I'm not mad . . . CORPORATE MEDIA FAILURES!

                                                                                                                      

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Brian Karem’s “Reporter’s Notebook”

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I'm not mad . . .

But, boy does this coverage suck . . .

Brian J Karem Jan 13

Two professors and a reporter walk into a bar and discuss the coverage of the Minneapolis ICE raids and the shooting of Renee Good.

A real and rare insight into how today’s press is in over their heads and how to fix it.

Brian Karem Reporter's Notebook is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

MO Sec. of State admits he deceived voters to steal Dem seat

                                                                                                                     

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REPUBLICANS CAN'T WIN WITHOUT LYING!

Missouri’s MAGA Secretary of State just admitted in court to deliberately confusing and deceiving voters to try and stop a citizen-led gerrymandering ballot initiative:      This is a shocking and appalling development. Missouri was one of the first red states to answer Trump’s mandate to rig the 2026 election by doing mid-decade gerrymandering, something so brazen that it has never been done before.  Missouri Republicans targeted one of only two majority-Black districts in the state: Kansas City’s fifth district represented by Emanuel Cleaver, a former pastor and the city’s first Black mayor. Almost overnight, MAGA lawmakers turned Cleaver’s D +12 district into a deep red Trump +15 district using preapproved maps drawn up by Project 2025 operatives in Washington, D.C.  Red state MAGA leaders will say or do anything to win this war. They are bending every rule, breaking laws, and setting fire to the traditional establishment rules of engagement that Democrats are still unfortunately respecting.   But we’re not. Colorado Draws The Line is leading the ballot campaign to allow Colorado voters to approve emergency redistricting. Colorado is now a solid blue state that has voted against Trump by double digits since 2016. We can flip 3 GOP-held seats if we move quickly enough. We’re fed up with Trump’s strongman tactics and are fighting back to stop MAGA from stealing our democracy and shutting Dems out of power for generations to come. But we are facing difficult odds that require us to raise and spend millions in a compressed timeframe to get this on the ballot. Can you chip in $25 or more to help us counter MAGA’s red state gerrymandering in blue Colorado?   If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly:

Donate $3 Donate $50 Donate $125

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Or multiply your impact with a monthly contribution to counter MAGA election rigging.   Thank you,  — Colorado Draws the Line

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Donate by mail: Colorado Draws the Line 1601 Arapahoe Street FL 10 Denver, Colorado 80202 Paid for by Colorado Draws the Line. Registered agent: Rich Pelletier.

                                                                                                                    

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The Dam Is Breaking: Republicans Warn Trump He’s Gone Too Far

Tracking when Republicans begin publicly breaking with Trump, and what it signals.

Brian Tyler Cohen Jan 13

Donald Trump just opened a criminal investigation into Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chair he appointed, because Powell wouldn’t slash interest rates on demand.

That alone is a major red flag, but this kind of self-serving retribution isn’t new.

What’s new is this: Republicans are sounding the alarm. And they’re doing it on the record.

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What Republicans Said

Republicans never like to leave a paper trail, which is what makes this moment so unusual.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis posted on X:

Senator Thom Tillis @SenThomTillis If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none. It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question. I Nick Timiraos @NickTimiraos The Federal Reserve received grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department on Friday that threaten a criminal indictment relating to Chair Jerome Powell’s testimony last summer about the central bank’s building renovation project Powell statement: https://t.co/qDMqOngobs 12:50 AM · Jan 12, 2026 · 3.23M Views 4.76K Replies · 3.91K Reposts · 22.9K Likes

He went further, vowing to block confirmation of any Fed nominees until the matter is resolved.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski echoed his concern after speaking directly with Powell, also posting on X:

And it didn’t stop there.

• House Financial Services Chair French Hill warned the probe “could undermine this and future administrations’ ability to make sound monetary policy decisions.”
• Senator Kevin Cramer, a Powell critic on the Senate Banking Committee said bluntly: “I do not believe he is a criminal.”
• Congressman Frank Lucas stressed that Fed independence is “critical” to achieving economic outcomes.

This isn’t defiance. It’s all talk, no walk. Concern without consequences. And that’s why nothing actually changes.

I track the inflection points - not the daily outrage. Subscribe to see the next one coming.

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What Trump is Really Doing

The motive isn’t subtle.

Trump has spent months publicly attacking Powell for refusing to slash interest rates the way Trump wants. When Powell didn’t comply, Trump did what he always does: he sought retribution.

In other words, this isn’t about building renovations.
It’s about punishing independence, and sending a message.

Powell himself all but said as much in a Sunday video, noting that the investigation followed sustained political pressure to bend monetary policy to Trump’s will.

This isn’t about optics.
It’s about power.

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Why This Matters

Presidents are not supposed to control the Federal Reserve.
They’re not supposed to threaten it.
And they’re certainly not supposed to sic the DOJ on it when they don’t get their way.

The independence of the Fed is foundational to economic stability. Once that independence collapses, markets stop trusting that decisions are being made based on data rather than political needs.

This isn’t culture war noise.
This is the wiring of the economy itself.

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What it Actually Signals

For nearly a decade, Republicans have rationalized Trump’s abuses as jokes, trolling, or strategy. But threatening the Fed, and weaponizing the DOJ to do it, hits something even they can’t fully hand-wave away.

This is how real breaks start.
Not with a flood, but with pressure at a weak point.

Once someone goes on the record, it creates permission for others to follow.

The cracks begin to show long before the collapse.

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What to Watch for Next

Is this a one-off outburst of self preservation from a handful of Republicans trying on a spine for size?

Or will this empower more Republicans to decide that saying nothing is riskier than speaking up?

The Republicans enabling this behavior aren’t spectators, they’re participants in the same economy as the rest of us. If Trump wrecks the economy to juice it ahead of an election and sends it crashing afterward, everyone gets hurt. There is no first-class cabin when the plane is sabotaged midair.

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And one last thing

Trump is attempting to retroactively criminalize Jerome Powell over… building renovations.

Donald Trump.
The man who tore down an entire wing of the White House.
Lecturing someone else about construction impropriety.

If Trump was any less self-aware, he wouldn’t be able to see his own reflection in a mirror.

Trump ran as a populist.
He governs as a vindictive narcissist.

He promised lower costs. They rose.
He promised lower inflation. It’s up.
He promised jobs, and growth has slowed.
He promised peace and instead launched new conflicts.
He promised transparency, and buried the Epstein files.

He hasn’t got the time to follow through on his promises to his supporters, but plenty of it to punish anyone who dares tell him, “no.”

This probe will likely fail. But it reveals something important: how small, petty, and self-interested this abuse of power really is, and how little Trump cares about the consequences for everyone else.

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This isn’t the last time we’ll see this. The question is whether the cracks stop here or keep spreading. Paid subscribers get the full analysis as it unfolds.

WBUR TODAY: Wu take two

                                                                                                                   

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❤️ Donate Tuesday, January 13, 2026

🌤️ Partly sunny, highs in the 40s Good Morning Boston, The Patriots' next playoff opponent is set: they'll face the Houston Texans this Sunday at 3 p.m. for the AFC divisional round. Let's hope they keep cooking baking. Now to the news: Second act: Fresh off her second inauguration, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has her hands full. Ongoing fights with the state Legislature over the city's property tax rate. Declining school enrollment. Dueling lawsuits and investigations with the Trump administration. Later today, she'll join a bunch of kindergarteners to kick off a program teaching them ride bikes. (Okay, that one just sounds fun.) Amid it all, Wu sat down yesterday with WBUR Morning Edition host Tiziana Dearing to cover a slew of hot topics. (You can listen to the full interview on air this morning or at this link a bit later today.) Watch out for ICE: Wu said she's making plans in case Boston becomes a bigger target for immigration enforcement. (Trump border czar Tom Homan’s threat of “bringing hell” to Boston still hangs over the city.) She told Tiziana she's frustrated that her conversations with police leadership now involve gaming out an ICE surge. "Unfortunately now, on top of the regular rhythm of what we have to discuss, we now have to think about planning for the unthinkable scenarios the federal government might bring," she said. Police watchdog troubles: The board tasked with overseeing the Boston police has complained that police leadership keeps ignoring their discipline recommendations. Wu said they're still trying to figure out how the police and the 5-year-old Office of Police Accountability and Transparency should interact. "Even the simple act of how much an officer can be required to go testify and answer questions before OPAT when they're summoned is a little bit tied up in collective bargaining and other issues that we're trying to sort out," Wu said. State House standoff: Wu has been stymied in her tax plans by Beacon Hill's leadership — and she hasn't been shy about her frustration. " We are very bound here to what our state government decides to do and not do," she said. "We have state legislators, particularly on the Senate side, who are connected to more of the interests that are wanting to preserve the status quo, or even still just trying to drag us backward." (That's a not-so-veiled dig at South Boston state Sen. Nick Collins, who Wu has said is blocking her proposal from a vote.) A bruised DA steps aside: Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey says he is not running for reelection. If you know his name, it's likely as the much maligned chief of the office that presided over both Karen Read trials . In a statement yesterday, Morrissey announced the decision to step down after 15 years as DA. "I believe the time is right for me to start a new chapter in my life," he said. "I ran for this office to stand up for victims and give them a voice. I am proud to have done so for countless victims over the years and am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me and in the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office." The Karen Read of it all: It was Morrissey's office that decided to charge Read with second degree murder for the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend (and try again after her first trial ended with a hung jury). The second trial alone cost $1.4 million, mostly for special prosecutor Hank Brennan and an accident reconstruction consultant. After Read was acquitted of murder this summer, Morrissey released a four-word statement: "The jury has spoken." (Morrissey didn't mention Read, or any other case, in his statement on not running again.) Other fumbles: It was Morrissey's office (and the state police investigators assigned to it) that first ruled Sandra Birchmore's 2021 death a suicide and closed the case. Former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell — who allegedly had a sexual relationship with Birchmore when she was underage — is now charged with killing her and her unborn child after the U.S. Attorney's office took up the case. The race is on: Four candidates had already announced they were running for Morrissey's seat. Read more about them here. All aboard: Heads up, islanders. Summertime Steamship Authority vehicle reservations for full-time and seasonal residents of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket go on sale today at 8 a.m. It's part of the ferry company's Head Start program to give island residents better access to peak summer rides. Landlubbers are out of luck (for now): We non-residents will have to wait a few weeks to get tickets. Tickets to Nantucket open to the general public on Jan. 27, with Martha's Vineyard opening Feb. 3. Crash out: The Steamship Authority has spent millions of dollars on a yet-to-be unveiled website, while the reservation system, especially in the summer, has been plagued with issues. The state Inspector General last month released a scathing report that called the website redesign "doomed from the start" and a waste of public resources. P.S. — Last week I told you about the Full Massachusetts, a meal consisting of all the commonwealth’s official foods (that I totally made up). Now, I want to know what your ultimate Massachusetts meal would be. Mine is a pizza and Greek salad from the old Christo’s in Brockton (*Jarmanning, party of four in the gold room*) with a Polar seltzer and an ice cream sundae from Nona's. Or maybe a lobster roll and clam chowder from Yankee Lobster before a concert at Harborlights? Tough call! Let us know what you think. Ally Jarmanning Senior Reporter The Rundown Fire that killed 10 at an assisted living facility prompts Massachusetts to recommend new safety reforms The recommendations, detailed in a report from the Assisted Living Residents commission, call for annual inspection signed off by the local fire department, board of health and building inspector. It also calls for annual update of emergency plans and quarterly exercises with all staff and annual evacuation drills. Read more. Offshore wind developer prevails in court as Trump says the US 'will not approve any windmills' A federal judge ruled Monday that work on a major offshore wind farm for Rhode Island and Connecticut can resume, handing the industry at least a temporary victory as President Trump seeks to shut it down. Read more. Minnesota officials sue to block Trump's immigration crackdown as enforcement intensifies More than 2,000 federal immigration agents are in Minnesota, and that number is expected to increase. On Monday, an NPR reporter witnessed multiple instances where immigration agents drove around Minneapolis — and in parking lots of big box stores — and randomly questioned people about their immigration status. Read more. What to know about Trump's ugly feud with the Federal Reserve A Justice Department probe of the Federal Reserve marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration's effort to bend the independent central bank to the president's will. Read more. People in Iran describe heavy security and some damage in first calls to outside world Iranians made phone calls abroad for the first time in days Tuesday after authorities severed communications during a crackdown on nationwide protests that activists say killed at least 646 people. Read more. Anything Else? Any ketchup for your lab burger? Tufts is getting a $2.1 million state grant to develop "future foods," WBUR's Bianca Garcia reports.  Celebrity Series of Boston is now Vivo Performing Arts. WBUR's Arielle Gray reports the organization says the rebrand reflects its values and strengthens its commitment to making the performing arts more accessible. A record number of single women in their 40s are becoming mothers — aided by IVF, NPR reports.  From the Boston Symphony Orchestra's all John Williams program to the conductorless A Far Cry's "Appalachian Spring" concert, WBUR arts critic Lloyd Schwartz shares his list of the season's upcoming live classical music performances.  What We're Reading 📚 Why on Earth Have I Seen the Same Broadway Show 13 Times? An Investigation. (The New York Times) Two cliff-front homes on Cape Cod sold for $100,000. But how long before the ocean claims them? (Boston Globe)  I Tried to Be the Government. It Did Not Go Well. (The Atlantic)  Food For Thought How to embrace the mess and stress of cooking with your kids Chef David Nayfeld has been cooking with his kid since she was 2. In a new book, Dad, What's for Dinner?, he shares easy ways to involve kids in meal prep, and a weeknight recipe for meatballs. Read more. Play: WBUR's daily mini crossword. Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: It's 1998 again (at least on Lifetime). 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up here. 🔎 Explore WBUR's Field Guide stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. Check out all of our newsletter offerings.

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