Botwin's Morning Wire

In Wiscasset, Maine, on July 18, 2026, Maine Democrats began the process to select a successor to former nominee Graham Platner. The two-day delegate-selection process involved meetings in eight counties and resulted in 319 of 500 open delegate slots being chosen on Saturday. Jackson-aligned candidates won a majority of the slots, while supporters of Nirav Shah and Shenna Bellows each received a small number of slots. In Cumberland County, Jackson-aligned candidates secured all delegate positions, and the final alternate delegate was selected by drawing names from a baseball cap. Observers view the race as an important opportunity for Senate Democrats, as Republican Susan Collins is the only Republican seeking reelection in a state that Donald Trump lost in 2024. Jackson said the contest is likely the biggest in the country and noted that Collins is a different type of opponent. Jackson's campaign mobilized volunteers from more than a dozen unions and made extensive phone outreach to recruit delegates. Flyers with delegate slates were distributed, and many volunteers wore "Jackson for Maine" shirts from his previous gubernatorial run. Jackson previously received Bernie Sanders' endorsement in the gubernatorial race and had campaigned with Platner before calling for Platner's withdrawal after reports of sexual assault allegations, which Platner denied and then withdrew his candidacy. Some voters reported receiving numerous calls and texts from multiple campaigns and expressed concerns that advance-slated delegate slates limited their participation. Richard Zandler, an uncommitted delegate, said his lack of affiliation with a candidate reduced his chances of being selected. Shah said his campaign would keep up pressure and continue persuading undecided delegates. Jackson posted a social media video thanking supporters and indicating that the campaign was moving forward.

Police departments across the United States have faced disciplinary actions after officers used automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) cameras, such as Flock, to track individuals in personal relationships, with dozens of cases reported in 2025. Flock cameras, solar‑powered ALPR devices, are installed at about 80,000 locations nationwide and record billions of plates each month, supporting a business valued at $8.3 billion. Their use has expanded since 2013, when the ACLU noted that only a tiny fraction of scanned plates related to serious crimes. In Milwaukee, officer Josue Ayala searched the plate of a romantic partner more than 200 times and also looked up his partner’s ex, leading to criminal charges, resignation and a one‑year probation sentence. Officer Tehrangi Chapman, tasked with the investigation, was later charged with misuse of GPS information for similar conduct. The libertarian Institute for Justice identified at least 24 comparable incidents across 24 states in the previous two years, most resulting in criminal charges and job loss. Six new cases were reported this month alone in Illinois, South Carolina, Texas, California, Georgia and Wisconsin. Chad Marlow, senior policy counsel at the ACLU, said the cameras can reveal “deeply personal and private information” about individuals and their movements. Flock Safety, the company that operates the cameras, has provided comment through press releases about its audit assistance tool. Mother Jones previously reported on California counties using ALPRs to collect data on people not suspected of crimes, and the ACLU noted in 2013 that only 47 of every million plates scanned in Maryland were linked to serious crimes. The company’s CEO, Garrett Langley, previously said he wanted cameras “on every corner,” and apologized after labeling activists “terroristic.” Grassroots groups such as DeFlock have mapped camera locations, and at least 30 municipalities have ended contracts with Flock in 2025. Marlow expects public opposition to government surveillance to continue growing as the technology’s potential for abuse becomes more evident.

In March, a Zoom meeting of two detectives, an Ohio DCFS caseworker and a Cleveland Clinic physician examined the broken collarbone suffered by Rep. Max Miller's two-year-old daughter. The bruising around the clavicle led the investigators to question whether the injury resulted from a high-impact event. The child's father and mother have denied knowledge of the cause. Moreno said she feared the child's injuries might have been inflicted while under Miller's care. Investigative records show that she reported Miller had previously thrown hot water at her, shoved her, and held a gun to her head.

Medical experts described the bruising near the fracture as resembling a handprint, and the child told investigators that Miller's house was "scary," according to a Bay Village police report.

More than 2,000 pages of court filings and police reports obtained by Mother Jones detail additional allegations, including drug use, misogynistic remarks, and violent behavior toward multiple women, as well as an implicit threat directed at Sen. Bernie Moreno.

Miller's defense has repeatedly objected to the relevance of many accusations, citing procedural rules, and has denied involvement in the alleged incidents.

Legal filings reveal that Miller has been charged in the past with drug possession and a traffic incident in 2011, during which toxicology reports indicated the presence of MDMA and Klonopin, though those charges were not pursued.

Emily Moreno has not filed a police report for injuries she says Miller caused, and she told investigators she feared no one would believe her.

Cuyahoga County's child protective services concluded its investigation was "unsubstantiated," finding insufficient evidence to support a finding of abuse.

Miller's ongoing defamation lawsuits against Moreno and former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham remain pending, as does his campaign for reelection in Ohio's 7th District, where a recent poll shows him leading his Democratic opponent by a single percentage point.

Political analysts note that the legal controversies may affect Miller's reelection prospects, though no formal charges have been filed.

As of now, the matter remains unresolved, with both parties continuing to dispute the allegations in court.