Friday News: “Melania Trump really doesn’t care. Do you?”; “Return of the Blood Libel”; “Trump’s manufactured emergency has led to very real tragedy”; Northam Orders Probe Into Abuse Allegations

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, June 22.

• White House Split Over Hardline Response to China Trade War
• It sure looks like Trump is lying about his agreement with Kim Jong Un (“It’s also possible Trump doesn’t know what he agreed to.”)
• Where are the beds? Questions surround Trump’s plan to hold families in detention (“One child stopped eating and fell into a depression. Another who could previously walk on his own now asks his mother to carry him everywhere. A third child started biting other children.”)
• Stocks set for worst week in three months on trade war worries
• The Shameless Fakery of Trump’s Retreat on Family Separations (“His family separations executive order is solely a rhetorical pullback.”)
• They Really Don’t Care About Migrant Families (“The Trump administration multiplies malevolence with incompetence.”)
• Return of the Blood Libel (“What’s almost equally remarkable about this plunge into barbarism is that it’s not a response to any actual problem. The mass influx of murderers and rapists that Trump talks about, the wave of crime committed by immigrants here (and, in his mind, refugees in Germany), are things that simply aren’t happening. They’re just sick fantasies being used to justify real atrocities. And you know what this reminds me of? The history of anti-Semitism, a tale of prejudice fueled by myths and hoaxes that ended in genocide.”)
• Trump’s Executive Order Creates a New Border Crisis
• The family-separation crisis is not over (“Congress should reject the demonization and division that Mr. Trump seeks to use to his political advantage.”)
• The real hoax about the border crisis (“President Trump’s manufactured emergency has led to very real tragedy.”)
• Trump hurls a wrecking ball at the transatlantic alliance (“Europeans were in denial during the first year of Trump’s presidency, but they’re now talking about ways to fight back.”)
• Trump’s Cynical Immigration Strategy Might Work for Him—Again (“The lesson Trump learned was not that saying shocking, untrue, and arguably racist things about immigrants was politically dangerous but that doing so helped him become President.”)
• Zinke met with real estate developer, Halliburton chairman at Interior office (“New documents suggest the secretary committed a potential violation of federal conflict of interest laws.” Zinke for prison!)
• ‘Going through hell’ at the border: parents split from children tell of anguish
• DOJ Takes First Steps Toward Indefinite Detention Of Families (“The Department of Justice filed in court for changes so it could detain kids for longer with their parents.” This is crap; we should be welcoming these courageous people fleeing violence and oppression with open arms.)
• Melania Trump wears ‘I don’t care’ jacket on way to child detention center (“The first lady appeared to be wearing a Zara jacket with the astonishing caption: ‘I really don’t care. Do U?’” The hell?)
• Melania Trump really doesn’t care. Do you? (“The First Lady wore a Zara jacket that read ‘I don’t really care, do u'”)
• Republican shreds Melania Trump for ‘I really don’t care’ jacket when visiting migrant children: ‘An unforgivable moment’
• Behind Trump’s Plan to Overhaul the Government: Scaling Back the Safety Net (Absolutely unacceptable.)
• House rejects Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s hard-right immigration bill, baring GOP divide (Screw BADlatte.)
• Reversal on migrant families deepens confusion over Trump’s immigration order (This administration is a complete fiasco.)
• The chaotic effort to reunite immigrant parents with their separated kids
• Pompeo cites Kim Jong Un’s ‘reputation’ as evidence North Korea will denuclearize (WTF???)
• Sinclair Forces Stations To Air Commentary Arguing ‘Liberal’ Reports of Child Detention Were Exaggerated (Reminder: Do NOT watch Sinclair-owned “news,” such as WJLA-7 in the Washington area.)
• National Enquirer sent stories about Trump to his attorney Michael Cohen before publication, people familiar with the practice say
• House GOP leaders push immigration vote to next week
• The GOP’s ‘Utterly Dysfunctional’ Strategy of Babying Its Base (“As long as Republican lawmakers support Trump’s hardline policies, they risk alienating their college-educated, and especially younger, voters.”)
• House Republicans pass a farm bill that guts food assistance for working families (“Two million people would be in jeopardy of losing their benefits.” Completely unacceptable; the Senate needs to go in a totally different direction.)
• Trump’s Immigration Policies Unified People of Many Faiths in a Powerful Protest on Capitol Hill Today
• Senate blocks bid to stop Obama water rule
• Remembering Koko, a Gorilla We Loved
• Senator Tim Kaine Says Public Opinion Causes Administration To Backtrack on Immigration Policies, But Questions Remain.
• Supreme Court rules states can require online sellers to collect sales tax
• This Country Was Born in Incivility. Being ‘Civil’ Won’t Save It Now. (“Neither will burying the truth under false equivalences between bad words and racism.”)
• Charles Krauthammer, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and intellectual provocateur, dies at 68
• Stumble on Immigration Bill Leaves GOP With Dwindling Options
• Oil and Gas Fields Leak Far More Methane than EPA Reports, Study Finds (“Higher than expected levels of the potent short-lived climate pollutant raise questions about whether natural gas can be an effective bridge to lower emissions.” Hey, Governor Ralph, here’s some SCIENCE for ya.)
• Scott Pruitt Is An Ethics Nightmare, But So Is Ryan Zinke
• Video: Senators Warner, Kaine Meet with Faith Leaders, Immigrant Advocates in Arlington on Family Separation, Immigration Policy
• Va. Senators Kaine, Warner Meet With Faith Leaders on Family Separations
• Democrats seek info about Virginia facility after alleged abuse of immigrant children
• Young immigrants detained in Virginia allege they were beaten while cuffed, left nude in cells (A bunch of people need to go to jail over this. For a loooong time.)
• Virginia’s Democratic senators express outrage over border policy
• Governor orders probe of abuse claims by immigrant children
• Editorial: Goodlatte at the center of the action (Goodlatte’s career has been a disaster in almost every way.)
• Del. Ben Cline hits the ground walking in 6th District race, with tour passing through Roanoke Valley
• Williams: J.E.B. Stuart is not the last Confederate-named school in Richmond (Nope, and none of them should be named after Confederates.)
• Alexandria official issues unusual public apology for Metro entrance scandal (“Loss of an entrance to planned Potomac Yard Metro — and officials’ refusal to discuss it — infuriated community.”)
• Periodic rain likely into the weekend, probably heaviest and most widespread today