Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon guide to Puck’s best new reporting.

First up today, Leigh Ann Caldwell presents an inside account of the explosive confirmation hearing for Sen. Markwayne Mullin—the ex-MMA fighter, former plumber, and law-and-order Trump loyalist set to replace Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security. Despite a glaring lack of expertise, Mullin is poised to become the central executor of Trump’s immigration and internal security agenda. And yet, as yesterday’s hearing made clear, qualifications are often beside the point in Trump’s Washington.

Plus, below the fold: Dylan Byers considers whether NOTUS founder and D.C. media mogul Robert Allbritton can turn his political rag into a legit Washington Post rival. Bill Cohan chronicles Sam Bankman-Fried’s final battle to overturn his 25-year prison sentence. Rachel Strugatz uncovers the scandal surrounding Dr. Barbara Sturm’s skincare empire. And for Inner Circle members, Marion Maneker chats with the New Museum’s Massimiliano Gioni about its glorious relaunch on the Bowery.

Meanwhile, on the pods: Matt Belloni is joined by CNBC’s Alex Sherman on The Town to discuss the NFL’s new rights negotiations with Paramount. And on The Powers That Be, Peter Hamby and Dylan handicap Politico’s search for its next editor-in-chief.

WASHINGTON

A combative, law-and-order Trump loyalist with a steep learning curve on policy, Markwayne Mullin has leveraged his relationship with the president to rise from Oklahoma backbencher to Kristi Noem’s likely successor as secretary of Homeland Security.

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MEDIA

As the son of a yesteryear D.C. media baron, and the moneyman behind Politico, Robert Allbritton is still fighting for credit. Now he’s rebranding NOTUS, his post-Politico plaything, by hiring reporters and once again going after The Washington Post.

WALL STREET

The FTX founder’s appeals for a new trial have fallen on deaf ears, and his mother’s intervention appears to have backfired. Now, with the Justice Department going nuclear and Republicans lining up to ensure Trump doesn’t issue a pardon, S.B.F. may be running out of chances to escape his fate.

FASHION

More than a decade ago, Dr. Barbara Sturm climbed the skincare ranks with her infamous (and discontinued) blood creams. Now, with her brand flagging and a recent interview bringing unwanted scrutiny, it falls to the company’s newish owner to figure out its future.

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ART

On the eve of the downtown museum’s long-awaited rebirth, its artistic director explains the value and opportunity in its physical expansion and its renewed mission to address the urgent questions of today.

HOLLYWOOD

Matt is joined by CNBC sports and media reporter Alex Sherman to discuss the NFL reopening its rights deal with Paramount and CBS, why it did so, and how it could affect the broader sports and entertainment landscape moving forward.

MEDIA

Dylan Byers joins Peter to whip around the latest Washington media news: Robert Allbritton’s campaign to revamp NOTUS into a veritable Washington Post rival, Jeff Bezos’s uneasy détente with the WaPo newsroom, and Politico’s high-stakes search for its next editor-in-chief.

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