July 17, 2023

Marie: I will be shutting down Reality Chex at the end of this month. If anyone would like to take it over, let me know. I think I'm paid up till some time in September, and the annual fees for host & domain are not prohibitive.

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Afternoon Update:

Iowa. Jack Forrest of CNN: "Abortions in Iowa will for now remain legal up to 22 weeks into a pregnancy after a judge on Monday temporarily blocked the state's newly signed law that would ban the procedure as early as six weeks." At 5:45 pm ET, this is a breaking news story.

Patrick Kingsley & Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden has invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to a meeting in the United States for the first time since Mr. Netanyahu re-entered office in December, easing months of tensions between the two leaders. Mr. Netanyahu's office said that Mr. Biden made the invitation in a 'warm and long' phone call on Monday evening, on the eve of a visit to Washington by Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, that had until Monday night been widely seen as a slight to Mr. Netanyahu." This is an update of a story linked earlier.

What if the Shit Show Sucks? Greg Sargent of the Washington Post: "Stephen K. Bannon ... infamously declared in 2018 that the secret to political warfare was 'to flood the zone with s--t.' For many observers, this quote continues to capture the perils of our 'post-truth' moment: Our democratic culture remains deeply vulnerable to being swamped by disinformation.... We're now seeing what happens when the zone gets so flooded with excrement that it threatens to drown the MAGA movement itself. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) chaired a House Judiciary Committee hearing last week that purported to expose the FBI's 'weaponization' against conservatives. But GOP lawmakers floated so many allegations and conspiracy theories that the spectacle devolved into a haphazard, scattered mess with no storylines developed in meaningful depth.... Blame it on the 'MAGA persecution complex' -- the vast array of outlets in the right-wing media ecosystem that incentivizes GOP lawmakers to pander to conservative victimization and grievance. It's feasting on so many claims of persecution that it's essentially eating itself to death."

Based on what information is available, this has the look of a textbook billionaire tax scam. -- Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Finance Committee chair ~~~

~~~ Paul Keil of ProPublica: "Tax data obtained by ProPublica provides a glimpse of what congressional investigators would find if [billionaire Harlan] Crow were to open his books to them. Crow's voyages with [Justice Clarence] Thomas, the data shows, contributed to a nice side benefit: They helped reduce Crow's tax bill.... Despite Crow's representations to the IRS, ProPublica reporters could find no evidence that his yacht company was actually a profit-seeking business, as the law requires.... [For years, Crow took deductions on a supposed 'yacht charter business.'] By using those deductions to offset income from other sources, the Crows saved on taxes.... [But the yacht business appears to have been a fake business.] According to the former staff and the schedules, use of the vessel appears to have been limited to Crow's family, friends and executives of Crow's company, along with their guests.... Since April, when the Senate Finance Committee first sent Crow a long list of questions about Thomas' trips on his jet and yacht, Crow has refused to provide extensive answers.... One focus of the investigations is whether Crow disclosed his generosity toward Thomas to the IRS, since large gifts are subject to the gift tax. Another is whether Crow treated his trips with Thomas as deductible business expenses."

Matthew Bigg & Ivan Nechepurenko of the New York Times: "Russia said on Monday that it was ending an agreement that had allowed Ukraine to export its grain by sea despite Moscow's naval blockade, upending a deal that had helped to keep global food prices stable and alleviate one element of the global fallout from the war. Ukraine is a major producer of grain and other foodstuffs, and the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, said he was 'deeply disappointed' by the decision. Millions of people who face hunger, or are struggling, as well as consumers around the world facing a cost of living crisis, will 'pay a price,' he said. 'Today's decision by the Russian Federation will strike a blow to people in need everywhere,' he told journalists."

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Isaac Herzog, the president of Israel, will meet President Biden on Tuesday before giving a joint address to Congress a day later. His visit highlights the endurance of Israel-U.S. ties but also underscores tensions between Mr. Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has not received an invitation to the White House since taking power again in Israel last year.... Mr. Biden has pointedly refused to reward Mr. Netanyahu with an invitation to the White House since he returned to office in December at the helm of the most right-wing government in Israel's history.... Mr. Biden also recently described Mr. Netanyahu's coalition as 'one of the most extremist' since the 1970s, and said he would not welcome Mr. Netanyahu to Washington 'in the near term.'... The timing of Mr. Herzog's visit comes just days before Mr. Netanyahu is expected to move forward with a contentious plan to limit the influence of his country's judiciary. That plan has set off political unrest in Israel and drawn particular criticism from Mr. Biden...."

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Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Thirty years after Congress ordered that papers related to the killing [of President John Kennedy] be made public with limited exceptions, President Biden has declared that he has made his 'final certification' of files to be released, even though 4,684 documents remain withheld in whole or in part. Going forward, agencies will decide any future disclosures that may be warranted by the passage of time. The president's certification, issued at 6:36 p.m. on the Friday before the long Fourth of July holiday weekend, when it would not draw much attention, has frustrated researchers and historians still focused on the most sensational American murder of the 20th century. But they suffered a setback on Friday when a federal judge refused to block Mr. Biden's order....

"Of roughly 320,000 documents reviewed since the law passed, 99 percent have been disclosed, according to the National Archives and Records Administration. But 2,140 documents remain fully or partially withheld as a result of Mr. Biden's action, officials said, while another 2,502 remain withheld for reasons outside the president's purview, like court-ordered seals, grand jury secrecy rules, tax privacy limits or restrictions imposed by people who donated papers, and 42 for a mix of both. A vast majority of excluded documents have actually been released but with certain parts redacted, officials said.... Officials said they were confident that none of the withheld information would change the essential understanding of the assassination."

Carl Hulse of the New York Times: "Senate Democrats plan to push ahead this week with legislation imposing new ethics rules on the Supreme Court in the wake of disclosures about the justices' travel and outside activities, despite blanket opposition by Republicans who claim the effort is intended to undermine the high court. The Judiciary Committee is scheduled on Thursday to consider legislation by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, that would require the Supreme Court to establish a new code of conduct for justices, set firmer ground rules for recusal from cases, create a new investigatory board and promote transparency about ties with those before the court. Senate Republicans have made it clear they won't support the legislation, and it has no chance in the G.O.P.-controlled House."

Ana Swanson of the New York Times: "A congressional committee focused on national security threats from China said it had 'grave concerns' about a research partnership between the University of California, Berkeley, and several Chinese entities, claiming that the collaboration's advanced research could help the Chinese government gain an economic, technological or military advantage. In a letter sent last week to Berkeley's president and chancellor, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party requested extensive information about the Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, a collaboration set up in 2014 with China's prestigious Tsinghua University and the Chinese city of Shenzhen."

I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president. -- Donald Trump, 2019 ~~~

~~~ The Dictator's Playbook. Jonathan Swan, et al., of the New York Times: "Donald J. Trump and his allies are planning a sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government if voters return him to the White House in 2025, reshaping the structure of the executive branch to concentrate far greater authority directly in his hands.... Mr. Trump and his associates ... [plan] to alter the balance of power by increasing the president's authority over every part of the federal government that now operates.... Mr. Trump intends to bring independent agencies -- like the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforces rules for television and internet companies, and the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces various antitrust and other consumer protection rules against businesses -- under direct presidential control. He wants to revive the practice of 'impounding' funds, refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs a president doesn't like -- a tactic that lawmakers banned under President Richard Nixon. He intends to strip employment protections from tens of thousands of career civil servants.... And he plans to scour the intelligence agencies, the State Department and the defense bureaucracies to remove officials he has vilified as 'the sick political class that hates our country.'... [The plan's] legal underpinning is a maximalist version of the so-called unitary executive theory." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In case you think this is a plan only Trump could love, think DeSantolini. As the reporters note, the Trump plan is backed by "a well-funded network of conservative groups ... led by the Heritage Foundation.... The agenda being pursued has deep roots in the decades-long effort by conservative legal thinkers to undercut what has become known as the administrative state...."

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Since his indictment last month on charges of withholding classified documents..., Donald Trump has publicly called special counsel Jack Smith 'deranged' and a 'psycho' and said he 'looks like a crackhead.' In response, Smith and the federal judge overseeing his pending criminal trial have said ... nothing.... Trump's broadsides on social media against the Justice Department, the FBI, and Smith in particular have not gone unnoticed. The government spent $1.9 million for U.S. Marshals to provide security to Smith and other officials between November 2022 and March, according to officials.... 'Trump has bought for himself more latitude than other litigants would have. He's campaigning for office, and the scope of things that are said in campaigns are often far out and unsupported,' [attorney Bruce] Rogow said.... 'These are the kind of comments that might provoke some judges to issue a gag order,' said Ken White, a former federal prosecutor.... Stephen Gillers, a professor of legal ethics at New York University, said that the calculus for a gag order could change if Trump starts talking about witnesses or evidence...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE. Brett Samuels of the Hill: “Former President Trump praised the judge overseeing his classified documents case as his legal team seeks a postponement of his trial in Florida.... 'I know it's a very highly respected judge. A very smart judge, and a very strong judge,' Trump said. When host [Fox 'News host] Maria Bartiromo noted that Trump appointed the judge in the case, Trump said, 'I did, and I'm very proud to have appointed her.'... We need judges that love our country so they do the right thing.'" MB: I'm just overwhelmed by Trump's sincerity. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Presidential Race 2024. David Morgan of Reuters: "The third-party No Labels group will stay out of the 2024 U.S. presidential race if polling shows its candidate would play a 'spoiler' role by helping to elect either the Democratic or Republican nominee, co-chairman Joe Lieberman said on Sunday. The group will on Monday release what it calls a 'common sense' agenda of policies meant to help unite the country behind a cooperative moderate alternative to the partisanship that characterizes contemporary U.S. politics." MB PS: You can trust Joe Lieberman's word about as far as you can throw Donald Trump. And he lies about big things that affect millions of people.

Beyond the Beltway

California. Eduardo Medina of the New York Times: "A California man who crashed into a car of six teenagers after they played a doorbell prank on him in 2020 was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday after his conviction on murder charges, officials said. The man, Anurag Chandra, had been found guilty in April of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder in the crash in Riverside County, Calif. The Riverside County District Attorney's Office argued that the crash, which killed three 16-year-old boys, was intentional."

Kentucky. Chris Cameron of the New York Times: "A Civil War-era treasure of more than 700 gold coins was unearthed in a Kentucky cornfield, a find that has at least partly vindicated legends of lost Civil War gold that have driven American treasure hunters for more than 150 years. The discovery, which coin sellers have called the Great Kentucky Hoard, was made on a farm by a man who has so far remained anonymous. In a video posted on June 9 on YouTube, the man is seen frantically counting mounds of coins caked with dirt. 'This is the most insane thing ever,' he said, pointing out coins that were later certified by the Numismatic Guaranty Company as genuine $1, $10 and $20 gold coins minted before and during the Civil War.... The total value of the treasure could exceed $1 million."

New York. Hurubie Meko & Erin Nolan of the New York Times: In 2011, profilers compiled lists of the characteristics they expected the Gisco Beach serial killer had. There are similarities between the profiles and the suspect arrested late last week for three of the murders. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al.

The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Monday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "Russian-installed officials reported an 'emergency' at a key bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to the Russian region of Krasnodar, amid reports of explosions early Monday. Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region, said two people were killed and a child was injured.... The Black Sea Grain Initiative ... that allows millions of tons of essential foods from Ukraine to safely traverse the Black Sea is set to expire Monday, fueling concerns that some lower-income countries could suffer acute food shortages.... Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that his country has a 'sufficient stockpile' of cluster munitions and 'reserves the right to take reciprocal action' if Ukraine uses their own." ~~~

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

Jasmine Wright of CNN: "The US will allow European countries to train Ukrainians on F-16 fighter jets, a top Biden administration official confirmed Sunday, a potential boon for Ukraine's efforts to counter Russia's air superiority. 'The president has given a green light and we will allow, permit, support, facilitate and in fact provide the necessary tools for Ukrainians to begin being trained on F-16s, as soon as the Europeans are prepared,' national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's Jake Tapper on 'State of the Union.' The decision cements a stark turnaround for President Joe Biden, who said earlier this year that he did not believe that Ukraine needed the F-16s. One of the main issues Kyiv's ground forces have faced as their counteroffensive gets underway is Russian air power holding them back." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

News Ledes

The Guardian is live-updating developments in the extreme heat that is affecting many parts of the Northern hemisphere: "Parts of Europe, Asia and North America are preparing for scorching heat on Monday that threatens to break records, drive wildfires and has prompted health warnings and evacuations. Europe could record its hottest-ever temperature this week on Italy's islands of Sicily and Sardinia where a high of 48C (118F) is predicted, the European Space Agency said."

Pennsylvania. The Dog That Barked. Washington Post: A family dog spotted Pennsylvania prison escapee & fugitive Michael Burham and ran toward him, barking. Upon engaging with Burham, the family recognized him and "called 911 as he headed back into the woods -- relaying a tip that would allow authorities to recapture him that evening and conclude the manhunt, Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said in a Saturday news conference."

South Korea. Washington Post: "Thirteen bodies were recovered from a tunnel in South Korea as the flooding death toll across the country rose to at least 40.Cars were trapped in a tunnel underpass in Osong near the city of Cheongju, about 70 miles south of Seoul, when the Miho River burst its banks on Saturday."

July 16, 2023

Afternoon Update:

Jasmine Wright of CNN: "The US will allow European countries to train Ukrainians on F-16 fighter jets, a top Biden administration official confirmed Sunday, a potential boon for Ukraine's efforts to counter Russia's air superiority. 'The president has given a green light and we will allow, permit, support, facilitate and in fact provide the necessary tools for Ukrainians to begin being trained on F-16s, as soon as the Europeans are prepared,' national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's Jake Tapper on 'State of the Union.' The decision cements a stark turnaround for President Joe Biden, who said earlier this year that he did not believe that Ukraine needed the F-16s. One of the main issues Kyiv's ground forces have faced as their counteroffensive gets underway is Russian air power holding them back."

Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Since his indictment last month on charges of withholding classified documents..., Donald Trump has publicly called special counsel Jack Smith 'deranged' and a 'psycho' and said he 'looks like a crackhead.' In response, Smith and the federal judge overseeing his pending criminal trial have said ... nothing.... Trump's broadsides on social media against the Justice Department, the FBI, and Smith in particular have not gone unnoticed. The government spent $1.9 million for U.S. Marshals to provide security to Smith and other officials between November 2022 and March, according to officials.... 'Trump has bought for himself more latitude than other litigants would have. He's campaigning for office, and the scope of things that are said in campaigns are often far out and unsupported,' [attorney Bruce] Rogow said.... 'These are the kind of comments that might provoke some judges to issue a gag order,' said Ken White, a former federal prosecutor.... Stephen Gillers, a professor of legal ethics at New York University, said that the calculus for a gag order could change if Trump starts talking about witnesses or evidence...." ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE. Brett Samuels of the Hill: "Former President Trump praised the judge overseeing his classified documents case as his legal team seeks a postponement of his trial in Florida.... 'I know it's a very highly respected judge. A very smart judge, and a very strong judge,' Trump said. When host [Fox 'News host] Maria Bartiromo noted that Trump appointed the judge in the case, Trump said, 'I did, and I'm very proud to have appointed her.'... We need judges that love our country so they do the right thing.'" MB: I'm just overwhelmed by Trump's sincerity.

New York. Hurubie Meko & Erin Nolan of the New York Times: In 2011, profilers compiled lists of the characteristics they expected the Gisco Beach serial killer had. There are similarities between the profiles and the suspect arrested late last week for three of the murders.

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Presidential Race 2024

What to do when you're a lousy, obnoxious, losing candidate? Blame your staff: ~~~

Maggie Haberman & Rebecca O'Brien of the New York Times:"Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has started cutting campaign staff just months into his presidential bid, as he has struggled to gain traction in the Republican primary and lost ground in some public polls to ... Donald J. Trump. The exact number of people let go by the DeSantis team was unclear, but one campaign aide said it was fewer than 10. The development was earlier reported by Politico." But Ronnie the Also-Ran has more problems at home; see link under "Beyond the Beltway."

Daily Check-up: Is RFK, Jr. Still Crazy? Yes, Yes, He Is. Lucy Hodgman of Politico: "Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denied allegations of racism and anti-Semitism Saturday after he reportedly suggested Covid-19 could have been genetically engineered to reduce risks to Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people. Kennedy -- a longtime vaccine skeptic who is running a longshot primary campaign against President Joe Biden -- said during a Tuesday night press event that Covid-19 was 'targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people.' He went on to say that 'the people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.' After a broad backlash to his comments, first reported by the New York Post, Kennedy took to Twitter to defend himself[:]... 'I have never, ever suggested that the Covid-19 virus was targeted to spare Jews.'..." (Also linked yesterday.)

Jonathan Weisman & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times write about the No Labels party. Blah-blah. Here's the punch line, buried way down the story: "'We like puppies and kittens and pie,' said Rick Wilson, a former Republican and a founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project. 'They think they can be tapioca vanilla pudding as long as possible, to keep up the message,"Hey, we're just centrist do-gooders. What could possibly go wrong?" And the thing that could go wrong is the election of Donald Trump.'"

Pence Shows What a Cruel, Careless SOB He Is. Nick Robertson of the Hill: "Former Vice President Mike Pence said abortions in the case of nonviable pregnancies should be banned, taking a hard stance on abortion policy, which has served as an emphasis of his campaign.... 'I just have heard so many stories over the years of courageous women and families who were told that their unborn child would not go to term or would not survive. And then they had a healthy pregnancy and a healthy delivery.'... Pence is the only GOP presidential candidate to publicly support a national abortion ban at six weeks." Pence's anecdotal "evidence" is pure conjecture.

Marie: If, like me, you blame Hitler & the Nazis for the Holocaust, this Washington Post report by Gordon Sander, may give you another think, because the U.S. and the rest of the world -- except the Dominican Republic -- effectively collaborated with the Nazis. And they did so, in great part, because our representatives -- and our people -- were antisemites.

Beyond the Beltway

Florida. Frances Robles of the New York Times: "Early last summer, complaining that Washington had failed to provide adequate staffing for Florida's National Guard, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that for the first time in 75 years he was activating the State Guard, a force of volunteers that could respond to hurricanes and other public emergencies. But the deployment this spring has been mired in internal turmoil, with some recruits complaining that what was supposed to be a civilian disaster response organization had become heavily militarized, requiring volunteers to participate in marching drills and military-style training sessions on weapons and hand-to-hand combat. At least 20 percent of the 150 people initially accepted into the program dropped out or were dismissed, state officials acknowledged, including a retired Marine captain who filed a false imprisonment complaint against Guard sergeants with the local sheriff after he got into a dispute with instructors and was forcibly escorted off the site." The Guardian's story is here.

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Sunday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here. The Guardian's live updates are here. The Guardian's summary report is here.

News Ledes

New York Times: "Jane Birkin, who helped define chic female sexuality of the 1970s as an actress in arty and erotic European movies and in her relationship -- equal parts romantic and artistic -- with the singer Serge Gainsbourg, died on Sunday in Paris. Ms. Birkin, who later became known for inspiring one of the best known lines of luxury handbags, was 76."

Weekend in Guns America. New York Times: "At least four people were dead and three others remained missing on Sunday morning after severe floods on Saturday swept through areas of Pennsylvania. In a news conference Sunday morning, Tim Brewer, the fire chief of Upper Makefield in Bucks County, said that 11 vehicles were trapped by rising waters on the flooded Washington Crossing Road on Saturday afternoon. 'The flash flood occurred some time after that,' Mr. Brewer said. 'We believe approximately 11 cars were on the road. Three were confirmed swept away.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Washington Post Update: "A gunman who police said fatally shot four people in an Atlanta suburb Saturday before going on the run was killed Sunday afternoon in a police shootout that left two officers injured, authorities announced Sunday."

New York Times: "A 25-year-old woman in Alabama who was reported missing on Thursday night after telling a 911 dispatcher that she saw a toddler walking along the side of an interstate and would pull over to help was found late Saturday, according to the police. The woman, Carlee Russell, showed up at her family's front door on Saturday night, knocked and was greeted by her stunned relatives, said Nicholas Derzis, the police chief in Hoover, a suburb of Birmingham.... The case began on Thursday night when Ms. Russell told the dispatcher about the child around 9:35 p.m., called a family member to report the same details, and then pulled over on I-459 South near mile marker 11 to check on the toddler, the Hoover Police Department said.... The Hoover Police Department said it had not received any calls of someone missing a child."

July 15, 2023

Afternoon Update:

Daily Check-up: Is RFK, Jr. Still Crazy? Yes, Yes, He Is. Lucy Hodgman of Politico: "Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denied allegations of racism and anti-Semitism Saturday after he reportedly suggested Covid-19 could have been genetically engineered to reduce risks to Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people. Kennedy -- a longtime vaccine skeptic who is running a longshot primary campaign against President Joe Biden -- said during a Tuesday night press event that Covid-19 was 'targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people.' He went on to say that 'the people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.' After a broad backlash to his comments, first reported by the New York Post, Kennedy took to Twitter to defend himself[:]... 'I have never, ever suggested that the Covid-19 virus was targeted to spare Jews.'..."

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Melissa Quinn of CBS News: "The Biden administration announced Friday that it will wipe out $39 billion in student debt for more than 800,000 borrowers, relief that comes weeks after the Supreme Court invalidated a separate, broader effort by President Biden to address student loan debt. Unlike the broad forgiveness Mr. Biden originally attempted to provide, the forthcoming debt discharges by the Department of Education are narrower, stemming from 'fixes' announced by the administration in April 2022 to ensure borrowers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans have an accurate count of the number of monthly payments that go toward forgiveness. The new student debt plan also relies on a different law than the one that was struck down by the Supreme Court." A Washington Post story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Tara Bernard of the New York Times: "Here's what we know about who's eligible [for student loan debt relief]."

David McCabe & Steve Lohr of the New York Times: "A federal appeals court on Friday paused a judge's order that had blocked much of the Biden administration from talking to social media sites about content.... In its three-sentence order, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said the preliminary injunction issued this month by a federal judge in Louisiana would be put aside 'until further orders of the court.' The appeals court also called for expedited oral arguments in the case.... The Department of Justice appealed the [original] order the day after it was issued."

Conservative Max Boot of the Washington Post: "Five years ago, on July 16, 2018..., Donald Trump met in the capital of Finland with Russian President Vladimir Putin. There he delivered what Sen. John McCain called 'one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory.' Standing next to Putin at a news conference, Trump refused to condemn Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election or even to admit that it had occurred. This came a little more than a year after Trump had attended a NATO summit in Brussels at which he refused to affirm the alliance's Article 5 collective security guarantee.... On Thursday, President Biden visited Helsinki ... not to kowtow before Putin but to stand up to him -- and not to undermine NATO but to strengthen it.... 'I've been doing this a long time. I don't think NATO's ever been stronger,' Biden said during a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto. He's right, and he deserves a world of credit for that achievement. Biden has shown more skill at marshaling an international coalition than any U.S. president since George H.W. Bush during the 1991 Gulf War....

"It's safe to say that none of that would have happened if Trump had still been in the White House.... So, if you believe in making America, rather than Russia, 'great again,' it's imperative for Biden to win in 2024 and maintain the policies that have so greatly strengthened NATO and Ukraine. As long as the MAGA wing remains as strong as it is, Republicans cannot be trusted on national security policy." See also NYT story on Putin puppet TuKKKer Carlson's performance in Iowa, linked below.

Haley Talbot & Clare Foran of CNN: "The House voted Friday to pass a sweeping defense policy bill following a contentious debate and the adoption of controversial amendments that touched on hot-button social issues. The addition of amendments pushed by conservative hardliners related to abortion policy and transgender health care access as well as targeting diversity and inclusion programs infuriated Democrats and led to push back from some moderate Republicans -- and will now set up a clash with the Senate." (Also linked yesterday.)

Flippity-Flip-Flip? Alexander Mallin, et al., of ABC News: "The special counsel investigating ... Donald Trump's handling of classified documents has taken new steps to examine possible efforts to obstruct the probe, threatening potential charges against a Trump Organization employee who is suspected of lying to investigators.... Special counsel Jack Smith in recent weeks transmitted a target letter to the staffer indicating that he might have perjured himself during a May appearance before the federal grand jury hearing evidence in the classified documents probe.... The target letter to the employee ... signals Smith's growing interest in the Trump Organization's handling of the surveillance footage and potential efforts to avoid sharing it with investigators.... Stanley Woodward, a lawyer who has represented the employee and who represents several other Trump advisers, declined to comment to ABC News." The New York Times story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Kristy Greenberg, a legal analyst for MSNBC, noted Friday that attorney Woodward represents both the targeted employee and Trump's body man Walt Nauta. Since these two individuals communicated and have conflicting interests, Greenberg said Woodward will have to end his representation of one or the other.

Zachary Cohen of CNN: "Federal prosecutors have interviewed the secretaries of state for both Pennsylvania and New Mexico in recent months as part of the ongoing investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, according to two sources familiar with the probe.The interviews, which have not been previously reported, indicate that special counsel Jack Smith is focused on actions taken by ... Donald Trump and his allies in seven key battleground states as they sought to upend Joe Biden's electoral victory.... Smith's team has sent subpoenas to local and state officials in all seven of the key states -- Georgia, New Mexico, Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- that were targeted by Trump and his allies and where Trump's campaign convened the false electors as part of the effort to subvert the Electoral College."

Danny Hakim of the New York Times: "In his latest legal maneuver, Donald J. Trump sought a court order on Friday that would throw out the work of an Atlanta special grand jury and disqualify Fani T. Willis, the prosecutor leading an investigation into election interference in Georgia. A decision on indictments looms in the investigation, which has been in progress for more than two years." CNN's story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

A billionaire using donor money to pay personal legal fees, and now paying his wife more than 2x what the average American makes just to pick some tableware. There's grifting and then there's Trump grifting. Undisputed champs. -- Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ~~~

~~~ Trump Pays Melanie Three Figures for Setting the Table at Home. Shane Goldmacher & Maggie Haberman of the New York Times:"A super PAC aligned with ... Donald J. Trump paid Melania Trump $155,000 in late 2021, an unusual payment that was not visible in the group's initial federal reports and came to light only in a filing by Mr. Trump on Thursday.... It is rare for the spouse of a potential presidential candidate to be paid directly by a campaign or an outside group affiliated with the candidate.... [A] representative for the super PAC ... said that Ms. Trump had been hired through her agency for 'design consulting' for the old super PAC's dinner and that her responsibilities included choosing tableware, arranging settings and picking floral arrangements. The fee was $125,000, and the second $30,000 payment was for additional servics rendered out of the scope of the first contract, the representative said.... The December 2021 payment to Ms. Trump coincided with a private fund-raising dinner that the super PAC held at Mar-a-Lago and that Mr. Trump attended." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Nicholas Fandos, et al., of the New York Times: "Representative George Santos, the New York Republican facing federal criminal charges, reported raising about $150,000 for his re-election campaign from April through June -- a modest sum that he mostly used to pay back money he had lent to his past congressional bids. The contributions came from roughly 50 donors, only four of whom reported living inside Mr. Santos's Queens and Long Island district, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission on Friday. A plurality of the donors said they lived in California, and, when reached for comment, some said they had given money to the congressman as a gag." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

** Amanda Marcotte of Salon: "... watching Republicans vomit conspiracy theories at [FBI Director Christopher] Wray, the name that came to my mind was ... Timothy McVeigh, the right-wing terrorist who blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 168 people. McVeigh and his co-conspirator, Terry Nichols, were motivated by anti-government conspiracy theories that sounded very much like the garbage being peddled by Republican congressmen during Wednesday's hearing.... McVeigh's views would have been right at home with what House Republicans were spouting Wednesday: That the U.S. government is being secretly run by a decadent 'elite' that wants to brainwash right wing Americans.... It's the same conspiracy theory [that] .. dates back to the overtly anti-semitic conspiracy theories that motivated the Nazis.... The anger was over federal authorities prosecuting white men who thought themselves above law." Marcotte links the conspiracy theory to Ron DeSantis' flying "the others" out of his domain of Florida & Tommy Tuberville's effort to "debate" white nationalism. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) A Politico story is here.

Presidential Race 2024. Russia, Russia, Russia. Jonathan Weisman of the New York Times: Tucker Carlson, appearing as a sort of emcee at a Family Leadership conference in Des Moines, Iowa, turned the forum into a platform for Vladimir Putin. "Mr. Carlson was given the task of interviewing six Republican presidential hopefuls.... In the hands of Mr. Carlson..., Ukraine became the bad actor in the conflict, not Russia.... [When interviewing Mike Pence,] Mr. Carlson called Ukraine an American 'client state,' accused Ukraine's Jewish leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, of persecuting Christians and strongly indicated Mr. Pence had been conned, despite evidence to the contrary.... The Family Leadership Summit was supposed to be a showcase of Christian values, where social issues like abortion and transgender rights were expected to be center stage."

Senior Federal Judge Michael Ponsor, in a New York Times op-ed: "... if there will not be formal ethical constraints on our Supreme Court -- or even if there will be -- its justices must have functioning noses. They must keep themselves far from any conduct with a dubious aroma, even if it may not breach a formal rule..... You don't just stay inside the lines; you stay well inside the lines. This is not a matter of politics or judicial philosophy. It is ethics in the trenches." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Patrick Marley of the Washington Post: Brett Kavanaugh says everything is going very well at the Supreme Court: "It's really I think government at its finest in the sense that everyone there is so well prepared. And we are a hard-working bunch and very well prepared and very on top of the issues and very respectful." Nevermind that, "Two weeks ago, Justices Clarence Thomas and Ketanji Brown Jackson sniped at each other in dueling opinions over ending the consideration of race in college admissions. Justice Elena Kagan accused the court of overstepping its authority..., and Kagan and Justice Sonia Sotomayor read lengthy dissents from the bench in the court's closing days to demonstrate how profoundly they disagreed with the majority's rulings. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. took issue with some of the critiques in his loan-debt ruling. 'It has become a disturbing feature of some recent opinions to criticize the decisions with which they disagree as going beyond the proper role of the judiciary,' Roberts wrote."

Shia Kapos of Politico: The "Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., the Civil Rights icon and former presidential candidate, is stepping down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, according to his son, Rep. Jonathan Jackson. The senior Jackson will announce his retirement at the annual Rainbow PUSH convention in Chicago on Sunday. Vice President Kamala Harris will the keynote for the event. And a successor to Jackson is also expected to be announced."

Beyond the Beltway

Arizona. Nick Robertson of the Hill: "Kari Lake's legal team, including lawyer Alan Dershowitz, must pay $122,200 in sanctions after a federal court in Arizona found that the former Republican gubernatorial candidate's lawsuit contesting voting methods was 'frivolous.'... In May, Lake's legal team was levied a $2,000 sanction judgment for their role in spreading misinformation about election integrity."

Florida Sucks. Adam Nichols of the Raw Story: "A Florida columnist savaged his state's Republican politicians Friday for sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring reality.... Fred Grimm for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel ... rattled off a long list of issues that were affecting his state, and bashed its [MAGA] leaders for ignoring them.... Top of his gripes was the inactivity on global warming, even as Florida burns under some of the highest temperatures it has ever experienced. 'Climate denial just doesn't resonate after the hottest day in the hottest week in the hottest June in recorded history. Along with floods, wildfires, superstorms, droughts, mudslides, melting glaciers, dying coral reefs and other disasters ignited by global warming.' Other things the MAGA politicians were in denial of included the fleeing of immigrant workers, the cancellation of conventions and the reasons why insurance companies were abandoning the state, he said.... 'Imagine acting as if the spate of racist, homophobic, sexist laws spat out by the Florida Legislature embodies sound policy rather than the cynical contrivances of the governor's presidential campaign.'" ~~~

~~~ Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: "This week, I examine the potential price Floridians might pay for MAGA culture wars, pick the people of the week and share some lesser-known D.C. sites.... Florida has become not where 'woke' died but rather where empathy, decency and kindness go to die.... [Ron] DeSantis likes to brag that more people are moving to Florida than ever. Not so fast. 'An estimated 674,740 people reported that their permanent address changed from Florida to another state in 2021.['] That's more than any other state.... Moreover, Florida already is one of the states with the oldest average populations, and the MAGA culture wars risk alienating young people and the diverse workforce the state needs.... In addition, evidence points to a brain drain from Florida universities and colleges...." ~~~

~~~ Khristopher Brooks of CBS News: "AAA will not renew the auto and home insurance policies for some customers in Florida, joining a growing list of insurers dialing back their presence in the Sunshine State amid a growing risk of natural disasters.... The company is the fourth insurer over the last year say it is backing away from insuring Floridians, a sign extreme weather linked to climate change is destabilizing the insurance market. On Tuesday, Farmers Insurance said it will no longer offer coverage in the state, affecting roughly 100,000 customers."

Iowa. Colbi Edmonds of the New York Times: "Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa, a Republican, signed a strict abortion ban into law on Friday, even as a judge heard arguments to suspend it. Ms. Reynolds had vowed to sign the measure that was passed this week by the Legislature. It was immediately challenged in Polk County court by the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, and on Friday those groups were in court seeking to temporarily block the law while their legal case moved forward. The new law bans most abortions after cardiac activity is detected, which anti-abortion groups say is around six weeks of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant. It takes effect immediately, and dramatically changes abortion access in the state.... The ban also shuts off another area of access for women in the region, as nearby states including Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota also have abortion bans."

New York. Michael Balsamo, et al., of the AP: "A Long Island architect was charged Friday with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims in a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders after detectives pursuing a new lead say they matched DNA from a pizza he ate to genetic material found on the women's remains. Rex Heuermann, who has lived for decades across a bay from where the remains were found, is charged with killing Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. He is also considered the prime suspect in the death of a fourth woman whose body was bound and hidden in thick underbrush along a remote beach highway, authorities said.... Heuermann, 59, was arrested late Thursday amid a renewed investigation that first identified him as a suspect in March 2022, when detectives linked him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010." The New York Times' main story is here.

Oregon. Steff Thomas of the Hill: "A federal judge on Friday found Oregon's new gun law -- which bans large capacity magazines and requires residents to obtain a permit to purchase firearms -- does not violate the Second Amendment. After a week-long trial, U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut in a 122-page order found that the law keeps up with 'the nation's history and tradition of regulating uniquely dangerous features of weapons and firearms to protect public safety.'"

Way Beyond

Ukraine, et al. The Washington Post's live briefing of developments Saturday in Russia's war on Ukraine is here: "The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is credited with easing the global food crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine, is set to expire Monday amid rising concerns that Moscow will not renew the deal.... South Korea's president Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Kyiv on Saturday, making him one of a handful of Asian leaders to visit the war-torn nation. He visited Bucha, the site of mass killings, and will lay a wreath of remembrance in the capital before meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the country's Yonhap news agency. Seoul has so far sent humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine but is under pressure to send weapons.... The Wagner Group is now training troops in Belarus, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense said in a statement Friday....

"South Africa is trying to convince Putin not to attend an economic summit in the country in August, local media reported. As a signatory to the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court, which issued a warrant for Putin's arrest in March, South Africa would be obliged to arrest the Russian leader. 'It's a big dilemma for us. Of course, we cannot arrest him,' Deputy South African President Paul Mashatile said in an interview."

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

News Ledes

New York Times: "The police were searching for a gunman who they say killed four people in a Georgia suburb on Saturday morning in a shooting with no known motive. The shooting was reported at 10:45 a.m. in a residential neighborhood of Hampton, Ga., a city roughly 35 miles south of Atlanta, James Turner, the Hampton police chief, said at a news conference." ~~~

     ~~~ The AP story, where is here, identifies a suspect.

CNN: “Michael Burham, the inmate with survivalist skills who escaped a prison in Pennsylvania, has been captured in a wooded area near Warren after more than a week on the run, authorities announced Saturday."

Washington Post: "Evelyn Boyd Granville, one of the first Black women to receive a doctorate in mathematics from an American university and whose groundbreaking work in computers included helping calculate orbit trajectories and lunar-landing scenarios for the space program, died June 27 at her home in Silver Spring, Md. She was 99."

Guardian: "After days of unrelenting temperatures across much of the region, the American west is bracing for even more intense heat this weekend with more than a third of Americans under extreme heat alerts. California is facing a powerful heatdome, bringing sweltering conditions expected to build Friday and through the weekend, in central and southern parts of the state. The National Weather Service warned many residents they should prepare for the hottest weather of the year as desert area highs could exceed 120F (48.8C)."