The Full Belmonte, 7/1/2023
Supreme Court rules on student debt relief, web designer who refuses same-sex wedding work
“As it concluded its term, the Supreme Court issued two major decisions today, one invalidating President Joe Biden’s plan to cancel or reduce student loan debt for more than 40 million Americans, the other upholding the right of a web designer to refuse to work on same-sex weddings. The court voted 6-3 in both cases.
In the student loan case, the court said Biden lacked the authority to cancel the debt because it had not been approved by Congress. Those who challenged the plan argued that Congress has the sole power to write laws that would ease student debt.
The Biden administration said the plan was justified under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act, known as the HEROES Act, which says those with student loans can be provided economic relief when there is a national emergency (in this case, the Covid pandemic).
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said that while ‘minor’ changes could be made to the HEROES Act, ‘the ‘modifications’ challenged here create a novel and fundamentally different loan forgiveness program,’ one that Congress did not envision with the Act.
In a dissent, Justice Elena Kagan argued that the HEROES Act provides the Education Secretary ‘with broad authority to give emergency relief to student-loan borrowers, including by altering usual discharge rules. What the Secretary did fits comfortably within that delegation. But the Court forbids him to proceed.’
Student debt relief was a key pledge by Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign, and a White House official tells NBC News that the president is likely to announce new measures to help people with student loans.
After today’s ruling, student loan payments, paused in 2020 during the pandemic, will be due again this October.
In today’s other major decision, the court said that a Colorado web designer, Lorie Smith, has a free speech right under the First Amendment to refuse to create websites for same-sex couples.
Therefore, the court said, Smith could not be punished under a Colorado antidiscrimination law. She had sued the state, saying she wanted to expand her business by accepting wedding assignments from opposite-sex couples but not same-sex couples. She said she opposes same-sex marriages on religious grounds as a conservative evangelical Christian.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, said that ‘the wedding websites Ms. Smith seeks to create qualify as pure speech protected by the First Amendment under the Court’s precedents.’
Gorsuch added that ‘the First Amendment’s protections belong to all, not just to speakers whose motives the government finds worthy. In this case, Colorado seeks to force an individual to speak in ways that align with its views but defy her conscience about a matter of major significance.’
In a dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the Colorado anti-discrimination law ‘targets conduct, not speech, for regulation and the act of discrimination has never constituted protected expression under the First Amendment.’ She added, ‘Our Constitution contains no right to refuse service to a disfavored group.’
GLAAD, the LGBTQ advocacy organization, said ‘this decision will bring harm and stigma to LGBTQ families and is yet another example of a Court that is out of touch with the supermajority of Americans who believe in fundamental freedoms and know that discrimination is wrong.’” [NBC News]
State Department Report on Afghanistan Exit Urges ‘Worst Case’ Thinking
The department said it should better prepare for unexpectedly dire scenarios and ensure that a wide range of views are considered in its planning.
Reporting from Washington
June 30, 2023
“The State Department should plan better for worst-case scenarios, strengthen its crisis management capabilities and ensure that top officials hear ‘the broadest possible range of views,’ including ones that challenge their assumptions and decisions.
Those were some of the key findings of a State Department review of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, which contributed to the sudden collapse of the Afghan government and required a massive airlift to rescue roughly 125,000 U.S. citizens and Afghans who had assisted the United States.
The review also portrayed a department that scrambled to respond to the crisis due to unfilled senior positions, unclear leadership on planning efforts and a shortage of seasoned diplomats in Kabul.
The document addresses what even many Democrats call a foreign policy debacle for the Biden administration: its failure to more adequately prepare for the abrupt collapse of the Afghan state and avoid days of harrowing chaos in Kabul surrounding an emergency exit that included a terrorist bombing at the city’s airport that killed as many as 170 civilians and 13 U.S. troops….” Read more at New York Times
Nearly 190 million people are at risk for either dangerous heat, poor air quality, and storms
“Life-threatening heat alerts are in effect for 64 million people and include much of the west from southern Oregon through California and into Arizona and also across much of the Gulf Coast and the lower and mid-Mississippi Valleys.
Today records are possible across the south including Corpus Christi, Austin, Memphis, Shreveport and Little Rock.
For California, this weekend will feature the hottest temperatures of the year so far. The interior valleys of California will see afternoon temperatures climbing well up into the 100s and 110 degrees at the hottest locations on Saturday while the desert Southwest will see high temperatures reaching into the 110s. It’s all part of a wave of brutally hot weather that’s stretched across the week — leading to the deaths of as many as 13 people in Texas.
Severe storms are possible for 22 million people today from west Texas into the central Plains and the Midwest as well as the Tennessee Valley. Those areas could see storms with damaging wind gusts and large hail.
Meanwhile, air quality alerts remain in effect for over 100 million people and cover locations from the Midwest into the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Cities currently reporting reduced air quality include Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, DC and Atlanta. Today the smoke is forecast to not be as thick as the last several days, but the highest density of smoke will likely be concentrated across much of upstate New York into the Mid-Atlantic. Canadian wildfire smoke will continue impacting portions of the northeast and eastern US over the next few days.” [NBC News]
Man Accused in Jan. 6 Riot Is Arrested With Weapons Near Obama’s Home
A law enforcement official said that weapons, ammunition and materials that could make explosives were found inside the man’s nearby van.
By Luke Broadwater and Aishvarya Kavi
Reporting from Washington
June 30, 2023
“A man accused of involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol was arrested Thursday afternoon near the Washington home of former President Barack Obama, as police found weapons, ammunition and materials that could make explosives inside the suspect’s van, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the case.
Taylor Taranto, 37, of no fixed address, livestreamed his activities before his arrest, including as he drove into the neighborhood and talked briefly with a member of the Secret Service stationed there. On the livestream, he talked about seeking an interview with John Podesta, a Democratic official who has been the focus of far-right conspiracy theories, and also spoke of the neighborhood as containing underground tunnels. He entered a wooded area attempting to take photos of a house.
‘I’m outside Barack Obama’s house,’ he said at one point on the livestream.
The District of Columbia police, known as the Metropolitan Police Department, said in a statement that Mr. Taranto was charged as a fugitive from justice. The arrest warrant was from the U.S. Capitol Police, but the police did not detail the underlying charges….” Read more at New York Times
Biden tries again on student loans
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
“The White House announced new student-loan relief within hours of the Supreme Court striking down its ambitious plan to forgive student debt, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports.
Why it matters: Federal student loan payments are coming due in September for the first time since the pandemic began. Millions of Americans will struggle to make the payments.
President Biden said he's also working up even more ambitious steps that are grounded in a different law than he used for his earlier program, which the justices called an overreach.
‘This new path is legally sound,’ Biden said in the Roosevelt Room. ‘It's going to take longer, but we’re getting at it right away.’
What's happening: The loan forgiveness program that the Supreme Court struck down yesterday would have wiped out up to $10,000 for borrowers under a certain income cap — and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients.
What's next: The administration is looking to other avenues to give borrowers a break, though the effects will be noticeably smaller, at least for individual borrowers.
Biden announced a one-year on-ramp for loan repayments, during which borrowers who miss payments won't be reported to credit bureaus, placed in default, or referred to debt collection agencies.
The Education Department finalized a new income-driven loan repayment plan, which Biden called ‘the most generous repayment program ever.’
Banner headlines in today's Washington Post, New York Times.
Zoom in: Under the new program, borrowers above a certain income threshold would be required to pay a smaller portion of their disposable income — 5 percent for undergraduates, instead of the current 10 percent — toward the loan.
They could ultimately see portions of their balances forgiven.” [Axios]
Advocates fear LGBTQ setbacks
Supporters of web designer Lorie Smith and counterprotesters demonstrate in front of the Supreme Court in December 2022. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
“The Supreme Court's ruling today that certain businesses can refuse to serve LGBTQ customers could have broad implications for the enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, experts and advocates tell Axios' Ivana Saric.
The court said in a 6-3 ruling that a Colorado web designer could decline to make a website for a same-sex wedding.
The web designer, Lorie Smith, objects to same-sex marriage on religious grounds. She argued that forcing her to make a site for a same-sex wedding would violate her First Amendment rights. The court agreed.
President Biden said, ‘I’m deeply concerned that the decision could invite more discrimination against LGBTQI+ Americans.’
Louise Melling, deputy legal director for the ACLU, said, ‘The case is significant because the court held for the first time today that a business had a constitutional right to discriminate.’
Details: The court's majority opinion, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, drew a distinction between turning away customers and making specific products.
Smith wouldn't be able to turn down, say, a website for a business just because the owner of that business was gay, the court said. But requiring her to make a site that conveys a message she disagrees with is a violation of the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court also ruled 6-3 that Biden's loan forgiveness plan is unconstitutional — meaning tens of millions of borrowers will resume monthly student loan payments. Go deeper.” [Axios]
Fox reaches $12 million settlement with former Tucker Carlson producer
Abby Grossberg talks with Nicolle Wallace on MSNBC's "Deadline White House" in April. Screenshot: MSNBC
“Fox News agreed to pay $12 million to settle two lawsuits from former producer Abby Grossberg, who accused the network of fostering a hostile work environment.
Grossberg accused Fox of pushing her into giving false testimony in the Dominion case and then firing her when she went public with her accusations. Fox News denied that at the time.
The big picture: The settlement comes two months after Fox paid a record-setting defamation settlement of $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems and fired its star host Tucker Carlson.
In a separate suit, Grossberg claimed that while working as a producer on Carlson's show, she was subjected to a culture in which employees made sexist and antisemitic remarks and engaged in sexual harassment.
Some of the employees named in the suit denied those allegations. Carlson — who was mostly working remotely during the period in question — told NPR: ‘I never met her.’
Grossberg said in a statement that she stands by her allegations but hopes the deal ‘represents a positive step by the network regarding its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace.’
A Fox News spokesperson said, ‘We are pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter without further litigation.’
Our thought bubble via Axios' senior media reporter Sara Fischer: Grossberg had released multiple recordings from her time at Fox. Her legal team said she had at least 90 tapes in total.
The $12 million settlement begs the question of what was on those tapes.” [Axios]
Mutiny leader Yevgeny Prigozhin departs Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on June 24. Source: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Putin Claims He’s Back in Control. Russia’s Elite Isn’t Sure
”Among the Kremlin and business elite, there’s skepticism about Putin’s efforts to reassert his control after the 24-hour mutiny led by Wagner chief Prigozhin. For many insiders — including more than a dozen current and former senior officials and business leaders — the dramatic events shredded what remained of the Russian president’s carefully crafted image as the guarantor of ‘stability.’ [Bloomberg]
WATCH: What the Wagner Mutiny Means for Putin and the World Source: Bloomberg
Wagner’s Exit From Ukraine Won’t Radically Alter Course of War
”Officials in Kyiv could barely conceal their joy at the prospect of disarray in Moscow when troops from Wagner group left Ukraine’s battlefields for the uprising. But as Marc Champion explains, their withdrawal hasn’t so far made it easier for Ukraine’s counteroffensive, and it’s not clear whether it will.” [Bloomberg]
Wagner’s Mutiny Creates New Questions About Its Business Empire
”The paramilitary organization has committed a wide range of alleged human rights abuses, from murders of civilians in Ukraine, to the rape and execution of villagers in the Central African Republic and Mali. Simon Marks and Stephanie Baker report on how for more than half a decade, it has been the leading actor in the Kremlin’s efforts to increase its influence in Africa, gaining friends in half a dozen countries on the continent.
African nations where Wagner operates should decide themselves on whether to continue their cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.” [Bloomberg]
Xi’s Bet on Putin Looks Even More Risky After Russian Mutiny
”Xi’s gamble on a ‘no limits’ friendship with Putin has looked like it could backfire ever since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. Lucille Liu, Rebecca Choong Wilkins and Kari Lindberg explain why the brief uprising against Moscow again underscored the risks facing the Chinese leader.
The US must lift sanctions against China if Washington wants high-level communication between the Chinese and American armed forces, a Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday.” [Bloomberg]
France Aims to Restore Order After Clashes Over Teen’s Death
”President Emmanuel Macron urged parents and social media platforms to help bring an end to violence that has swept France since the police killing of a 17-year-old. As Jenny Che reports, Macron said Snapchat, TikTok and others have been used to organize the unrest.” [Bloomberg]
Firefighters tackle a blaze at a hotel during protests in Roubaix on Friday. Photographer: Kenzo Tribouillard/Getty Images
Bolsonaro’s Political Ban Turns Him Into a Right-Wing Kingmaker
”The decision by Brazil’s electoral court to ban Jair Bolsonaro from office for eight years for making false claims about last year’s election could effectively end the right-wing former president’s political career. But as Andrew Rosati explains, he’s poised to retain influence over the radical version of conservativism his rise unleashed in Latin America’s largest nation.” [Bloomberg]
“India’s sweltering June temperatures, with reports of a spike in deaths among the most vulnerable, may be just a foretaste of what is to come. Scientists estimate climate change has made extreme heat 30 times more likely in the country and the World Bank has flagged it as likely to be one of the first places in the world where heat waves breach the human survivability threshold.” [Bloomberg]
A body is being carried for cremation near the Ganges river. Photographer: Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg
Pakistan Secures IMF Deal
A broker talks on a phone as he watches latest share prices at the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi, Pakistan, on Jan. 27.Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images
“After months of negotiations, Pakistan secured a $3 billion short-term agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday. The nine-month deal came just hours before Islamabad’s current agreement with the IMF was set to expire. Once Pakistan receives final approval for the timeline of aid from the IMF board in July, Pakistan will receive its first $1.1 billion allotment.
Pakistan has grappled with a severe economic crisis for months. As of February, Islamabad had just $3.7 billion in foreign reserves, barely enough finances to cover a month of imports; since then, Pakistan has been hanging on the precipice of total default.
The latest IMF deal, which is expected to replace the remaining $2.5 billion out of a $6.5 billion agreement finalized in 2019, will set Islamabad ‘on the path of sustainable economic growth,’ Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said. Pakistani officials hope the new agreement will increase prospects for foreign direct investment and allow more foreign creditors to finance Pakistani businesses.
Pakistan faced a long road to reach a deal with the IMF. To receive the debt assistance, Islamabad had to adopt some austerity measures, including modifying next year’s fiscal budget by raising taxes by $750 million, ending import restrictions, and increasing interest rates to 22 percent. Pakistan currently has the fifth-highest total outstanding credit with the IMF.
The IMF lifeline won’t solve all of Pakistan’s problems, as ‘underlying structural factors that triggered Pakistan’s current crisis would still be in place,’ FP’s Michael Kugelman wrote in this week’s South Asia Brief. Islamabad still struggles with corruption, a poor public welfare system, water and energy shortages, and an insufficient agriculture sector. ‘Barring badly needed large-scale reforms that are too politically risky, the next economic crisis could be just around the corner,’ Kugelman wrote.” [Foreign Policy]
“South Africa’s Ramaphosa cleared. In more judicial news, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was found not guilty by a public watchdog on Friday for failing to report the theft of thousands of dollars hidden at his private game farm. The allegations came in 2020, when police discovered that at least $580,000 hidden in a sofa at the Phala Phala reserve was stolen. Ramaphosa said the cash came from a buffalo sale.
Opponents said the president did not properly report the theft to Brazil’s police because he wanted to hide that he had not disclosed more than half a million dollars, which some people believed the president should be required to do for ethical reasons. However, the ruling affirmed Ramaphosa’s claims that he did not abuse his power by failing to document the cash and its theft. A criminal investigation is still ongoing.” [Foreign Policy]
Apple is the world’s first corporation to close with a market value above $3 trillion.
“New demand from emerging markets such as India and the first new product release in nearly a decade (a $3,499 headset that combines virtual reality with the ability to place digital content in the real world) have propelled its stock this year. The industry-transforming iPhone accounts for around half of Apple’s annual sales; the tech giant has sold more than two billion since the product’s 2007 debut. Apple shares are up nearly 50% since the beginning of the year and have beaten the Nasdaq Composite Index’s growth of about 30%.” [Wall Street Journal]
THE WEEK IN CULTURE
A scarf can elevate a standard polo shirt.
“The street style outside men’s fashion shows in Paris and Milan featured neck scarves, graphic tops and clothes worn backward.
Alan Arkin, who had a long career as a character actor who specialized in comedy but was equally adept at drama, died at 89.
The opulent wardrobes in “And Just Like That …” may signal the end of the stealth wealth era, Vanessa Friedman writes. The latest episode was filled with shoes.
“Barbenheimer”: People are planning how to watch both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” a movie about the atomic bomb designer, on their shared release day.
ESPN laid off on-air personalities, including Suzy Kolber and Jalen Rose.
Rachel Griffin Accurso spoke with The Times about how she became Ms. Rachel, the overall-wearing toddler video sensation.
Russia’s International Tchaikovsky Competition, once one of the world’s most prestigious music contests, had fewer participants this year. Many arts leaders see it as a propaganda tool.” [New York Times]
GAME OF THE WEEKEND
NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney.Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
“NASCAR Grant Park 220: NASCAR drivers will race through downtown Chicago, reaching speeds of 140 miles per hour as they navigate tight turns around Grant Park. It’s the first time NASCAR’s top series has raced on city streets, and drivers have little chance to prepare outside of computer simulations, so the race could get chaotic. ‘Part of me is nervous because we’ve never been to a street course before,’ the driver Ryan Blaney told NBC Chicago, ‘but I think it’s going to be a hell of an event.’ 5:30 p.m. Eastern tomorrow on NBC.” [New York Times]
“The 94-room Belmond Hotel Cipriani—opened in Venice in 1950 by the inventor of the Bellini—was named the world’s best hotel.” [Bloomberg]
The Belmond Hotel Cipriani Photographer: Tyson Sadlo
”Pepsi is launching Colachup: a ketchup infused with Pepsi. The product will be available at select Major League Baseball stadiums starting July 4th. There has been strong reaction on social media both for and against the condiment.” [NBC News]