Welcome back to today’s edition of Common Sense with Ally Sammarco—your daily briefing on politics. Let’s break it down.
Congress presses Hegseth over deadly boat strike and military secrecy….Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine will brief the “Gang of Eight” today as lawmakers demand answers about the administration’s national security strategy—and the legality of a series of controversial military strikes in the Caribbean. At the center of the firestorm is the Sept. 2 boat attack, where two survivors were reportedly killed, and Hegseth has so far refused to release the full video. Meanwhile, Adm. Alvin Holsey—the outgoing head of U.S. Southern Command who abruptly announced his retirement after less than a year—is expected to meet with senators this week. Holsey had raised concerns internally about operations in Latin America before being “asked to retire,” and his behind-the-scenes conversations suggest lawmakers are launching their own quiet investigation into what exactly Hegseth ordered.
Common Sense takeaway: Whatever this administration is doing in the Caribbean, they really don’t want the public to see it—and the sudden removal of a 37-year veteran who raised concerns doesn’t exactly scream “nothing to hide.”
Pretrial hearing in CEO assassination case focuses on disputed backpack search…The high-profile murder case against Luigi Mangione—accused of executing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk last year—is now in its fifth day of pretrial hearings. Mangione’s attorneys are pushing to throw out key evidence taken from his backpack after he was arrested at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, arguing police searched it illegally without a warrant. Altoona officer Stephen Fox testified that the search was a routine “search incident to arrest” and that he believed Mangione was armed and potentially the “New York shooter.” Body cam footage shows officers finding a loaded magazine wrapped in underwear, prompting Fox to say, “It’s f------ him, dude.” The bag also allegedly contained the murder weapon, additional magazines, a silencer, a Faraday-bagged phone, and a handwritten note about “plucking eyebrows”—a detail customers used to identify him. The defense claims officers were overeager to crack a national case and ignored constitutional protections. Prosecutors argue the search was legal under Pennsylvania law and driven by safety concerns. Judge Gregory Carro will decide which evidence makes it to trial—a ruling that could reshape the entire case.
Common Sense takeaway: If the cops really did cut corners in a case this big, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. But if the evidence stands, Mangione has a lot of problems to overcome based on what was stuffed in that backpack.
Trump shifts to campaigning as economic backlash grows…Facing criticism—even from his own allies—that he’s spent more time globe-trotting than tackling the cost-of-living crisis at home, President Trump is pivoting to campaigning again. He’ll kick it off Tuesday with a speech in Pennsylvania, where the White House says he’ll “push back” on concerns about the economy and sell his latest economic agenda. Despite voters across multiple states rejecting his policies in November and polls showing just 36% approval on his economic stewardship, Trump insists affordability concerns are a Democratic “con job.” In a new Politico interview, he defended his failing global tariff strategy and gave his economic plan a grade of “A plus plus.” The administration has scrambled to respond to public frustration—rolling back some food tariffs to lower grocery prices and floating a 50-year mortgage plan as housing costs soar.
Common Sense takeaway: Trump finally noticed Americans are drowning under his economy—but instead of fixing it, he’s calling it a “con job” and launching another sideshow, less than one year into his presidency. If this is his big pivot, good luck to every Republican betting their midterms on it.
SCOTUS takes up GOP challenge to coordinated spending limits….The Supreme Court is hearing a major campaign finance case today that could blow a hole in what’s left of anti-corruption rules in U.S. elections. Republican campaign committees—backed by JD Vance and former Rep. Steve Chabot — are trying to eliminate limits on “coordinated spending,” which restrict how much a political party can directly bankroll a specific candidate’s ads and operations. These limits have been upheld multiple times and are considered a cornerstone of preventing parties from effectively handing candidates giant checks through loopholes. But with a Court that already gutted corporate spending rules in Citizens United—and an FEC run by the Trump administration refusing to defend the law—it’s up to the DNC and a court-appointed attorney to argue for keeping the guardrails in place. Advocates warn that removing these caps would make it even easier for wealthy donors to funnel massive sums through political parties and turn candidates into direct extensions of their biggest funders. Republicans argue the limits violate the First Amendment. A ruling is expected by June 2026.
Common Sense takeaway: If the Supreme Court sides with the GOP, political parties could pour unlimited money directly into candidates’ campaigns, making elections even more influenced by outside money than they already are (Elections are already plagued with dark money!). This isn’t about free speech, it’s about getting rid of the rules.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more.