Closing summary
Texas has experienced a case of judicial whiplash, after the supreme court yesterday allowed its law giving police the power to arrest suspected illegal border crossers to go into effect. But just hours later, a federal appeals court blocked it again, and the matter seems set for further legal wrangling that may well wind up before the US supreme court at some point in the future. Back in Washington DC, the Democratic Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, indicated that he turned down a request from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to address his lawmakers, warning that support for the country should not become “partisan”. But Republican senators were happy to hear from Netanyahu, who said the prime minister told them he had no plans to change his military strategy in Gaza.
Here’s what else happened:
House Republicans pressed on with the impeachment investigation of Joe Biden, while Democrats attacked their witnesses’ credibility, and one showed up in a Vladimir Putin mask.
A Georgia judge allowed Donald Trump to appeal his ruling last week that prosecutor Fani Willis could stay on the election subversion case against him, but only if the special counsel Nathan Wade leaves.
The Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, said he understood where Trump was coming from when he accused Democratic Jews of hating Israel and their religion – comments that drew accusations of antisemitism.
Biden announced new rules that could dramatically slash emissions from passenger cars and trucks to fight the climate crisis.
A special election in California to replace the former House speaker Kevin McCarthy appears headed to a runoff between two Republicans, likely to Johnson’s chagrin.
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Netanyahu told Senate Republicans Gaza strategy would remain unchanged
In an address to Senate Republicans, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he had no plans to change his military strategy in Gaza, Reuters reports.
Netanyahu spoke to Republicans via videolink at their behind-closed-door lunch today, days after Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s Democratic majority leader, broke with him and called for new elections in Israel.
“He’s going to do what he said he’s going to do. He’s going to finish it,” the Republican senator Jim Risch said after hearing from Netanyahu.
Here’s more, from Reuters:
Wednesday’s meeting underscored the politicization of Washington’s Israel policy. Netanyahu has long been aligned with Republicans, who accused Schumer of seeking to “overthrow” the Israeli leader.
“We asked ... him for an update and we got it on the war, on the release of the hostages and in the efforts to defeat Hamas. We told him Israel has every right to defend themselves and he said that’s exactly what they continue to do,” Senator John Barrasso said.
Democratic leaders have been grappling with divisions in their party over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza five months into a war that began with attacks on Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.
…
Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Netanyahu had addressed civilian casualties and the need to get more aid into Gaza. He said Netanyahu was “very supportive” of plans to build a temporary pier and bring in aid by sea.
“He’s very sensitive to the fact that every civilian casualty is a very unfortunate event,” Risch said.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Netanyahu had made a presentation and then taken questions from senators.
“I made it clear to him, that it’s not the business of the United States to be giving a democratic ally advice about when to have an election or what kind of military campaign they may be conducting,” McConnell told reporters.
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The aftershocks from Republican insurgents’ historic ouster of Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, and his subsequent resignation from Congress, continue to reverberate, notably in the race to replace him in his central California district.
Vince Fong, a Republican California assemblyman, currently leads the official vote count after the Tuesday special election to replace McCarthy. But he does not appear to have won the 50% support necessary to avoid a runoff, meaning Fong will have to stand in May against whoever comes in second place. That is on course to be his fellow Republican Mike Boudreaux, with the Democratic candidate, Marisa Wood, trailing in third place – not much of a surprise, considering McCarthy’s former district is considered California’s most Republican.
However that race ultimately turns out, the biggest loser last night may have been the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, who is trying to pass legislation with a tiny majority. Had Fong won, it would have given the speaker a sorely needed vote, but now he’ll have to wait till May to see McCarthy’s replacement seated.
McCarthy’s decision to resign after being ousted from Republican leadership – which came a year after Nancy Pelosi left House Democratic leadership – comes amid a period of turnover in Golden State politics. The longtime Democratic US representatives Anna Eshoo, Tony Cárdenas and Grace Napolitano have also announced plans to step down.
Two weeks after California’s primary, the race to replace Eshoo in her Bay Area district remains exceptionally close. Just two votes separate the Democratic candidates Evan Low, a state assemblyman, and Joe Simitian, a Santa Clara county supervisor, with ballot counting ongoing. The winner will advance to the November general election and face the Democrat Sam Liccardo, the former mayor of San Jose.
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Chuck Schumer’s public criticism of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his call for the country to hold elections came after months of deliberations, the Democratic Senate leader revealed to the New York Times this weekend.
“I said to myself, ‘This may hurt me politically; this may help me politically.’ I couldn’t look myself in the mirror if I didn’t do it,” Schumer, who represents New York, said in an interview. He added that the point of his speech “was to say you can still love Israel and feel strongly about Israel and totally disagree with Bibi Netanyahu and the policies of Israel”.
Schumer noted he spent about two months working on his speech, writing multiple drafts of an address intended to make clear he believed Netanyahu is “the fount of the problems”.
The Senate leader has faced considerable criticism for his public break with Netanyahu, most notably from Republicans. Here’s more on that:
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The rift between the top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, became public suddenly, amid continuing reports of terrible humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Here’s the latest on that, from the Guardian’s Peter Beaumont:
The accusation by the UN and other humanitarians that Israel may be committing a war crime by deliberately starving Gaza’s population is likely to significantly increase the prospect of legal culpability for the country, including at the international court of justice.
Amid reports that the Israel Defense Forces are hiring dozens of lawyers to defend against anticipated cases and legal challenges, the charge that Israel has triggered a “man-made famine” by deliberately obstructing the entry of aid into Gaza is backed by an increasing body of evidence.
Already facing a complaint of genocide from South Africa at the ICJ, the UN’s top court – including an allegation that senior Israeli political officials have incited genocide in public statements – Israel is also the subject of a provisional emergency ruling by the court ordering it to admit life-saving aid to Gaza.
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Schumer warns of making support for Israel 'partisan' amid reports he rejected Netanyahu request to speak to Democratic senators
The Senate’s Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, indicated he rejected a request from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to address his lawmakers today.
“When you make these issues partisan, you hurt the cause of Israel,” Schumer told reporters when asked if he turned down Netanyahu. US media outlets report that prime minister wanted to talk to Democratic senators during a closed-door meeting.
Last week, Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States, broke with Netanyahu and called on Israel to hold new elections. He criticized the prime minister for the high civilian death toll in Gaza, and said Netanyahu was among a group of politicians and groups who were undermining efforts to implement a two-state solution to the crisis between Israel and Palestine.
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Pete Aguilar, chair of the House Democratic caucus, said that Donald Trump “doesn’t belong anywhere near the Oval Office” following the ex-president’s comments that there will be a “bloodbath” in the US if he loses the election.
Aguilar said:
He represents a clear and present danger to democracy. His comments over the weekend …should be taken both literally and seriously … Donald Trump would sacrifice our way of life in a heartbeat if he thought that it could bring him political power. He doesn’t belong anywhere near the Oval Office and don’t just take our word for it – the former VP, his former chief of staff, his former defense secretary, and his former secretary of state all agree.
“[Trump] doesn’t belong anywhere near the Oval Office and don’t just take our word for it — the former VP, his former chief of staff, his former defense secretary, and his former secretary of state all agree.”
— The Recount (@therecount) March 20, 2024
— House Dems Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA) on Trump’s “bloodbath” remarks pic.twitter.com/rw4amBU8r2
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Here are more details from Punchbowl News on Chuck Schumer’s reported refusal to allow Benjamin Netanyahu to address the Senate Democratic caucus:
🕑 MIDDAY: Israelis asked Schumer to have bibi talk to caucus. pic.twitter.com/QpYeYvH9nL
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) March 20, 2024
According to Schumer, having Netanyahu address the caucus would “not be helpful to Israel”, Punchbowl News reports.
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Schumer declines Netanyahu's request to address Senate Democratic Caucus - report
The Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, has declined a request from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to address the Senate Democratic Caucus, Punchbowl News reports.
According to the outlet, Schumer said these conversations should not happen “in a partisan manner”.
SCOOP in @PunchbowlNews Midday — Netanyahu asked to speak to the Senate Democratic Caucus as well. Schumer declined, saying these convos shouldn’t happen “in a partisan manner.”
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) March 20, 2024
Netanyahu speaking to Senate Republicans at their lunch right now
MORE:https://t.co/Uh7ftp59N3
Netanyahu is scheduled to address Senate Republicans virtually during their lunch meeting today.
Last week, Schumer sparked backlash from Republican leaders and Netanyahu’s Likud party after he called for new elections in Israel and criticized Netanyahu’s leadership.
Since October, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians while forcibly displacing 2 million survivors across the narrow strip.
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The day so far
Texas has experienced a case of judicial whiplash, after the supreme court yesterday allowed its law giving police the power to arrest suspected illegal border crossers to go into effect. But just hours later, a federal appeals court blocked it again, and the matter seems set for further legal wrangling that may well wind up before the supreme court at some point in the future. Back in Washington DC, Republicans pressed on with their impeachment investigation into Joe Biden, despite revelations that a key source for their unproven allegations received information from Russian intelligence. At a hearing of the House oversight committee, Democrats hammered the credibility of the GOP’s witnesses, and one lawmaker made the point by showing up in a Vladimir Putin mask.
Here’s what else is happening:
A Georgia judge allowed Donald Trump to appeal his ruling last week that prosecutor Fani Willis could stay on the election subversion case against him, but only if special counsel Nathan Wade leaves.
The Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, said he understood where Trump was coming from when he accused Democratic Jews of hating Israel and their religion – comments that drew accusation of antisemitism.
Joe Biden announced new rules that could dramatically slash emissions from passenger cars and trucks to fight the climate crisis.
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Republicans invited two witnesses to today’s House oversight committee hearing: Tony Bobulinski and Jason Galanis, both former business associates of Hunter Biden.
But only Bobulinski could actually show up, since Galanis is currently incarcerated for securities fraud.
Bobulinski, meanwhile, has his own checkered past, one that the committee’s top Democrat Jamie Raskin made note of at the hearing:
Raskin at hearing on Bidens goes after GOP witnesses:
— The Recount (@therecount) March 20, 2024
“The first is Mr. Bobulinski...whose famously litigious history includes unsuccessfully suing his own dying father's charity…and...suing Cassidy Hutchinson…after she reported” that he met with Mark Meadows wearing ski mask. pic.twitter.com/nYp8vuMO8z
House Republicans have long clamored for Hunter Biden to appear before them.
And while the president’s son did consent to a behind-closed-doors interview, NBC News reported that his lawyer last week told Republicans: “Mr Biden declines your invitation to this carnival side show.”
So the oversight committee today left an empty seat with a placard reading “Mr Biden”, perhaps hoping he would make another surprise appearance:
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Democratic lawmaker mocks House GOP as they press on with Biden impeachment push
House Republicans appear to be pressing on with their impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden’s alleged corruption, even as they have yet to turn up evidence that the president benefited from his family members’ overseas business dealings.
They’re also dealing with the fallout from revelations that an informant crucial to their case received information from Russian intelligence. But as the House oversight committee gathered for their latest hearing in the investigation, Democratic lawmaker Jared Moskowitz sought to remind them by showing up in a Vladimir Putin mask:
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) wears a Vladimir Putin mask to the House Oversight Committee hearing on the Biden family:
— The Recount (@therecount) March 20, 2024
“I just came to thank James Comer for taking all of our intelligence and using it in the committee. Maybe he can come see the technology in our grocery stores.” pic.twitter.com/WPzgDPYz2C
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Republican House speaker Mike Johnson defends Trump after he said Democratic Jews 'hate' Israel
Since being elected speaker of the House last year, the Republican Mike Johnson has emerged as one of Donald Trump’s most prominent defenders on Capitol Hill, and today is no exception – even when it comes to the former president’s recent comment that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate” Israel and their religion.
Asked about it at a press conference, Johnson said he understands where Trump is coming from:
Reporter: “What do you make of the former president’s comments saying that Jews who vote for Democrats hate Israel and their religion?”
— The Recount (@therecount) March 20, 2024
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA): “I don’t speak for President Trump, but I understand the sentiment that he’s trying to express…” pic.twitter.com/It4FtlIuH2
The context here is that GOP lawmakers are trying to make clear their support for Israel and its ongoing invasion of Gaza, even as they waffle on whether or not to continue providing military assistance to Ukraine. That’s put them at odds to Democrats, who want to approve aid to both countries as well as Taiwan – but Johnson is blocking that legislation.
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Biden announces plans to dramatically cut car and truck emissions to fight climate crisis
Joe Biden just announced new rules for cars and trucks in the United States that could dramatically cut down on fossil fuel consumption and help the country meet its climate goals.
Like many environmental regulations, these will likely face a court challenge, but nonetheless represent a significant attempt to reshape how the transportation sector uses energy. Here’s the Guardian’s Dharna Noor with more on the move:
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One of the biggest questions hanging over the 2024 election is: will any of Donald Trump’s four criminal trials be resolved before the vote?
The prospect of the former president being found guilty by a jury is a major source of peril for his chances of returning to the White House – but an exoneration would bolster his claims that he’s being unfairly targeted by prosecutors.
But so far, it seems likely that the two federal and two-state level cases remain bogged down in pre-trial motions and appeals – such as the argument in Georgia over whether prosecutor Fani Willis can remain on the case – before the 7 November election day, raising the prospect that none are decided before voters head to the polls.
Our Trump case tracker explains why:
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Judge allows Trump to appeal ruling keeping Georgia prosecutor on election subversion case – attorney
Donald Trump and some of his co-defendants in the Georgia election subversion case can appeal a ruling that allowed prosecutor Fani Willis to remain on the case, his lawyer announced.
Last week, the Fulton county judge Scott McAfee allowed Willis to continue prosecuting Trump and 18 others on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election, rejecting an attempt to remove her for an alleged conflict of interest due to her hiring of the special prosecutor Nathan Wade. However, McAfee said Willis could remain only if Wade resigns – which he did.
On X, Steve Sadow, an attorney for Trump, said McAfee has allowed his ruling to be appealed, raising the possibility of further delays in the case:
Judge McAfee has granted a certificate of immediate review permitting us to apply to the GA Court of Appeals for a pretrial appeal of the his order denying disqualification of DA Willis. pic.twitter.com/qkKvatIjhs
— Steve Sadow (@stevesadow) March 20, 2024
Here’s more on last week’s ruling:
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The Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, said this morning he had a “lengthy” conversation with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is also expected to address Senate Republicans later in the day.
During the call, Johnson said he expressed “House Republicans’ strong support for Israel and their efforts” in Gaza and his “strong disagreement” with the Democratic Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, a strong defender of the Jewish state who last week identified Netanyahu as one of the major impediments to peace and called for new elections in the country when the war winds down.
“We think it’s not only foolhardy, it’s dangerous for him to be trying to suggest how Israel should run its domestic affairs in the midst of its conflict,” Johnson said.
On Wednesday, Punchbowl News reported that Netanyahu was expected to speak virtually to Senate Republicans during their lunch meeting. The move underscores Netanyahu’s alliance with Republicans, forged over more than a decade and under three US presidencies.
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The University of Texas law professor Steve Vladeck predicts that the fifth circuit appeals court is likely to leave SB4 on hold until the supreme court weighs in again:
Among other things, this sends a *very strong* signal that the panel is likely to *deny* Texas's application for a stay pending appeal. So #SB4 will remain blocked *indefinitely,* unless *Texas* persuades #SCOTUS to put it back into effect.
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) March 20, 2024
The supreme court yesterday briefly allowed the law to go into effect, until the fifth circuit put it back on hold again hours later. The appeals court is hearing arguments over the measure again today, and however they rule, it is likely it will be appealed back to the supreme court.
The fifth circuit court of appeals has in recent years become known as a bastion of conservative jurisprudence, often handing down decisions that represent losses for the Biden administration and Democrats. The supreme court, meanwhile, has a six-justice conservative majority.
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Appeals court to hear another round of arguments on Texas immigration law
More federal court action could be coming today on the Texas law allowing police to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally.
The fifth circuit court of appeals will at 11am ET hear arguments over the law. It’s unclear when they will decide whether to allow it to go into effect.
Mexico government objects to Texas immigration law
Mexico’s government issued a strongly worded statement yesterday after the supreme court allowed Texas police to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally, saying it would not accept any person forced out by state authorities.
“Mexico recognizes the importance of a uniform migration policy and the bilateral efforts with the United States to ensure that migration is safe, orderly and respectful of human rights, and is not affected by state or local legislative decisions. In this regard, Mexico will not accept, under any circumstances, repatriations by the State of Texas,” its secretary of foreign affairs said.
The objections from the United States’s southern neighbor underscore why immigration enforcement is typically left up to the federal government and not the states. A person arrested under the Texas law could agree to leave the United States, according to the Associated Press, but Mexico’s objections complicate that.
Experts warn of chaos if Texas immigration law is eventually allowed to take effect
It was only for a few hours that Texas law SB4, which allows state police to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally, was in effect, and the Associated Press reports that it does not appear anyone was detained under its provisions.
The law is currently being wrangled over at the appeals court level, and may again wind up before the supreme court, where the conservative justices yesterday allowed it to go into force, without ruling on its merits.
Experts the AP spoke to warned that if it eventually does becomes law, it could have a chaotic range of effects across the second most-populous state in the country. Here’s what Ricardo Samaniego, the executive of El Paso county, said:
Heightened law enforcement presence in the city of El Paso during a previous migrant surge brought high-speed chases and traffic stops based on assumptions that passengers were in the country illegally. “We had accidents, we had injuries, we got a little glimpse of what would happen if the state begins to control what happens in respect to immigration,”
Daniel Morales, an associate law professor at the University of Houston Law Center, warned the law would be “a mess, very clearly, to enforce”:
“It’s very clear that Greg Abbott wants to enforce the law so he can get lots of photo ops and opportunities, but it’s gonna take a lot of state resources to implement. And I don’t know, in fact, how much appetite and capacity for that the state government actually has.”
Greg Abbott is the state’s Republican governor, and a champion of the law.
Executive director of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas, Skylor Hearn, said deputies across the state have been training for the past year in case the law takes effect. But he added:
“As long as the federal government is willing to do its part that it is supposed to be doing, it is ideal for them to take possession and custody of these people.”
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Appeals court again blocks Texas law allowing police to arrest suspected undocumented migrants
Good morning, US politics blog readers. It was only a few hours ago when the supreme court cleared the way for a potential upending of US immigration enforcement by allowing a Texas law that gave state police the power to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally to go into effect. But hours after the top court’s Tuesday afternoon order, a federal appeals court once again blocked the law – at least for now. The decision prevents what could have become a confusing and unprecedented situation from playing out in the massive, Republican-governed state along the border with Mexico. Texas’s police would have been able to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally – a task reserved for federal law enforcement.
Texas enacted its law as Republicans nationwide attack Joe Biden over the surge in undocumented migrants that has played out since he took office. In Congress, the GOP continues to demand the president support tougher border policies, though they blocked a compromise that would impose those and approve new aid for Ukraine and Israel. The White House views the Texas law as “harmful and unconstitutional”, and the legal wrangling over it is unlikely to end anytime soon.
Here’s what else is going on today:
Congress is working on a final batch of government spending bills ahead of a Friday deadline to pass them and prevent a partial government shutdown. Party leaders yesterday announced a deal on the funding, but it still needs to be approved by the full Senate and House of Representatives.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, will reportedly address Senate Republicans at their lunch. Last week, the chamber’s Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called for new elections to be held.
The Federal Reserve will decide whether or not to keep interest rates at their high level when their regular policy meeting concludes at 2pm ET.
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