A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Person Of Interest Identified
The police named 62-year-old Frank R. James as a “person of interest” in the case.
- James allegedly rented a U-Haul truck in Philadelphia that was abandoned about five blocks away from the station where police say the gunman entered to get on the train. A key to the truck was found at the scene of the shooting.
- James seemed to have posted disturbing videos of him ranting about New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Russia’s war on Ukraine and other topics.
- James has addresses in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, police said.
- The gunman opened fire inside one of the cars of a New York City subway train in Brooklyn Tuesday after tossing two smoke grenades on the floor while wearing a gas mask, according to the New York City Police. The suspect fired at least 33 times with a Glock 9mm handgun, the police said.
- 10 people were struck, five of them were in critical condition, police said on Tuesday. At least 29 people in total were treated at hospitals after the attack, according to Brooklyn hospital officials.
Trump’s Top White House Lawyers To Speak To Jan. 6 Panel
Former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and his deputy, Patrick Philbin, are expected to go in for an informal interview with the House Jan. 6 Committee, according to Politico.
Biden Accuses Putin Of Committing ‘Genocide’ In Ukraine
The President declared on Tuesday that the war atrocities by Russian forces in Ukraine show that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was going beyond just invading the country; he was “trying to wipe out the idea of even being Ukrainian.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Biden for calling Russia’s attack “genocide,” and asserted that “calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil.”
Hit-And-Run Attorney General Gets Impeached
Yesterday was a special day for South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R): He turned 46 years old and also became the first statewide official in South Dakota history to be impeached after he killed someone with his car.
- The Republican-controlled state House reached the minimum 36-vote threshold to impeach Ravnsborg when 28 Republicans joined all eight Democrats in voting “yes.”
- Now Ravnsborg’s impeachment case moves over to the South Dakota state Senate, where lawmakers need to reach a two-thirds majority to successfully convict him. The impeachment trial won’t be held until at least May due to state law requiring that Senate trials be held at least 20 days after the House vote.
- Like the South Dakota House, the Senate is overwhelmingly Republican: 32 GOP senators to three Democrats.
- The attorney general is now suspended until the Senate makes its decision. The state’s chief deputy attorney general will take over Ravnsborg’s duties in the meantime.
New York Lt. Guv Gets Arrested On Corruption Charges
New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin (D) was arrested on Tuesday after being indicted for an alleged bribery scheme in which he allegedly funneled $50,000 in state funds into a real estate developer’s charity in exchange for campaign contributions back when Benjamin was a state senator and running for New York City comptroller.
- Benjamin resigned on Tuesday after his arrest and pleaded not guilty. He was released on a $250,000 bond and now needs special permission to travel to Albany, New York.
- There is no evidence that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who tapped Benjamin as lieutenant governor, was involved in the alleged plot. The alleged criminal activity happened before Benjamin was appointed to the post, according to prosecutors.
QAnoners Are Running For Office In 26 States
Hey so here’s a cool thing that’s happening: At least 78 people who’ve aligned themselves to a conspiracy theory that Trump is secretly fighting a cabal of pedophiles embedded in elite circles are now running for elected office as governors, secretaries of state, and state and federal legislative seats in 26 states, according to analysis by Grid.
DOJ Won’t Share Info On Trump Taking Docs To Mar-A-Lago With House Oversight Committee
The Justice Department has turned down House Oversight Committee chair Carolyn Maloney’s (D-NY) request for information on the 15 boxes of White House records Trump took to his Mar-A-Lago club in Florida, which both the DOJ and the committee are investigating right now.
Virginia’s GOP Guv Vetoing Bipartisan Legislation To Own The Libs
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed 25 Democrat-sponsored bills this week that had bipartisan support in the state legislature while also signing some of the bills’ companion legislation that was identical to the legislation he had vetoed.
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