by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, May 30.
- In Defeat for Netanyahu, Israel Moves to Hold New Election (“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suffered a stunning defeat on Thursday after he failed to meet a midnight deadline to form a new government, casting a cloud over his future as prime minister and thrusting Israel into the chaos of a new election.”)
- The Trade War Is Getting Big Enough to Hurt the Economy
- China Puts U.S. Soy Purchases on Hold as Tariff War Escalates
- Trump Betrays America Again (“His defense of North Korea shows how he sells out his country.”)
- Inside the White House, a muted response to Mueller but concern about creeping impeachment
- An invitation to impeach, in Mueller-speak (“The special counsel’s report, and the president’s behavior, speaks for itself.”)
- Mueller’s statement highlights his split from Barr on Trump investigation (“Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III indicated he and his boss hold different views on the question of potential presidential crimes, refusing to clear President Trump and alluding to Congress’s impeachment power as the ultimate constitutional arbiter.”)
- On obstruction question, Mueller deferred to an untested DOJ policy (“In his first public comments, the exiting special counsel emphasized that Justice Department precedent prevented him from considering whether he could charge a president with a crime. Those legal opinions, rooted in past crises, have not been tested in the courts.”)
- Mueller should have said this weeks ago
- What the Mueller Report Actually Said
- When will the Republican silence on Trump end?
- Mueller just made it crystal clear: Only Congress can hold Trump accountable
- Mueller just made life more difficult for Trump — and Democrats (“Even if he never says another word from this day forward, what Mueller did Wednesday was powerful enough.”)
- Mueller’s Seething Message: This Isn’t a Hoax, This Is a Crime (“The special counsel is too reserved to say what he really means: Russia attacked America and Trump broke the law.”)
- The subtle way Robert Mueller just threw William Barr under the bus (“Mueller wanted no part of Barr’s deceit.”)
- How To Think About Mueller’s Statement (“Mueller quietly rebuked Barr, repeating that he did not exonerate the president”)
- Mueller’s statement was an indictment of the press (“His statement followed a sustained disinformation effort by Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and the president’s propagandists at Fox News and elsewhere meant to mislead the public about Mueller’s conclusions. Too often, mainstream journalists bought into that dishonest spin, thereby promoting an inaccurate narrative that seemingly spurred Mueller to speak out publicly.”)
- White House wanted USS John S. McCain obscured during Trump’s Japan visit (As always, Trump is a petty, pathetic @!$#!. Also, just imagine the reaction on the right if Obama or Clinton had done something like this???)
- US energy department rebrands fossil fuels as ‘molecules of freedom’ (“Press release from department said increasing export capacity is ‘critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world’” This is beyond parody, totally demented.)
- Mitch McConnell just proved he’ll do anything to pack the Supreme Court (“So, why would Democrats give in to this naked power grab?”)
- British Army guide for spotting far-right extremism fits behavior of some US conservatives (“Trump alone ticks off many of the boxes.”)
- Jaime Harrison launches campaign against Lindsey Graham in South Carolina
- Roy Moore hits back at Trump in defiant interview (“The controversial former judge says the president ‘doesn’t control’ Alabama voters, and he can win despite Trump’s opposition.”)
- Louisiana’s GOP-Controlled State Legislature Passes Restrictive Abortion Ban. Its Democratic Governor Says He’ll Sign It.
- Exclusive: Disney CEO says it will be ‘difficult’ to film in Georgia if abortion law takes effect
- First 2020 debate puts Democrats on edge (“Candidates still don’t know whom they will be debating against, or even which day they’ll be on the stage.”)
- Trump fixates on IQ as a measure of self-worth (“People who know Trump suspect his IQ obsession stems in part from a desire to project an image of success, despite scattered business failings and allegations of incompetence.”)
- Ken Cuccinelli called Mitch McConnell a backstabber, liar, and “the head alligator.” Cuccinelli may need his help for a DHS job.
- Ken Cuccinelli neither deserving nor qualified to play any role in immigration policy (“As head of USCIS, Cuccinelli would bring little to the job except a track record as a Trump loyalist. With his outdated and narrow views, he would be a disaster overseeing our legal immigration system.”)
- Leading Senate Dem says Pelosi is ‘appropriately’ dealing with impeachment question
- Sean Perryman of the Fairfax NAACP on WaPo’s All-Male, All-Establishment Endorsements: “Let’s talk about power and how groups try to maintain it.”
- Attorney General Mark Herring calls for discharge of disabled veterans’ student loans
- Chaz Analyzes HD-21 as “Leans D” for Del. Kelly Fowler vs. Right Winger Shannon Kane
- Far-Right Fairfax County School Board Member Elizabeth Schultz Bugs Out of Year’s Most Important Vote – on the Budget
- Despite warnings and planning, Metro shutdown leads to commute meltdown for many (“The first week of the 107-day shutdown of six stations on the Blue and Yellow lines has not gone as smoothly as hoped.”)
- Endorsement: Erika Yalowitz for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (Providence District)
- Endorsement: Kim Howard for Virginia State Senate (SD-7)
- If You’re Abusing Sanitation Workers, You Are Literal Trash (Actually, you’re metaphorical trash if you do that, but I get the point.)
- Will they be built? Virginia’s contentious pipeline projects face major legal hurdles (“The path forward for the pipelines may eventually surmount the obstacles in their way, but the moves required to navigate them could well spark more litigation, likely ensuring that the road to completion will be as hard-fought in the courts as it is among the protesters on the ground.”)
- Mountain Valley Pipeline urges judge to remove tree-sitters (F.U. M.V.P.)
- Study details steps Norfolk, Virginia Beach should take to protect Navy bases as sea levels rise
- Q&A: Climate leader works to shape ‘environmenal awakening’ in Virginia (“Kendyl Crawford, director of Virginia Interfaith Power & Light.”)
- Court: Stoney administration must release portion of $1.4 billion Coliseum redevelopment proposal (Verrry interesting. Nice job by Paul Goldman on this.)
- Oh, those robocalls!
- Editorial: Public safety requires community effort
- Schapiro: Norment, Peace get down to where the dogs can get to it.
- Some incoming Virginia Tech freshmen offered money to delay start in effort to relieve enrollment strain
- Ski slope might be built on old, closed Fairfax Co. landfill (“One of the ski slopes is expected to be 1,700 feet long — making it the longest indoor ski slope in North America.”)
- Four killed, others injured when truck hits church van carrying 11 in Virginia
- Storms break heat today; Best chance of weekend showers on Sunday
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