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Eliot Wessler's avatar

My questions are about the Epstein suicide, specifically the lack of curiosity/skepticism on the part of the press (even the "liberal" press) about the 3 minute gap in surveillance video. There apparently is a consensus that the video that was released was not raw footage but in fact was manipulated. This should be a giant red flag for any red-blooded journalist. So, to the extent that you know:

1) Was the 3 minute video gap during a critical point, e.g., a point in time at which someone could have entered Epstein's cell or otherwise interevened wrt Epstein's suicide?

2) Who was responsible for safeguarding the integrity of the video and has there been any investigation of that person(s)?

3) What other investigative journalism is in progress wrt the Epstein suicide, e.g., wrt the removal of Epstein's cellmate?

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Paul J. Brown's avatar

Thank you for your good work. My question is about emerging voices in the Democratic Party. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie showed a hunger for opposing oligarchy. David Hogg and Leaders We Deserve are supporting fresh voices. Angie Craig and Majority Democrats are building momentum. Mamdani in NYC is openly Socialist. On the other hand the DNC is dominated by establishment, Big Money players who will try to crush the dissent.

Do you think it is a viable, vote-getting strategy to move away from the establishment Dems supported by Big Money and toward crowd-funded, real support for working people?

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Neal Wilson's avatar

What is the future of the appropriations process with the usage of these party-line rescissions? Can Democrats get a rider put in future spending bills that says something like "None of the amounts appropriated by this act are subject to rescission under the ICA"? Or is it more likely that if Democrats dig in and refuse to play ball that we'll see the nuking of the filibuster?

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Ben Kirk's avatar

I asked this question on Part 2 of your OBBBA Reader's Guide, but I'll ask it again here: most the rescissions are phrased as rescinding "unobligated balances." What is the process by which an agency "obligates" their funding? Given that the OBBBA had been debated and revised for a while and the text was public knowledge, if I'm an administrator at NOAA (for example), I know that the moment this is passed I will lose access to a lot of funding that hasn't already been obligated. So how do I obligate those funds? And by extension, how much is the recission in section 40008 *actually* clawing back? How does this get factored into cost/deficit analyses of this bill?

I'm reminded of the trope in the business world of departments spending all of their remaining funds on potentially frivolous things in the last few weeks of the fiscal year, in the fear that coming in under budget means they'll have their budget reduced in the future. Or my partner needing to "use or lose" their HSA funds prior to a rollover.

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Alex Lindvall's avatar

Being the minority party, what tools, procedures, mechanisms, or other tricks do Democrats have to force the issue on the Epstein Files?

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John d zeltin's avatar

Gabe, the BBB provides funding to hire 10,000 new ICE Officers. Do we know anything about the details of the hiring process, including how applicants will be vetted? I am hearing concerns about these officers becoming the administration's private enforcement army and the potential for hiring a gang of thugs to carry out orders and terrorize the population.

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Kristi Goetsch's avatar

Do you have any information on when an update of the covid vaccines will be available?

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Mike Nolan's avatar

I meant recission request.

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Mike Nolan's avatar

Hi Gabe. Has a previous recession request ever been successful? Thanks.

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Lorna Strotz's avatar

How believable do you think the statistics we're getting from the government are? So much of the economic decisions depend upon them.

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Elizabeth Wiggs Cooper's avatar

What is the worst Bove can do?

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Mary Gillaspy's avatar

Gabe, given that the idea of "representative democracy" has run its course in this country, would a constitutional change to a parliamentary system better speak for the priorities of the majority of citizens? I realize the many hurdles such a change would entail, but I see no hope of reviving whatever is left of the current system.

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Fran Martin's avatar

Hi Gabe! Thank you so much for all you do. The question I have is: What is happening to all these people who are losing their jobs? Why are Unemployment numbers not rising, or showing what is happening to government employees and contractors who have been so precipitously fired? Thanks

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Christopher McGhee's avatar

Hi Gabe, we've heard a lot about the size of the ICE budget post the BBB and comparisons to other countries defense budgets. E.g. "ICE's new budget is bigger that France's military budget" (which I think is incorrect). Can you provide the correct comparisons? Given that those militaries have expensive items like jets, missile defense systems, tanks, warships, etc., how is ICE going to spend its allocation?

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Mark Taylor's avatar

Is it clear one way or the other as to whether Trump can fire Fed Chairman Powell?

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Jolie Frazer-Madge's avatar

Hi Gabe, I loved your reporting on USAID and The Lancet study, excellent reporting and beautifully written. It did make me question: hypothetically if the next president is a Democrat (or a less isolationist Republican if those even exist anymore) and wanted to recommit the US to foreign aid, would there be a way to re-instate the organization?

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