Today’s Headlines: State Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic Senate primary with 53% over Rep. Jasmine Crockett and will face either Sen. John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, who are headed to a May 26 GOP runoff after neither cleared 50%. Rep. Dan Crenshaw was primaried from the right by state Rep. Steve Toth, while several incumbents were pushed into runoffs amid redistricting chaos, including Democrats Al Green and Christian Menefee facing each other and Republican Tony Gonzalez battling gun YouTuber Brandon Herrera. In other news, the Justice Department admitted it withheld 47,635 Jeffrey Epstein files after the Wall Street Journal flagged missing records. The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi and is seeking testimony from Epstein associates including Bill Gates and Leon Black. A federal judge ruled the IRS illegally shared taxpayer data with ICE in roughly 42,695 cases. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, already under scrutiny over a questionable $143 million DHS contract and internal leadership turmoil, faced more heat on Capitol Hill. ProPublica reports the Trump administration is loosening intelligence-sharing restrictions, aka making it easier to spy on us, without notifying Congress. Abroad, Iran’s leadership transition is intensifying, with Mojtaba Khamenei emerging as a likely successor. President Donald Trump says the U.S. is “actively considering” its role after the conflict, as the Senate narrowly rejected a measure to require congressional approval for continued strikes.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
Axios: James Talarico wins US Senate Democratic primary in Texas, beating Crockett
Axios: Brutal night in Texas points to trouble ahead for House members
WSJ: There Are 47,635 Epstein Files Offline for Review, DOJ Says
Axios: Republicans help Dems subpoena Pam Bondi in Epstein probe
WSJ: House Asks Bill Gates, Leon Black and Goldman Lawyer to Testify on Epstein
AP News: The IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential information to ICE 42,695 times, judge says
NBC News: Trump administration live updates: Kristi Noem faces House grilling over DHS killings; Texas Senate GOP primary heads to runoff
ProPublica: Trump Administration Moves to Allow Intelligence Agencies Easier Access to Law Enforcement Files
NYT: Democrats Question Credentials of Armed Squad Created by Trump Ally
WSJ: Son of Khamenei Is Top Contender for Supreme Leader
WSJ: Iran War Live Updates: Trump ‘Actively Considering’ U.S. Role in Iran After Conflict Ends
Axios: Senate rejects bid to restrain Trump's war in Iran
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