CDC moves past COVID emergency: https://news.yahoo.com/cdc-moves-beyond-covid-emergency-with-new-guidance-173732710.html . As readers know, my view is that the current level of cases and deaths in the US, along with emerging variants, indicates the pandemic is not over here. It is certainly not over globally. This newsletter has previously criticized Dr. McBride, an internist (that is, not an epidemiologist) who heavily promotes her media presence. I agree with the comments of the Yale public health expert Gregg Gonsalves. This is capitulation to political pressure over sound medicine.
It is now mid-August. Let’s see where we stand at the end of October. My guess is that a month into the school year we will see increases in the number of COVID cases from current levels.
An OJ lawyer declares she’s completely incompetent: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-lawyer-says-she-s-told-him-all-litigation-involving-the-former-president-will-stop-if-he-announces-he-s-not-running-for-office-in-2024/ar-AA10DgjT?cvid=043512ed4499427bacf45610c4e29dab . The advice that DOJ would drop all charges if OJ announced he was not running is insane. Her comments about Merrick Garland make no sense whatever.
Someone in the OJ camp leaked the warrant before the court released it – and without the redactions: https://www.salon.com/2022/08/12/released-search-warrant-reveals-suspected-of-violating-espionage-act/ . This has endangered the FBI agents involved. It is worth repeating Jamie Raskin’s comment – “[OJ] is a one-man crime wave”. (r, 8/12/22)
OJ lawyer signed a document declaring all classified material had been returned to the government: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/08/13/trumps-lawyer-reportedly-told-doj-after-june-visit-that-all-classified-material-had-been-returned-from-mar-a-lago/?sh=21f7fc067813 . WHAT? How can the author say OJ “and his team were not completely transparent with federal investigators”? Obstruction of justice resides in a different universe than “not completely transparent”. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbi-recovered-eleven-sets-of-classified-documents-in-trump-search-inventory-shows-11660324501 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-search-mar-a-lago-fbi-11660267417 .
OJ’s chaotic White House exit included frantic packing of documents: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-frantically-packed-up-documents-to-take-with-him-in-the-last-days-of-his-presidency-after-finally-accepting-he-was-leaving-the-white-house-report-says/ar-AA10Dfl5?cvid=883d91f1f7f04a2384d3caf93c4e3d29 . Here’s another desperate attempt to create a defense for OJ: abject incompetence and complete disregard of legal responsibilities. That defense is completely true, but it’s not a defense to the later obstruction of justice (see prior paragraph).
Extremist chatter online after FBI Mar-a-Lago search: https://news.yahoo.com/extremism-experts-warn-of-jan-6-similarities-in-fbi-mar-a-lago-raid-rhetoric-165819702.html . Obviously, Orange Julius is an irresponsible and incompetent liar. However, the real danger is the GOP echo chamber in the House. Everyone needs to call out these power-hungry insurrectionists like Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan. I’ll start … just did …
More problems with GOP rhetoric: https://thehill.com/policy/finance/3597704-gop-under-fire-for-rhetoric-over-irs/ . Grassley is the second-oldest senator, just behind Dianne Feinstein. I have previously questioned Grassley’s competence. Both of these senators should retire.
Meanwhile, the armed conservatives continue to burnish their reputations: https://news.yahoo.com/rep-lauren-boeberts-neighbors-called-153353469.html . While these fruitcakes should be exposed, Boebert’s husband has already beat me to that.
WSJ: More on the Alex Murdaugh mess: https://www.wsj.com/articles/alex-murdaugh-murders-south-carolina-parker-lawsuit-11660167263 . Mr. Parker’s argument has an obvious flaw. He may not like the imposition of 100% of the liability in a case where his company does not bear all of the responsibility, but that is the law in South Carolina. He is risking his company on an argument the court cannot recognize. This is why all the other defendants settled.
Salman Rushdie improving after attack: https://apnews.com/article/salman-rushdie-on-ventilator-after-new-york-stabbing-5ea54212d71b95569ed85df7b0fb5fea . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/accused-salman-rushdie-attacker-charged-with-attempted-murder-assault-11660411604 .