July 30, 2022

Afternoon Update:

Peter Baker of the New York Times: "President Biden tested positive for the coronavirus again on Saturday morning, a rebound attributed to the Paxlovid treatment he was taking, but he has not experienced a recurrence of symptoms, the White House physician said. Mr. Biden 'continues to feel quite well,' the physician, Dr. Kevin C. O'Connor, said in a memo released by the White House. 'This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time, but we will obviously continue close observation,' he added. The positive test, however, means that Mr. Biden will resume 'strict isolation procedures,' as Dr. O'Connor put it, in keeping with medical advice."

From Prima Donna #1 to Prima Donna #2. Hans Nichols of Axios: Sen. Kyrsten "Sinema [D-Az.] has given no assurances to colleagues that she'll vote along party lines in the so-called 'vote-a-rama' for the $740 billion [Schumer-Manchin] bill next week, according to people familiar with the matter.... Not only is Sinema indicating that she's open to letting Republicans modify the bill [during the vote-a-rama], she has given no guarantees she'll support a final 'wrap-around' amendment, which would restore the original Schumer-Manchin deal.... [For instance,] the private equity industry, which has contributed heavily to Sinema, is hopeful that she'll knock [out the $14BB provision on carried interest]." That could kill the deal.

And to Big, Fat, Phony Liar #1. Thanks to Rockygirl for the lead. ~~~

Well, we lost all the texts of Trump telling Cuccinelli to collect all the votng machines & Secret Service agents assuring the director they had cuffed Trump in the limo & were returning him to the White House on January 6, but we do have Matt Gaetz caught on tape revealing state secrets to Roger Stone. ~~~

~~~ Jon Swaine & Dalton Bennett of the Washington Post: "As Roger Stone prepared to stand trial in 2019, complaining he was under pressure from federal prosecutors to incriminate Donald Trump, a close ally of the president repeatedly assured Stone that 'the boss' would likely grant him clemency if he were convicted, a recording shows. At an event at a Trump property that October, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) predicted that Stone would be found guilty at his trial in Washington the following month but would not 'do a day' in prison. Gaetz was apparently unaware they were being recorded by documentary filmmakers following Stone.... The lawmaker also told Stone during their conversation that Stone was mentioned 'a lot' in redacted portions of Mueller's report, appearing to refer to portions that the Justice Department had shown to select members of Congress confidentially in a secure room.... The committee's agreement not to discuss the redacted material with outsiders was formalized in a written deal with the Justice Department.... 'They're going to do you, because you're not gonna have a defense,' Gaetz told Stone.... At the time of the conversation, the committee was investigating whether Trump might have obstructed justice by floating possible pardons to Stone and other allies who were swept up in Mueller's investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election.... Trump, who publicly praised Stone for not 'flipping' on him, commuted his prison sentence before it began and eventually pardoned him." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This should, at the very least, get Matty Bumppo bumped off the Judiciary Committee.

~~~~~~~~~~

** The Cover-up, Ctd. Maria Sachetti & Carol Leonnig of the Washington Post: "The Department of Homeland Security's chief watchdog scrapped its investigative team's effort to collect agency phones to try to recover deleted Secret Service texts this year, according to four people with knowledge of the decision and internal records reviewed by The Washington Post. In ... February..., Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari's office ... decided it would not collect or review any agency phones.... After discovering that some of the text messages the watchdog sought had been deleted, the Federal Protective Service ... offered their phones to the inspector general's investigators.... But late on the night of Friday, Feb. 18, one of several deputies who report to Cuffari's management team wrote an email to investigators instructing them not to take the phones and not to seek any data from them. [Cuffari is a Trump appointee.]... In addition to the Secret Service, text messages for Trump acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf and acting deputy secretary Ken Cuccinelli are missing for a key period leading up to the Jan. 6 attack.... But Cuccinelli and Wolf both said they turned in their phones, as Wolf put it in a tweet, 'fully loaded,' and said it was up to DHS to preserve their messages.... Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued a statement Friday calling the missing messages 'an extremely serious matter' and said he would ask the Justice Department to intervene." ~~~

~~~ Whitney Wild, et al., of CNN: "The embattled inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security first learned of missing Secret Service text messages in May 2021 -- months earlier than previously known and more than a year before he alerted the House select committee investigating January 6, 2021, that potentially crucial information may have been erased, according to multiple sources.... Earlier this month, Secret Service officials told congressional committees that DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, the department's independent watchdog, was aware that texts had been erased in December 2021. But sources tell CNN, the Secret Service had notified Cuffari's office of missing text messages in May 2021, seven months earlier.... [A source told CNN] that key Secret Service personnel didn't realize data was permanently lost until after the data migration was completed, and erroneously believed the data was [were!] backed up. In July 2021, inspector general investigators told DHS they were no longer seeking Secret Service text messages, according to two sources. Cuffari's office then restarted its probe in December 2021. ~~~

~~~ Drew Harwell, et al., of the Washington Post: "Cybersecurity experts and former government leaders are stunned by how poorly the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security handled the preservation of officials' text messages and other data from around Jan. 6, 2021, saying the top agencies entrusted with fighting cybercrime should never have bungled the simple task of backing up agents' phones.... The failure has raised suspicions about the disposition of records that could provide intimate details about what happened on that chaotic day, and whose preservation was mandated by federal law.... Paul Rosenzweig, a senior policy official at the Department of Homeland Security during the George W. Bush administration..., said he polled 11 of his friends with cybersecurity backgrounds, including information-security chiefs at federal agencies, on whether any of them had ever done a migration without a plan for backing up data and restoring it. None of them had.... Several experts were critical of the Secret Service's explanation that it had asked agents to upload their own phone data to an agency drive before their phones were wiped. Cybersecurity professionals said that policy was 'highly unusual,' 'ludicrous,' ... and not something any other organization would ever do.'..." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: IMO, there is no innocent explanation. The oopsies! and finger-pointing don't cut it.

Jeremy Peters of the New York Times: "... Fox News..., which is owned by Rupert Murdoch and boosted [Donald] Trump's ascension from real estate developer and reality television star to the White House, is now often bypassing him in favor of showcasing other Republicans. In the former president's view, according to two people who have spoken to him recently, Fox's ignoring him is an affront far worse than running stories and commentary that he has complained are 'too negative.' The network is effectively displacing him from his favorite spot: the center of the news cycle.... The snubs are not coincidental, according to several people close to Mr. Murdoch's Fox Corporation.... The skepticism toward the former president extends to ... Mr. Murdoch, the chairman, and his son Lachlan, the chief executive.... It also reflects concerns that Republicans in Washington, like Senator Mitch McConnell.... Some of the people acknowledged that Fox's current approach to Mr. Trump could be temporary." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Peters doesn't mention it, but I suspect Rupert soured on Trump the day Dominion Voting Systems filed its multi-million-dollar lawsuit against Fox "News." Dominion has accused Fox of defamation for spreading lies about Dominion systems. The case is moving along, & Fox's attempts to get the case dismissed have failed. The lies about Dominion began with Trump & the Trumpettes, but Fox personalities adopted and repeated the lies on-air.

David Smith of the Guardian: "Over two days [during which Donald Trump gave an even darker 'American carnage'-type speech,] Trump's allies and alumni laid out a blueprint for a return to power and a second term more authoritarian, more extreme and more ruthless than the first. The institute -- evidently untroubled by the associations of the phrase 'America First' with Nazi sympathisers who wanted to keep the US out of the second world war -- has 150 staff, including nine former Trump administration cabinet officials and more than 50 former senior staff and officials. Familiar faces such as Kellyanne Conway, Larry Kudlow and Mark Meadows were feted at the conference.... Critics have described the AFPI as a 'grift' for Trump hangers-on to make money but others perceive a 'White House in waiting', determined to avoid the mistakes of his uniquely turbulent presidency and, through 22 'policy centres', guarantee the survival of Trumpism beyond Trump."

Peter Baker of the New York Times: "After announcing in early July that she would step down, Kate Bedingfield, the White House communications director and an adviser to President Biden for years, abruptly changed her mind.... Ms. Bedingfield's about-face ... came as turnover in the West Wing has picked up, although it is still nowhere comparable to the revolving door of ... Donald J. Trump's administration." The CNN story, which broke the news, is here.

That's Better. Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "President Biden is nominating Julie Rikelman, who represented the abortion clinic in the Supreme Court case that would ultimately overturn Roe v. Wade, for a judgeship on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in Boston. Rikelman serves as the litigation director at the Center for Reproductive Rights and previously worked at NBC Universal as vice president of litigation."

Annie Karni & Julian Barnes of the New York Times: "Responding to a string of mass shootings, a divided House passed a ban on assault weapons on Friday, moving over the near-unanimous opposition of Republicans to reinstate a prohibition that expired nearly two decades ago.... The legislation would make it illegal to sell, manufacture, transfer, possess or import assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices. It stands no chance of passing in the evenly divided Senate.... Still, the vote provided a way for Democrats to demonstrate to voters months before the midterm elections that they were trying to address the epidemic of gun violence in America." CNN's report is here.

Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: "Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) turned with fury on ... [Joe Manchin (D-ish-W.Va.]. 'It was obviously a double-cross by Joe Manchin,' he declared on Fox News. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) alleged ;bad faith.' Rep. Kevin Brady (Tex.), the top Republican on the Ways and Means committee, perceived 'deceit.' What terrible thing had Manchin done...? Well, it seems Manchin, the Republicans' formerly favorite Democrat, had dared to act like a Democrat.... The episode is a key reminder that the supposed 'polarization' in American politics is not symmetrical. Democrats, after a long struggle, are finally making a bid to hold the political center.... And Republicans responded by voting against veterans and U.S. manufacturing.... Manchin, no doubt, has given his fellow Democrats fits for two years. But in one sense, he is very much one of them: He still wants to get things done. In the current American political system, only one side is even trying."

GOP Presses Google to Mail Its Spam. Isaac Stanley-Becker & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "The [Republican] party's online fundraising has fallen off in recent months, declining by about 11 percent in the second quarter of the year, compared with the first, according to federal filings from WinRed, the main donation-processing portal for the Republicans. Online fundraising by Democrats increased by more than 21 percent, according to filings from the Democrats' main portal, ActBlue. It's unclear what impact Google's spam filters have had on the GOP's fundraising, if any. Nevertheless, Republicans have waged a pressure campaign that has included public Twitter offensives and private discussions with Google chief executive Sundar Pichai. GOP lawmakers have introduced draft legislation in both chambers of Congress.... The GOP's full-court press drew on the party's longtime protest that Silicon Valley is biased against conservatives -- a claim disputed by the companies.... In recent election cycles, the Republican fundraising apparatus, led by Gary Coby, a strategist for ... Donald Trump, has ratcheted up email solicitations for small-dollar contributions. Trump's PAC often sends out more than a dozen pitches a day. Many are misleading, with promises of a '700%' match but with fine print showing that donations may not specifically benefit the advertised cause...."

Bob Brigham of the Raw Story: "Notorious conspiracy theory promoting Alex Jones is again seeking bankruptcy protection since losing a defamation lawsuit after he denied that the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre occurred. 'The parent company of far-right conspiracy website InfoWars filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection on Friday as the company and its founder Alex Jones faces up to $150 million in damages in a trial over longstanding falsehoods he perpetuated about the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre,' Reuters reported Friday. 'Three other companies associated with InfoWars filed for bankruptcy protection in April, but they voluntarily ended their own case in June after failing to secure a settlement with plaintiffs in the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuit. InfoW, IW Health and Prison Planet were the debtors in that case.' The parent company is Free Speech Systems, LLC."

Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times: "Monkeypox, once a relatively obscure virus endemic to Africa, has bloomed into a global threat, infecting more than 20,000 people in 75 countries and forcing the World Health Organization to declare a worldwide health emergency.... This virus -- unlike the coronavirus -- is a known enemy, officials say.... But ... the virus remains a mystery in some important ways, not exactly behaving in ways that researchers saw during sporadic outbreaks in African countries. Scientists are racing to answer three questions in particular that will determine how quickly monkeypox can be stopped -- if it can be stopped at all. Exactly how is the virus spreading?... Is one dose of the vaccine sufficient?... How well does drug treatment work?"

Lola Fadulu of the New York Times: "Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency as cases of monkeypox continue to increase rapidly in New York. The outbreak has been concentrated in New York City and reached close to 1,400 cases across the state on Friday, according to the governor's disaster declaration. The declaration authorizes state agencies to assist localities in responding to the outbreak. The governor said on Twitter that it would allow the state 'to respond more swiftly' to the outbreak."

Beyond the Beltway

Florida. "Medical Freedom." Right-Wing Loons Could Take Over Your Public Hospital. Tim Craig of the Washington Post: "... a slate of four conservative candidates [is] trying to take over control of the board that oversees Sarasota's flagship public hospital, highlighting how once-obscure offices are emerging as a new front in the political and societal battles that have intensified across the country since the start of the pandemic in 2020.... Health policy experts say the campaign is a troubling sign of how ideological divisions are spilling into the world of medical care as fights over abortion, the coronavirus and vaccines increasingly fall across party lines -- alarming doctors, hospital administrators and medical experts.... The Sarasota candidates, at least three of whom are skeptical of coronavirus vaccine mandates, are rallying behind the theme of 'medical freedom.' The term is increasingly being utilized by the conservative movement nationwide and hits a belief that patients aren't given enough control over their medical care. Proponents point to vaccine mandates and difficulty accessing unproven coronavirus treatments like Ivermectin that were touted by politicians but rejected by physicians." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: We are seeing more & more that right-wingers are not only endangering our way of life but also our very lives. So if you're thinking, "Well, I'm not a young woman, so at least the Dobbs decision isn't going to kill me," or "I'm fully vaccinated & wear a mask, so I'm safe from Republicans' anti-vax rules," or "I'm not a veteran, so I don't have to worry about not receiving treatment for cancer caused by burn-pit exposure," etc., the right has news for you. They're gonna getcha, getcha, getcha.

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Saturday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates are here.

Canada/Vatican. Jason Horowitz of the New York Times: "Pope Francis has called the devastation visited on generations of Indigenous people in Canada by European colonizers -- carried out with the blessing of the Roman Catholic Church -- a 'genocide' as he returned to Rome after a six-day trip to the North American country. As well as again denouncing the abuse against Indigenous people, which he had previously called 'evil,' the pope noted that the Canada visit had showed that the limitations of his mobility and the advancement of his age would force him to slow down and possibly reduce the tours that have been a hallmark of his papacy."

Netherlands. David Segal of the New York Times in a very pleasing essay on why the people of Rotterdam were incensed when a beloved (and nonfunctioning) bridge known as the Hef, was being partially & temporarily dismantled so that a super-yacht being built up-river for Jeff Bezos could pass through. The article may make you wish you lived in Rotterdam or some quaint Dutch village.

News Ledes

New York Times: "The response to some of the worst flooding in Kentucky's history was entering a pivotal phase on Saturday morning, with the confirmed death toll at 25 and the search for victims poised to accelerate over a battered stretch of central Appalachia. A cold front is expected to bring clearer weather to flood-stricken areas on Saturday, giving rescue personnel one less obstacle to contend with as they work to pluck more residents off rooftops. Nearly 300 people have been rescued in Kentucky so far, about 100 of them by aircraft, Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters on Friday." An AP report is here.

AP: "Someone beat the odds and won the $1.28 billion Mega Millions jackpot. According to megamillions.com, there was one winning ticket in the draw Friday night, and it was bought in Illinois. The winning numbers were: 13-36-45-57-67, Mega Ball: 14." MB: Somewhere there is another couple who picked the same first five numbers & a wife is telling her husband, "I told you to pick 14."

July 29, 2022

** DOJ Ramps Up Investigation of Trump. Evan Perez & Katelyn Polantz of CNN: "Justice Department prosecutors are preparing to fight in court to force former White House officials to testify about ... Donald Trump's conversations and actions around January 6, according to people briefed on the matter. At issue are claims of executive privilege that prosecutors expect the former president to make in order to shield some information from the federal grand jury as the criminal investigation moves deeper into the ranks of White House officials who directly interacted with Trump. DOJ's preemptive move is the clearest sign yet that federal investigators are homing in on Trump's conduct as he tried to prevent the transfer of power to Joe Biden."

Katelyn Polantz of CNN: "Former Justice Department staffer Ken Klukowski, who worked with Jeffrey Clark at the agency, is cooperating in the DOJ's January 6 criminal investigation, after investigators searched and copied his electronic records several weeks ago.... Klukowski's proximity to Clark suggests investigators are seeking more information about the former Justice Department lawyer. Trump had sought to install Clark as attorney general in the days before the January 6 attack on the US Capitol as top officials refused to go along with his vote fraud claims.... Klukowski could provide unique insight into Clark and efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election. He was at the center of an effort by Trump to get the Justice Department to falsely claim there was significant voter fraud in Georgia and other states that he lost. In the days before January 6, Clark helped Trump devise a plan to oust then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, place himself atop the department, and have the DOJ intervene in Georgia to set aside its voting results in order to sway the state to Trump."

Glenn Thrush, et al., of the New York Times: "As the Justice Department investigation into the attack on the Capitol grinds ever closer to ... Donald J. Trump, it has prompted persistent -- and cautionary -- reminders of the backlash caused by inquiries into Mr. Trump and Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland is intent on avoiding even the slightest errors, which could taint the current investigation, provide Mr. Trump's defenders with reasons to claim the inquiry was driven by animus, or undo his effort to rehabilitate the department's reputation after the political warfare of the Trump years. Mr. Garland never seriously considered focusing on Mr. Trump from the outset, as investigators had done earlier with Mr. Trump and with Mrs. Clinton during her email investigation, people close to him say. As a result, his investigators have taken a more methodical approach, carefully climbing up the chain of personnel behind the 2020 plan to name fake slates of Trump electors in battleground states that had been won by Joseph R. Biden Jr. That has now led them to Mr. Trump.... [F.B.I. Director Christopher] Wray appears to be proceeding with the same level of caution...." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Over the past couple of days, I watched "The Comey Rule," a Showtime miniseries based on James Comey's memoir. IMO, the series is not particularly good, and Jeff Daniels is ever-so miscast as Comey. Despite relying on Comey's book, Daniels portrays Comey as the self-righteous jerk he is. So there's that. I remembered most of what Comey did, but what I did forget was how enraged I was by Comey's stunts, and that was before I knew the FBI was faking it when, right before the election, it leaked a false claim that there was no evidence Trump had colluded with Russians. So if you want to revive your disdain for Comey, the series is worth watching. "The Comey Rule" is now airing on Netflix.

** How Conveeeenient, Part 2. The DHS/Secret Service Cover-up Expands. Carol Leonnig & Maria Sacchetti of the Washington Post: "Text messages for ... Donald Trump's acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and acting deputy secretary Ken Cuccinelli are missing for a key period leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.... The Department of Homeland Security notified the agency's inspector general in late February that Wolf's and Cuccinelli's texts were lost in a 'reset' of their government phones when they left their jobs in January 2021.... The office of the department's undersecretary of management also told the government watchdog that the text messages for its boss, undersecretary Randolph 'Tex' Alles, the former Secret Service director, were also no longer available due to a previously planned phone reset. The office of Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari did not press the department leadership at that time to explain why they did not preserve these records, nor seek ways to recover the lost data.... Cuffari also failed to alert Congress to the potential destruction of government records." The Secret Service is a division of the DHS.>

Melanie Zanona of CNN: "Former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney was seen by reporters arriving for his interview Thursday with the House select committee investigating January 6, 2021. Mulvaney resigned from his position as special envoy to Northern Ireland in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. He previously served as ... Donald Trump's acting chief of staff until March 2020, when the President replaced him with Mark Meadows." (This is an update of a story linked yesterday afternoon)

Kyle Cheney of Politico: "The Jan. 6 select committee is preparing to produce 20 witness interview transcripts to the Justice Department amid prosecutors' increasingly public investigation of efforts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election. 'The Select committee intends to share 20 transcripts,' a committee spokesperson said in a late-Thursday update on the panel's engagement with the Justice Department. 'We have no plans to share additional transcripts at this time.'" ~~~

~~~ Kyle Cheney of Politico: "The Jan. 6 select committee has formalized a path to share witness transcripts and evidence with the Justice Department, its chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) told Politico Thursday.... Agreement on evidence-sharing would mark a significant milestone as the DOJ inquiry into efforts by Donald Trump and others to overturn the 2020 election enters a more public-facing phase. Federal investigators have sought to access the congressional committee's 1,000-plus witness interview transcripts since April, but the select panel has resisted as its probe continued to generate extraordinary new evidence and witness testimony.... In a wide-ranging interview, Thompson said the select committee is entering an intense period of closed-door work to handle 'housekeeping' matters -- such as how to handle the five GOP members of Congress the panel subpoenaed but who have refused to comply. He said the panel is still mulling decisions about whether to formally request testimony from Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Katherine Faulders, et al., of ABC News: "The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is working to secure testimony from a growing number of officials in ... Donald Trump's Cabinet, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News. Trump's former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who reportedly discussed the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment as a vehicle to remove Trump from office with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, recently sat with committee investigators for a transcribed interview, the sources said. ABC News previously reported that Pompeo is expected to speak with the committee in the coming days, though his interview is not officially scheduled." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Pete Williams of NBC News: "Lawyers for ... Donald Trump are urging a federal appeals court to rule that he cannot be sued for allegedly inciting the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol because he has total immunity from such lawsuits.... The former president's lawyers are seeking to shield him from civil lawsuits filed by Democratic members of Congress and two U.S. Capitol Police officers who said they were injured during the siege. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta pared back some of those claims in February but declined to dismiss all of them. Mehta ruled that Trump was not immune from civil lawsuits and that he was acting as a candidate, not performing one of the duties of his office, when he spoke at a rally before the riot." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC opined that Trump will be a defendant in various lawsuits till the day he dies. Trump's expectation of continuing legal troubles could help explain why he moved his official residence to Florida; Florida is fairly generous to people filing for bankruptcy, and O'Donnell thinks Trump might have to file for bankruptcy sooner or later. It looks to me as if Trump would lose Mar-a-Lardo, though; the protected property has to qualify for a homestead exemption and can't exceed half an acre in a municipality; & the Palm Beach property is 17 acres. Plus, he operates the place as a club now, so. ~~~

     ~~~ While I was checking on the size of the Mar-a-Lago acreage, I read this on the Wikipage: In the early 1980s, Trump "offered the Post family $15 million for [Mar-a-Lago], but they rejected it. Trump purchased the land between Mar-a-Lago and the ocean ... for $2 million, stating he intended to build a home that would block Mar-a-Lago's beach view. The threat caused interest in the property to decline, and Trump ended up getting the property for $7 million in 1985." There has never been a waking moment in Trump's life when he was not acting like a jackass.

Julia Mueller of the Hill: "Former President Trump defended the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tournament planned for his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., against calls from families of 9/11 terror attack victims to back out. 'Nobody's gotten to the bottom of 9/11, unfortunately,' Trump told ESPN Thursday.... 'I've known these people for a long time, in Saudi Arabia, and they've been friends of mine for a long time. They've invested in many American companies ... and frankly, what they're doing for golf is so great,' he said on ESPN Thursday.... Families of victims who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks condemned Trump for hosting the tournament, slated for this weekend at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, due to Saudi ties to the attack's plotters." ~~~

~~~ Mariana Alfaro, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump was spotted using the presidential seal on multiple items during the LIV Golf tournament at his Bedminster, N.J., golf course. The seal was plastered on towels, golf carts and other items as the former president participated in the pro-am of the Saudi-sponsored tournament Thursday. It is against federal law to use the presidential and vice-presidential seals in ways that could convey 'a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States.'... This is not the first time the display of the seal has been reported at Trump properties.... Last year, a D.C.-based watchdog group [CREW] accused his Bedminster golf club of profiting from using images of the presidential seal.... While violating this law could result in imprisonment of 'not more than six months,' a fine, or both, these punishments are rarely doled out." MB: Some federal entity -- maybe the GAO -- at least should send the Trumpster a cease-and-desist letter.

Abha Bhattarai of the Washington Post: "The U.S. economy shrank again for a second straight quarter, at an annual rate of 0.9 percent, raising concerns the country may be heading into recession and compounding the Biden administration's political challenges as it grapples with decades-high inflation. The new figures, released Thursday by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, come at a tumultuous time for the economy, though economists disagree on the likelihood of a full-fledged slump. In the past, six months of contraction have usually indicated a recession. The official determination is made by a separate panel of experts, though recessions aren't typical when unemployment is near record lows." The AP's report is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Lydia DePillis of the New York Times highlights significant details: "Consumer spending, which powers the majority of the economy, rose 1 percent on an annualized basis, a marked slowdown from previous months.... Home construction, also referred to as residential fixed investment, sagged 14 percent at an annual rate.... Inventories, which measure the amount of stuff that's been produced or imported but not yet sold, depressed the overall number by more than two percentage points on an annual basis.... Business construction, known as fixed investment in nonresidential structures, dove by 11.7 percent on an annual basis.... Federal government spending shrank 3.2 percent on an annual basis.... Final sales to domestic purchasers ... sank 0.3 percent." Emphasis original. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ President Biden's statement on the GDP report is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "The U.S. economy is not currently in a recession. No, two quarters of negative growth aren't, whatever you may have heard, the 'official' or 'technical' definition of a recession; that determination is made by a committee that has always relied on several indicators, especially job growth. And as Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, noted yesterday, the labor market still looks strong. That said, the U.S. economy is definitely slowing, basically because the Fed is deliberately engineering a slowdown to bring inflation down. And it's possible that this slowdown will eventually be severe and broad-based enough to get the R-label."

Peter Baker & Jane Perlez of the New York Times: "President Biden and President Xi Jinping of China confronted each other over Taiwan during a marathon phone call on Thursday, but neither side reported any concrete progress on that longstanding dispute or any of the other issues that have flared between the two powers in recent months. In their first direct conversation in four months, Mr. Xi sharply warned the United States against intervening in the conflict with Taiwan while Mr. Biden sought to reassure his counterpart that his administration was not seeking to upset the current situation between the two sides and cautioned that neither should either of them."

President Biden spoke about the Inflation Reduction Act (the Schumer/Manchin deal) and the GDP report Thursday: ~~~

Payback #1. Schumer Rolled McConnell; GOP Senators Take It Out on Sick Veterans. Eugene Scott & Mike DeBonis of the Washington Post: "Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a bill to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pits weeks after the measure initially sailed through the Senate with 84 votes, angering Democrats, veterans groups and comedian Jon Stewart, a leading proponent to aid the community. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, was particularly incensed by the turn of events. Tester, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), other lawmakers and Stewart on Thursday morning joined veterans outside the Capitol -- who originally came to Washington to see the bill pass -- to assail the GOP.... Democrats accused Republicans of voting against the bill in retaliation for a deal announced earlier by Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) that will allow Democrats to move ahead on an economic, health-care and climate package without Republican votes."

Payback #2. Fail. Amy Wang & Marianna Sotomayor of the Washington Post: "The House on Thursday voted to pass the $280 billion Chips and Science Act, a bill that would subsidize domestic semiconductor manufacturing and invest billions in science and technology innovation, in a bid to strengthen the United States' competitiveness and self-reliance in what is seen as a keystone industry for economic and national security. The House passed the legislation on a 243-187 vote, with strong bipartisan support -- despite a last-minute push by House GOP leaders to whip against the bill.... After the stunning news Wednesday night of a deal between Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Democratic leaders on a separate climate, health-care and taxes bill, House GOP leaders urged members to oppose the chips bill as retribution, in an effort to deny [President] Biden and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) a legislative win. Twenty-four Republicans defied the leadership and joined Democrats in backing the measure." The bill now goes to President Biden for signature. CNN's report is here.

Marianne Levine & Anthony Adragna of Politico: "Democrats convened for a private caucus meeting Thursday morning to discuss the stunning Wednesday deal announced by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). During the meeting, Schumer touted the agreement and urged his caucus to pull out all the stops in order to get the bill passed before leaving D.C. for Congress' usual summer recess.... In a sign that Republicans will put up a tough fight against the package, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Democrats have 'an absolute monstrosity, and we're going to be really aggressively in opposition.'... On top of the parliamentarian's scrubbing [to comply with rules that will allow the bill to pass via a simple majority vote (reconciliation)], Democrats will need full attendance from their 50-member caucus in order to pass the bill. Underscoring how difficult that will be to pull off, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) tested positive for Covid Thursday; the caucus hasn't had all 50 members voting since the start of the month.... Moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) has not yet backed it or publicly commented and did not attend the caucus meeting Thursday morning." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Emily Cochrane & Annie Karni of the New York Times: "Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, and Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, were both nursing resentments when they met secretly in a windowless room in the basement of the Capitol last Monday to try to salvage a climate package that was a key piece of their party's agenda. Mr. Schumer was discouraged that Mr. Manchin had said he wasn't ready to do the deal this summer, and might never be. Mr. Manchin was frustrated that Democrats had spent days publicly vilifying him for single-handedly torpedoing their agenda.... It was the start of a frenzied and improbable effort by a tiny group of Democrats, carried out over 10 days and entirely in secret, that succeeded this week in reviving the centerpiece of President Biden's domestic policy plan -- and held out the prospect of a major victory for his party months before the midterm congressional elections.... Should it pass both chambers in the coming weeks, the measure would fulfill longstanding Democratic promises to address soaring health care costs and tax the rich, as well as provide the largest investment toward fighting climate change in American history." ~~~

     ~~~ CNN's How'd-They-Do-That? story is here.

Cruel, Arrogant SOB Mocks World Leaders. Josh Gerstein of Politico: "Justice Samuel Alito, the author of the Supreme Court's earth-shaking decision last month overturning Roe v. Wade, is mocking foreign leaders who lamented his opinion doing away with a half-century of federal constitutional protection for abortion rights in the U.S. During a surprise appearance as a keynote speaker at a religious freedom conference in Rome last week, sponsored by the University of Notre Dame, Alito poked fun at the torrent of international criticism of his opinion for the five-justice court majority." Among those he mocked were Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron & Justin Trudeau. Oh, and Prince Harry. MB: Well, yeah, because depriving women of reproductive rights, even when their lives may be at risk, is hilarious. So people who respect human rights are fair game. I would like to wipe the smirk off that prick's face.

Gaetz's Stupid, Cruel Insults Pay Off -- for Abortion Rights. Andrew Jeong of the Washington Post: "Olivia Julianna, the 19-year-old reproductive rights activist who this week turned an insult from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) into a fundraiser, has raised more than $1.3 million for women seeking abortions -- after taking just 72 hours to hit the $1 million mark. The donations inspired by Olivia Julianna, a political strategist for the nonprofit Gen Z for Change, happily surprised abortion rights advocates. The $1.3 million raised by the group by early Friday is more than 10 percent of what the National Network of Abortion Funds -- which includes about 90 abortion funds in the United States and Mexico -- distributed in an entire year. It is also enough to fund thousands of abortions, which cost on average $550 per service."

Noah Weiland & Sharon LaFraniere of the New York Times: "The Biden administration now expects to begin a Covid-19 booster campaign with retooled vaccines in September because Pfizer and Moderna have promised that they can deliver doses by then, according to people familiar with the deliberations. With updated formulations apparently close at hand, federal officials have decided against expanding eligibility for second boosters of the existing vaccines this summer. The new versions are expected to perform better against the now-dominant Omicron subvariant BA.5, although the data available so far is still preliminary. At this point, only Americans over 50 and those over 12 with certain immune deficiencies have been eligible for second booster doses. Although some federal officials pressed to bolster the protection of younger Americans now, officials agreed on the goal of strengthening everyone's immunity in the fall with what is hoped to be a more effective booster, ahead of a possible winter surge of the virus."

Liam Stack of the New York Times: "For gay and bisexual men in New York, the summer has been consumed with ... conversations [about] monkeypox [as] cases spike among men who have sex with men. There is widespread fear of the virus, which primarily spreads through close physical contact and causes excruciating lesions and other symptoms that can lead to hospitalization. There is fear of the isolation and potential stigma of an infection, since those who contract monkeypox must stay home for weeks. And some fear the vaccine itself, in an echo of the hesitancy and mistrust that hindered the coronavirus response. Many are also furious at the lags and fumbles in the government's effort to contain the disease, including delayed vaccines and mixed messaging about how the virus spreads and how people should protect themselves. And some are anxious that monkeypox could be twisted into a political weapon to be used against gay and transgender people, whose rights have come under increasing fire from Republicans in recent months."

Beyond the Beltway

Texas. Mothers Against Greg Abbott go to the darkest of dark comedy:

Wisconsin. Scott Bauer of the AP: "A Wisconsin judge said Thursday that a Republican-ordered, taxpayer-funded investigation into the 2020 election found 'absolutely no evidence of election fraud,' but did reveal contempt for the state's open records law by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and a former state Supreme Court justice he hired. Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn awarded about $98,000 in attorneys' fees to the liberal watchdog group American Oversight, bringing an end in circuit court to one of four lawsuits the group filed.... The fees will be paid by taxpayers, which is why the judge said she was not also awarding additional punitive damages against Vos. Costs to taxpayers for the investigation, including ongoing legal fees, have exceeded $1 million.... All of American Oversight's lawsuits stem from records requests it made to Vos and Michael Gableman, a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice hired by Vos in June 2021 to investigate the 2020 presidential election won by President Joe Biden. Vos ordered the investigation under pressure from election loser Donald Trump...."

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al.

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

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live briefings for Friday are here: "Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is being arranged and that it would 'be interesting to listen to Blinken's proposals on a prisoner swap.' Washington is trying to secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who are detained in Russia.... The first grain shipments from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea are expected to begin by the end of the week following confirmation from the United Nations, Ukrainian authorities announced Friday.... Ukraine and pro-Russian forces are accusing each other of killing Ukrainian prisoners of war in an occupied area of the eastern Donetsk region. A minister for the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic said a Ukrainian strike using U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems hit a prison, killing at least 53 Ukrainian troops captured in Mariupol.... Russia is likely using mercenaries from the Wagner Group on the front lines like normal army units, due to major shortages of combat infantry, Britain's Defense Ministry said in its Friday update."

Liz Sly of the Washington Post: "Russian advances in Ukraine have slowed almost to a standstill as newly delivered Western weapons help Ukrainian forces reclaim much of the advantage they had lost in recent months, opening a window of opportunity to turn the tide of the war in their favor again. Russian troops have made no significant territorial gains since the Ukrainian retreat on July 2 from the eastern city of Lysychansk under withering artillery fire. The retreat gave Russia full control over Luhansk, one of the two oblasts, or regions, that make up the broader eastern Donbas area, and it marked Russia's only meaningful strategic success since its retreat from territory around Kyiv in April. The lack of progress may be explained at least in part by the 'operational pause' declared by Russia's Defense Ministry after the seizure of Lysychansk -- to allow Russian troops a chance to 'rest and develop their combat capabilities,' in the words of ... Vladimir Putin."

The New York Times' live updates of developments Thursday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live briefings for Thursday are here: "Russia's Foreign Ministry said Thursday that no concrete result has been achieved in U.S.-Russian prisoner exchange negotiations, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States made a 'substantial proposal' to Moscow for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and security consultant Paul Whelan. In Ukraine, air raid sirens blared as strikes were reported outside the capital, Kyiv, and in several other regions. Here's the latest on the war and its global impact." (Also linked yesterday.)

News Lede

AccuWeather: "Heavy rain poured down across eastern Kentucky late Wednesday into Thursday, triggering deadly flash flooding that caused mudslides, washed away homes and roadways and promoted a flash flood emergency. The deluge produced more than 10 inches over a 24-hour period in the hardest-hit areas and came only days after another disastrous flood inundated the St. Louis area. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told CNN early Friday that the death toll had risen to 15 and that number would likely double." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times is liveblogging developments in the Kentucky flooding.

July 28, 2022

Afternoon Update:

Abha Bhattarai of the Washington Post: "The U.S. economy shrank again for a second straight quarter, at an annual rate of 0.9 percent, raising concerns the country may be heading into recession and compounding the Biden administration's political challenges as it grapples with decades-high inflation. The new figures, released Thursday by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, come at a tumultuous time for the economy, though economists disagree on the likelihood of a full-fledged slump. In the past, six months of contraction have usually indicated a recession. The official determination is made by a separate panel of experts, though recessions aren't typical when unemployment is near record lows." The AP's report is here. ~~~

~~~ Lydia DePillis of the New York Times highlights significant details: "Consumer spending, which powers the majority of the economy, rose 1 percent on an annualized basis, a marked slowdown from previous months.... Home construction, also referred to as residential fixed investment, sagged 14 percent at an annual rate.... Inventories, which measure the amount of stuff that's been produced or imported but not yet sold, depressed the overall number by more than two percentage points on an annual basis.... Business construction, known as fixed investment in nonresidential structures, dove by 11.7 percent on an annual basis.... Federal government spending shrank 3.2 percent on an annual basis.... Final sales to domestic purchasers ... sank 0.3 percent." Emphasis original. ~~~

~~~ President Biden's statement on the GDP report is here.

Marianne Levine & Anthony Adragna of Politico: "Democrats convened for a private caucus meeting Thursday morning to discuss the stunning Wednesday deal announced by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). During the meeting, Schumer touted the agreement and urged his caucus to pull out all the stops in order to get the bill passed before leaving D.C. for Congress' usual summer recess.... In a sign that Republicans will put up a tough fight against the package, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Democrats have 'an absolute monstrosity, and we're going to be really aggressively in opposition.'... On top of the parliamentarian's scrubbing [to comply with rules that will allow the bill to pass via a simple majority vote (reconciliation)], Democrats will need full attendance from their 50-member caucus in order to pass the bill. Underscoring how difficult that will be to pull off, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) tested positive for Covid Thursday; the caucus hasn't had all 50 members voting since the start of the month. And it's still not clear whether the entire caucus is on board with the Manchin-blessed deal. Moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) has not yet backed it or publicly commented and did not attend the caucus meeting Thursday morning."

Mychael Schnell & Emily Brooks of the Hill: "House Republican leadership is urging members of its conference to vote against a bill to bolster the domestic chip manufacturing industry and fund scientific research, a reversal from its position earlier in the day that comes hours after Senate Democrats struck a deal on a multibillion-dollar reconciliation package. In a memo to all House GOP offices Wednesday night, leadership recommended that Republican lawmakers vote against the CHIPS-Plus bill, which passed the Senate in a bipartisan vote earlier in the day.... [The agreement between Chuck Schumer & Joe Manchin] agreement that appears to be driving House GOP's opposition to CHIPS-Plus."

Melanie Zanona of CNN: "Former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney was seen by reporters arriving for his interview Thursday with the House select committee investigating January 6, 2021. Mulvaney resigned from his position as special envoy to Northern Ireland in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. He previously served as ... Donald Trump's acting chief of staff until March 2020, when the President replaced him with Mark Meadows."

Kyle Cheney of Politico: "The Jan. 6 select committee has formalized a path to share witness transcripts and evidence with the Justice Department, its chair Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) told Politico Thursday.... Agreement on evidence-sharing would mark a significant milestone as the DOJ inquiry into efforts by Donald Trump and others to overturn the 2020 election enters a more public-facing phase. Federal investigators have sought to access the congressional committee's 1,000-plus witness interview transcripts since April, but the select panel has resisted as its probe continued to generate extraordinary new evidence and witness testimony.... In a wide-ranging interview, Thompson said the select committee is entering an intense period of closed-door work to handle 'housekeeping' matters -- such as how to handle the five GOP members of Congress the panel subpoenaed but who have refused to comply. He said the panel is still mulling decisions about whether to formally request testimony from Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence."

Katherine Faulders, et al., of ABC News: "The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is working to secure testimony from a growing number of officials in ... Donald Trump's Cabinet, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News. Trump's former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who reportedly discussed the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment as a vehicle to remove Trump from office with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, recently sat with committee investigators for a transcribed interview, the sources said. ABC News previously reported that Pompeo is expected to speak with the committee in the coming days, though his interview is not officially scheduled."

Ukraine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Thursday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates are here. ~~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live briefings for Thursday are here: "Russia's Foreign Ministry said Thursday that no concrete result has been achieved in U.S.-Russian prisoner exchange negotiations, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States made a 'substantial proposal' to Moscow for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and security consultant Paul Whelan. In Ukraine, air raid sirens blared as strikes were reported outside the capital, Kyiv, and in several other regions. Here's the latest on the war and its global impact."

~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Crowley, et al., of the New York Times: "The Biden administration has offered to free the imprisoned Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to secure the release of Brittney Griner and Paul N. Whelan, two Americans imprisoned in Russia who the State Department says were wrongfully detained, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said Wednesday that the United States had 'put a substantial proposal on the table' and that he would soon press for the Americans&' return in his first conversation with his Russian counterpart since Russia invaded Ukraine five months ago. Mr. Blinken's comments represented the first time that the United States had confirmed that it had made a formal proposal to persuade Russia to release Ms. Griner, an American basketball star who has been detained for months on drug charges, and Mr. Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who was sentenced in Russia in 2020 to 16 years in prison on espionage charges." CNN's report, which broke the news, is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I suppose there will be great celebrations all around if this lopsided trade goes through. As for me, I expect Griner to apologize for freeing the so-called "Merchant of Death," largely on account of her hubris (she went to Russia after the State Department advised Americans against it) & carelessness (she says she accidentally packed the hash). I won't be all surprised if the apology never comes.

Jeff Cox of CNBC: "The Federal Reserve on Wednesday enacted its second consecutive 0.75 percentage point interest rate increase as it seeks to tamp down runaway inflation without creating a recession. In taking the benchmark overnight borrowing rate up to a range of 2.25%-2.5%, the moves in June and July represent the most stringent consecutive moves since the Fed began using the overnight funds rate as the principal tool of monetary policy in the early 1990s." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) The New York Times report is here.

Katherine Faulders, et al., of ABC News: "Cassidy Hutchinson, a former top adviser to ... Donald Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows, has recently cooperated with the Department of Justice investigation into the events of Jan. 6, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Justice Department reached out to her following her testimony a month ago before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, the sources said." MB: Gosh, Former President* Bullyboy, maybe it was a bad idea to diss Hutchinson after her earlier testimony. (Also linked yesterday.)

Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein of Politico: "The Justice Department revealed on Wednesday that it had obtained a new search warrant to access the contents of attorney John Eastman's phone, which it seized from the pro-Trump lawyer last month before transporting it to a lab in Virginia. The development, filed in court via Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Windom, came in response to a legal effort by Eastman to block investigators from 'rummaging' through his files. The Justice Department had indicated that it would obtain a warrant that would limit investigators' access to 'evidence of specific federal crimes or specific types of material.' Windom indicated in the filing that the new warrant -- dated July 12 -- included a 'filter protocol' to prevent investigators from accessing privileged material, and that the details of that process had been communicated to Eastman's attorneys.... [An earlier] warrant [obtained in June] did not permit investigators to actually examine the emails, text messages or text devices on those electronics [it seized]."

Spencer Hsu & Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post: "One of two men charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, chemical-spray assault on three police officers at the U.S. Capitol, including Brian D. Sicknick, pleaded guilty to reduced charges Wednesday. West Virginia sandwich shop owner George Tanios, 40, admitted to two counts of misdemeanor trespassing and disorderly conduct on restricted Capitol grounds, a reduction from an earlier 10-count indictment that included felony charges of rioting, assaulting law enforcement officers and obstructing of Congress's certification of President Biden's 2020 election victory. Guidelines call for a sentence of up to a year behind bars; he has already served five months. He will be sentenced Dec. 6.... Neither Tanios [n]or [his co-defendant] is alleged to have caused Sicknick's death."

Norman Lear, in a New York Times op-ed: "Well, I made it. I am 100 years old today.... Reaching my own personal centennial is cause for a bit of reflection on my first century -- and on what the next century will bring for the people and country I love.... I don't take the threat of authoritarianism lightly. As a young man, I dropped out of college when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. I flew more than 50 missions in a B-17 bomber to defeat fascism consuming Europe. I am a flag-waving believer in truth, justice and the American way, and I don't understand how so many people who call themselves patriots can support efforts to undermine our democracy and our Constitution.... If Archie [Bunker] had been around 50 years later, he probably would have watched Fox News. He probably would have been a Trump voter. But I think that the sight of the American flag being used to attack Capitol Police would have sickened him. I hope that the resolve shown by Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, and their commitment to exposing the truth, would have won his respect." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)>

Ashley Parker of the Washington Post: "In a forthcoming memoir, Jared Kushner alleges that ... Donald Trump's second chief of staff, John F. Kelly, was viewed within the White House as a bully with a 'Jekyll-and-Hyde' demeanor who once shoved his wife, Ivanka Trump, out of his way after a volatile Oval Office meeting. Kelly denies the allegation." According to Kushner, Kelly later visited Trump in her office and offered "a meek apology, which she accepted." Parker obtained statements that corroborated Kushner's account (one of them from Ivanka Trump), but as she points out, "Many of Trump's staffers also were known for offering competing versions of the same event, often making it difficult to determine the truth of what happened."

Rick Noack of the Washington Post: "Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is facing backlash after a speech arguing that Europeans should not 'become peoples of mixed race,' although the far-right leader is still slated to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas next week. In the same speech, Orban also appeared to joke about Nazi gas chambers, saying in the context of a European Union proposal to ration natural gas: 'the past shows us German know-how on that.'... 'Let's listen to the man speak,' [CPAC] conference organizer Matt Schlapp told Bloomberg News, even as criticism of the Hungarian leader mounted." (See also story linked under Beyond the Beltway below.) ~~~

~~~ ** Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: "Thank you, Viktor Orban, for showing us where the American right is heading.... [Orban] has enjoyed a fawning interview and favorable broadcasts from Budapest by Fox News's Tucker Carlson, and he has been invited as a featured speaker to next week's Conservative Political Action Conference in Texas alongside a who's who of Republican senators, governors and members of Congress, as well as ... Donald Trump himself. Several such luminaries addressed a CPAC gathering in Hungary in May, at which Trump described Orban as 'a great leader, a great gentleman.'... At its core, Orban's rule has been about sustaining, and being sustained by, white nationalism."

** Emily Cochrane, et al., of the New York Times: "Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia ... announced on Wednesday that he had agreed to include hundreds of billions of dollars for climate and energy programs and tax increases in a package to subsidize health care and lower the cost of prescription drugs, less than two weeks after abruptly upending hopes for such an agreement this summer. The package would set aside $369 billion for climate and energy proposals, the most ambitious climate action ever taken by Congress, and raise an estimated $451 billion in new tax revenue over a decade, while cutting federal spending on prescription drugs by $288 billion, according to a summary circulated Wednesday evening. The product of a deal announced by Mr. Manchin and Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, it would reduce the federal deficit by about $300 billion, while seeking to push down the cost of health care, prescription medicines and electricity....

"It was not clear what had changed Mr. Manchin's mind since he said not even two weeks ago that he could not support such a package until he saw inflation numbers for July, which are not scheduled to be issued for two more weeks.... His embrace of the plan did not guarantee it would move forward. Several senators declined to comment on the deal upon hearing of it on Wednesday evening until they learned more about it. That included Senator Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona Democrat who has been another holdout on her party's domestic policy measure." Politico's story is here.

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "The Senate on Wednesday passed an expansive $280 billion bill aimed at building up America's manufacturing and technological edge to counter China, embracing in an overwhelming bipartisan vote the most significant government intervention in industrial policy in decades. The legislation reflected a remarkable and rare consensus in an otherwise polarized Congress in favor of forging a long-term strategy to address the nation's intensifying geopolitical rivalry with Beijing, centered around investing federal money into cutting-edge technologies and innovations to bolster the nation's industrial, technological and military strength. It passed on a lopsided bipartisan vote of 64 to 33, with 17 Republicans voting in support." The AP's story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Andrew Jeong of the Washington Post: "Days after being publicly insulted by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Twitter, Olivia Julianna, a 19-year-old abortion rights advocate, wrote him a tongue-in-cheek thank-you note on the platform. 'Dear Matt, Although your intentions were hateful, your public shaming of my appearance has done nothing but benefit me,' she wrote after his tweet about her spurred a load of harassment -- as well as a flood of donations to her reproductive rights advocacy organization. In just about a day, she's helped raise approximately $115,000 for the nonprofit Gen Z for Change. At a rally last weekend in Tampa, Gaetz had mocked abortion rights activists, calling them 'disgusting..., [ugly] and overweight.' Olivia Julianna ... criticized the remarks on Twitter, noting the sex-trafficking allegations against Gaetz. In apparent retaliation, Gaetz then tweeted an image of her next to a news story that mentioned his [disparaging] comments from the rally." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Marie: Wherein I am forced to admit that Ted Cruz got something half-right:

Abby Livingston of the Texas Tribune: "U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz ... told The Dallas Morning News that Texas should repeal its now-dormant law that bans gay sex. 'Consenting adults should be able to do what they wish in their private sexual activity, and government has no business in their bedrooms,' Cruz's spokesperson told the newspaper. The Texas Legislature passed the law decades ago. It hasn't been enforceable since 2003, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided in a landmark ruling [-- Lawrence v. Texas --] that it violated the Constitution. There have been regular attempts by Democrats to repeal the law since, but they have repeatedly failed in the Legislature.... But ... Justice Clarence Thomas had suggested that the court reconsider the Lawrence precedent.... [AND] In recent weeks, Cruz has reiterated his opposition to that decision.... Recently on his podcast, Cruz reiterated his belief that the decision [i.e., Lawrence] was 'clearly wrong' on the grounds that states, not the enacting of a federal standard, should govern gay marriage policy." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: So what Cruz is saying is that even though gay sex is not a Constitutional right & the Supremes should overturn their ruling that it is, Texas (according to Ted's spokesman) should not ban gay sex. As I said, half-right.

Nick Anderson of the Washington Post: "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has canceled plans to teach a seminar this fall at George Washington University's law school, a few weeks after the private university in the nation's capital had defended the conservative jurist's position on its faculty. The GW Hatchet, a student newspaper, first reported Thomas's withdrawal from the fall teaching assignment Wednesday.... Thomas ... has taught at the D.C. law school since 2011.... [After Thomas wrote his concurring opinion on Dobbs], thousands signed a petition that called for Thomas to be removed from the law school faculty. University leaders resisted those demands...." The co-leader of the seminar, Judge Gregory E. Maggs of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces & a former Thomas clerk, will lead the seminar solo. An AP story is here. None of the articles says whether or not this is a required course, but a statement from Maggs suggests maybe it's an elective.

Smug Punk Loses Defamation Lawsuits Against Media. Aaron Keller of Law & Crime: "After years of politically charged litigation, former Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann has lost a round of high-profile defamation lawsuits against five mainstream media companies at the summary judgment stage.... Sandmann's cases against ABC News, Rolling Stone magazine, CBS News, newspaper and television station owner Gannett, and The New York Times are now officially listed as 'terminated' on the court record. Sandmann sued the five organizations in question -- and a few others, including CNN and NBC -- on March 2, 2020. The lawsuits alleged that various articles and broadcasts defamed Sandmann by characterizing his actions toward Nathan Phillips, a Native American activist, on Jan. 18, 2019 in Washington, D.C., as nefarious.... [Federal District Judge William] Bertelsman suggested that the press did little more than to report Philips' version of the events. Phillips' version of the events were opinions, not facts, the judge concluded." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Did I mention that Sandmann & some of his friends were wearing MAGA caps during the confrontation? They were wearing MAGA caps. Speaking of doomed defamation suits ... ~~~

~~~ Litigious J. Trump Threatens to Sue Media. Brett Samuels of the Hill: "Former President Trump on Wednesday said he planned to file a lawsuit against CNN, alleging the network has repeatedly defamed him dating back to his 2016 campaign for the presidency. 'I have notified CNN of my intent to file a lawsuit over their repeated defamatory statements against me,' Trump said in a statement. 'I will also be commencing actions against other media outlets who have defamed me and defrauded the public regarding the overwhelming evidence of fraud throughout the 2020 Election. I will never stop fighting for the truth and for the future of our Country!' The 282-page letter from Trump's attorneys to CNN executives, dated July 21, calls for the network to retract or correct numerous on-air statements and published articles about Trump that the lawyers allege are false and defamatory. The letter goes on to cite dozens of examples, many of which relate to the network's coverage of Trump's repeated claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent." ~~~

~~~ Gosh, why would a money-grubbing cheapskate like Trump spend money on lawyers to bring such a frivolous lawsuit? ~~~

~~~ Oh. Jonathan Karl & Soo Rin Kim of ABC News: "Republican leaders who worry that Donald Trump could hurt their midterm chances by announcing a presidential run too soon are hoping he'll be dissuaded from doing so by the prospect of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal payments, according to an RNC official. Since October 2021, the Republican National Committee has paid nearly $2 million to law firms representing Trump as part of his defense against personal litigation and government investigations. But an RNC official told ABC News that as soon as Trump would announce he is running for president, the payments would stop because the party has a 'neutrality policy' that prohibits it from taking sides in the presidential primary.... RNC officials would not comment on the record for this story." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I don't know that the RNC is paying Trump's lawyers for suits he initiates, but maybe. And maybe that suit against CNN will come to an abrupt end if Trump declares himself a candidate in the perhaps futile hope of foreclosing any DOJ criminal case against him.

David McCabe & Mike Isaac of the New York Times: "The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday filed for an injunction to block Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, from buying a virtual reality company called Within, potentially limiting the company's push into the so-called metaverse and signaling a shift in how the agency is approaching tech deals. The antitrust lawsuit is the first to be filed under Lina Khan, the commission's chair and a leading progressive critic of corporate concentration, against one of the tech giants. Ms. Khan has argued that regulators must stop violations of competition and consumer protection laws when it comes to the bleeding edge of technology, including virtual and augmented reality, and not just in areas where the companies have already become behemoths. The F.T.C.'s request for an injunction puts Ms. Khan on a collision course with Mark Zuckerberg, Metas chief executive, who is also named as a defendant in the request. He has poured billions of dollars into building products for virtual and augmented reality, betting that the immersive world of the metaverse is the next technology frontier. The lawsuit could crimp those ambitions." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Peter Baker & Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden returned to the Oval Office with a triumphant flair on Wednesday after testing negative for Covid-19, boasting that his mild case was evidence of the progress his administration had made in stemming the pandemic. The president's staff staged a pep rally of sorts in the Rose Garden to celebrate the end of his five-day isolation, welcoming Mr. Biden to the lectern with a rendition of 'Hail to the Chief' and a crowd of cheering aides. Wearing his signature aviator sunglasses, the president removed his mask and declared his personal victory against the coronavirus." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post: "The coronavirus pandemic began in separate viral spillovers -- at least two but perhaps as many as two dozen -- from live animals sold and butchered in late 2019 at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China, according to two papers published Tuesday in the journal Science. The publication of the papers, which underwent five months of peer review and revisions by the authors, is unlikely to quell the rancorous debate about how the pandemic began and whether the virus emerged from a Chinese laboratory. And the authors acknowledge there are many unknowns requiring further investigation -- most notably, which animals were involved." MB: Looks like a case where scientists can demonstrate that a conspiracy theory -- that a Wuhan lab either purposely or carelessly developed the coronavirus -- is unlikely but cannot disprove it.

Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times: "Easing a shortfall that has plagued the fight against monkeypox for weeks, the Food and Drug Administration announced on Wednesday that it had cleared nearly 800,000 additional doses of vaccine for use. The Biden administration said it would announce allocations for states and jurisdictions on Thursday. The new doses should greatly expand the supply in the United States, but some experts questioned whether they would be enough to meet the demand. Since May, the country has confirmed 3,600 cases, among the highest tallies in the world, and the figure is almost certainly an underestimate."

Beyond the Beltway

Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Race. Trip Gabriel of the New York Times: "Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, is under increasing scrutiny over his connections to the far-right social media platform Gab and its founder, who has repeatedly made antisemitic remarks defending their ties. Early this month, news emerged that Mr. Mastriano's campaign had paid Gab, a haven for white nationalists and users banned from other platforms, $5,000 for 'consulting,' according to a state filing that was first uncovered by Media Matters for America.... Since then, Mr. Mastriano, a far-right state senator who has falsely argued that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and who rarely speaks to traditional news outlets, has ignored criticism of his association with Gab.... Recent polls have shown [Mastriano] running an unexpectedly close race against the Democratic nominee, Josh Shapiro." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Whether or not Mastriano wins the election, the fact that millions of Americans apparently will vote for him makes pretty clear we already are living in a country where neo-Nazis hold great sway. And, no, I don't think this is a glib & baseless reductio ad Hitlerum. This is where we are, and it's terrifying.

Wisconsin Senate Race. Scott Bauer of the AP: "Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes emerged Wednesday as the clear favorite in what had been a crowded Democratic field seeking to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, as his nearest rival dropped out and threw his support behind Barnes. Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, who polls showed had been running tight with Barnes, explained his surprising move by saying Barnes had pulled ahead in recent weeks and there was no way he could catch him in the hotly contested primaryfor what is expected to be one of the most hard-fought Senate races this year.... On Monday, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson dropped out of the race and endorsed Barnes. Even though Lasry and Nelson are ending their campaigns this week, both of their names will remain on the primary ballot." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I know most Republicans won't understand this, but many Democrats run for public office because they are patriots rather than because they want to wield power. Therefore, they are willing to withdraw their candidacies -- even if, like Lasry, they've spent their own millions in their campaigns -- if they believe sacrificing their own efforts could produce a better outcome. And who could argue that dispatching Ron Johnson would not constitute a better outcome?

News Lede

New York Times: "Tony Dow, who became a star at 12 as Wally Cleaver, the barely teenage older brother on the popular 1950s and '60s comedy series 'Leave It to Beaver,' died on Wednesday at his home in Topanga, Calif. He was 77."