The Conversation -- June 18, 2025
Every president* seems to think he needs a war. Now, the person who described himself as a "man of peace" seems to crave his, too. There is no time more dangerous than the moment a thoughtless, careless, belligerent ignoramus with unlimited military power is the "decider": ~~~
Michael Birnbaum, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump faced one of the most monumental decisions of his presidency on Tuesday as he debated whether to join a war against Iran that risked sucking Washington into a new Middle Eastern conflict but also offered the chance to eliminate a foe’s nuclear program. In a string of social media posts across the day, the president said that the United States has 'complete and total control of the skies over Iran,' warned Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khameini that he was an 'easy target,' and demanded 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER' without defining what that would mean. As the day closed and after an 80-minute meeting with top aides in the Situation Room, he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a White House official said. The tough language came at a moment of extraordinary weakness for Tehran, whose power is at a low ebb following a year of Israeli attacks against its allies and proxies in the Middle East. Trump has long taken an aggressive approach toward Iran, although he also campaigned on ending global conflicts and as recently as last week continued to seek a new agreement to restrict its nuclear program.” ~~~
New York Times liveblog (Wednesday): “Fears of a wider war were growing on Tuesday after ... [Donald] Trump called for Iran’s 'unconditional surrender,' cited the possibility of killing its supreme leader and referred to Israel’s war efforts with the word 'we' — all apparent suggestions that the United States could enter the conflict against Iran. As the Trump administration contemplates next steps, in Israel and Iran, the conflict continues unabated into its sixth day. Past midnight, on Wednesday, sirens sounded in areas of Israel and the Israeli military said it had detected Iranian missile launches, on two occasions in short succession. Around the same time, the Israeli military published an evacuation warning for an industrial area in Tehran, the Iranian capital, saying it would be taking action in the coming hours to attack military infrastructure there, and shortly afterward said its Air Force was conducting a series of strikes in the area of Tehran. Mr. Trump’s comments, in social media posts on Tuesday, came as Israel has been pressing the White House to intervene militarily in the conflict with Iran to put an end to that country’s nuclear program.” ~~~
~~~ New York Times liveblog (Tuesday): Donald “Trump on Tuesday called for Iran’s 'unconditional surrender,' cited the possibility of killing Iran’s supreme leader and referred to Israel’s war efforts with the word 'we' — all apparent suggestions that the United States could enter the war against Iran. Mr. Trump’s comments, in social media posts, came as Israel has been pressing the White House to intervene militarily in the conflict with Iran to put an end to that country’s nuclear program. The president has long professed opposition to getting involved in foreign wars and has expressed hopes for a negotiated agreement with Iran. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, wants the United States to drop its largest bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s Fordo nuclear site, which lies deep underground. Israel has neither bombs that big nor warplanes big enough to carry them. In a post on Truth Social, Mr. Trump wrote, 'we know exactly where' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, 'is hiding,' but added, 'we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least for now.' Boasting of Israel’s air superiority, which he suggested was based on American technology, he wrote, 'We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,' associating himself with Israel’s war effort.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ An NPR story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
TACO. Jonathan Swan, et al., of the New York Times: Over the years, Benjamin Netanyahu “had always backed down [from a military assault on Iran's nuclear program] after multiple American presidents, fearful of the consequences of another conflagration in the Middle East, told him the United States would not assist in an attack.... But over the last several weeks, it became increasingly apparent to Trump administration officials that they might not be able to stop Mr. Netanyahu this time.... At the same time, Mr. Trump was getting impatient with Iran over the slow pace of negotiations.... Five days after Israel launched its attack, Mr. Trump’s posture continues to gyrate.... Interviews with two dozen officials in the United States, Israel and the Persian Gulf region show how Mr. Trump vacillated for months over how and whether to contain Mr. Netanyahu’s impulses.... And when Israel chose war, Mr. Trump cycled from skepticism about attaching himself too closely to Mr. Netanyahu to inching toward joining him in dramatically escalating the conflict, even bucking the view that there is no immediate nuclear threat from Iran.” This looks like a gift link. MB: So it looks as if Bibi is nearly as good at playing Trump as Putin is. Our fake strongman is a fool and a weakling.
Here's the G-7 leaders' statement on Middle East peace, released by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. (Also linked yesterday.)
Roger Cohen of the New York Times: Donald “Trump said on Tuesday that President Emmanuel Macron of France 'always gets it wrong,' as simmering tensions between the two leaders over the Israel-Iran conflict blew up into insults. As he made an early exit from the Group of 7 meeting in Canada and flew back to Washington, Mr. Trump called Mr. Macron 'publicity seeking.' In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump said the French leader 'has no idea why I am on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire.' Mr. Macron had told reporters covering the G7 meeting in Calgary, Alberta, that the United States had given assurances that 'they will find a cease-fire, and since they can pressure Israel, things may change.' The speculation about his intentions clearly infuriated Mr. Trump, who said, without elaborating, that the real reason for his departure was 'much bigger than that.' In an earlier Truth Social post, he had said that 'everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran.'” MB: I'm shocked at the idea of a politician, much less a world leader, who is being “publicity seeking.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ "I Don't Care What She Said." Avery Lotz of Axios: Donald "Trump on Tuesday said Iran was 'very close' to having a nuclear weapon, despite March testimony from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that Tehran was not building one.... His comments, which critics see as shirking his DNI's own assessment, came after he sent shockwaves through the Middle East with a Monday Truth Social post calling for the evacuation of Tehran.... When pressed on Gabbard's assessment by reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump replied, 'I don't care what she said. I think they were very close to having' a nuclear weapon. Trump has repeatedly stressed the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Israel wants the administration's help by joining the war against Iran to destroy its nuclear program." (Also linked yesterday.) An AP report is here. ~~~
~~~ Trump v. Gabbard. Rachel Bade, et al., of Politico: “At 5:30 a.m. on June 10, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard tweeted a cryptic, three-minute video warning that 'political elite and warmongers' are 'carelessly fomenting fear and tensions between nuclear powers' — and that the world is 'on the brink of nuclear annihilation.' Trump saw the unauthorized video and became incensed, complaining to associates at the White House that she had spoken out of turn.... Her post came a few days after Israel hawks met with Trump at the White House to lobby him to support Israel’s attacks on Iran. In the eyes of Trump and some close to him, Gabbard was warning him not to greenlight Israel attacking Iran. Trump even expressed his disapproval to her personally.... Iin recent months, Trump has increasingly mused about nixing Gabbard’s office completely, an idea he floated when he gave her the job.”
Sapna Maheshwari of the New York Times: Donald “Trump intends to again extend the deadline for when TikTok must be separated from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or face a ban in the United States, its third reprieve this year.... Mr. Trump has repeatedly declined to enforce the law, which the Supreme Court upheld in January after Congress passed it with wide bipartisan support last year. The app’s future is part of the discussion in his administration’s ongoing trade talks with China. Mr. Trump, who issued similar delays in January and in April, has given TikTok an unexpected lifeline after its future in the United States appeared to be doomed. The president tried to ban TikTok in his first term but flipped his stance on the app last year — a shift that is credited in part to one of his donors....” The NBC News report is here.
Ali Watkins of the New York Times: Donald “Trump said that he had no plans to call Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota after a man assassinated a state lawmaker there and wounded another over the weekend, calling Mr. Walz 'whacked out' and 'a mess.' 'I don’t really call him,' Mr. Trump told reporters during his flight back to Washington after making an early exit from the Group of 7 summit in Canada late Monday. 'I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out, I’m not calling him. Why would I call him?' It is a well established custom for presidents to call state leaders to express sympathy and offer support after deadly shootings and other calamities. But after the shootings in the Minneapolis suburbs over the weekend, which left one Democratic lawmaker and her husband dead and another lawmaker and his wife gravely wounded, Mr. Trump seemed perplexed when asked by reporters if he intended to call Mr. Walz....” The U.S. attorney and FBI agents already have been helping Minnesota apprehend and charge the alleged assassin, so I can't see what Trump's problem is, other than than he's a boor who doesn't know how to behave in polite society. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Steve M: "Pundits don't feel moral outrage in response to Trump's contempt and the [Brevard County, Florida,] sheriffs' bloodlust because, at least subconsciously, they feel the president and the sheriffs are punching up -- snooty lefties deserve to be taken down a peg. Trump and the sheriff are seen as avengers speaking on behalf of the downtrodden working class, not as power-mad fascists. I wouldn't say that contempt for liberals and leftists is 'the last acceptable prejudice' -- in Trump's America, there are many, many acceptable prejudices -- but this one has been acceptable all our lives." (Also linked yesterday.)
Trumpelthinskin Lashes Out at Drunk Pete. Adam Nichols of the Raw Story: "Donald Trump unleashed his rage on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after last weekend's military parade failed to project the intimidating image the president craved, according to explosive new revelations from biographer Michael Wolff.... 'He's pissed off at the soldiers,' Wolff revealed, explaining that Trump was livid his troops appeared to be 'having a good time' rather than displaying the 'menacing' military face he had wanted. As thousands of soldiers and tanks paraded past largely empty bleachers on Constitution Avenue, social media erupted with mockery over the out-of-sync marching and dreary atmosphere.... The sparse crowds and lackluster energy clearly got under Trump's skin." MB: Gosh, Donald, maybe the lack of enthusiasm is a reflection of the fact that most people despise you. (Also linked yesterday.)
Neil Vigdor & of the New York Times: “A Pennsylvania man who was arrested on weapons charges at a 'No Kings' protest against the Trump administration on Saturday is facing more than two dozen additional charges after investigators said they found a cache of homemade bombs at his home outside Philadelphia. The man, Kevin Krebs, 31, of Malvern, Pa., first caused alarm among people in the crowd at the protest in West Chester, Pa., when he tried to hide a Sig Sauer P320 handgun under his raincoat and another layer of clothing, the authorities said. The protesters pointed him out to law enforcement officers, who said that they found nine fully loaded magazines, a bayonet, pepper spray and a ski mask on him and an AR-15-style rifle on the back seat of his Ford Explorer. Mr. Krebs did not have a license for the handgun he had on him, the police said. During a search of Mr. Krebs’s home on Monday, the police discovered 13 improvised explosive devices, in addition to military-style body armor vests and several drawings of grenades, the authorities said on Tuesday.” ~~~
~~~ Phil Williams of WTVF Nashville: “An armed man arrested Saturday during Nashville’s 'No Kings' protest has a long history of fascination with Nazis and mass murderers, and he was already on the FBI's radar.... Elijah Millar, 19, of Murfreesboro, was arrested Saturday after he 'brandished' a handgun while clashing with a few of the thousands of protesters who attended the peaceful rally in downtown Nashville, according to the arrest warrant taken out by Metro Nashville police. Millar was later released on bond.... For much of his time wandering around the protest at the Bicentennial Mall, Millar was livestreaming, declaring on X that he was going to be 'counter-protesting these commies.' He shouted at protesters, 'Commie scum! No f***ing commie, commie scum in America, motherf***er.'” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: Funny, innit, how millions of people managed to protest peacefully, and almost all of the trouble came from pro-Trumpies not invited to the party. It isn't that there are no violent lefties; it's that there are way more violent right-wingers and some of them are way more violent and way more prone to premeditation than the few dumbass rock-throwers on the left.
Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein of Politico: “A federal appeals court appears poised to permit ... Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles to continue uninterrupted despite the protests of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. During an hourlong argument session Tuesday, a three-judge panel sharply questioned Newsom’s argument that Trump had failed to sufficiently justify his decision to send 4,000 National Guard troops to protect federal buildings and support immigration authorities as they conduct arrests and enforcement operations. Instead, the judges appeared to lean on centuries-old principles — backed at times by the Supreme Court — giving the president vast discretion to deploy the military to suppress civil unrest. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel featured Trump appointees Eric Miller and Mark Bennett, as well as Biden appointee Jennifer Sung. All appeared openly skeptical of California’s position that courts can second-guess Trump’s determination that immigration protests in Los Angeles had amounted to a potential 'rebellion' against the government.” The New York Times analysis, by Charles Savage & Laurel Rosenhall, agrees with Cheney & Gerstein's conclusions.
There might be less TACO if the TACO King paid more attention to matters like (a) which immigrants he's going to target (see below) or (b) whether or not he's going to annihilate the Earth (see above). But it seems home decor (gilding the Oval Office) and landscaping duties (paving over the Rose Garden) are top-of-mind. Now this: ~~~
~~~ Charlie Nash of Mediaite: “... Donald Trump took a break from threatening Iran on Tuesday to announce the erection of 'two beautiful Flag Poles' at the White House. 'It is my Great Honor to announce that I will be putting up two beautiful Flag Poles on both sides of the White House, North and South Lawns,' wrote Trump in a Truth Social post: 'It is a GIFT from me of something which was always missing from this magnificent place.'”
Once Again, Trump's Inconsistency, Failure of Leadership & Incompetence Creates Business Havoc. Tyler Pager, et al., of the New York Times: Donald “Trump is sending conflicting messages about his immigration crackdown, promising a reprieve for certain industries that rely on immigrant labor while doubling down on his promise to arrest and deport anyone who is living in the United States illegally. The situation has left business owners unclear on exactly what the Trump policy is, just days after the president said 'changes are coming' to help those in the farming and hospitality industries whose employees are too scared to show up for work. 'One minute you have a message saying they won’t go after agriculture, the next something else,' said Manuel Cunha Jr., president of the Nisei Farmers League, a growers organization in the Central Valley of California. Mr. Cunha said it was causing 'tremendous havoc' in the country’s largest agricultural region.” ~~~
~~~ Lauren Gurley & Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: “Industry and business groups that depend on immigrant workers are scrambling to respond to ... Donald Trump’s heightened deportation efforts, after winning a partial reprieve on raids last week that was reversed days later. The administration on Monday walked back a pause on immigration raids at farms, meatpacking plants, hotels and restaurants, sending renewed shock waves through the broader business community, parts of which are still pushing the White House for relief from workplace raids.... The policy reversal appeared to take effect immediately. On Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided Delta Downs, a horse racing track in Vinton, Louisiana, rounding up nearly 100 equine caretakers, some of whom fled the scene as drones swarmed overhead....” ~~~
~~~ The Forgotten. Emily Peck of Axios: "The White House immigration crackdown is hitting the long-term healthcare industry, as nursing homes and care providers lose foreign-born employees and struggle to hire.... These folks care for the disabled and for the country's fast-growing elderly population, and they're already in short supply. Advocates and policy experts warn the quality of care that people receive is under threat."
Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: “Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller who is running for mayor, was arrested on Tuesday by federal agents at an immigration courthouse in Lower Manhattan as he tried to escort a migrant out of the building to prevent his arrest. Mr. Lander, a Democrat, was observing proceedings at the city’s main immigration courthouse, at 26 Federal Plaza, where an increasing number of migrants who appear for court have been arrested in recent weeks by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Videos taken by reporters at the courthouse show Mr. Lander standing by a migrant man in a crowded hallway when several men who appear to be law enforcement officers, some wearing masks, walk up to the pair in an apparent attempt to arrest the migrant. Mr. Lander repeatedly asks the agents whether they have a judicial warrant and walks behind them, according to one of the videos, which was posted on social media by a reporter from The City, a digital news outlet.... Agents can be seen trying to pry Mr. Lander away. They ultimately separate Mr. Lander from the man, push him against a wall by the elevators and place handcuffs on him.... A spokeswoman for the comptroller’s office, said Mr. Lander was being held on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza, where migrants apprehended by ICE are typically detained.” AM New York's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update. Sarah Fortinsky of the Hill: “New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) condemned the arrest of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander (D), a candidate for mayor, who was detained Tuesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while guiding a defendant out of immigration court.... It’s bull—-,' [Hochul said]. 'How dare they take an elected official, who’s been going down there for weeks, to escort people who are afraid to walk into a courthouse in the United States of America?.... Because, despite them having legal status and following the rules and making their appointments, that they don’t know what’s going to happen to them,' she continued, referring to migrants attending their required court appearances but then facing ICE agents waiting to detain them. 'So Brad Lander has stepped up, to be a guiding help for them, and this is what happens to him? What the hell is happening to this country?' the governor added.” ~~~
~~~ Update 2. Jenna Amatulli of the Guardian: “In a statement to the Guardian, assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin from the Department of Homeland Security said Lander 'was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer'. Upon his release, Lander said he 'certainly did not' assault an officer. Lander appeared at 26 Federal Plaza to observe immigration hearings involving individuals marked for potential deportation. He told an Associated Press reporter that he was there to 'accompany' some immigrants out of the building. Tuesday’s trip to an immigration court was Lander’s third over the last month.” The story goes on to report other reactions to Lander's arrest, including those of other NYC mayoral candidates. ~~~
~~~ Katie Glueck of the New York Times: “As Democrats struggle to push back against the administration, federal agents have arrested or clashed with a growing number of the party’s elected officials. The scenes of chaos reflect the tinderbox nature of this political moment, and the expanding national battles over due process, the rule of law and the system of checks and balances. 'This is executive authority, especially in the Department of Homeland Security, running out of control,' said Senator Tina Smith, a Minnesota Democrat. 'Do the members of Congress need security details to defend themselves from the executive branch? God, I hope not.'... Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic House leader, was more explicit, saying in a statement that 'the aggressive targeting of Democratic elected officials by the Trump administration will invariably result in law-abiding public servants being marked for death by violent extremists.'”
Brianna Tucker & Marianne LeVine of the Washington Post: “Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem was taken to a hospital on Tuesday after suffering an allergic reaction, a department spokesperson told The Washington Post. Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary for DHS, said Noem was transported to the hospital by ambulance 'out of an abundance of caution' and 'is alert and recovering.'... No further details about the allergic reaction were provided.” The AP's report is here. MB: Okay, but I'll just go out on a limb and guess that Kristi has developed an allergy to Botox, which is uncommon but not unheard-of. Meanwhile, if you check the end of yesterday's Comments thread, you'll find that Akhilleus is “concerned” about Kristi, if not quite as “concerned” as Susan Collins is about various right-wing atrocities. I wish Kristi well, of course, and I hope her face doesn't sag or deflate too much.
Case Study. Carolyn Johnson of the Washington Post: While NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya is defending staff cutbacks and falsely claiming that the cuts will not harm science & patients, this man may die as he now cannot time receive the treatment he needs “because of cuts to essential lab personnel — a painful illustration of the life-and-death stakes of the administration’s approach to shrinking the government workforce.” MB: Jay there is a medical doctor who seems to have forgotten all about that "do no harm" part of his oath.
A Trillion Dollars Worse Than Originally Estimated. Tony Romm of the New York Times: “House Republicans’ sprawling package to cut taxes and slash federal safety-net programs would add about $3.4 trillion to the debt, according to nonpartisan congressional analysts, who reported on Tuesday that the minor gains in economic growth under the bill would not offset its full fiscal impact. The updated findings from the Congressional Budget Office amounted to yet another dour report card for the president’s signature legislation, which passed the House last month but now faces the prospect of significant revisions to its core components in the Senate. In its current form, the House Republican bill would extend and expand a set of expiring tax cuts enacted by ... [Donald] Trump during his first term. It would pay for some of those expensive components with deep cuts to federal anti-poverty programs, including Medicaid and food stamps. The C.B.O. report issued on Tuesday sought to project the ways the bill would interact with federal spending and the U.S. economy, building on its earlier finding that the House-passed measure carried a roughly $2.4 trillion price tag.” The article is currently topped by a photo of the Hunchback of Notre Pays.
This is a bill that was written by the industry that will supercharge the profitability of Donald Trump's crypto corruption, while it undercuts consumer protection and weakens our national defense. -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, to NBC News ~~~
~~~ A Gift to Trump. Robert Jimison of the New York Times: “The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins, putting the cryptocurrency industry, which had long been viewed with suspicion by lawmakers in Washington, on the brink of a major policy breakthrough. Bipartisan approval of the bill, known as the GENIUS Act, followed an aggressive lobbying campaign aimed at transforming the cryptocurrency industry’s image from scandal-plagued experiment to legitimate financial sector. Senate passage came over the fierce objections of many Democrats, who warned that the measure lacked strict-enough regulations or oversight to prevent abuses, including anti-corruption rules that would bar President Trump and his family from continuing to profit from cryptocurrency. The bill still must be passed by the House and signed by the president. But the 68-30 vote in the Senate marked the first time the chamber has approved major cryptocurrency legislation. It represented a significant step toward giving the industry what it has long sought from Washington: the credibility that comes with federal oversight.” The NBC News story is here.
Lisa Lerer of the New York Times: “Former President Barack Obama will gingerly step into the public fray on Tuesday night, after weeks of quiet grumbling from some demoralized Democrats for what they say is his silence in the face of a frontal assault on liberal America by the Trump administration. Mr. Obama will participate in a discussion in Hartford, Conn., with Heather Cox Richardson, a popular liberal writer and historian, at a moment of deep uncertainty and volatility for his party, the country and the world.” MB: I can just hear President Obama's hesitant, stammering remarks now, but I'm hoping he embraces the fierce urgency of now and metaphorically knocks Trumpolini on his fat ass. ~~~
~~~ Update. Marie: It would appear Obama spoke just as I feared he would. Here's Lerer's updated report (same link): “Former President Barack Obama warned on Tuesday night that the country was 'dangerously close' to allowing its government officials to act in a way 'consistent with autocracies,' offering a veiled rebuke of the Trump administration that was delivered with trademark caution. Appearing before a civic group in Hartford, Conn., during a tumultuous stretch for the country both at home and abroad, Mr. Obama offered a winding explanation about the dangers facing American democracy. He pointed to an erosion of traditional values like the rule of law, an independent judiciary, the freedom of the press and the right to protest. 'If you follow regularly what is said by those who are in charge of the federal government right now, there is a weak commitment to what we understood — and not just my generation, at least since World War II — our understanding of how a liberal democracy is supposed to work,' he said during a discussion with Heather Cox Richardson, a popular anti-Trump writer and historian. Democracy, Mr. Obama said, requires government workers, judges and lawyers at the Justice Department to uphold the Constitution and follow the law.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: This is not the time for “veiled rebukes” of Trump; What Obama apparently said yesterday was of the same kind of “veiled rebukes” he made of Congressional Republicans when they did something outrageous during his time in office. You had to know exactly what was going on to even tell whom he might be criticizing. We need people like Bernie & AOC & Chris Murphy, who are straight with ordinary people.
Kyle Cheney of Politico: “A California court has upheld a recommendation that attorney John Eastman should lose his law license because of his central role in ... Donald Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election. A three-judge 'review panel' of the California State Bar Court found that Eastman’s conduct was so egregious — and his remorse so lacking — that the only remedy was to permanently prohibit him from practicing law.... Eastman’s next step is the California Supreme Court, which has the final say over attorney discipline matters. While that’s typically the end of the line, Eastman hinted he may intend to pursue his grievances against the process in federal court.”
A Senator Goes to Jail. Tracey Tully of the New York Times: “For decades, Robert Menendez had the ear of presidents and prime ministers. He controlled the flow of military aid as the Democratic leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A son of Cuban refugees, he was a go-to authority on immigration policy. But on Tuesday, just after 9 a.m., Mr. Menendez became a ward of the same government that he had once helped to lead when he entered a federal prison in Pennsylvania to begin an 11-year sentence for political corruption. He will be known as prisoner No. 67277-050 at Federal Correctional Institution Schuylkill in Minersville, Pa., roughly three hours away from the home he has shared in New Jersey with his wife, Nadine Menendez, who is expected to be sentenced in September for her role in the scheme.” (Also linked yesterday.)
~~~~~~~~~
If being held in contempt is what it costs to defend the rule of law and stand firmly behind President Trump’s agenda on illegal immigration, so be it. -- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) ~~~
~~~ Florida. Frances Vinall of the Washington Post: “A federal judge found Florida’s attorney general in civil contempt of court Tuesday for violating a restraining order, which required state attorneys to tell officers to stop enforcing a newly enacted immigration law. That same judge, Southern Florida District Judge Kathleen M. Williams had issued a temporary restraining order in April halting the enforcement of a law that made it a state crime for any 'adult unauthorized alien' to enter or reenter Florida, with a mandatory minimum prison sentence of nine months. That law had been signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in February. Afterward, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) sent a letter to state law enforcement agencies saying he could not prevent them enforcing the new law. 'It is my view that no lawful, legitimate order currently impedes your agencies from continuing to enforce Florida’s new illegal entry and reentry laws,' he wrote in the letter. Williams on Tuesday found this letter to be in contempt of her order.”
Virginia. Gregory Schneider & Laura Vozzella of the Washington Post: “Former Norfolk delegate Jerrauld C. 'Jay' Jones won the Democratic nomination for Virginia attorney general while the party’s choice for lieutenant governor was too close to call Tuesday night, according to election results projected by the Associated Press. The winners will join gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger in pivotal fall elections that will be watched as an off-year referendum on ... Donald Trump and on Virginia’s own ambitious Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who is term-limited out of office.”
3 Comments
Reader Comments (3)
"Trump family to sell smart phones."
Two thoughts that should never be in the same sentence: Trump
family and smart.
What grift is next? Selling tap water from Maralago? Renting out
Melanie.
Just when one thinks it can't get worse, it gets worse.
@ForrestMorris: Good advice on "Trump" and "smart." It turns out that Shira Ovide, a Washington Post reporter, tried to sign up for the Trump mobile service. It did not go well:
"Trump Mobile successfully billed my credit card Monday — at a cost that’s considerably higher than the advertised price — but I haven’t been able to actually start using the wireless service yet. Don’t let this scare you off. I’m here to persuade you that many more Americans really should try the growing number of alternatives to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon — although maybe not Trump Mobile."
Question: What do you call that space between Kristi Noem's
breasts?
Answer: Silicon Valley.