Dave Levinthal
@davelevinthal.com
Investigative journalist, NOTUS senior editor, fake arctic explorer, free agent placekicker, #BillsMafia. DaveLevinthal.com
SOUND OF SILENCE: I asked 35 corporate and trade PACs that recently donated money to Rep. Max Miller whether they still support him and will give in the future. Zero-for-35 were willing to say whether they’re sticking with him — or ditching him. In @notus.com: www.notus.org/2026-electio...
Max Miller’s Corporate Backers Go Silent on Embattled Congressman
Dozens of company and trade group PACs refuse to say whether they’ll ditch — or defend — the Ohio Republican.
notus.org
Ballard Partners just opened an office in Caracas.
Ballard Partners Opens Caracas Office, Scott Wagner to Lead
Ballard Partners expands its Western Hemisphere practice into Venezuela, opening a new Caracas office led by Managing Partner Scott Wagner.
ballardpartners.com
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 20h agoTrump on Venezuela: "We're taking out hundreds of billions of dollars"
Several corporate lobbying giants that are listed as sponsors of Freedom 250 failed to disclose donations to the President Trump-backed group, a potential violation of federal lobbying law. NEW in @notus.com www.notus.org/money/freedo...
Freedom 250 Sponsors Failed to Disclose Donations — A Potential Lobbying Law Violation
Corporate giants such as Lockheed Martin, ExxonMobil and United Health Group could run afoul of the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
notus.org
Numerous lobbying behemoths who supported the Trump-backed Freedom 250 organization appear to be violating a federal lobbying law by failing to properly disclose their contributions. Reporter @taylorgiorno.bsky.social of @notus.com names names: www.notus.org/money/freedo...
Freedom 250 Sponsors Failed to Disclose Donations — A Potential Lobbying Law Violation
Corporate giants such as Lockheed Martin, ExxonMobil and United Health Group could run afoul of the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
notus.org
While lawmakers are notorious for making improperly disclosed personal stock trades while in office, their penchant for using campaign cash to play the markets is far less scrutinized — and, often, even more opaque. https://www.notus.org/money/stock-market-congress-campaigns-investments
How Politicians Living and Dead Play the Stock Market With Campaign Cash
Opaque investments boost lawmakers’ campaign coffers with little public oversight.
notus.org
Rep. Max Miller made the unusual move of urging the House Ethics Committee to launch an investigation into himself, a decision that comes as pressure mounts on the Ohio Republican to step down following allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife.
Rep. Max Miller Demands an Ethics Investigation Into Himself
It’s unclear whether the committee will take up the unusual request.
notus.org
Trump’s decision to keep National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., through the end of his term will cost an additional $1.4 billion in tax dollars, according to budget estimates provided to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office and shared with NOTUS.
Trump Plans to Spend $1.4 Billion Keeping the National Guard in D.C. Until 2029
Budget estimates provided to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office detail the costs of the National Guard’s controversial deployment.
notus.org
You’re a politician. And you’re dead. Or you're not dead, but you're Shri Thanedar or Virginia Foxx or Devin Nunes. Your commonality: you play the stock market with your campaign cash and virtually nobody knows. Wild story from @markalfred.bsky.social of @notus.com: www.notus.org/money/stock-...
How Politicians Living and Dead Play the Stock Market With Campaign Cash
Opaque investments boost lawmakers’ campaign coffers with little public oversight.
notus.org
"The House Ethics Committee recommended censuring Rep. Chuck Edwards on Monday, citing his alleged inappropriate relationships with staffers." — @notus.com www.notus.org/house/ethics...
Ethics Committee Recommends Censure for Rep. Chuck Edwards Over ‘Inappropriate Conduct’
Edwards denies the conduct was “intended as a sexual or romantic advance.”
notus.org
The unidentified thief stole checks from a batch of political donation payments the Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP’s PAC mailed in D.C.’s Cleveland Park neighborhood. https://www.notus.org/money/arnold-porter-pac-theft-federal-election-commission
Major D.C. Law Firm Details Theft From Political Committee
The Arnold & Porter PAC told federal regulators a thief stole paper checks from mailboxes in Washington’s upscale Cleveland Park neighborhood.
notus.org
NEW: Many 2026 Dem candidates are pledging to not take corporate PAC $$$ — a promise House Democrats say is easier said than done The time constraints attached to calling individual donors can cut into their legislative responsibilities w/ @kadiagoba.bsky.social www.notus.org/democrats/no...
Personal wealth of members of the Ohio congressional delegation, including Sen. Bernie Moreno and Rep. Max Miller.
FWIW: Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) is one of the wealthiest members of Ohio's congressional delegation and among the more wealthy members of the U.S. House, per @notus.com' Capitol Gains project. www.notus.org/capitol-gain...
Capitol Gains: Ohio
Members of Congress make decisions that profoundly affect the health and wealth of all Americans — from the richest to the poorest among us. These decisions can also influence lawmakers’ own financial...
notus.org
ICYMI, in @notus.com: Already cash-strapped Democratic National Committee lost about $29,000 to this scammer posing as Chairman Ken Martin. www.notus.org/democrats/de...
The DNC Lost Nearly $29,000 to an Email Scammer Posing as Ken Martin
The Democratic National Committee caught the error, but only recovered a portion of the funds, an official said.
notus.org
NEWS: FIFA announces the private investment plans will NOT move forward. This comes after Europe threatened to boycott the World Cup and other continents followed by rejecting the proposal.
OPM Director Scott Kupor has publicly touted financial services company Robinhood’s work with the federal government. Kupor also just exercised seven-figures worth of Robinhood stock call options, new records show. Here’s what @notus.com has learned: www.notus.org/money/scott-...
OPM Director Scott Kupor Publicly Touted Robinhood. He’s Also an Investor.
A Kupor spokesperson said government ethics officials didn’t require him to divest his investment in the financial services company.
notus.org
Must-read deep dive on Alt5 Sigma/AI Financial—the appliance recycler turned opioid-treatment firm turned digital-finance company that acquired $1.5 billion of WLFI's magicless beans, routing more than $500 million to the Trumps. By Annie Massa, Nicola M White, and Olga Kharif for @bloomberg.com
Trump Crypto Tie-Up Fueled Family Windfall, Investor Losses
Last summer, a money-losing digital-payments firm with a history of legal troubles seized what its leaders thought was a big opportunity: a deal with the Trump family’s crypto platform.
bloomberg.com
In one of the nation’s hottest House races, the Democrat who’s touting her no-corporate-PAC-money pledge is benefiting from corporate PAC money in an indirect fashion, writes Avani Kalra of @notus.com www.notus.org/pennsylvania...
Paige Cognetti Refuses Corporate PAC Money. But Some Is Arriving Indirectly.
The Democratic candidate in a hot Pennsylvania congressional race has accepted money from political groups that are themselves funded by corporate PACs.
notus.org
The Interior Department is seeking $10 million in additional funding from Congress to reimburse the National Park Service for its work during various Freedom 250 events. www.notus.org/trump-white-...
Trump Administration Wants Millions More to Pay Off Freedom 250 Events
“It is unacceptable to ask the American people to bail out Freedom 250,” Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley said of the request.
notus.org
Trump recently pardoned Adam Kidan, a major Republican donor, three days after the man made a political donation to Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who’s facing one of the nation’s most contested House races.
Megadonor Received Trump Pardon Three Days After Donation to Pennsylvania Congressman
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s campaign says the lawmaker, who met with Trump days before, played no role in the pardon.
notus.org
The state of Maine and an allied nonprofit organization want to cap unlimited contributions to super PACs. https://www.notus.org/money/citizens-united-maine-super-pacs
Maine Makes Its Legal Case for Kneecapping Super PACs
But in federal court today, free speech advocates defended the right of political donors to make unlimited contributions to certain political groups.
notus.org
The unidentified thief stole checks from a batch of political donation payments the Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP’s PAC mailed in D.C.’s Cleveland Park neighborhood. https://www.notus.org/money/arnold-porter-pac-theft-federal-election-commission
Major D.C. Law Firm Details Theft From Political Committee
The Arnold & Porter PAC told federal regulators a thief stole paper checks from mailboxes in Washington’s upscale Cleveland Park neighborhood.
notus.org
“… ironically, when Congress tried to rein itself in 14 years ago, its solution only strengthened the folk wisdom that many lawmakers are getting rich off insider information.” — @daveweigel.bsky.social @semafor.com www.semafor.com/article/07/2...
View: How Congress entrenched its own unpopularity by trying to rein in stock trading
The STOCK Act, by forcing transparency, has created a perception of an unfixable institution.
semafor.com
Look for the helpers.
Wisconsin Watch@wisconsinwatch.org · 7d agoAn EF3 tornado tore through Appleton, Menasha and Neenah on Monday, leaving thousands without power and many recovering from devastating losses. Volunteers and business owners have stepped up to clear debris, distribute food and water and more. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/volu...
Throttle the “super” in super PACs? The state of Maine is trying. Via @taylorgiorno.bsky.social of @notus.com : www.notus.org/money/citize...
Maine Makes Its Legal Case for Kneecapping Super PACs
But in federal court today, free speech advocates defended the right of political donors to make unlimited contributions to certain political groups.
notus.org
A major D.C. law firm has offered more details about a theft from its political action committee. Via @notus.com: www.notus.org/money/arnold...
Major D.C. Law Firm Details Theft From Political Committee
The Arnold & Porter PAC told federal regulators a thief stole paper checks from mailboxes in Washington’s upscale Cleveland Park neighborhood.
notus.org
A jury took about two hours to find Salman Rushdie's attacker guilty of all three terrorism counts he faced. Hadi Matar could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Salman Rushdie attacker found guilty on all terrorism counts
A jury took about two hours to find Salman Rushdie's attacker guilty of all three terrorism counts he faced. Hadi Matar could spend the rest of his life in prison.
buffalonews.com
NEW: Cheyenne Hunt saw Eric Swalwell use campaign money to hire a firm that investigated women that accused him of sexual assault Hunt wanted to stop Graham Platner from doing that So she started texting Platner donors to teach them how to get refunds www.notus.org/2026-electio...
Inside the Push to Claw Back Graham Platner’s Campaign Money
“Anything that we can do to try to take resources out of the hands of predators is worth it,” Cheyenne Hunt told NOTUS.
notus.org
