Mark

Mark

@markalfred.bsky.social

White House Reporter & AJI Fellow at NOTUS.org Reach me at: 858 413-7384 (text/Signal)

6.5K followers74 following48 posts

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Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

NEW: Trump canceled grants funding cancer and Alzheimer’s research at Columbia University. DOGE then listed the millions of dollars from those terminated grants on its “savings” page. My story for @notusreports.bsky.social www.notus.org/health-scien...

notus.orgThe Trump Administration Cut Cancer and Alzheimer’s Research Funding at Columbia UniversityHis administration terminated a $5 million grant to the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center — and listed the exact dollar amount among DOGE’s “savings.”
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

BREAKING and EXCLUSIVE: The purchase of several airplanes by the Department of Homeland Security during then-Secretary Kristi Noem’s tenure is tied to an “ongoing criminal law enforcement investigation.” www.washingtonsun.com/legal/kristi...

washingtonsun.comDHS Plane Purchases Tied to ‘Ongoing Criminal Law Enforcement Investigation’The department, while under Kristi Noem’s leadership, bought several aircraft over market value from a donor to a Noem-linked super PAC.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

New: Devin Nunes has a staggering $14.5 million stockpiled in his old campaign account. His lawyer says it’s “for a potential future election.” Comes after federal regulators asked Nunes’ mom (his campaign treasurer) about the campaign cash. www.notus.org/money/devin-...

notus.orgEx-Rep. Devin Nunes and the Mystery of His $14.5 Million War ChestThe former Trump Media CEO hasn't run for anything since 2020, so regulators looked into why he still has a cash stockpile.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

New: Political groups are still forfeiting money donated by Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX executives years after the crypto exchange’s collapse. Democrats’ Senate Majority PAC alone is expected to return another $1 million in tainted funds. www.notus.org/money/sam-ba...

notus.orgPolitical Committees Are Still Forfeiting Crypto Kingpins’ Tainted ContributionsDemocratic and Republican committees continue reeling from FTX’s legal meltdown — and it’s affecting their bottom lines in 2026.

Mark reposted

Dave Levinthal
@davelevinthal.com

Sam Bankman-Fried has been in the news a bit this week as he seeks a Trump pardon, but as @markalfred.bsky.social of @notus.com writes, a bunch of political committees continue to feel the pain from Bankman-Fried’s crimes here in the 2026 midterms. www.notus.org/money/sam-ba...

notus.orgPolitical Committees Are Still Forfeiting Crypto Kingpins’ Tainted ContributionsDemocratic and Republican committees continue reeling from FTX’s legal meltdown — and it’s affecting their bottom lines in 2026.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

Alabama Republican Rodney Walker. The wealthy cattle rancher and oil businessman loaned his Senate campaign $1.8 million. He did not advance to the runoff this week. Walker came in fourth, netting 4% of the vote.

Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford held onto millions worth of stock in an airline company his agency regulates for his first seven months in the top job. Before starting, he’d signed an ethics agreement promising to fully divest from the company within 90 days www.notus.org/money/bryan-...

notus.orgFAA Chief Dumps Millions in Airline Stock Months After His Ethics Agreement DeadlineBryan Bedford held a multimillion-dollar stake in an airline company his agency oversees.

Mark reposted

Anna Kramer
@annackramer.bsky.social

SCOOP: The Pentagon failed to warn ships carrying supplies for the US military before starting the war in Iran. The ships got stuck in the Persian Gulf. They’re still stuck. And for a month, they were stuck w/ a group of college students — merchant marine cadets.

notus.orgU.S. Cadets Were Stuck in the Persian Gulf After Trump Bombed IranThe Trump administration failed to warn vessels with close ties to the U.S. military ahead of the strikes, leaving them trapped in the region.

Mark reposted

Em Luetkemeyer
@emluetkemeyer.bsky.social

Scoop: Some Republican lawmakers say they’re working to fund tribal and rural radio stations after the GOP cut public broadcasting funds last year. If lawmakers don’t secure continued funding, many Native American public radio stations say they'll close. www.notus.org/congress/som...

notus.orgSome Republicans Want to Reverse the GOP Cuts to Rural and Tribal Radio StationsAfter the GOP-controlled Congress slashed public broadcasting funds, some Republican lawmakers say they’re working to secure money to keep vital tribal and rural stations on the air.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

Lee Zeldin’s EPA fully embraced DOGE and made serious errors during its race to gut environmental programs. From the EPA “accidentally” axing tens of millions of dollars worth of grants to its chief overstating cuts by millions, the errors kept piling up: www.notus.org/policy/doge-...

notus.orgInside DOGE’s EPA Team and Its Multimillion-Dollar MistakesInternal emails paint the clearest picture to date of the Environmental Protection Agency’s full-throated embrace of DOGE and its subsequent stumbles.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

Exclusive: Internal White House emails I obtained detail the Trump administration’s scramble to strip millions from the University of Pennsylvania after a senior official told staff that “POTUS wants to see more action against universities.” www.notus.org/trump-white-...

notus.orgTrump Wanted ‘More Action Against Universities.’ His Staff Scrambled to Punish Penn.Internal White House emails reveal a frenzied campaign to strip federal funds from Penn — and target another university the administration never publicized.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

“If the premise is we want to show we are on top of it — I think the big 175 million number to a known university will make that splash,” one White House official wrote as the administration stripped funds from the Penn. www.notus.org/trump-white-...

notus.orgTrump Wanted ‘More Action Against Universities.’ His Staff Scrambled to Punish Penn.Internal White House emails reveal a frenzied campaign to strip federal funds from Penn — and target another university the administration never publicized.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

DOGE said it saved $660 million from real estate cuts. Then it said $500 million. Then $400 million, then $291 million and so forth.  My look at how DOGE spent two months walking back lofty savings claims, and still takes credit for cuts it didn’t make. www.notus.org/policy/doge-...

notus.orgDOGE Vastly Overstated Its Real Estate Cuts — Then Spent Two Months BacktrackingDOGE took credit for more than $600 million in real estate savings but has repeatedly cut back its own claims.

Mark reposted

Margaret Manto
@margaretmanto.bsky.social

“What’s the benefit for me if I give my favor to you?” A story about the online musings of a self-described “senior advisor” to the health secretary: www.notus.org/health-scien...

notus.org‘What’s the Benefit For Me’: A Kennedy Ally Suggests She Can Help Make Connections, For a ReturnAngela Stanton King has posted about her ties to RFK Jr., and what that could mean for her consulting clients. “I'm like a child to Bobby. I'll always have access to him,” she told NOTUS.

Mark reposted

Emily Kennard
@emilykennard.bsky.social

Some Republican lawmakers don't agree with Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s calls for states to stop fluoridating water. I talked to GOP former medical professionals in Congress — including four dentists, all of whom are House Republicans — about fluoride. www.notus.org/congress/con...

notus.orgThree Out of Four of Congress’ Dentists Agree: Fluoride Should Stay in Drinking WaterHealth Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for states to remove fluoride from their water, claiming it’s dangerous despite evidence that it improves oral health outcomes. Some Republican medica...
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

It’s not just Michael Waltz. We found the Venmo accounts of over three dozen White House officials, including Stephen Miller, Sean Duffy and Karoline Leavitt. Almost all had open friends lists. Some had open transactions, which is its own security risk. www.notus.org/congress/peo...

notus.orgThe People Running the Government Are Letting It All Hang Out on VenmoNOTUS easily identified Venmo accounts tied to more than three dozen Trump administration officials and more than 50 current members of Congress. Their transactions are revealing — as are their friend...

Mark reposted

San José Spotlight
@sanjosespotlight.com

San Jose Rep. @liccardo.house.gov raised nearly $1.5 million in his first quarter as a member of Congress, according to a source familiar with the Liccardo camp — a hefty sum for a freshman lawmaker. ✍️ @reesegorman.bsky.social, @markalfred.bsky.social, @notusreports.bsky.social

sanjosespotlight.comFirst-term San Jose Congressman Liccardo raises eye-popping $1.5M - San José SpotlightSan Jose Congressmember Sam Liccardo raised nearly $1.5 million in his first quarter as a member of Congress, according to a source familiar with the Liccardo camp — a hefty sum for a freshman lawmake...

Mark reposted

Margaret Manto
@margaretmanto.bsky.social

NEWS: DOGE has directed HHS to cut 35% of all contract spending -- a category that includes everything from equipment maintenance to laboratory staff. "It will be like another reduction in force," one NIH employee told me. W/ @markalfred.bsky.social: www.notus.org/health-scien...

notus.orgDOGE Orders HHS to Cut 35% of Contract SpendingIn one email obtained by NOTUS, NIH employees were told they could not “use mission criticality as a justification to not make cuts.”
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

DOGE is directing sweeping contract cuts at HHS — and making it difficult for employees to defend programs. “We cannot use mission criticality as a justification to not make cuts,” NIH employees were told. with the best on the beat @margaretmanto.bsky.social www.notus.org/health-scien...

notus.orgDOGE Orders HHS to Cut 35% of Contract SpendingIn one email obtained by NOTUS, NIH employees were told they could not “use mission criticality as a justification to not make cuts.”
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

NEWS: As HHS begins to pull billions from states health agencies and ~100 universities, pandemic preparedness efforts are getting axed. Also cut: —Millions for mental health/substance abuse care in most states —Grants to cancer centers —More HIV research www.notus.org/health-scien...

notus.orgHHS Said It’s Pulling Billions in Leftover COVID-19 Funds. The Cuts Go Far Beyond the Pandemic.DOGE is touting cuts to pandemic prevention research, mental health support, substance abuse prevention and grants for cancer research centers.
Mark
@markalfred.bsky.social

On March 10, the NIH said it was canceling around 400 grants to Columbia University. That day, the DOGE website listed around 400 new grants terminated by HHS. I matched their exact dollar amounts with grants awarded to Columbia. www.notus.org/health-scien... Here’s what was on the chopping block: