“Despite the availability of life-saving Covid-19 vaccines, so many people died in the second year of the pandemic in the U.S. that the nation’s life expectancy dropped for a second year in a row last year,” NPR reports.
Republicans Threaten to Let Disney Copyright Lapse
National Review: “Disney’s copyright on its signature Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse — from the 1928 short film of the same name — is set to expire on January 1, 2024… In the past, both the company and legislature have sprung into action to keep the depiction out of the public domain. This time, it might be more difficult to secure such an extension.”
“With a 1984 deadline looming, Gerald Ford signed the Copyright Act of 1976 in no small part thanks to the efforts of Disney’s lobbyists. That pushed Disney’s singular claim to Mickey out to 2003. Always one step ahead, lobbyists for Disney secured a second extension… It passed through both chambers of Congress on voice votes.”
“There is little chance that a third extension will pass so smoothly, as several prominent Republicans, who will in all likelihood find themselves in the majority in both houses of Congress after the midterms, tell National Review that they would oppose such a measure.”
Russia’s Ruble Roars Back
The Russian ruble has surged all the way back to where it was before Russia invaded Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.
“What’s become clear is that despite an incredibly wide-ranging package of sanctions on the Russian government and its oligarchs, and an exodus of foreign businesses, the actions are largely toothless if foreigners keep guzzling Russian oil and natural gas — supporting the ruble by stocking Putin’s coffers. Even as Russia remains mostly cut off otherwise from the global economy, Bloomberg Economics expects the country will earn nearly $321 billion from energy exports this year, up more than a third from 2021.”
“The rapid ruble recovery gives Putin a major victory back in Russia, where many people fixate on the currency’s ups and downs, even as his military gets bogged down in Ukraine and outrage mounts across the globe over atrocities it’s committed.”
Letitia James Seeks to Hold Trump in Contempt
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) “filed a motion on Thursday asking a judge to hold Donald Trump in contempt for failing to turn over documents in her civil investigation into his business activities,” the New York Times reports.
“The request by lawyers in Ms. James’s office, which was filed in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, said that the former president had declined to turn over documents that the attorney general had sought in eight requests. The filing also asked the judge to fine Mr. Trump $10,000 a day until he turns over the materials.”
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Graham Not on Senate Floor During Confirmation Vote
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) didn’t wear a tie for the occasion for the confirmation vote for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the first black woman on the Supreme Court — which meant he wasn’t allowed on the Senate floor and voted “no” from the cloakroom, CNN reports.
Graham was wearing a tie at a press conference earlier but apparently took it off.
Mark Kelly Keeps Up Torrid Fundraising Pace
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) kept up his torrid fund-raising pace in the first three months of the year, bringing in $11.3 million and expanding his cash on hand to $23.2 million, KPNX reports.
Top Prosecutor Says Trump Criminal Probe Is Ongoing
“Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thursday that his office’s criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump, his company and its leadership continues, despite the resignation earlier this year of two senior prosecutors,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The team working on the investigation was going through documents, interviewing witnesses and ‘exploring evidence not previously explored.’ He said while the law required secrecy during the investigation, he would tell the public when it had ended.”
Select Committee Weighs Calling Trump for Interview
“The Jan. 6 select committee is preparing to broach its most consequential decision yet: Whether and when to call Donald Trump for an interview,” Politico reports.
Said Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS): “We’ll be talking about the likelihood of a Trump interview in the not too distant future.”
Senate Confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson
“The Senate on Thursday confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to be elevated to the pinnacle of the judicial branch in what her supporters hailed as a needed step toward bringing new diversity and life experience to the court,” the New York Times reports.
“Overcoming a concerted effort by conservative Republicans to derail her nomination, Judge Jackson was confirmed on a 53-47 vote, with three Republicans joining all 50 Democrats in backing her.”
The support of three Republican senators took the suspense out of the vote, but it was truly historic nonetheless.
Russians Brought Dress Uniforms for Parade in Kyiv
“Russian soldiers advancing on Kyiv brought parade uniforms with them, seeming to expect a victory in less than two days,” Insider reports.
“The official said the soldiers left them behind when withdrawing from the Kyiv area, after weeks of trying without success to take the Ukrainian capital.”
Alabama Senate Passes ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill
The Alabama Senate passed its own version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law Thursday after a surprise amendment to a transgender bathroom bill, AL.com reports.
Russia Is Recruiting Mercenaries to Ukraine
“As Russian troops retreat from northern Ukraine and focus operations on the country’s east and south, the Kremlin is struggling to scrape together enough combat-ready reinforcements to conduct a new phase of the war,” the New York Times reports.
“Moscow initially sent 75 percent of its main ground combat forces into the war in February, Pentagon officials said. But much of that army of more than 150,000 troops is now a spent force, after suffering logistics problems, flagging morale and devastating casualties inflicted by stiffer-than-expected Ukrainian resistance.”
Shanghai Seethes in Covid Lockdown
New York Times: “As the coronavirus races through Shanghai, in the city’s worst outbreak since the pandemic began, the authorities have deployed their usual hard-nosed playbook to try and stamp out transmission, no matter the cost. What has been different is the response: an outpouring of public dissatisfaction rarely seen in China since the chaotic early days of the pandemic, in Wuhan.”
“The crisis in Shanghai is shaping up to be more than just a public health challenge. It is also a political test of the zero tolerance approach at large, on which the Communist Party has staked its legitimacy.”
Europe Decides It’s Too Early for Second Boosters
“European regulators concluded on Wednesday that it is ‘too early’ to administer second booster shots of a coronavirus vaccine to the general population in the European Union, but added that the extra doses could be given to adults aged 80 and older,” the New York Times reports.
Senate Votes to Strip Russia of Favored Trade Status
“The Senate voted 100-0 on separate bills Thursday stripping Russia of its most-favored-nation trade status and approving a ban on Russian oil imports to punish Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, several weeks after the House cleared both pieces of legislation,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Washington Post: “The direct impact of the bills on the course of the conflict is likely to be negligible. They largely reinforce moves that President Biden has already made to ban energy imports and remove trade preferences from Russia. But they represent a significant gesture signaling ongoing bipartisan interest in supporting Ukraine’s quest to maintain its independence amid deadly aggression from its larger neighbor.”
Republican Registrations Surge In Pennsylvania
“Republicans are registering formerly Democratic voters at four times the rate that Democrats are making the reverse conversion in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, a warning sign for Democrats as they try to keep control of the U.S. Congress,” Reuters reports.
“The Republican gains in Pennsylvania, home to a critical U.S. Senate race, follow a pattern seen in other states that could have competitive contests in November’s elections, as high levels of disapproval with President Joe Biden’s handling of his job are helping narrow the long-held advantage held by Democrats in numbers of registered voters.”
Jackson’s Will Soon Be a Justice-in-Waiting
“Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will suddenly find herself with a lot of time on her hands if the Senate fulfills expectations and confirms her to the U.S. Supreme Court this week,” Bloomberg reports.
“The busiest six weeks of Jackson’s life are likely to turn into a three-month wait once she wins approval to occupy a Supreme Court seat that won’t open until late June or early July. Justice Stephen Breyer said in January he will retire when the court’s current term ends.”
