July 25, 2025 •
News You Can Use Digest – July 25, 2025
National/Federal
Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Is Canceled by CBS and Will End in May 2026
MSN – Alicia Rancilio and Andrew Dalton (Associated Press) | Published: 7/18/2025
CBS is canceling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” next May, shuttering a decades-old television institution in a changing media landscape and removing from air one of President Trump’s most prominent and persistent late-night critics. CBS said “Late Show” was canceled for financial reasons, not for content. But the timing – three days after Colbert criticized the settlement between Trump and Paramount Global, parent company of CBS, over a “60 Minutes” story – led two U.S. senators to publicly question the motives.
Trump Reshaped the Supreme Court. Now Emergency Appeals Are Helping Him Reshape the Government
MSN – Mark Sherman and Chris Megerian (Associated Press) | Published: 7/15/2025
Six months into his second term, President Trump has gotten almost everything he has wanted from the Supreme Court that he reshaped during his first. The legal victories are noteworthy on their own, but how the president is achieving them is remarkable. Administration lawyers are harnessing emergency appeals, which were used sparingly under previous presidencies, to fast-track cases to the Supreme Court, where decisions are often handed down with no explanation. The result is a series of green lights from the nation’s highest court without any clarity on how the law should be interpreted in the future.
For Sale: Trump is leveraging power of his office to reap profits for family businesses
MSN – Brian Slodysko and Will Weissert (Associated Press) | Published: 7/18/2025
From crypto coins to bibles, overseas development deals to an upcoming line of cellphones, Donald Trump’s family business has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars since the 2024 election, an unprecedented flood of often shadowy money from billionaires, foreign governments, and cryptocurrency tycoons with interests before the federal government. The sums amassed by the Trump Organization are far greater than those collected by the family during the president’s first term, when patronage of his hotels, resorts, and golf courses was de rigueur to curry favor.
Trump’s DOJ Has Fired Dozens of Prosecutors, Upending Decades-Old Norm
MSN – Patrick Marley, Jeremy Roebuck, and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (Washington Post) | Published: 7/19/2025
The Justice Department under the Trump administration has fired dozens of career prosecutors during the past six months, making the dismissal of federal attorneys. The terminations have alarmed staff members and observers who worry agency officials are engaged in a broad campaign to erode civil service protections, bolster the political interests of the president, and weaken the rule of law. Prosecutors are typically fired only when they do something improper or fail to perform their duties.
Trump Officials Accused of Defying 1 in 3 Judges Who Ruled Against Him
MSN – Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/21/2025
President Trump and his appointees have been accused of flouting courts in a third of the more than 160 lawsuits against the administration in which a judge has issued a substantive ruling, a Washington Post analysis found, suggesting widespread noncompliance with America’s legal system. Plaintiffs say Justice Department lawyers and the agencies they represent are snubbing rulings, providing false information, failing to turn over evidence, quietly working around court orders, and inventing pretexts to carry out actions that have been blocked.
Well-Timed or Just Lucky? Top Trump Officials’ Stock Sales Clustered Before Tariff News
MSN – Suhail Bhat and Ramon Padilla (USA Today) | Published: 7/22/2025
Several top Trump administration officials sold off stock market holdings in the days leading up to the president’s announcements of sweeping tariffs that sparked fears of a global trade war and rattled financial markets. Sales by top officials, including Cabinet members, their deputies, and senior White House officials were clustered in two 10-day periods leading up to President Trump’s major tariff announcements on February 13 and April 2. Of the stock and stock fund sales administration officials reported between January 20 and April 30, 90 percent fell within 10 days of the tariff announcements.
The Government Was Once a Steady Partner for Nonprofits. That’s Changing
MSN – Thalia Beatty (Associated Press) | Published: 7/22/2025
In his second term, President Trump froze, cut, or threatened to cut a huge range of social services programs from public safety to early childhood education to food assistance and services for refugee resettlement. Staffing cuts to federal agencies have also contributed to delays and uncertainty around future grant funds. Altogether, his policies are poised to upend decades of partnerships the federal government has built with nonprofits to help people in their communities. This vast and interconnected set of programs funded by taxpayers has been significantly dismantled in just months, nonprofit leaders, researchers, and funders say.
Supreme Court Allows Trump to Remove Consumer Product Safety Regulators
MSN – Ann Marimow and Justin Jouvenal (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2025
A divided Supreme Court cleared the way for President Trump to remove the Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, allowing the administration to continue to seize control of the federal bureaucracy while litigation continues in the lower courts. As is common in rulings rendered on the emergency docket, the majority did not offer a rationale for its decision. The move received sharp objections from the court’s three liberal justices.
Federal Appeals Court Rules Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Unconstitutional
MSN – David Nakamura (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2025
A federal appeals court ruled President Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship is unconstitutional and upheld a nationwide ban on his administration from implementing the measure. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said Trump’s directive violates the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment. The president is seeking to deny automatic citizenship to the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants and temporary foreign visitors.
Justice Department Told Trump in May That His Name Is Among Many in the Epstein Files
MSN – Sadie Gurman, Annie Linskey, Josh Dawsey, and Alex Lear (Wall Street Journal) | Published: 7/23/2025
When Justice Department officials reviewed what Attorney General Pam Bondi called a “truckload” of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein earlier this year, they discovered Donald Trump’s name appeared multiple times, according to senior administration officials. In May, Bondi and her deputy informed the president that his name was in the Epstein files, the officials said. Many other high-profile figures were also named, Trump was told. Being mentioned in the records is not a sign of wrongdoing.
Columbia to Pay More Than $200 Million in Deal with Trump Administration
MSN – Susan Svrluga and Emily Davies (Washington Post) | Published: 7/23/2025
Columbia University and the Trump administration have reached an agreement to resolve a months-long dispute over federal research funding that made the university a symbol of White House efforts to force cultural changes in higher education nationally. The deal requires Columbia to pay the federal government $200 million to settle claims related to discriminatory practices. It reinstates most of the $400 million in research grants that were frozen by the government.
K Street Rakes in Record Cash Thanks to Trump
MSN – Caitlin Oprysko (Politico) | Published: 7/23/2025
Top lobbying firms in Washington reported large increases in second quarter revenues, with record-breaking demand for help navigating the Trump administration’s stream of policy pronouncements and shaping the president’s “big, beautiful” tax-and-spending bill. Firms with strong ties to the White House have skyrocketed to the top of the pecking order of lobbying outfits on K Street, according to an analysis of the latest quarterly lobbying disclosures.
Trump Document Dumps Raise Questions of Distraction
MSN – Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) | Published: 7/24/2025
The Trump administration has moved to release tranches of documents from controversial past investigations amid increasing scrutiny into its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, prompting criticism that the White House is seeking a distraction. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released documents related to the investigation into Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election, something President Trump raised again when he said former President Obama was guilty of treason in connection with the matter.
With His Suit Against Murdoch, Trump Signals: No one is safe
MSN – Sarah Ellison and Scott Nover (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2025
One day after the Wall Street Journal published a story alleging Donald Trump wrote a “bawdy” birthday letter to deceased sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein, Trump sued the newspaper, the two authors of the story, and a raft of corporate overseers including Rupert Murdoch, whose family trust controls the Journal’s parent company and that of Fox News. By suing the Wall Street Journal and Murdoch, Trump is lashing out at one of his most powerful media allies, a fellow billionaire who has been one of his most influential advisers outside the White House.
Trump’s Pick to Protect Federal Workers Shares a Disdain for Them
MSN – Meryl Kornfield and Cleve Wootson Jr. (Washington Post) | Published: 7/24/2025
Paul Ingrassia is unlike any nominee ever put forward to lead the Office of Special Counsel and his confirmation prospects are increasingly uncertain. A 2021 law school graduate with no senior government experience, Ingrassia has mostly made himself known as a loyalist to President Trump who repeats scorched-earth rhetoric, expresses admiration for controversial figures, and shares disdain for the federal workforce he would be tasked with protecting.
From the States and Municipalities
Canada – New Guidelines Will Require More In-House Lobbyists to Register with Commissioner’s Office: Bélanger
iPolitics – Marco Vigliotti | Published: 7/22/2025
Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger released new guidelines for the profession lowering the threshold to trigger reporting requirements for people lobbying directly on behalf of their employer. These in-house lobbyists will now have to register if that work takes up at least eight hours of their time over a four-week period, a four-fold decrease from the current rules. Bélanger said the change would “enhance transparency” by requiring more people lobbying the federal government to publicly disclose their work.
California – Is OC’s District Attorney Leaning on His Campaign Donors to Pay a Court Fine?
Voice of OC – Noah Biesiada | Published: 7/21/2025
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer is personally responsible for $25,000 after a judge ordered him to pay restitution to a whistleblower he retaliated against. But Spitzer might have set up a new way to get the money – his campaign donors. The opening of the legal defense fund raised concerns across Orange County. “Opening it now seems to imply that he wants to raise money from donors to pay his court ordered fine,” said Jon Fleischman, former director of the California Republican Party.
KUNC – Jesse Paul (Colorado Capital News Alliance) | Published: 7/22/2025
Former Colorado Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, who resigned this year amid an ethics investigation into her treatment of legislative aides, was charged with attempting to influence a public servant, a felony offense. Court records show Jaquez Lewis’ alleged offense occurred before she resigned from the Legislature on February 18. She stepped down when the Senate Ethics Committee, which was investigating a complaint against her, announced Jaquez Lewis submitted at least one fabricated letter of support sent to the panel that purported to be from a former aide.
Connecticut – Audit: Elections watchdog more than a year late with some campaign reports
CT News Junkie – Viktoria Sundqvist | Published: 7/23/2025
An audit of the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) says the watchdog failed to complete several post-election campaign finance audits in a timely manner. The audit, which covers the fiscal years ending June 2022 and 2023, reviewed seven and eight candidate committee commission audits, respectively, and found the commission issued four of its final summary reports between 132 and 454 days late from the 2020 election cycle. The SEEC said it has limited resources to process the statutorily required audits without delay.
Florida – In Boon for House GOP, Florida Supreme Court Sides with DeSantis, Upholds Congressional Map
MSN – Gary Fineout (Politico) | Published: 7/17/2025
The state Supreme Court upheld Florida’s congressional map, delivering a win to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who pushed through the changes that helped Republicans flip and maintain the House majority. The ruling could be far-reaching; it suggests legislators can sidestep protections for minority voters adopted in 2010. But the legal battle may not end, as one of the groups involved in the litigation said the battle over the district is “far from over.”
Florida – With Charity Cuts Looming, Miami-Dade Steers $250,000 a Year to This New Foundation
MSN – Douglas Hanks (Miami Herald) | Published: 7/19/2025
In a year where Miami-Dade may slash tens of millions of dollars in nonprofit funding, one new charity with a sparse track record recently secured a $250,000 yearly revenue stream mandated by a county contract. The president of the charity receiving the payments is a top official in the city of Miami’s government.
Florida – Miami Can’t Delay Its Election by a Year, Judge Rules
WLRN – Patricia Mazzei (New York Times) | Published: 7/22/2025
Miami city commissioners violated the Florida Constitution when they voted to postpone this fall’s election to November 2026, a state judge ruled, saying that such a change required voter approval. The judge ruled in favor of Emilio González, a candidate for mayor. The city commission said the delay was meant to save money and improve turnout. Critics noted it would give elected city officials an extra year in office.
Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/21/2025
Once a rising corporate star, former Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) Chief Executive Officer Anne Pramaggiore was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $750,000 for her role in an scheme to funnel more than $1.3 million and other perks to associates of then-House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for help with the utility’s legislative agenda. U.S. District Court Judge Manish Shah acknowledged Pramaggiore’s transformative leadership at ComEd and her history of charitable works but said the evidence at trial showed she participated in a nearly decade-long scheme that undermined the public’s trust in government.
Yahoo News – Jason Meisner (Chicago Tribune) | Published: 7/24/2025
Michael McClain, who long served as the right-hand man and confidant of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, was sentenced to two years in prison following his conviction in a conspiracy to bribe Madigan in exchange for passing Commonwealth Edison’s (ComEd) legislative agenda. It was through his close relationship with Illinois’ most powerful politician, prosecutors say, that McClain was able to leverage knowledge of Madigan’s thinking to induce ComEd executives to lavish money on Madigan’s cronies and meet his myriad other demands.
Iowa – Curious Iowa: What restrictions are there for ‘wining and dining’ Iowa state officials?
Cedar Rapids Gazette – Tom Barton | Published: 7/21/2025
Trade associations, companies, chambers of commerce, and other groups spent roughly $450,500 combined this year on food, drinks, entertainment, and other expenses hosting public receptions attended by Iowa lawmakers and other state officials. Lawmakers attended approximately 100 receptions during the 2025 legislative session, according to lobbyist reports. Iowa law imposes stringent restrictions on the acceptance of gifts by public officials, employees, and candidates.
Kentucky – KY Ethics Commission Lawyers Ask Judge to Dismiss Rep. Grossberg’s Lawsuit
MSN – Alex Acquisto (Lexington Herald-Leader) | Published: 7/23/2025
The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit against it that was filed by state Rep. Daniel Grossberg, who is being investigated by the commission for alleged misconduct. The commission is following its statutory obligation to investigate the complaints filed last year against Grossberg, and as an elected representative, he does not have immunity from the outcome of that investigation, lawyers for the commission argued in their request for dismissal.
Kentucky – Public Will Be on the Outside as Kentucky Legislature Convenes in Temporary Quarters
Yahoo News – McKenna Horsley (Kentucky Lantern) | Published: 7/21/2025
The Kentucky General Assembly plans to convene in temporary chambers for at least the next three years while the Capitol undergoes renovations. During those years, there will be no public galleries where citizens can watch as the House and Senate debate and vote on bills. No rotunda where advocates and protesters can gather for rallies, and less opportunity for citizens and lobbyists to personally interact with lawmakers in the halls. People will be able to watch the Legislature in session in real time from next door in the Capitol Annex via live streams of the proceedings.
Louisiana – When the Ethics Board Pushed Back Against Gov. Jeff Landry, He Changed the Law
Yahoo News – Julie O’Donoghue (Louisiana Illuminator) | Published: 7/21/2025
Earlier this year, the Louisiana Board of Ethics told Gov. Jeff Landry’s PAC to stop paying for the governor’s membership at the U.S. House of Representatives fitness center. But two months after receiving the letter, the PAC paid for the gym dues again. State lawmakers then approved legislation that allowed his PAC to cover the governor’s gym membership. It was one of five recent changes to anti-corruption laws that undo ethics board decisions which may have blocked Landry from getting what he wanted.
Minnesota – Sen. Nicole Mitchell to Resign by Aug. 4, Attorney Says
Yahoo News – Michelle Griffith (Minnesota Reformer) | Published: 7/21/2025
Sen. Nicole Mitchell, who was found guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools, will resign from the Minnesota Senate by August 4. The unusual resignation announcement means Mitchell will continue to represent her constituents for up to two weeks as a convicted felon. It also means Democrats will lose their one-seat majority in the Senate until Gov. Tim Walz calls a special election to replace her.
Mississippi – Indicted Jackson Prosecutor’s Latest Campaign Finance Report Rife with Errors
Mississippi Today – Caleb Bedillion (The Marshall Project) and Anna Wolfe | Published: 7/18/2025
Tangled finances, thousands of dollars in personal loans, and a campaign contribution from a supposed investor group made up of undercover FBI informants were all contained in a long overdue campaign finance report from Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens, who is fighting federal bribery charges. His recent campaign finance disclosure reflects a pair of transactions that correspond with key details in the government’s allegation that Owens took money from undercover informants to pay off a local official’s debt.
New Jersey – Judges’ Move to Oust Trump U.S. Attorney Pick Habba Triggers a Showdown
MSN – Jeremy Roebuck (Washington Post) | Published: 7/22/2025
A panel of New Jersey’s U.S. District Court judges opted not to appoint Alina Habba, President Trump’s former personal attorney, as the state’s top federal prosecutor on a permanent basis. The judges chose Desiree Leigh Grace, a career prosecutor, as her replacement. But within hours, Justice Department officials announced they fired Grace and reinstated Habba. The developments threw the leadership of the law enforcement agency into chaos and raised the prospect of another showdown between the administration and the federal judiciary.
New York – What Happened to the Federal Investigations into Mayor Adams’ Inner Circle?
Gothamist – Elizabeth Kim | Published: 7/23/2025
The criminal investigations of former senior members of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration appear to be on hold as the fallout from the dismissal of the mayor’s corruption charges continues. At least eight top Adams officials resigned after federal agents seized their phones. A judge tossed bribery and campaign finance charges against Adams at the request of the Department of Justice. Now, legal experts and attorneys are concerned those officials could also get a pass. Their growing alarm comes as the once-vaunted Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office is mired in dysfunction amid resignations and firings.
New York – New Eric Adams ‘Donors’ Say They Never Gave to His Reelection Campaign
MSN – Greg Smith and Haidee Chu (The City) | Published: 7/23/2025
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign in May once more accepted funds from individuals who appear to be straw donors and submitted them to the city’s public matching dollars program. The indictment filed against Adams last fall that was recently dismissed charged him with soliciting and accepting thousands of dollars of such contributions. To date, an Adams associate and a local businessperson have pleaded guilty to orchestrating straw donor schemes.
New York – Former Cuomo Aide Brittany Commisso Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit for $450,000
Yahoo News – Molly Crane-Newman (New York Daily News) | Published: 7/18/2025
New York state agreed to pay $450,000 to Brittany Commisso, a former aide to Andrew Cuomo who accused him of groping and subjecting her to persistent sexual harassment on the job at the governor’s office. The state settled a suit brought by former Cuomo aide Charlotte Bennett for the same amount in April in a case alleging similar claims. The agreement does not require Cuomo to admit to any wrongdoing, and Cuomo has repeatedly denied the accusations against him.
North Dakota – North Dakota Ethics Commissioners to Evaluate ‘Strained’ Relationship with Attorney General’s Office
North Dakota Monitor – Mary Steuer | Published: 7/16/2025
The North Dakota Ethics Commission is looking into whether strongly worded communications from the state Attorney General’s Office have negatively impacted commission staff. The decision follows a July 3 letter addressed to the commission from Attorney General Drew Wrigley that harshly criticized the commission’s recent investigation report on ethics violations by Rep. Jason Dockter.
Ohio – Ohio Aims to Reinstate Ban on Political Donations from Foreign Nationals
Courthouse News Service – Kevin Koeninger | Published: 7/23/2025
The threat of foreign influence in American elections is grave enough to allow states to ban political contributions from noncitizens, the state of Ohio argued an appeals court. Citing concerns about the “corrosive effects” of foreign money “pouring into campaign issues,” the state passed a law in 2024 that prohibited foreign nationals and those with green cards from making campaign contributions in any election. U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson granted an injunction to prevent enforcement of the law against legal permanent residents.
Ohio – 5 Years After Ohio’s $60M Bribery Scandal, Critics Say More Could Be Done to Prevent a Repeat
MSN – Julie Carr Smyth (Associated Press) | Published: 7/21/2025
Five years after a $60 million bribery scheme funded by FirstEnergy came to light in Ohio, expert observers say the resulting prosecutions, lawsuits, penalties, and legislation have not led to enough change and accountability to prevent politicians and corporate executives from cutting similar deals in the future. The scheme’s prospective $2 billion-plus price tag to consumers makes it the largest infrastructure scandal in U.S. history.
Pennsylvania – Big-Dollar Donors Are Helping Fund Fixes at the Governor’s Mansion. For Now, We Don’t Know Who They Are.
Spotlight PA – Angela Couloumbis | Published: 7/17/2025
In May, Pennsylvania’s five living former governors united to hold a fundraiser at the official residence just a few miles from the Capitol. The fundraiser, an invitation-only event, was for a cause few would quibble with – restoring or replacing items damaged in the attack just weeks earlier. The fire was set as Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family, and his friends were asleep inside, but all escaped unharmed. Yet the Shapiro administration, as well as officials with a nonprofit organization that is collecting the money, have not disclosed who attended the event or how much was raised.
Texas – Divorce, Adultery Allegations Against Paxton Jolt Senate Race in Texas
MSN – Patrick Svitek and Molly Hennessy-Fiske (Washington Post) | Published: 7/21/2025
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long record of political resilience in the face of scandal faces a new test after his wife filed for divorce and accused him of adultery, jolting a contentious primary for U.S. Senate. The race, seen as one of the biggest GOP primaries of the midterms, was already dramatic, with a longtime incumbent, John Cornyn, fighting for his political life. Now, Cornyn and his allies are bringing up the filing as they run against Paxton, and some Paxton backers are rethinking their support.
Texas – Texas Lawmakers Take Up Renewed Push to Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
The Texan – Holly Hanson | Published: 7/23/2025
In response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s special legislative session call, Texas lawmakers will once again attempt to tackle the thorny issue of taxpayer-funded lobbying in hopes of curtailing the practice. Senate Bill 12 prohibits political subdivisions such as cities, counties, or traditional public school districts from hiring or contracting with registered lobbyists for the purpose of lobbying the state government.
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