John Eastman Clings to His Debunked Story
John Eastman Clings to His Debunked Story
Plus: The Three Battles Raging in Ukraine.
Recently in The Bulwark:
CHARLIE SYKES: Scenes from the GOP Circa 2023
JVL: There Is a Hidden Danger in Trying To Convince Republicans To Vote Against Trump in the Primaries 🔐
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LAURA K. FIELD: The Author of the ‘Coup Memos’ Sticks to His Story.
AS PRESS ATTENTION STAYS LARGELY FOCUSED on Donald Trump’s legal situation—he’s up to two and a half indictments, and counting—it’s worth taking a moment to check in on one of his chief accomplices in the effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election: constitutional law scholar and Claremont Institute stalwart John C. Eastman, author of the notorious “coup memos.”
Before digging into the many recent developments in Eastman’s case, here’s a quick refresher on his role in the political crisis: Recruited by the Trump team in late 2020, Eastman allegedly played a crucial role in developing the strategies President Trump pursued to retain power.
🎥 PODCASTS AND VIDEOS 🎧
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RON RADOSH: How Marty Peretz Ran the New Republic.
WRITING RECENTLY IN HIS New York magazine column, Jonathan Chait looked back with longing to a time before lefty journalists came to accept a “general, widespread, and (from what I can tell) growing taboo against criticizing fellow progressives—unless, of course, the criticism is for their lack of ideological or political ardor.” His nostalgia is not surprising, given that Chait began his career in 1995 at the New Republic, then owned and edited by Martin Peretz.
During the period Marty (as everyone calls him) was editor-in-chief of the magazine—from 1974, when he bought it, until 2011—it was known as the only major, independent liberal publication that regularly took editorial positions and published articles attacking liberal shibboleths. Between the Reagan presidency and that of Bill Clinton, the publication reached new heights of influence; it enjoyed a substantial general readership among those attuned to American politics as well as among thinkers, activists, and those working in the White House. During the Clinton years it was dubbed, in a phrase that began as mockery but was later used in New Republic ads, as “the in-flight magazine of Air Force One.”
BENJAMIN PARKER: The Three Battles Raging in Ukraine.
SOME SEVEN WEEKS after the start of a major counteroffensive, Ukrainian forces appear to have breached the first line of Russian defenses near the town of Robotyne. While the full implications—and even the full geographic extent—of Ukraine’s tactical success are still murky, this is good news, not only for the counteroffensive, but for all three of the battles going on in Ukraine right now.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
It’s Monday! And the D.C. heat wave is behind us (for now) thanks to a pretty harsh storm. But in the South and out West, it’s hot. In fact, looking like July’s going to be the hottest on record. Good riddance and stay cool out there.
Challenging FOX’s licenses… Our colleague Bill Kristol joined Ervin Duggan to petition the FCC to consider the character fitness of Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s over-the-air TV licenses.
You all know what to do when we hear the secret word, right? RIP to Pee Wee Herman, a fixture of 90’s kids’ youth (including mine). A troubled, kind talent. And who could forget his SNL appearances?
You’re going to need a visa… To visit Europe.
A weird story about consequences, politics, history and… Christopher Nolan films.
Susan B. Anthony List turns on Ron DeSantis… Calling his abortion position “unacceptable.”
DNA doesn’t lie… But people do.
Trump has GOP leaders trapped. New data on Fox News viewers shows why.
Meanwhile, back in Ohio… Racists descend on Put-in-Bay.
Jim Gaffigan tried… To reason with Joe Rogan.
It’s time to replace aging Senators… Argues freshly shaven friend Max Burns at The Third Degree.
Matt Walsh reveals the game… After he goes after Sen. Tim Scott for not sufficiently being on board with Ron DeSantis’s Florida education standards: “If there is one sin among conservatives, it is attacking your own side from the left. You do that and you are -- you should be dead to us at that point.” Ain’t that the truth! This comes after it was revealed that Walsh’s weird fascination with men in diapers comes from him narrating a wrestling match between two of his friends, one with a very visible swastika tattoo.
The frozen corner of Sweden… That tests the most advanced cars in the world.
Maybe Tommy Tuberville shouldn’t have held all those promotions… Because it seems that this likely played a role in Alabama losing Space Command.
New nukes! New nukes! Unit 3 in Georgia becomes the first new reactor in 30+ years.
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