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► It ain’t over yet! As The Associated Press reports, another COVID wave is on the way:
No one expects a peak nearly as high as the last one, when the contagious omicron version of the coronavirus ripped through the population.
But experts warn that the coming wave – caused by a mutant called BA.2 that’s thought to be about 30% more contagious – will wash across the nation. They worry that hospitalizations, which are already ticking up in some parts of the Northeast, will rise in a growing number of states in the coming weeks. And the case wave will be bigger than it looks, they say, because reported numbers are vast undercounts as more people test at home without reporting their infections or skip testing altogether…
…The Northeast has been hit hardest so far — with more than 90% of new infections caused by BA.2 last week compared with 86% nationally. As of Thursday, the highest rates of new COVID cases per capita over the past 14 days were in Vermont, Rhode Island, Alaska, New York and Massachusetts. In Washington, D.C., which also ranks in the top 10 for rates of new cases, Howard University announced it was moving most undergraduate classes online for the rest of the semester because of “a significant increase in COVID-19 positivity” in the district and on campus.
► Russia sent a “diplomatic démarche” to the United States demanding that America stop sending weapons to Ukraine. From The Washington Post:
Russia this week sent a formal diplomatic note to the United States warning that U.S. and NATO shipments of the “most sensitive” weapons systems to Ukraine were “adding fuel” to the conflict there and could bring “unpredictable consequences.”
The diplomatic démarche, a copy of which was reviewed by The Washington Post, came as President Biden approved a dramatic expansion in the scope of weapons being provided to Ukraine, an $800 million package including 155 mm howitzers — a serious upgrade in long-range artillery to match Russian systems — coastal defense drones and armored vehicles, as well as additional portable antiaircraft and antitank weapons and millions of rounds of ammunition.
The United States has also facilitated the shipment to Ukraine of long-range air defense systems, including Slovakia’s shipment of Russian-manufactured Soviet-era S-300 launchers on which Ukrainian forces have already been trained. In exchange, the administration announced last week, the United States is deploying a Patriot missile system to Slovakia and consulting with Slovakia on a long-term replacement.
“Démarche” is like a fancy word for a diplomatic letter.
“Get off my lawn!”
► Republican gubernatorial candidate HiediHeidi Ganahl still won’t talk about whether the 2020 election was legitimate, something that probably won’t change until (and if) she wins the GOP nomination in June. The Colorado Sun reports on a GOP gubernatorial forum in its “Unaffiliated” newsletter:
Ganahl was once again asked by moderator Dick Wadhams, a former chairman of the Colorado GOP, whether she thinks the 2020 presidential election was stolen. And, once again, she didn’t directly answer the question.
“Joe Biden is our president,” she said before harping on how people need to feel confident in the election system.
When she finished her response, two people in the audience called out “answer the question!” and “you didn’t answer the question!”
“I did,” Ganahl said. “I did.”
Lopez, meanwhile, stood by his vow Saturday at Republicans’ statewide assembly to pardon embattled Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters if he’s elected and she’s convicted. He didn’t really elaborate.
Thursday’s forum in Golden seems like it was quite the event. At one point Greg Lopez apparently advocated for the return of this television ad, while Ganahl told the crowd that Gov. Jared Polis should have used a bullhorn to tell 2020 demonstrators (following the murder of George Floyd) that they should just go home.
► The “long bill” is heading to the desk of Gov. Jared Polis. Colorado Newsline has more on what made it into this year’s budget bill.
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► Right-wing mouthpiece Jimmy Sengenberger writes a column for Newsweek in which he bemoans the fact that Colorado Republicans keep shooting themselves in the foot.
► The Republican National Committee formally voted to withdraw from future Presidential debates hosted by the Commission on Presidential Debates on account of people being mean to them, or something. From KOAA News 5:
The Republican National Committee (RNC) voted unanimously Thursday to withdraw from the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD).
The RNC claims the commission is biased and “refused to enact simple and commonsense reforms to help ensure fair debates.”
“We are going to find newer, better debate platforms to ensure that future nominees are not forced to go through the biased CPD in order to make their case to the American people,” said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
► Democratic State Sen. Brittany Pettersenraised more than $600k in her first full fundraising period as a candidate for Congress in CO-07.
► On the subject of fundraising, incumbent Democratic Sen. Michael Bennetnow has $6.1 million in the bank after raising nearly 2.5 million in the first quarter of 2022.
►This is only the tip of the iceberg from Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine as she tries to win the Republican nomination for Congress in CO-08.
►The Denver Post breaks down a handful of new laws in Colorado:
Health insurance coverage for fertility treatment, donation limits to school board candidates and preserving the vote of people whose homes are destroyed are all law after receiving Gov. Jared Polis’ signature Wednesday.
He also signed a bill allowing bikes to treat stop signs like yield signs and stop lights like stop signs and encourage powerline trails.
►As the editorial board of The Washington Post explains, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott went way too far in his “border war”:
Mr. Abbott, for whom there is no stunt too extreme in his crusade to make political hay over immigration, has launched a harassment campaign targeting trucks carrying Mexican goods legally over the southern border. They are loaded with critical supplies for auto manufacturers, food and fuel wholesalers, household goods enterprises and other U.S. businesses.
Those trucks have already been stopped and inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at legal entry points along the frontier. Despite that, Texas state troopers — not officers with an authorized immigration enforcement agency — are detaining them on the specious grounds that some might be carrying contraband or undocumented immigrants.
So far, there is no indication that Texas authorities have found contraband or migrants stashed away in those trucks; most of their citations have been for violations such as broken taillights.Predictably, however, the detentions have caused major delays for trucks carrying tens of millions of dollars of goods daily across the border; forced other trucks to avoid Texas, adding hundreds of miles to their trips; and driven up costs for an array of companies that depend on timely delivery of supplies. That will add to inflation.
► Republicans in red states are still hard at work on trying to fix a problem they can’t prove exists.
► Corey Wise, the former Douglas County Schools Superintendent fired earlier this year by a new conservative school board, is speaking out. From Denver 7:
Wise spoke publicly to Denver7 Thursday for the first time since he was fired in early February – on the same day his attorneys announced they had filed a civil rights complaint against the district and the four board members who voted to fire him over his termination.
Wise’s attorneys filed the discrimination complaints Wednesday night with the Colorado Civil Rights Division and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, arguing the district and the four board members elected last November – Mike Peterson, Becky Myers, Christy Williams and Kaylee Winegar – fired Wise “because of his association with and advocacy for students with disabilities and students of color, and in retaliation for, and in anticipation of, Mr. Wise engaging in protected activities.”
Wise’s attorneys filed the discrimination complaints Wednesday night with the Colorado Civil Rights Division and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, arguing the district and the four board members elected last November – Mike Peterson, Becky Myers, Christy Williams and Kaylee Winegar – fired Wise “because of his association with and advocacy for students with disabilities and students of color, and in retaliation for, and in anticipation of, Mr. Wise engaging in protected activities.”
“You’re flipped upside down,” Wise said of how he felt after he was fired. “You lose sleep. Stress. You have the gamut of grief. Anger, depression – everything.”
► As POLITICO reports, Congressman Kevin McCarthy may inherit a bigger mess than expected if Republicans manage to take a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Say What, Now?
That first question is a doozy.
Your Daily Dose Of ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
► Charles Herbster, a Republican candidate for governor in Nebraska who has the endorsement of Donald Trump, is facing multiple accusations of groping women.
April 15, 2022 10:10 AM UTC
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If we’re going to pardon turkeys at Thanksgiving, shouldn’t we pardon eggs at Easter? Let’s Get More Smarter. If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (
The Centennial State gets more national attention…..
What Can Happen When An Election Official Believes The Big Lie | FiveThirtyEight