What Happened To ‘America The Brave?’ 4.18.25 Ally Sammarco Apr 19 Happy Friday, readers! Welcome back to Common Sense, your source for news and analysis on the circus that is American politics and entertainment. Rubio says U.S. will “move on” from trying to do anything about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine… This feels like a big win for Russia, we’re not going to lie about it. NPR reports, “U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that President Trump will walk away from peace talks with Russia and Ukraine in a matter of days if no progress is made. Speaking after a day of negotiations in Paris, Rubio said the administration won't let talks ‘drag on for weeks or months’ and will pivot to other priorities if efforts stall.” In blow to Musk and win for Treasury Sec Bessent, Trump yanks IRS pick… This wasn’t in our top 25 of Trump picks we wanted to see gone, but we’ll take it… Joining Matt Gaetz in the yanked Trump nominees category is IRS pick Gary Shapley. CNN reports, “Gary Shapley, whom President Donald Trump named acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service earlier this week with the support of Elon Musk, will no longer serve in the role, sources told CNN — a win for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s office, which had opposed his appointment. Michael Faulkender, the deputy secretary of the Treasury, will be taking on the position, the sources said. Shapley had the backing of Musk and congressional Republicans, while Bessent’s office had reservations, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Bessent was out of the country when Trump appointed Shapley. Shapley’s ouster from the top leadership role, which was first reported by The New York Times, ends a whiplash week at the IRS, which is a bureau of the Treasury Department. Trump signed the paperwork appointing Shapley on Tuesday, triggering panic among some career civil servants.” Common Sense with Ally Sammarco is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Maryland Sen. who met with innocent man who Trump won’t help release from El Salvador prison shares details about meeting… NBC News reports, “Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., revealed new details about his meeting this week with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, including that he had been traumatized by his imprisonment in El Salvador. Van Hollen met with Abrego Garcia — a Maryland man who the Trump administration says was mistakenly deported last month — on Thursday after his previous efforts to meet with him were denied by Salvadoran officials. The Maryland senator held a news conference at Washington Dulles International Airport on Friday upon his return from El Salvador, where he told reporters that he met with Abrego Garcia for more than 30 minutes and informed him of the national attention on his case, which the senator said Abrego Garcia was unaware of. ‘His conversation with me was the first communication he’d had with anybody outside of prison since he was abducted,’ Van Hollen said. ‘He said he felt very sad about being in a prison because he had not committed any crimes.’” Understatement of the century. This poor man. This poor father. What has happened to America the brave? Progressive stalwart Barbara Lee leads in Oakland’s mayoral race… “Former Rep. Barbara Lee on Friday took a healthy lead in the close race to be Oakland’s next mayor, but stopped short of declaring victory. While former council member Loren Taylor jumped out ahead on election night, late-arriving ballots broke decisively for Lee, who called the updated results ‘encouraging.’ Taylor had not conceded the race as of Friday evening, and his campaign couldn’t be immediately reached for comment after the vote update. Tuesday’s special election against former council member Taylor, a moderate, was the culmination of a fraught year in Oakland politics, triggered by the November recall of former mayor Sheng Thao. Thao, who had been elected just two years earlier, was undone by an FBI investigation, but also struggled to address a business exodus, an enormous budget shortfall and crime concerns that led voters to recall their district attorney on the same day.” Lee gained notoriety after September 11, 2001, when she was the only member of Congress to vote against giving then-President Bush the authority for the use of force in Afghanistan. The move inspired backlash as well as support – in the form of “I Stand With Barbara Lee” buttons. Today’s Furry Friend Human David rescued and fostered pups with his wife for 25 years. Living alone and unable to have a dog of his own, he’s made friends–human and canine alike. Two lessons: 1) It’s never too late to step out of your comfort zone, and 2) Humans appreciate people playing with their furry friends, especially the high energy ones. Just be sure to follow house rules! Today’s Buzz Harvey Weinstein granted temporary relocation to prison ward at hospital for medical observation during #MeToo retrial… The Associated Press reports, “Harvey Weinstein has been moved to a New York City hospital after a judge approved the ailing ex-studio boss’s request to stay there rather than in jail when he’s not in court for his #MeToo retrial. Judge Paul Goetz late Thursday ordered that Weinstein be immediately relocated from the city’s notorious Rikers Island jail complex to the prison ward at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan so he can receive necessary medical treatment. Weinstein’s lawyers lobbied for the move as jury selection got underway this week. They argued in court papers that being locked up in a sometimes freezing jail cell was exacerbating the Oscar-winning producer’s health issues, which include chronic myeloid leukemia, diabetes and walking difficulties that require a wheelchair to get in and out of court… Weinstein is being tried again on rape and sexual assault charges after New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, last year overturned his 2020 conviction and 23-year prison sentence and ordered a new trial, finding that improper rulings and prejudicial testimony tainted the original one.” Thanks for reading and for allowing us to help make sense of the chaos. Have a restful weekend and check back in Monday for the next edition of Common Sense.

POLITICO Nightly: The special election that could preview November

 

BY CALDER MCHUGH Congressional candidate for New York's 3rd District Mazi Melesa Pilip campaigns in Queens on Feb. 7. | Adam Gray/Getty Images AS GO THE SUBURBS — One of the most important races of the year is taking place in the New York City suburbs next week, a special election to succeed Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.). Thousands of Long Island residents are already pouring into polling places to cast early votes. Competitive special elections in swing districts are always closely scrutinized for clues on the mood of the electorate. But this one, between former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi and Nassau County GOP legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip, is especially notable because many of the questions looming over the presidential election are about to be tested in this contest. First, there’s the district’s make-up. In an election year in which the suburbs will play a critical role in determining the outcome of the White House and control of the House, this is a Democratic-oriented suburban seat that is well within Democratic reach — in 2020, Joe Biden won it by roughly eight percentage points. And Suozzi represented the seat for three terms until he ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022. Santos succeeded him by winning in what was a very good year for New York Republicans. His 2022 victory was part and parcel of a lurch to the right across New York City’s suburbs; nowhere was that shift more apparent than on Long Island. This year, Democrats are pinning their hopes of winning back the House on purple New York districts like New York’s 3rd that Republicans gained in 2022. REPUBLICANS HAVE NO OTHER ISSUE TO ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE MIGRANT CRISIS THEY HAVE CAUSED BY THEIR REFUSAL TO FUND ADDITIONAL BORDER SECURITY The high stakes have already led to a nationalization of the race. And one issue that is roiling national politics — immigration — is center stage. On Wednesday, Pilip made a show out of an endorsement from the border patrol union, holding the event outside a temporary shelter for migrants at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens. A January poll from Emerson suggested that immigration is the most important issue to voters in NY-03 , and Republicans have blitzed the airwaves with attack ads about the migrant crisis. The issue is especially sensitive in the region in the wake of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to send migrants to New York by the busload, which has overwhelmed city resources. A video of people whom authorities identified as migrants attacking cops in Times Square last week has served to further stoke tensions. The special election will be the first test of the intensity of the debate at the ballot box. The two candidates have also taken divergent approaches to the likely presidential nominees in November. Pilip has embraced former President Donald Trump, saying “if he can come to help me I would appreciate that.” That stands in stark contrast to Suozzi’s comments Monday, when he said “I can pretty much guarantee the president is not going to be coming to campaign… I don’t think it would be helpful, just as I don’t think Donald Trump would be helpful to my opponent” — a revealing comment about Biden’s standing in a district that voted for him in 2020 and one that stands as a suburban bellwether. It’s now a place, at least according to Suozzi, where Biden has a big problem. The more promising news for Democrats is that polls suggest Suozzi has a slight edge . He has significant name recognition and fundraising advantage over Pilip, who is actually a registered Democrat and has only served as a county legislator since 2021. In addition, the Santos scandal has cast something of a pallor over local Republicans. On top of everything else, there’s another reason why all eyes are on New York’s 3rd. The margin of control in the House is so razor-thin at the moment that even one more Democratic or Republican vote could legitimately shift the outcome of some congressional votes — and you don’t have to look far for evidence. On Tuesday, House Republicans failed to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas by a single vote. Santos found a photo of the tally of the measure, and posted a simple question on X : “Miss me yet?” Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at cmchugh@politico.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @calder_mchugh .   CONGRESS OVERDRIVE: Since day one, POLITICO has been laser-focused on Capitol Hill, serving up the juiciest Congress coverage. Now, we’re upping our game to ensure you’re up to speed and in the know on every tasty morsel and newsy nugget from inside the Capitol Dome, around the clock. Wake up, read Playbook AM , get up to speed at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report, and fuel your nightly conversations with Inside Congress in the evening. Plus, never miss a beat with buzzy, real-time updates throughout the day via our Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.     WHAT'D I MISS? Political Hacks define themselves! Must read. — Special counsel passes on charging Biden but paints damning portrait of him: The special counsel investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents has concluded that no criminal charges are warranted in the matter and said they wouldn’t be even if the Department of Justice didn’t have a policy barring the prosecution of sitting presidents. That conclusion was revealed in a 345-page report that the Justice Department released today. But while the report withheld condemnation of Biden on legal grounds, it presented a harsh portrait of his conduct and mental faculties. Biden improperly took classified material related to the 2009 Afghanistan troop surge and shared classified information with the ghostwriter of his 2017 memoir. The report also includes photos of classified documents in insecure places, including a cardboard box in Biden’s garage and a filing cabinet under his TV. — Judge rejects Peter Navarro’s bid to remain out of jail while he appeals contempt conviction: A federal judge rejected former Trump White House aide Peter Navarro’s bid to remain out of prison while he appeals his criminal conviction for defying a subpoena from the Jan. 6 select committee. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said Navarro’s claim that he might succeed on appeal was not enough of a basis to postpone a four-month prison term that Mehta handed down last month. — Senate GOP helps advance borderless foreign aid bill: The Senate advanced the national security supplemental delivering tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel , putting the legislation on the potential path to passage in the coming days. After months of bipartisan handwringing, enough Republican senators voted to advance the bill to put it over the 60-vote threshold, after they rejected a version that included border policy changes on Wednesday. But there’s a ways to go yet — senators are still negotiating the terms of eventual passage. — Johnson backpedals on plans to endorse Rosendale after GOP blowback: Speaker Mike Johnson rapidly retreated from plans to back Rep. Matt Rosendale in Montana’s critical Senate race after receiving heavy blowback from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Rosendale, a top leadership antagonist, is preparing to launch his campaign against veteran Tim Sheehy in the competitive race against Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) — one of the GOP’s best pickup opportunities. Johnson had planned to boost Rosendale in the primary, a move directly at odds with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who are backing Sheehy. NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 — 14TH AMENDMENT EDITION FROSTY RECEPTION — The attempt to have former President Donald Trump disqualified from the ballot met a frosty reception at the Supreme Court today. Justices across the ideological spectrum seemed skeptical of a Colorado ruling that deemed Trump ineligible to appear on the state’s ballot because of his involvement in stoking violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Colorado decision rested on the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause, which says that those who have engaged in an insurrection against the United States after previously taking an oath to support the Constitution are ineligible to hold office. But over two hours of arguments today, the justices repeatedly suggested that states do not have the authority to enforce the disqualification provision. Allowing individual states to do so could lead to a chaotic patchwork across the country, they warned. Instead, some justices said, the insurrection clause can be enforced only through congressional legislation. 109 WORDS — Donald Trump’s ability to run for president again will depend on how the Supreme Court interprets Section 3 of the 14th Amendment — a two-sentence, 109-word paragraph brimming with commas and nested phrases . And the justices will mostly be starting from scratch. Though the provision, known colloquially as the insurrection clause, was adopted in 1868, it has been invoked little since then, and as a result it has rarely been interpreted by any court. HOW TRUMP COULD LOSE — The conventional wisdom is that the challenge to Donald Trump’s eligibility is dead on arrival at the Supreme Court. However strong the challenge might be in a vacuum — and scholars on both the left and the right say the legal arguments are potent — there’s no way the conservative-dominated court will kick Trump off the ballot as he’s cruising to the nomination, right? Don’t be so certain. Here are three contrarian theories for why Trump could actually lose this case — for reasons that have little to do with the law. THE COURT’S MANY FRIENDS — Dozens of outside voices have weighed in on whether former President Donald Trump is eligible to run for the presidency again. There were nearly 80 amicus briefs filed in Trump v. Anderson, the case that looks to have Trump disqualified based on an interpretation of a clause of the 14th Amendment that bars insurrectionists from holding public office if they had previously taken an oath to “support” the Constitution. These briefs — which are sometimes known as friend of the court briefings — let parties that aren’t actually directly involved in a case in front of the court put forward legal arguments that justices (might) consider. Those who filed ran the gamut from legal gadflies to well-known election law experts, as well as current and former members of Congress and election officials. Here’s a round-up of some of the most notable ones — and the legal arguments they put forth. AROUND THE WORLD A woman casts her ballot at a polling station during Pakistan's national elections in Islamabad today. | Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images ELECTION DAY — Pakistanis braved cold winter weather and the threat of violence to vote for a new parliament today a day after twin bombings claimed at least 30 lives in the worst election-related violence ahead of the contested elections, reports The Associated Press. Tens of thousands of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at polling stations to ensure security. Still, on the eve of the election, a pair of bombings at election offices in restive southwestern Baluchistan province killed at least 30 people and wounded more than two dozen others. The balloting has also been marred by allegations from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan that its candidates were denied a fair chance at campaigning. The cricket star-turned-Islamist politician — ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022 — is behind bars and banned from running, though he still commands a massive following. However, it’s unclear if his angry and disillusioned supporters will turn up at the polls in great numbers. The election comes at a critical time for this nuclear-armed nation, an unpredictable Western ally bordering Afghanistan, China, India and Iran — a region rife with hostile boundaries and tense relations. Pakistan’s next government will face huge challenges, from containing unrest, overcoming an intractable economic crisis to stemming illegal migration. YOU’RE FIRED — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy removed Valery Zaluzhny today as the country’s military commander-in-chief — ending months of tensions between the two, POLITICO EU reports. Zaluzhny will be replaced by General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukrainian ground forces who is seen as closer to the president.   YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS : From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics.      NIGHTLY NUMBER 120 The number of California Highway Patrol officers that Gov. Gavin Newsom is dispatching to Oakland in a concerted effort to crack down on crime in the city, one of the largest such operations of his tenure. RADAR SWEEP OUT OF THE WOODS — Into the Wild, the book by Jon Krakauer that tells the story of the death of wilderness adventurer Chris McCandless that subsequently became a film, has become an essential text in the American canon, especially among people who are interested in living off the grid. The van where McCandless spent his last days has also for decades been a pilgrimage site , a place that people visited to pay their respects. Now, it’s been moved and is becoming a museum — but can it maintain what was interesting and special about it when it’s no longer in the woods? Eva Holland reports for Outside Magazine. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 1941: The King and Queen of Mardi Gras are pictured in New Orleans. The Queen, usually a debutante, wears an outfit that weighs up to 60 pounds with thousands of rhinestones that cost between $300 to $5,000 dollars. | AP Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh Mia McCarthy @Reporter_Mia   FOLLOW US

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Republicans' election witch hunt backfires

It's Our Democracy!

Today’s Action: Join Swing Left’s post-election debriefing!

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Today's Top Stories:

Trumped up GOP state voter fraud units come up empty handed in midterms
State-level law enforcement units created by sore-loser Republicans after the 2020 presidential election to investigate supposed voter fraud have found no indication of systemic problems more than two weeks after the midterms — precisely as election experts predicted.

Take Action: Charge the Trump supporters who compromised ballot machines!

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VIDEO OF THE DAY: Trump snaps, has full meltdown over Kanye West
Trump's ham-handed and clumsy efforts to twist his disastrous Mar-a-Lago dinner with Ye and white nationalist Nick Fuentes into some sort of virtuous event was pathetic by even his own abysmal standards.

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Elon Musk's far-right Twitter gamble backfires
No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen: Whoa.

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Trump is "descending deeper into heart of darkness," former Mike Pence aide warns
For seven years, Trump's enablers stood by as he poisoned American democracy, but now that he's proven to be an electoral liability, suddenly, they can no longer abide. What a coincidence! Let none of these people off the hook as they jump from the sinking ship they willfully boarded years ago to great personal benefit.

Take Action: Don't let Republicans starve critical investments in children and healthcare!

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Ex-prison warden faces trial over horrific inmate abuse allegations
Ray J. Garcia, the former warden of an abuse-plagued federal women’s prison near Oakland, California, known as the “rape club,” goes on trial today, accused of molesting inmates and forcing them to pose naked in their cells throughout his horrific tenure.

Take Action: Demand Congress put an end to private prisons!

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"Collapse" in home prices is coming, experts say
The residential real estate market has screeched to a halt as mortgage rates have reached 7%, and economists increasingly believe home prices are about to drop significantly.

Take Action: Tell Congress to bring back the Expanded Child Tax Credit!

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Bernie Sanders vows to "stand with rail workers" as Republican says Congress will prevent strike
Rail works are facing intense congressional pressure to accept piss-poor terms at the negotiation table with a cabal of powerful, well-connected rail companies. Sanders responded in defiant defense, stating, "Last year, the rail industry made a record-breaking $20 billion in profits after cutting their workforce by 30% over the last six years. Meanwhile, rail workers have ZERO guaranteed paid sick days. Congress must stand with rail workers." Uh, yeah. What Bernie said...

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Rural Georgia is the key to a Warnock win
OD Action Partner: Expanding our Senate majority is critical to protecting all the values we hold dear. Abortion rights, voting rights, LGBTQ+ protections, everything we hold dear is on the line and riding on a Georgia victory. Will you support United Rural Democrats' efforts to help Senator Warnock fend off a nail-biting challenge from Trump-endorsed, MAGA extremist Herschel Walker?

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Ex-prosecutor calls Trump's latest move a "sign of desperation" as probes intensify
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner slammed the disgraced ex-president for his “inane accusations” against veteran prosecutor Jack Smith, whom Attorney General Merrick Garland recently appointed to oversee the probes into Trump’s wildly improper handling of classified documents and his ludicrous efforts to illegally overturn the 2020 election.

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Protests erupt across China over Xi's strict zero-COVID rules
Protesters angered by strict anti-virus measures called for China's powerful leader to resign, an unprecedented rebuke as authorities in at least eight cities struggled to suppress demonstrations Sunday that represent a rare direct challenge to the ruling Communist Party.

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House Democratic leaders prepare to pass the torch, avoiding messy leadership fights
Democrats have coalesced around a trio of young leaders to replace House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team, setting up what looks to be smooth leadership elections Wednesday.

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Seriously?

Senate STILL lacks GOP votes to pass assault weapons ban

Frontier Airlines drops its customer service line

Rioters take to the streets following Morocco's shock World Cup victory over Belgium

Ex-state police trooper killed in shootout with sheriff's deputies after murdering family of teen he catfished

Yes. Seriously.

BBC reporter covering protests beaten, detained by Chinese police in Shanghai

Surgeons work by flashlight as Ukraine power grid battered

Merriam-Webster crowns "gaslighting" word of 2022

Experts warn of America’s worsening "tripledemic" as RSV cases surge

New money in NCAA recruiting leaves elite athletes ripe for exploitation

Niece of Iranian leader asks world to cut ties with Iran

Hope...

US and Russia discussing release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan

25-year-old window cleaner scrubs road signs for free to improve safety and give back to community

Officer who cannot swim saves drowning infant from pond in harrowing video

105-year-old woman has first birthday party, receives over 1,200 birthday cards

Democrats made midterm gains in rural areas

Want more hope? Subscribe to our favorite good news newsletter FREE.

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Today’s Action: Join Swing Left’s post-election debriefing!

As we continue to navigate the post-midterm election landscape, we need all progressives on the same page. There is a critical need for volunteers across the country to help cure ballots in outstanding races, call voters ahead of Georgia’s runoff election on Dec. 6, and more. Finding out where to plug in can certainly be a challenge. To that end, Blue Victory 2022 is hosting debriefing discussions on what went down during the midterms, where they’ll offer ideas for next steps for grassroots organizing.

With the Georgia runoff just eight days away, there’s no time to waste. Make a commitment to attend one of Blue Victory’s upcoming evening debriefing sessions to find out where you fit in in the progressive fight! The Blue Victory War Room linktree will be updated with relevant events for the Georgia runoff soon. If you can’t attend a debriefing session before Dec. 6, keep an eye out for another event that fits in your schedule!

PS — Please don't forget to sign the petition to charge Trump with perjury for lying under oath in Big Lie lawsuit, and be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

 @advocacy | 1002 Hull St., Louisville, KY 40204