The Full Belmonte, 5/3/2024
(Evan Vucci/AP)
Campus protests
“President Joe Biden made his first extensive remarks on the wave of unrest at colleges Thursday, drawing a line between what he called peaceful and violent protests while reiterating his support for Israel and dismissing the calls for the National Guard to intervene. He emphasized that both groups have the right to free speech, but also said the US was a ‘civil society’ where ‘order must prevail.’ When asked if the protests have forced him to reconsider American policies toward the Middle East, Biden said, ‘No.’ Nationwide, more than 2,000 people have been arrested on college and university campuses since April 18. Protests in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli siege in Gaza have also spread to campuses in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.” [CNN]
Israel briefs US on plan to move Gazans ahead of Rafah invasion
“The Israeli military has informed aid groups and the Biden administration of a plan to begin removing Gazans from Rafah ahead of an invasion, according to a U.S. official and two other people familiar with the situation.
The Israel Defense Forces recently told the U.S. government and aid groups operating on the ground that they had developed a plan to move people out of Rafah, the main humanitarian hub in the enclave, to al-Mawasi, a small strip of land on the southern Gaza coast. The IDF sent a map of the area to aid workers this week, a copy of which POLITICO obtained.”
Read the latest at POLITICO
Police arrested pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of California, Los Angeles after issuing a dispersal order on campus and dismantling an encampment.
PHOTO: ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
UCLA started cleaning up after violent confrontations between police and protesters.
“Work crews began removing tents, wood and other debris after officers forcibly removed a pro-Palestinian encampment ( read for free) in one of the most violent episodes since college demonstrations began last month. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protestors were arrested, a California Highway Patrol officer told a local ABC affiliate. How many were affiliated with UCLA couldn’t be determined. At Columbia University, officials closed libraries, dining halls and the student center and asked the NYPD to stay on campus through graduation. Clashes at both schools have drawn national attention as students show solidarity with Gazans. Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks on Israel sparked the war in the enclave. Universities have struggled to balance free expression with maintaining order and combating inflammatory and antisemitic rhetoric from some demonstrators.” [Wall Street Journal]
House Republicans launched multiple investigations into pro-Palestinian campus protests.
“Why? To highlight the hot-button issue ahead of the election, accusing protesters against the Israel-Gaza war of antisemitism and lawlessness. Critics warn the effort threatens free speech.
What else to know: President Biden yesterday urged students to remain peaceful. More than 2,100 protesters have been arrested nationwide in violent police crackdowns.”
Read this story at Washington Post
© The Associated Press / Morry Gash | On the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus Tuesday, a young woman sat outside demonstrators’ encampment area.
Biden deplores campus ‘hate speech’
“Another turbulent week ends with a hallmark of American democracy: Everyone has a say, including critics, and everyone wants to influence voters on Election Day.
But there are limits.
President Biden, urged by allies and detractors to speak out about pro-Palestinian demonstrations coast-to-coast, used the White House on Thursday as his backdrop to blast protesters who use violence and vandalism to make their points at colleges and universities. If he’s worried about alienating young voters over policy in Gaza, Biden did not let it show in his stern prepared remarks, arguing it was not a time to play politics.
Protesters will not alter his support for Israel and condemnations of Hamas, he said, nor will he react by deploying the National Guard to disperse demonstrators who are otherwise being dealt with by university administrators and local police.
The Associated Press: Campus arrests during recent demonstrations are estimated at 2,200, involving at least 56 law enforcement incidents at 43 different U.S. colleges or universities since April 18.
‘There should be no place on any campus, no place in America for antisemitism or threats of violence against Jewish students,’ the president added (The Hill).
‘There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it’s antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans. It is simply wrong,’ the president added.
Dissent is a fundamental right, he continued. Lawbreaking is not: ‘Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancellation of classes and graduation. None of this is a peaceful protest, threatening people, intimidating people.’
Biden may claim to dismiss the politics, but other Democrats believe that young voters could make the difference between the incumbent’s defeat and a second term, even if older voters are more reliable election participants. Progressives say the deaths of Palestinian civilians in Gaza have become a galvanizing cause for young people. They expect their opinions to be heard well beyond commencements and removal of encampments.
‘He will lose the election if he decides to roll the dice and assumes that Gaza isn't at the top of minds right now,’ Elise Joshi, the executive director at Gen-Z for Change, told The Hill’s Amie Parnes while discussing Biden.
‘It takes steely confidence for a Democratic president to simply wave away that threat’ of losing young voters, wrote Washington Post columnist and author Philip Bump in November as part of detailed look at participation by young voters in past elections. ‘If you need gains at the margins, as Biden and other Democrats do, the mostly-Democratic-voting-when-they-vote young voter pool is the place to find them. If you can turn them out. This is the leverage that groups focused on youth engagement have over Democratic candidates,’ he wrote.
After Biden’s remarks, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said through a spokesperson he will join Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to a joint session of Congress at a future date. Schumer — the highest-ranking Jewish official in U.S. history — has publicly called for an election in Israel to replace Netanyahu, who he said in a floor speech ‘lost his way’ after Oct. 7 in the war against Hamas in Gaza.
Jewish Democrats in Congress bashed Johnson after he suggested wealthy donor George Soros is behind the pro-Palestinian protests convulsing colleges campuses. It’s a conservative narrative that has circulated with updates since last year (The Hill).
The Jerusalem Post: ‘Fringe and far-fetched’ stories describe ‘Jews in a conspiratorial scheming light’ and cast Soros as “Israel’s pawn in an attempt to either inflame inner conflicts or distract public discourse from the ongoing war in Gaza.’” [POLITICO]
Schools find third way
A message in chalk decorates a sidewalk Tuesday after protesters dismantled an encampment at Brown University in Providence, R.I. Photo: David Goldman/AP
“Deals between four universities and pro-Palestinian protesters offer a rough roadmap for schools seeking to defuse tensions and shut down encampments before commencement, Axios' Sareen Habeshian writes.
Why it matters: Administrators at Northwestern, Brown, Rutgers and Minnesota found diplomatic alternatives to police force.
Zoom in: The agreements — including two finalized in the past 36 hours — avoid sweeping and immediate changes to university investments, in favor of scholarships for Palestinian students and expanded academic programs:
None of the four schools agreed to divest from companies that do business in Israel or aid the country's war effort, a key demand at schools across the country.
All agreed to less concrete concessions around their endowments.
Two of the agreements — Northwestern and Rutgers — include scholarships or aid for Palestinian students. They also promised to provide improved space for Muslims on campus.
Minnesota told protesters it could explore an affiliation with a Palestinian university.
The agreements provide some level of amnesty for students involved in encampments.”
Keep reading. [Axios]
Trump trial
“Keith Davidson, a key witness who negotiated the Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal hush money agreements, was on the stand Thursday in former President Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial. The defense tried to poke holes in Davidson's character by questioning his involvement in other celebrity cases. Davidson admitted he told former Trump attorney Michael Cohen that if Trump lost the 2016 election, Daniels would lose her leverage against him. The next witness was digital evidence analyst Douglas Daus, who testified that Cohen had nearly 40,000 contacts on one of his cell phones, calling it ‘unusual.’ Daus could potentially share other things he found on Cohen's phone when testimony resumes today.” [CNN]
Trump Media’s accounting firm charged with ‘massive fraud’
“BF Borgers, Trump Media & Technology Group’s independent accounting firm, was charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday with widespread fraud impacting more than 1,500 filings.
The SEC made no allegation of wrongdoing against Trump Media, which is not mentioned in the charges from the regulator.”
Read More at CNN
U.S. Hiring Slowed to 175,000 Jobs in April
“Job growth slowed and unemployment ticked higher last month, marking a break from a string of data showing surprising strength in the labor market.
U.S. employers added a seasonally adjusted 175,00 jobs in April, the Labor Department reported. The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9%.”
READ MORE at Wall Street Journal
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) is facing down a looming indictment from the Justice Department as he presses forward with a reelection campaign. | Francis Chung/POLITICO
Justice Department expected to announce Cuellar indictment Friday
“Rep. Henry Cuellar will be indicted Friday by the Department of Justice, a person familiar confirmed to POLITICO.
The FBI conducted a ‘court-authorized’ search of the Texas Democrat's Laredo home in January 2022, as well as a second building housing his campaign office. It's unclear if the coming indictment is related to those raids. Cuellar’s lawyer Joshua Berman has said that the moderate Democrat was not the target of the investigation by the DOJ.
NBC News first reported the expected indictment.”
Read the latest at POLITICO
Dubai rain
“Another round of heavy rain returned to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, forcing widespread business closures and flight cancellations. The storm comes just two weeks after record-setting rainfall triggered damaging floods in several parts of the country, which killed at least four people in the UAE and brought the bustling region to a halt. The floods also killed at least 19 others in Oman, including 10 children whose school bus was swept away in the deluge. The rainfall was not as heavy as the event two weeks ago, but Dubai experienced nearly an inch in 12 hours — more than twice what it usually receives over the months of April and May combined. Authorities have ordered remote working and studying in affected areas today.” [CNN]
Canada arrests three men in killing of Sikh separatist, an official says; Trudeau linked killing to Indian government
“The three men are Indian Canadians believed to be part of an organized crime network acting on the behalf of the Indian government and its intelligence apparatus, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive law enforcement matter. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told lawmakers in September that authorities were pursuing ‘credible allegations’ that agents of the Indian government were behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June in Surrey, British Columbia. Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, advocated for an autonomous Sikh state in India.”
Read more at Washington Post
Turkey tightens Israel trade restrictions
The Turkish leader has been under domestic political pressure to announce measures against Israel. Credit: AFP
“Turkey has suspended all trade to Israel, citing the ‘worsening humanitarian tragedy’ in Gaza. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been increasingly critical of the Israeli government's response to the deadly Hamas attack on 7 October, dubbing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘the butcher of Gaza’. Mr Netanyahu has rejected the criticism, accusing Turkey of supporting ‘the mass murderers’ of Hamas. Turkey said the trade restrictions, which expand a measure approved last month affecting 54 products exported to Israel, would last until Tel Aviv allows ‘uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza’. Israel's foreign ministry is now looking to find alternatives for trade with Turkey, worth almost $7bn (£5.6bn) last year.
Changing ties: In 1949, Turkey was the first Muslim-majority country to recognise Israel. Ankara is now one of Tel Aviv's most strident critics.
Gaza aid: The White House has said it expects a pier built by the US military to facilitate the flow of aid into the territory to be open within days.
Student protests: Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have sprung up on several UK university campuses this week. In Ireland, Trinity College Dublin has fined the students' union €214,000 ($230,000; £183,000) over a campus protest.” [BBC]
Beef recall
“Eight tons of ground beef sold at Walmart locations nationwide have been recalled for possible E. coli contamination. In total, six meat items produced by Cargill Meat Solutions could be affected, according to a recall notice from the USDA. There have not been any confirmed reports of illnesses, but a spokesperson from the meat company said the products were recalled ‘out of an abundance of caution.’ Walmart issued a statement reiterating its commitment to the ‘health and safety’ of its customers. ‘As soon as we were notified of the recall, we immediately removed impacted products and informed customers who may have purchased these products,’ a Walmart spokesperson said.” [CNN]
”Sony, Apollo Make $26 Billion All-Cash Offer for Paramount - Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have submitted an all-cash, $26 billion offer for Paramount Global, marking the second time the private-equity firm has come in with a bid for the entertainment giant.” [Wall Street Journal]
A second Boeing whistleblower has died.
“Who? Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at a Boeing supplier. He alleged that he was fired in retaliation for raising concerns about the troubled 737 Max jet.
What happened? He died Tuesday after a brief illness, his family said. Another Boeing whistleblower died in March. Boeing’s manufacturing has come under increasing scrutiny.”
Read this story at Washington Post
“Closing arguments wrapped up today in the government's antitrust lawsuit against Google. The Justice Department has accused the tech giant of illegally abusing its monopoly power by paying billions to companies like Apple, Samsung and Mozilla to be the default search engine on their devices — pushing rivals out of the market and leaving customers with a lower-quality experience. Google says it's the most popular search engine because it's the best — not because of its business dealings. Here's what you need to know about where things stand.” [NPR]
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The Kentucky Derby runs tomorrow for the 150th time.
Endlessly runs on the track during the morning training for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Andy Lyons, Getty Images
“What’s at stake? The first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown and a record purse, with the winner getting $3.1 million. Post time at Churchill Downs in Louisville is 6:57 p.m. Eastern.
Horses to watch: Fierceness and Sierra Leone are the favorites, although the latter got a difficult starting position. Our colleague likes a 20-1 long shot and has other Derby picks.”
Read this story at Washington Post
“Lives Lived: Peggy Mellon Hitchcock was born into privilege but enthusiastically supported the 1960s counterculture. She offered Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert her brother’s mansion after they lost their jobs at Harvard for experimenting with psychedelic drugs. Hitchcock died at 90.” [New York Times]