The Commentariat -- May 20, 2020

Late Morning/Afternoon Updates:

Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily blocked the release of parts of the report prepared by Robert S. Mueller III.... The court's order, concerning a request by the House Judiciary Committee for grand jury materials that the Justice Department had blacked out from the report provided to Congress, could mean that the full report would not be made available before the 2020 election. The Supreme Court's brief order gave no reasons for blocking an appeals court ruling ordering the release of the full report while the justices considered whether to hear the case. It ordered the Justice Department to file a petition seeking review by June 1. There were no noted dissents." A Hill report is here.

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Wednesday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Wednesday are here.

Zach Montellaro & Quint Forgey of Politico: "... Donald Trump mischaracterized Michigan's mail-in ballot policies on Wednesday while threatening federal funding to the state if election officials there do not retreat from measures meant to facilitate mail-in voting.... 'Breaking: Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election,' Trump tweeted. 'This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!' He then followed up with another message mentioning the official Twitter accounts for acting White House budget director Russ Vought, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and the Treasury Department. The president's tweets mischaracterized a recent policy change in Michigan. On Tuesday, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, announced that all of the state's 7.7 million registered voters would be mailed absentee ballot applications for the August down-ballot primaries and November general election, not a ballot directly. Responding to the president, the secretary tweeted that 'I also have a name, it's Jocelyn Benson,' and noted that her office was sending applications 'like my GOP colleagues in Iowa, Georgia, Nebraska and West Virginia.'"

The CDC Is Tired of Trying to Reason with You White House People. Nick Valencia & Caroline Kelly of CNN: "The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted 60 pages of detailed guidelines on how to reopen the United States from coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home orders on the agency's website. The guidance was a slightly shorter version of a 68-page document shelved by the White House last week after concerns it was too specific. Still, the latest CDC document was very descriptive, providing a detailed road map for schools, restaurants, transit and child care facilities on the categories to consider before reopening. The guidance was posted without fanfare amid reported tensions between the agency and the White House. CNN previously reported one of the main hold ups for publishing the CDC documents was the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Civil Rights Division felt that faith-based organizations were being unfairly targeted."

The Kleptocracy, Ctd. Nick Miroff of the Washington Post: "A North Dakota construction firm that has received backing from President Trump has now secured the largest border wall contract ever awarded, a $1.3 billion deal to build 42 miles of black-painted fencing through the rugged mountains of southern Arizona. The company that won the contract, Fisher Sand and Gravel, has been repeatedly lauded by the president in White House meetings with border officials and military commanders, the result of a long and personalized marketing pitch to Trump and ardent supporters of his barrier project. After its initial bids for border contracts were passed over, the company and its CEO, Tommy Fisher, cut a direct path to the president by praising him on cable news, donating to his Republican allies and cultivating ties to former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon, GOP Senate candidate Kris Kobach and other conservative figures in Trump's orbit. Fisher's first and only other major border contract, for $400 million, is under review by the Defense Department inspector general after Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about improper White House influence on the procurement process."

>David L. Stern & Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post: "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on his law enforcement agencies Wednesday to investigate leaked audio of private phone calls several years ago between Vice President Joe Biden and Ukraine's then-president, Petro Poroshenko, and said that the conversations 'might be perceived, qualified as high treason.'... The recordings, which were first played at a news conference Tuesday in Kyiv, shed relatively little new light on Biden's role in ousting Ukraine's prosecutor general four years ago.... The recordings showed that Biden, as he has previously said publicly, linked loan guarantees for Ukraine in 2015 to the ouster of Viktor Shokin, then the country's prosecutor general.... But Zelensky's comments Wednesday could have been aimed at appeasing Trump, discrediting a rival in Poroshenko and deflecting to investigators all in one swipe.... Hours before Zelensky's news conference, he wrote in a New York Times op-ed that 'the impeachment story was not comfortable for me.... It took American and international attention away from the issues that mattered most to Ukraine and turned our country into a story about President Trump.'...<"

California Congressional Race. Not a Bigoted Bone in His Body. Ally Mutnick of Politico: "Republican congressional candidate Ted Howze said earlier this month he had nothing to do with social media posts from his personal accounts that demeaned Muslims, accused prominent Democrats of murder and mocked a survivor of the Parkland school shooting. The 'negative and ugly ideas,' he asserted, were penned by others whom he'd given access to his accounts, but he declined to name them. In the weeks since his denial, new questions have emerged about that explanation. At least a dozen additional posts from Howze's account over a two-year period espouse conspiracy theories, suggest Hillary Clinton and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) are responsible for murder, or denigrate Dreamers, Islam and the Black Lives Matter movement. As of Tuesday afternoon, they were accessible on his personal Facebook account. Howze, his party's nominee in a competitive central California district, is endorsed by the National Republican Congressional Committee and House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy. He explicitly signed his name to one of these posts and tags family members in others."

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The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Tuesday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Tuesday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Doctor Trump, Medicine Man. Kevin Liptak of CNN: "Members of ... Donald Trump's Cabinet reinforced his decision to ingest an unproven treatment to prevent coronavirus on Tuesday, insisting the drug was safe even as none volunteered they were taking it themselves.... Even for an administration known for fealty, the declarations of support for a drug the US Food and Drug Administration has warned might be dangerous were notable. Trump was hosting his Cabinet at the White House for the first time in months.... No officials wore masks, though they were spaced several feet apart and spoke into microphones. As they went around the table, the Cabinet members uniformly praised Trump's handling of the pandemic and tried to insist the worst may be over.... When Trump was questioned why he decided to take hydroxychloroquine to prevent coming down with Covid-19 -- a disclosure he'd made a day earlier -- he dismissed his own government's warnings against using the drug for coronavirus, including from the FDA, which has said the drug should only be used in hospitals or clinical trials because they can kill or cause serious side effects.... He went on to bash a study of Veterans Affairs patients who received the drug, calling it false because it was administered to sick people who 'were ready to die.'... When pressed later how his administration was planning to return more than 35 million unemployed Americans to work, Trump lashed out. 'I think we've announced a plan. We're opening up our country. Just a rude person, you are,' he said." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Trump called on both DHHS secretary Alex Azar & VA secretary Robert Wilkie to back up his hydroxychloroquine claims. Azar deflected a little, but Wilkie was all in, agreeing with Trump that a huge study of VA patients was a "phony study" & saying the study was not a VA study, that some outside researchers merely used VA data. What Wilkie didn't say is that it was still a "government study" inasmuch as the NIH partially funded it. So here the POTUS* and his Cabinet, none of them wearing masks, going out of their way to prop up Trump's dangerous "medical advice" but not promoting various steps people must take to avoid getting or spreading the virus. ~~~

~~~ Meredith McGraw & Nancy Cook of Politico: "White House aides were as surprised as everyone else when ... Donald Trump mentioned he was taking a controversial drug to help ward off the coronavirus. Quickly, the administration assumed its typical posture for unexpected presidential proclamations -- in this case, that the president had been using the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. Officials defended the president's decision while artfully addressing whether it is wise for the country's leader take an unproven coronavirus treatment that some research has shown could have serious side effects.... Throughout the day, Trump simply defended his use of the drug, saying he believed hydroxychloroquine 'gives you an additional level of safety' and 'doesn't hurt people,' and said 'people are going to have to make up their own mind' regarding the drug's efficacy. The White House declined to comment beyond Trump's remarks.... Trump even dismissed one downbeat study about hydroxychloroquine as a 'Trump enemy statement.'... When asked on Monday whether anyone else in his administration or family was taking the drug, Trump said 'no.'" ~~~

~~~ Here's the memo, via CNN, from Sean Conley, Trump's White House physician, regarding Trump's claim that he's taking hydroxychloroquine. Nowhere does he say he has prescribed hydroxychloroquine for Trump. Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post has some thoughts on that. (Also linked yesterday.) Mrs. McC: It seems to me that while Conley may have carefully-worded his letter to help perpetrate another Trump lie, many Trumpbots will follow the apparent "advice" of Trump's doctor and try this at home. For a public servant (Conley is a Navy commander), he should apply "first, do no harm" to all Americans, not just Trump. It's occurred to me that there's another possibility that no one seems to have mentioned: Trump is taking "the hydroxy," but Conley refused to prescribe it, so Trump found another source. ~~~

~~~ In case you think no one is stupid enough to follow Trump's "medical advice" ~~~

~~~ Will Sommer of the Daily Beast: "Donald Trump's allies are seeking out hydroxychloroquine and even trying risky substitutes for the anti-malaria drug as it has become an emblem of the president's unorthodox approach to fighting coronavirus." Sommer cites examples. Mrs. McC: I liked the tonic water one because I do drink tonic water, and that is probably the onliest reason I don't have the Covid-19. ~~~

** Trump Shows the Military How Much He Loves Them. Alice Ollstein of Politico: "More than 40,000 National Guard members currently helping states test residents for the coronavirus and trace the spread of infections will face a 'hard stop' on their deployments on June 24 -- just one day shy of many members becoming eligible for key federal benefits, according to a senior FEMA official. The official outlined the Trump administration's plans on an interagency call on May 12, an audio version of which was obtained by Politico. The official also acknowledged during the call that the June 24 deadline means that thousands of members who first deployed in late March will find themselves with only 89 days of duty credit, one short of the 90-day threshold for qualifying for early retirement and education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI bill." Mrs. McC: They put their lives on hold -- and on the line -- to serve their country, and this is the thanks Trump gives them, even as he touts his love for the military.

Trump Shows Working Americans How Much He Loves Them. Seung Min Kim of the Washington Post: "President Trump on Tuesday privately expressed opposition to extending a weekly $600 boost in unemployment insurance for laid-off workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic, according to three officials familiar with his remarks during a closed-door lunch with Republican senators on Capitol Hill. The increased unemployment benefits -- paid by the federal government but administered through individual states -- were enacted this year as part of a broader $2 trillion relief package passed by Congress. The boost expires this summer, and House Democrats have proposed extending the aid through January 2021." Mrs. McC: There's no reason for people to get unemployment insurance in summer; they can go out in the forest & forage for nuts & berries. And go fishing! It's fun to be unemployed!

Isaac Arnsdorf of ProPublica: "A food relief program championed by ... Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka is relying on some contractors who lack food distribution experience and aren't licensed to deal in fresh fruits and vegetables.... Forty-nine out of the 159 contractors picked by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deliver boxes containing produce don't have a requisite license from the same agency.... The awards to firms for which no licenses could be found amount to $105.3 million, about 15% of the total for produce boxes.... When the program was announced, the nonprofit organization Feeding America surveyed its nationwide network of 200 food banks about their needs and worked with seven national distributors on how to implement the program. But none of those distributors received contracts." --s ~~~

~~~ Ed Mazza of the Huffington Post: "... Donald Trump offered an unusual warning to Virginia farmers on Tuesday, suggesting that their potatoes might be at risk and they will need to be armed to protect those spuds. [According to a tweet from the Hill, Trump said,] 'We're going after Virginia, with your crazy governor, we're going after Virginia. They want to take your Second Amendment. You know that, right? You'll have nobody guarding your potatoes.' Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) fired back on Twitter with a warning about the anti-malaria drug Trump is taking to prevent coronavirus infection despite the fact that it's not approved for the disease: 'I grew up on a Virginia farm, Mr. President -- our potatoes are fine. And as the only medical doctor among our nation's governors, I suggest you stop taking hydroxychloroquine....'" Thanks to P.D. Pepe for the link. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: This story puts me in mind of Great Depression-era stories -- real & fictional -- I've heard or read of indigent people asking farmers for food or just stealing potatoes & other foods off the vine. Trump may realize that's where we are, and he thinks the answer is to shoot the starving gleaners to save a potato.

Erica Werner, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Trump's drive to swiftly reopen the economy came under fire Tuesday from Democratic senators who pointedly questioned the administration's strategy, forcing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to insist the White House would not sacrifice workers' lives for economic gain. But the growing insistence by Trump and Republican lawmakers to push for reopening while halting any new talks about aid has created a stark divide in the government's approach. As Trump has largely shut down negotiations for more emergency assistance, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell warned Tuesday that much more may be needed." This story is an update of one linked yesterday." The New York Times live-updated the hearing here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Chad Livengood of Crain's Detroit: "When Ford Motor Co. hosts ... Donald Trump on Thursday for a tour of its Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, the automaker will be doing so in technical violation of an executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer prohibiting 'nonessential' plant tours. Her office signaled it would not stand in the way of the visit. Ford says it will require the president to wear a mask, something he has not done on other recent plant tours. Whitmer's new coronavirus pandemic workplace regulations for businesses laid out in Executive Order No. 2020-91 states that 'manufacturing facilities must ... suspend all non-essential in-person visits, including tours.'"

Michael Biesecker & Jason Dearen of the AP: "Republican political operatives are recruiting 'extremely pro-Trump' doctors to go on television to prescribe reviving the U.S. economy as quickly as possible, without waiting to meet safety benchmarks proposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. The plan was discussed in a May 11 conference call with a senior staffer for the Trump reelection campaign organized by CNP Action, an affiliate of the GOP-aligned Council for National Policy. A leaked recording of the hourlong call was provided to The Associated Press.... CNP Action is part of the Save Our Country Coalition, an alliance of conservative think tanks and political committees formed in late April to end state lockdowns implemented in response to the pandemic.... A resurgent economy is seen as critical to boosting ... Donald Trump's reelection hopes and has become a growing focus of the White House coronavirus task force led by Vice President Mike Pence." Mrs. McC: Wait, mike, I thought your task force was focused on saving all Americans from the coronavirus; now we find out it's more about your re-election? I'm so disillusioned.

Michelle Smith, et al., of the AP: "Public health officials in some states are accused of bungling coronavirus infection statistics or even using a little sleight of hand to deliberately make things look better than they are. The risk is that politicians, business owners and ordinary Americans who are making decisions about lockdowns, reopenings and other day-to-day matters could be left with the impression that the virus is under more control than it actually is.... In Florida, the data scientist who developed the state's coronavirus dashboard, Rebekah Jones, said this week that she was fired for refusing to manipulate data 'to drum up support for the plan to reopen.' Calls to health officials for comment were not immediately returned Tuesday. In Georgia, one of the earliest states to ease up on lockdowns and assure the public it was safe to go out again, the Department of Public Health published a graph around May 11 that showed new COVID-19 cases declining over time in the most severely affected counties. The daily entries, however, were not arranged in chronological order but in descending order.... A quick look at the graph made it appear as if the decline was smoother than it really was."

Natasha Turak of CNBC: "Experiments by a team in Hong Kong found that the coronavirus' transmission rate via respiratory droplets or airborne particles dropped by as much as 75% when surgical masks were used. 'The findings implied to the world and the public is that the effectiveness of mask-wearing against the coronavirus pandemic is huge,' Dr. Yuen Kwok-yung, a leadingmicrobiologist from Hong Kong University who helped discover the SARS virus in 2003, said Sunday."

If you're wondering about Elon Musk and "the red pill," Nellie Bowles of the New York Times has a primer.

Neil Genzlinger of the New York Times: "Annie Glenn, who in a high-profile life as the wife of John Glenn, the astronaut and senator, became an inspiration to many who, like her, stuttered severely, advocating on behalf of people with communication disorders of all kinds, died on Tuesday at a nursing home near St. Paul, Minn. She was 100. Hank Wilson ... of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at the Ohio State University, said the cause was complications of the Covid-19 virus."

Edward Wong & David Sanger of the New York Times: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declined an interview request for the State Department inspector general's inquiry into whether the Trump administration acted illegally in declaring an 'emergency' to bypass a congressional freeze on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to three people with knowledge of his actions. Mr. Pompeo chose instead to answer written questions from investigators working for the inspector general, Steve A. Linick, who was fired by President Trump on Friday. That indicates that the secretary of state was aware of Mr. Linick's investigation and the specific lines of questioning about Mr. Pompeo's decision last year to resume the sales of bombs and other weapons...." ~~~

~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: That's ever so surprising because Pompeo told Carol Morello of the Washington Post that "... the decision [to recommend Linick's firing] was not an act of political retaliation, because he did not know beforehand that ... Linick was investigating allegations that he had an aide run personal errands for him." Okay, let's say that's a little misdirection. Mike says he didn't know about the personal-errands investigation, but he doesn't say anything about the Saudi-Arabia arms investigation. But then he denies that, too. According to Morello, "He [Pompeo] said he recalled only one case, involving a national security matter, in which he knew of an investigation until shortly before a report was released to the public." That "national security matter" can't be the Saudi Arabia arms case, because Linick has not released that report. So then, Pompeo concluded, "It is not possible that this decision [to fire Linick], or my recommendation rather, to the president rather, was based on any effort to retaliate for any investigation that was going on or is currently going on. Because I simply don't know. I'm not briefed on it. I usually see these investigations in final draft form 24 hours, 48 hours before the IG is prepared to release them. So it's simply not possible for this to be an act of retaliation. End of story." No, Mike, it's not the end of the story. When you decline to be interviewed for an investigation, it's safe to say you know about the investigation. I'm shocked that Mike Pompeo, the old boy who keeps a Bible open on his desk, would dissemble like that, would tell a Big Fat Lie. ~~~

~~~ Update. See also the last sentence of this synopsis of a new NBC News report. Turns out Mike also was lying about not knowing of Linick's investigation of Pompeo's personal abuses of office. ~~~

Josh Lederman, et al., of NBC News: "Until the coronavirus shut them down in March, [Mike Pompeo held] gatherings ... known as 'Madison Dinners' -- elaborate, unpublicized affairs that Pompeo and his wife, Susan Pompeo, began in 2018 and held regularly in the historic Diplomatic Reception Rooms [in the State Department's Harry S. Truman Building] on the government's dime. State Department officials involved in the dinners said they had raised concerns internally that the events were essentially using federal resources to cultivate a donor and supporter base for Pompeo's political ambitions -- complete with extensive contact information that gets sent back to Susan Pompeo's personal email address.... Pompeo held about two dozen Madison dinners since taking over in 2018 ... [at a cost of several hundred dollars per plate]. The records show that about 29 percent of the invitees came from the corporate world, while about a quarter of them hailed from the media or entertainment industries, with conservative media members heavily represented. About 30 percent work in politics or government, and just 14 percent were diplomats or foreign officials. Every single member of the House or the Senate who has been invited is a Republican.... The Madison dinners ... aren't disclosed on Pompeo's public schedule.... Two administration officials told NBC News that [State Department inspector general Steve] Linick made some type of inquiry last week, before he was fired, to the protocol office. One of the officials said Pompeo's office was then notified." Emphasis added. ~~~

~~~ Alexander Bolton & Laura Kelly of the Hill: "Senate Republicans are demanding a fuller explanation from President Trump about his firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, the fourth inspector general to be removed or targeted for removal by the president in the past three months." Among those requiring more answers are John Thune, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman, & John Risch, along with Chuck Grassley. (Also linked yesterday.)

Ian Duncan & Michael Laris of the Washington Post: "Three leading House Democrats said Tuesday that they plan to open an investigation into the replacement of the Transportation Department's acting inspector general, concerned that the move was tied to an ongoing investigation of Secretary Elaine Chao's dealings with the state of Kentucky. Chao is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and has faced questions about whether her department has given preferential treatment to projects in the state. On Friday [the same day he announced he was firing State Department IG Steve Linick], President Trump named Howard 'Skip' Elliott, the head of a pipeline safety agency, as acting DOT inspector general.... In the letter to Elliott, the lawmakers said they viewed his appointment as part of a broader attack by Trump on inspectors general across the government." ~~~

~~~ Sam Mintz of Politico: "Rep. Peter DeFazio and two other senior House Democrats on Tuesday demanded that the Trump administration reinstate Mitchell Behm, who had been the acting Transportation Department inspector general until he was ousted from the position over the weekend and replaced with the head of another agency."

This Is Awkward. Issac Arnsdorf of ProPublica (Feb 21): "President Donald Trump's new acting intelligence director, Richard Grenell, used to do consulting work on behalf of an Eastern European oligarch.... Vladimir Plahotniuc, but did not disclose that he was being paid, according to records and interviews. Grenell also did not register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which generally requires people to disclose work in the U.S. on behalf of foreign politicians." --s ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Why is it awkward? Well, besides the little failure-to-disclose matter, check out what Plahotniuc has been up to, linked under Way Beyond the Beltway. All the best people, etc., etc. ~~~

~~~ Well, that's okay because Grenell is about to lose his "acting" job & go back to Germany, where he is the unpopular U.S. ambassador. ~~~

~~~ Shane Harris of the Washington Post: "Texas congressman John Ratcliffe (R) took a step closer to becoming President Trump's top intelligence adviser on Tuesday, after the Senate Intelligence Committee voted along party lines to move his nomination to the full Senate. Committee members voted 8 to 7 in favor of Ratcliffe as the next director of national intelligence, following an extraordinary hearing earlier this month held under social distancing guidelines. Ratcliffe sat far back from masked senators who questioned him on his credentials and whether he was capable of acting independently of his political allegiance to the president. The committee vote was held behind closed doors in a secure facility in the Capitol. Ratcliffe is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate in a vote likely to be held after Memorial Day, according to congressional aides." A Hill story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

A Day That Will Live in Infamy -- But Not Because of Susan Rice. Betsy Swan of Politico: "On the day of ... Donald Trump's inauguration, outgoing national security adviser Susan Rice sent herself an email that has since drawn intense scrutiny from Republicans. Now the full text of the email has been declassified.... It says that then-FBI Director James Comey worried about sharing classified information with the Trump team because of incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn's frequent conversations with the Russian ambassador but that Comey had no knowledge of Flynn sharing classified information with the envoy. Republicans have seized on the document as potential evidence that the outgoing president had ordered the FBI to spy on the new administration, as Trump has alleged. And they have ... suggest[ed] that in warning Comey to proceed 'by the book,' [President] Obama was implying that top law enforcement officials had done the opposite. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Rice said it shows the Obama administration handled the Flynn situation appropriately." A facsimile of the declassified memo is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs McCrabbie: Wingers were very excited about the "explosive" declassification (no links). Alas, as Rachel Maddow pointed out, the Trump administration's big "exposé" of the nefarious Susan Rice backfired: the memo to file was completely appropriate & shows no hint of wrongdoing. The reason Republicans assume that President Obama & other Democrats are always up to no good is classic projection: Republicans are always up to no good, and they think others must be just as underhanded as they are.

Cassie Da Costa of the Daily Beast: "In the final third of director Nick Sweeney's 79-minute documentary, ['AKA Jane Roe'] featuring many end-of-life reflections from [Norma] McCorvey -- who grew up queer, poor, and was sexually abused by a family member her mother sent her to live with after leaving reform school -- the former Jane Roe admits that her later turn to the anti-abortion camp as a born-again Christian was 'all an act.'... '... I took their money and they took me out in front of the cameras and told me what to say....' [The] Reverend [Rob] Schenck confirms that she was 'coached on what to say' in her anti-abortion speeches.... Reverend Flip Benham (of the infamous Operation Rescue) ... denies McCorvey was paid; Schenck insists she was, saying that 'at a few points, she was actually on the payroll, as it were.' AKA Jane Roe finds documents disclosing at least $456,911 in 'benevolent gifts' from the anti-abortion movement to McCorvey." Thanks to Ken W. for the link. ~~~

~~~ A Day That Will Live in Infamy. Kenya Evelyn of the Guardian: "Included in the documentary also are scenes from the presidential election night in 2016, depicting McCorvey's disappointment as Democrat Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump. 'I wish I knew how many abortions Donald Trump was responsible for,' she quipped in the scene. 'I'm sure he's lost count, if he can count that high.'" ~~~

~~~ Scott Lemieux in LG&$: "It's a little better now, but elite punditry in the 90s and early aughts was saturated with arguments that even if one was pro-choice one should concede that American pro-lifers were acting according to Deep Moral Principles that merited not merely respect but accommodation, when in fact the movement was a total legal, moral, and ethical shambles. Remember the McCorvey Purchase if you see such arguments again, which you surely will."

Way Beyond the Beltway

Moldova. Reuters: "Moldova's Prosecutor General said on Monday that one of the country's richest people, Vladimir Plahotniuc, had been charged with involvement in the theft of $1 billion from Moldovan banks in 2014-2015.... The scandal triggered street protests, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union froze aid, the leu currency plunged to record lows and inflation climbed into double digits." --s

Spain. Chloé Farand of Climate Home News: "The Spanish government is due to present an ambitious draft law to cut the country's carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 to Parliament on Tuesday. Spain joins a handful of countries to have set out a legal binding strategy to end their contribution to global heating in the next 30 years." --s

The Commentariat -- May 19, 2020

Late Morning Update:

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Tuesday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Tuesday are here.

Here's the memo, via CNN, from Sean Conley, Trump's White House physician, regarding Trump's claim that he's taking hydroxychloroquine. Nowhere does he say he has prescribed hydroxychloroquine for Trump. Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post has some thoughts on that. Mrs. McC: While Conley may have carefully-worded his letter to help perpetrate another Trump lie, many Trumpbots will follow the apparent "advice" of Trump's doctor and try this at home. For a public servant (Conley is a Navy commander), he should apply "first, do no harm" to all Americans, not just Trump. It's occurred to me that there's another possibility that no one seems to have mentioned: Trump is taking "the hydroxy," but Conley refused to prescribe it, so Trump found another source.

Erica Werner & Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin defended the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak Tuesday at a hearing where senators pressed him to move faster on hundreds of billions in lending to businesses, cities and states and others.... Also testifying along with Mnuchin was Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome H. Powell." The New York Times is live-updating the hearing here.

Shane Harris of the Washington Post: "Texas congressman John Ratcliffe (R) took a step closer to becoming President Trump's top intelligence adviser on Tuesday, after the Senate Intelligence Committee voted along party lines to move his nomination to the full Senate. Committee members voted 8 to 7 in favor of Ratcliffe as the next director of national intelligence, following an extraordinary hearing earlier this month held under social distancing guidelines. Ratcliffe sat far back from masked senators who questioned him on his credentials and whether he was capable of acting independently of his political allegiance to the president. The committee vote was held behind closed doors in a secure facility in the Capitol. Ratcliffe is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate in a vote likely to be held after Memorial Day, according to congressional aides." A Hill story is here.

Alexander Bolton & Laura Kelly of the Hill: "Senate Republicans are demanding a fuller explanation from President Trump about his firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, the fourth inspector general to be removed or targeted for removal by the president in the past three months." Among those requiring more answers are John Thune, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman, & John Risch, along with Chuck Grassley.

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The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

** Jane Timm of NBC News: "... Donald Trump on Monday said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine, an unproven treatment for COVID-19 that he has vigorously promoted. 'A lot of good things have come out about the hydroxy.... You'd be surprised at how many people are taking it,' Trump said at the White House. ... I'm taking it hydroxychloroquine, right now.' The president said he has been taking the drug for 'a couple weeks' and that it was prescribed by the White House doctor. The FDA has warned against its use for COVID-19 outside of a hospital setting due to a risk of serious heart problems." Mrs. McC: He also is imbibing prodigious gulps of bleach, doctor-presribed, of course. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

~~~ Zeke Miller, et al., of the AP: "The White House physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said in a statement released through the White House press office that, after 'numerous discussions' with Trump about the evidence for and against using hydroxychloroquine, 'we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.'" ~~~

~~~ Justin Baragona & Adam Rawnsley of the Daily Beast: "Trump claimed he received a letter the other day from a New York doctor who alleged he has successfully treated hundreds of COVID-19 patients with a combo of the drug and azithromycin. He also complained about 'phony reports' that showed the lack of efficacy of the drug in treating the coronavirus.... Immediately after Trump made his stunning disclosure, Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto [said on-air,] 'The fact of the matter is, though, when Trump said what do you got to lose, in a number of studies the vulnerable population have one thing to lose, their lives,' Cavuto somberly said during his Fox News broadcast. 'I cannot stress enough: This will kill you!'" ~~~

He's our president, and I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and his, shall we say, weight group ... morbidly obese, they say. -- Nancy Pelosi, on CNN Monday night

~~~ First, Do No Harm. Steve M. has a few theories about this, all of them reasonable: "Washington is talking about Mike Pompeo and the inspector general who was fired for investigating him, so President Trump decided to regain control of the news cycle[.]... Trump might simply be lying about this -- he knows that the announcement will be headline-grabbing, and he knows that advocating hydroxychloroquine is an effective way of needling the libs." Also, hydroxychloroquine is popular with Foxbots.... Trump's doctors haven't been honest and forthcoming about his health, but it was revealed in 2018 that he has cardiovascular issues.... Under those circumstances, if you were one of the president's doctors, would you give him a drug that can disturb heart rhythms? I think you'd give him a placebo and let him think it's hydroxychloroquine."

Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump on Monday threatened to permanently halt U.S. funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) if the body does not commit to 'major substantive improvements' in the next 30 days. The president, in a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, levied a series of allegations that the global health entity overlooked or ignored various warning signs about the coronavirus and criticized its stance toward China during the pandemic." ~~~

~~~ Andrew Jacobs, et al., of the New York Times: "A meeting of the World Health Organization that was supposed to chart a path for the world to combat the coronavirus pandemic instead on Monday turned into a showcase for the escalating tensions between China and the United States over the virus. President Xi Jinping of China announced at the start of the forum that Beijing would donate $2 billion toward fighting the coronavirus and dispatch doctors and medical supplies to Africa and other countries in the developing world. The contribution, to be spent over two years, amounts to more than twice what the United States had been giving the global health agency before President Trump cut off American funding last month.... Mr. Trump declined to address the two-day gathering, providing the Chinese president an opening to be one of the first world leaders to address the 194 member states.... In videotaped remarks to the assembly after Mr. Xi spoke, Alex M. Azar II, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, countered wit sharp criticism of both the W.H.O. and China, saying their handling of the coronavirus outbreak led to unnecessary deaths." ~~~

~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: I didn't bother to read this piece in Sunday's Washington Post by Ashley Parker & Phil Rucker, but I should have. I might think Rucker took my criticism to heart: "President Trump has proclaimed the latest phase of pandemic response the 'transition to greatness.' But Trump appears poised to preside over the eventual transition more as a salesman and marketer than a decider. The United States under Trump has also retreated from its historic position of global leadership, declining, for instance, to participate in a coronavirus summit with other nations earlier this month. Amid a once-in-a-century deadly pandemic, Trump has inserted his ego squarely into the U.S. response while simultaneously minimizing his own role -- deferring critical decisions to others, undermining his credibility with confusion and misinformation, and shirking responsibility in what some see as a shrinking of the America presidency." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Trump Is So Corrupt He Doesn't Know He's Corrupt. Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "After former top vaccine official Rick Bright maintained Sunday that the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic has been slow and chaotic, President Trump responded in a late-night tweetstorm, saying that whistleblowers like Bright are 'causing great injustice and harm' to the nation. In an interview with '60 Minutes,' Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, criticized the government for failing to have a clear plan in place to address the totality of the American outbreak.... Shortly after the program aired, Trump took to Twitter to again describe the concerns of Bright, who led BARDA for four years, as complaints from a 'disgruntled employee,' and he reiterated his long-standing call to undo protections for whistleblowers." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: That is, when someone points to wrongdoing and/or incompetence in the Trump administration, it causes "great harm to the nation." That doesn't even make any sense. Most taxpayers want their tax dollars to be used effectively, and if someone is screwing up, they expect others to call attention to it & correct the errors. But Trump thinks the malfeasance is not the corruption or incompetence but the act of reporting corruption or malfeasance.

** Erica Werner of the Washington Post: "President Trump on Monday intensified his push for businesses to reopen as quickly as possible, but companies and cities continued to wait for the disbursement of unspent bailout funds and remain unsure what to expect as rules and programs continue to shift.... The Congressional Oversight Commission, a new body, released a report on Monday finding that the Treasury Department had spent very little from a $500 billion fund created by the Cares Act in March to help businesses and local governments, even though many of these entities have asked for immediate help. Senators are expected to press Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell about this during a hearing Tuesday morning."

Nick Valencia of CNN: "A senior official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday offered a pointed rebuke of White House trade adviser Peter Navarro's scathing criticism of the top health agency in the latest sign of growing tension between the CDC and the White House. 'We should remind Mr. Navarro that the CDC is a federal agency part of the administration. The CDC director is an appointed position, and Dr. (Robert) Redfield was appointed by President (Donald) Trump,' the official told CNN. 'If there is criticism of the CDC, ultimately Mr. Navarro is being critical of the President and the man who President Trump placed to lead the agency.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Jeff Cox of CNBC: "The U.S. economy could shrink by upwards of 30% in the second quarter but will avoid a Depression-like economic plunge over the longer term, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told '60 Minutes in an interview aired Sunday. The central bank chief also conceded that jobless numbers will look a lot like they did during the 1930s, when the rate peaked out at close to 25%[.]" The full transcript & a video of Powell's "60 Minutes" appearance is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Greg Sargent of the Washington Post: "President Trump's abrupt decision to remove the inspector general of the State Department [Steven Linick] constitutes the latest in a string of corrupt efforts to remove public servants who prioritize real oversight and accountability over protecting Trump at all costs.... House Democrats have discovered that the fired IG had mostly completed an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's widely criticized decision to skirt Congress with an emergency declaration to approve billions of dollars in arms sales to Saudi Arabia last year, aides on the Foreign Affairs Committee tell me.... 'We don't have the full picture yet, but it's troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed,' [Rep. Eliot] Engel [D-N.Y.] said in the statement to me.... The [arms sale to Saudis] was condemned by lawmakers in both parties who have increasingly been turning on continued U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which stretches back to the last administration and has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe. Congress subsequently voted to block the arms sales, with some Republican support, but Trump vetoed the effort." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ A related CNN report, by Zachary Cohen, is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Trump Says the Dog Ate Mike's Homework or Something. John Bowdon of the Hill: "Speaking with reporters at the White House, Trump defended Pompeo as a 'high-quality person' and a 'brilliant guy,' while suggesting that the nation's top diplomat had assigned government employees to perform household tasks because his wife or children were not around. '[N]ow I have you telling me about dog walking, washing dishes and you know what, I'd rather have him on the phone with some world leader than have him wash dishes because maybe his wife isn't there or his kids aren't ... you know,' Trump said. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Needless to say, there's nothing wrong with Pompeo & his family's hiring help to wash the dishes & walk the dog. What's wrong, and against the law, is asking or ordering federal employees -- who have other jobs -- to carry out his & his wife's personal errands. As for Pompeo's being a "brilliant guy," for a brilliant guy, he sure is clueless -- or claims to be -- about what's going on under his nose. ~~~

     ~~~ Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "In a telephone interview, Pompeo said the decision was not an act of political retaliation, because he did not know beforehand that the official, Steve Linick, was investigating allegations that he had an aide run personal errands for him." ~~~

~~~ John Hudson & Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aides blasted the State Department's ousted internal watchdog on Monday, accusing him of mishandling leaks to the media and failing to promote Pompeo's mission statement to employees. The remarks attempted to fill in the gaps in the mysterious firing of Steve Linick by President Trump late Friday night, but they also raised new questions about the dismissal and exposed a sharp divide among State Department employees.... Pompeo told The Washington Post that he advised Trump to fire Linick because he was not 'performing a function' that was 'additive for the State Department.' One of Pompeo's top aides, Brian Bulatao..., said the secretary was frustrated with Linick's indifference to an 'ethos statement' Pompeo formulated for employees last year that includes mottos such as 'I am a champion of American diplomacy.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: It sounds as if Pompeo was upset because Linick wouldn't join all the other girls & boys in raising their right hands & pledging in unison, "I am a champion of American diplomacy," like a troop of Cub Scouts. ~~~

~~~ Alexander Bolton of the Hill: "Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the most senior Republican in the Senate, is pressing President Trump to explain why he fired the State Department inspector general, noting that Trump's notice on Friday that he would remove Steve Linick after 30 days did not include an explanation as required by law. Grassley in a letter to Trump Monday warned inspectors general 'should be free from partisan political interference, from either the Executive or Legislative branch.' He is asking Trump to 'provide a detailed reasonin' for the removal of Linick no later than June 1.'" Mrs. McC: June 1? Really?

Morgant Chalfant of the Hill: "Attorney General William Barr said Monday that he does not expect a criminal investigation of former President Obama or former Vice President Joe Biden to result from the probe undertaken by U.S Attorney John Durham. 'Based on the information I have today, I don't expect Mr. Durham's work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man,' Barr told reporters at the Justice Department. 'Our concern over potential criminality is focused on others.' Barr was asked about President Trump's recent remarks encouraging investigations into Obama and other officials from the previous administration. The president suggested they were involved in criminal wrongdoing in connection with the FBI's investigation into Russian interference.... 'What happened to the president [Trump] in the 2016 election and throughout the first two years of his administration was abhorrent,' Barr told reporters Monday. 'It was a grave injustice and it was unprecedented in American history.'" A Washington Post report is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: So, at least so far, Barr has decided fake "Obamagate' is a bridge too far. We'll see if he changes his mind in the weeks before the November election.

** Bill Barr Exonerates Russia. Sonam Sheth of Business Insider: "The Justice Department on Monday moved to drop its case against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities who were indicted as part of the former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 US election.... Notably, the filing continued to say that based on consideration of these circumstances, 'and particularly in light of recent events and a change in the balance of the government's proof due to a classification determination,' and other details outlined in a classified addendum to the filing, the Justice Department decided to drop its case." (Emphasis mine) --safari: How did this go under the radar in MSM? ~~~

~~~ Mary Ilyushina and Marshall Cohen of CNN: "Russian oligarch Yevegeny Prigozhin, who bankrolled the troll farm that meddled in the 2016 presidential election, took a victory lap on Tuesday after the US Justice Department dropped charges against two of his companies, weeks before a scheduled trial.... President Donald Trump also trumpeted the development, even though it was a setback for his own Justice Department.... One of the tweets read, 'How embarrassing for Team Mueller.' The criminal case against Prigozhin and his companies, including Concord Management and Consulting, was initiated by Mueller in 2018 and was slated to go to trial next month. But prosecutors abruptly announced Monday that they were scrapping the charges." --s

Lindsey Will Have His Witch Hunt Anyway. Kyle Cheney of Politico: "Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham is preparing to ask his colleagues on the panel for blanket permission to subpoena dozens of Obama and Trump administration officials connected to the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election -- and contacts between ... Donald Trump's team and Russians. His proposal would permit the South Carolina Republican to demand testimony and documents from figures involved in the intelligence associated with the launch of the Russia investigation, including Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former national intelligence director James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey." Mrs. McC: They should all refuse to show up until Trump releases every person Congressional Democrats have called to testify on everything.

Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "A retired federal judge [John Gleeson] appointed to oppose the Justice Department's bid to dismiss former national security adviser Michael Flynn's guilty plea to lying to the FBI requested on Monday a hearing for oral arguments after he briefs the court. The request for a hearing sets the stage for a pitched legal and political battle triggered by Attorney General William P. Barr's April 30 move to undo the conviction of the highest-ranking adviser to President Trump convicted in special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's Russia investigation.... Also Monday, in one of the first publicly released draft filings to advise the court, more than 960 former Justice Department prosecutors accused Barr of appearing to serve the president's personal political interests. The prosecutors ... said in the filing that Barr violated his oath to faithfully execute the law and helped Trump undermine the Constitution by giving an aide impunity to lie to government investigators." ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE. Rebecca Klar of the Hill: "Fifteen Republican state attorneys general are urging the judge ruling over the case to dismiss it, showing support for the Trump administration's move to drop the charges against the president's first national security adviser. In a briefing filed Monday, the attorneys general said the court has created a problem of 'inserting itself into the Justice Department's exercise of prosecutorial discretion.'"

Katie Benner & Adam Goldman of the New York Times: "Federal investigators found cellphone evidence that links Al Qaeda to last year's deadly shooting at a United States military base in Pensacola, Fla., according to two American officials briefed on the investigation. The F.B.I. found that the gunman, Second Lt. Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a Saudi Air Force cadet training with the American military, had communicated with a Qaeda operative who had encouraged the attacks, according to the two officials, who were not authorized to speak about it publicly ahead of an 11 a.m. news conference by Attorney General William P. Barr. The F.B.I. uncovered the links after recently bypassing the security features on at least one of Mr. Alshamrani's two iPhones without help from Apple, according to the officials." A CNN report is here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Donna Cassata of the Washington Post: "Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will serve as the acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, replacing Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who stepped aside last week after FBI agents seized his cellphone, seeking evidence related to stock sales he made before the coronavirus pandemic crashed global markets..., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said...."

Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Eric Boehlert of Press Run: "When CBS News last year hired a Fox News reporter [Catherine Herridge] who had been aggressively wrong about the Benghazi story for three straight years, it was not a good sign.... She basically ran an ongoing misinformation campaign on behalf of the GOP. (Her Twitter feed still serves as one.)... Herridge has emerged in recent days as a media point person as the White House tries frantically to smear former President Barack Obama with the hollow claims of a 'Obamagate' scandal.... Herridge recently treated Attorney General Bill Barr to a softball interview after he ... dropped charges against ... Michael Flynn.... Then Herridge was handed a Republicans 'scoop,' which peddled the absurd claim that Obama and Vice President Biden were part of this vast, left-wing, Deep State conspiracy to ensnare the Trump presidency.... Somehow, CBS looked at her resume and decided they needed Herridge on their team." --s

The Commentariat -- May 18, 2020

Afternoon Update:

Jane Timm of NBC News: "... Donald Trump on Monday said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine, an unproven treatment for COVID-19 that he has vigorously promoted. 'A lot of good things have come out about the hydroxy.... You'd be surprised at how many people are taking it,' Trump said at the White House.... I'm taking it hydroxychloroquine, right now.' The president said he has been taking the drug for 'a couple weeks' and that it was prescribed by the White House doctor. The FDA has warned against its use for COVID-19 outside of a hospital setting due to a risk of serious heart problems." Mrs. McC: He also is imbibing prodigious gulps of bleach, doctor-presribed, of course.

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Monday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Monday are here.

Mrs. McCrabbie: I didn't bother to read this piece in Sunday's Washington Post by Ashley Parker & Phil Rucker, but I guess ti should have. I might think Rucker took my criticism to heart: "President Trump has proclaimed the latest phase of pandemic response the 'transition to greatness.' But Trump appears poised to preside over the eventual transition more as a salesman and marketer than a decider. The United States under Trump has also retreated from its historic position of global leadership, declining, for instance, to participate in a coronavirus summit with other nations earlier this month. Amid a once-in-a-century deadly pandemic, Trump has inserted his ego squarely into the U.S. response while simultaneously minimizing his own role -- deferring critical decisions to others, undermining his credibility with confusion and misinformation, and shirking responsibility in what some see as a shrinking of the American presidency."

Trump Is So Corrupt He Doesn't Know He's Corrupt. Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "After former top vaccine official Rick Bright maintained Sunday that the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic has been slow and chaotic, President Trump responded in a late-night tweetstorm, saying that whistleblowers like Bright are 'causing great injustice and harm' to the nation. In an interview with '60 Minutes,' Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, criticized the government for failing to have a clear plan in place to address the totality of the American outbreak.... Shortly after the program aired, Trump took to Twitter to again describe the concerns of Bright, who led BARDA for four years, as complaints from a 'disgruntled employee,' and he reiterated his long-standing call to undo protections for whistleblowers." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: That is, when someone points to wrongdoing and/or incompetence in the Trump administration, it causes "great harm to the nation." That doesn't even make any sense. Most taxpayers want their tax dollars to be used effectively, and if someone is screwing up, they expect others to call attention to it & correct the errors. But Trump thinks the malfeasance is not the corruption or incompetence but the act of reporting corruption or malfeasance.

Greg Sargent of the Washington Post:"President Trump's abrupt decision to remove the inspector general of the State Department [Steven Linick] constitutes the latest in a string of corrupt efforts to remove public servants who prioritize real oversight and accountability over protecting Trump at all costs.... House Democrats have discovered that the fired IG had mostly completed an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's widely criticized decision to skirt Congress with an emergency declaration to approve billions of dollars in arms sales to Saudi Arabia last year, aides on the Foreign Affairs Committee tell me.... 'We don't have the full picture yet, but it's troubling that Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed,' [Rep. Eliot] Engel [D-N.Y.] said in the statement to me.... The [arms sale to Saudis] was condemned by lawmakers in both parties who have increasingly been turning on continued U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which stretches back to the last administration and has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe. Congress subsequently voted to block the arms sales, with some Republican support, but Trump vetoed the effort." ~~~

     ~~~ A related CNN report, by Zachary Cohen, is here.

Morgant Chalfant of the Hill: "Attorney General William Barr said Monday that he does not expect a criminal investigation of former President Obama or former Vice President Joe Biden to result from the probe undertaken by U.S Attorney John Durham. 'Based on the information I have today, I don't expect Mr. Durham's work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man,' Barr told reporters at the Justice Department. 'Our concern over potential criminality is focused on others.' Barr was asked about President Trump's recent remarks encouraging investigations into Obama and other officials from the previous administration. The president suggested they were involved in criminal wrongdoing in connection with the FBI's investigation into Russian interference.... 'What happened to the president [Trump] in the 2016 election and throughout the first two years of his administration was abhorrent,' Barr told reporters Monday. 'It was a grave injustice and it was unprecedented in American history.'" A Washington Post report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: So, at least so far, Barr has decided fake "Obamagate' are a bridge too far. We'll see if he changes his mind in the weeks before the November election.

Nick Valencia of CNN: "A senior official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday offered a pointed rebuke of White House trade adviser Peter Navarro's scathing criticism of the top health agency in the latest sign of growing tension between the CDC and the White House. 'We should remind Mr. Navarro that the CDC is a federal agency part of the administration. The CDC director is an appointed position, and Dr. (Robert) Redfield was appointed by President (Donald) Trump,' the official told CNN. 'If there is criticism of the CDC, ultimately Mr. Navarro is being critical of the President and the man who President Trump placed to lead the agency.'"

Katie Benner & Adam Goldman of the New York Times: "Federal investigators found cellphone evidence that links Al Qaeda to last year's deadly shooting at a United States military base in Pensacola, Fla., according to two American officials briefed on the investigation. The F.B.I. found that the gunman, Second Lt. Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a Saudi Air Force cadet training with the American military, had communicated with a Qaeda operative who had encouraged the attacks, according to the two officials, who were not authorized to speak about it publicly ahead of an 11 a.m. news conference by Attorney General William P. Barr. The F.B.I. uncovered the links after recently bypassing the security features on at least one of Mr. Alshamrani's two iPhones without help from Apple, according to the officials." A CNN report is here.

Jeff Cox of CNBC: "The U.S. economy could shrink by upwards of 30% in the second quarter but will avoid a Depression-like economic plunge over the longer term, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told '60 Minutes in an interview aired Sunday. The central bank chief also conceded that jobless numbers will look a lot like they did during the 1930s, when the rate peaked out at close to 25%[.]" The full transcript & a video of Powell's "60 Minutes" appearance is here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Carolyn Johnson of the Washington Post: "Moderna, the Massachusetts biotechnology company behind a leading effort to create a coronavirus vaccine, announced promising early results from its first human safety tests Monday. The company plans to launch a large clinical trial in July aimed at showing whether the vaccine works. The company reported that in eight patients who had been followed for a month and a half, the vaccine at low and medium doses triggered blood levels of virus-fighting antibodies that were similar or greater than those found in patients who recovered. That would suggest, but doesn't prove, that it triggers some level of immunity. The antibody-rich blood plasma donated by patients who have recovered is separately being tested to determine whether it is an effective therapy or preventive measure for covid-19. Moderna's announcement comes days after one of its directors, Moncef Slaoui, stepped down from the board to become chief scientist for Operation Warp Speed, a White House initiative to speed up vaccine development. Watchdogs called out Slaoui's apparent conflict of interest, noting he owns Moderna stock options worth $10 million." The story is free to nonsubscribers. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: It's uncanny the way Trump manages to taint even good news with his predilection for corruption.

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Sunday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Sunday are here.

Trump Is Projecting Again. Rishika Dugyala of Politico: "... Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed his predecessor as 'grossly incompetent,' a day after former President Barack Obama said leaders weren't 'even pretending to be in charge' amid the coronavirus pandemic.... [President Obama] didn't name names, but the implication was clear.... 'Look,' [Trump said of Obama,] 'he was an incompetent president. That's all I can say. Grossly incompetent.'... [Trump's] brief comments on Sunday come as he pushes the unfounded 'Obamagate; conspiracy theory...."

Felicia Sonmez & Darryl Fears of the Washington Post: "Tensions between the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spilled out into public view on Sunday as a top adviser to President Trump criticized the public health agency's response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.The comments by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro are the latest signal of how the Trump administration has sought to sideline the CDC. The agency typically plays the lead role in public health crises, but in recent weeks it's had its draft guidance for reopening held up by the White House, leaving states and localities to largely fend for themselves.Speaking on NBC News's 'Meet the Press,' Navarro sharply criticized the CDC over its production of a flawed coronavirus test kit that contributed to a nationwide delay in testing.... Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, whose agency oversees the CDC, pushed back against Navarro's criticism in an interview on CBS's 'Face the Nation.'" The article is free to nonsubscribers. ~~~

~~~ Stephen Collinson of CNN: "Two of ... Donald Trump's top officials are now pointing the finger at the administration's own scientists and Americans' pre-existing health conditions to explain the country's world-leading Covid-19 death toll. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar suggested Sunday that underlying health conditions, including among minorities, were one reason for the high American death toll -- nearly 90,000 as of Sunday evening. And Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro added the government's own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to its list of scapegoats alongside China and the Obama administration. The White House has been escalating its effort to recast the narrative of its own chaotic response to the crisis as it aggressively pushes to reopen the country, a process vital to the fortunes of millions of people who have lost their jobs in lockdowns and its own political prospects in November.... The United States accounts for about 4.25% of the world's population, but currently has about 29% of the confirmed deaths from the disease...."

If you want to know how much your neighbors are sheltering in place, this Washington Post map has an interactive county-by-county breakdown based on cellphone location information.

WPVI Philadelphia: "Drexel [University]'s experts ... used real-life numbers to estimate how many lives were saved [by shutdowns & social distancing], and how many hospitalizations didn't happen in 30 cities around the country[.] For Philadelphia, it estimates that 45 days of being shut down, and doing social distancing spared 62-hundred lives, and kept 57-thousand people out of hospitals than if life went on as usual. There were sizable results in other cities - in Baltimore, the model estimates nearly 23-hundred fewer deaths. In Dallas, 10-thousand lives saved, while in New York City, 25-thousand lives may have been saved by changing our behavior."

Europe. Kate Connolly of the Guardian: "The mayor of Athens has said he will 'liberate' public space from cars. His counterpart in Paris says it is out of the question for the city to return to pre-coronavirus traffic and pollution levels. In Berlin, 14 miles (22 km) of new bike lanes have appeared almost overnight. Around the world, from Dublin to Sydney, cities are being radically reshaped in favour of cyclists and pedestrians as empty streets give authorities the opportunity to implement and accelerate large-scale projects. Cycling advocates and environmental activists are urging governments to ensure the revival is long-term and lasts beyond the pandemic, for fear of a pushback by the car lobby." --s

** Josh Lederman & Andrea Mitchell of NBC News: Steve Linick, "the State Department inspector general who was removed from his job Friday [by Donald Trump, at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's 'recommendation,'] was looking into whether ... Pompeo made a staffer walk his dog, pick up his dry cleaning and make dinner reservations for Pompeo and his wife, among other personal errands, according to two congressional officials assigned to different committees. The officials said they are working to learn whether former Inspector General Steve Linick may have had other ongoing investigations into Pompeo. The officials say the staffer who was alleged to have been made to do personal tasks is a political appointee who was serving as a staff assistant. CNN reported last year that congressional Democrats were investigating a different complaint, this one from a whistleblower, alleging that Pompeo's diplomatic security agents were made to perform similar personal tasks. The House first obtained details of the inspector general investigation late last week after learning of Linick's sudden removal." The Washington Post report is here. ~~~

~~~ Edward Wong of the New York Times: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo swatted away questions about his use of government resources again and again last year.... But his record is now coming under fresh scrutiny after President Trump told Congress on Friday night that he was firing the State Department inspector general -- at Mr. Pompeo's private urging, a White House official said.... Democrats and other critics of Mr. Pompeo say the cloud of accusations shows a pattern of abuse of taxpayer money -- one that may mean lawmakers will be less willing to give the administration the benefit of the doubt as congressional Democrats begin an investigation into Mr. Linick's dismissal.... Mrs. Pompeo has accompanied Mr. Pompeo on several long trips overseas.... Other secretaries of state have occasionally traveled with spouses, but some officials in the State Department say Mrs. Pompeo, a former bank executive, has played an unusually active role in running meetings and accompanying her husband on official business."

Andrea Shalal, et al. of Reuters: "U.S. lawmakers and officials are crafting proposals to push American companies to move operations or key suppliers out of China that include tax breaks, new rules, and carefully structured subsidies. Interviews with a dozen current and former government officials, industry executives and members of Congress show widespread discussions underway - including the idea of a 'reshoring fund' originally stocked with $25 billion - to encourage U.S. companies to drastically revamp their relationship with China.... U.S. reliance on China-made products ... accounted for some 18% of overall imports in 2019." --s

Presidential Race

Yesterday we learned from the NYT that Donnie Junior (Dumb) "on Saturday posted a social media message suggesting Joseph R. Biden Jr. was a pedophile, an incendiary and baseless charge that illustrates the tactics the president is turning to as he attempts to erase Mr. Biden's early advantage in key state polls." Now, we learn that Eric (Dumber) is playing, too: ~~~

~~~ Derek Hawkins of the Washington Post: "Eric Trump claimed Saturday that the coronavirus will 'magically' vanish after the November election and allow the country to fully reopen -- an assertion that has no basis in science and is contradicted by health experts worldwide. In an interview with Fox News's Jeanine Pirro, Trump suggested the president's critics were using the pandemic to undermine his father's rallies, calling it a 'cognizant strategy' that would cease once it was no longer politically expedient.... The Biden campaign pushed back against Trump's comments.... 'We're in the middle of the biggest public health emergency in a century, with almost 90,000 Americans dead, 1.5 million infected, and 36 million workers newly jobless,' said Biden communications director Kate Bedingfield in a statement. 'So for Eric Trump to claim that the coronavirus is a political hoax that will 'magically' disappear is absolutely stunning and unbelievably reckless.'... President Trump himself has acknowledged the pandemic will remain a public health problem for months." An Axios story is here. Mrs. McC: It would be quite sad if a hoax made Dumber really sick.

Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd. Heather Vogell of ProPublica: "Among the toxic contributors to the financial crisis of 2008, few caused as much havoc as mortgages with dodgy numbers and inflated values. Huge quantities of them were assembled into securities that crashed and burned, damaging homeowners and investors alike.... Twelve years later, there's evidence something similar is happening again. Some of the world's biggest banks -- including Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank -- as well as other lenders have engaged in a systematic fraud that allowed them to award borrowers bigger loans than were supported by their true financials, according to a previously unreported whistleblower complaint submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission last year. Whereas the fraud during the last crisis was in residential mortgages, the complaint claims this time it's happening in commercial properties like office buildings, apartment complexes and retail centers." --s ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: If there's a scam to be had, scammers will have it.

Beyond the Beltway

Washington State. Jim Brunner & Joseph O'Sullivan of the Seattle Times: "Controversial Spokane Valley state Rep. Matt Shea, who was suspended from the House Republican caucus after an investigation concluded he had engaged in domestic terrorism, will not seek reelection this fall. Shea did not file to run again for the Legislature as the candidate filing deadline for the August primary expired Friday afternoon, said Mike McLaughlin, elections manager for the Spokane County Auditor's Office. Shea did, however, file to run as a Republican precinct committee officer. The surprise development came after Shea had for months defiantly refused calls from Republican and Democratic leaders to resign, vowing to fight on and not bow down to what he called 'a coup' against him. Shea's decision came after a House-commissioned investigation released in December concluded the lawmaker planned and participated in domestic terrorism against the United States with his involvement in a trio of standoffs against the government." --s ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: It's comforting to know that at least Washington state Republicans have some standards: they would prefer their elected officials were not terrorists.

Way Beyond

Israel. Oliver Holmes of the Guardian: "Benjamin Netanyahu has been sworn in as Israel's prime minister, heading a unity government in which he will rotate the leadership with his former rival, Benny Gantz, in a deal that could see the annexation of large parts of the West Bank.... The Netanyahu-Gantz deal also hints at the potential annexation of parts of the Palestinian territories this summer, stating that Netanyahu could bring Donald Trump's 'vision for peace' to the cabinet for discussion from 1 July." --s ~~~

~~~ Juan Cole: "The new government is a catastrophe.... It will encourage Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu to continue to dismantle Israeli democracy.... Netanyahu will be emboldened in his plan to annex some 30 percent of the Palestinian West Bank.... The usually cautious King Abdullah II of Jordan warned of 'massive conflict' were Netanyahu to follow through.... It will sideline the 20% of Israelis who are of Palestinian heritage and who have 15 seats in the 120-member Knesset or Israeli parliament. They had been on the brink of being admitted to the Israeli political game, but now will be completely marginalized. The US corporate press won't tell you this, but the reason for the inability to form a government was Israeli racism." --s

News Lede

New York Times: "Ken Osmond, who played the duplicitous teenager Eddie Haskell on the long-running sitcom 'Leave It to Beaver,' one moment a smarmy young man when talking to parents, the next moment a devilish troublemaker when the adults were out of sight, died on Monday at his home in ... Los Angeles. He was 76."