Summary of the day
Here’s a recap of today’s developments:
A diverse coalition of advocacy groups have sent a letter to Congress today calling for formal hearings and investigations into alleged corruption in the court. The letter comes amid reports that conservative justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito had accepted previously undisclosed gifts and trips from wealthy stakeholders whose business interests at times clashed with cases before the supreme court.
The federal prosecutor overseeing the criminal case against Hunter Biden said the justice department never impeded him from bringing charges. In a letter to Republican senator Lindsey Graham, Delaware US attorney David Weiss denied allegations that he ever formally sought permission from attorney general Merrick Garland to be designated as special counsel.
Former White House adviser Steve Bannon has been ordered by a New York judge to pay his former attorneys nearly $500,000 in unpaid legal fees. Judge Arlene Bluth ruled on Friday in favor of the law firm, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, after they filed a lawsuit against Bannon for breach of contract related to several cases.
An exclusive circle of “extraordinarily wealthy, largely conservative” Americans is in the spotlight after a New York Times investigation revealed how the supreme court justice, Clarence Thomas, has benefited from being a member. The latest revelation comes amid scrutiny over Thomas prompted by a report revealing that he had received gifts from the Republican mega-donor, Harlan Crow.
Joe Biden visited London where he met with Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and King Charles III. Biden will head now to Vilnius, Lithuania, for a critical Nato meeting – where Russia’s war in Ukraine will top the agenda – and finish his trip with a stop in Finland.
A major branch of the US military does not have a Senate confirmed leader for the first time, as a result of Republican senator Tommy Tuberville’s blockade on all senior military nominations. Commandant Gen David Berger stepped down from his position as leader of the marine corps on Monday, after more than 40 years of service.
Hill Harper, an actor known for his roles on “The Good Doctor” and “CSI: NY”, has announced he is running for Michigan’s Senate seat. Harper is the sixth Democratic candidate to enter the race to replace retiring Democratic senator Debbie Stabenow, who announced in January that she would not be seeking a fifth term in 2024 in the battleground state.
Ron DeSantis has made “very large, critical errors” in the Republican presidential primary, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, the biggest of which is the Florida governor’s attempt to “out-Trump Trump” and appeal to the hard-right GOP base.
George Santos, the Republican congressman whose résumé has been shown to be largely fabricated and who has pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds, stoked outrage by comparing himself to the great civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks.
A major branch of the US military does not have a Senate confirmed leader for the first time, as a result of Republican senator Tommy Tuberville’s blockade on all senior military nominations.
Commandant Gen David Berger stepped down from his position as leader of the marine corps on Monday, after more than 40 years of service. His successor, Gen Eric Smith, is the acting commandant until he is confirmed by the Senate.
Tuberville, an Alabama Republican and Senate armed services committee member, placed a hold on all senior military promotions in protest of the Pentagon’s new policy that provides paid leave and reimbursement costs for travel for troops if they cannot obtain abortions in their state.
Defense secretary Lloyd Austin, at a ceremony marking Berger’s departure, said:
You know, it’s been more than a century since the US Marine Corps has operated without a Senate-confirmed commandant. Smooth and timely transitions of confirmed leadership are central to the defense of the United States.
He added:
I am also confident that the United States Senate will meet its responsibilities, and I look forward to welcoming an outstanding new commandant for our Marine Corps and to adding many other distinguished senior leaders across the joint force.
