A New Attorney General, Profiting Off Immigration Detention, Hollywood Merger

The U.S. Senate recently confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General following a narrow vote, despite significant concerns regarding his past involvement in controversial IRS settlements and potential conflicts of interest. Simultaneously, Congress passed a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill designed to squeeze the Russian economy through oil and gas tariffs, honoring the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Meanwhile, private prison operators CoreCivic and the GEO Group are reporting record profits, bolstered by increased detention numbers and expanded contracts for transportation and electronic monitoring. In the entertainment sector, a proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Brothers faces intense scrutiny from industry professionals, though major theater chains like Regal and AMC support the deal, citing the potential for increased theatrical content to sustain the current box office momentum.