May 31, 2023

Afternoon/Evening Update:

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "The House was heading toward a final vote Wednesday night on a bipartisan plan that would suspend the nation's debt ceiling for two years, after the package cleared a major procedural hurdle as lawmakers raced to act before a looming June 5 default. With Republicans in revolt over the measure, it fell to Democrats to help clear the way for the legislation, in a 241-187 vote that reflected a bitter G.O.P. split over the compromise between Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Biden.... In the end, 29 Republicans opposed the measure while 52 Democrats crossed party lines to support it." This is the top pinned item in a liveblog.

Wow! Katelyn Polantz, et al., of CNN: "Federal prosecutors have obtained an audio recording of a summer 2021 meeting in which ... Donald Trump acknowledges he held onto a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran, multiple sources told CNN, undercutting his argument that he declassified everything. The recording indicates Trump understood he retained classified material after leaving the White House, according to multiple sources.... On the recording, Trump's comments suggest he would like to share the information but he's aware of limitations on his ability post-presidency to declassify records, two of the sources said.... The July 2021 meeting was held at Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, with two people working on the autobiography of Trump's former chief of staff Mark Meadows as well as aides employed by the former president, including communications specialist Margo Martin. The attendees, sources said, did not have security clearances that would allow them access to classified information." The document Trump was discussing in the meeting was apparently "a four-page report typed up by (Trump's former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) Mark Milley himself." Read the whole story. ~~~

     ~~~ "Lordy, There Are Tapes!" (And Witnesses!) Marcy Wheeler has some thoughts: "... this is the kind of document that the Saudis would pay billions of dollars for.... No matter what reason Trump originally stole this document, this incident shows how Trump was exploiting it: To prove a critic [-- in this case, Susan Glasser of the New Yorker (see original CNN story) --] wrong.... And Trump had it, at least in part, to avenge what he perceived as a slight by Milley." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: An aside to the main story, which Andrew Wiessmann said on MSNBC is a "game-over" moment if true, is the audience for Trump's undoing: they are two people who are working on Mark Meadows' "autobiography." Although Meadows himself was not in the meeting, he appears to have included the meeting in his "autobiography" as if he had been there. IOW, the "autobiographers" seem to have been sort of alter-egos, and Meadows has produced an "autobiography" he did not write, but in which he was where he wasn't. People quip that autobiography is the sincerest form of fiction; looks as Meadows set out to prove that.

William Rashbaum & Ben Protess of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump is asking the judge overseeing his criminal case in Manhattan to step aside, citing ties between the judge's family and Democratic causes, Mr. Trump's lawyers said in a statement Wednesday. The motion for recusal, which has not yet been filed publicly, represents the latest effort by Mr. Trump's lawyers to move his case away from the judge, Juan M. Merchan of State Supreme Court in Manhattan. The Trump legal team also recently sought to shift the case, brought by the Manhattan district attorney, to federal court. On Tuesday, the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, filed court papers opposing that effort, and he is expected to oppose the effort to get Justice Merchan to recuse himself."

Farnoush Amiri of the AP: "The chairman of the House Oversight Committee said Tuesday he is moving forward with holding FBI Director Chris Wray in contempt of Congress because the department has not turned over a bureau record that purports to relate to President Joe Biden and his family. Rep. James Comer ,R-Ky., criticized the federal law enforcement agency after he said his committee was told it would not gain access to an unclassified form that describes 'an alleged criminal scheme' involving the president and a foreign national.... The FBI said it offered to give the Oversight committee 'access to information responsive to the Committee's subpoena in a format and setting that maintains confidentiality and protects important security interests and the integrity of FBI investigations.' The bureau called that offer 'an extraordinary accommodation.'... 'This subpoenaed document, by definition, reveals nothing more than an unverified and unsubstantiated tip made to Donald Trump's Justice Department, which presumably led to no evidence of criminal wrongdoing,' Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the committee, said in a statement late Tuesday."

Little Spud Quits. John Wagner of the Washington Post: "The national security adviser to Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has resigned after The Washington Post disclosed in a story that he presented Tuberville with the highly controversial strategy of stalling scores of senior military nominations in an attempt to stop a new Defense Department policy that helps ensure access to abortions for service members. In an email to colleagues Tuesday night obtained by The Post, Morgan Murphy shared that it was his last day working for Tuberville. 'Today is my last day with Coach, the best boss I've ever had,' Murphy wrote...." Politico's report, which broke the story, is here.

Jill Colvin of the AP: "Former Vice President Mike Pence will officially launch his widely expected campaign for the Republican nomination for president in Iowa next week.... Pence will hold a kickoff event in Des Moines on June 7, the date of his 64th birthday, according to two people familiar with his plans.... He is also expected to release a video message as part of the launch." MB: To celebrate, I plan to go out in the front yard & wave a couple of those teeny American flags people put on July 4th cakes.

Jill Colvin of the AP: "Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is expected to launch a Republican presidential campaign next week in New Hampshire. Christie, who also ran in 2016, is planning to make the announcement at a town hall Tuesday evening at Saint Anselm College's New Hampshire Institute of Politics, according to a person familiar with his thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm Christie's plans." MB: I see by the Googles that St. Anselm's is 23 minutes from my house. I should drive right over there & cheer on Chrisco.

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Carl Hulse & Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "A bipartisan deal to suspend the federal debt ceiling advanced on Tuesday night toward a climactic House vote despite a rebellion by hard-right Republicans who said the party was squandering a chance to force fundamental changes in government spending. In the legislation's first test, the House Rules Committee voted to clear the way for debate on the plan to be held Wednesday. Seven Republicans voted to send the measure on, while two others joined with Democrats to oppose doing so.... It was a boost to Speaker Kevin McCarthy's effort to push through the agreement that he hammered out with President Biden in days of difficult talks, and which must pass the House and clear the Senate by Monday to be enacted in time to avert a default.... The Congressional Budget Office estimated on Tuesday that the package would reduce the accumulation of debt by about $1.5 trillion over the course of a decade, largely by cutting and capping certain discretionary spending for two years. It also said a series of changes in work requirements for food stamp eligibility -- tightening them for some adults, but loosening them for others including veterans -- would actually increase federal spending on the program by $2 billion." A related Guardian story is here.

Aaron Blake of the Washington Post: "... as the [Rules C]ommittee was about to take up the debt ceiling deal, one of its Freedom Caucus members [-- Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) --] lodged a remarkable claim about the January agreement [that got Kevin McCarthy the speakership]: that GOP votes to advance bills on the committee effectively needed to be unanimous.... Roy was basically claiming that he, fellow Freedom Caucus member Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and a third non-McCarthy loyalist on the committee, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), each had veto power.... 'I have not heard that before,' Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) told CNN. 'If those conversations took place, the rest of the conference was unaware of them.'" MB: This supposed rule, forged in such secrecy that even one of the parties to it knows nothing about it, is as stupid as the Senate rule that allows Sen. Potato Head to single-handedly hold up promotions for hundreds of military officials.

Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: Chip "Roy, 50, the policy chairman of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus who has emerged as the hard right's spending expert, is accusing [Kevin] McCarthy of having reneged on [a 'power-sharing' agreement they cut in January], and is attempting to exert his leverage again -- this time with potentially dire consequences. He and his allies are attempting to shoot down the agreement Mr. McCarthy reached with President Biden to suspend the debt ceiling just days before the country is headed for default.... Several members have floated the idea of calling for Mr. McCarthy's removal."

Olivia Beavers & Sarah Ferris of Politico: "Conservative angst over the debt deal is threatening to trigger Kevin McCarthy's biggest fear -- a push to oust him from the speakership. Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) on Tuesday became the first House conservative to explicitly state he is considering a push to strip McCarthy of the gavel over his recent deal with President Joe Biden.... Other conservatives have indicated they're considering drastic measures over a debt-and-budget deal that they despise.... Publicly, though, few Freedom Caucus members are willing to go that far even as they trash the McCarthy-Biden deal.... The procedure Bishop is considering would essentially trigger a vote of no confidence against McCarthy -- a tool that's been weaponized by the conservative House Freedom Caucus against the past two speakers in attempts to keep party leaders from leaning too much towards the center." MB: They're not "conservatives"; they're radical economic terrorists (and most are insurrectionists, too).

How Joe Rolls. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post: "For days, [Kevin] McCarthy (R-Calif.) has effectively been arguing that he rolled [President] Biden, forcing him into major concessions on spending and delivering the Republican Party a win. 'President Biden claimed he'd never negotiate.... But in a stark contrast, Biden on Monday declined to even say who had gotten the better deal; he has merely called it a 'bipartisan deal' and 'good news for the American people.' And he said there was a reason for that. 'Why would Biden say what a good deal it is before the vote?' [Biden asked reporters on the South Lawn of the White House.] 'You think that's going to help me get it passed? No. That's why you guys don't bargain very well....'... In other words: If Biden says this is a good deal for Democrats, Republicans will vote against it.... It also reflects the reality of the modern Republican Party, which has become defined by an owning-the-libs mentality...." (Also linked yesterday.)

Tyler Pager of the Washington Post: "The intensive negotiations [over the debt ceiling deal] thrust [Office of Management & Budget Director Shalanda] Young, 45, into the center of a fight with sweeping economic and political ramifications. To many participants she seemed to become an indispensable figure, a rare individual who was known and trusted by members of both parties and could serve as a conduit at a moment when partisan recriminations have reached a fever pitch.... Young has been involved in budget fights for more than a decade starting with her tenure on the House Appropriations Committee.... 'Everybody in this place knows her, respects her greatly,' [Speaker Kevin] McCarthy told reporters this month.... Young's relationships with Republicans, former colleagues and current aides say, proved to be critical in developing trust with GOP members of Congress and their staffs.... [Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi] also praised Young's 'encyclopedic knowledge' of the budget and the respect she commands from Republicans, attributing it to her determination not to 'diminish the value of their contributions.' Young's command of the subject is also widely recognized."

Alan Rappeport of the New York Times: "... the brinkmanship that brought the United States within days of being unable to pay its bills has renewed calls for the Biden administration to stop the debt ceiling from continuing to be a political tool.... [President] Biden opted against challenging the constitutionality of the debt limit this time around but suggested last week that he had the authority to do so and hinted that he might try to use it in the future.... When and how Mr. Biden might try to carry out that legal test could affect how his legislative agenda holds up in a potential second term and how future presidents navigate budget negotiations when a party in the minority appears willing to risk a default. The Justice Department signaled this week that the Biden administration preferred to keep its legal thinking on the matter private.... After the agreement was reached [between the president and the House speaker], department lawyers asked for a hearing [in a suit challenging the constitutionality of the debt limit statute] that was scheduled for Wednesday to be postponed. The judge, Richard Stearns, agreed to postpone it indefinitely and allowed the Biden administration to avoid laying out its legal rationale."

Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: "President Biden is expected to nominate the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric Smith, to lead the service as commandant, selecting a senior officer who has led troops in combat and served more recently in a key role as the service attempts to transform itself after two decades of counterinsurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.... Smith's selection comes amid a broader remaking of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as [some top] officers retire. Among the other changes expected, Gen. Randy George has been nominated to replace Gen. James McConville as chief of staff of the Army, and Gen. Charles 'CQ' Brown Jr., the current chief of staff of the Air Force, has been tapped to replace Army Gen. Mark A. Milley as Joint Chiefs chairman." MB: Good luck to all you guys. Because Mr. Potato Head.

Missy Ryan of the Washington Post: "Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged Turkey to take immediate action on Sweden's bid to join NATO, saying there was no reason for further delay in bolstering the trans-Atlantic alliance at a time of profound tension with Russia.... While NATO members cemented the accession of neighboring Finland this spring, Turkey and Hungary have so far declined to ratify Sweden's membership.... Blinken spoke alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who said Stockholm had taken numerous steps to address Turkish concerns about Sweden's handling of individuals whom Ankara views as Kurdish militants.... U.S. officials have said they expect Hungary to ratify once Turkey does."

The Wind Is Woke. Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "Even before the [Inflation Reduction Act] started to take effect..., America was experiencing a renewable energy boom. And the boom has been led by a surprising place: [Texas].... Texas dominates in wind power.... You might think, then, that Texas politicians would be celebrating the renewables boom.... But no. Republicans in the Texas legislature have turned hard against renewable energy, with a raft of proposed measures that would subsidize fossil fuels, impose restrictions that might block many renewable energy projects and maybe even shut down many existing facilities.... Renewables have been caught up in the culture wars.... the weird thing is the way [the rage against wokeism] infects attitudes on issues that don't actually involve wokeism but are seen as woke-adjacent.... So in the minds of Texas right-wingers the wind has become woke, and wind power has become something to be fought even if it hurts business and costs the state both money and jobs."

Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: "Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), who was first elected to Congress in 2012, will resign his seat to focus on his wife's health, according to a published report.... [Her] medical issues are not publicly known.... Stewart's departure would reduce the GOP's already-slim majority in the House -- 222 seats to Democrats' 213.... Per Utah law, Stewart's resignation will spark a special election, whose winner will fill the remainder of his term Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) will announce the timeline for the race's primary and general elections once Stewart officially announces his resignation. Stewart, who serves on the Appropriations and Intelligence committees, has won handily in the Republican-leaning district since he was first elected in 2012." (Also linked yesterday.)

Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan of the New York Times: Jack Smith, "the special counsel investigating ... Donald J. Trump"... has subpoenaed staff members from the Trump White House who may have been involved in firing the government cybersecurity official whose agency judged the election 'the most secure in American history,' according to two people briefed on the matter. The team ... has been asking witnesses about the events surrounding the firing of Christopher Krebs, who was the Trump administration's top cybersecurity official during the 2020 election.... Mr. Smith's team is also seeking information about how White House officials, including in the Presidential Personnel Office, approached the Justice Department, which Mr. Trump turned to after his election loss as a way to try to stay in power, people familiar with the questions said. The investigators appear focused on Mr. Trump's state of mind around the firing of Mr. Krebs, as well as on establishing a timeline of events leading up to the attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6, 2021....

"Mr. Krebs enraged Mr. Trump when his agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, released a statement nine days after the 2020 election attesting to the security of the results. The statement added a sharp rebuke -- in boldface type -- to the unfounded conspiracy theories that Mr. Trump and his allies were spreading about compromised voting machines. 'There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised,' the statement from Mr. Krebs's agency read. Five days later, Mr. Trump tweeted that Mr. Krebs was 'terminated' after releasing a 'highly inaccurate' statement about the 2020 election.... Within the Presidential Personnel Office, a small group of Trump loyalists, led by Mr. Trump's former personal aide, John McEntee, were on a mission to find and fire people perceived as disloyal to Mr. Trump within the federal bureaucracy. And they had fingered the outspoken Mr. Krebs as among the ranks of the disloyal." Read on.

Spencer Hsu, et al., of the Washington Post: "A Mar-a-Lago employee who helped move boxes of documents last June has been questioned about his conduct weeks later related to a government demand for surveillance footage from Donald Trump's property, according to a person familiar with the federal probe.... Authorities have ... examined events in mid-July surrounding a ... subpoena which sought footage from security cameras on the property. Around that time, the employee allegedly had a conversation with an IT worker at the site about how the security cameras worked and how long images remained stored in the system, the person familiar with that aspect of the investigation said. The employee later told investigators that the conversation was innocent....But those answers were met with skepticism...."

Michael Kunzelman of the AP: "A Pennsylvania restaurant owner who screamed death threats directed at then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while storming the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Tuesday to more than two years in prison. Pauline Bauer was near Pelosi's office suite on Jan. 6, 2021, when she yelled at police officers to bring out the California Democrat so the mob of Donald Trump supporters could hang her. In January, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden convicted Bauer of riot-related charges after hearing trial testimony without a jury."

Bill Barrow of the AP: "Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia and remains at home, her family has announced. Carter, now 95, remains at home with former President Jimmy Carter, who has been at home receiving hospice care since early this year. 'She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones,' the family said via The Carter Center, the global humanitarian organization the couple founded in 1982 after leaving the White House." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ The Carter family's statement is here.

Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Tara Reade, a former Senate staffer who in 2020 accused Joe Biden of sexual assault, has said she had defected to Russia. 'I'm still kind of in a daze a bit but I feel very good,' Reade told Sputnik, a Russian press outlet supportive of President Vladimir Putin, while sitting with Maria Butina, a convicted Russian agent jailed in the US but now a member of parliament in Russia. 'I feel very surrounded by protection and safety,' Reade said on Tuesday. Now 59, Reade was a staffer for Biden when he was a US senator from Delaware." MB: Well, thanks to Reade for opening a window into her excellent perception & judgment.

Marie: Oh, Lordy, help me, help me. I agree with this guy. (This is likely a somewhat simplistic explanation of Trump's success, but it is an explanation): ~~~

     ~~~ Bret Stephens of the New York Times: "'The totalitarian phenomenon,' the French philosopher Jean-François Revel once noted, 'is not to be understood without making an allowance for the thesis that some important part of every society consists of people who actively want tyranny: either to exercise it themselves or -- much more mysteriously -- to submit to it.' It's an observation that should help guide our thinking about the re-election this week of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey. And it should serve as a warning about other places -- including the Republican Party -- where autocratic leaders, seemingly incompetent in many respects, are returning to power through democratic means.... The classically liberal political tradition is based on the suspicion of power. The illiberal tradition is based on the exaltation of it.... The Trump movement ... [is] built on a sense of belonging: of being heard and seen; of being a thorn in the side to those you sense despise you...; of submission for the sake of representation. All the rest -- victory or defeat, prosperity or misery -- is details. Erdogan defied expectation because he understood this. He won't be the last populist leader to do so."

Jan Hoffman of the New York Times: "Members of the Sackler family, the billionaire owners of Purdue Pharma, will receive full immunity from all civil legal claims -- current and future -- over their role in the company's prescription opioids business, a federal appeals court panel ruled on Tuesday. The ruling gives the family the sweeping protection that it has been demanding for years, in exchange for payment of up to $6 billion of the family's fortune to help address the ongoing ravages of the opioid crisis. It removes a major hurdle for that money, plus the company's initial outlay of $500 million, to be dispensed to states and communities for addiction treatment and prevention programs, needs that soared during an epidemic that has grown far beyond abuse of Purdue's signature prescription painkiller drug, OxyContin."

Chick-fil-A Fails Latest Bigotry Test. Gideon Rubin of the Raw Story: "A fast-food chain that for years has been castigated by progressives over its donations to anti-LGBT groups and allegations it embraced discriminatory practices is now being assailed by conservatives over a new initiative that aims to promote diversity, Newsweek reports. Chick-fil-A on its website reported that it has named Erick McReynolds as vice president of diversity equity and inclusion (DEI), a move that has angered conservatives."

Presidential Race 2024. The Party of Hate. Shane Goldmacher & Nicholas Nehamas of the New York Times: "Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida kicked off his presidential campaign in Iowa on Tuesday with a sweeping denunciation of the 'elites' that he said dominated American institutions, pitching himself as an unrepentant fighter who could reverse a tide of progressivism in boardrooms, the government and the military.... In a strident speech, he painted a dark picture of America, saying he would be a salve to a 'malignant ideology' that was taking hold across the nation. He described children facing 'indoctrination.' He mocked transgender athletes, denounced the 'woke Olympics' of diversity programs and reveled in his battle with Disney. 'It is time we impose our will on Washington, D.C.,' Mr. DeSantis said." MB: And you thought Trump was deplorable. BTW, I heard about 10 seconds of this speech, and DeSantolini's whiney little voice is even worse than Trump's.

Kasha Patel of the Washington Post: "... many parts of Earth's surface are sinking -- fast. Scientists are especially concerned for sinking locations near the coast, which are at a higher risk for flooding as sea levels rise in a warming world. Hurricanes and extreme rainfall events can also bring more damage to such low-lying areas.... Regions with the highest land subsidence in the United States are mainly located along the East and Gulf Coast, but here we selected a few hot spots around the country." Patel names Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City; Norfolk, Virginia & California's Central Valley. (Also linked yesterday.)

Beyond the Beltway

Mississippi. Praveena Somasundaram of the Washington Post: The mother of 11-year-old Aderrien Murry of Indianola, Mississippi, whom an Indianola policeman shot without apparent provocation, "filed a federal lawsuit against the officer accused of shooting her son, the police chief, the city of Indianola and other, unidentified officers."

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Wednesday in Russia's war against Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates for Wednesday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live briefing for Wednesday is here: "Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Kyiv for [drone] strikes in Moscow, accusing officials of retaliating against a Russian strike on a Ukrainian military site.... Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky..., denied that Ukraine was involved in the strikes but said Moscow residents deserved whatever came at them."

May 30, 2023

Afternoon/Evening Update:

Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: "Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), who was first elected to Congress in 2012, will resign his seat to focus on his wife's health, according to a published report.... [Her] medical issues are not publicly known.... Stewart's departure would reduce the GOP's already-slim majority in the House -- 222 seats to Democrats' 213.... Per Utah law, Stewart's resignation will spark a special election, whose winner will fill the remainder of his term. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) will announce the timeline for the race's primary and general elections once Stewart officially announces his resignation. Stewart, who serves on the Appropriations and Intelligence committees, has won handily in the Republican-leaning district since he was first elected in 2012."

How Joe Rolls. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post: "For days, [Kevin] McCarthy (R-Calif.) has effectively been arguing that he rolled [President] Biden, forcing him into major concessions on spending and delivering the Republican Party a win. 'President Biden claimed he'd never negotiate.... But in a stark contrast, Biden on Monday declined to even say who had gotten the better deal; he has merely called it a 'bipartisan deal' and 'good news for the American people.' And he said there was a reason for that. 'Why would Biden say what a good deal it is before the vote?' [Biden asked reporters on the South Lawn of the White House.] 'You think that's going to help me get it passed? No. That's why you guys don't bargain very well....'... In other words: If Biden says this is a good deal for Democrats, Republicans will vote against it.... It also reflects the reality of the modern Republican Party, which has become defined by an owning-the-libs mentality...."

Bill Barrow of the AP: "Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia and remains at home, her family has announced. Carter, now 95, remains at home with former President Jimmy Carter, who has been at home receiving hospice care since early this year. 'She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones,' the family said via The Carter Center, the global humanitarian organization the couple founded in 1982 after leaving the White House."

Kasha Patel of the Washington Post: "... many parts of Earth's surface are sinking -- fast. Scientists are especially concerned for sinking locations near the coast, which are at a higher risk for flooding as sea levels rise in a warming world. Hurricanes and extreme rainfall events can also bring more damage to such low-lying areas.... Regions with the highest land subsidence in the United States are mainly located along the East and Gulf Coast, but here we selected a few hot spots around the country." Patel names Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City; Norfolk, Virginia & California's Central Valley.

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Jim Tankersley & Alan Rappeport of the New York Times: "The full legislative text of Speaker Kevin McCarthy's agreement in principle with President Biden to suspend the nation's borrowing limit revealed new and important details about the deal, which House lawmakers are expected to vote on this week. The centerpiece of the agreement remains a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling, which caps the total amount of money the government is allowed to borrow." The article goes on to lay out some of the details. An NBC News report on the provisions of the deal is here.

~~~ Jennifer Haberkorn, et al., of Politico: "The White House has a simple message to Democrats skeptical of the debt ceiling agreement the president cut with Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Don't judge us by what's included but what we kept out. Top administration officials began fanning out late Saturday evening and all through Sunday to sell the deal, which would suspend the debt ceiling through January of 2025, limit federal spending through the same period, and make changes to government social welfare programs. The calls with stakeholders and lawmakers were generally positive, according to three people familiar with the overall feedback...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

NEW. Jennifer Jett & Courtney Kube of NBC News: "China has declined a request from the United States for a meeting between the countries' defense chiefs, the Pentagon said late Monday, as the world's two largest economies struggle to mend ties. The Pentagon had suggested a meeting between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security forum being held in Singapore from June 2 to 4. Washington has been seeking to restore high-level communications with Beijing as both sides signal a willingness to ease tensions stoked by clashes over Taiwan, a Chinese spy balloon and Russia's war in Ukraine. But China has outlined limits to that conciliation over its issues with U.S. sanctions and what it sees as a broader effort to contain its rise."

NEW. Hugo Lowell of the Guardian: "Donald Trump's lawyer tasked with searching for classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after the justice department issued a subpoena told associates that he was waved off from searching the former president's office, where the FBI later found the most sensitive materials anywhere on the property. The lawyer, Evan Corcoran, recounted that several Trump aides had told him to search the storage room because that was where all the materials that had been brought from the White House at the end of Trump's presidency ended up being deposited. Corcoran found 38 classified documents in the storage room. He then asked whether he should search anywhere else but was steered away, he told associates. Corcoran never searched Trump's office and told prosecutors that the 38 papers were the extent of the material at Mar-a-Lago.... It was not clear who waved off Corcoran from searching elsewhere at Mar-a-Lago -- whether it was Trump himself or Trump employees...." MB: I hope we can assume that prosecutors did not accept a passive-voice explanation and asked Corcoran who had waved him away from Trump's office & other areas in which Trump had squirreled away the classified docs. My guess it that it was Trump lawyer/toady Boris Epshteyn.

~~~ Katie Phang in an NBC News opinion piece. Donald "Trump's legal team is an epic disaster.... You would think a client facing [the] amount of legal peril [Trump faces] would have a top-notch team of lawyers in place to defend him. But when you have a client like Trump, normal expectations don't apply.... If he's being given legal advice not to talk, he is clearly not listening or he doesn't respect the counsel being dispensed. Historically, Trump has done and said whatever he wants, presumably regardless of the legal advice being provided by his dozens of attorneys."

Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd. Talmon Smith & Joe Rennison of the New York Times: "The prices of oil, transportation, food ingredients and other raw materials have fallen in recent months as the shocks stemming from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have faded. Yet many big businesses have continued raising prices at a rapid clip. Some of the world's biggest companies have said they do not plan to change course and will continue increasing prices or keep them at elevated levels for the foreseeable future. That strategy has cushioned corporate profits. And it could keep inflation robust, contributing to the very pressures used to justify surging prices. As a result, some economists warn, policymakers at the Federal Reserve may feel compelled to keep raising interest rates, or at least not lower them, increasing the likelihood and severity of an economic downturn." ~~~

~~~ Stacy Mitchell in a New York Times op-ed: "To understand why grocery prices are way up, we need to look past the headlines about inflation and reconsider long-held ideas about the benefits of corporate bigness.... [Because Walmart buys a large share of suppliers' products,] when Walmart demands special deals, suppliers can't say no. And as suppliers cut special deals for Walmart and other large chains, they make up for the lost revenue by charging smaller retailers even more, something economists refer to as the water bed effect. This isn't competition. It's big retailers exploiting their financial control over suppliers to hobble smaller competitors. Our failure to put a stop to it has warped our entire food system. It has driven independent grocers out of business and created food deserts. It has spurred consolidation among food processors, which has slashed the share of food dollars going to farmers and created dangerous bottlenecks in the production of meat and other essentials. And in a perverse twist, it has raised food prices for everyone, no matter where you shop." Read on.

Beyond the Beltway

California. Gloria Oladipo of the Guardian: "The insurance giant State Farm, America's biggest car and home insurer by premium volume, will halt the sale of new home insurance policies in California, citing wildfire risk and inflation of construction costs. Starting on Saturday, the company will not accept insurance applications for business and personal lines property and casualty insurance. The company will still accept auto insurance applicants."

Texas. Paul Weber & Acacia Coronado of the AP: "A historic impeachment trial in Texas to determine whether Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton should be permanently removed from office will begin no later than August in the state Senate, where the jury that would determine his future could include his wife, Sen. Angela Paxton. Setting a schedule was one of the last orders of business lawmakers took Monday during an acrimonious end to this year's legislative session in Texas, where the impeachment laid bare fractures in America's biggest red state beyond whether Republicans will oust one of the GOP's conservative legal stars. It drags Republicans -- who for years have pushed fast-changing Texas farther to the right -- into a summer of unfinished business and soured feelings that are likely to spill into 2024's elections. The stakes are also raised for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who couldn't get his full agenda through the GOP-controlled legislature on time. He almost immediately called lawmakers back to work for the first of 'several' special sessions in the coming months."

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al.

The New York Times' live updates of developments Tuesday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates for Tuesday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live briefing for Tuesday is here: "At least two residential buildings in the Russian capital were hit by drones Tuesday morning, Moscow's mayor said on Telegram.... The drone attack caused minor damage early Tuesday, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said.... No one has been seriously injured so far, the mayor said.... More than 10 drones were shot down in the Moscow region this morning, most of them in the Istrinsky, Krasnogorsky and Odintsovsky districts, according to Russia's Baza Telegram channel. In all, about 25 drones were involved in the morning attack.... The drone strike came after Russia conducted its third aerial attack on Kyiv in 24 hours. Falling debris killed at least one person and wounded at least four people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. The air raid was the 17th this month, he said.... In Kyiv, Ukraine's military destroyed more than 20 enemy drones in the city&'s airspace, the local military administration said early Tuesday. But residential buildings and vehicles were damaged, it said."

"Nukes for All!” Yuliya Talmazan of NBC News: "Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, promised nuclear weapons to any nation that joined Russia and Belarus. The comment came just days after the Belarusian leader confirmed the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to his country. Putin has periodically hinted at a nuclear escalation since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, dramatically increasing tensions with the United States and the West. 'It's very simple. You have to join the union between Belarus and Russia, and that's it: There will be nuclear weapons for everyone,' Lukashenko said in a comment aired Sunday night on Russian state TV.... On Thursday, the Belarusian leader confirmed that Russia has moved on the plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, first announced in March." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

CBS/AP: "Russia's Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the fighting in Ukraine. In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy's office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that 'the Russians are dying' and described the U.S. military assistance to the country as 'the best money we've ever spent.' While Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation, the short video by Ukraine's presidential office put them next to each other, causing outrage in Russia. Later, Zelenskyy's office issued video of Graham's actual remarks showing the shorter version had been edited.... Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that 'it's hard to imagine a greater shame for the country than having such senators.'" MB: Well, now, there's a Kremlin official remark I agree with, albeit for different reasons. Thanks to Forrest M. for the lead. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Turkey. Kareem Fahim of the Washington Post: “In victory..., instead of soothing the nation, [President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] lashed out at a familiar set of villains, in remarks that may set the tone for his next term. He was dismissive of his opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.... He denigrated LGBTQ people as a threat to 'family.' And he ruled out any release for an imprisoned Kurdish political leader, calling him a 'terrorist.'... As the country moved on from the election, Erdogan would not easily abandon the bitter rhetoric, analysts said, setting Turkey on a divisive and turbulent course for the foreseeable future, even as Erdogan juggled a need to stabilize the economy as well as Turkey's often stormy relations with allies in the West."

News Ledes

New York Times: "At least nine people were wounded when gunfire erupted on Monday between two groups near a beach in Hollywood, Fla., in a shooting that sent dozens of panicked beachgoers fleeing or ducking for cover on Monday evening, officials said.... It is unclear what led to the shooting or how many people were involved in the confrontation." A CBS News story is here.

New York Times: "A search and rescue effort was winding down in Iowa on Monday after the partial collapse of a six-story apartment building the day before, officials said. The Davenport Police Department said its officers and firefighters responded on Sunday at about 5 p.m. to a report of the collapse at 324 Main Street in Davenport, a city along the Mississippi River in the eastern part of the state. Overnight, more than a dozen people were escorted out of the building and eight were rescued, Chief Michael Carlsten, of the Davenport Fire Department, said at a news conference on Monday.... There were no known individuals still trapped and no reported deaths, but on Monday, teams used dogs trained in cadaver detection and rescue to search through the rubble, the chief said.... Rich Oswald, the city's director of development and neighborhood services, said work was being done on the outside of the building at the time of the collapse, and there were reports of bricks falling from the building earlier this week." ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "Five people remain unaccounted for, including two people whose remains may be in a pile of rubble at the site of a partially collapsed apartment building, officials of the city of Davenport, Iowa, said Tuesday. Mayor Mike Matson confirmed the numbers at a news conference following criticism that the city was moving too quickly toward demolishing the building before making sure that no one is still inside. Protests erupted after a woman was rescued Monday night, hours after the city ordered the demolition to begin as early as Tuesday.... The discovery of another survivor Monday evening, rescued by ladder truck from a fourth-floor window, prompted the city to reevaluate, they said."

May 29, 2023

CNN posts Memorial Day photos.

Russ Bynum of the AP: "Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment made a desperate retreat [in September 1950] as North Korean troops closed in around them. A wounded, 18-year-old Army Pfc. Luther Herschel Story feared his injuries would slow down his company, so he stayed behind to cover their withdrawal.... He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor, which is now displayed alongside his portrait at the National Infantry Museum, an hour's drive from his hometown of Americus, Georgia. But Story was never seen alive again, and his resting place long remained a mystery. That changed in April when the U.S. military revealed lab tests had matched DNA from [niece Judy] Wade and her late mother to bones of an unidentified American soldier recovered from Korea in October 1950. The remains belonged to Story, a case agent told Wade over the phone.... A Memorial Day burial with military honors was scheduled Monday at the Andersonville National Cemetery. A police escort with flashing lights escorted Story's casket through the streets of nearby Americus on Wednesday after it arrived in Georgia." As a child, Story had lived in Plains, Georgia and worked for President Jimmy Carter's father. A staff member told President Carter of the return of Story's remains, which evoked "a big smile" from the former 'resident.

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Afternoon Update:

"Nukes for All!" Yuliya Talmazan of NBC News: "Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, promised nuclear weapons to any nation that joined Russia and Belarus. The comment came just days after the Belarusian leader confirmed the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to his country. Putin has periodically hinted at a nuclear escalation since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, dramatically increasing tensions with the United States and the West. 'It's very simple. You have to join the union between Belarus and Russia, and that's it: There will be nuclear weapons for everyone,' Lukashenko said in a comment aired Sunday night on Russian state TV.... On Thursday, the Belarusian leader confirmed that Russia has moved on the plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, first announced in March."

Jennifer Haberkorn, et al., of Politico: "The White House has a simple message to Democrats skeptical of the debt ceiling agreement the president cut with Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Don't judge us by what's included but what we kept out. Top administration officials began fanning out late Saturday evening and all through Sunday to sell the deal, which would suspend the debt ceiling through January of 2025, limit federal spending through the same period, and make changes to government social welfare programs. The calls with stakeholders and lawmakers were generally positive, according to three people familiar with the overall feedback...."

CBS/AP: "Russia's Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the fighting in Ukraine. In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy's office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that 'the Russians are dying' and described the U.S. military assistance to the country as 'the best money we've ever spent.' While Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation, the short video by Ukraine's presidential office put them next to each other, causing outrage in Russia. Later, Zelenskyy's office issued video of Graham's actual remarks showing the shorter version had been edited.... Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that 'it's hard to imagine a greater shame for the country than having such senators.'" MB: Well, now, there's a Kremlin official remark I agree with, albeit for different reasons. Thanks to Forrest M. for the lead.

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Luke Broadwater & Chris Cameron of the New York Times: "A day after striking a deal in principle with President Biden to suspend the debt limit, Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his leadership team began an all-out sales pitch on Sunday to rally Republicans behind a compromise that was drawing intense resistance from the hard right. To get the legislation through a fractious and closely divided Congress, Mr. McCarthy and top Democratic leaders must cobble together a coalition of Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate willing to back it. Members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus have already declared war on the plan, which they say fails to impose meaningful spending cuts, and warned that they would seek to block it.... Mr. Biden told reporters that he was confident the deal would reach his desk and that he spoke with Mr. McCarthy on Sunday afternoon 'to make sure all the T's are crossed and the I's are dotted.'"

Mychael Schnell & Emily Brooks of the Hill: "Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) released text of the bill to raise the debt limit on Sunday evening as Democratic and Republican leaders work to corral support ahead of this week's vote. The bill -- which spans 99 pages -- raises the debt limit for two years, strengthens work requirements on federal public assistance programs and rescinds roughly $28 billion in COVID-19 funding that went unused.... And in a surprise addition to the bill, it includes a measure to expedite completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline -- a major win for West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) who has long been trying to speed up construction of the natural gas pipeline that had been stalled due to environmental concerns.... The bill's release officially starts the clock on the 72-hour rule, which gives House members at least three days to review a bill before voting on it. Sticking to the 72-hour rule was a key demand of the conservatives who withheld support for McCarthy during the drawn-out Speaker's race in January."

Joanna Walters of the Guardian: "US president Joe Biden has said a bipartisan deal to raise the $31.4tn US debt ceiling and avoid a default is ready to move to Congress and urged lawmakers to pass the agreement he struck with Kevin McCarthy. 'This is a deal that's good news for ... the American people,' Biden said at the White House on Sunday night after a call with McCarthy to put the final touches to a tentative deal struck the previous day. 'It takes the threat of catastrophic default off the table, protects our hard-earned and historic economic recovery, he said.... Earlier on Sunday morning, McCarthy boasted on Fox News Sunday that 'there's not one thing in the bill for Democrats' even though Biden achieved his fundamental goal of persuading the Republican to agree to a debt ceiling increase."

Former hostage Joe Biden spoke Sunday about the budget agreement:

~~~ Marie: BUT Catherine Rampell has a point. If she's right -- and I think she may be -- Joe pulled a fast one on the hostage-takers: ~~~

     ~~~ Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post: "... from what we know so far, this much-ballyhooed 'deal' doesn't seem terribly different from whatever budget agreement would have materialized anyway later this year, during the usual annual appropriations process, under divided government. To President Biden's credit, the most objectionable ransoms that Republicans had been demanding are all gone.... The U.S. government, prodded by House Republicans, has spent the past few months beclowning itself before the rest of the world.... The U.S. government also might have already incurred higher borrowing costs, of as-yet-unknown amounts, as markets fretted in recent weeks over whether Uncle Sam might stiff any creditors.... There also might be longer-term reputational and financial costs thanks to this episode, particularly if we've now set ourselves up for another hostage crisis two years hence.... And to what end? To get minimal changes to fiscal policies that probably would have happened anyway? This not-quite-cataclysmic-but-still-corrosive outcome assumes, of course, that the Biden-McCarthy agreement actually passes and the U.S. government doesn't beclown itself further." AND ~~~

~~~ Dean Obeidallah on Substack: "President Biden won and Donald Trump/MAGA lost -- again. It's that simple when it comes to the debt ceiling deal announced Saturday night. Keep in mind Trump was demanding a debt ceiling default because he wants to tank our strong economy given he believes it helps him win in 2024. Trump publicly stated and posted on social media as much, recently writing that Republicans should cause a default, 'UNLESS THEY [GOP] GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT (Including the "kitchen sink").'... North Carolina Rep Dan Bishop who tweeted: 'RINOs congratulating McCarthy for getting almost zippo in exchange for $4T debt ceiling hike.' (You can read even more MAGA Reps going ballistic here.)... For starters and very importantly, it raises the debt ceiling for two years -- not one as the GOP wanted.... In addition, the budget cuts agreed--to per a NY Times analysis Sunday -- amount to only 'a fraction of the cuts Republicans originally sought.'... In reality, the deal reached is much more about future spending limits than it is with simply raising the debt ceiling to pay for past appropriations."

Presidential Race 2024. David Edwards of the Raw Story: "A Fox News poll found that 56% of Americans do not believe ... Donald Trump has the 'mental soundness' to be president.... As for [President] Biden, 60% of those Fox News polled agreed he did not have the mental soundness to do the job. Fox News noted that the difference between the two candidates was within the survey's margin of error.... The survey also compared President Joe Biden's character to Trump. Biden had a 9-point advantage over Trump regarding honesty and an 8-point lead for empathy. 11% fewer people also believe that Biden is corrupt."

Beyond the Beltway

Marie: When I was a young woman reading the newspapers, I used to tut-tut and marvel at how backward other countries were (see Uganda story, linked below) compared to the glorious USA. While the new Uganda legislation certainly is worse than the Tennessee law described next, I note that the New York Times earlier included links to both stories in the same block on its front page. (The Times has since moved the Tennessee link to its "Politics" page alone.) Nowadays, Republican legislatures across the country are making sure I do my tut-tutting at home, too. ~~~

~~~ Tennessee. Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: "If a federal judge allows [Tennessee's 'adult caberet'] law to take effect in the coming weeks, it will ban what it defines as adult cabaret performances, including by 'male or female impersonators,' on public property or anywhere children could view them. It will not stop the shows that ... [performers put] on at an adults-only club in Clarksville and other clubs near the Kentucky border. Still..., performers said, being seen in drag anywhere in public feels far riskier now. The law and others like it come as far-right activists have increasingly targeted drag shows across the country, with members of the Proud Boys and other protesters, sometimes heavily armed, appearing at the shows and at library story hours when drag performers read books to children."

In case you were momentarily deluded by Ken Paxton's impeachment and were thinking, “Gosh, maybe some Texas Republican lawmakers are so bad,” there's this: ~~~

~~~ Texas. Patrick Marley of the Washington Post: "Texas Republicans wound down their regular legislative session Sunday by changing election policies for a single populous Democratic stronghold but not other parts of the state. The measure gives the secretary of state under certain conditions the power to run elections in Harris County, home to Houston and 4.8 million residents. It follows a bill approved days earlier that shifts the oversight of elections from its appointed elections administrator to the county clerk and county assessor. Harris County officials at a news conference last week said they would bring a lawsuit challenging the measures as soon as Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signs them into law. 'These bills are not about election reform,' said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county's chief executive. 'They're not about improving voters' experience. They are entirely about suppressing voters' voices. The reasoning behind these bills is nothing but a cynical charade.'" ~~~

~~~ AND. Kelby Vera of the Huffington Post: "Texas lawmakers have moved to shutter all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at publicly funded universities in the state. Legislators in both chambers approved the final version of Senate Bill 17 on Sunday and it is now headed to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to be signed. If approved, SB 17 would require Texas' public universities to dismantle their DEI offices, programs and training in the next six months. The bill also bans institutions from mandating any DEI training as a condition of employment or admission to the university, and orders all hiring practices be 'color-blind and sex-neutral.'The legislation would not affect course instruction, faculty research, student organizations, guest speakers, data collection or admissions."

Way Beyond

Turkey. Bad News for Democracy. Suzan Fraser & Zeynep Bilginsoy of the AP: "Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection Sunday, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade as the country reels from high inflation and the aftermath of an earthquake that leveled entire cities.A third term gives Erdogan an even stronger hand domestically and internationally, and the election results will have implications far beyond Ankara.... With more than 99% of ballot boxes opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52% of the vote, compared with 48% for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The head of Turkey's electoral board confirmed the victory, saying that even after accounting for outstanding votes, the result was another term for Erdogan." The Guardian's story is here. Akhilleus seems skeptical. See his comment, first posted late yesterday and re-posted below.

Uganda. Rodney Muhumuza of the AP: "Uganda's president has signed into law tough new anti-gay legislation supported by many in this East African country but widely condemned by rights activists and others abroad. The version of the bill signed by President Yoweri Museveni doesn't criminalize those who identify as LGBTQ, a key concern for campaigners who condemned an earlier draft of the legislation as an egregious attack on human rights. But the new law still prescribes the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality,' which is defined as cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV as well as with minors and other categories of vulnerable people."

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Monday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Explosions rang across the capital [Kiev] Monday morning as it suffered its 16th air attack this month and second in the past 12 hours. The Kyiv regional military administration described the raid as a missile attack and said air defenses were at work.... The drone strikes launched by Russian forces Saturday night was the largest since the start of the war, with most of the Iranian-made drones targeting Kyiv, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War.... Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans over the weekend to implement sanctions against Iran for a 50-year period.... [U.S.] Secretary of State Antony Blinken begins a five-day visit to Sweden, Norway and Finland on Monday to discuss support for Ukraine, among other matters, the State Department said. He will also attend a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Oslo." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Monday are here. The Guardian's live updates for Monday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here.