Trump cancels Eagles celebration, Krasner wants list of tainted police | Morning Newsletter

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Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was right to accept the invitation to visit President Donald J. Trump at the White House. It doesn't mean all the Eagles players need to attend as well. Read moreSTAFF AND AP FILE

Published Jun. 5, 2018, 6:43 a.m. ET

Good morning Philadelphia and happy Tuesday. Eagles Nation is waking up from an emotional night after President Trump cancelled the Super Bowl champions' visit to the White House. Many fans were unhappy with the president's decision, to say the least, while politicians and players jumped in to scorn Trump. There were certainly some memes involved. In other news, District Attorney Larry Krasner is building his own list of tainted police officers who might make problematic witnesses. But, unlike his predecessor, he's going to share it with defense lawyers, a move sure to shake up past, present, and future cases. Let's dig in.

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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

The Eagles — well, fewer than 10 of them, according to a source — were going to visit the White House today to celebrate their Super Bowl win. But it seems once President Trump got wind of the team's "smaller delegation" he decided to rescind the invite.

In his official statement and on Twitter, Trump alluded to Eagles players' protests during the national anthem, though they had stopped protesting in November. Columnist Marcus Hayes says the move proves the "celebration" was always meant to be a prop for the President. As reporter Jonathan Tamari explains from Washington, the decision is another example of Trump's status as "divider-in-chief."

Local politicians had some strong words for Trump in the aftermath. Mayor Kenney issued a statement calling Trump a "fragile egomaniac," while former governor Ed Rendell said the rescinded invite was "bordering on idiotic." Naturally, players and fans on social media had some strong words, too. This is Philly, after all.

This March the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was ordered to release a secret list of tainted police officers, created by his predecessor, whom prosecutors had sought to keep off the witness stand. It included 29 officers on a "do not call" list whose serious misconduct had made them problematic witnesses.

Now, in a new interview with the Inquirer and Daily News, Krasner has said he's looking to create and share his own comprehensive list of police who have lied while on duty, used excessive force, racially profiled, or violated civil rights. To do so, he's asked the Police Department for nearly a decade's worth of records of serious violations by its officers.

Back in 2012, Colorado baker Jack Phillips refused to sell a gay couple a wedding cake due to his religious beliefs, setting off a chain of events that led all the way to the Supreme Court.

On Monday the Supreme Court sided with the baker, ruling that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission showed hostility towards his beliefs.

But that doesn't mean businesses can simply deny service to same-sex couples on religious grounds. Instead, it means claims of religious beliefs must have a fair hearing.

What you need to know today

That's one way to show you're friends with your ex: Nicki Minaj and Philly's own Meek Mill will headline this summer's Made in America festival.
It's primary election day in New Jersey with party nominees for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and many other offices up for grabs. Take a look at our voters guide before heading to the polls.
Well-known Brewerytown contractor Harvey Figgs was killed Monday morning when a North Philly building, which had been deemed dangerous while under demolition, collapsed while he worked inside. The collapse came just before today's fifth anniversary of the collapse of a Salvation Army building that claimed seven lives.
Juveniles charged as adults often end up in adult prisons in Philadelphia because officials claim mixing them with the general juvenile population would be illegal. But lawyers have yet to find a legal basis for the segregation — so why are 15 teenage boys being moved to the city's jail for women?
Jack Griffin of Metropolis Farms was once hailed as a revolutionary for his plans to build a vertical farm and bring indoor agriculture to the masses. Now he's being called a career criminal and a con artist.
Mushroom phorid flies are plaguing southern Chester County, clogging up windows, vacuums, and sticky traps by the thousands. A new grant hopes mushroom farmers and scientists will figure out why they're driving communities crazy.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

That's just precious, @blinckphotography!

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we'll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

That’s Interesting

Dock Street Brewing Co., a pioneer in the land of craft beer and a West Philly favorite, is bringing its innovative ways to Washington Avenue with a brand new brewery and taproom.
The Philadelphia Orchestra continued its tour of Israel yesterday with a performance in Tel Aviv highlighting the many connections between the city and Philadelphia. They play a third concert today in Jerusalem.
The longtime editorial cartoonist at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette just had a week's worth of cartoons killed before they could be printed. The common thread between them? Criticisms of Trump and the NFL.
Our reviewer says Taylor Mac — creator of a 24-hour-long performance on the history of popular music which runs its course this weekend — outdoes Bruce Springsteen as today's hardest-working performer. Now that's a hot take.
Dirty fingernails, leaky sinks, mouse and cat droppings — all reasons city inspectors shut down local restaurants last month. Yikes.
The Phillies brought another third baseman into the fold yesterday, picking Wichita State's Alec Bohm as the third overall pick in yesterday's MLB draft. Welcome to Philly, Alec.

Opinions

"The main reason that Trump violates long-standing norms and established rules, or tells so many easily disprovable lies from the presidential podium, is because he knows that no one will stop him." — Columnist Will Bunch on how President Trump went "full dictator" and has no sense of presidential forbearance.

Jerry Jordan, the President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, asks the city to make tough choices (including new tax legislation) in order to protect local students from toxic schools.
Considering the extent to which the opioid epidemic has spread across the country, Big Pharma deserves more than a slap on the wrist for its contribution, writes the Inquirer Editorial Board.

What we’re reading

This one is sure to get you talking: Philadelphia Magazine's latest cover story investigates how the wealthiest among us traded conspicuous consumption for fancy athleisure and free time to hide their money.
Ever wanted to go inside the historic Girard College campus? Billy Penn took a tour of the private (in more ways than one) school and shared a rundown of its whites-only history.
Urban farms may be hip, but they don't always have happy endings. WHYY's report on the closing of La Finquita in North Philadelphia is a heart-breaker.
The school resource officer who was working at Stoneman Douglas high school during its deadly mass shooting in February has spoken to the Washington Post about his often criticized response. It's an engrossing and sympathetic profile.

Your Daily Dose of | Happy Endings

One Philly couple is thanking its lucky stars and a helpful cast of characters after a man lost his grandfather's wedding ring down a sewer grate — and got it back.