Transcript

5.21.26 · Washington Post

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Speaker 1: Welcome to the reading of Today's Washington Post for Thursday,
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May twenty first of twenty twenty six. Your reader is
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Alice Stainer, with the reminder that radio eyes for those
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blinded with other disabilities and difficulties holding and reading printed material.
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So I start with today's front page of the Washington Post.
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On the very far left, Democrats voute probe of Trump's
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one point eight billion dollar fund. If they flip hosts,
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they'll also try to block money to ported purported legal victims.
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By Arianna Alfaro. In the middle, there is a picture
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that takes up four columns of people and has met
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suits yellow rubbery yellow suits with black gloves, white hats
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and hoods with goggles a top. They are clearing a
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black coffin with a gold seal or a brass seal
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at the bottom of the top. There is a caution
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coord caution tape around it and it's entitled workies. Workers
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carry the coffin of a person who died of ebola
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from a health center in where Rumpawa, Democratic Republic of
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Congo on Wednesday. More than one hundred and thirty deaths
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and hundreds of suspected cases have been recorded so far
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with an article under that White House resisted return of
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doctor with Ebola, Melina h Son and Lauren Webber, which
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is a sharp contrast with the care for Americans in
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the twenty fourteen West African outbreak, and they expected those
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numbers to keep increasing. On the very far right, Raoul
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Castro indicted in US He's charged with murder conspiracy cases
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related to deadly downing of planes in nineteen ninety six
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by Perry Stein, Karen de Young, and Jeremy Roebuck. And
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below the fold two articles big night for Trump in
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sweep of primaries his favorites outperform his GOP forces in Georgia, Pennsylvania,
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Kentucky by Hannah Knowles, Dan Merca, and Patrick Marley. And
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then there's an article about Barney Frank nineteen forty to
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nineteen twenty six. The Democrat was an influential congressman and
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the gay right hero, the sixteen term Massachusetts lawmaker that
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is sweeping overhaul of the financial sector after the Great
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Recession by Emily Langer. And there is a picture of
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Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, on Capitol Hill in
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two thousand and eight. He's in front of a podium
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with a gray suit and a ranting gray strike time
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with photographer's all around him. His signature legislation emerged from
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his the financial catastrophe that they gained with the collapse
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of the subprime mortgage market in two thousand and seven
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by Emily Langer. Democrats vow probe of Trump's one point
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eight billion dollar pay fund if they retake the House.
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Lawmakers also said they would try to block the tax
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payer backed fund created to compensate people who claim to
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be targets of a weaponized justice system. And there is
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a picture of Representative Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland, who
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is expected to become Host Judiciary Committee chairman if his
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party takes back the House. That's fall by Marianna Alfaro.
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Host Democrats plan to investigate and try to block President
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Donald Trump's one point eight billion dollar pay at fund
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created by the Justice Department to compensate people claiming to
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be targets of a politically weaponized justice system. If Democrats
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take back the House in November, we will get to
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the bottom of where every dollar has gone. Representative Jamie Raskin,
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Democrat of Maryland, the top Democrat on the host Judiciary Committee,
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which oversees the Justice de Apartment, said Tuesday, Raskin is
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expected to become chair of that committee if Democrats win
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the House. They have just gone way too far this
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time and the public is not going to put up
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with it. The Democrats are well positioned to take back
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the House in becoming midterm elections and have vowed to
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use their investigation powers to check the Trump administration on
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many fronts. Democrats have also possible paths, the more remote
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of taking control of the Senate. The Justice Department, in
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a statement, said that it would happily address member concerns
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about the operation of this fund as necessary. The Department
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also accused unnamed Democratic administrations of spending years weaponizing federal
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agencies against Tennis and Americans, including Republican members of Congress,
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for political gain. Acting attorneyed Todd Blanche on Monday announced
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the one point eight billion fund, paid for by taxpayers
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as part of a settlement in the President's lawsuit against
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the IRS. The payer fund will have limited oversight and
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broad authority to distribute payments to individuals, sidestepping the normal
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process for negotiating legal claims against the government. The unusual
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arrangement quickly set off alarms among Democrats. All paireds from
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the fund will be decided by a five member panel
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appointed primarily by the Attorney General. Trump will have the
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authority to veto any member, according to details released by
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the Justice Department. The agreement states that payments will be
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reported quarterly to the Justice Department, but that those records
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will remain confidential, and that the fund's members will get
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to decide whether to disclose their processes for granted or
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denying claims. It looks like they are doing in everything
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in their power to have the actual beneficiaries. We want
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to investigate exactly where all the payments went. Raskin said.
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Allies and supporters of the president could stand or receive
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large pays from the finds, including the roughly sixteen hundred
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Trump supporters who were criminally charged in connection to the
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January sixth, twenty twenty one attack on the US Capital.
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The prospect that rioters who stormed the capital might receive
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taxpayer money has especially incensed Democratic leaders. In a statement,
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Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, Democrat of New York, described
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the fund as a vehicle for Trump to fund his
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insurrectionist army to the tune of billions and a dindum
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Tuesday to the settlement. Deal notes that the rs would
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also be forever barred and precluded from pursuing unpaid tax
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claims that arose before the settlement against Trump, members of
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his family, or his businesses. Raskin, a constitutional lawyer, and
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the other Democrats on the host Judiciary Committee, argued in
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interviews with The Washington Post that the fund, which totals
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exactly one point seven seven six billion dollars a nod
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to the year of the nation's funding, was not approved
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by Congress, violating Congress's constitutional power took control of federal spending.
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Raskin also cited Section four of the fourteenth Amendment, which
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bars the federal government and states from paying debts or
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obligations incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the
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United States. Raskin argued that provision would apply to anti
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public money used to compensate January sixth defendants. I mentioned
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this to one of my Republican colleagues, and he said,
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wall that just relates to the Civil War. I said, no,
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it doesn't. Dot dot. It is stated in general terms.
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It applies for all times, he said. Blanch acknowledged the
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funds and usual nature on Tuesday, and in testimony before
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the Senate Appropriations Committee. The acting Attorney General, however, insisted
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that the fund isn't unprecedented. Blanche also insisted that Annie
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pears would not be decided based on party affiliation, saying
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that Hunter Biden, for example, could receive funds because of
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a tax fraud and firearms conviction he received during his
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father's administration. Meanwhile, aren't waiting to take back the House.
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Some are already investigating the Payout fund and pressing for
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transparency with the limited power they currently have. Raskin said
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he plans proposed legislation to block the funding and get
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Republicans on the record about their support for the fund
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through a vote. On Monday, shortly after the Payotes Fund's
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creation was announced, ninety three host Democrats filed an ameeka's
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brief seeking to block it, writing and a filing to
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a federal court in the Southern District of Florida that
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Article three in the Constitution bars the president from profiteering
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and that the fund would result in the improper and
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unconstitutional transport of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of the President,
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his family, and his allies. In an interview, represented Becca Vyland,
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Democrat of Vermont, the number two Democrat on the Judiciary Committee,
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not did one of the strongest tools Democrats have right
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now is the fund against the fund is reminding any
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member of this administration that just because eventually Trump will
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leave office, it does not mean that they themselves will
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not be held accountable for any wrongdoing. This settlement looks
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on its face completely like collusion, she said, Just to
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be really clear, this is complete and total madness. Representative
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Steve Cohen, Democrat of Timosee, who also sits on the
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Judiciary Kennel and recently announced his retirement, said Democrats should
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make an argument to mid term voters that Democrat took
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control of the houses needed to assert oversight over the
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payout Fund and the other alleged improprieties by the Trump administration.
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But Cohen acknowledged that to go beyond investigations and pass
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legislation that holds the Trump administration into account, Democrats would
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also need to win back the Senate with a large majority.
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But even with just the House majority, he noted, Democrats
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could steal subpoena Administration members about the fund. There also
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appears to be some quiet appetite among Republicans in the
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Senate to impose congressional oversight over the fund. I think
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that there are and will be continue to be a
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lot of questions around that that the administration is going
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to have to answer, Senate Majority Leader John Finn, Republican
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of South Dakota told reporters Tuesday. Representative Justice Johnson, Republican
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of South Dakota told reporters Wednesday morning that members are
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certainly asking about it. I think we want to do
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oversight over it, he said. Johnson argued that there have
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been times where the federal government has treated people improperly,
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but that he wants to make sure that existing legal
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mechanisms to redress any damages aren't sufficient before we do
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something else. When asked whether January sixth rioters should receive payers,
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Johnson said he thinks those individuals broke the law and
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should be held accountable, and that he would want to
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have a better understanding of what damages were inflicted upon
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them by the Justice Department before they are awarded any money.
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His Majority leader, Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana, said his
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knowledge of the details was vague and that the only
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thing he's heard is that any American who's been a
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target of weaponization can apply. They have to stake their case,
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Sali Scalise said, before adding that Trump is the most
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notable victim of government weaponization. Representative Kevin Keeley of California,
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an independent who caucuses with Republicans, more directly said that
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he has concerns about the funds, saying it is very strange,
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very unprecedented. I don't know why anyone is receiving money
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from this fund. He said, that's not the way we
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typically adjudicate claims. There does need to be congressional oversight
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into exactly how this came about. Keighley said, I'm going
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inside to read a related article Trump's extraordinary one point
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eight million dollar legal fund to his allies, why the
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enormous fund is so controversial? And There's a picture of
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former prowd Boys leader Enrique Tario speaking in Washington on
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the five year anniversary of the January sixth, twenty twenty
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one attack on the Capitol. He's in a green hooded
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wet shirt with black hat on. A woman behind him
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in blue with a sign saying free Tina Peters, and
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then just people standing behind him, one man in a
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suit on the far right with a small American flag
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in his hand, and then people holding cameras and taking videos.
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The analysis is by Amber Peter Phillips. This week, President
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Donald Trump and the Justice Department announced to one point
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eight billion fund widely expected to go to people who
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stormed and attacked the Capitol after he lost the twenty
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twenty presidential election, as well as anyone who claims they
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were wrongly prosecuted by democratic administrations. The enormous taxpayer legal
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fund designed for the president's supporters has shocked ethics experts
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and starred impeachment talk among some Democrats. This is one
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of the single most corrupt acts in American history. Donald K. Sherman,
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president of the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington,
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told my Washington Post colleagues, here's what's going on. It
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came about after Trump sued the IRS for ten billion dollars.
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Trump sued THERS Internal Revenue Service this year after a
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contract worker stole and leaked as tax documents, leading to
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an extraordinary situation where the president was suing his own administration.
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It looks bad. I'm suing myself, right, Trump said this
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fall of other legal claims he has against the government.
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The lawsuit also came as those accused in the January sixth,
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twenty twenty one attack on the Capitol were demanding payment
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for being prosecuted in the first place. Trump pardoned almost
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all of them his first day in office, letting hundreds
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of people out of jail, but many say they deserve
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reparations as well. Some marched on Washington earlier this year,
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on the fifth anniversary of the attack, to show their
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support for Trump and demand more. We're not going anywhere.
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Robert Morris, who was sentenced to more than five years
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in prison for assaulting police, offers I think they mean
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police officers, among other charges, told my post colleague, We're
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here to fix history, set the record straight, and we're
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going to make America great again, whether they like it
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or not. Two Trump's I are As lawsuit quickly transitioned
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into an anti weaponization fund. Trump's lawsuit against the I
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are As based headwinds in court, and this week his
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legal team and the Justice Department, led by his former
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personal lawyer, read wish to deal where Trump would drop
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the lawsuit in exchange for the government setting up an
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anti reaponization fund. The perimeters of the fund are broad,
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with a focus on people who claim they were wronged
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or persecuted by democratic administrations. The fund will abruptly close
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when Trump leaves office. Acting Attorney General Tard Blanche told
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lawmakers Tuesday that more details on how the funds work
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will be released soon. Three. This could go to anyone
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with very little oversight. This settlement appears more like an
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agreement between Trump and his administration than a real legal settlement.
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Trump won't get the money, but he will have ultimate
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authority over appointing a five number penel deciding how much
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to dole out and to who. And there is no
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requirement this information be released to the public. This is
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reimbursing people who are horribly treated, Trump said this week.
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On Tuesday, Glance told senators there would be full transparency. Already,
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hundreds of January sixth defendants have filed claims for it.
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By Post Colleagues report, Glance said that people convicted of
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assaulting law enforcement will be eligible. Anybody in this country
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is eligible to apply if they believe they were victims
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of weaponization. Four. The fund has no equal in modern
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American history. In announcing the fund, the Justice Department pointed
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to the Obama administration setting up a fund to resolve
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claims of discrimination made by Native American farmers and ranchers,
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but that was not directed explicitly at a president's political allies,
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nor derived from a lawsuit by the president, and not
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nearly as costly. It is not clear if this is
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legal or who might even claims standing to sue the
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Trump administration over it. The Treasury Department is supposed to
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sign off on legal payments, and its top lawyer resigned
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Monday as a fund was announced, but there could be
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political consequences. Trump's pardon of January six attackers was deeply unpopular,
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and the taxpayer fund for them comes as Americans increasingly
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say their life is unaffordable and blamed Trump for some
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of it. Trump has also made headlines lately for boldly
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trading millions of dollars of tax docs and investing in cryptocurrency,
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and his family company run by his children, is making
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real estate deals in the Middle East. Trump's theft of
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taxpayer money while people are losing health care coverage and
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food aid while suffering from Trump induced high Prices, wrote
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the left leaning economist Paul Krugman, is perfectly his perfect
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boder for the Democrats in the up elections. And the
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next article takeaways from primaries where Trump demonstrated power over GOP.
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It was a big night for the President as his
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favorite swept Republican foes in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. And
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there is a picture of Representative Thomas Massey, Representative of
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Republican Kentucky and his primary opponent, Ed Golling the two
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Bahamma Knowles, Dan Merca and Patrick Morley. President Donald Trump
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and his allies flexed their power Tuesday and primaries around
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the country as Republican voters advanced their favored candidates and
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hosted one of Trump's top Republican critics in Congress. Trump's
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biggest victory unfolded in Kentucky, where Representative Thomas Massey, Republican,
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lost re election after clashing with the White House and
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bucking GOP leadership on critical votes, but the President's influence
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was evident across key races. His show of force came
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days after he helped defeat Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana,
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who voted to convict Trump in his twenty twenty one
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impeachment trial. Several GOP lawmakers in Indiana also lost their
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seats this month after resisting Trump's push to redraw the
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state's congressional map. Here are some takeaways from Tuesday's primaries.
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One Massey lost reelection after defying Trump. Trump and his
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allies but an enormous political capital behind unseating Massey. Looking
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to make an example of the Republican congressman. Massey kept
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the race competitive, but he ultimately lost to Trump and
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doors to Ed Gallain fifty five percent percent. The takeaway
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for other Republicans was clear, this is an at symbol
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real Donald Trump's Republican Party represented to Brandy find Republican
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of Florida, wrote an x, adding the rest of us
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get the privilege of living in it. The primary was
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Massey's biggest showdown yet with Trump. Over the past year,
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he has voted against the president's signature legislation, criticized Trump's
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military actions in Iran, and joined Democrats to force the
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Justice Department to release the foules of convicted sex offender
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Jeffrey Epstein. Despite the loss, Massey told the crowd Tuesday
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Night that he was just getting started. He played coy
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when supporters urged him to run for president. In twenty
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twenty eight, two Trump's favorites advance in Georgia and beyond
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Trump's picks and other competitive also advanced. In Georgia, Trump
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backed Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones, Republican, led several GOP candidates
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for governor. Jones advanced to a runoff with billionaire businessman
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Rick Jackson, a political newcomer who rocked the race with
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more than eighty million dollars in ad spending. The winner
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will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who clinched
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the Democratic nomination with more than half the vote, avoiding
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a runoff despite a crowded field. In Kentucky, Representative Andy
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bar Republican, cruised to the GOP nomination with Trump's backing,
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beating former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron. A third GOP candidate,
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Nate Morris, dropped out a Trump's request weeks before the election,
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and in Alabama, Trump endorsed presented to Barrymore Republican led
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the Republican field to succeed Tommy Tuberville in the Senate,
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though he did not earn the majority of the vote
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needed to avoid a runoff. Tuberville is running for governor
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and advanced to the general election to face Democrat Doug Jones,
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whom he unseated from the Senate six years ago by
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a wide margin. Three runoff will prolong a messy GOP
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fight in Georgia. Georgia is a top Senate battleground where
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Republicans hope to unseat Senator John Assof Democrat, but first
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they have to get through a massy GOP primary. Representative
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Mike Collins, Republican, led the GOP pack and will advance
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to the runoff to face Derek Dooley, a former football
25:49
coach endorsed by Governor Brian Kemp. GOP leaders were unable
25:55
to recruit Kremp, their dream candidate to run Trump decline
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the way in now Republicans will spend more time fighting
26:04
with one another. Four Democrats left flank notches in a
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victory in Pennsylvania. Democratic primary in Pennsylvania's deep blue third
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Congressional district showed the strength of the party's most liberal
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Ring state representative, Chris Rabb, a Democrat socialist one decisively.
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Rab had the backing of progressive stars such as Representative
26:31
Alexandria Acascio Cortez, Democrat of New York and rallied with
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has Son Piko, the left wing twitch streamer who was
26:39
polarizing among Democrats. Rab beat pediatric surgeon Alice Stanford and
26:46
State Senator Sherriff Street, Democrat, a Faumont State Party chair
26:52
in the Lehigh Valley by a fighter, Bob Brooks, emerged
26:55
from a crowded Democratic field for a chance to take
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on Representative Ryan and Mackenzie, Republican inn Swing district. Brooks,
27:03
a Union leader, had support across the political spectrum, including
27:08
from Senator Bernie Sanders and the Independent of Vermont, Pennsylvania
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Governor Joshapiro Democrat, and the host Democrats campaign arm Elsewhere
27:19
and Pennsylvania Democrats picked their nominees for battleground host races,
27:24
but that did not have highly contested primaries. In the
27:29
Philadelphia suburbs. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania, we'll face
27:37
Democrat Harvey. Bob Harvey, a Bucks County Commissioner. Representative Rob Resnahan,
27:46
Republican of Pennsylvania will face Scranton Mayor Page Conneghny Democrat.
27:52
Representative Scott Perry, Republican of Pennsylvania will face former Newscasca
27:58
Janelle Steltson, Democrat in Central Pennsylvania. The outcomes of host
28:04
races in November have implications for Shapiro, who is also
28:09
up for re election in November. If Shapira can help
28:12
deliver the seats to Democrats, the wins could bolster his
28:16
electability argument ahead of a possible twenty twenty eight come
28:20
presidential run. I think this is five rematch set in Oregon.
28:27
Oregon Governor Tina Kotec, Democrat, who has led her blue
28:31
state since twenty twenty three, advanced to a rematch with
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Republican Christine Dresen, a state lawmaker. Drason lost a Kotech
28:41
in twenty twenty two down ballot. Republican county commissioner Patty
28:47
Adele advanced to challenge Representative Janelle Bynum, Democrat, for Oregon's
28:54
most competitive US host seat. Bynum won by less than
28:58
three points than twenty five twenty four, but some Republicans
29:01
are pessimistic about retaking the seat this year, and GOP
29:05
candidates did not flock to the race. Six. A Supreme
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Court ruling upended some primaries. Alabama held unusual primaries that
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gave voters a chance to vote in fewer than half
29:20
of the state's host races. Primaries for the other host
29:24
seats will be held in August. Late last month, the
29:28
Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act and gave states
29:32
an opportunity to approved last minute changes to their congressional maps.
29:37
Republicans in Alabama responded by adopting a map that changes
29:41
the boundaries to four of the state's seven districts, and
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Governor k iv Republican postponed the primaries for those districts.
29:51
The extraordinary situation if voters could not vote in four
29:55
host districts, including the ones held back by two black
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Democrats who represent the state in the House, Shamari Figures
30:04
and Terry A Sewell, the new map breaks up Figures
30:08
district and gives it a Republican tilt. Democrats are fighting
30:12
the new map in court. Former Cuban President on Raoul
30:19
Castro indicted in US on murder conspiracy charges. The charges
30:26
likely to remain symbolic related to the deadly drowning of
30:31
two planes in nineteen ninety six and come as the
30:34
Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on Cuba. And there's
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a picture of former Cuban president Raoul Castro during a
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speech in Santiago, Cuba, on January first, twenty twenty four.
30:48
And you see the Cuban flag on his left, a
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star on a red square with blue and white stripes
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and a gold binding, and he has kisses and four
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stars with wings below it and looking downward. By Perry Stein,
31:12
Karen de Young, and Jeremy Roebuck out of Miami. A
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federal grand jury in Miami has indicted former Cuban president
31:20
Rabald Castro in an attempt to hold him accountable for
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killing four people, three of them Americans, alleging that Cuban
31:28
military forces were acting on his orders when they shot
31:32
down two civilian aircraft in nineteen ninety six. The extraordinary indictment,
31:39
which was returned by a grand jury in April, had
31:42
been kept under seal comes under the trumpetmen as the
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Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure to try to force
31:50
political turnover in communist Cuba. And it is the latest
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example of the administration using its Justice Department to bolster
31:59
foreign policy. Aimes top Justice Department officials announced the indictment
32:04
Wednesday in Miami, the heart of the Cuban exile community.
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Castro faces chargers of murder, conspiracy to kill US nationals,
32:15
and destruction of aircraft. According to the indictment, law enforcement
32:20
allegs that Castro directed the killing of the four men
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members of a Cuban exile group who died when their
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private aircraft were downed in the Florida Strait between Cuba
32:30
and South Florida. In addition to Castro, five others allegedly
32:35
involved were charged as well. My message today is clear,
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a news conference
32:46
in Miami. The United States and the President connot and
32:50
will not forget its US citizens. President Trump is committed
32:54
to restoring a very simple but important principle. If you
32:59
kill me Americans, we will pursue you, no matter how
33:03
much time has passed. The event was attended by hundreds
33:08
of prominent Miami Cuban Americans, who responded to news of
33:12
the indictment with standing ovations. Many had been involved for decades,
33:17
along with success of Florida Republican lawmakers in efforts to
33:22
obtain a federal or state indictment Cuban President Miguel Diaz
33:27
Knil responded to the indictment Wednesday afternoon on social media,
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calling it a political maneuver devoid of an illegal basis,
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aimed at solely at bolstering the dossier being fabricated to
33:42
justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba. Castro
33:48
ninety four, took over the president and sery of Cuba
33:51
when his brother Fidel Castro stepped down in two thousand
33:55
and six, or of two thousand and eight. With Fidel's
33:59
death in twenty sixteen, when our wild Castro became the
34:03
islands preminent revolutionary hero. Although he left the presidency in
34:08
twenty eighteen, Castro remained for a secretary to the Communist
34:13
Party of Cuba until twenty twenty one. It is unlikely
34:17
that Castro will be extradited to the United States to
34:21
appear in court and face the charges absent Cuba's cooperation.
34:26
The indictment is liking to remain symbolic unless the US
34:30
takes aggressive action to remove Castro from Cuba. Lance said
34:36
the indictment was more than just a gesture, adding that
34:39
he expected Castro to appear in US court. He deflected
34:44
questions about whether there would be military intervention to bring
34:48
him out of Cuba. We expect that he will show
34:53
up here by his own will or another way, Glance said.
34:57
The downed planes were flown by members of Brothers to
35:00
the Rescue, a US based humanitarian group formed in nineteen
35:04
ninety one the Cuban exiles in Miami to patrol the
35:08
Florida Strait in search of those fleeing the island and
35:12
notified the US Coast Guard to rescue them. The group
35:16
was founded by Jose Bosolto, a veteran of the failed
35:20
nineteen ninety nineteen sixty one invasion of Cuba at the
35:24
Bay of Pigs by exile fighters organized and trained by
35:28
the CIA. There had been a massive exodus of tens
35:33
of thousands of Cubans fleeing to Florida on small boats, rafts,
35:38
and inner tubes in the early nineteen nineties, though the
35:41
number dropped after the Clinton administration in nineteen ninety four
35:45
ordered the Coast Guard to intercept and detain those caught
35:48
at sea. The group's interest also came to include harassing
35:53
the Cuban government, sometimes flying over Cuba airspace and dropping
35:57
leaflet's urging residents to against the regime. Their campaigns had
36:03
been led to numerous complaints from Havana and assurances from
36:08
the Clinton administration that it would stop. On the day
36:12
the planes were shot down in nineteen ninety six, the
36:15
group said it had been looking for Cuban rafters trying
36:18
to flee the country in the Florida Straits when Cuba's
36:21
military down the aircraft. Numerous investigations at the time concluded
36:27
that the planes were over international waters when they were downed.
36:31
Cuba has long maintained that its investigation showed the planes
36:35
over Cuban territory waters. The political follow from the planes
36:40
being shot down was swift, with US delegation passed to Titan,
36:45
then nineteen sixty three Cuban trade embargo imposed by President
36:50
John F. Kennedy, and calls to hold responsible for the
36:54
Allen Rouel Castro, Cuba's defense minister at the time. Blanche
37:01
held the news conference at Freedom Tower in Miami, where
37:04
he was joined by Jason Reading Queen Olms, the top
37:08
federal prosecutor in su Florida, Florida Senator Ashley Moody, Republican,
37:14
and FBI Director Christopher Ray, all of whom spoke at
37:18
the event. James Arthmyer, Florida's Attorney General, also attended. Freedom
37:24
Tower is a symbolic monument for Cuban Americans. It is
37:28
where Cubans who were fleeinged the Communist revolution in the
37:31
late nineteen fifties and sixties were processed and received aid
37:36
when they arrived in Miami. It is considered the Ellis
37:40
Island for the Cuban community. In the indictment made public Wednesday,
37:46
which was Cuban Independence Day, prosecutors alleged to Raoul Castro,
37:52
then Cuba's vice president and the minister overseeing its armed forces,
37:57
directly offered rise the use of deadly force against the
38:01
humanitarian planes in nineteen ninety six. All orders to kill
38:06
them by the Cuban military traveled through this change of command,
38:09
with Raul Castro and Fidel Castro as the final decision makers.
38:14
The indictment stated, in the weeks leading up to the
38:18
planes being shot down, Cuba sent spies to the US
38:22
to infiltrate brothers to the rescue and send details of
38:26
its plans for future flights. The indictment says. Prosecutors said
38:31
Cuban government officials warned those spies not to fly with
38:34
Brothers to the Rescue during the days leading up to
38:38
the attack. Meanwhile, the indictment says Cuban military pilots conducted
38:44
training runs to target the slower moving Brothers to the
38:48
Rescue pilots used slower moving planes Brothers to the Rescue
38:54
pilots used. Several Cuban oxiles in Miami were later prosecuted
39:00
convicted as spies for Havanna for involvement in the shootdown
39:04
as well as other espionage. The five others charged in
39:08
the indictment made public Wednesday are allegedly all pilots who
39:13
to shut down the two planes or were involved in
39:15
pursuing a third Brothers to the Rescue plane that managed
39:18
to escape. The additional defendants include Lorenzo Alberto Perez Perez,
39:25
Emilio Jose Policio Blanco, Jose Fidel Guao Brazardo, Raul Samanca Guardinas,
39:35
and Louis Raaul Gonzalez Pardo Rodriguez Gonzalez Parto Rodriguez, sixty
39:42
five of Havana is in US custody facing sentencing in
39:47
a separate case involving making false statements on the US
39:51
immigration document. I think it is a very big moment
39:55
for people that not only Cuban Americans, but people that
39:59
came from Cuba that want to go back to Cuba,
40:02
people that want to see their family in Cuba. President
40:05
Donald Trump Tolrapotos Wednesday about the indictment, adding, they supported
40:10
me within the ninth degree. They supported me at levels
40:14
that nobody's ever seen before. Trump and an executive vota
40:19
issued in the first week of a second term, declared
40:22
a national emergency regarding Cuba, saying it presents an unusual
40:27
and extraordinary threat because it has aligned itself in countries
40:31
hostile to the US, including Iran, Russia, and China. Amid
40:36
these tensions, cee I directed John Radcliffe traveled to Havana
40:40
last week for meetings with senior Cuban security and intelligence officials,
40:45
including Raould Rodriguez Castro, the powerful grandson of Raoul Castro.
40:51
The meeting came as extensive blackouts continued on the island,
40:56
with the government acknowledge it was without any reserves to
41:00
fuel power plans that Trump administration has adopted a policy
41:05
of economic strangulation to try to drive the current leadership
41:09
from power. Actions that have gone above and beyond us
41:13
economic embargo imposed more than six decades ago. The administration's
41:18
actions include expanded economic sanctions, a naval blockade preventing ships
41:24
from carrying oil to the island, and the threat of
41:27
secondary sanctions on any other country or entity that trades
41:31
with the Cuban government or designated individuals or companies. Trump
41:37
has suggested he could utilize a playbook include Cuba, similar
41:41
to the one he used in Venezuela earlier this year.
41:44
The Justice Department first indicted Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro on
41:50
narco terrorism charges in twenty twenty, though he was not
41:54
extragated at the time. In January, the administration launched an
41:59
attack on venezuel Whelan, capturing Maduro and bringing into New
42:02
York to face charges. The Trump administration in part described
42:08
the coutcher as a law enforcement effort to ensure the
42:11
Maduro faced his day in court on narco terrors and charges.
42:16
It left the rest of the Venezuelan government intact, saying
42:19
that its Maduro era leaders were cooperating with the United States.
42:24
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has outlined a similar plan
42:27
for Cuba. On demanding economic and political changes, Trump has
42:32
said that Cuba is next in line as soon as
42:36
he finishes this war with Iran, although the administration has
42:39
not publicly declared that it intends to use military force
42:43
to achieve its goals in Cuba. In March, the Washington
42:48
Post reported that the Justice Department had formed a working
42:51
group to examine possible federal charges against officials or entities
42:56
within Cuba's government. The US Attorney's Office for the Southern
43:01
District of Florida, which includes Miami, the center of the
43:04
Cuban exile community, has been overseeing the prosecution group. The
43:10
indictments unsealing came on Cuban Independence Day, which marks the
43:14
anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Cuba after
43:18
the nineteen two end of US military occupation that followed
43:23
the Spanish American War. In a message to the Cuban
43:28
people on Wednesday, Ribio said he was aware of their
43:32
unimaginable hardships, which he said were not deemed to an
43:36
oil blackade by the US, but from the corruption of
43:39
their leaders in the US. Ribio said, we are ready
43:44
to open a new chapter in the relationship between our
43:47
people and our countries, and concurrently, the only things standing
43:52
the way of a better future of those who controlled
43:55
your country. Going back inside the front section of the paper,
44:01
the Trump paradox what's good for him is weighing down
44:07
his party. The president has created a party that is
44:11
loyal to him even when he takes executive actions that
44:15
anger the board of public. That dynamic leaves him weaker
44:21
with those outside his base. The analysis by Karen Tumulty,
44:28
President Donald Trump doesn't believe in a political law of gravity.
44:33
The more his standing sinks with the country at large,
44:36
a host of polls showed it near its lowest ever,
44:40
the more he bends the Republican Party to his will
44:44
and endangers the obeiscent GOP's prospects in the ball with
44:49
unpopular and even brazen actions. The result is a president
44:54
historically strong at demanding political fealty within his party, but
44:59
prone to executive actions that alienate the broader public. That
45:04
paradox has forced it a disinclination and weakened ability to
45:09
act with Congress on issues that mattered most to voters,
45:13
a cycle that Trump is unwilling or unable to break.
45:18
On Tuesday, Trump bagged the trophy he had coveted more
45:21
than any of them. The Oaster of libertarian Representative Thomas Massey,
45:27
Republican of Kentucky. The eight term congressman is the President's
45:31
most prominent GOP critic in the House, and led the
45:35
charge resisted by Trump until he realized he couldn't stop
45:39
it to release the government's files on convicted sex offender
45:43
Jeffrey Epstein. Massey was trunsed in his primary by heretofore
45:48
political unknown format Navy seal ed Galvin, hand picked by
45:52
Trump and funded with tens of millions of dollars from
45:55
his allied organizations. Massey's defeat followed by three days the
46:01
loss by Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, whom the
46:06
President had deemed very disloyal. Cassidy had voted to convict
46:11
in Trump's second impeachment trial in the Senate five years
46:14
ago over the January sixth, twenty twenty one attack on
46:18
the US Capitol. Though the senator had endeavored, often awkwardly,
46:24
to mend his relationship with the President, Cassidy didn't even
46:28
make the runoff. Earlier this month, Trump's retribution to a
46:33
step through Indiana, where Republican voters he did his call
46:38
and swept out five of the seven state senators he
46:41
had targeted for having resisted his demand that they redraw
46:45
congressional district lines in the Senate or in the state Karenne.
46:51
One race in which the candidates are two votes apart
46:54
in the latest code, has yet to be decided end Parenne.
46:59
President Sident flexed his muscle again Tuesday by endorsing Texas
47:04
Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent John Coynan in tuesday's
47:09
GOP state primary runoff in the Lone Star state. The
47:13
move dismade many Republicans in Capitol Hill because Cornyan had
47:18
been seen as a far stronger general election candidate. If
47:22
Paxton wins, Republicans probably will have to invest hundreds of
47:26
millions money that might be needed to shore up candidates
47:29
elsewhere to get their candidate over the finish line in
47:33
a deeply read state. But, as is often the case,
47:38
Trump made clear his decision was personal, not tactical, a
47:42
policy driven. Cornin had occasionally been critical of Trump in
47:46
the past, though he had recently been doing his best
47:49
to ingratiate himself, including by recently introducing legislation to name
47:54
one of the longest highways in the country after the president.
47:58
It was to no avail. John Cornyn is a good
48:01
man and I worked well with him, but he was
48:04
not supported of me when times were tough. Trump wrote
48:07
in his statement on social media endorsing Paxton, I think
48:12
magg has never been more together, actually, Trump told reporters Tuesday.
48:17
But it will take no small amount of support from
48:20
the rest of the electric for Republicans to maintain their
48:23
hold on Congress and the fall election, in which the
48:26
president sees his own political survival at stake. You got
48:32
to win the mid terms, because if we don't win
48:34
the mid terms, it's just going to be I mean,
48:37
they'll find a reason to impeach me. I'll get impeached,
48:40
he told host Republicans at a retreat in January. But
48:44
right now, the biggest drag on the party's ability to
48:47
retain its slim majorities in the House and the Senate
48:51
is Trump. A New York Times slash Santa Paul out
48:56
Monday was only the latest in which the public strongly
48:59
disapprove the war that Trump launched in Iran and his
49:03
handling of the cost of living. Even on immigration, his
49:07
strongest issue, the president was under war about fifteen points.
49:11
Trump's approval among crucial independents created to twenty six percent
49:16
in the poll, with forty seven percent saying as policies
49:20
that hurt them, up from forty one percent in the fall.
49:24
And the poll figure. Probably most alarming to Republicans is
49:28
that Democrats were found to be more enthusiastic EBEC voting
49:32
this year, and to hold an eleven point edge on
49:34
the hypothetical question of which party voters would cast a
49:39
ballot were four four were the election held today. Meanwhile,
49:45
even Republicans have been unsettled by some of Trump's recent
49:49
eyebrow raising actions, including the settlement reached with the Irs
49:53
over the ten billion dollar lawsuit he FOULDERLA this year
49:57
over the leak of his tax returns. The agreement sets
50:02
up a one point eight billion dollar taxpayer compensation fund
50:06
for those who claim, as Trump does, that they had
50:10
been victims of a politicized justice system. Beneficiaries presumably would
50:15
include people who were charge with committing violent actions during
50:19
the January sixth, twenty twenty one attack on the US
50:22
Capitol by Trump's supporters seeking to overturn the results of
50:26
the twenty twenty presidential election that he lost. Not a
50:31
big fan Senate majority of either John Theuing, where, Republican
50:36
of Safe Decorta, told reporters Tuesday, when asked abet the fund,
50:41
Democrats from blunt, this is corruption that has never been
50:45
more blatant, a more widespread, Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of
50:50
Washington said during a hearing featuring Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, adding,
50:57
but what is happening is that you write the check
50:59
tu comp in his crony's caship. American tax payers, who
51:03
are already being wrecked with high prices, are going to
51:07
put the bill. Under the settlement, Trump and his sons
51:14
are prohibited from personally collecting money from the so called
51:17
Anti Weaponization Fund, but the ire As would also be
51:22
forever barred and precluded from pursuing unpaid tax claims against Trump,
51:29
members of his family, or his businesses that arose before
51:33
the settlement was reached. As aggressive as Trump has been
51:37
with his unilateral actions, his political weakness has lessened his
51:42
leverage when it comes to getting things done through the
51:46
legislative branch, where much of his agenda is stalled. Neither
51:51
Soon nor host speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, has
51:56
embraced Trump's call to suppend to suspend the gas tax,
52:00
and the Senate has resisted his call in the filibuster
52:04
in parts so he can pass his high priority Save
52:07
America Act, which includes a provision that would require that
52:11
people proved a citizenship to register to vote. Trump claims
52:16
the bill is necessary for election security, but its opponents
52:20
say would lead the voter suppression. A more recent irritant
52:24
to Trump is the Senate parliamentarian's refusal to allow hundreds
52:30
of millions to pay for the security aspects of his
52:33
highly unpopular white housed ballroom project to be tucked into
52:38
a bill under consideration that would fund immigration enforcement. For Trump,
52:45
there may also be a dark cloud to go with
52:48
the golden lining of defeats he has dealt to Republican
52:51
and pump books. They're all going to be around until
52:55
January and presumably less cowed by him. On Tuesday, fresh
53:00
office primary Lass Cassidy committed in active defiance in voting
53:06
for the first time to advance a resolution to block
53:09
Trump from ordering further strikes on Iran in Louisiana. I've
53:14
heard from people, including President Trump's supporters, who are concerned
53:18
to break this war Cassidy said in an in statement.
53:23
In an interview on Frida February, Nassey told The Washington Post,
53:29
I have some colleagues that are just waiting to get
53:32
past their primaries to develop a little more of an
53:35
independent voice. Given how things are going, that might be
53:40
what they have to do for the sake of their
53:43
own survival. And speaking about the ballroom, Trump demands Senate
53:50
fire parlamentarian who ruled against ballroom funding plan. The demand
53:56
comes as Senate Republican leaders russelled with other to include
54:01
money for the controversial project in a bill that funds
54:06
immigration agencies by Isaac Arnsdorf and Gerald Dillon. President Donald
54:15
Trump for the first time called for the firing of
54:17
the Senate's parliamentarian, days after she rejected a Republican attempt
54:23
to include money related to his proposed White House ballroom
54:27
in a bill that funds immigration enforcement agencies. The parliamentarian
54:33
is a non partisan official who advises on Senate procedures.
54:38
Lawyer Elizabeth McDonough has served in the role since twenty twelve,
54:44
appointed by then Majority Leader Harry M. Reid, Democrat of Nevada,
54:49
after thirteen years as an assistant in the office. Trump's
54:54
demand on Wednesday for her ooster did not mention the
54:58
ballroom or other specific objections, but he accused her of bias.
55:03
On Saturday, McDonagh determined Senate Republicans' plans for including one
55:10
billion dollars for security around the East Wing construction project
55:14
and other Secret Service priorities in the immigration bill did
55:18
not comply with the Chambers rules as written. Republicans revised
55:23
their proposal and were awaiting a new decision on Wednesday.
55:28
Over the years, she has been brutal to Republicans, but
55:31
not so do the Democrats, So why has she not
55:34
been replaced? Trump said on social media, using a pejorative
55:39
for the opposition party, Get smart and tough, Republicans, that
55:43
you'll all be looking for a job much sooner than
55:45
you thought possible. The White House declined to elaborate on
55:50
Trump's post. McDonagh did not immediately respond to her request
55:54
for comment. Trump also urged Republicans to eliminate the filibuster
55:59
to pass voter i d built, which they have so
56:02
far declined to do. He said the party's future depended
56:05
on firing the Parliamentaria or reducing the Senate's sixty vote threshold.
56:11
If we don't pass at least one of these two
56:13
provisions quickly, you will never see another Republican president again,
56:18
he said. Senate majority of Neda John Theune, Republican of
56:23
South Dakota, has resisted Trump's repeated calls to end the filibuster.
56:28
The Emigration Enforcement Bill that Republicans have wanted to use
56:32
as a vehicle for the ballroom funding would be considered
56:35
under an expedited procedure called reconciliation that requires only a
56:40
simple majority for passage, but a rule named after former
56:45
Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, restricts that
56:50
fast track to budget items. Asked by Trump's demand, Deuene
56:56
told reporters that he hadn't seen when Trump said had
57:00
heard about it. There may be some issues related to
57:03
the parliamentarian The most of the issues we have here
57:07
of votes, he said, alluding to the fact that some
57:11
Republican senators oppose including the ballroom money in the bill.
57:16
Senator John Neely Kentucky, represented to Key. Senator John Neely
57:23
Kennedy represented the Louisiana said he did not think Senate
57:26
Republicans had the votes to include security funding for Trump's
57:30
ballroom and the City Service in the bill, even if
57:34
the parliamentarian allowed it. This is not one of the
57:38
parliamentarian's fault, is my understanding, kennedytail reporters. It's the boats
57:43
aren't there, plainly and simply. Last year, some Republicans called
57:49
for macdonough's firing after she struck some provisions from Trump's
57:53
signature domestic policy package at the time. At that time,
57:57
Trump did not join them. Has been a little difficult,
58:01
and I would say that I disagree with the parliamentarian
58:04
on some things, and on other ways she's been fine.
58:07
You will have to see, Trump said at a White
58:09
House press briefing last June. Senate parliamentarians can be overruled
58:14
by the chambers presiding officer or a majority vote. They
58:18
have been replaced in the past by majority leaders of
58:21
both parties, including to the according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
58:27
And with that, I conclude the day's reading of the
58:29
Washington Post for Thursday, the twenty first of May of
58:33
twenty twenty six. May it rain at your house. We
58:37
need it so badly, and I will not take a raincoat,
58:41
so I'll be sure it does rain today. Have a
58:44
good one, please continue listening to RADIOI I'll be back Saturday. Bye.