Trump loses in Georgia court:Â Georgia’s Supreme Court issued a five-page decision late yesterday rejecting arguments made by lawyers for Donald Trump. The court refused to order Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to stop her investigation into Trump’s attempts to pressure state officials into reversing the election results in Georgia. A Georgia grand jury has issued a report on what happened and another grand jury has been convened that could indict Trump and others involved in the alleged scheme. Willis has indicated that indictments could be returned by the middle of August.
Republicans seizing private medical records: Nineteen Republican state attorneys general say they will seize the private medical records of residents of their states to determine whether people have had medical procedures of which Republican legislatures disapprove. The attorneys general have written to President Biden to inform him that they’re going to do what they want despite federal regulations protecting privacy and that they intend to seize medical records from other states to which residents have traveled for medical procedures.
Plan to give Trump dictatorial power:Â The New York Times reports that the conservative Heritage Foundation has helped develop a plan that Republicans intend to use in 2025 to end the independence of federal agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department. Dictatorial power would be concentrated in the hands of Donald Trump if he’s returned to the White House or any other Republican who might be elected president. The Republican plan described by the Times parallels the concept that Adolf Hitler used to control Germany’s government. The plan also would give the president the power to change certain Congressional decisions.
Show of force against Iran:Â The Pentagon is sending the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to patrol the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz in the wake of Iran attempting to seize oil tankers. The U.S. also is sending more fighter jets to the area. Iran tried to seize two tankers earlier this month and shot at one of them. The Iranians backed off when U.S. warships moved in.
RFK Jr. blasted:Â White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has joined the chorus of voices blasting Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for his anti-Semitic attack claiming that the Covid-19 virus was engineered so that it would not affect Jewish and Chinese people but would attack Caucasians and blacks. Jean-Pierre said his comments were deeply offensive and dangerous. Kennedy is the 69-year-old son of the late Robert F. Kennedy and has declared his candidacy for the Democratic Presidential Nomination.
Russia seizes businesses:Â Russia has seized the business of French yogurt maker Danone, which has its U.S. headquarters in White Plains, and Danish brewer Carlsberg. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the orders to take over the Danone and Carlsberg businesses in Russia. The moves are seen as efforts to add pressure for easing economic sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of its invasion of Ukraine.
Angelo Mozilo dies: Angelo Mozilo, the Bronx-born butcher’s son who became one of the most prominent and controversial figures in the financial services industry, died Sunday at the age of 84. As the chairman and CEO of Countrywide Financial, Mozilo was an aggressive advocate of subprime mortgage origination. His secret “Friends of Angelo” program also provided very generous mortgage deals to the Washington elite, including former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd.
Singer/actress Jane Birkin passes away: Jane Birkin, a British actress/singer who came to stardom in the mid-1960s, died Sunday at the age of 76. Birkin first came to notice in the film’s “Blowup” (1966) and “Wonderwall” (1968), and she gained greater prominence as a star of the French music scene after joining Serge Gainsbourg in the steamy recording “Je t’aime… moi non plus.” Birkin gained fashion immortality when the French luxury goods maker Hermès created the Birkin bag product line in her honor.
Cover photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
