A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo.
Look Who Doesn’t Have A Lawyer
Ex-White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Monday that he received a grand jury subpoena from the FBI last week demanding records and testimony on the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
- Navarro’s subpoena signals for the first time that the Justice Department’s investigation into the attack is expanding to include Trump’s cronies in the White House.
- The subpoena seeks information on “any communications” Navarro had with Trump in connection to the insurrection, according to the ex-adviser.
- Navarro claims that he plans to try to block the subpoena by filing a lawsuit against the House Jan. 6 Committee, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Matthew M. Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. In fitting Navarro fashion, he plans to represent himself.
Biggs Won’t Comply With Jan. 6 Panel’s Subpoena
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) is formally objecting to the House Jan. 6 Committee’s subpoena, with his lawyers claiming that the subpoena was invalid because the committee has nine members and not 13 and that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) chose the members (despite the fact that Republicans did have a chance to pick members, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy chose not to).
- Biggs is also trying to go the “privilege” route–without even including Trump, which makes it doubly impressive: His lawyers are arguing that the congressman’s actions in connection to his 2020 election certification vote are “immune legislative acts that are privileged from compelled disclosure.”
- Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), a fellow subpoenaed Republican, isn’t going as far as shutting down the committee’s efforts to talk to him, but he’s taking the same tactic as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) by making a set of demands: On Sunday, Brooks asserted that he won’t testify unless 1) the hearing is public and 2) it gets held after his runoff GOP primary Senate race next month.
Brooks Loses It At Fox Host For Refuting Election Lies
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) exploded on Sunday when Fox News host Sandra Smith noted during their interview that there wasn’t voter fraud in the 2020 election:
“That tells me you haven’t done your homework … I’m getting in the last word on this one” — Brooks explodes on Fox News host Sandra Smith after she accurately points out there’s no evidence the 2020 election was stolen from Trump
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 29, 2022
Smith, to her credit, holds her ground pic.twitter.com/rFwRztuwIJ
Biden Claims McConnell Is Rational In Year 2022
The President thinks Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is a “rational Republican” who might do something about guns. He threw in Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) for good measure. “I think there’s a recognition on their part that they — we can’t continue like this,” Biden said.
- Seriously? Seriously?!
- I guess we’ll see how “rational” they’ll be today during a bipartisan virtual meeting to discuss gun reform. Cornyn told reporters on Monday that the goal is to find a “basic framework” on the issue.
Crenshaw Suddenly Doesn’t Support Gun Control Measure He’s Openly Endorsed
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) told CNN on Sunday that he doesn’t support red flag laws–laws that would let law enforcement temporarily seize guns from people deemed to be a danger to themselves and others–because “what you’re essentially trying to do with a red flag law is enforce the law before the law is broken.”
- Yeah Crenshaw didn’t have that concern two years ago when he advocated for red flag laws, so the Texas Republican really isn’t acting in good faith here!
- Crenshaw was slated to speak at the National Rifle Association’s convention in Houston this past weekend before the Uvalde elementary school shooting.
Abbott Gets Booed At Uvalde Memorial
This is how Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) was greeted on Sunday when he visited the memorial for the 21 victims of the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas:
DOJ To Investigate Cops’ Failed Response To Uvalde Shooting
The Justice Department announced that it will probe the police’s response (or lack thereof) to the horrific elementary school shooting in Uvalde last week.
EU Leaders Agree On Russian Oil Embargo
Leaders of the European Union agreed on Monday to ban 90 percent of Russian oil imports by the end of the year as part of the E.U.’s sanctions against the Kremlin for invading Ukraine.
RIP Canes
The Carolina Hurricanes lost to the New York Rangers in the final game of the NHL second round, the Canes didn’t make it to the Eastern Conference finals, the Canes lost 6-2 on their own turf, and everything hurts.
Someone On The Internet Stitches German Nudist Chasing After A Wild Boar That Stole His Laptop
A German man who was sunbathing in his birthday suit at a lake in West Berlin in hot pursuit of the Schwein that snatched his laptop has been immortalized in stitch form:
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