[guest post by Dana]

Let’s go!

First news item

Be nice if the Republican Party would decide whether the rule of law and justice for all are really things to be embraced:

Senate Republicans are warning New York Judge Juan Merchan not to sentence former President Trump to prison or house arrest or take any other action that could disrupt the likely GOP nominee’s ability to campaign ahead of the November election.

Trump’s sentencing date is July 11.
The Republican National Convention is scheduled to begin on July 15.

The senators are concerned about the latitude Judge Merchan has in the decision making:

…they’re nervous about what may happen, because Merchan wields a lot of discretion over the terms of the sentence and they felt he tilted the trial against Trump’s team.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said it would be a “further abuse of power” to incarcerate Trump or sentence him to home confinement.

“I’m very troubled by what I see in the way the courts have been weaponized,” he said. “It used to be there were some institutions in America, namely the FBI, the Department of Justice and the courts, which were regarded as out of bounds for overt partisan politics, but unfortunately that’s changed, and not for the better.”

Additionally, and this is just rich beyond belief:

Republican senators warn any sentence that would impact Trump’s mobility or ability to communicate with voters could seriously undermine voters’ confidence in the fairness of the 2024 election.

Second news item

Prime Minister Netanyahu will speak before a divided Congress:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on July 24, congressional leaders announced Thursday.

Why it matters: The speech is likely to be divisive, with many Democrats opposed to hosting the Israeli prime minister and some progressives planning to boycott or even disrupt the speech.

What they’re saying: “The bipartisan, bicameral meeting symbolizes the U.S. and Israel’s enduring relationship,” said the offices of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky).

Their statement said the speech will “offer Prime Minister Netanyahu the opportunity to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending their democracy, combatting terror, and establishing just and lasting peace in the region.”

Meanwhile, anger is growing by the usual suspects about the impending visit by the prime minister:

Progressive “Squad” Democrats are furious that their leaders have agreed to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress.

“Absolutely,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., told Fox News Digital on Wednesday when asked if she was disappointed that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed to sign onto the invitation.

“We should not be creating a platform and welcoming an accused war criminal,” Pressley said.

Third news item

President Biden apologizes to President Zelensky:

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday for the first time publicly apologized to Ukraine for a monthslong congressional holdup in American military assistance that let Russia make gains on the battlefield.

The apology came as Biden met in Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who appealed for bipartisan U.S. support going forward “like it was during World War II.”

…

“I apologize for those weeks of not knowing what’s going to happen in terms of funding,” Biden said, referring to the six-month holdup by conservative Republicans in Congress to a $61 billion military aid package for Ukraine. Still, the Democratic president insisted that the American people were standing by Ukraine for the long haul. “We’re still in. Completely. Thoroughly,” he said.

Fourth news item

Trump’s latest target of attack:

The former president claimed in a Truth Social post that members of the House panel had committed crimes, asserting they “deleted and destroyed all material evidence.”

“The unAmerican Weaponization of our Law Enforcement has reached levels of Illegality never thought possible before,” Trump posted. “INDICT THE UNSELECT J6 COMMITTEE FOR ILLEGALLY DELETING AND DESTROYING ALL OF THEIR ‘FINDINGS!’”

The panel’s former chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), has previously pushed back against GOP claims that the committee withheld information.

If elected, his time and energies will be focused solely on retribution and going after his perceived enemies.

Fifth news item

Freedom fighters, then and now:

“You’re the savior of the people, you bring tears to my eyes.”
“No no, you saved Europe.”
“My hero.”
“No, you are our hero.”
“I pray for you.”

Heartbreaking between @ZelenskyyUa & a #DDay veteran, who knows the cost. He kisses his hand & won’t let go.
pic.twitter.com/qQoI2SekeR

— Jessica Berlin (@berlin_bridge) June 6, 2024

Have a great weekend.

—Dana