Everybody's Working for the Weakened

The new Dem majority hasn’t even been sworn in and the White House is already threatening to investigate the investigators. “The White House’s top lawyer is threatening a criminal investigation of Democrats for conducting what he alleges are illegitimate investigations into the executive branch — a stark escalation from the Trump administration as congressional Democrats prepare to launch an oversight onslaught when they assume the majority in January.” So the lawbreakers are threatening to go after the lawmakers. That doesn’t seem like the way it’s supposed to work, especially after an election when voters made it pretty clear that they are tired of the corruption. But while the Congress has the backing of a massive election win, the White House has something in its gold-leafed corner. A thoroughly decimated and corrupted Justice Department. And sadly, that’s a pretty big card to be able to play. “When the Justice Department has inserted itself between citizens denied their equal rights and the forces denying those rights, it has been a potent use of the U.S. government. Equally, though, when the Justice Department has inserted itself on the side of those denying others their rights, it has been a force multiplier for powerful interests. Short of the U.S. military, there is no greater coercive power that is brought to bear by the government against its citizens.” Rachel Maddow in The Atlantic (Gift Article): The Collapse of America’s Most Consequential Institution. “Over the course of its century and a half of existence, the Justice Department has been noble; it has been feckless; it has been corrupt. But now, in the midst of a full-fledged authoritarian challenge to the constitutional republic, the Justice Department has entered a whole new phase it has not been through before. It’s a phase you might call ‘gone’: missing, presumed dead.” Of course, a little more than a week ago, we could have made the same pronouncement about Congress.

+ The White House and the Justice Department will make it as difficult as possible to investigate the nefarious behavior that took place in broad daylight. Jim Himes is the point person when it comes to uncovering what took place (way) behind the scenes. NYT (Gift Article): Top Democrat Vows Oversight of C.I.A.’s Use of Covert Action. “The incoming Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is promising to scrutinize the C.I.A.’s ‘extremely aggressive’ use of covert actions since President Trump returned to office, part of a broader effort to conduct renewed oversight of American spy agencies next year … His committee, he added, will also examine donations to Mr. Trump’s various construction projects in Washington from defense and intelligence contractors, and investigate whether intelligence analysts have been pressured to write reports that align with the objectives of senior officials in the Trump administration.” In other words, Jim Himes and his committee are going to be awfully busy digging through what could be a sea of awfulness. (Full disclosure: I know Jim Himes. He’s exactly the person you want on the job.)

“There will be parades and marching bands. Flag-waving and wreath-laying. Politicians will make speeches, friends will raise glasses and civilians will observe moments of silence. All to honor America’s service members, now and forever. But for those who have lost loved ones overseas in the Iran war, which has been waged since Feb. 28, this Veterans Day comes with a heaviness that only military families can fathom, and that will grow only more difficult as they face their first holiday season without their sons and daughters, siblings and spouses.” For Families of Those Who Died in the Iran War, a Veterans Day of Profound Loss. “Military families are navigating feelings of grief, pride and anger, as well as seeking answers about the deaths of their loved ones.”

+ We don’t usually associate casualties of war with the people working on the frontlines of our cyber agencies. But it turns out that job is proving to be increasingly deadly. Bloomberg (Gift Article): More Suicides at Spy, Cyber Agencies Scrutinized by Congress. “There is a lot of stress that a lot of us overlook because we think cyber is away from the front, and physically that’s accurate but intellectually and emotionally it’s inaccurate.”

“‘This was an audience we always thought might be lost to their small screens,’ said Paul Dergarabedian, head analyst of marketplace trends at Rentrak, a box-office data service. ‘But I think younger Gen Z audiences are particularly interested in those more handmade, tactile experiences, and going out to the movies is one of them. I think this is going to build on itself … The whole idea of moviegoing has become so cool.” NYT (Gift Article): The Rise of the Gen Z Cinephile.

Skid Roe: “In states that have seen reproductive access drastically curtailed since the end of Roe v. Wade, newly empowered Democratic governors and lawmakers could repeal abortion restrictions, codify new protections, and work toward enshrining reproductive freedom in state constitutions. Democratic attorneys general could stop enforcing draconian laws that threaten abortion providers and helpers with prosecution and reject efforts to criminalize pregnancy loss.” The Democratic Tsunami Is a ‘Sea Change’ for Reproductive Rights.

+ Pop Goes the Diesel: “Trump saw Russian diesel as a way to lower sky-high prices for the fuel, which contributed to rising consumer costs in the U.S. in the run-up to the midterm elections. But the diverted ships show U.S. oil companies are reluctant to handle the cargoes of Russian diesel because of the potential legal and reputational consequences.” WSJ (Gift Article): Trump’s Plan to Import Russian Diesel Stalls on the High Seas.

+ Obstructed View: “Ollie Ballinger, an open-source researcher and lecturer, uses satellite imagery to monitor conflicts around the world. But he says pressure from the government has prompted private companies to restrict access to images of places it may not want the public to see.” An NYT video report: The View From Space the U.S. Government Doesn’t Want You to See.

+ Call to Arms: “While Mr. al-Saadi is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, his communications with outsiders have been severely restricted. He has been shackled and held in a special housing unit often reserved for high-profile inmates … But while speaking by phone with his mother and sister over the summer, Mr. al-Saadi delivered coded messages about a forthcoming plot.” Failed Plot to Attack U.K. Base Used by U.S. Was Directed From New York Jail. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is the latest official to be forced to relocate to a military base over concerns for his safety.

+ Chipping Away at the Story: “A Chinese university with deep ties to the People’s Liberation Army bought Nvidia’s powerful H200 AI chips last month despite being on a US export blacklist, procurement records show, highlighting gaps in Washington’s efforts to curb China’s access to advanced technology.” Plus, tracking how Jensen Huang changed his stance on China. Huang should be investigated. But so should the people (including the top person) in the White House who enabled him.

+ Estranged Days Indeed: “The 82-year-old estranged father of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was ordered to jail Tuesday because he removed an electronic monitoring device from his ankle, just days after he was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material.”

+ Finding the Missing Link: “The all-new version of the N64 classic has sold an extraordinary 5.2 million copies in its first four days on sale.” Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Remake Is Set To Outsell The Original. (Ah, I was wondering why my wife hasn’t looked up from her Switch 2 for the past week…)

Well, well, well, it looks like we finally picked the right week to stop sniffing glue. “Doctors in Belgium detailed a man in his 40s who developed a strange lesion in his lungs after accidentally inhaling superglue. Thankfully, the lesion wasn’t cancerous as originally feared and appears to have caused no harm, but it’s stuck around in his lungs for at least nine years.”