03/20/24

Good morning! It’s Wednesday, March 20th.

It is both International Day of Happiness and National Ravioli Day and if you don’t think those two things are combined, you’re out of your mind.

And now, the news.

Texas SCOTUS Reversal

-via Washington Post and AP News

Hey, remember yesterday when I was like “the Supreme Court made a good decision today!” and we were all happy?

Well…

I guess just because they listen, and A-Leak-O hates that I gave him such a baller nickname that is fun and accurate, they changed their mind!

Kind of.

What happened is that, on Monday, the Court hit pause for the third time on Texas’ law that allows them law enforcement to arrest anyone who enters the country through Texas illegally and, equally worrisome, stop anyone they believe has entered the country illegally.

When they hit pause, it was an indefinite pause to give the Court a chance to decide what to do about the case, without a looming deadline.

Turns out! They didn’t need the indefinite pause, because they made yet another decision… on Tuesday, they ruled that the Texas las can go into effect while challenges continue on through the court system.

There are a lot of problems here, which is exactly what you don’t want with a law like this.

What you also don’t want?

Confusion! International confusion!

Because hours after this ruling came down, after saying that the law encourages “the separation of families, discrimination and racial profiling that violate the human rights of the migrant community,” Mexico said that they would not accept anyone sent back by the state.

For the record, Mexico is not required to accept deportations of anyone except Mexican citizens.

While the majority did not hand down an opinion, which is common in cases like these (aka emergency appeals), but in a dissent in which she joined Justice Jackson, Justice Sotomayor said this: “The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos.”

Justice Kagan wrote separately, saying immigration, as well as the entry and removal of noncitizens, “are matters long thought the special province of the Federal Government.”

Peter Navarro Reports to Jail

-via NBC News

Peter Navarro, the former Trump advisor who risked it all for a guy who sucked at selling steaks, turned himself into jail on Tuesday, to begin his four-month contempt of Congress sentence after refusing to comply with a House January 6th Committee subpoena.

Earlier this week, he asked the Supreme Court for a last-minute reprieve, which they obviously rejected, and I really only mention because, right before he turned himself in, he held a press conference in front of a Papa John’s and said: “I will walk proudly in there to do my time. I will gather strength from this: Donald John Trump is the nominee.”

Dork!

Also, someone asked if he talked to Trump before his started his sentence, and he said he would claim executive privilege on any possible conversations.

Just say no comment! No one, in that conversation, has executive privilege!

I said it before and I’ll say it again… dork!

Trump Asks for Immunity

-via NY Times

On Tuesday Trump urged the Supreme Court to just like… come on. Be cool. Just let me do what I want!

This is his main submission to the Supreme Court case that is set to hear oral arguments on April 25th. Literally part of the brief, his lawyers argued: “Criminal prosecution presents a mortal threat to the presidency’s independence.”

Which is not true. In fact, what can actually happen is the president can just be the president and as also not do crimes.

The brief also included this: “Is President Biden destroying our southern border and undermining our national security abroad for unlawful electoral purposes?”

And nothing says I feel confident about the choices I’m making better than bringing other people into the conversation, to try and distract from what you’re talking about.

Trump Suing George Stephanopoulos

-via ABC News

And finally, just a fun fact – Trump is suing George Stephanopoulos because, in an interview with House Rep. Nancy Mace, Stephanopoulos noted that Trump had been found liable for rape.

Which is not true. He was found liable for sexual assault.

A legal distinction and also… not good! That’s not better! You’re still a horrible person!

Also the judge in the case did say that Trump “in fact did 'rape' Ms. Carroll as that term commonly is used and understood."

Trump’s complaint alleges that Stephanopoulos "knows that these statements are patently and demonstrably false."

This is such a weird case and proof again that Trump is chaos everywhere he goes and also the worst. Because why on earth would you bring to court an entire case where they’re going to say, over and over again, that you were found liable for sexual assault.

But anyway, just wanted to give you a heads up that this was happening.

That’s it. That’s the news!

I’m proud of happiness! You don’t need to feel it all the time, you don’t need to fake it, but when you can really find it. When you can really be in. That’s nice.

But more than that – more than a happy little piece of ravioli, because you’re a dang delight – I’m proud of you.