SCOTUS rules Trump is not above the law
The Supreme Court handed down a huge victory for the rule of law today. With a resounding 7-2 majority that included Donald Trump’s own appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, the high court ruled that Trump is not immune from having his financial records released to a New York grand jury. Why does this matter? Beyond the specifics of the Trump case, it means that even a sitting President of the United States is not above the law. Our freedom depends on this principle. Otherwise our inherent liberties would be vulnerable to whomever happens to hold power in Washington at any given moment. Thankfully, the Supreme Court emphatically agreed today. —Evan McMullin
1. But Gorsuch...and Kavanaugh
The president and his supporters suffered a demoralizing legal blow today, as two conservative Trump appointees to the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, sided with the majority in a decision on Donald Trump's financial records. The justices rejected the president's claims that he is immune from state criminal subpoenas in the case of Trump v. Vance, in which Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr., is investigating hush money payments that Trump allegedly made to two women ahead of the 2016 election.
— In a second case, Trump v. Mazars, the high court wiped away previous rulings in favor of Democratic-led committees of the U.S. House of Representatives, which sought Trump's financial records from Mazars, Capital One, and Deutsche Bank. The justices ordered lower courts to more carefully consider concerns about the separation of powers.
— Both cases are now subject to further review by lower courts. The American public is unlikely to learn about Trump's financial records or tax information before November's election, as it is not clear when the lower courts may ultimately resolve the matter.
— While his attorneys tried to spin it as a victory, Trump clearly didn’t see it as such. He took to Twitter this morning to call the decision "PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT" and to complain, "Courts in the past have given 'broad deference.' BUT NOT ME!" —CNBC
— Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, clearly disagrees. "Two hundred years ago, a great jurist of our court established that no citizen, not even the president, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding," he said. "We reaffirm that principle today and hold that the president is neither absolutely immune from state criminal subpoenas seeking his private papers nor entitled to a heightened standard of need." —Voice of America
MORE: Nearing end of term, SCOTUS decides two religious liberty cases —Associated Press
2. More shakeups at VOA
The new CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Michael Pack, is at it again. He has signaled that he will not approve visa extensions for dozens of foreign nationals working as journalists in the U.S. for Voice of America, the federal government's international broadcaster. It’s the latest move in a series of firings and demotions at the agency since Pack took over last month.
— The decision conforms with the Trump Administration's general policy of seeking to limit foreign work visas out of a stated concern that they take jobs away from Americans. The policy is opposed by many businesses that rely on the expertise of foreign employees.
— Foreign journalists are particularly valued for their language skills, which are crucial to VOA's mission as an international broadcaster.
— Some of the foreign journalists forced to return home would likely face repercussions from regimes hostile to the U.S., according to a VOA journalist. —NPR
3. Chatterjee & Kreko: On Western disinfo
"Historically, dictatorships and authoritarians have effectively utilized state-sponsored disinformation tactics, and the politically-elected leaders of Western democracies have aggressively condemned them. In fact, the U.S. government and the European Union have proactively opposed the use of such flagrant authoritarian tactics, as they pose a fundamental and profound threat to well-established democratic principles. ... But suddenly, state-sponsored disinformation is no longer reserved for authoritarians and dictators. It has infiltrated the Western democratic world, catching us all off guard." —Euronews
Ed. Note: Sohini Chatterjee is an associate professor at Columbia University School of International & Public Affairs and a senior associate at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Peter Kreko is the director of the Political Capital Institute and a Europe’s Futures Fellow of the Institute of Human Sciences and Erste Foundation.
MORE: The deadly fallout of disinformation —The Washington Post
4. Universities fight coronavirus rule
Harvard University and MIT filed a lawsuit yesterday to block a Trump Administration plan that could bar hundreds of thousands of international students from studying in the U.S. The new rule requires international students to attend in-person classes only or be deported. Both universities had announced that their courses would be conducted exclusively or primarily online this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the lawsuit, they argue that the guidelines are designed to force them to reopen for in-person classes, even if they don’t feel conditions are safe. —The Boston Globe
— Make Tulsa sick again. At a press conference yesterday, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Bruce Dart said that President Trump’s recent rally in the city and the accompanying protests "likely contributed" to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the county. On Monday, the county identified 261 new cases, its highest daily increase during the pandemic. —The Hill
— Hotspot: Houston. A rapidly growing number of Houston-area residents are dying at home, and an increasing number of these deaths have been confirmed to be the result of COVID-19, according to the Harris Co. medical examiner. It's the latest indicator of a mounting crisis in Houston, where a record 3,851 people were hospitalized for the coronavirus on Tuesday, exceeding normal intensive care capacity. —ProPublica
— Texas Republican Convention canceled. Things are so bad in Houston that Mayor Sylvester Turner announced yesterday that the city canceled plans to host the 2020 Texas Republican Convention next week, citing health risks to first responders, convention workers, and attendees. The event was expected to draw roughly 6,000 people to the George R. Brown Convention Center. —Politico
5. Collinson: Will schools end up like Florida?
"The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention drew up similar best practices for states to open up their economies, but Trump goaded sympathetic governors into ignoring them with his incessant demands for a return to normal life—which were based on a desire to reopen and the populace's waning patience with shutdowns, rather than on any scientific evidence that it was safe to do..." —CNN
MORE: CDC director says no revised school guidelines despite Trump's push —CNN
6. 'Campaign of bullying' pushes out Vindman
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a key witness in President Trump's impeachment inquiry, is retiring from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of military service. He says he made the decision because his future in the armed forces "will forever be limited" due to political retaliation by the president and his allies.
— In February, Trump fired Vindman, who had served as the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, as well as Vindman's twin brother, who also played a key role in impeachment proceedings while serving at the White House as an NSC lawyer. —CNN
— According to an anonymous Pentagon source, Defense Sec. Mark Esper had approved Vindman for promotion to colonel on Monday. Notice was to be sent to the White House in the coming days. Sen. Tammy Duckworth was holding up all military confirmations until Vindman's promotion. —The New York Times
— House Impeachment Manager Adam Schiff thanked Vindman last night for his service and his testimony. "Right matters. Right does not matter to Donald Trump. But it matters to you. It matters to this country and to its people. It will always matter," Schiff said. —The Hill
MORE: Virus whistleblower alleges retribution has only intensified —Associated Press
7. Fan: China's savior is the Chinese
"China lacks a tradition of democracy, but during four decades of reform, relative openness, and foreign engagement, Chinese people learned about freedom, rule of law, human rights, and civil society. In some places, they found ways to practice democracy and freedom. They tasted the forbidden fruits and learned that democracy is better than tyranny. No one can stop them from hoping for freedom and democracy; they believe that democracy can make China change for the better." —Foreign Policy
Ed. Note: Li Fan is the founder and director of the World and China Institute and the editor in chief of the journal World and China Affairs.
MORE: Overnight, a Hong Kong hotel is transformed into China's state security HQ —The Wall Street Journal
8. An election for the ages
The 2020 election is shaping up to be quite a brawl, possibly literally. Lawsuits, a global pandemic, and in-party fights are already setting the stage for a heated campaign season. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Results from a Democracy Fund Voter Study Group survey suggest that a surprisingly large minority of Americans are prepared to question the result of the election in November, and even to support violence. Further, 18% of all respondents (including 29% of Republicans) think it would be appropriate for President Trump to refuse to leave office if he claims he lost because of widespread illegal voting. —The Economist
— Election gets contentious. Okay, every election is contentious, but this one may be worse than usual—and for entirely different reasons. With voting amid a pandemic as the backdrop, a barrage of court rulings and lawsuits around the country will determine how easy it will be to cast a ballot. —The New York Times
— This is gonna hurt. A liberal healthcare advocacy group has launched a $2 million ad campaign in three battleground states—Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin—criticizing Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic. The ads are narrated by healthcare workers who say Trump's response has led to American deaths, particularly among senior citizens. —The Hill
— Cleaning house in Kansas. A new Republican PAC has launched a $3 million ad campaign targeting GOP Senate candidate and immigration hardliner Kris Kobach. The ads tie Kobach, who has the support of Trump, to white supremacists. Kobach faces current U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall in the state’s primary on Aug. 4. —Associated Press
MORE: For one Republican, leaving the GOP is 'the right thing' —WBUR
9. Von Drehle: The meaning of monuments
"The past is of no use to anyone except in service to the future. If some blessed day, our nation fulfills its every aspiration, those distant descendants can freeze the moment and revere as they please. Until that time, our monuments must, of necessity, honor the imperfect and the incomplete. Keep those that goad us forward; remove those that lure us backward. Neither our demagogic president nor vandals in the night should stifle the inquiry into which monuments are which." —The Washington Post
MORE: Trump campaign considers displaying statues at future rallies —ABC News
10. An American Story: Theater workers aid local businesses
Following a multitude of Black Lives Matter protests, members of the Minneapolis theater community, many of them furloughed workers whose summer productions were canceled, are using their love of set design, carpentry, and their city to help local businesses secure their properties.
— According to its Facebook page, University Rebuild is a diverse grassroots group of Minneapolis theater members working to "clean up, repair, and protect communities in the Twin Cities." The organization helps all businesses but prioritizes the needs of businesses of color.
— "None of our actions are done out of charity," University Rebuild organizer Daisuke Kawachi said. "Everything we do is in solidarity with BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of color) communities, and we are taking our cues from BIPOC leaders."
— Kawachi estimated University Rebuild has supported more than 200 businesses. —CNN
Ed. Note: We are spotlighting ways that Americans are helping each other through the coronavirus crisis and recent unrest, and promoting American values. Would you like to suggest an "American Story" from your local news? If so, please forward a link to the story to editor@topline.com. Thank you!
I wish talking heads and all others would stop saying that wearing a mask protects others and not the wearer of the mask. That is 100% false, and yet people continue to spew it. Wearing a mask protects everyone, including the wearer of the mask.
Now here's a conundrum for folks. The folks who rant about people coming to get their guns—and that "the libs" will take away the 2nd Amendment—need their guns, and lots of them, to protect themselves and their loved ones. All well and good, as I support the entire Constitution. Yet most of those same folks won't wear a mask to protect themselves and their loved ones. Brilliant. —Bill T., Arizona
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