This is 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
Airlines Are Lobbying To Change Airfare Font Sizes. It’s Gonna Cost You. Advertisers trick consumers into paying more by changing the font size of fees. Major airlines want in on the action.
Here Comes Hurricane Trump. Brain drain and workforce cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency have left the department high and dry.
Trump’s Iran Oil Giveaway. As war with Iran drove oil prices higher, Trump gave politically connected oil companies — not taxpayers — the chance to cash in on publicly owned oil.
Democrats’ Corporate Corruption Divide. The party’s establishment and populist factions are fighting over whether the affordability crisis is connected to money in politics.
Flock’s Surveillance Nation. Dozens of police officers have been accused of improperly accessing public safety cameras.
El-Sayed Challenges The “Electability” Attack. In an exclusive interview days before the Democratic primary, the Michigan Senate candidate says that his party is more concerned with him winning than losing.
Haley Stevens’ New Campaign Ad Features Anti-LGBTQ Pastor. Bishop Christopher Martin, who has faced public scrutiny over his anti-LGBT comments in the past, said he’d been “working” with the campaign.
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THIS WEEK ON LEVER PODCASTS
Big Money Lost To Abdul El-Sayed. Where Will It Go Next? The pop-up PACs, paid influencers, and new political playbooks reshaping the 2026 midterms.
THE KINGMAKERS, Ep. 5: State Of Emergency. September 11, 2001 brought chaos and terror to the United States. It also brought an unprecedented opportunity.
THE KINGMAKERS, Ep. 6: Obama's Kill List. The president who promised restraint quietly unleashes a new weapon of executive power.
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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:
- AIPAC’s $30 million face-plant.
- How 2026 became the data center midterms.
- What do Democratic voters think of Hakeem Jeffries?
Don’t miss out on the conversation: Upgrade now .
Read Midterm Madness
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LEVERMIND
Can money buy an election? What’s FIFA up to since the World Cup? And who’s spying on you?
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.
Find out if you’re a true LeverMind:
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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 :
- Michiganders blow up an oil pipeline
- A state court puts a drugmaker under the microscope
- Virginia settles scores with Jim Crow
- Illinois goes grocery shopping
Read You Love To See It Now
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
Lever Leaders provide us with our highest level of support and score additional perks in return, including a yearly gift subscription for friends and family, access to an exclusive Lever staff meeting for a sneak peek at our future plans, and an annual gift of limited-edition Lever merchandise.
Join readers like Jeff R. , who had this to say about becoming a Lever Leader:
“Only a press unowned by power can function as the vital fourth estate”
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LEVER IN THE NEWS
CBS News — David Sirota spoke with the news program about how democratic socialism is shifting politics in Washington.
Politico — The political outlet asked Sirota about the future of the Democratic Party.
Pride Source — The LGBTQ publication highlighted The Lever’ s reporting on a pastor with a history of anti-LGBTQ remarks who appeared in Rep. Haley Stevens’ (D-Mich.) campaign ad.
Daily Mail — The British tabloid wrote about Sirota’s gym interview with U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
The Post Millennial — The outlet also wrote about Sirota’s gym interview with El-Sayed.
Common Dreams — The progressive news publication quoted Sirota in a piece on Texas state Rep. James Talarico’s anti-oligarchical rhetoric.
- Sirota was also quoted in a Common Dreams article about Stevens downplaying voters’ concerns with campaign finance and super PACs.
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: It’s Gonna Cost You
Aggregated summary from an independent source. Read the original at LeverNews.