Ron Filipkoski published this comparison between a statue of Kim Jong Un & Trump. According to Art Intel, the golden statue of of Kim is between 66 and 72 feet high. Art says the statue of Trump is only 15 feet high (with the base, it's about 22 feet tall). (Thanks to RAS for the link.) ~~~
New York Times Editors: In the Iran war, “the weaker nation is in the stronger negotiating position. That reality exposes the vulnerabilities in the American way of war. Tactical success has not yielded victory. Mr. Trump’s recklessness in conducting the war is one reason. But the problem is bigger than any single commander in chief. The United States has left itself unprepared for modern war. America has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on ships and planes that are good at defeating competitors’ ships and planes but ineffective against cheaper, mass-produced weapons. The American economy does not have the industrial capacity to produce enough of the weapons and equipment it does need. And the country has struggled to fix these problems because of a sclerotic government and a consolidated defense industry that resists change.” (Also linked yesterday.)
They Really Don't Know What They're Doing. Helene Cooper & Eric Schmitt of the New York Times: “For months..., [Donald] Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have celebrated tentative agreements with defense companies to expand production of Patriot air defense systems, Tomahawk cruise missiles and other weapons believed crucial for a war with China, Russia or North Korea.... Lockheed Martin, for instance, would increase production of its PAC-3 Patriot missile interceptors to 2,000 a year, from 600. It would quadruple production of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptors to 400 from 96. Trouble is, the administration does not yet have the funding or congressional support for the weapons it needs for the possible future wars. And the Pentagon is diverting munitions deliveries intended for allies for its own use as a stopgap measure until large new arms orders begin. While the U.S. defense industry has announced those ambitious plans to make more critical munitions and interceptors, much of the expanded production will not kick in for several years.
The Chaos Starts at the Top. Jack Detsch, et al., of Politico: “... Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday that he was considering pulling some U.S. troops out of Germany stunned defense officials, who scrambled to figure out if the president was serious about following through on his threats this time. Trump’s social media post was the first that many had heard of a potential new push to take hundreds, if not thousands, of American troops out of Germany, according to three defense officials. It strongly contrasts a recently concluded monthslong review of the Pentagon’s global troop footprint, which did not call for major pullbacks from Europe.” (Also linked yesterday.)
Howzit Goin'? Sixty-one days ago, President Trump unilaterally began the war in Iran. He had no coherent strategy. He refused to make a case to the American people or consult Congress. He failed to present any evidence of an immediate threat, and he ignored the advice of military and intelligence experts who warned him of the consequences. Today our nation is in a worse strategic position. The Strait of Hormuz was open. Now it is closed. Thirteen service members have tragically lost their lives, and more than 400 have been wounded. We have lost dozens of aircraft, sustained significant damage to our bases in the area, and expended an alarming amount of our missile inventory. Morale and readiness across the force, especially among overdeployed units and vessels like the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, have suffered. Gasoline and fertilizer prices throughout the world have surged. American families are bearing the cost of a war they wanted nothing to do with and have gained nothing from. -- Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, yesterday, opening statement at a hearing on the Pentagon's budget request
I’ll say it again today, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless naysayers and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans. -- Pete Hegseth, prepared remarks before a Senate hearing yesterday ~~~
~~~ John Ismay of the New York Times: “For three hours, senators questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Pentagon’s comptroller, Jay Hurst. But for the most part, the session focused on the U.S. war against Iran and Mr. Hegseth’s tenure. Here are the main takeaways.” ~~~
~~~ Megan Mineiro of the New York Times: “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress on Thursday that ... [Donald] Trump does not have to comply with a law requiring presidents to seek congressional authorization to continue a war beyond 60 days because the cease-fire agreement reached with Iran has paused the clock on any such obligation. His assertion came on the eve of the 60-day mark of Mr. Trump’s official notice to Congress that he had begun the war, a critical deadline under the War Powers Resolution for a president to begin to withdraw forces, seek congressional authorization to continue a military campaign or request a 30-day extension.... Mr. Hegseth’s novel reading of the statute, which some legal experts disputed, came on his second consecutive day of testimony on Capitol Hill, as the defense secretary presented a defiant and combative front to lawmakers who raised concerns about the war in Iran and his leadership.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: I believe it was Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) who said yesterday on MS NOW that there is nothing in the language of the statute that stops the clock if a ceasefire is called. ~~~
~~~ MEANWHILE. Seung Min Kim of the AP: “The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.... A senior administration official ... said for purposes of that law, 'the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated.' The official said the U.S. military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the two-week ceasefire that began April 7. While the ceasefire has since been extended, Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from getting out to sea.” ~~~
~~~ AND. Ryan Nobles, et al., of NBC News: “House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Thursday that it is not necessary for Congress to weigh in on the Trump administration’s military action in Iran because the United States is currently “not at war.' 'I don’t think we have an active, kinetic military bombing, firing or anything like that. Right now, we are trying to broker a peace,' Johnson told NBC News in the Capitol. 'I would be very reluctant to get in front of the administration in the midst of these very sensitive negotiations, so we’ll have to see how that plays out.'” ~~~
~~~ BUT. Connor O'Brien of Politico: “GOP unity over the Iran war started to crack Thursday when Sen. Susan Collins of Maine voted with Democrats to halt the conflict, marking the first time a Republican has changed their vote on the military campaign in the Middle East.... Collins flipped her vote a day ahead of the administration’s legal deadline [to end the war unless Congress has authorized it], which she signaled would be a turning point for her.... Just two Republicans — Collins and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky — joined Democrats to support curtailing Trump in a 47-50 vote. Unlike Collins, Paul has supported all attempts to rein in the war. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania continued to be the lone Democrat to oppose the effort. The measure is the sixth resolution the Senate has rejected since the conflict began in February.... Collins gave a preview of her vote Tuesday, when she joined with Democrats on a separate measure to block potential military action against Cuba.” ~~~
~~~ Marie: In case you are wondering what precipitated Collins' sudden concern(™) about Donnie & Pete's military adventurism, see news about Maine's Senate race linked below the break.
Patricia Cohen of the New York Times: “The energy shock caused by the conflict in Iran, missile attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Persian Gulf and, most crucially, the halt on shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have produced a spectacular bonanza [for oil and gas companies] as energy prices have soared. Around the world, the bumper returns have revived calls for taxes on oil and gas companies’ sudden jackpots. Finance ministers from Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, as well as a raft of advocacy groups like Oxfam and the World Wildlife Federation, have asked the European Commission to tax excessive profits.... [In the U.S.,] Democratic lawmakers and dozens of environmental and advocacy groups have called for a windfall profits tax, but the prospect of action is unlikely.... The contrast between companies’ exceptional gains and the exceptional pain that soaring oil and gas prices are causing is stark.”
Lauren Weber, et al., of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump announced a new pick for surgeon general, Nicole Saphier, putting an end to Casey Means’s nomination process that had stretched nearly a year.... Saphier is Trump’s third choice to serve as the nation’s top doctor. Trump first selected Janette Nesheiwat to be surgeon general last year before the White House withdrew her nomination and put Means forward. A health products entrepreneur and popular online personality, Means had seen her nomination stall as some Republicans questioned her stance on vaccines, her medical credentials and her pushes against the medical establishment. Means appeared before the Senate Health Committee in February after an earlier hearing was postponed after she went into labor.” (Also linked yesterday.) The AP's story is here.
Rachel Lerman of the Washington Post: “... Donald Trump posted online Thursday that he would remove tariffs on some whiskey, a move that could ease trade tensions for Scotch whisky and Kentucky bourbon producers.... Trump posted on Truth Social following the visit [of King Charles and Queen Camilla of the the U.K.] that he would remove 'the Tariffs and Restrictions on Whiskey having to do with Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon' in honor of the king and queen. 'The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!' he wrote.” MB: Wherein Trump proved that he really doesn't speak the King's English. Or at least not hardly.
Paul Waldman: "... Donald Trump leads a movement that is obsessed with projecting strength, yet is made up of the weakest, whiniest little babies who ever walked the corridors of Washington.... Because Trump is a baby, he is enraged that [James] Comey mocked him on social media. Because they are spineless toadies, his appointees mobilize to action, drawing up that absurd indictment. And because they too are pathetic lickspittles, congressional Republicans rush to the media to defend the indictment.... Every appointee who comes before the Senate for a confirmation hearing is asked by Democrats whether Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, and every one hems and haws and refuses to answer, because in admitting that simple fact they would anger the man to whom they have turned over their integrity and their dignity.... Their weakness makes them ... more [dangerous], because they will always try to compensate for their weakness with brutality. A bunch of feeble, frightened men with the powers of the state at their disposal is a terrifying thing; just look at how that played out in Minneapolis." (Also linked yesterday.) More on the dangers of seashell photos linked below.
The Family That Grifts Together. ~~~
(1) Intellinews, published by MSN: “A shell company backed by Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump has reportedly merged with a critical minerals group that last year was lined up for $1.6bn in US government support to mine critical mineral tungsten in Kazakhstan. Reporting on the deal, the Financial Times on April 30 said that it will add to the Trump family’s sprawling business empire. Word of the US leader’s sons’ stake in the mining venture in the Central Asian country came shortly after IntelliNews reported on a wave of Balkan investments linked to ... Donald Trump and his associates.... Details of the American opportunity to mine tungsten emerged weeks before last November’s unprecedented White House summit that brought [Donald] Trump together with the five presidents of Central Asia. Trump ... describ[ed] Central Asia as 'an extremely wealthy region', in a reference to its natural resources....”
(2) Robert Davis of the Raw Story: "... Donald Trump's family appears to have struck a shady deal with the Department of Defense that has outraged political analysts and observers. Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the Defense Department had agreed to purchase drones from a company backed by the president's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. The Trumps acquired the company in March when another company they were involved with, a golf company called Aerus Greenway, agreed to merge with Powerus, with the goal of taking it public." ~~~
(3) The Trump “Board of Peace.” Linda Kinstler of the New York Times: “Over the past year, [Jared] Kushner and [Steve] Witkoff have crisscrossed the globe as White House emissaries.... But these are businessmen first and diplomats second. Their approach to peacemaking is abundantly evident in the settlements they have brokered thus far. The October cease-fire between Israel and Hamas opened the door to Kushner’s aspiration to build a shiny special economic zone where there are now 60 million tons of rubble.... Their draft proposal for a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine included a provision that the United States would receive '50 percent of profits' from the 'venture' of rebuilding Ukraine’s destroyed infrastructure. Their view seems to be that peace is an asset to be leveraged and maximized.
“On the sidelines of the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in February, Witkoff announced an agreement between the United States and Pakistan to redevelop the Roosevelt Hotel in New York, just weeks after the Pakistani government signed a deal with a company affiliated with World Liberty Financial, the crypto firm run by Witkoff’s and Trump’s sons. In the months since, Pakistan has become one of the primary mediators between the United States and Iran.... While both men are presidential appointees who do not draw a salary from the federal government, they are supported by an entirely new White House office that uses public funds.... [The Trump] administration has turned the delicate practice of peacemaking, previously handled largely by experienced diplomats, mediators and specialists, into a business for a select few stakeholders who are bound together by a thicket of financial affiliations and conflicts of interest.”
Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: “A suicide note purportedly written by Jeffrey Epstein in a Manhattan jail has been kept secret for nearly seven years, locked up in a New York courthouse. A cellmate said he discovered the note in July 2019, after Mr. Epstein was found unresponsive with a strip of cloth around his neck. Mr. Epstein survived that incident but weeks later was found dead in the jail. The note was eventually sealed by a federal judge as part of the cellmate’s own criminal case, according to documents and interviews.... On Thursday, The New York Times petitioned the judge to unseal the note, which said it was 'time to say goodbye,' the cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, recalled. While Mr. Tartaglione mentioned the note on a podcast last year, the scrawled message has remained hidden from public view.... The Times has not seen the note and could not find it in the Epstein files. A Justice Department spokeswoman said the agency had not seen it. But a cryptic two-page chronology in the records describes how the note became tangled up in Mr. Tartaglione’s messy legal case. The chronology says that Mr. Tartaglione’s lawyers authenticated the note, though it does not explain how.” The link is a gift link. (Also linked yesterday.)
Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: “The Justice Department’s indictment of James B. Comey for posting a photo of seashells has been roundly ripped by critics as a highly questionable move predicated on flimsy evidence that sacrifices prosecutorial credibility for ... [Donald] Trump’s fleeting favor. But the charges, which department officials claim were justified by a genuine threat to Mr. Trump’s life, reflect the new realities of an agency whose roiled leadership is more focused than ever on the president’s restless efforts to exact vengeance on his enemies. By firing Attorney General Pam Bondi — and then conspicuously declining to name her interim replacement, Todd Blanche, as the permanent successor — Mr. Trump has created an environment in which multiple officials seem to all be fighting for their jobs.... The result is ever greater incentive to execute his increasingly extreme demands without much pushback.”
Yunior Rivas of Democracy Docket: “The Trump administration is already moving to use the Supreme Court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act to dismantle protections for Black and Latino voters ahead of the 2026 midterms. U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) Thursday urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to review maps nationwide and identify districts 'improperly drawn using race,' singling out California’s 2026 congressional map — created in response to Texas’ Trump-ordered gerrymander — for 'immediate review.'... '... The Constitution prohibits sorting Americans by race. DOJ should act accordingly.' Within minutes, Harmeet Dhillon — who leads the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division — made clear the administration is ready to attack districts where minority voters have had the opportunity to elect the candidate of their choice. 'Senator — we are ON IT!' Dhillon wrote. 'This Justice Department under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche continues to prioritize equal protection of the laws for ALL Americans, be it in employment, housing, education — and VOTING!'” More on the states' responses to the Supreme Court's decision below, after the break.
He Sees Seashells by the Seashore. Carol Leonnig & Fallon Gallagher of MS NOW: " The move to charge former FBI Director James Comey with threatening the president with a picture of seashells shifted into overdrive earlier this month after ... Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi and named Todd Blanche as the acting replacement.... Then-Attorney General Bondi had pushed her team to keep pursuing Virginia-based charges against Comey for lying to Congress, concluding that case was significantly stronger than potential charges based in North Carolina that he threatened to kill or harm Trump. The threat case appeared to have largely been put on indefinite hold.... But after Bondi was out, and new acting Attorney General Blanche sought to win Trump’s appointment to the job permanently, the 'seashells' case gained new steam, the people said. Blanche’s aides instructed [interim U.S. Attorney Ellis] Boyle to seek a grand jury indictment of Comey and he and a relatively junior prosecutor obtained one in the Eastern District on April 28."
Scott Dance of the New York Times: “The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reversing job cuts that Kristi Noem, the former homeland security secretary, had overseen before she was fired last month. FEMA has reinstated 14 people who had signed a public letter that became known as the Katrina Declaration, which warned that the agency risked repeating mistakes learned during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, said Abby McIlraith, one of the reinstated workers and an emergency management specialist. Another 21 people who signed their names are no longer at the agency, Ms. McIlraith said. The agency has also begun calling disaster workers who were let go in January to offer them their jobs back.... The agency parted ways with some 200 workers who served in temporary roles when their assignments came up for renewal in January. It was a major departure from past practices, and prompted unions to file a lawsuit against the agency, arguing that the dismissals violated FEMA’s statutory requirement to maintain readiness for disasters.” A Guardian story is here.
They Really Don't Know What They're Doing. Dan Diamond & Clara Morse of the Washington Post: “The Trump administration inadvertently exposed the Social Security numbers of health care providers in a database powering a new Medicare portal, The Washington Post found. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) last year created a directory to help seniors look up which doctors and medical providers accept which insurance plans, framing it as an overdue improvement and part of the Trump administration’s initiative to modernize health care technology. But a publicly accessible database used to populate the directory contains some of the providers’ Social Security numbers, linked to their names and other identifying information.... The Post informed health officials on Tuesday that the numbers had been exposed, giving the agency time to take down the database, and contacted some of the affected providers, who said they were confused and concerned.”
Carl Hulse of the New York Times: “The House on Thursday passed stalled legislation reopening the Department of Homeland Security, ending a record shutdown at the agency and resolving uncertainty over whether thousands of federal security workers would be paid in May. The voice vote after a brief debate brought to a close a bitter partisan fight spurred by ... [Donald] Trump’s immigration crackdown and the tactics of federal immigration officers who fatally shot two U.S. citizens during immigration roundups in Minneapolis earlier this year. Negotiations between Democrats and the White House over new restrictions went nowhere, leading to an impasse that cut off funding on Feb. 14. But it was a dispute among Republicans that has kept the department shuttered for nearly a month, and the G.O.P. had to bypass its own right flank to push through the bill.... Mr. Johnson was forced to resort to a maneuver that sped it to the floor, limiting debate and requiring a two-thirds supermajority for passage.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update. Myah Ward of Politico: “... Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation on Thursday to fund key agencies at the Department of Homeland Security, officially concluding the record-breaking shutdown. After more than 10 weeks, the president’s signature restores funding to the Coast Guard, TSA, Secret Service, FEMA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, along with other sub-agencies that don’t touch immigration enforcement. Congressional Republicans are separately working to enact tens of billions of dollars for Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement through a party-line reconciliation package, a process that progressed this week with the adoption of a framework to unlock a special budget authority to bypass the Senate filibuster.”
Charlie Savage & Michael Gold of the New York Times: “Congress voted on Thursday to extend a high-profile warrantless surveillance law by six weeks, moving hours before its midnight expiration to punt the deadline as lawmakers continued to clash over proposals to add new privacy limits. It was the second time this month that Congress had provided a short-term patch for the law, a section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.... The law, known as Section 702 of FISA, allows the government to collect — from domestic companies like Google and AT&T, and without a warrant — the communications of foreigners abroad, including when those targets are interacting with Americans.”
Minho Kim of the New York Times: “The Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to ban senators, their staff and other chamber officials from participating in prediction markets, in which anonymous users can bet on a certain outcome of future events, including major policy decisions of the U.S. government. The ban passed after some users in prediction markets won hundreds of thousands of dollars by successfully anticipating U.S. military action in recent months, raising suspicions of insider trading on websites like Polymarket and Kalshi. The questionable wagers have raised ethical and national security concerns because a surge in betting on certain geopolitical outcomes could indicate an imminent action by the U.S. military or its allies. Senator Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan and a former C.I.A. analyst who served tours in Iraq, called potential cases of insider trading on prediction markets 'an operational risk.'”
This Is Surprising. Jordain Carney of Politico: Senator “Thom Tillis took on ... Donald Trump’s administration in a monthslong battle to quash the criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell — and won. Now he’s urging those around the president to take his latest ultimatum seriously — that he won’t confirm for attorney general anyone who excuses the events of Jan. 6, 2021.... 'Hopefully they’ll take me at my word when I say anybody who equivocated on the Jan. 6 rioters, I just can’t support,' the North Carolina Republican said about Justice Department nominees. Tillis has major leverage as a member of the Judiciary Committee, where Republicans have a one-vote advantage and he can exercise an effective veto.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: I don't know how this is going to affect Donald Dimento. During this monthslong battle, he insisted to Maria Bartiromo, even after she corrected him, that Tillis had quit the Senate. He even seemed to imply that Tillis had quit precisely because he had somehow lost his battle over the Powell investigation. ~~~
~~~ Tillis Tried to Wish Away an Adversary, Too. Gregory Svirnovskiy of Politico: “Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and pardon attorney Ed Martin traded personal insults Thursday on social media, a remarkably public feud.... Tuesday’s sparring comes after Tillis ... incorrectly asserted in a Politico interview Thursday that Martin was no longer employed by the Justice Department.... The pair have a history. The North Carolina Republican dealt a crushing blow to Martin’s nomination to be the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., last March because of Martin’s advocacy on behalf of multiple Jan. 6 defendants. Tillis told Politico he’d employ that same standard for whomever Trump nominates to replace Pam Bondi as attorney general.”
This Is Not Surprising. Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post: “The Senate inched forward Thursday with its plans to confirm U.S. attorney nominees who have no prosecutorial experience and who have fueled lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen from Donald Trump, raising concerns that they’ve been tapped for these jobs to go after Trump’s political enemies. Senators held a procedural vote for beginning debate on a package of more than a dozen of Trump’s nominations to federal attorney posts. Their action starts the clock on up to 30 hours of debate, after which senators will hold more procedural votes and, ultimately, a confirmation vote on the entire package.”
This is Not Surprising. Kate Santaliz of Axios: "The House Ethics Committee has begun investigating Rep. Chuck Edwards over unspecified allegations against the North Carolina Republican.... Democrats are working hard to unseat Edwards in November, and an Ethics probe could damage the GOP lawmaker's reelection prospects. In an email..., a lawyer from the committee said that Chair Michael Guest (R-Miss.) and ranking member, Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), had authorized ethics staff to investigate 'allegations involving Representative Chuck Edwards.' No allegations were specified." ~~~
~~~ Bennito Kelty of the Raw Story: "... Rep. Chuck Edwards, who is now under investigation for sexual harassment accusations, CNN reported on Thursday."
In case you have developed a mild fondness for Senator Rand Paul for his steadfast opposition to the war and all, here's a reminder of what a douche he is: ~~~
~~~ Charlotte Hazard of WKRC (Cincinatti): “Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul announced Thursday that he would be introducing a constitutional amendment to end birthright citizenship. 'Under current interpretations of American law, anyone born on American soil automatically becomes a U.S. citizen, regardless of whether the parent was here legally or not,' Paul wrote in a lengthy post on X. 'This is wrong and not at all the intent of those who wrote the 14th Amendment.'... Paul said that only children born to legal U.S. citizens become citizens right away. 'I have supported protecting birthright citizenship from the beginning of my tenure in the Senate, when I cosponsored the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011, and now I am proposing an amendment to protect United States citizenship in case the Supreme Court fails to address this issue correctly,' his post concluded.”
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Nate Cohn of the New York Times: “... a new era of gerrymandering may be about to begin. Across much of the country, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act was the only legal limitation on partisan gerrymandering.... That limitation is gone.... Between now and the next presidential election, more states will enact more gerrymanders — and those gerrymanders could go much further than ever before. Adding to the redraws they’ve already made since 2024, Republican-led states could eliminate most Democratic districts across the South.”
Erin Cox of the Washington Post: “House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday that states should consider promptly redrawing congressional districts after the Supreme Court’s ruling limiting the Voting Rights Act — a move that would help Republicans gain seats in this year’s midterm elections. Johnson’s endorsement of last-minute redistricting in the wake of Wednesday’s ruling adds pressure to Republican-led states weighing whether there’s enough time to create new district boundaries and boost the GOP’s chances of maintaining control of the House.” ~~~
Lisa Kashinsky & Andrew Howard of Politico: “House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is eyeing at least four states for potential new congressional maps ahead of the 2028 elections to counter an expected round of new Republican gerrymanders after the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act. 'All options are on the table as we get through the 2026 election and look to the future,' Jeffries told Politico by phone Thursday. 'As many governors have already indicated, we will be prepared to respond in states like New York, Illinois and Maryland, as well as in Colorado, in advance of the 2028 election.'”
Louisiana Congressional Races. Dan Merica & Patrick Marley of the Washington Post: “Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) on Thursday suspended next month’s House primary elections so state lawmakers can pass a new congressional map first, as states face pressure from Republican leaders to redraw districts in time for the midterms. His executive order followed a Supreme Court decision Wednesday that found Louisiana had unlawfully discriminated by race when it created a second majority-Black congressional district under legal pressure. A new Louisiana map would position Republicans to gain one or two seats in the midterms.” This is an update of a story linked yesterday. The Guardian's story is here.
Wow! Maine Senate Race. Lisa Lerer, et al., of the New York Times: “Gov. Janet Mills of Maine, the Democratic establishment’s choice to run for the Senate seat long held by Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, suspended her campaign on Thursday, saying she no longer had the financial resources to compete against Graham Platner, a progressive political newcomer. Her exit paves the way for Mr. Platner, an oysterman who has led her in polls, to become the Democratic nominee in one of the most important Senate races in the country.... Her exit is a blow not only to the two-term sitting governor but also to Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and the Democratic Party establishment that he leads. Mr. Schumer, the minority leader, has for almost two decades chosen his party’s Senate candidates with little internal opposition.” Thanks to RAS for the link. Politico's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Jenna Russell & Kathleen Tomaselli of the New York Times: “Voters who had watched Ms. Mills, 78, struggle to gain traction in the Democratic primary said they were largely unsurprised — and, in many cases, relieved — to see her exit. The group included progressives backing her younger, more left-leaning primary opponent, Graham Platner, 41, and conservatives who support Senator Susan Collins, the longtime Republican incumbent.” ~~~
Voters couldn’t have been clearer that they want to move on from the gerontocracy and status quo. -- Lis Smith, a Democratic strategist ~~~
~~~ Annie Karni of the “... Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat and minority leader, was dead set on [Maine Gov. Janet Mills] as his top recruit in a long-shot nationwide strategy for winning control of the Senate next year.... So he unleashed a relentless campaign to persuade her, including having senators bombard Ms. Mills with calls pleading with her to get into the race and telling her it was her patriotic duty to run. By October of last year, he finally got his way.... [Gov. Mills' suspension of her campaign] counted as a stunning miss for Mr. Schumer.... And it came at a potentially massive cost: Ms. Mills had already released two scathing television ads against Mr. Platner, focusing on comments he made over a decade ago on Reddit about rape. Those attacks could leave Mr. Platner more vulnerable in a general election against Senator Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent.... The high-stakes mess in Maine reflected a disconnect between Mr. Schumer, an establishment figure, and many other Democrats both on Capitol Hill and around the country who worry that he is too conventional and out of touch with the progressive energy inside his party to continue as its leader. For them, Ms. Mills’s exit was proof that Mr. Schumer does not understand what is animating Democratic voters, and what is turning them off.” ~~~
~~~ Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times: “One lesson of the Democratic Senate primary in Maine is that no one should underestimate the white-hot fury of the party’s voters.... Washington Democrats both underestimated [Graham] Platner and misread the mood of the primary electorate, which has been radicalized by revulsion toward Donald Trump. Though a newcomer to politics, Platner turned out to be a natural on the stump.... “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Maine candidate — and I don’t care who they are, Angus King, Susan Collins or Olympia Snowe — nobody has ever had this kind of response or support,” said [Mike Hurley, the former mayor of Belfast, Maine].” The link appears to be a gift link. MB: I hope it is, because the column is a good read.
Oklahoma State Senate Race. Addison Kliewer of KOCO News (Oklahoma City): "Barry Christian, a [Republican] candidate for Senate District 38, disappeared on Tuesday. He was found dead on Thursday, according to a news release from his campaign.... [Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation a]gents at the scene located Christian’s body inside the pickup and his body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who will determine the cause and manner of his death, officials said."
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Lithuania, et al. Michael Schwirtz & of the New York Times: Lithuania's “arrests of nine people are reminders of the threat Russia poses in Europe at a time when Washington has shifted focus to the Middle East.... [Those arrested are] accused of plotting murders and sabotage across Europe at the behest of Russia’s military intelligence service, known as the G.R.U.”
9 comments:
Grift, graft, and grab, the Trump Crime Family specialties
Nepo wanks Uday and Qusay are at it again, actually, when are they NOT at it? Lining their pockets, that is, because they are idiot spawn of the Fat Fascist.
Here a grift, there a grift, everywhere a grift.
Grift 1: A shell company backed by Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump has agreed to merge with a critical minerals group that last year secured up to $1.6bn in US government support to mine tungsten in Kazakhstan.
Grift 2: President Trump’s son Eric Trump is touting a $24 million Pentagon contract awarded to the robotics firm Foundation Future Industries, where he serves as chief strategy adviser. The contract will fund testing of its “Phantom” humanoid robots for future military applications.
Grift 3: The U.S. Air Force agreed to buy an undisclosed number of interceptor drones from a company backed by President Donald Trump’s sons, according to the firm, deepening the military’s ties to defense contractors linked to the first family as the U.S. war with Iran enters its third month.
And these are only the latest batch of schemes to suck up billions off the family name, something the Party of Traitors had knots in the panties over when they tried to attack Hunter Biden for using his dad's name to make money. And leave us not forget that Hunter Biden's plans were made when his dad was not president. And even then he was picking up pocket change compared to the outrageous billions being hoovered up by Eight Ball Don and Stoopid Eric, both of whom would be lucky to have jobs bagging groceries in a Kroger if they weren't scumbag scions of a shithead schemer. So here they are getting government contracts signed by dad. How nice for them. I wonder if there were any other companies in the running or are these more of those "no-bid" contracts? Should the Idiot Brothers start a company to sell edible underwear to the military, Dad would instruct Drunk Pete to fork over billions of taxpayer dollars to these galactically undeserving greedy pricks.
And these new grifts are in addition to the billions they rake in on their crypto and meme coin schemes.
And what's the word from the PoT nannies who chased Hunter Biden mercilessly?
"HOORAY FOR UDAY and QUSAY! May they live to grift forever! Oh, and here's a few hundred million more from stupid taxpayers."
So wait...Bible Mike sez there's no need for Congress to do or say anything about Fatty's War of Whim against Iran (still going on, btw) because, the war is.....over?
How many more ways can this useless piece of driftwood find not to do any work? I guess he can send the House off on another month long vacation. Nothing to see or do here. No votes needed on anything. After all, the legislature is old hat. The only thing that matters now is executive whim.
Useless piece of shit.
The answer to all our problems?
Is more giant BALLROOMS! Ballrooms EVERYWHERE!
All of Uday and Qusay Trump's corrupt deals may be their undoing if Democrats actually pursue justice this time when they get back in power. Obviously they will be part of the blanket pardons that Fat Hitler will sign on his way out the door, but you can't pardon future crimes. If their criminal deals and partnerships are still in place when Democrats regain power then they should not be protected from their ongoing crimes. And we need to quickly "for national security reasons" to collect all the illgotten money with substantial additional fines for their crimes.
Is this illegal?
Back when I thought we were rid of the FF, I wasn't so exercised about the Supine's non decision on emoluments.
https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/01/justices-vacate-rulings-on-trump-and-emoluments/
I wished they'd taken a stand but then remembering how they had dealt with corruption by saying that the quid pro quo pretty much had to be caught on tape, authenticated by two judges in robes and clearly time and date stamped, I was a little worried about what they'd come up with if they had decided anything.
Still, it's clear that their non decision was essentially permission to grift. Again, these constitutional scholars must be so proud.
Chad Bolt
"Will Congress attack hungry children again, this time to pay for one hour of war in Iran?
Republicans in the House and Senate are seriously considering a second budget reconciliation bill. Though hundreds of billions more dollars dedicated to ICE and war with Iran will do nothing to help make everyday necessities like child care or groceries more affordable for American families, Congress appears dead set on plowing ahead with that agenda anyway. Another component of this sweeping package, according to the House Budget Committee Chairman, could be legislation they say will address what they willfully misrepresent as “fraud.”
Ultimately, this will hurt the 16 million children who rely on SNAP. Not only does SNAP help kids’ families put food on the table, it provides critical support for children’s health, education, and overall well-being. Most infuriating is that this latest attack on SNAP – another move by Congressional Republicans that jeopardizes children’s ability to eat – is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to save just $80 million over 10 years.
The grift writ large:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/magazine/kushner-witkoff-board-of-peace-iran.html
Paul Campos
"The ADHD style in Trumpist politics" inspired by an interview between John Guida and the cultural historian Jackson Lears that is interesting. Campos includes a gift link if you want to read the whole conversation.
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