The Hound | Feb. 18

Hi there,

It’s Wednesday. Stephen Colbert continues the dispute with CBS about his pulled interview with Texas State Rep. James Talarico. Rev. Jesse Jackson passed away at 84 and is remembered for his legacy in the Democratic party. Medical officials are sounding the alarm over the U.S.’s rejection of new mRNA flu vaccines. And AI companies are attempting to greenwash the environmental impacts of the technology. In addition, with news Trump’s DOJ is poised to protect and preserve Ticketmaster’s monopoly the lobbyists scurrying around the halls of the DOJ are getting a new look.

Recent reporting on the Trump Justice Department reveals deep ties between DOJ leadership and corporate lobbyists, with officials moving between industry advocacy and top enforcement roles. When former lobbyists and corporate attorneys take control of federal agencies responsible for regulating and prosecuting powerful interests, that is not routine staffing—it is a potential capture of public institutions by private influence. When the press fails to follow the money and scrutinize conflicts of interest, it obscures how regulatory power can be redirected away from the public and toward corporate clients.

🖊️ Add your name to call on major news organizations to cover the Trump DOJ through the lens of lobbying, revolving-door influence, and regulatory capture—examining financial ties, past clients, and enforcement outcomes. The public deserves clear reporting on whether justice is being administered impartially or shaped by private interests. Democracy depends on transparency about who really holds power inside our institutions.

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

An offer of friendship – but on white, Christian, Maga terms (The Guardian)

Late-night host Stephen Colbert isn’t backing down from public dispute with CBS bosses (AP News)

‘He gave me my wings’: Jesse Jackson opened doors for Black women in politics (The 19th News)

The Mom-and-Pop Contractors Helping ICE Rapidly Expand (The New Republic)

U.S. rejection of new mRNA flu vaccine 'sends chills,' epidemiologist says (PBS News)

Federal judge rules Kilmar Abrego Garcia can’t be re-detained by immigration authorities (AP News)

The Justice Department is not acting like it used to, criminal defense lawyers note (NPR)

Do Democrats Have a Plan for the Post-Trump World Order? (The American Prospect)

Can Trump’s Plan for Warehouse Immigrant Detention Camps Be Stopped? (The Intercept)

Big Tech’s Claims That AI Can Help Fix the Climate Crisis Are “Greenwashing” (Mother Jones)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

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