02b U.S. Politics – Left

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Excerpt from www.motherjones.com

President Biden last week said he would not provide more weapons to Israel if they proceeded into Rafah—before seemingly reversing course last night.Samuel Corum – Pool/CNP/ZUMA

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After officials repeatedly warned that they would consider stopping the flow of weapons to Israel if it pressed forward with a ground invasion into Rafah, the Biden administration announced it would nonetheless attempt to send more than $1 billion in additional weapons to Israel, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night, citing congressional officials.

The Journal reports that the latest package “includes the potential transfer of $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles, and $60 million in mortar rounds.” Congress will have to approve the latest package.

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Excerpt from www.motherjones.com

Derrick Evans raises his hand during a swearing-in ceremony to the West Virginia House of Delegates on Dec. 1, 2020, in Charleston, W.Va. Will Price/West Virginia Legislative Photography via AP

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West Virginia voters had an unenviable choice of congressional candidates in the GOP primary Tuesday: a guy who stormed the Capitol on January 6, or an incumbent who, after having to evacuate the Capitol during the riot, went back to vote against certifying the election. Voters chose the incumbent.

Rep. Carol Miller trounced “J6 prisoner” Derrick Evans by almost 30 points, in the race to represent West Virginia’s first district. She will likely win the general election in November. The campaign has been viewed as something of a litmus test of how voters view the January 6 insurrection three years later.

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Excerpt from www.thenation.com

After campaigning on reversing Trump’s regressive policies in the region, Cuban Americans are frustrated by the president’s subsequent passivity.

Last week, Cuban Americans fanned out on Capitol Hill and at the State Department with a warning for Democrats and the Biden administration: Act now to stop America’s complicity in the economic suffering of millions in Cuba or risk alienating a key group of supporters going into a close presidential election.

It was a reminder that hard-right enthusiasts of maximum pressure against Cuba do not speak for all Cuban Americans—maybe not even for a majority of them. The blitz of office visits to members of Congress and State Department officials hammered home a consistent message that was summed up in an accompanying blunt letter addressed to President Biden and signed by more than 100 organizations and about 650 individuals: “We are shocked and disappointed by your indifference toward the suffering of Cuban families both in Cuba and here in the United States.” The campaign also demonstrated that while Biden faces high-profile pressure from activists within the Democratic Party and the progressive base because of his administration’s continuing support for Israel’s war in Gaza, there is another aspect of his foreign policy that is drawing fire and dampening enthusiasm—but with much less public attention.

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Excerpt from crooksandliars.com

Fox News America’s Newsroom co-host Bill Hemmer came up with a new excuse for Trump constantly falling asleep at his trial.

Diminished Don continues to cry that the courtroom is too cold and he’s freezing, but Hemmer has a new view.

Hemmer: I mean, this is a two-story drab courtroom.

Sounds like I’d love it. Was it freezing in there?

Hemmer: No, it wasn’t, actually. It was actually warm.

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Excerpt from www.thenation.com

Last week, the NAACP sent a letter to Joe Biden asking him to pardon Marilyn Mosby, the former state’s attorney for Baltimore. The organization was joined by a host of other Black social justice organizations, including the National Urban League, the National Action Network, and the National Bar Association (the largest legal group of Black attorneys).

It’s rare to see all of these organizations united in support of a prosecutor, but Mosby’s case is special. Mosby attracted national attention as a “progressive” prosecutor for her willingness to charge the six police officers involved in the murder of Freddie Gray, a young Black man who was killed while in police custody. But she was also the same old-same old prosecutor who was responsible for the bogus prosecution of Keith Davis Jr., a young Black man who was shot at 32 times by the police (three of the bullets landed) and was then charged with a robbery and a murder he didn’t commit—and was exonerated (and had his charges dismissed) only when another prosecutor replaced Mosby in Baltimore last year.

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Excerpt from crooksandliars.com

GOP Trump lickspittle Tommy Tuberville saying the quiet part out loud, and proving once again he’s one of the dumbest members of the United States Senate. As we discussed here, Tuberville made an appearance outside of the courtroom in Manhattan and whined that the prosecutors were causing Trump “mental anguish.”

Apparently embarrassing himself with those remarks, along with the rest of the cultists who showed up in their MAGA uniforms at the courthouse this Tuesday wasn’t enough for Tuberville. He also admitted on Newsmax that he came to New York City to break the gag order for Trump:

MSNBC Anchor Nicolle Wallace reported Tuberville’s public admission, made on the conservative channel Newsmax, as part of her coverage on Trump’s ongoing criminal hush money trial and the gag order the former president has been fined for repeatedly violating.

“I guess we love that he just gives it to us, right?” said a laughing Wallace. “Were you trying to go against the gag order and intimidate witnesses because Trump can’t? ‘Yes, sir.'”

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Excerpt from www.motherjones.com

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Excerpt from www.politicususa.com

Michael Cohen has drawn praise so far for being a calm, credible, and poised witness, but the powerful way that he closed his testimony did major damage to Trump.

Harry Litman posted about the end of Cohen’s testimony:
“Do you have any regrets about your past work and association w/ Trump”
I do. I regret doing things for him I should not have. lying. bullying people. I don’t regret working w/ them — some interesting and great times. but to keep the loyalty and do the things he asked me to do. I violated my moral compass and I suffered the penalty as did my family.”

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS

Up next for Cohen is cross examination by the defense, and then redirect by the prosecution. The Trump defense case is expected to be quick and maybe consist of two witnesses at most. There have been no plans for Trump to testify.

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Excerpt from www.politico.com

Republicans aren’t working hard to claim the seats of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), even after their high-profile corruption-related indictments. But the GOP is laying plans to hang their legal problems around the necks of their Democratic colleagues.

In a year when the party faces a notably favorable Senate map replete with opportunities in more purple states, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is not making a play in New Jersey (good news for Rep. Andy Kim!). But the GOP’s Senate campaign arm is homing in on Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in a bid to build Menendez’ indictments into a larger narrative that Democratic incumbents are ethically challenged.

“Bob Menendez’ comical level of corruption has brought political self-dealing to the forefront of voters’ minds. That is bad news for Bob Casey and Jon Tester, because they both have serious vulnerabilities on corruption and ethics issues,” NRSC spokesperson Mike Berg said in a statement to POLITICO.

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Excerpt from www.dailykos.com

Arizona GOP Senate candidate is getting outgunned—and she’s not alone

For Kari Lake, it’s looking like a second time is not going to be the charm.

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Excerpt from www.politicususa.com

President Biden will hold a real infrastructure week to highlight the historic progress America has made on infrastructure during his administration.

Here are some of Biden’s infrastructure accomplishments, according to a White House fact sheet:

• Launched improvements on over 257,000 miles of roads and launched nearly 13,000 bridge repair projects making our roadways safer and reconnecting communities across the country;
• Provided funding to deploy nearly 3,000 low-and zero-emission American-made transit buses and funded over 5,000 clean school buses in 600 communities across the country, prioritizing disadvantaged areas;