Graham Kates

CBS News investigation: The secret double life of Thomas Crooks, Trump’s would-be assassin A monthslong investigation by CBS News punctures Thomas Crooks’ secrecy to reveal the broadest portrait yet of the lonesome young student who tried to kill President Trump.

The secret double life of Thomas Crooks

Our profile of Trump’s would-be assassin, one year after the attack. (w/ Cara Tabachnick, Laura Geller, Matt Clark, Nicole Sganga and @macfarlanenews.bsky.social)

www.cbsnews.com/lifeofthomas...

Trump shooter Thomas Crooks' emails reveal a student dreaming of a bright future. And contemplating a violent attack. Emails and essays obtained by CBS News shed new light on Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

On 1/31/24, Thomas Matthew Crooks asked for an update on an order of 2+ gallons of nitromethane, an explosive fuel. He was also polishing college applications.

Documents obtained by CBS News shed light on the young man who tried to kill President Trump.

www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-s...

a man wearing a new york jersey number 33 walks on the court ALT: a man wearing a new york jersey number 33 walks on the court

My dad and stepmom have been married 33 years today. Happy anniversary! I hear the reception was great. Missed it bc my older brother and I (and for a bit, my dad) snuck down to the bar under the dance hall to watch the Knicks and Bulls in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Justice Department's Todd Blanche appointed acting Librarian of Congress Todd Blanche is President Trump's former personal criminal attorney.

The DOJ's Todd Blanche has been appointed acting Librarian of Congress, @macfarlanenews.bsky.social & Weijia Jiang report. It's unclear if the career lawyer has previously done work involving the Dewey Decimal System (or the Library of Congress Classification system).
www.cbsnews.com/news/todd-bl...

nail biter after nail biter after nail biter

A transgender sports pioneer reflects on Trump's first 100 days Renée Richards believes the fierce debate over trans athletes has fueled broader attacks on trans rights.

Thanks to @grahamkates.bsky.social for shouting out my forthcoming biography in this article about Renée Richards, which is worth a read

Justice Department wants to step in for Trump in E. Jean Carroll appeal The Department of Justice wants to stand in for President Trump in his ongoing appeal of a defamation case that could cost him tens of millions of dollars.

The Justice Department wants to step in for Trump in E. Jean Carroll appeal
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-e...

Hunter Biden whistleblower named acting IRS commissioner Gary Shapley took an unusual path to the top IRS job.

Hunter Biden whistleblower named acting IRS commissioner

www.cbsnews.com/news/hunter-...

Everything is very convenient these days. Your mail, 4-6 things you used to look at once a day, now comes straight to your device. Just enter a password, authenticate 2nd factor, check the box to recognize the device from now on, sort through 78 spams and phish, repeat in an hour.

President Trump's New York fraud debt tops $500 million The figure has been growing while President Trump appeals a 2024 judgment finding he and his company liable for fraud.

President Trump's New York fraud case debt has now topped $500 million, with interest continuing to accrue.

www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-...

Watched the Wicked movie for the first time with the kids. Guys, it was great. That song about gravity is a banger. Very catchy.

Alina Habba, staunch Trump defender in fraud, sexual abuse lawsuits, to be interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey A personal attorney to President Trump for years, Alina Habba is known for her pugnacious defense in the media and in courtrooms.

www.cbsnews.com/news/alina-h...

@ityslmemes.com

Knicks loss tonight seemed bad, but can any team contain Sandro Mamukelashvili?

She advanced DEI at her university. Her son-in-law, Vice President JD Vance, wants to end it nationwide. Lakshmi Chilukuri helped create a pilot course on race, ethnicity and gender in biology and medicine.

She advanced DEI at her university. Her son-in-law, Vice President JD Vance, wants to end it nationwide.
www.cbsnews.com/news/jd-vanc...

My kid, not close to falling asleep at bedtime, saying, “something doesn’t seem right.”

Me, not mentioning that for some reason we switched the clocks yesterday.

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If you received a handwritten letter from me today, and are trying to decide if it's legit, it is. I hope you'll write back. I value your story.
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New York's last mayor, Bill de Blasio, defends successor Eric Adams amid scandal Adams is at the center of a controversy over a directive by the Justice Department to drop corruption charges against him.

Eric Adams’ predecessor, Bill de Blasio, remains in the embattled mayor’s corner.

www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-de...

Scenes From an American Egg Shortage Empty shelves and high prices await at grocery stores across the country due to bird flu outbreaks across the country.

Scenes from an American egg shortage

www.eater.com/24363493/egg...

When El Salvador agreed to put migrants in "mega-prison," the U.S. paved the way for nuclear power The nuclear agreement is a potential national security win for the United States, one expert said.

When El Salvador agreed to put migrants in "mega-prison," the U.S. paved the way for nuclear power

www.cbsnews.com/news/el-salv...

Steve Bannon pleads guilty in "We Build the Wall" donor fraud case in New York

x.com/grahamkates/...

My daughter calls crushed red pepper “spicy sprinkles.” Objectively badass.

Asked a few minutes later to say more about that:
"He should not reverse what the president's already talked about," Bannon said. "It's unacceptable and unsatisfactory. You've seen how out of control he is."

"No doubt about it," Bannon said. "The president said it's a $500 billion joint venture. Why does Elon Musk criticize the president after he talks about it? This is my whole point here. This is my entire point about it."

Asked Steve Bannon just now (on his way into court) if he believes @elonmusk undermined President Trump's AI announcement this morning.

"No doubt about it," Bannon said.

For context, that's a debt to New York larger than the combined proposed 2025 budgets for the state's sixth and seventh largest cities, Albany and New Rochelle.

Judgment in Trump's New York fraud case stands at $502 million ahead of inauguration President-elect Donald Trump will likely owe the state of New York about half a billion dollars when he's sworn in as president.

An appellate court that typically issues opinions on Tues. & Thurs. mornings didn't weigh in on Trump's fraud case today. He'll become president while he and co-defendants remain on the hook for more than half a billion dollars.

www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-n...

Those guys looked like that when the cartoons were first sketched!

Trump sentenced in felony "hush money" case, released with no restrictions Trump was found guilty in May of 34 felonies in authorizing a scheme in 2017 to falsify records in order to cover up reimbursements for a "hush money" payment.

The judge implied that Trump's upcoming presidency affords him a lenient sentence that he perhaps wouldn't get if he was Donald Trump, civilian.

www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-s...

The judge held Trump in contempt 10 times during the trial for violations of a gag order. In issuing the 10th contempt citation, Justice Juan Merchan foreshadowed Friday's likely sentence.

"The last thing I want to do is to put you in jail," Merchan said