Dianne Feinstein, Longest Serving Female Senator, Dies at 90

US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the longest serving female US senator in history, died Friday at 90. Feinstein, who had announced that she would not run for reelection in 2024, had been facing health issues the past few years, including shingles, encephalitis, Ramsay Hunt syndrome (causing face paralysis and other sensory issues), and possible dementia. 

Feinstein, born in 1933, started her political career on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1970. She became president of the board in 1978, which allowed her to become acting mayor after the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Feinstein won election as mayor in 1979, where she served until 1988.

Feinstein ran for California governor in 1990, losing to Republican candidate, US Senator Pete Wilson. Feinstein made a political comeback in 1992, winning Wilson’s Senate seat in a special election in a year that saw six other women elected to or currently serving in the Senate (often termed ‘The Year of the Woman.’)

Her death leaves the Senate with a 50-49 Democratic majority. Until a replacement is named, only one Democratic senator needs to vote against his or her party to block legislation. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has vowed to appoint a black woman to replace Feinstein in the Senate. While one black woman, Bay Area Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D) is already running for the seat, Newsom has said he will not appoint anyone currently in the race for the seat, which he says will create an unfair advantage against the other candidates, which include Democratic House representatives Katie Porter and Adam Schiff.

 

Congress Struggles to Avoid Shutdown

The federal government is nearing another shutdown of non-essential operations, which would make it the fourth such occurrence since September 2013. Congressional leaders have so far failed to arrive at a spending agreement, with House Republican leadership unable to pass their own proposal as a group of conservative lawmakers have voted with Democrats to stop any GOP proposal from advancing.

The GOP proposal would fund the government for thirty days as both parties work to reach a more long-term solution. However, the group of breakaway Republicans has criticized any funding proposal that does not meet their demands for deep spending cuts and other conservative priorities. The small GOP majority in the House (221-212) gives this group near veto power absent GOP leadership relying on Democratic votes to pass their plan.

One of these lawmakers, Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL), has given no indication of backing down, saying, “I’m doing everything in my power to stop the uniparty…The battle is on.” The ‘uniparty’ is a term some use to describe the establishment of both the Democratic and Republican parties.

 

Heavy Rains Flood New York Subways

 

Nearly eight inches of rain fell in some areas of New York City this past week, causing flash flooding in the nation’s most populous city. New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) declared a state of emergency for the area. Some areas in Westchester County just north of the city required rescues using inflatable rafts to retrieve people from flooded buildings. 

The rain caused the New York City subway system to flood, disrupting the method of transportation many in the city rely upon for getting to work. Some bus riders were also stranded for hours on flooded streets.

 

Trump Enters Not Guilty Plea in Fulton County, GA Case

Former President Donald Trump entered a not guilty plea to 13 state felony counts, including racketeering, Thursday. Trump did not appear in court in person in Atlanta, Georgia, where the charges were filed, but rather filed a written plea which also waived a formal arraignment. Trump surrendered last week to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, where he was booked and had his mugshot taken. Trump is one of 19 defendants to be charged by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s office. 

Fani Willis, a Democrat, launched an investigation into Trump and his allies in February 2021 after Trump’s team challenged the results of the 2020 election and in the aftermath. Willis believes Trump and his co-defendants broke the law by their actions challenging the results.

 

Hurricane Idalia Strikes Florida and East Coast

Hurricane Idalia struck Florida as a category 3 hurricane on Wednesday after briefly peaking in strength as a category 4 storm. Idalia struck the Big Bend area of Florida, where the Florida Panhandle connects to the larger Florida peninsula.

Idalia’s storm surge flooded coastal communities and low-lying inland areas. However, Idalia’s damage was nowhere near the destruction brought by last year’s Hurricane Ian, which struck as a strong category 4 storm in Southwest Florida, devastating the cities of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel. Unlike Ian, Idalia was a fast-moving storm, leaving less time for storm surge and heavy rains to inundate populated centers. Still, insured losses from Idalia are projected to exceed $9 billion. Ian’s damages, in contrast, were $113 billion, making it the third-costliest Atlantic hurricane on record after Katrina and Harvey.

After striking Florida, Idalia moved up into Georgia, bringing rain and wind as it weakened over land. Idalia is currently hugging the North Carolina coast and moving offshore, where it is projected to move out to sea and possibly affect Bermuda in the coming days as weak hurricane.

 

Celebrated Television Host Bob Barker Dies at 99

Game show host and television personality Bob Barker died last Saturday at 99, just months before his 100th birthday. Barker was perhaps best known for his 35-year long stint as host of The Price is Right, where he ended every broadcast with a plea for pet owners to get their pets spayed or neutered.

Barker was born in 1923 in Washington and was raised in South Dakota on an Indian reservation (Barker was one-eighth Sioux). After serving in World War II, he began his broadcasting career in 1950. In 1956, he began hosting the gameshow Truth or Consequences. In the 1975, he began hosting The Price is Right, from which he retired in 2007 and was replaced as host by Drew Carey.

He also had several acting roles, including in Happy Gilmore and Spongebob Squarepants.

 

Israeli Knesset Approves Judicial Changes Amid Protests

The Israeli legislature (Knesset) has approved changes to the country’s judiciary, most notably the selection system for its highest court. The changes would remove the ability for current Supreme Court judges to block candidates to the court. In addition, it removes the ability of the court to strike down laws they deem as ‘unreasonable.’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and its supporters argue the reforms are necessary to prevent activist judicial decisions. Opponents of the changes, many of whom have joined protests against them, argue that it removes critical checks and balances against the among branches of government.

 

Incandescent Lightbulb Ban Takes Effect in August

The Biden administration’s new ban on the sale of most incandescent light bulbs takes effect August 1, capping a nearly sixteen year long effort to phaseout the lighting from most consumer use. The Trump administration had delayed implementation of the rule, with the Biden administration reinstating it.

People can still own incandescent bulbs, but retailers can no longer sell them after August 1.

The market has long been shifting toward more energy efficient LED lighting, which uses a fraction of the power that traditional incandescent bulbs use. LED lighting also does not contain any toxic elements like fluorescent lighting does.

LED lighting does have its limitations: They are more difficult to dim than incandescent lights, and the spectrum of light they emit is different from incandescent light, requiring adjustments to emulate the light of incandescent bulbs.

Praise for the new rule focuses on the expected environmental benefits from using less energy. Criticism has focused on perceived government overreach and that consumers can no longer choose incandescent lighting even if they prefer it.

 

2024 Contest Marked by Trump Legal Troubles, Biden Investigations

The two likely general election opponents in the 2024 presidential race are both dealing with their own legal issues. Former President Donald Trump’s are more pressing given his three state and federal indictments, but President Biden faces increased scrutiny over alleged involvement in his son Hunter’s business dealings, with calls for impeachment growing among congressional Republicans.

Trump was indicted for the third time this month; in a superseding indictment, he is now alleged to have obstructed justice by scheming to erase video surveillance at Mar-a-Lago in an attempt to cover up his retention of classified material. Trump has denied the charges.

Trump is also expected to face another federal indictment over his actions in challenging the results of the 2020 election and the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. He may also face a state indictment in Georgia over his actions to overturn Biden’s victory in the state in 2020.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden remain the subjects of House GOP inquiries. Biden has long denied any knowledge of his son’s business dealings, which have been linked to previous money laundering, tax evasion, and foreign lobbying investigations, which have led to misdemeanor failure to pay tax charges (Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to those charges after a recent plea deal was effectively rejected during a recent hearing).

Republicans have so far failed to tie Joe Biden directly to Hunter’s business activities, though an FBI document reporting a source’s claim that Joe Biden was bribed by Ukrainian company Burisma has been uncovered. To date, no evidence to confirm that claim has been found.

 

Wagner Group Insurrection Shows Weaknesses in Russian Government

This past weekend, the Russian government experienced the most direct challenge to its rule since the fall of Soviet Union in 1991 when the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, took control of some Russian cities and ordered his troops to advance towards Moscow. The advance was called off after Prigozhin agreed to an agreement brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, with the Wagner Group withdrawing from occupied cities and the criminal charges against Prigozhin dropped.

The Wagner Group is a private military company (PMC) that since 2014 has operated closely with the Russian government and other governments in operations across the world, from the Central African Republic to Syria to Venezuela. Wagner troops have been heavily involved in the war in Ukraine, with some troops suspected of committing war crimes in the course of the war. Prigozhin is known for recruiting from prisons to fill his ranks, with the promise of amnesty after a six-month deployment.

Prigozhin had long been one of Putin’s closest associates, originally heading a catering company with a number of government and military contracts. Since then, he has transformed Wagner Group into a military juggernaut, which this weekend challenged the Russian military for dominance. Prigozhin has for months expressed frustration with the leadership of the Russian military, claiming they have mishandled the war and failed to provide his troops ammunition.

While the attempted rebellion failed to take control of the Russian government or depose top military leaders, it was the greatest internal challenge to Putin’s rule since he first took power in 2000.

 

Investigation Begins in Implosion of Submersible

The US Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the implosion of lost submersible Titan, which was created by private company Oceangate to take tourists to see the wreck of the Titanic. The investigation will also include involvement from authorities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and France.

 Five crew members, including Oceangate CEO Rush Stockton, died on the trip, likely during the descent on June 18, when the submersible lost communication with the ship on the surface.

Stockton and Oceangate had faced criticism and concerns over the perceived lack of attention to safety in the construction of their submersibles, using commercial-of-the-shelf materials and a carbon fiber hull. Unlike steel and similar materials, carbon fiber does not have strong compression strength, which made it unsuitable for use in deep sea navigation, where high water pressure can lead to failure of the vehicle.

The US Navy had picked up audio consistent with an implosion on June 18, and confirmed that disovered debris was from the Titan on June 22. Wreckage is now being recovered.

 

Midwestern Air Quality Drops as Canadian Wildfire Smoke Moves South

Midwestern states are facing an onslaught of smoke from Canadian wildfires, experiencing the same phenomenon that eastern states endured earlier this month. 

Residents of Chicago experienced the worst air quality in the world as 488 wildfires send their smoke into the US, 259 of which are deemed as ‘out of control’ by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. Other local and state authorities have issued advisories on the hazardous air conditions, advising residents to stay indoors.

Biden, McCarthy Reach Debt Ceiling Deal

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached a deal this past weekend to the raise the debt ceiling by $4 trillion, which would avoid a default on certain federal government obligations, something projected to occur by June 5. The deal caps weeks of negotiation, with Republicans seeking to cap spending levels and roll back increased IRS funding and Democrats seeking to preserve their many of the programs passed in the last congress, most notably certain green energy subsidies.

The debt ceiling deal caps 2024 and 2025 discretionary spending levels based upon 2023 levels, with a 1% increase allowed for 2025. Republicans win’s also included imposing new work requirements on childless, able-bodied Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, as well as also adjust the formula states use to calculate aid as part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The deal also will cut $1.9 billion in additional IRS appropriation this year, and a further $20 billion is now set to be reallocated in 2024 and 2025. Democrats, who passed an additional $80 billion in IRS funding as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022, claim the additional funding passed last year will lead to a net revenue gain by auditing primarily high earners. Republicans in contrast say the additional funding will primarily increase audits on lower- and middle-earners.

The deal will also force the Biden Administration to resume collecting student loan repayments this summer. It does not prevent Biden’s proposal to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt, which is currently in litigation before the Supreme Court.

 

Turkish President Erdogan Wins New Term

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won reelection as president of Turkey Saturday, defeating his rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu 52% to 48% in a runoff. Erdogan’s victory in the election preserves his 20-year rule as Turkey’s head of government, beginning his third decade in power.

Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) also retained its control in the Turkish Parliament, winning a coalition majority with its partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the May 14 elections. Erdogan himself narrowly fell short of a majority in that election, leading to Sunday’s runoff.

Erdogan, who has strong support from the country’s working class and rural areas, has been a populist force in his two-decade tenure leading the country, often appealing to nationalist and economically populist policies and rhetoric to maintain support. In his victory speech to supporters, he made allusions to Monday’s 570th anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople (modern day Istanbul), a pivotal date in Turkey’s history.

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger Turns 100

Former US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger celebrated his 100th birthday Saturday. Kissinger, who served in the Nixon and Ford administrations, is most noted for negotiating a ceasefire in the Vietnam War and engineering the US opening of relations with communist China. After his service, he became a widely sought-after voice on foreign affairs.

Kissinger’s legacy has also been marked with controversy, including his role in the US bombing of Cambodia, support for the Argentinian military junta during the ‘Dirty War’, and support for Augusto Pinochet’s 1973 coup in Chile.

Regulators Reportedly to Take Control of First Republic

First Republic Bank, the large regional bank known for its customer service and high net worth clientele, is reportedly set to be taken over by federal regulators and brought into receivership in the near future. The rumored move comes after over $100 billion in deposits have flowed out of the bank, spurred by depositors unsure about the bank’s stability.

First Republic has faced similar issues as the recently collapsed Silicon Valley Bank, whose unrealized losses on long-term bond holdings combined with deposit outflows led to its collapse. First Republic’s financial instability has led to the collapse of its stock price, which has fallen in three months from $141.01 to $3.51 at Friday’s close. In the case of First Republic’s failure, shareholders would be the last to receive any proceeds from sold assets.

Both JP Morgan Chase and PNC Bank are reportedly interested in buying First Republic. Both banks were part of an earlier consortium of large banks who deposited $30 billion to try to shore up the bank’s finances. 

 

House Passes Debt Ceiling Bill

The House passed the Republican debt ceiling package Wednesday on a near party line vote, with four GOP defections and all Democrats voting against. The bill would raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 billion while reducing discretionary spending by 9%.

President Biden and Senate Democrats have said the bill is dead on arrival. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hopes the bill will bring Biden and Senate leadership to start negotiations. Biden ally Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) has called Republican attempts to use the debt ceiling limit to force spending cuts as ‘hostage negotiations’ and has called for such discussions to be part of regular appropriations talks.