Goodbye, Two-Track Infrastructure Plan?

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things.

An Abrupt Shift

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told her caucus Monday night that the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill wouldn’t be ready for a vote this week as she had planned, but she would push on ahead with a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill on Thursday anyway.

• The decision to basically decouple the bills came after Democratic leadership realized they’d have to pare down the $3.5 trillion price tag for moderate Democrats who threw the two-track plan into jeopardy, according to multiple reports on the meeting.
  • “It all changed, so our approach had to change,” Pelosi said during the meeting, per Politico. “We had to accommodate the changes that were being necessitated.”
• Pelosi also said the bipartisan legislation has to pass before key transportation funding expires on Thursday, according to Politico.
• But a deal’s a deal, and Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) made it clear after the meeting on Monday night that progressives were sticking to the original plan moderates had initially agreed to: A majority of her caucus would vote against the bipartisan bill on Thursday if it comes without reconciliation.
  • “We are going to vote for both bills after the reconciliation bill is done,” she said.

Biz Lobbyists Who Sort Of Hate BBB Throw Sinema A Fundraiser

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), who is holding the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill hostage, is having an event today with five business lobbying groups, several of which are fighting pretty dang hard to make sure that bill doesn’t pass.

• The attendees will spend 45 minutes writing the senator checks for between $1,000 and $5,800 to her campaign.
• Sinema spokesperson John LaBombard insisted that the Democratic senator is “working directly, in good faith” with her fellow lawmakers and the White House on the reconciliation measure.

Abbott Blindsided By Trump’s Demand For A Fake Election Audit!

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) reportedly had to scramble to appease the ex-president after he sent a letter to the governor demanding an “Forensic Audit” of the Lone Star State’s election results, similar to the bogus “audit” commissioned by Arizona GOP senators (which, surprise surprise, didn’t find anything that would undo Biden’s victory).

• There was a “mad dash” in Abbott’s office to figure out whether Trump “was actually being serious” with his demand, an unnamed aide told Politico.

Gov’s Daughter Gets Certificate After Mom Speaks To The Manager

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) met with South Dakota Appraiser Certification Program director Sherry Bren, Bren’s boss plus state Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman, in July 2020 after Bren’s agency moved to deny Noem’s daughter’s application for a real estate appraiser certification.

• Noem’s daughter, Kassidy Peters, was at the meeting, according to the Associated Press.
• Lo and behold, Peters ended up getting her certification several months after the meeting.
• Hultman allegedly demanded that Bren retire right after Peters got certified, with the Labor secretary allegedly telling Bren that she had an “inability to change gears.”
• Noem’s spokesperson painted the governor’s helping hand as her cutting through “bureaucratic red tape to get in the way of South Dakota’s sustained economic growth” because “having more quality appraisers in the market will help keep our housing market moving and home prices down.”
• Noem is feeling Very Attacked Right Now after the Associated Press reported on this mess. “Listen I get it. I signed up for this job,” she tweeted. “But now the media is trying to destroy my children.”

In Case You Missed It

A stunning Yahoo News report revealed a CIA plot to kidnap Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and potentially assassinate him in 2017.

Must-Read

“Anita Hill Wants More Than an Apology” – New York Magazine

Trump Cartoonist Gets COVID And Won’t Go To The Hospital

Ben Garrison, a cartoonist who draws Trump like Thor, has been infected with COVID-19 after posting extremely on the nose comics about the evils of the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine mandates:

• As you could probably guess, Garrison said that he’s been taking Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic generally used for horses and cattle, as treatment for the virus.

• The cartoonist insisted to Gizmodo that he wouldn’t go to the hospital, citing a bizarre conspiracy theory that claims hospitals “get extra money” for COVID death reports.