Good morning! Here’s your daily digest of money-and-politics news and the headlines of the day, compiled by BillMoyers.com’s John Light. (You can sign up to receive Morning Reads daily in your inbox!)
Goodnight, transparency –> After the state assembly approved them Monday, two bills dramatically rolling back transparency and oversight of election spending in Wisconsin are on their way to Governor Scott Walker’s desk. Shawn Johnson for Wisconsin Public Radio: “One of the measures would allow unlimited donations to state political parties and permit coordination between candidates and interest groups with secret donors. It would also double the contribution limits to candidates… The other bill passed Monday does away with the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board.”
Behind closed doors –> Climate scientists and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials will be brought before House investigators for “interviews akin to depositions” that will be shielded from the public, writes Lisa Rein at The Washington Post. But the House science committee expects even more: “Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) wants thousands of e-mails among scientists and NOAA’s staff of political appointees that he thinks will show that the researchers had something to hide when they refuted claims that global warming had ‘paused’ or slowed over the past decade.”
Bloodlust and ratings lust –> At a press conference yesterday during which Obama answered questions about the Paris terrorist killings and his strategy in Syria, CNN’s Jim Acosta felt it was appropriate to ask: “Why can’t we take out these bastards?” Jack Mirkinson at Salon writes that we should be concerned by rhetoric like this from the press: “Acosta’s language may have been rougher than some might have used, but he was speaking for a press corps whose thirst for an apocalyptic confrontation with ISIS has been let loose by last Friday’s attacks in Paris.” ALSO: Glenn Greenwald’s article at The Intercept: “Stock Prices of Weapons Manufacturers Soaring Since Paris Attack.”
Wartime powers –> At Vox, Libby Nelson dives into the ugly history of the French law, dating back to the Algerian war for independence, that allowed François Hollande to declare a “state or emergency” following the attacks — and which his government is now hoping to extend for three months.
Rage turns to refugees –> Upon news that one of the Paris attackers entered Europe via the refugee trail, GOP candidates for president called for the US to refuse entry to those fleeing Syria. Not surprisingly, Donald Trump promised not just to bar new Syrian refugees, but to kick out those already here, reports Jordyn Phelps at ABC News. ALSO: More than a dozen governors want to block refugees from entering their state — though it’s unlikely that they have the legal authority, writes Tim Murphy at Mother Jones. AND: Obama called the suggestion by some Republican critics that America screen refugees on the basis of religion — allowing in Christians but rejecting Muslims — “a betrayal of our values.”
Scaling back –> Because of the attacks, France’s Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that the Paris Climate Change Conference “will be ‘reduced to the negotiation’ with ‘concerts and festive events’ likely to be called off.” Via: Alex Pashley at Climate Home. That means activists hoping to demonstrate might also have to change their plans. In an email to supporters, environmental group 350.org’s Nicolas Haeringer wrote: “The coalition on the ground is committed to working with the French authorities to see if there is a way for the big planned march and other demonstrations to safely go forward. We fully share their concerns about public safety — just as we fully oppose unnecessary crackdowns on civil liberties and minority populations.”
Papering the house –> There will be a GOP debate next month at The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, owned by GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson. Alex Isenstadt reports for Politico that Rand Paul’s campaign is concerned that as the owner of the venue, Adelson will receive extra tickets and stack the room with supporters of his chosen candidate. The RNC’s tepid response seems to affirm that Paul’s staff is right to be worried.
Rebuttal –> We told you that the wi-fi password for reporters at last week’s Republican debate was #StopHillary. Democrats fired back at Saturday’s event. Their wi-fi media network, Dante D’Orazio wrote at The Verge, was “called ’13MillionNewJobs,’ and there [was] no password.” According to the DNC, it’s because, “The Democratic Party is the party of inclusion and we believe in expanding access and economic opportunity for all.”
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