US
Members of Congress have access to information that ordinary Americans don’t. They meet with chief executives, read classified intelligence reports and help set the rules by which the economy works. That level of knowledge can give them an advantage if they or their families want to invest in the stock market — and many of them do: Nearly one in five members of Congress, from both parties, have in recent years bought stocks that intersected with their congressional committee work, a NY Times investigation found. And that’s probably an underestimate because lawmakers’ work extends beyond their committee duties. The trades exacerbate many voters’ sense that politicians put their own interests above the public’s or the country’s. That, in turn, helps fuel Americans’ distrust of their government. Congress in particular consistently scores poorly in surveys about confidence in institutions.
Ron DeSantis’s decision to fly dozens of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard marked the latest — and one of the most dramatic — efforts by the Florida governor to court conservatives at home and nationally as he positions himself for a 2024 presidential run. The arrival of two plane loads of migrants — most of whom appear to be from Venezuela — in the elite Massachusetts resort town signaled a drastic escalation of a tactic used by several Republican state officials in recent months to protest the rise in illegal immigration under the Biden administration. For DeSantis, a rising Republican star, the stunt appeared tailor-made to woo the GOP’s conservative base as he seeks a second term in the governor’s mansion and weighs a potential White House run. But the move could also carry political risks, especially in a state that has long been a destination for migrants fleeing oppressive governments in Latin America. Read the full story here.
Senate Democrats are seething over what they say was a “political stunt” by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who have sent planeloads and busloads of Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. Democratic lawmakers have grown increasingly frustrated with DeSantis and other GOP governors for transporting migrants to the liberal metropolises of Washington, New York and Chicago in an effort to pressure the Biden administration to pay more attention to illegal immigration. Read the full story here.
The White House used the phrase “disrespectful to humanity” on Thursday to describe the use of buses from Texas, which deposited immigrants near the U.S. Naval Observatory, otherwise known as Vice President Harris’s residence, and the chartering of two planes from Florida to fly Venezuelan asylum seekers from Florida to the tiny Massachusetts island (The Hill). The pro-immigrant group America’s Voice called the flights “racist stunts.”
Internal documents have revealed increased tension between the White House and senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over how to handle immigration. The White House has recently hosted a series of high-level meetings on immigration, where DHS officials have presented options, including flying migrants to the country’s northern border with Canada to alleviate overcrowding on the U.S.-Mexico border. Some DHS officials have openly expressed frustration at those meetings with the White House’s reluctance to begin transporting migrants to cities within the U.S., according to the documents. The discussions come as the number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is nearing 8,000 per day, with Republican governors in Texas, Arizona and Florida sending migrants north as a political statement. Julia Ainsley reports for NBC News.
Max Greenwood, The Hill: DeSantis migrant flights underscore his national ambitions.
The Hill and NewsNation: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) urged the Justice Department to probe “alleged fraudulent scheme” to send migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
The Wall Street Journal: Transfers of migrants have Democratic leaders scrambling for solutions.
Bloomberg News: White House calls GOP governors’ migrant treatment “cruel” and “shameful” political stunt.
Bloomberg News: New York mayor commits to providing shelter for 11,000 migrants seeking asylum.
Freight rail companies and union representatives late Wednesday reached a tentative agreement that avoided what experts warned would have been an economically devastating strike. Administration officials became involved in the talks weeks ago, The Hill’s Alex Gangitano and Amie Parnes report, urging both sides that “the stakes were too high” for a strike. “It’s a big political risk,” an industry source with knowledge of the discussions told The Hill. “If it all blew up, the administration was going to be left holding the bag.”
The Hill: Amtrak on Thursday worked to reschedule canceled customers after news of averted rail strike.
NPR: A deal to avert a rail strike is on track, but it won’t fix U.S. supply chain issues.
Bloomberg News: Biden loves labor unions but blue-collar union workers don’t love him back.
The Wall Street Journal: Rail shippers applaud labor deal, seek rapid ratification.
The Associated Press: Biden, Democrats both see political, economic wins in rail deal.
The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose above 6 percent for the first time since the 2008 financial crisis, according to federal data released Thursday (The Hill). High inflation numbers are pushing rates up, said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist (CNN).
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Thursday praised the possibilities inherent in the $80 billion funding boost afforded to the Internal Revenue Service as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, The Hill’s Tobias Burns reports. The agency is working to deliver a report to Congress on how to implement a free, direct e-filing tax return system. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS has nine months to finish the report.
Democrats remain even with Republicans in the battle for Congress, and support for Biden is growing, a New York Times/Siena College poll found.
After winning the New Hampshire Republican Senate primary on Tuesday, Don Bolduc said the 2020 presidential election “was not stolen” — despite having repeatedly claimed that it was.
Trump, Election Lies, Insurrection
The Justice Department is seeking information about at least seven people in connection with a breach of a Colorado county’s voting system as part of efforts to subvert the 2020 election results, according to subpoena documents. The subpoena issued to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell earlier this week lists the names of people considered “subjects” in the investigation – including people involved in efforts to seize voting machine data in several states as Trump and his allies tried to overturn his electoral loss. It’s unclear if federal investigators have opened probes into what happened in other states, but the subpoena shows they are gathering evidence related to three potential crimes in Mesa County, Colorado: identity theft, intentional damage to a protected computer and/or conspiracy to commit either. The subpoena covers “all records and information” on Lindell’s phone that constitutes evidence against seven named individuals or any other unnamed co-conspirators. Lindell has not been charged with any crimes or wrongdoing. Zachary Cohen, Jeremy Herb and Evan Perez report for CNN.
A man who wore a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt inside the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to 75 days in prison yesterday for his role in the Jan. 6 attack. Robert Keith Packer was arrested the week after the attack and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful picketing and parading. The sentence matched what the government had requested. Ryan J. Reilly reports for NBC News.
Federal judge Aileen M. Cannon, yesterday rejected the Justice Department’s request to resume a key part of its investigation into Trump’s handling of sensitive government records. The department had asked Judge Cannon to lift restrictions on its use of documents with classification markings and set a Thursday deadline for her to respond before it said it would ask an appeals court to intervene. The department is now planning to appeal the decision, and top officials were meeting to discuss the timing of their filing, according to a senior law enforcement official. In her 10-page decision, Judge Cannon also appointed a special master suggested by the Trump legal team and agreed upon by the government: Raymond J. Dearie. Judge Dearie will now have the authority to sift through more than 11,000 records the FBI seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Charlie Savage, Alan Feuer and Glenn Thrush report for the New York Times.
The FBI said yesterday that an arrest has been made in connection with a bomb threat against Boston Children’s Hospital last month. Catherine Leavy of Westfield, Massachusetts, was arrested without incident and charged with one count of making a false bomb threat by telephone, according to charging documents filed in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts. She faces up to five years in prison. The threat was part of a “sustained harassment campaign based on dissemination of information online” about trans health care at the hospital, Rachael Rollins, the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, said at a news conference. Brandy Zadrozny, Ben Collins and Tom Winter report for NBC News.
UKR/RU/China
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday praised China’s “balanced position” on the Ukraine war, though he conceded Beijing had “questions and concerns” over the invasion. The comments, which were made when meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, appeared to be a veiled admission of the countries’ diverging views on the protracted military assault. “We highly appreciate the balanced position of our Chinese friends in connection with the Ukrainian crisis. We understand your questions and concerns in this regard,” Putin said in an opening speech of the meeting. “During today’s meeting, of course, we will explain in detail our position on this issue, although we have spoken about this before.” Nectar Gan reports for CNN.
Despite Putin publicly acknowledging Beijing’s concerns over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ties between the two countries remain strong, American officials have said. “What’s striking is Putin’s admission that President Xi has concerns about Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson, said a few hours after the two leaders met in Uzbekistan. However, those concerns shouldn’t be a surprise, he said, adding that the meeting was an example of China’s alignment and ties with Russia. Julian E. Barnes and Edward Wong report for the New York Times.
China’s military leaders share a potential weakness that has undermined their Russian counterparts in Ukraine and could hamper their ability to wage a similar war, according to a new report from the U.S. National Defense University. The report identifies a lack of cross-training as a possible Achilles’ Heel within the People’s Liberation Army (P.L.A.). The 73-page report says that this “rigidity… could reduce China’s effectiveness in future conflicts,”, particularly in conflicts requiring high levels of joint-service action, and suggests P.L.A. forces would become bogged down by the same sort of problems that have bedeviled their Russian counterparts in Ukraine, “where the overall cohesion of forces was low.” However, analysts have warned against underestimating China’s capabilities and drawing comparisons with Russia. Brad Lendon reports for CNN.
China is “willing to work with Russia to demonstrate the responsibility of a major country, play a leading role, and inject stability into a turbulent world,” according to a statement issued following Xi and Putin’s meeting. Scholars who study the between-the-lines messaging of the Chinese government’s public remarks have argued that this sounds like an implicit rebuke. Sergey Radchenko, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said the statement appeared to telegraph “a reproach to the Russians, that they’re not acting like a great power, that they are creating instability.” Shi Yinhong, a longtime professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing, said it was “the most prudent or most low-key statement in years on Xi’s part on the strategic relationship between the two countries.” Anton Troianovski and Keith Bradsher provide analysis for the New York Times.
Signs of frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine are mounting, posing the most serious challenge yet in retaining his firm grip on the Kremlin. The stunning counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces has forced Russian troops to flee occupied areas, leading to questions about Russia’s strategy on state television airwaves normally under Putin’s thumb. Read the full story here.
Ukrainian authorities have found 440 graves at a mass burial site in Izium, a city recently recaptured from Russian forces, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said in a Twitter post today. Earlier Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian and international journalists would be shown the site to see what had been uncovered. “We want the world to know what is really happening and what the Russian occupation has led to,” Zelenskyy said. Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications said on Thursday that some of the graves discovered at Izium were “fresh,” and that the corpses buried there were “mostly civilians.” Jonny Hallam and Brad Lendon report for CNN.
The U.N. human rights office plans to send monitors to Izium, a spokesperson has said. “They (the monitors) are aiming to go there to try to establish a bit more about what may have happened,” Liz Throssell told a Geneva press briefing. She said she could not confirm if the bodies were contained in one mass grave or in a series of individual graves. Reuters reports.
Ukrainian prosecutors working in the northeast of the country to document evidence of war crimes have compared the unfolding situation to some of the worst atrocities already documented in places like Bucha. “We have a terrible picture of what the occupiers did, in particular, in the Kharkiv region,” Andriy Kostin, Ukraine’s prosecutor general, said in a statement this week. “In fact, now such cities as Balaklia, Izium are standing in the same row as Bucha, Borodianka, Irpin.” Marc Santora reports for the New York Times.
Ursula von der Leyen, the E.U.’s top official, yesterday reassured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that his country is still progressing toward membership in the bloc. During a wide-ranging meeting in Kyiv, von der Leyen told Zelenskyy that whilst the entry process will most likely be long and difficult, the possibility exists that Ukraine could join the E.U. ‘s internal market before acquiring full member status. “I note determination, huge progress on this path,” she said. “We will support you with all our capabilities.” Carly Olson reports for the New York Times.
Pope Francis has said it was morally legitimate for nations to supply weapons to Ukraine to help the country defend itself from Russian aggression. Speaking to reporters aboard a plane returning from a three-day trip to Kazakhstan, Francis expounded on the Roman Catholic Church’s “Just War” principles, which allow for the proportional use of deadly weapons for self defense against an aggressor nation. “Self defense is not only licit but also an expression of love for the homeland. Someone who does not defend oneself, who does not defend something, does not love it. Those who defend (something) love it,” he said. Philip Pullella reports for Reuters.
The White House has announced a $600 million security package for Ukraine, providing the Ukrainian military with another round of assistance during its counter-offensive against Russian forces. The equipment will be drawn from existing US stocks and inventories, and it will include additional arms, ammunition, and equipment, according to a statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Together with our Allies and partners, we are delivering the arms and equipment that Ukraine’s forces are utilizing so effectively as they continue their successful counter-offensive against Russia’s invasion,” Blinken said. Oren Liebermann reports for CNN.
President Biden plans to meet at the White House on Friday with family members of WNBA star Brittney Griner and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both of whom remain jailed in Russia, the White House has announced. “He wanted to let them know that they remain front of mind and that his team is working on this every day, on making sure that Brittney and Paul return home safely,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at yesterday’s press briefing. The separate meetings are to be the first in-person encounter between Biden and the families and are taking place amid sustained but so far unsuccessful efforts by the administration to secure the Americans’ release. Eric Tucker reports for AP.
Global
Biden on Thursday also signed an executive order that increases the federal government’s ability to block Chinese investment in U.S. technology and limit China’s access to private data on citizens, The New York Times reports. The order is likely to heighten tensions with Beijing and reflects a growing unease about China’s ability to access personal information from mobile apps and other services. The congressional Committee on Foreign Investments, whose actions are targeted by the order, is said to already be scrutinizing the video-sharing platform TikTok.
Anti-monarchy protestors have faced police crackdown in the U.K., raising serious questions about the way in which forces handle dissent in the country. Protesters holding signs saying “not my King” have been arrested in some cases, as have individuals who have publicly criticized the monarchy. Liberty, a civil rights advocacy group, expressed its concern, saying in a statement: “It is very worrying to see the police enforcing their broad powers in such a heavy-handed and punitive way to clamp down on free speech and expression.” Christian Edwards reports for CNN.
NATO’s leader is visiting the U.S. next week for the annual United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, which runs from Monday 19 September through Friday 23 September.
Poland just signed a deal with South Korea to buy 48 FA-50 Falcon fighter planes for $3 billion, the Associated Press reported Friday from Poland. Warsaw’s military on Friday praised the deal on Twitter as “one of the biggest and most important purchase[s] of the recent years.” It follows tank and howitzer contracts Poland signed with South Korea over the summer at a cost of nearly $6 billion. At this point in the planning, “the first 12 planes are to be delivered early in the second half of next year,” AP reports. Another three dozen planes are expected between 2025 and 2028.
China’s leader wants to launch a police training force to prevent “color revolutions” in Central Asia, Xi Jinping said during a speech to leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Friday. He wants the units to train as many as 2,000 officers over a five-year period, with a counterterrorism training base established at an unspecified location. He seems to have shared little else about the project; but you can read more at AP and Reuters, both reporting on location in Uzbekistan.
China says it will soon sanction the CEOs of Boeing Defense and Raytheon for their alleged involvement in recent U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, announced by the U.S. State Department two weeks ago, on Sept. 2. Those sales involved 100 Sidewinder and 60 Harpoon missiles, as well as a bundle of work related to radar surveillance and maintenance. It’s unclear just yet how the sanctions will be enforced, or exactly what form they’ll take, Reuters reported Friday from Beijing. If this sounds familiar, it’s possibly because Beijing announced similar moves both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon three days before Putin’s Ukraine invasion, in late February; however, Reuters notes “Friday’s announcement marks the first time Beijing identified and imposed sanctions against individuals from these companies.”
The late Queen Elizabeth II will be buried on Monday, but her passing sharpens all kinds of questions, writes The Hill’s Nigel Stanage: about Britain’s role in the world, the legacy of its colonial history and the hereditary monarchy. In addition, the United Kingdom itself is under pressure from separatist movements in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The monarchy does, of course, have huge institutional strengths — but King Charles III may struggle to unify the nation in the way his mother did. Meanwhile, Biden will meet with British Prime Minister Liz Truss while in London for the queen’s funeral (Bloomberg).
An assassination attempt against Argentina’s vice president failed. Many Argentines now believe it was a hoax.
Health/Science/Climate
COVID-19 has infected over 95.60 million people and has now killed over 1.05 million people in the United States, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Globally, there have been over 611.079 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 6.52 million deaths. Sergio Hernandez, Sean O’Key, Amanda Watts, Byron Manley and Henrik Pettersson report for CNN.
sublimemonkey 