David Folkenflik

ICE video shows officers planned to ‘smash’ into Charlotte man filming Border Patrol Immigration agents had a 12-pack of Modelos in their car while making arrests, Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez told investigators.

They planned to force him to crash or shoot him for recording their crimes. They then accused him of assaulting them. www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/c...

Ohio regulators order $250 million penalty against FirstEnergy for role in bribery scandal • Ohio Capital Journal Ohio utility regulators handed down a quarter billion-dollar penalty Wednesday against FirstEnergy for its part in the Ohio House Bill 6 scandal. The Public Utility Commission of Ohio decision comes…

Ohio utility regulators handed down a quarter billion-dollar penalty Wednesday against FirstEnergy for its part in the Ohio House Bill 6 political bribery and utility bailout scandal. ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/11/21/o...

A Battle with My Blood When I was diagnosed with leukemia, my first thought was that this couldn’t be happening to me, to my family.

“When you are dying, at least in my limited experience, you start remembering everything.” Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy, writes about receiving a terminal diagnosis. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/4SkkDI

The Salt Lake Tribune will drop its paywall next year, CEO tells donors at NewsMakers gala After years of requiring people to pay for online news content, The Tribune announced an upcoming change during its 2025 annual NewsMakers Gala.

The Salt Lake Tribune, which went from for-profit to non-profit 6 years ago, is about to drop its paywall. "The Tribune cannot afford to limit who has access to independent and trusted news."

Meanwhile, it just launched a new newspaper in southern Utah.

www.sltrib.com/news/2025/11...

MAGA influencer invited to White House as a favorite Trump "journalist" has an active warrant for his arrest A woman said he stole her dog, then assaulted her after she rebuffed his sexual advances. Now Nick Sortor is facing arrest in Kentucky for violating his probation.

NEW: Trump has offered his personal support to MAGA influencer Nick Sortor and invited him to the White House as a star journalist. While Sortor was at an event with Trump, Bondi, Patel and Noem, a warrant for his arrest was active in Kentucky.

jacquelinesweet.substack.com/p/maga-influ...

🔊 Listen Now: Trump lashes out at reporter, highlighting a pattern of attacking press he dislikes Morning Edition on NPR One | 3:55

Trump is insulting and seeking to intimidate reporters. He's also sending a message to media bosses: you better play ball.

My analysis from today's Morning Edition

one.npr.org/i/nx-s1-5613...

Breaking: The House voted unanimously, 426-0, to strip a provision in the funding bill that allowed senators to sue the government for $500K if their phone data was searched without their knowledge.

The provision was designed for GOP senators to sue over the Jack Smith investigation.

Employee of a Federal Official Charged with Conspiracy to Falsely Report Violent Attack and Giving False Statements to Law Enforcement A New Jersey woman was charged with conspiring and falsely reporting to law enforcement that she had been violently assaulted with a firearm due to her employment with a federal official.

SCOOP — A former staffer for Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Natalie Green, 26, was charged today for falsely reporting she was attacked by 3 men who wrote "TRUMP WHORE" on her stomach bc of her job. It was staged by her + a friend.

Van Drew isn't named in the complaint but I've confirmed w/ his office.

“.. a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles.”

@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...

Good rant here from Columbia's @bgrueskin.bsky.social - a veteran news executive

NPR reaches settlement protecting public radio distribution and First Amendment rights NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) have reached a resolution concerning the disbursement of federal funds appropriated for interconnection services, leading to a joint stipulation i...

In corporate statement, NPR CEO Katherine Maher says full steam ahead

www.npr.org/2025/11/17/g...

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Prevails in Litigation Brought by NPR Washington, D.C. (November 17, 2025) — The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) today announced a settlement with National Public Radio (NPR) in the lawsuit NPR filed to block CPB’s award of inte...

2/ NPR waives fees for local radio stations for satellite service and presses ahead on suit agst WH

CPB does not concede it bent to Trump's pressure in vain hope it would avoid rescission axe; moves forward with rival contract on digital distribution and claims victory.

cpb.org/pressroom/co...

CPB agrees to revive a $36 million deal with NPR killed after Trump's pressure The Corporation for Public Broadcasting agreed Monday to fulfill a $35.9 million, multi-year contract with NPR that it had yanked after pressure from the Trump White House.

News:

To settle NPR's lawsuit, CPB revives $36 million deal it killed after Trump’s pressure

My story for NPR:

www.npr.org/2025/11/17/n...

here's the context bsky.app/profile/arid...

This story by @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social about Landon Thomas, former NYT reporter now appearing in the latest email tranche, soliciting a $30k contribution from Jeffrey Epstein?

Yes, you can read it here

www.npr.org/2019/08/22/7...

'Washington Post' editorials omit a key disclosure: Bezos' financial ties Three times in the past two weeks, editorials at the 'Washington Post' failed to disclose that they focused on matters in which owner Jeff Bezos had a material interest.

Update: In 3 recent editorials, WaPo failed to disclose owner Jeff Bezos's interest in the matter under discussion.

WaPo added one disclosure after @bgrueskin.bsky.social called it out.

Two weeks after my story, the other two editorials still have none. And the paper still won't say why

About that BBC crisis - and Trump's threat of a lawsuit

I'll break it all down with NPR's @ailsachang.bsky.social

Tonight at 5.14/7.14p ET on All Things Considered

Trial set over NPR allegations that CPB yielded to White House pressure NPR alleges that CPB unlawfully yanked away a planned three-year contract worth $36 million in the face of intense pressure from the White House to sever ties with the radio network.

Trial set for Dec 1 over NPR's allegations that CPB unlawfully yielded to White House pressure as new evidence comes to light.

CPB contends it reversed course in 48 hours on a $36M contract with NPR on the merits.

My story:
www.npr.org/2025/10/30/n...

HAPPENING NOW: Portland Police Commander Franz Schoening testifies that federal officers on Oct. 18 barraged protesters with crowd control munitions — not because of any violence but because another federal officer accidentally shot tear gas onto the roof of the ICE facility.

DHS says our new piece is "dishonest, slanted, and fundamentally inaccurate" but won't say why. Here's the story where we show with evidence that DHS spliced together clips spanning years and multiple locations to create its own reality. Gift link wapo.st/4nuDGwf

ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples’ Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship Videos on social media show officers from ICE and CBP using facial recognition technology on people in the field. One expert described the practice as “pure dystopian creep.”

ICE and Border Patrol agents, while wearing face masks, randomly stop people on the street and demand they submit to facial-recognition technology for a citizenship check.

Via @josephcox.bsky.social

www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...

Boston Globe Media Expands Print Availability of Boston Magazine to more than 350 Locations Across Massachusetts The expansion increases the presence of Boston Magazine to approximately 750 retail locations throughout Massachusetts.

The print version of @bostonmagazine.bsky.social, now owned by @bostonglobe.com Media, is expanding into another 350 retail locations. www.bostonglobemedia.com/boston-magaz...

Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Keeps Pouring Out of the Ground. Oklahoma Regulators Failed to Stop It. Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, is spewing from old wells. Experts warn of a pollution crisis spreading underground and threatening Oklahoma’s drin...

“A handshake instead of a hammer.” Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Keeps Pouring Out of the Ground. Oklahoma Regulators Failed to Stop It.
@nickbowlin.bsky.social @readfrontier.bsky.social

'Washington Post' editorials omit a key disclosure: Bezos' financial ties Three times in the past two weeks, editorials at the 'Washington Post' failed to disclose that they focused on matters in which owner Jeff Bezos had a material interest.

3 times in the past 2 weeks, a WashPost editorial "has taken on matters in which Bezos has a financial or corporate interest without noting his stake. In each case, the Post's editorial line landed in sync with its owner's interests"

Via @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social

www.npr.org/2025/10/28/n...

'Washington Post' editorials omit a key disclosure: Bezos' financial ties Three times in the past two weeks, editorials at the 'Washington Post' failed to disclose that they focused on matters in which owner Jeff Bezos had a material interest.

In October, 'Washington Post' editorials fail to disclose Bezos interests

My story for NPR

www.npr.org/2025/10/28/n...

Why public media giants NPR and CPB are fighting in court this week NPR is accusing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in federal court of reneging on a contract to appease the White House.

"It would be a shame to throw the baby out with the bath water," a top WH budget official told CPB in April.

CPB got the message and scrambled to cut ties with NPR, court filings show

My story: Why public media giants NPR and CPB are fighting in court this week

www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...

How Trump silences his critics on.ft.com/4qoZJHn

So critical to remember how much opposition we never see or hear because people fear reprisal

A man was arrested for playing Darth Vader's theme music, "The Imperial March," behind National Guard troops walking through Logan Circle.

Now the ACLU is suing on his behalf. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Probably better to page @fahrenthold.bsky.social - that bat signal is his....

🔊 Listen Now: Pentagon press corps gets a right-wing makeover Trump's Terms on NPR One | 4:56

Pentagon press corps gets a right-wing makeover due to Hegseth's demands

Among those accepting those terms: Gateway Pundit and Lindell TV (started by MyPillow guy).

Another is National Pulse's Will Upton, who did PR for US Treasury in first Trump term. one.npr.org/i/nx-s1-5583...