The Commentariat -- March 13, 2021

Late Morning Update:

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

I hope everyone remembers when they're getting the COVID-19 (often referred to as the China Virus) Vaccine, that if I wasn't President, you wouldn't be getting that beautiful 'shot' for 5 years, at best, and probably wouldn't be getting it at all. I hope everyone remembers! -- Donald Trump, in a racist statement released Wednesday ~~~

~~~ Conservative Kathleen Parker of the Washington Post has the correct response. Thanks to Ken. W. for the link. Also too, in today's Comments, Akhilleus gets it so right. Marie: I used to compare Trump to Nero's fiddling while Rome burned, but as Akhilleus's analogy makes clear, Trump is way worse than Nero.

Kyle Cheney of Politico: "A U.S. Army reservist who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was widely known as a white supremacist and regularly discussed his hatred of Jews while working at a New Jersey-based naval facility, according to new evidence revealed by federal prosecutors late Friday. The reservist, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who worked as a security contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle and held a secret-level security clearance, was arrested and charged Jan. 15 for allegedly breaching the Capitol. At the time, prosecutors described him as an 'avowed white supremacist' and Nazi sympathizer, a determination based in part on evidence provided by a confidential source to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and a YouTube channel in which Hale-Cusanelli expressed those views." MB: Or, as Sen. Ron Johnson would put it, a patriot "that loved this country."

S.V. Date of the Huffington Post: "A dog rescue charity with links to Lara Trump has spent as much as $1.9 million at ... Donald Trump's properties over the last seven years and will drop an additional quarter-million at his Mar-a-Lago country club this weekend. According to a permit filed with the town of Palm Beach, Florida, Big Dog Ranch Rescue estimates it will spend $225,000 at the club where Donald Trump has taken up full-time residence since leaving the White House. All the profit from that spending winds up in his pocket. Internal Revenue Service filings show that the group has spent as much as $1,883,160 on fundraising costs at Mar-a-Lago and Trump's golf course 18 miles north in Jupiter starting in 2014. Lara Trump, the wife of Eric Trump, started being listed as a chairwoman for charity events in 2018, and the group's president, Lauren Simmons, visited the White House in 2019 for the signing of a bill addressing animal cruelty."

New York. Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "A former Albany reporter on Friday became the seventh woman to accuse Andrew Cuomo (D) of sexual harassment, adding to a growing pile of allegations against the embattled New York governor. Jessica Bakeman, who worked as a statehouse reporter, detailed a number of instances in New York Magazine in which she says Cuomo harassed her. Bakeman prefaced her accounts by saying that Cuomo had put his hands 'on my arms, my shoulders, the small of my back, my waist' throughout her time as a reporter in the capital.... She [said] that she did not believe Cuomo was interested in her sexually but was asserting his power as governor." MB: Read the accounts Axelrod repeats & you're apt to agree with Bakeman's assessment.

West Virginia. Ken Ward of the Mountain State Spotlight, published by ProPublica: "The federal government is seeking to collect nearly $3.2 million in fines from coal companies owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice after the firms violated the terms of a major water pollution settlement, according to documents filed Thursday in federal court. U.S. Department of Justice attorneys said in their filing that Southern Coal Corp. and two related companies failed to renew required water pollution permits, leading to unauthorized discharges at three mining sites in Tennessee and one in Alabama. Those permits are required so regulators can limit the runoff of everything from mud to toxic metals from coal operations. The companies' actions triggered fines under the terms of a 2016 settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency.... Justice, a billionaire listed by Forbes as the richest person in the state, owns a vast empire of businesses, including coal mines, resort hotels and agricultural interests, many of them regulated by the state agencies that report to him. While Justice's adult children have day-to-day control over the family's business operations, the governor has continued to guide the empire." Justice was a Democrat. In 2017, he became a Republican. MB: I'm sure that has nothing to do with how mean the EPA is under Democratic presidents.

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Chloee Weiner & Brandon Carter of NPR: "President Biden and Vice President Harris spoke at the White House Rose Garden Friday afternoon in a ceremony celebrating the passage of the administration's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package earlier this week. The joint event with congressional Democratic leaders marks the start of a concerted push by the White House to promote the American Rescue Plan around the country.... House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer attended, alongside a number of Democratic House and Senate committee chairs."

Morgan Chalfant & Brett Samuels of the Hill: "The White House is mounting an all-out push to sell President Biden's newly signed coronavirus relief bill to the public, starting with trips to multiple states in the coming week.... Administration officials say Democrats fell short during the Obama era of selling the 2009 economic recovery bill.... The trips across the country -- many of them targeting swing states -- are the center point of the White House's campaign to highlight the tangible deliverables of the American Rescue Plan Act, including the $1,400 direct payments going to the majority of Americans and funding for vaccine distribution and school reopenings.

Peter Alexander: Biden Should Give Trump More Credit. Tommy Christopher of Mediaite: "NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander took the initiative to compose a statement that President Joe Biden could use in order to give ... Donald Trump some credit for the success of the vaccination program that's currently underway. Several news outlets, including ABC News and The New York Times, criticized President Biden's address to the nation on the anniversary of the Covid pandemic shutdown for failing to credit Trump. At Friday's White House daily briefing, Alexander asked Press Secretary Jen Psaki about that aspect of the speech, and went a step further by reading his own version of what Biden could have said to credit Trump." MB: Yeesh!

Anne Gearan of the Washington Post: "The United States, India, Japan and Australia pledged Friday to jointly manufacture and distribute up to 1 billion doses of coronavirus vaccine before the end of next year, as the Biden administration comes under increased pressure to provide more vaccine help to poorer nations. The vaccine would be supplied to Southeast Asian nations and potentially elsewhere as act of charity that represents a workaround for President Biden, who has said he cannot yet divert any U.S. supply despite a projected surplus, given that many Americans are still urgently awaiting their immunizations."

Maria Sacchetti of the Washington Post: "The coronavirus has been running rampant for months through Immigration and Customs Enforcement's network of jails holding civil immigration detainees fighting deportation -- but the agency has no vaccination program and, unlike the Bureau of Prisons, is relying on state and local health departments to procure vaccine doses. Nobody can say how many detainees have been vaccinated. The Biden administration says it wants to make every adult in the United States eligible for vaccination by May -- and immigration agents have said they would not interfere with efforts to vaccinate undocumented immigrants outside of detention. But lawyers for immigrants who are detained say there is no urgency to vaccinate those in federal custody against a deadly pathogen that can spread fast in confined spaces."

California. Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd., When the Boss Is a Careless Tyrant. Faiz Siddiqui of the Washington Post: "Tesla's Bay Area production plant recorded hundreds of covid-19 cases following CEO Elon Musk's defiant reopening of the plant in May, according to county-level data obtained by a legal transparency website.... The data, covering the months between May and December, showed there were around 450 total reported cases. Roughly 10,000 people work at the plant.... Musk fought vigorously against the county-mandated shutdown, arguing Tesla should be allowed to continue producing cars despite the stay-at-home orders. In late April, he railed against the government mandates, hurling expletives during an earnings call and calling them 'fascist.' By May 11, he said Tesla was reopening, ultimately drawing support from anti-shutdown crowds and ... Donald Trump."

Texas. Wes Wilson of KXAN Austin: "A Texas District Court judge refused to grant the State of Texas an emergency, temporary injunction on Friday, meaning the mask mandate from Austin and Travis County will stay in place for at least two more weeks.... Judge Lora Livingston said she wanted more time for each side to make their case. She set another hearing for March 26. But this means Austin and Travis County will be able to enforce its mask mandate through spring break, which starts this weekend."

Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "U.S. prosecutors on Friday sketched out the gargantuan scope of the investigation in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, asking for courts to delay most cases by at least two months after being pressed by a handful of defendants and some judges to speed up trials and plea offers. 'The investigation and prosecution of the Capitol Attack will likely be one of the largest in American history, both in terms of the number of defendants prosecuted and the nature and volume of the evidence,' the U.S. attorney's office in D.C. wrote in morning court filings in seeking a delay before turning over evidence to defendants.... Charges have been brought against 312 people and are expected against at least 100 more, according to court officials and prosecutors." NPR's story is here.

Ryan Reilly of the Huffington Post: "A New York man arrested Friday for assaulting a D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol confessed to the FBI that he buried the officer's badge in his backyard after he returned home. Thomas Sibick was arrested Friday in Buffalo, New York, according to court records. Sibick faces five charges, including obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, assaulting or impeding officers, and taking a thing of value by force or intimidation. Sibick was caught on video assaulting MPD Officer Mike Fanone, who was tasered and assaulted by rioters, who dragged him into the mob as they tried to get into the Capitol.... Fanone's body camera footage shows his police radio and badge being ripped from his vest by Sibick, according to the affidavit. After the riot, Sibick posted images of himself holding a U.S. Capitol Police shield and attempting to enter the building with the mob." MB: Sibick is one of the people Sen. RonAnon describes as among those who "truly respect law enforcement." ~~~

... mainly because I knew that even though those thousands of people that were marching the Capitol were trying to pressure people like me to vote the way they wanted me to vote, I knew those were people that loved this country, that truly respect law enforcement, would never do anything to break a law, and so I wasn't concerned.... Now had the tables been turned..., and President Trump won the election and those were tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and Antifa protesters, I might have been a little concerned. -- Sen. RonAnon Johnson (R-Wis.) in a radio interview Friday ~~~

~~~ Stupidest Senator: I'm Afraid of Peaceful Black Protesters, Not Violent White Terrorists. Dartunorro Clark of NBC News (republished in Yahoo! News): “Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., described the pro-Trump rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 as people who 'truly respect law enforcement' and 'loved this country' in a radio interview Friday and expressed worry if the mob had been Black Lives Matter protesters or Antifa members. Johnson said he 'never felt threatened' as thousands of rioters broke through barricades, forcing Congress to evacuate parts of the building and abruptly pause a ceremonial event affirming that President-elect Joe Biden won the November election."

Jill Filipovic in a Washington Post op-ed: "Senate Republicans are suddenly social media critics, particularly fussy about what they consider out of bounds for the raucous public square of Twitter. They sank Neera Tanden, President Biden's first choice to run the Office of Management and Budget, over what they deemed to be mean tweets.... Republicans are recycling the mean-tweets attack on Biden nominees whose tweets aren't even mean -- they're just harsh truths.... For example, Sens. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have criticized Vanita Gupta, Biden's nominee for associate attorney general, for tweeting her reaction to the 2020 GOP convention: 'Don't know if I can take three more nights of racism, xenophobia, and outrageous lies.' But her tweet was right on the merits, and the language appropriate.... Let's face it: Tweets aren't the issue. This is about the mirror being held up to Republican failures." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: "The Defense Department's internal watchdog has concluded a long-delayed investigation into Michael Flynn, defense officials said Friday, sending its findings to the Army in a case that could bring tens of thousands of dollars in financial penalties for ... Donald Trump's first national security adviser. The investigation focuses on Flynn's acceptance of money from Russian and Turkish interests before joining the Trump administration, a potential violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause. With few exceptions, U.S. officials, including retired service members like Flynn, are prohibited from accepting money or gifts from foreign governments.... The inspector general's investigation, opened in April 2017, was put on hold for more than three years amid a broader scandal that included a criminal investigation of Flynn by the Justice Department...."

Remembering the Former Guy. How Not to Show Your Respects. Cnaan Liphshiz of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency: "Donald Trump showed off photos of naked women posing with him on a yacht to mourners at the shiva for an associate's mother, The New Yorker reported. Jennifer Weisselberg, the former daughter-in-law of the Trump organization's chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, recalled the incident in a profile of Cyrus Vance Jr., the Manhattan prosecutor who is considering charging the former president and real estate mogul on tax, insurance and banking fraud charges. The incident took place before her 2004 wedding to Barry Weisselberg. Trump arrived at the shiva at a modest Long Island home and declared,'This is where my C.F.O. lives? It's embarrassing!' He then showed the photos of the women. 'After that, he starts hitting on me,' Jennifer Weisselberg said of Trump, and complained that her future father-in-law 'didn't stand up for me.'"

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. TuckerCam! Phil Owen of the the Wrap: "President Joe Biden gave a speech during Tucker Carlson's time slot on Thursday night, and Fox News tried something new, and strange: having a live feed of Tucker's face throughout, so viewers could enjoy watching him stare blankly into the camera while listening to the president. The 'Live Tucker Reaction' inlay may have been improvised on the fly -- the box initially appeared a couple minutes into the speech, and then disappeared after about 30 seconds. A couple minutes after that it came back, and stayed up for seven minutes before disappearing again. It came and went two more times before the speech ended.... Right after Biden said that it's wrong to be racist against Asian Americans, we got one of Tucker's most obvious reactions of the speech: he raised his eyebrows at that moment.... A reminder that Fox News argued in court last year that Tucker Carlson should not to be treated like a credible news person." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In the still photos I've seen, Tucker was scowling, which I think is his idea of looking pensive. I feel sort of jealous of Joe Biden; I wish I had a TuckerCam following me around & scowling at my every action & word. Maybe my opthalmologist can rig something up in a corner of my glasses.

Beyond the Beltway

Minnesota. Shaquille Brewster & Janelle Griffith of NBC News: "The city of Minneapolis has reached a $27 million settlement with George Floyd's family just weeks before the trial is scheduled to begin for the former officer charged with murder in his death. The City Council unanimously approved the settlement Friday after adding the matter to its agenda for a closed session[.] Floyd's family filed a federal lawsuit in July against the city and the four officers involved in the arrest that led to his death. The lawsuit took issue with neck restraints and police policies and training, among other things." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) The New York Times' story is here.

New York. Luis Ferré-Sadurní & Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "Facing a deluge of calls to resign from New York's U.S. senators and the majority of its House Democrats, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made clear on Friday he had no intention of quitting, deriding the mounting pressure from his own party as 'cancel culture' and insisting he would not bow to it." A Politico story is here. ~~~

~~~ Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) late Friday called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign amid growing sexual harassment allegations against him. In a joint statement, the two senators, who had come under pressure themselves to call on Cuomo to resign after other state officials and House lawmakers from New York had done so, said it would be difficult for him to continue to govern given the controversies." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Brian M. Rosenthal & Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: "In interviews over the past week, more than 35 people who have worked in [Gov. Andrew] Cuomo's executive chamber described the office as deeply chaotic, unprofessional and toxic, especially for young women. It is a workplace, the current and former employees said, where tasks are assigned not based on job titles, but on who is liked by Mr. Cuomo and his top aides. Those interviewed described an environment where the senior executive staff regularly deride junior workers, test their dedication to the governor and make them compete to earn his affection and avoid his wrath.... Many said they believed that Mr. Cuomo and other officials seemed to focus on how employees looked and how they dressed. Twelve young women said they felt pressured to wear makeup, dresses and heels, because, it was rumored, that was what the governor liked.... Mr. Cuomo's office denied many of the issues raised by the employees...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Get Out! Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "A raft of powerful Democratic members of New York's congressional delegation, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jerrold Nadler, called on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to resign on Friday, saying Mr. Cuomo had lost the capacity to govern amid a series of multiplying scandals. In a cascade of separate and joint statements, at least 12 House members said Mr. Cuomo should leave office following a string of sexual harassment allegations and controversy over his administration's handling of nursing homes during the pandemic. 'Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of the people of New York,' said Mr. Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and one of the highest-ranking members of Congress. 'Governor Cuomo must resign.'" A Politico story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Zoe Richards of TPM: "Aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called former employees to glean information about potential conversations they had with Lindsey Boylan a former aide who first accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in December, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. 'I felt intimidated, and I felt bewildered,' Ana Liss, a former aide to the governor who received one of the calls in December, told WSJ. The governor's office made calls to Liss and at least five other former employees either to find out if they had heard from Boylan or to gather information about her in conversations that some said they saw as attempts to intimidate them, WSJ said.... One said a caller encouraged them to give reporters any information that would discredit the former aide, who worked for the Cuomo administration between 2015 and 2018 and alleged in tweets that he 'sexually harassed me for years,' and that 'many saw it, and watched.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Way Beyond

Russia. Reuters: "Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has been moved from a jail where he had been held in quarantine for the past several weeks, and the TASS news agency said he was now at the penal colony where he is meant to serve out a two-and-a-half year sentence. One of Navalny's lawyers confirmed that Navalny was no longer being held at the Kolchugino jail in the Vladimir region northeast of Moscow, but said the legal team had not been told where he had been taken." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

The Commentariat -- March 12, 2021

Afternoon Update:

New York. Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) late Friday called on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign amid growing sexual harassment allegations against him. In a joint statement, the two senators, who had come under pressure themselves to call on Cuomo to resign after other state officials and House lawmakers from New York had done so, said it would be difficult for him to continue to govern given the controversies."

President Biden & Vice President Harris will speak at 2:30 pm ET at a White House ceremony celebrating passage of the American Rescue Plan.

Jill Filipovic in a Washington Post op-ed: "Senate Republicans are suddenly social media critics, particularly fussy about what they consider out of bounds for the raucous public square of Twitter. They sank Neera Tanden, President Biden's first choice to run the Office of Management and Budget, over what they deemed to be mean tweets.... Republicans are recycling the mean-tweets attack on Biden nominees whose tweets aren't even mean -- they're just harsh truths.... For example, Sens. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have criticized Vanita Gupta, Biden's nominee for associate attorney general, for tweeting her reaction to the 2020 GOP convention: 'Don't know if I can take three more nights of racism, xenophobia, and outrageous lies.' But her tweet was right on the merits, and the language appropriate.... Let's face it: Tweets aren't the issue. This is about the mirror being held up to Republican failures."

Minnesota. Shaquille Brewster & Janelle Griffith of NBC News: "The city of Minneapolis has reached a $27 million settlement with George Floyd's family just weeks before the trial is scheduled to begin for the former officer charged with murder in his death. The City Council unanimously approved the settlement Friday after adding the matter to its agenda for a closed session[.] Floyd's family filed a federal lawsuit in July against the city and the four officers involved in the arrest that led to his death. The lawsuit took issue with neck restraints and police policies and training, among other things."

New York. Brian M. Rosenthal & Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: "In interviews over the past week, more than 35 people who have worked in [Gov. Andrew] Cuomo's executive chamber described the office as deeply chaotic, unprofessional and toxic, especially for young women. It is a workplace, the current and former employees said, where tasks are assigned not based on job titles, but on who is liked by Mr. Cuomo and his top aides. Those interviewed described an environment where the senior executive staff regularly deride junior workers, test their dedication to the governor and make them compete to earn his affection and avoid his wrath.... Many said they believed that Mr. Cuomo and other officials seemed to focus on how employees looked and how they dressed. Twelve young women said they felt pressured to wear makeup, dresses and heels, because, it was rumored, that was what the governor liked.... Mr. Cuomo's office denied many of the issues raised by the employees...." ~~~

~~~ Get Out! Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "A raft of powerful Democratic members of New York's congressional delegation, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jerrold Nadler, called on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to resign on Friday, saying Mr. Cuomo had lost the capacity to govern amid a series of multiplying scandals. In a cascade of separate and joint statements, at least 12 House members said Mr. Cuomo should leave office following a string of sexual harassment allegations and controversy over his administration's handling of nursing homes during the pandemic. 'Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of the people of New York,' said Mr. Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and one of the highest-ranking members of Congress. 'Governor Cuomo must resign.'" A Politico story is here. ~~~

~~~ Zoe Richards of TPM: "Aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called former employees to glean information about potential conversations they had with Lindsey Boylan a former aide who first accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in December, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. 'I felt intimidated, and I felt bewildered,' Ana Liss, a former aide to the governor who received one of the calls in December, told WSJ. The governor's office made calls to Liss and at least five other former employees either to find out if they had heard from Boylan or to gather information about her in conversations that some said they saw as attempts to intimidate them, WSJ said.... One said a caller encouraged them to give reporters any information that would discredit the former aide, who worked for the Cuomo administration between 2015 and 2018 and alleged in tweets that he 'sexually harassed me for years,' and that 'many saw it, and watched.'"

Russia. Reuters: "Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has been moved from a jail where he had been held in quarantine for the past several weeks, and the TASS news agency said he was now at the penal colony where he is meant to serve out a two-and-a-half year sentence. One of Navalny's lawyers confirmed that Navalny was no longer being held at the Kolchugino jail in the Vladimir region northeast of Moscow, but said the legal team had not been told where he had been taken."

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Brett Samuels & Morgan Chalfant of the Hill: "President Biden on Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of pandemic restrictions, urging Americans to come together, do their part and remain vigilant against the coronavirus in order to return to a semblance of normalcy by summer. In his first primetime address as president, Biden made an emotional appeal to Americans who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 and those grappling with economic and personal hardships after a year of isolation. The president balanced his look back at the grim year by offering a sense of optimism. He outlined steps his administration is taking to ramp up vaccine distribution, including a call for states to make all adults eligible to receive a shot by May 1." ~~~

     ~~~ Sean Sullivan of the Washington Post: "President Biden on Thursday directed states to ensure that all adults are eligible for the coronavirus vaccine by May 1, and he declared a goal of allowing small celebrations on July 4, setting up significant landmarks in the effort to return to normalcy after the devastating pandemic. Speaking from the East Room of the White House in his first prime-time address, Biden sought to hit hopeful notes as he ticked through a series of new actions he intends to take to combat the virus in the spring and summer, including creating a new 'find a vaccination' website and allowing dentists, veterinarians and other health professionals to administer doses." ~~~

     ~~~ Here's a full transcript of President Biden's remarks. Not sure if this is as-delivered or as-prepared.

Kate Sullivan of CNN: "President Joe Biden signed his sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid-19 economic relief package into law on Thursday afternoon.... Biden had originally been expected to sign the bill on Friday. White House chief of staff Ron Klain said the enrolled bill arrived at the White House on Wednesday night, 'so @POTUS is signing it today -- we want to move as fast as possible.' Klain added: 'We will hold our celebration of the signing on Friday, as planned, with Congressional leaders!'" ~~~

Dan Balz of the Washington Post: "The first 50 days of Biden's presidency have offered examples of his leadership style -- and how it differs so dramatically from that of... Donald Trump. Thursday's speech from the White House provided another revealing glimpse. Instead of a president saying, 'I alone can fix it,' Biden said he can only succeed with the help of others.... Mixing empathy with hard realities, he provided a blueprint for returning the country to some sense of normalcy by summer, while appealing to all Americans to help him make it happen."

Alyssa Fowers, et al., of the Washington Post: "In contrast with the emergency bills passed last year, the Democratic [Covid-19 stimulus] bill focuses the vast majority of aid on households, states and cities, and vaccine distribution. There is little money directed this time toward businesses.... Over half the money -- 54 percent -- in the bill goes toward households. In addition to the popular $1,400 checks, there is also funding for extra unemployment insurance through Labor Day, expanded tax credits, and various programs to make rent, food and health insurance more affordable.... Economists say low- and moderate-income Americans will benefit the most from this aid, especially individuals earning $75,000 or less and couples earning $150,000 or less. The number of Americans living in poverty is predicted to drop in 2021 by as much as a third because of this legislation." (Also linked yesterday.)

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

Dareh Gregorian of NBC News: "States with Democratic governors had the highest incidence and death rates from Covid-19 in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, but states with Republican governors surpassed those rates as the crisis dragged on, a study released Tuesday found.... The researchers theorized that one reason for the change is that Democrats were in charge of states where people who had the virus first arrived in the country -- but Republicans were less stringent about safeguards, which could have contributed to their states' ultimately higher incidence and death rates."

Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: Joe "Biden telegraphed his F.D.R.-size ambition throughout [2020]. And the first major bill of his administration is in fact an F.D.R-size piece of legislation.... I would even say that the American Rescue Plan compares favorably with the signature legislation of F.D.R.'s first 100 days, in that its $1.9 trillion price tag dwarfs the mere tens of billions (in inflation-adjusted dollars) spent by Congress during the earliest period of the New Deal.... Indeed, the story of this bill may be the story of how Biden has repudiated the austerity politics of much of the last decade, as well as the anti-assistance paradigm he himself helped forge when, as a senator, he warned in 1988 of 'welfare mothers driving luxury cars' and voted, in 1996, to make so-called welfare reform a reality."

"Joe Biden Is a Transformational President." David Brooks, Facebook Salesman & Occasional New York Times Columnist: "This has been one of the most quietly consequential weeks in recent American politics. The Covid-19 relief law that was just enacted is one of the most important pieces of legislation of our lifetimes. As Eric Levitz writes in New York magazine, the poorest fifth of households will see their income rise by 20 percent; a family of four with one working and one unemployed parent will receive $12,460 in benefits. Child poverty will be cut in half.... There's a billion for national service programs. Black farmers will receive over $4 billion in what looks like a step toward reparations. There's a huge expansion of health insurance subsidies. Many of these changes, like the child tax credit, may well become permanent.... It's not just that government is heading in a new direction, it's that the whole paradigm of the role of government in American life is shifting. Biden is not causing these tectonic plates to shift, but he is riding them.... Income inequality, widespread child poverty and economic precarity are the problems of our time. It's worth taking a risk to tackle all this."

** The Former Guy. Trump's Defense Secretary Says Trump Instigated Insurrection. Seb Walker of Vice: "... Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller has told VICE on Showtime that he believes the speech made by ... Donald Trump on the morning of January 6 was responsible for causing the mob to violently attack the Capitol later that day. Trump installed Miller after firing his predecessor Mark Esper in the days after the election. Speaking exclusively to VICE on Showtime, Miller said, 'Would anybody have marched on the Capitol, and tried to overrun the Capitol, without the president's speech? I think it's pretty much definitive that wouldn't have happened.'... 'It seems cause-and-effect,' Miller said, referring to Trump's speech and the violent riot that left five people dead. 'The question is, did he know he was enraging people to do that? I don't know.' As the acting defense secretary that day, Miller was ultimately in charge of the military's response. His comments are significant in that they tie directly to the incitement of insurrection charge that former President Trump was acquitted of at his second impeachment trial in February.... The response is currently under intense scrutiny, with Senate committees examining the timeline of decisions taken by Trump administration officials." ~~~

~~~ Marie: One thing I did not notice because the CNN report I linked didn't mention it and because I couldn't bring myself to listen to Six Minutes of Donald Trump, is that in his late December phone call to urge Georgia investigator Frances Watson, Trump further implicated himself in the January 6 insurrection. As this NPR report by Stephen Fowler details, "Trump also asked whether the audit would run through Christmas, noting the upcoming Electoral College tally in Congress on Jan. 6 as a 'very important date.'"

Devlin Barrett, et al., of the Washington Post: "The Justice Department and FBI are gathering evidence to try to build a large conspiracy indictment against members of the Oath Keepers for their roles in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to people familiar with the matter, but the group's sometimes fractious and fantasy-laden internal workings may complicate efforts to bring such a case.... The Oath Keepers is the most high-profile self-styled militia group in the country. While members use the jargon and trappings of a paramilitary organization, in daily practice the group is often more akin to a collection of local chapters with a similar, conspiracy-theory-fueled ideology about what they view as the inevitable collapse of the U.S. government.... The Oath Keepers group is a major target of the sprawling FBI investigation into the riot at the U.S. Capitol, along with another militant group, the Proud Boys, according to the people familiar with the matter.... Twelve alleged Oath Keepers members or associates have already been arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6 riot. In court documents, the group's founder, Stewart Rhodes, is usually referred to not by name but as 'Person One.' The people familiar with the case said agents are working to see if a conspiracy case can be made against Rhodes and other senior members of the group."

Chutzpah! Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post: "Postmaster General Louis DeJoy asked congressional appropriators for more money Thursday to support his still-unreleased strategic plan for the nation's mail agency and tried to reset expectations for slower but more consistent service. Testifying before the House Appropriations subcommittee on financial service, DeJoy said the U.S. Postal Service needs to 'recast that expectation of what it is that we're able to do' to stem financial losses." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: DeJoy is accustomed to rolling the feds, so it's no surprise he has the audacity to tell Congress he needs more money to do a lousier job.

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "The House approved a pair of bills on Thursday aimed at expanding and strengthening background checks for gun buyers, as Democrats pushed past Republican opposition to advance major gun safety measures after decades of congressional inaction. In two votes that fell largely along party lines, the House passed legislation that would require background checks for all gun buyers, and extend the time the F.B.I. has to vet those flagged by the national instant check system. Despite being widely popular with voters, the measures face what is expected to be insurmountable opposition in the Senate, where Republicans have resisted imposing any limits on guns, including stricter background check requirements. The House voted 227 to 203 to approve the expansion of background checks, and 219 to 210 to give federal law enforcement more time to vet gun buyers."

Dear Americans: Republicans Despise You. Amy Gardner, et al., of the Washington Post: "The GOP's national push to enact hundreds of new election restrictions could strain every available method of voting for tens of millions of Americans, potentially amounting to the most sweeping contraction of ballot access in the United States since the end of Reconstruction, when Southern states curtailed the voting rights of formerly enslaved Black men, a Washington Post analysis has found. In 43 states across the country, Republican lawmakers have proposed at least 250 laws that would limit mail, early in-person and Election Day voting with such constraints as stricter ID requirements, limited hours or narrower eligibility to vote absentee, according to data compiled as of Feb. 19 by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice. Even more proposals have been introduced since then." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Arizona. "Everybody Shouldn't Be Voting." Eric Bradner & Dianne Gallagher of CNN: "Months after ... Donald Trump and his allies in Congress attempted to overturn Arizona's election results, Republicans in the state's legislature are trying to make it harder for some residents to vote, targeting different elements of the system with almost two dozen separate measures. A handful of the bills -- including two that would impose new restrictions on Arizona's popular vote-by-mail system and one that would limit its narrow voting window -- have gained momentum and could pass.... Rep. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican who chairs the Government and Elections Committee..., [said,] 'There's a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans.... Democrats value as many people as possible voting, and they're willing to risk fraud. Republicans are more concerned about fraud, so we don't mind putting security measures in that won't let everybody vote -- but everybody shouldn't be voting.'"

Ezra Klein of the New York Times lays out the main components of two voting rights bills, the For the People Act & the John Lewis Voting Rights Act (both of which I think have passed the House).... Neither is a budget bill, and so -- unlike the American Rescue Plan -- neither can use budget reconciliation to pass with 51 votes.... I've always been partial to the proposal of former Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who would have ratcheted the votes required to end the filibuster down every few days: It would start at 60, then fall, after a few days of debate, to 57, and then, after a few more, to 54, and finally, after eight days of deliberation, to 51. I'd pair it with reforms to guarantee that senators of all parties could offer amendments on all bills and weaken the majority leader's control of the floor schedule.... It would be obscene to let the Republican Party use the language of minority rights to deprive actual minorities of the right to vote." (Also linked yesterday.)

Amazon Makes It Harder to Buy Bigot Books. Jeffrey Trachtenberg of the Wall Street Journal: "Amazon . com Inc. said it recently removed a three-year-old book about transgender issues from its platforms because it decided not to sell books that frame transgender and other sexual identities as mental illnesses. The company explained its decision in a letter Thursday to Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Braun of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The senators had written last month to Chief Executive Jeff Bezos requesting an explanation of why 'When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment' was no longer available on Amazon nor on its Kindle and Audible platforms." The article is firewalled, but non-subscribers can read the first several grafs at the link. Funny how GOP senators are so upset about not being able to get hold of copies of their favorite "literature."

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. Tucker Leans into His Misogyny; Pentagon Hits Back. Oliver Darcy & Barbara Starr of CNN: "In an extraordinary rebuke, the Pentagon and several senior members of the US military called out Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Thursday for a sexist segment in which he mocked women serving in the armed forces. Carlson, who is effectively the face of Fox and hosts the top show on the right-wing channel, ridiculed President Joe Biden Tuesday for saying that the US military had created uniforms to fit women properly, created maternity flight suits for those who are pregnant, and updated requirements for hairstyles. 'So we've got new hairstyles and maternity flight suits,' Carlson snarked. 'Pregnant women are going to fight our wars. It's a mockery of the US military.' Carlson's comments have prompted severe backlash from some of the most senior members of the US military who took to Twitter on Wednesday and Thursday to call Carlson out for what they described as harmful and divisive rhetoric. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin shared the same 'revulsion' that many military leaders have expressed about the comments Carlson made." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In furtherance of its defense of women serving in the military, the Pentagon even put out a "news report"/press release touting Kirby's response to Carlson. (It's possible these releases are common, but it's the first one I recall seeing and is certainly the first calling out a Fox "News" personality.) Update: See also Akhilleus' commentary below.

Beyond the Beltway

California. Vivian Ho of the Guardian & Agencies: "The Los Angeles police department has been criticised over its handling of the widespread protests that broke out over the summer after the death of George Floyd, with an independent review finding that poor planning led to chaos and mass arrests. The review, commissioned by the city council following nationwide demonstrations last year, was released on Thursday as the trial opens in Minneapolis for Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with killing Floyd on 25 May 2020.... The review, headed by the criminal defense attorney Gerald Chaleff, found that LAPD commanders failed to establish a clear command structure for directing its response to the outbreak of violence, leading to a 'chaos of command' that left officers unsure of who was in charge as events unfolded." The New York Times' report is here.

Minnesota. Holly Bailey of the Washington Post: "The judge overseeing the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd reinstated a third-degree murder charge in the case Thursday, paving the way for the trial to proceed as scheduled. The decision was a victory for prosecutors who had sought to reinstate the charge against Derek Chauvin, the White officer filmed with his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during a police investigation last May. He is already charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the Black man's death. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to take up the appeal filed by Eric Nelson, Chauvin's attorney, seeking to overturn a state Court of Appeals ruling that ordered [Judge Peter] Cahill to reconsider a third-degree murder charge in the case. The appellate court issued a final judgment in the case and then sent the issue back to ... Judge ... Cahill, who is overseeing the trial and heard arguments on the issue Thursday morning." (Also linked yesterday.)

** New York. Jonah Bromwich of the New York Times: "Cyrus R. Vance Jr., the Manhattan district attorney, announced on Friday that he would not run for re-election, setting off a wide-open race to lead one of the most important crime-fighting offices in the country and making it highly likely that any potential case against ... Donald J. Trump will be left in a newcomer's hands. Mr. Vance made the long-expected announcement in a memo to his staff early Friday morning, just weeks before the filing deadline for the race. The many candidates clamoring to replace him are, with few exceptions, seeking to fundamentally reshape the office." CNN's story is here. Dear Manhattan Voters: Please choose the person most likely to lock up Donald Trump. -- Your friend & former neighbor, Marie

New York. Jesse McKinley & Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: "Albany Police Department officials said on Thursday that they had been notified by the New York State Police and the governor's office about an alleged incident at the Executive Mansion involving Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and a female aide that may have risen 'to the level of a crime.'... This does not mean, [police spokesperson Steve] Smith said, that the department has opened a criminal investigation, but it has offered its services to the alleged victim, 'as we would do with any other report or incident.'"

~~~ Luis Ferré-Sadurní, et al., of the New York Times"New York State lawmakers on Thursday opened an impeachment inquiry into Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, the surest sign yet that the governor was seeing his party turn against him amid growing scrutiny of a recent series of sexual harassment accusations. After a three-hour emergency meeting, the State Assembly announced that it would give its judiciary committee broad jurisdiction to investigate allegations of misconduct against Mr. Cuomo, including the sexual harassment claims and his administration's handling of virus-related deaths of nursing home patients. The decision set the stage for what could be the state's first impeachment effort in more than a century." ~~~

~~~ Marina Villeneuve of the AP: "New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's grip on power appeared increasingly threatened Thursday as a majority of state legislators called for his resignation, Democrats launched an impeachment investigation and police in the state capital said they stood ready to investigate a groping allegation."

Texas. Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "An arrest warrant has been issued charging a police officer in Austin, Texas, with murder in the shooting death of a man last year that touched off protests against police violence in the state capital, the authorities said on Wednesday. The Travis County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a warrant had been issued for the officer, Christopher Taylor [in the shooting death of Michael Ramos]...." The story reports the details of the incident, which was complicated. (Also linked yesterday.)

Way Beyond

U.K. Isabella Kwai of the New York Times: "Prince William on Thursday denied that Britain's royal family was racist, in his first public comments after his brother, Prince Harry, and Harry's wife, Meghan, alleged in a bombshell interview that a family member had raised concerns about their child's skin tone and shared revelations about a rift in the usually tight-lipped institution." MB: A reporter asked William if the family was racist, and he said no. This is one of those dumb reporter questions where there's only one possible answer. (Also linked yesterday.)

The Commentariat -- March 11, 2021

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

President Biden is scheduled to sign the American Rescue Act a day early, at 2 pm today.

Alyssa Fowers, et al., of the Washington Post: " In contrast with the emergency bills passed last year, the Democratic [Covid-19 stimulus] bill focuses the vast majority of aid on households, states and cities, and vaccine distribution. There is little money directed this time toward businesses.... Over half the money -- 54 percent -- in the bill goes toward households. In addition to the popular $1,400 checks, there is also funding for extra unemployment insurance through Labor Day, expanded tax credits, and various programs to make rent, food and health insurance more affordable.... Economists say low- and moderate-income Americans will benefit the most from this aid, especially individuals earning $75,000 or less and couples earning $150,000 or less. The number of Americans living in poverty is predicted to drop in 2021 by as much as a third because of this legislation."

Dear Americans: Republicans Despise You. Amy Gardner, et al., of the Washington Post: "The GOP's national push to enact hundreds of new election restrictions could strain every available method of voting for tens of millions of Americans, potentially amounting to the most sweeping contraction of ballot access in the United States since the end of Reconstruction, when Southern states curtailed the voting rights of formerly enslaved Black men, a Washington Post analysis has found. In 43 states across the country, Republican lawmakers have proposed at least 250 laws that would limit mail, early in-person and Election Day voting with such constraints as stricter ID requirements, limited hours or narrower eligibility to vote absentee, according to data compiled as of Feb. 19 by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice. Even more proposals have been introduced since then."

Ezra Klein of the New York Times lays out the main components of two voting rights bills, the For the People Act & the John Lewis Voting Rights Act (both of which I think have passed the House).... Neither is a budget bill, and so -- unlike the American Rescue Plan -- neither can use budget reconciliation to pass with 51 votes.... I've always been partial to the proposal of former Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who would have ratcheted the votes required to end the filibuster down every few days: It would start at 60, then fall, after a few days of debate, to 57, and then, after a few more, to 54, and finally, after eight days of deliberation, to 51. I'd pair it with reforms to guarantee that senators of all parties could offer amendments on all bills and weaken the majority leader's control of the floor schedule.... It would be obscene to let the Republican Party use the language of minority rights to deprive actual minorities of the right to vote."

Minnesota. Holly Bailey of the Washington Post: "The judge overseeing the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd reinstated a third-degree murder charge in the case Thursday, paving the way for the trial to proceed as scheduled. The decision was a victory for prosecutors who had sought to reinstate the charge against Derek Chauvin, the White officer filmed with his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during a police investigation last May. He is already charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the Black man's death. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to take up the appeal filed by Eric Nelson, Chauvin's attorney, seeking to overturn a state Court of Appeals ruling that ordered [Judge Peter] Cahill to reconsider a third-degree murder charge in the case. The appellate court issued a final judgment in the case and then sent the issue back to ... Judge ... Cahill, who is overseeing the trial and heard arguments on the issue Thursday morning."

Texas. Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "An arrest warrant has been issued charging a police officer in Austin, Texas, with murder in the shooting death of a man last year that touched off protests against police violence in the state capital, the authorities said on Wednesday. The Travis County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a warrant had been issued for the officer, Christopher Taylor [in the shooting death of Michael Ramos]...." The story reports the details of the incident, which was complicated.

U.K. Isabella Kwai of the New York Times: "Prince William on Thursday denied that Britain's royal family was racist, in his first public comments after his brother, Prince Harry, and Harry's wife, Meghan, alleged in a bombshell interview that a family member had raised concerns about their child's skin tone and shared revelations about a rift in the usually tight-lipped institution." MB: A reporter asked William if the family was racist, and he said no. This is one of those dumb reporter questions where there's only one possible answer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Matt Viser & Ashley Parker of the Washington Post: "President Biden, in his first prime-time address since taking office, is planning on Thursday night to speak to a nation still reeling from the deadly coronavirus pandemic, offering a look back on the devastating year as well as previewing what he will characterize as a coming return to some sense of normalcy, according to White House officials. Biden views the speech as a key marker to reflect on his first 50 days in office, one that comes almost exactly a year after the nation began to shut down as a result of the pandemic and at an inflection point in his own presidency, officials said. It was last March 11 that ... Donald Trump gave his own widely criticized Oval Office address, suspending travel from Europe while also telling Americans of the virus: 'The risk is very, very low.'... Biden is expected to travel to Pennsylvania next week and hold his first solo news conference of his presidency this month, as well as offer a joint address to Congress in the coming weeks...."

A Big Fucking Deal. Tony Romm of the Washington Post: "Congress approved a sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Wednesday, authorizing a flurry of new federal spending and a temporary yet dramatic increase in anti-poverty programs to help millions of families still struggling amid the pandemic. The 220-211 vote in the House of Representatives almost entirely along party lines now sends to Biden's desk one of the largest economic rescue packages in U.S. history, which Democrats had promised to pass as one of their first acts of governance after securing narrow but potent majorities in Washington after the 2020 presidential election.... The bill now heads to Biden, who is expected to sign it Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. The signing comes a day after the president is set to deliver his first prime-time television address on the country's response to the coronavirus." The AP's story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) The New York Times story is here. ~~~

~~~ Democratic leaders take a hard-earned victory lap:

~~~ President Biden on passage of the bill:

~~~ GOP Senator Hails Relief Bill. Emily Cochrane & Thomas Kaplan of the New York Times: "Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, tweeted approvingly just hours after the bill passed.... 'Independent restaurant operators have won $28.6 billion worth of targeted relief. This funding will ensure small businesses can survive the pandemic by helping to adapt their operations and keep their employees on the payroll,' [he tweeted.]... His post did not mention that he had voted no." ~~~

It's typical that they vote no and take the dough. -- Nancy Pelosi, on Republican members of Congress, all of whom voted against the relief bill

Geoff Bennett & Shannon Pettypiece of NBC News: "President Joe Biden will announce plans Wednesday to purchase an additional 100 million doses of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, giving the U.S. more than enough supply to vaccinate the entire U.S. population. Biden will announce that he is directing his Health and Human Services team to procure the additional doses during a meeting with executives from J&J and Merck, according to two administration officials." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) A Washington Post story is here.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Thursday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Thursday are here: Donald Ducks. "A new series of public service announcements have been released featuring former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter encouraging Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus -- the latest bid to convince millions of skeptics who say they're holding out.... The ads do not feature Donald Trump." ~~~

Noah Weiland of the New York Times: "The Biden administration published revised guidelines on Wednesday for nursing home visits during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing guests to go inside to see residents regardless of whether they or the residents have been vaccinated. The recommendations, released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services with comment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are the first revision to the federal government's nursing home guidance since September.... Federal officials said in the new guidance that outdoor visits were still preferable because of a lower risk of transmission, even when residents and guests have been fully vaccinated."

Jordain Carney & Rebecca Beitsch of the Hill: "The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Merrick Garland to be President Biden's attorney general, a u-turn from a 2016 stalemate that kept him stuck in Senate limbo. Senators voted 70-30 on Garland's nomination to lead the Justice Department, easily topping the 50 votes needed. The vote comes just days before the five-year anniversary from when then-President Obama nominated Garland to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Republicans, who then controlled the Senate, refused to give Garland a hearing or a vote." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) The New York Times story is here.

Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: "Representative Marcia L. Fudge of Ohio was confirmed as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday, becoming the first Black woman in decades to run an agency that will be at the forefront of the Biden administration's efforts to fight racial inequity and poverty. Ms. Fudge, a Democratic member of Congress representing the Cleveland area and the former mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, earned the support of all the Senate Democrats and many top Republicans, including that of Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader. The final vote was 66 to 34. For a fleeting moment on Wednesday, her two jobs, in two branches, overlapped: Ms. Fudge voted by proxy in favor of the administration's $1.9 trillion stimulus bill."

Brady Dennis & Dino Grandoni of the Washington Post: "The Senate confirmed Michael Regan on Wednesday as the next Environmental Protection Agency administrator, a role that lies at the heart of President Biden's promises to cut the nation's greenhouse gas emissions and help poor and minority communities that have long borne the brunt of pollution. In an era defined by partisan divides, Regan won confirmation by a comfortable margin of 66 to 34.... He is the first Black man to lead the EPA in its half-century of existence. The agency's first African American chief was Lisa Jackson, who held the role for four years under President Barack Obama."

Ari Berman of Mother Jones: "As Republicans in the Georgia state legislature passed a series of voting restrictions over the past 10 days, Stacey Abrams, the state's leading voting rights activist, saw an ever more pressing need to reform the filibuster in the US Senate. And she has a plan for how to do it.... 'The judicial appointment exception, the Cabinet appointment exception, the budget reconciliation exception, are all grounded in this idea that these are constitutionally prescribed responsibilities that should not be thwarted by minority imposition,' she says. 'And we should add to it the right to protect democracy. It is a foundational principle in our country. And it is an explicit role and responsibility accorded only to Congress in the elections clause in the Constitution.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Lee Moran of the Huffington Post: "Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) faced backlash this week for releasing an ad attacking Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that ended with a gunshot sound. In the spot, the QAnon-endorsing first-term lawmaker called on Pelosi to 'tear down' the security fence that was put up around the U.S. Capitol following the Jan. 6 insurrection, when a violent mob of ... Donald Trump's supporters overran the Capitol building. 'It's time to cut the crap and remember, this is the people's house,' Boebert bombastically declared. The video concluded with audio of a gunshot, followed by the sound of the weapon being reloaded and fired again.&"

Ryan Nobles of CNN: "Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington [State] has sent letters to the House Committee on Ethics and the Office of Congressional Ethics requesting they launch investigations into three Republican lawmakers, over accusations of the trio 'instigating and aiding' the deadly January 6 riot on the Capitol. Jayapal asks the two groups to 'thoroughly investigate' the activity of the three members of Congress -- Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Mo Brooks of Alabama and Paul Gosar of Arizona -- in the time leading up to the insurrection and refer all potential criminal wrongdoing to the Department of Justice. For each member, Jayapal lists examples of their conduct in the weeks before January 6."

Alex Horton of the Washington Post: "A Marine Corps veteran charged in the Capitol riot once served as a crew chief for the presidential helicopter squadron, a highly restrictive unit that requires a top-secret security clearance, officials said Wednesday. John Daniel Andries, 35, of Piney Point, Md., was arrested last month and charged with two felonies, including violent entry and disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds. He pleaded not guilty, WUSA9 reported."

The Former Guy. Jason Morris & Sara Murray of CNN: "In a phone call to the Georgia secretary of state's office in December..., Donald Trump urged a top investigator to find fraud in the 2020 presidential election, telling her that she would be 'praised' for overturning results that were in favor of Joe Biden, according to newly reported audio of the call obtained by The Wall Street Journal. The report is the latest example of Trump's extraordinary efforts to influence Georgia election officials as they certified the results.... 'When the right answer comes out, you'll be praised,' Trump tells Frances Watson, the chief investigator at the Georgia secretary of state's office, in a six-minute conversation on December 23, according to the Journal. 'I won everything but Georgia. And I won Georgia, I know that. By a lot. And the people know it. And something happened there. Something bad happened,' Trump reportedly told Watson during the phone call." You can listen to Trump Call here. (This link is to a WSJ copy of the recording, which is accessible to non-subscribers.)

Carrie Johnson of NPR: "Two whistleblowers assert that a Justice Department official improperly injected politics into the hiring process during his waning days in the Trump administration, according to a new filing obtained by NPR. The whistleblowers accuse Jeffrey Bossert Clark of conducting a 'sham' process and elevating a person who volunteered to defend a controversial Trump policy on abortion access, even though the person had far less experience than other finalists for the job in the Civil Division, they said in a Wednesday letter to House and Senate lawmakers and the Justice Department's inspector general. Clark was then the acting assistant attorney general in charge of the department's Civil Division. Clark drew nationwide attention this year after The New York Times reported he had discussed a way to unseat the acting attorney general, take the job for himself and advance then-President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn Georgia's election results...."

Capitalism Is Bizarre. Teo Armus of the Washington Post: "The Panda Express cashier had already been forced to strip to her underwear in front of her fellow staff during a 'self-improvement' seminar in 2019, she said, and told to open up to the group about her vulnerabilities. But when a male colleague broke down crying while trying to do the same, the session's leaders ordered her to go one step further: She had to 'hug it out' with him, both of them still undressed, as others filmed her or ogled at her body, the 23-year-old employee in California said. That was just part of a bizarre, psychologically abusive four-day seminar that 'more and more resembled a cult initiation ritual as time went on,' according to a lawsuit she filed last month against the fast-food chain in Los Angeles County Superior Court."

Beyond the Beltway

Iowa. Katie Robertson & Rachel Abrams of the New York Times: "An Iowa jury acquitted a journalist on Wednesday in a highly unusual trial of a reporter who was arrested last spring as she covered a protest against racism and police violence. Andrea Sahouri, a public safety reporter for The Des Moines Register, was arrested May 31 while covering a sometimes chaotic demonstration ...l in Des Moines. Police officers ordered protesters to disperse and used pepper spray against them. Ms. Sahouri, who said she had identified herself as a reporter, was arrested along with her boyfriend at the time, Spenser Robnett, who had accompanied her that day. Ms. Sahouri, 25, pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges of failing to disperse and interference with official acts, each punishable by up to 30 days in jail. On Wednesday, a six-person jury found Ms. Sahouri and Mr. Robnett not guilty of both charges." The Des Moines Register story is here.

Killing Protesters is OK-lahoma. Carmen Forman of the Oklahoman: "Republican lawmakers in the Oklahoma House approved legislation to grant immunity to drivers who hit protesters. On a party-line vote Wednesday, the House passed a bill that grants civil and criminal immunity for drivers who unintentionally injure or kill protesters while 'fleeing from a riot.' House Bill 1674 from Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, is just one of a handful of GOP-sponsored bills in the Oklahoma Legislature this year designed to crack down on protests. The bill came under fire from legislative Democrats said the Republican majority was looking to lash out at protesters instead of taking steps to address systemic racism and police misconduct that have spurred widespread Black Lives Matter protests.&"

Way Beyond

U.K. Caroline Davies of the Guardian: "The Queen missed a crucial opportunity to publicly acknowledge and condemn racism in her response to the allegations made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, equality campaigners have said. Casting the issue as a 'private' family matter meant there was 'no public accountability' from a public institution and the head of state and Commonwealth, they said." MB: Elizabeth has plenty of advisors, and evidently they, or she, decided to miss the opportunity. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)