Sam Sutton

As @sambbenson and I reported on Monday... politico.com/news/2026/07/1…

A year ago, Sen. Dave McCormick hosted a big AI data center/infra confab in Pittsburgh where Anthropic, Blackstone and others announced big-time investments in PA. Here is how data centers are polling in PA today, per @QuinnipiacPoll

The town's worst-kept secret: Many people know that Paramount CEO David Ellison has been quietly working on a bipartisan bill to create a federal film tax incentive program. Coincidentally, while Rob Bonta was delivering his press conference today, Ellison was en route to D.C. with chief legal officer Makan Delrahim for a long-planned dinner with 13 members of the House Ways and Means Committee to discuss advancing the legislation. The dinner, I am told, is being hosted by committee chair Jason Smith as I type this.

“He’s staking his claim on the anti-Israel, woke right; there’s no question about it. He’s looking around at his political future, and sees that no potentially viable 2028 candidate is in this lane. Vance seems to have that lane locked up.” w/ @samjsutton politico.com/news/2026/07/1…

COLUMN: Trump’s economic policy legacy is shrinking. It didn’t have to be this way. The president doesn’t like win-win deals. But he missed a chance to build cross-party support for more populist ideas, writes our @vtg2. politico.com/news/magazine/…

This is why, across multiple administrations, the CFTC blocked so many proposed markets. Because, no matter how good the detection and surveillance tools are, the very nature of the market invites insiders/manipulators. And there’s no way to fully mitigate that.

Crypto billionaire among dozens to back startup from Gillibrand’s son dlvr.it/TTKZ4j

There are two broad ways this can work: 1. You divide this 5% over all US households, handing each a direct stake. 2. You give the stake directly to the government. (1) is fine. (2) is probably ruinous, akin to inviting rats to live and reproduce in the walls of your house.

Undercutting the Rs who want to run on this and the deputies who heralded it as a major achievement. Incredible work.

Today's Morning Money is about Gavin Newsom's "economic reset" and what it portends for '28. (Following an excellent piece by @melmason and @JeremyBWhite)

🚨Huge thaw in WH-Anthropic relationship tonight as Commerce partially lifts export ban on one of Anthropic’s advanced AI models, Mythos 5 (@semafor had first) - Commerce allowing 100 “trusted partners” including companies and gov agencies to access Mythos 5 - Fable 5 is still banned - “Since the issuance of my June 12 letter, Anthropic has worked with the U.S. government to address risks associated with the Covered Models. These efforts have yielded significant progress,” Howard Lutnick wrote to Anthropic’s Tom Brown in a letter obtained by @politico - “In addition, Anthropic has committed to work with the U.S. government on protocols and standards and releases for the Covered Models,” Lutnick wrote - More Lutnick: “In light of this progress…I have determined that appropriate safeguards are in place to permit certain trusted partners to access the Claude Mythos 5 Model.” - All other aspects of June 12 letter remain in effect. - Commerce spox Benno Kass: “In just two weeks, we have worked diligently to ensure America remains the global leader in AI while safeguarding our security.”

New from me: A POLITICO examination of last-minute spending additions tucked into New Jersey’s three most recent state budgets found lawmakers directed state funds to entities where they have personal ties. One lawmaker successfully requested taxpayer funds for her part-time employer. Another lawmaker steered state money to a nonprofit founded and run by his aunt — a grant worth roughly four times the organization’s annual revenue. And other lawmakers sent money to local governments where they’re on the payroll — or have financial ties. Read more @politico:

Leading the Future is spending for Jay Feely, their first announced play after Alex Bores. azcentral.com/story/news/pol…

Trump wants lower interest rates. Wall Street is now betting they're going higher. politico.com/news/2026/06/2…

Sheila Bair warned about the risky mortgage lending practices that precipitated the 2008 financial crisis Now, the former head of the FDIC is warning that today’s regulators are forgetting the lessons of that painful saga My latest: politico.com/news/magazine/…

Congress passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act today after almost a year of conversations, draft text and multiple floor votes. President Donald Trump will sign the bill into law tomorrow at the Capitol, per a WH official. politico.com/live-updates/2…

Trump is trying to turn the corner on economic messaging. If the tech sell-off continues, that'll be a problem. politico.com/news/2026/06/2…

Exclusive: Secretary Lutnick told executives in a closed-door meeting the Commerce Dept. is reviewing Chinese robotics imports and signaled strong action could follow. politico.com/news/2026/06/2…