What The Fuck Just Happened Today?2024-03-19T00:23:01-07:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comDay 1154: "A practical impossibility."2024-03-18T14:01:00-07:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/18/day-1154Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump doesn’t have enough money to post the $464 million appeal bond he owes in his New York civil fraud case</strong>, according to a court filing by Trump’s attorneys. Trump needs to post the appeal bond in order to prevent New York Attorney General Letitia James from seizing his real estate assets. Trump’s legal team said they spent “countless hours” contacting about 30 surety companies through four separate brokers to try and raise the money, but none were willing to underwrite the bond. They ultimately concluded that raising the money for the appeal bond was “a practical impossibility.” Trump would need nearly $1 billion in cash reserves in order to convince the companies to help him out, which neither Trump nor the Trump Organization possesses. In the filing, Trump’s lawyers asked a panel of five Manhattan appeals court judges to allow him to hold off on posting the bond while he appeals the verdict. If the request is denied, AG James could start seizing Trump’s properties on March 25. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/18/trump-cant-secure-454-million-appeal-bond-in-new-york-fraud-case-his-lawyers-say.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/18/nyregion/trump-bond-civil-fraud-case.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-unable-get-bond-464-million-judgment-lawyers-say-rcna143860">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/18/politics/trump-464-million-dollar-bond/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/18/trump-new-york-fraud-case-appeal-bond">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-cant-secure-bond-for-454-million-civil-fraud-judgment-6c6fb7f1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/18/trump-civil-fraud-judgment-bond-450-million/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/donald-trump-insurmountable-difficulties-securing-464m-bond-civil-fraud-case/story?id=108243028">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The EPA banned asbestos in the United States, a carcinogen linked to more than 40,000 American deaths annually.</strong> The rule bans the use of chrysotile asbestos, the only form still used in the U.S., which is found in products like brake linings, gaskets, and in chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide production. Exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers. The ban is a significant expansion of an earlier EPA regulation under the 2016 Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act and will be implemented in phases, with immediate effects on imports and gradual prohibitions on other uses over the next two to five years. The rule does provide an exception for the Savannah River Site in South Carolina until 2037 to ensure the safe disposal of nuclear material. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/epa-bans-asbestos-deadly-carcinogen-decades-after-partial-108245355">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/epa-bans-asbestos-where-is-it-used-rcna143910">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/epa-issues-rule-prohibiting-use-of-chrysotile-asbestos-7ac8800e">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Mike Pence declared that he will not endorse Trump in the 2024 general election.</strong> Pence cited “profound differences” between their views on various issues, including Trump’s stance on the national deficit, abortion, the TikTok ban reversal, and the Jan. 6 insurrection. Pence also criticized Trump for a political platform that he said is “at odds with the conservative agenda” they followed during their administration. Pence declined to say who he would personally vote for in the 2024 election, but said he would “never” vote for Biden. Pence said he plans to instead focus on promoting a “broad mainstream conservative agenda” for the remainder of the year. (<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/pence-wont-endorse-trump-deepening-split-between-former-running-mates-87a77c6c?mod=politics_feat1_elections_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mike-pence-endorse-donald-trump-2024-surprise/story?id=108167592">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/17/mike-pence-republicans-trump">The Guardian</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Trump once again described immigrants as criminals who are “poisoning the blood” of the country and compared them to animals</strong> released from prisons and mental institutions. During a nearly hourlong interview on Fox News, Trump also discussed his stances on abortion, NATO, and the potential TikTok ban, while continuing to falsely claim that the 2020 election was rigged. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/17/us/politics/trump-fox-interview-migrants.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Trump called for the imprisonment of Liz Cheney and other members of the January 6 committee</strong> in a series of posts on his personal social media platform. He also claimed that they suppressed evidence that would exonerate him from charges related to the Jan. 6 insurrection and said they should “go to jail along with the rest” of the January 6 “unselect” committee. Cheney responded by saying Trump was “afraid of the truth.” (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/18/trump-liz-cheney-prison-jan-6-investigation">The Guardian</a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>4/ <strong>Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held their first phone call in a month amidst growing disagreements over the war in Gaza.</strong> A White House spokesperson said the two discussed “the latest developments in Israel and Gaza, including the situation in Rafah and efforts to surge humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” Netanyahu also complained about a speech by Chuck Schumer that was critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, which Biden endorsed, while defending his leadership and questioning the influence of domestic politics on Gaza war policy. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/18/biden-netanyahu-first-call-tensions">Axios</a>)</p>
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Day 1150: "Serious consideration."2024-03-14T16:31:00-07:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/14/day-1150Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Manhattan DA’s office agreed to delay the start of the hush money case against Trump by 30 days.</strong> “Specifically, yesterday the USAO produced approximately 31,000 pages of additional records and represented that there will be another production of documents by next week,” the DA’s office wrote in a motion to the court. The newly disclosed evidence relates to Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty and served time for various offenses in a separate case in 2018. Trump’s defense attorneys had sought a longer postponement of up to 90 days and have asked the judge to sanction the DA’s office over the late disclosure of documents, claiming that the DA’s office engaged in “widespread misconduct” to improve their position in the potential trial. The trial was initially set to begin with jury selection on March 25. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-trial-delay-rcna143481">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/manhattan-da-asks-delay-start-trumps-hush-money/story?id=108122637">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/14/nyregion/alvin-bragg-trump-trial-delay.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>A federal judge in Florida rejected a motion to dismiss Trump’s classified documents case.</strong> In a brief written order, U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon said some of Trump’s arguments merit “serious consideration,” but she also noted that dismissing charges at this stage over definitional disputes of the terms in the Espionage Act would be premature. Cannon also expressed skepticism towards the defense’s argument based on the Presidential Records Act. Trump’s lawyers highlighted the lack of prosecution against Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server, despite the FBI finding no classified material in her emails. Trump and his co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, have pleaded not guilty to all 40 criminal charges related to the alleged mishandling of classified documents. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/14/trump-cannon-hearing-espionage-act-pra/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-expected-attend-hearing-seek-dismissal-classified-documents/story?id=108092856">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-florida-classified-documents-dismiss-rcna143135">NBC News</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>A federal appeals court unanimously rejected former Trump adviser Peter Navarro’s attempt to avoid prison while appealing his contempt of Congress conviction</strong> for defying a Jan. 6 committee subpoena. Navarro, 74, must report to a Miami facility by March 19 to serve a four-month sentence, becoming the first former Trump adviser jailed for actions related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/appeals-panel-rejects-trump-adviser-peter-navarros-bid/story?id=108128516">ABC News</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>Chuck Schumer criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a speech on the Senate floor and called for new elections in Israel.</strong> Schumer cited Netanyahu’s prioritization of political survival over Israel’s best interests in the wake of Hamas’ attack and the ongoing bombardment of Gaza. Schumer, the highest-ranking elected Jewish official in the U.S., emphasized the need for change and a negotiated two-state solution, while also calling for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to step down. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/schumer-calls-new-elections-israel-warns-netanyahu-lost/story?id=108117698">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/14/israel-elections-netanyahu-charles-schumer/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/schumer-calls-for-end-of-netanyahu-led-government-in-israel-ebcb15c1?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/chuck-schumer-calls-new-elections-israel-criticizing-netanyahus-leader-rcna143397">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The Biden administration imposed unprecedented sanctions on two Israeli settler outposts and three individuals in the West Bank due to violence against Palestinians.</strong> The move comes amid increased tensions between the Netanyahu government and the U.S. over the ongoing settler violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed more than 31,000 people. The sanctions block access to U.S. assets or property and prohibit banks from working with the targets of the sanctions. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/14/west-bank-settlement-sanctions-biden/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>An American company that paid indicted FBI informant Alexander Smirnov $600,000 in 2020 has ties to a UK firm owned by Trump business associates in Dubai.</strong> Smirnov was accused of lying to the FBI about the Bidens’ involvement in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian company Burisma and provided false accounts that Republicans used to justify a House impeachment investigation. The CEO of the American company, ETT, along with a Pakistani American investor and a former Damac Properties chairman linked to Trump, registered the related UK company in March 2020. The connections raise questions about the motivations behind Smirnov’s fabricated allegations and their potential political implications. (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/14/company-paying-fbi-informant-trump-connections">The Guardian</a>)</p>
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Day 1149: "Lack of detail."2024-03-13T14:37:00-07:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/13/day-1149Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>A Georgia judge threw out six charges in the Georgia election meddling case against Trump and his allies.</strong> The decision by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee marks the first time any charges have been dropped in the four criminal cases Trump faces. Most of the charges still stand, however, including claims that Trump and his team broke the law by trying to stay in power after he lost the 2020 election. The tossed charges were related to Trump’s efforts to pressure officials to violate election laws, like when he called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and told him to “find” enough votes for Trump to win. In his decision, Judge McAfee wrote that prosecutors could seek a reindictment to supplement the six dismissed counts, but said the “lack of detail” regarding the essential legal elements of the charges did not give the defendants “enough information to prepare their defenses intelligently.” (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-overseeing-georgia-election-interference-case-dismisses-charges-108079857">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/13/trump-georgia-election-case-charges-dropped/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/13/trump-georgia-case-judge-dismiss-charges">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The House overwhelmingly passed a bill to force TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the app or face a U.S. ban,</strong> with both parties saying it threatens national security despite the company’s efforts to wall off U.S. data. The bill’s fate remains uncertain in the Senate, and courts may say it violates free speech, but some worry the move could worsen tensions with China as the U.S. continues to go after Chinese tech companies. The White House has said it backs the bill and views it as a way to address data risks. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/technology/tiktok-ban-house-vote.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/13/house-passes-bill-that-could-lead-to-a-tiktok-ban-fight-shifts-to-the-senate.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/house-passes-tiktok-crackdown-bill-fate-in-senate-unclear/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/03/13/tiktok-ban-passes-house-vote/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Biden and Trump both won enough votes in their respective primary races to be their parties’ nominees in the 2024 election,</strong> setting up a rematch of the 2020 election. Biden had little competition, while Trump easily beat his GOP opponents despite the ongoing criminal cases against him. The 2024 election campaign will be one of the longest in American history and the first presidential rematch in almost 70 years. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/us/politics/trump-republican-nomination.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/12/biden-trump-win-presidential-nomination/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>poll/ <strong>63% of respondents blamed recent price increases on “large corporations taking advantage of inflation”</strong> — up from 54% in November. 38% blamed the price increases on Democratic policies, unchanged from November. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/12/voters-blame-businesses-more-than-biden-for-sticky-inflation.html">Financial Times-Michigan Ross via CNBC</a>)</p>
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Day 1148: "Requisite intent."2024-03-12T14:35:00-07:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/12/day-1148Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>A group of Independent and Democratic senators led by Bernie Sanders urged Biden to suspend U.S. military aid to Israel until it allows humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza.</strong> In a letter, the senators argued that blocking aid violates the Foreign Assistance Act. The senators insisted that more leverage is needed to change Israel’s policy. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/us/politics/democrats-biden-israel-letter.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://newrepublic.com/post/179764/bernie-sanders-democratic-senators-letter-biden-israel">New Republic</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Biden administration announced a $300 million weapons package for Ukraine.</strong> The aid will be drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles and is meant as a stopgap measure to address the country’s need for ammunition and air defense systems amid Russia’s ongoing attacks. The move comes as Congress remains deadlocked over a $60.1 billion Ukraine aid bill, with the U.S. having exhausted its assistance to Ukraine since the last package in December 2022. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/us/politics/us-aid-ukraine-war.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house-provide-300-million-weapons-package-ukraine-rcna143021">NBC News</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed Trump told him he would cut off military aid to Ukraine to end the conflict with Russia.</strong> Orbán’s comments come after his visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate last Friday, where the Trump praised Orbán despite his critical stance on providing aid to Ukraine and his resistance to NATO expansion. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/hungarys-leader-claims-trump-told-cut-us-military-aid-ukraine-rcna142774">NBC News</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump may not have sufficient liquid assets to cover the full $464 million civil fraud judgment against him if he loses his appeal.</strong> In a court filing, NY Attorney General Letitia James argued that Trump and his co-defendants should be required to post cash or bonds covering the entire amount to pause the judgment while they challenge the ruling, citing potential fluctuations in his real estate holdings’ value, post-judgment interest, and his other legal battles, including an $83.3 million defamation judgment. James urged the appeals court to reject Trump’s bid to stay the judgment with a $100 million bond, warning that Trump and his co-defendants might attempt to evade or impede enforcement of the judgment if they lose the appeal. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/12/new-york-ag-questions-trump-cash-reserves-in-464-mln-fraud-appeal.html">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/12/new-york-ag-questions-trump-cash-reserves-in-464-mln-fraud-appeal.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-defendants-post-bond-full-464-million-judgment/story?id=108031376">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Trump plans to argue in his upcoming hush money trial that he was unaware that his actions were illegal because his lawyers were involved in the process.</strong> Trump’s attorneys plan to argue that he “lacked the requisite intent to commit the conduct charged in the indictment.” The judge in the case, however, is not likely to allow Trump to present evidence of his lawyers’ involvement without explicitly invoking the advice-of-counsel defense, and Trump’s lawyers said they don’t plan to formally invoke that defense. Trump faces 34 charges related to allegedly covering up a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. The trial is set to begin with jury selection on March 25. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-plans-lean-attorneys-involvement-hush-money-payments-part-trial-rcna143045">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/11/politics/trump-delay-hush-money-trial-supreme-court/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/11/donald-trump-claims-immunity-new-york-charges/72932752007/">USA TODAY</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>A bipartisan panel of three North Carolina judges unanimously ruled that a Republican-led effort to restructure the state’s election boards is unconstitutional.</strong> The law, passed by the GOP-controlled legislature over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto, would have shifted the power to appoint election board members from the governor to the legislature and created boards with an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. The judges found that this infringed on the governor’s constitutional duties and was an unlawful attempt by the legislature to seize power from the executive branch. The ruling leaves the current structure in place, with the governor appointing a majority of members from his own party. Republican legislative leaders are expected to appeal the decision. (<a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article286349535.html">Raleigh News & Observer</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-elections-boards-governor-legislature-879ed4e4f8c84f55283dba0ad01b6823">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/us/politics/north-carolina-election-boards.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
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Day 1147: "Not on my watch."2024-03-11T14:43:00-07:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/11/day-1147Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Biden proposed a $7.3 trillion budget for the next fiscal year that would raise taxes on high earners and corporations to keep Social Security and Medicare from hitting insolvency within the next decade</strong>. Additionally, the budget calls for restoring the expanded Child Tax Credit, fully funding nutrition assistance for women, infants and children through the WIC program, and allowing Medicare to negotiate more aggressively to bring down the cost of prescription drugs. Biden’s budget would cut the deficit by $3 trillion over the next 10 years through changes to the tax code that target the ultra-wealthy and cutting to “wasteful subsidies.” The fiscal 2025 budget would cut the deficit by $3 trillion over the next decade, and raise taxes by a net total of $4.9 trillion – more than 7% above what the government would collect without any policy changes. The plan, however, stand almost no chance of becoming law, given that Republicans control the House and have been unable to pass a budget for the current fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-unveils-2025-budget-proposal-highlighting-election-year/story?id=108010977">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/03/11/congress/bidens-budget-bashes-gop-00146255">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/11/biden-budget-2025-priorities-plans-credits">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-deficit-9ac66a99e741dab656c15116408060a5">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/10/1237398034/biden-2025-budget-proposal">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/11/biden-budget-campaign-taxes/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/us/politics/biden-budget-tax-proposal.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-11/biden-s-7-3-trillion-budget-sets-spending-tax-fight-with-trump?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/joe-biden-budget-released-fcd2b0d2?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump suggested that he’s open to “cutting” Social Security and Medicare</strong>, but later backtracked and claimed he was talking about “cutting waste.” In an interview, Trump, when was asked how he’d resolve the long-term solvency problems of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, said that there was “a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements, tremendous bad management of entitlements.” Biden immediately seized on the comments, saying: “Not on my watch.” He later added: “Many of my Republican friends want to put Social Security and Medicare back on the chopping block again. Many of them are trying to cut Social Security and Medicare or raise the retirement age again. I will stop them.” Social Security is projected to be solvent through 2034, while Medicare is projected to be solvent through 2028. After that, benefits will face automatic cuts with policy changes to add revenue or reduce spending. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-floats-cutting-retirement-spending-drawing-quick-pushback-biden-rcna142776">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/11/trump-entitlements-biden/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/us/politics/trump-mentions-cutting-entitlements-and-biden-pounces.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/11/politics/biden-health-care-trump-new-hampshire/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/11/biden-blasts-trump-over-social-security-medicare-cut-ideas.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump posted a $91.6 million bond to appeal the $83.3 million judgement against him in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case</strong>. In January, a federal jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in damages for Trump’s defamatory statements that denied he raped her, said she wasn’t his type, and accused her of making up the allegation. The bond prevent Carroll from collecting her $83.3 million judgment while Trump appeals the defamation verdict. Nevertheless, after posting his bond, Trump – again – denied Carroll’s rape and defamation claims against him, claiming she is “not a believable person.” Carroll’s lawyer, meanwhile, said she was considering a third defamation lawsuit against Trump. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/08/nyregion/trump-carroll-bond-defamation.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/08/trump-posts-nearly-92m-bond-to-appeal-e-jean-carroll-defamation-damages">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-posts-91-million-bond-appeal-e-jean-carroll-case-rcna142462">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/politics/trump-carroll-83-million-defamation-bond-appeal">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-08/trump-seeks-court-approval-of-91-6-million-bond-over-carroll?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/08/trump-posts-91point6-million-bond-appeals-e-jean-carroll-verdict.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/08/trump-91-million-e-jean-carroll-defamation-bond/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/08/trump-carroll-verdict-appeal-bond-00146060">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-attacks-e-jean-carroll-appeals-rape-defamation-penalties-rcna142778">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/nyregion/trump-carroll-bond.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/11/trump-again-attacks-e-jean-carroll-as-he-appeals-rape-defamation-penalties.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Trump asked to postpone his New York state hush-money trial until the Supreme Court rules on whether “presidential immunity” protects him from criminal prosecution</strong>. Trump has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records tied to a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. The trial is scheduled to begin on March 25. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-new-york-immunity-supreme-court-7a5030cd4f7b6364cd1a8a599cea025d">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/11/trump-immunity-deal-00146319">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-new-york-trial-delay-presidential-immunity/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-asks-judge-delay-new-york-criminal-trial-supreme-court-rules-pre-rcna142810">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/11/politics/trump-delay-hush-money-trial-supreme-court/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-11/trump-asks-for-hush-money-trial-delay-pending-immunity-ruling?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>The Republican National Committee voted to install a new leadership team that was hand-picked by Trump</strong>, completing his takeover of the national party. Michael Whatley, a North Carolina Republican and supporter of Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, was elected the party’s new national chairman. And Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, was voted in as co-chair. The newly installed leadership team began the process of pushing out dozens of staffers and other officials. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/03/08/rnc-vote-lara-trump-whatley/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/08/us/politics/trump-rnc-lara-michael-whatley.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/03/08/donald-trump-gop-rnc-lara-trump/72885304007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mcdaniel-resigns-rnc-chair-new-trump-approved-leaders/story?id=107931924">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-officially-takes-over-republican-national-committee-rcna142362">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/politics/trump-republican-national-committee/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-whatley-legal-fees-53402f8e8ac845db3cf4ab82c882ea74">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/11/bloodbath-at-rnc-trump-team-slashes-staff-at-committee-00146368">Politico</a>)</p>
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Day 1143: "We're not waiting."2024-03-07T14:07:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/07/day-1143Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Biden will order the U.S. military to build a temporary port and pier in Gaza so more humanitarian aid can reach 2.3 million Palestinian civilians in need</strong>. Biden has reportedly grown frustrated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has restricted the flow of humanitarian aid into the beleaguered territory despite U.S. pressure. “We’re not waiting on the Israelis,” one U.S. official said, noting that the ship transport of aid will supplement the on-going U.S. airdrops. The project is expected take several weeks before it’s operational, which will then allow aid to be distributed inside Gaza by the United Nations and other humanitarian personnel. Israel also agreed to open a third border crossing for delivery of trucked food and medicine to northern Gaza. Biden will announce the “emergency mission” to open a maritime route for humanitarian assistance during his State of the Union address tonight. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-07/hopes-fade-of-gaza-cease-fire-before-ramadan-after-failed-talks?sref=MIBMEEoj">Meanwhile</a>, efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan appear to be failing with the Hamas delegation leaving negotiations in Cairo “to consult with the leadership of the movement.” Netanyahu has publicly ruled out Hamas’ demands for a permanent ceasefire, saying Israel intends to resume the offensive after any pause and expand it until “total victory” is achieved. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/07/biden-building-port-in-gaza-to-deliver-aid-00145636">Politico</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-07-24-5657eedc005040694a9ab935ce3e39e5">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-gaza-port-us-military-humanitarian-aid-state-of-the-union/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-07/biden-to-direct-military-to-establish-gaza-port-to-deliver-aid?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/03/07/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/07/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/#link-CIM5OJRLBNAZ5BNI3C23FZRAUU">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/biden-to-announce-creation-of-gaza-port-to-receive-aid-5fc131b8">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-03-07-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sotu-biden-announce-emergency-us-military-mission-build/story?id=107889126">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/07/biden-port-gaza-humanitarian-aid-state-union">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Despite facing criminal charges for mishandling of classified documents, Trump will receive U.S. intelligence briefings after he secures the Republican nomination</strong>. Although the there are no legal requirements to share classified information with Trump, it’s a tradition that dates back to 1952. The Biden administration is expected to modulate what it shares with Trump. Shortly after Biden took office, he <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2021/02/08/day-20/#6-biden-citing-trump%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cerratic-beha">barred</a> Trump from receiving intelligence briefings typically given to former presidents, citing Trump’s “erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.” One former senior U.S. intelligence official added that they’d be “afraid” to give Trump access to classified intelligence. Trump is currently facing 40 counts related to the possession of classified documents and then obstructing efforts to retrieve them. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/07/biden-intel-briefings-trump-00145651">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-may-receive-intelligence-briefing-despite-classified-documents-case">Daily Beast</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Sweden formally joined NATO as the 32nd member</strong>, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality and joining the military alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. With Sweden’s neighbor Finland joining the alliance last year, NATO now controls almost all of the Baltic Sea. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/world/europe/sweden-nato-neutrality.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-is-now-a-full-nato-member/">Politico</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sweden-nato-us-russia-ukraine-8372bc866c8ddcf42d2b8209fa5cd2b1">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Alabama’s governor signed a bill to protect in vitro fertilization into law after the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered unborn children</strong> and that individuals could be held liable for destroying them. The legislation, however, doesn’t define or clarify whether under state law frozen embryos created via IVF have the same rights as children, but instead provides criminal and civil immunity “for death or damage to an embryo” related to IVF. Two Alabama clinics said they would resume IVF procedures, while one expressed significant caution. 66% of Americans <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/28/alabama-ivf-ruling-poll-ipsos">oppose</a> considering frozen embryos as people, while 31% support it. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/alabama-lawmakers-ivf-protection-bill-vote-rcna141710">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/07/alabama-ivf-ruling-bill-00145628">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/03/06/alabama-governor-signs-ivf-bill/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/07/alabama-ivf-fertility-protection-bill">Axios</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>About 1 in 8 voters say abortion is the most important issue in the 2024 elections</strong>. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/07/abortion-voters-top-issue-kff-poll">Axios</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>5/ <strong>Earth posted its warmest February ever</strong> – setting a monthly record for the ninth time in a row. It was also Earth’s warmest 12-month period. February 2024’s averaged 13.5 degrees Celsius (56.3 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking the previous record from 2016 by 0.12 degrees (0.22 degrees Fahrenheit). The last 12-months exceeded the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target for a full year, coming in at 1.56 degrees (2.8 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than preindustrial levels. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/03/06/earth-hottest-february-winter-climate/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/07/weather-heat-climate-change">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hot-climate-change-records-oceans-0af09f155051b25d245a0fd28fe23af6">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p><strong>⏩ Notably next</strong>: <em>Biden will deliver his State of the Union address tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern</em>.</p>
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Day 1142: "Earn the votes."2024-03-06T15:11:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/06/day-1142Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The House passed a $460 billion package of spending bills</strong>, setting up a Senate vote before Friday’s deadline to avert yet another partial government shutdown. The measure packages six of the 12 required appropriations bills and will extend funding through Sept. 30 for the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, as well as the FDA, military construction, and other federal programs. Lawmakers are still negotiating the other six government spending bills, which must pass by March 22 to avert a lapse in funding. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/06/house-vote-government-shutdown-bill/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-expected-vote-funding-bills-avert-partial-government/story?id=107847872">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/us/politics/house-spending-bill-shutdown.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-funding-deadline-congress-2533c1a6b6eb25cc63e78f089e27d3a0">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/03/06/congress/another-funding-vote-queued-up-house-gop-spending-shutdown-00145309">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-passes-first-funding-package-avert-partial-government-shutdown-rcna142048">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Supreme Court will hear arguments April 25 about whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election</strong>. The case will be the last one argued in the court’s current calendar, but could take months for the justices to issue an opinion. The outcome will determine whether and how quickly Trump faces trial for allegedly trying to block Biden’s election victory. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/06/trump-immunity-supreme-court-argument-date/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/06/supreme-court-will-hear-trump-presidential-immunity-argument-april-25.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-06/supreme-court-schedules-trump-immunity-argument-for-april-25?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/06/politics/supreme-court-sets-argument-date-in-trump-immunity-case-for-april-25/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Voting on Super Tuesday went as expected: Biden and Trump – facing 91 criminal charges – are all but certain to be headed for a rematch in 2024</strong>. Notably, while Biden lost North Carolina to Trump by about 75,000 votes in 2020, several exit polls indicated that 80% of Nikki Haley voters wouldn’t necessarily vote for the Republican nominee in November, and 66% said they didn’t believe Trump was physically or mentally fit to be president. Haley won about 249,651 of the Republican votes in North Carolina on Super Tuesday. The “uncommitted” protest against Biden continued in Minnesota, with nearly 19% of Democratic voters choosing “uncommitted” rather than for Biden. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/primary-biden-trump-democratic-republican-9b61e8faf14e471ca4f7ea2d004221f4">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/06/5-big-takeaways-super-tuesday-election-biden-trump">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/06/super-tuesday-trump-biden-takeaways-00145271">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1236192892/super-tuesday-results-analysis-trump-biden-haley">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/us/politics/super-tuesday-trump-biden-takeaways.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/05/super-tuesday-takeaways-trump-biden/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Nikki Haley suspended her presidential campaign, but stopped short of endorsing Trump</strong>. Instead, Haley said it’s up to Trump to “earn the votes of those in our party who did not support him.” Trump responded by saying “Nikki Haley got TROUNCED last night, in record setting fashion.” His campaign then sent out a fundraising email asking Republicans “TO UNITE AS A PARTY AND DEFEAT JOE BIDEN!” Biden, meanwhile, reached out to Haley’s supporters, saying: “Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign. I know there is a lot we won’t agree on. But on the fundamental issues of preserving American democracy, on standing up for the rule of law, on treating each other with decency and dignity and respect, on preserving NATO and standing up to America’s adversaries, I hope and believe we can find common ground.” (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nikki-haley-drops-2024-presidential-race-regrets/story?id=107842396">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1228580178/nikki-haley-drops-out-presidential-campaign-trump-biden">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/nikki-haley-ends-presidential-campaign-trump-gop-primary-rcna134811">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/03/06/us/haley-out-trump-election-updates">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-trump-biden-woman-president-36f6361c31a8216a0aaa4815f57dd51d">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>Mitch McConnell endorsed Trump for president</strong> despite once <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2021/02/15/day-27/#3-mitch-mcconnell-denounced-trump-mi">denouncing</a> Trump as “morally and practically responsible for provoking” the Jan. 6 insurrection in a “disgraceful dereliction of duty.” Nevertheless, McConnell said it was “abundantly clear” that Trump had “earned” the support of Republican voters and that “it should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support.” The two have not spoken since 2020 – when McConnell <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2020/12/15/day-1426/#3-mitch-mcconnell-acknowledged-biden">acknowledged</a> Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-endorsement-donald-trump-super-tuesday-422a2ec6f19917b46804b4cf6ee40371">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/03/06/mcconnell-trump-endorse-2024/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/06/mitch-mcconnell-trump-2024-endorsement">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/03/06/congress/mitch-for-donald-00145318">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1236278045/mitch-mcconnell-endorses-trump-2024">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/us/politics/mcconnell-endorses-trump.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mitch-mcconnell-endorses-donald-trump-2024-race-support/story?id=107845418">ABC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1141: "The situation is simply intolerable."2024-03-05T14:54:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/05/day-1141Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Today is Super Tuesday</strong>. Democrats and Republicans are casting ballots in 15 states for their party’s nominee for president, Senate, House, and governors races that can determine political control of Congress and states for the next two to four years. Over a third of the total delegates are up for grabs: 854 Republican delegates and 1,420 Democratic delegates. It takes 1,215 delegates to win the Republican nomination, while it takes 1,968 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Trump is expected to widen his lead over Nikki Haley, while Biden is expected to sweep on the Democratic side. [<em>Editor’s note: Check back tomorrow for a full recap on Super Tuesday 2024.</em>] (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-tuesday-trump-biden-rematch-primaries-2024-e36971a222a2b50d35cb0a2c603ce4d5">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/03/05/super-tuesday-live-updates-election-2024/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/live-updates/super-tuesday-2024-states-results">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/03/05/us/super-tuesday-election-updates">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/super-tuesday-primary-03-05-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/live-blog/super-tuesday-live-updates-rcna140438">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2024-03-05/super-tuesday-primaries?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/super-tuesday-primary-election-2024?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will not seek re-election</strong>, setting up a race between Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake to succeed her. Sinema left the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/03/05/congress/sinema-not-running-00144995">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/05/kyrsten-sinema-reelection-arizona/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/us/politics/kyrsten-sinema-arizona-senate.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/independent-sen-kyrsten-sinema-will-not-run-re-election-arizona-rcna124499">NBC News</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>The number of Americans who think Trump committed serious federal crimes has declined since December</strong> after steadily rising since the fall of 2022. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/us/politics/donald-trump-poll-crimes.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Do Americans have a “collective amnesia” about Trump?</strong> “It’s only been three years, but memories of Trump’s presidency have faded and changed fast.” (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/us/politics/trump-presidency-election-voters.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Biden’s new strategy: Go for Trump’s jugular</strong>. “Biden has told friends he thinks Trump is wobbly, both intellectually and emotionally, and will explode if Biden mercilessly gigs and goads him — ‘go haywire in public,’ as one adviser put it. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/05/biden-new-strategy-attack-trump-2024-election">Axios</a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a new Texas immigration law</strong>, which allow state police to arrest, jail, and prosecute migrants suspected of illegally crossing the U.S. border. Justice Samuel Alito issued the administrative hold, which will block the law from taking effect until March 13, after civil rights groups and the Department of Justice sued, arguing the law is unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling. The Justice Department also said the law would “profoundly” alter the status quo “that has existed between the United States and the States in the context of immigration for almost 150 years.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/biden-administration-asks-supreme-court-block-texas-immigration-law-rcna141761">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/04/politics/texas-immigration-law-supreme-court-appeal/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-04/supreme-court-asked-to-block-law-letting-texas-deport-migrants?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The U.S. continued to airdrop aid into Gaza as the humanitarian crisis deepens</strong>. The Biden administration said it’s working to increase the delivery of humanitarian aid “through as many channels as possible,” because “the situation is simply intolerable.” Biden, meanwhile, said that a possible six-week ceasefire in Gaza is “in the hands of Hamas right now,” adding: “We need a ceasefire.” Israel, Hamas, and mediators want to secure a deal before March 10, the start of Ramadan, the holiest period in the Islamic calendar, which is observed by a month of fasting. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/05/1235940178/more-u-s-aid-air-dropped-into-gaza">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-04/us-says-airdrops-to-gaza-to-continue-in-intolerable-situation?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/03/05/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news#gaza-airdrop-us-aid">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/05/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The Biden administration will cap all credit card late fees at $8</strong>, which regulators say will save Americans up to $10 billion a year. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule will close a legal loophole that had allowed some financial services to charge an average of $32 per month for a missed or late payment. Biden also announced the formation of a new “strike force” meant to crack down on “junk fees,” and other “anti-competitive, unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent business practices” on things like groceries, prescription drugs, health care, housing and financial services. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/credit-card-junk-late-fees-consumer-financial-16e3dc606a5e62cf3da01868ec627bc2">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/05/credit-card-fees-cap-8-month/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/05/1235973211/credit-card-late-fees-cap-junk-fees-cfpb">NPR</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/biden-administration-finalizes-rule-cutting-credit-card-late/story?id=107799462">ABC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1140: "Such chaos."2024-03-04T14:04:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/03/04/day-1140Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Supreme Court unanimously reversed the Colorado Supreme Court decision to remove Trump from the ballot for engaging in an insurrection on Jan. 6</strong>. The ruling ends efforts in Colorado, Illinois, Maine and elsewhere to remove Trump from the ballot. In an unsigned ruling with no dissents, the court said that only Congress – not the states – can disqualify a presidential candidate under the Constitution’s insurrection clause, suggesting that the result could lead to an unworkable “patchwork” where a candidate could be ineligible in one state but not another. “Nothing in the Constitution requires that we endure such chaos — arriving at any time or different times, up to and perhaps beyond the inauguration,” the court wrote. Five of the six conservative justices went further, saying that Congress must determine who was disqualified under Section 3 of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment. The justices, however, didn’t weigh in on whether Trump engaged in an insurrection by attempting to overturn the 2020 election results or encouraging the violence on Jan. 6. Trump, meanwhile, posted on his personal social media network after the decision: “BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/04/supreme-court-trump-ballot-decision/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules-trump-cannot-kicked-colorado-ballot-rcna132291">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-insurrection-election-colorado-51e79c0f03013034c8a042cb278b6446">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/04/states-cant-remove-trump-from-ballot-supreme-court-says-00144673">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1230453714/supreme-court-trump-colorado-ballot">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/03/04/us/trump-supreme-court-colorado-ballot">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/04/supreme-court-trump-colorado-ballot">Axios</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-supreme-court-rules-trump-historic-14th-amendment/story?id=107158454">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/supreme-court-opinion-trump-ballot-03-04-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/04/supreme-court-rules-in-trump-colorado-ballot-case.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-04/supreme-court-rules-trump-can-appear-on-presidential-ballots?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/supreme-court-ruling-trump-ballot-colorado-092852fe">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Biden warned that Trump won’t concede if he loses in November</strong>, saying: “Losers are never graceful.” (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/04/biden-trump-2024-election-concede">Axios</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump’s former chief financial officer pleaded guilty to perjury related to testimony he gave during Trump’s civil fraud trial</strong>. Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and will be sentenced to five months in jail – his second guilty plea in a criminal case involving his work for Trump. He pleaded guilty in a tax fraud case in 2022 and was sentenced to five months. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/04/allen-weisselberg-perjury-trump-trial-guilty-plea">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/ex-trump-cfo-weisselberg-plead-guilty-perjury-civil-fraud-case-rcna141612">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/04/trump-cfo-weisselberg-perjury-00144704">Politico</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-weisselberg-perjury-0101a9972cefd1e1fb4ba6d36e69fecb">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/04/politics/allen-weisselberg-trump-org-cfo-plea-perjury/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-organization-cfo-allen-weisselberg-plead-guilty-perjury/story?id=107767924">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/ex-trump-cfo-pleads-guilty-to-perjury-charges-6f937965">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/04/nyregion/weisselberg-guilty-trump-business.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Trump – again – requested a delay in the $83 million judgment against him in the E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case</strong>. Trump also owes $454 million in his civil fraud case. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-seeks-delay-83m-judgment-jean-carroll-case/story?id=107782842">ABC News</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>Kamala Harris called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza</strong>, citing the “humanitarian catastrophe” caused by the Israel-Hamas War. “Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire,” Harris said. Israel has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-02-2024-531593c27931a2764357b6f7b11ce394">reportedly</a> agreed to a deal in principle, in which there would be a four- to six-week ceasefire in exchange for Hamas releasing hostages, and that “the onus right now is on Hamas.” Still, Harris added: “The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses. […] People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act.” The U.S. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/negotiators-scramble-to-rescue-gaza-hostage-talks-after-deadly-convoy-incident-b446a5e3">began</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/02/world/middleeast/us-airdrop-gaza-aid.html">air-dropping</a> 38,000 meals and other aid over the Gaza Strip <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-airdrop-humanitarian-assistance-f8bc071193f89906abf21478bc70a084">after</a> more than 100 Palestinians were killed in a chaotic scene where the Israeli military opened fire on a crowd gathered around a convoy of trucks carrying desperately needed aid. <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/02/1235570881/harris-israel-gantz-gaza-ceasefire-biden-netanyahu">Meanwhile</a>, a member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet is scheduled to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/02/1235570881/harris-israel-gantz-gaza-ceasefire-biden-netanyahu">meet</a> with Harris as talks drag on over a deal to release hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attacks. (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-vp-harris-urges-israeli-government-do-more-boost-aid-into-gaza-2024-03-03/">Reuters</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/03/kamala-harris-immediate-ceasefire-gaza/72833162007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1234822836/kamala-harris-benny-gantz-gaza-cease-fire-israel-hamas">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-03/harris-calls-for-gaza-cease-fire-release-of-israeli-hostages?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/harris-calls-for-gaza-cease-fire-as-she-urges-hamas-to-accept-deal-84f27689">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vice-president-kamala-harris-returns-selma-mark-bloody/story?id=107753453">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna141594">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The United Nations reported that it had found “reasonable grounds” to believe that sexual violence occurred during the Hamas terror attacks on Israel</strong>, including rape and gang rape in at least three locations. “In most of these incidents, victims first subjected to rape were then killed,” the report said, “and at least two incidents relate to the rape of women’s corpses.” The team also said it had found “clear and convincing evidence” that hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza were subjected to “rape and sexualized torture and sexualized cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/04/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/#link-MVPCJFYKPVHJHIVS2GUXLG6WQQ">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/03/04/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/04/europe/un-team-sexual-abuse-oct-7-hostages-intl/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p><strong>⏩ Notably next</strong>: Super Tuesday is tomorrow. Here’s what to expect. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1234950789/super-tuesday-2024-when-primary">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/03/04/questions-answers-super-tuesday-polling/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
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Day 1136: "Posed a threat."2024-02-29T15:18:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/29/day-1136Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>A state judge in Illinois ruled that Trump had engaged in insurrection and disqualified him from the state’s primary ballot</strong>. Trump appealed Judge Tracie Porter’s decision to ban him for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Illinois is the third state where Trump has been disqualified under the 14th Amendment, which bars insurrectionists from running for office. Rulings in all three states have been stayed pending appeals, which means Trump will still be on the Republican ballot when Illinois holds its primary March 19. (<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-29/trump-to-remain-on-illinois-ballot-as-judge-to-stay-ruling?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/29/trump-removed-illinois-ballot-14th-amendment">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/29/politics/trump-appeals-illinois-decision/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/us/trump-removal-illinois-primary-ballot.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/illinois-judge-rules-trump-removed-republican-primary-ballot-jan-6-rio-rcna141065">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>A federal judge temporarily blocked a new Texas law that would allow state police to arrest, jail, and prosecute migrants suspected of illegally crossing the U.S. border</strong>. The law, Senate Bill 4, was set to take effect March 5, but U.S. District Judge David Ezra issued a preliminary injunction after the Justice Department and the American Civil Liberties Union sued to stop the law from being enforced, arguing that it’s unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling. Ezra wrote in his opinion that the federal government “will suffer grave irreparable harm” if the law took effect because it could inspire other states to pass their own immigration laws, creating an inconsistent patchwork of immigration regulations. Texas appealed the ruling to the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. (<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/29/texas-arrest-migrant-illegal-senate-bill-4-blocked/">Texas Tribune</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/29/texas-immigration-border-law-lawsuit-ruling">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-migrant-arrests-court-ruling-3bcded91620cbd9686575caa6bcac203">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/us/texas-border-law-court-injunction.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/02/29/texas-senate-bill-police-arrest-migrants/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-puts-temporary-halt-strict-texas-immigration-law/story?id=107682591">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The House passed a temporary funding bill to avert a partial government shutdown and extend funding for one week</strong>, sending the measure to the Senate, where it is expected to pass. It’s the fourth time that Congress has been forced to pass a stop-gap funding measure to avoid a shutdown despite Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/05/30/day-861/#1-biden-and-kevin-mccarthy-reached-a">agreeing</a> on a 2024 fiscal year budget last May. Far-right Republicans in the House, however, revolted against a bipartisan spending deal and ousted McCarthy instead. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/02/29/government-shutdown-deal-vote-cr/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/29/politics/house-stopgap-bill-vote-shutdown">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-29/house-passes-short-term-spending-to-avert-us-government-shutdown?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/29/house-continuing-resolution-government-shutdown">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/29/congress/house-passes-bill-to-avert-shutdown-00144172">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/28/1234679367/congress-spending-deal-government-shutdown">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/us/politics/house-stopgap-spending-bill.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/house-to-vote-on-bill-averting-shutdown-over-some-republicans-complaints-c6d7135d?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Israeli troops opened fired on a large crowd of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid</strong>, killing more than 112 people and injuring at least 750 others. The convoy was bringing food to shelters for Palestinian civilians. Israeli troops reportedly opened fire as people pulled boxes of flour and canned goods off the trucks, causing the Palestinians to hide. After the shooting stopped, people went back to the trucks, and the soldiers opened fire again. Israel claimed that troops “didn’t open fire on a humanitarian aid convoy,” but also said the crowd “posed a threat” to soldiers “who responded to the threat with live fire.” Israel didn’t clarify what the threat was. The incident comes after the U.N. warned that a quarter of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians face starvation. Biden, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/29/biden-walks-back-gaza-truce-00144168">meanwhile</a>, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-walks-back-prediction-monday-ceasefire-deal-gaza-hopeful-probabl-rcna141161">acknowledged</a> that the shooting <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/29/biden-gaza-aid-convoy-palestinians-hostage-ceasefire?stream=top">complicates</a> negotiations in the <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/27/day-1134/#1-biden-suggested-that-a-ceasefire-b">hostage-for-ceasefire deal</a>, saying “Probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful.” Since the war began, at least 30,035 people have been killed in Gaza and 70,457 others have been injured. One U.S. official <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/24/gaza-humanitarian-aid-israel-hamas-police-biden?stream=top">privately said</a> the Biden administration is growing concerned that “Gaza is turning into Mogadishu.” (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-29-2024-f9b5a62a80d8b83eac4946d3c85af58b">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/29/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna141090">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/29/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/gaza-death-toll-surpasses-30-000-62d1ba25?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-hamas-war/?id=107535302">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-02-29-24/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
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Day 1135: "Bait."2024-02-28T14:49:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/28/day-1135Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Mitch McConnell will step down as the Senate Republican leader in November</strong>. The 82-year-old is the longest-serving Senate leader in history and has faced a series of recent health issues, including a <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/08/30/day-953/#3-mitch-mcconnell-%E2%80%93-again-%E2%80%93-froze-du">concussion</a>, a fall that required him to use a wheelchair periodically to get around, and <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/07/27/day-919/#3-mitch-mcconnell-was-escorted-away">at least</a> two episodes where he momentarily froze in front of the media. Aides, however, said McConnell’s announcement was unrelated to his health. “One of life’s most under appreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” McConnell said. “So I stand before you today […] to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate.” McConnell’s legacy includes blocking Obama from filling a vacant Supreme Court seat in 2016 with Merrick Garland. The decision directly led to the confirmation of three Trump-nominated Supreme Court justices – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett – creating the most right-leaning court in nearly a century, which went on to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, ending the national right to abortion. McConnell also helped guide 234 Trump-appointed judicial nominees to the bench, shifting the balance of the judiciary towards conservatives for the next generation. McConnell has <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2022/06/30/day-527/#2-biden-called-for-eliminating-the-s">called</a> the Garland decision “the single most consequential thing I’ve ever done.” [<em>Editor’s note: So long snake!</em>] (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-republican-leader-stepping-down-ba478d570a4561aa7baf91a204d7e366">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/28/1163447619/mitch-mcconnell-steps-down">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-mitch-mcconnell-will-step-republican-leader-term-rcna99337">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/28/congress/mcconnell-leaving-00143861">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/28/mcconnell-senate-november/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-senate.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/28/politics/mitch-mcconnell-stepping-down-leadership-senate-gop/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-28/mcconnell-to-step-down-as-senate-republican-leader-post-election?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/mitch-mcconnell-to-step-down-as-senate-minority-leader-in-november-7e9ca478?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Supreme Court agreed to decide whether Trump is immune from prosecution for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election to remain in power</strong>. Arguments are set for the week of April 22 – a schedule that would permit a ruling with enough time for a trial before the November election – to consider an <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/06/day-1113/#1-a-federal-appeals-court-rejected-t">unanimous appeals court ruling</a>, which rejected Trump’s assertion that he’s immune from federal prosecution for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump has repeatedly argued that his actions related to the Jan. 6 insurrection were part of his “official” duties as president and he therefore can’t be prosecuted without first being impeached and convicted by Congress. Since the Senate acquitted Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, Trump has claimed he’s now subject to “double jeopardy.” He faces four felony counts brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, including conspiring to defraud the U.S., conspiring to obstruct the formal certification in Congress of Biden’s victory, obstructing a congressional proceeding, and conspiracy against the right to vote. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/28/trump-supreme-court-immunity-claim-dc-trial/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-28/supreme-court-to-weigh-trump-immunity-keeps-dc-trial-on-hold?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/28/supreme-court-trump-immunity-jan-6">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/us/supreme-court-trump-immunity-trial.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/28/trump-election-case-supreme-court-will-rule-on-immunity.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/28/politics/trump-supreme-court-immunity/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/28/supreme-court-trump-immunity-00143985">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/28/1231974416/supreme-court-trump-immunity">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-decide-trumps-immunity-claim-election-interference-case-rcna139026">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>A New York judge ordered Trump to pay his full $454 million civil fraud penalty before he can proceed with an appeal</strong>. Trump had offered to post a $100 million bond to temporarily delay the judgement, arguing that the lending ban in the Feb. 16 verdict made it “impossible” to secure a bond for the “complete” amount. Trump’s lawyers also noted that if he’s forced to put up a bond for the entire amount, “properties would likely need to be sold to raise capital under exigent circumstances” to raise the money. Judge Anil Singh, however, denied Trump’s request to delay paying the full amount while he appeals. Trump has until March 25 to post the full bond to pause collection so he can appeal, or he’ll be forced to pay the monetary penalty or risk having some of his assets seized. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/28/trump-lawyers-plan-to-post-100-million-bond-in-ny-fraud-appeal.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/28/politics/donald-trump-appeals-court-new-york/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-james-appeal-bond-fraud-new-york-3093352e94274f9daba3d84f0c43467e">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/28/trump-new-york-supreme-court-judgment-appeal/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/nyregion/trump-bond-civil-fraud.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-28/trump-offering-100-million-bond-to-appeal-ny-fraud-verdict?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Biden and Trump won their party’s Michigan primary elections, but Biden faced opposition from voters over his support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza</strong>. More than 100,000 voters – about 13% – marked “uncommitted” on their ballot in the Democratic primary as part of a pressure campaign to have Biden call for a permanent, unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. Biden won Michigan in 2020 by about 154,000 votes, while Trump carried the state in 2016 by about 11,000 votes. About 20,000 Democrats voted “uncommitted” in each of the last three Michigan Democratic presidential primaries. There are about 200,000 registered voters in Michigan who identified as Muslim, and about 300,000 identify as Middle Eastern or North African. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/27/michigan-primary-trump-biden-haley-00143773">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/us/politics/michigan-primary-biden-trump.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/27/michigan-primary-biden-trump-haley-uncommitted/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/27/1234279958/biden-uncommitted-democrats-michigan-primary-election-2024-">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-election-michigan-2024-6e0b9fc18773e975fdfd23f7287ed615">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/27/politics/takeaways-michigan-democratic-republican-primaries/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>Israel and Hamas both rejected Biden’s optimism that a hostage-for-ceasefire deal in Gaza could come as soon as next week</strong>. Hamas continues to demand that Israel agree to a permanent ceasefire and to withdraw all of its troops from Gaza before they’ll release the remaining hostages, while Israel has called the demand “delusional” and insists that it will continue fighting “until total victory.” More than 29,900 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, with more than 70,300 injured, and thousands more missing and presumed dead. About 80% of the enclave’s population has been displaced. The U.N., meanwhile, warned that one in four people – about 575,000 people – in the Gaza Strip are “one step away” from starvation. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-27-2024-e17abedeaf5a005fcd5e7095fecacb7a">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna140842">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-02-28-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/28/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-27/one-in-four-gazans-are-now-one-step-away-from-famine-un-says?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>Congress reached a deal to extend government funding for one week and avoid a partial shutdown</strong>. The agreement would extend funding for six agencies –Agriculture, Commerce, Justice and Science, Energy and Water, Interior, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development – until March 8. The deal also extends the deadline for the other six agencies – Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Financial Services, State and Foreign Ops, and Legislative Branch – through March 22. Although there is bipartisan agreement, the House and Senate still need to pass the stopgap measure by Friday night. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/28/congress/leaders-reach-spending-deal-00143849">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/28/politics/house-votes-government-funding/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-28/lawmakers-reach-deal-to-avert-us-government-shutdown?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/28/congress-deal-to-punt-government-shutdown">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/government-shutdown-house-returns-likely-short-term-bill-rcna140894">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/speaker-mike-johnson-makes-offer-to-fund-government-avoid-shutdown-48825ef3?mod=hp_lead_pos6">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>7/ <strong>Senate Republicans blocked passage of a bill to protect access to in vitro fertilization nationwide</strong> following the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos are children. Sen. Tammy Duckworth brought up the bill under unanimous consent – a procedure that allows any one senator to object – but it was blocked by Cindy Hyde-Smith, who called the legislation “a vast overreach.” Senate Republicans characterized the bill – which states that people have a right to “access assisted reproductive technology,” that doctors have the right to provide it, and insurers the right to cover it – as “bait” while also claiming they support IVF. In the wake of the scuttled vote, the Biden campaign tied the Alabama ruling to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, arguing that if “Trump supported IVF, he would demand Republicans protect access to it — but he hasn’t.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/28/congress/blocks-ivf-vote-gop-senate-protections-00143918">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/us/politics/senate-republicans-ivf-bill.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/28/senate-ivf-bill-trump-biden-campaign">Axios</a>)</p>
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Day 1134: "You can't do both."2024-02-27T14:54:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/27/day-1134Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Biden suggested that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could begin as soon as next week</strong>, saying talks were “close but not done yet.” Negotiators are nearing an agreement that would halt Israel’s military operations in Gaza in exchange for the release of many of the more than 100 remaining hostages being held by Hamas. Biden also confirmed that Israel had agreed to pause fighting in Gaza during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, which begins in two weeks. He added that Israel risks losing “the overwhelming support of the vast majority of nations” if its “incredibly conservative” government continues down its current path. Israel, however, said it was “surprised” by Biden’s optimism of a ceasefire deal. Meanwhile, an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington to protest Israel’s war in Gaza. Aaron Bushnell livestreamed his self-immolation on social media, declaring that he “will no longer be complicit in genocide […] I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all.” Bushnell repeatedly yelled “Free Palestine” until he collapsed to the ground. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/26/biden-cease-fire-gaza/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/26/us/politics/biden-israel-gaza-cease-fire.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna140624">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-26/biden-says-he-hopes-gaza-cease-fire-starts-as-soon-as-monday?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/25/1233810136/fire-man-israeli-embassy-washington">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/25/politics/man-sets-himself-on-fire-israeli-embassy-washington-dc/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/25/man-set-himself-on-fire-israel-embassy-dc">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/27/politics/joe-biden-israel-international-support/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>✏️ Inside the Democratic rebellion against Biden over the Gaza war</strong>. “Biden’s campaign has been surprised by the depth of anger and frustration over Israel. ‘We are getting hurt more than we anticipated’ by Biden’s support for Israel, one senior campaign adviser said.” (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/inside-democratic-rebellion-against-biden-over-gaza-war-2024-02-27/">Reuters</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>✏️ Biden Faces ‘Uncommitted’ Vote in Michigan’s Primary</strong>. “A protest vote against President Biden’s policies on Israel will show the extent of Democratic divisions, while Donald Trump is favored to win again as Nikki Haley presses on.” (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/us/politics/michigan-primary-biden-trump.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>✏️ Biden’s Stance on Israel-Hamas War Sows Reelection Risks</strong>. “Tuesday’s primary in the crucial swing state of Michigan may deliver a symbolic rebuke to the president’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Much of its sizable Arab-American population blames Biden for siding with Israel and failing to stop the fighting. Many younger voters and Black Americans agree, and there’s a grassroots push to vote ’uncommitted’ instead of endorsing the president, who has no serious challengers for the Democratic nomination.” (Bloomberg)</p>
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<p><strong>✏️ In Michigan Primary, Voters Vent Anger at Biden Over Gaza.</strong> “Michigan is home to the largest percentage of Arab-Americans in the U.S., many concentrated in Dearborn, represented in Congress by Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the lone Palestinian-American member of Congress. She and the city’s Arab-American mayor have backed the ‘uncommitted’ protest.” (<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/in-michigan-primary-uncommitted-is-a-protest-vote-22915829?mod=hp_lead_pos3">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
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</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>Speaker Mike Johnson was “unequivocally” clear that he wants to avoid a government shutdown during an “intense” private meeting with Biden and other congressional leaders</strong>. Biden summoned the top four leaders of Congress to the White House with four days to go until federal funding partially runs out. “I think that it’s Congress’s responsibility to fund the government,” Biden said. “We’ve got to get about doing it. A shutdown would damage the economy significantly. I think we can all agree to that. And we need bipartisan solutions.” Johnson, who is facing pressure from Biden, Democrats, Senate Republicans, and the ultraconservative wing of the House, said he believed they could come to an agreement and that Republicans were working in “good faith” on spending negotiations. “We’re very optimistic,” he added, saying that preventing a shutdown was “our first responsibility.” Aid for Ukraine, however, remains in doubt with Johnson refusing to take up the $95 billion aid package that the Senate passed earlier this month. “The need is urgent,” Biden demanded. “The consequences of inaction every day in Ukraine are dire.” Johnson, nevertheless, claims the Senate’s package “does nothing” to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, saying: “The first priority of the country is our border and making sure it’s secure.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/27/congress/johnson-at-meeting-00143561">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/02/27/biden-ukraine-government-shutdown/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/27/white-house-meeting-mike-johnson-shutdown">Axios</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-calls-congressional-leaders-talk-ukraine-aid-government/story?id=107553901">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/president-biden-meet-congressional-leaders-ahead-government-shutdown-d-rcna140562">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/us/politics/biden-congress-shutdown.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/27/politics/biden-hill-leaders-shutdown-ukraine/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/shutdown-deadline-tests-house-speaker-mike-johnson-f622dd65?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens will be held in custody indefinitely because he poses a significant flight risk</strong>. Federal prosecutors indicted Alexander Smirnov on Feb. 14 for falsely telling the FBI that a Ukrainian energy company had paid bribes to Biden and his son Hunter. The bribery claim was a central part of House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into Biden. House Republicans, meanwhile, subpoenaed Attorney General Merrick Garland for records from special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents. The chairmen of the House Oversight and Judiciary committees linked the request directly to their ongoing presidential impeachment inquiry, which centers on allegations that Biden and his family engaged in corrupt business practices. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/26/fbi-informant-smirnov-hearing-california-00143335">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/ex-fbi-informant-charged-false-intel-bidens-set-appear-court-rcna140454">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/26/us/politics/alexander-smirnov-held-indefinitely.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/26/fbi-informant-biden-smirnov-not-guilty/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/27/biden-special-counsel-republicans-subpoena-attorney-general-for-records.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/27/politics/subpoena-justice-department-hur-investigation/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/27/republicans-subpoena-doj-biden-special-counsel">Axios</a> /<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4492049-house-gop-subpoena-doj-biden-special-counsel-documents/"> The Hill</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Democrats in New York unveiled new congressional maps designed to help them retake the House majority this fall</strong> after voting down district lines proposed by a bipartisan redistricting committee. The map improves Democrats’ chances of picking up seats in two districts, but leaves the partisan makeup of 24 of the state’s 26 districts largely intact. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/27/politics/new-york-congressional-map-democrats/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/nyregion/redistricting-democrats-ny.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-congress-redistricting-house-elections-4b8768b63e0ab7a05d184a52f8979968">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>Senate Democrats demanded a vote on a bill to federally protect in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments</strong>. The Access to Family Building Act, introduced in January by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who had her two daughters via IVF, would add federal protections for those seeking IVF and other reproductive assistance methods. Duckworth asked the Senate for unanimous consent, effectively daring Republicans to block its passage. Under unanimous consent, any one senator can object to moving the bill forward. In 2022, Duckworth tried to call for unanimous consent to pass the bill, but Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith blocked it without explanation. “Donald Trump suddenly supports IVF after crowing and claiming and taking credit for the fall of Roe v. Wade. You can’t do both,” Duckworth said. “And so let’s find out tomorrow if any Republicans show up to block the unanimous consent […] If you truly care about the sanctity of families, and you’re genuinely, actually, honestly interested in protecting IVF then you need to show it by not blocking this bill on the floor.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/27/senate-democrats-ivf-tammy-duckworth-00143535">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/02/27/tammy-duckworth-ivf-legislation">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ivf-tammy-duckworth-senate-bill-vote/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/video-clips/4491055-democratic-senators-hold-presser-on-bill-protecting-ivf-following-alabama-ruling-watch-live/">The Hill</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/27/1234158504/ivf-legislation-tammy-duckworth-alabama-supreme-court">NPR</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>Republicans in the Tennessee House passed a bill to ban displaying pride flags in public school classrooms</strong>. The legislation on behalf of parents who were concerned about display of the pride flags the classroom. The bill would prohibit public schools from displaying flags other than the U.S. and Tennessee state flag. While the measure would allow schools to display the POW/MIA flag, a flag that represents a city or metropolitan government or an official school flag, among other exceptions, it does not explicitly prohibit display of the Nazi or Confederate flags in schools. The 70-24 vote sends the legislation to the state Senate, where a final vote could happen as early as this week. (<a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2024/02/26/tennessee-house-passes-bill-to-ban-pride-flags-in-public-schools/72744479007/">The Tennessean</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-pride-flag-classroom-ban-9ebd3a79776d5644081d5f17ab84be52">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/lgbtq/4491918-tennessee-house-pride-flags-schools/">The Hill</a>)</p>
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Day 1133: "Clarifying."2024-02-26T13:48:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/26/day-1133Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Alabama lawmakers are considering “clarifying” legislation that would “protect” in vitro fertilization</strong> following the state Supreme Court’s ruling that embryos are children and protected under Alabama’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act. With abortion and reproductive rights seen as a major liability for Republicans in 2024, the National Republican Senatorial Committee released talking points instructing Republicans to voice support for the procedure and distance themselves from the ruling. The state’s Republican attorney general said he “has no intention of using the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision as a basis for prosecuting IVF families or providers.” And, Trump called on the Alabama legislature to “act quickly to find an immediate solution to preserve the availability of IVF in Alabama” because Republicans “should always be on the side of the Miracle of Life — and the side of Mothers, Fathers, and their Beautiful Babies.” However, 125 House Republicans — including Speaker Mike Johnson — have cosponsored the “Life at Conception Act,” which clarifies that a “human being” includes “all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.” The bill doesn’t include an exception for in vitro fertilization. Democrats, meanwhile, accused Trump and the Republicans of trying to divert attention away from the role they played in overturning Roe v. Wade. The House Democrats’ main super PAC promised to pour money into attacking Republicans on fertility treatments. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/23/us/politics/alabama-ivf-treatment-law.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/23/us/alabama-ivf-embryos-supreme-court-ruling-legislation/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-calls-alabama-legislature-take-action-protect-ivf-services-rcna140259">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/23/ivf-alabama-ruling-republicans-senate-00142953">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/house-republicans-life-at-conception-ivf-exception-2024-2">Business Insider</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/23/house-democrats-attack-republicans-ivf-alabama">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/25/donalds-support-ivf-democrats-hammer-issue-00143203">Politico</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>A Republican Oklahoma state senator called the LGBTQ+ community “filth” following the death of 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict, who died after a fight in a high school bathroom</strong>. “We are a Republican state,” Tom Woods said at a legislative forum. “I’m going to vote my district. I’m going to vote my values. And we don’t want that in the state of Oklahoma […] I represent a constituency that doesn’t want that filth in Oklahoma.” Separately, the Oklahoma school superintendent, Ryan Walters, claimed that “radical leftists” had created a narrative about Nex’s death that “hasn’t been true.” Walters added: “There’s not multiple genders. There’s two. That’s how God created us,” saying he didn’t believe that nonbinary or transgender people exist. Transgender students in the school district said that Walters’ rhetoric has been seen by their classmates as permission to harass and bully them at school. In bodycam footage from an interview with Nex at the hospital following the Feb. 7 attack at the school, Nex described how they “got jumped” and “blacked out” while being beaten on the floor of the bathroom by three girls who had previously mocked Nex and their friends “because of the way that we dress.” School district officials said the students involved were in the bathroom for less than two minutes and all of the students “walked under their own power” to the nurse and assistant principal’s office after the fight. Nex died the next day. (<a href="https://www.salon.com/2024/02/24/oklahoma-senator-calls-lgbtq-people-filth-while-commenting-on-of-nex-benedict/">Salon</a> / <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nex-benedict-dead-oklahoma-b2501844.html">The Independent</a> / <a href="https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/02/24/audio-of-oklahoma-senator-tom-woods-calling-lgbtq-community-filth/72729820007/">The Oklahoman</a> / <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/oklahoma-state-senator-calls-lgbtq-people-filth_n_65da6055e4b0189a6a7e0ee5">HuffPost</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/oklahoma-student-dies-one-day-fight-high-school-bathroom-rcna139643">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/23/us/oklahoma-nonbinary-student-superintendent.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/02/nex-benedict-trans-oklahoma-bullying-bathroom-bills-police-body-cam/">Mother Jones</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/us/oklahoma-bathroom-video-nex-benedict.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump claimed “the Black people” like him because they can relate to his criminal prosecutions and mug shot</strong>. After repeatedly citing the 91 felony charges he faces, including racketeering, conspiracy to obstruct justice and falsifying business records, Trump said: “A lot of people said that that’s why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against. And they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against.” In a speech to the Black Conservative Federation, Trump continued: “When I did the mug shot in Atlanta, that mug shot is number one,” adding the Black population “embraced it more than anyone else […] “I’m being indicted for you, the Black population.” The Biden campaign, meanwhile, called Trump an “anti-Black tyrant” and “the proud poster boy for modern racism.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/24/trump-black-voters-indicted-mug-shot/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-claims-black-americans-relate-criminal-prosecutions/story?id=107509919">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-black-conservative-south-carolina-primary-aa1155c31bfc3b397a32b33eff04ada8">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/us/politics/trump-black-voters.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-black-people-discriminated-legal-system-rcna140305">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/23/politics/trump-biden-racist/">CNN</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>👑 “My ultimate and absolute revenge”: Trump gives chilling CPAC speech on presidential agenda</strong>. “Trump styled himself as a ‘proud political dissident’ and promised ‘judgment day’ for political opponents in an address on Saturday that offered a chilling vision of a democracy in imminent peril.” (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/24/donald-trump-cpac-speech">The Guardian</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>👑 Trump’s CPAC speech showed clear signs of major cognitive decline</strong>. Trump claimed that America is on a “fast track to hell” under Biden and the Democrats and that “If crooked Joe Biden and his thugs win in 2024, the worst is yet to come. Our country will sink to levels that are unimaginable.” (<a href="https://www.salon.com/2024/02/26/cpac-speech-showed-clear-signs-of-major-cognitive-decline--yet-maga-cheered/">Salon</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>👑 Trump rambles his way through incoherent Nashville speech</strong>. “They want you to say what they want you, what they want to have you say. And we’re not gonna let that happen.” (<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-rambles-his-way-through-incoherent-nashville-speech_n_65d8c64ce4b0189a6a7db2dd">HuffPost</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>👑 Inside Trump’s potential second-term agenda</strong>. From nationwide abortion bans to classroom culture wars, assaults on climate science and political weaponization of the military, his return to the White House could make Trump 1.0 seem tame. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/25/second-trump-term-00140488">Politico</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>👑 At CPAC, Trump Invokes Clashing Visions of America’s Future</strong>. “He used his speech to focus on a general-election contest between him and President Biden, not once mentioning his main Republican rival, Nikki Haley.” (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/us/politics/trump-cpac.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>👑 Dark Trump at CPAC: “Biden’s fast track to hell.”</strong> (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/24/trump-cpac-speech-excerpt">Axios</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Nazis mingle openly at CPAC, spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories and finding allies</strong>. “The presence of these extremists has been a persistent issue at CPAC, and in previous years conference organizers have ejected well-known Nazis and white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nazis-mingle-openly-cpac-spreading-antisemitic-conspiracy-theories-fin-rcna140335">NBC News</a>)</p>
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</ul>
<p>4/ <strong>Trump appealed the $464 million civil fraud judgment against him in his New York civil fraud case</strong>. Trump’s appeal, however, won’t automatically halt enforcement of the judgment: he’ll need to post bond to cover the $364 million and an additional roughly $100 million in interest he was ordered to pay to prevent the New York attorney general’s office from collecting the $464 million he owes. The fine increases by nearly $112,000 per day until he pays. Trump also faces an $83.3 million judgment in an unrelated defamation case and, according to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/17/nyregion/trump-civil-cases-millions.html">recent analysis</a> of his finances, he doesn’t have enough cash on hand to cover it all himself. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-york-civil-fraud-appeal-letitia-james-2f8cc521e00e4a34a1342b961c1416ce">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/26/politics/trump-appeal-civil-fraud-new-york/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/26/trump-new-york-civil-fraud-trial-appeal">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/nyregion/trump-fraud-trial-penalty.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fraud-case-appeal-454-million-new-york/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-appeals-464-million-judgment-new-york-civil-fraud-case-rcna140492">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/26/trump-appeals-new-york-civil-fraud-verdict.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-26/trump-appeals-new-york-s-454-million-fraud-verdict-against-him?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>The Manhattan district attorney’s office asked for a gag order in Trump’s criminal case related to hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign</strong>. The request – made before the trial even started – noted that Trump’s “longstanding history of attacking witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, judges, and others involved in legal proceedings against him.” The trial is scheduled to begin on March 25. Trump is accused of 34 felonies. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/26/nyregion/trump-gag-order-hush-money-trial.html">New York Times</a>)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3>✏️ Notables.</h3>
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<p><strong>Trump won South Carolina’s Republican primary, beating Nikki Haley in her home state</strong>. Trump has now won every contest that’s counted for Republican delegates, adding to previous wins in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Trump has collected 110 delegates so far, while Haley has won 20. The first candidate to win 1,215 delegates will win the Republican presidential nomination. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-nikki-haley-south-carolina-primary-republicans-13237d287ce770e0a45e9bccee78e8ee">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/24/1233433937/trump-haley-south-carolina-primary-2024-election">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/24/trump-wins-south-carolina-00143160">Politico</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>The chair of the Republican National Committee will step down following Trump’s call for a new RNC leader</strong>. Ronna McDaniel will leave on March 8 – days after Super Tuesday. Trump had criticized the RNC for its decision to hold primary debates, which he refused to appear is. Trump said he wants Michael Whatley to be RNC chair and Lara Trump – his daughter-in-law – to be RNC co-chair. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/26/ronna-mcdaniel-rnc-00143263">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/26/1233867070/rnc-chair-ronna-mcdaniel-resigns">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronna-mcdaniel-trump-rnc-stepping-down-presidential-2024-dde6c031db877008a348d0a31f04f278">Associated Press</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>At least one member of the Republican National Committee is trying to stop the party from paying Trump’s legal bills</strong>. The effort to keep committee neutral in the primary and to not spend committee funds on Trump’s legal bills comes after Trump called for the RNC’s current leaders to be replaced, and instead install one of his senior campaign advisors and his daughter-in-law in top roles. Lara Trump, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lara-trump-rnc-donald-trump-9c25a74e096439cd7b0ac37c96530675">meanwhile</a>, suggested that Republicans voters would support the committee paying Trump’s legal bills. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-national-committee-stop-legal-bills-ff51a7ae8b5d872344e64a9a18851350">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/us/politics/trump-barbour-rnc.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Hungary’s parliament approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO</strong>, ending the Nordic country’s more than 200-year history of military non-alignment. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as the most pro-Putin leader in the European Union, withheld approval of Sweden’s bid for more than 600 days. That ended after Sweden agreed to send Hungary fighter jets. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/26/hungary-approve-sweden-nato-membership">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-to-join-nato/">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/26/1233928052/hungary-ratifies-sweden-nato-membership">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/26/world/europe/sweden-nato-hungary.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
</li>
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<p><strong>The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $24.6 billion merger of the country’s two largest supermarket chains</strong>. The FTC argues that Kroger’s purchase of Albertsons – its biggest rival – would lead to higher prices, lower-quality products and services, and “eliminate fierce competition” for both shoppers and workers. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/26/1232948796/ftc-lawsuit-krogers-albertsons-grocery-merger">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/26/investing/kroger-albertsons-merger-blocked-ftc/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/26/ftc-kroger-albertsons-merger-lawsuit">Axios</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>House Republicans’ effort to impeach Biden appears to have collapsed</strong> after an FBI informant admitted that Russian intelligence was involved in his false claims about the Biden family. “I don’t see it going anywhere substantive,” one House Republican said, adding that there “aren’t close to enough” GOP votes to impeach Biden. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/23/impeachment-biden-gop-republicans-vote">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/23/biden-impeachment-collapse-00142689">Politico</a>)</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>⏩ Notably next</strong>: <em>The Supreme Court still hasn’t acted on cases that could determine whether Trump can be kicked off the Colorado primary ballot or can further delay his election interference trial</em>. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-remains-silent-trump-immunity-colorado-ballot-cases-rcna140277">NBC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1129: "That's unfortunate."2024-02-22T13:51:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/22/day-1129Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>A third Alabama fertility clinic stopped its vitro fertilization program following the state Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children</strong>. By classifying “cryopreserved embryos” as children, the ruling opens families, clinics, and doctors up to wrongful death lawsuits. Biden called the ruling “a direct result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade,” adding: “The disregard for women’s ability to make these decisions for themselves and their families is outrageous and unacceptable.” The Biden campaign directly blamed Trump for the state court’s ruling, saying “What is happening in Alabama right now is only possible because Donald Trump’s Supreme Court justices overturned Roe v. Wade.” Tim Scott, who is among Trump’s possible picks for VP, dodged a question about the ruling, saying “ I haven’t studied the issue,” while Nikki Haley, who initially said she agreed that “embryos are babies,” she said she didn’t support the court’s decision. Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4483249-tuberville-acknowledges-hard-situation-for-women-after-alabama-ivf-ruling/">meanwhile</a>, acknowledged that the situation is “hard” for women, and when asked what he would say to women who won’t have access to IVF treatment, he replied: “That’s unfortunate.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/us/alabama-ruling-frozen-embryos-facility-pauses-ivf/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/21/embryos-children-uab-alabama-00142508">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/biden-campaign-blames-trump-alabama-supreme-courts-ivf-ruling-rcna139984">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/22/alabama-ivf-legal-uncertainy">Axios</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>✨ Why should I care?</strong> As an individual, this ruling may seem distant, especially if IVF isn’t a personal concern. However, its implications reach far beyond fertility clinics, and reflects a shift in how legal systems intersect with medical ethics and personal choices. If the core of American democratic values lies in the principles of liberty, personal autonomy, and the pursuit of happiness, then this ruling challenges those values by imposing legal definitions that restrict individual choices in matters of reproductive health. Moreover, it sets a precedent that could extend beyond Alabama’s borders, influencing policies in other states and reshaping the national discourse on reproductive rights and healthcare. Today, it’s IVF treatments; tomorrow, it might be another aspect of healthcare or personal liberty.</p>
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<p><em><strong>Unsettled questions</strong>: What happens if patients are no longer able or willing to pay embryo storage fees? What if stored embryos are damaged as a result of a freezer malfunction? What happens if an embryo transfer results in a miscarriage?</em></p>
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</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>Biden suggested that the current Republicans in Congress are “worse” than the “real racists” he served with as a senator in the 1970s</strong>, including segregationist Strom Thurmond. Biden said Thurmond did “terrible things,” but “at least you could work with some of these guys.” Biden added that the current generation of Republicans have “become a party of chaos and division […] These guys do not believe in basic democratic principles.” The comments come as Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans have continued to block an aid package for Ukraine and Israel, which already passed the Senate. Johnson, meanwhile, called Biden’s remarks “outrageous.” Biden also took aim at Trump for comparing his legal problems to the persecution of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in jail last week. “Where the hell does this come from? If I stood here 10-15 years ago you all would have thought that I should be committed,” Biden continued, adding that Trump’s comment – “It is a form of Navalny [… It is a form of communism, of fascism” – was “astounding.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/22/biden-strom-thurmond-republicans/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/22/biden-republicans-worse-strom-thurmond-segregationists">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/22/us/politics/biden-strom-thurmond-republicans.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/biden-calls-putin-crazy-sob-kremlin-debased-america-trump-navalny-rcna139929">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-calls-putin-crazy-sob-hits-trump-navalny/story?id=107433543">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/politics/biden-putin-crazy-sob/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>A federal appeals court revoked a moratorium on new coal mine leasing on public lands</strong>. The leasing moratorium — originally enacted in 2016 by then-Interior Secretary Sally Jewell as part of a strategy to address climate change — didn’t halt mining, but instead prohibited federal lease sales. However, a year later then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke rescinded Jewell’s decision and ordered the resumption of federal coal leasing. A court then reinstated the ban in 2022. And finally, a three judge panel in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals tossed the moratorium, saying the case was moot because Biden administration Interior Secretary Deb Haaland had already revoked the Zinke order to speed up energy permitting. The judges noted that a “de facto moratorium” appears to be in now since lease sales have dropped sharply over the past decade after many electric utilities switched to less polluting sources of energy generation. More than 260 million tons of coal – about half of the nation’s total – was mined on federal land in 2022. More than 400 million tons of coal were mined from federal lands in 2014. It’s not clear how Biden will respond to the ruling or how soon new federal leasing could resume. [<em>Editor’s note: If this is confusing, you are not alone! This may be the most in the weeds WTFJHT blurb yet!</em>] (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coal-moratorium-appeals-court-climate-fc502f8e5e8c5e7c8a680199804de927">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/21/1233039539/federal-appeals-court-revokes-obama-era-ban-on-coal-leasing">NPR</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4481282-appeals-court-tosses-obama-era-coal-leasing-moratorium/">The Hill</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron denied Trump’s request to delay paying $453.5 million in fines stemming from his decade-long scheme to inflate the value of assets to obtain more favorable loan and insurance terms</strong>. Trump’s lawyer asked for a month-long delay in enforcement of the civil fraud judgment, saying it would “allow for an orderly post-Judgment process, particularly given the magnitude of Judgment.” Engoron replied that Trump’s attorney had “failed to explain, much less justify, any basis for a stay,” denying Trump’s request to pause enforcement of his ruling. Trump now has 30 days to post bond and appeal the ruling. (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fraud-case-new-york-judge-354-million/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/21/trump-civil-fraud-judgment-new-york-engoron/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/22/trump-civil-fraud-judgment-ny-enforcement-fine">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-seeks-30-day-delay-enforcement-damages-new-york-civil-fraud-case-rcna139948">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-asks-judge-delay-penalties-civil-fraud-case/story?id=107433418">ABC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1128: "The type of chaos that we expected."2024-02-21T14:05:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/21/day-1128Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created through in vitro fertilization are “children” under the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act</strong>. The Alabama ruling permits three couples to sue for wrongful death after their frozen embryos were destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic. The state Supreme Court ruled that “unborn children are ‘children,’” including “extrauterine children,” and covered under the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor law. “Even before birth, all human beings have the image of God, and their lives cannot be destroyed without effacing his glory,” Chief Justice Tom Parker wrote. The court’s ruling threatens the entire IVF industry in the state since the standard medical procedure during treatment is to extract multiple eggs from a woman, fertilize them to create embryos, transfer one embryo into the uterus in order to maximize the chances of successful implantation, and then store the remaining embryos that were genetically normal. The White House press secretary said the Alabama ruling was “exactly the type of chaos that we expected when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and paved the way for politicians to dictate some of the most personal decisions families can make.” Meanwhile, the University of Alabama at Birmingham health system paused all IVF procedures following the court decision due to fear of criminal prosecution and lawsuits. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/20/us/alabama-embryo-law-ruling-supreme-court">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/19/alabama-supreme-court-embryos-children-ivf/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-supreme-court-from-embryos-161390f0758b04a7638e2ddea20df7ca">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/20/health/ivf-alabama-abortion.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/21/1232827220/alabamas-high-court-rules-frozen-embryos-are-children-under-state-law">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/ivf-doctors-patients-fearful-alabama-court-rules-embryos-are-children-rcna139636">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.al.com/news/2024/02/uab-pauses-in-vitro-fertilization-due-to-fear-of-prosecution-officials-say.html">AL.com</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump privately told advisers and allies that he supports a 16-week national abortion ban</strong>, but wants to wait until after he secures the Republican presidential nomination to discuss his views publicly. “Know what I like about 16?” Trump reportedly told a source. “It’s even. It’s four months.” Trump, however, said he does support three exceptions: rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. The Trump campaign, meanwhile, called the reporting “fake news,” but declined to say what, if any, national-level abortion policy Trump does support. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/us/politics/trump-abortion-ban.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/16/trump-16-week-abortion-ban-00142007">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-campaign-scrambles-abortion-ban-report-democrats-16-weeks-rcna139223">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-federal-ban-trump-2024-election-61c3edcd3780ce94be3bd8d65f100f23">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Project 2025: An influential think tank close to Trump is developing plans to infuse Christian nationalist ideas in his administration should he return to power</strong>. “Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, president of The Center for Renewing America, part of a conservative consortium preparing for Trump’s return to power.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/20/donald-trump-allies-christian-nationalism-00142086">Politico</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>The former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens has “extensive and extremely recent” contacts with Russian intelligence agencies</strong>. Federal prosecutors said that Alexander Smirnov admitted that “officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing a story” about Hunter Biden. Smirnov was arrested and charged with making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record. Smirnov’s claims were a key part of the Republican impeachment inquiry into Biden. Democrats have called for an end to the probe after the Smirnov indictment, but Republicans have instead claimed their case “is not reliant” on the false claims and instead they would continue to “follow the facts.” Republicans, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republican-impeachment-alexander-smirnov_n_65d566cde4b0cc1f2f7a01b3?a5i">meanwhile</a>, deleted references to the discredited FBI informant in a letter they sent to a potential witness in their impeachment inquiry. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-fbi-informant-joe-biden-ef48c7543e7a45cd3b8b671d0e2f60e5">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/ex-fbi-informant-charged-false-claims-fueled-biden-hunter-joe-burisma-rcna139587">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/20/1232789953/alexander-smirnov-fbi-informant-biden-hunter-ukraine">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hunter-biden-alexander-smirnov-joe-biden-russia/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/20/politics/biden-former-fbi-informant-russian-intelligence/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>10 Republicans who treated the Biden bribery claim like gospel</strong>: Rep. Jim Jordan, Pat Fallon, Elise Stefanik, Andrew Clyde, Tim Burchett, Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Anna Paulina Luna, and Nancy Mace. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/21/10-republicans-who-treated-biden-bribery-claim-like-gospel/">Washington Post</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>4/ <strong>Biden canceled an additional $1.2 billion in student loan debt for about 153,000 borrowers</strong>. The loan forgiveness covers borrowers who are enrolled in Biden’s loan repayment program (the Saving on a Valuable Education plan), initially borrowed $12,000 or less, and have been repaying their debt for at least 10 years. With the latest round of relief, Biden has canceled $138 billion of student debt for nearly 3.9 million borrowers since taking office. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/21/1232818472/student-loan-balances-wiped-for-the-first-batch-of-borrowers-in-bidens-save-plan">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/21/us/politics/biden-student-loan-forgiveness-debt.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/21/biden-student-loan-borrowers-00142343">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/02/21/biden-save-student-loan-forgiveness/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/politics/student-loan-forgiveness-biden-debt/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>poll/ <strong>49% of voters said they support Biden over Trump (45%) in a hypothetical 2024 presidential matchup</strong>. 93% of Democrats support Biden and 91% of Republicans support Trump, while independents are divided, with 44% supporting Biden and 42% supporting Trump. (<a href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3890">Quinnipiac</a>)</p>
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Day 1127: "Wishful and irresponsible."2024-02-20T14:43:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/20/day-1127Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>For the third time, the U.S. vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza</strong>. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13 in favor with the U.S. against. The U.K. abstained from voting. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. called the resolution “wishful and irresponsible,” adding that “demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace.” The U.S., meanwhile, proposed its own resolution, which instead calls for a “temporary ceasefire” linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/20/1232636543/un-security-council-gaza-cease-fire-vote">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/20/politics/un-gaza-ceasefire-algeria-resolution-vote-intl">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/20/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/#link-WFZGMWGGWNDNNOK4AAH2CTEXVY">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/20/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna139513">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-20/us-vetoes-un-security-council-resolution-urging-gaza-cease-fire?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-s-drafts-u-n-resolution-calling-for-temporary-cease-fire-in-gaza-ad5c58ce">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-israel-palestinians-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-vote-350c86ef261bf1a00a2515cf22764de5">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Biden administration is preparing “major sanctions” against Russia in response to the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny</strong>. Russia claims that Navalny lost consciousness and died after taking a walk in the Arctic prison, where he was serving a combined prison sentence of more than 30 years on charges of extremism and fraud that he denied. “Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it’s clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr. Navalny’s death,” National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said. The “substantial package” of financial penalties will “come on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the Ukraine war,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan added. Biden, meanwhile, said “Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/20/russia-sanctions-navalny-putin-00142183">Politico</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-target-russia-major-sanctions-response-navalnys/story?id=107372788">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-20/white-house-vows-major-sanctions-friday-after-navalny-death?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sanctions-navalny-putin-biden-ukraine-dc1a51954673398a0410f8a6320f39e8">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-dies-prison-rcna79718">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/20/us/politics/us-sanctions-russia-navalny.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-administration-impose-major-sanctions-hold-russia-accountable-na-rcna139599">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The Supreme Court declined to take up a case challenging an admissions policy aimed at encouraging diversity at a Virginia high school</strong>. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, often ranked the best high school in the country, changed its admissions process in 2020 to boost racial diversity at the school. The new process ended the application fee, allotted a number of seats proportionally among the district’s middle schools, removed standardized tests, and shifted to a more holistic evaluation based on grades, a problem-solving essay and “experience factors,” among other measures. The effect on the first class admitted under the new process increased the percentage of Black students from 1% to 7% and Hispanic students from 3% to 11%. Asian American representation decreased from 73% to 54%. A group of parents, many of them Asian American, filed a lawsuit against the district, alleging that the new process was discriminatory months <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/06/29/day-891/#1-the-supreme-court-struck-down-affi">after</a> the court overturned decades of precedent and effectively ended affirmative action programs in higher education. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/20/supreme-court-affirmative-action-thomas-jefferson-high-school/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-allows-elite-high-school-adopt-admissions/story?id=107367410">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/20/us/supreme-court-race-school-admissions.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/20/supreme-court-race-school-admissions-rejected-case">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-virginia-school-admissions-asian-discrimination-bdac4a3d720c0355f9da1c9539b05c2d">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-stays-racial-preferences-fight-virginia-high-schools-adm-rcna128615">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/supreme-court-diversity-virginia-high-school-e61a37a7?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>An FBI informant was indicted on two counts for providing agents allegedly false information about Biden and his son Hunter Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign</strong>. A federal grand jury indicted Alexander Smirnov with making a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record that Biden and his son each sought $5 million bribes from a Ukrainian company. Congressional Republicans, notably James Comer and Jim Jordan, have repeatedly praised Smirnov as “credible” and put his uncorroborated claims at the center of their impeachment inquiry into Biden. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-burisma-fbi-informant-lying-6969656f6012780a23a4b8841ce2689b">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/special-counsel-charges-fbi-informant-lying-bureau-hunter-joe-biden-rcna139091">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/us/politics/fbi-informant-bidens-ukraine.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/15/hunter-biden-informant-indicted-fbi-burisma/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/special-counsel-charges-fbi-confidential-source-alexander-smirnov/story?id=107275129">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/15/politics/former-fbi-informant-charged-biden-burisma/">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>A Manhattan judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million (plus interest) and barred him from serving in a top role of any New York company for three years for fraudulently inflating the values of his properties</strong>. Justice Arthur Engoron concluded that Trump, his sons, and two former top finance executives were civilly liable for falsifying records, issuing false documents, and related conspiracy offenses. Engoron also ordered Eric Trump and Trump Jr. to pay $4 million and blocked them from serving as an officer or director for any New York corporation for two years. The company’s former longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg was ordered to pay $1 million. New York Attorney General Letitia James said that with pre-judgment interest, the judgment totals over $450 million. Engoron criticized Trump and the defendants for refusing to admit wrongdoing for years, saying “Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological.” Trump, meanwhile, announced the launch of a line of $399 Trump-branded sneakers. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/ny-fraud-case-damages-pay-millions-judge-engoron-rcna135283">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-engoron-244024861f0df886543c157c9fc5b3e4">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/16/nyregion/trump-civil-fraud-trial-ruling.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/16/trump-ny-fraud-trial-decision/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-civil-fraud-trial-decision-02-16-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/donald-trump-new-york-civil-fraud-trial-ruling-6447c2cd">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-16/trump-hit-with-364-million-fine-three-year-ban-for-ny-fraud?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-launches-sneaker-line-rcna139334">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sneakers-sneaker-con-philadelphia-4de093eda6f8d1c68baf8fe8095f777b">Associated Press</a>)</p>
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Day 1122: "Unprecedented stress."2024-02-15T13:12:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/15/day-1122Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The first of Trump’s four criminal trials will start March 25</strong>. Justice Juan Merchan set the trial date after denying Trump’s attempt to dismiss the 34 felony charges, which center on allegations that Trump falsified business records to cover up hush money payments to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s lawyer, meanwhile, “strenuously” objected to the trial date, claiming the decision is “election interference” because “Trump is going to now spend the next two months working on this trial instead of out on the campaign trail running for president.” The trial is expected to last six weeks and Trump will be required to attend his Manhattan criminal trial in person. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/15/trump-hush-money-criminal-case-hearing-update-00141621">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/15/nyregion/trump-manhattan-criminal-case">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-new-york-hush-money-trial-rcna138596">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/15/1231707111/trump-hush-money-case-new-york-trial">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/15/trump-in-new-york-courr-for-stormy-daniels-hush-money-case-hearing-.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/15/trump-new-york-hush-money-trial-schedule/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/new-york-judge-sets-march-25-trial-date-in-trumps-hush-money-case-2346be87?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/15/trump-hush-money-trial-hearing-new-york">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-criminal-case-fbdff18df40920b75873b3a40317f5ee">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The district attorney overseeing Trump’s election interference case in Georgia took the stand to defend her romantic relationship with the top special prosecutor in the case</strong>. Trump claimed that Fani Willis’s relationship with Nathan Wade created a conflict of interest that warrants removing her from the proceedings. Both Willis and Wade acknowledged that they had a personal relationship, but denied any wrongdoing. Wade testified that their relationship began in early 2022 — after he was hired for the case in Nov. 2021 — and ended in summer 2023. A former friend of Willis’s, however, testified that the relationship began in 2019. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/15/us/fani-willis-trump-hearing">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/15/trump-georgia-fani-willis-hearing-new-york-hush-money/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-hearings-ny-georgia/index.html?tab=Georgia">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-ny-hush-money-case-misconduct-hearing-fani-willis-live-updates-rcna138597">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Israel Defense Forces raided the main hospital in southern Gaza – a site where thousands of Palestinians have been using as a shelter</strong>. The IDF said it was conducting an operation to recover the bodies of hostages at Nasser Hospital, the largest functioning hospital in the enclave. Elsewhere, the Biden Administration and “a small group of Middle East partners” have been working on a “comprehensive plan” for durable peace between Israel and the Palestinians, which would include a pathway to a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, nevertheless, warned the U.S. against recognizing a Palestinian state – whether directly or indirectly – saying it “would be a prize for those who planned and orchestrated the Oct. 7 massacre.” The State Department is currently reviewing policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza. Netanyahu, meanwhile, vowed to forge ahead with a “powerful” operation in Rafah where 1.1 million Palestinians currently reside, which the the Biden administration said it wouldn’t support under any circumstances. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-02-15-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna138939">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/15/netanyahu-palestine-statehood-blinken-hamas-biden">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/14/gaza-peace-israel-palestinian-state/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-15-2024-d3a25caf6b60fe560e1a31d4f8f6b45e">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/biden-netanyahu-relationship-at-boiling-point-as-rafah-invasion-looms-b893bec5?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/15/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Joe Manchin – who still hasn’t said whether he’ll launch a third party bid for president – suggested Mitt Romney would be his hypothetical running mate</strong>. Manchin also said he would consider Rob Portman, the moderate former Republican senator from Ohio, as a running mate. Manchin made the comment as part of his “listening tour.” When asked if he’s ruled out running for president, Manchin replied: “Third party run, everything is on the table. Nothing’s off the table. I’m still evaluating all that. Super Tuesday [March 5] pretty much would be a deadline that tells you where you are.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/joe-manchin-floats-mitt-romney-potential-running-mate-rcna138977">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/15/manchin-romney-president-2024-00141654">Politico</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>Up to half of the Amazon rainforest may cross a tipping point as soon as 2050</strong> as “unprecedented stress” from climate change, deforestation, drought, fire, and rising temperatures threaten the ecosystem. While a catastrophic collapse of the entire forest is unlikely this century, by mid-century 10% to 47% of the Amazon will be exposed to stressors that could lead to a rapid transition from a rainforest to a savannah. The Amazon is home to more than 10% of Earth’s biodiversity and holds up to 20 years’ worth of global carbon dioxide emissions. The collapse of part or all of the rainforest would release the decades worth of global emissions into the atmosphere. Further, those same trees pump huge amounts of water into the atmosphere, which contributes up to 50% of rainfall and moisture supply in the region. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/15/amazon-rainforest-closer-to-tipping-points">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/climate/amazon-rain-forest-tipping-point.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/14/amazon-rainforest-could-reach-tipping-point-by-2050-scientists-warn">The Guardian</a> / <a href="https://earth.org/up-to-47-of-amazon-rainforest-at-risk-of-collapse-by-mid-century-due-to-unprecedented-stress-from-global-warming-and-deforestation/">Earth.org</a> / <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06970-0">Nature</a>)</p>
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Day 1121: "Destabilizing."2024-02-14T14:11:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/14/day-1121Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Democrats won a special election and flipped George Santos’ seat in the House</strong>. Tom Suozzi defeated Republican Mazi Pilip to take the seat vacated by Santos, who was indicted on a charge of fraud and then expelled from Congress. When Suozzi is sworn in, Republicans will control 219 seats and Democrats will control 213 – meaning Republicans will only be able to lose two votes to pass legislation on party-line votes if all members are present and voting. After New York’s 3rd district flipped from red to blue, Santos texted a group chat with the top New York Republicans in the House: “I hope you guys are happy with this dismal performance and your 10 million for futile Bull Shit cost the party. I look very forward to most of you losing due to your absolute hate filled campaign to remove me from Congress arbitrarily. Now go tell the Republicans Base what you fucking idiots did and good luck raising money next quarter.” (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-suozzi-pilip-special-election-be0140979ca3050921579e90507bfe1f">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/02/13/new-york-district-3-special-election-george-santos/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/14/suozzi-new-york-house-race-00141379">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/nyregion/democrats-house-suozzi-biden.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/politics/santos-seat-tom-suozzi-mazi-pilip/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/george-santos-mercilessly-trolls-gop-after-democrats-win-his-old-seat">Daily Beast</a> / <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/02/14/2024/george-santos-puts-former-congressional-colleagues-in-group-chat-to-call-them-fing-idiots">Semafor</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>House Republicans voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on their second try by a single vote</strong>. The vote was 214-213, with three Republicans voting against the impeachment, which alleges that Mayorkas intentionally violated federal immigration laws and blocked congressional oversight of the Department of Homeland Security. Mayorkas is the first cabinet member to be impeached since William Belknap, secretary of war under Ulysses S. Grant, in 1876. Mayorkas is all but certain to be acquitted by the Democratic-led Senate. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/13/us/politics/mayorkas-impeachment-house.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/13/mayorkas-impeachment-seccond-house-vote/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/14/mayorkas-cabinet-secretary-impeached">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/politics/alejandro-mayorkas-impeachment-vote/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-impeachment-border-immigration-congress-3bff388c2f0d1cc718f43d901bc50690">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/13/1230977868/house-impeachment-mayorkas-border">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/failure-republicans-will-try-impeach-mayorkas-border-rcna138474">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The head of the House Intelligence Committee warned of a “serious national security threat” and called on Biden to “declassify all information” related to it</strong>. While Mike Turner did not provide additional public details, the threat is reportedly related to Russia wanting to put a nuclear weapon into space. Multiple sources familiar with the intelligence characterized it as “very sensitive,” “highly concerning and destabilizing.” Officials also said the capability was still under development, and Russia had not deployed it, yet. In an email to members of Congress, Turner said his committee had “identified an urgent matter with regard to a destabilizing foreign military capability” that should be known by all lawmakers. He encouraged them to come to a SCIF to review the intelligence. Biden was made aware of the threat last week and directed national security adviser Jake Sullivan to offer a briefing to senior lawmakers. The top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee said the classified information is “significant,” but “not a cause for panic.” White House officials also confirmed that the matter is “serious” but that there are ways to “contain” the threat without triggering mass panic. And, House Speaker Mike Johnson added: “We just want to assure everyone, steady hands are at the wheel. We’re working on it and there’s no need for alarm.” Johnson, nevertheless, announced the House would start its two-week recess early. Members return on Feb. 28 and a partial government shutdown is scheduled to begin Mar. 1. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/house-intel-chair-warns-serious-national-security-threat-ahead-planned-rcna138848">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/14/national-security-threat-mike-turner/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/14/house-intel-national-security-threat-russia-space-power-00141473">Politico</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-plans-brief-lawmakers-house-chairman-warns/story?id=107232293">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/us/politics/intelligence-russia-nuclear.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/14/politics/house-intel-chairman-serious-national-security-threat/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/feb/14/mayorkas-impeachment-border-immigration-politics-updates">The Guardian</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-national-security-6a4497fc2d74ebbe2ab3483ba43e09b3">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/national-security-threat-house-intelligence-mike-turner-biden/">CBS News</a>)</p>
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Day 1120: "It will be devastating."2024-02-13T13:57:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/13/day-1120Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Senate approved $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan by a 70-29 vote</strong>. Despite efforts by Trump, hard-right Republicans, and House Speaker Mike Johnson to kill the legislation, Senate Republican support for the deal increased overnight, with 22 Republican senators voting in favor of the package. Hours before the vote, Johnson preemptively rejected the legislation and said he would not bring the Senate package to the House floor for a vote. Further, many hard-right Republicans have threatened to oust Johnson if he brings the legislation up in the House. Democrats, however, are limited in their options to bring the legislation to the floor: It would require a bipartisan group of lawmakers getting 218 members to sign on to a discharge petition to circumvent Republican leadership and force a floor vote. Discharge petitions rarely succeed. Biden, meanwhile, called for House Republicans to pass the aid package, saying: “Supporting this bill is standing up to Putin. We can’t walk away now. That’s what Putin is betting on.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/13/senate-aid-package-ukraine-israel-taiwan-00141135">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/12/house-ukraine-johnson-senate/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/13/us/politics/congress-discharge-petition-ukraine.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/13/1231036049/senate-advances-military-aid-to-ukraine-israel-and-taiwan">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-5fdcf8cb1964681dcce0f4fe7b9a0f86">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-passes-aid-package-ukraine-israel-future-uncertain-house-rcna138502">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/12/politics/senate-foreign-aid-bill-ukraine/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-13/ukraine-aid-crashes-headlong-into-us-house-standoff-over-border?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Supreme Court gave special counsel Jack Smith one week to respond to Trump’s request to delay his federal criminal election subversion trial</strong>. Trump is appealing a court ruling that unanimously rejected his claim that he’s absolutely immune from criminal charges for actions he took while in office. Smith, however, has already urged the Supreme Court to resolve the immunity dispute quickly so that Trump’s trial, originally set for March 4, can begin later this year, but the court’s timing suggests that it might take its time reviewing the broader questions related to the issue of immunity. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/13/chief-justice-gives-jack-smith-one-week-to-respond-to-trumps-bid-to-stave-off-trial-00141163">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/13/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-immunity-case.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/13/supreme-court-tells-trump-prosecutor-to-answer-immunity-challenge.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-13/supreme-court-seeks-smith-response-to-trump-bid-for-trial-delay?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>All 4 of Trump’s criminal cases reach inflection points this week</strong>: “In Trump’s New York case, a judge is slated to finalize the timetable for his trial on charges that he falsified business records to cover up an affair with a porn star; In his Washington, D.C., case, the Supreme Court may signal whether it will quickly resolve Trump’s claim that he is “immune” from federal charges; In his Georgia case, where Trump is also facing state charges related to the 2020 election, a judge has scheduled a Thursday hearing to examine an effort by Trump and several co-defendants to disqualify the prosecutors; And in his Florida case, a judge is weighing Trump’s latest motion to postpone key deadlines.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/13/trumps-criminal-cases-reach-inflection-points-this-week-00141079">Politico</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>Inflation eased in January, slowing from 3.4% to 3.1% on a 12-month basis</strong>. Excluding food and fuel, “core” prices were flat at 3.9% compared with December. On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.3% from December to January, up from a 0.2% increase the previous month. Economists, however, were expecting inflation to ease to 0.2% from December (2.9% annually). The report puts pressure on the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates higher for longer as officials wait for further evidence that inflation is headed back to their 2% target. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/13/inflation-cpi-january">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-biden-federal-reserve-539b662f32a3cea4a514407ae4389174">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/13/inflation-biden-cpi-00141140">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/02/13/inflation-cpi-january/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/13/business/cpi-inflation-january.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/13/economy/cpi-consumer-price-index-inflation-january/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/inflation-january-2024-how-the-economy-is-doing-now-rcna138402">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-13/us-core-cpi-rises-most-in-eight-months-as-inflation-persists?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/what-to-watch-in-the-cpi-report-will-inflation-fall-below-3-ffc5859a">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/13/cpi-inflation-january-2024-consumer-prices-rose-0point3percent-in-january-more-than-expected-as-the-annual-rate-moved-to-3point1percent.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>More than 125 million Americans will be exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution by 2054 as a result of climate change</strong>, according to a new report. After decades of success reining in pollution from smokestacks and tailpipes thanks to regulations like the 1970 Clean Air Act, climate change-related events are expected to cause a steady deterioration in U.S. air quality through 2054. The study finds that extreme heat, drought, and wildfires are increasing the prevalence of both tropospheric ozone and particulate matter, commonly referred to as PM2.5. Currently, about 83 million Americans – 1 in 4! – are already exposed to “unhealthy” air quality every year. But, by 2054 more than 125 million Americans will be exposed to at least one day of “unhealthy” air quality each year, 11 million will face at least one day of “very unhealthy” air quality, and two million will be exposed to at least one day of “hazardous” air quality. (<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/12/24066572/air-pollution-quality-climate-change-wildfire-smoke-smog">The Verge</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/12/air-quality-climate-change-penalty">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/12/climate/wildfire-smoke-health.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-air-quality-unhealthy-wildfires-first-street/">CBS News</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>The Atlantic Ocean’s currents are heading towards a “tipping point” that would be “bad news for the climate system and humanity.”</strong> The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation carries warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic, where it cools, becomes saltier and sinks deep into the ocean, before sending the colder water south along the ocean floor. But, as human-caused global heating melts the Greenland ice sheet, fresh water is released into the North Atlantic, diluting the dense and salty sea, which slows the AMOC. The research suggests that once the system passes its tipping point, Western Europe would start to cool down by as much as 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit every decade, sea levels in the North Atlantic would surge by around 3.3 feet, the southern hemisphere would become warmer, the bottom of the ocean would run short on oxygen, and the Amazon’s wet and dry seasons could flip (potentially pushing the already weakened rainforest past its own tipping point). The AMOC has declined 15% since 1950 and is in its weakest state in more than a millennium, according to past research. “The temperature, sea level and precipitation changes will severely affect society, and the climate shifts are unstoppable on human time scales,” the authors of the latest study warn. “What surprised us was the rate at which tipping occurs. It will be devastating.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/09/climate/atlantic-circulation-collapse-weather-climate?cid=ios_app">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/09/atlantic-ocean-circulation-nearing-devastating-tipping-point-study-finds">The Guardian</a> / <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/if-the-atlantic-ocean-loses-circulation-what-happens-next/">Scientific American</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/02/09/atlantic-ocean-amoc-climate-change/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/amoc-current-collapse-2667230243">Common Dreams</a>)</p>
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Day 1119: "Appalling and unhinged."2024-02-12T14:23:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/12/day-1119Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump said he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO countries that were “delinquent” in meeting the group’s guidelines for defense spending</strong>. Trump, recounting an exchange from his time in office with the leader of a “big country” who asked whether it would be protected if Russia attacked, said: “You didn’t pay. You’re delinquent […] No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want.” The White House called Trump’s comments “appalling and unhinged,” adding that “encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes […] endangers American national security, global stability and our economy at home.” NATO’s secretary-general meanwhile, said that “any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk.” After Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, NATO countries pledged to spend 2% of their economic output on defense. So far, only 11 of the 31 member countries have hit that target. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-says-russia-whatever-hell-want-nato-countries-dont-pay-enough-rcna138256">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/10/trump-nato-allies-russia/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/11/1230658309/trump-would-encourage-russia-to-attack-nato-allies-who-dont-pay-bills">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/10/us/politics/trump-nato-russia.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68269354">BBC</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-foreign-aid-russia-2b8054a9fe185eec34c2c541cece655d">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/02/11/donald-trump-threatens-nato-russia/72556515007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/11/donald-trump-says-he-would-encourage-russia-to-attack-nato-countries-who-dont-pay-bills">The Guardian</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-11/us-calls-trump-s-russia-remark-on-nato-allies-appalling?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-says-he-would-encourage-russia-to-attack-nato-members-that-dont-pay-enough/">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/10/politics/trump-russia-nato/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/12/russia-keeps-quiet-as-trumps-nato-comments-stir-up-a-political-storm.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>More than a dozen Republicans ignored Trump and voted to forward on a bill to send $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan</strong>. The vote was 67 to 27, with 18 Republicans voting to advance the foreign aid package. Last week, Republicans <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/08/day-1115/#1-the-senate-advanced-a-95-billion-a">rejected</a> a bipartisan version of the bill, which included border policy changes they had demanded, after Trump campaigned against the legislation for fear it could be seen as a win for Biden. It’s unclear, however, if House Speaker Mike Johnson would take up the legislation if it passes the Senate. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/11/politics/senate-weekend-work-foreign-aid-package/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/11/gop-senators-defy-trump-by-advancing-foreign-aid-00140868">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/11/senate-aid-ukraine-israel-taiwan-aid/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Despite Biden warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a military operation in Rafah “should not proceed” without a “credible and executable” plan to protect the more than 1 million people sheltering there, Israel launched a “wave” of airstrikes that killed dozens of people, including children</strong>. The operation freed two hostages, and Netanyahu vowed to use “continued military pressure” to return the remaining hostages. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-11-2014-785309c668e15728c6aac9905f290b4d">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/12/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine-rafah/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/12/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news#rafah-bombing-hostage-rescue-gaza">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/11/biden-netanyahu-rafah-invasion-00140865">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-02-12-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna138339">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/11/1230699953/biden-netanyahu-rafah">NPR</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Biden – in private – has called Benjamin Netanyahu an “asshole,” saying the prime minister is impossible to deal with and the campaign in Gaza is “over the top.”</strong> So far, Biden has stopped short of directly criticizing Netanyahu in public and the White House has rejected calls to withhold military aid to Israel or impose conditions on it, saying that would only embolden Hamas. In private, however, Biden has suggested that “this guy” wants the war to drag on so he can remain in power, noting Netanyahu’s failure to shift tactics in Gaza and the repeated rejections of basic U.S. demands, like allowing, food, water, and medicine into Gaza. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/biden-disparages-netanyahu-private-hasnt-changed-us-policy-israel-rcna138282">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/12/politics/biden-netanyahu-israel-gaza/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/11/biden-netanyahu-closer-to-a-breach/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>Trump asked the Supreme Court to block a lower court ruling that rejected his claim that he’s absolutely immune from criminal charges for attempting to overturn the 2020 election</strong>. While two lower courts have rejected Trump’s claim of total immunity, Trump insisted that presidents are shielded from prosecution and that a trial would “radically disrupt” his reelection bid. Nevertheless, Trump warned that if a president can be prosecuted for actions taken while in office “such prosecutions will recur and become increasingly common, ushering in destructive cycles of recrimination,” adding that “Without immunity from criminal prosecution, the Presidency as we know it will cease to exist.” Trump was charged by special counsel Jack Smith with four counts in connection with his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan has paused proceedings and the scheduled March 4 trial date until Trump’s appeal is resolved. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/trump-seeks-supreme-court-intervention-election-interference-case-rcna137694">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/12/1230387417/trump-appeals-immunity-ruling-to-the-supreme-court">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/12/trump-immunity-supreme-court-appeal-jan-6/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/12/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-immunity.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
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Day 1115: "A good first step."2024-02-08T14:58:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/08/day-1115Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Senate advanced a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan</strong> after Republicans rejected a version of the bill that included the border policy changes they had demanded. The vote of 67-32 allows the Senate to begin consideration of the legislation, which would provide $60.1 billion for Ukraine, $14.1 billion for Israel, and $10 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in global conflicts. The bill, however, still faces an uncertain future, and it’s unclear if the final package will clear the 60-vote threshold in Democratic-led Senate. It’s also expected to be even more difficult to win approval in the Republican-controlled House. Nevertheless, Chuck Schumer described the vote as a “good first step,” adding: “Failure to pass this bill would only embolden autocrats like Putin and Xi, who want nothing more than America’s decline.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-expected-vote-ukraine-israel-aid-gop-blocked-border-bill-rcna137861">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/08/congress/senate-gop-gets-on-board-foreign-aid-00140431">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/08/senate-ukraine-israel-aid-border-deal/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/us/politics/ukraine-israel-aid-bill-senate.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/ukraine-israel-aid-package-clears-major-hurdle-in-senate-6bf9e289?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/08/senate-foreign-aid-package-vote-border">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The EPA set strict, new limits on one of the deadliest types of air pollution</strong>. The new rules will limit the annual amount of fine particulate matter – also called PM2.5 – from factories, power plants, and other industrial facilities from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9. The new standards – the EPA’s first tightening of the rules since 2012 – are expected to prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths and avoid around 800,000 cases of asthma symptoms. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/07/1229348646/epa-tightens-rules-on-some-air-pollution-for-the-first-time-in-over-a-decade">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/07/climate/epa-air-pollution-soot.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/07/us/epa-rule-air-pollution-soot-climate/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/02/07/epa-soot-limit-rule/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The special counsel examining Biden’s handling of classified documents recommended “no criminal charges,”</strong> but did find evidence that Biden had “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials.” The report from special counsel Robert Hur said that while Biden’s practices “present serious risks to national security,” he wouldn’t recommend charges because Biden presents as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.” The report also made clear the “material distinctions” between a theoretical case against Biden and the pending case against Trump for his handling of classified documents. “Unlike the evidence involving Mr. Biden, the allegations set forth in the indictment of Mr. Trump, if proven, would present serious aggravating factors,” Hur writes. “Most notably, after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/08/biden-classified-documents-special-counsel-report/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/us/biden-documents-special-counsel.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/special-counsel-says-evidence-biden-willfully-retained-disclosed-class-rcna96666">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/biden-classified-documents-report-02-08-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-08/biden-mishandled-classified-papers-but-won-t-be-charged-by-doj?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/joe-biden-classified-documents-case-special-counsel-81df1bac?mod=hp_lead_pos3">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The FCC outlawed unwanted robocalls generated by artificial intelligence</strong>. In a unanimous ruling, the FCC declared that calls made with AI-generated voices are “artificial” under the 1991 Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which restricts marketing calls that use artificial and prerecorded voice messages. The move follows a January <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/22/day-1098/#6-the-new-hampshire-attorney-general">incident</a> where thousands of voters in New Hampshire received an unsolicited robocall from a faked voice of Biden that instructed voters to abstain from voting in the first primary of the election season. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/08/tech/fcc-scam-robocalls-ai-generated-voices">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fcc-elections-artificial-intelligence-robocalls-regulations-a8292b1371b3764916461f60660b93e6">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/technology/fcc-ban-ai-robocalls.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/fcc-bans-ai-artificial-intelligence-voices-in-robocalls-texts-3ea20d9f?mod=lead_feature_below_a_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/08/fcc-ai-robocalls-illegal">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>The Supreme Court appeared broadly skeptical that Colorado had the power to disqualify Trump from the ballot for engaging in an insurrection in an attempt to remain in the White House after losing the 2020 election</strong>. The justices heard arguments on a ruling from Colorado’s Supreme Court, which <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/19/day-1064/#1-the-colorado-supreme-court-removed">found</a> that Trump engaged in an insurrection leading up to the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6. At issue is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars certain public officials from serving in the government if they took part in an insurrection. During more than two hours of arguments, the court expressed concerns about the ability of a single state to disqualify a candidate from seeking national office, and appeared to be searching for a way to leave election decisions to voters. Justices from across the ideological spectrum suggested that Congress – not individual states – must set the standards before a presidential candidate can be disqualified for engaging in insurrection. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/08/1229176555/supreme-court-trump-colorado-ballot">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/08/trump-supreme-court-colorado-ballot/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/08/politics/takeaways-supreme-court-trump-ballot/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/08/trump-supreme-court-colorado-ballot-14th-amendment">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-insurrection-trump-2024-election-397a481d2886b64bba06b24ff3d03f37">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/08/us/trump-supreme-court-colorado-ballot">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/supreme-court-weighs-trumps-bid-stay-colorado-ballot-rcna136557">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-08/supreme-court-casts-doubt-on-efforts-to-bar-trump-from-ballot?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/supreme-court-takes-up-donald-trumps-ballot-eligibility-725f2fa0?mod=hp_lead_pos4">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
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Day 1114: "Delusional."2024-02-07T14:09:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/07/day-1114Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>House Republicans failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas</strong> after four Republicans joined Democrats in voting against what would have been the second-ever impeachment of a Cabinet official. Although the vote failed 214-216, Republicans immediately moved to bring back the resolution up for another vote, but it’s unclear when or if that will happen. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/06/us/mayorkas-impeachment">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/06/1229642634/house-fails-to-pass-articles-of-impeachment-for-homeland-security-secretary-mayo">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-06/republicans-fail-in-drive-to-impeach-homeland-security-chief?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/06/house-republicans-yell-gallagher-impeachment-vote/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/06/politics/house-vote-mayorkas-impeachment/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-border-impeachment-immigration-d5f6a7d91ea725768e27b9b2bc5391a4">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>House Republicans failed to pass a standalone bill to send $17.6 billion in aid to Israel</strong> after Speaker Mike Johnson called the bipartisan Senate package that combined Israel and Ukraine with stricter border security and asylum laws “dead-on-arrival” in the chamber. The vote failed 250 to 180, with 166 Democrats and 14 Republicans opposing the measure. The bill required the support of two-thirds of the House to pass. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-vote-separate-israel-bill-conservative-backlash-border-aid-packa-rcna137425">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/02/06/house-israel-aid-bill-fails/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/06/house-israel-aid-vote">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/06/politics/house-vote-israel-aid-package/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-of-representatives-israel-aid-vote-mike-johnson/">CBS News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Senate Republicans blocked the $118 billion bipartisan border package that Republicans had demanded but then rejected after pressure from Trump</strong>, who is making the border a campaign issue. The bill failed to advance 49-50, falling short of the 60-vote threshold and essentially guarantees Congress won’t pass any broad immigration or border legislation before the presidential election. Republicans had initially demanded strict border policy changes in exchange for Ukraine aid, but abandoned that trade-off when House Republican leadership called the bill “dead on arrival.” After the failed vote, Chuck Schumer released a narrower, $95.3 billion version of the same package that would fund Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but without the border-security provisions or funding. “Why have Republicans backed off on border when they know it’s the right thing to do?” Schumer said. “Two words: Donald Trump.” (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/07/congress/senate-supplemental-ukraine-border-aid-00140187">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/07/1229785349/border-deal-ukraine-aid-senate">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/07/senate-border-security-vote/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/07/us/congress-ukraine-israel-aid">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/chuck-schumer-push-stripped-israel-ukraine-aid-package-gop-blocks-sena-rcna137661">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/senate-vote-border-bill-aid-02-07-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-07/senate-vote-ends-border-deal-prospects-setting-election-fight?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/senate-rushes-to-aid-ukraine-setting-stage-for-dramatic-vote-c460e43c?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Nikki Haley lost Nevada’s presidential primary to “None of These Candidates.”</strong> The primary, which is largely symbolic and awards no delegates, didn’t include Trump on the ballot. With 88% of the votes counted, Haley had 30.5% to 63.2% for “none of these candidates.” Following the embarrassing loss, Haley claimed the state’s nominating process had been “rigged” in favor of Trump. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/07/haley-wins-nevada-primary-that-nets-no-delegates-00140036">Politico</a> / NPR / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nikki-haley-losing-candidates-option-nevada-republican-primary/story?id=107013869">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-07/haley-dismisses-nevada-primary-loss-calling-process-rigged-for-trump?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/02/07/haley-loses-nevada-primary-biden-wins/72437321007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/haley-loses-nevada-republican-primary-without-trump-rcna137367">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/06/nevada-biden-haley-primary/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/07/us/politics/nikki-haley-nevada-primary.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’s terms for a cease-fire and hostage-release agreement</strong>, calling the plan “delusional.” Hamas’s cease-fire proposal, negotiated by the U.S., Qatar, Israel and Egypt, included a three-phase hostage release plan, a 45-day pause in fighting, and the withdrawal of the Israeli military from Gaza. “There is no solution besides total victory,” Netanyahu said, adding that an Israeli victory in Gaza was “within reach.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/07/middleeast/hamas-counterproposal-israel-pullout-ceasefire-hostages-intl">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-07-2024-6ceffca2970243cd039e90268c32c617">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/07/netanyahu-hamas-cease-fire-demands-00140182">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/07/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/#link-HL22RSAV45FXDPYKHOHDXKZV2Y">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna137649">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/07/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/hamas-wants-thousands-of-palestinians-freed-in-hostage-deal-f37bb4e8?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
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Day 1113: "Show some spine."2024-02-06T15:13:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/06/day-1113Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>A federal appeals court rejected Trump’s claim that he’s immune from federal prosecution for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election</strong>. “We cannot accept former President Trump’s claim that a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power — the recognition and implementation of election results,” the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit wrote. “Nor can we sanction his apparent contention that the Executive has carte blanche to violate the rights of individual citizens to vote and to have their votes count.” Trump has repeatedly argued that his actions before and during the Jan. 6 insurrection were part of his official duties as president and therefore he can’t be prosecuted for those crimes without first being impeached and convicted by Congress. Since the Senate acquitted Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, Trump has claimed he’s now subject to “double jeopardy.” The D.C. Circuit panel, however, rejected the double jeopardy argument, writing that “the weight of historical authority indicates that the Framers intended for public officials to face ordinary criminal prosecution as well as impeachment.” The court concluded: “For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant. But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution.” Trump has until Feb. 12 to ask the Supreme Court to overturn the decision or ask the appeals court’s entire judicial lineup to take up the issue. He faces four counts, including conspiring to defraud the U.S. and to obstruct an official proceeding. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/06/1223904739/trump-immunity-ruling">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/us/politics/trump-immunity-appeals-court.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/02/06/trump-jan-6-immunity-appeal-denied/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/06/trump-is-not-immune-from-prosecution-for-bid-to-subvert-the-2020-election-appeals-court-rules-00139832">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/appeals-court-rejects-trumps-immunity-claim-0ef2d636?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/appeals-court-rules-trump-presidential-immunity-2020-election-interfer-rcna133234">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-immunity-appeals-court-2020-election-case/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/appeals-court-rejects-trumps-immunity-claim-federal-election/story?id=106380940">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/06/trump-election-case-appeals-court-denies-ex-president-immunity.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-court-ruling-immunity-election-subversion-prosecution/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-presidential-immunity-appeal-46c2d7fc7807cd3262764d35e47f390e">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/06/trump-immunity-appeal-dc-circuit">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-06/is-trump-going-on-trial-what-to-know-after-court-rejected-immunity-claim?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>House Republicans now plan to vote on a standalone Israel aid bill after rejecting a bipartisan border deal they had previously demanded</strong>. It’s not clear, however, whether Speaker Mike Johnson has the two-thirds majority needed to pass the standalone bill to provide $17.6 billion in aid to Israel. Nevertheless, Biden called on congressional Republicans to “show some spine” and pass the $118 billion bipartisan package that paired strict border security measures with assistance to Israel and Ukraine. “All indications are this bill won’t even move forward to the Senate floor. Why? A simple reason: Donald Trump. Because Donald Trump thinks it’s bad for him politically,” Biden said, adding that Trump wants to “weaponize” the issues at southern U.S. border for his presidential race rather than “actually solve it.” (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/06/us/biden-border-funding">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-bill-ukraine-b386eae0c4947497da931870dbcb28a0">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/06/1229554330/biden-trump-border-ukraine-congress?ft=nprml&f=1014">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/06/congress/dems-israel-position-house-standalone-aid-00139835">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/06/congress/dems-israel-position-house-standalone-aid-00139835">Politico</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-blames-trump-border-deal-now-teetering-collapse/story?id=106990958">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-urge-congress-pass-bipartisan-border-security-bill-republicans-n-rcna137483">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-06/biden-pins-border-bill-failure-on-trump-leaving-ukraine-hanging?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/06/politics/republican-opposition-senate-border-bill/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Instead of passing the “toughest set of reforms to secure the border ever,” House Republicans plan to vote on a resolution to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas even though it’s unclear if they have enough support to charge the homeland security secretary</strong>. Republicans have a three-vote majority in the House and two Republicans are already on record opposing impeachment. The articles of impeachment accuse Mayorkas of “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and “breach of public trust” amid a surge in unauthorized migrant crossings. If the vote is successful, Mayorkas would be the first Cabinet member impeached by the House in almost 150 years. However, he is not expected to be convicted in a trial in the Democratic-led Senate. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/06/us/mayorkas-impeachment#alejandro-mayorkas-impeachment">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/06/mayorkas-impeachment-biden-border-deal/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/border-bill-mayorkas-impeachment-vote/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/06/mayorkas-impeachment-vote-house-republicans">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/06/congress/mayorkas-impeachment-on-the-rocks-00139829">Politico</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-vote-gop-led-push-impeach-dhs-secretary/story?id=106967588">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-republicans-hold-vote-impeach-dhs-secretary-alejandro-mayorkas-rcna137327">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/house-vote-mayorkas-impeachment-ef19c9c2?mod=hp_lead_pos10">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-8209736501ed4fe12e4b164443d6a8a9">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Why the GOP wants to impeach Mayorkas but not pass the border deal</strong>. “Despite the GOP-controlled House taking steps to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over immigration this week, there’s little appetite among the party for a bill that might be in the national interest but that could alienate the past and possibly future president.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/06/politics/trump-republicans-immigration/index.html">CNN</a>)</li>
</ul>
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Day 1112: "Playing politics."2024-02-05T15:10:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/05/day-1112Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>House Republicans vowed to kill the Senate’s bipartisan $118.3 billion national security bill that pairs strict border enforcement policies with aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies</strong>. For months, Republicans have demanded concessions from Democrats, threatening to tank any deal that didn’t link significant new U.S. immigration restrictions with unrelated aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies. The proposed agreement includes $20.2 billion to improve security at the U.S. border, and would require the president to close the border if the number of migrant crossings reach a certain threshold, allow the government to more easily expel migrants at the border, and make it more difficult for migrants to claim asylum. In exchange, the bill includes $60.1 billion in aid for Ukraine, $14.1 billion for Israel, $10 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, $2.33 billion for refugees from the war in Ukraine, and $4.83 billion for allies to “deter aggression by the Chinese government.” Nevertheless, House Speaker Mike Johnson called the legislation “even worse than we expected” and declared it “dead on arrival” in the House. Trump, who’s made the border his signature campaign issue, called it a “great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party.” Several Republicans have admitted they’d rather walk away from border security policies they’ve sought for years than give Biden a win ahead in an election year. Biden, meanwhile, called the agreement some of the “toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades,” and ones that he “strongly” supports. “Now, House Republicans have to decide. Do they want to solve the problem? Or do they want to keep playing politics with the border?” The Senate is expected to hold a key test vote on the package this week, which would require 60 votes to pass. It’s unclear whether it has the support to pass a filibuster. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/05/senate-border-bill-house-republicans-kill-vow">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/04/biden-challenges-house-gop-to-solve-border-crisis-or-keep-playing-politics-00139534">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/new-immigration-asylum-reform-bill-released-senate-text-rcna136602">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-15e2e3fac2b29b5b4bbe1eae8eb1c924">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/04/politics/senate-border-foreign-aid-bill/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/04/1226427234/senate-border-deal-reached">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/us/politics/senate-border-ukraine-deal.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump’s federal 2020 election trial was officially postponed indefinitely</strong>. The case had been paused since December while Trump appealed a lower-court’s rejection of his immunity claims. “The court will set a new schedule if and when the mandate is returned,” Judge Tanya Chutkan said in her order. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals eventual ruling will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court, prompting further delays. The delay in the federal election interference case makes it likely that the first of Trump’s four criminal trials will begin March 25 in Manhattan on New York state charges of business fraud in connection with hush money payments during the 2016 election. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/judge-will-delay-trumps-federal-trial-court-considers-presidential-imm-rcna137045">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-us-capitol-9ab9da935bc620d57c4192134f81acde">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/02/us/politics/trump-trial-election-date-delay.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/02/trump-trial-postponed-election-fraud-claims-jan-6">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-05/congress-boosts-trump-s-2024-bid-as-haley-taps-silicon-valley?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/02/01/trump-trial-calendar-jan-6-delay/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/02/trump-election-subversion-case-judge-trial-date-00139395">Politico</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>64% of Americans want to see a verdict on the federal charges Trump faces related to election subversion in 2020 before this year’s presidential election</strong>. “A 72% majority of Democrats and 52% of independents say it’s essential that a verdict is reached pre-election. Republicans are more split. While 38% say that a verdict should be reached before the presidential election, including 20% who call that essential, another 39% say it doesn’t matter when the trial is held, and 23% that they think the trial should be held after this election.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/05/politics/cnn-poll-trump-verdict-election-charges/index.html">CNN</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>The Biden administration said it will take “further action” against Iranian-backed militias who have carried out attacks on U.S. troops in the Middle East</strong>. On Friday, the U.S. military struck more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian forces and the Iran-backed militants. That action was followed by airstrikes on Saturday by the U.S. and U.K. targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in response to the group’s continued attacks in the Red Sea. “I would just say that the president was clear when he ordered them and when he conducted them that that was the beginning of our response and there will be more steps to come,” Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna137227">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-02-05-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/05/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/05/world/us-strikes-israel-hamas-news#biden-has-ordered-more-responses-to-killings-of-us-soldiers-officials-say">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-04/us-promises-more-mideast-strikes-while-trying-to-avert-wider-war?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/03/1228857108/us-strikes-iran-proxies-houthis-yemen">NPR</a>)</p>
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Day 1108: "This is a dangerous moment."2024-02-01T14:57:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/02/01/day-1108Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The House passed a bipartisan tax package that pairs a temporary expansion of the child tax credit with a trio of business tax breaks</strong>. The bill includes $33 billion to expand the child tax credit for three years. The bill is estimated to benefit roughly 16 million children in low-income families in the first year, and lift half a million children out of poverty. The legislation would also revive some expired parts of the 2017 Republican tax cuts for businesses, including deductions for research and development, interest expenses, and investments in equipment. The vote was 357 to 70, with 188 Democrats and 169 Republicans voting in favor and 23 Democrats and 47 Republicans opposed. The bill will next go to the Senate, where Republicans can block the bill with a filibuster. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/31/1228209266/house-passes-child-tax-credit-expansion">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/31/congress-tax-vote-00138968">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/31/child-tax-credit-vote-congress/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-vote-expanded-child-tax-credit-bill-rcna136545">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/child-tax-credit-house-republicans-speaker-johnson-4da25a4188ad27693e9d8755e7481b76">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Biden signed an executive order to impose new sanctions on four Israeli settlers involved in violent attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank</strong>. At least eight Palestinians, including a child, have been killed, and 115 more have been injured in the nearly 500 attacks by Israeli settlers since Oct. 7. The first round of sanctions block the four from using the U.S. financial system and bar American citizens from dealing with them. The order notes that the violence by settlers undermines U.S. foreign policy objectives, “including the viability of a two-state solution and ensuring Israelis and Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/01/biden-executive-order-israeli-settlers-00139065">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/01/1228388748/biden-executive-order-israeli-settlers-west-bank-palestinians">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-west-bank-israeli-settlers-palestinians-80f9e6be6f6a7bb75dc86360ac2fa6ce">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/01/biden-signs-executive-order-sanctioning-west-bank-settlers/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/01/biden-israel-settler-violence-palestinians-executive-order">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/01/politics/west-bank-settlers-executive-order/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-sanction-israeli-settlers-west-bank-rcna136759">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/u-s-imposes-sanctions-on-israeli-settlers-involved-in-attacks-in-west-bank-6e4b4e40?mod=hp_lead_pos5">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The U.S. carried out airstrikes against a drone ground control station belonging to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen</strong>. U.S. officials also confirmed that plans have been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days against targets inside Iraq and Syria in response to drone and rocket attacks on U.S. forces in the region. “This is a dangerous moment in the Middle East,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. “We will continue to work to avoid a wider conflict in the region, but we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our interests and our people, and we will respond when we choose, where we choose and how we choose.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-02-01-24/h_53af1ce8419d4dece508a39df44c5ae1">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-strikes-iran-personnel-facilities-in-iraq-syria-approved-jordan-drone-attack/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-1020fe149d82a32f0160037ea7eef7f5">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/02/01/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-houthi-rebels-yemen-jordan-iran-rcna136700">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Trump’s lawsuit over the dossier that alleged he engaged in “perverted sexual acts” and paid bribes to Russian officials was dismissed by a British High Court judge</strong>. Judge Karen Steyn said “there are no compelling reasons to allow the claim to proceed to trial,” because Trump had “chosen to allow many years to elapse – without any attempt to vindicate his reputation in this jurisdiction – since he was first made aware of the dossier” in January 2017. Last year, Trump sued ex-MI6 agent Christopher Steele and his consultancy, Orbis Business Intelligence, saying he suffered “significant damage and distress” from the publication of the Steele Dossier. Steyn, however, said she wouldn’t determine the accuracy of the dossier itself. (<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-01/donald-trump-loses-london-case-against-ex-spy-over-kremlin-files?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-steele-dossier-uk-lawsuit-535099946dc49c15640dfb8838fe2749">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/01/trump-court-christopher-steele-dossier/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
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Day 1107: "A holy war."2024-01-31T14:45:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/31/day-1107Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that Chinese hackers are preparing to “wreak havoc and cause real-world harm” to critical U.S. infrastructure</strong>, including water treatment plants, electrical grids, oil and natural gas pipelines, and transportation systems. Wray, appearing before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, argued that “there has been far too little public focus” that Chinese hackers are targeting U.S. infrastructure, adding: “And the risk that poses to every American requires our attention — now.” During congressional testimony, Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said: “This is a world where a major crisis halfway across the planet could well endanger the lives of Americans here at home through the disruption of our pipelines, the severing of our telecommunications, the pollution of our water facilities, the crippling of our transportation modes—all to ensure they can incite societal panic and chaos and to deter our ability to marshal military might and civilian will.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/fbi-director-warn-chinese-hackers-aim-wreak-havoc-us-critical-infrastr-rcna136524">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-disables-chinese-hacking-operation-that-targeted-critical-infrastructure-184bb407?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/31/politics/china-hacking-infrascture-fbi-director-christopher-wray/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The State Department is reportedly exploring the possibility of recognizing a Palestinian state following the end of the Gaza war</strong>. Secretary of State Tony Blinken asked State Department officials to review options for the recognition of a Palestinian state, including what a demilitarized Palestinian state would look like and how a two-state solution could be implemented in a way that assures security for Israel. While there has been no policy change, the consideration represents a major shift in American thinking, and the Biden administration has made linking normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has opposed the establishment of Palestinian state after the Israel-Hamas war. Negotiators, meanwhile, have been discussing a framework for a hostage release and six-week ceasefire. The Israeli government has also discussed an internal plan to exile top Hamas officials involved in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack to a third Middle East country as a step toward ending the war in the Gaza Strip. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/31/palestine-statehood-biden-israel-gaza-war">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-and-hamas-weigh-three-stage-cease-fire-e08fdfe5?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/01/30/2024/israel-floats-exile-for-hamas-leaders">Semafor</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/31/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at a 22-year-high amid improving consumer confidence and a declining inflation rate</strong>. The Fed, however, continued to signal that they expect to cut rates by three-quarters of a percentage point over the course of 2024 as they gain “greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%.” The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures price index, ended 2023 at 2.6% from a year earlier – well below the 5.4% increase at the end of 2022. Interest rates, meanwhile, have remained at 5.25% to 5.5% since last summer, after the central bank raised rates 11 times since March 2022 in an effort to catch up with inflation that soared to 40-year highs. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/research/2024/20240108">three</a> <a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">gauges</a> <a href="https://data.sca.isr.umich.edu/fetchdoc.php?docid=74630">of</a> consumer confidence all reached their highest levels since 2021. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/31/fed-rate-cuts-inflation/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/31/fed-rate-decision-january-2023.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/fed-leaves-rates-steady-and-opens-door-wider-to-cuts-d10a107d">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-31/fed-holds-rates-steady-and-inches-closer-to-cutting-in-future?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/31/business/fed-meeting-interest-rates">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/federal-reserve-interest-rate-decision-january-2024-increase-decrease-rcna136429">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/live/federal-reserve-interest-rate-updates">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/30/economy/fed-meeting-adjust-rate-cuts/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>poll/ <strong>53% of voters in seven swing-state would be unwilling to vote for Trump if he were found guilty of a crime</strong>. 55% said they’d be unwilling to vote for Trump if he’s sentenced to prison. Trump faces 91 criminal charges across four separate indictments. (<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-31/trump-guilty-verdict-loses-half-of-key-state-voters-in-election-2024?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>poll/ <strong>50% of voters said they vote for Biden if the presidential election were held today</strong>. 44% said they’d vote for Trump. (<a href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3889">Quinnipiac</a>)</p>
<hr />
<h3>🤡 Dept. of Taylor Swift Living Rent Free in MAGA Heads.</h3>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>Taylor Swift hasn’t endorsed Biden, but Trump and his MAGA allies nevertheless declared a “holy war” on the singer-songwriter</strong>. Swift, however, is reportedly a key name on Biden’s “wish lists of potential surrogates.”</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Fox News host Sean Hannity urged Swift to “think twice” before endorsing Biden</strong> – months after defending Swift from conservatives for “hating on her” and her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who has appeared in commercials for Bud Light and Pfizer.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Several pro-Trump influencers and conspiracy theorists claimed that the NFL is “rigged” in order to spread “Democrat propaganda”</strong> with the “unneeded and unwanted Taylor coverage” during the broadcast. “Calling it now: KC wins, goes to Super Bowl, Swift comes out at the halftime show and ‘endorses’ Joe Biden with Kelce at midfield.”</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Fox News host Jeanine Pirro warned Swift to stay out of politics in 2024</strong>: “Don’t get involved. Don’t get involved in politics; we don’t want to see you there.”</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Newsmax host Greg Kelly accused Swifties of “elevating her to an idol […] and you’re not supposed to do that</strong>. In fact, if you look it up in the Bible, it’s a sin!”</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Earlier this month, Fox News host Jesse Waters claimed that Swift was a “Pentagon asset”</strong> developed at a NATO meeting to help Democrats as part of an “election interference psyop.”</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Trump, meanwhile, reportedly told allies that he is “more popular” than Swift</strong>, and that no amount of celebrity endorsements will save Biden.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Sources</strong>: <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-more-popular-taylor-swift-maga-biden-1234956829/">Rolling Stone</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/us/politics/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-trump.html?searchResultPosition=5">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-hits-back-at-jesse-watters-for-airing-taylor-swift-conspiracy">Daily Beast</a> / <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/taylor-swift-targeted-conspiracies-chiefs-super-bowl-1234955940/">Rolling Stone</a> / <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/tv/hannity-urges-taylor-swift-to-think-twice-before-endorsing-biden-months-after-railing-against-conservatives-for-hating-on-her/">Mediaite</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/jan/31/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-super-bowl-rightwing-conspiracy-biden">The Guardian</a></p>
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Day 1106: "That's absurd."2024-01-30T14:47:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/30/day-1106Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Republicans – who have for months insisted on changes to border and migration policy as a condition of approving any additional aid to Ukraine – declared that the bipartisan Senate-proposed border deal would be “dead on arrival” in the House</strong>. The bipartisan deal, which represents the Republican’s best chance in decades to make substantial changes to immigration and border security, would require the U.S. to close the border if about 5,000 migrants cross illegally on any given day. It would also speed up the asylum process. Speaker Mike Johnson, who still hasn’t seen the legislative text, said House Republicans won’t accept any proposal that allows “even one illegal crossing,” calling it “surrender” and that “the number must be ZERO.” Asked whether the House Republican opposition to the legislation is due to Trump’s campaign against it, Johnson responded: “That’s absurd.” Immigration has been Trump’s defining issue, dating back to his first presidential campaign news conference on June 16, 2015 when he accused Mexico of sending “rapists” to the U.S. (<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4436245-house-republicans-border-deal/">The Hill</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/30/congress/johnson-bashes-border-deal-again-00138536">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republicans-border-deal-donald-trump_n_65b80899e4b0102bd2d5c0d4">HuffPost</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2024/01/30/gop-conference-rages-against-border-deal-00132333?cid=hptb_primary_0">Politico</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Illinois State Board of Elections voted unanimously to dismiss an effort seeking to disqualify Trump from the state’s primary ballot</strong>, saying it didn’t have the authority to decide whether Trump had engaged in insurrection. The board’s unanimous ruling comes after its hearing officer found that a “preponderance of the evidence” shows Trump engaged in insurrection and is ineligible to run for president. The hearing officer, however, said “the Election Code is simply not suited for issues involving constitutional analysis,” and recommended that the board let the courts make the decision. While the decision is expected to be appealed in state courts, the issue will likely be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which hears arguments on whether Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol disqualifies him from the presidency. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-ballot-illinois-8709a8dbf12f845ed30fce22c9bff469">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/30/politics/donald-trump-illinois-14th-amendment/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/us/illinois-trump-ballot.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-remain-illinois-2024-ballot-after-14th-amendment/story?id=106765313">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>A federal appeals court rejected a request to review a ruling that threatens to make it harder to enforce the Voting Rights Act’s protections against racial discrimination in the election process</strong>. The full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that federal law doesn’t allow private groups or individuals to pursue cases enforcing Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act because the law doesn’t explicitly name them. Only the U.S. attorney general can file lawsuits to enforce the Voting Rights Act’s protections against racial discrimination. The vast majority of Voting Rights Act lawsuits for decades, however, have been filed by private parties – not the Justice Department. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-appeals-court-will-not-reconsider-ruling-limiting-voting-rights-laws-scope-2024-01-30/">Reuters</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/30/1222561113/voting-rights-act-arkansas-federal-appeals-court">NPR</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>🔎 What’s at Stake?</strong> The integrity of the democratic process in the U.S. hinges on the fair and equal access to voting. By limiting the ability of private groups and individuals to file lawsuits under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the ruling could lead to a reduction in the oversight and enforcement of voting rights. Given the historical significance of the Voting Rights Act in combatting racial discrimination in voting, this ruling can be seen as a step backwards as it disproportionately affects minority voters, who are more likely to be impacted by discriminatory voting practices.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>📌 <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/11/20/day-1035/#1-a-federal-appeals-court-ruled-that">Day 1035</a>: A federal appeals court ruled that only the federal government — not private citizens or civil rights groups — can sue to enforce the Voting Rights Act</strong>. In a 2-to-1 ruling, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that private entities cannot bring lawsuits under Section 2, a provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that prohibits discriminatory voting practices. The ruling runs counter to decades of legal practice and the vast majority of Voting Rights Act claims are brought by private entities. The decision will almost certainly be appealed and is likely headed to the Supreme Court. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/20/politics/appeals-court-voting-rights-act-ruling/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/appeals-court-curbs-voting-lawsuits-claiming-discrimination-ca193efb?mod=hp_lead_pos3">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/20/us/politics/voting-rights-act.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/20/1152732216/voting-rights-act-supreme-court-section-2-private-right-of-action">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/20/federal-court-deals-devastating-blow-to-voting-rights-act-00128069">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/federal-court-guts-voting-rights-act-denying-citizens-groups-right-sue-rcna126023">NBC News</a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>4/ <strong>Trump called the United Auto Workers president a “dope” and called for his removal after the union endorsed Biden</strong>. Trump accused the union’s leader, Shawn Fain, of “selling the Automobile Industry right into the big, powerful, hands of China.” Fain, however, said Biden had “earned” the endorsement, saying Biden had “a history of serving others and serving the working class,” while Trump had “a history of serving himself and standing for the billionaire class.” Meanwhile, Biden, who <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/09/26/day-980/#3-biden-urged-striking-auto-workers">joined the picket line</a> with UAW members during their six-week strike against Detroit automakers last year, will travel to Michigan ahead of the state’s Feb. 27 presidential primary election. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/30/biden-uaw-endorsement-trip-michigan-00138594">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/29/us/politics/trump-uaw-shawn-fain.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/29/trump-uaw-president-dope-biden-00138310">Politico</a>)</p>
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Day 1105: "Something Donald Trump hates."2024-01-29T15:34:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/29/day-1105Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>House Republicans released two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas</strong>, accusing him of “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and “breach of public trust.” Republicans have repeatedly accused Mayorkas of failing to enforce immigration laws as a record number of migrants arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as obstructing congressional oversight, and rolling back Trump-era policies, including the construction on the U.S.-Mexico border wall. The articles of impeachment will be reviewed in committee on Tuesday. If they pass the committee, they then go to the full House for an impeachment vote. It would then be up to the Democratic-led Senate on whether to convict and potentially remove Mayorkas. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-republicans-release-articles-impeachment-alejandro-mayorkas-border/story?id=106743803">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mayorkas-impeachment-articles-house-republicans/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/28/house-gop-impeachment-articles-mayorkas-border-immigration">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/28/house-republicans-mayorkas-impeachment-articles-00138235">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/28/1227459949/house-gop-impeachment-articles-homeland-security-mayorkas-border-immigration">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/house-republicans-unveil-articles-impeachment-dhs-secretary-alejandro-rcna135972">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-mayorkas-immigration-border-republicans-impeachment-3cc41becd7ef3d8b91ccd29433321d63">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Biden promised to “shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed” if Congress passes a border security package</strong>. In the Senate, a bipartisan group reached a deal that would force the federal government to shut down the border for migrants crossing illegally during surges and expedite the asylum process. Biden said the deal would “be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country […] I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.” Trump, who has made immigration reform and the border a central part of his election campaign, has pressured House Republicans to kill the deal, writing that “it is the WORST BORDER IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, an open wound in our once great Country.” At the same time, Trump demanded “CLOSE THE BORDER!” Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, said the bipartisan Senate deal would be “dead on arrival” in the House. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-border-deal-mexico-migration-south-carolina-b83f83ed39e59ebb38b7ff093da14706">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/27/trump-dunks-on-bipartisan-senate-border-deal-00138210">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/26/politics/senate-deal-shutdown-border/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/29/trump-republicans-border-deal-senate-immigration">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/28/border-bill-trump-lankford/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump must pay writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages for repeatedly defaming her</strong>. The jury awarded Carroll $18.3 million in compensatory damages – $11 million for repairing her reputation and $7.3 million for emotional harm – and $65 million in punitive damages. The verdict came after Trump stormed out of the courtroom during Carroll’s closing argument. He later posted on his personal social media site that he would be appealing, because “They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!” A different jury in May 2023 found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s, and for defaming her by mocking her claims after he left the White House. They awarded her $5 million in damages, which Trump is appealing. Carroll, meanwhile, vowed to use the money on “something Donald Trump hates,” suggesting she would create a “fund for the women who have been sexually assaulted by Donald Trump.” (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/26/nyregion/trump-carroll-defamation-trial">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/jean-carroll-plans-83-million-donald-trump-hates/story?id=106751516">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-e-jean-carroll-trial-closing-arguments-courtroom/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/verdict-reached-e-jean-carrolls-defamation-damages-trial-trump-rcna135919">NBC News</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Trump lashed out at the financial monitor overseeing the Trump Organization and urged a judge to end the watchdog’s oversight of his company</strong>. “The request came days after Barbara Jones reported a range of issues — including an allegedly errant $48 million loan — in the former president’s New York civil business fraud case.” (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/29/trump-attacks-monitor-in-business-fraud-case-after-she-reports-errors.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-throw-tantrum-over-court-monitors-financial-bombshell">Daily Beast</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-29/trump-s-cash-stockpile-at-risk-from-450-million-dual-verdicts?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>4/ <strong>Biden is reportedly looking into slowing down weapons sales to Israel as leverage to get Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back military operations in Gaza</strong>. A White House official, however, said there “has been no request” from the White House for the Defense Department to “slow walk deliveries.” The effort comes following weeks of unsuccessful attempts by the Biden administration to convince Netanyahu to change tactics in Gaza that minimize civilian casualties and to accept a postwar two-state solution. The Biden administration has twice approved emergency sales of weapons to Israel, bypassing Congress. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-administration-discussing-slowing-weaponry-deliveries-israel-pre-rcna136035">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4434545-biden-administration-looking-to-slow-weapon-sales-to-israel-in-effort-to-scale-back-military-assault-report/">The Hill</a> / <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-says-its-israel-policy-unchanged-after-report-leveraging-weapon-sales-2024-01-28/">Reuters</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-israel-palestinians-gaza-guterres-cff00a5b6b7295b738a2255b03a6090e">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>The U.S. and at least eight other countries paused funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees after Israel alleged that at least 12 UNRWA employees were “involved in” the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack</strong>. UNRWA has fired the accused staffers and launched an investigation. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/26/unrwa-gaza-hamas-israel-attack">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-29-2024-4c49c2fb89c3bfd4963f2260b34943c1">Associated Press</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>5/ <strong>American air defenses failed to intercept a drone attack that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan because it was confused with a U.S. drone that was returning to base at the same time</strong>. At least 34 troops were injured in the drone strike, which the Biden administration said was launched from Iraq by an Iran-backed militia. Biden vowed to respond, but was “working through options.” The National Security Council said the U.S. would react “in a time and a manner of our choosing,” adding: “We don’t want a wider war with Iran. We don’t want a wider war in the region, but we’ve got to do what we have to do.” (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/29/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-jordan-updates">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iranian-allies-brace-for-u-s-response-to-deadly-drone-strike-99378749?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/29/us-strike-jordan-drone-attack/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
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Day 1101: "The nominee."2024-01-25T14:41:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/25/day-1101Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump threatened anyone who donates to Nikki Haley “will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp.”</strong> The super political action committee backing Haley raised $50.1 million in the last six months of 2023 – about $5 million more than Trump’s super PAC. The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, is considering a move to declare Trump the “presumptive 2024 nominee” for the party’s presidential nomination, even though Haley has vowed to continue her campaign. While Trump would still need to reach the delegate requirements necessary to win the nomination, he would gain access to the RNC’s data operation, fundraising, and other committee ground operations. Trump needs to secure 1,215 delegates to officially become the party’s nominee. He currently has 32 delegates while Haley has 17. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/25/trump-nikki-haley-donors-threat">Axios</a> / <a href="https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-politics/rnc-moving-to-declare-trump-its-presumptive-nominee/">The Dispatch</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-25/trump-outraised-by-nikki-haley-super-pac-by-5m-thanks-to-wall-street-donors?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/25/politics/rnc-trump-presumptive-nominee-resolution">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/rnc-resolution-declare-trump-presumptive-nominee-rcna135741">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/25/trump-warns-he-will-blacklist-nikki-haley-campaign-donors.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Mitch McConnell privately told Republicans that Trump has complicated an emerging bipartisan border deal</strong>, which explicitly ties strict border policy changes to funding for Israel and Ukraine. McConnell, referring to Trump only as “the nominee,” said the politics “have changed,” and “we don’t want to do anything to undermine him.” Trump doesn’t want Congress to pass a border deal so he can use the issue in the presidential campaign. He’s encouraged Republicans to reject any border deal “unless we get EVERYTHING” the party has demanded, adding he would only accept a “PERFECT” deal. “We’re in a quandary,” McConnell said. (<a href="https://punchbowl.news/archive/12524-punchbowl-news-am/">Punchbowl News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/25/ukraine-funding-border-deal-trump/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/us/politics/mcconnell-border-deal-trump.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226883552/bipartisan-boarder-deal-at-risk-of-collapse-under-pressure-from-trump">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/mcconnell-senate-gop-border-ukraine-package/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-25/mcconnell-senate-gop-struggle-to-save-border-deal-defying-trump?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/mcconnell-doubt-ukraine-aid-immigration-border-deal-trump-republicans-rcna135626">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/25/congress/mcconnell-clarifies-00137879">Politico</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump accused Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis of trying to “foment racial bias” in an effort disqualify her from prosecuting him and his allies</strong>. In addition to Willis’ disqualification, Trump wants the 13 counts against him, including violations of Georgia’s racketeering law, to be dismissed. The motion comes more than two weeks after Trump’s co-defendant Mike Roman alleged that Willis appointed Nathan Wade to serve as lead prosecutor in the case while engaging in a romantic relationship with him. Willis said the accusations were racist because they are Black, which Trump’s lawyers called an “attempt to foment racial animus.” The motion to dismiss charges was originally filed by Roman. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/25/trump-fani-willis-fulton-county-election">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-cites-allegations-improper-relationship-effort-dismiss-georgia-e-rcna135729">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/trump-attorneys-fulton-da-sought-to-foment-racial-animus/HUSECUPEWNF4XOTDANWZLODEX4/">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/25/trump-fani-willis-racial-bias-georgia-election/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Peter Navarro – who claimed credit for the plan to overturn the 2020 election – was sentenced to four months in jail and ordered to pay a $9,500 fine for defying a subpoena from the Jan. 6 select committee</strong>. Navarro refused to testify and provide documents related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election. “You are not a victim. You are not the object of a political prosecution. You are not,” Judge Amit Mehta told Navarro. “You have received every process you are due. Every process.” The former Trump White House adviser is the second senior Trump aide to be sentenced for stonewalling the Jan. 6 investigation. Stephen Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison on a similar contempt conviction in Oct. 2022. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/25/peter-navarro-trump-jan-6-prison-subpoena-00137819">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226836737/peter-navarro-sentence-contempt-congress">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/01/25/peter-navarro-contempt-congress-sentence/72350036007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/us/politics/peter-navarro-sentence-contempt-congress.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/01/25/peter-navarro-sentence-contempt/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-adviser-peter-navarro-sentenced-defying-jan-6-committee-subpoena-rcna135457">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-aide-peter-navarro-sentenced-defying-jan-6/story?id=106653782">ABC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1100: "Disruptive consequences."2024-01-24T15:42:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/24/day-1100Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump won New Hampshire’s primary</strong>, defeating Nikki Haley and advancing closer to the Republican nomination. It was the first time a non-incumbent Republican candidate in the modern era won both the Iowa and New Hampshire Republican contests. Trump, however, used his victory speech to attack Haley after she refused to drop out of the race, calling her “DELUSIONAL!!!,” and an “imposter” who “had a very bad night.” He added: “I don’t get too angry. I get even.” Nevertheless, Haley vowed to continue her campaign and challenged Trump to debate her. “I have news for all of them. New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last,” Haley said. “This race is far from over.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/01/23/trump-haley-new-hampshire-primary-election/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/23/new-hampshire-primary-2024/trumps-victory-speech-00137480">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/haley-refuse-drop-out-loss-new-hampshire-trump-rcna134767">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/24/us/new-hampshire-primary-updates">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/new-hampshire-primary-01-23-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-hampshire-primary-two-candidate-race-72a59c4133879eaeec63d6ed30e91e01">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/24/1226514570/new-hampshire-primary-analysis-results">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-new-hampshire-biden-november-election-50c8a007?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Why the Supreme Court could matter more than Iowa and New Hampshire</strong>. “Even as Trump rumbles to the nomination, his eligibility to run for president still has not been settled.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/24/trump-nomination-supreme-court-14th-amendment-00137484">Politico</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Most N.H. GOP primary voters say Trump fit for presidency even if convicted</strong>. “About half of those who voted in the New Hampshire Republican primary Tuesday believed the false claim that Joe Biden did not legitimately win the 2020 presidential election, according to preliminary exit polls, underscoring the persistence of Trump’s false claims within the GOP that the election was stolen from him.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/23/new-hampshire-voters-trump-trials-2020-election/">Washington Post</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Majority of GOP primary voters aren’t MAGA, but most would be satisfied with Trump nomination</strong>. “About two-thirds of New Hampshire GOP primary voters described themselves as conservative, according to the early results of the exit poll, with about one-quarter calling themselves very conservative. Most said they did not consider themselves a part of the MAGA movement, referring to the ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan popularized by Trump in 2016.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/23/politics/exit-poll-new-hampshire-primary/">CNN</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>The United Auto Workers endorsed Biden for president</strong>. “This election is about who will stand up with us and who will stand in our way,” UAW President Shawn Fain said. “Our endorsement must be earned and Joe Biden has earned it.” Fain called Trump “a scab,” who “stands against everything we stand for as a union – as a society.” The UAW represents around 400,000 members. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/united-auto-workers-union-expected-endorse-biden-rcna135444">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/biden-uaw-endorsement">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/24/us/politics/biden-uaw-union-speech-endorsement.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-auto-workers-endorsement-trump-election-ef4b26cd00fc67c4915f22e54b885866">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/24/biden-uaw/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>A record 21.3 million Americans signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces</strong>. A record 5 million more people signed up for ACA policies for 2024 compared to 2023 – the third straight year of record enrollment. The 30% annual increase in ACA sign-ups come as Trump’s once again promised to repeal the program, saying it “sucks.” Enrollment figures, however, indicate that Republican-leaning states would be most affected if the law were repealed. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/01/24/obamacare-record-enrollment-biden/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/obamacare-enrollment-record">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/24/obamacare-aca-health-insurance-republican-states">Axios</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/4426408-obamacare-marks-record-enrollment-5-million/">The Hill</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The Justice Department urged the Supreme Court preserve full access to a widely used abortion pill</strong>, warning that a lower-court ruling restricting its availability would have “disruptive consequences” for women and “threatens profound harms” nationwide. The Supreme Court has <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/13/day-1058/#2-the-supreme-court-will-decide-whet">agreed</a> to review the lower court’s ruling, which would cut off mail-order prescriptions of mifepristone and require in-person doctor visits. “The loss of access to mifepristone would be damaging for women and healthcare providers around the Nation. For many patients, mifepristone is the best method to lawfully terminate their early pregnancies,” the Justice Department said. Central to the issue is the scope of the FDA’s authority to regulate mifepristone, which was first approved in 2000, and later approved for wider access through telemedicine, mail delivery, and prescribing by pharmacists in 2016. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/24/abortion-pill-mifepristone-doj-supreme-court">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/23/politics/doj-mifepristone-maker-supreme-court-abortion-pill/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>More than 64,500 pregnancies have resulted from rape in the 14 states that banned abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned</strong>, according to research by JAMA Internal Medicine. The majority of states with total bans on abortion don’t have exceptions for rape. And those that do have exceptions require victims to report the rape to authorities, something that only happens in a small fraction of sexual assaults. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/24/rape-pregnancy-abortion-ban-states">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/01/24/1226161416/rape-caused-pregnancy-abortion-ban-states">NPR</a>)</p>
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Day 1099: "An atmosphere of fear."2024-01-23T13:55:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/23/day-1099Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Nikki Haley vowed to continue her presidential campaign even if Trump wins New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation Republican primary</strong>, saying “This has always been a marathon. It’s never been a sprint.” Most polls, however, showed Haley trailing Trump going into today’s primary by double digits. Voting is scheduled to close statewide at 8 p.m. Eastern. New Hampshire is the second state on the Republican electoral calendar after the Iowa caucuses, which Trump <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/16/day-1092/#2-trump-won-the-iowa-republican-cauc">won</a> last week. The Nevada Republicans will hold caucuses Feb. 8, followed by South Carolina’s primary Feb. 24. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/live-blog/new-hampshire-primary-live-updates-rcna134576">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/new-hampshire-primary-01-23-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/23/new-hampshire-primary-live-updates/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/23/us/new-hampshire-primary-updates">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/live/%20new-hampshire-primary-results-updates">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/live-updates/election-2024-nh-primary-results">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/23/new-hampshire-primary-2024/nikki-haley-nh-primary-00137136">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2024-01-23/new-hampshire-gop-primary?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/new-hampshire-gop-primary-election-2024?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Why many Democrats want Trump to win big in New Hampshire</strong>. “Either Trump dominates Nikki Haley in New Hampshire and the general election campaign effectively begins Wednesday — or Trump gets caught in a drawn-out primary at least until South Carolina’s GOP contest on Feb. 24.” (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/23/why-many-dems-want-trump-win-new-hampshire">Axios</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Trump has a big problem ahead</strong>. “There’s a whole swath of the Republican electorate and a good chunk of independents who appear firmly committed to not voting for him in November if he becomes the nominee.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/23/trump-moderate-republicans-problem-00137112">Politico</a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently ended his 2024 presidential campaign and endorsed Trump, suggested that he would veto a proposed Republican bill to use taxpayer money to help pay Trump’s legal bills</strong>. The proposed bill would have allowed the state to create the “Freedom Fighters Fund,” which could then give Trump up to $5 million in taxpayer dollars for legal fees incurred from his ongoing court cases. The proposed new fund would come from the state’s public campaign-matching funds program and later be replenished from voluntary donations via driver’s license registrations. DeSantis, however, said he did not support the measure, tweeting: “But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen…” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/22/florida-trump-legal-bills-00136984">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/23/desantis-trump-legal-bills-state-funds-veto">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-22/florida-eyes-5-million-fund-to-help-cover-trump-s-legal-bills?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>A federal appeals court rejected Trump’s request to lift a gag order that restricts his ability to criticize witnesses in his criminal case for attempting to overturn the 2020 election</strong>. “The court had a duty to act proactively to prevent the creation of an atmosphere of fear or intimidation aimed at preventing trial participants and staff from performing their functions within the trial process,” Judge Patricia Millett wrote for the unanimous three-judge panel. The gag order was initially imposed by Judge Tanya Chutkan in October in response to concerns from special counsel Jack Smith that Trump’s threats to witnesses, attorneys, and court personnel could taint the proceedings, intimidate witnesses, and influence jurors. A three-judge panel upheld the gag order last month, but narrowed the restrictions on speaking about witnesses in the case, but freed Trump to publicly criticize Smith. Trump can now appeal to the Supreme Court. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-gag-order-appeals-court-6a2c31051ae2d0efe124e6ee559ef463">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/23/appeals-court-trumps-gag-order-00137227">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/23/politics/gag-order-trump-appeals-court-en-banc/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Israel proposed allowing Hamas senior leaders to leave Gaza as part of an agreement for a two-month ceasefire in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages</strong>. Pressure is building on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resolve his nearly four-month war, which has failed to capture or kill most of Hamas’s senior leaders in Gaza and left around 70% of Hamas’ fighting force intact, according to Israel’s own estimates. International <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/22/israel-gaza-hamas-eu-two-state/">calls</a> for a two-state solution have also intensified, which Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected. Meanwhile, Israel’s military said 24 soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip – the deadliest day for the country’s forces since the war began – while trying to demolish part of a Palestinian neighborhood to create what they describe as a “security zone” between Gaza and Israel. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/23/world/israel-hamas-gaza-news/israel-says-a-buffer-zone-would-protect-its-people-critics-say-the-policy-could-be-a-war-crime?smid=url-share">buffer zone</a> would be about a half-mile wide and run along the entire length of Israel’s roughly 36-mile border with Gaza. Since Oct. 7, more than 25,000 people have been killed in Gaza, with more than 62,000 injured, over 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced, nearly the entire Gaza Strip population faces a humanitarian crisis, and more than half a million people in the territory <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/23/world/israel-hamas-gaza-news/more-than-half-a-million-people-in-gaza-face-catastrophic-hunger-the-united-nations-says?smid=url-share">face</a> “catastrophic hunger.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/22/politics/israel-proposal-hamas-leaders-leave-gaza">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/22/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-hostages">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/23/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine-updates/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/23/world/israel-hamas-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna135201">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-01-23-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israeli-military-suffers-deadliest-day-since-gaza-war-began-64466d9a?mod=hp_lead_pos3">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set their “Doomsday Clock” at 90 seconds to midnight</strong>, citing global instability driven by Russia’s war in Ukraine, Israel’s war on Hamas, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, state-sponsored disinformation, and the worsening climate crisis. The time on the symbolic clock is the <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/01/25/day-736/#6-the-doomsday-clock-moved-up-to-90">same</a> as last year. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/atomic-scientists-keep-doomsday-clock-close-midnight-ever-rcna135272">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/01/23/doomsday-clock-announcement-2024/72311076007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/watch-live-doomsday-clock-time-announcement-how-close-global-catastrophe-2024/">CBS News</a>)</p>
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Day 1098: "A total failure to launch."2024-01-22T15:20:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/22/day-1098Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Biden administration announced new steps to expand access to contraception, abortion medication, and emergency abortion care at hospitals on the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade</strong>. Eighteen months after the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, Biden called on Congress to “stop playing politics with a woman’s life and freedom” and codify Roe v. Wade into law. The Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services announced new guidance to “clarify standards” and make sure FDA-approved contraceptive medications are available for free under the Affordable Care Act. The Office of Personnel Management will offer new guidance to insurers to strengthen access to contraception for federal workers, retirees, and family members. HHS also announced a “comprehensive plan” to increase awareness and understanding about the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which requires patients to receive emergency medical care regardless of their ability to pay. “We need to understand the horrific reality that women face every single day,” Harris said. “As we face this crisis and as we are clear-eyed about the harm, let us also understand who is responsible, shall we? The former president handpicked three Supreme Court justices because he intended for them to overturn Roe. He intended for them to take away your freedoms. And it is a decision he brags about.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-administration-announces-new-abortion-initiatives-roe-anniversar-rcna134954">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/01/22/biden-abortion-contraception/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/22/us/politics/harris-reproductive-rights-tour.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/biden-administration-new-steps-protect-contraceptives-abortion-medication/story?id=106562383">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/21/politics/biden-campaign-abortion-rights-donald-trump/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-22/-this-is-not-over-biden-vows-to-fight-for-abortion-access?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Supreme Court allowed Border Patrol agents to cut through or move razor wire along the Mexican border that Texas installed to keep migrants from crossing into the state</strong>. The ruling, by a 5-to-4 vote, vacates a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ injunction and reinstates federal authority over the international boundary between Mexico and Texas. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/22/1226142790/supreme-court-texas-razor-wire">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/22/us/politics/supreme-court-texas-border-barbed-wire.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-allows-border-patrol-agents-remove-razor-wire-installed-rcna132890">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/22/politics/supreme-court-texas-razor-wire/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/supreme-court-lets-border-patrol-cut-razor-wire-texas-installed-to-stop-migrants-9c14b32f?mod=hp_lead_pos8">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump warned the Supreme Court that removing him from Colorado’s 2024 ballot would “unleash chaos and bedlam.”</strong> Trump urged the court to “put a swift and decisive end” to lawsuits that say he is ineligible to serve as president because he “engaged in insurrection” on Jan. 6. The Colorado <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/19/day-1064/#1-the-colorado-supreme-court-removed">ruling</a> was the first to find that the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause applies to Trump, which prohibits someone from holding “any office […] under the United States” if they “engaged in insurrection” after taking an oath to support the Constitution. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case on Feb. 8. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/18/trump-tells-scotus-kicking-him-off-ballot-would-unleash-chaos-00136494">Politico</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-files-brief-supreme-court-arguments-14th-amendment/story?id=106483890">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-18/trump-asks-supreme-court-to-keep-him-on-colorado-ballot?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/trump-urges-supreme-court-allow-stay-ballot-rcna134601">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/18/trump-scotus-colorado-ballot">Axios</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4416828-trump-urges-supreme-court-to-put-swift-and-decisive-end-to-14th-amendment-challenges/">The Hill</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Nikki Haley questioned whether Trump was “mentally fit” to serve as president after he repeatedly confused her for Nancy Pelosi during a speech</strong>. “Last night, Trump is at a rally and he’s going on and on mentioning me several times as to why I didn’t take security during the Capitol riots. Why I didn’t handle January 6 better. I wasn’t even in DC on January 6. I wasn’t in office then,” Haley said, adding: “They’re saying he got confused. That he was talking about something else. That he was talking about Nancy Pelosi. He mentioned me multiple times in that scenario.” Trump responded by boasting about his cognitive abilities, saying, “A few months ago I took a cognitive test my doctor gave me […] and I aced it.” Trump <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4422498-trump-haley-cognitive-test/">later</a> challenged Haley to a cognitive test, saying “it would be my result against her result and she’s not going to win, not gonna even come close to winning.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/nikki-haley-trump-mentally-fit-nancy-pelosi-rcna134887">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4419739-haley-raises-concerns-around-trumps-mental-fitness-following-pelosi-mixup/">The Hill</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/19/us/politics/trump-haley-pelosi-jan-6.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/20/politics/nikki-haley-donald-trump-mental-fitness/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/ahead-of-new-hampshire-primary-underdog-nikki-haley-gets-one-on-one-race-with-donald-trump-74ee1bf2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/21/trump-haley-new-hampshire-attacks-personal">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Trump</strong>. “We don’t have a clear path to victory,” DeSantis said days before New Hampshire’s primary, where he’s projected to fall behind both Trump and Nikki Haley. As one former DeSantis adviser <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-campaign-doomed-puzzle-rcna132688">said</a>: “It was a total failure to launch. This thing blew up on the launch pad.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-planning-drop-presidential-bid-sunday-rcna134953">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/21/ron-desantis-drops-out/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/21/desantis-ends-presidential-campaign-00136839">Politico</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>The New Hampshire attorney general’s office is investigating an “unlawful attempt” at voter suppression after voters received a robocall that appears to be an AI voice clone of Biden</strong>. The fake recording called the election “a bunch of malarkey,” and urged voters that “it’s important that you save your vote for the November election […] your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.” Former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair Kathy Sullivan contacted the state’s attorney general after people started telling her they had received the robocall with her number on their caller IDs. The AG’s office said that “Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications.” (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/22/1226129926/nh-primary-biden-ai-robocall">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/22/biden-robocall-new-hampshire-primary/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/fake-joe-biden-robocall-tells-new-hampshire-democrats-not-vote-tuesday-rcna134984">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/22/business/media/biden-robocall-ai-new-hampshire.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/22/politics/fake-joe-biden-robocall/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/22/biden-fake-robocall-disinformation">Axios</a>)</p>
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Day 1094: "Cascading failures."2024-01-18T14:52:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/18/day-1094Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The House and Senate passed a stopgap spending bill to prevent a partial government shutdown this weekend</strong>, sending the measure to Biden as Congress continues to struggle with approving all 12 appropriations bills that fund the government. The short-term spending package – the third since September – will extend current funding for the FDA, Energy, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs through March 1, with funding for the rest of the government, including the Pentagon, continuing through March 8. Lawmakers, however, are in session together for six days prior to the March 1 deadline, and for 10 days before the March 8 deadline. The Senate passed the legislation, 77-18, followed by the House, 314-108, hours later, after 13 hardline Republicans – who have <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/11/day-1087/#3-the-house-freedom-caucus-continued">repeatedly</a> held the chamber hostage in retaliation for the spending deal Speaker Mike Johnson reached with Democrats – launched a last-minute campaign to attach partisan border security measures to the funding package. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/18/senate-passes-funding-patch-00136326">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/18/government-shutdown-bill-senate-house/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/18/us/politics/senate-spending-bill.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/senate-house-cr-spending-deal-government-shutdown-4bebb74a?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-vote-prevent-government-shutdown-one-day-deadline-rcna134368">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>A Justice Department investigation into the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, found “cascading failures” and “no urgency” by law enforcement before, during, and after the attack that killed 19 children and two teachers</strong>. “Had law enforcement agencies followed generally accepted practices in an active shooter situation and gone right after the shooter to stop him, lives would have been saved and people would have survived,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in announcing the 600-page report, adding that the law enforcement response was a “failure that should not have happened.” For 77 minutes, nearly 400 law enforcement officers failed to intervene as an 18-year-old gunman with a semiautomatic rifle remained inside a pair of connected fourth grade classrooms. “During that period, no one assumed a leadership role to direct the response towards the active shooter, provide situational status to responding officers, establish some form of incident command, or clearly assume and communicate the role of incident commander,” the report said. All told, fewer than 10 law enforcement officers on the scene that day are known to have either been fired or resigned. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-justice-department-report-police-16b59efa5c5015d685d917c3f0f26256">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/18/us/uvalde-school-shooting-report-doj.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/18/uvalde-school-shooting-doj-report/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/uvalde-report-doj-texas-mass-shooting-rcna134181">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/uvalde-massacre-response-failed-at-every-point-says-new-federal-report-d3208cc7?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/18/1225340219/uvalde-report">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/18/justice-department-report-uvalde-texas-shooting-00136329">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/01/18/uvalde-school-shooting-report-released-justice-department/72267666007/">USA Today</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Texas refused to comply with a cease-and-desist letter from the Biden administration demanding that Texas National Guard stop blocking U.S. Border Patrol agents from accessing a public park</strong>. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton rejected the Biden administration’s demand that the state abandon the public park along the U.S.-Mexico border. “Because the facts and law side with Texas, the State will continue utilizing its constitutional authority to defend her territory, and I will continue defending those lawful efforts in court,” Paxton said. Homeland Security officials <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/16/day-1092/#5-the-biden-administration-demanded">said</a> a woman and two children drowned in the Rio Grande after Border Patrol agents “were physically barred by Texas officials from entering the area” under orders from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The Biden administration has threatened to “refer the matter to the Department of Justice for appropriate action” if Texas continues to deny Border Patrol agents full access to the area. (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-border-us-mexico-ken-paxton-attorney-general/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/texas-refuses-comply-biden-administrations-cease-desist-letter-border-rcna134423">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/18/texas-border-us-mexico-ken-paxton-biden-administration">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Florida House Republicans introduced legislation that would ban flags that depict a “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint” in government buildings and schools</strong>. Republicans claim the ban on flags is to protect children from being “subliminally indoctrinated with critical race theory, Marxism and transgender ideology” in classrooms. Critics called legislation an attempt by Republicans to “bully” the LGBTQ and minority communities in the state. In the past two years, Florida <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2022/03/28/day-433/#6-florida-gov-ron-desantis-signed-th">banned</a> “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” in the state’s public schools, ordered its schools to <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2022/08/02/day-560/#5-florida-ordered-its-schools-to-ign">ignore</a> federal guidelines aimed at protecting LGBTQ students and teachers from discrimination, <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/04/19/day-820/#3-the-florida-board-of-education-exp">expanded</a> its ban on classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity, <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/01/18/day-729/#3-florida-gov-ron-desantis-rejected">banned</a> an AP African-American Studies course, and <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/07/20/day-912/#5-the-florida-board-of-education-app">released</a> new standards for teaching Black history that requires students to learn that enslaved people “developed skills” that “could be applied for their personal benefit.” (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/17/florida-pride-flags-bill-lgbtq">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/17/florida-republicans-target-flags-in-schools-lgbtq-blm-and-maga-00136091">Politico</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-desantis-florida-goverment-cb504dfe7d344dfb0bc9a54cfc157b4b">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4415582-florida-bill-ban-pride-flags-schools-government-buildings/">The Hill</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/18/bill-ban-pride-flags-florida">The Guardian</a>)</p>
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Day 1093: "Loudly saying things that are false."2024-01-17T14:55:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/17/day-1093Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>A Maine judge delayed ruling on whether Trump’s name can appear on that state’s primary ballot</strong>, saying the Supreme Court needs to issue a decision on a similar case in Colorado first. Earlier this year, Maine’s secretary of state <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/02/day-1078/#1-maine%E2%80%99s-secretary-of-state-removed">removed</a> Trump from the ballot based on the Constitution’s “insurrectionist ban.” The ruling sent the case back to Maine’s secretary of state, ordering her to modify, withdraw or confirm her ruling after the Supreme Court rules on the Colorado case. Oral arguments on the Colorado case are scheduled for Feb. 8. For now, Trump’s name is still on the ballot for the Maine Republican primary on March 5, which is Super Tuesday. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-maine-ballot-supreme-court-7614630adae92bbe0cd7ee3da4d05a19">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/17/maine-trump-14th-amendment-supreme-court">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/17/1225178547/trump-appeal-maine-14th-amendment">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/17/us/trump-maine-primary-ballot.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/17/maine-ballot-ruling-trump/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/17/politics/maine-14th-amendment-trump/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>A federal judge threatened to throw Trump out of court for making “disruptive” comments while E. Jean Carroll’s testified at his defamation trial</strong>. After an initial warning from Judge Lewis Kaplan, Carroll’s lawyer complained a second time that Trump could still be heard “loudly saying things that are false,” including “it is a witch hunt” and “it really is a con job,” while the columnist was testifying. Kaplan warned Trump that while he “has the right to be present here. That right can be forfeited and it can be forfeited if he is disruptive […] I hope I don’t have to consider excluding you from the trial.” Trump then threw his hands up and fired back at the judge: “I would love it, I would love it.” At the time of the exchange, Carroll was testifying about how Trump’s attacks on her credibility – after she publicly accused him of a sexual assault – led to threats of violence from his supporters and that put her in fear for her safety. A jury in a separate civil case <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/05/09/day-840/#1-a-jury-unanimously-found-trump-lia">last year</a> found that Trump sexually abused and defamed Carroll and owed her $5 million in damages. This new trial is focused on whether Trump owes Carroll additional damages for separate comments he made about her. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-lawsuit-70d4477120399373934253c7e450643e">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/17/trump-defamation-trial-carroll-new-york/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/17/nyregion/judge-kaplan-trump-e-jean-carroll-trial.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/e-jean-carroll-testify-damages-trial-donald-trump-expected-attendance-rcna134221">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/judge-threatens-to-remove-trump-from-courtroom-in-defamation-trial-8083f0d6?mod=hp_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-defamation-trial-e-jean-carroll-01-17-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/17/judge-snaps-at-trump-lawyer-during-sex-assault-defamation-trial.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed inclined to overturn or limit a 40-year-old precedent that gives federal agencies wide latitude to interpret unclear laws</strong>. The justices heard two cases concerning the so-called “Chevron deference,” which requires federal judges to defer to federal agencies when they offer a reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous statute. The 1984 decision was intended to stop judges from substituting their own interpretations of statues over the expertise of agencies. During 3 1/2 hours of oral arguments, the conservative majority generally signaled skepticism toward the Chevron deference, though it was unclear whether the court had the votes to overturn the ruling. The court could also take a different approach and place limits on when lower court judges can defer to agencies without overturning Chevron. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-weighs-conservative-plea-weaken-federal-agencies-rcna133561">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/17/politics/supreme-court-chevron-regulations/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/17/1224939610/supreme-court-chevron-doctrine">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/17/conservative-justices-seem-poised-to-weaken-power-of-federal-agencies-00136112">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/17/us/supreme-court-chevron-case.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-17/supreme-court-mulls-ending-chevron-doctrine-shrinking-agency-power?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/supreme-court-hears-plea-from-businesses-to-reverse-a-ruling-they-once-backed-1182ca25?mod=politics_lead_pos2">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/17/supreme-court-chevron-environment">Axios</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>💡 What’s at stake?</strong> The potential rollback of the Chevron deference by the Supreme Court would fundamentally alter how federal agencies implement laws aimed at safeguarding public interests, especially in areas like environmental protection and public health. Federal agencies have traditionally used the deference to swiftly implement laws in response to emerging issues. If the Chevron deference is eliminated, agencies will face increased judicial scrutiny, leading to a decrease in regulatory action. This shift not only affects the environment and public health, but also impacts economic regulations, consumer protections, and education policies. Further, it also shifts the balance of power between the branches of government, potentially weakening the executive branch’s role in day-to-day governance.</li>
</ul>
<p>4/ <strong>The Biden administration put the Houthi militant group back on a global terrorism list</strong> in response to their dozens of attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The “specially designated global terrorists” designation triggers an asset freeze and blocks the Iran-backed group’s access to the global financial system. After taking office, Biden removed the Trump administration’s designation of the Houthis as terrorists, arguing that it hampered humanitarian assistance to people in Yemen. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/17/yemen-houthis-us-biden-terror-designation/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/16/politics/biden-administration-houthis-global-terrorist-entity/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/17/houthis-terrorist-organization-biden">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/17/biden-designates-houthis-terrorist-group-as-us-ramps-up-red-sea-counterstrikes.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-17/us-designates-houthis-as-terrorists-amid-rise-in-red-sea-attacks?srnd=politics-vp&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/16/us/politics/houthis-terrorism-designation.html?searchResultPosition=2">New York Times</a>)</p>
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Day 1092: "The situation sucks."2024-01-16T13:42:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/16/day-1092Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Congressional leaders agreed on a short-term funding bill to avert a partial government shutdown</strong>. The House, however, canceled votes on the spending bill due to a winter storm despite several agencies and government functions set to run out of funding on Friday. The continuing resolution will extend the current two-tier funding deadline structure through March 1 and March 8 to give lawmakers more time to write and pass all 12 spending bills for the current fiscal year. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/13/congress-readies-laddered-march-funding-patch-as-shutdown-looms-00135476">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/16/house-cancels-vote-snowstorm-government-shutdown">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/14/1224729654/top-congressional-leaders-prepare-for-votes-on-a-stop-gap-spending-bill">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/congress-deal-continuing-resolution-government-shutdown/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congressional-leaders-reach-short-term-spending-deal-keep-government-o-rcna133833">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump won the Iowa Republican caucuses by an unprecedented margin</strong>, defeating Ron DeSantis by some 30 points. About 31 minutes after caucusing began, networks declared Trump the winner. Trump, facing 91 charges across four criminal cases, won 98 of 99 counties in Iowa. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/16/trump-iowa-caucuses-takeaways">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-caucus-trump-desantis-haley-takeaways-d1b8be2d9f95969fd6d62f73fa95226b">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/15/us/politics/trump-wins-iowa.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/01/15/trump-desantis-haley-iowa/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-16/trump-advances-toward-biden-2024-white-house-rematch-with-iowa-triumph?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/16/politics/takeaways-iowa-caucuses/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>[Poll] <strong>66% of Iowa caucus-goers said Biden did not legitimately win the presidential election in 2020</strong>. 69% of those voters supported Trump. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/15/iowa-exit-polls-2024/">Washington Post</a>)</li>
<li>[Poll] <strong>72% of Republicans agree that immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally are “poisoning the blood” of America</strong>. (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-news-analysis-most-republicans-agree-with-poisoning-the-blood-language/">CBS News</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his presidential campaign following Iowa caucuses</strong>. Ramaswamy won about 8% of support from caucusgoers. (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vivek-ramaswamy-drops-out-2024-presidential-race-iowa-caucuses/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/vivek-ramaswamy-dropping-2024-presidential-race-rcna133875">NBC News</a>)</li>
<li><strong>Asa Hutchinson suspended his presidential campaign after coming in last place at the Iowa caucuses</strong>. (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/asa-hutchinson-drops-out-2024-presidential-race-iowa/">CBS News</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>Biden is reportedly “running out” of patience with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</strong> as the war against Hamas in Gaza entered its 100th day. Despite unprecedented military and diplomatic support, Biden hasn’t spoken to Netanyahu in more than 20 days due to Netanyahu’s resistance to address U.S. priorities, unwillingness to discuss plans for after the war, and his rejection of the U.S. plan for a reformed Palestinian Authority to have a role in post-Hamas Gaza. One U.S. official remarked: “The situation sucks and we are stuck.” Netanyahu, nevertheless, vowed to keep fighting until “total victory,” adding: “Nobody will stop us — not The Hague, not the axis of evil and not anybody else.” The Hague is currently hearing <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/11/day-1087/#2-south-africa-formally-accused-isra">accusations</a> that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/14/biden-netanyahu-israel-gaza-war-tensions">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/14/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-war-gaza.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-israel-gaza&variant=show&region=BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT&block=storyline_flex_guide_recirc">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna134047">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-01-16-24/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The U.S. has carried out its third military strike against Yemen-based Houthis</strong>, targeting four anti-ship ballistic missiles apparently being readied by the Iran-backed rebel group to attack commercial vessels and Navy ships. The militants have launched nearly 30 attacks on merchant ships in the region since November, vowing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and linking their actions to Western support for Israel. Many of the group’s targets, however, have had no connection to Israel. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/16/world/israel-hamas-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/16/us-strikes-yemen-houthis/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-missiles-iran-seizure-us-8112fbadd3b0689c71a92890895a9368">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-carries-new-airstrike-houthis-yemen/story?id=106414037">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/16/politics/us-additional-strikes-houthis-yemen/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>The Biden administration demanded that Texas stop blocking federal Border Patrol agents from accessing a section of the U.S. southern border after a woman and two children drowned in the Rio Grande</strong>. Homeland Security said that when Border Patrol agents tried to respond to a distress call, they were “physically barred” by Texas Military Department agents from accessing the area, which had blocked off the area with fencing, gates, and razor wire. Texas officials said the three drownings had already occurred when Border Patrol asked for permission to enter the area. “It is impossible to say what might have happened if Border Patrol had had its former access to the area — including through its surveillance trucks that assisted in monitoring the area,” the Justice Department said. “At the very least, however, Border Patrol would have had the opportunity to take any available steps to fulfill its responsibilities and assist its counterparts in the Mexican government with undertaking the rescue mission. Texas made that impossible.” (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/3-migrants-drown-near-shelby-park-eagle-pass-texas-soldiers-denied-entry-federal-border-agents/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/14/us/migrants-drown-texas-dispute.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/15/us/what-we-know-about-the-drownings-of-3-migrants-in-eagle-pass-texas/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>Trump returned to a New York courtroom for the start of his second civil trial over a defamation lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll</strong>, who previously brought a civil lawsuit alleging Trump raped her in a Manhattan department store and then defamed her when he denied her story. Last year, a jury found Trump had sexually abused Carroll and then defamed her, awarding her $5 million in damages. This trial is for a separate incident of defamation, and will determine the damages Trump owes after remarks he made about Carroll during a televised town hall last year following the end of the first trial. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/16/1224523186/trump-e-jean-carroll-defamation-trial">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/16/trump-e-jean-carroll-case-defamation-iowa">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/16/trump-e-jean-carroll-second-lawsuit-00135610">Politico</a>)</p>
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Day 1087: "One of the greatest shows of hypocrisy in history."2024-01-11T14:35:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/11/day-1087Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump defied the judge presiding over his $370 million civil fraud trial and delivered a brief courtroom speech claiming that he’s an “innocent man” and that the lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James is “a fraud on me.”</strong> Judge Arthur Engoron had previously denied Trump’s request to give his own closing statement because Trump wouldn’t agree to refrain from personal attacks. Nevertheless, Trump’s attorney asked Engoron to allow Trump to speak for two to three minutes during closing arguments. Engoron then asked Trump if he would agree to stick to case-related subjects, which prompted Trump to begin his diatribe. For roughly five minutes, Trump claimed that James “hates Trump and uses Trump to get elected,” that the case was a “political witch hunt,” and demanded that prosecutors “should pay me for what I’ve gone through.” Trump then attacked Engoron, remarking that “You have your own agenda […] You can’t listen for more than one minute.” Engoron then instructed Trump’s lawyer to “control your client,” who didn’t appear to make any effort to do so. The trial has now concluded and Engoron said he plans to issue his ruling later this month. James has asked Engoron to impose $370 million in penalties and permanently bar Trump from running a business in New York. Hours before the trial’s final day began, police <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/bomb-threat-targeted-home-judge-trumps-civil-fraud-trial-rcna133416">responded</a> to a “swatting incident” at Engoron’s home. The bomb squad was <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/arthur-engoron-bomb-threat-made-at-home-of-judge-in-trumps-bank-fraud-trial?ref=home?ref=home">called</a> to investigate, but <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/01/11/donald-trump-fraud-case-judge-bomb-threat/72187306007/">nothing</a> was found. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-closing-arguments-b36abe2fd695d0172e71f8ef9c5ee7f3">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/nyregion/trump-ny-fraud-trial-testimony.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-fraud-case-closing-arguments-court-rcna131891">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-civil-fraud-trial-01-11-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/11/trump-new-york-fraud-trial-closing-arguments/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/11/trump-civil-fraud-trial-closing-arguments">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>South Africa formally accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza</strong>. South Africa called on the International Court of Justice to order Israel to immediately suspend its “continuous bombing” of the Gaza Strip, where more than 23,400 people have been killed since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 59,600 have been injured, and thousands more are missing and presumed dead. South Africa condemned Hamas’ attacks, but said “nothing” could justify Israel’s response. Lawyers representing South Africa argued that Israel’s military campaign was intended to “bring about the destruction” of the Palestinian population, noting that comments by Israeli leaders – calling Palestinians “human animals” – and actions – imposing a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip – signaled “genocidal intent.” Israel dismissed the accusation as “absurd blood libel,” “atrocious and preposterous,” and called the case “one of the greatest shows of hypocrisy in history.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meanwhile, described the case as “meritless,” and called it “particularly galling given that those who are attacking Israel – Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, as well as their supporter of Iran – continue to openly call for the annihilation of Israel and the mass murder of Jews.” The court is expected to rule on South Africa’s request to stop the violence in Gaza within weeks, but a verdict on the question of genocide could take years. While the court’s rulings are legally binding, enforcement can be difficult. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/11/middleeast/south-africa-israel-genocide-icj-hague-day-one-intl/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/11/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna133391">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/11/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-live-updates/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-court-israel-genocide-gaza-south-africa-774ab3c3d57fd7bcc627602eaf47fd98">Associated Press</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Looming Starvation in Gaza Shows Resurgence of Civilian Sieges in Warfare</strong>. “A U.N.-affiliated panel said the territory could tip into famine very soon. International laws to protect people from human-made famines offer little help.” (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/health/gaza-israel-hunger-starvation.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>American intel officials warn of risk of Hezbollah attacking U.S.</strong> “U.S. officials assess that there’s a rising risk Lebanese Hezbollah militants will strike Americans in the Middle East — and even potentially hit inside the United States.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/10/american-intel-officials-hezbollah-u-s-attack-risk-00134874">Politico</a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>The House Freedom Caucus continued to hold the chamber hostage while pressuring Speaker Mike Johnson to renege on the bipartisan spending deal to avert a government shutdown</strong>. <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/10/day-1086/#1-house-republicans-revolted-against">Yesterday</a>, members of the far-right group and their allies revolted against the bipartisan spending deal, openly criticized Johnson, and blocked a procedural vote on an unrelated bill in protest over the $1.66 trillion bipartisan spending deal. The ultra-conservative group is demanding the top-line budget number be at least $70 billion less, and include new border security. Some frustrated Republican centrists and appropriators are calling on Johnson to stick to the bipartisan deal and punish the conservatives. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, plans to introduce a short-term stopgap spending plan in order to give Congress more time to work out the details of the bipartisan spending agreement. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/11/congress/conservatives-push-johnson-00135080">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/hard-right-republicans-pressure-speaker-johnson-back-bipartisan-spendi-rcna133509">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/hardliners-pressure-speaker-johnson-to-renege-on-spending-deal?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The Pentagon failed to properly track $1 billion worth of military equipment sent to Ukraine for its defense against Russia</strong>, according to a report by the Defense Department’s inspector general. The report, however, offered no evidence that any of the items – including night vision devices, air defense missiles, anti-tanks missiles, launch equipment, and kamikaze drones – have been misused or stolen. The new report comes as Congress debates whether to authorize a supplemental package of more than $60 billion in aid for Ukraine amid significant Republican opposition. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/11/politics/pentagon-tracking-weapons-ukraine-report/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/us-fails-to-fully-account-for-arms-sent-ukraine-watchdog-says?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/world/europe/us-military-aid-ukraine.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<hr />
<h3>✨ Well, That’s Fantastic!</h3>
<ol>
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<p><strong>U.S. carbon emissions shrank in 2023 for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic</strong>. Last year, U.S. greenhouse gas pollution from energy and industrial activities fell by 1.9% despite the economy growing by about 2.4%. To put that into perspective: in 2023, the U.S. emitted as much carbon as it did in 1991, when the economy was about a quarter of its current size. (<a href="https://heatmap.news/economy/americas-carbon-emissions-fell-for-the-first-time-since-covid">Heatmap</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/good-news-bad-news-us-emissions-shrank-last-year-slowly-rcna132932">NBC News</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>The world’s capacity to generate renewable electricity grew by 50% in 2023</strong> – the fastest rate in the past 25 years. The International Energy Agency reported that the global energy systems’ renewable energy capacity reached nearly 510 gigawatts last year – enough to power nearly 51 million homes for a year. About 75% of the growth was in increased solar capacity. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-cop29-renewable-energy-fossil-fuels-2df7406c071ad0a828b428bb0cede955">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4402895-renewable-energy-grows-fastest-rate-in-decades/">The Hill</a> / <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/massive-expansion-of-renewable-power-opens-door-to-achieving-global-tripling-goal-set-at-cop28">International Energy Agency</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>U.S. battery storage capacity could double in 2024</strong> if all of the planned energy storage systems are brought online on schedule. Since 2021, battery storage in the U.S. has been growing, ending last year with around 16 gigawatts utility-scale battery capacity. Developers plan to add another 15 GW in 2024 – an 89% increase(!) – and around another 9 GW in 2025. Meanwhile, 12 GW of coal-fired capacity is expected to retire in 2024 and 2025. (<a href="https://www.power-eng.com/energy-storage/batteries/u-s-battery-storage-projected-to-nearly-double-in-2024/">Power Engineering</a> / <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61202#">Energy Information Administration</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>The Biden administration announced $623 million in grants to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country</strong>. The grants will support 47 projects in 22 states and Puerto Rico, with an emphasis on rural areas and underserved communities, and lead to the construction of about 7,500 new EV charging ports. (<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/white-house-623-million-ev-charging-bonanza/">Wired</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/dot-announces-623-million-grants-support-ev-charging/story?id=106265280">ABC News</a>)</p>
</li>
</ol>
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Day 1086: "Irrelevant matters."2024-01-10T15:06:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/10/day-1086Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>House Republicans revolted against a bipartisan spending deal, openly criticized their new speaker, and blocked a procedural vote on an unrelated bill</strong>. As a result, House votes for the day were cancelled while Speaker Mike Johnson attempts to reach a deal with members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus. The 13 hard-line GOP members said they were “absolutely not” happy with Johnson, because “we’ve been involved in nothing” and the agreement largely resembles the one former Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached with Biden last year. The group also complained that the <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/08/day-1084/#4-house-republicans-and-senate-democ">bipartisan spending deal</a>, which would avert a partial government shutdown starting next week, was “unacceptable” because it doesn’t “secure the border” or “cut our spending.” (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/10/republicans-rule-vote-house-floor-budget">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/10/congress/hunter-biden-contempt-resolution-advances-00134798">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/border-security-fight-imperils-budget-deal-funding-for-ukraine-b1054519?mod=hp_lead_pos4">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/10/politics/speaker-johnson-funding-fight-right-flank/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congressional-leaders-signal-short-term-funding-deal-needed-avert-shut-rcna133293">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Hunter Biden made a unannounced appearance at the House Oversight Committee’s meeting on whether to hold him in contempt of Congress</strong>. Hunter Biden skipped the closed-door deposition last month, citing concerns that Republicans would distort his comments. “You are the epitome of white privilege, coming to the Oversight Committee, spitting in our face, ignoring a congressional subpoena to be deposed — what are you afraid of?” Republican Nancy Mace said, adding: “You have no balls.” Hunter Biden, however, has offered to testify publicly at least six times, but Republicans have refused the offer and insisted that any interview be held privately. Nevertheless, both the Judiciary and Oversight Committees voted along party lines to recommend holding him in contempt of Congress. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/10/congress/hunter-biden-contempt-resolution-advances-00134798">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/10/biden-surprise-appearance-contempt-hearing/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-republicans-vote-resolutions-hold-hunter-biden-contempt-congress-rcna133206">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/10/1224021556/hunter-biden-surprise-contempt-appearance">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-investigation-impeachment-49747853006d10f06103ab362c0f387a">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/us/politics/hunter-biden-capitol-hearing.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump will not be allowed to personally make a closing argument at his New York civil fraud trial after refusing to abide by the judge’s restrictions — including that he not give “a campaign speech” and that he sticks to “relevant” matters</strong>. Judge Arthur Engoron said he was initially “inclined” to let Trump speak with the caveat he limits his remarks to the “relevant, material facts” of the case, doesn’t introduce new evidence, “testify,” “comment on irrelevant matters,” “deliver a campaign speech,” or “impugn myself, my staff, plaintiff, plaintiff’s staff or the New York State Court System.” A Trump attorney, however, said Trump “cannot agree […] to the proposed preconditions and prior restraints.” Closing arguments are slated to take place on Thursday. Attorney General Letitia James has asked Engoron to impose a $370 million fine, ban Trump from working in New York’s real estate industry for life, and ban him from serving as an officer or director of a New York corporation. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-closing-arguments-420997f889922423dbce8a0945f0c348">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-plans-deliver-part-closing-arguments-ny-civil-fraud-trial-rcna133148">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/10/politics/trump-civil-trial-testimony/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/nyregion/trump-fraud-trial-closing-arguments.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/10/trump-trial-court-closing-argument-fraud">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/10/trump-not-allowed-make-new-york-fraud-trial-closing-argument.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Trump, forgetting that his own mother was born in Scotland, baselessly promoted a false “birther” conspiracy theory that Nikki Haley is ineligible to be president because her parents were not U.S. citizens when she was born</strong>. Trump’s latest attack comes as a recent poll shows Haley cutting into his lead in New Hampshire, and his own eligibility under the insurrection clause of the Constitution is now under review by the Supreme Court. While Haley’s parents became citizens after her birth, she was born in South Carolina. Under the 14th Amendment, being born in the U.S. makes her a natural-born citizen, and therefore eligible to become president. Trump has previously used the false “birther” claims against then-President Barack Obama and later against Ted Cruz. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-promotes-baseless-birther-conspiracy-theory-nikki-haley-rcna133166">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/10/1223940451/donald-trump-birther-nikki-haley-citizenship-president-14th-amendment">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/us/politics/trump-birther-nikki-haley.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>📆 Republican presidential primary debate tonight</strong>. Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are set to go head-to-head on CNN, while Trump will take part in a Fox News town hall at the same time. Chris Christie, suspended his presidential campaign, and Vivek Ramaswamy didn’t qualify for the debate.</li>
</ul>
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Day 1085: "Trump doesn’t give a damn about people."2024-01-09T14:30:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/09/day-1085Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reacted with skepticism to Trump’s unprecedented claim that a president could only be charged with a crime if they’ve been impeached and convicted by Congress first</strong>. Trump argued that prosecuting him for “official acts” unless first impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate would “open a Pandora’s box” of indicting other former presidents for actions they took while in office. At one point, when asked hypothetically if a president could face prosecution for ordering the SEAL Team Six to assassinate a political rival, Trump’s lawyer argued that such a case could only proceed “if he were impeached and convicted first.” If that’s the case, the Justice Department lawyer representing special counsel Jack Smith asked, “what kind of world are we living in” if a president can order a political assassination and avoid criminal charges by resigning before he can be impeached, adding that Trump’s view of immunity would mean an “extraordinarily frightening future.” All three judges appeared unlikely to dismiss Smith’s election subversion charges against Trump on claims of presidential immunity. Following the hearing, Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/09/trump-comments-violence-bedlam/">warned</a> of “bedlam” and declined to rule out political violence if the criminal charges against him hurt him in the 2024 election. [<em>Editor’s Note: I typically avoid speculative reporting, prioritizing concrete events (i.e. it’s called “WHAT The Fuck Just Happened Today?” after all). However, the exceptional nature of this situation demands our attention as its outcome impacts democratic norms and necessitates a thorough examination.</em>] (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/09/us/trump-immunity-hearing">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/01/09/trump-immunity-case-court-arguments-jan-6/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-court-hearing-immunity-01-09-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-09/trump-lawyers-argue-election-prosecution-opens-pandora-s-box?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/donald-trumps-immunity-appeal-opens-new-campaign-front-69d7f8f2?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/appeals-court-weighs-trumps-immunity-claim-election-interference-case-rcna132281">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/09/1222887973/trump-immunity-from-prosecution">NPR</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/trump-immunity-hearing/?id=106211454">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-special-counsel-immunity-appeal-64eec975e6a602949eb4b90315239318">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/09/trumps-immunity-claim-gets-frosty-reception-at-appeals-court-00134512">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/jan/09/trump-immunity-hearing-jan-6-case-dc-politics-latest-updates">The Guardian</a>)</p>
<ul>
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<p><strong>✨ Why should I care?</strong> The Constitution was designed to prevent the concentration of power and ensure accountability, including for the President. Granting immunity to a former president would conflict with these principles, potentially creating a dangerous precedent where presidential power is unchecked and unbalanced. The outcome will either affirm or challenge the foundational values of American democracy. If Trump is granted immunity, it could lead to a dangerous precedent where former presidents evade legal accountability, undermining the rule of law. Additionally, it serves as a reminder of the citizen’s role in democracy – to be informed, engaged, and critical of the actions of elected officials. This case demonstrates the necessity for a robust and independent judiciary as a check on executive power, emphasizing the importance of separation of powers in preserving democratic governance.</p>
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<p><strong>✏️ A federal court in Georgia is hearing a case on the security of the state’s voting machines</strong>. Despite Trump’s allegations, multiple audits and recounts in Georgia using these machines in 2020 and 2022 found no evidence of fraud. The trial is set to conclude by mid-2024, possibly affecting the general election. A ruling against the state could force changes in voting methods or increased security measures. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/09/georgia-court-voting-machines-trump-election-fraud-00134420">Politico</a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump said he hoped the economy would crash this year so the blame falls on Biden rather during his hypothetical second term</strong>. “And when there’s a crash, I hope it’s going to be during this next 12 months because I don’t want to be Herbert Hoover. The one president – I just don’t want to be Herbert Hoover,” Trump said. The U.S. stock market crashed during Hoover’s first year in office in 1929, which evolved into the Great Depression. “Donald Trump should just say he doesn’t give a damn about people, because that’s exactly what he’s telling the American people when he says he hopes the economy crashes,” Biden’s campaign manager said. “In his relentless pursuit of power and retribution, Donald Trump is rooting for a reality where millions of Americans lose their jobs and live with the crushing anxiety of figuring out how to afford basic needs.” The White House added: “A commander in chief’s duty is to always put the American people first; never to hope that hard-working families suffer economic pain for their own political benefit.” Trump’s comments came amid rising consumer confidence, cooling inflation, lower gas prices, rising wages, and optimism that the economy can achieve a so-called soft landing and avoid a recession. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/09/politics/biden-pounces-on-trumps-prediction-of-an-economic-crash/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-hopes-economic-crash-comes-on-bidens-watch-134105a4">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/09/us/politics/trump-economy-biden.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/08/politics/trump-economy-crash/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/09/biden-slams-trump-for-hoping-the-economy-crashes-in-2024.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel to “stop taking steps that undercut the Palestinians’ ability to govern themselves effectively.”</strong> Blinken met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli leaders in an effort to push the U.S. ally to moderate its assault on the Gaza Strip, defuse regional tensions to prevent a broader war, and to work with Palestinians and neighboring countries to rebuild and govern the territory. “Extremists settler violence carried out with impunity, settlement expansion, demolitions, evictions all make it harder – not easier – for Israel to achieve lasting peace and security,” Blinken said. “Israel must be a partner to Palestinian leaders who are willing to lead their people in living side by side in peace with Israel as neighbors.” Far-right members of the Israeli government, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/09/israel-gaza-hamas-blinken/">however</a>, have called for the mass removal of Palestinian civilians from Gaza and dismissed American demands for a “revamped and revitalized” Palestinian Authority, which runs parts of the West Bank, to take control in a postwar, Hamas-free Gaza. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/09/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine-updates/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-01-09-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna132987">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/09/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-09-2024-017066376ac06026622ee0b83dc2b65e">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Last year was Earth’s hottest in recorded history</strong>. The European Union’s climate agency reported that global temperatures in 2023 were “exceptionally high,” and averaging 1.48 degrees Celsius (2.66 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels during 1850-1900. This year is predicted to be even hotter, with Earth’s 12-month average temperature likely to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) – the limit established by the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) above pre-industrial times to avert the most catastrophic consequences of climate change. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/earth-just-hottest-year-ever-recorded-far-rcna133018">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/09/earth-2023-hottest-year-neared-paris-target">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-warming-heating-earth-europe-copernicus-60eb12d11b7e5f694848673bb58512d3">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/09/record-hot-year-2023-global-temperatures/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/09/climate/2023-warmest-year-record.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
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Day 1084: "Fair notice."2024-01-08T14:20:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/08/day-1084Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Supreme Court agreed to review the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to remove Trump from that state’s ballot</strong>. The court will hear the case on an expedited basis with arguments starting Feb. 8. The Colorado Republican Party urged the justices to rule by March 5, when many states, including Colorado, hold their primaries. Last month, Colorado’s top court <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/19/day-1064/#1-the-colorado-supreme-court-removed">disqualified</a> Trump from the ballot, finding he engaged in an insurrection before and during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Maine’s secretary of state <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/02/day-1078/#1-maine%E2%80%99s-secretary-of-state-removed">also</a> barred Trump from that ballot over his role in the Capitol attack. Trump is separately appealing that ruling to a state court in Maine. The Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/05/rnc-nrcc-supreme-court-amicus-brief-trump-00134069">meanwhile</a>, filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court supporting Trump’s efforts to remain on the 2024 ballot. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/us/trump-supreme-court-colorado-ballot.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/05/1222859510/supreme-court-colorado-ballots">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-agrees-weigh-whether-trump-can-kicked-ballot-colorado-rcna132058">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/05/supreme-court-trump-colorado-ballot-insurrection/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-insurrection-2024-election-0baac5ba0c1868e437e365af17eeab24">Associated Press</a> /<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-colorado-case-2024-ballot-supreme-court/"> CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/politics/supreme-court-trump-colorado-14th-amendment-insurrectionist-clause/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-05/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-trump-colorado-ballot-appeal?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Trump refused to sign Illinois’ ballot pledge to not “advocate the overthrow of the government.”</strong> “Under Illinois law, presidential candidates wanting to be on the state’s March 19th primary ballot had to turn in their nominating petitions to the State Board of Elections on Thursday or Friday, and the loyalty oath is a time-honored part of that process.” (<a href="https://www.wbez.org/stories/trump-did-not-sign-illinois-candidate-loyalty-oath/1d1fbaf4-261f-4c15-b466-8fb749d404e1">WBEZ</a> / <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/1/6/24027720/donald-trump-loyalty-oath-illinois-ballot-advocate-overthrow-government-pledge-mccarthy-red-scare">Chicago Sun-Times</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Trump suggested that if he is re-elected he would have Biden indicted</strong>. “Trump has argued that former presidents are entitled to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for any “official acts” conducted during their presidency.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-re-elected-biden-indicted-rcna132810">NBC News</a>)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump asked a Georgia judge to dismiss his 13 felony racketeering and conspiracy charges for trying to subvert the 2020 election</strong>, claiming the election subversion case violated presidential immunity, double jeopardy, and due process protections. Trump argued that <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2021/01/04/day-1446/#1-trump-pressured-georgia%E2%80%99s-secretar">pressuring</a> Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in January 2021 to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory in the state was part of his official duties as president, and therefore he should enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution. In addition, Trump argued in the due process motion that he “lacked fair notice” that his baseless claims about widespread election fraud could be criminalized. Trump also argued that the case should be tossed because he was tried and acquitted on related charges before the U.S. Senate during his second impeachment, citing double jeopardy. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-moves-dismiss-georgia-election-case-presidential-immunity-ground-rcna132858">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/08/politics/trump-fulton-county-georgia-immunity/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/08/trump-seeks-georgia-dismissal-immunity-00134305">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/08/us/trump-georgia-election-case-immunity.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-05/new-york-now-seeks-370-million-from-trump-in-civil-fraud-trial?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-seeks-dismiss-georgia-election-interference-case-based/story?id=106195551">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-georgia-case/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/08/trump-immunity-clause-filing-georgia">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The Supreme Court allowed Idaho to enforce its near-total ban on abortions</strong>, agreeing to hear an appeal in the case and scheduling arguments for April. A ruling is expected by the end of June. Idaho’s 2020 law bans most abortions and makes it a crime with a prison term of up to five years for anyone who performs or assists in an abortion, with an exception when “necessary to prevent the death of a pregnant woman.” In August 2022 the Biden administration sued to block the law, arguing that it illegally conflicts with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which requires hospitals to provide “necessary stabilizing treatment” when the health of the mother is in danger. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/05/1216284896/supreme-court-allows-idaho-abortion-ban-to-be-enacted-first-such-ruling-since-do">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-allows-idaho-enforce-abortion-law-emergency-room-doctors-rcna127244">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies-idaho-8ca89d7de0c1fa9256dcd27d1847e144">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/05/abortion-idaho-supreme-court-hospitals-emtala/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/05/us/politics/supreme-court-idaho-abortion-ban.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/01/05/supreme-court-idaho-abortion-ban-emergency-room/71829321007/">USA Today</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>House Republicans and Senate Democrats reached an agreement to avert a shutdown and keep the federal government funded until the end of the fiscal year</strong>. The deal would establish an overall spending level of $1.66 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year, setting spending levels at $886 billion for the military and $772 billion for other non-defense federal spending. The agreement is inline with the deal that Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to last year, who was later ousted by far-right House Republicans in October for cutting a deal with Biden and the Democrats. Nevertheless, the Freedom Caucus called Speaker Mike Johnson’s agreement a “total failure” and “totally unacceptable.” The House and Senate now have to craft the underlying bills and pass them in less than two weeks to avert a partial government shutdown. Funding for roughly 20% of the government will run out on Jan. 19, and money for the rest of the government runs out on Feb. 2. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/07/congress-spending-deal-shutdown-00134200">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/08/us/politics/congress-spending-deal.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/07/congress-budget-deal/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/congressional-negotiators-reach-agreement-on-1-6-trillion-government-spending-level-for-2024-c593a1b5">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-reaches-deal-much-spend-2024-shutdown-deadline-nears-rcna132739">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/07/1223378237/congressional-deal-shutdown">NPR</a>)</p>
<hr />
<h3>✏️ Notables.</h3>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>The Pentagon didn’t tell Biden, Congress, or other top officials that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized</strong>. Austin first underwent what military officials described as an “elective medical procedure” on Dec. 22 and remained at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. On Jan. 1, Austin was admitted to the ICU related to complications from his procedure. The White House and Congress were notified on Jan. 4. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/06/pentagon-took-3-days-to-inform-white-houses-nsc-of-austins-hospitalization-00134176">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/06/1223333029/defense-secretary-lloyd-austin-hospitalized-secrecy">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/06/us/politics/lloyd-austin-hospitalization.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/biden-backs-defense-chief-austin-wont-take-resignation-if-offered-c6c39c1a?mod=followamazon">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>House Republicans recommended Hunter Biden be held in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena</strong>, saying he “violated federal law.” Last month, Hunter Biden offered to answer questions in a public setting, contending that the Republican-led committees would release excerpts of the closed-door testimony in small batches that lacked context in an effort to damage the Biden family politically. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-republicans-release-report-recommending-hunter-biden-held-contem-rcna132800">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/08/hunter-biden-house-republicans-report">Axios</a>)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>32% of Republicans disapprove of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol</strong>. Three years ago, 51% disapproved of those who forced their way into the Capitol to disrupted the peaceful transfer of power. (<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jan-6-opinion-poll-republican-disapproval-wanes-2024-01-06/">CBS News</a>)</p>
</li>
</ol>
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Day 1080: "A scandal."2024-01-04T13:02:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/04/day-1080Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump’s businesses received at least $7.8 million from foreign governments – most of it from China – during his time in office</strong>, according to a report by the House Oversight Committee. During the two-year period that the committee was able to review, at least 20 foreign government paid millions to Trump’s hotels in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, New York’s Trump Tower, and Trump World Tower. Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, said that the $7.8 million is “almost certainly only a fraction of Trump’s harvest of unlawful foreign state money, but this figure in itself is a scandal and a decisive spur to action.” The report argues that the payments violated the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause, which prohibits a president from accepting money, payments or gifts “of any kind whatever” from foreign governments and monarchs unless he obtains “the consent of the Congress” to do so. Trump never went to Congress to seek consent. The evidence that Trump’s businesses profited from foreign governments during his presidency is the same conduct that House Republicans have unsuccessfully used as the basis of their impeachment inquiry into Biden. The Republican’s yearlong investigation has failed to produce evidence of anything approaching high crimes or misdemeanors. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/04/us/politics/trump-hotels-foreign-business-report.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/04/politics/trump-properties-china-foreign-payments/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/04/report-trump-businesses-received-78-million-foreign-payments-during-presidency/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-received-78-million-payments-foreign-governments-president-repor-rcna132276">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-04/trump-hotels-made-millions-from-foreign-governments-during-term?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/china-saudi-arabia-top-list-of-foreign-governments-that-spent-millions-at-trump-properties-during-his-presidency-277317cb?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/04/congress/new-house-dem-trump-report-foreign-payments-00133785">Politico</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>🔎 What’s at stake?</strong> Trump’s acceptance of millions from foreign governments as president violates constitutional safeguards and undermines American democratic principles and norms. This act not only questions the impartiality of presidential decisions, but also threatens the nation’s integrity and independence. Such conduct risks setting a dangerous precedent where personal gain overshadows national interest, potentially allowing for critical policy decisions to be influenced by foreign entities. This issue is a reminder that in a democracy, leaders must prioritize the country’s welfare above all, maintaining integrity and independence from external influences.</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>The Justice Department sued Texas over the state’s new law that would allow police to arrest, jail, and prosecute migrants who illegally enter the U.S.</strong> The state law makes it a misdemeanor to illegally cross the border and a second-degree felony for illegal re-entry, with punishments ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison. It also allows judges in Texas to issue de facto deportation orders. The Justice Department argued that the Constitution assigns the federal government – not individual states – the authority to regulate immigration and manage international borders. “Texas cannot run its own immigration system,” the Justice Department wrote in the lawsuit. “Under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and longstanding Supreme Court precedent, states cannot adopt immigration laws that interfere with the framework enacted by Congress.” (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-border-justice-department-ad3814ef6c6160d62fd899d7570ffc0b">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/04/texas-doj-immigration-law-lawsuit">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/03/doj-texas-immigration-law-lawsuit-00133737">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-sues-texas-border-security-law/">CBS News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Florida’s surgeon general – citing widely debunked misinformation – called for a halt to using mRNA coronavirus vaccines</strong>. Joseph Ladapo has repeatedly falsely claimed that the vaccine is ineffective and can permanently contaminate human DNA. Federal health officials and other experts, meanwhile, have refuted each of Ladapo’s false claims. “We’ve seen this pattern from Dr. Ladapo that every few months he raises some new concern and it quickly gets debunked,” Ashish Jha, a former White House Covid-19 response coordinator, said. “This idea of DNA fragments — it’s scientific nonsense. People who understand how these vaccines are made and administered understand that there is no risk here.” The coronavirus vaccines <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2022/two-years-covid-vaccines-prevented-millions-deaths-hospitalizations">have</a> prevented more than 3 millions deaths and saved the U.S. more than $1 trillion in medical costs. Covid hospitalizations, meanwhile, have been on the rise nationally, with nearly 30,000 Americans newly hospitalized the week of Dec. 23. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/01/03/florida-surgeon-general-ladapo-covid-vaccine/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/health/covid-vaccines-florida.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/04/florida-surgeon-general-covid-vaccine-misinformation-joseph-ladapo">The Guardian</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4387662-florida-surgeon-general-recommends-against-mrna-covid-shots-cites-discredited-theory/">The Hill</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Federal prosecutors accused Sen. Bob Menendez of using his political influence to benefit Qatar and Egypt</strong>. The superseding indictment accuses Menendez of taking actions to benefit the government of Qatar in exchange for cash, gold bars, luxury watches, and Formula 1 tickets. In <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/10/12/day-996/#2-federal-prosecutors-indicted-sen-b">addition</a> to the bribery charges, Menendez is accused of acting as a foreign agent for the government of Egypt while serving as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez has resisted calls that he resign from the Senate and has not ruled out running for re-election. His trial is scheduled for May. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/02/nyregion/robert-menendez-qatar-influence.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-bob-menendez-facing-charges-new-superseding-indictment/story?id=106056419">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/01/02/menendez-qatar-bribery-indictment/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/02/politics/bob-menendez-superseding-indictment-qatar/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>poll/ <strong>25% of Americans falsely believe the FBI “probably” or “definitely” instigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol</strong>. 11% think there is “solid evidence” that the FBI organized and encouraged the attack, while 13% say this is their “suspicion only.” Among Republicans, 34% said the FBI instigated the attack, compared with 30% of independents, and 13% of Democrats. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/01/04/fbi-conspiracy-jan-6-attack-misinformation/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
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Day 1079: "The fate of our democracy."2024-01-03T14:30:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/03/day-1079Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump asked the Supreme Court to keep his name on Colorado ballot</strong>. <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/19/day-1064/#1-the-colorado-supreme-court-removed">Last month</a>, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump engaged in an insurrection before and during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and as a result Trump was “disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.” It was the first time that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause” has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. And, <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/02/day-1078/#1-maine%E2%80%99s-secretary-of-state-removed">last week</a> Maine’s secretary of state removed Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot based on the Constitution’s “insurrectionist ban.” Both states – which hold their primaries on Super Tuesday on March 5 – temporarily put their decisions on hold so they could be appealed. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/03/trump-colorado-ballot-appeal/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/03/politics/trump-colorado-supreme-court-appeal/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-appeals-colorado-14th-amendment-election-disqualification-us/story?id=105988547">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/trump-asks-supreme-court-overturn-colorado-ballot-eligibility-ruling-rcna130606">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/us/politics/trump-colorado-supreme-court.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/trump-asks-supreme-court-to-overturn-his-removal-from-colorado-primary-ballot-3eeaedb0?mod=breakingnews">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-supreme-court-5d179c97c6fb861980f4ba2994589c69">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Biden will mark the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection with a speech at a key site in the Revolutionary War</strong>. Biden will deliver remarks – expected to highlight the stakes of the presidential election – near a site where a group of militias gathered to form a coalition to fight for democracy in the 1770s, and where George Washington rallied troops into a unified army. “We are running a campaign like the fate of our democracy depends on it, because it does,” Biden’s reelection campaign said, adding: If Trump wins in November, he “will use all of his power to systematically dismantle and destroy our democracy.” Trump faces 91 criminal charges stemming from his efforts to overturn his loss to Biden and three other felony cases. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-democracy-threat-national-traumas-66167f70a167592c23067180fbe55910">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/biden-campaign-casts-trump-threat-democracy-ahead-jan-6-speech-rcna131987">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/03/biden-jan-6-trump-election-2024/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/03/1222585257/biden-campaign-events">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/03/biden-trump-jan-6-campaign-2024-pennsylvania">Axios</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>💡 American democracy has overcome big stress tests since the 2020 election. More challenges are ahead</strong>. “Trump is running for the White House again and has been dominating the Republican primary as the first votes approach. He has called for pardoning those prosecuted for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, continues to insist falsely that the 2020 election was ‘stolen’ and says he will use the federal government to seek revenge on his political enemies. Trump has used increasingly authoritarian rhetoric as he campaigns for the GOP nomination. If he wins, allies have been planning to seed the government with loyalists so the bureaucracy doesn’t hinder Trump’s more controversial plans the way it did during his first term.” (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democracy-threats-trump-2024-election-lies-biden-716360db82a28a023bbee0d99f607a76">Associated Press</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>3/ <strong>At least six states were forced to evacuate their state capitols after receiving bomb threats</strong>. No explosives were found and federal officials dismissed the threats as a hoax, which was sent via a mass email titled “Explosives inside of your State Capitol.” The email was sent to government offices in at least 23 states, although no specific state was mentioned in the email. The FBI said it was aware of the “numerous hoax” bomb threats. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/03/state-capitols-bomb-threats">Axios</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-aware-hoax-bomb-threats-state-capitols-country/story?id=106080787">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/03/bomb-threats-state-capitols/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/03/us/state-capitols-threats/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/03/1222703888/several-state-capitols-evacuated-after-bomb-threats">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-capitol-threat-evacuation-lockdown-dfef5fbb98ec6572474807c260533b05">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>A federal appeals court ruled that Texas hospitals and doctors are not required to perform emergency abortions</strong> despite the Biden administration arguing that federal guidance takes priority over state laws. Texas had sued the Department of Health and Human Services over its 2022 guidance that required health providers to perform abortions in emergency situations, in accordance with a 1986 federal law that requires emergency rooms to provide stabilizing care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, however, concluded that the federal law “does not mandate any specific type of medical treatment, let alone abortion.” The law “does not govern the practice of medicine,” the court added. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/appeals-court-rules-texas-can-ban-emergency-abortions-spite-federal-gu-rcna131989">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/03/texas-abortion-emergency-ruling-biden-hhs">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/02/us/texas-emergency-abortion-ban-appeal.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/01/02/texas-abortion-emergency-5th-circuit/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/02/texas-abortion-fifth-circuit/">Texas Tribune</a>)</p>
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Day 1078: "Of course."2024-01-02T13:40:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2024/01/02/day-1078Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Maine’s secretary of state removed Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot based on the Constitution’s “insurrectionist ban.”</strong> The decision makes Maine the second state to disqualify Trump from office, after the Colorado Supreme Court removed him from the ballot because of his actions before and during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Hours later, California announced that Trump would remain on the ballot in the nation’s most populous state, despite a request from the state’s lieutenant governor to consider excluding him on constitutional grounds. The Michigan Supreme Court, meanwhile, declined to hear a case attempting to remove Trump from the state’s ballot. Trump is <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-colorado-maine-14th-amendment-24e92ece8a13531ded8975a651127cde">expected</a> to appeal the Colorado Supreme Court ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court and the decision by Maine’s secretary of state to that state’s Superior Court. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-trump-presidential-ballot-election-insurrection-081fd38ce1f20be9b8423cb2f8c66dee">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/28/politics/trump-maine-14th-amendment-ballot">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/28/maine-trump-primary-ballot/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/28/us/maine-trump-ballot.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/28/maine-kicks-trump-off-ballot-under-14th-amendment-00133294">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/27/politics/michigan-supreme-court-rejects-insurrectionist-ban-case-trump">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/12/27/michigan-supreme-court-trump-stays-primary-ballot/72037140007/">Detroit Free Press</a> /<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/us/michigan-trump-ballot.html"> New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/27/michigan-supreme-court-trump-2024-primary-ballot/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/29/california-secretary-of-state-leaves-trump-on-presidential-ballot-00133304">Politico</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>[Poll] <strong>53% of Americans said Trump bears “a great deal” or “a good amount” of responsibility for the Jan. 6 attack</strong>. Two years ago, 60% of Americans blamed Trump for the attack. Among Republicans, 14% say Trump bears responsibility for the attack on the Capitol, about half as many as did in 2021 (27%). (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/01/02/jan-6-poll-post-trump/">Washington Post</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>2/ <strong>A federal judge approved Georgia’s new, Republican-drawn congressional map that preserves Republican power</strong>. In October, the judge <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/10/26/day-1010/#6-a-federal-judge-ordered-georgia-to">ordered</a> the Georgia General Assembly to draw new congressional and state legislative maps to include an additional majority-Black district, two additional majority-Black state senate districts, and five additional majority-Black state House districts following the 2020 census, which diluted the political power of Black voters. The Republican-controlled legislature, however, <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/07/day-1052/#2-georgia%E2%80%99s-republican-controlled-le">approved</a> a new congressional map that complied with the order, but safeguarded the Republicans 9-5 edge in its U.S. House delegation. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/28/politics/judge-upholds-republican-drawn-georgia-congressional-map">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-congressional-map-republicans-federal-voting-rights-law/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/breaking-georgias-republican-redistricting-plan-upheld-by-federal-judge/5YEJGZ25HBC6NPJUOLC54MAWN4/">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Nikki Haley declined to say that slavery was a cause of the Civil War</strong>. Instead, she said the causes were “basically how the government was going to run” and “freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do.” The Republican candidate then turned the question around on the person who asked it. Hours later, Haley baselessly blamed a Democratic “plant” for the question at her New Hampshire campaign event and said “of course the Civil War was about slavery.” (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nikki-haley-doesnt-cite-slavery-cause-civil-war/story?id=105956626">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/27/haley-slavery-cause-of-civil-war-00133254">Politico</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-election-civil-war-slavery-a509ff9d7cc5e271c42592276b75735c">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Ohio’s Republican governor vetoed a bill that would have prevented minors from receiving gender-affirming health care and restricted transgender girls’ participation on school sports teams</strong>. Mike DeWine said the “gut-wrenching” decision about whether a minor should have access to gender-affirming care “should not be made by the government, should not be made by the state of Ohio,” rather it should be made by the child’s parents and doctors. DeWine is one of two Republican governors who have vetoed restrictions on gender-affirming care. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/ohios-republican-governor-vetoes-trans-care-restriction-sports-ban-rcna131579">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/29/ohio-republican-dewine-trans-care-sports-ban-veto">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-ohio-minors-veto-c615cafed4fc81d32010d47d8853efaf">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/29/us/ohio-transgender-bill.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>A senior Hamas leader was killed by Israel in an explosion in Beirut</strong> – the biggest Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital since the 2006 war between the two countries. Israel, however, said it had “not taken responsibility” for the attack that killed Saleh al-Arouri in Lebanon, adding that they were bracing for retaliatory strikes from Hezbollah and Hamas militants in Lebanon. Senior U.S. officials, however, confirmed that Israel was responsible for the strike, raising concerns of a regional escalation of the war in Gaza. The Biden administration, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-gaza-arms-hamas-bypass-congress-1dc77f20aac4a797df6a2338b677da4f">meanwhile</a>, bypassed Congress to approve a $147.5 million emergency sale of weapons to Israel. More than 22,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, and about half of Gaza’s 2.2 million people are at risk of starvation, and 90% regularly go without food for a whole day. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-01-02-24/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna131825">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/02/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-updates/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/01/02/world/israel-supreme-court-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/02/beirut-explosion-hamas-hezbollah-00133447">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-02/explosion-in-lebanon-s-capital-state-agency-reports?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-fights-on-three-fronts-as-it-debates-how-to-end-gaza-war-1c74c512?mod=hp_lead_pos1">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/world/middleeast/gaza-israel-hunger.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-hamas-war-2024/?id=106026146">ABC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1072: "Dictatorship," "revenge," and "power."2023-12-27T07:45:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/27/day-1072Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Supreme Court rejected special counsel Jack Smith’s request to immediately decide whether Trump is immune from prosecution for bid to overturn his 2020 election loss</strong>. The decision raises the possibility that Trump’s federal 2020 election trial will be delayed beyond its scheduled March 4 start date – the day before the Super Tuesday primary contests. A federal appeals court, meanwhile, is simultaneously considering the issue. Arguments before the court are set for Jan. 9, and the losing party will likely appeal and send the matter right back to the Supreme Court early in the new year. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/22/us/politics/trump-supreme-court-immunity.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/12/22/supreme-court-trump-immunity-expedition-denied/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-sidesteps-decision-trump-presidential-immunity-claim-fed-rcna130769">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-22/supreme-court-refuses-to-put-trump-immunity-clash-on-fast-track?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/supreme-court-donald-trump-immunity-case-7031b946">Wall Street Journal</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/22/1221334637/supreme-court-trump-immunity">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/22/trump-supreme-court-immunity-election">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/22/supreme-court-trump-immunity-question-00133117">Politico</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Trump urged a federal appeals court to dismiss special counsel Jack Smith’s criminal election subversion case, arguing – again – that he is “absolutely immune” from prosecution because plotting to overturn the 2020 election was related to his official duties as president</strong>. Trump argued that no current or former president may be criminally prosecuted for “official acts” unless they have been impeached and convicted by the Senate. Since he was twice impeached but acquitted, Trump claims he has “absolute immunity.” The move came a day after the Supreme Court refused to fast track consideration of whether Trump should be immune from prosecution. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/24/1221469149/trump-asks-appeals-court-to-toss-election-interference-case-arguing-that-hes-imm">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/24/trump-asks-appeals-court-to-block-2020-election-prosecution-00133160">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/23/politics/trump-election-subversion-criminal-case?cid=ios_app">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-24/trump-tells-appeals-panel-he-should-have-absolute-immunity?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/23/us/politics/trump-appeals-court-immunity.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The Michigan Supreme Court rejected an attempt to keep Trump off the state’s 2024 primary ballot</strong> based on the Constitution’s “insurrectionist ban.” The ruling contrasts a recent ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court, which removed Trump from its primary ballot because of his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot – the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. That decision has been paused pending an appeal, which the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear. (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-ballot-michigan-colorado-b5a5d9ffa75efa63ab4780b04329e2a2">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/27/politics/michigan-supreme-court-rejects-insurrectionist-ban-case-and-keeps-trump-on-2024-primary-ballot?cid=ios_app">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/us/michigan-trump-ballot.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-27/trump-to-stay-on-michigan-primary-ballot-state-s-top-court-says?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/27/michigan-trump-ballot-news">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Trump endorsed a voter survey describing his potential second term political goals as “dictatorship,” “revenge,” and “power.”</strong> <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/06/day-1051/#1-trump-refused-to-rule-out-abusing">Earlier</a> this month, Trump refused to rule out abusing power if re-elected president, saying he would not be a “dictator” if elected in 2024 “other than day one.” Trump has also praised authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and North Korean strongman Kim Jong-un. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/26/trump-cryptic-dictatorship-truth-social-00133219">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/27/trump-word-cloud-revenge-dictatorship-second-term">Axios</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco decried Republican claims that the Justice Department has been politicized against Trump</strong>, saying those accusations have contributed to an “unprecedented rise” in threats against law enforcement and other officials. “On a weekly basis — sometimes more often — I am getting reports about threats to public officials, threats to our prosecutors, threats to law enforcement agents who work in the Justice Department, threats to judges,” Monaco said. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/deputy-ag-says-gop-attacks-doj-contributed-unprecedented-rise-threats-rcna131073">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/24/death-threats-public-officials-trump-00133167">Politico</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/deputy-ag-monaco-claims-politicization-disservice-justice-department/story?id=105892011">ABC News</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>5/ <strong>Rudy Giuliani filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after being ordered to immediately pay the $148 million he owes for defaming two former Georgia election workers</strong>. Giuliani listed his net worth between $1 million and $10 million, but claims he owes as much as $500 million to various creditors. The decision allowed Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss to go after Giuliani’s assets in New York and Florida. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/giuliani-heels-148m-defamation-judgment-files-chapter-11/story?id=105847545">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/12/21/rudy-giuliani-bankruptcy/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-21/rudy-giuliani-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-after-court-loss?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rudy-giuliani-files-bankruptcy-146-million-defamation-case-georgia-rcna130817">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the state’s legislative maps, which favor Republicans, are unconstitutional and ordered new maps ahead of the 2024 elections</strong>. Under the now-tossed legislative maps, Republicans controlled 64 of the 99 seats in the state Assembly and 22 of the 33 in the state Senate. While the ruling likely won’t swing Republican control of either legislative chamber to Democrats, it will weaken the Republican’s 12-year hold on both. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/22/us/wisconsin-redistricting-maps-gerrymander.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/22/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-legislative-maps-unconstitutional?cid=ios_app">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-strikes-gop-drawn-legislative-maps-rcna130983">NBC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1065: "Destroying the fabric of our country."2023-12-20T15:01:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/20/day-1065Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump doubled down on his racist and xenophobic comments that undocumented immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country” and rebuffed bipartisan criticism that his rhetoric echos Hitler</strong>. “They’re destroying the blood of our country,” Trump said about undocumented immigrants at a speech in Iowa. “That’s what they’re doing. They’re destroying our country. They don’t like it when I said that — and I never read ‘Mein Kampf.’ They said, ‘Oh, Hitler said that.’” Hitler used the term “blood poisoning” to denigrate immigration in his manifesto “Mein Kampf.” Nevertheless, Trump brushed off the Hitler comparison and claimed that Hitler meant it “in a much different way,” without making his meaning clear. Undocumented immigrants, Trump added, were “destroying the blood of our country” and “destroying the fabric of our country.” Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/politics/trump-immigrants-hitler-mein-kampf.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-20/trump-in-iowa-says-immigrants-ruining-the-fabric-of-us?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/19/trump-immigration-comments-hitler-00132613">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-doubles-immigrant-blood-remark-says-never-read-mein-kampf-rcna130535">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-immigration-iowa-dff7f632948fa6511fb7d1955a28610c">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-claims-read-hitlers-mein-kampf-doubles-anti/story?id=105794639">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Biden said there’s “no question” that Trump supported the Jan. 6 insurrection</strong>, a day after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump was disqualified from the state’s 2024 ballot. “Well I think certainly it’s self-evident,” Biden said. “You saw it all. Now whether the 14th Amendment applies, I’ll let the court make that decision. But he certainly supported an insurrection. No question about it — none, zero. And he seems to be doubling down on everything.” Biden’s comments came hours after the state Supreme Court ruled that Trump was ineligible to serve as president because of his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. “Once again,” Biden said, “[Trump] embraces political violence instead of rejecting it. We can’t let this happen.” Republican Senator Thom Tillis, meanwhile, introduced legislation that would withhold federal election administration funds from states that “misuse” 14th Amendment. The bill would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and add language to clarify that the Supreme Court has “sole jurisdiction” to adjudicate such 14th Amendment cases. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-colorado-14th-amendment-decision-s-no-question-trump-supported-i-rcna130653">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/20/biden-trumps-an-insurrectionist-but-courts-can-decide-his-ballot-fate-00132697">Politico</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-claims-trump-embraces-political-violence-plays-poor/story?id=105793235">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-20/biden-slams-trump-s-jan-6-role-won-t-weigh-in-on-colorado-ballot-access-case?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/20/tillis-bill-colorado-disqualifies-trump/71982452007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/20/congress-trump-colorado-supreme-court-2024">Axios</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4368856-sen-tillis-introduce-legislation-barring-federal-funds-from-states-misusing-14th-amendment/">The Hill</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Trump urged the Supreme Court to hold off on deciding whether he is entitled to immunity from federal criminal charges for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election</strong>. The court filing was in response to special counsel Jack Smith’s <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/11/day-1056/#1-special-counsel-jack-smith-urged-t">request</a> for the Supreme Court to take up consideration of Trump’s immunity claim directly and skip over the appeals court process that could take months to resolve to ensure the trial can start on March 4. Trump’s lawyers argued that Smith has given “no compelling reason” why the Supreme Court should immediately step in other than to ensure “Trump will be subjected to a months-long criminal trial at the height of a presidential campaign where he is the leading candidate.” Earlier this month, Judge Tanya Chutkan denied Trump’s motion to dismiss his indictment on presidential immunity and constitutional grounds, writing that his “four-year service as Commander in Chief did not bestow on him the divine right of kings to evade the criminal accountability that governs his fellow citizens.” (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/trump-urges-supreme-court-not-intervene-immediately-election-interfere-rcna130417">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-20/trump-urges-supreme-court-not-to-fast-track-dc-immunity-claim?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/20/trump-supreme-court-immunity-jack-smith/71934706007/">USA Today</a>)</p>
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Day 1064: "Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President."2023-12-19T15:11:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/19/day-1064Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The Colorado Supreme Court removed Trump from the state’s 2024 presidential ballot</strong>, ruling that Trump engaged in an insurrection leading up to the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” the decision reads. “Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado Secretary of State to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot.” The decision from Colorado’s high court reverses a lower court’s <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/11/21/day-1036/#1-a-colorado-judge-ruled-that-trump">ruling</a> that said Trump had “engaged in an insurrection,” but that presidents are not subject to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment because they are not an “officer of the United States.” The ruling marks the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause” has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. The ruling was 4-3 and will be placed on hold pending appeal until Jan. 4. [<em>Editor’s note: This is breaking news. More soon.</em>] (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/19/trump-off-colorado-ballot/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/us/politics/trump-colorado-ballot-14th-amendment.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/19/colorado-disqualify-donald-trump-00132578">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/colorado-trump-14th-amendment-12-19-23/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/colorado-supreme-court-rules-trump-disqualified-from-presidential-primary-ballot-66b2de64?mod=breakingnews">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-19/trump-disqualified-from-2024-ballot-in-colorado-court-says?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/colorado-supreme-court-kicks-trump-states-2024-ballot-violating-us-con-rcna130484">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-ineligible-run-president-jan-6-colorado-court/story?id=105785727">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/19/trump-ballot-challenge-decided-by-colorado-supreme-court.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-colorado-supreme-court/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/19/trump-colorado-ballot-2024-supreme-court">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed one of the harshest state immigration laws in modern U.S. history</strong>. Senate Bill 4 makes unauthorized border crossings a state crime, authorizes state officials to arrest undocumented immigrants anywhere in the state, and allows judges to issue them de facto deportation orders. The law makes it a state crime – a Class B misdemeanor – to cross the Texas-Mexico border between ports of entry, and carries a punishment of up to six months in jail. Repeat offenders could face a second-degree felony with a punishment of two to 20 years in prison. The law allows a judge to drop the charges if a migrant agrees to be deported to Mexico – regardless of whether or not they emigrated from Mexico in the first place. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new Texas law. (<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/18/texas-governor-abbott-bills-border-wall-illegal-entry-crime-sb3-sb4/">Texas Tribune</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-immigration-law-sb4-signed-greg-abbott/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-lawsuit-border-2be91001567623db8ad3171265d5e739">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/18/1219790874/texas-immigration-law-abbott-mexico-border-crossing-illegal">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/19/abbott-texas-border-law-arrests-sb4">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/18/us/abbott-texas-border-law-arrests.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>After winning a $148 million defamation lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani, two Georgia election workers sued him again</strong>. Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss want a court to “permanently bar” Giuliani from repeating his debunked claims and making further defamatory statements against them. After an eight-person federal jury ordered Giuliani to pay the two workers $148 million in damages, Giuliani told reporters that his debunked allegations “were supportable and are supportable today,” adding that “he was in possession of video evidence demonstrating the truth of his allegations.” Giuliani, however, claimed he was unable to present the evidence of “all the videos at the time” showing “what happened at the arena.” In August, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell found Giuliani was liable for defaming Freeman and Moss, a determination that was based in part on his refusal to preserve and turn over key evidence in the case. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/18/rudy-giuliani-new-defamation-lawsuit-00132343">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/rudy-giuliani-sued-ruby-freeman-shaye-moss-defamation-rcna130329">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/18/giuliani-defamation-lawsuit-georgia/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/18/rudy-giuliani-sued-by-election-workers-over-defamation.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The U.N. Security Council delayed a vote on a new resolution calling for more humanitarian aid and a ceasefire in Gaza</strong>. About 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, with 70% of them women and children, by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, and the majority of the enclave’s 2.2 million people have been displaced with an estimated 60% of the population facing starvation. Diplomats have been working to finalize a resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates, which calls for “cessation of hostilities” to allow for the delivery of needed humanitarian aid, in hopes of getting the U.S. to abstain or vote in favor of the resolution. The U.S. was the only Security Council member to veto the two previous ceasefire resolutions. And in the General Assembly, the U.S. was among 10 countries that voted against a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. “We’re still working through the modalities of the resolution,” U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said. “It’s important for us that the rest of the world understand what’s at stake here and what Hamas did on the 7th of October and how Israel has a right to defend itself against those threats.” Israel, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/19/israel-offer-hamas-pause-fighting-hostages">meanwhile</a>, reportedly offered to pause fighting in Gaza for one week as part of a new deal to get Hamas to release more than three dozen hostages. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-12-19-23/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-red-sea-houthis-oil-shipping-supply-rcna130375">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-israel-palestinians-gaza-humanitarian-e29910393c9c78a7419a5987e1279571">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/12/19/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news#un-security-council-is-set-to-vote-on-a-new-cease-fire-resolution-that-aims-to-avert-a-us-veto">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/19/israel-gaza-war-hamas-news-updates/#link-KWEEYXMUMBCPFHW52OKMRYBNDM">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/israel-hamas-war-december-tunnels/?id=105728765">ABC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1063: "They're all laughing at us."2023-12-18T14:15:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/18/day-1063Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Trump approvingly quoted Putin to support his unfounded claim that his four criminal indictments are political payback</strong>. During a Saturday campaign stop in New Hampshire, Trump baselessly claimed that Biden is a “threat to democracy” and that “even Vladimir Putin […] says that Biden’s – and this is a quote – politically motivated persecution of his political rival is very good for Russia because it shows the rottenness of the American political system.” Trump added: “They’re all laughing at us.” Trump also called Jan. 6 defendants “hostages,” and praised authoritarian leaders Viktor Orban as “highly respected” and Kim Jong Un as “very nice.” Trump faces 91 criminal charges across four separate cases of falsifying business records in a hush money scheme, mishandling classified documents, and trying to overturn the 2020 election results. There is no evidence that Biden has meddled in the prosecutions of Trump, which are taking place in four different federal and state courts. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2023/12/16/trump-authoritarians-putin-orban-poisoning-blood/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/16/us/politics/trump-putin-new-hampshire.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/12/17/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-rottenness-american-democracy/71951245007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/16/politics/new-hampshire-republican-primary-trump-immigration/">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Biden condemned Trump for his repeated statements that immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of America,” criticizing the rhetoric as “parroting Adolf Hitler.”</strong> During a Sunday speech in Nevada, Trump reiterated his baseless claim that migrants were “invading” the U.S. from prisons and “mental institutions” in other countries, while pledging to conduct the “largest deportation operation in American history” if elected to a second term. The term “blood poisoning” was used by Hitler in “Mein Kampf,” in which he criticized immigration and the mixing of races as an existential threat to the Aryan race. “Echoing the grotesque rhetoric of fascists and violent white supremacists and threatening to oppress those who disagree with the government are dangerous attacks on the dignity and rights of all Americans, on our democracy, and on public safety,” the White House said. “It’s the opposite of everything we stand for as Americans.” Trump’s remarks come as congressional Republicans have stalled a Ukraine-Israel aid package until Democrats agree to unrelated U.S.-Mexico border security reforms. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-says-immigrants-are-poisoning-blood-country-biden-campaign-liken-rcna130141">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/17/politics/trump-nevada-republican-primary?cid=ios_app">CNN</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-security-ukraine-congress-senate-biden-cb8d4e3ad8271323cfd9294b527d6615">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/16/trump-immigration-attack-00132156">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/18/trump-immigrants-invasion-dehumanizing/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4364825-biden-campaign-trump-parroted-adolf-hitler-new-hampshire-rally/">The Hill</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/17/biden-campaign-trump-parroted-hitler.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/18/trump-immigrants-poisoning-blood-country-biden-hitler-comparison">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>A binder containing highly classified information related to Russian election interference disappeared in the final days of Trump’s presidency</strong>. The disappearance of the raw intelligence, known as “Crossfire Hurricane,” was so concerning to officials that the Senate Intelligence Committee was briefed about it last year because it contained details that could reveal secret sources and methods. The day before leaving office, Trump had the 10 inches thick binder brought to the White House so he could declassify most of the documents related to the FBI’s Russia investigation. In the two-plus years since Trump left office, the government has been unable to retrieve the missing intelligence, which was last seen at the White House during Trump’s final days in office. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2023/12/politics/missing-russia-intelligence-trump-dg/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/us/politics/trump-binder-classified-material-russia.html">New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>A federal appeals court rejected an effort by Mark Meadows to move his Georgia election interference case from state court to federal court</strong>. The judges found that “the events giving rise to this criminal action were not related to Meadows’s official duties,” and that “even if Meadows were an ‘officer,’ his participation in an alleged conspiracy to overturn a presidential election was not related to his official duties.” A key part of the Fulton County criminal case against Meadows involves setting up a call on Jan. 2, 2021, in which Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to reverse his election loss in the state. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/appeals-court-rejects-mark-meadows-bid-move-georgia-case-state-court-rcna130058">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-18/mark-meadows-denied-bid-to-move-georgia-case-to-federal-court?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/federal-appeals-court-rejects-mark-meadows-bid-move/story?id=105754238">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>A jury ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay two Georgia poll workers $148 million after he falsely accused them of helping to steal the 2020 presidential election from Trump</strong>. The eight-member panel awarded Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss $16.2 million apiece for claims that Giuliani defamed them, as well as $20 million apiece for the emotional suffering they experienced after Giuliani’s allegations were followed by threats, harassment, and professional consequences. Judge Beryl Howell had <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/08/30/day-953/#2-a-federal-judge-ruled-that-rudy-gi">previously ruled</a> that Giuliani had defamed the two workers. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rudy-giuliani-hit-148m-verdict-defaming-two-georgia-election-workers-rcna129807">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/15/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-verdict-00132099">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/rudy-giuliani-defamation-trial-verdict/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-defamation-trial-damages.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/15/giuliani-defamation-trial-verdict-georgia-election-workers/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>House Democrats called on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from the case examining whether Trump is absolutely immune from federal prosecution</strong>. Citing the court’s new code of conduct’s guidance on impartiality, Democrats told Thomas that his wife’s activities after the 2020 election raise “serious questions” about his ability to remain impartial in cases that involve the last presidential election and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ginni Thomas pressed the Trump White House and lawmakers to overturn Biden’s 2020 victory. She exchanged more than two dozen text messages with Mark Meadows to pursue overturning the election in the weeks after the vote, attended the Stop the Steal rally before the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, and told the House committee investigating the attack that she still believed the 2020 election was stolen. Separately, Thomas complained about his salary to a Republican lawmaker in January 2000 – almost a decade into his tenure – and suggested that if Congress didn’t increase salaries, “one or more justices will leave soon.” Thomas made the equivalent of $300,000 today. A month prior, Thomas borrowed $267,000 from a friend to buy a high-end RV. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/18/clarence-thomas-democrats-recuse/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-money-complaints-sparked-resignation-fears-scotus">ProPublica</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-democrats-justice-clarence-thomas-recuse-trump-2020-election-case/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/18/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-propublica-00132252">Politico</a>)</p>
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Day 1059: "Choosing to waste time."2023-12-14T14:19:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/14/day-1059Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The White House warned Israel that its “high intensity” war in Gaza needs to “transition to the next lower intensity phase in a matter of weeks, not months.”</strong> National security adviser Jake Sullivan called for Israel to end its large-scale ground campaign in the Gaza Strip and to adopt more surgical and precise tactics in its war against Hamas. Biden administration officials believe that moving to lower-intensity fighting will decrease civilian casualties, allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, and decrease the risk for regional war. The rate of civilian deaths in Gaza has outpaced those of other conflict zones in the 21st century, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/25/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-death-toll.html">including</a> “the deadliest moments of U.S.-led attacks in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, which were themselves widely criticized by human rights groups.” More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed, with 70% of them women and children. The vast majority of its 2.2 million people are displaced, and around half the population faces starvation. Nevertheless, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Sullivan that Hamas will be destroyed, but “it will last more than several months, but we will win.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also pledged to press ahead with the offensive, saying: “Nothing will stop us. We are going on to the end, until victory, nothing less.” Earlier this week, Biden warned Israel that “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza was costing it the support of the international community. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/14/jake-sullivan-netanyahu-israel-meeting">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/14/israel-hamas-gaza-war-news-palestine/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-netanyahu-vows-nothing-will-stop-us-rcna129682">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/12/14/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-12-14-23/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-hamas-health-catastrophe?id=105538785">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-12-13-2023-602d4c90f6782c154a572bad17bfa9d6">Associated Press</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>Putin suggested that Western support for Ukraine is collapsing and that there would be no peace until Russia achieves its goals</strong>. Putin vaguely defined the goals of his “special military operation” as the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of Ukraine – the same false justifications that he used to launch the invasion nearly two years ago. Putin’s annual, four-hour news conference, called “Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin,” comes the same week that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Capitol Hill to make a last-ditch plea for more U.S. military aid. Congressional Republicans, however, have refused to approve additional aid for Ukraine unless it includes unrelated U.S.-Mexico border security reforms. European Union leaders, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/world/europe/eu-ukraine-hungary-aid.html">meanwhile</a>, agreed to open negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/russia-ukraine-war-vladimir-putin-news-conference-call-in-show-rcna129687">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/putin-taking-questions-ordinary-russians-journalists-reelection-bid-105649014">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/world/europe/putin-speech-russia.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/14/putin-news-conference-reelection-war/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/14/ukraine-war-live-updates-latest-news-on-russia-and-the-war-in-ukraine.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The House and Senate have approved a $886 billion defense policy bill</strong>. The National Defense Authorization Act now heads to Biden’s desk for his expected signature. The annual defense bill provides a 5.2% pay raise for military personnel – the largest raise for service members in more than two decades – but also temporarily reauthorizes a controversial, warrantless surveillance program. Notably, many of the conservative provisions, like policies to restrict abortion access and transgender healthcare for service members, were stripped from the package. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-passes-886-billion-defense-policy-bill-biden-sign-law-rcna129755">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/12/14/house-defense-bill-ndaa/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/us/politics/defense-bill-congress.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/14/house-sends-defense-bill-to-biden-despite-conservative-anger-over-spy-powers-culture-wars-00131765">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/ndaa-defense-bill-fisa-passes-house-b6206424?mod=hp_lead_pos11">Wall Street Journal</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>Without evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors, House Republicans voted to authorize a bogus impeachment inquiry into Biden</strong>. Republicans allege that Biden and his family engaged in an “influence peddling” scheme and took payments from foreign adversaries, despite a yearlong investigation by Republicans on the House Judiciary and Oversight committees that hasn’t produced any evidence of wrongdoing. Following the 221 to 212 party-line vote, Biden denounced the inquiry as “baseless” and accused Republicans of ignoring the country’s “pressing challenges […] Instead of doing anything to help make Americans’ lives better, they are focused on attacking me with lies. Instead of doing their job on the urgent work that needs to be done, they are choosing to waste time.” Republicans are also moving to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for refusing to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/politics/hunter-biden-impeachment-testimony.html">comply</a> with their subpoena to testify privately. Hunter Biden said he is willing to testify publicly, citing concerns about Republicans manipulating any private testimony. (<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-republicans-formalize-impeachment-inquiry-president-biden/story?id=105631028">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/politics/biden-impeachment-inquiry-house-vote.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/13/republican-impeachment-case-analysis/">Washington Post</a>/ <a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-impeachment-inquiry-mike-johnson-94884b322da40ca9315ac5f4e73a3e86">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1219044855/hunter-biden-appears-on-capitol-hill-but-refuses-to-testify-behind-closed-doors">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-13/gop-s-biden-impeachment-drive-escalates-in-formal-house-inquiry?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-impeachment-inquiry-house-vote-today/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-vote-authorize-impeachment-inquiry-president-joe-biden-rcna129377">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/13/house-republicans-vote-biden-impeachment-inquiry">Axios</a>)</p>
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Day 1058: "No one is declaring victory."2023-12-13T13:58:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/13/day-1058Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>The COP28 climate summit ended in a historic deal that committed the world to “transitioning away from fossil fuels” for the first time</strong>. It’s the first time in three decades that the annual United Nations climate talks have explicitly called for curtailing fossil fuels. The non-binding deal, however, lacks what many countries and activists wanted: an unequivocal “phaseout” of fossil fuels. The final agreement calls for countries to reduce “both consumption and production of fossil fuels, in a just, orderly and equitable manner” while “accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.” Over the next two years, countries will submit formal plans for curbing their greenhouse gas emissions through 2035. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/12/newest-cop28-climate-summit-text-00131257">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218125835/climate-talks-end-on-a-first-ever-call-for-the-world-to-move-away-from-fossil-fu">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/climate/cop28-climate-agreement.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/12/13/cop28-fossil-fuels-climate-deal/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-13/cop28-ends-with-deal-on-transition-away-from-fossil-fuels?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/13/cop28-legacy">Axios</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The Supreme Court will decide whether to limit access to the commonly used abortion pill mifepristone</strong>. The court agreed to hear the Biden administration’s appeal of a lower court’s ruling that would cut off mail-order prescriptions of mifepristone and require in-person doctor visits, even in states where abortion remains legal. The White House said the lower court ruling “threatens to undermine the FDA’s scientific independent judgment and would reimpose outdated restrictions on access to safe and effective abortion medication.” The Alliance Defending Freedom – a conservative Christian anti-abortion group – filed the legal challenge, claiming the FDA minimized and overlooked the health risks of the drug when it was approved in 2000, and when it approved wider access through telemedicine, mail delivery, and prescribing by pharmacists in 2016. <em>FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine</em> will be the Supreme Court’s first abortion case since it overturned Roe v. Wade last year. A decision is expected by the end of June. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/13/abortion-drug-supreme-court-mifepristone-fda/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/supreme-court-abortion-pill.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/13/supreme-court-to-decide-whether-abortion-pill-will-remain-widely-available-00131504">Politico</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medication-drug-mifepristone-f763b93ef632e1767fd696caec686c21">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-agrees-hear-showdown-abortion-pill-access-rcna128185">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-13/abortion-pill-case-to-be-heard-by-supreme-court-in-election-year?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>The Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to the felony obstruction statute used to charge at least 327 people in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot</strong>. The justices will review an appeals court ruling that said the Justice Department could prosecute defendants under a federal law that makes it a crime to obstruct or impede an official proceeding. “Obstruction of an official proceeding” carries a 20-year maximum sentence, and is one of the four counts brought against Trump by special counsel Jack Smith in the federal election interference case. The justices are separately weighing Smith’s <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/11/day-1056/">request</a> to fast-track consideration of Trump’s claim he is immune from prosecution in the election-obstruction case. (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-agrees-hear-jan-6-cases-affect-trump-prosecution-rcna128202">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/13/jan-6-obstruction-supreme-court-trump-rioters/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/13/supreme-court-will-review-scope-of-obstruction-law-that-trump-is-charging-with-breaking-00131514">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/politics/trump-supreme-court-jan-6.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-hear-major-challenge-felony-statute-capitol/story?id=105623942">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/13/supreme-court-trump-jan-6-obstruction-appeal-case">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-january-6-obstruction-law/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/12/13/supreme-court-appeal-jan-6-trump-lang-fischer-miller/71846316007/">USA Today</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4357873-supreme-court-will-hear-challenge-to-jan-6-obstruction-charge/">The Hill</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The federal judge overseeing Trump’s election interference case temporarily paused all procedural deadlines</strong> while he appeals her decision that he’s not entitled to “presidential immunity” from criminal prosecution. Judge Tanya Chutkan said Trump’s appeal gives the higher court jurisdiction over the case and “automatically stays any further proceedings that would move this case towards trial or impose additional burdens of litigation on Defendant.” Chutkan previously <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/04/day-1049/#1-trump-does-not-have-%E2%80%9Cabsolute-immu">dismissed</a> Trump’s arguments, ruling that his “four-year service as Commander-in-Chief did not bestow on him the divine right of kings to evade the criminal accountability that governs his fellow citizens.” In a bid to speed that appeals process, special counsel Jack Smith has asked both the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court to hear the appeal on an expedited basis. The ruling doesn’t affect Trump’s conditions of release, the gag order, or the protective order in the case. Chutkan also noted that Trump’s March 4 trial date could be affected, and that she would reconsider that date when the appeals process has concluded. (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/13/politics/trump-chutkan-trial-deadline/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/judge-hits-pause-trump-federal-election-case-presidential-immunity-app-rcna129603">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-puts-hold-trumps-federal-election-interference-case/story?id=105637511">ABC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-2020-election-case-paused-appeal-immunity/">CBS News</a> / <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4358747-judge-pause-trump-jan-6/">The Hill</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>[Poll] <strong>31% of Republican voters said they would not vote for Trump in 2024 if he’s convicted of a felony crime by a jury</strong>. (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-vs-trump-would-be-close-rematch-with-rfk-jr-threat-biden-reutersipsos-poll-2023-12-12/">Reuters</a>)</li>
</ul>
<p>5/ <strong>A federal appeals court rejected Trump’s attempt to use presidential immunity in the upcoming defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll</strong> for comments he made while denying her rape accusations in 2019. A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Trump had effectively waived the presidential immunity defense by “failing to raise it” when Carroll first filed the defamation lawsuit four years ago. It’s the third time in recent weeks that federal courts have rejected Trump’s immunity arguments. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/13/trump-carroll-immunity-defense-00131537">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/federal-appeals-court-denies-trumps-presidential-immunity-defense-e-je-rcna129521">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/13/trump-immunity-court-rejects-carroll-defemation-lawsuit">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/politics/trump-immunity-decision-election-case.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sexual-assault-defamation-trial-presidential-immunity-1794a1b9c32dbb83ec6de6f3342fca47">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-loses-appeal-jean-carroll-case-clearing/story?id=105625015">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>The Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged for a third meeting and signaled that they’ll likely cut borrowing costs three times in 2024</strong>. The Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously to keep the benchmark federal funds rate in a targeted range between 5.25%-5.5% – the highest since 2001. Since March 2022, the Fed raised rates 11 times to combat high inflation, which had spiked to a 40-year high. While inflation – currently at 3% – remains above the Fed’s 2% target, “inflation has eased from its highs, and this has come without a significant increase in unemployment. That’s very good news,” Chair Jerome Powell said, adding: “No one is declaring victory. That would be premature.” Still, Fed officials expect to lower rates by 75 basis points next year, leaving rates around 4.6% by the end of 2024. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/13/fed-interest-rate-decision-december-2023.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/13/economy/interest-rate-meeting-fed-reserve/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-13/fed-holds-rates-steady-again-and-pivots-toward-cuts-in-2024?sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/fed-holds-rates-steady-and-sees-cuts-next-year-4d554e9f">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/12/13/fed-interest-rate-decision-inflation-fomc/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/12/13/business/fed-meeting-interest-rates">New York Times</a>)</p>
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Day 1057: "Practically impossible."2023-12-12T14:52:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/12/day-1057Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza and that “he has to change.”</strong> Biden added: “This is the most conservative government in Israel’s history,” and that Netanyahu’s government “doesn’t want a two-state solution […] You cannot say there’s no Palestinian state at all in the future.” Biden’s comments come hours after Netanyahu refused to endorse a two-state solution for Palestinians and rejected Biden’s proposal to put the Palestinian Authority in charge of Gaza once the fighting ends. Biden capped his criticism of Netanyahu by saying Israel must be “careful” because “the whole world’s public opinion can shift overnight.” (<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-oct-7-44c4229d4c1270d9cfa484b664a22071">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-israel-starting-lose-support-over-indiscriminate-bombing-gaza-2023-12-12/">Reuters</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/world/middleeast/biden-israel-netanyahu-gaza.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-12/biden-pushes-netanyahu-to-change-stance-on-palestinian-statehood?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israels-netanyahu-rejects-u-s-plan-for-post-war-gaza-d60fc0c3?mod=hp_lead_pos3">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/12/politics/biden-israel-losing-support-netanyahu">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/12/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-palestine/#link-XXHLTL3DXFDC5BZD2PITVL62AI">Washington Post</a>)</p>
<p>2/ <strong>The United Nations General Assembly voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza</strong>, with 153 members in favor, 10 — including the U.S. and Israel — against, and 23 abstaining. The resolution is nonbinding and carries less weight than those made in the Security Council. Nevertheless, Israel’s representative to the United Nations called the resolution “hypocritical” and an “absurdity” that proved the “utter irrelevance” of the U.N. He added that the resolution “will not prevent Israel from defending itself.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/12/middleeast/ceasefire-vote-gaza-israel-un-intl/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/12/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-palestine/#link-PWRA7NZDJZDLPH2DRIA5HYQHP4">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-us-israel-increasingly-isolated-growing-rcna129223#rcrd27851">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-hamas-health-catastrophe?id=105538785">ABC News</a>)</p>
<p>3/ <strong>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Biden and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to make a personal appeal for more money and weapons to fight back invading Russian forces</strong>. The White House said it will run out of money to support Ukraine by the end of the month. And, Biden has asked Congress for more than $60 billion in aid for Ukraine as part of an aid package, which also includes funding for Israel and U.S. border operations. Republicans, however, have insisted that any money for Ukraine be linked to strict U.S.-Mexico border security reforms. Biden warned Congress that they need to pass “funding for Ukraine before they break for the holiday recess, before they give Putin the greatest Christmas gift they could possibly give him.” Mitch McConnell, <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/12/12/congress/lankford-gives-border-talks-update-00131337">however</a>, declared that it is “practically impossible” for Congress to pass a deal this year. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/us/politics/russia-intelligence-assessment.html">Meanwhile</a>, a newly <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/12/white-house-ukraine-intel-declassified-00131296">declassified</a> U.S. intelligence <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/russian-has-lost-almost-90-of-its-prewar-army-u-s-intelligence-says-2e0372ab">assessment</a> indicates that Russia has lost nearly 90% of its prewar army, and that two-thirds of its battle tanks have been destroyed. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/12/1218588127/zelenskyy-ukraine-funding-biden">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-zelenskyy-washington-congress-biden-5796a2429169d01959510f318fbc968a">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/12/ukraine-aid-zelensky-congress-holiday-break">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/zelenskys-plea-for-ukraine-aid-finds-a-tough-audience-in-washington-2cb33df8?mod=hp_lead_pos7">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/12/12/zelensky-biden-meeting-washington-dc/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/live-blog/zelenskyy-biden-ukraine-congress-live-updates-rcna129211">NBC News</a>)</p>
<p>4/ <strong>The pace of inflation continued to slow from last year</strong>, with consumer prices rising 0.1% in November compared to October. Overall inflation increased 3.1% compared to a year earlier – down from 3.2% in October. While still higher than normal, it’s a marked improvement since the consumer price index peaked at 9.1% in June 2022. The national average for unleaded gas, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/business/gas-prices-inflation.html">meanwhile</a>, is at the lowest it’s been in nearly a year – and 23 cents less than it was a month ago. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/12/consumer-price-index-inflation-november">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/12/1218660706/economy-inflation-consumer-prices-interest-rates-federal-reserve-recession">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/12/inflation-fed-monetary-policy-00131279">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/12/12/cpi-fed-inflation-economy/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/business/economy/november-inflation-report.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/inflation-november-2023-what-is-it-interest-rates-going-up-going-down-rcna129041">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/12/economy/cpi-consumer-price-index-inflation-november/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/12/cpi-inflation-report-november-2023.html">CNBC</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>New York’s highest court ordered the state to draw new congressional districts ahead of the 2024 elections</strong>. The decision gives the Democrat-controlled Legislature the opportunity to draw more favorable district lines that could shift anywhere from two to six Republican-held seats toward their party. In 2022, Republicans flipped four seats in New York, giving them a narrow majority in the House. In 2024, Democrats need to win a net of five seats to win back the House next year. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/nyregion/new-york-redistricting-democrats.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/12/new-york-new-congressional-map/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-congress-redistricting-2024-election-9f738ecfa858e47261552cd9b18e7347">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/12/politics/new-york-redistricting/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>Former Congressman George Santos is talking to federal prosecutors about a plea deal</strong>. Federal prosecutors have indicted Santos on 23 criminal counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, identity theft, falsifying records submitted to obstruct the FEC, and making materially false statements to the House of Representatives. His trial date has been set for Sept. 9, but prosecutors had asked to advance the case to May or June. Santos was <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/04/day-1049/#5-the-house-voted-to-expel-george-sa">expelled</a> from Congress on Dec. 1 after a House Ethics Committee report accused him of a “complex web of unlawful activity involving [his] campaign, personal, and business finances.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/12/11/new-york-george-santos-plea-fraud/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/george-santos-discussing-plea-deal-federal-prosecutors-legal/story?id=105563873">ABC News</a>)</p>
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Day 1056: "On the verge of complete failure."2023-12-11T14:07:00-08:00https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/11/day-1056Matt Kisermatt@whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.comhttps://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com
<p>1/ <strong>Special counsel Jack Smith urged the Supreme Court to immediately step in and decide whether Trump is immune from criminal prosecution</strong> for charges related to his efforts to subvert the 2020 election. In order to keep Trump’s trial on track, scheduled to begin March 4, Smith asked the Supreme Court take up the matter directly and skip over the appeals court process that could take months to resolve. “The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request,” Smith wrote. “This is an extraordinary case.” Smith added: “This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former president is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he has been impeached but not convicted before the criminal proceedings begin.” Trump has argued that he is “absolutely immune” from the criminal charges and that his actions were “official acts” as president. <a href="https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/12/04/day-1049/#1-trump-does-not-have-%E2%80%9Cabsolute-immu">Earlier this month</a>, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan denied Trump’s motion to dismiss his indictment on presidential immunity and constitutional grounds, prompting Trump to appeal and ask for the case to be put on hold. The Supreme Court is not required to take up the case. If it does, any decision would be the first time in American history that the Supreme Court will have ruled on whether a former president can be prosecuted for actions taken while in office. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/us/politics/trump-supreme-court-immunity-election-case.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/12/11/trump-immunity-supreme-court-jan-6-special-counsel/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-prosecution-immunity-f3e7206bdf169c9faa15a19084541824">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/special-counsel-asks-supreme-court-immediately-decide-trump-immunity-q-rcna129088">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/11/politics/special-counsel-trump-jack-smith/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/11/trump-supreme-court-jack-smith-trial-00131112">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/11/jack-smith-supreme-court-trump-immunity">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/11/trump-prosecutor-asks-supreme-court-to-decide-presidential-immunity-question.html">CNBC</a> / <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/special-counsel-asks-supreme-court-rule-presidential-immunity/story?id=105556211">ABC News</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Jack Smith reveals sweeping scope of bid to debunk Trump election machine claims</strong>. “In a 45-page filing, Smith’s team describes interviewing more than a dozen of the top intelligence officials in Trump’s administration — from his director of national intelligence to the administrator of the NSA to Trump’s personal intelligence briefer — about any evidence that foreign governments had penetrated systems that counted votes in 2020.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/09/jack-smith-reveals-sweeping-scope-of-bid-to-debunk-trump-election-machine-claims-00130965">Politico</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Trump won’t testify as planned in the civil trial over allegations that he lied about his wealth</strong>. In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said that regardless of whether Trump testifies again, “we have already proven that he committed years of financial fraud and unjustly enriched himself.” The $250 million case — which is in its final stages — is putting his net worth on trial and threatening to block him from doing business in his native state. (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/10/trump-testify-new-york-civil-fraud-trial">Axios</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/11/1218470870/trump-testimony-new-york-fraud-trial">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/reversal-donald-trump-says-will-not-testify-defense-new-york-fraud-tri-rcna128749">NBC News</a>)</p>
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<p>2/ <strong>The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza</strong>. It’s the second time the U.S. was the only opposing vote on a ceasefire resolution. The vote in the 15-member council was 13-1, with the U.K. abstaining. “We do not support calls for an immediate cease-fire,” Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood said. “This would only plant the seeds for the next war, because Hamas has no desire to see a durable peace, to see a two-state solution.” Wood added that the resolution was “imbalanced and detached from reality.” Instead, the Biden administration urged Israel to do more to limit civilian casualties and to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack killed about 1,200 people in Israel. In response, Israel’s military campaign has since killed at least 17,000 people in Gaza — 70% of them women and children — wounded more than 46,000, and nearly 85% of the 2.3 million people living in Gaza have been displaced, with nowhere safe to go. (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/us/politics/israel-gaza-war-biden.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-un-resolution-ceasefire-humanitarian-6d3bfd31d6c25168e828274d96b85cf8">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/08/us-vetoes-un-israel-ceasefire-resolution-00130911">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/08/us-veto-un-security-council-gaza-ceasefire">Axios</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>U.S. still unclear on what happens when the fighting between Israel and Hamas ends</strong>. “These are decisions for Israel to make,” Antony Blinken said. (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/10/blinken-fighting-between-israel-hamas-ends-00130977">Politico</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Former U.S. ambassador to Israel says Netanyahu is a “clear and present danger” to Israel</strong>. “Netanyahu and other Israeli officials allowed the money to flow into Gaza in the hope that it would help maintain peace and stability in the region, and in the belief that Hamas had neither the desire nor the capacity to launch a large-scale attack.” (<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/10/martin-indyk-israel-says-netanyahu-is-a-clear-and-present-danger-to-israel-00130992">Politico</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Israel used U.S.-supplied white phosphorus in Lebanon attack</strong>. “Lot production codes found on the shells match the nomenclature used by the U.S. military to categorize domestically produced munitions, which show they were made by ammunition depots in Louisiana and Arkansas in 1989 and 1992. The light green color and other markings — like ‘WP’ printed on one of the remnants — are consistent with white phosphorous rounds, according to arms experts.” (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/12/11/israel-us-white-phosphorus-lebanon/">Washington Post</a>)</p>
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<p>3/ <strong>The Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked a pregnant woman from obtaining an emergency abortion</strong>. The court froze a lower court’s ruling that would have allowed Kate Cox, who is 20 weeks pregnant, to obtain the procedure despite the state’s strict abortion ban. Her unborn baby was diagnosed with a fatal genetic condition and carrying the pregnancy to term could jeopardize her health and future fertility (her fetus had Trisomy 18, also called Edwards syndrome, and almost all such pregnancies end in miscarriage or stillbirth). As a result, a district court judge granted a temporary restraining order last week allowing Cox to terminate her nonviable pregnancy under the narrow exceptions to the state’s ban. But Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton petitioned the court and urged it to block Cox from obtaining an abortion, saying that if an abortion was allowed, “Nothing can restore the unborn child’s life that will be lost as a result.” Paxton also threatened prosecution against anyone, including hospital and doctors, who help facilitate the abortion. The Center for Reproductive Rights called Paxton’s court filing “stunning in its disregard for Ms. Cox’s life, fertility, and the rule of law.” The Texas Supreme Court, which is comprised of all Republicans, said that “without regard to the merits” of the arguments on either side, it had issued an administrative stay to give itself time to issue a final ruling. The case is the first to seek a court-ordered exception since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade las year. Cox, meanwhile, left the state for the procedure instead of waiting for the court to issue a ruling. (<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/08/texas-abortion-lawsuit-ken-paxton/">Texas Tribune</a> / <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/08/texas-abortion-ruling-kate-cox-supreme-court/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/us/texas-abortion-court-ken-paxton.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/08/us/texas-abortion-ruling-attorney-general-petition/">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-woman-sought-abortion-court-order-leave-state-rcna129087">NBC News</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-ban-7d865cdfd75bdc6b2f4186f4d1e6e8bd">Associated Press</a>)</p>
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<li><strong>Supreme Courts in 3 states will hear cases about abortion access this week</strong>. “Supreme court justices in Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming will hear arguments in cases that will impact abortion access across the Mountain West.” (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/11/1218357869/state-supreme-courts-abortion-wyoming-new-mexico-arizona">NPR</a>)</li>
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<p>4/ <strong>The Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging a ban on “conversion therapy” designed to protect LGBTQ youths</strong>. The court’s decision leaves Washington state’s law intact, as well as similar restrictions in 20 other states, which have banned the practice of attempting to change an LGBTQ child’s sexual orientation or gender identity through mental health counseling. A Christian marriage and family counselor, and advocate for conversion therapy, had challenged the law, claiming it violates his First Amendment right to free speech by censoring his conversations with clients. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ban, arguing the state has the power to regulate the safety of medical treatments. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/11/supreme-court-conversion-therapy-washington/">Washington Post</a> / <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/11/1208884684/supreme-court-conversion-therapy-washington-state">NPR</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-lgbtq-conversion-therapy-ban-af3539f21f8618218b5029236182395d">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-11/supreme-court-turns-away-lgbtq-conversion-therapy-ban-case?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a>)</p>
<p>5/ <strong>A federal judge banned the federal government from separating families at the U.S. southern border for eight years</strong>, calling the separation of thousands of families “represents one of the most shameful chapters in the history of our country.” The decision came as part of a settlement between families who were separated under the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy and the Justice Department. From 2017 to 2018, the Trump administration separated more than 5,000 children from parents, with no plan for reuniting families. An estimated 1,000 children remain separated from their families. (<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/08/1218336878/immigration-family-separation-judge-settlement-border">NPR</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/08/trump-immigrants-family-separation-policy-ban">Axios</a> / <a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-separated-families-trump-biden-settlement-2720c59c1873a9c3fc53da1aad4d1a80">Associated Press</a> / <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-era-family-migrant-separation-policy-barred-under-settlement-approved-california-judge/">CBS News</a>)</p>
<p>6/ <strong>The head of the OPEC oil cartel directed the group’s members to “reject any text or formula that targets” the continued production and sales of oil, gas, and coal “rather than emissions.”</strong> The secretary general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries warned members ahead of the United Nations climate summit, known as COP 28, that there are “politically motivated campaigns” against oil-rich nations that put “our people’s prosperity and future at risk,” and that “pressure against fossil fuels may reach a tipping point with irreversible consequences.” More than 100 countries came to COP 28 supporting a call to phase out fossil fuels. However, countries like Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading exporter of oil, have rejected any climate deal that even mentions fossil fuels. Any agreement accepted at the climate summit must be unanimously endorsed by the 198 governments participating. Meanwhile, Sultan Al Jaber, the CEO of the United Arab Emirates’s national oil company, who is also leading the COP28 negotiations, released the draft agreement. The proposal removed language to phase out fossil fuels, and instead used watered-down language that suggested countries “could” reduce their use of consumption and production of oil, coal, and gas – the main drivers of the climate crisis. Al Gore said the U.N. climate summit is “on the verge of complete failure,” adding “the world desperately needs to phase out fossil fuels as quickly as possible, but this obsequious draft reads as if OPEC dictated it word for word. It is even worse than many had feared.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/11/climate/cop-28-draft-agreement-fossil-fuel-monday/index.html">CNN</a> / <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/11/fossil-fuel-phaseout-dropped-cop28-00131066">Politico</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/climate/opec-cop28-climate-oil.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-12-11/cop28-fossil-fuels-make-climate-deal-draft-text-for-first-time?srnd=premium&sref=MIBMEEoj">Bloomberg</a> / <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/at-cop28-hopes-dim-for-fossil-fuel-phaseout-e2b25cb2?mod=hp_lead_pos11">Wall Street Journal</a> / <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/10/climate/saudi-arabia-cop28-fossil-fuels.html">New York Times</a> / <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/09/senators-ministers-bash-opec-letter-cop28">Axios</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>Rising sea levels threaten hazardous waste facilities along U.S. coast</strong>. “1.6 million tons of hazardous waste are stored at facilities that would be put at risk if sea levels rose by five or more feet compared to 2000 levels.” (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/10/sea-levels-hazardous-waste-climate-change">Axios</a>)</p>
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<p><strong>A group of California children sued the EPA, alleging it has harmed children’s health and welfare over decades</strong>. “The case, Genesis B. v. United States Environmental Protection Agency, alleges the EPA ‘intentionally allows’ planet warming pollution to come from the sources it regulates, such as vehicles and heavy-duty trucks, power plants, and oil and gas wells. It follows the first constitutional climate case in the US, which youth plaintiffs successfully tried in Montana earlier this year.” (<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/11/politics/california-children-epa-federal-court/index.html">CNN</a>)</p>
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