The Commentariat -- June 21, 2021

Late Morning Update:

Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Monday that the N.C.A.A. cannot bar relatively modest payments to student-athletes in the name of amateurism. The decision, based on antitrust law, came as the business model of college sports is under increasing pressure. Last year, a federal appeals court ruled that the N.C.A.A. was not free to limit benefits tied to education for Division I football and basketball players. The decision allowed payments for things like musical instruments, scientific equipment, postgraduate scholarships, tutoring, study abroad, academic awards and internships. It did not permit the outright payment of salaries. The court rejected the N.C.A.A.'s argument that compensating athletes would alienate sports fans who prize students' amateur status." The AP's report is here. The ruling, written by Neil Gorsuch, is here.

Robert Klemko of the Washington Post: When left-wing activist outed Edward Dawson of Washington State for harassing two journalists in Washington, D.C., his boss fired him and his wife lost her job, too, possibly because of her online show of support for her violent, extremist husband. "The disclosure online of Dawson's personal information -- a phenomenon known as doxing -- is part of a growing effort by left-wing activists to punish members of far-right groups accused of violent behavior by exposing them to their employers, family and friends. The doxing of Dawson highlights the effect the tactic can have -- unemployment and personal upheaval followed by a new job that pays much less than his old one -- but also the limits of the technique: Dawson is unrepentant for his role in galvanizing a mob to harass [the journalists] and continues to espouse far-right views."

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live Covid updates for Monday are here.

Missouri. Corbin Bolies of the Daily Beast: “Days after St. Louis gun fanatic Mark McCloskey was forced to give up the guns he waved at protestors last year..., [he] took to Twitter Saturday to brag about his new purchase -- an AR-15. 'Checking out my new AR!' he wrote. McCloskey and his wife, Patricia, pleaded guilty Thursday to numerous misdemeanors in connection with an incident last year, in which they brandished guns at protesters during the racial justice protests last year. The couple was required to pay thousands of dollars in fines and, as part of their deal, had to give up the guns they waved."

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David Rothkopf in a USA Today op-ed: "Joe Biden has had more foreign policy experience than any other president in U.S. history.... The previous most experienced among our presidents when it came to foreign policy was George H.W. Bush. Add up his time in Congress, as ambassador to the United Nations, head of the U.S. Liaison Office in China, head of the CIA and vice president, Bush became president with 17 years of foreign policy experience. That is a third of the foreign policy experience Biden has had.... By virtue of his long experience, Biden's first months in office have been far more successful [than Clinton's, George W. Bush's, Obama's or Trump's].... Biden's recent trip to Europe is among the most successful ever for a new president.In complex affairs of state, experience matters.... If Biden's record stands the test of time, perhaps his and [George H.W.] Bush's relative success -- contrasted with the struggles of less experienced presidents -- will put an end to the notion that on-the-job training is adequate for the toughest job in the world."

Annie Karni of the New York Times: "President Biden's national security adviser said on Sunday that the United States was preparing more sanctions against Russia in response to the poisoning of Aleksei A. Navalny, the country's most prominent opposition leader, days after Mr. Biden attended his first face-to-face summit meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin.... [Jake] Sullivan was vague when pressed on the timing of the sanctions or what they would include, saying only that additional action would come 'as soon as we develop the packages to ensure that we're getting the right targets.'... In April, the Biden administration imposed its first sanctions on Russia for the poisoning and imprisonment of Mr. Navalny. But those penalties were not specifically directed at Mr. Putin or the oligarchs who support him."~~~

~~~ Felicia Sonmez, et al., of the Washington Post: "National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a 'paramount priority' for the United States, emphasizing that diplomacy 'is the best way to achieve that.' Sullivan weighed in on the issue during appearances on the Sunday morning news shows one day after the election of Iran's new president, Ebrahim Raisi, who was previously the country's ultraconservative judiciary chief."

Evan Perez, et al., of CNN: "The subpoena that swept up the records of two Democratic congressmen [Adam Schiff & Eric Swalwell], their staff and family members in 2018 appears to have been the result of a leak investigation that initially included scrutinizing a senior aide on the House Intelligence Committee, and not the lawmakers themselves, sources told CNN. The Justice Department's original secret subpoena to Apple, sources say, was an effort to identify people connected with the staffer.... [White House Counsel Don] McGahn's records appear to have been swept up in a separate investigation by federal investigators in a similar manner to Schiff's and Swalwell's, according to a source familiar with the matter."

Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: "By ... just about any other measures, Republican states are failing to meet the basic needs of their residents. Among unvaccinated Americans, infection rates are climbing. More will get sick in those places, and some will die. Republicans are unwilling or incapable of meeting the challenge. This sorry sight is unsurprising given that Republicans have all but given up on the notion of governance. At the national level, they consume themselves with race-baiting..., assailing private companies (e.g., corporations that defend voting rights, social media platforms, book publishers) and perpetrating the most ludicrous and dangerous lie in memory -- that the 2020 election was stolen.... Democrats should be more blunt in castigating Republicans who are not even trying to serve their constituents. They should say it often and simply: Republicans have little to notion to offer anyone but the very rich."

Tom Boggioni of the Raw Story: "In a column for the Los Angeles Times, longtime political observer Doyle McManus pointed out that the Republican leadership is finding itself put into a corner by the more extreme elements in the party.... With Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) excusing the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6th and Rep. Andrew S. Clyde claiming the insurrectionists were merely 'tourists,' Republicans are now confronted with the optics of being the party that condones violence.... The problem, [McManus] wrote, is that a substantial number of the GOP's most fervent supporters have said they are fine with the use of force to hold political power.... 'In a survey by the conservative American Enterprise Institute after the riot in January, 56% of Republicans agreed that "the traditional American way of life is disappearing so fast that we may have to use force to save it."'" McManus's (firewalled) LA Times column is here.

Philip Bump of the Washington Post: "'Remember what today was like,' the Atlantic's David Graham wrote on Twitter ... shortly before midnight on Jan. 6].... 'Someone might try to convince you it was different very soon.'... As Graham predicted, people are trying to. It is very useful for Republicans, particularly Republicans loyal to Trump and his base, to try to diminish what occurred on Jan. 6." Bump runs down the ludicrous counterarguments, wherein Republicans describe the insurrection as more-or-less a tourist event or, at worst, an FBI false-flag operation.

Lindsey Calls Equal Access to Ballot a "Power Grab." Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Sunday that a sweeping Democratic-backed election reform bill was 'the biggest power grab in the history of the country.' 'In my view, S.R. 1 is the biggest power grab in the history of the country. It mandates ballot harvesting, no voter ID. It does away with the states being able to redistrict when you have population shifts. It's just a bad idea, and it's a problem that most Republicans are not going to sign -- they're trying to fix a problem most Republicans have a different view of,' Graham said on 'Fox News Sunday.'" MB: Lindsey is right: If you never had your fair share of the pie, then you take your fair share, technically you've "grabbed power." What Lindsey objects to is equality. And we knew that. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

One Place Not to Celebrate the First National Juneteenth: at You Super-Toney All-White Beach Club. GoLocalProv: "U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse [D] continues to defend his family's membership in the all-white private Bailey's Beach Club in Newport. GoLocal interviewed Whitehouse on Friday in Pawtucket and when asked if the private club had admitted any minorities since GoLocal first raised the issue in 2017, Whitehouse said, 'I think the people who are running the place are still working on that and I'm sorry it hasn't happened yet.' Both Whitehouse and his wife Sandra as well as their families have been members of the club for decades. Whitehouse did transfer his shares in the club to his wife years ago, and she is now one of the largest shareholders in the all-white club. The club's membership is a who's who Newport, Palm Beach, and New York wealth.... The interview took place on the eve of the new national holiday Juneteenth National Independence Day." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Marie: On Saturday, I shared with you the thrill of having received two $1,200 virtual tickets to Donald Trump's second inauguration, to be held August 15. Now -- who could have guessed? -- the announcement of certain other scheduled events is throwing the gala inauguration into question: ~~~

~~~ Vewy Q-ious. Ewan Palmer of Newsweek: "Anon supporters have acted with dismay and confusion after Donald Trump announced the December dates of his upcoming speaking tour with Bill O'Reilly, which coincides with when he is meant to have already been reinstated as president. Trump has confirmed the upcoming dates and locations for the events with the former Fox News host in a statement while sharing links for his supporters to buy tickets, which are being sold for at least $100.... QAnon supporters previously believed that Trump would return as president on March 4 based on a wild theory heavily lifted from the sovereign citizen movement. When that prediction failed to come true, as all of them have, they simply moved onto their next hopeful prophecy. Many QAnon supporters now believe that Trump will return in August -- a false claim widely pushed by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell-- if the disputed and disregarded audit in Arizona proves there was election fraud that cost him the election." Firewalled.

Marie: When Trump's DOJ was looking for leaks, they should have looked at their Fox "News" friends: ~~~

~~~ Tucker Carlson, Double Agent. Ben Smith of the New York Times: Tucker "Carlson, a proud traitor to the elite political class, spends his time when he's not denouncing the liberal media trading gossip with them. He's the go-to guy for sometimes-unflattering stories about Donald J. Trump and for coverage of the internal politics of Fox News (not to mention stories about Mr. Carlson himself). I won't talk here about any off-the-record conversations I may have had with him. But 16 other journalists (none from The Times; it would put my colleagues in a weird position if I asked them) told me on background that he has been, as three of them put it, 'a great source.' 'In Trump's Washington, Tucker Carlson is a primary supersecret source,' the media writer and Trump chronicler Michael Wolff writes in his forthcoming collection of essays, 'Too Famous.'" MB: Whatever your opinion of Tucker, you can still spell it a-s-s-h-o-l-e.

Heather Long of the Washington Post: "The U.S. economy is emerging from the coronavirus pandemic with considerable speed but markedly transformed, as businesses and consumers struggle to adapt to a new landscape with higher prices, fewer workers, new innovations and a range of inconveniences.... Prices are up. Housing is scarce. It takes months longer than normal to get furniture, appliances and numerous parts delivered. And there is a great dislocation between millions of unemployed workers and millions of vacant jobs.... There's dispute, among other things, about how many of these changes are temporary and how many are true fundamental shifts that will stick around for years and reshape behaviors."

Tom Perriello, in a New York Times op-ed: "... the persistent efforts by conservative [U.S.] bishops to arbitrate who among the faithful receives communion, while failing to practice the confession and penance they demand of others, reinforces why the American bishops so often stand alone.... I was always struck by the U.S. bishops' myopic focus. But my experiences with them during my brief time in Congress shocked me. As a representative, I saw them cherry-pick theology to promote partisan ends, favoring a future Supreme Court over their congregations struggling to afford care. At a time when the Church could model moral accountability for its decades of criminality and corruption, they opt instead for the partisan agenda of their largest donors and the misogyny inherent in their structure.... I pray this week that the American bishops reflecton Pope Francis's message that communion 'is not the reward of saints, but the bread of sinners.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Sunday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

NEW. Dan Diamond of the Washington Post: "In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, as White House officials debated whether to bring infected Americans home for care..., Donald Trump suggested his own plan for where to send them.... 'Don't we have an island that we own?' the president reportedly asked those assembled in the Situation Room in February 2020, before the U.S. outbreak would explode. 'What about Guantánamo? We import goods,' Trump specified.... 'We are not going to import a virus.' Aides were stunned, and when Trump brought it up a second time, they quickly scuttled the idea, worried about a backlash over quarantining American tourists on the same Caribbean base where the United States holds terrorism suspects. Such insider conversations are among the revelations in 'Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History,' a new book by Washington Post journalists Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta that captures the dysfunctional response to the unfolding pandemic." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Of course by February 2020, there were already quite a few coronavirus carriers inside the U.S., so Trump's brilliant Guantánamo lepers' colony plan would not have worked anyway.

NEW. Arkansas Gubernatorial Race. digby: "This is the best introduction ad I've ever seen. If there's a more qualified, talented, perfect candidate to run for Governor against that nepotistic, dry socket Sarah Huckabee Sanders, I can't imagine who it would be:" ~~~

     ~~~ Thanks to RockyGirl for the link. ~~~

~~~ NEW. Tom Hilton, on Steve M.'s No More Mister Nice Blog, writes the voiceover script for a generic Democratic candidate's ad. He's on the right track. Thanks again to RockyGirl for the link.

The Commentariat -- June 20, 2021

Afternoon Update:

One Place Not to Celebrate the First National Juneteenth: at You Super-Toney All-White Beach Club. GoLocalProv: "U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse [D] continues to defend his family's membership in the all-white private Bailey's Beach Club in Newport. GoLocal interviewed Whitehouse on Friday in Pawtucket and when asked if the private club had admitted any minorities since GoLocal first raised the issue in 2017, Whitehouse said, 'I think the people who are running the place are still working on that and I'm sorry it hasn't happened yet.' Both Whitehouse and his wife Sandra as well as their families have been members of the club for decades. Whitehouse did transfer his shares in the club to his wife years ago, and she is now one of the largest shareholders in the all-white club. The club's membership is a who's who Newport, Palm Beach, and New York wealth.... The interview took place on the eve of the new national holiday Juneteenth National Independence Day."

Lindsey Calls Equal Access to Ballot a "Power Grab." Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Sunday that a sweeping Democratic-backed election reform bill was 'the biggest power grab in the history of the country.' 'In my view, S.R. 1 is the biggest power grab in the history of the country. It mandates ballot harvesting, no voter ID. It does away with the states being able to redistrict when you have population shifts. It's just a bad idea, and it's a problem that most Republicans are not going to sign -- they're trying to fix a problem most Republicans have a different view of,' Graham said on 'Fox News Sunday.'" MB: Lindsey is right: When you never had your fair share of the pie, then you take your fair share, technically you've "grabbed power." What Lindsey is saying he objects to is equality. And we knew that.

Tom Perriello, in a New York Times op-ed: "... the persistent efforts by conservative [U.S.] bishops to arbitrate who among the faithful receives communion, while failing to practice the confession and penance they demand of others, reinforces why the American bishops so often stand alone.... I was always struck by the U.S. bishops' myopic focus. But my experiences with them during my brief time in Congress shocked me. As a representative, I saw them cherry-pick theology to promote partisan ends, favoring a future Supreme Court over their congregations struggling to afford care. At a time when the Church could model moral accountability for its decades of criminality and corruption, they opt instead for the partisan agenda of their largest donors and the misogyny inherent in their structure.... I pray this week that the American bishops reflection Pope Francis's message that communion 'is not the reward of saints, but the bread of sinners.'"

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Sunday are here.

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The New York Times publishes scenes from Juneteenth. (The photographs currently [10 pm ET Saturday] appear on the NYT front page, but the text does not.) ~~~

~~~ Here's One of Those Scenes to Enjoy. Sarah Al-Arshani of Business Insider, republished in Yahoo! News: "Sen. Ron Johnson was booed at an event celebrating Juneteenth in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Saturday, WDJT reported. A bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday unanimously passed in the Senate on Tuesday, but only made it through after Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin ended his efforts to block it. Johnson said it would be too costly to give federal employees another day off, but conceded on Tuesday and said few of his colleagues wanted to debate the idea." MB: It takes chutzpah to show up for an event you tried to block. Add to that Johnson's "reason" for blocking the holiday: paying workers is too expensive. Isn't that what the slaveholders figured? Studies have found that when people get a day off, the work they would have done that day gets done at another time.

Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald: "In her new book, 'The Second,' Emory University history professor Carol Anderson ... argues that the Second Amendment -- which supposedly came about solely as a hedge against tyranny -- had at its heart a much less noble concern: Southern states demanded the right to bear arms because they feared rebellions by enslaved Africans.... She makes a compelling case that, for all the noble rhetoric, [the Second Amendment] was created mainly to oppress. And that it is still working as designed." MB: Although Anderson's premise is not original, some reputable American historians disagree with her central principle.

New York Times Editors:"... the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act, a bill championed by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand..., is currently sitting in the Senate Armed Services Committee, whose chairman, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, is impeding its progress -- with an assist from the ranking Republican, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma.... While sexual assault is the focus of the reform push, supporters of Ms. Gillibrand's proposal say that reforming the military justice system more broadly will make it fairer and less prone to bias -- and help address existing racial disparities in prosecutions and convictions. They warn that singling out sexual assault would establish a 'pink court,' effectively creating a two-tiered justice system and further stigmatizing victims." The bill has more than enough support to clear the filibuster, but so far it can't get past Reed & Inhofe.

Jon Swaine & Emma Brown of the Washington Post: Two organizations that were the major sources for the "Italygate" false conspiracy theory that Donald Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows tried to sell to the Justice Department "are led by Michele Roosevelt Edwards, according to state corporate filings...." The registered HQ for one of the organizations is a 22-room mansion in Warrenton, Virginia, which Edwards claims to own. Not only does Edwards not own the house, she seems to have broken into it last year to appear in an Icelandic TV interview. Upon seeing some of the TV footage, the widow of the property's former owner exclaimed, "She's in my house. How is she in my house?" The story goes on to identify some of the other advocates for "Italygate," the theory that an the Italian defense contractor, with help from the CIA, "used military satellites to switch votes from Trump to Joe Biden and swing the result of the election." MB: The common thread that ties together most of these characters is that the truth is anathema to them; the corollary is that don't care at all when they get caught lying.

This Happens When You Don't Render Unto Caesar Every Time. Tal Axelrod of the Hill:"Former Vice President Mike Pence was heckled with calls of 'traitor' at a conservative conference Friday as he continues to draw criticism from members of the Republican base for his role in Congress's certification of President Biden's Electoral College victory. 'It is great to be back with so many patriots dedicated to faith and freedom and the road to the majority,' Pence said to applause at the Faith & Freedom Coalition summit before the heckling began. 'I'm a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order,' Pence continued, as the hecklers in the audience began to grow louder, yelling 'traitor.' Some of the hecklers were reportedly removed from the event as Pence went on with his speech." MB: Not very Christian of them, was it? I just don't think Jesus would heckle mikey for doing his Constitutional duty. (Also linked yesterday.)

Missouri. Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "A Missouri man pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges that he had threatened to lynch a Black congressman the day after the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol and a Jewish congressman in 2019, court records show. The man, Kenneth R. Hubert, 63, Marionville, Mo., was arrested in March after, prosecutors said, he had directed the threats at Representatives Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri and Steve Cohen of Tennessee, both Democrats." (Also linked yesterday.)

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Beyond the Beltway

New York. Marie: I know I should have paid attention to the New York City mayoral election. The city, after all, has a larger population than do most U.S. states (and some countries), so it deserves at least as much attention as I give Nebraska and Kansas (close to none). One thing is certain: whoever wins the election, s/he will be a disappointment. I don't know why anyone would even run for "Most Disappointing Person in North America." So let us turn our attention to another NYC election which matters even less: ~~~

~~~ Jon Levine of the New York Post: "Jack Weiner, 26, a City Council candidate running in Manhattan, has found his campaign tied up after video of him enjoying a sadomasochism session found its way onto Twitter.... The footage -- flagged to The Post by Weiner's own campaign manager -- shows a gagged Weiner, unable to speak, subjecting himself to various abuses by a leather-bound woman who pours wax on him and clips his nipples with clothespins. The footage was filmed at Parthenon studio in Midtown -- which is known for its high-quality BDSM dungeons. In a call with The Post, Weiner confirmed it was him in the video.... Weiner has a professional background in film production and is the co-founder of Stag Pictures, an independent film production company. Zack's father, Eric Weiner, is a co-creator of the popular children's television show 'Dora The Explorer.'"

Texas. Cassandra Pollock of the Texas Tribune: "Gov. Greg Abbott followed through Friday on a threat to veto a section of the state budget that funds the Texas Legislature, its staffers and legislative agencies. The governor's move targeting lawmaker pay comes after House Democrats walked out in the final days of the regular legislative session, breaking quorum, to block passage of Senate Bill 7, Abbott's priority elections bill that would have overhauled voting rights in the state. The move also killed bail legislation that Abbott had earmarked as a priority."

Way Beyond

Iran. Kareem Fahim of the Washington Post: "Iran's announcement Saturday of a resounding election victory by Ebrahim Raisi, the ultraconservative judiciary chief, signaled a stunning consolidation of power, handing the elected leadership back to hard-liners and sidelining reformists who negotiated a nuclear deal with global powers and advocated greater engagement with the West. The victory by Raisi also showed the determination of Iran's conservative establishment, including its security and intelligence agencies, to eliminate any political challenge at a critical moment, analysts said." ~~~

~~~ Vivian Yee of the New York Times: "Iran's ultraconservative judiciary chief, Ebrahim Raisi, has been elected president after a vote that many Iranians skipped, seeing it as rigged in his favor. The Interior Ministry announced the final results on Saturday, saying Mr. Raisi had won with nearly 18 million of 28.9 million ballots cast in the voting a day earlier. Turnout was 48.8 percent -- a significant decline from the last presidential election, in 2017.... Mr. Raisi, 60, is a hard-line cleric favored by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has been seen as his possible successor. He has a record of grave human rights abuses, including accusations of playing a role in the mass execution of political opponents in 1988, and is currently under United States sanctions. His background appears unlikely to hinder the renewed negotiations between the United States and Iran over restoring a 2015 agreement to limit Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs in exchange for lifting American economic sanctions. Mr. Raisi has said he will remain committed to the deal and do all he can to remove sanctions." An AP report is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Juan Cole's "Informed Comment" on the election & its results is, not surprisingly, informative.

News Ledes

AP: "Eight children in a van from a youth home for abused or neglected children were killed in a fiery multi-vehicle crash on a wet interstate that also killed a man and his baby in another vehicle, the most devastating blow from a tropical depression that claimed 13 lives in Alabama as it caused flash floods and spurred tornadoes that destroyed dozens of homes. The crash happened Saturday about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery on Interstate 65 after vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads, said Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock. The van, containing children ages 4 to 17, belonged to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association."

AP: "Bicyclist Tony Quinones ... [described an incident] in an Arizona mountain town when a truck sped into a crowd of bike riders. Suddenly, Quinones said in an interview Sunday, he was 'watching bodies going on top of the hood, bodies going to the left, bodies going to the right' about six minutes after the race had started. The sounds of breaking and smashing as the truck plowed through the cyclists on Saturday was quickly replaced by their groans of pain.... Authorities in the small city of Show Low said the unidentified 35-year-old male suspect fled the crash scene in the pickup and was shot and wounded by officers a short time later. Of the seven cyclists hospitalized, six were in critical condition, and one was in stable condition on Sunday, police said in a statement. The suspect, described as a local resident, was in stable condition, police said."

** Hill: "Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Mayor Dean Trantalis (D) said that an incident on Saturday in which a pickup truck ran into a crowd at a Pride parade, leaving one person dead, was a 'terrorist attack against the LGBT community.' A white pickup truck ran over two people, killing one, in Wilton Manors, Fla., just outside of Fort Lauderdale. The vehicle reportedly barely missed Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), who was riding in a convertible at the parade. 'This is a terrorist attack against the LGBT community,' Trantalis, who was in attendance at the parade, told local station WPLG. '... Hardly an accident. It was deliberate, it was premeditated, and it was targeted against a specific person. Luckily they missed that person, but unfortunately, they hit two other people.'... WPLG reported that witnesses said the driver could be heard telling police that it was an accident, however. The man appeared to be wearing a Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus shirt." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I didn't link a story about this incident yesterday because reports are it was an accident. I still think it mostly likely was an accident. But the mayor's accusation is worth addressing. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "A member of a men's chorus group unintentionally slammed into fellow chorists at the start of a Pride parade in South Florida, killing one member of the group and seriously injuring another, the group's director said Sunday, correcting initial speculation that it was a hate crime directed at the gay community. Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Paul Rolli and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said the early investigation shows it was an accident. The 77-year-old driver was taken into custody, but police said no charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing."

CNN: "The Bidens announced Saturday that Champ, their 'beloved' German Shepherd who had been with their family since 2008, has died. Champ passed away at the Biden family home in Wilmington, Delaware, a White House official told CNN."

The Commentariat -- Juneteenth 2021

Late Morning Update:

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here.

This Happens When You Don't Render Unto Caesar Every Time. Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Former Vice President Mike Pence was heckled with calls of 'traitor' at a conservative conference Friday as he continues to draw criticism from members of the Republican base for his role in Congress's certification of President Biden's Electoral College victory. 'It is great to be back with so many patriots dedicated to faith and freedom and the road to the majority,' Pence said to applause at the Faith & Freedom Coalition summit before the heckling began. 'I'm a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order,' Pence continued, as the hecklers in the audience began to grow louder, yelling 'traitor.' Some of the hecklers were reportedly removed from the event as Pence went on with his speech." MB: Not very Christian of them, was it? I just don't think Jesus would heckle mikey for doing his Constitutional duty.

Missouri. Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "A Missouri man pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges that he had threatened to lynch a Black congressman the day after the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol and a Jewish congressman in 2019, court records show. The man, Kenneth R. Hubert, 63, Marionville, Mo., was arrested in March after, prosecutors said, he had directed the threats at Representatives Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri and Steve Cohen of Tennessee, both Democrats."

Iran. Vivian Yee of the New York Times: "Iran's ultraconservative judiciary chief, Ebrahim Raisi, has been elected president after a vote that many Iranians skipped, seeing it as rigged in his favor. The Interior Ministry announced the final results on Saturday, saying Mr. Raisi had won with nearly 18 million of 28.9 million ballots cast in the voting a day earlier. Turnout was 48.8 percent -- a significant decline from the last presidential election, in 2017.... Mr. Raisi, 60, is a hard-line cleric favored by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has been seen as his possible successor. He has a record of grave human rights abuses, including accusations of playing a role in the mass execution of political opponents in 1988, and is currently under United States sanctions. His background appears unlikely to hinder the renewed negotiations between the United States and Iran over restoring a 2015 agreement to limit Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs in exchange for lifting American economic sanctions. Mr. Raisi has said he will remain committed to the deal and do all he can to remove sanctions." An AP report is here.

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Derrick Taylor of the New York Times: "Juneteenth, an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, has been celebrated by African-Americans since the late 1800s. But in recent years, and particularly following nationwide protests over police brutality and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other Black Americans, there is a renewed interest in the day that celebrates freedom. The celebration continues to resonate in new ways, given the sweeping changes and widespread protests across the U.S. over the last year and following a guilty verdict in the killing of Mr. Floyd. Here's a brief guide to what you should know about Juneteenth." ~~~

~~~ Marie: I Googled "how to celebrate Juneteenth," and there were quite a few articles that weren't especially helpful. This one, from what seems to be a home-decorating site called the Spruce, is surprisingly useful. Here's another, from the AARP. Also, if you live in an area where Juneteenth has been recognized for some time, you will likely find local events to attend. So put on your red dress and get out and party! ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE, for folks of a different persuasion, there is another summer event to anticipate:

     ~~~ A friend of ours sent me these tickets, and he obviously paid a lot of money for them, so it's kind of a shame I'll be unable to attend due to previously-scheduled plans to try to behave like a decent human being. But we can be confident the money will be put to good use. As someone who happened to see the tickets observed, "I bet you get these if you check that box for automatic withdrawals."

Elizabeth Dias of the New York Times: "The Roman Catholic bishops of the United States, flouting a warning from the Vatican, have overwhelmingly voted to draft guidance on the sacrament of the Eucharist, advancing a political push by conservative bishops to deny President Biden communion because of his support of abortion rights. The decision, made public on Friday afternoon, is aimed at the nation's second Catholic president, perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief since Jimmy Carter, and exposes bitter divisions in American Catholicism. It capped three days of contentious debate at a virtual June meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The measure was approved by a vote of 73 percent in favor and 24 percent opposed.... The move to target a president, who regularly attends Mass and has spent a lifetime steeped in Christian rituals and practices, is striking coming from leaders of the president's own faith, particularly after many conservative Catholics turned a blind eye to the sexual improprieties of ... Donald J. Trump because they supported his political agenda. It reveals a uniquely American Catholicism increasingly at odds with Rome." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Those old farts, with all due respect, should read the part of Matthew's Sermon on the Mount where Jesus tells his followers not to do as the hypocrites do. The hypocrites Jesus calls out are rabbis -- that is, the equivalent of priests & bishops. Funny how some religious zealots are all for the First Amendment guarantee that government may not interfere with religious practices, but they think it's A-okay for religion to interfere with government practices. Not exactly a "wall" between church & state. ~~~

~~~ Matt Viser of the Washington Post: Joe "Biden is arguably the most [religiously] observant president in decades, and his faith is a core part of his identity. He rarely misses Mass. He crosses himself in public. He quotes scripture, he cites hymns and he clutches rosary beads ahead of key decisions. But now, the nation's most prominent Catholic is at odds with many of the American bishops of his church. He has been the catalyst for an explosive disagreement that had been playing out for years, over whether Communion should be granted to politicians whose public stances go against church doctrine, and on Friday they took a step toward barring Biden and others from the Eucharist. The move puts Biden, who rarely discusses his Catholicism, at the center not only of a political fight between conservatives and liberals but also a church battle between traditionalists and reformers. In that sense he is aligned with Pope Francis as world-renowned liberal Catholics, a phenomenon that presents a challenge to traditionalists."

Betsy Swan & Paul McLeary of Politico: "The Biden White House has temporarily halted a military aid package to Ukraine that would include lethal weapons, a plan originally made in response to aggressive Russian troop movements along Ukraine's border this spring. The aid package would be worth up to $100 million.... The National Security Council directed officials to put the package together, as Washington grew increasingly concerned over a massive Russian military buildup near the border with Ukraine and in the Crimean Peninsula, according to three ... people.... Officials at the State Department and Pentagon worked to assemble the proposal. But officials on the National Security Council ended up putting the proposal on hold after Russia announced it would draw down troops stationed near Ukraine and in the lead-up to President Joe Biden's high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin." ~~~

     ~~~ Oh Yeah? White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Statement: "The idea that we have held back security assistance to Ukraine is nonsense. Just last week -- in the run-up to the U.S.-Russia Summit -- we provided a $150 million package of security assistance, including lethal assistance. We have now provided the entire amount appropriated by Congress through the Ukraine security assistance initiative. Two days before the Summit, President Biden stood on the stage ... at NATO and said that we would keep putting Ukraine 'in the position to be able to continue to resist Russian physical aggression.' We have also prepared contingency funds in the event of a further Russian incursion into Ukraine. As President Biden told President Putin directly, we will stand unwavering in support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." MB: The Politico story addresses Psaki's statement, made after the Politico story was first published.

Philip Bump of the Washington Post: Tucker Carlson's quickly debunked assertion that the FBI may have helped organize the January 6 insurrection is gaining GOP backers. Among them, Gohmert, Gaetz & Greene. It's a convenient story because it relieves Trump -- and them -- of responsibility for the insurrection; the fact that they story is completely bogus matters not a whit. (Also linked yesterday.)

Across GOP-USA, Jim Crow Is Already at Work. Nick Corasaniti & Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "Republican state lawmakers have introduced at least 216 bills in 41 states to give legislatures more power over elections officials.... The maneuvers risk eroding some of the core checks that stood as a bulwark against ... Donald J. Trump as he sought to subvert the 2020 election results.... The new laws target [not only] high-level state officials.... The laws allow Republicans to remove local officials they don't like.... [These] officials ... are responsible for decisions like selecting drop box and precinct locations, sending out voter notices, establishing early voting hours and certifying elections.... In Georgia, the legislature passed a unique law for some counties.... In [rural Republican] Morgan County, east of Atlanta, Helen Butler has been ... a member of the county board of elections.... [She] is also runs the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda, a group dedicated to protecting the voting rights of Black Americans and increasing their civic engagement. But Ms. Butler will be removed from the county board at the end of the month, after [Georgia Gov. Brian] Kemp signed a local bill that ended the ability of political parties to appoint members." Local Republican officials who acted honorably during the last election cycle are being replaced, too. In De Kalb County. "Republicans nominated Paul Maner, a well-known local conservative with a history of false statements," to replace a long-serving GOP election board member who had opposed a GOP elections bill.

Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The arrival of Justice Amy Coney Barrett in October seemed to create a 6-to-3 conservative juggernaut that would transform the Supreme Court. Instead, judging by the 39 signed decisions in argued cases so far this term, including two major rulings on Thursday, the right side of the court is badly fractured and its liberal members are having a surprisingly good run. That picture may change, as the court has yet to issue the term's last 15 decisions. But some trends have already come into focus.... This term, Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh has voted with the majority in divided cases 87 percent of the time, more than any other member of the court.... The two other Trump appointees are not far behind.... By contrast, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr..., was in the majority in divided cases just 36 percent of the time. That helps explain his aggrieved tone in concurring and dissenting opinions on Thursday...."

Matt Phillips & Jeanna Smialek of the New York Times: "Stocks had their biggest daily decline in over a month on Friday, capping a week of turbulence on Wall Street as investors struggled to calibrate their expectations for inflation and interest rates. The S&P 500 fell 1.3 percent, its biggest drop since May 12 and a decline that stood out because the index had made only small moves over the past month. It was the fourth consecutive daily decline for the index, bringing the S&P 500's losses for the week to 1.9 percent. That's its worst showing since late February. Wall Street's focus this week was on the Federal Reserve and the potential for it to increase interest rates or take other steps to cut back its emergency support for the economy. The central bank said on Wednesday that it had no immediate plans to change its policy, but it did release projections that showed most officials expected interest rates to start to rise in 2023."

Thanks for the Short Commute, Jeff! Lauren Gurley of Vice: "Natalie Monarrez's commute to work at Amazon's colossal warehouse in Staten Island, New York City, known as JFK8, is just a few hundred steps. Since 2019, she's been homeless and has lived out of her SUV, camping out in the facility's parking lot.... Monarrez earns $19.30 an hour as a full-time Amazon ship dock worker at JFK8 -- more than $4 above New York City's $15-an-hour minimum wage. Still it's not enough, she says, to afford a studio apartment in Staten Island or neighboring New Jersey once she subtracts her other expenses such as her cell phone bill, health insurance, the cost of gas and groceries, the lease on her car, car insurance, and her Planet Fitness membership. 'Jeff Bezos donates to homeless shelters for tax write-offs and PR. He needs to know that some of his own workers (without family or a second income) can't afford rent,' she said." MB: Perhaps Monarrez could drop her gym membership if she got an apartment, because its primary use for her seems to be as a place to shower. In any event, an SUV is no place for a working woman to live.

The Pandemic, Ctd.

Covid May Ruin the Rest of Your Life. Pam Belluck of the New York Times: "Hundreds of thousands of Americans have sought medical care for post-Covid health problems that they had not been diagnosed with before becoming infected with the coronavirus, according to the largest study to date of long-term symptoms in Covid-19 patients. The study, tracking the health insurance records of nearly two million people in the United States who contracted the coronavirus last year, found that one month or more after their infection, almost one-quarter -- 23 percent -- of them sought medical treatment for new conditions. Those affected were all ages, including children. Their most common new health problems were pain, including in nerves and muscles; breathing difficulties; high cholesterol; malaise and fatigue; and high blood pressure. Other issues included intestinal symptoms; migraines; skin problems; heart abnormalities; sleep disorders; and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Post-Covid health problems were common even among people who had not gotten sick from the virus at all, the study found."

Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "A federal judge ruled on Friday that, beginning on July 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will no longer be allowed to enforce its rules intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on cruise ships in Florida. In his ruling, the judge, Steven D. Merryday of U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, granted Florida's request for a preliminary injunction blocking the C.D.C. from enforcing the rules in Florida's ports, finding that they were based on 'stale data' and failed to take into account the prevalence of effective vaccines. The judge said that, beginning on July 18, the rules 'will persist as only a nonbinding "consideration," "recommendation" or "guideline," the same tools used by C.D.C. when addressing the practices in other similarly situated industries, such as airlines, railroads, hotels, casinos, sports venues, buses, subways, and others.'... Judge Merryday gave the agency until July 2 to propose a 'narrower injunction' that would allow cruise ships to sail in a timely fashion." MB: Pappy Bush appointed Merryday. On the upside, Merryday does not seem to be a vaccine skeptic.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here. The Washington Post's live Covid-19 updates for Friday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Darlene Superville of the AP: "President Joe Biden took a cautious victory lap Friday in his quest to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control, announcing that 300 million vaccine shots have been administered in the 150 days since he took office. Biden credited scientists, companies, the American people and his whole-of-government effort. The president noted that the widespread vaccination campaign had set the stage for most Americans to have a relatively normal summer as businesses reopen and employers hire.... But as Biden marks one milestone, he is in danger of failing to meet another: his target to have 70% of American adults at least partially vaccinated by July Fourth, in a little over two weeks.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Sheryl Stolberg & Noah Weiland of the New York Times: "With the United States unlikely to reach his self-imposed deadline of having 70 percent of adults partly vaccinated against the coronavirus by July 4, President Biden on Friday stepped up his drive for Americans to get their shots, warning that those who decline risk becoming infected by a highly contagious and potentially deadly variant. In an afternoon appearance at the White House, Mr. Biden avoided mentioning the 70 percent target that he set in early May and instead trumpeted a different milestone: 300 million shots in his first 150 days in office. But even as he hailed the vaccination campaign's success, he sounded a somber note about the worrisome Delta variant, which is spreading in states with low vaccination rates. 'The best way to protect yourself against these variants is to get vaccinated,' the president declared." ~~~

Beyond the Beltway

Missouri, etc. Glenn Thrush & Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs of the New York Times: "Missouri has become the latest state to throw down a broad challenge to the enforcement of federal firearms laws.... A bill signed by Gov. Mike Parson over the weekend -- at a gun store called Frontier Justice -- threatens a penalty of $50,000 against any local police agency that enforces certain federal gun laws and regulations that constitute 'infringements' of Second Amendment gun rights. At least eight other states -- Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia -- have taken similar action this year, passing laws of varying strength that discourage or prohibit the enforcement of federal gun statutes by state and local agents and officers." MB: You know, Mike, you aren't just dangerous; you're damned silly. How is anyone supposed to take seriously a governor who signs a bill at a gun store, much less a store called "Frontier Justice"? Did you wear a cowboy hat, boots & spurs, and sport a packed holster riding low on your hips? (Also linked yesterday.)

News Ledes

AP: "Tropical Storm Claudette dumped heavy rain across the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida as it chugged inland Saturday, triggering flash floods and tornado warnings along its soggy course across the Southeast. The National Hurricane Center declared Claudette organized enough to qualify as a named storm at 4 a.m. Saturday, well after the storm's center of circulation had come ashore southwest of New Orleans. It was north of the city three hours later, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (72 kph) as the storm plodded to the northeast at 12 mph (19 kph). The heaviest rains were far from the center, near the Mississippi-Alabama state line." ~~~

     ~~~ The Weather Channel's main report (at about 8 am ET Saturday) is here.