The Conversation -- April 2, 2024

The medieval church liked to illustrate the seven deadly sins in stained glass windows, triptychs and other media. The church's purpose was to educate their illiterate parishoners. Well, we have our own illiterati, Trump's beloved "poorly educated," and RAS has found some contemporary church art for them:

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Amber Ferguson of the Washington Post: "Throughout the day [Monday], the White House grounds were filled with about 40,000 people [-- a record number to attend a White House Easter egg roll --] and brightly colored eggs, continuing a tradition that started in 1878. The day was cold and the event was delayed by 90 minutes because of the rain 00 unlike last year, when the weather was sunny and clear. Once again, this year's theme was 'EGGucation,' which focused on educational opportunities, in recognition of first lady Jill Biden's career as a teacher for more than 30 years.... The day's first activities were reserved for people with disabilities, which allowed families to maneuver the various stations without crowds." MB: I guess so many people showed up despite the bad weather because they were afraid that next year, the kids would have to pay with their lunch money for Trump-stamped eggs.

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "Speaker Mike Johnson has begun publicly laying out potential conditions for extending a fresh round of American military assistance to Ukraine, the strongest indication yet that he plans to push through the House a package that many Republicans view as toxic and have tried to block. His terms may include tying the aid for Kyiv to a measure that would force President Biden to reverse a moratorium on new permits for liquefied natural gas export facilities, something that Republicans would see as a political victory against the Democratic president's climate agenda. The move would also hand Mr. Johnson a powerful parochial win, unblocking a proposed export terminal in his home state of Louisiana that would be situated along a shipping channel that connects the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Charles."

The Trials of Trump & the Gang

How to Call Out a Bully. The average observer, must now, after hearing defendant's recent attacks, draw the conclusion that if they become involved in these proceedings, even tangentially, they should worry not only for themselves, but for their loved ones as well. Such concerns will undoubtedly interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitutes a direct attack on the Rule of Law itself. It is no longer just a mere possibility or a reasonable likelihood that there exists a threat to the integrity of the judicial proceedings. The threat is very real. Admonitions are not enough, nor is reliance on self-restraint. -- Judge Juan Merchan, expanding the gag order against Donald Trump ~~~

~~~ Jesse McKinley, et al., of the New York Times: "The New York judge overseeing Donald J. Trump's criminal trial later this month expanded a gag order on Monday to bar the former president from attacking the judge's family members, who in recent days have become the target of Mr. Trump's abuse.... And although the ruling issued on Monday still does not apply to the judge or the district attorney, Justice [Juan] Merchan, granting a request from [Manhattan D.A. Alvin] Bragg's office, amended the gag order so that it does now cover their families." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Earlier. Kara Scannell of CNN: "The Manhattan district attorney's office on Monday asked the judge overseeing Donald Trump's criminal trial related to hush money payments to expand the gag order to stop the former president from attacking family members of people involved in the case. 'To the extent that the original March 26 Order did not already prohibit this behavior, this Court can and should clarify or extend the Order to protect family members of the Court on the record described below, and should warn defendant that any future disregard of the Order will result in sanctions,' prosecutors wrote in a motion to Judge Juan Merchan.... 'None of defendant's attacks in the past week consist of campaign advocacy. Instead, defendant has viciously and falsely smeared the Court and the family member for no reason other than the Court's presiding over this criminal trial,' [prosecutors wrote]." The report has been updated to reflect Judge Merchan's ruling. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ D.A. Alvin Bragg's filing is here. It begins, "Defendant's dangerous, violent, and reprehensible rhetoric fundamentally threatens the integrity of these proceedings and is intended to intimidate witnesses and trial participants alike -- including this Court." (Also linked yesterday.)

Adam Reiss, et al., of NBC News: "Former White House communications director Hope Hicks is expected to be a witness for the prosecution when the falsifying business records case against Donald Trump goes to trial in New York this month, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told NBC News on Monday. Hicks met for several hours last year with the Manhattan prosecutors who brought the case.... An attorney for Hicks said in 2019 that she'd been unaware of the hush money payment until it became public. But an FBI agent who'd been investigating [Michael] Cohen said in an affidavit for Cohen's federal criminal case that he believed Hicks was involved in the negotiations aimed at preventing [porn actress Stormy] Daniels from going public with her claim that she'd had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006."

Ben Protess of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump averted a financial disaster on Monday, reaching a deal that will spare him from paying a $454 million judgment in his civil fraud case while he appeals the penalty. The lifeline came in the form of a bond that will prevent New York's attorney general, who brought the lawsuit that led to the judgment, from collecting the $454 million until Mr. Trump's appeal is resolved. The attorney general, Letitia James, accused Mr. Trump of fraudulently inflating his net worth by as much as $2 billion, and a judge ruled in her favor.... The $175 million bond came from Knight Specialty Insurance Company, a California company that handles such deals." Politico's report is here. (Also linked yesterday.) The AP report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Rachel Maddow reported on-air that the CEO of Knight is "a big Republican donor." ~~~

     ~~~ Scott Lemieux in LG&$: "... between this rock-solid foundation for Trump's recent paper increase in net worth and his impeccable history of making his creditors whole I see nothing that could possibly go wrong."

Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post: "A federal appeals court has rejected another argument from former Trump adviser Peter Navarro, one of a series of recent legal losses that has the economist facing sanction for defying court orders even as he serves a four-month prison sentence for ignoring similar demands from Congress."

Drew Harwell of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump's social media company said Monday it lost more than $58 million last year, sending its stock plunging more than 25 percent only days after a highflying public debut valued it at more than $8 billion. The nosediving share price of the company -- which uses the stock ticker DJT, for Trump's initials -- shaved hundreds of millions of dollars off both the company's market value and Trump's wealth, given that he owns about 57 percent of the firm. The new financial figures throw into stark relief the gap between Trump Media's highly hyped investor-driven valuation on the public stock market and the reality of its business performance. The company said in a filing that its management had 'substantial doubt' it would have enough money to pay its debts as they come due, including those from promissory notes the company had previously issued." CNBC's sad report is here. MB: Otherwise, it's a great investment. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Rob Wile of NBC News: "An auditor has raised doubts about the ability of ... Donald Trump's publicly traded company to stay in business, according to a new regulatory filing.... The filing includes a note from an independent accounting firm, Colorado-based BF Borgers CPA PC, warning that Trump Media's 'operating losses raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.' The firm has worked with Trump Media since 2022. The note is dated March 25, the day before Trump's company started trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the symbol DJT, surging at first and earning comparisons to so-called meme stocks." MB: Uh, shouldn't that note have been made public before suckers people started trading in DJT stock?? Obviously, insiders had the information before the stock opened on the Nasdaq.

Did Donald Trump spend Easter Sunday ~~~

(a) at the Evangelical Church of the Divine celebrating the resurrection; OR
(b) hiding fake Fabergé eggs for the grandkids' Easter egg hunt; OR
(c) typing out 77 angry tweets?

Alex Thompson of Axios: "If Donald Trump returns to the White House, close allies want to dramatically change the government's interpretation of Civil Rights-era laws to focus on 'anti-white racism' rather than discrimination against people of color.... Targets would range from decades-old policies aimed at giving minorities economic opportunities, to more recent programs that began in response to the pandemic and the killing of George Floyd.... A central vehicle for the effort has been America First Legal, founded by former Trump aide Stephen Miller, who has called the group conservatives' 'long-awaited answer to the ACLU.'... In 2021, Miller's group successfully sued to block the implementation of a $29 billion pandemic-era program for women- and minority-owned restaurants, saying it discriminated against white-owned businesses.... The Heritage Foundation's well-funded 'Project 2025' envisions a second Trump administration ending what it calls 'affirmative discrimination.'" Thanks to RAS for the link. See also Akhilleus' commentary in yesterday's thread. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The DOJ and its civil rights division during the Trump administration championed a number of these pro-white policies. Maybe the Trumpies have a more comprehensive plan for a second Trump term.

Presidential Race. Meryl Kornfield of the Washington Post: "Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly advanced an argument Monday that President Biden poses a greater threat to democracy than Donald Trump, a comment that drew swift rebukes from several historians and experts. Kennedy, speaking to CNN's Erin Burnett on Monday night, criticized the Biden administration's push for social media companies to monitor their platforms for medical misinformation.... Kennedy claimed Biden was 'censoring me' and is 'weaponizing federal agencies.' He added that Trump -- who has alarmed some experts with rhetoric and stances they have compared to authoritarian leaders, plotted a more extreme second term and inspired his supporters to fight the results of an election he continues to falsely claim was stolen -- is not as significant a threat to democracy.... Biden's allies condemned Kennedy's attack and said it was an indication he is a 'spoiler candidate' who is spreading 'MAGA talking points.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is why you don't give nuts like RFK Jr. a national platform on CNN, Erin.

Philip Bump of the Washington Post: The right wing is outraged that two events can sometimes occur on the same day: in this case, Easter, because of the cycles of the moon, and Trans Day of Visibility because it's been March 31 since it was first celebrated in 2009. Bump notes, "(Biden, who attends church regularly, also included a reference to Jesus in his message. Trump -- did not.) The outrage, then, is not about Biden giving precedence to Trans Day of Visibility but that he had the gall to recognize it at all." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I see that next year, Easter will fall on April 20. That's also Hitler's birthday. I wonder which one Trump will prioritize, but I'm guessing that if you look very closely, you'll be able to make out an odd little orange mustache on the upper lip of the Orange Jesus.

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post: "Unapologetic racism is back, thanks to the anything-goes MAGA permission structure and the echo-chamber amplification of social media. This fact was brought home on the morning of March 26, shortly after a massive cargo ship struck and collapsed the iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge spanning the entrance to Baltimore harbor. Mayor Brandon Scott, who had raced to the scene, went before television cameras to give an update on the 'unthinkable tragedy,' as any mayor would have done. But Scott is African American -- and for MAGA trolls on X, Elon Musk's social media platform, that means he can't be seen as just any mayor. 'This is Baltimore's DEI mayor commenting on the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge,' one such troll posted, along with a clip of Scott's remarks, to his more than 275,000 followers. 'It's going to get so, so much worse. Prepare accordingly.' 'DEI' is shorthand for diversity, equity and inclusion. For decades..., those concepts have been lauded in our public discourse as virtues. For the unhinged far right, however, 'DEI' has come to mean 'any Black or Brown person who holds a position of authority that we think should have gone to a White man.'"

Perry Stein of the Washington Post: "A federal judge rejected more than a half-dozen requests from Hunter Biden's attorneys arguing that the nine-count criminal tax case against him should be dismissed.... The rejections mean that the president's son will probably head to trial in Los Angeles unless he strikes a deal with prosecutors on the three felony and six misdemeanor tax charges. Scarsi has already scheduled the trial to start in June -- right in the middle of President Biden's reelection campaign. Hunter Biden is also scheduled to go to trial that same month in a separate federal case in Delaware on gun charges."

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Florida. Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: "The Florida Supreme Court overturned decades of legal precedent on Monday in ruling that the State Constitution's privacy protections do not extend to abortion, effectively allowing Florida to ban the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy. But in a separate decision released at the same time, the justices allowed Florida voters to decide this fall whether to expand abortion access. The court ruled 4-3 that a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion 'before viability,' usually around 24 weeks, could go on the November ballot.... The conservative-leaning court found that a 15-week abortion ban enacted in 2022 was constitutional. That ruling will allow a six-week ban enacted last year to take effect within 30 days." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I heard someone say on TV that a young woman who needs an abortion will have to drive all the way to Virginia to get one. Depending upon what part of Florida she lives in, that will be a very long day's drive.

Georgia. Emily Shapiro of ABC News: "A driver rammed into the front gate of the Atlanta FBI office Monday afternoon and was taken into custody, according to FBI officials. The car appeared to try to follow an authorized vehicle as it was entering the gate, and the pop-up barrier was deployed to stop the unauthorized car, officials said.... 'Several of our special agents who were passing by apprehended the man after he exited his vehicle,' FBI Atlanta [said]. 'Currently, we are looking into both state and federal charges.'... The office is outside of Atlanta in Chamblee, Georgia." (Also linked yesterday.)

South Carolina. Ben Brasch of the Washington Post: "Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced in federal court to 40 years in prison for nearly two dozen financial crimes, the Associated Press reported Monday, 13 months after the former attorney was found guilty of killing his wife and son. Murdaugh, who is already serving two life sentences, pleaded guilty to 22 financial crimes in September. He admitted to laundering at least $6 million from individuals he represented in court, according to federal court records." (Also linked yesterday.)

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Israel/Palestine, et al.

The Washington Post's live updates of developments Tuesday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Israel announced an independent investigation into a strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in a strike in Gaza. The food aid nonprofit blamed the Israel Defense Forces and said it was immediately pausing its operations in the region, saying Tuesday victims included dual citizen of the United States and Canada, nationals from Australia, Poland and the United Kingdom, and at least one Palestinian worker. Israel described the deaths as 'tragic' but did not say it was responsible.... The United Nations is planning a mission to Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital as soon as it can gain access, Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for the U.N. secretary general, said Monday. The Israel Defense Forces said it has pulled back from the hospital after a roughly two-week-long siege that left the sprawling medical campus in ruins." ~~~

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

Farnaz Fassihi, et al., of the New York Times: "At least three senior commanders and four officers overseeing Iran's covert operations in the Middle East were killed on Monday when Israeli warplanes struck a building in Damascus that is part of the Iranian Embassy complex, according to Iranian and Syrian officials. The strike in Damascus, the Syrian capital, appeared to be among the deadliest attacks in a yearslong shadow war between Israel and Iran that has included the assassinations of Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists. That covert war has moved into the open as tensions between the countries have intensified over Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip against Hamas, the Iranian-backed militia that led the Oct. 7 attack on Israel."

Daniel Victor & Natasha Frost of the New York Times: "International aid workers from World Central Kitchen, a disaster relief nonprofit that has become a source of food for desperate Gazans, were killed in an airstrike in Gaza, according to José Andrés, the chef who founded the organization. Mr. Andrés said on the X that 'several of our sisters and brothers' were killed in the airstrike, which was reported late Monday in Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza. He said the Israeli military had carried out the strike, though that could not be immediately confirmed. The Israeli military said in a statement early Tuesday that it was 'conducting a thorough review at the highest levels to understand the circumstances of this tragic incident.'"

Casandra Vinograd of the New York Times: "... thousands of Israelis ... began a four-day protest on Sunday night calling for early elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Many of them believe he has put his political survival ahead of the broader interests of the Israeli people.... Sunday night's protest was one of the largest since the start of the war, but appeared smaller than the demonstrations at the peak of a wave of anti-government demonstrations last year, a wave that Mr. Netanyahu's coalition survived." (Also linked yesterday.)

News Ledes

Washington Post: "A 7.4 magnitude earthquake, followed by several strong aftershocks, struck off the east coast of Taiwan Wednesday morning, damaging buildings, causing landslides and prompting tsunami warnings in both Taiwan and Japan."

New York Times: "Lou Conter, the last known survivor of the battleship Arizona, which sank with the loss of 1,177 sailors and Marines in Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, plunging the United States into World War II, died on Monday at his home in Grass Valley, Calif. He was 102." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: When Lou was a young man, he would have read about many Civil War soldiers who were still living; I can remember reading about a few when I was just learning to read the front page of the newspaper. And those Civil War soldiers would have been around to read about the contemporaneous deaths of some Revolutionary War soldiers. We are a young country.

The Conversation -- April 1, 2024

The average observer, must now, after hearing defendant’s recent attacks, draw the conclusion that if they become involved in these proceedings, even tangentially, they should worry not only for themselves, but for their loved ones as well. Such concerns will undoubtedly interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitutes a direct attack on the Rule of Law itself. It is no longer just a mere possibility or a reasonable likelihood that there exists a threat to the integrity of the judicial proceedings. The threat is very real. Admonitions are not enough, nor is reliance on self-restraint. -- Judge Juan Merchan, expanding the gag order against Donald Trump ~~~

~~~ Jesse McKinley, et al., of the New York Times: “The New York judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial later this month expanded a gag order on Monday to bar the former president from attacking the judge’s family members, who in recent days have become the target of Mr. Trump’s abuse.... And although the ruling issued on Monday still does not apply to the judge or the district attorney, Justice [Juan] Merchan, granting a request from [Manhattan D.A. Alvin] Bragg’s office, amended the gag order so that it does now cover their families.” ~~~

~~~ Earlier. Kara Scannell of CNN: “The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday asked the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal trial related to hush money payments to expand the gag order to stop the former president from attacking family members of people involved in the case. 'To the extent that the original March 26 Order did not already prohibit this behavior, this Court can and should clarify or extend the Order to protect family members of the Court on the record described below, and should warn defendant that any future disregard of the Order will result in sanctions,' prosecutors wrote in a motion to Judge Juan Merchan.... 'None of defendant’s attacks in the past week consist of campaign advocacy. Instead, defendant has viciously and falsely smeared the Court and the family member for no reason other than the Court’s presiding over this criminal trial,' [prosecutors wrote].” The story has been updated to reflect Judge Merchan's ruling. ~~~

     ~~~ D.A. Alvin Bragg's filing is here. It begins, “Defendant's dangerous, violent, and reprehensible rhetoric fundamentally threatens the integrity of these proceedings and is intended to intimidate witnesses and trial participants alike — including this Court.”

Ben Protess of the New York Times: “... Donald J. Trump averted a financial disaster on Monday, reaching a deal that will spare him from paying a $454 million judgment in his civil fraud case while he appeals the penalty. The lifeline came in the form of a bond that will prevent New York’s attorney general, who brought the lawsuit that led to the judgment, from collecting the $454 million until Mr. Trump’s appeal is resolved. The attorney general, Letitia James, accused Mr. Trump of fraudulently inflating his net worth by as much as $2 billion, and a judge ruled in her favor.... The $175 million bond came from Knight Specialty Insurance Company, a California company that handles such deals.” Politico's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Rachel Maddow reported on-air that the CEO of Knight is "a big Republican donor."

Florida. Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: “The Florida Supreme Court overturned decades of legal precedent on Monday in ruling that the State Constitution’s privacy protections do not extend to abortion, effectively allowing Florida to ban the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy. But in a separate decision released at the same time, the justices allowed Florida voters to decide this fall whether to expand abortion access. The court ruled 4-3 that a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion 'before viability,' usually around 24 weeks, could go on the November ballot.... The conservative-leaning court found that a 15-week abortion ban enacted in 2022 was constitutional. That ruling will allow a six-week ban enacted last year to take effect within 30 days.”

Georgia. Emily Shapiro of ABC News: "A driver rammed into the front gate of the Atlanta FBI office Monday afternoon and was taken into custody, according to FBI officials. The car appeared to try to follow an authorized vehicle as it was entering the gate, and the pop-up barrier was deployed to stop the unauthorized car, officials said.... 'Several of our special agents who were passing by apprehended the man after he exited his vehicle,' FBI Atlanta [said]. 'Currently, we are looking into both state and federal charges.'... The office is outside of Atlanta in Chamblee, Georgia."

Drew Harwell of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump’s social media company said Monday it lost more than $58 million last year, sending its stock plunging more than 25 percent only days after a highflying public debut valued it at more than $8 billion. The nosediving share price of the company — which uses the stock ticker DJT, for Trump’s initials — shaved hundreds of millions of dollars off both the company’s market value and Trump’s wealth, given that he owns about 57 percent of the firm. The new financial figures throw into stark relief the gap between Trump Media’s highly hyped investor-driven valuation on the public stock market and the reality of its business performance. The company said in a filing that its management had 'substantial doubt' it would have enough money to pay its debts as they come due, including those from promissory notes the company had previously issued.” CNBC's sad report is here. MB: Otherwise, it's a great investment.

Did Donald Trump spend Easter Sunday ~~~

(a) at the Evangelical Church of the Divine celebrating the resurrection; OR
(b) hiding fake Fabergé eggs for the grandkids' Easter egg hunt; OR
(c) typing out 77 angry tweets?

South Carolina. Ben Brasch of the Washington Post: “Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced in federal court to 40 years in prison for nearly two dozen financial crimes, the Associated Press reported Monday, 13 months after the former attorney was found guilty of killing his wife and son. Murdaugh, who is already serving two life sentences, pleaded guilty to 22 financial crimes in September. He admitted to laundering at least $6 million from individuals he represented in court, according to federal court records.”

Israel/Palestine, et al. Casandra Vinograd of the New York Times: “... thousands of Israelis ... began a four-day protest on Sunday night calling for early elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Many of them believe he has put his political survival ahead of the broader interests of the Israeli people.... Sunday night’s protest was one of the largest since the start of the war, but appeared smaller than the demonstrations at the peak of a wave of anti-government demonstrations last year, a wave that Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition survived.”

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Another Slow Gnus Day.

Say, here's an Easter surprise: ~~~

~~~ Donald Trump Doesn't Care about Jesus. Nick Robertson of the Hill: “President Biden and former President Trump shared starkly different Easter messages Sunday. Biden marked the holy day with a solemn message, while Trump lashed out at political opponents in an all-caps post on Truth Social. Trump went after the prosecutors organizing criminal cases against him, reiterating claims that federal special counsel Jack Smith is 'deranged,' calling Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg 'lazy' and lashing out against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The former president also hurled insults at the Department of Justice and 'crooked Joe,' in reference to the president. Biden, a devout Catholic, marked Easter with reminders of the story of Jesus’s sacrifice and with blessings. 'Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world celebrating Easter Sunday. Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ’s Resurrection,' the president said.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: For Christians, Easter is the highest holy day of the year. It's a reverential celebration of the miracle of resurrection. For Trump, it's just another day of vicious attacks. ~~~

     ~~~ Oliver O'Connell & Joe Sommerlad of the Independent: “The Biden campaign seized on Mr Trump’s message, branding him 'feeble and confused' for 'spewing an unhinged all-caps tirade attacking America and talking about himself'.”

Besides railing on about how awful it was that President Biden hailed this year's Transgender Day of Visibility because it happened to occur on Easter, Republicans were also way upset that for today's White Holl Easter Egg Roll, Biden wrote “new rules” that disallowed overtly-religious themes to be painted on eggs in the egg-decorating contest. Chris Geidner, the Law Dork: “As NBC News reported: 'Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, a group that supports the White House Egg Roll, said in a statement, “The American Egg Board has been a supporter of the White House Easter Egg Roll for over 45 years and the guideline language referenced in recent news reports has consistently applied to the board since its founding, across administrations.”'”

Maya Boddie of Alternet, republished in the Raw Story: "On Saturday night, Trump launched into his fourth attack on [Judge Juan Merchan's] daughter Loren Merchan for her ties to a political consultancy, which he claims makes the case against him biased.... On Saturday night, Trump launched into his fourth attack on the judge’s daughter Loren Merchan for her ties to a political consultancy, which he claims makes the case against him biased. [The Post article included a photo of Loren Merchan.]... University of Alabama law professor Joyce Vance shared a screenshot of Trump's post via X, writing, 'You can't have a legal system with integrity & the ability to counteract you if you're a wannabe dictator. That's why Trump is trying to delegitimize our institutions.' Former FBI counsel Andrew Weissmann also reacted to Trump's post by suggesting that the court, '1. tighten the bail release conditions ASAP. 2. Warn that jail will result from threatening ANYONE while out on bail, or posting about witnesses, jurors, court or prosecution families. 3. Enforce- that is what it means to treat likes alike. The foundation of the rule of law.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Yet Another NBC News Fail. David McAfee of the Raw Story: "NBC host Kristen Welker is in hot water after a report in which she told viewers that Donald Trump's attacks against the daughter of a judge in the former president's criminal case are a 'reminder' that this is a 'deeply divided nation.'... Singer Bill Madden ... [wrote,] 'The fourth estate is having its 1930s Germany moment: At a time in our history when America is under attack from a deranged lunatic, Kristen Welker continues to pander in bothsidesism.... It is the failure of the free press that'll be the death of democracy.'"

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Israel/Palestine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here. ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here: “The Israel Defense Forces said Monday its troops have completed their operation at al-Shifa Hospital and left the area, following a raid that lasted about two weeks and targeted militants 'in close quarters encounters.' Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense, said emergency workers who arrived at dawn to recover bodies found that the hospital’s buildings were burned and shelled by artillery in a scene he described as 'tragic in every sense of the word.'... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government is facing growing protests as tens of thousands of demonstrators, including families of hostages, took to the streets for a second night Sunday, demanding fresh elections and calling for the government to secure the release of hostages remaining in Gaza.”

The Conversation -- March 31, 2024

Say, here's an Easter surprise: ~~~

~~~ Donald Trump Doesn't Care about Jesus. Nick Robertson of the Hill: "President Biden and former President Trump shared starkly different Easter messages Sunday. Biden marked the holy day with a solemn message, while Trump lashed out at political opponents in an all-caps post on Truth Social. Trump went after the prosecutors organizing criminal cases against him, reiterating claims that federal special counsel Jack Smith is 'deranged,' calling Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg 'lazy' and lashing out against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The former president also hurled insults at the Department of Justice and 'crooked Joe,' in reference to the president. Biden, a devout Catholic, marked Easter with reminders of the story of Jesus's sacrifice and with blessings. 'Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world celebrating Easter Sunday. Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ's Resurrection,' the president said." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: For Christians, Easter is the highest holy day of the year. It's a reverential celebration of the miracle of resurrection. For Trump, it's just another day of vicious attacks.

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Transgender Day of Visibility. Samantha Waldenberg of CNN: "Republicans are taking aim at President Joe Biden for proclaiming Easter Sunday as the Transgender Day of Visibility, though the two days only coincided this year by chance. The Transgender Day of Visibility, which was started in 2009 as a day of awareness to celebrate the successes of transgender and gender-nonconforming people, is held annually on March 31. The date of Easter, meanwhile, changes from year to year.... 'It is appalling and insulting that Joe Biden's White House ... formally proclaimed Easter Sunday as "Trans Day of Visibility,"' ... Donald Trump's campaign said in a statement. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Biden administration had 'betrayed the central tenet of Easter' in a post on X.... White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement Saturday, 'As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American.... Sadly, it's unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful, and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit,' Bates said." ~~~

     ~~~ A Bible Story for Bible Mike. Marie: One of the better-known New Testament stories (though admittedly Trump may not have heard of it) is the miracle of Jesus' healing the Roman centurion's slave (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10). Most Christians interpret the story as evidence of Jesus' ability to heal at a distance. But most Bible stories, including this one, teach more than one lesson. This one is about inclusion as much as it is about another miraculous healing. The centurion's beloved slave -- a young man -- was likely a sex slave, historians say, and the people who observed the miracle would have known that. So not precisely trans, as far as we know, but not straight, either. In Matthew's telling, Jesus praised the soldier for his faith and said of the Bible Mikes who would criticize him, they "will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: "Donald Trump is presenting himself as the Man on the Cross, tortured for our sins.... In January, he put up a video on Truth Social about how he is a messenger from God, 'a shepherd to mankind.'... More and more, Trump is wallowing in his Messiah complex... Weaponizing his martyrdom, Trump is selling $59.99 'God Bless the USA' Bibles.... Just what the world needs: a soul cleanse with a grifter Bible, where the profits could well be going to pay legal costs in trials about breaking commandments -- bearing false witness to try to steal democracy, coveting a porn star, then paying the star hush money to keep quiet about the sex." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Trump has read neither the Bible nor the U.S. Constitution, which is packaged inside the Trump Bible. Slapping the Constitution in among a series of religious tracts is rather odd, only partly because Trump plans to undo or at least ignore it. The Constitution is such a secular document that it not only guarantees that the Congress will establish no religion, it does not otherwise mention religion. It does not mention God (or Christianity) at all. In fact, the U.S. Constitution stands in stark opposition to Old World governments of the day which centered on God-anointed, heredity monarchs imbued with the "divine right of kings." The Founders came from countries where top-down governance was the rule, yet they claimed in their preamble that "We the People" were the ultimate governors here.

** Nate White, a British writer, explains why the British don't like Donald Trump. For starters, "Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace -- all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump's limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief." Read on. Many thanks to Gonzo for the link. A much better holiday gift than a package of Peeps.

Joyce Vance, on Substack, on Trump's sharing an image of President Biden bound and gagged: "It's time for the people with authority ... to deal with [Trump].... It's time to stop letting him break the rules.... It's unthinkable, unconscionable for a former president to even intimate that violence against the current president is acceptable.... No one is saying Trump can't campaign or that he can't criticize Biden. What he can't do is suggest he should be kidnapped, knocked out, and bound in the back of a pickup truck.... So, where is the Secret Service? I hope they had a serious talk with the former president this afternoon. But his post is still up on Truth Social, which suggests that either they didn't or that, if they did, he didn't take it very seriously. Either way, that means something more is required."

A Globe-Trotting Trumpy Traitor. Beth Reinhard, et al., of the Washington Post (March 28): Richard Grenell, a former Trump administration "diplomat," "has carved out ... an extraordinary role ... in the three years since Trump left the White House. From Central America to Eastern Europe and beyond, Grenell has been acting as a kind of shadow secretary of state, meeting with far-right leaders and movements, pledging Trump's support and, at times, working against the current administration's policies.... Grenell's globe-trotting has sparked deep concern among career national security officials and diplomats, who warn that he emboldens bad actors and jeopardizes U.S. interests in service of Trump's personal agenda. In the process, Grenell is openly charting a foreign policy road map for a Republican presidential nominee who has found common cause with authoritarian leaders and threatened to blow up partnerships with democratic allies.... Grenell is in regular contact with the former president and his family, though it's unclear when or if he's acting on Trump's directions." (Also linked yesterday.)

Presidential Race. Tara Suter of the Hill:"Former Trump Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday said he is not voting for his old boss but left the door open to voting for President Biden. 'I'm not there yet,' Esper said after being asked by comedian Bill Maher on his HBO show, 'Real Time with Bill Maher,' if he would vote for the current president. 'I'm definitely not voting for [former President Trump]....'"

Presidential Election 2000. If you're old enough to remember the 2000 presidential election, you probably don't need this reminder: ~~~

Nate Cohn of the New York Times: Al "Gore would have won Florida, and therefore the presidency, if it weren't for the infamous 'butterfly ballot' in Palm Beach County.... After the election, many voters from Palm Beach claimed they had inadvertently voted for Mr. Buchanan when they meant to vote for Mr. Gore. This is clear in the data. Mr. Buchanan fared far better in Palm Beach County than he did on the other side of the county line. Indeed, Mr. Buchanan fared far better in Palm Beach County than any politically or demographically comparable area in the country. Mr. Buchanan also fared much better among Election Day voters -- who used the butterfly ballot -- than among absentee voters, who did not, a pattern not seen elsewhere in the state.... At least 2,000 voters who meant to vote for Gore-Lieberman ended up voting for Mr. Buchanan. All else being equal, that would have been enough to decide the election." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Cohn's written description of the butterfly ballot is even more confusing than the ballot itself. There are some images of the ballot in this Smithsonian Magazine article.

Melissa Burke of the Detroit News: "Michigan U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg suggested that nuclear weapons should be dropped on Gaza, which his office said was a metaphor to 'support Israel's swift elimination of Hamas.' 'It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick,' Walberg says in a video circulating on social media.... Walberg, a Republican from Lenawee County, also is heard in the video speaking out against humanitarian aid for those in the Gaza Strip.... 'We shouldn't be spending a dime on humanitarian aid,' Walberg said." MB: Yes, there's something definitely wrong with people like Walberg, yet Americans keep electing them to public office.

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Maryland. Peter Hermann & Danny Nguyen of the Washington Post: "Workers began clearing wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge on Saturday, officials said, with crews cutting massive steel trusses and hoisting them onto barges, part of what will be a long, complicated and dangerous effort to clear the vital shipping channel serving the Port of Baltimore."