Welcome to Tuesday. Today's supposed to be mostly sunny with a high of 69 degrees. [Eds note: Nice.]
Mayor Bruce Harrell pushes forward with SCORE jail talks: Multiple people have told me that the Harrell administration has begun holding meetings with the Seattle Municipal Court (SMC), the King County Department of Public Defense, and other stakeholders to contract with South Correctional Entity (SCORE) in Des Moines for more jail beds. As Publicola has reported, about six people have died at SCORE in the last year. Harrell appears to no longer be just toying with the idea, as I reported earlier this year.
Footage of a fight that led to Seattle area chef's death: KIRO 7 released video footage of the moments leading up to the stabbing of Corey Bellett at the Capitol Hill Light Rail station earlier this year. The video appears to show Bellett in an active fight with the man who prosecutors allege stabbed Bellett.
"Say nice things about that BBL, or else." A Seattle-area plastic surgeon must pay a $5 million fine for illegally doctoring online reviews of his business as well as for intimidating patients into taking down negative reviews. The ruling comes after Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued Dr. Javad Sajan, owner of Allure Esthetic, for forcing patients to sign NDAs and other illegal practices, according to the Seattle Times.
State employee uses state funds for a $900K shopping spree: A Washington State employee with the Office of Administrative Hearings misappropriated almost $900,000 over about four years, according to the Washington State Auditor's Office. The Seattle Times reported that the employee used a state credit card to pay businesses for consulting services, but the Auditor found that the employee had created the businesses themselves. The employee also spent $17,000 on personal expenses.
Summer meal program begins: Kids under 18 can show up at 70 sites where the City plans to distribute breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, according to the West Seattle Blog. The program runs through August 23, and more details on the locations where kids can pick up their meals can be found on the Seattle Parks and Recreation's Summer Food Service page.
Mistrial declared in Karen Read murder prosecution: The judge in the case released the deadlocked jury Monday. The trial involved the death of Read's boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Prosecutors alleged that Read hit the officer with her car and then left him to die in a snowstorm. Read's defense attorneys argued that police framed Read to cover up for one of their officers. The defense exposed some of the crack detective work in this case, including the cops collecting blood evidence in red Solo cups. According to the Associated Press, prosecutors intend to retry the case.
Trump is really milking the SCOTUS ruling: The former president wants to try to delay his sentencing in his felony hush money case based on the recent Supreme Court ruling that granted presidents immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts. Trump's lawyers argued that the court should have excluded some of the evidence in the case, such as social media posts about Michael Cohen, because the posts happened while Trump was in office. Seems like a stretch, but, sure, whatever. The legal system is a joke.
actually babe, you can't get mad at me. that was an official act
— Liz Charboneau (@lizchar) July 1, 2024
Meanwhile, Trump’s close friend Rudy Giuliani has been disbarred: Apparently trying to overthrow a Presidential election makes you a little untrustworthy in the eyes of the law. Not for long though, I imagine.
NEW: Rudy Giuliani, former NYC mayor and US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has been disbarred.
— Emily Saul (@Emily_Saul_) July 2, 2024
Biden offers milquetoast response: In a special televised response to the SCOTUS presidential immunity ruling, President Joe Biden went up on stage and talked about how presidents aren't kings and said that the American people needed to vote for him. A rich take from Biden, a man who's planning to die before he gives up power. Then Biden said he'd operate within the bounds of the law, even as he said the office of the president is no longer constrained by the law. Sad. The Supreme Court just said you don't have to do that, so don't! Start doing some crazy shit! Democrats are so embarrassingly scared of power.
biden ending his speech with "i dissent" is a perfect encapsulation of his approach to the court—he sees himself as akin to a dissenting justice who only has the power to complain, rather than a politician with the ability to do—or even try to do—something about the court
— Jack Mirkinson (@jackmirkinson) July 1, 2024
Speaking of our current Commander-in-Chief: The president plans to create federal protections for workers facing extreme temperatures at their jobs, according to the Guardian. The protections include a requirement for employers to offer workers shade and water. The new rules also demand employers provide workers with a heat acclimatization period, gradually exposing them to higher and higher temperatures. Apparently the majority of workers who die from workplace heat exposure die in their first week on the job.
Trump's anthem for the next year: No one is coming to save us.