Gotta Have Art: The Leonardo da Vinci painting “Salvator Mundi” once sold for $10,000 in 2005 because it was believed to be a copy.  Last night at Christie’s in New York the bidding jumped in steps by tens of millions of dollars up to $225 million, then by fives to $260 million, and by twos until an anonymous buyer on the phone made a final bid of $450.3 million for one of only 15 da Vinci paintings believed to be in existence.

At one moment, while a bidder paused to consider, the auctioneer Jussi Pylkkanen, said, “It’s an historic moment; we’ll wait.” The final price was more than double what’s ever been paid for a work of art at auction.

The picture of Christ — its name means “savior of the world — is somewhat battered and its authenticity still under questions by old master experts. Some snobs have sniffed that, “It’s no Mona Lisa.”

Purists decried the sale as the product of marketing and hype rather than a true reflection of the painting’s value. The NY Times quotes an astonished art dealer saying, “There is too much money in the world.”

Taxing Issue: The House is expected to pass its $1.5 trillion tax cut bill today, but a Republican senator announced he won’t vote for either the House or Senate bills, putting the whole thing in jeopardy. Others might follow.

Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson said both bills favor business over individual taxpayers. Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Bob Corker of Tennessee have expressed doubts. Corker has said more than once he won’t vote to increase deficits.

The Republicans are trying to pass it through the Senate by budget rules that require only 50 votes, plus the vice president. If they lose two votes, it won’t pass.

Get Out: Judge Roy Moore’s lawyer is challenging the authenticity of a signature in a high school year book owned by a woman who accused the Alabama senate candidates of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager.

Phillip Jauregui said, “We demand you immediately release the yearbook to a neutral custodian, so our expert can look at the actual document, release the yearbook so we can determine is it genuine or is it a fraud.”

Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell suggested yesterday that Alabama voters abandon Roy Moore and write in Attorney Gen. Jeff Sessions as a candidate to return him to his old Senate seat.

“It appears as if the only option would be a write-in and that’s very seldom successful,” McConnell said at a meeting sponsored by the Wall Street Journal.  “The Alabamian who would fit that standard would be the attorney general, who is totally well-known and extremely popular in Alabama,” he said.

Moore tweeted in response, “Mitch McConnell is attempting to subvert the will of Alabamians yet again, this time helping to elect a far-left Democrat!”

He said at a campaign event Tuesday night, “I’m the only one that can unite Democrats and Republicans. Because I seem to be opposed by both.”

Greatness: Like a writer reviewing his own book, President Trump declared that his trip to Asia was a smashing success that restored respect for the United States.

“America’s renewed confidence and standing in the world has never been stronger than it is right now,” he said. “This is exactly what the world saw: a strong, proud and confident America.”

That’s open to debate. His critics say Trump has abandoned US leadership for his “America First” credo. The Pacific trade agreement will be enacted without the United States.

Never Forget: The Trump administration announced that it is reversing an Obama-era ban and will once again allow hunters to import ivory taken from elephants in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Sic Semper: The 37-year rule of Zimbabwe’s dictator Robert Mugabe appears to be over with the military now in charge. The 93-year-old Mugabe has been the world’s oldest head of state.

The military takeover, which has all the marks of a coup, has been described as a “bloodless correction.” The military says it plans to restore the country’s democracy.

Helter Skelter: Notorious 1969 cult murderer Charles Manson is close to death in a California hospital, several news outlets report. He’s 83.

Nation: The Northern California gunman in Tuesday’s incident killed his wife and hid her body under the floor, bringing the death toll to five. The administrators of an elementary school are credited with preventing a blood bath by immediately ordering a lockdown when the first shots were heard outside. — Three UCLA basketball players arrested for shoplifting in China apologized yesterday and thanked President Trump for getting them out of the jam. “I’d like to start off by saying sorry for stealing from the stores in China,” said LiAngelo Ball, the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball.

The three are suspended indefinitely from the team while the university decides whether any other action needs to be taken.

Basketball? Integrity. Basketball? Integrity ….

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