Welcome to the beat. I'm Ari Melbert, and we have a lot going on. We are tracking a deadline for Trump's

DOJ tomorrow to start releasing Epstein documents to Congress. They've been withholding that. We begin, though,

with the big story of the Democrats going at what they call this Trump power grab to effectively

rewrite or change the rules midstream to try to steal election seats in the coming midterms.

Experts warning that Trump, who's tried to, of course, overthrow the election that he lost in 2020,

is starting earlier with more sophisticated coordination to rig the coming midterms,

at least in the states where he can exert powers.

Now, today, California Democrats are showing that they will not take this sitting down

or just talk about breaking precedent or criticism or op-eds.

They're actually fighting fire with fire, countering the news out of Texas and what Republicans

did yesterday to fight back.

And Democrats say that the way the Republicans have sort of watered down

or distorted those districts in Texas are fundamentally race baiting unfair ways to reshape

who goes to Congress. Here's the moment that the first of three key election bills just passed

with these Democrats fighting fire with fire in California.

The key votes will set up a mechanism to redraw California.

Earlier before this vote,

the governor said it's all in Texas.

This is radical rigging of a midterm election, radical rigging of an election,

destroying, vandalizing this democracy, the rule of law. So I'm sorry,

I know some people's sensibilities. I respect and appreciate that. But right now, with all due

respect, we're walking down a damn different path. We're fighting fire with fire and I'm going to

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