A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Time To See If It Goes Both Ways
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill modeled after Texas’ anti-abortion law which allows private citizens to sue as a means to enforce a ban–except California’s new law is about assault weapons.
- Under California’s law, private citizens can sue for a minimum of $10,000 per weapon against:
- Anyone who manufactures, transports or distributes assault weapons
- Licensed dealers who sell firearms to buyers under 21
- The text of the California bill as written in February was tied directly to Texas’ abortion ban. The gun law would become “inoperative” if the Texas abortion law got struck down by the Supreme Court, according to the text.
Kansas To Vote On First State Constitutional Amendment On Abortion
On Aug. 2, Kansas voters will decide whether their state’s constitution enshrines the right to an abortion.
- If the proposed amendment on the ballot passes, the GOP supermajority in the Kansas state legislature could pass an abortion ban akin to fellow red states.
- Right now, abortion in Kansas is legal for pregnancies of up to 22 weeks (though patients are required to go through a 24-hour waiting period), making it a crucial state for people in surrounding anti-abortion states to get the procedure.
Biden’s COVID Symptoms Greatly Improving, WH Doc Says
Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, reported in a letter to the White House on Sunday that the President had completed his third full day of Paxlovid treatment, his COVID-19 symptoms “continue to improve significantly” and that his “predominant” symptom is now sore throat (which is a sign his body is clearing the virus, according to O’Connor).
Jan. 6 Panel Members Press DOJ On Trump Criminal Probe
Several members of the House Jan. 6 Committee, including committee vice chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) on Sunday urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to finally open a criminal investigation into Trump given how much evidence against the ex-president has emerged–especially in the committee’s own investigation.
Ginni Thomas Potentially Faces Subpoena
Jan. 6 panel vice chair Cheney told CNN on Sunday that the committee is “fully prepared to contemplate a subpoena” if Big Lie extraordinaire Ginni Thomas, the ultra-conservative wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, doesn’t speak to it voluntarily.
- The committee has been in contact with Thomas’ counsel, according to Cheney.
- Thomas’ lawyer told the Jan. 6 panel last month that it needed a “better justification” for an interview with his client, even though Thomas had previously told the Daily Caller that she “looks forward” to speaking to the committee amid revelations of her close ties to Trumpland’s election steal crusade.
Run, Hawley, Run!
The Kansas City Star’s editorial board put out an absolutely scathing editorial on Saturday ripping into Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), whom the board declared to be a “laughingstock” after the House Jan. 6 Committee presented amazing surveillance cam footage showing the fist-pumpin’ GOP senator scampering away from the insurrectionists.
“Surely the Yale and Stanford grad isn’t gullible enough to believe the craven lies about tampering with voting machines and dead people casting ballots that ooze through social media. And that’s the reason watching Hawley racing away from the Capitol invaders struck so many people as blackly hilarious. Saluting the Trump posse was politically expeditious for him before the siege began. Yet once he realized his own safety was in real danger from the angry revolutionists swarming the building, he hotfooted it away from ‘his’ people to the protection of the security forces charged with protecting him. Where’s that fist in the air now?”
Key Analysis
“Josh Hawley ran 7.2 in the 40 at the January 6 combine” – SB Nation
WHO Declares Monkeypox Global Health Emergency
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization director general, announced that the monkeypox outbreak was a “public health emergency of international concern” on Saturday.
- Only two other diseases are currently designated by WHO as global health emergencies: COVID-19 and polio.
- Tens of thousands of people have been infected over just several weeks.
- Almost all monkeypox infections outside of Africa are concentrated among men who have sex with men.
- Essential explainer: “Monkeypox is the latest global health emergency. Here’s what to know.” – The Washington Post
Must Read
“The Enigma of Peter Thiel: There Is No Enigma — He’s a Fascist” – Unpopular Front
Trump Gets Booed At Arizona Rally
Trump’s endorsement of Eli Crane, a GOP hopeful for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, during his MAGA rally on Friday was met with boos from the crowd, leading Trump to ask (almost pleadingly) “But you like me, right?”
(For context, the Independent reports that Crane has been criticized for running in a district he doesn’t have ties to a la New Jerseyan Pennsylvania GOP nominee Mehmet Oz)
Oh, and then there’s this:
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