A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things.
Behold: Veep-Style Voter Suppression
The Texas Secretary of State’s office will be sending out fewer voter registration forms this year because of a “paper shortage” and “the cost constraints due to the price of paper and the supply of paper,” according to the office’s spokesperson.
- The spokesperson pointed to Texas’ new restrictive voting law as the reason why the office had to change its registration forms, which advocacy groups are now struggling to obtain.
- The president of the League of Women Voters of Texas, a voting rights group, says the Secretary of State’s office told her to look for donations instead of relying on the government for the forms, according to Austin’s NPR affiliate. Yes, really.
- Texas is one of the few states that still require voters to use paper forms to register. There’s no website for Texans to do the whole process online.
- Democrats’ sweeping voting rights legislation would require all states to offer online registration.
- We’re seeing other early signs of problems stemming from the law, too: Clerks sounded the alarm over the last few days about a massive spike in the rejection of absentee-ballot request forms, TPM’s Matt Shuham reports.
- “This is what voter suppression looks like,” Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said at a press conference.
Today’s Plan For Voting Rights
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to have the chamber vote to end the Republicans’ filibuster of the voting rights package at around 6:30 ET tonight. It’ll obviously fail, so the Democratic leader has a “talking filibuster” plan to change the filibuster rules — which’ll also fail unless Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) change their minds about keeping the filibuster as is.
New York AG Alleges Potential Fraud At Trump Organization
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil investigation has found that the ex-president’s company inflated the value of Trump’s property assets and engaged in “fraudulent or misleading” activity, James’ office alleged in court documents filed last night.
- There is “significant evidence” that the Trump Organization falsely valued its assets to lenders and the IRS “for economic benefit,” according to the attorney general.
- James also argued that Trump’s testimony is necessary to her investigation, along with that of his adult children, Donald Trump, Jr. and Ivanka Trump.
Government’s Site For Free COVID-19 Tests Now Up
The Biden administration’s launched a site where people can order free at-home COVID-19 tests (each household can order four tests), and not a moment too soon: Here’s what happened when a reporter tried to use Google to find tests, as Biden suggested earlier this month.
Crenshaw Loses It When Young Woman Reads His Own Quote
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) freaked out during a Montgomery County Tea Party meeting on Monday night when someone confronted him over a comparison he made of Jesus as a “hero archetype” like Superman, as opposed to “real characters” like Rosa Parks.
- “Don’t question my faith,” Crenshaw snapped and then repeated several times before accusing her of “twisting” his words, which was “not very Christian” of her.
- The crowd booed the GOP lawmaker as he was ranting. Some hecklers even chanted MAGAland’s anti-Biden “Let’s Go Brandon” battle cry at him for whatever reason.
Sununu Explains Why He’s Staying Away From Senate
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) told the Washington Examiner that he was turned off by the idea of a 2022 Senate bid when he discovered through conversations with Republican senators that their whole thing is about doing nothing.
- The senators explained their plan was to make sure nothing gets done until 2024, Sununu said. “That’s not what I do,” the governor told the Examiner.
- The senators also apparently didn’t have an answer when Sununu asked them why they didn’t do anything in 2017 and 2018, when the GOP had the White House.
House Dems See Two More Departures
Reps. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Jerry McNerney (D-CA) both announced on Tuesday that they aren’t running for reelection, ticking the number of House Democratic retirements up to 28.
Biden To Mark First Year In Office
The President is giving a solo presser today at 4:00 p.m. ET to review the past 12 months since he was sworn in.
Ex-Trump Admin Goons Meet Up To Wring Hands Over Trump
This hilarious CNN report reveals that several of Trump’s ex-cronies had a conference call last Monday to discuss what to do about the mad king, and came away from the call realizing they can’t do anything about the mad king. Ex-White House chief of staff John Kelly participated in the discussion.
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