Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Flynn case: “Federal prosecutors have notified a judge that they no longer plan to put Michael Flynn on the stand when his former business partner goes on trial in Virginia next week — not because they don’t need his testimony but because they no longer believe he’s telling the truth.”
* Interesting case out of the 2nd Circuit: “President Trump has been violating the Constitution by blocking people from following his Twitter account because they criticized or mocked him, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday. The ruling could have broader implications for how the First Amendment applies to the social-media era.”
* Virginia: “Barely more than 90 minutes after it convened a special session called by the Democratic governor to debate gun legislation, the GOP-controlled General Assembly abruptly adjourned without taking action, stunning hundreds of gun control activists and gun rights protesters who had packed the Capitol.”
* Annie Donaldson: “The White House has blocked a third witness who provided crucial testimony to special counsel Robert Mueller from describing the chaos she witnessed in the West Wing as President Donald Trump sought to assert control over the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.”
* This one will be appealed: “A federal judge ruled on Monday that the Trump administration cannot force pharmaceutical companies to disclose the list price of their drugs in television ads, dealing a blow to one of the president’s most visible efforts to pressure drug companies to lower their prices.”
* Hong Kong protesters prevail: “Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced Tuesday that legislation to allow suspects to be sent to mainland China to face trial had failed after weeks of massive protests.”
* Good advice: “Two dozen governors from across the country, including three Republicans and governors of four states that voted for President Trump in 2016, urged his administration on Tuesday to halt one of his biggest climate policy rollbacks: the weakening of federal clean car rules.”
* Capitol Hill: “The House will ‘soon’ vote to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary William Ross in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas for documents explaining the administration’s rationale for wanting to add a citizenship question to the census, Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter on Monday.” * Yahoo News’ Michael Isikoff did a great job with this: “The true origins of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory.” * He lies about so many aspects of his life: “Trump has referred to his Wharton degree as ‘super genius stuff.’ An admissions officer recalls it differently.” * To the surprise of no one: “Days after presiding over a Fourth of July military celebration on the Mall in Washington, President Trump said Monday that he plans to hold a similar extravaganza next year.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
