EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

NEWS NEWS

1. Trump “Hush-Money” Trial: Michael Cohen testified Trump directed and approved payments to silence Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

2. Louisiana Senate Bill on Abortion Pills: Proposed bill to classify abortion-inducing drugs as controlled substances, potentially making them harder to obtain.

3. Israel / Hamas: Israeli activists blocked aid to Gaza; reports of IDF abuse and Hamas violence continue.

4. Trump Leads in Key States: Polls show Trump leading in five key states, concerning for Biden's campaign.

NOT NEWS NEWS

1. U.S. Housing Crisis: The U.S. housing crisis is not as severe as in some other countries.

2. Trump-TikTok Flirtation: TikTok has become a hub for pro-Trump content amid its struggles with the Biden administration.

3. Memorial Day Travel: Expected to be the busiest travel year in nearly two decades with 43.8 million travelers.

4. Strange Trump Rally Moments: Trump made unusual statements at recent rallies, including praising Hannibal Lecter.

5. Public School Funding and Crime: Study finds increased public school funding reduces adult crime rates.

NEWS NEWS

1.) [UPDATE] Trump “hush-money” trial

Michael Cohen (Trump’s former “Fixer” testimony):

• Cohen claimed Trump directed him to "just take care of" a payment to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

• According to Cohen, Trump approved the final deal and reimbursement plan to protect his political fortunes.

• Cohen said the Stormy Daniels payment was "all about the campaign" and that the story's release would have been "catastrophic" for Trump's electoral prospects.

  • Trump told Cohen to delay payment to Stormy until after the election because if win, "I'll be president" and if lose, “won't matter”

  • Cohen asks about Melania, Trump replies: Don’t worry about it. I wont be on market long.

• Cohen's testimony will continue Today with direct examination and cross-examination by Trump's legal team.

• Prosecutors suggest they could rest their case as soon as this week, with Cohen being one of their final witnesses.

Trump gives presser flanked by Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) & JD Vance (R-OH).

[TS] His paper read: “Carry-dite-by-ray-srigh.” Don’t know what that means? Let me help you:

[TS] Alright, I still don’t know what it means. But the paper was actually just another article from Fox commentator Gregg Jarrett that the case should be dismissed.

JD Vance and Tuberville gave a little presser of their own. Given the content of their speech, it’s clear they are just acting as Trump’s mouthpiece and saying the things he’s not allowed to say (re-gag order).

Vance attacks judge’s daughter and prosecutors:

Tuberville: “I am disappointed in looking at the American citizens— the supposedly American citizens in that courtroom” [TS] Ehhh what? Supposedly?

2.) WWNO: Senate bill would classify abortion pills as controlled dangerous substances in Louisiana

The proposed law, Senate Bill 276, appears to target people who might obtain abortion medications in order to distribute them to pregnant people. But it could also make the medications harder to get for people who need them for miscarriage treatments or other reproductive health care.

Louisiana lawmakers are considering adding abortion-inducing drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, to the list of controlled dangerous substances in the state, which would create penalties of up to 10 years in prison for anyone caught with the drugs without a prescription. The proposed law, Senate Bill 276, appears to target people who might distribute abortion medications, but it could also make the medications harder to obtain for miscarriage treatments or other reproductive health care. The bill includes an exemption for pregnant women who intend to use the pills to induce an abortion, and proponents stress that women who self-administer abortions using these medications won't be criminalized under the law.

[RELATED] Pew: Broad Public Support for Legal Abortion Persists 2 Years After Dobbs

By more than 2 to 1, Americans say medication abortion should be legal

[RELATED 2] The NYT/Siena poll shows 37% of Trump voters say Trump is most responsible for the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

24% ... say Biden is most responsible. [TS]Woof.

3.) Israel / Hamas

Israeli right-wing activists block aid trucks and destroy aid.

• Israeli right wing activists blocked aid trucks which were on their way to Gaza yesterday at the Tarqumiya crossing in the West Bank:

[TS] There are other clips with different trucks. There is no gray zone here. They should be prosecuted. My feelings:

The fact that there are fringes in every society is to be expected, the fact that the governing body is not doing anything about it, at a time their public image is crumbling, is unacceptable. Israel must do better policing their own

[RELATED-ish] CNN “Strapped down, blindfolded, held in diapers: Israeli whistleblowers detail abuse of Palestinians in shadowy detention center.”

[TS] Horrifying report of IDF torture and abuse of Palestinian detainees. Relevant snippet:

“(The beatings) were not done to gather intelligence. They were done out of revenge,” said one Israeli whistleblower. “It was punishment for what they (the Palestinians) did on October 7 and punishment for behavior in the camp.”

Hamas terrorizing Gazans

• Various clips showing Hamas’s criminal police beating, torturing killing Gazans. I won’t post the clips as some are a bit violent.

• Hamas has now launched its fourth bomb attack on Kerem Shalom. That is the crossing where the aid sent to Gaza goes through.

• Hamas released another hostage video, as they’ve done with each time Israeli forces got closer to the area, in an attempt to psychologically terrorize Israelis and stop the IDF.

  • The video shows Nadav Popplewell, 51, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nirim and seems to have been beaten up.

Israel does not have a plan to govern Gaza after the war.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned yesterday that without such a plan, it’s likely Hamas would eventually regain power.

A few other bullets:

• NYT: For years, a secret police force overseen by Hamas has spied on Palestinians

• U.S. officials said that Yahya Sinwar, the top Hamas leader, was not hiding in Rafah, in southern Gaza. The intelligence could undercut Israel’s rationale for a major operation there.

• In the past week, the flow of aid into Gaza has almost entirely stopped, according to the U.N.

4.) NYT/Siena Poll: Trump Leads in 5 Key States

[TS] Concerning polling for the Biden camp. Overall, polls have had trump trump ahead. 538 current avg:

NOT NEWS NEWS

5.) The US housing crisis is not as bad as its peers:

6.) Puck News: The Trump-TikTok Flirtation

The Chinese-owned app has become a hotbed of pro-Trump activity at precisely the moment when a putative Trump administration would provide its best shot at survival.

As Tiktok struggles with the Biden admin, it's becoming a hotbed of Trump activity. According to tiktok officials, there is 2 to 1 pro-Trump to pro-Biden content on an app preferred by Gen Z.

[TS] Seems straightforward. Per Matthew Yglesias:

Biden signs bill that could be used to ban Chinese propaganda app —> propaganda app goes into overdrive to elect Trump who flip-flopped on the issue for money.

7.) CBS: Memorial Day weekend 2024 could be busiest for travel in nearly 20 years

This year is expected to be one of the busiest travel years in nearly two decades, with about 43.8 million people expected to travel at least 50 miles, according to AAA.

Tim Miller: “You can really sense the severity of the inflation-induced economic anxiety and American carnage in the revealed actions of consumer behavior.”

8.) Trump had a string of strange rally moments

• Already covered his slurring

• Trump: “I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate”

  • [TS] Colossally stupid.

• Trump: “Silence of the lamb! The late great Hannibal Lecter. It is a wonderful man….The late great Hannibal Lecter.”

[TS] You really do need to see this one:

[TS] What on earth is he talking about? The actor (Anthony Hopkins) isn’t dead. The other various actors who played a version aren’t dead (eg Mads Mikkelsen). Not to mention, Hannibal is not a real person!

Anne Applebaum’s reaction:

At what other moment in American history could a presidential candidate praise a fictional serial killer, and inspire almost no reaction at all?

9.) New Paper: How Increased Public School Funding Reduces Adult Crime Rates

The actual title of the paper: Public School Funding, School Quality, and Adult Crime

Authors: E. Jason Baron, Joshua Hyman, Brittany Vasquez

[TS] My headline captures the main finding of the study, which is that increasing public school funding early in children's lives can effectively prevent crime in the long run. The paper also highlights the key message that investing in education can have significant social benefits beyond just academic outcomes.