Recently, the emeritus Harvard law professor and Donald Trump impeachment lawyer has felt shunned at his usual haunts, the New Yorker reports.
The Midterm Races That Give Democrats Nightmares
“Professional Democrats have many fears about the 2022 midterm elections that keep them up at night,” the New York Times reports.
“Chief among them: losing Congress and handing over investigative powers and the ability to set the Washington agenda to Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell. Granting Republicans full control over states where abortion remains contested. Seeing President Biden turned prematurely into a lame duck.”
“Somewhere near the top of that list is the concern that voters will elect Donald Trump’s preferred candidates to the office of secretary of state, a job that in many states plays a critical role in safeguarding the right to vote, while also ensuring the smooth operation and fairness of the electoral system.”
“To put it plainly, the widespread worry on the left is that Trump’s loyalists will guarantee his re-election in 2024 if they take power in 2022. It’s not something either Trump or these candidates labor especially hard to rebut.”
House Passes Bill Protecting Marriage Equality
“The House passed a bill on Tuesday to protect marriage equality, a direct response to an opinion from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas last month that called for reversing multiple decisions that enshrined LGBTQ rights,” The Hill reports.
“The legislation, titled the Respect for Marriage Act, passed in a 267-157 vote, with 47 Republicans joining all Democrats in supporting the measure. Seven Republicans did not vote.”
Washington Post: “It’s unclear if the legislation has enough support in the Senate for passage. And Democratic leaders didn’t commit to bringing it up for a vote, stating the legislative schedule ahead of the midterms may not allow for immediate consideration.”
Georgia Fake Electors Seek to Quash Subpoenas
“Eleven Republican fake electors from Georgia are fighting subpoenas to testify before a special grand jury in an investigation into whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally interfered in the 2020 election in the state,” the AP reports.
“All 11 signed a certificate declaring falsely that then-President Donald Trump had won the 2020 presidential election and declaring themselves the state’s ‘duly elected and qualified’ electors even though Joe Biden had won the state and a slate of Democratic electors was certified. They filed a motion Tuesday to quash their subpoenas, calling them ‘unreasonable and oppressive.’”
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Military Leaders Monitored the January 6 Insurrection
Insider obtained 48 pages of internal emails from the Department of Defense which detail how the military leaders monitored the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
McConnell Says Trump Will Face ‘Crowded’ GOP Field
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) says former President Trump will face a lot of competition in a Republican primary if he runs for president in 2024, The Hill reports.
Said McConnell: “I think we’re going to have a crowded field for president. I assume most of that will unfold later and people will be picking their candidates in a crowded primary field.”
White House Seeks New Communications Team
“The White House is considering a major overhaul of its press and communications shop in the coming weeks, a staff shakeup that’s aimed at putting a new team in place to drive President Joe Biden’s message into November’s midterm elections and in the months after voters decide whether his party retains control of Congress,” NBC News reports.
“The effort to revamp the White House press operation comes as Biden has expressed frustration that his message isn’t breaking through to Americans and his approval ratings continue to hit new lows, while his aides prepare for him to seek re-election.”
Maternal Mortality Rate Set to Rise
The Economist: “America has the highest maternal mortality rate in the industrialized world. With the overturning of Roe v Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that abortion was a constitutional right, it is likely to rise. International comparisons are imperfect but in 2018, while in the Netherlands and Norway there were no more than three maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births, in America there were 17.”
“Most U.S. states that now ban abortion, or soon will, allow exceptions if a woman’s life is in danger. But abortion providers and obstetrician-gynecologists say laws tend to be so vaguely worded that they often do not know if they are breaking them.”
Romney Says Boosting Election Deniers Could Backfire
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said that helping election-denying candidates in Republican primaries could backfire on Democrats and lead to grave consequences for the country, the HuffPost reports.
Said Romney: “It’s not illegal but it sure is stupid. Be careful what you wish for. You may select somebody who actually wins and then you hurt the country as well as your own party.”
Justice Department Says Trump Probes Will Continue
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the Justice Department’s investigation into various efforts by Donald Trump to undermine the 2020 election will continue regardless of whether the former president announces his intention to again seek office in 2024, The Hill reports.
Said Monaco: “We’re going to continue to do our job, to follow the facts wherever they go, no matter where they lead, no matter to what level.”
She added: “We’re going to continue to investigate what was fundamentally an attack on our democracy.”
Fake Electors In Georgia Target of Election Probe
Eleven of the fake electors in Georgia say they’ve been told they’re now “targets” of the grand jury investigation in Fulton County, Politico reports.
J.D. Vance Asks Donors to Pay Off His Debts
“As Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance (R) fell far short of his Democratic opponent Tim Ryan (D) in recent campaign donations, one of the Republican’s chief fundraising vehicles says it prioritizes paying off the campaign’s debt from the May 3 primary he won,” Roll Call reports.
“The campaign’s biggest creditor: Vance himself. He loaned his campaign $700,000 for the primary.”
Generic Ballot Is Tied
A new CNN/SSRS poll finds Democrats and Republicans tied on the generic congressional ballot at 46% each.
Quote of the Day
“Let’s see what the Congress does. The Congress needs to act.”
— Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), quoted by ABC News, when asked if he was supportive of President Biden declaring a national climate emergency.
Lindsey Graham Agrees to Accept Subpoena
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “will accept a subpoena for his testimony issued by a Georgia grand jury investigating possible election meddling in the 2020 presidential election by then-President Donald Trump,” CNBC reports.
Bill de Blasio Drops Out of Congressional Race
Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) announced that he is dropping out of the congressional race in New York’s 10th congressional district.
Said de Blasio: “It’s clear to me that when it comes to this congressional district, people are looking for another option and I respect that. Time for me to leave electoral politics and focus on other ways to serve.”
Most Say Neither Political Party Has the Right Priorities
A new CNN poll finds that 67% of voters say that Democratic candidates for Congress in the area where they live aren’t paying enough attention to the country’s most important problems, with just 31% saying that these candidates have the right priorities.
A similar 65% say that Republican candidates in their area aren’t paying enough attention to important national problems, with 33% saying that GOP congressional candidates have the right priorities.