The Lesson of Trump: Character Matters.
Plus, What the New Trump Contempt Motion Tells Us About the Mar-a-Lago Documents Prosecution.
Recently at The Bulwark:
CHARLIE SYKES: Sinema’s Independence Day
JVL: Kyrsten's Razor 🔐
SONNY BUNCH: When Santa Breaks Bad.
SECRET POD: Special K. 🔐
You can support The Bulwark by subscribing to Bulwark+ or just by sharing this newsletter with someone you think would value it.
LAURENCE H. TRIBE AND DENNIS AFTERGUT: What the New Trump Contempt Motion Tells Us About the Mar-a-Lago Documents Prosecution.
The Justice Department’s contempt motion against the Office of Donald Trump—being heard today in Washington, D.C. behind the closed courtroom doors of U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell—tells us three things, regardless of how Judge Howell rules.
First, Special Counsel Jack Smith has plainly lost patience with former President Donald Trump’s lawlessness.
Second, it’s even safer now than it was days ago to expect Smith to indict Trump. Few things motivate prosecutors more than contempt for the law and especially for grand jury investigations.
ROBERT TRACINSKI: The Lesson of Trump: Character Matters.
To be a Never Trumper these days is to wonder if it is possible to die of smugness. Every day, it seems, a Trump Republican loses another election, or Donald Trump or someone he elevated says something obviously unacceptable. It’s hard to resist the temptation to go around shouting “I told you so” all the time, or at least to note, acidly, “if only someone could have warned them.”
But this is not just about dunking on the former president’s apologists as he drags them from one colossal embarrassment to another. If we’re going to go through this, we might as well learn—or relearn—something important from it.
Brittney Griner is home, Sinema does the Angus King thing, Republicans pass on a “Get Out of Jail” card, and a huge win for same-sex marriage. Plus, every Democrat should get schooled by the Warnock and Shapiro campaigns. Tim Miller’s back with Charlie Sykes for the weekend pod.
Amir Tibon of Haaretz joins to explain how Netanyahu won again and what his new coalition means for Israel, for US/Israel relations, and possibly, for Ukraine. Also, the shape of American politics after Georgia’s runoff.
Bulwark+ members can listen to an ad-free version of these podcasts on the player of their choice. Learn more at Bulwark+ Podcast FAQ.
TNB: Kanye. Elon. Trump. 🔐
CATHY YOUNG: The Torn Loyalties of Russian Liberals.
In the past week, a media controversy tangentially related to Russia’s war in Ukraine has pitted people who broadly belong to the same side of the issue—that is, the pro-Ukraine, anti-Putin’s-invasion side—against each other in often-bitter debates. The dispute is over a Russian TV station in exile and the Latvian government’s decision to take away its broadcasting license because of comments deemed too sympathetic to Russian soldiers. But it also raises broader and often uncomfortable questions about Russia and the free world. Are Ukraine and its allies at war with the Putin regime or with Russia itself? Should Russia’s liberal opposition be treated as friend, foe, or ambivalent sometime ally? Should our vision for the postwar future include a free, modernized, democratic (and strong) Russia or a weakened and defanged Russia, perhaps reduced to a rump state shorn of its autonomous republics populated by ethnic minorities?
🚨OVERTIME 🚨
Happy Friday! I hope you had a productive and fun week. The Holiday season is in full swing, so if you can’t make it to the White House for a holiday tour (just kidding those are near impossible to get even if you know people), you can take one digitally.
How are people making all of these AI selfies? I’m lucky that I have had two talented caricature artists make me graphical representations of me (two for work, and one for fun), but they seem to be all the rage these days in the era of AI-created art. Here’s how it happens.
DeSantismentum? Florida’s governor is beating Trump in a new GOP poll.
Brittney Griner may be free… But the MAGA revisionism on Paul Whelan continues apace.
Preparing for doom. The Red Trickle that might not even pick Kevin McCarthy as Speaker has Republicans scrambling. Perhaps it’s time to pack that bug-out bag? And remember my recent item on him?
The RNC in disarray… Turns out that dinner with Nick Fuentes had some RNC members fuming… privately, of course.
That’s it for me. Tech support questions? Email members@thebulwark.com. Questions for me? Respond to this message.
—30—
Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, please consult the article.