The Full Belmonte, 7/27/2023
Hunter Biden's plea deal crumbles
Hunter Biden leaves court in Wilmington, Del., today. Photo: Julio Cortez/AP
“WILMINGTON, Del. — Hunter Biden's plea deal on two misdemeanor tax charges fell into jeopardy today. He pleaded not guilty after the judge said she wasn't ready to accept the terms of a revised deal.
Why it matters: Hunter's legal team was stunned by what the lawyers expected would be a formality of a hearing that would allow him to avoid prison time, Axios' Alex Thompson reports from the courthouse.
The case is now on hold for at least a few weeks while both sides submit new materials to Judge Maryellen Noreika and she takes time to review them.
The raucous, tense hearing featured two recesses with both sides privately and publicly feuding over what they had agreed to.
Catch up quick: The Justice Department charged Hunter with failure to timely file and pay taxes in 2017 and 2018 when, by his own admission, he was in the throes of an addiction to crack cocaine. Hunter agreed in June to plead guilty as part of the larger plea deal to avoid jail time.
The DOJ also charged that Hunter possessed a Colt Cobra revolver in Delaware in October 2018 while ‘knowing that he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance.’
Hunter's lawyers reached the initial deal with Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney David Weiss. Sentencing on the charges is at the discretion of Noreika, also a Trump appointee.
What to watch: Any conclusion to this legal investigation wouldn't be the end of the political investigations into Hunter.
Hunter's longtime business partner, Devon Archer, is set to give testimony to the Republican-led House Oversight Committee in the next week.
The two leading candidates for the GOP nomination, former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have made clear they intend to talk about Hunter and his business dealings in the general election.” [Axios]
“After weeks of probing along its long front with Russian forces, Ukraine has reportedly begun the main thrust of its counteroffensive in the nation’s southeast, according to US officials.” [Bloomberg]
Ukraine has reportedly started bringing to bear formations manning modern Western military hardware, like these Leopard 2 battle tanks, as part of its counteroffensive. Source: Bloomberg
Streets in the Southwest are so hot that they’re causing serious burns.
“The region’s burn centers report a rise in injuries to people who touch hot door handles, walk barefoot or fall on scorching pavement—even briefly. Pavement burns often result in worse injuries than exposure to flames, boiling water or chemicals. They are riskiest to those who can’t get up immediately such as elderly people who might faint from dehydration and patients with conditions that cause loss of feeling in their feet. Doctors advise staying indoors on hot days, but if you have to go out, wear shoes, socks and a hat; drink plenty of water; and let people know where you will be.” [Wall Street Journal]
The Fed resumed lifting interest rates, pushing them to the highest since 2001.
“Officials’ unanimous decision in favor of a quarter-percentage-point increase ( read for free) brought the benchmark federal-funds rate to a range between 5.25% and 5.5%. It is the 11th increase since March 2022, when rates were near zero. So ends last month’s brief pause in rate increases, as officials debate whether they have done enough to tame inflation. Fed Chair Jerome Powell didn’t rule out another rate rise. At the same time, a slowdown in inflation could make it hard for the central bank to settle plans for any additional increase.” [Wall Street Journal]
Joe Biden speaks during an event to establish the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. NEWS
Trump wants to see Biden impeached, and other Republicans are quick to pile on
“Donald Trump wants to see President Joe Biden impeached over his son's business dealings, and the former president’s allies in Congress and his 2024 GOP presidential rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, are eager to join that fight. Read more.
Why this matters:
Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Fox News that the House may open an impeachment inquiry into Biden. But behind closed doors Wednesday, the Republican speaker told GOP colleagues it’s early in the impeachment process, and acknowledged there’s still much that is unknown about Joe Biden and whether he had any awareness or involvement in Hunter Biden’s business dealsthat would arise to an impeachable offense.
By putting Biden on notice that the House is considering an inquiry, the Republicans are elevating a once rare congressional check on executive power — the formal impeachment charges over high crimes and misdemeanors — into yet another tool being wielded in party politics. It’s a political escalation, urged on by Trump, after his own two impeachments.” [AP News]
“Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health is a major concern on Capitol Hill.
On Wednesday, McConnell froze for more than 15 seconds while speaking at a news conference. He was clearly rattled and had to be ushered away by an aide and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), an orthopedic surgeon. A McConnell aide said the Kentucky Republican was feeling ‘lightheaded’ and noted that the longtime Senate GOP leader returned minutes later to answer reporters’ questions.
McConnell tried to make a joke out of the incident on Wednesday night. He mentioned to reporters that President Joe Biden had called to check up on him. ‘I told him I got sandbagged. Gotta watch those sandbags,’ McConnell quipped. This was a reference to a recent incident in which Biden tripped over some sandbags and fell.
But this wasn’t the only recent health scare for McConnell. Two weeks ago,on July 14, McConnell had a fall at Washington Reagan National Airport, according to a person who witnessed the incident. McConnell was fine afterward and returned to the Capitol because his flight was canceled. NBC first reported this Wednesday night.
CNN’s Manu Raju also reported that McConnell fell in February when he and a U.S. delegation were in Helsinki to meet with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö. McConnell ‘dusted himself off and continued on with the meeting,’ CNN reported.
In addition, McConnell has periodically been using a wheelchair. To be clear, McConnell is a polio survivor and has long had some difficulty walking and using stairs. But these details add additional context to what happened on Wednesday.
A McConnell spokesperson told us that the wheelchair is ‘simply a prudent and precautionary measure in a crowded area.’ McConnell continues to walk on his own inside the Capitol.
McConnell carried on with his schedule following the on-camera incident Wednesday, according to aides. He met with Speaker Kevin McCarthy as originally scheduled, for example. The two senior Republicans talked about the defense authorization bill and other issues, we’re told.
McConnell attended Senate votes later in the evening, as well.
And, in public at least, Senate Republicans continue to unconditionally support the Kentucky Republican, the longest-serving leader in Senate history.
‘I support Sen. McConnell as long as he wants to serve as leader,’ Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) declared.
Even Republicans who opposed McConnell in the leadership race last year aren’t calling for him to be replaced. Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), who voted against McConnell because he wanted someone who would address the national debt more directly, said he still has confidence in McConnell as leader.
‘He’s shown over years of doing this that he’s tough. If you take a fall though, everybody’s going to have to get back from that, and the older you are, the harder it is,’ Braun said of McConell. ‘I’ve always respected his point of view and his tenacity.’
In private, however, there’s been widespread speculation about the 81-year-old McConnell ever since his return in April following a concussion and broken rib suffered in a March fall at a Washington hotel.
Some senators suggest McConnell isn’t as dominant inside closed-door meetings as he’s been in the past and relies on other members of the GOP leadership to handle more of the workload. He also appears physically frail compared to just a short while ago.
And McConnell — who easily withstood his first real leadership challenge following the GOP’s disappointing 2022 election cycle — has seen McCarthy emerge as the leading Republican on Capitol Hill since the House GOP takeover.
Yet there’s no sign that McConnell’s strategic vision, pragmatism and strong political insights — the traits that have made him so successful — have diminished.
McConnell’s forceful defense of U.S. aid for Ukraine, for instance, has been critical in the Senate. His willingness to let McCarthy take the lead on a debt-limit deal with Biden was important, too. And he’s successfully avoided getting pulled into the incessant drama surrounding former President Donald Trump by simply refusing to answer questions about the issue. Other Republicans wish they could do the same.
Government funding: The Senate Appropriations Committee is on track to clear the remaining four FY2024 spending bills later this morning — but they’ve saved the hardest ones for last.
The most contentious will likely be the Homeland Security funding bill, largely stemming from Republicans’ concerns about the condition of the U.S.-Mexico border. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who chairs the Homeland Security subcommittee, said late Wednesday that he was still working out some ‘last-minute issues’ on the bill.
‘There will be lots of things that both Democrats and Republicans will be happy with. Lots of things both Democrats and Republicans will be unhappy with,’ Murphy told us.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), for one, told us that he’ll be supporting all four — DHS, Defense, Labor-HHS and Interior.
‘We need a wall, but we need the money,’ Graham said of the DHS bill. ‘There’s other things. Right now we need a sound policy. But I’m going to advance the bills forward.’
In the House, Republican leaders are considering kicking consideration of the Ag funding bill to September due to a lack of support. GOP leaders are juggling both demands from conservative hardliners for roughly $7 billion in additional cuts and moderate Republicans rebelling over language prohibiting FDA approval of mail delivery for an abortion drug.” [Punchbowl]
— Andrew Desiderio, John Bresnahan and Jake Sherman
Biden lifeline for sweltering workers
People work on the bell tower of a Phoenix church yesterday, during the city's worst heat wave on record. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
“President Biden today ordered the Labor Department to issue a Hazard Alert, and ramp up enforcement to protect workers from extreme heat.
The department will help ensure employees are aware of their rights, including protections against retaliation, and increase inspections in high-risk industries like construction and agriculture.” [Axios]
Giuliani Concedes He Made False Statements About Georgia Election Workers
Rudolph W. Giuliani said he still had “legal defenses” in a case brought by two election workers who said he had defamed them as he asserted that the 2020 election was marred by fraud.
By Alan Feuer
July 26, 2023
“Rudolph W. Giuliani has conceded that while acting as a lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump, he made false statements by asserting that two Georgia election workers had mishandled ballots while counting votes in Atlanta during the 2020 election.
The concession by Mr. Giuliani came in court papers filed on Tuesday night as part of a defamation lawsuit that the two workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, had brought against him in Federal District Court in Washington in December 2021.
The suit accused Mr. Giuliani and others of promoting a video that purported to show Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss — who are mother and daughter — of manipulating ballots while working at the State Farm Arena for the Fulton County Board of Elections.
In a two-page declaration, Mr. Giuliani acknowledged that he had in fact made the statements about Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss that led to the filing of the suit and that the remarks ‘carry meaning that is defamatory per se.’ He also admitted that his statements were ‘actionable’ and ‘false’ and that he no longer disputed the ‘factual elements of liability’ the election workers had raised in their suit….” Read more at New York Times
Kevin Spacey Found Not Guilty of Sexual Assault
A British jury on Wednesday found the actor not guilty of nine charges.
“Kevin Spacey, the two-time Oscar-winning actor known for his movie and TV roles including “House of Cards,” was on Wednesday found not guilty by a jury in Britain of nine counts of sexual assault.
Almost six years after allegations of inappropriate behavior began to emerge against Mr. Spacey on both sides of the Atlantic, a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London took just over 12 hours to reach its decision.
As the verdicts were announced, Mr. Spacey, 64, stood in a transparent box in the middle of the courtroom, wearing a dark blue suit and looking unemotional as he faced the jury.
But when the final “not guilty” was read out, the actor, whose birthday falls on Wednesday, began to cry and sighed heavily with relief….” Read more at New York Times
Witnesses call for increased military transparency on UFOs
“The Pentagon denied claims made by a former Air Force intelligence officer that the U.S. is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects. In his highly-anticipated testimony Wednesday before Congress, David Grusch said that the U.S. likely has been aware of ‘nonhuman’ activity since the 1930s. Grusch and two other witnesses provided the House Oversight Committee's national security subcommittee with over three hours of insight into their understanding of how the federal government has handled or suppressed reports of strange encounters documented by pilots.” Read more at USA Today
David Grusch, former National Reconnaissance Officer Representative of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force at the U.S. Department of Defense, testifies Wednesday before Congress.
Jack Gruber/USA TODAY
“In her first Supreme Court term, Ketanji Brown Jackson secured a book deal worth about $3 million, the latest justice to parlay fame into a big book contract.” [New York Times]
“Vladimir Putin is surrounding himself with African leaders today as Russia seeks to show he has plenty of friends despite efforts by the US and its allies to isolate him over the war in Ukraine.
Yet the second Russia-Africa summit in the president’s home town of St. Petersburg isn’t the hit the Kremlin had planned. Just 17 heads of state are attending, compared to 43 when Putin hosted the first event in 2019, while other countries have sent lower-level officials.
Hours before the summit, Russian missiles struck port infrastructure in Ukraine’s Odesa again, pushing up wheat prices that have surged since Putin abandoned the Black Sea deal allowing vital grain exports. African nations, in particular, are angry at the impact on food prices of the collapse of the deal.
Pictures of Putin holding bilateral meetings with a succession of leaders also reinforce Kremlin efforts to prove to domestic audiences that he’s still viewed abroad as Russia’s unchallenged ruler despite the mutiny by Wagner mercenaries last month.
Wagner’s important for a number of African leaders who struck security arrangements with its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, as a proxy for Russian engagement. They’re now puzzling over the state of the relationship between the Kremlin and Wagner.
Russia’s engagement with Africa harks back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union challenged the US in proxy conflicts across the continent. Then, Moscow offered support and weapons to friendly regimes and liberation movements in places like Angola and South Africa. It’s also supplied nuclear technology to nations such as Egypt.
While that record still counts for something, Putin is in a contest with the US, the European Union and, critically, China’s vast trade and investments in Africa.
The Kremlin will spin the summit as a positive for Putin’s global authority. But the consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine are heightening concern among African leaders.” [Bloomberg]
Demonstrators hold a banner reading “Thank you Wagner” as they celebrate France’s troop withdrawal from Mali on Feb. 19, 2022. Photographer: Florent Vergnes/AFP/Getty Images
“Soldiers seized control in the West African nation of Niger after detaining President Mohamed Bazoum, who came to power two years ago in the first democratic transfer of power since independence from France in 1960. The claimed military takeover follows five successful coups in the past three years in West Africa — a region wracked by the growing influence of Islamist militants and food shortages brought about by climate change — including two in neighboring Mali and two in Burkina Faso.” [Bloomberg]
“Kim Jong Un met Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the first high-level talks for North Korea since the start of the Covid pandemic as Pyongyang celebrated the 70th anniversary of the end of Korean War fighting. Shoigu handed Kim a signed letter from Putin and was given a tour of a weapons exhibition, where nuclear-capable ballistic missiles and drones were on display.” [Bloomberg]
WATCH: Kim Jong Un has expanded his military despite North Korea being one of the most impoverished places in the world. Source: Bloomberg
“Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will privately commit to withdrawing Italy from China’s Belt and Road investment and infrastructure initiative during a trip to the White House today, sources say. Meloni is looking to build up a relationship with Biden and will brief the president on the delicate choreography of that split, without going public.” [Bloomberg]
“Global ocean surface temperatures in June were the highest in 174 years of data — near Miami, coastal Atlantic waters are pushing 90F (32C). That’s a disaster-in-waiting because hot seas are amplifying extreme weather events that are claiming lives and inflicting massive economic damage. It’s a grim cycle, since the warmer oceans become, the less they are able to absorb the world’s excess heat, setting off a cascade of climate impacts from stronger storms to the loss of coral reefs.” [Bloomberg]
A map of average ocean temperatures during the powerful El Niño of 1997 showed plenty of cool water. A fledgling El Niño is just getting under way this year, but the world’s oceans are already much warmer. Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
“Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has lived in self-imposed exile for 15 years, is set to return to the Southeast Asian nation next month, a move likely to add to the political chaos that’s gripped the country since a May general election.” [Bloomberg]
Thaksin Shinawatra Photographer: Isaac Lawrence/AFP
Tesla rivals unite
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
“Seven of the world's largest automakers are forming a new company to build a vast network of electric vehicle chargers across America, Axios' Joann Muller writes.
Why it matters: The goal is to help potential EV buyers get over their "range anxiety" by tapping billions of dollars in federal subsidies to accelerate the rollout of fast-charging infrastructure.
Between the lines: The unusual effort by industry giants is seen as a bid to quell Tesla's growing influence over the EV ecosystem, after it said it would open its own Supercharger network to other brands.
The group includes GM, Stellantis (Chrysler's parent), Hyundai, Kia, Honda, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
The participants plan to collectively invest at least $1 billion in the new company, The Wall Street Journal reports.” [Axios]
Colleges are rethinking what they ask of applicants in the wake of a Supreme Court decision prohibiting affirmative action in admissions.
“Schools are introducing new essay prompts and software updates for application readers, while worrying about legal exposure. Most applications go live on Tuesday. The court’s majority opinion said that colleges can still consider applicants’ discussions of how race affected their lives if it ‘is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute.’ Universities committed to enrolling diverse students also are changing recruitment locations and preferential-treatment policies, such as those for alumni's children.” [Wall Street Journal]
USWNT salvages World Cup victory against the Netherlands
“U.S. captain Lindsey Horan scored on a thunderous header after a collision with Lyon teammate Danielle van de Donk on Thursday, salvaging a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands and keeping the U.S. women’s national team's hopes of winning Group E alive. The Americans appeared disorganized and tentative, showing none of the cohesion they had to start the game. But a hard tackle by van de Donk early in the second half changed everything. Horan was still complaining to the referee about it when Rose Lavalle lined up to take a corner kick. Horan tracked it the whole way and outmuscled several Dutch defenders before burying it with a thunderous header.” Read more at USA Today
Netherlands' defender Stefanie van der Gragt (R) and USA's midfielder #10 Lindsey Horan (C) fight for the ball during the 2023 Women's World Cup Group E football match between the United States and the Netherlands on July 27, 2023.
GRANT DOWN, AFP via Getty Images
Scores of pilot whales dead in mass stranding in Australia
“The last of nearly 100 whales that beached on the southwest Australian coast have been euthanized after a second day of frantic, but unsuccessful efforts to rescue them. The pod of long-finned pilot whales stranded themselves Tuesday on Cheynes Beach in Western Australia, south of the state capital Perth. Despite the efforts of wildlife officers and volunteers, 52 stranded whales died on the beach. Authorities say the remaining 45 were euthanized Wednesday after efforts to lead them to deeper water failed. Wildlife experts said the unusual behavior could be an indicator of stress or illness within the pod, The Associated Press reported.” Read more at USA Today
In this photo provided by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, a pod of long-finned pilot whales gather closely near Cheynes Beach east of Albany, Australia, Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Remembering Sinéad O'Connor, acclaimed and controversial Irish musician
“Sinéad O’Connor, the trailblazing Irish artist and “Nothing Compares 2 U” hitmaker, has died, according to a family statement obtained by the BBC. She was 56. O’Connor released her debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra” in 1987, and three years later, shot to worldwide fame with her sophomore effort “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.” The album was bolstered by lead single “Nothing Compares 2 U,” an aching cover of Prince’s 1985 song.” Read more about O'Connor's outspoken and nonconformist life and legacy. [USA Today]
Sinead O'Connor tears up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Oct. 5,1992, during a live appearance in New York on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," in this frame grab. The infamous incident took place after a song about racism, class differences, child abuse and other topics.
NBC via AP
”Lives Lived: Bo Goldman was one of Hollywood’s most admired screenwriters, winning Oscars for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Melvin and Howard.” He died at 90.” [New York Times]