THREAD: Today marks Trump's last full day in office.

Here's a look back on his uneasy relationship with the Catholic Church.

Perhaps it began in 2016, when Pope Francis was asked about Trump's plans for a border wall.

The pope didn't mince words (1/21)

"A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges is not Christian," said Francis.  "This is not in the Gospel."

https://t.co/EVNZLUARlX (2/21)
In March 2016, 30+ conservative Catholics signed a letter published in National Review saying "Donald Trump is manifestly unfit to be president of the United States. His campaign has already driven our politics down to new levels of vulgarity"

https://t.co/2vfoXvQEFv (3/21)
In Sept. '16, Despite initially opposing Trump & signing a letter headlined "Donald Trump in Unacceptable," Catholic head of SBA list, Marjorie Dannenfelser, becomes leader of Trump's "Pro-Life Coalition," securing him millions of dollars and anti-abortion voters.  (4/21)
After his surprise election, the U.S. Catholic bishops issue a statement offering Trump prayers and a pledge to work together, but also say "We are with you" to migrants and refugees. 

https://t.co/U8y6JA9LB7 (5/21)
During his first month in office, Trump issues the Muslim travel ban, VP Pence & Kellyanne Conway attend the March for Life in person. Trump nominates Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court, fulfilling his pledge to pro-lifers to nominate someone to carry on the legacy" of Scalia. (6/21)
In May 2017, Trump travels to Rome where he meets Pope Francis at the Vatican and discussed "healthcare, education and assistance to immigrants," for 30 minutes.  (7/21)

https://t.co/MAiYFHkEsn
One month later, in June 2017, Trump announces he is pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, an initiative that Francis enthusiastically supported. The move was widely denounced by U.S. Catholic groups. (8/21)

https://t.co/paRjMvzRH8
In August 2017, a deadly White Supremacist and neo-Nazi rally takes place in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump says there are "very fine people on both sides."

Catholic leaders launch an ad hoc committee against racism in response to the 'Unite the Right' rally. (9/21)
In Sept. 2017, Trump announces he is ending DACA program, which protects immigrants who entered the US as minors from deportation.

Catholic bishops call the decision "reprehensible" and "heartless" (10/21)

https://t.co/2ngAVt1jQt
In December 2017, Trump announces the US will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Pope Francis warns against it, along with Catholic bishops who say  "sudden changes would cause irreparable harm. (11/21)
From April-June 2018, the Trump administration enacts as family separation policy at the US-Mexico border to deter migrants from coming to US, separating thousands of children from their parents. The U.S. bishops send a delegation to the border in response. (12/21)
In July 2018, Trump nominates Catholic Judge Brett Kavenaugh to replace retiring Supreme Court justice Anthony Kennedy. (13/21)

More from Trump

OK, #Squidigation fans, I think we need to talk about the new Wisconsin suit Donald Trump filed - personally - in Federal Court last night. The suit is (as usual) meritless. But it's meritless in new and disturbing ways. This thread will be


Not, I hope, Seth Abramson long. But will see.

I apologize in advance to my wife, who would very much prefer I be billing time (today's a light day, though) and to my assistant, to whom I owe some administrative stuff this will likely keep me from 😃

First, some background. Trump's suit essentially tries to Federalize the Wisconsin Supreme Court complaint his campaign filed, which we discussed here.


If you haven't already, go read that thread. I'm not going to be re-doing the same analysis, and I'm not going to be cross-linking to that discussion as we go. (Sorry, I like you guys, and I see this as public service, but there are limits)

Also, @5DollarFeminist has a good stand-alone thread analyzing the new Federal complaint - it's worth reading as well, though some of the analysis will overlap.
1. @NYGovCuomo became a pandemic star by contrasting himself with Trump

Cuomo crafted an IMAGE of being determined, honest and grounded in science

But 11 months later this image is falling apart

Follow along for a FACTUAL assessment of Cuomo's

2. Cuomo WROTE A BOOK, published in October, celebrating his own leadership during the pandemic.

Cuomo writes that NY had "confronted and defeated" the virus, and had "achieved what all the experts told us was impossible."

Today, things look

3. Today, New York has 338 people hospitalized with COVID per million residents.

This is the HIGHEST NUMBER IN ANY STATE by a considerable margin.

https://t.co/Hl4fsFxB6l


4. Overall, 46K New Yorkers have died of COVID, which trails only California (47K), a state with 2x as many people.

On a per capita basis, New York has had more deaths than every state but New Jersey.

Cuomo made decisions that made things

5. A new report by NY AG Letitia James (D) found Cuomo's order requiring nursing homes to accept residents w/COVID "may have put residents at increased risk of harm"

Cuomo dismissed criticisms of his nursing home policies in his book as

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