The New Kingmakers: Crypto, AI and Betting Money Are Reshaping the 2026 Midterms
For years, Americans were told to worry about Wall Street, Big Oil, and pharmaceutical companies buying influence in Washington.
Michael Phillips | Riptide / MDBayNews
Accountability journalism from Maryland and beyond. Michael Phillips covers state politics, investigative reporting, and the systems that fail the public — through MDBayNews and the Riptide national desk.
Live Last read · last published · next check
Latest posts
Maryland Has 240 Bridges Rated "Structurally Deficient." None of Them Was the Key Bridge.
Federal data shows the state’s bridge network is in better shape than the national average.
Three Governors, One Script: Texas, Maryland and Pennsylvania Are All Suddenly Cracking Down on Data Centers
A Republican in Texas beat two Democratic governors to the punch on data center restrictions.
So, a Rabid Maryland Beaver Is Coming at You. Now What?
Maryland has had several recent beaver attacks, including rabies-positive animals.
Marylanders Need Nearly $108,000 to Live Comfortably, New Study Finds. Families Need Almost $258,000.
A single adult in Maryland now needs an annual pre-tax income of $107,910 to live comfortably, and a family of four needs $257,837, according to a new nationwide study from SmartAsset.
Moore Says Families Shouldn't Go Into Debt for Back-to-School. His Own Tax Holiday Doesn't Cover the Supply List.
Gov.
Trump's FBI Headquarters Switch Is Dead — For Now. Greenbelt Is Back in Play.
A federal judge says Congress gave the government three choices for the FBI’s new headquarters — and the Reagan Building wasn’t one of them.
The 27-Point Question: Why Wes Moore’s Poll Deserves More Scrutiny
A fake polling operation just admitted that it fabricated political surveys and watched those numbers spread through the media and political ecosystem as if they were legitimate.
Introducing New Maryland: A Modest Proposal for the Rest of Us
Let’s get the disclaimer out of the way first, because someone in Annapolis is already drafting the press release calling this “dangerous rhetoric”: this is a hypothetical.
Another Dock Street Business Closes. This Time, the Jobs Lost Belong to Workers Who Have the Hardest Time Finding New Ones
As City Dock construction reshapes Annapolis’ waterfront, Bitty & Beau’s is the latest storefront to go dark — and its workers may have fewer places to turn next.
Maryland's Digital Ad Tax Just Got Thrown Out. Here's What Happens to the Money.
Maryland’s first-in-the-nation tax on digital advertising is dead, at least for now, and the state may owe hundreds of millions of dollars back to the companies that paid it.
The Commission Was Silent. A Soldier Wasn't.
Maryland’s racing regulators held their first meeting since the biggest week in the sport’s recent history — and largely said nothing.
The Poll Saying Moore Is Up 27 Points Was Built by His Own Party's Pollster and Sold by a Podcast His Party's Media Sponsors
A poll showing Wes Moore cruising to reelection came from a network with deep Democratic ties — and much of the coverage left that context out.
How a $375 Million Plan Became a $715 Million Problem
Maryland didn’t plan to spend $715 million on horse racing.