The Biden Administration’s work continues apace. Check out the growing and deep list of achievements here.
PAUL’S HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK
Democrats pick up a seat in the U.S. House as Suozzi wins in New York. Polls are snapshots of what-ifs. Special elections are where the rubber meets the road. This win narrows the House’s razor-slim majority and highlights a successful campaign on immigration, abortion rights, and working across the aisle. The Hill
Pennsylvania Democrats seal the narrow majority in their state house with yet another special election win. Here, FridayAction’s postcard writing campaign for the Bucks County Democrats helped Jim Prokopia win, in a toss-up district, in an important swing state, by an astounding 67.7%- 32.3%. Politico
“As We Keep Kicking Their Ass All Over The Country, MAGA Is Melting Down.” Is your stomach in political knots? If nothing else, listen to the two minute embedded interview with Simon Rosenberg from his Hopium blog. Or here, with Lawrence O’Donnell. Paul read passages in this week’s Zoom. Be heartened. Be inspired. The most powerful Democratic machine we’ve ever had, hundreds of thousands of us, like FridayAction, are engaged. We’re hungry and we’re winning.
MORE POLITICAL AND LEGAL WINS
Jack Smith is on it in D.C, in a lightning fast response to Trump’s tactics to slow his January 6th trial. Jack asked SCOTUS to let stand the lower court ruling that Trump doesn’t have immunity. And if The Court takes up the case (many are expecting it will not,) he asks for expediency. All to keep the January 6th trial moving forward. The Washington Post
Jack Smith is on it in Florida. He cites Judge Aileen Cannon with clear error, calls out potential witness intimidation, while schooling Cannon on discovery restrictions in the Mar-a-Largo documents case. At the same time he is contesting Trump’s false, sometimes ridiculous, legal claims, point by point. Law and Crime
GOP senators defy Trump by passing foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The vote was 70-29. ABC News
Conservative group tells judge it has no evidence to back its claims of Georgia ballot stuffing. Poof! Another week, another claim of election fraud bites the dust. “Once again, True the Vote has proven itself untrustworthy and unable to provide a shred of evidence for a single one of their fairy-tale allegations,” Raffensperger spokesman Mike Hassinger said Wednesday. “Like all the lies about Georgia’s 2020 election, their fabricated claims of ballot harvesting have been repeatedly debunked.” ABC News
A GOP whistle-blower, a confidential source from the FBI, is indicted for allegedly providing false information on Biden corruption. Charged by conservative special counsel David Weiss, this informant was a primary witness in the House Biden Impeachment inquiries. ABC News James Comer, head of the committee, is facing calls to be investigated for leading a sham impeachment. Democrats are demanding that it end. Newsweek
GOP-led Wisconsin Legislature passes Democratic governor’s legislative maps. There’s a little fancy footwork here by Republicans, but the end result is Wisconsin, possibly the most gerrymandered state in the country, has been forced to move in a more equitable direction, a huge shuffle in time for November. This could open the way for more seats in the U.S. House. WTMJ-TV
TO THE SOCIAL GOOD
Michigan’s right-to-work repeal takes effect Tuesday. The Democratic majority made this a priority. “Right-to-work prevented employees from being obligated to pay for and join a union. Those in favor of its repeal say workers who opted out are still getting benefits that unions fought for.” WOOD TV
White House touts investments in semiconductor research. Without semiconductors, modern life comes to a halt. Like energy independence, semiconductors are crucial to national security. This week the Biden Administration announced a new five billion dollar National Semiconductor Technology Center. Reuters
DeSantis is scrambling to walk back the Florida book banning craziness. New Republic
AND FINALLY
Trump is ordered to pay $355 million and barred from business in New York for three years. Verdict, tantrums, and appeals aside, Trump must come up with over $400 million in 30 days (including E. Jean Carroll’s $90 million). And, significantly, The Trump Organization will be subject to continued oversight from the Independent Monitor, Barbara Jones, who will be all up in his business, watching for financial fraud and skulduggery, as well as appointing an Independent Director of Compliance. The New York Times. Judge Engoron explained that without all of this, the cheating might never end. The rule of law is holding despite Trump’s assault.
“It always seems impossible until it is done.”
– Nelson Mandela