Happy Thursday and welcome back to today’s edition of Common Sense with Ally Sammarco—your daily briefing on U.S. politics. Let’s break it down
ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live! Indefinitely…..ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after comments by Jimmy Kimmel about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk went viral. Nexstar, a major ABC affiliate group, pulled the show from its stations first, saying Kimmel’s remarks were “offensive and insensitive.” FCC Chair Brendan Carr also weighed in, warning of possible regulatory consequences if the network didn’t act.
Common Sense takeaway: When late-night jokes land politicians at the mic of the FCC, the boundary between satire and censorship is thin. Suspending a show for lukewarm remarks under political pressure starts to look more like silencing or state-sanctioned media.
Kash Patel Gets Grilled on Epstein Files and Kirk Investigation….FBI Director Kash Patel appeared before a hearing in Congress where Democrats challenged him on how the FBI has handled Jeffrey Epstein’s files. Lawmakers accused him of selectively releasing docs, shielding powerful figures (including Trump), and failing to fully disclose what’s in the files. Patel pushed back, saying he’s released everything the courts allow and defended his decisions as legal. He also faced criticism for a premature (and false) announcement about the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing.
Common Sense takeaway: If you’re in charge of something where the public expects truth and transparency—especially with investigations involving sex trafficking and high-stakes violence—you better get it right.
Susan Monarez Blasts RFK Jr. Over Vaccine Schedule Pressure…Former CDC Director Susan Monarez told the Senate HELP Committee that she was fired after refusing pressure from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to approve changes to the childhood vaccine schedule without scientific evidence.
Here are some key points from her testimony:
Kennedy allegedly asked her to “rubber-stamp” recommendations from his newly reconstituted vaccine advisory panel (ACIP), even if those recommendations didn’t rely on data.
He allegedly told her there was no evidence supporting the current vaccine schedule and expected her to still commit to changes in September.
Monarez says she was asked to fire senior career scientists who spoke up, and that Kennedy told her to get prior approval from political appointees for CDC policy and personnel moves.
Former CDC Medical Officer Debra Houry, who resigned in protest, testified alongside Monarez, saying that the science is being ignored and that vaccine access is going to be greatly damaged.
Common Sense takeaway: We need more leaders like Susan Monarez and Debra Houry. If vaccine policy becomes driven by politics more than data, public health (particularly children) will pay the price.
Trump’s Second State Visit to the UK: Royal Pageantry Meets Protests…President Donald Trump is in the UK for his second state visit where he’s being met with ceremonial honors by King Charles at Windsor Castle, including military processions and a luxurious state banquet. At the same time, thousands of protestors are taking to the streets—organized by groups like the Stop Trump Coalition, Amnesty International, and pro-Palestinian activists—marching through London, expressing opposition to his policies and staging stunts like projecting images of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle.
Common Sense takeaway: Trump can play the tough guy at home and act like everybody loves him, but on the international stage, the boos are much louder than the applause and you can’t hide that.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more.
Not yet! No surrender