NATIONAL HOUSEPLANT APPRECIATION DAY UPDATES

-Republicans and right-wing media have been orgasming over the revelation that, while cleaning out an office used by now-President Biden at the University of Pennsylvania, attorneys discovered “several” documents with classified markings that go back to Biden’s time as Vice President in a locked closet. They have been demanding investigations (including what one MAGAt referred to as “’Dr.’ Jill Biden”), indictments, raids into Biden’s “multiple” houses, and of course complete and total absolution of their Dearest Leader, Ex-President Trump, over Trump’s handling of classified documents.

-Needless to say, there is NO comparison. While the source and type of the documents are unknown, Biden’s attorneys immediately contacted the White House, who in turn immediately notified the National Archives of the situation, and then returned the documents (which the Archives did not even realize were missing) to the Archives within 24 hours after discovery. In other words, the Biden team followed classified document protocols to the letter in an open and honest manner. Trump … did not.

-Remember this as you watch national media stories, some of which (like, sadly, CNN last night) will attempt to ‘bothsides’ the two stories. They are NOT similar at ALL.

-In other Trump legal news, last night January 6 Special Counsel Jack Smith issued a subpoena to former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, reportedly in connection to the fundraising that the Trump campaign did between Election Day 2020 (when Trump lost the election to President Biden) and January 6, 2021 … former Trump Organization CFA Alan Weisselberg will be sentenced today for his role in fudging and twisting Trump financial reports … a judge in the E. Jean Carroll case (Carroll is suing Trump for defamation) ordered one of Trump’s depositions to be made public … and a trial that was scheduled to begin today involving organization of the January 6 insurrection by members of the Proud Boys has been delayed a day after one of the people hired by the Proud Boys to represent him had his legal license revoked.

-With only one GOP NO vote, Kevin McCarthy (SINO-R, CA) had a new set of House legislative rules passed yesterday. Among many other provisions that observers note will hand over much of the House Chair’s power to the MAGA Caucus, one new rule allows any single House member to call a vote to remove whoever is sitting in the Chair at any moment. It is expected that rule may be used when the debt ceiling comes up, as McCarthy will be caught between MAGAts demanding he threaten triggering a worldwide recession in order to make draconian cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Ukraine aid, the IRS, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security – or lose his job if he doesn’t. Meanwhile, Democrats are likely preparing a series of “discharge petitions” which, while complicated, would allow the unified Democratic bloc to find 5-6 Republicans to join them to pass legislation that would do none of the above and keep the world’s economies active, regardless of who owns the gavel.

-A CORRECTION: Yesterday, this update mentioned a video created by new House leader Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Z-Q-R, GA) in which Greene dramatically walked the halls of Congress with a Snoop Dogg beat underneath. That was an error – the beat Greene used was, in fact, a Dr. Dre beat. Management regrets the error.

-Speaking of that video, Greene was forced to take that video down AND had her Twitter account suspended after Dr. Dre issued a letter to Greene in which Dre said he “has not, and will never, grant (Greene) permission to disseminate any of his music” in support of what Dre called Greene’s “divisive and hateful political agenda.” It is not the first time a music artist has issued a cease-and-desist order to someone on the Right for unauthorized use of music – and it’s not like artists aren’t willing to use them, as evidenced by Nas and Wu-Tang Clan songs being used WITH their permission to underscore House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ speech early Saturday morning.

-Lynette Hardaway, half of a controversial African-American sister comedy team known as “Diamond and Silk,” passed away yesterday. Diamond and Silk were known as staunch supporters of Ex-President Trump (Trump himself announced the death on his Truth social network) who often appeared at Trump rallies, and had shows on Fox News and a network owned by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Diamond and Silk were virulent COVID denialists who spread misinformation about the virus and the vaccinations, boasting that they had never been vaccinated and that COVID was “a hoax” (and posting anti-COVID information on their Twitter feed as late as three days ago). Hardaway was hospitalized around Thanksgiving with COVID, and her sister, Rochelle Richardson, was asking for prayers for the health of her sister since.

-On this date in 49 BC, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon. On this date in 1901, oil was first discovered in Texas. On this date in 1946, the United Nations first session opened. Two major television premieres happened on this date – MASTERPIECE THEATRE in 1971 and THE SOPRANOS in 1999. And on this date in 1982, Dwight Clark made “The Catch” and began a run of Super Bowl appearances and victories for the San Francisco 49ers.

-Happy Birthday to Ethan Allen, George Washington Carver, Ray Bolger, Bernard Lee, Paul Henreid, Jerry Wexler, Johnnie Ray, Roy Disney, Lou Henson, Eddy Clearwater, Stephen E. Ambrose, Willie McCovey, Sal Mineo, Jim Croce, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Rod Stewart, Donald Fagen, George Foreman, Teresa Graves, Bobby Rahal, Pat Benatar, Michael Schenker, Shawn Colvin, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jermaine Clement, and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith.

-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Buffalo Bill Cody, Coco Chanel, Howlin’ Wolf, George Meany, Richard Boone, Paul Lynde, Spalding Gray, Carlo Ponti, David Bowie, Buddy Greco, and Don Maynard.

-Feed the Worms: Jesse James’ brother Frank and right-wing commentator David Horowitz, and possible bone-saw-enabler Jared Kushner entered Earth on this date.

-The #1 rated network TV show this week … in 2023, SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBAL … in 2013, SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL … in 2003, AMERICAN IDOL … in 1993, HOME IMPROVEMENT … in 1983, 60 MINUTES … and in 1973, ALL IN THE FAMILY.