HHS official to abortion opponents: 'We're just getting started'

For the first time in recent memory, an official from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spoke at a conference of the nation’s largest anti-abortion organization.

“Our president is fearless when it comes to life and conscience,” said Roger Severino, who directs the Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights. “We’re just getting started.” Severino was a featured speaker at the National Right to Life convention Thursday in Overland Park.

The Department of Health and Human Services drew both praise and criticism in January when the Trump Administration created a new conscience and religious freedom division of the office of civil rights and proposed regulations to protect health care workers who don’t want to perform abortions or other services because of their religious or moral beliefs.

The department’s strategic plan also now includes language that says, “A core component of the HHS mission is the dedication to serve all Americans from conception to natural death.”

Jim Acosta might need a security detail more than Sarah Sanders does.

Maxine Waters received a death threat, and Jim Acosta was harassed by the crowd at a Trump rally. The only thing that seems to have happened to Sarah is that she had to get into a car and look for a different restaurant.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/06/26/acosta-heckled-henry-mcmaster-trump-rally-orig-llr.cnn

https://www.essence.com/news/donald-trump-threatened-congresswoman-maxine-waters-twitter

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sarah-huckabee-sanders-to-receive-temporary-secret-service-protection-at-home/

Trump Travel Ban Upheld by SCOTUS 5-4

Thanks Jill! Thanks Susan!

http://www.scotusblog.com/2018/06/live-blog-of-opinions-with-scotus-map-and-first-mondays/

Here's what's buried beneath that FBI report: How rogue agents sabotaged the Clinton campaign

Digby's take on the IG report.

"A cabal of FBI agents in the New York office loyal to Rudy Giuliani apparently hectored their bosses, leaked to the press and urged former agents to go on television to put the Department of Justice and the FBI under pressure to act harshly against Hillary Clinton, even when if was outside the norms, rules and laws of the department. They were successful beyond their wildest dreams."

"Stacey Abrams's Win Is Just the Beginning"

From New York Magazine's The Cut:

The Lessons
1. People of color matter.

When Hillary Clinton lost, Democratic pundits and campaign strategists across the country insisted that “identity politics” lost the race. Not likely Russian collusion, not thinly veiled sexism, not “racial anxiety” (read: plain ol’ racism). No: They insisted the problem was that we’d ignored rural white voters for too long.

Abrams chose to buck popular thinking and insist on a simple principle: Everyone, including people of color, must be central to a winning strategy. The question of whether this would work was answered by her victory. It is now up to us, and every Georgia voter, to prove this point once and for all by sending her to victory in the general election.

2. Black women are leaders for all people.
3. We need more fully franchised voters.

The Homework
1. Donate, donate again, then donate more.
2. Go local.
3. SHOW UP. Yes, in ALL-CAPS. A primary is an important battle, but Nov. is the war.

America's First Ramadan Break-Fast Was Hosted by Thomas Jefferson

"In 1805, the month of Ramadan fell in December. Far from his friends, family and home, one Tunisian man was attempting to observe it in Washington, D.C. This was the statesman Sidi Soliman Mellimelli, who was spending six months in the United States, on a diplomatic mission..."

Vox: 3 winners and 3 losers from primaries in Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, and Arkansas

For what it's worth, here's Matt Yglesias' takeaway from Tuesday.

Winners:
DCCC
Medicaid expansion
Black Democrats

Losers:
The GOP mobilisation strategy
Our Revolution
Georgia Republicans

Buddy Roemer firm invests $4 million in Young Turks Network

April 2014

A firm led by former Republican governor and congressman Buddy Roemer is investing millions into The Young Turks Network to significantly increase its content, sales, and platform presence.

The investment of $4 million, with an option to go up to $8 million, came out of a conversation Roemer and The Young Turks Network founder Cenk Uygur had backstage before speaking at a conference about money in politics last year. The relationship between the conservative Louisiana politician and the founder of the progressive media outlet stemmed from both making the removal of money’s influence on politics their signature issues.

The Young Turks Launch 24-Hour YouTube Channel

The new channel will run TYT programming 24/7, including The Young Turks, TYT Interviews, NerdAlert, What The Flick?!, Think Tank, and Pop Trigger.

TYT generates over 200 million views a month and ranks number one in News and Politics on all digital platforms in the 18-24 demographic.

MSNBC is calling the Ohio Democratic gubernatorial primary for Cordray.

It looks like it was a rout.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/5/8/17326612/ohio-primary-elections-2018-live-results-kucinich-cordray-dewine-mary-taylor

May the 4th...