by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, April 12.
- Brexit Hard-Liners Reassess: Maybe We Overplayed Our Hand (Ya think?)
- Brexit Heads for That Riveting Black Hole (“Brexit could still happen. But for the first time the odds on it happening are no better than even.”)
- Sudan’s longtime leader was ousted in a military coup. Protesters still want democracy. (“Omar al-Bashir, an accused war criminal, was arrested by the military on Thursday.”)
- How America’s relationship with Turkey fell apart (“The NATO allies’ partnership has devolved into a ‘slow-motion car crash.'”)
- Kim Jong Un consolidates power as North Korea shuffles leadership
- Trump lies, says he knows nothing about WikiLeaks site he cited 164 times (“Trump mentioned the site 164 times in the last month of his 2016 campaign and proclaimed ‘I love WikiLeaks.'”)
- Trump in 2016: ‘I love WikiLeaks,’ Trump now: ‘I know nothing about WikiLeaks’
- Julian Assange is not a free-press hero. And he is long overdue for personal accountability. (“The WikiLeaks founder’s transfer to U.S. custody could be the key to learning more about Russia’s efforts to undermine democracy in the West.”)
- If Assange Burgled Some Computers, He Stopped Being a Journalist (“WikiLeaks and its creator can’t shelter themselves inside the cloak of journalism and the truth if he helped hack the U.S. government.”)
- History of Assange (“Beginning in 2010, Assange established a clear pattern with Wikileaks: He would target America and its allies. He would ignore or defend any abuses by Russia. At this point, anyone who denies or ignores this pattern is being intentionally obtuse. I don’t care if you like Trump or think it’s a good thing that the DNC emails were released during the 2016 election, that does not justify defending and promoting a guy who has clearly behaved as an enemy to this country for nearly a decade.”)
- White House wanted detainees released to ‘sanctuary cities’ to target Trump’s foes (“According to Homeland Security officials and email messages reviewed by The Post, administration officials proposed moving detained immigrants to sanctuary cities at least twice in the past six months. But immigration authorities rejected the idea as inappropriate.”)
- Here’s the Law That Requires Steven Mnuchin to Turn Over Trump’s Taxes, or Lose His Office and Go to Prison (“The law is clear, and it leaves no wiggle room. The consequences for breaking it include removal from public office and up to five years in prison.”)
- Trump bulldozes across the presidency’s red lines (“In recent weeks, the president has labored to reshape a federal government he feels is frustrating his agenda.”)
- Trump likely to drop idea of Fed nomination for Herman Cain in face of Senate opposition (The very fact that someone as batshit crazy and extreme as Cain was even nominated in the first place tells you everything you need to know about Trump.)
- New York Post cover featuring Ilhan Omar quote infuriates Democratic colleagues
- Gregory Craig, Ex-Obama Aide, Is Indicted on Charges of Lying to Justice Dept.
- The Democrats’ new tax plan is their clearest, most efficient blueprint yet (“Family-values-and-job-growth-supporting Republicans should take note.”)
- Congress cannot afford to ignore Netanyahu’s embrace of the far right (Chris Van Hollen and Gerald E. Connolly: “Being pro-Israel doesn’t mean we have to support Netanyahu’s policies any more than being pro-American requires us to support Trump’s policies. In the context of recent developments, Congress cannot afford to be silent.” I agree 100%.)
- The Public Wants Trump’s Tax Returns (“The White House says voters don’t care. Here’s proof they do.”)
- A Bill Banning Most Abortions Becomes Law In Ohio
- Democratic Candidates Are Releasing Tax Returns, Answering Big Questions For Voters
- Stacey Abrams says not beating Trump, but ‘winning America’ is key to 2020 success (“The Georgia Democrat reiterated Thursday at the Women in the World Summit in New York City that she is weighing a run for Senate.”)
- What Happens If Biden Doesn’t Run — Or Flops?
- “Things Are Going to Get Rougher”: Knives Are Out for Joe Biden and He Hasn’t Even Announced (“Uncle Joe’s shambolic pre-campaign has even supporters worried that ‘he’s gonna run the 1988 Joe Biden for president campaign all over again.'”)
- Mike Pence’s reply to Pete Buttigieg ignores the brutality of anti-LGBTQ policies (“Vice President Mike Pence’s policies are oppressive and violent for LGBTQ people. Niceties won’t change that.” Pence=Dense)
- Poll: Buttigieg busts out in Iowa
- McConnell to Trump: Don’t pick Cuccinelli to lead DHS
- Conservatives want a man who compared immigrants to rats to lead DHS
- Fox keeps pushing the anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that motivated the Tree of Life shooter
- An anti-LGBTQ judge just won a spot on Wisconsin’s top court. These companies helped him do it. (Altria, BNSF Railway, Anthem, AstraZeneca, Koch Industries, Eli Lilly, Marathon Petroleum, etc.)
- Senator Kaine reacts to Assange arrest (“I think the guy is just somebody who uses national security information to create chaos and harm and essentially promote the interests of Russia, a dictatorship that squashes dissent, that squashes free expression.” Bingo.)
- During ‘space force’ debate, Kaine calls for rules on orbital debris
- Are We the Party That Believes Women…Or Not? For Virginia Dems, #MeToo Must Not Just Be When It’s Politically Advantageous
- FWIW Virginia: “Will the Democratic presidential field impact Virginia’s legislative elections in 2019”
- Richest and Poorest Virginia Legislators (In Terms of Securities Portfolios)…and What They Own
- Editorial: Another step toward protecting the bay (Riiiight, except that “New studies from the CBP estimate that climate change will make the job of reducing pollutants in the bay even tougher,” yet Northam keeps pushing ahead with fracked-gas pipelines that are fueling global warming. Incoherent policy.)
- Virginia farmers lag in livestock fencing
- Without outreach funding, it will be harder to count Virginia’s children, immigrants and senior citizens in 2020
- Video: Victor Angry Sworn In As “Our First-Ever African-American Member of the Board of County Supervisors”
- While mired in investigations and death, Hampton Roads Regional Jail’s board fought against change
- Striped bass fishing season could be canceled in Virginia as population declines
- Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke headed to Virginia next week (“O’Rourke will hold meet-and-greets, town hall meetings and other events in the counties of Henrico, Prince William and Fairfax, as well as Norfolk, Hampton, Williamsburg, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg and Alexandria. Details are not yet available.”)
- Virginia: March 2019 general fund revenue collections down 1.4% from 2018 (“Governor Ralph Northam today announced that state government revenue decreased 1.4 percent as payroll withholding had one less deposit day than a year ago.”)
- Foe of Mountain Valley Pipeline allowed to participate in Roanoke Gas rate increase case
- Editorial: Virginia Port Authority
- Virginia Beach judge declares School Board seat vacant after member moved out of district (“Joel McDonald says he will try to return to the School Board after a judge declared his seat vacant Thursday.”)
- Editorial: Is Stanley right? Are casinos a sign of civic death?
- Capitals survive third-period scare, open Stanley Cup defense with 4-2 win over Carolina
- Warmer through the weekend and mainly dry despite a couple shower chances
