A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
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On Tuesday, a federal judge found Couy Griffin, the leader of the Cowboys for Trump group who also serves as an elected New Mexico county commissioner, guilty of trespassing on Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6 attack. And Griffin would like to know why the Republican lawmakers who claim to be champions of the Jan. 6 “political prisoners” didn’t show up at his trial.
- He specifically called out Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Louie Gohmert (R-TX). The three of them “think they’re too good to come down here to the federal courthouse where all this has taken place,” Griffin grumbled after his hearing.
- Griffin was the second Jan. 6 defendant to go to trial–and the second to lose. The first one was convicted earlier this month.
- The Trumpy cowboy is also at the center of another Big Lie-connected legal mess back home. As a GOP commissioner of New Mexico’s Otero County, Griffin spearheaded a sham 2020 election audit that’s now under investigation by the House Oversight Committee. And now there’s a lawsuit to get Griffin kicked out of office and disqualified from ever running again.
Biden Heads To Europe To Discuss Ukraine Crisis
The President’s trip to Europe starts today, beginning with a flight to Belgium for a NATO summit and G-7 meeting in Brussels to hammer out a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Then he’ll travel to Poland on Friday to meet with President Andrzej Duda to discuss aid to Ukraine.
Day Three Of SCOTUS Hearings/Circus
Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Senate confirmation hearings continue today (stay tuned for another liveblog).
- Yesterday’s round of questioning was an entire sideshow (which you can read for yourself in our liveblog), with Republicans whining about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, bleating about racist babies and accusing Jackson of being soft on pedophiles.
- The cherry on top came when Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) argued that states ought to be allowed to ban interracial marriage without SCOTUS interfering. The GOP senator backflipped on that take several hours later, claiming he had “misunderstood” the question from the reporter who asked about interracial marriage.
Must Read On KBJ
- “Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Biggest Strength and Greatest Weakness” – Slate
- “The Republican Axis Reversing the Rights Revolution” – The Atlantic
Cruz Goes Full Karen At Airport Staff
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) reportedly threw a tantrum at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in Montana on Sunday after missing his flight, prompting airport staff to call law enforcement, per a video posted on Reddit:
The airport’s deputy director confirmed the incident to the Daily Mail.
Can you blame Cruz for being frustrated, though? He had a lot of important work to do in D.C., like demanding to know if Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson thinks babies can be racist (a “gotcha” the RNC apparently saw as a real slam dunk during her confirmation hearing yesterday):
The Right-Wing Media Cesspit
In the tradition of conservatives Having A Normal One over Biden nominating a Black woman to the Supreme Court, Fox News host Tucker Carlson wants to know why Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson doesn’t share the political views of a “rap star” like all real Black people do:
Two GOP Guvs Veto Trans Athlete Bans For Different Reasons
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) both vetoed their GOP-controlled state legislature’s bans on transgender athletes participating in women’s sports on Tuesday–but don’t be too quick to applaud Holcomb on this one.
- Holcomb’s problem with the bill was that it “falls short” in its current form, but he agrees overall with the principle of the ban.
- On the other hand, Cox directly called out the cruelty of his state’s proposed ban and attacks on trans athletes in general. “Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few,” he wrote in his letter.
- Both vetoes will likely be overriden by state lawmakers regardless.
Massive Tornado Strikes New Orleans
One person was killed and thousands were left without power on Tuesday night after a tornado hit the eastern side of New Orleans.
Psaki Tests Positive For COVID
White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced on Tuesday that she tested positive for the coronavirus and would therefore not be traveling to Europe with Biden this week.
Iowa Might Have To Kiss First-In-The-Nation Status For Dem Primaries Goodbye
The Democratic Party is reevaluating its presidential primary process after the utter dumpster fire that was the Iowa 2020 caucuses, and the party’s Rules and Bylaws Committee has drafted a plan for deciding the new 2024 nomination calendar that isn’t looking great for Iowa’s coveted number one spot.
- Under the proposed plan obtained by the Washington Post and CNN, the five states that go first in the primary elections before March have to have a diverse electorate, be competitive in the general election and have a “fair, transparent and inclusive nominating process.”
- Overwhelmingly white and Republican Iowa, with its Byzantine caucus rules, is gonna have a hard time fitting that criteria.
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