Today’s Headlines and Commentary

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Ten people were killed in a mass shooting in Buffalo, New York on May 14, reports ABC News. The “racially motivated hate crime,” according to authorities, was allegedly carried out by an 18-year-old white, male suspect, who is now in police custody. The shooter reportedly used a gun etched with racial epithets and the names of previous infamous mass shooters. The gunman also livestreamed the deadly attack on the streaming website Twitch. All ten victims killed in the attack were Black—six women and four men ranging from age 32 to 86. The FBI is also investigating a 180-page document posted to the internet that is believed to be the gunman’s manifesto. ABC News described the document as a “hate-filled screed” that is centered on the notion of replacement theory—a white supremacist belief that people of color will eventually “replace” and disempower white people. 

Rep. Liz Cheney accused Republican leadership of enabling white supremacy, writes NPR. In the wake of the mass shooting in Buffalo, Rep. Cheney tweeted that leaders of her own party are responsible for enabling the hateful rhetoric and ideas that reportedly motivated the violent attack that killed 10 people. Cheney wrote, “The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy, and anti-semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse. [Republican] leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them.” 

A shooting at a California church killed one person and critically wounded four others, according to the New York Times. A 68-year-old Las Vegas man reportedly opened fire inside the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California while members of the congregation ate lunch after a morning service. The gunman hit five individuals before he was overpowered by a group of churchgoers, who disarmed and hogtied him with an extension cord until police arrived and took him into custody. The motive for the attack is currently unknown. 

A trial to determine whether Michael Sussmann lied to the FBI in 2016 began on Monday, reports the Hill. Sussman is charged with making false statements to the FBI in 2016 when he turned over internet data that he claimed showed a link between former President Trump and the Russian Alfa Bank. John Durham, special counsel appointed to investigate Trump’s allegations of a conspiracy to undermine his campaign, alleges that Sussman—who at the time was a lawyer representing Hillary Clinton’s campaign—falsely claimed that he was not representing any particular client when he met with then-FBI General Counsel James Baker to hand over the data in 2016. 

Sweden’s governing party announced it will vote in favor of joining NATO, writes the New York Times. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leaders of Sweden’s Social Democratic Party announced that it will vote to end the country’s 200 years of military neutrality and seek membership in the Western military alliance for the security of Sweden and the Swedish people. The party’s announcement to vote in favor of joining NATO should guarantee a broad majority in Sweden’s parliament because much of the political opposition has also expressed support for membership in the alliance. 

NATO troops from 14 countries began a large-scale military exercise in Estonia, according to the New York Times. The drill—called Hedgehog—involves 15,000 military personnel from 14 countries and the U.S. Navy Wasp-class landing ship Kearsarge. A NATO spokesperson reported that troops from Finland and Sweden were also participating in the exercise. Hedgehog is one of the largest joint-military drills conducted in Estonia since 1991 and according to NATO “show[s] that NATO stands strong and ready to protect our nations and defend against any threat.” 

ICYMI: This Weekend on Lawfare

Peter Krause, Daniel Gustafson, Jordan Theriault and Liane Young explained how education decreases the fear of terrorism. 

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