A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things.
His Lawyer Thanks Him
The right-wing conspiracy-theorizing broadcaster told his audience on Tuesday that his attorney told him to invoke the Fifth Amendment that many times during his interview with the House Jan. 6 Committee, which took place on Monday.
- Jones said it was a good thing he didn’t answer all of the committee’s questions because he’s “the type that tries to answer things correctly, even if he doesn’t “know all the answers.”
- But Jones apparently didn’t out-5A former Trump legal adviser John Eastman, who pleaded the Fifth 146 times during his interview with the panel, an attorney working for the committee revealed on Monday.
Missouri School Board Bans Toni Morrison Novel
The Wentzville School Board in Missouri yanked “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison from high school libraries in the district last week in another victory for conservatives’ crusade to censor schools from discussing racism and other “divisive” topics.
Oath Keepers Founder Pleads Not Guilty To Sedition Charge
Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right militia group, and nine of the other alleged co-conspirators who were charged with seditious conspiracy against the U.S. in the same indictment pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. The 11th defendant in the criminal case wasn’t at the hearing and hasn’t formally entered a plea yet.
- The defendants will go to trial in July, tentatively.
- There are “ongoing discussions” with their defense attorneys about potential plea deals, the prosecutors stated during the hearing.
Pelosi Doesn’t Mention Bid For Speaker In Reelection Announcement
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced on Tuesday that she would be running for reelection, but she notably didn’t say anything about running for speaker again (Pelosi indicated in 2018 that she would be done with the role after that term).
Biden Admin Scraps Vaccine Mandate
The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is withdrawing its requirement that workers at large businesses either get the COVID-19 vaccine or get tested weekly after the Supreme Court’s 6-3 majority struck down the mandate.
Gingrich’s Ex-Aide Subpoenaed By Jan. 6 Panel
Insider points out that Newt Gingrich’s unhinged threat that the members of the House Jan. 6 Committee would be facing jail — jail! — if the GOP takes back the House should be seen alongside the fact that one of the ex-Republican leader’s longtime aides was among those subpoenaed earlier this month.
- The aide, Ross Worthington, was also a Trump adviser and, according to the committee, helped draft Trump’s speech that day, which was delivered immediately before the insurrection.
- He had been subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 panel to talk about the drafting of that speech.
- Gingrich’s rant on Sunday, Insider notes, came the day before the ex-aide’s deadline to comply with the subpoena.
Texas Dem Seeking Reelection Despite FBI Probe
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), whose home and campaign office was raided by the FBI last week as part of a federal investigation, declared on Tuesday that he was still going to try to keep his seat anyway. Not much is known about the investigation so far, only that it’s focused on Azerbaijan and several U.S. businessmen with ties to the country, according to ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News.
Cuellar insisted in his announcement yesterday that the probe would show there was “no wrongdoing” on his part.
13 Percent Of Hill Staffers Don’t Make Living Wage
About 1 in 8 staffers, particularly staff assistants, on Capitol Hill make less than a living wage, according to payroll data analysis by Issue One, a government transparency group, reported by Roll Call.
Puerto Rico Conquistador Statue Toppled Ahead Of Spanish King’s Visit
Spain’s King Felipe VI was greeted with a toppled statue of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León when he traveled to San Juan on Monday.
Game Of Thrones Explainer Makes It Into DOJ Jan. 6 Case Doc
This Justice Department sentencing memo for an alleged Jan. 6 insurrectionist cites the defendant allegedly posting a quote by Cersei Lannister from “Game of Thrones.” Those of you who don’t watch the show might not know who she is or why a quote from a fantasy TV show is relevant, so the feds are happy to tell you in full detail:
The filing also helpfully defines “lmfao”:
Don Jr. Owns Women With Dyed Hair Le Epic Style
The ex-president’s eldest son posted this devastating burn about, uh, women who like to put colors in their hair:
Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know!
Isn’t pleading the 5th for the mob?
I love the smell of flop sweat in the morning, it reminds me of victory!
You beat me to it!
When I was young, pleading the 5th is what mob related characters in TV shows and movies did. 2 things are apparent: 1. key Trump supporters have no shame; 2. They are all just trying to run out the clock.
Full story:
Melania Trump is set to lose out on tens of thousands of dollars after a crash in the cryptocurrency market unfortunately coincided with her attempting to auction off one of her stylish hats. The New York Times reports that the former first lady was trying to hawk a white hat she wore to greet French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House in 2018, alongside a watercolor of her wearing it and an NFT that shows an animated recreation of her sporting the lovely wide-brimmed hat. Bids were only accepted in a cryptocurrency called SOL, and Trump initially set the minimum bids at the equivalent of around $250,000, but SOL has seen its trading price get slashed since the auction was created. The Times reports that only five bids had been made as of Tuesday evening, with the top offers standing at a cash equivalent of $170,000
OT. Financial analysts attempting to determine why crypto currencies are dropping even though @dont didn’t buy in at peak, or ever.