Thursday Morning Minute

Good morning, and welcome to RedState's "Morning Minute" — a brief glimpse at which stories are trending at the moment and a look ahead at what the day may bring. Consider this your one-stop shop for news to kickstart your day.

TOP O' THE MORNIN'

Prosecutor From Fani Willis' Office Gets Into Shouting Match With Judge During Rapper Young Thug's Trial

The clash erupted with the judge ruling in favor of the defense, excluding evidence that Love sought to enter into the trial.

As Sen. Cortez Masto Scuttles Mayorkas' Impeachment, Illegal Immigrant Is Jailed for Killing Her Advisor

On Wednesday, as Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas faced articles of impeachment based on allegations of open borders and lenient immigration policies, Senator Cortez Masto defended Mayorkas on social media and said that she voted "to end this waste of time."

'A Stain on This Institution': Eric Schmitt Scorches Chuck Schumer's Sham Impeachment 'Trial' of Mayorkas

"When Joe Biden and the Democrat Party talk about threats to democracy, they need to take a good long look in the mirror."

WHAT'S ON TAP?

Today on Capitol Hill...

Maybe a wee bit quieter on Capitol Hill Thursday — fewer hearings, at least. Here's a sampling:

House Natural Resources — Oversight Hearing titled, “Assessing Solutions to Secure America's Offshore Energy Future”
House Oversight and Accountability — “Oversight of the Biden Administration’s Pause on Liquified Natural Gas Exports”
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs — Hearings to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2025 for the Department of Homeland Security, focusing on resources and authorities requested to protect and secure the homeland

Of course, there will be plenty of wrangling over the foreign aid packages introduced in the House, and likely some continued fallout from the Senate's sham of an impeachment trial regarding Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

White House What's Up

Since there's not a whole lot else going on in the world, President Joe Biden is heading back to Pennsylvania (Philadelphia this time) for two more campaign events.

Full Court Press...

No oral arguments before the Supreme Court on Thursday.

But things will once again be hoppin' in another Supreme Court (which, for reasons as yet unclear, is actually the trial court in New York) in Manhattan as we enter Day 3 of the "hush money" criminal trial against former President Donald Trump. Seven jurors have been seated thus far. The parties will be looking to seat five more, with up to six alternates, so jury selection will likely last through Thursday, possibly into Friday.

MORNING MUSING

There isn't a lot that really gets me all that exercised when it comes to politics in D.C. anymore. I've been following it long enough that I've become pretty inured to it all. But the mockery that was the Senate Mayorkas impeachment trial on Wednesday did tick me off. I had zero illusions that the Senate was going to convict. But for Chuck Schumer to just wave away the trial like it was no big really got under my skin. Almost immediately, as I was watching things unfold, it occurred to me that the Dems were setting a precedent that might well come back to bite them. I hope it does. And I hope it hurts.