A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.
What Climate Change Looks Like
While scientists well understand the physics of climate change, they don’t completely understand the effects it will have on a wide range of geophysical systems and processes, meaning we are embarking on a planet-size laboratory experiment in which we and every other living thing are the guinea pigs.
Take, for example, what is happening in New Orleans. Drought in the Midwest is contributing to record low river levels on the Mississippi that allows saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico upriver as far as New Orleans, threatening the drinking water supply of hundreds of thousands of people. Salt water is not only not potable but it can wreak havoc on drinking water infrastructure.
Consider this remarkable mitigation strategy just casually dropped into news articles about the official response:
The Corps of Engineers is also getting barges to transport water that can be combined with water at the treatment facilities for safe drinking. Colonel Jones said about 15 million gallons will be delivered in the coming days, but the demand at treatment facilities could ultimately rise to at least 36 million gallons per day. Colonel Jones said that the Army Corps was working to get access to more barges but that he was confident that figure could be met.
The scale of that undertaking is remarkable. It’s not clear how sustainable it is, either as a one-time stopgap this year or as a recurring strategy for each future dry summer.
In the meantime, as a temporary measure, the Army Corps is adding 25 feet of height to the underwater sill it built across the river below New Orleans over the summer. Because salt water is denser than fresh water, it sinks to the river bottom. A sill – like a dam but not breaching the surface of the water – is intended to keep the salt water from creeping further upstream while allowing fresh water to continue to flow downstream.
Long-term forecasts suggest that rain levels in the Mississippi River drainage won’t be enough to raise river levels sufficiently to flush the salt water down stream for weeks or months.
Menendez Hangs On For Dear Life
Facing calls to resign after his Golden-Duke-worthy indictment for bribery and extortion, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is scheduled to hold what is expected to be a defiant news conference Monday morning.
Veteran War Crimes Prosecutor Joins Jack Smith’s Team
Alex Whiting, who served as a deputy to Special Counsel Jack Smith when he was at The Hague prosecuting war crimes in Kosovo, has joined Smith’s team.
The History Of ‘Stop The Steal’
WSJ: For Donald Trump, ‘Stop the Steal’ Never Gets Old
She Knows Trump’s M.O.
Colorado state judge issues protective order in Disqualification Clause case against Donald Trump prohibiting the parties in the case from making threatening or intimidating statements.
Meanwhile, TPM’s Josh Kovensky catches us up on the parallel Minnesota case.
Passantino Sues Weissmann
Former Cassidy Hutchinson lawyer Stefan Passantino has sued former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann for defamation, alleging that a Weissmann tweet falsely accused Passantino of coaching Hutchinson to lie to the Jan. 6 committee.
Shutdown Watch
Politico: McCarthy reverses on Ukraine aid as GOP scrambles on funding bills
McGonigal Pleads Guilty In Second Criminal Case
Former senior FBI official Charles McGonigal pleaded guilty in federal court in DC as part of a plea deal to hiding cash payments he was receiving from a man who used to work for Albanian intelligence. McGonigal previously pleaded guilty in federal court in New York to a conspiracy arising from his work to get Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska removed from the U.S. sanctions list.
Writers Unions Reaches Tentative Deal
An apparent breakthrough after five straights days of negotiations could bring an end to the five-month-old writers strike.
Biden To Join UAW Picket Line
As the UAW expands its strike against automakers, President Biden is planning to take the extraordinary step of joining the picket line Tuesday.
2024 Ephemera
- In a remarkable bit of self-awareness, the WaPo is calling its new poll with ABC News showing a 10-percentage-point Trump lead over Biden an “outlier.”
- GOP donors are giving up on Trump alternatives
- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) pitches donors on a “path to victory” in Arizona by courting Republicans.
- Once again, Biden trolls Republicans with a video of what they intend as criticisms but which he’s happy to be accused of:
Jimmy Carter Defies All Expectations
On the verge of his 99th birthday, and seven months after entering hospice care, former President Jimmy Carter participated in the Plains Peanut Festival over the weekend:
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I have to travel abroad to find myself in first, but good morning to you all from Bray, UK.
They DOn’t havE caTs in the UK?
Saida and puppy!
Unveiling the Hidden Conspiracy: The Terrifying Uncharted Realms of Climate Change
DEEP INSIDE: Bob Menendez … Jack Smith … Donald Trump
By GOET
September 25, 2023 9:09 a.m.
What Climate Change Conceals While scientists possess a comprehensive understanding of the physics behind climate change, a more sinister truth lurks beneath the surface. Sinister forces, harnessing weather control technology reverse-engineered from extraterrestrial sources, are using our world as a colossal laboratory experiment. In this chilling scenario, every living thing becomes unwitting guinea pigs in their malevolent game.
Consider the unfolding crisis in New Orleans. Drought conditions in the Midwest, seemingly natural but potentially manipulated by the shadowy Deep State, are causing record-low river levels along the Mississippi. This sinister manipulation allows saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico to creep upstream as far as New Orleans. The result? A looming threat to the drinking water supply of hundreds of thousands. Saltwater, an undrinkable menace, not only poses a direct health hazard but can also wreak havoc on critical drinking water infrastructure.
In a shocking revelation, as a temporary solution, the Deep State has undertaken a sinister project. They are elevating an underwater sill constructed covertly beneath the river near New Orleans. This unassuming sill, akin to a submerged dam, aims to halt the progress of saltwater further upstream while permitting the flow of freshwater downstream. However, it also provides an opportunity for another layer of their sinister agenda - the intrusion of genetically engineered super piranhas, lurking in the depths, waiting to unleash havoc.
Menendez Clings to the Shadows Amid mounting calls for his resignation following a damning indictment for bribery and extortion, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is defiantly clinging to his position. Questions arise: who manipulated the evidence in this nefarious plot? Could our shape-shifting lizard overlords be pulling the strings from the shadows, orchestrating this political theater?
Veteran War Crimes Prosecutor Aligns with Jack Smith’s Dark Aspirations The corrupt and compromised Alex Whiting, a former deputy to Special Counsel Jack Smith during his tenure prosecuting war crimes in Kosovo, has resurfaced to join Smith’s team. But what is the true purpose behind this alliance? Speculation points to a sinister motive: an attempt to subvert democracy. A shadowy plot unfolds with each passing day.
The History Of ‘Stop The Steal’ Conceals Dark Truths A Wall Street Journal report delves into the persistent slogan of ‘Stop the Steal’ in Donald Trump’s rhetoric. Beneath its surface lies an unsettling reality - could it be that Trump continues to use this phrase because it holds a kernel of truth that challenges the mainstream narrative?
Assault on Free Speech Concealed A Colorado state judge has issued a protective order in a case related to the Disqualification Clause against Donald Trump. Under the guise of safeguarding democracy, this order silences Trump, prohibiting him from speaking truth to power. A chilling harbinger of things to come in a world where free speech is under siege.
Passantino’s Defamation Lawsuit Exposes Deep State Tactics Former Cassidy Hutchinson lawyer Stefan Passantino has launched a defamation lawsuit against former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann. This legal battle unveils a web of deception, with allegations that Weissmann’s actions falsely accused Passantino of coaching Hutchinson to lie before the Jan. 6 committee. The Deep State’s nefarious influence lurks behind the scenes, manipulating the narrative.
Writers Union Deal Conceals Sinister Agenda After five grueling days of negotiations, a tentative deal appears to have been reached to end a five-month-old writers’ strike. But lurking beneath this apparent resolution is a more sinister truth - liberal elites can now resume their insidious agenda of pushing pedo-grooming-themed television programming onto unsuspecting audiences.
Biden’s Picket Line Agenda As the UAW expands its strike against automakers, President Biden makes a startling move - planning to join the picket line. Could this be a part of a broader agenda to foment Marxism, with shadowy denizens of the hollow earth pulling the strings behind the scenes?
Jimmy Carter’s Mystifying Survival Former President Jimmy Carter defies all expectations, hanging on to life on the brink of his 99th birthday. His improbable survival has raised questions, with whispers suggesting an unnerving source of his vitality - adrenochrome harvested from children at Hillary Clinton’s enigmatic Adrenochrome farm, located not on Earth but on the distant and sinister realm of Mars. The truth remains veiled in darkness.
In lieu of a cat photo, I received this message from my neighbor as I was traveling here:
“Good morning Kim . Last night about 10:30 we saw a huge mountain lion cross the street and climb the cliff to your house . Just FYI !”
Discovery should be a hoot. I bet Ms. Hutchinson kept receipts. Does Passantino really want to go there? I’m betting he’s hoping to scare her into a settlement. He might be wrong.
“10-percentage-point Trump lead over Biden an ‘outlier.’”
These polls still need to be properly explained.