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Friday, May 26, 2023

Supreme Court Unanimous in Condemning EPA Overreach, Expanding Mandate Without Congressional Approval

A significant blow to the administrative state. Scotusblog: The Supreme Court on Thursday established a more stringent test to determine whether the Clean Water Act applies to a wetland. The ruling was a setback for the Environmental Protection Agency and a victory for an Idaho couple, Michael and Chantell Sackett, who have been battling with the federal government for over 15 years in their efforts to build a house on an empty lot near a large lake (Scotusblog). Ed Morrissey: This time the court has set a clear definition for “waters of the United States” in relation to EPA jurisdiction, and ruled that it has to be limited to bodies of water with consistent and permanent connection to navigable bodies of water that would otherwise also fall under federal jurisdiction (HotAir). Casey Mattox: For all of the attacks by some members of Congress on SCOTUS, when is the last time Congress had a better 5 minutes than SCOTUS did today when it issued UNANIMOUS opinions in Sackett v EPA and Tyler v Hannepin County? Congress, get on SCOTUS’s level (Twitter).

As Debt Ceiling Negotiation Timer Runs Out, Biden Takes Early Weekend

Instead of getting together to talk, he leaves a proposal then skips town for the weekend. CBS: The White House has made an offer to House Republicans that would cap discretionary spending at fiscal year 2023 levels for two years and rescind up to $30 billion in unspent COVID-19 relief funds in exchange for an extension of the debt ceiling. The offer is the latest sign that the two sides could be inching closer to an agreement that would avert a government default, an unprecedented event that would have wide-ranging impacts on the global economy. The latest proposal from the White House would extend the debt ceiling for about two years, which would put the issue off the table until after the 2024 elections (CBS). Spencer Brown: As President Joe Biden prepares to leave town over the long Memorial Day weekend for a planned respite from Washington, it’s reasonable to question how committed the president actually is to the debt limit talks that have — so far — proved fruitless (Townhall). RNC Research: “…the president is going to Camp David this weekend, going to Delaware. Can you describe the sense of urgency that the president feels?” Karine Jean-Pierre: “There’s always been urgency!” Biden waited 97 days to discuss the debt ceiling (Twitter).

Ron DeSantis Raises $8.2 Million in First 24 Hours of Campaign

Fox News: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida brought in $8.2 million in fundraising during the 24 hours after he declared his candidacy for president, his campaign confirmed to Fox News on Thursday. The blockbuster fundraising haul by DeSantis is a move by his campaign to exhibit strength, and to showcase energy and enthusiasm for the Florida governor as he enters a GOP 2024 nomination race where former President Donald Trump is the clear front-runner in the latest polling. The money raised by DeSantis tops the $6.3 million that President Biden hauled in as a White House candidate during the first 24 hours after his campaign launch in 2019 (Fox News).

Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor Multiple Pride Parades Amid Bud Light Backlash

Daily Wire: Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch are sponsoring at least three different upcoming Pride events despite backlash over the partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, a social media influencer who identifies as transgender. Bud Light is listed as a sponsor on the Cincinnati Pride Parade website. Planned Parenthood and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, which medically transitions minors, are both also listed (Daily Wire). Federalist: Bud Light sales have since plummeted, leading some retailers to give cases of the beer away for free to avoid spoilage (Federalist).

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer Threatens to Hold FBI in Contempt

New York Post: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer says an informant file that he’s seeking from the FBI links President Biden to a $5 million bribery scheme while he was vice president. Comer (R-Ky.) revealed the size of the alleged bribe for the first time Wednesday in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, threatening him with contempt proceedings if he doesn’t share the file pursuant to a May 3 subpoena (New York Post). Oversight Committee: The FBI has five days to produce the requested FD-1023 record that alleges a $5 million bribery let me do scheme involving then-VP Biden. If the FBI doesn’t produce the record, Rep. James Comer will initiate contempt of Congress proceedings (Twitter).

Criticism Over Target has Reached $6 Billion Decrease in Revenue

Daily Wire: Target witnessed a $6 billion decrease in the retail behemoth’s market capitalization amid consumer backlash over a designer featured in the company’s most recent “Pride Month” collection who appears to have created products with Satanic imagery (Daily Wire). Townhall: They don’t want it near the kids’ section; trans people aren’t that big of Target, or any company’s, customer base. Some businesses are taking a ‘Great Leap Forward’ approach to retooling how they do business, and they will learn, like Mao, that these sorts of do-overs fail. And no, they haven’t learned because Calvin Klein featured a trans man wearing a sports bra (Townhall).

US to Send $300 Million More in Ammunition Aid to Ukraine

Reuters: The United States plans to announce up to $300 million worth of military aid for Ukraine comprised mainly of ammunition, two official sources said on Thursday. The package could be announced as soon as Friday, but perhaps after the Memorial Day holiday weekend in the United States, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The package was expected to contain more Guided Multiple Launch Rockets (GMLRS) for HIMARS launchers, and ammunition for Ukraine’s defense against Russia (Reuters).

Finland Electricity Prices Drop to Negative Due to Nuclear Power

Insider: Finland was dealing with an unusual problem on Wednesday: clean electricity that was so abundant it sent energy prices into the negative. While much of Europe was facing an energy crisis, the Nordic country reported that its spot energy prices dropped below zero before noon (Insider). Marian L Tupy: Finnish electricity price drops BELOW ZERO after the latest nuclear reactor is switched on. That is what the world could have looked like if the greens did not stop humanity from expanding nuclear power. Remember: nuclear power = no CO2 emissions (Twitter)!

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Announces Layoffs at First Republic Bank

Bloomberg: JPMorgan Chase & Co. notified about 1,000 First Republic Bank employees that they aren’t being given jobs — even temporarily — following its takeover of the failed lender. The biggest US bank on Thursday offered full-time or transitional roles to almost 85% of the nearly 7,000 employees still working at First Republic when it collapsed, while the rest were told they wouldn’t get offers, according to a person with knowledge of the matter (Bloomberg).

10.

Assisted Suicide Bill on Governor’s Desk in Nevada

Newsweek: The state of Nevada is just one step away from legalizing assisted dying for the terminally ill after its legislature passed a bill allowing for them to procure medication that would end their life. SB 239 passed the state senate in April by an 11 to 10 vote, and was confirmed by Nevada’s assembly by 23 to 19 on Wednesday. It will now head to Republican Governor Joe Lombardo’s desk for his signature. No other governor has vetoed a medicated assisted dying bill. There are currently nine states that allowed for assisted dying, alongside Washington, D.C.: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington (Newsweek). National Review: The president of Portugal just signed into law a bill legalizing euthanasia by lethal injection. It is not limited to the terminally ill — which is at least honest, since that is not what euthanasia/assisted suicide is really all about (National Review).