The Price of Opposition: Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, a rare Republican who has fought back against Donald Trump’s election lies and has been investigating the January 6^th insurrection, was soundly defeated yesterday in her bid for re-election.

  Harriet Hageman, a political newcomer endorsed by Donald Trump, beat Cheney in the Wyoming Republican primary by more than 30 points. Hageman claims the 2020 election was rigged against Trump.

  Cheney has been a leading voice on the House committee investigating the January 6^th insurrection and a rare Republican opponent of former president Trump. Jonathan Martin writes in The NY Times that Cheney’s defeat “represents the full and perhaps final transition of the G.O.P. from the traditional conservatism of the Bush-Cheney era to the grievance-oriented populism of Mr. Trump.”

  Everyone knew this was coming, Cheney more than anyone. In her concession speech she said,  “At the heart of the attack on January 6th is a willingness to embrace dangerous conspiracies that attack the very core premise of our nation.” She went on, “If we do not condemn the conspiracies and the lies, if we do not hold those responsible to account, we will be excusing this conduct, and it will become a feature of all elections. America will never be the same.”

  Speaking in Cheyenne, Hageman condemned “the elites” in Washington. “We’re fed up with the January 6th commission,” she said. “We’re fed up with Liz Cheney.”

  Now, either by defeat or choosing not to run for re-election, only two of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump last year will be in the general election this fall.

  In Alaska, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has been spurned by Trump, advanced to the general election. Former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin also advances to the general election but trails her Democratic opponent.

John Hancock: President Biden yesterday signed into law the sweeping tax, health and energy bill that struggled its way through Congress but now goes into action to modernize the American economy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The legislation is intended to lower prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare, extend federal subsidies for health insurance, and reduce the federal deficit.

  Just before signing, Biden said, “The bill I’m about to sign is not just about today; it’s about tomorrow. It’s about delivering progress and prosperity to American families.” 

Trump World: Several news outlets report that Allen Weisselberg, the longtime chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, is on the brink of pleading guilty in a wide-ranging fraud case.

  The question is whether he will agree to testify against the Trump organization in exchange for a short jail sentence.

  Weisselberg and two Trump corporate entities have been charged with multiple felonies for a 16-year scheme to avoid taxes by compensating Weisselberg with untaxed benefits like a luxury apartment, a Mercedes-Benz, and private school tuition for his grandchildren. Prosecutor Carey Dunne said at the time of the indictment that the scheme “was orchestrated by the most senior executives, who were financially benefiting themselves and the company, by getting secret pay raises at the expense of state and federal taxpayers.”

The Obit Page: Wolfgang Petersen, the prolific German movie director whose work included the stunning 1981 anti-war movie “Das Boot,” has died at home in Los Angeles at age 81. He had pancreatic cancer.

  “Das Boot” was a harrowing tale about life aboard a German U-boat in World War II. Petersen’s work also included the 1990s political thrillers “In the Line of Fire,” with Clint Eastwood, and “Air Force One,” with Harrison Ford. He also directed the sword-and-sandal epic, “Troy” with Brad Pitt, “Outbreak” with Dustin Hoffman, and “The Perfect Storm” starring George Clooney. 

And the Oscar Apology Goes To:  Sacheen Littlefeather, an Apache and Yaqui actress and activist  who in 1973 refused the Best Actor Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando. It was one of the most famous disruptive moments in the history of the Oscars and Littlefeather was loudly booed.

  After nearly 50 years, The Motion Picture Academy has apologized to the now 75-year-old Littlefeather. She told The Hollywood Reporter, “I never thought I’d live to see the day I would be hearing this, experiencing this.”

  In 1973 she went up on the Oscar stage after Brando’s name was called, wearing a buckskin dress, moccasins, and hair ties, and said she was refusing the award on his behalf because of the image of native Americans presented on film and television. Amid the boos, actor John Wayne had to be restrained from attacking her.

  Littlefeather recently told the Academy in an interview, “I focused in on the mouths and the jaws that were dropping open in the audience, and there were quite a few. But it was like looking into a sea of Clorox, you know, there were very few people of color in the audience.” 

The Spin Rack: First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for Covid while vacationing in South Carolina and is in isolation for five days. — The Food and Drug Administration is about to make affordable hearing aids available over the counter at drug stores for people who can’t afford doctor visits and expensive high tech hearing devices. — North Korea launched two missiles in its first test since June. — The mother of the 24-year-old man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie has disowned her son. “I’m done with him” Silvana Fardos told The NY Times.

A Pox Upon Them: The World Health Organization is looking for a new name for the skin disease Monkeypox, evidently to avoid insulting monkeys. Some of the submissions so far include: Opoxid 22, Poxy McPoxface, and TRUMP-22, the author of which said it stands for “Toxic Rash of Unrecognized Mysterious Provenance of 2022”.

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