by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, June 15.
- Trump Approves Tariffs on $50 Billion of Chinese Goods (Stupid.)
- Afghanistan says Pakistani Taliban leader killed in air strike near border
- 4 key takeaways from the inspector general’s report on the FBI, Comey, and Clinton emails
- Trump and family sued by New York attorney general over alleged charity violations (“Suit brought by Barbara Underwood says Trump Foundation is ‘little more than an empty shell’ and seeks $2.8m in restitution”)
- Demolition Donald (“It’s undeniable that the president is wrecking the U.S.-led international order. The only question left is whether he’s doing it on purpose.”)
- Justice Dept. Says Comey Was Insubordinate in Clinton Inquiry
- The Report’s Real Message: Trump Is Lying (“He has repeatedly claimed that the Justice Department tried to protect Hillary Clinton. A watchdog’s report says otherwise.”)
- “Repeated and willful self-dealing”: 5 details from the New York attorney general lawsuit against the Trump Foundation (“The attorney general accused Trump of using his foundation as a ‘personal checkbook’ to help his businesses and campaign.”)
- Report: Trump Joked That North Korean Propaganda Is Even Better Than Fox News (Fox is right-wing, state propaganda, so…)
- G.O.P. to Americans With Health Problems: Drop Dead
- Pruitt faces revolt in Trump country (“Ethanol, not ethics, is prompting Republicans across the Midwest to protest the EPA chief and call for his firing.” Heavily taxpayer-subsidized, environmentally destructive corn ethanol, by the way, is the epitome of legalized corruption.)
- Was Comey’s Letter to Congress Driven By Fear He’d Be Impeached? (“Officials told investigators that the former FBI director worried failing to tell Congress the Clinton email inquiry had been reopened would not be ‘survivable.'”)
- No, Jeff Sessions, Separating Kids From Their Parents Isn’t ‘Biblical’ (Sessions is a sick, warped, nasty dude.)
- James Comey: This Report Says I Was Wrong. But That’s Good for the F.B.I. (Comey played a key role in electing Trump, that’s the main thing we need to know about him.)
- Trump is often depressing. This week, he was sickening. (“Is the president a charlatan or a fool?”)
- Republicans Want to Shut Mueller Down Over Report That Isn’t Even About Him
- Shrinking map boosts Democrats in battle for the Senate (“Republicans are still favored to keep their majority, but several Democratic incumbents in red states look likely to survive.”)
- Unread October (“The FBI ignored Anthony Weiner’s laptop. That may have cost Hillary Clinton the election.”)
- The much-hyped IG report about the Clinton email investigation backfires on Trump (“Giuliani hoped it would ‘blow up’ the Mueller investigation. So much for that.”)
- News outlets claim Paul Ryan ‘broke’ with Trump on separating immigrant families. He didn’t. (“Ryan, Sessions, and Trump are all saying the same thing different ways. Don’t get it twisted.”)
- Sarah Sanders makes disastrous, ill-informed attempt to defend Trump’s family separation policy (“You’re a parent of young children! Don’t you have any empathy?”)
- Sanders uses Bible to defend Trump’s separation of children from families at border (This is wrong on so many levels.)
- Three reporters push back on Sarah Sanders’ lie that it is simply “following the law” to separate immigrant families (“CBS’ Paula Reid: ‘There is no law that requires families be separated at the border. This was the administration’s choice'”)
- This Country Wouldn’t Exist Without People Who Fled Violence and Oppression (“What are we now?”)
- We’re Facing Yet Another Question About the Fundamental Moral Character of This Nation (“Are we a nation that separates children from their parents and then incarcerates them? Right now, we are.”)
- In assessing donations to McCabe’s wife, inspector general does not find what Trump had hoped
- IG Report Knocks Down GOP Talking Point On McCabe
- Mark Warner: Democrats stand by conclusion that there’s ‘no evidence’ FBI informant infiltrated Trump campaign
- Corey Stewart makes bizarre claim about Tim Kaine and “Spygate” (“The controversial Republican Senate nominee also accused the left of playing the ‘race card.'” Why use the word “controversial?”
- Stewart Again Suggests Opponent Should Be Probed: Kaine Is At ‘Center Of This’ (Corey is cuckoo.)
- In Hotly Contested Virginia Race, Comstock Must Battle Democrats And Trump
- The Virginia GOP’s Death March (Written by conservative Norm Leahy.)
- Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity to sit out Virginia Senate race
- Democrats promise ‘unity’ after Wexton wins nod to face Rep. Comstock (“Comstock’s inconsistent approach to Trump will loom large in general election.” Voting 97% with Trump isn’t really “inconsistent”; I’d argue it’s 97% consistent.)
- Corey Stewart comes out swinging, with the official Virginia GOP Twitter account in his corner (Yep, the Virginia GOP is the party of Corey Stewart, with all that implies.)
- A judge appears to be the first in Northern Virginia to drop cash bonds
- Morrissey’s law license is set to be revoked Friday for a second time after Virginia Supreme Court denies his stay request
- Man seeking to run against U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor challenges him to a debate – and a wrestling match
- Former Va. delegate found dead in apparent suicide (“Gear, who suffered from multiple sclerosis, resigned shortly before the start of the 2011 legislative session, saying traveling between his home and the state capitol in Richmond was taking a toll on him.”)
- Fairfax County school board approves controversial changes to sex education policy (I watched that for an hour or so last night; my conclusion is that the two Republicans on the Board, Tom Wilson and Elizabeth Schultz, both need to be defeated next year.)
- Some more nice weather before midsummer rushes in — enjoy it while it lasts!
