SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

YOU CAN'T MAKE IT UP – FROM THE POLITICO:   One of Dena Minning’s biggest assets in her Congressional bid was her boyfriend: incumbent Florida Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson, who’s leaving the U.S. House to run for U.S. Senate.  Now, after Grayson has helped raise her profile and run for his U.S. House seat, he married her over the Memorial Day Weekend and gave her his last name, according to her Monday social-media posts and The Orlando Political Observer.  Dena Minning promptly became Dena Grayson on Twitter and Facebook. The largely unknown outsider in the Orlando-area district now has a potent tool in running under the name of the incumbent in a crowded Democratic primary.  “My handsome, brilliant, and amazing husband, Alan Grayson!!.” she said Monday on her page, which linked to his Senate account.  I guess she's not, as they say, keeping her name.  The new one gets more votes. 

OUTRAGEOUS – FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES:   In the wake of an undercover investigation into Planned Parenthood’s alleged fetal trafficking operation, the California state legislature is considering a bill that would criminalize publishing secretly recorded video footage of “health care providers.”  AB 1671, which has been backed by Planned Parenthood, would criminalize the publication of confidential interactions with state-licensed medical personnel, including abortionists and clinician staff, punishable by up to one year in prison and a $10,000 fine per violation.  Introduced by Los Angeles Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, the bill has received criticism from both pro-life activists and those who worry about its potential to chill free speech and investigative journalism.  It is an absolute outrage, an insult to the First Amendment, and proof once more that the hard left has little interest in advancing freedom.  Indeed, it's a threat to freedom.

THE FRENCH CONNECTION?   It's widely speculated that the "third-party presidential candidate" Bill Kristol hinted at over the weekend, and who would serve as the alternative to Bonnie and Clyde, er, I mean Clinton and Trump, is David French, a highly respected conservative writer, Constitutional activist, Iraq War veteran, and past president of FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.  Intellectually, he's superb.  But he has never held public office, has almost zero name recognition, has no vast following or television presence, and I would have to wonder how many checks would be written for his campaign.  But this is an unusual year, so I withhold any serious judgment.  Let's see what develops.  Plenty of Americans are yearning for better choices.

May 31, 2016