* Not that it’s a surprise, but Donald Trump’s war chest—as well as his galvanizing popularity among his disciples and minions—will make him a force, even if a farce, in the mid-terms. Trump’s leadership PAC, Save America, had amassed $110 million through February. Among the major contributors: Rupert Murdoch, who gave $2 million.
* “It’s flagrant and it looks terrible. Either it was really stupid or really corrupt.” That was Richard W. Painter, the former top ethics lawyer for George W. Bush’s administration, referring to how the Trump administration left office without providing the State Department with an accounting of the gifts former President Trump, former Veep Mike Pence and other White House officials received from foreign governments in 2020. (Under federal law, each government department and agency is legally required to submit a list to the State Department of gifts over $415 its officials received from foreign governments.)