What the Fuck Just Happened Today has been off for the past week and just came back yesterday. Yesterday's post is, as a result, a bit on the long side and mostly catch-up for recent events. Here's a rundown/list of the stories they had that day not already covered in some form by today's:
Day 994: "Proportionate." - https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/10/10/day-994/
First are the stories assembled covering news for the period they were out. There are a few repeats of stuff covered here already but just for the sake of being thorough I'm adding it all, though I'm cutting down the bulk of text past the headline for most for space purposes.
Hours before a potential government shutdown, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to fund the government through Nov. 17
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/30/1202839419/house-and-senate-race-to-find-agreement-ahead-shutdown-deadline
The House voted to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker – a first in U.S. history.
https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555
Biden approved $9 billion in student loan forgiveness for 125,000 Americans, who qualified under existing programs, including the income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/04/biden-cancels-9-billion-in-student-debt-for-125000-borrowers-.html
The Biden administration will expand Trump's wall on the Mexican border, waiving 26 federal laws and regulations to allow for the construction of physical barriers. The funds for the new construction were appropriated in 2019 –before Biden took office. The law requires the funding to be used as approved and the construction to be completed in 2023. "The money was appropriated for the border wall," Biden said. "I can't stop that." When asked if border walls work, Biden answered: "No."
https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-mexico-border-wall-immigration-texas-f99fd10257292a898618236df3613979
Trump shared classified information about U.S. Navy nuclear submarines with an Australian businessman at Mar-a-Lago shortly after he left office, including the number of nuclear warheads they can carry and how close they can get to Russian vessels without being detected. The Australian billionaire, Anthony Pratt, then allegedly shared the information with others, including more than a dozen foreign officials, several of his own employees, and a handful of journalists.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/after-white-house-trump-allegedly-discussed-potentially-sensitive/story?id=103760456
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will run as an independent for president.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/09/politics/kennedy-independent-campaign
Now for Tuesday's news stories proper:
Biden condemned Hamas' attack on Israel, saying "this is terrorism" and that Israel has a right to respond to this "act of sheer evil." Comparing Hamas to the terrorist group ISIS, Biden said: "Our hearts may be broken but our resolve is clear. We'll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend itself today, tomorrow as we always have," promising ammunition and other assistance to ensure "Israel does not run out of these critical assets to defend its cities and its citizens." Biden also said he would ask Congress to urgently "fund the national security requirements of our critical partners."
https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-war-ae0217d2317002ddca003017df85e04f
Republicans are still divided on who will be the next House speaker, though a group of Kevin McCarthy's allies have discussed nominating him again for speaker. House Republicans are scheduled to hear from Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan – the two current declared Republicans contenders for speaker.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/10/politics/house-speaker-fight-latest/index.html
Justice Clarence Thomas renewed his call for the Supreme Court to reconsider libel laws as the court declined to revisit the landmark 1964 First Amendment decision in New York Times v. Sullivan, which required public figures suing for defamation to prove that the defendant had acted with "actual malice."
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/10/politics/new-york-times-sullivan-libel-defamation-law-supreme-court-case/index.html
Trump's $250 million civil fraud trial entered its second week with the Trump Organization's longtime finance chief taking the stand. Allen Weisselberg testified that he once certified that Trump's financial statements were "true, correct and complete" to prevent a loan default; that he urged the firm's controller to add a 30% brand premium for seven of Trump's golf courses; and that from 2011 until Trump became president, he would give Trump the statements of financial condition before they were finalized. After Trump was elected, Weisselberg said he would give the statements to Trump Jr. or Eric Trump.
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-new-york-71df7b5f1e4d3c89937efa77e2922914
The judge overseeing Trump's civil trial over alleged business fraud issued a gag order barring Trump from making public comments about the case.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/live-blog/trump-fraud-trial-live-updates-rcna118408
Trump walked out of the courtroom during his civil fraud trial and complained that he was being taken away from his Republican presidential primary campaign because he was "stuck" in court.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/live-blog/rcna118694
Special counsel Jack Smith asked the judge overseeing Trump's federal election obstruction case to implement protections for potential jurors, calling Trump's use of social media a "weapon of intimidation."
https://abcnews.go.com/US/citing-trumps-social-posts-special-counsel-asks-judge/story?id=103865312
Biden voluntary met with the special counsel investigating how classified documents ended up at his private office and Delaware home. Special counsel Robert Hur is examining the retention of classified documents from Biden's time as a senator and as vice president.
https://apnews.com/article/biden-special-counsel-classified-documents-025f25d04a5c0e45d758fbaaa2f231b8
46% of registered voters in Nevada said they'd support Biden in a hypothetical 2024 matchup with Trump (45%)
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/10/politics/cnn-poll-nevada/index.html
Next will be a double post with today's WTF Just Happened Today.