病例以及近 200 起住院病例。公共卫生官员正在调查一起与 9 个州的冰山生菜相关的环孢子虫感染疫情，泰勒农业公司已召回采购自 cen 的冰山生菜。密歇根州卫生部门周一宣布，与环孢子虫疫情相关的两名人员死亡，这是此次多州疫情中报道的首例死亡病例。该州卫生部门表示，死者患有“严重的潜在健康状况”，可能受到了肠道疾病和脱水的影响，并补充称不会提供更多信息。
华盛顿邮报 • 2026年8月4日，星期二 A2
照片由 JOSHUA LOTT / 为华盛顿邮报拍摄
大约 600 名美国民主社会主义者组织 (DSA) 的成员参加了该组织上周末在芝加哥举行的会议。该运动希望在今年扩大其影响力。民主社会主义者的激增让该运动的领导者们处于庆祝氛围中，但接下来的方向是什么？或者进行他们所谓的“彻底决裂”（dirty break）。
民主社会主义者和倾向于民主党的成年人认同自己是民主社会主义者。来自休斯顿分部的注册护士塞雷娜·埃尔米塔尼奥是 27 人国家政治委员会的成员，该委员会充当 DSA 的董事会。她还将自己视为其马克思主义、面向劳工的“面包与玫瑰党团”的一员。
这些数字正是民主党建制派如此担心其视为“政治自杀”行为的原因。在《华盛顿邮报》与 Ipsos 上个月进行的一项调查中，3 出 4 的民主党人表示，他们愿意支持一名民主社会主义者竞选总统——但只有不到一半的美国人持有此观点。
埃尔米塔尼奥表示，与民主党完全决裂“对我来说在战术上是有意义的”，因为 DSA 的另一种选择是让自己沦为某个无法回应劳动人民关切的建制机构的“初级合作伙伴”。
DSA 成员承认这是一个难题，而且不仅是在总统级别上。其纲领中的许多长期目标，如废除监狱系统、开放边境、削减五角大楼资金以及取消美国参议院，都远在主流之外。
持相反观点的是凯蒂·西姆斯，她是纽约州伊萨卡分部的成员，负责主持 DSA 的选举运作，并且是“改革派”的“社会主义多数党团”成员。（DSA 成员对于任何人将他们描述为中间派或温和派感到愤怒。）但他们坚持认为，这不应妨碍他们在像纽约市这样的深蓝堡垒之外推举民主社会主义候选人。
在这些竞争者中包括弗朗西斯卡·洪，她在关键摇摆州威斯康星州混乱的 8 月 11 日民主党州长初选中似乎处于领先地位。
“我们正试图赢得民主党选民基础，”西姆斯说，“所以停止那些行之有效的方法是没有意义的。”
“如果一个左翼分子赢得了初选却在普选中失败，那将是一场灾难；但 2016 年一个中间派赢得了初选却在普选中失败，那同样是一场灾难，”杰里米·科汉说道。他曾任 DSA 拥有 15,000 名成员的纽约市分部的共同主席，他指的是建制派的王朝旗手希拉里·克林顿与伯尼·桑德斯（佛蒙特州，独立人士）之间艰苦的斗争，后者将民主社会主义品牌提升到了国家层面。
“为了获胜，我们必须承担这些风险，”科汉说。
DSA 成员隶属于在很大程度上具有自治权的分部，许多人还将自己分在十几个充满分歧的党团中。展望未来，一个核心问题是是否
他们应该致力于促使民主党向左转。美国民主社会主义者组织 (DSA) 的全国成员数量已激增至近 120,000 人。
据报道，密歇根州和墨西哥中部出现了与环孢子虫病爆发相关的首例死亡病例。联邦官员还在调查其他 36 个州发生的与此次特定爆发无关的疫情和病例。根据美国疾病控制与预防中心 (CDC) 的数据，全国范围内的爆发中，至少有 6,707 人被该寄生虫感染。这种切碎的冰山生菜在九个州的塔可贝尔 (Taco Bell) 餐厅中供应，且均来自墨西哥的一家单一供应商：泰勒农业公司 de Mexico (Taylor Farms de Mexico)。这家快餐连锁店表示，截至 7 月 17 日，已完成将所有受影响的生菜从餐厅及其供应链中清除的工作。至少有 1,947 例病例和 98 例住院病例……泰勒农业公司表示，其已
自愿召回在墨西哥中部种植的所有被确定为近期环孢子虫病爆发潜在来源的冰山生菜。该公司在 7 月 17 日的一则通知中表示，目前货架上的任何产品均非受影响产品。
另一个问题是，是否继续将其由志愿者驱动的基层行动投入到选举那些在核心原则（如政府运行的医疗保健）上与 DSA 一致、但不接受“民主社会主义者”标签的候选人。
为了赢得 DSA 高调的全国性背书，官员们表示，候选人必须满足一系列标准：认同自己是彻头彻尾的民主社会主义者，而不仅仅是进步主义者；在 DSA 拥有强大分会且能提供强有力组织基础设施的地区参选；拒绝接受亲以色列游说团体的资金；并支持 DSA 的立场，包括废除美国移民与海关执法局 (ICE) 以及建立一个以耶路撒冷为首都的巴勒斯坦国。
例如，在周二密歇根州关键的民主党参议院初选中，DSA 的活动人士和基层人员正在非正式地帮助进步派候选人阿卜杜勒·艾尔-赛义德 (Abdul El-Sayed)，尽管他坚持认为自己不是社会主义者，“只是一个了解资本主义如何运作的资本主义者”。
国家委员会还会让寻求其背书的候选人经历一个严格的面试过程，领导层表示，自马姆达尼 (Mamdani) 获胜以来，这一过程变得更加严格。但在其他地方，DSA 分会的态度则较为强硬。分会成员克利夫·康诺利 (Cliff Connolly) 回忆称，奥兰多分会最近告诉一名寻求其背书的县委员会候选人，他必须在自己的网站上写上“民主社会主义者”字样才能获得背书。康诺利说，十分钟后，该网站的顶部便宣布该候选人为“一名为工人家庭而战的民主社会主义者”。
接下来的议程之一是制定 2028 年总统背书的流程，目标是尽可能早地在明年 3 月或 4 月完成。如果亚历山德里亚·奥卡西奥-科尔特斯 (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez，纽约州民主党众议员) 决定参选，她将是获得该背书的最有力竞争者。但 DSA 总统探索委员会主席亚历克斯·佩利特里 (Alex Pellitteri) 表示，任何背书都将是 DSA 长期战略的一部分。
DSA 领导层意识到，必须将其组织及其运动的影响力扩展到年轻人、城市人口和大学教育群体之外，因为这些人目前在组织中占据了不成比例的份额。他们表示，一项全国性的总统竞选活动将有助于实现这一目标。“吸引我们推出一名候选人的原因是，这将为我们提供一个触达全国数百万人的平台，”从政起步于……的佩利特里说道。
在 2016 年，一名高中生在为桑德斯敲门拉票。但他们誓言 2028 年将仅仅是一个漫长旅程的开始。“我们将其视为帮助扩大社会主义运动和美国民主社会主义者组织 (DSA) 的手段，”他补充道。“我们的目标是从资本主义向社会主义过渡，而这不会在一次竞选活动中就实现。”该公司还表示，它已委托独立专家对其位于墨西哥中部的工厂进行全面的食品安全流程和协议审查；该公司称，截至 7 月 18 日，该工厂已暂时停止所有产品的生产。不过，这一周期可能从两天到两周或更长时间不等。这种寄生虫通常会导致伴有频繁排便的水样腹泻。该病是可以治疗的，医生可以开具抗生素来帮助治疗。由于症状出现前存在滞后，很难追踪该寄生虫的来源。
美国疾病控制与预防中心 (CDC) 意识到还有 11,500 多个额外病例尚未通过实验室确认，需要进一步调查，例如排除国际旅行史。环孢子虫通常在受感染的粪便污染食物或水时传播，不太可能在人与人之间传播。通常在感染后大约一周，患者才会发病。
作者：苏珊·斯弗鲁加 (Susan Svrluga)
虽然许多学校深切担心无法招满学生，但最顶尖的机构仅会录取数万名申请者中的极小比例。
斯坦福大学教育研究生院教授米切尔·L·史蒂文斯（Mitchell L. Stevens）表示，高度筛选的学校对家长来说就像是一份保险，是他们认为能够提供竞争优势的信誉品牌。“我们面临的经济不确定性越多，这份保险就越有价值。”
近年来，整个申请过程因疫情、考试政策的变动、最高法院关于考虑种族因素录取的裁决、人工智能、联邦调查等一系列因素而被打乱。
部分学校正在取消补充论文
顶尖大学正在取消要求学生撰写针对该校特定论文的要求。通用申请系统（Common App）允许学生申请 1,200 多所成员学校，其中包含一篇个人论文。
康奈尔大学、北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校、圣路易斯华盛顿大学、杜兰大学、乔治亚理工学院等学校最近加入了这一行列，此前弗吉尼亚大学已于去年取消了补充论文要求。（康奈尔大学仍要求申请者撰写关于希望就读的具体学院的论文，但取消了全校范围的论文。）
更改该要求可能有几个原因。取消论文可以减轻学生和招生人员的负担。降低门槛可以增加申请人数。而且由于人工智能的广泛使用，论文在反映学生真实心声方面的可靠性比以往更低。
一些学校已经减少了论文数量，并增加了对学生来说不那么令人生畏的简答题（例如，“什么能给你带来快乐？”）。
在杜兰大学，招生管理副校长兼招生主任肖恩·阿博特（Shawn Abbott）表示，要求学生在申请杜兰大学时通过撰写额外论文这一“重重考验”似乎没有必要。他认为，考虑到学校对成绩单和推荐信等许多其他学术和个人因素的重视，“现实情况是，它对录取决定并没有太大影响。继续问这个问题似乎很傻。”
2020 年，由于疫情导致线下测试中心关闭，许多学校停止要求学生提交大学入学考试成绩。甚至在新冠疫情之前，一些学校出于对分数反映社会不平等现象的担忧而停止要求考试，因为部分学生无法负担考前培训班或私教，且不知道可汗学院（Khan Academy）数字课程等免费资源。
[该机构] 决定如何操作；近年来，它已拒绝在其全州各地的校园内查看标准化考试成绩，但目前正在审查该政策。“是否会全面恢复考试？是否将采取‘考试可选’（test optional）政策？随后会对其他学校产生怎样的多米诺骨牌效应？我肯定会密切关注这一点。”
大多数大学仍维持“考试可选”政策。但情况正在发生变化。达特茅斯学院是第一所重新要求提交成绩的常春藤盟校，此前研究人员认定，考试成绩能有效预测学生在大学中的成功率，并有助于识别那些家族中第一代大学生、父母较不富裕或来自农村及城市地区的申请者。现在，许多最顶尖的学校——包括所有常春藤盟校——要么要求提交成绩，要么表示将在未来的招生周期中如此要求。
申请大学的学生人数继续增长，他们提交的申请数量也在持续上升。根据 Common App 的数据，截至去年 3 月，提交申请的人数比去年增加了 2%，提交给成员院校的申请数量增加了 5%——1.4 million 名申请者提交了 9.4 million 份申请。而且，申请顶尖学校的人数也在增加。
几位专家表示，由于担心成绩虚高，大学需要更多的数据点来判断学生是否能在那里取得成功。
在某些学校，申请人数之高令人震惊。去年，近 55,000 名学生申请了耶鲁大学。近 68,000 名学生申请了乔治亚理工学院，创下历史纪录。而申请加州大学洛杉矶分校 (UCLA) 的潜在新生则超过 145,000 人，在全美所有学校中排名第一。
马萨诸塞州州长学院的大学咨询主任海瑟·肖斯 (Heather Shows) 表示，她将密切关注规模大、选择性强且有影响力的加州大学的动态。申请人数的增长降低了录取率，最顶尖学校的录取率仅为 5% 或更低。
早期决定的决定部分是由入学率（yield）驱动的——即被录取学生中实际入学的比例。入学率被视为衡量消费者需求和信用评级的关键指标。而强有力的信用评级能让学校在为校园大型资本项目借款时更加容易且成本更低。
“堤坝即将崩溃，”纽约艾玛·威拉德学校的大学咨询主任艾希莉·L·本内特 (Ashley L. Bennett) 说道，她担心学生在申请过程中的压力。
早期申请的规则和截止日期各不相同，有些学校甚至提供多轮早期申请。
她表示，学生过去只申请少数几所学校，但现在许多人尽可能多地申请，因为他们认为：“好吧，如果我撒一张大网，至少能捕到一两条大鱼。”
但对于那些确定会接受第一志愿的学生来说，早期轮次减轻了压力——而且其录取率可能明显高于春季的常规决定。
许多学校为愿意在传统的 1 月申请截止日期之前承诺就读单所学校的学生，提供了在秋季截止日期（通常为 11 月 1 日）前申请的选择。
“我们鼓励所有学生尽早申请，”北卡罗来纳大学 (UNC) 学生成功高级副教务长詹姆斯·奥尔 (James Orr) 表示。
这是因为学校需要确保能招满一个班级。随着学生申请的学校数量达到前所未有的规模，以及申请者是否会承诺就读变得更加模糊，早期轮次有助于锁定那些渴望入学的学生。
本内特说，她学校至少有一半的学生会参加早期申请，有些人希望在录取上获得微弱优势，有些人则希望早点得到答复。每年都有一些学生告诉她：“我想度过一个美好的高四生活，不想一整年都为大学申请而焦虑。”
国际学生是今年的一个巨大的未知数
压力和审查将不可避免地导致大学在追求多元化班级时更加谨慎，并且更倾向于依赖于测试分数和成绩等量化指标。
一些专家表示，近期的政策决定可能会震慑国际学生在今年的申请。一项新规定将禁止大多数外国学生和交流访问者在境内停留超过四年，除非他们获得联邦政府的延期许可。签证办理的延迟以及对国际学生更严格的审查也可能增加不确定性，并改变申请人群体。
“我对那些不得不频繁地与机构法律总顾问沟通，而较少地与招生人员讨论机构优先级以及在申请过程中支持学生的招生负责人感到难过，”独立学校大学顾问协会（Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools）执行主任埃米·哈沃德（Emmi Harward）表示，“因为一切都政治化了，没有任何一家机构愿意成为下一个受到法律诉讼威胁的对象。”
“我认为观察国际学生会做出怎样的选择将会非常有趣，”Shows 说道。
2023, 最高法院通过一项拒绝基于种族的平权行动（affirmative action）的裁决，颠覆了大学录取机制。随后，一些大学寻求其他方法来保持班级的多样性，包括增加关于身份的论文问题，在特定地区加强招募，以及寻求来自低收入家庭的学生。
虽然人们很容易纠结于进入顶尖学校的极低概率，但美国大多数大学录取了绝大多数申请者——有些学校甚至不要求申请，而是提供直接录取。越来越多的学校和州承诺根据成绩录取学生。
Common App 宣布，它计划在今年扩大其直接录取计划。
但特朗普政府要求提供录取数据，并启动调查，以确定学校是否通过给予黑人和西班牙裔学生优先权而歧视白人和亚裔学生。该政府反对多样性、公平性和包容性（DEI）的努力，并坚持认为学校不能使用种族的替代指标。
“美国的大多数机构并非具有筛选性的，”国家大学录取咨询协会（National Association for College Admission Counseling）首席执行官安赫尔·佩雷斯（Angel Pérez）说道。“他们的录取率在 70 或更高。
“实际上，进入大学并没有那么难。”
[图注] EROS HOAGLAND / GETTY IMAGES 北卡罗来纳大学，拍摄于 2023, 与哈佛大学一起被最高法院认定使用了违宪的考虑种族的录取政策。
[图注] GARY CORONADO / LOS ANGELES TIMES / GETTY IMAGES 2022. 的加州大学洛杉矶分校（UCLA）校园。申请该校的潜在新生人数多于美国任何其他学校。
[图注] JOSH REYNOLDS / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST 一名哈佛毕业生去年给国际学生的支持信息。学校今年可能会看到更少的海外申请者。
这一进程受到了疫情、测试政策转变、最高法院判决等因素的干扰。但也有好消息。
决定采取的行动；该校近年来在全州各校区都拒绝查看标准化考试分数，但目前正在重新审查该政策。“是否会全面恢复考试？是否会改为可选考试？然后会对其他学校产生怎样的多米诺骨牌效应？我绝对在关注这一点。”
这些不断增加的申请人数降低了录取率，最顶尖的学校录取率仅为 5% 或更低。
早期的决定部分是由入学率（yield）驱动的——即被录取学生中实际入学的百分比。入学率被密切关注，作为衡量消费者需求和信用评级的关键指标。而强大的信用评级使学校更容易且更廉价地为校园内的大型资本项目借款。
压力和审查将不可避免地导致大学在追求多元化学生群体时更加谨慎，并更倾向于依赖考试分数和成绩等量化指标。
作者：贾雷尔·迪拉德 (JARRELL DILLARD) 和 西奥多里克·梅耶 (THEODORIC MEYER)
参议院共和党人正竞相在周五离开华盛顿之前完成一份冗长的待办事项清单，其中包括批准一项临时支出法案，旨在避免 11 月 3 日选举前政府关门。
除了临时预算案外，参议院多数党领袖约翰·图恩 (John Thune，南达科他州) 正在努力确认唐纳德·特朗普总统提名的 74 名官员，并面临推进一项 950 亿美元 billion 方案的压力，该方案将为伊朗战争和遭受通胀打击的农民提供新资金。
参议员们本周未能完成的任何事项，可能会被推迟到 9 月，届时国会计划在进入竞选阶段前仅在华盛顿短暂逗留。
临时预算案被优先处理。拨款委员会主席苏珊·柯林斯 (Susan Collins，共和党-缅因州) 和民主党首席拨款负责人参议员帕蒂·默里 (Patty Murray，华盛顿州) 共同起草了该法案，该法案将把政府资金延长至 12 月 11 日。
该措施与众议院通过的版本在重要方面有所不同：它纳入了白宫关于维持秋季住房和营养计划资金的请求，并将延长一项即将到期的退伍军人医疗保健授权。
此外，它将暂时阻止白宫管理和预算办公室采取一项规定，该规定将赋予政治任命官员广泛的权力来取消数千亿美元的联邦拨款。
参议院共和党人还致力于确认一系列机构的被提名人，包括国务院、能源部、财政部和司法部。如果唐纳德·特朗普能够赢得两名阻止其确认的共和党参议员的支持，参议院还可以确认托德·布兰奇 (Todd Blanche) 为司法部长。
周日晚些时候，布兰奇发布了一项书面命令，正式撤回特朗普政府关于设立 18 亿美元 billion 基金以补偿自称是政治起诉受害者的民众的提议——这是打破僵局的一步。
众议院拨款委员会民主党首席代表罗莎·德劳罗 (Rosa DeLauro，康涅狄格州) 在周日的一份声明中表示，参议院的法案相比众议院法案有了“明显的改进”，而她和大多数众议院民主党人都反对后者。
布兰奇表示，这次修订是与包括参议员约翰·科宁 (John Cornyn，德克萨斯州) 和汤姆·蒂利斯 (Thom Tillis，北卡罗来纳州) 在内的参议院司法委员会成员达成的协议的一部分，此前这些人曾因担心该基金而威胁反对他的提名。该命令出台的一天前，唐纳德·特朗普在 Truth Social 的帖子中威胁称，如果布兰奇不能获得确认，他将重启推动该赔付基金。
司法委员会已计划在周二对布兰奇的提名进行关键投票。
如果参议院批准，众议院可能会在议员于 8 月底返回时审议该措施。除非国会采取行动，否则政府资金将于 10 月 1 日耗尽。
[图注] 周三，参议院多数党领袖约翰·图恩 (John Thune，共和党-南达科他州)，身旁是共和党参议员汤姆·科顿 (Tom Cotton) 和约翰·巴拉索 (John Barrasso)。
作者：RILEY BEGGIN
参议院共和党领导层周日公布了一项支出法案，该法案将暂时阻止总统唐纳德·特朗普实施一项规则变更，该变更将赋予政治任命官员对数千亿美元联邦拨款的广泛权力。
该条款被纳入一项由参议院拨款委员会主席苏珊·柯林斯（Susan Collins，共和党-缅因州）和副主席帕蒂·默雷（Patty Murray，民主党-华盛顿州）协商、并经参议院共和党领导层审议的跨党派方案中，旨在为政府提供至 12 月 11 日的资金。这标志着总统再次遭到来自其自身党派参议员的显著谴责。
柯林斯在的一份声明中表示，她对该条款被纳入支出协议感到“高兴”。她还表示，白宫的规则变更具有“将拨款政治化并损害小型农村社区、家庭以及生物医学研究的潜在风险”。
这项由白宫管理和预算办公室（OMB）于 5 月发布的规则变更，将赋予政治任命官员对酌情拨款资金更多的权力，从而削弱了二战后建立的制度——该制度依靠独立同行评审员（相关领域专家）来确定科学提案是否值得获得联邦资助。
该规则还将赋予机构随时终止拨款的权力，进一步限制与中国、俄罗斯及某些其他外国研究人员的合作，并对在美工作的外国研究人员增加新要求。该规则不适用于灾后恢复拨款或国会通过法律授予的部分拨款（包括区块拨款）。
它将要求政治任命官员在授予拨款前进行审查，以确保这些拨款能够推进总统的优先事项，且不支持政府反对的项目，包括那些“资助、宣传、鼓励、补贴或促进”多样性、公平和包容原则，或“否认……性别二元的生物学现实”的项目。
特朗普政府官员表示，该规则将为联邦拨款提供必要的监督，确保联邦资金不被浪费或滥用。OMB 官员在周日晚间未立即回应置评请求，但曾表示拜登政府利用联邦拨款来推进“极左”议程。
OMB 表示，计划在 1. 日前敲定该规则。如果参议院的资金延长方案获得两院批准，它将阻止 OMB 实施该规则，至少直到该方案在 12 月 11 日到期为止。
柯林斯在 7 月初敦促 OMB 撤回该规则的部分内容。数十名民主党议员——以及共和党参议员丽莎·穆尔考斯基（Lisa Murkowski，阿拉斯加州）——也提出了类似的担忧。参议院和众议院拨款委员会的最高民主党人——默雷和众议员罗莎·德劳罗（Rosa DeLauro，民主党-康涅狄格州）在周日的声明中对该条款表示赞赏。
参议院多数党领袖约翰·图恩（John Thune，共和党-南达科他州）表示，他的目标是在参议院周五离京进行为期一个月休会前通过该支出法案。如果该方案（或类似的方案）未获批准，政府将在 9 月底关门。
目前尚不清楚由共和党控制的众议院是否会支持该方案的原稿。众议院将于 8 月 31. 结束其为期一个月的休会返回。议长迈克·约翰逊（Mike Johnson，共和党-路易斯安那州）和共和党众议院拨款负责人发言人未立即回应置评请求。
与柯林斯合作起草参议院支出方案的默雷表示，新的 OMB 规则将“仅仅是给特朗普绿灯，让他把更多的联邦资金当作人质”。默雷说，她争取加入一项能永久终止 OMB 规则的条款，但遭到了共和党同事的拒绝。
[图注] 参议院拨款委员会主席苏珊·柯林斯（Susan Collins，共和党-缅因州）帮助达成了一项跨党派协议，为政府提供至 12 月 11 日的资金。
去年，特朗普政府取消了数百项并冻结了数千项联邦拨款，理由是这些项目不符合政府的优先事项。科学家们表示，此举在研究机构内部引发了混乱，导致了裁员并颠覆了相关项目。
共和党人本周面临的最艰巨任务可能是敲定一个预算方案框架，以便加快向农民和五角大楼拨款。通过一种被称为“预算协调”（reconciliation）的复杂程序，共和党议员可以避开民主党的冗长辩论，并凭借共和党票数通过该方案。
在其他方面，预计参议院将轻松通过一项对俄罗斯实施新制裁的立法，该立法将允许特朗普政府对俄罗斯石油和天然气的前五大买家征收高达 100 ％的关税。这项措施由来自南卡罗来纳州的共和党参议员林赛·格雷厄姆（Lindsey Graham）在上个月突然去世前极力倡导，并在上周通过了强有力的两党投票。
为了使该策略奏效，参议院共和党人需要在其党团内获得近乎一致的支持。但多位共和党参议员已表达反对意见。此外，图恩表示，议会将就一项由行业支持的加密货币法案进行投票，该法案将建立联邦对数字资产的管辖权。但图恩上周告诉记者：“我们正在对此进行深入研究。而且目前，正如我之前所说，我们可能还没有达到那个阶段。”
上个月，众议院通过了一个 950 亿美元 billion 的预算框架，其中包括 730 亿美元 billion 的国防开支、120 亿美元 billion 的农民援助以及 100 亿美元 billion 的选举相关措施。众议院共和党人希望利用这些措施实施《拯救美国法案》（Save America Act）的部分内容——这是特朗普的首要任务。该法案将要求选民在登记投票时证明其公民身份，并在投票站出示带照片的身份证件。
参议院军事委员会主席、来自密西西比州的共和党人罗杰·威克（Roger Wicker）主张国防开支应接近 3000 亿美元 billion，他周四告诉华盛顿邮报，他正在推动提高该金额。但规模更大的方案可能会危及财政保守派共和党人的支持，这些人已经对在国家 $39.8 trillion 债务的基础上再增加 950 亿美元 billion 感到犹豫。
特朗普要求参议院必须在选举条款通过前不休会，但图恩多次表示，即使在预算协调程序下，该法案也无法在参议院通过。例如，蒂利斯就表示他不会支持该法案。
参议院预算委员会主席、来自威斯康星州的共和党人罗恩·约翰逊（Ron Johnson）表示，白宫需要直接申请额外的国防资金。尽管如此，约翰逊表示他“相当乐观”参议院在休会前能推进一个预算框架。
与此同时，多位共和党参议院议员对众议院框架表达了其他担忧。
他们支持限制白宫对数十亿美元拨款的权力
该措施面临来自多个方面的反对，包括民主党人，他们要求制定更严格的伦理条款，以限制特朗普从其家族加密货币业务中获利的能力。
作者：玛丽亚娜·阿尔法罗 (MARIANA ALFARO)
众议院伦理委员会建议议院对众议员查克·爱德华兹（Chuck Edwards，共和党-北卡罗来纳州）进行谴责。在周一发布的一份报告中，该委员会将其行为定性为对两名年轻女性工作人员采取了“持续的非专业且不恰当的行为”。
爱德华兹否认有任何不当行为。他的律师指责该委员会得出了一个“草率且毫无根据的决议”，并称建议的谴责“极其严厉”。
“爱德华兹代表强调，他一直努力遵守与其担任国会议员期间及之前行为相关的所有适用法律，”其律师在委员会发布的一份声明中写道。“他再次表示，如果他的行为给任何工作人员带来了不适或不受欢迎，他深表遗憾。”
伦理委员会由人数相等的民主党人和共和党人组成。该委员会在5月公开确认，在收到关于他“可能制造或促成了敌对工作环境并从事性骚扰”的指控后，已对其展开调查。
报告显示，爱德华兹向这两名工作人员提供了“奢华且重复的礼物”，对“她们的外貌和着装发表评论”，邀请她们参加“私密的晚餐和度假”，并发送了“关于他热情爱慕”的便条。报告称，部分礼物包括总额超过 $1,000 的珠宝、名牌手袋、枪支、鞋子、鲜花、一台笔记本电脑和手机。
委员会表示，没有证据表明爱德华兹与任何工作人员发生了性行为或明确地提出了性要求。然而，报告称他意识到“他对这些年轻女性的过度关注已在办公室中引发了传闻和暗示”。
该小组发现，这些女性对他行为感到“不适”，并试图向他传达这一点，但由于“他作为上司的身份，使她们处于一个难以应对的境地”。
委员会发现，虽然爱德华兹认为他的任何行为都不是意在进行性或浪漫的追求，但他的行为模式“会导致一个合理的观察者将其解读为该意图”。
伦理委员会分享的报告中所包含的文件和短信显示，爱德华兹多次对这两名工作人员做出夸张的姿态。报告称，在一次机会中，他与一名工作人员似乎一起前往拉斯维加斯进行了私人旅行。爱德华兹在Bellagio酒店为他自己和该工作人员预订了房间，并承诺为她们购买该市演出的门票。
报告称，在另一次机会中，爱德华兹提出可以缺席一次众议院投票，以帮助其中一名工作人员布置她的圣诞树。在另一次机会中，他提出重新安排一次远程市政厅会议，以便与该工作人员共进晚餐。
在某个时间点，当该工作人员询问爱德华兹关于旅行携带什么服装的建议时，爱德华兹发短信称：“你穿去听音乐会的的一条牛仔短裤和一件黄色衬衫深深烙印在我的记忆中，而你穿去邻近办公室活动的一件红色裙子简直太惊艳了 (SHOW STOPPER)！”
报告中包含的其他信息显示，爱德华兹经常邀请工作人员出去吃晚餐、喝酒，以及前往赌场、剧院、喜剧和音乐剧演出。
当其中一名工作人员离开爱德华兹的办公室时，这位议员发送了一条长短信，称她的离职“留下了一个无论在职业上还是个人生活上都无人能够填补的空白”。在随后的对话中，在飞行前，爱德华兹给该工作人员送了花，而她指出这让她感到“不适”。
“即使我遭受损失，我也向你保证，你永远找不到比我更希望你幸福的人。绝对没有，任何人都没有！”爱德华兹写道。“我只是想确认这次旅行并不是被赋予了它本身不具备的含义？”她回复道。“很抱歉这让你感到不适。我并没有那个意思，”爱德华兹回答。
根据报告，其中一名工作人员在开始为爱德华兹担任实习生时年仅 19 岁。她在大学毕业后搬到了华盛顿，为爱德华兹工作了大约三年。第二名工作人员在爱德华兹担任州参议员期间与其共事，并在其团队中工作了约 2½ 年。
在给委员会的回复中，爱德华兹的律师辩称，其调查结果“根据众议院关于性不端行为或骚扰的规则，证明爱德华兹众议员无罪”。律师斯坦利·M·布兰德（Stanley M. Brand）和安德鲁·D·赫尔曼（Andrew D. Herman）强调，爱德华兹“既未与任何个体工作人员进行性行为，也未明确提出性要求”，并表示“此案中的指控不涉及对价性骚扰”。
爱德华兹正面临民主党人杰米·埃格尔（Jamie Ager）的连任挑战。埃格尔是一位来自山区摇摆选区的农民，民主党将该选区视为在寻求夺回众议院多数席位时的突破机会。今年，众议院民主党的竞选机构——民主党国会竞选委员会将该选区列入了其“红转蓝”名单，表明其有意向该场竞选投入资源。
委员会还指责爱德华兹未能提交他与工作人员之间完整的文本和对话记录。委员会表示，缺失的消息中包含对调查至关重要的情感表达，包括一系列消息，在其中爱德华兹仅提供了工作人员对他推荐餐厅的回复。
“我对那些为了服务我们的社区而担任这些职位的年轻女性表示同情，”埃格尔在一份声明中说。“我们需要具有让西北北卡罗来纳州感到自豪的道德品质的领导者。”
在委员会调查期间恢复的回复中，部分内容写道：“我嫉妒得快疯了，因为我想成为那个为你介绍它的人。”
库克政治报告（Cook Political Report）最近将该席位——北卡罗来纳州第 11 選区——评定为“倾向共和党”选区，此前为“可能共和党”。
委员会还采访了这些工作人员。其中一人在被问及与爱德华兹的关系时表示，她“不知道如何说不”，并且她和另一名工作人员“当时都很年轻”，且被“教导必须心存感激”。
谴责是众议院选择惩戒议员的三种方式之一，另外两种是训诫和开除。如果众议院采纳委员会谴责爱德华兹的建议，还可以投票将其从委员会职务中撤职。他仍然能够在议事厅进行投票。共和党在议院中持有极微弱的多数席位。
“随着我们长大，我们开始意识到，也许这并不正常，”该工作人员告诉委员会。另一名与爱德华兹一起前往拉斯维加斯的工作人员表示，她担心自己“陷得太深”，并且觉得必须同意这次旅行，因为她“认为让一名国会议员成为我的对手对我的职业生涯没有好处”。
在给其中一名工作人员的一封手写信中，爱德华兹将她描述为“最令人惊叹的女性”，并在其心中“写下了一个复杂的篇章”。
[图注] ANNA MONEYMAKER / GETTY IMAGES 众议院伦理委员会发布的一份报告指控代表查克·爱德华兹（Chuck Edwards，北卡罗来纳州共和党人）对两名年轻女性员工采取了“不当行为”。爱德华兹否认有任何不当行为。
“我们值得拥有让西北卡罗来纳州感到自豪且具有道德品质的领导者。”——挑战爱德华兹连任的民主党人杰米·埃格（Jamie Ager）
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“或者将司法部的判决基金（Judgment Fund）用于同样的非法目的，”司法委员会成员、加州参议员亚当·希夫（Adam Schiff）在社交媒体帖子中表示。关于布兰奇（BLANCHE，见 A1 页）：“我不知道他们达成了一致什么。我认为托德·布兰奇（Todd Blanche）同意重新确认他已经说过的事情。”此外，潜在的和解协议仍然向特朗普及其家人提供不寻常的免于税务审计的保护。布兰奇周日声明称，该协议将不适用于未来的主张，也不适用于特朗普家族以外的人——就像他宣布赔付基金失效的声明一样，这一表述并未被纳入底层的法律文件中。
如果该协议维持有效，这将结束数日的拉锯战。在此期间，两名著名的共和党参议员与特朗普发生了冲突，引发了这位不习惯于党内阻力的总统的激烈批评。尽管如此，布兰奇的指令似乎仍未达到科宁（Cornyn）和蒂利斯（Tillis）上周所要求的程度。这两位参议员表示，他们需要看到对原始和解协议的修订，该协议由特朗普的律师签署，将该基金作为解决总统就其税单泄露给媒体而提起诉讼的一项交易。
周一被问及与布兰奇达成协议的这些局限性时，蒂利斯和科宁表示，他们已经尽力而为。“总统是否可以完全反转并创建一个新基金？他可以，”蒂利斯告诉记者。“那么他就可以就未诚信谈判向美国人民交代。”布兰奇周日的指令并未这样做。相反，它撤销了布兰奇自己在 5 月发布的关于赔付基金运作方式的指令。周日的指令并未由特朗普的法律团队签署。
就他个人而言，布兰奇感谢科宁和蒂利斯在他被提名产生的僵局在过去一周内延续期间与他合作。“我的团队和我过去几周与委员会成员和参议员会面，并解决了任何担忧或未决问题，”他说。“我们进行了诚信的讨论。……司法部始终欢迎并感谢与所有国会议员的建设性互动。”
科宁早前暗示这将是达成协议的障碍。“需要明确的是，作为本案原告的美国总统尚未书面同意删除该‘武器化基金’，”科宁在布兰奇的听证会上强调。即使在布兰奇周日晚上的声明之后，事实依然如此。这使得科宁警告过的一种可能性依然存在——即特朗普可能会因取消赔付基金而起诉司法部违约。如果布兰奇最终获得确认，这可能会给一个（处于动荡中的）司法部带来一定程度的稳定。
已经四个月没有确认的领导者了。特朗普没有迹象表明他会改变要求起诉其政治对手的做法，这一做法已使该部门陷入争议。民主党人周一指出，布兰奇的声明也没有排除司法部继续与那些声称在拜登和奥巴马政府期间遭到不公正起诉的特朗普盟友达成法律索赔和解的可能性，即便该部门不使用那笔 18 亿美元 billion 的赔付基金。但真正引起两党最激烈抵制的是司法部律师在春季与特朗普法律团队协商的一项庭外和解协议。即将于今年离开参议院的科宁和蒂利斯将该协议的一项书面修正案作为支持布兰奇提名的一个条件。
“这并不能阻止政府在下周让这笔小金库‘死而复生’。”
华盛顿邮报 • 2026年8月4日，星期二 A6 EZ RE BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / GETTY IMAGES 代理司法部长托德·布兰奇周一获得了此前威胁反对他的共和党参议员的支持。布兰奇的司法部长提名之路变得清晰。
这些立法者明确表示，他们将僵局归咎于白宫而非布兰奇。他们的反对源于一种担忧，即拟议的赔付基金可能会奖励那些在 6, 2021, 袭击美国国会大厦期间被判定袭击警察的人员。“我认为就布兰奇和司法部而言，我们的想法基本一致，”科宁周四下午表示。“但当总统得知此事后，他的想法就不一样了。”几天来，特朗普似乎在抵制他们的要求，转而对这两位参议员发起猛烈攻击。任何解决方案的前景都显得暗淡。
从那时起，特朗普对他意图的质疑又增加了。周五，特朗普痛斥科宁和蒂利斯，指责他们阻挠布兰奇的提名并非出于合理的担忧，而是因为他对他们没有提供连任背书而感到不快。他周五威胁称，将暂时撤回布兰奇的提名，并在科宁和蒂利斯离开参议院后的明年重新提交。同一天，总统的律师进一步搅浑了水，提交了一份通知，称他们将对一名监督特朗普起诉国税局（IRS）的联邦法官最近的一项命令提出上诉。
从一开始，我们就明确表示需要一份书面文件来解决我们的担忧。”德克萨斯州参议员约翰·科宁和北卡罗来纳州参议员汤姆·蒂利斯在一份声明中表示。
该法官谴责该起诉是一场非法的法律纠纷，因为双方律师最终都向总统汇报。她指责当事人将此诉讼作为借口，以证明一项她描述为未经法院批准的、可疑的协议之正当性。特朗普的律师则坚称，由于该协议是在庭外达成的，法官对此没有管辖权。而周六，总统暗示，如果科宁和蒂利斯投票反对布兰奇，他将推动国会通过立法，通过法律形式建立该基金。
科宁在春季的一场激烈的连任竞选中落败，此前特朗普支持了他的共和党初选对手——德克萨斯州总检察长肯·帕克斯顿。蒂利斯则在与特朗普发生争执后选择不再寻求连任。甚至在布兰奇周日发布命令数小时后，特朗普仍继续表达支持补偿 6 暴徒的想法，他称这些人“受到了糟糕的对待”。不过，科宁拒绝承认他对布兰奇的立场。
这次提名与他对唐纳德·特朗普的个人感情毫无关系。“我认为对于那些在监狱中度过多年、被如此糟糕对待的人，以及在许多情况下完全没有做错任何事的人来说，这将是非常公平的，”总统周一在椭圆形办公室告诉记者。“所以我认为该基金是积极的。许多共和党人也这么认为。”“这是为了确保即使你是美国总统，在诉讼和解中也不会从政府获得普通公民无法获得的优惠条款，”他周四告诉记者。由于参议员与政府之间的谈判在整个上周大部分时间里进展甚微，Alexei Kosseff、Isaac Arnsdorf 和 Teodoric Meyer 为本报道做出了贡献。
摘要 找到一种支付方式的确定性。“这是一个福音！”他说。
国会 代表 俄亥俄州代表卡普图尔在车祸中受伤 —— Susan Svrluga
白宫 特朗普对显示低支持率的民调不屑一顾
她的办公室表示，代表马西·卡普图尔（Marcy Kaptur，民主党-俄亥俄州）周日在前往托莱多附近参加教会礼拜的途中遭遇车祸，因非致命伤接受治疗并住院。
唐纳德·特朗普不屑于那些显示其工作支持率创历史新低的民调，周一在 Truth Social 的帖子中写道：“我的真实民调数字，而不是那些由虚假新闻媒体编造的数字，是史上最高的。”特朗普没有批评具体的某项近期民调，也没有引用显示他更受欢迎的民调。
她的办公室在声明中表示，这位 80 岁的国会议员在车辆被撞击时坐在乘客席。尽管住院，但她在周日晚上依然清醒且警觉。卡普图尔的办公室表示，托莱多警方将对此次车祸进行调查。托莱多警方未立即回应关于此次车祸的置评请求。
特朗普的抱怨是在奎尼皮亚克大学（32%）、CNN（34%）和经济学人-YouGov（同样为 34%）的民调显示其支持率跌至历史最低点或创下新低之后提出的。
卡普图尔的办公室在声明中说：“她对数百名联系她的选民表示深深的感激，并期待尽快恢复完整的日程。”
虽然特朗普在其他民调中表现更好，但全国平均支持率在 36 到 40 之间，近几周下降了约一个百分点，与之前的历史最低点持平或创下新低。
托莱多电视台 WTOL 11 的一份报告称，警方应对了一起被描述为“hit-skip”（当地对肇事逃逸的称呼）的两车相撞事故。参议员乔恩·休斯顿（Jon Husted，共和党-俄亥俄州）在 X 上表示，他希望“对这一鲁莽行为负责的人能被迅速抓获并追究责任”。
CNN 的民调发现，28% 的人对他处理伊朗问题表示认可，比 3 月份下降了五个百分点。74% 的大多数人认为特朗普没有处理战争的明确计划，比 3 月份上升了七个百分点。
卡普图尔正在竞选俄亥俄州第 9 国会选区的连任，她是众议院的资深成员，目前处于第 17 任期。她的共和党对手德里克·梅里恩（Derek Merrin）在 X 上表示，他“对得知这次事故感到悲伤”。
特朗普写道“不要相信激进左翼的虚假民调数字”，但他长期关注公众舆论调查，强调他喜欢的调查结果，而摒弃他不喜欢的那些。他在周末的行动似乎旨在逐步结束一场民调显示美国人日益反对的战争。
他写道：“请和我一起为她的快速康复以及所有在车祸中受伤的人祈祷。” —— Mariana Alfaro
周六晚上，特朗普表示美国已取消对伊朗的袭击，并且“协议的范围已经达成一致”，随后称结束战争的谈判将于周一下午开始。
高等教育 莱斯大学扩大免费学费计划
莱斯大学周一宣布，从今年秋季开始，为家庭年收入最高达 $200,000 的学生提供免费学费。
伊朗外交部发言人否认了关于周一将恢复谈判的说法，尽管《华盛顿邮报》报道称，地区调解员正在美国和伊朗之间传递信息。
对于家庭年收入最高达 $100,000 且拥有典型资产的学生，这家位于休斯顿的高度竞争性大学还将涵盖其杂费、食宿费用。该校的学费及相关费用每年总计近 $93,000。
特朗普在周末的军事撤退发生在此前一次停火协议崩溃约四周之后。根据美国能源信息署的数据，由于石油运输中断，上周汽油价格上涨了 32 美分，超过每加仑 $4。
负责招生及助学金院长兼招生副校长伊冯娜·罗梅罗表示，学校于 2019 年启动了其“莱斯投资计划”，旨在降低教育成本并提高财务援助的透明度。—— Scott Clement
一名联邦法官目前允许国土安全部继续执行计划，在保护德克萨斯州一个与墨西哥接壤的小镇的堤防系统中修建边境墙，驳回了该镇关于墙体可能导致洪涝的论点。
周日晚些时候作出的这项决定对于特朗普政府而言是一次胜利，因为该政府正加速推进沿墨西哥边境修建一座耗资 $460 亿边境墙的努力。
普雷西迪奥镇认为，该墙可能会引起洪水，且政府并未遵守法律。
即使在较高的收入档位，也可以获得援助；她表示，在家庭年收入介于 $200,000 和 $300,000 之间且申请援助的学生中，70% 的人获得了资助。
大学投资的增加和捐赠使更多家庭有资格获得援助。莱斯大学加入了一个日益扩大的院校行列，这些学校甚至向中产阶级家庭提供可观的财务援助，并以易于理解的方式公布，以免家长被高昂的标价吓跑。
最近毕业且没有任何债务的贾伦·里夫斯表示，财务援助给了他自由，让他能够在没有压力的情况下接受教育，而无需担心…… —— 美联社
保持对塑造美国历史的好奇心。选购“历史时刻系列” (Historic Moments Collection)。扫描代码或访问 wapo.st / historic-moments
作者：凯尔·梅尔尼克 (KYLE MELNICK)
最近一个夜晚，赛尔·摩根（Sayre Morgan）在开车回家途中，发现路边有一个黄色的猫粮袋和一只瘦小的流浪小猫。他靠边停车，发现辛辛那提（Cincinnati）的一处山坡上不仅有一只，而是一窝小猫在游荡。然而，其中一只急需帮助：那只猫侧卧在地上，无法站立或行走。
摩根将这五只小猫带到了动物收容所，X光检查发现，那只无法移动的小猫下背部有脊髓损伤。收容所工作人员给这只猫起名叫 Gelato，它在尝试行走时会拖着后腿。
辛辛那提动物护理中心（Cincinnati Animal Care）的兽医助理主管马洛里·史密斯（Mallory Smith）表示，它似乎很喜欢与其他猫互动，也喜欢玩羽毛玩具和球。但 Gelato 的体重仅一磅多，高度约为 4 英寸，对于收容所的轮椅来说太小了。
目前正代养 Gelato 的史密斯希望赋予这只小猫行走的能力——于是她产生了一个不寻常的想法。
7 月中旬，她开始用最近收到的一件包裹中的纸板，为 Gelato 制作一个手工轮椅。她将纸板条用胶带粘在一起，形成了轮椅的框架和腿部。
大约在同一时间，史密斯的一位朋友带着准备出售的一系列旧 Hot Wheels 玩具车来拜访她。史密斯从他的袋子里抓了两辆救护车玩具，将它们粘在纸板底部作为轮椅的轮子。
史密斯将 Gelato 放入轮椅中，后方的一根横杆支撑其骨盆，一个小红背带将其固定。但当 Gelato 行走时，纸板散架了。
于是，史密斯从 Walgreens 购买了 4 把木尺，每把 99 美分。她使用绝缘胶带、强力胶带和扎带将每侧各固定了两把尺子。
当她再次将 Gelato 放入轮椅时，它能够自由活动而轮椅不再崩塌。27 岁的史密斯欣喜若狂。
“看到他能拥有某种自主能力，真的非常可爱，”她说。
史密斯将这个轮椅称为“狮子宝座”（The Lion’s Throne）。
Gelato 最初在轮椅中似乎有些犹豫，但现在它很享受在史密斯的一居室公寓中游荡，玩玩具，并用爪子拍击史密斯的 3 只猫：Wasabi、Nona 和 Bake Sale。
大约 3 个月大的 Gelato 每天都会在轮椅中站立进行物理治疗，由史密斯帮它活动腿部以增强力量和灵活性。它的健康状况有所改善；现在它在没有轮椅辅助的情况下也能站立。
“它确实增强了很多信心，”史密斯说。
尽管名称如此，宠物猫轮椅通常没有“椅子”，而是依靠轮子和背带来支撑动物虚弱的腿部。
收容所于 7 月 20 日在社交媒体上分享了 Gelato 使用轮椅的照片，引发了数千人的转发，也有几个人提出要为 Gelato 制作一个更坚固的轮椅。史密斯与一位工程师朋友合作，3D 打印了一个黑色轮椅，可以随着 Gelato 的成长而进行调整。Gelato 上周首次试用了这个新轮椅。
Gelato 的腿部似乎有知觉，史密斯说这是一个它可能恢复行走能力的信号。目前，史密斯希望 Gelato 在被领养之前能更适应使用轮椅，她表示领养大概会在几周内进行。
鉴于 Gelato 获得的新名气，史密斯预计很多人会对领养它感兴趣。
“在它至今为止非常短暂的生命中，它经历了许多，”史密斯说。“它那种不断前行的样子非常鼓舞人心。”
[图注] 照片由辛辛那提动物护理中心提供 Gelato 的下背部有脊髓损伤，通过用玩具车和尺子制成的轮椅获得了行走能力。轮椅后方有一根支撑骨盆的横杆，并用一个小红背带将其固定。 Gelato 以及目前代养该小猫的辛辛那提动物护理中心兽医助理主管马洛里·史密斯。
从在辛辛那提的一记关键传球，到击败芝加哥的奇迹般“祈祷传球”（Hail Mary），再到季后赛中对底特律风格球队的碾压，杰登·丹尼尔斯（Jayden Daniels）贡献了一个华盛顿自 1991 年以来未曾体验过的赛季。这位 24 岁的四分卫通过传球、奔跑和闪避，一路闯入了 NFC 冠军赛。他在关键时刻的发挥能力，使其在最后一分钟或加时赛中完成了五次达阵推进。他创下了新秀四分卫冲球码数（891）和传球完成率（69.0）的纪录。随着华盛顿 19 年来首次获得季后赛胜利，丹尼尔斯成为球队历史上第二位赢得季后赛比赛的新秀四分卫——与带领球队夺得 1937 年 NFL 冠军的萨米·鲍（Sammy Baugh）并列。现在，他是年度最佳进攻新秀。
作者：BAILEY JOHNSON，发自纽约州埃尔蒙特
亚历山大·奥维钦（Alex Ovechkin）职业生涯第 895 个进球的永恒画面——这个进球完成了他对韦恩·格雷茨基（Wayne Gretzky）NHL 纪录的追击，并将他的名字推向了联盟最负盛名的名单之首——将是他全身舒展地在冰面上腹滑，尽管他已 39 岁，却展现出孩童般的狂喜与热情。
就是这样。他做到了。不再有关于“是否”能实现的疑问。近年来，这些疑问变成了“何时”实现，并且随着华盛顿首都人队所到之处对他绰号的欢呼，强度和规模不断增加。在一次强力进攻（power play）中，奥维钦在左侧抢攻圈顶端用他标志性的手腕拨球，成为了 NHL 历史上的最高进球得分者，他在创造传奇的地方完成了他迄今为止最大的成就。
“Ovi！Ovi！Ovi！”的欢呼声淹没了处罚的宣布；那是对凯西·西齐卡斯（Casey Cizikas）的一次绊人犯规判罚，由后卫拉斯姆斯·桑丁（Rasmus Sandin）造成，但几乎没人能实时听到。相反，人们听到的是期待的嘈杂声，甚至可能是某种预感，因为历史就在眼前。
翼锋汤姆·威尔逊（Tom Wilson）在冰面上将球传给了全速冲入进攻区的奥维钦，当奥维钦在左侧圆圈顶端接球时，结果已毫无悬念。在他将其变为自己“办公室”的那个位置打入一个强力进攻进球，是第 895 球唯一的发生方式。当他在 7:26 处将球如火箭般射过伊利亚·索罗金（Ilya Sorokin）——奥维钦攻破的第 183 位门将——时，期待变成了爆发。
在奥维钦点亮红灯之前的几秒钟里，期待达到了顶峰。奥维钦在 20 年前进入 NHL，此后几乎从未慢下来。周日在 UBS 竞技场，首都人队以 4-1 输给了纽约岛人队，但对于那些身穿红色服装、将第一资本竞技场（Capital One Arena）的氛围北移至长岛的看台观众来说，结果几乎不重要。
“老实告诉你，当我在[周五]追平纪录时，我仍然不敢相信，”奥维钦说。“那太激动人心了，那是如此伟大的一夜，但这件事简直太疯狂了。我可能需要几天或者几周时间来意识到成为第一名意味着什么。但我可以说我非常自豪。我为自己感到自豪。我真的很自豪。”
华盛顿首都人队于 1974 年作为一支扩军球队开始比赛。在经历了四个多十年——以及大量的季后赛挫折——之后，这座国家之都终于可以在击败首年扩军球队拉斯维加斯金骑士队并赢得斯坦利杯决赛后，庆祝夺冠。亚历山大·奥维钦用一个期待已久的冠军头衔完善了他的履历。
拉斯维加斯 — 在他最终触碰到奖杯之前，亚历山大·奥维钦弯腰转向他的队友们。
拉斯维加斯 — 首都人的杯子，他们的斯坦利杯，终于满溢而出。
拉斯维加斯 — 亚历山大·奥维钦扔掉了他的头盔并
几十年来，华盛顿首都人队
更多内容：一个专门报道首都人夺冠之路关键时刻的特辑，包括布拉登·霍尔特比的出色扑救、斯坦利杯的历史等。
[图注] JOHN MCDONNELL / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST STANLEY CUP FINALS CAPITALS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3：在周四晚上的第五场比赛获胜后，队长亚历山大·奥维钦挥舞着他在 13 个 NHL 赛季职业生涯中一直追逐的奖杯。
首都人队等待斯坦利杯 44 年的时光终于结束了
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年度最佳进攻新秀 从辛辛那提的一次黄金时段妙传，到击败芝加哥的奇迹般绝杀，再到季后赛中对底特律的横扫，
作者：丹尼尔·吴 (Daniel Wu)
在一封致卫生部部长罗伯特·F·肯尼迪（Robert F. Kennedy Jr.）和代理司法部长托德·布兰什（Todd Blanche）的信中，特奥林匹克运动会（Special Olympics）主席——同时也是肯尼迪的表亲——呼吁政府撤回一份司法部备忘录，该备忘录可能会缩小联邦对残疾人护理的保护范围。
蒂姆·施赖弗（Tim Shriver）的这封信加入到了立法者和残疾人权益倡导者的近期抗议声浪中。这些人士警告称，6月份的那份备忘录要求重新解释一项关于残疾人权利的关键最高法院裁决，这可能会削减数十万残疾美国人赖以生存的居家和社区护理服务，使他们无需被送入机构即可获得护理——而肯尼迪家族成员在整个政治生涯中一直支持这一事业。
“在某种程度上，这是我们家族的核心热忱所在，”施赖弗告诉《华盛顿邮报》。 “我希望并相信肯尼迪部长能够理解这一点。”
自 1996 年以来，他一直领导着特奥林匹克运动会，该组织为智力障碍儿童和成人组织体育赛事。
截至本文发布时，卫生与公众服务部（HHS）和司法部均未提供评论。
司法部法律顾问办公室在6月中旬发布的这份备忘录主张对最高法院 1999 年在“奥姆斯特德诉 L.C. 案”（Olmstead v. L.C.）中作出的裁决进行较宽松的解读，该案被视为残疾人权利的里程碑式案例。最高法院在裁决中认为，当残疾人能够且希望接受社区服务时，将其制度化（送入机构）具有歧视性。
这份备忘录出台之际，患者和护理人员正准备应对总统唐纳德·特朗普（Donald Trump）税收法案带来的医疗补助（Medicaid）削减，预计这也将损害残疾人服务。
“许多患有智力发育障碍的人已经在担心，他们赖以生存的医疗补助资助的支持和服务在未来是否还会存在，”施赖弗在上周寄给肯尼迪和布兰什并分享给《邮报》的信中写道。乔治·华盛顿大学健康法与政策教授、拜登政府时期的前 HHS 管理员艾莉森·巴考夫（Alison Barkoff）表示：“‘奥姆斯特德案’创造了要求各州提供社区服务的工具。”
长期从事残疾人权利活动工作的施赖弗表示，他是以个人身份发送此信的。
倡导者认为，社区服务比机构护理更具成本效益，并且能更好地让残疾人工作并与家人及社区保持联系。根据健康政策研究组织 KFF 在 2024 年的估计，大约有 450 万 (4.5 million) 医疗补助参保人接受居家和社区护理，且每年仍有数十万人处于服务候补名单中。
倡导者表示，虽然司法部的意见没有改变法律，但它可能表明该部门将在执行“奥姆斯特德”裁决方面退缩。
“这释放了一个信号，即司法部和美国卫生与公众服务部正在放弃对社区融入的承诺，”全国私人社区提供者协会 ANCOR 的政府关系副总裁莉迪亚·道森（Lydia Dawson）说道。
“这些项目决定了一个人是拥有完整的生活，还是……陷入悲剧性的精神疾病、孤独、抑郁、孤立和屈辱之中，”施赖弗告诉《邮报》。
肯尼迪家族一直密切参与推动残疾人权利的努力。约翰·F·肯尼迪总统在 1963 年任职期间签署了一项重大精神健康法案，并与参议员罗伯特·F·肯尼迪（即现任卫生部部长的父亲）共同推动将残疾人护理从制度化转向社区服务。肯尼迪总统的妹妹、蒂姆·施赖弗的母亲尤妮丝·肯尼迪·施赖弗（Eunice Kennedy Shriver）创立了特奥林匹克运动会。
希里弗表示，特朗普政府的立场威胁到了残障护理领域数十年艰苦争取而取得的进步。
“我希望您能帮助确保我们的国家在包容性的承诺上继续前进，而不是后退，”他在给肯尼迪和布朗什的信中写道。
[图注] 卫生部长罗伯特·F·肯尼迪二世的表亲蒂姆·希里弗写信给肯尼迪和代理司法部长托德·布朗什。2023 PHOTO BY ALEXANDER HASSENSTEIN / GETTY IMAGES
[图注] 伊莱恩·威尔逊（左）和洛伊斯·柯蒂斯是“奥姆斯特德诉L.C.案”的原告，两人出现在这张April 10, 1999, 照片中。她们起诉要求离开一家佐治亚州医院，最终引发了最高法院的案件。JOHN BAZEMORE / AP
建设美国 (Building America) 吴恩达 (Andrew Ng) 在“建设美国”系列的对话中，吴恩达讨论了可能影响美国AI竞争力未来的关键基础设施、开源模型和经济选择。 立即观看 wapo.st / buildingamericavodcasts
提供支持 Tuesday, augusT 4, 2026 • THe WasHINgTON POsT
司法部
（接A1页）Flock拥有一个庞大的人工智能路边摄像头网络，可将经过的车牌记录在一个可绘制地图的数据库中，警员在调查犯罪时可以进行搜索。Flock将其系统宣传为警员梦寐以求的打击犯罪工具。但这一工具也赋予了局长迈克尔·斯特夫曼（Michael Steffman）潜伏监控巴克利生活的权力。根据 Have I Been Flocked（一个汇总通过公共记录公开的警方搜索日志的网站）的数据，当巴克利意识到发生了什么时，斯特夫曼已经查询了她及其十几岁女儿的车牌标签大约 600 次。斯特夫曼于11月因涉嫌跟踪、骚扰和滥用车牌识别器被逮捕。4月，在审判之前，他被发现在家中死亡，官员称其为自杀。斯特夫曼工作的布拉塞尔顿（Braselton）镇经理拒绝发表评论。该镇的新任警察局长和斯特夫曼家中的四名成员未回应置评请求。在硅谷一些顶尖投资者的支持下，Flock已迅速成长为美国技术监控领域的巨头。作为这个激增的车牌识别行业领导者，该公司告诉《华盛顿邮报》，其超过 120,000 台鞋盒大小的摄像头目前在超过 6,000 个社区的道路上进行扫描，每月记录 20 billion 次车牌扫描。
每小时搜索次数：July 18, 2024
但不法分子将这个巨大的摄像头网络当作了进行私人监控的强大武器。《华盛顿邮报》对警方和法院记录的分析发现，当局已指控或指称至少 50 名执法人员将车牌识别器用于未经授权的目的，包括在女性不知情或未同意的情况下对其进行跟踪。 21 25 23 27 29 31 在这些案例中的 26 例中，警方调查人员和检察官表示，警员利用该技术监视其妻子、女友、前任、前任的新伴侣或他们想要结识的女性。在其他案例中，警方或检察官未具体说明涉嫌监视的目标。在《华盛顿邮报》分析的案例中，有 46 例使用了Flock的系统，其余案例涉及竞争产品。
“我告诉你我查过了” 斯特夫曼 Flock摄像头 斯特夫曼 “那天我陷入了某种强迫性的循环。我再也不会去查了 [...]”
许多车牌识别器滥用案例此前由当地媒体报道，其中一些最初由位于弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿的民权法律事务所“正义研究所”（Institute for Justice）汇总。
August 1, 2024
《华盛顿邮报》审查了数千页的法院文件和内部警方报告，并对七名涉嫌受害者进行了采访，其中一些人公开讲述了
这是首次旨在全面描绘全国警察滥用 Flock 及其他车牌识别设备的情况。2025年1月，审查发现，Flock 在是否激活某些设置方面给予了警察部门极大的自由度，而一些警察和隐私倡导者认为这些设置可以遏制不当行为；且许多部门对其警员的搜索行为监管有限。结果，违规警察能够精准且隐秘地监控目标的行踪。来源：由 Have I Been Flocked 获得的执法审计日志。
分析发现，通过自动车牌识别系统（ALPRs），警员可以追踪目标的日常生活节奏和行踪，在某些情况下导致了激烈的冲突、心理操纵以及强制与控制的威胁。在《华盛顿邮报》将调查结果转达给 Flock 后，该公司在一份声明中表示，将“很快公布更好的过滤器和工具，以在滥用发生前予以阻止”。Flock 官员在采访中表示，滥用其技术的警员在其 140,000 名活跃用户中仅占很小一部分，且公司提供培训指南和搜索日志，以帮助警察部门进行内部审计。在 4 月，该公司推出了一项新的自愿性“审计辅助”功能（机构可选择开启），该功能可自动扫描警员的搜索行为以发现可疑活动，例如重复针对同一车辆的查询，或由非值班警员执行的查询。
在威斯康星州，根据一份本月将开庭审理案件的警察宣誓书，一名警员涉嫌使用 Flock 检查其前女友是否前往堕胎诊所。在堪萨斯州，一个州警认证机构指称，一名警察局长通过 Flock 追踪其前任，并在其与另一名男子亲热时潜行接近，导致该局长被解雇。在佛罗里达州，根据一份警察报告和车载摄像机视频，一名副警员在通过名为 Guardian 的车牌工具将一名年轻女演员添加到监视名单后，为了拦截她而超速行驶，险些引发正面碰撞。该副警员于 3 月被捕，其律师拒绝评论。
在接受《华盛顿邮报》采访时，Flock 首席执行官 Garrett Langley 表示，系统被滥用是不可避免的，公司专注于提供事后抓获违规者的工具。在与 Flock 签署的合同中，警察部门同意该工具仅用于对犯罪行为的“正当调查”。在加利福尼亚州，根据一份量刑摘要，检察官表示，前副警员 Alexander Vanny 将 Flock 作为其持续数月“跟踪”和“羞辱”前未婚妻活动的一部分，该活动还包括在镇上跟踪她并在其室友的浴室安装隐藏摄像头。
“我们无法改变人性，而人类会做出错误的决定，”Langley 说道，“我们能做的是确保他们知道，如果你使用这个工具（进行违规操作），你将承担责任。”
《华盛顿邮报》的调查揭示了该技术在全国范围内被滥用的规模，以及给那些感到被持续监视的受害者及其家庭带来的沉重打击。
Vanny 被陪审团认定 10 项指控成立，包括跟踪和未经授权访问电子设备。
THE WASHINGTON POST • TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2026 A10 EZ RE 一个打击犯罪的摄像头网络是如何变成跟踪工具的 照片：KEVIN D. LILES / 为华盛顿邮报拍摄 上个月，一辆汽车驶过佐治亚州的一对 Flock 摄像头。这个全国性网络允许警察……
追踪车牌。Steffman 搜寻了数百次 Bakely 车牌的 Flock 数据，时间跨度从 1 17 午夜 6 a.m. 正午 6 p.m. 11 p.m.。7月29日，Steffman 搜寻了 21 次 Bakely 的车牌，其中 17 次是在 5 - 6 p.m. 之间；7月23日晚上 9 p.m. 到午夜之间有 11 次搜寻。7月31日，Steffman 和 Bakely 就他使用 Flock 摄像头搜寻的事宜交换了短信：
“你怎么知道我前几天去了克利夫兰？我没告诉过你” BAKELY
Marci Bakely 表示，她的前男友——亚特兰大附近一个小镇的警察局长——通过使用 Flock “监视我的一举一动”。
“但你怎么会知道？你在哪里看的？” BAKELY
一名来自弗吉尼亚州费尔法克斯县警察局的指挥官（现为各机构和技术供应商的顾问）表示，隐私功能和地方政府的监督不应削弱警察执行工作能力。他说，显著限制车牌识别技术的规定可能会“完全抑制这些技术的使用”。
在接下来的七个月里，Steffman 继续搜寻 Bakely 的车牌 500 次以上： 午夜 6 a.m. 正午 6 p.m. 11 p.m.
但倡议组织电子前哨基金会（Electronic Frontier Foundation）的网络安全主管 Eva Galperin 表示，该工具被滥用是“不可避免的”，而且该公司迄今为止采取的方法，加上警方领导层的监督不力，几乎无法保护女性免受滥权警员的伤害。“Flock 已经声称他们有监督机制，有防护栏，但我们仍然看到这类滥用行为，”她说。
警员的搜寻记录由警察局记录，但只有部分记录通过公开记录请求提供，这使得人们很难发现自己的车辆是否被追踪。一些女性表示，她们直到收到内部事务调查员的电话，或通过 Have I Been Flocked 等第三方工具查询自己的车牌号后，才得知自己被监视。
LESLIE SHAPIRO / 华盛顿邮报 注：所有时间均为东部时间。
电子数据，并于2月被判处六年监禁。他的律师告诉《华盛顿邮报》，该案件集中在 Vanny 拍摄一名男子的车牌上，该男子在 Vanny 的前未婚妻去酒吧后将其载走，他这么做是出于对她的关心。
一些受害者（如 Bakely）还表示，由于加害者是警察，且被赋予了在行动秘密的情况下进行调查的广泛权力，并受雇于她们被告知寻求帮助的同一机构，因此她们很难让自己的经历得到重视。
虽然部分搜寻行为导致了警员被解雇、被起诉和被判监禁，但在其他案例中，警察部门在收到被滥用警告后，仍允许警员继续使用这些系统。
Bakely 说，这些摄像头让她感到无力阻止前男友追踪她的生活。她说，她不敢向他领导的警察机构寻求帮助，且无法获取能证明实时监视正在发生的记录。在 Steffman 告诉她关于 Flock 搜寻的事后，她申请了限制令，但法院记录显示，法官以她无法证明持续滥用为由否决了该申请。
“这不是一次性的判断失误；而是一种持续的、重复的、强迫性的行为，”一名威斯康星州女性在家庭暴力限制令申请书中写道，并称 Flock 数据显示，她的警员前男友搜寻了她及其伴侣的车牌 179 次。她说，她生活在“持续的恐惧状态”中。
以及不安。” 一系列隐私倡导者认为，Flock 可以通过对其产品进行简单的更改来震慑不法分子，例如要求警员在每次搜索时都标注刑事案件编号。一些警务专家还警告说，各机构在制定和执行车牌识别器标准程序方面存在的不一致，可能会导致进一步的违规行为。由于没有联邦法律管辖，且州法律仅是碎片化的，美国大约 18,000 个警察机构中的许多机构只能自行决定规则。她说，他“监视我的每一个动作”。但“你要把警察局长交给谁处理呢？”
“与 DNA 一样具有变革性”
当巴克利在 2022 年通过约会软件 Tinder 结识斯特夫曼时，他看起来是个完美的人选。他有孩子，还执教少棒棒球。他喜欢粗俗的笑话，且赞美之词脱口而出。此外，他职业生涯稳定，在执法部门工作了 20 年。在经历了几个艰苦的月份后——期间身为美国空军退伍军人的巴克利为了搬到离父母更近的地方而抛弃了原有的生活——他让她感到安全，觉得自己不再孤单。她在一次采访中表示：“他简直是我唯一的朋友。”她说，几个月后，他开始表现得与众不同——变得更加控制欲强且偏执。他翻阅了她 13 年的 Facebook 历史记录，强迫她屏蔽男性。
克里斯汀·奎因，一名当地前摄像头馈送。Flock 迅速成为这个新兴的车牌识别业务领域中最显眼的参与者，与 Axon 的 Fleet 3 和摩托罗拉的 VehicleManager 等竞争对手的系统相抗衡。尽管缺乏同行那样成熟的执法部门关系，但 Flock 的监控订阅方案使其摄像头能够被小镇警察局和社区治安组织所采用。Flock 去年表示，其年收入已超过 $3 亿美元。
公司文件显示，Flock 告诉各机构，它可以制定“关于谁可以访问系统以及如何使用系统的自有书面规则”。根据 Flock 的规则，机构领导决定哪些警员获得登录凭据，且警员在进行搜索时不需要搜查令；他们只需输入车牌号即可开始。公司文件显示，随着时间的推移，Flock 升级了其工具的监控能力，创建了可以在目标车辆被摄像头捕捉到时立即通知警员的“热点名单”（hot lists），以及一项“车辆指纹”功能，允许他们在不知道车牌号的情况下，通过车辆的外观或特征（例如，任何贴有保险杠贴纸的白色面包车）来搜索车辆。
Flock 的工程师也改进了摄像头，将其连接到太阳能电池板和蜂窝网络，使其可以安装在任何地方并全天候记录。Flock 的旗舰摄像头 Falcon 使用一种被称为“计算机视觉”的 AI 图像识别技术，可以在夜间或大雨中读取疾驰车辆的车牌。包括早期的 Facebook 投资者 Andreessen Horowitz 在内的大型风险投资公司向 Flock 投入了大量资金，赌该公司能以一种方式彻底改变警务工作。
作为一家私营公司，Flock 去年表示其公司估值为 75 亿美元 十亿美元。在四月份的一次 TED 演讲中，兰利表示，在看到车牌识别器的成功后，公司已扩展到制造摄像头无人机、警察软件和音频检测设备。他提到一名警察局长告诉他，这些设备在打击犯罪方面“与 DNA 一样具有变革性”。他分享了警察如何使用 Flock 拦截一名在田纳西州绑架女孩的绑架者的故事，并说道：“我不知道还需要多少 11 岁的女孩被绑架……我们才会说‘够了’。”
她告诉《华盛顿邮报》，他曾查看她留下的评论。他还要求访问她的Ring门铃摄像头，并查找了她手机通讯录中的所有姓名。当在台上被问及该系统的使用是否曾让他感到不安时，朗利（Langley）举了三个最近发生的警员滥用实例，其中一个案例与斯特夫曼（Steffman）的情况相似：“乔治亚州北部的一位警察局长利用Flock追踪前伴侣。”然而，朗利指出，Flock的审计日志已被用于调查此类滥用行为——他说，这证明了公司的保障措施正在发挥作用。
她说，两人在 2023 年末分手，但斯特夫曼的短信并未停止。根据《华盛顿邮报》审阅的一段短信记录，他有时会在半夜随机地询问一些关于她去向的隐晦问题，然后说他已经“查过了”。她说，他似乎很享受掌握那些她不想分享的私密信息。
“他可能本身就是个坏人。无论如何，他都会这么做的，”朗利说，“所以我看着Flock声称去年协助支持的 1 million 多个刑事调查，心想，好吧，这是一个我可以接受的权衡。”
2024 年 7 月的一天，在被她逼迫解释后，他告诉她自己使用了“Flock摄像头”。她当时完全不知道这意味着什么。
“警察已经到了”
几个月来，贝克利（Bakely）并未意识到自己多么频繁地开过Flock摄像头的下方。这些摄像头看起来像自动空气清新剂，被安装在黑色公用电线杆的高处。其中一个记录了她前往Kroger超市的道路；另一个面向一家加油站。在她居住的杰斐逊（Jefferson）小镇中心，有两个摄像头向相反方向记录，分别位于镇中心小溪的两侧。
“这是一个读取车牌的摄像头系统，”他在分享给《华盛顿邮报》的消息中写道。他坚称这只是判断失误，并保证以后“再也不会看了”。他还发了一个哭笑不得的表情符号，写道：“别担心，我没有在追踪你，或者搞什么奇怪的跟踪烂事。”
距Flock在亚特兰大附近安装第一台摄像头已经过去七年了。那是朗利——当时是乔治亚理工学院刚毕业的工程专业学生——为了保护他的社区免受一系列“砸窗抢劫”袭击而提出的想法。
当斯特夫曼说他只查了一次她的车牌时，她相信了他。几个月后，当贝克利在当地新闻中听说“Have I Been Flocked”网站并查询自己车牌的搜索历史时，她发现了真相。审计记录显示，在约 13 个月的时间里，他曾搜索过她的车辆数百次，有时一周就搜几十次。他的许多搜索发生在午夜到 4 a.m. 之间。
朗利的第一台摄像头是一部安卓手机，被挂在室外的防水盒中。但很快，他的创业公司开始将自己宣传为规模更大的企业，声称正在构建“第一个能够消除犯罪的公共安全操作系统”。公共合同文件显示，该公司派遣安装人员在公共道路沿线挂载摄像头，并向市政厅和警察博览会派遣销售团队，提供每台摄像头每年费用约为 $3,000 的快速启动租赁方案。
随着Flock在警察中的普及率激增，越来越多的警员开始将该工具视为个人间谍设备。在堪萨斯州，一名妇女某天早晨开车送孩子去父亲家吃早餐，随后开始收到前夫、凯奇（Kechi）警察副局长维克多·海尔（Victor Heiar）的短信，要求知道她把孩子带到哪里去了。这是根据她接受警方询问的访谈以及她分享的短信得知的。
《华盛顿邮报》审阅的调查人员记录。数千个城市和警察部门认同这一理念，而 Flock 为他们提供了选择：可以将自己的 Flock 数据与其他机构共享，或者查看跨城市或州界其他机构的数据。许多业主协会、公寓综合体和带状购物中心也开始签约，让他们能够搜索自己的…… 随后海尔（Heiar）描述了她刚刚所在的餐厅。 见 A11 页关于 FLOCK 的报道
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CORRECTIONS The Washington Post is committed to correcting errors that appear in the newspaper. Those interested in contacting the paper for that purpose can: Email: corrections@washpost.com. Call: 202-334-6000, and ask to be connected to the desk involved — National, Foreign, Metro, Style, Sports, Business or any of the weekly sections. chicago — For leaders of the country’s democratic socialist movement, 2026 has been a year of successes beyond anything they had dared to hope. Karen Tumulty THE TAKE “I never thought this would be possible in my lifetime,” Ashik Siddique, co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America, said in an interview during a three-day meeting over the weekend that drew 600 members here. “It definitely has been a shock to some of us to see the gains we are making, but it doesn’t come from nowhere.” Download The Washington Post app Stay informed with award-winning national and international news, PLUS complete local news coverage of the D.C. metro area. Create customized news alerts, save articles for offline reading in My Post, browse the daily print edition and scroll through the For You tab to find stories that interest you. Free to download on the App Store and Play Store, subscribers enjoy unlimited access. So young is the organization’s dues-paying membership, Siddique said, that “I’m an elder in DSA terms. I’m in my 30s.” At the DSA gathering, billed as a summit, attendees were addressed as “comrades.” Evidence of what brought them here were the “Abolish ICE” T-shirts on sale, along with buttons declaring “Land Lords Suck” and posters with the 19th-century slogan “Labor is entitled to all it creates.” Manning one exhibit hall table was “Deer Leader” — the taxidermy head of a buck with a red DSA ball cap tucked between its antlers. But a serious and strategic question hung over the celebratory mood: What now? Since last year’s election of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York mayor, candidates formally endorsed by the DSA’s national governing body or supported by its local chapters have swept dozens of primaries, from city council contests to congressional races, in some cases defeating veteran Democratic incumbents. DSA membership has exploded, to nearly 120,000 nationally, more than double what it was when Donald Trump won a second term as president in 2024. A CNN poll released last week found that one-third of Demoby Rachel Roubein be provided on the cases. and Lena H. Sun Deaths from the illness caused by the microscopic parasite are uncommon in the United States, and it is generally not life-threatening, according to Michigan’s health department. The state has reported more than 11,200 cases and nearly 200 hospitalizations. Public health officials are investigating an outbreak of cyclospora infections linked to iceberg lettuce in nine states, and Taylor Farms has recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from cenTwo people have died in connection with the cyclospora outbreak in Michigan, state health authorities announced Monday, the first deaths reported in the multistate outbreak. The people who died had “significant underlying health conditions” that may have been affected by the intestinal illness and dehydration, the state health department said, adding that no more information would THE WASHINGTON POST • TuESdAy, AuGuST 4, 2026 A2 EZ RE PHOTOS BY JOSHUA LOTT/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST About 600 members of the Democratic Socialists of America attended the group’s meeting in Chicago over the weekend. The movement is hoping to expand its reach this year. Democratic socialist surge has the movement’s leaders in a celebratory mood, but what’s next? or make what they refer to as a “dirty break.” crats and Democratic-leaning adults identify as democratic socialists. Cerena Ermitanio, a registered nurse from the Houston chapter, is a member of the 27-person National Political Committee, which functions as the DSA’s board of directors. She also counts herself as part of its Marxist, labor-oriented Bread & Roses caucus. Those numbers are the reason the Democratic Party establishment is so worried about what it sees as a political death wish. In a Washington Post-Ipsos survey conducted last month, 3 out of 4 Democrats said they would be open to supporting a democratic socialist for president — but fewer than half of all Americans felt that way. Ermitanio said a complete break from the Democratic Party “makes sense to me as a tactic,” because the DSA’s alternative is to relegate itself to being “a junior partner” in an establishment institution that does not speak to the concerns of working people. DSA members acknowledge that is a conundrum, and not only on the presidential level. Many of their platform’s longterm goals, such as abolishing the prison system, opening the borders, defunding the Pentagon and getting rid of the U.S. Senate, are far outside the mainstream. Taking the other side of the argument was Katie Sims, a member of the Ithaca, New York, chapter who chairs the DSA’s electoral operations and is part of the “reformist” Socialist Majority Caucus. (DSA members rankle at anyone who would describe them as centrist or moderate.) But they insist this should not deter them from putting forward democratic socialist candidates outside deep-blue enclaves like New York City. Among those contenders is Francesca Hong, who appears to be ahead in the messy Aug. 11 Democratic gubernatorial primary in the crucial swing state of Wisconsin. “We’re trying to win the Democratic voter base,” Sims said. “So it wouldn’t make sense to stop what’s working.” “It would be a disaster if a leftist won the primary and lost the general election, but it was a disaster in 2016 when a centrist won the primary and lost the general,” said Jeremy Cohan, a former co-chair of the DSA’s 15,000-member New York City chapter, referring to the hard-fought battle between Hillary Clinton, dynastic standard bearer for the establishment, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), who elevated the democratic socialist brand to the national level. “We have to take these risks to win,” Cohan said. DSA members belong to largely autonomous chapters, and many also group themselves into more than a dozen fractious caucuses. Looking forward, a central question is whether they should seek to jolt the Democratic Party to the left DSA membership has ballooned to nearly 120,000 nationally. First deaths related to cyclosporiasis outbreak are reported in Michigan tral Mexico. Federal officials are also investigating outbreaks and illness in 36 other states that are not related to this specific outbreak. been linked to this specific outbreak. At least 6,707 people have been infected with the parasite in outbreaks across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The shredded iceberg lettuce was served at Taco Bell restaurants in nine states and was sourced to a single supplier in Mexico, Taylor Farms de Mexico. The fast-food chain has said that as of July 17, it completed removing all of the affected lettuce from restaurants and its supply chain. At least 1,947 cases and 98 hospitalizations have Taylor Farms has said it has voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico that was identified as the potential source of one of the recent cyclospora outbreaks. Anything currently on shelves is not the affected product, the company said in a July 17 notice. Another question is whether to continue to put its volunteer-driven field operations toward electing candidates who agree with the DSA on central tenets, such as government-run health care, but don’t embrace the democratic socialist label. meet a list of criteria: identify as a full-throated democratic socialist, not merely a progressive; be running where the DSA has a strong chapter and can assist with a robust organizational infrastructure; decline to take money from the pro-Israel lobby; and support DSA positions that include abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. In Michigan’s crucial Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday, for example, DSA activists and ground troops are informally helping progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed, even though he insists he is not a socialist, “just a capitalist who understands how capitalism works.” The national board also puts candidates seeking its endorsement through a rigorous interview process, one that leaders said has become more so since Mamdani’s victory. But DSA chapters have been less lenient elsewhere. The Orlando chapter recently told a county commission candidate seeking its endorsement that he would have to put the words “democratic socialist” on his website to receive it, chapter member Cliff Connolly recalled. Ten minutes later, Connolly said, the top of that website declared the candidate “A Democratic Socialist fighting for working families.” One of the next things on the agenda is putting together the process to make a 2028 presidential endorsement, with a target of doing so as early as next March or April. The odds-on favorite for winning it, should she decide to run, is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York). But any endorsement would be part of a longer-horizon strategy for the DSA, said Alex Pellitteri, chair of the DSA’s presidential exploratory committee. To win the DSA’s high-profile national endorsement, officials said, a candidate must DSA leaders recognize an imperative to expand the reach of their organization — and their movement — beyond the young, urban and college-educated who constitute a disproportionate share of it. They say a national presidential effort would help do that. “What attracts us to running a candidate is it would give us a platform to reach millions of people all across the country,” said Pellitteri, who got his start in politics as a high school student knocking on doors for Sanders in 2016. But they vow 2028 would be only the beginning of a long journey. “We see it as a means to help grow the socialist movement and the DSA,” he added. “Our goal is to have the transition from capitalism to socialism, and that will not be achieved in one campaign.” The company also has said it has commissioned independent experts to conduct a top-to-bottom review of food safety processes and protocols in its central-Mexico facility, where as of July 18 the company said it has temporarily suspended production of all products. though this period can range from two days to two weeks or more. The parasite typically causes watery diarrhea with frequent bowel movements. The illness is treatable, and doctors can prescribe antibiotics to help. It’s difficult to trace the source of the parasite because of the lag before symptoms appear. The CDC is aware of more than 11,500 additional cases that haven’t been confirmed by a lab and need more investigation, such as ruling out international travel. Cyclospora is generally transmitted when infected feces contaminate food or water, and it’s unlikely to be transmitted person-to-person. It usually takes roughly a week before a person gets sick after they are infected,
by Susan Svrluga
While many schools are deeply worried about filling their classes, the most elite institutions will admit only a tiny percentage of the tens of thousands of students who apply.
Highly selective schools represent an insurance policy for parents, trusted brands that they believe will provide an edge, said Mitchell L. Stevens, a professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. “And the more economic uncertainty we face, the more valuable that insurance becomes.”
The entire application process has been disrupted in recent years by the pandemic, shifting testing policies, a Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admissions, artificial intelligence, federal investigations, and the long list goes on.
Some schools are dropping supplemental essays
Top colleges are dropping the requirement that students write essays specific to their school. The Common App, which allows students to apply to more than 1,200 member schools, includes a personal essay.
Cornell University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Washington University in St. Louis, Tulane University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and others recently joined schools such as the University of Virginia, which eliminated its supplemental essay requirement last year. (Cornell still requires applicants to write essays about the specific school they’re hoping to attend but removed its university-wide essay.)
There can be a few reasons to change the requirement. Losing an essay makes it easier on students and on admissions employees. Reducing the hurdles required can boost the number of applicants. And because of widespread AI use, an essay is even less reliably an authentic reflection of the student’s voice than it had been.
Some schools had already reduced the number of essays and added short-answer questions that are less intimidating for students (such as, “What brings you joy?”).
At Tulane, Shawn Abbott, vice president for enrollment management and dean of admission, said it seemed unnecessary to ask students to jump through the hoop of writing an additional essay about why they were applying to Tulane. “The reality was, it wasn’t having much of an influence on admissions decisions,” he said, given the weight they put on many other academic and personal factors, such as the transcript and letters of recommendation. “It seemed silly to continue to ask the question.”
Many schools stopped requiring students to submit college entrance exam scores in 2020, when the pandemic shut down in-person test centers. Even before covid, some schools had stopped requiring tests out of concern that the scores reflected societal inequities, with some students unable to afford test-prep classes or tutors and unaware of free resources such as the Khan Academy’s digital course.
decides to do; it has declined to even look at standardized test scores in recent years at its campuses across the state but is reviewing that policy. “Will there be a reinstatement of the test across the board? Will it be test optional? And then what’s the domino effect on other schools? I’m definitely keeping an eye on that.”
Most colleges remain test optional. But the ground is shifting. Dartmouth College was the first Ivy League school to require scores again, after researchers determined that the tests were a good predictor of success in college and were helpful in identifying applicants who were the first in their family to go to college, had less affluent parents or were from rural or urban areas. Now, many of the most selective schools — including all of the Ivy League — either require the scores or have said they will in future admissions cycles.
The number of students applying to college continues to grow, and the number of applications they submit keeps rising, as well. This past year through March, there were 2 percent more applicants submitting 5 percent more applications to returning members than last year, according to data from Common App — 1.4 million applicants submitted 9.4 million applications. And more people are applying to the most selective schools.
With fears of grade inflation, colleges need more data points to determine whether students can succeed there, several experts said.
At some places, the numbers are staggering. Nearly 55,000 students applied to Yale University last year. Almost 68,000 students applied to Georgia Tech, a record. And more than 145,000 prospective freshmen applied to UCLA — the most of any school in the country.
Heather Shows, director of college counseling for the Governor’s Academy in Massachusetts, said she’ll be closely watching what the large, selective and influential University of California those rising applicant numbers drove down acceptance rates, with the most selective schools admitting just 5 percent or less of those who apply.
ly decision is in part driven by yield — the percentage of accepted students who enroll. Yield is closely watched as a key indicator of consumer demand and creditworthiness. And a strong credit rating makes it easier and more affordable for schools to borrow money for big capital projects on campus.
“The levee’s going to break,” said Ashley L. Bennett, director of college counseling for the Emma Willard School in New York, who worries about the stress on students during the process.
There are variations in early application rules and deadlines, with some schools even offering multiple early rounds.
Students used to apply to just a handful of schools, she said, but now many apply to as many as possible because they think, ”Okay, if I cast a wide net, I’ll catch at least one or two big fish.”
But early rounds alleviate stress on those who know they will accept their first choice — and admission rates can be considerably higher than they are with regular decision in the spring.
Many schools offer the option of applying by a fall deadline — often Nov. 1 — for students who are willing to commit to a single school before the more traditional January application deadline.
“We encourage all our students to apply as early as possible,” said James Orr, senior vice provost for student success at UNC.
That’s because schools need to know that they will have a complete class and, with students applying to more schools than ever and greater murkiness about whether applicants will commit, early rounds help lock in students who are eager to attend.
Bennett said at least half of the class at her school applies early, with some hoping for a slight advantage in admissions and some hoping to get an answer sooner. Every year, some tell her, “I want to have a nice senior year, I don’t want to be stressed all year about college.”
International students are a big unknown this year
pressure and scrutiny will inevitably lead colleges to be more cautious about seeking a diverse class and more apt to rely on quantitative measures such as test scores and grades.
Some experts say recent policy decisions could deter international students from applying this year. A new rule will bar most foreign students and exchange visitors from staying in the country for more than four years unless they are granted an extension from the federal government. Delays in visa processing and stricter scrutiny of international students could also add to uncertainty and change the applicant pool.
“I feel badly for enrollment leaders who are having to interact too often with the general counsels of their institutions and much less with their admissions staff about institutional priorities and supporting students in the application process,” said Emmi Harward, executive director of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools, “because everything has become politicized, and no institution wants to be the next one threatened with legal action.”
“I think it will be very interesting to see what choices international students make,” Shows said.
In 2023, the Supreme Court upended college admissions with a ruling rejecting race-based affirmative action. Some colleges then sought other ways to keep their classes diverse, including adding essay questions about identity, recruiting more in certain areas and seeking students from lower-income families.
While it’s easy to fixate on the dismal odds of getting into top schools, most colleges in the United States accept most applicants — and some don’t even require applications, offering direct admission. An increasing number of schools and states promise admission to students based on their grades.
Common App announced that it intends to expand its direct admissions program this year, as well.
But the Trump administration has demanded admissions data and launched investigations into whether schools are discriminating against White and Asian students by giving preferences to Black and Hispanic students. The administration objects to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and has insisted that schools cannot use proxies for race.
“The majority of institutions in America are not selective,” said Angel Pérez, chief executive officer of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. “They admit 70 percent or more.
“It is actually not that hard to get into college.”
[图注] EROS HOAGLAND/GETTY IMAGES The University of North Carolina, seen in 2023, was deemed along with Harvard by the Supreme Court to have used unconstitutional race-conscious admission policies.
[图注] GARY CORONADO/LOS ANGELES TIMES/GETTY IMAGES The UCLA campus in 2022. More prospective freshmen apply to the school than any other in the U.S.
[图注] JOSH REYNOLDS/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST A Harvard graduate’s message of support for international students last year. Schools might see fewer applicants from abroad this year.
The process has been disrupted by the pandemic, shifting testing policies, the Supreme Court and more. But there is good news.
decides to do; it has declined to even look at standardized test scores in recent years at its campuses across the state but is reviewing that policy. “Will there be a reinstatement of the test across the board? Will it be test optional? And then what’s the domino effect on other schools? I’m definitely keeping an eye on that.”
those rising applicant numbers drove down acceptance rates, with the most selective schools admitting just 5 percent or less of those who apply.
ly decision is in part driven by yield — the percentage of accepted students who enroll. Yield is closely watched as a key indicator of consumer demand and creditworthiness. And a strong credit rating makes it easier and more affordable for schools to borrow money for big capital projects on campus.
pressure and scrutiny will inevitably lead colleges to be more cautious about seeking a diverse class and more apt to rely on quantitative measures such as test scores and grades.
BY JARRELL DILLARD AND THEODORIC MEYER
Senate Republicans are racing to complete a lengthy to-do list before leaving town Friday, including approving a stopgap spending bill aimed at averting a government shutdown before the Nov. 3 elections.
In addition to the stopgap budget bill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (South Dakota) is working to confirm 74 of President Donald Trump’s nominees and faces pressure to advance a $95 billion package that would provide fresh cash for the Iran war and inflation-battered farmers.
Whatever senators don’t accomplish this week is likely to be pushed to September, when Congress is scheduled to be in Washington only briefly before hitting the campaign trail.
The stopgap budget bill is up first. Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Patty Murray (Washington), the lead Democratic appropriator, worked jointly on the bill, which would extend government funding through Dec. 11.
The measure differs in important ways from a version of the bill passed by the House: It incorporates White House requests to maintain funding for housing and nutrition programs through the fall, and it would extend an expiring authorization for veterans’ health care.
Additionally, it would temporarily block the White House Office of Management and Budget from adopting a rule that would give political appointees sweeping powers to cancel hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants.
Senate Republicans are also working to confirm nominees at an array of agencies, including the Departments of State, Energy, Treasury and Justice. The Senate could also confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general if Trump can win the support of the two Republican senators who have blocked his confirmation.
Late Sunday, Blanche issued a written order formally rescinding the Trump administration’s proposal for a $1.8 billion fund for people who claim they were victims of political prosecutions — a step toward breaking the impasse.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Connecticut), the lead Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement Sunday that the Senate bill marks “a clear improvement” over the House bill, which she and most House Democrats opposed.
Blanche said the revision came as part of an agreement with Senate Judiciary members including Sens. John Cornyn (Texas) and Thom Tillis (North Carolina), who had threatened to vote against his nomination over concerns about the fund. The order came one day after Trump threatened in a Truth Social post to revive his push for the payout fund if Blanche is not confirmed.
The Judiciary Committee has scheduled a critical vote Tuesday on Blanche’s nomination.
If the Senate approves it, the House could take the measure up when lawmakers return at the end of August. Unless Congress acts, the government is set to run out of funds on Oct. 1.
[图注] Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), flanked by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and John Barrasso, on Wednesday.
BY RILEY BEGGIN
Senate Republican leaders unveiled a spending bill Sunday that would temporarily block President Donald Trump from implementing a rule change that would give political appointees sweeping power over hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants.
The provision was tucked into a bipartisan measure to fund the government through Dec. 11 that was negotiated by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Washington) and reviewed by Senate GOP leaders. It marks another notable rebuke of the president by senators from his own party.
In a statement, Collins said she is “pleased” the provision was included in the spending agreement. She also said the White House rule change has the “potential to politicize grants and harm small, rural communities, families, and biomedical research.”
The rule change, released in May by the White House Office of Management and Budget, would give political appointees more power over discretionary grant funding, diminishing a system created after World War II that calls on independent peer reviewers — experts in the field — to determine whether scientific proposals are worthy of federal funding.
It also would give agencies the power to end grants at any time, to further restrict collaboration with researchers in China, Russia and certain other foreign countries and to add new requirements for foreign researchers working in the United States. The rule would not apply to disaster recovery grants or some grants awarded by Congress through law, including block grants.
It would require political appointees to review grants before they’re awarded to ensure they advance the president’s priorities and do not support projects the administration opposes, including those that “fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate” diversity, equity and inclusion principles or “deny the biological reality of … the sex binary.”
Trump administration officials say the rule would add needed oversight to federal grant-making, ensuring federal funds aren’t wasted or misused. OMB officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Sunday, but have said that the Biden administration used federal grants to promote a “far-left” agenda.
OMB said it planned to finalize the rule by Oct. 1. If the Senate’s funding extension were approved by both chambers, it would block OMB from implementing the rule, at least until the measure expires on Dec. 11.
Collins urged OMB to withdraw portions of the rule in early July. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers — along with GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) — have raised similar concerns. Murray and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut), the top Democrats on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees respectively, celebrated the provision in statements Sunday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) has said he aims to pass the spending bill before the Senate leaves town Friday for a month-long recess. The government would shut down at the end of September if the measure — or one like it — is not approved.
It was unclear Sunday whether the GOP-controlled House would support the measure as written. The House returns from its own month-long recess on Aug. 31. Spokespeople for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and Republican House appropriators did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The new OMB rule would “only give Trump the greenlight to take even more federal funding hostage,” said Murray, who worked with Collins to craft the Senate spending measure. Murray said she pushed for a provision that would have permanently killed the OMB rule but was rebuffed by her Republican colleagues.
[图注] Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) helped reach a bipartisan deal to fund the government through Dec. 11.
Last year, the Trump administration canceled hundreds and froze thousands of federal grants to projects they argued did not align with administration priorities. It unleashed chaos within research institutions, scientists said, prompting layoffs and upending projects.
Possibly the tallest order for Republicans this week is finalizing a framework for a budget package to speed cash to farmers and the Pentagon. Using a complex process known as reconciliation, GOP lawmakers could sidestep a Democratic filibuster and pass the package with Republican votes.
Elsewhere, the Senate is expected to easily approve legislation to impose new sanctions on Russia, which would allow the Trump administration to levy up to 100 percent tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. The measure, which was championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) before his sudden death last month, advanced last week on a strong bipartisan vote.
For the strategy to work, Senate Republicans would need near-unanimous support in their caucus. But several GOP senators have expressed opposition. And Thune has said the chamber would vote on an industry-backed cryptocurrency bill that would establish federal authority over digital assets. But “We’re taking a hard look at it,” Thune told reporters last week. “And at the moment, as I’ve said before, we’re probably not there.”
Last month, the House passed a $95 billion budget framework that includes $73 billion for defense, $12 billion in aid for farmers and $10 billion for election-related measures, which House Republicans hope to use to impose elements of the Save America Act — a top Trump priority. That bill would require voters to prove their citizenship when registering to vote and to show a photo ID at the polls.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), who has argued for closer to $300 billion for defense, told The Washington Post on Thursday that he is pushing for the higher amount. But a bigger package risks the support of fiscally conservative Republicans, who are already balking at adding $95 billion to the nation’s $39.8 trillion debt.
Trump has demanded that the Senate stay in session until the election provisions pass, but Thune has said repeatedly that the bill cannot pass the Senate, even under reconciliation. Tillis, for one, has said he would not support it.
Senate Budget Committee Chair Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) said the White House would need to directly request the additional funds for defense. Still, Johnson said he was “pretty optimistic” that the Senate would advance a budget framework before leaving town.
Meanwhile, multiple GOP senators have expressed other concerns with the House framework.
They support curbing White House power over billions in grants
the measure faces opposition on a variety of fronts, including from Democrats, who are demanding tougher ethics provisions to limit Trump’s ability to profit from his family’s crypto businesses.
BY MARIANA ALFARO
The House Ethics Committee recommended that the chamber censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-North Carolina) for what it characterized in a report released Monday as “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct” toward two young female staffers.
Edwards has denied any misconduct. His attorneys accused the committee of reaching an “expeditious and unfounded resolution,” and called the recommended censure “extraordinarily harsh.”
“Representative Edwards emphasizes that he has endeavored to comply with all applicable laws regarding his conduct during his time as a Member of Congress and before,” his attorneys wrote in a statement released by the committee. “Once more, he states his sincere regret if his conduct caused any staff member discomfort or was unwelcome.”
The Ethics Committee — which is made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans — publicly confirmed in May that it had opened an investigation into Edwards after receiving allegations that he “may have created or fostered a hostile work environment and engaged in sexual harassment.”
According to the report, Edwards provided the two staffers “with lavish and recurrent gifts,” made “comments regarding their appearance and dress,” invited them “to intimate dinners and vacations” and sent notes “regarding his effusive affection.” Some of the gifts, according to the report, included jewelry totaling over $1,000, designer purses, guns, shoes, flowers, a laptop and cellphones.
The committee said it found no evidence that Edwards engaged in sexual activity with or explicitly propositioned any of his staffers. However, he was aware “that his excessive attention toward the young women had led to rumors and innuendo in the office,” the report said.
The women, the panel found, were “uncomfortable” with his behavior and attempted to communicate that to him but were “put in an untenable position by virtue of his status as their boss.”
The committee found that while Edwards believed that none of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his behavior patterns “would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such.”
Documents and text messages included in the report shared by the Ethics Committee show that Edwards repeatedly made grand gestures for the two staffers. On one occasion, he and a staffer appeared to take a private trip to Las Vegas together, the report said. Edwards booked rooms at the Bellagio for him and the staffer, and also promised to get them tickets to shows in the city.
On another occasion, Edwards offered to miss a House vote to help one of the staffers set up her Christmas tree, the report said. In another, he offered to reschedule a tele-townhall to meet the staffer for dinner.
At one point, after the staffer asked Edwards for ideas on what outfits to pack for the trip, Edwards texted: “A pair of jean shorts and a yellow blouse that you wore to a concert is baked into my memory, and a red dress you wore to a neighboring office event was a SHOW STOPPER!”
Other messages included in the report show that Edwards regularly invited the staffers out for dinner and drinks, as well as outings to casinos, theater, comedy and musical shows.
When one of the staffers left Edwards’s office, the lawmaker sent a lengthy text saying that her absence “leaves a space no one else can fill — professionally or personally.” Later in the conversation, before the flight, Edwards sent the staffer flowers, which she noted made her “uncomfortable.”
“Even at my loss, I promise you will never find anyone that wishes for your happiness more than me. NEVER, ANYONE!” Edwards wrote. “Just want to make sure this trip isn’t meant to be anything it’s not?” she texted. “I’m sorry it made you uncomfortable. Nothing was meant by it,” Edwards replied.
According to the report, one of the staffers was 19 when she started working for Edwards as an intern. She moved to Washington after graduating from college, and she worked for Edwards for approximately three years. The second staffer had worked with Edwards during his time as a state senator, and she remained on his staff for approximately 2½ years.
In their response to the committee, Edwards’s attorneys argued that its findings “exonerate Representative Edwards under House Rules governing sexual misconduct or harassment.” The attorneys, Stanley M. Brand and Andrew D. Herman, underscored that Edwards “neither engaged in sexual activity with nor explicitly propositioned any individual staff member” and said that “the allegations in this matter do not implicate quid pro quo sexual harassment.”
Edwards is facing a reelection challenge by Democrat Jamie Ager, a farmer from the mountainous swing district that Democrats see as a pickup opportunity as they seek to win back the House majority. This year, House Democrats’ campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, added the district to its “red-to-blue” list, signaling its intention to invest in the race.
The committee also accused Edwards of failing to deliver complete texts and conversations between him and the staffers. The missing messages, the committee said, included sentiments that were central to the investigation, including a series of messages in which Edwards provided only the staffer’s response to a restaurant recommendation he made.
“My heart goes out to the young women who took these roles to serve our community,” Ager said in a statement. “We deserve leaders with the moral character Western North Carolina can be proud of.”
His response, recovered by the committee during its investigation, read in part: “I’m burning with jealousy because I wanted to be the person to introduce you to it.”
The Cook Political Report recently ranked the seat, North Carolina’s 11th District, as a “lean Republican” district — a shift from “likely Republican.”
The committee also interviewed the staffers. One, when questioned about her relationship with Edwards, said that she “did not know how to say no,” and that she and the other staffer “were both very young” and were “taught that we needed to be grateful.”
Censure is one of three ways the House can choose to discipline a member, the other two being a reprimand and an expulsion. If the House adopts the committee’s recommendation to censure Edwards, it also could vote to remove him from his committee assignments. He would still be able to vote on the floor. Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the chamber.
“As we got older we started realizing that maybe this isn’t normal,” the staffer told the committee. The other staffer, who traveled to Las Vegas with Edwards, said she worried she was “in too deep” and that she felt she had to say yes to the trip because she “did not think that having a Member of Congress against me would benefit my career.”
And in a handwritten note to one of the staffers, Edwards described her as “the most amazing woman” who has “written a complex chapter in my heart.”
[图注] ANNA MONEYMAKER/GETTY IMAGES A report released by the House Ethics Committee accuses Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-North Carolina) of “inappropriate conduct” toward two young female staffers. Edwards has denied any misconduct.
“We deserve leaders with the moral character Western North Carolina can be proud of.” Jamie Ager, a Democrat challenging Edwards for reelection
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or using DOJ’s Judgment Fund for the same illicit purpose,” Sen. Adam Schiff of California, a Judiciary Committee member, said in a social media post. BLANCHE FROM A1 I don’t know what they agreed. I think Todd Blanche agreed to reconfi rm things that he’s already said.” In addition, the underlying settlement deal still extends unusual protections from tax audits to Trump and his family. Blanche’s statement Sunday that the deal will not apply to future claims — or to people outside the Trump family — was, like his statement declaring the payout fund dead, not incorporated into the underlying legal document. If the agreement holds, it would end days of back-andforth that saw two prominent GOP senators take on Trump, prompting sharp criticism from a president who has not been accustomed to resistance from his own party. Still, Blanche’s order appeared to fall short of what Cornyn and Tillis were demanding last week. The two senators said they needed to see revisions to the original settlement agreement, signed by Trump’s lawyers, that established the fund as part of a deal to resolve a lawsuit the president fi led over the leak of his tax returns to the media. Asked Monday about those limitations of their agreement with Blanche, Tillis and Cornyn said they had done the best that they could. “Could the president completely reverse things and create a new fund? He could,” Tillis told reporters. “Then he can answer to the American people for not negotiating in good faith.” Blanche‘s order Sunday did not do that. Instead, it rescinded Blanche’s own directive, issued in May, setting up how the payout fund would work. Sunday’s order was not signed by Trump’s legal team. For his part, Blanche thanked Cornyn and Tillis for working with him as the standoff over his nomination extended over the past week. “My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,” he said. “We have enjoyed good faith discussions. ... The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress.” Cornyn had earlier suggested that would be a dealbreaker. “Just to be clear, the president of the United States, who was a plaintiff in this lawsuit, has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund,” Cornyn emphasized at Blanche’s hearing. That is still true, even after Blanche’s statement Sunday night. And that leaves open a possibility Cornyn warned about — that Trump could sue the Justice Department for breach of contract over killing the payout fund. If Blanche is ultimately con- fi rmed, it could bring a measure of stability to a Justice Department that has been without a confi rmed leader for four months. Trump has given no indication he will change his approach of demanding prosecutions of his political adversaries, which has engulfed the department in controversy. Democrats noted Monday that Blanche’s statement also does not preclude the Justice Department from continuing to settle legal claims with Trump allies who claim they were unfairly prosecuted by the Biden and Obama administrations, even if the department does not use the $1.8 billion payout fund to do so. But it was the out-of-court settlement agreement Justice Department lawyers negotiated with Trump’s legal team in the spring that prompted the sharpest bipartisan backlash. Cornyn and Tillis, both of whom are leaving the Senate after this year, made a written amendment to the deal a con- “It doesn’t prevent the admin from bringing the slush fund back from the dead next week THE WASHINGTON POST • TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2026 A6 EZ RE BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Acting attorney general Todd Blanche on Monday garnered support from GOP senators who had threatened to vote against him. Blanche gets a clear path ahead for AG nomination dition of their support for of Blanche’s nomination. the lawmakers made clear they blamed the White House, not Blanche, for the impasse. Their objection was rooted in concerns that the proposed payout fund could reward people convicted of attacking police offi cers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. “I think as far as Blanche and the Department of Justice, we were pretty much on the same page,” Cornyn said Thursday afternoon. “But then when the president got wind of it, he wasn’t.” For days, Trump appeared to resist their demands, opting instead to lash out at the two senators. Prospects for any resolution seemed dim. Since then, Trump has raised more doubts about his intentions. On Friday, Trump blasted Cornyn and Tillis accusing them of holding up Blanche’s nomination, not over legitimate concerns, but because they were upset that he had not endorsed them for reelection. He threatened Friday to temporarily withdraw Blanche’s nomination and resubmit it next year, after Cornyn and Tillis had left the Senate. The same day, the president’s lawyers further muddied the waters, fi ling a notice that they would appeal a recent order from the federal judge who was overseeing Trump’s suit against the IRS. Cornyn lost a bruising reelection fi ght in the spring after “From the outset, The judge had denounced the lawsuit as an illegitimate legal dispute, given that lawyers on both sides ultimately reported to the president. She accused the parties of using the suit as a pretext to justify what she described as a questionable deal reached without court approval. we were clear that we needed a written document addressing our Trump’s lawyers maintain that because the deal was struck outside of court, the judge has no jurisdiction over it. And on Saturday, the president suggested that if Cornyn and Tillis were to vote against Blanche, he would push legislation through Congress to establish the fund through law instead. concerns.” Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and T om Tillis of North Carolina, in a statement Trump backed his Republican primary opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Tillis opted not to seek reelection after a dispute with Trump. Even hours after Blanche issued his Sunday order, Trump continued to express support for the idea of compensating Jan. 6 rioters, people who he said “were treated horribly.” Cornyn, though, rejected the notion that his position on Blanche’s nomination had anything to do with his personal feelings toward Trump. “I thought it would be very fair for people that spent years in prison, people that were treated so badly [and], in many cases, people that did absolutely nothing wrong,” the president told reporters Monday in the Oval Offi ce. “So I view that fund as a positive. And a lot of Republicans do, too.” “This is about making sure that even if you’re the president of the United States, you don’t get favorable terms from the government in the settlement of a lawsuit that ordinary citizens would not get,” he told reporters Thursday. As negotiations between the senators and the administration wore on for much of last week with little progress to show, Alexei Kosseff , Isaac Arnsdorf and T eodoric Meyer contributed to this report. DIGEST tainty of fi nding a way to pay for it. “It’s a blessing!” he said. CONGRESS Rep. Kaptur of Ohio injured in car crash — Susan Svrluga WHITE HOUSE Trump dismisses polls showing low approval Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and hospitalized Sunday after being involved in a car crash while on her way to a church service near Toledo, her offi ce said. President Donald Trump dismissed polls showing his job approval ratings hitting record lows, writing in a Truth Social post Monday that “My REAL Polling Numbers, not those made up by the Fake News Media, are the best they have ever been.” Trump did not criticize a specifi c recent poll or cite polling that shows him more popular. The congresswoman, 80, was riding in the passenger seat of the vehicle when it was struck, her offi ce said in a statement. Though hospitalized, she was active and alert on Sunday evening. Kaptur’s offi ce said the Toledo Police will investigate the crash. Toledo Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the crash. Trump’s complaints come after his approval ratings dipped to match record lows or fell to new low points in polls from Quinnipiac University (32 percent), CNN (34 percent) and the Economist-YouGov (also 34 percent). “She expressed her deep gratitude to the hundreds of constituents who have reached out and looks forward to returning to a full schedule soon,” Kaptur’s offi ce said in a statement. While Trump fared better in other polls, national averages show him between 36 and 40 percent approval, down about one percentage point in recent weeks to match or set new record lows. A report from WTOL 11, a Toledo TV station, said police offi cers responded to a two-vehicle crash described as a “hitskip” — a regional term for a hit-and-run. Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) said on X that he hopes “the person responsible for this reckless act is apprehended quickly and held accountable.” The CNN poll found 28 percent approved of his handling of Iran, down fi ve points from March. A 74 percent majority said they think Trump doesn’t have a clear plan to handle the war, up seven points from March. Kaptur, who is running for reelection in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, is a longtime House member, currently in her 17th term. Her Republican opponent, Derek Merrin, said on X that he was “saddened to learn of the accident.” Trump wrote “don’t believe the Radical Left’s Fake Poll numbers,” but he has long followed public opinion polls, highlighting such fi ndings he likes and dismissing those he dislikes. His moves over the weekend appeared aimed at winding down a war that polls show Americans increasingly oppose. “Please join me in praying for her speedy recovery and all those injured in the crash,” he wrote. — Mariana Alfaro On Saturday night, Trump said that the United States had canceled strikes against Iran and that “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to,” later saying that negotiations to end the war would begin Monday afternoon. HIGHER EDUCATION Rice expands its free tuition program Rice University announced Monday that it is off ering free tuition starting this fall to students whose families earn up to $200,000. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected the claim that negotiations would resume Monday, although The Washington Post reported that regional mediators were passing messages between the U.S. and Iran. Students whose families earn up to $100,000 with typical assets will also get fees, room and board covered by the highly selective university in Houston. Tuition and those costs at the school total nearly $93,000 a year. Trump’s military pullback over the weekend comes about four weeks after a previous ceasefi re collapsed. With oil shipments disrupted, gas prices were up 32 cents to over $4 a gallon last week, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The school launched its Rice Investment program in 2019 to make its education more aff ordable and fi nancial aid more transparent up front, said Yvonne Romero, vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and fi nancial aid. — Scott Clement A federal judge is allowing the Department of Homeland Security to go ahead for now with plans to build a border wall through a levee system protecting a small Texas town on the border with Mexico, rejecting arguments by the town that the wall could lead to fl ooding. The decision late Sunday marks a victory for the Trump administration as it races ahead with eff orts to build a $46 billion wall along the Mexico border. The town of Presidio argued the wall could cause fl ooding and that the administration isn’t following the law. Even at higher income brackets, aid is available; 70 percent of students from families earning between $200,000 and $300,000 who applied for assistance received aid, she said. Greater university investment and donations have made more families eligible for aid. Rice joins a growing number of schools off ering signifi cant fi - nancial aid to even middle-class families, and publicizing it in an easy-to-understand way so that parents aren’t deterred by high sticker prices. Jalen Reeves, who graduated recently without any debt, said the fi nancial aid gave him the freedom to get an education without the stress and uncer- — Associated Press Stay curious about the history that shaped America. Shop the Historic Moments Collection Scan the code or visit wapo.st/historic-moments
BY KYLE MELNICK
Sayre Morgan spotted a yellow bag of cat food and a tiny stray kitten on the side of a road while driving home from work one recent night. He pulled over to find not just one, but a litter of kittens roaming a Cincinnati hillside. However, one was in serious need of help: The cat was on his side, unable to stand or walk.
Morgan took the five kittens to an animal shelter, where X-rays found that the immobile cat had a spinal injury in his lower back. The cat, whom shelter staff named Gelato, dragged his hind legs when he tried to walk.
He appeared interested in interacting with other cats and playing with feather toys and balls, said Mallory Smith, the veterinary assistant lead at Cincinnati Animal Care. But weighing just over a pound and standing about 4 inches tall, Gelato was too small for the shelter’s wheelchairs.
Smith, who is fostering Gelato, wanted to give the kitten the ability to walk — and she had an unconventional idea.
She began building Gelato a handmade wheelchair in mid-July by cutting cardboard from a package she had recently received. She taped strips of cardboard together to form the wheelchair’s frame and legs.
Around the same time, Smith’s friend visited her with a collection of old Hot Wheels cars that he planned to sell. Smith grabbed two ambulance toys from his bag and taped them to the bottom of the cardboard to serve as the chair’s wheels.
Smith placed Gelato into the wheelchair, with a bar near the back supporting his pelvis and a small red harness strapping him in. But when Gelato walked, the cardboard fell apart.
So Smith bought four wooden rulers from Walgreens for 99 cents each. She attached two to each side with electrical and duct tape and zip ties.
When she placed Gelato into the wheelchair again, he moved freely without the wheelchair crumbling. Smith, 27, was elated.
“It was really cute to get to see him kind of have that autonomy,” she said.
Smith calls the wheelchair “The Lion’s Throne.”
Gelato initially seemed hesitant in the wheelchair, but now he enjoys roaming Smith’s one-bedroom apartment, playing with toys and pawing at Smith’s three cats: Wasabi, Nona and Bake Sale.
Gelato, about 3 months old, stands in his wheelchair every day for his physical therapy routine, which involves Smith moving his legs to build strength and mobility. His health has improved; he can now stand without the wheelchair’s assistance.
“He’s definitely gained a lot of confidence,” Smith said.
Despite the name, cat wheelchairs typically don’t have chairs and instead rely on wheels and harnesses to support an animal’s weak legs.
The shelter shared a photo of Gelato in his wheelchair on social media July 20, prompting thousands of people to share the post and a few to offer to build Gelato a sturdier wheelchair. Smith worked with a friend who is an engineer to 3D-print a black wheelchair that can be adjusted as Gelato grows. Gelato tried it out for the first time last week.
Gelato appears to have feeling in his legs, which Smith said is a sign he might regain his ability to walk. For now, Smith wants Gelato to become more comfortable in his wheelchair before he goes up for adoption, which Smith said will probably be in a few weeks.
Given Gelato’s newfound fame, Smith expects many people will be interested in adopting him.
“He’s been through a lot in his, so far, very short life,” Smith said. “And he’s very inspiring to kind of keep moving forward.”
[图注] PHOTOS COURTESY OF CINCINNATI ANIMAL CARE Gelato, who has a spinal injury in his lower back, gained the ability to walk with a wheelchair made of toy cars and rulers. It has a bar near the back supporting his pelvis and a small red harness strapping him in. Gelato and Mallory Smith, the veterinary assistant lead at Cincinnati Animal Care who is fostering the kitten.
From a prime-time dime in Cincinnati to a miraculous Hail Mary to beat Chicago to a Motown beatdown in the playoffs, Jayden Daniels delivered a season Washington had not experienced since 1991. The 24-year-old quarterback passed, ran and juked his way to the NFC championship game. His ability to deliver in the clutch resulted in five touchdown drives in the final minute or overtime. He set rookie quarterback records for rushing yards (891) and completion percentage (69.0). And with Washington’s first playoff victory in 19 years, Daniels became just the second rookie quarterback in franchise history to win a postseason game — joining Sammy Baugh, who led his squad to the 1937 NFL title. Now he’s the offensive rookie of the year.
BY BAILEY JOHNSON IN ELMONT, N.Y.
The enduring image of the 895th goal of Alex Ovechkin’s career, the one that completed his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record and put his name at the top of the league’s most celebrated list, will be his full-extension belly slide across the ice, which featured the jubilant exuberance of a child despite his 39 years of life.
That was it. He had done it. There would be no more questions of if. Those questions, in recent years, shifted to when, then grew in intensity and volume along with the chants of his nickname everywhere the Washington Capitals went. With one trademark flick of his stick from the top of the left faceoff circle on the power play, Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, converting from the spot where he built his legend to achieve his biggest accomplishment yet.
Chants of “Ovi! Ovi! Ovi!” drowned out the announcement of the penalty; it was a tripping call on Casey Cizikas, drawn by defenseman Rasmus Sandin, but few could hear it in real time. What they could hear instead: the buzz of anticipation, perhaps even expectation, as history loomed.
Winger Tom Wilson sent a pass across the ice to Ovechkin as he flew at full speed into the offensive zone, and when Ovechkin caught the pass at the top of the left circle, there was no doubt. A power-play goal from the spot that he turned into his office was the only way No. 895 could go. And as he rocketed the shot past Ilya Sorokin — the 183rd goaltender Ovechkin has scored on — at 7:26, the anticipation turned into an explosion.
The anticipation reached a fever pitch in the seconds before Ovechkin, who burst into the NHL two decades ago and has hardly slowed down since, lit the lamp. The Capitals fell to the New York Islanders, 4-1, at UBS Arena on Sunday, but the result hardly mattered to those who filled the stands, sporting red and transporting Capital One Arena north to Long Island for the afternoon.
“To be honest with you, when I was tying the record [Friday], I still can’t believe it,” Ovechkin said. “It was so emotional, it was such a great night, but this is something crazy. I’m going to need a couple more days or maybe a couple weeks to realize what does it mean to be number one. But I can say I’m very proud. I’m really proud for myself. I’m really proud.”
The Washington Capitals began play as an expansion team in 1974. More than four decades — and plenty of postseason frustration — later, the nation’s capital can celebrate a championship after the Capitals defeated a first-year expansion squad, the Vegas Golden Knights, in the Stanley Cup finals. Alex Ovechkin filled out his resume with a long-awaited title.
las vegas — Before he finally put his hands on the hardware, Alex Ovechkin turned to his teammates bent at the waist.
las vegas — The Caps’ cup, their Stanley Cup, runneth over, at last.
las vegas — Alex Ovechkin tossed off his helmet and
For decades the Washington Capitals
MORE INSIDE: A special section devoted to the key moments of the Caps’ run, including Braden Holtby’s sensational save, the history of the Stanley Cup and more.
[图注] JOHN MCDONNELL/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST STANLEY CUP FINALS CAPITALS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3: Captain Alex Ovechkin brandishes the hardware that he has spent his 13-season NHL career chasing after Thursday night’s win in Game 5.
The Capitals’ 44-year wait for the Stanley Cup is over
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Offensive ROOKIE OF THE YEAR From a prime-time dime in Cincinnati to a miraculous Hail Mary to beat Chicago to a Motown beatdown in the playoffs,
by Daniel Wu
In a letter to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and acting attorney general Todd Blanche, the chairman of the Special Olympics — who is also Kennedy’s cousin — called on the administration to reverse course on a Justice Department memorandum that could narrow federal protections for disability care.
The letter by Tim Shriver joins a recent outcry from lawmakers and disability advocates who have warned that the June memo, which called for reinterpreting a key Supreme Court ruling on disability rights, could shrink access to homeand community-based care services that hundreds of thousands of Americans with disabilities rely on to receive care without being placed in institutions — a cause that members of the Kennedy family have supported throughout their political careers.
“This is something that is in some ways the central passion of our family,” Shriver told The Washington Post. “And I hope and believe that Secretary Kennedy understands that.”
He has led the Special Olympics, which organizes sporting competitions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, since 1996.
The Health and Human Services Department and Justice Department did not provide a comment by the time of this article’s publication.
The Justice Department memo, issued in mid-June by its Office of Legal Counsel, argued for a looser reading of the Supreme Court’s 1999 decision in Olmstead v. L.C., viewed as a landmark case for disability rights. The Supreme Court ruled that it was discriminatory to institutionalize people with disabilities when they can and want to receive community-based services instead.
The memo comes as patients and caregivers brace for Medicaid cuts from President Donald Trump’s tax bill, which are also expected to hamper disability services.
“Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are already worried about whether the Medicaid-funded supports and services they rely on will be there in the future,” Shriver wrote in the letter sent to Kennedy and Blanche last week and shared with The Post. “Olmstead is what created the tools to require states to provide community-based services,” said Alison Barkoff, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University and a former HHS administrator during the Biden Administration.
Shriver, a longtime disability rights activist, said he sent the letter in his personal capacity.
Advocates argue that community-based services can be more cost-effective than institutional care and better enable people with disabilities to work and remain connected with their families and communities. Around 4.5 million Medicaid enrollees receive homeand community-based care, and hundreds of thousands more are on waitlists for the services each year, health policy research organization KFF estimated in 2024.
While the Justice Department’s opinion doesn’t change the law, it could indicate that the department will step back from enforcing Olmstead, advocates said.
“It provides a signal that the Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are stepping back from that commitment to community integration,” said Lydia Dawson, the vice president of government relations for ANCOR, a national association of private community providers.
“These programs are the difference between a full life and ... tragic mental illness, loneliness, depression, isolation, humiliation,” Shriver told The Post.
The Kennedy family has been closely involved in efforts to promote disability rights. President John F. Kennedy signed a major mental health bill in 1963 while in office and alongside Sen. Robert F. Kennedy — the health secretary’s father — pushed to shift disability care away from institutionalization and toward community-based services. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a sister of President Kennedy and Tim Shriver’s mother, founded the Special Olympics.
Shriver said the Trump administration’s stance threatened decades of hard-fought progress for disability care.
“I am hopeful that you will help ensure that our country continues moving forward rather than backward on the promise of inclusion,” he wrote to Kennedy and Blanche.
[图注] Tim Shriver, a cousin of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wrote a letter to Kennedy and acting attorney general Todd Blanche. 2023 PHOTO BY ALEXANDER HASSENSTEIN/GETTY IMAGES
[图注] Elaine Wilson, left, and Lois Curtis, plaintiffs in Olmstead v. L.C., are shown in this April 10, 1999, photo. They sued for release from a Georgia hospital, ultimately leading to the Supreme Court case. JOHN BAZEMORE/AP
Building America Andrew Ng In a conversation for the Building America series, Andrew Ng discussed the critical infrastructure, open-source models and economic choices that could shape the future of America’s AI competitiveness. Watch now wapo.st/buildingamericavodcasts
Presented by Tuesday, augusT 4, 2026 • THe WasHINgTON POsT
The
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FLOCK FROM A1 by Flock’s sprawling network of artifi cial-intelligence roadside cameras, which record passing license plates into a mappable database that offi cers can search while investigating crime. Flock had sold its system as a police offi cer’s dream crime-fi ghting tool. But the tool had also given the chief, Michael Steff man, the power to silently monitor Bakely’s life. By the time she understood what was happening, Steff man had looked up the tags for her and her teenage daughter roughly 600 times, according to Have I Been Flocked, a website that aggregates police search logs made available through public records. Steff man was arrested in November on charges of stalking, harassment and license-plate-reader misuse. In April, before a trial could take place, he was found dead in his home from what offi cials said was a suicide. The town manager of Braselton, where Steff man worked, declined to comment. The town’s new police chief and four members of Steff man’s family did not respond to requests for comment. Backed by some of Silicon Valley’s top investors, Flock has rapidly grown into a colossus of American technological surveillance. A leader of the surging industry for license-plate readers, the company told The Post that its more than 120,000 shoebox-size cameras now scan the roads of more than 6,000 communities and record 20 billion plate scans a month. Number of searches per hour: July 18, 2024 But bad actors have used this massive camera network as a powerful weapon for intimate surveillance. Authorities have charged or accused at least 50 law-enforcement offi cers of using license-plate readers for unauthorized purposes, including to stalk women without their knowledge or consent, a Post analysis of police and court records found. 21 25 23 27 29 31 In 26 of these cases, police investigators and prosecutors said the offi cers used the technology to spy on their wives, their girlfriends, their exes, their exes’ new partners or women they wanted to meet. In other cases, police or prosecutors have not specifi ed the alleged surveillance targets. Flock’s system was used in 46 of the cases analyzed by The Post, while the other cases involved competing products. I told you I looked it up STEFFMAN Flock camera STEFFMAN I was in a spiral that day. I won’t ever look again [...] Many of the plate-reader misuse cases were previously covered by local media outlets, and some were fi rst compiled by the Institute for Justice, a civil liberties law fi rm in Arlington, Virginia. August 1, 2024 The Post reviewed thousands of pages of court documents and internal police reports and conducted interviews with seven alleged victims, some of whom spoke publicly for the fi rst time, to paint a comprehensive picture of the misuse of Flock and other license-plate readers by police of- fi cers around the country. October January 2025 The review found that Flock gave police departments wide latitude about whether to activate settings that some police and privacy advocates argue could deter misconduct, and that many departments conducted limited oversight of their offi - cers’ searches. As a result, rogue police were able to monitor their subjects’ movements with precision and secrecy. April Source: Law-enforcement audit logs obtained by Have I Been Flocked. stantly being watched. Through automated license-plate reader systems, or ALPRs, offi cers could trace the rhythms and travels of their subjects’ daily lives, leading in some instances to violent confrontations, moments of psychological manipulation, and threats of coercion and control, the analysis found. After The Post relayed its fi ndings to Flock, the company said in a statement it “will soon be announcing better fi lters and tools to stop abuse before it happens.” Flock offi cials said in interviews that offi cers who misuse its technology represent a small share of its 140,000 active users, and that the company offers training guides and search logs to help police departments run internal audits. In April, the company rolled out a new voluntary “audit assistance” feature, which agencies can choose to enable, that automatically scans offi cers’ searches for suspicious activity, such as queries repeatedly targeting the same vehicle or run by offi cers off the clock. In Wisconsin, a police offi cer allegedly used Flock to check whether his ex-girlfriend had gone to an abortion clinic, according to a police affi davit for a case set for trial this month. In Kansas, a police chief who tracked his ex through Flock sneaked up on her while she was intimate with another man, a state police certifi cation body alleged, leading to his fi ring. In Florida, a deputy speeding to stop a young actress he’d added to a watch list for a license-plate tool called Guardian nearly caused a head-on crash, according to a police report and video from his dashboard camera. The deputy was arrested in March, and his attorney declined to comment. In an interview with The Post, Flock chief executive Garrett Langley said misuse of its systems is inevitable and that the company is focused on providing tools to catch perpetrators after the fact. In their contracts with Flock, police departments agree to use the tool solely for “bona fi de investigations” of crime. And in California, prosecutors said a former deputy, Alexander Vanny, used Flock as part of a months-long campaign of “stalking” and “humiliating” his former fi ancée that also involved following her around town and installing a hidden camera in her roommate’s bathroom, according to a sentencing brief. “We’re not going to change humans, and humans make bad decisions,” Langley said. “What we can do is make sure that they know if you use this tool, you will be held accountable.” The Post’s investigation sheds light on the scope of the technology’s misuse across the country, as well as the toll on victims and families who felt they were conVanny was convicted by a jury on 10 charges, including stalking and unauthorized access of elecTHE WASHINGTON POST • TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2026 A10 EZ RE How a crime-fi ghting camera network was turned into a tool used for stalking PHOTOS BY KEVIN D. LILES/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST A car drives past a pair of Flock cameras in Georgia last month. The national network allows police offi cers to track license plates. Steffman searched Flock data for Bakely’s license plate hundreds of times 1 17 Midnight 6 a.m. Noon 6 p.m. 11 p.m. On July 29, Steffman searched the Flock database for Bakely’s plate 21 times, including 17 times from 5 - 6 p.m. 11 searches between 9 p.m. and midnight on July 23. On July 31, Steffman and Bakely exchanged text messages about his Flock camera searches: How did you see I went to Cleveland the other day? I didn’t tell you BAKELY Marci Bakely says her ex-boyfriend, the police chief of a small town near Atlanta, “watched every single move I made” by using Flock. How would you know though? Where did you look? BAKELY commander with the Fairfax County police in Virginia who now consults with agencies and technology vendors, said privacy features and oversight by local governments shouldn’t undermine the ability of police to do their jobs. Rules that signifi cantly limit license-plate technologies, he said, could “chill the use of them altogether.” Over the next seven months, Steffman continued to search for Bakely’s plate over 500 more times: Midnight 6 a.m. Noon 6 p.m. 11 p.m. But Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation, said that abuse of the tool is “inevitable” and that the company’s approach to date, coupled with poor supervision by police leadership, has done little to protect women from abusive police offi cers. “Flock has already claimed that they have oversight, that they have guardrails, and we still see these kinds of abuses,” she said. Offi cers’ searches are logged by police agencies, but only some of them have been made available through public-records requests, making it tough for people to fi nd out whether their cars are being tracked. Some of the women said they learned of the surveillance only after they received calls from internal-aff airs investigators or ran their plate numbers through third-party tools such as Have I Been Flocked. LESLIE SHAPIRO/THE WASHINGTON POST Note: All times are Eastern. tronic data, and sentenced in February to six years in prison. His attorney told The Post that case focused on Vanny photographing the license plate of a man who’d driven away with his former fi ancée after she’d gone to a bar, and that he’d done so out of concern for her. Some victims, such as Bakely, also say they’ve struggled to get their experiences taken seriously because the perpetrators are police, entrusted with broad authority to pursue investigations with operational secrecy and employed by the same agencies they were told to call for help. While some of the searches resulted in offi cers’ fi rings, prosecutions and prison sentences, police departments in other cases allowed offi cers to continue using the systems even after receiving warnings that they were being misused. Bakely said the cameras had left her feeling powerless to stop her ex-boyfriend from tracking her life. She didn’t feel safe asking the police agency he led, she said, and she couldn’t get access to records that would have shown the surveillance was happening in real time. After Steff man told her about his Flock searches, she fi led for a restraining order, but a judge denied it on the basis that she couldn’t prove ongoing abuse, court records show. “This was not a lapse in judgment; it was a continual, repetitive, obsessive behavior,” a Wisconsin woman wrote in a domestic-abuse restraining order petition, saying that Flock data showed that her offi cer ex-boyfriend had searched the plates for her and her partner 179 times. She said she lived in a “constant state of fear and unease.” An array of privacy advocates has argued that Flock could deter bad actors by making simple changes to its product, such as requiring offi cers to label every search with a criminal case number. Some policing experts also warned that agencies’ inconsistencies in developing and enforcing standard procedures for license-plate readers could lead to further misconduct. With no federal laws governing use and only a patchwork of state laws, many of the country’s roughly 18,000 police agencies are left to decide their rules on their own. He “watched every single move I made,” she said. But “who do you turn the chief of police in to?” ‘As transformational as DNA’ When Bakely met Steff man on the dating app Tinder in 2022, he seemed like a perfect catch. He had kids and coached Little League baseball. He loved crude jokes and was quick with a compliment. And he had a stable career, with 20 years in law enforcement. After several tough months during which Bakely, an Air Force veteran, uprooted her Christian Quinn, a former local camera feeds. Flock quickly became the most prominent player in the burgeoning license-plate-reader business, rivaling systems from competitors such as Axon’s Fleet 3 and Motorola’s VehicleManager. Despite lacking the established law-enforcement relationships of its peers, Flock’s surveillance-subscription packages made its cameras accessible for small-town police departments and neighborhood-watch groups. Flock said last year it had surpassed $300 million in annual revenue. Flock told agencies that it could set its “own written rules for who can access the system and how it can be used,” company documents show. Agency leaders decide which offi cers receive log-in credentials, according to Flock’s rules, and the offi - cers don’t need a warrant to run a search; they just type a plate number and go. Over time, Flock upgraded its tool’s surveillance power, creating “hot lists” that notify offi cers whenever a target car is captured on camera and a “vehicle fi ngerprint” feature that lets them search for a vehicle by its look or characteristics — say, any white minivan with bumper stickers — without knowing its plate number, company documents show. Flock engineers improved the cameras, too, wiring them to use solar panels and cellular networks so that they could be installed anywhere and record at all hours. Flock’s fl agship camera, the Falcon, uses a style of AI image recognition, known as computer vision, that can read the plate on a speeding car at night or in heavy rain. Big venture capital fi rms including Andreessen Horowitz, an early Facebook investor, have poured money into Flock, betting on the company as a way to revolutionize policing. Flock, a private company, said last year its business was worth $7.5 billion. In a TED Talk in April, Langley said the company had expanded into making camera drones, police software and audio-detection devices after seeing its success in license-plate readers, which he said a police chief had told him were, for crime fi ghting, “as transformational as DNA.” He shared the story of how police used Flock to stop the abductor of a girl in Tennessee and said, “I don’t know how many more 11-year-old girls need to be kidnapped … before we say enough is enough.” life to move closer to her parents, he helped her feel safe, like she wasn’t alone. “He literally was my only friend,” she said in an interview. After a few months, she said, he began to act diff erently — more controlling and paranoid. He looked through 13 years of her Facebook history, forcing her to block men who’d left her comments, she told The Post. He also demanded access to her Ring doorbell camera and looked up all the names in her phone’s contact book. Asked onstage whether his system’s use ever made him uncomfortable, Langley cited three recent instances of offi cer misuse, including a case that resembled Steff man’s: “a police chief in northern Georgia that used Flock to track an ex-partner.” Langley noted, however, that Flock’s audit logs had been used to investigate the abuse — evidence, he said, that the company’s safeguards were working. The couple broke up in late 2023, she said, but Steff man’s texts didn’t stop. Randomly, sometimes in the middle of the night, he’d ask cryptic questions about where she’d gone then say he’d already “looked it up,” according to a text exchange reviewed by The Post. She said he seemed to relish the idea of knowing things about her she had not wanted to share. “He was probably a bad person. He was going to do this, one way or another,” Langley said. “And so I look at the 1 million-plus” criminal investigations Flock says it helped support last year “and go, okay, this is a trade-off that I can make.” One day in July 2024, after she had pushed him to explain himself, he told her he had used a “Flock camera.” She had no idea what that meant. ‘The police are already here’ For months, Bakely hadn’t realized how often she had been driving by Flock cameras, which looked like automatic air fresheners and had been mounted high atop black utility poles. One recorded the road she drove to the Kroger supermarket; another faced a gas station. In the small downtown of Jeff erson, where she lived, there were two recording in opposite directions, one on each side of the town’s central creek. “It’s a camera system that reads tags,” he wrote in messages she shared with The Post. He insisted that it was a lapse in judgment and that he wouldn’t “ever look again.” “Don’t worry I’m not tracking you or some weird stalker s--t,” he wrote, with a cry-laughing emoji. It had been seven years since Flock had installed its fi rst camera not far from here, in Atlanta, as part of an idea by Langley — then a recent engineering graduate from Georgia Tech — to protect his neighborhood from a string of smash-and-grabs. She had believed Steff man when he said he had looked up her plates just once. Months later, when Bakely heard about the Have I Been Flocked website on the local news and looked up her plate’s search history, she learned the truth. He had searched her car hundreds of times over a span of about 13 months, sometimes dozens of times a week, the audit records showed. Many of his searches were made between midnight and 4 a.m. Langley’s fi rst camera was an Android phone, hung outside in a rainproof box. But soon his start-up began promoting itself as something far bigger, saying it was building “the fi rst public safety operating system that eliminates crime.” The company dispatched installers to hang the cameras along public roadways and sent sales teams to city halls and police expos with off ers of quick-start leasing deals costing around $3,000 per camera per year, public contracting documents show. As Flock’s popularity had ballooned with police, more offi cers had begun treating the tool like a personal spy device. In Kansas, a woman who drove her children to her father’s house for breakfast one morning began receiving text messages from her ex-husband, Kechi police lieutenant Victor Heiar, demanding to know where she had taken their kids, according to an interview she gave police and text messages she shared with investigators that were reviewed by The Post. Thousands of cities and police departments bought into the idea, and Flock gave them the choice to share their Flock data with other agencies or to view others’ data from across city or state lines. Many homeowners associations, apartment complexes and strip malls began signing up, too, giving them a way to search through their own Heiar later described the restaurant where she had just SEE FLOCK ON A11
这是一份针对该 PDF 翻译的 QA 审计报告。
本次翻译在文本完整性、翻译一致性以及文档清理方面存在严重问题。文档中出现了大面积的内容错位、随机插入的无关段落以及未清理的内部标记。
1.4 million 和 9.4 million 等英文数字未翻译，与全文中文风格不符。18 亿美元 billion 这种冗余且错误的表达方式。6, 2021 (应为 1月6日，2021年) 这种严重的日期翻译缺失。[图注]、<!-- [uncertain fragments] --> 等排版/标记语言，属于明确的交付缺陷。EZ RE 等页眉/标记词直接留在译文中。Have I Been Flocked 等专有名词在部分段落缺乏必要的中文解释或处理。该译文不可用。 翻译件不仅在语言层面存在问题，更在结构层面发生了崩塌（内容在不同主题间随机跳跃）。建议重新审核 PDF 提取的文本流，确保段落顺序正确后再进行翻译。