01/17/23

Good morning! It’s Tuesday, January 17th. Benjamin Franklin Day!

Benny Franks Day!

Here’s something I learned today. When he was 16, Ben Franklin submitted essays and commentary to the weekly newspaper his brother founded, called The England Courant, under the fake name Silence Dogood. Dogood was a fictitious widow who wrote about everything from fashion to lady’s rights.

Why? Because he was turned down multiple times when he submitted writing under his own name.

And now, the news.

Deadly Shooting in California

-via PBS

We start with a pretty horrific story out of central California, where six people, including a 17-year-old mother and her 6-month-old baby were killed in a shooting at their home.

The original call to police came in at 3:30am and, because of the number of rounds shot, it was originally reported as an active shooter.

This is breaking news and police are looking for two suspects now. Here’s hoping that, by the time you hear this, they will have been caught. Police believe this was a targeted attack with gang connections. Last week police carried out a narcotics related search warrant at the house.

Biden’s Confidential Paper Problem

­-via CNN

And then, of course, to the White House where Biden’s confidential paper hoarding is turning into a real headache. Because, as I mentioned last week, some of the papers that were found, were found in his personal home in Wilmington, North Carolina.

No, I’m sorry. Wilmington Delaware. Wilmington North Carolina is where Future President Brooke Davis lives. I always get confused.

Anyway, just like every other president in history, Biden’s Delaware home is private. So there are no logs. Which is a bummer for House Republicans, who want every single piece of information related to what these documents are and how they made it to his house.

And like… fine. This should be investigated. But when you don’t ask these same questions about Trump and the HUNDREDS of papers who took home, stored in different places, and lied about returning… it’s just frustrating. And makes the Big Mad Republicans look like little snowflake babies.

But whatever. I’m not saying don’t investigate this, I’m saying… these two things are not the same.

Anyway, also over the weekend the White House announced it found five more pages of classified documents. Bringing the total number of documents up to 20.

Also over the weekend… former America’s Mayor Rudy Guiliani was on his Sunday radio show called "Uncovering the Truth with Rudy Giuliani & Dr. Maria Ryan" and recounted the time Trump once told him, told Rudy Guiliani, to take top secret documents home. He was vetting some folks, including going over tax documents, and Trump told him to take them home.

Not sure why didn’t isn’t being covered more broadly but that is something that Giuliani says happened. He also says he never knowingly did it OR caught it. So… not sure is that means he thinks not getting caught is the same thing as not doing it. But still…

Yes, I am Also Tired of Talking About George Santos

-via Washington Post

Listen, I’m tired of talking about George Santos also. But, unfortunately, here we are…

Over the weekend we learned that International Embarrassment George Santos has ties to a Russian Oligarch. Including a max donation of $5,800 to his campaign, tens of thousands to different committees he’s linked to, and an SEC filing that suggests he may have had a business connection with this man, Andrew Intrater, the former Trump confidant and cousin of a sanctioned oligarch.

Not great!

Especially because Santos worked for a group called Harbor City. Which was accused of running a Ponzi scheme. And who put money into Harbor City? Intrater! He did it through a company called Columbus Nova, as well as on his own company, based out of Mississippi. That Mississippi company deposited $625,000 into Harbor City.

It’s a mess, but I mention the nitty gritty because I’m not talking about a few hundred dollars here and there. I’m saying, per this reporting from the Washington Post, Intrater poured a lot of money into Santos. Politically and professionally.

And while he is a US Citizen, that company, Columbus Nova, has a lot of financial ties to his oligarch cousin, as recently as 2018. Close enough that, even though neither he nor his cousin were actually accused of any wrongdoing, the interactions that the two cousins had with Michael Cohen were a part of the Mueller investigation.

So… just something to put on your radar, as far as how George-y Santos is fitting in in Congress. So far, sounds like… well sounds like he’s fitting in just fine with a few Republicans.

Update on Ukraine

-via NY Times

At least 40 people are dead in Ukraine, after Russian forces attacked a nine-story apartment building in Dniprow.

It is one of the deadliest attacks in Ukraine since Russia invaded last year.

As of this recording, at least 75 people are wounded and 34 remain unaccounted for.

The attack renewed calls for Moscow to be charged with war crimes.

In an address to Ukrainian citizens, President Zilenzky said it would also be critical to punish people who push forward the Russian propaganda machine. He then switched to Russian and added, “Your cowardly silence, your attempt to ‘wait out’ what is happening, will only end with those same terrorists coming after you one day.”

Dr. Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis

-via AP News

Surgeons have removed two cancerous lesions from First Lady Dr. Biden’s eye and chest, leaving a third until after examination.

The lesions were confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. It is also the most curable.

Three hopes here:

First and foremost, that she stays home and complication-free, as is usually the case with this type of skin cancer.

Second, that this reminds people who don’t regularly see a dermatologist for checks to do see. Do all your cancer checks. Do em often. And you know what? Make em free!

Which brings me to my third hope, which is that Dr. Biden can help lead the charge in making things like free early detection and radical, unapologetic research in the field. Because we can cure cancer… we just need to actually do it. And that starts with companies making more money from curing cancer than treating it.

And that’s it. That’s the news.

I’m proud of Benjamin Franklin, for figuring out what no enough men have yet… if at first you don’t succeed… it’s probably because a woman would do a better job.

But more than that… more than Tootsie-ing yourself instead of just actually hiring a woman that’s more qualified for the job… I’m proud of you.