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1.) Rick Santorum, movie mogul? — Just call the former Pennsylvania senator and 2012 presidential contender Mr. Hollywood Dallas. TheDC’s Alex Pappas reports:
“Rick Santorum is getting into the movie business. The former Pennsylvania senator and Republican presidential candidate has been named the CEO of EchoLight Studios, a self-styled ‘faith-based’ company in Dallas, his political organization announced Monday. ‘This is the right place and right time, and I’ve jumped in with both feet,’ Santorum said in a statement. ‘I often say that culture is upstream from politics, and I know entertainment also can be strength and light for people who want to be uplifted and reinforced in their values.'”
For all those who have seen a bad movie and thought, “it’s a darn shame Rick Santorum doesn’t make movies,” this one’s for you.
2.) Gang of 67 — The Gang of Eight found 59 other senators to affiliate with them to pass a major amendment to the immigration bill. TheDC’s Alexis Levinson reports:
“The Senate cast its first major vote on immigration reform Monday, voting to end debate on a compromise border security amendment that is expected to bring the necessary Republicans on board to pass the full comprehensive immigration reform bill authored by the Gang of Eight. The Senate voted to end debate on the amendment that contains the border security compromise authored by Republican Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee and John Hoeven of North Dakota. The amendment is seen as a compromise palatable to both Republicans and Democrats that will help get the necessary number of votes to pass the immigration bill authored by the bipartisan Gang of Eight…Fifteen Republicans voted in favor of cloture. The vote count was 67-26, three votes shy of the 70 votes that proponents of the bill like Sen. Lindsey Graham have said they want on the final bill in order to give it momentum heading to the House.”
The full immigration bill now looks destined to pass the Senate. What will happen in the House is anyone’s guess. But here’s a pro-tip: Don’t listen to John Boehner’s guess because he doesn’t always seem to know what’s going on in his own caucus.
3.) Rubio (not) rising — Like it or hate it, Marco Rubio’s stand on immigration has hurt his popularity with Republicans. TheDC’s Caroline May reports:
“A Rasmussen poll released Monday shows that Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio’s favorability among Republican voters has declined by 15 points since February. The poll reveals that Rubio, a vocal advocate for the Senate immigration
bill, is viewed favorably by 58 percent of Republican voters, which Rasmussen notes is down 10 points since May and 15 points since February. …Rubio’s favorability among independents, on the other hand, grew from 37 percent in February to 41 percent currently. Rasmussen notes that the rating change is likely linked to his high-profile push for the Senate immigration bill, which some voters believe will not be enforced.”
4.) Snowden the snake — The more you learn about Edward Snowden, the more his story is troubling. Alec Hill reports for TheDC:
“Fugitive NSA leaker Edward Snowden took a job at Booz Allen Hamilton for the sole purpose of gaining access to classified information, the South China Morning Post reported Monday. Hours after Snowden left Hong Kong for Moscow in the face of a U.S. extradition request to the Chinese government, the Post claimed that Snowden’s sole motivation for seeking employment with the giant intelligence contractor was to gain access to the details of the programs he intended to leak to the world. ‘My position with Booz Allen Hamilton granted me access to lists of machines all over the world the NSA hacked,’ Snowden reportedly told the Post on June 12. ‘That is why I accepted that position about three months ago.'”
Some whistle-blower.
5.) Tweet of Yesterday — davidfrum: Things I did not know re pre-1860 America: free blacks were allowed to join Navy but not Army. How did that make sense even on racist terms?
6.) Today in North Korean News — BREAKING: “U.S., Provoker of Korean War”
VIDEO: White House careful to condemn only ‘unauthorized’ leaks of classified information