SpaceX’s unmanned, 33 jet-engine Starship rocket cleared its South Texas launchpad Thursday morning then exploded and began tumbling to Earth as it was being prepared for stage separation, approximately four minutes into its flight (WaPo). It did not damage the launchpad as it crashed, which was SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s greatest fear.
THURSDAY 4/20/23
McCarthy’s Debt-Ceiling Bill – Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) unveiled a bill Wednesday that would raise the debt ceiling in trade for a $130-billion cut in federal spending, block student debt cancellation and add new work requirements for welfare.
DOA Senate: The bill will go nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate. The House is expected to consider the bill next week, The Washington Post reports.
DOA House?: McCarthy says he has the 218 votes necessary to pass the bill, NPR reports, but there is doubt about that. The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus Wednesday unveiled its own plan to avoid a potentially catastrophic default early this summer, Axios reports.
DOA White House: President Biden remains resolute in refusing to negotiate cuts to his budgetary agenda before raising the debt ceiling.
•••
SCOTUS Kicks Can – The Supreme Court issued a brief order continuing to place on-hold U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s ruling from Texas last week blocking the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medicated abortions (per SCOTUSblog). SCOTUS has to midnight Friday to uphold or overturn Kacsmaryk’s ruling.
•••
No Remorse from Fox News – Fox News attorneys appear ready to double-down on electronic voting system company Smartmatic’s $2.7-billion defamation suit over 2020 election lies repeated on the cable station, even after its $787.5-million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.
Fox’s Statement: “We will be ready to defend this case surrounding extremely newsworthy events when it goes to trial, likely in 2025. As a report prepared by our financial expert shows, Smartmatic’s damages claims are implausible, disconnected from reality, and on its face intended to chill First Amendment freedoms.”
The statement was repeated on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
Implied?: Is Fox News expecting a second Trump term by the time the Smartmatic suit goes to trial?
--TL
_______________________________________________
WEDNESDAY 4/19/23
UPDATE: Fox News was not required further acknowledge its complicity in Donald J. Trump's "Big Lie" on its broadcasts, though its media reporter, Howard Kurtz (above), did mention the settlement with Dominion Tuesday evening. Kurtz said he could not confirm Fox's $787.5-million payout, media reporter David Folkenflik said on NPR's Morning Edition.
Fox News Settles with Dominion – Fox News will pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million in a settlement reached just before their trial over false election claims, AP reports. Judge Eric Davis announced the settlement in Delaware Superior Court Tuesday afternoon, just before the trial was to begin.
The settlement is nearly half the $1.6 billion in damages Dominion had sought over Fox News’ coverage of Donald J. Trump’s “Big Lie” stemming from his loss in the 2020 presidential election.
Dominion had also sought Fox News’ acknowledgement of lies following the election, which included “interviews” with such Trump acolytes as Rudi Giuliani and Sidney Powell, who had said Dominion voting machines were manipulated to count Trump’s votes for Joe Biden. It is not immediately clear what sort of acknowledgements and apologies Fox News might broadcast as part of the settlement.
The settlement will be a boon for Dominion, which is a $30-50 million company, according to CNN.
Fox News released a statement acknowledging “the court’s ruling finding certain claims about Dominion to be false.”
Dominion attorney Justin Nelson told reporters Tuesday, “The truth matters. Lies have consequences.”
_______________________________________________
TUESDAY 4/17/23
Egypt’s Double-Agency Thwarted – Senior U.S. officials persuaded Egypt to pause a plan to supply up to 40,000 122mm Sakr-45 rockets to Russia and instead provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine, according to an exclusive update on the Discord Leaks by The Washington Post. Egypt is the recipient of more than $1 billion per year in U.S. military aid. Before the U.S. diplomatic pressure, President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi reportedly instructed subordinates to keep the deal with Russia secret “to avoid problems with the West.”
•••
UPDATE: House GOP leaders were expected to release a proposal Tuesday to raise the government's borrowing limit, with a list of cuts to the Biden budget, of course, amidst considerable doubt surrounding the question of whether Speaker McCarthy can wrangle the 218 votes necessary for it to pass, Semafor reports.
McCarthy Reassures Wall Street – House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) extended his party’s attack on Bidenomics while trying to calm Wall Street’s nerves Monday with his appearance in a “jam-packed” board room at the New York Stock Exchange, Fortune reports.
“Defaulting on our debt is not an option,” McCarthy said. But “a no strings-attached debt limit increase will not pass.”
Speaker, meet the abyss.
McCarthy accused President Biden of refusing to negotiate on the debt limit in good faith by rejecting any deal. The two last met February 1.
•••
First Official Visit to WSJ Reporter – Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy was granted the first visit by a U.S. official to American journalist Evan Gershkovich at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison since the Wall Street Journal reporter was arrested for espionage nearly three weeks ago.
Gershkovich is “in good health and remains strong,” Tracy said. “We reiterate our call for his immediate release.”
The U.S. and The Wall Street Journal vehemently deny Russia’s allegations. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. wants consular access to Gershkovich to continue on a routine basis.
•••
Dissident Russian Journalist Sentenced to 25 Years – Putin critic and Washington Post Opinions contributor Vladimir Kara-Murza has been sentenced to 25 years of prison on charges of treason for criticizing Russia’s war on Ukraine, WaPo reports.
Kara-Murza said this in his final statement on the case last week: “I’m in jail for my political views. For speaking out against the war in Ukraine. For many years of struggle against Putin’s dictatorship. Not only do I not repent any of this, I am proud of it.”
--TL
_______________________________________________
MONDAY 4/17/23
Senate Democrats Push for Discharge Petition – Some Senate Democrats are pushing their counterparts in the House of Representatives to bring a discharge petition to the floor in order to force a vote on raising the debt ceiling, The Hill reports. The procedure would allow a vote on the debt ceiling without cooperation from House Republican leadership, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), in case he “digs in his heels” to demand steep budget cuts before the federal government defaults, expected by early this summer.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has so far rejected using the procedure.
Context: Republicans see Biden administration spending the reversal of 40 years of Reaganomics, which in turn reversed nearly 50 years of FDR’s New Deal economics.
Bottom line: With its 213-222 House minority, Democrats would need to convert five Republicans to vote for raising the debt ceiling.
•••
Fox News Defamation Trial Delayed – Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis has delayed the trial in Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6-billion defamation suit against Fox News by at least 24 hours, The Wall Street Journal reports. The civil trial was to begin Monday and was expected to take about six weeks.
“Fox has made a late push to settle the dispute with Dominion Voting Systems out of court, people familiar with the situation said Sunday,” according to the newspaper, which like the conservative cable network, is owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Last week, Judge Davis sanctioned Fox News for making misrepresentations to the court and delays in turning over evidence. Dominion attorneys told the court Fox had concealed Murdoch’s role as an officer of the company.
•••
Leak Effect – A trove of sensitive U.S. intelligence documents leaked on the Internet has embarrassed the State Department and the Biden White House. But the leaks, found hiding in plain sight for weeks on the Discord chat platform in the end might help Ukraine’s cause in its defense against Russia’s invasion.
According to The New York Times, “some welcomed the leak, hoping that it would emphasize what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been saying for months – that Ukraine urgently needs more ammunition and weapons to expel the Russian forces.”
The FBI arrested last Thursday National Guard airman Jack Teixeira, 2, on charges of violating the Espionage Act.
This Week on the Hill – Both chambers are in session Monday through Thursday, after a two-week Passover/Easter/Ramadan break. The full Senate, only, is in session Friday.
--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa