Editor's Picks: Epstein and Israel; Bondi Sues California; Lina Khan joins Mamdani transition team; U.S. knew Israel had war crime concerns; More!

It's been another news-heavy week, with much of the focus on emails released by Congress that continue to suggest sex predator/trafficker Jefferey Epstein and President Donald Trump were even closer than Trump acknowledges. But there's potentially bigger Epstein news, evidence that the Biden administration was aware of Israel's own concern that it was committing war crimes in Gaza. Meanwhile, Big Alcohol is at war with THC.  The Justice Department is suing California over its new Congressional maps, and Lina Khan is on NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's transition team.

Drug dealer granted clemency by Trump sent back to prison for violating the terms of his release after sexually assaulting nanny

Jonathan Braun was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in 2019 after pleading guilty to drug-trafficking charges. He served about a year behind bars before Trump commuted his sentence in the final days of his first term. He was still required to stay out of trouble, however, and was sent back to jail following several offenses, including sexual assault of his children's live-in nanny. Braun is just the latest of those pardoned by Trump who have gone on to commit such offenses.

Bondi sues to block California's new Congressional maps

Despite President Trump encouraging multiple Republican led states to redistrict for the blatant purpose of gaining Republicans more House seats, his Justice Department has sued to block new congressional district boundaries approved by California voters last week. The court fight sets the stage for a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Republican administration and Democratic governor Gavin Newsom, who’s seen as a likely 2028 presidential contender.

Wall Street freaks out as Khan joins Mamdani's team

Former FTC chair Lina Khan is on NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's transition team, and Wall Street's hair is on fire over it. Khan was a rock star in Biden's administration, taking on huge conglomerates over illegal business practices and fighting to break up monopolies. The Yale-trained lawyer proved adept at uncovering unused FTC authorities and says she wants to do the same to identify unknown but useful powers the new mayor might have to help enact his agenda.

Israel knew it was committing war crimes, even as it told the world the suggestion was preposterous

Five former U.S. officials in the Biden administration have reported that U.S. intelligence knew that Israel’s military lawyers had warned there was evidence that could support war crimes charges against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza. According to Reuters, the intelligence was described by the officials as among the most startling shared with top U.S. policymakers during the war and exposed doubts within the Israeli military about the legality of its tactics, completely contradicting Israel’s public position.

Epstein Helped Israel Sell Surveillance State Equipment to Côte d’Ivoire

Pedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's ties to Israeli intelligence keep getting exposed as being much deeper than previously known. Reporting on a trove of hacked emails, Dropsite News reports that Epstein and former Israeli prime minister turned war profiteer Ehud Barak sold Israeli-based security services to the embattled governments of several African nations, including Côte d’Ivoire.

Trump steps up calls for a Netanyahu pardon

President Donald Trump has written to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, repeating his request for a pardon for Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial in three separate corruption cases. Netanyahu and his wife are accused in one case of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods, such as cigars, jewellery, and champagne, from billionaires in exchange for political favors.

Big Alcohol vs. Big Hemp

The congressional funding bill to reopen the government included a THC cap that effectively bans most hemp products, which industry leaders say threatens a $28 billion market and more than 300,000 jobs. The products include popular THC-infused drinks. The language had been lobbied for by the alcohol industry, which continues to lose ground to THC products.

Starbucks workers go on strike

Starbucks workers kicked off a 65-store strike across the US on Red Cup Day. Starbucks Red Cup Day is an annual event in the United States and Canada where customers can receive a free, limited-edition reusable red cup with the purchase of any handcrafted holiday beverage. It is one of the busiest days of the year for the corporation, which has been aggressively anti-union.

Veterans serving in the House slam Senate shutdown cave

Democratic Congressmen Chris Deluzio and Pat Ryan ripped Democratic Senators who folded on the hold out for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Baby Goats Rule

It's been a tough week, so here was my favorite bit of feel-good content. Butterbean, a baby rescue goat, was born silent, weak, and unable to stand. Its owners didn't expect him to make it, but .... (video)