PBC News & Comment: As Senate Renews Surveillance, Intel Chair Steps Down

Pro-surveillance Sen. Richard Burr’s smart phone grabbed by FBI for insider trading investigation as colleagues extend invasive domestic surveillance laws…--Mike Flynn’s judge, Emmet Sullivan, has appointed a retired judge and mob-buster to argue against plan to drop Flynn’s charges, and will consider perjury rap
--corporate media outlets shift into overdrive to defend their investment in the crumbling Russiagate conspiracy, tagging “Obamagate” a conspiracy theory
--we bring you denialist coverage from Salon, AP, The Guardian LA Times and WashPost
--WashPost’s Alexandra Petri takes the prize for smug, snarky dismissal
--and her colleague Amber Phillips skips the snark, while staying smug
--Trump suggests that Sen. Lindsay Graham interrogate Obama, but he flips it off like a booger
--Glenn Greenwald resurfaces to slam the “sham prosecution” of Flynn and broad corruption in Russagate, while plugging new video report
--Appeals Court’s full panel in Richmond allows emoluments lawsuit against Trump to go forward
--Biden bends toward Bernie’s voters, names Rep.s Ocasio-Cortez and Jayapal to policy panels
--as official unemployment tally tops 36 million, Jayapal’s “paycheck guarantee” program draws GOP support, but is left on the table by Speaker Pelosi
--our daily Covid-19 update, prepared by Linda Lewis
with Trump’s beaming approval, GOP allies use many methods to undo pandemic restrictions of Dem governors in battleground state MI, PA and WI
--polluters and extractors try to use Covid cover to delay and derail regulations
--as coal-blooded EDP boss Andy Wheeler Obama plans to keep jet fuel out of drinking water