-Ginni Thomas, on escaping her first cult

• Thursday's hearing will focus on disgraced former president Donald Trump's efforts to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence to refuse to count certified electoral votes for Joe Biden and then either declare Trump the winner or hold both candidates under a 270 electoral vote majority. Under the terms of the 12th Amendment, that would've thrown the election to the House's 50 state delegations (one vote per state), and allowed the 27 states with more Republican than Democratic representatives to declare Trump the winner.  
   
• It also was a crime, and committee members are becoming less shy about saying so. In a video previewing Thursday's presentation, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) explained that, per a federal judge, Trump's "relentless effort on January 6 and in the days before hand to pressure Vice President Pence to count lawful electoral votes" likely "violated two federal criminal statutes." Trump, Cheney said, "had been told" that what he was doing "was illegal."
   
• Trump was following a scheme devised by his hand-picked, unethical lawyer John Eastman. Thursday's hearing will feature live testimony from Pence's counsel Greg Jacob, and former Judge J. Michael Luttig—a mentor to some of the most right-wing Republicans in Washington—who were among the lawyers advising the White House that Eastman's "January 6" strategy was illegal. It'll also include testimony from Trump's hand-picked adviser and first-impeachment lawyer Eric Herschmann who says on January 7 he told Eastman, "Get a great fucking criminal defense lawyer, you're gonna need it."

• Disproving a seemingly false statement from Capitol Police, the committee on Wednesday released its evidence that Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) did indeed conduct a reconnaissance tour on January 5 for people planning to participate in the insurrection the next day. That evidence includes footage of him leading people (including a man in a MAGA hat) to tunnels under the Cannon and Longworth House office buildings that provide access to the Capitol. (Note, this is not part of most Capitol tours). The next day one of the men on Loudermilk's "tour" was caught on video at the Capitol shouting, "we're coming for ya, for Pelosi, Nadler, Schumer, even you AOC, we're coming to take you out."
   
• We also may find that the hearing originally scheduled for today was delayed for more than just a technical snafu. On MSNBC Tuesday night, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) reiterated that the delay was "primarily logistical.” But when pressed to expand on the word "primarily," she said, "I'll just leave it at that."

Today, Crooked is announcing our very own book imprint CROOKED MEDIA READS, which will begin publishing titles in 2023. We can’t wait to point listeners to brilliant authors telling stories and breaking down issues in ways that are inspiring, challenging, and entertaining. To learn more, head to crooked.com/reads.

Tuesday was another so-so primary night for Donald Trump and his slate of pro-insurrection candidates, though the fact that he's larded up the GOP ticket with so many enemies of democracy is awful and should be disqualifying for the GOP. Rep. On one hand, Tom Rice (R-SC), who voted for Trump's second impeachment and has defended his vote consistently, lost his primary to Trump-endorsed GOP state Rep. Russel Fry. On the other hand Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) fended off her Trump-endorsed primary challenger, though her only Sin Against Trump was condemning his actions on January 6 (she voted against impeachment and against creating a commission to investigate the insurrection). On the third hand, Republicans in Nevada nominated Trump-endorsed Jim Merchant to be secretary of state, and have nominated several other Trump-endorsed candidates running to be elections officers in other states, too. 

• The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates 0.75 percent, the largest single increase in almost 20 years.
   
• Georgia's Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker, who frequently criticizes absentee fathers, particularly in the black community, is the absentee father of a 10 year old son he doesn't see. 
   
• Democrats lost a special election for an open House seat in southern Texas that had been occupied by Rep. Filemon Vela (D-TX) before he bounced in March to join a lobbying firm. 
   
• The Republican-dominated Otero County, NM, canvassing board, whose three members include a convicted insurrectionist, has refused to certify the results of last week's primary elections there citing Trump-inspired Dominion voting machine conspiracy theories. 
   
• In related horrifying news, a rogue membership movement of lawless sheriffs has seemingly begun a nationwide campaign of vigilante voting-machine seizure.
   
• Anthony Fauci has COVID-19.
   
• Corporate lobbying front No Labels wants to be a party on the ballot in every state to help Donald Trump win a third term if he runs again.
   
• Gov. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) is out of the country and his office won't say where or why in the midst of the worst flooding his state has seen in memory. Lt. Gov Kristen Juras (R-MT), serving as acting governor, signed the state's disaster declaration.
   
• Speaking of shit governors, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) responded to the news that Elon Musk supports him for president in 2024 by chuckling, "You know I welcome support from African-Americans. What can I say?" because he's always looking for subtle ways to remind his supporters that he, too, enjoys a bit of racism. (Musk is a white South African.)
   
• Overcome your fear of flying by drowning it out with claustrophobia.  
   
• After letting police make up fake religious excuses to circumvent vaccination requirements, San Diego police are now pretending that COVID-19 swab tests violates their religious practices. 
   
• Free advice from me, the author of said advice, to Australian author John Hughes, who blatantly plagiarized The Great Gatsby and Anna Karenina:  To thine own self be true. [dramatic pause] Thank you, thank you, I wrote that myself.   
   
• RIP Microsoft Internet Explorer, 1995-2022. (That's 182 in dog years.)
   
• There's gonna be a live-action Barbie movie (?) starring Ryan Gosling as Ken (???).

Climate change-induced droughts in the west have caused major water reservoirs along the Colorado River to dry up so rapidly that officials anticipate huge reductions in water supply to California and Arizona next year. Currently California and Arizona are entitled to 4.4 million and 2.8 million acre-feet of Colorado river water per year, respectively; the cuts next year will amount to between two- and four-million acre feet. These drastic cuts come on top of earlier agreements between California, Arizona, and Nevada to take less water out of Lake Mead and Lake Powell, both which have nevertheless plummeted to about one-quarter of their full capacities. If those levels fall much further, the effects could be catastrophic: Glen Canyon Dam on Lake Powell might no longer be able to generate electricity, and water could stop passing through the Hoover Dam altogether, turning Lake Mead into a "dead pool" and denying Colorado River water to 25 million Americans. Happy Wednesday!
 

CARIUMA is a premium sustainable sneakers brand rooted in surf and skateboarding, that are reimagining classic sneakers with you and the planet in mind.

CARIUMA’s original sneaker has won celebrity fans, racked up waitlists over 61,000, earned over 15,000 five-star reviews and coverage in Vogue, Rolling Stone, and GQ. It’s called OCA, and it’s made ethically and sustainably from organic cotton, recycled plastic, and natural rubber.

There’s a minimal, classic look to this shoe that disguises serious comfort—the feeling is next-level. You’re going to feel as good walking out the door as you do coming home at the end of the day.

Layers are shedding, plane tickets are crazy expensive, and suddenly outdoor dining isn’t just a precautionary. The weather’s never been better, and if you’re suddenly wishing you knew how to surf or carve up the sidewalk, there’s a cult skateboarder-favorite shoe you might like.

AND for a limited time, What a Day readers can get an exclusive 15% off your pair of CARIUMA sneakers. Go to CARIUMA.com/whataday to get 15% off.