On oppressively hot days …. like today…. the ice cream truck looks especially inviting.
Well… for our kids it looks inviting!
But you know exactly what’s going to happen, right?
They’ll grab that ice cream cone, start enjoying it.
Moments later… it’s going to be a sticky, runny mess.
Their hands will be plastered with dripping chocolate soft serve. And the whole thing is going to devolve from there, into a mess of drenched napkins, sticky hands and a messy car seat.
Tonight, Trump is going to insist on clinging to the ice cream cone. Fittingly — it’s an official mayor-declared heat emergency day here in D.C.
Every time Trump talks about the 2020 election, his cone melts. And it becomes a dripping, political mess.
Here’s the mess:
He appears totally uncaring about the crises of the moment, including: The cost crisis, the war in Iran, and fears about A.I. and data centers..
He further undermines the ability of his party to focus on a message, in a homestretch to the midterm elections
He risks jamming up his GOP Senate candidate in Georgia in particular. Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) might have to defend Trump’s conspiracy theories and any forthcoming lies about Georgia voters.
And he kneecaps his own nominees for high positions
Watch Trump’s 2020 election lie spill all over his nominee for Director of National Intelligence. It was Jay Clayton caught holding the damaged soft serve cone during his confirmation hearing Wednesday.
This clip is an all-timer.
And Trump’s election lies aren’t helping Attorney General-nominee Todd Blanche either.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is the source of Blanche’s (ice cream) headache today. Cornyn is unambiguously steamed about the Trump slush fund, which would funnel taxpayer money to Trump’s violent 2020 election-denying supporters.
Cornyn wants more certainty from Blanche that the fund is officially dead and that Trump’s sweetheart immunity deal from IRS review is chopped down too.
But the 2020 election lies are causing a mess for Blanche too. Blanche equivocated and again insisted he can’t put in writing his pledge to stop the slush fund.
Drip, drip, drip.
As the morning begins, Cornyn is publicly undecided on Blanche’s nomination. If Cornyn votes no, the Judiciary Committee will not have the votes to favorably report Blanche’s nomination.
It’s not clear that Trump’s 9pm eastern time address - which appears destined to include more 2020 lies – will help Blanche’s cause.
Trump’s intransigent clinging to his 2020 election lies also helps light a political fire for the opposition. Ahead of Trump’s speech, look at the interfaith gathering that’s coming together for a “defend our elections” event in Washington this morning, honoring the late Rep. John Lewis, the longtime voting rights act champion.
As for Blanche… this morning is day two (of two) of his confirmation hearings.
It’ll be a day of “outside witnesses”, who’ll share their thoughts with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Most will be supportive witnesses called by the GOP, including former Republican Senator and Attorney General John Ashcroft.
But I’m watching for fired US pardon attorney Liz Oyer’s testimony today. She was invited by the Democrats. And she might have some unscripted, powerful things to say.
It was indeed Blanche who fired Oyer in 2025. Though Blanche wouldn’t acknowledge that he did so because of Oyer’s decision to block an allegedly politically-motivated request to restore rights to a firearm for Mel Gibson.
(Yes… the actor. Long story. Here it is, if you’re interested: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/30/mel-gibson-gun-rights-restored-doj/83353500007/ )
Oyer has become an outspoken advocate against the Trump Administration’s politicization of the Justice Department. In a letter earlier this month, Oyer unfurled a blistering criticism of the culture of her former agency under Blanche’s watch.
She wrote, “My treatment by Mr. Blanche is not an isolated case. Although many others have chosen not to speak out, numerous dedicated and high-performing senior career attorneys have been fired or driven out, without cause or explanation, from Mr. Blanche’s DOJ. The unmistakable message is that employees must keep their concerns to themselves about actions they view as unsafe or unlawful—or face losing their jobs. The harmful impact of purging career officials is not limited to the dedicated civil servants who lose their livelihoods. My firing, for example, was traumatic to my entire team of hard-working career professionals. They watched in shock and horror as I was marched out of the building with no warning, no explanation, and no chance to say goodbye.”
Her full post:
It remains an open question about whether Blanche will ever meet with the Epstein survivors. His answers were mushy when he was pressed on that issue on Wednesday.
Out in the hallway, as he departed, this is what happened when the DAY AHEAD editorial note asked Blanche about it:
And here’s the response from Epstein survivor Annie Farmer: “(Blanche’s) suggestions that survivors reach out to the Department of Justice to re-report the crimes committed against them – in addition to his inconsistent claims about meeting with survivors – are beyond insulting.”
Opponents of Blanche’s confirmation as Attorney General continue their pressure campaign. Former DC police officer Michael Fanone, who was beaten horribly during the US Capitol Insurrection, has produced a video urging Senators to vote against Blanche. Joined by a former Justice Department prosecutor, Fanone’s video said: “Todd Blanche does not serve justice. He serves criminals who beat up cops and assaulted our democracy.”
Take a glance:
Lots more news today…. but first a quick ranking of best hot-day ice cream cones:
Mint Chocolate Chip
Twist soft-serve
Orange Creamsicle
Other stories I’m tracking
1) The on-again, off-again, on-again policy for traffic stops by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement traffic stops will increase scrutiny of the agency in the day ahead.
Each traffic stop made by agents today will come under even more intense scrutiny, after Trump overturned his own agency’s moratorium on traffic stops within 24 hours. His announcement was emphatic and featured a dizzying amount of random capitalization: “We CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP.”
According to today’s Washington Post, there have been at least 17 motorists shot during immigration operations during enhanced ICE operations in his second term.
So far….. that is.
Here’s a solid summation of the issue, from this morning’s USA TODAY: “Traffic stops have steadily become a major immigration enforcement tool for federal agents during Trump’s second term in office. That’s coincided with a surge in the number of incidents in which agents have opened fire on drivers. Since the start of last year, immigration agents have shot more than 20 people, most of whom were inside a vehicle.”
The DAY AHEAD editorial note caught up with Rep. Primila Jayapal (D-WA), who argued the agency is running out of control. Listen to the end of the clip… you’ll hear Jayapal’s thoughts on the GOP criticisms that Democrats want to “defund the police and ICE”
2) We could find out later this month about the path ahead for the troubled Kennedy Center, which is facing a massive disruption under Trump’s control. Per a court filing last night, Kennedy Center attorneys said there are three options on the table for the repairs that are being planned:
“a complete closure of the Center to conduct construction activities with no ongoing programming.” for a period of time
“Another option will likely contemplate a partial closure of various spaces within the Center and its building, enabling some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected by the need for capital repair, if any”
“A third option will likely contemplate a series of phased closures to address only the Center’s most serious infrastructure needs while scheduling and maintaining more onsite programming.”
I’d expect more court filings on the matter – as part of a civil suit challenging the potential two-year closure of the Kennedy Center – within two weeks. Then .. it’ll be up to Judge Christopher Cooper to decide what’s next.
3) Rep. Kristen McDonald-Rivet (D-MI) is the latest member of Congress to sign-on as a co-sponsor to bipartisan House legislation to outlaw the Trump slush fund. McDonald-Rivet represents an especially competitive seat in the Flint-area of Michigan.
The legislation, authored by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), is still picking up support and traction. It’s clear that US House members are not convinced by the Trump Administration’s verbal claims that the fund is “not moving forward.”
4) At 9:30am here in DC, I’ll be tracking a gathering of federal employee unions, as they unveil their review of the Trump Administration’s State Dept. cutbacks and the gutting of federal agencies. Many thousands of federal civil servants were removed from their jobs, or pressed into leaving the government under DOGE.
But today, we’ll get a unique insight into the consequences of the reductions in the foreign services.
The American Federation of Government Employees said they’ll discuss: “The ongoing impact on affected workers, their families, and U.S. foreign affairs “
5) Then.. at 10am, the US Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee holds a confirmation hearing for Keith Sonderling, Trump’s nominee to be Labor Secretary.
Trump has touted Sonderling, with a statement featuring some more of that random capitalization: “Keith has proven his dedication to delivering strong results for the Hardworking People of our Country, and I know he will do an incredible job in his new role”
This morning, the Associated Press notes how Sonderling has not only served as acting Labor Secretary, but also overseen a few other federal agencies. According to the A.P.: “During Trump’s second term, in addition to his Labor Department post, Sonderling has been the acting director of U.S. Office of Government Ethics and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, one of several agencies Trump targeted for closure in an executive order last year. At the library agency, Sonderling placed many agency staff members on administrative leave, sent termination notices to most of them, began canceling grants and contracts and fired all members of the National Museum and Library Services Board. Those actions were later blocked by a judge, and the case remains on appeal.”
I expect Sonderling will also be asked about the big banner with Trump’s face that adorns the Labor Dept headquarters. And I expect Sonderling will be questioned about the demise of his predecessor, ousted former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer, who stepped down amid multiple investigations for misconduct. https://www.npr.org/2026/04/20/nx-s1-5739251/labor-secretary-trump-chavez-deremer
You can watch today’s here:
https://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-of-keith-sonderling-to-be-secretary-of-labor
6) The Pentagon will face questions today about a New York Times report, which said Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked a new round of promotions officers, many of whom are women or people of color. In his book two years ago, Hegseth wrote, “Affirmative action promotions have skyrocketed with ‘firsts’ being the most important factor in filling new commands.”
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), a military veteran, reacted to the DAY AHEAD editorial note
7) AFFORDABILITY WATCH: Florida Democratic officials have an event at 10am today at a bake shop in Orlando to galvanize voters about the price crisis that’s slamming the state and the country.
State legislators say they’re going to focus on “highlighting how skyrocketing costs, record inflation, and tariffs are leaving businesses, families, and our seniors behind financially and shrinking our middle class.”
Florida has a heated US Senate race, gubernatorial race and a scrambled set of competitive US House races.
The affordability issue is a top-line issue in ALL of those campaigns.
8) We’re waiting to see how the court handles the last-minute challenge to the major (and highly controversial) media merger of Paramount/Skydance and Warner Brothers-Discovery. The state democratic attorneys general have filed to halt — or at least pause – the merger, which was blessed by Team Trump.
It’s headlined: “FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts From Paramount as the Company Needed Approval for Billion-Dollar Deals”
https://www.propublica.org/article/paramount-mergers-fcc-kennedy-center-gala
The report said, “Federal Communications Commissioner Olivia Trusty cast a decisive vote approving Paramount’s historic $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. Now, the commissioner and a guest enjoyed the star-studded celebration thanks to tickets gifted to her by Paramount worth more than $12,000, according to ethics disclosure records obtained by ProPublica.”
The other commissioner who approved the merger watched from a prized perch. FCC Chair Brendan Carr and his wife sat in a private skybox with Paramount CEO David Ellison and other executives from Paramount and CBS. Such seats sold for $125,000 a ticket, according to Kennedy Center guidelines.”
9) DATA CENTER WATCH: In Florida, Collier County is looking to pause new data center construction. The Naples Daily News notes how there is a lack of local regulations, if/when new data centers are planned locally.
Here’s the front page:
10) DATA CENTER WATCH 2: Different story in Louisiana. Here’s the morning front page in Monroe, La:
11) As the World Cup reaches it conclusion, the economic impact of the event is becoming clearer. Quite a nugget in this morning’s report from my news partners at WSB radio in Atlanta. (I’m on WSB radio every Monday at 8:15am)
The local economic impact in Atlanta was “massive”, per the report. WSB said, “Officials with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau say 442,000 hotel room nights were booked across the city during the World Cup period.”
That’s a big one-time surge to help support local businesses in the area.
MORE: https://www.wsbradio.com/news/local/atlanta-hotels-see-revenue-boost-world-cup-host-run-concludes/FM3QL6BF5ZAW5DP57UYANDP7OE/
Speaking of radio, I’m expanding the Scott MacFarlane Reports radio network.
Welcome to
WHAM, Rochester
WAKR, Akron
WSYR, Syracuse
I'm so glad that you have radio shows. It sounds like you have another busy day. I hope you stay cool and have a great day. I'm not looking forward to the address tonight.
I hope Jay Clayton and Todd Blanche don't get confirmed. They both need to be in jail.
Good morning and happy Thursday to everyone else! Thank you, Scott, you have the best summary of anyone!