Crash Course: Trump's rough day in court

Plus: Why feminists are shunning Kyrsten Sinema none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). Written by [Brett Bachman](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0QhaHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmV0dEFCYWNobWFuVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). none none Donald Trump's rough day in court New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a motion Tuesday to compel former President Donald Trump — as well as his children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka — to testify as part of an ongoing probe into the family business' financial dealings. Key quote: "Each of the individuals was directly involved in one or more transactions under review ... Thus far in our investigation, we have uncovered significant evidence that suggests Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization falsely and fraudulently valued multiple assets and misrepresented those values to financial institutions for economic benefit.” The entire situation stunned legal experts. Prosecutors rarely share preliminary findings before making a charging decision, [like James did this week](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvbmV3LXlvcmstYWctc2lnbmlmaWNhbnQtZXZpZGVuY2UtY29tbWl0dGVkLWZyYXVkX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), for fear they may damage a potential court case. But she attempted to address these concerns in the filing, writing that Trump's unceasing claims the investigation is illegitimate and politically motivated warranted a response. "Because the Respondents have questioned whether OAG is pursuing in good faith a civil inquiry that may lead to civil remedial action within OAG’s statutory power, OAG now presents to the Court a showing that reflects the progress of that inquiry." It wasn't the only legal blow Trump faced Wednesday. The Supreme Court also ruled against the former president in his quest to keep a number of documents from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — which means he'll have to turn over "daily presidential diaries, drafts of election-related speeches, logs of his phone calls, handwritten notes and files of top aides," among other things. A former president, the court wrote in its overwhelming 8-1 ruling, cannot invoke executive privilege if the current president did not also assert that privilege. [Learn more about Trump's ongoing legal battles](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvYmxvY2tzLXJlcXVlc3QtdG8ta2VlcC1qYW4tNi1maWxlcy1mcm9tLWNhcGl0b2wtcmlvdC1jb21taXR0ZWVfcGFydG5lci8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDRTulhbkuV6VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) none Hospital staffing shortages hit crisis level A labor shortage in California hospitals has forced the state to implement a once-unthinkable policy — allowing asymptomatic healthcare workers who have tested positive for the coronavirus to return to work immediately. Just last month, Salon's Nicole Karlis reports, the CDC updated its isolation and quarantine guidance for healthcare workers to allow for a return to work after seven days — compared to the previously recommended ten — if they provided a negative test. But the agency added that isolation time can be cut further if there are sufficient staffing shortages. It appears we've reached that point, and more states are sure to follow if cases continue to rise. Key quote: "I do think returning asymptomatic healthcare workers who are appropriately masked to work is an appropriate intervention given the current situation," Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center, told Salon. "Perfect can't be the enemy of the good when hospitals are delving into crisis standards of care." [Learn more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0SMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvdG8tY29tYmF0LWxhYm9yLXNob3J0YWdlLXN0YXRlcy1hcmUtbGV0dGluZy1oZWFsdGhjYXJlLXdvcmtlcnMtd29yay13aGlsZS1zdGlsbC1wb3NpdGl2ZS8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDRTulhbkuV6VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). none - Conflicting reports [over Neil Gorsuch's mask-wearing](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvY29uZmxpY3RpbmctcmVwb3J0cy1vdmVyLWdvcnN1Y2hzLW1hc2std2VhcmluZy1yb2lsLXR5cGljYWxseS1nZW5pYWwvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) roil typically genial Supreme Court - Texas GOP candidate won’t ditch [overt white nationalist staffer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvdGV4YXMtY2FuZGlkYXRlLXdvbnQtZGl0Y2gtb3ZlcnQtbmF0aW9uYWxpc3QtY2FuY2VsLWN1bHR1cmUvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), blames “cancel culture” - Eric Trump spent six hours [pleading the Fifth Amendment](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvZXJpYy1zcGVudC1zaXgtaG91cnMtcGxlYWRpbmctdGhlLWZpZnRoLWFtZW5kbWVudC1tb3JlLXRoYW4tNTAwLXRpbWVzX3BhcnRuZXIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) more than 500 times - What the fuzzy animals of[Netflix's "The House"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0ROaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvdGhlLW5ldGZsaXgtY2xpbWF0ZS1jaGFuZ2UvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) can teach "Don't Look Up" about climate anxiety - Florida [suspends top health official](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0SEaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvZmxvcmlkYS1zdXNwZW5kcy10b3AtaGVhbHRoLW9mZmljaWFsLWFmdGVyLWhlLWVuY291cmFnZWQtc3RhZmYtdG8tZ2V0LXZhY2NpbmF0ZWQvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) after he encouraged staff to get vaccinated - Britney Spears' family [just can't quit her fame](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvYnJpdG5leS1zcGVhcnMtamFtaWUtbHlubi1jb29raW5nLXNob3ctbGVnYWwtYmF0dGxlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Republicans' red flag: The GOP is ignoring [the warning signs](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtcmVkLWZsYWctaWdub3Jlcy13YXJuaW5nLXNpZ25zLW9mLXN0cnVnZ2xlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) of inter-party struggle, Salon's Heather Digby Parton writes - How mRNA technology could create a new vaccine — [against ticks](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvaG93LW1ybmEtdGVjaG5vbG9neS1jb3VsZC1jcmVhdGUtYS1uZXctdmFjY2luZS0tYWdhaW5zdC10aWNrc19wYXJ0bmVyLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Salon contributor Norman Soloman [reflects on the dire state of America](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvd2hlcmUtd2UtYXJlLW5vdy10aGUtZGlyZS1zdGF0ZS1vZi1hbWVyaWNhLWluLTIwMjIvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) in 2022 - Tonga suffers [a humanitarian crisis](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvdG9uZ2EtZXJ1cHRpb24vP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) as residents struggle to recover from volcanic eruption - Alex Trebek's "Jeopardy!" host pick Laura Coates [never even got an opportunity](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvamVvcGFyZHktY29hdGVzLW5vLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to try for the gig - And, finally, our deputy food editor Ashlie Stevens committed to cooking one meal a day using my new air fryer. Here's [what worked](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0SSaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvaS1jb21taXR0ZWQtdG8tY29va2luZy1vbmUtbWVhbC1hLWRheS11c2luZy1teS1uZXctYWlyLWZyeWVyLS1oZXJlcy13aGF0LXdvcmtlZC1hbmQtd2hhdC1kaWRudC8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDRTulhbkuV6VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (and what didn't) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0QgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL25ld3NsZXR0ZXJXA3NwY0IKYeDRTulhbkuV6VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to receive Crash Course. none none Why feminists are shunning Kyrsten Sinema During her 2018 campaign for U.S. Senate, the pro-choice PAC "Emily's List" was the biggest source of funds for Kyrsten Sinema. She professed to believe "a woman, her family, and her doctor should decide what's best for her health" and other seemingly feminist maxims, relying on her support from Arizona women to squeak by with a razor-thin victory. But all of that was apparently a lie, Salon's Amanda Marcotte writes. Why? She's standing in the way of a voting rights bill — or, more accurately, she refused Wednesday night to go along with a Democratic effort to change the chamber's longstanding filibuster rules, which need to change in order for her party to pass, well, just about anything through the evenly split Senate. It's a sentiment that Emily's List and fellow pro-choice nonprofit NARAL appear to agree with. Both announced Tuesday that they will cease donations to the controversial Arizona Senator until she joins her party in scrapping the filibuster and passing some form of voting rights legislation. Marcotte writes: Sinema's support for the filibuster exposes how paper-thin her claims to support feminist values always were. Biden won because of women. He got 57% of the female vote, while Trump won 53% of men. The Biden agenda that Sinema is blocking is what female voters sent not just Biden, but Sinema to Washington to accomplish. And not just on voting rights, either. By supporting the bipartisan infrastructure bill but not the Build Back Better plan, Sinema helped ensure that 90% of new job creation will go to men, instead of the more diverse pool that Biden's larger agenda would have supported. Voting rights is the issue that gave birth to the American feminist movement. By refusing to support voting rights, Sinema isn't just turning her back on her country and her party, but on the very feminist movement that permitted someone like her, a female senator, to even exist. Sinema may play-act the fun-loving feminist, with her kitschy dresses and loud wigs that stand out from the drab masculinist attire that rules the Senate. But as long as she stands with Republicans against democracy, she is a traitor to feminism and should be regarded as such. [Read the full commentary](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0SFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkva3lyc3Rlbi1zaW5lbWEtYS10cmFpdG9yLXRvLXRoZS1jYXVzZS1vZi13b21lbnMtcmlnaHRzLWxvc2VzLXN1cHBvcnQtb2YtZmVtaW5pc3RzLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Photo via Getty Images) none - "In the Trenches of Ukraine’s Forever War," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0Q8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wMS8xNi9tYWdhemluZS91a3JhaW5lLXdhci5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "How Exxon is using an unusual law to intimidate critics over its climate denial," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL2Vudmlyb25tZW50LzIwMjIvamFuLzE4L2V4eG9uLXRleGFzLWNvdXJ0cy1jcml0aWNzLWNsaW1hdGUtY3JpbWVzVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The undoing of Joss Whedon," [Vulture](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0Q8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudnVsdHVyZS5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS9qb3NzLXdoZWRvbi1hbGxlZ2F0aW9ucy5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "On the border, some Texas guardsmen are losing faith in their mission," [The Houston Chronicle](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0TXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaG91c3RvbmNocm9uaWNsZS5jb20vbmV3cy9ob3VzdG9uLXRleGFzL2ltbWlncmF0aW9uL2FydGljbGUvT24tdGhlLWJvcmRlci1zb21lLVRleGFzLWd1YXJkc21lbi1hcmUtbG9zaW5nLTE2Nzg2MjQ1LnBocD91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c29jaWFsZmxvdyZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPXJlZmVycmFsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9dHdpdHRlci5jb20_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYeDRTulhbkuV6VIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "The Man Putin Fears: An Exclusive Interview With Alexei Navalny," [TIME](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly90aW1lLmNvbS82MTQwMTAyL2FsZXhlaS1uYXZhbG55LXJ1c3NpYS1wcm9maWxlL1cDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) none none Oath Keepers plotted for weeks of battle following Jan. 6 Members of the right-wing Oath Keepers militia planned to carry out weeks of battle following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, stockpiling at least a month's worth of rations and ammunition in order to "stop the presidential power transfer, amass additional weaponry and tactical gear, and prepare themselves to deploy their arms, if necessary, to stop the inauguration of a new president," according to a new court filing. They stored their gear at a Comfort Inn in nearby Arlington, Virginia — though they never really needed any of it due to the fact that Trump supporters were able to breach the U.S. Capitol building without much trouble. Flashback: 11 members of the group, including its leader Stewart Rhodes, were [indicted last week](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0SIaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTMvb2F0aC1rZWVwZXJzLWZvdW5kZXItc3Rld2FydC1yaG9kZXMtY2hhcmdlZC13aXRoLXNlZGl0aW91cy1jb25zcGlyYWN5LWZvci1qYW4tNi1yb2xlLz91c2VyX2lkPSp8RU1BSUx8KlcDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) for seditious conspiracy and other crimes for their role in planning and executing the attempted insurrection. [Learn more about the Oath Keepers' plans](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0STaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDEvMTkvb2F0aC1rZWVwZXItcmV0dXJuZWQtdG8tY2FwaXRvbC1vbi1qYW4tNy1mb3ItcmVjb24tYXMtZ3JvdXAtcGxvdHRlZC13ZWVrcy1vZi1iYXR0bGUtcHJvc2VjdXRvcnMvP3VzZXJfaWQ9KnxFTUFJTHwqVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). (Photo via Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, 19801 DE [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmHg0U7pYW5LlelSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjy9PQP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgph4NFO6WFuS5XpUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)