memeorandum: Election conspiracy theorist groups paid $5.7 million for the Arizona ‘audit’ (Jeremy Duda/Arizona Mirror)

12:30 PM ET, July 29, 2021

Top Items:

Two False Narratives About the Capitol Riot — As the Jan. 6 committee meets, politics drowns out the actual story. — By The Editorial Board — The House inquiry on the events of Jan. 6 held its opening hearing Tuesday, and it showed why no Republican should try to brush aside the ugliness of the Capitol riot.

Discussion: CNN, Raw Story, The Western Journal and The Hill

Politico:

Jan. 6 select-panel Dems confident they can corral ex-Trump aides — House Democrats investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot are newly optimistic about securing testimony from former Trump officials. That doesn't mean they're close to hauling in big names from the ex-president's turbulent final days.

Discussion: Washington Post, Election Law Blog, CNN, Washington Examiner and Raw Story

James Hohmann / Washington Post: On Jan. 6, an immigrant Capitol Police officer showed Trump and insurrectionists what patriotism is

John Wagner / Washington Post:
Rep. Jordan acknowledges speaking with Trump on Jan. 6

Discussion: The Hill, Spectrum News 1 Ohio, CNN and HuffPost

Sarah Chaney Cambon / Wall Street Journal:

U.S. Economy Grows Beyond Pre-Pandemic Level — Slower growth is expected in coming months, with Delta variant of Covid-19 and materials and labor disruptions clouding economic outlook — U.S. gross domestic product grew at a 6.5% annual rate in the second quarter, up slightly from earlier in the year …

Discussion: Associated Press, Tangle, Reuters, The Daily Caller and National Review

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:

Gross Domestic Product, Second Quarter 2021 (Advance Estimate) and Annual Update — Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 6.5 percent in the second quarter of 2021 (table 1), according to the “advance” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Discussion: CBS News, UPI and Twitchy

Ed Morrissey / HotAir:
Whiff: Q2 GDP misses expectations at 6.5%

Discussion: Twitchy

Jeff Cox / CNBC: U.S. GDP increased at 6.5% pace in the second quarter, well below expectations

Washington Post:

CDC reversal on indoor masking prompts experts to ask, 'Where's the data?' — New recommendations from federal health officials this week on when vaccinated Americans should don face masks came with a startling bolt of news: People who have had their shots and become infected with the delta variant …

Discussion: HotAir, National Review, Twitchy and CNN

Jim Geraghty / National Review:
What the Biden Administration Fears

Discussion: HotAir, New York Times and Virginia Mercury

Tiana Lowe / Washington Examiner:
The CDC's idiotic mask reversal is based on disinformation

Discussion: Townhall, BizPac Review and The Daily Caller

Kevin Liptak / CNN:
Biden shifts onus for pandemic onto the unvaccinated as he readies federal worker vaccine requirement

The White House:

Statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Biden-⁠Harris Administration Eviction Prevention Efforts — For nearly 11 months, the CDC's eviction moratorium has served as a critical backstop to prevent hard-pressed renters and their families who lost jobs or income due …

Andrew Ackerman / Wall Street Journal:

Biden Asks Congress to Extend Federal Eviction Moratorium — The Biden administration is requesting that Congress act to extend a federal moratorium on the evictions of tenants who have fallen behind on their rent during the Covid-19 pandemic, citing tenants' “heightened vulnerability” because of the Delta variant of the virus.

Discussion: Insider and Political Wire

Michael Casey / Associated Press:
Biden to allow eviction moratorium to expire Saturday

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, Washington Times, Bangor Daily News and Newsy

Jim Newell / Slate:

Turns Out Mo Brooks Was Wearing Body Armor to Trump's Very Peaceful Jan. 6 Rally — Rep. Mo Brooks may be done with Jan. 6, but Jan. 6 isn't done with him. — The Alabama representative, notorious for his speaking role at the Jan. 6 rally leading up to the invasion of the Capitol …

Discussion: Alabama Political Reporter, Zandar Versus The Stupid, The Root, Crooks and Liars, Insider and The Intellectualist

Mark Joseph Stern / Slate:
Mo Brooks Accidentally Gave Up His Immunity From Eric Swalwell's Insurrection Lawsuit

Discussion: Roll Call, Raw Story, Associated Press, NPR, POLITICUSUSA, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, Forbes, CBS News and 6abc

Doug Jones / USA Today:

Pass ‘Manchin Plus’ voting and election protection with or without Republicans — I implore my former Republican colleagues to step forward. If they don't, Manchin and other Democrats must override the filibuster to save democracy. — American democracy is at a critical juncture.

Discussion: NBC News, Washington Post and Common Dreams

Atossa Araxia Abrahamian / New York Times:
There Is No Good Reason You Should Have to Be a Citizen to Vote

Discussion: Althouse

Dennis Aftergut / The Bulwark:

Meet the Corporations That Went Back on Their Word Not to Support the Sedition Caucus — They promised not to support Republicans who voted not to certify the election results. And then they changed their minds and hoped Americans wouldn't notice. — Following the January 6 insurrection …

Discussion: OpenSecrets.org

Max Greenwood / The Hill:

Trump blows fuse over GOP moving forward on infrastructure deal — Former President Trump lashed out at Senate Republicans on Thursday after the upper chamber voted to take up debate on a bipartisan infrastructure package, accusing Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and “RINOs” for surrendering to Democrats.

Discussion: Washington Times, The Western Journal, Mock Paper Scissors and The Carpentariat

Sen. Thom Tillis / NBC News:
Senate infrastructure deal is a win for bipartisanship, thanks to Sen. Sinema

Discussion: Washington Examiner, The Hill, The American Spectator, Washington Post, BizPac Review, Politico, The Daily Caller, Raw Story and HotAir

Elian Peltier / New York Times:

The European Union pulls ahead of the United States in vaccinations. — The 27 member states of the European Union altogether have now administered more coronavirus vaccine doses per 100 people than the United States, in another sign that inoculations across the bloc have maintained …

Washington Post:
Something strange is happening in Britain. Covid cases are plummeting instead of soaring.

Discussion: Politico and Metro.co.uk

Mike Spies / New Yorker:

How the Head of the N.R.A. and His Wife Secretly Shipped Their Elephant Trophies Home — The couple had their names removed from the shipment, and placed an order for the animals' feet to be turned into “stools,” an “umbrella stand,” and a “trash can.” — In the early fall of 2013 …

Discussion: Raw Story and The Intellectualist

News Blog, Riverfront Times:

St. Louis County Health Director: I Was Assaulted, Called ‘Brown C— ’ After Mask Plea — Dr. Faisal Khan, acting director of the St. Louis County Department of Health. … Dear Chairwoman Days, — I appreciated the opportunity to share the latest data, scientific research …

Discussion: The American Independent and Raw Story

Sam Clancy / KSDK-TV:
St. Louis County health director says he responded to racist slurs, assault by flipping off person at council meeting

Discussion: The Hill and Washington Post

Anne Applebaum / The Atlantic:

The MyPillow Guy Really Could Destroy Democracy — When you contemplate the end of democracy in America, what kind of person do you think will bring it about? Maybe you picture a sinister billionaire in a bespoke suit, slipping brown envelopes to politicians.

Discussion: The Dispatch

Ari Berman / Mother Jones:

GOP Could Retake the House in 2022 Just by Gerrymandering Four Southern States — Fight disinformation. Get a daily recap of the facts that matter. Sign up for the free Mother Jones newsletter. — Before Georgia voted for Joe Biden, the biggest upset in recent state politics came …

Discussion: The Texas Tribune, Political Wire and Washington Post

Karen Hao / MIT Technology Review:

She risked everything to expose Facebook. Now she's telling her story. — The world first learned of Sophie Zhang in September 2020, when BuzzFeed News obtained and published highlights from an abridged version of her nearly 8,000-word exit memo from Facebook.

more at Techmeme »

Jeremy Duda / Arizona Mirror:

Election conspiracy theorist groups paid $5.7 million for the Arizona ‘audit’ — Protestors in support of former President Donald Trump gather outside Veterans Memorial Coliseum where Ballots from the 2020 general election wait to be counted on May 1, 2021.

Discussion: Forbes

Rosalind Helderman / Washington Post:
Arizona's GOP-backed ballot review has raised more than $5.7 million in private donations, organizers say

Discussion: New York Times, NBC News, The Hill, The Daily Caller, Insider, ABC News, Election Law Blog and Politico

Ariane de Vogue / CNN:

228 GOP lawmakers call on Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade — Mississippi governor defends state's 2018 anti-abortion law — (CNN)Nearly 230 Republican members of Congress told the Supreme Court on Thursday that it should overturn Roe v. Wade and release its “vise grip on abortion politics.”

Discussion: Insider, Alabama Political Reporter and Political Wire

Will Weissert / Associated Press:

Pro-Sanders group rebranding into ‘pragmatic progressives’ — WASHINGTON (AP) — Stinging from the disappointment of Bernie Sanders' loss in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, supporters pumped millions into the powerful advocacy group Our Revolution to keep the progressive fight alive …

Financial Times:

Property donors provide one-quarter of funds given to Tory party — UK governing party has received nearly £18m from donors with property interests in the past two years — The Conservative party has received almost £18m in donations from 154 donors with property interests …

Nathan Layne / Reuters:

Pennsylvania Republican blasts election audit, rebukes fraud claims — A Republican lawmaker in Pennsylvania has come out against his colleagues' “forensic” audit of the 2020 election, becoming the party's first statewide official to publicly call for an end to the effort and warn of electoral consequences for the party.

Discussion: The Hill and RedState

Olivia Beavers / Politico:

GOP lawmaker challenges McCarthy over ‘bulls—’ mask mandate enforcement — There's mounting fury on the right about efforts to enforce the new House requirement as Covid's Delta variant spreads. — In this image from video, Rep. Chip Roy speaks on the House floor wearing a mask. House Television via AP

Discussion: Washington Examiner and Crooks and Liars

Edward Luce / Financial Times:

Republicans have become the party of nihilism — US conservatives who might once have criticised Trump are now falling in line with disturbing speed — As long as Donald Trump is breathing, the odds are that he will run again in 2024. This has become clear not because his ambitions have changed …

Discussion: Washington Post

Brooke Singman / Fox News:

House Republicans call for renewal of wall construction contracts in new border security plan — House GOP leadership calls for return to Trump-era border security approach — Border surge is not slowing down: Rep. Cuellar — House Republicans on Thursday are introducing their solution …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Washington Times and The Daily Caller

Aaron Maté / RealClearInvestigations:

A Fresh Reminder of Russiagate's Failed Guardian(s) of Integrity — Above left, RCI writer Aaron Maté in a tense 2017 interview with Luke Harding of the Guardian (full video below). Harding was lead author on a supposed blockbuster this month ignored by major news outlets …