Extra! Extra! 6/7

Yes! Good things DID happen this week! 🙌🏼🙌🏼

Local artist Light Guerrilla projected “TAX THE RICH” on the side of Mark Zuckerberg’s boat while it was docked at Seattle’s Lake Union.

Hi, all, and happy Sunday!

I don’t know about you, but I was ready for some good news after a week that felt even crazier than usual. And we’ve got some! In fact, we’ve got a lot. So sit back and enjoy a long, long list of wins, steps forward, and milestones for team democracy.

You work hard, and I know you worry a lot; this is your chance to take a deep breath, let those shoulders relax, and remind yourself that a lot of people are working really hard to turn this ship around.

Enjoy, and as always thank you ALL so much for being here. My subscribers are very dear to me, and very, very appreciated.

Now let’s get hope-scrolling!

Celebrate This! 🎉

Nithya Raman is gaining ground on Spencer Pratt with every ballot drop. Most election experts think she’s going to knock Pratt out of the runoff in the next few days. Fingers crossed!

In CA-22, Working Families Party candidate Randy Villegas is currently leading Jasmeet Baines for the second spot in the runoff. Go Randy! In CA-07 Mai Vang is looking good to make the runoff, too! Fingers crossed!

97,000 CT residents are about to learn that part or all of their medical debt has been erased.

Dr. Adam Hamawy, a progressive Democrat and former US Army doctor who treated patients in Gaza, won his House primary in New Jersey.

The New Jersey AG sued GEO Group, operators of Delaney Hall, after they blocked health inspectors from visiting.

The House passed a War Powers Resolution, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.

Melinda Gates donated $215 million to improve women’s health worldwide with a focus on maternal care, contraceptive access, and menopause research.

A new report shows homelessness decreased in California and all across the U.S. last year.

Olivia Rodrigo is speaking out against ICE using her music to promote deportations.

Senate Republicans tried to take the first procedural step to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The vote failed 47-52. This comes after Trump’s controversial decision to appoint Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.

A federal judge struck down a slate of immigration policies enacted by the Trump administration, writing that the measures had “placed the lives of countless individuals on hold — solely by virtue of their countries of birth.”

Republicans tried attaching the anti-voting SAVE America Act to the reconciliation bill on Thursday night, but it failed after a 48-50 vote.

A group of civil rights organizations sued ICE over conditions at Camp East Montana, a $1.2 billion makeshift tent encampment used to detain immigrants at the military base Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

The Department of Justice backed away from creating Trump’s 1.8B “weaponization fund.” It’s not over til it’s over, but this was a good first step.

Illinois lawmakers have passed a reproductive rights bill that shields people’s medical records from scrutiny by out-of-state entities.

ICE released a detained 18-year-old high school senior as well as a pregnant woman from Delaney Hall.

A federal judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought against John Oliver and his HBO show’s production company over a 2024 Medicaid segment—preserving what Oliver has described as the show’s undefeated record in court.

The world's endangered coastal mangrove forests, which protect millions of people from storms and soak up vast amounts of planet-warming gases are staging an unexpected comeback.

The S&P 500 stock market index representing many of the largest profitable US companies surprised market analysts by refusing to bend the rules for Elon Musk’s space and AI company as it approaches its stock market debut

Denmark’s new cabinet reached a record level of female representation, with women outnumbering men for the first time in the Nordic country.

The House approved a bipartisan package of bills to accelerate geothermal energy as the nation clamors for more around-the-clock clean electricity.

Albanian anti-corruption prosecutors are investigating a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. At the same time regular Albanians are taking to the streets in an effort to stop it.

In London, the Metropolitan Police was blocked from signing a contract worth up to £50m with the US technology firm Palantir, after London's deputy mayor refused to approve the deal.

A year to the day after his ICE arrest, Boston-area teenager Marcelo Gomes graduated from Milford High with his community there to cheer him on.

The Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the Iowa Senate race toward Democrats, moving the needle from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican,”after awesome state Rep. Josh Turek (D) secured his party’s nomination in the primary.

A record-breaking 28% of new cars sold this year will be battery-powered, according to new data from the International Energy Agency. While the Trump admin is doing all they can to slow EV uptake here, the rest of the world knows a good thing when they see it!

The New York legislature passed a one-year moratorium on data center development to give the state time to determine what regulations are needed on energy and water use.

A program that gave women in Flint, Mich., money during pregnancy and after childbirth significantly improved their health and that of their newborns, according to a new study.

In a win for Virginia voters, a federal judge approved an agreement that prevents state officials from rejecting college students' voter registration applications solely for missing certain address information.

To curb autocracy, Hungary introduced a constitutional amendment that would limit prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office.

The UK’s clean energy industry has led to more than a million jobs, higher wages, and nearly half a trillion pounds worth of investments. Analytics experts said the new data is further proof that clean energy leads to economic growth.

A federal judge ruled that protesters criticizing Trump near the Capitol could not be forced to take down a flag reading “8647,” finding no indication that the message could be taken as a true threat against the president’s life.

NJ Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced millions of more dollars in state funding and a new legal response initiative to help protect due process rights for people in held in New Jersey’s ICE detention centers.

The House has passed the Ukraine Support Act, 226-195, to provide new military aid to Ukraine and impose tougher sanctions on Russia. The bill advanced through a discharge petition despite Mike Johnson’s efforts to block a vote.

A NJ officer was charged with stealing a journalist’s camera bag from outside of Delaney Hall. It contained about $10,000 worth of equipment. He was tracked with an AirTag. Boom.

Seven US states have sued the Trump administration over a deal to kill a wind farm project.

Monterey Park, CA overwhelmingly passed a ballot measure to ban data centers. Almost 90% of voters approved!

“Tech-bred and tech-backed” candidates struck out in California’s primaries on Tuesday.

Trump’s endorsed candidate for Iowa Governor, Randy Feenstra, lost his primary. Meanwhile, Democrat Rob Sand, the “affably idiosyncratic state auditor” is officially up for governor and election-watchers are bullish on his prospects.

Two months after the Supreme Court struck down its previous law, Colorado’s governor signed new, updated legislation to protect LGBTQ+ kids from conversion therapy.

Coalitions of retired judges are drawing on their distinctive positions to file forceful briefs supporting challenges to what they said was lawless conduct by the Trump administration.

A new law in Tennessee requires data centers with peak demands of at least 50 megawatts to pay for their own electricity infrastructure.

“Heated Rivalry” broke the record for most Canadian Screen Awards won by a single production, taking home 16 awards and winning every category it was nominated for.

A federal district court in New Hampshire blocked provisions of a 2024 law that required voters to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, to register to vote.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has proclaimed June 2026 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in New York and directed state buildings and landmarks to raise Pride flags and illuminate themselves in Pride colors throughout the month.

Representatives Jason Crow, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Mike Levin have launched the End Corruption Caucus, aimed at reducing the influence of wealthy donors, dark money, and special interests in American politics.

An appeals court panel ruled that transgender troops were illegally banned from U.S. military service.

The historic 175-acre Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, became the first cemetery in the country to use entirely battery-powered equipment.

In Massachusetts, a new program will allow parked-for-the-summer electric school busses to start feeding the grid.

Deb Haaland coasted to a primary victory in New Mexico’s governor race.

Analilia Mejia, who previously won the special election to replace Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, easily won her primary for the general election.

A new survey shows Americans are rapidly turning against data centers in their area, with the percentage of respondents indicating strong opposition more than doubling since September.

Bentley Hudgins is one step closer to becoming Georgia’s first trans lawmaker after winning the Democratic primary for the 90th State House District.

A new Penn Live poll finds Trump’s approval rating in Pennsylvania has dropped to 34%, his lowest on record.

Democrats have finalized their plans for a state constitutional amendment to change New York’s redistricting process. These changes would enable Democrats to shift as many as four Republican-held House seats to their column.

​African countries are increasingly trading coal-powered projects for renewable energy alternatives. Of the 322 energy projects announced across Africa in 2025, 86% were renewable.

​Oregon just saw its first California condor more than 120 years after they disappeared from the state.

The Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein reading room has arrived in Washington, D.C. for Donald Trump’s birthday. It’ll be open to the public starting June 9.

Trump's UFC fight at the White House is facing a last-minute lawsuit.