A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Now She’ll Have To Testify
A federal judge in Georgia shot down Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) effort to block a challenge to her candidacy for re-election, allowing the bid to get the far-right lawmaker kicked off the ballot to continue. That means the voters will be able to present their challenge in front of a state administrative law judge on Friday.
- The judge will then decide whether to recommend Greene’s disqualification for her alleged role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, under the 14th Amendment’s Disqualification Clause.
- Greene, who’s been subpoenaed in the case, will be required to testify. She expressed her displeasure over that particular development on Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show last night:
Abbott Vows To Press On With Migrant Bus Gimmick
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) made it clear on Monday night that he isn’t dropping his bizarre stunt of sending buses carrying migrants who had crossed the Texas border to D.C. In fact, Abbott just might start sending them to Biden’s home state of Delaware, the governor told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
- But, uh, the way Abbott’s bragging about it makes this whole thing look like a human trafficking operation. While he’d previously claimed that the migrants on the buses were there voluntarily, his response on Monday when Hannity asked him if he’ll be sending “every illegal immigrant that you find” was “We’re gonna load ’em up and send them into Washington, D.C.”
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has similarly suggested that he’ll send migrants to Delaware.
Trump Judge Strikes Down CDC Mask Mandate
U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, a Trump appointee who was given a “not qualified” rating by the American Bar Association when she was nominated, ruled on Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) didn’t have the authority to issue mask mandates for air travel and other public transportation.
Alex Jones Insists Infowars Isn’t Declaring Bankruptcy After Infowars Files For Bankruptcy
The far-right conspiracy theorist wanted everyone to know on Monday that his media outlet, Infowars, was absolutely not declaring bankruptcy after Infowars (plus two of his other businesses) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the face of all the Sandy Hook defamation suits Jones has lost.
- Jones claimed he was just trying to prove that he has “less than $3 million cash” with the filings in the Connecticut and Texas lawsuits from the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims.
Biden Admin Extends Protections For Ukrainian Refugees Fleeing Russian Invasion
The Department of Homeland Security extended eligibility for Temporary Protected Status to more Ukrainian refugees on Monday by allowing those who entered the U.S. by April 11 to apply for 18 months of protection against deportation. The previous date was March 1.
Former Cawthorn Campaign Staffer Reportedly Files Complaint
Lisa Wiggins, a former staffer on Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s (R-NC) campaign, said in a leaked recording of a call with an anti-Cawthorn organization, which published the recording on Monday, that she was filing a worker’s complaint against the GOP congressman.
- Wiggins alleged in the call that Cawthorn denied her family leave when her uncle died and her husband had a heart attack in the same week. The North Carolina Republican is “a habitual liar,” “doesn’t care about his constituents” and is overall “just a bad person,” according to Wiggins.
- Cawthorn’s spokesperson denied Wiggins’ allegations on Monday and claimed she was working for one of Cawthorn’s primary opponents.
Key Analysis
“Anti-Trans Laws Aren’t Symbolic. They Seek to Erase Us From Public Life” – them.
JD Vance Once Compared Trump To Hitler
Ooof: Ohio GOP Senate candidate J.D. Vance got to bask in Trump’s forgiveness and endorsement for about three days before his ex-college roommate and Georgia Senate candidate Josh McLaurin (D) came crashing through the walls like Kool-Aid Man with screenshot on Monday of an alleged text from Vance dated 2016 showing the hillbilly elegist fretting that Trump could be “America’s Hitler”:
Kimberly Guilfoyle Meets With Jan. 6 Panel
Ex-Trump campaign adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle, who’s now engaged to eldest Trump son Don Jr., had a do-over interview on Monday with the House Jan. 6 Committee, which had subpoenaed Guilfoyle after her voluntary interview fell apart for a very stupid reason in February.
- The stupid reason: Guilfoyle apparently wasn’t aware that members of the committee would be participating in the discussion, and upon discovering that shocking fact, angrily stormed out of the session, according to several reports. The Trump adviser was reportedly under the impression that she’d only be speaking to the committee’s lawyers for some reason.
- Anyway, it’s unclear if Guilfoyle was helpful on Monday or if she just informed the investigators that “THE BEST. IS YET. TO COME” and then pleaded the Fifth the rest of the time.
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