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Last night, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was interrupted by a shots-fired incident. The President and others were escorted out of the ballroom at the Washington Hilton. There was chaos as some people left the ballroom while others remained. Following a press conference at the White House, we learned that the man who attempted to run through the Secret Service checkpoint outside of the ballroom was a California man, but not a lot else was known.
There is still a lack of clarity about what happened. Undoubtedly, we will learn more today, but in the meantime, here’s the highlight reel of last week’s posts and events. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to catch up on anything you missed.
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California AG Rob Bonta on the Live Nation & Ticket Master Case: California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined me to discuss the Live Nation and Ticketmaster antitrust case. The first round went to the state AGs who won the antitrust finding. The remedy state of the case comes next.
The Week Ahead: We looked to a week that promised more war news amid continuing escalations with Iran and also touched on reporting in The Atlantic about FBI director Kash Patel.
Kash’s Complaint: On Monday we went in-depth on the defamation suit Kash Patel filed against The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick. Read here for the core claims in the case, the key allegations, and the next steps.
Investigating the Good Guys: The Justice Department and FBI Director Kash Patel indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on fraud and money laundering charges, alleging that the organization defrauded donors by paying informants on the inside of the hate groups it’s committed to dismantling, so it could acquire evidence that’s essential to doing that work. Read here for a thorough rundown of the allegations.
What’s Wrong With the SPLC Indictment: If you want to learn about white supremacists, you have to go and talk to them. You can’t get the information you need from the outsiders. You need access to people who are not choirboys. SPLC obtained it. And then used it for precisely the purpose they told donors they were going to use it for. So what’s the real motive behind DOJ’s indictment? This piece makes some educated guesses about what it could be.
The Threat Against Naturalized Citizens: The NYT’s Katie Benner and I discuss news that the administration is targeting naturalized citizens and place that news in the larger context that’s essential for understanding it.
Virginia Giuffre Set Something In Motion That Can't Be Stopped: The Epstein survivors are demanding justice from a world that seems dedicated to preventing that. Get up to speed on the most recent developments, including an inspector general investigation. Make sure you don’t miss this piece!
These are complicated legal times, and it’s easy for the truth to get lost in the chaos. Civil Discourse doesn’t just track today’s headlines—it connects them to the legal and political history that explains why they matter. We won’t forget what’s at stake, or let Trump and his allies rewrite the past. You can subscribe to Civil Discourse for free and get clear analysis that helps you see the whole picture, delivered straight to your inbox. If you’re in a position to, your paid subscription helps me devote the time and resources it takes to write the newsletter. That means everyone has access to information they can share with friends and family—a constructive act we can all participate in right now, helping more Americans understand how critical this moment is.
We’re in this together,
Joyce
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