New York Times: “The Rev. Jimmy Swaggart, who emerged from the backwoods of Louisiana to become a television evangelist with global reach, preaching about an eternal struggle between good and evil and warning of the temptations of the flesh, a theme that played out in his own life in a sex scandal, died on July 1. He was 90.” ~~~
~~~ For another sort of obituary, see Akhilleus' commentary near the end of yesterday's thread.
To keep the Conversation going, please help me by linking news articles, opinion pieces and other political content in today's Comments section.
Link Code: <a href="URL">text</a>
OR here's a link generator. The one I had posted died, then Akhilleus found one, but it too bit the dust. He found yet another, which I've linked here, and as of September 23, 2024, it's working.
OR you can always just block, copy and paste to your comment the URL (Web address) of the page you want to link.
Note for Readers. It is not possible for commenters to "throw" their highlighted links to another window. But you can do that yourself. Right-click on the link and a drop-down box will give you choices as to where you want to open the link: in a new tab, new window or new private window.
Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.
Marie: Sorry, my countdown clock was unreliable; then it became completely unreliable. I can't keep up with it. Maybe I'll try another one later.
Commencement ceremonies are joyous occasions, and Steve Carell made sure that was true this past weekend (mid-June) at Northwestern's commencement:
~~~ Carell's entire commencement speech was hilarious. The audio and video here isn't great, but I laughed till I cried.
CNN did a live telecast Saturday night (June 7) of the Broadway play "Good Night, and Good Luck," written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, about legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow's effort to hold to account Sen. Joe McCarthy, "the junior senator from Wisconsin." Clooney plays Murrow. Here's Murrow himself with his famous take on McCarthy & McCarthyism, brief remarks that especially resonate today: ~~~
~~~ This article lists ways you still can watch the play.
New York Times: “The New York Times Company has agreed to license its editorial content to Amazon for use in the tech giant’s artificial intelligence platforms, the company said on Thursday. The multiyear agreement 'will bring Times editorial content to a variety of Amazon customer experiences,' the news organization said in a statement. Besides news articles, the agreement encompasses material from NYT Cooking, The Times’s food and recipe site, and The Athletic, which focuses on sports. This is The Times’s first licensing arrangement with a focus on generative A.I. technology. In 2023, The Times sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, for copyright infringement, accusing the tech companies of using millions of articles published by The Times to train automated chatbots without any kind of compensation. OpenAI and Microsoft have rejected those accusations.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: I have no idea what this means for "the Amazon customer experience." Does it mean that if I don't have a NYT subscription but do have Amazon Prime I can read NYT content? And where, exactly, would I find that content? I don't know. I don't know.
Washington Post reporters asked three AI image generators what a beautiful woman looks like. "The Post found that they steer users toward a startlingly narrow vision of attractiveness. Prompted to show a 'beautiful woman,' all three tools generated thin women, without exception.... Her body looks like Barbie — slim hips, impossible waist, round breasts.... Just 2 percent of the images showed visible signs of aging. More than a third of the images had medium skin tones. But only nine percent had dark skin tones. Asked to show 'normal women,' the tools produced images that remained overwhelmingly thin.... However bias originates, The Post’s analysis found that popular image tools struggle to render realistic images of women outside the Western ideal." ~~~
~~~ Marie: The reporters seem to think they are calling out the AI programs for being unrealistic. But there's a lot about the "beautiful women" images they miss. I find these omissions remarkably sexist. For one thing, the reporters seem to think AI is a magical "thing" that self-generates. It isn't. It's programmed. It's programmed by boys, many of them incels who have little or no experience or insights beyond comic books and Internet porn of how to gauge female "beauty." As a result, the AI-generated women look like cartoons; that is, a lot like an air-brushed photo of Kristi Noem: globs of every kind of dark eye makeup, Scandinavian nose, Botox lips, slathered-on skin concealer/toner/etc. makeup, long dark hair and the aforementioned impossible Barbie body shape, including huge, round plastic breasts.
New York Times: “George Clooney’s Broadway debut, 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' has been one of the sensations of the 2024-25 theater season, breaking box office records and drawing packed houses of audiences eager to see the popular movie star in a timely drama about the importance of an independent press. Now the play will become much more widely available: CNN is planning a live broadcast of the penultimate performance, on June 7 at 7 p.m. Eastern. The performance will be preceded and followed by coverage of, and discussion about, the show and the state of journalism.”
No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land. -- Magna Carta ~~~
~~~ New York Times: “Bought for $27.50 after World War II, the faint, water stained manuscript in the library of Harvard Law School had attracted relatively little attention since it arrived there in 1946. That is about to change. Two British academics, one of whom happened on the manuscript by chance, have discovered that it is an original 1300 version — not a copy, as long thought — of Magna Carta, the medieval document that helped establish some of the world’s most cherished liberties. It is one of just seven such documents from that date still in existence.... A 710-year-old version of Magna Carta was sold in 2007 for $21.3 million.... First issued in 1215, it put into writing a set of concessions won by rebellious barons from a recalcitrant King John of England — or Bad King John, as he became known in folklore. He later revoked the charter, but his son, Henry III, issued amended versions, the last one in 1225, and Henry’s son, Edward I, in turn confirmed the 1225 version in 1297 and again in 1300.”
NPR lists all of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners. Poynter lists the prizes awarded in journalism as well as the finalists in these categories.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. — Anonymous
A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. — Edward R. Murrow
Publisher & Editor: Marie Burns
I have a Bluesky account now. The URL ishttps://bsky.app/profile/marie-burns.bsky.social . When Reality Chex goes down, check my Bluesky page for whatever info I am able to report on the status of Reality Chex. If you can't access the URL, I found that I could Google Bluesky and ask for Marie Burns. Google will include links to accounts for people whose names are, at least in part, Maria Burns, so you'll have to tell Google you looking only for Marie.
Maureen Dowd of the New York Timesmocks the whiney boys on the Supreme Court, with special shoutouts to Gorsuch, Thomas & Suffering Sam.
Ukraine. Marc Santora, et al., of the New York Times: "An American-made Patriot air-defense missile successfully intercepted one of the most sophisticated conventional weapons in Russia's arsenal for the first time over Kyiv on Thursday night, the Ukrainian air force claimed on Saturday. The downing of a Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missile by a Patriot missile, confirmed by three senior U.S. officials, appeared to offer the first proof that Russia's hypersonic missiles -- presented as invulnerable by President Vladimir V. Putin -- could be defeated by current Western missile defense systems. 'I congratulate the Ukrainian people on a historic event,' Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk, the commander of the Ukrainian air force, said in a statement posted on the Telegram messaging app. 'Yes, we have shot down the "unparalleled Kinzhal."'"
Presidential Race 2024. Slicker, and Worse Than Trump. Jonathan Weisman of the New York Times: Vivek "Ramaswamy, [a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination and] a lavishly wealthy 37-year-old entrepreneur and author pitching himself as a new face of intellectual conservatism, is promising to go farther down the road of ruling by fiat than Mr. Trump would or could."
~~~~~~~~~~
The Washington Post is liveblogging the coronation of King Charles III & Queen Camilla of the U.K. Aw, go ahead and turn on the teevee. Be a witness to history. This is literally a once-a-lifetime event (at least for Chuck & Cam). The New York Times liveblog is here. ~~~
~~~ Marie: I looked for a "summary" video of the whole hoohah but didn't find one. The Times liveblog has a bunch of very short videos that more or less do the trick. ~~~
~~~ Update: So here's the BBC's "Coronation Ceremony in Four Minutes":
More Worms Turn. Amy Gardener & Holly Bailey of the Washington Post: "At least eight of the 16 Georgia Republicans who convened in December 2020 to declare Donald Trump the winner of the presidential contest despite his loss in the state have accepted immunity deals from Atlanta-area prosecutors investigating alleged election interference, according to a lawyer for the electors. Prosecutors with the office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D) told the eight that they will not be charged with crimes if they testify truthfully in her sprawling investigation into efforts by Trump, his campaign and his allies to overturn Joe Biden's victory in Georgia, according to a brief filed Friday in Fulton County Superior Court by defense attorney Kimberly Bourroughs Debrow. Willis has said that the meeting of Trump's electors on Dec. 14, 2020, despite Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's certification of Biden's win, is a key target of her investigation...." (Also linked yesterday.) Politico's story, by Kyle Cheney, is here. ~~~
~~~ Update. Danny Hakim of the New York Times: "More than half of the bogus Georgia electors who were convened in December 2020 to try to keep ... Donald J. Trump in power have taken immunity deals in the investigation into election interference there, according to a court filing on Friday and people with knowledge of the inquiry. In addition, Craig A. Gillen, the former deputy independent counsel in the 1980s-era Iran Contra scandal, has been hired to represent a fake elector who could still face criminal charges, David Shafer, the head of the Georgia Republican Party. Mr. Gillen specializes in cases involving racketeering, which is among the charges being weighed by Fani T. Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Ga." According to a filing by attorney Kimberley Debrow, eight of her fake-elector clients had accepted immunity deals as had at least one other fake elector.
Clare Hymes & Graham Kates of CBS News: "Attorneys for the writer E. Jean Carrollreleased about 48 minutes of deposition video shown at the trial in which former President Donald Trump was pressed about Carroll's claim that he raped her in the 1990s. The video was released after media organizations, including CBS News, asked the judge in the case to make it public." MB: Not mentioned in the report is the part where Trump changes his tack on the "Access Hollywood" footage. Instead of sticking with the oft-repeated "locker-room talk" defense, now Trump essentially endorses his remarks about sexual assault, saying that it was true that "stars" can do whatever they want with women and agreeing with Carroll's that he is a "star." That's an admission not only of the veracity of the views he once expressed in the "Access Hollywood" interview but also of the assaults he routinely made on women. ~~~
~~~ Below is a portion of Donald Trump's deposition that jurors heard Thursday during the last day of testimony in E. Jean Carroll. Video of the full portion of the deposition shown to the jury is here: ~~~
America's No. 1 Traitor for President*! John Wagner of the Washington Post: "A day after federal prosecutors won their latest high-profile cases against leaders of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol..., Donald Trumplashed out in a social media post at the Justice Department.... 'Back in the USA, but sadly I see so many really bad things happening to our Country,' Trump, who broke ground earlier this week on a golf course in Scotland, wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform. 'The DOJ and FBI are destroying the lives of so many Great American Patriots, right before our very eyes,' he wrote. 'The Court System is a RUBBER STAMP for their conviction and imprisonment. All this while the Radical Left protects and coddles extremists and murderers at a level, and with intensity, never seen before. GET SMART AMERICA, THEY ARE COMING AFTER YOU!!!'" (Also linked yesterday.) This should go under "Presidential Race 2024," but I've filed that under "Normal News," and Trump's remarks are shockingly abnormal, even for him.
You are not a political prisoner, Mr. Schwartz. You are not Alexei Navalny. -- Judge Amit Mehta, in sentencing insurrectionist Peter Schwartz, who called himself "Patriot Pete Political Prisoner in DC" ~~~
~~~ Another Very Fine Insurrectionist Gets Long Jail Sentence. Alan Feuer & Zach Montague of the New York Times: "A Pennsylvania welder [-- Peter Schwartz --] who attacked police officers at the Capitol with a chair and then chemical spray was sentenced on Friday to slightly more than 14 years in prison, the most severe penalty handed down so far in connection with the events of Jan. 6, 2021.... In court papers filed last month, prosecutors said that [Schwartz] and his wife at the time made their way to 'the thick of the violence' at the west terrace of the Capitol, where they 'aggressively participated in the effort to overwhelm the police line.' He later boasted in a text message that he had thrown 'the first chair at the cops,' adding, 'I started a riot.' Prosecutors claimed that the chair he hurled created an opening in the police line, enabling hundreds of other rioters to flood the terrace as police officers retreated. Mr. Schwartz ... then stole a canister of pepper spray and other chemical munitions the police had left behind and used them 'to attack those same officers as they desperately tried to escape the growing and increasingly violent mob.'" The NBC News story is here.
Normal News
Reuters: President Joe Biden said on Friday he was not yet ready to invoke the 14th Amendment to avoid the United States defaulting on its debts as early as June 1, comments which for the first time suggested he has not ruled out the option. 'I've not gotten there yet,' Biden said in an interview with MSNBC when asked about the possibility of invoking the amendment."
Michael Shear of the New York Times: "Neera Tanden, a longtime Democratic adviser who is currently President Biden's staff secretary, will serve as the director of the Domestic Policy Council, the president announced on Friday. Ms. Tanden, who has been a fixture in Washington for more than two decades as an adviser to President Barack Obama and as the president of the Center for American Progress, will replace Susan Rice as Mr. Biden's top domestic policy adviser." (Also linked yesterday.)
Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times: "Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will step down from her position on June 30, she announced on Friday. In an agencywide meeting, Dr. Walensky admitted to having mixed emotions about her decision and broke down in tears, according to people on a conference call with her." (Also linked yesterday.)
New York TimesEditors Get Real: "If [Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)] cannot fulfill her obligations to the Senate and to her constituents, she should resign and turn over her responsibilities to an appointed successor. If she is unable to reach that decision on her own, [Sen. Chuck] Schumer, the majority leader, and other Democratic senators should make it clear to her and the public how important it is that she do so.... Her absence is a failure that deprives American voters of full representation on legislation and appointments that will affect them for decades to come.... Ms. Feinstein's difficulties with advancing age are serious and long predate her current illness. Last year, her hometown newspaper, The San Francisco Chronicle, reported that her memory has so deteriorated that she can no longer fulfill her job duties." (Also linked yesterday.)
Presidential Race 2024. Katie Rogers of the New York Times: "In his first interview since announcing that he would seek a second term, President Biden sought to downplay concerns about his age by saying he was the most experienced person to have ever run for the presidency. 'I have acquired a hell of a lot of wisdom and know more than the vast majority of people,' Mr. Biden told the MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle in an interview that aired on Friday night. 'And I'm more experienced than anybody that's ever run for the office. And I think I've proven myself to be honorable as well as also effective.'"
Beyond the Beltway
Florida. Still Wrastling with the Mouse.Brooks Barnes of the New York Times: "There is a new wrinkle in the ongoing tussle between Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and the Walt Disney Company. On Friday, Mr. DeSantis signed a bill into law giving a board that oversees government services at Disney World the ability to void development agreements that had already been approved for the resort." Implementation against Disney is on hold while dueling lawsuits by the parties make their way through the courts. A CNBC report is here.
Georgia. Jason Morris & Sydney Kashiwagi of CNN: "Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia signed legislation Friday that will create an oversight commission with the power to remove local prosecutors and district attorneys from their jobs. The measure has been heavily criticized by Democrats, including an Atlanta-area DA, who is seriously weighing charges in connection with ... Donald Trump's actions in Georgia during the 2020 election.... Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis ... has vocally opposed the the legislation, warning that it would be 'dangerous' to undo decisions made by voters. In testimony before the Judiciary Committee of the Georgia Senate earlier this year, she also described the bill as racist and retaliatory. 'This bill was never deemed necessary until a historic thing happened in 2020. And let's just talk about it and tell the truth,' Willis testified, saying that in 2020, Georgia went from having five minority district attorneys to 14." MB: This is part of numerous efforts in GOP-controlled states to take local control away from their states' urban areas, particularly those cities and counties controlled by minorities and/or Democrats.
Oklahoma. Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court granted a stay of execution on Friday to Richard Glossip, a death row inmate in Oklahoma, after the state's attorney general, Gentner F. Drummond, a Republican, told the justices that he agreed that Mr. Glossip's execution should be halted. In a rare move, Mr. Drummond wrote that the state had 'come to the difficult but essential conclusion that Glossip's capital conviction is unsustainable and a new trial imperative.' Lawyers call such statements 'confessions of error,' and courts ordinarily give them great weight. The stay issued by the Supreme Court will remain in place while the justices decide whether to hear Mr. Glossip's appeal, and if they do, until they decide it." CNN's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
North Carolina. Rebekah Riess of CNN: "Former North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthornpleaded guilty Friday to bringing a loaded handgun through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport last year, according to his attorney. Cawthorn, whose trial was set to start Friday, entered a guilty plea for the third-degree misdemeanor charge of possession of a dangerous weapon on city property, according to his attorney Missy Owen. The former Republican congressman was fined $250, without probation, and his firearm will be returned, his attorney said." (Also linked yesterday.)
News Lede
CNN: "Authorities in [Allen, Texass,] a suburb of Dallas, are responding to a shooting at an outlet mall, with ATF personnel on the scene at Allen Premium Outlets. There is at least one confirmed shooter who is being reported as deceased on the ground, a law enforcement source told CNN. There is a search for a possible second gunman, according to the source, based on descriptions from witnesses, although the involvement of a second shooter is not confirmed. Congressman Keith Self told CNN's Paula Reid that there are multiple casualties but he declined to specify a number, saying he would leave that information to law enforcement. 'The shooter is dead and I am told by law enforcement that there was only one shooter, they have now confirmed that,' the Republican representative said. 'There are now multiple victims but I am going to leave that to law enforcement to announce. The scene is now secure but it's fluid.'" ~~~
~~~ MB: At about 7:40 pm ET, the Allen police chief would not say how many fatalities there were but he did say that nine people were taken to area hospitals that he knows of and that others might have been taken in private vehicles. He said a police officer who was at the shopping mall on an unrelated call heard gunshots; the officer returned fire and killed the shooter.
Below is the portion of Donald Trump's deposition that jurors heard Thursday during the last day of testimony in E. Jean Carroll. Video of the full deposition (or at least a major portion of it) is here: ~~~
More Worms Turn. Amy Gardener & Holly Bailey of the Washington Post: “At least eight of the 16 Georgia Republicans who convened in December 2020 to declare Donald Trump the winner of the presidential contest despite his loss in the state have accepted immunity deals from Atlanta-area prosecutors investigating alleged election interference, according to a lawyer for the electors. Prosecutors with the office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D) told the eight that they will not be charged with crimes if they testify truthfully in her sprawling investigation into efforts by Trump, his campaign and his allies to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia, according to a brief filed Friday in Fulton County Superior Court by defense attorney Kimberly Bourroughs Debrow. Willis has said that the meeting of Trump’s electors on Dec. 14, 2020, despite Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s certification of Biden’s win, is a key target of her investigation....”
Presidential Race 2024. America's No. 1 Traitor for President*! John Wagner of the Washington Post: “A day after federal prosecutors won their latest high-profile cases against leaders of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol..., Donald Trumplashed out in a social media post at the Justice Department.... 'Back in the USA, but sadly I see so many really bad things happening to our Country,' Trump, who broke ground earlier this week on a golf course in Scotland, wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform. 'The DOJ and FBI are destroying the lives of so many Great American Patriots, right before our very eyes,' he wrote. 'The Court System is a RUBBER STAMP for their conviction and imprisonment. All this while the Radical Left protects and coddles extremists and murderers at a level, and with intensity, never seen before. GET SMART AMERICA, THEY ARE COMING AFTER YOU!!!'”
Michael Shear of the New York Times: “Neera Tanden, a longtime Democratic adviser who is currently President Biden’s staff secretary, will serve as the director of the Domestic Policy Council, the president announced on Friday. Ms. Tanden, who has been a fixture in Washington for more than two decades as an adviser to President Barack Obama and as the president of the Center for American Progress, will replace Susan Rice as Mr. Biden’s top domestic policy adviser.”
Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times: “Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will step down from her position on June 30, she announced on Friday. In an agencywide meeting, Dr. Walensky admitted to having mixed emotions about her decision and broke down in tears, according to people on a conference call with her.”
Oklahoma. Adam Liptak of the New York Times: “The Supreme Court granted a stay of execution on Friday to Richard Glossip, a death row inmate in Oklahoma, after the state’s attorney general, Gentner F. Drummond, a Republican, told the justices that he agreed that Mr. Glossip’s execution should be halted. In a rare move, Mr. Drummond wrote that the state had 'come to the difficult but essential conclusion that Glossip’s capital conviction is unsustainable and a new trial imperative.' Lawyers call such statements 'confessions of error,' and courts ordinarily give them great weight. The stay issued by the Supreme Court will remain in place while the justices decide whether to hear Mr. Glossip’s appeal, and if they do, until they decide it.” CNN's story is here.
Rebekah Riess of CNN: "Former North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthornpleaded guilty Friday to bringing a loaded handgun through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport last year, according to his attorney. Cawthorn, whose trial was set to start Friday, entered a guilty plea for the third-degree misdemeanor charge of possession of a dangerous weapon on city property, according to his attorney Missy Owen. The former Republican congressman was fined $250, without probation, and his firearm will be returned, his attorney said."
New York TimesEditors Get Real: "If [Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)] cannot fulfill her obligations to the Senate and to her constituents, she should resign and turn over her responsibilities to an appointed successor. If she is unable to reach that decision on her own, [Sen. Chuck] Schumer, the majority leader, and other Democratic senators should make it clear to her and the public how important it is that she do so.... Her absence is a failure that deprives American voters of full representation on legislation and appointments that will affect them for decades to come.... Ms. Feinstein’s difficulties with advancing age are serious and long predate her current illness. Last year, her hometown newspaper, The San Francisco Chronicle, reported that her memory has so deteriorated that she can no longer fulfill her job duties."
~~~~~~~~~~
The Vast Right-Wing Conspirators Are in Trouble
** As the Rats Turn. Maggie Haberman, et al., of the New York Times: “Federal prosecutors investigating ... Donald J. Trump’s handling of classified documents have obtained the confidential cooperation of a person who has worked for him at Mar-a-Lago..., multiple people familiar with the inquiry said.... The existence of an insider witness, whose identity has not been disclosed, could be a significant step in the investigation.... The witness is said to have provided investigators with a picture of the storage room where the material had been held.... Prosecutors believe ... Mr. Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta..., has failed to provide them with a full and accurate account of his role in any movement of boxes containing the classified documents. In the past few weeks, at least four more Mar-a-Lago employees have been subpoenaed, along with another person who had visibility into Mr. Trump’s thinking when he first returned material to the National Archives.... Prosecutors have also issued several subpoenas to ... the Trump Organization seeking additional surveillance footage from Mar-a-Lago.... Prosecutors have questioned a number of witnesses about gaps in the footage....
“One of the previously unreported subpoenas to the Trump Organization sought records pertaining to Mr. Trump’s dealings with a Saudi-backed professional golf venture known as LIV Golf, which is holding tournaments at some of Mr. Trump’s golf resorts. It is unclear what bearing Mr. Trump’s relationship with LIV Golf has on the broader investigation, but it suggests that the prosecutors are examining certain elements of Mr. Trump’s family business.” MB: OR, prosecutors are wondering if Trump shared classified documents with the Saudis, an act of treason.
Shawn Pogatchnik of Politico: “Donald Trump ... was happy to brand [E. Jean Carroll] a 'disgrace' Thursday while golfing at his course in Ireland. The former U.S. president hopped off a golf cart to tell reporters he was flying back to New York later Thursday – and launched a four-minute diatribe against his accuser.... She is suing him over an alleged 1996 attack and for defamation.... Trump – who has provided only a taped deposition and won’t be required to testify unless he chooses to do so – left open the possibility [of testifying]. His New York legal team has ruled out the prospect.... 'I’m going to go back [to New York] and I’m going to confront this woman...,' said Trump, who repeatedly declined to call Carroll by her name and insisted he has 'no idea who she is.'” More on this in the New York Times story linked below. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
Luc Cohen, et al, of Reuters, republished by Yahoo!: "Jurors in Donald Trump's civil rape trial on Thursday saw a video deposition in which the former U.S. president defended private comments he made in 2005 about grabbing women sexually without asking. Trump was asked by a lawyer for ... E. Jean Carroll, about the 2005 'Access Hollywood' tape, where he said on a hot microphone that 'when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything... Grab 'em by the pussy.' 'Historically, that's true, with stars... if you look over the last million years,' Trump said in the video deposition taken last October.... [Also played in court: the part of the deposition in which Trump] mistook Carroll for an ex-wife in a black-and-white photograph that shows him speaking to people at an event. 'It's Marla,' he said, referring to his second wife Marla Maples. When [Carroll's lawyer] asked him if he was saying the picture depicted Maples, Trump's lawyer Alina Habba said, 'No, that's Carroll.' Carroll's lawyers have argued that the episode, made public in January, undermines Trump's argument that Carroll was not his type." ~~~
~~~ Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: “In the video clips, [Donald Trump] sits at a table, dark-suited and solemn, answering questions posed by [Carroll's attorney Roberta] Kaplan. He calls Ms. Carroll 'a wack job,' 'sick' and 'a nut job' and turns his disdain on Ms. Kaplan, calling her a 'political operative' and a 'disgrace' and insulting her to her face.... On Thursday, the jury heard from ... Carol Martin[, a friend of Carroll's whom Carroll told about the rape].... 'It was a very disconcerting thing to hear,' Ms. Martin said. She said she had advised Ms. Carroll not to tell anyone or to go to the police because Mr. Trump had a lot of lawyers who would 'bury her.... I am not proud that that’s what I told her,' Ms. Martin testified....
“[Also, Judge Lewis Kaplan called Trump's bluff.] 'I have to go back [to New York] for a woman that made a false accusation about me, and I have a judge who is extremely hostile,' Mr. Trump said, according to Reuters. But in court Thursday afternoon, Mr. Tacopina made it clear to the judge ... that Mr. Trump would not testify, which he said he had confirmed with his client before arriving at court that morning. Judge Kaplan, noting that he was aware of news reports of Mr. Trump’s comments from Ireland, said that he would allow Mr. Tacopina to file a motion as late as 5 p.m. Sunday asking the judge to allow Mr. Trump to testify on his own behalf. 'If he has second thoughts, I will at least consider it,' Judge Kaplan said.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: In a court proceeding, a respectable litigant does not call the other party “a wack job” or “a nut job” and does not “insult her to her face.” It is quite easy to express your profound disagreement with an antagonist without name-calling and insults. There is apparently no situation in which Donald Trump knows how to behave.
Ben Protess, et al., of the New York Times: “Donald J. Trumpis seeking to move his criminal case from New York State Supreme Court to federal court, one of his lawyers said on Thursday.... The former president’s legal team will submit the so-called notice of removal in federal court in Manhattan, where a judge will then consider the request. The lawyer, Todd Blanche, disclosed the plan during an unrelated hearing on the criminal case in state court.... The effort to move the case to federal court, which is likely to be a long shot, will not have any immediate effect on the state case.” An ABC News story is here. MB: Yeah, Trump probably hopes to move the case to the Southern District of Florida in the chambers of dotty judge Aileen Cannon, who made ridiculous (and soon overruled) rulings in Trump's classified documents case). (Also linked yesterday.)
** Hannah Rabinowitz & Holmes Lybrand of CNN: "Four members of the far-right Proud Boys have been found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a jury in Washington, DC, for their role to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of power from ... Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 election. Defendants Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Enrique Tarrio and Dominic Pezzola face[d] a range of charges.... All five defendants were found guilty of other charges related to January 6, including: Obstruction of an official proceeding; Conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging any duties; Obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; and Destruction of government property and aiding and abetting... The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the seditious conspiracy charge against Pezzola. The judge instructed them to continue deliberations." The story has been updated multiple times. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update: "A fifth defendant, Dominic Pezzola, was found not guilty of seditious conspiracy after the jury returned for several more hours of deliberation on Thursday. Unlike the other defendants in this trial, Pezzola is not alleged to have a leadership position in the organization and was inactive in Proud Boys group chats." ~~~
~~~ Alan Feuer & Zach Montague of the New York Times: “The verdicts, coming after seven days of deliberations in Federal District Court in Washington, were a major blow against one of the country’s most notorious far-right groups and another milestone in the Justice Department’s vast investigation of the Capitol attack.... The sedition trial sprawled over the course of more than three months and was characterized by frequent delays, frayed relations between the defense and prosecution and several decisions by the presiding judge, Timothy J. Kelly, that tested the boundaries of conspiracy law. Judge Kelly’s rulings allowed prosecutors to introduce damning evidence about the violent behavior and aggressive language of members of the Proud Boys who had only limited connections to the five defendants. The rulings also permitted jurors to convict on conspiracy even if they found there was no plan to disrupt the certification of the election, but merely an unspoken agreement to do so.” MB: Good news for the country; bad news for the Trumpster. (Also linked yesterday.)
** Emma Brown, et al., of the Washington Post: “Conservative judicial activist Leonard Leoarranged forthe wife of Supreme Court JusticeClarence Thomas to be paid tens of thousands of dollars for consulting work just over a decade ago, specifying that her name be left off billing paperwork, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post. In January 2012, Leo instructed the GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway to bill a nonprofit group he advises and use that money to pay Virginia 'Ginni' Thomas, the documents show. The same year, the nonprofit, the Judicial Education Project, filed a brief to the Supreme Court in a landmarkvoting rights case[: Shelby County v. Holder].... Clarence Thomas was part of the 5-to-4 majority.... Leo, a key figure in a network of nonprofits that has worked to support the nominations of conservative judges, told Conwaythat he wanted her to 'give' Ginni Thomas 'another $25K,' the documents show. He emphasized that the paperwork should have 'No mention of Ginni, of course.'... In all, according to the documents, the Polling Company paid Thomas’s firm, Liberty Consulting, $80,000 between June 2011 and June2012, and it expected to pay $20,000 more before the end of 2012.... The arrangement reveals that Leo ... has worked to provide financial remuneration to [Clarence Thomas'] family.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: In response to the Post's reporting, Leo wrote that the he and the Thomases were “dear friends.” Previously, in defending the lavish gifts the Thomases received from Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas has said that the Crows “are among our dearest friends.” Looks as if “dear friends” is an agreed code to be employed when reporters or investigators ask pesky questions about the usual secret payoffs in their corrupt circle. These people are just mobsters with better manners. ~~~
~~~ Charlie Savage of the New York Times: “A Republican donor from Texas paid for two years of private-school tuition for Justice Clarence Thomas’s great-nephew, a gift that the justice did not disclose, a friend of the justice acknowledged in a statement on Thursday.... In his statement, Mark Paoletta, Justice Thomas’s friend and a former official for the Trump administration, argued that the justice was not required to report the tuition. He pointed to part of a 1978 law that says judges must disclose gifts to dependent children, who are defined as 'a son, daughter, stepson or stepdaughter.' Mr. Paoletta stressed that by that measure, a great-nephew does not qualify.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: That, IMO, is ripe manure. According to ProPublica (linked yesterday), “Thomas gained legal custody of Martin and became his legal guardian around January 1998, according to court records.” These gifts were money the Thomases would have had to shell out if their ward was to attend private schools. Martin did not have other means of support, and schoolboys don't pay their own tuition. Maybe Thomas & Trump can be cellmates. I hope they both snore. ~~~
~~~ Update. Marie: I'm sorry, I misunderstood this story yesterday. In fact, when I re-read the lede, it still looks to me as if Savage means that Paoletta paid for two years of the kid's private school tuition & board. But from reporting I've heard on the teevee, Paoletta is merely confirming that Crow paid for two years of the boy's schooling. That to me means "at least two years." BTW, in an appearance Thursday afternoon on MSNBC, Andrew Weissberg agreed with me about the Thomas' potential tax fraud problem.
~~~ Philip Bump of the Washington Post: For a super-wealthy guy like Harlan Crow, what he is known to have paid for Clarence Thomasis akin to nickels and dimes for the rest of us. “Paying $6,000 a month for tuition, then, is the equivalent of someone worth $60,000 paying 36 cents. Buying a home for $133,000 is like someone worth $60,000 paying eight bucks.... This gap in the relative cost of luxury between the enormously wealthy and even powerful members of the D.C. establishment is precisely why it’s important that transparency exist.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: What's really sad about this is that Clarence Thomas, a descendant of slaves, decided to become the slave of rich White people. I don't think that's what "originalism" is supposed to mean. it is possible Thomas thinks he got the last laugh and fooled the old massas. He didn't.
Normal News
Helene Cooper of the New York Times: “President Biden is expected to announce soon that he has chosen Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the Air Force chief of staff, to become the country’s most senior military officer, according to two U.S. officials. If he is formally nominated and approved by the Senate, General Brown will succeed Gen. Mark A. Milley, whose term as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff expires at the end of September. General Brown would be only the second Black man to become chairman, following Colin L. Powell, who served in that position during the presidencies of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.”
Azi Paybarah of the Washington Post: “A bipartisan group of former defense secretaries — including two who served in Donald Trump’s administration — say that military readiness and U.S. national security are being harmed by one senator’s delay of the quick approval of nearly 200 military promotions because of his objection to the department’s abortion policy. That delay, which Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) began in March, 'risks turning military officers into political pawns, holding them responsible for a policy decision made by their civilian leader,' the former defense secretaries wrote in a letter to Senate leaders Thursday. The letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) follows concerns raised by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who urged the Senate in March to move ahead with the promotions. Austin told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the blockade on military promotions caused a 'ripple effect in the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be.'”
Zoe Richards of NBC News: "Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on Thursday defended her ongoing absence from the Judiciary Committee amid calls for her resignation, insisting that there has been 'no slowdown' of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees as she recovers from shingles.... The statement did not provide details about a return date to Washington.... While Senate Democrats have been able to advance several of Biden’s nominees with Republican votes, they had to pause on others that fell short of bipartisan backing." MB: Also, Senate Democrats can't do anything about the Supremes when one senator is absent. Feinstein's problem isn't shingles; it's dementia. I don't blame her for this; I blame someone who is "advising" her. Maybe a staff member afraid of losing a job' maybe a supposed friend; I don't know. Democrats must do something.
Beyond the Beltway
Florida. Alexandra Glorioso & Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: “A federal jury acquittedAndrew Gillum, the Democrat who lost the 2018 Florida governor’s race to Ron DeSantis, of lying to the F.B.I. on Thursday. But jurors failed to reach a verdict on charges related to whether Mr. Gillum and a close associate diverted campaign funds when Mr. Gillum was running for governor. After more than four days of deliberation, the 12-member jury said it had reached agreement only on the charge that Mr. Gillum made false statements when the F.B.I. interviewed him in 2017. Judge Allen C. Winsor of the Federal District Court in Tallahassee declared a mistrial on one conspiracy charge and 17 fraud charges against Mr. Gillum and Sharon Lettman-Hicks. Mr. Gillum, 43, and Ms. Lettman-Hicks, 54, a friend and mentor since he was in college, were indicted last June over how they had raised and used political funds when he was the mayor of Tallahassee and a candidate for governor. Two of the initial 21 charges were dropped just before the trial began last month. Ms. Lettman-Hicks, who was tried jointly with Mr. Gillum, had been indicted only on the conspiracy and fraud charges on which the jury failed to reach a verdict.”
The Little Dictator. Beth Reinhard of the Washington Post: Last summer, Gov. Ron DeSantissent two state police (FDLE) agents to Texas to lay “the groundwork for a politically charged operation ... to fly border-crossers from San Antonio to the liberal haven of Martha’s Vineyard.... DeSantis has increasingly deployedFDLE outside its traditional portfolio and in support ofhis own political agenda, according to a Washington Post review of court documents, state records and interviews with more than a dozen current andformer administrators and agents.... Inside FDLE, manymembers balked at these directivesfrom the governor’s office, which they viewed as political stunts orchestrated to raise DeSantis’s national profile, The Post’s interviews found,and some who openly resisted the governor’s priorities were pushed out.” The story details how DeSantis and former (now Senator) Gov. Rick Scott (R) abused the FDLE and how DeSantis has justified that abuse: "Alexander Hamilton something, something, something."
Iowa. Jacob Bogage of the Washington Post: “Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday said she will sign a bill to roll back labor protections for children, allowing them to work longer hours and take jobs that had been prohibited. The measure would permit children as young as 14 to work in roofing, construction and demolition, provided they are part of educational or apprenticeship programs and a parent has granted permission for the work. They would also be allowed to do light assembly work and assist customers in businesses that sell fireworks, as long as no machines are present. The legislation eliminates state regulations on the number of hours 16- and 17-year-olds can work and allows them to serve alcohol in restaurants with parental permission.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: Yes, But. People under the age of 18 cannot work in “establishments where nude or topless dancing is performed.” So it's okay for 14-year-olds to fall off the roof, but they must not see topless dancers. Now, that's child protection. Nice work, GOP! It seems Repubicans all around the country are bent on bringing to life satirical literature and performance art.
North Carolina. David Chen & Kate Kelly of the New York Times: “North Carolina hastily approved legislation on Thursday that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, setting the stage for a likely test of the Republican Party’s new, but slim, supermajority. After an emotional, five-hour debate, the Senate, by a vote of 29-20, approved a ban the House had already passed the night before. The bill now goes to the state’s Democratic governor, who has called it 'extreme,' and said he would veto it.... But the legislature has the potential to override his veto.... In a video he posted to Twitter on Thursday, the governor, Roy Cooper, urged residents to help uphold his veto by pressuring four Republicans who had campaigned to protect women’s reproductive health to break from their party.... Last month, a longtime Democrat, Representative Tricia Cotham, unexpectedly switched parties, giving Republicans narrow supermajorities in both chambers. When she was still a Democrat, Ms. Cotham promised to help codify Roe v. Wade in her state. Yet she voted in favor of the 12-week ban on Wednesday.”
Way Beyond
Ukraine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Friday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates are here. The Guardian's summary report is here. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live briefing for Friday is here: "The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been fighting for control of Bakhmut since last summer, announced Friday he would withdraw his forces from the city on May 10 — the day after Russia’s Victory Day military parade — because of insufficient ammunition. In a letter published on his Telegram channel, Yevgeniy Prigozhin demanded that the Defense Ministry sign an order indicating the date on which it would replace Wagner forces involved in a brutal battle for the hotly contested city in eastern Ukraine.... The Wagner chief’s letter followed a graphic late-night video posted on Telegram, in which he displayed dozens of corpses of Wagner fighters killed in Bakhmut on Thursday. Prigozhin then launched into a furious, obscenity-laden tirade...."
U.K. The Washington Posthas an overview of Charles & Camilla's coronation. “The service at Westminster Abbey in London will begin at 11 a.m. London time (6 a.m. Eastern time) on Saturday, May 6.... The service, along with the parades to and from the abbey, will run for several hours. The king and queen will also appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with other royal family members.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: They said on the teevee that the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey will begin at 5 a.m. ET.
~~~ David Lammy -- a Labour party leader who represents the London neighborhood of Tottenham and "some of the poorest people in Britain" -- in a New York Times op-ed remembers his mother, a native of Guyana, and her celebrations of royal events. King Charles III "has returned five times [to Tottenham after 2011 riots] and brought his many charities, without news releases or fanfare. I have been struck by how easily my constituents strike up a conversation with him and by how much he knows about the many Commonwealth countries he has spent his life visiting. In some ways, Charles III has done more for my constituents ... than most politicians."
Unholy Guacamole! Another Fat Cat Gave Huge Gifts to Clarence Thomas. Charlie Savage of the New York Times: "A Republican donor from Texas paid for two years of private-school tuition for Justice Clarence Thomas's great-nephew, a gift that the justice did not disclose, a friend of the justice acknowledged in a statement on Thursday.... In his statement, Mark Paoletta, Justice Thomas's friend and a former official for the Trump administration, argued that the justice was not required to report the tuition. He pointed to part of a 1978 law that says judges must disclose gifts to dependent children, who are defined as 'a son, daughter, stepson or stepdaughter.' Mr. Paoletta stressed that by that measure, a great-nephew does not qualify." MB: See my correction on May 5. ~~~
~~~ Marie: That, IMO, is ripe manure. According to ProPublica (linked below), "Thomas gained legal custody of Martin and became his legal guardian around January 1998, according to court records." These gifts were money the Thomases would have had to shell out if their ward was to attend private schools. Martin did not have other means of support, and schoolboys don't pay their own tuition. Maybe Thomas & Trump can be cellmates. I hope they both snore. ~~~
~~~ Philip Bump of the Washington Post: For a super-wealthy guy like Harlan Crow, what he is known to have paid for Clarence Thomasis akin to nickels and dimes for the rest of us. "Paying $6,000 a month for tuition, then, is the equivalent of someone worth $60,000 paying 36 cents. Buying a home for $133,000 is like someone worth $60,000 paying eight bucks.... This gap in the relative cost of luxury between the enormously wealthy and even powerful members of the D.C. establishment is precisely why it's important that transparency exist." ~~~
~~~ Marie: What's really sad about this is that Clarence Thomas, a descendant of slaves, decided to become the slave of rich White people. I don't think that's what "originalism" is supposed to mean. it is possible Thomas thinks he got the last laugh and fooled the old massas. He didn't.
Shawn Pogatchnik of Politico: "Donald Trump might not testify in a New York civil trial against a woman who has accused him of rape -- but was happy to brand her a 'disgrace' Thursday while golfing at his course in Ireland. The former U.S. president hopped off a golf cart to tell reporters he was flying back to New York later Thursday -- and launched a four-minute diatribe against his accuser, author E. Jean Carroll. She is suing him over an alleged 1996 attack and for defamation.... Trump -- who has provided only a taped deposition and won't be required to testify unless he chooses to do so -- left open the possibility [of testifying]. His New York legal team has ruled out the prospect.... 'I'm going to go back [to New York] and I'm going to confront this woman...,' said Trump, who repeatedly declined to call Carroll by her name and insisted he has 'no idea who she is.'"
Ben Protess, et al., of the New York Times: "Donald J. Trumpis seeking to move his criminal case from New York State Supreme Court to federal court, one of his lawyers said on Thursday.... The former president's legal team will submit the so-called notice of removal in federal court in Manhattan, where a judge will then consider the request. The lawyer, Todd Blanche, disclosed the plan during an unrelated hearing on the criminal case in state court.... The effort to move the case to federal court, which is likely to be a long shot, will not have any immediate effect on the state case." An ABC News story is here. MB:Trump probably hopes to move the case to the Southern District of Florida in the chambers of dotty judge Aileen Cannon who made ridiculous (and overruled) rulings in Trump's classified documents case).
Hannah Rabinowitz & Holmes Lybrand of CNN: "Four members of the far-right Proud Boys have been found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a jury in Washington, DC, for their role to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of power ... after the 2020 election. Defendants Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Enrique Tarrio and Dominic Pezzola face[d] a range of charges.... All five defendants were found guilty of other charges related to January 6, including: Obstruction of an official proceeding; Conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging any duties; Obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; and Destruction of government property and aiding and abetting... The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the seditious conspiracy charge against Pezzola. The judge instructed them to continue deliberations." The story has been updated multiple times. ~~~
~~~ Update: "A fifth defendant, Dominic Pezzola, was found not guilty of seditious conspiracy after the jury returned for several more hours of deliberation on Thursday. Unlike the other defendants in this trial, Pezzola is not alleged to have a leadership position in the organization and was inactive in Proud Boys group chats." ~~~
~~~ Alan Feuer & Zach Montague of the New York Times: “The verdicts, coming after seven days of deliberations in Federal District Court in Washington, were a major blow against one of the country's most notorious far-right groups and another milestone in the Justice Department's vast investigation of the Capitol attack.... The sedition trial sprawled over the course of more than three months and was characterized by frequent delays, frayed relations between the defense and prosecution and several decisions by the presiding judge, Timothy J. Kelly, that tested the boundaries of conspiracy law. Judge Kelly's rulings allowed prosecutors to introduce damning evidence about the violent behavior and aggressive language of members of the Proud Boys who had only limited connections to the five defendants. The rulings also permitted jurors to convict on conspiracy even if they found there was no plan to disrupt the certification of the election, but merely an unspoken agreement to do so." MB: Good news for the country; bad news for the Trumpster.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jeanna Smialek of the New York Times: "Federal Reserve officials raised interest rates by a quarter-point on Wednesday in the tenth straight move in their fight against rapid inflation -- but they also opened the door to a possible pause in rate increases. Central bankers lifted rates to a range of 5 percent to 5.25 percent, a level they have not reached since the summer of 2007. The move capped the fastest series of rate increases since the 1980s, as the central bank led by Chair Jerome H. Powell attempts to slow the economy and weigh down price increases." This is part of a liveblog. (Also linked yesterday.)
"Thoughts and Prayers" Makes a "Mockery of Prayer." Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) speaks on the Senate floor about the mass shooting in Atlanta Wednesday: ~~~
Today's Report on Donald Trump's Legal Woes
There's No Defense for Trump. Lola Fadulu, et al., of the New York Times: "A lawyer defending ... Donald J. Trump against the writer E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit accusing him of rape said Wednesday that he would present no witnesses.... On Wednesday, speaking out of the jury's presence, [Joe] Tacopina told Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court in Manhattan that an expert witness the defense had hoped to call on Mr. Trump's behalf was not available." A CNBC story says Tacopina told the court the witness could not appear because of "a health issue." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ The story has been updated to reflect Wednesday's other trial developments. Carroll's attorney played clips of Trump's deposition, and during the testimony of Natasha Stoynoff, a former People magazine reporter, played the "Access Hollywood" tape for the jury. Stoynoff testified that when she went to Mar-a-Lago to do a People interview on the first anniversary of Trump's marriage to Melania, Donald Trump "led her into a room, shut the door, pushed her against the wall and started kissing her. Ms. Stoynoff said she was 'flustered and sort of shocked.'... Ms. Stoynoff told the jury that she decided to write publicly about what happened [only] after Mr. Trump said during a presidential debate that he had never kissed a woman without consent. She testified that she 'felt really upset that he was lying to the American people.'"
Judge Tosses Trump's Nuisance Suit Against the New York Times. Liam Stack of the New York Times: "A New York judge dismissed ... Donald J. Trump's lawsuit against The New York Times on Wednesday, saying the newspaper's Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into his finances was clearly protected by the First Amendment. When Mr. Trump filed the lawsuit in 2021, he accused the paper and three of its reporters of conspiring in an 'insidious plot' with his estranged niece, Mary L. Trump, to improperly obtain his confidential tax records for a series of stories published in 2018. In a ruling filed on Wednesday afternoon, Justice Robert R. Reed of State Supreme Court in Manhattan wrote that Mr. Trump's claims against The Times and its reporters 'fail as a matter of constitutional law.'... The judge also ordered Mr. Trump to pay legal expenses and associated costs for The Times and its reporters, Susanne Craig, David Barstow and Russ Buettner." The NBC News story is here.
Katelyn Polantz & Paula Reed of CNN: "Prosecutors for special counsel Jack Smithhave been asking questions in recent weeks about the handling of surveillance footage from ... Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort after the Trump Organization received a subpoena last summer for the footage, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation. The handling of the footage, and how employees within the Trump Organization responded to the Justice Department's demand for it, have prompted a new round of grand jury subpoenas to top Trump employees in the last few weeks, the sources told CNN. Longtime Trump Organization executives Matthew Calamari Sr. and his son Matthew Calamari Jr. are expected to appear Thursday before the grand jury investigating possible mishandling of classified documents brought to Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, sources said. Prosecutors are expected to ask them about the handling of the surveillance footage and Trump employees' conversations following the subpoena, according to the sources." ~~~
~~~ Kristen Holmes, et al., of CNN: "Special counsel Jack Smithsat in on the federal grand jury proceeding while former Vice President Mike Pencetestified for more than five hours last week, three sources familiar with the matter tell CNN. Smith and Pence interacted while Pence was at the courthouse, and one source described the interaction as respectful."
David Badash of the New Civil Rights Movement in AlterNet: "New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office was forced to request the state Supreme Court judge overseeing her $250 million fraud case against Donald Trump help resolve the failure of the ex-president, his three eldest adult children, and the Trump Organization to hand over documents required for discovery.... [James'] letter [to the Court] ... claims the Trumps have 'either ignored the inquiries, provided non-substantive responses, or passed the buck to counsel no longer engaged in the case.' She is asking 'for Defendants to provide sworn certifications detailing the process they followed for preserving, searching and producing documents in response to OAG discovery notices.'"
Isaac Arnsdorf, et al., of the Washington Post: "Using physical characteristics and interviews with family members, supporters and attorneys, The Washington Post identified five of the roughly 15 men who are featured in the video [of the 'J6 Prison Choir' in which Donald Trump appeared and has promoted]. Four of them were charged with assaulting police, using weapons such as a crowbar, sticks and chemical spray, including against Officer Brian D. Sicknick, who died the next day.... Trump recorded himself saying the Pledge of Allegiance after he heard about the production and wanted to participate, according to the campaign.... 'Our people love those people,' Trump ... [said] at [his first 2024 campaign] rally, speaking of those who were jailed. 'What's happening in that prison, it's a hellhole. ... These are people that shouldn't have been there.'" The article details the crimes the identified men have been accused or convicted of committing on January 6. Trump says the strong sales of the video make him "feel like Elvis."
FBI Arrests Another Very Fine Person. Andrea Cambron & Holmes Lybrand of CNN: “The FBI on Tuesday arrested a Florida man accused of setting off an 'explosive device' in the US Capitol tunnel during the attack on January 6, 2021. In one of the most violent scenes of the Capitol riot, a line of police officers protected an entrance to the building against violent rioters who used poles, bats, fists, stolen riot shields, chemical spray and, according to court documents, small explosives to attack the officers. Daniel Ball, 38, of Homosassa is facing multiple charges in connection with his involvement in the Capitol attack after being arrested last week by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office for allegedly assaulting seven people including two law enforcement officers in unrelated charges in Florida. Ball was identified by his probation officer, after officers showed several photos and videos of him throwing an explosive device at the lower west terrace tunnel, where officers were defending the Capitol."
From Anti-Terrorism Agent to Terrorist. Jonathan Dienst & Ryan Reilly of NBC News: "An ex-FBI official who allegedly urged rioters to 'kill' officers during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was previously the supervisory special agent in charge of Homegrown Violent Extremism for the FBI New York Field Office's Joint Terrorism Task Force, a senior law enforcement official told NBC News."
** Joshua Kaplan, et al., of ProPublica: "In 2008, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomasdecided to send his teenage grandnephew to Hidden Lake Academy, a private boarding school in the foothills of northern Georgia.... For the previous decade, [the boy, Mark Martin,] had lived with the justice and his wife.... Thomas had taken legal custody of Martin when he was 6 years old and had recently told an interviewer he was 'raising him as a son.' Tuition at the boarding school ran more than $6,000 a month. But Thomas did not cover the bill. A bank statement for the school from July 2009, buried in unrelated court filings, shows the source of Martin's tuition payment for that month: the company of billionaire real estate magnate Harlan Crow.... Crow paid Martin's tuition the entire time he was a student there, which was about a year, former school administrator Christopher Grimwood told ProPublica.... Before and after his time at Hidden Lake, Martin attended a second boarding school, Randolph-Macon Academy in Virginia. 'Harlan said he was paying for the tuition at Randolph-Macon Academy as well,' Grimwood said, recalling a conversation he had with Crow during a visit to the billionaire's Adirondacks estate.... If [Crow] paid for all four years at the two schools, the price tag could have exceeded $150,000, according to public records of tuition rates at the schools." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I wonder if, on top of the flagrant corruption, there's massive tax evasion here, too. It's reasonable to suspect that Clarence & Ginni declared Martin as a dependent, and if so, that's about $150,000 in taxable income they might have neglected to declare.
Michael Schmidt, one of the authors of the NYT story (also linked yesterday) about the straw that broke TuKKKer's racist back, said on MSNBC that he thought that Carlson's firing was "a business decision." So, not outraged by racism.
Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd. Child Slave Labor Edition. Michelle Watson of CNN: "Two 10-year-old children were found working at a Louisville McDonald's restaurant -- sometimes until 2 a.m. -- the US Department of Labor said Tuesday. The revelation was part of an investigation into the child labor law violations in the Southeast. The agency also found three franchisees that own more than 60 McDonald's locations in Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio, 'employed 305 children to work more than the legally permitted hours and perform tasks prohibited by law for young workers,' the Labor Department said in a statement. 'Investigators from the department's Wage and Hour Division found two 10-year-old workers at a Louisville McDonald's restaurant among many violations of federal labor laws committed by three Kentucky McDonald's franchise operators,' the release said. 'Investigators also determined two 10-year-old children were employed -- but not paid -- and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m.'"
Presidential Race 2024. Paul Farhi of the Washington Post: "Donald Trumphas spent the better part of the past seven years badmouthing CNN, attacking its reporters as 'enemies of the people' and calling its reporting 'fake news.' He once tried banning one of its journalists from the White House. He routinely mocks its eroding ratings. Yet, on Monday, CNN offered to put Trump on the air live for an hour in prime time -- and Trump accepted.... CNN lined up Trump for its first 'town hall' telecast of the 2024 presidential campaign. The twice-impeached, once-indicted former president will take questions from Republican and undeclared voters in a CNN-produced event next Wednesday in New Hampshire, the state that will hold the first Republican primary next year. The announcement drew expressions of surprise and shock, aimed at both CNN and Trump." Read on. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Without ever mentioning CNN, Chris Hayes of MSNBC wondered how any responsible news organization could carry a livefeed in which Trump could at any time say something harmful to individuals, including public officials. Most broadcast & cable companies air "live" broadcasts on a 4- to 7-second delay in case a speaker utters a swear word. CNN should expand the delay to at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, as Farhi reports, CNN claims it is holding its so-called town hall "to hold him to account for his words and his actions." But the people asking the questions will be from the audience, not journalists, so Farhi doesn't see how CNN plans to "hold him to account." Contributor Jeanne suggested the other day that she was boycotting CNN. So am I.
Chris Walker of Truthout: "A recent ad created by a super PAC for Donald Trump and shared by the former president's official Facebook page purports that Americans were 'better off' under his watch than they are under current President Joe Biden, depicting a series of pictures meant to stir up feelings of fear and xenophobia in viewers. Some images in the ad, however, supposedly depicting events from Biden's time in office, were actually from Trump's presidential tenure. The ad falsely says that the 'border is wide open' and derides high inflation rates that experts have repeatedly said are not attributable to Biden's policies. It urges viewers to donate to the super PAC."
Beyond the Beltway
Florida. DeSantolini Foiled. Ken Bensinger of the New York Times: "Legislation that would have sharply curbed press protections in Florida has stalled in the State Legislature and won't face a vote this year -- a rare example of forces on the right thwarting a piece of Gov. Ron DeSantis's agenda. The bills, introduced in February, proposed sweeping changes to laws that shield media outlets from liability in defamation cases and sought to make it easier for private citizens to file libel suits. Mr. DeSantis has been outspoken in advocating for laws he says would 'hold these big media companies accountable.' But Mr. DeSantis ... appears to have misjudged the issue. In addition to opposition from news outlets and free-speech groups, the legislation faced a wave of resistance from his allies, including right-wing media outlets, Christian organizations and business groups." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ BUT. Andrew Atterbury of Politico: "Florida Republicans passed legislation Wednesday that would make it a misdemeanor trespassing offense for someone to use certain bathrooms that don't align with their sex at birth. The bill, now headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature, is limited to people using restrooms and changing facilities in state and local government buildings, schools, colleges and detention centers.... In a major change approved with two days left of session, lawmakers significantly scaled the measure back so it no longer applies to bathrooms in restaurants, gas stations and other businesses as it did previously. Despite Republicans curtailing its scope, Democrats still vehemently opposed the legislation, arguing that the policies are targeting transgender people. Republicans, however, argue the bill is are about protecting 'public safety, decency and decorum.'" ~~~
~~~ Marie: I don't know if it's the state or the federal government that owns & operates Interstate highway rest stops, but I do know for certain that there is (or was) at least one unisex restroom; it's on Interstate 4 north of Orlando. ~~~
~~~ AND. Anthony Izaguierre of the AP: "Florida Republicans on Wednesday approved bills to ban diversity programs in colleges and prevent students and teachers from being required to use pronouns that don't correspond to someone's sex, building on top priorities of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. The two proposals were given final passage by the Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate. DeSantis is expected to sign the bills into law." MB: I'll bet Floridians are so grateful to DeSantis & his Klan for improving their lives in so many ways. But perhaps some are wondering, "Why isn't the legislature addressing mitigation of the giant seaweed blob that is hitting Florida beaches?" ~~~
~~~ The video in the tweet embedded below follows remarks made in today's commentary. Do watch the reaction of State Rep. Kelly Skidmore (D) to Rep. Jeff Holcomb (R) remark:
Florida GOP Representative Jeff Holcomb says the quiet part out loud on the House floor today.
“Our terrorist enemies hate homosexuals MORE THAN WE DO.”
— Carlos Guillermo Smith (@CarlosGSmith) May 2, 2023
Georgia Senate Race 2022. Brandon Gage of AlterNet: "Failed United States Senate candidate Herschel Walker (R-Georgia) -- who had the backing of ... Donald Trump -- has been implicated in an 'unprecedented,' 'stunning,' and 'jaw-dropping' scandal involving crimes such as wire fraud and campaign finance violations.Late Wednesday evening, The Daily Beast exclusively reported that Walker solicited 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' from billionaire benefactor Dennis Washington in March of 2022 'for his own personal company -- a company that he never disclosed on his financial statements.' Correspondent Roger Sollenberger revealed that 'emails obtained by The Daily Beast -- and verified as authentic by a person with knowledge of the exchanges -- show that Walker asked Washington to wire $535,200 directly to that undisclosed company, HR Talent, LLC. And the emails reveal that not only did Washington complete Walker's wire requests, he was under the impression that these were, in fact, political contributions.'"
Mississippi Gubernatorial Race 2023. Let's Go, Brandon! No, Really. David Firestone of the New York Times: With Gov. Tate "Reeves up for re-election in November, there are once again hopes that Mississippi could ... elect a governor willing to make a break from the past. And even though Donald Trump won the state by more than 16 percentage points in 2020, there are reasons to think it could happen. For one thing, thanks to a significant scandal involving the misappropriation of welfare funds, Mr. Reeves is extraordinarily unpopular for an incumbent Republican.... For another, he has a promising and energetic Democratic opponent named Brandon Presley who has been polling fairly well and is making a strong case that the state desperately needs a change, advocating a series of popular policies that could make a real difference in the lives of Mississippians, particularly those on the lower economic rungs. The contest is already turning into one of the most interesting races of 2023."
New York. Edwin Rios of the Guardian: "A 30-year-old Black man who regularly danced in the Times Square transit hub was killed on Monday by a rider who put him in a chokehold on the New York City subway. The confrontation took place as an F train traveling north reached the Broadway-Lafayette station in SoHo. Witnesses say Jordan Neely, recognizable to some New Yorkers as a Michael Jackson impersonator, was behaving erratically at the time. Video footage captured by Juan Alberto Vazquez, a freelance journalist, and shared on Facebook, showed Neely kicking as he was held down by passengers. The man who pinned down Neely has not been identified but has been described in local reports as a 24-year-old former US Marine. The man held Neely in a chokehold with his legs wrapped around his body; Neely lost consciousness during the struggle and later died in the hospital. Neely died from compression of the neck, the city's medical examiner determined on Wednesday, classifying his death as a homicide." ~~~
~~~ Edward Helmore of the Guardian: "A protest on a downtown Manhattan subway platform over the death of a man suffering an apparent mental health episode aboard a train turned into an angry confrontation over policing and social welfare priorities in New York City on Wednesday.... According to police officials and video, Neely had been harassing passengers on the subway and making threats when he was placed in a minutes-long headlock by a 24-year-old former US Marine. By the time the train pulled into Broadway-Lafayette, a stop that borders the SoHo and NoliTa neighborhoods, Neely was no longer conscious. He was later pronounced dead in hospital.... Forty-eight hours later, Neely's death, and the response to it, threatens to become a flash-point highlighting what some say is a semi-sanctioned vigilante response to homelessness and the mental health crisis, with others defending the actions of the Marine who had asked fellow passengers to call 911." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I used to take subways all the time when I lived in Manhattan, and I can't recall ever seeing a uniformed officer on a train car.
Texas Senate Race 2024. Amy Wang & Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post: "Democratic Rep. Colin Allred (Tex.) will challenge two-term Republican Sen. Ted Cruz for his Senate seat in 2024, Allred announced Wednesday morning. In a video posted to social media, Allred showed footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.... On that day, Allred said in the video, he heard glass breaking and texted his wife to say, 'Whatever happens, I love you,' then took off his jacket and 'got ready to take on anyone who came through that door.' He slammed Cruz for voting against the certification of election results that day and for hiding in a storage closet during the attack." ~~~
Way Beyond
Ukraine, et al.
The New York Times' live updates of developments Thursday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates for Thursday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live briefing for Thursday is here: "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Thursday, as the Kremlin blamed Kyiv and Washington for what it claimed was an attempt to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a symbolic visit less than two months after the court issued arrest warrants for Putin and another senior official over the abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children, Zelensky said the Russian president would face an international war crimes tribunal once Ukraine wins the war, according to the Associated Press. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday rejected U.S. and Ukrainian denials of involvement in what Moscow alleged was a drone attack on the Kremlin targeting Putin's residence, calling them 'absolutely ridiculous.'... The drone attack on the Kremlin was probably staged by Russia with an eye on the domestic audience, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said in an analysis of the incident....
"Ukraine defended itself against a wave of Russian drone attacks against Kyiv and other targets across the country, the Ukrainian air force said early Thursday, shooting down drones flying over the capital. The Ukrainian military claimed that the words 'for Moscow' and 'for the Kremlin' were written on the tails of some of the drones downed in the southern port city of Odessa.... Drone attacks targeted two separate oil refineries in southern Russia overnight, according to local authorities."
David Rising of the AP: "Russia claimed it foiled a Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin early Wednesday, calling it an unsuccessful assassination attempt against President Vladimir Putin and promising retaliation for what it termed a 'terrorist' act. Ukraine denied any involvement, saying Moscow could use it for further escalation of the war. Putin wasn't in the Kremlin at the time..., his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti. There was no independent verification of the reported attack on the Kremlin, which Russia authorities said occurred overnight but presented no evidence in support of the claim. Nor did officials say why it took more than 12 hours to report the incident. Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied any involvement. 'Ukraine has nothing to do with drone attacks on the Kremlin,' he said. He said the claims would provide a pretext for Russia 'to justify massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, on the civilian population, on infrastructure facilities' in coming days." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ The New York Times' liveblog says the paper has verified the video.
Brazil. Terrence McCoy & Marina Dias of the Washington Post: "Brazilian police are investigating whether former president Jair Bolsonarotried to deceive American authorities into believing, incorrectly, that he had been vaccinated against the coronavirus so he could enter the United States, authorities said Wednesday. Federal police conducted a search and seizure operation at Bolsonaro's Brasília address early Wednesday and arrested several close associates, including a top aide tasked with carrying out Bolsonaro's administrative demands."