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Without drama or fanfare, Biden advances policies that matter

(MSNBC) To be sure, some of President Joe Biden’s recent accomplishments have been dramatic in their own right. After all, the Democrat recently helped prevent a war between Israel and Iran, while carefully navigating the congressional process on a critically important security aid package. But that’s not all the incumbent president and his administration have been up to.

Biden Campaign Trolls Donald Trump With Stark Contrast Of What He Says... And What He Does

(Huff Post) Presumptive GOP nominee Trump has repeatedly complained that having to attend his hush money trial is preventing him from campaigning. “This is what took me off and takes me off the campaign trail because I should be in Georgia now, I should be in Florida now, I should be in a lot of different places right now campaigning and I’m sitting here and this will go on for a long time, it’s very unfair,” the four-times-indicted ex-POTUS said outside the courthouse hosting the trial earlier this week. Biden’s team posted footage of Trump’s comments on X, formerly Twitter. And alongside it shared CNN anchor Kristen Holmes’ post which read: “Trump spent Wednesday playing golf at his Bedminster club, sources told CNN.”

Biden opens first field office in Florida

(Axios) President Biden's campaign is opening a field office in Hillsborough County to mobilize voters in a region where Republicans are gaining ground. This is Biden's first field office in Florida and a sign that he is serious about winning the state. The campaign sees Florida as a worthy investment now that a referendum to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution will be on November's ballot. Hillsborough is the third-largest county in the state. It's long been a swing region. But it's been trending redder.

DOJ rebuffs GOP's second demand for Biden-Hur audio recordings

(The Hill) The Justice Department on Thursday for a second time declined to turn over audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, rejecting claims from GOP impeachment investigators that the recordings contain information that would help them with their probe. “Our cooperation has been extraordinary. The Committees have not responded in kind. It seems that the more information you receive, the less satisfied you are, and the less justification you have for contempt, the more you rush towards it,” Carlos Uriarte, head of legislative affairs for the Justice Department, wrote in a letter to Jordan and House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.).

Friday TOONs

We have a radical democracy. Will Trump voters destroy it?

(Washington Post) For some time, it was possible to believe that many voters could not see the threat Donald Trump poses to America’s liberal democracy, and many still profess not to see it. But now, a little more than six months from Election Day, it’s hard to believe they don’t. The warning signs are clear enough. Trump himself offers a new reason for concern almost every day. People may choose to ignore the warnings or persuade themselves not to worry, but they can see what we all see, and that should be enough.

Newly minted RNC chair Lara Trump says they've got lawsuits cooking in 81 states. There are 50 states.

(Business Insider) Lara Trump may have had a little slip-up when announcing the Republican National Committee's approach to tackling voter fraud. The newly elected RNC cochair — who's married to former President Donald Trump's son, Eric — said in a Newsmax interview on Tuesday that the RNC has engaged poll watchers and lawyers to oversee and monitor the upcoming elections. During the interview, she also referenced the lawsuits the RNC has filed, questioning election integrity. Last month, the RNC filed a lawsuit against Michigan's secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson, claiming that the state's voter rolls are inflated. "We have lawsuits in 81 states right now," Trump told Bolling.

Alabama lawmakers advance bill that could lead to prosecution of librarians

(ABC News) Alabama lawmakers on Thursday advanced legislation that could see librarians prosecuted under the state's obscenity law for providing “harmful” materials to minors, the latest in a wave of bills in Republican-led states targeting library content and decisions. The Alabama House of Representatives voted 72-28 for the bill that now moves to the Alabama Senate. The legislation comes amid a soaring number of book challenges — often centered on LGBTQ content — and efforts in a number of states to ban drag queen story readings.

The Trump immunity case is easy. The Supreme Court shouldn't make it hard.

(Washington Post) It would seem to go without saying that the president, tasked with faithfully executing the laws of the United States, cannot also violate any one of those laws without fear of criminal prosecution after leaving office. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court decided this question is serious enough as it relates to Donald Trump that it must deliver an answer, rather than leaving the matter to the lower courts to state the obvious. Yet Trump v. United States is an easy case; the justices should not belabor the issue more than they already have.

ALITO: Immunity for Exiting Presidents is Justified as They Might Cling to Power in Response. WHAT?

(Daily Kos) So — let me get this straight: Alito is making the argument that an ex-President should never be charged with a crime they committed...because (gasp!) they’ll “fear prosecution” (yes, that tends to happen with criminals who are indicted with crimes — they usually aren’t happy about it)...and “cling to power” — meaning that they’ll refuse to leave office and engage in insurrection — and THAT’s the logic for not charging an ex-President for crimes they committed? That we should never hold ex-Presidents accountable for their CRIMES because they might commit the crime of insurrection because they’re BUMMED about being indicted?