Topic of the Week
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Note: Advanced Topic of the Week may sometimes link to content that some readers find disturbing and/or otherwise challenging.
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How it Works
- We select a topic each week and post links to varying reporting on it
- You can find the links here on Mondays and rate the content yourself
- Our team rates it too, and we post our scores here on Wednesdays
- Compare and discuss!
Check back on Wednesday to see our analysts’ scores and compare them with your own!
Truth and Lies
- Week of April 22, 2024
Impeaching Mayorkas
- Week of April 15, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: NPR– The Senate impeachment trial of Mayorkas has been delayed. Here's what to know | -3.33 | 45.33 |
| Article 2: Washington Examiner– House Republicans caught flat-footed by Mayorkas impeachment trial delay: ‘Crazy’ | 10.00 | 34.33 |
| Article 3: USA Today– https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/09/alejandro-mayorkas-impeachment-trial-senate-republicans/73252226007/ | 0.00 | 45.67 |
| Article 4: HuffPost– GOPers Who Wanted To Skip Trump Impeachment Trial Demand One For Biden’s DHS Chief | -11.33 | 32.33 |
| Article 5: MSNBC (website)– By delaying Mayorkas’ impeachment trial, GOP proves its critics right | -15.00 | 31.67 |
| Article 6: Fox News (website)– Mayorkas impeachment trial poised to pressure these vulnerable Senate Dems | 14.33 | 35.67 |
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Ronna McDaniel and NBC
- Week of April 8, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: NPR– Former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel dropped as an NBC contributor following outcry | 0.00 | 45.33 |
| Article 2: The Guardian– Ronna McDaniel mess shows problem of politics-to-pundit conveyor belt | -8.00 | 40.67 |
| Article 3: Washington Post– Ronna McDaniel and Trump’s Bibles share a common corrosion – The Washington Post | -12.00 | 31.67 |
| Article 4: Columbia Journalism Review– The Ronna McDaniel incident reveals a deeper dilemma for journalism | -6.33 | 42.00 |
| Article 5: Fox News (website)– NBC’s Ronna McDaniel meltdown: Falsehoods and debunked narratives MSNBC promoted on its ‘sacred airwaves’ | 22.33 | 22.67 |
| Article 6: The Intercept– NBC Rejects Trump Voice but Embraces War Party | -20.67 | 33.00 |
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Election Interference Case Heats Up in GA
- Week of April 1, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: Newsweek– Judge McAfee's Behavior During Trump Hearing Leaves Analysts in the Dark | 0.00 | 43.33 |
| Article 2: USA Today– https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/28/donald-trump-first-amendment-georgia-charges/73131934007/ | -8.00 | 35.00 |
| Article 3: Daily Kos– The Donald asked for more 2020 GA votes, because First Amendment right to commit crime? | -15.00 | 28.67 |
| Article 4: Fox News (website)– Georgia election charges should be tossed, acts are protected by 1st amendment: Trump attorney | 9.33 | 41.33 |
| Article 5: NewsNation (website)– Judge hears defense motions in Georgia election case | -3.33 | 44.33 |
| Article 6: Daily Caller– ‘This Case Stinks’: Andy McCarthy Picks Apart Fani Wills’ ‘Preposterous’ RICO Case | 11.33 | 39.33 |
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No Sleeping in Public in FL
- Week of March 25, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: Axios– https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2024/03/20/florida-law-desantis-homeless-camps-public-sleeping | 0.00 | 44.33 |
| Article 2: The Guardian– Florida is seeing an increase in homelessness. A Republican bill could make it worse | -14.00 | 40.00 |
| Article 3: The Blaze– Liberals are melting down after Ron DeSantis signs bills forbidding homeless people camping in public spaces: 'This is cruel' | 19.33 | 27.67 |
| Article 4: ABC News (website)– Homeless in this state to be banned from sleeping in public under governor-backed law | 0.00 | 45.67 |
| Article 5: Palm Beach Post– https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/opinion/editorials/2024/03/12/anti-woke-desantis-needs-to-allocate-solutions-for-homeless-law-bill-florida/72929482007/ | -15.00 | 33.67 |
| Article 6: Florida’s Voice– Ron DeSantis signs anti-homeless encampment law | 11.00 | 39.33 |
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Trump: Dismiss Classified Documents Case
- Week of March 18, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: Associated Press– Judge rejects bid by Donald Trump to throw out classified documents case on constitutional grounds | 0.00 | 48.33 |
| Article 2: New York Post– Federal judge rejects Trump’s bid to toss out classified docs case for now: ‘An extraordinary step’ | 3.33 | 41.33 |
| Article 3: CNN (website)– Judge to consider arguments that Trump could keep any document he wanted | -1.67 | 46.00 |
| Article 4: Talking Points Memo– Aileen Cannon Continues To Make A Mess Of The MAL Case | -18.67 | 32.00 |
| Article 5: Newsweek– Donald Trump Likely to Face Legal Disappointment: Legal Analyst | 0.00 | 41.33 |
| Article 6: Washington Examiner– Classified documents judge accepts pro-Trump briefs from legal groups | 9.67 | 41.67 |
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IVF in Alabama (again)
- Week of March 11, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: The New York Times– https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/health/ivf-law-alabama.html | -3.00 | 45.67 |
| Article 2: Associated Press– What to know about Alabama’s fast-tracked legislation to protect in vitro fertilization clinics | 0.00 | 44.67 |
| Article 3: Ms. Magazine– When Every Miscarriage Is a Murder Scene, Poor Women Pay the Highest Price | -17.00 | 32.67 |
| Article 4: Religion Dispatches– Alabama’s IVF Ruling Reveals Deep Ties to This Increasingly Influential Christian Right Movement | -19.67 | 23.00 |
| Article 5: Catholic News Agency– Pro-life groups urge Alabama governor to veto IVF bill | 5.67 | 42.00 |
| Article 6: Fox News (website)– Alabama governor signs bill protecting IVF into law: 'Proud we are a pro-life, pro-family state' | 4.33 | 44.00 |
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Supreme Court to Hear Trump Immunity Case
- Week of March 4, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: The Conversation– Can Trump be prosecuted? Supreme Court will take up precedent-setting case to define the limits of presidential immunity | 0.00 | 44.00 |
| Article 2: CNN (website)– Opinion: The Supreme Court has a different view of emergencies than we do | -5.00 | 36.67 |
| Article 3: Vox– The Supreme Court just handed Trump an astonishing victory | -17.00 | 30.00 |
| Article 4: Politico– https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/02/29/trump-special-treatment-supreme-court-00144138 | -18.00 | 31.00 |
| Article 5: your NEWS– Trump Responds After Supreme Court Grants Review of His Presidential Immunity Appeal | 6.67 | 37.00 |
| Article 6: Fox News (website)– Supreme Court agrees to review whether Trump immune from prosecution in federal election interference case | 12.33 | 42.00 |
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Ruling on Embryos
- Week of February 26, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: NPR– Alabama lawmakers move to protect IVF treatment | 1.33 | 47.33 |
| Article 2: WND– State Supreme Court rules embryos ARE children! | 16.33 | 31.00 |
| Article 3: The Post Millennial– Alabama Supreme Court rules that frozen embryos are protected in sanctity of life case | 19.33 | 30.33 |
| Article 4: Associated Press– Some Republicans are voicing doubt over Alabama IVF ruling. Democrats see an opportunity | 0.00 | 46.33 |
| Article 5: Salon– "Next it’ll be birth control": Hillary Clinton warns of what Alabama's IVF ruling could impact | -15.33 | 31.67 |
| Article 6: MSNBC (website)– The legal fallout from Alabama’s IVF ruling is just beginning | -7.33 | 45.33 |
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Trial Starts in March
- Week of February 19, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: The Independent– Will Donald Trump go to prison? | -2.33 | 42.00 |
| Article 2: The Gateway Pundit– BREAKING: Far-Left NYC Judge Dismisses Trump Request to Toss Ridiculous NY Case – Trial Scheduled for March 25 | 17.00 | 30.67 |
| Article 3: New Tang Dynasty– Trump’s ‘Hush Money’ Trial to Begin March 25, Judge Rules | 13.33 | 36.33 |
| Article 4: British Broadcasting Corporation– Donald Trump's hush-money trial set to begin next month | -1.00 | 43.67 |
| Article 5: HuffPost– Trump Debuts New Legal Theory: Even If Guilty, 'There Is No Crime' | -8.67 | 40.67 |
| Article 6: New Republic– Finally, a Judge Steps Up and Denies a Trump Trial Delay Bid | -10.00 | 40.00 |
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Border Bill Kerfuffle
- Week of February 12, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: Associated Press– Biden determined to use stunning Trump-backed collapse of border deal as a weapon in 2024 campaign | 0.00 | 48.00 |
| Article 2: Axios– https://www.axios.com/2024/02/08/schumer-republicans-senate-ukraine-border-vote | 0.00 | 44.00 |
| Article 3: The Nation– What the F^&$ Happened to the Border-Security Bill? | -16.67 | 35.33 |
| Article 4: MSNBC (website)– GOP rejects the best border offer they’ve ever seen, will ever get | -10.00 | 35.00 |
| Article 5: ZeroHedge– Scandalous Senate 'Deal' Allows 1.5 Million Illegals Per Year, Slides Up To $2.3B To NGOs Trafficking Them, And Gives $60B To Ukraine | 21.00 | 21.00 |
| Article 6: The National Pulse– SUMMARY: Senate 'Border Bill' Has MASSIVE Handouts for Ukraine & Israel, Little for Border Security, and Authorizes MORE Migration. | 10.67 | 30.33 |
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Legal Bill Funnel
- Week of February 5, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: Politico– Trump spent more than he took in during 2023 | -2.00 | 45.00 |
| Article 2: Talking Points Memo– What Is Trump Buying With Millions In Legal Fees For His Associates? | -15.33 | 25.33 |
| Article 3: Salon– Trump wants Americans to pay up for his crimes | -19.00 | 20.33 |
| Article 4: MSNBC (website)– Why Trump's legal fees may not hurt his 2024 campaign | -14.67 | 28.33 |
| Article 5: The Gateway Pundit– IT WAS A UNITED FRONT… Trump’s Legal Team Reveals Shocking ‘Conflict of Interest’ in E. Jean Carroll Case: Judge Lewis Kaplan and E. Jean Carroll’s Lawyer Roberta Kaplan Worked Together at Same Law Fi | 17.33 | 15.67 |
| Article 6: Daily Mail– Biden builds war chest of $117 million as Trump spends $50 million on legal fees: Democrats gloat Republican is 'lighting money on fire' | -3.00 | 38.33 |
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Border Talks Gone South
- Week of January 29, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: The Federalist– McConnell Is Mad GOP Voters Won’t Let Him Pass An Open Borders Bill | 14.00 | 36.00 |
| Article 2: The Hill– https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4427922-senate-republicans-trump-ukraine-border-security-deal/ | 1.00 | 45.00 |
| Article 3: Axios– https://www.axios.com/2024/01/25/senate-republicans-national-security-border-ukraine | -2.67 | 45.33 |
| Article 4: Daily Mail– Senate Republicans rip Mitch McConnell for 'lack of negotiating skills' when it comes to border and Ukraine funding bill saying he has kept GOP in the dark and there is a ZERO percent chance it passes | 3.00 | 39.00 |
| Article 5: The Messenger– Trump’s Shadow Presidency Kills Deals for Hill Republicans | 4.67 | 43.00 |
| Article 6: Slate– Immigration deal: Trump threw a wrench into Mitch McConnell’s border bill. | -8.00 | 39.00 |
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Chevron Defense
- Week of January 22, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: RedState– Today's Supreme Court Argument Hints That It Will Drive a Stake Through the Heart of Federal Rulemaking | 20.67 | 27.33 |
| Article 2: National Review– Supreme Court Should Overturn Chevron Decision | 10.33 | 38.67 |
| Article 3: The New York Times– https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/18/opinion/supreme-court-power-federal-agencies.html | -9.00 | 35.00 |
| Article 4: The Nation– We Are Witnessing the Biggest Judicial Power Grab Since 1803 | -24.00 | 25.67 |
| Article 5: Axios– https://www.axios.com/2024/01/17/supreme-court-chevron-environment | -1.33 | 43.00 |
| Article 6: Fortune– Years after Trump’s White House vowed to destroy the administrative state, 2 of his Supreme Court appointees look poised to strike a big blow | -7.33 | 49.33 |
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Presidential Immunity Hearing
- Week of January 15, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: The Post Millennial– BREAKING: Donald Trump will attend Tuesday arguments for immunity motion in J6 case in DC Federal Appeals Court | 20.67 | 19.33 |
| Article 2: RSBN– https://www.rsbnetwork.com/news/trump-arrives-in-d-c-for-hearing-on-presidential-immunity | 14.00 | 25.00 |
| Article 3: CNN (website)– Opinion: Why Trump’s immunity claim doesn’t add up | -6.67 | 37.67 |
| Article 4: MSNBC (website)– Trump’s doomed immunity argument takes a sledgehammer to American democracy | -10.00 | 35.67 |
| Article 5: Axios– https://www.axios.com/2024/01/10/trump-immunity-hearing-court-case-5th-avenue-quote | -5.33 | 37.00 |
| Article 6: Associated Press– Trump skips much of the final week before Iowa’s caucuses to go to court voluntarily instead | -0.33 | 45.33 |
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The 14th Amendment
- Week of January 8, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: Fox News (website)– Former top Obama adviser says if Trump prevented from running it ‘would rip the country apart' | 4.67 | 42.33 |
| Article 2: Trump.news– Bukele says, thanks to Colorado banning Trump, the US lost its ability to lecture anyone about “democracy”… | 29.33 | 5.00 |
| Article 3: Esquire– It's Time to Start Taking the 14th Amendment Very Seriously | -13.33 | 31.33 |
| Article 4: The New York Times– https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/04/opinion/the-case-for-disqualifying-trump-is-strong.html | -8.00 | 36.67 |
| Article 5: Politico– All you need to know about Trump’s 14th Amendment ballot troubles | 0.00 | 47.00 |
| Article 6: Newsweek– Donald Trump Could Be Ousted Even If He Wins Election Under SCOTUS Ruling | -3.33 | 32.67 |
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The Epstein List
- Week of January 1, 2024
| Topic of the Week – Advanced | Bias | Reliability |
| Article 1: Times Now News– Hillary Clinton Turns Off Twitter Comments Amid Husband Bill Clinton’s Jeffrey Epstein List Link | 2.00 | 39.00 |
| Article 2: ABC News (website)– https://abcnews.go.com/US/court-documents-naming-jeffrey-epsteins-associates-unsealed/story?id=105993160 | 0.00 | 46.67 |
| Article 3: Jerusalem Post– Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew expected to be named in Epstein documents | 0.00 | 40.67 |
| Article 4: HuffPost– Marjorie Taylor Greene Attacks Bill Clinton’s Jeffrey Epstein Ties, Ignores Trump’s | -7.00 | 37.33 |
| Article 5: The Guardian– Nearly 200 names linked to Jeffrey Epstein expected to be made public | 0.00 | 45.67 |
| Article 6: Washington Examiner– Bill Clinton’s office doesn’t object to imminent unsealing of Jeffrey Epstein court documents | 0.00 | 43.33 |
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Safety (with original Pneuma html)
- Week of August 29, 2022
