Manchin Shoots Down Filibuster Carveout For Voting Rights After Meeting With Texas Dems

Posted on by Cristina Cabrera

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

Digging His Heels In

Coming out of a meeting with the Texas Democrats who fled their state to block the passage of Texas Republicans’ voter suppression bill, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) remained unswayed by their appeals to allow an exemption to the filibuster for the For The People Act.

  • “Forget the filibuster,” the West Virginia Democrat told reporters after the meeting.
  • But the Texas Democrats aren’t giving up hope, with state Sen. Nathan Johnson (D) telling reporters that “[t]hings have to happen at the pace they happen.”
  • They also noted that congressional Democrats have a lot on their plate with infrastructure right now. State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D) said that she and her colleagues “recognize” that infrastructure is a priority, “but we also recognize that we are under the gun in our state, and we are bringing this to their attention.”

Good Trouble

Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) was arrested along with eight activists by the U.S. Capitol Police during a voting rights protest inside the Hart Senate Office Building:

Another Milley Reveal

General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reportedly worked to prevent Trump from ordering a post-election strike on Iran as another Hitler-esque means to cling on to power by starting a crisis after the then-president lost the 2020 election.

A Personal Plea

While imploring Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy revealed during a White House press briefing that 10 of his family members died from the virus.

  • “It’s painful for me to know that nearly every death we are seeing now from COVID-19 could have been prevented,” the official said. “I say that as someone who has lost 10 family members to COVID-19, and who wishes each and every day that they had the opportunity to get vaccinated.”

Welcome To Hell

Full-time minimum wage workers can’t afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the U.S.

Devastation In Europe

At least 1,300 people are missing and scores left dead after massive floods caused by extreme storms swept through Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

GaetzGate

The embattled ​​Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who is currently under investigation for alleged child sex trafficking, paid $25,000 for “legal consulting” services from a criminal defense lawyer last month who represented accused child sex trafficker and deceased billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.

Cuomo Troubles

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is scheduled to sit down for an interview this weekend with lawyers who are working in the New York state attorney general’s probe into the sexual misconduct allegations against him.

A Truly Wild Ride

“Porsches, Gucci rings and billions of robocalls: Inside the PAC operation that raised millions by impersonating Donald Trump” – CNN

Congratulations, You Played Yourself

A judge has ordered pro-Trump lawyer and Krakenista Lin Wood to explain by July 22 why he shouldn’t be held in criminal contempt for posting a clip of his sanctions hearing on Telegram in violation of the judge’s ban on recording or reproducing the hearing.

Sounds Legit, Laura

Fox News host Laura Ingraham argued that universal preschool is bad because teachers would be “brainwashing toddlers” with critical race theory.

Are there things that are happening that you want to see in tomorrow’s Morning Memo? Send us the things.

Bonhomie Reigns Among Democrats On Infrastructure, But Big Questions Remain On Climate

Posted on by Kate Riga

Days after the big unveiling of the $3.5 trillion infrastructure budget resolution, Senate Democrats are elated.

Continue reading “Bonhomie Reigns Among Democrats On Infrastructure, But Big Questions Remain On Climate” →

‘Sharpiegate’ Redux: Arizona Auditors Preview Red Meat In Another Bizarre Hearing

Posted on by Matt Shuham

First and foremost, the people running the shambolic “audit” of Maricopa County, Arizona’s 2020 election results want you to know, they’re doing a great job. 

Continue reading “‘Sharpiegate’ Redux: Arizona Auditors Preview Red Meat In Another Bizarre Hearing” →

Gun-Toting GOP Rep Threatens Spoof Website With Laughable Attempt At Legal Action

Posted on by Summer Concepcion

The press secretary for Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) on Wednesday sent an unreal “cease and desist” order to the creator of a parody website poking fun at the gun-toting, QAnon-sympathizing congresswoman, threatening further legal action if it isn’t taken down. Continue reading “Gun-Toting GOP Rep Threatens Spoof Website With Laughable Attempt At Legal Action” →

‘These Kids Will Die’: Health Experts Sound Alarm Over TN Shutting Down Vaccine Outreach To Minors

Posted on by Cristina Cabrera

Amidst right-wing fury over a state official’s memo about vaccinating children, Tennessee public health officials have been ordered to cease all communications with young people about vaccines — a move that experts told TPM will exacerbate the impact of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases.

Continue reading “‘These Kids Will Die’: Health Experts Sound Alarm Over TN Shutting Down Vaccine Outreach To Minors” →

Dems Sound Off On What Should Be In Budget Reconciliation Plan

On the heels of announcing Tuesday night that Democratic senators have landed on a topline figure of $3.5 trillion in crafting their major budget reconciliation bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) laid out the broad framework for policy proposals that target issues involving infrastructure, but also labor, climate change, immigration and more.

Now, further details about the specifics of what’s in the plan — and who supports which parts — are trickling out. Democratic senators, like the perpetually closely watched Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), have begun going on record about what they think should be included in the reconciliation bill and their concerns about various components of it (yesterday, for example, he expressed hesitancy about any language in a bill that might indicate the U.S. was moving away from fossil fuels).

Follow along with the TPM staff below as we track where various Dems stand on certain components of the bill:

Ashli Babbitt And Trump’s Stab In The Back Myth

Posted on by Josh Marshall

If you haven’t read I hope you will read Josh Kovensky’s excellent write up of the racist storyline behind Trumpite efforts to create a martyrdom narrative around the death of Ashli Babbitt, the woman shot to death as she tried to storm the Speaker’s Lobby during the January 6th insurrection. In the context of U.S. political culture this is a story about anti-Black racism and cultural revanche. But many have also recognized the broader context, which is that this is part of an evolving Big Lie “stab in the back” narrative which has been percolating on the right since soon after Trump’s defeat and took on a more certain shape after the January 6th insurrection.

Most of us know generally what “stab in the back” mythology refers to but it is worth understanding in the particulars where the idea comes from and how it relates to today.

With your indulgence, a quick history.

Continue reading “Ashli Babbitt And Trump’s Stab In The Back Myth” →

Where Things Stand: Pence Knew He’d Be Whisked Away On Jan 6

Posted on by Nicole LaFond

Then-Vice President Mike Pence refused to get in a car to leave the Capitol building after being evacuated from his ceremonial office on Jan. 6, primarily because he knew it would prevent him from doing his job — certifying President Biden’s electoral college victory.

Continue reading “Where Things Stand: Pence Knew He’d Be Whisked Away On Jan 6” →

Justice Breyer Gives First Comments On Retirement Decision Since End Of SCOTUS Term

Posted on by Matt Shuham

The senior-most liberal on the Supreme Court is enjoying that distinction and doesn’t want to talk about his retirement plans.

Continue reading “Justice Breyer Gives First Comments On Retirement Decision Since End Of SCOTUS Term” →

The President as Coup Plotter

Posted on by Josh Marshall

We’re seeing a raft of stories yesterday and today about a new book from two Washington Post reporters which among other things provides Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley’s account of the aftermath of the 2020 election. In short, he says he and his colleagues were seriously concerned that the defeated President was plotting a coup to remain in office and did everything he could to stand against it.

Milley is a critical and fascinating player in this whole drama. You’ll remember that he accompanied the President on his Lafayette Square photo op debacle and then felt compelled – rightly – to apologize for having done so. But long before that the word was that Milley had gotten the top job in significant part because he had leaned more forward in ingratiating himself with the President than the other top contender for the job. More recently he’s been having a bit of a moment with Democrats. There was that exchange he had in his Capitol Hill testimony pushing back against anti-Critical Race Theory hysteria. And there have been a series of reports over recent weeks which hint at these new revelations.

Continue reading “The President as Coup Plotter” →