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Glove with DNA found near Guthrie home appears to match those worn in suspect video: FBI
This looks less like justice and more like strategy.

A glove recovered by authorities near Nancy Guthrie’s home in Arizona appears to match the description of those worn by the suspect who allegedly kidnapped the elderly mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, the FBI said on Sunday.

The statement marks a possible major breakthrough in the missing persons case as the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office enter their third week in searching for the 84-year-old woman.

The bureau said 16 gloves in total were collected by investigators in various areas near the Guthrie residence, but one of them isn’t the same as the rest.

SWAT SWARMS LOCATIONS NEAR NANCY GUTHRIE’S HOME AS DNA FOUND ON PROPERTY

“The one with the DNA profile recovered is different and appears to match the gloves of the subject in the surveillance video,” an FBI spokesperson told Fox News reporter Michael Ruiz.

In the video, the masked suspect approached Guthrie’s front door and used his gloved hand to cover the doorbell camera at one point. The suspect is believed to be a man wearing a black “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack, according to recently released details.

The spokesperson also revealed the FBI is awaiting DNA results from the glove, which the Pima County Sheriff’s Office sent to a private lab in Florida overnight Thursday. The FBI is waiting for confirmation on the preliminary results before putting the male suspect’s profile into its national criminal database.

The bureau said the process takes about 24 hours, so the DNA results could be imminent.

The latest development in the high-profile investigation comes amid reported tensions between federal and local authorities.

ARIZONA SHERIFF DENIES REPORT HE BLOCKED KEY NANCY GUTHRIE EVIDENCE FROM FBI

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos was accused of blocking the FBI from accessing key evidence in the case and sending such evidence, namely the gloves, to the Florida lab instead of the FBI’s national crime lab. News reports said the lack of cooperation would have delayed the search for Guthrie.

Nanos later pushed back on those claims, saying they are “not even close to the truth.” He denied withholding evidence from the FBI, which he said “agreed” to send the gloves to a Florida lab for forensic analysis.

“Actually, the FBI just wanted to send the one or two they found by the crime scene, closest to it — mile, mile and a half,” Nanos told Tucson-based NBC News affiliate KVOA late last week. “I said, ‘No, why do that? Let’s just send them all to where all the DNA exist, all the …

Obama jokes aliens are ‘real’
We're watching the same failure loop.

Former President Barack Obama joked that aliens are “real” — just not at Area 51 — during an interview released Saturday.

Obama appeared on the Brian Tyler Cohen Show in an episode published Feb. 14. During a lightning round of questions, Obama was asked by host Brian Tyler Cohen about extraterrestrials and played along.

“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” Obama said. “They’re not being kept at Area 51. There’s no underground facility, unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”

SALENA ZITO: MISSING THE STORY BETWEEN THE LINES

Area 51 is a highly classified U.S. Air Force installation in the Nevada desert, about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas. For decades, it has been the subject of conspiracy theories claiming the government is hiding evidence of alien life there. Obama dismissed those rumors, joking that if extraterrestrials existed and were being concealed, even the president was not in on it.

Scientists continue to search for signs of life beyond Earth, but there is no confirmed evidence that aliens have visited or are being housed in secret government facilities.

The interview marked Obama’s first public appearance since a controversial social media post shared on Truth Social by President Donald Trump’s account earlier in February. The video depicted Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, prompting widespread backlash.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the clip, telling reporters to “please stop the fake outrage.” Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, declined to apologize and said, “I didn’t make a mistake.”

OBAMA SAYS ‘RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE’ LOST AFTER TRUMP SHARES RACIST APE VIDEO

Asked about the broader political climate, Obama criticized what he described as a lack of ‘decorum’.

“There doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office,” he said. “There’s this sort of clown show that’s happening in social media and on television.”

Department of War transports next-generation reactor in nuclear energy milestone
What's the administration thinking here?

The Department of War on Sunday transported a next-generation nuclear reactor aboard a C-17 from California to Utah, advancing President Donald Trump’s executive order to modernize America’s nuclear energy infrastructure and strengthen U.S. national security.
The reactor was flown from March Air Reserve Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah and is expected to be transported to the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab in Orangeville for testing and evaluation – a key step in assessing how advanced nuclear systems could support military installations and remote defense operations.
The Department of War shared images on X showing the reactor loaded onto the C-17 aircraft.
"We’re advancing President Trump’s executive order on nuclear energy," the post read. "Moments from now, we will airlift a next-generation nuclear reactor."
TRUMP ADMIN POURS $1B INTO MASSIVE EFFORT TO RESTART NUCLEAR REACTOR AT HISTORIC MELTDOWN SITE
The Department of War said the successful delivery and installation of the reactor will open new possibilities for energy resilience and strategic independence for the nation’s defense, highlighting what officials described as an agile, innovative and commercial-first approach to addressing critical infrastructure challenges.
"By harnessing the power of advanced nuclear technology, we are not only enhancing our national security but championing a future of American energy dominance," the agency said in a press release. "This event is a testament to the ingenuity of the American spirit and a critical advancement in securing our nation's freedom and strength for generations to come."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of War for additional comment.
THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR PLANT MAKES COMEBACK WITH $1B IN FEDERAL BACKING TO MEET INCREASING ENERGY DEMANDS
In May, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders aimed at expanding domestic nuclear energy development. At the time, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said America led the postwar world on "all things nuclear" until it "stagnated" and was "choked with overregulation."
War Secretary Pete Hegseth added that the U.S. was "going to have the lights on and AI operating when others are not because of our nuclear capabilities."
One of Trump’s nuclear directives called for reforming Energy Department research and development, accelerating reactor testing at national laboratories and establishing a pilot program for new construction.
ENERGY SECRETARY REVEALS HOW US NUCLEAR TESTS WILL WORK
Nuclear energy, the White House said in the order, "is necessary to power the next …

Democrats will do ‘whatever it takes’ to pass Virginia redistricting plan, Jeffries says
Transparency shouldn't be controversial.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) vowed to back the ballot initiative on Virginia’s redistricting plan, saying voters will have “all of the information necessary” before the vote on April 21. 

The Virginia Supreme Court gave the go-ahead on Friday for a statewide vote that could allow the Democratic state legislature to redraw the state’s congressional map mid-decade. If approved, the new map could allow the Democratic Party to gain four new Democratic House seats, shifting Virginia’s current delegation from six Democrats to as many as 10 out of 11 seats.

Virginia is one of several states seeking to redistrict to help either party enter the 2026 elections. Jeffries said the Democratic Party will do “whatever it takes” when asked how much money would be invested in this ballot initiative.

TRUMP VOWS TO PRESENT ‘IRREFUTABLE’ LEGAL ARGUMENT TO REQUIRE VOTER ID WITHOUT CONGRESS

“We will spend tens of millions of dollars to make sure that the Republicans do not successfully manipulate voters in Virginia, and that voters have all of the information necessary to make a decision around whether they want Donald Trump to rig the midterm elections and halt the ability for the American people to decide who‘s in the majority, or whether the people of Virginia and the people of America should be the ones to decide,” Jeffries said on CNN’s Inside Politics with Manu Raju.

Jeffries downplayed concerns about the Republican National Committee out-raising the Democratic National Committee by the end of 2025, saying it is “not surprising” given the Republican Party is in the White House.

Maryland is another state seeking to redraw its map, and Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) is pushing the state Senate to vote on this. However, Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson is not bringing this redistricting plan up for a vote.

TIM CARNEY: WHAT IS GERRYMANDERING AND CAN IT BE STOPPED?

Jeffries contended that Ferguson would be “successful” in his opposition, and praised the Maryland governor as “incredibly strong, resilient, patriotic, and visionary on this issue.”

Meanwhile, California is also planning its own redistricting. The Supreme Court rejected an emergency petition from the California GOP to block the state’s use of a new congressional map this November earlier in February.

Schumer Vows to Fight Supposed ‘Jim Crow 2.0’ Bill With Policy 83% of Americans Support
Confidence requires clarity.

THE DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told CNN on Sunday that Democrats will fight “tooth and nail” against the House-passed SAVE America Act, an election integrity bill he likened to racial segregation.

During an appearance on “State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash,” Schumer stressed his caucus will “not let” the legislation reach President Donald Trump’s desk and suggested Republicans only support it because they do not want poor people and minorities to vote.

The Trump-backed SAVE America Act would mandate voters to present photo ID at the polls—a requirement surveys show the vast majority of Americans support—as well as proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration.

“About 83% of the American people, including a majority Democrats, support voter ID laws,” host Jake Tapper told Schumer during their exchange. Tapper was referring to an August 2025 Pew Research Center survey which also found that 71% of Democrats and 95% of Republicans support mandating “all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote.”

“Well, yes, the voter ID laws that—first, each state can have its own voter ID laws, and some do and some don’t,” Schumer replied to the CNN host. “But, secondly, what they [Republicans] are proposing in this so-called SAVE Act is like Jim Crow 2.0.”

The Jim Crow laws served as the basis of legalized segregation across America’s southern states throughout the late 19th and much of the 20th century. They were finally overturned amid the civil rights movement the 1960s.

“They make it so hard to get any kind of voter ID that more than 20 million legitimate people, mainly poorer people and people of color, will not be able to vote under this law,” Schumer continued. “We will not let it pass in the Senate. We are fighting it tooth and nail.”

The SAVE Act is an “outrageous proposal that shows the sort of political bias of the MAGA right,” the minority leader added.

“They don’t want poor people to vote. They don’t want people of color to vote, because they often don’t vote for them,” the New York Democrat claimed.

Seventy-six percent of black respondents, 77% of Asian respondents, and 82% of Hispanic respondents supported requiring all voters to show photo ID to be able to cast a ballot, according to Pew Research Center’s August 2025 survey.

The House passed the SAVE America Act Wednesday with only one Democrat, moderate Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, joining Republicans in support. Cuellar is of Mexican descent and represents a district on the American southern border which is over 70% Hispanic.

Schumer also suggested during his CNN appearance the notion of federal agents monitoring the polls to stop suspected illegal immigrants from casting ballots in elections “flies in the face” of democracy.

“They show no evidence of voter fraud. They show there’s so little in the country,” he said. “And to have ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents, these thugs, be by the polling places, that just flies in the face of how democracy works, of how we’ve had elections for hundreds of years very successfully.”

“Why should you ban ICE from being at polling places? Because illegals …

Schumer latest Democrat to spurn SAVE Act despite mass voter ID support: ‘Jim Crow 2.0’
This is performative politics again.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) vowed to fight “tooth and nail” against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act on Sunday, claiming “over 20 million” people won’t be able to vote if it gets signed into law.

The House of Representatives passed the SAVE Act by a vote of 218-213 on Wednesday, but it is expected to have a tough time passing in the Senate, where the Republican Party has a three-seat majority. 

CNN’s Jake Tapper cited polling data showing that 83% of United States residents surveyed support voter ID requirements, including 71% of Democrats. Schumer responded that “each state can have its own voter ID laws, adding that “some do, and some don’t.”

DHS ENTERS SHUTDOWN AFTER CONGRESS SKIPS TOWN WITHOUT DEAL ON ICE

“But secondly, what they are proposing in this so-called SAVE Act is like Jim Crow 2.0,” Schumer said on CNN’s State of the Union. “They make it so hard to get any kind of voter ID that more than 20 million legitimate people, mainly poor people and people of color, will not be able to vote under this law. We will not let it pass in the Senate; we are fighting it tooth and nail.”

“It‘s an outrageous proposal that shows the sort of political bias of the MAGA right. They don‘t want poor people to vote. They don‘t want people of color to vote cause they often don‘t vote for them,” Schumer said.

Schumer’s take comes a week after Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump, argued the SAVE Act will “try to suppress the vote.” Like the Senate minority leader, Schiff dismissed the polling showing mass support for voter ID.

DAVID HARSANYI: THE PREPOSTEROUS ARGUMENTS AGAINST VOTER ID

Washington Examiner investigations editor Sarah Bedford said Republicans could pass the SAVE Act without eliminating the 60-vote filibuster by using a “talking filibuster.” This would “force Democratic members” to give speeches on why they oppose this bill.

Bedford also said the SAVE Act being “dead on arrival” in the Senate would be “a real failure” for Senate Republican leadership. She said the legislation addresses an “80-20 issue,” and that the Republican Party’s lack of urgency to pass it is why voters are frustrated with Republican lawmakers who “don’t fight for the things they say they support.”

State Fires a Shot Against ‘Blacklisting’ Conservative Media
This framing isn't accidental.

West Virginia state senators passed a bill to prohibit what it called “news censorship,” as other state legislatures have considered similar speech proposals.  

Specifically, the “First Amendment Preservation Act” bans state agencies from entering contracts with companies that use media monitoring or bias-rating organizations. The contracts could be used as guides to direct state agencies to prohibit state advertising dollars from going to news outlets.  

The legislation, Senate Bill 531, was sponsored by state Sen. Mike Azinger, a Republican, who has backed other First Amendment measures.  

“It was simply brought to my attention that ideologically-based fact checkers and media monitors are a distinct potentiality in West Virginia as it is already occurring in other states; so we set out to catch this proactively,” Azinger told The Daily Signal.  

“Also, I had a viscerally positive reaction to the bill when it was offered to me to sponsor it, since I have run and passed many a number of freedom and First Amendment bills; this drew me naturally to SB 531, The First Amendment Preservation Act,” Azinger said.  

This could primarily target NewsGuard, a media monitoring site that sued the Trump administration’s Federal Trade Commission for investigating its alleged efforts to blacklist conservative-leaning news outlets. NewsGuard argues the West Virginia proposal could prevent detection of fake news sites by foreign adversaries.  

The West Virginia proposal is similar to a provision approved in December in the National Defense Authorization Act.

That provision prohibits the War Department from forming contracts for the purpose of advertising for military recruitment with “advertising firms like NewsGuard that blacklist conservative news sources,” according to the House Armed Services Committee. 

Among past free speech bills, Azinger sponsored a bill that passed to ensure student journalists in high school and college have greater protections from censorship, and that school administrators could not exert prior review or punish student media advisers for refusing to censor content. 

The American Legislative Exchange Commission, a conservative group that recommends state legislative proposals, introduced its “Statement of Principle on News Censorship in 2024. It says that if government agencies rely on “fact-checking” or media monitoring groups based on subjective content judgments, it could chill press freedom.  

“Whether in print, over the airwaves or online, government agencies should harness the full potential of today’s media offerings to communicate official notices on the platforms where their constituents actually frequent – not put their thumbs on the scale exclusively in favor of ‘mainstream’ outlets,” the ALEC Statement of Principles on News Censorship says. 

“A troubling trend has emerged in which ‘media monitoring organizations’ analyze news outlets for the accuracy of their reporting and then blacklist or otherwise exclude certain publications from advertising,” the statement of principles continues. “This accuracy is often determined by adherence to official government positions.” 

ALEC referenced organizations that …

‘No response’ from Comer on Lutnick subpoena over Epstein ties, House Democrat says
Same show, different day.

The top Democrat on the House oversight committee says its Republican chairman has given “no response” on subpoenaing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to answer questions about his past correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) said on Sunday he had asked Rep. James Comer (R-KY) to bring Lutnick in for questioning before the congressional panel. Garcia believes Lutnick should testify.

“Not only did he visit the island, he had tons of communication with Jeffrey Epstein after it was already known that Jeffrey Epstein was essentially convicted for preying on children,” Garcia said on the CBS News program Face the Nation.

BYRON YORK: IN THE EPSTEIN MESS, GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS FOR TRUMP

As part of a “sweetheart deal” in 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to Florida state charges of procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute. In return, he only spent 13 months in prison. Epstein was later arrested on federal sex trafficking charges before his apparent suicide in August 2019.

After Epstein and Lutnick first met in 2005, the latter claimed he cut ties with the financier immediately. However, investigative documents recently released by the Department of Justice showed that Lutnick retained a strong relationship with Epstein following his 2008 conviction and even maintained a business partnership with him as recently as 2014.

In December 2012, the two men signed an agreement to acquire stakes in a now-shuttered advertising technology company. That same month, Lutnick and his family planned to visit Epstein’s private island.

Last week, President Donald Trump said he was previously unaware of Lutnick’s 2012 visit to Epstein’s island. Trump also boasted that he was “never there” himself.

Lutnick says he merely had “limited interactions” with Epstein, downplaying the extent of their relationship. After appearing in the Epstein files, he is now facing scrutiny from Congress.

“It is shameful that he is actually in our government,” Garcia said of Lutnick. “He should not be the commerce secretary. He should come talk to the oversight committee.”

Despite the Democratic ranking member’s wish to question Lutnick himself, the Republican chairman said subpoenaing the administration official is not his primary concern right now because he fears it may “jeopardize” the five scheduled depositions for individuals connected to Epstein.

WHITE HOUSE STANDS BY HOWARD LUTNICK AS EPSTEIN FILES FALLOUT GROWS

“We’ll …

Schumer says Dems will fight voter ID push 'tooth and nail,' balks at DHS role in elections
This is performative politics again.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., vowed Sunday that Senate Democrats will block the latest GOP-backed effort to require proof of citizenship to vote.
"We will not let it pass in the Senate," Schumer told CNN’s Jake Tapper. "We are fighting it tooth and nail. It's an outrageous proposal that is, you know, that shows the sort of political bias of the MAGA right. They don't want poor people to vote. They don't want people of color to vote because they often don't vote for them."
Schumer’s comments came after Tapper pressed him on his opposition, noting that polling shows roughly 83% of Americans support some form of voter identification. That figure comes from a Pew Research poll published last year that found 71% of Democratic voters surveyed supported presenting an ID to vote.
COLLINS BOOSTS REPUBLICAN VOTER ID EFFORT, BUT WON’T SCRAP FILIBUSTER
Still, Schumer and most Senate Democrats have criticized the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which passed the House last week and is expected to face a vote in the Senate.
The bill would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and would establish a system for state election officials to share information with federal authorities to verify voter rolls. It would also allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pursue immigration cases if non-citizens are found listed as eligible voters.
Schumer and his caucus have panned the bill as voter suppression targeting poorer Americans and minority groups.
FETTERMAN SLAMS DEMOCRATS' 'JIM CROW 2.0' VOTER ID RHETORIC AS PARTY UNITY FRACTURES
"What they are proposing in this so-called SAVE Act is like Jim Crow 2.0," Schumer said. "They make it so hard to get any kind of voter ID that more than 20 million legitimate people, mainly poorer people and people of color, will not be able to vote under this law."
Without support from Senate Democrats — save for a possible defection from Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. — the bill is likely to fail.
The only way around that would be eliminating the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold — a move Republicans oppose — or forcing a so-called talking filibuster that could require hours of debate and stall other Senate business.
HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES DOUBLE DOWN TO SAVE THE SAVE ACT
Schumer also pushed back on comments from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who earlier this week said elections "may be one of the most important things that we need to make sure we trust, is reliable, and that when it gets to Election Day that we've been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting, …

Hillary Clinton clashes with Czech leader over Trump policies at Munich security conference
Every delay has consequences.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton clashed with a Czech political leader at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday.
Clinton was speaking during a panel on the state of the West where she heavily criticized President Donald Trump for his dealings with Europe. Petr Macinka, a Czech deputy prime minister, defended the Trump administration as Clinton repeatedly mocked his statements and tried to speak over him.
"First, I think you really don't like him," Macinka said as he began to respond to Clinton's Trump-bashing.
"You know, that is absolutely true," Clinton said. "But not only do I not like him, but I don't like what he's actually doing to the United States and the world, and I think you should take a hard look at it if you think there is something good that will come of it."
TRUMP RIPS EUROPE AT DAVOS FOR WRONG 'DIRECTION,’ POINTS TO MIGRATION AND SPENDING
"Well, what Trump is doing in America, I think that it is a reaction. Reaction for some policies that really went too far, too far from the regular people," Macinka said as Clinton interjected to ask for examples.
Macinka referenced "woke" ideologies, gender theories and cancel culture that ran rampant throughout the U.S. in recent years.
Clinton then mocked him, suggesting he was opposed to "women getting their rights."
THE ONE SENTENCE IN RUBIO'S MUNICH SPEECH THAT REVEALED TRUMP'S RED LINE FOR EUROPE
Macinka then rebuffed her hostility, saying he can tell he was making her "nervous."
The exchange came during the same panel where Clinton discussed immigration in the U.S., admitting that it had gone "too far."
"It went too far, it's been disruptive and destabilizing, and it needs to be fixed in a humane way with secure borders that don't torture and kill people and how we're going to have a strong family structure because it is at the base of civilization," she added.
Clinton acknowledged that there are places where a physical barrier is appropriate but opposed large-scale expansion of a border wall during her 2016 presidential campaign.
At the time, she supported then-President Barack Obama's executive actions that deferred immigration enforcement against millions of children and parents in the country illegally and wanted to end the practice of family detention.
Clinton also planned on continuing Obama's policy of deporting violent criminals, but wanted to scale back immigration raids, which she said at the time produced "unnecessary fear and disruption in communities," Fox News Digital previously reported.
Fox News' Ashley DiMella contributed to this report.

This State Fires a Shot Against ‘Blacklisting’ Conservative Media
This framing isn't accidental.

West Virginia state senators passed a bill to prohibit what it called “news censorship,” as other state legislatures have considered similar speech proposals.  

Specifically, the “First Amendment Preservation Act” bans state agencies from entering contracts with companies that use media monitoring or bias-rating organizations. The contracts could be used as guides to direct state agencies to prohibit state advertising dollars from going to news outlets.  

The legislation, Senate Bill 531, was sponsored by state Sen. Mike Azinger, a Republican, who has backed other First Amendment measures.  

“It was simply brought to my attention that ideologically-based fact checkers and media monitors are a distinct potentiality in West Virginia as it is already occurring in other states; so we set out to catch this proactively,” Azinger told The Daily Signal.  

“Also, I had a viscerally positive reaction to the bill when it was offered to me to sponsor it, since I have run and passed many a number of freedom and First Amendment bills; this drew me naturally to SB 531, The First Amendment Preservation Act,” Azinger said.  

This could primarily target NewsGuard, a media monitoring site that sued the Trump administration’s Federal Trade Commission for investigating its alleged efforts to blacklist conservative-leaning news outlets. NewsGuard argues the West Virginia proposal could prevent detection of fake news sites by foreign adversaries.  

The West Virginia proposal is similar to a provision approved in December in the National Defense Authorization Act.

That provision prohibits the War Department from forming contracts for the purpose of advertising for military recruitment with “advertising firms like NewsGuard that blacklist conservative news sources,” according to the House Armed Services Committee. 

Among past free speech bills, Azinger sponsored a bill that passed to ensure student journalists in high school and college have greater protections from censorship, and that school administrators could not exert prior review or punish student media advisers for refusing to censor content. 

The American Legislative Exchange Commission, a conservative group that recommends state legislative proposals, introduced its “Statement of Principle on News Censorship in 2024. It says that if government agencies rely on “fact-checking” or media monitoring groups based on subjective content judgments, it could chill press freedom.  

“Whether in print, over the airwaves or online, government agencies should harness the full potential of today’s media offerings to communicate official notices on the platforms where their constituents actually frequent – not put their thumbs on the scale exclusively in favor of ‘mainstream’ outlets,” the ALEC Statement of Principles on News Censorship says. 

“A troubling trend has emerged in which ‘media monitoring organizations’ analyze news outlets for the accuracy of their reporting and then blacklist or otherwise exclude certain publications from advertising,” the statement of principles continues. “This accuracy is often determined by adherence to official government positions.” 

ALEC referenced organizations that …

(What’s Left of) Our Economy: Why That Last Official U.S. Jobs Report was Especially Good
This affects the entire country.

Before it gets too far back in our rear view mirrors, it’s definitely worth reporting on how strong many of the internals were in last week’s official U.S. jobs report (for January).

Not only were the headline figures good – with total employment rising by the most (130,000) since last December (237,000) and a main unemployment rate of 4.3 percent representing the best such result since the identical level in August. 

But the employment-to-population ratio – which measures the share of the working age population (aged 16 and over) with a job – was back up to its highest level (59.8 percent) since last April (60 percent).

The average mean period of unemployment (23.9 weeks) was down to its lowest level since last June (23.1 weeks).

The main indicator of underemployment – the so-called U-6 rate – dropped from 8.4 percent to eight percent (its lowest since last August’s 8.1 percent).

The number of Americans employed only part-time because a full-time job couldn’t be found dropped all the way from 5.341 million in December to 4.888 million.  That was the biggest monthly decrease in absolute terms since October, 2022 (4.131 million to 3.676 million).    

Multiple job holders as a share of those employed declined to 5.3 percent – a post-July, 2025 (5.1 percent) best. 

Unemployment for women dipped to 4.3 percent – back to where it was last August.  

January’s African American joblessness hit 7.2 percent – its best monthly result since last July’s identical number.

Youth unemployment (ages 16 to 19) is still way too high (13.6 percent).  But that’s the best such result since last May’s 13.4 percent.

The jobless rate for workers under 25 years of age lacking a high school diploma sank to 5.2 percent – the lowest since January, 2025.

At the same time, the January jobs results weren’t all roses.

First, they showed that revisions in employment totals for November and December were revised down by 17,000 altogether – and the preliminary results were pretty weak. (At the same time, due mainly to the Trump border and deportation policies, there’s lots of evidence that the numbers of net new jobs the economy needs to create to keep unemployment from rising has decreased considerably – indeed to the levels seen lately.  See, e.g., here.)

In addition, American job creation continues to be very narrowly based.  Positions that even Trump administration officials have (IMO, rightly) belittled as “government adjacent” (that is, government-subsidized) jobs accounted for an enormous 79.65 percent of all the January net new employment officially characterized as “private sector” jobs.

That’s especially worrisome if you believe, as I’ve been long arguing (e.g., here), that this trend is worrisome because the real private sector is more innovative and more productive than parts of the economy dominated by politicians’ decisions.

Also in January, unemployment for workers with a high school diploma but no college increased to 4.5 percent.  That’s still low by historical standards, but it was the highest level since November, 2024’s identical rate. 

In an especially discouraging development, the unemployment rate for veterans jumped from 3.9 percent to …