Archives

StephCast T 7-12-22

Charlie Pierce: The Jan. 6 Committee Can’t Let Steve Bannon Bring the Circus (Back) to Town

Were I running the House Select Committee investigating the events of January 6, 2021, and I wanted testimony from the likes of Steve Bannon or Stewart Rhodes, I would insist it be taken on videotape, preferably recorded in the old jail cells in the basement of the Capitol. The possibility that Bannon—and Oath Keeper Rhodes—would […]

xWhat to watch for during President Biden’s trip to the Middle East

When President Joe Biden touches down in Israel on Wednesday for a series of meetings there and in the West Bank before heading to Saudi Arabia, he will find himself treading carefully around political land mines both foreign and domestic, where any missteps could have wide-ranging consequences.   For much of Biden’s time in office, the […]

Judge won’t delay Steve Bannon’s trial after his last-minute offer to cooperate with Jan. 6 panel

A judge said Monday that he would not delay Steve Bannon’s contempt of Congress trial, just one week before it is set to begin. Bannon was indicted last year for refusing to answer questions from the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bannon, who had stonewalled the committee since October, […]

Judge orders Lindsey Graham to testify before grand jury in Trump election probe

A judge ordered U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham to testify in front of a special grand jury in Georgia investigating former President Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ordered that Graham will be required to testify on Aug. 2. The judge’s certification filed […]

Ties between Trump allies and extremist groups to be focus of today’s Jan. 6 panel hearing

The Jan. 6 committee on Tuesday plans to demonstrate how right-wing militia groups that led the assault on the U.S. Capitol were connected to key Trump allies, including Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, who were at the center of the plot to overturn the 2020 election. “We’ll show how some of these right-wing extremist groups […]

StephCast M 7-11-22

Bannon now says he will testify for Jan. 6 committee after Trump’s OK — with contempt trial looming

Steve Bannon, a former top adviser in Donald Trump’s White House, recently told the House panel investigating the Capitol riot that he would be willing to testify since Trump now says he won’t cite executive privilege. In a letter on Saturday to the committee, obtained by ABC News, Bannon said he would prefer testifying in […]

Ex-Oath Keepers spokesperson to appear as witness at Tuesday’s Jan. 6 hearing

A former spokesperson for the Oath Keepers, a far-right “militia” organization, will appear as a witness at the House Jan. 6 committee’s next public hearing Tuesday, a source familiar with the plans said. While he was not part of the Oath Keepers, whose members have pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in connection with the riot or with […]

‘Closing argument’: Jan. 6 panel makes final hearings push

Six down. At least two more to go. The Jan. 6 committee is hitting the home stretch of the public hearings phase of its historic, yearlong investigation into the attack on the Capitol — and American democracy. After a half-dozen hearings, committee members are looking to build on the momentum with a pair of back-to-back […]

‘Closing argument’: Jan. 6 panel makes final hearings push

Six down. At least two more to go. The Jan. 6 committee is hitting the home stretch of the public hearings phase of its historic, yearlong investigation into the attack on the Capitol — and American democracy. After a half-dozen hearings, committee members are looking to build on the momentum with a pair of back-to-back […]

Biden Considering Public Health Emergency To Protect Abortion Access

President Joe Biden said Sunday he is considering declaring a public health emergency to free up federal resources to promote abortion access even though the White House has said it doesn’t seem like “a great option.” He also offered a message to people enraged by the Supreme Court’s ruling last month that ended a constitutional […]

SMHH VideoCast with Glenn Kirschner In Studio – 7-8-22

StephCast F 7-8-22

Highland Park suspect’s father could have some ‘responsibility’ in attack, police say

Highland Park shooting suspect Robert E. Crimo III’s father “may have responsibility in certain circumstances” for his son’s deadly actions, police said Wednesday while stopping short of tying the dad to any criminal culpability. The 21-year-old suspect was too young to get a gun permit in 2019 from the state of Illinois, but his father, […]

IRS Watchdog To Investigate Why Comey, McCabe Both Chosen For Rare, Invasive Audit

The head of the Internal Revenue Service, Charles Rettig, has asked the agency’s inspector general to investigate why former FBI Director James Comey and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe were both selected to undergo rare, invasive audits in recent years “The IRS has referred the matter to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration […]

Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone to appear before Jan. 6 committee on Friday

Pat Cipollone, who served as White House counsel under former President Donald Trump, has reached an agreement to appear Friday before the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, two sources familiar with the matter tell CBS News.  The panel issued a subpoena for Cipollone’s testimony last week after former White […]

Former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe dies after being shot at campaign event

Former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe died on Friday after being shot at a campaign event, in an attack that shocked a country where gun violence is virtually nonexistent. Abe, 67, was a towering political presence even after he stepped down as Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, and he was campaigning ahead of elections scheduled for Sunday. […]

StephCast Th 7-7-22

New Report Details The Many Law Enforcement Failures During Uvalde School Massacre

A new report offers the clearest timeline yet of a mass shooting at a Uvalde, Texas, school in May that left 19 children and two teachers dead, and it addresses the many failures of law enforcement that contributed to the high number of casualties. The report, released Wednesday by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response […]

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he’ll challenge subpoena in Georgia Trump probe

Lawyers for Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Wednesday they’ll challenge a subpoena demanding that he testify before a special grand jury in Georgia hearing evidence in a probe of possible 2020 election interference by former President Donald Trump and others. In a statement, Graham’s attorneys Bart Daniel and Matt Austin said the subpoena, in which the grand jury […]

Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone agrees to testify behind closed doors with Jan. 6 committee

Pat Cipollone, who served as Donald Trump’s White House counsel, is expected to testify behind closed doors on Friday with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday. The interview with Cipollone will be transcribed and videotaped, according to a person familiar with […]

Suspect confesses to Highland Park shooting and plotted second attack in Wisconsin, prosecutor says

The man accused of killing seven people at a Fourth of July parade confessed in detail to the shooting — and revealed that he had considered a second attack, authorities said Wednesday. Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21, has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, and will likely face many more counts stemming from […]

StephCast W 7-6-22

Highland Park shooting suspect’s past littered with ‘red flags’

A portrait of Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III as a mysterious and music-obsessed loner began emerging Tuesday, a day after he was arrested in the wake of a mass shooting at a July Fourth parade that left seven dead and traumatized an affluent Chicago suburb. Crimo, 21, who attempted to disguise himself by wearing women’s […]

Rudy Giuliani, Lindsey Graham subpoenaed by grand jury in Trump election probe

The Georgia special grand jury hearing evidence in an investigation into possible 2020 election interference by former President Donald Trump and others has issued subpoenas to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and key members of Trump’s legal team, including Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman, NBC News has confirmed. The Fulton County special grand jury also subpoenaed lawyers Jenna Ellis, Cleta […]

Highland Park parade shooting suspect charged with 7 counts of first-degree murder

An Illinois man who police say for weeks planned the mass shooting on a July Fourth parade has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder in the killing spree, officials said Tuesday evening. Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21, will be charged with additional counts in the shooting spree in Highland Park that killed seven and […]

Blood-Smeared Toddler Reportedly Found Orphaned At Highland Park Parade Shooting

A toddler found at the scene of the July Fourth shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, was left orphaned in the attack. His parents — Irina McCarthy, 35, and Kevin McCarthy, 37 — were among the seven people killed by a gunman during the town’s July Fourth parade. Members of the community worked together to care […]

StephCast T 7-5-22

Charlie Pierce: The Declaration of Independence Has Always Been a Tremendous Bluff

The Special Committee seems to be getting serious about witness tampering in its investigation, and that’s a good thing. Witness tampering is easily understood. And it opens up all the avenues of communication employed by the targets of your investigation—emails, texts, answering machines, all of it. Read the rest of Charlie Pierce’s piece at Esquire […]

The Rude Pundit: The Supreme Court Tells the 21st Century to Go F*** Itself

This session, the newly-ripened conservative supermajority of the Supreme Court of the United States decided it was time to lift up their robes and piss on the 21st century and reality. The half-dozen justices, John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, looked out at a nation, no, a […]

Bidens ‘shocked’ by Highland Park shooting as White House marks July Fourth

President Joe Biden began Independence Day by sharing a message that looked to the country’s future, but quickly had to respond to another mass shooting in the United States. “Jill and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day,” the President […]

Here’s what we know about the suspect arrested in connection with the Highland Park shooting

Robert E. Crimo III, identified by police as the person suspected of shooting and killing six people and wounding dozens of others Monday morning at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, has been arrested, authorities said Monday evening. Police believe the suspected gunman opened fire shortly after 10 a.m. CT from the […]

Jan. 6 panel could make multiple criminal referrals of Trump to DOJ, Cheney says

House Jan. 6 committee members said Sunday that they may make criminal referrals to federal prosecutors involving former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.  Fanning out on Sunday programs to discuss the congressional investigation and its public hearings, committee members said that while no formal decision has been made, […]

Person of interest apprehended in July 4 suburban Chicago parade attack that killed 6, authorities say

A person of interest in the July Fourth parade attack that killed six people and injured 38 others in suburban Chicago on Monday has been apprehended, authorities said. Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III was spotted in a Honda Fit described as wanted by the FBI in North Chicago, where local police attempted a traffic stop […]

SM Happy Hour VideoCast with Malcolm Nance & Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA)

Stephcast 7-1-22

Stephcast 6-30-22

Ginni Thomas lawyer whines about ‘particularly stressful time’ to back out of Jan. 6 testimony

January 6 committee subpoenas Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone for testimony

Stephcast 6-29-22

Trump Knew Supporters Had Weapons On Jan. 6 But Didn’t Care, Top Aide Testifies

Stephcast 6-28-21

Griswold Is Not About ‘Contraception.’ It’s About the Right to Privacy.

John Eastman searched and had phone seized by federal agents last week, he says

Jan. 6 panel adds last-minute hearing Tuesday afternoon

Pelosi Calls For Eliminating Filibuster Against ’Extremist’ Supreme Court In New Statement

Stephcast M 6-27-21

The Supreme Court vs. the United States, Part 1: Alito Loves Fetuses, Hates Women

House Passes Gun Bill With Support from 14 Republicans, Sends to Biden’s Desk

In Private, Trump ‘Keeps Shitting All Over’ the End of Roe v. Wade

Abortion protests continue after Supreme Court ends Roe v. Wade; Biden criticizes court’s ‘terrible decisions’

SMHH VideoCast 6-24-22 with Jill Wine-Banks and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

StephCast F 6-24-22

Federal law enforcement search the home of former DOJ official at center of Jan. 6 hearing

Federal law enforcement was at the Virginia home of Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who is at the center of Thursday’s Jan. 6 committee hearing. A U.S. Attorney’s office spokesman confirmed that the activity took place on Wednesday, but the spokesman had no comment regarding the reason for the activity. In a Thursday […]

Senate passes most sweeping gun bill in decades, setting up House vote

The Senate on Thursday night passed the most sweeping gun bill designed to prevent gun violence in decades, a major victory for advocates and a rare defeat for the National Rifle Association. The vote was 65 to 33, with all 50 Democratic-voting members and 15 Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, voting to […]

Supreme Court allows the carrying of firearms in public in major victory for gun rights groups

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Constitution provides a right to carry a gun outside the home, issuing a major decision on the meaning of the Second Amendment. The 6-3 ruling was the court’s second important decision on the right to “keep and bear arms.” In a landmark 2008 decision, the court had said for […]

Key takeaways of Jan. 6 panel Day 5: Trump wanted DOJ to promote his interests

After four years in power, Donald Trump never grasped that government isn’t supposed to be a tool for promoting personal interests, the Jan. 6 committee argued as it presented evidence Thursday about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.   Witnesses described Trump’s desperate efforts to rope the Justice Department into a plot to overturn the […]

StephCast Th 6-23-22

Biden calls on Congress, states to suspend gas taxes

President Biden on Wednesday called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for three months and asked states to suspend their own gas taxes or provide commensurate relief to consumers. The federal government charges an 18.4-cent tax per gallon of gasoline and a 24.4-cent tax per gallon of diesel. Suspending the tax for three […]

Trump fumes as Republicans ignore Jan. 6 panel

Republicans in Washington are betting that the televised Jan. 6 hearings aren’t breaking through, that voters are more worried about gas prices and inflation and that — basically — no one cares. But one man is paying attention: Donald Trump. And he’s not happy no one is defending him. The former president has reserved special […]

Uvalde school district puts embattled Police Chief Pete Arredondo on leave

Pete Arredondo was put on administrative leave Wednesday as the police chief of the Uvalde, Texas, school district after a month of sharp criticism for his decision to delay confronting the gunman in the shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers, the district superintendent said. Hal Harrell, the superintendent of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, […]

Tense Trump meeting with DOJ leaders to take center stage at Jan. 6 hearing today

The Jan. 6 committee plans to take viewers inside the Oval Office on Thursday afternoon, when witnesses describe a contentious meeting in which Justice Department leaders threatened to resign if then-President Donald Trump promoted a political appointee who was prepared to back up his false claims of election fraud. The committee’s fifth public hearing will […]

StephCast W 6-22-22

Dr. Irwin Redlener: Ukraine’s children desperately need more than shelter and food

There are two things that Ukraine needs right now. First, this deadly war of attrition and destruction must end. Second, the younger generations of Ukrainians must be healthy, educated, resilient and ready to take on the enormous task of rebuilding their country. I can’t comment on what it would take to bring lasting peace to […]

Multiple school security failures contributed to Uvalde mass shooting

Automatic locking doors and law enforcement radios — things that were supposed to protect children from mass shootings — failed in the Uvalde school massacre, a top Texas official testified Tuesday.  In testimony before the state legislature, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw outlined several school security failures that may have contributed to […]

Trump-backed Katie Britt defeats Rep. Mo Brooks in Alabama GOP Senate primary runoff

Katie Britt, a former top aide to Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., has defeated Rep. Mo Brooks in Alabama’s Republican Senate primary runoff, NBC News projects. The race to succeed Shelby, who is retiring, had flummoxed former President Donald Trump, whose early endorsement of Brooks was consistent with what had been a close political alliance. But […]

Senate Advances Bipartisan Gun Safety Bill With Hopes Of Passing It This Week

A bipartisan bill aimed at curbing gun violence cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday, less than a month after the horrific mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, ignited calls for action in Congress. The vote to advance the bill was 64-35. Fourteen Republicans joined Democrats in support of […]

7 Major Takeaways From The Jan. 6 Committee’s Fourth Hearing

The House select committee investigating the U.S. Capitol attack held its fourth public hearing Tuesday, this time focusing on the intense pressure campaign led by former President Donald Trump as he scrambled to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Through live and recorded testimony, text messages, video and audio segments, the panel showed how […]

StephCast T 6-21-22

Charlie Pierce: The Texas Republican Party Celebrated Juneteenth By Trying to Drag Us All Back to 1857

Happy Juneteenth, everyone! I know that this has been accepted as a truly American holiday because people are already complaining that it’s been commercialized. They are absolutely right, by the way. From the Washington Post: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis advertised a “Juneteenth watermelon salad” in its food court, then dropped it and issued an apology after intense […]

GOP Senate candidate releases ‘RINO hunting’ ad aimed at fellow Republicans

Eric Greitens, the embattled former Missouri governor-turned-GOP Senate candidate, released a campaign ad Monday in which he and a group of armed men in tactical gear are on the hunt for “RINOs” — Republicans in name only. “We’re going RINO hunting,” a shotgun-toting Greitens, with a handgun holstered at his side, says before he bursts […]

Biden says he’s considering gas tax holiday as admin targets July 4 announcement

President Joe Biden said Monday that he is seriously considering temporarily halting the federal gas tax as the White House looks to take steps to lower the cost at the pump ahead of the July 4 holiday.  White House officials say the July 4 weekend, when tens of millions of people are expected to hit the road, is a […]

Report: Officers were in Uvalde school with rifles, shield 19 minutes after gunman

Police officers with rifles and at least one ballistic shield were in a hallway at Robb Elementary School around 19 minutes after a gunman entered classrooms there, according to reports from Texas news organizations Monday. The Austin American-Statesman said the timeline was based on documents it reviewed following the May 24 attack in Uvalde that […]

Jan. 6 committee turns focus to Trump’s efforts to pressure states to overturn Biden’s win

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack will hold its fourth public hearing Tuesday, focusing on an elaborate effort by former President Donald Trump and his allies to strong-arm state officials to defy voters and hand him the 2020 election, committee members and aides said. Building on previous hearings, the committee said it will […]

StephCast M 6-20-22

CDC recommends Covid-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months, clearing the way for vaccinations to begin soon

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on Covid-19 vaccinations for children under 5 on Saturday, clearing the way for vaccinations to be administered soon. This move comes after vaccine advisers to the CDC voted unanimously on Saturday in support of recommending the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines to […]

What to know about Juneteenth now that today is a federal holiday

Despite Juneteenth’s storied history, the holiday was largely overlooked by non-Black Americans until recent years. The momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement propelled Juneteenth into the national spotlight, building on a decades-long push by activists and leaders to get recognition for the landmark occasion. Last year, Juneteenth became the latest federal holiday in the […]

Jan. 6 committee will show evidence of Trump’s involvement in fake elector plot, Schiff says

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitolwill present evidence in a public hearing this week about then-President Donald Trump’s involvement in a failed scheme to push slates of bogus electors to overturn the 2020 election results, Rep. Adam Schiff, a member of the panel, said Sunday. “We’ll show evidence of the president’s involvement in this scheme,” Schiff, D-Calif., […]

Nearly 6 In 10 Americans Want Trump Charged For Insurrection: Poll

Nearly six in 10 Americans believe former President Donald Trump should be charged with a crime for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to a new poll released Sunday. The findings by the ABC News/Ipsos survey reveal a very slight uptick in support for prosecution of Trump since the […]

The Rude Pundit: Call It What It Was… An Assassination Attempt on Mike Pence

I have despised Mike Pence longer than most of you, even before he was that fuckin’ conservative prick in Congress from 2001-2012, even before he was that motherfucking governor who refused to allow a needle exchange program in a town with a high rate of HIV (until he prayed and partially gave in). Yeah, see, I was […]

SMHH VideoCast with John Fugelsang & Frangela 6-17-22

StephCast F 6-17-22

Senate gun group eyes finish line as ‘boyfriend loophole’ remains a big hurdle

The four U.S. senators leading negotiations on a gun deal met for hours in a Senate basement Thursday in pursuit of a final agreement, but emerged with one major unresolved issue. The meeting among Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., did not yield a […]

Rep. Bennie Thompson Says It’s Time For Ginni Thomas To Talk To Jan. 6 Committee

So far, Ginni Thomas has avoided answering questions under oath about her involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. But that seems to be changing thanks to the reports of emails between Thomas and John Eastman, the lawyer who advised former President Donald Trump how to fight the election results. Previously, the House […]

10 Important Moments From The Third Jan. 6 House Committee Hearing

In its third day of hearings, the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol narrowed in on two opposing figures that day: John Eastman, the lawyer who helped Donald Trump craft a plan to overturn the election, and Mike Pence, the vice president who refused to play along. In […]

StephCast Th 6-16-22

Be A Superhero! It’s the final days of FreeSpeech TV’s Fund Drive! Keep Us On The Air!

It’s @freespeechtv fund drive and we are running out of time for our $50,000 Match! Any new gift you make from now to June 17 will be TRIPLED dollar-for-dollar. Be a SUPERHERO and keep us on the air!! Donate now using our special link: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/public-communicators-inc/2022-summer-pledge-drive?utm_source=SM

Senate negotiations on gun safety reform stall over outstanding challenges

Top negotiators on a bipartisan gun safety framework huddled behind closed doors for several hours Wednesday evening to try to solve remaining differences on the package, but the group’s effort to expedite passage of an agreement is stalled, at least for the moment. Since a group of 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans announced an agreement […]

Dr. Anthony Fauci tests positive for Covid

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, has tested positive for Covid-19, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said in a statement Wednesday. Fauci, 81, has directed the institute since 1984. He is fully vaccinated and has received two booster shots. His positive result came from a rapid test. “He […]

Jan. 6 Panel’s Third Public Hearing Today Will Probe Trump Pressure On Pence To Reject Election

The 1/6 committee is set to plunge into Donald Trump’s last-ditch effort to salvage the 2020 election by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject the electoral count — a highly unusual and potentially illegal strategy that was set in motion in the run-up to the U.S. Capitol riot. With two live witnesses Thursday, the […]

StephCast W 6-15-22

McConnell announces support for bipartisan gun reform framework

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday he supports the framework agreement for a gun reform plan announced by a bipartisan group of senators over the weekend. “For myself, I’m comfortable with the framework and if the legislation ends up reflecting what the framework indicates, I’ll be supportive,” he said during a press conference Tuesday. […]

June 14 primaries key takeaways: Trump’s political sway tested, as South Carolina ousts one of his critics

As former President Donald Trump’s presidential legacy is tested in Washington this week, with the Jan. 6 hearings dominating Capitol Hill, his political power — and the sway of his election denying — saw a renewed test in the midterm primaries in a handful of states. Voters took the polls in South Carolina, Nevada, Maine, […]

Trump issues 12-page statement amid Jan. 6 hearings alleging he plotted a ‘coup’

Former President Donald Trump on Monday responded in a lengthy statement to the House’s ongoing Jan. 6 committee hearings, assailing the panel as illegitimate and their presentation as one-sided — but rather than refute their evidence, he reiterated the same baseless claims about the 2020 presidential election that are at the center of the proceedings […]

StephCast T 6-14-22

FreeSpeech TV Fund Drive Time! Be A Superhero and Help Keep Us Free Of Corporate Influence!

It’s @freespeechtv fund drive and we are running out of time for our $50,000 Match! Any new gift you make from June 6 – 17 will be doubled dollar-for-dollar. Be a SUPERHERO and keep us on the air!! Donate now using our special link: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/public-communicators-inc/2022-summer-pledge-drive?utm_source=SM

S&P 500 tumbles 4 percent to new low for the year, closes in bear market territory

Stocks sold off Monday, pushing the S&P 500 to a fresh 2022 low and back into bear market territory, as recession fears grew ahead of a key Federal Reserve meeting this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 810 points, or about 2.6 percent, the S&P 500 fell 3.5 percent and the Nasdaq Composite tumbled […]

2022 Midterms: What To Watch In Maine, Nevada, North Dakota And South Carolina today

Primary voters on Tuesday will decide the fate of two South Carolina Republicans who are clinging to their seats in the U.S. House after defying Donald Trump, while in Nevada an establishment favorite with the former president’s endorsement is facing a tougher than expected challenge for the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, in Maine, a bellicose former […]

7 Key Moments From The Second Jan. 6 Hearing

In its second public hearing, the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol delivered a relatively focused message on Monday: that Trump knew his claims of a stolen election were false but continued to push them widely, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars while seeking to overturn the […]

Charlie Pierce: The Bipartisan Gun Bill Is a Good Start Like Tying Your Shoes Is a Good Way to Start a Marathon

The Washington Post ran an altogether remarkable paragraph on Monday to kick off its coverage of the bipartisan agreement on gun violence that emerged over the weekend. This was it. A bipartisan group of senators announced Sunday that it had reached a tentative agreement on legislation that would pair modest new gun restrictions with significant new mental […]

StephCast M 6-13-22

FDA: Pfizer COVID-19 Shot Appears Effective For Kids Under 5

Federal health officials said Sunday that kid-sized doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines appear to be safe and effective for kids under 5, a key step toward a long-awaited decision to begin vaccinating the youngest American children. The Food and Drug Administration posted its analysis of the Pfizer shot ahead of a Wednesday meeting where outside […]

Senate negotiators announce framework deal on bipartisan gun package

Key senators announced a framework agreement on new gun legislation Sunday, marking a breakthrough on a collection of measures to combat gun violence, including “red flag” laws and enhanced background checks on gun buyers. The chief negotiators of the deal are Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., an outspoken proponent of gun safety laws, and Sen. John […]

Trump 2020 campaign manager to testify before Jan. 6 committee Monday

Former President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien will testify before the House Jan. 6 select committee on Monday, in a hearing that will focus on Trump’s decision to declare victory against Joe Biden on election night and knowledge that he was spreading lies of widespread election fraud. Stepien will appear before the committee […]

The Rude Pundit: Liz Cheney Is Trying to Save the House She and Her Father Built and Other Observations on the 1/6 Hearing

On Thursday night, the Select Committee on the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol finally, after far too long, frankly, made its case to the American people and the world. The committee wasn’t talking to you and me, we who are damned to spend far too much of our time elbow-deep in the […]

MSNBC’s Glenn Kirschner Declares ‘Donald Trump Is Done’ After Jan. 6 Hearing: ‘Let’s Get This Indictment Show On The Road’

Former federal prosecutor and current MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner told SiriusXM guest-host Jody Hamilton that former President Donald Trump “is done” after seeing the Jan. 6 committee’s primetime hearing. Hamilton — host of the From The Bunker podcast — filled in for Stephanie Miller on Friday’s episode of  The Stephanie Miller Show, and asked Kirschner for his take on the hearing. Kirschner — who has […]

SMHH VideoCast with Hal Sparks and Glenn Kirschner 6-10-22

StephCast F 6-10-22

It’s FreeSpeechTV fund drive! Help keep us on the air and free of corporate influence!!

It’s @freespeechtv fund drive and we are running a $50,000 Match Thanks to a Group of Frontline Funders! Any new gift you make from June 6 – 17 will be doubled dollar-for-dollar. Be a SUPERHERO and keep us on the air!! Donate now using our special link: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/public-communicators-inc/2022-summer-pledge-drive?utm_source=SM

Senators hope to reach gun deal in ‘next few days’ after leaving for the weekend

The Senate left town for the weekend without agreeing on gun legislation, but the negotiators planned to meet virtually Friday to hash out the lingering issues as they continue to project optimism. “We’re not there yet,” Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the chief Republican negotiator, said after an in-person meeting Thursday. “I hope to resolve […]

Key takeaways from the first Jan. 6 hearing: It’s all about Trump

One person more than any other set in motion the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the committee investigating the riot argued at its first public hearing Thursday.    And that person is Donald Trump. He sparked the riot at the Capitol and nearly shredded American democracy in pursuit of power, the […]

Jan. 6 Hearing Opens With Trump’s AG William Barr Calling Stolen Election Claim ‘Bullsh**’

Donald Trump’s own attorney general told the then-president that his claims of a “stolen” election were “bullshit,” according to videotaped testimony revealed Thursday night at the House Jan. 6 select committee’s first public hearing. “I told the president it was bullshit, and I didn’t want to be a part of it,” Barr told committee investigators […]

StephCast Th 6-9-22

Man with gun, knife arrested near Justice Kavanaugh’s house

An armed man was arrested overnight near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after he called 911 on himself, law enforcement officials said Wednesday. Officials say the man, identified as Nicholas John Roske, 26, was armed with a handgun, a knife, pepper spray and burglary tools. He was stopped a block from the […]

House Approves Gun Control Bills, Including Higher Age For Assault Rifles

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a package of gun control bills that, among other things, would raise the age requirement for most rifle sales from 18 to 21. Rather than becoming law, the legislation will land on the growing pile of House-passed bills that the Senate ignores. That pile already includes a recent […]

Jan. 6 Committee To Put Trump ‘At The Center’ Of The Plan To Overturn Election

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol plans to show starting Thursday night how the assault was part of a coordinated scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election and stop the transfer of power, with Donald Trump “at the center” of that plan, committee aides said. The bipartisan […]

StephCast W 6-8-22

It’s @FreeSpeechTV fund drive and we are running a $50,000 Match Thanks to a Group of Frontline Funders! Any new gift you make from June 6 – 17 will be doubled dollar-for-dollar. Donate now using our special link: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/public-communicators-inc/2022-summer-pledge-drive?utm_source=SM

It’s @FreeSpeechTV fund drive and we are running a $50,000 Match Thanks to a Group of Frontline Funders! Any new gift you make from June 6 – 17 will be doubled dollar-for-dollar. Be a SUPERHERO and keep our message free from corporate influence!  Donate now using our special link: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/public-communicators-inc/2022-summer-pledge-drive?utm_source=SM

Secret Service considered options to get Trump to Capitol on January 6

The Secret Service says former President Donald Trump’s call to supporters to walk alongside him to the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, led the agency to consider options to secure a motorcade, but ultimately found that transporting the former President to the Capitol unfeasible. A minute-by-minute accounting of the President’s movements has been a […]

Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey makes emotional plea for gun control legislation from White House briefing room

Actor and Uvalde, Texas, native Matthew McConaughey made an emotional plea to Congress for new gun control legislation from the White House briefing room Tuesday, after meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and President Biden at the White House. Making schools safer and expanding background checks for people to to get access to guns should […]

Primary results 2022: California, Iowa, New Mexico, South Dakota and more

Voting has finished in all seven states that held primaries on Tuesday, as California polls closed at 11 p.m. ET. Some high-profile incumbents – including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Republican Sens. John Thune and Chuck Grassley – have beaten back their primary challengers, and their general election competitors have been determined for November.  […]

StephCast T 6-7-22

Jan. 6 Panel Has Evidence Of A ‘Lot More Than Incitement’ Against Trump: Jamie Raskin

Donald Trump and the White House were “at the center” of events triggering last year’s violent Capitol insurrection, and the House Jan. 6 select committee has uncovered evidence against the former president “about a lot more than incitement,” panel member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said on Monday. The panel will be “laying out the evidence […]

2022 Midterms: Primaries Held In 7 States Today

Primary elections in seven states Tuesday will set the stage for U.S. House and Senate races this fall, with many contests shaped by political fissures in both major parties and the lingering shadow of former President Donald Trump. With control of Congress in play, a string of Republican House incumbents are contending with challenges from […]

Key senators eye bipartisan gun bill deal ‘this week’

The top Democratic negotiator of a package of gun bills prompted by the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, said Monday he hopes to reach a deal with his Republican counterparts this week. “My hope is that we are able to come to an agreement by the end of the week,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., […]

Charlie Pierce: It’s Bad to Elect Authoritarian Lunatics as President

Here’s some more interesting stuff it would have been nice to know at the time. From the New York Times: The day before a mob of President Donald J. Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff called Mr. Pence’s lead Secret Service agent to his West Wing […]

StephCast M 6-6-22

It’s @FreeSpeechTV Fund Drive time, and we just have TWO WEEKS to reach our $50,000 match goal!

It’s @FreeSpeechTV Fund Drive time, and we just have TWO WEEKS to reach our $50,000 match goal! YOU can be a Superhero by giving and then getting great stuff in return! Help out at our special link at https://secure.givelively.org/donate/public-communicators-inc/2022-summer-pledge-drive?utm_source=SM

Jan. 6 Hearings Set To Highlight Battle Between Democracy And Donald Trump

The House Jan. 6 committee’s long-awaited public hearings are set to start this week, promising to highlight the deep schism between Donald Trump and his allies on one side and democracy on the other. The committee planned a half-dozen hearings over two weeks to lay out its findings from more than 1,000 interviews — a […]

Russia Hits At Ukraine’s Heart As Vladimir Putin Issues Warning To The West

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new warning to the West against sending longer-range rocket systems to Ukraine came as his forces claimed to have destroyed Western military supplies in their first such airstrikes on Ukraine’s capital in more than a month. The attack showed that Russia still had the capability and willingness to hit at Ukraine’s […]

Sen. Chris Murphy: ‘We’re Closer Than Ever Before’ On Bipartisan Gun Legislation

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who has been leading bipartisan talks in the Senate on gun control legislation, said more Republicans are at the table working toward changing gun laws and investing in mental health than “at any time since Sandy Hook.” “I’ve never been part of negotiations as serious as these,” he said in an […]

The Rude Pundit: Uvalde, the Southern Baptist Church, and the Murderous, Traumatizing Failure of Conservative Ideology

What do you do when your belief system allows for the murder and rape of children? What do you do when the things that the leaders you trust have said to you, messages their media figures have inundated you with, when the outcome of that is the destruction of kids? A sane person would want […]

SMHH VideoCast with DNC Chair Jaime Harrison & Kimberley Johnson

StephCast F 6-3-22

Jan. 6 committee reveals details of first public hearing in Capitol riot probe

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot released new details Thursday about its first hearing, scheduled to kick off in prime time on June 9. “The committee will present previously unseen material documenting January 6th, receive witness testimony, preview additional hearings, and provide the American people a summary of its findings about the coordinated, […]

White House: 1st COVID-19 Shots For Kids Under 5 Possible By June 21

The Biden administration said Thursday that children under 5 may be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for the age group, as expected. White House COVID-19 coordinator Aashish Jha outlined the administration’s planning for the last remaining ineligible age group to get shots. […]

Texts Show Republicans Believed Trump Could End Jan. 6 Chaos But Didn’t For Hours: Report

A trove of text messages obtained by CNN reveal that a number of Republicans were convinced that Donald Trump could immediately stop the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but that the then-president failed to take any action for hours. The messages “began pouring into the cellphone” of White House chief of […]

‘Enough’: Biden Exhorts Congress To Pass Gun Control Laws

President Joe Biden delivered the second evening address of his presidency on Thursday night, almost begging Congress to pass gun control legislation following yet another wave of mass shootings stretching from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Buffalo, New York. “Enough,” Biden said repeatedly, invoking the dozens of school shootings that have swept America over the past decade. […]

StephCast Th 6-2-22

U.S. and Germany announce weapons packages for Ukraine

The U.S. and Germany pledged on Wednesday to equip Ukraine with some of the advanced weapons it has long desired for shooting down aircraft and knocking out artillery, as Russian forces closed in on capturing a key city in the east. Germany said it will supply Ukraine with up-to-date anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems, while […]

Georgia secretary of state to testify to grand jury investigating Trump effort to overturn election

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was on the receiving end of an infamous Jan. 2, 2021, phone call in which then-President Donald Trump pleaded with him “to find 11,780 votes,” will testify under oath Thursday before a special grand jury investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Raffensperger, whose office oversees Georgia’s […]

Biden administration cancels $5.8 billion in student debt for people who attended for-profit college

Hundreds of thousands of students who attended the for-profit Corinthian Colleges chain will automatically get their federal student loans canceled, the Biden administration announced Wednesday, a move that aims to bring closure to one of the most notorious cases of fraud in American higher education. Under the new action, anyone who attended the now-defunct chain […]

America Had 3 Simultaneous Shootings On Wednesday, Less Than 2 Weeks After Uvalde

As residents in Uvalde, Texas, were burying their children and loved ones this week, Americans in three separate states watched shootings unfold simultaneously in the latest deadly spate of gun violence that has become a uniquely American problem. Four people were killed in a shooting at a medical building in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday. Police […]

StephCast W 6-1-22

Texas officials: Teacher didn’t leave door propped open before massacre

Four days after saying that the gunman who massacred children in a Uvalde, Tex., elementary school had gotten inside through a door“propped open by a teacher,” the state agency investigating the massacre now says the educator had closed the door. The teacher shut the door behind her, but it “did not lock as it should,” […]

Bipartisan discussions on “red flag” laws make progress as Sens. Graham, Blumenthal revise gun control proposal

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, are making progress as they hammer out details of revised “red flag” legislation that they both hope can win sufficient GOP support to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, according to four people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized […]

Justice Department asks court to reverse order lifting airplane mask mandate

The Justice Department on Tuesday asked a federal appeals court to overturn a U.S. District Court judge’s April orderthat declared the government mandate requiring masks on airplanes, buses and in transit hubs unlawful. Hours after the federal judge in Florida declared the mandate unlawful, the Biden administration said it would no longer enforce it. The […]

Texas school police chief hasn’t responded for days to state investigators about Uvalde shooting

A local police chief in Uvalde, Texas, hasn’t responded for a follow-up interview in a state investigation into the law enforcement response to an elementary school massacre that left 19 children and two teachers dead, an official said Tuesday. Peter Arredondo, the police chief of Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, participated in an initial interview […]

StephCast T 5-31-22

Trudeau Proposes Bill to ‘Freeze’ Handgun Sales in Canada After Uvalde Massacre: ‘We’re Capping the Market’

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has introduced a bill that would ban the sale, transfer and importation of all handguns nationwide. Lawrence O’Donnell shared the news on MSNBC Live Tuesday evening. He aired remarks from a press conference, in which Trudeau said Canadians have no business carrying firearms without the explicit intent to hunt with […]

Biden to meet Fed chair as inflation bites pocketbooks

President Joe Biden will meet Tuesday with Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell as soaring inflation takes a bite out of Americans’ pocketbooks. The meeting will be the first since Biden renominated Powell to lead the central bank and comes weeks after his confirmation for a second term by the Senate. The White House said the […]

Biden points to assault weapons ban as a ‘rational’ option for gun control

President Joe Biden, pressed on potential avenues for gun control in the wake of the devastating school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, pointed to an assault weapons ban Monday morning. “It makes no sense to be able to purchase something that can fire up to 300 rounds,” he told reporters outside the White House after traveling […]

Grief-stricken Uvalde starts tough task of saying farewell to shooting victims

On the day the nation sets aside to remember those killed in war, Uvalde began saying farewell to the 19 children and two teachers who were massacred in a shooting at their elementary school. The visitations for Amerie Jo Garza, 10, at Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home, and for Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10, at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary […]

Charlie Pierce: There Were Good Guys With Guns and It Didn’t Matter

What the old city editors used to call the “tick-tock” on the massacre at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas is emerging, and it is emerging in such a way that doesn’t cover local law enforcement with glory. From the AP: “Go in there! Go in there!” nearby women shouted at the officers soon after the attack […]

The Rude Pundit: Can We Please Talk About Crazy Motherf***ers Like They’re Crazy Motherf***ers?

I’ve been trying to articulate for the last week this feeling of things spinning off their axis. I’m in the UK right now, a place I now end up spending about a month a year, and I was talking about politics with a young man from Northern Ireland. He had supported Brexit, yes, because he […]

SMHH VideoCast 5-27-22 with Hal Sparks

StephCast F 5-27-22

Husband of teacher killed at Texas elementary school shooting dies

The widower of a Texas elementary school teacher killed in a shooting has died of a heart attack days just days after his wife was killed. Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, suffered a fatal heart attack on Thursday, two days after his wife died in a mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School […]

Gun owners, protesters and Donald Trump converge on Houston for NRA event

Thousands of gun owners, throngs of protesters and some prominent Republican politicians are expected in Houston for the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting Friday, just three days after 19 children and two adults were shot to death at an elementary school in South Texas. The event, which is being held in the George R. Brown […]

As timeline emerges, police criticized for response to school massacre

A gunman roamed outside a Texas elementary school for about 12 minutes, entered without challenge and spent an hour inside before he was killed by law enforcement, authorities said Thursday, revising key details in their account of the massacre as the police response to it was criticized by some parents. The new details of how […]

StephCast Th 5-26-22

Jan. 6 panel is told that Trump indicated support for hanging Pence during insurrection

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol collected testimony that then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows remarked to others that then-President Donald Trump indicated his support for hanging Vice President Mike Pence after rioters who stormed the Capitol on that day started chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” The account […]

A grisly checklist and a sickening rampage: Inside the Uvalde massacre

The gray Ford pickup truck veered into a ditch with such force that people who live on the block assumed it was an accident and rushed over to help the driver. Instead, according to witness and police accounts, Salvador Rolando Ramos emerged wearing tactical gear and carrying an AR-15-style rifle he bought this month, just […]

Beto O’Rourke interrupts a news conference by his opponent, Gov. Greg Abbott, accusing him of ‘doing nothing.’

Former Representative Beto O’Rourke interrupted a news conference held by Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas on Wednesday to accuse Republicans of “doing nothing” to address gun violence in the aftermath of a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde. Mr. O’Rourke, the Democrats’ nominee for governor, stood in front of a stage at a Uvalde […]

Democrats Hit Pause on Gun Control Vote, Hoping for a Compromise

Just shy of a decade after the Senate’s failure to respond to the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Democrats are again trying to transform outrage over the gun deaths of children into action by Congress to curb gun violence in America. But with the Republican position more intractable than ever, calls for negotiations to […]

StephCast W 5-25-22

‘I am sick and tired of it,’ Biden says after Texas school shooting

President Joe Biden on Tuesday called once again for Congress to take action on gun control legislation, urging lawmakers to stand up to the gun lobby, after a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school. “I am sick and tired of it. We have to act, and don’t tell me we can’t have an impact on this carnage,” […]

Trump Influence Mixed: 3 key takeaways from Tuesday’s primary elections

Historic early turnout meant knockout political races in Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama and Texas primary and runoff elections. With the backdrop of another massacre in which at least 18 schoolchildren and two adults were gunned down in a Texas elementary school, voters took to the polls to sign off on the candidates they believe best meet […]

‘Spare me the bullsh**’: Sen. Chris Murphy rips GOP colleagues after Texas shooting

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., took to the Senate floor after Tuesday’s deadly school shooting in Texas and pleaded with his Republican colleagues to take action against gun violence, saying what happened wasn’t “inevitable.” “I’m here on this floor to beg, to literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues. Find a […]

At least 19 children, 2 teachers killed in Texas elementary school shooting

At least 19 children and two teachers were killedTuesday when a gunman opened fire in a Texas elementary school, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The suspected shooter, who might have had a handgun and a rifle, was also killed when law enforcement confronted him at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, about 83 […]

StephCast T 5-24-22

Pfizer covid shot 80 percent effective in younger kids, early data shows

Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, said Monday that an early analysis showed their three-dose coronavirus vaccine regimen triggered a strong immune response in younger children, proving 80 percent effective at preventing symptomatic infections in children 6 months to 4 years old. The results, along with other recent developments, signal that the long and frustrating […]

Biden: US would intervene with military to defend Taiwan

President Joe Biden said Monday the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, declaring the commitment to protect the island is “even stronger” after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of Taiwan’s self-governing in decades. Biden, at a news conference in Tokyo, said […]

House ethics panel opens Cawthorn probe over cryptocurrency, ‘improper relationship’

The House Ethics Committee said Monday it is investigating whether scandal-plagued GOP Rep. Madison Cawthornof North Carolina may have improperly promoted a cryptocurrency and engaged in a relationship with a congressional aide. The panel announced it had unanimously voted earlier this month to establish a subcommittee to look into whether Cawthorn “improperly promoted a cryptocurrency […]

A string of Southern primaries today will see the GOP battle itself — over election lies, more

National attention turns next to the South as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Texas voters head to the polls on Tuesday, rounding out a consequential string of May contests. Months-long, sometimes contentious battles to be governor, attorney general, secretary of state and for U.S. Senate and House seats will come to a head. The results should […]

Charlie Pierce: The Flying Monkeys Came Screeching For the Head of the Disinformation Governance Board Immediately

In 2009, a man named Daryl Johnson worked for the Department of Homeland Security. His job was monitoring the potential of white-supremacist violence in the country, chatter that intensified in response to the election of a Black president. Johnson put together a report that was supposed to be sent exclusively to law-enforcement operations around the country. Unfortunately, […]

StephCast M 5-23-22

Giuliani meets with January 6 committee for more than 9 hours

Rudy Giuliani, former President Donald Trump‘s onetime personal attorney and a lead architect of his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results, on Friday met with the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection, two sources told CNN. Giuliani’s original deposition with the committee had been postponed after the former New York City mayor asked to […]

Biden: Monkeypox threat doesn’t rise to level of COVID-19

President Joe Biden sought Monday to calm concerns about recent cases of monkeypox that have been identified in Europe and the United States, saying he did not see the need to institute strict quarantine measures. Speaking in Tokyo a day after he said the virus was something “to be concerned about,” Biden said, ”I just don’t think […]

Military aircraft arrives in U.S. with baby formula from Europe amid shortage

The first flight of baby formula from Europe arrived in Indiana on Sunday as the White House tries to address a crushing shortage. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack greeted the arrival of a military aircraft carrying about 78,000 pounds of formula flown in from Germany in what the government has dubbed Operation Fly Formula. President Joe Biden authorized the program […]

Biden says U.S. will defend Taiwan militarily if China invades

President Joe Biden said Monday that the United States would be willing to intervene militarily if China were to invade the self-governing island of Taiwan, again sowing confusion over American policy in the region. Speaking during a news conference in Tokyo alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Biden said Beijing was already “flirting with danger” with […]

The Rude Pundit: The “Grooming” Bullsh**… They’re Coming Up With Excuses to Murder Us

I have lived through a whole lot of rhetorical fuckery in my exhausting time dealing with the American right. I’ve seen us called every -ist that they found scary: Marxist, communist, socialist, anarchist (as if those are bad things). I’ve watched us be called demonic and anti-Christian and, heavens forbid, atheists (as if that’s a […]

SM Happy Hour VideoCast with Rep. Barbara Lee & Allison Gill

STephCast F 5-20-22

Biden arrives in South Korea with worries growing over possible North Korean missile test

President Joe Biden arrived here Friday on a mission to reaffirm a key alliance at an uncertain moment in East Asia. Even as the war in Ukraine has preoccupied Washington — and took up the first half of Biden’s day before he departed for Asia — provocations from North Korea have intensified and China continues […]

Monkeypox cases detected in US, Europe, but experts caution against comparing it to COVID-19

Countries in Europe and North America are continuing to report more cases of monkeypox, but experts say the disease so far does not pose a serious risk to the public. At least 17 infections of the rare disease have been confirmed in non-endemic areas such as the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden and Italy, […]

Jan. 6 committee seeks info from Georgia Republican about pre-riot tour of Capitol

The congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot asked Thursday to meet with a House GOP lawmaker about a Capitol tour that took place a day before the attack last year. Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., asked Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., to meet with the Democratic-controlled panel to discuss […]

Rep. Madison Cawthorn Vows ‘Dark MAGA’ Revenge For His Election Loss

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) has threatened retaliation for his primary election loss earlier this week. Rather than take responsibility for a series of political stumbles that tanked his race, Cawthorn took to social media to target Republicans who failed to “have my back”: Details of what “Dark MAGA” might do were hazy, but apparently it […]

StephCast Th 5-19-22

House passes bill to aid fight against domestic terrorism after Buffalo supermarket shooting

In the wake of the Buffalo, New York, supermarket shooting that left 10 Black people dead, the House on Wednesday approved a measure to beef up federal efforts to combat domestic terrorism and white supremacy. The vote was 222-203, with Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, voting with all Democrats in favor of the proposal. The bill […]

Oz, McCormick remain optimistic as Pa. Senate primary vote counting continues

The wait is on in Pennsylvania, where a slugfest of a Republican Senate primary remained too close to call Wednesday. The leading candidates, celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund executive Dave McCormick, are each projecting confidence that they will prevail when all votes are counted. But a clear result could be days […]

Biden invokes Defense Production Act to address national shortage of baby formula

President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act in a major step to boost the supply of baby formula. The announcement means the federal government will prioritize key ingredients for formula production and compel suppliers to provide the needed resources to formula manufacturers ahead of other customers ordering those goods. In addition to […]

A Third Of U.S. Should Be Considering Masks, Officials Say

COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States — and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking. Increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are putting more of the country under guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers […]

StephCast W 5-18-22

‘I know you are worried’: Jill Biden speaks about baby formula shortage in new PSA

First lady Jill Biden is speaking out about the nationwide baby formula shortage in a new public service announcement. In the PSA released Tuesday, Biden and the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, touch on parents’ frustrations about the lack of formula and how President Joe Biden and his team are “working around the clock” to get them what they […]

Biden labels Buffalo shooting ‘domestic terrorism’ after visiting scene

Assuming his role as consoler in chief, President Joe Biden traveled to Buffalo, New York, on Tuesday to visit a community in mourning and call out the dangers of white supremacy on the national stage following Saturday’s racially-motivated mass shooting at a supermarket that left 10 Black people dead, three wounded and others fearing for […]

Finland, Sweden apply to join NATO

Nordic neighbors Finland and Sweden jointly submitted their applications to join NATO on Wednesday, as Russia’s war in Ukraine reshapes European security. The boost to the Western military alliance — assuming Turkish objections to the pair joining can be overcome — is a major setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin on the global stage. It […]

Pennsylvania G.O.P. Senate Race Is Deadlocked; Cawthorn Falls to Defeat

Dr. Mehmet Oz and David McCormick are narrowly separated in the Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania and possibly headed for a recount. Madison Cawthorn lost his primary in North Carolina. Complete results from yesterday’s primaries are at The New York Times

StephCast T 5-17-22

2022 Midterms: 5 States Hold U.S. House Primaries Today

After years of irking his colleagues, a longtime moderate Democratic congressman faces his stiffest primary challenge yet in Oregon. In North Carolina, a rising Republican star beset by personal and professional scandals is looking to eke out a win in his GOP-leaning district. And across the U.S., an exodus of House Democrats has put a […]

Fox News’ Tucker Carlson under fresh scrutiny after Buffalo mass shooting

Fox News personality Tucker Carlson is facing intense scrutiny from extremism experts, media watchdogs and progressive activists who say there is a link between the top-rated host’s “great replacement” rhetoric and the apparent mindset of the suspect in the weekend’sdeadly rampage in Buffalo, New York. The white suspect accused of killing 10 people and wounding […]

Document appears to show Buffalo shooter’s planning including March trip to supermarket

An online document obtained by ABC News appears to chronicle how Payton Gendron carefully planned out his attack at least two months before he allegedly shot and killed 10 people at a Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, according to law enforcement sources. According to the document, Gendron, on March 8, drove to Buffalo and visited […]

FDA, Abbott agree on plan to resume production of infant formula at Michigan plant

In a move to ease a nationwide shortage of infant formula, the Food and Drug Administration on Monday said it has agreed with Abbott Nutrition on a plan to reopen the company’s manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michigan, after it was shut down following the discovery of a deadly bacteria inside. The FDA also announced Monday […]

Charlie Pierce: Our Out-of-Control Political Moment Has Been Joined to Our Insane Attraction to Firearms

Do not be alarmed, but I suspect that the Tree of Liberty is dangerously close to being overly refreshed, and not with the blood of patriots and tyrants, either, but rather with the blood of ordinary folks celebrating a basketball game, or people going to church on Sunday, or some just stopping in to pick up last-minute provisions for Sunday […]

StephCast M 5-16-22

McConnell leads GOP delegation to meet with Zelenskyy in Ukraine

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., led a Republican congressional delegation to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Saturday in Kyiv. After leaving Ukraine, McConnell said in a statement that the group witnessed firsthand the “courage, unity and resolve of the Ukrainian people,” and that they “only ask for the tools they need for self-defense.” […]

Clarence Thomas says abortion leak has changed Supreme Court

Justice Clarence Thomas says the Supreme Court has been changed by the shocking leak of a draft opinion earlier this month. The opinion suggests the court is poised to overturn the right to an abortion recognized nearly 50 years ago in Roe v. Wade. The conservative Thomas, who joined the court in 1991 and has […]

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he suffered ‘minor stroke,’ is hospitalized

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., was hospitalized this weekend after suffering a minor stroke, he said Sunday. He was admitted to George Washington University Hospital after experiencing lightheadedness and acute neck pain while delivering a speech in western Maryland, the senator said in a statement. An angiogram Sunday indicated he had “experienced a minor stroke […]

Buffalo Shooting Suspect Bought AR-15 Legally But Modified Gun With Illegal High-Capacity Magazine: Report

The 18-year-old man who allegedly opened fire in a Buffalo, New York grocery store on Saturday purchased his weapon legally, passing a background check, but altered it with a high-capacity magazine that is illegal under New York law, according to several media reports. Payton Gendron, a resident of Conklin, New York, lived several hours away […]

The Rude Pundit: A Case for Letting Trump Back on Twitter: I Know, But Listen…

I know, I know, I fucking know. I remember that tense feeling, somewhere between shit-yourself anxiety and stroke-inducing rage, of wondering what deliberate, fuck-up-your-day provocation Donald Trump had tweeted. Of course, if you’re of a devolved or brain-damaged or cynical mindset, you looked forward to the Trump tweets like they were worms disgorged from Daddy […]

SM Happy Hour Videocast with Hal Sparks and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

StephCast F 5-13-22

Biden orders flags to half-staff as US records 1 million COVID deaths

President Joe Biden on Thursday addressed the U.S. reaching the milestone of 1 million coronavirus deaths. “One million empty chairs around the family dinner table,” Biden said in a pre-taped video message. “Each irreplaceable, irreplaceable losses. Each leaving behind a family or community forever changed because of this pandemic. Our heart goes out to all […]

White House announces measures to address baby formula shortage

The White House announced a series of measures Thursday to address a shortage of baby formula across the U.S. after President Joe Biden met with key retailers and manufacturers. The steps include an effort to reduce red tape and to speed formula production and to make it easier to import formula from abroad, as well […]

Rand Paul blocks quick passage of $40 billion Ukraine aid package

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul defied leaders of both parties Thursday and single-handedly delayed until next week Senate approval of an additional $40 billion to help Ukraineand its allies withstand Russia’s three-month old invasion. With the Senate poised to debate and vote on the package of military and economic aid, Paul denied leaders the unanimous […]

Jan. 6 committee subpoenas Kevin McCarthy, other Trump House allies

The committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol took the unprecedented step Thursday of issuing subpoenas to five Republican congressmen, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California. The Democratic-controlled committee previously had asked the congressmen, who also include Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Mo Brooks of Alabama […]

StephCast Th 5-12-22

Biden says US farmers can help in inflation fight as food prices continue to soar

President Joe Biden hit the road Wednesday to talk about the role American farmers can play in alleviating global food shortages caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At O’Connor Farms, a family-run farm in Kankakee, Illinois, Biden outlined steps his administration is taking to help farmers ramp up domestic production. “Right now America is fighting […]

Finland’s Leaders In Favor Of Applying For NATO Membership

Finland’s president and prime minister said Thursday they’re in favor of applying for NATO membership, paving the way for the alliance to expand amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. The dramatic move by Finland was announced by President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin in a joint statement. It means that Finland is virtually certain […]

Republicans Block Bill To Codify Roe v. Wade Once Again

Legislation aimed at safeguarding abortion rights across the country failed in the Senate for the second time this year as a conservative majority on the Supreme Court prepares to strike down its landmark 1973 ruling Roe v. Wade. The Women’s Health Protection Act would create federal protections for providing and accessing abortion services. The House […]

Supreme Court Justices To Meet Today For 1st Time Since Roe Draft Ruling Leak

The Supreme Court’s nine justices will gather in private Thursday for their first scheduled meeting since the leak of a draft opinion that would overrule Roe v. Wade and sharply curtail abortion rights in roughly half the states. The meeting in the justices’ private, wood-paneled conference room could be a tense affair in a setting […]

StephCast W 5-11-22

Biden highlights efforts to fight inflation, attacks ‘ultra-MAGA’ GOP

President Joe Biden on Tuesday continued his sharpened attack on what he’s now calling the GOP’s “ultra-MAGA” agenda as he pitched his plan to tackle inflation. His remarks came as the national average price of a gallon of gas hit a record high of $4.37 a gallon, AAA said. “I want every American to know […]

Trump-backed candidate loses Nebraska governor’s primary

​​Donald Trump failed to deliver a victory Tuesday in a Nebraska GOP primary for a gubernatorial candidate accused of groping multiple women, NBC News projects, handing the former president his first loss of this year’s election season. University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen won the party’s nomination after a heated contest, defeating a state senator […]

Senate to vote today on nationwide abortion bill ahead of Roe decision

The Senate is set to vote Wednesday on advancing a Democratic-led bill that would enshrine broad protections for legal abortion nationwide, a move triggered by a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that indicates Roe v. Wade will likely be overturned. The vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, which has passed the House, is all […]

StephCast T 5-10-22

Biden: Vladimir Putin May Have No Way Out Of Ukraine War

President Joe Biden believes Russian President Vladimir Putin may not know how to end his brutal ongoing invasion of Ukraine after failing to achieve his objectives in the first two months. “We’ve rallied the world to keep Putin in place… I’m confident that Putin believed he could break up NATO, that he believed he could […]

Biden touts expansion of discount internet program for low-income households

As he seeks to close the nation’s digital divide, President Joe Biden announced on Monday new commitments from 20 internet service providers to expand discounted, high-speed internet access to tens of millions of low-income Americans under an existing federal program. “It’s going to change people’s lives,” Biden said from the White House Rose Garden. “From […]

Senate passes bill to boost security for Supreme Court

The Senate passed legislation Monday to beef up security for Supreme Court justices, ensuring they and their families are protected as the court deliberates abortion access and whether to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. The bipartisan bill, which passed by voice vote with no objections, did not provide additional funding, which could come […]

StephCast M 5-9-22

Average US gasoline price jumps 15 cents to $4.38 per gallon

The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline jumped 15 cents over past two weeks to $4.38 per gallon. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the current price sits just a nickel below the highest average price in history — $4.43, set on March 11. The average price at the pump […]

Jill Biden crosses into Ukraine, meets first lady

First lady Jill Biden traveled Sunday into war-torn Ukraine, where she met with her Ukrainian counterpart in a Mother’s Day show of solidarity for women fleeing Russia’s invasion. After she crossed the Slovakian border, Biden traveled to the western city of Uzhhorod, where she met Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady, at a school.  “I thought […]

Putin marks Victory Day with Moscow military parade, speech

Russian President Vladimir Putin marked Victory Day, celebrating the Soviet Union’s World War II triumph over Nazi Germany with a grand display of military might and an address from Moscow’s Red Square. The Russian leader linked his war in Ukraine with that historic struggle in a speech that blamed the West for the conflict but […]

Protesters Target Supreme Court Justices’ Homes Following Leaked Draft Opinion

Activists protesting against the Supreme Court’s expected ruling gutting Roe v. Wadegathered outside the homes of two conservative justices over the weekend and plan to do so again later this week. Close to 100 protesters chanted and waved signs Saturday evening outside the Maryland house of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, then marched to the nearby home […]

The Rude Pundit: Men Are Mostly Responsible for the End of Roe, So F*** Up Their World, Too

The Supreme Court case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a draft decision on which was leaked this week, centers on a law passed by the Mississippi legislature in 2018 and signed by its governor. That law banned all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. It was struck down by lower courts because it patently violated […]

SM Happy Hour VideoCast with Judy Gold

StephCast F 5-6-22

U.S. Intelligence Has Reportedly Helped Ukraine Kill Russian Generals

The United States reportedly shared intelligence that has helped Ukraine target and kill Russian generals during the Kremlin’s ongoing invasion of the country. According to The New York Times, senior American officials said the U.S. had provided real-time battlefield intel to the Ukrainians, including the location of Russia’s mobile military headquarters. Ukraine then used that […]

Hillary Clinton Has Ominous Warning About What’s Next If Roe v. Wade Is Overturned

Hillary Clinton cautioned that the leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade could be just the start of rights being rolled back for other groups nationwide. “This opinion is dark. It is incredibly dangerous and it is not just about a woman’s right to choose. It is about much more than […]

‘Dancing Monkey’ Lindsey Graham Performs For Donald Trump In ‘Extraordinary’ New Audio

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) sucks up to former President Donald Trump just weeks after the deadly U.S. Capitol riot in new audio released by New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns. Graham initially condemned Trump’s incitement of the violence on Jan. 6, 2021. But the audio that Martin and Burns shared on “The […]

Biden names Karine Jean-Pierre as White House press secretary

President Joe Biden on Thursday named Karine Jean-Pierre as the new White House press secretary, succeeding Jen Psaki. Jean-Pierre will be the first Black woman and the first openly gay person to hold the position. “Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead […]

StephCast Th 5-5-22

The White House is looking for actions it can take to protect abortion rights

In the hours after a leaked Supreme Court document signaled the court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade in the coming weeks, President Biden vowed to fight to protect access to abortion. “We will be ready when any ruling is issued,” Biden said in a statement Tuesday. But in marathon meetings and phone calls […]

Fed Makes Biggest Interest Rate Increase Since 2000 as High Inflation Persists

The Federal Reserve ramped up its attack on rapid inflation on Wednesday, approving its biggest interest rate increase since 2000, detailing a plan to shrink its massive bond holdings and signaling that it will continue working to cool the economy as it tries to tamp down the fastest price increases in four decades. Yet investors […]

Donald Trump Jr. testifies before House panel probing Jan. 6 riot

Donald Trump Jr. testified Tuesday before the House committee investigating last year’s attack on the Capitol, a person close to the former president‘s oldest son said Wednesday. Appearing by videoconference for two hours, Trump Jr. spoke to the panel voluntarily, the source said, adding that the discussion was “pretty uneventful.” A spokesperson for the committee […]

Secretary Of State Antony Blinken Tests Positive For COVID-19

Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday afternoon, according to the State Department. Blinken is fully vaccinated and boosted, the department said in a statement, and he is experiencing “mild symptoms.” He had tested negative on Tuesday and again on Wednesday morning. The secretary of state attended the White House Correspondents’ […]

StephCast W 5-4-22

Oklahoma Governor Signs Texas-Style Ban On Most Abortions

Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a Texas-style abortion ban on Tuesday that prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, part of a nationwide push in GOP-led states hopeful that the conservative U.S. Supreme Court will uphold new restrictions. Stitt’s signing of the bill comes on the heels of a leaked draft opinion from […]

Trump appointee twice delayed report on Russian election interference, federal watchdog says

A top Trump political appointee delayed a report on Russian election interference in the 2020 election in a way that created the perception that intelligence was politicized, according to a new report by the Department of Homeland Security watchdog. The DHS inspector general report also found that employees of DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis […]

JD Vance wins Ohio GOP Senate primary after Trump endorsement

Buoyed by former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, J.D. Vance prevailed in Ohio’s competitive Republican Senate primary Tuesday and will face off in November against Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, NBC News projects. In the gubernatorial contest, incumbent Republican Mike DeWine secured the nomination in his bid for re-election, NBC News projects, while former Dayton Mayor Nan […]

Emotions run high outside Supreme Court as demonstrators weigh future of abortion

The plaza outside the Supreme Court is once again ground zero for demonstrators on both sides of the abortion debate, but the tensions and emotions this time around far exceed those of previous protests. Thousands of protesters gathered after a leaked draft opinionpublished Monday night by Politico suggested that Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 […]

StephCast T 5-3-22

Jeffrey Toobin Warns Same-Sex Marriage Is ‘Certainly’ in Jeopardy After Opinion Overturning Roe v. Wade Leaked

CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin reacted to a leaked draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade on Monday night, warning the same-sex marriage could be next. Toobin appeared on Don Lemon Tonight, where the eponymous host asked, “What other cases have been decided based on these precedents that could now […]

Putin may soon officially declare war on Ukraine, US and Western officials say

Russian President Vladimir Putin could formally declare war on Ukraine as soon as May 9, a move that would enable the full mobilization of Russia’s reserve forces as invasion efforts continue to falter, US and Western officials believe. May 9, known as “Victory Day” inside of Russia, commemorates the country’s defeat of the Nazis in […]

Jan. 6 committee seeks info from GOP Reps. Ronny Jackson, Andy Biggs, Mo Brooks

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is requesting interviews with three Republican members of Congress, including one whom members of the Oath Keepers militia group are alleged to have said they needed to protect because he had “critical data.” Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Vice Chair Liz Cheney, […]

A draft Supreme Court opinion indicates Roe v. Wade will be overturned, Politico reports in extraordinary leak

In what would amount to an unprecedented leak in modern times, Politico on Monday night published what it said was a draft opinionindicating the Supreme Court would overturn the abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade in a pending case later this year. The document, reportedly authored by Justice Samuel Alito and circulated in February, […]

Charlie Pierce: Mike Esper Didn’t Think Voters Deserved to Know That Trump Wanted to Turn D.C. Streets Into My Lai?

I’m beginning to believe that book contracts are a genuine threat to democratic government. Once again, someone who worked at Camp Runamuck is cashing in big time revealing information now that it would have been nice to know at the time. This time around, it’s former Secretary of Defense Mike Esper. Read the rest of […]

StephCast M 5-2-22

Kinzinger says he “would love” for Pence to testify before January 6 committee

GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said Sunday he “would love” for former Vice President Mike Pence to voluntarily appear before the House select committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Pence played a crucial role in the congressional proceedings on January 6, rebuffing pressure by then-President Donald Trump to reject electoral […]

White House Correspondents’ Dinner returns with president in attendance

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner made its grand return Saturday night, two years after the pandemic shut it down and six years since the last time a commander-in-chief attended the event. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attended the charity event at the Washington Hilton, the first sitting president to do so since […]

Civilians evacuated from Mariupol steel plant; Pelosi meets Polish president

Civilians are finally being evacuated from the bombed-out steel plantwhere hundreds have been sheltering in the last Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol, the key city that is otherwise under Russian control after months of siege. The rescue operation in the southeastern port, which also includes other areas of the city, comes after weeks of failed efforts […]

SM Happy Hour VideoCast 4-29-22 w/ Allison Gill & Jill Wine-Banks

StephCast F 4-29-22

American killed fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in Ukraine

An American citizen, Willy Joseph Cancel, was killed fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in Ukraine, members of Cancel’s family confirmed to CNN. The 22-year-old was working with a private military contracting company when he was killed on Monday. The company had sent him to Ukraine, and he was being paid while he was fighting there, Cancel’s […]

Trump Finally Posts Second Message On Truth Social As Elon Musk Twitter Competition Looms

Former President Donald Trump finally posted his second message on Truth Social on Thursday — 10 weeks after his first — in the face of massive new competition from a Twitter platform owned and operated by billionaire Elon Musk. “I’m back!” Trump posted on his problem-plagued social media platform. He inexplicably followed the greeting with […]

Moderna asks FDA to authorize Covid vaccine for children under 6

Moderna asked the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday to expand the use of its Covid-19 vaccine to children ages 6 months to 5 years. The drugmaker’s request will now be considered by the FDA, which is expected to make a final decision in June. The agency is expected to seek the advice of its advisory committee, the […]

StephCast Th 4-28-22

McCarthy defends himself to Republicans after leaked Jan. 6 recordings, receives standing ovation

House Republicans on Wednesday rallied behind Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy as he defended himself over audio recordings surfaced of him blaming former President Donald Trump for the Jan. 6 riot and suggesting that some GOP lawmakers were inciting violence and should be kicked off social media platforms. In the first closed-door GOP meeting since the […]

Biden blocked from winding down Trump-era border policy

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Department of Homeland Security to halt its efforts to dissolve a coronavirus-related border restriction initiated in 2020, potentially derailing the Biden administration‘s goal of rescinding the Trump-era policy by late May. U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays of the Western District of Louisiana, who said Monday he intended […]

Biden to ask Congress for new Ukraine aid package today

President Joe Biden will request Congress fund a new supplemental aid package for Ukraine during remarks from the White House Thursday morning, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News. The extra funding is intended to last for the next five months, through the end of the fiscal year, the sources said. Administration officials […]

Fauci says U.S. is transitioning out of ‘pandemic phase’

Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed optimism about the state of the pandemic in the U.S. this week. “We are certainly right now in this country out of the pandemic phase,” Fauci, the White House’s chief medical adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told “PBS NewsHour” on Tuesday. He later told […]

StephCast W 4-27-22

Russia says Ukraine war could go nuclear if West keeps sending weapons

Russia’s Foreign Minister said Tuesday that if the U.S. and Ukraine‘s other Western allies continue to arm the country as it battles Moscow’s invading forces, the risk of the war escalating into a nuclear conflict “should not be underestimated.” In an interview with Russian TV, Sergey Lavrov said that by providing weapons, NATO nations were […]

Rep. Madison Cawthorn cited for having loaded gun at Charlotte airport

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., was cited Tuesday for having a loaded 9 mm handgun at a security checkpoint at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, the second time he has been stopped with a firearm at an airport since he took office last year. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the incident occurred just before […]

Kamala Harris tests positive for Covid

Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for Covid on Tuesday, her office said. At the time of the test result, Harris was not exhibiting any coronavirus symptoms, said her press secretary, Kirsten Allen. An adviser to the vice president later said Harris’ physician prescribed the therapeutic drug Paxlovid, a Covid antiviral pill from Pfizer that […]

In new audio, McCarthy worried comments by certain GOP lawmakers could incite violence after Jan. 6

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., feared that remarks by fellow Republican lawmakers could jeopardize the safety of other GOP members of Congress after the Jan. 6 riot, according to new audio recordings from just days after the attack on the Capitol. The recordings from a Jan. 10, 2021, call obtained by The New York Times […]

StephCast T 4-26-22

N.Y. judge holds Trump in contempt for failing to produce documents in attorney general probe

A New York state judge on Monday found Donald Trump in civil contempt of court and ordered him to pay $10,000 a day until he turns over documents that have been subpoenaed by the state attorney general’s office. Attorney General Letitia James had sought the fine as a way to force the former president to […]

Judge plans to hit pause on Biden effort to end Trump-era Covid restriction at border

A federal judge said Monday he intends to temporarily block the Biden administration from lifting the coronavirus border restrictionknown as Title 42. It would be a victory for Republican-led states and some led by Democrats that sued to keep the immigration policy, which was initiated in the Trump administration. U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays […]

New Texts Reveal Jan. 6 Discussions Between Mark Meadows And Trump Backers

CNN has obtained thousands of text messages exchanged between Mark Meadows and Donald Trump’s high-profile supporters, revealing never-before-seen conversations about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and other efforts to stop Joe Biden from taking office. Meadows, who served as White House chief of staff under Trump, provided the log of texts […]

Elon Musk Reaches Agreement To Buy Twitter And Take It Private

Elon Musk reached an agreement to buy Twitter for roughly $44 billion on Monday, promising a more lenient touch to policing content on the social media platform where he — the world’s richest person — promotes his interests, attacks critics and opines on a wide range of issues to more than 83 million followers. The […]

Charlie Pierce: Who Was Mike Pence’s Secret Service Detail Working for on January 6?

I first got interested in politics through paranoia. (As the years have gone by, I’ve found that this was the best kind of introduction I could have had.) I devoured political thrillers about dark doings in Washington, D.C. Seven Days in May was my gateway drug. There was Night at Camp David, about a president who went crazy, and Vanished, about […]

StephCast M 4-25-22

Covid was third-leading cause of death in U.S. once again in 2021

For the second year in a row, Covid was the third-leading cause of death in the U.S., according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Friday. Covid was the underlying cause of more than 415,000 deaths in 2021, or 13 percent of the national total, the report found. That’s an increase from […]

Meadows was warned Jan. 6 could turn violent, former White House official says

A former White House official warned Mark Meadows, who served as former President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, that the events of Jan. 6, 2021, could turn violent, according to a court filing from the House panel investigating the Capitol riot. Cassidy Hutchinson, a special assistant in the Trump White House, said Meadows received information before […]

To Europe’s Relief, France’s Macron Wins But Far-Right Gains

French President Emmanuel Macron comfortably won a second term Sunday, triggering relief among allies that the nuclear-armed power won’t abruptly shift course in the midst of the war in Ukraine from European Union and NATO efforts to punish and contain Russia’s military expansionism. The second five-year term for the 44-year-old centrist spared France and Europe […]

Blinken Says Russia Is Failing In War Aims, Ukraine ‘Succeeding,’ After Kyiv Visit

American Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday after a secrecy-shrouded visit to Kyiv that Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy is committed to winning his country’s fight against Russia and that the United States will help him achieve that goal. “He has the mindset that they want to win, and we […]

SM Happy Hour Videocast with Malcolm Nance & Dr. Irwin Redlener

StephCast F 4-22-22

Biden to issue Earth Day order to safeguard old-growth forests

President Biden will sign an executive order on Friday in Seattle laying the groundwork for protecting some of the biggest and oldest trees in America’s forests, according to five individuals briefed on the plan who spoke on the condition of anonymity because it was not yet finalized. Biden will direct the Forest Service and Bureau […]

Philadelphia ending mask mandate days after it was restored

Philadelphia is ending its indoor mask mandate, city health officials said Thursday night, abruptly reversing course just days after city residents had to start wearing masks again amid a sharp increase in infections. The Board of Health voted Thursday to rescind the mandate, according to the Philadelphia health department, which released a statement that cited […]

Biden commits additional aid to Ukraine as Russia declares ‘success’ in Mariupol

President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. would give another $1.3 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine but that additional funding will soon be needed from Congress to maintain the flow of weapons. Biden said the latest aid would include $800 million in heavy artillery weapons, including 72 howitzers and 144,000 rounds […]

McCarthy said he would urge Trump to resign after Jan. 6, new audio reveals

Just days after the Jan. 6 riot, House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy told a fellow Republican lawmaker that he would recommend to then-President Donald Trump that he resign, according to audio of a call shared with MSNBC and aired Thursday night. In the Jan. 10, 2021, call, McCarthy can be heard telling Rep. Liz Cheney, […]

StephCast Th 4-21-22

Baseball pregame show prompts brief evacuation of U.S. Capitol

A pregame performance at a Washington Nationals baseball game featuring the Army’s Golden Knights prompted a brief evacuation of the U.S. Capitol. Capitol Police evacuated the building Wednesday but then said there was no threat in a series of messages to staff members and journalists who work there. “The Capitol was evacuated out of an […]

Trump releases audio that appears to refute claim he walked out of interview over 2020 questions

An audio recording obtained by NBC News appears to show that former President Donald Trump’s highly publicized interview with Piers Morgan did not end with Trump storming off the set, as edited promotional video clips suggest. Instead, according to the recording, which was provided by Trump’s spokesman, the two men thanked each other and laughed […]

Putin Tells Forces Not To Storm Ukraine Stronghold In Mariupol

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces not to storm the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in the besieged city of Mariupol on Thursday but instead to block it “so that not even a fly comes through.” His defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, said the rest of the city beyond the sprawling Azovstal steel plant where Ukrainian […]

Justice Department appeals ruling lifting transit mask mandate after CDC request

The Department of Justice has moved to appeal a ruling that struck down the federal mask mandate on planes, trains and transit systems after a request by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said in a statement Wednesday that “at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains […]

StephCast W 4-20-22