Politics Chat, September 29, 2026 — Politics Chat

In today’s Politics Chat: Special counsel Jack Smith testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Chuck Grassley. Missouri Senator Eric Schmidt accused Smith of perjury over a claimed February 2024 trip to Atlanta. The claim relied on text messages mentioning a Hawkeyes game, which turned out to reference an Iowa basketball game Smith attended in Maryland, not an Atlanta Hawks game. Rising diesel prices are increasingly driving rural, pro-Trump voters away from him. Trump is considering banning diesel exports ahead of the midterms, though economists say that would raise prices rather than lower them. Trump signed a voluntary AI safety accord with industry leaders at the White House. Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought said he is withholding funds Congress had already appropriated. Democratic ads are targeting Kansas Senator Roger Marshall over medical debt collection and Ohio Senator John Husted, who was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine, over comments about SNAP recipients.

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