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From Scottie · July 31, 2026
See The Contrarian in a Scottie brief
Scottie read The Contrarian, The Bulwark, and Adam Kinzinger for a reader with the priorities shown below. Start with the rundown, open the full brief, or check every issue behind it.
3sources
58issues read
6stories included
7 of 20 The Contrarian issues included
What shaped this brief
Reader priorities
A pro-democracy reader who wants independent reporting on elections, race, institutions, protest, and political accountability without strategic euphemism.
These are illustrative priorities, not a customer’s data.
Sources in this brief
- The ContrarianThe publication this guide is about
- The BulwarkAdds a larger pro-democracy newsroom with conservative roots and a wide podcast network.
- Adam KinzingerAdds a former Republican lawmaker's firsthand account of Trump and the GOP.
Scottie
Scottie example brief
July 31, 2026 · Executive brief
01 / The rundown
- Senate Republicans and Jeffrey Epstein survivors stalled Todd Blanche's Attorney General confirmation over unfulfilled tax transparency demands.
- Administration officials face intense backlash after using extreme rhetoric against political opponents during a federal summit on political terrorism.
- Activists are mobilizing a civil rights march in Chicago and nationwide events to protect voting rights before upcoming state primaries.
Read the complete brief 6 stories · 3 action items
02 / The briefing
01 / main
Senate Postpones Vote on Todd Blanche for Attorney General
The takeaway: Senate leaders paused the confirmation vote for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche after GOP senators demanded written limits on presidential tax immunity deals. Advocacy by Jeffrey Epstein survivors highlighted Blanche's refusal to release mandated files.
Concrete details
- Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis withheld votes over requested written assurances on tax immunity and defense funds.
- The Department of Justice released 3.5 million files while withholding 6 million investigative leads from Epstein survivors.
Why it matters for this reader: Track how Senate opposition and survivor advocacy force institutional accountability, preventing executive overreach and protecting federal legal standards.
Original sourcesThe ContrarianThe ContrarianThe ContrarianThe ContrarianThe BulwarkThe BulwarkAdam KinzingerAdam Kinzinger
02 / main
New Record Exposes Members of Congress Funding ICE Unrestricted
The takeaway: A published public ledger names 206 members of Congress seeking reelection who voted for unrestricted agency funding. The record highlights lawmaker votes before upcoming August primary elections.
Concrete details
- Congress granted over $200 billion to border agencies, including $113 billion for ICE and $91 billion for Border Patrol.
- The list tracks 206 incumbent members of Congress running in upcoming August primary elections across multiple states.
Why it matters for this reader: Use this voting record to track congressional accountability and hold elected officials responsible for voting on federal enforcement budgets.
Original sourcesThe Contrarian
03 / main
Officials Target Political Opponents at Federal Terrorism Conference
The takeaway: Federal officials faced intense backlash after directing aggressive rhetoric against domestic political opponents during an official conference on terrorism. The remarks follow recent executive pardons granted to January 6 Capitol attack participants.
Concrete details
- The administration hosted an international ministerial conference specifically focused on left-wing political violence.
- Remarks targeted political opponents following executive pardons issued to hundreds of individuals involved in the Capitol attack.
Why it matters for this reader: Monitor how official state platforms and anti-terrorism rhetoric are deployed against political opposition, directly impacting democratic norms.
Original sourcesThe BulwarkThe Bulwark
04 / main
Chicago Activists Organize Civil Rights March for Voting Rights
The takeaway: Organizers are gathering in Chicago for a civil rights march modeled on the 1966 Chicago Freedom Movement. The mobilization aims to protect voting access and economic justice ahead of fall elections.
Concrete details
- The Marquette Park march on August 1 features speakers Dr. Bernice King and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
- Organizers aim to establish 5,000 polling place parties to reach 20 million voters for the 2026 midterms.
Why it matters for this reader: Follow grassroots mobilization efforts and voting rights initiatives designed to increase ballot access and community voter participation.
Original sourcesThe Contrarian
05 / main
Abdul El-Sayed Campaign Navigates Racial Dynamics in Michigan Primary
The takeaway: Former Detroit health director Abdul El-Sayed is conducting targeted voter outreach in Detroit ahead of the August 4 Democratic Senate primary. His campaign emphasizes public health achievements like lead pipe removal.
Concrete details
- Abdul El-Sayed previously served as public health director for Detroit and its surrounding county starting in 2015.
- Michigan holds its Democratic Senate primary election on August 4 in a tight race against Representative Haley Stevens.
Why it matters for this reader: Observe how local identity dynamics and public health track records influence key primary elections shaping Senate representation.
Original sourcesThe Bulwark
06 / main
Colin Kaepernick Receives ACLU Award for Civil Rights Advocacy
The takeaway: Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick accepted the ACLU Ralph Ellison Award, urging supporters to actively practice courage rather than normalize injustice. The honor marks a rare public appearance reflecting on a decade of athletic activism.
Concrete details
- Colin Kaepernick received the Ralph Ellison Award for Defenders of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties from the ACLU.
- The award comes ten years after Kaepernick first began kneeling during national anthems to protest racial injustice.
Why it matters for this reader: Evaluate how athlete activism and racial justice commentary navigate institutional resistance and media coverage over time.
Original sourcesThe Contrarian
Action items
- Examine the public record of 206 incumbent lawmakers to verify their voting history on ICE funding before primary elections.
- Check state voter registration and polling details at Vote411.org ahead of August 4 primary deadlines.
- RSVP for voting rights mobilization programs like Hands Off Our Vote to support election protection efforts.
See every issue behind this brief
Trump approval poll drop
- NEW POLLS: Trump’s Approval Has CollapsedThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Bipartisan Pushback and Epstein Survivors Tank Todd Blanche Nomination
- John Cornyn and Thom Tillis Defy Trump on Todd Blanche ConfirmationThe Bulwark · Included
- BREAKING: Blanche's Confirmation Collapses, Republicans Bully Anthony Fauci, Alex Jones Calls for Trump's Impeachment, and more..Adam Kinzinger · Included
- Major Setback | GOP Holdouts Pull the Vote on Trump's Attorney General — July 30, 2026Adam Kinzinger · Included
- BREAKING NEWS: Trump Suggests He Will Pull Blanche NominationThe Contrarian · Included
- Todd Blanche’s New Grip on the Federal Prison SystemThe Bulwark · Included
- Epstein Survivors To Tillis: 'Vote No' on BlancheThe Contrarian · Included
- Epstein Survivors Take Message for Justice on the RoadThe Contrarian · Included
- Why Todd Blanche Is Unfit For Attorney GeneralThe Contrarian · Included
Republican Fauci show trial
- Here Are the Republicans’ Biggest Lies From Their Fauci Show TrialThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Chicago Activists Mobilize Civil Rights March and Party at the Polls
- March for Civil Rights in Chicago; Throw a ‘Party at the Polls’The Contrarian · Included
Rubio and Miller Face Backlash Over Administration Terrorism Conference Rhetoric
- Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller, in the Original GermanThe Bulwark · Included
- JVL and Robert Kagan: Marco and Miller Go Full FascistThe Bulwark · Included
Colin Kaepernick Receives ACLU Award as Sports and Race Politics Persist
- A Decade After Kaepernick Kneeled, the Intersection of Sports, Race, and Politics Is a MessThe Contrarian · Included
Daily democracy protest updates
- The Contrarian Covers the Democracy MovementThe Contrarian · Read, not included
Republican midterm political panic
- Republicans Are Right to PanicThe Contrarian · Read, not included
Accountability Tracker Details Reelection-Bound Congress Members Who Voted for ICE Funding
- For You: A List of Congress Members on the Ballot Who Voted to Fund ICEThe Contrarian · Included
ICE family separation impact
- ICE Turned Family Reunification Into A Deportation ListAdam Kinzinger · Read, not included
James Comey criminal indictment
- It’s Groundhog Day in IranThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Race Animus Influences Michigan Senate Primary Campaigning
- How Old-School Race Animus Could Shake Up the Michigan Senate RaceThe Bulwark · Included
Trump legal challenges and
- Trump Showed Up to the Trial and Lost $83 MillionThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Calls for Hegseth impeachment
- Bill Kristol and Margaret Donovan: Hegseth Should Be ImpeachedThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Dr. Clarence Jones interview
- More Than the Man Behind the Dream: Remembering Dr. Clarence JonesThe Contrarian · Read, not included
Economic slowdown and Iran
- Civil Disobedience Is Coming to SpringfieldThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Fauci congressional hearing
- EMERGENCY VIDEO: The Fauci Hearing and GOP DISGRACE.Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Ken Martin DNC leadership
- EXCLUSIVE: Ken Martin Open to Bringing on Big Name to Help at DNCThe Bulwark · Read, not included
- Top Democratic Fundraiser: There’s No Saving Ken Martin (w/ Rufus Gifford)The Bulwark · Read, not included
Rand Paul Anthony Fauci
- This Isn't a Hearing. It's a Show Trial.The Bulwark · Read, not included
Trump ends Medicare subsidies
Medicare Part D subsidy
- Broken Promise | Trump Ends the Medicare Program Holding Down Costs — July 29, 2026Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Federal sex education grant
- The Hormone Dystopia ContinuesThe Contrarian · Read, not included
White House Correspondents Dinner
- The WHCD Walked Straight Into Trump’s TrapThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Trump political operation midterms
GOP distance from Trump
- Underwater | Trump's Political Operatives Tell GOP Candidates to Keep Their Distance — July 28, 2026Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Andy Beshear Mitch McConnell
- Mitch McConnell Would Never Be This NiceAdam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Trump Correspondents Dinner speech
- Awkward Silence | Trump Embarrassed at the Correspondents' Dinner — July 27, 2026Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Correspondents Dinner and Epstein
MAGA revolt JD Vance
- BREAKING: MAGA Turns on JD Vance, More Trump Tariffs, Laura Loomer Admits She Fell for Russian Propaganda, and more...Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Never Vance MAGA campaign
- Never Vance | The MAGA Revolt Against Trump's Own VP — July 24, 2026Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
GOP budget reconciliation spending
- GOP Fiscal Responsibility Is Always a Bill AwayThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Editorial cartooning on Trump
- LapdogThe Contrarian · Read, not included
Iran downs US fighter
- A Scared Man Is Running This WarAdam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Political corruption editorial cartoon
- Promises, PromisesThe Contrarian · Read, not included
US Iran military conflict
- BREAKING: Trump Makes Profane Threat Against Iran, New Attacks on U.S. Assets (w/ John Kirby)The Bulwark · Read, not included
Smithsonian museum congressional hearing
- The Smithsonian vs. The AuthoritariansAdam Kinzinger · Read, not included
Norm Eisen and Joyce
- Evening Roundup, July 30The Contrarian · Read, not included
- Evening Roundup, July 29The Contrarian · Read, not included
USFL antitrust lawsuit anniversary
- Forty Years Ago, a Death Knell to the USFL — and Trump’s Football ForayThe Contrarian · Read, not included
Public figures character scandals
- Character Is CounterculturalThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Ashley Etienne on The
- The Tea ft. Ashley EtienneThe Contrarian · Read, not included
MAGA influencer OnlyFans controversy
- Meet the Racist MAGA Influencer Selling Politics and OnlyFansThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Right-wing media influencer dynamics
- Right-Wing Media and OnlyFans Are in a Symbiotic RelationshipThe Bulwark · Read, not included
Coffee with Contrarians live
- Coffee with Contrarians ft. April RyanThe Contrarian · Read, not included
- Coffee with Contrarians ft. Adrienne ElrodThe Contrarian · Read, not included
Haskell Free Library border
- When One Door Closed on Canada, These Americans Shoved Another OpenAdam Kinzinger · Read, not included
AI data center power
- Who Pays for Data Centers? Anyone with an Electric BillThe Contrarian · Read, not included
Ask Me Anything session
- Submit Your Question For "Ask Me Anything"Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
AMA answers publication
- AMA Answers: July 25, 2026Adam Kinzinger · Read, not included
About The Contrarian
Should you add The Contrarian to Scottie?
Follow the movement defending U.S. democratic institutions through reporting and direct conversation.[1][2][3]
Who it’s for
A pro-democracy reader who wants independent reporting on elections, race, institutions, protest, and political accountability without strategic euphemism.[1][2]
What you’ll find in it
The issues linked below include “I Have Resigned from The Washington Post, effective today”, “Promises, Promises”, and “Why Todd Blanche Is Unfit For Attorney General”. Open them to judge the publication in its own words.
How to read The Contrarian with Scottie
Add its public feed for publicly available issues. If you subscribe to paid issues, forward those emails to your private @scottie.fyi address. Scottie does not need access to your inbox.
Scottie read 20 The Contrarian items and included 7 for the brief. At least one story appeared in more than one source, so Scottie grouped the shared coverage and kept each original link.
Read three issues from The Contrarian
Read the publication in its own words. Scottie keeps these original links attached; it does not replace the writing.
- I Have Resigned from The Washington Post, effective todayPublic issue[2]
- Promises, PromisesPublic issue[3]
- Why Todd Blanche Is Unfit For Attorney GeneralWed, 29 Jul 2026[4]