Iran could make enough fissile for one nuclear bomb in “about 12 days,” a top U.S. Defense Department official said on Tuesday, down from the estimated one year it would have taken while the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was in effect, Reuters reports.
Nearly Unanimous Support for Turkey and Syria
“The House mourned the loss of tens of thousands of lives from the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in a resolution that passed on Monday evening,” Politico reports.
“The vote was a resounding 414-2. Reps. Marjorie Taylore Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) were the lone no votes.”
How Lori Lightfoot Lost Control of Her Image
New York Times: “This week, Ms. Lightfoot is in a fight for survival as she runs for a second term as mayor in a city that has yet to recover from its pandemic-era struggles.”
“The blunt, tough-talking persona that earned Ms. Lightfoot early affection and respect turned into something else: the image of a mayor with an exhausting capacity for feuds and insults, whether aimed at her own staff, city employees or fellow elected officials.”
Michigan Republicans Fear a Split Ahead of 2024
“Intense Republican infighting in Michigan is boosting Democrats in the critical 2024 battleground and hobbling GOP plans for a comeback after stinging defeats in three consecutive elections,” The Dispatch reports.
“Michigan’s sprawling Republican establishment of operatives, donors, elected officials, and allied industry groups is breaking ranks with the state party, declaring no-confidence in newly elected chairwoman Kristina Karamo—an ally of former President Donald Trump. They are instead directing money, manpower, and other crucial resources to a collection of conservative outside groups. Discussions are underway in Republican circles to launch additional super PACs and 501(c)4 nonprofit organizations.”
“It’s all part of a broad strategy to sidestep the Michigan GOP and shun Karamo.”
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Latino Republicans Push Back on GOP Immigration Agenda
Associated Press: “The party’s future may well depend on broadening its appeal beyond an aging, predominantly white base of support. And while some conservative Latinos support hard-line immigration policies, there’s a risk that the GOP could repel other persuadable Latinos by moving too far to the right on the issue.”
Nebraska Lawmaker Pledges to Filibuster Every Bill
“A Nebraska Democrat has vowed to filibuster every bill her state Senate colleagues introduce if they support a measure that would restrict certain transition-related health care for minors,” NBC News reports.
“State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh began to filibuster — or talking for as long as possible to stop legislation from passing — during a Senate meeting on Thursday night.”
Fox’s Pander-for-Profit Business Model
Amanda Carpenter: “Dominion must meet a high standard to win its $1.6 billion case. But the filings are already proving something significant, beyond the shadow of a doubt: that Fox casually and knowingly feeds its viewers lies.”
“Dominion has documented how their leading voices don’t believe what they say on the air. How they are afraid to tell you what they really think. Therein lies the peril of Fox’s pander-for-profit model.”
Ron DeSantis’s Book Hits Number 1
The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), which goes on sale Tuesday, has already hit No. 1 on the Top 100 list of Amazon, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Nevada Democratic Chair Was Convicted of Felony
The chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party is a felon convicted of grand theft in the 1990s who was once ordered not to handle money at work without a probation officer’s approval, KLAS reports.
Biden to Tap Julie Su as Labor Secretary
President Joe Biden is expected to nominate Julie Su to be his next Labor secretary, Politico reports.
House GOP Moving to Expand Access to January 6 Video
“House Republicans are moving to provide defendants in Jan. 6-related cases access to thousands of hours of internal Capitol security footage, a move that could influence many of the ongoing prosecutions stemming from 2021’s violent attack,” Politico reports.
Justices Skeptical of Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness
“Members of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed deeply skeptical on Tuesday of the legality of the Biden administration’s plan to wipe out more than $400 billion in student debt because of the coronavirus pandemic,” the New York Times reports.
“During the first of two arguments on the program, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. indicated that the administration had violated separation-of powers principles by acting without sufficiently explicit congressional authorization to undertake one of the most ambitious and expensive executive actions in the nation’s history.”
Washington Post: “The court’s liberal justices, meanwhile, expressed skepticism over whether the six Republican-led states that brought the first case are specifically harmed by President Biden’s debt-relief program, which they must be in order to have legal grounds to stop it.”
What Ron DeSantis Left Out of His Book
Insider notes there are large gaps in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new book:
One example: “DeSantis doesn’t mention his gap year between Yale and Harvard, when he taught at the elite Darlington School. The New York Times wrote a scathing story about DeSantis during that year, with some students accusing him of going to parties with high school seniors, or recent graduates, where alcohol was served.”
Another: “DeSantis also doesn’t provide names of his friends while at Yale University, Harvard Law School, or in the Navy.”
Biden Administration Urges Congress to Renew Spy Law
“Top Biden administration officials urged Congress to renew an expiring surveillance law they say is vital to addressing a range of national security threats, launching what is expected to be a difficult campaign to persuade lawmakers to not curtail spying powers,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Trump’s Polling Strength Worries Senate GOP
“A Fox News survey showing former President Trump leading Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis by 15 points among Republican presidential primary voters is the latest cause for heartburn among Senate Republicans who don’t think Trump can win a general election match-up against President Biden,” The Hill reports.
Trump Slams Rupert Murdoch
Donald Trump is furious with his former ally Rupert Murdoch after the media mogul made admissions that some of his Fox News hosts “endorsed” lies that the 2020 election had been “stolen,” the Daily Beast reports.
Said Trump: “Why is Rupert Murdoch throwing his anchors under the table, which also happens to be killing his case and infuriating his viewers, who will again be leaving in droves—they already are.”
Earlier for members: Rupert Murdoch Spills the Secret
Russia Hit with Flurry of Drone Strikes
“Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ordered officials to tighten control of the border with Ukraine after a spate of drone attacks that Russian authorities blamed on Kyiv delivered a new challenge to Moscow more than a year after its full-scale invasion of its neighbor,” the AP reports.
