The Conversation -- April 17, 2024

Arizona. Elizabeth Dias & Kellen Browning of the New York Times: "State House Republicans in Arizona on Wednesday scuttled another effort to repeal the state's 1864 law banning abortion, defying pressure from prominent Republicans, including ... Donald J. Trump, who had urged them to toss the ban that many voters viewed as extreme and archaic. 'The last thing we should be doing today is rushing a bill through the legislative process to repeal a law that has been enacted and reaffirmed by the Legislature several times,' House Speaker Ben Toma, a Republican, said as he blocked an effort to vote on the repeal. The Arizona Supreme Court's ruling last week to uphold the Civil War-era near-total abortion ban infuriated supporters of abortion rights, exhilarated abortion opponents and set off a political firestorm in Arizona."

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: "Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday told Republicans that the House would vote Saturday evening on his foreign aid package for Israel and Ukraine, pushing through resistance in his own party to advance a long-stalled national security spending package for U.S. allies. His announcement came amid a crush of opposition from Republicans who are vehemently against sending more aid to Ukraine, and have vented for days as congressional aides race to write the legislation Mr. Johnson proposed on Monday.... The legislative package Mr. Johnson is trying to advance roughly mirrors the $95 billion aid bill the Senate passed two months ago with aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and other American allies, but broken into three pieces that would be voted on individually. There would be a fourth vote on a separate measure containing other policies popular among Republicans, including conditioning Ukraine aid as a loan and a measure that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban.... After Mr. Johnson released the text of the aid plan on Wednesday afternoon, President Biden endorsed it in a statement and urged its swift passage." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It's almost official: Johnson has resigned from the Putin party.

** Senate Democrats Quash Fake Impeachment. Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The Senate on Wednesday dismissed the impeachment case against Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, voting along party lines before his trial got underway to sweep aside two charges accusing him of failing to enforce immigration laws and breaching the public trust. By a vote of 51 to 48, with one senator voting 'present,' the Senate ruled that the first charge was unconstitutional because it failed to meet the constitutional bar of a high crime or misdemeanor. Republicans united in opposition except for Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, the lone 'present' vote, while Democrats were unanimous in favor. Ms. Murkowski joined her party in voting against dismissal of the second count on the same grounds; it fell along party lines on a 51-to-49 vote. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, moved to dismiss each charge, arguing that a cabinet member cannot be impeached and removed merely for carrying out the policies of the administration he serves." ~~~

~~~ Marie: Okay, I'm back from my "out-sick" day, and I see Congress has not let me down in my hour of need: they're up to their usual stunts. ~~~

~~~ Earlier: Well, senators are working on trying Secretary Mayorkas. You can consult Akhilleus' commentary in today's thread in search of "reasons" for Mayorkas' impeachment, but good luck. As to how this will play out, here's CNN's best guess as of about 1:20 pm ET: ~~~

~~~ "Senators should be at their desks on the Senate floor at 1 p.m. ET for a live quorum... The chamber will proceed to consider the articles of impeachment.... Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the most senior Republican, will administer the oath to the President Pro Tempore, Senator [Patty] Murray of Washington, the most senior Democrat. Murray will administer the oath to all senators in the chamber.... The clerk will call the names in groups of four, and senators will present themselves at the desk to sign the oath book. The Sergeant at Arms will make [a formal] proclamation.... Democrats could pass a motion to dismiss or table the articles on a simple majority vote.... Senate Republicans are seeking to reach a time agreement with Democrats that would allow floor debate and for GOP senators to have votes on procedural motions. If a time agreement is not reached, it's unclear clear how long the process will take as Republicans could attempt any number of procedural delays, although at some point the presiding officer could rule those efforts dilatory and cut them off." This is a liveblog. ~~~

"Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made a motion to table or kill the first impeachment article against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandr Mayorkas because 'it does not allege conduct that rises to the level of a high crime or misdemeanor' as required in the Constitution. The Senate will vote soon to kill that first article but it remains to be seen if Republicans will try to delay the vote."

"An amendment to debate the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a closed session has failed on a party-line vote. Sen. Ted Cruz proposed the motion. The final vote was 49-51."

"The Senate voted to kill the first article of impeachment against Alejandro Mayorkas. He still faces one other article in the Senate. The vote on the Schumer motion to kill Article 1 passed 51 to 48 to 1. Notably, centrist Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted 'present' a sign of discontent with the impeachment effort but for some reason not deciding to vote no."

[Republicans made at least three motions to adjourn (to dates in April, May & November], all of which failed.]

"The Senate voted to kill the second and final article of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Lawmakers voted 51 to 49 on party lines. The chamber voted to kill the first article of impeachment earlier today."

"The Senate voted to end Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' impeachment trial on a party-line vote of 51-49."

~~~ Ring 1. As Akhilleus wrote today, "Hey, nice parade in the Capitol building. A whole bunch of lazy, do nothing traitors got off their asses and did a circus parade to present the Senate with their lazy nothing burger impeachment thingies against a cabinet secretary for ... um ... foooorrr ....ahh ...I dunno, drinking coffee too late at night? Using a split infinitive in a report? Putting an empty milk carton back in the fridge? Not putting the toilet seat back down? Who knows?" Then RAS found video of the clowns' parade which includes the audio missing in earlier taped versions:

~~~ MEANWHILE, Ring 2. Nicholas Fandos and Sharon Otterman of the New York Times: "Columbia University's president is facing tense questioning from a Republican-led House committee on Wednesday about what they called a pervasive pattern of antisemitic assaults, harassment and vandalism from students and faculty on its campus since the Israel-Hamas war began. Republicans accused the university of tolerating antisemitic chants from student protesters and remarks glorifying Hamas from professors. It was the latest in a campaign to try to prove that college campuses have done little to combat bias against Jews. In her testimony, Nemat Shafik, Columbia's president, tried to reassure the House Committee on Education and the Workforce that she was changing policies and punishing offenders, while also protecting free speech. It was a stark contrast to the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard, who in a Dec. 5 hearing struggled to answer whether students would be punished if they called for the genocide of Jews. That failure helped lead to their resignations." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: You might think it is strange that a political bloc that is slavishly devoted to a Hitler-admiring wannabe-dictator with antisemitic proclivities would be so worried about antisemitic and suspected antisemitic expressions of university campuses. Well, it is. Republicans fail Scott Fitzgerald's test of a first-rate intelligence; instead, they hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time because they have lost the ability to function in the real world.

And Over in Ring 3, Scott Lemieux in LG&$ notices that House Republicans are threatening Speaker Mike "Johnson with loss of [his] speakership for being insufficiently pro-Putin."

Kyle Cheney of Politico: "Donald Trump could have cleared up confusion and hastened the arrival of National Guard troops to quell the Capitol riot if he'd called Pentagon leaders on Jan. 6, 2021, according to recent closed-door congressional testimony by two former leaders of the D.C. guard. Michael Brooks, the senior enlisted leader of the D.C. guard at the time of the riot, and Brigadier Gen. Aaron Dean, the adjutant general of the D.C. guard at the time, told House Administration Committee staffers that if Trump had reached out that day -- which, by all accounts, he did not -- he might have helped cut through the chaos amid a tangle of conflicting advice and miscommunication."

Donald Trump Has Been Asking, "Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?" Let's Check. Top News in the NYT, April 17, 2020. Nicholas Kristof: "... lines of cars stretch for miles to pick up groceries from a food pantry; jobless workers spend days trying to file for unemployment benefits; renters and homeowners plead with landlords and mortgage bankers for extensions; and outside hospitals, ill patients line up overnight to wait for virus testing. In an economy that has been hailed for its record-shattering successes, the most basic necessities -- food, shelter and medical care -- are all suddenly at risk. The latest crisis has played out in sobering economic data and bleak headlines -- most recently on Thursday, when the Labor Department said 5.2 million workers filed last week for unemployment benefits."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Lisa Friedman of the New York Times: "The Biden administration is expected to deny permission for a 211-mile industrial road through fragile Alaskan wilderness to a large copper deposit, handing a victory to environmentalists.... The Interior Department intends to announce as early as this week that there should be 'no action' on the federal land where the road known as the Ambler Access Project would be built.... A formal denial of the project would come later this year, they said. The road was essential to reach what is estimated to be a $7.5 billion copper deposit buried under ecologically sensitive land. There are currently no mines in the area and no requests for permits have been filed with the government; the road was a first step." Politico's story is here.

Jacqueline Alemany & Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post: "House Republicans delivered articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, commencing what is likely to be a brief trial in the upper chamber that could conclude as soon as Wednesday. Led by 11 impeachment managers appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Republicans have demanded a full trial, while Senate Democrats, who hold a 51-49 majority, are planning to band together to dismiss or table the trial. Most Senate Republicans, despite previously voicing concerns about the substance of the two articles of impeachment..., have echoed the lower chamber's calls for the Senate to adhere to precedent and hold a trial." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Miss Margie looked elegant as she accompanied the articles across the hall, resplendent in an outfit that would be appropriate for a quick trip to Walmart. Video included with WashPo story.

Marianna Sotomayor & Leigh Ann Caldwell of the Washington Post: "Two far-right members are now threatening to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson just as the embattled Republican leader has introduced a complex plan intended to fund key foreign allies during wartime. Johnson (La.) introduced a four-part proposal Monday night to decouple aid for Israel, which faced a barrage of missiles and drone threats from Iran over the weekend, and help for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, along with two other measures. But his right flank is also vowing to sink a procedural vote allowing any of the measures to be considered on the floor. During a weekly Republican meeting Tuesday morning, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) stood up and called on Johnson to resign after signing on to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-Ga.) plan to depose him, known as a motion to vacate. That means that if Democrats choose not to rescue Johnson, Republicans would need just a simple majority to oust their second speaker in six months...." (Also linked yesterday.)

Screw the First Amendment. GOP Senator Promotes Violence Against Protesters. Robert Jimison of the New York Times: "Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, on Monday urged people whose routes were blocked by pro-Palestinian protesters to 'take matters into your own hands' and confront the offenders, endorsing the use of physical force against peaceful demonstrators. In a series of social media posts after protesters shut down traffic in cities across the country..., Mr. Cotton called those responsible 'pro-Hamas' and 'criminals.' He also shared a clip of himself during a recent interview in which he said that if protesters had disrupted public roads in his home state of Arkansas, they would have been met with force from citizens." An NBC News story is here. ~~~

~~~ God Bless the Second Amendment. Not to Be Outdone. Chris Cameron & Kellen Browning of the New York Times: "Kari Lake, a top ally of Donald J. Trump who is running for a Senate seat in Arizona, called on her supporters on Sunday to arm themselves ahead of ... the [November] election.... 'The next six months is going to be intense,' Ms. Lake said during a rally in Lake Havasu City. 'We're going to strap on our seatbelt. We're going to put on our helmet -- or your Kari Lake ball cap. We are going to put on the armor of God. And maybe strap on a Glock on the side of us just in case.' The crowd roared its approval, and she continued, 'You can put one here,' gesturing to the side of her hip, 'and one in the back or one in the front. Whatever you guys decide. Because we're not going to be the victims of crime. We're not going to have our Second Amendment taken away. We're certainly not going to have our First Amendment taken away by these tyrants.'"

Marie: You cannot expect to live in peace in a country where leading politicians, in defiance of the rule of law, endorse and encourage violence against people who disagree with them.

** Thom Hartmann on Republicans' weird antipathy to relieving student debt: "Forgiving student debt is ... righting a moral wrong inflicted on millions of Americans by Ronald Reagan and his morbidly rich Republican buddies. Student debt is evil. It's a crime against our nation, hobbling opportunity and weakening our intellectual infrastructure. It maintains and in many cases rigidifies the racial and class caste systems today&'s Americans inherited from our eras of slavery and indenture. Combine this decision with the six Republicans on the Court ending affirmative action and legalizing discrimination and it's clear this is exactly what the rightwing billionaires who put them on the Court and support their lavish vacations and lifestyles want." Thanks to Akhilleus for the link. (Also linked yesterday.)

Ben Protess, et al., of the New York Times: "The daunting work of selecting a jury for the first criminal trial of a former American president rapidly gained momentum on Tuesday as seven New Yorkers were picked to sit in judgment of Donald J. Trump, accelerating a crucial phase of the case that many had expected to be a slog.... The first seven members of the panel ... were picked in short order after the lunch break. The lawyers quizzed them on their politics, views about the former president and ability to remain impartial in a case that could offend their sensibilities. And Mr. Trump's lawyers examined their digital footprints, bringing several jurors into the courtroom one by one to ask them about past social media posts that seemed as if they could betray a negative opinion of the former president.... [The selected jurors] include a man originally from Ireland who will serve as foreman, an oncology nurse, a grandfather originally from Puerto Rico, a middle-school teacher from Harlem, two lawyers and a software engineer for Disney." ~~~

~~~ On Day 2 at the Trump Sleepy Time Day Care Center in lower Manhattan, New York Times reporters were there to keep us abreast of developments. (Also linked yesterday.) See yesterday's Conversation for some citations of reporters' remarks. ~~~

~~~ Jesse McKinley & Kate Christobek of the New York Times with five takeaways from Day 2.

#SleepyDon pic.twitter.com/2S2VBqBzhZ

— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) April 15, 2024

Linda Qiu of the New York Times: Donald Trump "has described the cases against him with colorful hyperbole, defended his conduct with faulty comparisons and lobbed false attacks and baseless accusations at opponents and adjudicators alike. Asked for evidence of Mr. Trump's claims, the campaign did not directly address the matter but continued to insist, with no evidence, that Mr. Trump was the target of a 'witch hunt' led by the Democratic Party. Here's a fact-check of some of his most repeated claims."

Michael Kranish & Jonathan O'Connell of the Washington Post: "Representatives for the firm that posted a $175 million bond for Donald Trump pushed back against objections raised by New York's attorney general, saying in a court filing late Monday that the deal is 'adequately secured' by the former president's cash. The filing sets the stage for a court hearing next week in Trump's New York civil fraud case, where Justice Arthur Engoron will decide whether the bond has met state requirements -- allowing Trump to appeal a massive civil judgment and preventing state authorities from seizing his properties in the meantime. New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) on April 4 raised concerns about the arrangement, including whether Knight Specialty Insurance Company, whose owner is billionaire Trump supporter Don Hankey, is properly licensed in the state. Knight and Trump's representatives said in the new filing that the bond is backed by Trump's Charles Schwab brokerage account, which has just over $175 million in cash. The filing also argues that Knight is properly licensed, including a statement from New York's former superintendent of insurance, Gregory V. Serio, that Knight is qualified to do business in the state."

Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. Marshall Cohen & Oliver Darcy of CNN: "Voting technology company Smartmatic and the far-right network One America News said Tuesday that they had settled a defamation lawsuit stemming from the outlet's lies about the 2020 election.... Both parties declined to share details about the settlement.... Smartmatic filed its lawsuit against OAN in 2021, alleging that the right-wing conspiracy network 'victimized' the company and spread lies about its role in the 2020 election to 'increase viewership and revenue.'... Smartmatic still has pending lawsuit[s] against Fox News, the smaller conservative channel Newsmax, and several pro-Trump figures who also pushed lies about the election." MB: Looks as if the right-wing news business model is to lie first and settle later. Surely there's some kind of payoff for investors in these smaller outlets.

Presidential Race

If Trump';s stock in Truth Social -- his company -- drops any lower, he might do better under my tax plan than his. -- President Biden, in Scranton yesterday ~~~

~~~ Nicholas Nehamas of the New York Times: "President Biden delivered a flurry of attacks on ... Donald J. Trump during a Tuesday speech in Pennsylvania about taxes and economic policy, painting his Republican rival as a puppet of plutocrats who had ignored the working class. Visiting his hometown, Scranton, in a top battleground state that he has visited more often than any other, Mr. Biden laid out his vision for a fairer tax code, including raising rates on the wealthy and corporations and using the money to expand the economy and help working families. But in a speech that signaled the Biden campaign's intention to make the 2024 election a referendum on his polarizing Republican opponent, the president returned again and again to Mr. Trump. His jabs at his predecessor took aim at the former president's wealthy upbringing, his friendships with billionaires and his 2017 tax cuts that disproportionately benefited America's upper crust." ~~~

~~~ President Biden visits his modest childhood home in Scranton during a campaign swing through Pennsylvania:

Supreme Extremists. Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court seemed wary on Tuesday of letting prosecutors use a federal obstruction law to charge hundreds of rioters involved in the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021. A decision rejecting the government's interpretation of the law could not only disrupt those prosecutions but also eliminate half of the charges against ... Donald J. Trump in the federal case accusing him of plotting to subvert the 2020 election." MB: It's wrong, see, to prosecute violent protesters who are on our side. ~~~

     ~~~ Ian Millhiser of Vox: "The Supreme Court spent about an hour and a half on Tuesday morning arguing over whether to make it much harder for the Justice Department to prosecute hundreds of people who joined the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. It appears, after Tuesday's arguments, that a majority of the justices will side with the insurrectionists -- though it is far from clear how those justices will justify such an outcome.... Approximately 330 [insurrectionists] have been charged under the obstruction statute at issue in Fischer. One of them is Donald Trump. As a federal appeals court held in its decision in this case, the obstruction statute is pretty darn clear that it applies to an effort to obstruct any congressional proceeding intended to certify the result of a presidential election -- like the proceeding that the January 6 rioters attacked.... The obstruction statute's plain text clearly applies to January 6 defendants, but it's unlikely that's going to matter...." Read on. MB: It's sad, the contortions the extremist Supremes have endure to get their way.

Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "The states' rights case for determining abortion access -- let the people decide -- falters on the fact that in many states, the people cannot shape their legislature to their liking. Packed and split into districts designed to preserve Republican control, voters cannot actually dislodge anti-abortion Republican lawmakers." (Also linked yesterday.)

Robert McFadden of the New York Times: "Bob Graham, a Florida Democrat who as a little-known state senator cleaned stables and waited on tables in a clever populist strategy that helped to boost him into the governorship, the United States Senate and a run for the presidency, has died. He was 87."

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Michigan. Mitch Smith of the New York Times: "Michigan Democrats started 2023 with full control of state government for the first time since the 1980s. They ended the year in a political bind after two House members left to become mayors of suburbs, leaving that chamber with an even partisan split and making it impossible for Democrats to pass bills without Republican support. On Tuesday, five months after their House majority evaporated, Democrats won two special elections to reclaim those seats and full control at the Michigan Capitol. The Associated Press said the Democrats Mai Xiong, a Macomb County commissioner, and Peter Herzberg, a Westland City Council member, defeated their Republican opponents."

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Israel/Palestine, et al. The Washington Post's live updates of developments Wednesday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Western nations are weighing fresh sanctions against Iran after its unprecedented weekend attack against Israel. The United States plans to impose new sanctions in the coming days, according to national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who said the aim was to 'degrade Iran's military capacity.' The European Union is also considering increasing sanctions, said Josep Borrell, its top diplomat.... British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock were in Israel on Wednesday and met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Baerbock also met with families of hostages held by Hamas, Germany's ambassador to Israel said." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Wednesday are here.

The Conversation -- April 16, 2024

It's Day 2 at the Trump Sleepy Time Day Care Center in lower Manhattan, and New York Times reporters are here to keep us abreast of developments:

Kate Christobek: "Jury selection is off to a slow start this morning. One of the prospective jurors who was next to answer questions was experiencing flu-like symptoms and was sent home. Two other jurors, who answered questions yesterday, are running late. Justice Merchan has decided to proceed without them for now but will keep them in the larger jury pool."

Jonah Bromwich: "Prosecutors have now filed court documents claiming that Trump violated the gag order barring him from attacking witnesses. They are asking that he be fined $1,000 for each violation, so $3,000 in all. It will be some time before the motion is decided."

Maggie Haberman: "We have reached a new part of the process, called voir dire. The lawyers for the defense and the prosecution will begin to ask questions of prospective jurors."

Bromwich: "This will be the first time the trial lawyers directly address the prospective jurors. It's their moment to make a first impression. Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor, is doing his best right now, asking prospective jurors to 'resist the urge to flee the courtroom' and give the most honest answers they can."

Bromwich: "And Justice Merchan is now scolding [Trump attorney Todd] Blanche [-- who questioned a prospective juror whose 2020 Facebook post suggested she was happy to see Trump lose the election --] because Trump was muttering. 'I won't tolerate that,' Merchan says, raising his voice. 'I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom.' Blanche responds 'Yes, your honor,' quietly, when he is asked to speak to Trump." ~~~

~~~ Bromwich: "Justice Merchan says he doesn't 'want a juror on this panel who lies to us.' But he says that the Facebook posts are not offensive, and that he found the prospective juror credible. He is not allowing the defense to dismiss her for cause. Trump squints up at Justice Merchan incredulously as the judge reads the relevant case law."

Bromwich: "As the lawyers discuss yet another prospective juror, who posted a meme about Trump captioned, 'I don't think this is what they meant by 'Orange Is the New Black,' Trump himself appears to be studying the meme on a printed-out sheet of paper. He does not look amused at all."

Bromwich: "After that round of questioning, the first three jurors have been selected. And just like that, we are a quarter of the way to a full panel." [MB: Really? Don't they need to select alternates?]

Bromwich: "After a few more peremptory challenges -- which the judge cannot deny -- we have three more jurors, bringing us to six in all."

Bromwich: "We have a seventh juror, a lawyer and civil litigator who in his spare time likes to spend time outdoors and with his two children. That may be it for the day."

Marianna Sotomayor & Leigh Ann Caldwell of the Washington Post: "Two far-right members are now threatening to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson just as the embattled Republican leader has introduced a complex plan intended to fund key foreign allies during wartime. Johnson (La.) introduced a four-part proposal Monday night to decouple aid for Israel, which faced a barrage of missiles and drone threats from Iran over the weekend, and help for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, along with two other measures. But his right flank is also vowing to sink a procedural vote allowing any of the measures to be considered on the floor. During a weekly Republican meeting Tuesday morning, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) stood up and called on Johnson to resign after signing on to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-Ga.) plan to depose him, known as a motion to vacate. That means that if Democrats choose not to rescue Johnson, Republicans would need just a simple majority to oust their second speaker in six months...."

** Thom Hartmann on Republicans' weird antipathy to relieving student debt: "Forgiving student debt is ... righting a moral wrong inflicted on millions of Americans by Ronald Reagan and his morbidly rich Republican buddies. Student debt is evil. It's a crime against our nation, hobbling opportunity and weakening our intellectual infrastructure. It maintains and in many cases rigidifies the racial and class caste systems today's Americans inherited from our eras of slavery and indenture. Combine this decision with the six Republicans on the Court ending affirmative action and legalizing discrimination and it's clear this is exactly what the rightwing billionaires who put them on the Court and support their lavish vacations and lifestyles want." Thanks to Akhilleus for the link. See also his commentary below.

Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "The states' rights case for determining abortion access -- let the people decide -- falters on the fact that in many states, the people cannot shape their legislature to their liking. Packed and split into districts designed to preserve Republican control, voters cannot actually dislodge anti-abortion Republican lawmakers."

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Zach Montague of the New York Times: "President Biden and Jill Biden, the first lady, reported earning roughly $620,000 in 2023, releasing their joint tax return for the third straight year of Mr. Biden's presidency and the 26th time throughout his political career. The couple's tax return, released on Monday evening by the White House, showed that Mr. Biden and Dr. Biden paid just over $181,000 in state and federal taxes, with an effective federal income tax rate of nearly 24 percent. Their federal gross income in 2023 was nearly 7 percent higher than the $580,000 they reported in 2022, largely a result of increased taxable interest income this year stemming from higher interest rates. The bulk of their income came from the $400,000 salary that Mr. Biden earned as president, and Dr. Biden's salary of $85,985 from Northern Virginia Community College, where she is an English professor....

"In releasing his tax return this year, Mr. Biden once again sought to contrast himself with ... Donald J. Trump, who resisted releasing his returns throughout his tenure as president. Mr. Trump's returns were made public at the end of 2022 by the House Ways and Means Committee after a protracted legal battle. They showed that he paid a total of $1.1 million in federal income taxes during the first three years of his presidency, but paid no tax in 2020. The New York Times obtained tax documents of Mr. Trump's in 2020, which revealed that he paid just $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency and again during his first year as president. They also showed that Mr. Trump had paid no income tax in 10 separate years because of tax write-offs and large business losses he declared." ~~~

     ~~~ Fritz Farrow of ABC News: "The White House on Monday released the 2023 tax returns for President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses.... Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff reported a combined federal adjusted gross income of $450,299 in their 2023 tax filings and they paid $88,570 in federal income tax, in line with the previous year." ~~~

     ~~~ The Bidens' 2023 return is here, via the White House. Emhoff & Harris' return is here. A White House statement on the release of the returns is here.

Catie Edmondson, et al., of the New York Times: "Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday said he planned this week to advance a long-stalled national security spending package to aid Israel, Ukraine and other American allies, along with a separate bill aimed at mollifying conservatives who have been vehemently opposed to backing Kyiv. Mr. Johnson's announcement, coming after he has agonized for weeks over whether and how to advance an infusion of critical aid to Ukraine amid stiff Republican resistance, was the first concrete indication that he had settled on a path forward. It came days after Iran launched a large aerial attack on Israel, amplifying calls for Congress to move quickly to approve the pending aid bill." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It seems Mikey just may have a decent bone in his body. It's a tiny bone, he took a long time searching for it, but Ezekiel connected dem bones, dem bones dem dry bones. Oh, hear the word of the Lord. ~~~

Devlin Barrett, et al., of the Washington Post: "The opening day of Donald Trump's criminal trial delved deep into his tabloid-fodder sex life, as lawyers and the judge debated how many salacious details jurors should eventually hear as they decide whether he broke the law to cover up hush money payments.... The dry rituals of court only made the proceedings more surreal, as New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan warned Trump he could be removed or sent to jail if he disrupted the trial or failed to appear, and prosecutors said they would seek to hold Trump in contempt even before a single potential juror had been questioned. Trump ... was openly contemptuous of the trial when he spoke to reporters at the end of the day in the courthouse hallway. 'We are not going to be given a fair trial,' he said, calling the prosecution 'a scam.'" Here's an NBC News story.

The New York Times' live updates of developments Monday in Trump's 2016 election interference trial are here. I copied down some of them for yesterday's thread.

I JUST STORMED OUT OF BIDEN’S KANGAROO COURT!... What I've been FORCED to endure would make any patriotic American SICK. -- Donald Trump, toward the end of Day 1 of his first criminal trial ~~~

He did not storm out (he was still in the courtroom when the message went out); it is not "Biden's court" by any stretch of the imagination (it is county court}; it is not a "kangaroo court" (Michael Cohen has already been to federal prison for participating in the same crime); what Trump was "forced to endure" is merely less restrictive than what most criminal defendants bring upon themselves. -- Marie

Kyle Cheney of Politico: Trump complained that Justice Merchan was disinclined to let him gallivant off to more fun venues during the trial. "'He won't allow me to leave here for a half a day to go to D.C. and go before the United States Supreme Court, because he thinks he's superior,' Trump told reporters outside the courtroom." MB: Well, Donaldo, the judge overseeing a trial of a criminal defendant temporarily out on bail would hold a position "superior" to the defendant's for the purposes of the trial. The fact that the criminal defendant was previously fired from a high-ranking job is immaterial. BTW, the last time the Supremes held a hearing on one of Trump's shaky appeals, Trump could not be bothered to attend.

Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "The beginning of the first criminal trial of a former American president drew intense security, loud demonstrations and smothering media coverage to a dingy Lower Manhattan courthouse that will be the unlikely center of American politics for the next six weeks.... The day's jury selection did not actually begin until midafternoon, but cable news was on the air before dawn."

Nap Time for Donnie. Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "Even as a judge was hearing arguments on last-minute issues in a criminal case that centers on salacious allegations and threatens to upend his bid for the presidency, Mr. Trump appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest. The former president's lead lawyer, Todd Blanche, passed him notes for several minutes before Mr. Trump appeared to jolt awake and notice them." The Guardian's story is here.

No, the system did not hold during Donald Trump's first presidency*. Donald Trump & Bill Barr broke it to make sure Trump could not be charged for the crime(s) he committed in squelching Stormy Daniels right before the 2016 election. You've read all this before, but it's a stark reminder and an obvious omen of things to come should Trump be re-elected:

Kevin Breuninger of CNBC: "The share price of Trump Media closed trading down more than 18% on Monday after the company disclosed plans that would allow existing investors to exercise stock warrants. DJT shares closed at $26.61. Trump Media, which created the Truth Social app and trades on the Nasdaq, fell nearly 20% last week.... Since it began public trading on March 26, Trump Media's share price has fallen more than 62%, from an opening price of $70.90 that day down to around $27 on Monday. As a result, its market capitalization has been slashed by nearly $6 billion, leaving it at around $3.7 billion as of Monday."

Presidential Race

Maine to Join National Popular Vote Compact. Miranda Nazzaro of the Hill: "Maine will become the latest state to join an interstate effort to elect the nation's president by a popular vote, Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced Monday. Mills said she will allow the legislation to become law without her signature, paving the way for Maine to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, a proposal aimed at guaranteeing the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Under the proposal, each state would give all its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote for president, no matter how the individual states voted in an election. The compact, however, is on hold and will not come into play for this November's election, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The proposal must receive state pledges that equal at least 270 electoral votes, the number needed to elect a president, Mills said. Sixteen states and Washington, D.C., have already joined the compact, and with the addition of Maine, the law has 209 electoral votes so far, the governor added." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I have bad news for all the well-meaning people who think this compact is a good idea. Should the results of the popular vote differ from those of the Electoral College results and one or more states decided to abide by the contract and change their electors to those who supported the candidate who won the popular vote, who do you think would decide who won the presidency? Yes, you got that right: the Clarence Thomas Court.

Donald Trump Has Been Asking, "Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?" Let's Check. Top News in the NYT, April 16, 2020. Nicholas Kristof: "Thousands of Americans would be alive today if President Trump had spent more time listening to the World Health Organization instead of trying to destroy it."

The Pro-Corruption Supremes Promote More Corruption. Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court seemed ready on Monday to limit the reach of a federal statute that makes it a crime for state and local officials, along with institutions that receive federal money, to accept gifts and payments meant to influence or reward their actions. In a lively argument..., a majority of the justices seemed persuaded that the government's interpretation of the law was too broad. Before the argument, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. announced that Justice Clarence Thomas would be absent but would participate in the case by reading the briefs and the transcript of the argument. The chief justice did not say why."

We should not forget this: "In 2020, the court unanimously overturned the convictions of two defendants in the so-called Bridgegate scandal, in which associates of Chris Christie, a Republican who was the governor of New Jersey, closed access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in 2013 to punish one of the governor's political opponents. That was an abuse of power, the court ruled, but not a federal crime."

And this: "Similarly, the court in 2016 unanimously overturned the conviction of Bob McDonnell, a former governor of Virginia. Mr. McDonnell, a Republican, had accepted luxury products, loans and vacations from a business executive."

Nina Totenberg & Elissa Harwood of NPR: "The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday granted Idaho's emergency request to temporarily revive a state law banning gender-affirming care for children under the age of 18. The law, which makes it a felony for doctors to medically treat gender dysphoria in minors, will now go into effect except in the case of two anonymous plaintiffs who have until now been treated with hormones and may continue to receive treatment. In the Idaho case, the state was not asking the court to address transgender rights head-on. Instead, the state asked the justices to consider whether the scope of the lower court's order blocking the law was appropriate. Idaho argued that the district court judge only had authority to stop the law from applying to the two plaintiffs in the lawsuit, not to prevent its enforcement throughout the state." MB: Yeah, I figure nobody knows better how to care for young patients than a bunch of yahoo legislators unless it's the brilliant doctors on the Supreme Court who don't know squat about a few kids in Idaho but may have some Spanish Inquisition luminaries as their guides.

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Israel/Palestine, et al. The Washington Post's live updates of developments Tuesday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "As Israel weighs its response to Iran's unprecedented attack, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said 'Iran will face the consequences for its actions,' without providing further details. The Biden administration said the United States would not participate in any Israeli reprisal, while world leaders urged Israel to exercise restraint.... Israel's war cabinet reconvened Monday to discuss its response to the Iranian attack, government spokesman David Mencer said, adding that 'Israel retains all its options.' Halevi said Israel was closely assessing the situation and 'will choose our response accordingly.' [U.S.] National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described speculation that Iran's attack was meant to fail as 'categorically false' and 'malarkey,' in a White House news briefing. 'This attack failed because it was defeated by Israel [and] the United States,' Kirby said. He also denied that Iran had given Israel or the United States advance warning of its attack." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Tuesday are here. CNN's live updates are here.

Ukraine, et al. AP: "President Joe Biden urged the U.S. House to immediately take up Senate-passed supplemental funding for Ukraine and Israel on Monday as he hosted Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in the Oval Office. The visit came as Biden aimed to highlight the efforts other nations are making to support Ukraine. It followed the Czech government's announcement that it is sending 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine, which Kyiv says is badly needed on the battlefield against Russia's invasion."

The Conversation -- April 15, 2024

Here's Criminal Defendant No. 1 entering the Manhattan courtroom for the first day of his 2016 election interference criminal trial. Take a look at his lawyer Todd Blanche who is standing next to Trump; Blanche apparently thinks the Trump Mugshot Scowl is just the right look for discussing criminal matters:

The New York Times' live updates of developments in Trump's 2016 election interference trial are here. Trump has attempted again to out Justice Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the case. ~~~

Ben Protess: “Trump's attempt to oust the judge is expected to fail. Trump has argued that the judge, Juan M. Merchan, cannot be fair because his daughter is a Democratic political consultant. Ethics experts disagree.”

Jesse McKinley: “The courtroom which the former president will sit today is not a glamorous scene: wood paneling, neon lights, pleather seats. It is far more 'Fargo' than Mar-a-Lago.”

Maggie Haberman: “Trump’s lawyers have tried impressing upon him the need to behave differently than he did in the previous courtrooms, where he fidgeted, scoffed, made noises and, at the Carroll trial, stormed out during closing arguments. We’ll see if he can sustain it.”

Haberman: “Still photographers have been let into the room to take photos of Trump, who puts on his now familiar, stony scowl.”

Haberman: “Merchan, in his soft-spoken style, is making clear he does not buy Trump’s claims that he is dealing with a biased judge. Trump is squinting toward the bench as Merchan makes clear he is going to reject the recusal motion.”

Susanne Craig: “At 10 a.m. Trump blasted out a fund-raising note asking supporters to 'chip in' to support his campaign. 'They’re just a DEEP STATE plot from RADICAL Democrats to come after you – and I’m the only thing standing in their way!'”

Haberman: “[Joshua] Steinglass, the prosecutor, is doing a lengthy recounting of Trump's comments on the infamous Access Hollywood tape. There is no new information there, but Trump is listening as his own words about grabbing women’s genitals are recounted.... [Todd] Blanche, the defense lawyer, objects strenuously to admission of the language on the tape, as Trump sits with his arms tightly folded over his chest.”

Haberman: “Trump, listening to a tape of himself from fall 2016 in which he says no one has more respect for women than he, mouths: 'True.'”

Kate Christobek: “Justice Juan M. Merchan says that he is denying the prosecutors’ request to introduce other sexual assault allegations against Trump, calling them 'complete rumors, complete gossip, completely hearsay.'”

Jonah Bromwich: “The prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, before the break ended, indicated that the prosecution will ask the judge to hold Trump in contempt for his attacks on witnesses.... Trump on Saturday attacked Michael D. Cohen, his former fixer who is expected to be a star witness, as a 'disgraced attorney and felon.'”

Haberman: “Trump appears to be sleeping. His head keeps dropping down and his mouth goes slack.” (MB: There's definitely something wrong with Trump. This morning Haberman wrote that Trump “appear[ed] at times to be close to sleep.” It's safe to say that almost everyone would stay awake during his own trial.)

Christobek: “Christopher Conroy, a prosecutor with the district attorney’s office, is now discussing Trump’s recent social media posts, which he says attack potential witnesses Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen. He says these are clearly posts about their participation in the trial and violate Justice Merchan’s gag order.... Todd Blanche, Trump’s lawyer, asks for the opportunity to respond in writing but is adamant that the posts do not violate Merchan’s gag order.” ~~~

~~~ Bromwich: “Merchan will not rule until after lunch, he says.” ~~~

~~~ [So it's after lunch.] Christobek: “[Justice Merchan] said he will let the defense respond and then will hear arguments [on violation of the gag order] on April 24.” ~~~

~~~ Bromwich: “Justice Merchan’s delay in hearing arguments about the gag order suggests that Trump could in the meantime continue to attack witnesses and others whom he is not supposed to criticize. During the lunch break, he posted a video of an ally, Laura Loomer, yelling about the judge’s wife.”

Bromwich: “Jury selection is underway. The first trial of an American president has begun.”

Bromwich: “The judge, Juan M. Merchan, is beginning to describe the case to the jurors, another quietly remarkable moment in a day, and a trial, that will be filled with them.”

Alan Feuer: “It’s remarkable that more than half of the potential jurors brought in for a first round of questioning immediately said they could not hear Trump’s case fairly. We knew that it would be hard to pick a jury, but a fail rate of 50 percent or higher right out of the gate is surpassingly rare.”

(MB: Looks like Trump planned a grand finale for Day 1, but it didn't work out. ~~~)

~~~ Haberman: “Shortly before court adjourned for the day, Trump’s campaign sent out a fundraising email falsely claiming he had just stormed out of court.”

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Maxine Joselow & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post (April 12): “President Biden and Donald Trump this week outlined clashing visions for the future of fossil fuel production across the country, underscoring how the nation’s energy policies hinge on the outcome of the 2024 election. The Biden administration on Friday finalized a landmark rule that will require oil companies to pay at least 10 times more to drill on federal lands. The rule from the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management represents the first comprehensive update to the federal oil and gas leasing program in more than 30 years, and is intended to generate more money for taxpayers. On Thursday, Trump held a private dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Club and resort with about 20 oil executives from some of the country’s biggest firms, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Continental Resources, Chesapeake Energy and Occidental Petroleum.... In recent months, Trump has also talked with energy executives about the need for fewer regulations on drilling and has asked the executives what they need to drill more oil....”

Katie Mettler, et al., of the Washington Post: “The FBI has opened a criminal investigation focusing on the massive container ship that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month — a probe that will look at least in part at whether the crew left the port knowing the vessel had serious systems problems, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.” This is a breaking news story at 8:15 am ET. CNN's report is here.

Sex, Lies and Audiotape. Ben Protess, et al., of the New York Times: “On Monday, Donald J. Trump will go on trial in Manhattan — the first former U.S. president to be criminally prosecuted. The trial, which will begin with jury selection and last up to two months, will oscillate between salacious testimony on sex scandals and granular detail about corporate documents. Mr. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, all of which are tied to the former president’s role in a hush-money payment to a porn star, Stormy Daniels.... The prosecutors, from the Manhattan district attorney’s office, have accused Mr. Trump of orchestrating a broader scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by directing his allies to purchase damaging stories about him to keep them under wraps.” This is a longish article that tries to describe the essence of the trial. ~~~

~~~ Kate Christobek of the New York Times describes the jury selection process in Manhattan. MB: I've been in jury pools for high-profile cases (though not this high-profile) in Manhattan, and they are real cattle calls: hundreds of people -- and it's easy to beg off.

~~~ Lauren del Valle and others at CNN have produced a timeline of the events surrounding the 2016 election interference case. Fairly useful, inasmuch as the beginnings of the case are kind of ancient history now.

Finally, an Instance of Voter Suppression to Smile About. Miles Parks of NPR: If Trump is convicted, before the November election, of any of the felony counts he faces, will he be able to vote for himself? It depends.

Presidential Race

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. 'Can I interest you in the chicken?' she asks. 'Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?' To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked. -- David Sedaris, New Yorker, April 2024, via RAS, via digby

Tom Sullivan, in Hullabaloo, studies up on Donald Trump's version of Pennsylvania history as reported at a rally over the weekend. And other stuff that occurs to Donald. Like where he remarks, "[Robert E. Lee] is no longer in favor. Did you ever notice that?"

Donald Trump always talks about history (or, well, anything) like a fourth-grader doing a book report on a book he didn’t read. -- Mrs. Betty Bowers, America’s Best Christian™, via Tom Sullivan ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Few candidates for national office know the histories of every state they visit. Like Trump, they may not know the histories of even states they've lived in (like Pennsylvania, where Trump allegedly went to college). So before these politicians visit a state, they get their speechwriters to come up with some popular stories so they can repeat them for the locals and at least pretend they are impressed with how important the state has been to American history. But not Trump. For him, incoherently spitting out fractured fairy tales suffices. And millions of Americans will vote for him. (IOW, they'll have the shit platter.)

Wherein George Stephanopoulos grills New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) about why he's supporting a candidate for president even if that candidate is convicted of crimes, and even though Sununu himself admits that candidate "contributed to" an insurrection against the United States, and lied about the outcome of the last election. Most elected Republicans suffer from some degree of gut-deprivation syndrome, and Sununu was diagnosed some while back.

Donald Trump Has Been Asking, “Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?” Let's Check. Top News in the NYT, April 15, 2020: “President Trump’s claim that he wielded 'total' authority in the pandemic crisis prompted rebellion ... from governors [and l]egal scholars across the ideological spectrum.... 'When somebody’s the president of the United States, the authority is total,' Mr. Trump asserted at a raucous press briefing on Monday evening. 'And that’s the way it’s got to be.'”

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Israel/Palestine, et al.

CNN's live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Israel has vowed to 'exact a price' from Iran after an unprecedented large-scale drone and missile attack over the weekend. Israel's military said 99% of more than 300 projectiles were intercepted by Israel and its partners. Israel's war cabinet meeting ended Sunday without a decision on the size and scope of Israel's response, an Israeli official said. US President Joe Biden and members of his national security team told their counterparts the US will not participate in any offensive action against Iran, according to US officials familiar with the matter. Tehran’s retaliatory attack had been anticipated since a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Syria earlier this month." ~~~

     ~~~ Here are the New York Times' live updates for Monday.

Steve M.: Say, know what's worse than Iran? Biden! Democrats! Steve checks out Republicans' reactions to the Biden administration's very effective defensive support of Israel and Biden's refusal to increase Mid-Est hostilities by assisting Israel in a counteroffensive against Iran.