A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo (also happy Pride Month! 🏳️🌈).
Beware Of The Devil’s Lettuce
Fox News host Laura Ingraham knows exactly where the blame lies for the Uvalde elementary school massacre and other shootings: Not the mountains of the military-style assault weapons available for purchase all over the country or the lax gun laws that allowed the shooters to buy said weapons legally, but marijuana.
- Ingraham complained on Tuesday night that not enough people were talking about what she called “the pot psychosis-violent behavior connection.” The reason for that, according to the Fox host, is because of Big Pot perpetuating a “pro-marijuana bias” in the media “that’s so powerful because billions are on the line with it nationwide.”
- You already know this talking point is nonsense. Here’s a stoned Martin Crane from “Frasier” with some great ideas that he’s been having all day:
Yet Another Texas Police Claim About Uvalde Shooting Unravels
Oh look, the Texas authorities are walking back yet another claim they’d made about the Uvalde elementary school shooting: As it turns out, a teacher hadn’t propped open the door through which the gunman entered before opening fire, despite what Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw reported last week.
Uvalde School District Police Chief Not Responding To Investigators, Authorities Say
The Texas Department of Public Safety said yesterday that the Uvalde school district’s police chief, Pete Arredondo, hasn’t responded to Texas Rangers’ request that was made two days ago for a follow-up interview amid scrutiny over local cops’ failed response to the elementary school shooting.
- In fact, the Uvalde Police Department and the Uvalde Independent School District police aren’t cooperating with the investigation anymore, according to ABC News.
- Arredondo was sworn in as a city council member yesterday.
Uvalde Authorities Ignore Spanish Speakers During Pressers
Officials in Uvalde, Texas haven’t been giving updates on the investigation into the elementary school shooting in Spanish despite the fact that 81 percent of the city is Latino/a.
Biden Approves Sending Longer-Range Rockets To Ukraine
The President announced in a New York Times op-ed yesterday that the U.S. would be sending advanced rocket systems to Ukraine so that the besieged country can “more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield.”
- Ukraine would be able to fire rockets into Russia with those longer-range rocket systems, according to the White House National Security Council. Ukrainian officials have told the U.S. that the weapons won’t be used to attack Russia within its borders, senior U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
- The systems are part of a $700 million aid package to Ukraine that’s slated to be announced today.
Georgia DA Subpoenas Raffensperger In Trump Election Probe
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in Georgia has subpoenaed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) in her investigation into Trump’s 2020 election steal scheme, according to the Associated Press and CNN.
- The subpoena directs Raffensperger to give testimony in front of a special grand jury on Thursday. Willis issued the subpoena after the Georgia primaries, as she said she would.
- Willis has also reportedly subpoenaed state Attorney General Chris Carr (R). Trump had called Carr in December 2020 warning him not to discourage other attorneys general from joining the failed Supreme Court lawsuit to throw out the election results.
Durham Probe Fizzles Out With Acquittal
Democratic Party-linked attorney Michael Sussmann, who was charged with lying to the FBI, was acquitted by a federal jury in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. It’s a blow to special counsel John Durham’s fishing expedition to validate a host of MAGALand conspiracy theories around the 2016 election and the Mueller investigation.
Palin’s NYT Libel Lawsuit Attempt Shot Down Again
A federal judge threw out ex-GOP vice presidential candidate and now Alaska House hopeful Sarah Palin’s bid for a new trial in her libel lawsuit against the New York Times on Tuesday. Palin couldn’t provide “even a speck” of evidence to prove her case, the judge wrote.
Trump’s Trying To Big Lie Kemp
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s (R) team is trying to get him back into Trump’s good graces after thoroughly spanking the ex-president’s pick, David Perdue, in the GOP gubernatorial primaries.
- Too bad Trump’s claiming Kemp’s win was le voter fraud. “Something Stinks In Georgia,” in fact, according to the ex-president’s email yesterday.
- Flashback: Trump being so determined to destroy Kemp’s career that he told his supporters last year that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams might be a better governor.
Herschel Walker Accuses Trump Of Being A Big Ol’ Liar (About One Thing)
Georgia Senate hopeful and Trump endorsee Herschel Walker told rapper Killer Mike on Monday that he’s “mad” at Trump for “taking credit” for his decision to run for Senate. Walker said Trump never asked him to throw his hat in the ring, and that it was in fact Jesus who inspired the former NFL star to do so.
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