A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Here’s A Bombshell For Your Morning
The Washington Post reports that among the materials the FBI seized during the Mar-a-Lago raid last month was a document that detailed a foreign country’s nuclear capabilities.
- We don’t know which foreign country; the Post’s sources wouldn’t say. But as TPM’s Josh Marshall points out, there are eight foreign nuclear powers: the UK, France, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.
- Some of the seized documents are reportedly so sensitive that the only people who can authorize other government officials to access them are: the President, some Cabinet members and “a near-Cabinet-level official” (in the Post’s words). Even some high-level national security officials in the Biden administration reportedly weren’t authorized to see them.
Bannon To Surrender To NY Law Enforcement To Face Sealed Indictment
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is expected to surrender to New York state prosecutors to face charges in a sealed criminal indictment on Thursday, according to the Washington Post, CNN, the New York Times and NBC News.
- The new charges are related to Bannon’s “We Build the Wall” scam that federal prosecutors had indicted him for before Trump pardoned his former crony, according to CNN’s report. The Post similarly reports that the charges in the sealed indictment “will likely mirror aspects” of that federal case.
- Bannon complained on Tuesday that New York “has now decided to pursue phony charges against me 60 days before the midterm election” in a statement to NBC News.
Cruz And Cornyn To Vote Against Marriage Equality Bill
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced during his podcast on Tuesday that he’ll vote against the bill to enshrine the right to same-sex marriage, aka the Respect for Marriage Act, once it gets put to a vote in the Senate.
- Fellow Texas Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) will vote against the legislation too, according to his office.
- Five Republican senators so far have said they support or are likely to support the bill:
- Rob Portman (R-OH)
- Susan Collins (R-ME)
- Ron Johnson (R-WI)
- Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
- Thom Tillis (R-NC)
Panicked Fox Producer Internally Warned Against Putting Jeanine Pirro On Air After Election Day 2020
NPR obtained an email an unidentified Fox News news producer sent to colleagues in November 2020 fretting over Fox News star Jeanine Pirro’s endless stream of bullshit about voter fraud.
- The producer urged Fox to keep Pirro off the air, according to NPR.
- That email was one of materials that Dominion’s lawyers have obtained in the voting tech firm’s massive $1.6 billion defamation suit against Fox. Imagine how many other gems they’ve gotten.
Judge Kicks Cowboys For Trump Leader Out Of Office For Jan. 6 Involvement
A New Mexico judge removed Cowboys for Trump founder and Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin from office on Tuesday for participating in the Capitol attack (and subsequently getting convicted for it).
- The judge cited Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, aka the Disqualification Clause, which bans elected officeholders from taking part in an “insurrection or rebellion.”
- Congrats, Cowboy MAGA Man, you’re the first public official to get ousted under that clause since 1869!
- Voters in Georgia and North Carolina had unsuccessfully tried to get Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) disqualified from office under the same clause.
Oath Keepers Leader Fires Lawyers
Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers who’s staring down the barrel of seditious conspiracy charges, axed his defense attorneys on Tuesday due to “a complete, or near-complete breakdown of communication” with them, according to Rhodes’ new attorney. The militia leader also wants to push back his trial, which is scheduled for Sept. 26.
Insurrectionist Who Got Ratted Out By Ex-Girlfriend Gets Sentenced
Richard Michetti, the guy who texted his ex-girlfriend as he was storming the Capitol (while calling her a “moron” for not believing the 2020 election was stolen) and was subsequently turned over to the FBI by said ex-girlfriend the very next day, was handed a nine-month prison sentence on Tuesday.
Some Interesting Pre-Midterms Stats
Petco Workers Form Union
The (very good) trend in union growth continues:
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