“The DOJ Cannot Be Trusted”: Inside the Epstein Files—and the Battle for Accountability

As the Epstein documents drip into public view, Rep. Robert Garcia argues the real story is not what’s been released—but what remains hidden, and what it reveals about power, secrecy, and democratic trust.

In American politics, few things are as corrosive as the suspicion that truth is being rationed. Fewer still cut as deeply as the belief that justice itself is selective. For Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, the slow, partial release of records tied to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has become a defining test of institutional credibility.

“The Department of Justice cannot be trusted,” Garcia told 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Magazine in a wide-ranging interview that read less like a partisan skirmish than a moral indictment. At stake, he argued, is not only whether survivors receive long-delayed clarity, but whether Americans can still believe that transparency applies to the powerful as rigorously as it does to everyone else.

At the center of the dispute is volume—and absence. More than three million pages have been released from the Epstein investigation, yet Garcia and other Democrats say that number masks a deeper problem: compliance. A congressional subpoena, issued months before Congress passed a transparency law, remains only partially fulfilled. The United States Department of Justice, Garcia contends, is invoking statutory carve-outs to avoid producing materials that the subpoena plainly demands.

“The DOJ says this is over,” Garcia said. “We believe it’s just beginning.”

🎶🏆Bad Bunny’s Grammy Breakthrough Is a Cultural Win — and a Political Flashpoint for Latino America

The Puerto Rican superstar’s historic Album of the Year triumph arrives amid ICE crackdowns, turning celebration into resistance

When Bad Bunny walked onto the Grammy stage, tears in his eyes and history in his hands, he wasn’t just accepting a trophy. He was carrying generations.

His album Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first primarily Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year at the Grammys, a milestone decades overdue after Latin artists helped shape the sound, rhythm, and soul of American music. For many Latinos watching, it felt like validation at the highest level — recognition in the language our mothers pray in, dream in, and remember home in.

But the moment was also painfully bittersweet.

Bad Bunny’s triumph unfolded against the backdrop of aggressive immigration enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of a broader crackdown tied to the Trump administration’s renewed immigration posture under Donald Trump. As families face detention, deportation, and fear, the contrast was impossible to ignore: American music’s most prestigious institution affirming Latino artistry on one stage, while Latino communities are told they don’t belong on another.

That tension is what gave Bad Bunny’s words their power.

Earlier in the night, he delivered a blunt declaration that cut through the room: “ICE out. We’re not savages. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens.” It wasn’t a slogan for applause — it was a rallying cry. And it landed harder knowing that, even as his name was being called, families across the country were being torn apart.

The irony sharpened for many watching at home. Videos circulated online showing ICE detentions in Latino neighborhoods — men taken away in unmarked vehicles, identities unknown, futures uncertain. One man, handcuffed in the cold, warned another passerby in Spanish: “¡Corre!” Run. His fate remains unknown.

🏀🐅 Auburn Women Hit the Road Seeking Florida Season Sweep as SEC Stakes Rise in Gainesville

Tigers eye history, road redemption in rematch with Gators after January defensive gem at Neville Arena

Auburn Women’s Basketball Back on the Road at Florida Thursday

A quick turnaround sends Auburn Tigers women's basketball back on the highway Thursday night with a clear objective: finish the job. Auburn travels to Gainesville to face Florida Gators women's basketball at 6 p.m. CT inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, aiming for a season sweep and a potential momentum shift in SEC play.

The Tigers (13-10, 2-7 SEC) already own the blueprint. In the first meeting on Jan. 11, Auburn clamped down defensively to earn a 60–50 victory, holding Florida to a season-low point total. That performance wasn’t a one-off—Auburn has limited eight of nine SEC opponents below their season scoring averages, signaling a defensive identity that travels.

Florida (13-11, 1-8) enters after a brutal stretch of three straight games against top-10 opponents, most recently a road loss to No. 5 Vanderbilt. The Gators remain dangerous, however, led by prolific guard Liv McGill, the SEC’s second-leading scorer, and interior presence Me’Arah O’Neal on the glass.

On the Air

• Radio: ESPN 106.7 FM with Brit Bowen (5:45 p.m. CT pregame); also on AuburnTigers.com and the Auburn Athletics app
• TV/Streaming: SEC Network Plus (Ryan Urquhart, Brittany Davis)

🏊‍♀️ Giele Goes Back-to-Back: Alabama Freshman Captures Second Straight SEC Weekly Honor

Tessa Giele powers Alabama’s 200 medley relay into the national top five, sets a pool record, and continues a breakout freshman surge.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. | The freshman wave in Tuscaloosa is gaining serious momentum.

Tessa Giele was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive time, the league announced Tuesday, after delivering another meet-defining performance for the Alabama Crimson Tide swimming and diving team.

Giele played a central role in Alabama’s emphatic dual-meet victory over Auburn last Friday, anchoring a record-setting 200 medley relay that now ranks fifth nationally and stands as the fastest time in the SEC this season.

The honor comes just one week after Giele claimed her first Freshman of the Week award following Alabama’s meet against Texas A&M, underscoring her rapid emergence as one of the conference’s most impactful first-year swimmers.

National Speed, Conference Statement

Swimming alongside Emily Jones, Jada Scott, and Cadence Vincent, Giele helped the Crimson Tide post a blistering 1:34.34 in the 200 medley relay — capturing the event by more than a second while also setting a new Alabama Aquatic Center record. The performance vaulted the relay into the national top five and sent a clear message ahead of the postseason stretch.

Giele wasn’t done there.

The freshman standout also claimed first place in the 100 butterfly for the second straight week, touching the wall in 51.67, more than half a second ahead of the field. Her versatility continued to shine in relay action, as she contributed to the 400 freestyle relay, which posted the fastest time of the dual meet at 3:13.22, winning by two seconds.

Individually, Giele added a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle (22.08), finishing just behind teammate Cadence Vincent to complete a loaded night for the Crimson Tide.

🏀 Troy Women Surge Late, Lock Down Ninth Straight Win Behind Fourth-Quarter Takeover

Zay Dyer posts a monster double-double as Troy outclasses App State 19–10 in the final quarter to stay hot in the Sun Belt title race.

TROY, Ala. | Championship habits showed once again inside Trojan Arena.

Up just one entering the final 10 minutes, the Troy Trojans women’s basketball flipped the switch in the fourth quarter, outscoring Appalachian State Mountaineers women’s basketball 19–10 to pull away for a 69–59 victory Wednesday night. The win marked Troy’s ninth straight overall and continued its steady march toward the top of the Sun Belt Conference standings.

The Trojans improved to 19–4 overall and 10–2 in league play, moving within a half-game of first-place Arkansas State. App State fell to 10–12 (3–9 SBC), officially eliminating itself from contention for a bye into the conference semifinals.

Dyer Dominates, Jenkins Delivers the Daggers

Zay Dyer was everywhere. The junior forward turned in one of the most dominant performances of the Sun Belt season, finishing with 20 points, 19 rebounds, and four blocks for her 15th double-double — extending her conference lead.

Fortuna Ngnawo added her own double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, while Emani Jenkins provided the knockout blows late. Jenkins drilled two clutch three-pointers during a decisive fourth-quarter run, finishing with 13 points and reaching 71 made threes on the season, becoming just the third Division I player in program history to hit 70 or more in a single year.

🎙️'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Black History Series: America’s Black Ambassadors—A Century-Long Arc of Diplomacy and Power

From Edward Dudley’s 1949 breakthrough to a global cadre of envoys, Black Americans have shaped U.S. foreign policy across continents, conflicts, and generations

For much of U.S. history, Black Americans helped represent the nation abroad without ever holding its highest diplomatic title. Although the rank of ambassador entered official use in 1893, no Black American was appointed with that title until 1949—when Edward Dudley became the first, initially as minister to Liberia and later elevated to ambassador upon the mission’s upgrade. Since then, 166 Black Americans have served as U.S. ambassadors—less than five percent of all ambassadorial appointments—yet their collective imprint on American diplomacy has been outsized.

Black Americans’ diplomatic service predates the ambassadorial rank by decades. In 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett as minister to Haiti, while others trace the earliest appointment to William Alexander Leidesdorff, named vice consul in Yerba Buena (present-day San Francisco) in 1845. However one defines “diplomat,” the record is clear: Black leadership in U.S. foreign relations began well before the 20th century.

👁️Prevent Blindness Declares February AMD and Low Vision Month, Expands Free, Evidence-Based Resources to Help Protect Sight

National nonprofit launches patient and expert videos, bilingual fact sheets, and the free AMD GuideMe app—supported by EyePoint, Inc.—to promote early detection, independence, and vision health among adults 50+

Prevent Blindness has designated February as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Month, spotlighting a comprehensive suite of free, expert-reviewed educational resources for patients, caregivers, clinicians, and the public. This year’s awareness campaign is generously supported by EyePoint, Inc..

AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss among adults age 50 and older, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. An estimated 4 million Americans live with low vision, defined as chronic visual impairment that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or standard medical treatments. As the U.S. population ages, the burden of AMD and low vision is expected to grow—making early detection, timely treatment, and access to practical resources increasingly critical.

🚌 Trump DOT Targets Fare-Free Bus Programs, Raising Stakes for NYC and Mayor Mamdani

Proposed federal funding rule would force large cities to charge bus fares—testing New York’s affordability agenda and reshaping urban transit policy nationwide

The Trump administration is moving to prohibit fare-free bus service in large U.S. cities that rely on federal transit dollars, a proposal that could upend popular programs across the country—and deliver a direct blow to New York City’s political leadership.

According to a draft obtained by 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' News, the U.S. Department of Transportation under Donald Trump plans to condition federal funding on whether transit agencies charge fares. The measure is expected to be folded into a forthcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill, which would require congressional approval.

If enacted, the rule would apply to transit agencies serving populations over 200,000 with fleets exceeding 100 buses—criteria that capture major systems in New York City, Kansas City, Richmond, and Albuquerque. Agencies that continue to offer free bus service would risk losing funding from the Federal Transit Administration, a core source of capital and operating support.

A Direct Challenge to New York’s Affordability Push

The proposal lands squarely in the political crosshairs of New York City, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani campaigned on an affordability platform that included a pledge to “permanently eliminate the fare on every city bus.” The plan drew national attention as a bold attempt to reduce household transportation costs amid persistent inflation.

But the city’s top transit executive dismissed the idea this week as a “campaign bumper sticker,” signaling skepticism even before federal pressure entered the picture. Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump’s Immediate Speculation on Shootings Bucks Presidential Norms

President Donald Trump wasted no time in responding to the deaths of two U.S. citizens this month during protests against an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Trump and other top administration officials made inaccurate or unsupported statements within hours of the incidents, a departure from how previous presidents responded in similar situations, experts told us.

Hours after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed Renee Good on Jan. 7, Trump claimed that Good was “very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defense.” The president included a video clip of the shooting, captured from a distance, but a closer video showed the agent wasn’t run over.

Then, hours after federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti on Jan. 24, Trump posted a picture of a handgun and wrote, “This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves — Not an easy thing to do!”

Department of Homeland Security officials also made statements that Pretti “approached” officers with a handgun, “violently resisted” an attempt to “disarm” him, and “wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” As we’ve explained, in the immediate aftermath of a shooting, it’s difficult to know exactly what happened, but bystander videos contradicted DHS’s account. They don’t show Pretti holding the gun or threatening officers with it.

Americans Don’t Need ‘Dramatically’ More Protein, Despite Officials’ Claims

In unveiling new dietary guidelines, federal health officials have claimed they are correcting past guidance that created a “generation of kids low in protein” and that Americans should get “dramatically” more of the nutrient. While some individuals may benefit from increased protein intake, Americans are not generally protein-deficient.

In fact, many Americans, including a majority of children, already meet or come near to meeting the lower end of the higher daily protein goals promoted in the new guidelines, which range from 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. There’s some uncertainty about how much protein people should consume for optimal health. Multiple factors affect protein needs, which may be higher for older adults and for people building muscle through exercise or actively losing weight.

Despite this nuance, officials portrayed the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released Jan. 7, as righting a clear wrong, while misleadingly stating or implying that Americans in general need to eat significantly more protein. The new guidelines include an inverted food pyramid prominently featuring a large steak, and the website promoting them proclaims, “We are ending the war on protein.”

📊 Texas Shockwave: GOP Alarms Sound as Hispanic Voters Fuel Stunning Democratic Upset

A deep-red Fort Worth district flips blue by double digits, triggering Republican anxiety over immigration, economics, and a fragile electoral coalition heading into November

Republicans are confronting a political gut check after a dramatic Democratic upset in a ruby-red Texas state Senate district, a result that party leaders and strategists now view as an unmistakable warning about eroding support among Hispanic voters.

Over the weekend, Democrat Taylor Rehmet captured a Fort Worth–based state Senate seat by 14 points—a district that Donald Trump carried by 17 points in 2024. The 31-point swing stunned GOP operatives and was driven largely by sharp Democratic gains in heavily Hispanic precincts, confirming what recent polling had already suggested: Republicans’ post-2024 advances with Latino voters may be unraveling faster than expected.

The result has set off near-panic within Republican circles, particularly in Texas, where Hispanics now account for roughly 40% of the population and represent the single most consequential voting bloc for statewide races.

“It should be an eye-opener to all of us that we all need to pick up the pace,” said Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), whose South Texas district is majority Hispanic. “The candidate has to do their part, the party has to do their part.”

Senior Texas Republicans echoed the concern. Sen. Ted Cruz called the outcome “very concerning,” while Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick described it as a “wake-up call.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that “a swing of this magnitude is not something that can be dismissed.”