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| Kamala Harris to visit US-Mexico border for first time as vice-president – live | Kamala Harris to visit US-Mexico border for first time as vice-president – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Vice-president under pressure from Republicans for not having visited southern border – follow all the day’s politics news live | Vice-president under pressure from Republicans for not having visited southern border – follow all the day’s politics news live |
| Anna Morgan-Lloyd, a 49-year-old from Indiana, is the first participant of the Capitol insurrection to receive punishment for participating in the January 6 Capitol riot. Morgan-Lloyd, who expressed remorse for participating in the attack, faces no jail time but will serve three years of probation, 40 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine, a judge ruled today. | |
| During her sentencing today, Morgan-Lloyd tearfully apologized for the “savage display of violence” during the riot and said she apologizes for participating in the riot. | |
| “I went there to support and show support for President Trump and I’m ashamed that it became a savage display of violence that day,” she said. | |
| After the attack on January 6, Morgan-Lloyd wrote on Facebook. “Best day ever. We stormed the capitol building” and said that she and a friend “were in the first 50 people in”. | |
| She is one of the defendants facing prosecution for taking part in the riots. While some are facing more severe federal charges for planning the attack and assaulting police officers, many participants like Morgan-Lloyd are facing more minor charges. Morgan-Lloyd plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of “parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building”. | |
| Joe Biden is set to deliver remarks this afternoon with US attorney general Merrick Garland outlining his gun crime prevention strategy at the White House. | |
| A large part of the president’s strategy is allowing state and local governments to use $350bn in Covid-19 funding to bolster their law enforcement personnel numbers and invest in programs that target violent crime. The White House is also working with 14 cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore and Detroit, to increase investment in community violence intervention programs. | |
| Biden is also directing the labor department to bolster workforce development for young and formerly incarcerated Americans. | |
| Michigan state senate Republicans who investigated Michigan’s 2020 presidential election for months concluded there was no widespread or systemic fraud and urged the state attorney general to consider probing people who have made baseless allegations about the results in Antrim county to raise money or publicity “for their own ends”. | Michigan state senate Republicans who investigated Michigan’s 2020 presidential election for months concluded there was no widespread or systemic fraud and urged the state attorney general to consider probing people who have made baseless allegations about the results in Antrim county to raise money or publicity “for their own ends”. |
| The Associated Press brings us this report: | The Associated Press brings us this report: |
| Here’s what has happened today so far: | Here’s what has happened today so far: |
| The White House announced that Kamala Harris will go to El Paso, Texas on Friday to visit the US-Mexico border. Republicans have been pressuring the vice president, who has been tasked with managing migrants crossing the border, to pay a visit. | The White House announced that Kamala Harris will go to El Paso, Texas on Friday to visit the US-Mexico border. Republicans have been pressuring the vice president, who has been tasked with managing migrants crossing the border, to pay a visit. |
| The Supreme Court issued a major free speech ruling against a Pennsylvania school that punished a student for using vulgar language on social media. The court ruled that schools are limited in their ability to regulate student speech off school grounds. | The Supreme Court issued a major free speech ruling against a Pennsylvania school that punished a student for using vulgar language on social media. The court ruled that schools are limited in their ability to regulate student speech off school grounds. |
| The Associated Press has called Buffalo’s mayoral race in favor of India Walton, who is set to be the first socialist mayor of a major city since 1960. | The Associated Press has called Buffalo’s mayoral race in favor of India Walton, who is set to be the first socialist mayor of a major city since 1960. |
| Stay tuned for more live updates. | Stay tuned for more live updates. |
| Donald Trump, who is scheduled to visit the US-Mexico border with Texas governor Greg Abbott and a group of House Republicans next week, has already jumped on the news that Kamala Harris will be paying a trip to the southern border on Friday. | Donald Trump, who is scheduled to visit the US-Mexico border with Texas governor Greg Abbott and a group of House Republicans next week, has already jumped on the news that Kamala Harris will be paying a trip to the southern border on Friday. |
| “If Governor Abbott and I weren’t going there next week, she would have never gone!” he wrote to supporters in an email. | “If Governor Abbott and I weren’t going there next week, she would have never gone!” he wrote to supporters in an email. |
| White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to comment on whether Harris’ trip was planned in response to Trump’s upcoming visit to the border. | White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to comment on whether Harris’ trip was planned in response to Trump’s upcoming visit to the border. |
| “We have no way to predict what former president Trump will say when he goes to the border. We can only guess,” she said. “I don’t think our view is that the vice president making a trip to the border… is going to prevent or change what the former president does when he goes to the border.” | “We have no way to predict what former president Trump will say when he goes to the border. We can only guess,” she said. “I don’t think our view is that the vice president making a trip to the border… is going to prevent or change what the former president does when he goes to the border.” |
| White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to provide specific details about Kamala Harris’ upcoming trip to El Paso at a press briefing, saying broadly that the trip will be part of the vice president’s efforts to “address the root causes and work in continuation to get the situation under control”. | White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to provide specific details about Kamala Harris’ upcoming trip to El Paso at a press briefing, saying broadly that the trip will be part of the vice president’s efforts to “address the root causes and work in continuation to get the situation under control”. |
| Psaki pushed back from a reporter’s question on the timing of the announcement, saying that Harris has said publicly that she would be open to going to the border at an “appropriate time”. | Psaki pushed back from a reporter’s question on the timing of the announcement, saying that Harris has said publicly that she would be open to going to the border at an “appropriate time”. |
| “She was going to assess with the Department of Homeland Security, with the administration, when it would be an appropriate time to go,” she said. The press secretary also pushed back on any connection between Harris’ trip to the border and a similar trip members of the GOP will take with Donald Trump next week. | “She was going to assess with the Department of Homeland Security, with the administration, when it would be an appropriate time to go,” she said. The press secretary also pushed back on any connection between Harris’ trip to the border and a similar trip members of the GOP will take with Donald Trump next week. |
| A Supreme Court ruling issued today will make it easier for the president to appoint the head of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two companies under government conservatorship that buy mortgages from lenders and sell them as securities to investors. | A Supreme Court ruling issued today will make it easier for the president to appoint the head of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two companies under government conservatorship that buy mortgages from lenders and sell them as securities to investors. |
| A group of Fannie and Freddie investors sued the federal government for a profit sweep in 2012 and over claims that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) held too much power without appropriate checks and balances. | A group of Fannie and Freddie investors sued the federal government for a profit sweep in 2012 and over claims that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) held too much power without appropriate checks and balances. |
| The ruling makes it easier for Joe Biden to oust current FHFA head Mark Calabria, a Trump administration appointee, and nominate his preferred agency head. Calabria was aggressive in his push to remove the government’s conservatorship over the two companies, while Biden’s White House has indicated it plans to keep the conservatorship. Biden has already suggested he plans to replace Calabria following the court’s ruling. | The ruling makes it easier for Joe Biden to oust current FHFA head Mark Calabria, a Trump administration appointee, and nominate his preferred agency head. Calabria was aggressive in his push to remove the government’s conservatorship over the two companies, while Biden’s White House has indicated it plans to keep the conservatorship. Biden has already suggested he plans to replace Calabria following the court’s ruling. |
| Kamala Harris will head to Texas this week following calls from Republicans pressuring the vice president to visit the US-Mexico border. | Kamala Harris will head to Texas this week following calls from Republicans pressuring the vice president to visit the US-Mexico border. |
| Harris will stop in El Paso on Friday and is expected to be joined by Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, according to Politico. Harris, who Joe Biden has charged with managing the flow of migrants coming through the southern border, had pushed back on calls to visit the border. | Harris will stop in El Paso on Friday and is expected to be joined by Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, according to Politico. Harris, who Joe Biden has charged with managing the flow of migrants coming through the southern border, had pushed back on calls to visit the border. |
| At the beginning of June, Harris took a three-day trip to Guatemala and Mexico, where she made controversial remarks discouraging migrants from coming to the US. | At the beginning of June, Harris took a three-day trip to Guatemala and Mexico, where she made controversial remarks discouraging migrants from coming to the US. |
| On Twitter, Republican senator John Cornyn of Texas said “finally” in response to news of Harris’ visit. | On Twitter, Republican senator John Cornyn of Texas said “finally” in response to news of Harris’ visit. |
| A new story from CNN gives some details of how Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are trying to distance themselves from Donald Trump’s continued claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Over the course of their father’s tumultuous presidency, the couple was one of the few people who consistently held Trump’s trust. | A new story from CNN gives some details of how Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are trying to distance themselves from Donald Trump’s continued claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Over the course of their father’s tumultuous presidency, the couple was one of the few people who consistently held Trump’s trust. |
| Yet sources told CNN that Kushner and Ivanka Trump were rarely seen with the former president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. The elder Trump has since made his seasonal move to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. | Yet sources told CNN that Kushner and Ivanka Trump were rarely seen with the former president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. The elder Trump has since made his seasonal move to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. |
| Trump is apparently finding good company in a new set of characters, including a One America News anchor and the infamous MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Sources say that there is distrust and jealousy toward Kushner for getting a major book deal with publisher HarperCollins. | Trump is apparently finding good company in a new set of characters, including a One America News anchor and the infamous MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Sources say that there is distrust and jealousy toward Kushner for getting a major book deal with publisher HarperCollins. |
| “It is not a secret President Trump doesn’t like when he thinks other people are getting attention for something he feels he has facilitated,” said an anonymous former Trump White House official. | “It is not a secret President Trump doesn’t like when he thinks other people are getting attention for something he feels he has facilitated,” said an anonymous former Trump White House official. |
| While Trump has been relatively quiet since he left office, a silence aided by a ban from social media platforms, the former president is trying to remain relevant as his presidency fades into the past. Trump is set to host a rally this Saturday in Cleveland, the first in his tour against Republicans who voted to impeach him or denied his claims of a stolen election. | While Trump has been relatively quiet since he left office, a silence aided by a ban from social media platforms, the former president is trying to remain relevant as his presidency fades into the past. Trump is set to host a rally this Saturday in Cleveland, the first in his tour against Republicans who voted to impeach him or denied his claims of a stolen election. |
| Additionally, a slate of Trump books, many of which will feature interviews with the former president himself, are set to come out this summer. Books from Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker and the Wall Street Journal’s Michael Bender will be released next month. | Additionally, a slate of Trump books, many of which will feature interviews with the former president himself, are set to come out this summer. Books from Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker and the Wall Street Journal’s Michael Bender will be released next month. |
| The Associated Press just declared India Walton, a socialist candidate, the winner of Buffalo, New York’s mayoral race, a defeat for the city’s four-term mayor. While Walton looked to be the winner of the race Tuesday night, the AP held off on calling the race until Wednesday morning. | The Associated Press just declared India Walton, a socialist candidate, the winner of Buffalo, New York’s mayoral race, a defeat for the city’s four-term mayor. While Walton looked to be the winner of the race Tuesday night, the AP held off on calling the race until Wednesday morning. |
| Walton is set to become the first woman to be mayor of the city, which has a population of about 250,000 and is located in upstate New York, along with being the first socialist mayor of a major city since 1960. | Walton is set to become the first woman to be mayor of the city, which has a population of about 250,000 and is located in upstate New York, along with being the first socialist mayor of a major city since 1960. |
| The 38-year-old is a nurse and union leader who ran a campaign focused on affordable housing, healthcare and criminal justice reform. She defeated Byron Brown, who was one of the city’s longest-serving mayors. | The 38-year-old is a nurse and union leader who ran a campaign focused on affordable housing, healthcare and criminal justice reform. She defeated Byron Brown, who was one of the city’s longest-serving mayors. |
| “This is the work of a well-meaning group of rebels and revolutionaries that had a bold vision on what we want the future of our city to look like,” Walton told her supporters when she declared victory last night. “All that we are doing in this moment is claiming what is rightfully ours. We are the workers. We do the work. And we deserve a government that works with and for us.” | “This is the work of a well-meaning group of rebels and revolutionaries that had a bold vision on what we want the future of our city to look like,” Walton told her supporters when she declared victory last night. “All that we are doing in this moment is claiming what is rightfully ours. We are the workers. We do the work. And we deserve a government that works with and for us.” |
| The Supreme Court is issuing a slate of opinions today. One just released is an 8-1 ruling against a Pennsylvania school that punished a student for cursing the school on social media after she did not make the school’s varsity cheerleading team. | The Supreme Court is issuing a slate of opinions today. One just released is an 8-1 ruling against a Pennsylvania school that punished a student for cursing the school on social media after she did not make the school’s varsity cheerleading team. |
| On Snapchat, Brandi Levy posted a picture of herself and a friend with their middle finger to the camera and the caption “Fuck school, fuck softball, fuck cheer, fuck everything”. The school said the post was disruptive to her cheerleading team’s morale and suspended her from the junior varsity team for the rest of the year. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) took the student’s case to court. | On Snapchat, Brandi Levy posted a picture of herself and a friend with their middle finger to the camera and the caption “Fuck school, fuck softball, fuck cheer, fuck everything”. The school said the post was disruptive to her cheerleading team’s morale and suspended her from the junior varsity team for the rest of the year. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) took the student’s case to court. |
| Writing for the majority of the court, justice Stephen Breyer wrote in an opinion that off-campus, schools may regulate student speech in special circumstances, like serious bullying of individuals or threats aimed at students or teachers. Breyers noted that “courts must be more skeptical of a school’s efforts to regulate off-campus speech, for doing so may mean the student cannot engage in that kind of speech at all.” | Writing for the majority of the court, justice Stephen Breyer wrote in an opinion that off-campus, schools may regulate student speech in special circumstances, like serious bullying of individuals or threats aimed at students or teachers. Breyers noted that “courts must be more skeptical of a school’s efforts to regulate off-campus speech, for doing so may mean the student cannot engage in that kind of speech at all.” |
| Justice Clarence Thomas was the sole judge to vote in favor of the school. | Justice Clarence Thomas was the sole judge to vote in favor of the school. |
| Conversations around the filibuster are starting again on Capitol Hill after the defeat of Democrats’ voting rights bill in the Senate yesterday. | Conversations around the filibuster are starting again on Capitol Hill after the defeat of Democrats’ voting rights bill in the Senate yesterday. |
| Maine senator Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, told CNN that the discussion over the election bill – and the bypassing of the filibuster to pass it – are still happening. | Maine senator Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, told CNN that the discussion over the election bill – and the bypassing of the filibuster to pass it – are still happening. |
| “I’d still like to find a bill where we can find some consensus,” he said. King also said that he still does not support changing filibuster rules. | “I’d still like to find a bill where we can find some consensus,” he said. King also said that he still does not support changing filibuster rules. |
| According to the Washington Post, King is one of 13 Democratic senators who said they are open to changes to the filibuster. Two senators, Thomas Carpenter of Delaware and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have said they are opposed to changes to the filibuster and have been steadfast on their stance. | According to the Washington Post, King is one of 13 Democratic senators who said they are open to changes to the filibuster. Two senators, Thomas Carpenter of Delaware and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have said they are opposed to changes to the filibuster and have been steadfast on their stance. |
| In a call with Democrats this morning, House speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the fight for voting rights will have to become a fight over the filibuster. | In a call with Democrats this morning, House speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the fight for voting rights will have to become a fight over the filibuster. |
| “There isn’t going to be a compromise,” she said. | “There isn’t going to be a compromise,” she said. |
| Tom Perez, former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair, announced this morning his run to be governor of Maryland. The state’s current governor, Republican Larry Hogan, will be term-limited in 2022. | Tom Perez, former Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair, announced this morning his run to be governor of Maryland. The state’s current governor, Republican Larry Hogan, will be term-limited in 2022. |
| Perez previously served as Barack Obama’s labor secretary and also led the Department of Justice’s civil rights division. Perez served as DNC chair from 2017 until January 2021. He is up against a crowded field of Democrats who have also announced their candidacy, including a slate of current and former Maryland politicians. | Perez previously served as Barack Obama’s labor secretary and also led the Department of Justice’s civil rights division. Perez served as DNC chair from 2017 until January 2021. He is up against a crowded field of Democrats who have also announced their candidacy, including a slate of current and former Maryland politicians. |
| Good morning – this is Lauren Aratani kicking off today’s politics live blog. | Good morning – this is Lauren Aratani kicking off today’s politics live blog. |
| After the Democrats’ major voting rights bill was killed in the Senate by a GOP filibuster yesterday, some Democratic progressives are hinting that the White House should have done more to prevent the defeat. They argue that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris could have done more with their bully pulpit to increase attention and urgency around the bill. The White House, in turn, is arguing that they have done plenty to spotlight the legislation. | After the Democrats’ major voting rights bill was killed in the Senate by a GOP filibuster yesterday, some Democratic progressives are hinting that the White House should have done more to prevent the defeat. They argue that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris could have done more with their bully pulpit to increase attention and urgency around the bill. The White House, in turn, is arguing that they have done plenty to spotlight the legislation. |
| Mondaire Jones, a congressman from New York, has been one of the more critical Democrats, telling the Associated Press that Barack Obama, who has been pushing for voting rights legislation, “has been doing more to salvage our ailing democracy than the current president of the United States.” | Mondaire Jones, a congressman from New York, has been one of the more critical Democrats, telling the Associated Press that Barack Obama, who has been pushing for voting rights legislation, “has been doing more to salvage our ailing democracy than the current president of the United States.” |
| “[Biden] is someone who has all the resources available to him as the most powerful person in the world to rally members of his own party to at least make an exception to the filibuster for purposes of saving our democracy,” Jones told CNN. | “[Biden] is someone who has all the resources available to him as the most powerful person in the world to rally members of his own party to at least make an exception to the filibuster for purposes of saving our democracy,” Jones told CNN. |
| While all 50 Democratic senators voted in favor of the bill, the party’s more moderate lawmakers have grown even more stubborn in their stance on keeping the filibuster in light of the voting rights bill. | While all 50 Democratic senators voted in favor of the bill, the party’s more moderate lawmakers have grown even more stubborn in their stance on keeping the filibuster in light of the voting rights bill. |
| We’ll keep an eye on any updates in this infighting among Democrats today. Meanwhile, here’s what else is happening: | We’ll keep an eye on any updates in this infighting among Democrats today. Meanwhile, here’s what else is happening: |
| Biden is meeting with attorney general Merrick Garland today to discuss public safety and gun crime prevention. Biden is expected to announce new legislation to crack down on gun trafficking. | Biden is meeting with attorney general Merrick Garland today to discuss public safety and gun crime prevention. Biden is expected to announce new legislation to crack down on gun trafficking. |
| In the New York City mayoral race, Eric Adams, who has oriented himself as the race’s staunchest public safety advocate, is currently in the lead with about 30% of the votes. The city is using ranked choice voting this year, which means Adams’ lead could falter as the ranked-choice voting system gets going. | In the New York City mayoral race, Eric Adams, who has oriented himself as the race’s staunchest public safety advocate, is currently in the lead with about 30% of the votes. The city is using ranked choice voting this year, which means Adams’ lead could falter as the ranked-choice voting system gets going. |
| Also in New York, the city of Buffalo saw a huge upset in its mayoral primary election last night when India Walton, a socialist candidate, got a huge lead over the city’s longtime mayor, Byron Brown. If Walton wins the primary, she will be the first socialist mayor of a major American city since 1960. | Also in New York, the city of Buffalo saw a huge upset in its mayoral primary election last night when India Walton, a socialist candidate, got a huge lead over the city’s longtime mayor, Byron Brown. If Walton wins the primary, she will be the first socialist mayor of a major American city since 1960. |
| Stay tuned for more live updates. | Stay tuned for more live updates. |