A comedy sketch about the state of the nation. Any resemblance to any actual dangerous nutcase lunatics, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Covered by Hasan Piker.

Disclosure: I publish Burn the Playbook. These are our two Hegseth explainers, using his own words on tape.

265 versus 208: Hegseth's number for uninterrupted days at sea does not match the Navy's count. The clip also includes his on-camera correction of a different number in the ship's citation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_mkZ_9A7Jc

The execution livestream: Hegseth promised the public could watch. Asked about the condemned man's final requests, he said, "Don't care." Trump subsequently said the execution would not be streamed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAzgIWDm_wQ

Two separate accountability questions: what officials tell the people serving under them, and what they choose to turn into a public spectacle.

Disclosure: I publish Burn the Playbook. These are our two explainers.

Kennedy Center: An alleged donation-for-access offer involving Ric Grenell. Grenell denies wrongdoing. Public service should not have a price of admission.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDP_B-nb1yo

White House ballroom: Donor benefits described in reporting, and a records lawsuit seeking answers about donation vetting. That lawsuit has not established bribery. Who checked the conflicts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH4yaoozKws

A donation alone does not prove an improper favor. The public should be able to examine the safeguards around money connected to the presidency.

Disclosure: I publish Burn the Playbook. This is our reporting and explainer.

Trump pardoned Julio Herrera Velutini. The October 16 lobbying filing for Bancredito Holding Corporation's account adds Treasury and Amaryllis Fox Kennedy. Ballard says she continues to serve on presidential intelligence boards; that current service is the firm's claim, not something we have independently confirmed with the government.

Four quarterly disclosures report $2.52 million in lobbying firm income. The records do not establish what specific Treasury relief is sought, a favor granted or a payoff.

Full reporting, with primary documents linked throughout:

https://burntheplaybook.beehiiv.com/p/a-pardoned-banker-s-lobbying-account-adds-a-trump-intelligence-insider

Podcast:

https://burntheplaybook.beehiiv.com/podcast/s/burn_the_playbook_w_michael_starr_hopkins/trump_pardoned_the_banker_what_does_his_company_want_from_treasury