The Political Thread

[Chris]

Pope used offensive slur for gay men during discussion with bishops

The Vatican apologized Tuesday “to those who were offended” after the pontiff used the derogatory term during a closed-door discussion with Italian bishops last week, two sources who were in the room told NBC News.

www.nbcnews.com

Pope Francis used an offensive slur for gay men in a closed-door discussion with Italian bishops last week, two sources who were in the room told NBC News.

The pontiff's use of the derogatory term, first reported by Italian media, led the Vatican to apologize Tuesday “to those who were offended.”

 

[Chris]

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-hush-money-trial-05-28-24/index.html

• The court is taking a lunch break. The prosecution will deliver its closing argument in Donald Trump’s New York criminal hush money trial when the court returns.
• During its closing argument, the defense hammered on the testimony of Trump’s ex-attorney Michael Cohen, calling him “an MVP of liars.” They maintained Trump is innocent and alleged he was not involved in the payment at the center of the case.
• Prosecutors accuse Trump of taking part in an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, which included concealing a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Read up on what has happened in the trial so far here.
• Trump, who is in court for the closing arguments, has pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony counts for falsifying business records and denied the affair with Daniels.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Minnesota Legislature approves bill prohibiting book bans in public schools, libraries

Backers say the bill, which the governor is expected to sign, would curb politicized campaigns against titles that focus on LGBTQ and multiracial experiences.

www.startribune.com

Oh yeah this was a thing that also passed into law now. Basically makes it so that people who wanna ban books have to present a state lawsuit alleging that the particular medium violates First Amendment rights...

In other words, far-right conservatives can't just ban LGBTQ books willy nilly because it hurts their poow wittle feewings.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Minnesota Bans Gay And Trans Panic Defense

Governor Tim Walz signed a ban on the gay and trans panic defense into law on Friday. The state becomes the 19th to do so.

www.erininthemorning.com

Minnesota keeps on winning.

 

[Chris]

U.S. aid deliveries to Gaza by sea suspended after damage to temporary pier

The massive floating dock, known in military parlance as a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability, was designed to get more aid into Gaza and help fend off famine, which the U.N. says has broken out in the besieged Strip's north.

www.nbcnews.com

The United States military has been forced to suspend aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip by sea after its temporary pier system off Gaza's coast suffered damage in bad weather, a United Nations official, a U.S. official and an Israeli official told NBC News.

The damage was to a causeway that is attached to the beach in Gaza, the officials said. Aid is shuttled onto the causeway by small boats after being initially unloaded on the massive floating dock. The U.N. official said it could take a week to repair.

 

[Chris]

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan narrowly fended off a challenge Tuesday from a conservative activist who was backed by former President Donald Trump and state Attorney General Ken Paxton following a bitter GOP primary.

With more than 95% of the vote in, Phelan was leading David Covey by just 875 votes, 50.7% to 49.3%, in the runoff primary election, according to The Associated Press. Covey took 46% of the vote in the initial March primary compared to 43% for Phelan, but since neither cleared 50% they advanced to a runoff.

Texas House speaker who oversaw state AG Ken Paxton’s impeachment fends off Trump-backed GOP challenger

Dade Phelan, the powerful Republican state legislative leader, narrowly won a primary runoff against conservative activist David Covey, The Associated Press projected.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Chris]

Middle East Crisis: Israel Used U.S.-Made Bombs in Strike That Killed Dozens Near Rafah

The munitions used in an attack on a camp for displaced people were identified by weapons experts and a Times visual analysis.

www.nytimes.com

Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said Wednesday that he expected Israel’s military operations in Gaza to continue through at least the end of the year, appearing to dismiss the idea that the war could come to an end after the military offensive against Hamas in Rafah.

“We expect another seven months of combat in order to shore up our achievement and realize what we define as the destruction of Hamas and Islamic Jihad’s military and governing capabilities,” Mr. Hanegbi said in a radio interview with Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster.

 

[Chris]

Live updates: Jury deliberation begins in Trump hush money trial

The 12-person jury in Donald Trump's historic criminal hush money trial has begun deliberations today in the New York courthouse. Follow here for the latest live news updates, analysis and more.

www.cnn.com

• The jury in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial has been dismissed for the day after deliberating for more than four hours. The panel of 12 New Yorkers will resume deliberations at 9:30 a.m. ET tomorrow.
• The jurors sent two notes today: one requesting to re-hear the judge’s jury instructions and one asking to be read back some testimony from witnesses Michael Cohen and David Pecker.
• The jury will determine whether Trump is guilty of 34 felony charges of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to an adult film star before the 2016 presidential election. Here’s a recap of what happened in the trial.
• Trump, who also faces three other criminal cases while running again for president, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A felony conviction of a former president and presumptive GOP nominee would be unprecedented.

 

[Chris]

Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement holds breath on mass trial with an almost certain outcome

The defendants, who could be sentenced to life in prison, are among 47 politicians, academics and other pro-democracy figures who were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion.

www.nbcnews.com

Hong Kong court on Thursday found 14 of 16 pro-democracy activists guilty of conspiring to subvert the state in the Chinese territory’s single largest case under a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing.

Two of the defendants, Lau Wai-chung and Lee Yue-shun, were found not guilty.

The defendants, who could be sentenced to life in prison, are among 47 politicians, academics and other pro-democracy figures who were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion over their involvement in an unofficial primary election. The judgment is being issued by Hong Kong’s High Court over two days on Thursday and Friday.

 

[Chris]

The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled the National Rifle Association can move forward with a lawsuit against the former head of the New York State Department of Financial Services who pushed banks and insurance companies to sever ties with the gun rights group. CBS News legal contributor Jessica Levinson and CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford have more on the decision, plus analysis of the ongoing jury deliberations in Donald Trump's criminal case.

 

[Chris]

 

[Rosie]

Now as your neighbour.

Please.

I know Biden isn't perfect. I have criticisms of him. But please

Don't elect the mean orange man.

Thanks.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Holy shit they did it.

 

[Samoa Looch]

Well, good.

 

[Jimmy King]