Category Archives: Republicans

Mueller could be subpoenaed within two weeks, says judiciary chair Nadler – live

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Leading Democrat Jerry Nadler says he may issue subpoena to special counsel if Mueller does not agree to testify voluntarily

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returned to the Supreme Court bench after surgery for cancer this year and is leaning on her colleagues for support. From the Associated Press:

Since Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s return in late winter from cancer surgery and broken ribs , she has regularly accepted Justice Clarence Thomas’ extended hand to help her down the three steps behind the Supreme Court bench when the gavel falls and court ends for the day.

There’s something touching about seeing the 86-year-old liberal icon and the 70-year-old conservative stalwart briefly join hands to exit the courtroom. Most people in the courtroom can’t see the justices once they leave the bench, but the seats reserved for reporters offer a good view.

Troops deployed to California are being tasked with painting the border wall between the US and Mexico, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said on Wednesday, in a tweet that called it “a disgraceful use of government spending.”

DHS informed Congress today that troops are going to spend the next month painting the border wall & “the primary purpose is to improve the aesthetic appearance.” A disgraceful misuse of taxpayer $$. Our military has more important work to do than making Trump’s wall beautiful.

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Trump cancels key services for unaccompanied child migrants – live

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Officials say language classes and recreation programs for immigrant children staying in federal shelters ‘not directly necessary’

Vice President Mike Pence will meet Wednesday with top Mexican officials who are seeking to head off the administration’s threatened tariffs, the Hill reports.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard is representing his country at the talks and expected to argue Mexico is already taking steps to prevent migrants from crossing the US-Mexico border.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says Paul Manafort should not be held in solitary confinement, and nor should anyone else. Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign chair, is reportedly heading for Rikers Island where he’s likely to be held in solitary while awaiting trial on New York state charges.

Yes - released from solitary.

NYT used the term solitary confinement, & that’s what I am commenting on.

“Protective custody” IS a separate practice, but does not necessarily exclude solitary. If he is in fact not being held in solitary, great. Release everyone else from it too.

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House antitrust investigation targets Facebook, Google and others – live

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Looks like it’s going to be a twofer on 11 June:

NEW: House Majority @LeaderHoyer says contempt vote Tuesday, June 11th will be for both Attorney General Barr AND former White House Counsel McGahn “to comply with Congressional subpoenas that have been duly issued by the House Judiciary Committee”

Mark your calendars. It’s looking like the contempt proceedings for attorney general William Barr, who skipped out on his House judiciary committee hearing last month after a barnburner of a Senate judiciary committee hearing, are set to begin next week.

CONFIRMED: House Dems voting next week to hold AG Bill Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over unredacted Mueller Report, sources in leadership meeting say. Politico first reported.

Others could also receive House floor vote, including former WH lawyer Don McGahn, according to sources. https://t.co/64tMAfAq9T

The full House will vote on June 11th to hold AG Barr in contempt of Congress for not complying w/ the House Judiciary Cmte’s subpoena for Mueller's full unredacted report + underlying evidence, according to 3 Dem sources. Still TBD if other ppl are included in this contempt vote

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Missouri moves to become first state without an abortion clinic since Roe v Wade – live

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Last remaining abortion clinic in the state expects to close within 72 hours, as Planned Parenthood prepares to file a lawsuit

Netflix has become the first Hollywood giant to pledge action should Georgia’s extremist abortion law come into effect.

In a statement to CNBC the streaming and film production company said it would “rethink our entire investment in Georgia” should the so-called “heartbeat law” go into effect.

Vice president Mike Pence has responded to the Supreme Court decision earlier in the day that upholds an Indiana law requiring fetal remains be disposed of in the same way has human bodies.

The law was signed by Pence, then the governor of Indiana, in 2016.

Today, Justice Thomas wrote: SCOTUS has been zealous in the past in barring discrimination based on sex, race, & disability. Hopeful someday soon SCOTUS will recognize the same protections for the unborn when they rule on future appeals of pro-life legislation.

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Mueller drew up obstruction indictment against Trump, Michael Wolff book says

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A new book from Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff says special counsel Robert Mueller drew up a three-count obstruction of justice indictment against Donald Trump before deciding to shelve it – an explosive claim which a spokesman for Mueller flatly denied.

Related: 'It's all explosive': Michael Wolff on Donald Trump

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Federal judge blocks strict abortion law in Mississippi – as it happened

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That’s all from me! Here’s a rundown on the day’s major events:

Abortion providers reported an “alarming escalation” in incidents of disruption and intimidation in 2018, according to a new report by their professional association, the National Abortion Federation (NAF).

Trespassing reached the highest level since the NAF began recording such incidents in 1999, while incidents of obstruction grew 78% from 2017 to 2018. Providers also reported record levels of picketing (99,409 incidents) since recording began in 1977, and the highest number of incidents of vandalism (125) since 1990.

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New York state passes bill to allow Congress to access Trump’s tax returns – live

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Arguments have begun in Donald Trump’s lawsuit to block Congressional subpoenas of his financial records from Deutsche Bank and Capital One.

Patrick Strawbridge, one of Trump’s lawyers, reiterated in court his argument that Congress is overstepping its role by issuing such broad subpoenas.

Related: Trump lawyers to appear in court over subpoenas for financial records

Donald Trump Jr is set to follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming an author.

The first son, who earlier today was described as “a good young man” by his father – has signed a deal with Center Street Books, and the tome will be published later this year.

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‘I don’t do cover-ups’: Trump lashes out over Pelosi accusation – video

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Donald Trump rejected a charge by the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, that he was engaged in a cover-up, saying he was the "most transparent president" the country had ever had. In a last-minute press conference in the Rose Garden, outside the Oval office, Trump condemned the Democats, and said "the crime was committed on the other side". Trump added he would refuse to work with them unless they dropped their investigations into his administration and finances

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Don McGahn expected to be held in contempt over refusal to testify – live

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The former White House counsel had been subpoenaed to appear before the House judiciary committee but Trump blocked his testimony

Organizations around the country are holding “Stop the Bans” day of action Tuesday to protest bans and restrictions on abortion in a growing number of states.

There will be a main event in Washington, D.C. outside the U.S. Supreme Court at noon, as well as rallies in all 50 states.

Kris Kobach demanded access to a government jet 24 hours a day and a chance to become homeland security secretary if he takes a job as Donald Trump’s immigration czar, the New York Times reported Monday evening.

The former Kansas secretary of state has given the White House a list of ten conditions. The full list, obtained by the Times:

1. Office in the West Wing.

2. Walk-in privileges with the president.

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Trump lashes out at Justin Amash after Republican talks of impeachment

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As Donald Trump opened fire on Justin Amash, the Michigan representative who became the first Republican in Congress say he had engaged in “impeachable conduct”, Mitt Romney declined to join the fight.

Related: Justin Amash becomes first Republican to back Trump impeachment

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Missouri House passes extreme eight-week abortion ban – live

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State’s Republican-led House joins states such as Alabama by passing sweeping bill, which does not include exceptions for rape or incest

The bill just passed in Missouri is designed not to go into effect – but to go to court. It is unconstitutional.

We published this analysis of near total abortion bans from Prof. B Jessie Hill this week. Hill is a professor at Case Western Reserve school of law and an expert in reproductive rights law.

Related: Could abortion become illegal in America? All signs point to yes | B Jessie Hill

Rather than pursuing the sort of incremental strategy that anti-abortion activists have favored in the past – such as banning abortions late in pregnancy, or attempting to gradually regulate abortion clinics out of existence with increasingly burdensome regulations – these newer laws are written to prohibit virtually all abortions in the state.

Fetal cardiac activity can be detected beginning at about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant. By banning all abortions after that point, “heartbeat” bans, if they take effect, would stop all but a very small percentage of abortions.

In addition to everything happening in Missouri today, the House debated the Equality Act, to expand protections for LGBT people.

The House just approved the Equality Act, a bill that would expand gay rights, extending to areas like employment, housing, loan applications, education and public accommodations.@SarahEMcBride of @HRC broke down the Equality Act for us ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ctY0DPxjqu

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Is John Bolton the most dangerous man in the world? | Ben Armbruster

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The US is closer to war with Iran than it has been since the Bush years, or perhaps ever. And Bolton is largely to blame

Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton wants the United States to go to war with Iran.

Related: Merkel: Europe must unite to stand up to China, Russia and US

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White House refuses to sign on to Christchurch call to combat online extremism – live

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White House said in response to an international agreement to to curb hate speech that ‘productive speech’ is the best tool to defeat it

The White House has criticized House Democrats’ investigation into obstruction of justice by the president as serving “political theater.” In turn, the lawmaker in charge of those investigations called the White House position “preposterous” in an interview.

The letter was sent by White House council Pat Cipollone, in response to a March request by Congressional investigators for documents. In a 12-page letter, Cipollone asked the committee to narrow its “sweeping” request and provide a legislative reason why the documents should be released, according to Reuters.

The White House will not participate in the committee’s ‘investigation’ that brushes aside the conclusions of the Department of Justice after a two-year-long effort in favor of political theater pre-ordained to reach a preconceived and false result,” Cipollone’s 12-page letter said.

The documents requested relate to everything from the contents of Trump’s meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin to his communications with former White House counsel Donald McGahn, the firing of former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn and former FBI director James Comey, and possible pardons for Trump associates who pleaded guilty to crimes stemming from the probe.

The committee also seeks documents aimed at probing whether Trump has used the White House to enrich himself in violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause.

Jameela Jamil, formerly a presenter on BBC Radio 1 and now one of the stars of the sitcom The Good Place, opened up about an abortion she had when she was young.

Jamila called it the “best decision I have ever made.”

I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didn’t want, and wasn’t ready for, emotionally, psychologically and financially. So many children will end up in foster homes. So many lives ruined. So very cruel.

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Alabama: Republican state passes near-total ban on abortion – video report

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Alabama has passed a near-total ban on abortion, making it a crime to terminate pregnancy at any stage. The abortion ban is the strictest in the US and allows an exception only when the pregnant woman’s health is at serious risk. The bill was passed by 25 votes to six and also contains no exception for rape or incest. If the procedure was to take place the doctor could be punished with 10 to 99 years in prison; the woman who had the abortion would not face criminal charges 

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‘​You just said to my daughter, you don’t matter ‘ – senator reacts to Alabama abortion ban – video

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The Democratic minority leader, Bobby Singleton, delivered an emotional speech after a rape and incest exception from the abortion ban bill failed to pass in a roll-call vote. Alabama’s Republican-controlled state senate has passed a bill to outlaw abortion, making it a crime to perform the procedure at any stage of pregnancy. The strictest-in-the-nation abortion ban allows an exception only when the woman’s health is at serious risk, and sets up a legal battle that supporters hope will lead to the supreme court overturning its landmark ruling that legalised abortion nationwide.

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Alabama abortion ban: Republican senate passes most restrictive law in US

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Law bans abortion except if there is a ‘serious health risk’ to the mother, with no exceptions for rape and incest

Alabama’s Republican-controlled state senate passed a bill Tuesday to outlaw abortion, making it a crime to perform the procedure at any stage of pregnancy.

The strictest-in-the-nation abortion ban allows an exception only when the woman’s health is at serious risk, and sets up a legal battle that supporters hope will lead to the supreme court overturning its landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

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Barr assigns attorney to find how Trump-Russia investigation began – live updates

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Attorney general’s new investigation follows years of Trump and supporters claiming justice department and FBI spied on his campaign

On the subject of markets – the Dow Jones Industrial Average has opened up slightly, a half a point in the green on the day so far. It fell a bit more than three points on Monday.

Donald Trump spent at least an hour and some 1,400 characters on Tuesday morning tweeting a defense of his tariffs on Chinese goods, which China has responded to with retaliatory tariffs, precipitating a dive on Monday in the US markets. Asian markets fell less sharply and European markets opened Tuesday slightly up.

Trump said on Tuesday that “Tariffs have rebuilt our Steel Industry - it is booming!”, “we are in a fantastic position”, “We are in a much better position now than any deal we could have made” and “Other countries are already negotiating with us because they don’t want this to happen to them.”

Related: Trump defends China tariffs as trade war leaves allies and opponents in bind

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Better the devil they know: how Christians came to terms with Trump

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Evangelical backing for a thrice-married celebrity is not as odd as it seems: on abortion, the supreme court and more, the president keeps delivering

After bowing his head in prayer, Donald Trump addressed faith leaders in the sunshine of the White House rose garden.

Related: Trump wants Barr to consider investigating Biden – Giuliani

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Alyssa Milano calls for sex strike as protest over Republican abortion laws

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  • Actor provokes storm with call to regain ‘bodily autonomy’
  • GOP-held legislatures in quest to overturn Roe v Wade

The actor Alyssa Milano ignited a social media storm with a call for women to join her in a sex strike, to protest against strict abortion laws passed by Republican-controlled state legislatures.

Related: Abortion: judge strikes down Kentucky restriction but governor to appeal

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#ConstitutionalCrisis? Trump’s battle with Congress comes to a head

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The president’s claims of executive privilege over the Mueller report have set new alarm bells ringing for the fate of democracy

Police this week arrested an alleged arsonist who started a fire outside the National Archives building in Washington, claiming that voices told him to “burn buildings down”. The archives display a four-page handwritten document to countless tourists and schoolchildren: the US constitution.

While the physical object remains fragile but secure, the political framework it represents is facing one of the severest threats in its 232-year history. The arsonist is Donald Trump and he is getting ever closer with his tiki torch.

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