The story Newsom orders a study of AI kill switches as Anthropic funds Accenture evaluators
Who said it?
“AI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX,”
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Donald TrumpFox News · President of the United StatesRead it ›
Logged Jun 21 · What did the record show?
“What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is if they are illegally in the US – NOT their skin color, race or ethnicity.”Department of Homeland Security · The Guardian
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Disputedresolved in 90 days
DHS keeps repeating race is not a factor, but SCOTUS's Kavanaugh concurrence and independent data show ethnicity is used and correlates with outsized Latino arrests.
“But beyond that, if you're going to say you have sympathy for the people who had died in Gaza, especially the innocent people due to a war initiated by Hamas, then you also need to talk about the genocide, an attempted genocide that happened in Israel on October the 7th.”
Stories: what happened, what was argued, and who said it
New today
Trump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, promising more bans
Trump announced the ban on Truth Social without saying how it would be enforced, and reporters from all three outlets were still working on White House grounds Friday afternoon.
Trump seated at desk, flanked by officials and facing the pressPhoto: BBC News
In dispute
The federal government's roughly $8 million in Politico subscriptions justifies restricting Politico's White House access.
Disputes
Politico PressPolitico's communications team
“received government subsidies are false and have been thoroughly debunked.”
Reason Magazine (The Volokh Conspiracy)legal commentary publication
To be sure, if the exclusion is based on some objective viewpoint-neutral judgment about which outlets are so factually inaccurate that they don't merit inclusion, or about the $8.2M in 2024 federal government subscriptions to Politico newsletters, that might be permissible.
Missing from most of the 96 sources we read todayWhat losing CNN would do to the five-network television pool that shares presidential footage with every outlet, a point only NPR and PBS's AP copy raised.
Open the record1 question in dispute · 5 of 10 sides covered · facts and sources▾
Trump announced the ban effective immediately but gave no enforcement details, and reporters from the banned outlets were still at the White House Friday afternoon. [201][86]
The split PBS called it "another troubling escalation" [218], MSNBC said "fake news" is Trump's term for "factual unflattering reports" [102], and The Federalist said the banned outlets are "well known for advancing hoaxes" [414].
Where they partEvery camp accepts Trump announced the ban without enforcement; they split on whether it is press freedom escalation or deserved punishment for hoaxes.
The facts9 points
01On Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, around 3 p.m. Eastern, Trump posted on Truth Social that he was banning "Fake News CNN, MSNOW... and Politico" from the White House "effective immediately" (CBS News)
02Trump's post said the outlets "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES" and warned "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow" (CBS News)
03Asked about the ban during an Oval Office healthcare event, Trump said "Because they're fake news" (CNN)
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04Trump did not specify what enforcement action, if any, had been taken to implement the ban (CNN)
05As of 4:45 p.m. Friday, journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico remained present on White House grounds (CBS News)
06CNN said it has "a right under the U.S. Constitution" to report from the White House and called a ban "an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right" (CBS News)
07White House Correspondents' Association president Jacqui Heinrich, a Fox News correspondent, said the WHCA "stands in defense of our colleagues at CNN, MSNOW, and Politico who are being singled out for doing their jobs" and that "the Constitution protects the freedom of the press from government interference" (The Wrap)
08Heinrich noted Trump himself described the action in the Oval Office as a "ban on the free press" (The Wrap)
09In February 2025, the White House barred Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office and Air Force One after AP declined to adopt the "Gulf of America" name; a federal judge ordered access restored, and the AP's litigation over continued restrictions in smaller spaces is ongoing (CBS News)
ContextIn February 2025, a federal judge ordered the White House to restore AP's access after it was barred over "Gulf of America," but an appeals court later allowed the White House to keep the AP out of tighter spaces like the Oval Office while the lawsuit continues.
5 source groups in today’s recordNo relevant coverage found from CommunistDemocratic SocialistEstablishmentReligious RightTech
How outlets handled it5 source groups · original passages and links▾
The source record
LiberalFrames ban as escalating pattern of press retaliation, cites past incidents5 sources
“I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they're going to write false stories all the time.”President Donald Trump, quoted by MSNBC · Trump asserts a right to exclude outlets even if the ban faces legal challenge
“North Korea levels of censorship”Rep. Robert Garcia, top Democrat on House Oversight Committee, quoted by MSNBC · Democratic lawmaker's charged comparison casting the ban as authoritarian media control
is how MSNBC, one of the banned outlets, defined Trump's use of "fake news" in its own story. NBC and USA Today tied the timing to Trump's sagging approval ratings, and NBC printed Politico's statement that the subsidy claim was "thoroughly debunked." Seven receipts across five outlets led with the First Amendment.
“It's difficult to imagine a more blatant violation of the First Amendment than Trump banning news outlets from the people's house for criticizing the government. It's also hard to imagine a dumber move.”Freedom of the Press Foundation, quoted by PBS NewsHour · press freedom group calls the ban an unconstitutional assault on outlets for criticizing the government
“They purposely write negative news. And they do that because they want to try and diminish the Republicans and a Republican administration.”President Donald Trump, quoted by PBS NewsHour · Trump's own stated motive for banning the outlets, alleging deliberate anti-Republican bias
is how PBS's White House correspondent described the move on air. BBC called it "the latest twist in his fraught relationship with media outlets" and gave its closing paragraphs to press-freedom groups.
LibertarianLegal analysis: ban unconstitutional in press room, permissible in Oval Office1 source
Reason MagazineSep 19
“if the exclusion is based in part on disapproval of CNN's, MS NOW's, and Politico's perspectives or editorial judgments as being unfair or unsound, that would likely be seen as viewpoint-discrimination—which, again, is unconstitutional as to the main press briefing room but constitutional as to the Oval Office.”Reason (Volokh Conspiracy) · outlet's core legal conclusion on where and why the ban would or wouldn't survive a constitutional challenge
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States of America.”Donald Trump, President, quoted by The Federalist · justifies banning the three outlets by casting their coverage as fabricated
“an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them ‘alive.’ Seems like corruption to me!”Donald Trump, President, quoted by The Federalist · alleges Politico's government subscription deal was corrupt taxpayer-funded life support
is The Federalist's case for the ban, followed by a list of past coverage it called hoaxes. Breitbart ran the Truth Social post in full, and the Blaze amplified the White House rapid response account's own list.
“We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right.”CNN, network statement, quoted by The Advocate · argues the ban would be an illegal violation of constitutionally protected press rights
“It’s a very simple ban. I don’t want them in my office. I don’t want them here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can.”Donald Trump, President, quoted by The Advocate · gives no substantive justification when pressed, suggesting the ban is arbitrary and open-ended
is The Advocate's description, which also reported CNN's claim that its team was still traveling with Vice President Vance. TheGrio, the Black outlet on the story, ran it straight with the Reporters Committee's view that the ban would be "flatly unconstitutional." Al Jazeera ran a short video interview on press access.
US, Denmark and Greenland strike a permanent security deal after months of annexation threats
The deal gives the US permanent basing, access and overflight rights and bars non-NATO bases, while Denmark says it keeps sovereignty; no text has been released and signing is set for next week in New York.
People hold a Greenland flag on the shoreline of Bear Island with boats floating in the background on a sea spotted with large chunks of icePhoto: BBC News
All three governments call it a security deal and Denmark says Greenland stays in the Kingdom, but no text has been released. [200][130]
The split MAGA commentator Benny Johnson declared Trump "now owns Greenland" [429], BBC described it as "resolving a diplomatic dispute" [200], and the Guardian called it "a foreign policy accomplishment he can tout to voters" [158].
They disagree about what is trueCamps agree on the deal's basing and access terms; they disagree on whether it gives Trump ownership of Greenland or leaves Danish sovereignty intact.
Missing from all 96 sources we read todayGreenlanders themselves; every outlet quoted the three governments, and none quoted a resident of the island of roughly 56,000 people.
Open the record4 of 10 sides covered · facts and sources▾
The facts10 points
01President Trump announced on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he said gives the US "permanent control over security, and all other needs" in Greenland (CBS News)
02The deal grants the US permanent access, basing and military overflight rights in Greenland and bars non-NATO countries from establishing bases there (CBS News)
03A State Department official said the arrangement remains in effect "even if Greenland becomes a fully independent country" (CBS News)
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04The deal restricts investment by US adversaries in sensitive sectors, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it "permanently and completely addresses our national security concerns" by excluding adversaries from the region (CBS News)
05Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement recognizes "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom" and Greenlanders' right to self-determination, and said "We can negotiate on everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty." (Al Jazeera)
06Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the deal "strengthens" the territory's security and "recognises Greenland's interests and our place in international cooperation" (Al Jazeera)
07The three governments plan to sign the agreement in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 22, during the UN General Assembly, and it must still pass Danish (and Greenland) parliamentary procedures (CBS News)
08Trump said the US would "immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland" (CBS News)
09No text of the agreement has been released (NBC News)
10The US has operated a base in Greenland (now Pituffik Space Base) since the 1950s, under a 1951 US-Denmark defense agreement (CBS News)
4 source groups in today’s recordNo relevant coverage found from CommunistLibertarianReligious RightTech
How outlets handled it4 source groups · original passages and links▾
The source record
LiberalCasts deal as Trump's claimed triumph against Denmark's insistence sovereignty stays intact3 sources
“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland”Donald Trump, US President, quoted by The Guardian · signaling the US intends to expand its military footprint on the island under the new pact
“recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination”Mette Frederiksen, Danish Prime Minister, quoted by The Guardian · asserting the deal stops short of ceding Greenland despite Trump's earlier annexation push
is how the Guardian placed the deal, weeks before the midterms and amid an unpopular Iran war. It suggested the pact "might possibly just reiterate the existing US rights through Nato." CBS and NBC both emphasized that it falls short of the takeover Trump once demanded.
“gives the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland, completely addressing all of our many U.S. concerns. There will be no cost to the United States.”Donald Trump, US President, quoted by PBS NewsHour · claiming the deal secures permanent US military and investment control over Greenland at no cost
“The president didn't say, we want a little bit more access to Greenland. He said, we want Greenland. And that is a real -- was a real threat to European sovereignty.”Nick Schifrin, PBS NewsHour correspondent · explaining why Trump's original annexation demand, not just basing rights, alarmed European allies
PBS's Nick Schifrin framed the deal as the end of a rift that had made Europe question whether the US was an ally. BBC said it was "resolving a diplomatic dispute" but noted it is unclear how the deal differs from the 1951 agreement that already lets the US send unlimited troops.
“permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns”Donald Trump, US President, quoted by Washington Examiner · announcing the US secured lasting military control over Greenland under the new agreement
The Examiner's single receipt relayed Trump's claims, including that the deal comes at "NO COST" to the government, without independent assessment in its available text. It is the establishment right's only piece on the deal today.
“the US has entered into an agreement with Denmark that gives U.S. permanent control over security and all over the needs of Greenland, completely addressing all of our many U.S. concerns”Donald Trump, US President (paraphrased from his Truth Social post), quoted by Benny Johnson · Trump claims total, permanent US control over Greenland's security at no cost to Washington
“This is the Monroe Doctrine in effect. Trump was not kidding. The US military will own the Western hemisphere now.”Benny Johnson, host · frames the deal as the opening move in US military dominance over the whole hemisphere, not just Greenland
Benny Johnson told his audience the island had changed hands, a claim Fox's own exclusive contradicted when it said the deal "stops short of transferring sovereignty." Fox got the first detailed outline from a senior official, the Daily Wire called it the fulfillment of "a longstanding pledge," and OAN printed Trump's Truth Social post…
Newsom orders a study of AI kill switches as Anthropic funds Accenture evaluators
California's governor gave experts two months to recommend AI safety laws, including an emergency shutoff, on the same day Anthropic said it and Accenture will each invest at least $1 billion to put evaluators inside the lab.
Missing from all 96 sources we read todayHow a California kill-switch law would reach frontier models trained and run outside the state.
Open the record3 questions in dispute · 8 of 10 sides covered · facts and sources▾
Newsom signed an order Friday asking experts for AI safety recommendations, including a kill switch, within two months, while Trump calls AI doom warnings a hoax. [135][219][134]
The split The socialist left split between an "extinction fantasy" [40] and "real dangers that we can’t afford to ignore" [33], Fox reported Republicans "questioning the motivation of AI companies" [365], and Noahpinion saw rare "bipartisan national unity" [619].
The argument
02
California should require frontier AI models to have an emergency shutdown ('kill switch') capability.
“We’re not waiting to act — we’re going to speed up our work on substantial and responsible AI oversight before it’s too late.”
Their reason “The federal government’s abject failure to create any form of meaningful AI oversight or accountability should alarm every American, especially when AI CEOs themselves are begging for regulation”
Unexpected alignmentThe establishment right's Washington Examiner, Fox on the populist right and Jacobin's "criti-hype" piece on the socialist left all asked whether the industry's doom warnings serve the industry. [274][365][40]
The facts8 points
01California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Sept. 18, 2026, directing the state's Government Operations Agency to develop recommendations for strengthening AI safety oversight (Governor's Office)
02The order gives experts two months to deliver guidance, including on requiring frontier AI models to have an emergency shutdown ("kill switch") capability (Governor's Office)
03It also directs consideration of embedding independent verification organizations onsite at AI companies to conduct audits, building on SB 813's framework for certifying such organizations (Governor's Office)
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04The order also calls for updating the definition of "critical safety incidents" under SB 53 (2025) to include loss-of-control events (Governor's Office)
05On the same day, Anthropic and Accenture announced a partnership in which each company plans to invest at least $1 billion over five years, for a combined $2 billion, in AI safety evaluation (CNBC)
06The partnership, led by Accenture's Faculty unit, will embed evaluators inside Anthropic with access "comparable to employees" to red-team models, conduct alignment assessments and test safeguards, an approach Anthropic calls "embedded evaluation" (TechCrunch)
07Former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon announced his resignation on X on Sept. 9, 2026, stating "the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade" (Axios)
08Coxon said he left roughly two months before his equity was due to vest (Axios)
ContextThe order builds on SB 53 (2025) and SB 813 (2026), California's first-in-nation laws on frontier AI transparency and third-party safety certification (Governor's Office).
8 source groups in today’s recordNo relevant coverage found from Communist
How outlets handled it8 source groups · original passages and links▾
The source record
Democratic SocialistDefends AI-extinction alarm as legitimate, touts Sanders bill banning superintelligent AI1 source
one Jacobin piece argued, backing Sanders' superintelligence ban. A second Jacobin piece the same week called it an "extinction fantasy" that "distracts from the real damage AI is already doing." The Intercept gave the hour to Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor's "End Times Fascism." [33][40][52]
“The federal government’s abject failure to create any form of meaningful AI oversight or accountability should alarm every American, especially when AI CEOs themselves are begging for regulation”Gavin Newsom, California Governor, quoted by NBC News · argues Washington's inaction, not the tech itself, forces states to act first
“When the CEO says, ‘I can’t control what I’ve built, and what I’m building could destroy humanity,’ that’s not time to kick the can down the road.”Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Governor, quoted by NBC News · cites AI executives' own admissions of losing control as grounds for urgent third-party oversight
is NBC's frame, which listed Spanberger, Shapiro, Kelly, Pritzker and Obama as fellow AI-oversight voices. Its politics newsletter cited a poll finding 70% of adults more worried than excited.
“More cynical observers wondered whether the former employee’s public resignation was a ploy meant to push Congress into further regulating AI models.”Washington Examiner · outlet casts doubt on whether AI-doom warnings are genuine or a lobbying tactic for regulation
to push Congress toward regulation, the Examiner wrote. Its only piece treated the Accenture deal as the first step of Dario Amodei's plan and printed Anthropic's statement that it "will fund Accenture’s work directly" without comment.
is CBN's description of the OpenAI misalignment cases, which it paired with Vance's line about Frankenstein. CBN's video hosts answered with Proverbs 3.
is how Al Jazeera placed Google's confirmation, obtained by its own correspondent, that Gemini guessed credentials to reach three real companies in May. It is the only non-tech outlet that added a new incident to the record today.
is Gary Marcus's near-term fear, a narrower claim than extinction. TechCrunch reported the choice of Accenture "surprised many AI watchers," WIRED argued the labs' own interpretability research already justified a pause, and WIRED's political desk mapped the left's split.
Day 90Trump weighs annihilating Iran as a report puts US war dead at 22since Mar 23Full timeline ›
Trump weighs annihilating Iran as a report puts US war dead at 22
A Gambia-flagged tanker vessel Bili is pictured anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran in May.Photo: BBC News
Today · Sep 19
The Pentagon lists 18 US military deaths while the Washington Post, citing six officials, reports at least 22; Trump told Axios he has a big decision coming, and Saudi Aramco is cutting October crude to some European refiners.
In dispute
Trump is on the verge of ordering a major US strike to "annihilate" Iran's regime.
Missing from all 96 sources we read todayThe Gulf leaders Trump says he will consult in New York on Tuesday; no outlet reported their positions or quoted any of them.
Open the record1 question in dispute · 8 of 10 sides covered · facts and sources▾
They disagree about what is trueCamps agree Trump is weighing further strikes on Iran; they disagree over whether the Pentagon's death toll is accurate or is concealing the true count.
Unexpected alignmentThe libertarian Reason and the Trotskyist WSWS built their pieces on the same Pentagon admissions about damaged bases and supply ships rerouted to Diego Garcia to argue the war cannot be sustained. [301][13]
The facts8 points
01President Trump told Axios on Thursday, Sept. 17, that he faces "a big decision" on whether to "go in and annihilate" Iran. (Axios)
02DISPUTED: The Pentagon's public Defense Casualty Analysis System lists 18 US military deaths since the war began Feb. 28; the Washington Post, citing six officials, reported at least 22 (with a sixth official citing 23), and Defense Secretary Hegseth called the report "a complete LIE." (Mediaite)sources conflict
03The Pentagon told Congress the war had cost $43.6 billion in operating and replacement costs as of Sept. 3, plus $1.5 billion in additional fuel costs, for a total of $45.1 billion; the estimate excludes the cost of repairing damaged bases. (CNN)
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04The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran found reasonable grounds to believe two Feb. 28 US strikes, on the Tree of Tayyiba Elementary School in Minab, killing more than 150 people including about 120 children, and on a sports complex in Lamerd, killing 22 civilians, constituted war crimes; US Central Command has denied responsibility for the Lamerd strike. (NBC News)
05Saudi Aramco told European refining customers under long-term contracts they will receive no crude in October, after a Sept. 10 drone attack shut down the kingdom's East-West pipeline and damaged three pumping stations. (Bloomberg)
06Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it struck the Togo-flagged tanker Trend on Sept. 17 over what it called an illegal attempt to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, setting the vessel afire; the report was not independently confirmed. (The Hill)
07The State Department notified Congress on Sept. 18 of a potential $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighters and engines to Saudi Arabia; Congress has 30 days to object. (Defense News)
08The UN reports at least 100,000–125,000 Yemenis have been newly displaced since early September amid renewed Houthi–Saudi-backed fighting that ended a ceasefire in place since 2022. (UN News)
ContextThe Pentagon's revised $43.6B war-cost estimate is up from $11.3B after the war's first six days in February, an almost fourfold increase as the conflict has ground on for nearly seven months. (Fox News)
8 source groups in today’s recordNo relevant coverage found from EstablishmentTech
How outlets handled it8 source groups · original passages and links▾
Where each side stood today
Far LeftExposes concealed US death toll and mounting war costs to indict an illegal war of aggression2 sources
“I call it a military conflict because it’s small potatoes for us.”Donald Trump, US President, quoted by World Socialist Web Site · dismisses American troop deaths in the Iran war as minor while the true toll is reportedly being undercounted
“is no longer usable”unnamed US official cited by the Wall Street Journal, quoted by World Socialist Web Site · describes the destroyed Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, part of billions in undisclosed war damage
is the WSWS verdict on the Post's count. It is the only camp that put "covered up" in its headline, and it laid out the named soldiers dropped from the Pentagon database in July alongside base damage figures from the Wall Street Journal.
“stupid rules of engagement”Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, quoted by Truthout · vowed to forgo civilian-protection rules and rain 'death and destruction from the sky all day long,' cited by UN investigators as evidence of disregard for civilian harm
is Truthout's name for the war, and it set Trump's threat beside the UN war-crimes finding. Jacobin wrote that Ansar Allah "is likely to benefit" from the instability, and Truthout covered the Markey resolution against a $5 billion bomb sale.
“the most incompetent secretary of defense we've had in our nation's history”Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, quoted by USA Today · blames Hegseth's handling of the Iran war for damaging national security and costing taxpayers billions
is USA Today's assessment of the Pentagon's own figure, which it tied to Massie's impeachment articles against Hegseth. CBS carried Sen.
“we simply don't know how to model the endgame”JP Morgan commodities research team, quoted by BBC News · a major bank publicly conceding it cannot forecast oil prices amid the unresolved US-Iran war
“Six months later [since the war began], many of those lines have been crossed, yet the exit strategy is less clear, not more”JP Morgan commodities research team, quoted by BBC News · notes Trump-administration economic red lines like $100 oil and 5% bond yields have already been breached with no resolution in sight
is how BBC read a rare JPMorgan note abandoning its oil baseline. The wire tier covered the war through markets and household costs, with AP collecting North Carolina drivers' reactions and PBS asking why Iran survives sanctions.
LibertarianFaults Trump's broken quick-war promises as conflict drags on, straining US missile stocks2 sources
Reason MagazineSep 19
“four or five weeks”President Donald Trump, quoted by Reason Magazine · the war he promised would be brief is now approaching its seventh month
“greater than a nuclear bomb”unnamed Iranian officials, quoted by Reason Magazine · Iran boasting its leverage over the Strait of Hormuz outweighs the threat of US military might, explaining the standoff's persistence
Reason wrote, arguing the White House is suppressing prices at the cost of future shortages. It counted Patriot and THAAD stocks, reported US advisers in a joint Saudi command and concluded "There is little domestic appetite for U.S.
MAGAChina quietly presses Iran to restrain Houthi allies threatening Saudi shipping lanes3 sources
Breitbart NewsSep 19
“The Snake’s Dead But It Doesn’t Know Its Dead”Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, quoted by Breitbart News · administration messaging framing Iran's regime as finished despite continuing to direct Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and shipping
is Breitbart's read of Beijing's reported private pressure, casting Tehran as isolated. The camp's only receipt today ran nothing on the Post's death count or the cost report.
“We must, first and foremost, topple the Iranian regime; this is my directive, and this is our top mission.”Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, quoted by CBN News · reveals the endgame sought is regime change, not just nuclear rollback
is CBN's lead context for Trump's threat, followed by Netanyahu's call to "topple the Iranian regime." The paleoconservative outlet kept its day count at 203 and led on Aramco's cutoff to Europe and $4.47 gasoline. [437][445]
“a complete lie”Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary, quoted by Al Jazeera · his flat denial of the Washington Post's higher death toll, with no explanation offered for the discrepancy
Al Jazeera wrote of the 18 versus 22 count. The Arab American News' weekly briefing led with the UN war-crimes finding and named the Yemeni movement "Ansar Allah," and Middle East Eye ran Trump's claim that the war "is going to end soon." [477][484][562][604]
is how The Algemeiner named the force driving families from their camps. Its Reuters-based report centered displaced Yemeni women and did not cover the US death count.
Sep 8Iran says it will declare a restricted zone reaching from the US blockade line into the Persian Gulf, and Hormuz traffic falls to about ten ships a day
Sep 5Trump calls the Iran war "small potatoes" as diesel hits a record $5.85 a gallon and a Gold Star widow is told the country was not at war
Sep 4Vance says he is extremely skeptical the US bombed an Iranian wedding, and American diesel hits a record $5.85 a gallon
Aug 30Six months into the Iran war, Trump swaps bombs for sanctions, and Iran's president says the gasoline is not coming in
Aug 27Iran says it has agreed with Oman on how to split the Strait of Hormuz and its tolls, and will not reopen it until the US lifts its blockade
Aug 26Bessent sanctions 60 Iran-linked targets, Trump says the Strait's mines are cleared, and Tehran says the waterway is still closed
Aug 25Bessent opens Operation Economic Outcast against Iran, sanctions 60 entities, and says he does not want to blow up the global financial system
2 earlier days in this chapter
Aug 24Bessent promises the toughest sanctions in history on Monday, and Iran's security chief threatens to halt all Gulf oil exports
Aug 23Trump declares an economic war on Iran and Bessent promises the toughest sanctions in history on Monday, six days after the ceasefire memorandum expired
The story turnsAug 23declares an economic war on Iran
Chapter 13 · Aug 19 – Aug 22 · 4 days
Window expires, sanctions begin
57 articles · 9 of 10 sides
Aug 22Trump declares an "economic D-Day" on Iran, and Bessent says the details come Monday
Aug 21Bessent says the sanctions will "collapse this regime," and oil rises twice in one day while Iran's foreign minister points at the $40 trillion debt
Aug 20Trump declares an economic D-Day on Iran and threatens any country that gives Tehran a lifeline
Aug 19The 60-day Iran window expires with no deal, Trump says no talks are scheduled, and the UAE halts all trade with Tehran
A federal judge now requires 30 days' notice before any demolition, and Friday's human chain followed the Trump-appointed board's Tuesday vote to close the main building.
In dispute
Trump's name or recognition should be placed on the Kennedy Center building.
“Putting Trump’s name on it would be like saying it’s the Trump Lincoln Memorial or it’s the Trump Jefferson Memorial or it’s the Trump Memorial for the Unknown Soldier. No, that doesn’t happen. This is his memorial to our president, beloved President John F. Kennedy. Leave it alone.”
Missing from all 96 sources we read todayThe performers and staff whose seasons the closure cancels; no outlet counted the shows or jobs affected.
Open the record1 question in dispute · 7 of 10 sides covered · facts and sources▾
Where they partEvery camp accepts the board voted to close the building under a judge's demolition notice; they split on whether that is fiscal necessity or vanity project.
The facts9 points
01Hundreds of protesters, organized by the group Hands Off the Arts, formed a human chain around the Kennedy Center on Friday evening, Sept. 18, 2026, after a 6:30 p.m. rally on the center's steps (NBC Washington)
02DISPUTED: Organizers said more than 1,000 people from 42 states and overseas RSVP'd, after initially expecting 400–800 participants (Forbes); some media reports described the turnout as "hundreds" (Fox 9)sources conflict
03The Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees voted Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, to immediately close the main building, citing exhausted funding and safety concerns raised by a construction consultant (Washington Times)
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04A preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper barring closure was already in place, meaning the board's vote could not take effect until Cooper lifted it (NBC News)
05On Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, Judge Cooper ordered the Kennedy Center to give at least 30 days' notice before any demolition or other major physical/structural change to the building (The Well News)
06Cooper's order also stated the center cannot install memorials for Trump or anyone else without Congress's approval (ABC News)
07Cooper's order followed lawyers for Rep. Joyce Beatty, an ex officio board member, submitting photos appearing to show Trump examining a placard reading "Kennedy Center DEMOLISHED" (ABC News)
08Trump wrote on Truth Social that the board voted "almost unanimously" to close the building "for Safety reasons" and to begin reconstruction, and said he had contributed $17 million he raised to keep the center afloat (Washington Times)
09The Kennedy Center's fiscal year 2024 financial records showed roughly a $40 million surplus once philanthropic contributions and government grants were included, despite an operating deficit; the center's current CFO has disputed those figures, citing a $100 million operating deficit and $26 million bottom-line deficit under prior leadership (SSBCrack News)
7 source groups in today’s recordNo relevant coverage found from CommunistDemocratic Socialist
How outlets handled it7 source groups · original passages and links▾
Where each side stood today
LiberalCovers mass street protest defending the Kennedy Center from demolition threat5 sources
“Look at the East Wing”Chris Raleigh, co-founder of Hands Off the Arts, quoted by The Guardian · warns Trump could demolish the building without court notice, citing the sudden White House East Wing demolition
“I can save it easily, but why should we be doing that and then raise money for the rest of our lives to keep it afloat?”Donald Trump, US President, quoted by The Guardian · frames his intervention as a rescue the administration deserves credit for
is how the Guardian grouped the center with Trump's arch and the golf-course takeover. MSNBC added a check that the Air Force One images "did not establish that a demolition had been approved," while USA Today gave the protesters and speakers the most space.
“tens of millions of dollars, even hundreds of millions of dollars”Donald Trump, US President, quoted by BBC News · his unverified claim of losses used to justify remaking or demolishing the center
is the BBC's answer to Trump's claim of losses, drawn from 2024 federal audit records. The wire tier fact-checked the money and gave Kerry Kennedy room to call a demolition a tragedy, while PBS ran the judge's notice order in its news wrap.
LibertarianFrames Kennedy Center threat as vanity extortion, blames Trump's own takeover for financial ruin3 sources
Reason MagazineSep 19
“Before Trump reentered office in January 2025, the Kennedy Center was doing rather well, even netting a $6 million surplus in 2023.”Reason Magazine, citing Joe Lancaster · undercuts Trump's claim that he is rescuing the center, showing its finances only soured after his takeover
Reason wrote, tracing Trump's reversal from quitting the project to threatening to raze it. It noted the center netted a $6 million surplus in 2023 before Trump's takeover.
“If it comes down, so what? D.C. Democrats have enough monuments to themselves, starting with this country’s entire capital city.”The Federalist · concluding the venue's possible demolition is no loss because it primarily serves a wealthy Democratic elite
“What they’re so devoted to are its exclusive events, the black-tie ones, where you don’t see Republicans or tourists, only the usual green room guests of CNN, MS Now and the network Sunday news shows.”The Federalist · arguing defenders of the center are motivated by class exclusivity, not the art or multiculturalism they claim to cherish
is The Federalist's description of the center, cast as a status symbol for affluent Democrats near Georgetown. It is the only receipt in any camp that endorsed demolition.
“He said he was going to hold me responsible if something fell out of the ceiling and killed someone.”Rep. Joyce Beatty, Kennedy Center board member and plaintiff, quoted by The Advocate · describing Trump's reported threat to her during the dispute over the center's structural safety and reconstruction
“Given the unexplained and unlawful closure, it is possible Defendants intend to undertake immediate steps in order to make public access practically impossible for the foreseeable future, including by demolishing public avenues of access to the building, and thereby evade the Court’s order by fait accompli”Attorneys for Rep. Joyce Beatty, quoted by The Advocate · warning the administration could demolish parts of the center before courts can stop it, evading the judge's order
is how The Advocate framed the building in reporting the judge's order and Rep. Joyce Beatty's lawsuit.
The Supreme Court lets Trump keep building his $400 million ballroom by a single vote, and John Roberts joins the dissenters to call the work likely unlawful
16 articles · 5 of 10 sides
Sep 1The Supreme Court lets Trump keep building his $400 million ballroom by a single vote, and John Roberts joins the dissenters to call the work likely unlawful
Day 15Lone Clancy holdout juror says he didn't have any doubts she planned the killingssince Aug 21Full timeline ›
Lone Clancy holdout juror says he didn't have any doubts she planned the killings
Defendant Lindsay Clancy in the courtroom during the trialPhoto: BBC News
Today · Sep 19
Michael Desronvil's statement contradicts the foreperson, who said he admitted reasonable doubt; the jury split 11-1 for not guilty by reason of insanity, and prosecutors have not said whether they will retry.
They disagree about what is trueThe holdout juror says he never doubted Clancy's criminal responsibility while the foreperson says he admitted reasonable doubt, a direct contradiction over deliberations.
Missing from most of the 96 sources we read todayWhat the confidential jury questionnaire asked and whether Desronvil's past accusations barred him under Massachusetts law, which only Reason examined. [295]
Open the record4 of 10 sides covered · facts and sources▾
Unexpected alignmentReason and CBN both defended the holdout juror, Reason on the design of the jury system and CBN on moral grounds. [295][464]
The facts8 points
01Holdout juror Michael P. Desronvil said in a statement he "didn't have any doubts" about Lindsay Clancy's criminal responsibility during deliberations (CBS News)
02Desronvil said the evidence was "enough proof that she knew exactly what she was doing and planned" (PBS News)
03Three other jurors, including the foreperson, told NBC Boston the panel split 11-1 in favor of finding Clancy not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility, and said Desronvil had expressed doubt in the prosecution's case during deliberations (NBC News)
Show 5 more factsShow fewer
04Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial on Sept. 4, 2026, after the jury deadlocked following about 38 hours of deliberations over seven days (CNN)
05Lindsay Clancy admitted to killing her three children in January 2023; her defense argued she was suffering from postpartum psychosis (CBS News)
06A status hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Plymouth Superior Court, where prosecutors are expected to indicate whether they will seek a retrial, pursue a plea deal, or take other action (FEA for All)
07Attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik, now representing Desronvil, said Desronvil will not give further interviews and is "safe and sound at an undisclosed secure location in a rural area of Northern New England" (NBC News)
08Patrick Clancy and his wife, Dr. Rachel Danis, gave a joint interview to CBS's 60 Minutes, scheduled to air Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026 (CBS News)
4 source groups in today’s recordNo relevant coverage found from Democratic SocialistEstablishmentMAGATech
How outlets handled it4 source groups · original passages and links▾
Where each side stood today
LiberalFrames holdout's account as contested and entangled in right-wing culture-war praise3 sources
“refuses to listen to the law”jurors' note to Judge William Sullivan, quoted by MSNBC · other jurors formally accused the holdout of ignoring the reasonable-doubt standard, prompting defense to seek his removal
“I didn't have any doubts”Michael Desronvil, holdout juror, quoted by MSNBC · his statement insisting the evidence proved Clancy planned the killings, contradicted by other jurors' accounts
is how MSNBC introduced right-wing figures, naming Donald Trump Jr. and Rep.
“I didn't have any doubts”Michael Desronvil, holdout juror, quoted by BBC News · his statement asserting Clancy knowingly planned the killings despite an 11-1 split toward acquittal
“But I'm still not going to say that she's not guilty by reason of insanity.”Michael Desronvil, holdout juror, as recounted by the jury foreperson, quoted by BBC News · foreperson says he admitted reasonable doubt yet still refused to vote for insanity acquittal, causing the mistrial
is the BBC's baseline, which it printed next to both the holdout's statement and the foreperson's account that he "admitted he had reasonable doubt." It closed with the Sept. 29 hearing and a clip of Patrick Clancy's new wife.
LibertarianOpinion piece defends holdout's right to dissent against public shaming over his past3 sources
Reason MagazineSep 19
“I'd still rather live in a world where jurors do not feel obligated to discard their convictions simply because they are outnumbered.”Reason Magazine · the outlet's own argument that a lone dissenting juror is a safeguard, not a failure, of the justice system
“Why are we doing this? Would anyone be subjecting Desronvil to this interrogation, and publicly picking apart his life, had he voted the other way?”Reason Magazine · questioning why media dug into the holdout's arrest and eviction history only after his vote became known
Reason wrote, objecting to the public dissection of Desronvil's past. It explained that his prior accusations did not legally disqualify him.
“he felt like they were activists”Ray Marcel, true crime blogger relaying the holdout juror's account, quoted by CBN News · claims eight jurors decided her innocence on day one out of ideological activism rather than evidence
“this was a feminist cause for her that she said we should rule in this way because we can make it better for other women”CBN News host, describing another juror's stated reasoning, quoted by CBN News · alleges a juror voted based on feminist politics rather than legal standards for insanity
is how a CBN host described Desronvil, comparing him to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. CBN's hosts tied the case to euthanasia in the Netherlands and gender medicine as signs of a culture calling evil good.
The story turnsSep 8Massachusetts must decide whether to try her again
Chapter 2 · Sep 3 – Sep 6 · 4 days
The hung jury
77 articles · 7 of 10 sides
Sep 6A single juror holds out, the state's highest court refuses to remove him, and the Lindsay Clancy trial ends in a mistrial after seven days of deliberation
Sep 5A judge declares a mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy case after her lawyer spends the final hour appealing to the state's highest court to remove one juror
Sep 4The Clancy jury's foreperson tells the judge one juror will not follow the reasonable-doubt instruction, and the judge refuses to remove them
Sep 3A second deadlock in the Lindsay Clancy trial, and a woman is charged with filming the jurors outside the courthouse
Aug 24Lindsay Clancy's own note, "medication stole me from my own body," lands in a Massachusetts courtroom and becomes a MAHA argument about antidepressants
Aug 23A Massachusetts jury will decide whether postpartum psychosis excuses Lindsay Clancy, who strangled her three children, as hundreds of women rally outside the courthouse in pink
Aug 21A hospital chaplain testifies that Lindsay Clancy described a persistent male voice, and hundreds of women in pink hold a vigil outside the courthouse
Day 5Kraft pledges $2 million for Palestinians after pushing Macklemore off Sheeran's toursince Sep 15Full timeline ›
Kraft pledges $2 million for Palestinians after pushing Macklemore off Sheeran's tour
Sheeran holding guitar and smiling over at Macklemore who is also smilingPhoto: BBC News
Today · Sep 19
Macklemore gave his $1 million in net tour earnings to Palestinian aid groups; Kraft matched his challenge without naming recipients, and Sheeran plays Philadelphia Saturday with no supporting acts left.
Missing from all 96 sources we read todayThe aid groups named as recipients; no outlet asked any of them how the money would be spent in Gaza.
Open the record5 of 10 sides covered · facts and sources▾
Unexpected alignmentThe Intercept and The Forward, from opposite sides of the Israel debate, asked the same question: where Kraft's $2 million will actually go. [51][570]
The facts8 points
01Macklemore led "Free Palestine" chants, wore a keffiyeh and showed Gaza destruction footage during shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sept. 4–5, 2026, opening for Ed Sheeran. (Rolling Stone)
02Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (Sheeran's Sept. 25–26 tour stop), barred Macklemore from performing there, citing his stage conduct and what Kraft called a "broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery," which Macklemore denies. (CBS News Boston)
03Sheeran said publicly that "Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," attributing the call to Messina Touring Group. (Billy Penn)
Show 5 more factsShow fewer
04Opening acts Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga withdrew from the remaining tour dates in solidarity with Macklemore. (CNN)
05On Sept. 17, 2026, Macklemore pledged $1 million, his net earnings from the Sheeran tour, to six organizations supporting Palestinians. (The National)
06Robert Kraft pledged $2 million toward humanitarian aid "in the region" without naming recipient organizations; Kraft said Sheeran had asked him to commit the $2 million before Macklemore issued his public challenge. (CNBC)
07Ed Sheeran plays Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, his first show since the dispute, with no opening acts remaining on the bill. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
08The Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z organized a protest outside the venue, with a planned 4:30 p.m. meetup ahead of the show; police said they would deploy a "sizable" presence inside and outside the stadium. (Billy Penn)
5 source groups in today’s recordNo relevant coverage found from CommunistLiberal MainstreamEstablishmentReligious RightTech
How outlets handled it5 source groups · original passages and links▾
Where each side stood today
Democratic SocialistExposes Kraft's decades of pro-Israel military donations behind his Palestinian aid pledge5 sources
for decades” he has “supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians,” such as initiatives to “to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationshipsRobert Kraft, in a statement announcing the $2 million pledge, quoted by The Intercept · claim the outlet contrasts with his undisclosed $196,000 in donations to Friends of the IDF and other pro-Israel advocacy groups
“Israel does not have a more loyal friend than Robert Kraft.”Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, quoted by The Intercept · praise given when Kraft launched his $20 million antisemitism foundation pledging to fight the Palestinian-led BDS movement
is the Intercept's finding from Kraft Family Foundation tax forms since 2006, alongside $3 million from the Kraft Group to AIPAC's super PAC. Truthdig called Sheeran a man who "appears to both physically and morally consist of mashed potatoes." Both socialist-left receipts made Kraft, not Macklemore, the story.
“There is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed”Macklemore, rapper dropped from Sheeran's tour, quoted by BBC News · argues Sheeran's silence itself amounts to a political choice after losing tour slots over Gaza comments
“I agree with Macklemore, too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate”Robert Kraft, Gillette Stadium owner who banned Macklemore, quoted by BBC News · explains his rationale for barring Macklemore while insisting he shares concern over the death toll
is BBC's frame for Sheeran, with a timeline of who said what and two fans' opposing views. It reported falling resale prices and an Irish radio station dropping Sheeran's music.
“Robert Kraft is a pedophile and someone should kill him.”Mike Recine, comedian, quoted by The Free Press · example of the vitriol Kraft faced online after pushing Macklemore off the tour, which the outlet cites to skewer the backlash's tone
“Macklemore has become even more of a hero, gaining hundreds of thousands of followers, bringing more attention to the cause.”The Free Press · sarcastically frames the fallout as having backfired by boosting Macklemore's profile rather than punishing him
The Free Press wrote after citing Macklemore's 2014 costume and a comedian's post calling for Kraft's killing. It was the only camp to put the antisemitism charge and the violent backlash in the same paragraph.
“I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people”Robert Kraft, Patriots owner and Gillette Stadium owner, quoted by The Forward · justifying his $2 million pledge for Palestinians after ousting Macklemore from the tour
is how The Forward opened, asking where the $2 million will go and pointing to his past support of Seeds of Peace. It quoted Boston's JCRC director praising both the pledge and Kraft's stand against Macklemore.
is the Dearborn paper's frame, built around Mayor Abdullah Hammoud's offer of a free city-sponsored concert. Middle East Eye's Soumaya Ghannoushi placed the removal beside the Israeli documentary NASA and apartheid-era boycotts.
“I will match Macklemore’s donation and I invite every wealthy white celebrity to match it and speak out against the genocide in Gaza.”Rachel Accurso (Ms. Rachel), children's entertainer, quoted by TheGrio · publicly commits her own money and dares other white celebrities to follow, framing Gaza as genocide
“We have a moral obligation to use our privilege and platforms to protect children and human rights.”Rachel Accurso (Ms. Rachel), children's entertainer, quoted by TheGrio · argues fame carries a duty to act on Gaza, the moral stake driving her donation
TheGrio centered Rachel Accurso's challenge, putting her call on "wealthy white celebrities" in its headline, and printed Sheeran's explanation that his audiences include children. [585]
“What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is if they are illegally in the US – NOT their skin color, race or ethnicity.”
Department of Homeland Security via The Guardian · logged Jun 21 · resolved in 90 days
DHS keeps repeating race is not a factor, but SCOTUS's Kavanaugh concurrence and independent data show ethnicity is used and correlates with outsized Latino arrests.
Adam Bruderer (via Openverse)Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney (RTX) stand to gain from the State Department's approval of a potential $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 jets and 49 F135-PW-100 engines to Saudi Arabia, notified to Congress on September 17, 2026 (State Dept.). The flow is proposed: Congress has 30 days to block it, and Democratic senators separately moved to disapprove a related $5 billion, 10,004-unit JDAM-ER bomb-kit sale to Saudi Arabia approved September 4, 2026 (State Dept.). Saudi Arabia pays, as the buyer; reporting cites intelligence concerns that F-35 technology could be exposed to China through the kingdom's ties to Beijing. The decision came from the State Department, which frames the sale as strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base. Lockheed Martin spent $15.7 million lobbying in 2025 with the FY2026 NDAA and defense appropriations among its listed issues (OpenSecrets); no lobbying or donor record ties either contractor's spending to this specific sale decision.
The WSWS alone reported that about 100 workers at a non-union Illinois pork plant walked out after a Congolese coworker died, and used it to indict OSHA's reduced fines. [8]
Reason alone covered a Second Circuit ruling that border agents may search travelers' phones without suspicion, including the concurrence warning it erodes privacy. [297]
CBN alone reported a Minnesota county's online-only building permits and a First Liberty claim that an Amish man was jailed for living in his own home. [435]
The Arab American News alone covered hate-crime charges against a 79-year-old Troy man who police say carried a loaded pistol while threatening four Muslim men. [555]
“What I didn't count on, I think, Kevin, was that the response to that open AI hugging face incident has really gotten people thinking differently about these sort of things.”
Casey NewtonTechHard ForkUS, Denmark and Greenland strike a permanent security deal after months of annexation threats
“gives the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland, completely addressing all of our many U.S. concerns. There will be no cost to the United States.”
DDonald TrumpUS Presidentin PBS NewsHourUS, Denmark and Greenland strike a permanent security deal after months of annexation threats
“recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination”
MMette FrederiksenDanish Prime Ministerin The GuardianNewsom orders a study of AI kill switches as Anthropic funds Accenture evaluators
“The federal government’s abject failure to create any form of meaningful AI oversight or accountability should alarm every American, especially when AI CEOs themselves are begging for regulation”
GGavin NewsomCalifornia Governorin NBC NewsTrump weighs annihilating Iran as a report puts US war dead at 22
“the most incompetent secretary of defense we've had in our nation's history”
“But I'm still not going to say that she's not guilty by reason of insanity.”
MMichael Desronvilholdout juror, as recounted by the jury forepersonin BBC NewsKraft pledges $2 million for Palestinians after pushing Macklemore off Sheeran's tour
“There is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed”
MMacklemorerapper dropped from Sheeran's tourin BBC NewsTrump bans CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, promising more bans
“North Korea levels of censorship”
RRep. Robert Garciatop Democrat on House Oversight Committeein MSNBCNewsom orders a study of AI kill switches as Anthropic funds Accenture evaluators
“When the CEO says, ‘I can’t control what I’ve built, and what I’m building could destroy humanity,’ that’s not time to kick the can down the road.”
JJosh ShapiroPennsylvania Governorin NBC NewsLone Clancy holdout juror says he didn't have any doubts she planned the killings
Breitbart NewsSep 19
