The Commentariat -- August 10, 2021

Afternoon Update:

Marie: 12:04 pm ET: Sounds like Cuomo is about to quit. 12:06 pm ET: Yup! ~~~

~~~ New York Times: "Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said on Tuesday he would resign from office, succumbing to a ballooning sexual harassment scandal that fueled an astonishing reversal of fortune for one of the nation's best-known leaders. Mr. Cuomo said his resignation would be effective in 14 days. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, will be sworn in to replace him. She will become the first female governor of New York." This is an item in a live update of New York regional developments. The AP's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Michael Scherer & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced his resignation Tuesday in an effort to head off a looming impeachment effort in the state Assembly after a state investigation found he sexually harassed 11 women and oversaw an unlawful attempt to exact retribution against one of his accusers. 'Wasting energy on distractions is the last thing that state government should be doing,' Cuomo said in a video address. 'And I cannot be the cause of that.... Given the circumstances the best way I can help now is to step aside and let government get back to governing,' he added.He said his resignation will be effective in 14 days. Cuomo will be replaced by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who will be New York's first female governor and will serve out the rest of the term until the next election in November 2022." MB: As Tom Winter Ron Allen of NBC News pointed out, the last legislature could still impeach & convict him.

Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: "The Senate gave overwhelming bipartisan approval to a $1 trillion infrastructure bill on Tuesday to rebuild the nation's deteriorating roads and bridges and fund new climate resilience and broadband initiatives, delivering a key component of President Biden's agenda. The legislation would be the largest infusion of federal investment into infrastructure projects in more than a decade, touching nearly every facet of the American economy and fortifying the nation's response to the warming of the planet. It would provide historic levels of funding for the modernization of the nation's power grid and projects to better manage climate risks, as well as pour hundreds of billions of dollars into the repair and replacement of aging public works projects. The vote, 69-30, was uncommonly bipartisan; the yes votes included Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican leader, and 18 other Republicans who shrugged off increasingly shrill efforts by ... Donald Trump to derail it. But the measure now faces a potentially rocky and time-consuming path in the House, where the speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and the nearly 100-member Progressive Caucus, have said they will not vote on it unless and until the Senate passes a separate, even more ambitious $3.5 trillion social policy bill this fall."

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Jeff Schogol of Task & Purpose: "The security situation in Afghanistan is so bad that the U.S. Air Force has brought out some of its biggest guns in an attempt to stop the Taliban's blitzkrieg throughout the country. The U.S. Air Force has committed B-52 bombers and AC-130 gunships to support Afghan forces on the ground, Task & Purpose has confirmed. The Times of London was first to report about those U.S. aircraft being used to conduct airstrikes in Afghanistan."

Katie Rogers, et al., of the New York Times: &"The Biden administration, under pressure from families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, said on Monday that it intended to disclose some long-classified documents that the families think could detail connections between the government of Saudi Arabia and the hijackers who carried out the attacks. In a court filing in long-running litigation brought by the victims' families against Saudi Arabia, the Justice Department said that the F.B.I. 'recently' closed a portion of its investigation into the terrorist attacks and was beginning a review of documents that it had previously said must remain secret with an eye toward disclosing more of them."

Camilo Montoya-Gomez of CBS News: "Lawyers representing children in U.S. immigration custody asked a federal court on Monday to order the release of migrant teenagers from two emergency housing sites in Texas where minors have reported mental distress, substandard conditions, prolonged stays and inadequate services. In their lawsuit before the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, the attorneys accused the Biden administration of violating the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement and its rules regarding the treatment of migrant children, which the federal government is legally obliged to follow. At the center of the 31-page complaint are two makeshift housing facilities for unaccompanied migrant children that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established this spring at the Fort Bliss U.S. Army base and a camp for oil workers in Pecos, a remote town in west Texas."

Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: "Democrats formally began their push on Monday for the most significant expansion of the nation's social safety net since the Great Society of the 1960s, unveiling a budget blueprint that would spend $3.5 trillion on health care, child and elder care, education and climate change. The budget resolution, which Senate Democrats hope to pass by the end of this week, would allow the caucus to piece together social policy legislation this fall, paid for by raising taxes on the wealthy, large inheritances and corporations. Should all 50 senators who caucus with Democrats hold together, the measure could pass the Senate without a Republican vote, nullifying the filibuster threat. Democrats plan to take up the measure as soon as the Senate approves a separate $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill as early as Tuesday morning. Together, the measures could secure virtually all of President Biden's $4 trillion economic agenda, rebuilding the nation's roads, bridges, rail lines, water systems and electricity grid while expanding public education, social welfare and health care -- and remaking the federal tax code." ~~~

     ~~~ Jennifer Scholtes & Caitlin Emma of Politico: "Senate Democrats released a $3.5 trillion budget on Monday morning that doesn't tackle the imminent need to raise the debt ceiling, setting the stage for a dramatic standoff with Republicans this fall. The exclusion of debt limit language amounts to a political gamble..., with the Treasury Department expected to run dry on its borrowing limit in the coming weeks. Senate Republicans have already warned that they won't give Democrats the votes needed to approach the issue on a bipartisan basis, which means that the debt limit's omission from the budget tees up a future cross-aisle fight over the debt." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ The Sky Is Falling as Senators Play Chicken. Burgess Everett, et al., of Politico: "With the threat of default on the nation's $28 trillion debt awaiting this fall, Democrats are going ahead with plans to exclude raising the federal borrowing limit from their party-line $3.5 trillion budget bill. Instead, they are counting on the Senate minority leader to provide them the GOP votes they need to overcome a filibuster and avert economic disaster. But [Mitch] McConnell is not budging.... [So] Either [Democrats] pass a debt increase on party lines or potentially own the toxic politics of a credit default as Republicans stand on the sidelines. But Democrats are betting ... McConnell's side will blink."

Burgess Everett & Marianne Levine of Politico: "President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure deal cleared its final serious Senate hurdle Sunday night, putting the legislation on a glide path to passage as soon as late Monday. In a 68-29 vote, the Senate closed down debate on a bill negotiated by a bipartisan group of 10 senators that spends $550 billion in new money on the nation's physical infrastructure. Sunday's vote came after senators spent the weekend haggling over amendments and time agreements to consider them." (Also linked yesterday.)

Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times points out that the filibuster means that only bills that address situations that are largely uncontroversial can pass the Senate; thus the federal government is powerless to handle all those matters in which the Senate minority disagrees with the majority. And that's no way to run a government. Therefore, a bipartisan infrastructure bill, which is about to pass the Senate, is not very impressive in a country where many bridges & roads have been crumbling for decades. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It's as if Bernie Sanders & Rand Paul take an excursion into the Atlantic on Joe Manchin's houseboat and some catastrophe occurs, leaving Bernie & Li'l Randy in a lifeboat together. Li'l Randy screams, "My God, we're going to die!" and Bernie says, "Here, take this paddle & together we'll row to shore. I have a heart condition & I can't manage it by myself." Upon penalty of death, Randy decides not to filibuster Bernie's proposal, and the two row to safety. You would not really credit Randy with a magnificent gesture of bipartisanship, would you?

Aaron Blake of the Washington Post: An honest assessment: "... Trump ally and Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo ... pressed [Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND)] on whether he was 'betraying the Republican base' [by voting for the infrastructure bill, which Trump opposes.]... 'Well, he didn't give one reaso[n] it's a bad deal, other than it's Joe Biden's,' Cramer said."B.S.: "'I have encouraged President Trump to take credit for this,' [Sen Rob] Portman [R-Ohio] said last week on CNN. 'President Trump's effort to raise the level of awareness about the need for infrastructure improvement should help us get this done. You know, he proposed a $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill.' Congrats, Mr. Former President. This thing you now oppose is your handiwork."

A Very Good Question. Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "A federal judge on Monday questioned why U.S. prosecutors are asking Capitol riot defendants to pay only $1.5 million in restitution while American taxpayers are paying more than $500 million to cover the costs of the Jan. 6 attack by a pro-Trump mob. Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell of Washington challenged the toughness of the Justice Department's stance in a plea hearing for a Colorado Springs man who admitted to one of four nonviolent misdemeanor counts of picketing in the U.S. Capitol. Howell has already asked in another defendant's plea hearing whether no-prison misdemeanor plea deals offered by the government are too lenient for individuals involved in 'terrorizing members of Congress,' asking pointedly whether the government had 'any concern about deterrence?'... Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Henry O'Connor told Howell the government would explain how it computed the damage and restitution estimate before October.... Prosecutors gave few details in early June when they put a price tag for the first time on damage done to the Capitol in the riots, saying in court filings that as of mid-May the sum totaled 'approximately $1,495,326.55.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is about the DOJ treading lightly on nice, white, Christian men/Republicans.

Meet Your Trump Supporter. John Wright of the Raw Story: "A Virginia man who was filmed destroying media equipment during the Capitol insurrection has been re-arrested on charges that he strangled a family member. Now, federal prosecutors are asking a judge to revoke a bond that was granted to 39-year-old Joshua Dillon Haynes so that he remains behind bars while awaiting trial on six federal charges related to the insurrection, the Roanoke Times reports. 'There is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed multiple violations of state law while he was on home incarceration for his criminal conduct on Jan. 6,' federal prosecutors wrote in a motion filed Friday, arguing that he poses a danger to the public and has a 'lengthy pattern of abusive conduct.'"

Tim Miller of the (right-wing) Bulwark: "After months of being promised by the former President and his stooges that Dominion Voting Systems had RIGGED the election, we finally have our first credible investigation into voting machine tampering. The lede in Monday's Grand Junction Sentinel brings the Kraken: 'The Mesa County Clerk's Office is under investigation ... for a breach in security over its election system.'... The clerk who is under investigation for tampering with the county election system is Tina Peters, a fervent supporter of Donald Trump and amateur vaccine science aficionado.... In short, in an attempt to demonstrate that Donald Trump was still the rightful president, a county clerk tweeted that the election machines she was in charge of overseeing were in fact vulnerable, and in order to prove it someone in her office allegedly carried out the very breach she was falsely claiming must have been committed by anti-Trump forces." ~~~

     ~~~ Derek Muller of the Election Law Blog has a bit more.

The Oracle of D.C. Philip Bump of the Washington Post writes about how the latest Homeland Security assessment is that "Some conspiracy theories associated with reinstating former President Trump have included calls for violence if desired outcomes are not realized [in August]." Bump writes, "But then I remember an article I wrote on Aug. 31, 2020, called, 'The dangerous overconfidence of Trump supporters.' I outlined what might happen in the aftermath of last year's election:

"Biden's campaign and other officials will encourage people to be patient, with hundreds of thousands of votes still outstanding. But what will many Trump supporters hear? They'll hear the apparent loser of the race and his 'allies' in the media rejecting what they know to be true -- that Trump won in a landslide. They'll hear that Trump's win ... is being targeted with fraudulent mail ballots. They'll hear that what Trump said would happen is, in fact happening. What happens next? If recent weeks are any indication, tension may erupt into violence." Emphasis added.

Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post: "Britain's Prince Andrew has been sued in New York by a woman who said she was forced to have sexual encounters with the prominent royal while she was trafficked beginning at age 16 by his friend Jeffrey Epstein, including at the late sex offender's sprawling mansion in Manhattan. Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan on Monday, citing the state's Child Victims Act, legislation passed several years ago that extended the statute of limitations for adults who were allegedly abused as children to sue. The lawsuit was filed just as Giuffre's Aug. 14 deadline to do so was nearing."

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here: "The United States is averaging more than 124,000 new virus cases each day, more than double compared with two weeks ago and the highest rate since early February, according to a New York Times database. Hospitals in hot spots around the country are approaching capacity." The item titled "As the Delta variant tears ..." provides a particularly good round-up of what's going on across the U.S. ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live Covid-19 updates for Tuesday are here.

I strongly support Secretary Austin's message to the Force today on the Department of Defense's plan to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required vaccinations for our service members not later than mid-September. -- President Joe Biden, in a statement Monday ~~~

~~~ Ellen Mitchell of the Hill: "The Pentagon will require all military personnel to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 15, according to a new memo from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, released Monday. 'I will seek the president's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon' final approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 'whichever comes first,' Austin wrote in the memo to troops. He added that Pentagon officials 'will also be keeping a close eye on infection rates,' currently on the rise now due to the highly contagious delta variant. If the rates begin to impact military readiness, 'I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if l feel the need to do so. To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force.'" The AP's report is here. (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here: "The battle waged by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) against mask and vaccine mandates is facing challenges on multiple fronts. His ban on vaccine passports was temporarily blocked by a federal judge late Sunday: Norwegian Cruise Line was cleared to require coronavirus vaccines for guests and crew members.... The head of the country's second-largest teachers union on Sunday shifted course to signal support for vaccine mandates for teachers to protect students, especially those under 12 who are not old enough to be inoculated. A group of parents of disabled children in Florida sued Friday to block the state's ban on mask mandates in schools. Florida education officials moved the same day to give students access to a state voucher program that helps pay for private tuition if their public schools require masks -- an acknowledgment that some schools in the state are moving ahead with mask mandates despite the law." (Also linked yesterday.)

Florida. Joseph Choi of the Hill: "In his ongoing crusade against mask mandates in schools, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced on Monday that the Florida Board of Education could withhold the salaries of superintendents and school board members who defy his ban on facial coverings.... His office [said] that DeSantis's priorities were 'protecting parents' rights' and 'ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality education that meets their unique needs.'... The Florida governor has already threatened to cut off funding to schools that enact mask mandates for students." ~~~

~~~ DeSantis Doubles Down on Killing off Sea-Going Vacationers. Taylor Dolvin of the Miami Herald: "Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings secured a win in federal court Sunday allowing it to require passengers provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination..., [but] Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has championed the new state law that bars companies from requiring vaccination proof from patrons, is vowing to appeal. Other cruise companies said Monday they are assessing what the ruling means for their cruises, which are already underway in Florida."

Texas. Annette Nevins & Laura Meckler of the Washington Post: "Dallas city school leaders defied their governor Monday, announcing that students and staff will be required to wear masks in school buildings as coronavirus cases spike across the region and state. The announcement from the Dallas Independent School District, delivered hours after some schools began for the year, came despite a statewide ban in Texas on such mandates. Last month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an executive order barring government entities -- including public schools -- from mandating masks or vaccines. As virus caseloads have skyrocketed, the governor has declined to modify the policy.... Dallas is the first Texas school district to defy the governor's order. Last week, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner did the same, saying city employees would be required to wear masks in situations where they are unable to socially distance themselves from others." ~~~

~~~ When the Left Hand Has No Idea What the Right Hand Is Doing. Patrick Svitek of the Texas Tribune: "Gov. Greg Abbott announced new moves Monday to fight the coronavirus pandemic as it rages again in Texas, including asking hospitals to again put off certain elective procedures to free up space for COVID-19 patients. Still, the governor did not back down on his refusal to institute any new statewide restrictions on businesses or to let local governments and schools mandate masks or vaccines."

Beyond the Beltway

New York. Michael Scherer, et al., of the Washington Post: "New York Assembly leaders pledged Monday to finish the initial stage of their impeachment inquiry of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in the next several weeks.... One adviser said the three-term governor was adopting a strategy of seeking to 'buy time' so he can make a case to the legislature that his actions do not warrant removal from office. The adviser ... said Cuomo is unwilling to listen to a chorus of calls from advisers urging him to step down.... Monday saw signs of escalating repercussions for Cuomo allies, as the advocacy groups Human Rights Campaign and Time's Up contended with mounting internal tensions over the involvement of their leaders in the governor's efforts to discredit one of his accusers." ~~~

~~~ Graham Kates & Caroline Linton of CBS News: "New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said Monday that the goal of the Judiciary Committee's impeachment inquiry into Governor Andrew Cuomo is to conclude 'all due haste.' The committee last week sent a letter to Cuomo's legal team asking him to provide any additional evidence before it concludes its inquiry on August 13.... At the start of Monday's hearing, Judiciary Committee chair Charles Lavine called the allegations in [State AG Letitia] James' report 'deeply disturbing' and said the committee will review the report in addition to its own findings." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Jodi Kantor & Michael Gold of the New York Times: "The fallout from a damaging report that found Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women widened on Monday when Roberta A. Kaplan, a nationally prominent lawyer with ties to the governor, resigned from Time's Up, the organization founded by Hollywood women to fight sexual abuse and promote gender equality. Ms. Kaplan, the chairwoman of Time's Up and the co-founder of its legal defense fund, was one of several prominent figures whom the report found to be involved in an effort to discredit one of Mr. Cuomo's alleged victims, and she has continuing legal ties to a former Cuomo aide accused of leading that effort." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Margaret Sullivan of the Washington Post -- even as she praises the tiny local Albany Times Union for its coverage of Andrew Cuomo's scandals -- takes CNN & Chris Cuomo to the woodshed for the way the network & its 9 pm host have "handled" Brother Andrew's moral crises. ~~~

     ~~~ So Then ... Erik Wemple of the Washington Post takes down Brian Stelter, host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" for whitewashing CNN's handling of the Cuomo dilemma "in a way that had to delight the network's PR operation.... The AG report, of course, focuses on Andrew Cuomo's conduct, not Chris Cuomo's. That's why CNN needs to commission a report of its own to determine just how its star anchor fit into this sexual harassment pushback effort."

New York. Jonah Bromwich & Troy Closson of the New York Times: "[Carlton] Roman, who was 26 when he was arrested [for murder in 1989], and [Christipher] Ellis, who was 20 [when he was arrested for murder in 1990], were incarcerated for more than three decades, spending their 30th, 40th and 50th birthdays behind bars. On Monday, the two men, both of whom are Black, were freed by state judges in courtrooms 11 miles apart who found they had been unjustly convicted. Mr. Roman was charged with murder and attempted murder in 1989, as a college graduate and honors student who had no criminal record and a fiancée who corroborated his whereabouts at the time of the fatal shooting. He was sent to prison largely because of the testimony of two men who his lawyer said were involved in the drug trade. Mr. Ellis ... was convicted of murder and armed robbery in 1992. His conviction was vacated last month, after his lawyer argued that the police had concealed multiple murder suspects from defense lawyers and prosecutors, and had also failed to tell prosecutors about a witness who denied that Mr. Ellis was present at the time of the murder."

Texas. James Barragán of the Texas Tribune: "A state district judge in Travis County issued an order blocking the arrest of House Democrats who have broken quorum by leaving the state, paving the way for those who remain outside of Texas to return home without threat of apprehension. State District Judge Brad Urrutia, a Democrat, granted the temporary restraining order late Sunday night restricting Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan from 'detaining, confining or otherwise restricting' the free movement of House Democrats within the state or issuing any warrants ordering their confinement. The order expires in 14 days unless extended by Urrutia. The court will hear arguments on a temporary injunction on Aug. 20, and Abbott and Phelan must show why a temporary injunction should not be filed against them." (Also linked yesterday.)

News Lede

AP: "U.S. employers posted a record 10.1 million job openings in June, another sign that the job market and economy are bouncing back briskly from last year's coronavirus shutdowns. Job openings rose from 9.5 million in May, the Labor Department reported Monday. Employers hired 6.7 million workers in June, up from 6 million in May. The gap between openings and hiring suggests that firms are scrambling to find workers."

The Commentariat -- August 9, 2021

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

Ellen Mitchell of the Hill: "The Pentagon will require all military personnel to get the COVID-19 vaccine by Sept. 15, according to a new memo from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, released Monday. 'I will seek the president's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no later than mid-September, or immediately upon' final approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 'whichever comes first,' Austin wrote in the memo to troops. He added that Pentagon officials 'will also be keeping a close eye on infection rates,' currently on the rise now due to the highly contagious delta variant. If the rates begin to impact military readiness, 'I will not hesitate to act sooner or recommend a different course to the President if l feel the need to do so. To defend this Nation, we need a healthy and ready force.'" The AP's report is here.

New York. Graham Kates & Caroline Linton of CBS News: "New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said Monday that the goal of the Judiciary Committee's impeachment inquiry into Governor Andrew Cuomo is to conclude 'all due haste.' The committee last week sent a letter to Cuomo's legal team asking him to provide any additional evidence before it concludes its inquiry on August 13.... At the start of Monday's hearing, Judiciary Committee chair Charles Lavine called the allegations in [State AG Letitia] James' report 'deeply disturbing' and said the committee will review the report in addition to its own findings." ~~~

~~~ Jodi Kantor & Michael Gold of the New York Times: "The fallout from a damaging report that found Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women widened on Monday when Roberta A. Kaplan, a nationally prominent lawyer with ties to the governor, resigned from Time's Up, the organization founded by Hollywood women to fight sexual abuse and promote gender equality. Ms. Kaplan, the chairwoman of Time's Up and the co-founder of its legal defense fund, was one of several prominent figures whom the report found to be involved in an effort to discredit one of Mr. Cuomo's alleged victims, and she has continuing legal ties to a former Cuomo aide accused of leading that effort."

Texas. James Barragán of the Texas Tribune: "A state district judge in Travis County issued an order blocking the arrest of House Democrats who have broken quorum by leaving the state, paving the way for those who remain outside of Texas to return home without threat of apprehension. State District Judge Brad Urrutia, a Democrat, granted the temporary restraining order late Sunday night restricting Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan from 'detaining, confining or otherwise restricting' the free movement of House Democrats within the state or issuing any warrants ordering their confinement. The order expires in 14 days unless extended by Urrutia. The court will hear arguments on a temporary injunction on Aug. 20, and Abbott and Phelan must show why a temporary injunction should not be filed against them."

Jennifer Scholtes & Caitlin Emma of Politico: "Senate Democrats released a $3.5 trillion budget on Monday morning that doesn't tackle the imminent need to raise the debt ceiling, setting the stage for a dramatic standoff with Republicans this fall. The exclusion of debt limit language amounts to a political gamble..., with the Treasury Department expected to run dry on its borrowing limit in the coming weeks. Senate Republicans have already warned that they won't give Democrats the votes needed to approach the issue on a bipartisan basis, which means that the debt limit's omission from the budget tees up a future cross-aisle fight over the debt."

Burgess Everett & Marianne Levine of Politico: "President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure deal cleared its final serious Senate hurdle Sunday night, putting the legislation on a glide path to passage as soon as late Monday. In a 68-29 vote, the Senate closed down debate on a bill negotiated by a bipartisan group of 10 senators that spends $550 billion in new money on the nation's physical infrastructure. Sunday's vote came after senators spent the weekend haggling over amendments and time agreements to consider them."

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here: "The battle waged by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) against mask and vaccine mandates is facing challenges on multiple fronts. His ban on vaccine passports was temporarily blocked by a federal judge late Sunday: Norwegian Cruise Line was cleared to require coronavirus vaccines for guests and crew members.... The head of the country's second-largest teachers union on Sunday shifted course to signal support for vaccine mandates for teachers to protect students, especially those under 12 who are not old enough to be inoculated. A group of parents of disabled children in Florida sued Friday to block the state's ban on mask mandates in schools. Florida education officials moved the same day to give students access to a state voucher program that helps pay for private tuition if their public schools require masks -- an acknowledgment that some schools in the state are moving ahead with mask mandates despite the law."

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Fred Hiatt of the Washington Post: "As of this week, only 112 [positions requiring Senate confirmation] have been filled. [Link fixed.] More than six months into his presidency, in other words -- more than an eighth of the way through his term -- Biden hardly has the beginning of an executive team in place.... [The administration has to fill] 4,000 political positions.... This is totally out of line with every other democracy, says Max Stier, who heads the Partnership [for Public Service].... Requiring that 1,237 of those 4,000 political positions win Senate confirmation compounds the damage.... The Senate could insist on true accountability: Confirm the truly senior positions, let those officials appoint the teams they want, and then hold those executives responsible for results." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I've been noticing this as news outlets dribble out report nominations and confirmations. This weekend, we learned the Senate just had confirmed the Secretary of the Navy. Either the job is superfluous or we expect our enemies to politely defer attacking U.S. ships until we have a proper civilian leader in place (said enemies have not been so polite).

Simon Tisdale of the Guardian: "Trumpism, like other fascist variants, is a disease, a blight -- a noxious far-right populist-nationalist miasma that taints and rots all it touches.... By refusing to confront his crooked predecessor and bring him to justice, Joe Biden feeds delusional Trump's sense of godlike impunity, and the dread prospect of a blasphemous second coming. To a watching world, his paralysis smacks of weakness.... Disqualifying [Trump] as criminally unfit for public office is the obvious way to avert more West Wing mayhem. Yet 'Gentleman Joe' and his fight-shy attorney general, Merrick Garland, keep pulling their punches." Thanks to citizen625 for the link.

Shayna Greene of Politico: "Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said Sunday that an ongoing congressional investigation of ... Donald Trump's last days in office has found him to have been deeply involved with the Justice Department in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.... Durbin said that [former acting AG Jeffrey] Rosen appeared voluntarily and was 'very open' during his seven hours of testimony. 'It really is important that we ask these questions, because what was going on in the Department of Justice was frightening, from a constitutional point of view,' Durbin said.... Asked if what he was describing was an attempted coup, Durbin told CNN host Dana Bash, 'Well, it was -- they were going through the ordinary process.... It isn't as if the president was removing the attorney general and making pronouncements, which would happen in a coup, I suppose, by classic definition,' Durbin added. 'But it was leading up to that, that kind of process.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Andrew Van Dam & Heather Long of the Washington Post: "For the first time, average pay in [U.S.] restaurants and supermarkets climbed above $15 an hour. Wages have been rising rapidly as the economy reopens and businesses struggle to hire enough workers. Some of the biggest gains have gone to workers in some of the lowest-paying industries. Overall, nearly 80 percent of U.S. workers now earn at least $15 an hour, up from 60 percent in 2014. Job sites and recruiting firms say many job seekers won't even consider jobs that pay less than $15 anymore. For years, low-paid workers fought to make at least that much. Now it has effectively become the new baseline."

Brady Dennis & Sarah Kaplan of the Washington Post: "On Monday..., the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its latest and most dire assessment about the state of the planet, detailing how humans have altered the environment at an 'unprecedented' pace and cautioning that the world risks increasingly catastrophic impacts in the absence of rapid greenhouse gas reductions. The landmark report, compiled by 234 authors relying on more than 14,000 studies from around the globe, bluntly lays out for policymakers and the public the most up-to-date understanding of the physical science on climate change. Released amid a summer of deadly fires, floods and heat waves, it arrives less than three months before a critical summit this November in Scotland, where world leaders face mounting pressure to move more urgently to slow the Earth's warming." CNN's report is here.

The Pandemic, Ctd.

Steve M.: "I have positive feelings about Barack Obama, but maybe his scaled-back but still supersized birthday party wasn't the greatest idea while the Delta variant continues to rage, not when the right-wing media is eager to leap on anything that looks like Democratic COVID hypocrisy.... When opponents of public health are looking for any evidence that advocates are bad people, why make it easy for them?... The dominant message of right-wingers today is that their Democratic enemies are 'elitists' who have contempt for ordinary Americans. I realize that these people are hypocrites themselves.... We're serious about the pandemic -- but I wish some of the most famous among us would spend a bit more time walking the walk."

Judge Clips Florida's Pro-Covid Governor, Party. Jaclyn Diaz of NPR: "Norwegian Cruise Line can require passengers show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination before boarding any of its ships in Florida, a federal judge has ruled. The decision by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami to grant Norwegian's request for a preliminary injunction comes despite a state law passed in May that fines businesses which require proof of such vaccinations. The law, championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, slaps businesses with a fine of $5,000 per violation for asking customers to prove they were inoculated against the coronavirus. In her decision, Williams said Norwegian would likely succeed in a court trial with its argument that Florida's so-called 'vaccine passport' ban risks public health and infringes on the cruise line's First Amendment rights. Williams' decision also allows Norwegian to pr0ceed with its first trip from Miami since the pandemic widely disrupted the cruise line industry in March 2020. Norwegian Cruise Lines is one of several companies that sail from ports in Florida."

Texas. David Montgomery of the New York Times: "... Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas ... is facing withering criticism as I.C.U. beds have dwindled to the single digits in Austin and health officials in San Antonio have labeled its risk level just a step below critical. But Mr. Abbott remains firm in his refusal to enact any statewide mandate while he prohibits local officials from doing so in their own communities. The fear and frustration comes as schools are prepared to reopen in the nation's second most populous state.... Last month..., Mr. Abbott ... issued an executive order that prohibited local governments and state agencies from mandating vaccines, and reaffirmed previous decisions to prohibit local officials from mandating masks. The governor also affirmed that schools could not enact mask mandates for students...."

Beyond the Beltway

New York. The "Vile Procuress." Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: "Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's top aide, Melissa DeRosa, said late Sunday that she had resigned, less than a week after the New York State attorney general released a report concluding Mr. Cuomo had sexually harassed 11 women. The report found that Ms. DeRosa, one of Mr. Cuomo's most trusted confidantes and strategists, had spearheaded efforts to retaliate against one of the women who had spoken out publicly about her allegation in December." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Perhaps getting the MoDo treatment was the straw that broke the camel's back. MoDo begins her evisceration of DeRosa by comparing her to Mr. B's housekeeper Mrs. Jewkes, "who holds down Pamela in bed while the master tries to have his way with the teenager," in one of the first English novels -- Pamela, by Samuel Richardson. ~~~

~~~ CBS News: "An executive assistant to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo -- in her first public comments since accusing Cuomo of sexual harassment -- told 'CBS This Morning' and the Times Union that 'the governor needs to be held accountable.' Brittany Commisso is one of 11 women referenced in a scathing report from New York State Attorney General Letitia James that alleged Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and violated state and federal law. Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing. Until now, Commisso had remained anonymous, referred to only as 'Executive Assistant #1' in the report.... According to the attorney general's report, Commisso claimed that in 2019 and 2020 the governor 'engaged in close and intimate hugs' on multiple occasions, including one incident when he 'reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast.' During another incident, while the executive assistant snapped a selfie, she said Cuomo 'put his hand on and then rubbed and grabbed her butt.'" The New York Times story is here. ~~~

~~~ Governor-in-Waiting. Dana Rubenstein of the New York Times: "If [Andrew Cuomo] steps down or is forced out, [Lt. Gov. Kathy] Hochul, 62, will take his place, becoming the first woman to lead New York State -- a remarkable rise for someone who has largely toiled in obscurity since joining the governor's team in 2014. Mr. Cuomo has a long and deserved reputation for governing by brute force and fear, alienating countless people through his tactics of bullying and intimidation. Ms. Hochul, in contrast, has established deep reservoirs of political good will, spending much of her tenure on the road, highlighting the administration's agenda and engaging in extensive on-the-ground politicking."

Michigan. Househunting While Black, Ctd. Looks as if it was the cops who were racist, not the neighbors who called them. Alyssa Lukpat & Eduardo Medina of the New York Times: When a Black real estate agent showed a house in Wyoming, Michigan, to a Black man and his son, neighbors called the cops about a possible break-in. When the police arrived, one pointed a gun at the trio, told them to come out with their hands up. cuffed them & put them in squad cars. "The neighbor thought Mr. Brown's car, a black Hyundai Genesis, looked like a black Mercedes-Benz sedan that had been parked in the driveway at the time of the previous arrest, according to a recording of the call provided by the police.... Kyle Gummere, the property's listing agent working for the owners of the house, said he did not believe the neighbor called the police based on the race of those who were inside the house. That assessment, he said, is based on a conversation he had with the owners of the house, who told Mr. Gummere that a neighbor had called the police only after seeing a black vehicle parked outside the house -- not after seeing Mr. Brown, Mr. Thorne and his son." Gunmere said the neighbors were elderly. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The realtor, Eric Brown, pooh-poohed the neighbor's claim they couldn't tell a Hyundai from a Mercedes. But I looked up photos of the Hyundai Genesis & a Mercedes coupe, and frankly, from a distance across a street, without being able to see the logo, I can't tell which is which, either. Their explanation is plausible. What is not understandable is why the cops held the house's viewers at gunpoint, cuffed them & detained them.

Way Beyond

Afghanistan. Thomas Gibbons-Neff, et al., of the New York Times: "Taliban fighters captured another northern provincial capital on Sunday afternoon, local officials said, marking the third city to fall to the insurgent group in a single day. The fighters had been contained at the gates of Taliqan, the capital of Takhar Province, since June. But as the Kunduz city center fell to the Taliban on Sunday, the insurgents moved into Taliqan, just a few miles away, pushing back government forces there in a bout of vicious fighting. By sunset, the Taliban had seized the police headquarters and the provincial governor's office, said an Afghan official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ The New York Times ran live updates of developments in Afghanistan Sunday, because the developments are so bad. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Helene Cooper, et al., of the New York Times: "The muted American response [to the Taliban's advances] on Sunday showed in no uncertain terms that America's 20-year war in Afghanistan is over. The mismanaged and exhausted Afghan forces will have to retake the cities on their own, or leave them to the Taliban for good."

Japan. Ted Anthony of the AP: "The Tokyo Olympics, christened with '2020' but held in mid-2021 after being interrupted for a year by the coronavirus, glided to their conclusion in a COVID-emptied stadium Sunday night as an often surreal mixed bag for Japan and for the world." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Hannah Beech of the New York Times: "The United States has won the most medals at the Tokyo Olympics and will be the only country to take home more than 100. But on the last day of competition, the race for the most gold medals was a tight contest between the United States and China.... With only a few events left, the United States clinched the race on Sunday afternoon by reaching 39 golds. As the day began in Tokyo, China had 38 gold medals to 36 for the United States. But American teams then won gold medals in women's basketball and women's volleyball, and Jennifer Valente won the women's omnium in track cycling, putting the United States into the lead by one." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I guess that's great, but winning the most sports prizes is not my idea of an especially significant achievement. The one good part is that the U.S.'s narrow dominance of the games should (but won't, of course) shut up Donald Trump, who -- in another vivid display of anti-American sentiment -- a few days ago called our own women's soccer team "leftist maniacs" and said the team might have taken gold if the players weren't so "woke." (They won the bronze.)

~~~ Aamer Madhani of the AP: "President Joe Biden praised U.S. Olympians for navigating the difficulties of a coronavirus-tarnished games with 'moral courage' that made Americans' 'hearts swell' with pride. Biden, along with first lady Jill Biden, spoke with Team USA in a Zoom call Saturday evening from their home near Wilmington, Delaware. The couple extended an invitation to the athletes to visit the White House in the fall to celebrate their accomplishments." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

The Commentariat -- August 8, 2021

Afternoon Update:

Thomas Gibbons-Neff, et al., of the New York Times: "Taliban fighters captured another northern provincial capital on Sunday afternoon, local officials said, marking the third city to fall to the insurgent group in a single day. The fighters had been contained at the gates of Taliqan, the capital of Takhar Province, since June. But as the Kunduz city center fell to the Taliban on Sunday, the insurgents moved into Taliqan, just a few miles away, pushing back government forces there in a bout of vicious fighting. By sunset, the Taliban had seized the police headquarters and the provincial governor's office, said an Afghan official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation." ~~~

~~~ The New York Times is running live updates of developments in Afghanistan, because the developments are so bad.

Ted Anthony of the AP: "The Tokyo Olympics, christened with '2020' but held in mid-2021 after being interrupted for a year by the coronavirus, glided to their conclusion in a COVID-emptied stadium Sunday night as an often surreal mixed bag for Japan and for the world." ~~~

~~~ Aamer Madhani of the AP: "President Joe Biden praised U.S. Olympians for navigating the difficulties of a coronavirus-tarnished games with 'moral courage' that made Americans' 'hearts swell' with pride. Biden, along with first lady Jill Biden, spoke with Team USA in a Zoom call Saturday evening from their home near Wilmington, Delaware. The couple extended an invitation to the athletes to visit the White House in the fall to celebrate their accomplishments."

Shayna Greene of Politico: "Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said Sunday that an ongoing congressional investigation of ... Donald Trump's last days in office has found him to have been deeply involved with the Justice Department in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.... Durbin said that [former acting AG Jeffrey] Rosen appeared voluntarily and was 'very open' during his seven hours of testimony. 'It really is important that we ask these questions, because what was going on in the Department of Justice was frightening, from a constitutional point of view,' Durbin said.... Asked if what he was describing was an attempted coup, Durbin told CNN host Dana Bash, 'Well, it was --they were going through the ordinary process.... It isn't as if the president was removing the attorney general and making pronouncements, which would happen in a coup, I suppose, by classic definition,' Durbin added. 'But it was leading up to that, that kind of process.'"

~~~~~~~~~~

Marianne Levine & Burgess Everett of Politico: "The Senate advanced the bipartisan infrastructure bill on Saturday afternoon, breaking a filibuster to end debate on the deal crafted by a group of 10 senators alongside President Joe Biden. The vote, which was 67-27, easily cleared the 60 votes needed to move forward. It marked another significant step toward clinching a bipartisan agreement between Biden and Congress. Two Republicans who had previously voted against the bipartisan package -- Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Deb Fischer of Nebraska -- voted to advance the legislation. The timing of the final vote remains unclear.... Disagreements over amendments persisted into the weekend session. And Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) said Saturday he is 'not inclined to expedite this process whatsoever.' He added that he's not holding up amendments but 'there's a normal process, there's no purpose, in my view, to allow an acceleration of that.' Senators, meanwhile, are pitching more than a dozen amendments for roll call votes...." ~~~

     ~~~ Tiptoeing Away from Der Furor. Luke Broadwater & Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: The bill "is one of the most significant steps to date by elected Republicans to defy Mr. Trump, not only by the moderates who have routinely broken with him, but by a wider group that may signal his waning influence on Capitol Hill.... Trump tried mightily to kill the ... bill, hurling the kind of insult-laden statements and threats of primary challenges that for years sent a chill down Republican spines.... The vast majority of Republicans are opposed to the legislation. House Republicans are as tightly bound to Mr. Trump as ever...." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is front-page NYT analysis, but I am going with the Wisdom of Ornstein, a theory of Mitch that brooks no measure of baby steps toward decency in governance.

Jordan Williams of the Hill: "The Senate has confirmed President Biden's pick for Navy secretary, Carlos Del Toro, making him the second Hispanic secretary in the Navy's history and filling the final service secretary position. Del Toro was confirmed by voice vote on Saturday evening, shortly before senators wrapped up their work for the day. A Cuban-born Naval Academy graduate, Del Toro has commanded the USS Bulkeley destroyer and deployed to the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm."

** Katie Benner of the New York Times: "Jeffrey A. Rosen, who was acting attorney general during the Trump administration, has told the Justice Department watchdog and congressional investigators that one of his deputies tried to help ... Donald J. Trump subvert the results of the 2020 election, according to a person familiar with the interviews. Mr. Rosen had a two-hour meeting on Friday with the Justice Department's office of the inspector general and provided closed-door testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Saturday.... Mr. Rosen told investigators from the inspector general's office about five encounters with [acting deputy AG. Jeffrey] Clark, including one in late December during which his deputy admitted to meeting with Mr. Trump and pledged that he would not do so again, according to a person familiar with the interview. Mr. Rosen also described subsequent exchanges with Mr. Clark, who continued to press colleagues to make statements about the election that they found to be untrue.... He also discovered that Mr. Clark had been engaging in unauthorized conversations with Mr. Trump about ways to have the Justice Department publicly cast doubt on President Biden's victory...." ~~~

~~~ Jordan Williams of the Hill: Jeffrey "Rosen was interviewed by staff members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, lawmakers on the panel confirmed. The committee is probing efforts by Trump allies to interfere in the 2020 election results.... Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the committee, told reporter..., 'I was struck by how close the country came to total catastrophe,' Blumenthal said, adding there were some 'highly significant leads' that the panel should pursue."

Luke Barr of ABC News (August 6): "The Department of Homeland Security said Friday they have observed 'an increasing but modest level of activity online' by people who are calling for violence in response to baseless claims of 2020 election fraud and related to the conspiracy theory that ... Donald Trump will be reinstated. 'Some conspiracy theories associated with reinstating former President Trump have included calls for violence if desired outcomes are not realized,' according to a DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis bulletin obtained by ABC News.... 'Over the last few days what has occurred is there's been much more public visibility, meaning the discussions and these theories have migrated away from being contained within the conspiracy and extremist online communities, to where they're being the topic of discussion on web forums, or more public web forums, and even within the sort of media ecosystem,' a senior DHS official explained."

They Were Shocked, Shocked to Find There Was Rioting Going on There. Meryl Kornfield of the Washington Post: "After an investigation concluded that two Seattle police officers stood by the U.S. Capitol as rioters invaded the building on Jan. 6, the two lost their jobs Friday. The officers, Alexander Everett and Caitlin Everett, were two of six officers from the department under investigation after attending the pro-Trump rally that proceeded to the deadly storming of the Capitol building. The married couple joins a growing number of off-duty police officers facing repercussions for attending the riot.... The Everetts, previously unnamed by the department..., told investigators that they had not seen any signs of disturbance and didn't realize that they were standing in a restricted area by the Capitol until they later read a news article about the riot. But [Seattle's Office of Police Accountability B]oard said those claims were 'simply not credible' given signs on gates staffed by uniformed officers."

Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Our Roving Correspondent Reports from Abroad. Benjamin Novak & Michael Grynbaum of the New York Times: "In a week in which he broadcast nightly from Budapest, the American talk show host Tucker Carlson posed for pictures with and interviewed Hungary's authoritarian leader, Viktor Orban, and took a helicopter to inspect a Hungarian border fence designed to keep out migrants. The visit by Mr. Carlson, the top-rated host on the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News, bolsters Mr. Orban's mission to establish Budapest as an ideological center for what he sees as an international conservative movement.... [Carlson's] friendly interview with Mr. Orban has prompted a raft of think pieces in the English-speaking media that, while mostly critical of Mr. Carlson, have given the Hungarian leader a new round of international coverage.... Mr. Carlson's visit comes at as the populist Mr. Orban has become increasingly isolated and is in a precarious position, at home and abroad, over his government's backsliding on democracy and his administration's poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic." MB: Gee, TuKKKer, it almost seems as if you're a tool.

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here: "The authorities in Austin, Texas, warned the public on Saturday that the city's Covid-19 situation had grown desperate, as a surge in cases driven by the Delta variant swamped hospitals while city officials were prevented from issuing mask mandates or vaccinations by order of the state's governor, Greg Abbott."

Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "A conservative Florida radio host [-- Dick Farrel --] who was vocally critical of the COVID-19 vaccine urged his friends to get the shot after he contracted the virus himself, WPTV reported.... At least one of his COVID-19-related posts was flagged by Facebook for spreading false information, and in another post, he called ... Anthony Fauci 'a power tripping lying freak.' However..., Amy Leigh Hair, a friend of Farrel's, wrote on Facebook that he had succumbed to COVID-19 and had urged her to get the shot after he got sick." MB: And, presumably, before he died of Covid-19, which he did. I'm sorry Farrel got sick and died, and I'm sorry anyone thought it was a good idea to give this guy a mic.

Beyond the Beltway

California. Aaron Williams, et al., of the Washington Post: "As the Dixie Fire continues to ravage hundreds of thousands of acres in Northern California, a federal judge has now ordered Pacific Gas & Electric to explain the utility company's role in starting what has become the largest wildfire burning in the United States. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but U.S. District Judge William Alsup asked PG&E in an order issued late Friday to give information regarding the tree that fell on the utility company's power line at the origin of the Dixie Fire. PG&E has said its equipment may have been responsible for starting both the Dixie Fire and the much smaller Fly Fire, which later merged with the Dixie Fire. Alsup -- who oversees PG&E's criminal probation for felony convictions stemming from the deadly 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion -- also required that PG&E give details about the equipment and vegetation in the area where the fires started."

New York. Ed Pilkington of the Guardian: "On 12 August, 2019 Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, held a glitzy bill ceremony in his executive mansion in Albany to mark the signing into law of new legislation designed to beef up sexual harassment protections for women in the workplace.... The next day, 13 August, the governor was [sexually harassing] a state police officer who he had handpicked to be part of his security detail even though she lacked the requisite experience.... Since the New York attorney general, Letitia James, released her 168-page report on Tuesday with its central finding that Cuomo violated federal and state sexual harassment laws..., much of Cuomo's self-defense falls squarely into the standard playbook of powerful men accused of sexual misconduct when their back is against the wall. He has responded to the accounts of his 11 accusers with a potpourri of outright denial, appeals to failing memory, suggestions that the women had 'misunderstood' his actions, and darker insinuations that they and the investigators were motivated by political or other animosity towards him."

Texas. Acacia Coronado & Paul Weber of the AP: "Texas Democrats still refused to return to the state Capitol on Saturday as Gov. Greg Abbott began a third attempt at passing new election laws, prolonging a monthslong standoff that ramped up in July when dozens of Democratic state lawmakers left the state and hunkered down in Washington, D.C. 'A quorum is not present,' said Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan, who then adjourned the chamber until Monday.... But there were also signs the stalemate may be thawing. Two of the Democrats who decamped last month returned to Austin Saturday, and one of them said enough of his colleagues may also begin trickling back to secure a quorum next week. And, notably, Republicans did not invoke a procedural move that would give Phelan the authority to sign arrest warrants for missing lawmakers, as they did when the Democrats left town." ~~~

~~~ James Barragán of the Texas Tribune: "Twenty-two Texas House Democrats sued some of the state's top Republican leaders in federal court in Austin late Friday, alleging that GOP officials' efforts to bring them home for a special legislative session infringed on their constitutional rights to free speech and to petition the government for redress of grievances. The lawsuit was filed on the final day of the first special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott -- and on the eve of a second specially called legislative session -- and names as defendants Abbott, House Speaker Dade Phelan and State Rep. James White."

Way Beyond

The New York Times' live updates of the Olympics games Saturday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Saturday are here.