FRIDAY 12/1/23
(Nobel Peace Prize winner ... War criminal? Ultimate diplomat? Henry Kissinger, who consulted 12 Republican and Democratic presidents and was both national security advisor and secretary of state for Presidents Nixon and Ford, has died at 100. He was the model for the title character in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and is famous for saying, “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.”)
UPDATE: Santos Expelled -- On the third attempt in six months, Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was expelled from Congress by a vote of 311-114-2 (per The Hill). A two-thirds majority was required. Almost all House Democrats and 105 Republicans voted for Santos' removal.
•••
Cease-Fire Expires, War Restarts – After seven days, the truce between Israel and Hamas has expired, NPR’s Morning Editionreports, with both sides blaming each other for resuming attacks. The Qatari government, central to the ceasefire that commenced a week ago, is trying to negotiate another truce with little hope for success.
Israel was warned: The New York Times has reviewed a translated plan called “Jericho Wall” that outlines Hamas’ October 7 attack it reports Israeli officials saw a year ago. Israel concluded the plan, which detailed the attack point-by-point couldn’t be carried out. The document was circulated widely among Israeli military officials, but experts determined the attack as outlined “was beyond Hamas’ capabilities …” It was unclear, the NYT report says, whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other top leaders saw the report.
•••
Santos Sunk? – The House on Friday will vote on whether to remove Rep. George Santos (R-NY) from Congress, Roll Call reports. This will be the House’s third attempt for his expulsion.
“I will be filing a slew of complaints in the coming hours of today and tomorrow to make sure that we are keeping the playing field even,” Santos said, in a Thursday press conference in front of the Capitol.
Santos faces a slew of charges in a 23-count criminal indictment, including:
•A fraudulent political contribution solicitation scheme.
•Unemployment insurance fraud.
•Filing false disclosure statements with the House.
•Filing fraudulent fundraising reports.
•Charging donors credit cards without permission.
In addition, a House ethics panel report says Santos used campaign funds on personal expenses.
--TL
____________________________________________
THURSDAY 11/30/23
Another Day of Cease Fire – Secretary of State Antony Blinken has returned to Tel Aviv to urge extension of the pause in fighting as Israel and Hamas extend their cease-fire for a seventh day, NPR’s Morning Edition reports. Since Friday, 210 Palestinians, 73 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals have been released, according to The Washington Post, including an American-Israeli mother who was freed Wednesday. An estimated 159 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip.
So Long Santos, Today? – The “Mary Magdalen of the United States Congress,” Rep. George Santos (R-NY) faces a likely expulsion vote Thursday. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), has “reservations” however, over removing a Congress member who has not yet been convicted of a crime, Roll Call notes.
--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa