Politico Playbook Daily Briefing, 05/01/24
Source: Politico
“A seismic shift in cannabis policy?” (05/01/24)
Trump is likely to violate his gag order again. Jail him if he does.
Source: USA Today
by Chris Brennan
“Donald Trump spent most of his adult life testing the limits of what he can get away with. That way of life cost him $9,000 for contempt of court in the first of his four criminal trials. Trump had been repeatedly warned but, like in previous court cases, could not control himself. His next transgression – and history strongly suggests there will be another – must sting more than a four-figure fine for a billionaire politician who raises millions from his supporters by playing victim to being held accountable. New York Judge Juan Merchan must jail Trump for at least one night if he steps out of bounds again. It might be the only way to get through to him.” (05/01/24)
Here’s how Biden’s jobs data compares with Trump’s first term
Source: Fox News
by Justin Haskins
“A survey conducted by Gallup at the end of March found that 55% of Americans say they care about inflation ‘a great deal’, the highest level of concern recorded among all the issues listed. The economy, health care costs and federal spending also ranked among the top issues. In fact, the only non-economic topic among the top six issues by respondents in Gallup’s poll was ‘crime and violence’, which was identified by 53% of Americans as a highly important problem. With these and other, similar polls in mind, it’s not hard to see why political analysts are convinced that the state of the economy and the price of goods and services will play a major role in determining the outcome of the 2024 race. As Democratic strategist James Carville once famously quipped, ‘It’s the economy, stupid!'” (05/01/24)
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/heres-how-bidens-jobs-data-compares-trumps-first-term
NY: Democrat Crushes GOP Rival in Congressional Special Election
Source: The Daily Beast
“Democratic state Sen. Timothy Kennedy on Tuesday won the special election for the New York congressional seat vacated by a retiring Democrat, further narrowing the GOP’s slender majority in the House. Kennedy comfortably defeated his Republican opponent Gary Dickson in the race for the Buffalo-area district seat by a margin of more than 36 percentage points, according to the Associated Press. When Kennedy is officially sworn in to succeed the retiring Brian Higgins, the GOP House majority will be cut to 217-213, affording Speaker Mike Johnson just a single vote to spare on partisan issues.” (05/01/24)
The Political Orphanage, 05/01/24
Source: The Political Orphanage
“College Campuses Are So Very Very Passionate (WSPN).” (05/01/24)
https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/college-campuses-are-so-very-very-passionate-wspn
The Ideological Coup: How Disciples of Kahane Became the New Face of Israel
Source: Antiwar.com
by Ramzy Baroud
“Throughout history, fringe religious Zionist parties have had limited success in achieving the kind of electoral victories that would allow them an actual share in the country’s political decision-making. … In recent years, however, the traditional role played by Israel’s religious Zionists began to shift, leading to the election of Itamar Ben-Gvir to the Israeli Knesset in 2021 and, ultimately, to his role as the country’s National Security Minister in December 2022.” (05/01/24)
Iran: Regime charges activists, journalists for noticing police rape and murder of teen girl
Source: ABC News
“Iranian prosecutors filed criminal charges on Wednesday targeting activists and journalists following a BBC report that alleged security forces had ‘sexually assaulted and killed’ a 16-year-old girl during protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Nika Shakarami’s death also sparked widespread outrage at the time. … authorities said she died after falling from a tall building, something immediately disputed by her mother, who said her daughter had been beaten. The BBC report published on Monday — relying on what it described as a report written for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard — said Shakarami was detained by undercover security forces who molested her, then killed her with batons and electronic stun guns after she struggled against the assault. … ‘The Tehran Prosecutor’s Office filed a criminal case against these people,’ Mizan [the judiciary’s news agency] said, with charges including ‘spreading lies’ and ‘propaganda against the system.'” (05/01/24)
Politics Politics Politics, 05/01/24
Source: Politics Politics Politics
“The Pro Life Movement Has Fallen (With Tom LoBianco).” (05/01/24)
Of course Trump isn’t immune from prosecution
Source: The Hill
by Jeremy Paul & Steven L Winter
“Last week’s Supreme Court argument in Trump v. United States on the question of presidential immunity left us wondering whether people, including some of the justices, have forgotten why we have law in the first place. The question before the court was narrow: If Special Counsel Jack Smith can show that President Donald Trump knowingly tried to subvert the results of a free and fair election, is Smith barred from seeking a criminal conviction because of some implicit principle not apparent in the Constitution? Put more simply, does it make sense for any country to immunize a defeated leader from accountability for using his power of office to reject the will of the people? When posed this way, the question answers itself.” (05/01/24)
https://thehill.com/opinion/4634232-of-course-trump-isnt-immune-from-prosecution/
Mexico: Volunteer searchers say they’ve found a clandestine crematorium in Mexico City
Source: SFGate
“Volunteer searchers said they have found a clandestine crematorium on the edge of Mexico City. It’s the first time in recent memory that anyone claimed to have found such a body disposal site in the capital. In northern Mexico, drug cartels often use drums filled with diesel or caustic substances to burn or dissolve bodies, but up to now there has been little evidence of that in Mexico City. Ceci Flores, a leader of one of the groups of so-called ‘searching mothers’ from northern Mexico, announced on social media late Tuesday her team had found bones around a charred pit on the outskirts of the city. Flores said the team had found bones, clandestine burial pits and ID cards at the site in a rural area of the city’s south side.” (05/01/24)