The Hound | Mar. 4

Hi there,

It’s Wednesday. The war with Iran continues, with Israel striking a meeting of the country’s top mullahs as they counted votes for the next supreme leader. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia was targeted with Iranian drones. New reporting revealed FBI Director Kash Patel halted a probe into Renee Good’s killing over her being referred to as a “victim” in a warrant, according to a whistleblower. And DHS Secretary Kristi Noem testified in front of the Senate, blaming protesters for chaos in Minneapolis earlier this year.

During her congressional testimony on immigration enforcement and homeland security, Kristi Noem made sweeping claims that conflict with documented facts, oversight findings, and publicly available data. When senior officials testify before Congress, their statements are not campaign rhetoric—they are part of the public record and shape national policy debates. False or misleading claims in that setting demand immediate and sustained scrutiny. When misleading statements are described as “disputes” or “differences of opinion,” the public is left with the impression that facts are negotiable. That framing shields officials from accountability and allows misinformation to harden into narrative.

🖊️ Add your name to call on major news organizations to cover Kristi Noem’s testimony with clarity and force—fact-checking claims in real time, correcting the record prominently, and refusing to sanitize falsehoods as political messaging. Democracy depends on a press willing to say plainly when powerful officials are not telling the truth.

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

Noem blames ‘violent protesters’ for Minneapolis chaos under tough questioning in Senate hearing (AP News)

Kash Patel Halted Probe Into Renee Good’s Killing Over One Word (The New Republic)

Trump’s Senseless Waste in Iran (The American Prospect)

Justice Alito’s Latest Opinion Is a Very, Very Bad Sign for Voting Rights (Mother Jones)

The U.S. economy is already unsteady. A war in Iran could add to that uncertainty (PBS)

The Live Nation trial could reshape the music industry. Here's what you need to know (NPR)

Grassroots Resistance to Data Centers Rises in Pennsylvania (Inside Climate News)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

P.S. Do you know someone who would appreciate The Hound? If you can, forward this email and encourage them to subscribe! Let’s stay informed, together.