TPM Reader NL chimes in from Virginia …
JoinI just called the DC offices of my Senators — Warner and Kaine. I asked the staffers whether the Senators supported suspending the filibuster to codify abortion rights.
Warner’s office said that the Senator supports legislation to codify abortion rights but that he does not have a position on the suspending the filibuster for it. Kaine’s office was similar, except that Kaine’s position is that he supports a rule change to reinstate the talking filibuster.
A new episode of The Josh Marshall Podcast is live! This week, Josh and Kate discuss the latest Jan. 6 committee hearing and the Supreme Court’s decision ending the constitutional right to an abortion.
You can listen to the new episode of The Josh Marshall Podcast here.
In case you missed it, John Light and Kate Riga did a quick debrief on Twitter Spaces about the Supreme Court’s latest big decision. Take a listen through the link below and follow us @TPM to join the next one.
From TPM Reader JR …
JoinHi, Illinois reader here.
I just called the DC offices of Senators Durbin and Duckworth. Both liberal stalwarts, obviously, but neither staffer showed particular awareness of the question of whether the filibuster will need to be suspended to enact abortion protections.
Neither seemed clear on any kind of promise that the Senate would do something concrete if people vote in the Fall.
Over the last couple weeks I’d shared reports from TPM Readers struggling to get a response from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire on whether she supports making Roe law and changing the filibuster rules to allow that bill to get a straight up or down vote. This morning I chatted with Shaheen’s Communications Director Sarah Weinstein who confirmed to me that Shaheen not only supports making Roe federal law (which she and 48 other Democrats attempted to do a few weeks ago) but also “supports amending the filibuster rules so a bill to codify Roe could pass by simple majority.”
JoinThe term ends.
Stephen Breyer retires.
Ketanji Brown Jackson to be sworn in as his replacement.
But before all that, the last big case TPM cares about will be issued shortly after 10 a.m. ET.
Background on the EPA case here.
Kate’s story on the oral arguments in the EPA case here.
More a little later.
Planning ahead for the eventual demise of Roe, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) filed a lawsuit earlier this year against 13 county prosecutors in her state to preemptively challenge the 1930s-era abortion ban on the books in Michigan. Her logic was simple — once Roe was ultimately overturned the century-old law would immediately go into effect, giving those 13 county prosecutors — who oversee the 13 counties in the state that house abortion clinics — the authority to charge people who violate the old-school ban.
Read MoreWe talk a lot about potential Democratic Senate pick ups. But Democrats also need to hold on to endangered seats in Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. I was frankly stunned to see this new Quinnipiac poll showing Warnock opening up a 10 point lead over Herschel Walker, 54%-44%. The results seem mostly driven by Georgians thinking Warnock is a good guy who cares about ordinary people and many fewer thinking the same about Walker.
Earlier this month, Ginni Thomas, wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, made a big show of her willingness and desire to march right up to Capitol Hill and clear her good name before the Jan. 6th investigation committee. Yesterday, her lawyer said the committee just turns out to be too biased. So she won’t be testifying after all.
Two White House security officials who allegedly scuffled with the President in the presidential limousine are now denying through intermediaries what Cassidy Hutchinson said under oath in yesterday’s hearing. But Ginni Thomas’s switcheroo is a good reminder that talk — or rather claims through intermediaries — is cheap. People who claim they are just champing at the bit to testify usually end up refusing to testify.
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