NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST RESIGNS FROM THINK TANK: Joseph Cirincione, a former senior nonresident fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, announced he had resigned from the organization, citing its stance on the war in Ukraine. — Cirincione told Influence that he had for months tried to change the institute's position, which he argued cast blame on the United States and NATO for a war driven entirely by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He submitted his resignation letter last night. Retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton also announced his resignation from the institute's board last month. — "The institute is ignoring the dangers and the horrors of Russia's invasion and occupation, focuses almost exclusively on criticism of the United States, NATO, and Ukraine," Cirincione said. "They excuse Russia's military threats and actions because they believe that they have been provoked by U.S. policies." — Cirincione, formerly senior vice president for national security at the Center for American Progress , has written extensively on nuclear weapons and served as an adviser to the presidential campaigns of President Barack Obama and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). — The institute's CEO Lora Lumpe said in a statement that the organization regrets Cirincione's decision to resign but that its staff have not argued that Putin does not bear responsibility for the war. "Joe has made it clear that he disagrees with the priority that our staff experts have put on reaching a diplomatic resolution to end this war; we have heard Joe's concerns, but believe that any U.S. policy that risks significant escalation, including bringing the United States into the war with a nuclear-armed Russia, should be avoided," Lumpe said. SENEGAL ENLISTS MERCURY: Senegal has engaged Mercury Public Affairs to help with consulting, lobbying, and government and public relations, according to filings with the Department of Justice. — The Bulgarian firm Kirjas, run by the former Macedonian politician Emil Kirjas , has subcontracted the services on behalf of Senegal. Mercury will be paid $13,000 per month as part of an effort to boost the image of Senegal's president Macky Sall. — The firm is tasked with "organizing and coordinating outreach to U.S. Government officials in Congress and the Executive Branch while strategically maximizing public exposure, and seeking key opportunities on behalf of the Client with think tanks and other non-governmental organizations, such as speaking engagements at high-profile events," according to the FARA filing. GUN CEOs MAY GO BEFORE CONGRESS: The House Oversight Committee has asked the chief executive officers of three gun manufacturers to appear before lawmakers this month, The Washington Post's Jacqueline Alemany reports. — "Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee's chairwoman, on Wednesday sent letters to Marty Daniel, CEO of Daniel Defense; Mark Smith, president and CEO of Smith & Wesson Brands; and Christopher Killoy, president and CEO of Sturm, Ruger & Co., requesting testimony as a part of a second hearing hosted by the committee examining the firearms industry." — "Daniel Defense is the maker of the DDM4 rifle the gunman used to kill 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Tex., and a shooter on Monday used a Smith & Wesson M&P semiautomatic rifle to kill at least seven people and wound dozens of others during a July Fourth parade in Highland Park, Ill." — "The July 20 hearing comes after Maloney launched an investigation into gun manufacturers in May. Maloney requested information from five manufacturers regarding the making, sale and marketing of deadly weapons used in mass shootings that were purchased legally and used by the gunmen responsible for the carnage in Uvalde, Highland Park and Buffalo." DONORS GET MEDAL OF FREEDOM: 13 of the 17 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients have given to Democrats, Bryan Metzger reports for Insider. — "Some recipients gave rather small sums to Democrats, and three of them — Richard Trumka, Steve Jobs, and the late Sen. John McCain — are receiving the award posthumously." — "But others gave big money, and their awards today underscore how this honor sometimes comes with political overtones. In 2018, for example, then-President Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Miriam Adelson, best known as wife of casino mogul and Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson, who has since died."
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