Thursday, February 5, 2026
Good morning, and welcome to RedState's "Morning Minute" — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day.
TOP O' THE MORNIN'
Red-Hot at RedState
Chief Justice Roberts Finally Moves to Secure Supreme Court Processes; Leaky Media Hardest Hit
Much like what is transpiring over at the Pentagon, the SCOTUS is working to batten down and say less, while ensuring the work actually gets done.
Why Are Democrats Trying to Protect Illegals at Polling Places? GOP Senator Demands Answers
Why would Democrats be adamantly against immigration enforcement at polling places and/or anywhere that election results are being tabulated? Why would illegals be sauntering around within 40 feet of a polling place to begin with? Those, as you might imagine, are rhetorical questions.
Troubling Allegations Against Roy Cooper Related to Zarutska Case Rock North Carolina Senate Race
Though his staff eventually put out a tepid tweet condemning what happened, the lion's share of it was devoted to attacking his critics for pointing out Cooper's soft-on-crime record, which GOP Senate candidate Michael Whatley has hammered Cooper on since the murder.
Trending Across Townhall Media
Anti-Ice Protester in Indiana Arrested After Showing Good Way to Get Shot at Protest
How in the hell were these people claiming that the presence of guns pointed in a safe direction a little over five years ago was an act of intimidation, now turning a blind eye to one of their own literally threatening people with a firearm?
Chinese Biolab in Vegas Was Attached to Airbnb, Multiple Renters Sickened
I may have too limited an imagination, but I cannot think of an innocent explanation for the pattern we are seeing here. Biolabs filled with dangerous pathogens, Airbnbs next to military bases, Chinese nationals smuggling biological agents into the country...that sure looks like a pattern, and a really big threat to the security of the nation.
Tom Homan Pulls 700 Agents Out of Minnesota. Here’s Why That’s Bad News for Democrats.
In other words, the Trump administration has persuaded Walz and Frey to allow local law enforcement to assist ICE agents, making it easier and safer for them to do their jobs.
We Know Why Dems Are Freaking Out About This Election Integrity Stuff
They know what lies ahead: the 2030 census could end the Democrats’ reported advantage in the Electoral College. The blue wall will be rendered irrelevant, as a new red wall could emerge in Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona. That development, plus new laws to ensure voter integrity would certainly kneecap Democrats in elections.
LEEEEEEROY JENKINS! Kamala HQ Account Gets Dragged for 'Tomorrow' Teaser Video
Shhh.
Let them cook.
WHAT'S ON TAP?
Today on Capitol Hill...
Just a handful of hearings/meetings are set for Thursday on the Hill:
- Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions — Hearings to examine secure retirement, focusing on the success of the Railroad Retirement Board
- Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs — Hearings to examine the Financial Stability Oversight Council's Annual Report to Congress
- Senate Judiciary — Business meeting to consider S.2544, to permit State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies and grantees that receive eligible Federal grant funds to use such funds for investigating elder financial fraud, pig butchering, and general financial fraud, and to clarify that Federal law enforcement agencies may assist State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies in the use of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology, S.1809, to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit taking or transmitting video of defense information, S.3023, to limit liability for certain entities storing child sexual abuse material for law enforcement agencies, H.R.6719, to prohibit threats to a minor, S.3398, to amend title 18, United States Code, to criminalize intentional threats to distribute child sexual abuse material, and to provide appropriate penalties for the use of child sexual abuse material to extort or coerce victims, S.3397, to make coercion of children to commit harm a criminal offense, S.3394, to direct the United States Sentencing Commission to amend the sentencing guideline relating to child sexual abuse material, and the nominations of Thomas Govan, Jr., to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, Zachary Keller, to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, and Ryan Raybould, to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas
- Senate Intelligence (Select) — Closed business meeting to consider certain intelligence matters
Wednesday featured some spicy moments in hearings — particularly in the House Financial Services Committee hearing, where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was downright savage with some of the Democrats during his testimony.
Legend: Bessent Bodies Yet Another Dem in Hilariously Brutal Exchange During Hearing
White House What's Up
President Trump's Thursday starts bright and early with the National Prayer Breakfast. Later in the morning, he'll receive his intelligence briefing. At 7:00 PM Eastern, he'll make an announcement from the South Court Auditorium.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hosts a press briefing at 2:00 PM Eastern.
Vice President JD Vance and his family have landed in Milan, Italy, to attend the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
.@VP @JDVance, @SLOTUS and the entire Second Family arrives in Milan, Italy pic.twitter.com/Gjezo1PsqB
— Taylor Van Kirk (@VPPressSec) February 5, 2026
Keeping Up With the Cabinet
Admin. Environmental Protection Agency - Lee Zeldin — Zeldin is following through on President Trump's charge that he help bust through the red tape holding up rebuilding efforts in southern California following last year's devastating fires.
🚨 BREAKING: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is PERSONALLY on the ground surging the rebuild for Palisades fire victims, deployed by President Trump after DERELICTION OF DUTY by Mayor Karen Bass
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 4, 2026
"We NEED to break through the local log-jams!"
"We WILL NOT STOP until LA is fully… pic.twitter.com/wJ9jVZ5VBw
Full Court Press...
Some of Wednesday's court decisions:
- ❌ U.S. v. Aljorna (assaulting officer/resisting arrest) — Judge Paul Magnuson (Minnesota) GRANTS defendants' motion to prohibit deportation of witnesses (including defendants).
- ✅ U.S. v. Nago (voter rolls) — Judge Leslie Kobayashi (Hawaii) DENIES plaintiffs' motion to stay case pending (anticipated) appeals in similar cases in California and Oregon.
Then, too, the Supreme Court weighed in (sort of) by declining to grant the California GOP's application to stay a lower court ruling upholding the latest redistricting shenanigans. And we saw President Trump's would-be assassin sentenced in Florida.
READ MORE: Breaking: SCOTUS Won't Block California Redistricting Effort
Breaking: Judge Lowers the Boom on Trump's Would-Be Assassin, Ryan Routh
COMING ATTRACTIONS
The Winter Games opening ceremony is Friday, though curling and some other events are already underway.
And the U.S. and Iran are set to hold talks on Friday in Oman.
MORNING MUSING
So, the Democrats are out with their list of "demands" for DHS reforms. Our friend Kurt Schlichter has a great explainer here about why the insistence on judicial warrants is horse hockey:
2/4/26 - What’s Up With This Judicial Warrants Stuff?
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) February 4, 2026
Let’s talk briefly about judicial warrants. The Democrats want them to be required for arrests of illegal aliens precisely because they want to stop the arrests of illegal aliens.
Right now, when an immigration judge issues…
And why exactly would there be concern over immigration enforcement operations in/around polling places, since we're assured that illegal aliens don't participate in our elections?
Democrats just admitted they think illegal aliens need to be protected at polling places. Why exactly would illegal aliens be at polling places?
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) February 5, 2026
We MUST fully fund DHS AND pass the SAVE America Act. https://t.co/iZPhr84lqV
Then, too, as Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) notes, it's quite rich that Democrat leaders are calling for immigration enforcement officers to ID themselves — but not voters.
Hakeem and Schumer want ICE officers to identify themselves but not voters? https://t.co/nMZ9miVqAV
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) February 5, 2026
Things that make you go, "Hmmm...." 🤔
LIGHTER FARE
Unbearable cuteness.
Kitty's favorite spot..🐈🐾😍 pic.twitter.com/P9YX3bqnio
— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) February 4, 2026
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