House GOP Get 'Big Win,' Another Dem Senator Hospitalized, Covid Lawsuit Victory, Weaponized DOJ Attacks Trump, Disinfo Czar Seeks Revenge & More!

Becker Brief for 3-3-2023.

IT’S A START

House Republicans’ first big win

President Biden's refusal to veto a resolution blocking changes to D.C.'s criminal code has provided welcome cover to vulnerable Senate Democrats — while handing the House GOP an inaugural legislative win that few were expecting. […]

In spending talks, Republicans remain divided and have yet to produce a budget plan — creating a vacuum that Democrats have exploited to accuse the GOP of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare.

In the absence of progress… Republicans' next best bet — as we previewed yesterday — has been to force Democrats into difficult votes that can be weaponized on the campaign trail.

WEAPONIZED JUSTICE

Trump can be sued for Jan. 6 riot harm, Justice Dept. says

Former President Donald Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Department said Thursday in a federal court case testing Trump’s legal vulnerability for his speech before the riot.

The Justice Department told a Washington federal appeals court in a legal filing that it should allow the lawsuits to move forward, rejecting Trump’s argument that he is immune from the claims

ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS FALLOUT

‘Evacuate Us!’ Fear and Anxiety Boil Over as Residents Confront Train Company on Derailment

As a representative for Norfolk Southern tried to apologize and outline its recovery efforts, residents shouted over him at a meeting in East Palestine, Ohio, demanding that the company “do the right thing.”

“We are sorry,” Mr. Wilson said. “We’re very sorry for what happened. We feel horrible about it.”

“Evacuate us!” one person yelled, over Mr. Wilson’s apologies. “Get my grandchildren out of here!” another man yelled. “If you care about us, get our grandkids out.”

Poison gas, sea salt, and 'space mirrors': United Nations releases emergency planet cooling suggestions

The United Nations published an in-depth document outlining possible "Solar Radiation Modification" programs, otherwise describing a series of methods to cool the earth's temperature in emergency situations. More than one of these methods has been backed by Bill Gates.

The document, titled "One Atmosphere: An Independent Expert Review on Solar Radiation Modification Research and Deployment," contains a lengthy disclaimer admitting that there is "little information on the risks of SRM" and that there needs to be "robust, equitable and rigorous trans-disciplinary scientific review process to reduce uncertainties."

COVID LAWSUIT VICTORY

First responders win major COVID-linked free speech lawsuit against New York City

FDNY paramedics, EMTs were suspended without pay for talking to press about pandemic outbreak

First responders employed by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), together with their union, won a major legal victory this week in a settlement with the city over allegations that the emergency personnel were unfairly muzzled, punished and intimidated after talking to the press about their experiences on the front lines of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CAPITOL HILL

Sen. Dianne Feinstein hospitalized with shingles in San Francisco

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Thursday she was hospitalized in San Francisco with shingles after she missed Senate votes this week.

In a statement, Feinstein, 89, said she got the shingles diagnosis while the Senate was in recess late last month.

Mystery swirls as Fetterman co-sponsors legislation while hospitalized for depression: 'Very unusual'

Fetterman's health has been a subject of scrutiny after his stroke on the campaign trail

New York University medical professor Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital that, while we should accept depression as an illness and encourage treatment, he finds it "very unusual" Fetterman is continuing his course of work from the hospital.

“Fetterman” submits legislation?

Pennsylvania Capital-Star @PennCapitalStar

U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pa. have joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce legislation aimed at preventing future freight train derailments like the one last month in East Palestine, Ohio. Story by @SocialKimLy

penncapital-star.comPa.’s Casey, Fetterman join bill aimed at preventing future train derailments - Pennsylvania Capital-StarU.S. Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania joined a bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday introducing new legislation aimed at preventing future freight train derailments like the one last month in East Palestine, Ohio.

WWIII UPDATE

Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded an end to the war in Ukraine during a meeting with his Russian counterpart.

In their first face-to-face meeting since Russia’s invasion last year, Blinken told Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Russia should halt its “war of aggression” against Ukraine and free Paul Whelan, an American detained on what Blinken called “sham espionage charges.”

Blinken also asked that Moscow return to the New START, the nuclear arms control treaty that Russia withdrew from last month. The diplomatic encounter occurred at a meeting of the Group of 20 countries in New Delhi, where leaders failed to produce a joint communiqué because of disagreements over the war.

The Biden administration is also facing disagreements at home about support for Ukraine: Polls show that American public support for arming Ukraine is softening.

CPAC TODAY

10 am: Nikki Haley, Steve Bannon, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene & Others at CPAC
Nikki Haley, Steve Bannon and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene among conservative leaders, activists and GOP lawmakers in Washington, DC speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Watch on C-SPAN, C-SPAN.org & C-SPAN Now.

WHITE HOUSE TODAY

11:30 AM: The President awards the Medal of Honor to Ret. U.S. Army Colonel Paris Davis for his remarkable heroism during the Vietnam War by 7:00 am

2:00 PM The President holds a bilateral meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany

3:45 PM The President departs the White House en route to New Castle, Delaware

CRIME

Jury quickly finds Murdaugh guilty of murdering wife, son

South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder Thursday in the shooting deaths of his wife and son in a case that chronicled the unraveling of a powerful Southern family with tales of privilege, greed and addiction.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder at the end of a six-week trial that pulled back the curtain on the once-prominent lawyer’s fall from grace.

Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison without parole for each murder charge when court is scheduled to reconvene for sentencing at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

WOKE POLITICS

Tennessee becomes first state in 2023 to restrict drag performances

Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law Thursday afternoon that will restrict public drag show performances in Tennessee, making his state the first to do so this year.

The state Senate passed the bill earlier Thursday along party lines to limit “adult cabaret performances” on public property so as to shield them from the view of children, threatening violators with a misdemeanor and repeat offenders with a felony.

The bill, which the Tennessee House passed last week, defines an adult cabaret performance as a performance “that features topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers.”

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Andy Ngô 🏳️‍🌈 @MrAndyNgo

Update: The City of Springfield, Ohio has released surveillance footage of the elementary school incident from Feb. 10 where white students were held hostage & assaulted on the playground by black students who wanted to force them to pledge allegiance to #BLM.

A NEW KIND OF BORDER CRISIS

Canadians Fume as Migrants Surge at Their Border

A surge in illegal crossings from the United States has led to calls to shut down a rural road on the Canadian border.

BATTLE AGAINST BIG TECH

Journalists behind ‘Twitter Files’ to testify before House weaponization panel next week

The House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will hear next week from two journalists behind Twitter owner Elon Musk’s release of internal documents, in a hearing focused on FBI misconduct that was revealed through the so-called Twitter Files.

Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger, independent journalists who were given access to Mr. Musk’s vault, will testify before the panel for its second hearing, scheduled for March 9.

‘ADVOCATE FOR FREE EXPRESSION’ LAUNCHES LEGAL CAMPAIGN TO SILENCE CRITICS

Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 @JackPosobiec

BREAKING: Nina Jankowicz is asking for donations for a lawsuit one year after I got her removed from the Dept of Homeland Security

DISINFORMATION FLASHBACK

@amuse @amuse

None of these people have apologized for spreading Russian disinformation bought and paid for by the DNC and Hillary Clinton.