Welcome! Here are the topics for today’s column: 

• The Russian Oligarch
• Pardon Brokers
• Best/Worst States for Teachers
• One More Thing

THE RUSSIAN OLIGARCH:  

On Monday, ProPublica reported that Russian oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island for Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding.

It was also reported that Kremlev is close to President Vladimir Putin, and that several Russian guests attended the “intimate wedding” that apparently had around 50 guests. 

Now people are wondering what Kremlev will want in return for his generosity.  

The Hill is reporting that influencer and model Bettina Trump, the wife of Donald Trump Jr., defended the couple’s wedding gift given to them by Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev:

“Apparently our wedding is making headlines again, so a little clarity seems in order,” Bettina Trump wrote on Instagram. “Don and I got married privately … surrounded ONLY by our family. It was intimate, deeply personal and one of the most beautiful days of our lives.” 

Bettina Trump wrote that Kremlev “very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding.”  

Maybe the whole Trump family is working for Russia?

Donald Trump Jr.’s extensive travel to Russia has long been a focal point for critics and intelligence experts. The core concern? The Kremlin has a well-documented history of targeting the relatives of high-ranking U.S. officials.

For many, this isn’t just theoretical. It brings to mind the infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting, where Trump Jr. enthusiastically coordinated a sit-down with a Kremlin-connected lawyer. The explicit goal of that meeting was to secure damaging opposition research on Hillary Clinton.

Politico reported that in June 2011, the future president’s son was on a business trip to Moscow, where Trump Jr. had recently become a regular — and admiring — visitor. “I really prefer Moscow over all cities in the world,” he had told an audience a few years earlier.

PARDON BROKERS:

The new season of 60 Minutes kicked off Sunday night. One interesting segment was about “Pardon Brokers” who offer to put pressure on the President for a high price. 

After watching the segment, I guess even pardons have a price. 

60 Minutes found that there is near-unanimity among the federal prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other sources who discussed the clemency process with CBS News: There has never been such a dizzying pardon economy as there is in Washington right now — a Wild West of clemency populated by MAGA-connected brokers and influencers — where the old norms have been largely tossed aside. 

Check out the story HERE.

BEST/WORST STATES FOR TEACHERS:

From my friends at WalletHub…

With World Teachers’ Day around the corner and teachers making an average of 5% less per year than they did 10 years ago after adjusting for inflation, the personal-finance company WalletHub released its report on the Best & Worst States for Teachers in 2026, as well as expert commentary, in order to help educators find places to work with good teaching environments and above-average compensation.

WalletHub analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 key metrics, ranging from teachers’ income growth potential to the pupil-teacher ratio to public-school spending per student. 

Key Facts

• The best states for teachers in 2026 are Washington, New York, Virginia, Illinois and Utah.
• The worst states for teachers in 2026 are New Mexico, Maine, Montana, Hawaii and New Hampshire.
• Important factors determining the best states for teachers include compensation, tenure protections, state spending per student, school-system quality and turnover rates.

Montana was ranked #49. 

Check out the full report HERE.

ONE MORE THING:

The recipe said to turn the oven to 180°, but now I can’t open it because the door is against the wall… 

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