The Commentariat -- April 22, 2021

Afternoon Update:

Both the New York Times, here, and the Washington Post, here, have liveblogged President Biden's global climate summit.

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

Jordain Carney of the Hill: "The Senate on Thursday passed legislation aimed at combating a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic in a 94-1 vote, with GOP Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.) the only 'no' vote. The bill now goes to the House, where Democrats are expected to soon take up their version of the legislation.... A California State University, San Bernardino study that looked at 16 cities found a 149 percent increase in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans in 2020."

Meagan Flynn of the Washington Post: "For the second time in history, the House passed legislation Thursday to make the District of Columbia the nation's 51st state, bolstering momentum for a once-illusory goal that has become a pivotal tenet of the Democratic Party's voting rights platform. Democrats unanimously approved Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton's Washington, D.C. Admission Act, describing it as a bid to restore equal citizenship to the residents of the nation's capital and rectify a historic injustice.... The bill, symbolically titled H.R. 51, now heads to the Senate, where proponents hope to break new ground -- including a first-ever hearing in that chamber. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer pledged Tuesday that 'we will try to work a path to get [statehood] done,' and the White House asked Congress in a policy statement to pass the legislation as swiftly as possible." A CNN story is here.

Tracy Jan & Lisa Rein of the Washington Post: "The Trump administration put up bureaucratic obstacles that stalled approximately $20 billion in hurricane relief for Puerto Rico and then obstructed an investigation into the holdup, according to an inspector general report obtained by The Washington Post. Congress requested the investigation into the delays to recovery aid for Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 left residents of the U.S. territory without power and clean water for months. But, the report said, former Housing and Urban Development secretary Ben Carson and another former HUD official declined to be interviewed by investigators during the course of the examination that began in 2019. Access to HUD information was delayed or denied on several occasions.... Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis, appointed by Trump as top HUD watchdog, found unprecedented procedural hurdles set by the White House budget office -- in addition to an extended partial federal government shutdown that also produced delays."

Robert Barnes of the Washington Post: "The Supreme Court on Thursday reversed a recent trend of leniency for minors convicted of serious crimes and said judges need not specifically find 'permanent incorrigibility' before sentencing juvenile murderers to life in prison without the possibility of parole.... Donald Trump's three Supreme Court nominees were key to the 6-to-3 ruling, which was written by one of them, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh.... The court upheld the life-without-parole sentence a Mississippi court imposed on a 15-year-old who stabbed his grandfather to death in a dispute over the boy's girlfriend." MB: Hmm, that's odd, because Bart I-Like-Beer O'Kavanaugh sure granted himself leniency for his "youthful indiscretions," which allegedly included sexual abuse & attempted rape.

Russia. Andrew Kramer & Anton Troianovski of the New York Times: "Russia's Defense Ministry ordered a partial pullback of troops from the border with Ukraine on Thursday, signaling a possible de-escalation in a military standoff that had raised alarm that a new war in Europe could be looming. The order came a day after President Vladimir V. Putin, in an annual state of the nation address, rattled off a list of grievances against Western nations, including threats of new sanctions." A BBC News story is here.

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Ellen Knickmeyer & Christina Larson of the AP: "President Joe Biden is convening a coalition of the willing, the unwilling, the desperate-for-help and the avid-for-money for a global summit Thursday aimed at rallying the world's worst polluters to move faster against climate change. The president's first task: Convincing the world that the politically fractured United States isn't just willing when it comes to Biden’s new ambitious emissions-cutting pledges, but also able. Success for Biden in the virtual summit of 40 leaders will be making his expected promises -- halving coal and petroleum emissions at home and financing climate efforts abroad -- believable enough to persuade other powers to make big changes of their own." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The goal seems impossible to reach, but how much more possible would it be if the U.S. had been a consistent environmental leader over the last decades -- and not Donald Trump? ~~~

~~~ Stephanie Ebbs of ABC News: "Using Earth Day to relaunch the U.S. as a leader in the global effort to combat climate change, President Joe Biden is set to host world leaders for a virtual climate summit this week and is expected to announce a new goal for the U.S. to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions -- reportedly by perhaps as much as 50% by 2030.... Biden and his special envoy for climate John Kerry have been working to push other major polluters like China, India, and members of the European Union to set similarly ambitious goals, many of which will be represented at the summit." ~~~

~~~ Peter Fairley of the AP: “New research shows that renewable electricity can move Washington, Oregon and British Columbia off of fossil fuels, do so at an affordable price, and create jobs along the way. After decades of disinformation from fossil fuel producers and utilities, this may sound like a wishful vision. But building a cleaner and more equitable economy — and doing so in just a few decades to head off the worst effects of climate change — is backed by a growing body of regional and international studies. Innovation and mass production have made wind and solar power installations cheaper than most fossil-fueled power plants. The key to moving Cascadia’s economies away from fossil fuels is to make renewable electricity the region’s go-to 'fuel.' The new research highlights three mutually supporting strategies that squeeze out fossil fuels: increasing energy efficiency to trim the amount of power we need, boosting renewable energy to make it possible to turn off climate-wrecking fossil-fuel plants, and plugging as much stuff as possible into the electrical grid.”

Katie Benner of the New York Times: "Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced on Wednesday a sweeping investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department, signaling that the Biden administration will seek to combat police abuses around the country and apply stricter federal oversight to local forces.The Justice Department will examine whether the Minneapolis police routinely use excessive force or treat minorities unfairly. The inquiry will also scrutinize police training and accountability practices, among other issues.... The Minneapolis police have long faced accusations of racism.... Black people, who account for 20 percent of the city’s population, made up more than 60 percent of the victims in city police shootings from late 2009 through May 2019, police data shows. The police force pledged to cooperate with the federal inquiry.... President Biden had vowed as a candidate to fight excessive force by the police, and he called on lawmakers on Tuesday to resurrect the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a measure by Democrats aimed at curbing police misconduct and racial discrimination. Lawmakers in both parties said on Wednesday that they hoped Mr. Chauvin’s conviction could help revive the bill...." ~~~

~~~ Carrie Johnson of NPR: "One day after a jury convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on murder charges, the U.S. Justice Department launched an investigation into possible patterns of discrimination and excessive force among the police department there. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the new civil inquiry on Wednesday, the first such 'pattern or practice' investigation in the Biden administration, which has pledged to build trust between police and communities." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)  ~~~

~~~ Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs & Tim Arango of the New York Times: "Derek Chauvin is being held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day in Minnesota’s only maximum-security prison.... He has been placed in an isolated wing of the prison [in Oak Park Heights, near St. Paul] because of fears for his safety, said Sarah Fitzgerald, a spokeswoman for the state prison system.... Though prison officials say Mr. Chauvin is being isolated for his own safety, prisoners are often sent to the wing, known as the Administrative Control Unit, as a punishment. The cells are small and contain nothing more than a bench with a mattress pad, a combination toilet and sink, and a tiny shower. Prisoners are allowed to bring in necessities like clothing, toothpaste and soap, as well as a pen and paper. In some cases, they may also receive books, magazines or newspapers, but only if prison officials approve. The cells are monitored by cameras, and guards are expected to look in on prisoners every 30 minutes...."

Lara Jakes of the New York Times: "More than a century after the Ottoman Empire’s killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenian civilians, President Biden is preparing to declare that the atrocities were an act of genocide, according to officials familiar with the internal debate. The action would signal that the American commitment to human rights outweighs the risk of further fraying the U.S. alliance with Turkey[.] Mr. Biden is expected to announce the symbolic designation on Saturday, the 106th anniversary of the beginning of what historians call a yearslong and systematic death march that the predecessors of modern Turkey started during World War I. He would be the first sitting American president to do so.... At least 29 other countries have taken similar steps — mostly in Europe and the Americas, but also Russia and Syria, Turkey’s political adversaries." A Guardian story is here.

Jeremy Herb of CNN: "The Senate narrowly voted to advance the nomination of President Joe Biden's nominee to be associate attorney general, Vanita Gupta, setting up a final vote expected later Wednesday despite fierce opposition from most Republican senators. Vice President Kamala Harris was on hand in case she was needed for a possible 50-50 tie on the procedural vote for Gupta's nomination Wednesday, but Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican from Alaska, broke with her Republican colleagues and joined all Democratic senators to advance the nomination 51-49." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ The story has been updated. New lede: "The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Vanita Gupta to be associate attorney general in a narrow 51-49 vote after Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined with Democrats in support of President Joe Biden's Justice Department nominee." MB: One does have to wonder why 49 Republican senators are afraid of an effective attorney who happens to be a woman and an ethnic minority.

Kyle Cheney of Politico: "A Capitol Police official radioed units outside of the building on the morning of Jan. 6 and told them only to scout for anti-Trump troublemakers — not pro-Trump protesters, according to Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who described what she said were details of an internal investigation conducted in the aftermath of the mob attack. Lofgren (D-Calif.) revealed the finding while she questioned Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton, who appeared before the House Administration Committee Wednesday to testify about security failures that precipitated the Jan. 6 attack.... Although the details are still disputed, Lofgren's comments are the first insight into specific concerns about the conduct of Capitol Police on the day of the insurrection."

Uh-oh. A $5,000 Pee? Olivia Beavers & Rachel Bade of Politico: "House Majority Whip James Clyburn is facing a possible $5,000 fine for evading the metal detectors off the House floor, which are part of the security protocols House Speaker Nancy Pelosi enacted after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. The South Carolina Democrat was caught going around the detectors after he used the bathroom during a vote on Tuesday. If found guilty of violating the House's security rules, Clyburn ... would be the first Democrat to be fined under the new metal detector protocols.... Clyburn’s office denied the way a police referral described the incident. It's unclear exactly what the police referral account said.... Multiple House Republicans have faced the $5,000 fine, including one GOP member who similarly exited the chamber to use the same nearby bathroom."

Trump's “Eighth Wonder of the World” Collapses. Reuters, via CNBC: “Taiwan electronics manufacturer Foxconn is drastically scaling back a planned $10 billion factory in Wisconsin, confirming its retreat from a project that former U.S. President Donald Trump once called 'the eighth wonder of the world.' Under a deal with the state of Wisconsin announced on Tuesday, Foxconn will reduce its planned investment to $672 million from $10 billion and cut the number of new jobs to 1,454 from 13,000. The Foxconn-Wisconsin deal was first announced to great fanfare at the White House in July 2017, with Trump boasting of it as an example of how his 'America First' agenda could revive U.S. tech manufacturing.... Foxconn, the world’s largest contract manufacturer of electronic devices, proposed a 20-million-square-foot manufacturing campus in Wisconsin that would have been the largest investment in U.S. history for a new location by a foreign-based company.”

The Pandemic, Ctd.

Shannon Pettypiece & Rebecca Shabad of NBC News: "President Joe Biden announced a new tax credit Wednesday to reimburse small businesses that give workers paid time off to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as he touted reaching his goal of 200 million shots administered in his first 100 days. The tax credit, which will be funded by the Covid-19 relief bill passed last month, will be available to businesses with fewer than 500 employees, allowing up to $511 a day for each employee. Biden called on all companies, regardless of size, to offer paid time off, and offer other incentives, such as gift cards or bonuses, to encourage employees to get vaccinated. As the United States this week reached Biden’s goal of 200 million shots administered, vaccine supply is starting to outstrip demand in some areas." ~~~

     ~~~ Video of the full speech is here. ~~~

~~~ Dan Keating, et al., of the Washington Post: "Daily coronavirus vaccinations have slowed significantly for the first time since February, a sign that demand is slipping even though every American adult is now eligible for the shots. About 3 million Americans are getting vaccinated daily, an 11 percent decrease in the seven-day average of daily shots administered over the past week. The unprecedented drop is rivaled only by a brief falloff that occurred in February, when winter storms forced the closure of vaccination sites and delayed shipments nationwide.... Officials say they need to ramp up efforts to vaccinate hard-to-reach groups such as rural residents and homebound seniors, answer pointed questions from people leery of side effects and convince young people who don’t fear the virus that they, too, benefit from getting vaccinated...."

Sharon LaFraniere, et al., of the New York Times: "Federal regulators have found serious flaws at the Baltimore plant that had to throw out up to 15 million possibly contaminated doses of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine — casting doubt on further production in the United States of a vaccine that the government once viewed as essential in fighting the pandemic. The regulators for the Food and Drug Administration said that the company manufacturing the vaccine, Emergent BioSolutions, may have contaminated additional doses at the plant. They said the company failed to fully investigate the contamination, while also finding fault with the plant’s disinfection practices, size and design, handling of raw materials and training of workers."

California. Catherine Garcia of the Week: "After a tough fall and winter, with record numbers of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in intensive care units and a high death toll, California now has the lowest coronavirus case rate in the continental United States. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows California's seven-day rate of new cases is 40.3 per 100,000 people, compared to the nationwide rate of 135.3 per 100,000 people." ~~~

~~~ BUT. AP: "Oregon health officials reported 989 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday — the state’s highest daily case count since mid-January. The spike follows Oregon’s fourth consecutive week of surging daily cases and increasing hospitalizations. According to most recent data from the state health authority, last week there was a 27% increase in cases. The state’s positivity rate is 5.3%."

Beyond the Beltway

Reid Epstein & Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: "Republican legislators in Oklahoma and Iowa have passed bills granting immunity to drivers whose vehicles strike and injure protesters in public streets. A Republican proposal in Indiana would bar anyone convicted of unlawful assembly from holding state employment, including elected office. A Minnesota bill would prohibit those convicted of unlawful protesting from receiving student loans, unemployment benefits or housing assistance. And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed sweeping legislation this week that toughened existing laws governing public disorder and created a harsh new level of infractions.... The measures are part of a wave of new anti-protest legislation, sponsored and supported by Republicans, in the 11 months since Black Lives Matter protests swept the country following the death of George Floyd.... G.O.P. lawmakers in 34 states have introduced 81 anti-protest bills during the 2021 legislative session — more than twice as many proposals as in any other year...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) 

Jeremy Peters of the New York Times: "... G.O.P. resistance to certain [voter suppression] legislation reflects an awkward and delicate dance within the party: As state lawmakers loyal to ... Donald J. Trump try to please him and his supporters by enacting new voting limits across the country, they are facing pockets of opposition from other Republicans who argue that some of the bills go too far or would hurt their own voters. These Republicans see themselves as moderating forces on bad bills. And they are instead proposing less stringent measures that they say will improve the efficiency and security of early voting now that so many more people are using it because of changes brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. The number of Republicans willing to speak out is modest compared with the many Trump-friendly lawmakers in G.O.P.-controlled state capitols...."

Arizona. Bryan Pietsch of the New York Times: “Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona on Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have imposed some of the country’s most restrictive rules regarding L.G.B.T.Q. education, calling the bill 'overly broad and vague.' The bill, which was sponsored by eight Republicans and passed the Arizona Senate on a party-line vote, would prohibit schools from teaching about sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and L.G.B.T.Q. history unless a student received 'signed, written consent' from a parent or guardian opting them in to the lessons. Students would also be unable to receive lessons about H.I.V./AIDS unless they were opted in to them. Parts of the bill 'could lead to serious consequences,' Mr. Ducey, a Republican, said in a letter explaining his veto.” The Hill's story is here.

Florida. Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: “The superintendent of the public school district in Broward County, Fla., was arrested on Wednesday as part of a wide-ranging criminal investigation that began in the tumultuous months after the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland. Robert W. Runcie, the superintendent, was charged with perjury, a felony, for lying to a grand jury that was impaneled to investigate 'possible failures in following school-related safety laws and mismanaging funds solicited for school safety initiatives,' according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The authorities also arrested Barbara J. Myrick, the district’s general counsel. She was charged with unlawful disclosure of statewide grand jury proceedings, which is also a felony.”

Way Beyond

Russia. Andrew Kramer of the New York Times: President Vladimir Putin “warned ominously of 'red lines' in Russia’s security that, if crossed, would bring a powerful 'asymmetric' response. He reminded Western leaders once again of the fearsomeness of his country’s modernized nuclear arsenal. And he boasted of Russia’s moral superiority over the West. Yet even as [he] lashed out at foreign enemies real or perceived in a state-of-the-nation speech on Wednesday, tens of thousands of Russians defied a heavy police presence to pour into the streets to challenge his rule. In Moscow, some gathered across the street from the Kremlin to chant, 'Go Away!'... Faulted for a lagging response to the coronavirus and with his popularity ratings declining, though still high, the Russian leader used the address to outline a vision for Russia as it emerges from the pandemic, one that promised numerous new economic subsidies but was silent about political rights.” A CBS News story is here.

Minnesota. In case you were wondering about the fate of the other Minnepolis officers involved in George Floyd's murder.... Denny Spewak of KARE TV (Minneapolis): "The fate of former Minneapolis Police officers J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane depended largely on the outcome of Derek Chauvin’s trial. After a jury found him guilty Tuesday of three felony counts, the three other officers must now put together their own defense strategies for a joint trial that begins August 23. All of them face charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. The State Attorney General’s Office also confirmed that it will argue next month in the Court of Appeals to add a third-degree murder charge against them. Michael Bryant, a KARE 11 legal expert..., said he expects any negotiations about possible plea deals – if they happen at all – to occur after Chauvin’s sentencing. He also said that he would expect a similar, though not identical, trial compared to Chauvin’s."

News Lede

CNBC: “The U.S. jobs market recovery accelerated its pace last week as fewer Americans headed to the unemployment line, the Labor Department reported Thursday.First-time claims for unemployment insurance totaled 547,000, well below the Dow Jones estimate for 603,000 and a new low for the Covid-19 pandemic era.”

The Commentariat -- April 21, 2021

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

Carrie Johnson of NPR: "One day after a jury convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on murder charges, the U.S. Justice Department launched an investigation into possible patterns of discrimination and excessive force among the police department there. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the new civil inquiry on Wednesday, the first such 'pattern or practice' investigation in the Biden administration, which has pledged to build trust between police and communities."

Jeremy Herb of CNN: "The Senate narrowly voted to advance the nomination of President Joe Biden's nominee to be associate attorney general, Vanita Gupta, setting up a final vote expected later Wednesday despite fierce opposition from most Republican senators. Vice President Kamala Harris was on hand in case she was needed for a possible 50-50 tie on the procedural vote for Gupta's nomination Wednesday, but Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican from Alaska, broke with her Republican colleagues and joined all Democratic senators to advance the nomination 51-49."

Reid Epstein & Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: "Republican legislators in Oklahoma and Iowa have passed bills granting immunity to drivers whose vehicles strike and injure protesters in public streets. A Republican proposal in Indiana would bar anyone convicted of unlawful assembly from holding state employment, including elected office. A Minnesota bill would prohibit those convicted of unlawful protesting from receiving student loans, unemployment benefits or housing assistance. And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed sweeping legislation this week that toughened existing laws governing public disorder and created a harsh new level of infractions.... The measures are part of a wave of new anti-protest legislation, sponsored and supported by Republicans, in the 11 months since Black Lives Matter protests swept the country following the death of George Floyd.... G.O.P. lawmakers in 34 states have introduced 81 anti-protest bills during the 2021 legislative session -- more than twice as many proposals as in any other year...."

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The Verdict

Amy Forliti, et al., of the AP: "Former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted Tuesday of murder and manslaughter for pinning George Floyd to the pavement with his knee on the Black man's neck in a case that triggered worldwide protests, violence and a furious reexamination of racism and policing in the U.S. Chauvin, 45, was immediately led away with his hands cuffed behind his back and could be sent to prison for decades." The New York Times report is here. ~~~

Jonathan Lemire, et al., of the AP: "President Joe Biden said Tuesday the conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd 'can be a giant step forward' for the nation in the fight against systemic racism. But he declared that 'it's not enough.' Biden spoke from the White House hours after the verdict alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, with the pair saying the country's work is far from finished with the verdict. 'We can't stop here,' Biden declared." The Washington Post's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Here's a transcript of remarks by President Biden & Vice President Harris, via the New York Times. ~~~

~~~ AP: "Before Tuesday's guilty verdicts were read out [MB: and after the jury was sequestered, President] Biden said he was praying for 'the right verdict.' Telephoning [George] Floyd's family later, he said of himself and [Vice President] Harris: 'We're all so relieved.'... Biden said he hoped the verdict would give momentum to congressional police reform efforts. Floyd family attorney Ben Crump posted video on Twitter of a phone call from Biden and Harris to the family. Asked by a family member how he was doing, Biden said, 'Feeling better now. Nothing is going to make it all better, but at least now there is some justice.' 'This is a day of justice,' Harris told the family after joining Biden to watch the verdict in the private dining room off the Oval Office." ~~~

     ~~~ MEANWHILE. David Edwards of the Raw Story: "Former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Tuesday blasted President Joe Biden for speaking out about the Derek Chauvin trial even though her former boss, Donald Trump, often expressed his opinion on similar events.... '... I think it's the role of the president of the United States to stay back, to not inflame the tensions,' she [said]. 'I think he should have just reserved comment and said he's praying for the family as we all are.'... After Kyle Rittenhouse was charged with homicide for shootings that left two protesters in Wisconsin dead last August, Trump offered a defense of the suspect. 'He was trying to get away from them, I guess, it looks like,' Trump opined at the time. 'I guess he was in very big trouble. He probably would have been killed.'"

From the New York Times' liveblog of the trial: "Derek Chauvin was found guilty of two counts of murder on Tuesday in the death of George Floyd, whose final breaths last May under the knee of Mr. Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, were captured on video, setting off months of protests against the police abuse of Black people. After deliberating for about 10 hours over two days following an emotional trial that lasted three weeks, the jury found Mr. Chauvin, who is white, guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter for the killing of Mr. Floyd, a Black man, on a street corner last year on Memorial Day." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Marty Johnson of the Hill: "Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on all charges in the murder trial of George Floyd, whose death led to months of demonstrations against police brutality last summer." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: Chauvin Trial Verdicts. Count 1, unintentional 2nd-degree murder: guilty. Count 2, 3rd-degree murder, guilty. Count 3, 2nd-degree manslaugter, guilty. The judge polled the jury and sent them out; he will consult with them. Bail is revoked & defendant is remanded. Court adjourned.

Margaret Sullivan of the Washington Post: "After so many previous instances in which police officers were acquitted of what looked to many people like murder, this time was different. And it was different, in some significant portion, because of a teenager's sense of right and wrong.... On May 25, [2020,] while taking her younger cousin on a stroll to get a snack..., [17-year-old Darnella Frazier] observed a struggle between a Black man and White police officer. After ushering the child into the convenience store, Cup Foods, Frazier stayed on the sidewalk and started recording.... Later, she posted a video clip of about 10 minutes to Facebook. That video clip, now seen millions of times around the world, was a powerful, irrefutable act of bearing witness.... 'The world needed to see what I was seeing,' she [told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune last year]." MB: If not for Frazier, ~~~

~~~ ** Another Cop Would Have Got Away with Murder. Josh Marcus of Yahoo! News: "An early-stage police report describing George Floyd's death as a vague 'medical incident' went viral on Tuesday.... In the original police bulletin that went out to the public, here's how the Minneapolis police department categorised the gruesome murder millions of people would later see on social media video:

"'He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress. Officers called for an ambulance. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center by ambulance where he died a short time later.'...

"John Elder, the Minneapolis Police Department's director of public information, authored the bulletin. He told The Los AngelesTimes last summer he was working from information he got from officers on the ground, who didn't log any use of force initially." ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Azi Paybarah of the New York Times reports on the contrast between the police narrative and fact. MB: I can see where people are going to start writing "police report"-style parodies on everything: describing football games, for instance, in terms reminiscent of society-page reports on afternoon tea parties.

Karen Attaih of the Washington Post: "At the heart of this story will always lie a criminally fatal encounter between two individuals. But its boundaries came to stretch far beyond two men. In a sense, by the time the verdict was read, White America itself was on trial for the violent subjugation of Black peoples -- the original sin it has escaped accountability for more than 400 years. Chauvin was found guilty, but that is a low bar in a minutely documented, open-and-shut case. The sobering truth is that instances of White accountability for Black bloodshed are all too rare in the United States.... A few arrests and convictions of officers do not add up to justice.... Full justice for George Floyd ... will only come when policing as we know it is done away with. In the meantime, those who imagine a better and safer America must keep speaking, writing and marching these dreams into existence."

Audra Burch, et al., of the New York Times: "The verdict brought some solace to activists for racial justice who had been riveted to the courtroom drama for the past several weeks. But for many Black Americans, real change feels elusive, particularly given how relentlessly the killing of Black men by the police has continued on.... In the months after Mr. Floyd's death, some change has been concrete. Scores of policing reform laws were introduced at the state level. Corporations pledged billions to racial equity causes, and the N.F.L. apologized for its failure to support protests against police violence by its Black players. Even the backlash was different. Racist statements by dozens of public officials, from mayors to fire chiefs, related to Mr. Floyd's death -- perhaps tolerated before -- cost them their jobs.... There are also signs of backlash: Legislation that would reduce voting access, protect the police and effectively criminalize public protests have sprung up in Republican-controlled state legislatures."

Let's Ask Tucker! Tim Elfrink of the Washington Post: Fox "News" star Tucker "Carlson argued, the jurors were intimidated into the guilty verdict by the months of racial justice protests that followed [George] Floyd's death. 'The jurors in the Derek Chauvin trial came to a unanimous and unequivocal verdict this afternoon: "Please don't hurt us,"' Carlson said on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.' Carlson added, 'Everyone understood perfectly well the consequences of an acquittal in this case. After nearly a year of burning and looting and murder by BLM, that was never in doubt.' Carlson's show, which was devoted entirely to attacking the trial as unfair because of protests and statements by Democrats urging a guilty verdict, stood in stark contrast to several prominent colleagues on Fox News who celebrated the result." MB: How convenient to be able to get the white supremacist view, right on national TV. ~~~

.@tuckercarlson is in full cry tonight about Biden's comments today, asking: "When was the last time a sitting president weighed in on a jury decision before it was made? Never!" Really? https://t.co/QyjNEHNpgJ

— Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) April 21, 2021

Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: "The nomination of Vanita Gupta, an exceptionally well-qualified nominee for the No. 3 spot at the Justice Department and the recipient of numerous endorsements from law enforcement, moved ahead by a 50-to-49 margin in the Senate on Monday despite the hysterical allegations from Republicans that she is 'radical,' 'extreme' or 'anti-police.' That move comes after Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee attacked Kristen Clarke, another immensely qualified civil rights lawyer who was nominated to head the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Republicans' spurious claims against Clarke included that she is antisemitic (roundly rejected by Jewish organizations), that she supports defunding the police (she doesn't) and, again, that she is radical.... The Republican Party, as it morphs into a party of white supremacy and grievance (including embracing 'replacement' theory), is increasingly using women of color (e.g., Gupta, Clarke, Neera Tanden, California Rep. Maxine Waters) to frighten and anger its White, male base.... They remain emphatic that Whites are the real victims.... Republicans have endeavored for years to turn the meaning of 'civil rights' upside down and to dismantle the Justice Department's role in enforcing it.... An effective civil rights division would prosecute the White supremacist groups whom Republicans have increasingly attempted to normalize and defend...."

Jerry Nadler (N.Y.) tries to modulate a shouting match between Val Demings (Fla.) & Jim Jordan (Ohio):

     ~~~ Jaclyn Peiser of the Washington Post: "Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) was midway through an impassioned speech on Tuesday accusing Republicans of using police officers as 'pawns' in their efforts to amend a hate-crime bill when Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) interrupted to object. 'I have the floor, Mr. Jordan,' Demings exclaimed, banging her open palm on the table. 'Did I strike a nerve?'... The exchange underscores the deep divisions in Congress over attempts to change policing in the wake of Floyd's death, with the Democrats facing a steep battle in the Senate to overcome GOP opposition to an expansive law enforcement overhaul package named for Floyd.... Demings took her Republican colleagues to task over a proposed amendment [to another bill (the Covid-19 Hate Crime Act)] that would prevent efforts to defund police.... Demings called the amendment 'completely irrelevant' because the bill makes no mention of defunding law enforcement."

Marianna Sotomayor of the Washington Post: "The House rejected a Republican attempt Tuesday to censure Rep. Maxine Waters for calling on protesters to 'get more active' and 'get more confrontational' if a jury voted to acquit former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd. House Democratic leaders quickly came to Waters's defense and denounced the resolution as a cynical political ploy to draw attention away from inflammatory and extremist remarks made by Republicans in recent months, including former president Donald Trump. They argued that Waters (D-Calif.) was calling for peaceful protests, not violence.... Democrats held firm in their support for Waters, with all party members voting to 'table,' or kill, the censure resolution introduced by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). The resolution failed, 216 to 210. 'I'm not celebrating,' Waters said after the vote. 'I&'m relieved.'"

An Immigration Promise Broken. Tyler Page, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Biden overruled his top foreign policy and national security aides, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, when he kept in place the Trump administration's record low cap on the number of refugees admitted to the United States, according to three people familiar with the matter, a decision that was reversed after a public outcry. Biden harbored concerns about what the sharp increase in migrants at the southern border meant for the government's capacity to handle an influx of refugees from elsewhere, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private deliberations. In the end, the president's own misgivings fueled the decision more than anything else, the people said." The New York Times story is here.

Paul Sonne, et al., of the Washington Post: "The Defense Department is focusing on how to weed out possible extremists from the active-duty ranks in the wake of the Capitol riot, with a recent, military-wide 'stand down' for troops to discuss the issue ahead of policy decisions on the matter by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. But the arrest data from the riot shows that allegedly criminal participation in the insurrection on Jan. 6 was far more prevalent among veterans than active-duty forces, a more difficult problem for the U.S. government to address.... So far veterans do not appear to be getting much targeted attention. The Department of Veterans Affairs has no dedicated program to combat extremism among former members of the military and has resisted calls to address other factors that contribute to domestic radicalization, such as online disinformation that targets veterans to inflame political tensions.... The Department of Homeland Security is stepping up its efforts to prevent domestic extremism under the Biden administration but hasn't announced any initiatives specific to veterans." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: The only way to guarantee that veterans will receive instruction on "how to tell fact from fiction" would be to condition veterans' benefits on taking the training. What chance do you think there is that Republicans would okay that?

Ryan Reilly of the Huffington Post: "Federal authorities arrested a suspect in the U.S. Capitol riot in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, on Tuesday after they used facial recognition programs to find an image of him on his girlfriend's Instagram page. Stephen Chase Randolph, federal authorities say, knocked over a U.S. Capitol Police officer manning the barriers at the building, 'causing [Officer-1]'s head to hit the stairs behind her, resulting in a loss of consciousness.' He then 'continued to assault two other USCP officers by physically pushing, shoving, grabbing, and generally resisting the officers and interfering with their official duties,' the federal officials said. The FBI released images of Randolph in late January.... At some point, the FBI ran an image of Randolph through an 'open source facial comparison tool' that had been 'known to provide reliable results in the past.'... On April 13, the federal authorities said, two FBI special agents went undercover at Randolph's workplace and talked to him about the Capitol riot. Randolph, the feds said, said 'shit went crazy' at the Capitol and that 'it was fucking fun' to be a part of the mob.&" MB: You probably won't find the consequences "fucking fun," Steve-o.

** Thanks, Supremes! Battle of the Billionaires. Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: "A dozen megadonors and their spouses contributed a combined $3.4 billion to federal candidates and political groups since 2009, accounting for nearly one out of every 13 dollars raised, according to a new report. The report, produced by Issue One, a nonpartisan group that seeks to reduce the influence of money in politics, shows the top 12 donors split equally between six Democrats and six Republicans. The list includes multiple Wall Street billionaires and investors, a Facebook co-founder, a shipping magnate and the heir to a family fortune dating back to the Gilded Age. The study quantifies the intensifying concentration and increasing role of the super rich in American politics following the loosening of restrictions on political spending by the U.S. Supreme Court more than a decade ago." (Also linked yesterday.)

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Wednesday are here: "New York City health officials estimate that nearly a quarter of adult New Yorkers were infected with the coronavirus during the catastrophic wave of last spring, and that the toll was even higher among Black and Hispanic residents. The estimates, based on antibody test results for more than 45,000 city residents last year, suggest that Black and Hispanic New Yorkers were twice as likely as white New Yorkers to have had antibodies to the coronavirus -- evidence of prior infection. Hispanic New Yorkers had the highest rate, with about 35 percent testing positive for antibodies...."

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here: "The United States has come a long way since Covid-19 vaccines first arrived at hospitals and long-term care facilities in December. More than 209 million doses have been administered. But the next phase of the rollout will bring new challenges, and some scientists and health officials worry that some of the most vulnerable people -- including those 65 and older -- may have trouble competing for a shot now that all adults are eligible for inoculation.... As it stands, older adults are the most vaccinated age group in the country. Yet about a fifth of those 65 and older, a group that is particularly vulnerable to serious complications and death from the virus, have not received even one shot." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ The Washington Post's updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here: "The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a 'dramatic deterioration' in people's access to information around the globe, helping governments block news coverage and criminalizing reports critical of authorities' response to the crisis, Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday.... Some of the most egregious moves to silence journalists reporting on the pandemic took place in Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Venezuela and Zimbabwe, the group said." (Also linked yesterday.)

Michael Birnbaum & Loveday Morris of the Washington Post: "European regulators on Tuesday said the coronavirus vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson should carry a warning about rare blood clots, but they placed no restrictions on the use of the vaccine inside the European Union. The decision by the European Medicines Agency was based on the same U.S. data that led American regulators last week to pause the use of the vaccine inside the United States. Johnson & Johnson said after Tuesday's announcement that it would resume distribution in Europe. But the U.S. hold remains in place as American authorities make an independent evaluation. New guidance is expected as early as Friday, and top officials, including Anthony S. Fauci, say they expect the vaccine will also be given a green light."

DIY Covid Testing Now! Ken Alltucker of USA Today: "Consumers will be able to buy rapid coronavirus tests without a prescription this week at three national chain retailers, an expansion that comes as the nation's vaccination effort accelerates and states relax distancing requirements and mask mandates. Abbott Laboratories' BinaxNOW coronavirus self-test kits will be shipped to CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Walmart locations, and also will be sold online. The two-test kit, which last month received Food and Drug Administration emergency-use authorization for serial screening, will cost $23.99, the company said. Another rapid test made by Australia-based Ellume will be sold at CVS stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts for $38.99. It also can be purchased online or at most CVS stores in other states by the end of May. These retail tests eliminate another barrier for people who want to test themselves without visiting a doctor or a telehealth provider. Both tests deliver results in about 15 minutes and don't require a lab." (Also linked yesterday.)

Joanne Kenen & Meredith McGraw of Politico: "... Trump supporters remain stubbornly resistant to vaccination -- and it's sparking a new round of questions over what role, if any, the former president could play to move those efforts along.... Donald Trump's unwillingness to pitch his voters on getting the jab has become the source of frustration for former aides, who lament the political benefits that would have come had he done so. It has also worried health officials from his own administration, who told Politico about a monthslong effort to get him to publicly take the lead; and medical experts, who say a full-throated endorsement could sway vaccine skeptics on the right and get the country closer to herd immunity." On Hannity's show Monday night, Trump scoffed at the idea of doing an ad promoting vaccinations.

Beyond the Beltway

MEANWHILE in Ohio. Blake Montgomery & Chris Bornea of the Daily Beast: "A Columbus police officer shot and killed a Black teenage girl on Tuesday afternoon just as a guilty verdict was being handed down in the Derek Chauvin murder case, a family member said. The shooting victim has not been officially identified, but was named as 15-year-old Makiyah Bryant by a relative early Tuesday evening. [Makiyah's aunt Hazel] Bryant said her niece has been living in a foster home on the east side of Columbus where the fatal shooting took place. She said several adult women had come to the foster home and started an altercation with the teenager, who called police and her biological father and grandmother for help. She grabbed a knife to defend herself, Bryant said. According to Bryant..., Makiyah was in front of the house fending off a physical assault when police arrived, and she had already dropped the knife in the yard. But police shot her four times without any warning, she said." MB: Bearing in mind that initial stories are not always accurate, the story still raises alarms. ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Here's the New York Times account, which is markedly different from the Daily Beast report. The Times report relies heavily on police statements.

Virginia. Jonathan Edwards of the Virginian-Pilot: "The second in command of the Norfolk Police Department's internal affairs unit [-- Lt. William K. Kelly III --] has been fired after he made what the city manager called 'egregious' comments praising Kyle Rittenhouse, the white man accused of shooting and killing protestors last year. Those comments violated departmental policies and 'erode the trust between the Norfolk Police Department and those they are sworn to serve,' City Manager Chip Filer said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.... An anonymous donor in September gave $25 to the legal defense of Kyle Rittenhouse, but the donation came from Kelly's official email address, according to data from the Christian crowdfunding website GiveSendGo that was hacked." The Washington Post's report is here.

The Commentariat -- April 20, 2021

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

From the New York Times' liveblog of the trial: "Derek Chauvin was found guilty of two counts of murder on Tuesday in the death of George Floyd, whose final breaths last May under the knee of Mr. Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, were captured on video, setting off months of protests against the police abuse of Black people. After deliberating for about 10 hours over two days following an emotional trial that lasted three weeks, the jury found Mr. Chauvin, who is white, guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter for the killing of Mr. Floyd, a Black man, on a street corner last year on Memorial Day." ~~~

~~~ Marty Johnson of the Hill: "Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on all charges in the murder trial of George Floyd, whose death led to months of demonstrations against police brutality last summer." ~~~

~~~ Marie: Chauvin Trial Verdicts. Count 1, unintentional 2nd-degree murder: guilty. Count 2, 3rd-degree murder, guilty. Count 3, 2nd-degree manslaugter, guilty. The judge polled the jury and sent them out; he will consult with them. Bail is revoked & defendant is remanded. Court adjourned.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here: "The United States has come a long way since Covid-19 vaccines first arrived at hospitals and long-term care facilities in December. More than 209 million doses have been administered. But the next phase of the rollout will bring new challenges, and some scientists and health officials worry that some of the most vulnerable people -- including those 65 and older -- may have trouble competing for a shot now that all adults are eligible for inoculation.... As it stands, older adults are the most vaccinated age group in the country. Yet about a fifth of those 65 and older, a group that is particularly vulnerable to serious complications and death from the virus, have not received even one shot." ~~~

~~~ The Washington Post's updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here: "The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a 'dramatic deterioration' in people's access to information around the globe, helping governments block news coverage and criminalizing reports critical of authorities' response to the crisis, Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday.... Some of the most egregious moves to silence journalists reporting on the pandemic took place in Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Venezuela and Zimbabwe, the group said."

DIY Covid Testing Now! Ken Alltucker of USA Today: "Consumers will be able to buy rapid coronavirus tests without a prescription this week at three national chain retailers, an expansion that comes as the nation's vaccination effort accelerates and states relax distancing requirements and mask mandates. Abbott Laboratories' BinaxNOW coronavirus self-test kits will be shipped to CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Walmart locations, and also will be sold online. The two-test kit, which last month received Food and Drug Administration emergency-use authorization for serial screening, will cost $23.99, the company said. Another rapid test made by Australia-based Ellume will be sold at CVS stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts for $38.99. It also can be purchased online or at most CVS stores in other states by the end of May. These retail tests eliminate another barrier for people who want to test themselves without visiting a doctor or a telehealth provider. Both tests deliver results in about 15 minutes and don't require a lab."

** Thanks, Supremes! Battle of the Billionaires. Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: "A dozen megadonors and their spouses contributed a combined $3.4 billion to federal candidates and political groups since 2009, accounting for nearly one out of every 13 dollars raised, according to a new report. The report, produced by Issue One, a nonpartisan group that seeks to reduce the influence of money in politics, shows the top 12 donors split equally between six Democrats and six Republicans. The list includes multiple Wall Street billionaires and investors, a Facebook co-founder, a shipping magnate and the heir to a family fortune dating back to the Gilded Age. The study quantifies the intensifying concentration and increasing role of the super rich in American politics following the loosening of restrictions on political spending by the U.S. Supreme Court more than a decade ago."

~~~~~~~~~~

Steven Weisman of the New York Times: "Walter F. Mondale, the former vice president and champion of liberal politics, activist government and civil rights who ran as the Democratic candidate for president in 1984, losing to President Ronald Reagan in a landslide, died on Monday at his home in Minneapolis. He was 93.... A son of a minister of modest means, Fritz Mondale, as he was widely known, led a rich public life that began in Minnesota under the tutelage of his state's progressive pathfinder, Hubert H. Humphrey. He achieved his own historic firsts, especially with his selection of Representative Geraldine A. Ferraro of New York as his running mate in 1984, the first woman to seek the vice presidency on a major national ticket." Politico's obituary is here. The Washington Post's obituary of Vice President Mondale is here. ~~~

~~~ Walter Mears & Kathleen Hennessey of the AP: "In the last days of his life, former Vice President Walter Mondale received a steady stream of phone calls of appreciation. Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris all called to say goodbye and thank you.... Well after his bruising loss, Mondale remained a revered liberal elder -- with a list of accomplishments that are still relevant today. As a young senator, he co-wrote the Fair Housing Act of 1968, a pillar of federal civil rights legislation. He later engineered a 1975 bipartisan deal that ended the two-thirds rule for stopping filibusters, so that 60 senators instead of 67 could cut off debate. Under President Jimmy Carter, he became the first vice president with a day job, as adviser to the president, not just a bystander. He called it the 'executivization' of the vice presidency. And as a Democratic presidential nominee, he chose the first female nominee for vice president from a major party." ~~~

~~~ The statement of President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden is here. ~~~

~~~ Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post: "Walter F. Mondale, who died Monday at the age of 93, will be remembered for many achievements during his nearly four decades of public service in Minnesota, on Capitol Hill, in the White House and as U.S. ambassador to Japan. But his most enduring contribution may well have been the invention of the modern vice presidency, and his creation of a template that has been followed to some degree ever since. Mondale's activist model as an all-purpose adviser and troubleshooter is one for which President Biden, a former vice president, and Kamala D. Harris, the current occupant of the office, should be grateful. Before Mondale, the vice president was largely a figurehead. When Dwight D. Eisenhower was asked to name a meaningful contribution Richard M. Nixon had made to his administration, he said -- jokingly, he would later contend -- that 'if you give me a week, I might think of one.' During John F. Kennedy's time in office, his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, bristled under the slights and contempt he felt from Kennedy's Ivy League circle. After Kennedy's 1963 assassination, Johnson himself went without a vice president for nearly 14 months."

Katie Benner of the New York Times: "Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said on Monday that the Justice Department was pouring resources into its effort to stop domestic violent extremists and that those who attacked the United States would be brought to justice, in a speech commemorating the 26th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. As a young Justice Department official, Mr. Garland led the investigation into the 1995 attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, the worst domestic terror attack in American history. Timothy J McVeigh, an Army veteran who hoped to use violence to spark an anti-government revolution, was ultimately convicted of using a massive truck bomb to destroy the federal building and kill 168 people, including 19 children. 'Although many years have passed, the terror perpetrated by people like Timothy McVeigh is still with us,' Mr. Garland said." A USA Today story is here.

Jonathan Swan of Axios: "The State Department said Monday that the U.S. ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, will now be returning to the United States this week before returning to Moscow 'in the coming weeks.'... The statement, from a State Department spokesperson, comes just hours after Axios reported that Sullivan had indicated he intended to stand his ground and stay in Russia after the Kremlin 'advised' him to return home to talk with his team. The Russians did not forcibly expel Sullivan as they did with 10 other U.S. diplomats in retaliation for President Biden's sanctions last week. 'Ambassador Sullivan will be returning to the U.S. this week to visit his family and meet with members of the new administration with whom he has not had a chance to consult since he agreed to continue serving in his post indefinitely,' a State Department spokesperson told Axios Monday night."

Peter Hermann & Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "Capitol Police officer Brian D. Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes a day after he confronted rioters at the Jan. 6 insurrection, the District's chief medical examiner has ruled. The ruling, released Monday, will make it difficult for prosecutors to pursue homicide charges in the officer's death. Two men are accused of assaulting Sicknick by spraying a powerful chemical irritant at him during the siege, but prosecutors have not tied that exposure to Sicknick's death. In an interview with The Washington Post, Francisco J. Diaz, the medical examiner, said the autopsy found no evidence the 42-year-old officer suffered an allergic reaction to chemical irritants, which Diaz said would have caused Sicknick’s throat to quickly seize. Diaz also said there was no evidence of internal or external injuries. Diaz said Sicknick suffered two strokes at the base of the brain stem caused by a clot in an artery that supplies blood to that area of the body." The AP's story is here.

Benjamin Din of Politico: "House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Monday that he would introduce a resolution to censure Rep. Maxine Waters for comments she made over the weekend in Minnesota that Republican lawmakers said stoked further violence. 'This weekend in Minnesota, Maxine Waters broke the law by violating curfew and then incited violence,' he said on Twitter. 'Speaker Pelosi is ignoring Waters' behavior -- that's why I am introducing a resolution to censure Rep. Waters for these dangerous comments.' His tweet came hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came to Waters' defense on Monday, saying that Waters did not need to apologize for her comments. When asked whether Waters (D-Calif.) incited violence with her comments, Pelosi told a reporter, 'No, absolutely not.'" ~~~

~~~ Gerren Gaynor of the Grio: "In an ... interview with theGrio, [Rep. Maxine] Waters dismissed suggestions that she was encouraging violence. 'I am nonviolent,' she said. The congresswoman said attempts to characterize her words and suggest otherwise is nothing more than a political tactic by the GOP.... Further clarifying her comments on being 'confrontational,' the California congresswoman said 'I talk about confronting the justice system, confronting the policing that's going on, I'm talking about speaking up. I'm talking about legislation. I'm talking about elected officials doing what needs to be done to control their budgets and to pass legislation.'"

Annie Grayer & Kristin Wilson of CNN: "Republican Rep. Steve Stivers of Ohio announced Monday on Twitter that he is leaving Congress next month to become the president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, giving the GOP at least temporarily one fewer vote in the narrowly divided House of Representatives." (Also linked yesterday.)

Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "The American Civil Liberties Union asked the Supreme Court on Monday to open a window on the government's secretive system for approving national security surveillance on U.S. soil. Transparency advocates petitioned the high court to review whether the public has a right to access the decisions of a largely secret federal surveillance court, whose growing reach and brushes with political controversy have drawn increasing attention -- and contrasting opinions about public access within the court itself. The filing comes after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) and an associated review panel issued rulings in September and October saying they lacked authority even to consider a public claim under the First Amendment to their secret decisions and lawmaking." An AP story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Michael Isikoff of Yahoo! News: "Foreign-based actors, principally in China and Russia, are spreading online disinformation rooted in QAnon conspiracy theories, fueling a movement that has become a mounting domestic terrorism threat, according to new analysis of online propaganda by a security firm. The analysis by the Soufan Center, a New York-based research firm focused on national security threats, found that nearly one-fifth of 166,820 QAnon-related Facebook posts between January 2020 and the end of February 2021 originated from overseas administrators.... The report injects a new element into the debate about how to counter QAnon -- a bizarre but increasingly widespread conspiracy movement that has pushed the idea that the U.S. government is secretly run by Satan worshipers involved in a global sex trafficking ring."

Do as I Say, Not as I Do. Nathaniel Meyersohn of CNN: Despite asking his supporters to boycott Coca Cola products, Donald Trump is still drinking Diet Coke and his resorts & Trump hotels are still serving Coke products. "A CNN reporter on April 8 enjoyed a Diet Coke at the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C.... The soda cost $9.00, but a friendly and professional waiter did offer two free refills of the drink...."

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here: "All adults in the United States are now eligible for a coronavirus vaccine -- and President Biden marked the milestone with a video urging Americans to get their shots. 'Folks, I have good news,' Biden said in a White House clip. 'Everybody is eligible, as of today, to get the vaccine. We have enough of it; you need to be protected, and you need, in turn, to protect your neighbors and your family. So please, get the vaccine.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Beyond the Beltway

Florida. Greg Allen of NPR: "Florida's governor has signed a law that he called the 'strongest anti-rioting, pro-law enforcement measure in the country.' The law was written in response to protests around the country following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. It provides new protections for police and increases the penalties for people who take part in property damage or violence during protests. Florida experienced little of the violence seen elsewhere in the country last summer following Floyd's death.... The law increases penalties for protesters who block roadways or deface public monuments. It creates a new crime, 'mob intimidation.' And it requires that anyone arrested at a protest be denied bail until their first court appearance, likely making for overnight jail stays.... Civil rights and social justice groups said it's an unconstitutional attack on free speech."

Indiana. Campbell Robertson of the New York Times: "The senior county prosecutor in Indianapolis said on Monday that his office never sought to invoke a law that could have prevented Brandon Hole from buying two firearms before he shot and killed eight people last week at a FedEx packaging warehouse. In a news conference, Ryan Mears, the prosecutor for Marion County, said his office had decided not to use Indiana's so-called red flag law last year, even though Mr. Hole's mother's warnings about her son's mental instability had prompted the police to seize a shotgun from him. The tight deadlines and constraints on evidence gathering built into the state's 16-year-old statute gave prosecutors too little time to make a convincing case to a judge, Mr. Mears said, adding that losing in court could have backfired. 'If we move forward with that proceeding, and we lose, guess what happens: that firearm goes right back to that person,' he said. 'We weren't willing to take that.'" An AP story is here.

Minnesota. Shaila Dewan, et al., of the New York Times: "The two sides in one of the nation's most closely watched police brutality trials returned one last time to the graphic video of George Floyd's final moments on Monday, with the prosecution asking jurors to 'believe your eyes' and the defense warning them not to be 'misled' by a freeze-frame view. After 14 days of testimony from policing experts, medical doctors, members of the Minneapolis Police Department and bystanders, lawyers made their closing arguments, urging the jurors to use common sense as the case was placed in their hands. The prosecution focused on the nine minutes and 29 seconds that Derek Chauvin, the white police officer charged with murder, kept his knee on the neck of Mr. Floyd, a handcuffed Black man, on a Minneapolis street last Memorial Day.... In a lengthy rebuttal, the defense emphasized the 17 minutes leading up to that time -- suggesting that Mr. Floyd had taken illicit drugs and had actively resisted when several officers tried to get him into a squad car. Mr. Chauvin's lawyer, Eric J. Nelson, repeatedly told jurors to look at the 'totality of the circumstances.'" The AP story is here. ~~~

~~~ Tim Sullivan of the AP: "More than 3,000 National Guard soldiers, along with police officers, state police, sheriffs deputies and other law enforcement personnel have flooded [Minneapolis] in recent days, with a verdict looming in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with murder in the death last year of George Floyd.... Concrete barriers, chain-link fences and barbed wire now ring parts of downtown Minneapolis so that authorities can quickly close off the courthouse where the trial is being held. It's become normal in recent days to pass convoys of desert-tan military vehicles on nearby highways, and stumble across armed men and women standing guard."

New York. Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "The New York State attorney general has opened an investigation into Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's use of state resources as he wrote and promoted his recent pandemic memoir, the latest inquiry to engulf the embattled three-term Democrat. The investigation followed disclosures that junior staff members and senior aides worked on Mr. Cuomo's book..., including editing early drafts, sitting in on pitch meetings, and menial tasks like printing and delivering manuscript pages to the governor's mansion. Mr. Cuomo has insisted that any work done by government employees on the book -- which garnered a seven-figure advance -- was voluntary, allowing that some minor work may have been 'incidental.'"