Good Morning DC,
The search for six construction workers who went missing after a cargo ship struck a bridge in Baltimore has been called off by the US Coast Guard. Tragically, they are presumed dead.
Let’s get you caught up with the news of the day.
President Biden‘s public schedule today solely includes the President’s Daily Brief.
Yesterday, during an event in North Carolina, President Biden’s remarks were briefly interrupted by a couple of pro-Palestinian protesters who shouted, “What about healthcare in Gaza?” In response, Biden affirmed, “Everybody deserves healthcare.”
As the women continued to advocate for a ceasefire, they were escorted out of the venue. Biden acknowledged their concerns, stating, “They have a point. We need to get a lot more care into Gaza.”
Today, Kamala Harris is launching a SAVE Day of Action to increase Americans’ enrollment in SAVE plans. This initiative will enable individuals burdened with student debt to reduce their monthly payments by fifty percent.
“On SAVE Day of Action, I am urging people across the nation to visit StudentAid.Gov/Save to apply as the President and I continue fighting to address the burden of student debt and lower costs throughout the country,” said Harris.
During the Biden fundraiser in North Carolina yesterday, Governor Cooper announced that the event raised over $2.3 million. President Biden criticized Trump for labeling insurrectionists as “patriots” and for promising to pardon those involved in the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
“What the hell’s going on? I’m serious,” Biden exclaimed. “There’s no place in America for any political violence — period, period, period.”
Biden-Harris Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez spoke in response to the results of the special election in Alabama HD-10. She emphasized that the outcome should serve as a significant warning to Trump, indicating that voters reject his attacks on reproductive health care. “This November will be no different,” said Rodriguez.
Moments after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Nicole Shanahan as his VIP pick, a Biden super PAC launched a website, https://www.rfkjrfacts.com, aimed at urging voters to “reject” him and highlighting his ties to the MAGA movement.
“RFK Jr. is a MAGA-backed candidate who is bankrolled by billionaires to help reelect Donald Trump,” is stated on the home page of the website.
“RFK Jr.’s platform is extremely dangerous: he pushes conspiracy theories that divide our country, has made millions of dollars opposing vaccines, and has a history of anti-Black, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-Semitic remarks.”
Meanwhile, in the Trump camp…
In a strategic effort to intertwine religion with MAGA’s brand of patriotism ahead of Easter, Trump is now endorsing and selling “God Bless the USA” Bibles.
These Bibles, as per Trump, feature handwritten lyrics to “God Bless The USA” by Lee Greenwood, alongside sections of the US Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The price for these Bibles is set at $59.
A New York judge imposed a gag order on Tuesday, preventing Trump from discussing witnesses, prosecutors, or jurors in his upcoming hush-money trial.
House and the Senate are out today.
As Republicans focus their attention on scrutinizing Hunter Biden’s business affairs, Democrats are hitting back in kind.
Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin of the Oversight Committee, and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) have penned a letter requesting a hearing “regarding Jared Kushner’s apparent influence peddling and quid pro quo deals involving investments in exchange for official actions and to examine the resulting threats to our national security.”
The inquiry aims to delve into Kushner’s newly announced business deals in Albania and Serbia. “It is unclear if former President Trump has any interest in Mr. Kushner’s potential deal, ” they state in the letter.
The US has labeled a UN Security Council resolution regarding a ceasefire in Gaza as “nonbinding,” which marks a notable shift from the traditional interpretation. This stance from the US prompts concerns regarding commitment to international norms and agreements.
Blinken’s spokesperson Matt Miller took a moment to clarify. “It’s nonbinding in that it does not impose any new obligations on the parties, but we do believe it should be respected, that it carries weight, and that it should be implemented,” he said.
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Across the pond, the House of Lords has voted to block the UAE bid for The Telegraph, effectively outlawing foreign state influence over British newspapers. Peers passed an amendment to prevent the “ownership, influence, or control” of newspapers and periodical news magazines by foreign governments. Culture Minister Lord Parkinson announced that this law would eventually extend to online newspapers as well.
And that’s a wrap for this morning March 27, 2024. Good Morning DC will be back tomorrow to provide you with a front-row seat to the ever-evolving landscape of American politics under President Joe Biden.
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