The War Room: Russian President Vladimir Putin says he’s not ordering troops to storm the giant steel manufacturing complex that’s the center of resistance in Mariupol, instead having them wait for Ukrainian surrender.

  A Ukrainian major posted on the internet that, “We might have only a few days or even hours left. The enemies units are 10 times larger than ours.”

  As the Ukrainians continued to hold out in the destroyed city, a tentative deal to allow civilians to escape through a humanitarian corridor, collapsed after only four busloads of people departed. Civilians including children are still believed to be taking refuge in the steel complex. 

  In a message to the world, Russia yesterday test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in one of those stunts dictators pull to tell the world how powerful they are. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un has been doing it for years.  President Vladimir Putin said anyone who threatens Russia should “think twice.” 

  The Russians are assaulting a curving band of eastern Ukraine that stretches from Mariupol north to Kharkiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “Virtually the entire combat-ready part of the invaders’ army is concentrated on the territory of our state and in the border areas of Russia.” 

  Reports are leaking out about discontent among Russian troops frustrated about lack of supplies and organization. One recording was made of Russians talking about killing their officer.

  Another report says three Russian soldiers attempting to rebel against their commanding officer were executed by Chechen mercenaries. It’s just part of the picture of an army lacking organization, motivation, and professional direction.

Mask Appeal: The Justice Department announced that it will appeal the ruling by a Florida federal judge ending the CDC’s mask mandate on public transportation. The mask requirement was scheduled to end May 3^rd, but the judge’s ruling put limits on the CDC’s ability to protect public health now and in the future.  

Minority Rule: Florida’s Republican legislature yesterday approved a congressional district map favoring their party that would add four GOP majority districts while eliminating three Democratic.

  The districts would likely also eliminate two of Florida’s five black members of Congress. 

  The proposed districts would create 20 seats that favor Republicans, and just eight for Democrats. Just by comparison, Donald Trump in 2020 won the state with a narrow 51.2 percent of the vote. Democrats say the proposed districts are obviously politically designed.

Wonderful World: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing for a special bill that aimed at punishing the Walt Disney Company for opposing the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” education law.

  Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the company would fight to repeal the law that bans classroom discussion of “sexual orientation or gender identity” for kindergartners through third-graders in public schools. DeSantis denounced Disney as a “woke corporation.” 

  Disney has what’s called a “special district” created in the 1960s encompassing Disney World that acts as a quasi-governmental agency, building its own roads and collecting taxes. DeSantis is talking about removing that special status.

  The creation of Disney World helped launch the Central Florida theme park industry that brings an estimated 70 million tourists a year. Disney alone brings in 20 million people.

  Removing the special district would bring millions of dollars to state and local governments but would also make them responsible for millions if not billions of dollars in expenses now handled by Disney.

1776: A federal judge ruled that a group of Georgia voters can proceed with legal efforts to block Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from running for reelection because of her part in the January 6^th Capital insurrection.

  The challengers claim that the Republican Greene helped facilitate the insurrection that disrupted Congressional proceedings to certify Joe Biden as the elected president. Greene had said the attempt to void the election was “our 1776 moment,” comparing it to the American revolution.

  The challenge claims that Greene violated the provision of the 14th Amendment passed after the Civil war aimed at people who fought for the Confederacy. It says no one can serve in Congress “who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress . . . to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same.” 

  Greene’s lawyers say the amendment doesn’t apply because she was not part of the Confederacy.

  The federal judge who ruled that the challenge may proceed was appointed by Barack Obama. By contrast, a similar challenge to Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn in North Carolina was thrown out by a judge appointed by Donald Trump. 

Out!: As expected, the organizers of the Wimbledon tennis tournament announced they are barring Russian and Belarusian players this year.  A statement said, “In the circumstances of such unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players with The Championships.”

  The Association of Tennis Professionals denounced the action as “discrimination based on nationality.” That puts them in league with the Kremlin, which called the ban “unacceptable” even while unacceptably invading Ukraine. 

The Spin Rack:  The $375 million sale of Donald Trump’s Washington Hotel, once the center of power, influence, and sucking up to the former president, is expected to become final this month. — Netflix lost 35 percent of its stock value, about $50 billion, on the news that it lost 200,000 customers in the first quarter of the year. Once the dominant streaming entertainment service, Netflix now has tons of competition. — South Carolina’s Supreme Court stayed the April 29^th execution of a man who chose to die by firing squad.

Marital Bliss: Actor Johnny Depp testified yesterday in the couple’s civil lawsuit against each other they sometimes record their loud and semi-violent arguments. Depp accused Heard of “performing for the tape,” but everyone knows she’s a mediocre actress.

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