The Hollywood Reporter reports: Blonde star Ana de Armas is speaking out against her Marilyn Monroe bio-drama getting an NC-17 rating. When asked about the rating by French fashion magazine L’Officiel, the actress replied, “I didn’t understand why that happened. I can tell you a number of shows or movies that are way more explicit with a lot more sexual …

CNN reports: Democrat Mary Peltola won the special election to fill Alaska’s House seat for the remainder of 2022, according to unofficial results released by the Alaska Division of Elections, thwarting former Gov. Sarah Palin’s bid at a political comeback — at least for a few months. But she’ll get another chance at the House race — Palin and Peltola …

Mediaite reports: The Lincoln Project targetted the Republican nominee for governor of Arizona, Kari Lake, in their latest ad highlighting the controversial candidate’s pledge to “fire the federal government.” “Interesting idea. Maybe it’s a good idea,” then says a narrator. “Of course, 42% of Arizona’s budget comes from the federal government, so that would require a 72% increase in state …

Axios reports: Republican candidates around the country are trying to disappear the hardline anti-abortion stances they took during their primaries. Blake Masters, the GOP Senate nominee in Arizona, removed language that said, “I am 100% pro-life,” per NBC News. House candidates Tom Barrett of Michigan, Christian Castelli in North Carolina, and Barbara Kirkmeyer in Colorado also removed language from their …

The Texas Tribune reports: Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that it would be unconstitutional to increase the minimum age to buy assault-style rifles from 18 to 21 years old — a key proposal Uvalde parents have called for after an 18-year-old gunned down their children’s school in May. “It is clear that the gun control law that they are seeking …

The Arizona Courier reports: Kelli Ward is telling a federal judge if she lets the Jan. 6 Committee access her phone records it will endanger not only her rights but those of the entire Arizona Republican Party. Ward, through attorney Alexander Kolodin, said the subpoena issued by the committee seeks to discover with whom she communicated about her “concerns” with …

The Daily Beast reports: Appearing on pro-Trump pundit Charlie Kirk’s talk show on Wednesday, Trump attorney Alina Habba brushed off the seriousness of the situation, insisting that the Justice Department is fishing and is trying to pin whatever they can on Trump. And things like violating the Espionage Act and obstructing justice are so ho-hum. “They say themselves in these …

The New York Times reports: Two lawyers for former President Donald J. Trump are likely to become witnesses or targets in the investigation into how he hoarded documents marked as classified at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate — and secretly held onto some even after the lawyers claimed all sensitive materials had been returned, legal specialists said. The lawyers, M. Evan …

“What is it in this picture, exactly? Well, the administrative state posts this picture of documents all across the floor. Nothing necessarily telling there, but there’s two big things, and you have to look a level deeper for there. “The first of which is an intentional placement of a Time Magazine cover. Now, look, they knew that this was going …

CNBC reports: A lawyer who had pushed to overturn the 2020 election loss of then-President Donald Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to answer questions during an appearance Wednesday before a grand jury in Georgia, his attorneys said. John Eastman also invoked protections under attorney-client privilege in refusing to answer at least some questions he was …

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports: For months, Sen. Ron Johnson has drawn scrutiny for his office’s role in attempting to deliver false packets of electors to former Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6. While the Oshkosh Republican continues to downplay his office’s connection to the effort, saying his participation lasted just seconds, one of Wisconsin’s false electors has been working …

The Washington Post reports: A Virginia judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by two Republicans that sought to limit how bookstores and public school libraries could distribute two books to minors, closing — at least temporarily — an unusual commercial strategy in what conservatives say is a campaign to protect students. The two books at the heart of the …

Mississippi Today reports: One month before the city of Jackson water system began failing, an EPA assessment team flagged numerous system problems in a July 2022 report. The report, obtained by Mississippi Today, documents a litany of problems contributing to the capital city’s long-running and ongoing water crisis, which threatens the health and livelihoods of its residents. The report was …

CNN reports: Sen. Lindsey Graham continued to argue in a court filing Wednesday that a Fulton County subpoena for his testimony in the investigation into plots to illegally influence Georgia’s 2020 election results should be quashed or, at the very least, heavily limited in scope. In the filing, Graham, a South Carolina Republican, argued that the topics Fulton County District …

Reuters reports: Bed Bath & Beyond Inc on Wednesday said it inked deals for more than $500 million in new financing and that it would close 150 stores, cut jobs and overhaul its merchandising strategy in an attempt to turn around its money-losing business. Investors, however, remain concerned that the retailer’s plan, announced in a strategic update, will do little …

Bloomberg News reports: Democrat Charlie Crist said he is resigning Wednesday from his US House seat as he campaigns to reclaim the Florida governorship from Republican incumbent Ron DeSantis in the November elections. Crist, whose decision shrinks Democrats’ already slim House majority, had previously announced he wouldn’t seek another House term amid his challenge to DeSantis, who is running for …

Law & Crime reports: Republican Rep. Paul Gosar and two GOP state representatives must pay more than $75,000 for filing a defamation lawsuit against a Democratic lawmaker “primarily for the purposes of harassment,” an Arizona judge ruled. Joining forces with Arizona state Reps. Mark Finchem and Anthony Kern as co-plaintiffs, Gosar sued the Grand Canyon State’s Democratic Rep. Charlene Fernandez …

Media Matters reports: In newly unearthed videos, commentator Toni Shuppe claimed that Pizzagate is “absolutely real. It is 100% real,” and praised QAnon as “a very valuable resource.” Shuppe has been mentioned as a potential secretary of state pick for Mastriano, who would have the power to appoint the position if he becomes Pennsylvania governor. Shuppe also shared numerous 9/11 …

The New York Daily News reports: A Southwest Airlines pilot helming a flight to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, took to the plane’s intercom and threatened to return the aircraft to its departure gate at the airport if passengers didn’t stop sending nude photos to him via iPhone’s AirDrop feature. Through AirDrop, iPhone users are able to send digital files to …

From the editorial board of the New York Post: Attorney General Merrick Garland’s raid on Mar-a-Lago has ex-President Donald Trump back in the news. That’s a problem for Republicans, who need to move beyond him. Yes, Trump did much good in his four years: Notice how Democrats have opted not to repeal his tax cuts. But he lost in 2020 …