For critics of MBS, as the Saudi leader is known, the immunity decision is a slap in the face. It will likely rouse new protests in Congress and among human rights activists that the Biden administration is accommodating Mohammed for reasons of realpolitik — and compromising its values in the process.
The decision was triggered by a lawsuit in federal district court in Washington against MBS and some 20 other defendants by the fiance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Post contributing columnist who was murdered by Saudi operatives in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018. The suit alleges that the crown prince and his co-defendants were responsible for the murder.
(God damn, the margins have shifted on this piece and I can’t figure out why. Where are my kids when I need them??). Oh, right, about the same place that the Washington Post will be when Biden needs them. Nowhere to be found. Jason? Jason??
Twitter ‘Has About A Week ‘Til It’s Dead:
Yesterday Musk, who already fired half the staff, gave an ultimatum to the other half telling them that they had until 5pm today to agree to his new, draconian terms of employment or they were out w/3 months severance. This evening multiple sources are reporting that hundreds of the ~3,700 remaining employees—and potentially up to ¾ of them—have told Musk to go to hell and are bailing.
The Salmon Will Once Again Swim Freely In The Pacific Northwest. Every now and then, Good triumphs:
After a grueling 20 years of environmental impact statements, scientific studies, negotiations with stakeholders and advocacy from the tribes and their conservationist allies—people who, as Hoopa Valley Tribe Chairman Joe Davis said, “poured their blood, sweat, and tears into making this happen”—the vote is the final green light everyone’s been waiting for. With FERC’s laborious approval process now concluded, dam removal can begin, launching what is expected to be the biggest river restoration project in US history.
“The Klamath salmon are coming home,” said Joseph James, the chairman of the Yurok Tribe, in a statement. “The people have earned this victory and with it, we carry on our sacred duty to the fish that have sustained our people since the beginning of time.”
Lawsuit Against Wilmington’s Draconian Towing Policy Will Continue. Seriously, even Mayor Mike must know that this policy is a stone-cold loser.
Carney Seeks Port Deal With Pennsylvania. It’s almost worth subscribing to the News-Journal just to pick out the most laughable statements from our public officials. To (half-)wit:
“Historically, that interest has turned into competition and so we’re trying to find a better way, like a ‘rising tide will lift all boats’ type of approach,” Carney said.
Specifically, Carney said he would like to prevent competition among ports from driving down rates that shippers pay to the facilities.”
W-wait, wouldn’t lower rates translate to lower prices? Can’t have that.
BTW, didja know that Philly is preventing the dredging in Edgemoor?:
“Before Delaware and Pennsylvania officials can continue discussing port partnerships in any capacity, Carney said, the Port of Philadelphia would need to drop its challenge to a permit that Delaware regulators issued to the Port of Wilmington, allowing construction of a new container terminal at the site of a former DuPont chemical plant in Edgemoor.
“I told him (Wolf) that if we are going to have any conversations, there needs to be a better approach there,” Carney said.
Does it sound like Carney isn’t exactly dealing from a position of strength here? My fave, though, is this:
“Delaware Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock – who chairs the state office that oversees the privately run, publicly owned Port of Wilmington – has also expressed frustration with the Port of Philadelphia’s legal challenge to the Edgemoor terminal, as well as to the $246 million Pennsylvania gave to its flagship port last spring.
“The State of Pennsylvania just gave the Holts – essentially, our competitors – a quarter of a billion dollars. That has an impact. It has an impact on our ability to compete,” Bullock said last April.”
Something Delaware would never do. Oh, wait. We did:
“Today, the state again is pouring millions of public dollars into the now-financially ailing port, just as Delaware lawmakers are on the verge of allowing the lucrative terms of its once celebrated lease deal to be amended – or even scrapped.
It is unclear which sections of the lease could be targeted for change in newly proposed legislation. The primary sponsor, Rep. Debra Heffernan-D, Bellefonte, declined to comment. Also not answering questions were officials from the governor’s office.
In an email Wednesday, Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock said the legislation “is needed as we move forward with building Edgemoor.”
He did not explain how the current version of the concession agreement impedes Edgemoor construction, nor did he respond to a follow-up email asking for the specific changes that would be made to the contract.”
Read the entire article. Perhaps, just perhaps, if these machinations had seen the light of day before they were put into place, the state wouldn’t be throwing good money after bad. Instead, Carney, Bullock, Heffernan and all those who have been involved, look like mere supplicants to a more powerful operation with a whole lot more political clout. You’d think someone would have thought of this before.
What do you want to talk about?
At least one WaPo columnist offers a well-reasoned assessment that Nancy wasn’t quite the star that you suggest she has been.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/17/nancy-pelosi-speaker-era-failure/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_opinions&utm_campaign=wp_opinions
Not saying you’re wrong — but there’s plenty of room for divergence among assessments of her tenure.
Pelosi steps down to cheers from the right wing. Whose spouse will they beat up next?
Republicans block accelerated vaccine development, i.e., Trump’s Operation Warp Speed:
President Joe Biden asked the lame-duck session of Congress this week for $5 billion for next-generation vaccines and therapeutics, as part of a broader $9.25 billion pandemic spending request. But Republicans, having blocked COVID spending packages since the spring amid complaints about how the White House spent earlier allocations, have shown no signs of dropping their resistance.
https://news.yahoo.com/end-vaccines-warp-speed-133658754.html
They WANT a disastrous outbreak during Biden’s term.
great! that means more covid/vaccine deniers/magats will be gone
Yes they do, the Republicans have frequently shown they are ready to inspire disaster if they think they will “win”by it. As noted by millions they remain party before country, and still the simple minds vote for them.
David Dayen makes a good case that Congress shouldn’t be talking about “regulating” cryptocurrency as if it were a financial instrument but rather treating it the same as gambling.
https://prospect.org/power/we-already-have-laws-to-stop-crypto-fraud/
Wow, what a scam. Surprised Trump didn’t create his own Crypto Exchange.
Great piece, well worth reading.
No need for Trump to create a personal crypto exchange. Grifts like “Give to Herschel and I’ll take 90 percent off the top” have a far greater ROI.
Musk’s loyalty oath demand almost-cleverly implies if you don’t check Yes you are automatically fired with three month’s severance. I don’t think this is legally binding. No doubt this has caused many to send FU resignation letters publicly or privately. But that wasn’t the deal. I wouldn’t put it past Musk to deny severance to those who resigned, or just stopped showing up to work at a job they still technically are employed. I hope all those very smart people have figured this out for themselves and shared it among themselves.