Today\u2019s notice: DNC\u2019s collateral. Russia sanctions split 2028 Democratic hopefuls. Both parties are hoping to land the Latino vote. Why you\u2019re still being bombarded with pharmaceutical ads. And: The \u201carmy of one\u201d staffing the pandemic preparedness office. <\/p>\n
THE LATEST<\/p>\n
Just 99 days before the midterms, the daggers are out for Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, whose organization has $16 million on hand but $18 million in debt.<\/p>\n
The scrutiny increased after NOTUS\u2019 Elena Schneider and Jasmine Wright reported<\/a> the DNC put up its headquarters near the Capitol as collateral last year to obtain a $15 million line of credit.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter spending all of 2025 paying 2024\u2019s bills, we are heading toward Election Day with a DNC now focused on how to pay off a mortgage on their headquarters instead of winning elections,\u201d a DNC member told NOTUS. \u201cKen Martin is losing pace on a debt treadmill of his own creation. Sooner or later he\u2019ll have to step off or be thrown off.\u201d<\/p>\n The DNC has used its facility for collateral previously \u2014 including in 2019, 2018 and 2014, a DNC official said. But Democrats aren\u2019t too pleased that their national party is in the red so close to the midterms, especially as the Republican National Committee holds $128 million in cash with no outstanding debts.<\/p>\n \u201cKen gaslighting us about the DNC\u2019s finances and not being transparent about the financial situation makes us doubt if he can oversee the DNC during the most important primary of our lifetime,\u201d said another DNC member.<\/p>\n If that weren\u2019t enough, sources told NOTUS that Martin has grown \u201cparanoid\u201d and is exhibiting \u201cspiraling behavior.\u201d One incident in which sources said he threw a phone in the direction of an aide, first reported by The New York Times<\/a>, isn\u2019t helping.<\/p>\n Rep. Sam LicCardo (D-California) put it bluntly<\/a> on X last night: \u201cKen Martin must resign. As Democrats, we have become too captured by failing strategies. We must fail forward, and pivot. The urgency of this moment will not reward \u2014 and our children will not forgive \u2014 torpidity.\u201d<\/p>\n A DNC official pointed NOTUS to a recent Substack post<\/a> in which Martin wrote that the committee has raised more money than the DNC ever has without a Democrat in the White House and said it \u201cwill be ready to win \u2014 everywhere, at every level.\u201d Payments on the line of credit aren\u2019t due until January.<\/p>\n House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said yesterday that he still has Martin\u2019s back. \u201cThe chairman has my full support,\u201d Jeffries told reporters, per NOTUS\u2019 Kadia Goba. \u201cWe look forward to our continued partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking of Jeffries, he campaigned yesterday for Democrat Bob Brooks in Pennsylvania\u2019s 7th Congressional District, though voters there told Kadia<\/a> they weren\u2019t sure Washington\u2019s help was welcome.<\/p>\n Open tabs: Republicans see \u2018scary\u2019 lack of enthusiasm among core voters ahead of midterms<\/a> (WaPo); An Admiral\u2019s Rise Reveals the Politics Driving Hegseth\u2019s Pentagon<\/a> (NYT); The shrinking world of former president Joe Biden<\/a> (WaPo); Troy Jackson Will Officially Be Maine\u2019s Democratic Senate Nominee<\/a> (NOTUS)<\/p>\n From the campaign trail<\/p>\n Democratic 2028 contenders are split over the late Sen. Lindsey Graham\u2019s Russia sanctions bill, a bipartisan move to authorize tariffs of up to 100% on the top five foreign purchasers of Russian crude oil and natural gas. The legislation doesn\u2019t specify which countries could end up slapped with tariffs, a sticking point for potential White House hopefuls who want to cut into Russia\u2019s financial lifeline but fear it hands Donald Trump too much sweeping power.<\/p>\n \u201cTrump has shown himself to abuse tariff authority in a really reckless way that\u2019s causing harm to our economy,\u201d Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) told NOTUS\u2019 Igor Bobic<\/a>.<\/p>\n But Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) said helping Ukraine win is paramount: \u201cThere\u2019s been a bipartisan effort for almost a year and a half now to pass this bill, and I think that we should pass it and not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.\u201d<\/p>\n Latino voters in a handful of congressional districts could determine who wins the House majority, and both parties are fighting over this key voting bloc in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. Republicans want to keep Latinos who backed Trump on their side, while Democrats are hoping some have soured on the president and will return to their column.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t be critical of people who voted for Trump,\u201d Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat in a tough bid for reelection in Texas\u2019 34th Congressional District, told NOTUS\u2019 Daniella Diaz<\/a>.<\/p>\n Daniel Garza, president of the Libre Initiative, a conservative Latino advocacy group, said, \u201cWe\u2019re hearing a lot that Democrats have failed to give Latino voters something to vote for, that they\u2019re focused more on who to vote against, and that is not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n From the administration<\/p>\n Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long promised to ban drug commercials. But action toward that goal is moving slowly, NOTUS\u2019 Paige Winfield Cunningham reports<\/a>. What\u2019s more, drugmakers are dropping more cash on the ads than they did a year ago. The top spenders? Makers of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, and of drugs to treat psoriasis and Crohn\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n From the states<\/p>\n Democrats call it honesty, while Republicans call it evidence. The 6,600 noncitizens registered to vote in New Jersey were an anomaly, and being forthright about \u201cisolated problems\u201d strengthens trust in the broader election system because it \u201cdemonstrates that safeguards are working,\u201d Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia) told NOTUS\u2019 Angie Orellana Hernandez<\/a>.<\/p>\n Republicans, though, said the incident is evidence of larger election-integrity issues.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that this happened \u2014 with or without software playing a role \u2014 can neither be ignored by Congress nor dismissed as a simple, garden-variety computer glitch,\u201d Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) posted<\/a>.<\/p>\n NOTUS METRO<\/p>\n NOTUS has some of the best reporters covering D.C.-area news, sports and culture. Sign up<\/a> for our local newsletter!<\/p>\n Local news: D.C.\u2019s Disabled Residents Have Dismal Transit Options. Would Waymo Help?<\/a> By Zara Norman<\/p>\n Sports desk: What the Nationals\u2019 First Deadline Deal Really Means<\/a>, by Jesse Dougherty<\/p>\n A Player-Led Labor Effort Could Be a Sign of College Football\u2019s Future<\/a>, by Jesse Dougherty<\/p>\n The LeBron James Sixers Really Could Win it All<\/a>, by Martenzie Johnson<\/p>\n NEW ON NOTUS<\/p>\n Lettuce get ahead of it. Before the Trump administration dismantled it, the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response had 15 employees. Following a string of outbreaks \u2014 most recently the lettuce-dwelling parasite that continues to sicken people across the country \u2014 the White House has re-staffed the office, but with only one health official plus a biosecurity specialist from the National Security Council, NOTUS\u2019 Margaret Manto reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is a start, but it is not nearly enough,\u201d one former White House official familiar with the health security functions at the preparedness office told Margaret. \u201cYou can\u2019t run an office of pandemic preparedness and response policy as an army of one.\u201d<\/p>\n More: Trump Ramps Up Threats Against Iran Despite Pause in Strikes<\/a>, by Jenna Monnin<\/p>\n A Heritage Employee Was Caught With Drugs Trying to Get Into the Senate, Police Say<\/a>, by Daniella Diaz<\/p>\n Trump Is Veering Toward Abandoning International Law<\/a>, by Akbar Shahid Ahmed<\/p>\n NOT USWEEK AHEAD <\/p>\n Today <\/p>\n Trump travels to Michigan to speak about the economy.<\/p>\n The National Conference of State Legislatures meets in Chicago<\/a>, with opening remarks by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt.<\/p>\n Tuesday <\/p>\n Sen. Lindsey Graham\u2019s funeral<\/a> at the National Cathedral, with Trump delivering remarks.<\/p>\n Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.<\/p>\n Trump hosts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.<\/p>\n Filing period closes for candidates running in the South Carolina special GOP Senate primary.<\/p>\n Special election for Georgia\u2019s 13th Congressional District.<\/p>\n Wednesday<\/p>\n South Carolina memorial services for Graham.<\/p>\n The Fed announces its latest decision on interest rates.<\/p>\n Anthony Fauci appears before<\/a> the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.<\/p>\n Thursday <\/p>\n The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote<\/a> on Todd Blanche\u2019s nomination to be attorney general.<\/p>\n Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the National Bar Association\u2019s annual convention<\/a> in Nashville.<\/p>\n Friday<\/p>\n Trump holds a Cabinet meeting at Camp David.<\/p>\n Harris and Pete Buttigieg speak at the National Urban League\u2019s annual conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n Thank you for reading! If you liked this edition of the NOTUS newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If this newsletter was shared with you, please subscribe<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s free! Have a tip? Email us at tips@notus.org<\/a>. And as always, we\u2019d love to hear your thoughts at newsletters@notus.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n The newsletter was produced by Thomas Burr and Nikie Johnson. Photo by Caroline Brehman\/CQ Roll Call via AP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Today\u2019s notice: DNC\u2019s collateral. Russia sanctions split 2028 Democratic hopefuls. 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