Alex Baumhardt

Oregon won’t change sanctuary law, Kotek tells Trump administration The governor was responding to a letter threatening consequences sent by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to sanctuary jurisdictions last week.

Gov. Tina Kotek says Oregon will not change its state sanctuary law, rejecting a demand from Trump administration officials. She said Oregon is in full compliance with federal law.

There’s a ‘Lake’ of Oil Under L.A.’s Soon-to-Close Refinery. Who’s Going to Clean It Up? Climate policies could lead to future refinery closures as Californians transition to electric vehicles.

NEW:

Records show extensive pollution under the Phillips 66 oil refinery in Los Angeles—almost 500 Olympic pools’ worth.

Yet the company is giving limited assurances it will clean its mess after closing the plant this year, and state oversight is limited.

capitalandmain.com/theres-a-lak...

Oregon already sued Trump 36 times this presidency. And there’s more to come. • Oregon Capital Chronicle Less than eight months into Donald Trump’s second presidency, the state of Oregon has filed 35 lawsuits against his administration.

As of Aug. 15 — less than eight months into Donald Trump’s second presidency — the state of Oregon has filed 36 lawsuits against his administration, with more likely to come, report @oregoncapitalchronicle.com and @statesnewsroom.com
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/08/18/o...

Agents detain student at gunpoint near school; safe zones to be expanded around LAUSD campuses Amid immigration enforcement, city and school officials will set up "safe zones" monitored by LAPD and community volunteers to protect undocumented families when school resumes at LAUSD.

'Such actions — violently detaining a child just outside a public school — are absolutely reprehensible and should have no place in our country'
www.latimes.com/california/s...

When I reached out to DHS for comment, they remarked "what a silly little story." The White House, in their response, said they wouldn't apologize for "posting banger memes"

Waiting to hear back from Bentz’s staff about his whereabouts during this august recess. He has absolutely no events scheduled before September return to D.C. bentz.house.gov/about/events

ICE’s Spectacle of Intimidation Immigrants showing up for court dates in Manhattan must now navigate past rows of masked federal agents.

In a Portfolio with reporting by Jordan Salama, Mark Peterson documents ICE’s spectacle of intimidation as immigrants show up for court dates in Manhattan.

How the Rapid Spread of Misinformation Pushed Oregon Lawmakers to Kill the State’s Wildfire Risk Map After Oregon’s record-breaking fire season in 2020, lawmakers wanted to map out which properties were most at risk. But anger from homeowners escalated quickly.

“In the end, what’s most remarkable about the campaign against Oregon’s wildfire map isn’t that misinformation found an audience.

It’s that it worked.”

www.propublica.org/article/oreg...

A government-sanctioned "truth arbiter" will soon arrive at CBS. Their role will be to ensure that journalists do not criticize this Administration or express views that conflict with its agenda.

This is a betrayal—not just of journalistic independence, but of the public trust. 🧵

In Response to Alex Baumhardt’s Comments, Here Are the Facts: For Immediate Release August 8th, 2025 Contact: Alexia Spentzas "For the past five years, Congressman Bentz has held an annual staff retreat in Washington DC. The purpose of the retreat is to improve constituent services and legislative performance. Since the retreat is held in DC, West coast staff is flown to DC and put up in hotels there. Normally, this retreat is held in December. However, last year, Congressman Bentz decided to move the retreat from December to January to coincide with President Trump’s inauguration. In this fashion, west coast staff could engage in retreat activities, help DC staff serve the hundreds of constituents (over 1,000 tickets were requested) anticipated to be in town for the event, and if staff so chose, attend the inauguration. As it turned out, none of them got to attend the ceremony which was moved indoors because of the extremely cold weather. It’s not surprising that other congressional offices spent less- they probably weren’t holding a concurrent office retreat, and if they were odds are that their district is far closer and thus much less expensive to travel from than is Congressman Bentz’s District. All expenses within the Official Office of Congressman Bentz must withstand the scrutiny of several separate financial administrators who work for the House of Representatives’ Office of The Chief Administrative Officer. This process includes regular audits. All expenses for the Office of Congressman Bentz have been determined to be fully compliant under all rules of the House of Representatives."

Inbox: Our @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social is such a celebrity that Oregon’s only congressman can use her name in headlines with no context.

(read Alex’s solid, fact-based report on Bentz’s high travel spending here: oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/08/07/o...)

Oregon’s US Rep. Cliff Bentz outspent every House member on Trump inauguration weekend • Oregon Capital Chronicle Bentz used federal dollars allocated to his office to pay for more than $16,000 of hotels for staff over Trump’s 2025 inauguration.

Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz outspent every US House member on Trump's inauguration weekend, using federal money allocated to his office to pay for more than $16,000 in hotels for staff, records show.

By @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social / @oregoncapitalchronicle.com

oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/08/07/o...

Company's sudden shutdown closes four newspapers in eastern South Dakota • South Dakota Searchlight Four communities in South Dakota abruptly lost their newspapers, leaving more than 40,000 people without a local source of print news.

My first job was delivering the Huron paper. Now there is no Huron paper (unless someone steps up to fill the void).
Huron's one of four communities to lose their newspapers on Wednesday, with no warning for any of thier employees or readers.
southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/08/07/c...

Big thank you @wcraft.bsky.social for clutch pivot table aid!!

Oregon’s US Rep. Cliff Bentz outspent every House member on Trump inauguration weekend • Oregon Capital Chronicle Bentz used federal dollars allocated to his office to pay for more than $16,000 of hotels for staff over Trump’s 2025 inauguration.

Ace @oregoncapitalchronicle.com senior reporter @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social dug into congressional spending data to find out that Oregon's own Cliff Bentz outspent every member of Congress on inauguration weekend, paying thousands for staff hotel stays.

oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/08/07/o...

Oregon’s US Rep. Cliff Bentz outspent every House member on Trump inauguration weekend • Oregon Capital Chronicle Bentz used federal dollars allocated to his office to pay for more than $16,000 of hotels for staff over Trump’s 2025 inauguration.

Oregon’s US Rep. Cliff Bentz outspent every House member on Trump inauguration weekend. buff.ly/pe5NOZR by @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social

Oregon’s US Rep. Cliff Bentz outspent every House member on Trump inauguration weekend • Oregon Capital Chronicle Bentz used federal dollars allocated to his office to pay for more than $16,000 of hotels for staff over Trump’s 2025 inauguration.

Bentz’s staffers spent 6x the average amount their peers in House offices spent over inauguration weekend on all travel expenses (more than $20,000) and nearly 4x the average amount House members/staff spent when accounting for lodging alone: ($16,000+).
oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/08/07/o...

When talking about the space where detainees are being held, Lindsey said it look like “an oversized kennel.” ...

On rainy days, she said, water pours into the tents.

Trump plans to announce that Apple will invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. production.

Today: "Apple is pledging $100 billion investment in US"

Also:

2017: "Apple promised to give US manufacturing a $1 billion boost"

2018: "Apple will make $350 billion contribution to U.S. economy and promised to create 20,000 jobs"

2021: "Apple commits $430 billion in US investments over 5 years"

I’ve reached out to Penske, whose marketing department told me they would get back to me soon.

Kind of a wild day for them, as she told me they “are in a new space and not everything’s hooked up yet,” in the middle of all this.

Kaepernick is a speaker this morning at Portland Public Schools’ leadership summit.

AI platform from former NFL QB Colin Kaepernick finds playing field in Portland schools The former NFL player's Lumi Story AI, aims to help middle and high school students work with an AI-powered chatbot to write their own stories, comics and graphic novels.

Oregon’s largest school district - which still lacks a policy on the use of artificial intelligence - will experiment with Kaepernick-backed AI-powered chatbot meant to boost literacy…

www.oregonlive.com/education/20...

Weeks after launching new statewide recycling program, Oregon sued by wholesalers • Oregon Capital Chronicle The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors claim the Recycling Modernization Act is unconstitutional.

The $8 trillion wholesale product distribution industry is challenging a four-year-old Oregon recycling law weeks after the law took effect. buff.ly/Whmx1Vp

Run any policy meant to cut greenhouse gas pollution through the En-ROADS simulator and see what kind of dent it makes in the next century. You'll discover the best policy is the one lawmakers continue to avoid: a carbon tax on gas companies:
en-roads.climateinteractive.org/scenario.htm...

A “Striking” Trend: After Texas Banned Abortion, More Women Nearly Bled to Death During Miscarriage A new ProPublica data analysis adds to the mounting evidence that abortion bans have made the common experience of first-trimester miscarriage far more dangerous.

More women have nearly bled to death during miscarriage under Texas’ abortion ban.

Experts say the trend paints a troubling picture of the harms of unnecessary delays in care.

“This is striking,” one doctor said. “The trend is very clear.”

Trump, Congressional Republicans propose big cuts for Western renewable energy labs, research | Colorado Newsline Trump proposals threaten to gut national research laboratories in Colorado, Oregon and Washington focused on addressing climate change.

National research laboratories in Colorado, Oregon and Washington focused on addressing climate change and energy efficiency would be gutted under budgets proposed by President Trump and congressional Republicans..
By @alexbaumhardt.bsky.social @emilyxfitz.bsky.social @chasewoodruff.bsky.social

A wildfire that destroyed historic Grand Canyon Lodge spread after being allowed to burn for days A wildfire that destroyed a historic Grand Canyon lodge is continuing to spread out of control after it had been allowed to burn for days.

The political heat coming in the wake of the North Rim fire will only make it more difficult to do the things an overwhelming consensus of scientists are telling us are necessary to address the wildfire crisis: allow more fires to burn and put more fire on the ground. apnews.com/article/gran...

“No Tax on Tips” Is an Industry Plant Trump’s “populist” policy is backed by the National Restaurant Association—probably because it won’t stop establishments from paying servers below the minimum wage.

This is fantastic reporting on the ways in which corporate lobbyists pedal misinformation to politicians and the public, and install industry plants to testify as the every man in state capitols. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

Turkey’s Erdogan Fires Statistics Chief After Record Inflation The president of the Turkish statistical institute, Sait Dincer, was removed from office and replaced by Erhan Cetinkaya, who had been deputy president of Turkey’s Banking Regulation and Supervision A...

um. www.wsj.com/world/middle...

‘A gun to a knife fight’: Democrats' chief pledges a more pugnacious party in more states PORTLAND, Oregon — Democrats must be more aggressive organizers and campaigners to win back the working-class coalition they have increasingly lost to President Donald Trump, according to Democratic N...

EXCLUSIVE: Our @statesnewsroom.com DC interview with DNC Chair Ken Martin: 'A gun to a knife fight’: Democrats' chief pledges a more pugnacious party in more states -- by @fischler.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gun-...

An aerial view of what the Gaza City area looked like this week. Taken from a Jordanian military aircraft, by our colleague Heidi Levine.