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Monday, April 11, 2022
BY SARAH LAZARUS & CROOKED MEDIA


** -Donald Trump, ([link removed]) on his endorsement of Dr. Oz in the Pennsylvania Senate race
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Russia has set the stage for a ruthless campaign to seize control of the eastern Donbas region, as its forces regroup from their failed attempt to brutalize the rest of the country into submission.

* Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky warned on Monday ([link removed]) that tens of thousands of Russian troops were amassing for a renewed assault on eastern Ukraine, and the Pentagon has confirmed that hundreds of Russian military vehicles are en route to the Donbas in an eight-mile-long convoy. Roughly 13,400 civilians have fled eastern Ukraine ([link removed]) since Friday, according to Ukrainian officials, with local leaders urging residents to flee while there’s still time.

* In an ominous sign about the next phase of the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend appointed Gen. Alexander Dvornikov ([link removed]) to oversee all operations in Ukraine, establishing a central commander of the invasion for the first time. Dvornikov earned himself the cheerful nickname of the “Butcher of Syria” by relentlessly targeting civilian neighborhoods and hospitals during the Syrian war, for which he was honored as a “hero of the Russian Federation.”

* Of course, we don’t need to look as far afield as Syria to get a sense of what could be in store for the Donbas region. The mayor of Mariupol said Monday that more than 10,000 civilians had been killed ([link removed]) in Russia’s siege of the city, and warned that the death toll could surpass 20,000. A team of French experts has arrived in Ukraine to help investigate possible war crimes ([link removed]) in formerly occupied areas, including the town of Bucha.

Meanwhile, Putin’s first sit-down with a Western leader since the start of the war didn’t produce a much sunnier outlook.

* Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he’s “not particularly optimistic” ([link removed]) about the next phase of the invasion after meeting with Putin in Moscow on Monday: “The offensive is being prepared with determination.” Nehammer said that he “addressed the serious war crimes in Bucha and other places and emphasized that all those responsible for them must be held accountable,” and raised the issue of humanitarian corridors to allow for the evacuation of civilians and delivery of aid.

* While Dvornikov (presumably) prepares to take a page from his Syrian playbook in the Donbas, Putin reportedly sees an opportunity to revive his own signature move. U.S. intelligence officials have assessed that Putin may use the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine as a pretext to order a new interference campaign ([link removed]) in another American election, if you can believe it. It’s not entirely clear why he’d need a pretext when the frontrunner for the GOP nomination has straight up asked him to interfere ([link removed]) , but we respect his commitment to the craft.



Russian and Ukrainian forces are gearing up for a major clash on more open, rural terrain that’s both familiar to the Russian military from a previous invasion and allows for shorter supply lines. The new phase of Russia’s assault might be limited to a smaller piece of Ukraine, but experts fear that it will be no less brutal.

Check out the latest episode of Offline! This week, the Co-Founder and former CEO of Twitter Ev Williams joins Jon Favreau to talk about Twitter’s early years, the company’s newest board member Elon Musk, and if Donald Trump should be allowed back on the site. New episodes of Offline drop every Sunday wherever you get your podcasts ([link removed]) .
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The Saudi sovereign wealth fund led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman dumped $2 billion into Jared Kushner’s new private equity firm shortly after Kushner left the White House, even after its screening committee raised serious reservations ([link removed]) . The committee’s objections included “the inexperience of the Affinity Fund management,” an asset management fee that “seems excessive,” and firm operations that due diligence had found to be “unsatisfactory in all aspects.” But the full board overruled the panel, investing twice as much with Kushner’s firm as it gave to former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s new fund at around the same time. It’s hard to imagine a more obvious way for MBS to telegraph that he’s less interested in making money than in rewarding Kushner for the Trump administration’s lenient stance on murdering Washington Post journalists, and offering a bribe for other corrupt favors that Donal
d Trump could and would deliver if he returns to power.
* The January 6 committee has reportedly gathered enough evidence to send the Justice Department a criminal referral of disgraced former president Donald Trump ([link removed]) , but members are divided on whether it’s worth the trouble to do so.

* Supreme Court Wife and Coup Participant Ginni Thomas regularly lobbied the Trump administration to hire her far-right allies ([link removed]) , including at a private lunch hosted by the Trumps at which Justice Clarence Thomas was present.

* President Biden on Monday announced the nomination of former federal prosecutor Steve Dettelbach ([link removed]) to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and touted a new Justice Department measure to crack down on ghost guns.

* French President Emmanuel Macron will face far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in a presidential runoff election ([link removed]) , setting up the 2017 replay that Europe has yearned for.

* Pakistan’s parliament has selected the opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif as the country’s new interim prime minister ([link removed]) , after ousting Imran Khan in a no-confidence vote over the weekend.

* Philadelphia will reinstate its indoor mask mandate ([link removed]) , becoming the first major U.S. city to do so. A fearless move by Health Commissioner Gritty.

* Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has become the third Cabinet member to test positive for COVID ([link removed]) in the wake of last weekend’s Gridiron dinner, which served up at least 67 infections. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who attended the dinner, has also tested positive ([link removed]) .

* An Iowa judge ruled that Democratic Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer can’t appear on the state’s June 7 primary ballot ([link removed]) , in a special favor to the Wisconsin GOP. Finkenaur said she would appeal the decision to the Iowa Supreme Court.

* Elon Musk has decided not to join the board of Twitter after all ([link removed]) , Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal announced on Sunday night — a reversal that frees him up to buy a larger share of the company.

* Persistent supply chain issues could drive up car prices for longer than economists expected ([link removed]) , potentially mucking up broader inflation predictions.

* Britney Spears announced she’s pregnant ([link removed]) , Bennifer is (are?) engaged ([link removed]) , and your Motorola Razr just lit up with an invitation to go see Mean Girls in theaters.

A Texas district attorney has moved to dismiss a murder charge against a woman in connection with a “self-induced abortion,” ([link removed]) leaving unanswered a number of questions, including but not limited to, “what the actual fuck?” The 26-year-old Texas woman was arrested on Friday and held on $500,000 bail before being released on Saturday; a statement from the Starr County Sheriff’s Office said only that she was charged after “intentionally and knowingly causing the death of an individual by self-induced abortion.” It’s unclear whether she was accused of having the abortion herself or aiding one, or how far along her pregnancy might have been. It’s also unclear what law she allegedly violated: S.B. 8 and other Texas anti-abortion laws explicitly prohibit criminal homicide charges for pregnant women who have an abortion. Starr County District Attorney Gocha Allen Ramirez said in a statement that after reviewing
the case, he concluded that the woman “cannot and should not be prosecuted for the allegation against her,” but commended the Sheriff’s Department for doing the right thing by investigating her. If and when the Supreme Court shivs Roe v. Wade, these arrests could become much more common, with considerably uglier outcomes.
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People don’t always realize that physical symptoms like headaches, teeth-grinding and even digestive issues can be indicators of stress. And let’s not forget about doom scrolling, sleeping too little, sleeping too much, undereating and overeating.

Stress shows up in all kinds of ways. And in a world that’s telling you to do more, sleep less and grind all the time, here’s your reminder to take care of yourself, do less, and maybe try some therapy.

BetterHelp ([link removed]) is customized online therapy that offers video, phone and even live chat sessions with your therapist, so you don’t have to see anyone on camera if you don’t want to. It’s much more affordable than in-person therapy and you can start communicating with your therapist in under 48 hours.

Give it a try and see why over 2 million people have used BetterHelp online therapy. This newsletter is sponsored by BetterHelp, and What A Day readers get 10% off their first month BetterHelp.com/crooked ([link removed]) .

The Biden administration ([link removed]) has launched a $1 billion program to support its goal of conserving 30 percent of the country’s lands and waters by 2030.

Here’s a great read about one Texas school district’s “liaison” ([link removed]) for protecting homeless students, and the new federal grants that have allowed schools to expand their services.

Disney heir Charlee Disney ([link removed]) has publicly come out as transgender and condemned Republicans’ wave of anti-LGBTQ+ bills. The Disney family has pledged to match up to $500,000 in donations to the Human Rights Campaign.

A Starbucks store in Brookline ([link removed]) has become the first Massachusetts location to unionize, and the 18th unionized Starbucks in the country.
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