I went in with low expectations reading this article in The New Republic about whether criminal justice reform can survive the COVID-triggered rise in violent crime. I say low expectations because I’m accustomed to reformers being in denial about the role of violent crime in triggering support for punitive law enforcement regimes. Equally I find they are often in denial about the relevance of arguing – even convincingly – that rising crimes rates are not driven by lack law enforcement. But the article was quite good. It made the case, fairly persuasively, that the 2020-2021 crime surge isn’t tied to reformist criminal justice policies. It also explained why this likely won’t matter, or at least that public fear tends to drive more punitive and authoritarian law enforcement regimes whether or not those policies are rooted in clear evidence of efficacy.
On Voting Rights Republicans Have Told Us Who They Are. We Should Believe Them
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis.
America’s democracy is imperiled, and as we approach a coming crucible with a vote on the For the People Act in the Senate, we would all do well to remember: when someone tells you who they are, believe them.
Continue reading “On Voting Rights Republicans Have Told Us Who They Are. We Should Believe Them”
Where Things Stand: Trump Will Endorse Literally Anyone Who Challenges GOPer Who Co-Wrote Jan 6 Commission Bill
The former president has vowed to make reelection a living hell for any Republican who voted to impeach him.
But his recent handwritten note to a local county conservative group promising to do just that to take down Rep. John Katko (R-NY) was the encapsulation of Trumpism — just the right blend of outsized ego and transparent desperation.
Sinema Bearhugs Filibuster As GOPers Prepare To Use It To Kill Sweeping Voting Rights Bill
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) having a good day today.
Georgia Elections Officials Recover Legal Fees In Trump Suit Over 2020 Results
Elections officials in two Georgia counties sued by former President Donald Trump after the 2020 election have recovered legal fees, which they say came from the plaintiffs in the case: Trump, his campaign and Georgia’s Republican Party chair.
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In Bitter Final Days Of NYC Mayoral Race, Ranked Choice Campaigning Came Under Attack
The New York mayoral Democratic primary quickly turned acrimonious with a bruising few last days before polls opened on Tuesday.
Let the Playacting Begin!
Today is the day for voting rights legislation, or H1/S1. But we remain in a kind of play-acting drama. Kirsten Sinema remains steadfast in her opposition to ending the filibuster, a position she reaffirmed last night. But she’s a preening clown. More interesting, befuddling, bizarre is the stance of Joe Manchin.
As you’ll remember, a couple weeks ago, Manchin announced he was opposed to the For the People Act (H1/S1). This didn’t turn the tables too dramatically since that really only meant that the bill went from being ten votes short of 60 to eleven votes short of 60. But then a few days ago Manchin came forward with a revised version of the bill which he said he did support.
Morning Memo: Voting Rights Finally Gets Its Day In The Senate
A lot of things happened. Here are some of them.
Voting Rights On The Line
The long-awaited moment is here: The Senate will vote on whether to proceed with Democrats’ sweeping voting rights bill, the For The People Act/S. 1, this evening. While Republicans have vowed to block it, and they will, today’s vote will test whether all 50 Senate Democrats are unified in taking this preliminary step. Without 50 Democrats now, there’s no chance of blowing up the filibuster later.
- Music to McConnell’s ears: In case you still had any doubts, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), who co-sponsored S.1, very much stands by her refusal to blow up the filibuster. She made exactly that point in a new Washington Post op-ed last night.
Trump’s Legal Woes Are Piling Up
Another top executive at the Trump Organization has gotten roped into Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.’s criminal investigation, according to the Wall Street Journal.
- Who’s entangled in this mess now? Matthew Calamari (yes that’s really his name), who serves as the company’s chief operating officer. Prosecutors are reportedly examining whether Calamari received untaxed fringe benefits.
- That’s the same thing they’re reportedly looking into with Allen Weisselberg.
- But if it makes Trump feel any better, it doesn’t seem like the prosecutors have found much success in trying to get Weisselberg to flip. The CFO still shows up for work at Trump Tower as normal, according to WaPo.
Judge Tosses Key Claims In A Lafayette Square Lawsuit
A federal judge threw out most of the claims in the ACLU, Black Lives Matters, and other activist groups’ lawsuit against the federal government and some Trump administration officials for brutally clearing peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square in D.C. last summer.
- The judge, a Trump appointee, let stand some of the lesser claims in the lawsuit.
In Case You Missed It
The FBI acknowledged in a court filing last week that there was chatter online pre-Capitol insurrection in which people made plans to start a “revolution” on Jan. 6.
New York, New York
Today is the NYC mayoral election (well technically a Democratic primary, but the city’s heavily blue makeup effectively guarantees that whoever wins the primary is headed to City Hall)!
- Here’s a particularly weird thing that Eric Adams, one of the frontrunners of the race, had to say in a Vanity Fair profile that came out yesterday:
Oh look, here’s a highly normal response from Eric Adams https://t.co/hmiOXAKEr7 pic.twitter.com/sKFj4T1uvf
— mattie kahn (@mattiekahn) June 21, 2021
- Andrew Yang, one of the other frontrunners, stands by his comment about people with mental illnesses, by the way. “We all know that public safety is top of mind for New Yorkers,” he said at a campaign event last night. “There will not be an economic recovery until people feel safe walking our streets and walking our subways.”
There’s another crucial primary today that’s somehow flown under the radar: The Democratic primary race for Manhattan district attorney, aka the top prosecutor who’ll potentially take over outgoing Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance’s investigation into the Trump Organization.
- There are eight Democratic primary candidates jockeying for the title, and similar the mayoral race, whoever wins this primary is effectively ensured to win the general election in November.
Analysis: “When It Comes to Big City Elections, Republicans Are in the Wilderness” – The New York Times
Not One But Two Major Milestones During Pride Month
Yesterday was a big day for LGBTQ+ representation in sports.
- Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out on Instagram, making him the first ever openly gay NFL player.
- An openly trans athlete was chosen to compete in the Olympics for the first time. New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a trans woman, will be competing in the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
A Lot Going On
You never know who will run into you in DC. @YVindman was promoted to Colonel today and all the Vindmans are incredibly proud ?????? It was an honor to meet @DouglasEmhoff who was out for a jog and @timkaine who administered the oath @AVindman @CindySueSci pic.twitter.com/A090g3QQKP
— Rachel Vindman (@natsechobbyist) June 21, 2021
What did you think of Morning Memo? Let us know.
Schumer Hammers That Republicans Are Gearing Up To Block All Debate On Major Voting Bill
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is preparing to bring the For the People Act to the floor Tuesday, the first push of the legislation that will almost certainly run straight into the filibuster buzzsaw.
So, How Did ItalyGate Get Into The White House?
Within weeks of ItalyGate’s birth as a conspiracy theory, it had made it into the highest levels of government.
The speed with which the theory went from creation into an email from former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to senior DOJ officials raises the question: how did the bonkers idea that Italy changed the results of the 2020 election via military satellites make the leap from right-wing fever swamps into the White House?
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