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Michael McAuliff

@mcauliff.bsky.social
2.7K followers 428 following 1.4K posts

Deputy congress editor at The Washington Sun. Priors include Crain's Modern Healthcare, HuffPost, New York Daily News, ABC News. Signal @mcauliff.06

PostsRepliesMedia
Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
This is Colorado. He is a minister.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
And there it is. @oriana.bsky.social spots Troy Jackson giving Susan Collins the chance to hit him on his abortion record in their debate tonight. Collins: "I would point out that there’s only one of us on this stage who has always been pro-choice, and that’s me.”
washingtonsun.com
Susan Collins Goes After Democrat Troy Jackson’s Anti-Abortion Record
“I would point out that there's only one of us on this stage who has always been pro-choice, and that's me,” the Maine Republican said.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Scoop from @jeffstein.bsky.social The Trump meme coin firm has been offering perks such as dinner with President to encourage buying At the same time, insiders are taking steps to offload their substantial holdings of $TRUMP — moving ~$70 million to be ready to sell.
washingtonsun.com
Trump’s Meme Coin Firm Wants You to Buy. Insiders Are Preparing to Sell.
Trump personally made more than $600 million from his meme coin last year.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
“I’m not wasting my time on Marcy Kaptur,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson via @oriana.bsky.social Robinson is not pleased with Dems cozying up to GOP anti-transgender talking points.
washingtonsun.com
LGBTQ+ Group Turns Its Back on Democrats Adopting GOP Trans Rhetoric
“I'm not wasting my time on Marcy Kaptur,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson.
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David Szakonyi @szakonyi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"The top 29 purchasers will be invited to an additional 'VIP Reception with YOUR FAVORITE PRESIDENT', while the four biggest will also receive an 18-karat Trump-branded gold watch." www.washingtonsun.com/whitehouse/t...
washingtonsun.com
Want Dinner With the President? Buy His Meme Coin.
The $Trump meme coin is offering buyers a new "exclusive" opportunity to meet the president.
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Ryan J. Reilly “paints a vivid and urgent portrait of… disarray” @ryanjreilly.com · 01/10/2026
Decades After Watergate, Justice Department Reviews Whether Nixon Got a Raw Deal
wsj.com
Exclusive | Decades After Watergate, Justice Department Reviews Whether Nixon Got a Raw Deal
A revisionist historian went to the DOJ headquarters to present his case that the former president and his associates weren’t treated fairly.
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Reuters Legal @legal.reuters.com · 01/10/2026
The Justice Department filed a judicial misconduct complaint against judges in Minnesota who gave interviews to the New York Times about the immigration surge there, alleging it was unethical and partisan. Subscribe to The Daily Docket: reut.rs/4dsTnQ1
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
cc Baltimore
washingtonsun.com
Amazon Will Pay $8.25 Million Over Slow Delivery in Predominantly Black D.C. Neighborhoods
The settlement is the latest in a series of lawsuits against the e-commerce giant.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
what the hell
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Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 01/10/2026
In case you needed a refresher on how dire things are with fighting HIV in Zimbabwe: here's our reporting from last year: www.thexylom.com/post/zimbabw...
thexylom.com
Zimbabwe's HIV Medicine Black Market is Flush with Sex Workers and Asian Cash
Legally purchasing PreP and PEP pills from private pharmacies can be expensive for sex workers, who are required to submit to expensive medical tests on top of purchasing the pills.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Despite what Ted Cruz said about the House returning from the campaign trail to pass his Protect College Sports Act, Steve Scalise tells our @reesegorman.bsky.social it aint gonna happen. "We’re coming back as soon as the election's over and we have a lot of work we'll be doing,” Scalise said.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
That's cool. The Senate just passed a bill to make sure Jason Rezaian doesn't have to pay the IRS late fees and penalties for not paying his taxes on time. While he was a hostage in Iran. Bill goes to the president's desk now.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Congress' bid to curb member stock trading foundered today in the Senate. Why? @davelevinthal.com: Fundamentally, this week’s failure is the culmination of a decade’s worth of discarded political opportunities and partisan ill will.
washingtonsun.com
Why a Popular Push to Ban Congressional Stock Trading Crashed and Burned
But is it only mostly dead?
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"I'm sorry to say this, to the pages as well, the Trump administration is breaking records every week" (bad ones, like diesel prices.)
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Michael Bennet, lacking much of the audience as the Senate winds down, turns to pages and tells them they will not do as well as their parents' generation. Then says he is relentlessly hopeful.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Here's @jeffstein.bsky.social and Al Weaver letting us all know Senate Republicans would like to take the debt limit (and potential leverage from showdowns over lifting it) off the table for the remainder of Trump's presidency. www.washingtonsun.com/congress/sen...
washingtonsun.com
Senate Republicans Are Preparing to Extend the Debt Ceiling Until 2029
Senate leaders are looking to remove a key point of leverage for Democrats in case of a divided government.
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NBC News @nbcnews.com · 30/09/2026
LATEST: Israel-bound flight diverted to Saudi Arabia amid reports that a pilot was stabbed in the cockpit. www.nbcnews.com/world/middle...
nbcnews.com
Israel-bound flight makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia amid reports of bloody altercation
At one point the FlyDubai flight appeared to drop by 14,125 feet in just 29 seconds, according to FlightRadar24.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Senate Dems got their vote today to put Rs on record backing White House efforts that they say will further weaken Affordable Care Act insurance. It was a vote to roll back CMS rules creating health plans that don't meet ACA requirements, among other steps. Rs didn't bother to debate it.
washingtonsun.com
Senate Democrats Force an Uncomfortable Vote on Health Care Costs
Republicans blocked the measure, which would have terminated Trump administration changes to the ACA marketplace.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Do people watch hearings still? They can be amazing, like with a senator and former Mo. prosecutor suggests Jack Smith is committing perjury by not admitting to going to Atlanta for a Hawks game. Smith was so confused. Turned out, he went to Maryland, for a Hawkeyes game. @josepagliery.bsky.social
washingtonsun.com
Hawks or Hawkeyes? Senator Flubs His Jack Smith Gotcha Moment
The posterboard was prepared, the questions were asked, but the game was wrong.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Susan Collins says lawsuits — or maybe Congress, this time — will curb Trump's latest cuts of spending passed by Congress, per reporting from Avani Kalra and Al Weaver
washingtonsun.com
Susan Collins Says Challenges to Trump’s Latest Spending Cuts Are Coming
The Appropriations chair is also looking to work with Democrats to put guardrails prohibiting the White House from nixing funds approved by Congress
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Sahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Dario Amodei of Anthropic just had a meeting in John Thune’s office. Made no comments and wouldn’t answer questions afterward. He left the Capitol.
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Dave Levinthal @davelevinthal.com · 28/09/2026
🇮🇱 Voters turning on Netanyahu? 🇺🇸 Does Trump have any plan for Iran? 🗳️ Can Republicans salvage the 2026 midterms? My conversation on @wbai.org w/ @jflannys.bsky.social @egbertowillies.com and @paulinepark.bsky.social. 🔊 Listen: www.wbai.org/archive/prog...
wbai.org
WBAI Radio Archives
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Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Russell Brand, who's awaiting trial in London next month on rape and sexual assault charges, will moderate a panel at DC's MAHA summit tomorrow on reforming a U.S. health agency
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Schrödinger's Sneetch Belly @rtodkelly.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Please know that this is one of my few legitimate areas of actual, high-level professional expertise: Kicking the healthiest people off of a health insurance program will bankrupt it. Not 'could;' not 'might,' not 'probably," but absolutely will, with mathematical certainty.
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Lawrence Hurley @lawrencehurley.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This whole thing is weird but worth noting that SCOTUS already issued a stay in this very case that doesn't expire until a cert. petition is either denied or granted/decided, which in a normal situation wouldn't happen for months.
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Reuters Legal @legal.reuters.com · 21/09/2026
British Columbia sued OpenAI in California on Monday, saying a mass shooting at a school in the province could have been prevented if the company had warned local law enforcement that the shooter had used ChatGPT to plan the massacre.
reut.rs
British Columbia sues OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge school shooting
British Columbia sued OpenAI in California on Monday, saying ​a mass shooting at a school in the province could have been prevented if the company had warned local law ‌enforcement that the shooter had used ChatGPT to plan the massacre.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
good lunchtime read
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Jen Bendery @jbendery.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Morning! ☕️ ICYMI from the weekend: I spent a few days talking to dozens of Alaskans about who they're gonna support in their state's competitive Senate race, and why. Indie voters have huge sway in this state. Most I spoke to like Mary Peltola. 👀 www.huffpost.com/entry/alaska...
huffpost.com
Alaska’s Independent Streak Rears Its Head At The Wrong Moment For GOP
Voters say they’re tired of political division and greed. They’re worried about their fish. And one Senate candidate seems to be winning them over.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Dems are not pleased with Jared Golden endorsing a swing-district Republican, as you would imagine. But some have his back, via @oriana.bsky.social and @kadiagoba.bsky.social
washingtonsun.com
Democrats Fume After Jared Golden Endorses a Republican in a Key Race
In an op-ed, Golden backed GOP Rep. Mike Lawler in one of the most competitive House races in the country.
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Matthew Eadie @mattheweadie.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Evanston police chief Schenita Stewart tells me that EPD contacted the agents involved, including one who had blood on their hands The agent "told the officer that agents had attempted to identify an individual who resembled a person they were seeking."
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Matthew Eadie @mattheweadie.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
BREAKING: Evanston police confirm a U.S. citizen was briefly detained by federal agents Sunday morning near Howard and Dodge before being released The man was taken to the hospital for injuries to his head, neck and teeth after agents drove off
evanstonnow.com
Federal agents detained U.S. citizen Sunday morning - Evanston Now
Police chief says officers responded to a man with injuries to head, neck and teeth on Howard and made contact with agents involved.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Even more details here. bsky.app/profile/clan...
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Bill Scher @billscher.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Averages of Senate polls at least partially sampled in Sept. w/no internals NC: D+8.76 GA : D+5.5 NH: D+4 OH: D+4 TX: D+3.7 AK: D+2.5 ME: D+2.3 MI: D+1.8 MN: D+1.75 IA: D+0.5 NE: Tie KS: R+2 SC: R+2 FL: R+3.5 MT: R+13.5 No polls in SD/MS/ID (not counting that ATR poll)
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Out with the old... A cadre of newer members is forcing the House Dem caucus to weigh term limits for committee leaders. It's very "touchy." @oriana.bsky.social and @stephenneukam.bsky.social have the scoop Inside House Democrats' Push to Kick Old People Out of Leadership
washingtonsun.com
Inside House Democrats' Push to Kick Old People Out of Leadership
Some newer members say they don’t want to wait decades before they get to lead major committees.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
If you follow politics, you kinda know this, but dig into the data and seeing how few members of Congress really get elected in the general election is remarkable. And sobering. @pkcapitol.bsky.social did the digging.
washingtonsun.com
Most Primaries Didn't Matter This Year
Despite a series of high-profile losses, most incumbents coasted to easy wins.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
not sure exactly, but not a lot. A bit over half the normal. You can go count here, but you have to leave out the pro forma sessions, like in August. www.congress.gov/days-in-sess...
congress.gov
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
It is official. Last votes are this afternoon.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
@reesegorman.bsky.social reports: House GOP leaders considering cancelling votes tomorrow, going home today until after the election. No final decision yet but there's a lot of discussion. They want to avoid a vote tomorrow on the Hegseth impeachment, which is privileged,
News: House GOP leadership is considering cancelling tomorrow's votes and going home today until after the election, sources tell me.

No final decision has been made yet but there's a lot of discussion about it. 

Some in leadership want to avoid a vote on the Hegseth impeachment set to come up tomorrow since its privileged, but its unclear if procedurally that's possible. 

Lots of moving parts at the moment

If they do cancel tomorrow's vote series they would just move most of tomorrow's votes to today.
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Bill Scher @billscher.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
NYT/Siena poll, fav-unfav Mamdani 38-33 Ocasio-Cortez 30-41 Socialism 31-51 www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Cross-Tabs: September 2026 Times/Siena Poll of the Likely Electorate
Results of a New York Times/Siena poll conducted among 1,503 voters from Sept. 8 to 13, 2026.
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Steven T. Dennis @steventdennis.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
10-year Treasury interest rates rose to a nearly 20-year high today, amid pressures from the Iran war and ~$2T annual US deficits. Diesel hit a new all-time high: $6.27 a gallon, per AAA.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
NEW: DHS's Inspector General releases a scathing report about the Everglades detention camp known as "Alligator Alcatraz." The OIG finds that the now-closed camp, violated multiple ICE standards. The OIG also confirms detainees were punished with placement in a metal cage in the Florida heat.🧵
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Staff also reported that time spent in the small metal enclosures is closely monitored, and
detainees are not locked in, even though we observed locking mechanisms on the enclosures.
Figures 11 and 12. Small Metal Enclosures; Observed January 21, 2026

Underneath is a picture of a metal cage that is 4 feet 3 inches wide by 4 feet 3 inches long, and 7 feet 9 inches high. The cage itself is placed on a tiny spot of fake turf, and then surrounded by another chainlink fence with razor wire on top. The cage is covered by a roof, but it's entirely exposed to the outside otherwise, meaning mosquitos and no air conditioning.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
@kadiagoba.bsky.social and @oriana.bsky.social draw out the stark split screen of endangered Republicans staying the hell away while Trump put on his Dallas circus. With nuance. Republicans Kept Their Distance From Trump’s Midterm Convention washingtonsun.com/swing-distri...
washingtonsun.com
Why Swing District Republicans Kept Their Distance From Trump’s Midterm Convention
The GOP midterm convention in Dallas was a Trump-fest, and some imperiled Republicans thought it wasn’t worth the time.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Trump's Qatar-gifted Air Force One is getting a new flight simulator. It will cost taxpayers $45 million according to a contract doc reviewed by @markalfred.bsky.social of @washingtonsun.bsky.social
washingtonsun.com
Trump Administration Awards $45 Million Contract for New Air Force One Simulator
The flight simulator for the Qatari-gifted plane is publicly funded and may not be ready for “24-36 months.”
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Yesterday’s AI doom scenarios seem to have lit a fire for Dems, and they went to @igorbobic.bsky.social and @oriana.bsky.social with the news, vowing Oversight investigations of AI firms if they win, and seeking a select committee.
washingtonsun.com
Democrats in Congress Plan to Investigate AI Companies
Top House Oversight Democrat vows investigations while others seek the creation of a select committee.
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Long way from the small-town mayor who launched a free store. I mean, even Mamdani is charging money for food. Fetterman Bashes ‘Socialism’ in Surprise GOP Convention Appearance washingtonsun.com/2026-electio...
washingtonsun.com
Fetterman Bashes ‘Socialism’ in Surprise GOP Convention Appearance
The Pennsylvania Democrat spoke to the convention via video in a move that adds more wrinkles to his relationship with his party.
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NBC News @nbcnews.com · 09/09/2026
The White House removes a MAGA-themed game called Build the Wall from its website this week after the Tetris Company issues a statement online alluding to copyright infringement.
nbcnews.to
White House removes ‘Build the Wall’ game from website after Tetris posts warning
The White House unveiled a series of MAGA-themed video games last week that mirror popular games.
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Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Grantmaking has leveled off, so it looks like NSF will make around 6,200 new grants—down from an average of ~11,000. That's a historic low, not seen since the 1980s, when NSF was a far smaller organization. Left was our projection three weeks ago, right is the current data.
Previous plot of NSF new grants projected FY26 would be ~6100Current data for total new grants at NSF
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The Washington Sun @washingtonsun.com · 09/09/2026
Welcome to The Washington Sun. washingtonsun.com
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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Mistrust of US government information is rising across major issues, new poll shows apnews.com/article/poll...
apnews.com
Mistrust of US government information is rising across major issues, new poll shows
A new AP-NORC/USA Facts poll finds that Americans are more skeptical of government information than they were a few years ago, with majorities now saying they have little or no trust in federal govern...
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Michael McAuliff @mcauliff.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Ob/gyn collections in Kansas also account for a part, apparently.
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