David Moore

1 week ago | readsludge.com | David Moore

This afternoon, a major cryptocurrency industry-supported bill, the GENIUS Act, fell short of proceeding in the Senate. Several key Democrats who had been negotiating with Republicans to advance the legislation, which would establish a regulatory framework for the digital assets known as stablecoins, opted against moving forward with the version of the bill in front of them—for today, at least.

1 week ago | readsludge.com | David Moore

👀Share this story on Bluesky and XSeveral former clients of the lobbyists now serving in the Trump administration—among them Pam Bondi, Sean Duffy, and Susie Wiles—reported lobbying the offices those officials now oversee in the first quarter of the year, underscoring the revolving door between private and public interests at the heart of the government.

1 week ago | readsludge.com | David Moore

💡Share this on Bluesky and This week, five House Democrats joined Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee to approve a $150 billion defense spending increase for fiscal year 2025, advancing President Trump’s budget plan, dubbed his “megabill.” The committee voted 35-21 to approve its part of Trump’s far-reaching budget framework, which pairs tax cuts with sharp reductions in programs like Medicaid and food stamps.

2 weeks ago | readsludge.com | David Moore

💡Share this on Bluesky, Facebook, and XJust two weeks before opening arguments in its blockbuster antitrust trial with the Federal Trade Commission, Meta hired its first new lobbying firm in nearly two years. The tech giant brought on Mehlman Consulting, a bipartisan shop with deep Capitol Hill ties, including four former senior Republican staffers and one former FTC liaison to Congress.

2 weeks ago | readsludge.com | David Moore

💡Share this on Bluesky or XA bipartisan coalition in the U.S. House is working to negotiate compromise legislation that would ban congressional stock trading, drawing from a pair of bills they have introduced. The group is trying to take advantage of momentum that was generated by recent statements of support for banning congressional stock trades by President Trump and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) told Semafor late last week that he and Rep.