The Ledes

Friday, September 27, 2024

New York Times: “Maggie Smith, one of the finest British stage and screen actors of her generation, whose award-winning roles ranged from a freethinking Scottish schoolteacher in 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' to the acid-tongued dowager countess on 'Downton Abbey,' died on Friday in London. She was 89.”

The Washington Post's live updates of developments related to Hurricane Helene are here: “Hurricane Helene left one person dead in Florida and two in Georgia as it sped north. One of the biggest storms on record to hit the Gulf Coast, Helene slammed into Florida’s Big Bend area on Thursday night as a Category 4 colossus with winds of up to 140 mph before weakening to Category 1. Catastrophic winds and torrential rain from the storm — which the National Hurricane Center forecast would eventually slow over the Tennessee Valley — were expected to continue Friday across the Southeast and southern Appalachians.” ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates are here.

Mediaite: “Fox Weather’s Bob Van Dillen was reporting live on Fox & Friends about flooding in Atlanta from Hurricane Helene when he was interrupted by the screams of a woman trapped in her car. During the 7 a.m. hour, Van Dillen was filing a live report on the massive flooding in the area. Fox News viewers could clearly hear the urgent screams for help emerging from a car stuck on a flooded road in the background of the live shot. Van Dillen ... told Fox & Friends that 911 had been called and that the local Fire Department was on its way. But as he continued to file the report, the screams did not stop, so Van Dillen cut the live shot short.... Some 10 minutes later, Fox & Friends aired live footage of Van Dillen carrying the woman to safety, waking through chest-deep water while the flooding engulfed her car in the background[.]”

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The Ledes

Thursday, September 26, 2024

The New York Times:' live updates of Hurricane Helene developments today are here. “Hurricane Helene was barreling through the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday en route to Florida, where residents were bracing for extreme rain, destructive winds and deadly storm surge ahead of the storm’s expected landfall. The storm could intensify to a Category 4, if not higher, before making landfall late Thursday, and forecasters warned Helene’s anticipated large size could make its impacts felt across an extensive area. Areas as distant as Atlanta and the Appalachians are at risk for heavy rains.... Many forecast models show the storm making landfall late Thursday near Florida’s Big Bend Coast, a sparsely populated stretch....” ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post has forecasts for some cites in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina & Tennessee that are in or near the probable path of Helene. ~~~

     ~~~ This morning, an MSNBC weatherperson said Tallahassee (which is inland) would experience wind gusts of up to 120 m.p.h. and that the National Weather Service said expected 20-foot storm surges near the coast would be “unsurvivable.”

Help!

To keep the Conversation going, please help me by linking news articles, opinion pieces and other political content in today's Comments section.

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The New York Times lists Emmy winners. The AP has an overview story here.

New York Times: “Hvaldimir, a beluga whale who had captured the public’s imagination since 2019 after he was spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera, was found dead on Saturday in Norway, according to a nonprofit that worked to protect the whale.... [Hvaldimir] was wearing a harness that identified it as “equipment” from St. Petersburg. There also appeared to be a camera mount. Some wondered if the whale was on a Russian reconnaissance mission. Russia has never claimed ownership of the whale. If Hvaldimir was a spy, he was an exceptionally friendly one. The whale showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people. He remained in busier waters than are typical for belugas....” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Oh, Lord, do not let Bobby Kennedy, Jr., near that carcass. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: “There’s no evidence that a well-known beluga whale that lived off Norway’s coast and whose harness ignited speculation it was a Russian spy was shot to death last month as claimed by animal rights groups, Norwegian police said Monday.... Police said that the Norwegian Veterinary Institute conducted a preliminary autopsy on the animal, which was become known as 'Hvaldimir,' combining the Norwegian word for whale — hval — and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'There are no findings from the autopsy that indicate that Hvaldimir has been shot,' police said in a statement.”

New York Times: Botswana's “President Mokgweetsi Masisi grinned as he lifted the diamond, a 2,492-carat stone that is the biggest diamond unearthed in more than a century and the second-largest ever found, according to the Vancouver-based mining operator Lucara, which owns the mine where it was found. This exceptional discovery could bring back the luster of the natural diamond mining industry, mining companies and experts say. The diamond was discovered in the same relatively small mine in northeastern Botswana that has produced several of the largest such stones in living memory. Such gemstones typically surface as a result of volcanic activity.... The diamond will likely sell in the range of tens of millions of dollars....”

Click on photo to enlarge.

~~~ Guardian: "On a distant reef 16,000km from Paris, surfer Gabriel Medina has given Olympic viewers one of the most memorable images of the Games yet, with an airborne celebration so well poised it looked too good to be true. The Brazilian took off a thundering wave at Teahupo’o in Tahiti on Monday, emerging from a barrelling section before soaring into the air and appearing to settle on a Pacific cloud, pointing to the sky with biblical serenity, his movements mirrored precisely by his surfboard. The shot was taken by Agence France-Presse photographer Jérôme Brouillet, who said “the conditions were perfect, the waves were taller than we expected”. He took the photo while aboard a boat nearby, capturing the surreal image with such accuracy that at first some suspected Photoshop or AI." 

Washington Post: “'Mary Cassatt at Work' is a large and mostly satisfying exhibition devoted to the career of the great American artist beloved for her sensitive and often sentimental views of family life. The 'at work' in the title of the Philadelphia Museum of Art show references the curators’ interest in Cassatt’s pioneering effort to establish herself as a professional artist within a male-dominated field. Throughout the show, which includes some 130 paintings, pastels, prints and drawings, the wall text and the art on view stresses Cassatt’s fixation on art as a career rather than a pastime.... Mary Cassatt at Work is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Sept. 8. philamuseum.org”

New York Times: “Bob Newhart, who died on Thursday at the age of 94, has been such a beloved giant of popular culture for so long that it’s easy to forget how unlikely it was that he became one of the founding fathers of stand-up comedy. Before basically inventing the hit stand-up special, with the 1960 Grammy-winning album 'The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart' — that doesn’t even count his pay-per-view event broadcast on Canadian television that some cite as the first filmed special — he was a soft-spoken accountant who had never done a set in a nightclub. That he made a classic with so little preparation is one of the great miracles in the history of comedy.... Bob Newhart holds up. In fact, it’s hard to think of a stand-up from that era who is a better argument against the commonplace idea that comedy does not age well.”

Washington Post: “An early Titian masterpiece — once looted by Napolean’s troops and a part of royal collections for centuries — caused a stir when it was stolen from the home of a British marquess in 1995. Seven years later, it was found inside an unassuming white and blue plastic bag at a bus stop in southwest London by an art detective, and returned. This week, the oil painting 'The Rest on the Flight into Egypt' sold for more than $22 million at Christie’s. It was a record for the Renaissance artist, whom museums describe as the greatest painter of 16th-century Venice. Ahead of the sale in April, the auction house billed it as 'the most important work by Titian to come to the auction market in more than a generation.'”

Washington Post: The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., which houses the world's largest collection of Shakespeare material, has undergone a major renovation. "The change to the building is pervasive, both subtle and transformational."

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Publisher & Editor: Marie Burns


Thursday
Apr272023

April 28, 2023

Afternoon Update:

MTG Explains Motherhood. Althea Legaspi of Rolling Stone, republished by Yahoo! News: "Mother's Day is just around the corner, and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) would like stepmoms to know that, no, that doesn't count as motherhood. In a hearing for the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Select Coronavirus Crisis on school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Georgia congresswoman attacked the American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten for not being 'a biological mother.' 'Are you a mother?' Greene asked. Weingarten responded that she is a 'mother by marriage.' Weingarten is married to Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, and a stepmother to Kleinbaum's children from her previous marriage. 'I see,' Greene responded. She's 'not a medical doctor, not a biological mother, and really not a teacher either,' Greene went on to say. 'People like you need to admit that you're just a political activist, not a teacher, not a mother, and not a medical doctor,' Greene added." ~~~

     I will never leave that woman. I will always take care of her. -- Kevin McCarthy, speaking of MTG in January 2023

Trump Embraces Woman Who Wants Mike Pence, MOCs Executed. Ryan Reilly & Olympia Sonnier of NBC News: "... Donald Trump embraced a Jan. 6 defendant at a [Manchester, N.H.] diner during a campaign stop Thursday night, calling the woman, who served prison time for her actions during the Capitol attack and wants former Vice President Mike Pence executed for treason, 'terrific.'... Micki Larson-Olson ... was convicted last year of unlawful entry on Capitol grounds.... On Jan. 6, Larson-Olson climbed the scaffolding set up for Joe Biden's inauguration and held on when police tried to remove her; she later bragged on social media and in an interview that it took six officers to remove her.... Larson-Olson said she believes that the members of Congress who voted to certify Biden's presidential election should be executed.... Larson-Olson added that she 'would like a front seat of Mike Pence being executed' and that he should be the 'No. 1' person on her list of those who committed treason....

"Larson-Olson was introduced to Trump as a 'Jan. 6er,' and he signed the backpack that she said she was carrying with her that day and waived [waved!] her past security so he could embrace her. 'Listen, you just hang in there,' Trump said, calling her a 'terrific woman' and kissing her on the cheek. Trump said it was 'so bad' what has been done to Jan. 6 'patriots.'... The meeting comes as Trump has said he may pardon those charged in the Capitol attack and just a month after he opened a campaign rally with a song performed by the 'J6 choir' made up of Jan. 6 defendants who are incarcerated awaiting trial." A related WashPo story was linked earlier today, but it lacked the details of Larson-Olson's views & actions. I've skipped some stuff the reporters cover, so it's worth your reading their story.

** North Carolina. Back to GOP Gerrymandering! Michael Wines of the New York Times: "Barely a year after Democratic justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court said new maps of the state's legislative and congressional districts were partisan gerrymanders that violated the State Constitution, a newly elected Republican majority on the court reversed course on Friday and said the court had no authority to overturn those maps. The practical effect is to enable the Republican-controlled State Legislature to scrap the court-ordered State Senate and congressional district boundaries that were used in elections last November, and draw new maps skewed in their favor for elections in 2024. Overturning such a recent ruling by the court was a highly unusual move, particularly on a pivotal constitutional issue in which none of the facts had changed." Politico's story is here. Voters in North Carolina are about evenly divided between Republicans & Democrats, but the gerrymandered districts that the state legislature will likely return to likely would give Republicans 10 of the 14 U.S. House seats. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It's notable that when Democrats controlled the court, a court-appointed special master divided the districts fairly, and North Carolina sent seven Congressmembers from each party to Washington, D.C. That is, Democrats don't take advantage; they play fair.

~~~~~~~~~~

** Dan Froomkin of Press Watch: "House Republicans are refusing to let the government keep paying its bills unless the Biden administration rolls back some of its signature achievements. It's a demand that neither the Senate nor Biden will ever agree to.... Explaining it that way is simply good journalism. But as usual..., [the media treat] what is essentially a hostage crisis created exclusively by one side as a normal, two-sided partisan squabble. Indeed, our top political reporters now insist that the onus is on Biden to solve the problem." Froomkin cites articles by Jim Tankersley of the New York Times & Jeff Stein of the Washington Post. "And it's not just them. The notion that this is a problem that both sides needed to solve has been endemic to corporate political reporting for months now." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: When I saw the headlines of Tankersley's & Stein's stories, I just ignored the stories altogether. I should have flagged them as Froomkin did. Froomkin writes that Tankersley & Stein are "highly competent at times" and suggests they must be under some pressure from editors to write GOP propaganda. I don't know anything about Stein, but I know that Tankersley, who used to write for the WashPo, has been writing up GOP talking points for years and turning them in as "reporting." I vet what he writes before I link it.

Paul Blumenthal of the Huffington Post: "Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter Thursday to Chief Justice John Roberts asking him to answer questions related to the Supreme Court's ethics policies. The letter, signed by all 11 Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, comes on the heels of Roberts' rejection of Durbin's request that the chief justice appear, or designate another justice to appear, before the committee for a hearing about how the court polices conflicts of interest and other ethics issues.... In rejecting the committee's request to appear or to send a justice to appear for a hearing, Roberts attached a 'Statement of Ethics Principles and Practices to which all of the current Members of the Supreme Court subscribe.' 'The statement of principles raises more questions than it resolves, and we request that you respond to several key questions,' according to the response from Durbin and the Judiciary Committee Democrats." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I'm happy to see that committee Democrats are not letting Durbin get away with ignoring Roberts' rebuff. But how come committee Republicans are not even giving lip service to caring about Supreme Court ethics? Why should Supreme Court Ethics be a partisan issue? Shouldn't every member of congress want the justices to have to adhere to ethics standards as high as the ones members of Congress are supposed to follow? We know that in reality most Republicans treat ethics as a joke, but when did they decide they weren't even going to pretend they cared? I suppose it's yet another Trump effect: it's impossible to support Trump and even pretend you believe federal officials should follow high ethical standards. ~~~

     ~~~ Here are Democrats, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Ted Lieu, expressing outrage at the Supremes' "stink of corruption." So then there's this:

     ~~~ David Moye of the Huffington Post: "A National Review writer who defended Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for not disclosing his lavish vacations with billionaire Harlan Crow ... failed to mention [in his defense of Thomas] that he had gone on many of the same excursions that have led to the scandal over Thomas' failure to disclose the trips ... and his possible conflicts of interest. Mark Paoletta posted the piece Thursday on the conservative National Review's website under the headline 'Justice Thomas Acted Properly and Was Not Required to Disclose His Trips.' In the article, Paoletta, who was general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget during the Trump administration, claims that Thomas did everything properly when it comes to disclosure...."Don't stop reading here. Moye publishes a number of excellent tweeted comments. ~~~

AND Congrats All Around for The Judiciary Committee's Tough O'Kavanaugh "Investigation." Stephanie Kirchgaessner of the Guardian: "A 2018 Senate investigation that found there was 'no evidence' to substantiate any of the claims of sexual assault against the US supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh contained serious omissions, according to new information obtained by the Guardian. The 28-page report was released by the Republican senator Chuck Grassley, the then chairman of the Senate judiciary committee. It prominently included an unfounded and unverified claim that one of Kavanaugh's accusers -- a fellow Yale graduate named Deborah Ramirez -- was 'likely' mistaken when she alleged that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a dormitory party because another Yale student was allegedly known for such acts." An attorney named Joseph C Smith Jr., who was a friend of the Judiciary Committee's lead counsel and a member of the Federalist Society, claimed that the person who exposed himself to Ramirez was not Kavanaugh but a classmate of his named Jack Maxey. "The allegation that Ramirez was likely mistaken was included in the Senate committee's final report even though Maxey -- who was described but not named -- was not attending Yale at the time of the alleged incident.... Maxey adamantly denied any allegation that he exposed himself to Ramirez at any time.... The committee's final report claimed there was 'no verifiable evidence to support' Ramirez's claim." Maxey is a GOP activist who is shopping around what is supposed to be Hunter Biden's laptop. "... another Yale graduate, Max Stier, describing a separate alleged incident in which he said he witnessed Kavanaugh expose himself at a party at Yale." GOP "investigators" declined to hear Stier's testimony.

Katelyn Polantz of CNN: "Former Vice President Mike Pence testified on Thursday to a federal grand jury investigating the aftermath of the 2020 election and the actions of ... Donald Trump and others, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The testimony marks a momentous juncture in the criminal investigation and the first time in modern history a vice president has been compelled to testify about the president he served beside. Pence testified for more than five hours, a source familiar with the matter told CNN...." The New York Times story, by Maggie Haberman, is here. MB: Pence testified the day after a D.C. appellate panel ruled that Trump could not block Pence's testimony. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Generalissimo Trumpo Salutes the Troops. Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump on Thursday praised and embraced a woman convicted of defying police orders on the U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. 'Listen, you just hang in there,' Trump told the woman, Micki Larson-Olson, who was found guilty on a misdemeanor charge of resisting police efforts to clear the grounds after the insurrection by a pro-Trump mob. 'You guys are gonna be okay.' Trump, who was campaigning ... in New Hampshire, then agreed to sign the backpack she said she carried to the Capitol complex on the day of the [insurrection].... Trump, the polling leader in the GOP presidential race, finished by taking a picture with her, hugging her, and giving her the personalized marker he used for his autograph.... Trump has steadily escalated his advocacy for people charged in the Capitol riot, including by pledging to pardon them if he returns to the White House, praising them as patriots, participating in a recording with Jan. 6 prisoners singing the national anthem, and playing it at his first rally of the 2024 campaign last month. 'I think it's so terrible,' Trump said Thursday about the prosecution of Jan. 6 defendants." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Let us assume that Jack Smith is writing this down.

Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "Former president Trump's campaign quietly commissioned a second firm to study election fraud claims in the weeks after the 2020 election, and the founder of the firm was recently questioned by the Justice Department about his work disproving the claims. Ken Block, founder of the firm Simpatico Software Systems, studied more than a dozen voter fraud theories and allegations for Trump's campaign in late 2020 and found they were 'all false,' he said in an interview with The Washington Post.... Block said he recently received a subpoena from special counsel Jack Smith's office and met with federal prosecutors in Washington, but he declined to discuss his interactions with them. Block said he contemporaneously sent his findings disputing fraud claims in writing to the Trump campaign in late 2020.... Separately, prosecutors have interviewed multiple employees from the Berkeley Research Group in recent weeks, another Trump-paid firm that produced a 29-page report ultimately undermining many of Trump's fraud claims, according to three people familiar with the matter.... The firm's work was given to a number of top Trump aides [including Mark Meadows], and that Trump was briefed on the research himself by Berkeley employees, people familiar with the project said." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: We know Jack Smith is writing all this down.

Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: E. Jean "Carroll underwent hours of cross-examination by [Donald Trump's lawyer Joe] Tacopina, who made it clear he was seeking to undermine her testimony about what she says was a vicious attack by Mr. Trump after they ran into each other at the Bergdorf Goodman store on Fifth Avenue in the mid-1990s.... The lawyer pressed Ms. Carroll repeatedly about basic facts, probing for inconsistencies and asking about her inability to remember precisely when in 1995 or 1996 the encounter occurred.... At times during the cross-examination, Mr. Tacopina's approach led to admonishments from the judge, Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court.... Campaigning in New Hampshire on Thursday, Mr. Trump ... avoided specifically mentioning the trial in Manhattan and Ms. Carroll's accusations." ~~~

~~~ The New York Times liveblogged developments Thursday in the rape & defamation suit E. Jean Carroll has brought against Donald Trump. The Washington Post had a liveblog, too. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)


The Washington Post publishes 23 photos of the 900 it obtained through an FOIA request to the Obama Presidential Library. The photos all were taken on May 1, 2011, the day of the raid on Osama bin Ladin's Pakistan compound.

Rob Copeland & Maureen Farrell of the New York Times: "First Republic Bank is sliding dangerously into a financial maelstrom, one from which an exit appears increasingly difficult. Hardly a household name until a few weeks ago, First Republic is now a top concern for investors and bankers on Wall Street and officials in Washington. The likeliest outcome for the bank, people close to the situation said, would need to involve the federal government, alone or in some combination with a private investor. While the bank, with 88 branches focused mostly on the coasts, is still open for business, no one connected to it, including its executives and some board members, would say how much longer it could exist in its current form." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Presidential Race 2024. Nikki Haley Predicts Biden Will Die Soon. Summer Concepcion of NBC News: "Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Wednesday that President Joe Biden, 80, will likely die within five years and that his supporters would have to count on Vice President Kamala Harris if he were to win re-election next year. 'He announced that he's running again in 2024, and I think that we can all be very clear and say with a matter of fact that if you vote for Joe Biden you really are counting on a President Harris, because the idea that he would make it until 86 years old is not something that I think is likely,' Haley, 51, said in an interview on Fox News." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Actuarially, Joe Biden is past the life expectancy of a White American male (77.8 years). But his father lived to the age of 87, and his mother lived to be 93. Plus, Joe Biden has the best medical care money can't buy. So Haley's ghoulish prophecy may be a bit premature.

MEANWHILE, Ronnie Goes to Israel, as Patrick Kingsley of the New York Times reports. I tried to read the article without prejudice. Couldn't do it. DeSantis is such a phony. For instance, Kingsley writes, "At his news briefing, Mr. DeSantis mainly took questions from reporters for right-wing outlets including the American outlet Newsmax; Israel Hayom, a right-wing free sheet published by [Miriam] Adelson[, Sheldon's widow]; and Channel 14, a private pro-Netanyahu television channel in Israel." DeSantis is pretending the global excursion is a Florida trade mission (certainly so Florida taxpayers will foot the substantial travel bill).

Beyond the Beltway

Florida. Tierney Sneed of CNN: "A federal appeals court has upheld several provisions of a restrictive election law in Florida that was passed by the GOP-controlled legislature in 2021. A divided panel of the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals reversed most of a ruling by a trial judge last year that said the provisions in question violated the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act by intentionally targeting Black voters. US District Judge Mark Walker's ruling, the appeals court said Thursday, was legally and factually flawed. The 11th Circuit also reversed a holding by Walker that would have required Florida to seek federal approval for any future election rule changes that are similar to the provisions he had struck down." The chief judge of the 11th Circuit, who wrote the opinion, is a Bush II appointed; a Trump appointee joined his opinion. An Obama appointee dissented. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: And that's the way it goes. Every day Dick Durbin & Chuck Schumer coddle Dianne Feinstein, another American (or 100s of Americans) loses the franchise. Inaction has consequences. ~~~

     ~~~ Not Only That, Ron & the Florida Fascists Are Fixing to Make Things Worse. Get Lost, GOTV. Sam Levine of the Guardian: "Florida Republicans are on the verge of passing new restrictions on groups that register voters, a move voting rights groups and experts say will make it harder for non-white Floridians to get on the rolls. The restrictions are part of a sweeping 96-page election bill the legislature is likely to send to Governor Ron DeSantis's desk soon. The measure increases fines for third-party voter registration groups. It also shortens the amount of time the groups have to turn in any voter registration applications they collect from 14 days to 10. The bill makes it illegal for non-citizens and people convicted of certain felonies to 'collect or handle' voter registration applications on behalf of third-party groups."

Kansas. John Hanna of the AP: "The Republican-controlled state Senate voted 29-11 along party lines to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of the medication abortion 'reversal' measure. The GOP-controlled House overrode the veto Wednesday on an 84-40 vote and the new law takes effect July 1. [Providers consider the drug regimen, which the legislature is now forcing them to recommend, to be "ineffective and potentially dangerous."]... Kelly vetoed more than a dozen bills restricting abortion providers, rolling back transgender rights or enacting other conservative policies that have been pursued by Republicans across the U.S. While top GOP lawmakers prevailed on a majority of the Kansas measures, Kelly had some key victories." ~~~

     ~~~ Ben Brasch & Maham Javaid of the Washington Post: "Kansas lawmakers on Thursday passed what critics call one of the most sweeping anti-trans bathroom bills in the nation, overriding Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto as conservative state lawmakers are increasingly embracing culture war policies. The new law defines a man and a woman by their sex organs at birth and divides the two groups in their use of bathrooms in athletic settings, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, jails and prisons, while also leaving open its application in other areas." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I get that it would deprive Republicans of the fun and profit in bullying trans people, but states could just pass laws approving unisex public restrooms and forget about the whole thing. ~~~

~~~ Montana. Jim Robbins, et al., of the New York Times: "As Montana lawmakers entered the critical final days of their legislative session on Thursday, one of the state's only transgender lawmakers, Zooey Zephyr, was left exiled from the House chamber, monitoring the debate and casting votes on a laptop as she sat on a hallway bench near a bustling snack stand. Even as her Republican peers sought to isolate her in the wake of her impassioned comments against a proposed ban on what doctors call gender-affirming medical care for children, Ms. Zephyr said she would not remain idle. She spent much of the day on the bench, working with headphones in her ears to block the sound of chattering lobbyists, the hiss of a milk foamer and the voices of lawmakers ordering coffee." ~~~

     ~~~ Eduardo Medina & Jacey Fortin of the New York Times: "As debates over transgender issues embroil Montana's legislature, the governor has faced lobbying from someone close to him: his son, who identifies as nonbinary and has pleaded with his father to reject what he called 'immoral, unjust' bills backed by Republicans. In an interview with The Montana Free Press published Wednesday, David Gianforte, who uses he and they pronouns, said he had sat down with his father, Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, last month with a prepared statement in hand to read aloud. David Gianforte, 32, told The Montana Free Press, a nonprofit news outlet, that he had written down why he believed bills that were gaining traction in the State Senate and House would be harmful to the L.G.B.T.Q. community, to which he belongs." MB: It's hard to believe David thinks Goliath is persuadable.

Nebraska. Grace Moon of the Washington Post: "A Nebraska state lawmaker and mother to a trans child is being formally investigated over a potential conflict of interest for opposing restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, a move that several senators from both parties were quick to denounce. The complaint, filed by Omaha lawyer David Begley, alleges that Sen. Megan Hunt (D) has a financial stake in the Let Them Grow Act -- which would prohibit puberty blockers, hormone therapies and genital or non-genital surgeries before the age of 19 -- because she has a son who is transgender and could receive a financial benefit.... Sen. Wendy DeBoer (D) ... [said,. 'Every time we have a tax bill, I'm a taxpayer. So I may be involved in that every time.... We have a bill that involves families, well, I have a family.'" MB: Begley is apparently not too bright.

New York. Luis Ferré-Sadurní & Grace Ashford of the New York Times: "Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced that she and state lawmakers had reached an agreement on a roughly $229 billion state budget that would change the state's bail laws, increase the minimum wage and provide urgently needed funding for New York City's transit system. The deal capped weeks of contentious negotiations that divided the governor and the Democrat-led State Legislature, delaying its expected passage by almost a month...." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I don't know if you've noticed, but the stories I link about liberal-state news are usually about something like police differences, not unimportant, but pretty much what you'd expect. The stories I link about GOP-dominated states, however, are often about "the most restrictive abortion bill ever!" or "the most permissive gun law ever!" or "Education Department bans books" or "Anti-trans law passes on straight-line party votes." But oh lordie, lookie here: ~~~

~~~ South Carolina & Nebraska. Brittany Shammas, et al., of the Washington Post: "Strict new abortion restrictions failed to advance in two conservative-dominated legislatures on Thursday, signaling a mounting fear among some Republicans that abortion bans could lead to political backlash. A near-total ban on abortion failed in South Carolina, just hours before a six-week ban fizzled in Nebraska. Abortion remains legal in both states until 22 weeks of pregnancy. In lengthy and often impassioned speeches on the South Carolina Senate floor, the state's five female senators -- three Republicans and two Democrats -- decried what would have been a near-total ban on abortion.... In Nebraska..., 80-year-old ... Sen. Merv Riepe, a longtime Republican who would have been the decisive vote to advance the bill to a final round of voting, abstained over his concern that the six-week ban might not give women enough time to know they are pregnant."

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Friday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Russian attacks hit cities around Ukraine, killing at least 17 people, officials said early Friday. In Kyiv, authorities said the capital came under the first missile attack since early March.... The Biden administration imposed sanctions on Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and other entities for their role in the 'wrongful detention' of Americans.... WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was released from detention in Russia, said she has no plans to play overseas again, unless she does so as a member of Team USA in the Olympics.... Senior American lawmakers expressed frustration at the slow pace of tank deliveries to Ukraine, Dan Lamothe reports. 'This counteroffensive that everybody is talking about,' Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, 'it's the longest windup for a punch in the history of the world.'" ~~~

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

U.K. A Bad Day for the Telly. Mark Landler of the New York Times: "The chairman of BBC's board, Richard Sharp, resigned on Friday after an investigation concluded that he failed to disclose his involvement in arranging a nearly $1 million loan for the former prime minister, Boris Johnson. Mr. Sharp said in a statement, shortly before the report was released, that the omission was 'inadvertent and not material' but that he had decided to step down from the broadcaster's board to 'prioritize the interests of the BBC.' His departure deepens the turmoil that has enveloped Britain's public broadcaster in recent months over accusations of political bias and questions about its close ties to Britain's Conservative government. The BBC's role has come under relentless fire in an era of polarized politics and freewheeling social media."

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Wednesday
Apr262023

April 27, 2023

Afternoon Update:

Katelyn Polantz of CNN: "Former Vice President Mike Pence testified on Thursday to a federal grand jury investigating the aftermath of the 2020 election and the actions of ... Donald Trump and others, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The testimony marks a momentous juncture in the criminal investigation and the first time in modern history a vice president has been compelled to testify about the president he served beside." At 5:10 pm ET, this is a developing story. The New York Times story, by Maggie Haberman, is here. MB: Pence testified the day after A D.C. appellate panel ruled that Trump could not block Pence's testimony. According Garrett Haake of MSNBC (on-air), pence spent from about 9 am till 4:30 pm in the courthouse.

The New York Times is liveblogging developments in the rape & defamation suit E. Jean Carroll has brought against Donald Trump. The Washington Post has a liveblog, too.

Rob Copeland & Maureen Farrell of the New York Times: "First Republic Bank is sliding dangerously into a financial maelstrom, one from which an exit appears increasingly difficult. Hardly a household name until a few weeks ago, First Republic is now a top concern for investors and bankers on Wall Street and officials in Washington. The likeliest outcome for the bank, people close to the situation said, would need to involve the federal government, alone or in some combination with a private investor. While the bank, with 88 branches focused mostly on the coasts, is still open for business, no one connected to it, including its executives and some board members, would say how much longer it could exist in its current form."

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Aamer Madhani, et al., of the AP: "President Joe Biden and South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled a new plan Wednesday to counter North Korea's nuclear threat, with the U.S. leader issuing a blunt warning that such an attack would 'result in the end of whatever regime' took such action. The new nuclear deterrence effort calls for periodically docking U.S. nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea for the first time in decades, bolstering training between the two countries, and more. The declaration was unveiled as Biden hosted Yoon for a state visit at a moment of heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea. 'A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable, and will result in the end of whatever regime were to take such an action,' Biden said during afternoon Rose Garden news conference with Yoon. Yoon said that the new commitment by the 'righteous alliance' includes plans for bilateral presidential consultations in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack, the establishment of a nuclear consultative group and improved sharing of information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans."

Yes, this really happened. That's South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol:

     (~~~ You'll find a slightly better rendition here.)

~~~ Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Throughout a long day of public appearances up to that point, Mr. Yoon had not uttered a word of English, speaking carefully through a translator, but he knew every word as he crooned about driving his Chevy to the levee on the day the music died. The rollicking finale to the second state dinner of the Biden era made for a more memorable evening than most at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.... It was all ... bonhomie as the two chummy leaders put on an elaborate show of friendship while ignoring the recent tension over revelations of American spying on South Korean officials. The first lady, Jill Biden, arranged for a classic American menu with a Korean flair."

Presidential Race 2024. Marie: This ad -- which is apparently the first of President Biden's 2024 campaign -- starts out all apple-pie positive, but I'm happy to say it doesn't take long to move into whacking right-wing extremists, including implicitly Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, mike pence & the majority of elected Republicans:

Tony Romm, et al., of the Washington Post: "House Republicans on Wednesday approved a bill that would raise the debt ceiling, slash federal spending and repeal President Biden's programs to combat climate change and reduce student debt, defying Democratic objections in a move that inched the United States closer to a fiscal crisis. Ignoring repeated warnings that the GOP's brinkmanship could unleash vast economic turmoil, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) muscled his narrow, quarrelsome majority toward a 217-215 vote, accelerating a high-stakes clash with the White House with as few as six weeks remaining before the government could default." This is an update of a story linked yesterday. CNN's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It's remarkable that Kevin had so much trouble herding feral cats. This bill is less a real bill with viable provisions than it is a nasty gang's wish list of how badly they can bully all the town's widows & orphans. Like this: ~~~

     ~~~ Leah Douglas of Reuters: "Nearly one million Americans could find it harder to access federal food aid under a Republican proposal to expand the program's work requirements, according to the Biden administration, which has promised to veto the plan if it passes Congress." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Karen Dolan in a Hill opinion piece: "According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, McCarthy's 'Limit, Save, Grow Act' demands the following as ransom for the full faith and credit of the United States: Leaving many more veterans, families and elderly people homeless, hungry and unable to access health care or college. Eliminating tens of thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of Head Start and child care slots. Increasing interest on credit cards, car payments and mortgages, while preventing any student loan relief. Scaling back tax incentives for green energy and making it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute. Making it easier for rich folks to cheat on their taxes."

Abbie VanSickle of the New York Times: "Two senators introduced a bipartisan bill on Wednesday aimed at forcing the Supreme Court to establish an ethics code after recent revelations that some justices had not disclosed gifts, travel and property deals. Senators Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a centrist Republican, introduced the legislation, which would also require the court to appoint an official to examine potential conflicts and public complaints. 'We're trying to help the court help themselves,' Mr. King said.... Mr. King emphasized that the measure he and Ms. Murkowski were introducing sought to hold the justices to existing standards that apply to other federal judges. 'The problem we have now is that there's no standards,' he said. 'So a justice can say, "Well, I didn't violate anything here."'" ~~~

~~~ Justices Sign Declaration of Invulnerability. Josh Gerstein of Politico: "Chief Justice John Roberts' snub of Dick Durbin on Tuesday was accompanied by a less-noted rarity: a declaration signed by all nine justices on their ethics practices. The 'Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices' seemed designed to quell rising calls for ethics reform at the high court. But it didn't break much new ground, and it stopped well short of adopting an enforceable code of conduct that critics have been clamoring for.... The unusual statement -- the first of its kind in three decades -- showed a court ... banding together to present a united front in the wake of recent controversies surrounding some of its members. The justices' message is the same as it largely has been in the past: Trust us. '... The statement is a lot of handwaving,' said Kathleen Clark [of] Washington University in St. Louis. '... The problem is there's no accountability for violating the law. And there's nothing in this statement that suggests the court even understands what the problem is.'" MB: On the upside, the nine "justices" participated in a class on how to do that royal backhanded wave to the unwashed masses.

~~~ David Sirota, et al., of the Lever: "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas voted to end federal tenant protections that his billionaire benefactor's company says threatened its real estate profit margins, according to corporate documents reviewed by The Lever. Thomas did not disclose his relationship with real estate billionaire Harlan Crow, nor did he recuse himself from the 2021 case, despite its potential impact on Crow Holdings. Now, rent control -- which Crow Holdings' documents also say threatens the company's business -- could come before Thomas, and there is no indication he would recuse himself if it does.... In August 2021, Thomas was one of the six justices who voted to strike down a federal administrative moratorium on evictions..., [part of the CDC's COVID-19 protocols]. In June, Thomas was one of four justices who voted to end the moratorium -- but the majority voted to leave it in place because it was set to expire the following month. In July, between the two rulings, Crow Holdings -- which owns apartment buildings, student housing, and manufactured housing nationwide -- was cited in congressional testimony for being one of the country's most frequent eviction filers, despite the moratorium." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Sirota occasionally can be an unreasonable leftie, IMO, but it appears he's on solid ground in his reporting here.

Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: "The writer E. Jean Carroll on Wednesday told a Manhattan jury a harrowing story of being raped in the mid-1990s by Donald J. Trump in a department-store dressing room -- describing a brutal attack that she tried to fight off by stamping on his foot and that has left her traumatized for decades. Just before she began testifying in federal court, the former president infuriated the judge overseeing the case by railing against the proceeding on social media.... On Wednesday morning, Mr. Trump used Truth Social to call Ms. Carroll's case a 'made up SCAM' and a 'fraudulent & false story,' which led the judge, Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court, to suggest that the former president was trying to influence the jury. Speaking without the jury present, Judge Kaplan told Mr. Trump's lawyer Joseph Tacopina that Mr. Trump's statements seemed 'entirely inappropriate.'... Mr. Tacopina said he would talk with his client, but attacks continued, with Mr. Trump's son, Eric, posting later in the day on Twitter that a prominent backer of Ms. Carroll's case had been motivated by 'pure hatred, spite or fear of a formidable candidate.'" MB: The judge said there were actions he could take or set into motion, including jailing Trump for contempt and bringing criminal obstruction charges against him, according to experts. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I don't get why Trump is calling Carroll's suit a "made-up scam." He has publicly acknowledged that he sexually assaults women for fun. As I understand it, Carroll is suing not for damages from "rape" specifically but from civil "battery," which includes many types of unwelcome touching and force. That is, she does not have to prove that Trump raped her, only that he made unwelcome "gestures." Trump copped to sexually assaulting women all the time in the infamous "grab-'em-by-the-pussy" tapes. Now Trump seems to be claiming that Carroll wasn't attractive enough to assault. Yet during a deposition in the case, he couldn't even identify a picture of Carroll from around the time of the (alleged!) rape; he thought a photo of Carroll which defense lawyers showed him was a photo of his wife Marla Maples, clearly someone "attractive enough" for him to have sex with. So by statements Trump has made extemporaneously and in his own defense, he did it. Now it's only question of damages. ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times liveblogged developments yesterday in E. Jean Carroll's civil lawsuit against Donald Trump: (Also linked yesterday.)

Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post: "Donald Trump cannot block his former vice president from testifying before a grand jury investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. The ruling helps clear the way for Mike Pence to speak under oath about the pressure Trump put him under to declare the 2020 election results invalid. While Trump could seek to further forestall that testimony by appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, other people in the president's orbit have testified after similar losing battles in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The reasoning behind Wednesday's order remains under seal; the decision was issued by a panel that included two Obama appointees and one Trump appointee." CNN's story is here.

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Donald Trump's legal team on Wednesday offered its most detailed public defense yet of the former president's conduct in the classified documents case now being investigated by a special counsel.... The Justice Department, Trump's lawyers wrote in their letter to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio), 'should be ordered to stand down, and the intelligence community should instead conduct an appropriate investigation and provide a full report to this Committee, as well as your counterparts in the Senate.'... The unusual 10-page letter seeks to pull the legislative branch further into the classified documents case.... The letter is notable in two ways -- first, as a detailed argument for the case to be dropped, a request lodged not with the investigators but with elected officials. Second, it focuses mostly on Trump's alleged conduct before -- not after -- a May subpoena demanded he return classified documents kept after his presidency." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Thanks to Ken W. for the link. As Ken noted, this is a letter in lieu of a legal argument. Apparently the Trumpster is not satisfied with all the aid his friends in Congress are giving him: the Trash NYC field trip, the fake investigation into Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, the endless cover and excuses for everything from rape to the insurrection. So now that the DOJ is on the cusp of hanging Trump by his, er, thumbs, Trump's solution is to "Eliminate Justice." And here he means "justice" as well as "Justice." Federal prosecutors should not be allowed by law to touch him, and he wants his friends in Congress to codify that.

Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: "Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of posting classified documents online, repeatedly tried to obstruct federal investigators and has a 'troubling' history of making racist and violent remarks, Justice Department lawyers said in a court filing late Wednesday. In an 18-page memo, released before a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday in a Massachusetts federal court, the department's lawyers argued that Airman Teixeira needed to be detained indefinitely because he posed a 'serious flight risk' and might still have information that would be of 'tremendous value to hostile nation states.' Airman Teixeira tapped into vast reservoirs of sensitive information, an amount that 'far exceeds what has been publicly disclosed' so far, they wrote.... [The] behavior [outlined in the filing & which manifested while he was still in high school] -- so disturbing it was flagged by local police when he applied for firearms identification card -- is certain to raise new questions about how Airman Teixeira obtained a top-secret security clearance that gave him access to some of the country's most sensitive intelligence reports." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I'd like to know about the parents, who have been described in news accounts as loving and patriotic. So how is it that they failed to register any alarm when they noticed that Jack there "surrounded his bed at his parents' house with firearms and tactical gear."

Jake Offenhartz of the AP: "The co-founder of a fundraising group linked to Steve Bannon that promised to help Donald Trump construct a wall along the southern U.S. border was sentenced to four years and three months in prison on Wednesday for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors. Brian Kolfage, a decorated Air Force veteran who lost both of his legs and an arm in the Iraq War, previously pleaded guilty for his role in siphoning donations from the We Build the Wall campaign.... Kolfage and Badolato were also ordered to pay $25 million in restitution to the victims. Absent from the case was Bannon, Trump's former top political adviser. He was initially arrested aboard a luxury yacht and faced federal fraud charges along with the other men, but Trump pardoned him during his final hours in office."

Wherein TuKKKer has an epiphany and realizes all the things he said were "completely irrelevant" and "mean nothing." MB: The problem is, TuKKKles, some of your dimwitted listeners took seriously the irrelevant & meaningless stuff you said. So they went out & shot the neighbor kid who was trying to pick up his and they mowed down everyone in sight at the El Paso shopping center. ~~~

~~~ Marie: Every journalist & opinionator seems to have a pet theory as to why Fox tossed TuKKKer. Every one agrees TuKKKer's "extreme journalistic malpractice," "racism," and various "threats to democracy" are facts but not factors in his unceremonious ouster. Here's what the New York Times has come up with: ~~~

He Insulted Us. Jim Rutenberg, et al., of the New York Times: "The day before Dominion Voting Systems'defamation trial against Fox News was set to begin..., the Fox board of directors and top executives made a startling discovery that helped lead to the breaking point between the network and Tucker Carlson, one of its top stars. Private messages sent by Mr. Carlson that had been redacted in legal filings showed him making highly offensive and crude remarks that went beyond the inflammatory, often racist comments of his prime-time show and anything disclosed in the lead-up to the trial.... Over the past two years..., Mr. Carlson emerged as an almost unaccountable figure who drew new headaches with conspiracy theory programming.... Then, as the Dominion case headed to trial, he told his audience last month that the rioting was, in fact, a peaceful exercise, using security footage that the Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, had given to Mr. Carlson exclusively." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Assuming the Times reporting is right (and it jibes with some other reporters I've heard and read), then the rule at Fox is, "Say what you want, no matter how untrue or damaging it is, as long as you don't slam the boss." On a personal level, that's understandable; as a business model, it's sort of indefensible. In the meantime, let us forget about TuKKKer unless some really juicy or newsworthy story pops up ... or you learn TuKKKer is selling MyPillows door-to-door in your neighborhood.

Beyond the Beltway

Florida. Eric Bradner & Steve Cortorno of CNN: "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts on Wednesday sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his hand-picked oversight board, accusing the Republican 2024 presidential prospect of weaponizing his political power to punish the company for exercising its free speech rights. The lawsuit was filed in federal court minutes after the board appointed by DeSantis to oversee Disney's special taxing district sought to claw back its power from the entertainment giant, voting to invalidate an agreement struck between Disney and the previous board in February, just before that board's dissolution." The New York Times story is here. Thanks to Bobby Lee for the heads-up. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ AND it looks like DeSantolini is about to get his very own personal army, one where he would be commander-in-chief. What could possibly be wrong with that? Thanks to a friend for the link. (Also linked yesterday.)

Montana. Jim Robbins, et al., of the New York Times: "The Montana House of Representatives took the extraordinary step on Wednesday of blocking a transgender lawmaker from the House floor for the remainder of the legislative session after an escalating standoff over her remarks on transgender issues in House debate. The vote was 68 to 32 in the Republican-controlled chamber. The speaker adjourned the session immediately after the vote. The blocked lawmaker, Representative Zooey Zephyr, will still be allowed to cast votes during House proceedings for the remainder of the session, which concludes on May 5, but must do so remotely. The move is the culmination of a weeklong battle between House leadership and Ms. Zephyr, who was barred from participating in deliberations on the House floor after she made impassioned comments during debate over a bill that would prohibit hormone treatments and surgical care for transgender minors. The bill has since been sent to Gov. Greg Gianforte, who has indicated that he will sign it." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Of course Gianforte will sign the bill. He's the biggest bully in the state. The AP's story is here.

Texas. No Stone Unturned in the War on Personal Freedom. Jonathan Edwards of the Washington Post: From the state Agriculture Department's new dress code: "Employees are expected to comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their biological gender." "The ACLU has since called the policy 'clearly unlawful,' tarring it as the most recent attempt by Texas state lawmakers to target transgender people as they go to school, play sports, receive medical care and simply live.... On Wednesday morning, [Secretary of Agriculture Sid] Miller ... describ[ed] himself as 'a low-regulation guy' who ... nevertheless needed to whip employees back into shape as they returned to the office after years of wearing 'pajamas on their couch' while working from home during the coronavirus pandemic.... 'We don't want a man come dressed in drag, or vice versa,' he said. 'It's very disruptive. It's not professional.'"

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Thursday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here:"China will send a representative to Ukraine to hold talks with 'all parties,' in a bid to resolve the ongoing 'crisis,' Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, in their first phone call since the Russian invasion, according to a readout by China's Foreign Ministry. China will make efforts to facilitate peace talks, Xi said in the call.... The White House expressed cautious optimism over the call between Xi and Zelensky, saying it was glad to note the development.... Despite heavy and increasing sanctions, Russia will be able to finance its war effort in Ukraine for another year, according to U.S. military documents that were part of a trove leaked online and obtained by The Washington Post."

U.K. We Are Not Amused. David McCabe & Kellen Browning of the New York Times: &"British antitrust regulators on Wednesday dealt a major setback to Microsoft's plans to acquire the video game giant Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, blocking the proposed deal and handing a notable win to government enforcers around the world who want to rein in Big Tech. In deciding that Microsoft's proposals to ensure the acquisition did not harm competition 'failed to effectively address the concerns in the cloud gaming sector,' a nascent part of the gaming industry, the Competition and Markets Authority inflicted a possibly fatal blow to what would be the largest consumer tech acquisition since AOL bought Time Warner two decades ago." (Also linked yesterday.)

News Lede

TMZ: "Jerry Springer, one of the most influential and controversial figures in TV history, has died ... TMZ has confirmed. Jerry hosted the smash hit syndicated talk show 'The Jerry Springer Show' for 27 years ... and it was never a boring moment on the raucous and wild show -- which was known for its outrageous guests who usually got into crazy fights as the audience cheered, 'Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!'" Here is Springer's New York Times obituary. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Would there have been Glenn Beck & TuKKKer if there hadn't been Jerry? Not sure.

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Tuesday
Apr252023

April 26, 2023

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

Tony Romm, et al., of the Washington Post: "The House is set to begin debate Wednesday on a Republican bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, slash federal spending and repeal some of President Biden's top legislative accomplishments, after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) embarked on a last-minute scramble to win over a handful of holdouts in his ranks. With a final vote expected as soon as this afternoon, top GOP lawmakers have expressed a measure of confidence about their legislative prospects even as they acknowledge they have little room for error, since their slim majority -- and persistent ideological schisms -- could easily frustrate their plans." ~~~

     ~~~ ** Update. New Lede: "House Republicans on Wednesday approved a bill that would raise the debt ceiling, slash federal spending and repeal President Biden's programs to combat climate change and reduce student debt, defying Democratic objections in a move that inched the United States closer to a fiscal crisis."~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It's remarkable that Kevin had so much trouble herding the feral cats. This bill is less a real bill with viable provisions than it is a nasty gang's wish list of how badly they could bully all the town's widows & orphans. Stuff like this: ~~~

     ~~~ Leah Douglas of Reuters: "Nearly one million Americans could find it harder to access federal food aid under a Republican proposal to expand the program's work requirements, according to the Biden administration, which has promised to veto the plan if it passes Congress." ~~~

     ~~~ Karen Dolan in a Hill opinion piece: "According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, McCarthy's 'Limit, Save, Grow Act' demands the following as ransom for the full faith and credit of the United States: Leaving many more veterans, families and elderly people homeless, hungry and unable to access health care or college. Eliminating tens of thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of Head Start and child care slots. Increasing interest on credit cards, car payments and mortgages, while preventing any student loan relief. Scaling back tax incentives for green energy and making it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute. Making it easier for rich folks to cheat on their taxes."

The New York Times is liveblogging E. Jean Carroll's civil lawsuit against Donald Trump: "The writer E. Jean Carroll took the witness stand Wednesday to describe an evening nearly 30 years ago when she says ... Donald J. Trump raped her in a Manhattan department store dressing room.... Ms. Carroll's lawyers are asking the jury in Federal District Court to find Mr. Trump liable for battery and defamation, and if he is found responsible, to award monetary damages.... Mr. Trump, 76, has accused Ms. Carroll of lying and has attacked her repeatedly in public statements and on social media, both while in office and after leaving.... The judge presiding over the trial, Lewis A. Kaplan, sharply criticized Donald J. Trump for comments he made on social media just before the trial resumed on Wednesday morning. Mr. Trump posted twice, calling the lawsuit a scam and Ms. Carroll's lawyer a 'political operative.' Judge Kaplan said Mr. Trump's out-of-court statements seemed 'entirely inappropriate' and suggested Mr. Trump might be trying to influence members of the jury."

David Sirota, et al., of the Lever: "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas voted to end federal tenant protections that his billionaire benefactor's company says threatened its real estate profit margins, according to corporate documents reviewed by The Lever. Thomas did not disclose his relationship with real estate billionaire Harlan Crow, nor did he recuse himself from the 2021 case, despite its potential impact on Crow Holdings. Now, rent control -- which Crow Holdings' documents also say threatens the company's business -- could come before Thomas, and there is no indication he would recuse himself if it does.... In August 2021, Thomas was one of the six justices who voted to strike down a federal administrative moratorium on evictions..., [part of the CDC's COVID-19 protocols]. In June, Thomas was one of four justices who voted to end the moratorium -- but the majority voted to leave it in place because it was set to expire the following month. In July, between the two rulings, Crow Holdings -- which owns apartment buildings, student housing, and manufactured housing nationwide -- was cited in congressional testimony for being one of the country's most frequent eviction filers, despite the moratorium." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Sirota occasionally can be an unreasonable leftie, IMO, but it appears he's on solid ground in his reporting here.

We Are Not Amused. David McCabe & Kellen Browning of the New York Times: "British antitrust regulators on Wednesday dealt a major setback to Microsoft's plans to acquire the video game giant Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, blocking the proposed deal and handing a notable win to government enforcers around the world who want to rein in Big Tech. In deciding that Microsoft's proposals to ensure the acquisition did not harm competition 'failed to effectively address the concerns in the cloud gaming sector,' a nascent part of the gaming industry, the Competition and Markets Authority inflicted a possibly fatal blow to what would be the largest consumer tech acquisition since AOL bought Time Warner two decades ago."

Florida. Eric Bradner & Steve Cortorno of CNN: "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts on Wednesday sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his hand-picked oversight board, accusing the Republican 2024 presidential prospect of weaponizing his political power to punish the company for exercising its free speech rights. The lawsuit was filed in federal court minutes after the board appointed by DeSantis to oversee Disney's special taxing district sought to claw back its power from the entertainment giant, voting to invalidate an agreement struck between Disney and the previous board in February, just before that board's dissolution." The New York Times story is here. Thanks to Bobby Lee for the heads-up. ~~~

~~~ AND it looks like DeSantolini is about to get his very own personal army, one where he would be commander-in-chief. What could possibly be wrong with that? Thanks to a friend for the link.

Marie: This ad -- which is apparently the first of President Biden's 2024 campaign -- starts out all apple-pie positive, but I'm happy to say it doesn't take long to move into whacking right-wing extremists, including implicitly Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, mike pence & the majority of elected Republicans:

~~~~~~~~~~

Presidential Race 2024. Zeke Miller of the AP: "President Joe Biden on Tuesday formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to 'finish this job' and extend the run of America's oldest president for another four years.... In his first public appearance Tuesday since the announcement, Biden offered a preview of how he plans to navigate the dual roles of president and presidential candidate, using a speech to building trades union members to highlight his accomplishments and undercut his GOP rivals, while showing voters he remained focused on his day job." ~~~

~~~ The New York Times' snark team came out Tuesday afternoon to liveblog President Biden's speech. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Steve Peoples of the AP: "Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Tuesday that he would forgo another presidential bid of his own and instead endorse President Joe Biden's reelection.... '... I'm in to do what I can to make sure that the president is reelected.'" ~~~

~~~ Isaac Stanley-Becker & John Wagner of the Washington Post: The Republican National Committee response video was 100 percent fake. The video was made up of sounds & "images that the RNC said were AI-generated..., along with fake reports by what sound like news reporters."


Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Daniel Ellsberg, the person responsible for perhaps the biggest leak in U.S. government history -- the Pentagon Papers -- said the latest disclosures of classified information show that the world still faces some of the same dangers that spurred him to act more than 50 years ago. Ellsberg, who is 92 and dying of pancreatic cancer, said he is struck by the similarities between the Vietnam War and the current war in Ukraine -- two conflicts in which a superpower, he argued, could be tempted to use nuclear weapons." (Also linked yesterday.)

Marie: Back in my callow youth, I never thought I'd have occasion to say, "Let's see how the rape case against the president* is going." But language is nimble & Donald Trump has given us the opportunity to form a string of words we never thought would go together. So, let's see: ~~~

~~~ Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: "A lawyer for the writer E. Jean Carroll told a Manhattan jury on Tuesday that former President Donald J. Trump viciously raped her client one evening nearly 30 years ago in a department store dressing room, an assault that she said Ms. Carroll, filled with fear and shame, long had kept secret.... [Mr. Trump's] lawyer, [Joe] Tacopina, told the jury on Tuesday that Ms. Carroll was 'advancing a false claim of rape for money, for political reasons and for status.'" MB: That's right. because nothing that conveys status like rape. Unless, of course, Joe's idea is that a person who is raped in Bergdorf's garners maximum admiration & envy. ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian's report is here.

DA: "Trump Needs a Babysitter." Jonah Bromwich, et al., of the New York Times: "The Manhattan district attorney's office on Tuesday sought to limit Donald J. Trump's access to certain material from his criminal case, urging a judge to bar him from reviewing the material without his lawyers present. The request, filed with the court on Tuesday, also seeks to prohibit Mr. Trump from publicizing the prosecution's evidence on social media or through other channels.... In her request to the judge, [ADA Catherine] McCaw cited Mr. Trump's well-known propensity to use social media and public appearances to attack those investigating him. She noted that he had already begun to do so, slinging invective at those involved in the Manhattan case, including [Alvin] Bragg, [Michael] Cohen, [Stormy] Daniels and Justice [Juan] Merchan himself. That pattern of attacks, she wrote, is particularly concerning given that Mr. Trump faces a separate federal investigation into his handling of sensitive documents. The fact that Mr. Trump 'is currently under federal investigation for his handling of classified materials, gives rise to significant concern that defendant will similarly misuse grand jury and other sensitive materials here,' Ms. McCaw wrote."

Man with a Plan. Jacqueline Alemany & Sarah Ellison of the Washington Post: "Sen. Ted Cruz advocated the creation of a congressionally appointed electoral commission ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol to make a credible assessment of unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, according to a recording made by Abby Grossberg, a former producer at Fox News. The Jan. 2, 2021, recording, provided to The Washington Post by Grossberg's attorney, largely mirrors previous reports and public statements made by Cruz about efforts to overturn the election results. But the tape featuring a previously private conversation among Cruz, Grossberg and Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on the push to deny the certification of Joe Biden's victory on Jan. 6, 2021, sheds new light on the scope of Cruz's scheming to assist Donald Trump in overturning Biden's victory.... 'Is there any chance you can overturn this [election]?' Bartiromo asked Cruz. 'I hope so,' he responded."

Devin Nunes' Cow Loses a Big Case. Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A federal judge has thrown out libel suits former Rep. Devin Nunes and his relatives filed over a 2018 Esquire article alleging that a dairy farm owned by Nunes' family members hired undocumented workers. U.S. District Court Judge C.J. Williams ruled Tuesday that the claims at issue in writer Ryan Lizza's story -- 'Devin Nunes's Family Farm is Hiding a Politically Explosive Secret' -- were essentially accurate. The judge said that conclusion was fatal to the suits brought by Nunes, his relatives and the company used to operate the dairy, NuStar Farms.... In the 101-page opinion issued Tuesday, Williams [-- a Trump appointee --] said evidence developed during the litigation showed that the farm employed numerous workers who provided names and Social Security numbers that did not match Social Security Administration records." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Here's how it works, Devin. If a sleazy politician is doing something illegal, the press have a First-Amendment right -- some may say a duty -- to write about it and the print it all up in their publications. Put another way, Dev, it ain't libel if it's true.

Power Corrupts. Absolute Power ... Abbie VanSickle of the New York Times: "Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee in a letter released Tuesday evening that he was declining its invitation to testify about ethics rules for the Supreme Court. In an accompanying statement on ethics practices, all nine justices, under mounting pressure for more stringent reporting requirements at the court, insisted that the existing rules around gifts, travel and other financial disclosures are sufficient.... In the letter, Chief Justice Roberts attached a 'statement of ethics principles and practices' signed by the current justices...." CNN's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If we had a Congress with any gumption and respect for itself and its Constitutional duties, it would start by impeaching and convicting John Roberts, then go on by yelling, "Next!" As it is, we have one branch of government that is dysfunctional to the point of being nearly powerless and another branch in which the majority -- and perhaps the entirety -- is corrupt. This is a good day to say, "Thank you, Joe Biden." In the meantime, somebody should rethink Marbury v. Madison. Surely there is a better way. ~~~

     ~~~ AND on the Eighth Day, the Fathers Created the Supremes. And the Fathers Saw That They Were Good Enough. Ian Millhiser of Vox: "... the nine most powerful officials in the United States of America -- men and women with the power to repeal or rewrite any law, who serve for life, and who will never have to stand for election and justify their actions before the voters -- may also be the least constrained officials in the federal government. And much of the blame for this state of affairs rests with the Constitution itself.... [In 2011, after news of some of Harlan Crow's gifts to Clarence Thomas made headlines,] Chief Justice Roberts used his annual Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary to defiantly rebut calls to apply additional ethical rules to the justices.... Roberts strongly implied that any attempt by Congress to ethically constrain the justices would be unconstitutional. The fact that the Code of Conduct applies exclusively to lower court judges, Roberts claimed, 'reflects a fundamental difference between the Supreme Court and the other federal courts." Millhiser refreshes our memories on Justice Scalia's infamous reasoning/excuse for why he could never recuse himself from hearing cases involving his pals.

Steve LeBlanc of the AP: "Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern..., will be temporarily joining Harvard University later this year, Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf said Tuesday. Ardern, a global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, has been appointed to dual fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School. She will serve as the 2023 Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow and a Hauser Leader in the school's Center for Public Leadership beginning this fall." MB: It will be fun when the New Zealand accent meets an upper-crusty Boston accent.

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha.

Tuck & Don Lawyer Up. Ron Dicker of the Huffington Post: "Ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson and CNN anchor Don Lemon ... reportedly just hired the same lawyer to navigate their departures. Multiple outlets say Los Angeles attorney Bryan Freedman is representing both.... The 'famously aggressive litigator' continues to represent Chris Cuomo in his wrongful termination suit against CNN, The Daily Beast noted." (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here. MB: Both articles use the same phrase, "... to navigate their departures (exits)" Uh, Tuck & Don got their cardboard boxes stuffed with fake awards & certificates and a company coffee mug, and they're out. No sextants needed. Thanks to Akhilleus for the heads-up. ~~~

     ~~~ Elahe Izadi of the Washington Post on how CNN & Fox "News" did the on-air honors of announcing the not-so-dearly-departed had unwillingly departed. (Also linked yesterday.)

Michael Luciano of Mediaite: "Fox News has a so-called 'oppo file' on Tucker Carlson that it is willing to weaponize against him if he takes shots at his old network, Rolling Stone reported on Tuesday. The network vehemently denies the report." MB: Evidently TuKKKer is even worse than the public knows.

Ted Johnson of Deadline: "Nate Silver is departing ABC News as the news division continues a round of layoffs that began last month. The FiveThirtyEight founder wrote on Twitter: 'Disney layoffs have substantially impacted FiveThirtyEight. I am sad and disappointed to a degree that's kind of hard to express right now. We've been at Disney almost 10 years. My contract is up soon, and I expect that I'll be leaving at the end of it...."


Peter Keepnews of the New York Times: "Harry Belafonte, who stormed the pop charts and smashed racial barriers in the 1950s with his highly personal brand of folk music, and who went on to become a major force in the civil rights movement, died on Tuesday at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was 96." (Also linked yesterday.)

Beyond the Beltway

Montana. Republicans Take Their Marbles & Go Home. Jim Robbins & Jacey Fortin of the New York Times: "Disputing criticism that they had silenced Montana's only transgender lawmaker, Republican leaders abruptly canceled a session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, a day after heated protests led to arrests in the House chamber. In a brief news conference, Speaker Matt Regier blamed the lawmaker, Representative Zooey Zephyr, for the standoff, saying that she was not following House rules. 'The only person who is silencing Representative Zephyr is Representative Zephyr,' he said."

Oklahoma. Selena Simmons-Duffin of NPR: "Oklahoma has three overlapping abortion bans, with different and sometimes contradictory definitions and exceptions. A study published Tuesday along with a commentary in the Lancet medical journal shows hospitals all over Oklahoma are struggling to interpret the laws and create policies that comply with the state's abortion bans. The resulting confusion is having dangerous consequences.... [According to Jaci Statton, a woman who was suffering a cancerous molar pregnancy that would not develop into a baby, hospital staff told her,] 'The best we can tell you to do is sit in the parking lot, and if anything else happens, we will be ready to help you. But we cannot touch you unless you are crashing in front of us or your blood pressure goes so high that you are fixing to have a heart attack.'"

Washington State. Mike Baker & Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs of the New York Times: "Washington State approved a package of gun control measures on Tuesday that includes a ban on the sale of military-style semiautomatic weapons, making it the ninth state to join efforts to prevent the distribution of AR-15s and other powerful rifles often used in mass shootings. The new laws put Washington in the ranks of states with the strongest gun control measures in the nation. They include a 10-day waiting period on gun purchases, gun safety training requirements and a provision allowing the state attorney general and consumers to sue gun manufacturers or dealers under public nuisance laws if they negligently allow their guns to fall into the hands of minors or 'dangerous individuals.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: There are two Americas. One is getting better. The other is getting worse. I think the second one is bigger than the first one.

Way Beyond

Afghanistan. Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: "The suspected mastermind of a gruesome suicide bombing during the United States' pullout from Afghanistan was killed by the Taliban in recent weeks, U.S. officials disclosed Tuesday, an extraordinary development spotlighting the Biden administration's newfound reliance on a former battlefield adversary to help confront terrorist threats. An estimated 170 Afghans and 13 American troops died in the 2021 attack near the Abbey Gate at Kabul's airport. Biden administration officials identified the suspect as a leader within the Islamic State's Afghanistan chapter, known as Islami State-Khorasan or ISIS-K. They declined, however, to reveal the person's name and how the person was killed, citing concerns that doing so could jeopardize the U.S. government's ability to collect information about future activities in the region." The AP report is here.

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Wednesday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday he spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time since the war began, calling the phone call 'long and meaningful' but giving few details.... Xi said China would send a special representative to Ukraine for talks on resolving the crisis, state media reported. 'Amid the current rise of reasonable thinking and voices from all sides, we should seize the opportunity to build up favorable conditions for a political settlement of the crisis,' Xi told Zelensky." ~~~

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

U.K. Rupert Paid a Prince. Karla Adam of the Washington Post: "Prince William was paid a 'very large sum' by Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group to settle phone-hacking claims, according to court documents submitted Tuesday by the legal team of his younger brother, Prince Harry. Harry is suing Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) at the High Court in London for unlawful acts -- including hacking his voice mails -- that he alleges were committed on behalf of the Sun and the now-defunct News of the World tabloids from 1994 until 2016. The hearing is to determine whether the case should go to trial. In documents submitted to the court, Harry's legal team alleged there was a secret payment from Murdoch's company to William." (Also linked yesterday.)

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