The Conversation -- November 19, 2023

** Katherine Seelye of the New York Times: "Rosalynn Carter, a true life partner to Jimmy Carter who helped propel him from rural Georgia to the White House in a single decade and became the most politically active first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt, died on Sunday in Plains, Ga. She was 96."

~~~~~~~~~~

President Joe Biden, in a Washington Post op-ed: "Today, the world faces an inflection point, where the choices we make -- including in the crises in Europe and the Middle East -- will determine the direction of our future for generations to come.... Both Putin and Hamas are fighting to wipe a neighboring democracy off the map. And both Putin and Hamas hope to collapse broader regional stability and integration and take advantage of the ensuing disorder. America cannot, and will not, let that happen. For our own national security interests -- and for the good of the entire world.... The Palestinian people deserve a state of their own and a future free from Hamas.... Our commitment to Ukraine today is an investment in our own security. It prevents a broader conflict tomorrow.... Our goal should not be simply to stop the war for today -- it should be to end the war forever, break the cycle of unceasing violence, and build something stronger in Gaza and across the Middle East so that history does not keep repeating itself."

Sorry, forgot to link this yesterday:

Amy Gardner of the Washington Post: "The Georgia prosecutor leading the election-interference case against ... Donald Trump and 14 remaining co-defendants requested a trial date of Aug. 5, 2024, in a motion filed Friday afternoon.... The motion is sure to draw vociferous objections from the defendants -- notably Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, who, if nominated, would be forced to sit in an Atlanta courtroom day after day in the final weeks of the general-election campaign, and possibly on Election Day itself and into 2025. Steve Sadow, Trump's lead lawyer in the Georgia case, filed a motion later Friday objecting to the proposed trial date and requesting 'the opportunity to present oral argument in opposition to the motion at a hearing to be held at a time convenient to the Court.'... The government's motion, signed personally by Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis, makes no mention of the election calendar next year. But in an appearance at The Washington Post on Tuesday, Willis objected to the idea that a person who commits a crime should not be held accountable because they are running for office." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: One of the legal experts I saw on the teevee noted that state courts and prosecutors, unlike those in the federal system, are not bound by DOJ-type rules that prohibit bringing actions against a political candidate close to an election. Of course Trumplewhiner will object to the date, but I think an August would benefit him. (1) He will be in the news every day leading up to the election; (2) the trial would give him something to complain about every day; and (3) he's an old man and a vigorous campaign schedule would be a strain on him, both mentally & physically. And bear in mind that he will not be the only major candidate who has on his mind matters other than the election: Joe Biden has a big ole country to run.

Presidential Race 2024

More Crazy After All These Years. Dan Balz of the Washington Post: "Taking Trump seriously, as the Economist does in its new issue, is a requirement -- for the press, certainly, but also for all Americans who care about the future. The Post reported in May about 'the deepening radicalization' of Trump. The article noted that his positions 'have become even more extreme; his tone more confrontational.' In recent days, both The Post and the New York Times have published stories about what policies and actions Trump might pursue in a second term, from using the Justice Department to go after enemies to a broad immigration crackdown to purges in the executive branch."

Michael Scherer of the Washington Post: "The nation's largest Spanish-language media company, Univision, faced growing backlash Friday for its handling of a recent interview with ... Donald Trump, as major Latino advocacy groups delivered a letter of protest to the network's executives and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus prepared to request a meeting with the network. Actor and comedian John Leguizamo ... also posted a video on Instagram on Thursday night calling for a boycott of the network until it stopped its rejection of Biden ads, some of which were canceled just before the Trump interview aired.... The network, which has said it has also requested an interview with President Biden, announced a new policy of preventing opposition advertising during single-candidate interviews shortly before the Trump interview aired. The network also canceled a booking with a Biden spokeswoman to respond to the interview on a subsequent news broadcast."

~~~~~~~~~~

Wisconsin. Lauren Irwin of the Hill: "Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D), several lawmakers and the University of Wisconsin-Madison condemned a group of neo-Nazis that marched through the streets of Madison on Saturday. According to reports and videos posted on social media, the neo-Nazi group called the Blood Tribe was spotted marching through downtown Madison carrying swastika flags and doing the nazi salute." MB: The march ran along State Street, Madison's main east-west artery, which connects the UW campus to the Capitol. The march apparently started a few blocks from campus and ended on the capitol grounds.

New York. Hurubie Meko of the New York Times: "The federal government on Friday formally joined an effort to strip Mayor Eric Adams's administration of control over Rikers Island, asking a judge to hand oversight of the troubled jail complex to an outside authority. Joining lawyers who represent people detained in New York City jails, Manhattan's top federal prosecutor, Damian Williams, wrote in a court filing that the appointment of an outside authority, known as a receiver, was the only solution to the persistent violence and chaos at Rikers."

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine

Karen DeYoung of the Washington Post: "Israel, the United States and Hamas have agreed to a tentative deal that would free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza, in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting. The release, which could begin within the next several days -- barring last-minute hitches -- could lead to the first sustained pause in conflict in Gaza, according to people familiar with its provisions."

Raja Abdulrahim of the New York Times: "Health officials in Gaza say that 5,000 Palestinian children have been killed since the Israeli assault began, and possibly hundreds more. Many international officials and experts familiar with the way death tolls are compiled in the territory say the overall numbers are generally reliable.... The furious pace of [Israeli air]strikes -- more than 15,000 to date, according to the Israeli military, including in southern Gaza as well -- makes the Israeli bombing campaign on the Palestinian territory one of the most intense of the 21st century. And it is happening in a dense urban enclave under siege with high concentrations of civilians, particularly children, setting off mounting global alarm, even from some of Israel's closest allies.... 'More and more, it seems like a war against children," said Dr. [Ghassan] Abu-Sittah of [Al-Shifa Hospital]. Two weeks ago, the emergency room at Al-Shifa registered 'Unknown Trauma Child 1,500,' Dr. Abu-Sittah said."

The Conversation -- November 18, 2023

Jacquiline Alemanyof the Washington Post: "White House special counsel Dick Sauber questioned the validity of the GOP-led impeachment inquiry into President Biden on Friday in a scathing letter sent to House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). In the four-page letter, Sauber demanded that Comer and Jordan withdraw their subpoenas and requests for interviews with members of the Biden family and aides, arguing that since the House did not hold a floor vote on the impeachment inquiry, it has not been formally authorized by the legislative body as required by the Constitution. 'In fact, both of you previously supported the position that moving forward with an impeachment inquiry without a vote of the House "represents an abuse of power and brings discredit to the House of Representatives,"' Sauber wrote, quoting a 2019 resolution disapproving of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) decision to unilaterally initiate an impeachment inquiry into ... Donald Trump....* Sauber also railed against Comer and Jordan's misrepresentation of evidence and politically motivated statements about the impeachment inquiry." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is somewhat misleading. Although a number of House committees began investigating matters related to the ultimate Articles of Impeachment before a vote of the full House occurred, the House did formally authorize the impeachment inquiry "by a vote of 232 to 196 on October 31, 2019."

Kathleen Cullitan of the Raw Story: "On the heels of President Joe Biden's comprehensive exchange with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Daily Beast issued a stark reminder to any Americans thinking about hopping back into bed with Donald Trump. 'Biden ... in both his press conference following the Xi meeting and in his remarks throughout the summit, showed a complete, confident mastery of an enormous range of issues,' David Rothkopf writes. 'That's a far cry from Trump's flaccid performance.' Rothkopf's opinion piece published Friday heaped praise on Biden's handling of diplomatic relations with China both as a Vice President and the nation's commander-in-chief."

Tim Dickinson of Rolling Stone, republished by Yahoo! News: "In an October prayer call hosted by a Christian-nationalist MAGA pastor, Rep. Mike Johnson was troubled that America's wickedness was inviting God's wrath. Talking to pastor Jim Garlow on a broadcast of the World Prayer Network, Johnson spoke ominously of America facing a 'civilizational moment.' He said, 'The only question is: Is God going to allow our nation to enter a time of judgment for our collective sins? ... Or is he going to give us one more chance to restore the foundations and return to Him?'... Johnson [said]: 'The culture is so dark and depraved that it almost seems irredeemable.' He cited, as supposed evidence, the decline of national church attendance and the rise of LGBTQ youth -- the fact, Johnson lamented, that 'one-in-four high school students identifies as something other than straight.'... In a closing prayer with Garlow he grew tearful. Johnson intoned, 'We repent for our sins individually and collectively. And we ask that You not give us the judgment that we clearly deserve.'" Thanks to Ken W. for the link. The New York Times story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Farnoush Amiri of the AP: "House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday he plans to publicly release thousands of hours of footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, making good on a promise he made to far-right members of his party when he was campaigning for the job.... The move by Johnson will grant the general public a stunning level of access to sensitive and explicit Jan. 6 security footage, which many critics have warned could endanger the safety of staff and members in the Capitol complex if it gets into the wrong hands. The hours of footage detail not only the shocking assault rioters made on U.S. Capitol Police as they breached the building but also how the rioters accessed the building and the routes lawmakers used to flee to safety.... In February, [then-Speaker Kevin] McCarthy gave then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson exclusive access to the footage, a move that Democrats swiftly condemned as a 'grave' breach of security with potentially far-reaching consequences."

Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "... while we keep our eyes on Trump and his allies and enablers, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that antidemocratic attitudes run deep within the Republican Party.... [For instance,] Not one full day after the vote [to add reproductive rights to Ohio's constitution], four Republican state representatives announced that..., 'We will do everything in our power to prevent our laws from being removed upon perception of intent....' Notice the language: 'our power' and 'our laws.' There is no awareness here that the people of Ohio are sovereign and that their vote to amend the state Constitution holds greater authority than the judgment of a small group of legislators.... To many Republicans, unfortunately, persuasion is anathema.... Instead, the game is to create a system in which, heads or tails, you always win." Bouie gives a number of other examples of Republicans overriding or attempting to override the will of the people. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Yesterday, I heard a teevee pundit state the obvious: that democracy can't work in a country where only one of the two major political parties actually favors democracy.

Yo, Jack Smith! Here's some dandy evidence for you, caught on tape. If you ask Jon Karl for it, he'll send it over wrapped in fancy paper & a pretty holiday bow:

     ~~~ Marie: Gosh, Donald, I recall when you said the insurrectionists were not your supporters but Antifa guys and FBI informants. Oh, and for some reason, I'm skeptical you wanted to go to the Capitol to stop the insurrection (like, say, those 187 minutes you sat in your dining room cheering on your troops while aides, family members and even Sean F. Hannity begged you to intervene). Thanks to RAS for the lead. ~~~

~~~ Hmmm, Apt Timing. Alan Feuer of the New York Times: "The federal judge overseeing ... Donald J. Trump's trial on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election rejected on Friday a request by Mr. Trump's lawyers to remove language from his indictment describing the role he played in the violence that erupted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.... In court papers to Judge [Tanya] Chutkan, prosecutors called the Jan. 6 attack 'the culmination' of Mr. Trump's 'criminal conspiracies' to overturn the election. They also suggested that they were poised to introduce video evidence of the riot and call witnesses at trial who could testify that they attacked police and stormed the Capitol after hearing Mr. Trump exhort them to 'fight' in a speech he gave before the violence broke out." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Brandi Buchman of Law & Crime: "A federal judge on Friday denied Donald Trump's request to strike so-called 'inflammatory allegations' about the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6 from his criminal indictment in Washington, D.C., saying he failed to prove his claim while 'making several accusatory and unsupported comments' on his own.... [Judge Tanya] Chutkan also appeared to highlight the irony in Trump's motion.... 'Defendant's sixteen-page reply in support of the motion despite making numerous inflammatory and unsupported accusations on its own devotes only a single paragraph to the prejudice requirement,' she wrote, noting a line in Trump's filing where he asserted, baselessly, that President Joe Biden had 'directed the Department of Justice to prosecute his leading opponent for the presidency through a calculated leak to the New York Times.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Judge Chutkan's order is here.

Kevin Breuninger of CNBC: "A New York judge on Friday denied a request by ... Donald Trump and his co-defendants for a mistrial in the $250 million civil business fraud case against them. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron said the arguments for a mistrial were 'utterly without merit' as he declined to sign the defendants' bid for a motion to throw out the case. The ruling came two days after attorneys for Trump Sr., Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, the Trump Organization and its top executives argued that the case had been undermined by political bias."

Presidential Race 2024

Colorado. It Depends on What the Meaning of "Support" Is. Maggie Astor of the New York Times: "A Colorado judge ruled on Friday that ... Donald J. Trump could remain on the primary ballot in the state, rejecting the argument that the 14th Amendment prevents him from holding office again -- but doing so on relatively narrow grounds that lawyers for the voters seeking to disqualify him said they would appeal. With his actions before and during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Judge Sarah B. Wallace ruled, Mr. Trump engaged in insurrection against the Constitution, an offense that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment -- which was ratified in 1868 to keep former Confederates out of the government -- deems disqualifying for people who previously took an oath to support the Constitution.

"But Judge Wallace, a state district court judge in Denver, concluded that Section 3 did not include the presidential oath in that category. The clause does not explicitly name the presidency, so that question hinged on whether the president was included in the category 'officer of the United States.... The absence of the president from the list of positions to which the amendment applies combined with the fact that Section 3 specifies that the disqualifying oath is one to "support" the Constitution whereas the presidential oath is to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution,' Judge Wallace wrote...." MB: Seems like a strange reading. Why would the Constitution bar a low-level functionary from running for office but not the most important official in the U.S.? ~~~

     ~~~ An ABC News story is here. The judge's ruling, via the state court system, is here.

Michigan. Nick Robertson of the Hill: "A liberal activist group appealed a Michigan court's decision on Thursday to throw out their case attempting to bar former President Trump from the presidential ballot, taking the case to the state Supreme Court. Free Speech for People sued the state of Michigan in September, arguing that Trump's involvement with the Jan. 6 Capitol riots violates the 14th Amendment, which should bar him from being eligible for office. A lower court threw out the suit last month, arguing that a 14th Amendment challenge is not valid in the primary stage of an election. The appeal requests 'emergency application' to bypass the usual state Appeals Court and go straight to the Supreme Court, given the short time until state primary ballots are finalized."

Jennifer Bahney of Mediaite: "The biggest danger the world faces in 2024 is if former President Donald Trump is elected to a second term, according to The Economist's guide to The World Ahead.... 'A second Trump term would be a watershed in a way the first was not. Victory would confirm his most destructive instincts about power. His plans would encounter less resistance. And because America will have voted him in while knowing the worst, its moral authority would decline. The election will be decided by tens of thousands of voters in just a handful of states. In 2024 the fate of the world will depend on their ballots.' The article posits that a Trump win would signal to China that American democracy is 'dysfunctional,' and could give the communist nation the incentive to invade ... Taiwan. In addition, the article predicts that Trump's desire to quickly end the war in Ukraine would give Vladimir Putin the impetus to take over other neighboring countries like Moldova and the Baltic states." The Economist article, linked above, is subscriber-firewalled. Thanks to Akhilleus for the link to Mediaite. (Also linked yesterday.)

James Zirin in the Washington Monthly: "Has Donald Trump gone nuts?... All the armchair gerontologists parsing every utterance from President Joe Biden, trying to distinguish his congenital stutter from his natural aging, should look at Trump, whose behavior has gone from bad to weird to bizarre.... Perhaps more worrisome than Trump's mental miscues is the fact that his authoritarian tendencies have veered into even more fascistic territory, and his insults have become even more intemperate, which is saying something.... Trump's policy pronouncements have become more incendiary and more insane, if that were possible." Zirin recounts numerous examples of the general failings he identifies.

No Labels, Where the "Grassroots" Are Always Greener. Brian Schwartz of CNBC: "No Labels, the nonprofit group actively working to field a third party ticket for president in 2024, doubled its annual revenue last year over 2021, collecting $21 million, nearly all of it from wealthy donors who gave $100,000 or more. No Labels is not required to publicly disclose the names of its donors, but CNBC obtained a list from the group of contributions last year that exceeded $5,000. The list did not include names, but it revealed that around 80% of the group's total revenue, roughly $17 million, came from at least 68 individual donors who each gave the group $100,000 or more. The 990 tax return also revealed that No Labels had only one program last year, which it called, 'citizen engagement, digital and grassroots movement building and ballot access.'"

Donald, Frater Non Gratus. Jacob Bernstein of the New York Times: "More than 100 mourners streamed into the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan on Friday morning for the memorial service of Maryanne Trump Barry, a longtime federal judge and an older sister of Donald J. Trump. The former president was among those who attended. He arrived, along with his wife, Melania, and other family members as part of a processional from the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home.... Mr. Trump did not speak at the service.... [Judge Barry's son, David William] Desmond did not mention former President Trump in his remarks.... In a series of surreptitiously recorded interviews in 2018 and 2019 with a niece, Mary L. Trump, [Judge Barry] spoke scathingly of [Donald Trump]. 'He has no principles,' she said. 'None.' She added, 'It's the phoniness and this cruelty. Donald is cruel.'... I don't want any of my siblings to speak at my funeral,' Judge Barry continued. 'And that's all about Donald and what he did at Dad's funeral [which was not to mention Dad at all in a supposed eulogy].... It was all about him.'"

Ryan Mac, et al., of the New York Times: "The blowback over Elon Musk's endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X gathered steam on Friday, as several major advertisers on his social media platform cut off their spending after his comments. Disney said it was pausing spending on X, as did Lionsgate, the entertainment and film distribution company, and Paramount Global, the media giant that owns CBS. Apple, which spends tens of millions of dollars a year on X, also suspended advertising on the platform, a person with knowledge of the situation said. They followed IBM, which cut its spending with X on Thursday. Mr. Musk ... has been under scrutiny for months for allowing and even stoking antisemitic abuse on the site. That snowballed on Wednesday when the tech billionaire agreed with a post on X that accused Jewish people who are facing antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war of pushing the 'exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them' and supporting the immigration of 'hordes of minorities.'" ~~~

~~~ Amy Wang, et al., of the Washington Post: "The White House on Friday condemned a social media post by Elon Musk in which he indicated support for an antisemitic conspiracy theory, calling the billionaire's action an 'abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate.'... In a subsequent tweet, Musk went on to criticize the Anti-Defamation League, a nonprofit that combats antisemitism and extremism, saying it 'unjustly attacks the majority of the West' for anti-Jewish hate rather than 'the minority groups who are their primary threat.'... 'We condemn this abhorrent promotion of Antisemitic and racist hate in the strongest terms, which runs against our core values as Americans,' [White House spokesman Andrew] Bates said." Politico's story is here.

Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady, has entered hospice care at her home in Georgia alongside her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, who has been in hospice since February, the family announced on Friday. Mrs. Carter, 96, revealed in May that she has dementia, but Friday's statement offered no further details about her condition or any other ailments she might be suffering. She has been by her husband's side for the last nine months as he has similarly decided to forgo full-scale medical treatment...."

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine

The Washington Post's live updates of developments Saturday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Doctors, patients and displaced civilians left Gaza's largest hospital Saturday, amid competing claims over who had ordered the evacuation, which aid groups described as 'complex and dangerous.' The head of al-Shifa hospital said Israel gave people one hour to evacuate, and that 120 patients and five doctors remained inside the complex, which had housed thousands of displaced people. Conditions inside the hospital for those who remained were 'very difficult,' with water and electricity cut off, he added. The Israeli military denied ordering an evacuation, instead saying that it had agreed to assist evacuation efforts following requests from the hospital. Many evacuees are headed south, although Israeli forces have indicated their ground offensive may also intensify in parts of southern Gaza soon." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Saturday are here. CNN's live updates are here.

Philip Pan, et al., of the New York Times: "The discovery [of a tunnel shaft] at Al-Shifa Hospital did not seem to settle the question of whether Hamas has been using the complex to hide weapons and command centers, as Israel has said. Israeli forces on Friday probed further into civilian infrastructure in northern Gaza for signs of a Hamas presence, announcing that they had found weapons at a school and guiding international reporters to a tunnel shaft on the grounds of the territory's largest hospital. As troops searched the hospital, Al-Shifa, for a third day, Israel announced that it would allow limited shipments of fuel to the enclave to avoid 'epidemics' amid the wreckage of the territory.... In a building next to the hospital, the military said on Friday, it had discovered the body of a second hostage taken by Hamas, Noa Marciano, 19, who had been a corporal in the Israeli army. The military also announced that it had killed Hamas terrorists found 'hiding' in a school. 'You have said the actual truth,' Mr. Musk replied."

News Lede

New Hampshire. No Country for Old Women. Marie: When I was driving to a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon, I hoped -- as I do every time I go to a public place during regular business hours -- that a crazed mass murderer wouldn't shoot me dead in this gun-loving state. At the doctor's office, I was very aware there was no way to run and hide from a murderous nut who might enter the waiting room. So as I was driving home, unscathed, I passed this (although I passed by at least an hour before the events unfolded): ~~~

~~~ New York Times: "An assailant fatally shot a security officer inside the lobby of a state psychiatric hospital in Concord, N.H., on Friday afternoon and then was killed shortly afterward by a state trooper patrolling the campus, state officials said. Col. Mark B. Hall, the director of the New Hampshire Department of Safety, said at a news conference on Friday night that the authorities were still investigating a motive for the shooting, which occurred about 3:30 p.m. Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire identified the victim as Bradley Haas, a security officer with the Department of Safety." An NBC News story is here.

The Conversation -- November 17, 2023

Yo, Jack Smith! Here's some dandy evidence for you, caught on tape. If you ask Jon Karl for it, he'll send it over wrapped in fancy paper & a pretty holiday bow:

      ~~~ Marie: Gosh, Donald, I recall when you said the insurrectionists were not your supporters but Antifa guys and FBI informants. Thanks to RAS for the lead. ~~~

~~~ Hmmm, Apt Timing. Alan Feuer of the New York Times: "The federal judge overseeing ... Donald J. Trump's trial on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election rejected on Friday a request by Mr. Trump's lawyers to remove language from his indictment describing the role he played in the violence that erupted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.... In court papers to Judge [Tanya] Chutkan, prosecutors called the Jan. 6 attack 'the culmination' of Mr. Trump's 'criminal conspiracies' to overturn the election. They also suggested that they were poised to introduce video evidence of the riot and call witnesses at trial who could testify that they attacked police and stormed the Capitol after hearing Mr. Trump exhort them to 'fight' in a speech he gave before the violence broke out."

Jennifer Bahney of Mediaite: "The biggest danger the world faces in 2024 is if ... Donald Trump is elected to a second term, according to The Economist's guide to The World Ahead.... 'A second Trump term would be a watershed in a way the first was not. Victory would confirm his most destructive instincts about power. His plans would encounter less resistance. And because America will have voted him in while knowing the worst, its moral authority would decline. The election will be decided by tens of thousands of voters in just a handful of states. In 2024 the fate of the world will depend on their ballots.' The article posits that a Trump win would signal to China that American democracy is 'dysfunctional,' and could give the communist nation the incentive to invade ... Taiwan. In addition, the article predicts that Trump's desire to quickly end the war in Ukraine would give Vladimir Putin the impetus to take over other neighboring countries like Moldova and the Baltic states." The Economist article, linked above, is subscriber-firewalled. Thanks to Akhilleus for the link to Mediaite's summary.

Tim Dickinson of Rolling Stone, republished by Yahoo! News: "In an October prayer call hosted by a Christian-nationalist MAGA pastor, Rep. Mike Johnson was troubled that America's wickedness was inviting God's wrath. Talking to pastor Jim Garlow on a broadcast of the World Prayer Network, Johnson spoke ominously of America facing a 'civilizational moment.' He said, 'The only question is: Is God going to allow our nation to enter a time of judgment for our collective sins?... Or is he going to give us one more chance to restore the foundations and return to Him?'... Johnson [said]: 'The culture is so dark and depraved that it almost seems irredeemable.' He cited, as supposed evidence, the decline of national church attendance and the rise of LGBTQ youth --- the fact, Johnson lamented, that 'one-in-four high school students identifies as something other than straight.'... In a closing prayer with Garlow he grew tearful. Johnson intoned, 'We repent for our sins individually and collectively. And we ask that You not give us the judgment that we clearly deserve.'" Thanks to Ken W. for the link. The New York Times story is here.

~~~~~~~~~~

David Kihara of Politico: "The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request by Florida to partially halt a judge's order blocking the state from enforcing a new law banning minors from attending drag shows. A majority of the court concurred in the decision to not grant the stay Florida asked for in October. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in an opinion joined by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, indicated that the court was unlikely to grant full review in the case."

Lauren Peller & Alexandra Hutzler of ABC News: "Embattled GOP Rep. George Santos is facing another resolution to expel him from Congress. Republican Rep. Michael Guest, chairman of the House Ethics Committee, filed the resolution on Friday -- one day after his panel released an explosive report stating a monthslong probe of the New York congressman 'revealed a complex web of unlawful activity involving Representative Santos' campaign, personal, and business finances.' Guest, in a statement, said the evidence discovered by the committee is 'more than sufficient to warrant punishment and the most appropriate punishment is expulsion.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Okay, all you people who said you were waiting for the Ethics Committee report to decide whether or not to vote to expel Santos -- now's your chance (well, okay, after you come back from vacation). In the meantime, George can enjoy a nice family Thanksgiving dinner with all his alter-egos. Unlike many of us, he will sit down to a holiday table where no squabbles break out.

~~~~~~~~~~

Colleen Long & Aamer Madhani of the AP: "President Joe Biden on Thursday made America's case to national leaders and CEOs attending the Asia-Pacific summit that the United States is committed to high standards in trade and to partnerships that will benefit economies across the Pacific.... Fresh off his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Biden also told business leaders that the U.S. was 'de-risking and diversifying' but not 'decoupling' from Beijing. But he did not mince words in suggesting the U.S. and friends in the Pacific could offer businesses a better option than China. He also noted that U.S. economies had invested some $50 billion in fellow Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies in 2023, including in clean energy technologies, aviation and cybersecurity."

Paula Reid of CNN: "Special counsel Robert Hur is not expected to charge anyone in connection with the mishandling of classified documents at two locations connected to President Joe Biden, two sources close to the investigation told CNN. Hur and his team are compiling a detailed report on their year-long probe that is expected to be critical of Biden and his staff for the way they handled sensitive materials. The report is expected to go into significant detail about what the special counsel's office found in its investigation.... Hur was appointed in January to investigate after classified documents from Biden's time as vice president were found at his former office at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, DC, and at his Wilmington, Delaware, home.... CNN previously reported charges appeared unlikely..., and that there has been no discernible grand jury activity."

Paula Reid, et al., of CNN: "Special counsel prosecutors are using a Los Angeles grand jury to seek documents and possible testimony from multiple witnesses as part of the ongoing federal investigation into Hunter Biden's business dealings, according to people familiar with the probe. James Biden, President Joe Biden's brother and a one-time business associate of Hunter, is among the individuals who have received a subpoena in recent weeks, according to two sources close to the investigation. The probe appears to be focused on Hunter Biden's alleged failure to pay taxes by IRS payment deadlines, issues that were expected to be resolved by a plea deal that fell apart earlier this year."

Lisa Friedman of the New York Times: "President Biden signed a short-term government funding bill on Thursday, narrowly averting a government shutdown but leaving a larger spending clash for Congress early next year.... Speaker Mike Johnson, who designed the package, has said he will not support any more stopgap funding plans, and framed the temporary spending measure as laying the groundwork for a 'fight' with the Senate in 2024." The government ran out of funds earlier this year and was preparing to shut down or curtail the work of many agencies today.

Robert Jimison of the New York Times: "Just before hard-right House Republicans staged a floor mutiny over spending on Wednesday..., they managed one final vote, on a measure to reduce the salary of an obscure Biden administration official to $1. It was the 25th time in the three weeks since Speaker Mike Johnson was elected to the top post -- and at least the 31st time this year -- that Republicans have spent time on the House floor using a spending bill to try to strip the salary of a member of President Biden's team.... House Republicans' choice to repeatedly push such proposals highlights their slash-and-burn approach to federal spending, and why Congress is facing such a steep challenge reaching a longer-term deal to fund the government.... Driven by the hard right, which is flatly opposed to federal spending, [House Republicans] have weaponized and politicized the appropriations process, primarily using the power of the purse -- the most basic role of Congress -- to push their political message and punish the Biden administration."

Grace Ashford of the New York Times: "The House Ethics Committee on Thursday found 'substantial evidence' that Representative George Santos violated federal law, ending a nearly nine-month investigation and setting the stage for another push to expel the embattled first-term Republican from New York. House investigators found evidence that Mr. Santos used campaign funds for personal purposes, defrauded donors and filed false or incomplete campaign finance and financial disclosure reports, according to a 56-page report released on Thursday. The committee voted unanimously to refer its findings to the Department of Justice, saying that Mr. Santos's conduct 'warrants public condemnation, is beneath the dignity of the office, and has brought severe discredit upon the House.'... [Rep. Glenn] Ivey [D-Md.], a former federal prosecutor, said he believed the panel's staff had uncovered additional evidence that could be used in Mr. Santos's federal prosecution....

"Shortly after the report was released, Mr. Santos announced on X...-Twitter, that he would not seek re-election in 2024. Even so, he appeared to take issue with the findings of the committee, writing: 'If there was a single ounce of ETHICS in the "Ethics committee," they would have not released this biased report."' The link to the Ethics Committee report, embedded in the Times report, is to an Ethics Committee site, not to an NYT page. The AP's report is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ The statement by the chairman of the Ethics Committee & the ranking member is here. ~~~

~~~ Here's How George Spent His Donors' Money. Nicholas Fandos of the New York Times: "Over just a few days last November, [George] Santos dropped $6,000 at Ferragamo.... He withdrew $800 in cash at a casino, where an aide said he liked to play roulette. He paid off his rent, and he pulled out another $1,000 in spending money at an A.T.M. near his apartment in Queens.... Those outlays were just a fraction of the tens of thousands of dollars or more that Mr. Santos siphoned from unknowing donors for years, propping up the kind of glittering consumer dream the 35-year-old son of immigrants never could have afforded himself.... Among the bills footed by campaign donors: trips to the casinos in Atlantic City and the Hamptons; purchases at the French fashion house Hermès; regular cosmetic treatments labeled 'Botox' on internal campaign records; and even small purchases on OnlyFans, a platform best known for allowing creators to sell explicit photos and videos to subscribers." Using campaign money for personal expenses is illegal. The Washington Post's account is here. CNN's "takeaways" report is here. ~~~

~~~ David Corn & Noah Lenard of Mother Jones: "The bizarre saga of George Santos as a member of the US House of Representatives is heading toward its finale. One way or another.... The 56-page [House ethics] report -- which is accompanied with hundreds of pages of exhibits and evidence -- is no surprise, but it is still an incredibly damning document. It depicts Santos as a total con man who perpetuated an almost unimaginable series of frauds involving campaign money and his personal finances.... [The report] notes he was non-stop grifter[.]... In December 2021, according to the report, Santos' own campaign team presented him with a 141-page 'vulnerability report' that made clear that the candidate was running on a fabricated record. His staff pushed him to drop out of the race, and three staff members quit the campaign when he refused to do so.... After all [of their] digging, the investigators remained mystified by some aspects of Santos' finances. They compiled a record that included more than 170,000 pages of documents. Still, they point out they couldn't figure out all the convolutions of his money flow[.]"

Adam Reiss & Dareh Gregorian of NBC News: "A New York appeals court on Thursday temporarily blocked a gag order in ... Donald Trump's civil fraud trial that barred him from complaining about the judge's law clerk. The Appellate Division judge ordered the stay after Trump's attorneys appealed the gag order that Judge Arthur Engoron had put in place as being 'unconstitutional.'... The pause will remain in place until at least Nov. 27, when a full panel of appeals court judges will consider the matter. Trump bashed the clerk on his social media platform Truth Social hours after the ruling in a post that did not name her but celebrated the appeals court ruling. The post criticized Engoron's 'ridiculous and unconstitutional gag order' for 'not allowing me to defend myself against him and his politically biased and out of control, Trump Hating Clerk, who is sinking him and his Court to new levels of LOW.'"

How to Delay a Trial While Pretending Not to Delay a Trial. Igor Derysh of Salon: "The federal judge overseeing ... Donald Trump's documents case in South Florida on Thursday denied a request from special counsel Jack Smith to set a deadline on issues related to classified materials in the case. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ... denied Smith's request to schedule a hearing under Section 5 of the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA), where a defendant has to disclose what classified information he intends to use at trial. Cannon in her order said she would set all remaining deadlines in March 2024.... The order is a 'clear indication May trial date won't happen,' tweeted Brandon Van Grack, a former federal prosecutor on special counsel Bob Mueller's team.... Former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann argued that 'Judge Cannon's bias is showing over and over again.... Not scheduling a CIPA section 5 hearing, which is routine, is a clear sign she is just as much in the bag for Trump as when she issued her horrendous pretrial rulings (both reversed in scathing language by the conservative 11th Circuit),' he added. 'What a piece of work is she.'... 'Unreal. Now I'm concerned. No way this thing gets to trial in May 2024,' tweeted national security attorney Bradley Moss." ~~~

     ~~~ Former prosecutor Harry Litman said on MSNBC that Judge Aileen appears to have made a "strategic" decision not to formally delay the trial at this time but to move back all the intervening due dates so that it becomes impossible to begin the trial in May. This strategic move makes it difficult/impossible for Jack Smith to file an effective complaint to the Appeals Court.

Nick Valencia & Jason Morris of CNN: "The judge presiding over Donald Trump's racketeering case over efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia has issued a protective order on sensitive discovery materials in the case. In his order, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee wrote that a protective order was necessary in part because providing 'parties the unfettered ability to share pretrial materials with the public undermines' the process. The move comes a day after a hearing addressing the leak of key video evidence by a defense attorney for one of Trump's co-defendants.... According to Thursday's order, it will be up to the Fulton County district attorney's office to specifically designate discovery materials that it deems sensitive. Defendants will have up to 14 days to contest that designation." (Also linked yesterday.)

Meredith Deliso & Annie Pong of ABC News: "A federal jury has convicted the suspect accused of the violent hammer attack against Paul Pelosi at his and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home last year. The jury began deliberating Wednesday afternoon before reaching a verdict late Thursday morning, finding David DePape guilty on both federal counts. Pelosi, 83, suffered a skull fracture after being struck in the head with a hammer during the early morning attack on Oct. 28, 2022, which occurred just days before the midterm elections, police said. DePape, 43, was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with attempted kidnapping and assault on account of a federal official's performance of official duties. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years and 30 years, respectively, in prison. He has pleaded not guilty." (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: We should not forget that the Republicans' top candidate for president has repeatedly made jokes about this horrible attack. So have a few other Republicans. like Arizona candidate-for-everything Kari Lake and "moderate" Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. And their audiences laugh along. I can't exaggerate how sick and outrageous this is. People who normalize violence against their political "enemies" and even the families of political rivals should be in mental health institutions, not in office.

Michael Kunzelman of the AP: "An Ohio man who repeatedly attacked police officers as he joined a mob of Donald Trump supporters in storming the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Thursday to nearly five years in prison. Kenneth Joseph Owen Thomas has acted as a 'one-man misinformation machine' since the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, using his social media platforms to spread false narratives about the attack, according to federal prosecutors. They say Thomas produces more than 20 hours of Jan. 6-related online content every week."

Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "A homeless man was sentenced Thursday to 27 months in prison for assaulting U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) in the elevator of her Washington, D.C., apartment building. The attack led to a wave of threats against the congresswoman and prompted her to move, she told a court. Kendrick Hamlin, 27, also known as Hamlin Khalil Hamlin, pleaded guilty June 1 to assaulting the three-term congresswoman and two D.C. police officers who arrested him after Craig fought him off by tossing hot coffee at him."

** Presidential Race 2024. The Hustler. Susanne Craig of the New York Times: "Throughout his long public life, [Robert Kennedy, Jr.,] has cultivated an image as a man committed to a greater good, the blessing and burden of belonging to one of America's most storied political families.... But an examination of Mr. Kennedy's finances by The New York Times, including public filings and almost two dozen interviews as well as tax returns and other documents not previously made public, showed that while he appears to believe in the causes he champions, they have also had a practical benefit: His crusades, backed by the power of his name, have earned him tens of millions of dollars. Mr. Kennedy inherited many things from his family ... but not necessarily the kind of money that would support a life of both altruism and the trappings of wealth he seems to enjoy, The Times found.... Behind much of his public career has been a relentless private hustle: board positions and advisory gigs, side deals with law firms, book contracts and an exhausting schedule of paid speeches, once upward of 60 a year by his own count."

Annals of Journalism, Ctd. Brian Steinberg of Variety: "León Krauze, one of the most prominent anchors at Univision's news division, has left the network in the wake of a controversial interview with former President Donald Trump that took place last week and has spurred concerns among journalists at the company that the Spanish-language media giant is no longer challenging Republican politicians.... The Washington Post reported earlier this week that Jared Kushner ... helped arrange the event.... Grupo Televisa, the Mexican media company that merged with Univision in 2021, has been known for cultivating relationships with political leaders in Mexico." Krause did not say why he quit. (Also linked yesterday.)

Eric Hananoki of Media Matters: "As X owner Elon Musk continues his descent into white nationalist and antisemitic conspiracy theories, his social media platform has been placing ads for major brands like Apple, Bravo (NBCUniversal), IBM, Oracle, and Xfinity (Comcast) next to content that touts Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party. The company's placements come after CEO Linda Yaccarino claimed that brands are 'protected from the risk of being next to' toxic posts on the platform." ~~~

~~~ So Then.... Ryan Mac of the New York Times: "Less than 24 hours after Elon Musk endorsed an antisemitic post on X as 'the actual truth' of what Jewish people were doing, IBM paused its advertising on the social media platform as X's chief executive, Linda Yaccarino, and others at the company scrambled on Thursday to contain the fallout. X employees said on Thursday that they had gotten calls from advertisers wondering why Mr. Musk was making comments seen as antisemitic and why their ads were showing up next to white nationalist and Nazi content.... IBM cut off about $1 million in advertising spending that it had committed to the platform for the last three months of the year.... Mr. Musk ... has attacked George Soros, the financier who is a frequent target of antisemitic abuse, and threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League, a rights group that has highlighted the rise in antisemitism on X. On Wednesday, Mr. Musk went further when he agreed with a post from an X account accusing Jewish communities of pushing 'hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them.'" ~~~

     ~~~ BUT Musk is not alone. ~~~

~~~ Maria in Crooked Timber: "Silicon Valley's ideology is this: Libertarianism for me. Feudalism for thee.... Silicon Valley ideology is a master-slave mentality, a hierarchical worldview that we all exist in extractive relation to someone stronger, and exploit and despise anyone weaker...., hence its poster-boys' constant yoyoing between grandiosity and victimhood. Tech bros like [Peter] Thiel, [Elon] Musk and [Marc] Andreesen are the fluffers in the global authoritarian circle jerk.... Silicon Valley ideology blames others for its harms. Its titans built the machines currently dismantling democracies. So, to absolve themselves of responsibility, they've come to see democracy itself as flawed and weak.... Silicon Valley ideology worships "intelligence", defined narrowly as mathematical and engineering capability, with all its IQ-related ties to racism, misogyny and eugenics.... Silicon Valley's most famous funders and CEOs veer strongly into sociopathy, narcissism, and abiding Daddy issues. They are thin-skinned, vicious, gormless. Now middle-aged men, their emotional development ended when they made their first hundred million." Worth reading in full, whether or not you will be convinced in the end. Thanks to Akhilleus for the link. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Perhaps you're wondering how the influence of these titans can be fixed. The sad truth is that no one can correct the personality disorders of people like Musk & Thiel, but we can limit their influence by limiting their incomes. Heavily taxing the rich has more than one public benefit.

Sylvia Foster-Frau, et al., in the Washington Post: "Mass shootings involving AR-15s have become a recurring American nightmare. The weapon, easy to operate and widely available, is now used more than any other in the country's deadliest mass killings. Fired by the dozens or hundreds in rapid succession, bullets from AR-15s have blasted through classroom doors and walls.... But the full effects of the AR-15's destructive force are rarely seen in public.... Now, drawing on an extensive review of photographs, videos and police investigative files from 11 mass killings between 2012 and 2023, The Washington Post is publishing the most comprehensive account to date of the repeating pattern of destruction wrought by the AR-15 -- a weapon that was originally designed for military combat but has in recent years become one of the best-selling firearms on the U.S. market." MB: I'm not looking, but I do take the reporters' word for it. (Also linked yesterday.)

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine

The Washington Post's live updates in developments Friday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "The Israel Defense Forces released a photo and video Thursday of a newly exposed ground cavity that it described as an 'operational tunnel shaft' inside the al-Shifa Hospital complex, after troops raided Gaza's largest hospital earlier this week. The Washington Post confirmed the location of the visuals to be inside the al-Shifa Hospital complex but could not verify where the opening led, or whether it was used for military purposes. Israel has yet to produce findings that corroborate its claims that al-Shifa sits atop a Hamas headquarters and was central to the militant group's operations. The Gaza Strip remained offline Friday after a communications blackout Thursday, when telecommunications companies ran out of fuel needed for generators to power equipment, and backup batteries shut down. Calls to doctors in the north and south yielded an automated message saying connections to the Strip had been cut off." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Friday are here. CNN's live updates are here.

Najib Jobain, et al., of the AP: "Communications systems in the Gaza Strip were down for a second day Friday with no fuel to power the internet and phone networks, causing aid agencies to halt cross-border deliveries of humanitarian supplies even as they warned people may soon face starvation."

Eileen Sullivan, et al., of the New York Times: "Israel is preventing some Palestinian Americans from entering the country from the West Bank, an apparent violation of a recent agreement in which citizens from the United States and Israel can travel to the other nation without a visa. The Homeland Security and State Departments, which manage the program, said American officials were trying to resolve the issue." (Also linked yesterday.)