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Wednesday’s Mini-Report, 5.17.23

Today’s edition of quick hits.

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Today’s edition of quick hits.

* Let’s hope he’s right: “An optimistic President Joe Biden declared Wednesday he is confident the U.S. will avoid an unprecedented and potentially catastrophic debt default, saying talks with congressional Republicans have been productive. ... ‘I’m confident that we’ll get the agreement on the budget and America will not default,’ Biden said from the Roosevelt Room of the White House.”

* The consequence of a gerrymandered GOP supermajority: “North Carolina’s Legislature voted Tuesday to override the governor’s veto of a 12-week abortion ban, allowing it to become law in a new show of power for the Republican Party in the state. The GOP’s supermajority voted to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a bill that includes exceptions for rape or incest and a ‘life-limiting anomaly’ in the fetus.”

* Given the Trump-appointed judges hearing the case, the outcome is not in doubt: “A federal appeals court on Wednesday seemed prepared to limit access to a key abortion medication first approved more than two decades ago, expressing deep skepticism that the government followed the proper process when it loosened regulations to make the pill more readily available.”

* An American death in Ukraine: “A retired U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who worked alongside the Ukrainians and died in an artillery barrage in Bakhmut earlier this week told NBC News in a February interview that he felt ‘compelled to come help.’”

* Litigation worth watching: “Writers’ group PEN America and publisher Penguin Random House sued a Florida school district Wednesday over its removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities, the latest opposition to a policy central to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ agenda as he prepares to run for president. The federal lawsuit alleges the Escambia County School District and its School Board are violating the First Amendment through the removal of 10 books from library shelves.”

* The appropriate emotional response: “Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is ‘livid’ over the apparent security lapse that allowed an intruder to enter the home of national security adviser Jake Sullivan undetected last month, according to two sources familiar with the matter.”

* Hold on, you mean large, mature democracies can prosecute former presidents without incident? “France’s former conservative president, Nicolas Sarkozy, lost his appeal of a conviction for corruption and influence peddling Wednesday, meaning that — pending a final appeal — he will soon be sporting an ankle monitor.”

* An unfortunate end: “The U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, Rachael S. Rollins, announced on Tuesday that she planned to resign, a day before a Justice Department watchdog was expected to release results of an inquiry into her conduct in office, including an appearance at a Democratic fund-raiser.”

* And Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, back on Capitol Hill following a lengthy absence, chatted briefly with some reporters yesterday. It did not go well.

See you tomorrow.