Sam Stein and Sarah Longwell break down the shocking Virginia Supreme Court decision overturning the state?s new redistricting maps and what it means for the battle for control of the House in 2026. Democrats believed Virginia was their biggest answer to Republican-led mid-cycle gerrymandering in states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Sam and Sarah explain why the decision is such a major setback for Democrats, how Republicans are redrawing districts across the South, and whether Democrats can still overcome a growing GOP structural advantage.

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Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Catherine Rampell and JVL went live at 12:30pm ET to discuss the week's economic and financial news.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sarah Longwell and Catherine Rampell react to the absurd new YouGov poll asking whether Americans think they?or even an 8-year-old boy?could beat Donald Trump in a fight.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Mat frame at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Bulwark Live: California tickets are on sale now! Sarah and gang return to sunny Southern California for two nights May 20 & 21. For details and tickets go to https://TheBulwark.com/Events.

Jonathan Cohn is joined by epidemiologist and former CDC consultant Katelyn Jetelina to unpack the emerging hantavirus outbreak linked to a small expedition cruise ship in the South Atlantic. Katelyn breaks down what hantavirus is, how it typically spreads, why this outbreak is unusual, and what health officials actually know so far. She also explains why experts are urging calm rather than panic and how different the hantavirus is from Covid.

Read more of Katelyn's work: https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/

Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Bulwark Live: California tickets are on sale now! Sarah and gang return to sunny Southern California for two nights May 20 & 21. For details and tickets go to https://TheBulwark.com/Events.

Tim Miller breaks down the rapidly escalating confrontation between the U.S. and Iran after Iranian forces targeted American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. responded with new strikes on Iranian military assets. Despite active combat at sea, Donald Trump insists the ceasefire is still intact, even calling the exchange a ?love tap.? Tim gives his take on the administration?s contradictory messaging, global oil markets, and America?s role in the region.

Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Bulwark Live: California tickets are on sale now! Sarah and gang return to sunny Southern California for two nights May 20 & 21. For details and tickets go to https://TheBulwark.com/Events.

Sam Stein and Lauren Egan give their takes on the first ads from Maine Senate candidates Graham Platner and Susan Collins. The two campaigns couldn?t be more different. Platner comes out aggressively, launching a hard-hitting populist message that goes straight at Collins? record and frames the race as part of a broader fight over power, Trump, and the direction of the country. Meanwhile, Susan Collins responds with a very different strategy: a nostalgic, local-focused ad centered on a decade-old infrastructure win in Maine. Sam and Lauren dig into what these opening ads reveal about each campaign?s theory of the race, whether Collins? long-standing strengths still hold in today?s environment, and how Platner is betting that going on offense early will define her before she can define him.

Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Bulwark Live: California tickets are on sale now! Sarah and gang return to sunny Southern California for two nights May 20 & 21. For details and tickets go to https://TheBulwark.com/Events.

Sarah Longwell takes on growing backlash from Trump?s own voters as rising gas prices, grocery costs, and the fallout from the Iran war hammer household budgets. New focus groups reveal frustration, disappointment, and anger from people who believed Trump?s promises on the economy and ?no more forever wars.?

Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://ZocDoc.com/BULWARKTAKES to find and instantly book a doctor you love today.

Bulwark Live: California tickets are on sale now! Sarah and gang return to sunny Southern California for two nights May 20 & 21. For details and tickets go to https://TheBulwark.com/Events.

Tim Miller joins Nicole Wallace on MSNBC with General Mark Hertling to discuss the Iran war chaos?Trump undercut Rubio twice in one day, the ceasefire is already wobbling, and the "deal" is one page long. Plus: Trump declared war on the Pope and is losing that one too.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Mat frame at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house

The Bulwark is going to Southern California! Go to https://thebulwark.com/events to learn more.

Tim Miller reacts to Barack Obama and Stephen Colbert joking about Trump, ?Colbert 2028,? Democratic messaging failures, and the corruption Americans have somehow normalized in modern politics.

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The Bulwark is going to Southern California! Go to https://thebulwark.com/events to learn more.

Sam Stein and Will Saletan give their takes on the breaking news that the FBI raided the office of Virginia Democrat Louise Lucas, the bizarre presence of a Fox News crew already on the scene, and the FBI?s reported investigation into leaks connected to a damaging Atlantic story about FBI Director Kash Patel.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling (Ret.) and Ben Parker went live to discuss the Washington Post?s reporting that Iran has hit more U.S. military assets than previously reported, the pause on Trump?s Project Freedom hours after it was announced, and whether Putin had any say about the U.S. withdrawing troops from Germany.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Read more from the Washington Post exclusive: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/05/06/iran-us-bases-satellite-images/

Read more from Mark's piece on Germany:https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-last-time-we-reduced-troops-in-europe-war-germany-withdrawal-russia-ukraine-nato-trump-hegseth

Read more from Mark's piece on culture at the Pentagon: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/pete-hegseth-change-military-culture-firings-diversity-general-secretary-admiral

The Bulwark is going to Southern California! Go to https://thebulwark.com/events to learn more.

Sam Stein joined Nicolle Wallace on Deadline: White House to break down Trump?s billion-dollar White House ballroom boondoggle, the GOP?s corruption problem, Democratic Senate momentum, and why the ?Epstein class? attack line may be landing harder than Republicans expected.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Watch Deadline: White House on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller and Will Sommer give their take on the Libs of TikTok?s latest campaign targeting a Louisiana doctor and the disturbing evolution of the account growing into right-wing influencer operation. As Libs of TikTok is now deploying a rotating cast of influencer-style hosts to mass-produce outrage content, Tim and Will get into why the anti-cancel culture crowd still seems obsessed with getting random people fired, and how accusations of ?violence? are being stretched beyond recognition to punish dissent. Plus, the hypocrisy of the modern free speech debate and why MAGA?s culture war machine never really moved on from cancel culture after all.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sam Stein and Bill Kristol are going live to discuss Senate Republicans' request for $1 billion in taxpayer money for Trump's ballroom after Trump claimed it was "free of charge." Plus Pete Hegseth announces a new military campaign in Iran, while also claiming the ceasefire is still in place.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller is joined by Gas Buddy's Head of Petroleum Analysis Patrick De Haan for his take on the escalating oil crisis, surging gas prices, and why Americans could be feeling the effects for a long time. De Haan warns that every day the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted could mean weeks of recovery for global oil markets, potentially leading to a 65-week climb back to pre-crisis prices. He also predicts a July 4 ?sticker shock? as rising diesel costs drive up prices on everything from gas to summer cookout staples. They break down why U.S. oil production can?t insulate Americans from global markets, how refinery problems are making things worse, and why this crisis could ripple through the entire economy.

Read more from Patrick's work: https://gaspriceguy.substack.com/

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Jared Poland headed to Capitol Hill after reports that Donald Trump will put his face on U.S. passports?and finds Republicans either defending it, laughing it off, or refusing to engage.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off Aura Frame's best-selling Carver Mat frame at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Will Saletan breaks down Tucker Carlson?s series of interviews with the New York Times and shows why his ?apology tour? doesn?t hold up. From flat-out denials caught on tape to wild swings between moral outrage and shrugging off atrocities, the pattern is the story: in one moment he sounds reasonable, in the next he?s saying the exact opposite.

Read Lulu Garcia-Navarro's article on Tucker Carlson in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/02/magazine/tucker-carlson-interview-trump-iran.html

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off Aura Frame's best-selling Carver Mat frame at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Will Sommer and Sam Stein are going live to cover the biggest news in the right wing fever swamp.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

On ?Meet the Press?, Todd Blanche, Trump?s Acting Attorney General, tries to defend the Justice Department?s indictment of James Comey, but the explanation doesn?t hold up particularly well under scrutiny. Sam Stein and Will Saletan take on the flimsy argument, the timeline, and why the case is drawing skepticism, not just from critics but with Republicans as well.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May

H. David Baer joins Bill Kristol for Bulwark on Sunday to discuss the lessons of Hungary.

Read Baer's article in The Bulwark

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May

Tim Miller talks with Democracy Docket's Marc Elias about the mess unfolding in Louisiana, where votes are already being cast?and now the election itself could be reset. Marc explains the Supreme Court decision reshaping the Voting Rights Act, the rush to redraw maps across multiple states, and why both parties are bracing for a full-on redistricting war ahead of 2026.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller, Sam Stein, and Will Sommer discuss a chaotic CNN panel blowup, the strange rise of Scott Jennings as cable news? go-to defender, and the surreal world of MAGA-themed cruises?from a ?Gulf of America? getaway to a gay conservative cruise that left Tim stunned. They talk about the escalating Candace Owens feud and lawsuit drama, plus one of the weirdest political clips you?ll see all week?featuring Callista Gingrich.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sarah Longwell is joined by Kyle Sweetser, a former Trump voter and lifelong Republican who is now running for Senate in Alabama as a Democrat. Sweetser explains how Trump-era tariffs impacted his business, why January 6 pushed him into political activism, and why he believes Democrats can compete in deep red states by directly challenging MAGA politics instead of avoiding the fight. They also talk about the political realities of running in Alabama, Trump?s standing with voters, immigration rhetoric, working-class frustrations, and Sweetser?s strategy for winning over disaffected Republicans in a state Trump carried by more than 30 points.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Mat frame at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego on 5/20 and LA on 5/12: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/bulwark-events

Catherine Rampell and JVL went live to discuss the week's economic and financial news.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller talks with Navy veteran and former NASA Chief of Staff Bail Dalton, who?s running for Congress in a deep red Florida district Democrats usually ignore?but may now be in play. They dig into his opponent, Rep. Cory Mills' the mountain of scandals and lies, and why Trump-era chaos could open the door for an upset.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sam Stein talks with Jake Sherman about a week of House chaos that somehow ended in a string of wins?key bills passed, a shutdown quietly ended, and hardliners once again backed down. They break down why the threats never stick, how Mike Johnson keeps his conference in line, and why Republicans are still sticking with Trump even as his numbers slide?plus what it all means for redistricting and the coming midterms.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sam Stein and Jonathan Cohn are going live to cover Trump's newest Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News contributor. After pulling Casey Means' nomination, Trump bashed GOP Senator Bill Cassidy for opposing Means.

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Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller was all over MS NOW, talking about Trump?s $400 million ?gold ballroom? obsession as his poll numbers slide and voters feel squeezed. He breaks down why the GOP?s usual message machine?coordinated distractions, echo chamber spin, and nonstop attacks?is suddenly falling flat, with backlash over Iran, rising gas prices, and broken promises piling up.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Watch All In with Chris Hayes on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/all

Watch Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace on MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/deadline-white-house

Tim Miller unloads on the wave of ?false flag? theories spreading after the White House Correspondents? Dinner incident, calling out how quickly people abandon basic facts when politics takes over.

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Sam Stein and Will Saletan give their takes on Pete Hegseth?s heated appearance on Capitol Hill, where questions about the $25 billion war with Iran quickly turned into personal attacks and repeated deflections. Hegseth spent much of his time avoiding accountability, focusing instead on blaming Democrats, raising questions about how he is approaching one of the most consequential national security roles in the world.

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Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Conor Kilgore and Rachel Janfaza discuss why Noah Kahan has become a defining voice for Gen Z?and what his music reveals about a generation shaped by COVID, social media overload, and constant comparison. They get into the mental health themes, the push to log off and reconnect with real life, and why so many young people feel nostalgic for a world they never actually lived in.

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The Pentagon is under fire after the Jacqueline Smith, ombudsman for Stars and Stripes, says she was dismissed for raising concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. What does this mean for press independence inside the military?

Read more from Jacqueline's op-ed: https://www.stripes.com/opinion/2026-04-23/stripes-former-ombudsman-pentagon-trying-to-silence-21465037.html

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sonny Bunch and Catherine Rampell break down a wave of major FCC developments shaping the future of American media. Paramount is asking the FCC to approve up to 100% foreign ownership in a massive media deal that could impact CBS and CNN. Foreign money is flowing deeper into American news?and regulators may be on the verge of signing off. Meanwhile, the FCC is also reviewing Disney?s broadcast licenses following comments made by Jimmy Kimmel, raising new questions about free speech, media pressure, and political influence. All of this comes as critics argue the FCC under Brendan Carr is being used to target Trump?s political enemies.

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Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Tim Miller joins the Lib & Learn podcast to discuss the WHCD incident, the media spin that followed, and why both parties keep getting the moment wrong. He explains the real problem inside the Democratic coalition, how the GOP?s viral messaging machine works, and what it would actually take for Democrats to win again.

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Check out the Lib & Learn podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@LibAndLearn/streams

Sam Stein and Ben Parker break down a Bulwark exclusive that the State Department is putting Trump's face on U.S. passports, as part of "America 250." Sam and Ben walk through what the redesign would actually include, why it?s unprecedented, and how it fits into a broader pattern of Trump branding across federal symbols and institutions. Plus, they break down how we reached out to the White House and State Department for comment and gave them time to respond. Instead, the White House sent the story to Fox News.

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES.

Read Ben Parker's exclusive report on the new passport design: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/exclusive-state-dept-finalizing-plan

Subscribe to the Morning Shots newsletter: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/morningshots

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Have a tip? We have a secure website for that! https://thebulwark.com/tips

Andrew Egger and Bill Kristol are going live at 10am ET to discuss the week's biggest news items.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

For a limited time, listeners can get an exclusive $25 off AuraFrame's best-selling Carver Matframe at https://on.auraframes.com/BULWARKTAKES with code BULWARKTAKES. 

Sam Stein welcomes Axios' Marc Caputo to discuss Florida?s new redistricting map?and the legal storm it?s about to trigger. Governor Ron DeSantis has unveiled a plan that could shift Florida?s congressional delegation from 20?8 to as much as 24?4 in favor of Republicans. But there?s a major problem: Florida?s constitution explicitly bans partisan gerrymandering. So how is this happening?

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Read more from Marc Caputo: https://www.axios.com/2026/04/27/desantis-florida-map-gerrymandering-redistricting-war

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sam Stein and Will Sommer are going live to discuss how Trump's allies are relentlessly using the WHCD shooting to push the new ballroom, the fascinating details of the individual reactions from Trump cabinet members to the shooting, and the absurd fight at the Substack party.

Right now, Soul is offering 30% off your entire order! Go to https://GetSoul.com and use the code BULWARKTAKES.

Bill Kristol and Tom Joscelyn went live to discuss white supremacy in the online Right and why they're obsessed with attacking the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Bill Kristol and Sam Stein are going live to discuss the aftermath of the White House Correspondents? Dinner Shooting.

Sam Stein reacts live to the shooting at the shooting at the White House Correspondents? Dinner and Trump's press event afterward.

Tim Miller joins David Pakman for a wide-ranging conversation on Trump?s unraveling, the ?MAGA betrayal? moment among anti-war influencers, and what comes next for the right. They discuss why some of Trump?s loudest supporters feel misled, who actually drives conservative media, and how Never Trump has evolved into something broader. Plus: how to talk to voters who are starting to reconsider?and what a post-Trump GOP might look like.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and Los Angeles in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Catherine Rampell and Sarah Matthews take on the botched White House photo op that went viral. Donald Trump hosted the 2025 NCAA champion Georgia Bulldogs women?s tennis team?but puts them in the background and skips their handshake. They break down the optics, the politics, and what it reveals about the ?women?s sports? talking point.

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sam Stein and Jared Poland give their takes on Trump?s new acting Navy secretary, Hung Cao. From viral podcast clips to resurfaced campaign interviews, Cao leans hard into ?alpha male? rhetoric, conspiracy-adjacent claims about witches, and extreme takes on immigration, NATO, and the military. It?s a wild collection of moments, including comments about ?peeing standing up,? calling ICE on people, and KKK hoods. Cao?s rise to the top ranks of the Pentagon raise serious questions about judgment and leadership under Pete Hegseth.

Get tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sarah Longwell breaks down California?s chaotic governor?s race, where 61 candidates and a fractured Democratic field could open the door for Republicans. In polls, Xavier Becerra is quietly rising as the ?safe? choice  with Katie Porter still facing questions about her personal baggage, and billionaire Tom Steyer took most of the heat on the debate stage. All of this as Republicans, like Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, stand to benefit from the split in a chaotic jungle primary.

Catherine Rampell and JVL are going live to cover the week's biggest developments in the world of finance and the economy.

Read Catherine Rampell's 'Receipts' Newsletter

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May

Tim Miller appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored and got into a heated on-air clash with a right-wing ?pastor? while dismantling the case for Trump?s war with Iran.

Watch more Piers Morgan Uncensored: https://www.youtube.com/piersmorganuncensored

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Sam Stein and Will Sommer break down a chaotic day involving Kash Patel. First, Patel snaps at a reporter when pressed about his own lawsuit, turning a simple question into a total meltdown. They also dig into the Justice Department?s indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center, explaining the allegations and why the case is already raising serious questions. Finally, they examine a troubling development: the FBI questioning a New York Times reporter after a story about Patel?s girlfriend.

Read more from Will's newsletter False Flag: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/false-flag

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

The Epstein files are back in the news and JVL and Will Sommer are here to break down the latest. Republicans are now weighing whether to recommend a pardon for convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. At the same time, the Department of Justice?s internal watchdog is launching a review into how the Epstein files were handled, raising new questions about what was released, what was withheld, and why. Is this a routine oversight review?or the start of something much bigger?

Read more from Will's newsletter False Flag: https://www.thebulwark.com/s/false-flag

Tickets for our Bulwark Live shows in San Diego and LA in May: https://thebulwark.com/events

Katie Couric is joining JVL and Bill Kristol to talk about Trump's dismal approval polling, the GOP's failed attempt to gain an edge in the House via gerrymandering, and the upcoming White House Correspondents Dinner.