Wednesday News: “Boris Johnson Is About to Collide With Reality”; “Want to stop climate change? Start by planting a trillion trees.”; It’s Mueller Time (Live Video); Freitas Withdraws, Is Renominated

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, July 24.

• Trump and Johnson: Allies in Disruption (“Britain has helped lead a quiet resistance to President Trump’s policies. That may change with Boris Johnson in charge, our correspondents write in an analysis.”)
• Johnson to Take Leadership of a Britain in Deep Crisis (“Promising Brexit, he will take over with less political clout than just about any prime minister since World War II.”)
• Boris Johnson Is About to Collide With Reality (“He has thrived on theatrics. As prime minister, he faces Brexit’s final act.”)
• Boris Johnson Faces a Swift and Bloody Nemesis (“It is a moment of perfect symbolism: a man without a conviction for a country without a direction, a man of self-destructive tendencies for a country in the vise of a crippling decision. The gods, when they are most cruel, also laugh.”)
• Satellite images reveal scale of Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis
• The Careless Superpower (“Four recent events show an administration completely oblivious to the consequences of its statements and actions.”)
• Puerto Rico Governor Set to Quit After Protests, Papers Say (“Rossello’s position became untenable after leak of texts. He was deserted by a parade of cabinet members and aides”)
• Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló is expected to resign today, source says
• Want to stop climate change? Start by planting a trillion trees. (“This is reality, and we have the means to change it: Plant trees, save bees. Since bees also like flowers, let’s go ahead and make America beautiful again.”)
• Russia Is Still Trying To Meddle In U.S. Elections, FBI Chief Warns (“Speaking to lawmakers ahead of Robert Mueller’s testimony, FBI Director Christopher Wray said election interference remains a real threat in 2020.”)
• Will the Mueller Hearing Be a Turning Point? (“It could prove to be riveting television. But the real question is whether it changes anyone’s mind in a highly polarized country.”)
• Don’t Try to Ask Robert Mueller “Good” Questions. Ask Him Effective Ones
• Mueller Is Testifying on Capitol Hill Today. Here’s What to Expect. (“Robert Mueller will answer questions for the first time since opening his investigation into President Trump and Russia. The Times will stream his testimony, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, and our reporters will provide live context and analysis.”)
• Americans Can Handle the Truth. Mueller Needs to Give It to Them. (“The special counsel’s report left some crucial questions unanswered.”)
• Fox’s pro-Trump propagandists want congressional Republicans to ask Mueller about their conspiracy theories
• Mueller Day: What to watch for
• Pelosi’s impeachment blockade faces biggest test yet: Mueller (“The former special counsel’s testimony will likely move more Democrats to support removing Trump. Will that change Pelosi’s strategy?”)
• The administration’s last-minute attempt to bully Mueller is offensive
• Mueller scrambles hearing by tapping top deputy as counsel
• What to Expect from the Mueller Hearings (“Mueller could theoretically cast aside the constricted view of a special counsel’s role and state the truth of the Russia investigation in plain English. But don’t hold your breath.”)
• House condemns Israel boycott over liberal objections (“The controversial resolution — which passed the House via a 398-17 vote with five lawmakers voting ‘present’ — comes after a behind-the-scenes battle between moderate and liberal Democrats over the push to publicly condemn the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, or BDS.”)
• Budget deal on track despite grumbling on the left and right
• Three big takeaways from the bipartisan budget deal
• Trump DOJ Escalates Big Tech Scrutiny With New Antitrust Probe
• DOJ Starts Review Of Whether Major Tech Companies Are Too Powerful
• Jon Stewart’s Outrage Forced Washington to Actually Do Something Good (“The 9/11 first responders bill passed the Senate Tuesday, 97-2.”)
• Democrats Should Attack Trump’s Racism, but That Won’t Be Enough to Beat Him (“Personally, it strikes me as probable that this full-frontal attack on Trump’s racism is necessary but not sufficient to the project of ejecting him from the White House.”)
• The Secret to the Trump Economy? More Government Spending (“Economic growth has accelerated. Maybe it’s because Republicans have stopped caring about the deficit.”)
• Senators Say They Aren’t Done Investigating Trump and Russia (“The Senate Intelligence Committee is still grinding along.”)
• House Democrats announce plan to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century (“The ‘100 by 50’ idea marks a major commitment by lawmakers, but falls short of outlining an actual proposal.”)
• The Anti-Science Brigade Isn’t Stopping at Climate Change (“There are powerful—and powerfully financed—assaults underway on science’s ability to create consensus outside the laboratory.”)
• Newly unsealed exhibits in opioid case reveal inner workings of the drug industry
• Elizabeth Warren’s Big Bet on Impeachment (“As the first candidate to make removing Trump part of her platform, she has a lot riding on Mueller’s Wednesday testimony.”)
• Biden’s in a fight for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination — against himself (“The former vice president unveiled his criminal justice plan, haunted by a decades-old, tough-on-crime law he helped usher in.”)
• Cesar Sayoc was radicalized by Trump and Fox News, his lawyers claim
• Second Republican Enters Race To Take Back Virginia’s 10th District (“Jeff Dove, who lost to Rep. Gerry Connolly in the neighboring 11th District in 2018, announced his run earlier this month. And Rob Jones, a Marine veteran, announced he’d run earlier this week.”)
• Virginians’ donations to presidential hopefuls
• Former Va. governor Doug Wilder contests finding of sexual harassment investigation
• Editorial: Is boycotting Jamestown the best idea? (“The invitations were issued on behalf of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Three Democratic legislators serve on the foundation’s board of trustees — Del. Ken Plum of Fairfax, Del. Delores McQuinn of Richmond and state Sen. Janet Howell of Fairfax, the latter of whom serves as the board’s vice chairman. The board also includes Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Attorney General Mark Herring and Secretary of Education Atif Qarni.”)
• Governor Northam Announces Virginia to Dedicate Additional Funding for 2020 Census
• AG Mark Herring Defends Ability of States to Ban High-Capacity Magazines to Protect Public Safety
• Video: Del. Sam Rasoul Joins Khizr Khan, Rep. Ilhan Omar on “Anti-Muslim Discourse in America” Panel
• VA House Democrats Target Cox and Jones in New Digital Campaign
• Will state Sen. Glen Sturtevant’s ‘no’ vote on Medicaid hurt his re-election bid?
• As Democrats debate campaign finance reform, an intimate mountain retreat with corporate lobbyists continues (“Democratic state senators and delegates spent the end of last month holed up with dozens of lobbyists at the Omni Homestead, a remote luxury resort in Bath County.”)
• Report: ‘Stronger investments needed’ to diversify Virginia’s teacher workforce
• Editorial: Ikea plant closure is a sign of the urban times (“When Ikea announced the closure of its Danville manufacturing plant on July 10, the pain was palpable. Nearly 300 jobs in Virginia lost. Its only U.S. factory shuttered.”)
• GOP committee renominates Del. Nick Freitas less than a week after he withdrew his candidacy
• Gavin Grimm, transgender student who sought to use boys’ restroom, back in court
• An idea to tackle gun violence from Majority Leader Gilbert
• Video: Fairfax County School Board Discusses Boundaries Policy; Republicans Ratchet Up the Rhetoric with 105 Days Until the Election
• UPSET ALERT: Sexist, Anti-LGBT Demagogue Del. Dave LaRock (R) Is Being Out-Campaigned by Democrat Mavis Taintor!
• Northern Virginia health officials investigating foodborne illness outbreaks
• Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking removal of Norfolk’s Confederate monument (“Citing a lack of injury and a failure by the plaintiffs to demonstrate their constitutional rights had been violated, Chief Judge Mary Jane Hall agreed to toss the case.”)
• Loudoun Leaders Question Dulles Greenway Traffic Report
• Editorial: Answers needed about Norfolk CSB offices
• Spectacular summer weather through tomorrow, slightly hotter and more humid heading into the weekend