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DOJ Still Trying to Block Release of Memo About Trump and Obstruction

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DOJ Still Trying to Block Release of Memo About Trump and Obstruction

Kim Wehle on the Barr Memo and what might happen.

Jim Swift
May 26, 2021
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DOJ Still Trying to Block Release of Memo About Trump and Obstruction

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Leading The Bulwark…

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DOJ Still Trying to Block Release of Memo About Trump and Obstruction

KIMBERLY WEHLE: The memo was aimed at “getting a jump on public relations,” judge says.

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🎧 On the Pods… 🎧

James Wigderson on WTF Happened to Wisconsin

On today’s Bulwark podcast, James Wigderson of Right Wisconsin joins Charlie Sykes to dissect the breakdown of Wisconsin Republican politics.

For Bulwark+ Members… 🔐

MORNING SHOTS: The Same Old Playbook 🔓

CHARLIE SYKES: The GOP goes through the motions.

THE TRIAD: A Tale of Three Hostage Videos 🔓

JVL: This is why democracy is in decline and the dictators are winning.

THE NEXT LEVEL: Democracy Fight Club 🔐

How are we going to save democracy when Americans aren’t even sure they like democracy?

From The Bulwark Aggregator…

  • Ron DeSantis Wants to Be the New Conductor of the GOP Crazy Train – Molly Jong-Fast, The Daily Beast

  • Video Withheld For 2 Years Shows A Black Man’s Fatal Arrest As He Pleads For His Life – The Associated Press

  • Democrats should follow Biden’s lead on Israel – Josh Kraushaar, National Journal

  • A 135-Year-Old Maritime Law Is Stopping Cruise Ships From Returning to Alaska – Scott Shackford, Reason

  • Trump Acolytes Craft Parallel GOP Universe So Trumpism Lives On – Bill Allison, Bloomberg Businessweek

In Today’s Bulwark...

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Who Has The Power?

AMANDA CARPENTER: Ain’t nobody gonna tell Marjorie Taylor Greene Nothin’

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The Republican Party’s Partisanship Projection Problem

PAUL ROSENZWEIG: Rep. Liz Cheney, Susan Hennessey, and Natasha Bertrand have all had their integrity questioned because of their commitment to the truth.

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George Floyd’s Family Calls for Action on Bill Bearing His Name

BRIAN KAREM: After meeting with the president on the anniversary of Floyd’s death.

🚨OVERTIME 🚨

Stormy Wednesday… The D.C. area is under severe thunderstorm watch, so I am glad I finally got the opportunity to make the chimichurri steak (it was excellent). But up where I used to live, it’s expected to get pretty dicey:

Twitter avatar for @PatHedger18
Patrick Hedger @PatHedger18
Geez, inflation is even hitting the precipitation
Image
9:00 PM ∙ May 26, 2021

You know this guy is going to eventually run for even higher office, right?

Twitter avatar for @JimSwiftDC
Jim Swift @JimSwiftDC
"Regardless of what your situation is, Mark can offer you a candid evaluation, including what your next best steps may be." [Please be aware that a kick to the testicles does not constitute legal advice or form an attorney-client relationship.] samsellaw.com
Twitter avatar for @JimSwiftDC
Jim Swift @JimSwiftDC
Kansas Republican charged with battery allegedly kicked high school student in the crotch https://t.co/a6enKKdesA
1:38 AM ∙ May 26, 2021
11Likes4Retweets

Read the story. It’s insane.

Been a while since I’ve thought about “Snarlin’ Arlen” Specter… Whose office was one of two other Republican offices on the 7th floor of the Hart SOB when I worked there.

Twitter avatar for @SportsCenter
SportsCenter @SportsCenter
An ESPN investigation found that U.S. Senator Arlen Specter was offered campaign cash to stop his probe of the Patriots' Spygate scandal in 2008. According to Specter's son, the man offering was Donald Trump, who was acting on behalf of Robert Kraft:
es.pnSenator’s son: Trump tried to stop Spygate probeOne of the enduring mysteries of Spygate is the identity of the person who reached out to Sen. Arlen Specter to coax him into dropping his Senate probe. Now the late Specter’s son and ghostwriter have come forward with a name: Donald J. Trump.
2:30 PM ∙ May 26, 2021
4,573Likes1,520Retweets

The details in this story are quite interesting, and why we’re only finding out about it now is quite another.

RIP Senator John Warner. If you’ve ever tuned into one of our TNB livestreams and seen a brief appearance from me, odds are you didn’t parse my potpourri office wall behind me.

When I worked in the Senate, I always looked up to Senator Warner, who, as a Virginia resident, represented me. He was a gentleman and a legislator. When he retired, one of his staff put in the hallway (for trash) this old campaign poster from 1984, perfectly framed and in mint condition. So, I took it home. That was 12 years ago. Not very long, but it feels like ancient history, as we’ve seen how the party has changed since then.

But, like many of us at The Bulwark and in our orbit, Warner spoke up and said the truth about the direction the party was headed. Some of the other politicians on my office wall have disappointed me at some point: John Warner never did. And that’s why he has a place of honor on the wall.

I think Rep. Spanberger had a worthwhile remembrance that’s worth a read.

A few years after he retired, I was taking the D.C. Metro back to where I lived in Alexandria, and sure enough, there was John Warner riding the rails. I saw him a few more times and always got a kick out of it. If you don’t know much about the man, read up.

Shut up and take my money, Peacock… One of my favorite Dan Brown novels was The Lost Symbol and for obvious reasons, and if this trailer is any indication, hokey as the filming appears to look, they have done their due diligence on what the U.S. Capitol complex is like in semi-granular detail. (You cannot film commercial movies on Capitol grounds.)

A note on the weirdness of ads… If you read JVL’s newsletter earlier, an addition on data and ads. This past weekend when I was visiting my friend in southern Maryland, I was wearing a “Royal Purple” t-shirt I got for free. Royal Purple is a motor oil company. After my phone backed up the weekend’s photos to the cloud, later that day, ads started populating on my browser for Royal Purple and I just assumed that was why, but it was still creepy! I get why most of my browser ads are for grills or other devices I hope my wife will let me buy, but I never ever would buy or research motor oil. That’s why I pay the fine professionals at Jiffy Lube.

Will GOP Senators listen to Mrs. Sicknick on the 1/6 Commission?

Twitter avatar for @cgrisales
Claudia Grisales @cgrisales
Confirming this @politico story, just spoke to Gladys Sicknick briefly and she said the meetings are not set yet, but she's looking to meet with members. When asked why she's pushing for the commission, she said, "Because my son is dead, and I want to know why."
Twitter avatar for @MZanona
Melanie Zanona @MZanona
SCOOP: The mother of fallen Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick is requesting meetings with every single GOP senator to push them to support a proposed Jan. 6 commission. the latest >> https://t.co/hVhXPKfdxi
4:11 PM ∙ May 26, 2021
1,986Likes497Retweets

Because earlier today, Sen. John Cornyn was whining about how the confirmation hearings were set up by Democrats (obstruction has consequences, Senator!).

Twitter avatar for @StephenGutowski
Stephen Gutowski @StephenGutowski
Cornyn complains about the 5-minute allotment for questioning the 5 nominees in this hearing. He calls it a "drive-by hearing."
3:31 PM ∙ May 26, 2021
80Likes7Retweets

I’ll be looking to see who is too busy on the GOP side of the aisle to meet with the mother of a hero who died defending their place of work, because I’m not seeing a lot of constructive legislating from them.

Oh, is that a tear I spot in your mugshot? Good. Enjoy the consequences.

Twitter avatar for @fawfulfan
Matthew Chapman @fawfulfan
Tennessee anti-vaxxer arrested after deliberately plowing car through vaccination site
rawstory.comTennessee anti-vaxxer arrested after deliberately plowing car through vaccination siteOn Wednesday, WSMV reported that a woman in eastern Tennessee was arrested after she drove recklessly through a drive-in COVID-19 vaccination site to protest the administration of the vaccine — nearly hitting several health workers in the process.“Deputies arrested Virginia C. Brown, 36, of Greenbac…
9:48 PM ∙ May 26, 2021
238Likes163Retweets

That’s it for me for today. We’ll see you back here tomorrow. Tech support questions? Email support@substack.com. Questions for me? Drop me a line: swift@thebulwark.com

—30—

Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.

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