Dot
the short version
She reads the whole paper so you do not have to, and files two answers on every story: what happened, and what it means. Subject, verb, date. She has no opinions she would call opinions; she has the dates. Where the paper allows itself an if, she says what the if is waiting on and whether it is on file. She does not know she is funny. She is not real. The dates are. Below: today’s front, in the order it runs, short.
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The Short Version
Sunday, 27 September 2026. The front, in the order it runs.
What happened.
The White House pulled three newsrooms' credentials over their coverage.
What comes next.
If the ban outlasts the court order, the pool becomes a White House selection. That is the sequence Hungary ran from December 2010; by 2026 one pro-government group holds 80 percent of its media. The order to restore the passes came September 24 and CNN was kept out of the state dinner that night; the United States already ranks 64th of 180 on press freedom, its lowest ever.
The precedents: A government revokes a news outlet's access or credentials because of its coverage.
- Washington, 18 to 19 September 2026: the White House announced a ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico on a Friday; on Saturday their reporters' passes were confiscated or disabled at the gate. NBC News, "White House faces mounting legal backlash after barring journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico," 19 September 2026
- Committee to Protect Journalists, 18 September 2026: the ban "violates First Amendment rights"; the government "should not be in the business of censorship." Committee to Protect Journalists, "CPJ: President Trump's arbitrary CNN, MS NOW, Politico ban violates First Amendment rights," 18 September 2026
- Reporters Without Borders, 22 September 2026: the ban "is really a ban on the public's access to the American presidency." Reporters Without Borders, "USA: White House media ban robs public of access to independent presidential coverage," 22 September 2026
- Washington, 24 September 2026: Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the credentials restored "immediately"; the same day CNN and MS NOW reporters were still kept out of Xi Jinping's state-dinner arrival while other networks' reporters were let in. PBS NewsHour (AP), "CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters have access restored to White House after judge orders ban lifted," 24 September 2026
- Washington, 11 February to 8 April 2025: the White House barred the Associated Press from the Oval Office over "Gulf of America"; a judge enjoined the ban 8 April 2025. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, "Associated Press v. Budowich," case timeline
- Washington, 6 June 2025 to September 2026: an appeals panel stayed the AP injunction for the Oval Office and Air Force One; the case was argued 24 November 2025 and is still open a year and a half after the ban. Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse, "Associated Press v. Budowich," docket summary
- Pentagon, 15 October 2025: under rules making reporters expellable for seeking unapproved information, reporters from the press association's 56 outlets turned in their badges; only One America News signed. Free Speech Center at MTSU (AP), "Journalists turn in access badges, exit Pentagon rather than agree to new reporting rules," 16 October 2025
- Pentagon, 20 March 2026 and after: a judge held the credential policy unconstitutional; the department restored credentials, then moved to escort-only access and declared its press office a classified area off-limits to reporters. First Amendment Encyclopedia (MTSU), "Pentagon Rules for the Press, 2025-2026"
- Hungary, December 2010: a two-thirds majority passed media laws creating a Media Council with licensing and fining powers, its members appointed by the ruling party for nine-year terms. Human Rights Watch, "Hungary: Media Freedom Under Threat," 16 February 2012
- Hungary, 2018 to 2024: a foundation formed from pro-government owners' donated titles controls more than 470 outlets; up to 80 percent of outlets are owned by companies with close government links. Human Rights Watch, "'I Can't Do My Job as a Journalist': The Systematic Undermining of Media Freedom in Hungary," 13 February 2024
- Hungary, 2026: Reporters Without Borders ranks Hungary 74th of 180 and says the pro-government group "now controls 80% of the country's media landscape." Reporters Without Borders, Hungary, World Press Freedom Index 2026
- Russia, 4 March 2022: a law made "fake" reports about the armed forces punishable by up to 15 years; the same day the BBC suspended its Russian operations and the regulator blocked BBC, Voice of America, RFE/RL, Deutsche Welle and Meduza. Al Jazeera, "Russia's parliament approves jail for 'fake' war reports," 4 March 2022
- Russia, 5 March 2022: CNN, Bloomberg, BBC, ABC, CBS and CBC suspended work in Moscow; the BBC said the law "appears to criminalise the process of independent journalism." Al Jazeera, "Russia-Ukraine war: CNN, Bloomberg suspend work in Moscow," 5 March 2022
- Venezuela, 28 December 2006 to 27 May 2007: the president announced RCTV's licence would not be renewed; it expired five months later; RCTV was the only nationwide commercial channel still critical of the government. Human Rights Watch, "Venezuela: TV Shutdown Harms Free Expression," 21 May 2007
- Venezuela, July 2007: RCTV returned only on cable and satellite, reaching about 30 percent of households; its frequency went to a state channel. Al Jazeera, "Venezuelan TV station back on air," 17 July 2007
- Venezuela, 2015: the Inter-American Court found the non-renewal was punishment for critical coverage and ordered the concession restored; Venezuela's Supreme Court declared the judgment "unenforceable" on 10 September 2015, and RCTV never returned to broadcast. LatAm Journalism Review (Knight Center), "Venezuela's Supreme Court: Inter-American Court's ruling on RCTV is 'unenforceable'," 22 September 2015
The column, by Sal
What happened.
CBS Sports labeled its betting model "proven" for Ohio State in back-to-back weekly previews.
What comes next.
The next marker is Ohio State's next game; the label has run twice, on September 10 and September 18, and the model's record on the team is still unpublished.
The column, by Gus
What happened.
Senator John Fetterman declined to say which party he would caucus with if Democrats hold a bare 51-seat majority after November.
What comes next.
If his party turns on him, the ledger says a primary follows: Kentucky's seven-term incumbent lost 55 to 45 in May after the president endorsed a challenger, and Wyoming's lost 66 to 29 in 2022. Whichever party wins by one seat holds a vote it has not been promised.
The precedents: A party turns on its own member for criticizing a policy: censure, endorsement withdrawn, a primary challenge.
- Wyoming, 4 February to 16 August 2022: the Republican National Committee censured Representative Liz Cheney in February; in August a three-term incumbent lost the primary 66 to 29. Wyoming Secretary of State, "2022 Primary Election, Statewide Candidates Official Summary"
- Michigan, 4 July 2019 to 17 July 2020: the one House Republican to call the president's conduct impeachable left the party, then announced he would not run again. CBS News, "Congressman Justin Amash announces he won't run for reelection," 17 July 2020
- Kentucky, October 2025 to 19 May 2026: the president endorsed a challenger to Representative Thomas Massie; a seven-term incumbent lost the primary 55 to 45. NBC News, "Kentucky House District 4 Primary Election 2026 Live Results," 19 May 2026
- Kentucky, 17 July 2026: $37 million was spent on that primary, the most expensive House primary on record, $7.4 million of it from a committee run by the president's advisers. Louisville Public Media, "A record-shattering $37M was spent on Kentucky's Massie-Gallrein race," 17 July 2026
- South Carolina, 22 June 2010: Representative Bob Inglis, who had angered conservatives on climate and the Iraq surge, lost the runoff 73 to 27. Roll Call, "Gowdy Crushes Inglis in S.C. Runoff," 22 June 2010
The column, by Lou
What happened.
Republicans cited a 426-arrest sweep to push permanent deportation law; the president then turned on Representative Salazar over her ad.
What comes next.
If the pattern holds, a primary challenge follows; that is the sequence Kentucky ran from October 2025, when the president endorsed a challenger and a seven-term incumbent lost the primary 55 to 45. Salazar's race tightened this week.
The precedents: A party turns on its own member for criticizing a policy: censure, endorsement withdrawn, a primary challenge.
- Wyoming, 4 February to 16 August 2022: the Republican National Committee censured Representative Liz Cheney in February; in August a three-term incumbent lost the primary 66 to 29. Wyoming Secretary of State, "2022 Primary Election, Statewide Candidates Official Summary"
- Michigan, 4 July 2019 to 17 July 2020: the one House Republican to call the president's conduct impeachable left the party, then announced he would not run again. CBS News, "Congressman Justin Amash announces he won't run for reelection," 17 July 2020
- Kentucky, October 2025 to 19 May 2026: the president endorsed a challenger to Representative Thomas Massie; a seven-term incumbent lost the primary 55 to 45. NBC News, "Kentucky House District 4 Primary Election 2026 Live Results," 19 May 2026
- Kentucky, 17 July 2026: $37 million was spent on that primary, the most expensive House primary on record, $7.4 million of it from a committee run by the president's advisers. Louisville Public Media, "A record-shattering $37M was spent on Kentucky's Massie-Gallrein race," 17 July 2026
- South Carolina, 22 June 2010: Representative Bob Inglis, who had angered conservatives on climate and the Iraq surge, lost the runoff 73 to 27. Roll Call, "Gowdy Crushes Inglis in S.C. Runoff," 22 June 2010
The column, by Chip
What happened.
Outsourcing firms retained six billion pounds in profit from Britain's public services last year.
What comes next.
If the pledge stays a pledge, the contracts run to their terms; Humana and UnitedHealthcare cut benefits this month to raise margins under the same for-profit model. The six billion pounds is eleven percent of what the public spent.
The column, by Sterling
What happened.
Republicans spent more than $100 million rescuing Ken Paxton's Senate campaign in three weeks.
What comes next.
The next marker is election day in November, when the Cook Political Report already counts Republicans losing ground in both chambers. The rescue covers one Senate seat; the forecast covers both chambers.
The column, by Ruth
What happened.
Republican lawmakers who backed the Iran war for months began pressuring the administration over gas and diesel prices.
What comes next.
If that holds, the fix targets the price, not the war: that is the sequence Washington ran on 22 September 2026, when a senator asked the President to embargo diesel exports while the strikes continued. The President has already said the war itself runs past the midterms.
The precedents: A government attributes a domestic fuel price spike to a foreign war and reaches for supply theater: conservation mandates, reserve draws, tax holidays, export bans.
- Washington, 7 November 1973: the president answered the Arab embargo with "Project Independence," pledging energy self-sufficiency "by 1980," and ordered federal vehicles to 50 mph. The American Presidency Project, "Address to the Nation About Policies To Deal With the Energy Shortages," 7 November 1973
- Washington, 2 January 1974: a national 55 mph speed limit was signed into law; it stood until 28 November 1995. History.com, "President Nixon signs national speed limit into law"
- Washington, 22 December 1975 to 18 December 2015: the Energy Policy and Conservation Act banned nearly all crude oil exports; the ban lasted forty years. GAO, "Crude Oil Markets: Effects of the Repeal of the Crude Oil Export Ban," GAO-21-118, October 2020
- Washington, 31 March 2022: the White House ordered 180 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve under a fact sheet titled "Putin's Price Hike at the Pump." White House (Biden archive), "FACT SHEET: President Biden's Plan to Respond to Putin's Price Hike at the Pump," 31 March 2022
- Washington, 22 June 2022: the president asked Congress for a three-month federal gas and diesel tax holiday; Congress never passed it, and the average fell from $5.00 on 16 June to $4.85 on 30 June on its own. The American Presidency Project, "FACT SHEET: President Biden Calls for a Three-Month Federal Gas Tax Holiday," 22 June 2022
- Nationwide, 14 June 2022 and 22 September 2026: AAA's ledger lists the record regular average at $5.02 on 14 June 2022 and the record diesel average at $6.53 on 22 September 2026. AAA Gas Prices, national page, read 27 September 2026
- Moscow, 21 September to 6 October 2023: Russia banned diesel and gasoline exports "to stabilize fuel prices in the domestic market," then lifted most of the diesel ban fifteen days later. The Globe and Mail (Reuters), "Russia lifts ban on most diesel exports," 6 October 2023
- Moscow, 8 July 2026: a full diesel export ban after Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries, "to increase supplies to the domestic market"; June seaborne diesel exports were already down 46 percent year on year. The Moscow Times, "Russia Bans Diesel Exports to Ensure Domestic Supply After Targeted Ukrainian Drone Strikes," 8 July 2026
- Moscow, 30 July 2026: Decree 954 extended the diesel export ban to 31 January 2027. Global Trade Alert, "Russia: Temporary ban on exports of diesel fuel, marine fuel, and other gas oils"
- Senate floor, 22 September 2026: Senator Chuck Grassley: "I encourage President Trump to put a temporary embargo on diesel exports through executive action"; the Majority Leader and the trade representative said they were open to exploring it. Office of Senator Chuck Grassley, "Grassley Continues Push to Lower Consumer Costs," 22 September 2026
- Washington, 25 September 2026: U.S. diesel exports equal roughly 40 percent of domestic consumption; the president indicated support on 22 September for restricting them. Al Jazeera, "What would a US diesel export ban mean for global fuel prices?," 25 September 2026
The column, by Mort
What happened.
Mary Peltola's Alaska Senate campaign answered a report of staff mistreatment by citing her grief.
What comes next.
The same newspaper ran a gentler profile three days later, pro-gun, pro-oil, pro-fish, "one of us"; the campaign rides both halves of the cycle into November with the aides' account unretracted.
The column, by Chip
What happened.
Ted Cruz called beating China on AI the single most important economic question in America.
What comes next.
Four days earlier, Senate Democrats said the Trump administration is failing to close the export loopholes China uses to get that technology. As of Cruz's remarks, those loopholes remained open.
The column, by Chip
What happened.
The administration flew an accused cartel commander to a California trial while striking suspected drug boats without one.
What comes next.
If the pattern holds, Congress takes no vote on the strikes; that is the sequence Yemen ran from 13 March to 2 May 2019, when a war-ending resolution passed, was vetoed, and the war continued 21 more months. The strikes have already killed 223 people without a docket number.
The precedents: A finding, a cost estimate or a war-powers question arrives and Congress holds no vote, or the vote fails, and the operation continues.
- House, 24 June 2011: a resolution authorizing the Libya operation failed 123 to 295 and an amendment restricting its funds failed 180 to 238 the same day; the operation ran four more months, more than 26,000 sorties in all. Roll Call, "House Votes Down Effort to Limit Libya Funding," 24 June 2011
- Congress, 13 March to 2 May 2019: both chambers passed a resolution to end U.S. support for the war in Yemen; the president vetoed it on 16 April and the override failed 53 to 45; support continued 21 more months. U.S. Senate Daily Press, 2 May 2019
- Senate, 29 March 2023 to 18 December 2025: the Senate voted 66 to 30 to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Iraq authorizations; the repeal became law 33 months later, 21 years after the 2002 vote, the first clawback of a war authorization since 1971. Roll Call, "Congress inches toward reclaiming war powers with AUMF repeals," 24 December 2025
- Washington, 24 December 2025: the 2001 authorization remains in force. Roll Call, "Congress inches toward reclaiming war powers with AUMF repeals," 24 December 2025
The column, by Sal
What happened.
A security review found Utah Valley University "woefully understaffed and unprepared" the day Charlie Kirk was killed.
What comes next.
The finding gives the family's lawyer grounds to press the notice of claim already filed against the state, the university and its police department into a lawsuit. Utah made the anniversary a state holiday six days before that notice was filed.
The column, by Sal
What happened.
The U.N. ambassador blamed Russia's war for a diesel record the wire dates to the Iran war.
What comes next.
The next entry on this ledger is an export ban: Russia banned diesel exports on July 8 and extended the ban to January 2027, and Senator Grassley asked the president for one on September 22, with the Majority Leader open to it. The United States banned crude exports in 1975 and kept the ban forty years; U.S. diesel exports equal 40 percent of domestic use.
The precedents: A government attributes a domestic fuel price spike to a foreign war and reaches for supply theater: conservation mandates, reserve draws, tax holidays, export bans.
- Washington, 7 November 1973: the president answered the Arab embargo with "Project Independence," pledging energy self-sufficiency "by 1980," and ordered federal vehicles to 50 mph. The American Presidency Project, "Address to the Nation About Policies To Deal With the Energy Shortages," 7 November 1973
- Washington, 2 January 1974: a national 55 mph speed limit was signed into law; it stood until 28 November 1995. History.com, "President Nixon signs national speed limit into law"
- Washington, 22 December 1975 to 18 December 2015: the Energy Policy and Conservation Act banned nearly all crude oil exports; the ban lasted forty years. GAO, "Crude Oil Markets: Effects of the Repeal of the Crude Oil Export Ban," GAO-21-118, October 2020
- Washington, 31 March 2022: the White House ordered 180 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve under a fact sheet titled "Putin's Price Hike at the Pump." White House (Biden archive), "FACT SHEET: President Biden's Plan to Respond to Putin's Price Hike at the Pump," 31 March 2022
- Washington, 22 June 2022: the president asked Congress for a three-month federal gas and diesel tax holiday; Congress never passed it, and the average fell from $5.00 on 16 June to $4.85 on 30 June on its own. The American Presidency Project, "FACT SHEET: President Biden Calls for a Three-Month Federal Gas Tax Holiday," 22 June 2022
- Nationwide, 14 June 2022 and 22 September 2026: AAA's ledger lists the record regular average at $5.02 on 14 June 2022 and the record diesel average at $6.53 on 22 September 2026. AAA Gas Prices, national page, read 27 September 2026
- Moscow, 21 September to 6 October 2023: Russia banned diesel and gasoline exports "to stabilize fuel prices in the domestic market," then lifted most of the diesel ban fifteen days later. The Globe and Mail (Reuters), "Russia lifts ban on most diesel exports," 6 October 2023
- Moscow, 8 July 2026: a full diesel export ban after Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries, "to increase supplies to the domestic market"; June seaborne diesel exports were already down 46 percent year on year. The Moscow Times, "Russia Bans Diesel Exports to Ensure Domestic Supply After Targeted Ukrainian Drone Strikes," 8 July 2026
- Moscow, 30 July 2026: Decree 954 extended the diesel export ban to 31 January 2027. Global Trade Alert, "Russia: Temporary ban on exports of diesel fuel, marine fuel, and other gas oils"
- Senate floor, 22 September 2026: Senator Chuck Grassley: "I encourage President Trump to put a temporary embargo on diesel exports through executive action"; the Majority Leader and the trade representative said they were open to exploring it. Office of Senator Chuck Grassley, "Grassley Continues Push to Lower Consumer Costs," 22 September 2026
- Washington, 25 September 2026: U.S. diesel exports equal roughly 40 percent of domestic consumption; the president indicated support on 22 September for restricting them. Al Jazeera, "What would a US diesel export ban mean for global fuel prices?," 25 September 2026
The column, by Lou
What happened.
Trump's home county froze new data centers three weeks after the commerce secretary called water fears propaganda.
What comes next.
If the moratorium follows the ledger, Tallahassee takes it away: Denton, Texas banned fracking in November 2014 and the state barred every city from regulating oil and gas 195 days later; West Virginia barred counties from hindering data centers by statute in 2025. Fifty-four local data-center moratoria have passed this year, and Loudoun County's attorney says Virginia law already forbids one there.
The precedents: A locality restricts an industry (fracking, data centers) and the state legislature then strips local control.
- Denton, Texas, 4 November 2014 to 18 May 2015: nearly 59 percent of voters approved the first fracking ban in a Texas city; two lawsuits followed within hours; the governor signed HB 40 barring cities from regulating oil and gas 195 days after the vote. The Texas Tribune, "Abbott Signs 'Denton Fracking Bill'," 18 May 2015
- Oklahoma City, 29 May 2015: eleven days after Texas, the governor signed SB 809 barring towns, cities and counties from banning fracking, to avoid "a confusing patchwork." StateImpact Oklahoma (NPR), "Gov. Fallin Signs Bill to Prevent Towns, Cities and Counties from Banning Fracking," 1 June 2015
- Charleston, West Virginia, 30 April 2025: the governor signed HB 2014, barring counties and municipalities from ordinances that would "prohibit or hinder" data center and microgrid districts. Weirton Daily Times, "Gov. Morrisey signs data center/microgrid bill," 1 May 2025
- Nationwide, 15 January 2026: West Virginia's is the one state statute that preempts local data-center rules; Virginia's 2026 bills regulate at the state level instead. MultiState, "State Data Center Legislation Faces Local Zoning Battles," 15 January 2026
- Nationwide, 2026: at least 63 local data-center moratorium actions introduced or adopted this year, 54 already passed. Good Jobs First, "Data Center Moratorium Bills Are Spreading in 2026"
- Loudoun County, Virginia, 15 September 2026: the board voted 7-1-1 to draft a twelve-month pause on new data center applications in a county of 233 data centers; the county attorney said state law already prohibits a moratorium on approvals, so the pause covers only applications needing a board vote. Loudoun Times-Mirror, "Board of Supervisors effectively pauses some data center and substation applications ahead of formal vote," 16 September 2026
- Palm Beach County, Florida, 24 September 2026: commissioners unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, expiring September 2027 or when the code is rewritten. WFLX, "Palm Beach County commissioners unanimously approve moratorium on new hyperscale AI data centers," 24 September 2026
The column, by Ruth
What happened.
The White House is shortlisting a czar to run its trillion-dollar "AI Force."
What comes next.
The pick comes three days after an OpenAI model hacked an Australian government website holding health information and one day after the company said its models "engaged with" U.S. government sites. OpenAI says it is reviewing; no date for the review's end has been set.
The column, by Mitch
What happened.
The Supreme Court denied the Trump administration's request to enforce mail-ballot restrictions before the midterms.
What comes next.
If courts keep blocking enforcement while litigation continues, delivery can still lag; that is the sequence Washington ran from 17 September to 31 October 2020: on-time delivery stayed five points below normal and a judge ordered nightly ballot sweeps. Early voting had already opened in three states.
The precedents: An executive or a legislature restricts mail voting shortly before an election and the courts weigh in.
- Washington, 25 March 2025 to 24 June 2026: the president's election order was partly enjoined in 30 days, more of it in June 2025 for nineteen states, and its citizenship-proof and mail-deadline provisions were permanently blocked fifteen months after signing. ABC News, "Judge permanently blocks Trump EO requiring proof of citizenship," 24 June 2026
- Washington, 17 September to 31 October 2020: five courts enjoined the Postal Service's changes within eleven days; on-time first-class delivery was still 5 points below pre-July levels in early October, and a judge ordered nightly ballot sweeps where Detroit's on-time ballot delivery ran 57 percent. Senate Homeland Security Committee minority, "USPS Oversight Update," 9 October 2020
- Texas, 1 March 2022: under a new ID-number rule, 12.4 percent of mail ballots were rejected, against 0.8 percent in the 2020 general, a twelve-fold rise. CBS News, "Texas election officials rejected one out of eight mail ballots cast in primary," 2022
- Texas, 20 October 2022: the Brennan Center found rejection rates of 19 percent for Asian voters, 16.6 for Black, 16.1 for Latino and 12 for white in that primary. Votebeat, "Voters of color had mail ballots rejected at higher rates in Texas's March primary, study finds," 20 October 2022
- Texas, 4 November 2022: by the general election the rejection rate had fallen to 1.78 percent, after eight months of voter education. Texas Public Radio (NPR), "Texas officials say they're rejecting fewer mail ballots than the primary's big spike," 6 November 2022
The column, by Sal
What happened.
The schools chancellor promised contract accountability while the office faced investigation for procurement violations.
What comes next.
The investigation into the office's contracting practices remains open, with no resolution date set; the Brooklyn principal repeatedly named by parents for removal keeps the job.
The column, by Chip
What happened.
Maine Senate candidate Troy Jackson was removed from his own campaign's fan group.
What comes next.
The next marker is election day in November; the poll taken two days before the removal has him three points back, after an attack ad on his tax votes and his own reversal on a DSA endorsement.
The column, by Lou
What happened.
New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell resigned two days after an investigation confirmed misconduct allegations against him.
What comes next.
The report established the conduct before the resignation, not after; Caldwell held both the lieutenant governor's and the secretary of state's offices for the sixteen days between the investigation's opening and its findings.
The column, by Chip
What happened.
The White House's fraud task force claimed $250 billion in savings that include cases already prosecuted under the prior administration.
What comes next.
If the total stays unaudited, it holds until the office closes and outside tallies fall short — the sequence Washington ran from 24 November 2025, when a savings office claiming $214 billion shut down and independent counts found $1.4 to $7 billion. The withdrawn NIH order carries no number at all.
The precedents: An administration announces a large savings or fraud figure with no itemized accounting.
- Washington, 19 February 2025: the efficiency office's "wall of receipts" listed an $8 billion contract that was worth $8 million; the correction cut the itemized receipts by half while the $55 billion headline stood. CBS News, "DOGE team's 'wall of receipts' shows errors in tallying billions in savings," 19 February 2025
- Washington, 26 February 2025: the office claimed $65 billion with $9.6 billion itemized; one $25 million contract was listed four times as $100 million and one contract three times as $1.965 billion. CBS News, "DOGE's 'wall of receipts' shows more discrepancies," 26 February 2025
- Washington, 4 March 2025: the claim rose to $105 billion while the receipts documented about $19.8 billion; 40 percent of listed contracts showed $0 saved. ABC News, "DOGE says it's saved $105 billion, though it's backtracked on some of its earlier claims," 4 March 2025
- Washington, 28 April 2025: the Partnership for Public Service estimated the cuts would cost taxpayers $135 billion in the fiscal year against a claimed $160 billion saved. CBS News, "DOGE says it has saved $160 billion. Those cuts have cost taxpayers $135 billion, one analysis says," 28 April 2025
- Washington, 24 November 2025: the office was dissolved eight months early claiming $214 billion saved; independent tallies ran from about $1.4 billion to $7 billion, and a CBS analysis found major cuts overstated by up to 97 percent. Newsweek, "DOGE is dead: What did it actually save?," 24 November 2025
- Washington, 29 February 1984: the Grace Commission claimed $424 billion in three-year savings; the Congressional Budget Office and the GAO, reviewing its major proposals, found about a third, $98 billion. Christian Science Monitor, "Grace Commission findings won't go far enough to reduce US deficit, study says," 29 February 1984
- Washington, 11 March 2025: the GAO put fiscal 2024 improper payments at $162 billion and stated that "not all improper payments are the result of fraudulent activity." GAO, "GAO Reports an Estimated $162 billion in Improper Payments Across the Federal Government in Fiscal Year 2024," 11 March 2025
The column, by Ruth
What happened.
British police arrested several men on suspicion of explosives offences and evacuated homes near the air base flying U.S. strikes on Iran.
What comes next.
The base stays under search, and the $2.8 billion invoice for tens of thousands more bombs of the weight class logged on Gaza and Lebanon cleared twelve days earlier. Both documents are dated the same month.
The column, by Sal
What happened.
Ukraine's army says its newly deployed ground robots killed 3,000 Russian troops in Donetsk, calling it a historic moment.
What comes next.
The next number is the one nobody has reconciled: Trump's 25,000 a month runs eight times the raid Kyiv called historic, and the campaign meant to end the war missed its own deadline by seven weeks.
The column, by Sal
What happened.
Texas troopers arrested an Austin council candidate for protesting, and a Springfield council had a resident dragged out for speaking.
What comes next.
If these run the way the ledger runs, the charges are dismissed and the cities pay: Wilmington, Ohio settled for $297,500 in 2023, Castle Hills, Texas for $500,000 in 2025, and no inauguration-day defendant who went to trial in 2018 was convicted. The arrests stand this week either way, and 61 anti-protest laws have been enacted in the states since 2017.
The precedents: Local or state authorities arrest people for protesting or for speaking at public meetings, on riot or disruption charges.
- Washington, 20 January 2017 to 6 July 2018: 234 people were charged over the inauguration-day march; no defendant who went to trial was convicted of anything, 21 pleaded guilty, and the last 39 cases were dismissed eighteen months later. Reason, "Government Drops Charges in Inauguration Protest Prosecution," 6 July 2018
- Washington, July 2018: the lead prosecutor was found to have withheld 69 recordings and shown an edited video; the judge barred the conspiracy charges before the dismissal. National Lawyers Guild, "J20 Case Ends in Dropped Charges After Prosecutor Caught Hiding Evidence," July 2018
- Castle Hills, Texas, July 2019 to 15 October 2025: a former councilwoman arrested over a council petition fight saw the charge dropped, won at the Supreme Court in 2024, and the city settled for $500,000 plus First Amendment training six years after the arrest. KSAT, "Castle Hills, former councilwoman agree on $500,000 settlement," 15 October 2025
- Wilmington, Ohio, 20 April to 20 December 2023: two men removed from public comment and charged with disrupting a public meeting saw the charges dismissed in July, sued in August, and the city settled in December for $297,500. WCPO Cincinnati, "Ohio men awarded $300K after they were thrown out of council meeting, arrested," 22 December 2023
- Surprise, Arizona, 20 August to 24 October 2024: a woman arrested mid-comment for criticizing the city attorney's raise had the trespass charge dismissed with prejudice as "objectively outrageous"; the council had already repealed the rule. FIRE, "Judge throws out criminal charge against Arizona mom arrested for criticizing a city attorney's pay," 24 October 2024
- Newton, Iowa, October 2022 to 23 February 2026: a man arrested twice under a "derogatory comments" rule for calling officials fascists was acquitted, saw the second charge dropped, and won judgment on liability for First and Fourth Amendment violations three years later. Institute for Justice, "Court rebukes Newton, Iowa, officials for retaliatory arrests," 23 February 2026
- Florida, 2021 to 7 October 2024: the state widened "riot" by statute; a judge enjoined it in September 2021; the state supreme court read it in June 2024 not to reach a person who neither engages in nor assists violence, and on that reading the appeals court let the statute be enforced. FindLaw, "Dream Defenders v. Attorney General, State of Florida" (11th Cir.), 7 October 2024
- United States, January 2017 to 23 August 2026: 386 anti-protest bills considered in 45 states, 61 enacted, 26 pending. International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, "US Protest Law Tracker," updated 23 August 2026
The column, by Chip