News On Tap For Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025

Words Have Consequences

Today's "News On Tap" is flavored with consequences. From hateful actions that come from hateful words, to standing for integrity & science, to performative politics on Capitol Hill, we've got the news on all that and more today. Plus, Bob Cesca’s back at the bar tonight, with at least one solution for doomscrolling. We’ll talk with hm about that and more. But first…

First Round - Hateful Words, Hateful Actions

The Battle Over Free Speech

• Trump's Admin. Says It Will Target Left-Leaning Groups For Their Role Charlie Kirk's Assassination. Prosecutors In Kirk's Case Made No Such Link.

• Penn. Gov. Shapiro Slams Trump Admin. Members Over 'Cherry Picking' Of Recent Political Violence To Weaponize Death Of Charlie Kirk

• AG Pam Bondi Facing Serious Backlash Across Political Spectrum For Saying She’ll Target ‘Hate Speech’ After Kirk Killing

• Ryan Cooper: Republicans Are Trying To Leverage Charlie Kirk’s Death To Declare War On Free Speech

• Even FCC Chair Brendan Carr & Sen. Ted Cruz Don't Think Charlie Kirk's Murder Justifies The Kind Of Speech Restrictions Pam Bondi Wants

Hateful Actions

• Kirk Assassination Suspect Robinson Charged With Aggravated Murder; Suspect Left Note Saying He Planned To Kill Kirk, Later Confessed In Texts

• Bizarre Memes & Nihilistic In-Jokes: The Extreme & Hard To Understand Online World Of Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Killer

• Russian, Chinese, & Iranian Disinfo About Kirk’s Murder Flooded Into U.S. Internet Streams In Wake Of Killing, Seeking To Widen Divisions

• Hateful Words Lead To Hateful Actions: 13 People Hurt In 2 Mass Shootings At Minneapolis Homeless Encampments After Fox Host Brian Kilmeade Called For Homeless To Be Killed

Second Round - Trump Land

Trump's Visit To The UK

• Trump’s Second State Visit To The UK Filled With Both Royal Pomp & Roiling Protests

• Four Arrested After Photos Of Trump And Epstein Projected Onto Windsor Castle During President's UK Visit

The Trump/Epstein Cover Up

• House Oversight Committee Releases Additional Epstein Documents, Including Barr Deposition

• Tuesday’s Senate Hearing With Kash Patel Shows Trump's Team May Have Found Someone To Throw Under The Bus On Epstein: Alex Acosta

Third Round - A Govt. In Conflict With Itself

War Over Health

• Fmr. CDC Dir. Susan Monarez & Fmr. Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry Testify Before Senatel Say RFK Jr. Pressured To Rubber-Stamp Anti-Vaccine Rules

• RFK Jr.’S Crusade Against Vaccines Is Hitting Its Action Phase, As His Anti-Vax Advisory Cmte. Is Expected To Revise Rules For Life-Saving Hepatitis B Vaccine

• Largest Health Insurance Lobby AHIP Says They Will Continue To Cover COVID & Flu Vaccines, Effectively Ignoring RFK Jr-Controlled ACIP & CDC

Performative Testimony

• FBI Director Kash Patel Faces House Hearing Over Kirk Case & Epstein Files One Day After Fiery Senate Testimony

• Two Key Takeaways From Kash Patel's Combative Tusday Senate Hearing

Economic Realities

• Fed Approves Quarter-Point Interest Rate Cut And Sees Two More Coming This Year

• U.S. Long-Term Unemployment Hits Post-Pandemic High, Straining Economy

Shutdown Showdown

• Govt. Shutdown Odds Go Up After Dems Reject Repub Stopgap Proposal That Had No Real Democratic Input & Didn't Extend ACA Subsidies

• New Poll Confirms Democratic Voters Want Shutdown Fight

Elsewhere On Capitol Hill

• House Republicans Again Vote To Surrender Tariff Powers To Trump

• Republican Rep. Brian Mast Pulls Bill Proposal That Would Have Allowed Marco Rubio To Revoke U.S. Passports Over Baseless Allegations

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

States Of Dissent

• Univ. Of California Students, Professors, & Staff Sue Trump Admin. Over Frozen Research Funds & Baseless Civil Rights Accusations

• Oklahoma's High Court Stops Social Studies Standards That Include 2020 Election Misinformation From Taking Effect

• Federal Judge In Texas Rules Elon Musk’s X/Twitter Can Continue Retaliatory Lawsuit Against Media Watchdog Media Matters, But Only In Texas

• Georgia Supreme Court Declines To Hear Fani Willis’ Appeal Of Her Removal From Trump Election Case

• Trump DOJ Sues Oregon And Maine In Its Illegal Quest For Their State Voter Data

Election Land

• Democrat Wins Special Election For Seat Formerly Held By Slain Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman, Before She Was Murdered By A Right-Winger

• Utah Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Requiring New Congressional Map Ahead Of 2026, Which Will Likely Yield 1 More Democratic Seat

Foreign Affairs

• EU Proposes Suspension Of Trade Concessions With Israel Over Gaza War

• South Korea To Probe ICE Raid Of Georgia Hyundai-LG Factory For Possible Human Rights Abuses [Gift Link]

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

• MSNBC And NBC News Set For Editorial Split To Begin In October

• Matt Stone & Trey Parker Say No New ‘South Park’ Episode Tonight, Due To Time Crunch: “This One’s On Us”

• After Ohtani Pitches 5 Hitless Innings, Marchon’s 3-Run Homer Rallies Phillies Past Dodgers 9-6

• WNBA Playoffs: Seattle Storm And Indiana Fever Both Force Game 3s

Your Bar Regular For Today

Bob Cesca - podcaster, broadcaster, journalist, artist, & host of The Bob Cesca Show - is back at the bar tonight! We’ll talk with him about his show, and of course about his other show Trek Politics. We’ll also talk about the major topic of the last week - the shooting of hate monger Charlie Kirk, which Bob and us are very much against, as h wrote about at The Banter. We’ll also talk about what free speech really should be - and if RFK Jr. rally is trying to kill all of us. Plus, we’ll talk about our new store here at The Politics Bar, and more. Join us tonight!

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