US/World News
Venezuela/Maduro Fallout
Maduro is gone, but his regime is intact. What happened behind the scenes? (The Guardian)
Maduro’s inner circle remains in place, led by his VP Delcy Rodriguez, who Trump asserted would remain in place if she “does what we want” and threatened she would “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro” if she does not.
Information suggests Maduro’s allies struck a deal with the Trump administration to give him up in exchange for staying in power.
Trump says opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado “doesn’t have the respect” of the country.
Trump’s grudge over Nobel Peace Prize is reportedly why he didn’t back Venezuelan opposition leader Machado (The Grio)
‘According to The Washington Post, the Trump White House views Machado’s decision to accept the Nobel Peace Prize rather than declaring that Trump deserved it more as an “ultimate sin.”’
‘Perhaps recognizing Trump’s very public campaign for the award, Machado dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump for his “decisive support for our cause.”’
Machado Offered Trump Her Nobel, but Prize Institute Says It’s Not Allowed (NY Times)
‘On Monday, Ms. Machado, speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News, said that presenting the prize to Mr. Trump would be an act of gratitude from the Venezuelan people for the removal of Nicolás Maduro, the country’s president who was captured last week by the United States.’
‘On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Institute clarified the rules governing the award, writing that the facts were “clear and well established.”’
‘“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared or transferred to others,” the institute wrote. “The decision is final and stands for all time.”’
US Forces Seize Fifth Oil Tanker (BBC)
DHS Secretary Noem says Olina was a “another ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil.”
Seized two other tankers earlier this week, including the Russian-flagged Marinera off the coast of Iceland
Trump says Venezuela “will be turning over” up to 50 million barrels of oil and Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US will control the proceeds from the sale of the oil, dispersing them “in a way that benefits the Venezuelan people.”
Trump Seeks $100bn in Oil Industry Spending for Venezuela (BBC)
Exxon’s chief executive Darren Woods said: “We have had our assets seized there twice and so you can imagine to re-enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we’ve historically seen and what is currently the state,” calling the country “uninvestable.”
Fact check: not exactly (Snopes)
Oil companies require “physical security, legal certainty, and a competitive fiscal framework,” according to energy industry analysts.
Venezuelan Heavy, Dirty Crude Requires More Refinement (AP)
‘It produces heavy crude that emits significantly more pollution than most other forms of oil. That’s because it takes more energy to extract and refine, which often involves burning natural gas, mostly methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that heats the planet.
The DONroe Doctrine? Really?
Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ seeks influence over Western Hemisphere (ABC)
State Department posts on X Monday, “This is OUR Hemisphere”
Monroe Doctrine dates to 1823
Framed as a declaration to European powers that colonialism was not welcome in the Americas
Long used to justify US intervention in Latin America
Trump team puts a target on Cuba, with threats and oil blockade (WaPo)
32 Cuban security personnel were killed guarding Maduro
‘To keep the lights on and cars running, Cuba has long been dependent on Venezuelan oil supplies, for which it has exchanged security and medical personnel in a sympathetic contract with leftist allies in Caracas.’
Rubio: “I’m not going to talk to you about what our future steps are going to be,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. But, he added, “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned.”
Trump Ramps Up Rhetoric on Greenland (NBC)
Trump: “We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump could use the military.
European allies issue joint statement defending semi-autonomous Danish territory’s sovereignty
US already has military presence on the island
White House Gaslights📌 America on January 6th Anniversary (NY Times)
‘On the fifth anniversary of the pro-Trump mob attack on the Capitol, the Trump administration created a new page on the official White House website that represented the president’s most brazen bid yet to rewrite the history of the Jan. 6 riot with false claims aimed at absolving him of responsibility.’
The webpage
Identifies by name members of the mob who died during, or in connection with, the assault - an attempt to create martyrs
Does not mention the nearly 140 police officers who were injured that day, nor those who died in its aftermath
Accuses Capitol Police of instigating the violence
Blames Mike Pence for certifying a “stolen election”
Accuses Democrats of creating a narrative to certify a “fraud-ridden election” and “persecute innocent Americans”
Asserts Trump called for a peaceful protest while ignoring his, “be there, will be wild” tweet in the weeks leading up to the event
Fails to mention the involvement of extremist groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers
Blames the Biden DOJ for taking “political prisoners” without mentioning that arrests and investigations began before Trump even left office
Minnesota
Trump administration says it’s withholding social safety net money from 5 states over fraud concerns (AP)
California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York targeted for increased scrutiny over unspecified fraud allegations
Targeted programs include child care subsidies for low-income households, TANF assistance for diapers and clothing, social services block grants
Judge blocks Trump effort to withhold child care funds from states (NBC)
Biden-appointee did not rule on the legality of the freeze, but said the five states met threshold “to protect the status quo” while arguments are made in court
Governor Tim Walz Drops Out of Race for Reelection (Politico)
Republicans sought to tie Walz to the Minnesota childcare fraud case, some right-wing provocateurs suggesting Walz is personally involved despite zero evidence.
“Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences,” he said in a Monday statement.
What we know after the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent (NPR)
On Wednesday, an ICE agent - later identified as Jonathan Ross - shot and killed 37-year old poet and mother of three, Renee Nicole Good during an encounter.
Agents gave Good conflicting orders, one telling her to leave while another told her to get out of her vehicle.
Footage shows Good attempting to speed away, swerving to avoid Ross, who positioned himself in front of her SUV - contrary to police training (Mother Jones)
The agent fired three shots, at least two of which came after the vehicle had passed him, hitting the victim at close range, causing her to lose control of the vehicle.
A Doctor Was Blocked From Helping An ICE Shooting Victim (Huffpost)
Man heard asking to give aid: “I’m a physician.”
ICE agent: “I don’t care.”
Took EMS 15 minutes to arrive and were blocked from getting ambulance near the scene, carrying the victim away on foot
Noem, Vance Blame Victim, Call Her “Domestic Terrorist”📌(Guardian)
‘The victim-blaming began almost immediately after news broke of Good’s killing on Wednesday. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and a regular spokesperson for ICE, declared in a post on X that “one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them – an act of domestic terrorism.”’
‘Multiple ICE officers were hurt, she insisted, when videos of the shooting showed no such thing.’
‘Good, [DHS Secretary Kristi] Noem said without presenting evidence, had been “stalking and impeding” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers before using her car as a weapon to try to run down the agent who killed her.’
‘Donald Trump repeated the claims in an inflammatory post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday afternoon and in a later interview with the New York Times, adding the disprovable assertion that “she didn’t try to run him over, she ran him over.”’
‘JD Vance, the vice-president, joined the fray on Thursday in an angry rant directed at the media during a White House press briefing. It was obvious to everybody, he suggested, that Good was so brainwashed by leftwing ideology that she was determined to kill a law enforcement officer.’
‘“This is classic terrorism,” he said. “Everybody who’s been repeating the lie that this is some innocent woman who was out for a drive in Minneapolis when a law enforcement officer shot at her, you should be ashamed of yourself.”’
‘It was not only politicians who joined the pile-on. Rightwing Fox News host Jesse Watters attacked Good’s personal life in a segment on Wednesday night, pointing out “pronouns in her bio” and that she “leaves behind a lesbian partner and a child from a previous marriage.”’
FBI Freezes Minnesota Officials From Investigation (NY Times)
Trump administration blocked MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from investigation, saying THEY couldn’t be trusted to conduct a fair inquiry
Initial plans to coordinate - as is normal in such cases- were scrapped on Thursday by Kash Patel’s FBI
State and city investigators are collecting evidence independently
Patel has diverted thousands of FBI employees to support ICE officials.
Experienced FBI agents had previously warned this could create a conflict of interest in cases just like this.
Congress Offers SOME Pushback on Trump
House passes bill to extend health care subsidies in defiance of GOP leaders (PBS)
Final tally was 230-196 after several Republicans signed onto discharge petition, bypassing Speaker Johnson
Bill moves onto Senate, where a small bipartisan group has been working on an alternative plan
‘On average, the more than 20 million subsidized enrollees in the Affordable Care Act program are seeing their premium costs rise by 114% in 2026’ (KFF)
Senate pushes back on Trump’s military threats against Venezuela with war powers vote (AP)
Five Republicans joined Democrats to advance the resolution that would limit the president’s ability to use US troops in Venezuela.
The five Republicans crossing the aisle were Hawley (MO), Paul (KY), Murkowski (AK), Collins (ME), and Young (IN)
‘Young in a statement said he supported the operation to capture Maduro, but was concerned by Trump’s statements that his administration now “runs” Venezuela.’
‘’It is unclear if that means that an American military presence will be required to stabilize the country,” Young said, adding that he believed most of his constituents were not prepared to send U.S. troops to that mission.’
The War Powers Act was passed in the aftermath of Vietnam over Nixon’s veto - though it has never actually stopped a president from engaging in military action
Congress hasn’t formally declared war since World War II
Also This Week:
US to exit 66 international organizations in further retreat from global cooperation (NPR)
‘Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order suspending U.S. support for 66 organizations, agencies, and commissions’ [...] ‘including the UN population agency and UN treaty establishing international climate negotiations’
Related: US will be exempt from global tax deal targeting profits of large multinationals (Guardian)
Agreement finalised by the OECD waters down a landmark 2021 deal that set a minimum global corporate tax of 15%
RFK Jr Introduces New Food Guidelines (CNN)
Urges more protein and ‘healthy fats,’ less ultraprocessed food and added sugars
South Carolina measles outbreak surges past 300 cases (NBC)
Cases up nearly 50% since earlier this week
Spread to neighboring county in NC and Washington State from vacationers
Additional outbreaks along AZ/UT border and in Ohio
Trump’s call for 10% credit-card cap (Bloomberg)
Banks say this would endanger profitability, affect Americans’ access to credit
Lenders’ stocks have been soaring, fueled by Trump’s deregulatory agenda
Bernie Sanders/AOC proposed a 15% cap in 2019; Sanders and Josh Hawley teamed on a 10% cap bill last year
Indiana News
Hoosiers in National News
Indiana wins national drone test site designation (Capital Chronicle)
Senator Young spearheaded the effort
IN and OK chosen as new sites for private companies, universities, and military to undertake drone development
Existing drone test sites exist in seven other states
Bid for the designation was sponsored by IEDC and Applied Research Institute
Boundaries TBD, but are expected to encompass a wide swath of the state from Purdue to southern Indiana
Young pointed to the designation as proof that Trump would not punish the state for failing to redraw congressional maps at his behest
Congressman Jim Baird released from hospital after crash in Washington, D.C. (WTHR)
Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN04) and his wife were hospitalized after their car was involved in a crash in DC
Was released with scrapes and bruising, Danise Baird required surgery and still hospitalized at last check
Baird’s hospitalization, as well as the recent resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) and death of Doug LaMalfa (CA) highlights narrow GOP majority in House
Indiana Rural Summit recruits and supports new candidates for 2026 races (Indiana Citizen)
About two dozen Democratic candidates for the state legislature simultaneously filed to run in rural and small-town districts following a Wednesday Statehouse press conference by the Rural Summit.
IRS founder Michelle Higgs highlighted that Republicans in gerrymandered rural districts often run unopposed
Legislature back in session
Senate Republican agenda focuses on public assistance, bail (Capital Chronicle)
‘Indiana’s Senate Republicans released a slim priority agenda Wednesday — targeting waste, fraud and abuse in Indiana’s food and health care benefit programs.’
‘Senate Bill 1, authored by Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, focuses on ensuring that only U.S. citizens receive aid.’
Garten, who last month delivered a fire-breathing fascist screed in favor of redistricting and posted AI slop of himself beating up Santa Claus on Christmas Day, is obviously lost down the right-wing rabbit hole.
‘Only one other bill was highlighted: Senate Joint Resolution 1, authored by Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford.’
‘The resolution is the second prong of a three-part process to amend the Indiana Constitution. The founding document makes nearly everyone eligible for bail, but the proposal would allow judges to deny bail to anyone they deem a “substantial risk.”’
House Republicans roll out 2026 agenda focused on housing, energy, deregulation (Capital Chronicle)
HB 1001 aims to make housing more affordable by limiting local zoning regulations and streamlining permitting
HB 1002 bill would overhaul how electric utilities determine rates
HB 1003 ‘proposes repealing, merging or “restructuring” dozens of state boards, commissions and councils.’
Proposal to eliminate Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission panned by experts
Also along these lines: Lawmaker proposes eliminating elections for hundreds of county officials (WTHR)
HB1004 continues Rep. Bob Behning’s yearslong quest to remove language from the state education code - some of which he was responsible for as chair of the education committee since 2011.
House Democrats, and the Black Legislative Caucus roll out competing priorities for the 2026 session (Indpls Recorder)
Eliminating sales tax on utility bills and give “customers that same tax cuts as data centers.”
Making the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) an elected body.
Banning political spending by utility companies.
Capping health insurance premiums by ensuring the Indiana State health Insurance Commission considers “affordability as a factor when approving or denying premium increases.”
Creating a state health insurance exchange.
Keeping medical debt from affecting credit scores.
Create a tax-free savings account for people saving toward their first home purchase, similar to the Indiana529 college savings plan.
Establish a first-time homebuyer grant program funded by “predatory real estate corporations.”
Develop a public/private childcare program to split costs between employers, the state and parents.
Keeping “violent offenders off the streets and deterring violent crimes against law enforcement officers through sentencing enhancements.”
Joe Hogsett - With Democrats Like These…
Legislative proposal would create a new mayor-appointed board over Indianapolis schools and charter schools (Mirror Indy)
‘HB 1423 largely falls in line with the recommendations of the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance and would create an Indianapolis Public Education Corporation made of nine board members appointed by the mayor. The new body would have the authority to control and manage school property, as well as to establish and oversee a transportation plan to transport all students within Indianapolis Public Schools boundaries — the two primary goals lawmakers had for the work of the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance.’
‘The Indianapolis mayor would need to appoint members to the corporation body by June 1, 2026.’
So, like, right away
The bill does not, however, mention the need for additional special education funding — a recommendation from the ILEA that does not appear to have been adopted.
Grand jury investigating conflicts of interest by former Hogsett sidekick (Mirror Indy)
‘The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office on Jan. 6 released its quarterly grand jury report, which shows a grand jury heard testimony on five occasions in November and December. That testimony concerned “unlawful touching and/or unlawful communication by a public servant or person between March 2019 and December 2023” and the “unlawful pecuniary interest in a contract of a public servant and/or former public servant.”’
‘While the report doesn’t go into further detail or name [him] specifically, the timeline matches up with the allegations against [former Hogsett Chief of Staff Thomas] Cook.
‘In October, a Mirror Indy/IndyStar investigation found at least $80 million in public incentives were awarded or recommended to Cook’s clients after he was forced to resign over a prohibited relationship with a subordinate. That employee, Scarlett Andrews, was promoted shortly after Cook’s resignation to lead the Department of Metropolitan Development — the city agency responsible for the incentives that flowed to Cook’s clients.’
Cook had also previously been accused of sexual misconduct and abuse by multiple women he had supervised in the mayor’s office.
IMPD Chief Chris Bailey appointed to chief deputy mayor (FOX59)
Bailey is leaving IMPD to become Hogsett’s chief of staff & deputy mayor
Will assume the role in February
Replaces Dan Parker, who served from Aug ‘22
Finally This Week
Redistricting foe Sen. Greg Walker changes mind, says he’ll seek reelection (Capital Chronicle)
Walker (R-Columbus) announced last summer he wouldn’t seek reelection
Filed Wednesday to run anyway
Was a vocal critic of Trump’s redistricting push
Faced swatting and intimidation
Faces primary opponent Rep. Michelle Davis (HD58-Whiteland)
Indiana throttles Oregon, clinches berth in CFP title game (ESPN)
Hoosiers defeated Ducks 56-22 in semifinal at Peach Bowl Friday night in Atlanta
Will play Miami for national championship next Monday at Hurricanes’ home stadium
IU Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza a Miami native
The tenderloin could be Indiana’s first official state sandwich (Statehouse File)
Legend says sandwich was invented in Huntington in 1908
Sen. Andy Zay (R-Huntington) introduced bill to declare pork tenderloin state sandwich
Indiana is 5th in US pork production
Zay is leaving Senate next week to chair IURC
