Progressive political firm that counts AOC as a client took $350,000+ in COVID-19 relief meant for small businesses.

"A progressive political consulting firm that receives large payments from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D., N.Y.) reelection campaign and activist Shaun King's PAC raked in hundreds of thousands in taxpayer money meant to help small businesses." (Washington Free Beacon)

Chances are, you've seen a lot of stories like this in the news.

This past Monday, the U.S. government published a list of businesses that had received funds as part of the Paycheck Protection Plan, the COVID-19 stimulus relief meant to keep small businesses afloat ... and smart reporters have been all over those documents.

That includes the Washington Free Beacon's reporting on the $350,000+ a progressive political firm called Middle Seat Consulting received. (It was listed as $350,000 to $1 million, so the actual figure could be higher.)

But as the Washington Free Beacon reported, Middle Seat has "raised more than $9 million from other left-wing committees this election cycle." That includes more than $850,000 from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's campaign and more than $250,000 from activist Shaun King's PAC.

For groups -- and progressive leaders -- who disdain money in politics, they seem happy to have U.S. taxpayers subsidize their political efforts through COVID-19 small business relief.

Rep. Ilhan Omar's campaign has spent more than $875,000 at her husband's consulting firm since 2018.

"Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) said Tuesday that she wants to dismantle economic and political systems that 'prioritize profit without considering who is profiting' even as her re-election campaign has continued to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to her new husband’s consulting firm." (Daily Wire)

Since 2018, according to the New York Post, Rep. Ilhan Omar's campaign has spent $878,930.65 with her husband's political consulting firm -- including $292,814.99 spent this year and $189,000 spent in March alone.

It's worth emphasizing that this is legal. But it's sure to raise eyebrows.

A new -- and much grimmer -- take on the TikTok-based effort to derail President Trump's first campaign rally return.

"For a party that has spent the better part of the past four years -- and one special counsel investigation -- condemning foreign interference in the electoral process, the Democratic response to Trump’s subverted rally was jarring. In the place of party calls to secure social platforms against influence operations and the need for government action to protect the campaign process from meddling was suddenly a chorus of approval over activists’ act of sabotage." (Real Clear Politics)

When young activists on TikTok, a new social media platform from China, claimed they'd organized to order fake tickets and attempt to trick the Trump campaign for President Trump's rally in Oklahoma just a few weeks ago, the media -- and progressive politicians, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) -- made them folk heroes.

But this sharp take on the incident gives a new, and much grimmer, assessment of what happened and what it could mean for this election. Check it out here.

President Trump emphasizes that the Republican Party will be "flexible" in its convention plans.

"President Trump said Tuesday that Republicans are 'flexible' with respect to holding a full convention in Jacksonville, Fla., amid a rising number of coronavirus cases in the state. 'We’re always looking at different things,' Trump told Greta Van Susteren, host of 'Full Court Press,' in an interview Tuesday."  (The Hill)

President Trump has wisely emphasized that the Republican Party will be "flexible" with its plans for the convention in Florida next month.

Though in-person events -- with substantial precautions, like daily temperature checks and COVID-19 testing -- are set for the event, the President's comments suggest that could change, depending on the conditions in the state next month.

This is already an unprecedented year for political conventions, as the Democrats have delayed their convention by a month and moved it to a smaller venue as they don't plan for delegates to attend.