Only One Kentucky GOPer Joins Biden On Tour Of Tornado Devastation

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

Trump’s Ever-Present Iron Grip

Even though Biden invited the entire Kentucky congressional caucus to join him on his visit to their state yesterday to survey the damage caused by the deadly tornadoes over the weekend, according to the White House, the only Republican who took him up on his invite was Rep. James Comer (R-KY).

• Comer’s district includes the areas where the tornadoes destroyed homes and businesses.
• The federal government will pay for 100 percent of the costs for emergency recovery in Kentucky for the first 30 days after the disaster, Biden announced during his trip.
• At least 71 people in Kentucky have been confirmed dead, according to a Kentucky Emergency Management spokesperson.

Sinema Sinks Hopes For Filibuster Change For Voting Rights

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) continues to bearhug the filibuster despite Democrats’ renewed efforts to reform the procedure to pass their crucial voting rights bill.

Pelosi Rejects Potential Ban On Lawmaker Stock Trading

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) threw cold water on the idea of prohibiting members of Congress and their spouses from trading stocks while in office yesterday because “we are a free-market economy,” therefore lawmakers “should be able to participate in that.”

Dem Dares Russian Politician To Kidnap Him

Duma member Aleksei Zhuravlyov, who also chairs Russia’s nationalist Rodina party, called for the kidnapping of Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) yesterday. Gallego had said “we have to kill some Russians” if Russia tries to take over Ukraine.

The Democrat’s response to the kidnapping threat: Bring it on.

Senate Passes $770 Billion Defense Bill

Amid hand-wringing over the costs of child tax credits and other social benefits, the Senate approved $770 billion for the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday by an overwhelming majority of 88 votes against 11. Who says bipartisanship is dead?

GOP Guv Candidate Uses Stock Footage Of Other Countries In Ad Celebrating His State

Scott Jensen, a Republican candidate for Minnesota governor, has a campaign ad that purports to highlight his state’s beauty and greatness–while using stock video footage from Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Thailand and the UK. The ad labels every scene with the name of a Minnesota city or park even though several of the images are from abroad.

Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty To Federal Civil Rights Charge In George Floyd’s Death

Ex-cop Derek Chauvin, who’s already been sentenced 22 1/2 years in prison on state charges for George Floyd’s death, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of willfully violating Floyd’s civil rights by kneeling on his neck.

• Chauvin also pleaded guilty to violating another person’s civil rights in a separate incident in 2017. In that case, Chauvin held a 14-year-old boy by the throat and pressed his knee on the teen’s neck even after he cuffed him.
• Under the plea deal, Chauvin faces 20 to 25 years in prison which he would serve in federal prison concurrently with the state sentence.

Abbott Frequently Spends 8 Hours Of His Day Fundraising

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) often takes eight hours out of his daily schedule for fundraising calls, according to the New York Times.

bell hooks Dies At 69

Acclaimed author and Black feminist bell hooks died from renal failure at her home in Berea, Kentucky yesterday. Give her obituary in the New York Times a read.

Must-Read

“Anguish and gratitude as tornado slashed through Amazon warehouse” – The Washington Post

“How the Mighty Culinary Union Survived the Apocalypse” – In These Times

Alaska Mayor Turned Off Fluoridation Of Water Supply

Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson shut down the fluoridation of the city’s water supply for five hours on Oct. 1

• Bronson admitted to doing so in a statement on Tuesday. He claimed he had heard reports of the fluoride in the water treatment centers had become dangerous, so he paused the fluoridation to “further investigate these concerns.”
• Bronson is an anti-vaxxer, by the way.

JFK Researchers Let Down By Newly Declassified Assassination Docs

The Biden administration released almost 1,500 formerly classified documents on President John F. Kennedy’s assassination yesterday, but investigators say the records seems to be only duplicates of previously released documents with little to no changes.

Twitter Reassures World Betty White Is Still Alive

Whenever 99-year-old actress and national treasure Betty White trends on Twitter, people often fear the worst. So when she began trending yesterday, Twitter made sure to include this description:

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