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It Seems Rudy Giuliani Had “An Outburst Incident” — In Manhattan, Today. USDC Judge Liman Warned He Won’t Be “Patient” With Him Again. OUCH.

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The top line here is that the trial on sanctions remains on January 16 — which keeps Rudy from attending the inaugural (cue the tiny violins!), he says.

But when Rudy heard he had to be in court in Manhattan all day on the 16th to 19th — he started shouting at the able USDC Judge.

The very capable InnerCityPress covered it, in real time, thus — over at X-itter:

…Judge: Your client was US Attorney here. The notion that he can’t apply for a title [is preposterous].

Rudy: You are against me! They have put a stop order on my Social Security account!

Judge: I permitted Mr. Giuliani to speak — but I won’t do so in the future — I’ll be required to act….

That too would be contempt — and a possible night in jail, courtesy USDC Judge Liman.

Hilarious — and a former US Attorney well knows that is what he means… by “required to act“.

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Paul Is Right About This Much: Tangerine… Has NO Governing Principles. NONE.

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So — again, Mirengoff offers faint praise for Tangerine, in the disguised form of a lament about his cabinet level proposed picks.

Y A W N.

Here’s the money quote:

…We shouldn’t be surprised. Arguably, Trump is the most ideologically diverse president of my long lifetime.

I would put it differently though. In my view, Trump is the least ideological president of my lifetime, with only Richard Nixon giving him a run for that honor….

That is no compliment.

Paul promises to elaborate, in a future post… but seriously: why bother?

Trump has only one principle — get as much pay (for himself) as he can, out of each position he can dangle. Out.

So — Long Term Public Health Expenses… Will Be Reduced, If CMS/Medicare/Medicaid Covers The Weight Loss Shots. Are You Listening, Dr. Oz/Kennedy?

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While I might personally prefer that most Americans exercise more — and eat less highly-processed fat-laden junk food… the economics behind this idea are beyond serious debate: most Americans aren’t likely to — en masse — change their lifestyles. So the far cheaper route (rather than, say.. 15 to 25 years of twice a week dialysis, for example) will be to pay for (the bulk of) the cost of the GLP-1 drugs… now.

This is smart health care policy making. [I do hope that Kennedy snd Oz recognize this, come late January of 2025.] But as a practical matter, if Mr. Biden is able to start paying for the first month or two, here and now — there will be no political willpower in January or March 2025, to undo the benefit — for perhaps 7 million people — all voters. Nothing prevents CMS from starting to cover this drug — in the first week of December of this year. Here’s the latest:

…The Biden administration, in one of its last major policy directives, proposed on Tuesday that Medicare and Medicaid cover obesity medications, a costly and probably popular move that the Trump administration would need to endorse to become official.

The proposal would extend access of the drugs to millions of Americans who aren’t covered now.

The new obesity drugs, including Wegovy from Novo Nordisk and Zepbound from Eli Lilly, have been shown to improve health in numerous ways, but legislation passed 20 years ago prevents Medicare from covering drugs for “weight loss.”

The new proposal sidesteps that restriction, specifying that the drugs would be covered to treat the disease of obesity and prevent its related conditions.

“We don’t want to see people having to wait until they have these additional diseases before they get treatment,” said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or C.M.S., noting the growing medical consensus that obesity is a chronic health condition….

Onward — and grinning, as I head out for airport pickup runs… be excellent to one another, now and always.

नमस्ते

Power-Alley: Merck’s Winrevair™ Now Likely Headed To Blockbuster Status — Well-Beyond The Relatively Rare PAH Indication…

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It would seem that Rahway made a very savvy bet, in spending about $11.5 billion to acquire Acceleron in September of 2021.

That company’s lead candidate, sotatercept — originally for PAH, looks now to sail through — with a new series of FDA green lights. [Here’s just one of several, we’ve offered in the past, on the candidate — now approved, as respiratory therapy.]

This is why Merck saw a slight increase in price, on the NYSE today. Here’s some very cogent analysis, from FiercePharma, so I’ll just turn you over — to them:

…Eight months after snaring an inaugural FDA green light, Merck & Co. is bolstering the case for the chief asset in its $11.5 billion Acceleron acquisition.

In the phase 3 ZENITH study, Merck’s activin signaling inhibitor Winrevair, also known as sotatercept, met its primary endpoint of time to first morbidity or mortality event—which included all-cause death, lung transplantation, or hospitalization for at least 24 hours linked to disease worsening—and helped reduce the risk of morbidity or mortality events versus placebo in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in functional class III or IV.

Patients in the trial’s study drug and control arms both received background PAH therapy, too….

And, we will be closing shop for the week, likely around noon tomorrow — grin. Unless something truly interesting breaks, we may not return here — until next Monday. Be excellent to one another — and be thankful for all that is still wonderful in our world!

We are all so… very fortunate — to be alive at a time when medicine is pushing back the possibility of early-deaths, from avoidable causes.

नमस्ते

Do Make A Habit — Of Reading Empty Wheel, Every Day. This Is The US Resistance 2.0’s Lead “Hot Sheet”!

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She is forever right on time — and on target.

What I am gleaning from her, here day by day, is that “Resistance 2.0” will be a more subtle, and nuanced effort (especially in the period before the next mid-terms, in 2026) than the 2017-2021 version — even though it will also feature lots of federal litigation, outright (especially on border matters).

These Senators will never fear a Tangerine primary threat, again. That matters, quite a bit.

And so, again today she notes the tentative emergence — of spines, among the Art. I Republicans in the Senate. Just 13 people voted, in secret, on the first ballot, for MAGA endorsed Tim Scott, as majority leader. [So, only a quarter of the GOP toed Trump’s line in the sand, on Scott.] Thune was chosen, in secret — on a second vote — plainly against Tangerine’s wishes.

This makes for some very credible / at least possible ally building discussions, among Democrats of good will, who simply do not want to see the Republic slide into an autocracy. The votes are there, with those others inside the regular GOP (who chose to cross Trump) — to rein in many of Tangerine’s hoped-for most lawless maneuvers. Especially in confirmation hearings, for cabinet level positions.

Let’s listen in, to EW’s keen analysis:

…[A]fter [R., Sen., Alaska] Lisa Murkowski said (in a little-noticed Alaska interview) that she won’t vote to confirm any Trump nominee who has not undergone an FBI background check, four more Senators — Susan Collins, Kevin Cramer, Rounds, as well as Joni Ernst — joined Murkowski in expressing support for background checks (though without making them a litmus test), with Bill Hagerty scoffing at the entire idea that they’re necessary.

There are far too many Democrats dismissing the possibility that there can be meaningful opposition to Trump from Congress. The Senate, especially, held up some of Trump’s plans the first go-around, even before he sicced an armed mob on them. And if nothing else, these people love their own prerogatives, and so will — at least selectively — defend those (as the bid to insist on FBI background checks would be a means to do)….

To be clear, I might mildly disagree with her assessment that there may be no opportunity to hold any elections, in the 2026 mid-terms. That, these Art. I GOP-ers will NEVER G’ on down for any such… outcome.

Bank on that.

So — (with truly minor dissents) we march, onward. Do read her, daily. She’s that good!

नमस्ते

Very Good Thanksgiving Week News: US CDC Lifts Travel Advisory — On Rwanda — Marburg Outbreak ’24 Ending…

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Great coordinating work and cooperative effort, between Rwandan teams on the ground, and the WHO and its EU, US, Japanese and UK partners — is to be credited for this outcome.

The latest Marburg outbreak is now effectively at an end. US CDC has lifted its former travel restrictions, as of mid-last week. Here’s the latest (in Rwanda) reporting:

…The United States has lifted its Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Rwanda after the successful containment of the Marburg virus outbreak, a move welcomed by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The advisory, issued on 7 October 2024, had effectively restricted American travel to Rwanda, impacting the country’s economy during its response to the outbreak….

Rwandan Health Minister Dr Sabin Nsanzimana credited Africa CDC’s support in containing the outbreak within Rwanda’s borders. The organisation continues to advocate against travel bans as primary responses to health crises, emphasising the importance of global cooperation in managing outbreaks….

It has now been over 21 days since the last patient was discharged; there have been no new cases, in 42 days (a double incubation period) — so, this outbreak is at an end, effectively speaking. Onward — with my youngest man in by tomorrow afternoon, by jet from the Pacific Northwest. Grin!

नमस्ते

“Sounds a little like a swamp to me.” — It’s Actually Much Worse Than That, Paul. And You Know It.

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Let’s at least give Mr. Mirengoff credit for telling the truth — even if his telling of it… is woefully incomplete.

He says this morning, correctly, that Tangerine’s utter lack of competence and discipline… leads to his sitting atop a Beltway style “swamp” inside Mar-A-Lago, like a fat bullfrog. Burping into the humid, hot nights — but not doing much of anything else.

True.

But that’s not the half of it. As we saw in Trump 1.0, he actively fosters dysfunctional cut-throat infighting, among his various teams. He likely favors pretty blondes, and men who beat their wives — or cheat on them.

We saw it in Corey Lewandowski, his own son, Don Jr., and in Stephen Miller — among dozens of others.

Consider — in the “pretty blonde” category — that one Jenna Ellis has been suspended from the practice of law (she’s the woman standing right behind Rudy Giuliani, in the iconic photos of the brown goo leaking from Rudy’s head, at the “stop the steal” dis-information / lies / press conferences, of early 2021) — and she is now rabidly anti-Trump.

So Paul, yes Tangerine runs a much worse swap than any he complains about in DC.

And the fact that “no drama” Obama was just that — and Mr. Biden’s team kept a tight ship… is, in no manner any indication of a DC “swamp”.

At bottom, Paul just doesn’t want to admit that even he… hates Trump’s chaos machine.

Buckle up for four years of what you wished for, Paul (and John and Scott) — AGAIN.

Out.

The DOGE “Tooth Fairy” Bites Hinderaker, Tonight…

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So… John tonight breathlessly tells us that his think tank’s polling arm in Minnesota has found that 96% of registered voters there like the (non-existent) Dept. Of Govt. Efficiency “concept of a plan”.

Y A W N.

And they would like… tooth fairy visits, too.

We had earlier mentioned here, that in order for Mr. Musk to run this so-called department, since he refuses to be any part or employee of the federal government, under Trump… he would be required to register and make massive disclosures — as a lobbyist (on all his conflicting interests), in order to create the mythical “department”.

That he will never do, even if he truly believes in the idea. He would be required to explain his financial interests in Tesla and SpaceX, and the full value of their contracts with the federal government. As well as detail all the tax subsidies that Tesla currently enjoys. Under the “no revolving door” rules, he might even be required to divest most of his holdings of Tesla, and SpaceX.

No way meet… no how.

But even more than that, we have Tangerine’s history as our guide. When he was president, he widely promised that he would completely overhaul prescription drug pricing in America, lowering it for ordinary consumers.

Not only did he not do that, he did not even try. He ran on a mantra of repealing Obamacare, and though his party was able to muster 60 separate votes in Congress, never once were they able to modify Obamacare — let alone repeal it.

[If anything, he’s become more scatter-brained and delusional… in his ranting MAGA policy sound-bites.]

And so, in sum, there is zero chance that any responsible federal judge, when asked to review whether Mr. Musk may lawfully run a department of “government” — wholly outside of the government, subject to no oversight… that a near instant nationwide injunction will NOT be entered.

See… the Constitution expressly prohibits additional branches of government — by preznit / fiat actions… even if Mr. Musk makes all these disclosures, and then divests his conflicting interests.

So it is immensely precious that Hinderaker thinks that polling in Minnesota, about rainbow hued unicorns, all served with… strawberry sherbet… and cotton candy… means anything.

It does not.

Onward.

EmptyWheel Offers A Great Line Of Questioning — For The Senate Pam Bondi Confirm. Hearings To Come…

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EmptyWheel, as ever — is well-ahead of the MAGA forces… on how to make the worst nominees show their true colors, when/if they reach any Senate confirmation hearing (around mid-2025).

As to purported US AG, Pam Bondi — I love all of this:

…“Because Trump didn’t properly vet his pardons the first time around, at least seven of them quickly returned to crime, with many of them beating their spouses. How will you ensure that Trump’s bypassing of normal pardon protocol don’t put violent men back on the streets?” You can pick some of the January 6ers — like hardened criminal Shane Jenkins, who almost had a fundraiser at Bedminster, or NeoNazi Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who did — to ask Bondi how coddling such criminals is consistent with the law-and-order promises she makes….

I realize that about two-thirds of the MAGA legislators won’t even understand her question (the words are too big — and too many, in a row!) — but the answers (dissembling, actually) will be … enlightening. For we do stipulate that Bondi (unlike many others) is very competent — and intelligent.

This one line of questioning will pin her, forever.

Excellent — onward.

Hinderaker’s Malignant — And Advancing — Senility: On Full Display Tonight (Re Hegseth).

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In Hinderaker’s enfeebled, bitter mind, now — since Tangerine has nominated a long string of clowns, to various cabinet positions… the best he can do, is decry the outgoing Democratic Administration’s nominees… because (wait for it!) no Democratic Senator voted against any of their nominations.

See, John, that’s because the Biden Administration vetted candidates. Trump simply says “will you lick my boots” when and how I ask?

Then you’re a nominee! That’s… cra cra.

So it is, that tonight, John preposterously offers this — as a “defense” — of Hegseth’s nomination(?!):

…Senate Republicans are not in the mood to give Democrats another scalp. They remember that in 2021, not a single Democrat voted against any of Joe Biden’s cabinet nominees, no matter how radical they may have been. Republicans have had about enough of the double standard….

It seems I’ll need to remind the drooling moron that Hinderaker has become… that not one Biden nominee had a single (even unfounded) allegation of forcible sexual assault attached to their names — not one, ever was tattooed with any avowed whyte supremacy slogan / symbol… not one was a fake news Faux “military analyst”. And on and on… ad infinitum….

So it seems… John is full of sh!t. Again.

Out.