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The Hound 8/5

The Hound 8/5

Tracking Republican retaliation in Texas, Big Tech’s play to block anti-trust actions, and more.

August 05, 2025

Hi there,

It’s Tuesday. Today we’re talking about how Texas Republicans are retaliating against Democrats who walked out to block Trump-backed redistricting maps, Big Tech’s pay-to-play lobbying campaign gutting antitrust proceedings at Trump’s DOJ, and more.

We’re also tracking right-wing media’s promotion of the Great Replacement conspiracy through Charlie Kirk’s targeting of Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

🖊️ Add your name to tell the media: don’t give oxygen to racist fantasies.

Read about this, and more, with today’s stories:

Why dozens of Democrats left Texas and how Republicans want to punish them (AP)

The Big Tech Lobby Has the DOJ in a Stranglehold (Jacobin)

Former BLS commissioner says it’s not possible to rig jobs numbers (WBUR)

New York Post to launch a version of the rightwing tabloid in California in 2026 (The Guardian)

The IRS Says Churches Can Now Endorse Candidates. That Could Give Texas Pastors More Power Than Ever. (ProPublica)

Guess Who’s Eligible for Student Loan Forgiveness: New ICE Agents (The Intercept)

The USDA announced the cancellation of $148M in ‘woke’ grants. Then it went dark. (Grist)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

P.S. We’re always looking for new independent and progressive media sources to spotlight in our roundups. If there’s an outlet you think would be a great addition, reply to this email with your recommendation. We’d love to hear from you!