Who was that masked man? Updating coverage: The hunt continued for a gunman who New York City police say ambushed and killed the leader of one of the nation’s largest health insurance companies.
■ The bullets used reportedly were inscribed with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose.”
It’s thisclose. With the nation’s final cliffhanger congressional contest resolved, Republicans are staring at the smallest House majority in U.S. history …
■ … and it’ll get teensier if Donald Trump gets two representatives into the executive branch.
‘Trump’s support for Hegseth is teetering—much like Pete Hegseth at a staff meeting.’ That’s Stephen Colbert, joining a late-night pile-on over the troubles of Trump’s would-be Pentagon boss.
■ Hegseth blames his troubles on journalists—doing, you know, um, reporting.
■ He was caught on camera in 2016 declaring Trump “all bluster, very little substance.”
■ The Atlantic’s David Frum: “It is an ominous sign that Morning Joe felt it had to apologize for something I said” about Hegseth.
■ Joe Scarborough fired back at Frum this morning in what Mediaite calls “a ferocious 20-minute rebuttal.”
■ Add another Fox face to Trump’s emerging team: Monica Crowley …
■ … a former Richard Nixon confidant interviewed by your Chicago Public Square columnist in 1998.
‘Shit show,’ ‘dumpster fire.’ A person close to Trump’s transition team tells Semafor phrases like that have been used to describe the process …
■ … but The Bulwark says Trump’s “prepared to go to war” for two nominees—including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. …
■ … who columnist Jennifer Schulze fears will infect the nation’s health agencies with propaganda.
■ Health care journalist Merrill Goozner finds a book by Trump’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration “disturbing.”
■ KFF Health News counts Illinois among the nine states with trigger laws that could eliminate health coverage for millions if Trump’s administration reverses the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion.
■ The Onion: “Hospital Sends Man Home With Loaner Dad While His Worked On.”
A ‘pardon factory’? Politico: President Biden’s team is talking about preemptive pardons for current and former public officials Trump might target for revenge prosecution …
■ … a notion endorsed by columnist Jeff Tiedrich: “Firewalls against fuckery need to be constructed now.”
■ The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s asking Biden to pardon his son, former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and Junior’s ex-wife.
■ An econ professor assesses Vice President Harris’ refusal to defend the Biden administration’s chief antitrust regulator, Lina Khan—while Khan was investigating Harris’ brother-in-law and top adviser’s employer, Uber.
Not budging. In a continuing power struggle at Chicago’s schools, CEO Pedro Martinez has reportedy rejected a buyout offer.
■ A Tribune editorial condemns Mayor Johnson’s “abhorrent treatment … of a reporter who had the temerity to ask him if he still wanted … Martinez removed.”
■ Chicago City Hall’s on alert for the prospect a Trump administration would target the city’s longstanding and increasingly rare program to designate a portion of spending for minority-owned businesses.
Trauma and disruption. Education columnist Jan Resseger assesses the impact on schools of Trump’s threatened immigration deportations.
■ The Onion speculates on “How The Trump Administration Will Carry Out Mass Deportation.”
‘Horrifying implications.’ Reviewing yesterday’s Supreme Court arguments over what he sees as “arguably the most important transgender rights case the court has ever heard,” Vox’s Ian Millhiser perceives justices poised to gut all rules against sex discrimination.
■ Hear the court’s session here.
House-shopping—or selling? Axios Chicago’s Carrie Shepherd explains the legal dangers to both parties from “love letters” explaining why someone’s the perfect buyer.
■ HuffPost lists things you might wanna buy now, before Trump gets his tariffs on stuff from Canada, China and Mexico.
‘Plenty of cause to be alarmed.’ Media watcher Oliver Darcy sees “a demoralized publication depleted of its spirit” as MAGA-curious owner Patrick Soon-Shiong tightens his grip on The Los Angeles Times, which he bought from the former Tribune Co.
■ Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos says he’ll “try to talk” Trump out of the idea that the press is the enemy.
■ ProPublica founder Dick Tofel: “Journalism isn’t over, but it is changing in fundamental ways.”
‘I can’t believe it’s not human!’ Diving deeper into an item from yesterday’s Square, columnist Eric Zorn perceives an “ominous look at the future of prose rendered by artificial intelligence.”
■ Zorn’s fellow former Tribune columnist Mary Schmich’s launching a new podcast with WBEZ.
■ And their fellow former Tribune columnist John Kass is frothing at the mouth over what he sees as Chicago media’s “prominent leftists.”
■ And their fellow former Tribune columnist John Kass is frothing at the mouth over what he sees as Chicago media’s “prominent leftists.”
Voted yet? The finals are underway in the Reader’s Best of Chicago poll, and Square would be honored to get a nod or two from you.
Thanks. Mike Braden made this edition better.