The Full Belmonte, 4/30/2022
“Russia foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Chinese state news agency Xinhua that Moscow has evacuated over 1 million people from Ukraine since the war there began. Lavrov offered no evidence to support his claim in the interview. The comments Saturday come on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address to the nation Friday, accusing Russia of trying to destroy the Donbas region and all who live there saying, ‘Russia wants to empty this territory of all people.’ On the military front, the British Defense Ministry said in a tweet Saturday as part of a daily report it provides on Russia's war on Kyiv that it believes Russian forces in Ukraine are likely suffering from ‘weakened morale’ and adds that Russia still faces ‘considerable challenges’ in fighting. Also, a senior U.S. defense official told the Associated Press Friday the Russian offensive is going much slower than planned in part because of the strength of the Ukrainian resistance.” Read more at USA Today
“Rescuers searched for survivors at an apartment building struck by a Russian missile while the U.N. head was visiting Kyiv. One victim killed in the attack was identified as Vira Hyrych, a journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty who lived there. Meanwhile, U.S. volunteers are giving Ukrainian forces a crash course on Javelin missiles, and Poland sent at least 240 Soviet-style tanks to Ukraine.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“NEW YORK — A six-month grand jury that was convened late last year to hear evidence against Donald Trump was set to expire this week, closing a chapter in a lengthy criminal investigation that appears to be fizzling out without charges against the former president, people familiar with matter said.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), who took office in January, inherited a probe launched by his predecessor, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., who was convinced that there was a case against Trump for crimes related to manipulating the value of property assets to secure tax advantages or better loan rates.
The grand jury was convened in November with a mandate to hear evidence against the former president. But the decision on whether to finish the presentation and ask the panel to vote on charges would ultimately fall on Bragg, who decided to pause the process, according to people with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that has not been declared publicly.
A key problem, some of those people said, was Bragg’s concern over whether former Trump fixer Michael Cohen should be used as a witness.
Investigations into Donald Trump: What to know
Bragg has said he will announce when the investigation is over, noting that even after the special grand jury disbanded, other grand juries hearing a broad range of criminal cases in New York would be available to take action in this one if needed.
Still, the expiration of the grand jury — and the departure in February of two senior prosecutors who said Bragg was stalling the inquiry — makes any potential indictment of Trump seem unlikely, legal observers have said. By the time Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne quit, the grand jury had been inactive for weeks, with jurors being told to stay home, a person with knowledge of the issue previously said.
Lawyers in the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), who is a partner in the probe, are skeptical that any criminal case will be brought, people familiar with the situation said. They also spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. A spokeswoman for James said the investigation continues.
James is separately running a civil investigation of Trump’s business practices, and a lawyer from her office signaled Monday that a lawsuit could be filed in that case soon. A judge is holding Trump in contempt of court and fining him $10,000 a day for failing to provide records James is seeking or to properly document the nature of his search for those records.
Trump’s lawyers are appealing both that order and a ruling by New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron requiring Trump and two of his adult children to be deposed by the attorney general’s team.
On Friday, Engoron rejected a bid by Trump to purge the contempt ruling after he and his attorneys submitted affidavits. The affidavits ‘fail to specify’ who conducted searches for the requested documents, or where and when searches took place, the judge said. He called Trump’s two-paragraph sworn statement ‘completely devoid of any useful detail.’
Trump has long maintained that there was no illegal conduct — criminal or civil — related to the Trump Organization’s asset valuations. His legal team has accused James of a political vendetta.” Read more at Washington Post
“The FBI performed potentially millions of searches of American electronic data last year without a warrant.
An annual Office of the Director of National Intelligence report disclosed that the FBI conducted as many as 3.4 million searches of U.S. data that had been previously collected by the National Security Agency. Senior Biden administration officials said the actual number of searches is likely far lower, citing complexities in counting and sorting foreign data from U.S. data. The report doesn’t allege the FBI was routinely searching American data improperly or illegally. Still, the revelation likely will stoke longstanding concerns in Congress about government surveillance and privacy. The disclosure of the searches marks the first time a U.S. intelligence agency has published an accounting of the FBI’s grabs of American data through a program that is set to expire next year, setting up a potentially bruising battle over its renewal.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Governments are holding on to food supplies because of Russia’s invasion, amid price increases and shortages.” Read more at New York Times
“April was Wall Street’s worst month since March 2020. Investors appear to be concluding that the economy is about to take a hit.” Read more at New York Times
“Worker pay and benefits grew at a record pace in the first quarter. Business and government employers spent 4.5% more on worker costs compared with the same period a year earlier, without adjusting for seasonality, the Labor Department said. That marked the fastest increase in records dating to 2001, and the gain eclipsed 4.0% annual growth in the fourth quarter. A tight labor market put more money in workers’ pockets while also keeping pressure on inflation.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“An outbreak of severe storms swept through the eastern half of Kansas and Nebraska Friday, unleashing tornadoes, destructive wind gusts and massive hail in both states.
A major tornado developed just before sunset in the eastern Wichita suburbs before entering the city of Andover, where it caused substantial damage. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but many homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) declared a state of emergency in the storm’s aftermath.” Read more at Washington Post
“WASHINGTON — Besieged by multiplying scandals and salacious accusations, Representative Madison Cawthorn, Republican of North Carolina, is under mounting pressure from both parties to end his short career in Congress.
In rapid succession, Mr. Cawthorn, who entered Congress as a rising star of the party’s far right, has been accused of falsely suggesting that his Republican colleagues routinely throw cocaine-fueled orgies, insider trading and an inappropriate relationship with a male aide. This week, he was detained at an airport, where police said he tried to bring a loaded handgun onto an airplane, the second time he has attempted that.
That came just days after pictures surfaced of him wearing women’s lingerie as part of a cruise ship game, imagery that might not go over well in the conservative stretches of his Western North Carolina district. And last month he was charged with driving with a revoked license for the second time since 2017.
The deluge of revelations and charges have left him on an island even within his own party. A political group supporting Senator Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, has been pouring money into an ad campaign accusing Mr. Cawthorn of being a fame-seeking liar. The group is supporting the campaign of a more mainstream Republican, State Senator Chuck Edwards, who is running against Mr. Cawthorn. And the far-right, anti-establishment wing of the party now views the first-term congressman with similar skepticism, as someone who is falsely selling himself as a gatekeeper in his state to former President Donald J. Trump.” Read more at New York Times
“Walt Disney Co. said Geoff Morrell, its head of corporate affairs and a top lieutenant to Chief Executive Bob Chapek, is leaving the company after less than four months on the job.
His departure comes amid a tumultuous two months for Disney’s government affairs staff caused by a clash with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
As the leader of corporate affairs, Mr. Morrell oversaw corporate communications, global public policy and government relations.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“A former Idaho state representative was convicted Friday of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern after a dinner in March 2021, a case that spurred the Republican lawmaker’s resignation last year and the censure of another lawmaker who had doxxed the victim.
A jury at the 4th District Court in Boise, Idaho, found Aaron von Ehlinger, 39, guilty of rape, but not guilty of a second charge: forcible penetration by use of a foreign object. District Judge Michael Reardon set sentencing for July 28.
The conviction came exactly a year after Mr. von Ehlinger resigned, on April 29, 2021, amid a criminal investigation and an ethics committee’s recommendation that he be suspended.
On Wednesday, Jane Doe, as the woman was identified in court documents, testified briefly before becoming upset while describing the encounter and leaving the stand, according to The Idaho Statesman.” Read more at New York Times
“Elon Musk sold about $8.5 billion worth of Tesla stock after agreeing to buy Twitter for $44 billion. The Tesla chief executive reported selling a total of more than 9.6 million shares on Tuesday through Thursday, at prices between around $820 and $1,000 a share, regulatory filings show. That left him with around 163 million shares in the EV maker, or nearly 16% of the company. Musk is Tesla’s largest shareholder and owned around 17% of the company before this week’s sales, according to FactSet.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“President Joe Biden will attend the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday as the black-tie gala makes its return for the first time since 2019. Biden's attendance will mark the return of another tradition of sorts: The sitting president and first lady traditionally have attended the dinner. The last appearance by a sitting president was in 2016, when Barack Obama attended during his final year in office. The soirée is a scholarship dinner hosted by the White House Correspondents' Association and is attended by journalists, celebrities, politicians and other Washington movers and shakers. This year's dinner will be a celebration of the First Amendment and will feature entertainment by Trevor Noah, the host of ‘The Daily Show’ on Comedy Central.” Read more at USA Today
“Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has aggressively sought to stop illegal border crossings. He has little to show for it.” Read more at New York Times
“The tennis great Boris Becker was sentenced to more than two years in prison after he was found guilty of hiding millions of dollars in assets.” Read more at New York Times
“A Minnesota political candidate was in labor while she gave a convention speech. Critics say the proceedings should have been suspended.” Read more at New York Times
Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
“Families nationwide are struggling with an increasingly dire baby formula shortage, Axios' Jacob Knutson writes.
The shortage, exacerbated by pandemic-induced supply chain issues and recent product recalls, has sent the price of formula skyrocketing in certain communities.
Diana Torres, the mother of a 5-month-old, told WVIT, a Connecticut-based NBC affiliate, that finding formula has been a nightmare. A three-pack of Similac baby formula sold for $238 on eBay, plus an additional $20 for shipping, the station found. The same product goes for around $130 at a wholesale store.
Cassidy Rogers told WGRZ in Buffalo: ‘My baby almost went without food for a least a day because I couldn't find it and it was expensive and [I] had almost no money to get it. I struggle sometimes to find it.’
Texas mom Mary Salvador told the Houston Chronicle she's been searching for formula for her 3-month-old on Facebook, where there's a risk that products could be tampered with.
Drugstore chains, including Walgreens and CVS Health, have recently restricted how much formula consumers can purchase at one time, according to CBS News.” Read more at Axios
“In the two months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the silence — and even acquiescence — of the Russian elite has started to fray.
Even as opinion polls report overwhelming public support for the military campaign, amid pervasive state propaganda and new laws outlawing criticism of the war, cracks are starting to show. The dividing lines among factions of the Russian economic elite are becoming more marked, and some of the tycoons — especially those who made their fortunes before President Vladimir Putin came to power — have begun, tentatively, to speak.
For many, the most immediate focus has been their own woes. Sweeping sanctions imposed by the West have brought down a new iron curtain on the Russian economy, freezing tens of billions of dollars of many of the tycoons’ assets along the way.” Read more at Washington Post
“Mass testing and lockdowns are familiar parts of China’s Covid-19 strategy, but vaccinating the elderly isn’t. While about 88% of Chinese residents had received two vaccine doses as of mid-March, among those over 80—those most at risk of severe illness and death from an infection—it was just 51%. When vaccines rolled out, China’s priority was getting them to people of working age to rev the economy. Reluctance among family members and officials to expose the elderly to potential side effects was one factor behind the low vax rate among older people. A lack of a sense of urgency was another.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“The Ottawa Police Service reported that it made seven arrests Friday night in Canada's capital city after facing off against protesters who have gathered for a weekend rally. Big-rig trucks attempted to make their way to Parliament Hill as part of the ‘Rolling Thunder’ rally, organized by Freedom Fighters Canada, a group dedicated to speaking out against COVID-19 mandates. The protesters plan to rally again Saturday, but a statement on the ‘Rolling Thunder’ website attributed to organizer Neil Sheard says the protesters plan to leave Sunday, and they do not support ‘blockades, obstruction of police performing their duties ...’ Many of the protesters were also part of the Freedom Convoy demonstration that gridlocked Ottawa earlier this year. That protest ended after hundreds of police officers moved in to disperse the crowds, making dozens of arrests. The protests extended to the shutting down of the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and the Canadian border which severely hampered U.S.-Canada trade.” Read more at USA Today
“Hong Kong will allow non-residents who are vaccinated and have a negative virus test to fly into the city again starting Sunday. This marks the end of a two-year-old travel ban — one of the world's most stringent — imposed in March 2020. Hong Kong Disneyland and museums reopened last week and restaurants resumed evening dining as new daily case numbers fell. Meanwhile, a paralyzed Shanghai is expected to remain under lockdown as it works to contain China's largest COVID-19 outbreak since 2020. China's financial capital and biggest city with a population of over 25 million, has been under a strict lockdown since March. Liang Wannian, the head of China's COVID-19 expert team, said Friday there have been signs of improvement, but the situation remains serious. Infections hit a near-month low Saturday, but Shanghai's anti-pandemic work was still ‘at a critical stage’ and the government will keep tightening restriction measures at the community level, another official said Saturday.” Read more at USA Today
“Trevor Bauer of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been suspended by Major League Baseball for two seasons, effective immediately, for violating the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy.
The suspension — which will cover 324 games without pay — was announced by Commissioner Rob Manfred on Friday. It came after an investigation by the league into allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman. Bauer, who joined the Dodgers last season as a free agent, was placed on administrative leave, with pay, on July 2. Other assault allegations have been reported by The Washington Post — one of which was first reported on Friday following the announcement of Bauer’s suspension.
Bauer, 31, has been vocal in his own defense throughout the process and has filed multiple lawsuits against various people, including media members. He issued a statement on Friday condemning the decision.” Read more at New York Times
“The first three rounds of the NFL draft are in the books and the event will finish Saturday with Rounds 4-7 (noon ET; ABC, ESPN, NFL Network). For the second consecutive day, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open the proceedings with the first selection and they will have their pick of notable talent still on the board, including Oklahoma defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey and North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell. Moving to the hardwood, the NBA playoffs resume Sunday with two conference semifinal best-of-seven series getting started. In the Eastern Conference, the No. 2 seeded Boston Celtics, fresh off their first-round sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, host the Milwaukee Bucks, who are the defending NBA champions and the No. 3 seed in the East (1 p.m. ET, ABC). Later, in the Western Conference, the No. 2 seeded Memphis Grizzlies, who completed a series victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night, get right back to work at home, taking on the No. 3 seeded Golden State Warriors (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC).” Read more at USA Today