

“If you are a senior who just moved into a new nursing home and has mobility issues. Republicans will make it harder for you to vote. Because you can no longer just register online or by mail. You now have to show up in person to show your papers.

“Voting will also be harder for rural families far from any place where they could show their papers and register in person. In Washington state—we have lots of families who might have to take a ferry just to register to vote.

“Or heaven forbid you are someone living abroad maybe working for an American company, or working at a nonprofit, or even serving our nation as a diplomat, you may just have to buy a flight all the way back home so you can register.

“And the inconvenience doesn’t stop at registration. Because Republicans would make voting by mail harder for everyone as well. They are going to require you to photocopy your IDs when you apply for that mail in ballot, and they are going to require another photocopy when you send in your mail in ballot. At least—as long as Trump doesn’t get his wish to scrap mail in voting altogether!

“And if you are someone who doesn’t know where your birth certificate is, or doesn’t have easy access to it, or if you are one of the half of Americans who doesn’t have a passport—that is 146 million people—you are going to have to pay fees and fill out a lot of paperwork.

“And what is the Republican plan for when the State Department gets flooded with a record-breaking number of passport applications by the way? Because there is no money for surge capacity in this bill! What are Americans supposed to do when their paperwork gets delayed for weeks on end? Or heaven forbid—this President slow walks it.

“Oh—and by the way, under the Save Trump Act there’s a perfectly awful chance that you do everything right and still get robbed of your vote by Republicans. Because this bill pushes states to rely on a DHS verification tool—that just frankly is a dumpster-fire.

“States that tried it—got results with huge errors, where DHS was wrongly saying many citizens were not citizens. The Trump Administration tool—has already wrongly advised states to purge lawful voters from the voter rolls.

“But the biggest problem with this bill goes to its roots, because the biggest problem is that Republicans’ whole premise is built on a lie.

“Trump has been lying for years about our elections. Lying about winning in 2020. Lying about winning in states like California. Lying about crazy conspiracies that have been debunked time, and time again.

“He’s been debunked by Republican election commissioners. He has been debunked by thorough news investigations and carefully conducted audits. He has been debunked by million-dollar legal cases where other liars were sued for defamation. That has not stopped Trump.

“And instead of calling out the lies—like so many of them once actually did, first Republicans started ignoring them, and then they started normalizing them, and now—many of them are repeating the lies and conspiracies.

“M. President—our elections are free, and they are fair. That is beyond question. Anyone who values our democracy—should be shouting that from the rooftops.

“But instead of defending our democracy, instead of defending our elections from misinformation, and conspiracies, and a President who has stated quite directly he wants to take control over the elections, Republicans are joining Trump in the same sort or ruse he pulled to rile people up on January 6^th.

“The biggest fraud here is: Republicans who know their agenda is unpopular, Republicans who know that when entrusted by the voters to fulfill their promises, all they’ve done is break them—raising prices, starting new wars, Republicans who know they will not keep their majorities in a free and fair election, and so they are pushing for this bill instead.

“M. President, this is not how elections work.This is not how America works. In this country we fight for change—with our voices and our votes.

“And if Republicans think, for a second Democrats will let them take away people’s votes, they better buckle up—because you can bet we will use our voices to block this bill, for as long as it takes.”

###

The following sites updated: