WTF Just Happened This Week

Curated by Matt Kiser, WTF Just Happened Today

5.6.26/ Today in One Sentence
The FBI searched the office of a Virginia Democratic state lawmaker who helped lead the state’s redistricting plan earlier this year ¶ Trump helped defeat at least five incumbents in Indiana’s Republican primaries that had blocked his mid-decade redistricting plan ¶ Tennessee Republicans unveiled a proposed congressional map that would eliminate the state’s only Democratic U.S. House ¶ the FBI reportedly launched a criminal leak investigation into the Atlantic writer who reported about concerns over Director Kash Patel’s drinking and conduct ¶ Iran is reviewing a U.S. proposal to end the war even as Trump threatened Tehran “if they don’t agree, the bombing starts […] a much higher level and intensity” ¶ Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified behind closed doors to the House Oversight Committee about his ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ¶ 87% of Americans have a negative view of Trump’s social media post depicting himself as Jesus ¶ 63% of Americans blame Trump for the increase in gas prices ¶ and 61% of Americans say the country used to be a great place for immigrants, but not anymore.

Today's Top Story
The FBI searched the office of a Virginia Democratic state lawmaker who helped lead the state’s redistricting plan earlier this year. FBI agents executed a search warrant at Sen. L. Louise Lucas’ office and a neighboring cannabis dispensary she co-owns as part of a corruption investigation into possible marijuana-related bribery that began under Biden. Lucas has not been charged. The search came weeks after Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment to temporarily redraw the state’s congressional map. Lucas helped push Virginia’s mid-decade redistricting plan that could give Democrats up to four more House seats. After Republicans complained that the new Virginia map was unfair, Lucas replied: “You all started it and we fucking finished it.” (Fox News / Associated Press / New York Times / CBS News / NBC News / Bloomberg / Politico / Washington Post)

5.7.26/ Today in One Sentence
Chief Justice John Roberts claimed that Supreme Court justices aren’t “political actors” and that the court isn’t a political institution ¶ Tennessee Republicans enacted a new congressional map that breaks up majority-Black Memphis, likely eliminating the state’s only Democratic House seat ¶ Trump called for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to be charged with “INCITING VIOLENCE,” in an attempt to link Jeffries’ “maximum warfare” language about redistricting to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting ¶ a federal judge let the Justice Department keep more than 600 boxes of 2020 election ballots and records seized from Fulton County, Georgia, despite finding flaws in the FBI warrant ¶ the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that Trump’s 10% tariff on most imports was illegal ¶ and 80% of Americans support age caps for members of Congress.

Today's Top Story
Chief Justice John Roberts claimed that Supreme Court justices aren’t “political actors” and that the court isn’t a political institution. The defense comes a week after the court’s 6-3 conservative majority narrowed the Voting Rights Act’s protection for majority-Black congressional districts, opening the door for Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps. Since then Florida has enacted a new map that could add four more Republican House seats in November’s midterm election, while Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina are all moving to redraw their maps targeting Democratic districts. While Roberts didn’t address that ruling, he insisted that the court is “not simply part of the political process” and doesn’t make “policy decisions,” rather they just decide “what the law provides.” He called “considered criticism” fair, but warned that personal attacks on judges can become “problematic” and lead to “very serious problems.” (Politico / CNN / NBC News / Associated Press / Reuters)

5.11.26/Today in One Sentence
Trump said the U.S. ceasefire with Iran is on “massive life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest counterproposal as a “piece of garbage” and “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” ¶ Trump endorsed suspending the federal 18.4-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax after his war with Iran pushed the average pump price to $4.52 a gallon ¶ the man accused of trying to assassinate Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner pleaded not guilty to four federal charges ¶ the Supreme Court temporarily preserved nationwide access to mifepristone by mail and telehealth ¶ the Virginia Supreme Court struck down Virginia’s voter-approved congressional redistricting plan ¶ ABC accused the FCC of violating its First Amendment rights ¶ and preservation group sued to stop Trump’s no-bid repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Today's Top Story
Trump said the U.S. ceasefire with Iran is on “massive life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest counterproposal as a “piece of garbage” and “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.” Iranian state media said Tehran demanded war reparations, sanctions relief, recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz, and an end to the U.S. blockade. Iran called its terms “reasonable,” “generous,” and limited to its “legitimate rights,” but Trump said Tehran had “changed their mind” on allow the U.S. to remove its enriched uranium. Trump, meanwhile, accused Iran’s leadership of being run by “lunatics.” (New York Times / Politico / NBC News / Bloomberg / CNBC / CBS News / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / CNN / The Hill / The Guardian / Reuters / Axios)

• poll/ 66% of Americans say Trump hasn’t clearly explained why he took the country to war with Iran, including 30% of Republicans. (Reuters)