When Piedmont Died

Handiedan. Somnium

Jack Kerouac the last time he visited my apartment 704 East 5th Street, Lower East Side. Gregory Corso was with him, he looked just like his late Father (described in The Town and the City his first novel) - corpulent red faced W. C. Fields shuddering with mortal horror, grimacing on D.M.T. psychedelic I'd brought back from Timothy Leary's Millbrook Commune, Fall 1964.

Judd Legum at Popular Information:

Two newly formed super PACs which purport to be progressive are linked to House Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), a Popular Information investigation reveals. On April 24, a super PAC called California Blue registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). According to its bare-bones website, the PAC was created to support candidates who will “fight— really fight— against Donald Trump and the MAGA extremists attacking our communities.” California Blue’s spending patterns, however, are raising questions about its true intentions. All of its money is being funneled through a mysterious vendor — Four Ponies Consulting LLC, which was incorporated on April 29 in Wyoming. Of the tens of thousands of other committees registered with the FEC, only one other entity, Real Change PAC, has made payments to Four Ponies. California Blue and Real Change have spent over $1.7 million combined and every dollar has gone to Four Ponies. By routing their money through a newly formed LLC, both PACs are able to conceal their political ideology. Most established political vendors work exclusively with one political party.

Real Change, which claims it is “dedicated to electing grassroots candidates who are committed to progressive values,” is suspected to be a clandestine Republican operation. In New Jersey’s 7th District, incumbent Republican Thomas Kean Jr. is at risk of losing in November. Real Change is spending money attacking the Democratic frontrunner, Rebecca Bennett, while promoting her primary opponents. Footage in the Real Change ads attacking Bennett was previously used by the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), the super PAC of the House Republicans.

California Blue’s strategy is a bit subtler. It is only active in California’s 40th Congressional District, which is rated as a “Solid Republican“ district. Due to redistricting, however, two Republican incumbents, Young Kim and Ken Calvert, are both competing in the June 2 primary. Notably, California uses a “jungle primary” system where all candidates compete against each other and the top two advance to the general election, regardless of party. Currently, Kim and Calvert are leading the polls, potentially setting the stage for an expensive all-GOP bloodbath in the general election. California Blue is running ads supporting Esther Kim Varet, the leading Democratic candidate in the district. If Kim Varet secures one of the two general election spots, the surviving Republican would likely cruise to victory on Election Day. There appears to be considerable effort taken to obscure California Blue’s true intentions. The treasurer listed on its FEC filings is Paul Primm, an individual with no online political footprint. California Blue lists its address as 3571 Far West Boulevard in Austin, Texas — a mailbox at a shipping facility called Postnet. Of the approximately 5,500 political committees that have been created during the 2026 cycle, only one other lists 3571 Far West Boulevard as its address, the Stop Talarico PAC. James Talarico is Texas’ Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. The treasurer and contact person for the Stop Talarico PAC is Lisa Lisker. Lisa Lisker is a Republican political operative and the treasurer for Mike Johnson’s campaign committee.

Standing in his laboratory, Harvard professor Sean Eddy gazes at a row of vacant work stations. More than a year ago, this lab was filled with over a dozen researchers. On a given day they might be working independently on analyzing genomic sequencing or gathered around the group table, drinking coffee and helping each other troubleshoot questions about genomic data from different species.

Now, after his funding was terminated under the Trump administration, the computer screens are gone and the room is silent. He's one of the last people left.

Standing in his laboratory, Harvard professor Sean Eddy gazes at a row of vacant work stations. More than a year ago, this lab was filled with over a dozen researchers. On a given day they might be working independently on analyzing genomic sequencing or gathered around the group table, drinking coffee and helping each other troubleshoot questions about genomic data from different species.

Now, after his funding was terminated under the Trump administration, the computer screens are gone and the room is silent. He's one of the last people left.