It’s that time of year when Leah, Melissa, and Kate put on their influencer hats and recommend the things that made their days a little brighter in 2025. This year, they’re joined by two special guests: rockstar Strict Scrutiny intern Jordan Thomas to share some of his picks, and former Chair of the Federal Election Commission Ellen Weintraub to discuss two of democracy’s favorite things—independent agencies and the regulation of money in politics.
Favorite things:
- WANT
- Leah: https://cozyearth.com/products/lush-faux-fur-blanket?variant=43644160540852, https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com/products/just-enough-tinted-moisturizer?srsltid=AfmBOoo1wKr4mXPaw2mBUcjvfZZCMnEF4NEfKAgWFO58GHXhUEWP5RvO
- Kate: https://aventura-x.com/, https://gruns.co/pages/first-order#offers?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A21061399638%3A159698636821%3A700531326123&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=gruns%20gummy&nb_ti=kwd-2245626740539&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=e&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_term=gruns%20gummy&utm_content=700531326123&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21061399638&gbraid=0AAAAAp051cDnvSm_bDwDkRrRmm9paaTWf&gclid=CjwKCAiAl-_JBhBjEiwAn3rN7XGg_dzFT2Ptq3RjcNrCFoqF-B1GBSVi1bgSFTNE-1pCLkBxP24AABoC22MQAvD_BwE
- Melissa: https://truebotanicals.com/, https://www.elfcosmetics.com/camo-liquid-blush/300234.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqQprG2pCzGz6xyQRmSqwe8MpFHKqxa1LyHfgjzG8Go5HwByj2k
- Jordan: https://www.paulmitchell.com/products/lavender-mint-conditioning-leave-in-spray, https://lusterproducts.com/products/pink-oil-moisturizer?srsltid=AfmBOooRO9sTSjrDtVMfUjp33wzTTPdPsgZSVM8Ragj_7kVwaZm7BWpf,
- NEED
- Leah: https://www.onepeloton.com/classes/stretching, https://farmhounds.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopZtoxuI4gPTYXnxhFbq5FETNMmaBDjvg12E2DYhYtJqzlZtflS dog treats; https://badlandsranch.com/products/ dog food
- Kate: custom https://www.bobbleheads.com/custom-bobbleheads/products?srsltid=AfmBOorxv9DaMwvggeeWyHgVz_3JFUoTstddcTwVYQkl2lHzCxheJv0_ & https://www.etsy.com/market/custom_action_figure, https://lilyallenmusic.com/tour/, https://crooked.com/events/
- Melissa: https://caddislife.com/collections/eye-appliances, https://blackwing602.com/products/blackwing-set-of-12?srsltid=AfmBOoo7h_Y0YbXahkIAS9N3sBLEg8JChNukCvsq75gpX6sp9Vsfg2l6, https://wine.asever.com/products/2024-napa-valley-rose
- Jordan: 2026 https://www.evanescence.com/evanescence-shows/ and https://kornofficial.com/ tours, these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BHXKNBB?ref=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apin_dp_Q1WBCBQVHX5P4Y364SV8_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apin_dp_Q1WBCBQVHX5P4Y364SV8_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apin_dp_Q1WBCBQVHX5P4Y364SV8_1&titleSource=true&rsd=z7X7LS6lrQhkaRarLJVzJpzoSXXg1w8MSRBo8s4ckTr%2FasDBQxeo0IyuNVpkXt9EmYmYQtxV9HbaqxpV%2BszzvM%2FMa5BcYimcaW0yWdvxk23uAIxqKnV24w%3D%3D&edk=AQIDAHgZbAtVUtOwTOPkU6A%2Ft3uWZOdoM9ev8P9m78HNnFxQqQHnoWRsV4e8zSLQvgpsLwRtAAAAfjB8BgkqhkiG9w0BBwagbzBtAgEAMGgGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMiVsCLZtuXfjN3t4aAgEQgDtCmxmjvYsFavQqD5hAIK7T6HbV8%2BmsjYhZLtxGvVxVLZzf9RCRt282FFWfREIdeQoaBkswuF7xqBz42A%3D%3D&th=1
- WEAR
- Leah: https://forme.science/collections/bras/products/power-bra?variant=48350584439015, https://argentwork.com/, https://www.therealreal.com/
- Kate: https://store.crooked.com/collections/strict-scrutiny?srsltid=AfmBOoqGT4SDBVfvjIX0MM1bL-WGG7rnuKeOiYHo18R85lNvJ9sI9D_b, https://cozyearth.com/products/womens-studio-wide-leg-pant?srsltid=AfmBOooriRJuJEa97PjWTtC7GJGnMj3mXPJiKrn1bcng_XGh5NAZF4Ak&variant=43831646191796
- Melissa: https://www.quince.com/women/sweaters-&-jackets/yak-wool-sweater-collection?srsltid=AfmBOooKqdVsm_MMb0hSYnBwZpYrmaRjUgtlp93gJt2I9Kr075eOhE4o, https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/products/E424873-000/00?colorDisplayCode=00&sizeDisplayCode=003https://www.theclearlycollective.com/collections/collegiate-collection, https://www.amazon.com/WaySoft-Cashmere-Beanie-Oversized-Perfect/dp/B079PSRLH3/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=185786425665&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hEKrejSKc6s0bwitLaaOzcTr1BvA9T871zBhasZT5smzZKn2cjYjFwDCa1sP7gBBJyvi_Klw7NtakV7zo4_rjL3vzVD-SgrQ9jMoKXAiFJ-iVUT0BZZRlctSRJvQG-oQeRwOJPScuh0qHPDOqYVZTHug2m5_Bw2Ndcp-Jz0MCFq3xsybwbG-K3GJeIFUL1aHQQKxY105HcvRyDO75wu2LRO9SdbeSCyi49zebXZ2vGlvdawWScBm4QQvIPAPyGBEnD4dJCUjH0CyQxo099VROeco4GbwLXS-A9MUp1q3GYU.si8N6XU-xqtM8YQRPoQA44WRZqFHm62k2z0vEpgv6Bo&dib_tag=se&hvadid=779675984336&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9030964&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=14049909002323224543--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14049909002323224543&hvtargid=kwd-594913276972&hydadcr=7250_13535765_2063567&keywords=waysoft%2Bcashmere%2Bbeanie&mcid=01238027367a338a9d6da8cad5ef975e&qid=1765583375&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1&psc=1
- Jordan: https://store.crooked.com/products/freedom-and-content-for-all-crewneck?_pos=3&_sid=c11b806b5&_ss=r, https://us.mavi.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%28ROI%29%20BR%20-%20Mavi%20Core%20Branded%20-%20Exact%20-%20Mavi%20Jeans&utm_id=1569115668&utm_content=59701491992&utm_term=mavi%20jeans&tw_source=google&tw_adid=393138908126&tw_campaign=1569115668&tw_kwdid=kwd-79407111&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1569115668&gbraid=0AAAAADpHyVI1rQxTMoCw6TrXBrZVQUUq3&gclid=CjwKCAiAl-_JBhBjEiwAn3rN7WweOIO5MooTtuAtbOjWjYpIetSCT5YUrNc4TaKAKeGBp8bK2ekG4RoCZrYQAvD_BwE
- READ
- Leah: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-wedding-people-a-novel-alison-espach/2a6b95a3104be2ea?ean=9781250899576&next=t, Alison Espach; https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Julie+Anne+Long’s Pennyroyal Green series; https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Lisa+Kleypas’ Wallflowers series; https://bookshop.org/p/books/these-summer-storms-a-novel-sarah-maclean/b7d9a29f7c2e1444?ean=9780593972250&next=t, Sarah MacLean; https://bookshop.org/p/books/bury-our-bones-in-the-midnight-soil-v-e-schwab/f9e86c5bd3f3c1ef?ean=9781250320520&next=t, V. E. Schwab; https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-god-of-the-woods-a-novel-liz-moore/c3cbf4f80cbe4a47?ean=9780593418918&next=t, Liz Moore; https://www.bookofthemonth.com/
- Kate: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-power-broker-robert-moses-and-the-fall-of-new-york-robert-a-caro/d422fb89e9efb810?ean=9780394720241&next=t, Robert Caro; https://bookshop.org/p/books/who-is-government-the-untold-story-of-public-service-michael-lewis/b38857a5bb6d03ad?ean=9798217047802&next=t Michael Lewis;
