Today’s edition of quick hits:
* The effects of the high court’s shift to the right will be felt for a very long time: “The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday blocked lower court rulings that invalidated, as partisan gerrymanders, Ohio’s map for congressional districts and Michigan’s maps for congressional and state legislative districts.”
* May’s last day is two weeks away: “Theresa May has announced she will step down as U.K. prime minister after failing to win support for her plan to withdraw from the European Union.”
* Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) singlehandedly derailed the bill, at least temporarily: “The House on Friday failed to pass the Senate-passed $19 billion bill providing disaster aid funding to parts of the United States hit by hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes and wildfires after a Republican lawmaker objected.”
* I’m not sure what these troops will be asked to do: “The United States is sending 1,500 more troops to the Middle East, President Donald Trump said Friday, amid simmering tensions with Iran.”
* A policy moving in the wrong direction: “North Korea said Friday that nuclear negotiations with the United States will never resume unless the Trump administration moves away from what Pyongyang described as unilateral demands for disarmament.”
* Another step backwards: “The Trump administration moved Friday to roll back Obama-era protections for transgender patients, the third rule change issued this month that LGBTQ advocates say will sanction discrimination against transgender people.”
* The latest abortion ban: “Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike L. Parson on Friday signed legislation banning abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy with an exception for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest.”
* In related news: “A federal judge on Friday blocked a Mississippi law that banned abortions once a fetus’s heartbeat is detected, as early as six weeks into pregnancy.”
* In case you missed last night’s show: “Special counsel Robert Mueller has expressed interest in giving private testimony to Congress about his two-year investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 presidential election.” * If this reporting is correct, it’s easy to believe Trump will be foolish enough to take this seriously: “Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., pressed President Trump on Wednesday to ask British Prime Minister Theresa May about the Steele dossier when he visits the United Kingdom next month.” * Remember him? “While former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is returning to the Navy, it will not be as an elite Navy SEAL — the cornerstone of his public image as an author, philanthropist and politician. The Navy’s Special Warfare community did not approve Greitens to rejoin their community, meaning he is not returning to active status to serve as a SEAL, The Kansas City Star has learned.” * Speaking of Missouri, add former Rep. Tom Coleman (R-Mo.) to the very small list of Republicans who believe Donald Trump deserves to be impeached. 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
