Lots of issues occurred. Listed here are a few of the issues. That is TPM’s Morning Memo. Don’t Lose Your Sense Of The Absurd President Biden is anticipated to make the formal announcement of his re-election marketing campaign tomorrow, the identical day…
Lots of issues occurred. Listed here are a few of the issues. That is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Don’t Lose Your Sense Of The Absurd
President Biden is anticipated to make the formal announcement of his re-election marketing campaign tomorrow, the identical day that the civil trial of Donald Trump on fees he raped E. Jean Carroll within the Nineteen Nineties is about to start.
It’s as outstanding a tableau in American politics as you’ll see.
The previous president, as soon as defeated by the present president and nonetheless broadly anticipated to be the GOP nominee in opposition to him in 2024, dealing with a rape and defamation civil trial in federal courtroom in New York whereas additionally below prison indictment in New York state courtroom.
The problem in our politics since circa 2015 has been to attempt to protect some inside sense of what “regular” is. With no baseline in opposition to which to measure the deviations from the norm, it’s straightforward to get misplaced. Frankly, even with a baseline it’s been straightforward to get misplaced.
Throughout this period, I’ve reverted to 2 totally different baselines, neither good, however every helpful in its personal method: (i) what may we have now anticipated in politics 10 or 20 years in the past; and (ii) how will historians view in the present day 100 years from now.
By both measure, the week forward presents an astonishing departure from something resembling regular.
2024 Ephemera
- Biden anticipated to faucet Julie Chavez Rodriguez as his 2024 marketing campaign supervisor
- A bipartisan group of political operatives has shaped Mission Democracy PAC to focus on far-right Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) amongst others.
- Mike Pence is about to testify in Particular Counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 probe however he gained’t say when.
Bragg and Jordan Settle Subpoena Dispute
Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg and Home Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan have reached a settlement of their dispute over Jordan’s subpoena of former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz. Beneath the reported phrases of the settlement, Pomerantz’s testimony to the committee will likely be allowed, a win for Jordan, however an legal professional from Bragg’s workplace will likely be allowed to be current.
The settlement got here after Bragg misplaced badly within the district courtroom in his try to dam the Home subpoena. The Second Circuit Court docket of Appeals had put the decrease courtroom determination on maintain and agreed to think about the case, however Bragg and Jordan informed the appeals courtroom late Friday that they’d reached an lodging.
Pomerantz’s deposition is now scheduled for Might 12.
Keep in mind although: That is all a part of Jordan’s broad effort to undermine, delegitimize and intrude with Bragg’s prosecution of Trump within the Stormy Daniels hush cash case. That effort will proceed.
Boris Epshteyn Grilled For Second Day
Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn spent a second day Friday being interview by Particular Counsel Jack Smith’s crew, ABC Information reported:
- “The second day of questioning was deliberate upfront.”
- “Sources say that Smith personally sat in on a portion of Epshteyn’s interview Thursday, however didn’t take part in any of the questioning.”
- “The interview was largely targeted on the efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss.”
This May Get Fascinating
Alito Dissent Was Classic Alito
The conservative Supreme Court showed there are some limits to how far it will go in imposing its favored policy positions, putting on hold late Friday the outrageous abortion pill rulings out of Texas. While a majority of the court hewed to the rule of law, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas objected in a dissent authored by Alito. It was classic Alito: bitter, intemperate, small-minded.
John Roberts Easily Blows Off Dick Durbin
Chief Justice John Roberts responded to Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin’s request to investigate Clarence Thomas’ financial disclosure lapses by referring the request to the Judicial Conference, the policy-making body of the federal courts.
Asked Sunday why he hasn’t subpoenaed Clarence Thomas to come before his committee, Durbin said Thomas would have just ignored him. Oh …
More Kacsmaryk Disclosure Issues
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, the Amarillo abortion pill judge, “redacted key information on his legally mandated financial disclosures, in what legal experts described as an unusual move that conceals the bulk of his personal fortune,” CNN reports.
The “Administrative Office of the United States Courts approved the redaction after reviewing the relevant rules and applicable threats,” Kacsmaryk said in a statement to CNN.
This revelation is on top of his previous failure to disclose to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation process two provocative Christian talk radio interviews he did and his authorship of a controversial law review article.
The Week Ahead
Speaker Kevin McCarthy is trying to bring his debt-ceiling hostage-taking bill to a floor vote as early as Wednesday. Not clear whether he has the votes in his own conference, but the consensus of the reporting from the Hill is that his prospects look better than they did last week.
You Gotta Be Kidding
Everything that’s wrong with the debt-ceiling coverage … in one headline: “Biden is running out of time to avoid calamitous debt ceiling outcomes”
Credit Where Due
Good headline from WaPo: “Trump touts authoritarian vision for second term”
Must Read
Colin Woodard takes the premise of landmark book – American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America – and combines it with a decade’s worth of CDC data on homicides and suicides and is able to definitively say: “Gun Violence Is Actually Worse in Red States. It’s Not Even Close.”
It’s Not Just Trump
The on-the-ground manifestations of the country’s slide toward authoritarianism are at least as alarming as what’s happened to the Republican Party under Trump:
Shasta County, California: “A California journalist documents the far-right takeover of her town: ‘We’re a test case’”
Ottawa County, Michigan: “In a thriving Michigan county, a community goes to war with itself”
Good Read
WaPo: The Florida sheriff vs. the neo-Nazi ‘scumbags’
Jury Selection Begins In Tree Of Life Massacre Trial
The federal hate crime trial of Robert Bowers for the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue massacre begins today in Pittsburgh. The feds are seeking the death penalty in the case.
Rough Weekend For Elon
The surviving folks behind New Coke must be rejoicing these days that the Swiftest Brand Damage in History Award has been swiped by Elon Musk with his Twitter play.
If you missed it, the blue checkmark fiasco played out over the weekend in hilarious and unexpected ways. If only Elon Musk’s dignity was a inventory you can brief …
When your product is being in comparison with unfavorably to herpes remedy, all the things goes nice! pic.twitter.com/DqPCCndqFh
— Brendan Nyhan (@BrendanNyhan in different places) (@BrendanNyhan) April 23, 2023
Nice Scoop
The conservative marketing campaign to rewrite baby labor legal guidelines is being backed by the Basis for Authorities Accountability, a Florida-based suppose tank and lobbying group which drafted state laws to strip baby office protections, WaPo reviews.
Coolness
The highly effective geomagnetic storm in a single day enabled people as far south as Missouri and Virginia to see the aurora:
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