May 30, 2023

Afternoon/Evening Update:

Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: "Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), who was first elected to Congress in 2012, will resign his seat to focus on his wife's health, according to a published report.... [Her] medical issues are not publicly known.... Stewart's departure would reduce the GOP's already-slim majority in the House -- 222 seats to Democrats' 213.... Per Utah law, Stewart's resignation will spark a special election, whose winner will fill the remainder of his term. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) will announce the timeline for the race's primary and general elections once Stewart officially announces his resignation. Stewart, who serves on the Appropriations and Intelligence committees, has won handily in the Republican-leaning district since he was first elected in 2012."

How Joe Rolls. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post: "For days, [Kevin] McCarthy (R-Calif.) has effectively been arguing that he rolled [President] Biden, forcing him into major concessions on spending and delivering the Republican Party a win. 'President Biden claimed he'd never negotiate.... But in a stark contrast, Biden on Monday declined to even say who had gotten the better deal; he has merely called it a 'bipartisan deal' and 'good news for the American people.' And he said there was a reason for that. 'Why would Biden say what a good deal it is before the vote?' [Biden asked reporters on the South Lawn of the White House.] 'You think that's going to help me get it passed? No. That's why you guys don't bargain very well....'... In other words: If Biden says this is a good deal for Democrats, Republicans will vote against it.... It also reflects the reality of the modern Republican Party, which has become defined by an owning-the-libs mentality...."

Bill Barrow of the AP: "Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia and remains at home, her family has announced. Carter, now 95, remains at home with former President Jimmy Carter, who has been at home receiving hospice care since early this year. 'She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones,' the family said via The Carter Center, the global humanitarian organization the couple founded in 1982 after leaving the White House."

Kasha Patel of the Washington Post: "... many parts of Earth's surface are sinking -- fast. Scientists are especially concerned for sinking locations near the coast, which are at a higher risk for flooding as sea levels rise in a warming world. Hurricanes and extreme rainfall events can also bring more damage to such low-lying areas.... Regions with the highest land subsidence in the United States are mainly located along the East and Gulf Coast, but here we selected a few hot spots around the country." Patel names Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City; Norfolk, Virginia & California's Central Valley.

~~~~~~~~~~

Jim Tankersley & Alan Rappeport of the New York Times: "The full legislative text of Speaker Kevin McCarthy's agreement in principle with President Biden to suspend the nation's borrowing limit revealed new and important details about the deal, which House lawmakers are expected to vote on this week. The centerpiece of the agreement remains a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling, which caps the total amount of money the government is allowed to borrow." The article goes on to lay out some of the details. An NBC News report on the provisions of the deal is here.

~~~ Jennifer Haberkorn, et al., of Politico: "The White House has a simple message to Democrats skeptical of the debt ceiling agreement the president cut with Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Don't judge us by what's included but what we kept out. Top administration officials began fanning out late Saturday evening and all through Sunday to sell the deal, which would suspend the debt ceiling through January of 2025, limit federal spending through the same period, and make changes to government social welfare programs. The calls with stakeholders and lawmakers were generally positive, according to three people familiar with the overall feedback...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

NEW. Jennifer Jett & Courtney Kube of NBC News: "China has declined a request from the United States for a meeting between the countries' defense chiefs, the Pentagon said late Monday, as the world's two largest economies struggle to mend ties. The Pentagon had suggested a meeting between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security forum being held in Singapore from June 2 to 4. Washington has been seeking to restore high-level communications with Beijing as both sides signal a willingness to ease tensions stoked by clashes over Taiwan, a Chinese spy balloon and Russia's war in Ukraine. But China has outlined limits to that conciliation over its issues with U.S. sanctions and what it sees as a broader effort to contain its rise."

NEW. Hugo Lowell of the Guardian: "Donald Trump's lawyer tasked with searching for classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after the justice department issued a subpoena told associates that he was waved off from searching the former president's office, where the FBI later found the most sensitive materials anywhere on the property. The lawyer, Evan Corcoran, recounted that several Trump aides had told him to search the storage room because that was where all the materials that had been brought from the White House at the end of Trump's presidency ended up being deposited. Corcoran found 38 classified documents in the storage room. He then asked whether he should search anywhere else but was steered away, he told associates. Corcoran never searched Trump's office and told prosecutors that the 38 papers were the extent of the material at Mar-a-Lago.... It was not clear who waved off Corcoran from searching elsewhere at Mar-a-Lago -- whether it was Trump himself or Trump employees...." MB: I hope we can assume that prosecutors did not accept a passive-voice explanation and asked Corcoran who had waved him away from Trump's office & other areas in which Trump had squirreled away the classified docs. My guess it that it was Trump lawyer/toady Boris Epshteyn.

~~~ Katie Phang in an NBC News opinion piece. Donald "Trump's legal team is an epic disaster.... You would think a client facing [the] amount of legal peril [Trump faces] would have a top-notch team of lawyers in place to defend him. But when you have a client like Trump, normal expectations don't apply.... If he's being given legal advice not to talk, he is clearly not listening or he doesn't respect the counsel being dispensed. Historically, Trump has done and said whatever he wants, presumably regardless of the legal advice being provided by his dozens of attorneys."

Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd. Talmon Smith & Joe Rennison of the New York Times: "The prices of oil, transportation, food ingredients and other raw materials have fallen in recent months as the shocks stemming from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have faded. Yet many big businesses have continued raising prices at a rapid clip. Some of the world's biggest companies have said they do not plan to change course and will continue increasing prices or keep them at elevated levels for the foreseeable future. That strategy has cushioned corporate profits. And it could keep inflation robust, contributing to the very pressures used to justify surging prices. As a result, some economists warn, policymakers at the Federal Reserve may feel compelled to keep raising interest rates, or at least not lower them, increasing the likelihood and severity of an economic downturn." ~~~

~~~ Stacy Mitchell in a New York Times op-ed: "To understand why grocery prices are way up, we need to look past the headlines about inflation and reconsider long-held ideas about the benefits of corporate bigness.... [Because Walmart buys a large share of suppliers' products,] when Walmart demands special deals, suppliers can't say no. And as suppliers cut special deals for Walmart and other large chains, they make up for the lost revenue by charging smaller retailers even more, something economists refer to as the water bed effect. This isn't competition. It's big retailers exploiting their financial control over suppliers to hobble smaller competitors. Our failure to put a stop to it has warped our entire food system. It has driven independent grocers out of business and created food deserts. It has spurred consolidation among food processors, which has slashed the share of food dollars going to farmers and created dangerous bottlenecks in the production of meat and other essentials. And in a perverse twist, it has raised food prices for everyone, no matter where you shop." Read on.

Beyond the Beltway

California. Gloria Oladipo of the Guardian: "The insurance giant State Farm, America's biggest car and home insurer by premium volume, will halt the sale of new home insurance policies in California, citing wildfire risk and inflation of construction costs. Starting on Saturday, the company will not accept insurance applications for business and personal lines property and casualty insurance. The company will still accept auto insurance applicants."

Texas. Paul Weber & Acacia Coronado of the AP: "A historic impeachment trial in Texas to determine whether Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton should be permanently removed from office will begin no later than August in the state Senate, where the jury that would determine his future could include his wife, Sen. Angela Paxton. Setting a schedule was one of the last orders of business lawmakers took Monday during an acrimonious end to this year's legislative session in Texas, where the impeachment laid bare fractures in America's biggest red state beyond whether Republicans will oust one of the GOP's conservative legal stars. It drags Republicans -- who for years have pushed fast-changing Texas farther to the right -- into a summer of unfinished business and soured feelings that are likely to spill into 2024's elections. The stakes are also raised for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who couldn't get his full agenda through the GOP-controlled legislature on time. He almost immediately called lawmakers back to work for the first of 'several' special sessions in the coming months."

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al.

The New York Times' live updates of developments Tuesday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates for Tuesday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live briefing for Tuesday is here: "At least two residential buildings in the Russian capital were hit by drones Tuesday morning, Moscow's mayor said on Telegram.... The drone attack caused minor damage early Tuesday, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said.... No one has been seriously injured so far, the mayor said.... More than 10 drones were shot down in the Moscow region this morning, most of them in the Istrinsky, Krasnogorsky and Odintsovsky districts, according to Russia's Baza Telegram channel. In all, about 25 drones were involved in the morning attack.... The drone strike came after Russia conducted its third aerial attack on Kyiv in 24 hours. Falling debris killed at least one person and wounded at least four people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. The air raid was the 17th this month, he said.... In Kyiv, Ukraine's military destroyed more than 20 enemy drones in the city&'s airspace, the local military administration said early Tuesday. But residential buildings and vehicles were damaged, it said."

"Nukes for All!” Yuliya Talmazan of NBC News: "Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, promised nuclear weapons to any nation that joined Russia and Belarus. The comment came just days after the Belarusian leader confirmed the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to his country. Putin has periodically hinted at a nuclear escalation since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, dramatically increasing tensions with the United States and the West. 'It's very simple. You have to join the union between Belarus and Russia, and that's it: There will be nuclear weapons for everyone,' Lukashenko said in a comment aired Sunday night on Russian state TV.... On Thursday, the Belarusian leader confirmed that Russia has moved on the plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, first announced in March." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

CBS/AP: "Russia's Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the fighting in Ukraine. In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy's office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that 'the Russians are dying' and described the U.S. military assistance to the country as 'the best money we've ever spent.' While Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation, the short video by Ukraine's presidential office put them next to each other, causing outrage in Russia. Later, Zelenskyy's office issued video of Graham's actual remarks showing the shorter version had been edited.... Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that 'it's hard to imagine a greater shame for the country than having such senators.'" MB: Well, now, there's a Kremlin official remark I agree with, albeit for different reasons. Thanks to Forrest M. for the lead. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Turkey. Kareem Fahim of the Washington Post: “In victory..., instead of soothing the nation, [President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] lashed out at a familiar set of villains, in remarks that may set the tone for his next term. He was dismissive of his opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.... He denigrated LGBTQ people as a threat to 'family.' And he ruled out any release for an imprisoned Kurdish political leader, calling him a 'terrorist.'... As the country moved on from the election, Erdogan would not easily abandon the bitter rhetoric, analysts said, setting Turkey on a divisive and turbulent course for the foreseeable future, even as Erdogan juggled a need to stabilize the economy as well as Turkey's often stormy relations with allies in the West."

News Ledes

New York Times: "At least nine people were wounded when gunfire erupted on Monday between two groups near a beach in Hollywood, Fla., in a shooting that sent dozens of panicked beachgoers fleeing or ducking for cover on Monday evening, officials said.... It is unclear what led to the shooting or how many people were involved in the confrontation." A CBS News story is here.

New York Times: "A search and rescue effort was winding down in Iowa on Monday after the partial collapse of a six-story apartment building the day before, officials said. The Davenport Police Department said its officers and firefighters responded on Sunday at about 5 p.m. to a report of the collapse at 324 Main Street in Davenport, a city along the Mississippi River in the eastern part of the state. Overnight, more than a dozen people were escorted out of the building and eight were rescued, Chief Michael Carlsten, of the Davenport Fire Department, said at a news conference on Monday.... There were no known individuals still trapped and no reported deaths, but on Monday, teams used dogs trained in cadaver detection and rescue to search through the rubble, the chief said.... Rich Oswald, the city's director of development and neighborhood services, said work was being done on the outside of the building at the time of the collapse, and there were reports of bricks falling from the building earlier this week." ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "Five people remain unaccounted for, including two people whose remains may be in a pile of rubble at the site of a partially collapsed apartment building, officials of the city of Davenport, Iowa, said Tuesday. Mayor Mike Matson confirmed the numbers at a news conference following criticism that the city was moving too quickly toward demolishing the building before making sure that no one is still inside. Protests erupted after a woman was rescued Monday night, hours after the city ordered the demolition to begin as early as Tuesday.... The discovery of another survivor Monday evening, rescued by ladder truck from a fourth-floor window, prompted the city to reevaluate, they said."

May 29, 2023

CNN posts Memorial Day photos.

Russ Bynum of the AP: "Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment made a desperate retreat [in September 1950] as North Korean troops closed in around them. A wounded, 18-year-old Army Pfc. Luther Herschel Story feared his injuries would slow down his company, so he stayed behind to cover their withdrawal.... He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor, which is now displayed alongside his portrait at the National Infantry Museum, an hour's drive from his hometown of Americus, Georgia. But Story was never seen alive again, and his resting place long remained a mystery. That changed in April when the U.S. military revealed lab tests had matched DNA from [niece Judy] Wade and her late mother to bones of an unidentified American soldier recovered from Korea in October 1950. The remains belonged to Story, a case agent told Wade over the phone.... A Memorial Day burial with military honors was scheduled Monday at the Andersonville National Cemetery. A police escort with flashing lights escorted Story's casket through the streets of nearby Americus on Wednesday after it arrived in Georgia." As a child, Story had lived in Plains, Georgia and worked for President Jimmy Carter's father. A staff member told President Carter of the return of Story's remains, which evoked "a big smile" from the former 'resident.

~~~~~~~~~~

Afternoon Update:

"Nukes for All!" Yuliya Talmazan of NBC News: "Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, promised nuclear weapons to any nation that joined Russia and Belarus. The comment came just days after the Belarusian leader confirmed the transfer of Russian nuclear weapons to his country. Putin has periodically hinted at a nuclear escalation since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, dramatically increasing tensions with the United States and the West. 'It's very simple. You have to join the union between Belarus and Russia, and that's it: There will be nuclear weapons for everyone,' Lukashenko said in a comment aired Sunday night on Russian state TV.... On Thursday, the Belarusian leader confirmed that Russia has moved on the plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, first announced in March."

Jennifer Haberkorn, et al., of Politico: "The White House has a simple message to Democrats skeptical of the debt ceiling agreement the president cut with Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Don't judge us by what's included but what we kept out. Top administration officials began fanning out late Saturday evening and all through Sunday to sell the deal, which would suspend the debt ceiling through January of 2025, limit federal spending through the same period, and make changes to government social welfare programs. The calls with stakeholders and lawmakers were generally positive, according to three people familiar with the overall feedback...."

CBS/AP: "Russia's Interior Ministry on Monday issued an arrest warrant for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following his comments related to the fighting in Ukraine. In an edited video of his meeting on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that was released by Zelenskyy's office, Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that 'the Russians are dying' and described the U.S. military assistance to the country as 'the best money we've ever spent.' While Graham appeared to have made the remarks in different parts of the conversation, the short video by Ukraine's presidential office put them next to each other, causing outrage in Russia. Later, Zelenskyy's office issued video of Graham's actual remarks showing the shorter version had been edited.... Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that 'it's hard to imagine a greater shame for the country than having such senators.'" MB: Well, now, there's a Kremlin official remark I agree with, albeit for different reasons. Thanks to Forrest M. for the lead.

~~~~~~~~~~

Luke Broadwater & Chris Cameron of the New York Times: "A day after striking a deal in principle with President Biden to suspend the debt limit, Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his leadership team began an all-out sales pitch on Sunday to rally Republicans behind a compromise that was drawing intense resistance from the hard right. To get the legislation through a fractious and closely divided Congress, Mr. McCarthy and top Democratic leaders must cobble together a coalition of Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate willing to back it. Members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus have already declared war on the plan, which they say fails to impose meaningful spending cuts, and warned that they would seek to block it.... Mr. Biden told reporters that he was confident the deal would reach his desk and that he spoke with Mr. McCarthy on Sunday afternoon 'to make sure all the T's are crossed and the I's are dotted.'"

Mychael Schnell & Emily Brooks of the Hill: "Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) released text of the bill to raise the debt limit on Sunday evening as Democratic and Republican leaders work to corral support ahead of this week's vote. The bill -- which spans 99 pages -- raises the debt limit for two years, strengthens work requirements on federal public assistance programs and rescinds roughly $28 billion in COVID-19 funding that went unused.... And in a surprise addition to the bill, it includes a measure to expedite completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline -- a major win for West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) who has long been trying to speed up construction of the natural gas pipeline that had been stalled due to environmental concerns.... The bill's release officially starts the clock on the 72-hour rule, which gives House members at least three days to review a bill before voting on it. Sticking to the 72-hour rule was a key demand of the conservatives who withheld support for McCarthy during the drawn-out Speaker's race in January."

Joanna Walters of the Guardian: "US president Joe Biden has said a bipartisan deal to raise the $31.4tn US debt ceiling and avoid a default is ready to move to Congress and urged lawmakers to pass the agreement he struck with Kevin McCarthy. 'This is a deal that's good news for ... the American people,' Biden said at the White House on Sunday night after a call with McCarthy to put the final touches to a tentative deal struck the previous day. 'It takes the threat of catastrophic default off the table, protects our hard-earned and historic economic recovery, he said.... Earlier on Sunday morning, McCarthy boasted on Fox News Sunday that 'there's not one thing in the bill for Democrats' even though Biden achieved his fundamental goal of persuading the Republican to agree to a debt ceiling increase."

Former hostage Joe Biden spoke Sunday about the budget agreement:

~~~ Marie: BUT Catherine Rampell has a point. If she's right -- and I think she may be -- Joe pulled a fast one on the hostage-takers: ~~~

     ~~~ Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post: "... from what we know so far, this much-ballyhooed 'deal' doesn't seem terribly different from whatever budget agreement would have materialized anyway later this year, during the usual annual appropriations process, under divided government. To President Biden's credit, the most objectionable ransoms that Republicans had been demanding are all gone.... The U.S. government, prodded by House Republicans, has spent the past few months beclowning itself before the rest of the world.... The U.S. government also might have already incurred higher borrowing costs, of as-yet-unknown amounts, as markets fretted in recent weeks over whether Uncle Sam might stiff any creditors.... There also might be longer-term reputational and financial costs thanks to this episode, particularly if we've now set ourselves up for another hostage crisis two years hence.... And to what end? To get minimal changes to fiscal policies that probably would have happened anyway? This not-quite-cataclysmic-but-still-corrosive outcome assumes, of course, that the Biden-McCarthy agreement actually passes and the U.S. government doesn't beclown itself further." AND ~~~

~~~ Dean Obeidallah on Substack: "President Biden won and Donald Trump/MAGA lost -- again. It's that simple when it comes to the debt ceiling deal announced Saturday night. Keep in mind Trump was demanding a debt ceiling default because he wants to tank our strong economy given he believes it helps him win in 2024. Trump publicly stated and posted on social media as much, recently writing that Republicans should cause a default, 'UNLESS THEY [GOP] GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT (Including the "kitchen sink").'... North Carolina Rep Dan Bishop who tweeted: 'RINOs congratulating McCarthy for getting almost zippo in exchange for $4T debt ceiling hike.' (You can read even more MAGA Reps going ballistic here.)... For starters and very importantly, it raises the debt ceiling for two years -- not one as the GOP wanted.... In addition, the budget cuts agreed--to per a NY Times analysis Sunday -- amount to only 'a fraction of the cuts Republicans originally sought.'... In reality, the deal reached is much more about future spending limits than it is with simply raising the debt ceiling to pay for past appropriations."

Presidential Race 2024. David Edwards of the Raw Story: "A Fox News poll found that 56% of Americans do not believe ... Donald Trump has the 'mental soundness' to be president.... As for [President] Biden, 60% of those Fox News polled agreed he did not have the mental soundness to do the job. Fox News noted that the difference between the two candidates was within the survey's margin of error.... The survey also compared President Joe Biden's character to Trump. Biden had a 9-point advantage over Trump regarding honesty and an 8-point lead for empathy. 11% fewer people also believe that Biden is corrupt."

Beyond the Beltway

Marie: When I was a young woman reading the newspapers, I used to tut-tut and marvel at how backward other countries were (see Uganda story, linked below) compared to the glorious USA. While the new Uganda legislation certainly is worse than the Tennessee law described next, I note that the New York Times earlier included links to both stories in the same block on its front page. (The Times has since moved the Tennessee link to its "Politics" page alone.) Nowadays, Republican legislatures across the country are making sure I do my tut-tutting at home, too. ~~~

~~~ Tennessee. Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: "If a federal judge allows [Tennessee's 'adult caberet'] law to take effect in the coming weeks, it will ban what it defines as adult cabaret performances, including by 'male or female impersonators,' on public property or anywhere children could view them. It will not stop the shows that ... [performers put] on at an adults-only club in Clarksville and other clubs near the Kentucky border. Still..., performers said, being seen in drag anywhere in public feels far riskier now. The law and others like it come as far-right activists have increasingly targeted drag shows across the country, with members of the Proud Boys and other protesters, sometimes heavily armed, appearing at the shows and at library story hours when drag performers read books to children."

In case you were momentarily deluded by Ken Paxton's impeachment and were thinking, “Gosh, maybe some Texas Republican lawmakers are so bad,” there's this: ~~~

~~~ Texas. Patrick Marley of the Washington Post: "Texas Republicans wound down their regular legislative session Sunday by changing election policies for a single populous Democratic stronghold but not other parts of the state. The measure gives the secretary of state under certain conditions the power to run elections in Harris County, home to Houston and 4.8 million residents. It follows a bill approved days earlier that shifts the oversight of elections from its appointed elections administrator to the county clerk and county assessor. Harris County officials at a news conference last week said they would bring a lawsuit challenging the measures as soon as Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signs them into law. 'These bills are not about election reform,' said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county's chief executive. 'They're not about improving voters' experience. They are entirely about suppressing voters' voices. The reasoning behind these bills is nothing but a cynical charade.'" ~~~

~~~ AND. Kelby Vera of the Huffington Post: "Texas lawmakers have moved to shutter all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at publicly funded universities in the state. Legislators in both chambers approved the final version of Senate Bill 17 on Sunday and it is now headed to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to be signed. If approved, SB 17 would require Texas' public universities to dismantle their DEI offices, programs and training in the next six months. The bill also bans institutions from mandating any DEI training as a condition of employment or admission to the university, and orders all hiring practices be 'color-blind and sex-neutral.'The legislation would not affect course instruction, faculty research, student organizations, guest speakers, data collection or admissions."

Way Beyond

Turkey. Bad News for Democracy. Suzan Fraser & Zeynep Bilginsoy of the AP: "Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection Sunday, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade as the country reels from high inflation and the aftermath of an earthquake that leveled entire cities.A third term gives Erdogan an even stronger hand domestically and internationally, and the election results will have implications far beyond Ankara.... With more than 99% of ballot boxes opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52% of the vote, compared with 48% for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The head of Turkey's electoral board confirmed the victory, saying that even after accounting for outstanding votes, the result was another term for Erdogan." The Guardian's story is here. Akhilleus seems skeptical. See his comment, first posted late yesterday and re-posted below.

Uganda. Rodney Muhumuza of the AP: "Uganda's president has signed into law tough new anti-gay legislation supported by many in this East African country but widely condemned by rights activists and others abroad. The version of the bill signed by President Yoweri Museveni doesn't criminalize those who identify as LGBTQ, a key concern for campaigners who condemned an earlier draft of the legislation as an egregious attack on human rights. But the new law still prescribes the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality,' which is defined as cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV as well as with minors and other categories of vulnerable people."

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Monday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Explosions rang across the capital [Kiev] Monday morning as it suffered its 16th air attack this month and second in the past 12 hours. The Kyiv regional military administration described the raid as a missile attack and said air defenses were at work.... The drone strikes launched by Russian forces Saturday night was the largest since the start of the war, with most of the Iranian-made drones targeting Kyiv, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War.... Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans over the weekend to implement sanctions against Iran for a 50-year period.... [U.S.] Secretary of State Antony Blinken begins a five-day visit to Sweden, Norway and Finland on Monday to discuss support for Ukraine, among other matters, the State Department said. He will also attend a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Oslo." ~~~

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

May 28, 2023

Afternoon Update:

Turkey. Bad News for Democracy. Suzan Fraser & Zeynep Bilginsoy of the AP: "Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection Sunday, extending his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade as the country reels from high inflation and the aftermath of an earthquake that leveled entire cities. A third term gives Erdogan an even stronger hand domestically and internationally, and the election results will have implications far beyond Ankara.... With more than 99% of ballot boxes opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52% of the vote, compared with 48% for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The head of Turkey's electoral board confirmed the victory, saying that even after accounting for outstanding votes, the result was another term for Erdogan."

~~~~~~~~~~

** Jim Tankersley, et al., of the New York Times: "Top White House and Republican negotiators on Saturday reached a deal in principle to raise the debt limit for two years while cutting and capping some government spending over the same period, a breakthrough after a marathon set of crisis talks that has brought the nation within days of its first default in history, three people familiar with the agreement said. Congressional passage of the plan before June 5, when the Treasury is projected to exhaust its ability to pay its obligations, was not assured, particularly in the House.... But the compromise, which would effectively freeze federal spending that had been on track to grow, had the blessing of both President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy, raising hopes that it could break the fiscal stalemate that has gripped Washington and the nation for weeks, threatening an economic crisis. The two spoke by phone on Saturday evening to resolve final sticking points." (Also linked yesterday.) An AP story is here. ~~~

~~~ Peter Baker of the New York Times: "... here are some takeaways [about the elements of the agreement] based on the information initially made available. The debt ceiling would be increased until 2025, after the next election.... Domestic spending would be capped, but not as much as Republicans wanted.... Defense, Social Security, Medicare and veterans' programs would be shielded.... Some recipients of government assistance would face new work requirements.... Major energy projects would be granted a streamlined review process." The AP's report is here. ~~~

~~~ Marie: Alan Rappeport of the New York Times blames Democrats for the debt ceiling crisis, and for once I think a both-sides MSM reporter is right: Last fall, "in an interview on her flight from New Delhi to Bali, Indonesia..., [Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen] urged Democrats to use their remaining time in control of Washington to lift the debt limit beyond the 2024 elections.... Democrats did not heed Ms. Yellen's advice." (Also linked yesterday.)

Ana Swanson of the New York Times: "The Biden administration announced Saturday that it had reached an agreement with 13 other countries in the Indo-Pacific region to coordinate supply chains, in an effort to lessen the countries' dependence on China for critical products and allow them to better weather crises like wars, pandemics and climate change. The supply chain agreement is the first result of the administration's trade initiative in the region, called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Negotiations are continuing for the other three pillars of the agreement, which focus on facilitating trade and improving conditions for workers, expanding the use of clean energy, and reforming tax structures and fighting corruption.... But prominent business groups expressed reservations about the Indo-Pacific deal, and on Friday, more than 30 of them sent a public letter to the administration saying the negotiations were leaving out traditional U.S. trade priorities that could help American exporters."

To the class of 2023 and to all the cadets here today: You stand on the broad shoulders of generations of Americans who have worn the uniform, including many barrier breakers and trailblazers. In fact, this year, you celebrate the 75th anniversary of the integration of women in the military, as well as the desegregation of our military. -- Vice President Kamala Harris, addressing West Point graduates yesterday ~~~

~~~ U.S. Army Enters 21st 20th Century. Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday became the first woman to address a graduating class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and used the opportunity to extol the diversity of the American armed forces at a time of struggle over the military's identity. In an 18-minute speech, Ms. Harris noted that the nation's military had evolved in the last 75 years from an institution once dominated by white men to one more open to women and minority groups. While she did not mention the significance of her own historic appearance, her presence at the microphone on the field at West Point in New York spoke for itself." ~~~

Marie: So that's why this is so stupid: ~~~

~~~ Trip Gabriel, et al., of the New York Times: "... as [a number of reparations] commissions announce their recommendations, the political climate is far different from just three years ago. A widespread 'anti-woke' movement on the right has targeted programs aimed at social and racial justice, and the hard-cash figures being proposed as reparations are causing sticker shock. A California task force recently recommended more than $500 billion in reparations to Black residents. San Francisco is considering compensation of $100 billion. And Representative Cori Bush of Missouri said $14 trillion was the true national cost. Republicans have seized on the figures to argue that the left's pursuit of social justice has run amok. But for Democrats, the re-emergence of the long-dormant issue poses a deeper set of problems on the horizon." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: No matter who you are, no matter your race, your ethnicity, your religion, your sex, your sexual orientation, your economic status or your physical health, the odds are high that either you or your forebears have suffered discrimination for who you are or who they were in the Land of the Free. Oh, I know there are some tens of thousands of Americans whose family never suffered much discrimination, but they're a tiny minority, and they don't have enough money among them to pay the rest of us for how we and our families were cheated of our human rights. I also know that some groups have suffered much more than others. Most were not cast into slavery. But if you're a white person whose family has been here for a long time, you probably have a few indentured servants in your line and most of your female ancestors were chattel. The point is that, in general, somewhere in our personal histories, American life has not been fair to most of us. ~~~

     ~~~ Update: In today's Comments, Ken W. has a much better analysis than mine, asking, for instance, how reparations themselves can be doled out in a fair & equitable manner.

Presidential Race 2024. Marie: Ron DeSantis hasn't let a day go by since the disastrous rollout of his presidential campaign in which he doesn't say something stupid, outrageous and/or offensive to normal people. At this point, I'm planning to skip most of his remarks, but I'll probably highlight a few over the coming months.

Beyond the Beltway

Arizona. Jared Gans of the Hill: "Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) said her predecessor, Republican Doug Ducey, misappropriated $50 million that the federal government provided to the state through the American Rescue Plan. Hobbs said in a release Friday that Ducey made the grant to the state treasurer in the final hours of his administration to fund all-day kindergarten for student recipients of empowerment scholarship accounts, which allow for parents to use the money they would pay in taxes for education to send their student to the school that they choose. But the memo notes that the state only funds half-day kindergarten for students in public school.... 'Illegally giving $50 million to private schools while failing to properly invest in public education is just one egregious example of the previous administration's blatant disregard for public school students,' Hobbs said." Hobbs' statement implies she has been able to prevent the funds from being unlawfully distributed to parents of private-school students. (Also linked yesterday.)

New York. Alysia Santo of the Marshall Project, published by the New York Times: "Over a dozen years, New York State officials have documented the results of attacks by hundreds of prison guards on the people in their custody. But when the state corrections department has tried to use this evidence to fire guards, it has failed 90 percent of the time, an investigation by The Marshall Project has found. The review of prison disciplinary records dating to 2010 found more than 290 cases in which the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision tried to fire officers or supervisors it said physically abused prisoners or covered up mistreatment that ranged from group beatings to withholding food. The agency considered these employees a threat to the safety and security of prisons. Yet officers were ousted in just 28 cases." (Also linked yesterday.)

Ohio. Cleveland 19 News: "Cleveland 19 News received a bomb threat Friday afternoon against five Target stores in the area. The threat, received at 12:26 p.m. via email, centered around Target's LGBTQ+ merchandise. Immediately jumping to action, our staff made reports with each local police department as well as the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigations." ~~~

~~~ Utah. KUTV News Salt Lake City: "A Target in Layton[, Utah,] was evacuated after officials said they were informed of a bomb threat to multiple Utah locations.... Sgt. John Ottesen with Layton Police said bomb threats were made to Target stores in Layton, Salt Lake, Taylorsville and Provo. Officers began the investigation after two local new stations received emails alerting them about the threats. They said Target's Pride merchandise displays were referenced in the emails. The threat was three sentences long and came from a 'bogus email address,' according to Sgt. Ottesen."

** Texas. Hasta La Vista. Molly Hennessy-Fiske of the Washington Post: "The Texas House impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton on Saturday over allegations of bribery, unfitness for office and abuse of public trust, a stunning rebuke of the conservative firebrand that at least temporarily forces him from office pending a state Senate trial that could lead to his permanent ouster.... Gov. Greg Abbott, a fellow Republican who has worked closely with the attorney general, will be able to appoint a temporary replacement.... Paxton has been a fierce defender of ... Donald Trump and a defiant opponent of the Biden administration, but his impeachment came at the hands of fellow Texas Republicans, who have long controlled all three branches of state government.... Of 146 House members present, 121 voted to impeach Paxton -- more than the majority required, including all but one Democrat and 60 Republicans -- 23 voted no (all Republicans), and two were present but did not vote.... Rep. Charlie Geren (R) ... noted that several colleagues had 'received telephone calls from Gen. Paxton personally threatening them with political consequences in their next election.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Zach Despart & Zach Barragan of the Texas Tribune: "Defying a last-minute appeal by ... Donald Trump, the Texas House voted overwhelmingly Saturday to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton," (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Coalition of the Corrupt. Patrick Svitek of the Texas Tribune: "Donald Trump made a late play Saturday to stop the Texas House's push to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, blasting it as 'ELECTION INTERFERENCE.' With less than half an hour until the House was set to consider Paxton's impeachment, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to blast the effort.... He went on to make clear that he will politically target any Texas House Republican who lets the impeachment move forward.... On Saturday morning, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, added his voice to the opposition, calling the impeachment effort a 'travesty.'" MB: Gosh, Donald, it looks like the majority of Texas House Republicans aren't askeert of you.

~~~ The New York Times is liveblogging developments in Texas AG Ken Paxton's impeachment hearing. The Texas Tribune is airing the proceedings, as well as running a liveblog, here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Way Beyond

Turkey. Louisa Loveluck of the Washington Post: "Turkish voters head to the polls Sunday for a landmark presidential runoff that will decide who leads the divided country through a critical period at home and on the international stage.... Sunday's runoff election is the first in Turkey's modern history and pits incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu after neither secured a majority in the first round, winning 49 percent and 45 percent of the vote, respectively. On the heels of a poorer-than-expected showing by Kilicdaroglu's alliance on May 14, most polls now predict a comfortable victory for Erdogan, who has led Turkey for two decades as prime minister, then president."

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Sunday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Ukrainians fighting outside Bakhmut have reported seeing Russian mercenaries withdrawing from the eastern city.... There were no active battles in Bakhmut on Saturday, but Russian forces continued to shell the city's outskirts and the approach to it, according to Ukraine's deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar.... In fields seeded with mines, Ukraine farmers face deadly planting season: The Russian invasion has made Ukraine one of the most mined countries on the planet, officials there say...." ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian's live updates for Sunday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here.

Andrés Martínez of the New York Times: "Russia fired the biggest wave of drones of the war on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Sunday, leaving at least one person dead.... Russia has intensified its focus on Kyiv in May, unleashing its biggest and most sustained attack there since at least March, with near-nightly volleys of missiles and drones. Sunday's attack, the 14th this month, appeared to be the first deadly one in May. Ukraine's air defenses destroyed more than 40 drones, the most fired at Kyiv in one night, the city's military administration said on Telegram."