The Daily Brief — August 4, 2026
Wildfire suspect arrested, diarrhea outbreak deaths, congressman faces abuse investigation
These are today’s top stories, delivered straight to your inbox. Catch up here on all the news.
Suspect Arrested Over Spokane Wildfire
Spokane County authorities have arrested a man and charged him with arson in connection with one of three wildfires devastating the region. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was arrested yesterday afternoon after witnesses told investigators they saw him kneeling near where the fire started before it broke out on Saturday.
Court records show that Farinacci has a prior manslaughter conviction in Arizona for killing his father. He is being held on a $1 million bond.
The three fires — Old Trails, Autumn Lane, and Fairview — have destroyed more than 700 structures, forced roughly 65,000 people to evacuate, and burned more than 10,000 acres combined. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said it could take a week or more before residents can return home.
House Ethics Panel Investigating Rep. Max Miller
The House Ethics Committee announced this afternoon that it is investigating whether Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) engaged in domestic violence or illegal drug use. The inquiry follows accusations by Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, that he repeatedly abused her during their marriage. In court filings, Moreno alleges Miller threw scalding water on her chest and stomach, held a gun to her head, and hit her head against a wall. She also says she cannot rule out the possibility that he fractured their daughter’s collarbone. Miller, a two-term Republican, has denied the claims and sued Moreno for defamation.
The ethics committee noted that opening an investigation “does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.”
Miller and Moreno — the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno — divorced last year and are now battling over custody of their two-year-old daughter. Earlier this week, Senator Moreno said Miller is unfit to serve in Congress. Miller is currently seeking a third term.
Following the committee’s announcement, Miller said he would cooperate with the investigation.
States Ask SCOTUS to Toss Trump Order
Democratic-led states have urged the Supreme Court to uphold a block on President Trump’s order creating a national list of eligible voters and new mail-in ballot restrictions ahead of November’s midterms. In a brief filed yesterday, officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia argued the plans carry a “high risk of errors” and that there is little time to fix them before the election.
Trump signed the executive order on March 31, directing the Department of Homeland Security to compile voter eligibility lists and the US Postal Service to create new rules for mail ballots. Implementation of the order has been blocked since June, when a Boston-based district court ruled that it violates the separation of powers and exceeds the president’s authority. The First Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, and the Trump administration then appealed to the Supreme Court.
Twelve Republican-led states filed a brief last week urging the justices to let Trump implement the order.
Blanche’s Nomination for AG Advances
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12–10 along party lines today to advance to the full Senate Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general. Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April, succeeding Pam Bondi.
Democrats on the panel warned that Blanche would prioritize loyalty to President Trump over the Justice Department’s independence. Two Republicans on the committee, Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas, had withheld support until Blanche addressed their concerns over a settlement tied to Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS.
Earlier this week, Blanche signed an order formally rescinding a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund” meant to compensate people who say they were targeted for political reasons under the Biden administration. The fund was created as part of a settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the disclosure of his tax returns.
A separate part of that settlement — granting Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization broad immunity from IRS audits — remains in place. Blanche narrowed its scope over the weekend so that it applies only retroactively, but neither the memo rescinding the fund nor the accompanying statement addresses the settlement requirement that any change be agreed upon in writing by both Trump and the IRS.
Newsbreak
Who among us hasn’t stayed up too late reading a good book? With this reading light, you can enjoy the read and protect your eyes. Its multiple brightness levels and three different colors to choose from allow you to adjust the light to suit your needs and avoid eye strain. It’s flexible, lightweight, and portable, so you can take it along anywhere.
Another Detainee Dies in ICE Custody
A Salvadoran immigrant, Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, detained at a New Jersey ICE facility died over the weekend after a “medical emergency,” federal officials disclosed yesterday. ICE said the cause of Lopez-Cornejo’s death at the Newark-based Delaney Hall detention center will be determined after further medical examination. His family, however, says he had diabetes and high blood pressure, and was denied medicine regularly.
Lopez-Cornejo, 41, was arrested June 18 in Plainfield, NJ, after living in the US for about 20 years. ICE said he entered the country illegally in 2006, was removed to El Salvador that October, and later reentered illegally. He was being detained pending removal from the US.
He is the second detainee to die at Delaney Hall since it reopened in May 2025. In December, a detainee died of a “medical emergency.”
The privately run, 1,000-bed ICE facility has faced scrutiny over detainee treatment. In June, protesters clashed with federal immigration officers outside Delaney Hall in support of detainees who were on a hunger strike over poor conditions and inadequate medical care.
According to ICE records, 46 immigrants (including Lopez-Cornejo) have died in ICE custody since the start of Trump’s second term. But outside trackers, including ABC News and Human Rights Watch, have reported higher figures.
Panel Recommends Rebuke for Congressman
The House Ethics Committee found that Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) engaged in “persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers” and recommended that the full House censure him.The committee said Edwards gave two women lavish gifts, commented on their appearance, and invited them to intimate dinners and on trips — a pattern it said “a reasonable observer” would interpret as romantic advances, though Edwards, 65, denies any such intent.
The investigation began after the committee issued a public call in April for anyone to report sexual misconduct by House members or staff. Shortly after that request, the committee learned of allegations against Edwards and opened a confidential review.
The women joined his staff while he was a state senator. He joined Congress in January 2023. The committee found that the women felt “uncomfortable with his conduct at least as early as May 2025.”
The Ethics Committee cannot punish members on its own, since the full House must vote to approve a censure resolution. The chamber is on recess until August 31.
Two Dead in Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Two people in Michigan have died after contracting cyclosporiasis, state health officials said yesterday — the first deaths linked to this year’s multistate outbreak. Both had “significant underlying health conditions that may have been worsened by cyclosporiasis and dehydration,” the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said. The agency did not release further details.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by a microscopic parasite spread through food or water contaminated with feces. It does not spread person to person. It typically causes weeks of watery diarrhea, along with loss of appetite, bloating, and fatigue.
Federal investigators have traced the illness to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in nine states. The lettuce came from a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, which issued a voluntary recall in July. According to the CDC, both Michigan deaths occurred before the recall.
The outbreak has sickened at least 1,947 people across nine states.
SCOTUS Declines to Pause $656M Judgement
The Supreme Court has declined to pause enforcement of a $656 million judgment against Palestinian authorities, which was awarded to victims of attacks in Jerusalem in the early 2000s that killed 33 people and wounded hundreds more. The families sued under the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows victims of international terrorism to seek damages in US courts.
The case has taken nearly two decades to resolve. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the original jury verdict in 2016, ruling that US courts lacked jurisdiction over overseas attacks not directed at Americans. Congress responded in 2019 by expanding that jurisdiction, and the jury verdict was later reinstated.
The Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority are now appealing that reinstatement and want to hold off on paying the judgment until their case is resolved. The two groups argued that immediately paying the judgment could destabilize public services in the West Bank.
Sonia Sotomayor, the designated justice for the Second Circuit, denied their emergency request.
The photo shows a bag of romaine lettuce salad, which is a little disconcerting. I don't recall reading about specific concerns with lettuce varieties other than iceberg, except of course the precautionary advisories to wash all leaf lettuces before use, after discarding outer leaves. Has there been anything tying romaine to the outbreaks?