🔥The 9th Round of Easy Loan, Earn $40 Reward is in progress❗️ ⏰ Promotion Period: January 15th - Feburary 15th, 2025 👉 Register now and check more details at gate.io/campaigns/358

I channeled Benedict Anderson in my column today: politi.co/3GuCOaU

“That’s the balance that has tipped. Trump 2.0 is different from the first term,” Cameron Barr tells Michael Schaffer. “The power balance is different. The mechanics of how to ‘work with Washington’ have changed.” tinyurl.com/4ff76rec

I wrote about DC, Bezos, and the end of the affair. politico.com/news/magazine/…

Notable cartoon on WaPo editorial page today

Trump hasn't messed with legal pot. His lightning-rod US Attorney in DC may have other ideas. If you think DC's deep-blue electorate should be free to choose blue-state rules for itself, this ought to worry you: politico.com/news/magazine/…

It sure looks like Trump’s controversial US Attorney is coming for medical marijuana politi.co/42EzWRD

SAM Pres. Kevin Sabet told POLITICO Magazine's Michael Schaffer, “Any pot dispensary is on notice. Beyond that, anyone that owns a building where they lease it out to a pot dispensary is on notice...People forget: It’s still against the law to sell it at all.” politico.com/news/magazine/…

Column: Trump ally Ed Martin, who once represented Jan. 6 defendants, is trying to put a guy in jail for a nonviolent protest. It could be a potential test of whether Trump’s pardons have created new legal defenses, writes Michael Schaffer. politico.com/news/magazine/…

Nice ⁦Michael Schaffer⁩ lede Donald Trump’s Justice Department is trying to jail a guy for trespassing on federal property in order to mount an illegal protest — a nonviolent version of what the president pardoned 1,500 people for doing. politico.com/news/magazine/…

I wrote about a guy being facing jail for a nonviolent version of what Jan 6 mob got pardoned for. Trial will be a test of whatr Trump's pardons mean for future DC protest arrests. Easy to see defense playing up the hypocrisy, getting jury to acquit. politico.com/news/magazine/…

Ed Martin out. I wonder what happens to this case. politico.com/news/magazine/…

Sometimes it’s still good to read the print edition

Are You a Political Staffer? Is Your Boss Losing It? It’s Time to Speak Up politico.com/news/magazine/… (Leak to Michael Schaffer!)

Column: The era of political staff covering up for impaired bosses might be coming to an end. "In the aftermath of Biden’s disastrous decision to run again, it sure looks like the incentive structure for keeping mum has shifted," writes Michael Schaffer. politico.com/news/magazine/…

"In the aftermath of Biden’s disastrous decision to run again, it sure looks like the incentive structure for keeping mum has shifted." Really good column by Michael Schaffer: politico.com/news/magazine/…

Somehow I'm not familiar with this neighborhood washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/…

Ooof. Actual sculptors say Trump's $34 million "Gaden of American heroes" will actually be a collection of Chinese mannequins. "Totally unworkable" by USA 250th — unless it is 3D-printed schlock. politi.co/43RUKpg

“It’s easy to AI-render a Dick Van Dyke sculpture... So much easier than actually getting it done.” politi.co/43RUKpg via POLITICO

I wrote about the decision to shut down Dupont Circle ahead of Pride — a sign of changing life in Trump-era DC (and the absurdity of Uncle Sam owning so much local land) politi.co/4kEJuTd

The last time DC had a military parade, it was my HS graduation. This time, my kid just graduated. The similarities end there — and the gap says a ton about why this might be riskier for Trump than it seems politi.co/43ZYmEq