“This is the smoking gun.” –Solomon Wisenberg, former deputy independent counsel in Ken Starr’s investigation that led to the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton.

“Donald Trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy.” –conservative Judge J. Michael Luttig

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: White House aide Cassidy Hutchison, a key witness

View videos of all hearings held to date by the Select Committee to investigate the January 6, 2020 attack on the capitol:  https://www.youtube.com/c/January6thCmte

June 29, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Former President Donald Trump was warned that a mob assembled on January 6 was armed with weapons including semi-automatic rifles, spears, pistols, body armor and bear spray, yet he urged the Secret Service to take down metal detectors at his rally at the Ellipse, since some were refusing to enter.  He then incited the crowd inside and outside the secured area to march to the capitol, according to testimony presented yesterday to the Senate’s committee investigating the January 6 insurrection by White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, a Republican. (View video of her testimony)

East County News Service 

June 28, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- A man suspected in a series of burglaries at a self-storage facility is behind bars after stolen items, including firearms, were found in his East County home, says Lieutenant Shawn Wray.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Mike Pence, cc by NC via Bing

June 28, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Former Vice President Mike Pence, a potential future presidential candidate, praised the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision allowing states to outlaw abortion, tweeting, “Life Won.”  Now Pence wants to go farther.  In an interview with conservative news outlet Breitbart News, he pledged support for banning abortion nationwide.

June 27, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Aide testifies Trump tried to strangle Secret Service agent in attempt to reach Capitol on Jan. 6 (KXLY)
• Aide: Trump knew Jan. 6 rally attendees had weapons (CNN)
• Fed unveils biggest rate hike since 1994, flags slowing economy (Reuters)
• Water levels at Lake Mead dangerously close to hitting 'dead pool' status (ABC News)
• Supreme Court goes against public opinion in rulings on abortion, guns (Washington Post)
• Supreme Court plummets to all-time low: Poll shows Americans have no confidence in conservatives (Raw Story)
• Jan. 6 panel pressures Republican lawmaker with release of tour video (Reuters)
• Pro-Trump lawyer sought pardon after pushing plan to overturn election (Washington Post)
• Analysis: U.S. Supreme Court ruling provides ammunition for gun law challenges (Reuters)
• Election worker targeted by Trump and his allies testifies: 'Turned my life upside down' (Politico)

WORLD

• EU grants Ukraine candidate status in 'historic moment' (Reuters)
• Ukraine Says it Only Has 10% of the Weapons it Needs as Russia Makes Gains (Newsweek)
• Afghanistan earthquake: Taliban appeal for more aid as death toll set to mount (Guardian)
• Danish-Canadian deal ends 49-year-old feud over Arctic isle (AP)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Alexei Koseff, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  the cost of gas at an ARCO station in Oakland on May 25, 2022.  Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters

June 27, 2022 (Sacramento) - Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders have agreed to provide as much as $1,050 to millions of California families to help with rising gas prices and inflation, they confirmed Sunday night.

Want to help?  View resource guide to assist refugees in San Diego County

By Miriam Raftery

June 26, 2022 (San Diego) – In honor of World Refugee Day on June 20, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken released a video announcing expanded help to resettle refugees in the U.S. He also called on nations around the world as well as people and organizations across the U.S. to come together to assist those fleeing violence and oppression.

East County News Service

June 26, 2022 (El Cajon) - The City of El Cajon is preparing a Caltrans application to beautify West Main Street at the entrance to downtown El Cajon and welcomes your input.

By Miriam Raftery

June 18, 2022 (El Cajon) – Bidding is now open online for a special auction of two signed, limited edition, framed and matted prints by Olaf Wieghorst, an internationally recognized artist considered one of the top painters of Western art.  Some of his works sold for over a million dollars during his lifetime.  Proceeds will benefit both the East County Art Association and East County Magazine. Now you can own one of Wieghorst’s  exceptional works, Spring Rain and Beef Herd. View video for a close-up look at these impressive artworks:  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7V496dpqHSw.

About the auction:

The auction opens online (see below to bid),  and will close on Saturday, June 25  at 3 p.m. during the ECAA’s upcoming event, “Ocean Love” at the Courtyard Marriott in El Cajon. View event flyer. If you wish to view the works in person, you can visit the ECAA gallery at 124 East Main St. in downtown El Cajon, Wed.-Sat. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  60 percent of proceeds will benefit the East County Arts Association and 40% will benefit East County Media, the nonprofit that supports East County Magazine.

How to bid:

Send your name, mailing address, phone number, and email along with your bid amount to editor@eastcountymagazine.org and the words "AUCTION BID" in the subject line, along with which art piece you wish to bid on, and the amount of your bid.  You will receive a bid number and confirmation your bid was received. Bid numbers and amounts will be posted online at the bottom of this page and updated regularly. (No personal information will be posted.) The online auction bids will be accepted until June 25 at 11 a.m., after which the auction will continue at the event from1-3 p.m.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image credit via Shutterstock

June 23, 2022 (San Diego) - The smallest of San Diego County’s small businesses ― from dog walkers to tutors, sidewalk vendors and everything in between ― now have more time to apply for a free $2,500 County grant.

By Adam Gantz, San Diego

June 24, 2022 (San Diego) -- Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that we have to have nine Supreme Court Justices. Nor would it require a Constitutional amendment to add more seats. In fact, Congress has expanded the Supreme Court five times throughout American history.

By Henri Migala

Photo, left: ECM editor Miriam Raftery with Allan Durden, organizer of La Mesa’s Juneteenth event.

June 21, 2022 (La Mesa) -- Several hundred people came out to commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth at MacArthur Park in La Mesa on Sunday, June 19, with food, music, history, entertainment, including the MLK Choir, step-show dance groups, bounce house with slide, crafts, and family fun.

This La Mesa Juneteenth and Friends celebration is a grassroots community effort to bring the rich heritage, culture, and fun of a Juneteenth Jubilee to La Mesa, East County and the wider San Diego region.

Juneteenth commemorates the official end of slavery in the U.S., when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedoms on June 19, 1865, over two years after U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The inaugural commemoration of it was in 1866, and it was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.

"We are witnessing one of the most extreme Supreme Courts in modern history rewrite the most basic social commitments of our society," said the head of one of the nation's largest teachers unions.

By Julia Coney, staff writer, Common Dreams

Photo:  Sonia Sotomayor, official court portrait

Reprinted under a Creative Commons license from Common Dreams

June 23, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Tuesday warned that the court's right-wing majority had further eroded the nation's bedrock laws separating church and government when it ruled that Maine must include religious schools in a state-run tuition program.

By Jocelyn Wiener, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

June 22, 2022 (Sacramento) - A group of advocates that has long fought to reform the state’s troubled nursing home licensing system is now attempting to kill legislation it sponsored, calling the amended bill “a step backwards.”

June 22, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Several small brush fires have ignited late this afternoon in East County and San Diego's inland areas, including blazes in McCain Valley near Boulevard, Borrego Springs, and Highland Valley near Ramona and Escondido. Firefighters have contained an earlier blaze near the border.

Here are details on the fires:

East County News Service

June 22, 2022 (Lemon Grove) – A judge has lifted a restraining order which had barred Lemon Grove Councilmember Liana LeBaron from her home due to her husband accusing her of assault. The order was ended after LeBaron’s husband, Timothy Howell, told the judge that the couple had sorted matters out civilly.