Today’s edition of quick hits.
Today’s edition of quick hits:
* James Alex Fields Jr. in court: “The Ohio man accused of killing a woman when he allegedly rammed his car into a group protesting against white nationalists rallying in Virginia was denied bail Monday in his first court appearance since the chaos in Charlottesville.”
* Justice Department: “Late on Saturday night, the Department of Justice announced that it was opening a civil rights investigation into ‘the circumstances of the deadly vehicular incident,’ to be conducted by the F. B. I., the United States attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and the department’s Civil Rights Division.”
* Iraq: “Two American soldiers have been killed while conducting combat operations in Iraq, the U. S. military said Sunday, adding that ‘initial reports indicate the incident was not due to enemy contact.’ Five other soldiers were wounded, it said in a statement, without providing further details. It did not identify the soldiers.”
* A story to watch: “President Trump told Fox News he is ‘seriously considering’ issuing a pardon for former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted last month of criminal contempt for ignoring a judge’s order to stop detaining people because he merely suspected them of being undocumented immigrants.”
* I wonder what Priebus has to share: “In a sign that the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election will remain a continuing distraction for the White House, the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, is in talks with the West Wing about interviewing current and former senior administration officials, including the recently ousted White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, according to three people briefed on the discussions.”
* This was pretty weird: “President Trump called Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo to express his support to the U. S. territory amid the threats of an imminent strike from North Korea. But the commander in chief told him not to worry because the threat of a nuclear attack would only help Guam woo tourists.”
* Add this to the list of failed predictions: “Doctor Shortage Under Obamacare? It Didn’ t Happen.”
* Disappointing, but not surprising: “Interest in joining the State Department’s elite ranks of Foreign Service officers has tumbled in the early months of the Trump administration, triggering worries among former officials about the long-run risks to U. S. diplomatic power.”
* When lawmakers return to Capitol Hill, this should get some discussion: “President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees are ignoring key Senate Democrats as they vie for lifetime appointments to the bench, according to documents and senators – a break from longstanding practice that diminishes the minority’s power to provide a check against ideologically extreme judges.”
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
