Today's Top Stories:
Donald Trump, who ignored Paul Whelan for two years, says deal to return Brittney Griner to US was "stupid"
The disgraced ex-president, who reportedly had "no interest" in ex-Marine Paul Whelan — who's been detained in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges — while he was in office, suddenly changed his tune and decried Biden's heroic rescue of an innocent woman as a "stupid and unpatriotic embarrassment." Hmmm, project much?
VIDEO OF THE DAY: Republican literally cries begging colleagues to vote against same-sex marriage bill
Imagine what a hateful, cold-hearted shell of a person you'd have to be to weep tears of rage at the idea of people sharing their love together.
Trump screws over GOP responding to Hunter Biden laptop saga
No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen: Not a smart move.
House passes bill to protect same-sex marriage, sending it to President Biden's desk
In a huge win for LGBTQ+ rights in a time of rising right-wing homophobia, the Respect for Marriage Act sailed through the House and is now headed for Biden's desk. The legislation — led by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay person elected to the Senate — would ensure that the federal government recognizes marriages that were validly performed and guarantee full benefits “regardless of the couple’s sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.” It would not, however, require states to issue marriage licenses contrary to state law.
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema quits Democratic Party, registers as independent in Senate shake-up
The first-term senator and serial opportunist conveniently changed her party affiliation to independent, days after Democrats secured a clear Senate majority with Raphael Warnock's hard-fought victory in Georgia. Sinema's latest attention-seeking move is a slap in the face to the Democratic Party that helped propel her to unlikely victory in 2018, but it's unlikely to functionally change much in the upper chamber. If anything, the hedge-fund-club favorite has just made her path to reelection in 2024 a much steeper climb.
"Freedom-loving" conservatives are mad that Brittney Griner is no longer in Russian jail
In predictable unison, the right-wing media machine kicked into hysterical frenzy in horrendously bad-faith efforts to smear President Biden's deal freeing the wrongfully imprisoned WNBA star. Republican opportunists are suddenly furious that Paul Whelan, detained on espionage charges by Russia in 2018 and more or less ignored by the Trump administration for more than two years, wasn't freed instead of Griner, whom they've pitifully attacked as some sort of drug-addled derelict. It's clear that they care nothing for the ideals of freedom and patriotism that they claim to stand for and are simply furious that for once, something good happened to a Black woman instead of a white man.
Mar-a-Lago docs seizure suit ends with a whimper after Trump declines to appeal ruling
Donald Trump's legal efforts to challenge the FBI's seizure of classified documents from his home and storage unit ended with an ignominious defeat as the disgraced ex-president decided to finally stop appealing court rulings. Now it's time for Merrick Garland to finally charge him for his many, many, many, many, many, many crimes.
Now that Republicans have taken the House, we need the Progressive Caucus more than ever
OD Action Partner: Pramila Jayapal is gearing up to lead our progressive champions in Congress against the radicalism and depravity of Marjorie Taylor Greene and her MAGA cronies — but she needs your help to do it. Can you chip in to help Rep. Jayapal focus on the fight for the values we hold dear against the onslaught of GOP extremists?
MAGA radicals in Congress press ridiculous list of demands on Kevin McCarthy
The headaches are only beginning for the bootlicking McCarthy, who has been handed a list of wild demands, Calvin-to-the-babysitter style, from the rabid far-right wingbats in the Republican caucus. Among them are rule changes making it easier to kick McCarthy out of the Speaker's chair should he displease them and a promise for leadership to refrain from spending against QAnon-addled extremists and January 6th convicts that run for office in future Republican primaries. Both of those demands are obviously nonstarters with McCarthy, meaning his bid for the speakership is still in great jeopardy. Might you join us in a LOL and possibly also a LMAO?
Border Patrol agent convicted in slayings of four sex workers
Juan David Ortiz, who confessed to killing four sex workers in 2018 was convicted Wednesday of capital murder, after jurors heard recordings of him telling investigators he was trying to "clean up the streets" of his South Texas hometown. In a grim irony, he admitted to having paid for services from the sex workers but still killed them for being "dirty" and "trash" — a shocking glimpse into how misogyny and sex-shaming can inspire truly horrific acts of violence against women.
For Black families in Phoenix, child welfare investigations are a constant threat
In yet another grim demonstration of how poverty is wielded as a weapon by institutionalized white supremacy, a ProPublica investigation found that state child welfare services had investigated one-third of all Black children's families in Phoenix. It has created a "community-wide dread" that the next knock on the door might be yet another warrantless house search and their children interrogated in search of abuse. Arizona only spends 13% of its welfare budget actually helping poor families and 63% of it conducting CPS raids.
Keystone pipeline shut down after oil leaks into Kansas creek
Environmental activists have sadly been vindicated as the controversial Keystone pipeline is once again spilling toxic chemicals into local water systems. Previous Keystone spills have sent more than 383,000 gallons of crude oil into rural wetlands in North Dakota and more than 200,000 gallons into a pasture in South Dakota.
It's strike season, grinches
News from abroad
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Today’s Action: Join a 2022 midterm election debrief!
As we continue reviewing the outcome of this past midterm election, it’s critical that we have all progressives on the same page. While Democrats will in fact retain control of the Senate, and we successfully rejected Trump’s handpicked lackey Herschel Walker in Georgia, the fight is not over.
The Democratic National Committee is hosting a virtual community debrief of the 2022 midterm election, and there’s no reason not to plug in. You’ll be able to get down to the brass tacks of what worked and what didn’t work for progressives and learn how to organize for upcoming legislative sessions and the 2024 election.
PS — Please don't forget to sign the petition to demand Congress pass the Equality Act during the lame-duck session, and be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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