Observations

“In our postfeminist era, prostitution is so often idealized — ‘sex work is work’ — that it’s easy to overlook the gruesome reality of what it means to have a pimp, an arrangement closer to slavery than to any legitimate job.” —Abigail Shrier

“The White House is caught in an ethical bind. On the one hand they claim classified documents found when an FBI warrant was executed at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort are scandalous, while simultaneously claiming that classified documents found at President Biden’s home and at in an old office suite are not a big deal because Biden instructed his lawyers to go get them and inform the National Archives. This is akin to admitting to doing something wrong before you have been discovered. If it is wrong in one instance to keep classified documents after leaving office, then why is it also not wrong in the other instance?” —Cal Thomas

For the Record

“During my time as CIA director and secretary of state, I know that [Adam Schiff] leaked classified information that had been provided to him.” —Mike Pompeo

“Adam Schiff was the most serial leaker that I served with.” —former Congressman Trey Gowdy

The BIG Lies

“This decision by Kevin McCarthy to bow to the demands of the most extreme elements of his conference and use the Intelligence Committee as this kind of political plaything doesn’t show the strength of his speakership.” —Congressman Adam Schiff

“Kevin McCarthy’s purely partisan move to strip us from our committee is not only a political stunt but also a blow to the integrity of our democratic institution and threat to our national security.” —Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

“Up to $139,000, you pay slightly more [in taxes] the more you make. But it stops there. And so, if you’re making a billion dollars, you pay the same amount you’re paying if you made $139,000.” —Joe Biden

“Economic growth is up. … Jobs are the highest … in American history. And wages are up, and they’re growing faster than inflation.” —Joe Biden

“We’ve heard from congressional members, Republicans in particular, that their focus was going to be on lowering costs for the American people, dealing with inflation, which is something the president has been doing … for the last two years.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

“Title 42 contributes to the growing problems of xenophobia and anti-immigrant violence.” —Congresswoman Judy Chu

Junk Science

“The number one cause of obesity is genetics. That means if you are born to parents that have obesity, you have 50 to 85% likelihood of having the disease yourself even with optimal diet, exercise, sleep management, stress management. … Doctors do not understand obesity.” —2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee member Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford

Belly Laugh of the Week

“I represent Hunter Biden because I feel that not only his art merits my representation, but because his personal narrative, which gives birth to his art, is very much needed in the world. … Hunter Biden will become one of the most consequential artists in this century because the world needs his art now more than ever.” —Georges Bergès

And Last…

“Washington, D.C.‘s law to allow illegal aliens to vote is so absurd it allows Russian embassy staff to vote in D.C. Yet another reason D.C. should never be a state.” —Senator Tom Cotton