by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, April 24.
- ISIS Says It Was Behind Attacks as Sri Lanka President Vows Shakeup (“If the connections to the Islamic State prove substantial, it would reinforce worries that the group remains a potent threat. President Maithripala Sirisena acknowledged there had been security lapses leading up to the bombings and promised to dismiss senior officials.”)
- ISIS Still Has Global Reach, Despite the Caliphate’s Collapse
- Mass Funerals Begin In A Grieving Sri Lanka
- Kim Jong-un arrives in Vladivostok by train for Putin summit
- Saudi Arabia puts to death 37 people in largest mass execution in past three years (This regime is barbaric.)
- Millions more Americans breathing dirty air as planet warms – report (“Forty-three percent of Americans live in places where they’re breathing unsafe air, according to American Lung Association”)
- Democrats Weigh Fines for Trump Officials Who Spurn Subpoenas (“Judiciary Chairman Nadler suggests jail for ignoring demands”)
- Is Obstruction an Impeachable Offense? History Says Yes (“Constitutional scholars say that offenses involving the lawless use of official power are what the framers thought could justify removal from office. Does President Trump’s conduct clear that bar? Impeachment proceedings against Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Bill Clinton indicate that it could.”)
- Trump’s stonewalling is a massive assault on accountability
- Treasury secretary misses deadline for providing Trump tax returns to House panel, says he will make final decision by May 6
- Trump showdown with House Democrats ignites into all-out war
- White House plans to fight House subpoena of former counsel Donald McGahn for testimony on Mueller report (Lawless.)
- Trump says he is opposed to White House aides testifying to Congress, deepening power struggle with Hill
- Trump met with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey — and complained about his follower count (“Dorsey long has faced pressure to curtail Trump’s tweets, as critics contend that the president regularly violates the site’s policies against harassment and abuse. Twitter has long maintained that it applies a different standard to prominent public figures, given that their comments — even offensive ones — remain in the public interest.”)
- Gorsuch Comments Preview Endgame If Citizenship Question Is Added To Census
- Now playing at the Supreme Court: How to preserve white power in four easy steps
- On Census Citizenship Question, Supreme Court’s Conservatives Appear United (This Supreme Court is an utter disgrace. Also note that one seat, for sure, was stolen.)
- The Supreme Court Conservatives May Use the Voting Rights Act They Gutted to Enable More Suppression (“The Trump administration* is breaking new ground on the United States Census.”)
- The Supreme Court Is Poised to Shred Its Credibility to Let Trump Rig the Census
- White House ordered Trump administration officials to boycott WHCA Dinner
- The Democrats Aren’t Really in Disarray Over What to Do About Mueller (“Lawmakers are, for the most part, united behind three immediate goals.”)
- The antiabortion movement has taken on extreme — and unconstitutional — measures
- ‘If you’re not terrified — you’re not paying attention’: NYT columnist Paul Krugman
- ‘No other choice’: Trump transition team member and staunch Republican now agrees Trump must go
- Trump camp descends on Pennsylvania as alarms grow over 2020 (“The president’s team is set to meet with a state Republican Party riven by dissension.”)
- The Department of the Interior Is a Big Old Swamp (“It’s all happening at the agency that administers to public lands.”)
- Kushner claims Mueller investigation was worse for democracy than Russian election interference (“The president’s son-in-law claimed the Mueller report exonerates the campaign. It actually says they welcomed Russia’s help.”)
- Fact Check: Russian Interference Went Far Beyond ‘Facebook Ads’ Kushner Described
- McConnell vows to block Democratic proposals after 2020 elections: “Think of me as the Grim Reaper” (“It’s an ironic turn for a Republican who just weeks earlier complained of ‘historic obstruction’ by Democrats”)
- Biden voted with the NRA when the Senate, and the nation, were very different (Will be very interesting to see if Biden is attacked by other Dems for his votes decades ago – or not.)
- Biden and Bernie set for clash
- Warren’s the professor and Buttigieg is the charismatic student without his homework. Guess who voters like best?
- Elizabeth Warren was asked about keeping police safe. Her answer was a primer on racial justice. (“The senator from Massachusetts says police will be safer when the American criminal justice system is more fair.”)
- Everybody Is Wrong. Impeachment Will Help Democrats. (“Those who’ve read the Mueller report get that it shows Trump obstructing justice. But only a handful of Americans have read it. Live hearings, though, would be must-see TV.”)
- Bernie Sanders Can Win, But He Isn’t Polling Like A Favorite
- How the Intercept Is Fueling the Democratic Civil War (Yep, that’s Glenn Greenwald for ya.)
- Kaine making stops in southwestern Virginia
- Congresswoman Luria to spend day two on the Shore, Warner to hold town hall meeting
- Va. Democratic Party denies Justin Fairfax a table at June fundraising gala (Behind a strict paywall, unfortunately. Someone emailed me the story, which noted, “Fairfax will not be denied entry if he has a ticket”)
- Amid scandal, Democratic Party turns down donation from Lt. Gov. Fairfax (“The Democratic Party of Virginia — eager to raise campaign cash and move past scandals surrounding Virginia’s top three officeholders — turned away a $2,500 donation this month from Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D), whom two women have accused of sexual assault.” Note that Northam and Herring have *not* “ought to sponsor tables at the gala,” which is the right move at this point.)
- Cynthia Dunbar Gearing Up For Fourth Campaign For Congress? (Even by Republican “standards,” this woman is a far-right extremist nutter.)
- Recap of Democratic Party of Virginia’s 4th Annual Barbara Johns Panel and Reception This Past Saturday in Richmond
- The Climate Question Every Virginia Candidate Should Be Asked (“If elected, how will you contribute to our collective efforts to reduce our carbon pollution by 45% over the next 12 years?”)
- Saslaw’s Dominion Energy Corruption: This Should be Illegal (Also see video of Saslaw attacking the Green New Deal, supporting fracked-gas pipelines and helping bring back the death penalty to Virginia.)
- Shifting balance in the money chase for General Assembly energy policy (“Last year, meanwhile, Dominion gave a total of $172,535 to legislators’ campaign funds. That’s the lowest sum since 2004, and is down 42 percent from a peak in 2011. Bills and Clean Virginia gave $298,000 to legislators last year.”)
- Dominion, Facebook announce six new solar facilities in Virginia, North Carolina
- Awaiting ‘more compassionate policies,’ Virginia refugee agencies struggle for footing amid drop in admittance
- Editorial: Griffith should invite Ocasio-Cortez to Southwest Virginia (Yeah, that would go well.)
- SUN SiNG Concert: Our Hope Is Not a Luxury.
- Endorsement: Sally Hudson for Virginia House of Delegates (57th District)
- Arlington raises property tax rate by 2 cents, most going to schools (“The Arlington County Board unanimously voted Tuesday to raise the property tax rate by 2 cents while adopting a $1.36 billion budget that will see most of the new money directed to public schools.”)
- Henrico supervisors adopt county budget with increase for schools, same real estate tax rate
- Newport News City Council to supplement school funding request with capital funds
- Newport News approves new rules for food trucks
- Another beautiful day today; shower chances return tomorrow into Friday
