Trumpdate (5.1.24):
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Pro-Palestine protests continue on college campuses. Highlights include arrests, building occupation, flag incidents, and concessions made by universities.
TIME interview with Trump covers various topics, including prosecuting Alvin Bragg, abortion, tariffs, NATO, Jan. 6th rioters, and the possibility of political violence.
A leaked IRGC report reveals that Iranian security forces sexually assaulted and killed 16-year-old protester Nika Shakarami, contradicting the government's claim of suicide.
U.S. Central Command begins construction of a floating pier in the Mediterranean to support humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
House Democratic leaders announce they will block Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's effort to oust Speaker Mike Johnson.
Fox News quietly deletes its "mock trial" series about Hunter Biden after receiving a defamation lawsuit threat from Biden's legal team.
The Biden administration plans to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, easing federal restrictions and benefiting the cannabis industry.
Shocking footage captures a Russian missile strike using illegal cluster munitions on Odesa, injuring at least 32 people, including children and a pregnant woman.
Trump is held in criminal contempt for violating a gag order in his hush-money case, facing fines and potential jail time for further violations.
The Federalist Society's influence on SCOTUS nominations has led to more polarizing nominees, confirmed by senators representing fewer Americans.
According to Gallup, the U.S. has the least confidence in national institutions among G7 countries and the largest increases in anxiety/depression among young people
FAA reauthorization bill faces pressure to get passed in the Senate.
1.) [UPDATE] Campus Protests
[TS] Pro-Palestine (in some cases Anti-Israel) protests are still taking place on a number of high profile campuses across the US. Just a note before I give the highlights: This should not be capturing the news this way (TS in that same vein, shame on us for giving it more oxygen). Firstly, not all college age students think this way (as we learned yesterday, the majority do *not*).
Most 18-22 year olds do not go to college
An even smaller % of college students attend Ivy League universities (Columbia, etc.)
An even smaller % of college students protest
An even smaller % of protesters camp out / occupy buildings
So, if students in #4 are being interviewed, it’s not really the pulse of what the majority of 18-22 year olds believe. (It could be! But it’s not a great way of ascertaining the truth).
HIGHLIGHTS:
University of FL: Law enforcement breakup protest, 9 students arrested. University President Ben Sasse (TS: former *spineless* NE (R) Senator):
“This is not complicated: The University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children…”
UNC: Protesters remove American flag & fly Palestinian flag; Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts personally puts it back up:
“That flag will stay there as long as I am chancellor... Tell students that we will keep them safe from a small minority of students who want to disrupt their experience. This university is for everybody.”
UCLA: Protestors rob independence Journalist Anthony Cabassa and back him into a wall:
University Police did not engage, instruct him to call administration. Administration tells Cabassa to notify University Police. University Police tell Cabassa “we have been ordered not to engage by school admin”.
In a previous event: Anthony Cabassa: “In talking with campus security, I asked them why they haven’t removed the encampment but USC did away with theirs. They said the difference is USC is a Private School, UCLA is a Public School. They said school admin and security have authorized the protest to continue.”
Columbia: Students stormed and occupied Hamilton Hall (they renamed it to Hind’s Hall). The Free Press had a good montage of clips:
In an act that seems to push the limits of satire - Columbia “revolutionary” students hold a press conference and demand food.
“They’re obligated to provide food to students who pay for a meal plan here.” [TS] Mama mia.
lol - A reporter at the presser: "It seems like you're saying, 'we want to be revolutionaries, we want to take over this building, now would you please bring us some food’.”
[TS] The revolution will be catered! Anyone over the age of 26(?) has to hear this and just wince. You know how people under 15 can hear certain frequencies? It’s like that but in reverse.
[UPDATE / COLUMBIA] CNN: NYPD officers enter building occupied by Columbia students. Columbia says those occupying the building face expulsion.
[UPDATE 2 / COLUMBIA] Columbia President:
"We believe that while the group who broke into the building includes students, it is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University," the university president said. "The individuals who have occupied Hamilton Hall have vandalized University property and are trespassing."
[RELATED / COLUMBIA] [TS] Omar Jimenez (CNN) dug up some historical protests at Columbia. 1968 was a particularly rough protest - so this isn’t necessarily new.
[UPDATE 3 / COLUMBIA] CNN reports Hamilton Hall cleared, and encampment cleared.
Northwestern U: Per National Review: Northwestern U. concedes to anti-Israel protesters, offering scholarships to Palestinians & jobs to Palestinian faculty. Critics call it appeasement & a "dark day," as some faculty broke rules during the protest. [TS] Seems to be incentivizing the wrong behavior.
Univ of Utah: KSL: Police arrested 19 pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Utah for setting up tents and violating laws. The protest, involving 300 people, called for divestment from Israel amid ongoing Gaza conflict.
Portland State: OPB: PSU leaders urge protesters occupying a library to leave or face arrest. School officials say they’ve given Portland police the authority to clear the library at some point. The anti-war protest, part of nationwide demonstrations, calls for the university to cut ties with Israel and weapon makers over the Gaza war.
[TS] That’s probably enough to get the gist. Look, I don’t think protest rules should be difficult, either:
No violence (or threats of violence)
No impeding the free movement of others
Private property owners decide how their property is used
[UPDATE] White House statement about the occupation of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University:
“President Biden has stood against repugnant, Antisemitic smears and violent rhetoric his entire life. He condemns the use of the term “intifada,” as he has the other tragic and dangerous hate speech displayed in recent days. President Biden respects the right to free expression, but protests must be peaceful and lawful. Forcibly taking over buildings is not peaceful – it is wrong. And hate speech and hate symbols have no place in America.” -Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates
[UPDATE 2] AP: House Republicans launched a probe into universities where students protested the Israel-Hamas war, threatening to withhold federal funds. The move aims to address alleged antisemitism on campuses.
[TS] You could see this coming a mile away. Next week it’ll be: “The best way to protect Jews is to privatize Social Security and we should also require prayer in schools.”
2.) TIME: Trump Interview Highlights
[TS] The entire interview is worth a read. There are too many snapshots to share. Also, I thought this was odd for Trump to give a long interview to Time of all publications. A good response to that from Maggie Haberman:
Yes it's a huge mystery that a guy whose cultural touchstones are from the 1980s still values being on Time's cover
[TS] Touche….
Highlights:
On prosecuting Alvin Bragg if he wins:
Classic punt on his views for the abortion pill (People who fear accountability always use the extension of time as an out). [TS] I’m sure he’ll get right on it, probably right after infrastructure week….or maybe after he reveals his healthcare plan….
Trump is fine if states monitor women's pregnancies:
On tariffs:
[TS] Trump's advisers keep downplaying the extent of his tariff proposals -- saying this 10% idea is just one more extreme idea among many -- but then Trump himself keeps suggesting he would actually like to be *more* aggressive.
Another “tears in their eyes” story:
Another true story about Angela Merkel, I’m sure:
After finally getting pinned to answer on NATO:
[CONTEXT] This has already been proven false. Within the NATO agreement is an Article — Article 5 — which is the collective defense clause. It states that an attack on one member of NATO is considered an attack on all members. The only time in history that Article 5 has been invoked was in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. On September 12, 2001, the day after the attacks, NATO determined that the attacks were considered an attack on all NATO members, as per Article 5.
On Jan 6th rioters:
[TS] If you pardon people who commit low-level acts of political violence while praising their conduct, you are greatly elevating the risk of increasingly serious political violence.
Trump does not dismiss the possibility of political violence around the election
3.) BBC: Secret document says Iran security forces molested and killed teen protester
A leaked IRGC report details the last moments of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami, who disappeared during Iran's 2022 protests and was later found dead. The report contradicts the government's claim that she died by suicide, revealing that she was sexually assaulted and beaten to death by security forces in a van. BBC's investigation verified the document's authenticity. The men responsible for Nika's death, belonging to the Hezbollah paramilitary group (IRGC's undercover "Team 12" members Arash Kalhor, Sadegh Monjazy & Behrooz Sadeghy.), were not punished.
4.) US Central Command: Construction of the floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean is underway (used for Gaza aid).
The pier will support US aid and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
5.) POLITICO: House Dem leaders announce they will block effort to oust Johnson.
“We will vote to table Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Motion to Vacate the Chair. If she invokes the motion, it will not succeed,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) said in a statement.
[RELATED] House R say they are bracing for Rep. MTG to move on her motion to vacate resolution at the end of this vote series.
[UPDATE] MTG and Massie are doing a presser this morning:
6.) DailyBeast: Fox News Quietly Deletes Hunter Biden ‘Mock Trial’ Series
Fox News has removed its "mock trial" series about Hunter Biden from its streaming service after receiving a defamation lawsuit threat from Biden's legal team. The 14-page letter accused Fox of a multi-year campaign to defame Biden for ratings and profits, exploiting his image and likeness. The series, which premiered in October 2022, featured a fictionalized trial and included "nonconsensual intimate images" of Biden. Fox initially defended its coverage but has since complied with the demand to remove the series.
7.) NBC: Biden administration plans to reclassify marijuana, easing restrictions nationwide.
The Biden administration is set to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, acknowledging its potential medical benefits for the first time in over 50 years. This move will ease federal restrictions, allow for research, and benefit the $34 billion cannabis industry. Congress is also considering bills to support legal marijuana businesses and expunge criminal records for nonviolent cannabis offenses.
[RELATED] House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) criticizes reclassifying marijuana “We need to be reducing the number of people that use drugs and not increasing that number” he says of reclassification. “We shouldn’t be making matters worse “
8.) KYIV POST: Shocking Footage Captures Russian Missile Strike Using Cluster Munitions on Odesa
[CONTEXT] Cluster munitions are illegal. The strike happened in an urban area hundreds of miles from the front line.
At least 32 people were injured in the attack, including two children and a pregnant woman. Twenty-five of them were taken to the hospital, as reported by the head of the regional administration, Oleg Kiper, who visited the site immediately
[UPDATE] 5 confirmed deaths per NYT.
9.) [UPDATE] Trump’s hush-money case
Trump is held to be Criminal Contempt for "willful disobedience of a court's lawful mandate" by attacking witnesses and jurors in a criminal proceeding. Court's finding based on beyond a reasonable doubt.
9 total violations at max $1k each = $9k in fines
In his written order holding Trump in contempt, a Manhattan judge warns the former president that "an incarceratory punishment" could follow for further violations. Also: Trump must take down the nine posts by 2:15 p.m.
With 30 minutes to go before the deadline, Trump removed the social media posts that Judge Merchan found violated the gag order.
Per Adam Klasfeld: The judge is saying New York law does not give him "discretion" to impose a higher fine, and so, he must "consider whether in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment."
[TS] Technically, Trump is now a convicted criminal.
Judge Merchan allows Trump to attend Barron’s graduation.
In response, Trump issues his “Must watch” movie of the year:
[CONTEXT] Trump has never attended one of his children’s graduations.
10.) SCOTUS / Federalist Society / Judge Confirmation Information per Michael Podhorzer
FULL ARTICLE HERE: ‘Breaking the Law: Trump Is the Means, Not the End. The Federalist Society coup, in 16 charts’
Since George W. Bush, the Federalist Society’s approval has been a prerequisite for any Republican SCOTUS nominee.
The result? More polarizing nominees, confirmed by senators representing fewer and fewer Americans.
First, here’s the average Senate confirmation vote over time:
Support for SCOTUS justices was almost perfectly bipartisan until 2006. Since then, justices nominated by Democratic presidents have still had much higher support than the GOP’s Federalist Society nominees.
These bare-majority Senate confirmation votes = a minority of Americans are represented.
Out of 116 people confirmed to the Supreme Court, only five were confirmed by senators representing less than half the US population: Alito, Thomas, Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh.
[TS] That’s just a teaser. The whole article is definitely worth your time.
11.) GALLUP: US an outlier among G7 countries with low confidence in national institutions
According to Gallup, America has the least confidence in our national institutions of any G7 country and the largest increases in anxiety/depression among young people even though govt statistics show we’re out-growing the G7 and income inequality is falling.
[TS] I would have thought this trend would have been global, but it doesn’t seem to be.
12.) FAA reauth bill news: Late last night, the Senate Commerce Committee pulled all of the legislation it was supposed to mark up today.
Only nominations are listed now. Some of the bills previously listed for markup were supposed to be considered as amendments to FAA bill
This is already shaping up to be a messy process, with senators demanding votes on unrelated legislation before agreeing to pass the FAA bill more quickly. Deadline is May 10. Still needs to pass the House as well.