Big Tech keeps promising a reset. What they’re actually doing is much worse.
All that and more in Lever Weekly , a recap of our work from the past week. If you only read one email from us all week, this should be it.
The Lever holds the powerful accountable through reader-supported investigative journalism that corporate media will not undertake. Join our mission , and you’ll get great perks in return.
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Here’s what The Lever published this week:
LEVER SCOOPS OF THE WEEK
Newsom Killed The AI Kill Switch. Before Big Tech researchers warned of a superintelligence doomsday, 2028 hopeful Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) vetoed a bill that would have made AI “kill switches” mandatory.
The Big Tech Alums Building Trump’s AI War Machine. A little-known Pentagon office staffed by Big Tech alums is dismantling safeguards and accelerating AI warfare as their former employers compete for lucrative military contracts.
This Senate Frontrunner Oversaw “Quality And Compliance.” Women Suffered “Life-Altering Harm.” New Hampshire GOP Senate hopeful John Sununu oversaw product safety and FDA communications at Boston Scientific as it fought to keep pelvic mesh on the market amid mounting lawsuits.
How Status Quo Democrats Could Create Another Trump. A new study suggests Democrats’ broken promises won’t just cost them elections — they could fuel an even more dangerous MAGA backlash.
9/11 Changed America — And Built Trump’s Playbook. The Lever’s founder reflects on how presidents of both parties turned the War on Terror into a decades-long expansion of White House power.
The Billionaire-Backed Democrat With An Enron-Sized Problem. New Hampshire congressional candidate Maura Sullivan worked for a biotech giant accused of using “shell” customers to inflate its business — and its executives are now campaign donors.
Trump's Fed Chief Missed The AI-flation Memo. New Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh ignored the U.S. central bank’s own research when he said AI’s economic impacts are unknown.
Newsom Wants An Economic “Reset.” His Record Says Different. Democrats’ identity crisis is on full display as the California governor soft-launches his campaign for president.
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THIS WEEK ON LEVER PODCASTS
Dan Osborn Knows Why Democrats Keep Losing Nebraska. David Sirota travels to the state where “Democrat” is a dirty word and sits down with the union leader taking on Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, a billionaire’s son.
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MIDTERM MADNESS
Your weekly essential midterms update from The Lever newsroom. Midterm Madness brings you the races worth watching, the money trails worth following, the numbers that cut through the spin, and the campaign moments that say more than the official talking points ever will.
Every Wednesday, paid subscribers get essential election updates , reporting, and insights like:
- The sore loser preaching to the choir on CNN
- A New Hampshire political dynasty lives another term
- Why political donations are coming back from the grave
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LEVERMIND
Did Bidenomics work? Why can Republicans coordinate campaign funds? And what happens to incumbents that democratic socialists defeat?
The answers to these questions and many more can be found in LeverMind , our weekly news quiz for paid subscribers that tests your knowledge of the developments that really matter — and who needs to be held accountable.
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YOU LOVE TO SEE IT
Every week, You Love To See It rounds up important policy wins, environmental victories, and social initiatives improving people’s lives, exclusively for paid subscribers.
A taste of this week’s good news :
- Conservationists score two teaspoons of triumph
- Workers pour a tall glass of solidarity
- Attorneys general assemble for vital healthcare
- Buffalo regain their home on the range
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You Love To See It is one of many exclusive benefits we provide to our paid subscribers. To gain access and loads of other perks, upgrade now !
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THANK YOU TO OUR LEVER LEADERS
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“A subscriber since the inception of The Daily Poster , I'm glad to be able to support the growth of real investigative reporting.”
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LEVER IN THE NEWS
Politico Magazine — The magazine highlighted David Sirota’s Washington Post argument that Bernie Sanders could be the Democratic Party’s Barry Goldwater.
- Politico Playbook also featured Sirota’s analysis in its coverage of the midterms.
Common Dreams — The progressive news outlet cited our reporting on how Trump is about to let Wall Street “pay to play” with your pension.
- More Perfect Union also highlighted our reporting on the Trump administration’s effort to let Wall Street firms make political donations while managing public pension funds.
Raw America — Sirota joined the program to discuss the battle between populists and corporate interests for the Democratic Party, as well as the unchecked power of the American presidency.
Las Vegas Sun cited our reporting that Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo endorsed the state’s data-center boom days after an AI investor donated $1 million to his reelection campaign.
Lehigh Daily News highlighted Rep. Chris Deluzio’s revelation in an interview with Sirota that he may challenge Sen. John Fetterman in 2028.
Raw Story highlighted Sirota’s response to Elon Musk’s attacks on Alex Gibney’s new documentary about the billionaire.
- Wonderwall , International Business Times , Futurism , OK! Magazine , and NewsBytes also featured Sirota’s comments on the film.
Feeling overwhelmed by the news onslaught? We’ve got you covered. Become a paid subscriber to help us sort through the noise and provide you with the information you need to understand what’s really going on.
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Lever Weekly: Ctrl-Alt-Defeat
Aggregated summary from an independent source. Read the original at LeverNews.