Thursday News: “Ukraine Sees Risk of Russia Breaking Through Defenses by Summer”; SCOTUS Decision on Trump Immunity Case “is outrageous and, at its heart, fundamentally corrupt”; McConnell’s Exit Marks “Trump’s last step toward a total MAGA Republican party”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, February 29 – Leap Day, 2024!

The False Promise of Carbon Capture as a Climate Solution
ExxonMobil is suing investors who want faster climate action (Of course they are.)
Ukraine Sees Risk of Russia Breaking Through Defenses by Summer (“Putin still aims to capture Kyiv, Ukrainian intelligence shows.”)
House Freedom Caucus mocks McConnell as ‘(D-Ukraine)’ after retirement news (These people – Bob Good et al – are EVIL.)
Putin warns West against sending troops to Ukraine in major speech
Putin warns West of risk of nuclear war, says Moscow can strike Western targets (So predictable.)
Strike on Palestinians waiting for aid kills 70, Gaza officials say, taking war’s toll past 30,000 (Not acceptable.)
Hamas Is Losing Every Battle in Gaza. It Still Thinks It Could Win the War. (“On the run, leader Yahya Sinwar is betting the militant Islamists can achieve a political victory by surviving Israel’s onslaught.”)
Taking Stock of an Unrecognizable Gaza (“What Israel’s bombing has wrought.”)
Trump Plans to Meet With Hungary’s Orban at Mar-a-Lago Next Week (Disgusting.)
Older U.S. adults should get another COVID-19 shot, health officials recommend (“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Americans 65 and older should get another dose of the updated vaccine that became available in September — if at least four months has passed since their last shot. In making the recommendation, the agency endorsed guidance proposed by an expert advisory panel earlier in the day.”)
A little-noticed inflation report in the past could get a lot of market attention on Thursday (“The Commerce Department on Thursday will release the January reading on the personal consumption expenditures price index, a favorite Federal Reserve inflation gauge. Economists are forecasting a 0.3% monthly gain and a 2.4% 12-month move, according to a Dow Jones survey.”)
Luttig: There was no reason for SCOTUS to take Trump’s case. Today’s decision is momentous.
The Supreme Court Just Gave Trump Exactly What He Wanted (This is COMPLETELY inexcusable, for a bunch of reasons, starting with the fact that Trump’s case has ZERO merit!)
Supreme Court Hands Trump a Win and Delays His Election Subversion Prosecution (“The justices will wait almost two months before hearing Trump’s argument that he’s above the law.”)
Trump’s Taking His Immunity Claims All the Way To The Carefully Cultivated Supreme Court Majority
The Supreme Court Just Gave Trump Exactly What He Wanted
With Jan. 6 case, the Supreme Court could take America down the dark road to dictatorship
Supreme Court will hear Donald Trump immunity arguments in April (If a president – ANY president! – has “absolute immunity,” we no longer have a democracy, rule of law, etc. Why the F*** is the Supreme Court even taking this up?!?)
The Supreme Court just handed Trump a win
Why Did the Supreme Court Wait So Long to Decide to Set the Trump Criminal Immunity Case for Full Hearing and Argument? It Likely Means No Trial for Trump on Election Subversion Before the Election
Supreme Court hands Trump a huge win before it even hears his case
How Trump uses the Supreme Court to his advantage (“Wednesday’s order amounts to another win from the justice system Trump routinely attacks” INSANE.)
McConnell Built Today’s Supreme Court. Will He Come to Regret It?
Trump Rebuffed After Asking a Judge to Delay His $454 Million Penalty
Trump must come up with the full bond amount to cover the $454 million civil fraud trial judgment, appeals court judge rules
Trump Wants a Break on $464 Million Judgment. The AG Says Trump Is Sneaking Assets to Florida.
Illinois judge removes Trump from ballot because of ‘insurrectionist ban’
Trump Taken Off Illinois Ballot by Judge Over Insurrection
Republicans Are Tired of Mike Johnson ‘Kicking the Can’
Congressional Leaders Strike a Short-Term Deal to Avert Partial Shutdown
Mitch McConnell’s Legacy Is the Return of Donald Trump (“The senate GOP leader could have ended Trump’s career. Instead, he ended his own.”)
How Mitch McConnell lost by winning (“He delivered for the old GOP — but the party had changed underneath him.”)
After Thoroughly F**king Over America, Mitch McConnell Decides to Treat Himself to a Break (“Never forget: McConnell could have rid us of Donald Trump, but simply chose not to.”)
Mitch McConnell Surrenders to Trump (“The longtime Senate Republican leader gambled that he could outlast the former president—and lost.”)
McConnell will step down as the Senate Republican leader in November after a record run in the job (McConnell has done tremendous damage to America, but sad to say, his successor could be even worse, if that’s even possible.)
Here’s who could replace Mitch McConnell as Senate’s top Republican
Inside Mitch McConnell’s Season of Losses (“The GOP leader is frustrated and vexed but as clear-sighted as ever in his strategy.”)
The Race to Be the Next GOP Senate Leader Leaves the Shadows
McConnell lasted longer than most. But he couldn’t outlast Trump.
Waiting In The Senate GOP Leadership’s Wings: The Three Johns
Democrats fear what comes after McConnell (“McConnell is the bulwark of a dying breed of old-guard Republicans being systematically replaced with right-wing hardliners.”)
Trump’s last step toward a total MAGA Republican party
Trump’s Lock On The GOP Is Complete As Mitch McConnell Heads For The Exit (“One of the former president’s biggest antagonists is relinquishing the reins in the Senate, giving Trump total control of the Republican Party.”)
McConnell exit surprises GOP: ‘It’s Trump’s party now’
Republicans block Senate bill to protect nationwide access to IVF treatments
Republicans block bill to protect access to IVF
Biden ‘fit for duty,’ doctor writes after latest physical exam (Biden’s more than “fit,” he’s doing a superb job!)
Biden Is Too Old But Trump Is Dangerous, Swing-State Poll Shows (Biden is definitely not “too old,” that’s just ridiculous.)
Social media companies are not the same as public utilities
Trump gave top US firms staggering tax cuts, with some paying $0 or less – report
Democrat Tom Suozzi sworn into the House, shrinking the GOP’s fragile majority
Personnel, dismantling democracy, and immigration: What a second Trump term might look like according to his closest right-wing media advisers (NIGHTMARE.)
Trump’s Allies Don’t Want to Destroy the ‘Deep State.’ They Want to Seize It.
The Politics Behind Trump and Biden’s Dueling Border Stops
Hunter Biden asks GOP: What about Jared Kushner? (Kushner, of course, is WILDLY corrupt, along with the entire Trump crime family.)
Williams: After preventing an insurrection, Fanone fights to save democracy
Group linked to anti-abortion mega-donors pours money into Alabama supreme court race (“Organization affiliated with Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein spends half a million on candidate who believes life begins at fertilization” That family is horrible.)
Republican House candidate who disparaged Special Olympians says he’s still running
Kari Lake’s Bribery Scandal Involves a Shady GOP Tech Firm (Youngkin called this extremist nutjob “AWESOME” while campaigning for her in the fall of 2022.)
VA GOP US Senate Candidates Hung Cao And Scott Parkinson Do Not Support IVF Protections, Would Rip Away Reproductive Freedom From Virginians (This shows the crucial importance of reelecting Joe Biden, Tim Kaine and other Dems in 2024, preferably by LARGE margins!)
In VA02, Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal Secures Major Endorsement from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (It’s crucial that VA02 voters oust Elise Stefanik’s BFF Jen Kiggans this November.)
Bill to give Virginia families paid leave heads to governor
Virginia House and Senate Pass Assault Weapons Ban
VA State Sen. Aaron Rouse’s Legislation Creating a Retail Marijuana Market in Virginia passes House, Senate, Heads to Governor’s Desk (“Governor Youngkin: the ball is in your court.”)
Legislation allowing recreational marijuana sales in Virginia heads to GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Marijuana marketplace legislation inches towards Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk
Virginia House, Senate agree on bill creating legal marijuana market
Could Virginia finally implement a minimum wage for farmworkers?
What’s the best approach to school disruptions? Democrats and Republicans disagree.
Wildlife corridor bill fails again to advance in the General Assembly (Ugh, why not?!?)
Krizek’s tribal consultation bill moves forward
Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi ordered to appear before judge for possible contempt of court charge
$230M heading to Central Virginia transit initiatives
Shockoe Project aims to tell Virginia’s history of slavery (for real this time)
Richmond plans memorial to its prominent role in trade of enslaved people
2 Natural Bridge Zoo animals have died since December raid, veterinarian says
Franklin County will close 2 elementary schools this summer despite community resistance
‘Remarkable first’ as Goodwill partnership brings affordable housing to Arlington (“For decades, the Goodwill on South Glebe Road has been one of busiest locations in the D.C. area for the Goodwill of Greater Washington. Soon, that store will be rebuilt, and its rebirth will not only bring a bigger store, but also a place to call home for families struggling financially. The store will be redeveloped as a mixed-use six-story building that will provide more than 100 affordable housing units.”)
D.C.-area forecast: Sunny but blustery today with rain to start the weekend