July 7, 2022

Afternoon Update:

Marie: I forgot this one this morning, but if Democrats wanted Joe Biden to be more forceful, apparently he delivered in Cleveland yesterday:

     ~~~ Seth Richardson of Cleveland.com: "President Joe Biden said Wednesday during a Cleveland stop touting a Democratic-backed fix to multiemployer pension funds that social security, Medicare and Medicaid could be in jeopardy if Republicans take back control of Congress and the White House. During an afternoon appearance at Max S. Hayes High School on the West Side, Biden trumpeted provisions to the American Rescue Plan to keep at-risk pensions solvent through at least 2051 while also using the official White House visit to knock GOP lawmakers for refusing to support the legislation. He also warned that Republicans could target cuts to other benefits programs.... The pension fix, which was originally introduced as the Butch Lewis Act before being included in Biden and the Democrats' economic stimulus plan, will help stave off any cuts to the pension plans that could have come about as the PBGC, which insures pension plans, was barreling toward insolvency in 2026.... Biden also criticized Republicans in Washington for voting against the plan. Members of the party called the pensions 'ratholes' as it moved through Congress, he said."

Marie: I've been hoping somebody would do this: ~~~

~~~ "What Are the Odds?" Francesca Paris & Josh Katz of the New York Times: "The New York Times has reported that the Internal Revenue Service gave one of its most rigorous types of audits to James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director, and to Andrew G. McCabe, his former deputy.... What are the odds?... If this problem were to appear in a textbook about probability, it might read like this: If there are 154 million marbles (the approximate number of tax returns filed each year) in a giant urn, and some small number of them are red (those representing Mr. Comey and Mr. McCabe among them), what are the chances that you will draw two or more red marbles if you randomly draw a few thousand from the urn (the number of audits in that year)?... If we limit the exercise to only Mr. McCabe and Mr. Comey -- this equation yields a probability of roughly one in 950 million. Those are considerably steeper odds than your chances of winning the Powerball." Emphasis added. The writers go on to suggest some other factors which reasonably would increase the odds of Comey's & McCabe's audits: like the fact that the IRS tends to choose high-earners (i.e., like Comey & McCabe) more often than others for the special audit. But still. ~~~

~~~ Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "The commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service faces a new onslaught of questions after a report Wednesday showed that two foes of ... Donald Trump had been selected for a rare audit during Trump's administration. Charles Rettig, whose elevation by Trump to lead the service in 2018 surprised many tax professionals..., faced new scrutiny after the New York Times revealed that both former FBI director James B. Comey and his deputy, Andrew McCabe, were the subject of highly unusual audits that the IRS says was selected at random.... [Rettig] started out as a Trump ally..., shielding the former president's tax returns from public view in the face of a House Democratic lawsuit. But Rettig has proved a willing partner for the Biden administration, as well, supporting its efforts to close the gap between what taxpayers owe and what they pay, and implementing expansive new stimulus measures.... The revelation [about Comey & McCabe] will also bring new scrutiny to former Trump treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, since Treasury oversees the IRS." ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Kara Scannell of CNN: "The head of the Internal Revenue Service has asked a watchdog to investigate the decision to conduct rare tax audits of former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the agency announced Thursday. 'The IRS has referred the matter to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for review. IRS Commissioner (Charles) Rettig personally reached out to TIGTA after receiving a press inquiry,' the IRS said in a statement."

Charles Blow of the New York Times on showing the carnage: "... on some level, not allowing the public access to some version of the gore is extending a form of disinformation, permitting a warped, naïve or incorrect impression to persist when it could be corrected.... We need to see these images not for shock value but for truth value." MB: Blow describes some observations by Dr. David Baum, an OB/GYN who was on the scene at Highland Park because he was attending the parade with his family. Baum, according to Blow, has taken to calling the scene "horrific" & "unspeakable," but when I heard him on cable news a short time after the mass murder, Dr. Baum described heads partially blown away & body cavities open to expose torn-up organs. These are the pictures that should go on every Republican legislator's desk. Then let them talk about prairie dogs.

Georgia. Livia Albeck-Ripka of the New York Times: "An explosive device that 'unknown individuals' detonated early Wednesday destroyed a granite monument in Georgia that was built under mysterious circumstances more than four decades ago and promoted by state officials as 'America's Stonehenge,' the authorities said. The monument, known as the Georgia Guidestones, which was built about nine miles north of Elberton, Ga., had four granite slabs connected to a center pillar, with a capstone on top.... It is unclear why the 19-foot granite slabs were there, or what they meant...." Some right-wing conspiracy theorists, including Alex Jones, have described the stones as designed to send some dire or satanic message.

U.K. Boris Johnson said in a speech in front of 10 Downing Street that he would resign as prime minister, but not until a new PM is in place. Stories linked under Way Beyond the Beltway. ~~~

~~~ Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Pippa Crerar of the (U.K.) Daily Mirror: "... the Prime Minister and wife Carrie have planned a lavish bash at the grace-and-favour country home to mark their marriage. The couple tied the knot in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in front of just a handful of guests in May 2021. They then celebrated in the Downing Street garden but were only allowed 30 guests because of Covid restrictions.... The couple's Chequers do, planned for July 30, is expected to be a much bigger and more glamorous affair. Two separate sources told the Mirror that Mr and Mrs Johnson were keen to go ahead with the party, to which they have invited many of their family and friends.... The PM, who has finally announced that he would resign, would have to cancel the lavish do if he leaves office immediately." ~~~

     ~~~ In a comment earlier today, this is what Akhilleus predicted would happen. Chequers is the country home of the PM, so if Boris quit right off, as the Mirror sez, he could not hold the "lavish bash."

Robyn Dixon of the Washington Post: "American WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to carrying cannabis oil on the second day of a trial in Moscow that could see her sentenced to 10 years in prison. 'I'd like to plead guilty, Your Honor,' Griner said, according a Reuters reporter in the court. 'But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law.' She then asked to give her testimony at a later date, saying she needed time to prepare, and the court adjourned." The AP's report is here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: "Kate Bedingfield, the White House communications director, will step down from her position this summer, White House aides said on Wednesday, marking the latest departure of a senior adviser from the Biden administration. Ms. Bedingfield is a longtime aide to President Biden who helped shape the messaging strategy for his campaign and during his presidency. She is expected to assist the White House from outside the administration, although her next position remained unclear. Ron Klain, the president's chief of staff, credited Ms. Bedingfield with helping Mr. Biden win the 2020 election, pass the coronavirus stimulus and infrastructure packages, and secure the Supreme Court nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson." A CBS News story is here.

Ashley Parker & Matt Viser of the Washington Post: "In the view of many distraught Democrats, the country is facing a full-blown crisis on a range of fronts, and [President] Biden seems unable or unwilling to respond with appropriate force. Democracy is under direct attack, they say, as Republicans change election rules and the Supreme Court rapidly rewrites American law. Shootings are routine, abortion rights have ended and Democrats could suffer big losses in the next election. Biden's response is often a mix of scolding Republicans, urging Americans to vote Democratic and voicing broad optimism about the country. For some Democrats, that risks a dangerous failure to meet the moment.... [Illinois Gov. J.B.] Pritzker mocked the notion that 'you have a constitutional right to an assault weapon with a high-capacity magazine' -- something Biden has done previously -- and California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been displaying a notably pugnacious spirit." Newsom is running an anti-DeSantis ad -- in Florida. A related Politico story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: "Here's the deal, Democrats: You need to give Joe Biden a break. For weeks, Democrats have arrayed themselves in traditional circular firing formation, complaining about the president's failure to channel outrage about mass shootings, the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade and MAGA Republicans' assaults on democracy.... There's just one problem with the too-cool-Joe complaints: Biden has been saying -- heatedly and repeatedly -- exactly that which he is accused of avoiding. Biden has been hammering [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis, for example, for his 'hateful' 'don't say gay' bill, for 'book burnings' and 'trying to ban books, even math books,' and for a 'dangerous' abortion bill eroding 'women's constitutional rights.'... The fratricide is likely stoked by the press, which likes a 'Dems-in-disarray' story and would love a presidential primary." ~~~

     ~~~ Yes, Dana, but Joe doesn't yell enough. I'm thinking he needs an "anger translator" like the one Barack Obama eventually took on. (WashPo link)

Tyler Pager & Cleve Wootson of the Washington Post: "President Biden had planned to nominate a conservative opponent of abortion rights to a lifetime federal judgeship in Kentucky, according to newly released emails, prompting criticism of the White House from some fellow Democrats. After facing opposition from Democrats in Kentucky, the White House has not put former state solicitor general Chad Meredith's name forward as a nominee. A round of federal judicial nominations released last week did not include Meredith. It was unclear Wednesday whether the White House would ever move forward with nominating him. But the episode has underscored the impassioned responses from Democrats in the wake of the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade.... On June 23, White House official Kate Marshall emailed Coulter Minix, the director of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's office in Washington. 'To be Nominated tomorrow,' the message read, followed by the qualifications and experience of Meredith.... The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade the next day.... An email that followed a few days later included what appeared to be an effort to contain potential fallout. 'Marshall wrote.] '... the email I sent was pre-decisional and privileged information....'"

Maggie Haberman & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "Pat A. Cipollone, the White House counsel to ... Donald J. Trump who repeatedly fought back against Mr. Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, has reached a deal to testify by Friday before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, according to people familiar with the inquiry. The agreement was a breakthrough for the panel, which has pressed for weeks for Mr. Cipollone to cooperate -- and issued a subpoena to him last week.... Mr. Cipollone was a witness to pivotal moments in Mr. Trump's push to invalidate the election results, including discussions about seizing voting machines and sending false letters to state officials about election fraud. He was also present in the West Wing on Jan. 6, 2021, as Mr. Trump reacted to the violence at the Capitol when his supporters attacked the building in his name.... Mr. Cipollone will sit for a transcribed interview, according to a person familiar with the discussions. He is not expected to testify publicly." The AP's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

** An A-mazing Coincidence. Michael Schmidt of the New York Times: James Comey, "the former F.B.I. director, and his deputy [Andrew McCabe], both of whom ... Donald J. Trump wanted prosecuted, were selected for a rare audit program that the [I.R.S.] says is random.... The minuscule chances of the two highest-ranking F.B.I. officials ... being randomly subjected to a detailed scrub of their tax returns a few years after leaving their posts presents extraordinary questions.... The I.R.S. commissioner, Charles P. Rettig, who was appointed to the post by Mr. Trump in 2018, declined to be interviewed about the audits.... Unlike a typical audit that asks individuals to explain a specific part of their taxes, these audits comb through the full return, forcing taxpayers in some cases to go to great lengths to essentially recreate their finances for the year in question." MB: This would be a good time to fire Rettig, so no more of these a-mazing coincidences occur. Like next up: Liz Cheney & Nancy Pelosi. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Scott Lemieux in LG&$ republishes a chuck of Schmidt's report and notes that Republicans have finally found a use for the IRS.

Jason Morris & Sara Murray of CNN: "Attorneys representing Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham say that he intends to challenge the subpoena that he was issued by an Atlanta-area special grand jury investigating ... Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.... Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' special grand jury wants to hear from Graham because the Republican senator allegedly made two calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff in the wake of the 2020 election. According to court filings, Graham 'questioned Raffensperger and his staff about reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump.'"

Brad Reed of the Raw Story: "A right-wing activist whose organization wrote a brief that was cited by the United States Supreme Court in its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade also posted a video in which she boasted of praying with the justices. Rolling Stone is reporting that Peggy Nienaber, who serves as the executive director of a ministry that falls under Liberty Counsel's umbrella organization, boasted that she and her associates are 'the only people' who get an opportunity to pray with sitting Supreme Court justices.... Rolling Stone notes that this could be a conflict of interest for the justices who chose to pray with Nienaber."

Emily Czachor of CBS News: "Gun violence spiked over Fourth of July weekend, with shootings reported in nearly every U.S. state that killed a total of at least 220 people and wounded close to 570 others, according to the Gun Violence Archive.... Of all gun violence incidents accounted for during the holiday weekend, at least 11 were classified as mass shootings by the Gun Violence Archive. Any situation where four or more people, excluding the shooter, are killed or wounded by gunshots is considered a mass shooting." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Beyond the Beltway

Illinois. Mike Smith & Robert Chiarito of the New York Times: "An Illinois man charged in the killing of seven people at a Fourth of July parade was ordered held in jail without bond on Wednesday, as questions continued to mount about why he was allowed to buy guns despite alarming police encounters.... In court, Ben Dillon, a prosecutor, described in the fullest detail yet how officials say the attack unfolded on Monday.... Mr. Dillon said that Mr. Crimo confessed to the shooting after his arrest on Monday evening.... Investigators believed that [the suspect] fled to Madison, Wis., after the attack, but then returned to Illinois, where he was arrested. [Deputy] Chief [Christopher] Covelli [of the Lake County sheriff's office] said the police believed [the suspect] saw a holiday celebration in Madison and considered using a second rifle that he had with him in the car to carry out another shooting there, but decided against it." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: I was wondering why the family of the Highland Park shooter didn't raise a stink when he started buying guns. So here's the answer, and it isn't a good one: ~~~

     ~~~ The Irresponsible Parent. Russ Thebault & Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "The Illinois State Police confirmed on Tuesday that the father of the Highland Park parade shooting suspect sponsored his son's application for a gun permit months after relatives reported that Robert E. Crimo III had threatened to 'kill everyone,' and that authorities had 'insufficient basis' to deny the application.... Because Crimo was under 21 at the time [he wished to purchased a gun -- December 2019 --], state law required him to have the consent of a parent or guardian before he could own a firearm or ammunition.... State police had received a 'clear and present danger report' on Crimo after the September [2019] incident, but because at the time he did not have a pending application or an active permit, known as a FOID card, the agency ruled there was no action it could take. When reviewing Crimo's application less than six months later, state police officials once again decided there was nothing they could do -- this time, the agency said, because Crimo had a sponsor." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ According to the report, the numerous knives the police confiscated from the young man were returned when the father claimed the knives belonged to him. So Dad is an all-around ass. I doubt he can be held responsible for aiding & abetting, but that's what he did.

New York. It Happens. Ana Ley of the New York Times: An audit has found that the New York City ferry system has lost track of $224 million. "The agency in charge of running New York City's ferry system failed to report nearly a quarter-billion dollars in costs during the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio, the city comptroller announced on Wednesday in a 50-page audit.... The report details record-keeping problems at the city's Economic Development Corporation, a semi-independent agency that runs the ferry network with the private company Hornblower. According to the audit, the E.D.C. made excessive payments to Hornblower and failed to hold the operator accountable to the contract it signed.... [The agency] has denied overpaying Hornblower by $12 million, which the comptroller had calculated based on its audit." MB: Surely from time to time you've lost a quarter of a billion dollars, then found it just where you left it.

Pennsylvania. 5 News Cleveland: "Former Cleveland Police Officer Timothy Loehmann [-- who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice --] has been hired as the one and only officer of Tioga, a small borough in Pennsylvania with a population of around 700 people, according to Mayor David Wilcox. Wilcox said he was unaware of Loehmann's background as hiring and firing is done by borough council -- something the mayor said the council president led him to believe had been done and there were no issues." MB: Loehmann's name is well-known; he received national attention. This tells you that many officers who lose their jobs for cause in one locality are able to move on to other police jobs.

Texas. Eric Neugeboren of the Texas Tribune: "An Uvalde police officer asked for a supervisor's permission to shoot the gunman who would soon kill 21 people at Robb Elementary School in May before he entered the building, but the supervisor did not hear the request or responded too late, according to a report released Wednesday evaluating the law enforcement response to the shooting.... 'A reasonable officer would conclude in this case, based upon the totality of the circumstances, that use of deadly force was warranted,' according to the report....The report [by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University in San Marcos --] provides a host of new details about the May 24 shooting, including several missed opportunities to engage or stop the gunman before he entered the school."

Way Beyond

U.K. Danica Kirka, et al., of the AP: "British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned Thursday, acknowledging that it was 'clearly the will' of his party that he should go. He stepped down immediately as leader of his Conservative Party but plans to remain as prime minister while the leadership contest is held. He said he has appointed a new Cabinet following a multitude of resignations, but many are calling for him to go now." ~~~

~~~ Rowena Mason & Jessica Elgot of the Guardian: "Boris Johnson is to resign on Thursday as Conservative leader but will push to stay on as prime minister until autumn after his chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, called on him to go and a string of cabinet ministers walked out. His resignation brings to an end an extraordinary standoff after multiple cabinet ministers pressed him to resign and more than 50 ministers quit because of his mishandling of a string of scandals. A No 10 spokesperson said: 'The prime minister will make a statement to the country today.' However, he is expected to push to stay on as prime minister until the autumn while a Conservative leadership contest takes place. He is likely to face intense pressure from his cabinet and MPs to go further and resign as prime minister as well, making way for a caretaker leader such as Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, or Theresa May, Johnson's predecessor." MB: Gosh, it's difficult to get this guy out the door. ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian's live updates are here. Quite a few Tory ministers are saying Boris must resign as PM. ~~~

     ~~~ If you need an American translation, the New York Times' live updates are here. For instance, I completely missed this tidbit: "Mr. Johnson's latest troubles erupted last week after a Conservative lawmaker, Chris Pincher, became drunk at an exclusive London club, where, it was alleged, he groped two men. Mr. Johnson had appointed Mr. Pincher to a senior party position in February despite earlier complaints of inappropriate behavior against Mr. Pincher."

Mark Landler & Stephen Castle of the New York Times: "His support crumbling, his government in disarray, his alibis exhausted, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain tried frantically on Wednesday to salvage his position, even as a delegation of cabinet colleagues traveled to Downing Street to plead with ... [him] to step down. More than 30 government ministers or aides quit, multiple Conservative Party lawmakers urged Mr. Johnson to resign, and he got a withering reception in Parliament, where backbenchers jeered, 'Bye, Boris!' as he left by a side door after a merciless grilling over his handling of the party's latest sex-and-bullying scandal.... Mr. Johnson vowed to fight on, insisting he had a mandate from voters to steer Britain into its post-Brexit future...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: BTW, if you think you may recognize a former American president* in Boris, the NYT report closes with this: "'Unlike most leaders, he doesn't care how much damage he does on his way out the door,' said Jonathan Powell, who served as chief of staff to a former prime minister, Tony Blair. 'There isn't anyone in our history who's had this kind of nature. Our system is not built for something like this.'" ~~~

~~~ Kieran Devine, et al., of Sky News: "More than 20 ministers have resigned from the cabinet since Tuesday, and the list of overall government resignations over the past few days is now above 50.... Boris Johnson's premiership has now been marked by more ministerial resignations and at a faster rate than all other Prime Ministers in modern history."

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

     ~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Thursday are here: "Western artillery pieces that have been flowing into Ukraine since spring are 'working very powerfully' and starting to make a difference on the battlefield..., Volodymyr Zelensky said in his Wednesday night address.... But after weeks of fighting, outgunned Ukrainians have ceded most of Luhansk, Ukraine's easternmost region, to Russian forces, the area's governor said. The Kremlin's troops are also closing in on the Donetsk city of Slovyansk. Two U.S. lawmakers who have urged Washington to accelerate the pace of weapons deliveries to Kyiv arrived in the Ukrainian capital Thursday, where they are expected to meet with Zelensky. Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also visited Bucha and Borodyanka -- suburbs of Kyiv particularly affected by the war." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: So maybe this is why Graham is way too busy to submit to a subpoena. ~~~

~~~ John Wagner & David Sheinin of the Washington Post: "President Biden on Wednesday told the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February on drug charges, that he is working to secure the basketball player's release 'as soon as possible,' the White House said. During the call, Biden also read Cherelle Griner a draft of a letter that he was planning to send to Brittney Griner later Wednesday, according to the White House, which said Vice President Harris also participated."

News Lede

New York Times: "James Caan, who built a durable film career in varied roles across six decades but was forever identified most closely with one of his earliest characters, the quick-tempered, skirt-chasing Sonny Corleone in the original 'Godfather' movie, died on Wednesday. He was 82."

July 6, 2022

Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

Mark Landler & Stephen Castle of the New York Times: "His support crumbling, his government in disarray, his alibis exhausted, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain tried frantically on Wednesday to salvage his position, even as a delegation of cabinet colleagues traveled to Downing Street to plead with their scandal-scarred leader to step down. More than 30 government ministers or aides quit, multiple Conservative Party lawmakers urged Mr. Johnson to resign, and he got a withering reception in Parliament, where backbenchers jeered, 'Bye, Boris!' as he left by a side door after a merciless grilling over his handling of the party's latest sex-and-bullying scandal.... Mr. Johnson vowed to fight on, insisting he had a mandate from voters to steer Britain into its post-Brexit future...." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: BTW, if you think you may recognize a former American president* in Boris, the NYT report closes with this: "'Unlike most leaders, he doesn't care how much damage he does on his way out the door,' said Jonathan Powell, who served as chief of staff to a former prime minister, Tony Blair. 'There isn't anyone in our history who's had this kind of nature. Our system is not built for something like this.'"

An A-mazing Coincidence. Michael Schmidt of the New York Times: James Comey, "the former F.B.I. director, and his deputy [Andrew McCabe], both of whom ... Donald J. Trump wanted prosecuted, were selected for a rare audit program that the [I.R.S.] says is random.... The minuscule chances of the two highest-ranking F.B.I. officials ... being randomly subjected to a detailed scrub of their tax returns a few years after leaving their posts presents extraordinary questions.... The I.R.S. commissioner, Charles P. Rettig, who was appointed to the post by Mr. Trump in 2018, declined to be interviewed about the audits.... Unlike a typical audit that asks individuals to explain a specific part of their taxes, these audits comb through the full return, forcing taxpayers in some cases to go to great lengths to essentially recreate their finances for the year in question.: MB: This would be a good time to fire Rettig, so no more of these a-mazing coincidences occur. Like next up: Liz Cheney or Nancy Pelosi.

Mike Smith & Robert Chiarito of the New York Times: "An Illinois man charged in the killing of seven people at a Fourth of July parade was ordered held in jail without bond on Wednesday, as questions continued to mount about why he was allowed to buy guns despite alarming police encounters.... In court, Ben Dillon, a prosecutor, described in the fullest detail yet how officials say the attack unfolded on Monday.... Mr. Dillon said that [the suspect] confessed to the shooting after his arrest on Monday evening.... Investigators believed that [the suspect] fled to Madison, Wis., after the attack, but then returned to Illinois, where he was arrested. [Deputy] Chief [Christopher] Covelli [of the Lake County sheriff's office] said the police believed [the suspect] saw a holiday celebration in Madison and considered using a second rifle that he had with him in the car to carry out another shooting there, but decided against it.

Maggie Haberman & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "Pat A. Cipollone, the White House counsel to ... Donald J. Trump who repeatedly fought back against Mr. Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, has reached a deal to testify by Friday before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, according to people familiar with the inquiry. The agreement was a breakthrough for the panel, which has pressed for weeks for Mr. Cipollone to cooperate -- and issued a subpoena to him last week.... Mr. Cipollone was a witness to pivotal moments in Mr. Trump's push to invalidate the election results, including discussions about seizing voting machines and sending false letters to state officials about election fraud. He was also present in the West Wing on Jan. 6, 2021, as Mr. Trump reacted to the violence at the Capitol when his supporters attacked the building in his name.... Mr. Cipollone will sit for a transcribed interview, according to a person familiar with the discussions. He is not expected to testify publicly." The AP's story is here.

Ashley Parker & Matt Viser of the Washington Post: "In the view of many distraught Democrats, the country is facing a full-blown crisis on a range of fronts, and [President] Biden seems unable or unwilling to respond with appropriate force. Democracy is under direct attack, they say, as Republicans change election rules and the Supreme Court rapidly rewrites American law. Shootings are routine, abortion rights have ended and Democrats could suffer big losses in the next election. Biden's response is often a mix of scolding Republicans, urging Americans to vote Democratic and voicing broad optimism about the country. For some Democrats, that risks a dangerous failure to meet the moment.... [Illinois Gov. J.B.] Pritzker mocked the notion that 'you have a constitutional right to an assault weapon with a high-capacity magazine' -- something Biden has done previously -- and California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been displaying a notably pugnacious spirit." Newsom is running an anti-DeSantis ad -- in Florida. A related Politico story is here.

Emily Czachor of CBS News: "Gun violence spiked over Fourth of July weekend, with shootings reported in nearly every U.S. state that killed a total of at least 220 people and wounded close to 570 others, according to the Gun Violence Archive.... Of all gun violence incidents accounted for during the holiday weekend, at least 11 were classified as mass shootings by the Gun Violence Archive. Any situation where four or more people, excluding the shooter, are killed or wounded by gunshots is considered a mass shooting."

Marie: This morning I was wondering why the family of the Highland Park shooter didn't raise a stink when he started buying guns. Here's the answer, and it isn't a good one: ~~~

The Irresponsible Parent. Russ Thebault & Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "The Illinois State Police confirmed on Tuesday that the father of the Highland Park parade shooting suspect sponsored his son's application for a gun permit months after relatives reported that Robert E. Crimo III had threatened to 'kill everyone,' and that authorities had 'insufficient basis' to deny the application.... Because Crimo was under 21 at the time [he wished to purchased a gun -- December 2019 --], state law required him to have the consent of a parent or guardian before he could own a firearm or ammunition.... State police had received a 'clear and present danger report' on Crimo after the September [2019] incident, but because at the time he did not have a pending application or an active permit, known as a FOID card, the agency ruled there was no action it could take. When reviewing Crimo's application less than six months later, state police officials once again decided there was nothing they could do -- this time, the agency said, because Crimo had a sponsor." ~~~

     ~~~ According to the report, the knives the police confiscated from the young man were returned when the father claimed the knives belonged to him. So Dad is just an all-around ass. I doubt he can be held responsible for aiding & abetting, but that's what he did.

~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden on Tuesday honored four Vietnam-era soldiers for what he called 'acts of incredible heroism,' bestowing on them the Medal of Honor, America's highest military honor, nearly half a century after the end of the conflict in Southeast Asia. At a somber ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Mr. Biden recounted the acts of bravery of the four men, one of whom was killed in action in Vietnam just three months after he helped evacuate his platoon from a village while under heavy enemy fire." Video of the ceremony is here.

Travis Gettys of the Raw Story: "Democrats are sleep-walking into a disaster by failing to keep pace with the number of judges who are retiring. President Joe Biden's staff boasted at the end of last year that he had nominated and confirmed a historic number of judges to start off his term, but the president and Senate Democrats could leave more than 60 judicial vacancies at the end of this year -- and they may not have a chance to fill them once a new Congress is sworn in, argued legal expert Christopher Kang in a new column for Slate." MB: Yeah, well, let's hope Biden doesn't nominate any of Mitch's faves. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Nick Corasaniti & Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: "The Justice Department sued Arizona on Tuesday over a new state law requiring proof of citizenship to vote in a presidential election, saying the Republican-imposed restrictions are a 'textbook violation' of federal law. It is the third time the department under Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has challenged a state's voting law and comes as Democratic leaders and voting rights groups have pressed Mr. Garland to act more decisively against measures that limit access to the ballot."

Return of the Spotted Owl. Matthew Daly of the AP: "A federal judge on Tuesday threw out a host of actions by the Trump administration to roll back protections for endangered or threatened species, a year after the Biden administration said it was moving to strengthen such species protections. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in Northern California eliminated the Trump-era rules even as two wildlife agencies under President Joe Biden are reviewing or rescinding the regulations. The decision restores a range of protections under the Endangered Species Act -- including some that date to the 1970s -- while the reviews are completed. Environmental groups hailed the decision, which they said sped up needed protections and critical habitat designations for threatened species, including salmon in the Pacific Northwest."

"Stand Back and Stand By." Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol plans to hold a hearing next Tuesday to reveal its findings about the connections between ... Donald J. Trump's effort to overturn the 2020 election and the domestic violent extremist groups that helped to organize the siege on Congress. The panel announced that the session would take place on July 12 at 10 a.m. It is expected to be led by Representative Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland, and Representative Stephanie Murphy, Democrat of Florida, who plan to chart the rise of the right-wing domestic violent extremist groups that attacked the Capitol and how Mr. Trump amassed and inspired the mob. The panel also plans to detail known links and conversations between political actors close to Mr. Trump and extremists."

Katelyn Polantz & Ryan Nobles of CNN: "Sarah Matthews, who served as deputy press secretary in the Trump White House until resigning shortly after the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, has been subpoenaed by the House select committee investigating the insurrection and has agreed to testify at an upcoming hearing, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation. Matthews has been subpoenaed to testify at a public hearing as early as next week, sources tell CNN. Matthews resigned the night of January 6, 2021, saying in a statement that she was honored to serve in Donald Trump's administration but 'was deeply disturbed by what I saw.'"

Eugene Scott of the Washington Post: "Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) on Tuesday shared profanity-filled threats and other obscenities that his office has received during the hearings by the House select committee into the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by a mob of Donald Trump supporters.... Kinzinger tweeted some of the recordings compiled by high school and college students interning for him this summer and invited readers to listen to the attacks. One caller said he hopes Kinzinger dies quickly, while another called him a lying backstabber for his participation on the committee. Callers left racist comments and disputed the facts of the investigation while wishing harm on the lawmaker's family."

Travis Gettys of the Raw Story: "A Georgia grand jury has subpoenaed Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and members of Donald Trump's campaign legal team. In addition to the South Carolina Republican, the Fulton County special grand jury investigating Trump's efforts to overturn his loss has issued subpoenas to Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Cleta Mitchell, Kenneth Chesbro and Jenna Ellis, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The subpoenas were filed Tuesday and signed off by Fulton Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who is overseeing the grand jury and must approve summons for individuals who live out of state." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) The New York Times story is here.

Matthew Chapman of the Raw Story: "On Tuesday, Business Insider reported that ... Donald Trump is trying to sue a pair of former FBI officials who have been at the center of a number of right-wing conspiracy theories about the Russia investigation -- but that he has failed half a dozen times to locate them for service of the lawsuit. '... Donald Trump has been trying since March to serve former FBI officials Lisa Page and Peter Strzok with a 108-page lawsuit -- but hasn't been able to find either of them, according to new court papers,' reported Laura Italiano. 'Trump "has attempted service unsuccessfully six (6) times"' on both Page and Strzok, with the most recent attempts failing on June 30, his lawyers told a federal judge in Florida." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I don't know about Lisa Page, but it's odd that process servers can't find Strzok. He's a regular MSNBC contributor, and appeared just yesterday. I didn't see the TV at the time he was speaking (I was installing a stair rail), so I don't know if he was in-studio or phoning in from an "undisclosed location" (likely his living room), but, either way, he's not exactly elusive.

Beyond the Beltway

Illinois. Robert Klemko, et al., of the Washington Post: "The 21-year-old accused of opening fire on a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb [-- Highland Park --] planned the attack for weeks and used a legally purchased military-style weapon to kill seven and injure more than 30 people, police said, in the latest mass shooting to shake a traumatized nation. Authorities charged Robert E. Crimo III with seven counts of first-degree murder Tuesday but said there was no definitive motive for the rampage, which left this tranquil city of 30,000 reeling as it mourned the dead.... At a news conference near the parade route, Eric Rinehart, the Lake County state's attorney, pledged to pursue justice for the victims and called for a ban on assault-style weapons.... President Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at public buildings and military posts in the wake of the shooting as 'a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of gun violence perpetrated on our Independence Day.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Kim Bellware, et al., of the Washington Post: "The 21-year-old charged with opening fire at an Independence Day parade here had so alarmed his family with violent threats in 2019 that they summoned police, who confiscated more than a dozen knives and other sharp weapons from his home, authorities said Tuesday. Police were contacted in September 2019 by a relative who reported that Robert Crimo III had a collection of knives and 'said he was going to kill everyone,' said Christopher Covelli, a spokesman for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force. Police took the weapons but did not seek criminal charges.... Officers had also been called to the home earlier that year because of a reported suicide attempt by Crimo, Covelli said.... In the months after the two police visits, the suspected attacker acquired five firearms, including the powerful rifle police say he fired dozens of times into a crowd during Monday's holiday parade in this suburb of Chicago." An NBC News story is here. MB: So after you threaten to "kill everyone," it's legal to purchase guns & ammo. And wasn't his family the least bit alarmed that the kid kept buying guns? ~~~

     ~~~ Ken Tenbarge & Ben Collins of NBC News: "A YouTube channel with numerous videos featuring the suspect in Monday's Highland Park shooting posted clips that telegraphed violence, including one that appears to show the parade route that was targeted and another showing an animated shooting.... The most recent video on the 'zerotwo' channel, uploaded eight months ago, included a cartoon figure shooting people and a voice-over that implied violence. One of those videos, titled 'Robert Crimo Archive Footage: File XM058,' appears to show the site of the parade route that became the location of the deadly shooting...."

Mississippi. Ashton Pittman of the Mississippi Free Press: "Wednesday will be the last day the Jackson Women's Health Organization can provide abortions after a state court declined to block a near-total abortion ban from going into effect on Thursday, July 7. In court Tuesday morning, attorneys for the clinic asked the judge, Special Chancellor Debbra K. Halford, to block the state's 2007 trigger law from taking effect Thursday, July 7. When it does, the ban will 'prohibit abortions in the state of Mississippi' at any stage 'except in cases where necessary for the preservation of the mother's life or where the pregnancy was caused by rape.'"

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live updates Wednesday on developments in Russia's war on Ukraine are here: "After sweeping through Luhansk, Russian forces are now gaining ground in the neighboring Donetsk region. Both are part of the prized industrial Donbas heartland of eastern Ukraine that Moscow is seeking to control. On Wednesday Donetsk's regional governor urged the area's 350,000 residents to evacuate as Russia intensifies its bombardment campaign.... [U.S.] Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Indonesia for a gathering of Group of 20 foreign ministers this week that will focus on food and energy security. A traditional one-on-one meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is not on the agenda, the State Department has said.... President Biden has read a letter written by WNBA star Brittney Griner, who said she fears indefinite detention in Russia." ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian's live updates for Wednesday are here. The Guardian's summary of developments is here.

Palestine. Patrick Kingsley of the New York Times: "Palestinians expressed disappointment and anger at the United States on Tuesday, after Washington said it had concluded that Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist killed while reporting in the occupied West Bank, was likely shot unintentionally by a bullet fired from Israeli military lines. The American conclusion renewed Palestinian claims that the United States does not act as a fair broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, days ahead of a visit to the region by President Biden, who has not reversed several Trump administration moves that Palestinians deemed harmful to their hopes of independence.... By asserting that she was shot by accident, and that the fatal bullet was too damaged to match it with a specific rifle, the United States also signaled that it did not expect Israel to pursue criminal charges against any particular soldier." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: How can you assign motive when you don't know who the shooter was?

U.K. Bye-Bye, Boris. Karla Adam & William Booth of the Washington Post: "Two of Boris Johnson's most senior cabinet ministers resigned on Tuesday, raising serious questions about Johnson's leadership and how long the British leader might cling to power. Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sajid Javid, the health secretary, announced their departures within minutes of each other, making it clear they had lost confidence in Johnson's leadership." The AP's report is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ The Guardian is live-updates developments here. It's not looking good for Boris.

July 5, 2022

Afternoon Update:

Travis Gettys of the Raw Story: "Democrats are sleep-walking into a disaster by failing to keep pace with the number of judges who are retiring. President Joe Biden's staff boasted at the end of last year that he had nominated and confirmed a historic number of judges to start off his term, but the president and Senate Democrats could leave more than 60 judicial vacancies at the end of this year -- and they may not have a chance to fill them once a new Congress is sworn in, argued legal expert Christopher Kang in a new column for Slate." MB: Yeah, well, let's hope Biden doesn't nominate any of Mitch's faves.

Travis Gettys of the Raw Story: "A Georgia grand jury has subpoenaed Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and members of Donald Trump's campaign legal team. In addition to the South Carolina Republican, the Fulton County special grand jury investigating Trump's efforts to overturn his loss has issued subpoenas to Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Cleta Mitchell, Kenneth Chesbro and Jenna Ellis, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The subpoenas were filed Tuesday and signed off by Fulton Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who is overseeing the grand jury and must approve summons for individuals who live out of state."

U.K. Bye-Bye, Boris. Karla Adam & William Booth of the Washington Post: "Two of Boris Johnson's most senior cabinet ministers resigned on Tuesday, raising serious questions about Johnson's leadership and how long the British leader might cling to power. Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sajid Javid, the health secretary, announced their departures within minutes of each other, making it clear they had lost confidence in Johnson's leadership." The AP's report is here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Paul Waldman of the Washington Post has had it with the vaunted Founding Fathers: "And now it's time for us to declare our own independence, from Founding Father fetishism.... As we've seen recently, the American right has found in the framers an extraordinarily effective tool with which they can roll back social progress and undermine our democracy.... It has gone from an affectation to a weapon, and a brutally effective one.... Originalism was a scam from the start, a foolproof methodology for conservatives to arrive at whatever judicial result matches their policy preferences.... This is the conceit of today's right: The Founders were essentially perfect, and only we conservatives are capable of interpreting their will.... I've never been more fearful for the future of America than I am today; there are good reasons to believe that the democracy we began to fashion two and a half centuries ago may not survive the next decade." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: There is a reason confederate judges turn to the Founding Fathers for all interpretations of the Constitution & laws: the founders were white, propertied, Christian men whose property included their chattel wives & enslaved men, women & children. They had little respect for the environment & no experience in running or living under a centralized government. So they were inclined to give short shrift to the rights of the rest of us & to many matters that can best be organized & regulated by a national government at a time when we can all move from state to state in a matter of hours, not days, and technology connects us in seconds.

There is not anything in the Constitution that says that the Court, the Supreme Court, is the last word on what the Constitution means. -- Justice Sonia Sotomayor, oral arguments, Dobbs v. Jackson ~~~

~~~ The Supremes Are Not So Supreme, Ctd. Joshua Zeitz in Politico Magazine: "... Sotomayor's primary intent was to argue that rights and prerogatives need not be explicitly delineated in the Constitution for them to exist. The right to privacy -- more specifically, the right to terminate a pregnancy -- does not appear anywhere in the document, but neither does the Supreme Court's power of judicial review. Both exist by strong implication.... Liberal critics of today's judicial activism are right when they note that the Supreme Court essentially arrogated to itself the right of judicial review -- the right to declare legislative and executive actions unconstitutional -- in 1803, in the case of Marbury v. Madison.... In the same way that Congress or the Supreme Court can rein in a renegade president, as was the case during Watergate, the president and Congress can place checks on an otherwise unconstrained court, if they believe the justices have exceeded their mandate.... The Constitution also grants Congress the power to strip the Supreme Court of its jurisdiction over specific matters.... In theory, Congress could very easily pass legislation denying the Supreme Court jurisdiction over a new voting rights act, a law codifying the right to privacy (including abortion rights), and other popular measures.... To save the Supreme Court from itself, Congress might first have to shrink it." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: IOW, it is not impossible to imagine -- even within the constraints of that document the beloved Christian, propertied, white-guy Founders cobbled together -- a United States in which the Supremes issued opinions that were just that: opinions. Congress and the president then would decide whether or not to accept a majority opinion or go in another direction. Congress & the prez also could decide whether or not to accept past opinions that squeezed or overturned rights previously granted: like the limitations the Supremes have placed on voting rights over the years, or overturning the rights to women had to health care. Congress might jigger some laws to meet some objections criticss raised, or said opinions might end up in the dustbin of history. There is a way for the will of the people, as expressed below, to prevail.~~~

~~~ At the Glastonbury (England) music festival Olivia Rodrigo & Lily Allen tag the confederate Supremes. Thank you to Nisky Guy for the link:

Stephanie Kirchgaessner of the Guardian: "A US judge has asked the Biden administration to weigh in on whether Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, should be granted sovereign immunity in a civil case brought against him in the US by Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist who was killed by Saudi agents in 2018. John Bates, a district court judge, gave the US government until 1 August to declare its interests in the civil case or give the court notice that it has no view on the matter. The administration's decision could have a profound effect on the civil case and comes as Joe Biden is facing criticism for abandoning a campaign promise to turn Saudi Arabia into a 'pariah'.” (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Meryl Kornfield, et al., of the Washington Post: "In a blow to claims that drug companies fueled the opioid crisis, a federal judge ruled Monday that the nation's three major drug distributors did not cause a public nuisance by shipping millions of addictive pain pills to a West Virginia community that was among the hardest hit. In a legal win for AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson, Judge David A. Faber dismissed the argument made by Cabell County and its seat, Huntington, that the distributors bore responsibility for the consequences of an inundation of opioids, according to the judge's order filed in the U.S. District Court in West Virginia. The distributors have denied wrongdoing and have said the painkillers they shipped were prescribed by licensed doctors and filled by pharmacies. They argued they had no way of telling that those prescriptions were not legitimate and that any of the drugs may have been funneled to the black market." MB: Faber, a senior judge, is a George H.W. Bush appointee. So, you know, business as usual.

Republicans Cheat on Everything. Tony Romm of the Washington Post: "More than a year after Congress approved a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, Republicans in nearly two dozen states have ratcheted up efforts to tap some of those funds for an unrelated purpose: paying for tax cuts. The moves have threatened to siphon off aid that might otherwise help states fight the pandemic, shore up their local economies or prepare for a potential recession.... Congress ultimately laid down few conditions for how local leaders could use the pot of money, which totaled $350 billion nationally. But they were clear about one thing: The federal government would not subsidize state tax cuts.... Since then, however, GOP leaders have challenged the tax cut prohibition in federal courtrooms and state capitals. Attorneys general in 21 states have fought to overturn the Biden administration's policy, federal court filings show, backed at times by powerful groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce...."

Beyond the Beltway

There are no words for the kind of monster who lies in wait and fires into a crowd of families celebrating a holiday with their community.... Prayers alone will not put a stop to the terror of rampant gun violence in our country. -- Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.), remarks in Highland Park, Monday ~~~

~~~ Illinois. Mark Guarino, et al., of the Washington Post: "A gunman perched on a rooftop fired dozens of rounds at spectators at a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb on Monday, killing at least six people and adding yet another name to the list of American towns caught up in a countrywide wave of mass-casualty shootings.... Eight hours after the shooting, at about 6:30 p.m. local time, police announced the arrest of a 'person of interest' and presumed suspect. Police identified the man as 22-year-old Robert E. Crimo III of suburban Chicago.... Bobby Crimo ... performs as a Chicago-area rap artist under the name Awake the Rapper.... Some of the videos attributed to the rapper depict violent imagery, including a heavily armed shooter entering a school.... So far this year, the United States has recorded more than 250 mass shootings, according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive.... Darren Bailey, the Republican candidate for Illinois governor, posted a video on Facebook about two hours after the shooting, asking supporters to pray for law enforcement and the families of the victims, then return to celebrating the holiday." Related reports in yesterday's News Ledes. ~~~

     ~~~ Bryan Piesch & Gerrit De Vynck of the Washington Post: "The man detained by police as a 'person of interest' in the shooting in a Chicago suburb ... was a local rapper whose online presence contained tinges of violence and a haunting monologue depicting a troubled young man.... Crimo -- known online as 'Awake the Rapper' -- is like many internet performers, with a modest following, amateur music videos on YouTube and tracks on Spotify.... Videos with a voice-over show a computer-drawn image of a figure wearing what appears to be tactical gear and shooting a rifle, with a person kneeling, hands raised apparently begging for mercy, and another lying on the ground. Another clip shows a person appearing to be Crimo wearing a helmet and vest inside a classroom next to an American flag ... [accompanied by a] voice-over...: 'I need to leave now, I need to just do it. It is my destiny. Everything has led up to this; nothing can stop me, not even myself.' In another video, Crimo says: ... 'I hate when others get more attention than me on the internet.'... Photos that appear to show Crimo attending a rally for former president Donald Trump have also surfaced, but it is not clear from his online postings that he was a supporter of Trump or any other political party or candidate." ~~~

     ~~~ Ben Collins & Safia Ali of NBC News: “Robert 'Bobby' E. Crimo III, the person of interest identified by police after Monday's shooting in a Chicago suburb..., left a long trail of tributes to mass shootings and public killings on social media platforms, according to numerous profiles that appear to belong to him..... [His] recent music videos included depictions of mass murder.... Crimo had his own Discord server, where fans and people who knew him would chat. The community featured a politics board filled with nihilistic political memes.... Crimo also posted frequently to a message board that discussed graphic depictions of murder, suicide and death. His most recent post to that message board came last week, when he posted a video of a beheading."

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.

Jake Russell of the Washington Post: "WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February on drug charges, wrote a letter to President Biden that was delivered to the White House on Monday morning, her sports agency said. In the letter, Griner, 31, expressed fear over not knowing how long she will be detained and urged Biden to work for her release and that of other Americans detained abroad. 'As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I'm terrified I might be here forever,' Griner wrote in an excerpt of the letter shared by Wasserman, a talent agency that represents the basketball star." An ESPN report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Griner made a calculated decision to go to Russia to earn money after the U.S. warned American citizens not to travel to Russia. I get that outstanding professional women basketball players don't make nearly as much money as male stars. And I get that people make stupid mistakes. I've made some of my own. Perhaps she thought her fame would render her too exceptional to jail on trumped-up charges. Perhaps her talent agency talked her into going. So too bad Griner doesn't have her Olympic jersey to protect her. I'm sorry for her, but not so sorry I think the U.S. should trade a high-profile Russian criminal for her.

Israel/Palestine. Patrick Kingsley & Lara Jakes of the New York Times: "The bullet that killed Shireen Abu Akleh, the Palestinian American journalist shot in the occupied West Bank in May, was most likely fired from Israeli military lines but was too damaged to say for sure, the State Department said on Monday. The damage to the bullet made it difficult to draw a definitive conclusion about the gun it was fired from, according to a State Department statement. But shots fired from the position of the Israel Defense Forces were 'likely responsible for the death,' it added.... Palestinian officials have said that Ms. Abu Akleh was intentionally killed by an Israeli soldier. The Israeli government ... [has said] that she was hit by either an Israeli soldier or a Palestinian gunman. Israeli officers have said that an Israeli soldier from Duvdevan, an elite unit, fired in Ms. Abu Akleh's direction, but that it was impossible to determine who shot her without examining the bullet." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) Politico's report is here.

News Ledes

AP: "The gunman who attacked an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago fired more than 70 rounds with an AR-15-style gun that killed at least six people, then evaded initial capture by dressing as a woman and blending into the fleeing crowd, police said Tuesday. Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli told a news conference that the suspected shooter, who was arrested late Monday, used a high-powered rifle 'similar to an AR-15' to spray bullets from atop a commercial building into a crowd that had gathered for the parade in Highland Park.... Investigators who have interrogated the suspect and reviewed his social media posts have not determined a motive for the attack or found any indication that the shooter targeted anyone by race, religion or other protected status, Covelli said." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates of developments in the Highland Park massacre aftermath are here.