Morning Minute: Dems in Glass Houses...

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Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Good morning, and welcome to RedState's "Morning Minute" — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day.

TOP O' THE MORNIN'

Red-Hot at RedState

'Deeply Ashamed' Former Harvard Prez Larry Summers Steps Back From Public Life Amid Epstein Revelations

Summer’s predicament reminds me of those great Southwest commercials: sometimes, you just want to get away.

Hakeem Jeffries Takes Hard 'L' After Yet Another 'Dems in Disarray' Moment Plays Out on House Floor

Ahead of the vote, Democrat House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) strongly argued for tabling it, predictably calling it a distraction and saying the American people's priorities were elsewhere and not the democracy that Democrats have spent the last five years arguing was in "danger."

We *Finally* Know What Barron Trump Whispered to Joe Biden on Inauguration Day

There you have it – mystery solved. Barron Trump is polite young man who took the time to greet Joe Biden in a moment that was undoubtedly awkward for Biden as he made the swift transition to "former president."

Trending Across Townhall Media

A Great Way to Avoid Being Shot or Stabbed? Minding Your Own Business.

It's one thing if you're actually or potentially saving lives because you insert yourself in something--Eli Dickens probably could have escaped from the Greenwood Park Mall, after all, but I'm glad he didn't--but it's another to just want to see a fight, an argument, or something equally stupid.

Maher Shows How Ignorant and Feckless Liberals Are in Glorious Exchange

But you can't vet 8 billion people, so you make rules that are by their nature blunt and "unfair." Because the alternative is worse.

A Tale of Two Pundits: Tucker Carlson and Mark Levin

In this feud, it is clear to me which side is righteous and which is dangerous. My prayer is that we all recognize the truths about both men, and choose to support the righteousness and biblical foundation of Mark Levin, and not support Tucker Carlson until, with God's help in opening his heart, he recognizes what he has become and changes his words, values, and actions.

Chuck Schumer Was Asked Why Biden Didn't Release the Epstein Files...His Answer Was Brutal

No one who needs to work for a living is that obsessed about this case. Also, Trump said to release the files, and now some lefties are demanding that they not release the documents.

Bluesky Bubble Boy: Bill Maher Schools Patton Oswalt and His 'Sudden Amnesia' About Gender Ideology

They're like little children who think that if they just plug their ears, cover their eyes, and scream, then reality ceases to exist.

WHAT'S ON TAP?

Today on Capitol Hill...

There are several meetings/hearings set for Tuesday on the Hill, including:

House Financial Services — The Future of Deposit Insurance: Exploring the Coverage, Costs, and Depositor Confidence

House Ways and Means, Work and Welfare Subcommittee — Leaving the Sticky Notes Behind: Harnessing Innovation and New Technology to Help America's Foster Youth Succeed

House Budget — Oversight of the Congressional Budget Office

House Education and Workforce — "The Future of College: Harnessing Innovation to Improve Outcomes and Lower Costs"

House Energy and Commerce, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee — Innovation with Integrity: Examining the Risks and Benefits of AI Chatbots

Joint Economic Committee — Hearings to examine frontier technologies, industrial efficiency, and pro-innovation policies

The Senate has a vote scheduled late Tuesday afternoon on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Ho Nieh to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2029.

Meanwhile, over in the House, the Dems had a normal one on Monday:

a remarkable scene on the House floor.
After the House rejects a Democratic motion to table the resolution condemning @RepChuyGarcia, Republicans have largely left the floor. Democrats are left by themselves debating and squabbling over the motion
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) November 18, 2025

They could vote Tuesday on the privilege resolution put forth by Democrat Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) calling on the House to condemn Democrat Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) for essentially rigging the system to ensure his chief of staff, Patty Garcia (no relation), succeeded him at the end of this term, which will be his last in Congress.

And, as of right now, the House is also set to vote Tuesday on the bill to release the Epstein files. 🍿

White House What's Up

On Tuesday, President Trump meets and has lunch with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In the evening, the president and First Lady Melania will participate in an East Room dinner with the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

Keeping Up With the Cabinet

Sec. War - Pete Hegseth — Hegseth recently shared a video emphasizing the military's "back to basics" approach to basic training.

Back to Basics. pic.twitter.com/xuygzuzQLR
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) November 18, 2025

Full Court Press...

We had several court rulings of note on Monday, including:

❌ U.S. v. Comey (false statements/obstruction) — Judge William Fitzpatrick (Eastern District of Virginia) orders government to disclose all grand jury materials to defense. But then...

✅ U.S. v. Comey (false statements/obstruction) — Judge Michael Nachmanoff (Eastern District of Virginia) has GRANTED DOJ's request for stay of magistrate judge's ruling compelling DOJ to turn over grand jury material to defense, pending resolution of their objections.

↔️ J.O.P. v. DHS (immigration/motion to enforce settlement) — Judge Stephanie Gallagher DENIES P's motion for order directing Ds to provide prompt notice of class member's return to the U.S. and motion to find probable cause to hold Ds in contempt; DENIES D's motion to vacate portion of previous order.

↔️ Doe v. Bondi (housing TG inmates) — Judge Royce Lamberth issues order extending preliminary injunction (was set to expire 11/21).

❌ C.M. v. Noem (access of lawyers to immigrants in detention - Alligator Alcatraz), Judge Sheri Polster Chappell (Middle District of Florida) issues order setting schedule and settlement conference and denying defendants' motion to dismiss (without prejudice).

COMING ATTRACTIONS

First Lady Melania Trump and Second Lady Usha Vance will travel to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, on Wednesday, to spend time with military members and their families.

MORNING MUSING

You won't find me arguing that the Jeffrey Epstein situation has been handled particularly well from the Republicans' perspective. There's been some mixed messaging and some frankly odd optics, but one thing I suspect most agree on is that if there were truly something damning regarding President Trump in the "Epstein files," we'd all have seen it long, long ago.

I don't know whether the evolving messaging from the White House has simply been reactive — perhaps so. But it's also possible that, on some level, there was the hope we'd see Democrat buy-in. And so we have — they're all-in on it now. "Release the files!!!1!" Okay. Well, based on what we're seeing ooze out of the documents released by the estate, that may well come back to bite them. Paging Stacey Plaskett...

Let's think about that for a second: A sitting member of Congress was receiving real-time coaching during a hearing from a known sex offender slimeball, seemingly without a second's thought to it. There's a whole onion to peel there, and I will guarantee you it's going to get uglier as we go.

No, I'm not naive enough to think that there aren't potentially Republicans or people I like who may have something to answer for when/if the chips are allowed to fall, but I'm okay with that. That's on them. And odds are, this is going to play a lot worse for the Dems. Bring it on.

LIGHTER FARE

Looks to be touch and go.

Will he be ok? 😅 pic.twitter.com/7uV12Cnjek
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) November 17, 2025

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