Hi, all, and happy Sunday!

It’s been a hell of a week, as always, so let’s take a break to enjoy the long, long list of amazing things that happened while we were busy doomscrolling. It’s the worst of times, for sure, but that doesn’t mean victories and steps forward aren’t happening. They are, and if we don’t stop to celebrate them then what’s the point of all of our hard work?

You do so much. You deserve to celebrate your wins. So please do!

Thank you, as always, for being here—and a special thank you to those of you who have paid subscriptions. This newsletter literally pays my bills, and the vast majority of folks who get it don’t pay for it—which is fine! But those of you who do are literally keeping the lights on. Thanks for that.

Celebrate This! 🎉

A federal judge permanently barred the Trump administration from implementing most of his first executive order on elections, part of which sought to require people to show documentary proof of citizenship when they register to vote.​

A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked federal agencies from implementing Trump’s attack on mail voting and his attempt to create a national voter registration list.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country, has adopted new guidelines limiting screen time for its students on district-issued devices, following a previously passed district cell phone ban.

A federal judge tossed out a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department that accused four New Jersey cities of having ‘sanctuary’ policies that shield undocumented immigrants and from federal immigration enforcement.

A manufacturer of firefighting foam agreed to a $10 million settlement with Wisconsin over PFAS pollution.

The watchdog for the DHS announced that its office is launching two new reviews related to ICE’s handling of detained migrants.

In NYC, a city board voted to freeze rents for up to two years for about 1 million rent-stabilized apartments, delivering on a key piece of Mayor Mamdani’s agenda.

Gov. Wes Moore is planning to deliver a sweeping speech on patriotism on July Fourth from the Maryland State House in Annapolis — with the aim of counterprogramming Trump’s ego-fest at the Capitol.

Former employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have launched a new website, Climate.us, to fill the void left when the Trump administration shut down a government-run climate information site.

The CEO of Snapchat, along with his wife, just announced a partnership to relieve $550 million in medical debt for an estimated 261,000 Californians.

A new Fox News poll in Ohio shows Sherrod Brown (D) with a solid lead over Sen. Jon Husted (R), 53% to 45%.

A top FEMA official who once claimed he had teleported to a Waffle House is leaving the agency.

An arbitrator ruled that a San José State University professor who was terminated after disputes over her role in campus protests related to the Gaza war must be reinstated as a tenured professor.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from seizing the medical records of people who received gender-affirming care as minors in New York City.

A district court judge rejected Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s bid to force plaintiffs in a lawsuit over alleged sexual abuse to identify themselves publicly.

Congress passed the largest affordable housing bill in decades with overwhelming bipartisan support. Trump hasn’t signed it yet, but let’s celebrate that a bipartisan group of lawmakers accomplished something for the American people!

Vermont became the first state to ban paraquat, a weed killer linked to Parkinson’s disease.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a bill requiring photo ID to mail-in vote.

A judge blocked Trump’s rule limiting federal student loans for certain grad school borrowers. This is great news!

Thanks to a lawsuit by journalist Katie Phang, a judge issued a preliminary injunction that gives Todd Blanche a week to release certain names and other information redacted by DOJ from the millions of pages of the Epstein files.

The most powerful man in the Utah Senate, Stuart Adams, whose law let data centers skip local zoning, permitting, and public comment, lost his primary and therefore his seat!

The US military is again requiring recruits to get flu shots after a huge Air Force outbreak.

In a historic breakthrough, the first person ever was functionally cured of sickle cell in Louisiana.​

in California, utility-scale solar outproduced gas plants on 82% of all days from January through May, with batteries helping to extend solar’s reach into the evening hours.

Vermont has banned AI chatbot therapy, passing a law that requires a mental health professional to conduct therapeutic services.

Across the country, Democrats are smashing downballot recruitment records, fielding more candidates in more races than they have in decades—or ever.

A federal judge said a lawsuit challenging the Department of Justice’s creation of a $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization” fund will proceed.

The Los Angeles City Council backed an ordinance to halt new oil and gas drilling and phase out existing oil wells citywide over the next 20 years.

Scott Shellenberger, Baltimore County’s prosecutor for two decades, has been a vocal opponent of criminal justice reforms. He lost on Tuesday to career prosecutor Sarah David in the Democratic primary.

​Zohran Mamdani appointed a lifelong vegan to lead New York City’s food policy efforts.

The mayor of Aurora, Colorado, Mike Coffman, has been sleeping in the city’s homeless shelter once a week so he can better understand how to improve it.

NJ has paused a $500M tax incentive program created to attract AI companies and data centers to the state.

Olivia Rodrigo announced her all-female Daisy Chain Fields Festival, where 100% of net proceeds from tickets will go to charities that advocate for women and young girls.

A California court dismissed a lawsuit filed ⁠by Trump’s administration against Los Angeles over a city ordinance making it a “sanctuary city” and limiting ⁠its cooperation with federal ⁠immigration ​authorities.

Democratic turnout is up, even in Republican districts.

Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup Slate Auto says it’s brought in more than 180,000 reservations for its low-cost barebones electric pickup. (I can’t stand him, but more EVs on the road is a really necessary thing right now.)

The ACLU announced that it will monitor ballot counting and election certification this November.

Trump’s “Great American State Fair” is a debacle.

The California billionaire tax will be on November’s ballot.

FEMA approved California's request to extend critical disaster assistance for Los Angeles fire survivors. Huge.

Two Republican candidates for statewide office in MA, including the state party’s de facto nominee for attorney general, won’t appear on the September primary ballot after a signature fraud controversy.

In 2025, the baby name “Donald” hit its lowest point of popularity in U.S. history.

Albania’s ongoing street protests are now the largest public demonstrations since the collapse of the communist regime in 1991. It’s basically a youth-led revolution. So inspiring! 🦩

A conservative Georgia radio host announced he is supporting Jon Ossoff for the U.S. Senate.

A study on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness was finally published after being blocked from a government health journal.

IL Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation to shield patients’ abortion-related digital medical records from access by outside authorities who have sometimes used them to pursue criminal cases in states where the procedure has been outlawed.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a second round of medical debt forgiveness, eliminating more than $74 million in debt for nearly 72,000 Michigan residents.

After huge pressure from the dairy industry, the Trump administration opened a new legal pathway for migrant farm workers.

A Catholic diocese in New Mexico is challenging the Trump administration’s use of eminent domain to seize 14 acres of land for a mile and a half of border wall, saying it would desecrate a 29-foot statue of Jesus Christ.

A federal judge in California blocked the federal government from making arrests at immigration courts nationwide.

The Brennan Center for Justice sued the Trump administration, seeking records on whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) has created lists of voters for states to remove from the rolls.

The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Robert Garcia, set a July 8th deadline for information from the Reflecting Pool contractors about their failed restoration and wasted taxpayer dollars.

“Alligator Alcatraz” is shutting down permanently!

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from subpoenaing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other officials, declaring that the request is an effort “to harass and retaliate.”

Solar is now the cheapest source of electricity in history, and the market knows it. In 2025, a new solar project was installed every 59 seconds in the U.S. alone.

A federal judge blocked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using its citizenship database to purge voters.

The DOJ lost yet another voter roll case in Maryland. For those keeping score at home: That means they’re 0 for 9.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s top Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone unexpectedly called for a nationwide moratorium on data center development.

When Maryland adopted major restrictions on ICE just one Democrat in the statehouse opposed them: Frank Conaway. He got ousted on Tuesday night.

Heat pumps are on the verge of outselling standard ACs in the US. Bravo!