Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass advances to run-off in race to run California's biggest city
The mayor's opponent could be either Republican newcomer and reality TV star Spencer Pratt, or a fellow Democrat, council member Nithya Raman.

The biggest problem facing Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche isn't the demand for the full release of the Epstein files, according to a legal expert. Blanche's biggest vulnerability is actually defending Trump's $1.8 billion slush fund, said Harry Litman, a former U.S. attorney and legal commentator, during the latest episode of his podcast, Talking Feds. Critics of what Trump calls his anti-weaponization fund worry that it could pay Jan. 6 rioters and have grilled Blanche for answers."Epstein, I think they're trying to kind of bury and get away with that. All that remains in the public eye," Litman said. "But I think front and center will be the weaponization fund."Litman pointed out Cruz's description of the fiery meeting between Blanche and GOP senators who were outraged by the fund. It was "about the harshest, nastiest food fight," Litman said. "People were all over him, and moreover, it's such a nasty and corrupt kind of operation."Although Blanche is "gonna answer for it," the slush fund is really "unanswerable," Litman argued."Moreover, you have really continuing defections among the Republicans" over the fund. "So he's vulnerable there," Litman added."He's given basically no answer to questions like, 'Some of this money gonna go to January 6th offenders?' And how can you possibly justify it?" Litman asked. "That's front and center."
The mayor's opponent could be either Republican newcomer and reality TV star Spencer Pratt, or a fellow Democrat, council member Nithya Raman.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche schooled Democrat Rep. The post Blanche Schools Purple-Haired Democrat Rep. Rosa DeLauro as She Rages Over Trump Settlement with IRS (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Fox News host Sean Hannity ended Tuesday's episode of his podcast, "Hang Out with Sean Hannity," with a disclaimer that some political analysts flagged as "notable."The 90-minute episode featured an interview with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that spanned several conspiracy theories about alleged Democratic conspiracies to charge President Donald Trump with crimes. The allegations became so caustic that producers felt the need to slap a disclaimer at the end of the video before it was published on YouTube. "John Brennan, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, Arthur Engoron and James Clapper have not been charged with any crimes in connection with any alleged conspiracy,'" the disclaimer reads in part. "Charges against James Comey related to alleged false statements and obstruction have been dismissed. There have been no findings that Rod Rosenstein, Tim Walz, Gavin Newsom or Jacob Frey engaged in professional misconduct." The interview was published at a time when the Trump Department of Justice is facing significant criticism for its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and for its attempt to create a $1.776 billion fund to pay the president's allies for claims that they were mistreated by the government. On Tuesday, Blanche faced a storm of questions about his handling of the Epstein files during a House Appropriations Committee hearing. Blanche also threw cold water on the administration's pursuit of the $1.776 billion fund, telling lawmakers that the administration has abandoned efforts to establish it. Alex Mallin described the disclaimer as "notable" in a post on X. "Legal must’ve been threatening to kill themselves if they got producers to agree to this," Greg Gonzalez, legal counsel for the free speech group FIRE, posted on X.
Political analysts and observers were horrified on Tuesday after a Republican congressman shut down questions from a Democratic colleague about Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's handling of the Epstein files during a committee hearing. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) told Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) three times that her time to question Blanche had expired during an Appropriations Committee hearing. Dean claimed that Rogers was ending her time early because of her line of questioning, at one point imploring him to restore her time. The first time Rogers shut down Dean's questioning was when she told Blanche she wanted to ask him about the release of the files. He said her time had expired and banged his gavel. "I beg your pardon!" Dean shot back. "How do I get cut off two minutes into this?"But Rogers didn't budge. Political analysts and commentators reacted online. "Wow. Watch the fascism of the Epstein class work," liberal political outlet The Tennessee Holler posted on X. "It’s the most egregious cover-up in American history," Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) posted on X. Wow, Republicans try to end Rep. Dean’s time 3 minutes early while she is asking Blanche about Epstein. pic.twitter.com/gJDXt60cmZ— Acyn (@Acyn) June 2, 2026
"Balance of Power: Late Edition" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), says FHFA chief Bill Pulte is "absolutely not qualified" to serve as acting director of national intelligence and expects the Trump administration to rely more on acting officials to advance the president's agenda without Senate confirmation. Aalok Mehta, Director of the Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says it is unclear what President Trump's executive order establishing voluntary federal reviews of advanced AI models will accomplish. (Source: Bloomberg)
President Donald Trump‘s acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, said former Attorney General Merrick Garland failed to be transparent about his role in major investigations targeting Trump, pointing to several pieces of evidence showing Garland personally approved key steps in those investigations. Speaking Tuesday on Hang Out with Sean Hannity from Fox News, Blanche said he […]
A Democratic lawmaker blasted Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday and called out the immunity order issued by the Justice Department that granted President Donald Trump, his family and associates immunity from any future IRS investigations.Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) pressed Blanche — Trump's former personal lawyer — to answer questions about the decision during the House Appropriations Committee hearing on the Justice Department. Blanche admitted during the Capitol Hill hearing that the Justice Department would not move forward with its "anti-weaponization fund" following outcry from both lawmakers and the public.And in DeLauro's line of questioning, she expressed frustration towards Blanche, shaking her head and scoffing at his responses after he said the order was "not blanket immunity." Then she read the order directly to him."United States releases, waives, acquits and forever discharges each of the plaintiffs from and is hereby forever barred and precluded from prosecuting or pursuing any and all claims, counterclaims, causes of actions, appeals, requests for any reliefs," DeLauro read. "I mean, this is an order from you, but you're not prepared," she said. "You are prepared to say that the president and his family will be, are barred, are immune. That's a yes.""No, it was not a yes. I had not answered the question. I can't answer if you want me to," Blanche said. Blanche argued that the Justice Department and Trump administration would not move forward with the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund." But DeLauro wanted answers — and not just about the fund."OK. But you are moving forward with this second order," DeLauro pushed back."It's not moving forward. There's a settlement," Blanche said. "There's a settlement that the IRS entered into with President Trump and others, his family and his companies as part of that settlement. As is customary in IRS settlements. There's a separate AG order," Blanche said.DeLauro was stunned by Blanche's comments and made it known."Friends, listen to what is being said here today here," she said. "This is really pretty extraordinary, that we are going to forever barred and precluded from examining or prosecuting the president, his sons and the Trump organization's current tax filings. Simply put, you just gave the president's family a tax immunity to the tune of about $100 million." "Not true," Blanche said. "Well, yes, you have, my friend," DeLauro said.She called out Blanche's conflict of interest."The Save America PAC paid you nearly $10 million in 2024 to serve as President Trump's personal defense attorney! My God, do you not find there's any conflict of interest in what you are doing here as the acting attorney general of the US?" DeLauro asked.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Tuesday that the Justice Department is not moving forward with its $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund.