Crash Course: Liz Cheney vs. the GOP

The political scion is taking on the Republican Party almost singlehandedly [Crash Course] Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). It's Liz Cheney vs. the GOP Someday, there will be a movie made about Rep. Liz Cheney, the Republican political scion-turned-brawler who almost singlehandedly took on her own party — her father's party, really — at a moment when American democracy was at its most fragile. It almost writes itself. Sure, that may sound a little melodramatic— not to mention it omits all of the ways, well, everyone in the Cheney family helped pave the way for Donald Trump and our current political quagmire. But it's also been striking to see the Wyoming Congresswoman turn against her colleagues, consequences be damned. Take Thursday's spectacle du jour: Cheney [caught fellow GOP Rep. Jim Banks in a boldface lie](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvbGl6LWNoZW5leS1jYXRjaGVzLWZlbGxvdy1yZXAtamltLWluLWEtZGVjZXB0aXZlLWphbi02LXBsb3QvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~), writing letters to federal agencies claiming he is the ranking Republican on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — a panel he doesn't even sit on, period. Cheney read at least one of the letters into the official Congressional record, and highlighted how the move was part of a larger plot to deceive federal agencies into revealing information that was shared with the committee. She's also been leading the push to charge Steve Bannon, a former adviser to then-President Donald Trump, with contempt of Congress for ignoring a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee, on which she is the vice chair. Despite [an earnest plea](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvY2hlbmV5cy1qYW4tNi1wbGVhLXRvLWZhbGxzLW9uLWRlYWYtZWFycy1hcy1kZXJpZGVzLWhlci1hcy1zbXVnLWZvb2wvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) to her Republican colleagues earlier this week, just nine [voted Thursday to refer Bannon's case to the DOJ](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvaXRzLW9mZmljaWFsLXZvdGVzLXRvLWhvbGQtYmFubm9uLWluLWNvbnRlbXB0LWZvci1pZ25vcmluZy1qYW4tNi1jb21taXR0ZWUtc3VicG9lbmEvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~), siding with every Democrat who was present. The measure ultimately passed with a tally of 229-202. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) Inside Trump's "weird" social media SPAC deal For many investors, it apparently doesn't matter that former President Donald Trump's new media venture has yet to create, well, anything. Millions rushed Thursday to snatch up shares of the blank-check company Trump is using to take his new media venture public, Digital World Acquisition Corp.,[ more than quadrupling its stock price](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvaW5zaWRlLXRoZS13ZWlyZC13b3JsZC1vZi1kd2FjLWFscmVhZHktc29hcmluZy1zb2NpYWwtbWVkaWEtc3BhYy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) in just one day. DWAC is now valued at a whopping $3.9 billion —  for reference, that's roughly half the size of The New York Times, and commensurate with the value of Netflix after it had already been in business for eight years. Trump certainly isn't the first person to see improbable success using a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, though even the companies that reached soaring heights earlier this year during the SPAC boom have since come down to earth somewhat. However, thanks to special provisions that protect company insiders and leave everyday investors holding the bag should anything go wrong, Trump will be protected just like the executives and institutional investors who emerged from this spring's SPAC madness significantly more rich, sometimes in spite of the underlying value of their companies. All of this is, more or less, normal (and if you need a refresher on how SPACs work, [click here](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvaW5zaWRlLXRoZS13ZWlyZC13b3JsZC1vZi1kd2FjLWFscmVhZHktc29hcmluZy1zb2NpYWwtbWVkaWEtc3BhYy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA)). But there are also a number of things about the deal that are raising eyebrows. Trump himself is planning to serve as chairman of the newly formed company, "Trump Media & Technology Group," which is planning an additional video-on-demand streaming service, TMTG+, and a news network, TMTG News, [according to a public pitch deck obtained by Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RBaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuL3N0YXR1cy8xNDUxMDI2MzI0NjY4MTU3OTUzP3M9MjBXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA). The slides contain a number of lofty plans for the company to disrupt the business models of any number of perceived competitors, from Netflix to Disney to Twitter and Facebook, but notably they did not include any financial projections or information on corporate structures, which are usually a part of such presentations. "I don't know enough to say it's unprecedented, but it's weird," Michael Ohlrogge, an assistant professor of law at New York University who researches SPACs, told the Associated Press. "Given a lot of things that happen with Trump are not great with details and formalities, it's perhaps not surprising, but it's not the norm in SPACs." [Click here](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvaW5zaWRlLXRoZS13ZWlyZC13b3JsZC1vZi1kd2FjLWFscmVhZHktc29hcmluZy1zb2NpYWwtbWVkaWEtc3BhYy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) to learn more. - [Joe Manchin admits he doesn't want a deal:](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvaW0tY29tZm9ydGFibGUtd2l0aC16ZXJvLWluLXRpZmYtd2l0aC1iZXJuaWUtc2FuZGVycy1qb2UtbWFuY2hpbi1hZG1pdHMtaGUtZG9lc250LXdhbnQtYS1kZWFsLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) "I'm comfortable with zero" - "Dune" [is the masterful adaptation of Frank Herbert's epic we've been waiting for](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RYaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvZHVuZS1yZXZpZXctaGJvLW1heC1kZW5pcy12aWxsZW5ldXZlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - Is "Havana Syndrome" real? [Probably not, scientists say](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvc2NpZW50aXN0cy1hcmUtc2tlcHRpY2FsLXRoYXQtaGF2YW5hLXN5bmRyb21lLWlzLWFueXRoaW5nLW1vcmUtdGhhbi1hLXBzeWNob2dlbmljLWlsbG5lc3MvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Sinema's giant flip-flop: She [once campaigned on issues she now wants dropped from Biden’s plan](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvc2luZW1hcy1naWFudC1mbGlwLWZsb3Atc2hlLW9uY2UtY2FtcGFpZ25lZC1vbi1pc3N1ZXMtc2hlLW5vdy13YW50cy1kcm9wcGVkLWZyb20tYmlkZW5zLXBsYW4vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Pediatricians say children's mental health crisis [is "a national emergency"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvcGVkaWF0cmljaWFucy1zYXktY2hpbGRyZW5zLW1lbnRhbC1oZWFsdGgtaXMtYS1uYXRpb25hbC1lbWVyZ2VuY3kvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Meghan McCain is still milking "The View," [plus more revealing moments from her late-night interview](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvbWVnaGFuLW1jY2Fpbi10aGUtdmlldy13YXRjaC13aGF0LWhhcHBlbnMtbGl2ZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - Why [I don't care about the "pee tape" — and you shouldn't either](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvd2h5LWktZG9udC1jYXJlLWFib3V0LXRoZS1wZWUtdGFwZS0tYW5kLXlvdS1zaG91bGRudC1laXRoZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~), Salon columnist Brian Karem writes - [Jailed Jan. 6 rioters form "Patriot wing" in D.C. prison](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvamFpbGVkLWphbi02LXJpb3RlcnMtZm9ybS1wYXRyaW90LXdpbmctaW4tZGMtYW5kLWNvbW11bmljYXRlLXZpYS1uZXdzbGV0dGVyX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) and communicate via newsletter - Try [this 3-ingredient cheesecake](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvYS0zLWluZ3JlZGllbnQtY2hlZXNlY2FrZS1uby1tZWFzdXJpbmctbmVlZGVkLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) — with no measuring needed - Why [dramedy "Dad I'm Sorry" speaks to Vietnamese offspring](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvaW0tc29ycnktdHJhbi10aGFuaC8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA): "They don't dare talk to their parents" - Rahm Emanuel's big lie: [What he told Senate about Laquan McDonald murder doesn't add up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvcmFobS1lbWFudWVscy1iaWctbGllLXdoYXQtaGUtdG9sZC1zZW5hdGUtYWJvdXQtbGFxdWFuLW1jZG9uYWxkLWRvZXNudC1hZGQtdXAvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - Texas corporations [rally to defeat Greg Abbott's attempt to ban vaccine mandates](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvdGV4YXMtY29ycG9yYXRpb25zLXJhbGx5LXRvLWRlZmVhdC1ncmVnLWFiYm90dHMtYXR0ZW1wdC10by1iYW4tdmFjY2luZS1tYW5kYXRlc19wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - "Squid Game": [The real debt crisis shaking South Korea that inspired the hit TV show](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvc3F1aWQtZ2FtZS10aGUtcmVhbC1kZWJ0LXNoYWtpbmctc291dGgta29yZWEtdGhhdC1pbnNwaXJlZC10aGUtaGl0LXR2LXNob3dfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - Billionaire Trump donor Nelson Peltz [says he talks to Joe Manchin every week](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvYmlsbGlvbmFpcmUtZG9ub3ItbmVsc29uLXBlbHR6LXNheXMtaGUtdGFsa3MtdG8tam9lLW1hbmNoaW4tZXZlcnktd2Vlay8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - Rachel Maddow explains origins of [how McConnell earned his "Moscow Mitch" moniker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvcmFjaGVsLW1hZGRvdy1leHBsYWlucy1vcmlnaW5zLW9mLWhvdy1tY2Nvbm5lbGwtZWFybmVkLWhpcy1tb3Njb3ctbWl0Y2gtbW9uaWtlci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - After GOP minority in the Senate blocks voting rights bill, [Kyrsten Sinema suffers exodus of advisers](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SOaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvYWZ0ZXItbWlub3JpdHktaW4tdGhlLXNlbmF0ZS1ibG9ja3Mtdm90aW5nLXJpZ2h0cy1iaWxsLXNpbmVtYS1zdWZmZXJzLWV4b2R1cy1vZi1zdXBwb3J0ZXJzLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - And, finally, try this impossibly creamy chicken cordon bleu pasta — [it's the weeknight dinner of your dreams](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvaW1wb3NzaWJseS1jcmVhbXktY2hpY2tlbi1jb3Jkb24tYmxldS1wYXN0YS1pcy10aGUtd2Vla25pZ2h0LWRpbm5lci1vZi15b3VyLWRyZWFtcy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) to receive Crash Course. Trump's Big Lie evolves Republicans are facing a double-edged sword at the moment — on one hand, their base has been captured by, as Salon's Amanda Marcotte puts it, "bug-eyed rantings about stolen ballots and fraudulent voting machines from the Rudy Giuliani/Mike Lindell faction." But if the GOP wants to retain any hope of winning key races in the near future, it also has to find a way to claw back some moderate voters. Now, however, the conservative movement's intelligentsia seem to have settled on a novel solution: repackage the same election conspiracy theories for a more reality-based audience. Federalist editor Mollie Hemingway appears to be the conservative intellectual championing this approach, writing a new book that [seeks to retool the Republican argument that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvdGhlLWV2b2x1dGlvbi1vZi1iaWctbGllLXJldG9vbC10aGVpci1jb25zcGlyYWN5LXRoZW9yeS1mb3ItdGhlLW1haW5zdHJlYW0vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). "[Hemingway] cleverly avoids easily debunked claims that the election was stolen through rigged voting machines and fraudulent votes," Marcotte writes. "Instead, she rewrites the Big Lie to focus on money that Zuckerberg gave — which she derides as "Zuck Bucks" — to a couple of voting rights groups, money that was spent on making it easier for marginalized people to vote." "Hemingway's take on the Big Lie is less outlandish, but it also is premised fairly explicitly on the idea that any effort to make voting more accessible is inherently illegitimate. She's not denying that the people who got assistance were real people or even that they had a legal right to vote. Instead, she just takes it as a given that it's dirty if someone helps people of color overcome voter suppression tactics to successfully cast their ballots." (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) - "Photos inside Rikers Island expose hellish, deadly conditions," [The New York Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RbaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXBvc3QuY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvcGhvdG9zLWluc2lkZS1yaWtlcnMtaXNsYW5kLWV4cG9zZS1oZWxsaXNoLWRlYWRseS1jb25kaXRpb25zL1cDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) - "Tech Billionaires’ Fantasy Cities Are Environmentally Catastrophic Tax Havens," [The New Republic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0SPaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdyZXB1YmxpYy5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS8xNjQxMDEvbWFyYy1sb3JlLWJpbGxpb25haXJlLXRlbG9zYT91dG1fbWVkaXVtPVNvY2lhbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249RUJfVE5SJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9VHdpdHRlciNFY2hvYm94PTE2MzQ4NDQxNTdXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) - "What it's like to be on the front lines of the school board culture war," [Minnesota Public Radio](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXBybmV3cy5vcmcvc3RvcnkvMjAyMS8xMC8yMS9ucHItc2Nob29sLWJvYXJkLXRocmVhdHMtcmFjZS1tYXNrcy12YWNjaW5lcy1wcm90ZXN0cy1oYXJhc3NtZW50VwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - "The Metaverse is bad," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL3RlY2hub2xvZ3kvYXJjaGl2ZS8yMDIxLzEwL2ZhY2Vib29rLW1ldGF2ZXJzZS1uYW1lLWNoYW5nZS82MjA0NDkvVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) - "Fear on Cape Cod as Sharks Hunt Again," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmUvMjAyMS8xMC8yMC9tYWdhemluZS9zaGFya3MtY2FwZS1jb2QuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) Mike Lindell: Pariah The MyPillow CEO-turned-election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell increasingly finds himself an outcast in the right-wing media. This time, it's Newsmax that has apparently given him the boot. He claimed during a live-stream earlier this week that the far-right network, which sees itself as an alternative to Fox News for the even-Trumpier set, [pulled all of Lindell's ads from the site](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjEvcmF0cy1zaGlwLWV2ZW4tZmFyLXJpZ2h0LWNoYW5uZWwtbmV3c21heC1pcy1jdXR0aW5nLXRpZXMtd2l0aC1taWtlLWxpbmRlbGwvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmFxwJlyYdMX_LlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). Lindell seems to think Newsmax took the drastic step because it was concerned about competition from his social media and live-streaming platform, Frank Speech, but it may also have something to do with the pending $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit filed by election security company Dominion Voting Systems over Lindell's outlandish and largely disproven claims of 2020 election fraud. Not that we would know how that's going — Lindell hasn't returned our calls in a while. (Photo via Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Copyright © 2021 Crash Course, All rights reserved. Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0RBaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPTM1NDM5NTJXA3NwY0IKYXHAmXJh0xf8uVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjVR6-P0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphccCZcmHTF_y5Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)