The Full Belmonte, 5/27/2022
Photo: Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images
“It was 11:28 a.m. Tuesday when the Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle, AP reports.
Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, the 18-year-old was in the hallways of Robb Elementary School. Soon he entered a fourth-grade classroom. He killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers.
At 12:58 p.m., law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over.
What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of the little town, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcement's response.
‘They say they rushed in,’ said Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. ‘We didn't see that.’
Reality check: After two days of providing often conflicting information, investigators said that a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived, and, contrary to their previous reports, the officer had not confronted Ramos outside the building.” Read more at Axios
“British prosecutors authorized criminal charges against Kevin Spacey for four counts of sexual assault against three men. The actor is in Manhattan, testifying in a civil case accusing him of sexual assault. Keep reading.” Read more at Axios
“Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell directed Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to work with Democratic lawmakers on a ‘bipartisan solution’ to gun violence, he told CNN today. Go deeper.” Read more at Axios
“The National Rifle Association recommitted to holding its annual convention in Houston, beginning Friday, even after a gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Tuesday and killed at least 19 children and two adults . But some scheduled speakers and performers have backed out, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who will stay in Uvalde and address the convention by prerecorded video instead. Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Dan Crenshaw also will no longer attend. ‘American Pie’ singer Don McLean, who said ‘it would be disrespectful’ to go ahead with his act in the aftermath of the shooting, has withdrawn, as have singers Lee Greenwood and T. Graham Brown. Former President Donald Trump and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz both still plan to attend and speak at the event. However, audience members will not be allowed to carry guns as the Secret Service will control the hall during Trump's speech and won't permit firearms, or knives, among other items, according to the NRA.” Read more at USA Today
“The Yankees defeated the Rays, 7-2, but the game itself took a backseat Thursday night in Tampa Bay and on the social media streets. In light of the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, both teams’ Twitter accounts elected to post statistics on gun violence in America rather than tweet out game updates.
It was a remarkable use of each team’s platform. They weren’t alone on this issue, either, as the Miami Heat’s public address announcer urged fans before Wednesday’s game to demand ‘more common-sense gun laws’ from their local governments.” Read more at The Athletic
“Joe Garcia had just placed flowers Thursday morning at the memorial site of his high school sweetheart Irma Garcia — his wife of 24 years and mother of their four children. When he returned, he sat down at a kitchen table surrounded by family and suddenly collapsed, according to his nephew, John Martinez. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Irma Garcia was one of two fourth grade teachers who — along with 19 children — died Tuesday in a hail of gunfire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. ‘The pain doesn't stop,’ Martinez, tweeted, acknowledging the loss of both his aunt and uncle in a close-knit family.” Read more at USA Today
Irma Garcia - The names of shooting victims from the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on memorial crosses in the town square in Uvalde, Texas. Jack Gruber, USA TODAY
“Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, are more than 1,700 miles apart, but gun violence experts say the mass shootings that those cities experienced in the past two weeks have a lot in common.” Read more at NPR
Supporters of sexual-abuse survivors demonstrate in February outside Southern Baptist Convention headquarters in Nashville. Photo: Stephanie Amador/The Tennessean via Reuters
“The Southern Baptist Convention published a list last evening of hundreds of clergy and other church staff who've been ‘credibly accused’ of sexual abuse, Axios' Rebecca Falconer writes.
The release of the 205-page list marks ‘an initial, but important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention,’ said a statement from Rolland Slade, chair of the SBC Executive Committee, and Willie McLaurin, the EC's interim president and CEO.
‘Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us.’
A damning 288-page report, published by the SBC on Sunday, said leaders of the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. stonewalled sexual-abuse survivors for 20 years.” Read more at Axios
“Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. are hovering near the lowest levels since the pandemic hit, but not everyone is equally affected. While a fresh wave of infections is spreading nationwide, fatalities are comparatively remaining in check. The nearly 300 deaths reported daily are again more concentrated among older people, underscoring hazards for the more vulnerable while the overall population appears less at risk on average. Increasing booster rates and access to treatments, in addition to taking certain precautions, can help lower the threat posed by the virus, doctors and public-health experts said.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“A New York appeals court ruled Donald Trump and two of his adult children must testify in the state attorney general’s civil-fraud investigation into their family business. The former president, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. have denied wrongdoing. Lawyers for the Trumps had argued that the office of Letitia James, a Democrat, unfairly targeted them for political reasons and that she could use information gathered through the depositions as evidence for a separate criminal investigation by the Manhattan district attorney. The Trumps ‘have failed to demonstrate that they were treated differently from any similarly situated persons,’ the court said, upholding a trial judge’s ruling. The Trumps can appeal the decision.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“WASHINGTON — Two former F.B.I. agents accused of bungling the bureau’s investigation of Lawrence G. Nassar, the former doctor for U.S.A. Gymnastics who was convicted on state sex abuse and federal child pornography charges, will not be prosecuted, the Justice Department said on Thursday.
The decision ends a review the department initiated in October, months after its inspector general issued a scathing report that sharply criticized the F.B.I.’s handling of the case, which was brought to the bureau’s Indianapolis office in July 2015.
The F.B.I.’s failure to act on the information it received allowed Mr. Nassar to assault additional girls. Hundreds of female patients, including many members of the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics teams, say he abused them under the guise of medical treatment.
The former agents, W. Jay Abbott, who was in charge of the bureau’s Indianapolis field office, and Michael Langeman, who worked in that office, were accused by the Justice Department’s watchdog of making false statements when it reviewed the matter.” Read more at New York Times
“The Biden administration is preparing to approve sending an advanced long-range rocket system to Ukraine, multiple officials say. Senior Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, have pleaded in recent weeks for the US and its allies to provide the Multiple Launch Rocket System. The US-made weapon systems can fire a barrage of rockets hundreds of kilometers -- much farther than any of the systems Ukraine has -- which the Ukrainians argue could be a game-changer in their war against Russia. The administration is leaning toward sending the systems with a larger package of military and security assistance to Ukraine, which could be announced as soon as next week. This comes as Ukrainian officials today reported heavy fighting across several fronts, including in the Luhansk region where a local military chief describes ‘fierce battles’ are currently taking place.” Read more at CNN
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed suggestions that his country should cede territory to Russia in return for peace. He compared the idea, proposed by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, to attempts to appease Nazi Germany, as Russia stepped up its attacks in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia’s economy is tanking—at the same time the ruble is soaring.Why? Normally, currencies follow economies up or down, but Moscow’s efforts to limit selling and force buying have pushed it higher.” Read more at USA Today
“Xi Jinping’s first trip outside mainland China in almost 2½ years is likely to be shorter than expected or canceled if Covid outbreaks flare up again. For months, China’s leader has been expected to travel to Hong Kong to mark the 25th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule. That could turn into a day trip on the July 1 anniversary, instead of the customary multiday affair, according to people familiar with the preparations. Xi’s office has been worried that the risk of coronavirus exposure may be too great; Hong Kong recently had an outbreak of the Omicron variant.” Read more at USA Today
“Monkeypox fears. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, the acting director of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urged countries on Thursday not to follow the example of the COVID-19 pandemic and hoard monkeypox vaccines, as the viral illness, endemic in West Africa and usually mild, spreads outside the African continent.
His comments come on the heels of others from South African health officials, who said there was no need for a mass vaccination campaign.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“MADRID (AP) — With one of Europe’s largest gay pride celebrations right around the corner, Spain’s LGBTQ community is worried that the outbreaks of monkeypox on the continent could lead to an increase in homophobic sentiment based on misunderstandings of the disease.
Spanish health authorities said Friday there were now 98 confirmed cases in the country, the highest number in Europe. The tally includes one woman, the region of Madrid said Friday. The World Health Organization has reported nearly 200 cases of monkeypox in more than 20 countries not usually known to have outbreaks of the unusual disease.
Health authorities have centered their investigations on links between a Gay Pride event in the Canary Islands that drew 80,000 people earlier this month, and cases linked to a Madrid sauna.
But some people, particularly gay and bisexual men, believe there is a touch of homophobic hysteria in the wider public’s reaction to the rare outbreak outside of Africa, where it has long been endemic.” Read more at AP News
“The Americas Summit. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is to decide today whether to attend the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in June, after previously voicing his concern over the exclusion of leaders unfriendly to the United States.
On Thursday, U.S. officials confirmed that it was not inviting representatives from Venezuela or Nicaragua, while still holding the door open for Cuba—despite President Miguel Díaz-Canel already dismissing the summit.
Following lobbying from former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has confirmed his attendance at the June 6-10 summit.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“U.N. China tour wraps. On Saturday, U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet will take questions from the media at the conclusion of her six-day trip to China, which included stops in Xinjiang, home to the majority of the country’s Uyghur population.
Bachelet’s remarks will be watched closely after the United States and other countries criticized the trip as closely stage managed and not allowing for a true account of China’s alleged rights abuses.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Khan’s ultimatum. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has given his successor Shehbaz Sharif six days to announce fresh elections, threatening to lead a march on the capital Islamabad if the demand isn’t met. Khan disbanded a mass protest by his supporters on Thursday, but not before hundreds were detained by police as they clashed with security forces outside parliament.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Snow, severe storms and triple-digit heat are expected across the US this Memorial Day weekend. More than a foot of snow will likely stick to the higher elevations above 8,000 feet in the northern Rockies. Cooler temperatures and wet conditions will impact the entire Northwest from Oregon to North Dakota. Some western coastal areas will receive wet weather first starting Saturday -- and it will slowly crawl east through the beginning of next week. On the other hand, triple-digit heat is expected to descend on Texas and other neighboring states, where temperatures will climb into the 100s, the National Weather Service said. To make matters worse, this region will dry out again and winds will pick up as the weekend goes on, elevating fire weather conditions.” Read more at CNN
“Delta Air Lines announced yesterday it will cut about 100 flights a day from its summer schedule to ‘minimize disruptions and bounce back faster when challenges occur.’ The company's decision to scale back will primarily affect markets in the US and Latin America between July 1 and August 7, Delta said in a statement. Delta, however, isn't the first airline to trim its summer schedule due to operational issues and decreased staffing. JetBlue announced in April that it would cut 8% to 10% of its summer schedule due to ‘continued industry challenges.’ Alaska Airlines also reduced its schedule by about 2% through June to match ‘pilot capacity.’” Read more at CNN
“Michigan election officials on Thursday disqualified five Republican candidates vying to unseat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this fall after an investigation found they had filed tens of thousands of forged signatures to get on the ballot.
Attorneys for the GOP contenders said they planned to appeal the decisions in a Michigan court. They argued that their clients were the victims of unscrupulous petition circulators.
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers issued the ruling at a hearing in Lansing in which a top state election official called the volume of forged signatures unprecedented.
The two Democratic members agreed with a recommendation made by the state Bureau of Elections, which said that the candidates had failed to meet the requirements to get onto the ballot. The two Republican members were opposed.
The board’s decision kept the two leading GOP candidates, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig and businessman Perry Johnson, off the ballot for failing to submit 15,000 valid petition signatures. The other candidates are Michael Brown, a Michigan state police captain, Michael Markey, a financial adviser from Grand Haven, and Donna Brandenburg, a businesswoman from Byron Center.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“One House Democrat is known to be willing to vote against abortion rights — down from 247 Democrats for a major anti-abortion House vote in 1976 (46 years ago).
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) — the House's last vocal anti-abortion Democrat — was clinging to a tiny lead after a runoffTuesday.
Why it matters: Anti-abortion Democrats are being pushed out or walking away — in a party where President Biden, until reversing himselfin 2019, opposed the use of federal dollars for abortions.
With the Supreme Court expected to overturn Roe v. Wade this summer, national Democrats will be making abortion rights a centerpiece of their midterm campaigns, Axios' Sophia Cai reports.
Joe Manchin of West Virginia is the only Senate Democrat who joined Republicans earlier this month blocking the advancement of legislation that aimed to codify federal protections for abortion rights.
The other side: Republicans who support abortion rights are also a rare breed. There are just two in the Senate — Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski — and none in the House.
Flashback: In 1976, the Hyde amendment banning federal funding for most abortions passed the House with 247 Democratic votes. Just 22 Democrats voted no, and 16 didn't vote.
Zoom out: Today, about 26% of Democrats describe themselves as ‘pro-life,’ according to Gallup. About 22% of Republicans describe themselves as ‘pro-choice.’ Among national officeholders, though, the issue is almost fully polarized.
By 2018, there wasn't a pro-choice Republican left in the House.
Anti-abortion Democrats made up about a quarter of the Democratic House majority as recently as 2010. But a slew of those members lost their races or retired. Two of the last holdouts, Reps. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Dan Lipinksi (D-Ill.), lost their seats in 2020.
What we're watching: A few state Democrats are testing whether the party can accommodate other views.
Trenee McGee, one of the youngest and newest members of the Connecticut General Assembly, has been outspoken about her opposition to abortion since winning a special election last year.
Axios Twin Cities' Torey Van Oot notes that Minnesota's state House has a Democratic majority but also an anti-abortion majority, because of Democrats like state Rep. Gene Pelowski.” Read more at Axios
“A jury is scheduled to hear closing arguments Friday in Johnny Depp's high-profile libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard. Each side will have two hours to summarize their case in a trial that has stretched on for six weeks. Heard and Depp's legal teams called witnesses to the stand Thursday to testify one final time, refuting accounts of how the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star lost the tip of his finger, the legitimacy of photos of Heard's alleged abuse and discussion surrounding mental health. Heard tearfully testified about allegedly being ‘harassed, humiliated, threatened every single day’ by Depp's fans since the trial began. Depp is suing Heard for $50 million in Fairfax County, Virginia, over a December 2018 op-ed Heard wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as ‘a public figure representing domestic abuse.’ His lawyers say the piece defamed him even though it never mentioned his name. Heard filed a $100 million counterclaim against Depp after his lawyer called her allegations a hoax.” Read more at USA Today
“The largest asteroid expected to get relatively close to Earth this year is zooming past our planet Friday. The asteroid, named 1989 JA, is estimated to be 1.1 miles long and at least 3,280 feet wide, according to NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies. For reference, it is twice the size of the tallest building in the world — the Burj Khalifa. The asteroid is labeled ‘potentially hazardous’ because it is an Apollo asteroid, meaning it crosses Earth's orbit. An asteroid that large could cause catastrophe on Earth, but there is no need to worry. It will be 2.5 million miles away, or about 10 times the distance to the moon. The Virtual Telescope Project will livestream the asteroid flying past Earth from Australia at 9 a.m. ET.” Read more at USA Today
“5.10% — The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. It fell for the second week in a row after the steepest rise in decades, mortgage-finance giant Freddie Mac said. Rates peaked at 5.3% earlier in May, the highest level since 2009 and well above the 2.94% average rate from a year earlier, as the hot housing market shows signs of starting to cool.
$55 million — The asking price for each of Jeffrey Epstein’s two private Caribbean islands. Great St. James and Little St. James were first listed as a pair for $125 million in March; now, you can buy just one—and for 12% cheaper. The U.S. Virgin Islands properties are among the final pieces of the late disgraced financier’s sprawling international property portfolio.
1,943 — The number of years since Italy’s Mount Vesuvius erupted. Only recently have scientists fully sequenced the DNA of a middle-age Pompeii resident who died in that disaster, according to a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports. The complete sequencing is believed to be the first ever of a Vesuvius victim.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“A global helium shortage could burst plans for graduation and birthday party decorations, and end traditions in football sanctuaries like Lincoln, Nebraska, Axios' Kelly Tyko reports.Dollar Tree officials and Party City officials have both pointed to the shortage on calls with analysts. Go deeper.” Read more at Axios
“Golden State Warriors had a Game 5 win vs. Dallas Mavericks. Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are back in the NBA Finals after a three-year hiatus.” Read more at USA Today
“Ray Liotta, who broke out in Hollywood in the mob classic ‘Goodfellas’ and starred in ‘Field of Dreams,’ died at 67 in his sleep in the Dominican Republic. He was there shooting the film ‘Dangerous Waters.’ (L.A. Times) Read more at Axios
Ray Liotta in 2004. Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage
“Andy Fletcher, a founding member and keyboard player for Depeche Mode, has died. He was 60.” Read more at USA Today
“Lives Lived: The wily, risk-taking Morton Janklow was arguably America’s most powerful independent literary agent. His agency represented Danielle Steel, three presidents and a pope. Janklow died at 91.” Read more at New York Times
Photo: Mary Schwalm/AP - Honorary degree recipient Gloria Steinem applauds fellow honorary degree recipient New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today at Harvard's 371st Commencement. - Axios