The long-simmering divide among Democrats over how to confront Trump’s fascist grip on power exploded Tuesday—on the floor of the (usually sedate) U.S. Senate.

A procedural vote on police funding bills turned into a full-blown clash, when Sen. Cory Booker accused his colleagues of being “complicit” with Trump’s authoritarian agenda by going along with business as usual.

WHAT HAPPENED: It all started when Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) asked for unanimous consent to pass a package of policing reforms, supported by members of both parties but opposed by civil rights groups.

Booker fired back, shouting, “Don’t question my integrity... I’m standing for the Constitution and I’m standing for what’s right.”

ZOOM OUT: Booker isn’t alone. A new Wall Street Journal poll shows Democratic approval ratings at their lowest point in modern polling.

They’ve watched as Trump seizes control of the courts, terrorizes migrants, and targets his political enemies. And now, with total power, he’s weaponizing federal agencies against progressive states.

SOME CONTEXT: Booker’s floor speech echoed his 25-hour marathon speech earlier this year, a moment that went viral for channeling the rage many Americans feel.

Klobuchar and Cortez Masto argue that passing bipartisan bills is how Democrats “get stuff done.” But to many voters, “getting stuff done” while fascism consolidates power is exactly the problem.

WORTH NOTING: While Booker rages against Dems “complicit” with Trump, he’s under fire for being part of this disgusting photo with Netanyahu. He’s complicit with an evil war criminal.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This isn’t a policy fight—it’s a fight for the soul of the Democratic Party. One side wants to play by the old rules. The other knows the rules don’t apply to Trump.

And more and more voters are siding with Booker.

GO DEEPER: Watch video of the exchange here.

In a stunning break with the Israeli government, 31 prominent Israelis—including artists, academics, and a former attorney general—have called for “crippling sanctions” over Israel’s starvation campaign in Gaza. Two more leading human rights groups now say the assault meets the definition of genocide. As images of emaciated children flood the global conscience, even longtime allies are saying: enough. Full story from The Guardian.

Trump’s story about his Epstein ties keeps changing. Now he claims Epstein “took” Virginia Giuffre and other young women from Mar-a-Lago’s spa—despite years of dodging questions about her. With Epstein records still sealed, Maxwell requesting immunity to testify, and calls for a pardon swirling, Trump’s latest deflection only deepens the stench of cover-up. Full story from the AP.

Despite three whistleblowers accusing him of lying to Congress and defying court orders, the Senate just confirmed Trump fixer Emil Bove to a powerful federal judgeship—for life. Bove, who helped fire career prosecutors and quash corruption cases, once represented Trump in three criminal trials. Even Susan Collins said he couldn't be trusted to rule impartially. Republicans confirmed him anyway. Full story from The Washington Post.

The Democratic Socialist is leading the race to run America’s largest city—and it’s not even close. New polling shows Zohran Mamdani with more support than all four of his opponents combined, including former governor Andrew Cuomo and current mayor Eric Adams. In a year when Democrats keep tacking right, voters in New York are making a different kind of statement. Full story from Newsweek.

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New York has some of the strictest gun laws in the country—but thanks to a patchwork of weak laws nationwide, experts say they’re mostly meaningless.

THE DETAILS: Shane Devon Tamura, 27, legally obtained a $500 assault-style weapon in Nevada, packed his BMW with ammo, and crossed several states without triggering any law enforcement alerts.

The shooter had no criminal record and carried a concealed weapon permit from Nevada—making him perfectly legal until the moment he started killing.

THE FAILURE IS NATIONAL: Gun laws in America are a fractured mess — with blue states like New York doing all they can to restrict dangerous weapons while red states hand them out like candy.

Groups like Giffords and Everytown have pushed for years for a federal assault weapons ban and universal background checks. But the gun lobby—backed by Republican lawmakers and billion-dollar corporations—keeps blocking reform.

THE BOTTOM LINE: You can have the strongest laws in the country—but they won’t matter in a nation where right-wing politicians let anyone, anywhere, get a weapon of war. We need nationwide gun control—now.

Yesterday we asked—given the exploding Epstein scandal—is this a real split between MAGA and Trump? You guys were divided.

Chussey voted yes and said: “For years, his base has been fired up about exposing all the Democratic pedophiles and now they're being told ‘there's nothing to see.’ So his backpedaling is seen as exactly that and they're still not being given what they wanted. But there is a group within MAGA that will never stop worshipping the convicted felon.”

Deatraadson disagreed: “I believe Trump will spin yet another lie and his base will buy it hook, line, and sinker. Then they will defend him because they believe he is a victim.”

Kathy said it all: “I can not understand why we Americans just stand and watch this so-called man we call our president turn our USA up side down... He is unfit to be our leader and no one at the White House does anything about it. As a citizen I have gone out to the street every time we were asked and so proud of the people that protected us. What else can we do? I have written and sent postcards to our leaders here in Idaho but I feel there is more to do.”

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