April 27, 2023

Afternoon Update:

Katelyn Polantz of CNN: "Former Vice President Mike Pence testified on Thursday to a federal grand jury investigating the aftermath of the 2020 election and the actions of ... Donald Trump and others, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The testimony marks a momentous juncture in the criminal investigation and the first time in modern history a vice president has been compelled to testify about the president he served beside." At 5:10 pm ET, this is a developing story. The New York Times story, by Maggie Haberman, is here. MB: Pence testified the day after A D.C. appellate panel ruled that Trump could not block Pence's testimony. According Garrett Haake of MSNBC (on-air), pence spent from about 9 am till 4:30 pm in the courthouse.

The New York Times is liveblogging developments in the rape & defamation suit E. Jean Carroll has brought against Donald Trump. The Washington Post has a liveblog, too.

Rob Copeland & Maureen Farrell of the New York Times: "First Republic Bank is sliding dangerously into a financial maelstrom, one from which an exit appears increasingly difficult. Hardly a household name until a few weeks ago, First Republic is now a top concern for investors and bankers on Wall Street and officials in Washington. The likeliest outcome for the bank, people close to the situation said, would need to involve the federal government, alone or in some combination with a private investor. While the bank, with 88 branches focused mostly on the coasts, is still open for business, no one connected to it, including its executives and some board members, would say how much longer it could exist in its current form."

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Aamer Madhani, et al., of the AP: "President Joe Biden and South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled a new plan Wednesday to counter North Korea's nuclear threat, with the U.S. leader issuing a blunt warning that such an attack would 'result in the end of whatever regime' took such action. The new nuclear deterrence effort calls for periodically docking U.S. nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea for the first time in decades, bolstering training between the two countries, and more. The declaration was unveiled as Biden hosted Yoon for a state visit at a moment of heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea. 'A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable, and will result in the end of whatever regime were to take such an action,' Biden said during afternoon Rose Garden news conference with Yoon. Yoon said that the new commitment by the 'righteous alliance' includes plans for bilateral presidential consultations in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack, the establishment of a nuclear consultative group and improved sharing of information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans."

Yes, this really happened. That's South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol:

     (~~~ You'll find a slightly better rendition here.)

~~~ Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Throughout a long day of public appearances up to that point, Mr. Yoon had not uttered a word of English, speaking carefully through a translator, but he knew every word as he crooned about driving his Chevy to the levee on the day the music died. The rollicking finale to the second state dinner of the Biden era made for a more memorable evening than most at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.... It was all ... bonhomie as the two chummy leaders put on an elaborate show of friendship while ignoring the recent tension over revelations of American spying on South Korean officials. The first lady, Jill Biden, arranged for a classic American menu with a Korean flair."

Presidential Race 2024. Marie: This ad -- which is apparently the first of President Biden's 2024 campaign -- starts out all apple-pie positive, but I'm happy to say it doesn't take long to move into whacking right-wing extremists, including implicitly Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, mike pence & the majority of elected Republicans:

Tony Romm, et al., of the Washington Post: "House Republicans on Wednesday approved a bill that would raise the debt ceiling, slash federal spending and repeal President Biden's programs to combat climate change and reduce student debt, defying Democratic objections in a move that inched the United States closer to a fiscal crisis. Ignoring repeated warnings that the GOP's brinkmanship could unleash vast economic turmoil, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) muscled his narrow, quarrelsome majority toward a 217-215 vote, accelerating a high-stakes clash with the White House with as few as six weeks remaining before the government could default." This is an update of a story linked yesterday. CNN's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It's remarkable that Kevin had so much trouble herding feral cats. This bill is less a real bill with viable provisions than it is a nasty gang's wish list of how badly they can bully all the town's widows & orphans. Like this: ~~~

     ~~~ Leah Douglas of Reuters: "Nearly one million Americans could find it harder to access federal food aid under a Republican proposal to expand the program's work requirements, according to the Biden administration, which has promised to veto the plan if it passes Congress." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Karen Dolan in a Hill opinion piece: "According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, McCarthy's 'Limit, Save, Grow Act' demands the following as ransom for the full faith and credit of the United States: Leaving many more veterans, families and elderly people homeless, hungry and unable to access health care or college. Eliminating tens of thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of Head Start and child care slots. Increasing interest on credit cards, car payments and mortgages, while preventing any student loan relief. Scaling back tax incentives for green energy and making it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute. Making it easier for rich folks to cheat on their taxes."

Abbie VanSickle of the New York Times: "Two senators introduced a bipartisan bill on Wednesday aimed at forcing the Supreme Court to establish an ethics code after recent revelations that some justices had not disclosed gifts, travel and property deals. Senators Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a centrist Republican, introduced the legislation, which would also require the court to appoint an official to examine potential conflicts and public complaints. 'We're trying to help the court help themselves,' Mr. King said.... Mr. King emphasized that the measure he and Ms. Murkowski were introducing sought to hold the justices to existing standards that apply to other federal judges. 'The problem we have now is that there's no standards,' he said. 'So a justice can say, "Well, I didn't violate anything here."'" ~~~

~~~ Justices Sign Declaration of Invulnerability. Josh Gerstein of Politico: "Chief Justice John Roberts' snub of Dick Durbin on Tuesday was accompanied by a less-noted rarity: a declaration signed by all nine justices on their ethics practices. The 'Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices' seemed designed to quell rising calls for ethics reform at the high court. But it didn't break much new ground, and it stopped well short of adopting an enforceable code of conduct that critics have been clamoring for.... The unusual statement -- the first of its kind in three decades -- showed a court ... banding together to present a united front in the wake of recent controversies surrounding some of its members. The justices' message is the same as it largely has been in the past: Trust us. '... The statement is a lot of handwaving,' said Kathleen Clark [of] Washington University in St. Louis. '... The problem is there's no accountability for violating the law. And there's nothing in this statement that suggests the court even understands what the problem is.'" MB: On the upside, the nine "justices" participated in a class on how to do that royal backhanded wave to the unwashed masses.

~~~ David Sirota, et al., of the Lever: "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas voted to end federal tenant protections that his billionaire benefactor's company says threatened its real estate profit margins, according to corporate documents reviewed by The Lever. Thomas did not disclose his relationship with real estate billionaire Harlan Crow, nor did he recuse himself from the 2021 case, despite its potential impact on Crow Holdings. Now, rent control -- which Crow Holdings' documents also say threatens the company's business -- could come before Thomas, and there is no indication he would recuse himself if it does.... In August 2021, Thomas was one of the six justices who voted to strike down a federal administrative moratorium on evictions..., [part of the CDC's COVID-19 protocols]. In June, Thomas was one of four justices who voted to end the moratorium -- but the majority voted to leave it in place because it was set to expire the following month. In July, between the two rulings, Crow Holdings -- which owns apartment buildings, student housing, and manufactured housing nationwide -- was cited in congressional testimony for being one of the country's most frequent eviction filers, despite the moratorium." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Sirota occasionally can be an unreasonable leftie, IMO, but it appears he's on solid ground in his reporting here.

Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: "The writer E. Jean Carroll on Wednesday told a Manhattan jury a harrowing story of being raped in the mid-1990s by Donald J. Trump in a department-store dressing room -- describing a brutal attack that she tried to fight off by stamping on his foot and that has left her traumatized for decades. Just before she began testifying in federal court, the former president infuriated the judge overseeing the case by railing against the proceeding on social media.... On Wednesday morning, Mr. Trump used Truth Social to call Ms. Carroll's case a 'made up SCAM' and a 'fraudulent & false story,' which led the judge, Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court, to suggest that the former president was trying to influence the jury. Speaking without the jury present, Judge Kaplan told Mr. Trump's lawyer Joseph Tacopina that Mr. Trump's statements seemed 'entirely inappropriate.'... Mr. Tacopina said he would talk with his client, but attacks continued, with Mr. Trump's son, Eric, posting later in the day on Twitter that a prominent backer of Ms. Carroll's case had been motivated by 'pure hatred, spite or fear of a formidable candidate.'" MB: The judge said there were actions he could take or set into motion, including jailing Trump for contempt and bringing criminal obstruction charges against him, according to experts. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I don't get why Trump is calling Carroll's suit a "made-up scam." He has publicly acknowledged that he sexually assaults women for fun. As I understand it, Carroll is suing not for damages from "rape" specifically but from civil "battery," which includes many types of unwelcome touching and force. That is, she does not have to prove that Trump raped her, only that he made unwelcome "gestures." Trump copped to sexually assaulting women all the time in the infamous "grab-'em-by-the-pussy" tapes. Now Trump seems to be claiming that Carroll wasn't attractive enough to assault. Yet during a deposition in the case, he couldn't even identify a picture of Carroll from around the time of the (alleged!) rape; he thought a photo of Carroll which defense lawyers showed him was a photo of his wife Marla Maples, clearly someone "attractive enough" for him to have sex with. So by statements Trump has made extemporaneously and in his own defense, he did it. Now it's only question of damages. ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times liveblogged developments yesterday in E. Jean Carroll's civil lawsuit against Donald Trump: (Also linked yesterday.)

Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post: "Donald Trump cannot block his former vice president from testifying before a grand jury investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. The ruling helps clear the way for Mike Pence to speak under oath about the pressure Trump put him under to declare the 2020 election results invalid. While Trump could seek to further forestall that testimony by appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, other people in the president's orbit have testified after similar losing battles in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The reasoning behind Wednesday's order remains under seal; the decision was issued by a panel that included two Obama appointees and one Trump appointee." CNN's story is here.

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Donald Trump's legal team on Wednesday offered its most detailed public defense yet of the former president's conduct in the classified documents case now being investigated by a special counsel.... The Justice Department, Trump's lawyers wrote in their letter to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio), 'should be ordered to stand down, and the intelligence community should instead conduct an appropriate investigation and provide a full report to this Committee, as well as your counterparts in the Senate.'... The unusual 10-page letter seeks to pull the legislative branch further into the classified documents case.... The letter is notable in two ways -- first, as a detailed argument for the case to be dropped, a request lodged not with the investigators but with elected officials. Second, it focuses mostly on Trump's alleged conduct before -- not after -- a May subpoena demanded he return classified documents kept after his presidency." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Thanks to Ken W. for the link. As Ken noted, this is a letter in lieu of a legal argument. Apparently the Trumpster is not satisfied with all the aid his friends in Congress are giving him: the Trash NYC field trip, the fake investigation into Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, the endless cover and excuses for everything from rape to the insurrection. So now that the DOJ is on the cusp of hanging Trump by his, er, thumbs, Trump's solution is to "Eliminate Justice." And here he means "justice" as well as "Justice." Federal prosecutors should not be allowed by law to touch him, and he wants his friends in Congress to codify that.

Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: "Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of posting classified documents online, repeatedly tried to obstruct federal investigators and has a 'troubling' history of making racist and violent remarks, Justice Department lawyers said in a court filing late Wednesday. In an 18-page memo, released before a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday in a Massachusetts federal court, the department's lawyers argued that Airman Teixeira needed to be detained indefinitely because he posed a 'serious flight risk' and might still have information that would be of 'tremendous value to hostile nation states.' Airman Teixeira tapped into vast reservoirs of sensitive information, an amount that 'far exceeds what has been publicly disclosed' so far, they wrote.... [The] behavior [outlined in the filing & which manifested while he was still in high school] -- so disturbing it was flagged by local police when he applied for firearms identification card -- is certain to raise new questions about how Airman Teixeira obtained a top-secret security clearance that gave him access to some of the country's most sensitive intelligence reports." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I'd like to know about the parents, who have been described in news accounts as loving and patriotic. So how is it that they failed to register any alarm when they noticed that Jack there "surrounded his bed at his parents' house with firearms and tactical gear."

Jake Offenhartz of the AP: "The co-founder of a fundraising group linked to Steve Bannon that promised to help Donald Trump construct a wall along the southern U.S. border was sentenced to four years and three months in prison on Wednesday for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors. Brian Kolfage, a decorated Air Force veteran who lost both of his legs and an arm in the Iraq War, previously pleaded guilty for his role in siphoning donations from the We Build the Wall campaign.... Kolfage and Badolato were also ordered to pay $25 million in restitution to the victims. Absent from the case was Bannon, Trump's former top political adviser. He was initially arrested aboard a luxury yacht and faced federal fraud charges along with the other men, but Trump pardoned him during his final hours in office."

Wherein TuKKKer has an epiphany and realizes all the things he said were "completely irrelevant" and "mean nothing." MB: The problem is, TuKKKles, some of your dimwitted listeners took seriously the irrelevant & meaningless stuff you said. So they went out & shot the neighbor kid who was trying to pick up his and they mowed down everyone in sight at the El Paso shopping center. ~~~

~~~ Marie: Every journalist & opinionator seems to have a pet theory as to why Fox tossed TuKKKer. Every one agrees TuKKKer's "extreme journalistic malpractice," "racism," and various "threats to democracy" are facts but not factors in his unceremonious ouster. Here's what the New York Times has come up with: ~~~

He Insulted Us. Jim Rutenberg, et al., of the New York Times: "The day before Dominion Voting Systems'defamation trial against Fox News was set to begin..., the Fox board of directors and top executives made a startling discovery that helped lead to the breaking point between the network and Tucker Carlson, one of its top stars. Private messages sent by Mr. Carlson that had been redacted in legal filings showed him making highly offensive and crude remarks that went beyond the inflammatory, often racist comments of his prime-time show and anything disclosed in the lead-up to the trial.... Over the past two years..., Mr. Carlson emerged as an almost unaccountable figure who drew new headaches with conspiracy theory programming.... Then, as the Dominion case headed to trial, he told his audience last month that the rioting was, in fact, a peaceful exercise, using security footage that the Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, had given to Mr. Carlson exclusively." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Assuming the Times reporting is right (and it jibes with some other reporters I've heard and read), then the rule at Fox is, "Say what you want, no matter how untrue or damaging it is, as long as you don't slam the boss." On a personal level, that's understandable; as a business model, it's sort of indefensible. In the meantime, let us forget about TuKKKer unless some really juicy or newsworthy story pops up ... or you learn TuKKKer is selling MyPillows door-to-door in your neighborhood.

Beyond the Beltway

Florida. Eric Bradner & Steve Cortorno of CNN: "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts on Wednesday sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his hand-picked oversight board, accusing the Republican 2024 presidential prospect of weaponizing his political power to punish the company for exercising its free speech rights. The lawsuit was filed in federal court minutes after the board appointed by DeSantis to oversee Disney's special taxing district sought to claw back its power from the entertainment giant, voting to invalidate an agreement struck between Disney and the previous board in February, just before that board's dissolution." The New York Times story is here. Thanks to Bobby Lee for the heads-up. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ AND it looks like DeSantolini is about to get his very own personal army, one where he would be commander-in-chief. What could possibly be wrong with that? Thanks to a friend for the link. (Also linked yesterday.)

Montana. Jim Robbins, et al., of the New York Times: "The Montana House of Representatives took the extraordinary step on Wednesday of blocking a transgender lawmaker from the House floor for the remainder of the legislative session after an escalating standoff over her remarks on transgender issues in House debate. The vote was 68 to 32 in the Republican-controlled chamber. The speaker adjourned the session immediately after the vote. The blocked lawmaker, Representative Zooey Zephyr, will still be allowed to cast votes during House proceedings for the remainder of the session, which concludes on May 5, but must do so remotely. The move is the culmination of a weeklong battle between House leadership and Ms. Zephyr, who was barred from participating in deliberations on the House floor after she made impassioned comments during debate over a bill that would prohibit hormone treatments and surgical care for transgender minors. The bill has since been sent to Gov. Greg Gianforte, who has indicated that he will sign it." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Of course Gianforte will sign the bill. He's the biggest bully in the state. The AP's story is here.

Texas. No Stone Unturned in the War on Personal Freedom. Jonathan Edwards of the Washington Post: From the state Agriculture Department's new dress code: "Employees are expected to comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their biological gender." "The ACLU has since called the policy 'clearly unlawful,' tarring it as the most recent attempt by Texas state lawmakers to target transgender people as they go to school, play sports, receive medical care and simply live.... On Wednesday morning, [Secretary of Agriculture Sid] Miller ... describ[ed] himself as 'a low-regulation guy' who ... nevertheless needed to whip employees back into shape as they returned to the office after years of wearing 'pajamas on their couch' while working from home during the coronavirus pandemic.... 'We don't want a man come dressed in drag, or vice versa,' he said. 'It's very disruptive. It's not professional.'"

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Thursday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here:"China will send a representative to Ukraine to hold talks with 'all parties,' in a bid to resolve the ongoing 'crisis,' Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, in their first phone call since the Russian invasion, according to a readout by China's Foreign Ministry. China will make efforts to facilitate peace talks, Xi said in the call.... The White House expressed cautious optimism over the call between Xi and Zelensky, saying it was glad to note the development.... Despite heavy and increasing sanctions, Russia will be able to finance its war effort in Ukraine for another year, according to U.S. military documents that were part of a trove leaked online and obtained by The Washington Post."

U.K. We Are Not Amused. David McCabe & Kellen Browning of the New York Times: &"British antitrust regulators on Wednesday dealt a major setback to Microsoft's plans to acquire the video game giant Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, blocking the proposed deal and handing a notable win to government enforcers around the world who want to rein in Big Tech. In deciding that Microsoft's proposals to ensure the acquisition did not harm competition 'failed to effectively address the concerns in the cloud gaming sector,' a nascent part of the gaming industry, the Competition and Markets Authority inflicted a possibly fatal blow to what would be the largest consumer tech acquisition since AOL bought Time Warner two decades ago." (Also linked yesterday.)

News Lede

TMZ: "Jerry Springer, one of the most influential and controversial figures in TV history, has died ... TMZ has confirmed. Jerry hosted the smash hit syndicated talk show 'The Jerry Springer Show' for 27 years ... and it was never a boring moment on the raucous and wild show -- which was known for its outrageous guests who usually got into crazy fights as the audience cheered, 'Jerry, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!'" Here is Springer's New York Times obituary. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Would there have been Glenn Beck & TuKKKer if there hadn't been Jerry? Not sure.

April 26, 2023

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

Tony Romm, et al., of the Washington Post: "The House is set to begin debate Wednesday on a Republican bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, slash federal spending and repeal some of President Biden's top legislative accomplishments, after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) embarked on a last-minute scramble to win over a handful of holdouts in his ranks. With a final vote expected as soon as this afternoon, top GOP lawmakers have expressed a measure of confidence about their legislative prospects even as they acknowledge they have little room for error, since their slim majority -- and persistent ideological schisms -- could easily frustrate their plans." ~~~

     ~~~ ** Update. New Lede: "House Republicans on Wednesday approved a bill that would raise the debt ceiling, slash federal spending and repeal President Biden's programs to combat climate change and reduce student debt, defying Democratic objections in a move that inched the United States closer to a fiscal crisis."~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It's remarkable that Kevin had so much trouble herding the feral cats. This bill is less a real bill with viable provisions than it is a nasty gang's wish list of how badly they could bully all the town's widows & orphans. Stuff like this: ~~~

     ~~~ Leah Douglas of Reuters: "Nearly one million Americans could find it harder to access federal food aid under a Republican proposal to expand the program's work requirements, according to the Biden administration, which has promised to veto the plan if it passes Congress." ~~~

     ~~~ Karen Dolan in a Hill opinion piece: "According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, McCarthy's 'Limit, Save, Grow Act' demands the following as ransom for the full faith and credit of the United States: Leaving many more veterans, families and elderly people homeless, hungry and unable to access health care or college. Eliminating tens of thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of Head Start and child care slots. Increasing interest on credit cards, car payments and mortgages, while preventing any student loan relief. Scaling back tax incentives for green energy and making it easier for oil and gas companies to pollute. Making it easier for rich folks to cheat on their taxes."

The New York Times is liveblogging E. Jean Carroll's civil lawsuit against Donald Trump: "The writer E. Jean Carroll took the witness stand Wednesday to describe an evening nearly 30 years ago when she says ... Donald J. Trump raped her in a Manhattan department store dressing room.... Ms. Carroll's lawyers are asking the jury in Federal District Court to find Mr. Trump liable for battery and defamation, and if he is found responsible, to award monetary damages.... Mr. Trump, 76, has accused Ms. Carroll of lying and has attacked her repeatedly in public statements and on social media, both while in office and after leaving.... The judge presiding over the trial, Lewis A. Kaplan, sharply criticized Donald J. Trump for comments he made on social media just before the trial resumed on Wednesday morning. Mr. Trump posted twice, calling the lawsuit a scam and Ms. Carroll's lawyer a 'political operative.' Judge Kaplan said Mr. Trump's out-of-court statements seemed 'entirely inappropriate' and suggested Mr. Trump might be trying to influence members of the jury."

David Sirota, et al., of the Lever: "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas voted to end federal tenant protections that his billionaire benefactor's company says threatened its real estate profit margins, according to corporate documents reviewed by The Lever. Thomas did not disclose his relationship with real estate billionaire Harlan Crow, nor did he recuse himself from the 2021 case, despite its potential impact on Crow Holdings. Now, rent control -- which Crow Holdings' documents also say threatens the company's business -- could come before Thomas, and there is no indication he would recuse himself if it does.... In August 2021, Thomas was one of the six justices who voted to strike down a federal administrative moratorium on evictions..., [part of the CDC's COVID-19 protocols]. In June, Thomas was one of four justices who voted to end the moratorium -- but the majority voted to leave it in place because it was set to expire the following month. In July, between the two rulings, Crow Holdings -- which owns apartment buildings, student housing, and manufactured housing nationwide -- was cited in congressional testimony for being one of the country's most frequent eviction filers, despite the moratorium." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Sirota occasionally can be an unreasonable leftie, IMO, but it appears he's on solid ground in his reporting here.

We Are Not Amused. David McCabe & Kellen Browning of the New York Times: "British antitrust regulators on Wednesday dealt a major setback to Microsoft's plans to acquire the video game giant Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, blocking the proposed deal and handing a notable win to government enforcers around the world who want to rein in Big Tech. In deciding that Microsoft's proposals to ensure the acquisition did not harm competition 'failed to effectively address the concerns in the cloud gaming sector,' a nascent part of the gaming industry, the Competition and Markets Authority inflicted a possibly fatal blow to what would be the largest consumer tech acquisition since AOL bought Time Warner two decades ago."

Florida. Eric Bradner & Steve Cortorno of CNN: "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts on Wednesday sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his hand-picked oversight board, accusing the Republican 2024 presidential prospect of weaponizing his political power to punish the company for exercising its free speech rights. The lawsuit was filed in federal court minutes after the board appointed by DeSantis to oversee Disney's special taxing district sought to claw back its power from the entertainment giant, voting to invalidate an agreement struck between Disney and the previous board in February, just before that board's dissolution." The New York Times story is here. Thanks to Bobby Lee for the heads-up. ~~~

~~~ AND it looks like DeSantolini is about to get his very own personal army, one where he would be commander-in-chief. What could possibly be wrong with that? Thanks to a friend for the link.

Marie: This ad -- which is apparently the first of President Biden's 2024 campaign -- starts out all apple-pie positive, but I'm happy to say it doesn't take long to move into whacking right-wing extremists, including implicitly Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, mike pence & the majority of elected Republicans:

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Presidential Race 2024. Zeke Miller of the AP: "President Joe Biden on Tuesday formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to 'finish this job' and extend the run of America's oldest president for another four years.... In his first public appearance Tuesday since the announcement, Biden offered a preview of how he plans to navigate the dual roles of president and presidential candidate, using a speech to building trades union members to highlight his accomplishments and undercut his GOP rivals, while showing voters he remained focused on his day job." ~~~

~~~ The New York Times' snark team came out Tuesday afternoon to liveblog President Biden's speech. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Steve Peoples of the AP: "Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Tuesday that he would forgo another presidential bid of his own and instead endorse President Joe Biden's reelection.... '... I'm in to do what I can to make sure that the president is reelected.'" ~~~

~~~ Isaac Stanley-Becker & John Wagner of the Washington Post: The Republican National Committee response video was 100 percent fake. The video was made up of sounds & "images that the RNC said were AI-generated..., along with fake reports by what sound like news reporters."

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Daniel Ellsberg, the person responsible for perhaps the biggest leak in U.S. government history -- the Pentagon Papers -- said the latest disclosures of classified information show that the world still faces some of the same dangers that spurred him to act more than 50 years ago. Ellsberg, who is 92 and dying of pancreatic cancer, said he is struck by the similarities between the Vietnam War and the current war in Ukraine -- two conflicts in which a superpower, he argued, could be tempted to use nuclear weapons." (Also linked yesterday.)

Marie: Back in my callow youth, I never thought I'd have occasion to say, "Let's see how the rape case against the president* is going." But language is nimble & Donald Trump has given us the opportunity to form a string of words we never thought would go together. So, let's see: ~~~

~~~ Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: "A lawyer for the writer E. Jean Carroll told a Manhattan jury on Tuesday that former President Donald J. Trump viciously raped her client one evening nearly 30 years ago in a department store dressing room, an assault that she said Ms. Carroll, filled with fear and shame, long had kept secret.... [Mr. Trump's] lawyer, [Joe] Tacopina, told the jury on Tuesday that Ms. Carroll was 'advancing a false claim of rape for money, for political reasons and for status.'" MB: That's right. because nothing that conveys status like rape. Unless, of course, Joe's idea is that a person who is raped in Bergdorf's garners maximum admiration & envy. ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian's report is here.

DA: "Trump Needs a Babysitter." Jonah Bromwich, et al., of the New York Times: "The Manhattan district attorney's office on Tuesday sought to limit Donald J. Trump's access to certain material from his criminal case, urging a judge to bar him from reviewing the material without his lawyers present. The request, filed with the court on Tuesday, also seeks to prohibit Mr. Trump from publicizing the prosecution's evidence on social media or through other channels.... In her request to the judge, [ADA Catherine] McCaw cited Mr. Trump's well-known propensity to use social media and public appearances to attack those investigating him. She noted that he had already begun to do so, slinging invective at those involved in the Manhattan case, including [Alvin] Bragg, [Michael] Cohen, [Stormy] Daniels and Justice [Juan] Merchan himself. That pattern of attacks, she wrote, is particularly concerning given that Mr. Trump faces a separate federal investigation into his handling of sensitive documents. The fact that Mr. Trump 'is currently under federal investigation for his handling of classified materials, gives rise to significant concern that defendant will similarly misuse grand jury and other sensitive materials here,' Ms. McCaw wrote."

Man with a Plan. Jacqueline Alemany & Sarah Ellison of the Washington Post: "Sen. Ted Cruz advocated the creation of a congressionally appointed electoral commission ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol to make a credible assessment of unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, according to a recording made by Abby Grossberg, a former producer at Fox News. The Jan. 2, 2021, recording, provided to The Washington Post by Grossberg's attorney, largely mirrors previous reports and public statements made by Cruz about efforts to overturn the election results. But the tape featuring a previously private conversation among Cruz, Grossberg and Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on the push to deny the certification of Joe Biden's victory on Jan. 6, 2021, sheds new light on the scope of Cruz's scheming to assist Donald Trump in overturning Biden's victory.... 'Is there any chance you can overturn this [election]?' Bartiromo asked Cruz. 'I hope so,' he responded."

Devin Nunes' Cow Loses a Big Case. Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A federal judge has thrown out libel suits former Rep. Devin Nunes and his relatives filed over a 2018 Esquire article alleging that a dairy farm owned by Nunes' family members hired undocumented workers. U.S. District Court Judge C.J. Williams ruled Tuesday that the claims at issue in writer Ryan Lizza's story -- 'Devin Nunes's Family Farm is Hiding a Politically Explosive Secret' -- were essentially accurate. The judge said that conclusion was fatal to the suits brought by Nunes, his relatives and the company used to operate the dairy, NuStar Farms.... In the 101-page opinion issued Tuesday, Williams [-- a Trump appointee --] said evidence developed during the litigation showed that the farm employed numerous workers who provided names and Social Security numbers that did not match Social Security Administration records." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Here's how it works, Devin. If a sleazy politician is doing something illegal, the press have a First-Amendment right -- some may say a duty -- to write about it and the print it all up in their publications. Put another way, Dev, it ain't libel if it's true.

Power Corrupts. Absolute Power ... Abbie VanSickle of the New York Times: "Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee in a letter released Tuesday evening that he was declining its invitation to testify about ethics rules for the Supreme Court. In an accompanying statement on ethics practices, all nine justices, under mounting pressure for more stringent reporting requirements at the court, insisted that the existing rules around gifts, travel and other financial disclosures are sufficient.... In the letter, Chief Justice Roberts attached a 'statement of ethics principles and practices' signed by the current justices...." CNN's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If we had a Congress with any gumption and respect for itself and its Constitutional duties, it would start by impeaching and convicting John Roberts, then go on by yelling, "Next!" As it is, we have one branch of government that is dysfunctional to the point of being nearly powerless and another branch in which the majority -- and perhaps the entirety -- is corrupt. This is a good day to say, "Thank you, Joe Biden." In the meantime, somebody should rethink Marbury v. Madison. Surely there is a better way. ~~~

     ~~~ AND on the Eighth Day, the Fathers Created the Supremes. And the Fathers Saw That They Were Good Enough. Ian Millhiser of Vox: "... the nine most powerful officials in the United States of America -- men and women with the power to repeal or rewrite any law, who serve for life, and who will never have to stand for election and justify their actions before the voters -- may also be the least constrained officials in the federal government. And much of the blame for this state of affairs rests with the Constitution itself.... [In 2011, after news of some of Harlan Crow's gifts to Clarence Thomas made headlines,] Chief Justice Roberts used his annual Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary to defiantly rebut calls to apply additional ethical rules to the justices.... Roberts strongly implied that any attempt by Congress to ethically constrain the justices would be unconstitutional. The fact that the Code of Conduct applies exclusively to lower court judges, Roberts claimed, 'reflects a fundamental difference between the Supreme Court and the other federal courts." Millhiser refreshes our memories on Justice Scalia's infamous reasoning/excuse for why he could never recuse himself from hearing cases involving his pals.

Steve LeBlanc of the AP: "Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern..., will be temporarily joining Harvard University later this year, Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf said Tuesday. Ardern, a global icon of the left and an inspiration to women around the world, has been appointed to dual fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School. She will serve as the 2023 Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow and a Hauser Leader in the school's Center for Public Leadership beginning this fall." MB: It will be fun when the New Zealand accent meets an upper-crusty Boston accent.

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha.

Tuck & Don Lawyer Up. Ron Dicker of the Huffington Post: "Ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson and CNN anchor Don Lemon ... reportedly just hired the same lawyer to navigate their departures. Multiple outlets say Los Angeles attorney Bryan Freedman is representing both.... The 'famously aggressive litigator' continues to represent Chris Cuomo in his wrongful termination suit against CNN, The Daily Beast noted." (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here. MB: Both articles use the same phrase, "... to navigate their departures (exits)" Uh, Tuck & Don got their cardboard boxes stuffed with fake awards & certificates and a company coffee mug, and they're out. No sextants needed. Thanks to Akhilleus for the heads-up. ~~~

     ~~~ Elahe Izadi of the Washington Post on how CNN & Fox "News" did the on-air honors of announcing the not-so-dearly-departed had unwillingly departed. (Also linked yesterday.)

Michael Luciano of Mediaite: "Fox News has a so-called 'oppo file' on Tucker Carlson that it is willing to weaponize against him if he takes shots at his old network, Rolling Stone reported on Tuesday. The network vehemently denies the report." MB: Evidently TuKKKer is even worse than the public knows.

Ted Johnson of Deadline: "Nate Silver is departing ABC News as the news division continues a round of layoffs that began last month. The FiveThirtyEight founder wrote on Twitter: 'Disney layoffs have substantially impacted FiveThirtyEight. I am sad and disappointed to a degree that's kind of hard to express right now. We've been at Disney almost 10 years. My contract is up soon, and I expect that I'll be leaving at the end of it...."

Peter Keepnews of the New York Times: "Harry Belafonte, who stormed the pop charts and smashed racial barriers in the 1950s with his highly personal brand of folk music, and who went on to become a major force in the civil rights movement, died on Tuesday at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was 96." (Also linked yesterday.)

Beyond the Beltway

Montana. Republicans Take Their Marbles & Go Home. Jim Robbins & Jacey Fortin of the New York Times: "Disputing criticism that they had silenced Montana's only transgender lawmaker, Republican leaders abruptly canceled a session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, a day after heated protests led to arrests in the House chamber. In a brief news conference, Speaker Matt Regier blamed the lawmaker, Representative Zooey Zephyr, for the standoff, saying that she was not following House rules. 'The only person who is silencing Representative Zephyr is Representative Zephyr,' he said."

Oklahoma. Selena Simmons-Duffin of NPR: "Oklahoma has three overlapping abortion bans, with different and sometimes contradictory definitions and exceptions. A study published Tuesday along with a commentary in the Lancet medical journal shows hospitals all over Oklahoma are struggling to interpret the laws and create policies that comply with the state's abortion bans. The resulting confusion is having dangerous consequences.... [According to Jaci Statton, a woman who was suffering a cancerous molar pregnancy that would not develop into a baby, hospital staff told her,] 'The best we can tell you to do is sit in the parking lot, and if anything else happens, we will be ready to help you. But we cannot touch you unless you are crashing in front of us or your blood pressure goes so high that you are fixing to have a heart attack.'"

Washington State. Mike Baker & Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs of the New York Times: "Washington State approved a package of gun control measures on Tuesday that includes a ban on the sale of military-style semiautomatic weapons, making it the ninth state to join efforts to prevent the distribution of AR-15s and other powerful rifles often used in mass shootings. The new laws put Washington in the ranks of states with the strongest gun control measures in the nation. They include a 10-day waiting period on gun purchases, gun safety training requirements and a provision allowing the state attorney general and consumers to sue gun manufacturers or dealers under public nuisance laws if they negligently allow their guns to fall into the hands of minors or 'dangerous individuals.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: There are two Americas. One is getting better. The other is getting worse. I think the second one is bigger than the first one.

Way Beyond

Afghanistan. Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: "The suspected mastermind of a gruesome suicide bombing during the United States' pullout from Afghanistan was killed by the Taliban in recent weeks, U.S. officials disclosed Tuesday, an extraordinary development spotlighting the Biden administration's newfound reliance on a former battlefield adversary to help confront terrorist threats. An estimated 170 Afghans and 13 American troops died in the 2021 attack near the Abbey Gate at Kabul's airport. Biden administration officials identified the suspect as a leader within the Islamic State's Afghanistan chapter, known as Islami State-Khorasan or ISIS-K. They declined, however, to reveal the person's name and how the person was killed, citing concerns that doing so could jeopardize the U.S. government's ability to collect information about future activities in the region." The AP report is here.

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Wednesday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday he spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time since the war began, calling the phone call 'long and meaningful' but giving few details.... Xi said China would send a special representative to Ukraine for talks on resolving the crisis, state media reported. 'Amid the current rise of reasonable thinking and voices from all sides, we should seize the opportunity to build up favorable conditions for a political settlement of the crisis,' Xi told Zelensky." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Wednesday are here. The Guardian's live updates for Wednesday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here.

U.K. Rupert Paid a Prince. Karla Adam of the Washington Post: "Prince William was paid a 'very large sum' by Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group to settle phone-hacking claims, according to court documents submitted Tuesday by the legal team of his younger brother, Prince Harry. Harry is suing Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) at the High Court in London for unlawful acts -- including hacking his voice mails -- that he alleges were committed on behalf of the Sun and the now-defunct News of the World tabloids from 1994 until 2016. The hearing is to determine whether the case should go to trial. In documents submitted to the court, Harry's legal team alleged there was a secret payment from Murdoch's company to William." (Also linked yesterday.)

April 25, 2023

Morning/Afternoon Update:

The New York Times' snark team came out this afternoon to liveblog President Biden's speech.

Peter Keepnews of the New York Times: "Harry Belafonte, who stormed the pop charts and smashed racial barriers in the 1950s with his highly personal brand of folk music, and who went on to become a major force in the civil rights movement, died on Tuesday at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was 96."

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Daniel Ellsberg, the person responsible for perhaps the biggest leak in U.S. government history -- the Pentagon Papers -- said the latest disclosures of classified information show that the world still faces some of the same dangers that spurred him to act more than 50 years ago. Ellsberg, who is 92 and dying of pancreatic cancer, said he is struck by the similarities between the Vietnam War and the current war in Ukraine -- two conflicts in which a superpower, he argued, could be tempted to use nuclear weapons."

Tuck & Don Lawyer Up. Ron Dicker of the Huffington Post: "Ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson and CNN anchor Don Lemon ... reportedly just hired the same lawyer to navigate their departures. Multiple outlets say Los Angeles attorney Bryan Freedman is representing both.... The 'famously aggressive litigator' continues to represent Chris Cuomo in his wrongful termination suit against CNN, The Daily Beast noted." MB: "... to navigate their departures"?? Uh, TucK & Don got their cardboard boxes stuffed with fake awards & certificates and a company coffee mug, and they're out. No sextants needed. Thanks to Akhilleus for the heads-up. ~~~

     ~~~ Elahe Izadi of the Washington Post on how CNN & Fox "News" did the on-air honors of announcing the not-so-dearly-departed had unwillingly departed.

Karla Adam of the Washington Post: "Prince William was paid a 'very large sum' by Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group to settle phone-hacking claims, according to court documents submitted Tuesday by the legal team of his younger brother, Prince Harry. Harry is suing Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) at the High Court in London for unlawful acts -- including hacking his voice mails -- that he alleges were committed on behalf of the Sun and the now-defunct News of the World tabloids from 1994 until 2016. The hearing is to determine whether the case should go to trial. In documents submitted to the court, Harry's legal team alleged there was a secret payment from Murdoch's company to William."

~~~~~~~~~~~

** Presidential Race 2024. Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden announced his bid for a second four-year term in a video posted online Tuesday morning, urging voters to let him 'finish this job' and setting in motion the possibility of a rematch with ... Donald J. Trump. In the three-minute, four-second video, Mr. Biden says he has spent his first years in office fighting for democracy and freedom. And he warns that 'MAGA extremists' around the country -- using Mr. Trump's 'Make America Great Again' slogan -- threaten those freedoms.&" This is the pinned item in a liveblog. ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Here's the New York Times' main story, by Peter Baker.

Maybe you missed this, because it's a "parting of the ways" that -- at least in theory -- matters: ~~~

~~~ Kierra Frazier, et al., of Politico: "Domestic policy adviser Susan Rice is stepping down from her post. Rice, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, helped the Biden administration with expanding the Affordable Care Act, getting his Inflation Reduction Act into law, and passing gun control legislation. The move comes as the White House is facing controversy over its handling of migrant children who crossed the Southern border.... Rice's departure leaves a major hole within the top ranks of the White House right as it gears up for a likely re-election campaign and as it faces a stare down with congressional Republicans over raising the debt limit. Among those being eyed as a replacement for her include Neera Tanden, Biden's staff secretary and a senior adviser, four people with knowledge of the deliberations told Politico. Separately, a top White House official said no replacement had been identified yet. One former administration official said White House aides were talking openly about Tanden's consideration for Rice's job over the weekend, calling her potential appointment 'pretty damn firm.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ President Biden's statement is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Spencer Hsu, et al., of the Washinton Post: "The far-right Proud Boys believed they were soldiers waging war under the direction of ... Donald Trump when they violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors said in closing arguments at the seditious conspiracy trial of five group leaders.... In wrapping up the 14-week trial, both the government and the defense framed the jury's deliberations as an existential test for U.S. democracy. Mulroe called the court proceeding 'every bit as solemn and important as the one these defendants sought to disrupt.' Nicholas Smith, representing one of the Proud Boys, said guilty verdicts would criminalize political protests." MB: Yes, because there's something in the First Amendment that says you can storm the capitol, injure a lot of police, lead to the deaths of others, spread feces around the marbled halls & stop Congress from doing its business. It's in the very fine print that only the very fine people have read.

Shayna Jacobs & Mark Berman of the Washington Post: "Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday in a civil lawsuit by E. Jean Carroll, a writer who has accused Donald Trump of raping her years before he became president. Carroll says Trump assaulted her in a New York City department store in the mid-1990s, allegations she made public while he was in the White House. Trump, in turn, called her a liar and said an attack never happened. Carroll filed a lawsuit against Trump last year in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York accusing him of battery as well as defaming her with his denials, setting the stage for a high-profile trial in Lower Manhattan."

Richard Fausset & Danny Hakim of the New York Times: "The prosecutor leading the investigation of ... Donald J. Trump and his allies in Georgia said on Monday that she is aiming to announce any indictments by mid-July at the earliest, according to a letter she sent to a top local law enforcement official. In her letter, Fani T. Willis, the district attorney in Fulton County, Ga., said that any charges would come during the court term that runs from July 11 to Sept. 1. In January, Ms. Willis said that charging decisions in the investigation were 'imminent.' But her timetable has been delayed, in part because a number of witnesses have sought to cooperate as the investigation has neared an end. Local law enforcement also needs time to prepare for potential security threats, a point that Ms. Willis emphasized in the letter." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Show Me the Money. Dan Mangan of CNBC: "Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on Monday asked GOP megadonor Harlan Crow for a complete list of gifts to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and evidence that the billionaire real estate developer complied with federal tax law in connection with the long-undisclosed largesse to Thomas.... The letter asks for a list of all flights Thomas took on any of Crow's jets, as well as details of those trips. Wyden requested similar details about the justice's trips on the Michaela Rose and information about the Georgia property purchases. He concluded by writing, 'Please list any additional gifts or payments with a value in excess of $1,000 made to Justice Thomas or members of his family since he was sworn into the Supreme Court that would not be captured by' the prior questions." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) The Washington Post's story is here. ~~~

~~~ Elizabeth Preza of AlterNet: "Harlan Crow, the Texas billionaire who showered U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas with lavish gifts and even purchased the justice's elderly mother's home in 2014, had at least one case before the Supreme Court, Bloomberg reports. According to Bloomberg, in January 2005, the Crow family had a 'non-controlling interest' in a commercial real estate development company that was sued by an architecture firm for more than $25 million 'for allegedly misusing copyrighted building designs.' The Court declined to hear an appeal from that architecture firm -- a decision Thomas did not recuse himself from.... As Bloomberg reports, Trammell Crow Residential, the commercial real estate development company that was sued by the architecture firm, was founded by Crow's father in 1977.... In 2005, when the case reached the Supreme Court, 'Harlan Crow was Crow Holdings' chief executive officer and chair of its board, a position he still holds,' Bloomberg reports." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: At first blush, I was thinking, "Well, it's possible Thomas wouldn't know that some obscure Texas real estate company would have anything to do with one of his wonderful BFFs." Then I got to the part where I find out the company was founded by and named after Harlan's daddy. Then I got to the part where Harlan was CEO & chairman of the board of the company. Clarence, you lying turd, Get Out!!

When is a "disclosure" not a disclosure? When you leave out the single element that would reveal a glaring conflict of interest. ~~~

~~~ ** Heidi Przybyla of Politico: "For nearly two years beginning in 2015, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch sought a buyer for a 40-acre tract of property he co-owned in rural Granby, Colo. Nine days after he was confirmed by the Senate for a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court, the then-circuit court judge got one: The chief executive of Greenberg Traurig, one of the nation's biggest law firms with a robust practice before the high court.... On April 16 of 2017, Greenberg's Brian Duffy put under contract the 3,000-square foot log home on the Colorado River and nestled in the mountains northwest of Denver, according to real estate records. He and his wife closed on the house a month later, paying $1.825 million, according to a deed in the county's record system. Gorsuch, who held a 20 percent stake, reported making between $250,001 and $500,000 from the sale on his federal disclosure forms. Gorsuch did not disclose the identity of the purchaser. That box was left blank [on the 'disclosure' form]. Since then, Greenberg Traurig has been involved in at least 22 cases before or presented to the court...."

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha
It's Cable News Clean Out the Anchor Desks Day

We'll be back on Monday. -- Tucker Carlson, his last words on Fox "News," Friday evening

** So Long, TuKKKums! Jeremy Peters of the New York Times: "Fox News said Monday that it was parting ways with Tucker Carlson, its most popular prime time host who was also the source of repeated controversies and headaches for the network because of his statements on everything from race relations to L.G.B.T.Q. rights. The network made the announcement less than a week after it agreed to pay $787.5 million in a defamation lawsuit in which Mr. Carlson's show, one of the highest rated on Fox, figured prominently for its role in spreading misinformation after the 2020 election. In making its announcement, Fox offered a terse statement of gratitude. 'Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,' it said." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Jeremy Barr of the Washington Post: "In a shocking announcement, Fox News announced Monday that prime-time host Tucker Carlson is leaving the network.... His Fox News colleagues were stunned by the departure, which seemed out of the blue." CNN's story, by Oliver Darcy & Marshall Cohen is here. MB: Gosh, TuKKKer, I was going to write you a nice farewell poem like that beautiful one by W. H. Auden. But I couldn't think of a single, solitary word that rhymed with "Tucker." (Well, okay, maybe I thought of two, but then you couldn't read the poem to your children.) (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times: The similarity of Carlson and Trump's sensibilities might derive from the similarity of their resentments. Both were children of privilege -- Carlson was kicked out of a Swiss boarding school -- who sought the respect of the establishment but never got it. It's worth noting, given his loathing of the putative deep state, that Carlson tried to join the C.I.A. but was rejected. He shifted his ambitions to cable news, but before landing at Fox News, he struggled to fit in.... Like Trump, he would find success by catering to people who despised the world that had spurned him. He made revenge into a career.... Carlson has achieved the rare cable news trifecta of flaming out at CNN, MSNBC and Fox.&" ~~~

Why? Why? Why? Oh how could this happen to TuKKKer? ~~~

     ~~~ From Michelle Goldberg: "[Tucker's ousting] suggests that Dominion was responsible for shaking loose the information that brought Carlson down.... The Los Angeles Times reported that Carlson was defenestrated by Rupert Murdoch himself, and that his exit was related to the discrimination lawsuit filed by Carlson's former head of booking Abby Grossberg." ~~~

     ~~~ From Jeremy Barr: "It was Carlson's comments about Fox management, as revealed in the Dominion case, that played a role in his departure from Fox, a person familiar with the company's thinking told The Post." (Yeah, Eric Wemple of the WashPo asks, "Who at Fox News ever -- ever -- would have supposed that the guy willing to smear others willy-nilly would similarly bash his colleagues?") ~~~

~~~ And the folks at the Lincoln Project are going to miss TuKKKer's insightful segments:

SO THEN. Doha Madani of NBC News: "Don Lemon was terminated from his anchor role at CNN, he announced Monday. The news comes after Variety published a story earlier this month on allegations that he mistreated his female colleagues over the course of his career there. And earlier this year, he faced backlash over widely criticized comments he made on-air. Lemon announced the news on Twitter, saying he was informed by his agent that he was being terminated. 'I am stunned,' Lemon wrote. 'After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly.' CNN CEO Chris Licht said that the network and Lemon have 'parted ways,' according to a memo provided to NBC News Monday." The New York Times story, by Michael Grynbaum & others, is here. MB: Perfect timing. People will be so thrilled to see the back side of TuKKKer, they'll hardly notice that CNN's Mr. Misogynist has left the building. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

AND THIS. Benjamin Mullin of the New York Times: "Jeff Shell was fired as NBCUniversal/s chief executive after an anchor at one of the company's news networks lodged a sexual harassment complaint against him, a lawyer for the anchor said on Monday. The lawyer, Suzanne McKie, said her client, Hadley Gamble, a senior international correspondent at CNBC, had given investigators at NBCUniversal messages that documented instances of harassment by Mr. Shell." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If you're seeing a theme here, there is one, if it is rather obscured by the differences in networks, situations & personalities. In each of these dismissals -- at Fox, CNN & NBC -- the firing is alleged to have been, at least in part, because the big stars done women wrong. Grossberg's allegations of a disgusting, sexist work environment -- which again may end in a signficant financial settlement -- may have been the last straw for Rupert. It isn't likely, after all, that Rupert fired TuKKKer because TuKKKer wasn't a good enough fact-checker or even that white nationalism & Putin adoration were too radical. Don Lemon was unceremonious dispatched with after his comments about women past age 40 (that is, CNN's morning audience) being "past their prime." And Shell, allegedly, got the boot, at least in part because he harassed a female anchor. It's possible that in any or all of these cases, firing a guy because he disrespected women is an excuse for something else -- lawsuits, lower ratings, whatever -- it's also possible that finally, some corporations have figured out that misusing or abusing women is not good for the brand. If only GOP politicians (see North Dakota story linked below) could figure this out, too. Oh, and Happy Rape Trial Day to Donald Trump.

Beyond the Beltway

Florida. Arek Sarkissian of Politico: "Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo personally altered a state-driven study about Covid-19 vaccines last year to suggest that some doses pose a significantly higher health risk for young men than had been established by the broader medical community, according to a newly obtained document. Ladapo's changes, released as part of a public records request, presented the risks of cardiac death to be more severe than previous versions of the study. He later used the final document in October to bolster disputed claims that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were dangerous to young men. The surgeon general, a well-known Covid-19 vaccine skeptic, faced a backlash from the medical community after he made the assertions, which go against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics. But Ladapo's statements aligned well with Gov. Ron DeSantis' stance against mandatory Covid-19 vaccination." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I don't see what the problem is. Sure, young Floridian men may have died because they believed Ladapo's warning & chose not to be vaccinated. But everyone knows Republicans -- including Republicans who work in science-based professions -- are not bound by the boring factual world and can change "inconvenient facts" to "alternate facts" when it suits them.

North Dakota. Ava Sasani of the New York Times: "North Dakota became the latest state on Monday to enact a near-total ban on abortion, just one month after the State Supreme Court temporarily blocked a similar ban from taking effect. Under the new law, an abortion in the case of rape or incest would be permissible only in the first six weeks of pregnancy, a time when most women have not yet realized they are pregnant. Abortion is permitted without gestational limits if terminating a pregnancy can 'prevent the death or a serious health risk' of the mother. Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican, signed the bill into law on Monday.... The new law, which takes immediate effect, is a dramatic shift for the state, where abortions had been legal up until 22 weeks of pregnancy." The AP's story is here.

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Tuesday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the U.S. and its allies of bringing the world to a 'dangerous threshold.' In a speech Monday at the U.N. Security Council in New York, Lavrov said the United States and the 'collective West' were undermining global multilateralism by unilaterally imposing their own rules on the rest of the world.... Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a violation of the U.N. Charter and international law, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said, speaking at the same forum as Lavrov.... If Russia wins and Ukraine falls, central Europe 'may well be next,' wrote the leaders of Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic [in a letter published in Foreign Affairs].... At U.S. behest, Ukraine held off anniversary attacks on Russia..., Shane Harris and Isabelle Khurshudyan report."

Steven Erlanger of the New York Times: "China moved quickly on Monday to limit damage to its relations with Europe, repudiating the comments of Beijing's ambassador in Paris who had questioned the sovereignty of post-Soviet nations like Ukraine in a televised interview. The comments by Lu Shaye on Friday caused a diplomatic firestorm over the weekend among European foreign ministers and parliamentarians, with several countries summoning China's envoys for explanations. His remarks threatened to throw a wrench in China's ongoing efforts to balance courting European leaders with trade while supporting Russia, with which it has declared a 'no limits' partnership.... [Friday, Mr. Lu] said that Crimea was Russian historically and had been handed over to Ukraine, then added: 'Even these countries of the former Soviet Union do not have an effective status in international law, since there is no international agreement that would specify their status as sovereign countries.'... China's Foreign Ministry ... on Monday insist[ed] that it recognized the sovereignty of all the former Soviet republics that have declared independence, including Ukraine." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)