Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Violence in Egypt has lessened, but it has not disappeared.
* Holder: “Attorney General Eric Holder took aim Tuesday at ‘Stand Your Ground’-style laws — such as the one that figured into the George Zimmerman case — saying they may encourage violence and ‘undermine public safety.’ ‘It’s time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods,’ Holder said in a speech to the NAACP. ‘These laws try to fix something that was never broken.’”
* Following the Senate deal on executive branch nominees, President Obama will nominate Nancy Schiffer and Kent Hirozawa to the National Labor Relations Board, and their nominations will be fast-tracked for confirmation before the August deadline. They were chosen after consultation with the AFL-CIO.
* Hmm: “The Panamanian authorities have impounded a rusting North Korean freighter on a voyage from Cuba toward the Panama Canal and back to its home country, and said the ship was carrying missile system components cloaked in a cargo of sugar. The arms would appear to represent a significant violation of United Nations sanctions imposed on North Korea.”
* I’m assuming the Obama administration will ignore Graham’s advice: “Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the U.S. should consider boycotting the 2014 Olympics Russia is set to host if Moscow grants NSA leaker Edward Snowden asylum.”
* Reproductive rights ruling: “A 2011 North Dakota law that outlaws one of two drugs used in nonsurgical abortions violates the state and U.S. constitutions, a state judge ruled Monday.”
* Adam Serwer takes a closer look at the stay of execution for Georgia’s Warren Lee Hill Jr. Stephen Vladeck considers the Supreme Court’s possible involvement. * Ed Kilgore read Richard Cohen’s Archie Bunker-esque column so I didn’t have to. * And while I’ve generally been inclined to ignore Rush Limbaugh’s cries for attention lately, his boasts today about being able to use racial slurs with impunity struck me as a bit much, even for him. Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
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