Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday appeared divided over President Donald Trump’s bid to prevent Democratic-led congressional panels from obtaining his financial records but seemed more sympathetic toward a New York prosecutor’s attempt to access similar records.

The court’s conservative majority signaled concern about improper harassment of the Republican president by Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives seeking Trump’s records. But questions by the conservative justices indicated skepticism toward Trump’s position in the New York case.

The justices asked tough questions of an attorney for Trump and a Justice Department lawyer who both sought to justify the president’s quest to block subpoenas by three House for financial records held by third parties.

But several justices also pressed a lawyer for the House to explain why the subpoenas were not simply presidential harassment and whether Congress should be limited in issuing subpoenas so as to not distract a president or frustrate the carrying out of his official duties.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-trump-finances/divided-u-s-supreme-court-wraps-up-arguments-on-trump-financial-records-idUSKBN22O1F0

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Probing Trump's financial improprieties related to scandals underway during his Administration is not harassment.

This past weekend, President Obama further bloomed as a politician when he overcame one of his few political shortcomings by creating a simple, repeatable narrative for the incompetent frauds in the Oval Office. While on a conference call with his Administration alumni, Obama labeled the current White House response to the COVID 19 threat as an "Absolute Chaotic Disaster." In doing so, he momentarily demonstrated potential for Democrats in an area that has been a weakness. Obama distilled much of the misgivings of the American Majority over the capabilities of the Trump Administration into an accurate, repeatable, relatable bumper sticker that should be repeated by every Democrat and Democratic ally that gets in front of a camera or recorder. "Chaotic Disaster" should be flying from progressive lips ad nauseum until those are the words chosen by every White suburban woman when asked how they would describe the performance of the Trump Administration. There should be an eagerness to run this phrase into the ground.

But it's Monday afternoon and the only mention of Obama's words so far have been from news folks covering the story of Obama's rare criticism. It's further evidence that effective marketing is not a Democratic strong suit. By contrast, shortly after Donald Trump miraculously delivered the polysyllabic catchprase "the cure can't be worse than the disease," it went up on protest signs and was obediently spit out of hostile MAGA mouths with their customary vitriol. Of course that bumper sticker was somewhat in vain since few people beyond the MAGA ilk are eager to court illness by mingling among the unknowingly infected. That message didn't resonate very far, but the Trump Army awaits orders for the next verbal campaign which will come at any moment.

Last week James Carville griped as to how it takes Republicans to really rattle Trump following release of the Lincoln Project's "Mourning in America" ad. Perhaps James should book himself on a news show and say nothing but "chaotic disaster, chaotic disaster, chaotic disaster, chaotic disaster" over and over and over again just to get the ball rolling. Not that "chaotic disaster" will deliver us to the White House and Congressional majorities. Every commentary on Trump should carry a zippy litany of (some of) his infractions. What a relief it would be to hear unending indictments of Trump laying out the fact that "this is the person who was impeached for pressuring a foreign government to investigate his political opponent so it's no surprise his response to any crisis would be a chaotic disaster."

Amping up the messaging would make the difference not only in this election cycle, but in every one that follows. Democrats don't have to win ONLY when things get really bad. Part of the difference between having the upper hand and being an also-ran is creating the dominant narrative that will percolate down to those 23 swing voters who are already culturally sympathetic to Gopperism. In 2016, "I don't know, I just don't trust her" won the electoral college. It's time to get on the ball.

Editorial Update: I just heard Senator Chris Murphy use the words "disastrous response" in reference to Trump and I am elated!

Source: Politico

There's a glaring omission as Democrats lay down millions of dollars to try and win control of the Senate: Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones.

The two leading Senate Democratic campaign groups reserved nearly $100 million for the fall in half a dozen states with Republican incumbents. But so far they have put down nothing to protect their most vulnerable incumbent and aren’t yet formally committing to spend big dollars for him.

Jones said the cavalry will come eventually.


“I don’t think they have to do that right now. I don’t even have an opponent yet. I don’t think that they’re going to leave us out at all,” Jones said in an interview. “We feel very good about where we are in this race. There’s no question about that.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/03/senate-democrats-alabama-doug-jones-229073

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At least Jones can put a positive spin on it.

Source: The Hill


The New York Times editorial board is calling on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to investigate Tara Reade's sexual assault allegations against former Vice President Joe Biden.

“His campaign, and his party, have a duty to assure the public that the accusations are being taken seriously,” the board wrote in an editorial published Friday evening.

“The Democratic National Committee should move to investigate the matter swiftly and thoroughly, with the full cooperation of the Biden campaign,” the board continued.

In its latest editorial calling for a DNC investigation, the board stated, "As is so often the case in such situations, it is all but impossible to be certain of the truth. But the stakes are too high to let the matter fester — or leave it to be investigated by and adjudicated in the media."

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/media/495783-new-york-times-calls-on-dnc-to-investigate-tara-reade-allegations

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"Don't leave it to the media. We suck!"

Source: reuters

(Reuters) - European stock index futures tumbled on Monday, as investors returned from a May Day break to a fresh spat between the United States and China over the coronavirus crisis.

Euro STOXX 50 futures STXEc1 fell 2.9% by 0644 GMT, suggesting a downbeat start in May after the STOXX 600 recorded a 6% gain in April.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday there was “a significant amount of evidence” that the new coronavirus emerged from a Chinese laboratory, ratcheting up tensions with the country after last week’s warning from President Donald Trump of retaliatory measures against China over the pandemic.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-stocks/european-stock-futures-drop-as-u-s-china-spar-over-virus-origin-idUSKBN22G0HZ

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They aren't so concerned with markets when they have a chance to shirk responsibility with debunked conspiracy theories.

To all of the state and local officials guiding Americans through the crisis caused by this deadly and highly communicable virus, thank you for for executing the difficult decisions you make regarding our health and safety. Thank you for listening to expert advice and following the data as events change day by day. Lives depend on it.

As we see images of political rallies disguised as "quarantine protests" flash on our screens, please remember that the Community of the American Majority is on your side. It is not our first choice to be sequestered in our homes. It is not our first choice to be furloughed from work. It is not our first choice smother our faces when we go out in public. But we prefer cooperating in the name of slowing the spread of disease to the alternative. The majority of us, including children are mature enough to know, that we can't control every situation in our lives and acting as a community serves to fight threats to our community.

Thank your for your strength and perseverance. We are behind you.

Sincerely,
The Community of the American Majority

Source: Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean state media says leader Kim Jong Un has made his first public appearance in 20 days amid rumors about his health.

The Korean Central News Agency said Saturday that he attended a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer factory in Suncheon, near the capital of Pyongyang, with other senior officials, including his sister, Kim Yo Jong.

Photos from the ceremony weren’t immediately released.

Kim Jong Un had been last seen during a ruling party meeting on April 11 to discuss coronavirus prevention. Speculation about his health swirled after he missed the April 15 celebration of the birthday of his late grandfather and state founder, Kim Il Sung, the country’s most important holiday.

Read more: https://apnews.com/ba5aa2273f29bdb59257ef1ea9e4f58b

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CAVEAT: This is according to NK state media.

Source: VT Digger

Aforum for Democratic lieutenant governor candidates was “Zoom bombed” with swastikas Wednesday evening, leading candidate Brenda Siegel to call for enhanced security at these forums.

The Essex County Democratic Committee hosted the videoconferenced forum, which was attended by candidates Siegel, an activist; Senate Majority Leader Tim Ashe, D-Chittenden; Sen. Debbie Ingram, D-Chittenden; and Assistant Attorney General Molly Gray.

Siegel said that the meeting was first Zoom-bombed twice by individuals who drew swastikas, wrote “Hail Satan” and told Siegel and the host, Martha Allen, the chair of the Essex County Democratic Committee, to “shut up bitch.”

Siegel said that she has faced anti-Semitic harrassment in the past and it was important to call-out anti-Semitism, racism and attacks on other marginalized groups.

“There’s a rise of hate across this country and across the state,” she said. “We can’t just go forward without naming what happened, and as the Jewish candidate, I’m really shook, and that showed.”

Siegel said that virtual meetings need a registration system to track who is in attendance, a waiting room in Zoom, and a set of norms for what is and is not allowed established by impacted individuals.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2020/04/30/democratic-candidates-forum-zoom-bombed-with-swastikas/