We’ve been unpeeling the many layers of mendacity involved with Mitch McConnell trying to say that Kentucky could keep its exchange even if he succeeds in his ultimate goal of repealing Obamacare. The dance he’s doing is obviously a nod toward the success of the state’s own exchange, a success McConnell can’t completely ignore for political reasons. And a success he doesn’t want to stand accused of proposing to eliminate, even though that’s exactly what repeal would do.
But on practical level it’s worth noting, as Dylan Scott does in this report today, that McConnell and his staff have ignored the Kentucky exchange up until now. A top state official tell us there’s been “radio silence” from McConnell throughout the creation and implementation of his state’s exchange.
As some of you know, I was trained as an historian. I have a PhD in American history from Brown where I studied Early American History under Gordon Wood. My subject focus was 17th century New England. I decided, as you can see, not to become an academic – something I discussed here. But I never lost the simple curiosity and hunger to know about the past. All I ever read on my own time is history. I don’t read novels or books about politics or about almost anything else that has to do with day job or anything else but history or biography to the extent it is a literary annex of history. And that’s made me for some time want to set up a history blog here at TPM.
More reporting out of that police ambush today in Las Vegas that left two officers and one civilian dead – in addition to the two suspected assailants. From the Las Vegas Review Journal …
Details are sketchy but Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department sources close to the investigation say the shooters shouted that “this is the start of a revolution” before opening fire on the officers, and draped their bodies with cloth showing a Revolutionary War-era flag. Investigators have also found paraphernalia associated with white supremacists.
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From Rand Paul …
“Mr. President, let’s set up a new trade. Instead of 5 Taliban, let’s trade 5 Democrats!” #RPTCon14
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) June 6, 2014
Video after the jump …
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The Brooklyn DA apparently didn’t know that you’re not allowed to take the money you confiscate from convicted drug dealers and use it for your political consultants. But really, you’re not allowed to do that.
Foxer Kimberly Guilfoyle says Bowe Bergdahl is lucky Obama did a prisoner swap. “He’s pretty lucky that he was brought home the way he was because if those special forces had found him and encountered him and they were looking for him, he would have come home either in a body bag or come home and gone straight to jail.” Watch.
We’re out more about that man who tried to storm a courthouse in Cummings, Georgia, armed to the teeth and carrying explosives. His name was Dennis Marx, a gun trader, already due in court on Friday on weapons and drug charges. Marx had various gear on his person which suggested he planned to take hostages. He was also a self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen.”
TPM Reader RJ sends us more details from the neighborhood …
So Scott Brown got $1.3 million for signing on as an “advisor” for this company …
GDSI is a unusual outfit. As reported by the Globe, it was originally formed as a beauty supply company in New Jersey, then became a wireless data firm in California, before evolving into a firearms and gun technology company in south Florida last year.
The company says it is positioning itself as (deep breath) “a leader in providing small arms manufacturing, complementary security and technology solutions and knowledge-based, cyber-related, culturally attuned social consulting in unsettled areas.” But GDSI has no revenue, no patents, and no manufacturing facilities. It has issued millions of shares of stock, which trade for well under a dollar a share. (The stock’s value has fallen by half since Brown got his stash.)
More here.