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Juul can continue to sell its electronic cigarettes, at least for now, after a federal appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked a government ban.Juul filed an emergency motion earlier Friday, seeking the temporary hold while it appeals the sales ban.The e-cigarette maker had asked the court to pause what it called an “extraordinary and unlawful action” by the Food and Drug Administration that would have required it to immediately halt its business.The FDA said Thursday that Juul must stop selling its vaping device and its tobacco and menthol flavored cartridges.The action was part of a sweeping effort by the agency to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping industry after years of regulatory delays.To stay on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them.The FDA said Juul’s application left regulators with significant questions and didn’t include enough information to evaluate any potential health risks. Juul said it submitted enough information and data to address all issues raised.A three-judge panel of the US circuit court of appeals granted Juul’s request for a hold while the court reviews the case.Although Juul remains a top seller, its share of the US e-cigarette market has dipped to about half. The company was widely blamed for a surge in underage vaping a few years ago, but a recent federal survey showed a drop in the teen vaping rate and a shift away from Juul’s products.The devices heat a nicotine solution into a vapor that’s inhaled, bypassing many of the toxic chemicals produced by burning tobacco.The company said in its Friday court filing that it submitted a 125,000-page application to the FDA nearly two years ago. It said the application included several studies to evaluate the health risks among Juul users.Juul said that the FDA cannot argue that there was a “critical and urgent public interest” in immediately removing its products from the market when the agency allowed them to be sold during its review.The company noted that the FDA denied its application while authorizing those submitted by competitors with similar products.The FDA has approved e-cigarettes from R J Reynolds, Logic and other companies, while rejecting many others.In 2019, Juul was pressured into halting all advertising and eliminating its fruit and dessert flavors after they became popular among middle and high school students. The next year, the FDA limited flavors in small vaping devices to just tobacco and menthol. | US Federal Policies |
By Elise Hammond, Aditi Sangal, Mike Hayes, Melissa Macaya and Meg Wagner, CNNUpdated 9:20 a.m. ET, June 13, 20226 min agoEx-Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien will no longer appear before the Jan. 6 committee todayThen-campaign manager Bill Stepien stands alongside then-President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One in August 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)Former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien will no longer be appearing in front of the Jan. 6 committee today "due to a family emergency," according to a release from the committee."Due to a family emergency, Mr. William Stepien is unable to testify before the Select Committee this morning. His counsel will appear and make a statement on the record," according to the release.Stepien, who was at the center of former President Trump’s orbit as he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election, was not eager to testify but did not want to defy a subpoena, a source familiar with his thinking told CNN's Kaitlan Collins.29 min agoAnalysis: These questions still need to be answered during the remaining Jan. 6 public hearingsAnalysis from CNN's Zachary B. WolfPerhaps the most compelling and damning moment at the first prime-time hearing of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection came at the end.In a heavily edited montage of video from official testimony and social media, participants in the riot said they had come to protest the 2020 election results and had stormed the Capitol because Donald Trump asked them to.This is the crux of the committee’s charge, to show that the former President, in his actions and his words, incited the 2021 riot, which was a violent attempt to stop Joe Biden’s election victory from being recognized by the Electoral College.For how compelling the first prime-time hearing was – and parts of it were arresting – it leaves major holes for the committee to fill in during the remaining public hearings.Here are some of the questions that still need answering:Where is the full testimony?Seeing a few seconds of Kushner sneering at the idea of White House lawyers quitting is one thing. The public should also see the totality of his testimony.The same goes for Ivanka Trump, Barr and other recognizable members of the Trump administration.CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Gabby Orr wrote that those still in Trump’s orbit or trying to maintain their relationships with him will say their testimony was taken out of context in the short clips released by the committee.More should be released. House select committee Chairman Bennie Thompson told CNN’s Jake Tapper the committee plans to release transcripts, but he did not give more information.Is there a direct link between Trump and planning for the riot?Rep. Liz Cheney, vice chair of the committee, promised that hearings in the coming days will show Trump is directly responsible for the riot – which is an important charge, since Trump has argued he had nothing to do with it.“President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack,” the Wyoming Republican said in her opening statement. Trump did not intend to give up power, regardless of what it says in the Constitution.Is there enough evidence for new prosecutions?These hearings will create a fact base for the insurrection, which is important, but will not themselves create accountability for Trump or his inner circle.The former President has already survived impeachment twice, which means he can run for president again. All indications are that he plans to.It is not clear, as we wrote earlier, when or if the Department of Justice will move beyond prosecutions of rally participants to focus on efforts to undermine the election.CNN’s Evan Perez and Edward-Isaac Dovere wrote before the hearing that Attorney General Merrick Garland was planning to watch but that many Democrats think Garland may have missed his moment to prosecute people from Trump’s circle.That will remain the biggest question of these hearings – what will come of them? The Department of Justice will need to try to avoid the appearance of influencing the midterm elections by bringing cases just before November.Read the rest here: 39 min agoJan. 6 committee chair: Witnesses have described conversations between extremists and Trump's orbitFrom CNN's Paul LeBlanc, Jeremy Herb and Katelyn PolantzRep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol is seen on June 9. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)The Democratic chair of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol said Thursday that the panel will present witnesses describing conversations between extremist groups and members of former President Donald Trump's orbit.Asked by CNN's Jake Tapper whether there was "going to be witnesses that describe actual conversations between these extremist groups and anyone in Trump's orbit?" Rep. Bennie Thompson responded: "Yes."Obviously, you'll have to go through the hearings, but we have a number of witnesses who have come forward that people have not talked to before, that will document a lot was going on in the Trump orbit while all of this was occurring," the Mississippi Democrat said.Thompson did not elaborate on the nature of the conversations, though evidence gathered in the Justice Department's Oath Keepers and Proud Boys cases shows that both groups stuck close to some right-wing VIPs, especially those they believed they were providing volunteer "security" for on Jan. 5 and 6, 2021.Joshua James, an Oath Keeper who has pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy, chauffeured Roger Stone, for instance. Stone also has close ties to prominent members of the Proud Boys, going back years.During the riot, some Oath Keepers discussed trying to help Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson — though they were not clear whom they were in touch with to learn about Jackson's status.And according to another piece of evidence in the case against the Oath Keepers, a lawyer working with the group discussed being in touch with people around the Trump campaign on a recorded November 2020 conference call.Yet not all the contacts are described so explicitly. One Oath Keeper said as part of his guilty plea that he witnessed group head Stewart Rhodes call an unnamed person the night of January 6, and ask to speak to Trump directly. The person didn't oblige.Thompson's comments came after the panel held its first prime-time hearing, detailing the findings of its investigation and playing new video from closed-door depositions of members of Trump's team and depicting the violence at the Capitol. The committee introduced the American public to two of the most militant far-right extremist groups in the country, which were present on January 6: The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.Keep reading here. 46 min agoBiden on Jan. 6 hearings: "It's important the American people understand what truly happened"From CNN's Sam Fossum and Maegan VazquezPresident Joe Biden speaks at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 9. (Evan Vucci/AP)President Biden on Friday said the high-profile summer hearings of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection are "about democracy itself," stressing that it's important for Americans to understand what transpired."It's important the American people understand what truly happened and to understand that the same forces that led January 6 remain at work today," Biden — who has said he has not yet watched Thursday's first prime-time hearing himself — asserted at the top of his remarks at the Port of Los Angeles.The President also said the hearings show "how the battle for the soul of America has been far from won.""But I know together ... we can unite and defend this nation, Democrat and Republican, allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of our democracy," he continued. "That's what those hearings are all about. You're gonna hear a lot more."On Thursday, Biden called actions taken on the day of the insurrection a "flagrant violation of the Constitution.""I think it was a clear, flagrant violation of the Constitution. I think these guys and women broke the law -- tried to turn around a result of an election and there's a lot of questions, who's responsible, who's involved," Biden said, but added that he would not make a "judgment" on who was involved.Read more here. 53 min agoCheney said Trump had a "seven-part plan" to overturn the 2020 election. Here's what she meant.From CNN's Dana Bash, Jake Tapper and Jeremy HerbVice Chair Liz Cheney speaks during a House Select Committee hearing to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the US Capitol on June 9. ( Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)Former President Donald Trump had a "sophisticated seven-point plan" to overturn the 2020 presidential election over the course of several months, Jan. 6 committee Vice Chair Liz Cheney said, detailing how the panel plans to use its future hearings to tackle each part of the scheme."On the morning of January 6, President Donald Trump's intention was to remain president of the United States, despite the lawful outcome of the 2020 election and in violation of his Constitutional obligation to relinquish power," Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, said in her opening statement at Thursday's prime-time hearing.Cheney did not detail the specific points of the plan in her opening statement. She said that the rioters who breached the Capitol and fought with police were motivated by Trump's actions falsely claiming that the election was stolen from him."President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack," Cheney said, echoing the statement she made in 2021 when she voted to impeach Trump.A committee source later provided CNN the following description of the "sophisticated seven-part plan":"President Trump oversaw a sophisticated seven-part plan to overturn the 2020 election and prevent the transition of presidential power.President Trump engaged in a massive effort to spread false and fraudulent information to the American public claiming the 2020 election was stolen from him.President Trump corruptly planned to replace the Acting Attorney General, so that the Department of Justice would support his fake election claims.President Trump corruptly pressured Vice President Pence to refuse to count certified electoral votes in violation of the US Constitution and the law.President Trump corruptly pressured state election officials, and state legislators, to change election results.President Trump's legal team and other Trump associates instructed Republicans in multiple states to create false electoral slates and transmit those slates to Congress and the National Archives.President Trump summoned and assembled a violent mob in Washington and directed them to march on the US Capitol.As the violence was underway, President Trump ignored multiple pleas for assistance and failed to take immediate action to stop the violence and instruct his supporters to leave the Capitol.These are initial findings and the Select Committee's investigation is still ongoing. In addition, the Department of Justice is currently working with cooperating witnesses, and has disclosed to date only certain of the information it has identified from encrypted communications and other sources."56 min agoJan. 6 committee is zeroing in on Trump's role in insurrection and attempt to stop transfer of powerFrom CNN's Marshall CohenFormer President Donald Trump speaks during a rally protesting the electoral college certification of Joe Biden as President in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021. (Evan Vucci/AP)The House select committee investigating Jan. 6 is zeroing in on former President Donald Trump, and is preparing to use its platform to argue that he was responsible for grave abuses of power that nearly upended US democracy.The committee's central mission has been to uncover the full scope of Trump's unprecedented attempt to stop the transfer of power to President Biden. This includes Trump's attempts to overturn his 2020 defeat by pressuring state and federal officials, and what committee members say was his "dereliction of duty" on Jan. 6, 2021, while his supporters ransacked the US Capitol.Lawmakers will try to convict Trump in the court of public opinion — which is all they can do because it's not within their powers to actually indict Trump. But they have an emerging legal foundation to claim that Trump broke the law, thanks to a landmark court ruling from a federal judge who said it was "more likely than not" that Trump committed crimes regarding Jan. 6, 2021.These highly choreographed hearings will be the panel's first opportunity to show the public what they've learned from more than 1,000 witness interviews and 135,000 documents."We are going to tell the story of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 presidential election and block the transfer of power," Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat who serves on the committee, told the Washington Post last week, adding that the committee "has found evidence of concerted planning and premediated activity" related to the events of January 6.Read more about the committee's investigation here. 1 hr 2 min agoTimeline: Here's how the events of the Jan. 6 insurrection unfoldedFrom CNN’s Ted Barrett, Manu Raju and Peter NickeasDemonstrators are seen at the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/Getty Images)The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol is set to continue to lay out its findings during a public hearing this morning. When and how the events occurred that day have been a key part of their probe.Supporters of then-President Trump breached the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, engulfing the building in chaos after Trump urged his supporters to protest against the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes to certify President Biden's win.Here's how key events unfolded throughout the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after Trump’s speech:At 1:10 p.m. ET, while Congress began the process of affirming then-President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College win, Trump encouraged his supporters to protest at the US Capitol. Despite promising he would join them, Trump retreated to the White House in his SUV and watched on television as the violence unfolded on Capitol Hill.Shortly after 1 p.m. ET, hundreds of pro-Trump protesters pushed through barriers set up along the perimeter of the Capitol, where they tussled with officers in full riot gear, some calling the officers "traitors" for doing their jobs.About 90 minutes later, police said demonstrators got into the building and the doors to the House and Senate were being locked. Shortly after, the House floor was evacuated by police. Then-Vice President Mike Pence was also evacuated from the chamber, he was to perform his role in the counting of electoral votes.An armed standoff took place at the House front door as of 3 p.m. ET, and police officers had their guns drawn at someone who was trying to breach it. A Trump supporter was also pictured standing at the Senate dais earlier in the afternoon.The Senate floor was cleared of rioters as of 3:30 p.m. ET, and an officer told CNN that they had successfully squeezed them away from the Senate wing of the building and towards the Rotunda, and they were removing them out of the East and West doors of the Capitol.The US Capitol Police worked to secure the second floor of the Capitol first, and were seen just before 5 p.m. ET pushing demonstrators off the steps on the east side of the building. With about 30 minutes to go before Washington, DC's 6 p.m. ET curfew, Washington police amassed in a long line to push the mob back from the Capitol grounds. It took until roughly 5:40 p.m. ET for the building to once again be secured, according to the sergeant-at-arms.Lawmakers began returning to the Capitol after the building was secured and made it clear that they intended to resume their intended business — namely, confirming Biden's win over Trump by counting the votes in the Electoral College.Proceedings resumed at about 8 p.m. ET with Pence — who never left the Capitol, according to his press secretary — bringing the Senate session back into order.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement earlier on the evening of Jan. 6 that congressional leadership wanted to continue with the joint session that night.Then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the floor that the "United States Senate will not be intimidated. We will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs or threats."It took until deep in the early hours of Thursday morning (Jan. 7, 2021), but Congress eventually counted and certified Biden's election win.See the full timeline of events here.1 hr 11 min agoJustice Department prosecutors are watching the hearings for new evidenceFrom CNN's Evan Perez and Hannah RabinowitzA video image displaying the US Capitol grounds being breached is seen during the Jan. 6 hearing on June 9. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Bloomberg/Getty Images)CNN reported last Thursday that Justice Department officials are watching the House select committee Jan. 6 hearings for what kind of possible crimes the committee believes it has uncovered.It’s possible at the end of the committee’s investigation, it makes criminal referrals, or something less formal by turning over evidence that prosecutors could examine. While the committee cannot bring legal charges against former President Trump, Chairman Bennie Thompson said the committee will cooperate with the DOJ.During a hearing for the criminal case against the Proud Boys last week, Justice Department prosecutors said that the committee is planning to release all 1,000 witness transcripts from its investigation in early September, coinciding with the trial of five Proud Boys charged with seditious conspiracy for their involvement in the riot.Officials are mindful that some members of the committee have been critical of the pace of the DOJ investigation.But they believe that criticism is outdated. Recent subpoenas looking into the “alternate electors” scheme and ties to the Trump campaign, as well as other indications prosecutors are looking beyond the rioters and focusing on people who helped instigate the events of Jan. 6, 2021.Where things stand in the DOJ investigation: Seventeen months after the riot, the Justice Department has arrested over 840 individuals, charging roughly 255 with assaulting, resisting or impeding officers that day – 90 of whom are charged with using a weapon or causing serious injury to an officer. According to the Justice Department, over 50 defendants have been charged with conspiracy, ranging from conspiring to obstruct a congressional proceeding to conspiring to obstruct law enforcement.Sixteen individuals – members of the far-right groups the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers – have been charged with seditious conspiracy for their alleged actions that day, three of whom have pleaded guilty to the charge.Roughly 305 rioters have pleaded guilty, 59 of whom have pleaded to felony charges. Of the seven January 6 cases that have gone to trial, all but one has been found guilty.But the investigation is not close to being over. The Justice Department is still looking for over 350 individuals who they say “committed violent acts on Capitol grounds.” CNN's Holmes Lybrand contributed reporting to this post. 1 hr 22 min agoHere's who is testifying during Monday's Jan. 6 committee hearingFrom CNN’s Annie Grayer and Kaitlan CollinsCampaign Manager Bill Stepien (L) and White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner (R) listen as US President Donald Trump visits his campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, November 3, 2020. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol announced witnesses for its hearing on Monday and the list includes former Trump Campaign Manager Bill Stepien plus former US Attorney for the North District of Georgia.Stepien will testify before Monday’s hearing under subpoena, he tells CNN. CNN previously reported Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox Political Editor, and Benjamin Ginsberg, a conservative election attorney, were set to testify.Additionally, Al Schmidt, former city commissioner of Philadelphia is slated to testify as well.Georgia and Pennsylvania were key states in the Trump campaign’s efforts to potentially overturn the 2020 election results. | US Political Corruption |
U.S. companies tell workers their benefits include travel costs for abortionsAntonio Planas1m ago / 6:46 PM UTCSome of the country’s biggest companies — including Paramount, Disney, Amazon and Netflix — are telling employees that their benefits include travel costs for abortions.In a memo provided to NBC News, Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount Global, and Chief People Officer Nancy Phillips said the corporation supports health care choices made by its employees.“This includes the reproductive health and family-building benefits that helps make our company a welcoming place to work.” One of the benefits listed in the memo was travel costs for “elective abortion care.”A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to NBC News the company offers travel reimbursement coverage for full-time U.S. employees and their dependents who need to travel to get an abortion. The lifetime allowance for each employee is $10,000, according to the spokesperson.Disney confirmed to Reuters it also covers travel cost for employees who need reproductive care, including to obtain an abortion. Disney employs about 80,000 people at Walt Disney World resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a 15-week abortion ban. The law is scheduled to take effect July 1.Other corporations such as Amazon.com, Citigroup and Levi Strauss & Co., have publicly pledged to pay for employees travel to obtain abortions, Reuters reported.Former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe says he hopes Roe ruling will motivate baseFormer DNC Chair and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe reacted to Friday's decision by saying he hoped the verdict would boost turnout in the upcoming elections.“If this doesn’t energize women to come out and vote, I don’t know what will," he said. "For 50 years people talked about Roe being overturned. Well, guess what? It has now happened. ""There’s a shock value to it," he added." If this doesn’t mobilize folks to come out and talk bout how important elections are, and how people can’t sit at home, and how elections really do matter, this has proven the case .... This and the Jan 6 stuff is having an impact. So, obviously, with Roe and all this debate on guns, we do have some things that motivate our base.”In furious dissent, Supreme Court’s liberal wing slams ‘draconian’ abortion decisionIn a scathing dissent to the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday that overturned Roe v. Wade and wiped out the constitutional guarantee of abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the “draconian” opinion as a decision that will undeniably curtail women’s rights and turn back “their status as free and equal citizens.”The lengthy joint dissent written by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan repeatedly slammed the court’s “cavalier” conservative majority for exercising “hypocrisy” in the way they interpret the Constitution. The justices predicted myriad terrible — and possibly deadly — consequences for women, particularly low-income women and women of color, in need of abortion care.Frequently, and with searing language, they concluded that the court’s majority had deemed that women are not deserving of equal protection under the law.Read more here.McConnell calls the ruling 'courageous and correct'Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., celebrated the ruling Friday, calling it “courageous and correct” and a "historic victory for the Constitution and for the most vulnerable in our society.”In a statement, the GOP leader argued that more than 90% of Europe restricts abortion after 15 weeks but "every state in America has been forced to allow it more than a month past that, after a baby can feel pain, yawn, stretch, and suck his or her thumb.""The Court has corrected a terrible legal and moral error, like when Brown v. Board overruled Plessy v. Ferguson," he continued. "The Justices applied the Constitution. They carefully weighed the complex factors regarding precedent. The Court overturned mistaken rulings that even liberals have long admitted were incoherent, restoring the separation of powers. I commend the Court for its impartiality in the face of attempted intimidation."As majority leader in 2017, McConnell led Republicans in eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, allowing them to be confirmed in a simple majority vote rather than a supermajority. The move eased the confirmations of former President Donald Trump's three Supreme Court picks: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, all of whom sided with Justice Samuel Alito in overturning Roe. Defense secretary says Pentagon examining Supreme Court decisionThe Pentagon will "closely" examine the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and "evaluate our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said."Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families," he said in a statement. "I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force."Hillary Clinton says ruling overturning Roe will 'live in infamy'Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Friday that the Supreme Court's ruling will "live in infamy." "Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she said in a tweet. "Today’s Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women’s rights and human rights."Clinton, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state, then linked to a webpage that asks for donations to three major abortion rights groups.Oklahoma's GOP AG allows trigger law outlawing abortions to take effectOklahoma's Republican attorney general, John O'Connor, praised the Supreme Court's ruling and said he has certified it, allowing the state's trigger law outlawing abortions to take effect. In a letter, O'Connor certified "that Roe and Casey have been overruled such that Oklahoma may prohibit abortion on demand," according to the attorney general's office. "In that letter, he also indicated that he would begin efforts immediately to enforce Oklahoma’s abortion prohibitions, especially the one found in Section 861 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes," the office said. That section of the statute says that anyone who administers the "miscarriage" of a woman or by prescribing, advising or procuring medication or drugs will be guilty of a felony that could result in a sentence of two to five years in prison. O'Connor's letter says that his certification will also allow Oklahoma to enforce any similar statute prohibiting abortion throughout pregnancy. Taylor Swift reacts to Roe reversal: 'I'm absolutely terrified'Grammy-winning pop star Taylor Swift, who has become increasingly vocal about political issues in recent years, tweeted Friday that she was "absolutely terrified that this is where we are" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Swift offered her thoughts in response to a statement from former first lady Michelle Obama, who wrote that she was "heartbroken today."Trump takes credit for 'biggest WIN for Life in a generation'Former President Donald Trump, who campaigned on limiting abortion rights and appointed three Supreme Court justices, took credit for Friday's decision in a statement.Calling it "the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation," Trump said the Roe ruling and "other decisions" recently announced "were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised."All three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted with the majority in overturning Roe. Anti-abortion advocates celebrate Friday in front of the Supreme Court.Frank Thorp V / NBC NewsThough Trump was known to have more socially liberal positions as a private citizen, he won favor with Republican activists by vowing during his 2016 campaign to choose justices from a pre-selected list of conservatives.Sen. Kennedy praises reversal of Roe v. Wade: 'They did their work'Tat Bellamy-Walker1h ago / 5:24 PM UTCSen. John Kennedy, R-La., released a statement Friday that praised the justices for overturning Roe. v. Wade despite attempts to protest the decision. Rep. Cheney says she has always been 'pro-life,' ruling returns power to the statesRep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who has bucked her party by denouncing former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, indicated Friday that she supports the Supreme Court's ruling."I have always been strongly pro-life," she said in a tweet. "Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court returns power to the states and the people of the states to address the issue of abortion under state law."Biden says no violence, urges people to 'keep all protests peaceful'President Joe Biden on Friday urged people to "keep all protests peaceful" in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. "I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful," he said during a White House speech, reiterating: "Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable." Hundreds of demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court following the historic decision with some abortion rights supporters chanting: "We won’t go back! We won’t go back! My body, my choice!"The crowd outside the court has continued to grow but has remained relatively peaceful. "Threats and intimidation are not speech," Biden said. "We must stand against violence in any form regardless of your rationale." 'People will die because of this decision,' Rep. Ocasio-Cortez saysAntonio Planas2h ago / 5:07 PM UTCRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Friday the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will make abortions more dangerous and result in deaths.“Overturning Roe and outlawing abortions will never make them go away. It only makes them more dangerous, especially for the poor + marginalized," she tweeted. "People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America.”Anti-abortion Democratic Rep. Cuellar says Roe decision leaves issues up to the statesTexas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lone anti-abortion Democrat in the House, said Friday his position has not changed."We'll let the states make this decision now," he said. Asked by NBC News about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the Supreme Court's decision, which she said was "cruel," Cuellar said, "Everybody has their opinion, including the speaker."Cuellar said that while he was in the minority in his caucus, he is not in his district.WHO’s Tedros disappointed by Roe v. Wade decisionReuters2h ago / 4:59 PM UTCThe head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was very disappointed by the overturning of Roe v Wade.“I am very disappointed, because women’s rights must be protected. And I would have expected America to protect such rights,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told Reuters on the sidelines of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.Sanders says it is time to end the Senate filibusterTat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 4:57 PM UTCSen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called on Democrats to end the filibuster in the Senate and solidify protections for abortion rights. Biden says Roe is 'on the ballot' in NovemberIn remarks from the White House on Friday, President Joe Biden said that "voters need to make their voices heard" at the ballot box in November's midterm elections because he is unable to restore abortion protections and Congress lacks the votes to take that action. "We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land. We need to elect officials who will do that. This fall, Roe is on the ballot," Biden said. Until November, Biden said he will do everything in his power to protect a woman's right to choose in states where they will face the consequences of the court's decision. He said, for example, that his administration will protect women's access to medications that allow them to self-manage an abortion at home. He acknowledged that a number of Republican-controlled states have already banned or restricted access to these medications. Biden expressed anger at the Supreme Court's ruling, saying that "the court has done what it has never done before — expressly take away a constitutional right." "This decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is — far removed they are from the majority of this country," he said. "You can act. You can have the final word."He blamed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for the reversal of Roe because of his nomination of three justices at the "core of today's decision." Plaintiff in same-sex marriage Supreme Court case says decision is moving country 'backward'Christopher Cicchiello2h ago / 4:54 PM UTCJim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges that established the right to same-sex marriages across the nation, called today's verdict "a sad day for women's rights.""This Supreme Court continues to erode the rights of citizens at an alarming rate," Obergefell said in a tweet. "Women deserve responsive leaders who support reproductive justice. Leaders who respect their fundamental right to have control over their own bodies."In a separate statement reacting to Justice Clarence Thomas’ call to reconsider the holding in Obergefell v. Hodges in his concurring opinion, Obergefell said that "the millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them."U.S. Capitol public tours halted after Roe decision Public tours of the U.S. Capitol were abruptly halted Friday after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, allowing Capitol Police to shift some of their resources to the court complex, a source familiar with the decision said.Capitol Police were also concerned about members of the public lining up at the entrance of the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), which is close to where thousands of protesters were assembling in front of the court building."It's because of the CVC entrance's proximity to activity at SCOTUS and the general need to shift U.S. Capitol Police manpower to respond to SCOTUS activity," the source said.So far, the protests have been peaceful.Scotland's leader calls out Roe decisionScotland's leader on Friday warned that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would "embolden anti-abortion and anti-women forces" beyond the United States."One of the darkest days for women’s rights in my lifetime," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet. "Obviously the immediate consequences will be suffered by women in the US — but this will embolden anti-abortion & anti-women forces in other countries too. Solidarity doesn’t feel enough right now — but it is necessary."McCarthy praises court's decisionHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy praised the decision of the court during a Friday press conference. "By a vote of 6-3, the court affirmed that the power to protect unborn life is returned to the people by their elected representatives," he said. "This great nation can now live up to its core principle that all people are created equal — not born equal, created equal."He added that the decision would "save the lives of millions of children" and "give families hope."Rev. Sharpton says court's decision brings us 'back to the dark ages' Tat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 4:46 PM UTCThe Rev. Al Sharpton, the head of the National Action Network and an MSNBC host, said Friday that Black women and poor women will be disproportionately affected by the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. British doctors union calls Roe decision 'deeply worrying'A senior official at the British Medical Association, the United Kingdom's doctors union, on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision overturning abortion rights could have an impact beyond the United States. “The news that restrictions to abortions could be made law in some U.S. states ... is deeply worrying for the future of women’s reproductive health," Zoe Greaves, chair of the group's medical ethics committee, said in a written statement. "The BMA, along with multiple other health organizations, is concerned that this will remove women’s access to essential medical care, a fundamental human right as stated by the U.N., both in the U.S. and potentially more widely," she said. The organization added in a statement that it would be weighing the decision's implications to determine how best to support the American Medical Association in its opposition to the "criminalization of reproductive health."First lady Jill Biden was with DeSantis when Roe decision came downJosh Lederman2h ago / 4:40 PM UTCFirst lady Jill Biden was with Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when she learned of the Supreme Court ruling, a White House official told NBC News.The first lady was preparing to go onstage at the memorial for the one year anniversary of the Champlain Tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, along with DeSantis and his wife in a holding room. Moments before the first lady walked on stage, the news alerts popped up on everyone’s phones.In April, DeSantis signed a Florida law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.Democratic governors in the West pledge to stand up for abortion rightsDemocratic governors in California, Oregon and Washington said Friday they will continue to "protect" patients seeking reproductive care, including those from other states seeking abortions.California's Gavin Newsom, Oregon's Kate Brown and Washington's Jay Inslee made the announcement in a video message released after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, presenting themselves as a counterweight to "red states and Republican-stacked courts.""California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients' access to reproductive care," Newsom said.Inslee said: "We're going to work with our legislators, with our providers, with our patient advocates."Brown said: "We will not stand on the sidelines."'With sorrow...we dissent': Court's liberal wing says majority decided women not deserving of equal protectionIn a blistering dissent to the court's decision reversing abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the majority opinion as one that would curtail women's rights.“It says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A State can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote in the lengthy dissent."With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent," they added.Read the full story here.Planned Parenthood Wisconsin temporarily suspends abortion servicesAntonio Planas2h ago / 4:35 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood Wisconsin announced Friday it was “temporarily suspending” abortion services in response to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.In a video statement on the organization’s website, the group's president, Tanya Atkinson, lamented the Supreme Court’s decision because it has taken away a constitutional right from women and instead placed health care decisions in the hands of politicians.“Because Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban remains in effect, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin is temporarily suspending abortion services,” she said. “Please know that we are looking at all legal options available. This news is so incredibly devastating. The decision of whether or not to become a parent can be one of the most life-changing decisions a person can make,” she said. “You should be able to make the very personal, very needed health care decisions.”Atkinson added that although abortion services are not available in Wisconsin, the organization is still there for people who need abortions and will counsel them on finding options where abortions are safe and legal. The group, she said, will also be available for “after-care” services. Other services provided by the organization are also available at its centers or through telehealth, she said.“Planned Parenthood Wisconsin stands for health care, and we will not give up, not now, not ever,” she said.Anger and joy outside Supreme CourtTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court early Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue gathered to bear witness to the end of the Roe era. "It's really a visceral issue," said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday's decision. "The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone." Paige Nelson, 20, cried tears of joy on the street in front of the Supreme Court, where the grounds long used for demonstrations have been closed off for weeks as a security precaution."I’m just so happy that no matter who you are and whatever extra chromosomes or whatever disability you might have, you get the chance to live this amazing life, and I will continue advocating until abortion is completely gone," said Nelson, a Washington state resident who is participating in a summer program with the conservative Concerned Women of America.Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls Roe decision 'horrific'Reuters2h ago / 4:30 PM UTCCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday called the Supreme Court decision "horrific."“The news coming out of the United States is horrific. My heart goes out to the millions of American women who are now set to lose their legal right to an abortion,” Trudeau said on Twitter.“No government, politician, or man should tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body,” he said.Romney says he supports Roe's reversalSen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, praised the Supreme Court's ruling Friday in a brief statement. "The sanctity of human life is a foundational American principle, and the lives of our children—both born and unborn—deserve our protection," Romney said. "I support the Court’s decision, which means that laws regarding abortion will now rightfully be returned to the people and their elected representatives," he added.AG Merrick Garland says states cannot ban access to medications for abortionsAttorney General Merrick Garland vowed to protect access to Mifepristone, which is used along with another medication to end early pregnancies.“In particular, the FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy," he wrote in a statement.The Food and Drug Administration approved in 2016 the use of the medications in terminating abortions.The "Department will continue to protect healthcare providers and individuals seeking reproductive health services in states where those services remain legal," his statement added. "This law prohibits anyone from obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage."Decision a 'dark moment,' British rights group says The Supreme Court’s decision is a “dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” the chair of a British rights group said Friday. ‘This is a hugely significant set back for abortion rights. Not just in the U.S. but it will embolden anti-abortion activists here and in Poland, Malta and other places where the struggle for access is already desperate,” Kerry Abel of Abortion Rights said in a statement. “Any chink in the legislative armour that undermines the right to privacy, makes access more difficult or puts abortion funding out of reach will impact poorer and marginalised women and pregnantpeople and will encourage yet more anti-abortion legislation and action,” she said. “This is a dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” she added.Rep. Jamie Raskin knocks Thomas, says they are not 'like real judges at this point'Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., knocked Justice Clarence Thomas, saying he is trying to "demolish the constitutional right to privacy" while blasting the high court's justices as an "instrument of the right-wing Republican agenda." "Roe versus Wade was built on Griswold versus Connecticut, which asserted a constitutional right to privacy for women and men to obtain contraception and birth control," Raskin said Friday. "They might like to pretend as if this is some kind of singular strike against just women's right to abortion, but it has implications for contraception. It has implications for the right of gay people to get married under the Obergefell decision. It has implications for the right of people not to be sterilized by the government against their will."Raskin added that the justices are "not like real judges at this point." "I mean, they’ve got the power of it, but they basically have turned themselves into partisans," he said.Sen. Susan Collins calls ruling 'not conservative' Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted to confirm Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh who were part of Friday's majority opinion, said in a statement that the ruling was an "ill-considered action" and "not conservative." "The Supreme Court has abandoned a fifty-year precedent at a time that the country is desperate for stability. This ill-considered action will further divide the country at a moment when, more than ever in modern times, we need the Court to show both consistency and restraint," Collins said. "Throwing out a precedent overnight that the country has relied upon for half a century is not conservative. It is a sudden and radical jolt to the country that will lead to political chaos, anger, and a further loss of confidence in our government."Collins said that the ruling was "inconsistent" with what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their congressional testimony and in meetings with her where, she said, "they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents that the country has relied upon."Collins said she is working on a bill with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would codify Roe, Casey, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, and Griswold v. Connecticut."Our legislation would enshrine important abortion protections into law without undercutting statutes that have been in place for decades and without eliminating basic conscience protections that are relied upon by health care providers who have religious objections to performing abortions," she said.U.K.'s Boris Johnson calls Roe decision 'a big step backward'British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would have a "massive" impact around the world. “This is not our court, it’s another jurisdiction, but it clearly has massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world," he said during a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda. "It’s a very important decision." "I think it’s a big step backwards," Johnson, who leads the Conservative Party, added. "I’ve always believed in a woman’s right to choose and I stick to that view and that is why the U.K. has the laws that it does.”Missouri governor signs state proclamation banning most abortionsChristopher Cicchiello2h ago / 4:19 PM UTCMissouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a proclamation Friday to activate its trigger law, banning most abortions.“Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions,” Parson, a Republican, said in a news release.This law makes it illegal for doctors to perform abortions and also makes anyone who knowingly induces an abortion guilty of a class B felony. Doctors can have their licenses revoked for their involvement. However, a woman who has an abortion will not be prosecuted "for a conspiracy to violate the provisions" of this act. No mention of an exception for a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest was provided in the act.Upon Parson’s signature, the act takes effect immediately.Texas GOP AG Ken Paxton says abortions are 'now illegal in Texas'Texas' GOP attorney general, Ken Paxton, announced Friday that abortion is now illegal in Texas as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling. "SCOTUS just overruled Roe & Casey, ending one of the most morally & legally corrupt eras in US history. Praise the Lord. Abortion is now illegal in Texas," he said in a tweet. Texas had on the books a trigger law, which immediately banned abortion once Roe came down.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed into law one of the country's most restrictive abortion bans last year, which took effect in September. It had banned abortions as early as six weeks, which effectively banned all abortions because most women don't know they're pregnant that early in the process. Whole Women's Health, an organization that has operated four clinics providing reproductive health services in Texas and other states, said it has stopped providing abortion procedures as a result of Friday's ruling, according to the Texas Tribune. In guidance posted on the organization's website Friday, it said that its clinics "are still operating in Baltimore, MD; Bloomington, MN; Alexandria, VA; and Charlottesville, VA." It also said that it offers medication abortion pills by mail to patients in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia.It also said Whole Women's Health "is exploring plans to expand both our in-clinic and mail services into additional states where abortion is legally protected."Democratic lawmakers march to Supreme Court in support of abortion rightsAt least 150 Democratic lawmakers marched to the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., told NBC News the decision marked "a sad day for American jurisprudence.""Never did I envision that this court would reverse 40 or 50 years of precedence, but they did it," he said. "And they did it in utter disregard for the 60% of the American people who support Roe and did not want it overturned."Conservative Hispanic group lauds court decisionBienvenido, a conservative Hispanic group, said the court's decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision was "correct as both a legal and a moral matter.""Today we join millions of Americans — including the majority of Hispanics who value human life — in celebrating the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling overturning 'Roe' and 'Casey,'" a statement from the group said. "It was always a lie that the Constitution guaranteed the right to kill unborn children and this Court has just exposed this lie for the shameful farce that it always has been," the statement continued. "As we commemorate this historic decision, let us remember these children who were denied the right to live, pray for forgiveness, and give thanks to God." According to Pew Research Center, 60% of Hispanics in 2022 said abortion should be legal. Transgender Law Center denounces Supreme Court decision as "despicable" Tat Bellamy-Walker3h ago / 3:51 PM UTCThe Transgender Law Center, one of the nation's largest transgender rights groups, slammed the court's decision, calling it "despicable" and a "politically-motivated" attack.In a statement, the organization stressed that the majority opinion will have an outsize impact on historically marginalized groups, including Black women, disabled people, migrant women, poor people and individuals living in rural communities.“Today we loudly affirm and pledge our solidarity with all people working for Reproductive Justice in this country,” the group's executive director, Kris Hayashi, said. “Whether it is a right to an abortion, the right to affirming medical care, or the right to learn about your own history in schools, our collective rights to self-determination and bodily autonomy are inexorably entwined.”'God made the decision': Trump praises the ruling overturning RoeFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court's ruling in a statement to Fox News on Friday, saying that it's "following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago."Trump was asked if he played a role in the decision because he nominated three of the conservative justices who overturned Roe v. Wade — Neil Gorsuch, Bret | US Federal Policies |
Mother Jones illustration; Alex Brandon/AP; Getty Facts matter: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter. Support our nonprofit reporting. Subscribe to our print magazine.One key mission for the House committee investigating the January 6 riot is affirming reality and highlighting the obvious: The 2020 election was not rigged to steal victory from Donald Trump. The committee’s hearings that began last week and continue until next week are unlikely to persuade Trump cultists that Trump’s Big Lie is a big lie. But there is great value in showing reality-based Americans a full and coherent picture of Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, which led to the insurrectionist riot at the Capitol. Even though Trump’s sham crusade—which has been embraced by the Republican Party, the conservative movement, and right-wing media—is predicated on bogus and disproven claims, it deserves an official pushback, and the January 6 committee focused on that task during its hearing on Monday. In doing so, the committee raised a significant question: Is Trump bonkers?
The opening night of the hearings and Monday’s session presented clear and compelling evidence that Trump’s inner circle knew there was nothing fraudulent or fishy about the election and that this was repeatedly conveyed to Trump. Before Election Day, Trump had been told by his advisers that mail-in ballots, which likely favored Democrat Joe Biden, would be counted later in the day and could shift the results in swing states—that is, this would not be fraud. On election night, Bill Stepien, the longtime GOP operative who managed Trump’s campaign, and other campaign aides concluded that the final count would likely require several days of tabulation. They urged Trump to not declare victory or allege the election was being stolen from him. But an allegedly inebriated Rudy Giuliani, who was at the White House that evening, counseled Trump to do both. Whether or not Trump needed to be egged on by Giuliani—he had for months been claiming that he could only lose through fraud—he followed his lubricated lawyer’s advice. He asserted massive fraud had robbed him of victory, and millions of his cultists believed him. A dangerous disinformation campaign was launched.
In subsequent weeks, Trump aides and advisers repeatedly concluded that there was no evidence of electoral theft. The committee played several clips of onetime Attorney General Bill Barr calling Trump’s allegations “bullshit” and “nonsense.” Yet in this time period, the Trump camp divided into what Stepien called “Team Normal” (the Trumpers who adhered to reality) and the squad led by Giuliani and attorney Sidney Powell that spread convoluted conspiracy theories involving Venezuela, supposed German vote-harvesting farms, rigged voting machines, and other craziness. The normies included Matt Morgan, the campaign’s top lawyer, whose team of attorneys searched and found no significant fraud. Referring to the Giuliani and Powell, Eric Herschmann, a Trump White House lawyer, told the committee, “What they were proposing…was nuts.”
The committee outlined numerous instances in which Trump was informed a specific allegation of fraud was bunk. Barr noted his own frustration with Trump repeatedly citing one spurious charge after another. He described to the committee a meeting he had at the White House on November 23, 2020. Trump insisted that there had been major fraud and that as soon as this would be revealed, the results of the election would be reversed. Barr told him that the fraud allegations were “not panning out.” As Barr left the meeting, he asked White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Jared Kushner how long Trump was going to “carry on with this stolen election stuff.” Meadows said that Trump was becoming “more realistic” and recognized the limits of how far he could push these claims. Kushner told Barr, “We’re working on it.”
Yet Trump kept at it. At a December 1 meeting—after Barr had earlier that day told the Associated Press there had been no serious fraud—an irate Trump raised numerous phony charges with Barr, who explained why each one was baseless. Barr also told Trump that Giuliani and Powell’s allegations about Dominion voting machines switching votes from Biden to Trump were reckless and “crazy stuff.” Yet the next day, Trump in public repeated the outlandish allegations about the Dominion machines. Derek Lyons, a Trump White House lawyer, also testified to the committee that he told Trump the voting fraud allegations were unsubstantiated.
This didn’t matter to Trump. He kept flinging the crap.
This raises an indelicate question. Was he delusional? Barr recalled a December 14 meeting with Trump in which the president delivered a long monologue claiming there was now definitive evidence that Dominion voting machines had been part of a colossal fraud scheme. He handed Barr a report that asserted this and told Barr that he would have a second term. Barr flipped through the report. It looked amateurish to him. He saw no supporting evidence. “I was demoralized,” he told the committee, adding, “if he really believes this stuff, he has become detached from reality.” Barr noted that Trump had no interest in “the actual facts.” The next day Barr resigned.
Detached from reality—that’s a frightening prospect regarding a person who controls a nuclear arsenal. But this is a matter that warrants attention, especially since Trump may seek the presidency again. Is it possible that Trump believed his own BS? That he couldn’t accept his loss and embraced a falsehood as true? Or was his promotion of this lie a cynical stance that he adopted only as a tactic to whip us his base, undermine the political system, and retain power? Meadows, according to Barr, believed Trump would come around to acceptance of reality. But Barr wondered if Trump had gone around the bend. In a deposition with the committee, Alex Cannon, a Trump campaign lawyer, provided a clue, though it was not directly related to Trump. He recounted a conversation with Peter Navarro, a Trump trade adviser, who asked about the Dominion conspiracy theory. Cannon said that there was nothing to it. Navarro accused him of being an agent of the Deep State. It seems that the crazies in Trump’s orbit did believe their Dear Leader was the victim of an extensive and nefarious plot.
During the hearings, members of the committee have not directly addressed this topic, which could have legal implications. Trump’s state of mind might bear on the issue of whether he acted with corrupt intent when he conspired—in at least seven different ways, as Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo) has repeatedly pointed out—to overturn the election. But the committee did suggest a crass possibility: Trump championed the Big Lie not out of belief but in search of big bucks. The committee noted that Trump raised $250 million with his fake stolen-election allegations in the weeks between Election Night and January 6. Trump donors were told this money was going to an “Official Election Defense Fund,” but no such fund existed. This was merely a marketing tactic, a Trump campaign aide told the committee. Instead, the money was spent on other things, such as Meadows’ Conservative Partnership Institute ($1 million) and the Trump Hotel Collection ($204,857), one of Trump’s hospitality businesses. The committee appeared to be suggesting the Big Lie was good for big grift. (All this money, by the way, was raked in not by the Giuliani-Powell nutters, but by the so-called Team Normal, the Trump regulars running his campaign and other Republican entities.)
Trump produced an unprecedented flood of lies and false statements during his presidency—over 30,000, according to the Washington Post. Is it possible he cannot tell fact from fiction? As a narcissistic egomaniac, does he believe he can manufacture reality? His psychological relationship with the truth has always been difficult to fathom. Trump cannot cite any confirmed evidence of fraud, yet he has unwaveringly insisted dark sinister forces stole a grand electoral landslide from him. Again and again, reality was presented to him, but he acted as if it did not exist. Is this because he cannot recognize reality or because he doesn’t want to recognize reality for assorted transactional purposes? So far, the committee has not provided an authoritative answer. But that may be above its pay grade. In any event, there is a fundamental truth that transcends resolution of this issue: Whether or not Trump believes in his Big Lie, he has successfully encouraged millions of Americans to do so, and that includes the thousands who assaulted the Capitol on January 6. In either case, Trump is a threat to the republic. | US Political Corruption |
Alaska governor wants constitutional amendment on abortion rightsAlaska’s Republican governor said Friday he will propose a constitutional amendment that could potentially give voters a say in whether abortion is a constitutionally protected right in the state.Courts have previously ruled that abortion is protected under the state constitution.Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he would “be introducing a resolution for a proposed constitutional amendment to the legislature in the next session to answer the question whether abortion shall, or not be a constitutionally protected right.”The legislature next meets in January. The resolution has not been drafted yet, Jeff Turner, a spokesman for the governor, said.Turner said the legislature would have to approve it, and if they do it would go before voters in the next statewide election, which would be in 2024.Turner acknowledged the amendment could put at risk a right already considered protected, but that the governor believes the people should decide.Dunleavy, who says he is “pro life,” said that the Supreme Court’s Friday ruling overturning Roe v. Wade “presents an opportunity for the people of Alaska, not a handful of elected officials or appointed judges, to decide the future of abortion in Alaska.”Stephanie Gosk20m ago / 11:54 PM UTCFlorida man climbs D.C. bridge in support of abortion rightsA Florida man climbed the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. on Friday morning in a show of support for abortion rights.Guido Reichstadter, 42, of Miami, climbed atop the bridge at 9:30 a.m., shortly before the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Reichstadter has been documenting his stunt on Twitter and TikTok, where his posts and videos have amassed thousands of views. “I have the duty to try and do everything I can to stand up for my daughter’s rights,” he told NBC News while on the bridge. “I can’t go back and look her in the eyes without doing that.”Authorities have shut down the bridge and firefighters have inflated a large air cushion in case Reichstadter falls, NBC Washington reported.Reichstadter told NBC News he’s been in D.C. for weeks in the lead up to the expected decision to overturn the 1973 ruling. He said he’s been sleeping in front of the Supreme Court and even chained his neck to the court’s gates on June 6 in what he described as an act of civil disobedience.He said he plans to stay on top of the bridge as long as he is physically able and is prepared to spend the night."This is not comfortable, and it’s not where I’d rather be, and I’d rather be back home," Reichstadter said. "I’d rather be sipping lemonade with my daughter on the porch."For abortion rights activists, Latin America provides a roadmap of ‘long fight’ aheadHuman rights attorney Paula Avila-Guillen never thought she’d be fighting to decriminalize abortions in the U.S. until now, as nearly two dozen states move to ban the procedure following Roe v. Wade’s official repeal Friday.A leader of Latin America’s “green wave” movement for reproductive rights, earlier this year Avila-Guillen helped legalize abortions for women up to 24 weeks-pregnant in her native Colombia, which now joins Argentina and parts of Mexico in the short list of places in Latin America where terminating a pregnancy is no longer a crime.But it took time and arduous work: at least 15 years of civil and legal advocacy and mobilization.“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” said Avila-Guillen, executive director of the New York-based Women’s Equality Center. “We need to be here for the long fight.”Read the full story here.With Roe v. Wade overturned, here’s where things stand with ‘trigger’ laws and pre-Roe bansJust moments after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday, abortion bans went into effect in at least a half-dozen states, with many more expected to kick in over the coming weeks.The mix of “trigger” laws and pre-Roe abortion bans, which span 18 states, are in various states of implementation: Some were enforced immediately, others are scheduled to take effect in 30 days and still more are on the books but with no specified enforcement date.Thirteen states have so-called trigger laws — designed to snap into effect immediately or soon after a Roe reversal — and nine states have bans that pre-date the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion. Some states have both.Trigger laws took effect Friday in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Dakota. Similar statutes in Idaho and Tennessee will be implemented in 30 days, with a slightly longer effective date for Texas.Read the full story here.Abortion now illegal in Arkansas, could bring 10-year sentence, state officials sayDennis Romero and Juliette Arcodia1h ago / 11:05 PM UTCOfficials in Arkansas, one of 13 states with abortion-prohibiting trigger laws, notified reproductive health clinics Friday that abortion is now illegal in the state.A letter addressed to Planned Parenthood warned that "purposefully performing or attempting to perform an abortion is a felony punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000."Abortions performed in order to save the life of a woman in a medical emergency are exempted, the state's health chief, Paula Day, said in the letter to the nonprofit organization's offices in Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma.The law prohibiting abortion went into effect about 2 p.m. when the state's attorney general certified the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling, Day said in the letter.Planned Parenthood acknowledged in a statement that its facilities "are no longer able to offer abortion in the state." Planned Parenthood of Little Rock canceled all scheduled abortions following news of the state's certification of the high court's decision.Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which serves Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, said it would still support women who need to go out of state to obtain the procedure."Planned Parenthood Great Plains is doing everything in our power to ensure that they have the resources they need to have an abortion, including support in traveling outside of their communities for care," she said in the statement.Arkansas passed its trigger law in 2019.What the end of Roe means for access to abortion pillsThe decision to overturn Roe will make it challenging for many Americans to obtain abortion pills.More than half of all U.S. abortions in 2020 were medication abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights organization.But 13 states have trigger laws going into effect that will ban all or nearly all abortions, including medication abortions. Such laws have already taken effect in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Dakota.In others, a state official must certify that Roe has been overturned before abortion bans go into effect. That's expected in Mississippi, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming in the coming hours or days. It will take another 30 days for trigger laws to take effect in Idaho, Tennessee and Texas, according to the Guttmacher Institute.“Patients in the ban states will have no access to abortion by any method,” said Helene Krasnoff, vice president of public policy litigation and law at Planned Parenthood.Bans on abortion pills, however, may get into murky legal territory, since the medications are federally approved. In a statement on Friday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said “states may not ban mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy.”Read the full story here.Illinois governor calls special session to grapple with expected influx of abortion-seeking patientsNatasha Korecki2h ago / 10:14 PM UTCIllinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called a special season of the legislature to help grapple with the impact the Supreme Court’s abortion decision will have on the state.In an interview, Pritzker said he expects the state will serve as a mecca to women living in red states that had banned or severely restricted abortion. He said he is anticipating an influx of abortion-seeking patients, which will require the state to expand its resources — that would likely come in the form of more health care workers and physical space to offer the care. Surrounding states, such as Missouri, have already all but fully restricted access to abortions. Last year, some 10,000 women traveled to Illinois to access reproductive care from surrounding states. That number is expected to surge. “In this case, its capacity to manage the procedures that women need,” Pritzker said Friday of the resources the state must discuss providing. “Illinois is a safe haven for women who are seeking to exercise their reproductive rights, and will continue to do that as long as we have a strong pro-choice Democratic legislature and strong, pro-choice governor,” Pritzker said. The Supreme Court decision comes four days before Illinois holds its primary elections. Pritzker said he expects abortion to be a general election issue in the fall. Dozens of elected prosecutors say they won't prosecute those seeking or assisting in abortion careDozens of elected prosecutors nationwide said they would refuse to prosecute those seeking, assisting or providing abortions, according to a joint statement issued Friday."Not all of us agree on a personal or moral level on the issue of abortion," the statement, signed by 84 district attorneys and attorneys general, said. "But we stand together in our firm belief that prosecutors have a responsibility to refrain from using limited criminal legal system resources to criminalize personal medical decisions. As such, we decline to use our offices’ resources to criminalize reproductive health decisions and commit to exercise our well-settled discretion and refrain from prosecuting those who seek, provide, or support abortions." The list of signatories included elected prosecutors from 29 states, territories and Washington, D.C.Joe Gonzalez, a district attorney in Bexar County, Texas, said in a statement Friday that "using limited resources to prosecute personal healthcare decisions would be a violation” of his oath.The list also included prosecutors from other states including Mississippi, Missouri and Wisconsin, among others, that have banned or are poised to ban abortion services.Senate health committee to hold hearings on maternal health careAli Vitali2h ago / 10:05 PM UTCThe Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions announced it would hold a hearing on July 13 on the “impact of the Dobbs decision on access to abortion and other reproductive services, including the effect restrictions will have on maternal mortality and health care in the United States.”“Make no mistake: this decision will cause health care crises that cross state lines—including into my home state of Washington," the committee's chair, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said. "So my Committee will not sit on the sidelines: I will chair a hearing to make crystal clear how this decision will harm patients, providers, and communities across the country—and what is at stake in November, with Republicans already eyeing a national abortion ban.” It's an early sign of how Democrats will try to keep this issue centered through the summer and into the midterms.First lady on Roe decision: 'We will not be silent' Patagonia pledges to cover bail for workers who ‘peacefully protest’ abortion rulingAntonio Planas3h ago / 9:36 PM UTCOutdoor apparel company Patagonia announced Friday it will pay for bail for its workers who are arrested after peacefully protesting Friday’s Supreme Court decision to overturn national abortion rights.Full- and part-time employees “who peacefully protest for reproductive justice” and are arrested will have their bail covered, the company said in a statement.Among other benefits the Ventura, California-based company said its employees are eligible for include time off for voting and medical coverage for abortion plans.Patagonia also said it would pay for travel, lodging and food for its full- and part-time employees who have to travel to receive an abortion.Patagonia was among many companies Friday that said they would cover travel expenses for workers who seek abortions. Other companies with similar policies included Netflix, Paramount and Amazon.“Caring for employees extends beyond basic health insurance, so we take a more holistic approach to coverage and support overall wellness to which every human has a right,” Patagonia said. “That means offering employees the dignity of access to reproductive health care. It means supporting employees’ choices around if or when they have a child. It means giving parents the resources they need to work and raise children.”Trump is out of office. But the Supreme Court is ensuring his legacy lives on.Former President Donald Trump no longer holds formal power, but the Supreme Court is ensuring his legacy lives on.By a 6-3 vote Friday, the court erased nearly 50 years of precedent by ruling that the Constitution does not protect a right to abortion. Earlier in the week, by the same margin, the court struck down a New York law that heavily restricted licenses to carry concealed handguns and ruled that police officers can’t be sued for violating a suspect’s Miranda rights.In each of the cases, all three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted in the majority.Read the full story here.Planned Parenthood Arizona pauses abortion servicesPlanned Parenthood Arizona is halting abortion services across the state in light of the Supreme Court's decision.“Let’s be crystal clear: The Supreme Court has abandoned patients today,” the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona, Brittany Fonteno, said on a call with reporters Friday. “We are being forced by the Supreme Court and politicians in this state to deny patient care right now. As a result of our state’s legal landscape, we are pausing abortion services at Planned Parenthood clinics Arizona.” Fonteno said the organization was "working diligently" with its team of attorneys "to understand Arizona's tangled web of conflicting laws to make sure our patients know what their rights are and how to access abortion."She called the high court's decision heartbreaking, while vowing that Planned Parenthood Arizona wasn't going anywhere, "not now, not ever." “Although this is a truly heartbreaking moment for all Americans, this moment will not break us,” she said. Businesses take precautions after overturning of RoeEmma Li and Tat Bellamy-Walker3h ago / 9:05 PM UTCThe Earle Cabell Federal Building in Dallas boarded up windows and installed fencing Friday after the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Other businesses in the U.S., including in Washington, took similar precautions to protect storefronts from expected protests after the decision.Murkowski, criticizing court ruling, says Congress must codify legal abortionSen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, criticized the Supreme Court on Friday for going “against 50 years of precedent in choosing to overturn Roe v. Wade.”“The rights under Roe that many women have relied on for decades — most notably a woman’s right to choose — are now gone or threatened in many states,” she said in a statement, adding that “it is up to Congress to respond.”Murkowski cited legislation she has introduced to codify legal abortion in some circumstances and with exceptions. Some abortion rights activists have criticized it as too narrow and prefer Democrats' broader bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act.“I am continuing to work with a broader group to restore women’s freedom to control their own health decisions wherever they live. Legislation to accomplish that must be a priority,” she said.Murkowski added: “Alaskan courts have interpreted abortion rights as protected under our State Constitution, but with this decision, women in other parts of the country will face a different reality that limits their health decisions, even in extreme circumstances.”Photos: Contrasting emotions outside Supreme CourtFrank Thorp V / NBC NewsThousands of activists on both sides of the issue gathered in front of the Supreme Court after the court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case Friday.The court’s decision overturns the landmark, nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade case and erases a federal right to an abortion.Planned Parenthood of Greater New York set to increase services by 20%Antonio Planas4h ago / 8:41 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood of Greater New York announced Friday it will increase services by 20% in response to states outlawing abortions following Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court.The organization will offer additional abortion appointments at its 23 health centers to care for more state residents seeking abortions as well as people traveling to New York from states where abortions have been made illegal, according to a statement.Some of the new measures the organization will take include assigning an abortion patient navigator who will help people coming from out of state. The company will increase telehealth medication to give people in early stages of pregnancy the option to safely manage their abortion under the guidance of a company clinician, the organization said. Centers in Ithaca and Corning, in the southern region of the state, will expand their services to decrease travel times for people from out of state to reach a clinic, the organization said.Up to 26 states are prepared to outlaw abortion, affecting more than 36 million people who could lose access to abortions, the organization said.“Banning abortion does not take away people’s need to access abortion. We believe all people — no matter where they live — should have the right to control their own bodies, lives, and futures,” said Joy D. Calloway, interim president and CEO of New York’s Planned Parenthood. “We have been preparing for this day. At Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, we are committed to ensuring equitable access to all New Yorkers and people across the country in states hostile toward health care — and abortion is health care.” Graham says Pence called to thank him on the decisionTat Bellamy-Walker4h ago / 8:28 PM UTCSen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said former Vice President Mike Pence praised him in a phone call for his work in helping the court overturn Roe v. Wade.In a separate tweet, Graham said Pence has been a role model for his work in the anti-abortion movement. He also called Pence a "true inspiration." Graham further applauded the Trump administration for the appointment of three justices that led to the historic decision to reverse abortion rights nationwide.Bill Clinton says ruling has 'put our democracy at risk'Former President Bill Clinton slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying it "puts partisanship ahead of precedent, ideology ahead of evidence, and the power of a small minority ahead of the clear will of the people."The majority opinion is "wrong on the merits, wrong for women and their ability to make their own healthcare decisions, and wrong for what it means for the future of our country," Clinton said in a statement. "This jarring removal of rights that had long been guaranteed, along with decisions gutting the Voting Rights Act and abolishing any judicial remedy for admittedly unconstitutional gerrymandering by state legislatures and abuses of power by federal authorities, has put our democracy at risk in the hands of a radical, activist Court."Clinton, a Democrat, urged voters to elect politicians who will defend rights and liberties, and the Senate to "confirm judges who will put their duty to uphold the Constitution ahead of their ideology, partisanship, and obsession to control."Scene outside Jackson Women’s Health OrganizationBlayne Alexander and Tat Bellamy-Walker4h ago / 8:15 PM UTCProtesters, reproductive health advocates and media crowded outside of Jackson Women's Health Organization, an abortion clinic in Mississippi that is at the center of a decision to reverse national abortion rights.Pink House Defenders, a group that stands outside the clinic and escorts women inside for abortion services, said protesters have calmed down since the decision was announced Friday. "We’re used to protesters every day. But I got to admit, today they are being a little extra," said a clinic escort, who declined to give her name. She added that the news media was also lining the streets. She said she is fed up with all of it. "On top of all of that, we still have to escort our patients inside," she said. Outside of the clinic, anti-abortion protesters were handing out pamphlets that say, "This is not your only choice." Graphic: How the U.S. compares with the rest of the world on attitudes toward abortionNot all countries are as divided as the U.S. is on abortion access. According to a 2021 Ipsos survey of abortion attitudes in 27 countries, an average of 71% of people worldwide support abortion in all instances or in certain circumstances.The U.S. ranked in the lower third among countries included in the poll, with 66% of the country supporting abortion access in all or most cases. Sweden ranked the highest with 88%.What the Supreme Court justices said about Roe, abortion in their confirmationsJane C. Timm4h ago / 7:54 PM UTCAfter Friday’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, pro-abortion rights lawmakers argued that some of the justices who voted in the majority opinion misled senators during their confirmation process.“This decision is inconsistent with what Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their testimony and their meetings with me,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said.The future of the landmark Roe decision has long been a topic of Supreme Court confirmations.All six Supreme Court judges who voted to uphold the Mississippi law at the center of Friday’s decision were asked about Roe v. Wade during their confirmation hearings. Justices appointed by then-President Donald Trump, in particular, were interrogated at length, as he had vowed as a candidate to appoint judges who would overturn Roe.Here's what they said at the time.International Planned Parenthood chief: Roe decision 'biggest blow to women's health and rights'The Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade is “the biggest blow to women’s health and rights” in recent American history, the head of International Planned Parenthood said Friday. The director general of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, called the decision “an outrageous and devastating conclusion to what was already an unconstitutional removal of life-saving healthcare.” He added: “By continuing its unbridled attack on women’s bodies and forcing them to carry pregnancies to term, the highest court in the land has reached its lowest point, robbing millions of their liberty, bodily autonomy and freedom — the very values the United States prides itself on. “We know for a fact that banning abortion does not mean fewer abortions and that when abortion bans are enacted, women and pregnant people die, as we have seen across the globe, most recently in Poland. We also know that those who cannot access safe abortion care legally, including medical abortion pills, will be forced into unregulated and unsafe methods, potentially resulting in serious harm or even death and costing lives for decades to come."VP Harris blasts Roe ruling, says progress isn't 'inevitable'Vice President Kamala Harris blasted the Supreme Court's ruling at an event in Illinois and echoed President Joe Biden's remarks that voters have the power to elect leaders who protect their rights. Harris, who served as California's attorney general before being elected to the Senate, said that the opinion argues that abortion is "not deeply rooted in our history." She said Friday's decision calls into question "other rights that we thought were settled, such as the right to use birth control, the right to same-sex marriage, the right to interracial marriage.""The great aspiration of our nation has been to expand freedom, but the expansion of freedom clearly is not inevitable," she said. "It is not something that just happens." Harris said she invites people to stand together in defense of liberty, freedom and the right to self-determination. "You have the power to elect leaders who will defend or protect your rights," she said, urging people to vote. Emotions raw outside Supreme Court after Roe reversalTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court on Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue bore emotion-filled witness to the end of the Roe era.“It’s really a visceral issue,” said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday’s decision. “The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone.” That was true for many of the abortion rights supporters, who wore stickers, held signs, chanted slogans and, at times, wept. They vowed that they would continue to fight for abortion rights, and some wore T-shirts advertising their willingness to “aid and abet” women seeking abortions in states where they will soon be banned or heavily restricted.Read more here.Northwell Health, N.Y.'s largest health care provider, criticizes Roe decision Antonio Planas5h ago / 7:26 PM UTCFriday’s Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a setback for women that will hinder access to safe abortions, according to a statement from Northwell Health.“Northwell Health is disappointed by the US Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, which made access to safe and legal abortion a constitutional right for five decades,” the statement said. “This decision is a setback for women’s reproductive health. Our concern as the region’s largest health care provider is that this ruling will succeed in ending access to safe abortions and disproportionately cause harm to those who already have limited access to health care.”Northwell Health is New York state's largest health care provider.“In New York State, we already have laws that establish a woman’s right to an abortion. Governor Hochul recently signed a series of bills that preserve this right and, importantly, offer protections for health care providers in the state who perform this procedure legally. But we will vigorously monitor any developments related to this very important issue in the coming months and we will continue to advocate in the name of raising women’s health.”Lawyer who argued against Dobbs said consequences will be 'swift and severe'Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Supreme Court's decision to end 50 years of federal abortion rights "takes away an individual personal liberty" and warned that it will affect other important issues. "Its impact is going to reverberate beyond abortion no matter what the majority tried to say about that," she said at a news conference Friday afternoon. "Generations of people have relied on this right and they’ll now be thrown into a world without it. I can’t emphasize enough what a cataclysmic change this will be, how much chaos we will see in the coming days and month," added Julie Rikelman, the center's litigation director, who in December argued against the Dobbs case. "The impact of this ruling truly will be swift and severe."Northup — who successfully argued the 2016 Whole Woman’s Health case which banned Texas from replacing restrictions on abortion services — said that Friday's ruling puts at risk the right to use contraception and the right to gay marriage. "The Supreme Court, having done something it’s never done before, which is take away an individual personal liberty, it has never done that in its history, and it can’t be underestimated about what that means," she said, adding: "And the decision is also the biggest setback to women’s rights, I would say in United States history."Hawley predicts overturn of Roe will bolster Republicans' Electoral College advantageSen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., predicted on a conference call with reporters on Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling would ultimately lead to an exodus of Democratic voters from red and purple states, bolstering a Republican advantage in the Electoral College.“I really do think that this is going to be a watershed moment in American politics,” he said, adding “I think we will see a major sorting out across the country that is already underway, as we speak, as states move to change their laws or adopt new laws in response to this decision.”He predicted the ruling would inform voters’ decisions on what jobs to take, where to locate their families and would “probably redraw some demographic lines around the country and will lead to impacts in voting patterns, I think all around the country.”“And I would predict that the effect is going to be that more and more red states, they’re going to become more red, purple states are going to become red and the blue states are going to get a lot bluer,” he added. “And I would look for Republicans, as a result of this, to extend their strength in the Electoral College. And that’s very good news for those of us who want to see Republican presidents elected, they want to see a Supreme Court that remains conservative.”As for whether federal legislators should consider national restrictions on abortion rights in light of the Dobbs ruling, Hawley said “it would be appropriate for us to consider legislation where there is a national consensus,” adding he would like to see voters weigh in at the individual state level first.U.S. companies tell workers their benefits include travel costs for abortionsAntonio Planas5h ago / 6:46 PM UTCSome of the country’s biggest companies — including Paramount, Disney, Amazon and Netflix — are telling employees that their benefits include travel costs for abortions.In a memo provided to NBC News, Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount Global, and Chief People Officer Nancy Phillips said the corporation supports health care choices made by its employees.“This includes the reproductive health and family-building benefits that helps make our company a welcoming place to work.” One of the benefits listed in the memo was travel costs for “elective abortion care.”A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to NBC News the company offers travel reimbursement coverage for full-time U.S. employees and their dependents who need to travel to get an abortion. The lifetime allowance for each employee is $10,000, according to the spokesperson.Disney confirmed to Reuters it also covers travel cost for employees who need reproductive care, including to obtain an abortion. Disney employs about 80,000 people at Walt Disney World resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a 15-week abortion ban. The law is scheduled to take effect July 1.Other corporations such as Amazon.com, Citigroup and Levi Strauss & Co., have publicly pledged to pay for employees' travel to obtain abortions, Reuters reported.Former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe says he hopes Roe ruling will motivate baseFormer Democratic National Committee Chair and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe reacted to Friday's decision by saying he hoped the verdict would boost turnout in the upcoming elections.“If this doesn’t energize women to come out and vote, I don’t know what will," he said. "For 50 years people talked about Roe being overturned. Well, guess what? It has now happened. ""There’s a shock value to it," he added." If this doesn’t mobilize folks to come out and talk bout how important elections are, and how people can’t sit at home, and how elections really do matter, this has proven the case ... This and the Jan. 6 stuff is having an impact. So, obviously, with Roe and all this debate on guns, we do have some things that motivate our base.”In furious dissent, Supreme Court’s liberal wing slams ‘draconian’ abortion decisionIn a scathing dissent to the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday that overturned Roe v. Wade and wiped out the constitutional guarantee of abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the “draconian” opinion as a decision that will undeniably curtail women’s rights and turn back “their status as free and equal citizens.”The lengthy joint dissent written by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan repeatedly slammed the court’s “cavalier” conservative majority for exercising “hypocrisy” in the way they interpret the Constitution. The justices predicted myriad terrible — and possibly deadly — consequences for women, particularly low-income women and women of color, in need of abortion care.F | US Federal Policies |
Taylor Swift reacts to Roe reversal: 'I'm absolutely terrified'Grammy-winning pop star Taylor Swift, who has become increasingly vocal about political issues in recent years, tweeted Friday that she was "absolutely terrified that this is where we are" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Swift offered her thoughts in response to a statement from former first lady Michelle Obama, who wrote that she was "heartbroken today."Trump takes credit for 'biggest WIN for Life in a generation'Former President Donald Trump, who campaigned on limiting abortion rights and appointed three Supreme Court justices, took credit for Friday's decision in a statement.Calling it "the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation," Trump said the Roe ruling and "other decisions" recently announced "were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised."All three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted with the majority in overturning Roe. Anti-abortion advocates celebrate Friday in front of the Supreme Court.Frank Thorp V / NBC NewsThough Trump was known to have more socially liberal positions as a private citizen, he won favor with Republican activists by vowing during his 2016 campaign to choose justices from a pre-selected list of conservatives.Sen. Kennedy praises reversal of Roe v. Wade: 'They did their work'Tat Bellamy-Walker19m ago / 5:24 PM UTCSen. John Kennedy, R-La., released a statement Friday that praised the justices for overturning Roe. v. Wade despite attempts to protest the decision. Rep. Cheney says she has always been 'pro-life,' ruling returns power to the statesRep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who has bucked her party by denouncing former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, indicated Friday that she supports the Supreme Court's ruling."I have always been strongly pro-life," she said in a tweet. "Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court returns power to the states and the people of the states to address the issue of abortion under state law."Biden says no violence, urges people to 'keep all protests peaceful'President Joe Biden on Friday urged people to "keep all protests peaceful" in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. "I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful," he said during a White House speech, reiterating: "Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable." Hundreds of demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court following the historic decision with some abortion rights supporters chanting: "We won’t go back! We won’t go back! My body, my choice!"The crowd outside the court has continued to grow but has remained relatively peaceful. "Threats and intimidation are not speech," Biden said. "We must stand against violence in any form regardless of your rationale." 'People will die because of this decision,' Rep. Ocasio-Cortez saysAntonio Planas37m ago / 5:07 PM UTCRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Friday the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will make abortions more dangerous and result in deaths.“Overturning Roe and outlawing abortions will never make them go away. It only makes them more dangerous, especially for the poor + marginalized," she tweeted. "People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America.”Anti-abortion Democratic Rep. Cuellar says Roe decision leaves issues up to the statesTexas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lone anti-abortion Democrat in the House, said Friday his position has not changed."We'll let the states make this decision now," he said. Asked by NBC News about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the Supreme Court's decision, which she said was "cruel," Cuellar said, "Everybody has their opinion, including the speaker."Cuellar said that while he was in the minority in his caucus, he is not in his district.WHO’s Tedros disappointed by Roe v. Wade decisionReuters45m ago / 4:59 PM UTCThe head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was very disappointed by the overturning of Roe v Wade.“I am very disappointed, because women’s rights must be protected. And I would have expected America to protect such rights,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told Reuters on the sidelines of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.Sanders says it is time to end the Senate filibusterTat Bellamy-Walker47m ago / 4:57 PM UTCSen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called on Democrats to end the filibuster in the Senate and solidify protections for abortion rights. Biden says Roe is 'on the ballot' in NovemberIn remarks from the White House on Friday, President Joe Biden said that "voters need to make their voices heard" at the ballot box in November's midterm elections because he is unable to restore abortion protections and Congress lacks the votes to take that action. "We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land. We need to elect officials who will do that. This fall, Roe is on the ballot," Biden said. Until November, Biden said he will do everything in his power to protect a woman's right to choose in states where they will face the consequences of the court's decision. He said, for example, that his administration will protect women's access to medications that allow them to self-manage an abortion at home. He acknowledged that a number of Republican-controlled states have already banned or restricted access to these medications. Biden expressed anger at the Supreme Court's ruling, saying that "the court has done what it has never done before — expressly take away a constitutional right." "This decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is — far removed they are from the majority of this country," he said. "You can act. You can have the final word."He blamed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for the reversal of Roe because of his nomination of three justices at the "core of today's decision." Plaintiff in same-sex marriage Supreme Court case says decision is moving country 'backward'Christopher Cicchiello50m ago / 4:54 PM UTCJim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges that established the right to same-sex marriages across the nation, called today's verdict "a sad day for women's rights.""This Supreme Court continues to erode the rights of citizens at an alarming rate," Obergefell said in a tweet. "Women deserve responsive leaders who support reproductive justice. Leaders who respect their fundamental right to have control over their own bodies."In a separate statement reacting to Justice Clarence Thomas’ call to reconsider the holding in Obergefell v. Hodges in his concurring opinion, Obergefell said that "the millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them."U.S. Capitol public tours halted after Roe decision Public tours of the U.S. Capitol were abruptly halted Friday after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, allowing Capitol Police to shift some of their resources to the court complex, a source familiar with the decision said.Capitol Police were also concerned about members of the public lining up at the entrance of the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), which is close to where thousands of protesters were assembling in front of the court building."It's because of the CVC entrance's proximity to activity at SCOTUS and the general need to shift U.S. Capitol Police manpower to respond to SCOTUS activity," the source said.So far, the protests have been peaceful.Scotland's leader calls out Roe decisionScotland's leader on Friday warned that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would "embolden anti-abortion and anti-women forces" beyond the United States."One of the darkest days for women’s rights in my lifetime," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet. "Obviously the immediate consequences will be suffered by women in the US — but this will embolden anti-abortion & anti-women forces in other countries too. Solidarity doesn’t feel enough right now — but it is necessary."McCarthy praises court's decisionHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy praised the decision of the court during a Friday press conference. "By a vote of 6-3, the court affirmed that the power to protect unborn life is returned to the people by their elected representatives," he said. "This great nation can now live up to its core principle that all people are created equal — not born equal, created equal."He added that the decision would "save the lives of millions of children" and "give families hope."Rev. Sharpton says court's decision brings us 'back to the dark ages' Tat Bellamy-Walker57m ago / 4:46 PM UTCThe Rev. Al Sharpton, the head of the National Action Network and an MSNBC host, said Friday that Black women and poor women will be disproportionately affected by the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. British doctors union calls Roe decision 'deeply worrying'A senior official at the British Medical Association, the United Kingdom's doctors union, on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision overturning abortion rights could have an impact beyond the United States. “The news that restrictions to abortions could be made law in some U.S. states ... is deeply worrying for the future of women’s reproductive health," Zoe Greaves, chair of the group's medical ethics committee, said in a written statement. "The BMA, along with multiple other health organizations, is concerned that this will remove women’s access to essential medical care, a fundamental human right as stated by the U.N., both in the U.S. and potentially more widely," she said. The organization added in a statement that it would be weighing the decision's implications to determine how best to support the American Medical Association in its opposition to the "criminalization of reproductive health."First lady Jill Biden was with DeSantis when Roe decision came downJosh Lederman1h ago / 4:40 PM UTCFirst lady Jill Biden was with Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when she learned of the Supreme Court ruling, a White House official told NBC News.The first lady was preparing to go onstage at the memorial for the one year anniversary of the Champlain Tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, along with DeSantis and his wife in a holding room. Moments before the first lady walked on stage, the news alerts popped up on everyone’s phones.In April, DeSantis signed a Florida law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.Democratic governors in the West pledge to stand up for abortion rightsDemocratic governors in California, Oregon and Washington said Friday they will continue to "protect" patients seeking reproductive care, including those from other states seeking abortions.California's Gavin Newsom, Oregon's Kate Brown and Washington's Jay Inslee made the announcement in a video message released after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, presenting themselves as a counterweight to "red states and Republican-stacked courts.""California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients' access to reproductive care," Newsom said.Inslee said: "We're going to work with our legislators, with our providers, with our patient advocates."Brown said: "We will not stand on the sidelines."'With sorrow...we dissent': Court's liberal wing says majority decided women not deserving of equal protectionIn a blistering dissent to the court's decision reversing abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the majority opinion as one that would curtail women's rights.“It says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A State can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote in the lengthy dissent."With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent," they added.Read the full story here.Planned Parenthood Wisconsin temporarily suspends abortion servicesAntonio Planas1h ago / 4:35 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood Wisconsin announced Friday it was “temporarily suspending” abortion services in response to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.In a video statement on the organization’s website, the group's president, Tanya Atkinson, lamented the Supreme Court’s decision because it has taken away a constitutional right from women and instead placed health care decisions in the hands of politicians.“Because Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban remains in effect, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin is temporarily suspending abortion services,” she said. “Please know that we are looking at all legal options available. This news is so incredibly devastating. The decision of whether or not to become a parent can be one of the most life-changing decisions a person can make,” she said. “You should be able to make the very personal, very needed health care decisions.”Atkinson added that although abortion services are not available in Wisconsin, the organization is still there for people who need abortions and will counsel them on finding options where abortions are safe and legal. The group, she said, will also be available for “after-care” services. Other services provided by the organization are also available at its centers or through telehealth, she said.“Planned Parenthood Wisconsin stands for health care, and we will not give up, not now, not ever,” she said.Anger and joy outside Supreme CourtTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court early Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue gathered to bear witness to the end of the Roe era. "It's really a visceral issue," said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday's decision. "The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone." Paige Nelson, 20, cried tears of joy on the street in front of the Supreme Court, where the grounds long used for demonstrations have been closed off for weeks as a security precaution."I’m just so happy that no matter who you are and whatever extra chromosomes or whatever disability you might have, you get the chance to live this amazing life, and I will continue advocating until abortion is completely gone," said Nelson, a Washington state resident who is participating in a summer program with the conservative Concerned Women of America.Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls Roe decision 'horrific'Reuters1h ago / 4:30 PM UTCCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday called the Supreme Court decision "horrific."“The news coming out of the United States is horrific. My heart goes out to the millions of American women who are now set to lose their legal right to an abortion,” Trudeau said on Twitter.“No government, politician, or man should tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body,” he said.Romney says he supports Roe's reversalSen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, praised the Supreme Court's ruling Friday in a brief statement. "The sanctity of human life is a foundational American principle, and the lives of our children—both born and unborn—deserve our protection," Romney said. "I support the Court’s decision, which means that laws regarding abortion will now rightfully be returned to the people and their elected representatives," he added.AG Merrick Garland says states cannot ban access to medications for abortionsAttorney General Merrick Garland vowed to protect access to Mifepristone, which is used along with another medication to end early pregnancies.“In particular, the FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy," he wrote in a statement.The Food and Drug Administration approved in 2016 the use of the medications in terminating abortions.The "Department will continue to protect healthcare providers and individuals seeking reproductive health services in states where those services remain legal," his statement added. "This law prohibits anyone from obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage."Decision a 'dark moment,' British rights group says The Supreme Court’s decision is a “dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” the chair of a British rights group said Friday. ‘This is a hugely significant set back for abortion rights. Not just in the U.S. but it will embolden anti-abortion activists here and in Poland, Malta and other places where the struggle for access is already desperate,” Kerry Abel of Abortion Rights said in a statement. “Any chink in the legislative armour that undermines the right to privacy, makes access more difficult or puts abortion funding out of reach will impact poorer and marginalised women and pregnantpeople and will encourage yet more anti-abortion legislation and action,” she said. “This is a dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” she added.Rep. Jamie Raskin knocks Thomas, says they are not 'like real judges at this point'Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., knocked Justice Clarence Thomas, saying he is trying to "demolish the constitutional right to privacy" while blasting the high court's justices as an "instrument of the right-wing Republican agenda." "Roe versus Wade was built on Griswold versus Connecticut, which asserted a constitutional right to privacy for women and men to obtain contraception and birth control," Raskin said Friday. "They might like to pretend as if this is some kind of singular strike against just women's right to abortion, but it has implications for contraception. It has implications for the right of gay people to get married under the Obergefell decision. It has implications for the right of people not to be sterilized by the government against their will."Raskin added that the justices are "not like real judges at this point." "I mean, they’ve got the power of it, but they basically have turned themselves into partisans," he said.Sen. Susan Collins calls ruling 'not conservative' Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted to confirm Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh who were part of Friday's majority opinion, said in a statement that the ruling was an "ill-considered action" and "not conservative." "The Supreme Court has abandoned a fifty-year precedent at a time that the country is desperate for stability. This ill-considered action will further divide the country at a moment when, more than ever in modern times, we need the Court to show both consistency and restraint," Collins said. "Throwing out a precedent overnight that the country has relied upon for half a century is not conservative. It is a sudden and radical jolt to the country that will lead to political chaos, anger, and a further loss of confidence in our government."Collins said that the ruling was "inconsistent" with what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their congressional testimony and in meetings with her where, she said, "they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents that the country has relied upon."Collins said she is working on a bill with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would codify Roe, Casey, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, and Griswold v. Connecticut."Our legislation would enshrine important abortion protections into law without undercutting statutes that have been in place for decades and without eliminating basic conscience protections that are relied upon by health care providers who have religious objections to performing abortions," she said.U.K.'s Boris Johnson calls Roe decision 'a big step backward'British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would have a "massive" impact around the world. “This is not our court, it’s another jurisdiction, but it clearly has massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world," he said during a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda. "It’s a very important decision." "I think it’s a big step backwards," Johnson, who leads the Conservative Party, added. "I’ve always believed in a woman’s right to choose and I stick to that view and that is why the U.K. has the laws that it does.”Missouri governor signs state proclamation banning most abortionsChristopher Cicchiello1h ago / 4:19 PM UTCMissouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a proclamation Friday to activate its trigger law, banning most abortions.“Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions,” Parson, a Republican, said in a news release.This law makes it illegal for doctors to perform abortions and also makes anyone who knowingly induces an abortion guilty of a class B felony. Doctors can have their licenses revoked for their involvement. However, a woman who has an abortion will not be prosecuted "for a conspiracy to violate the provisions" of this act. No mention of an exception for a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest was provided in the act.Upon Parson’s signature, the act takes effect immediately.Texas GOP AG Ken Paxton says abortions are 'now illegal in Texas'Texas' GOP attorney general, Ken Paxton, announced Friday that abortion is now illegal in Texas as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling. "SCOTUS just overruled Roe & Casey, ending one of the most morally & legally corrupt eras in US history. Praise the Lord. Abortion is now illegal in Texas," he said in a tweet. Texas had on the books a trigger law, which immediately banned abortion once Roe came down.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed into law one of the country's most restrictive abortion bans last year, which took effect in September. It had banned abortions as early as six weeks, which effectively banned all abortions because most women don't know they're pregnant that early in the process. Whole Women's Health, an organization that has operated four clinics providing reproductive health services in Texas and other states, said it has stopped providing abortion procedures as a result of Friday's ruling, according to the Texas Tribune. In guidance posted on the organization's website Friday, it said that its clinics "are still operating in Baltimore, MD; Bloomington, MN; Alexandria, VA; and Charlottesville, VA." It also said that it offers medication abortion pills by mail to patients in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia.It also said Whole Women's Health "is exploring plans to expand both our in-clinic and mail services into additional states where abortion is legally protected."Democratic lawmakers march to Supreme Court in support of abortion rightsAt least 150 Democratic lawmakers marched to the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., told NBC News the decision marked "a sad day for American jurisprudence.""Never did I envision that this court would reverse 40 or 50 years of precedence, but they did it," he said. "And they did it in utter disregard for the 60% of the American people who support Roe and did not want it overturned."Conservative Hispanic group lauds court decisionBienvenido, a conservative Hispanic group, said the court's decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision was "correct as both a legal and a moral matter.""Today we join millions of Americans — including the majority of Hispanics who value human life — in celebrating the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling overturning 'Roe' and 'Casey,'" a statement from the group said. "It was always a lie that the Constitution guaranteed the right to kill unborn children and this Court has just exposed this lie for the shameful farce that it always has been," the statement continued. "As we commemorate this historic decision, let us remember these children who were denied the right to live, pray for forgiveness, and give thanks to God." According to Pew Research Center, 60% of Hispanics in 2022 said abortion should be legal. Transgender Law Center denounces Supreme Court decision as "despicable" Tat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 3:51 PM UTCThe Transgender Law Center, one of the nation's largest transgender rights groups, slammed the court's decision, calling it "despicable" and a "politically-motivated" attack.In a statement, the organization stressed that the majority opinion will have an outsize impact on historically marginalized groups, including Black women, disabled people, migrant women, poor people and individuals living in rural communities.“Today we loudly affirm and pledge our solidarity with all people working for Reproductive Justice in this country,” the group's executive director, Kris Hayashi, said. “Whether it is a right to an abortion, the right to affirming medical care, or the right to learn about your own history in schools, our collective rights to self-determination and bodily autonomy are inexorably entwined.”'God made the decision': Trump praises the ruling overturning RoeFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court's ruling in a statement to Fox News on Friday, saying that it's "following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago."Trump was asked if he played a role in the decision because he nominated three of the conservative justices who overturned Roe v. Wade — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett."God made the decision," Trump told Fox. Asked to address any of his supporters who support abortion rights, Trump said, "I think, in the end, this is something that will work out for everybody ... This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged."Trump had previously supported abortion rights years ago, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" in 1999 that he was "very pro-choice" at the time.Susan B. Anthony List celebrates overturning of Roe v. WadeThe anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List celebrated news Friday of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, calling it a "historic victory for human rights." Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the group, said in a video message outside the Supreme Court that it was a moment of "great gratitude and resolve." "This Court has just overturned the wrongly decided Roe versus Wade decision. Let those words sink in," she said. "Roe versus Wade is overturned after 50 years of lobbying, building centers of hope to serve pregnant women, on our knees praying, off our knees marching and ensuring the powerful pro-life voice could be heard in our elections. We have arrived at this day, a culminating day of so much and the first day of a bright pro-life future for our nation."She said the decision allows the "will of the people to make its way into the law through our elected officials" and declared that "our best days are ahead."Attorney General Merrick Garland vows to 'use every tool' to protect abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland, who as Barack Obama's 2016 Supreme Court nominee was denied a confirmation vote by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, vowed to put the full weight of the Department of Justice behind protecting abortion rights."The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision," he said. "This decision deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect — with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means."“The Justice Department will use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive freedom. And we will not waver from this Department’s founding responsibility to protect the civil rights of all Americans," he added.Mayor Eric Adams says people around the country 'welcome' to access abortion care in New York City New York City Mayor Eric Adams lashed out at the Supreme Court on Friday, saying that "politics came before people at the highest court in the land." "What the court has done today ignores the opinions of the majority of Americans, as it helps states control women’s bodies, their choices, and their freedoms," the Democrat said in a statement, adding that the decision puts lives at risk."There is nothing to call this Supreme Court opinion but an affront to basic human rights and one that aims to shackle women and others in reproductive bondage."Adams sought to reassure New Yorkers, saying that they can still access safe, legal abortions in the city. He also said that people around the country seeking the procedure are "welcome here" to access those services.Massachusetts Gov. Baker signs executive order protecting abortion providersAntonio Planas2h ago / 3:39 PM UTCIn response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who is not running for re-election, signed an executive order Friday protecting health care providers performing abortions from losing their licenses or receiving other discipline based on potential charges from out of state, he said in a statement.“Under the executive order, the Commonwealth will not cooperate with extradition requests from other states pursuing criminal charges against individuals who received, assisted with, or performed reproductive health services that are legal in Massachusetts,” the statement said.The order, he said, also prohibits any “Executive Department agencies” from assisting another state’s investigation into a person or entity for receiving or delivering reproductive health care services that are legal in Massachusetts.“This executive order will further preserve that right and protect reproductive health care providers who serve out of state residents. In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v Wade, it is especially important to ensure that Massachusetts providers can continue to provide reproductive health care services without concern that the laws of other states may be used to interfere with those services or sanction them for providing services that are lawful in the Commonwealth,” Baker said.Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said: “We are proud of the Commonwealth’s history of ensuring access to reproductive health care, and will continue to do so, despite today’s ruling from the Supreme Court.”Michigan Gov. Whitmer says ruling means her state's 1931 law banning abortion takes effect Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Friday it was a "sad day for America" and that her state's "antiquated" 1931 law banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest will take effect. The law also criminalizes doctors and nurses who provide reproductive care, she said. "For now, a Michigan court has put a temporary hold on the law, but that decision is not final and has already been challenged. The 1931 law would punish women and strip away their right to make decisions about their own bodies," Whitmer said. "I want every Michigander to know that I am more determined than ever to protect access to safe, legal abortion."She said she filed a lawsuit in April to urge her state's Supreme Court to determine whether the Michigan Constitution protects the right to an abortion. "We need to clarify that under Michigan law, access to abortion is not only legal, but constitutionally protected," she said. Barack Obama calls Roe v. Wade reversal an attack on millionsTat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 3:33 PM UTCFormer President Barack Obama said the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade targets the freedom of millions of Americans in the U.S. "Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote in a tweet. He noted that states across the country have already passed bills restricting abortion rights, and pointed people who want to fight against these restrictions toward Planned Parenthood and the United State of Women.In a statement, former first lady Michelle Obama said she was "heartbroken for people around this co | SCOTUS |
A federal appeals court Wednesday upheld the legality of the abortion pill mifepristone, but placed new limitations on its usage and effectively banned its distribution in more than a dozen states.
The ruling came after a lower Texas court had blocked the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the nation’s most commonly used abortion method less than a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and set the stage for the conservative-led high court to take up the mifepristone case.
Just before midnight Wednesday, the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled that the FDA’s approval of the pill in the year 2000 could remain in effect.
However, the court reduced the period of pregnancy during which it can be taken and banned it from being mailed to women in the states that had outlawed abortion in recent months.
The ruling came after a lone federal judge last week blocked the decades-long approval of mifepristone, which is used in combination with the drug misoprostol, after a lawsuit by opponents of the drug.
The Louisiana court that reversed the ruling in a 2-1 vote also suspended changes made by the FDA in 2016 that extended the period when the drug can be used from seven weeks to 10 weeks into a pregnancy and allowed the drug to be distributed by mail without a visit to a doctor.
The two judges that voted to tighten restrictions are appointees of former President Donald Trump.
The lone dissenter, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, was inclined to put the lower court ruling on hold to allow for oral arguments.
In their decision, judges in the majority noted that both the White House and Danco Laboratories, the maker of the drug, “warn us of significant public consequences” if mifepristone was stricken from the market.
The future of the case is now in limbo.
Either or both sides could take it to the Supreme Court, and opponents of mifepristone could move to keep the lower court ruling in effect.
The Biden administration could also ask the high court to keep the FDA changes in effect while the case continues to be adjudicated.
“We are going to continue to fight in the courts, we believe the law is on our side, and we will prevail,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday while in Ireland with President Biden.
Meanwhile, a separate federal judge in Washington last week ruled that the FDA could not take moves to block the accessibility of mifepristone in 17 blue states that had sued to keep it on the market.
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that New York would stockpile 150,000 doses of misoprostol and the White House was also said to have contingency plans in place.
Jean-Pierre did not detail the administration’s backup plan amid the ongoing legal battle, instead discussing a new federal proposal that would limit the ability of officials to collect medical records of women who flee their home states to get an abortion.
The lawsuit that began the swarm of legal activity came from the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal advocacy group that was involved in the case that led to the country’s landmark abortion ruling being overturned last June after almost fifty decades.
In its suit, the group argued that the FDA did not properly review the safety risk of mifepristone when it approved it 23 years ago.
Medical groups have noted that millions of women have used it safely during that time, and the drug has shown to have fewer complications than wisdom teeth removal, colonoscopies and other routine procedures.
A survey released this week found that more than half of Americans thought abortion pills should be legal in their state.
With Post wires | US Circuit and Appeals Courts |
Dozens of graduating seniors at Seattle Pacific University (SPU) handed small rainbow pride flags to Interim President Pete Menjares in protest of the school’s anti-LGBTQ+ employment policy. Several seniors walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, handing pride flags, notes and other pride items in protest of SPU’s “Employee Lifestyle Expectations” policy, which requires full-time staff to “reflect a traditional view on Biblical marriage and sexuality,” including barring them from participating in “same-sex sexual activity.” Some students also abstained from shaking his hand. The move was organized by the Associated Students of Seattle Pacific (ASSP) as part of an ongoing movement against the policies. “The graduation demonstration was part of an ongoing series of actions that are being taken to protest the school’s anti-LGBTQ+ employment policies,” Chloe Guillot, a graduating student who has helped organize previous protests, told The Hill. “So much of our college experience has been engulfed by this issue,” graduating senior Laur Lugos, former SPU student government president, also told The Seattle Times. “It just felt like this was the appropriate way to go out.” Lugos, who helped organize the protest, also reportedly gave Menjares a handwritten note, telling him to resign. She added that she learned at the university to care for the people Christians “lock out.” Video of the graduation, posted by ASSP, went viral on social media, which included a montage of the students handing the flags to Menjares. “It was a wonderful day to celebrate with our graduates,” Menjares said in a statement to The Hill. “Those who took the time to give me a flag showed me how they felt and I respect their view.” The flags were only the latest part of the growing movement in the university. In late May, ASSP organized a sit-in at the campus administration building, Demaray Hall, outside of Menjares’ office, after the university voted to reaffirm the “Employee Lifestyle Expectations” policy. The protest is still ongoing, according to Fox 13 in Seattle. “Many of us have been participating in a sit-in outside the president’s office for 3 weeks, and we didn’t want to shake the president’s hand because of the harm he has done to this campus alongside the other board of trustees members,” Guillot said. “So instead of shaking his hand, we decided to give him a pride flag as a symbol that we aren’t going anywhere and we aren’t going to stop fighting until this policy is changed.“ Published on Jun. 14, 2022 | Civil Rights Activism |
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, officials on Monday said they received death threats after arresting 31 members of a white nationalist group near a Pride event. During a press conference on Monday, Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White said there was a ”50/50 split” between those who have expressed support for officials following the arrest and those who have reached out with anger and threats. The first 50 percent “are happy to give us their name and tell us that they’re proud of the work that we did and they’re happy to be a part of this community,” White said. “The other 50 percent, who are completely anonymous, who want nothing more than to scream and yell at us and use some really choice words, offer death threats against myself and other members of the police department merely for doing our jobs,” he added. During Monday’s press conference, the police chief was joined by Coeur d’Alene Mayor Jim Hammond, who said, “We are not a city that wants to discriminate. We are not a city who wishes to bring any hurt upon anyone.” “It’s important because Coeur d’Alene has experienced that before. We’re not going back to the days of the Aryan Nations. We are past that, and we will do everything we can to make sure that we continue to stay past those kinds of problems,” the mayor said. Their remarks came as an update after police on Saturday responded to a tip about a large group of people wearing matching outfits and masks and arrested 31 people with ties to the Patriot Front. The Patriot Front is a white supremacist and neo-Nazi group that considers Black Americans, Jewish people and the LGBTQ community to be enemies, according to a George Washington University researcher Jon Lewis. Over the weekend, White said that members of the group were dressed in Patriot Front paraphernalia and came from at least 11 different states. On Saturday afternoon, White said police “received a telephone call from a concerned citizen who reported that approximately 20 people jumped into a UHAUL wearing masks.” “They had shields and ‘looked like a little army,’” he noted of the situation, which occurred near a northern Idaho pride event. Tags Coeur d'Alene Idaho Patriot Front | US Crime, Violence, Terrorism & cybercrime |
On a Tuesday afternoon in late April, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene walks into the seventh-floor congressional office belonging to Representative Matt Gaetz, settles into a high-backed black leather chair, and fits a pair of headphones over her blonde hair. The taping is about to begin for the 38th episode of Gaetz’s “Firebrand” podcast, and Greene is the high-wattage guest star. Greene has come straight from Dulles Airport, so Gaetz takes a minute to catch her up on today’s topics before the recording starts. There is much to discuss: the latest Anthony Fauci-related controversy; Greene’s trip to the U.S.-Mexico border; the five hours Greene recently spent testifying before a Georgia administrative judge that she should not be deemed an insurrectionist and tossed off the congressional ballot. “And then, of course, I’m going to go into our favorite subject,” Gaetz tells his colleague. “How the Republican Party is being led, and how it should be led.” “Oh boy,” Greene chuckles. “I just got here from the airport! And Matt’s like, let’s start ’er off, and let’s torch the news cycle.” Torching the news cycle is what Gaetz and Greene love to do. They are constantly in the headlines for their attention-getting antics, outrages and feuds. The pair have defended the Jan. 6 rioters, promoted countless conspiracy theories, hobnobbed with white nationalists and picked fights with colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Their own Republican colleagues have called them “unserious,” clowns, bigots, and worse. The humorist Dave Barry called them “Trump’s inner circle of trusted wack jobs.” Gaetz and Greene have been cannily building their leverage in Congress Shuran Huang Gaetz and Greene are the ringleaders of the GOP’s most hard-core, pro-Trump congressional faction. The MAGA Squad, as you might call them, is not a formal caucus, but its numbers are growing—despite the impending departure of one prominent member, Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who lost his North Carolina primary after scandals ranging from insider-trading allegations to lewd videos. The group includes freshmen members like Lauren Boebert, who accused a Muslim colleague of being a member of the “Jihad Squad,” as well as longer-serving representatives like Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, who pushed Trump’s Department of Justice to throw out electoral votes after the 2020 election, and Paul Gosar of Arizona, who has extensive ties to white nationalists and once posted an animated video showing him murdering Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a sword. There’s Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona, who allegedly helped plan the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the Capitol riot, and Mo Brooks of Alabama, who spoke at the rally. Several members have been subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 Committee, which is also investigating Representative Barry Loudermilk for leading what some have called a “reconnaissance” tour of the closed Capitol on Jan. 5, 2021. There have long been rabble-rousing right-wingers in Congress, but this group makes the Freedom Caucus seem tame. To Republicans trying to convince voters to hand them power this November by seeming sensible, sober and interested in governing, they’re a constant headache and distraction. The Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, has described Greene’s “loony lies and conspiracy theories” as a “cancer for the Republican Party.” Not that the MAGA Squad care what the GOP Establishment thinks: Back before Twitter permanently banned her for spreading Covid misinformation, Greene shared a tweet calling Kevin McCarthy—the leader of her own party in the House—a “feckless c-nt.” Democrats and many Republicans deride the group as gadflies, irrelevant to the serious business of lawmaking. But in fact, the MAGA Squad has been cannily building leverage and clout in the halls of Congress. Now, with the primary season in full swing across the country, they’re looking to pad their numbers, recruiting like-minded firebrands in red districts, endorsing and campaigning for fellow insurgents in intra-party contests, and even, in some cases, campaigning against their own colleagues. (Gaetz boasts that a rally he headlined last year for Harriet Hageman, a primary opponent of Representative Liz Cheney, was at that time “the largest political event in Wyoming history without a rodeo element.”) Most political observers expect Republicans to win the House in November, putting McCarthy in line to be the next Speaker. But to win that position, McCarthy will need the backing of 218 of his colleagues. There are currently 208 Republicans in the chamber, and election handicappers project the party will win another 15 to 20 seats. Depending on how many they gain, McCarthy is likely to need the support of even some of the party’s most extreme members. “At this point, not knowing the size of the potential majority, leadership is about keeping all the frogs in the wheelbarrow, even if some of the frogs are pretty ugly,” says a former GOP leadership aide who estimates there are about a dozen members of the “real cray cray.” Particularly if the majority is a narrow one, the MAGA Squad will have ample leverage—and McCarthy has been acting like he knows it. For a time, McCarthy made a feeble effort to rein in his party’s nut jobs and conspiracy theorists. Now he seems more eager to curry favor with them. Last year, he condemned Greene for comparing mask mandates to the Holocaust; more recently, when Greene was kicked off Twitter, he issued a fiery statement in her defense. When the New York Times released audio recordings of McCarthy privately condemning Trump and expressing alarm at the rhetoric of Gaetz, Greene and Boebert in the aftermath of Jan. 6, the House Republican leader rushed to make amends with his members. (McCarthy’s office declined to comment on the record for this story.) The MAGA Squad has spent the past year building their power, and now they’re preparing to wield it. If McCarthy—or any other Republican—wants to be Speaker, he’s going to have to go through them. And he’s not getting their votes without meeting their demands, which could include things like prosecuting Fauci, ousting Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, or even impeaching President Biden. The purpose, they say, isn’t amassing power for themselves. It’s shaping the agenda—and reshaping what the Republican Party stands for. Greene and Gaetz make small talk as his staffers set up the livestream on Rumble, a conservative-friendly social-media site. “On two Sunday shows, they had a big discussion of how irrelevant we are,” Gaetz confides to Greene, who sits next to him at a long table surrounded by klieg lights. On the wall of the cramped congressional-office-turned-podcast studio, there’s a black-and-white poster for S.J. “Jerry” Gaetz, the congressman’s grandfather, that dubs him “North Dakota’s Most Progressive Mayor.” In a glass display case, there’s a handwritten note from President Trump, scribbled in Sharpie on an article about Gaetz defending himself against a federal sex-trafficking probe involving the transportation of a 17-year-old across state lines. “Matt, This is Great,” Trump wrote. “Keep fighting – You will WIN!” A note from Trump is prominently displayed in Gaetz's congressional office Shuran Huang for TIME Gaetz believes his podcast to be Congress’s first-ever live-streamed simulcast, and sees it as an example of the innovative ways he’s working to get his message out. “They had to mention us by name to talk about how irrelevant we are,” Gaetz continues gleefully. “They love talking about the irrelevant people on the Sunday shows.” As Greene cackles at the irony, three-two-one the recording begins, and Gaetz introduces his guest, “the unbeatable, unstoppable Marjorie Taylor Greene.” Gaetz plays the Sunday-show clips. Appearing on Fox News Sunday, GOP political operative Karl Rove had dismissed the idea that McCarthy faced significant internal opposition. “There may be a few dissidents of the sort of Matt Gaetz-Marjorie Taylor Greene wing of the party, which seems to consist of basically two people,” Rove sniffed, mispronouncing the former’s name as “gites” instead of “gates.” Gaetz turns to Greene to get her take on this statement. “I want to tell you about Karl Rove,” she says, her syrupy Southern accent suddenly clipped and serious. “Karl Rove’s wing of the party is the failure part of our party.” It was this wing of the GOP, she says, that “led us into never-ending foreign wars,” needlessly killing American troops and leaving others to struggle with injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and drug addiction. “Their wing of the party has led us to this massive debt the American people are in,” Greene says. “Their wing of the party sent our jobs overseas. Their wing of the party is the complete failure that exists here in this town, Matt, and nobody cares what Karl Rove has to say. Everyone cares about what you have to say. People care about what I have to say. People care about what Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States, has to say.” Read More: On the Campaign Trail With Marjorie Taylor Greene. She’s not finished. “So Karl Rove can go kiss my ass, because I could care less what he has to say about any of us,” she says, drumming the table in agitation. “He’s dead wrong. He’s disconnected. And shame on Fox News for constantly having him on there.” “I do not believe that there is a single Republican running in a single primary in America that would rather stand on stage with Karl Rove or Chris Christie than Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz,” Gaetz responds. “There might be more of them inside the Beltway of Washington, D.C. But there’s more of them that are like us that are going to be voting in these primaries that run from now through September.” Greene waves signs with supporters outside a voting center in Dallas, Ga. Andrew Hetherington for TIME Of all the things she’s done in her 18 months in Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene is proudest of having thoroughly irritated her colleagues—Republicans and Democrats alike. “A lot of people beat me up and say, ‘Oh, she doesn’t even have committees,’” Greene tells me. “There’s so many ways to be effective, even if you’re not on a committee.” In February 2021, Greene was stripped of her committee assignments—just two weeks after she received them—after some of her old comments advocating political violence surfaced. In one 2019 Facebook video, Greene accused Speaker Nancy Pelosi of treason, which she described as “a crime punishable by death.” The House voted to remove Greene from the budget and education committees by a vote of 230 to 199, with 11 Republicans joining the Democrats in condemnation. But if they thought that would stop her, they were wrong. Much of the House’s business is mundane—dozens of uncontroversial bills that can be passed on a voice vote if no member objects. Realizing this, Greene decided she would park herself on the House floor and object to every one, forcing each of the 435 members to show up and take a position, yea or nay. “I think at first everybody thought, oh, she’s just mad, she’s got nothing else to do, so she’s pitching a fit,” Greene, who rarely speaks to the national mainstream media, tells me during a recent campaign swing through her Georgia district. A voice vote only takes an instant, but a recorded vote is held open for at least 15 minutes. “Everyone had to stop what they’re doing,” she says, with evident satisfaction. “They would have to leave whatever meeting they had, committee hearing they had, lunch meeting they had, fundraising calls they were doing, all because I would ask for a recorded vote. So it was an annoyance, and it slowed everything down.” Greene would sit there, hour after hour, making her objections. In March 2021, she knocked 13 bills off the schedule in a single week. Some never came back. Others turned out not to have the votes to pass. A first-term backbencher in the House minority was single-handedly derailing multiple bills the Democratic majority wanted to approve. The incensed majority leader, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, complained to McCarthy, according to Greene. “He demanded to know, is she going to keep doing this?” she says. “And basically [McCarthy] said, ‘We can’t control her—we can’t make her stop. I think she’s going to keep doing it.’ And I did keep doing it. And then all of a sudden it was Republicans who started getting mad.” (McCarthy’s office did not dispute Greene’s account of his conversation with Hoyer. In a press conference last year, he said “every member has a right” to make such procedural motions.) According to Greene, some of her GOP colleagues told her she was forcing them to take positions on tricky issues they’d rather avoid. “And I thought, you know, that even makes me want to come in harder,” she recalls. “Because, to me, why would any member of Congress be afraid for anyone to know how I vote? So I doubled down and kept doing it.” A number of her right-wing colleagues have now joined Greene in her floor objections. In May, a fellow House Republican complained to CNN that the tactic was “screwing all of us,” while the Democratic Chairman of the Rules Committee, Jim McGovern, compared the gambit to children throwing tantrums. “It’s clear Kevin McCarthy has no control over his members,” McGovern fumed. By Greene’s count, she has personally forced 39 recorded votes, and together with her allies has forced more than 500. It’s a sunny day in Northwest Georgia as Greene and I talk in the back of her campaign SUV, which is stocked with energy drinks, Advil and—Greene’s favorite—peanut M&Ms. She’s campaigning in advance of the May 24 primary, which she will soon win easily. Greene may not be popular in Washington, but she’s very popular here. The primary pitted her against five Republican challengers, all of whom campaigned on behaving less divisively. One was backed by the D.C. GOP establishment, with support from numerous national political-action committees and even some of Greene’s congressional colleagues. (Donors included Senators Bill Cassidy and Mitt Romney.) Greene went on to take 70% of the primary vote, winning by a 50-point margin. At campaign stops, the 48-year-old mother of three and former construction executive is mobbed by fans sporting Let’s Go Brandon T-shirts, InfoWars paraphernalia, and Impeach Biden stickers. At a diner in Rockmart, a small town near the Alabama border, a man with a cane and a big white beard shows up wearing a gray shirt with a picture of Greene shouldering an assault rifle and the words, “The GREENE New Deal.” She laughs and gives him a hug. Constituents tell her they’re worried the next election might be stolen, as they believe the last one was. They ask why the military can’t be deployed to expel “illegal aliens.” They want to know why Democrats don’t seem to believe in God. Supporters of Marjorie Taylor Greene at campaign events in her district before the May 24 primary Andrew Hetherington for TIME “Anything I can do for you?” she asks a man in a booth wearing a Second Amendment trucker cap. “Just keep doin’ what you’re doin’,” he says. “Give ‘em hell.” Greene isn’t just a celebrity here. She and Gaetz drew hundreds of supporters on a joint “America First” tour last summer that made stops from Iowa to Arizona. A June Morning Consult/POLITICO poll found three-quarters of American voters have heard of Greene, nearly matching McCarthy’s 87% name recognition. Greene has raised nearly $10 million during her term, making her one of the conference’s top fundraisers. The Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance cited Greene’s endorsement as one of the most important factors in his recent primary victory, along with Trump’s and Tucker Carlson’s. Liberals and the media may pity or despise the constituents who thrill to Greene’s provocations, but in a democracy, they are as deserving of representation as anyone else, and in Greene, they see the closest thing they’ve had to a real voice in Congress. This is the source of her power, and her colleagues in Washington know it. Before she ran for Congress in 2020, Greene was just your average Q-curious Christian mom, posting conspiracy theories on Facebook and cheering Trump against his many haters, from the “Nazi” George Soros to the “Islamic invasion” of Muslim elected officials. Some national Republicans shunned her candidacy—the House GOP’s No. 2, Steve Scalise, backed her primary opponent, though McCarthy was neutral—but Trump embraced her, tweeting that she was “a future Republican Star.” Greene, who says she still talks to Trump regularly, repaid the favor before she even took office. On Dec. 31, 2020, she texted Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, to let him know she had arrived in DC and would “like to meet with Rudy Giuliani again” to “get organized for the 6th,” according to messages Meadows provided to the Jan. 6 select committee that were obtained by CNN. On Jan. 6, she and Gaetz were planning to spearhead an objection to the certification of Michigan’s electoral votes when violence broke out instead. “Please tell the President to calm people,” she texted Meadows. “This isn’t the way to solve anything.” The next morning, she wrote, “Absolutely no excuse and I fully denounce all of it, but after shut downs all year and a stolen election, people are saying that they have no other choice.” Meadows replied, “Thanks Marjorie.” By Jan. 17, three days before Biden’s inauguration, she still hadn’t given up. “In our private chat with only Members, several are saying the only way to save our Republic is for Trump to call for Marshall (sic) law,” she told Meadows. “I don’t know on those things. I just wanted you to tell him. They stole this election. We all know. They will destroy our country next. Please tell him to declassify as much as possible so we can go after Biden and anyone else!” (Greene has refused to comment on the texts, saying she doesn’t trust CNN and can’t confirm they are authentic.) Today, her view is that while Jan. 6 was a horrible riot, it’s hypocritical of Democrats to focus on it while ignoring the riots that occurred across the country in the summer of 2020. “I was upset for weeks after [Jan. 6]. I was really shocked,” she tells me. “And then, what happened afterwards, we all get blamed for it. And that is still hurtful to this day—hurtful even more now, because now I’m being thrown in the news as supposedly one of the people that caused it.” In our interview, Greene declined to criticize McCarthy for the leaked tapes, ascribing the harsh words to a tense time long past. “I think we were all saying negative things about each other” at that time, she says. “There was a lot of confusion.” She would like to see the caucus run differently in some ways, “but I’m not going to go on a full bashing-Kevin-McCarthy tirade,” she says. “Kind of like I wouldn’t take my kids and fuss at them out in public. I would take them and we would talk about it privately.” But Greene is forthright about the fact that she expects to have some leverage over McCarthy if he seeks the Speakership, and she intends to make the most of it. Whoever wants to be the next Speaker, Greene tells me, is going to have to earn her backing—and that of her allies. “I would say my support is very important,” she says. “I think I may have some influence. Probably, if margins are narrow, it would be a strategic key.” What will she demand? Greene doesn’t want to show her hand completely, but says she’s in the process of formulating a policy agenda she calls “American Revival.“ The package of bills, which Greene hopes to unveil before the election, is likely to include her proposals to rein in social media platforms, bolster border security and eliminate Fauci’s position. “I want to see a plan, and I want to know the person is going to stick to it,” she says of whoever solicits her vote for Speaker. She would like to see the GOP majority impeach Biden, for one thing, and pass a federal abortion ban for another. “If everyone says they’re pro-life, we should end abortion,” she tells me. In speeches to constituents, she advocates firing Fauci, investigating Hunter Biden, and impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas along with the President. She and Gaetz have argued that a Republican House should focus on investigating and exposing Democratic malfeasance rather than passing partisan “messaging” bills that will never become law. What she definitely doesn’t want to see is a repeat of the Paul Ryan years, which she terms “weak leadership.” “I mean, Paul Ryan didn’t repeal Obamacare,” she says. (When Ryan was Speaker in 2017, the House did in fact pass a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but it failed in the Senate.) “They didn’t fund and build the wall. And when every Republican there called themselves pro-life, they didn’t do anything about abortion, but they actually funded Planned Parenthood.” “To me,” she adds, “that’s a complete failure on three fundamental issues.” For all the harsh rhetoric, Greene says she’s been trying to dial it back and become more of a team player as she’s gained experience in Congress. “I’ve learned a lot. I’ve definitely made mistakes,” she says. I ask what comes to mind. “Maybe attacking at times when I didn’t need to, when I could have tried talking to them first, but I attacked publicly,” she says. “Kevin McCarthy is one. I’ve attacked other colleagues for their votes.” Then again, she reflects, “I’m not saying I won’t ever do it again. I probably will.” One of Matt Gaetz’s favorite mementos is a photo with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the liberal congresswoman from New York and national political celebrity. In the picture, they’re dressed in their congressional garb, standing with big smiles on either side of Father Patrick Conroy, a Jesuit priest and House chaplain, who had asked them to pose for his 2019 Christmas card. (Greene, for her part, recently accused the Catholic Church of being “controlled by Satan” for its work assisting migrants.) “Peace on Earth, Good Will to All!” it says in red script beneath the photo. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Matt Gaetz pose alongside former House Chaplain Father Patrick Conroy for Conroy's 2019 Christmas card Shuran Huang for TIMEReps. But that was two impeachments and an insurrection ago. Gaetz used to have cordial relationships with some Democrats, finding common ground on issues like antitrust and drug policy. (Once, he and Ocasio-Cortez even teamed up on a failed amendment to promote research of psychedelics.) But few Democrats will even talk to him anymore, he explains mournfully. “It was the populist right and populist left against the neoconservative middle,” Gaetz says. “But all of that functionally ended after Jan. 6.” All the policy affinity in the world, it seems, was no match for one little attempted coup. Gaetz’s brown hair rises from his forehead in a magnificently gelled wave. “Ever since Dave Brat lost, this has been the best hair in Congress,” he boasts, referring to a former Republican representative from Virginia. He’s fascinated by Ocasio-Cortez and her allies in the left-wing Squad, who he sees as role models for the mastery of asymmetric power. “I have studied carefully the tactics of the Squad, and many are admirable,” he tells me in one of our interviews. “I am very impressed at the ability of a very small number of people to shape the policy goals of the conference. That’s what I want to do.” Read More: Matt Gaetz Wants To Make Trumpism the New Normal. It’s not just the votes the Squad commands, but their ability to use social media, grassroots fundraising and clout with the Democratic base to pressure congressional leadership. Gaetz points to a July 2021 episode in which Democratic Representative Cori Bush of Missouri protested the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium: “Is not one of the greatest flexes of the 117th Congress Cori Bush sleeping on the steps of the Capitol and getting the Biden Administration, in a matter of, like, 48 hours, to totally reverse their position?” he says. “I obviously don’t share the policy goals of Congresswoman Bush, but there’s a freshman congresswoman who, by virtue of a pretty compelling direct action, got the Biden Administration to straight-up flip.” Gaetz considers himself different from other members of Congress. He travels widely, campaigning for other members and candidates, but has held just one fundraiser in the past four years. He doesn’t take money from political action committees—neither corporate PACs nor those associated with advocacy organizations like the National Rifle Association. (Like Greene, Gaetz represents a safe Republican district, Florida’s 1st, which covers the state’s Western Panhandle.) And he prides himself on taking unconventional stands for a Republican. During his time in the Florida legislature, he wrote and passed the state’s laws legalizing gay adoption and medical marijuana. In 2020 he defied Trump to vote with Democrats to limit presidential war powers in Iran, earning a public scolding from McCarthy and Lou Dobbs on Fox News. Gaetz has no interest in running for a leadership position or giving C-SPAN speeches to an empty chamber. “Members of Congress are often actors who are reading out lines and participating in scenes that are produced, directed and written by others,” he says. “They don’t have agency. And often the people who are writing the scripts and producing the plays are donors and lobbyists.” A few days after the Times published its recording of McCarthy privately telling colleagues in the wake of the Jan. 6 breach that he planned to urge Trump to resign—something he had denied having said just the day before—the paper released another recording from the same time period, in which McCarthy, on a phone call with GOP leadership, singled out Gaetz and accused him of “putting people in jeopardy” by publicly referring to Cheney as “anti-Trump.” In that recording, McCarthy also expressed a wish that members like Boebert, Greene, Brooks and Barry Moore of Alabama might lose their Twitter accounts. He said he had consulted with the FBI and planned to tell Gaetz, “This is serious s–t, cut this out.” Gaetz tells me that McCarthy did subsequently call him, but the conversation went rather differently. “He calls me and says, ‘When you’re talking about other members, I would prefer you not use their names, okay?'” Gaetz recalls. “And I said, ‘When they stop using Trump’s name, I’ll stop using theirs.’ And he said, ‘Well, I asked,’ and I said, ‘Well, agree to disagree.’ The entire call lasted less than 30 seconds.” The interaction, Gaetz says, felt more like a box-checking exercise than a tongue-lashing. Upon the tapes’ release, Gaetz publicly called McCarthy “weak” and said his comments were “sniveling” and “not worthy of leadership.” On May 28, when Trump held an anti-Cheney rally in Wyoming, McCarthy sent a video message that the crowd roundly jeered. “I see conditions that are unfavorable to a successful speakership when, at a Donald Trump rally, the leader of the Republican conference was booed on a monitor and likely would have been booed off the stage,” Gaetz tells me. (Gaetz was scheduled to appear at the rally, but his flight was canceled. When he appeared on the monitor, the crowd cheered.) Before the Times tapes, Gaetz tells me, “I don’t think McCarthy would have been booed at a Trump rally. After he talked s–t about me, the boos rained down, and I got a standing ovation.” Gaetz is recruiting and endorsing like-minded candidates to join him in the next Congress Shuran Huang for TIME In a normal world, McCarthy’s duplicity might disturb the members he purports to lead. But the bulk of the Republican caucus responded with a shrug—a weird equanimity that only makes sense in the twisted Washington logic of mutual self-preservation, the same peculiar docility with which most GOP politicians accepted Trump’s constant humiliations. McCarthy and Trump both said they had mended fences with no hard feelings. (Trump recently endorsed McCarthy for reelection, but has yet to back him for Speaker.) When McCarthy walked into the caucus meeting immediately following the tapes’ release, he was greeted with a standing ovation and announced, according to Gaetz, that he planned to “lean in” to the controversy, whatever that means. (McCarthy’s office did not dispute Gaetz’s description of his remarks.) Even Gaetz says he hasn’t ruled out voting for McCarthy for Speaker. He says he wasn’t particularly shocked by the revelation that the leader had lied. “Truth is not really part of the covenant between Republican leadership and the membership,” he says. “It is a covenant based on money. Kevin McCarthy is the most elite fundraiser in the history of the Republican caucus. He is the LeBron James of lobbyist and PAC fundraising. And that is his covenant with the conference.” It would be silly, in his view, to be surprised by McCarthy’s deceptions. “I mean, John Boehner lied to us constantly. Paul Ryan lied to us constantly. What, we thought we were going to get the great truth-teller next?” How much power Gaetz and his allies have in the next Congress depends, of course, on how the midterms turn out. He has endorsed and campaigned for numerous House candidates, including Anna Paulina Luna and Anthony Sabatini, both running for open seats in Florida; Joe Kent, a primary challenger to Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington state, who voted to impeach Trump; and Bo Hines, who won his North Carolina primary in May. Most have been endorsed by Trump. Some face McCarthy-backed primary opponents. “I need backup,” Gaetz says. “If I don’t get a bunch of folks through these primaries and into this expected Republican majority—if [the new GOP members] are all just here to cash the lobbyist checks, shuttle the PAC money to leadership and earn their frivolous attaboys along the way—I don’t have much of a fighting force.” Gaetz says no one has asked for his vote for Speaker, but his ideal candidate would be Representative Jim Jordan, the veteran Ohio right-winger who passionately defended Trump during the first impeachment, and who Gaetz calls “the spiritual and intellectual leader of this conference.” “Where Jim goes, the conference goes,” Gaetz adds. “I don’t even remember who holds which austere titles that append to what corner offices and expanded staff budgets, but they are the followers. Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, myself—we are the leaders.” Jordan has said he supports McCarthy for Speaker and has no plans to run. Then again, anything can happen: McCarthy was in line to become Speaker when Boehner stepped down in 2015, only to be derailed in part by rumors of an affair, and have Ryan take the job instead. “Paul Ryan was for Kevin McCarthy last time Kevin ran for Speaker,” Gaetz says cheekily. “I think one of the first steps to becoming Speaker is initially supporting Kevin McCarthy.” But Gaetz, Greene and their fellow travelers argue it would be a mistake to see them merely as a thorn in McCarthy’s side. In fact, these days, they’re pretty pleased with him. When Greene was kicked off her committees, she demanded McCarthy promise to retaliate by removing some Democrats from committees once Republicans take the majority. He immediately agreed. When Gaetz proposed that the prospective Republican majority focus every House committee on oversight of the Biden Administration, McCarthy soon began touting the same idea—in practically the same words. When McCarthy made a recent trip to the southern border, Greene was among the members invited to tag along. “I frankly have more animosity and disappointment with Kevin McCarthy for enabling her than Marjorie Taylor Greene herself,” says a GOP congressional aide. “She’s accruing power and forcing leadership to be subservient to her. She knows really well how to wield power.” Why vote against a man you’ve already got wrapped around your little finger? “The critique of McCarthy is not that he has ignored us, or pretended like we don’t exist,” Gaetz adds with a broad grin. “In fact, he’s highly responsive to us.” The MAGA Squad: They’re here. They’re weird. And pretty soon, they may be in control of the GOP Congress—if they aren’t already. With reporting by Mariah Espada and Julia Zorthian Write to Molly Ball at [email protected]. | US Congress |
What’s more, Wu has notably missed a number of high-profile ribbon cuttings and groundbreaking ceremonies — bread and butter events for her predecessors — including the June opening of Amazon’s new building in the Seaport District and an event a few days later to celebrate a deck over the Massachusetts Turnpike that will hold an office and lab tower, and hotel. Governor Charlie Baker attended both events.Get Innovation BeatBoston Globe tech reporters tell the story of the region's technology and innovation industry, highlighting key players, trends, and why they matter.Developers “are used to having the best seat at the table, and now they’re just at the table, and that’s a change for them,” said Erin O’Brien, a University of Massachusetts Boston politics professor. “The fact that they’re complaining tells you that the power dynamics in Boston are shifting. And that’s what Michelle Wu’s coalition wanted.”Indeed, Wu is adhering closely to a populist agenda that got her elected in a landslide, one that is guided by the priorities of community groups, not business interests. It is a rebalancing of power by the city’s first woman, person of color, and millennial to be elected mayor. And developers are uneasy as Wu sets out to deliver on campaign promises to blow up the city’s development process, cap rent growth, and extract more affordable housing funding from big builders.How Wu is dealing with developers also provides a window into how she governs. In an interview, Wu said she believes City Hall can be more effective if she empowers her Cabinet chiefs and department heads, and credits that approach for enabling her administration to launch new initiatives in areas such as child care, climate resiliency, and downtown revitalization.“There are so many empowered leaders within the City Hall organization taking on this work versus just one person at the top, a bottleneck approving every single decision,” she said.Wu acknowledges it took a long time to fill key posts in her administration — in large part because she had a truncated two-week transition between Election Day and taking office — while also steering the city through another COVID-19 surge.“My focus from the beginning has been building out our team at City Hall, so that we could get as much done as possible in collaboration with community members,” she added. “That means that I haven’t been able to take every meeting that I’ve wanted to, especially some of the one-on-one’s.”Mayor Michelle Wu — who posed for a selfie at April's Boston Marathon with former mayors Kim Janey and Martin J. Walsh — has much less of a relationship with Boston's powerful development community than her predecessors.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe StaffSimilarly, that’s why Wu has missed out on prominent real estate events, noting that June was a particularly busy month for her administration.Still, with the bulk of her Cabinet roles now filled — notably Boston Public Schools superintendent, police commissioner, and Boston Planning & Development Agency director — Wu said she expects her calendar to free up.“As our team gets solidified, I will have more time for more of those meetings and appearances,” she said.Developers, however, shouldn’t expect a return to business as usual.They have cultivated mayoral relationships over the years for a reason: They need City Hall’s blessing to get their projects underway. And other mayors have obliged, in part because new buildings generate revenue for the city budget. Property taxes account for nearly three-quarters of the city’s revenue, up from one-half two decades ago — and the majority comes from taxes on “commercial, industrial, and personal properties,” not residential.Menino relished the sway he had over developers, famously taking a hands-on approach to real estate projects, poring over a detail such as what the top of a Back Bay skyscraper should look like.Walsh didn’t get as involved as Menino, instead delegating the work of managing a massive building boom to the revamped and renamed BPDA. But as a former construction union leader, Walsh understood the industry and knew what development meant for jobs and Boston’s economy, and was known in real estate circles for taking meetings with developers.When Janey became acting mayor after Walsh became US labor secretary last year, she, too, kept an open-door policy with developers. And when she ran for mayor, prominent developers and real estate lawyers served on her campaign finance committee.Even though Wu was a longtime city councilor before she was elected mayor, she has never been known to have a particularly close relationship with the downtown business community, and her campaign received comparatively few donations from the real estate industry, especially in the early months of last year’s wide-open primary.With Wu in charge of City Hall, developers should expect to meet first with Arthur Jemison, who started in late May as both chief planner and BPDA director. Wu introduced Jemison to a few dozen developers at a gathering at the city-owned Parkman House in April, and several say they’ve met with him individually since then. Developers are encouraged that someone is now at the helm of the agency, but concerned about staffing losses. More than 100 people have left the BPDA since 2020, and many positions remain unfilled.After months of stalemate, Mayor Michelle Wu helped negotiate an agreement between Harvard University and community groups in Allston that led to approval of the first phase of Harvard's Enterprise Research Campus in the neighborhood.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff“I’ve not met one person who does not want her to succeed,” said longtime Boston real estate attorney and former city councilor Larry DiCara. “But she probably has spent less time talking to business leaders than many of her predecessors.”The issue of Wu’s relationship with the business community came up at a recent meeting of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s executive committee. While chamber chief executive Jim Rooney said he talks frequently with the mayor on issues such as schools and reviving downtown, other leaders have struggled to understand how to work with her.“They’re still trying to figure out how to deal with City Hall. That’s the stage we’re in,” said Rooney. “We all have to practice the fine art of being patiently impatient.”Developer Richard Taylor said members of the business community are experiencing a bit of a culture shock.“The business community, in particular the real estate community, has to appreciate this is different, and adjust our thinking on how to work with City Hall,” said Taylor, who is developing a city-owned lot in Roxbury’s Nubian Square and is bidding on another city-owned parcel in Roxbury.As Ron O’Hanley, chief executive of State Street Corp. and chairman of the chamber board, points out, the business community ultimately needs the support of the mayor, and vice versa.“The region’s not going to be successful if she’s not successful,” O’Hanley said. “I’m confident that she’s going to have a high impact, and I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to work with her.”While developers may feel out of sorts with Wu, it’s a different story with community leaders and activists — many of whom feel heard and seen for the first time in a long time.Take Wu’s negotiation of Harvard’s massive commercial development plans in Allston. To address concerns from the neighborhood, Wu paused the city review of a mixed-use complex proposed by New York-based real estate giant Tishman Speyer on Harvard land.She met with representatives for the developer and the university, alongside local politicians. As Harvard and Tishman Speyer proposed mitigation measures — more affordable housing, more master planning — and neighbors remained wary, Wu hosted a meeting at City Hall in June to broker a peace.Tony D’Isidoro, head of the Allston Civic Association, said Wu spoke first, then Jemison. Then D’Isidoro was given an opportunity to speak alongside two neighborhood activists, before Harvard or the developers.“I think that sent a message to Harvard and Tishman Speyer,” said D’Isidoro, “that she was not going to move forward until she had assurances from the community.”In fact, Wu called D’Isidoro days before the BPDA approved the project’s first phase in July to make sure he was OK with it.For state Representative Mike Moran, a Wu supporter who represents Allston, that meeting was a watershed moment to have all the key stakeholders around the table — not only Harvard and developers, but also Allston-Brighton groups and local elected officials — as equals.“Never once has that happened . . . until Michelle Wu,” Moran said.He added that no one should be surprised by this approach. Wu ran as a reformer.“I don’t necessarily think she’s antibusiness,” Moran said. “There’s a different way to do business now.”Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at [email protected]. Jon Chesto can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jonchesto. Catherine Carlock can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @bycathcarlock. | US Local Policies |
U.S. Hiring To Slow Again Amid Writers Strike, Yellow Bankruptcy
A monthly report on US employment due Friday is set to show net hiring slowed again to a fresh post-2020 low of 182,000 in August, according to Bloomberg Economics.
(Bloomberg) -- A monthly report on US employment due Friday is set to show net hiring slowed again to a fresh post-2020 low of 182,000 in August, according to Bloomberg Economics.
Two high-profile events in particular — the Hollywood writers’ strike and the bankruptcy of trucking company Yellow Corp. — probably weighed on the numbers, Bloomberg economists Anna Wong, Stuart Paul and Eliza Winger wrote Thursday in a preview of the report. Wage growth probably also slowed, they said.
“The two main drags on August’s private payrolls are the Writers Guild of America strike, and layoffs following the bankruptcy of trucking company Yellow,” Wong, Paul and Winger said.
“We think the cracks in the labor market will widen in coming months, with a potential strike by the United Auto Workers and a possible government shutdown turning payrolls negative in the fall.”
Read More: US PREVIEW: A ‘Swift’ Summer Papers Over Cracks in Job Market
Hiring has been slowing throughout the year as employers have completed the process of restaffing positions that were lost in the initial stage of the pandemic. In June and July, hiring rates finally returned to pre-pandemic levels, at just under 200,000 per month.
That leaves the US labor market at a critical juncture, with forecasters wondering whether the slowdown will continue — raising recession risks — or whether job creation can settle into a new normal, more in line with the pre-pandemic pace.
Several economists — including those at the Federal Reserve, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase & Co. — have in recent weeks rescinded their predictions for a recession as data on economic growth have surprised to the upside, inflation has cooled and labor-market indicators have remained resilient.
Bloomberg Economics, though, is among those sticking by their recession calls, despite the broader shift in sentiment.
Paul, Wong and Winger pointed to signs typically seen early on in recessions, such as employers cutting hours, workers seeking multiple jobs to make ends meet, bankrupt firms laying off workers, and wages softening. “Once these dynamics start asserting themselves, they’re hard to stop,” they wrote.
Another key indicator to watch in the report is average hourly earnings. Wage growth has slowed this year, though in recent months it’s shown signs of stabilizing at rates above levels the Fed views as compatible with its 2% inflation target.
Average hourly earnings rose 4.4% over the last 12 months. In comparison, the fastest rate of wage growth achieved in the pre-pandemic economic expansion was 3.6%.
“With private-sector demand for labor softening, we expect month-on-month wage growth slowed to 0.2% in August” after advancing 0.4% in July, the Bloomberg economists said. “Annualized, that monthly pace would be consistent with the Fed’s 2% inflation objective.”
Wong, Paul and Winger expect the report will show the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6% last month, while labor force participation remained unchanged at 62.6%. Their predictions are broadly in line with consensus estimates in a Bloomberg survey of outside forecasters.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | US Federal Policies |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The House passed a bill 396-27 to increase security for Supreme Court justices' immediate families on Tuesday, approving a measure that had already been passed by unanimous consent in the Senate.The bill comes after one man was arrested for allegedly plotting to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh and protesters demonstrated outside the homes of conservative justices following the leak of a draft opinion in a high-profile abortion case.The bill provides for 24-hour protection for Supreme Court justices' families, similar to what is already provided for some members of the executive and legislative branches.All 27 nay votes were Democrats. Law enforcement officers stand guard as protesters march past Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home on June 8, 2022 in Chevy Chase, Maryland. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)The Senate bill was introduced three days after Politico published the leaked draft opinion, which suggested that the Supreme Court intends to overturn Roe v. Wade. While the Senate acted quickly, the House waited more than a month before approving the bill.‘RUTH SENT US’ GROUP HINTED AT TARGETING SUPREME COURT JUSTICE BARRETT'S CHILDREN, CHURCHThe bill expands an existing statute that currently only covers the justices themselves, as well as Supreme Court officers and employees while they are performing their duties.Prior to announcing that the House would vote on the bill, Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., introduced an alternative bill that would grant additional protection for court staff such as clerks, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it was unlikely to pass in the Senate.ARMED SUSPECT ARRESTED NEAR JUSTICE KAVANAUGH HOME IDENTIFIED"The security issue is related to Supreme Court justices, not nameless staff that no one knows," McConnell said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFollowing the leak of the draft opinion, a left-wing organization posted the locations of the justices' homes. This led to demonstrations outside their houses which drew support from the White House, despite federal law prohibiting such activity if it is meant to influence a judge. California man Nicholas Roske traveled from his home state to Maryland, allegedly in order to kill Kavanaugh. Roske ended up calling 911 from outside Kavanaugh's house. In a recording of the call, he could be heard speaking about the plan and how he decided that he did not want to go through with it.Fox News' Kelly Phares contributed to this report. | SCOTUS |
Last week was amazing for Joe Biden. The Red Wave fizzled. The Democrats kept the Senate. Even if the House slips from the Democrats’ grasp, as it is expected to, Biden will be credited with engineering the strongest midterm showing by an incumbent president’s party since 2002, and the most impressive such performance by a sitting Democratic president since JFK in 1962. Women’s anger at the supreme court’s Dobbs decision hammered the Republicans in key states. Many of Trump’s highest-flying, election-denying candidates fell to earth, damaging the ex-president’s aura of invincibility. Fights and recriminations have now broken out everywhere in Republican ranks.And there’s more from last week to bring a smile to Biden’s face: inflation moderated, the Dow rocketed skyward, and Ukrainians pushed the Russians out of Kherson, a big win not just for Ukraine but for Biden’s European foreign policy. And, oh yes, in America, young people – the country’s future – came out in relatively large numbers and, in critical contests, broke for the Democrats in a big way.And yet, what did this past week of exceptional political success yield for Biden and Democrats? Their majority in the Senate is still razor-thin. If they lose the House, their already narrow path to passing legislation will shrink further. House Republicans are likely to use a new House majority to flood media with an investigation of Hunter Biden and other vulnerable Democratic party figures – payback for the January 6 hearings. Even the most impressively conceived legislative proposals coming from the White House may be greeted with House Republican intransigence.Nevertheless, looking ahead to 2024, there are grounds for optimism, not just that Democrats can win but that they can begin to build bigger and more enduring majorities. Most importantly, three major legislative achievements of the Biden administration to date are likely to have a greater impact on the 2024 election than they did in 2022. The most important of these is the curiously titled Inflation Reduction Act. That bill has not gotten the credit it deserves, in part because of its silly name and in part because it is much smaller than the $5tn Build Back Bill from which it is descended.Watching that original bill get whittled down and carved up across 2021 and 2022 was not a pretty sight. Yet the final version of the legislation contains truly important initiatives in multiple spheres, nowhere more so than the nearly $400bn appropriated for investments in green technology and for tax breaks and subsidies to businesses and homeowners to convert to clean energy. The bill constitutes the biggest single investment that the federal government has made in a green energy future.Of nearly equal importance in Biden’s first two years were two other bills: the trillion-dollar Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to improve the nation’s crumbling physical infrastructure; and the Chips Act, to re-shore, in a massive way, the research, design and production of semi-conductor computer chips, those tiny, ubiquitous and indispensable components that drive every computer and virtually all of America’s (and the world’s) machines and phones.In these three initiatives, the Democrats have laid down a foundation for a program of political economy that diverges significantly from its neoliberal predecessor. This older vision of political economy, long embraced both by Republicans and Democrats, insisted on freeing markets and capital from government oversight and direction. The Biden program, by contrast, is grounded in the belief that a strong government is necessary to steer – and, in some cases, compel – markets and corporations into serving the public good. It crystallized from the extensive discussions between the Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders wings of the Democratic party across 2020 and 2021. It represents a profound departure from the last 30 of governing practice.The industrial policies being promoted by the Biden administration won’t lead to nationalization; they focus instead on incentivizing the private sector to pursue broadly agreed upon economic aims. Two of the three aforementioned bills – the Chips Act and the Infrastructure Act – passed the Senate with significant Republican support. Quietly, Biden has delivered on his promise to open a new pathway to bipartisanship. There will be opportunities to broaden this bipartisanship, especially in regard to breaking up or regulating the monopoly power of the giant social media companies. Strong support for doing so exists on both sides of the Senate aisle. One key question is whether this incipient senatorial cross-party collaboration can soften the country’s paralyzing political polarization and persuade a few House Republicans to support upper chamber initiatives. Another is whether the Democrats can use their new program of political economy to sell a broad swath of the electorate – including constituencies currently lying beyond Democratic redoubts – on the party’s vision of the good life.Judging by the midterms’ voting patterns alone, one might be tempted to say no. But there are reasons to think otherwise. For one, economic circumstances will be different in 2024 than they are now. Inflation will probably have moderated and thus may have faded as a political flashpoint. The recession that the Fed seems so determined to trigger will have occurred, and a recovery will be under way. Additionally, by 2024, corporate America (as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act) will be more deeply invested in green technology. The conversion to post-fossil fuel economy will have correspondingly accelerated, as America’s robust private sector glimpses the profits to be made in the clean energy revolution. Moreover, by 2024, the first new infrastructural projects should be nearing completion, yielding visible improvements in America’s creaking system of bridges, roads, and transportation hubs and networks. All this investment and building should generate jobs and, perhaps, the promise of a better life for many long denied it. A somnolent US labor movement is reawakening, a development that, if it continues, will help to ensure that future jobs carry with them decent wages. Perhaps word will spread that Democrats are capable of managing America’s dynamic but unruly economy in the public interest.Is this too rosy a picture? Perhaps. Biden will never be a “great communicator”. Trump’s shrinking but still ardent band of zealots will continue to threaten American democracy. The red state-blue state divide endures. House Republicans together with the US supreme court may obstruct further Democratic efforts at reform. And we don’t know what a desperate Putin might inflict on the world if he truly believed that his reign over Russia was about to end.If we take the long view, however, and concede that a progressive political order requires a long march, then we might one day look back on this midterm – and on Biden’s first two years – and discern in them the first steps toward a better future. Gary Gerstle is Mellon professor of American history emeritus at Cambridge and a Guardian US columnist. His most recent book is The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era (2022) | US Federal Elections |
First lady Jill Biden was with DeSantis when Roe decision came downJosh Lederman2m ago / 4:40 PM UTCFirst lady Jill Biden was with Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when she learned of the Supreme Court ruling, a White House official told NBC News.The first lady was preparing to go onstage at the memorial for the one year anniversary of the Champlain tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, along with DeSantis and his wife in a holding room. Moments before the first lady walked on stage, the news alerts popped up on everyone’s phones.In April, DeSantis signed a Florida law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.Democratic governors in the West pledge to stand up for abortion rightsDemocratic governors in California, Oregon and Washington said Friday they will continue to "protect" patients seeking reproductive care, including those from other states seeking abortions.California's Gavin Newsom, Oregon's Kate Brown and Washington's Jay Inslee made the announcement in a video message released after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, presenting themselves as a counterweight to "red states and Republican-stacked courts.""California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients' access to reproductive care," Newsom said.Inslee said: "We're going to work with our legislators, with our providers, with our patient advocates."Brown said: "We will not stand on the sidelines."'With sorrow...we dissent': Court's liberal wing says majority decided women not deserving of equal protectionIn a blistering dissent to the court's decision reversing abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the majority opinion as one that would curtail women's rights.“It says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A State can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote in the lengthy dissent."With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent," they added.Read the full story here.Planned Parenthood Wisconsin temporarily suspends abortion servicesAntonio Planas7m ago / 4:35 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood Wisconsin announced Friday it was “temporarily suspending” abortion services in response to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.In a video statement on the organization’s website, the group's President Tanya Atkinson lamented the Supreme Court’s decision because it has taken away a constitutional right from women and instead placed health care decisions in the hands of politicians.“Because Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban remains in effect, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin is temporarily suspending abortion services,” Atkinson said. “Please know that we are looking at all legal options available. This news is so incredibly devastating. The decision of whether or not to become a parent can be one of the most life-changing decisions a person can make,” she said. “You should be able to make the very personal, very needed health care decisions.”Atkinson added that although abortion services are not available in Wisconsin, the organization is still there for people who need abortions and will counsel them on finding options where abortions are safe and legal. The group, Atkinson said, will also be available for “after-care” services. Other services provided by the organization are also available at its centers or through telehealth, Atkinson said.“Planned Parenthood Wisconsin stands for health care, and we will not give up, not now, not ever,” she said.Anger and joy outside Supreme CourtTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court early Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue gathered to bear witness to the end of the Roe era. "It's really a visceral issue," said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday's decision. "The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone." Paige Nelson, 20, cried tears of joy on the street in front of the Supreme Court, where the grounds long used for demonstrations have been closed off for weeks as a security precaution."I’m just so happy that no matter who you are and whatever extra chromosomes or whatever disability you might have, you get the chance to live this amazing life, and I will continue advocating until abortion is completely gone," said Nelson, a Washington state resident who is participating in a summer program with the conservative Concerned Women of America.Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls Roe decision 'horrific'Reuters12m ago / 4:30 PM UTCCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday called the Supreme Court decision "horrific."“The news coming out of the United States is horrific. My heart goes out to the millions of American women who are now set to lose their legal right to an abortion,” Trudeau said on Twitter.“No government, politician, or man should tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body,” he said.GOP Sen. Mitt Romney says he supports Roe's reversalSen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, praised the Supreme Court's ruling Friday in a brief statement. "The sanctity of human life is a foundational American principle, and the lives of our children—both born and unborn—deserve our protection," Romney said. "I support the Court’s decision, which means that laws regarding abortion will now rightfully be returned to the people and their elected representatives," he added.AG Merrick Garland says states cannot ban access to medications for abortionsAttorney General Merrick Garland vowed to protect access to Mifepristone, which is used along with another medication to end early pregnancies.“In particular, the FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy," he wrote in a statement.The Food and Drug Administration approved in 2016 the use of the medications in terminating abortions.The "Department will continue to protect healthcare providers and individuals seeking reproductive health services in states where those services remain legal," his statement added. "This law prohibits anyone from obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage."Decision a 'dark moment,' British rights group says The Supreme Court’s decision is a “dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” the chair of a British rights group said Friday. ‘This is a hugely significant set back for abortion rights. Not just in the U.S. but it will embolden anti-abortion activists here and in Poland, Malta and other places where the struggle for access is already desperate,” Kerry Abel of Abortion Rights said in a statement. “Any chink in the legislative armour that undermines the right to privacy, makes access more difficult or puts abortion funding out of reach will impact poorer and marginalised women and pregnantpeople and will encourage yet more anti-abortion legislation and action,” she said. “This is a dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” she added.Rep. Jamie Raskin knocks Thomas, says they are not 'like real judges at this point'Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., knocked Justice Clarence Thomas, saying he is trying to "demolish the constitutional right to privacy" while blasting the high court's justices as an "instrument of the right-wing Republican agenda." "Roe versus Wade was built on Griswold versus Connecticut, which asserted a constitutional right to privacy for women and men to obtain contraception and birth control," Raskin said Friday. "They might like to pretend as if this is some kind of singular strike against just women's right to abortion, but it has implications for contraception. It has implications for the right of gay people to get married under the Obergefell decision. It has implications for the right of people not to be sterilized by the government against their will."Raskin added that the justices are "not like real judges at this point." "I mean, they’ve got the power of it, but they basically have turned themselves into partisans," he said.Sen. Susan Collins calls ruling 'not conservative' Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted to confirm Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh who were part of Friday's majority opinion, said in a statement that the ruling was an "ill-considered action" and "not conservative." "The Supreme Court has abandoned a fifty-year precedent at a time that the country is desperate for stability. This ill-considered action will further divide the country at a moment when, more than ever in modern times, we need the Court to show both consistency and restraint," Collins said. "Throwing out a precedent overnight that the country has relied upon for half a century is not conservative. It is a sudden and radical jolt to the country that will lead to political chaos, anger, and a further loss of confidence in our government."Collins said that the ruling was "inconsistent" with what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their congressional testimony and in meetings with her where, she said, "they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents that the country has relied upon."Collins said she is working on a bill with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would codify Roe, Casey, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, and Griswold v. Connecticut."Our legislation would enshrine important abortion protections into law without undercutting statutes that have been in place for decades and without eliminating basic conscience protections that are relied upon by health care providers who have religious objections to performing abortions," she said.U.K.'s Boris Johnson calls Roe decision 'a big step backward'British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would have a "massive" impact around the world. “This is not our court, it’s another jurisdiction, but it clearly has massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world," he said during a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda. "It’s a very important decision." "I think it’s a big step backwards," Johnson, who leads the Conservative Party, added. "I’ve always believed in a woman’s right to choose and I stick to that view and that is why the U.K. has the laws that it does.”Missouri governor signs state proclamation banning most abortionsChristopher Cicchiello23m ago / 4:19 PM UTCMissouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a proclamation Friday to activate its trigger law, banning most abortions.“Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions,” Parson, a Republican, said in a news release.This law makes it illegal for doctors to perform abortions and also makes anyone who knowingly induces an abortion guilty of a class B felony. Doctors can have their licenses revoked for their involvement. However, a woman who has an abortion will not be prosecuted "for a conspiracy to violate the provisions" of this act. No mention of an exception for a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest was provided in the act.Upon Parson’s signature, the act takes effect immediately.Texas GOP AG Ken Paxton says abortions are 'now illegal in Texas'Texas' GOP attorney general, Ken Paxton, announced Friday that abortion is now illegal in Texas as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling. "SCOTUS just overruled Roe & Casey, ending one of the most morally & legally corrupt eras in US history. Praise the Lord. Abortion is now illegal in Texas," he said in a tweet. Texas had on the books a trigger law, which immediately banned abortion once Roe came down.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed into law one of the country's most restrictive abortion bans last year, which took effect in September. It had banned abortions as early as six weeks, which effectively banned all abortions because most women don't know they're pregnant that early in the process. Whole Women's Health, an organization that has operated four clinics providing reproductive health services in Texas and other states, said it has stopped providing abortion procedures as a result of Friday's ruling, according to the Texas Tribune. In guidance posted on the organization's website Friday, it said that its clinics "are still operating in Baltimore, MD; Bloomington, MN; Alexandria, VA; and Charlottesville, VA." It also said that it offers medication abortion pills by mail to patients in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia.It also said Whole Women's Health "is exploring plans to expand both our in-clinic and mail services into additional states where abortion is legally protected."Democratic lawmakers march to Supreme Court in support of abortion rightsAt least 150 Democratic lawmakers marched to the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., told NBC News the decision marked "a sad day for American jurisprudence.""Never did I envision that this court would reverse 40 or 50 years of precedence, but they did it," he said. "And they did it in utter disregard for the 60% of the American people who support Roe and did not want it overturned."Conservative Hispanic group lauds court decisionBienvenido, a conservative Hispanic group, said the court's decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision was "correct as both a legal and a moral matter.""Today we join millions of Americans — including the majority of Hispanics who value human life — in celebrating the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling overturning 'Roe' and 'Casey,'" a statement from the group said. "It was always a lie that the Constitution guaranteed the right to kill unborn children and this Court has just exposed this lie for the shameful farce that it always has been," the statement continued. "As we commemorate this historic decision, let us remember these children who were denied the right to live, pray for forgiveness, and give thanks to God." According to Pew Research Center, 60% of Hispanics in 2022 said abortion should be legal. Transgender Law Center denounces Supreme Court decision as "despicable" Tat Bellamy-Walker51m ago / 3:51 PM UTCThe Transgender Law Center, one of the nation's largest transgender rights groups, slammed the court's decision, calling it "despicable" and a "politically-motivated" attack.In a statement, the organization stressed that the majority opinion will have an outsize impact on historically marginalized groups, including Black women, disabled people, migrant women, poor people and individuals living in rural communities.“Today we loudly affirm and pledge our solidarity with all people working for Reproductive Justice in this country,” the group's executive director, Kris Hayashi, said. “Whether it is a right to an abortion, the right to affirming medical care, or the right to learn about your own history in schools, our collective rights to self-determination and bodily autonomy are inexorably entwined.”'God made the decision': Trump praises the ruling overturning RoeFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court's ruling in a statement to Fox News on Friday, saying that it's "following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago."Trump was asked if he played a role in the decision because he nominated three of the conservative justices who overturned Roe v. Wade — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett."God made the decision," Trump told Fox. Asked to address any of his supporters who support abortion rights, Trump said, "I think, in the end, this is something that will work out for everybody ... This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged."Trump had previously supported abortion rights years ago, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" in 1999 that he was "very pro-choice" at the time.Susan B. Anthony List celebrates overturning of Roe v. WadeThe anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List celebrated news Friday of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, calling it a "historic victory for human rights." Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the group, said in a video message outside the Supreme Court that it was a moment of "great gratitude and resolve." "This Court has just overturned the wrongly decided Roe versus Wade decision. Let those words sink in," she said. "Roe versus Wade is overturned after 50 years of lobbying, building centers of hope to serve pregnant women, on our knees praying, off our knees marching and ensuring the powerful pro-life voice could be heard in our elections. We have arrived at this day, a culminating day of so much and the first day of a bright pro-life future for our nation."She said the decision allows the "will of the people to make its way into the law through our elected officials" and declared that "our best days are ahead."Attorney General Merrick Garland vows to 'use every tool' to protect abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland, who as Barack Obama's 2016 Supreme Court nominee was denied a confirmation vote by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, vowed to put the full weight of the Department of Justice behind protecting abortion rights."The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision," he said. "This decision deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect — with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means."“The Justice Department will use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive freedom. And we will not waver from this Department’s founding responsibility to protect the civil rights of all Americans," he added.Mayor Eric Adams says people around the country 'welcome' to access abortion care in New York City New York City Mayor Eric Adams lashed out at the Supreme Court on Friday, saying that "politics came before people at the highest court in the land." "What the court has done today ignores the opinions of the majority of Americans, as it helps states control women’s bodies, their choices, and their freedoms," the Democrat said in a statement, adding that the decision puts lives at risk."There is nothing to call this Supreme Court opinion but an affront to basic human rights and one that aims to shackle women and others in reproductive bondage."Adams sought to reassure New Yorkers, saying that they can still access safe, legal abortions in the city. He also said that people around the country seeking the procedure are "welcome here" to access those services.Massachusetts Gov. Baker signs executive order protecting abortion providersAntonio Planas1h ago / 3:39 PM UTCIn response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who is not running for re-election, signed an executive order Friday protecting health care providers performing abortions from losing their licenses or receiving other discipline based on potential charges from out of state, he said in a statement.“Under the executive order, the Commonwealth will not cooperate with extradition requests from other states pursuing criminal charges against individuals who received, assisted with, or performed reproductive health services that are legal in Massachusetts,” the statement said.The order, he said, also prohibits any “Executive Department agencies” from assisting another state’s investigation into a person or entity for receiving or delivering reproductive health care services that are legal in Massachusetts.“This executive order will further preserve that right and protect reproductive health care providers who serve out of state residents. In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v Wade, it is especially important to ensure that Massachusetts providers can continue to provide reproductive health care services without concern that the laws of other states may be used to interfere with those services or sanction them for providing services that are lawful in the Commonwealth,” Baker said.Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said: “We are proud of the Commonwealth’s history of ensuring access to reproductive health care, and will continue to do so, despite today’s ruling from the Supreme Court.”Michigan Gov. Whitmer says ruling means her state's 1931 law banning abortion takes effect Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Friday it was a "sad day for America" and that her state's "antiquated" 1931 law banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest will take effect. The law also criminalizes doctors and nurses who provide reproductive care, she said. "For now, a Michigan court has put a temporary hold on the law, but that decision is not final and has already been challenged. The 1931 law would punish women and strip away their right to make decisions about their own bodies," Whitmer said. "I want every Michigander to know that I am more determined than ever to protect access to safe, legal abortion."She said she filed a lawsuit in April to urge her state's Supreme Court to determine whether the Michigan Constitution protects the right to an abortion. "We need to clarify that under Michigan law, access to abortion is not only legal, but constitutionally protected," she said. Barack Obama calls Roe v. Wade reversal an attack on millionsTat Bellamy-Walker1h ago / 3:33 PM UTCFormer President Barack Obama said the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade targets the freedom of millions of Americans in the U.S. "Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote in a tweet. He noted that states across the country have already passed bills restricting abortion rights, and pointed people who want to fight against these restrictions toward Planned Parenthood and the United State of Women.In a statement, former first lady Michelle Obama said she was "heartbroken for people around this country who just lost the fundamental right to make informed decisions about their own bodies."Recent NBC News poll showed a majority of people in U.S. didn't want Roe v. Wade overturnedA majority of people in the U.S. — 63 percent — said in a recent NBC News poll in May that they didn't believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned, compared to 30% of people who wanted the abortion rights ruling to be reversed.Additionally, a combined 60% of Americans across the country said abortion should be either always legal (37%) or legal most of the time (23%) — the highest share believing it should be legal on this question, which dates back to 2003. By party, 84 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of Independents want abortion to be legal, versus just 33 percent of Republicans. The poll was conducted after the draft opinion of Alito's Roe opinion leaked.NAACP calls decision 'egregious assault on basic human rights'NAACP General Counsel Janette McCarthy Wallace said in a statement Friday the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade as "marks a significant regression of our country.""As a legal professional, I am horrified by this decision. As a Black woman, I am outraged to my core," Wallace said. "There is no denying the fact that this is a direct attack on all women, and Black women stand to be disproportionately impacted by the court's egregious assault on basic human rights. We must all stand up to have our voices heard in order to protect our nation from the further degradation of civil rights protections we have worked so hard to secure."Separately, Portia White, the NAACP vice president of policy and legislative affairs, said: "This Supreme Court is turning back the clock to a dangerous era where basic constitutional rights only exist for a select few. They've stripped away our right to vote, and now women have lost their right to their own body. What’s next?"White added: "We cannot allow our future to rest in the hands of those determined to crush every bit of it. We need to fight back."Biden to address Supreme Court ruling in remarks at 12:30 p.m. ETPresident Joe Biden will address the Supreme Court's ruling in remarks at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET, according to the White House.The guidance said that Biden will deliver his response in the Cross Hall.Durbin announces Judiciary hearing to explore "grim reality of a post-Roe America"Christopher Cicchiello1h ago / 3:20 PM UTCSenate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next month to "explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America."Durbin, who chairs the committee, made the announcement in a series of tweets in which he vowed to keep "fighting to enshrine into law a woman’s right to make her own reproductive choices.” "The Court’s decision to erase the right to an abortion will not only lead to the denial of critical health care services, but also criminal consequences for women & health care providers in states eager to embrace draconian restrictions," Durbin wrote. "We cannot let our children inherit a nation that is less free and more dangerous than the one their parents grew up in."He also urged voters to elect "pro-choice Democrats who will write abortion protections into law" in the midterm elections.LGBTQ rights could be at risk post-Roe, advocates warned before rulingJulie Moreau1h ago / 3:18 PM UTCThe leaked initial draft of the Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade had advocates worried about what the precedent’s reversal could mean for the LGBTQ community’s recently gained rights. Cathryn Oakley, an attorney with the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest LGBTQ rights group, stressed that the high court’s decision would have a direct impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. “The LGBTQ community relies on reproductive health care. LGBTQ people seek and receive abortions, they seek and receive and use contraception,” she said. The willingness of the court to overturn precedent could, some advocates fear, signal that other federally protected rights of minorities may be in jeopardy, such as same-sex marriage, which became the law of the land with the Obergefell v. Hodges case. Read more about what LGBTQ rights advocates warned before Friday's ruling.Virginia Gov. Youngkin says Supreme Court ruling 'rightfully returned power to the people'Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade "has rightfully returned power to the people" and the elected officials of each state. "I’m proud to be a pro-life Governor and plan to take every action I can to protect life," he said in a statement Friday. "The truth is, Virginians want fewer abortions, not more abortions. We can build a bipartisan consensus on protecting the life of unborn children, especially when they begin to feel pain in the womb, and importantly supporting mothers and families who choose life."Youngkin, a Republican, said he has called on several lawmakers, including state Sens. Siobhan Dunnavant and Steve Newman, to help "find areas where we can agree and chart the most successful path forward."The Virginia Assembly is controlled by Republicans and the Senate has a narrow 19-21 Democratic majority. Manchin says he's 'alarmed,' had trusted Gorsuch and Kavanaugh when they said Roe was settled precedentSen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said in a statement that he is "deeply disappointed" by the Supreme Court's decision and "alarmed" that the two Trump-appointed justices that he voted to confirm supported it."I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent and I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided for two generations of Americans," he said.Manchin said he was raised "pro-life" as a Catholic and still maintains that view. "But I have come to accept that my definition of pro-life may not be someone else’s definition of pro-life. I believe that exceptions should be made in instances of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in jeopardy," he said. Manchin said that he supports legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade into federal law, saying, "I am hopeful Democrats and Republicans will come together to put forward a piece of legislation that would do just that."Thomas calls on court to reconsider contraception, same-sex marriage casesJustice Clarence Thomas, concurring with the majority ruling, explicitly called on the Supreme Court to overrule the rulings in Griswold v. Connecticut, which protects the right to contraception; Lawrence v. Texas, the right to same-sex intimacy; and Obergefell v. Hodges, the right to same-sex marriage.“As I have previously explained, 'substantive due process' is an oxymoron that 'lack[s] any basis in the Constitution,'” he wrote.Chief Justice Roberts warns Dobbs ruling goes too farChief Justice John Roberts voted with the other conservative justices to uphold the Mississippi law in today's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling, but urged against going further.“Surely we should adhere closely to principles of judicial restraint here, where the broader path the Court chooses entails repudiating a constitutional right we have not only previously recognized, but also expressly reaffirmed applying the doctrine of stare decisis,” he wrote.ACLU slams court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as "shameful"Tat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 3:07 PM UTCThe American Civil Liberties Union called the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade "shameful."“Second-class status for women has once again become the law because of today’s decision," Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement. "We can wave away any pretense that this is the United States of America when it comes to the fundamental right to decide when and if to become a parent." Romero warned that the decision will have far-reaching consequences.“The Supreme Court has just plunged this country and itself into a historic crisis, one that will reverberate far beyond the ability to get an abortion."Alito says Constitution 'makes no reference to abortion'Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade that the Constitution "makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision" including the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives," wrote Alito, who then quoted from an opinion written by then-Justice Antonin Scalia from the Planned Parenthood v. Casey case: "The permissibility of abortion, and the limitations, upon it, are to be resolved like most important questions in our democracy: by citizens trying to persuade one another and then voting."In emotional remarks, Nancy Pelosi denounces Supreme Court, Trump, GOPIn searing and emotional remarks, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi excoriated the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade and blamed former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for laying the groundwork for the decision."Because of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party and their supermajority on the Supreme Court, American women today have less freedom than their mothers," Pelosi told reporters at a news conference.She described the top court's ruling as "dangerous" and urged people who support abortion rights and access to vote in the November midterm elections."In the Congress, be aware of this, Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban. They cannot be allowed to have a majority in the Congress to do that," Pelosi said.'Today, Life Won,' Pence saysFormer Vice President Mike Pence, who has long been opposed to abortion, celebrated the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, saying "Today, Life Won.""By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court of the United States has given the American people a new beginning for life and I commend the Justices in the majority for having the courage of | SCOTUS |
Afghan refugees queue outside a distribution and donation center at Liberty Village on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, U.S., December 2, 2021. REUTERS/Barbara Davidson/PoolRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is stopping - with a few exceptions - the temporary relocation of Afghans to the United States and focusing on reuniting immediate family members with pathways to permanent residence, according to a senior administration official.The policy revision follows criticism by some lawmakers, refugee organizations and veterans groups that the administration failed to properly plan the evacuation of Afghans at risk of Taliban retribution when it pulled the last U.S. troops out of Afghanistan a year ago.The administration says the evacuation – marred by chaos at Kabul airport and a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 170 Afghans – was a success, with nearly 90,000 Afghans resettled in the United States in one of the largest operations of its kind.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThe administration’s “commitment to our Afghan allies is enduring,” the senior administration official said while briefing reporters on Wednesday on changes to the relocation policy. “This commitment does not have an end date.”The revised policy, dubbed Enduring Welcome, begins on Oct. 1.Under the changes, the official said, the United State will stop – with a few exceptions – admitting Afghans on humanitarian parole, a special program that grants temporary entry but no pathway to lawful permanent residence.The revised policy, the official said, will focus on relocating to the United States immediate family members of U.S. citizens, green card holders and Afghans with Special Immigration Visas (SIVs) granted to those at risk of Taliban retaliation because they worked for the U.S. government.Family members admitted from those categories will have “durable, long-term immigration status,” allowing them to “more quickly settle and integrate into their new communities,” the official said.“We know family reunification remains a really high priority for Afghans themselves and for the communities who care about them and for advocates across the country, veterans groups as well,” said the official. “It is for us, too.”The revised policy follows months of talks between the administration and the AfghanEvac coalition of groups that help evacuate and resettle Afghans in the United States.“It’s a massive deal for us,” said Shawn VanDiver, the coalition head, adding that the government still needs to improve processing SIV applications and increase relocation flights.(This story corrects first name to Shawn instead of Sean in final paragraph) Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Jonathan Landay; editing by Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. | US Federal Policies |
It was just after New Year's when Jonathon Ervin began to feel that Amazon was turning the screws on him. Ervin owns one of 3,500 small businesses that exist solely to deliver packages for the retail giant. Since launching his company, Battle Tested Strategies, in 2019, the Air Force veteran and reservist has delivered more than 10 million packages and earned positive performance reviews from Amazon. In a 2020 newsletter, Amazon championed Ervin as a face of its commitment to Black business owners.Last year, after a summer of blistering heat, high package counts, and malfunctioning air conditioners, BTS’s drivers began organizing a union with the Teamsters. He recognized the union—according to Ervin, against Amazon’s wishes—and bargained a contract that took effect in April, making his employees the first Amazon drivers in the US to ratify a union contract.The vans that BTS leases are inspected by Amazon for roadworthiness before each shift. After this winter’s holiday rush, known as “peak,” subsided, Ervin began to feel these inspections had morphed into hunts for reasons to keep his vehicles off the road. No infraction seemed too minor. A cracked tail light, an improperly mounted phone, a seat belt that retracted too sluggishly—never problems before, were now suddenly excuses to ground his vans. Now, Amazon is trying to sever its contract with Ervin near the end of this month, which would put him out of business and his 84 drivers out of work. “We got through peak in January, and boom. All these breaches of contract stacked up,” says Ervin, adding, “The breaches were created out of fairy dust and sprinkled punitively.”Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards writes that BTS has “had a track record of failing to perform,” and that the company was terminated for six breaches of contract involving failures to pay insurance providers and to complete vehicle safety audits. Five of those occurred in January, she says. She also wrote that BTS had not been truthful about the viability of its business, but declined to provide evidence. Ervin is contesting all of the breaches. He says those related to insurance were resolved last year, yet they remained on his record.Ervin’s dispute with Amazon shows how vulnerable the companies that operate its fleets of branded vans are to the exacting demands of their lone client. “The amount of control they have is incredible,” says Ervin. “You’re really just managing a function.”BTS is part of Amazon’s Delivery Service Partners program, a network of small package-delivery businesses the company launched in 2018 as part of an effort to break its dependence on FedEx and UPS. The program works much like a franchise model, but without the legal protections of one. Amazon provides training, support staff, and deals on van leases, handheld devices, insurance, and maintenance. It also controls how many routes DSPs receive. The DSPs shoulder most of the liabilities, including vehicle maintenance and repair, workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance, and responsibility for any accidents. Ervin joined the Air Force straight out of high school as a ticket out of his hometown of Flint, Michigan, spending 10 years on active duty before transitioning to the Reserves, where he rose to the highest rank of Chief Master Sergeant. In 2018, he was working as a field engineer, testing military equipment for the defense contractor Raytheon, when he saw an online ad for the DSP program. Amazon was looking for veterans to launch small package-delivery businesses, and Ervin was clocking the midnight shift and hankering for a change. The program seemed an exciting opportunity to apply his skill set at a disruptive company “on the tip of the spear of technology,” he thought.Many skills that service members learn—leadership, adaptability, technical know-how—translate well to Amazon’s fast-moving logistics operation. The company touts its support for veterans, pledging to directly hire 100,000 former service members and their spouses by 2024, on top of those it recruits to run DSPs. “You’ve got your drivers, who are your troops,” says Ervin. “You're going to different terrain. You're experiencing different scenarios, having to get towed out, inclement weather, in our case, bad equipment.”After a year running his DSP out of a busy facility in the east Los Angeles suburb of El Monte, Ervin was recruited by Amazon in 2020 to help open a new delivery station 60 miles north in Palmdale, a high desert town at the foot of the San Gabriel mountains. “I think you’ll be a great fit for this opportunity due to your proven leadership, strong performance, and clear commitment to keeping safety a top priority,” his Amazon business coach wrote to him. As Amazon awarded Ervin more routes, from the typical 20 to 40 range up north of 75, the limits to his autonomy became clear. Amazon determined the number of routes he could run and which vans he leased. It dictated the vendors he could use to service and insure those vehicles and set the minimum pay for his employees.If a driver veered off their prescribed route, even to use the bathroom, BTS would receive a call from Amazon. The company scored drivers using an app called Mentor, which tracked behavior such as incidents of hard braking or rapid acceleration around a corner. If a driver’s Mentor score dipped too low, the AI camera caught what it interpreted as a safety violation, or the driver was simply too slow, Amazon would “offboard” (terminate) them, even if Ervin disagreed with the assessment and wanted to keep the worker.All the same, Ervin thrived and Amazon touted him as a success story. In August 2020, the company featured him in its DSP newsletter for National Black Business Month, trumpeting its commitment to “increasing the number of opportunities for Black entrepreneurs.” In 2022, it asked Ervin to become an ambassador for a program mentoring new DSP owners. In February, Ervin’s local congressman visited his delivery station to present a certificate of achievement for delivering 10 million packages to the local community.The lopsided power dynamic and captive nature of the DSP business gives Amazon a high degree of control over its contractors and their drivers. As Amazon’s last-mile delivery program has grown, some owners have strained under its thumb. One former manager who operated a DSP in the Midwest from 2018 to 2022, and a former California-based owner who ran a DSP from 2017 to 2021, say that over time, it became harder to succeed. In the beginning, “the biggest complaint was seeing all the urine bottles everywhere,” tossed aside by drivers who lack access to bathrooms or time to use them, says the manager. But Amazon gradually tightened its control, particularly after launching “DSP 2.0” in 2019. Owners had less leeway over how they could pay their drivers, and the bar for performance bonuses, which their DSPs relied on to turn a profit, grew higher. Meanwhile, workers’ compensation and repair costs climbed. The owner, manager, and another DSP manager and mechanic in the Pacific Northwest say that the vans’ doors, batteries, and starters strained under the heavy usage. “These vehicles are designed to haul loads, not to have the motor turned on and off hundreds of times every day,” says the mechanic. “And we pay the price when things break.”“We’re incredibly proud of our Delivery Service Partner program, which empowers entrepreneurs to build their own last-mile delivery companies from the ground up,” writes Hards, noting that its 3,500 DSPs employ more than 275,000 drivers worldwide, “who safely deliver more than 10 million customer packages every day.”Although Amazon advertised that owners could earn between $75,000 and $300,000 a year in profits when it launched the program, a complaint from a 2022 class action lawsuit against the company said that the average DSP owner only nets between $31,500 and $64,500. Two other lawsuits, filed by DSP owners in 2021 and 2022, alleged that Amazon’s control and performance expectations made it exceedingly difficult to be profitable. (All three suits were sent to private arbitration.)After Amazon’s punishing delivery quotas were blamed for road accidents, the company tightened control over drivers by adding tracking devices, such as AI cameras, into the vans, which Hards says reduce accidents. “That got all my drivers heated up,” says the midwest manager. Now the Teamsters are arguing to the National Labor Relations Board that Amazon should take responsibility for the drivers whose working conditions it controls. The result of that battle could help shape the future of unionization at the company.Things started to turn sour for Ervin and his drivers during the summer of 2021. BTS’s vans were breaking down more frequently, and the air-conditioning would often conk out in the desert heat. As temperatures topped 100 degrees and climbed 10 to 15 degrees higher in the back of the vans, according to two drivers, their health suffered. “You have to watch the way you move because being overheated, you can make mistakes very easily and hurt yourself,” says BTS driver Dorian Arnold, who says he experienced bouts of heat-induced dizziness during summer months.Last summer, one of Ervin’s employees messaged Amazon that a driver had been rushed to the emergency room and diagnosed with heat exhaustion. “When is she expected to return to the station?” the Amazon representative replied, according to a screenshot seen by WIRED. “I’m not having her come back to work today,” Ervin wrote back, appalled. “We will see what the doctor’s recommendation is for her to return to work.”“We’re committed to the safety of drivers and the communities where they deliver, which is why our heat-related safety protocols often exceed industry standards,” writes Hards, noting that the company immediately grounds vehicles without working air conditioners, maintains a round-the-clock safety helpline, and provides heat mitigation training and supplies such as electrolyte powder, coolers, insulated tumblers, and cooling bandanas. She writes that DSPs are responsible for maintaining air conditioners.That summer of 2022, BTS’s drivers reached their breaking point. They organized a petition to Amazon over the broken air conditioners and the excessive number of packages assigned to each route, which often pushed them to skip breaks. Hards writes that Amazon plans routes to account for one 30-minute and two 15-minute breaks. Then the drivers began planning a walkout. Before they could deliver the petition, Amazon caught wind of it and notified Ervin, then promptly sent another BTS representative to an anti-union training. According to Ervin, the trainer said that if BTS’s drivers unionized, Amazon would cancel the company’s contract. A similar fate had befallen the only other Amazon delivery contractor to successfully unionize, in Michigan in 2017, according to a BuzzFeed report.“DSP owners and their drivers are not forced to go to anti-union training,” Hards writes. “Amazon does not retaliate for union organization,” she adds. In November, Ervin received his performance review from Amazon, which read, “You are meeting our expectations as a partner. There is low risk to your contract renewal,” according to a copy viewed by WIRED. His company had received 17 top “Fantastic Plus” ratings so far that year, which Amazon uses to award performance bonuses.The holiday rush was as busy as ever, but after it subsided in January, the atmosphere at the delivery station where drivers load up their packages shifted according to Ervin, two of his drivers, and an unfair labor practice charge filed by the Teamsters. Drivers suddenly found themselves delayed as Amazon began grounding their vans for minor damage. Driver Arturo Solorzano watched as extra security guards descended on the station and filmed BTS drivers going about their ordinary business. According to the Teamsters’ charge, Amazon twice called the police to eject the union from the premises, despite their right to be there as the drivers’ representative. When a rare snowstorm pummeled the Palmdale area in February, closing the road on one of his routes, Ervin drove up to the blockage to capture video to send to Amazon as proof. The company made his drivers attempt the deliveries anyway, so it could log them in Amazon’s system. “In the military, that would be an unlawful order,” says Ervin. “Because it's not safe.”On April 24, BTS’s drivers publicly announced that they were unionizing with the Teamsters. Ervin agreed to voluntarily recognize the union without requiring the drivers to hold an election, a decision he calls a no-brainer. “To have their voice heard was the only option for me. We’ve been fighting together [against Amazon] for quite a while.”Amazon refused to negotiate with the union, so Ervin worked out the contract without it. On April 28, the drivers voted to ratify it, securing an immediate wage increase of 30 cents an hour to more than $20, eventually climbing to $30 by September, the right to refuse to deliver packages in unsafe conditions, and other improvements.But Ervin will have a hard time fulfilling these obligations if Amazon doesn’t sign the agreement, given the company’s control over driver pay and working conditions, such as its ability to fire drivers who refuse deliveries. “The reason we've requested that Amazon sit down is that they're exerting so much control in particular areas that BTS doesn't have the ability to make some of these decisions on their own,” says Randy Korgan, who oversees the Teamsters’ Amazon strategy. “If they're being overridden, the entity that's making the decision needs to sit down or restructure their contract to give them the latitude.”On April 14, Amazon notified Ervin that it would terminate his contract on June 24, months before its October renewal date and in compliance with California’s WARN Act, which requires 60 days notice of mass layoffs. The company sent him a settlement agreement, which he rejected. “As far as I’m concerned, my contract auto-renews in October,” he says. “We’re going to keep working.”In early May, the Teamsters filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, which adjudicates US labor law, asking it to prevent Amazon from terminating BTS’s contract. If the charge ultimately succeeds, the NLRB may blow a major hole in Amazon’s DSP program, by ruling that Amazon controls the work of drivers like Ervin’s so much that it is their de facto employer. President Biden’s NLRB has proposed changing an existing rule to make such findings more likely. “The new rule would catch the law up to the reality of these workplaces with really abusive workarounds, where Amazon can tell somebody, ‘You're going to do this work. You're going to do it our way. But we're not going to be responsible,” says Cathy Creighton, director of Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations Buffalo Co-Lab and a former field attorney for the NLRB. The board has indicated that it expects to finalize the rule in August, which could come too late for Ervin. In the meantime, he won’t go into specifics about what will happen to him if Amazon prevails. “It would be devastating,” is all he’ll say. He worries that Amazon has made it harder for him to secure future clients by publicly attributing the breakup to poor performance. “What do you think that does?” he says. “I hope Jeff Bezos would be interested to find out how some of his leadership treats veterans and small business owners.”Nonetheless, he remains hopeful that Amazon will come to the negotiating table. “As a military member, you can go to war and seek peace,” he says. But he doesn’t regret backing his drivers. “I’m from Flint, Michigan. They build us in a way where we stand up for the little guy. Sometimes doing what’s right has painful consequences.” | Labor Activism |
The US supreme court has let Meta Platforms Inc’s WhatsApp pursue a lawsuit accusing Israel’s NSO Group of exploiting a bug in its WhatsApp messaging app to install spy software allowing the surveillance of 1,400 people, including journalists, human rights activists and dissidents.The justices turned away NSO’s appeal over a lower court’s decision that the lawsuit could move forward. NSO has argued that it is immune to being sued because it was acting as an agent for unidentified foreign governments when it installed the Pegasus spyware.Joe Biden’s administration had urged the justices to reject NSO’s appeal, noting that the US state department had never before recognised a private entity acting as an agent of a foreign state as being entitled to immunity.Meta, the parent company of both WhatsApp and Facebook, in a statement welcomed the court’s move to turn away NSO’s “baseless” appeal.“NSO’s spyware has enabled cyber-attacks targeting human rights activists, journalists and government officials,” Meta said. “We firmly believe that their operations violate US law and they must be held to account for their unlawful operations.”A lawyer for NSO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.WhatsApp in 2019 sued NSO seeking an injunction and damages, accusing it of accessing WhatsApp servers without permission six months earlier to install the Pegasus software on victims’ mobile devices.NSO has argued that Pegasus helps law enforcement and intelligence agencies fight crime and protect national security and that its technology is intended to help catch terrorists, child abusers and hardened criminals.In court papers, NSO said WhatsApp’s notification to users scuttled a foreign government’s investigation into an Islamic State militant who was using the app to plan an attack.In one notorious case, NSO spyware was used – allegedly by the Saudi government – to target the inner circle of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi shortly before he was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.NSO appealed against a trial judge’s 2020 refusal to award it “conduct-based immunity”, a common law doctrine protecting foreign officials acting in their official capacity.Upholding that ruling in 2021, the San Francisco-based 9th US circuit court of appeals called it an “easy case” because NSO’s mere licensing of Pegasus and offering technical support did not shield it from liability under a federal law called the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), which took precedence over common law.WhatsApp’s lawyers said that private entities like NSO are “categorically ineligible” for foreign sovereign immunity.The Biden administration in a filing in November said the 9th circuit reached the right result, even though the government was not ready to endorse the circuit court’s conclusion that FSIA entirely forecloses any form of immunity under common law.According to court papers, the accounts of 1,400 WhatsApp users were accessed using the Pegasus tracking software, secretly using their smartphones as surveillance devices.An investigation published in 2021 by 17 media organisations, led by the Paris-based non-profit journalism group Forbidden Stories, found that the spyware had been used in attempted and successful hacks of smartphones belonging to journalists, government officials and human rights activists on a global scale.The US government in November 2021 blacklisted NSO and Israel’s Candiru, accusing them of providing spyware to governments that used it to “maliciously target” journalists, activists and others.NSO also is being sued by iPhone maker Apple , accused of violating its user terms and services agreement. | SCOTUS |
CNN — Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas sent a strong signal Wednesday that they are very carefully watching to ensure federal courts do not thumb their noses at the high court’s landmark decision that expanded gun rights nationwide. Last June’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol v. Bruen inspired supporters of gun rights across the country to file fresh challenges to an array of firearms regulations. Now, that ripple effect is taking hold, emboldening gun rights activists who have seen early success, while alarming some judges and supporters of gun restrictions. “Lower courts applying Bruen have invalidated laws including federal gun regulations for domestic-violence offenders and those under felony indictment, restrictions on the possession of guns with removed or obliterated serial numbers, and state laws restricting guns on certain forms of public transportation,” said Andrew Willinger of the Duke University School of Law. While the court on Wednesday let a New York handgun restriction stand pending further legal action, Alito essentially said the challengers should remain vigilant and keep the pressure on the courts. “Applicants should not be deterred by today’s order from again seeking relief” if the appeals court doesn’t move swiftly or explain its actions, Alito wrote, joined by Thomas, in a statement issued with the Supreme Court’s order. The Supreme Court is bracing for an onslaught of new applications as lawyers, judges and advocates on both sides of the issue sort out the new landscape of gun rights. All sides wonder if the justices will weigh in substantively any time soon, or allow, as it has before, the issue to percolate in the lower courts. The views of conservative Justices Alito and Thomas are clear. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett – who have sometimes slowed the conservative momentum in some areas – will be watched to see if they are eager to weigh in again soon, or whether they stay out for now as the cases travel through the lower courts. In Bruen, the court struck down New York’s prior concealed carry gun law. A 6-3 majority said the law prevented law-abiding citizens with “ordinary self-defense needs” from exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense. But Thomas, the opinion’s author, also laid out a new framework for courts to use when analyzing other gun restrictions. He said that going forward the government “may not simply posit that the regulation promotes an important interest.” Instead, he wrote, judges must look to text and history when deciding whether a law passes muster. Wednesday’s case concerned a request from gun owners who argue that the law that New York passed after Bruen, was in “defiance” of the Supreme Court’s decision. They asked the justices on an emergency basis to step in and allow a district court order that struck significant provisions of the law to go into effect. The Supreme Court denied the request Wednesday without explaining its reasoning or vote count. But Alito, joined by Thomas in a statement, wrote that the new law presents “novel and serious questions” about the Second Amendment. He explained he had denied the gun owners’ emergency request because the case had not worked its way through the normal appellate process. He made clear that his vote did not express “any view on the merits of the law.” Alito’s was an unusually strong statement that also urged the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals, which he said has issued “unreasoned” stays in parallel cases, to act with dispatch. He may have been inspired to include such language because before the Bruen decision came down, the Supreme Court declined for years to take up a major Second Amendment case. At one point, Thomas lamented that “the Second Amendment is a disfavored right in this court.” “Justice Alito’s language may reflect his concern that lower courts will flagrantly defy Supreme Court precedent on the right to arms, as they did for over a decade following the 2010 decision in McDonald v. Chicago which held that state and local governments must obey the Second Amendment just as they must obey other provisions of the bill of rights,” said David Kopel, a law professor at the University of Denver who is a supporter of Bruen and gun rights in general. “The Bruen decision made it clear that the Supreme Court meant what it said in previous decisions: that the Second Amendment is not a second class right and therefore Second Amendment supporters have been challenging a wide variety of prohibitions on the exercise of the right to keep and bear arms,” he added. As things stand, New York can continue to enforce its law and the district court opinion that invalidated some provisions including those that dealt with “sensitive places” such as certain health care settings, churches and parks, will remain frozen. New York Attorney General Letitia James praised the Supreme Court’s order. “We have a right to enact commonsense measures to protect our communities,” she said in a statement. Other challenges across the country peppered with references to Bruen have popped up. This week a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that blocked enforcement of portions of a New Jersey gun law that restricted concealed carry in certain places. That law was also signed in response to Bruen. In November, another federal judge blasted the Supreme Court for the Bruen decision and its requirement to look to history and tradition. Judge Carlton Reeves, who was considering a case concerning a federal statute prohibiting felons form possessing firearms, questioned whether he needed to appoint an historian to help him decipher the landmark opinion. “Justices of the Supreme Court, as distinguished as they may be, are not trained historians,” wrote Reeves, a Barack Obama appointee who sits on the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. “And we are not experts in what white, wealthy and male property owners thought about firearms regulation in 1791,” Reeves added. The fact that courts might struggle to understand the scope of Bruen was not lost on the liberals who dissented at the time. Justice Stephen Breyer, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, wrote that judges are “far less accustomed to resolving difficult historical questions.” “Courts,” Breyer wrote, are “staffed by lawyers, not historians.” Breyer has since retired, replaced by his former clerk, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Last week, Sotomayor discussed the number of cases the liberals lost last term including the Second Amendment case. “Sometimes, I was shell shocked, other times I was just deeply, deeply sad,” she told an audience at the Association of American Law Schools. “And many times, I did have a sense of despair about the direction my court was going.” CNN’s Devan Cole contributed to this report. | SCOTUS |
Sam Bankman-Fried on Tuesday lost a bid to be released from jail so he can better prepare for his Oct. 3 trial on fraud charges stemming from the collapse of his FTX cryptocurrency exchange, a court filing showed.
Bankman-Fried has said the conditions of his confinement at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center have made it impossible for him to adequately review prosecutors’ evidence against him and help his lawyers build his defense case.
But US District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan said in a written ruling that Bankman-Fried had not specified which pieces of evidence he had been unable to access. He also said Bankman-Fried had not asked for a trial delay, despite Kaplan’s offer to consider such a request.
Kaplan said he would consider a later, more detailed application for release.
Kaplan jailed the 31-year-old former billionaire on Aug. 11 after finding that he likely tampered with witnesses at least twice, including by sharing the personal writings of Bankman-Fried’s former romantic partner and colleague Caroline Ellison with a New York Times reporter.
Ellison, the former chief executive of Bankman-Fried’s Alameda Research hedge fund, has pleaded guilty to fraud charges over the November 2022 collapse of FTX and Alameda and is expected to testify against him at trial.
Bankman-Fried has said he shared the documents to protect his reputation, not to intimidate Ellison. He has separately appealed Kaplan’s detention order. A three-judge panel from the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to hear arguments in that case on Sept. 19.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say Bankman-Fried stole billions of dollars in FTX customer funds to plug losses at Alameda, buy real estate, and donate to political campaigns in a bid to burnish his influence in Washington.
Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty. He has acknowledged inadequate risk management at FTX, but denied stealing funds. | US Circuit and Appeals Courts |
This week marks the 40th anniversary of a court case that affected thousands of schoolchildren. Yet it's one that most Americans likely don't know about. In the 1970s, a group of Texas parents who lacked legal immigration status risked deportation to fight for their children’s right to attend public school. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which on June 15, 1982, ruled in favor of the parents and their children.Plyler v. Doe ensured that children living in the U.S. without legal immigration documentation could access a basic education and lead more productive lives. It also paved the way for young immigrants to become active in efforts to demand legal pathways for children who have spent most of their lives in the U.S., such as the DREAM Act and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.Alfredo Lopez was in elementary school in Tyler, Texas, in 1977, when his parents came to pick him up at school earlier than usual. “All I can remember is that we were sent home one day,” he told American Public Media in 2017. “And they said we couldn’t come back to school.”In 1975, Texas had passed a statute allowing local school districts to deny enrollment to children who were not legally admitted to the country. Two years later, the Tyler Independent School District decided that it would charge annual tuition for undocumented students like Lopez. At $1,000 per student, this was far beyond the reach of undocumented families.'Heavy weight on my shoulders'Backed by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), four families agreed to sue the Tyler school district, then headed by Superintendent James Plyler. While a judge allowed the families to present their case under the pseudonym of “Doe,” the parents were required to testify in open court. This was risky; on the day that they testified, the Lopez family drove to court with their car packed with their possessions, because they were afraid that they might be deported on the spot.“When these families came forward to challenge the law, there was a real danger that people could find out their identities and harass them,” said Peter Roos, former national director of education litigation for MALDEF. To avoid media attention, the judge scheduled the parents’ testimony at the unheard-of hour of 6 a.m. In 1978, the federal district judge found that Texas’ law was unconstitutional, and this ruling was upheld by an appeals court in 1980.By 1981, Peter Roos was part of the team that argued the Plyler case before the Supreme Court. “The pressure was tremendous,” he recalled. “I was confident in our case, but there was a sense that if we lost, other states would pass laws like Texas. So the outcome could affect millions of kids, and that was a heavy weight on my shoulders.”The high court sided (5-4) with the Mexican American families in June 1982. “By denying these children a basic education, we deny them the ability to live within the structure of our civic institutions,” Justice William Brennan wrote in the majority opinion, “and foreclose any realistic possibility that they will contribute in even the smallest way to the progress of our nation.”The court found that undocumented children were entitled to Equal Protection under the Fourteenth Amendment, so Texas could not deny them access to K-12 public education.'A firm foundation'Ironically, even the losing party in this landmark decision came to believe that the case was decided correctly. In 2007, former Tyler school district superintendent James Plyler told Education Week, “I’m glad we lost the Hispanic (court case), so that those kids could get educated.” By then, his son had married a woman of Mexican descent, and Plyler himself had Latino grandchildren.The late legal scholar Michael Olivas, who wrote a book about the Plyler case, considered it the pre-eminent decision in immigration law. “This case is the high-water mark for immigrant rights,” Olivas said in 2017. “It was courageous and strategic. Winning is one thing, but it’s not static. It has to be fought for, it has to be defended, re-conceptualized and re-applied.”Other legal experts and educators say that the Plyler case remains important and relevant today.“Plyler set a firm foundation, a baseline, of rights protections for undocumented young people,” said Roberto G. Gonzales, professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. "Its significance, in part, is that it allows undocumented children from Day One to be integrated into the legal framework of this country. They not only get an education, but they learn the culture and values of this country and are integrated into the fabric of their communities.”In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that there were 133,000 undocumented children (ages 3-17) in Texas. Nationwide, the Pew Center has reported that there are roughly 675,000 undocumented children. Yet the Plyler case has limitations, Gonzales noted. Because the decision applied only to students up through the 12th grade, undocumented youth face an uncertain future after that. “As these kids get older, they come in close contact with the limits of their sense of belonging.” Undocumented youth in some states do not qualify for in-state college tuition, for example. In some states, they can get drivers’ licenses; in others, they cannot. According to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF, the Plyler decision is “well-established law.” That has not stopped some states from attempting to enact measures limiting undocumented children’s access to education. In 1994 California voters passed Proposition 187, which would have denied nearly all state services to those who lack legal immigration status, and in 2011, Alabama passed HB 56, which would have permitted officials to check the immigration status of students. Key provisions of these two measures were later struck down by the courts.More recently, in May of this year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that he would like to re-visit the Plyler case by potentially launching a challenge to it.MALDEF’s Saenz said that any such effort would be unlikely to succeed. He pointed out that Plyler (unlike Roe v. Wade) has been incorporated into a federal statute.“Abbott’s comments really amount to a dog-whistle to his base during his re-election campaign. Children engender great sympathy with the public; even Trump had to stop separating families because of the outrage it generated," said Saenz. "I do not think the governor really wants all these kids out of schools, it is simply bad politics, and bad policy.”Sonia Hernandez, associate professor of history at Texas A&M University said it’s important to view the Plyler case within a broader historical context. “To be honest, not many of my students have heard of it. If a student does not take Mexican American studies or an ethnic studies program, they will probably not get this taught to them — which speaks to the urgency of why we should continue to approach history in a very inclusive way.”There is a rich history of Mexican American activism centered around education that is still relatively unknown outside academia, Hernandez said. “Not knowing about cases like Plyler is a reflection of how limited our public school curriculums are.” “The legacy and future of Plyer should concern us all,” Hernandez added. “The right to a basic education is a fundamental part of democracy.”Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. | SCOTUS |
Drag queen "Pickle" reads from a book during the Drag Queen Story Hour program at the West Valley Regional Branch Library on July 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (David McNew/Getty Images)Members of the far-right group Proud Boys allegedly disrupted a reading event for kids hosted by a drag queen at a library in California on Saturday, according to police—and now, the incident is being investigated as a potential hate crime. Drag queen Panda Dulce was reading a book to preschoolers at the San Lorenzo Library near Oakland as part of a Pride event when five men “described as members of the Proud Boys organization” interrupted the reading around 1:30 p.m., according to a press release from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. The men “began to shout homophobic and transphobic slurs at the event organizer” and were “extremely aggressive with a threatening violent demeanor causing people to fear for their safety,” according to the press release.Several of the men were wearing Proud Boys’ black and yellow colors and one wore a shirt that read “Kill Your Local Pedophile,” according to video obtained by NBC Bay Area. One man repeatedly called the event “sexual” while others flashed the “OK” hand gesture co-opted by the far-right, the video shows. “It was all in front of the children, and it frightened them,” county librarian Cindy Chadwick told KTVU. “We had parents and children there who wanted to come to this event and chose to be there. And to have people come in and try to intimidate those folks and us from trying to do a program like this was just beyond the pale for me.”“Drag Queen Story Hour” is an event created in San Francisco in 2015 which has since spread throughout the rest of the country, with chapters in 28 states and Washington D.C. as well as in seven other countries. The events have long been targeted by the far right—one reading in Spokane, Washington, in 2019 drew hundreds of protesters and about twice as many counterprotesters, while a SWAT team stood guard outside. The event in San Lorenzo was open to the public, but in late May was shared by the right-wing Twitter account LibsofTikTok as part of a thread on similar events around the country. The account was temporarily locked by Twitter and the original tweet deleted in violation of the site’s rules, but tweets about the remain have not been deleted.The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said it’s investigating the incident as a hate crime, as well as investigating “the annoying and harassing of children.” After the police arrived and the interruption had ended, Panda Dulce finished the story time, according to BuzzFeed News.“These kids deserve programming and role models that is accurately reflective of our diverse world,” Panda Dulce told BuzzFeed. “Not a regurgitated monolith authored by xenophobes because they’re too cowardly to accept reality."The library said it will continue doing Pride events despite the disruption. “Libraries are open to all and are places that foster inclusion of all our communities. Attempts to intimidate and silence others are not tolerated in libraries,” the library said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. “We are grateful to Panda Dulce for showing bravery and resilience and finishing the Storytime event.”Gavin McInnes was a co-founder of VICE. He left the company in 2008 and has had no involvement since then. He later founded the Proud Boys in 2016.Want the best of VICE News straight to your inbox? Sign up here.Get the latest from VICE News in your inbox. Sign up right here.By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. | US Political Corruption |
CNBC reports that 84 Amazon delivery drivers at a California facility "joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the union said Monday, in a win for labor organizers that have long sought to gain a foothold at the e-retailer."
An anonymous reader shared this follow-up report from Vox: [T]hey unanimously ratified the contract, which will bring their wages from around $20 currently to $30 by September and would allow them to refuse to do deliveries they consider unsafe. But that victory is a bit complicated... They wear Amazon vests and drive Amazon-branded vehicles, have schedules dictated by Amazon, and can even be fired by Amazon. But they're technically employed by Battle Tested Strategies (BTS), one of approximately 3,000 delivery contract companies that make up Amazon's extensive delivery network. BTS voluntarily recognized the union after a majority of workers signed union authorization cards and negotiated the union contract.
Amazon has told Vox that its contract with BTS, which exclusively delivers for Amazon, was terminated "well before" workers notified the tech giant Monday, but that the contract hasn't expired yet. The union said that the delivery people are still working for Amazon and that the contract goes through October, when it typically would auto-renew. What happens next depends on Amazon, the workers, and the interpretation of outdated US labor law... At the crux of the delivery driver issue is whether Amazon controls enough of what the workers do to be considered a joint employer. "If Amazon is able to get away with ignoring the workers' decision and hiding behind the subcontractor relationships, then I'm afraid we'll have yet another story of the failure of American labor law," said Benjamin Sachs, a labor professor at Harvard Law School. "If this leads to a recognition that these drivers are Amazon employees, joint employees, then this could be massively important."
One element of note: These workers organized in California, which has a lower bar for who is considered an employee, and by extension, who enjoys union protections... Another element that the National Labor Relations Board will likely have to decide is whether Amazon terminated the contract with BTS in order to avoid working with a union, something that would be illegal if they were considered employees.
The article also notes that elsewhere, 50 YouTube contractors also voted to unionize this week.
An anonymous reader shared this follow-up report from Vox: [T]hey unanimously ratified the contract, which will bring their wages from around $20 currently to $30 by September and would allow them to refuse to do deliveries they consider unsafe. But that victory is a bit complicated... They wear Amazon vests and drive Amazon-branded vehicles, have schedules dictated by Amazon, and can even be fired by Amazon. But they're technically employed by Battle Tested Strategies (BTS), one of approximately 3,000 delivery contract companies that make up Amazon's extensive delivery network. BTS voluntarily recognized the union after a majority of workers signed union authorization cards and negotiated the union contract.
Amazon has told Vox that its contract with BTS, which exclusively delivers for Amazon, was terminated "well before" workers notified the tech giant Monday, but that the contract hasn't expired yet. The union said that the delivery people are still working for Amazon and that the contract goes through October, when it typically would auto-renew. What happens next depends on Amazon, the workers, and the interpretation of outdated US labor law... At the crux of the delivery driver issue is whether Amazon controls enough of what the workers do to be considered a joint employer. "If Amazon is able to get away with ignoring the workers' decision and hiding behind the subcontractor relationships, then I'm afraid we'll have yet another story of the failure of American labor law," said Benjamin Sachs, a labor professor at Harvard Law School. "If this leads to a recognition that these drivers are Amazon employees, joint employees, then this could be massively important."
One element of note: These workers organized in California, which has a lower bar for who is considered an employee, and by extension, who enjoys union protections... Another element that the National Labor Relations Board will likely have to decide is whether Amazon terminated the contract with BTS in order to avoid working with a union, something that would be illegal if they were considered employees.
The article also notes that elsewhere, 50 YouTube contractors also voted to unionize this week. | Labor Activism |
Something isn't loading properly. Please check back later. Jobs economist: Worker shortage may keep inflation high 01:14 - Source: CNN Business Minneapolis CNN — First-time claims for weekly unemployment benefits increased to 225,000 for the week ended December 24, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. That’s up 9,000 from the previous week’s tally of 216,000. Economists were expecting 225,000 initial claims, according to Refinitiv estimates. Weekly initial claims have been hovering at pre-pandemic levels for the last few months, only slightly above the 2019 weekly average of 218,000. The steady level of initial claims continues to paint a “very tight picture” of the US labor market, said Eugenio Aleman, Raymond James’ chief economist. Continuing claims, which are filed by people who have received unemployment benefits for more than one week, increased to 1.71 million for the week ended December 17, from 1.67 million. That’s the highest level since February and just shy of pre-pandemic filings of 1.8 million, and suggests that workers may be having more difficulty finding a new job. Weekly jobless claims are volatile — especially around the holidays — and frequently subject to revision. | US Federal Policies |
By Maureen Chowdhury, Elise Hammond, Meg Wagner and Melissa Macaya, CNNUpdated 11:25 p.m. ET, June 14, 20226 min agoCNN Projection: Rep. Nancy Mace will win GOP primary in South Carolina's 1st Congressional DistrictUS Rep. Nancy Mace attends her election night party in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace will win the GOP nomination in the 1st Congressional District, CNN projectsMace flipped the district in 2020, defeating Democratic Rep. Joe Cunningham. In this primary, she faced a challenge from former conservative state Rep. Katie Arrington who was making her second run for the seat.While Mace didn’t vote to impeach former President Donald Trump and has tried to walk a tightrope between the Trump base and more moderate Republicans. The former President had backed Arrington.8 min agoCNN projection: Bruce Poliquin will win the GOP nomination for Maine's 2nd Congressional DistrictBruce Poliquin speaks at Maine's Republican convention in April. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP)CNN projects Bruce Poliquin will win the Republican nomination for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District. He will face Democratic Rep. Jared Golden in the general election in November.5 min agoCNN Projection: Rep. Russell Fry will win GOP primary in South Carolina's 7th Congressional DistrictSouth Carolina state Rep. Russell Fry addresses a crowd in Florence, South Carolina, in March. (Meg Kinnard/AP/File)South Carolina state Rep. Russell Fry will win the GOP nomination in the 7th Congressional District, CNN projects.Fry was running against five-term Rep. Tom Rice, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump after the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol. Fry, who was endorsed by Trump, said voters would “impeach” Rice at the “ballot box.”Rice, a conservative Republican first elected in 2012, was formally censured by the South Carolina Republican Party after his impeachment vote. The lawmaker said in a statement last year that it was the President's response to the riot that led him to cross the aisle.He also became one of the 35 Republicans to vote to create the commission that has investigated the storming of the Capitol. In endorsing Fry in February, Trump said in a statement that Rice was “the coward who abandoned his constituents by caving to Nancy Pelosi and the Radical Left” and “must be thrown out of office.”Rice shot back that Trump was a “would-be tyrant” who is “consumed by spite.”Fry appeared with Trump at a rally in the state in March, arguing that Rice "broke our trust" with his impeachment vote.16 min agoWhat it's like at Rep. Nancy Mace's election night party in South CarolinaFrom CNN's Jeff Zeleny in Mt. Pleasant, South CarolinaUS Rep. Nancy Mace, center, greets supporters at her election night party in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images)The band is still playing and the pizza has just arrived at Rep. Nancy Mace’s election night party at the Patriot Point Links in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, as supporters sip drinks to stay cool on a hot and humid night. The votes are still being counted in her Republican primary fight with Katie Arrington.Mace has held a steady lead throughout the evening, with vote totals occasionally called out from the stage, but all eyes are on Beaufort County on the far southern edge of the district. It’s a conservative stretch of the state, where Arrington is hoping to gain ground on her rival.Mace seized an early advantage in Charleston County, the population center of the district, while Arrington is holding out hope that her endorsement from Donald Trump will pay dividends and close the gap.This Republican primary contest is yet another race on the stop of Trump’s so-called revenge tour. The former President has never forgiven Mace for voting to certify the 2020 election on her third day in Congress.It’s been a vicious race, with Arrington branding Mace as the “Liz Cheney of the South,” and Mace hurling frequent attacks at Arrington. Mace hopes the bitter Republican campaign – fueled by Trump’s involvement – will end tonight, if she stays above the 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff.1 hr 25 min agoPolls are closing across NevadaFrom CNN's Ethan Cohen and Melissa Holzberg DePaloIt's 10 p.m. ET, and polls are closing across Nevada.Nevada is holding several competitive Republican primaries as the party picks nominees for critical Senate, governor and secretary of state races.Here are some of the key races voters are weighing in on:Senate: Cortez Masto is one of the most endangered Senate Democrats running this year, looking to carry a state President Biden won by less than 3 points in 2020. The top contender in the GOP field is former state Attorney General Adam Laxalt, the party's 2018 nominee for governor. Laxalt is backed by a long list of conservative leaders, including former President Donald Trump. He is facing a challenge from Army veteran Sam Brown.Governor: Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo won Trump’s endorsement in April, but he will still have to fend off a crowded field including former Sen. Dean Heller and attorney and former boxer, Joey Gilbert. Gilbert, who won the party’s endorsement, was seen on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, though he said he never went inside.Secretary of State: Cisco Aguilar, a Las Vegas attorney who worked for late US Sen. Harry Reid, is already the choice of Democrats. Among the Republican contenders is Jim Marchant, a former state assemblyman and unsuccessful candidate for the US House of Representatives. He has said he would not have certified Biden's win — although Trump lost the state by more than 33,000 votes. Other candidates on the Republican ticket include Kristopher Dahir, a Sparks city council member; Jesse Haw, a former state lawmaker and real estate developer; former Las Vegas TV anchor Gerard Ramalho and former District Court Judge Richard Scotti.1 hr 31 min agoCNN Projection: Incumbent Sen. John Hoeven will win the GOP primary in North DakotaUS Sen. John Hoeven speaks on Capitol Hill in May. (Mariam Zuhaib/AP)Incumbent Sen. John Hoeven will win the GOP Senate primary in North Dakota, CNN projects.Hoeven has served as senator since 2011. On the Democratic side, CNN projects Katrina Christiansen will win the Senate primary and fill face Hoeven in November.1 hr 43 min agoCNN Projection: Joe Cunningham will win the Democratic primary for South Carolina governor Joe Cunningham addresses delegates at South Carolina's Democratic Party convention on Saturday. (Meg Kinnard/AP)Joe Cunningham will win the Democratic gubernatorial primary in South Carolina, CNN projects. Cunningham is a former House representative for the state's 1st District, who lost his seat to Republican Rep. Nancy Mace in 2020. Cunningham will face incumbent GOP Gov. Henry McMaster in November. 1 hr 37 min agoCNN Projection: Incumbent Rep. Jim Clyburn will win the Democratic primary in South Carolina's 6th DistrictUS Rep. James Clyburn attends a subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Incumbent Rep. James Clyburn will win the South Carolina Democratic primary in South Carolina’s 6th District, CNN projects. He currently serves as the House majority whip. Clyburn, who is seeking his 16th term, is among the most influential figures in Democratic politics. His endorsement of Joe Biden ahead of South Carolina’s 2020 primary effectively cemented Biden's victory there — and propelled Biden to wins across the map in the following day and weeks, eventually leading to him clinching the Democratic presidential nomination.Since then, Clyburn has embraced his role as a Democratic kingmaker of sorts. He backed Ohio Rep. Shontel Brown in a hard-fought special election against Bernie Sanders-aligned former state Sen. Nina Turner for a House seat in the Cleveland area. Later, he angered some progressives by supporting Rep. Henry Cuellar, the last anti-abortion Democrat in the House, in a Texas runoff against progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros. Clyburn, 81, is part of a trio of top House Democratic leaders who are all older than 80 but have hung onto power without serious challenge in recent years.Duke Buckner will win the GOP primary for the 6th District, CNN projects, and will face off against Clyburn in November. 2 hr 12 min agoCNN Projection: Armstrong and Haugen will face off in November for North Dakota's only House seat US Rep. Kelly Armstrong, left, and Democratic challenger Mark Haugen (US House Office of Photography, Mark Haugen for Congress)Incumbent GOP Rep. Kelly Armstrong and Democrat Mark Haugen will win their respective primaries for North Dakota's at-large House seat, CNN projects. Both ran uncontested in their primaries and will face off against each other in November. | US Federal Elections |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Attorney General Merrick Garland is facing growing political pressure to enforce federal law that prohibits picketing outside of Supreme Court justices’ homes for the purpose of influencing a decision. Federal U.S. code 1507, states that any individual who "pickets or parades" with the "intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding the administration of justice, or with the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness, or court officer" near a U.S. court or "near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge, juror, witness, or court officer" will be fined, or "imprisoned not more than one year, or both." The Biden administration has encouraged protesting outside of Supreme Court justices’ homes over the leaked abortion decision so long as it remains peaceful. Garland's DOJ, meanwhile, has yet to bring any charges against protesters targeting the justices' homes, even after the alleged assassination attempt against Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The DOJ's hands-off approach has left critics baffled. GOP SLAM HOUSE DEMS FOR STALLING SCOTUS PROTECTION BILL AFTER SUSPECT CHARGED WITH TRYING TO KILL KAVANAUGH Protestors and drummers marched outside of Kavanaugh's house after an alleged assassination attempt. (Fox News)Former Trump administration Attorney General Bill Barr told Fox News Digital that the "law is crystal clear" and that "protests at a judge’s residence to influence a judge is a federal crime, and the law should be enforced.""The Administration’s talking point that it supports the First Amendment is a non-answer," Barr said in an email. "The right to protest has always been subject to reasonable ‘time, place, and manner’ restrictions, like the federal law prohibiting demonstrations outside a judge’s residence." "Demonstrations in violation of the statute are not legitimate First Amendment activity," he continued.Conservative legal group Judicial Crisis Network concurred with the former attorney general, telling Fox News Digital that the protests are illegal and that picketing outside of justices’ residents can potentially affect the impartiality of the court."The relevant federal statute prohibits pickets and parades in front of a judge's home, including for the purpose of influencing a judge," Judicial Crisis Network executive director Carrie Severino told Fox News Digital. "I would love to know why Merrick Garland is refusing to enforce this law as protesters continue to gather at the justices' private residences – especially after the apparent attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh."The DOJ's response to the protests at justices' homes has drawn attention on Capitol Hill as well. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blasted Garland as "a partisan hack who should resign in disgrace for dereliction of duty." Sen. Tom Cotton questions Attorney General Merrick Garland during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Oct. 27, 2021. (Tasos Katopodis/Pool via Reuters)"A Democratic hitman tried to murder Justice Kavanaugh and his family. On the same day, left-wing street militias announced publicly they would picket his residence and the homes of other conservative justices," Cotton told Fox News Digital. "This act of intimidation is a clear violation of federal law and Merrick Garland has done nothing."‘RUTH SENT US’ GROUP HINTED AT TARGETING SUPREME COURT JUSTICE BARRETT’S CHILDREN, CHURCH"His primary job is to enforce the law, and he has failed totally," the Republican senator continued. "If he won’t resign, then we’ll impeach him once Republicans control the Congress in January. Either way, he is finished."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe DOJ didn't return Fox News Digital's request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Kelly Laco contributed reporting. Houston Keene is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @HoustonKeene | SCOTUS |
Trump is out of office. But the Supreme Court is ensuring his legacy lives on.Former President Donald Trump no longer holds formal power, but the Supreme Court is ensuring his legacy lives on.By a 6-3 vote Friday, the court erased nearly 50 years of precedent by ruling that the Constitution does not protect a right to abortion. Earlier in the week, by the same margin, the court struck down a New York law that heavily restricted licenses to carry concealed handguns and ruled that police officers can’t be sued for violating a suspect’s Miranda rights.In each of the cases, all three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted in the majority.Read more here.Planned Parenthood Arizona pauses abortion servicesPlanned Parenthood Arizona is halting abortion services across the state in light of the Supreme Court's decision.“Let’s be crystal clear, the Supreme Court has abandoned patients today,” president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona, Brittany Fonteno said on a call with reporters Friday. “We are being forced by the Supreme Court and politicians in this state to deny patient care right now. As a result of our state’s legal landscape we are pausing abortion services at Planned Parenthood clinics Arizona.” Fonteno said that the organization was "working diligently" with its team of attorneys, "to understand Arizona's tangled web of conflicting laws to make sure our patients know what their rights are and how to access abortion."She called high court's decision heartbreaking, while vowing that Planned Parenthood Arizona wasn't going anywhere, "not now, not ever." “Although this is a truly heartbreaking moment for all Americans, this moment will not break us,” she said. Businesses take precautions after overturning of RoeEmma Li and Tat Bellamy-Walker29m ago / 9:05 PM UTCThe Earle Cabell Federal Building in Dallas boarded up windows and installed fencing Friday after the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Other businesses in the U.S., including in Washington, took similar precautions to protect storefronts from expected protests after the decision.Murkowski, criticizing court ruling, says Congress must codify legal abortionSen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, criticized the Supreme Court on Friday for going “against 50 years of precedent in choosing to overturn Roe v. Wade.”“The rights under Roe that many women have relied on for decades — most notably a woman’s right to choose — are now gone or threatened in many states,” she said in a statement, adding that “it is up to Congress to respond.”Murkowski cited legislation she has introduced to codify legal abortion in some circumstances and with exceptions. Some abortion rights activists have criticized it as too narrow and prefer Democrats' broader bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act.“I am continuing to work with a broader group to restore women’s freedom to control their own health decisions wherever they live. Legislation to accomplish that must be a priority,” she said.Murkowski added: “Alaskan courts have interpreted abortion rights as protected under our State Constitution, but with this decision, women in other parts of the country will face a different reality that limits their health decisions, even in extreme circumstances.”Photos: Contrasting emotions outside Supreme CourtFrank Thorp V / NBC NewsThousands of activists on both sides of the issue gathered in front of the Supreme Court after the court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case Friday.The court’s decision overturns the landmark, nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade case and erases a federal right to an abortion.Planned Parenthood of Greater New York set to increase services by 20%Antonio Planas54m ago / 8:41 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood of Greater New York announced Friday it will increase services by 20% in response to states outlawing abortions following Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court.The organization will offer additional abortion appointments at its 23 health centers to care for more state residents seeking abortions as well as people traveling to New York from states where abortions have been made illegal, according to a statement.Some of the new measures the organization will take include assigning an abortion patient navigator who will help people coming from out of state. The company will increase telehealth medication to give people in early stages of pregnancy the option to safely manage their abortion under the guidance of a company clinician, the organization said. Centers in Ithaca and Corning, in the southern region of the state, will expand their services to decrease travel times for people from out of state to reach a clinic, the organization said.Up to 26 states are prepared to outlaw abortion, affecting more than 36 million people who could lose access to abortions, the organization said.“Banning abortion does not take away people’s need to access abortion. We believe all people — no matter where they live — should have the right to control their own bodies, lives, and futures,” said Joy D. Calloway, interim president and CEO of New York’s Planned Parenthood. “We have been preparing for this day. At Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, we are committed to ensuring equitable access to all New Yorkers and people across the country in states hostile toward health care — and abortion is health care.” Graham says Pence called to thank him on the decisionTat Bellamy-Walker1h ago / 8:28 PM UTCSen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said former Vice President Mike Pence praised him in a phone call for his work in helping the court overturn Roe v. Wade.In a separate tweet, Graham said Pence has been a role model for his work in the anti-abortion movement. He also called Pence a "true inspiration." Graham further applauded the Trump administration for the appointment of three justices that led to the historic decision to reverse abortion rights nationwide.Bill Clinton says ruling has 'put our democracy at risk'Former President Bill Clinton slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying it "puts partisanship ahead of precedent, ideology ahead of evidence, and the power of a small minority ahead of the clear will of the people."The majority opinion is "wrong on the merits, wrong for women and their ability to make their own healthcare decisions, and wrong for what it means for the future of our country," Clinton said in a statement. "This jarring removal of rights that had long been guaranteed, along with decisions gutting the Voting Rights Act and abolishing any judicial remedy for admittedly unconstitutional gerrymandering by state legislatures and abuses of power by federal authorities, has put our democracy at risk in the hands of a radical, activist Court."Clinton, a Democrat, urged voters to elect politicians who will defend rights and liberties, and the Senate to "confirm judges who will put their duty to uphold the Constitution ahead of their ideology, partisanship, and obsession to control."Scene outside Jackson Women’s Health OrganizationBlayne Alexander and Tat Bellamy-Walker1h ago / 8:15 PM UTCProtesters, reproductive health advocates and media crowded outside of Jackson Women's Health Organization, an abortion clinic in Mississippi that is at the center of a decision to reverse abortion rights.Pink House Defenders, a group that stands outside the clinic and escorts women inside for abortion services, said protesters have calmed down since the decision was announced Friday. “We’re used to protestors every day. But I got to admit, today they are being a little extra," said a clinic escort, who declined to give her name. She added that the news media was also lining the streets. She said that she is fed up with all of it. “On top of all of that, we still have to escort our patients inside," she said. Outside of the clinic, anti-abortion protestors were handing out pamphlets that say, "this is not your only choice." Graphic: How the U.S. compares with the rest of the world on attitudes toward abortionNot all countries are as divided as the U.S. is on abortion access. According to a 2021 Ipsos survey of abortion attitudes in 27 countries, an average of 71 percent of people worldwide support abortion in all instances or in certain circumstances.The U.S. ranked in the lower third among countries included in the poll, with 66 percent of the country supporting abortion access in all or most cases. Sweden ranked the highest with 88 percent.What the Supreme Court justices said about Roe, abortion in their confirmationsJane C. Timm2h ago / 7:54 PM UTCAfter Friday’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, pro-abortion rights lawmakers argued that some of the justices who voted in the majority opinion misled senators during their confirmation process.“This decision is inconsistent with what Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their testimony and their meetings with me,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said.The future of the landmark Roe decision has long been a topic of Supreme Court confirmations.All six Supreme Court judges who voted to uphold the Mississippi law at the center of Friday’s decision were asked about Roe v. Wade during their confirmation hearings. Justices appointed by then-President Donald Trump, in particular, were interrogated at length, as he had vowed as a candidate to appoint judges who would overturn Roe.Here's what they said at the time.International Planned Parenthood chief: Roe decision 'biggest blow to women's health and rights'The Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade is “the biggest blow to women’s health and rights” in recent American history, the head of International Planned Parenthood said Friday. The director general of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, called the decision “an outrageous and devastating conclusion to what was already an unconstitutional removal of life-saving healthcare.” He added: “By continuing its unbridled attack on women’s bodies and forcing them to carry pregnancies to term, the highest court in the land has reached its lowest point, robbing millions of their liberty, bodily autonomy and freedom — the very values the United States prides itself on. “We know for a fact that banning abortion does not mean fewer abortions and that when abortion bans are enacted, women and pregnant people die, as we have seen across the globe, most recently in Poland. We also know that those who cannot access safe abortion care legally, including medical abortion pills, will be forced into unregulated and unsafe methods, potentially resulting in serious harm or even death and costing lives for decades to come."VP Harris blasts Roe ruling, says progress isn't 'inevitable'Vice President Kamala Harris blasted the Supreme Court's ruling at an event in Illinois and echoed President Joe Biden's remarks that voters have the power to elect leaders who protect their rights. Harris, who served as California's attorney general before being elected to the Senate, said that the opinion argues that abortion is "not deeply rooted in our history." She said Friday's decision calls into question "other rights that we thought were settled, such as the right to use birth control, the right to same-sex marriage, the right to interracial marriage.""The great aspiration of our nation has been to expand freedom, but the expansion of freedom clearly is not inevitable," she said. "It is not something that just happens." Harris said she invites people to stand together in defense of liberty, freedom and the right to self-determination. "You have the power to elect leaders who will defend or protect your rights," she said, urging people to vote. Emotions raw outside Supreme Court after Roe reversalTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court on Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue bore emotion-filled witness to the end of the Roe era.“It’s really a visceral issue,” said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday’s decision. “The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone.” That was true for many of the abortion rights supporters, who wore stickers, held signs, chanted slogans and, at times, wept. They vowed that they would continue to fight for abortion rights, and some wore T-shirts advertising their willingness to “aid and abet” women seeking abortions in states where they will soon be banned or heavily restricted.Read more here.Northwell Health, N.Y.'s largest health care provider, criticizes Roe decision Antonio Planas2h ago / 7:26 PM UTCFriday’s Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a setback for women that will hinder access to safe abortions, according to a statement from Northwell Health.“Northwell Health is disappointed by the US Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, which made access to safe and legal abortion a constitutional right for five decades,” the statement said. “This decision is a setback for women’s reproductive health. Our concern as the region’s largest health care provider is that this ruling will succeed in ending access to safe abortions and disproportionately cause harm to those who already have limited access to health care.”Northwell Health is New York state's largest health care provider.“In New York State, we already have laws that establish a woman’s right to an abortion. Governor Hochul recently signed a series of bills that preserve this right and, importantly, offer protections for health care providers in the state who perform this procedure legally. But we will vigorously monitor any developments related to this very important issue in the coming months and we will continue to advocate in the name of raising women’s health.”Lawyer who argued against Dobbs said consequences will be 'swift and severe'Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Supreme Court's decision to end 50 years of federal abortion rights "takes away an individual personal liberty" and warned that it will affect other important issues. "Its impact is going to reverberate beyond abortion no matter what the majority tried to say about that," she said at a news conference Friday afternoon. "Generations of people have relied on this right and they’ll now be thrown into a world without it. I can’t emphasize enough what a cataclysmic change this will be, how much chaos we will see in the coming days and month," added Julie Rikelman, the center's litigation director, who in December argued against the Dobbs case. "The impact of this ruling truly will be swift and severe."Northup — who successfully argued the 2016 Whole Woman’s Health case which banned Texas from replacing restrictions on abortion services — said that Friday's ruling puts at risk the right to use contraception and the right to gay marriage. "The Supreme Court, having done something it’s never done before, which is take away an individual personal liberty, it has never done that in its history, and it can’t be underestimated about what that means," she said, adding: "And the decision is also the biggest setback to women’s rights, I would say in United States history."Hawley predicts overturn of Roe will bolster Republicans' Electoral College advantageSen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., predicted on a conference call with reporters on Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling would ultimately lead to an exodus of Democratic voters from red and purple states, bolstering a Republican advantage in the Electoral College.“I really do think that this is going to be a watershed moment in American politics,” he said, adding “I think we will see a major sorting out across the country that is already underway, as we speak, as states move to change their laws or adopt new laws in response to this decision.”He predicted the ruling would inform voters’ decisions on what jobs to take, where to locate their families and would “probably redraw some demographic lines around the country and will lead to impacts in voting patterns, I think all around the country.”“And I would predict that the effect is going to be that more and more red states, they’re going to become more red, purple states are going to become red and the blue states are going to get a lot bluer,” he added. “And I would look for Republicans, as a result of this, to extend their strength in the Electoral College. And that’s very good news for those of us who want to see Republican presidents elected, they want to see a Supreme Court that remains conservative.”As for whether federal legislators should consider national restrictions on abortion rights in light of the Dobbs ruling, Hawley said “it would be appropriate for us to consider legislation where there is a national consensus,” adding he would like to see voters weigh in at the individual state level first.U.S. companies tell workers their benefits include travel costs for abortionsAntonio Planas3h ago / 6:46 PM UTCSome of the country’s biggest companies — including Paramount, Disney, Amazon and Netflix — are telling employees that their benefits include travel costs for abortions.In a memo provided to NBC News, Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount Global, and Chief People Officer Nancy Phillips said the corporation supports health care choices made by its employees.“This includes the reproductive health and family-building benefits that helps make our company a welcoming place to work.” One of the benefits listed in the memo was travel costs for “elective abortion care.”A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to NBC News the company offers travel reimbursement coverage for full-time U.S. employees and their dependents who need to travel to get an abortion. The lifetime allowance for each employee is $10,000, according to the spokesperson.Disney confirmed to Reuters it also covers travel cost for employees who need reproductive care, including to obtain an abortion. Disney employs about 80,000 people at Walt Disney World resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a 15-week abortion ban. The law is scheduled to take effect July 1.Other corporations such as Amazon.com, Citigroup and Levi Strauss & Co., have publicly pledged to pay for employees' travel to obtain abortions, Reuters reported.Former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe says he hopes Roe ruling will motivate baseFormer Democratic National Committee Chair and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe reacted to Friday's decision by saying he hoped the verdict would boost turnout in the upcoming elections.“If this doesn’t energize women to come out and vote, I don’t know what will," he said. "For 50 years people talked about Roe being overturned. Well, guess what? It has now happened. ""There’s a shock value to it," he added." If this doesn’t mobilize folks to come out and talk bout how important elections are, and how people can’t sit at home, and how elections really do matter, this has proven the case ... This and the Jan. 6 stuff is having an impact. So, obviously, with Roe and all this debate on guns, we do have some things that motivate our base.”In furious dissent, Supreme Court’s liberal wing slams ‘draconian’ abortion decisionIn a scathing dissent to the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday that overturned Roe v. Wade and wiped out the constitutional guarantee of abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the “draconian” opinion as a decision that will undeniably curtail women’s rights and turn back “their status as free and equal citizens.”The lengthy joint dissent written by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan repeatedly slammed the court’s “cavalier” conservative majority for exercising “hypocrisy” in the way they interpret the Constitution. The justices predicted myriad terrible — and possibly deadly — consequences for women, particularly low-income women and women of color, in need of abortion care.Frequently, and with searing language, they concluded that the court’s majority had deemed that women are not deserving of equal protection under the law.Read more here.McConnell calls the ruling 'courageous and correct'Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., celebrated the ruling Friday, calling it “courageous and correct” and a "historic victory for the Constitution and for the most vulnerable in our society.”In a statement, the GOP leader argued that more than 90% of Europe restricts abortion after 15 weeks but "every state in America has been forced to allow it more than a month past that, after a baby can feel pain, yawn, stretch, and suck his or her thumb.""The Court has corrected a terrible legal and moral error, like when Brown v. Board overruled Plessy v. Ferguson," he continued. "The Justices applied the Constitution. They carefully weighed the complex factors regarding precedent. The Court overturned mistaken rulings that even liberals have long admitted were incoherent, restoring the separation of powers. I commend the Court for its impartiality in the face of attempted intimidation."As majority leader in 2017, McConnell led Republicans in eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, allowing them to be confirmed in a simple majority vote rather than a supermajority. The move led to the confirmations of former President Donald Trump's three Supreme Court picks: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, all of whom sided with Justice Samuel Alito in overturning Roe. Defense secretary says Pentagon examining Supreme Court decisionThe Pentagon will "closely" examine the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and "evaluate our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said."Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families," he said in a statement. "I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force."Hillary Clinton says ruling overturning Roe will 'live in infamy'Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Friday that the Supreme Court's ruling will "live in infamy." "Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she said in a tweet. "Today’s Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women’s rights and human rights."Clinton, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state, then linked to a webpage that asks for donations to three major abortion rights groups.Oklahoma's GOP AG allows trigger law outlawing abortions to take effectOklahoma's Republican attorney general, John O'Connor, praised the Supreme Court's ruling and said he has certified it, allowing the state's trigger law outlawing abortions to take effect. In a letter, O'Connor certified "that Roe and Casey have been overruled such that Oklahoma may prohibit abortion on demand," according to the attorney general's office. "In that letter, he also indicated that he would begin efforts immediately to enforce Oklahoma’s abortion prohibitions, especially the one found in Section 861 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes," the office said. That section of the statute says that anyone who administers the "miscarriage" of a woman or by prescribing, advising or procuring medication or drugs will be guilty of a felony that could result in a sentence of two to five years in prison. O'Connor's letter says that his certification will also allow Oklahoma to enforce any similar statute prohibiting abortion throughout pregnancy. Taylor Swift reacts to Roe reversal: 'I'm absolutely terrified'Grammy-winning pop star Taylor Swift, who has become increasingly vocal about political issues in recent years, tweeted Friday that she was "absolutely terrified that this is where we are" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Swift offered her thoughts in response to a statement from former first lady Michelle Obama, who wrote that she was "heartbroken today."Trump takes credit for 'biggest WIN for Life in a generation'Former President Donald Trump, who campaigned on limiting abortion rights and appointed three Supreme Court justices, took credit for Friday's decision in a statement.Calling it "the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation," Trump said the Roe ruling and "other decisions" recently announced "were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised."All three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted with the majority in overturning Roe. Anti-abortion advocates celebrate Friday in front of the Supreme Court.Frank Thorp V / NBC NewsThough Trump was known to have more socially liberal positions as a private citizen, he won favor with Republican activists by vowing during his 2016 campaign to choose justices from a pre-selected list of conservatives.Sen. Kennedy praises reversal of Roe v. Wade: 'They did their work'Tat Bellamy-Walker4h ago / 5:24 PM UTCSen. John Kennedy, R-La., released a statement Friday that praised the justices for overturning Roe. v. Wade despite attempts to protest the decision. Rep. Cheney says she has always been 'pro-life,' ruling returns power to the statesRep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who has bucked her party by denouncing former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, indicated Friday that she supports the Supreme Court's ruling."I have always been strongly pro-life," she said in a tweet. "Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court returns power to the states and the people of the states to address the issue of abortion under state law."Biden says no violence, urges people to 'keep all protests peaceful'President Joe Biden on Friday urged people to "keep all protests peaceful" in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. "I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful," he said during a White House speech, reiterating: "Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable." Hundreds of demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court following the historic decision with some abortion rights supporters chanting: "We won’t go back! We won’t go back! My body, my choice!"The crowd outside the court has continued to grow but has remained relatively peaceful. "Threats and intimidation are not speech," Biden said. "We must stand against violence in any form regardless of your rationale." 'People will die because of this decision,' Rep. Ocasio-Cortez saysAntonio Planas4h ago / 5:07 PM UTCRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Friday the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will make abortions more dangerous and result in deaths.“Overturning Roe and outlawing abortions will never make them go away. It only makes them more dangerous, especially for the poor + marginalized," she tweeted. "People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America.”Anti-abortion Democratic Rep. Cuellar says Roe decision leaves issues up to the statesTexas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lone anti-abortion Democrat in the House, said Friday his position has not changed."We'll let the states make this decision now," he said. Asked by NBC News about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the Supreme Court's decision, which she said was "cruel," Cuellar said, "Everybody has their opinion, including the speaker."Cuellar said that while he was in the minority in his caucus, he is not in his district.WHO’s Tedros disappointed by Roe v. Wade decisionReuters5h ago / 4:59 PM UTCThe head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was very disappointed by the overturning of Roe v Wade.“I am very disappointed, because women’s rights must be protected. And I would have expected America to protect such rights,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told Reuters on the sidelines of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.Sanders says it is time to end the Senate filibusterTat Bellamy-Walker5h ago / 4:57 PM UTCSen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called on Democrats to end the filibuster in the Senate and solidify protections for abortion rights. Biden says Roe is 'on the ballot' in NovemberIn remarks from the White House on Friday, President Joe Biden said that "voters need to make their voices heard" at the ballot box in November's midterm elections because he is unable to restore abortion protections and Congress lacks the votes to take that action. "We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land. We need to elect officials who will do that. This fall, Roe is on the ballot," Biden said. Until November, Biden said he will do everything in his power to protect a woman's right to choose in states where they will face the consequences of the court's decision. He said, for example, that his administration will protect women's access to medications that allow them to self-manage an abortion at home. He acknowledged that a number of Republican-controlled states have already banned or restricted access to these medications. Biden expressed anger at the Supreme Court's ruling, saying that "the court has done what it has never done before — expressly take away a constitutional right." "This decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is — far removed they are from the majority of this country," he said. "You can act. You can have the final word."He blamed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for the reversal of Roe because of his nomination of three justices at the "core of today's decision." Plaintiff in same-sex marriage Supreme Court case says decision is moving country 'backward'Christopher Cicchiello5h ago / 4:54 PM UTCJim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges that established the right to same-sex marriages across the nation, called today's verdict "a sad day for women's rights.""This Supreme Court continues to erode the rights of citizens at an alarming rate," Obergefell said in a tweet. "Women deserve responsive leaders who support reproductive justice. Leaders who respect their fundamental right to have control over their own bodies."In a separate statement reacting to Justice Clarence Thomas’ call to reconsider the holding in Obergefell v. Hodges in his concurring opinion, Obergefell said that "the millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them."U.S. Capitol public tours halted after Roe decision Public tours of the U.S. Capitol were abruptly halted Friday after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, allowing Capitol Police to shift some of their resources to the court complex, a source familiar with the decision said.Capitol Police were also concerned about members of the public lining up at the entrance of the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), which is close to where thousands of protesters were assembling in front of the court building."It's because of the CVC entrance's proximity to activity at SCOTUS and the general need to shift U.S. Capitol Police manpower to respond to SCOTUS activity," the source said.The House Sergeant at Arms sent a message to congressional offices informing them of the decision. So far, the protests have been peaceful.Scotland's leader calls out Roe decisionScotland's leader on Friday warned that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would "embolden anti-abortion and anti-women forces" beyond the United States."One of the darkest days for women’s rights in my lifetime," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet. "Obviously the immediate consequences will be suffered by women in the US — but this will embolden anti-abortion & anti-women forces in other countries too. Solidarity doesn’t feel enough right now — but it is necessary."McCarthy praises court's decisionHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy praised the decision of the court during a Friday press conference. "By a vote of 6-3, the court affirmed that the power to protect unborn life is returned to the people by their elected representatives," he said. "This great nation can now live up to its core principle that all people are created equal — not born equal, created equal."He added that the decision would "save the lives of millions of children" and "give families hope."Rev. Sharpton says court's decision brings | SCOTUS |
FILE – Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, April 23, 2022, in Delaware, Ohio. With Trump focused on solidifying his reputation as a GOP kingmaker ahead of another potential presidential run, some allies say the Ohio victory could encourage him to step up his involvement in other bitter primary fights from Arizona to Missouri. (AP Photo/Joe Maiorana, File) There are several indications that former President Trump’s grip on the Republican Party, while still strong, is beginning to wane — and that’s a good thing. Typically, when U.S. presidents leave office, they voluntarily step out of the limelight — at least for a while. That precedent was first set by George Washington when he left the presidency, and it’s hard to overstate the importance of his example. It said the office of the president was bigger than the man, and it gave his successor the time and space to set his own stamp on the office. And importantly, it indicated to others who aspired to hold the office, or change the direction the country was headed in, that they would have their chance. Most former presidents have followed Washington’s example, which has led to one of the most stable democratic governmental systems in history. But not Trump. He has continued to exercise as much control over the GOP as he can. But time and events are beginning to erode that control. How can we tell? Several Trump allies and associates are challenging the “stolen election” narrative. Many of us in the conservative movement never believed the “election was stolen” mantra, even though there were clearly irregularities in some states, especially Pennsylvania. And we learned fairly soon after the election that then-Attorney General Bill Barr rejected the stolen-election assertion, as did White House communications director Alyssa Farah. While the ongoing Jan. 6 hearings in Washington have a number of legitimacy problems (for example, the committee includes Democrats who led Trump impeachment efforts and some who challenged Trump’s election certification in 2016), they have highlighted several Trump loyalists who we now know also rejected the stolen-election narrative. That list includes the president’s daughter Ivanka, campaign manager Bill Stepien, campaign lawyer Alex Cannon, data expert Matt Oczkowski and Trump confidant Kellyanne Conway. It is hard to imagine that they, or many others in the Trump inner circle, would have felt comfortable publicly expressing their doubts about the stolen-election narrative in the months right after the election. But a year and a half later, that’s apparently changed. GOP presidential hopefuls are demonstrating some independence. There are several well-qualified Republicans who share most of Trump’s policy positions but are younger and not as alienating as the former president: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and, of course, former Vice President Mike Pence, just to name a few. Several of the potential presidential candidates are beginning to demonstrate a little independence by endorsing their own favorite Republican candidates rather than the Trump-backed ones, at times ignoring his advice, and by highlighting some differences in their policies. And it’s likely we will see even more light between Trump and the GOP presidential aspirants in the coming months. Several Trump-endorsed candidates lost their primary bids. One of the big indications of Trump’s waning influence is that Republican voters have declined to vote for several Trump-backed primary candidates. News outlets have been hyper-focused on these campaigns, looking at various candidates’ efforts to secure the Trump endorsement, and then highlighting which Trump-endorsed candidates won or lost. Last year the thinking seemed to be that having the Trump stamp of approval was almost a necessity to win a Republican primary. The fact that several Republican candidates – including some who were heavily criticized by Trump – have prevailed in their primaries over the Trump-endorsed candidates indicates the endorsement, while likely still an important plus, does not guarantee anything. Senate Republicans ignored Trump’s effort to oust Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Trump would like to see Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) replaced with a more Trump-friendly Senate Republican leader. And some months ago, he pushed that effort. Apparently, not one Republican senator went along with the scheme. While Senate Republicans may occasionally grumble about what McConnell is or is not doing, they know he’s been a very effective leader. As president, Donald Trump implemented several very good policies, and the country and the economy prospered as a result. But his tweets and comments also alienated many voters and voting blocks, which cost him the election. Most former presidents followed the Washington example and stepped into the shadows for a while so the country could move on. Trump didn’t. As time moves on, he will eventually lose his grip on the GOP, and it’s already beginning to happen. Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation in Dallas, Texas. Follow him on Twitter @MerrillMatthews. | US Federal Elections |
CNN — The conservative Supreme Court will meet Monday to consider whether colleges and universities can continue to take race into consideration as a factor in admissions, a case that could diminish the number of Black and Hispanic students in higher education. Hanging in the balance is the future of admissions plans at hundreds of schools that have relied on court precedent for decades in order to achieve the educational benefits they say flow from student body diversity on campus. Challengers in the case are targeting Harvard and the University of North Carolina arguing that their programs violate equal protection principles, dash the promise of a colorblind society, and discriminate against Asian Americans. They are urging the court to overturn precedent and they say that the schools should explore and further develop race-neutral alternatives to achieve diversity. At least nine states have already chosen to end consideration of race in university admissions, including Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Washington, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Supreme Court precedent allows the consideration of race, but the court’s new composition of conservative justices did not hesitate last term to overturn decades old precedent in a case that curtailed a federal right to abortion. A Washington Post poll found that 63% of US adults support the Supreme Court banning colleges and universities from considering a student’s race and ethnicity when making decisions about student admissions. At the same time, 64% also say that in general, programs designed to increase the racial diversity of students on college campuses are a good thing. A conservative group, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) is behind both challenges. Edward Blum, the President of SFFA, has hired a conservative boutique law firm, Consovoy McCarthy, to challenge the policies at the country’s oldest private university, Harvard and the country’s first public university, University of North Carolina. The firm is composed of several former clerks of Justice Clarence Thomas who has been a critic of affirmative action. In 2003, Thomas wrote in one opinion: “The Constitution abhors classifications based on race, not only because those classifications can harm favored races or are based on illegitimate motives, but also because every time the government places citizens on racial registers and makes race relevant to the provision of burdens or benefits, it demeans us all.” SSFA argues that the Harvard policy violates Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that prohibits schools receiving federal funds from discriminating based on race. He says that the UNC policy is subject to Title VI, as well as 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law, which covers state universities. Lower US courts have ruled in favor of the schools finding that that the programs used race in a sufficiently limited way to fulfill a compelling interest in diversity. The two disputes were initially consolidated, but after Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson announced she would recuse herself from the Harvard case because she had served on the school’s board of overseers, they were decoupled, so the nation’s first black female justice could weigh in on the issue in at least one case. The University of North Carolina, established in 1789, was formally segregated for much of its history. The current challenge comes some 70 years after the first Black student was admitted. After an eight-day trial in 2020, district Judge Loretta C. Biggs ruled in favor of the school making special mention of its history steeped in racism. In a footnote, she noted the school’s “comparatively recent embrace of diversity,” citing Southern historian Dr. David Cecelski, who, she said provided the court with credible evidence that UNC has been a “strong and active promoter of white supremacy and racist exclusion for most of its history.” The judge noted that Cecelski put forth considerable findings that while the school has made “important strides to reform the institution’s racial outlook and policies” the efforts have fallen short of “repairing deep-seated strides to reform the institution’s racial outlook and policies.” “The University continues to face challenges admitting and enrolling underrepresented minorities particularly African American males, Hispanics, and Native Americans,” Biggs said and noted that in 2013 enrollment of African American men in the first-year class fell below 100 students. Siding with UNC, Biggs said “Ensuring that our public institutions of higher learning are open and available to all segments of our citizenry is not a gift to be sparingly given only to select populations, but rather is an institutional obligation to be broadly and equitably administered.” The Supreme Court stepped in to consider the case before it was heard by a federal appeals court. The school’s admissions office consists of about 120 employees engaged in a process where in the typical cycle the school receives about 43,500 applications for a freshman class of 4,200. Generally, about half the applicants are North Carolina residents. The requirements for admissions include a common application, an essay, letters of recommendation and standardized test scores. Race is used as a “plus factor” as the school considers criteria that includes a high school’s program criteria, academic performance, testing and engagement in activities outside of the classroom as well as personal attributes such as curiosity, honesty, motivation, and impact on the community. In addition, the school considers race-neutral alternatives that would allow it to achieve diversity. North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Park, argued that diversity is a compelling interest at the school and that the admissions office uses a holistic approach that affords an individualized consideration of all aspects of an applicant’s background, never relying upon quotas when it considers race. He also said the school makes a good faith effort to consider race neutral alternatives. “In UNC’s academic judgement, diversity is central to the education it aims to provide the next generation of leaders in business, science, medicine, government and beyond,” Park said in court papers. He said that while an applicant’s race may occasionally tip the balance toward admission in an individual case “it almost always does not.” He said the school offers about $159 million in undergraduate scholarships, part of which go to students based on their family’s socio-economic standing. It also recruits from a pool of high achieving community college students. Park also borrowed from the judicial philosophy favored by several of the current conservative justices who believe that the Constitution should be interpreted according to the original meaning of the founders. Park argued that the 14th Amendment was originally understood to allow “appropriately tailored race-conscious decision making”, an argument that Justice Jackson made in a different case earlier in the term concerning the historic Voting Rights Act. To make the connection, Park referred to historian Andrew Kull, who wrote that the framers considered and rejected proposals that would have made the Constitution explicitly colorblind. And he cited Brown v. Board of Education, the seminal opinion holding that state laws requiring separate but equal schools violated the Constitution. He argued that UNC’s admissions policy furthers the school’s “unwavering commitment to providing equal educational opportunities to all qualified students, no matter their race.” SSFA lawyer Patrick Strawbridge responded that the process is not holistic, and in fact the school conceals the improper use of race behind opaque procedures awarding “mammoth racial preferences” to African Americans and Hispanics. He said that the use of race so permeates the process that race becomes a predominant factor at “every stage.” He told the justices that the lawsuit had revealed the schools “sporadic and unserious efforts” to examine the availability of face-neutral alternatives by providing data through simulations “A white, out-of -state male who had only a 10% chance of admission would have a 98% chance if UNC treated him as an African American and a 69% chance if UNC treated him as a Hispanic,” he said. Strawbridge argued that the Brown decision actually supports his position. “Separate but equal has no place in education,” he said but added that the court should overturn a 2003 case called Grutter v. Bollinger that upheld the affirmative action admissions policy at the University of Michigan Law School. “Because Brown is our law, Grutter cannot be,” he said. Harvard’s program is like that of University of North Carolina, but the challenge at hand focuses particularly on the treatment of Asian American students and a charge that the school intentionally discriminates against them setting higher standards for their admission. While Harvard is a private university, it is still subject to Title VI because it receives public funds. Its freshman class in 2019 had 1,600 students out of 35,000 applicants. Of the 35,000, 2,700 had perfect verbal SAT scores, 3,400 had perfect math SAT scores and more than 8,000 had perfect GPA’s. After a 15-day bench trial that featured 30 witnesses, the district court ruled in favor of Harvard, finding that the school did not discriminate against Asian Americans in violation of Title VI. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district court, holding that it did “not clearly err in finding that Harvard did not intentionally discriminate against Asian Americans. “ The admissions process at the school takes into consideration several components including pre-application recruitment efforts, applications, a “first read” of application materials, and interviews. The reading procedures include guideline to assign numerical numbers to certain categories to detail the factors admissions officers should consider. Those factors include academic ratings, extracurricular ratings, athletic ratings, and personal ratings. The personal ratings attempt to measure how an applicant impacts people around them and contributions they might make. Considerations include perceived leadership, maturity, self-confidence, likeability, courage and kindness. After SFFA brought the suit, Harvard modified its instructions to say that an applicant’s race or ethnicity should not be considered in assigning the personal ratings. Harvard has a list of so called “tip” factors including race that are used after the first read process. Former US Solicitor General Seth Waxman, Harvard’s lead lawyer, pointed out in court papers that court precedent allows a “holistic” review of an application, and that it need not ignore race. “Seeking the benefits of a diverse student body, universities may consider race as one among many factors,” he said. “Our Constitution promises ‘equal protection of the laws,’ he said and added “it does not require us to disregard the commonsense reality that race is one among many things that shape life experiences in meaningful ways.” He roundly rejected charges of any discrimination against Asian American students arguing that while the SFFA “invokes the bogeyman of discrimination” against Asian American applicants the lower courts had found “in no uncertain terms that Harvard does not discriminate.” And he said that the lower courts had found that none of the asserted race-neutral alternatives put forward by Harvard would allow it to achieve its goals and that if it abandoned consideration of race as one among many factors, representation of African Americans and Hispanic students would decline. Cameron Norris, the SSFA lawyer charged with arguing the Harvard case, charges the schools with ignoring precedent and the “mistreatment” of Asian American applicants. “Its admissions process penalizes them for supposedly lacking as much leadership, confidence likability, or kindness as white applicants” he said. He particularly attacked Harvard’s system based on so called “personal ratings.” By considering race alongside subjective criteria like “self-confidence, likability, and courage” universities invite admissions officers to rely on anti-Asian stereotypes, he said. “No one is under the illusion that we live in a post-racial society, or that racial discrimination is a thing of the past,” Norris said in court papers. “But when elite universities place high-schoolers on racial registers and tell the world that their skin color affects what they think and know, the universities are hurting, not helping,” he said. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar supports both Harvard and the University of North Carolina, urging the justices to reject the invitation to ignore court precedent stemming from the Court’s 1978 decision in Regents of the University of California v Bakke where Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. recognized that the nation’s future “depends upon leaders trained through wide exposure to the ideas and mores of students as diverse as this Nation of many peoples.” She noted that court precedent has played a vital role in bringing diversity in higher education that has had rippling effect in the work force. “The Nation’s military leaders, for example, have learned through hard experience that the effectiveness of our military depends on a diverse officer corps that is ready to lead an increasingly diverse fighting force,” she said in court briefs. Judge Jackson in remarks: I am the dream of the slave 02:17 - Source: CNN She said court precedent has proven “eminently workable, carefully limiting the consideration of race and requiring use of race-netural alternatives to the extent possible.” And she, too cited, Brown. “Nothing in Brown’s condemnation of laws segregating the races to perpetuate a caste system calls into question admissions policies adopted to promote greater integration and diversity,” she wrote. A friend of the court brief filed on behalf of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund also questions the challengers’ suggestion that Brown mandates a result in SSFA’s favor. “Petitioner would transform Brown from an indictment against racial apartheid into a tool that supports racial exclusion, prevents further advancement in the Nation’s progress towards racial integration, and deepens persistent inequalities in educational opportunities,” the brief said. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is also supporting the school, rejecting the charge that race-conscious admissions policies discriminate against Asian Americans or perpetuate harmful stereotypes against them. “The Asian American community is vast and varied, including first-generation college students and children whose parents’ professions secured their immigration; children of working-class refugees and multigenerational Americans; speakers of over 300 languages; aspiring entrepreneurs, artists, teachers, and more,” they argued. They say that Students for Fair Admission relies on “manipulated date” to attempt to demonstrate that Asian Americans with high test scores are admitted at lower rates than other racial groups. Two groups, however, the Asian American Coalition for Education and the Asian American Legal Foundation, support SFFA with a particular emphasis on the “personal ratings” used by Harvard that the groups say assigns an “artificially low” rating to Asian American applicants during the admissions process to “counter their otherwise above-average metrics and ‘balance’ the racial makeup of its student body.” “Through use of the personal rating, Harvard essentially imposes a racial hierarchy, where African Americans are the most desirable, followed by Hispanics, followed by whites, and with Asians at the very bottom as the least favored and the least likely to be admitted,” they said. David E. Bernstein, a University Professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School also supports SFFA. He calls into question Harvard’s racial categories, deeming them “arbitrary and irrational.” “Harvard cannot explain why roughly 60% of the world’s population should be grouped together as ‘Asian” despite vast differences in appearance, language, and culture,” he added. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to specify that Jackson is the nation’s first female black justice. | SCOTUS |
get the free app Updated on: June 13, 2022 / 11:38 AM / CBS News CBS News Live CBS News Live Live The House Jan. 6 committee's second of a series of public hearings kicked off Monday after a slight delay when one of the key witnesses backed out of his scheduled appearance after his wife went into labor.Originally set to start at 10 a.m. ET, committee chair Bennie Thompson gaveled in the hearing at 10:46 a.m. ET. Thompson and vice chair Liz Cheney said they would be focusing Monday's hearing on how advisers told former President Donald Trump that he lost the election – but he continued to peddle these false claims. "This morning, we'll tell the story of how Donald Trump lost an election, and knew he lost an election, and as a result of his loss decided to wage an attack on our democracy, an attack on the American people, by trying to rob you of your voice in our democracy — and in doing so, lit the fuse that led to the horrific violence of January 6th, when a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol, sent by Donald Trump to stop the transfer of power," Committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson said. On election night, despite the advice of some of his closest allies, Trump followed the advice of an "apparently inebriated" Rudy Giuliani, Cheney said. Chris Stirewalt, former Fox News political editor, is sworn in to testify as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol continues to reveal its findings of a year-long investigation, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, June 13, 2022. Susan Walsh / AP "You will also hear testimony that President Trump rejected the advice of his campaign experts on election night and instead followed the course recommended by an apparently inebriated Rudy Giuliani to just claim he won and insist that the vote-counting stop, to falsely claim everything was fraudulent," Cheney previewed. "He falsely told the American people that the election was not legitimate."Thompson and Cheney said they would show "much more" of Attorney General William Barr's testimony. In testimony they showed on Thursday, Barr said he knew that Trump's claims of a stolen election were "bullsh**."The first witness up on Monday was former Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who was let go by Fox News shortly after the 2020 presidential election, during which his team correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden before other networks had. Trump's campaign manager, Bill Stepien, no longer appeared Monday after his wife went into labor. His lawyer, Kevin Marino, is appearing and the committee will show some of Stepien's video testimony.There also will be a panel of witnesses featuring election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, former U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia BJ Pak, who resigned effective Jan. 4, 2021, and former Philadelphia city commissioner Al Schmidt. 5m ago Former Fox News editor says he had no doubts Biden would win after network's controversial Arizona call Former Fox News editor Chris Stirewalt described the Fox News Decision Desk's controversial decision to call the race for Joe Biden in Arizona, and the implications that had. Fox News was the first network to call Arizona for Biden, and everyone on the team had to agree to call the state for the candidate. "We were able to make the call early. We were able to beat the competition," Stirewalt said. Rep. Zoe Lofgren asked Stirewalt whether he had doubts that Biden would win the election after that Arizona call. "After that point? None," Stirewalt said. Stirewalt was fired from Fox News in January 2021, a firing he said came after his decision to defend the network calling Arizona for Biden. 11m ago Barr said "everyone understood for weeks" there would be a surge of Democratic votes from mail-in ballots In a taped interview with House investigators, Barr recalled that Trump's claims of election fraud were made "before there was any potential evidence" and was based on the notion that many votes for Democrats were tallied later on the night of November 3 as mail-in and absentee ballots were counted, which was to be expected."It seemed to be based on the dynamic that at the end of the evening, a lot of Democrat votes came in which changed the vote count in certain states and that seemed to be the basis for this broad claim that there was major fraud," Barr said, according to a clip played by the committee. "And I didn't think much of that because people had been talking for weeks and everyone understood for weeks that that was going to be what happened on election night."Bill Stepien, Trump's 2020 campaign manager, told House investigators he told the president they would have to "wait and see" the outcome of the election. "I always told the president the truth, and you know, I think he expected that from me and I told him it was going to be a process and you know, we'll have to wait and see how this turns out. Just like I did in 2016, I did in 2020," Stepien said, according to a clip of a taped interview with the committee that was played. 16m ago Video shown of depositions of Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and more Trump allies about election night Some of President Trump's top aides described the atmosphere on Election Night at the White House, saying it was clear to many of them that it was too early to claim victory that night. Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter and top adviser, and her husband Jared Kushner, also a Trump adviser, told committee investigators that they were at the White House that night. Jason Miller said the mood shifted when Fox News declared victory for Joe Biden, but Rudy Giuliani, who appeared to be intoxicated, wanted President Trump to declare victory. "The mayor was definitely intoxicated," top aide Jason Miller said, adding that he didn't "know the level of his intoxication.The president's daughter told committee investigators "it was becoming clear that the race would not be called on Election Night." Bill Stepien said he recommended the president say that votes were still being counted and it was too early to call the race. "But we are proud of the race we ran and we think we are in good position and we'll have more to say about this the next day," he said, adding that the president disagreed with that message. 30m ago Lofgren says Trump knew election fraud claims were false Committee member Rep. Zoe Lofgren said not only did the president's closest advisers know claims of widespread election fraud were false, but Trump knew it, too. "Mr. Trump's closest advisers knew it. Mr. Trump knew it," she said.Lofgren also alluded that the Trump operation raised a lot of money off the false idea that there was rampant fraud, enough to change the election results. "The 'Big Lie' was also a big ripoff," she said. 34m ago Cheney says Trump followed advice of "apparently inebriated" Giuliani to claim victory on election night In her opening remarks, committee Vice Chair Liz Cheney laid out a roadmap for what the public will hear during the select committee's second hearing and revealed that Trump, on the night of the election, took advice from an "apparently inebriated" Rudy Giuliani, his personal attorney."You will also hear testimony that President Trump rejected the advice of his campaign experts on election night and instead followed the course recommended by an apparently inebriated Rudy Giuliani to just claim he won and insist that the vote-counting stop, to falsely claim everything was fraudulent," Cheney previewed. "He falsely told the American people that the election was not legitimate."The committee, she said, will lay out Trump's effort to convince Americans that the 2020 election was stolen from him and rife with voter fraud, despite the former president knowing that the counting of mail-in ballots in key battleground states would take days.Cheney said Americanas will also hear more from former Attorney General Bill Barr, who appeared before the panel behind closed doors, and from others within the Justice Department who told Trump his baseless claims of election fraud were "nonsense."Cheney played testimony from former White House lawyer Eric Herschmann , who rejected Trump's claims that voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems were switching votes cast for Trump to instead support President Biden."I never saw any evidence whatsoever to sustain" those allegations, he told House investigators. 50m ago Hearing begins Chairman Bennie Thompson gaveled in the hearing at 10:46 a.m. "My colleagues and I don't want to spend time talking about ourselves during these hearings, but as someone who's run for office a few times, I can tell you at the end of a campaign, it all comes down to the numbers," Thompson said. "The numbers tell you the winner and the loser. For the most part, the numbers don't lie." And those numbers are the voice and the will of the people. Politicians are to accept the will of the people, he said. But Trump didn't. "This morning will tell the sort of how Donald Trump lost an election, and knew he lost an election, and as a result of his loss, decided to wage an attack on our democracy," Thompson said. Thompson said Trump "lit the fuse" for Jan. 6, 2021. 10:38 AM Stepien's lawyer says his wife went into labor Kevin Marino, lawyer for former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, said Stepien can't testify in person because his wife went into labor. Instead, his understanding is that video testimony of Stepien's will be played. Marino called Stepien one of the "finest political consultants in the country." And Stepien's testimony will present the numbers and dad he followed as he advised Trump, Marino said. Committee vice chair Liz Cheney confirmed they would play video testimony of Stepien."We're going to have a very important and effective set of hearings as you know Mr Stepien has appeared previously and so we'll be able to provide the American people with a lot of interesting new and important information that Mr. Stepien has provided to us previously," Cheney told reporters. 10:12 AM January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims 05:28 The House January 6 committee is holding its second televised public hearing for this month. The panel will focus on how former President Trump spread baseless claims of election fraud. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane joined "CBS News Mornings" with a preview. 9:30 AM Trump campaign manager will no longer appear, citing "family emergency" Former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien will no longer appear at Monday's hearing."Due to a family emergency, Mr. William Stepien is unable to testify before the Select Committee this morning.," the committee said in a statement. "His counsel will appear and make a statement on the record." 9:59 AM Committee aides say hearing will focus on the "Big Lie" Committee aides said Monday's hearing will focus on the "Big Lie," documenting how former President Donald Trump declared victory on election night despite being told he didn't have the numbers to win, and how he continued to embrace baseless claims of election fraud. "We're going to hear testimony from government officials who were the ones who looked for the fraud, and about how the effort to uncover these baseless allegations bore no fruit," a committee aide said. "Simply, the fraud that they were looking for didn't exist and the former president was told that, again and again, claims were baseless, but he continued to repeat them anyway."Monday's hearing will first have the statement from Stepien's counsel and former Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who was let go by Fox News shortly after the 2020 presidential election, during which his team correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden before other networks had. Then there will be a second panel that will consist of election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, former U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia BJ Pak, who resigned effective Jan. 4, 2021, and former Philadelphia city commissioner Al Schmidt. Some of the witnesses are expected to provide testimony about the basic logistics of election litigation and how such action usually proceeds. A committee aide said the committee will also demonstrate that the Trump campaign aides used the election fraud claims to raise hundreds of millions of dollars between the election and Jan. 6th. And finally, the aide said, the committee will show that "some of those individuals responsible for the violence on the 6th echoed back those very same lies that the former president peddled in the run up to the insurrection." 9:01 AM On Day 1 of hearings, Capitol police officer described "carnage" and "chaos" of riot One of two witnesses to testify live during the prime-time hearing on Thursday was Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who suffered a traumatic brain injury on Jan. 6. Edwards described seeing a "war scene" on Capitol Hill that day."It was something like I had seen out of the movies," Edwards said. "I could not believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. They were throwing up. I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in people's blood. I was catching people as they fell. It was carnage. It was chaos." Watch her testimony in the video below. Capitol Police officer describes "carnage" and "chaos" during Jan 6. attack 13:07 | US Political Corruption |
Al Schmidt, a former commissioner for the city of Philadelphia, testified June 13 before the House Jan. 6 committee about his experience with the Trump campaign’s false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
At the time of the election, Schmidt was the only Republican member for the commission, which oversees the city’s elections. Philadelphia was one of the targets of former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the election was fraudulent.
READ MORE: Who are the witnesses testifying at the Jan. 6 hearings?
Among Trump’s claims was the suggestion that 8,000 dead voters cast ballots in Philadelphia. In the committee’s June 13 hearing, California Rep. Zoe Lofgren asked Schmidt about that claim. “Not only was there not evidence of 8,000 dead voters voting in Pennsylvania, there wasn’t evidence of eight,” Schmidt said. “We took seriously every case that was referred to us. No matter how fantastical or how absurd, we took every one of them seriously, even these.”
Schmidt also provided redacted threats he received after Trump tweeted about him, saying Schmidt refused to investigate “a mountain of corruption.”
The threats had been general in nature before Trump’s tweet, Schmidt said. After the tweet, they were highly specific and incredibly threatening, he added.
“The threats became much more specific, much more graphic, and included not just me by name, but included members of my family, by name, ages, our address, pictures of our home – every bit of detail you can imagine,” Schmidt said.
For more on the key players in the Jan. 6 committee hearings, click here. | US Political Corruption |
Something isn't loading properly. Please check back later. Layoffs are making headlines. What's really going on in the job market 01:41 - Source: CNN Business Twitter (TWTR) has secured a ruling allowing the social media company to force several laid-off workers suing over their termination to pursue their claims via individual arbitration rather than a class-action lawsuit. US District Judge James Donato on Friday ruled that five former Twitter employees pursuing a proposed class action accusing the company of failing to give adequate notice before laying them off after its acquisition by Elon Musk must pursue their claims in private arbitration. Donato granted Twitter’s request to force the five ex-employees to pursue their claims individually, citing agreements they signed with the company. Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The San Francisco judge left for another day “as warranted by developments in the case” whether the entire class action lawsuit must be dismissed, though, as he noted three other former Twitter employees who alleged they had opted out of the company’s arbitration agreement have joined the lawsuit after it was first filed. The lawyer who represents the plaintiffs, Shannon Liss-Riordan, said on Monday that she had already filed 300 demands for arbitration on behalf of former Twitter employees and would likely file hundreds more. Those workers all claim they have not received the full severance package promised by Twitter before Musk took over. Some have also alleged sex or disability discrimination. Last year, Donato had ruled that Twitter must notify the thousands of workers who were laid off after its acquisition by Musk following a proposed class action accusing the company of failing to give adequate notice before terminating them. The judge said that before asking workers to sign severance agreements waiving their ability to sue the company, Twitter must give them “a succinct and plainly worded notice.” Twitter laid off roughly 3,700 employees in early November in a cost-cutting measure by Musk, and hundreds more subsequently resigned. In December last year, Twitter was also accused by dozens of former employees of various legal violations stemming from Musk’s takeover of the company, including targeting women for layoffs and failing to pay promised severance. Twitter is also facing at least three complaints filed with a US labor board claiming workers were fired for criticizing the company, attempting to organize a strike, and other conduct protected by federal labor law. | US Federal Policies |
The United States is often criticized for neglecting its territories. Politically, socially, and economically, the federal government has excluded and forgotten its territories. Many would argue that such criticism is deserved. For instance, the federal government has continued to turn a blind eye to the Puerto Rican call for statehood. Still, we may ask: are there any citizens of these territories that prefer this neglect? One may be surprised to find that the answer is yes. American Samoa is the only US territory that has not received formal American citizenship. According to its leaders, it wishes to stay that way. An American Samoan government official, Neil Pilcher, expressed his concern over the possibility of US citizenship. He argued that it would jeopardize their identity and culture. Not only this, but he feared a change of status would eventually lead to a seizure of their land rights and the collapse of their political system. And last year, a Federal Appeals Court agreed with Pilcher. On June 15th, 2021, the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court ruling that sided with three American Samoans living in Utah who sued for their right to American citizenship. The overriding ruling stated, “There is simply insufficient case law to conclude with certainty that citizenship will have no effect on the legal status of the fa’a Samoa,” meaning granting citizenship to American Samoans might disrupt the culture of the islands. Michael Williams, an attorney representing the government of American Samoa, which intervened in the original lawsuit, similarly argued that the ruling was “a vindication for the principle that the people of American Samoa should determine their own status in accordance with Samoan culture and traditions.” As of right now, it definitely seems that American Samoa prefers its current treatment when it comes to citizenship rights. Recently, President Biden urged the Supreme Court not to take up Fitisemanu v. United States. The case would have reexamined the Insular Cases of 1901 and given the Supreme Court the opportunity to expand the rights of US territories. The court, however, declined to take up the case even as judges on both sides have expressed interest in overturning the Insular Cases. Both Justices Gorsuch and Sotomayor have condemned their racist foundations. Regardless, many have found Biden’s hesitancy to endorse the court pursuing this revolutionary case to be both confusing and unpopular, and pro-territory activists have criticized the administration for this stance. In the future, the federal government may give some legitimacy to national calls for citizenship by American Samoa citizens. Currently, however, it’s clear that their government is hesitant about accepting such rights in an effort to protect their long enduring culture. | US Circuit and Appeals Courts |
A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a Florida law passed after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that raised the minimum age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21.
The 3-0 ruling from the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals comes as aged-based restrictions are shaping up to become a flashpoint in the legal battles over gun access since the Supreme Court last year laid out a new test for determining a gun restriction’s constitutionality.
Seventeen people were killed in the shooting by a 19-year-old on February 14, 2018.
In an opinion written by Circuit Judge Robin Rosenbaum, the panel concluded that the Florida law was “consistent with our Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation” – a reference to the Supreme Court’s landmark Second Amendment ruling last year that instructed courts to look to whether a firearm restriction has historical analogues when assessing the restriction’s constitutionality.
The National Rifle Association had challenged the Florida law shortly after it was signed in March 2018.
The ruling may also be short-lived. Republican lawmakers this week introduced a bill that would lower the minimum age required to buy a firearm in the state from 21 back to 18.
In its opinion, the 11th Circuit pointed to laws that barred young adults from possessing firearms that were enacted by states around the same time of the adoption of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which extended the Second Amendment protections to states.
“Between the Fourteenth Amendment’s ratification and the close of the nineteenth century, at least sixteen states and the District of Columbia joined Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee—a total of at least twenty jurisdictions—in banning sales of firearms to 18-to-20-year-olds,” Rosenbaum wrote. “These regulations, like their pre-ratification predecessors, were state responses to the problem of deaths and injuries that underage firearm users inflicted.”
Much of the 11th Circuit opinion grapples with a question left open by the Supreme Court’s June decision – known as New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen: whether courts should look to the historical record around the Second Amendment’s ratification in 1791, or the ratification the 14th Amendment in the 1860s.
The 11th Circuit, coming down on the side of the more recent interpretation, said that “it makes no sense to suggest that the States would have bound themselves to an understanding of the Bill of Rights—including that of the Second Amendment—that they did not share when they ratified the Fourteenth Amendment.”
Rosembaum, an Obama appointee, was joined in the ruling by Circuit Judge Charles Wilson, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, and District Judge Anne Conway, an appointee of George H.W. Bush.
Lawyers for the NRA did not immediately respond to CNN’s inquiry about the ruling.
Legal experts say that it’s only a matter of time before the US Supreme Court again has to weigh in on the scope of the Constitution’s gun rights protections and clarify the legal questions that have arisen post-Bruen.
Before the Bruen decision, some appeals courts had upheld similar age-based gun restrictions, while others deemed those regulations unconstitutional.
Florida’s attorney general’s office spokesman Chase Sizemore did not weigh in on the ruling in response to a question from CNN, but noted the upcoming legislation to change the law.
“It is the duty of the Attorney General’s Office to represent the State of Florida, and as you know, the legislature will be considering amendments to the law during the current session,” Sizemore said.
This story has been updated with additional details. | US Circuit and Appeals Courts |
The Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade in an opinion handed down Friday, confirming the outcome of a leaked draft opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization showing the high court was poised to strike down the decades-old legal precedent.While all six justices appointed by Republican presidents voted in favor of striking down Roe, Chief Justice John Roberts, the court's swing vote, concurred in judgment with Justice Samuel Alito's opinion. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer, and Elena Kagan dissented.The Friday ruling resulted in protests and reaction from across the political spectrum, with the Right cheering the decision as those on the Left took to the streets to show their disapproval. Activists supporting and opposing the ruling surrounded the court to make their views heard.Follow the latest reaction and updates here. 11:10 AM Jun 24, 2022 Kristi Noem calls for special session after Roe overturned South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is calling for a special legislative session now that the precedent of Roe v. Wade has been overturned.“Every abortion always had two victims: the unborn child and the mother. Today’s decision will save unborn lives in South Dakota, but there is more work to do,” Noem said. “We must do what we can to help mothers in crisis know that there are options and resources available for them. Together, we will ensure that abortion is not only illegal in South Dakota – it is unthinkable.”Noem, a Republican, vowed a speedy state-level response back in May, when a draft leaked opinion first emerged indicating Roe would be overturned.The dates of the special session will be decided "promptly after discussion with legislative leadership," according to a press release. 11:07 AM Jun 24, 2022 Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearing next month The Senate Judiciary Committee announced in wake of the Supreme Court overturn of Roe v. Wade that they will hold a hearing next month to discuss the "grim reality" of a "post-Roe America.""In light of the Supreme Court's decision in #Dobbs to overturn Roe v Wade, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next month to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America," the committee wrote. 11:00 AM Jun 24, 2022 Pelosi: 'American women today have less freedom than their mothers' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Friday's ruling was "outrageous and heart-wrenching.""Today, the Republican-controlled Supreme Court has achieved the GOP’s dark and extreme goal of ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions. Because of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party and their supermajority on the Supreme Court, American women today have less freedom than their mothers," Pelosi said.Pelosi warned the ruling would be a critical topic for the midterm elections in November, saying, "The rights of women and all Americans are on the ballot." 10:54 AM Jun 24, 2022 Former first lady Michelle Obama 'heartbroken' over the Supreme Court's ruling Former first lady Michelle Obama says she is "heartbroken" by the Supreme Court's ruling."I am heartbroken for people around this country who just lost the fundamental right to make informed decisions about their own bodies," she tweeted.Obama also put out a rallying cry for those opposed to the decision, saying, "Our story does not end here. It may not feel like we are able to do much right now, but we can. And we must." 10:50 AM Jun 24, 2022 Finally, justice for the unborn After 50 long years, the Supreme Court finally struck down on Friday the cases that created a right to the legalized, intentional killing of unborn children and prevented the states from restricting the procedure.In a 5-4 decision, Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh ruled that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey were unsound decisions that improperly conferred a right to obtain an abortion. Nowhere in the Constitution, and nowhere in our nation’s history and tradition, is there such a thing as a right to terminate a pregnancy at any stage, the justices argued.Read more here. 10:47 AM Jun 24, 2022 Former President Barack Obama says court 'attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans' Former President Barack Obama took to Twitter to slam the court's ruling as heavy handed."Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," Obama wrote. Obama directed people "looking for ways to respond" to Planned Parenthood and the United State of Women, who he said "have been sounding the alarm on this issue for years." 10:37 AM Jun 24, 2022 Activist at Supreme Court: 'This is the day Roe fell' Photos outside of the Supreme Court on 6/24/2022 Cami Mondeaux Abortion opponents, holding signs reading "Roe is dead" and "Pro-life for the whole life," began a singalong outside of the Supreme Court after the news was read. "We are going to dance on the grave. Baby don't cry. You're not going to die. Abortion will be a crime,” they sang.One crowd member proclaimed, "This is the day Roe fell." 10:29 AM Jun 24, 2022 Crowd reacts outside of Supreme Court A crowd standing outside of the Supreme Court had mixed reactions to Friday's opinion being released. Opponents of abortion erupted in cheers, hugging one another as they held signs. Activists who favor widespread access to abortion were somber, beginning chants of, "The Supreme Court is illegitimate! Forced motherhood is illegitimate." And the decision has dropped: Dobbs stands and Roe v. Wade will be overturned. Abortion rights will return to the states. Here’s the crowd reading the decision and reacting: pic.twitter.com/gnRNger4Ho— Cami Mondeaux (@cami_mondeaux) June 24, 2022 | SCOTUS |
The Supreme Court seemed to side with a former mail carrier, an evangelical Christian, who says the US Postal Service failed to accommodate his request to not work on Sundays.
A lower court had ruled against the worker, Gerald Groff, holding that his request would cause an “undue burden” on the USPS and lead to low morale at the workplace when other employees had to pick up his shifts.
But during oral arguments on Tuesday, there appeared to be consensus, after almost two hours of oral arguments, that the appeals court had been too quick to rule against Groff.
There seemed to be, as Justice Elena Kagan put it, some level of “kumbaya-ing” between the justices on the bench at times.
But as justices sought to land on a test that lower courts could use to clarify how far employers must go to accommodate their employees’ religious beliefs, differences arose when a lawyer for Groff suggested that the court overturn decades-old precedent. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito seemed open to the prospect.
Critically, however, Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh were sympathetic to arguments made by the Postal Service that granting Groff’s request might cause morale to plummet among the other employees. Kavanaugh noted that “morale” among employers is critical to the success of any business. And several justices nodded to the financial difficulties the USPS has faced over the years.
Groff, who lives in Pennsylvania, served in 2012 as a rural carrier associate at the United States Postal Service, a position that provides coverage for absent career employees who have earned the ability to take off weekends. Rural carrier associates are told they need flexibility.
In 2013, Groff’s life changed when the USPS contracted with Amazon to deliver packages on Sundays. Groff’s Christian religious beliefs bar him from working on Sundays.
The post office contemplated some accommodations to Groff such as offering to adjust his schedule so he could come to work after religious services, or telling him he should see if other workers could pick up his shifts. At some point, the postmaster himself did the deliveries because it was difficult to find employees willing to work on Sunday. Finally, the USPS suggested Groff choose a different day to observe the Sabbath.
The atmosphere with his co-workers was tense and Groff said he faced progressive discipline. In response, he filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is charged with enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against an employee because of religion.
Groff ultimately left in 2019. In a resignation letter, he said he had been unable to find an “accommodating employment atmosphere with the USPS that would honor his religious beliefs.”
Groff sued arguing that the USPS violated Title VII – a federal law that makes it unlawful to discriminate against an employee based on his religion. To make a claim under the law, an employee must show that he holds a sincere religious belief that conflicts with a job requirement, he must inform his employer and has to have been disciplined for failing to comply.
Under the law, the burden then shifts to the employer. The employer must show that they made a good faith effort to “reasonably accommodate” the employee’s belief or demonstrate that such an accommodation would cause an “undue hardship” upon the employer.
District Judge Jeffrey Schmehl, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, ruled against Groff, holding that that his request to not work on Sundays would cause an “undue hardship” for the USPS.
The 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling in a 2-1 opinion.
“Exempting Groff from working on Sundays caused more than a de minimis cost on USPS because it actually imposed on his coworkers, disrupted the workplace and workflow, and diminished employee morale,” the 3rd Circuit wrote in its opinion last year.
“The accommodation Groff sought (exemption from Sunday work)” the court added, “would cause an undue hardship on USPS.”
A dissenting judge, Thomas Hardiman, offered a road map for justices seeking to rule in favor of Groff. The main thrust of his dissent was that the law requires the USPS to show how the proposed accommodation would harm “business” – not Groff’s coworkers.
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stayed Gerald Groff from the completion of his appointed rounds,” wrote Hardiman, a George W. Bush nominee who was on a shortlist for the Supreme Court nomination that went to Justice Neil Gorsuch in 2017. “But his sincerely held religious belief precluded him from working on Sundays.”
Groff’s lawyer, Aaron Streett, told the high court that the USPS could have done more and was wrong to claim that “respecting Groff’s belief was too onerous.” He urged the justices to cut back or invalidate precedent and allow an accommodation that would allow the worker to “serve both his employer and his God.”
“Sunday’s a day where we get together and almost taste heaven,” Groff told The New York Times recently. “We come together as believers. We celebrate who we are, together. We worship God. And so to be asked to deliver Amazon parcels and give all that up, it’s just really kind of sad.”
The Biden administration has urged the high court to simply clarify the law to make clear that an employer is not required to accommodate an employee’s Sabbath observance by “operating shorthanded or regularly paying overtime to secure replacement workers.”
Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar acknowledged, however, that employer could still be required to bear other costs such as administrative expenses associated with rearranging schedules.
This story has been updated with additional details. | SCOTUS |
WASHINGTON — In the 1980s, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas had a moment of clarity: She realized she had fallen in with a group she considered “a cult” and sought to be “deprogrammed” from it, she said in decades-old remarks obtained by NBC News.Thomas’ involvement with Lifespring, an organization advertising training seminars purporting to help participants unlock almost superhuman potential, left her wondering what it was about herself that allowed her to be drawn in. Her successful deprogramming — considered a controversial tactic — led her to become a vigorous anti-cult crusader. For years, she was deeply involved with the nation’s largest anti-cult organization, assisting in setting up workshops for congressional staffers to combat groups like Lifespring. “When you come away from a cult, you’ve got to find a balance in your life as far as getting involved with fighting the cult or exposing it,” Thomas told attendees at a 1986 Cult Awareness Network panel in Kansas City, Missouri. “And kind of the other angle is getting a sense of yourself and what was it that made you get into that group. And what open questions are there that still need to be answered.”It’s difficult to reconcile Thomas then and now, four people who worked with her at the height of her anti-cult activism through the late 1980s said in interviews. After she spent years trying to expose cults, these people found Thomas’s efforts to promote outlandish plans to overturn the 2020 results, particularly the text messages and emails in which she referenced false election conspiracies that originated in QAnon circles on the internet, surprising. Democrats and Republicans alike have said QAnon supporters exhibit cult-like behavior.“Ginni Thomas was out there active in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s and then she really went a different path,” said Rick Ross, a prominent expert on cults and a former “deprogrammer” who knew Thomas through their anti-cult activism. “I admire the work she did back in the ‘80s. And she should be given credit for that.”Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is one of the more influential figures in conservative grassroots activism and her repeating of election conspiracies left open questions about her influence on her husband’s judicial thinking. She did not respond to multiple requests for comment from NBC News for this article and has not commented publicly on her text messages.Two debunked conspiracies Thomas referenced in the aftermath of the 2020 election were first embraced and promoted by QAnon adherents. One theory involves claims that Democrats and other election officials were being arrested and shipped off to the Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba as the votes were still being counted. Another is the idea that then-President Donald Trump had watermarked mail-in ballots so he could track voter fraud — a claim both false and implausible. Still, QAnon followers spread both claims online following the November 3 vote, and references appear in QAnon-connected videos, social media posts and message boards. In text messages to Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows in the days after the Nov. 3 vote, she wrote “ballot fraud co-conspirators’’ were “being arrested & detained for ballot fraud right now & over coming days, & will be living in barges off GITMO to face military tribunals for sedition,” according to The Washington Post and CBS News, the The New York Times and other outlets. NBC News has not independently seen the text messages. A young boy holds onto a fence as pro-Trump supporters rally to defy the election results hours after Biden was named President-elect outside the Maricopa County elections building on Nov. 7, 2020 in Phoenix.Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images fileShe also wrote: “Watermarked ballots in over 12 states have been part of a huge Trump & military white hat sting operation in 12 key battleground states.”“I don’t know how anybody would go for that — again,” said Peter Georgiades, a Pittsburgh- based lawyer who for more than a decade specialized in suing cults, of the conspiracies Thomas referred to in her text messages. Georgiades knew Thomas from their mutual involvement in the anti-cult movement and spoke at an anti-cult briefing for congressional staff that Thomas helped organize in 1986.“Here is Ginni Thomas sort of getting sucked into the basically equivalent of a cult again,” said one person involved with a 1988 anti-cult briefing for congressional staffers Thomas helped organize, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.Escaping LifespringIt was the early 1980s, and motivational training seminars were in vogue.Thomas, then known by her maiden name of Lamp, was a recent law school graduate who hailed from a prominent Republican family in Omaha. She’d moved to Washington for a job in the office of newly elected Rep. Hal Daub, R-Neb., a family friend whose campaign she helped run. It was in Washington that she first encountered Lifespring. Lifespring, like NXIVM and “Sweat Lodge Guru” James Arthur Ray’s course that led to three deaths in 2009, are what some experts call Large Group Awareness Trainings, New Age self-help programs that paradoxically promise to deliver almost superhuman mental abilities that can be achieved only through total submission.Lifespring put inductees through grueling multiday “educational” sessions where they were psychologically broken down. In a 1987 Washington Post exposé of the group, Thomas gave an interview describing one session in which trainees were made to strip down to bathing suits and subjected to body shaming.“The emphasis was upon abandonment to an undifferentiated, unknowable other,” psychologist Janice Haaken and sociologist Richard Adams wrote in an academic journal article on Lifespring. They participated in a 1981 training in Seattle where they witnessed a man have a psychotic break while organizers berated him, concluding that the impact of the training “was essentially pathological” for even the people who enjoyed the experience.Several trainees died, including a 27-year-old model who was refused medical attention during an asthma attack, leading to a $450,000 settlement with her family, according to a 1987 article in The Washington Post. The group, which claimed to have trained hundreds of thousands, went defunct in the 1990s after a series of lawsuits.Thomas, by her own admission in interviews and speeches to anti-cult groups, got sucked in, to the point that it affected both her personal and professional lives, even telling the American Bar Association she had been brainwashed, according to a 1991 Washington Times article. In that same report, a close friend said Thomas’ involvement with Lifespring was “baffling,” while Daub said, “It was something she had to get out of.”“I had intellectually and emotionally gotten myself so wrapped up with this group that I was moving away from my family and friends and the people I work with,” she told The Washington Post in 1987. “My best friend came to visit me and I was preaching at her, using that tough attitude they teach you.”Her pastor, the Rev. Rodney Wilmoth of Omaha’s St. Paul United Methodist Church, who kept in touch with Thomas at the time, told The Post for a 1991 profile of Thomas that she “began to sense the organization had a cultlike mentality.”“There’s a kind of naivete about her, a kind of innocence you have to be careful with,” he continued. “She was looking for spiritual growth and trusted those people would do the right thing.”‘Getting a sense of yourself’ Thomas decided she needed to leave Lifespring, but it was not easy. By 1985, she was in touch with Kevin Garvey, a former stockbroker who had become a full-time cult deprogrammer. Garvey helped her cut off ties and even move to a different part of the country at one point to lie low, according to a Washington Post report as well as interviews with anti-cult activists who knew her at the time.“I was in Lifespring and I was what I consider to be deprogrammed,” she said, according to video of remarks of that 1986 panel obtained by NBC News, adding the experience was “very difficult” in part because some in the anti-cult movement downplayed the trauma she said she felt from her experience.In the video, she can be seen sitting alongside a panel of other former cult members who shared their experiences.“So all those things that got me to Lifespring are still there,” she said. “And I guess I struggle with not going overboard in fighting the cult, but I know that’s important, too.”By 1988, Thomas, who had gone on to work as an attorney for the pro-business U.S. Chamber of Commerce, got involved in the burgeoning anti-cult movement and helped organize at least two briefings for congressional staffers on the dangers of cults. But the world of anti-cult activism was not without its own controversy.A series of high-profile murders and mass suicides by cult members, culminating in the 1978 Jonestown massacre, set off a moral panic over cults and brainwashing — and self-trained “deprogrammers” stepped in to save the day. They believed cultists were converted through mind control or “on-the-spot hypnosis,” as Ted Patrick, considered the “father of deprogramming” put it, so they needed to be forced out.Some deprogrammers offered their services to parents who would pay them to purportedly rescue their children, which sometimes involved what deprogrammers called “snatching” them and holding them against their will, if necessary, sometimes without food or water for days on end, until they were deemed to have “snapped” out of their alleged trance — sometimes violently.In one well-known case, a Washington state jury awarded almost $5 million in damages to a member of a Pentacostal sect whose mother in 1991 hired cult deprogrammers to abduct him and hold him captive for five days until he feigned acceptance of the deprogramming.“Deprogramming is a fancy word for a variety of kidnapping,” the ACLU warned in 1977, while a 1982 survey of over 400 former cult members found that of the almost three-quarters who had been “deprogrammed,” 40 percent had been “forcefully abducted (kidnapped).” As questions — and lawsuits — mounted around involuntary “deprogramming,” many deprogrammers repositioned themselves as “exit counselors” who only worked with consenting participants, akin to more familiar drug or alcohol interventions. Garvey, who helped Thomas escape Lifespring, emphasized the need to gain a cult member’s respect and trust as the first step to “deconversion,” according to a survey of deprogramming techniques published in the Cultic Studies Journal.Such criticism was front-and-center with Thomas’ anti-cult work. The Cult Awareness Network, the group she was prominently involved in, was accused of facilitating kidnappings and the forced “deprogramming” of cult members by connecting concerned parents with deprogrammers.Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas leaves his Alexandria, Va., home, Oct. 11, 1991, with his wife Virginia.Barry Thumma / AP fileWhen Clarence Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court in 1991, critics ranging from the left-leaning Americans United for Separation of Church and State to the religious right raised concerns about his wife’s involvement in the anti-cult movement, since it often targeted as “cults” groups that others saw as legitimate religions, and distinctions between the two were blurry and often subjective.At a 1989 dinner in Washington that the Cult Awareness Network hosted and Thomas served as master of ceremonies, Pat Ryan, then a top official with the network and the daughter of Rep. Leo Ryan, D-Calif., who was killed at Jonestown, described the backlash the group had faced around town. (Clarence Thomas, then the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, was there as a “distinguished guest.”)Ryan said she, Ginni and another organizer “have been looking at this crap that they’ve been putting out about us and you start thinking, ‘Well, are we OK?’” according to previously unreported audio of remarks she gave at the dinner heard by NBC News.“Am I involved in a group that’s legitimate?” Ryan added, according to the audio. “Is there any truth to what they’re saying about us? We start really questioning ourselves and we start sort of exchanging stories with each other and saying, ‘Are we OK? Do we do this?’ … But I really think it’s important that we keep reinforcing each other that we are right. We’re David, they’re Goaliath. And we keep going.”The issue of QAnonWith the revelation of Thomas’ text messages to Meadows, in which she made wild assertions of a stolen election and secret plot to set it right, her husband faces calls to recuse himself from all cases involving the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Critics argue that even the perception of a conflict of interest like this would be automatic grounds for recusal for any less powerful judge. Meanwhile, Congress is considering whether to change ethics requirements for the court in response to her texts.Speaking with The Washington Free Beacon in March, Thomas said she and her husband “have our own separate careers, and our own ideas and opinions too.”“Clarence doesn’t discuss his work with me, and I don’t involve him in my work,” she added.Justice Thomas did not respond to a request for comment from NBC News to the Supreme Court.As for QAnon, there is widespread debate as to whether it is in fact a cult — and whether that label is even useful. The QAnon conspiracy, born out of anonymous message board posts saying a man known as “Q” had high-level access to Trump, claims that Trump is secretly fighting a pedophile ring run by Democrats. A number of rioters present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were clad in gear and clothing that contained QAnon symbols or phrases, and the conspiracy’s adherents have been linked to several violent outbreaks, even killings. A U.S. flag with a symbol from the group QAnon outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.Win McNamee / Getty Images fileRep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., in March called QAnon “a bizarre and dangerous cult.” Federal prosecutors in the Capitol riot case of Jacob Chansley, the self-described QAnon “shaman,” have called QAnon “a group commonly referred to as a cult.”One thing most agree on, though, is that people buy into the alternate reality that the anonymous “Q” was selling because they prefer it to the real one and wanted to be part of Q’s epic secret struggle against the forces of evil. “I think Ginni Thomas probably feels that Lifespring is something that she understands and can break down and that QAnon is something entirely different,” Ross said. “My impression is that she’s just an extremely conservative political activist. And that she’s very anti-anyone on the left.”“Speaking as someone who has done more than 500 cult interventions,” Ross continued, “you can’t deprogram someone’s sincerely held beliefs.”As the years passed and anti-cult activism disappeared from the mainstream in a cloud of lawsuits, Thomas’ activism turned elsewhere.“Some of the team that did her intervention has stayed in touch with her over the years,” a person who worked with Thomas in the anti-cult sphere told NBC News, requesting anonymity to speak candidly on the matter. “But she became progressively this level of right-wing. This is off the scale for me.”Allan Smith reported from New York, and Alex Seitz-Wald from Washington. | US Political Corruption |
JACKSON, Miss. (WDAM) - Former Mississippi Department of Human Services Executive Director John Davis pleaded guilty in court Thursday morning to conspiring to defraud the State of Mississippi of millions of dollars in federal funds.The United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Mississippi announced Davis, 54, of Jackson, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.According to court documents from the United State Attorney’s Office Southern District of Mississippi, Davis, 54, of Jackson, and his co-conspirators falsely received and misused federal funds - including funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Emergency Food Assistance Program - for their personal use and benefit.Court documents state, at Davis’ direction, MDHS provided federal funds to two nonprofit organizations and then directed those organizations to fraudulently award contracts to various entities and people for social services that were never given.Davis also caused the nonprofit organizations to distribute full, or almost-full, payments compatible with those sham contracts at or near the beginning of the contract periods, regardless of whether any work was done and knowing that no significant services would be provided.USAO says Davis is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 2, 2023, as he possibly faces 15 years in prison, as five years will be for the conspiracy charge and 10 years for the theft concerning programs receiving federal funds charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) are investigating the case.Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.Copyright 2022 WDAM. All rights reserved. | US Political Corruption |
Gov. Kim Reynolds loosens Iowa child labor laws to let teens work more hours. What to know:
Iowa teens can work longer hours and take jobs that were previously banned under a law signed Friday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
"In Iowa, we understand there is dignity in work and we pride ourselves on our strong work ethic," Reynolds said in a statement Friday. "Instilling those values in the next generation and providing opportunities for young adults to earn and save to build a better life should be available."
Senate File 542 allows 16- and 17-year-olds to serve alcohol in restaurants with a parent's permission and to work in some currently prohibited jobs as part of a work-based learning program. The law permits teens as young as 14 to work up to six hours a day during the school year and to work longer into the evening.
While Republicans characterized the changes as common sense measures, the law saw some of the most high-profile opposition of this year's legislative session from critics who said it could put children in unsafe situations at work.
Democrats in the House pushed for amendments that Republicans adopted to take out the most controversial aspects of the bill, but the minority party ultimately voted against the final legislation.
“What we’ve done together is make a bill less egregious,” said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights.
What jobs can Iowa teenagers work?
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds are now able to work in some jobs that were previously banned for juveniles if they are part of an approved training program with supervision and safety precautions.
Those work activities may include tasks such as woodworking, operating power saws and demolition. Some dangerous jobs, like working with explosives or poisonous dyes, would remain off-limits for minors and ineligible for an exception.
The law says that teens who are injured on the job can seek benefits under the state's workers' compensation program. The initial version did not include those protections for juveniles hurt while working.
Reynolds said she's a big proponent of registered apprenticeships and work-based learning programs that get kids interested in careers early.
"It builds relationships, it helps them find what they have a passion for and hopefully keeps them in our communities," she said on a May 12 episode of "Iowa Press" on Iowa PBS.
Can teens now serve alcohol at restaurants?
Under the law, restaurant employees as young as 16 may serve alcohol, with a parent's written permission.
Minor employees may serve alcohol only in a restaurant when food is being served and when there are two adult employees present in the area.
The law dictates that restaurants provide sexual harassment prevention training and report any alleged harassment incidents to the parents and the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.
Anyone who is a sexually violent predator or registered sex offender may not employ a child, under the law.
How many more hours can teens work during the school year and over summer break?
Fourteen and 15-year-old employees may work up to six hours on a school day, two more than the current limit of four hours a day.
Employees under 16 will still be limited to 28 hours of work per week during the school year, the same as current law.
They may also work later into the evening — until 9 p.m. during the school year and until 11 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds may work the same number of hours per day as adults.
What about driver's permits for teens so they can get to work?
The new law creates a committee to study the possibility of letting teens 14 and older get a special driver's permit to drive to work.
Students ages 14½ or older can already get a special permit to drive to school.
Reynolds said she thinks the study "is probably a good idea" so policymakers can think carefully about the driver's permit system for teenagers.
What does the US Labor Department say about Iowa's new child labor law?
Parts of the new Iowa law contradict federal labor laws, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The letter from Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said the longer working hours for 14- and 15-year-olds violate federal child labor regulations. Federal standards allow for employees under 16 to work only 3 hours on school days, for a maximum of 18 hours per week during the school year.
"(S)tates cannot nullify federal requirements by enacting less protective standards," the May 10 letter reads.
But Iowa isn't the only state to enact more permissive standards for teenage employees. A Department of Labor report shows that several states allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work more hours on school days.
"For years, nearly two dozen states, including Iowa’s current law, have youth employment laws out of sync with federal standards, and DOL has never made an issue of it," Sen. Adrian Dickey, R-Packwood, said in a statement. "Further, Democrats were in control of Iowa government multiple times during the existence of this conflict and they never changed the law."
Konfrst said on a May 19 episode of "Iowa Press" that passing the new law puts businesses in the difficult position of not knowing which law to comply with.
"At the end of the day, businesses are the ones who are caught here," she said. "They're the ones who are saying, 'Well, wait a minute, which do I follow? What is the law? Is it federal law? Is it state law?'"
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller. | Labor Activism |
Drone giant DJI received more confounding news for its US operations this week when the Department of Defense (DoD) included the firm in a group of Chinese companies it has entered on an official blacklist. The announcement officializes the de facto ban the DoD placed on procurement and use of DJI drones by its staff since last year. Though the Pentagon has prohibited the deployment of all off-the-shelf UAVs for official purposes since 2018, it specifically singled out DJI products as “potential threats to national security” last July. That was in rebuttal to news reports citing an internal audit said to have cleared the company’s products as safe for use. Read more: US Department of Defense statement says DJI products pose ‘potential threats’ This week, the DoD took its interdiction of the drones a step further by including DJI on a list of 13 Chinese companies deemed to be closely tied to China’s military. They joined a group of 28 other organizations previously on the blacklist – a requisite for possible sanctions to be passed on accused businesses. “The Department is determined to highlight and counter the (People’s Republic of China) Military-Civil Fusion strategy, which supports the modernization goals of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) by ensuring its access to advanced technologies and expertise are acquired and developed by PRC companies, universities, and research programs that appear to be civilian entities,” the DoD announcement said. “Section 1260H directs the Department to begin identifying, among other things, Military-Civil Fusion contributors operating directly or indirectly in the United State,” it continued. “The United States Government reserves the right to take additional actions on these entities under authorities other than section 1260H.” October 7 update In response to the DoD’s action against the drone company, DJI flatly rejected the Pentagon’s explanation for blacklisting it, and called the move unmerited. “DJI does not fall under any categories set by the law to be included on the list,” the company said in a statement sent to DroneDJ. “DJI is not a military company in China, the United States, or anywhere else. DJI has never designed or manufactured military-grade equipment, and has never marketed or sold its products for military use in any country. Instead, we have always developed products to benefit society and save lives… We stand ready to formally challenge our inclusion on the list.” Clearly fatigued with repeated US bans of its craft – and the recurrent negative publicity those inevitably generate – DJI also noted it had taken fast action to halt both sales in and exports to Russia and Ukraine when it became clear both sides were relying heavily on its drones in their ongoing war. That reaction is thus far unique among UAV producers, including American firms, yet remains an effort the company gets little if any credit for. “DJI stands alone as the only drone company to clearly denounce and actively discourage military use of our products, including suspending all business operations in Russia and Ukraine to try to keep our drones out of the conflict there,” the statement said. “There is no reason why DJI has been added to the Defense Department’s list of ‘Chinese military companies.” The DoD’s decision to place DJI on its blacklist followed the example of other US government agencies that had previously banned use of its drones as potential risks of data leaks. The first to make that move was the US Department of Commerce including DJI and its drones on its Entity List. That was followed last year by the US Treasury citing the Shenzhen-based UAV maker among other entities accused of being “Chinese military-industrial complex companies.” Though initial reasons for blacklisting DJI made specific claims the company’s tech had aided Beijing in the surveillance and repression of Muslim Uighurs, the more recent interdictions more broadly allege targeted companies of maintaining such close financial or operative ties to China’s army they represent quasi-units of the military. DJI has repeatedly denied all those allegations. It has also stated its drones are not capable of leaking data to third parties, and are equipped with options permitting users to prevent their craft or linked gear from transmitting information they collect. Read: DJI reportedly making headway against US drone blacklist legislation The DoD’s blacklist announcement comes only a few months after DJI had reportedly made progress in lobbying US legislators to modify draft laws that would have extended existing restrictions affecting the company’s US drone sales. Despite the expanding number of blacklists sidelining use of DJI drones by US government agencies, officials at both the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigations acknowledged their staff continue using the company’s UAVs. Subscribe to DroneDJ on YouTube for exclusive videos | US Federal Policies |
Economist offers "counter-intuitive" advice on student loans 01:06 - Source: CNN Politics of the Day 16 videos Economist offers "counter-intuitive" advice on student loans 01:06 Now playing - Source: CNN House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ends historic run as leader 01:40 Now playing - Source: CNN See who could follow Pelosi as House Democratic leader 02:31 Now playing - Source: CNN What the GOP taking control of the House means 03:15 Now playing - Source: CNN Pence shares details of why he and Trump have 'gone separate ways' 05:08 Now playing - Source: CNN CNN explains who GOP probe into Biden White House is targeting 02:53 Now playing - Source: CNN See how a Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper covered Trump's announcement 04:16 Now playing - Source: CNN Watch Pence's response when asked if he'll support Trump in 2024 03:30 Now playing - Source: CNN Ivanka Trump makes statement about father's presidential bid. Hear what she said 02:01 Now playing - Source: CNN Watch Donald Trump announce his 2024 candidacy 01:37 Now playing - Source: CNN 'Wildly incorrect': Daniel Dale fact-checks Trumps 2024 announcement 04:47 Now playing - Source: CNN Cortez Masto: I haven't heard concession call from Laxalt 01:53 Now playing - Source: CNN Josh Hawley says Republican party as we have known it is dead 01:34 Now playing - Source: CNN Ted Cruz says he's 'pissed off' and is blaming Mitch McConnell 01:26 Now playing - Source: CNN John King: What Hobbs' win in Arizona means for Democrats 02:10 Now playing - Source: CNN Schumer explains three reasons Dems avoided 'red wave' 02:06 Now playing - Source: CNN CNN — The Biden administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to allow its controversial student loan debt relief program to go into effect while legal challenges play out across the country. The program promises to deliver up to $20,000 of debt relief for millions of borrowers, but has been on hold after lower courts blocked it nationwide. About 26 million people had already applied to the program by the time a federal judge froze it on November 10, prompting the government to stop taking applications. No debt has been canceled thus far. An “erroneous injunction” from a federal appeals court, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the Supreme Court, “leaves millions of economically vulnerable borrowers in limbo, uncertain about the size of their debt and unable to make financial decisions with an accurate understanding of their future repayment obligations.” Government lawyers say that President Joe Biden acted in order to address the financial harms of the pandemic and “smooth the transition to repayment” in order to provide targeted debt relief to certain federal student-loan borrowers affected by the pandemic. Payments on federal student loans are scheduled to restart in January after a years-long pandemic pause. The program is designed to aid borrowers who are at highest risk of delinquency or default. Once debt cancellation begins, the plan will offer up to $10,000 in student loan debt relief to eligible borrowers making less than $125,000 ($250,000 per household.) In addition, borrowers who received a Pell Grant can receive up to $20,000 in relief. The authority exists under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003, or the HEROES Act, the administration says. It argues the law exempts the government from otherwise applicable procedural requirements, including notice-and-comment rulemaking. “Because borrowers who default on their student loans face severe financial consequences – including wage garnishment, long-term credit damage, and ineligibility for federal benefits – Congress specifically authorized the Secretary to waive or modify any applicable statutory or regulatory provision as he deems necessary to ensure that borrowers affected by a national emergency are not worse off in relation to their student loans,” Prelogar wrote in Friday’s filing. The dispute at hand is brought by a group of states, led by Nebraska, who argue that the student loan debt relief plan violates the separations of power and the Administrative Procedure Act, a federal law that governs the process by which federal agencies issue regulations. A district court held that the states didn’t have the legal right or “standing” to prevail, but the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, issuing a nationwide injunction blocking the program. It relied on the “irreversible impact” the debt forgiveness action would have and the fact that the collection of student loan payments, as well as accrual of interest on student loans would otherwise be suspended while the legal challenges play out. A separate challenge is also percolating in federal courts brought by two individual borrowers – Myra Brown and Alexander Taylor – who are not qualified for full debt relief forgiveness and who say they were denied an opportunity to comment on the secretary of Education’s decision to provide targeted student loan debt relief to some. This story has been updated with additional details. | SCOTUS |
Elon Musk’s Tesla did not violate US labor law by prohibiting workers at its flagship Fremont, Calif., assembly plant from wearing pro-union T-shirts, a federal appeals court has ruled.
The New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in a decision on Tuesday said that because Tesla required all employees to wear company-issued shirts while allowing them to display union stickers, its uniform policy was lawful.
The court reversed a 2022 decision by the National Labor Relations Board, which had said that any attempt to ban union insignia was unlawful unless an employer could show “special circumstances” such as safety concerns.
Tesla and the NLRB did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The electric vehicle maker adopted its uniform policy in 2017 amid an organizing campaign by the United Auto Workers union.
The union has accused Tesla of various unlawful tactics to stifle organizing, which the company has denied.
The UAW has said that it plans to aggressively organize at non-union US auto plants after winning new contracts with the Detroit Three automakers.
President Biden said last week that he supported the union’s efforts to organize workers at Tesla and Toyota.
Tesla’s “team wear” policy required employees to wear black shirts imprinted with the Tesla logo.
The company has said the policy was necessary to ensure that vehicles were not damaged during assembly.
On Tuesday, the 5th Circuit said that it was wrong for the NLRB to require Tesla to prove that special circumstances justified its policy.
The company still allowed workers “to affix any number or size of union stickers to their team wear,” so it was not unlawfully interfering with union organizing, the court said.
The full 5th Circuit is separately considering Tesla’s appeal of an NLRB decision that said CEO Elon Musk violated federal labor law by tweeting in 2018 that employees would lose stock options if they joined a union.
A three-judge 5th Circuit panel in March had affirmed the labor board’s decision. | US Circuit and Appeals Courts |
get the free app Updated on: June 13, 2022 / 10:51 AM / CBS News CBS News Live CBS News Live Live The House Jan. 6 committee's second of several public hearings kicked off Monday morning with a delayed start and one of the witnesses backing out due to a "family emergency."Originally set to start at 10 a.m. ET, the hearing started at 10:46 a.m. ET. The committee said Monday morning that former Trump campaign manager William Stepien, one of the scheduled witnesses, will not appear after all when his wife went into labor, Stepien's lawyer said."Due to a family emergency, Mr. William Stepien is unable to testify before the Select Committee this morning," the committee said in a statement. "His counsel will appear and make a statement on the record."In addition to video of Stepien and his counsel, former Fox News political director Chris Stirewalt, who was let go by Fox News shortly after the 2020 presidential election, during which his team correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden before other networks had, will also appear Monday. There will also be a panel of witnesses featuring election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, former U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia BJ Pak, who resigned effective Jan. 4, 2021, and former Philadelphia city commissioner Al Schmidt. Representative Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi and chairman of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, speaks during a prime-time hearing in Washington, D.C., on June 9, 2022. Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images Some of the witnesses are expected to provide testimony about the basic logistics of election litigation and how such action usually proceeds. A committee aide said the committee will also demonstrate that the Trump campaign aides used the election fraud claims to raise hundreds of millions of dollars between the election and Jan. 6th. And finally, the aide said, the committee will show that "some of those individuals responsible for the violence on the 6th echoed back those very same lies that the former president peddled in the run up to the insurrection."Committee aides said Monday's hearing will focus on the "Big Lie," documenting how former President Donald Trump declared victory on election night despite being told he didn't have the numbers to win, and how he continued to embrace baseless claims of election fraud. Committee vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney said last week that the second hearing will show that "Donald Trump and his advisers knew that he had, in fact, lost the election." 1m ago Hearing begins Chairman Bennie Thompson gaveled in the hearing at 10:46 a.m. "My colleagues and I don't want to spend time talking about ourselves during these hearings, but as someone who's run for office a few times, I can tell you at the end of a campaign, it all comes down to the numbers," Thompson said. "The numbers tell you the winner and the loser. For the most part, the numbers don't lie." And those numbers are the voice and the will of the people. Politicians are to accept the will of the people, he said. But Trump didn't. "This morning will tell the sort of how Donald Trump lost an election, and knew he lost an election, and as a result of his loss, decided to wage an attack on our democracy," Thompson said. Thompson said Trump "lit the fuse" for Jan. 6, 2021. 14m ago Stepien's lawyer says his wife went into labor Kevin Marino, lawyer for former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, said Stepien can't testify in person because his wife went into labor. Instead, his understanding is that video testimony of Stepien's will be played. Marino called Stepien one of the "finest political consultants in the country." And Stepien's testimony will present the numbers and dad he followed as he advised Trump, Marino said. Committee vice chair Liz Cheney confirmed they would play video testimony of Stepien."We're going to have a very important and effective set of hearings as you know Mr Stepien has appeared previously and so we'll be able to provide the American people with a lot of interesting new and important information that Mr. Stepien has provided to us previously," Cheney told reporters. 39m ago January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims 05:28 The House January 6 committee is holding its second televised public hearing for this month. The panel will focus on how former President Trump spread baseless claims of election fraud. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane joined "CBS News Mornings" with a preview. 9:30 AM Trump campaign manager will no longer appear, citing "family emergency" Former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien will no longer appear at Monday's hearing."Due to a family emergency, Mr. William Stepien is unable to testify before the Select Committee this morning.," the committee said in a statement. "His counsel will appear and make a statement on the record." 52m ago Committee aides say hearing will focus on the "Big Lie" Committee aides said Monday's hearing will focus on the "Big Lie," documenting how former President Donald Trump declared victory on election night despite being told he didn't have the numbers to win, and how he continued to embrace baseless claims of election fraud. "We're going to hear testimony from government officials who were the ones who looked for the fraud, and about how the effort to uncover these baseless allegations bore no fruit," a committee aide said. "Simply, the fraud that they were looking for didn't exist and the former president was told that, again and again, claims were baseless, but he continued to repeat them anyway."Monday's hearing will first have the statement from Stepien's counsel and former Fox News political director Chris Stirewalt, who was let go by Fox News shortly after the 2020 presidential election, during which his team correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden before other networks had. Then there will be a second panel that will consist of election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, former U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia BJ Pak, who resigned effective Jan. 4, 2021, and former Philadelphia city commissioner Al Schmidt. Some of the witnesses are expected to provide testimony about the basic logistics of election litigation and how such action usually proceeds. A committee aide said the committee will also demonstrate that the Trump campaign aides used the election fraud claims to raise hundreds of millions of dollars between the election and Jan. 6th. And finally, the aide said, the committee will show that "some of those individuals responsible for the violence on the 6th echoed back those very same lies that the former president peddled in the run up to the insurrection." 9:01 AM On Day 1 of hearings, Capitol police officer described "carnage" and "chaos" of riot One of two witnesses to testify live during the prime-time hearing on Thursday was Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who suffered a traumatic brain injury on Jan. 6. Edwards described seeing a "war scene" on Capitol Hill that day."It was something like I had seen out of the movies," Edwards said. "I could not believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. They were throwing up. I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in people's blood. I was catching people as they fell. It was carnage. It was chaos." Watch her testimony in the video below. Capitol Police officer describes "carnage" and "chaos" during Jan 6. attack 13:07 | US Congress |
CNN — In an ordinary Boston courtroom in April 2015, lawyers and activists at the first hearing of a challenge to race-based admissions practices at Harvard knew they would see each other again, eventually at the US Supreme Court. Attending that preliminary session before US District Judge Allison Burroughs were lawyers from the Consovoy McCarthy law firm and, on the Harvard team, former US solicitor general Seth Waxman. They had been hired at the outset for their expertise as Supreme Court litigators. Sizing up the affirmative action controversy destined to affect campus diversity nationwide, Burroughs said: “It is the sort of case that I suspect will ultimately be decided above my pay level.” The Supreme Court will indeed now take it up, on Monday, in one of the most closely watched disputes of the current session. Among those in the spectator seats in April 2015 was Edward Blum, a conservative activist who’d created an entity called Students for Fair Admissions and begun raising millions of dollars from right-wing donors for this broadside against affirmative action at Harvard and, in a case filed simultaneously in November 2014, against the University of North Carolina. Blum had previously enlisted White students to sue over race-based admissions at the University of Texas – and lost. He added a new dimension to the Harvard case, claiming that high-achieving Asian American applicants were unlawfully disadvantaged by screening policies that favored traditionally underrepresented Blacks and Hispanics. A former stockbroker who never went to law school, Blum, now 70, has a talent for fashioning cases that appeal to the increasingly conservative high court. Using many of the same lawyers over the years, he engineered a series of lawsuits against the 1965 Voting Rights Act culminating in Shelby County v. Holder, the 2013 decision that curtailed the reach of the Voting Rights Act over designated states with a history of discrimination. In the pending effort against affirmative action, Blum’s legal team failed to persuade Burroughs or any of the other lower court judges that heard the challenges that consideration of an applicant’s race, among other criteria, violated federal law or the Constitution. Yet this high court venue now appears more promising to the challengers since the cases were filed nearly eight years ago. The bench is now dominated by six conservatives, with only three liberal justices. The court, which already had demonstrated an aversion to racial remedies, in June showed a startling disregard for precedent when it reversed the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that guaranteed a right to abortion nationwide. Students for Fair Admissions wants the justices to throw out Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, the 1978 case that first validated universities’ use of race in determining who was selected for a coveted place on campus, and Grutter v. Bollinger, a significant 2003 decision reinforcing Bakke. The Harvard admissions program was held up as a model in the Bakke case, based on the principle that diversity is essential to the educational mission and that while schools may use race to lift an applicant’s prospects, they may not engage in quotas. SFFA has sued under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits schools receiving federal funds from discriminating based on race, and under the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection of the law, which covers state institutions. Lawyers for Harvard and UNC describe race as a “plus” factor, considered along with a student’s academic record and test scores, extracurricular activities and personal attributes. Race shapes one’s life experiences, they say. Back in 2015, Judge Burroughs noted that advocates for Black and Hispanic students were seeking to intervene in the case. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law argued that a verdict for Students for Fair Admissions would especially disadvantage minority students who’d experienced fewer academic opportunities and that they should be represented at trial. “UNC needs race-conscious admissions to achieve the diversity,” David Hinojosa, of the Lawyers’ Committee, wrote in their brief to the Supreme Court, “in part, because of the University’s sordid history of excluding Black applicants well into the twentieth century and its present-day effects, which impede the University’s ability to attract, enroll, and retain Black, Latino, and Native American students, in particular.” Hinojosa added that one student “testified regarding several confederate relics on UNC’s campus” and said “having to walk past the ‘racist wallpaper … every day adds to that feeling of not being valued … .’” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the court’s newest member and its first African American female justice, will hear only the UNC dispute, having recused herself from the Harvard case because she previously served on its board of overseers. Blum, whose home is in Penobscot Bay, Maine, has been originating lawsuits against racial policies since the early 1990s when he lived in Houston. After he ran unsuccessfully for the US House of Representatives in Texas, he became part of a group of plaintiffs who sued the state over its congressional district maps. In part to compensate for past discrimination, Texas had created Black-majority and Hispanic-majority districts to increase the chances for minorities to elect a candidate of their choice. The Supreme Court struck down the Texas plan in the 1996 case of Bush v. Vera, finding that the map violated the Constitution’s equal protection guarantee because race was the predominant factor in the map lines, at the expense of traditional districting criteria such as compactness. Blum turned his attention to higher education in the early 2000s, bringing a case against his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, on behalf of Abigail Fisher, a White student denied admission who was also the daughter of a Blum friend. In a CNN interview, Blum described race-based admissions as polarizing. “No one is suggesting diversity is a bad thing,” he said, “but just treating people differently because of their race and ethnicity, that’s a different element in the quest for diversity.” After two Supreme Court rounds, Fisher lost that case against UT in 2016, as a sharply divided court upheld the principles of Bakke and Grutter, allowing schools to look to race as one criterion among many. “As this Court has said,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “enrolling a diverse student body ‘promotes cross-racial understanding, helps to break down racial stereotypes, and enables students to better understand persons of different races.’ Equally important, ‘student body diversity promotes learning outcomes, and better prepares students for an increasingly diverse workforce and society.’” Kennedy has since retired, as has Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who penned the 2003 Grutter decision. In such racial disputes, no justice has replaced them as a centrist jurist brokering the middle ground. Blum developed the cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina while the University of Texas lawsuit was ongoing. The Asian American element in the claim against the storied Harvard campus – emphasized by the challengers as they recall caps on Jewish students at Ivy League institutions decades ago – has drawn more national attention, compared with the UNC lawsuit. No individual Asian American students were named in the Students for Fair Admissions complaint. Blum attributed that to fears of personal attacks, whether on social media or in person at a campus dormitory. In its filings, Students for Fair Admissions asserted that as Harvard engaged in unlawful “racial balancing,” it held Asian American applicants to higher standards than Black and Latino students. SFFA also contends admissions officers adopted stereotypes as they applied to “personal ratings,” categorizing Asian Americans as one-dimensional, lacking leadership qualities and falling short on traits such as “likeability.” After a 15-day trial, Judge Burroughs found no intentional discrimination at Harvard and rejected claims of racial animus. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision. In the University of North Carolina case, US District Court Judge Loretta Biggs upheld the schools use of race among many criteria, emphasizing that state institutions of higher education must be “open and available to all segments of our citizenry.” Blum has partnered with William Consovoy and Thomas McCarthy for more than a decade, including in the consequential case of Shelby County v. Holder, which curtailed the reach of the Voting Rights Act over states, mainly in the South, that had a record of electoral discrimination. Before Consovoy and McCarthy founded their own boutique firm in 2014, as the affirmative action cases were being developed, they were part of a larger Washington, DC-based law firm that had represented Blum back in the 1990s. To pay the legal fees, Blum has collected millions of dollars from conservative benefactors through Donors Trust, which raises tax-exempt funds and channels them to various projects. Consovoy, a former law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas who appeared before Burroughs from the start in 2015 and argued the SFFA appeal at the 1st Circuit in 2020, is currently being treated for brain cancer. Another partner, Cameron Norris, also a former Thomas clerk, will represent SFFA in the Harvard case on Monday. Waxman will be back at the lectern for Harvard. In the UNC case, Patrick Strawbridge, another former Thomas clerk at Consovoy McCarthy, will represent SFFA, and North Carolina state solicitor general Ryan Park, a former law clerk to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, will appear for the university. Consovoy McCarthy, often taking the helm in ideologically driven cases, represented then-president Donald Trump as he lodged election-related lawsuits in multiple states before the November 2020 presidential contest. At the same time, Waxman, who was US solicitor general during the Clinton administration and is now in private practice at WilmerHale, was one of three former Democratic solicitors general who worked behind the scenes on a legal plan to counteract claims by Trump and other Republicans. Joining the veterans in the case will be current US solicitor general, Elizabeth Prelogar, siding with the universities on behalf of the Biden administration. (The Trump administration had earlier backed Students for Fair Admissions.) Prelogar, who held consecutive clerkships for Ginsburg then Justice Elena Kagan, will present arguments in both cases Monday, highlighting the importance of diversity in higher education at West Point and other military academies. “The Nation’s military leaders,” she wrote in a brief, “have learned through hard experience that the effectiveness of our military depends on a diverse officer corps that is ready to lead an increasingly diverse fighting force.” Blum, who insists that any policy of diversity based on race is wrong, will be in the spectator section of the courtroom on Monday. He hopes that the high court is now ready to end the use of race in admissions, yet he adds with some caution, “After working on eight Supreme Court cases, I’ve learned that litigants can be very surprised” at a final decision. | SCOTUS |
The US Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide the legality of Republican-backed state laws in Texas and Florida that constrain the ability of social media companies to curb content on their platforms that these businesses deem objectionable.
The justices took up two cases involving challenges by technology industry groups who argued that these 2021 laws restricting the content-moderation practices of large social media platforms violate the Constitution’s First Amendment protections for freedom of speech.
Lower courts split on the issue, striking down key provisions of Florida’s law while upholding the Texas measure.
The industry challengers to the laws are NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association, industry groups whose members include Facebook parent Meta Platforms, Alphabet’s Google, which owns YouTube, as well as TikTok and X, formerly called Twitter.
CCIA President Matt Schruers called the court’s decision to tackle the case encouraging.
“It is high time that the Supreme Court resolves whether governments can force websites to publish dangerous content.
Telling private websites they must give equal treatment to extremist hate isn’t just unwise, it is unconstitutional, and we look forward to demonstrating that to the court,” Schruers said.
Supporters of the laws have argued that social media platforms have engaged in impermissible censorship and have silenced conservative voices in particular.
Advocates of content moderation have argued for the need to stop misinformation and the amplification of extremist causes.
President Biden’s administration had told the justices in a court filing that the cases merited review because the state laws burdened the rights of the companies.
“When a social media platform selects, edits and arranges third-party speech for presentation to the public, it engages in activity protected by the First Amendment,” the Justice Department said.
The cases test the argument made by the industry groups that the First Amendment protects the editorial discretion of the social media platforms and prohibits governments from forcing companies to publish content against their will.
The companies have said that without editorial discretion their websites would be overrun with spam, bullying, extremism and hate speech.
Conservative critics of “Big Tech” companies have cited as an example of what they called censorship the decision by the platform previously called Twitter to suspend then-President Donald Trump shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by his supporters, with the company citing “the risk of further incitement of violence.”
Trump’s account has since been reinstated under Elon Musk, who now owns the renamed company.
In signing the law in 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, “There is a dangerous movement by some social media companies to silence conservative ideas and values. This is wrong and we will not allow it in Texas.”
The Texas law forbids social media companies with at least 50 million monthly active users from acting to “censor” users based on “viewpoint,” and allows either users or the Texas attorney general to sue to enforce it.
Florida’s law requires large platforms to “host some speech that they might otherwise prefer not to host” by prohibiting the censorship or banning of a political candidate or “journalistic enterprise.”
“Online services have a well-established First Amendment right to host, curate and share content as they see fit. The internet is a vital platform for free expression, and it must remain free from government censorship,” NetChoice litigation director Chris Marchese said.
Officials from Florida and Texas did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Florida is seeking to revive its law after the Atlanta-based 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled largely against it.
The industry groups are appealing a decision by the New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the Texas law, which the Supreme Court had blocked at an earlier stage of the case.
The Florida and Texas cases are due to be heard in the court’s new nine-month term, which begins on Monday. | SCOTUS |
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You can sign up right here. You can listen to an audio version of the newsletter by clicking the same link. New York CNN — We’re in the salad days of the New Year — that period where many feel refreshed and motivated and perhaps even optimistic about the year to come. There’s a certain clarity that comes during this time in January. That said, the big question weighing on everyone’s mind is whether or not the United States will enter a recession this year. And there are three big “ifs” that will determine the health of the economy: The strength of the labor market, the American consumer and the Federal Reserve. Will the labor market cool off? Jobs has been the word of the week as investors eye a slew of data highlighting a strong labor market that is confoundingly resistant to the Fed’s attempts to cool the economy. The US labor market is historically tight, with the unemployment rate, as of November, at just 3.7% and about 1.7 available jobs for every job seeker. If job numbers come in as expected on Friday, 2022 will be the second-best year on record for job growth. This is all happening as the Fed tries to actively cool the labor market. Policymakers fear that persistent wage growth in a tight labor market will keep already sky-high inflation levels elevated. For the Fed to reach its desired target of 2% inflation, jobs will have to take a hit, with unemployment rising to about 4.6% this year, according to the central bank’s projections released in December. The central bank will likely continue to put pressure on the economy by instituting painful rate hikes until we get there. In an interview with the Financial Times this week, Gita Gopinath, second in command at the International Monetary Fund, urged the Fed to continue with rate increases this year, citing the labor market’s resilience. So will wages moderate this year? Analysts at Goldman Sachs predict that they will. They believe that unemployment will grow and wage growth will slow from above 5% in 2022 to about 4% by the end of this year. “This would still be a bit too hot, but any sizeable drop would provide Fed officials with a proof of concept for the idea that gradual labor market rebalancing can dampen wage and eventually price pressures without a recession,” they write. If 2022 taught investors anything, it’s that you can’t beat the Fed. So expect more good-is-bad economic news, since a strong monthly jobs report will likely continue to correlate to a weak market. Will Americans continue to spend? American consumers carried the weight of the economy on their backs last year. Even as interest rates rose and growth weakened, they kept on shopping. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan told CNN around the holidays that the continued strength of the US consumer is nearly single-handedly staving off recession. But weaker-than-expected retail sales in November pummeled market sentiment last month and raised the odds that the Fed’s punishing interest rate hikes would push the economy into recession. US retail sales fell 0.6% in November, the weakest performance in nearly a year. Weak sales are likely to continue, say analysts, and if they do, retailers’ earnings will suffer. Disposable income fell from the spring of 2021 through the summer of 2022 as inflation outran wage growth and pandemic savings dried up. While American bank accounts are still fairly robust, consumers are borrowing more. In the third quarter of 2022, credit card balances jumped 15% year over year. That’s the largest annual jump since the New York Fed began tracking the data in 2004. Will the Fed pivot? This is the main question on every investor’s mind — and the answer will not only help determine what happens to markets this year, but also whether the economy will fall into recession. In the minutes from the December Fed meeting, central bank officials spelled it out for interested parties: No policy makers anticipated that rate cuts would be appropriate in 2023. The minutes warned that “an unwarranted easing in financial conditions … would complicate the Committee’s effort to restore price stability.” And while officials welcomed softer inflation reports in recent months, they stressed that “substantially more evidence of progress” was required and said that inflation was still “unacceptably high.” So while rate cuts may be off the table this year, the Fed could opt for more modest increases, or even none at all as the year progresses. That would be welcome relief to investors after four hikes of three-quarters of a point last year. Mortgage rates rose again last week, beginning 2023 twice as high as they were a year ago. The hike also reverses six straight weeks of falling rates. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.48% in the week ending January 5, up from 6.42% the week before, according to Freddie Mac. A year ago, the 30-year fixed rate was 3.22%. Mortgage rates rose throughout most of 2022, spurred by the Federal Reserve’s unprecedented campaign of harsh interest rate hikes to tame soaring inflation. But mortgage rates dropped in November and December, following data that showed inflation may have finally reached its peak, reports my colleague Anna Bahney. The current market is driving away would-be buyers, partially because there’s little inventory as Americans are uninterested in selling and parting ways with their ultra-low mortgage rates. Still, this week’s drive upwards could be a fluke and as inflation begins to ease, rates are expected to also drop. “Mortgage application activity sunk to a quarter-century low this week as high mortgage rates continue to weaken the housing market,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “While mortgage market activity has significantly shrunk over the last year, inflationary pressures are easing and should lead to lower mortgage rates in 2023.” The future looks grim for Bed Bath & Beyond. The long-suffering retailer issued an ominous message on Thursday, warning about possible bankruptcy. There is “substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue” because of its worsening financial situation, the home goods chain said in a regulatory filing. The company said that it was still looking into alternatives, like restructuring its debt, seeking additional cash and selling assets. But the Wall Street Journal reported that Bed Bath & Beyond is preparing to file for bankruptcy within weeks, citing sources familiar with the matter. Bed Bath & Beyond did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNN. Bed Bath & Beyond’s (BBY) stock plunged nearly 30% Thursday. It dipped below $2 a share, an all-time low. “Bed Bath & Beyond is too far gone to be saved in its present form,” Neil Saunders, an analyst at GlobalData Retail, said in a note to clients Thursday. “All of this points to bankruptcy as being the most likely outcome.” | US Federal Policies |
Elon Musk broke US labor law in 2018 when he Tesla factory workers would forgo stock options if they chose to unionize, according to a federal appeals court. On Friday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a decision spotted by , upheld a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling that found Musk made unlawful threats around employee compensation.
In May 2018, a Twitter user asked Musk about his stance on unions. “Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted,” he . “But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare.”
Tesla factory literally has miles of painted yellow lines & tape. Report about forklifts not beeping is also bs. These are both demonstrably false, but were reported as “facts” by Reveal.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 21, 2018
The tweet immediately drew the attention of labor activists, and in 2021, the NLRB, responding to a complaint from the United Auto Workers union, found Musk had threatened employees. Tesla has argued the tweet was Musk’s way of pointing out that workers at other automakers don’t receive stock options. NLRB chair Wilma Liebman saw it differently. "The employee is going to hear it as, 'If I vote to unionize, stock options will no longer be an option,'" she .
After reviewing the decision, the Fifth Circuit Court sided with the NLRB. "Because stock options are part of Tesla's employees' compensation, and nothing in the tweet suggested that Tesla would be forced to end stock options or that the UAW would be the cause of giving up stock options, substantial evidence supports the NLRB's conclusion that the tweet is as an implied threat to end stock options as retaliation for unionization," the panel .
The court ordered Musk to delete the tweet. As of the writing of this article, the message is still live. The Fifth Circuit Court also upheld an order from the NLRB that Tesla reinstates Richard Ortiz, a worker the automaker fired for organizing employees at its Fremont factory in California. | Labor Activism |
Published June 14, 2022 12:25PM Updated 4:49PM Gunman killed in Duncanville summer camp shootout identified The gunman who died in a shootout with Duncanville police at a youth summer camp has been identified as 42-year-old Brandon Ned. DUNCANVILLE, Texas - The Texas Rangers are now investigating the deadly shootout at a Duncanville summer youth camp. Police say 42-year-old Brandon Ned of Dallas walked into the Duncanville Fieldhouse with a handgun on Monday. He exchanged words with a staff member in the lobby and then fired a shot. RELATED: Duncanville Fieldhouse police shooting disrupts youth summer camp Staff and children immediately went into lockdown. Police arrived within two minutes of the first 911 call and ended up exchanging gunfire with the gunman. He was hit and pronounced dead at the hospital. No one else was hurt. William Burse was washing his car nearby on Monday when he heard the gunshots. He ran over to see if he could help. Duncanville police officers were already on scene. He encountered two scared camp counselors. "My heart was beating so fast. Two young ladies thought I had something in my hand. Unfortunately, I didn't. I was trying to come help and stuff," he recalled. "The staff handled them very well. Got them safe on the bus and everything." Ned is no stranger to law enforcement. He has a mugshot from a 2011 conviction for intoxication manslaughter. He was also convicted for cocaine possession. Brandon Ned, 2011 mugshot (Courtesy: Dallas County Sheriff's Office) A motive for the shooting remains unclear along with the question of how Ned obtained the handgun. According to Duncanville police, approximately 150 kids and staff were inside the fieldhouse at the time of the deadly encounter. Donna Pearson's brother runs the camp. "I got here. Briefly spoke with him. He said the kids were okay. They went into active protective mode," she recalled. Pearson says her brother was relieved no one was hurt. The campers and counselors hid inside locked classrooms, which prevented Ned from getting inside. Detectives say Ned tried to access a classroom but couldn't get in. He shot through the door, but no one was hit by the bullet. Parents are praising Coach Pearson's actions. His sister says he's a born leader who stayed calm under pressure. "Staff and kids were fine. They were securing the premises," she said. Gunman killed in Duncanville summer camp shootout identified Diana Vasquez says she’s struggling to relive the tense few minutes trapped inside the fieldhouse. She and her 11-year-old twin boys were standing just feet from Ned while the summer camp was underway. Diana Vasquez says she’s struggling to relive the tense few minutes trapped inside the fieldhouse. She and her 11-year-old twin boys were standing just feet from Ned while the summer camp was underway. Vasquez was at the front counter paying for her boys’ lunches. "To be honest with you, he didn’t pose a threat when he walked in," she said. "I thought he was another parent. I didn’t think anything of it." However, Vasquez says Ned started to attract attention, lighting a cigarette and asking people if they needed food or water. That’s when she remembers one coach ask if Ned needed help. "He said he was waiting on a lady or looking for a lady or something," she said. Vasquez heard a second coach walk up and ask Ned to smoke outside. "The guy grabbed something and then coach said, ‘You have a weapon on you?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, you want to see?’ And pulled out the gun and turned on a laser beam and aimed it at the coach," she recalled. Vasquez grabbed her boys, dialed 911 and ducked into a nearby room. "Once they got back there and before they closed it, that was the first gunshot," she said. Vasquez heard the exchange of gunfire, holding her boys. "I lost my brother to gun violence four years ago," she said. "And I didn’t want my mom to get that call again, you know? Especially about her daughter and her grandkids." FOX 4 confirmed Dallas ATF is assisting the Texas Rangers to trace how the handgun ended up in Ned’s hands and whether it’s been used in other crimes. And as a convicted felon, it would be illegal for Ned to have a gun. Ned’s address, according to public records, is less than five miles from the fieldhouse. FOX 4 visited his home Tuesday afternoon. A woman answered the door, said no comment and asked us to leave. Vasquez says it was difficult to drop of one of her boys at camp Tuesday. Her other twin wasn’t ready. For now, he’s too scared to go back. "You are grateful for their lives and that they are still here," she said. The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation. The summer camp at the fieldhouse remains closed. Grief counselors are being made available to anyone who needs to talk. | US Crime, Violence, Terrorism & cybercrime |
CNN — A federal appeals court was asked on Friday night to issue an emergency order blocking individuals from gathering at Arizona ballot drop boxes to record voters. The Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans and Voto Latino turned to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals after a district court judge denied their request earlier Friday for a temporary restraining order. “Absent emergency relief, Defendants’ ongoing campaign of voter intimidation at ballot drop boxes in Arizona will continue and likely get worse, irreparably depriving Arizona voters of their right to vote freely and without intimidation through the means that Arizona law provides, and irreparably harming Plaintiffs and their members,” the request with the 9th Circuit said. “Defendants’ intimidation campaign has already produced more than a half-dozen voter intimidation complaints and multiple law enforcement responses to drop boxes,” the filing read. “Defendants paused much of their incitement when this case was filed, but now that the district court has denied Plaintiffs’ motion, they are likely to resume their activities unless this Court takes immediate action.” The organizations are suing the group Cleans Elections USA and its founder, Melody Jennings, accusing of them of coordinating a campaign of voter intimidation by calling on people to gather at drop boxes to record voters. The defendants’ lawyer has denied that her clients have encouraged anyone to break the law and say that the plaintiffs haven’t provided evidence that Jennings is connected to the conduct that has prompted to voters to file complaints of intimidation to elections officials. The plaintiffs are seeking an order prohibiting the defendants from “gathering within sight of drop boxes; from following, taking photos of, or otherwise recording voters or prospective voters, those assisting voters or prospective voters, or their vehicles at or around a drop box; and from training, organizing, or directing others to do those activities.” | US Circuit and Appeals Courts |
The Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade in an opinion handed down Friday, confirming the outcome of a leaked draft opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization showing the high court was poised to strike down the decades-old legal precedent.While all six justices appointed by Republican presidents voted in favor of striking down Roe, Chief Justice John Roberts, the court's swing vote, concurred in judgment with Justice Samuel Alito's opinion. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer, and Elena Kagan dissented.The Friday ruling resulted in protests and reaction from across the political spectrum, with the Right cheering the decision as those on the Left took to the streets to show their disapproval. Activists supporting and opposing the ruling surrounded the court to make their views heard.Follow the latest reaction and updates here. 1:52 PM Jun 24, 2022 Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin turns away patients in waiting room, suspends abortion services Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin had to turn away patients in their clinics as Friday's ruling came down, setting the stage for the state's 173-year-old abortion ban to again become law. "When the ruling came down, we had to go out to those individuals who were in our waiting room and say, 'We're so sorry, that decision that you made for yourself, for your family, for your future, is no longer your decision to make here in Wisconsin,'" President & CEO of Planned Parenthood of WisconsinTanya Atkinson said. Atkinson added that some had driven for "hours" to access their services. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is temporarily suspending abortion services. Per a state law passed in 1849 that went back into effect today, Wisconsin providers are banned from performing abortions except when saving the life of the mother.Atkinson said that though they are legally unable to provide abortion, they can help with financial assistance and navigating "a state where abortion remains safe and legal.""Planned Parenthood can also be there for people who need an abortion. They can help people navigate to a state where abortion remains safe and legal for people's health care decisions are respected. And they can be there for people who return home and need aftercare," Atkinson. "Planned Parenthood Wisconsin can also provide financial assistance to anyone who needs to access a safe and legal abortion." 1:31 PM Jun 24, 2022 Trump: 'I delivered everything I promised' Abortion-rights protesters regroup and protest following Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, federally protected right to abortion, outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, June 24, 2022. The Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years, a decision by its conservative majority to overturn the court's landmark abortion cases. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP Former President Donald Trump seemed to take credit for Friday's Supreme Court ruling, boasting, "I delivered everything I promised.""Today's decision, which is the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation, along with the other decisions that have been announced recently, were only made possible because I delivered everything I promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court," Trump said in a statement. "It was my great honor to do so!"Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices during his time in office: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. All three sided with the 6-3 majority opinion on Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade. 1:09 PM Jun 24, 2022 DC attorney general's office: We'll do 'everything in our power' to defend abortion access The attorney general of Washington, D.C., is vowing to defend access to abortions within the district."My office will do everything in our power to fiercely defend and strengthen the right to abortion in the District so that everyone can create their family how and when they choose," Attorney General Karl Racine said.Racine noted abortion access is "intertwined" with the district's "fight for autonomy and statehood" given that it is subject to oversight from the federal government."We know our strong abortion laws could change if the federal government seeks to take away this right," he warned, alluding to the oversight a GOP-controlled Congress could have over left-leaning Washington if the party takes control after the midterm elections. My office will do everything in our power to fiercely defend and strengthen the right to abortion in the District so that everyone can create their family how and when they choose. pic.twitter.com/FNVGiXZ0BE— AG Karl A. Racine (@AGKarlRacine) June 24, 2022 1:04 PM Jun 24, 2022 Biden decries 'sad day' for the country and calls on protesters to keep it 'peaceful' President Joe Biden said it was a "sad day" for the country following the Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade during remarks at the White House. "Now with Roe gone, let's be very clear: The health and life of women of this nation are now at risk," Biden said. Biden encouraged all those participating in protests outside the Supreme Court and around the country to keep it "peaceful.""I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful. Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable. Threats and intimidation are not speech. We must stand against violence in any form," Biden said. 1:00 PM Jun 24, 2022 Pediatrician: Ruling a 'win-win for both sides' A pediatrician who is "a little surprised" the decision came "this soon" applauded the justices for granting "a win-win for both sides.""As a pediatrician, I definitely understand the importance of it. We support [and] protect the unborn, but I also support the mom, and so I am a sort of - it's a win-win for both sides to me because at the end of the day, it kind of eliminates unnecessary abortions, but at the same time I'm hoping that we will continue to remember that we at all costs protect our moms," Delia Morgan from New Orleans told the Washington Examiner.Morgan said she was in Washington on vacation when she heard the news about the Supreme Court ruling. 12:57 PM Jun 24, 2022 Manchin ‘deeply disappointed' by Supreme Court Dobbs decision striking down Roe Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said Friday he is “deeply disappointed” by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization striking down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision and that he would support legislation codifying the standard previously set by Roe.The ruling struck down the court’s prior rulings in both Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which legalized abortion nationwide, and concerned a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks.Manchin, who considers himself personally anti-abortion but backed the legal standard set by Roe, did not support a sweeping abortion rights bill in the Senate earlier this year on the grounds that it went beyond Roe. The bill failed when it did not garner enough support to clear the Senate's 60-vote filibuster. Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have vocally opposed removing the filibuster.In his statement, Manchin said, “I am deeply disappointed that the Supreme Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.”Read more here. 12:54 PM Jun 24, 2022 Governors of California, Washington, and Oregon announce 'West Coast offense' California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced their states will provide reproductive access to women across the country in what they call the "West Coast offense" in response to Friday's ruling. SCOTUS has stripped away liberties & let other states replace them with mandated birth.This is not the America we know.California has banded together with WA and OR to form the West Coast offense & protect reproductive freedom in our states.ABORTION STAYS LEGAL IN CA. pic.twitter.com/fqWSmD2Yf7— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) June 24, 2022 "Today with the Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe vs. Wade more than half the states in the United States ban abortion outright or severely restrict access to abortion services. That's why California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients access to reproductive care," the three said in a video message."We will continue to protect patients from any state who come to our states for abortion care," they said. "We're going to protect patient privacy."Inslee said that the three West Coast states will be working to expand abortion services and help those in need. 12:35 PM Jun 24, 2022 Idaho Gov. Brad Little says 'pro-life' bill will take effect later this summer (AP Photo) Jacquelyn Martin/AP Idaho Gov. Brad Little said Friday's ruling was the "culmination of pro-life efforts to defend the defenseless," adding the state's "pro-life" bill will go into effect later this summer. "We fully acknowledge this monumental moment in our country's history means we must confront what know will be growing needs for women and families in the months and years ahead. We absolutely must come together like never before to support women and teens facing unexpected or unwanted pregnancies," Little added. Idaho passed its trigger law, which will make abortions a felony, in 2020. The law stipulates few exceptions for rape, incest, and saving lives. A victim of rape or incest will be required to provide a police report to the physician preforming the abortion. The law is set to go into effect in 30 days. 12:22 PM Jun 24, 2022 'Not your body, not your choice' or 'hell no, we don't need Roe?': Activists clash on steps of Supreme Court Activists from opposing sides chanted at one another in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.Advocates for widespread access to abortion lead chants of "Not your body, not your choice," with some hoisting signs reading, "Overturn Roe? Hell no!"Opponents of the procedure chanted, "Hell no, we don't need Roe!" 12:21 PM Jun 24, 2022 Trump: Supreme Court ruling 'will work out for everybody.' Former President Donald Trump said the Supreme Court's ruling "will work out for everybody." "This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," Trump told Fox News. "This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged."Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices during his time in office: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. All three sided with the majority opinion on Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade. 12:09 PM Jun 24, 2022 Mississippi's last abortion clinic advertises it is still open to the public Volunteers outside of Mississippi's only abortion clinic, the Jackson Women's Health Organization, which was named in Friday's ruling, are holding up signs near the street to let patients know they are still open for business in light of the Supreme Court's decision. Volunteers at Mississippi's only abortion clinic, the Jackson Women's Health Organization, are holding up signs letting patients know the clinic is STILL open and still taking patients.Anti-abortion preachers are trying to turn them away, screaming, "ROE IS OVERTURNED." #Dobbs pic.twitter.com/hymYg9jIlS— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) June 24, 2022 "This clinic is open," one sign reads. Abortion opponents outside the clinic are yelling in the direction of the volunteers, "Roe is overturned." 12:03 PM Jun 24, 2022 Activist at the Supreme Court decries ruling 'illegitimate' One activist outside the Supreme Court on Friday decried the decision as "illegitimate," arguing people should take to the streets to voice their concerns. "This decision is illegitimate. If you care about women, about girls, about LGBT people, if you care about justice, if you care about the future, you need to get in the streets," Sam Goldman, a resident of Philadelphia, told the Washington Examiner. "We must not let this stand." 11:54 AM Jun 24, 2022 David Cicilline slams 'devastating' and 'radical' decision Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), who traveled to the Supreme Court following the ruling, blasted the "devastating" and "radical" decision."They have reversed 50 years of precedent in which it has been well established that a woman retains the right to make decisions about her own healthcare," he told the Washington Examiner. The Rhode Island Democrat warned the court's "willingness" to "advance their own policy views" is "very dangerous.""I think this is part of a longer-term project of the Republican Party to pack the court with extreme-right justices to advance a set of policy agendas which they have been unable to achieve through the political process ... [because] they're deeply unpopular," he added. 11:54 AM Jun 24, 2022 Arizona signals 15-week abortion ban will go into effect in around 90 days Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich signaled that a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks in Arizona similar to Mississippi's law will go into effect in "approximately" 90 days. "The Arizona Legislature passed an identical law to the one upheld in Dobbs, which will take effect in approximately 90 days. Additionally, General Brnovich will continue to defend Arizona’s law that protects against discriminatory abortions on the basis of race, sex, or genetic abnormality in Brnovich v. Isaacson," a statement read. SB 1164, signed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey in March, makes it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion after 15 weeks but prohibits the prosecution of abortion recipients. Doctors could face felony charges and lose their medical licenses.There is an exception for cases when the mother is at risk of death or serious permanent injury but not for instances of rape or incest. 11:41 AM Jun 24, 2022 Thomas says Supreme Court should reconsider protecting contraception and same-sex marriage Pro-abortion rights protesters use signs and other items in opposition to the overturning of Roe v. Wade on Friday in Washington. (Graeme Jennings / Washington Examiner) Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a solo concurring opinion in Friday's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade arguing the court should reconsider rulings that protect same-sex marriage and contraception.The Republican-appointed justice wrote other cases that fall under previous due process precedents."For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," Thomas wrote, referencing the high court rulings granting legal protections to contraception, same-sex sexual activity, and same-sex marriage, respectively. 11:39 AM Jun 24, 2022 Biden set to speak at 12:30 President Joe Biden will deliver remarks following the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday at 12:30 p.m. 11:36 AM Jun 24, 2022 Fall campaign landscape upended by Supreme Court abortion ruling reversing Roe Pro-abortion rights protesters use signs and other items in opposition to the overturning of Roe v. Wade on Friday in Washington. (Graeme Jennings / Washington Examiner) The Supreme Court's decision overturning the half-century-old ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortions nationwide has the potential to scramble in dramatic ways a 2022 campaign landscape that has favored Republicans.A majority of justices, each appointed by Republican presidents, joined the opinion authored by Justice Samuel Alito in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, ruling Mississippi can maintain its law banning abortion after 15 weeks of gestation. The decision gives states the power to determine limits on when a woman can terminate a pregnancy.The ruling comes just over four months before Election Day, on Nov. 8. House Republicans are within striking distance of winning a majority, needing to net five seats in the 435-member chamber. The race for a Senate majority is touch-and-go. Democrats are trying to expand on the razor-thin majority they hold in the 50-50 chamber due to Vice President Kamala Harris's tiebreaking vote, while Republicans have pickup opportunities in several states in their bid for control. Thirty-six governor's offices are on the ballot in November, too.Read more here. 11:34 AM Jun 24, 2022 Youngkin: Supreme Court has 'rightfully returned power to the people' Law enforcement officers are seen Friday as supporters and opponents of abortion rights gather near the Supreme Court in Washington. (Graeme Jennings / Washington Examiner) Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin lauded the Supreme Court's ruling for "rightfully" returning power to the people, affirming that he is "a pro-life Governor." "I'm proud to be a Pro-life Governor and plan to take every action I can to protect life," Youngkin said. "The truth is, Virginians want fewer abortions, not more abortions. We can build a bipartisan consensus on protecting the life of unborn children." 11:34 AM Jun 24, 2022 Eric Adams shares resources for abortion seekers in New York City Mayor Eric Adams is welcoming abortion seekers to New York City, sharing resources following the Supreme Court's decision striking down Roe v. Wade."To all New Yorkers: you still have access safe, legal abortions here in New York City. To those seeking abortions around the country: you are welcome here," he tweeted alongside a link that can help locate providers and explain what to expect when getting the procedure. To all New Yorkers: you still have access safe, legal abortions here in New York City.To those seeking abortions around the country: you are welcome here. Find more information on providers, support, and additional resources available: https://t.co/1jloa0xxXK pic.twitter.com/mQD75yG6mJ— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) June 24, 2022 11:25 AM Jun 24, 2022 DC police 'fully activated' through June 28 The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. will be 'fully activated' to respond to expected protests in the nation's capital following the Supreme Court ruling through June 28."All members should be prepared to work extended tours as necessary," a statement read. "Effective immediately, each command shall allow no more than 5% of their members to have leave until 2359 hours on Tuesday, June 28." 11:21 AM Jun 24, 2022 ‘Battle has just begun': Abortion opponents from blue states prepare for post-Roe world Though they applauded the Dobbs decision as it was read, activists who oppose abortion but reside in Democrat-controlled states warned their work was just beginning.“The battle has just begun,” Emma Craig, who traveled to Washington, D.C. from San Francisco, told the Washington Examiner. “We’re doing the hard work, I'm calling legislators on a weekly basis. It's an uphill battle for us in California.”While the 6-3 decision strikes down Roe v. Wade, it does not preclude states from allowing the procedure within their own borders. 11:14 AM Jun 24, 2022 Mike Pence: 'Today, Life Won' Former Vice President Mike Pence applauded the Supreme Court ruling, saying that "Life Won.""Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn," Pence said. "Having been given this second chance for Life, we must not rest and must not relent until the sanctity of life is restored to the center of American law in every state in the land," he added. 11:10 AM Jun 24, 2022 Kristi Noem calls for special session after Roe overturned South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is calling for a special legislative session now that the precedent of Roe v. Wade has been overturned.“Every abortion always had two victims: the unborn child and the mother. Today’s decision will save unborn lives in South Dakota, but there is more work to do,” Noem said. “We must do what we can to help mothers in crisis know that there are options and resources available for them. Together, we will ensure that abortion is not only illegal in South Dakota – it is unthinkable.”Noem, a Republican, vowed a speedy state-level response back in May, when a draft leaked opinion first emerged indicating Roe would be overturned.The dates of the special session will be decided "promptly after discussion with legislative leadership," according to a press release. 11:07 AM Jun 24, 2022 Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearing next month The Senate Judiciary Committee announced in wake of the Supreme Court overturn of Roe v. Wade its plans to hold a hearing next month to discuss the "grim reality" of a "post-Roe America.""In light of the Supreme Court's decision in #Dobbs to overturn Roe v Wade, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next month to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America," the committee wrote. 11:00 AM Jun 24, 2022 Pelosi: 'American women today have less freedom than their mothers' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Friday's ruling was "outrageous and heart-wrenching.""Today, the Republican-controlled Supreme Court has achieved the GOP’s dark and extreme goal of ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions. Because of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party and their supermajority on the Supreme Court, American women today have less freedom than their mothers," Pelosi said.Pelosi warned the ruling would be a critical topic for the midterm elections in November, saying, "The rights of women and all Americans are on the ballot." 10:54 AM Jun 24, 2022 Former first lady Michelle Obama 'heartbroken' over the Supreme Court's ruling Former first lady Michelle Obama says she is "heartbroken" by the Supreme Court's ruling."I am heartbroken for people around this country who just lost the fundamental right to make informed decisions about their own bodies," she tweeted.Obama also put out a rallying cry for those opposed to the decision, saying, "Our story does not end here. It may not feel like we are able to do much right now, but we can. And we must." 10:50 AM Jun 24, 2022 Finally, justice for the unborn After 50 long years, the Supreme Court finally struck down on Friday the cases that created a right to the legalized, intentional killing of unborn children and prevented the states from restricting the procedure.In a 6-3 decision, Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh ruled that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey were unsound decisions that improperly conferred a right to obtain an abortion. Nowhere in the Constitution, and nowhere in our nation’s history and tradition, is there such a thing as a right to terminate a pregnancy at any stage, the justices argued.Read more here. 10:47 AM Jun 24, 2022 Former President Barack Obama says court 'attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans' Former President Barack Obama took to Twitter to slam the court's ruling as heavy-handed."Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," Obama wrote. Obama directed people "looking for ways to respond" to Planned Parenthood and the United State of Women, which he said "have been sounding the alarm on this issue for years." 10:37 AM Jun 24, 2022 Activist at Supreme Court: 'This is the day Roe fell' Photos outside of the Supreme Court on 6/24/2022 (Cami Mondeaux / Washington Examiner) Abortion opponents, holding signs reading "Roe is dead" and "Pro-life for the whole life," began a singalong outside of the Supreme Court after the news was read. "We are going to dance on the grave. Baby don't cry. You're not going to die. Abortion will be a crime,” they sang.One crowd member proclaimed, "This is the day Roe fell." 10:29 AM Jun 24, 2022 Crowd reacts outside of Supreme Court A crowd standing outside of the Supreme Court had mixed reactions to Friday's opinion being released. Opponents of abortion erupted in cheers, hugging one another as they held signs. Activists who favor widespread access to abortion were somber, beginning chants of, "The Supreme Court is illegitimate! Forced motherhood is illegitimate." And the decision has dropped: Dobbs stands and Roe v. Wade will be overturned. Abortion rights will return to the states. Here’s the crowd reading the decision and reacting: pic.twitter.com/gnRNger4Ho— Cami Mondeaux (@cami_mondeaux) June 24, 2022 | SCOTUS |
19m ago Committee adjourns for the day The committee adjourned for the day at 12:51 p.m. The next hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday. 20m ago Barr says Trump was the "weak element" on the GOP ticket Barr debunked claims raised by Trump and Giuliani about voter fraud in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania broadly, saying in video testimony that the former president's allegation that more people voted in Philadelphia than there were registered voters "absolute rubbish.""The turnout in Philadelphia was in line with the state's turnout and in fact was not as impressive as many suburban counties. There was nothing strange about the Philadelphia turnout," Barr told committee investigators. "I think once you actually look at the votes, there's an obvious explanation. He, for example, in Pennsylvania, Trump ran weaker than the Republican ticket generally. He ran weaker than two of the state candidates, he ran weaker than the congressional delegation running for federal Congress."Barr continued: Trump "generally was the weak element on the Republican ticket. So that does not suggest that the election was stolen by fraud."The former attorney general recalled explaining to Trump at some point the purported discrepancies between the number of absentee ballots issued and cast in Pennsylvania.Joining Barr in refuting claims of voter fraud in Pennsylvania was Al Schmidt, a Republican who as a city commissioner served on the Philadelphia Board of Elections. Schmidt rejected claims from Rudy Giuliani that 8,000 dead people cast votes in Pennsylvania. "Not only was there not evidence of 8,000 dead voters voting in Pennsylvania, there wasn't evidence of eight," he told the committee during the hearing. "We took seriously every case that was referred to us, no matter how fantastical, no matter how absurd, and took every one of those seriously, including these."Trump attacked Schmidt by name in a tweet posted Nov. 11, 2020, calling him a "so-called Republican" who "refuses to look at a mountain of corruption & dishonesty."While Schmidt received threats before Trump's tweet that he characterized as "general in nature," he said they became "much more specific, much more graphic" after the former president's Twitter attack.The threats targeted "not just me by name, but included members of my family, by name, their ages, our address, pictures of our home, just every bit of detail that you could imagine. That was what changed with that tweet," Schmidt told lawmakers.In one text message provided to the committee and displayed during the hearing, an unidentified person wrote on Nov. 12, 2020: "You a traitor. Perhaps 75cuts and 20bullets will soon arrive." An email Schmidt received that same day included information about his children and threatened "COPS CAN'T HELP YOU. #Q HEADS ON SPIKES. TREASONOUS SCHMIDTS." 37m ago Former U.S. Attorney in Georgia says widespread voter fraud didn't happen there The former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, BJay Pak, testified before the committee in person about efforts to get him to look into baseless claims of election fraud in Georgia. He found they were unsubstantiated. One of the claims he was asked to look into was from former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who talked about suitcases of ballots existing. "We found that the suitcase full of ballots, the alleged black suitcase that was being seen pulled from under the table, was actually an official lockbox where ballots were kept safe," Pak testified in person. "We found out that there was a mistake in terms of a misunderstanding that they were done counting ballots or tallying ballots for the night. And the partisan watchers that were assigned by each of the respective parties were announced and sent home."But once the mistake was realized, the official ballot box was brought back and they continued to tally the ballots from the lockbox, Pak said, claiming Giuliani only played part of a clip. Pak said there was not evidence of widespread fraud that was sufficient to overturn the results in Georgia. 12:19 PM Top White House advisers knew there was no evidence to support voter fraud claims, testimony shows Top officials within the Trump administration, including former Vice President Mike Pence and White House lawyers, were aware there was no evidence to support Trump's claims of voter fraud, according to testimony from Alex Cannon, a lawyer with the Trump campaign.In a taped deposition, Cannon recalled speaking in mid-November 2020 with Peter Navarro, then a White House adviser, about claims Dominion's voting machines were changing votes and other allegations of voter fraud."I remember telling him that I didn't believe the Dominion allegations because I thought the hand recount in Georgia would resolve any issues with the technology problem and with Dominion, or Dominion flipping votes," Cannon said, adding that he mentioned a statement from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and then-Director Chris Krebs that declared the 2020 election secure. Navarro, Cannon recalled, "accused me of being an agent of the Deep State working with Chris Krebs against the president."Cannon said he also had a brief conversation with Pence in November about voter fraud claims, during which he told the vice president he was not finding evidence of widespread fraud to alter the results of the election.Derek Lyons, who served as White House staff secretary, also told the committee that allegations of fraud were discussed in a meeting more than a month after the election, during which White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Herschmann told Trump none of his claims had been "substantiated to the point where they could be the basis for any litigation challenge to the election." "President Trump's own vice president and his top advisers also knew that there wasn't evidence to support the claims that the president was making," Lofgren said. 12:09 PM Barr says fraud claims were like "playing whack-a-mole," and if Trump really believed them, he had "become detached from reality" In the days after the election, then-Attorney General Bill Barr testified to the committee that he knew the claims coming from Trump allies were "bogus" and "silly." Still, the Department of Justice investigated specific, credible investigations of fraud anyway. "The department, in fact, when we received specific and credible allegations of fraud, made an effort to look into these to satisfy ourselves that they were without merit," Barr said in recorded testimony that was shown Monday. Former Attorney General William Barr testifies election fraud claims were "crazy stuff" 15:38 "And I was in the posture of trying to figure out -- there was an avalanche of all these allegations of fraud that built up over a number of days and it was like playing whack-a-mole, because something would come out one day and then the next day, it would be another issue," Barr continued in his recorded testimony. "Also, I was influenced by the fact that all the early claims that I understood were completely bogus and silly and usually based on complete misinformation," Barr added. "And so I didn't consider the quality of claims right out of the box to give me any feeling that there was really substance here." Be recalled telling an Associated Press reporter that there could not have been fraud in a widespread way that could have changed the outcome of the election, a statement he knew would anger Trump. He had a meeting scheduled at the White House that same day, Nov. 23. 2020."I went over there and I told my secretary that I would probably be fired and told not to … not to go back to my office, so I said, 'You might have to pack up for me,'" Barr said. Sure enough, when he went to the White House for a meeting, he said then-chief of staff Mark Meadows said the president was angry. "The president was as mad as I've ever seen him, and he was trying to control himself," Barr said, adding that Trump was going off about allegations like the "big vote dump" in Detroit. Barr said he told the president there was no indication of fraud in Detroit, and told the president the claims of fraud were false. Barr said he didn't see any supporting evidence for the claims being made, particularly when it came to the Dominion voting machines. Barr recalled Trump at one point saying there was definitive evidence of fraud on Dominion machines, and that Trump held up a report with supposed evidence for those claims. "While a copy was being made, he said, 'This is absolute proof that the Dominion machines were rigged. The report means that I'm going to have a second term.' And then he gave me a copy of the report. And as he talked more and more about it, I sat there flipping through the report and looking at it.""And to be frank, it looked very amateurish to me," Barr continued. "… And the statements were made very conclusory, like 'these machines were designed to engage in fraud' or something to that effect, but I didn't see any supporting information for it. And I was somewhat demoralized because I thought, 'Boy if he really believes this stuff, he has you know, lost contact with — he's become detached from reality, if he really believes this stuff.'"Barr says he told Trump how crazy the claims were. "There was never, there was never an indication of interest in what the actual facts were," Barr said in his recorded testimony. "And my opinion then and my opinion now is that the election was not stolen by fraud." 11:48 AM Stepien told committee he was OK being part of "Team Normal," rather than Giuliani's team At Jan. 6 hearing, former Fox News political director Chris Stirewalt testifies on Trump's election loss 21:49 Stepien recalled that following the November election, two camps emerged within the Trump campaign: His team and "Rudy's team.""I didn't mind being characterized as being part of 'Team Normal,' as reporters kind of started to do around that point in time," Stepien said, according to a clip played by the committee.The former campaign manager recalled the array of Republican candidates he worked for, including Trump, former Sen. John McCain and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as well as the varying circumstances he worked under, and prided himself for building up a reputation of honesty and professionalism. "I didn't think what was happening was necessarily honest or professional at that point in time," he said of Trump allies raising unfounded claims the election was rigged. "That led to me stepping away."Lofgren added that Trump eventually allied himself with the legal team Giuliani was part of. "The president did get rid of Team Normal," she said. 11:47 AM Stepien's lawyer says wife didn't induce her labor Kevin Marino, a lawyer for former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, said Stepien's wife did not induce her labor. Stepien was set to testify to the committee on Monday morning, but had to cancel due to his wife's labor. Marino told CBS News that Stepien's wife called him early Monday morning and told him she went into labor. Stepien was advised to go to the hospital, Marino said. Marino said he then immediately told committee lawyers. 11:35 AM Former Fox News editor says he had no doubts Biden would win after network's controversial Arizona call Chris Stirewalt, former Fox News political editor, during a hearing of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, on Monday, June 13, 2022. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Former Fox News editor Chris Stirewalt described the Fox News Decision Desk's controversial decision to call the race for Joe Biden in Arizona, and the implications that had. Fox News was the first network to call Arizona for Biden, and everyone on the team had to agree to call the state for the candidate. "We were able to make the call early. We were able to beat the competition," Stirewalt said. Rep. Zoe Lofgren asked Stirewalt whether he had doubts that Biden would win the election after that Arizona call. "After that point? None," Stirewalt said. Stirewalt was fired from Fox News in January 2021, a firing he said came after his decision to defend the network calling Arizona for Biden. 11:30 AM Barr said "everyone understood for weeks" there would be a surge of Democratic votes from mail-in ballots In a taped interview with House investigators, Barr recalled that Trump's claims of election fraud were made "before there was any potential evidence" and was based on the notion that many votes for Democrats were tallied later on the night of November 3 as mail-in and absentee ballots were counted, which was to be expected."It seemed to be based on the dynamic that at the end of the evening, a lot of Democrat votes came in which changed the vote count in certain states and that seemed to be the basis for this broad claim that there was major fraud," Barr said, according to a clip played by the committee. "And I didn't think much of that because people had been talking for weeks and everyone understood for weeks that that was going to be what happened on election night."Bill Stepien, Trump's 2020 campaign manager, told House investigators he told the president they would have to "wait and see" the outcome of the election. "I always told the president the truth, and you know, I think he expected that from me and I told him it was going to be a process and you know, we'll have to wait and see how this turns out. Just like I did in 2016, I did in 2020," Stepien said, according to a clip of a taped interview with the committee that was played. 11:25 AM Video shown of depositions of Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and more Trump allies about election night Some of President Trump's top aides described the atmosphere on Election Night at the White House, saying it was clear to many of them that it was too early to claim victory that night. Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter and top adviser, and her husband Jared Kushner, also a Trump adviser, told committee investigators that they were at the White House that night. Jason Miller said the mood shifted when Fox News declared victory for Joe Biden, but Rudy Giuliani, who appeared to be intoxicated, wanted President Trump to declare victory. "The mayor was definitely intoxicated," top aide Jason Miller said, adding that he didn't "know the level of his intoxication.The president's daughter told committee investigators "it was becoming clear that the race would not be called on Election Night." Bill Stepien said he recommended the president say that votes were still being counted and it was too early to call the race. "But we are proud of the race we ran and we think we are in good position and we'll have more to say about this the next day," he said, adding that the president disagreed with that message. 11:10 AM Lofgren says Trump knew election fraud claims were false Committee member Rep. Zoe Lofgren said not only did the president's closest advisers know claims of widespread election fraud were false, but Trump knew it, too. "Mr. Trump's closest advisers knew it. Mr. Trump knew it," she said.Lofgren also alluded that the Trump operation raised a lot of money off the false idea that there was rampant fraud, enough to change the election results. "The 'Big Lie' was also a big ripoff," she said. 11:07 AM Cheney says Trump followed advice of "apparently inebriated" Giuliani to claim victory on election night In her opening remarks, committee Vice Chair Liz Cheney laid out a roadmap for what the public will hear during the select committee's second hearing and revealed that Trump, on the night of the election, took advice from an "apparently inebriated" Rudy Giuliani, his personal attorney."You will also hear testimony that President Trump rejected the advice of his campaign experts on election night and instead followed the course recommended by an apparently inebriated Rudy Giuliani to just claim he won and insist that the vote-counting stop, to falsely claim everything was fraudulent," Cheney previewed. "He falsely told the American people that the election was not legitimate."The committee, she said, will lay out Trump's effort to convince Americans that the 2020 election was stolen from him and rife with voter fraud, despite the former president knowing that the counting of mail-in ballots in key battleground states would take days.Cheney said Americanas will also hear more from former Attorney General Bill Barr, who appeared before the panel behind closed doors, and from others within the Justice Department who told Trump his baseless claims of election fraud were "nonsense."Cheney played testimony from former White House lawyer Eric Herschmann , who rejected Trump's claims that voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems were switching votes cast for Trump to instead support President Biden."I never saw any evidence whatsoever to sustain" those allegations, he told House investigators. 10:51 AM Hearing begins Chairman Bennie Thompson gaveled in the hearing at 10:46 a.m. "My colleagues and I don't want to spend time talking about ourselves during these hearings, but as someone who's run for office a few times, I can tell you at the end of a campaign, it all comes down to the numbers," Thompson said. "The numbers tell you the winner and the loser. For the most part, the numbers don't lie." And those numbers are the voice and the will of the people. Politicians are to accept the will of the people, he said. But Trump didn't. "This morning will tell the sort of how Donald Trump lost an election, and knew he lost an election, and as a result of his loss, decided to wage an attack on our democracy," Thompson said. Thompson said Trump "lit the fuse" for Jan. 6, 2021. 10:38 AM Stepien's lawyer says his wife went into labor Kevin Marino, lawyer for former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, said Stepien can't testify in person because his wife went into labor. Instead, his understanding is that video testimony of Stepien's will be played. Marino called Stepien one of the "finest political consultants in the country." And Stepien's testimony will present the numbers and dad he followed as he advised Trump, Marino said. Committee vice chair Liz Cheney confirmed they would play video testimony of Stepien."We're going to have a very important and effective set of hearings as you know Mr Stepien has appeared previously and so we'll be able to provide the American people with a lot of interesting new and important information that Mr. Stepien has provided to us previously," Cheney told reporters. 10:12 AM January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims 05:28 The House January 6 committee is holding its second televised public hearing for this month. The panel will focus on how former President Trump spread baseless claims of election fraud. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane joined "CBS News Mornings" with a preview. 9:30 AM Trump campaign manager will no longer appear, citing "family emergency" Former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien will no longer appear at Monday's hearing."Due to a family emergency, Mr. William Stepien is unable to testify before the Select Committee this morning.," the committee said in a statement. "His counsel will appear and make a statement on the record." 9:59 AM Committee aides say hearing will focus on the "Big Lie" Committee aides said Monday's hearing will focus on the "Big Lie," documenting how former President Donald Trump declared victory on election night despite being told he didn't have the numbers to win, and how he continued to embrace baseless claims of election fraud. "We're going to hear testimony from government officials who were the ones who looked for the fraud, and about how the effort to uncover these baseless allegations bore no fruit," a committee aide said. "Simply, the fraud that they were looking for didn't exist and the former president was told that, again and again, claims were baseless, but he continued to repeat them anyway."Monday's hearing will first have the statement from Stepien's counsel and former Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who was let go by Fox News shortly after the 2020 presidential election, during which his team correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden before other networks had. Then there will be a second panel that will consist of election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, former U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia BJ Pak, who resigned effective Jan. 4, 2021, and former Philadelphia city commissioner Al Schmidt. Some of the witnesses are expected to provide testimony about the basic logistics of election litigation and how such action usually proceeds. A committee aide said the committee will also demonstrate that the Trump campaign aides used the election fraud claims to raise hundreds of millions of dollars between the election and Jan. 6th. And finally, the aide said, the committee will show that "some of those individuals responsible for the violence on the 6th echoed back those very same lies that the former president peddled in the run up to the insurrection." 9:01 AM On Day 1 of hearings, Capitol police officer described "carnage" and "chaos" of riot One of two witnesses to testify live during the prime-time hearing on Thursday was Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who suffered a traumatic brain injury on Jan. 6. Edwards described seeing a "war scene" on Capitol Hill that day."It was something like I had seen out of the movies," Edwards said. "I could not believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. They were throwing up. I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in people's blood. I was catching people as they fell. It was carnage. It was chaos." Watch her testimony in the video below. Capitol Police officer describes "carnage" and "chaos" during Jan 6. attack 13:07 | US Federal Elections |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! EXCLUSIVE: A neighbor of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh says the pro-choice protesters who have marched multiple times a week down their street in the evening have shaken up residents' homes and disrupted their lives – as they detailed the alleged abuse received by neighbors from protesters, while saying authorities have done little to help them.The neighbor, who spoke to Fox News Digital on condition of anonymity, said that while there had been intermittent protests before, they picked up after the leak of the draft court opinion that would overturn the Roe v Wade abortion ruling. Protestors and drummers marched outside of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house after an alleged assassination attempt. (Fox News)The neighbor said that it was overwhelmingly people from outside the area who were organizing the protests, not people from the area – and specified how it was both a regular occurrence, and organized."They are people who come from out of the area. They have a staging point in a parking lot fairly nearby," the source said.911 TAPES FROM KAVANAUGH ATTEMPTED MURDER ARREST SHOW SUSPECT GIVING UP: ‘I NEED PSYCHIATRIC HELP’ Protesters typically appear two evenings a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and come in the evening at around 7 p.m. – when many of the local residents are putting their children to bed, a task made difficult when loud protesters are marching up and down the street."That's when people are putting their kids to bed, there’s little kids who live on the street. It's a horrific experience," the source said. "It's not great if you have kids of any age, but it's unbelievably stressful and the kids are very upset, the kids have to be sent inside and it’s so loud you can’t put your kids to sleep.""They picked the exact time and they don't care," they said. "Literally, there's no way on a Wednesday night you can put your kid to bed."While there are ground rules set by law enforcement, the source said the protesters are loud and intimidating, with chants that warn of riots if they don’t get what they want – and there have been instance of protesters abusing the neighbors as well, they said.PRO-CHOICE ACTIVISTS PROTESTS IN FRONT OF KAVANAUGH'S HOME AFTER MAN ARRESTED FOR THREATENING TO KILL HIM "They have drummers, they have a megaphone, and they chant, they yell all kinds of things… They have told neighbors ‘f--- you, f--- your children, things like that – and so they're abusive toward the neighbors and intimidating." Protesters march past Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)"They go in the street. We've been told that because they will move eventually when a car comes down the street, they're not technically blocking the street," they said.The resident notes that there are noise ordinances that limit things like leaf blowers, and yet those ordinances are apparently not followed by the protesters."What we've also been told is that this is ‘behaving within the bounds of the law’ and the only law that could be enforced is the federal law that they're not supposed to protest outside the home of judicial officers, but the federal partners declined to enforce that law," they said.The neighbor stressed that the lots are relatively small, meaning the houses are right up near the street where the protesters are yelling and chanting."There's nowhere to go to get away from it," they said. "I think people are very concerned that if there isn’t action taken, that this will escalate in a way that is very unpredictable and very unsafe and that's what's so discouraging, is the fact that there just doesn't seem to be anyone in a position of leadership or authority who is considering those issues and acting on them and trying to look for a solution rather than just allowing this possibly to escalate."Officials have expressed concern about the security situation related to the leak of the draft opinion. A recent Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. That was highlighted on Wednesday when Nicholas John Roske was arrested early Wednesday near Kavanaugh's house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Police said he was carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties. Some may have expected that the protests would have held off in the wake of the arrest of Roske, who was later charged with the attempted murder of Kavanaugh. But within hours of the arrest, that same evening, the protesters were back."They had a lot of camera crews, obviously, who were here for the news," the neighbor said. "So they came, they had more drums, more noise. They were very, very loud, very, very aggressive. They dance in the streets as well...I mean, it's very unnerving. And there's no consideration given to the neighbors -- we’re expected to just take it."The neighbor said that there had been very little communication from law enforcement and that the community is feeling "very worn down.""We've also been told repeatedly, just anecdotally, like in casual conversation, you can't engage with these people. They have no filter. They will have no regard for your personal property or your personal safety. So don't engage with them. So we're basically being told that these people are not safe.""It takes away your sense of security," they said. "We have no idea who could embed themselves in this group of protesters."The neighbor stressed that no-one was blaming Kavanaugh himself for the protests that have descended upon the area: "Him and his family are suffering more than any of the rest of us."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe neighbor said they were hopeful that once the reported opinion itself was handed down, maybe some weeks after that things would simmer down -- but warned that the protests in their neighborhood had much broader implications.The neighbor also challenged politicians who believe that such protests are fine because they are peaceful to open up their neighborhoods to similar protests and make their addresses available to the public."Let people know and encourage them to come to your neighborhood and do the same to voice their views. Because it can't be selective,’ they said. Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, with a focus on immigration. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AdamShawNY | SCOTUS |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was delivered a small win on Sunday, as a panel of federal appeals court judges temporarily postponed his testimony in Atlanta before a Fulton County special grand jury related to an escalating criminal probe investigating whether former President Donald Trump or his associates broke any state law in their efforts to have the 2020 presidential election results overturned in Georgia. The temporary stay issued by the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Sunday delayed the South Carolina Republican’s testimony – previously scheduled for this coming Tuesday – until a lower court weighs arguments about the types of questions that can and cannot be posed to Graham due to protections granted to members of Congress under the U.S. Constitution. U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May had denied Graham's request on Aug. 15 to quash his subpoena and on Friday rejected his effort to put her decision on hold while he appealed. Graham's lawyers then appealed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.RUDY GIULIANI ARRIVES AT GEORGIA COURTHOUSE FOR ORDERED TESTIMONY IN TRUMP CRIMINAL PROBE Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., addresses business leaders during a congressional conversation sponsored by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)The three-judge panel – comprised of two Trump appointees and one appointee of former President Bill Clinton – issued the order temporarily pausing May's order declining to quash the subpoena.The appeals court judges directed May to determine whether Graham, "is entitled to a partial quashal or modification of the subpoena to appear before the special purpose grand jury based on any protections afforded by the Speech or Debate Clause of the United States Constitution." The clause protects members of Congress from testifying about anything related to their official legislative business.Once May decides that issue, the case will return to the 11th Circuit for further consideration. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis opened her investigation after the disclosure of a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. On the call, Trump suggested that Raffensperger could "find" the exact number of votes that would be needed to flip the election results in Georgia. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. He has described the call as "perfect."Willis and her team have said they want to ask Graham about two phone calls they say he made to Raffensperger and his staff shortly after the 2020 general election. During those calls, Graham asked about "reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump," Willis wrote in a petition seeking to compel his testimony. Fulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis poses for a photo in her office in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Ben Gray, File)Graham also "made reference to allegations of widespread voter fraud in the November 2020 election in Georgia, consistent with public statements made by known affiliates of the Trump Campaign," she wrote.During a hearing earlier this month on Graham's motion to quash his subpoena, Willis' team argued that Graham may be able to provide insight into the extent of any coordinated efforts to influence the results of the 2020 general election in Georgia.Recently filing petitions to compel the testimonies of seven Trump advisers and associates, Willis has been ramping up the now 18-month probe ahead of the November midterm elections anticipating an announcement by Trump that he would run for a second term in 2024 could put a wrench in her investigations. Lawyers for Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp filed a motion on Wednesday to quash a subpoena for his testimony, accusing the office of Willis, a Democrat, of pursuing his testimony for "improper political purposes." Willis rejected that characterization, describing it as dishonest.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPSunday’s decision regarding Graham comes days after former New York City Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who also attempted to avoid testifying in the Georgia probe, faced hours of questioning last Wednesday before the Fulton County grand jury, saying afterward that he satisfied his court-ordered obligation.His high-profile appearance came the week after the FBI raided Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @danimwallace. | US Circuit and Appeals Courts |
Everyone acknowledged that Zoom was less than ideal as a forum for a heartfelt conversation on systemic racism and policing. But the meeting was urgent, and, a little more than two months into the Covid-19 lockdown, it would have to do.
During the first week of June 2020, teams of workers and their managers came together across the country to share how they were responding to the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis and to chart out what — if anything — their own company or nonprofit could do to contribute toward the reckoning with racial injustice that was rapidly taking shape.
On June 2, one such huddle was organized by the Washington, D.C., office of the Guttmacher Institute, the abortion rights movement’s premier research organization.
Heather Boonstra, vice president of public policy, began by asking how people were “finding equilibrium” — one of the details we know because it was later shared by staff with Prism, an outlet that covers social justice advocacy and the impacts of injustice.She talked about the role systemic racism plays in society and the ways that Guttmacher’s work could counter it. Staff suggestions, though, turned inward, Prism reported, “including loosening deadlines and implementing more proactive and explicit policies for leave without penalty.” Staffers suggested additional racial equity trainings, noting that a previous facilitator had said that the last round had not included sufficient time “to cover everything.” With no Black staff in the D.C. unit, it was suggested that “Guttmacher do something tangible for Black employees in other divisions.”
Behind Boonstra’s and the staff’s responses to the killing was a fundamentally different understanding of the moment. For Boonstra and others of her generation, the focus should have been on the work of the nonprofit: What could Guttmacher, with an annual budget of nearly $30 million, do now to make the world a better place? For her staff, that question had to be answered at home first: What could they do to make Guttmacher a better place? Too often, they believed, managers exploited the moral commitment staff felt toward their mission, allowing workplace abuses to go unchecked.
The belief was widespread. In the eyes of group leaders dealing with similar moments, staff were ignoring the mission and focusing only on themselves, using a moment of public awakening to smuggle through standard grievances cloaked in the language of social justice. Often, as was the case at Guttmacher, they played into the very dynamics they were fighting against, directing their complaints at leaders of color. Guttmacher was run at the time, and still is today, by an Afro Latina woman, Dr. Herminia Palacio. “The most zealous ones at my organization when it comes to race are white,” said one Black executive director at a different organization, asking for anonymity so as not to provoke a response from that staff.These starkly divergent views would produce dramatic schisms throughout the progressive world in the coming year. At Guttmacher, this process would rip the organization apart. Boonstra, unlike many managers at the time, didn’t sugarcoat how she felt about the staff’s response to the killing.
“I’m here to talk about George Floyd and the other African American men who have been beaten up by society,” she told her staff, not “workplace problems.” Boonstra told them she was “disappointed,” that they were being “self-centered.” The staff was appalled enough by the exchange to relay it to Prism.
The human resources department and board of directors, in consultation with outside counsel, were brought in to investigate complaints that flowed from the meeting, including accusations that certain staff members had been tokenized, promoted, and then demoted on the basis of race. The resulting report was unsatisfying to many of the staff.“What we have learned is that there is a group of people with strong opinions about a particular supervisor, the new leadership, and a change in strategic priorities,” said a Guttmacher statement summarizing the findings. “Those staff have a point of view. Complaints were duly investigated and nothing raised to the level of abuse or discrimination. Rather, what we saw was distrust, disagreement, and discontent with management decisions they simply did not like.”
A Prism reporter reached a widely respected Guttmacher board member, Pamela Merritt, a Black woman and a leading reproductive justice activist, while the Supreme Court oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization were going on last December, a year and a half after the Floyd meeting. She offered the most delicate rebuttal of the staff complaints possible.
“I have been in this movement space long enough to respect how people choose to describe their personal experience and validate that experience, even if I don’t necessarily agree that that’s what they experienced,” Merritt said. “It seems like there’s a conflation between not reaching the conclusion that people want and not doing due diligence on the allegations, which simply is not true.” Boonstra did not respond to a request to talk from either Prism or The Intercept.
The six months since then have only seen a ratcheting up of the tension, with more internal disputes spilling into public and amplified by a well-funded, anonymous operation called ReproJobs, whose Twitter and Instagram feeds have pounded away at the organization’s management. “If your reproductive justice organization isn’t Black and brown it’s white supremacy in heels co-opting a WOC movement,” blared a typical missive submitted to and republished on one of its Instagram stories. The news, in May 2022, that Roe v. Wade would almost certainly be overturned did nothing to temper the raging battle. (ReproJobs told The Intercept its current budget is around $275,000.)
That the institute has spent the course of the Biden administration paralyzed makes it typical of not just the abortion rights community — Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and other reproductive health organizations had similarly been locked in knock-down, drag-out fights between competing factions of their organizations, most often breaking down along staff-versus-management lines. It’s also true of the progressive advocacy space across the board, which has, more or less, effectively ceased to function. The Sierra Club, Demos, the American Civil Liberties Union, Color of Change, the Movement for Black Lives, Human Rights Campaign, Time’s Up, the Sunrise Movement, and many other organizations have seen wrenching and debilitating turmoil in the past couple years.
In fact, it’s hard to find a Washington-based progressive organization that hasn’t been in tumult, or isn’t currently in tumult. It even reached the National Audubon Society, as Politico reported in August 2021:
Following a botched diversity meeting, a highly critical employee survey and the resignations of two top diversity and inclusion officials, the 600,000-member National Audubon Society is confronting allegations that it maintains a culture of retaliation, fear and antagonism toward women and people of color, according to interviews with 13 current and former staff members.
Twitter, as the saying goes, may not be real life, but in a world of remote work, Slack very much is. And Twitter, Slack, Zoom, and the office space, according to interviews with more than a dozen current and former executive directors of advocacy organizations, are now mixing in a way that is no longer able to be ignored by a progressive movement that wants organizations to be able to function. The executive directors largely spoke on the condition of anonymity, for fear of angering staff or donors.
“To be honest with you, this is the biggest problem on the left over the last six years,” one concluded. “This is so big. And it’s like abuse in the family — it’s the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. And you have to be super sensitive about who the messengers are.”
For a number of obvious and intersecting reasons — my race, gender, and generation — I am not the perfect messenger. But here it goes anyway.Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sign the American Rescue Plan Act on March 10, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagFor progressive movement organizations, 2021 promised to be the year they turned power into policy, with a Democratic trifecta and the Biden administration broadcasting a bold vision of “transformational change.” Out of the gate, Democrats pushed ahead with the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, funding everything from expanded health care to a new monthly child tax credit. Republican efforts to slow-walk the process with disingenuous counteroffers were simply dismissed.
And then, sometime in the summer, the forward momentum stalled, and many of the progressive gains lapsed or were reversed. Instead of fueling a groundswell of public support to reinvigorate the party’s ambitious agenda, most of the foundation-backed organizations that make up the backbone of the party’s ideological infrastructure were still spending their time locked in virtual retreats, Slack wars, and healing sessions, grappling with tensions over hierarchy, patriarchy, race, gender, and power.
“So much energy has been devoted to the internal strife and internal bullshit that it’s had a real impact on the ability for groups to deliver,” said one organization leader who departed his position. “It’s been huge, particularly over the last year and a half or so, the ability for groups to focus on their mission, whether it’s reproductive justice, or jobs, or fighting climate change.”“My last nine months, I was spending 90 to 95 percent of my time on internal strife.”This is, of course, a caricature of the left: that socialists and communists spend more time in meetings and fighting with each other than changing the world. But in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential election, and then Joe Biden’s, it has become nearly all-consuming for some organizations, spreading beyond subcultures of the left and into major liberal institutions. “My last nine months, I was spending 90 to 95 percent of my time on internal strife. Whereas [before] that would have been 25-30 percent tops,” the former executive director said. He added that the same portion of his deputies’ time was similarly spent on internal reckonings.
“Most people thought that their worst critics were their competitors, and they’re finding out that their worst critics are on their own payroll,” said Loretta Ross, an author and activist who has been prominent in the movement for decades, having founded the reproductive justice collective SisterSong.
“We’re dealing with a workforce that’s becoming younger, more female, more people of color, more politically woke — I hate to use that term in a way it shouldn’t be used — and less loyal in the traditional way to a job, because the whole economic rationale for keeping a job or having a job has changed.” That lack of loyalty is not the fault of employees, Ross said, but was foisted on them by a precarious economy that broke the professional-social contract. That has left workers with less patience for inequities in the workplace.
“All my ED [executive director] friends, everybody’s going through some shit, nobody’s immune,” said one who has yet to depart.
One senior progressive congressional staffer said that when groups don’t disappear entirely to deal with internal strife, the discord is still noticeable on the other end. “I’ve noticed a real erosion of the number of groups who are effective at leveraging progressive power in Congress. Some of that is these groups have these organizational culture things that are affecting them,” the staffer said. “Because of the organizational culture of some of the real movement groups that have lots of chapters, what they’re lobbying on isn’t relevant to the actual fights in Congress. Some of these groups are in Overton mode when we have a trifecta.”
The idea, in theory, is that pushing their public policy demands further and further left widens the so-called Overton window of what’s considered possible, thereby facilitating the future passage of ambitious legislation. Those maximalist political demands can also be a byproduct of internal strife, as organization leaders fend off charges of not internally embodying progressive values by pushing external rhetoric further left.“There are wins to be had between now and the next couple months that could change the country forever, and folks are focused on stuff that has no theory of change for even getting to the House floor for a vote.”But, the aide pointed out, there is legislative potential now. “There are wins to be had between now and the next couple months that could change the country forever, and folks are focused on stuff that has no theory of change for even getting to the House floor for a vote.”
“Sunrise is doing their Green New Deal pledge,” the aide continued, describing the Sunrise Movement-led effort to get elected officials and candidates to sign on to an ambitious climate commitment. “The climate bill is still on the table. … There’s a universe where people are on the outside, focused on power and leveraging power for progressives in Congress. Instead, they’re spending resources on stuff that is totally unrelated to governing. Nobody says, ‘Hey guys, could you maybe come and maybe focus on this?’”
The silence stems partly, one senior leader in an organization said, from a fear of feeding right-wing trolls who are working to undermine the left. Adopting their language and framing feels like surrendering to malign forces, but ignoring it has only allowed the issues to fester. “The right has labeled it ‘cancel culture’ or ‘callout culture,’” he said, “so when we talk about our own movement, it’s hard because we’re using the frame of the right. It’s very hard because there’s all these associations and analysis that we disagree with, when we’re using their frame. So it’s like, ‘How do we talk about it?’”
For years, recruiting young people into the movement felt like a win-win, he said: new energy for the movement and the chance to give a person a lease on a newly liberated life, dedicated to the pursuit of justice. But that’s no longer the case. “I got to a point like three years ago where I had a crisis of faith, like, I don’t even know, most of these spaces on the left are just not — they’re not healthy. Like all these people are just not — they’re not doing well,” he said. “The dynamic, the toxic dynamic of whatever you want to call it — callout culture, cancel culture, whatever — is creating this really intense thing, and no one is able to acknowledge it, no one’s able to talk about it, no one’s able to say how bad it is.”
The environment has pushed expectations far beyond what workplaces previously offered to employees. “A lot of staff that work for me, they expect the organization to be all the things: a movement, OK, get out the vote, OK, healing, OK, take care of you when you’re sick, OK. It’s all the things,” said one executive director. “Can you get your love and healing at home, please? But I can’t say that, they would crucify me.”The Sunrise Movement protests inside the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to advocate that Democrats support the Green New Deal, in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 10, 2018. Photo: Michael Brochstein/LightRocket via Getty ImagesWhat’s driving the upheaval can’t be disentangled from the broader cultural debates about speech, power, race, sexuality, and gender that have shaken institutions in recent years. Netflix, for instance, made news recently by laying off 290 staffers — a move described by the tabloid press as targeting the “wokest” workers — in the midst of roiling tensions at the streaming company.
“It’s not just the nonprofit world, though, so let’s be clear,” said Ross. “I started a for-profit consulting firm last year with three other partners, because every C-suite that’s trying to be progressive is undergoing the same kind of callout culture. And so it’s happening societywide.” Business, she said, is booming, but the implications have been especially pronounced within progressive institutions, given their explicit embrace of progressive values.
Sooner or later, each interview for this story landed on the election of Trump in 2016 as a catalyst. Whatever internal tension had been pulling at the seams of organizations in the years prior, Trump’s shock victory sharpened the focus of activists and regular people alike. The institutional progressive world based in Washington, D.C., reacted slowly, shell-shocked and unsure of its place, but people outside those institutions raced ahead of them. A period of mourning turned into fierce determination to resist. Spontaneous women’s marches were called in scores of cities, drawing as many as 5 million people, a shocking display of force. (Their collapse in a heap of identitarian recriminations is its own parable for this moment.)
New grassroots organizations like Indivisible sprang up, and old ones were rejuvenated with new volunteers and hundreds of millions of dollars from small donors across the country. The ACLU alone collected almost $1 million within 24 hours of Trump’s election and tens of millions more over the next year. Airports were flooded with protesters when Trump announced his so-called Muslim ban. Fueled by that anger, Democrats stormed back into control of the House in 2018, with a vibrant insurgent wing toppling the would-be speaker, Rep. Joe Crowley, and electing the most progressive freshman class ever.
After that election, incoming Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez teamed with the Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats to occupy House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s congressional office to demand a Green New Deal. The protest put the issue on the map, and soon nearly every Democratic candidate for president was embracing it. But it was one of the only examples over the past five years of an organized, intentional intervention into the political conversation, which otherwise has been relatively leaderless and without focus. Presidential campaigns, particularly those of Sen. Bernie Sanders for the left, and midterms provide a natural funnel for activist energy, but once they’re over, the demobilization comes quickly. That emptiness has been filled by infighting, and the fissures that are now engulfing everything in sight began to form early.
In August 2017, when a rising “alt-right” organized a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the ACLU went to court to defend the right to march on First Amendment grounds, as it had famously done for generations. When a right-wing demonstrator plowed his car into a crowd, he killed counterprotester Heather Heyer and wounded dozens of others.
Internally, staff at the ACLU, concentrated among the younger people there, condemned the decision to defend the rally. Veteran lawyers at the ACLU complained to the New York Times that the new generation “placed less value on free speech, making it uncomfortable for them to express views internally that diverged from progressive orthodoxy.”
Alejandro Agustín Ortiz, a lawyer with the organization’s racial justice project, told the Times that “a dogmatism descends sometimes.”
“You hesitate before you question a belief that is ascendant among your peer group,” he said.
National Legal Director David Cole stood by the decision to defend the rally in a New York Review of Books essay. “We protect the First Amendment not only because it is the lifeblood of democracy and an indispensable element of freedom, but because it is the guarantor of civil society itself,” he wrote.
Around 200 staff members responded with a letter slamming the essay as “‘oblivious’ to the ACLU’s institutional racism,” the New York Times reported, noting that 12 of the organization’s top 21 leaders were Black, Latino, or Asian and 14 were women.
Under pressure, the ACLU said it would dial back its defense of free speech. Wrote the Times: “Revulsion swelled within the A.C.L.U., and many assailed its executive director, Anthony Romero, and legal director, Mr. Cole, as privileged and clueless. The A.C.L.U. unfurled new guidelines that suggested lawyers should balance taking a free speech case representing right-wing groups whose ‘values are contrary to our values’ against the potential such a case might give ‘offense to marginalized groups.’”Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, speaks at a conference at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty ImagesAn internal dispute over the organization’s absolutist commitment to free speech is to be expected after such a tragedy. But the conflict mushroomed; instead of finding common ground on the question, it became fodder for endless and sprawling internal microbattles.
The Times article on the ACLU infighting was published in September 2021, more than four years after the event that triggered it, and there’s no sign of the tensions easing. Such prolonged combat has become standard, whether the triggering event is a cataclysmic one like Charlottesville or more prosaic, like a retweet of an offensive joke by a Washington Post reporter. The initial event prompts a response from staff, which is met by management with a memo or a town hall; in either case, the meeting or the organizationwide message often produces its own cause for new offense, a self-reproducing cycle that sucks in more and more people within the organization, who have either been offended, accused of giving offense, or both, along with their colleagues who are required to pick a side.
At the ACLU, as at many organizations, the controversy quickly evolved to include charges that senior leaders were hostile to staff from marginalized communities. Each accusation is unique; some have obvious merit, while others don’t withstand scrutiny. What emerges by zooming out is the striking similarity of their trajectories. One foundation official who has funded many of the groups entangled in turmoil said that having a panoramic view allowed her to see those common threads. “It’s the kind of thing that looks very context-specific, until you see a larger pattern,” she said.
Things get very ugly, she noted, and the overlapping crises of Trump, Covid, and looming climate collapse have produced extreme anxiety. Under siege, many leaders cling more tightly to their hold on power, she said, “taking shelter in professional nonprofit spaces because they think clinging to a sinking ship and hanging on as long and strongly as possible is the best bet they can make for their own personal survival.”
Three years of post-Trump tensions crashed head-on into a pandemic lockdown and the uprising following the police murder of Floyd.
Progressive organizations convened meetings to work through their response, and, like at Guttmacher, many of them left staff extremely unsatisfied. A looming sense of powerlessness on the left nudged the focus away from structural or wide-reaching change, which felt out of reach, and replaced it with an internal target that was more achievable. “Maybe I can’t end racism by myself, but I can get my manager fired, or I can get so and so removed, or I can hold somebody accountable,” one former executive director said. “People found power where they could, and often that’s where you work, sometimes where you live, or where you study, but someplace close to home.”
Too much hype about what was possible electorally also played a role, said another leader. “Unrealistic expectations about what could be achieved through the electoral and legislative process has led us to give up on persuasion and believe convenient myths that we can change everything by ‘mobilizing’ a mythological ‘base,’” he said. “This has led to navel-gazing and constant rehashing of internal culture debates, because the progressive movement is no longer convinced it can have an impact on the external world.”
Things were also tense because of Covid. Jonathan Smucker is the author of the book “Hegemony How-To: A Roadmap for Radicals” and trains and advises activists across the movement spectrum. After the pandemic forced people into quarantine in March 2020, he noted, many workplaces turned into pressure cookers. “COVID has severely limited in-person tactical options, and in-person face-to-face activities are absolutely vital to volunteer-driven efforts,” he wrote to The Intercept. “Without these spaces, staff are more likely to become insular – a tendency that’s hard enough to combat even without this shift. Moreover, the virtual environment (zoom meetings) may be convenient for all kinds of reasons, but it’s a pretty lousy medium once there’s conflict in an organization. In-person face-to-face time, in my experience, is irreplaceable when it comes to moving constructively through conflict. I know this is not the full picture and probably not even the root of these problems or conflicts, but it’s almost certainly exacerbating them.”
The histories of the organizations were scoured for evidence of white supremacy, and nobody had to look very hard. The founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, was posthumously rebuked for her dalliance with eugenics, and her name was stripped in July 2020 from the headquarters of its New York affiliate. (In 2011, I won a “Planned Parenthood Maggie Award for Online Reporting,” which I still have.)
At the Sierra Club, then-Executive Director Michael Brune published a statement headlined “Pulling Down Our Monuments,” calling out founder John Muir for his association with eugenicists. “Muir was not immune to the racism peddled by many in the early conservation movement. He made derogatory comments about Black people and Indigenous peoples that drew on deeply harmful racist stereotypes, though his views evolved later in his life,” Brune wrote that July, adding:
For all the harms the Sierra Club has caused, and continues to cause, to Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color, I am deeply sorry. I know that apologies are empty unless accompanied by a commitment to change. I am making that commitment, publicly, right now. And I invite you to hold me and other Sierra Club leaders, staff, and volunteers accountable whenever we don’t live up to our commitment to becoming an actively anti-racist organization.
Brune came to the Sierra Club, the environmental group founded in 1892, from Greenpeace and the anarchist-influenced Rainforest Action Network in 2010. He was considered at the time a radical choice to run the staid organization. Brune didn’t last the summer.
The progressive congressional aide said the Sierra Club infighting that led to his departure was evident from the outside. “It caused so much internal churn that they stopped being engaged in any serious way at a really critical moment during Build Back Better,” the aide said.
Then the Sierra Club’s structure, which has relied on thousands of volunteers, many empowered with significant responsibility, also came under scrutiny after a volunteer was accused of rape. The consulting firm Ramona Strategies was brought in for an extensive “restorative accountability process” that The Intercept described last summer as an “internal reckoning around race, gender, and sexual as well as other abuse allegations.”“Being a ‘volunteer-led’ organization cannot stand for volunteers having carte blanche to ignore legal requirements or organizational values around equity and inclusivity — or basic human decency,” the consultant’s report stated. “All employees should be managed by and subject to the oversight of individuals also under the organization’s clear control and direction as employees. There is no other way we can see.”
The recommendation was the logical dead-end point of the inward focus. Having only employees and no volunteers — or, in the case of Everytown for Gun Safety, asking volunteers to sign nondisclosure agreements — would render moot the structure of most major movement groups, such as Indivisible, Sunrise, MoveOn, the NAACP, and so on.
The reckoning was in many ways long overdue, forcing organizations to deal with persistent problems of inclusion, equity, and poor management. “Progressive organizations are run like shit,” acknowledged one executive director, arguing that the movement puts emphasis on leadership — more often called “servant leadership” now — but not enough on basic management. “I have all the degrees, but I don’t have a management degree.”
In the long term, the organizations may become better versions of themselves while finally living the values they’ve long fought for. In the short term, the battles between staff and organizational leadership have effectively sidelined major progressive institutions at a critical moment in U.S. and world history. “We used to want to make the world a better place,” said one leader of a progressive organization. “Now we just make our organizations more miserable to work at.”Mark Rudd, chair of Students for a Democratic Society, talks to reporters as Columbia University students protest on April 25, 1968. Photo: Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News via Getty ImagesTheorists have developed sophisticated ways to understand how political movements evolve over time. Bill Moyer, a former organizer with Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign who went on to lead the anti-nuclear movement, famously documented eight stages in his “Movement Action Plan.” (Others have subsequently simplified it to four seasons that roughly map to the same waves.)
Stage one he called normal times, the period before the public is paying much attention to an issue, while only a few activists are working to develop solutions and tactics. Stage two is failure of institutions, as the public and activists more generally become aware of a problem and the need for change. This is early spring, which then evolves into stage three, ripening conditions. To take the civil rights movement as an example, Brown v. Board of Education helped ripen conditions, as did a rising Black college student population after World War II and the return of Black veterans from the war more generally, along with a surge in anti-colonial freedom struggles across Africa. The conditions are set.
Next comes a trigger event that shocks the conscience of the public, allowing the movement activists who’ve been at work on an issue to seize the moment, creating stage four, when social movements really take off. Rosa Parks was by no means the first Black woman arrested for refusing to go to the back of the bus, nor was Trayvon Martin the first Black teen to be shot by a vigilante, nor was Michael Brown the first Black teen to be killed by a police officer. But the events came at a time when the public was primed to see them as symptomatic of a broader social ill that needed to be confronted. Springtime for social movements is a time of great promise, optimism, and surging momentum, when the previously unthinkable comes within grasp. In 1957, Congress passed the first Civil Rights Act since Reconstruction.
But before it passed the Senate, it was stripped of its enforcement mechanisms, leaving much of the South still ruled by Jim Crow, helping produce the fifth stage, in which activists confront powerful obstacles and despair sets in. “After a year or two, the high hopes of movement take-off seems inevitably to turn into despair,” Moyer wrote. “Most activists lose their faith that success is just around the corner and come to believe that it is never going to happen. They perceive that the powerholders are too strong, their movement has failed, and their own efforts have been futile. Most surprising is the fact that this identity crisis of powerlessness and failure happens when the movement is outrageously successful—when the movement has just achieved all of the goals of the take-off stage within two years.”
Stage five happens coincidentally — and paradoxically — with stage six: majority public support. This is the period of time during which the movement has won over the public, with surveys showing two-thirds or more of the public siding with it on its question. Some elements of the movement adapt to this new environment and craft strategy to lock in gains, while other elements misread the moment and continue fighting as insurgents and outsiders.
This is the summer and fall period for a movement, followed inevitably by winter. Moyer calls stage seven success and stage eight “continuing the struggle,” but activists have wildly different ideas about the meaning of success, with most seeing nothing | Civil Rights Activism |
- Most American jobs are at risk of being impacted by AI like ChatGPT, researchers found.
- Educated, white-collar workers making up to $80,000 a year will be most affected by AI, per the study.
- Some jobs likely to be impacted include financial analysts, accountants, and writers.
AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT are coming for the American workforce — and if you're an educated, white-collar worker making up to $80,000 a year, you're among the most likely to be affected, researchers say.
A team of researchers from OpenAI and the University of Pennsylvania conducted a study to see how OpenAI's GPT-4 — the firm's latest, most advanced language processing model — will impact the American workforce.
More specifically, the researchers wanted to find out which jobs are most likely to be "exposed" to the model's capabilities. The study defines exposure as "economic impact without distinguishing between labor-augmenting or labor-displacing effects."
Using job data from the US Department of Labor, the researchers found that up to 80% of the US labor force could see "at least 10% of their work tasks affected" by GPT language models and that 19% of workers "may see at least 50% of their tasks impacted," according to the study.
But deeper analyses finds that the impacts of AI on the workforce may affect some workers more than others.
Those who work jobs with "higher wages" are at-risk of higher exposure than workers with lower wages, the study found — "a result contrary to similar evaluations of overall machine learning exposure." The impact of AI on jobs increases as salaries gets closer to $80,000.
From an industry standpoint, jobs in the "information processing industries," like IT, are most exposed to generative AI, while jobs in "manufacturing, agriculture and mining" are the least exposed. That's because roles that use "programming and writing skills" are most in-line with GPT's capabilities.
Some of the jobs listed as "occupations with highest exposure" include tech jobs like blockchain engineers; data-heavy roles like mathematicians, financial quantitative analysts, accountants, and tax preparers; and communication careers such as writers, public relations specialists, interpreters and translators, poets, and lyricists.
Given how these white-collar jobs require advanced skills, it makes sense that the researchers also found that workers with bachelor's, master's and other professional degrees are at high risk of exposure to AI. The opposite was also discovered to be true: Jobs that only require a high school diploma, vocational school, or on-the-job training — food preparation workers, electricians, barbers, and medical assistants, to name a few — may not feel the brunt of AI's impact.
The researchers did not respond to Insider's immediate request for comment before publication.
The study comes as many workers turn to impressive generative AI tools to do things like develop code, write articles, and generate lesson plans, rekindling an on-going debate on whether AI will replace the need for human workers.
Researchers acknowledge that the study isn't perfect — nor is it meant to be definitive. Still, they conclude that it is possible that generative AI models can make "human labor more efficient," but that "social, economic, regulatory, and other factors" may influence actual labor outcomes.
"As capabilities continue to evolve, the impact of GPTs on the economy will likely persist and increase, posing challenges for policymakers in predicting and regulating their trajectory," researchers said. "Further research is necessary to explore the broader implications of GPT advancements, including their potential to augment or displace human labor, their impact on job quality, impacts on inequality, skill development, and numerous other outcomes." | US Federal Policies |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! During a Tuesday address to the AFL-CIO, America’s largest federation of labor unions, a defiant and combative President Biden pushed back on the claims that his administration had some share of the blame in contributing to the country’s economic woes, including 40-year-high inflation.At different points, Biden asserted that the economic problems facing Americans came from outside forces and that his administration has achieved great success with the economy despite them. In one instance, Biden blamed the invasion of Ukraine by Russian president Vladimir Putin as being the only thing affecting record-high gas prices. He said, "I’ve done everything in my power to blunt Putin’s gas price hike. Just since he invaded Ukraine, it’s gone up $1.74 a gallon, because of nothing else but that."DNC MEMBER TELLS CNN BIDEN SHOULDN'T RUN IN 2024, SAYS VOTERS ARE LOOKING FOR 'CHANGE CANDIDATE' President Biden speaks about inflation and supply chain issues at the Port of Los Angeles, Friday, June 10, 2022, in Los Angeles. ((AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes))In another instance, Biden slammed criticism that inflation is high because of reckless government spending. "I don’t want to hear anymore of these lies about reckless spending! We’re changing people’s lives!" he yelled into the mic.Elsewhere in the speech, the president also insisted that his administration "created the greatest jobs recovery in history." Though conservative critics on Twitter weren’t convinced by Biden’s claims, and many slammed him for his indignant tone."Pro Tip: Don’t get angry during a speech, unless it’s justified," tweeted District Media Group President Beverly Hallberg.Townhall.com political editor Guy Benson tweeted, "Dems 2022: STFU and be thankful, you ignorant ingrates."American Greatness senior fellow Ned Ryun amended Biden’s claims of "changing people’s lives," tweeting, "Changing peoples’ lives for the worse." President Joe Biden insisted Tuesday that high gas prices were mostly due to the war in Ukraine. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)The Daily Wire’s Ryan Saavedra blasted the same claim, tweeting, "True, Biden is ‘changing people's lives.’ People can't afford s--t anymore."Human Events contributor Chris Barron asked, "Are we supposed to pretend this is normal?""Oh you changed our lives alright pal," tweeted Republican strategist Matt Wolking. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, remarked, "The looming #BidenRecession will do that."SOUTH CAROLINA VOTERS FED UP WITH INFLATION, CRIME: 'IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE'Dilbert comics creator and Twitter conservative Scott Adams remarked that Biden’s statements were "Not good." "Yeah, changing people’s lives for the worse. Biden’s inflation will cost American families an extra $5,000 this year," tweeted Representative Steve Scalise, R-La..Representative Buddy Carter, R-Ga., slammed Biden’s gas claims, tweeting, "Gas prices the week Biden took office: $2.37. The week Russia invaded Ukraine: $3.60 Who is responsible for THAT price jump, @POTUS?""I’ll take ‘The American people aren’t buying this talking point’ for $5,000," tweeted Representative Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., in response to the Putin’s gas price hike claim. US President Joe Biden speaks at the 29th AFL-CIO Quadrennial Constitutional Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on June 14, 2022. (Photo by Nicholas Kamm / AFP) (Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe Daily Caller Twitter account skewered President Biden’s boast about facilitating the "greatest job recovery in America," tweeting, "Inflation is soaring, gas prices are higher than ever, and the stock market is bottoming out. Doesn't sound like the greatest recovery ever." Gabriel Hays is an associate editor at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter at @gabrieljhays. | US Federal Policies |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Remember how President Joe Biden wanted to be an historic president — pointedly hanging FDR’s portrait over the fireplace in the Oval Office? Turns out, as we now officially fall into bear market territory and Americans are getting poorer by the minute, Biden’s dreams are coming true. Already, Biden has notched some historical firsts. For example, consumer sentiment plummeted in June to the lowest level ever recorded in the 70-year history of the University of Michigan index. It is a stunning collapse, not seen even during the darkest days of the COVID-19 scare. The index fell to 50.2 from 58.4 in May – already a recession-level reading – and was far below the 58.1 projected by economists. BIDEN ECONOMIC ADVISER SAYS WHITE HOUSE HASN'T 'MISSED MUCH AT ALL' ON INFLATION The New York Federal Reserve just reported that consumer expectations for inflation hit a <i>record level</i> in May, as did pessimism about the stock market. Meanwhile, the New York Federal Reserve just reported that consumer expectations for inflation hit a record level in May, as did pessimism about the stock market. It seems the country has never been so gloomy. Way to go, Joe! These are remarkable achievements, considering that most people who want a job can get one. Almost half the respondents to the Michigan survey noted gasoline prices or inflation generally as a reason for their pessimism, but clearly there is something else going on. I call it The Great Distrust. Simply stated, Americans have lost their confidence in our leaders, our institutions (think FBI, Congress, public education, CDC etc.) and, most especially, our president. We are trying to keep our balance on an ever-shakier foundation, trying to move forward as the pillars of our country are eaten away by a rising tide of political discord and dishonesty. At the heart of that corrosion: President Joe Biden. Consider Biden’s recent speech at the Port of Los Angeles, where he addressed inflation which he alternately called his "top economic priority" and "Putin’s tax on both food and gas." Biden’s speech went way beyond his usual misleading blather about "creating" 8.7 million new jobs since he took office and "cutting the federal deficit by $1.7 trillion." It wasn’t the only time: "Millions of Americans are moving up to better jobs and better pay." Actually, real wages tumbled 3% over the past year."And since I took office, families are carrying less debt on average in America. They have more savings than they’ve had." Reality: debt is rising and personal savings are falling. "What economists call ‘core inflation’ — moderated the last two months." Reality: core inflation of 0.6% in June remained at the highest level recorded over the past six months. Things are far gloomier for Americans than the White House pretends. These are little lies, but Biden’s White House indulges in Big Lies, too. Lies about voting rights and border security and the imminent danger posed by climate change. But it is lies about the economy that are convulsing our markets and that could well lead us into recession. First up, is not admitting that spending $1.9 trillion from the Democrat-only American Rescue Plan ignited inflation. When Biden signed that bill, spewing hundreds of billions of dollars to Americans sitting on $2.5 trillion in excess savings, the country was growing at 6% and recovering rapidly from the COVID-19-induced downturn. Biden claims the economy was on the brink of recession when he took office and required the lavish handouts; that is not true. Not being honest about the source of inflation — excess spending — means Biden can continue to pretend that his Build Back Better program, realistically estimated to cost $3-$5 trillion, would reduce inflation. Nobody believes that, including those 17 Nobel laureates the president often cites as having endorsed the giant bill. The Washington Post did a survey of those academics and, no surprise, many backtracked from the assertion that BBB would lower prices. Americans no longer believe in Biden. When Biden was inaugurated, 47% of Americans considered him honest, while 36% did not; today, he is underwater by roughly six points. The turn came when he misled Americans about the disastrous pullout from Afghanistan, which left 13 service members dead. He said he hadn’t been warned about the risks of a hasty departure; in an extraordinary breach of decorum, his most senior military officials, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, disputed that claim. Treasure Secretary Janet Yellen makes a speech at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Nov. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)A president who loses the trust of his country will pay a hefty price, but so do his constituents. We are witnessing that today, as stock prices crash. Investors are not just responding to lower earnings estimates and higher interest rates; they are also selling assets because they have zero confidence that this White House and this president have any idea how to put our economy back on a sounder path. After dismissing rising alarms about inflation, and then fabricating endless excuses as to why they were not responsible, the people in charge have ceded their credibility. His advisers, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, have shown themselves to be shills for Democrats’ big spending agenda, not thoughtful stewards of our economy. Biden and his team advocate for proposals that are an unwelcome reversion to Obama-era anti-business policies, which caused the slowest-ever recovery from a recession. CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTERThey argue it wasn’t higher taxes and increased regulation that sapped business confidence and stalled investment after the Great Recession, but rather that the amount of stimulus money shelled out to stimulate the economy was too small. After spending more in the past three years than was sent went to wage World War II, we are seeing the danger of such an approach. Most crazily, Biden continues to plug for the Green New Deal and renewable energy, refusing to unleash the greatest of all American comparative advantages — our huge oil and gas reserves. This, even as polling shows Americans frantic about the soaring price of gas at the pump and blaming Joe Biden for the increase. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPCan anything turn around Joe Biden’s sinking fortunes and revive America’s innate optimism? He could start by being honest — about our problems and about possible solutions. That seems a long shot. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM LIZ PEEK Liz Peek is a Fox News contributor and former partner of major bracket Wall Street firm Wertheim & Company. A former columnist for the Fiscal Times, she writes for The Hill and contributes frequently to Fox News, the New York Sun and other publications. For more visit LizPeek.com. Follow her on Twitter @LizPeek. | US Federal Policies |
DOJ To Ask Supreme Court To Intervene In Abortion-Pill Case
The announcement comes after the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals partially stayed a ruling that would have suspended mifepristone’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
(Bloomberg) -- Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Biden administration will ask the US Supreme Court to protect the availability of a widely used abortion pill after a federal appeals court cleared the way for new restrictions to take effect Friday.
“We will be seeking emergency relief from the Supreme Court to defend the FDA’s scientific judgment and protect Americans’ access to safe and effective reproductive care,” Garland said in a statement.
The announcement comes after the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals partially stayed a ruling that would have suspended mifepristone’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Under the appeals court order, mifepristone would remain an option for many patients, but it could no longer be prescribed after the seventh week of pregnancy or dispensed by mail.
The administration is likely to ask the court to keep mifepristone fully available while an appeal goes forward. Mifepristone was approved by the FDA more than two decades ago but abortion opponents now contend it is unsafe.
Any emergency filing would go to Justice Samuel Alito, who is assigned to handle emergency matters from the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit.
Alito, who wrote the court’s 2022 decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion, probably will refer the matter to the full nine-member court, as justices typically do in divisive cases.
(Updates with comment from Garland in second paragraph.)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | SCOTUS |
“I want to be very clear about what happened tonight,” intoned Chesa Boudin shortly after being ousted as San Francisco’s district attorney in Tuesday’s recall election. “Right-wing billionaires outspent us three to one.” The far-left extremist would have you believe he is on the side of the little guy and was victimized on Election Day by dark, right-wing money. The truth, however, is that he lost because of the more substantive fact that voters were fed up with a district attorney whose attitudes line up with those of his Marxist revolutionary parents, Kathy Boudin and David Gilbert, who were convicted of felony murder for their role in the crimes of the Weather Underground. Boudin is on the side of criminals and is steeped in contempt for ordinary citizens and American society in general. San Franciscans wanted him gone because he was trashing the peace and security of their society as fast as he knew how. There are several ironies about his comments. The first to note is the phrasing. When Boudin says, “I want to be very clear,” he echoes former President Barack Obama’s tic of prefacing his most implausible assertions with “let me be clear,” implying they are incontrovertible. In addition to his casuistical rhetoric, there is a deep irony in Boudin’s substance on the subject of right-wing billionaires. He took power in 2020 with financial backing from George Soros, the left-wing billionaire who is even now infiltrating soft-on-crime extremists into office all over America to wreck major cities with grotesque spikes in crime. It is both comically tardy and utterly hypocritical to complain, at the moment of defeat, about the influence of money in politics that got you there in the first place. If you live by the cash, you can’t complain if you die by it, too. The malign effect of governance by these Soros lieutenants is not a bug but a feature — not an unfortunate byproduct but their goal. Boudin was recalled not for his incompetence but for his horrifying efficiency in achieving his ends. It was also, of course, not money alone that beat him. He was popularly rejected because he helped turn San Francisco into a byword for filth, dysfunction, violence, larceny, and other crime. The lefty inhabitants who picked him two years ago, like other Californians, seem to like the warm glow of virtue that is delivered by progressive policies in prospect. But they don’t like them when they take their inevitable effect. When they detonate, as they always do, those same people are horrified by the mess they make. Suddenly, they don’t want to defund the police, don’t think shoplifting of up to $1,000 should be seen as a harmless urban sport, and don’t think career criminals are life’s victims.
It's not just voters casting their ballots who are abandoning Boudin and his ilk. It is also other Democrats fearful of losing bids for reelection. They are tossing out or tactically suspending left-wing orthodoxies faster than Californians are fleeing to better-run states, such as Texas, where the writ of malign progressive experiments does not run. | US Local Elections |
Evidence sharply contradicts PhRMA’s contention that its member companies need unregulated drug prices to generate profits that they then reinvest in drug innovation. Congress finally takes action, with the predictable PhRMA reaction
On August 16, 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which, among other things, enables Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain high-cost prescription drugs, beginning in 2026.[1] Even though it is just one step forward in confronting US pharma’s financialized business model, this legislation was a long time coming.[2] A New York Times article published almost four decades ago reported accusations against pharmaceutical companies by then-US Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) of “outrageous price increases” and “greed on a massive scale.” In response to Waxman, drug-company executives asserted that “prices have climbed recently to cover accelerated investment in researching and developing new and better medications to protect Americans.”[3]
Over the decades, the argument that pharmaceutical companies need high drug prices to finance drug innovation has been a mainstay of the industry’s opposition to price regulation. Not surprisingly, with Medicare’s right to negotiate prescription drug prices as a key policy objective of the Biden administration’s Build Back Better agenda, the industry lobby association, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), spewed out a slew of blog posts, with data from commissioned “studies,” to argue that government regulation of drug prices would deprive its member companies of the profits needed to augment and accelerate investment in drug innovation.[4]
Included in PhRMA’s lobbying effort was a letter dated August 4, 2022, signed by PhRMA president Stephen Ubl and 31 senior pharmaceutical company executives (mostly CEOs) on PhRMA’s board of directors, in which they sounded the alarm on drug-price regulation under the Inflation Reduction Act:
While the bill saves the federal government $300 billion, it takes far more from the biopharmaceutical industry and will have significant consequences for innovation and patients’ hope for the future. Some economists estimate upwards of 100 new treatments may be sacrificed over the next two decades if this bill becomes law. This includes treatments for multiple chronic conditions, the annual $2.7 trillion medical and lost productivity costs of which far exceed the direct federal “savings” this bill would achieve.[5]
How US pharmaceutical companies actually allocate their profits
Underpinning PhRMA’s argument of the devastating impact of price regulation on drug innovation and patient access to medicines is the assumption that pharmaceutical companies systematically reinvest corporate profits in productive capabilities that improve the development, manufacture, and delivery of drugs. The corporate executives who signed the PhRMA letter contend that price regulation will reduce profits and stifle drug innovation. Negating this assumption, however, is abundant—and indeed overwhelming—evidence that most of these pharmaceutical executives allocate corporate profits to massive distributions to shareholders in the form of cash dividends and stock buybacks.[6] Rather than devoting the high profits from high drug prices to augmenting and accelerating investment in drug innovation, US pharmaceutical companies burden US patients and taxpayers with high drug prices so that, through massive distributions to shareholders, the senior executives who make these allocation decisions can boost the yields on the companies’ publicly traded shares. Data for the 474 corporations included in the S&P 500 Index in January 2022 and publicly traded from 2012 through 2021 reveal that these corporations distributed $5.7 trillion as share repurchases during the 2012-2021 fiscal years, representing 55 percent of net income, and $4.2 trillion as dividends, an additional 41 percent of net income (see Table 1). The vast majority (we estimate about 95 percent of the total) of the share repurchases were done as open-market repurchases (OMRs) of common shares, the purpose of which is to manipulate the company’s stock price.
Table 1. Financial data, 2012-2021, and 2021 employment for 474 corporations, including 14 pharmaceutical companies, in the S&P 500 Index in January 2022 that were publicly listed 2012-2021 (year founded; year of IPO for each pharmaceutical company) Notes: IPO=initial public offering, REV=revenues, NI=net income, BB=stock buybacks, DV=dividends, R&D=research & development expenditures, EE=end-of-fiscal-year employment (in thousands). J&J is Johnson & Johnson; BMS is Bristol Myers Squibb; Baxter Intl is Baxter International. The founding and IPO years listed for Abbvie are those of its predecessor company Abbott Laboratories; for BMS, for the founding of Squibb and the IPO of Bristol-Myers; and for Viatris, for its predecessor company Mylan. Sources: Calculations from data in the S&P Compustat database and company 10-K reports As shown in Table 1, for the decade 2012-2021, distributions to shareholders by the 14 pharmaceutical companies that were among the 474 S&P 500 companies in the database represented 110 percent of net income,[7] a larger proportion than the highly financialized 96 percent for all 474 companies. At 55 percent, the stock buybacks of the subset of pharmaceutical companies was the same proportion of net income as the 474 companies, but, at 54 percent versus 41 percent, pharmaceutical dividends as a proportion of net income far exceeded that of all the companies in the dataset. The 14 pharmaceutical companies accounted for 3.1 percent of the revenues of all 474 companies but 6.6 percent of the net income, 6.6 percent of the buybacks, and 8.8 percent of the dividends. The $747 billion that the pharmaceutical companies distributed to shareholders was 13 percent greater than the $660 billion that these corporations expended on research & development over the decade.
Note that, employing an analytical distinction that Lazonick elaborates in detail in his 2009 book, Sustainable Prosperity in the New Economy?,[8] among the 14 pharmaceutical companies in Table 1, seven—J&J, Pfizer, Merck, Abbvie, BMS, Lilly, and Baxter—have their historical roots in the “Old Economy” business model (OEBM) that dominated the US pharmaceutical industry coming into the 1980s, while the other seven—Gilead, Amgen, Biogen, Viatris, Regeneron, Vertex, and Incyte—all of which were founded in 1971 or later, have emerged and grown on the basis of the “New Economy” business model (NEBM). Under OEBM, the most successful companies, now known as “Big Pharma,” integrated the development, manufacture, and delivery of drugs and provided their employees with the expectation of a career with one company, manifested by decades of service with the company, company-funded nonportable defined-benefit pensions, and company-subsidized healthcare coverage in employment and retirement. Under NEBM, associated with the biotech revolution, companies specialize in drug development, typically outsourcing manufacturing to contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs), and depend on a scientific labor force that is highly mobile from company to company and even across nations, with pensions in the form of portable defined-contribution 401(k) plans.
Of critical importance in the rise of NEBM have been the changing functions of the stock market. Under OEBM, as it existed in pharmaceuticals prior to the 1980s, the role of the stock market was to separate share ownership from managerial control. Precipitating this separation was not, as is commonly assumed, the need for these companies to raise cash from the stock market to fund their growth. Rather the function of public share issues was to enable the owner-entrepreneurs and their family members who had led the successful growth of their firms to monetize their investments, passing on strategic control of the companies to professional managers in what the business historian Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. called “the managerial revolution in American business.”[9]
Given the decades-long time lags between the years in which the OEBM companies in Table 1 were founded and the years in which they did their initial public offerings (IPOs), these companies were already highly profitable when they listed on the stock market—in each case the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). These corporations did not rely on the stock market to issue treasury shares for cash to invest in the growth of the firm. Rather their source of investment finance for internal growth was earnings retained earnings out of profits, leveraged (if necessary) by bond issues, while striving to pay a steady dividend to shareholders.
With the rise of NEBM from the 1970s, an IPO continued to play a “control” function, enabling venture capitalists and owner-entrepreneurs to cash in their founder shares. In many cases, in the context of an IPO, professional managers assumed strategic control. With the very short time lags between the founding of a company and its IPO, however, as can be seen for the cases of the seven NEBM companies in Table 1, owner-entrepreneurs have often continued to exercise managerial control for a time after the IPO. The rapid transition from founding to IPO has been made possible by the existence of NASDAQ, the automated quotation system for “over-the-counter” stocks established in 1971. By enabling startups to go public without a profit or even a product, a NASDAQ IPO has provided venture capitalists with a quick “exit strategy” that was not possible on NYSE, with its stringent listing requirements. Thus, in the presence of the highly speculative NASDAQ, the stock market began to perform a “creation” function, inducing venture capital to invest in uncertain new firms because of the possibility of a relatively rapid exit from these investments via an IPO. Indeed, all seven firms identified as NEBM in Table 1 are listed on NASDAQ.
With the rise and expansion of NEBM in information-and-communication-technology (ICT) and biotechnology in the 1980s and 1990s, the stock market also began performing “combination” and “compensation” functions. A small company could grow large by using its stock as a combination currency in lieu of cash to acquire other companies.[10] In addition, and of profound importance, a startup company, which, given its uncertain future, could not hold out the expectation to employees of an OEBM-style career with one company, could use its stock as a compensation currency, typically in the form of stock options, to attract, retain, motivate, and reward a broad base of employees. During the 1980s and 1990s, with NASDAQ generally booming, the use of stock options by New Economy biopharma startups to lure scientific and managerial personnel from secure employment with established Old Economy companies eroded the organizational capabilities of Big Pharma’s corporate research labs, eventually compelling these Old Economy companies to use stock-based pay to compete with New Economy companies for personnel.
As already stated, prior to the 1980s Old Economy pharmaceutical companies did not make significant use of the stock market to raise cash for investment in the growth of the firm. Nor did they do significant amounts of share repurchases, which can be viewed as the “negative cash” function of the stock market. That changed from the mid-1980s as Big Pharma companies sought to compete for acquisitions and personnel using their stock as a currency, with stock buybacks as a tool for giving manipulative boosts to their own companies’ stock prices. Enabling large-scale stock buybacks as OMRs, which at Big Pharma companies were in addition to a steady stream of dividends, was Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 10b-18, adopted in November 1982, which is aptly called “a license to loot” the corporate treasury.[11] Legitimizing this use of corporate cash from the late 1980s was the flawed ideology emanating from US business schools and board rooms that, for the sake of economic efficiency, a business corporation should be run to “maximize shareholder value.”[12]
Meanwhile, from the beginning of the 1980s New Economy biopharma startups found that, even without products or profits, they could raise substantial amounts of cash for internal investment through their IPOs and subsequent secondary stock issues on NASDAQ, as long as this highly speculative stock market was booming, and hence liquid, so that stock traders who absorbed these new share issues could look for the opportunity to sell their shares for a capital gain. As indicated in Table 1, however, once some of these New Economy biopharma companies generated profitable drugs, they also turned to stock buybacks as OMRs to give manipulative boosts to their stock prices.
Although President Joe Biden and Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, along with many elected Congressional Democrats, have been sharp critics of stock buybacks,[13] in 2021 a record $882 billion in share repurchases by companies in the S&P 500 Index easily outstripped the previous annual high—fueled by the Republican 2017 corporate tax cuts—of $806 billion in 2018.[14] In the first quarter of 2022, S&P 500 buybacks set an all-time record of over $260 billion, and, with second-quarter buybacks at $240 billion,[15] the 2022 total could surpass the obscene stock-market manipulations of 2021.
Senior executives pad their take-home pay by doing massive distributions to shareholders
These data on distributions to shareholders sharply contradict PhRMA’s contention that its member companies need unregulated drug prices to generate profits that they then reinvest in drug innovation. At the same time, significant beneficiaries of these distributions to shareholders have been the very same senior executives who control the pharmaceutical companies’ resource-allocation decisions. Table 2 displays data on the compensation of the 500 highest-paid executives in the United States for each year from 2006 through 2021 and the subset of pharmaceutical executives among these 500 highest-paid.
Table 2. 500 highest-paid executives in each year, US corporations, with proportions of mean total direct compensation from stock options and stock awards, and representation of pharmaceutical executives among the top 500, 2006-2021 Notes: TDC=total direct compensation, SO=stock options, SA=stock awards Source: S&P ExecuComp database From 2006 through 2021, the average total direct compensation (TDC) of the 500 highest-paid executives ranged from, with the stock market depressed, a low of $15.9 million in 2009, of which 60 percent were realized gains from stock-based pay, to, with the stock market booming, a high of $47.4 million in 2021, of which 88 percent were realized gains from stock-based pay.[16] In most years, the average TDC of the pharmaceutical executives was higher than for all 500 executives. Distributions to shareholders in the form of dividends and buybacks inflate executives’ realized gains on stock-based pay. In the case of stock buybacks, not even the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which purportedly regulates US financial markets, knows the precise days on which buybacks as OMRs are executed.[17] But the CEO and CFO of the repurchasing corporation possess this material insider information, and, moreover, they decide when to execute buybacks. Even with SEC Rule 10b5-1, adopted in 2000 to give corporate executives a safe harbor against insider-trading charges in stock sales by doing them according to a pre-announced plan, top executives can time their option exercises and stock sales to increase their pay.[18] OMRs will result in stock-price increases that can, if the senior executives correctly time their stock sales, augment their stock-based pay. The executives’ strategic control over resource-allocation decisions and insider information about the timing of buybacks can contribute to the gains that these executives realize in exercising stock options and the vesting of stock awards.[19] The extraordinarily high TDC and percentages of it that were stock based in 2014 and 2015 were largely the result of the bonanza reaped by a number of executives at Gilead Sciences through the impacts on the company’s stock price of its soaring sales of the high-priced Sovaldi/Harvoni hepatitis-C drugs combined with its use of its inflated profits to do stock buybacks.[20] Also, when the average pay of the top 500 executives exploded to new heights in 2020 and 2021, the pay of the subset of pharmaceutical executives took off even more. As the pandemic raged, the average TDC of 27 pharmaceutical executives among the top 500 rose to an unprecedented $61.6 million, with 93 percent of it coming from realized gains on stock-based pay, the highest proportion since data on realized gains on stock awards as well as stock options became available in 2006.[21] Tables 3a and 3b show distributions to shareholders by Merck and Pfizer, two US-based Big Pharma companies that for decades have been among the most financialized of all US corporations. Merck began doing large-scale buybacks in the second half of the 1980s, and Pfizer in the first half of the 1990s. Merck greatly increased its buybacks in the late 1990s and Pfizer even more so in the early 2000s. Over the 25-year period 1995-2019, Merck distributed an amount equal to 118 percent of net income to shareholders, with 54 percent as buybacks, while Pfizer paid out 114 percent of net income, with 58 percent as buybacks. As discussed below, Pfizer ceased doing buybacks from August 2019 through February 2022, while its net income soared in 2021 on profits from its Covid-19 medicines. As a result, its buybacks as a proportion of net income fell to 32 percent in 2017-2021, while Merck’s proportion was 52 percent. Table 3a. Merck’s distributions to shareholders as stock buybacks and cash dividends, in billions of current dollars and as percent of net income, 1972-2021 Table 3b. Pfizer’s distributions to shareholders as stock buybacks and cash dividends, in billions of current dollars and as percent of net income, 1972-2021 Notes: REV=revenues, NI=net income, BB=stock buybacks, DV=dividends, R&D=research & development expenditures, EE=end-of-fiscal-year employment for last year in cell, %change=change in employment over the five-year period. Sources: Calculations from data in the S&P Compustat database and company 10-K reports. Table 4 shows the TDC for 2007-2021 of Kenneth Frazier, who was CEO of Merck from January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2021. Over the years of his CEO tenure, Frazier averaged $27.4 million per year in TDC, of which 72 percent was stock based. As also shown in Table 4, Ian Read was Pfizer CEO from December 5, 2010, to January 1, 2019. Over his tenure as CEO from 2011 through 2018, Read averaged $30.2 million per year in TDC, of which 64 percent was stock based. In addition, Read stayed on as Pfizer executive chairman in 2019, pocketing another $49.7 million (89 percent stock based) on his way to retirement. Table 4. Total direct compensation (TDC) and percentage stock-based (%SB) 2007-2021, Kenneth Frazier (Merck CEO, 2011-2021) and Ian Read (Pfizer CEO, 2011-2018; Chair, 2019)[22] Sources: S&P ExecuComp database and company proxy statements The explosion of pay of “New Economy” biopharma executives As displayed in Table 5, the top executives of younger “New Economy” companies such as Regeneron and Vertex, and most recently Moderna, have provided these enormous pay packages, partly supported by stock buybacks as OMRs. Their bonanzas are mainly the results of soaring stock prices, driven by a combination of innovation and speculation, and the abundant amounts of stock-based pay that their boards (of which they are often members) have lavished on these executives.[23] In the case of Regeneron, Schleifer and Yancopoulos are founders and board members as well as CEO and CSO, respectively, and their enormous TDC included in the data in Table 5 does not include their sales of founder shares. Nor does it include the fortunes made from founder shares by Moderna chairman Noubar Afeyan and CEO Stéphane Bancel. Table 5 shows the data for six New Economy biopharma companies that in one or more years from 2012 through 2021 had one or more executives among the annual lists of 500 highest-paid US executives. In every year, the average TDC of the New Economy biopharma executives in the top 500 is far higher than the average TDC for all pharmaceutical executives and (except for 2018) even more so than for all top500 executives. Table 5. Total direct compensation of leading New Economy biopharma companies with one or more executives in one or more annual list of highest-paid US corporate executives, 2012-2021 Notes: Celgene was acquired by Bristol Meyers Squibb in 2019; Alexion was acquired by AstraZeneca in 2021; Moderna did its IPO on December 6, 2018. Sources: S&P ExecuComp database and company proxy statements Table 6, which selects from all pharmaceutical executives in the S&P ExecuComp database (and not just from those companies in the S&P 500 Index), identifies the six highest-paid pharmaceutical executives for each year from 2006 through 2021. Note the prominence of executives from three of the New Economy biopharma companies in Table 5: Regeneron (19 of 96 cells, all during 2012-2021), Gilead Sciences (17 of 96 cells), and Celgene (8 of 96 cells). Also note the extent to which their pay is stock-based. Of the 96 cells in Table 6, the pay levels in 88 cells are 60 percent or more stock based, with 61 cells 90 percent or more, 17 between 80 and 90 percent, seven between 70 and 80 percent, and three between 60 and 70 percent. Table 6. Six highest-paid pharmaceutical executives, 2006-2021, with total direct compensation (TDC) in millions of dollars (stock-based pay as percent of TDC) Notes: Abbvie is a 2013 spinoff from Abbott Laboratories; Life Technologies was created by the merger of Invitrogen and Applied Biosystem in 2008, with Gregory T. Lucier as the CEO of both Invitrogen and, then, Life Technologies. Source: S&P ExecuComp database and company proxy statements Of the highest-paid executives, founders of the companies include Leonard Schleifer and George Yancopoulos, Regeneron (founded in 1988; IPO in 1991); Leonard Bell, Alexion (1992; 1996); Martine Rothblatt, United Therapeutics (1996; 1999); Sol Barer, Celgene (1986; 1987); and Jonah Shacknai, Medicis Pharmaceutical (1988; 1990). As indicated, all these companies went public within a few years after their founding, a phenomenon encouraged by the creation of the highly speculative NASDAQ stock exchange in 1971 and its subsequent growth. The compensation of these individuals shown in Table 6 is as executive employees of the companies and does not include personal income received by selling founder shares. A ten-time “medalist” in the highest-paid rankings is Gilead’s John C. Martin, who was the company’s CEO from 1996 to 2016 and executive chairman from 2016 to 2018. He appears on the top-six list in each of the first 12 years, 2006-2017, including five times in first place, three times in second, and twice in third. His average annual TDC of $197.9 million in 2013-2015 was more than double the $85.5 million he took home in 2012 and the $98.4 million in 2016. Propelling Martin’s megapay in 2013-2015 were surges of Gilead’s profits and stock price, based on massive revenues from its price-gouged Sovaldi/Harvoni drugs, aided by $15.3 billion in buybacks in 2014-2015 and Gilead’s first dividend ($1.9 billion) in 2015. From 2012 to 2015, Gilead’s revenues increased by 3.4 times, its profits by 7.0 times, and its stock price by 4.4 times (July 2012 to its all-time peak in 2015). In 2016, Gilead distributed $11.0 billion in buybacks and $2.5 billion in dividends—a combined 99.7 percent of net income—but its profits declined from $18.1 billion to $13.5 billion, and its stock price declined from $118 (July 2015) to $72 (December 2016). As a result, CEO Martin’s 2016 compensation fell to $98.4 million—a sum which nevertheless placed him at the top of the pharma executive-pay podium for that year. The established “Old Economy” companies known as Big Pharma, including Wyeth (founded 1860; IPO in 1926), Abbott (1888: 1929), Johnson & Johnson (1886: 1944), and Merck (1891: 1941), were better represented among the top six in the earlier years, including four from Merck in 2009. Both 2018 and 2019 were bountiful years for Big Pharma executives, with Merck’s Frazier and Pfizer’s Read at, respectively, #3 and #4 in 2018 and #4 and #5 in 2019. Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky was #5 in 2018, and Lilly CEO David Ricks #6 in 2019. In 2020 and 2021, Regeneron’s Yancopoulos and Schleifer took turns at #1, with three Regeneron executives holding the top three positions in 2020. Looking back a decade to 2012, Yancopoulos was #1 and #2 three times each, #3 twice, and #4 once, while Schleifer was also #1 and #2 three times each as well as #3, #4 and #5 once each. Moderna’s massive stock-price explosion (see the discussion below), based on its involvement in the development, manufacture, and delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine, enabled two of its executives to enter the top six in 2020, and then two different executives in 2021. Not in the top six in 2020 or 2021 were Moderna’s Afeyan and Bancel, both of whom took home vast fortunes by selling founders’ shares at high stock prices.[24] The mRNA Covid-19 bonanzas of Pfizer and Moderna The Academic-Industry Research Network is currently engaged in an in-depth assessment of the tension between innovation and financialization at those pharmaceutical companies that participated in the development, manufacture, and delivery of the Covid-19 vaccines which received emergency use authorization (EUA) in the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union.[25] With the riches garnered from Covid-19 medicines overspilling their corporate coffers, let us take a peek at how Pfizer and Moderna have managed the innovation-financialization tension during the pandemic. The case of Pfizer clearly illustrates that, even within a business corporation that has become one of the leading repurchasers of its own stock, there is an ongoing tension between innovation and financialization, with specific sets of circumstances determining the outcome.[26] A highly financialized corporation from the late 1980s, Pfizer in early 2019 committed to doing $8.9 billion in buybacks, of which $6.8 billion was in the form of an “accelerated share repurchase” to be completed by August 1 of that year.[27] Thereafter, the company ceased doing buybacks as it turned its strategic attention to conserving a portion of its profits to finance investment in its drug pipeline. Previously, Pfizer’s strategy had been to acquire other companies with lucrative drugs on the market that had years of patent life left and to extract the profits from these drugs to fund its distributions to shareholders. By 2019, however, with Big Pharma acquisition targets disappearing and the patents on some of Pfizer’s major drugs expiring, its board recognized that Pfizer itself could be taken over by another Big Pharma company unless it could build a pipeline of internally developed drugs. For the sake of internal drug development, Pfizer refrained from doing buybacks from August 2019 through February 2022. Indeed, in an almost unheard of move among US corporations, in January 2020 Pfizer publicly announced its commitment to forego buybacks that year, and it did so again in January 2021. The company did, however, increase its dividend in 2019, 2020, 2021 and the first nine months of 2022. The implementation of the change in Pfizer’s investment strategy followed the end of Ian Read’s tenure as Pfizer CEO as of January 1, 2019, in favor of current CEO Albert Bourla. As CEO from 2011, Read had engaged in a resource-allocation strategy of “downsize-and-distribute”: Pfizer downsized its labor force and distributed corporate cash to shareholders.[28] In an earnings call with stock-market analysts in January 2020, Bourla made an extraordinary admission of the company’s financialized past, declaring that Pfizer had stopped doing buybacks so that the company could invest in innovation: The reason why in our capital allocation, we are allocating right now money [is] to increase the dividend and also to invest in our business…all the CapEx to modernize our facilities. The reason why we don’t do right now share repurchases, it is because we want to make sure that we maintain very strong firepower to invest in the business. The past was a very different Pfizer. The past of the last decade had to deal with declining of revenues, constant declining of revenues. And we had to do what we had to do even if that was financial engineering, purchasing back ourselves. We couldn’t invest them and create higher value. Now it’s a very different situation. We are a very different company.[29] Bourla did not explain why the “old” Pfizer—which, less than 12 months before, had done $8.9 billion in buybacks—“had to do what we had to do even if that was financial engineering, purchasing back ourselves.” But his rambling statement is a very rare recognition by a CEO of a major US corporation that stock buybacks are the enemy of investment in innovation.[30] Shortly thereafter, SARS-CoV-2 was declared a pandemic, and Pfizer found itself in what turned out to be a very lucrative partnership with the German firm, BioNTech, to develop, manufacture, and deliver a Covid-19 mRNA vaccine. Even though Pfizer’s revenues almost doubled from $41.9 billion in 2020 to $81.3 billion in 2021, with profits soaring from $9.6 billion to $22.0 billion, the company refrained from doing buybacks, while the dividend payout ratio declined from 88 percent to 40 percent. With revenues and profits continuing to explode in 2022, bolstered by sales of its Covid-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid—given EUA by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 22, 2021—Pfizer did $2.0 billion in buybacks, all of them in March 2022, at an average price of $51.10. Why, for the first time since early 2019, did Pfizer decide to repurchase shares in March 2022? While Pfizer has not provided any explanation for this break in its no-buybacks policy, the graph of Pfizer’s daily stock price in Figure 1 suggests a straightforward answer: In March 2022, Pfizer’s CFO Frank D’Amelio (who would be retiring from that position on May 1, 2022) decided that the time was right to give a manipulative boost to Pfizer’s stock price. On March 23, 2020, a week after the World Health Organization declared SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic, causing stock markets to plummet, Pfizer’s stock was at $27.03, its lowest price since October 22, 2014. Subsequently, as the stock markets recovered, and indeed boomed, during 2020 and 2021, the company’s stock price climbed to $41.12 on December 11, 2020, the date on which the BioNTech-Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine Comimaty secured EUA from the FDA. From that point, Pfizer’s stock price rose in fits and starts during 2021, as the revenues and profits from Comimaty rolled in, reaching an all-time high of $61.25 on December 16, 2021, in apparent anticipation of approval of Pfizer’s Covid-19 antiviral pill, Paxlovid, which secured EUA from the FDA on December 22. Figure 1: Pfizer’s daily closing stock price, Jan. 3, 2017-Nov. 18, 2022 Source: Yahoo Finance daily stock prices By March 1, 2022, however, the stock price had declined to $45.75. We can assume that Pfizer did the $2.0 billion in buybacks in March 2022 to give a manipulative boost to its sagging stock price. [31] If so, it apparently worked, with the stock hitting $55.17 on April 8, 2022. In the press releases of its results for the first, second and third quarters of 2022, Pfizer repeated that the company “does not anticipate any additional share repurchases in 2022.”[32] In the earnings press release of July 28, Pfizer’s new CFO, David Denton, declared: “We continue to prioritize high-value uses for our capital, with an emphasis on reinvesting in our business by funding both internally- and externally-developed science and innovation while also continuing to grow our dividend and buy back shares, when appropriate, to help offset dilution.”[33] During the second and third quarters of 2022, Pfizer refrained from doing another round of buybacks, with the stock price gyrating in the $50 range until mid-August before declining to about $44 in the last week of September. Note, however, in Figure 1 the continuing price decline to $41.75 on October 10, and its subsequent recovery to $49.24 on | US Federal Policies |
Sticking the Soft Landing
Supply and Demand-Side Drivers of Inflation Have Eased Tremendously—Without a Recession
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This week the Federal Reserve raised rates for the 11th time, bringing them to the highest levels seen since before the 2001 recession—yet they sounded the most optimistic they have been in years about the forward path of inflation. Neither the Fed staff, Jerome Powell, nor the consensus forecasts of the FOMC seem to believe a recessionary increase in unemployment is necessary to tame today’s inflation. It’s a far cry from last year, where base expectations implied a rapid recession, and monetary policymakers were quick to emphasize that the path to a “soft landing” where inflation fell without a recession was narrow if it even existed at all. That change in tone has been a direct response to a procession of recent economic data, nearly all of which came with strong positive news.
The Great Pandemic Inflation was driven by two principal factors: a “supply-side” crunch to real economic capacity thanks to the direct effects of COVID, supply-chain issues, and subsequent shocks like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, plus a “demand-side” surge in household and consumer incomes and spending as a downstream consequence of generous fiscal policy and loose monetary policy. Headline inflation peaked this time last year, but as demand-side factors grew to overwhelmingly dominate the drivers of inflation core price growth has remained too strong for the Fed’s liking.
However, since summer 2022 we’ve seen a significant unwinding on both of those fronts—supply chain constraints have eased and energy prices have declined all the while nominal consumer spending and incomes have decelerated close to normal levels. The result is that Nominal Gross Domestic Product (NGDP), the dollar size of the US economy, has grown by only 6.3% over the last year, the lowest rate since Q1 2021, while Real Gross Domestic Product has grown by 2.6%, the highest rate since Q1 2022. That, combined, has been exceptional news for inflation—headline price growth in the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCEPI) that the Fed targets has fallen under 3% and core inflation has fallen to 4.1%.
Yet even this understates the deceleration in inflationary pressures that has occurred over the last several months. At a quarterly annualized rate, NGDP growth is at the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic and is now broadly in line with pre-COVID norms. Quarterly growth in nominal consumer spending likewise clocked in at the lowest level since 2019 and even below the Q3 2019 rate. Comprehensive wage data released Friday from the Employment Cost Index (ECI) showed nominal private-sector wages growing at a 4.1% annualized rate, the lowest since Q2 2021 and roughly in line with prior periods of strong wage growth seen in the late 90s and early 2000s. Economic renormalization is spreading across a variety of nominal growth and inflation indicators, from rent growth to consumer spending to the core services ex-housing prices the Fed continues to emphasize must cool for inflation to fully return to normal levels. That’s why the once-tepid optimism for a soft landing continues to rise.
The Labor Market & Inflation
Growth in US Gross Labor Income, the sum of aggregate wages and salaries in the economy, continues to decelerate towards normal pre-pandemic growth rates. That’s critical because of the extremely strong relationship between GLI growth and the highly cyclical components of inflation like housing rents. Using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which incorporates growth in bonuses and employee stock options, wage growth has completely normalized, while two separate constructions of GLI growth from BLS data both show year-on-year growth 2.5% or less above pre-pandemic levels.
That deceleration in Gross Labor Income has been accompanied by a deceleration in aggregate consumer spending, growth of which has broadly fallen to pre-pandemic rates. Right now, Americans are spending 5.4% more dollars on consumption than they were in June 2022, the lowest pace of year-on-year growth since the early pandemic and below levels seen in late 2018. Importantly, consumer spending has actually decelerated slightly faster than Gross Labor Income growth as Americans run out of the excess savings that propelled so much growth in the early COVID spending recovery.
Yet the quarterly pace of Gross Labor Income growth has actually decelerated even further, falling below the pre-COVID norm in the most recent data for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Given that wage growth is slowing and the personal savings rate is recovering as Americans deplete their “excess savings,” we should expect some further decelerations in nominal consumer spending going forward.
Likewise, wage growth has decelerated to some of the lowest levels since the beginning of the pandemic. ECI data, which provides the highest-quality estimate of wages and salaries by using a fixed weighting of occupation and industry and therefore excluding variation caused by changes in employment levels, showed private-sector wages growing at a 4.1% annualized rate this quarter. Though just one quarterly print, that level is only slightly above what would be roughly consistent with 2% inflation if you presume the historic 2.2% rate of productivity growth America maintained before the Great Recession. Plus, the amount of wage disinflation achieved so far is larger than ECI suggests because of the rapid decline in the number of Americans changing jobs to work in better-paying industries and occupations.
Importantly, that decline in wage growth has occurred against a backdrop of unemployment rates remaining at some of the lowest levels in modern history. That low unemployment would produce high wage growth, which in turn would produce unsustainably high spending and runaway inflation through a fairly classic wage-price spiral, is part of the bedrock foundation of many Phillips curve models of the economy where unemployment must rise to quell excess demand-driven inflation. Those models, in turn, formed much of the basis of forecasts that implied a recession was necessary to get inflation under control. Yet over the last year, we have seen a rapid expansion of the US labor market—with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 3.8M and prime-age employment rates hitting 20-year highs—coinciding with significant deceleration in wage growth, spending growth, and inflation. Hence, the Fed and other institutions are walking back last year’s forecasts made under extreme versions of those Phillips curve models.
Rising Optimism for a Soft Landing
Likewise, this disinflation has coincided with a significant easing of financial conditions, notwithstanding the temporary tightening in the wake of Silicon Valley Bank’s failure earlier this year. Yield spreads on high-risk corporate bonds have now gradually declined to some of the lowest levels since the start of the Fed’s tightening cycle in 2022. Given that spreads partially reflect both the risk of recession and the effective tightness of corporate credit, it’s clear that businesses are finding financing easier to access and financiers are less worried about a downturn even amidst higher rates.
That easing of financial conditions has coincided with medium and long-run inflation expectations (derived from pricing on inflation-indexed treasury bonds) remaining within a range consistent with the Fed’s 2% inflation target. If anything, inflation expectations were too low over the last 9 months amidst fears of a recession, and the return of economic optimism has caused them to rebound back to appropriate levels. In particular, the growing strength of longer-term inflation expectations is a welcome development, even if it has only shown up for a few trading days—it means markets are less worried about a return of the kind of structurally weak demand environment we had during the 2010s.
The Long 2010s are Over
The story of the 2010s economy was primarily one of excessively tight monetary policy leading to persistent underinvestment, low employment, and sluggish growth. The difficulties in further loosening monetary policy when short-term rates were stuck at the zero lower bound—something Japan has struggled with for a generation—plagued the US for years, but they now feel like a distant memory with short-term rates above 5%. Indeed, in many ways, the United States has now left the stagnant political economy of the long 2010s completely behind us.
In contrast to the 2010s, the US economy has grown more since the start of the pandemic than essentially any major high-income economy bar Australia. Not only has real per-capita consumption recovered to pre-COVID levels, but it has actually broadly returned to its pre-COVID trend at the fastest pace of any modern recession—in stark contrast to the permanent scars on consumption left by the 2008 recession.
In fact, growth in real consumption of durable goods has not only vastly exceeded the pre-pandemic trend but briefly caught up with the pre-Great Recession trend, and remains high even as it hasn’t grown in several years. When you look at durable goods spending as a share of total household consumption, the 2010s could not stand out more—though the long-run trend is of extremely gradual decline as households get richer faster than their spending on goods grows, the 2010s saw durable goods’ share of spending sink by roughly 3% in 3 years and barely recover afterward. Not until the pandemic did durable goods consumption spending climb back to its pre-recession share of household budgets. That meant more than a decade of, effectively, household underinvestment in some of the most-important big-ticket items (cars, household appliances, phones, and computers) that provide long-term welfare and enhance people’s economic productivity—and that is being partially undone today.
Likewise, the long 2010s were a disaster for America’s industrial production and investment—US manufacturing output has still never returned to December 2007 levels, and it took more than 5 years before domestic fixed investment levels exceeded those of 2010. Post-COVID, the US is instead investing record amounts into manufacturing structures, thanks in large part to the preponderance of federal subsidies passed in the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act. In fact, nonresidential fixed investment has been a major contributor to the ongoing strength of the US economy, even as nominal spending cooled and residential fixed investment cratered in response to higher interest rates.
It’s not the only place where America’s economy is not only doing better than what it was pre-pandemic but better than what could be expected in a world completely absent a pandemic. For example, real median wages, adjusted for demographic shifts, are now actually slightly above the 2015-2019 trend growth rate. Our frame of reference matters tremendously, the 2010s were a historically terrible decade for growth, and 2018/2019 in particular represented a forgotten economic slowdown before the pandemic. To stick the soft landing, lots of growth indicators will not need to return to pre-pandemic “normal”—and in many ways, we should hope they do not.
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Stocks were setting up to fall at Thursday's open after strong labor data spurred fears around further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, reviving concerns about the impact of those hikes on the economy.
Futures on the S&P 500 (^GSPC) were down 0.8%, as were those on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI), with a drop of about 280 points. Futures on the tech-focused Nasdaq 100 (^IXIC) lost around 1%.
All three major benchmarks logged losses Wednesday, after surprisingly hawkish minutes from the Fed's June meeting showed some policymakers were reluctant to back a pause as finally decided. Almost all backed more increases in 2023.
Markets are now seeing an 89% chance of a hike at the Fed's July meeting, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
In focus Thursday are fresh data on the US labor market and services activity due later, given stocks have previously faced headwinds from concerns the Fed's rate hikes could tip the economy into recession. The reports will serve as an appetizer for the crucial June jobs report out on Friday.
Strong labor data sends stocks lower
Early indications from Thursday morning's labor reports reveal the labor market is still roaring. The ADP Employment report for June showed private employers added 497,000 jobs, well above Bloomberg consensus estimates for 225,000.
Meanwhile, the latest Challenger report revealed job cuts dropped 49% from May to June. Employers cut 40,709 jobs in June, per the report, the lowest total since October 2022.
“The drop in cuts is not unusual for the summer months. In fact, June is historically the slowest month on average for announcements. It is also possible that the deep job losses predicted due to inflation and interest rates will not come to pass, particularly as the Fed holds rates,” said Andrew Challenger, labor expert and Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Elsewhere in the labor market initial, jobless claims came in at 248,000 for the week ending July 1, a move upward from the prior week's 236,000. Still, claims remain largely range bound over the last several months.
In a tweet, the team at Renaissance Macro indicated this string of data likely calls for more Federal Reserve rate hikes. Futures tied to all three major averages ticked lower on the news.
Stock futures fall as markets brace for July hike
The major US stock benchmarks were poised to add to losses on Thursday, as bets firmed that the Federal Reserve will resume raising interest rates at its July meeting.
But shares of Meta (META) stepped higher after the company's launch of Threads, its rival to Twitter. The stock was trading above its 52-week high in pre-market after CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the Instagram app attracted millions of sign-ups within hours. | US Federal Policies |
US Job Growth Cools But Wages Signal Labor Market Still Strong
Nonfarm payrolls increased 209,000 — the smallest advance since the end of 2020 — after downward revisions in the prior two months.
(Bloomberg) -- US job gains moderated in June while wage growth remained firm, showing a strong enough labor market to keep the Federal Reserve on track to raise interest rates this month.
Nonfarm payrolls increased 209,000 — the smallest advance since the end of 2020 — after downward revisions in the prior two months, a Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed Friday. The unemployment rate fell to 3.6%.
The latest figures suggest the labor market is losing some steam as high interest rates and months of sluggish consumer spending feed into concerns about the economy’s prospects. Yet with sufficiently healthy job growth and brisk wage gains, the Fed is likely to resume its series of rate hikes at its meeting later this month, following a pause in June.
Follow the reaction in real time here on Bloomberg’s TOPLive blog
“We need to see some of the tight labor market conditions ease so the Fed feels more confident that wages will begin to ease,” Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at Stifel Financial Corp., said on Bloomberg Television.
It was the first time in 15 months that payrolls came in below the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Longer-term Treasuries and the S&P 500 fell.
Hiring was concentrated in a few sectors, led by health care, government and construction. Payrolls fell in retail trade and transportation and warehousing. For the prior two months, payrolls growth was revised down by a combined 110,000.
What Bloomberg Economics Says...
“The deceleration in June hiring and the downward revision of past months’ payrolls aren’t enough to put the Fed at ease. Though labor supply and demand are coming into better balance, monthly gains in wages and hours worked add to an inflationary impulse that the Fed will need to tame, given its focus on supercore services inflation.”
— Stuart Paul and Eliza Winger, economists
For the full note, click here
The increase in average hourly earnings followed similar gains in the prior two months, and was up 4.4% from a year earlier. The average workweek edged up.
The mismatch between labor supply and demand is coming into better balance in part due to more participation. While the overall participation rate — the share of the population that is working or looking for work — held steady, for those ages 25-54, that rate climbed to a 21-year high.
“The labor market is slowing down, but it’s doing so from a position of strength,” Nick Bunker, research director at Indeed Hiring Lab, said in a note. “Nothing is guaranteed, but the US labor market continues to point toward a slower, but more sustainable pace of economic growth.”
--With assistance from Matthew Boesler, Augusta Saraiva and Hannah Pedone.
(Adds economist’s comment)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Fox News host Sean Hannity expressed concern on "Hannity" over the direction of the country in Tuesday's opening monologue pointing to inflation, soaring gas prices, a plunging stock market and the Federal Reserve expecting to once again raise interest rates. SEAN HANNITY: Thankfully, the midterms are only five months away and we have a chance to stop the devastating policies of Joe Biden. Now with Democrats running the entire show in the Washington swamp, this country is now barreling into what will be a prolonged period of economic pain, economic suffering. The national average for a gallon of gas is up yet again for the 18th straight day, now well over five bucks a gallon nationally. That's the average. Diesel much higher at nearly $6. We'll have a lot more on this tonight. And naturally, inflation is also still on the rise. The stock market, meanwhile, is plunging dramatically. Guess what? We're back to where Joe started on day one. The Dow Jones average down another 150 points today. What is that, five days in a row? Significant declines four out of the five. And tomorrow could likely be much worse. The Fed expected to once again raise interest rates, either a half point or a massive three quarters of a point interest rate hike and will continue to hike rates for the foreseeable future. Goldman Sachs predicts as many as 11 in the next two years combined. And that means, well, new home sales will go down. New home construction. Yeah, that's about to come to a standstill. Sales of existing homes will plummet. Home values. Sorry. I know many of you recently gotten valuations. They will head south fast too as well. Remember, the higher the rate. That means fewer loans. That means fewer Americans that will be out there buying houses. Now, combine that with the spiking inflation, spiking gas prices, this country, we are all headed into a very scary place. Already two thirds of the country is living paycheck to paycheck. WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 10: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about inflation and the economy in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus May 10, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) ((Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images))…A former Obama economic adviser, I don't always agree with him, but he's been right on every item up to this point as it relates to Biden's economy, Lawrence Summers predicted that a recession is imminent in the next year or two. And remember, Summers was the one that accurately corrected the administration, predicting that the current inflation crisis was in fact real when they were saying it was only transitory. So now, with everything imploding around him, well Joe Biden, your president, is outraged, not about the economy, he seems to think that his economic policies are a historic success. No, today, Joe, he was mad at you, we, the American people, for complaining about the inflation, his economic and energy policies caused mad at us… In fairness, it wasn't just Biden's out of control spending that caused inflation. It was Joe's war on the oil and gas industry on behalf of, of course, the climate alarmists cult that is the new Green Deal Socialist Party that he is beholden to.CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP This article was written by Fox News staff. | US Federal Policies |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said Tuesday that the city will evaluate releasing records related to the Robb Elementary School shooting after the investigation is complete, even as pressure grows for officials to release more information about the tragedy and law enforcement's response to it. "The City of Uvalde and its Police Department strive for transparency every day. The Uvalde County District Attorney has requested the city to not release any City records related to the Robb Elementary School investigation. The District Attorney told us the material is still being reviewed and her investigation is ongoing," Mayor McLaughlin said in a statement on Tuesday. "When all investigations and reviews are complete, the city will evaluate release of City records," he added. "I want answers and our families deserve answers, and we trust the answers will come." Hearts on a banner hang on a fence at a boarded up Robb Elementary School on Friday, June 3. (AP/Eric Gay)Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell Busbee said she will not be holding a news conference or releasing anything to the press until after the Texas Rangers and the FBI finish their investigation, which could take several months. UVALDE TEACHER SLAMS POLICE RESPONSE TO TEXAS SHOOTING: ‘I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THEM’ "I do not anticipate receiving the complete investigation for at least 6 months, at the earliest," Busbee told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. The official account of law enforcement response's to the tragedy has been marred by contradictions and inaccurate statements that authorities later have had to walk back. next Law enforcement personnel near the scene of a suspected shooting near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022. (REUTERS/Marco Bello) prev next Law enforcement, and other first responders, gather outside Robb Elementary School following a shooting on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. (AP/Dario Lopez-Mills) prev Children run to safety after escaping from a window during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School where a gunman killed nineteen children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 24, 2022. (Pete Luna/Uvalde Leader-News/Handout via REUTERS)Last week, a law firm representing the City of Uvalde sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, requesting that his office rule on whether records like body camera footage should be exempt from being released. The law firm cited one legal area, which has been referred to by officials as the "dead suspect loophole," and allows law enforcement to withhold information about cases that end without a conviction. PHOTOS: FAMILIES, VICTIMS OF TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTINGPaxton's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. A police officer comforts family members at a memorial outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday, May 26. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan said earlier this month that he wants to see the legislature end the loophole next year. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "The statute was originally intended to protect the wrongfully accused, but it hasn’t really worked that way in practice," Phelan tweeted on June 1. "Families of those who die in custody never get closure or access to details of their loved one’s death because of this loophole. This is an area in dire need of reform. Details of in-custody deaths shouldn’t be kept secret, and neither should the details [regarding] Uvalde."The Associated Press contributed to this report. Paul Best is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @KincaidBest. | US Crime, Violence, Terrorism & cybercrime |
Defense secretary says Pentagon examining Supreme Court decisionThe Pentagon will "closely" examine the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and "evaluate our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said."Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families," he said in a statement. "I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force."Hillary Clinton says ruling overturning Roe will 'live in infamy'Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Friday that the Supreme Court's ruling will "live in infamy." "Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she said in a tweet. "Today’s Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women’s rights and human rights."Clinton, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state, then linked to a webpage that asks for donations to three major abortion rights groups.Oklahoma's GOP AG allows trigger law outlawing abortions to take effectOklahoma's Republican attorney general, John O'Connor, praised the Supreme Court's ruling and said he has certified it, allowing the state's trigger law outlawing abortions to take effect. In a letter, O'Connor certified "that Roe and Casey have been overruled such that Oklahoma may prohibit abortion on demand," according to the attorney general's office. "In that letter, he also indicated that he would begin efforts immediately to enforce Oklahoma’s abortion prohibitions, especially the one found in Section 861 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes," the office said. That section of the statute says that anyone who administers the "miscarriage" of a woman or by prescribing, advising or procuring medication or drugs will be guilty of a felony that could result in a sentence of two to five years in prison. O'Connor's letter says that his certification will also allow Oklahoma to enforce any similar statute prohibiting abortion throughout pregnancy. Taylor Swift reacts to Roe reversal: 'I'm absolutely terrified'Grammy-winning pop star Taylor Swift, who has become increasingly vocal about political issues in recent years, tweeted Friday that she was "absolutely terrified that this is where we are" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Swift offered her thoughts in response to a statement from former first lady Michelle Obama, who wrote that she was "heartbroken today."Trump takes credit for 'biggest WIN for Life in a generation'Former President Donald Trump, who campaigned on limiting abortion rights and appointed three Supreme Court justices, took credit for Friday's decision in a statement.Calling it "the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation," Trump said the Roe ruling and "other decisions" recently announced "were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised."All three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted with the majority in overturning Roe. Anti-abortion advocates celebrate Friday in front of the Supreme Court.Frank Thorp V / NBC NewsThough Trump was known to have more socially liberal positions as a private citizen, he won favor with Republican activists by vowing during his 2016 campaign to choose justices from a pre-selected list of conservatives.Sen. Kennedy praises reversal of Roe v. Wade: 'They did their work'Tat Bellamy-Walker48m ago / 5:24 PM UTCSen. John Kennedy, R-La., released a statement Friday that praised the justices for overturning Roe. v. Wade despite attempts to protest the decision. Rep. Cheney says she has always been 'pro-life,' ruling returns power to the statesRep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who has bucked her party by denouncing former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, indicated Friday that she supports the Supreme Court's ruling."I have always been strongly pro-life," she said in a tweet. "Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court returns power to the states and the people of the states to address the issue of abortion under state law."Biden says no violence, urges people to 'keep all protests peaceful'President Joe Biden on Friday urged people to "keep all protests peaceful" in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. "I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful," he said during a White House speech, reiterating: "Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable." Hundreds of demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court following the historic decision with some abortion rights supporters chanting: "We won’t go back! We won’t go back! My body, my choice!"The crowd outside the court has continued to grow but has remained relatively peaceful. "Threats and intimidation are not speech," Biden said. "We must stand against violence in any form regardless of your rationale." 'People will die because of this decision,' Rep. Ocasio-Cortez saysAntonio Planas1h ago / 5:07 PM UTCRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Friday the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will make abortions more dangerous and result in deaths.“Overturning Roe and outlawing abortions will never make them go away. It only makes them more dangerous, especially for the poor + marginalized," she tweeted. "People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America.”Anti-abortion Democratic Rep. Cuellar says Roe decision leaves issues up to the statesTexas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lone anti-abortion Democrat in the House, said Friday his position has not changed."We'll let the states make this decision now," he said. Asked by NBC News about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the Supreme Court's decision, which she said was "cruel," Cuellar said, "Everybody has their opinion, including the speaker."Cuellar said that while he was in the minority in his caucus, he is not in his district.WHO’s Tedros disappointed by Roe v. Wade decisionReuters1h ago / 4:59 PM UTCThe head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was very disappointed by the overturning of Roe v Wade.“I am very disappointed, because women’s rights must be protected. And I would have expected America to protect such rights,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told Reuters on the sidelines of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.Sanders says it is time to end the Senate filibusterTat Bellamy-Walker1h ago / 4:57 PM UTCSen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called on Democrats to end the filibuster in the Senate and solidify protections for abortion rights. Biden says Roe is 'on the ballot' in NovemberIn remarks from the White House on Friday, President Joe Biden said that "voters need to make their voices heard" at the ballot box in November's midterm elections because he is unable to restore abortion protections and Congress lacks the votes to take that action. "We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land. We need to elect officials who will do that. This fall, Roe is on the ballot," Biden said. Until November, Biden said he will do everything in his power to protect a woman's right to choose in states where they will face the consequences of the court's decision. He said, for example, that his administration will protect women's access to medications that allow them to self-manage an abortion at home. He acknowledged that a number of Republican-controlled states have already banned or restricted access to these medications. Biden expressed anger at the Supreme Court's ruling, saying that "the court has done what it has never done before — expressly take away a constitutional right." "This decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is — far removed they are from the majority of this country," he said. "You can act. You can have the final word."He blamed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for the reversal of Roe because of his nomination of three justices at the "core of today's decision." Plaintiff in same-sex marriage Supreme Court case says decision is moving country 'backward'Christopher Cicchiello1h ago / 4:54 PM UTCJim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges that established the right to same-sex marriages across the nation, called today's verdict "a sad day for women's rights.""This Supreme Court continues to erode the rights of citizens at an alarming rate," Obergefell said in a tweet. "Women deserve responsive leaders who support reproductive justice. Leaders who respect their fundamental right to have control over their own bodies."In a separate statement reacting to Justice Clarence Thomas’ call to reconsider the holding in Obergefell v. Hodges in his concurring opinion, Obergefell said that "the millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them."U.S. Capitol public tours halted after Roe decision Public tours of the U.S. Capitol were abruptly halted Friday after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, allowing Capitol Police to shift some of their resources to the court complex, a source familiar with the decision said.Capitol Police were also concerned about members of the public lining up at the entrance of the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), which is close to where thousands of protesters were assembling in front of the court building."It's because of the CVC entrance's proximity to activity at SCOTUS and the general need to shift U.S. Capitol Police manpower to respond to SCOTUS activity," the source said.So far, the protests have been peaceful.Scotland's leader calls out Roe decisionScotland's leader on Friday warned that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would "embolden anti-abortion and anti-women forces" beyond the United States."One of the darkest days for women’s rights in my lifetime," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet. "Obviously the immediate consequences will be suffered by women in the US — but this will embolden anti-abortion & anti-women forces in other countries too. Solidarity doesn’t feel enough right now — but it is necessary."McCarthy praises court's decisionHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy praised the decision of the court during a Friday press conference. "By a vote of 6-3, the court affirmed that the power to protect unborn life is returned to the people by their elected representatives," he said. "This great nation can now live up to its core principle that all people are created equal — not born equal, created equal."He added that the decision would "save the lives of millions of children" and "give families hope."Rev. Sharpton says court's decision brings us 'back to the dark ages' Tat Bellamy-Walker1h ago / 4:46 PM UTCThe Rev. Al Sharpton, the head of the National Action Network and an MSNBC host, said Friday that Black women and poor women will be disproportionately affected by the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. British doctors union calls Roe decision 'deeply worrying'A senior official at the British Medical Association, the United Kingdom's doctors union, on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision overturning abortion rights could have an impact beyond the United States. “The news that restrictions to abortions could be made law in some U.S. states ... is deeply worrying for the future of women’s reproductive health," Zoe Greaves, chair of the group's medical ethics committee, said in a written statement. "The BMA, along with multiple other health organizations, is concerned that this will remove women’s access to essential medical care, a fundamental human right as stated by the U.N., both in the U.S. and potentially more widely," she said. The organization added in a statement that it would be weighing the decision's implications to determine how best to support the American Medical Association in its opposition to the "criminalization of reproductive health."First lady Jill Biden was with DeSantis when Roe decision came downJosh Lederman2h ago / 4:40 PM UTCFirst lady Jill Biden was with Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when she learned of the Supreme Court ruling, a White House official told NBC News.The first lady was preparing to go onstage at the memorial for the one year anniversary of the Champlain Tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, along with DeSantis and his wife in a holding room. Moments before the first lady walked on stage, the news alerts popped up on everyone’s phones.In April, DeSantis signed a Florida law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.Democratic governors in the West pledge to stand up for abortion rightsDemocratic governors in California, Oregon and Washington said Friday they will continue to "protect" patients seeking reproductive care, including those from other states seeking abortions.California's Gavin Newsom, Oregon's Kate Brown and Washington's Jay Inslee made the announcement in a video message released after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, presenting themselves as a counterweight to "red states and Republican-stacked courts.""California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients' access to reproductive care," Newsom said.Inslee said: "We're going to work with our legislators, with our providers, with our patient advocates."Brown said: "We will not stand on the sidelines."'With sorrow...we dissent': Court's liberal wing says majority decided women not deserving of equal protectionIn a blistering dissent to the court's decision reversing abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the majority opinion as one that would curtail women's rights.“It says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A State can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote in the lengthy dissent."With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent," they added.Read the full story here.Planned Parenthood Wisconsin temporarily suspends abortion servicesAntonio Planas2h ago / 4:35 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood Wisconsin announced Friday it was “temporarily suspending” abortion services in response to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.In a video statement on the organization’s website, the group's president, Tanya Atkinson, lamented the Supreme Court’s decision because it has taken away a constitutional right from women and instead placed health care decisions in the hands of politicians.“Because Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban remains in effect, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin is temporarily suspending abortion services,” she said. “Please know that we are looking at all legal options available. This news is so incredibly devastating. The decision of whether or not to become a parent can be one of the most life-changing decisions a person can make,” she said. “You should be able to make the very personal, very needed health care decisions.”Atkinson added that although abortion services are not available in Wisconsin, the organization is still there for people who need abortions and will counsel them on finding options where abortions are safe and legal. The group, she said, will also be available for “after-care” services. Other services provided by the organization are also available at its centers or through telehealth, she said.“Planned Parenthood Wisconsin stands for health care, and we will not give up, not now, not ever,” she said.Anger and joy outside Supreme CourtTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court early Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue gathered to bear witness to the end of the Roe era. "It's really a visceral issue," said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday's decision. "The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone." Paige Nelson, 20, cried tears of joy on the street in front of the Supreme Court, where the grounds long used for demonstrations have been closed off for weeks as a security precaution."I’m just so happy that no matter who you are and whatever extra chromosomes or whatever disability you might have, you get the chance to live this amazing life, and I will continue advocating until abortion is completely gone," said Nelson, a Washington state resident who is participating in a summer program with the conservative Concerned Women of America.Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls Roe decision 'horrific'Reuters2h ago / 4:30 PM UTCCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday called the Supreme Court decision "horrific."“The news coming out of the United States is horrific. My heart goes out to the millions of American women who are now set to lose their legal right to an abortion,” Trudeau said on Twitter.“No government, politician, or man should tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body,” he said.Romney says he supports Roe's reversalSen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, praised the Supreme Court's ruling Friday in a brief statement. "The sanctity of human life is a foundational American principle, and the lives of our children—both born and unborn—deserve our protection," Romney said. "I support the Court’s decision, which means that laws regarding abortion will now rightfully be returned to the people and their elected representatives," he added.AG Merrick Garland says states cannot ban access to medications for abortionsAttorney General Merrick Garland vowed to protect access to Mifepristone, which is used along with another medication to end early pregnancies.“In particular, the FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy," he wrote in a statement.The Food and Drug Administration approved in 2016 the use of the medications in terminating abortions.The "Department will continue to protect healthcare providers and individuals seeking reproductive health services in states where those services remain legal," his statement added. "This law prohibits anyone from obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage."Decision a 'dark moment,' British rights group says The Supreme Court’s decision is a “dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” the chair of a British rights group said Friday. ‘This is a hugely significant set back for abortion rights. Not just in the U.S. but it will embolden anti-abortion activists here and in Poland, Malta and other places where the struggle for access is already desperate,” Kerry Abel of Abortion Rights said in a statement. “Any chink in the legislative armour that undermines the right to privacy, makes access more difficult or puts abortion funding out of reach will impact poorer and marginalised women and pregnantpeople and will encourage yet more anti-abortion legislation and action,” she said. “This is a dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” she added.Rep. Jamie Raskin knocks Thomas, says they are not 'like real judges at this point'Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., knocked Justice Clarence Thomas, saying he is trying to "demolish the constitutional right to privacy" while blasting the high court's justices as an "instrument of the right-wing Republican agenda." "Roe versus Wade was built on Griswold versus Connecticut, which asserted a constitutional right to privacy for women and men to obtain contraception and birth control," Raskin said Friday. "They might like to pretend as if this is some kind of singular strike against just women's right to abortion, but it has implications for contraception. It has implications for the right of gay people to get married under the Obergefell decision. It has implications for the right of people not to be sterilized by the government against their will."Raskin added that the justices are "not like real judges at this point." "I mean, they’ve got the power of it, but they basically have turned themselves into partisans," he said.Sen. Susan Collins calls ruling 'not conservative' Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted to confirm Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh who were part of Friday's majority opinion, said in a statement that the ruling was an "ill-considered action" and "not conservative." "The Supreme Court has abandoned a fifty-year precedent at a time that the country is desperate for stability. This ill-considered action will further divide the country at a moment when, more than ever in modern times, we need the Court to show both consistency and restraint," Collins said. "Throwing out a precedent overnight that the country has relied upon for half a century is not conservative. It is a sudden and radical jolt to the country that will lead to political chaos, anger, and a further loss of confidence in our government."Collins said that the ruling was "inconsistent" with what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their congressional testimony and in meetings with her where, she said, "they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents that the country has relied upon."Collins said she is working on a bill with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would codify Roe, Casey, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, and Griswold v. Connecticut."Our legislation would enshrine important abortion protections into law without undercutting statutes that have been in place for decades and without eliminating basic conscience protections that are relied upon by health care providers who have religious objections to performing abortions," she said.U.K.'s Boris Johnson calls Roe decision 'a big step backward'British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would have a "massive" impact around the world. “This is not our court, it’s another jurisdiction, but it clearly has massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world," he said during a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda. "It’s a very important decision." "I think it’s a big step backwards," Johnson, who leads the Conservative Party, added. "I’ve always believed in a woman’s right to choose and I stick to that view and that is why the U.K. has the laws that it does.”Missouri governor signs state proclamation banning most abortionsChristopher Cicchiello2h ago / 4:19 PM UTCMissouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a proclamation Friday to activate its trigger law, banning most abortions.“Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions,” Parson, a Republican, said in a news release.This law makes it illegal for doctors to perform abortions and also makes anyone who knowingly induces an abortion guilty of a class B felony. Doctors can have their licenses revoked for their involvement. However, a woman who has an abortion will not be prosecuted "for a conspiracy to violate the provisions" of this act. No mention of an exception for a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest was provided in the act.Upon Parson’s signature, the act takes effect immediately.Texas GOP AG Ken Paxton says abortions are 'now illegal in Texas'Texas' GOP attorney general, Ken Paxton, announced Friday that abortion is now illegal in Texas as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling. "SCOTUS just overruled Roe & Casey, ending one of the most morally & legally corrupt eras in US history. Praise the Lord. Abortion is now illegal in Texas," he said in a tweet. Texas had on the books a trigger law, which immediately banned abortion once Roe came down.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed into law one of the country's most restrictive abortion bans last year, which took effect in September. It had banned abortions as early as six weeks, which effectively banned all abortions because most women don't know they're pregnant that early in the process. Whole Women's Health, an organization that has operated four clinics providing reproductive health services in Texas and other states, said it has stopped providing abortion procedures as a result of Friday's ruling, according to the Texas Tribune. In guidance posted on the organization's website Friday, it said that its clinics "are still operating in Baltimore, MD; Bloomington, MN; Alexandria, VA; and Charlottesville, VA." It also said that it offers medication abortion pills by mail to patients in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia.It also said Whole Women's Health "is exploring plans to expand both our in-clinic and mail services into additional states where abortion is legally protected."Democratic lawmakers march to Supreme Court in support of abortion rightsAt least 150 Democratic lawmakers marched to the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., told NBC News the decision marked "a sad day for American jurisprudence.""Never did I envision that this court would reverse 40 or 50 years of precedence, but they did it," he said. "And they did it in utter disregard for the 60% of the American people who support Roe and did not want it overturned."Conservative Hispanic group lauds court decisionBienvenido, a conservative Hispanic group, said the court's decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision was "correct as both a legal and a moral matter.""Today we join millions of Americans — including the majority of Hispanics who value human life — in celebrating the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling overturning 'Roe' and 'Casey,'" a statement from the group said. "It was always a lie that the Constitution guaranteed the right to kill unborn children and this Court has just exposed this lie for the shameful farce that it always has been," the statement continued. "As we commemorate this historic decision, let us remember these children who were denied the right to live, pray for forgiveness, and give thanks to God." According to Pew Research Center, 60% of Hispanics in 2022 said abortion should be legal. Transgender Law Center denounces Supreme Court decision as "despicable" Tat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 3:51 PM UTCThe Transgender Law Center, one of the nation's largest transgender rights groups, slammed the court's decision, calling it "despicable" and a "politically-motivated" attack.In a statement, the organization stressed that the majority opinion will have an outsize impact on historically marginalized groups, including Black women, disabled people, migrant women, poor people and individuals living in rural communities.“Today we loudly affirm and pledge our solidarity with all people working for Reproductive Justice in this country,” the group's executive director, Kris Hayashi, said. “Whether it is a right to an abortion, the right to affirming medical care, or the right to learn about your own history in schools, our collective rights to self-determination and bodily autonomy are inexorably entwined.”'God made the decision': Trump praises the ruling overturning RoeFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court's ruling in a statement to Fox News on Friday, saying that it's "following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago."Trump was asked if he played a role in the decision because he nominated three of the conservative justices who overturned Roe v. Wade — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett."God made the decision," Trump told Fox. Asked to address any of his supporters who support abortion rights, Trump said, "I think, in the end, this is something that will work out for everybody ... This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged."Trump had previously supported abortion rights years ago, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" in 1999 that he was "very pro-choice" at the time.Susan B. Anthony List celebrates overturning of Roe v. WadeThe anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List celebrated news Friday of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, calling it a "historic victory for human rights." Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the group, said in a video message outside the Supreme Court that it was a moment of "great gratitude and resolve." "This Court has just overturned the wrongly decided Roe versus Wade decision. Let those words sink in," she said. "Roe versus Wade is overturned after 50 years of lobbying, building centers of hope to serve pregnant women, on our knees praying, off our knees marching and ensuring the powerful pro-life voice could be heard in our elections. We have arrived at this day, a culminating day of so much and the first day of a bright pro-life future for our nation."She said the decision allows the "will of the people to make its way into the law through our elected officials" and declared that "our best days are ahead."Attorney General Merrick Garland vows to 'use every tool' to protect abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland, who as Barack Obama's 2016 Supreme Court nominee was denied a confirmation vote by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, vowed to put the full weight of the Department of Justice behind protecting abortion rights."The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision," he said. "This decision deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect — with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means."“The Justice Department will use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive freedom. And we will not waver from this Department’s founding responsibility to protect the civil rights of all Americans," he added.Mayor Eric Adams says people around the country 'welcome' to access abortion care in New York City New York City Mayor Eric Adams lashed out at the Supreme Court on Friday, saying that "politics came before people at the highest court in the land." "What the court has done today ignores the opinions of the majority of Americans, as it helps states control women’s bodies, their choices, and their freedoms," the Democrat said in a statement, adding that the decision puts lives at risk."There is nothing to call this Supreme Court opinion but an affront to basic human rights and one that aims to shackle women and others in reproductive bondage."Adams sought to reassure New Yorkers, saying that they can still access safe, legal abortions in the city. He also said that people around the country seeking the procedure are "welcome here" to access those services.Massachusetts Gov. Baker signs executive order protecting abortion providersAntonio Planas3h ago / 3:39 PM UTCIn response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who is not running for re-election, signed an executive order Friday protecting health care providers performing abortions from losing their licenses or receiving other discipline based on potential charges from out of state, he said in a statement.“Under the executive order, the Commonwealth will not cooperate with extradition requests from other states pursuing criminal charges against individuals who received, assisted with, or performed reproductive health services that are legal in Massachusetts,” the statement said.The order, he said, also prohibits any “Executive Department agencies” from assisting another state’s investigation into a person or entity for receiving or delivering reproductive health care services that are legal in Massachusetts.“This executive order will further preserve that right and protect reproductive health care providers who serve out of state residents. In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v Wade, it is especially important to ensure that Massachusetts providers can continue to | SCOTUS |
CNN — The head of the Education Department pledged Saturday to keep “moving full speed ahead” on plans to implement President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program, coming a day after a federal appeals court put a temporary hold on it, barring the administration from canceling loans covered under the policy while it’s under review. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona doubled down on the administration’s commitment to providing student debt relief in an op-ed published Saturday, and encouraged those eligible to continue applying through the live online application. “Amid some Republicans trying every which way to block the Biden Administration’s debt relief program, the department is moving full speed ahead with preparations for the lawful implementation of our program so we can deliver relief to borrowers who need it most,” Cardona wrote in USA Today. “Already, 22 million people have provided the department with the necessary information we need to review their eligibility for student debt relief. We encourage borrowers to continue to apply for debt relief at studentaid.gov,” he continued. In a pairing video posted to Twitter, Cardona referred to the “baseless” lawsuits put forward by Republican-led states to stonewall the program. Cardona stressed that nearly 90 percent of the debt relief plan’s benefits would go to those making less than $75,000 a year, according to estimates from the Education Department. He also highlighted the arguments of Republicans, who, Cardona claimed, did not file lawsuits when they reaped the benefits of the Paycheck Protection Program loans from the federal government. “It’s only when relief is going to working and middle-class Americans that these elected officials have a problem,” Cardona argued in his op-ed. “This program will help borrowers by providing relief following the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic. President Biden and this administration will never stop fighting for the millions of hardworking students and borrowers across the country – no matter how many elected officials or lawsuits try to stop us,” Cardona added. Late Friday, a federal appeals court put a temporary, administrative hold on Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, keeping the government from canceling loans covered under the policy while the court considers a challenge to it. The order from the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals comes in a case brought by six Republican-led states, asking for a preliminary injunction to halt the policy after a district court dismissed the case earlier this week. The effort is separate from a Wisconsin taxpayers group’s challenge to the program that was recently rejected by the Supreme Court. The appeals court gave the administration until Monday to respond to the states’ request, and the states will have until Tuesday to reply to that response. The states had asked the appeals court to act before Sunday, the earliest date the Biden administration had said it would grant student loan discharges. After the ruling on Friday, the White House encouraged borrowers to still apply for relief despite the hold. The lawsuit, which was filed last month, was dismissed on October 20 by a lower court judge who ruled that the plaintiffs did not have the legal standing to bring the challenge, CNN previously reported. The Biden administration is also facing lawsuits from Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, and conservative groups such as the Job Creators Network Foundation and the Cato Institute. Many of the legal challenges claim that the Biden administration does not have the legal authority to broadly cancel student loan debt. Lawyers for the government argue that Congress gave the secretary of education the power to discharge debt in a 2003 law known as the HEROES Act, CNN previously reported. Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, first announced in August, aims to deliver debt relief to millions of borrowers before federal student loan payments resume in January after a nearly three-year, pandemic-related pause. Under Biden’s plan, eligible individual borrowers who earned less than $125,000 in either 2020 or 2021 and married couples or heads of households who made less than $250,000 annually in those years will see up to $10,000 of their federal student loan debt forgiven. If a qualifying borrower also received a federal Pell grant while enrolled in college, the individual is eligible for up to $20,000 of debt forgiveness. | US Federal Policies |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A kidnapping suspect called Seattle police officers during a chase, telling them a newly passed Democratic law prevented them from pursuing him, new audio shows.Isaac Sissel called the Seattle Police Department after allegedly taking his girlfriend and her cat hostage last month to warn them they were participating in "an illegal pursuit" and were "not supposed" to chase him, according to new 911 audio obtained by the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH."SPD is illegally chasing me over I don’t know what," Sissel said to the 911 operator, per the recording. "It’s an illegal pursuit… they’re not supposed to be able to chase." FILE- Seattle Police Department patch. (Photo by GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)When the operator suggested Sissel pull over and speak with the officers, the suspect made an apparent reference to House Bill 1054 as the reason for them being unable to pursue him.POLICE GROUPS DIVIDED ON BIDEN'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORM"It is an illegal pursuit and my license is suspended, and this is an illegal pursuit … They’re not supposed to be able to pursue," the suspect reiterated, KTTH reported."Make sure they stop chasing us," Sissel said in the recording, speaking on behalf of the female in the vehicle, per the report. FILE- Seattle Police. (Photo by GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)While the suspect names "1074" on the call, he appears to be referencing House Bill 1054, which cleared the Democratic-controlled legislature last year amid other law enforcement reform measures.The legislation restricts how police and law enforcement officers respond to an incident, including a change that affects how officers "pursue after a suspect who is fleeing in a vehicle," the Pierce County government said.SEATTLE POLICE MEMO SHOWS DEFUNDED FORCE STOPPED INVESTIGATING NEW ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULTS THIS YEAR"Law enforcement officers will only be able to engage in a pursuit if there is ‘probable cause’ to arrest a person in the vehicle for committing a specified violent crime or sex offense," the government said.It added: "Law enforcement can no longer pursue after vehicles for any traffic offenses with the exception of Vehicular Assault, Vehicular Homicide, and Driving Under the Influence."The law, which went into effect July 25, 2021, also prevents officers from using tear gas, certain defensive tactics, and the use of some equipment.The legislation appears to allow officers to pursue suspects who commit kidnapping, so it is not immediately clear if the law applied to the situation. REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP UNVEILS 'BACK THE BLUE' LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IN ANTICIPATION OF MIDTERMS RED WAVE Seattle, Washington, USA - March 5, 2021: Seattle Police respond to a call in downtown Seattle. (iStock)The suspect and the victim had a longstanding relationship, that included routine episodes of abuse, according to a police incident report.The victim also provided police with private recordings of the suspect threatening her life and the life of her pet cat."Officers listened to a recording on [the victim’s] phone recorded on 5/8/22 where Isaac states the following: ‘I’ll stop threatening to kill you if-(recording cuts off)…Your life is not worth more than my car…I would have killed that cat if it were up to me…'" the incident report said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "[The victim] stated Isaac threatens to kill her approximately 10 times a day. [She] stated Isaac threatens to kill her by shooting her and running her over. [She] stated she was afraid for her life when Isaac made these statements," it added, per KTTH.He also regularly evades police, per the incident report, often citing the new law.According to charging documents, the suspect was previously sentenced for eluding police and criminal mischief with a weapon. | US Local Policies |
CNN — The Supreme Court cleared the way on Monday for the House select committee investigating the January 6 US Capitol attack to obtain the phone and text records of Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward. Ward served as a fake elector for Donald Trump in Arizona, one of the states the former president lost but where Republicans gathered to put forth a pro-Trump slate of electors. Ward has argued the subpoena was too intrusive and violated her First Amendment rights, potentially exposing political connections. The committee has also sought Ward’s testimony. She invoked her Fifth Amendment rights during the deposition. The justices declined Ward’s request to freeze the subpoena and lifted a temporary order earlier put in place Justice Elena Kagan, who supervises the appeals court that ruled in the case. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito would have agreed to block the subpoena, the court said. The move is the latest dispute concerning January 6 to come before the conservative-leaning court. Last January, the high court cleared the way for the release of presidential records from the Trump White House to the committee. Only Thomas publicly noted a vote in favor of Trump. The subpoena from the House select committee directs T-Mobile USA, Inc., to release call records from Ward’s phone for the period of November 1, 2020, through January 31, 2021, and only sought times and durations of calls when Ward served as an elector for Trump. The records do not include content or location information. A district court judge ruled against Ward and the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. “The subpoena is substantially related to the important government interest in investigating the causes of the January 6 attack and protecting future elections from similar threats,” the appeals court said. “The investigation, after all, is not about Ward’s politics; it is about her involvement in the events leading up to the January 6 attack, and it seeks to uncover those with whom she communicated in connection with those events,” the appeals court added. “That some of the people with whom Ward communicated may be members of a political party does not establish that the subpoena is likely to reveal ‘sensitive information about [the party’s] members and supporters.” In the emergency application filed with Kagan, Ward’s attorneys argued the case is “unprecedented” with “profound precedential implications for future congressional investigations and political associational rights under the First Amendment.” If Ward’s telephone and text messages are disclosed, they added, “congressional investigators are going to contact every person who communicated with her during and immediately after the tumult of the 2020 election.” In response, lawyers for the select committee articulated they sought the phone records because Ward was at the center of several efforts after the election to undermine the popular vote and “aided a coup attempt.” “These records will shed light on how Dr. Ward contributed to the multi-part effort to interfere with the peaceful transition of power and the attack on the U.S. Capitol,” the lawyers wrote. The House noted Ward told officials in Arizona to stop counting ballots after the 2020 election; encouraged local officials to contact Trump’s lawyer Sidney Powell; tried to organize a phone call between Trump and the Maricopa County board of supervisors’ chairman; and she was among the group that sent false electoral votes for Trump to Congress. This story has been updated with additional details. CNN’s Katelyn Polantz contributed to this report. | SCOTUS |
Now that Juneteenth has been established as a federal holiday and is coming up June 19, we’ve embraced the holiday in true Texan fashion — in a very big way — offering everything from more traditional festivals and pageants to more progressive yet reflective lectures and art exhibits. And most events come with various delicious and traditional menus.Like many holidays, Juneteenth revolves around food, elaborate programs, pageants, rodeos, parades, and sometimes carnivals. It’s a spectacular tradition of celebration that has been observed annually by most. The old-fashioned foods eaten at this largely outdoor gathering have not changed much from 1866, when the first celebrations took place, to now. They always include barbecue, fried chicken, tea cakes, red liquor or whiskey aged in barrels, soda and lemonade, and a host of other delicious foods. Fruits are also abundant: Strawberries snuggly folded into hand pie crusts, ripe and juicy sliced wedges of watermelons with a dash of salt. In my family, the tea cake was perfected by my grandmother, and that torch has been passed to my mother, Georgia. In keeping with the period that the cookies were first created, not many ingredients are required. Remember, things like butter and sugar were considered luxury goods in the 1800s, thus making them difficult to find. These cookies require fat (we always use a butter-flavored lard in our family) and very small amounts of buttermilk, sugar, egg and leavening agents.I share my stories through cooking, and everything I make always has a story behind it. Last year (prior to the Walmart Juneteenth ice cream debacle), I decided to do a spin on desserts we enjoyed during the summertime months with family at Juneteenth and other holidays. I created this “Ode to Juneteenth” ice cream as a celebration of my 5th generation Texas roots and as a love letter to my family. I hope you guys enjoy this deceptively easy no-churn ice cream with roasted strawberries for an intense yet complex flavor, candied Texas pecans as homage to the state, and our beloved crumbled tea cake. No ice cream maker required! You just need a hand mixer or stand mixer. (See recipe below.)Related:What is Juneteenth? The story behind the federal holiday with Texas rootsMr. Daniel. N. Leathers Sr., in a decorated carriage for a Juneteenth parade in 1900 in Austin. Leathers, born a slave in North Carolina in 1855, moved to Corpus Christi, became a successful merchant, and was involved in state politics. A public housing development in Corpus Christi named in his honor was demolished in 2017 to make way for the Harbor Bridge. Source: DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University(DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University)Juneteenth historySince Juneteenth has become a federal holiday and newcomers are anxious to embrace this longstanding Black Texas tradition, there’s still a lack of understanding of what the holiday actually is.It’s often incorrectly labeled as the “day all enslaved in America were free.” Not only is this inaccurate, but it does terrible harm in the long run, as it erases the true history of this symbolic date. Black Texans have a very unique culture, and Juneteenth celebrations and all of the pomposity that they entail are a special part of that.My own youthful observances of this day are tied to fond memories spent reciting poems, loudly singing the classic National Negro Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” — mandatory in Southern Black families — and gathering with my family to eat delicious spreads of barbecue while drinking a spicy Big Red pop. To strip us away of this traditional inheritance is akin to erasure of our individuality. To understand this specific occasion that is unique to Black Texans and to have a deeper more meaningful understanding of its significance to our families, requires us to travel back in time to 1865.On June 18, 1865, one day prior to the momentous day known as Juneteenth, U.S. Army Gen. Gordon Granger and some 2,000-plus African American soldiers landed on the shores of Galveston, Texas. At this time the island was a major port city, making it not only the largest city in Texas, but also one of the most visited places due to the island’s fortunes made as a major export hub for cotton. When they arrived, Granger swiftly set up camp at Ashton Villa, which was then briefly used as Union headquarters. They went to a local printing company and had several copies made of the now infamous Order #3. Granger’s words in the document would inform the enslaved men and women of their freedom.This was incredibly bittersweet, because although they were technically being liberated, Granger was very specific about what this would mean. And it did not mean total bodily autonomy. He requested that the enslaved were not to “linger” in the streets because strict vagrancy laws would be enforced to prevent the formerly enslaved from being lackadaisical. If Granger’s rule of not allowing loitering on the streets sounds familiar, it’s because this was foreshadowing of the impending Black Codes and the later Jim Crow Laws.Related:Listen to our special audio report: ‘Reckoning with Joppa’ Today, one of the only known copies of the official orders in existence is right here in Dallas at the Dallas Historical Society at the Hall of State Museum at Fair Park, which also holds special significance in Juneteenth history. Fair Park was once one of the three known locations formerly enslaved men and women would gather a year after Juneteenth to celebrate their freedom. Another gathering location was the Freedman community still in existence today, Joppa, which will be celebrating their 150th anniversary this year, on Saturday, June 18, 2022, at noon. Juneteenth is known by many different names, among them Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, to name a few. Each of the names leads back to the same historic description: it pays tribute to the day enslaved African Americans residing in Texas were emancipated. A recent trip to Galveston reveals that although Gen.Granger led the African American troops to deliver the message of liberation, there is no actual proof that Granger personally addressed the crowds on the steps of the famed Ashton Villa, which was then headquarters for the Union troops. Instead, most likely, it was the Black soldiers who marched around town delivering the messages to all who would listen while carefully tacking up numerous copies of Order #3 on nearby trees and posts. Since the first celebrations began springing up all over Texas in 1866, Dallas and Fort Worth have celebrated in many ways. An archived interview with the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” Dr. Opal Lee, reveals her reflections of this momentous holiday.Related:LISTEN: Juneteenth’s grandmother Opal Lee has 95 years of life lessonsCommon Juneteenth myths and misconceptions:* Juneteenth is not the oldest Emancipation Day that’s been celebrated. The record goes to Gallipolis, Ohio, which began celebrating in 1863.* The Juneteenth Order #3 document did not free all the slaves in America. The Emancipation Proclamation only freed what Lincoln wrote as the “rebellious” states. Two states, Kentucky and Delaware, continued enforcing slavery (legally), and this practice was not ended until the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865. * The state of Texas was wildly unregulated at the time. Some wealthy enslavers were well aware of this, and purposefully packed up and moved to Texas to avoid freeing their enslaved peoples after the Emancipation Proclamation was read on January 1, 1863. It is offensive to assume that because Texas’ enslaved population was not aware, that this was somehow tied to their intelligence or inability to understand the laws of this day. Even those who were aware of the Proclamation would not have had the capacity to liberate themselves without grave consequences. Ode to Juneteenth No-Churn Ice Cream by Deah Berry Mitchell(Deah Berry Mitchell)Ode to Juneteenth No-Churn Ice CreamThis is an extremely forgiving and adaptable recipe. Use the base and have some fun with different ingredients! I wanted to add basil initially because it pairs well with strawberries, but at the last minute the spirit of my ancestors told me this is what they would have wanted, and so I obliged. Lastly, I was afraid mine would get too cold, so I wrapped my entire 9×5 dish in cling wrap, then placed inside a freezer bag, then wrapped that in foil. I’m not sure if it was overkill or not, but I was happy with the results.2 cups strawberries (stems removed)1 to 1 1/2 cups candied pecans (store-bought or easy recipe here)2 cups heavy whipping cream1 can condensed milkAbout 4-5 crushed tea cakes (or shortbread cookies)Divide strawberries and place approximately 1 cup (or a handful) in oven with a drizzle of olive oil and bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. Take the remaining 1 cup of strawberries and chop or dice and place in separate container.When the roasted strawberries are sizzling, have started releasing their juices, and smell fragrant, remove from oven and puree on high in blender until smooth. Set aside.Beat the heavy whipping cream in a mixer until stiff peaks form. Very gently. fold in condensed milk and pureed strawberries to whipped cream. Add candied pecans and crushed tea cakes.Pour mixture into a container (I used a 9×5 dish) and leave it in the freezer for about 6 hours.Eat in a cone or bowl! | US Federal Policies |
A worrisome sign for the Federal Reserve is starting to emerge.
The Fed keeps a close eye on several risks that could make its job of taming inflation even more difficult, such as red-hot consumer demand keeping some upward pressure on prices and the possible effects of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on oil prices.
But the US central bank also pays close attention to whether Americans still have faith inflation will eventually return to normal. That faith seems to be eroding.
The University of Michigan’s latest consumer survey released Friday showed that Americans’ long-run inflation expectations rose to 3.2% this month, the highest level since 2011.
And those perceptions could continue to get worse the longer it takes the Fed get inflation back to its 2% target. Fed officials don’t expect inflation to reach 2% until 2026, according to their latest economic projections released in September.
If there’s one thing that would make the Fed quake in its boots, it would be worsening inflation expectations.
“If we find that consumers or businesses are really starting to feel like that long-term level of inflation … is creeping up, if that’s their expectation, we’ve got to act and we’ve got to get that under control,” Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic told Bloomberg earlier this month.
If Americans lose faith that inflation can ever return to normal that would prompt the Fed to tighten monetary policy even more — either by raising interest rates or keeping them elevated for much longer than expected.
“I worked at the Fed for six years and if inflation expectations are drifting higher and they’re not under control, the Fed absolutely will act,” Luke Tilley, chief economist at Wilmington Trust Investment Advisors, told CNN.
“That is the one thing that gives them trouble sleeping at night. They don’t lose sleep over recessions because they come and go, but they do lose sleep over long-term inflation expectations drifting higher,” he said.
It’s unclear if inflation expectations will continue to worsen, and the Fed looks at a broad range of surveys, not just the University of Michigan’s. But the university’s survey is one of the most closely watched by investors and economists.
The Fed specifically focuses on long-run inflation expectations and Fed Chair Jerome Powell makes it a point to mention the state of Americans’ inflation perceptions at every news conference after officials set monetary policy (which happens eight times a year.)
During his most recent post-meeting presser earlier this month after officials voted to hold rates steady, Powell said “longer-term inflation expectations appear to remain well anchored.”
But the clock is ticking, inflation remains well above 2% and some economists believe the last mile of the Fed’s inflation fight might be the most difficult.
“I remain willing to support raising the federal funds rate at a future meeting should the incoming data indicate that progress on inflation has stalled or is insufficient to bring inflation down to 2% in a timely way,” Fed Governor Michelle Bowman, one the Fed’s most hawkish officials, said last week at a New York Bankers Association forum in Palm Beach, Florida.
The keyword there is “timely.”
Sticky inflation could possibly “un-anchor” inflation expectations or elicit a consistent deterioration in Americans’ perception on inflation. But it’s unclear how long it would take for persistently high inflation to cause that.
Tilley said “the Fed is being way too pessimistic” in expecting inflation not to reach 2% until 2026.
At the end of the day, the Fed just needs to maintain confidence that the inflation monster will someday go away, and inflation’s steady slowdown over the past year has so far helped in that regard, according to the New York Fed.
A recent analysis from the bank on consumers’ perspectives on inflation showed that “consumers today know enough about the Federal Reserve to recognize its policies as the most important factor behind the recent and expected future decline in inflation.”
The Fed perhaps just needs to continue to prove that it is making progress in its historic inflation fight.
“I think 2% is just a number because what’s more meaningful is the direction of travel rather than where they get to before the trip is over,” Drew Matus, chief market strategist at MetLife Investment Management, told CNN. “The Fed really just wants people to not expect inflation will run at 4% forever.”
So what’s kept inflation expectations in check this long? Matus said it might just be nostalgia.
“People want to believe the future will be like the good old past because it’s something that the brain can get itself around,” he said. “They’re trying to actualize their memory when things were more affordable and what the Fed really has to watch out for is the risk of a shock to inflation right now.”
IRS announces new income tax brackets
If you are someone who likes to plan ahead on your taxes, the IRS this week released the new inflation-adjusted income tax brackets and standard deduction amounts that will be in effect for tax year 2024.
Translation: These are the numbers that will be relevant to the tax return most Americans will file in early 2025, my colleague Jeanne Sahadi reports.
The IRS makes inflation adjustments annually to tax brackets, the standard deduction and some other tax breaks.
For individuals and married people filing separately, the new federal standard deduction will increase to $14,600, up from $13,850 this year.
For married couples filing jointly, the standard deduction will rise to $29,200, up from $27,700 currently.
And for people who file as head of household, the standard deduction will be $21,900, up from $20,800 today.
Most filers claim the standard deduction. Others will itemize their deductions because taken together, they add up to more than the standard deduction.
For example, if you are a single filer and your mortgage interest, charitable contributions and allowable portion of your state and local incomes taxes come to more than $14,600 in 2024, you likely would itemize your deductions to save more on your taxes.
Up Next
Monday: Earnings from Tyson Foods. Fed Governor Lisa Cook delivers remarks.
Tuesday: Earnings from Home Depot. The US Labor Department releases its Consumer Price Index for October. Fed officials Phillip Jefferson, Michael Barr, Loretta Mester, and Austan Goolsbee deliver remarks. The National Federation of Independent Business releases its Small Business Optimism Index for October. China’s National Bureau of Statistics releases October data on industrial production, retail sales, fixed-asset investment and its unemployment rate for that month.
Wednesday: Earnings from Target. The UK’s Office for National Statistics releases October inflation data. The US Labor Department releases its Producer Price Index for October. The US Commerce Department releases October retail sales figures. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr delivers remarks.
Thursday: Earnings from Walmart, Macy’s and Gap. The US Labor Department reports the number of initial jobless claims in the week ended November 11, along with export and import prices in October. The Federal Reserve releases October figures on industrial production. The National Association of Home Builders releases its Housing Market Index for November. Fed officials Lisa Cook, Michael Barr, Loretta Mester, John Williams and Christopher Waller deliver remarks.
Friday: The US Commerce Department releases October data on housing starts and building permits. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly delivers remarks. | US Federal Policies |
CNN — Amazon said Thursday it plans to hire 150,000 new employees across the United States to meet demand ahead of the busy holiday shopping season. The openings, which include full-time, seasonal and part-time roles, range from packing and picking to sorting and shipping, the company said. The announcement comes just days before Amazon is set to hold another Prime Day shopping event. Amazon ramps up hiring each holiday season, but this year it is doing so in a tight labor market and with rising inflation putting more pressure on companies to raise wages. Last week, Amazon said it would raise hourly wages for warehouse and delivery workers. With the increase, Amazon employees can, on average, earn more than $19 an hour based on the position and location in the United States, up from an average of $18 previously. On Thursday, the company said it will provide additional sign-on bonuses for the newly announced holiday positions, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 in select locations. Some of the states with the highest number of jobs available include California, Illinois, Texas. The hiring news also comes amid multiple high-profile unionization drives at Amazon warehouses, including at facilities in Alabama and New York. The Amazon Labor Union secured a historic victory in forming the first US labor union at a facility in Staten Island, New York earlier this year. Next week, workers at a separate facility near Albany, New York, are slated to vote to join the same grassroots worker group. | Labor Activism |
Last week’s explosion at a Texas natural gas terminal Freeport LNG has injected further chaos into international energy markets as the U.S. has stepped up to replace Russian gas exports to Europe. Experts said Friday that while the facility is offline, it will likely keep about 1.33 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per day off the market for the next three weeks. Before the explosion, it had a daily capacity of about 2 Bcf. On Tuesday, the facility lengthened the forecasted shutdown period, saying it was aiming for a partial restart in 90 days, with full-service restoration not expected until late 2022. Freeport, which said no one was injured in the incident, has attributed the explosion to a fire caused by the rupture of an over-pressurized pipeline. This “will contribute to a possible tightening of the market as it coincides with some Asian and South American buyers coming to market for volumes,” said Eugene Kim, research director for American Gas at the energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. “Global gas prices, not surprisingly, settled higher Thursday. The disruption could support prices through summer if it continues.” The incident, which remains under investigation, comes at a pivotal moment for U.S. natural gas production in the international market. The European Union sanctioned Russia’s gas industry in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result, European nations have grown increasingly reliant on the U.S. to make up the difference. And the EU’s final agreement on an embargo of Russian oil, reached in early June, is likely to further heighten the need. Natural gas prices plummeted Tuesday after the extension of the timeline. American natural gas dropped about 16 percent to $7.22 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). Meanwhile, European gas prices increased by about 21 percent. Before the invasion, Russia was the number three LNG exporter to Europe, after the U.S. and Qatar. While the U.S. was already the top exporter, the Biden administration in March announced a deal with the EU to step up exports to replace about one-third of those coming from Russia. Mike Sommers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, said on a press call Tuesday that even in the absence of the Freehold terminal, other LNG producers may be able to fill in the gap. “In the meantime, there are a lot of other companies that are coming online right now, like Venture Global and a couple of others as well,” Sommers said. “And we’re hopeful that they’ll be able to fill the need for more LNG than Europe is going to require, replace Russian natural gas coming into the country, into the continent of Europe.” However, API Senior VP of Policy, Economics and Regulatory Affairs Frank Macchiarola added that Freeport is “a significant location” for LNG production. “It’s about 17 to 18 percent of our current capacity, so that certainty is important in the tight market that we face right now,” he said. In a commentary after the explosion, energy analysis firm Rystad Energy noted that LNG exports from the Freeport facility were already down from 2 to 1.35 Bcfd by Friday morning, even before the shutdown impacted the numbers. Rystad analysts added that the explosion and resultant shutdown indicate the risk factors and unpredictability of the market. “Although Rystad Energy expects utilization rates in the US to stay close to 100%, any weather driven event or prolonged periods of maintenance always pose a risk that could cause plant downtime,” the commentary stated. “The explosion at Freeport LNG is one such example of unexpected events that could potentially cause reduced production and a loss in shipments in an already strapped market.” Freeport sent about 85 of its total delivered volumes to Europe in April and 78 percent in May, a major increase from historical levels, according to Rystad. However, even since imports increased, the plant was only sending about 10 percent of Europe’s total imports, Rystad experts said. “Europe will feel the effects but should be able to offset the lost volumes with increases from other facilities in the US and other countries,” Emily McClain, Rystad’s vice president for North American Gas Markets, told The Hill in an email. “[I]t is unlikely the plant will fully shut down, as this can have further negative impacts on the facility. This small volume is likely being circulated to maintain operations and can be sent to storage if necessary.” In the meantime, however, the loss of output from Freeport is likely to further constrain supply in a market where demand is already high from the Ukrainian conflict. American LNG exports have surged since 2016, a period when they went from nearly non-existent to the U.S leading in exports. “The United States is exporting every molecule of natural gas we possibly can,” Samantha Gross, director of the Brookings Institution’s Energy Security and Climate Initiative, told The Hill in April. Demand was already high enough before the invasion of Ukraine that U.S. LNG production was nearly maxed out. “There’s not a ton of extra LNG capacity just sitting there waiting to supply Europe,” she said. | US Federal Policies |
National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said Monday that the administration and federal agencies should prioritize transforming the way they approach and invest in cybersecurity, as previous efforts have “not worked.” Ingles was speaking at cyber summit hosted by The Information Technology Industry Council on ways the public and private sector can combat cyber threats. “I think that everything else that we have tried, as nobly intended, has not worked,” Inglis said. “And so in order for us to then change the nature of the game, I think that we have to crowdsource the adversaries the way they’ve crowdsourced us,” he added. Crowdsourcing refers to bringing together actors to defend against a threat or attack a target. The Hill has reached out to Inglis’ office for more details on his comments. Inglis also said that despite some improvements in cyberspace over the years, the U.S. government still has a long way to go to compete with its adversaries. The Biden administration and some lawmakers have places a renewed focus on cybersecurity following major disruptions including the war in Ukraine, the SolarWinds hack and the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. The Biden administration handed down an executive order last year aimed at improving the nation’s cybersecurity through initiatives including threat information sharing between the government and the private sector, modernizing federal government cybersecurity standards and improving software supply chain security. At the summit, Inglis said the needed transformation will be built upon both government initiatives and better collaboration with the private sector. “That transformation is going to be built on the back of real work,” Inglis said. “And outside [the government], we’re kind of pushing hard for the government to stand up to its role to collaborate with the private sector,” he added. In a recent congressional hearing, cyber officials said they have made progress on securing federal networks through methods like two-factor authentification and encryption, though they too conceded there was more work to be done. Inglis also warned Monday that cyberattacks, including ransomware, are enduring threats that will continue to persist and adapt. He said he’s had conversations with people asking “when can we stop” defending the country against cyber threats. “And unfortunately, the answer is we’ll never not defend ourselves in cyberspace,” Inglis said. “The cost of entry for aggressors at this point is still far too low for us to essentially assume that this is over. And therefore, we need… to continue to defend ourselves,” he added. | US Federal Policies |
CNN — The Biden administration is facilitating an additional shipment of infant formula on Thursday, the White House announced, transporting specialty formula from Switzerland to the US through ongoing “Operation Fly Formula” efforts as the federal government continues to work to address the shortage. The administration, the White House said in a statement obtained first by CNN, is sourcing a flight “facilitated by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for Operation Fly Formula to transport Nestlé infant formula from Switzerland to Louisville, Kentucky, on June 16.” That shipment, the White House said, will include more than 44,000 pounds of Nestlé Health Science Alfamino and Alfamino Junior specialty formula. That supply “will be available primarily through a distribution pipeline serving hospitals, home health companies, and WIC programs around the U.S.,” per the White House. Even as the government airlifts tons of formula in from other countries and baby formula manufacturer Abbott Nutrition reopens a factory that once produced a significant amount of the powdered formula sold in the United States, getting regular supply back to retailers could take weeks, with some estimates from stakeholders that there might not be relief until mid-July. The Abbott baby formula manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michigan, shut down in February and reopened earlier this month. The shortage has affected millions of families across the country and left the Biden administration scrambling to figure out what went wrong after clear miscommunication and mishandling by the US Food and Drug Administration. Thursday’s flight from Switzerland to Kentucky will mark the seventh Operation Fly Formula flight, the White House said, and by June 19, those flights “will have imported nearly 13 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents of infant formula.” | US Federal Policies |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! It didn't take long. It took, well, about a year and a half for the Biden administration to destroy the American economy and drive this nation into a recession. Now, the Biden administration won't admit that we're in a recession. In fact, they've actually redefined the word "recession" just as they've redefined the words "democracy," "racism" and "woman," but you don't need to know what the word is to know what is happening. If you live here, you see it every single day. We're in a recession. The economy has been shrinking all year. Real wages are at record lows and at the same time, inflation is the highest it's been in the lifetime of most Americans. So, call it whatever you want, but it's a recession and it's scary and they're ignoring it. We're going to spend the next hour investigating how exactly this happened. How did they tank the economy so fast and what does it mean? To get to the answers to those questions, we're going to speak to people who have actual credibility on economics and that emphatically does not include our most highly credentialed economists, people who, like the public health experts we've watched the last two and a half years, have thoroughly beclowned and discredited themselves. A year ago, right about the time he told us that vaccines will absolutely prevent you from getting or transmitting COVID, Joe Biden was asked about, "Hey, what happens if we go into a recession?" In response, as he invariably does, Joe Biden invoked highly credentialed experts. Watch this. CLAIMS OF A BIDEN COMEBACK IN THE MEDIA? 'THE FIVE' RESPONDS PRESIDENT BIDEN: We also know that as our economy has come roaring back. We see some price increases. Some folks have raised worries that this could be a sign of persistent inflation, but that's not our view. Our experts believe, and the data shows, that most of the price increases we've seen were expected and are expected to be temporary. President Biden speaks about inflation and supply chain issues in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)Every word read off a teleprompter. A decade from now, we're going to see tape like that and think, "I cannot believe that man was the president of the United States." But consider what his handlers wrote for him. The experts Biden was referring to are, in fact, some of the most well-credentialed figures in all of academic economics. In fact, two months later, in September of last year, 17 winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics signed a letter urging Joe Biden to spend as much money as possible and we're quoting "The Build Back Better package," they wrote, "will transform the U.S. economy to be more efficient without presenting an inflationary threat." So, go ahead and spend more money, create it out of thin air, print it and there's no chance you'll get inflation. Winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics said that. If you took Econ 101, you're laughing at that. By the way, it wasn't just them. The chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, said the same thing. "The incoming data are very consistent with the view that inflation will move down toward our goals," Powell said. It's like idiotic, and it turned out not to be true. Now, the remarkable thing, the way you know this isn't simply incompetence, they did this on purpose, is what happened when these so-called experts were exposed as frauds, which they are. Not a single one of these eminent Nobel Prize-winning economists ever apologized for the letter they wrote or even explained how they got it wrong. They're still saying the same thing — spend more money, and it won't affect inflation because when you have much more of something, it's worth the same. BIDEN ADMIN QUIETLY APPROVES CONSTRUCTION OF U.S.-MEXICO BORDER WALL NEAR YUMA, ARIZONA Oh, because supply and demand isn't real. They're all saying this to the extent they're even paying attention. Most of them aren't. They're way off into lifestyle liberal-land, like they all are. They're worried about trans rights. The St .Louis Fed, for example, one of the most important financial institutions in the United State, one of the banks that make up the central bank, they've been conducting studies about what? About what monetary policy would be best to avoid complete economic collapse? Well, you'd think so. That's their job, but that's not what they've been doing. Instead, for the past month, (We're not making this up) the St. Louis Fed has been meditating on equity, a term that no one can really define, but clearly means your life, Mr. and Mrs. American, is about to get much worse. So, just as Joe Biden audibly took office, equity is now the top priority of the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis. Again, books will be written about this years from now and no one believe it actually happened, but it's real. Take a look at their website. Some of the top articles on the website, on the blog of the St. Louis Fed include, "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to COVID-19 Relief," "COVID-19 Disruption by race, Ethnicity and Geography," "The Role of Diversity in Public Institutions," and "Reducing Racial Employment Gaps for Young Adults Without College Education." Again, this is not a syllabus from the sociology department at Brandeis. This is the Fed. These are the people in charge of our monetary policy who are supposed to be keeping America from collapsing. But they're ignoring their actual job in favor of pretending that they're professors at Brandeis. CHINA ACCUSES WHITE HOUSE OF LYING ABOUT BIDEN BRINGING UP GENOCIDE, FORCED LABOR WITH XI It's lunatic and they're still talking this way. In April, well after it was very clear inflation was not transitory, Janet Yellen, the treasury secretary, former head of the Fed, someone who should be charged for what she did to the U.S. economy, gave a speech not about the U.S. economy. She's the Treasury Secretary. No, but about climate change and why climate change is more important than saving the United States. We're quoting, "We must redouble our efforts to decarbonize our economies," Yellen said at an address at the Atlantic Council. Keep in mind, Janet Yellen doesn't know anything about climate. She can't drive a standard transmission. She knows nothing about the material world, but there she is, spouting off on climate change and decarbonizing, reading every stupid, faddish talking point the Atlantic Council audience wanted to hear about and she's still doing it. We're in a slow-down, she said on Sunday, and it's not affecting too many sectors of the economy, says Janet Yellen. Watch. JANET YELLEN: This is not an economy that's in recession, but we're in a period of transition in which growth is slowing, and that's necessary and appropriate, and we need to be growing at a steady and sustainable pace. So, there is a slowdown and businesses can see that, and that's appropriate given that people now have jobs and we have a strong labor market, but you don't see any of the signs now. A recession is a broad-based contraction that affects many sectors of the economy. We just don't have that. TREASURY SEC. JANET YELLEN ACKNOWLEDGES ECONOMIC ‘SLOWDOWN’ BUT DOWNPLAYS RECESSION FEARS U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she was wrong about the path of inflation after months of downplaying the issue. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)Okay. Let's be clear. Janet Yellen is a completely incompetent affirmative-action hire who did profound generational damage to the United States during her time running the Fed. Now, she's doing the same while running the Treasury Department and yet no one ever calls her on it. The things she says don't make sense. She can't even predict inflation when every single other person in the country knew it was coming based on the federal government's spending patterns. Keep spending money. That's what she's still saying. Everyone in the Biden administration is saying that. In May, the head of USAID, Samantha Power—she's back— declared that worldwide fertilizer shortage is actually a good thing. Starvation is a good thing because that means fewer carbon emissions. Never let a crisis go to waste, she said. She actually said that. NEW YORK TIMES COLUMN CLAIMS WE ARE NOT IN A RECESSION, NEWS ON INFLATION IS ‘ENCOURAGING’ Inside the White House, no one's even pretending to care as the U.S. economy falls apart. They're not worried about the oil supply. In fact, they're selling our oil to our main global rival, China. They're not worried about the stock market. They couldn't tell you what's up or down. They cannot even define a recession. The one thing they're sure of is everything's fine, except for the trans community, which is suffering under your bigotry. Here's our press secretary. KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: And nothing has changed on how we see the stock market. We do not. That's not something that we keep an eye on every day. REPORTER: What is the latest update the White House has received on the current formula situation across the country? KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Let me see if I have anything new for you on that. THE HOME DEPOT CO-FOUNDER STANDS BY 'RECESSION' LABEL: 'THE ECONOMY IS RECEDING' REPORTER: Does the president mind that some of this oil that was meant to ease the pain for consumers is headed overseas? KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: I have not seen that report, so I would honestly have to go look into it and see what the truth is in that statement that you just laid out and see exactly what's happening. I just have not seen that report. REPORTER: Is he adamant that there is not going to be recession? KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, it's not our definition. Right. We're talking about a definition from NBER. REPORTER: And what is exactly the White House's definition of a recession? KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Again, we don't, we don't, I'm not going to define it from here. KILMEADE ROASTS BIDEN FOR REMARKS ON INFLATION, RECESSION: HOW CAN HE SAY THIS WITH A STRAIGHT FACE? We're not going to define a recession. We're not going to acknowledge it's even happening, and so they're not and no one's forcing them to. That's what they're saying. This is untenable. Unless you're an utterly partisan economist, you have to acknowledge what's happening. But those highly credentialed are not acknowledging it. They're blaming Putin. They're blaming January 6 and of course, on the basic point of whether the economy is in trouble, there are very few people left to deny it. GAYLE KING, CBS JULY 19: The threat of an economic downturn is shaking up consumers and small business owners. A recent survey taken by Goldman Sachs found 93%, 93% of small businesses, fear a recession. LARRY SUMMERS, CNN JULY 24: I think there's a very high likelihood of recession. When we've been in this kind of situation before, recession has essentially always followed. PAUL KRUGMAN, MSNBC JULY 21: We did, in fact, end up with what is clearly an overheated economy and the effect of that overheating on inflation was bigger than this past experience would have led us to believe. NOURIEL ROUBINI, BLOOMBERG JULY 25: I think there are many reasons why we're going to have a severe recession and a severe debt and financial crisis. Debt ratios are historically high. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP So, if Larry Summers, who literally blamed the insurrection on January 6 for inflation, and Paul Krugman, who's been wrong about everything, humiliates himself weekly in The New York Times, if they're admitting that actually the economy is in trouble, then there's really no denying it. You can't deny it. We've reached the limit of denial. Take a look at this chart. Notice that right before the 2008 recession, the consumer price index was surging just as it is now. Prices went up until the crash, so they always crash. Why does that happen? What happens? For a simple reason. Goods become too expensive for people to buy and then GDP collapses. The IMF is sending out warning signals as well. They now predict a global recession as soon as next year. What happens then? Tucker Carlson currently serves as the host of FOX News Channel’s (FNC) Tucker Carlson Tonight (weekdays 8PM/ET). He joined the network in 2009 as a contributor. | US Federal Policies |
Paul Morigi / Getty Images for March for Our Lives Participants hold signs during March for Our Lives 2022 on June 11 in Washington, DC. On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators across the US took to the streets to protest against gun violence, calling for stricter gun measures after a recent slew of mass shootings that have killed hundreds in the past month alone — including the horrifying Uvalde, Texas, school shooting on May 24 that left 19 children and two teachers dead.Over 40,000 people gathered for the March for Our Lives 2022 movement, an organization representative told BuzzFeed News. Educators were among some of the key speakers and protesters at rallies across the nation, as school shootings have become an increasingly recurring tragedy in the country. In a statement to BuzzFeed News, the National Education Association said it saw more participation from teachers in this year's rally than in previous years.“Please arm us with books, resources, and school counselors and not bulletproof vests,” a teacher said while speaking at the Hartford, Connecticut, rally. Emily Mayer, 29, a middle school teacher who marched in Beaufort, South Carolina, told BuzzFeed News that she felt protesting against gun violence was a necessary step to ensure that her voice was heard.“Every single day, we have a new headline about [how] gun violence has taken lives out of our communities,” Mayer said. “As a teacher, I consistently wonder which day will be the day my students will be impacted. Politicians continue to ignore the root cause of the problem but are trying to put Band-Aids on the issue.” Courtesy Emily Mayer Emily Mayer, a middle school teacher, protested gun violence in South Carolina on June 11. In Oxford, Michigan, where a shooter killed four high schoolers in November, social studies teacher Lauren Jasinski spoke to the crowd about how gun violence left a deep mark on the community.“We must demand more,” Jasinski said. “School needs to be a safe and beautiful place. We wear orange for Hana, Justin, Madisyn, and Tate, but also for the thousands of lives that were forever changed by this tragedy.” Peter Lynch, 37, a high school teacher in Washington, DC, told BuzzFeed News that his students and fellow teachers are the reasons he went out to march.“I went to school during Columbine,” Lynch said. “I’ve had students who were shocked by Parkland, became politically active. Now they’re graduating college. It shouldn’t be a generational experience. I’ve also had students traumatized by gun violence in the city, and it’s all become too much. It wouldn’t be right for me to congratulate and encourage them and then stay home.”Gun violence has become an intrinsic part of American life. In the days prior to the devastating massacre in Uvalde, a shooter killed 10 people inside a Buffalo, New York, grocery store. Churchgoers in Laguna Beach, California, were shot at in the same week. Just this past week, three pedestrians on a Philadelphia street were killed and 11 injured, while another shooter was arrested in Oklahoma for opening fire in a hospital, killing four.In the wake of the Uvalde Robb Elementary School shooting, people remembered those whose lives were lost at Marjory Stonewall High School, Sandy Hook Elementary, Oxford High School, and Santa Fe High School. Mayer, the middle school teacher in South Carolina, said that gun violence and the regularity of school shootings have made schools feel unsafe for both students and educators.“You can tell there’s a heightened sense of concern and alertness,” she told BuzzFeed News. “We’re out for the summer, but that final week, everyone was much more on edge.”From his classroom, Lynch expressed an admiration for how resilient his students are.“They are exhausted from all of this, I sense, but they keep going too, and show some deep reservoirs of strength amidst everything going on,” he said. “Which they shouldn’t have to. But they do.”Many educators at Saturday's protests also fought against the idea of arming teachers — something Republicans and conservatives have frequently proposed in the wake of school shootings. Spencer Platt / Getty Images People march across the Brooklyn Bridge to protest against gun violence in the March for Our Lives rally on June 11 in New York City. Mayer told BuzzFeed News that the discussion of providing teachers with guns concerned her as an educator and that it would be a "catastrophic decision."“I’m extremely concerned that the repercussion of this moment is that the narrative of arming teachers will gain traction and will be acted upon,” she said. “I believe that would be a catastrophic decision and will result in more child trauma and death.” today i met carol, she has been a public elementary school teacher for thirty years. carol and i march in dallas, tx for all of our students’ lives. #MarchForOurLives because of people like carol, we will #EndGunViolence 05:38 PM - 11 Jun 2022 Twitter: @mrcrgalloway “I think students and teachers have a range of emotions, from feeling dejected, angry, powerless, through to being empowered, motivated, hopeful, and determined to bring about reform,” said Lynch, the Washington, DC, teacher. “I always have hope that when our young people raise their voices, they have great power to do good.” | Civil Rights Activism |
Lawyer who argued against Dobbs said consequences will be 'swift and severe'Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Supreme Court's decision to end 50 years of federal abortion rights "takes away an individual personal liberty" and warned that it will affect other important issues. "Its impact is going to reverberate beyond abortion no matter what the majority tried to say about that," she said at a news conference Friday afternoon. "Generations of people have relied on this right and they’ll now be thrown into a world without it. I can’t emphasize enough what a cataclysmic change this will be, how much chaos we will see in the coming days and month," added Julie Rikelman, the center's litigation director, who in December argued against the Dobbs case. "The impact of this ruling truly will be swift and severe."Northup — who successfully argued the 2016 Whole Woman’s Health case which banned Texas from replacing restrictions on abortion services — said that Friday's ruling puts at risk the right to use contraception and the right to gay marriage. "The Supreme Court, having done something it’s never done before, which is take away an individual personal liberty, it has never done that in its history, and it can’t be underestimated about what that means," she said, adding: "And the decision is also the biggest setback to women’s rights, I would say in United States history."Hawley predicts overturn of Roe will bolster Republicans' Electoral College advantageSen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., predicted on a conference call with reporters on Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling would ultimately lead to an exodus of Democratic voters from red and purple states, bolstering a Republican advantage in the Electoral College.“I really do think that this is going to be a watershed moment in American politics,” he said, adding “I think we will see a major sorting out across the country that is already underway, as we speak, as states move to change their laws or adopt new laws in response to this decision.”He predicted the ruling would inform voters’ decisions on what jobs to take, where to locate their families and would “probably redraw some demographic lines around the country and will lead to impacts in voting patterns, I think all around the country.”“And I would predict that the effect is going to be that more and more red states, they’re going to become more red, purple states are going to become red and the blue states are going to get a lot bluer,” he added. “And I would look for Republicans, as a result of this, to extend their strength in the Electoral College. And that’s very good news for those of us who want to see Republican presidents elected, they want to see a Supreme Court that remains conservative.”As for whether federal legislators should consider national restrictions on abortion rights in light of the Dobbs ruling, Hawley said “it would be appropriate for us to consider legislation where there is a national consensus,” adding he would like to see voters weigh in at the individual state level first.U.S. companies tell workers their benefits include travel costs for abortionsAntonio Planas27m ago / 6:46 PM UTCSome of the country’s biggest companies — including Paramount, Disney, Amazon and Netflix — are telling employees that their benefits include travel costs for abortions.In a memo provided to NBC News, Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount Global, and Chief People Officer Nancy Phillips said the corporation supports health care choices made by its employees.“This includes the reproductive health and family-building benefits that helps make our company a welcoming place to work.” One of the benefits listed in the memo was travel costs for “elective abortion care.”A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to NBC News the company offers travel reimbursement coverage for full-time U.S. employees and their dependents who need to travel to get an abortion. The lifetime allowance for each employee is $10,000, according to the spokesperson.Disney confirmed to Reuters it also covers travel cost for employees who need reproductive care, including to obtain an abortion. Disney employs about 80,000 people at Walt Disney World resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a 15-week abortion ban. The law is scheduled to take effect July 1.Other corporations such as Amazon.com, Citigroup and Levi Strauss & Co., have publicly pledged to pay for employees' travel to obtain abortions, Reuters reported.Former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe says he hopes Roe ruling will motivate baseFormer Democratic National Committee Chair and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe reacted to Friday's decision by saying he hoped the verdict would boost turnout in the upcoming elections.“If this doesn’t energize women to come out and vote, I don’t know what will," he said. "For 50 years people talked about Roe being overturned. Well, guess what? It has now happened. ""There’s a shock value to it," he added." If this doesn’t mobilize folks to come out and talk bout how important elections are, and how people can’t sit at home, and how elections really do matter, this has proven the case ... This and the Jan. 6 stuff is having an impact. So, obviously, with Roe and all this debate on guns, we do have some things that motivate our base.”In furious dissent, Supreme Court’s liberal wing slams ‘draconian’ abortion decisionIn a scathing dissent to the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday that overturned Roe v. Wade and wiped out the constitutional guarantee of abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the “draconian” opinion as a decision that will undeniably curtail women’s rights and turn back “their status as free and equal citizens.”The lengthy joint dissent written by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan repeatedly slammed the court’s “cavalier” conservative majority for exercising “hypocrisy” in the way they interpret the Constitution. The justices predicted myriad terrible — and possibly deadly — consequences for women, particularly low-income women and women of color, in need of abortion care.Frequently, and with searing language, they concluded that the court’s majority had deemed that women are not deserving of equal protection under the law.Read more here.McConnell calls the ruling 'courageous and correct'Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., celebrated the ruling Friday, calling it “courageous and correct” and a "historic victory for the Constitution and for the most vulnerable in our society.”In a statement, the GOP leader argued that more than 90% of Europe restricts abortion after 15 weeks but "every state in America has been forced to allow it more than a month past that, after a baby can feel pain, yawn, stretch, and suck his or her thumb.""The Court has corrected a terrible legal and moral error, like when Brown v. Board overruled Plessy v. Ferguson," he continued. "The Justices applied the Constitution. They carefully weighed the complex factors regarding precedent. The Court overturned mistaken rulings that even liberals have long admitted were incoherent, restoring the separation of powers. I commend the Court for its impartiality in the face of attempted intimidation."As majority leader in 2017, McConnell led Republicans in eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, allowing them to be confirmed in a simple majority vote rather than a supermajority. The move led to the confirmations of former President Donald Trump's three Supreme Court picks: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, all of whom sided with Justice Samuel Alito in overturning Roe. Defense secretary says Pentagon examining Supreme Court decisionThe Pentagon will "closely" examine the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and "evaluate our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said."Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families," he said in a statement. "I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force."Hillary Clinton says ruling overturning Roe will 'live in infamy'Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Friday that the Supreme Court's ruling will "live in infamy." "Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she said in a tweet. "Today’s Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women’s rights and human rights."Clinton, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state, then linked to a webpage that asks for donations to three major abortion rights groups.Oklahoma's GOP AG allows trigger law outlawing abortions to take effectOklahoma's Republican attorney general, John O'Connor, praised the Supreme Court's ruling and said he has certified it, allowing the state's trigger law outlawing abortions to take effect. In a letter, O'Connor certified "that Roe and Casey have been overruled such that Oklahoma may prohibit abortion on demand," according to the attorney general's office. "In that letter, he also indicated that he would begin efforts immediately to enforce Oklahoma’s abortion prohibitions, especially the one found in Section 861 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes," the office said. That section of the statute says that anyone who administers the "miscarriage" of a woman or by prescribing, advising or procuring medication or drugs will be guilty of a felony that could result in a sentence of two to five years in prison. O'Connor's letter says that his certification will also allow Oklahoma to enforce any similar statute prohibiting abortion throughout pregnancy. Taylor Swift reacts to Roe reversal: 'I'm absolutely terrified'Grammy-winning pop star Taylor Swift, who has become increasingly vocal about political issues in recent years, tweeted Friday that she was "absolutely terrified that this is where we are" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Swift offered her thoughts in response to a statement from former first lady Michelle Obama, who wrote that she was "heartbroken today."Trump takes credit for 'biggest WIN for Life in a generation'Former President Donald Trump, who campaigned on limiting abortion rights and appointed three Supreme Court justices, took credit for Friday's decision in a statement.Calling it "the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation," Trump said the Roe ruling and "other decisions" recently announced "were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised."All three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted with the majority in overturning Roe. Anti-abortion advocates celebrate Friday in front of the Supreme Court.Frank Thorp V / NBC NewsThough Trump was known to have more socially liberal positions as a private citizen, he won favor with Republican activists by vowing during his 2016 campaign to choose justices from a pre-selected list of conservatives.Sen. Kennedy praises reversal of Roe v. Wade: 'They did their work'Tat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 5:24 PM UTCSen. John Kennedy, R-La., released a statement Friday that praised the justices for overturning Roe. v. Wade despite attempts to protest the decision. Rep. Cheney says she has always been 'pro-life,' ruling returns power to the statesRep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who has bucked her party by denouncing former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, indicated Friday that she supports the Supreme Court's ruling."I have always been strongly pro-life," she said in a tweet. "Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court returns power to the states and the people of the states to address the issue of abortion under state law."Biden says no violence, urges people to 'keep all protests peaceful'President Joe Biden on Friday urged people to "keep all protests peaceful" in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. "I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful," he said during a White House speech, reiterating: "Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable." Hundreds of demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court following the historic decision with some abortion rights supporters chanting: "We won’t go back! We won’t go back! My body, my choice!"The crowd outside the court has continued to grow but has remained relatively peaceful. "Threats and intimidation are not speech," Biden said. "We must stand against violence in any form regardless of your rationale." 'People will die because of this decision,' Rep. Ocasio-Cortez saysAntonio Planas2h ago / 5:07 PM UTCRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Friday the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will make abortions more dangerous and result in deaths.“Overturning Roe and outlawing abortions will never make them go away. It only makes them more dangerous, especially for the poor + marginalized," she tweeted. "People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America.”Anti-abortion Democratic Rep. Cuellar says Roe decision leaves issues up to the statesTexas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lone anti-abortion Democrat in the House, said Friday his position has not changed."We'll let the states make this decision now," he said. Asked by NBC News about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the Supreme Court's decision, which she said was "cruel," Cuellar said, "Everybody has their opinion, including the speaker."Cuellar said that while he was in the minority in his caucus, he is not in his district.WHO’s Tedros disappointed by Roe v. Wade decisionReuters2h ago / 4:59 PM UTCThe head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was very disappointed by the overturning of Roe v Wade.“I am very disappointed, because women’s rights must be protected. And I would have expected America to protect such rights,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told Reuters on the sidelines of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.Sanders says it is time to end the Senate filibusterTat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 4:57 PM UTCSen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called on Democrats to end the filibuster in the Senate and solidify protections for abortion rights. Biden says Roe is 'on the ballot' in NovemberIn remarks from the White House on Friday, President Joe Biden said that "voters need to make their voices heard" at the ballot box in November's midterm elections because he is unable to restore abortion protections and Congress lacks the votes to take that action. "We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land. We need to elect officials who will do that. This fall, Roe is on the ballot," Biden said. Until November, Biden said he will do everything in his power to protect a woman's right to choose in states where they will face the consequences of the court's decision. He said, for example, that his administration will protect women's access to medications that allow them to self-manage an abortion at home. He acknowledged that a number of Republican-controlled states have already banned or restricted access to these medications. Biden expressed anger at the Supreme Court's ruling, saying that "the court has done what it has never done before — expressly take away a constitutional right." "This decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is — far removed they are from the majority of this country," he said. "You can act. You can have the final word."He blamed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for the reversal of Roe because of his nomination of three justices at the "core of today's decision." Plaintiff in same-sex marriage Supreme Court case says decision is moving country 'backward'Christopher Cicchiello2h ago / 4:54 PM UTCJim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges that established the right to same-sex marriages across the nation, called today's verdict "a sad day for women's rights.""This Supreme Court continues to erode the rights of citizens at an alarming rate," Obergefell said in a tweet. "Women deserve responsive leaders who support reproductive justice. Leaders who respect their fundamental right to have control over their own bodies."In a separate statement reacting to Justice Clarence Thomas’ call to reconsider the holding in Obergefell v. Hodges in his concurring opinion, Obergefell said that "the millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them."U.S. Capitol public tours halted after Roe decision Public tours of the U.S. Capitol were abruptly halted Friday after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, allowing Capitol Police to shift some of their resources to the court complex, a source familiar with the decision said.Capitol Police were also concerned about members of the public lining up at the entrance of the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), which is close to where thousands of protesters were assembling in front of the court building."It's because of the CVC entrance's proximity to activity at SCOTUS and the general need to shift U.S. Capitol Police manpower to respond to SCOTUS activity," the source said.So far, the protests have been peaceful.Scotland's leader calls out Roe decisionScotland's leader on Friday warned that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would "embolden anti-abortion and anti-women forces" beyond the United States."One of the darkest days for women’s rights in my lifetime," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet. "Obviously the immediate consequences will be suffered by women in the US — but this will embolden anti-abortion & anti-women forces in other countries too. Solidarity doesn’t feel enough right now — but it is necessary."McCarthy praises court's decisionHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy praised the decision of the court during a Friday press conference. "By a vote of 6-3, the court affirmed that the power to protect unborn life is returned to the people by their elected representatives," he said. "This great nation can now live up to its core principle that all people are created equal — not born equal, created equal."He added that the decision would "save the lives of millions of children" and "give families hope."Rev. Sharpton says court's decision brings us 'back to the dark ages' Tat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 4:46 PM UTCThe Rev. Al Sharpton, the head of the National Action Network and an MSNBC host, said Friday that Black women and poor women will be disproportionately affected by the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. British doctors union calls Roe decision 'deeply worrying'A senior official at the British Medical Association, the United Kingdom's doctors union, on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision overturning abortion rights could have an impact beyond the United States. “The news that restrictions to abortions could be made law in some U.S. states ... is deeply worrying for the future of women’s reproductive health," Zoe Greaves, chair of the group's medical ethics committee, said in a written statement. "The BMA, along with multiple other health organizations, is concerned that this will remove women’s access to essential medical care, a fundamental human right as stated by the U.N., both in the U.S. and potentially more widely," she said. The organization added in a statement that it would be weighing the decision's implications to determine how best to support the American Medical Association in its opposition to the "criminalization of reproductive health."First lady Jill Biden was with DeSantis when Roe decision came downJosh Lederman3h ago / 4:40 PM UTCFirst lady Jill Biden was with Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when she learned of the Supreme Court ruling, a White House official told NBC News.The first lady was preparing to go onstage at the memorial for the one year anniversary of the Champlain Tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, along with DeSantis and his wife in a holding room. Moments before the first lady walked on stage, the news alerts popped up on everyone’s phones.In April, DeSantis signed a Florida law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.Democratic governors in the West pledge to stand up for abortion rightsDemocratic governors in California, Oregon and Washington said Friday they will continue to "protect" patients seeking reproductive care, including those from other states seeking abortions.California's Gavin Newsom, Oregon's Kate Brown and Washington's Jay Inslee made the announcement in a video message released after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, presenting themselves as a counterweight to "red states and Republican-stacked courts.""California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients' access to reproductive care," Newsom said.Inslee said: "We're going to work with our legislators, with our providers, with our patient advocates."Brown said: "We will not stand on the sidelines."'With sorrow...we dissent': Court's liberal wing says majority decided women not deserving of equal protectionIn a blistering dissent to the court's decision reversing abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the majority opinion as one that would curtail women's rights.“It says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A State can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote in the lengthy dissent."With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent," they added.Read the full story here.Planned Parenthood Wisconsin temporarily suspends abortion servicesAntonio Planas3h ago / 4:35 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood Wisconsin announced Friday it was “temporarily suspending” abortion services in response to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.In a video statement on the organization’s website, the group's president, Tanya Atkinson, lamented the Supreme Court’s decision because it has taken away a constitutional right from women and instead placed health care decisions in the hands of politicians.“Because Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban remains in effect, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin is temporarily suspending abortion services,” she said. “Please know that we are looking at all legal options available. This news is so incredibly devastating. The decision of whether or not to become a parent can be one of the most life-changing decisions a person can make,” she said. “You should be able to make the very personal, very needed health care decisions.”Atkinson added that although abortion services are not available in Wisconsin, the organization is still there for people who need abortions and will counsel them on finding options where abortions are safe and legal. The group, she said, will also be available for “after-care” services. Other services provided by the organization are also available at its centers or through telehealth, she said.“Planned Parenthood Wisconsin stands for health care, and we will not give up, not now, not ever,” she said.Anger and joy outside Supreme CourtTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court early Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue gathered to bear witness to the end of the Roe era. "It's really a visceral issue," said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday's decision. "The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone." Paige Nelson, 20, cried tears of joy on the street in front of the Supreme Court, where the grounds long used for demonstrations have been closed off for weeks as a security precaution."I’m just so happy that no matter who you are and whatever extra chromosomes or whatever disability you might have, you get the chance to live this amazing life, and I will continue advocating until abortion is completely gone," said Nelson, a Washington state resident who is participating in a summer program with the conservative Concerned Women of America.Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls Roe decision 'horrific'Reuters3h ago / 4:30 PM UTCCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday called the Supreme Court decision "horrific."“The news coming out of the United States is horrific. My heart goes out to the millions of American women who are now set to lose their legal right to an abortion,” Trudeau said on Twitter.“No government, politician, or man should tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her body,” he said.Romney says he supports Roe's reversalSen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, praised the Supreme Court's ruling Friday in a brief statement. "The sanctity of human life is a foundational American principle, and the lives of our children—both born and unborn—deserve our protection," Romney said. "I support the Court’s decision, which means that laws regarding abortion will now rightfully be returned to the people and their elected representatives," he added.AG Merrick Garland says states cannot ban access to medications for abortionsAttorney General Merrick Garland vowed to protect access to Mifepristone, which is used along with another medication to end early pregnancies.“In particular, the FDA has approved the use of the medication Mifepristone. States may not ban Mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy," he wrote in a statement.The Food and Drug Administration approved in 2016 the use of the medications in terminating abortions.The "Department will continue to protect healthcare providers and individuals seeking reproductive health services in states where those services remain legal," his statement added. "This law prohibits anyone from obstructing access to reproductive health services through violence, threats of violence, or property damage."Decision a 'dark moment,' British rights group says The Supreme Court’s decision is a “dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” the chair of a British rights group said Friday. ‘This is a hugely significant set back for abortion rights. Not just in the U.S. but it will embolden anti-abortion activists here and in Poland, Malta and other places where the struggle for access is already desperate,” Kerry Abel of Abortion Rights said in a statement. “Any chink in the legislative armour that undermines the right to privacy, makes access more difficult or puts abortion funding out of reach will impact poorer and marginalised women and pregnantpeople and will encourage yet more anti-abortion legislation and action,” she said. “This is a dark moment for the struggle for women’s liberation and the fight to control our own bodies,” she added.Rep. Jamie Raskin knocks Thomas, says they are not 'like real judges at this point'Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., knocked Justice Clarence Thomas, saying he is trying to "demolish the constitutional right to privacy" while blasting the high court's justices as an "instrument of the right-wing Republican agenda." "Roe versus Wade was built on Griswold versus Connecticut, which asserted a constitutional right to privacy for women and men to obtain contraception and birth control," Raskin said Friday. "They might like to pretend as if this is some kind of singular strike against just women's right to abortion, but it has implications for contraception. It has implications for the right of gay people to get married under the Obergefell decision. It has implications for the right of people not to be sterilized by the government against their will."Raskin added that the justices are "not like real judges at this point." "I mean, they’ve got the power of it, but they basically have turned themselves into partisans," he said.Sen. Susan Collins calls ruling 'not conservative' Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted to confirm Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh who were part of Friday's majority opinion, said in a statement that the ruling was an "ill-considered action" and "not conservative." "The Supreme Court has abandoned a fifty-year precedent at a time that the country is desperate for stability. This ill-considered action will further divide the country at a moment when, more than ever in modern times, we need the Court to show both consistency and restraint," Collins said. "Throwing out a precedent overnight that the country has relied upon for half a century is not conservative. It is a sudden and radical jolt to the country that will lead to political chaos, anger, and a further loss of confidence in our government."Collins said that the ruling was "inconsistent" with what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their congressional testimony and in meetings with her where, she said, "they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents that the country has relied upon."Collins said she is working on a bill with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would codify Roe, Casey, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, and Griswold v. Connecticut."Our legislation would enshrine important abortion protections into law without undercutting statutes that have been in place for decades and without eliminating basic conscience protections that are relied upon by health care providers who have religious objections to performing abortions," she said.U.K.'s Boris Johnson calls Roe decision 'a big step backward'British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would have a "massive" impact around the world. “This is not our court, it’s another jurisdiction, but it clearly has massive impacts on people’s thinking around the world," he said during a press conference in Kigali, Rwanda. "It’s a very important decision." "I think it’s a big step backwards," Johnson, who leads the Conservative Party, added. "I’ve always believed in a woman’s right to choose and I stick to that view and that is why the U.K. has the laws that it does.”Missouri governor signs state proclamation banning most abortionsChristopher Cicchiello3h ago / 4:19 PM UTCMissouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a proclamation Friday to activate its trigger law, banning most abortions.“Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions,” Parson, a Republican, said in a news release.This law makes it illegal for doctors to perform abortions and also makes anyone who knowingly induces an abortion guilty of a class B felony. Doctors can have their licenses revoked for their involvement. However, a woman who has an abortion will not be prosecuted "for a conspiracy to violate the provisions" of this act. No mention of an exception for a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest was provided in the act.Upon Parson’s signature, the act takes effect immediately.Texas GOP AG Ken Paxton says abortions are 'now illegal in Texas'Texas' GOP attorney general, Ken Paxton, announced Friday that abortion is now illegal in Texas as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling. "SCOTUS just overruled Roe & Casey, ending one of the most morally & legally corrupt eras in US history. Praise the Lord. Abortion is now illegal in Texas," he said in a tweet. Texas had on the books a trigger law, which immediately banned abortion once Roe came down.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed into law one of the country's most restrictive abortion bans last year, which took effect in September. It had banned abortions as early as six weeks, which effectively banned all abortions because most women don't know they're pregnant that early in the process. Whole Women's Health, an organization that has operated four clinics providing reproductive health services in Texas and other states, said it has stopped providing abortion procedures as a result of Friday's ruling, according to the Texas Tribune. In guidance posted on the organization's websit | SCOTUS |
The Jan. 6 committee is convening Monday for its second public hearing, where it is expected to delve deeper into what it calls the “big lie,” former president Donald Trump’s false claims of voter fraud that fueled his effort to overturn the 2020 election and led a mob of his supporters to lay siege to the Capitol.We’re gathering the latest news, updates, and analyses below. Plus, watch the hearing live. Click to refresh this page and see the latest.Here’s who is testifying today — 10:09 a.m.By The Associated PressMonday’s hearing is set to resume with testimony from a US attorney who abruptly resigned as Trump pressured state officials in Georgia to alter the election results.The committee is also set to hear testimony from Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox News Channel political editor closely involved in election night coverage who stood by the decision to declare Arizona as being won by Biden. He wrote about his experiences later in an op-ed and might be asked about Trump’s actions as Fox New declared states Biden won.Get Metro HeadlinesThe 10 top local news stories from metro Boston and around New England delivered daily.A second group of witnesses testifying Monday will be made up of election officials, investigators and experts who are likely to discuss Trump’s responses to the election, including dozens of failed court challenges, and how his actions diverged from U.S. norms.Among them is the former U.S. attorney in Atlanta, BJay Pak, who abruptly resigned after Trump pressured Georgia state officials to overturn his presidential defeat. Trump wanted to fire Pak as disloyal, but Pak stepped down after Trump’s call urging Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s win in the state became public.The panel will also hear from former Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, the only Republican on the election board and who faced down criticism as the state’s election was called for Biden, and noted Washington attorney and elections lawyer Benjamin Ginsberg.Today’s Jan. 6 hearing will take us back to Election Night 2020 | Analysis — 10:00 a.m.By James Pindell, Globe StaffThe second day of the Jan. 6 commission’s public hearings will back things up and tell the story from where they contend it began: Election Night 2020.This is the story of how Donald Trump was supposedly told repeatedly that he lost reelection, and many aides shot down any rumors of wide-spread fraud from this state or that state, the committee contends. It’s when Trump began lying about how the election was stolen from him nonetheless. It was after that he began demanding his supporters believe the lie.Almost like a book, the first public hearing of the committee was something of a re-introduction. And today begins the first chapter where it all began.Watch Mondays’ hearing live — 9:55 a.m.Watch live as the second public Jan. 6 hearing begins:Jan. 6 committee to suggest Trump didn’t believe his own election lies — 9:48 a.m.By Liz Goodwin, Globe StaffDid Donald Trump believe his own lies?It’s a slippery question that lies at the heart of a House committee’s investigation into the Capitol riot, which is holding its second hearing on Monday focused on Trump’s role in spreading falsehoods about fraud in the 2020 election.Trump campaign manager no longer testifying, Jan. 6 panel says — 9:22 a.m.By The Associated PressDonald Trump’s former campaign manager Bill Stepien abruptly pulled out of Monday’s appearance before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, citing a family emergency, the panel said.Stepien was expected to be a key witness as the panel delves deeper into what it calls the “big lie,” the defeated Republican president’s false claims of voter fraud that fueled his relentless effort to overturn the 2020 election and led a mob of his supporters to lay siege to the U.S. Capitol.The committee said Stepien’s counsel will appear and make a statement on the record, and it pushed back its start time as lawmakers and staff scrambled for the change of plans. | US Federal Elections |
16m ago Committee adjourns for the day The committee adjourned for the day at 12:51 p.m. The next hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday. 17m ago Barr says Trump was the "weak element" on the GOP ticket Barr debunked claims raised by Trump and Giuliani about voter fraud in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania broadly, saying in video testimony that the former president's allegation that more people voted in Philadelphia than there were registered voters "absolute rubbish.""The turnout in Philadelphia was in line with the state's turnout and in fact was not as impressive as many suburban counties. There was nothing strange about the Philadelphia turnout," Barr told committee investigators. "I think once you actually look at the votes, there's an obvious explanation. He, for example, in Pennsylvania, Trump ran weaker than the Republican ticket generally. He ran weaker than two of the state candidates, he ran weaker than the congressional delegation running for federal Congress."Barr continued: Trump "generally was the weak element on the Republican ticket. So that does not suggest that the election was stolen by fraud."The former attorney general recalled explaining to Trump at some point the purported discrepancies between the number of absentee ballots issued and cast in Pennsylvania.Joining Barr in refuting claims of voter fraud in Pennsylvania was Al Schmidt, a Republican who as a city commissioner served on the Philadelphia Board of Elections. Schmidt rejected claims from Rudy Giuliani that 8,000 dead people cast votes in Pennsylvania. "Not only was there not evidence of 8,000 dead voters voting in Pennsylvania, there wasn't evidence of eight," he told the committee during the hearing. "We took seriously every case that was referred to us, no matter how fantastical, no matter how absurd, and took every one of those seriously, including these."Trump attacked Schmidt by name in a tweet posted Nov. 11, 2020, calling him a "so-called Republican" who "refuses to look at a mountain of corruption & dishonesty."While Schmidt received threats before Trump's tweet that he characterized as "general in nature," he said they became "much more specific, much more graphic" after the former president's Twitter attack.The threats targeted "not just me by name, but included members of my family, by name, their ages, our address, pictures of our home, just every bit of detail that you could imagine. That was what changed with that tweet," Schmidt told lawmakers.In one text message provided to the committee and displayed during the hearing, an unidentified person wrote on Nov. 12, 2020: "You a traitor. Perhaps 75cuts and 20bullets will soon arrive." An email Schmidt received that same day included information about his children and threatened "COPS CAN'T HELP YOU. #Q HEADS ON SPIKES. TREASONOUS SCHMIDTS." 34m ago Former U.S. Attorney in Georgia says widespread voter fraud didn't happen there The former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, BJay Pak, testified before the committee in person about efforts to get him to look into baseless claims of election fraud in Georgia. He found they were unsubstantiated. One of the claims he was asked to look into was from former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who talked about suitcases of ballots existing. "We found that the suitcase full of ballots, the alleged black suitcase that was being seen pulled from under the table, was actually an official lockbox where ballots were kept safe," Pak testified in person. "We found out that there was a mistake in terms of a misunderstanding that they were done counting ballots or tallying ballots for the night. And the partisan watchers that were assigned by each of the respective parties were announced and sent home."But once the mistake was realized, the official ballot box was brought back and they continued to tally the ballots from the lockbox, Pak said, claiming Giuliani only played part of a clip. Pak said there was not evidence of widespread fraud that was sufficient to overturn the results in Georgia. 57m ago Top White House advisers knew there was no evidence to support voter fraud claims, testimony shows Top officials within the Trump administration, including former Vice President Mike Pence and White House lawyers, were aware there was no evidence to support Trump's claims of voter fraud, according to testimony from Alex Cannon, a lawyer with the Trump campaign.In a taped deposition, Cannon recalled speaking in mid-November 2020 with Peter Navarro, then a White House adviser, about claims Dominion's voting machines were changing votes and other allegations of voter fraud."I remember telling him that I didn't believe the Dominion allegations because I thought the hand recount in Georgia would resolve any issues with the technology problem and with Dominion, or Dominion flipping votes," Cannon said, adding that he mentioned a statement from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and then-Director Chris Krebs that declared the 2020 election secure. Navarro, Cannon recalled, "accused me of being an agent of the Deep State working with Chris Krebs against the president."Cannon said he also had a brief conversation with Pence in November about voter fraud claims, during which he told the vice president he was not finding evidence of widespread fraud to alter the results of the election.Derek Lyons, who served as White House staff secretary, also told the committee that allegations of fraud were discussed in a meeting more than a month after the election, during which White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Herschmann told Trump none of his claims had been "substantiated to the point where they could be the basis for any litigation challenge to the election." "President Trump's own vice president and his top advisers also knew that there wasn't evidence to support the claims that the president was making," Lofgren said. 12:09 PM Barr says fraud claims were like "playing whack-a-mole," and if Trump really believed them, he had "become detached from reality" In the days after the election, then-Attorney General Bill Barr testified to the committee that he knew the claims coming from Trump allies were "bogus" and "silly." Still, the Department of Justice investigated specific, credible investigations of fraud anyway. "The department, in fact, when we received specific and credible allegations of fraud, made an effort to look into these to satisfy ourselves that they were without merit," Barr said in recorded testimony that was shown Monday. Former Attorney General William Barr testifies election fraud claims were "crazy stuff" 15:38 "And I was in the posture of trying to figure out -- there was an avalanche of all these allegations of fraud that built up over a number of days and it was like playing whack-a-mole, because something would come out one day and then the next day, it would be another issue," Barr continued in his recorded testimony. "Also, I was influenced by the fact that all the early claims that I understood were completely bogus and silly and usually based on complete misinformation," Barr added. "And so I didn't consider the quality of claims right out of the box to give me any feeling that there was really substance here." Be recalled telling an Associated Press reporter that there could not have been fraud in a widespread way that could have changed the outcome of the election, a statement he knew would anger Trump. He had a meeting scheduled at the White House that same day, Nov. 23. 2020."I went over there and I told my secretary that I would probably be fired and told not to … not to go back to my office, so I said, 'You might have to pack up for me,'" Barr said. Sure enough, when he went to the White House for a meeting, he said then-chief of staff Mark Meadows said the president was angry. "The president was as mad as I've ever seen him, and he was trying to control himself," Barr said, adding that Trump was going off about allegations like the "big vote dump" in Detroit. Barr said he told the president there was no indication of fraud in Detroit, and told the president the claims of fraud were false. Barr said he didn't see any supporting evidence for the claims being made, particularly when it came to the Dominion voting machines. Barr recalled Trump at one point saying there was definitive evidence of fraud on Dominion machines, and that Trump held up a report with supposed evidence for those claims. "While a copy was being made, he said, 'This is absolute proof that the Dominion machines were rigged. The report means that I'm going to have a second term.' And then he gave me a copy of the report. And as he talked more and more about it, I sat there flipping through the report and looking at it.""And to be frank, it looked very amateurish to me," Barr continued. "… And the statements were made very conclusory, like 'these machines were designed to engage in fraud' or something to that effect, but I didn't see any supporting information for it. And I was somewhat demoralized because I thought, 'Boy if he really believes this stuff, he has you know, lost contact with — he's become detached from reality, if he really believes this stuff.'"Barr says he told Trump how crazy the claims were. "There was never, there was never an indication of interest in what the actual facts were," Barr said in his recorded testimony. "And my opinion then and my opinion now is that the election was not stolen by fraud." 11:48 AM Stepien told committee he was OK being part of "Team Normal," rather than Giuliani's team At Jan. 6 hearing, former Fox News political director Chris Stirewalt testifies on Trump's election loss 21:49 Stepien recalled that following the November election, two camps emerged within the Trump campaign: His team and "Rudy's team.""I didn't mind being characterized as being part of 'Team Normal,' as reporters kind of started to do around that point in time," Stepien said, according to a clip played by the committee.The former campaign manager recalled the array of Republican candidates he worked for, including Trump, former Sen. John McCain and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as well as the varying circumstances he worked under, and prided himself for building up a reputation of honesty and professionalism. "I didn't think what was happening was necessarily honest or professional at that point in time," he said of Trump allies raising unfounded claims the election was rigged. "That led to me stepping away."Lofgren added that Trump eventually allied himself with the legal team Giuliani was part of. "The president did get rid of Team Normal," she said. 11:47 AM Stepien's lawyer says wife didn't induce her labor Kevin Marino, a lawyer for former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, said Stepien's wife did not induce her labor. Stepien was set to testify to the committee on Monday morning, but had to cancel due to his wife's labor. Marino told CBS News that Stepien's wife called him early Monday morning and told him she went into labor. Stepien was advised to go to the hospital, Marino said. Marino said he then immediately told committee lawyers. 11:35 AM Former Fox News editor says he had no doubts Biden would win after network's controversial Arizona call Chris Stirewalt, former Fox News political editor, during a hearing of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, on Monday, June 13, 2022. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Former Fox News editor Chris Stirewalt described the Fox News Decision Desk's controversial decision to call the race for Joe Biden in Arizona, and the implications that had. Fox News was the first network to call Arizona for Biden, and everyone on the team had to agree to call the state for the candidate. "We were able to make the call early. We were able to beat the competition," Stirewalt said. Rep. Zoe Lofgren asked Stirewalt whether he had doubts that Biden would win the election after that Arizona call. "After that point? None," Stirewalt said. Stirewalt was fired from Fox News in January 2021, a firing he said came after his decision to defend the network calling Arizona for Biden. 11:30 AM Barr said "everyone understood for weeks" there would be a surge of Democratic votes from mail-in ballots In a taped interview with House investigators, Barr recalled that Trump's claims of election fraud were made "before there was any potential evidence" and was based on the notion that many votes for Democrats were tallied later on the night of November 3 as mail-in and absentee ballots were counted, which was to be expected."It seemed to be based on the dynamic that at the end of the evening, a lot of Democrat votes came in which changed the vote count in certain states and that seemed to be the basis for this broad claim that there was major fraud," Barr said, according to a clip played by the committee. "And I didn't think much of that because people had been talking for weeks and everyone understood for weeks that that was going to be what happened on election night."Bill Stepien, Trump's 2020 campaign manager, told House investigators he told the president they would have to "wait and see" the outcome of the election. "I always told the president the truth, and you know, I think he expected that from me and I told him it was going to be a process and you know, we'll have to wait and see how this turns out. Just like I did in 2016, I did in 2020," Stepien said, according to a clip of a taped interview with the committee that was played. 11:25 AM Video shown of depositions of Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and more Trump allies about election night Some of President Trump's top aides described the atmosphere on Election Night at the White House, saying it was clear to many of them that it was too early to claim victory that night. Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter and top adviser, and her husband Jared Kushner, also a Trump adviser, told committee investigators that they were at the White House that night. Jason Miller said the mood shifted when Fox News declared victory for Joe Biden, but Rudy Giuliani, who appeared to be intoxicated, wanted President Trump to declare victory. "The mayor was definitely intoxicated," top aide Jason Miller said, adding that he didn't "know the level of his intoxication.The president's daughter told committee investigators "it was becoming clear that the race would not be called on Election Night." Bill Stepien said he recommended the president say that votes were still being counted and it was too early to call the race. "But we are proud of the race we ran and we think we are in good position and we'll have more to say about this the next day," he said, adding that the president disagreed with that message. 11:10 AM Lofgren says Trump knew election fraud claims were false Committee member Rep. Zoe Lofgren said not only did the president's closest advisers know claims of widespread election fraud were false, but Trump knew it, too. "Mr. Trump's closest advisers knew it. Mr. Trump knew it," she said.Lofgren also alluded that the Trump operation raised a lot of money off the false idea that there was rampant fraud, enough to change the election results. "The 'Big Lie' was also a big ripoff," she said. 11:07 AM Cheney says Trump followed advice of "apparently inebriated" Giuliani to claim victory on election night In her opening remarks, committee Vice Chair Liz Cheney laid out a roadmap for what the public will hear during the select committee's second hearing and revealed that Trump, on the night of the election, took advice from an "apparently inebriated" Rudy Giuliani, his personal attorney."You will also hear testimony that President Trump rejected the advice of his campaign experts on election night and instead followed the course recommended by an apparently inebriated Rudy Giuliani to just claim he won and insist that the vote-counting stop, to falsely claim everything was fraudulent," Cheney previewed. "He falsely told the American people that the election was not legitimate."The committee, she said, will lay out Trump's effort to convince Americans that the 2020 election was stolen from him and rife with voter fraud, despite the former president knowing that the counting of mail-in ballots in key battleground states would take days.Cheney said Americanas will also hear more from former Attorney General Bill Barr, who appeared before the panel behind closed doors, and from others within the Justice Department who told Trump his baseless claims of election fraud were "nonsense."Cheney played testimony from former White House lawyer Eric Herschmann , who rejected Trump's claims that voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems were switching votes cast for Trump to instead support President Biden."I never saw any evidence whatsoever to sustain" those allegations, he told House investigators. 10:51 AM Hearing begins Chairman Bennie Thompson gaveled in the hearing at 10:46 a.m. "My colleagues and I don't want to spend time talking about ourselves during these hearings, but as someone who's run for office a few times, I can tell you at the end of a campaign, it all comes down to the numbers," Thompson said. "The numbers tell you the winner and the loser. For the most part, the numbers don't lie." And those numbers are the voice and the will of the people. Politicians are to accept the will of the people, he said. But Trump didn't. "This morning will tell the sort of how Donald Trump lost an election, and knew he lost an election, and as a result of his loss, decided to wage an attack on our democracy," Thompson said. Thompson said Trump "lit the fuse" for Jan. 6, 2021. 10:38 AM Stepien's lawyer says his wife went into labor Kevin Marino, lawyer for former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, said Stepien can't testify in person because his wife went into labor. Instead, his understanding is that video testimony of Stepien's will be played. Marino called Stepien one of the "finest political consultants in the country." And Stepien's testimony will present the numbers and dad he followed as he advised Trump, Marino said. Committee vice chair Liz Cheney confirmed they would play video testimony of Stepien."We're going to have a very important and effective set of hearings as you know Mr Stepien has appeared previously and so we'll be able to provide the American people with a lot of interesting new and important information that Mr. Stepien has provided to us previously," Cheney told reporters. 10:12 AM January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims January 6 committee to hear from Republican witnesses on Trump's baseless claims 05:28 The House January 6 committee is holding its second televised public hearing for this month. The panel will focus on how former President Trump spread baseless claims of election fraud. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane joined "CBS News Mornings" with a preview. 9:30 AM Trump campaign manager will no longer appear, citing "family emergency" Former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien will no longer appear at Monday's hearing."Due to a family emergency, Mr. William Stepien is unable to testify before the Select Committee this morning.," the committee said in a statement. "His counsel will appear and make a statement on the record." 9:59 AM Committee aides say hearing will focus on the "Big Lie" Committee aides said Monday's hearing will focus on the "Big Lie," documenting how former President Donald Trump declared victory on election night despite being told he didn't have the numbers to win, and how he continued to embrace baseless claims of election fraud. "We're going to hear testimony from government officials who were the ones who looked for the fraud, and about how the effort to uncover these baseless allegations bore no fruit," a committee aide said. "Simply, the fraud that they were looking for didn't exist and the former president was told that, again and again, claims were baseless, but he continued to repeat them anyway."Monday's hearing will first have the statement from Stepien's counsel and former Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who was let go by Fox News shortly after the 2020 presidential election, during which his team correctly called Arizona for Joe Biden before other networks had. Then there will be a second panel that will consist of election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg, former U.S. attorney for the northern district of Georgia BJ Pak, who resigned effective Jan. 4, 2021, and former Philadelphia city commissioner Al Schmidt. Some of the witnesses are expected to provide testimony about the basic logistics of election litigation and how such action usually proceeds. A committee aide said the committee will also demonstrate that the Trump campaign aides used the election fraud claims to raise hundreds of millions of dollars between the election and Jan. 6th. And finally, the aide said, the committee will show that "some of those individuals responsible for the violence on the 6th echoed back those very same lies that the former president peddled in the run up to the insurrection." 9:01 AM On Day 1 of hearings, Capitol police officer described "carnage" and "chaos" of riot One of two witnesses to testify live during the prime-time hearing on Thursday was Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who suffered a traumatic brain injury on Jan. 6. Edwards described seeing a "war scene" on Capitol Hill that day."It was something like I had seen out of the movies," Edwards said. "I could not believe my eyes. There were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. They were throwing up. I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in people's blood. I was catching people as they fell. It was carnage. It was chaos." Watch her testimony in the video below. Capitol Police officer describes "carnage" and "chaos" during Jan 6. attack 13:07 | US Federal Elections |
McCarthy rips Biden House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, knocks President Biden for the economic crisis America has landed in under his watch.NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! President Biden visited an AFL-CIO event in Pennsylvania's largest city Tuesday and took credit for cutting the U.S. deficit a reported $350 billion as a sign the economy is strong despite rapid inflation.In response, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told "Jesse Watters Primetime" that the only thing the president slashed was Americans' pension accounts under Internal Revenue Code 401k."Joe Biden has not cut the deficit. The only thing he cut was my 401k to a 201k," he said. "And when you look at it, the only thing he's given to the American public is a car payment without the car — we now spend 450 more dollars a month — everything costs us more because of inflation."McCarthy added Biden has also made every American city a "border city" with his open border policies and lax deportation enforcements.BIDEN BEING ‘SENT OUT TO PASTURE’ AS 2022 DEMOCRATS FLEE: WATTERS McCarthy (AP/J.Scott Applewhite)He added that many in the media are finally having trouble defending the president, and are recognizing that the Hunter Biden laptop scandal first broken by the New York Post is true, and that inflation is not "transitory" as stated by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen."They're just now figuring out that America's hurting. They're just now figuring out that approval rating is so low, they're just now figuring out his very first day in office is when he started raising the gas prices — when he cut the pipeline, cut our ability to have American jobs and American energy independence by drilling on federal lands and others."BIDEN, DEMOCRATS BELIEVE AMERICANS' STRUGGLES ‘NECESSARY PRICE TO PAY TO SAVE THE PLANET’: SEXTON"We told them this would happen, but it was just Republicans until [former Treasury Secretary] Larry Summers told him he would bring inflation back if he passed that $2 trillion bill that did nothing but bring us inflation.""And [Biden] has just denied it, denied it, denied it."He added that the biggest recent example of the counter-Biden pivot happened just north of him, when liberal San Franciscans rebuffed their district attorney, Chesa Boudin, and sent him out of office in a recall election.Boudin, the son of two former Weather Underground members linked to the 1981 Brinks robbery in Clarkstown, N.Y., lost his recall 40% to 60% in the blue bastion by the Bay. Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital. | US Federal Policies |
Greg Weber began gambling at 13, playing poker with his friends for small stakes after school. Weber, who is 32 now, and a New Jersey native, grew up in the wake of the Moneymaker effect—a boom in poker interest sparked when a 27-year-old accountant from Tennessee, Chris Moneymaker, won the 2003 World Series of Poker, taking home $2.5 million. Weber has always obsessed over sports, particularly basketball, and poker appealed to his competitive instincts; it played weekly on ESPN too. So while it was Weber’s love of sports that got him into gambling, he didn’t gamble on sports right away—that came later, at 18. His habit began small, with $5 or $10 bets. In college, his friend put him in contact with a bookie, and his wagers increased.Before 2018, he explains, it was hard to bet consistently. The websites of the offshore accounts he used were unreliable. He often worried he wouldn’t actually receive his winnings, with credit cards denied or bets lost in the ether. His bookie set up an online platform where he could place wagers, and at the end of each week, they’d settle up. “But prior to 2018, that was pretty much the only way that I was able to gamble and place bets on sports,” he says.Then, in May of that year, the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 federal law that had prohibited states from authorizing sports gambling. New Jersey legalized sports betting that same year, and as companies vied for customers, gambling ads flooded the state—on billboards, radio, and television. Weber recalls a blitz of promotional emails for “risk-free bets.” New apps popped up on smartphones. He marveled at the ease of this new technology: He could bet with just a few taps of his thumb, anywhere and at any time. Deposits and withdrawals were just as smooth and instantaneous. No longer did he have to wait weeks on some cash in an offshore account, or go meet a bookie to settle his bets; the money was simply there, in his bank account. Time and space now posed no hurdles.There was now a breadth of new wagers to place. The foreign sites had offered rudimentary options, but nothing like this. He could always find something to bet on, since he could bet in-game, too: the next quarter of a football game, the next pitch in a baseball game. It seemed limitless. Weber notes that, during this time, he grew less interested in bets that required skill—those where his love and knowledge of sports might give him a better chance than the average person—and more concerned with speed. “I tended to enjoy the bets that I could win or lose instantly, the faster the better, especially when I was losing and I needed to catch up,” he explains. He played games that he had no interest in before, like roulette and blackjack. The apps and sites he visited were affiliated with casinos, enticing him in. His favorite bet toward the end of this period was to guess whether a baseball team would score during the first inning of a game; it was all over in 10 to 15 minutes.Over the next two years, things deteriorated. Although Weber admits his issues with gambling had been slowly building since his first game of poker, after 2018 things markedly intensified. Weber has been a full-time firefighter for nine years, and when he was losing, he would always have wagered on the 11 pm or midnight games, and so would stay up till 2 or 3 in the morning, seeing how his wager played out. “That’s not good for somebody that does 24-hour shifts at the firehouse,” he says. For several years, he spent every waking moment thinking about gambling or trying to find money to gamble on sports or play poker. He couldn’t put his phone down; it was a 24-hour obsession. “My entire life was kind of in a hectic state,” he says. By the beginning of 2020, Weber had exhausted his sources of cash. He couldn’t take out a loan or request another credit card; he was out of options.Americans have always found ways to bet on sports, both legally and illegally—whether it be through trips to Nevada, where sports betting has flourished for decades, or, like Weber, through offshore accounts or barroom bookies. “The introduction of regulated sports gambling in the US shouldn’t be confused with the introduction of sports gambling,” says Chris Grove, CEO of American Affiliate, a sports betting investment portfolio. Before the Supreme Court decision, a survey by the National Council on Problem Gambling found that roughly 15 percent of Americans said they bet on sports fairly frequently. Thirty-one states now permit sports betting. In turn, Americans, like Weber, have placed an abundance of bets. The latest survey by the NCPG found the number of betting Americans had jumped to 25 percent. (This is partly a result of the black market coming under regulation, explains Keith Whyte, NCPG’s director, and partly a result of new bettors joining the fray.) | SCOTUS |
Good morning.More than 100 million Americans have been advised to stay indoors as high temperatures and humidity settle over states spanning parts of the Gulf coast to the Great Lakes and east to the Carolinas.The national weather service prediction center in Maryland said on Monday 107.5 million people would be affected by heat advisories as well as excessive heat warnings and watches on Wednesday.The heatwave, which set high temperature records in the west, south-west and Denver at the weekend, moved east to the Gulf coast and midwest on Monday and would extend to the Great Lakes and Carolinas, the service said.Meanwhile, wildfires north of Flagstaff in Arizona expanded this week, with officials estimating more than 24,000 acres (9,700 hectares) had been blackened yesterday. In Yellowstone more than 10,000 visitors were ordered out of the country’s oldest national park after unprecedented flooding. What’s causing this? The climate crisis has set the stage for increasing extreme weather, experts say. Brazil envoy apologises to Dom Phillips’ family for saying bodies had been foundDom Phillips and Bruno Pereira went missing in the Amazon a week ago. Photograph: Joédson Alves/EPAThe Brazilian ambassador to the UK has apologised to the family of Dom Phillips for incorrectly telling them his body had been found in the Amazon along with that of his travelling partner, Bruno Pereira.On Monday morning an embassy official called Phillips’s brother-in-law and sister to inform them the bodies of the British journalist and Brazilian Indigenous expert had been found tied to a tree, one week after the pair vanished on the Itaquaí River.This information was later denied by the federal police, whose teams of forensic scientists have been examining an area where Indigenous volunteer searchers found items belonging to the two missing men on Saturday afternoon.The ambassador, Fred Arruda, wrote to the Phillips family to retract the embassy statement, yesterday. What did Arruda say? “We are deeply sorry the embassy passed on to the family yesterday information that did not prove correct,” he said. How was the mistake made? The Brazilian diplomat claimed a multi-agency team created at the London embassy to respond to the disappearances had been “misled” by information it had received from investigating officials. QAnon-linked candidate wins Republican nod for Nevada’s top elections postJim Marchant addresses a crowd outside the Nevada Capitol in March 2021. Photograph: Ricardo Torres-Cortez/APJim Marchant, a QAnon-linked candidate who has unabashedly embraced the idea of overturning future election results, won the Republican nomination to become Nevada’s top election official yesterday.Marchant says he ran for secretary of state after being encouraged by Juan O Savin, a prominent QAnon influencer. After losing a congressional bid by more than 16,000 votes in 2020, Marchant claimed he was the victim of fraud but failed to produce any evidence of it in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the result.He has told voters their voice has not mattered for decades because Nevada’s leaders have “been installed by the deep state cabal”.After Joe Biden won the state in 2020, Marchant supported sending an alternate pro-Trump slate of electors to Congress. He said in January he would be prepared to do the same in 2024. Is this win part of a trend? Marchant’s victory is the latest in a string of victories by candidates who have built their careers on falsehoods about the 2020 election. In other news …Smoke rises after a military strike on Azot, a chemical factory in Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine. Photograph: Reuters Hundreds of civilians believed to be trapped alongside soldiers in Azot, a chemical factory in Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine, are preparing to flee the city through a possible humanitarian corridor this morning. About 500 civilians, including 40 children, have been sheltering from heavy Russian attack in the factory. A spokesperson for Amber Heard has denied reports the actor has been cut from the Aquaman sequel, in the aftermath of the very public defamation trial with her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. Heard expected to reprise her role as Mera, Aquaman’s love interest, in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack appeared to make the case at its second hearing that Donald Trump and his campaign team engaged in potential fundraising fraud, raising $250m for an “election defense fund” that did not exist. The US is reeling from a tampon shortage, leaving users with fewer options as supplies dwindle, consumers and advocates say. This shortage comes after the price of menstrual products increased recently, they add. Stat of the day: More than 20 million farm animals die on way to abattoir in US every yearA piglet in a slaughterhouse in Vernon, California. Photograph: David McNew/Getty ImagesTens of millions of farm animals in the US are dying before they can be slaughtered, according to a Guardian investigation that exposes the deadly conditions under which animals are transported around the country. Approximately 20 million chickens, 330,000 pigs and 166,000 cattle are dead on arrival, or soon after, at abattoirs every year, analysis of publicly available data shows. The figures reveal the toll of heat stress, cold and trauma caused by an increase in long-distance and more frequent journeys.Don’t miss this: The duo who pranked Trump, Cruz and the NRAThe Good Liars – AKA Jason Selvig and Davram Stiefler – recently infiltrated a National Rifle Association conference and made a satirical speech about its CEO Wayne LaPierre (pictured). Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/ReutersThey have told Donald Trump he’s boring, obtained Dr Ben Carson’s signature to authorize a marijuna prescription and attempted an exorcism on Ted Cruz, writes Matthew Cantor. Jason Selvig and Davram Stiefler, AKA the Good Liars, have been working together since the era of Occupy Wall Street. Interviewing rightwing activists and slipping undercover into political rallies, their brand of satire exists somewhere between The Daily Show’s correspondent segments and the character-driven comedy of Sacha Baron Cohen.… or this: BTS members announce ‘hiatus’ to pursue solo careersBTS at the White House in May to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes. Photograph: Leah Millis/ReutersThe seven “exhausted” members of the K-pop supergroup BTS have announced they are taking time out to focus on their solo careers. The globally popular artists, who are credited with generating billions of dollars for the South Korean economy, dropped the bombshell during their streamed annual dinner last night, marking their anniversary as a group. “We’re going into a hiatus now,” said Suga, 29, about 20 minutes into the event, which was posted on the group’s official YouTube channel.Climate check: Data reveals extraordinary global heating in the ArcticData shows the northern Barents Sea is the fastest warming place known on Earth. Photograph: Alister Doyle/ReutersData has revealed extraordinary rates of global heating in the Arctic, up to seven times faster than the global average. The phenomenon is occurring in the northern Barents Sea, where fast-rising temperatures are suspected of triggering an increase in extreme weather in North America, Europe and Asia. The researchers said the heating in this region was an early warning of what could happen across the rest of the Arctic.Last Thing: 67-year-old crowd surfer hailed an inspiration at Killers gig‘There’s no age limit for rock’n’roll!’ Photograph: @gloaurora/TwitterA 67-year-old first-time crowd surfer has been hailed as a rock’n’roll inspiration after being carried to the front of the audience at a concert in the UK. The Killers halted their show at the weekend after their frontman, Brandon Flowers, noticed a white-haired man being carried over the security barriers. It turned out to be Doug James, a former play worker and marine engineer, who was at the gig with his son. In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, he said he was trying new experiences later in life. “I want to do things I’ve not done. I was just enjoying the moment,” he added.Sign upSign up for the US morning briefingFirst Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now.Get in touchIf you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email [email protected] | US Federal Elections |
Missouri governor signs state proclamation banning most abortionsChristopher Cicchiello3m ago / 4:19 PM UTCMissouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a proclamation Friday to activate its trigger law, banning most abortions.“Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions,” he said in a news release.This law makes it illegal for doctors to perform abortions and also makes anyone who knowingly induces an abortion guilty of a class B felony. Doctors can have their licenses revoked for their involvement. However, a woman who has an abortion performed on her will not be prosecuted "for a conspiracy to violate the provisions" of this act. No mention of an exception for a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest was provided in the act.Upon Parson’s signature, the act takes effect immediately.Texas GOP AG Ken Paxton says abortions are 'now illegal in Texas'Texas' GOP attorney general, Ken Paxton, announced Friday that abortion is now illegal in Texas as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling. "SCOTUS just overruled Roe & Casey, ending one of the most morally & legally corrupt eras in US history. Praise the Lord. Abortion is now illegal in Texas," he said in a tweet. Texas had on the books a trigger law, which immediately banned abortion once Roe came down.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed into law one of the country's most restrictive abortion bans last year, which took effect in September. It had banned abortions as early as six weeks, which effectively banned all abortions because most women don't know they're pregnant that early in the process. Whole Women's Health, an organization that has operated four clinics providing reproductive health services in Texas and other states, said it has stopped providing abortion procedures as a result of Friday's ruling, according to the Texas Tribune. In guidance posted on the organization's website Friday, it said that its clinics "are still operating in Baltimore, MD; Bloomington, MN; Alexandria, VA; and Charlottesville, VA." It also said that it offers medication abortion pills by mail to patients in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia.It also said Whole Women's Health "is exploring plans to expand both our in-clinic and mail services into additional states where abortion is legally protected."Democratic lawmakers march to Supreme Court in support of abortion rightsAt least 150 Democratic lawmakers marched to the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., told NBC News the decision marked "a sad day for American jurisprudence.""Never did I envision that this court would reverse 40 or 50 years of precedence, but they did it," he said. "And they did it in utter disregard for the 60% of the American people who support Roe and did not want it overturned."Conservative Hispanic group lauds court decisionBienvenido, a conservative Hispanic group, said the court's decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision was "correct as both a legal and a moral matter.""Today we join millions of Americans — including the majority of Hispanics who value human life — in celebrating the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling overturning 'Roe' and 'Casey,'" a statement from the group said. "It was always a lie that the Constitution guaranteed the right to kill unborn children and this Court has just exposed this lie for the shameful farce that it always has been," the statement continued. "As we commemorate this historic decision, let us remember these children who were denied the right to live, pray for forgiveness, and give thanks to God." According to Pew Research Center, 60% of Hispanics in 2022 said abortion should be legal. Transgender Law Center denounces Supreme Court decision as "despicable" Tat Bellamy-Walker31m ago / 3:51 PM UTCThe Transgender Law Center, one of the nation's largest transgender rights groups, slammed the court's decision, calling it "despicable" and a "politically-motivated" attack.In a statement, the organization stressed that the majority opinion will have an outsize impact on historically marginalized groups, including Black women, disabled people, migrant women, poor people and individuals living in rural communities.“Today we loudly affirm and pledge our solidarity with all people working for Reproductive Justice in this country,” the group's executive director, Kris Hayashi, said. “Whether it is a right to an abortion, the right to affirming medical care, or the right to learn about your own history in schools, our collective rights to self-determination and bodily autonomy are inexorably entwined.”'God made the decision': Trump praises the ruling overturning RoeFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court's ruling in a statement to Fox News on Friday, saying that it's "following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago."Trump was asked if he played a role in the decision because he nominated three of the conservative justices who overturned Roe v. Wade — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett."God made the decision," Trump told Fox. Asked to address any of his supporters who support abortion rights, Trump said, "I think, in the end, this is something that will work out for everybody ... This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged."Trump had previously supported abortion rights years ago, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" in 1999 that he was "very pro-choice" at the time.Susan B. Anthony List celebrates overturning of Roe v. WadeThe anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List celebrated news Friday of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, calling it a "historic victory for human rights." Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the group, said in a video message outside the Supreme Court that it was a moment of "great gratitude and resolve." "This Court has just overturned the wrongly decided Roe versus Wade decision. Let those words sink in," she said. "Roe versus Wade is overturned after 50 years of lobbying, building centers of hope to serve pregnant women, on our knees praying, off our knees marching and ensuring the powerful pro-life voice could be heard in our elections. We have arrived at this day, a culminating day of so much and the first day of a bright pro-life future for our nation."She said the decision allows the "will of the people to make its way into the law through our elected officials" and declared that "our best days are ahead."Attorney General Merrick Garland vows to 'use every tool' to protect abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland, who as Barack Obama's 2016 Supreme Court nominee was denied a confirmation vote by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, vowed to put the full weight of the Department of Justice behind protecting abortion rights."The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision," he said. "This decision deals a devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States. It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect — with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means."“The Justice Department will use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive freedom. And we will not waver from this Department’s founding responsibility to protect the civil rights of all Americans," he added.Mayor Eric Adams says people around the country 'welcome' to access abortion care in New York City New York City Mayor Eric Adams lashed out at the Supreme Court on Friday, saying that "politics came before people at the highest court in the land." "What the court has done today ignores the opinions of the majority of Americans, as it helps states control women’s bodies, their choices, and their freedoms," the Democrat said in a statement, adding that the decision puts lives at risk."There is nothing to call this Supreme Court opinion but an affront to basic human rights and one that aims to shackle women and others in reproductive bondage."Adams sought to reassure New Yorkers, saying that they can still access safe, legal abortions in the city. He also said that people around the country seeking the procedure are "welcome here" to access those services.Massachusetts Gov. Baker signs executive order protecting abortion providersAntonio Planas43m ago / 3:39 PM UTCIn response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who is not running for re-election, signed an executive order Friday protecting health care providers performing abortions from losing their licenses or receiving other discipline based on potential charges from out of state, he said in a statement.“Under the executive order, the Commonwealth will not cooperate with extradition requests from other states pursuing criminal charges against individuals who received, assisted with, or performed reproductive health services that are legal in Massachusetts,” the statement said.The order, he said, also prohibits any “Executive Department agencies” from assisting another state’s investigation into a person or entity for receiving or delivering reproductive health care services that are legal in Massachusetts.“This executive order will further preserve that right and protect reproductive health care providers who serve out of state residents. In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v Wade, it is especially important to ensure that Massachusetts providers can continue to provide reproductive health care services without concern that the laws of other states may be used to interfere with those services or sanction them for providing services that are lawful in the Commonwealth,” Baker said.Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said: “We are proud of the Commonwealth’s history of ensuring access to reproductive health care, and will continue to do so, despite today’s ruling from the Supreme Court.”Michigan Gov. Whitmer says ruling means her state's 1931 law banning abortion takes effect Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Friday it was a "sad day for America" and that her state's "antiquated" 1931 law banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest will take effect. The law also criminalizes doctors and nurses who provide reproductive care, she said. "For now, a Michigan court has put a temporary hold on the law, but that decision is not final and has already been challenged. The 1931 law would punish women and strip away their right to make decisions about their own bodies," Whitmer said. "I want every Michigander to know that I am more determined than ever to protect access to safe, legal abortion."She said she filed a lawsuit in April to urge her state's Supreme Court to determine whether the Michigan Constitution protects the right to an abortion. "We need to clarify that under Michigan law, access to abortion is not only legal, but constitutionally protected," she said. Barack Obama calls Roe v. Wade reversal an attack on millionsTat Bellamy-Walker49m ago / 3:33 PM UTCFormer President Barack Obama said the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade targets the freedom of millions of Americans in the U.S. "Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote in a tweet. He noted that states across the country have already passed bills restricting abortion rights, and pointed people who want to fight against these restrictions toward Planned Parenthood and the United State of Women.In a statement, former first lady Michelle Obama said she was "heartbroken for people around this country who just lost the fundamental right to make informed decisions about their own bodies."Recent NBC News poll showed a majority of people in U.S. didn't want Roe v. Wade overturnedA majority of people in the U.S. — 63 percent — said in a recent NBC News poll in May that they didn't believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned, compared to 30% of people who wanted the abortion rights ruling to be reversed.Additionally, a combined 60% of Americans across the country said abortion should be either always legal (37%) or legal most of the time (23%) — the highest share believing it should be legal on this question, which dates back to 2003. By party, 84 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of Independents want abortion to be legal, versus just 33 percent of Republicans. The poll was conducted after the draft opinion of Alito's Roe opinion leaked.NAACP calls decision 'egregious assault on basic human rights'NAACP General Counsel Janette McCarthy Wallace said in a statement Friday the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade as "marks a significant regression of our country.""As a legal professional, I am horrified by this decision. As a Black woman, I am outraged to my core," Wallace said. "There is no denying the fact that this is a direct attack on all women, and Black women stand to be disproportionately impacted by the court's egregious assault on basic human rights. We must all stand up to have our voices heard in order to protect our nation from the further degradation of civil rights protections we have worked so hard to secure."Separately, Portia White, the NAACP vice president of policy and legislative affairs, said: "This Supreme Court is turning back the clock to a dangerous era where basic constitutional rights only exist for a select few. They've stripped away our right to vote, and now women have lost their right to their own body. What’s next?"White added: "We cannot allow our future to rest in the hands of those determined to crush every bit of it. We need to fight back."Biden to address Supreme Court ruling in remarks at 12:30 p.m. ETPresident Joe Biden will address the Supreme Court's ruling in remarks at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET, according to the White House.The guidance said that Biden will deliver his response in the Cross Hall.Durbin announces Judiciary hearing to explore "grim reality of a post-Roe America"Christopher Cicchiello1h ago / 3:20 PM UTCSenate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next month to "explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America."Durbin, who chairs the committee, made the announcement in a series of tweets in which he vowed to keep "fighting to enshrine into law a woman’s right to make her own reproductive choices.” "The Court’s decision to erase the right to an abortion will not only lead to the denial of critical health care services, but also criminal consequences for women & health care providers in states eager to embrace draconian restrictions," Durbin wrote. "We cannot let our children inherit a nation that is less free and more dangerous than the one their parents grew up in."He also urged voters to elect "pro-choice Democrats who will write abortion protections into law" in the midterm elections.LGBTQ rights could be at risk post-Roe, advocates warned before rulingJulie Moreau1h ago / 3:18 PM UTCThe leaked initial draft of the Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade had advocates worried about what the precedent’s reversal could mean for the LGBTQ community’s recently gained rights. Cathryn Oakley, an attorney with the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest LGBTQ rights group, stressed that the high court’s decision would have a direct impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. “The LGBTQ community relies on reproductive health care. LGBTQ people seek and receive abortions, they seek and receive and use contraception,” she said. The willingness of the court to overturn precedent could, some advocates fear, signal that other federally protected rights of minorities may be in jeopardy, such as same-sex marriage, which became the law of the land with the Obergefell v. Hodges case. Read more about what LGBTQ rights advocates warned before Friday's ruling.Virginia Gov. Youngkin says Supreme Court ruling 'rightfully returned power to the people'Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade "has rightfully returned power to the people" and the elected officials of each state. "I’m proud to be a pro-life Governor and plan to take every action I can to protect life," he said in a statement Friday. "The truth is, Virginians want fewer abortions, not more abortions. We can build a bipartisan consensus on protecting the life of unborn children, especially when they begin to feel pain in the womb, and importantly supporting mothers and families who choose life."Youngkin, a Republican, said he has called on several lawmakers, including state Sens. Siobhan Dunnavant and Steve Newman, to help "find areas where we can agree and chart the most successful path forward."The Virginia Assembly is controlled by Republicans and the Senate has a narrow 19-21 Democratic majority. Manchin says he's 'alarmed,' had trusted Gorsuch and Kavanaugh when they said Roe was settled precedentSen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said in a statement that he is "deeply disappointed" by the Supreme Court's decision and "alarmed" that the two Trump-appointed justices that he voted to confirm supported it."I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent and I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided for two generations of Americans," he said.Manchin said he was raised "pro-life" as a Catholic and still maintains that view. "But I have come to accept that my definition of pro-life may not be someone else’s definition of pro-life. I believe that exceptions should be made in instances of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is in jeopardy," he said. Manchin said that he supports legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade into federal law, saying, "I am hopeful Democrats and Republicans will come together to put forward a piece of legislation that would do just that."Thomas calls on court to reconsider contraception, same-sex marriage casesJustice Clarence Thomas, concurring with the majority ruling, explicitly called on the Supreme Court to overrule the rulings in Griswold v. Connecticut, which protects the right to contraception; Lawrence v. Texas, the right to same-sex intimacy; and Obergefell v. Hodges, the right to same-sex marriage.“As I have previously explained, 'substantive due process' is an oxymoron that 'lack[s] any basis in the Constitution,'” he wrote.Chief Justice Roberts warns Dobbs ruling goes too farChief Justice John Roberts voted with the other conservative justices to uphold the Mississippi law in today's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling, but urged against going further.“Surely we should adhere closely to principles of judicial restraint here, where the broader path the Court chooses entails repudiating a constitutional right we have not only previously recognized, but also expressly reaffirmed applying the doctrine of stare decisis,” he wrote.ACLU slams court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as "shameful"Tat Bellamy-Walker1h ago / 3:07 PM UTCThe American Civil Liberties Union called the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade "shameful."“Second-class status for women has once again become the law because of today’s decision," Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement. "We can wave away any pretense that this is the United States of America when it comes to the fundamental right to decide when and if to become a parent." Romero warned that the decision will have far-reaching consequences.“The Supreme Court has just plunged this country and itself into a historic crisis, one that will reverberate far beyond the ability to get an abortion."Alito says Constitution 'makes no reference to abortion'Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade that the Constitution "makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision" including the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives," wrote Alito, who then quoted from an opinion written by then-Justice Antonin Scalia from the Planned Parenthood v. Casey case: "The permissibility of abortion, and the limitations, upon it, are to be resolved like most important questions in our democracy: by citizens trying to persuade one another and then voting."In emotional remarks, Nancy Pelosi denounces Supreme Court, Trump, GOPIn searing and emotional remarks, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi excoriated the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade and blamed former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for laying the groundwork for the decision."Because of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party and their supermajority on the Supreme Court, American women today have less freedom than their mothers," Pelosi told reporters at a news conference.She described the top court's ruling as "dangerous" and urged people who support abortion rights and access to vote in the November midterm elections."In the Congress, be aware of this, Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban. They cannot be allowed to have a majority in the Congress to do that," Pelosi said.'Today, Life Won,' Pence saysFormer Vice President Mike Pence, who has long been opposed to abortion, celebrated the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, saying "Today, Life Won.""By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court of the United States has given the American people a new beginning for life and I commend the Justices in the majority for having the courage of their convictions," he wrote in a series of tweets."Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history," he continued, "a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America."He added, "Having been given this second chance for Life, we must not rest and must not relent until the sanctity of life is restored to the center of American law in every state in the land."March for Life president praises decision to overturn Roe v. WadeAntonio Planas1h ago / 3:00 PM UTCMarch for Life President Jeanne Mancini praised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn an “unpopular and extreme abortion policy on our nation.”March for Life is an annual rally held in the nation’s capital condemning the 1973 decision by the nation’s highest court that legalized abortion nationwide.“Today, the ability to determine whether and when to limit abortion was returned to the American people who have every right to enact laws like Mississippi’s which protect mothers and unborn babies after 15 weeks — when they have fully formed noses, can suck their thumb, and feel pain,” Mancini said in a statement. “We will continue to march until abortion is unthinkable because equality begins in the womb.”In concurrence, Kavanaugh says states can't bar residents from traveling elsewhere for abortionIn a concurrence to the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that states cannot block people from traveling to other states to seek an abortion because of the "constitutional right to interstate travel."But many legal observers and political analysts expect that exact issue will be at the center of the next chapter of this fight.'One of the darkest days our country has ever seen,' Schumer saysSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said a fundamental right was "stolen" from American women Friday when the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion. He called it "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." "Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," he said in a statement. "These justices, appointed by Republicans and presiding without any accountability, have stolen a fundamental right to have an abortion away from American women in this country. These justices were intentionally appointed by Republicans to overturn Roe v. Wade and every Republican Senator knew this would happen if they voted to confirm these radical justices." Schumer, D-N.Y., condemned Republicans for their "complicit" decision in the ruling, saying it will have "consequences for women and families in this country.""Today’s decision makes crystal clear the contrast as we approach the November elections: elect more MAGA Republicans if you want nationwide abortion bans, the jailing of women and doctors and no exemptions for rape or incest," he continued. "Or, elect more pro-choice Democrats to save Roe and protect a woman’s right to make their own decisions about their body, not politicians."Rep. Dean blasts court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as 'horrifying'Tat Bellamy-Walker2h ago / 2:50 PM UTCRep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., condemned the court's decision."Absolutely horrifying," Dean said. "It's taking us back more than 50 years." She urged people to fight back against the opinion."People need to be out protesting," she said. "Peacefully protesting and voting.” INTERACTIVE: Live in a state set to ban abortions? See how far you’d have to travel for careWithout Roe v. Wade, women and girls seeking an abortion in states where the procedure will be banned will face long treks, often by multiple means of transportation, in order to get care.NBC News analyzed the distance to the nearest open abortion clinic from major cities in 21 states that either have pre-existing or pending state-level abortion bans that will go into effect following the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday to overturn Roe. Women and girls there will have to drive 4 hours on average in order to receive care in bordering states where abortion remains legal.View the graphic here. Mississippi AG: 'Roe v. Wade is finally behind us'Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, a Republican who advocated for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, celebrated what she characterized as a "new era in American history."Pelosi says Supreme Court achieved Republicans' 'dark and extreme goal' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the Supreme Court has "achieved the GOP's dark and extreme goal of ripping away women's right to make their own reproductive health decisions." "Because of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party and their supermajority on the Supreme Court, American women today have less freedom than their mothers," she wrote in a statement.Pelosi said that congressional Republicans are "plotting a nationwide abortion ban," and vowed that "Democrats will keep fighting ferociously to enshrine Roe v. Wade into law.""This cruel ruling is outrageous and heart-wrenching," she added. "But make no mistake: the rights of women and all Americans are on the ballot this November."Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene celebrates decision overturning RoeMarjorie Taylor Greene, the firebrand Republican congresswoman from Georgia, told reporters Friday that the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade is a "blessing" and an "answered prayer.""I've prayed for this my whole life," Greene said.Democratic PACs say voters must 'fight like hell' this November Two major Democratic political action committees, the Senate Majority PAC and House Majority PAC, criticized the high court in a joint statement Friday for taking away a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. Senate Majority PAC President JB Poersch and House Majority PAC Executive Director Abby Curran Horrell said the ruling "flies in the face of decades of precedent and is a direct assault on the constitutional right to a safe, legal abortion that’s been guaranteed for nearly a half-century."They said that abortion rights will be a top issue in the current midterm elections cycle, saying they "will determine whether Republicans can place cruel new restrictions on reproductive rights, ban abortion nationwide with no exceptions, criminalize abortion providers, and punish women. The stakes of defending our Democratic Senate and House majorities have never been higher.""Come November, we must elect Democrats to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who will fight like hell to ensure that our constitutional rights are enshrined into law and serve as the last line of defense against Republicans’ extremist attacks on our fundamental freedoms," they said. Planned Parenthood: 'The court has failed us all'Planned Parenthood, one of the leading providers of reproductive health care in the U.S., said in a tweet that the Supreme Court has "failed us all" but added "this is far from over."Key abortion rights group blasts Supreme Court decisionThe Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights, excoriated the "anti-abortion ideologues on the U.S. Supreme Court" who overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday."The U.S. Supreme Court has taken the radical step of overturning Roe v. Wade outright, thus unleashing uncertainty and harm onto people asking for nothing more than to exercise their fundamental right to bodily autonomy," Guttmacher Institute President and CEO Dr. Herminia Palacio said."While much has been lost today, the fight is far from over," she added. "The anti-abortion movement is already pushing for a national abortion ban. All of us seeking to defend policies that support bodily autonomy must be ready to meet them with all we have."We must protect abortion rights and access in as many states as possible and achieve federal legislation to ensure that anyone, anywhere who needs an abortion can get one freely and with dignity."House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy says ruling will 'save countless innocent lives'House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., applauded the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday, saying that the ruling will "save countless innocent lives." "The Supreme Court is right to return the power to protect the unborn to the people’s elected representatives in Congress and the states," he said in a statement.McCarthy added, "In the days and weeks following this decision, we must work to continue to reject extreme policies that seek to allow late-term abortions and taxpayer dollars to fund these elective procedures."The GOP leader also said that "much work remains to protect the most vulnerable among us."Supreme Court overturns Roe v. WadeThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion in a 6-3 vote, a momentous break from a half-century of rulings on one of the nation’s most controversial issues. About half the states have already indicated they would move to ban the procedure.Supporters of abortion rights were bracing for the loss after an early draft of the opinion was leaked in May, touching off several days of demonstrations in more than two dozen cities. Protesters even showed up outside the homes of some members of the court.Read more here. | SCOTUS |
Politics Updated on: June 13, 2022 / 7:25 PM / CBS News Barr rejects Trump's election claims Barr: Trump's election claims "detached from reality" 03:01 In the second day of the House Jan. 6 select committee public hearings, Chairman Bennie Thompson said the committee would show that former President Donald Trump lost his reelection campaign, knew he lost and as a result of his loss, "decided to wage an attack on our democracy, an attack on the American people," which culminated in the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Here are some of the highlights from Monday's hearing: "Intoxicated" Giuliani told Trump he should just declare victory, though others discouraged it.On election night in 2020, Rudy Giuliani said he spoke to Trump several times. Giuliani, whom Trump aide Jason Miller observed was "definitely intoxicated," advised Trump he should just declare victory, over the advice of campaign manager Bill Stepien, Miller and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Stepien, in an excerpt of his interview with the committee, said he felt that it was "far too early" to say Trump had won. He thought ballots would continue to be counted for days. The committee also played video of Ivanka Trump, who did not recall having a "firm" view of what her father should do, but she said she knew the "race would not be called on election night." Jared Kushner said he told the president that Giuliani's proposal was "basically not the approach I would take."But Giuliani insisted that anyone who didn't say Trump had won was being "weak," according to Miller's recollection of the night, also excerpted from videotaped testimony. Giuliani's lawyer, Robert Costello, said in a statement to CBS News, "Mayor Giuliani denies that he was intoxicated on election night. He does not know why Jayson Miller would make such a false claim. The Mayor suggests that you speak to others who were with him as they will undoubtedly corroborate the Mayor's denial. We note that even though the Mayor spent more than 7 1/2 hours testifying before the Select Committee, he was not asked about this false claim. The Committee had this false allegation before Mayor Giuliani testified." Breakdown of testimony from the second Jan. 6 committee hearing 06:45 On Nov. 4, while votes were still being counted, Trump went to the White House briefing room and touted what he claimed would be a nearly insurmountable lead in states including Pennsylvania. "We're winning Pennsylvania by a tremendous amount of votes. We're up 600—think of this, think of this—we're up 690,000 votes in Pennsylvania, 690,000," Trump said. "These aren't even close, this is not like 'oh, it's close.' With 64% of the vote in, it's going to be almost impossible to catch, and we're coming into good Pennsylvania areas where they happen to like your president. So, we'll probably expand that." But by Saturday, Nov. 7, Joe Biden was projected to be the winner in Pennsylvania, pulling ahead of Trump by 34,000 votes. It was the state that pushed Mr. Biden's electoral vote total to 273 and ensured his victory over Trump in the presidential election. Former Fox News political editor says Trump used "red mirage" to justify false election claims.Former Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who was fired after the network called Arizona early for Mr. Biden, explained the "red mirage." The phrase refers to the expectation that Republicans would appear to be winning in early in the count because they tend to vote in person on Election Day, and those votes are counted first, but mail-in, absentee and early-voting Democrats in many states would not see their votes counted until after polls close. This is the basis of the "red mirage," the sense that the Republican is winning. "For us, who cares? But that's because no candidate had ever tried to avail themself of this quick in-the-election counting system," Stirewalt said. "We had gone to pains, and I'm proud of the pains we went to make sure that we were informing viewers that this was going to happen because the Trump campaign and the president had made it clear they were going to try to exploit this anomaly."Stirewalt said they knew this "quirk" would be "bigger" in 2020, because more people were voting early and using absentee and mail ballots due to the pandemic. The committee also played a clip of Barr saying he had understood for "weeks" that this was going to happen on election night, as well as a clip of Stepien saying he also had had discussions with Trump about the "red mirage." Lofgren played a clip of Trump in the early hours of Nov. 4, 2020, saying, "We want all voting to stop. We don't want them to find any ballots at 4 o'clock in the morning and add them to the list." Lofgren said this contradicted what his advisers were telling him. Stirewalt said that when Fox News called Arizona, it was controversial to "our competitors" but that he had no doubts about the call. He said after the election, the chances of Trump winning the election were "none." "Ahead of today, I thought about what are the largest margins that could ever be overturned by a recount and the normal kind of stuff we heard Mike Pence talking about, sounding like a normal Republican that night saying 'we'll keep every challenge,'" Stirewalt said. "When you're talking about a recount, you're talking about hundreds of votes. When we think about calling a race, one of the things we think about is, is it outside the margin of a recount. And when we think about that margin, we think about in modern history, you're talking about 1,000 votes, 1,500 votes at the way, way outside. Normally you're talking about hundreds of votes — maybe 300 votes — that are going to change. The idea that through any normal process in any of these states — remember he needed to do it thrice, right, he needed three of these states to change. In order to do that, you're at infinite … you're better off to play the Powerball than to have that come in." Top Trump officials told him that his claims of widespread election fraud were wrong.Trump's closest aides, political staff, government and campaign lawyers said they told him his claims the election had been stolen were wrong. Former Attorney General William Barr, whose was shown in the first hearing saying he told Trump his claims of widespread election fraud were "bullsh**," had more to say. A report alleging voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems were changing votes from Trump to President Biden was "amateurish," according to Barr, while earlier claims of voter fraud were "bogus and silly and usually based on complete misinformation."Barr recalled being "demoralized" by Trump believing Dominion's machines were rigged, "because I thought, 'Boy if he really believes this stuff, he has you know, lost contact with — he's become detached from reality, if he really believes this stuff.'"He also called allegations that more votes were cast in Philadelphia than there were registered voters "absolute rubbish" and suggested Trump's loss had to do not with fraud, but with his strength as a candidate.Trump, in Barr's telling, "generally was the weak element on the Republican ticket. So, that does not suggest that the election was stolen by fraud."Alex Cannon, a former Trump campaign attorney, also recalled speaking with senior White House adviser Peter Navarro about voter fraud claims and Vice President Mike Pence. Navarro insulted Cannon when the lawyer said he didn't believe the Dominion allegations, calling him an "agent of the Deep State" working against Trump, Cannon recalled. It was the last call he said he ever took from Navarro. Derek Lyons, the White House staff secretary, also told the committee that allegations of fraud were discussed in a meeting more than a month after the election, during which White House counsel Pat Cipollone and White House lawyer Eric Herschmann told Trump none of his claims had been "substantiated to the point where they could be the basis for any litigation challenge to the election." Herschmann also told the select committee during a taped interview he "never saw any evidence whatsoever to sustain" allegations Dominion voting machines were flipping votes cast for Trump.Al Schmidt, a Republican who served as a city commissioner in Philadelphia and was on the Board of Elections, also refuted claims raised by Giuliani that 8,000 dead people voted in Pennsylvania."Not only was there not evidence of 8,000 dead voters voting in Pennsylvania, there wasn't evidence of eight," he told the committee during the hearing. "We took seriously every case that was referred to us, no matter how fantastical, no matter how absurd, and took every one of those seriously, including these."$250 million raised by the Trump campaign's "Election Defense Fund" did not fund his campaign lawsuits. A former campaign staffer said, "I don't believe there is actually a fund called the 'Election Defense Fund.'"The final minutes of the hearing were spent following the money raised by the Trump campaign from small-dollar donors who were encouraged to "fight back" against the "left-wing mob" attempting to steal the presidential election.Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California, said the Trump campaign continued to mount court fights after Dec. 14, when electors met in all 50 states to cast their Electoral College votes for president and vice president, in order to "raise millions."In a video produced by the committee, senior investigative counsel Amanda Wick estimated that between Election Day on Nov. 3 and Jan. 6, the Trump campaign sent scores of fundraising emails — as many as 25 per day — that encouraged recipients to contribute to the so-called "Election Defense Fund." But one former Trump campaign staffer, Hanna Allred, told the committee in an interview she did not believe such a fund existed. "I don't believe there is actually a fund called the 'Election Defense Fund'," she said. Gary Coby, the campaign's former digital director, confirmed it was a marketing tactic.Solicitations about voter fraud brought in big bucks: $250 million, according to Wick, nearly $100 million of which was donated the first week after the election.According to the committee's presentation, the money did not go to funding election-related litigation, but instead to Trump's Save America PAC. The former president's political action committee then donated "millions" to entities and vendors with ties to Trump:$1 million to the Conservative Partnership Institute, where former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is senior partner$1 million to the America First Policy Institute, which lists among its leaders former Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon, former senior Trump adviser Larry Kudlow, and former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf$5 million to Event Strategies, Inc., which ran the Jan. 6 rally on the Ellipse$204,857 to the Trump Hotel CollectionAfter the hearing, Lofgren was asked whether the committee has evidence the Trump campaign committed a crime with the fundraising appeals. "It's clear that he intentionally misled his donors, asked them to donate to a fund that didn't exist and used the money raised for something other than what he said," she told reporters. "Now it's for someone else to decide whether that's criminal or not."Appearing on CNN after the hearing, Lofgren revealed Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Donald Trump Jr., was paid $60,000 from the "Election Defense Fund" to speak for two minutes and 30 seconds during the rally outside the White House on Jan. 6. In: rudy giuliani Donald Trump Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue | US Political Corruption |
(Bloomberg) -- In the emerging post-pandemic era, most aspects of life have returned to normal. Moviegoers are flocking to cinemas, vacationers jammed airports for summer travel and kids are returning to classrooms.
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The one thing that has remained stubbornly fraught: the world of work.
Three and a half years after millions of office-goers were sent home en masse, companies, employees and governments are still figuring out how to adapt to lasting changes to corporate life. But stark differences have emerged across continents and cultures, with Asian and European workers largely returning to offices at a faster pace their counterparts in the Americas.
Asian nations did a better job keeping Covid-19 under wraps in the pandemic’s first year, so people there didn’t get as accustomed to working from home, making it easier to transition back to office life, researchers found. Europe’s habits vary widely — the UK has one of the highest rates of remote work, and France one of the lowest — but several of its countries also are leading the way with laws enshrining flexible schedules.
Then there are places such as the US, where policymakers have stayed largely silent, leaving bosses and employees to navigate the changes on their own. As the post-Labor Day period marks a time of resuming normal schedules after summer vacations, companies including Amazon.com Inc. and even Zoom Video Communications Inc. are cracking down on getting workers back to offices for at least part of the week.
But even then, workers are facing vastly different policies depending on their companies, managers or location. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. wants staff in five days a week. At Walt Disney Co., it’s four days; for Amazon, Google and many others, it’s three. Hybrid schedules are now the norm for office goers in the world’s largest economy.
The chaotic nature of RTO was understandable two years ago, when Covid was still circulating at crisis levels and “the Great Resignation” and “lying flat” were the catchphrases of the day for workers pushing back on norms. Now, cooling economies mean hiring has slowed in many sectors from the frenetic pace of two years ago, giving bosses more leverage to call the shots, while layoffs and cost-cutting measures have many workers on edge. Yet the debate is far from settled, leaving questions about the role of offices, the integration of work and life, and the measurement of productivity and pay.
How it plays out carries significant economic consequences: McKinsey Global Institute estimates that pandemic shifts could erase as much as $1.3 trillion of real estate value in big cities around the world by 2030.
“Everyone is asking, ‘Is this going to come back?’” said Phil Kirschner, who advises executives on real estate and workplace strategies at McKinsey & Co. in the US.
“What we’ve done is Band-Aided some tools together to prevent the ship from sinking,” he said. “But we haven’t done the difficult work to say, ‘The way we were working before was not universally great for everybody. And this is the new reality.’”
Cultures, Commutes
It’s hard to cast entire continents as monolithic. The US may have embraced remote work more than other regions, but more than half of American workers toil on the frontlines, without much of an option to work from home. In Japan, the nation’s largest lenders are eschewing a minimum number of office days per week, in contrast to their Wall Street counterparts. Unilever Plc, the European maker of Dove soap, allows desk-based workers a good deal of flexibility in both where and when they work, and has piloted four-day workweeks in several countries.
But both cultural and structural factors have contributed to regional variations, according to Phil Ryan, London-based director of JLL City Futures, part of the global research and analysis arm of the real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
“Some of it is absolutely cultural — some places have more expectations of people coming in,” said Ryan. “In some places it’s about reliable public transportation. Another big difference is home sizes; in the US, they have larger home offices so they don’t feel that the office is a better place to work.”
In Hong Kong, tiny apartments and an efficient public transport system have given residents fewer reasons to work from home. There, subway ridership surpassed 2019 levels in March and empty office space is more tied to decreased Chinese investment than remote work. In New York, subways are still only 70% full on weekdays and only about half of workers are back at buildings on a given day compared with pre-Covid levels.
Working remotely has been generally more accepted and widespread in the US, according to Mark Mortensen and Henrik Bresman, professors at the INSEAD business school. That’s due in part to the preponderance of technology, finance and business-services roles — so-called “knowledge workers” — that are computer-intensive and thus more conducive to remote work. Americans in tech, finance and professional services work from home nearly a full day more per week than those in government and health-care roles, according to research from a team of economists including Stanford University economics professor Nicholas Bloom.
And this isn’t likely to change much: The research from Mortensen and Bresman found that the proportion of people in America who said their productivity while working remotely was at optimal levels was almost double that in the rest of the world. In contrast, a working paper on data-entry workers in India found those working from home to be 18% less productive.
Workers in Europe and Asia are more concerned about missing out on social connections with co-workers than Americans, Mortensen’s research found. Take Andrea Lovato, managing partner at F&P Equity Partners in Milan. He’s not against remote work, but says “in-person work has many more benefits: When you are sharing the same space in the office there is closer interaction with colleagues, a more spontaneous development of ideas and innovation, and higher engagement from people.”
Cities matter as much as culture, says Despina Katsikakis, the global head of real estate giant Cushman & Wakefield Plc’s workplace research and insights division. “Cities in Europe are more walkable and bring together work, life and play,” said Katsikakis, based in London. “So, European offices are more connected to blended, vibrant communities versus the US, where offices are more dictated by zoning laws and in more isolated areas.”
Space for Rent
The disparities have upended the commercial real estate market, where empty offices and the fastest pace of interest-rate hikes in a generation are leading to a debt crisis among some landlords. A McKinsey report in July explored the differences among cities, showing that office-heavy areas of New York and San Francisco have suffered steeper declines in real estate demand, alongside lower rates of office attendance, compared with cities like Paris and Munich. The consultancy estimated that about $800 billion may be wiped out from the value of office buildings in nine major cities in a moderate scenario, and as much as $1.3 trillion as a worst-case.
Read more: The World’s Empty Offices Have Become a Debt Time Bomb
Places like Paris, along with many Asian cities, have cultures that value being present in the office. In Germany, 43% of the workforce spends four days or more in the office, according to a survey by workplace design firm Unispace. China’s high rates of office attendance are due in part to its so-called “996” culture, which involves working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. Loyalty to employers is also more steadfast in places like Japan and South Korea, say, than in the US.
“The often-implicit assumption that the landscape looks similar across cultures and contexts does not hold up to scrutiny,” Mortensen said.
There are some global commonalities, though. Women place a higher average value on working from home than men in all but a few countries, according to Stanford’s Bloom, as do those with more education. And industry can sometimes trump geography, said Ben Waber, co-founder and president of Humanyze, which analyzes workplace collaboration data for dozens of large organizations worldwide. “A software company in Japan will look more like a software company in the US versus a manufacturer in Japan,” he said.
Still, American firms tend to be more advanced in performance measurement and evaluation systems that are critical for remote work when managers can’t observe employees directly, according to research from a team including Italian economist Andrea Lamorgese.
Legislative Efforts
In Europe, policymakers have stepped in to help shape the future of work by promoting more flexible arrangements. At least half a dozen nations have passed or proposed legislation to govern remote work, fueled by the European Union’s 2021 “right to disconnect” proposal, a call to grant EU employees legal rights to switch off from work-related tasks and electronic communication outside of normal business hours.
Already enforced in France, Spain and Belgium, the policy is backed by a majority of the European Parliament and could become EU law by the end of the year, according to Ben Marks, co-founder of the Future Workforce Alliance, a forum of politicians, business leaders and academics focused on policy changes.
Support for the right to disconnect goes well beyond Europe: Governments from Colombia to Canada have passed similar measures, and Kenya is considering it. Beyond that, the Dutch House last year passed a law to establish the legal right to work from home, and its Senate is expected to vote on it this year. The bill requires employers to consider employee requests to work remotely as long as their professions allow it, while insisting that the worker’s request be “reasonable and fair.”
The Netherlands ranks fifth globally in the number of remote jobs available, according to recent data from Lightcast and Revelio Labs, and some Dutch employers came to embrace flexible work during the pandemic.
Matthijs Welle, the Amsterdam-based CEO of Mews, which provides software for hotels, said he previously “never believed in work from home,” but now allows his 800 employees across 20 countries to work from anywhere after closing offices in half-a-dozen cities. “I think it’s needed to drive this conversation with more traditional managers, who have shut the door on it,” he said, referring to the legislation.
Ireland’s coalition government in April passed a similar remote-work law, which had been held up for months by claims that the bill was tilted in favor of employers. Millions of British workers, meanwhile, will soon have the right to request flexible working arrangements upon starting a job. Previously, they had to wait half a year before making such a request.
In Belgium, employees in February 2022 won the right to a four-day workweek at the same pay, and the coalition government there also introduced new rules for gig workers, setting out criteria for designating them as employees regardless of what they are called in their contract.
Off Hours
Critics of right-to-disconnect laws say such measures could be largely symbolic in today’s asynchronous workplace. Data from Microsoft Corp., maker of Teams collaboration and conferencing software, found a so-called “third peak” of productivity after 9 p.m. during the pandemic, with the average Teams user sending 42% more chats after hours compared with early 2020.
Then there are people who have moved to work remotely from entirely new locations, often logging on at unconventional times. During the pandemic, Lisbon and other Portuguese cities became a haven for digital nomads from the US and elsewhere, who took advantage of favorable tax rates, cheap real estate and a generous visa, introduced in October, that allowed remote workers to live in the sun-speckled country for up to five years.
In six months, 930 such visas were granted, according to Portugal’s immigration department, with Americans receiving the most. Lisbon was the most-visited remote work hub in 2022, according to Nomad, a remote-worker network, but visits are down 32% so far in 2023. Rents and property prices in the capital city have ballooned, and in February the government announced it would end its “golden visa” path-to-citizenship program for foreigners who invest in real estate in the country. Ireland has done the same, and other European locales are becoming less welcoming.
In response, digital nomads are now looking outside the US and Europe — eight of the ten fastest-growing remote-work hubs in 2023 so far are in Asia, including Tokyo, Seoul and Ho Chi Minh City.
The Road Ahead
In the US, Labor Day has emerged as a marker of a renewed push toward stricter office-attendance policies, and this year is no different. At the World Bank in Washington, President Ajay Banga wants workers back four days starting this week. Even a company like Workhuman, which provides worker-recognition programs and prides itself on listening closely to employee concerns, has asked most of its staff to come back to offices twice a week beginning this month.
“The summer is wide open, then things normalize in September,” said KeyAnna Schmiedl, Workhuman’s chief human experience officer.
Read more: Wall Street Gets Tough on Return-to-Office Laggards
But any leader who keeps hoping things will get “back to normal” will be disappointed, because the workplace is fundamentally different now. Office occupancy rates have plateaued in the US at half of pre-Covid levels. Lobbies are ghost towns on Fridays. Business leaders grumble about the effects of working from home, but they also know it’s now ingrained, according to a new survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Work is no longer a place people go, it’s a thing they do — and when, where and how it happens is no longer written in stone.
“Covid was a portal we walked through,” said McKinsey’s Kirschner. “And we’re not going back.”
--With assistance from Sarah Holder, Chiara Remondini, Irina Anghel, Cagan Koc, Morwenna Coniam, Joao Lima and Taiga Uranaka.
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | US Federal Policies |
There’s a slight chill running through the US labor market, but the temperature is still too high for the Federal Reserve.
The number of job openings in the United States fell to 10.8 million in January, down from an upwardly revised 11.23 million in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday as part of its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS.
The consensus estimate from economists was for 10.5 million available positions in January, according to Refinitiv.
The January JOLTS report showed that hiring increased to 6.37 million from 6.25 million, layoffs surged to 1.72 million from 1.48 million, and quits dropped to 3.89 million from 4.09 million.
Those shifts point to a cooling labor market. However, the continued imbalance between worker supply and demand means the US job market remained tight in January — and that’s not what the Federal Reserve is looking for in its efforts to cool the economy.
“While the January JOLTS report shows job openings are heading in the right direction for the Fed, the decline is far too modest to convince that labor market conditions are cooling enough to bring down inflation,” Oxford Economics economists wrote in a statement issued Wednesday. “The Fed will put more weight on Friday’s employment report, but signs continue to point towards [quarter-point] rate hikes at each of the next three [Federal Open Market Committee] meetings.”
The Fed remains highly attuned to the monthly JOLTS report as the data can serve as a proxy for labor market demand. Fed officials have expressed concern that a tight labor market could keep upward pressure on wages and, in turn, inflation.
“Quits, they’re inching down,” Kris Mitchener, a professor economics at Santa Clara University, said in an interview. “Quits are important because they tell us something about how workers are perceiving their relative bargaining positions in the labor market and [whether] they have outside options.”
In January, there were nearly 1.9 available jobs for every job seeker.
Data discrepancies
However, concerns are growing about the reliability of the JOLTS data. The survey response rate has more than halved during the past 10 years, a freefall that only accelerated during the pandemic. In December, the response rate was 31.1%, down from 56.4% in February 2020 and 69% in January 2013.
Job openings, as recorded in the JOLTS data, have fallen 10% since their record peak of 12.03 million in March 2022.
However, private-sector survey data and online job postings have shown a considerably stronger decline, said Julia Pollak, chief economist with ZipRecruiter.
“We do expect that, at some point, JOLTS data will track what we’re seeing in online job postings, which have fallen around 28% since the Fed began its supersized interest rate hikes in June,” Pollak told CNN.
The online job postings have fallen steadily but remain well above pre-pandemic levels by about 16%, she said.
Still, some aspects of the JOLTS report — particularly layoff activity — do indicate that a slowdown is occurring in the labor market, she noted Wednesday.
The estimated 1.72 million layoffs in January marks a noticeable turnaround from trends of two years when the monthly levels averaged 1.44 million and did not get above 1.63 million, BLS data shows.
“The large increase to 1.7 million [in January] brings them closer to the pre-pandemic average of 1.9 million and suggests that the period of unprecedented job security for American workers is coming to a close,” Pollak said.
Looking ahead
The JOLTS report dropped just as Fed Chair Jerome Powell sat before Congress for the second day of his semiannual monetary policy testimony.
The Fed’s sharp interest rate hikes last year do appear to have contributed to some slowing within the US economy, Powell said, noting housing sector activity weakening and lower business investment. However, the labor market “remains extremely tight,” he said.
Powell, during his testimony Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee, reiterated that Fed officials will review the “totality of the data” when evaluating the size and pace of future monetary policy actions, including what could come two weeks from now.
One major piece of data will come Friday when the BLS releases its jobs report for February. Economists are expecting monthly job gains of 205,000, which would be a large decline from the monster 517,000 jobs added during January.
Wednesday’s employment report from payroll provider ADP, seen as a proxy for the government’s monthly jobs report, showed that a projected 242,000 jobs were added by private employers in February. | Labor Activism |
Photos: Contrasting emotions outside Supreme CourtFrank Thorp V / NBC NewsThousands of activists on both sides of the issue gathered in front of the Supreme Court after the court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case on Friday.The court’s decision overturns the landmark nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade case and erases a federal right to an abortion.Planned Parenthood of Greater New York set to increase services by 20%Antonio Planas21m ago / 8:41 PM UTCPlanned Parenthood of Greater New York announced Friday it will increase services by 20 percent in response to states outlawing abortions following Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court.The organization will offer additional abortion appointments at its 23 health centers to care for more state residents seeking abortions as well as people traveling to New York from states where abortions have been made illegal, according to a statement.Some of the new measures the organization will take include assigning an abortion patient navigator who will help people coming from out of state. The company will increase telehealth medication to give people in early stages of pregnancy the option to safely manage their abortion under the guidance of a company clinician, the organization said. Centers in Ithaca and Corning, in the southern region of the state, will expand their services to decrease travel times for people from out state to reach a clinic, the organization said.Up to 26 states are prepared to outlaw abortion affecting more than 36 million people who could lose access to abortions, the organization said.“Banning abortion does not take away people’s need to access abortion. We believe all people — no matter where they live — should have the right to control their own bodies, lives, and futures,” said Joy D. Calloway, Interim President and CEO of New York’s Planned Parenthood. “We have been preparing for this day. At Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, we are committed to ensuring equitable access to all New Yorkers and people across the country in states hostile toward health care — and abortion is health care.” Graham says Pence called to thank him on the decisionTat Bellamy-Walker34m ago / 8:28 PM UTCSen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C, said former Vice President Mike Pence praised him in a phone call for his work in helping the court overturn Roe v. Wade. In a separate tweet, Graham said that Pence has been a role model for his work in the pro-life movement. He also called Pence a "true inspiration." Graham further applauded the Trump administration for the appointment of three judges that led to the historic decision to reverse abortion rights nationwide. Bill Clinton says ruling has 'put our democracy at risk'Former President Bill Clinton slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying that it "puts partisanship ahead of precedent, ideology ahead of evidence, and the power of a small minority ahead of the clear will of the people."The majority opinion is "wrong on the merits, wrong for women and their ability to make their own healthcare decisions, and wrong for what it means for the future of our country," Clinton said in a statement. "This jarring removal of rights that had long been guaranteed, along with decisions gutting the Voting Rights Act and abolishing any judicial remedy for admittedly unconstitutional gerrymandering by state legislatures and abuses of power by federal authorities, has put our democracy at risk in the hands of a radical, activist Court."Clinton, a Democrat, urged voters to elect politicians who will defend rights and liberties, and the Senate to "confirm judges who will put their duty to uphold the Constitution ahead of their ideology, partisanship, and obsession to control."Scene outside Jackson Women’s Health OrganizationBlayne Alexander and Tat Bellamy-Walker47m ago / 8:15 PM UTCProtesters, reproductive health advocates and media crowded outside of Jackson Women's Health Organization, an abortion clinic in Mississippi that is at the center of a decision to reverse abortion rights.Pink House Defenders, a group that stands outside the clinic and escorts women inside for abortion services, said protesters have calmed down since the decision was announced Friday. “We’re used to protestors every day. But I got to admit, today they are being a little extra," said a clinic escort, who declined to give her name. She added that the news media was also lining the streets. She said that she is fed up with all of it. “On top of all of that, we still have to escort our patients inside," she said. Outside of the clinic, anti-abortion protestors were handing out pamphlets that say, "this is not your only choice." Graphic: How the U.S. compares with the rest of the world on attitudes toward abortionNot all countries are as divided as the U.S. is on abortion access. According to a 2021 Ipsos survey of abortion attitudes in 27 countries, an average of 71 percent of people worldwide support abortion in all instances or in certain circumstances.The U.S. ranked in the lower third among countries included in the poll, with 66 percent of the country supporting abortion access in all or most cases. Sweden ranked the highest with 88 percent.What the Supreme Court justices said about Roe, abortion in their confirmationsJane C. Timm1h ago / 7:54 PM UTCAfter Friday’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, pro-abortion rights lawmakers argued that some of the justices who voted in the majority opinion misled senators during their confirmation process.“This decision is inconsistent with what Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their testimony and their meetings with me,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said.The future of the landmark Roe decision has long been a topic of Supreme Court confirmations.All six Supreme Court judges who voted to uphold the Mississippi law at the center of Friday’s decision were asked about Roe v. Wade during their confirmation hearings. Justices appointed by then-President Donald Trump, in particular, were interrogated at length, as he had vowed as a candidate to appoint judges who would overturn Roe.Here's what they said at the time.International Planned Parenthood chief: Roe decision 'biggest blow to women's health and rights'The Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade is “the biggest blow to women’s health and rights” in recent American history, the head of International Planned Parenthood said Friday. The director general of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, called the decision “an outrageous and devastating conclusion to what was already an unconstitutional removal of life-saving healthcare.” He added: “By continuing its unbridled attack on women’s bodies and forcing them to carry pregnancies to term, the highest court in the land has reached its lowest point, robbing millions of their liberty, bodily autonomy and freedom — the very values the United States prides itself on. “We know for a fact that banning abortion does not mean fewer abortions and that when abortion bans are enacted, women and pregnant people die, as we have seen across the globe, most recently in Poland. We also know that those who cannot access safe abortion care legally, including medical abortion pills, will be forced into unregulated and unsafe methods, potentially resulting in serious harm or even death and costing lives for decades to come."VP Harris blasts Roe ruling, says progress isn't 'inevitable'Vice President Kamala Harris blasted the Supreme Court's ruling at an event in Illinois and echoed President Joe Biden's remarks that voters have the power to elect leaders who protect their rights. Harris, who served as California's attorney general before being elected to the Senate, said that the opinion argues that abortion is "not deeply rooted in our history." She said Friday's decision calls into question "other rights that we thought were settled, such as the right to use birth control, the right to same-sex marriage, the right to interracial marriage.""The great aspiration of our nation has been to expand freedom, but the expansion of freedom clearly is not inevitable," she said. "It is not something that just happens." Harris said she invites people to stand together in defense of liberty, freedom and the right to self-determination. "You have the power to elect leaders who will defend or protect your rights," she said, urging people to vote. Emotions raw outside Supreme Court after Roe reversalTears flowed and voices bellowed outside the Supreme Court on Friday, as activists on both sides of the abortion issue bore emotion-filled witness to the end of the Roe era.“It’s really a visceral issue,” said Mai El-Sadany, a human rights lawyer who opposes Friday’s decision. “The people who showed up here are really angry and they didn’t want to be alone.” That was true for many of the abortion rights supporters, who wore stickers, held signs, chanted slogans and, at times, wept. They vowed that they would continue to fight for abortion rights, and some wore T-shirts advertising their willingness to “aid and abet” women seeking abortions in states where they will soon be banned or heavily restricted.Read more here.Northwell Health, N.Y.'s largest health care provider, criticizes Roe decision Antonio Planas2h ago / 7:26 PM UTCFriday’s Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is a setback for women that will hinder access to safe abortions, according to a statement from Northwell Health.“Northwell Health is disappointed by the US Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, which made access to safe and legal abortion a constitutional right for five decades,” the statement said. “This decision is a setback for women’s reproductive health. Our concern as the region’s largest health care provider is that this ruling will succeed in ending access to safe abortions and disproportionately cause harm to those who already have limited access to health care.”Northwell Health is New York state's largest health care provider.“In New York State, we already have laws that establish a woman’s right to an abortion. Governor Hochul recently signed a series of bills that preserve this right and, importantly, offer protections for health care providers in the state who perform this procedure legally. But we will vigorously monitor any developments related to this very important issue in the coming months and we will continue to advocate in the name of raising women’s health.”Lawyer who argued against Dobbs said consequences will be 'swift and severe'Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Supreme Court's decision to end 50 years of federal abortion rights "takes away an individual personal liberty" and warned that it will affect other important issues. "Its impact is going to reverberate beyond abortion no matter what the majority tried to say about that," she said at a news conference Friday afternoon. "Generations of people have relied on this right and they’ll now be thrown into a world without it. I can’t emphasize enough what a cataclysmic change this will be, how much chaos we will see in the coming days and month," added Julie Rikelman, the center's litigation director, who in December argued against the Dobbs case. "The impact of this ruling truly will be swift and severe."Northup — who successfully argued the 2016 Whole Woman’s Health case which banned Texas from replacing restrictions on abortion services — said that Friday's ruling puts at risk the right to use contraception and the right to gay marriage. "The Supreme Court, having done something it’s never done before, which is take away an individual personal liberty, it has never done that in its history, and it can’t be underestimated about what that means," she said, adding: "And the decision is also the biggest setback to women’s rights, I would say in United States history."Hawley predicts overturn of Roe will bolster Republicans' Electoral College advantageSen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., predicted on a conference call with reporters on Friday that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling would ultimately lead to an exodus of Democratic voters from red and purple states, bolstering a Republican advantage in the Electoral College.“I really do think that this is going to be a watershed moment in American politics,” he said, adding “I think we will see a major sorting out across the country that is already underway, as we speak, as states move to change their laws or adopt new laws in response to this decision.”He predicted the ruling would inform voters’ decisions on what jobs to take, where to locate their families and would “probably redraw some demographic lines around the country and will lead to impacts in voting patterns, I think all around the country.”“And I would predict that the effect is going to be that more and more red states, they’re going to become more red, purple states are going to become red and the blue states are going to get a lot bluer,” he added. “And I would look for Republicans, as a result of this, to extend their strength in the Electoral College. And that’s very good news for those of us who want to see Republican presidents elected, they want to see a Supreme Court that remains conservative.”As for whether federal legislators should consider national restrictions on abortion rights in light of the Dobbs ruling, Hawley said “it would be appropriate for us to consider legislation where there is a national consensus,” adding he would like to see voters weigh in at the individual state level first.U.S. companies tell workers their benefits include travel costs for abortionsAntonio Planas2h ago / 6:46 PM UTCSome of the country’s biggest companies — including Paramount, Disney, Amazon and Netflix — are telling employees that their benefits include travel costs for abortions.In a memo provided to NBC News, Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount Global, and Chief People Officer Nancy Phillips said the corporation supports health care choices made by its employees.“This includes the reproductive health and family-building benefits that helps make our company a welcoming place to work.” One of the benefits listed in the memo was travel costs for “elective abortion care.”A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to NBC News the company offers travel reimbursement coverage for full-time U.S. employees and their dependents who need to travel to get an abortion. The lifetime allowance for each employee is $10,000, according to the spokesperson.Disney confirmed to Reuters it also covers travel cost for employees who need reproductive care, including to obtain an abortion. Disney employs about 80,000 people at Walt Disney World resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a 15-week abortion ban. The law is scheduled to take effect July 1.Other corporations such as Amazon.com, Citigroup and Levi Strauss & Co., have publicly pledged to pay for employees' travel to obtain abortions, Reuters reported.Former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe says he hopes Roe ruling will motivate baseFormer Democratic National Committee Chair and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe reacted to Friday's decision by saying he hoped the verdict would boost turnout in the upcoming elections.“If this doesn’t energize women to come out and vote, I don’t know what will," he said. "For 50 years people talked about Roe being overturned. Well, guess what? It has now happened. ""There’s a shock value to it," he added." If this doesn’t mobilize folks to come out and talk bout how important elections are, and how people can’t sit at home, and how elections really do matter, this has proven the case ... This and the Jan. 6 stuff is having an impact. So, obviously, with Roe and all this debate on guns, we do have some things that motivate our base.”In furious dissent, Supreme Court’s liberal wing slams ‘draconian’ abortion decisionIn a scathing dissent to the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday that overturned Roe v. Wade and wiped out the constitutional guarantee of abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the “draconian” opinion as a decision that will undeniably curtail women’s rights and turn back “their status as free and equal citizens.”The lengthy joint dissent written by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan repeatedly slammed the court’s “cavalier” conservative majority for exercising “hypocrisy” in the way they interpret the Constitution. The justices predicted myriad terrible — and possibly deadly — consequences for women, particularly low-income women and women of color, in need of abortion care.Frequently, and with searing language, they concluded that the court’s majority had deemed that women are not deserving of equal protection under the law.Read more here.McConnell calls the ruling 'courageous and correct'Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., celebrated the ruling Friday, calling it “courageous and correct” and a "historic victory for the Constitution and for the most vulnerable in our society.”In a statement, the GOP leader argued that more than 90% of Europe restricts abortion after 15 weeks but "every state in America has been forced to allow it more than a month past that, after a baby can feel pain, yawn, stretch, and suck his or her thumb.""The Court has corrected a terrible legal and moral error, like when Brown v. Board overruled Plessy v. Ferguson," he continued. "The Justices applied the Constitution. They carefully weighed the complex factors regarding precedent. The Court overturned mistaken rulings that even liberals have long admitted were incoherent, restoring the separation of powers. I commend the Court for its impartiality in the face of attempted intimidation."As majority leader in 2017, McConnell led Republicans in eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, allowing them to be confirmed in a simple majority vote rather than a supermajority. The move led to the confirmations of former President Donald Trump's three Supreme Court picks: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, all of whom sided with Justice Samuel Alito in overturning Roe. Defense secretary says Pentagon examining Supreme Court decisionThe Pentagon will "closely" examine the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and "evaluate our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said."Nothing is more important to me or to this Department than the health and well-being of our Service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families," he said in a statement. "I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our Force."Hillary Clinton says ruling overturning Roe will 'live in infamy'Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Friday that the Supreme Court's ruling will "live in infamy." "Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she said in a tweet. "Today’s Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women’s rights and human rights."Clinton, the former first lady, senator and secretary of state, then linked to a webpage that asks for donations to three major abortion rights groups.Oklahoma's GOP AG allows trigger law outlawing abortions to take effectOklahoma's Republican attorney general, John O'Connor, praised the Supreme Court's ruling and said he has certified it, allowing the state's trigger law outlawing abortions to take effect. In a letter, O'Connor certified "that Roe and Casey have been overruled such that Oklahoma may prohibit abortion on demand," according to the attorney general's office. "In that letter, he also indicated that he would begin efforts immediately to enforce Oklahoma’s abortion prohibitions, especially the one found in Section 861 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes," the office said. That section of the statute says that anyone who administers the "miscarriage" of a woman or by prescribing, advising or procuring medication or drugs will be guilty of a felony that could result in a sentence of two to five years in prison. O'Connor's letter says that his certification will also allow Oklahoma to enforce any similar statute prohibiting abortion throughout pregnancy. Taylor Swift reacts to Roe reversal: 'I'm absolutely terrified'Grammy-winning pop star Taylor Swift, who has become increasingly vocal about political issues in recent years, tweeted Friday that she was "absolutely terrified that this is where we are" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Swift offered her thoughts in response to a statement from former first lady Michelle Obama, who wrote that she was "heartbroken today."Trump takes credit for 'biggest WIN for Life in a generation'Former President Donald Trump, who campaigned on limiting abortion rights and appointed three Supreme Court justices, took credit for Friday's decision in a statement.Calling it "the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation," Trump said the Roe ruling and "other decisions" recently announced "were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised."All three justices appointed by Trump — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — voted with the majority in overturning Roe. Anti-abortion advocates celebrate Friday in front of the Supreme Court.Frank Thorp V / NBC NewsThough Trump was known to have more socially liberal positions as a private citizen, he won favor with Republican activists by vowing during his 2016 campaign to choose justices from a pre-selected list of conservatives.Sen. Kennedy praises reversal of Roe v. Wade: 'They did their work'Tat Bellamy-Walker4h ago / 5:24 PM UTCSen. John Kennedy, R-La., released a statement Friday that praised the justices for overturning Roe. v. Wade despite attempts to protest the decision. Rep. Cheney says she has always been 'pro-life,' ruling returns power to the statesRep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who has bucked her party by denouncing former President Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, indicated Friday that she supports the Supreme Court's ruling."I have always been strongly pro-life," she said in a tweet. "Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court returns power to the states and the people of the states to address the issue of abortion under state law."Biden says no violence, urges people to 'keep all protests peaceful'President Joe Biden on Friday urged people to "keep all protests peaceful" in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. "I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful," he said during a White House speech, reiterating: "Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. No intimidation. Violence is never acceptable." Hundreds of demonstrators have already gathered outside the Supreme Court following the historic decision with some abortion rights supporters chanting: "We won’t go back! We won’t go back! My body, my choice!"The crowd outside the court has continued to grow but has remained relatively peaceful. "Threats and intimidation are not speech," Biden said. "We must stand against violence in any form regardless of your rationale." 'People will die because of this decision,' Rep. Ocasio-Cortez saysAntonio Planas4h ago / 5:07 PM UTCRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Friday the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will make abortions more dangerous and result in deaths.“Overturning Roe and outlawing abortions will never make them go away. It only makes them more dangerous, especially for the poor + marginalized," she tweeted. "People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America.”Anti-abortion Democratic Rep. Cuellar says Roe decision leaves issues up to the statesTexas Rep. Henry Cuellar, the lone anti-abortion Democrat in the House, said Friday his position has not changed."We'll let the states make this decision now," he said. Asked by NBC News about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the Supreme Court's decision, which she said was "cruel," Cuellar said, "Everybody has their opinion, including the speaker."Cuellar said that while he was in the minority in his caucus, he is not in his district.WHO’s Tedros disappointed by Roe v. Wade decisionReuters4h ago / 4:59 PM UTCThe head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was very disappointed by the overturning of Roe v Wade.“I am very disappointed, because women’s rights must be protected. And I would have expected America to protect such rights,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told Reuters on the sidelines of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.Sanders says it is time to end the Senate filibusterTat Bellamy-Walker4h ago / 4:57 PM UTCSen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called on Democrats to end the filibuster in the Senate and solidify protections for abortion rights. Biden says Roe is 'on the ballot' in NovemberIn remarks from the White House on Friday, President Joe Biden said that "voters need to make their voices heard" at the ballot box in November's midterm elections because he is unable to restore abortion protections and Congress lacks the votes to take that action. "We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land. We need to elect officials who will do that. This fall, Roe is on the ballot," Biden said. Until November, Biden said he will do everything in his power to protect a woman's right to choose in states where they will face the consequences of the court's decision. He said, for example, that his administration will protect women's access to medications that allow them to self-manage an abortion at home. He acknowledged that a number of Republican-controlled states have already banned or restricted access to these medications. Biden expressed anger at the Supreme Court's ruling, saying that "the court has done what it has never done before — expressly take away a constitutional right." "This decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is — far removed they are from the majority of this country," he said. "You can act. You can have the final word."He blamed his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, for the reversal of Roe because of his nomination of three justices at the "core of today's decision." Plaintiff in same-sex marriage Supreme Court case says decision is moving country 'backward'Christopher Cicchiello4h ago / 4:54 PM UTCJim Obergefell, the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges that established the right to same-sex marriages across the nation, called today's verdict "a sad day for women's rights.""This Supreme Court continues to erode the rights of citizens at an alarming rate," Obergefell said in a tweet. "Women deserve responsive leaders who support reproductive justice. Leaders who respect their fundamental right to have control over their own bodies."In a separate statement reacting to Justice Clarence Thomas’ call to reconsider the holding in Obergefell v. Hodges in his concurring opinion, Obergefell said that "the millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them."U.S. Capitol public tours halted after Roe decision Public tours of the U.S. Capitol were abruptly halted Friday after the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, allowing Capitol Police to shift some of their resources to the court complex, a source familiar with the decision said.Capitol Police were also concerned about members of the public lining up at the entrance of the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), which is close to where thousands of protesters were assembling in front of the court building."It's because of the CVC entrance's proximity to activity at SCOTUS and the general need to shift U.S. Capitol Police manpower to respond to SCOTUS activity," the source said.The House Sergeant at Arms sent a message to congressional offices informing them of the decision. So far, the protests have been peaceful.Scotland's leader calls out Roe decisionScotland's leader on Friday warned that the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would "embolden anti-abortion and anti-women forces" beyond the United States."One of the darkest days for women’s rights in my lifetime," Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet. "Obviously the immediate consequences will be suffered by women in the US — but this will embolden anti-abortion & anti-women forces in other countries too. Solidarity doesn’t feel enough right now — but it is necessary."McCarthy praises court's decisionHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy praised the decision of the court during a Friday press conference. "By a vote of 6-3, the court affirmed that the power to protect unborn life is returned to the people by their elected representatives," he said. "This great nation can now live up to its core principle that all people are created equal — not born equal, created equal."He added that the decision would "save the lives of millions of children" and "give families hope."Rev. Sharpton says court's decision brings us 'back to the dark ages' Tat Bellamy-Walker4h ago / 4:46 PM UTCThe Rev. Al Sharpton, the head of the National Action Network and an MSNBC host, said Friday that Black women and poor women will be disproportionately affected by the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. British doctors union calls Roe decision 'deeply worrying'A senior official at the British Medical Association, the United Kingdom's doctors union, on Friday said the Supreme Court's decision overturning abortion rights could have an impact beyond the United States. “The news that restrictions to abortions could be made law in some U.S. states ... is deeply worrying for the future of women’s reproductive health," Zoe Greaves, chair of the group's medical ethics committee, said in a written statement. "The BMA, along with multiple other health organizations, is concerned that this will remove women’s access to essential medical care, a fundamental human right as stated by the U.N., both in the U.S. and potentially more widely," she said. The organization added in a statement that it would be weighing the decision's implications to determine how best to support the American Medical Association in its opposition to the "criminalization of reproductive health."First lady Jill Biden was with DeSantis when Roe decision came downJosh Lederman4h ago / 4:40 PM UTCFirst lady Jill Biden was with Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis when she learned of the Supreme Court ruling, a White House official told NBC News.The first lady was preparing to go onstage at the memorial for the one year anniversary of the Champlain Tower collapse in Surfside, Florida, along with DeSantis and his wife in a holding room. Moments before the first lady walked on stage, the news alerts popped up on everyone’s phones.In April, DeSantis signed a Florida law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.Democratic governors in the West pledge to stand up for abortion rightsDemocratic governors in California, Oregon and Washington said Friday they will continue to "protect" patients seeking reproductive care, including those from other states seeking abortions.California's Gavin Newsom, Oregon's Kate Brown and Washington's Jay Inslee made the announcement in a video message released after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, presenting themselves as a counterweight to "red states and Republican-stacked courts.""California, Oregon and Washington are building the West Coast offense to protect patients' access to reproductive care," Newsom said.Inslee said: "We're going to work with our legislators, with our providers, with our patient advocates."Brown said: "We will not stand on the sidelines."'With sorrow...we dissent': Court's liberal wing says majority decided women not deserving of equal protectionIn a blistering dissent to the court's decision reversing abortion rights, the justices on the bench’s liberal wing slammed the majority opinion as one that would curtail women's rights.“It says that from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A State can force her to bring a pregnancy to term, even at the steepest personal and familial costs,” Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote in the lengthy dissent."With sorrow — for | SCOTUS |
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Sunday said “everything is on the table” following a Texas federal judge’s ruling to suspend the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the medication abortion drug mifepristone.
In an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union,” the secretary would not say whether he believes the FDA should ignore the ruling and keep the drug on the market, but he maintained that the Biden administration is considering all options.
“We want the courts to overturn this reckless decision,” Becerra said, adding that there was a “good chance” of Supreme Court intervention but declining to say how, exactly, the administration will handle the ruling in the interim.
“Everything is on the table. The president said that way back when the Dobbs decision came out. Every option is on the table,” the secretary told Bash, referring to last year’s Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.
US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk on Friday issued a ruling to halt the decades-old approval of mifepristone, but he paused the ruling from taking effect for a week so it could be appealed, a process that is underway.
“This is not America,” Becerra said Sunday. “What you saw is that one judge in that one court in that one state, that’s not America. America goes by the evidence. America does what’s fair. America does what is transparent, and we can show that what we do is for the right reasons. That’s not America.”
Within an hour of the ruling Friday, a different federal judge ruled in favor of 17 Democratic-led states and Washington, DC, looking to expand access to the abortion pill, allowing them to keep the drug available.
Becerra on Sunday touted the proven safety of the drug, a factor that Kacsmaryk questioned in his ruling. He confirmed that the Department of Justice had already filed its appeal and is waiting for its day in court.
Still, Becerra had little to say about what tangible preparations the administration would take to secure access to abortion should the drug no longer be available after the weeklong pause.
“Well, [women] certainly have access today, and we intend to do everything to make sure it’s available for them not just in a week but moving forward, period,” Becerra told Bash when asked if women would have access to the medication after this week.
The Justice Department and Danco, a mifepristone manufacturer that intervened in the case to defend the approval, have both filed notices of appeal. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Danco said in statements that in addition to the appeals, they will seek “stays” of the ruling, meaning emergency requests that the decision remains frozen while the appeal moves forward.
They’re appealing to the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which is sometimes said to be the country’s most conservative appellate court. Yet some legal scholars are skeptical that the 5th Circuit, as conservative as it is, would let Kacmsaryk’s order take effect.
“I got to believe that, Dana, an appeals court, the Supreme Court, whatever court has to understand that this ruling by this one judge overturns not just access to mifepristone, but possibly any number of drugs,” Becerra said.
CNN’s Tierney Sneed contributed to this report. | US Federal Policies |
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NASA is tracking a newly discovered asteroid roughly the size of an Olympic swimming pool that has a “small chance” of hitting Earth in 2046. While it sounds ominous, several scientists say the object is not particularly concerning because it will probably shift orbit in the coming decades.
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1. Germany shooting
Seven people were killed during a mass shooting on Thursday at a Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall in the German city of Hamburg in what the country’s leader denounced as a “brutal act of violence.” The alleged perpetrator also died in the incident, Hamburg police said. There is “no confirmed information on the motive for the crime,” police said in a statement. As the investigation remains ongoing, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has led politicians in denouncing the murder spree in the northern German city. “Several members of a Jehovah community fell victim to a brutal act of violence last night. My thoughts are with them and their loved ones,” he wrote on Twitter today.
2. Mexico kidnapping
A week after the kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico, investigators are still working to piece together how and why the abduction unfolded. This comes after a cartel apologized for carrying out what one victim’s father has called “a senseless crime” that left two Americans and one Mexican woman dead. The Gulf Cartel, which is believed to be responsible for the kidnapping, also issued an alleged apology letter and handed over five of its members to local authorities. The tight-knit group of friends had traveled from South Carolina to Matamoros so that one of them could undergo a medical procedure – but they were violently intercepted by gunmen who fired into their vehicle, loaded them into the back of a truck and took them away.
3. Biden’s Budget
President Joe Biden released his annual budget Thursday, outlining his policy priorities for the year ahead. Biden’s 2024 budget mostly rehashed the president’s earlier proposals to expand the social safety net and to pay for it by raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations. He wants to restore the expanded child tax credit and make permanent enhanced Obamacare subsidies. And he wants to provide universal free preschool, make college more affordable and establish a national paid family and medical leave program. However, the proposed budget has no chance of making it through the Republican-controlled House. It could still frame upcoming political battles on Capitol Hill, where the GOP has yet to unveil its own spending plan.
4. China
Chinese President Xi Jinping was reappointed today for another five years in a ceremonial vote in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People – a highly choreographed exercise in political theater meant to demonstrate the legitimacy and unity of the ruling elite. He received a unanimous 2,952 votes followed by a standing ovation. The reappointment of Xi, China’s most powerful and authoritarian leader in decades, was largely seen as a formality after the 69-year-old secured a norm-shattering third term as head of the Chinese Communist Party last fall. In 2018, China’s legislature abolished presidential term limits in a ceremonial vote, effectively allowing Xi to rule for life. Nevertheless, his reappointment as head of state officially completes his transition into a second decade in power.
5. Gun laws
A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a Florida law that raised the minimum age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21. The law was initially passed after 17 people were killed in a shooting by a 19-year-old at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. The 3-0 ruling from the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals comes as age-based restrictions are shaping up to become a flashpoint in the legal battles over gun access since the Supreme Court last year laid out a new test for determining a gun restriction’s constitutionality. But the ruling may also be short-lived after Republican lawmakers in Florida this week introduced a bill that would lower the minimum age required to buy a firearm in the state from 21 back to 18.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Jimmy Fallon pranks judges on ‘The Voice’
The comedian shocked the judges with an unexpected performance of Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’.” Watch the video here.
World’s biggest spokeless Ferris wheel will be built in South Korea
Normally, Ferris wheels have complex cables running through the middle. This attraction, on the other hand, takes a much more futuristic approach.
Elon Musk is planning to build his own town
The billionaire has reportedly been acquiring thousands of acres of land in Texas with the hope of starting a town, according to the Wall Street Journal.
NASA rover shares stunning photo of sunset on Mars
The rover recently sent back photos of night-shining clouds at sunset.
This is what years of tourist rides do to an elephant
Elephant rides are a popular tourist activity in countries across Southeast Asia, but activists say the pressure causes physical damage to the animals.
QUIZ TIME
Which comedian is set to host the 2023 Academy Awards Sunday night?
A. Jimmy Kimmel
B. Chris Rock
C. Amy Schumer
D. Kevin Hart
Take CNN’s weekly news quiz here to see if you’re correct!
IN MEMORIAM
Robert Blake, a noted actor and Emmy-winner who starred in the crime series “Baretta,” has died from heart disease, his daughter said in a statement Thursday. He was 89.
TODAY’S NUMBER
3.2 million
That’s how many Calico Critters toys have been recalled following the deaths of two children, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Thursday. The toys, which can pose a serious choking hazard for small children, were sold at Walmart and other stores nationwide and online for the past two decades.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“No amount of vitriol or misguided attacks will stop us from pursuing due process.”
– Dick Harpootlian, an attorney for Alex Murdaugh, tweeting on Thursday that he will appeal Murdaugh’s convictions and sentences for the 2021 murders of his wife and son. Murdaugh was convicted on March 2 after a weekslong trial drew national attention and included dozens of witnesses. He was sentenced last week to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
TODAY’S WEATHER
AND FINALLY
Meet a woman making NASCAR history | US Federal Policies |
Women Workers To Be Hurt More Than Men by AI Wave, McKinsey Says
Women have more to worry about than men from a coming wave of automation and artificial intelligence that could replace almost a third of hours worked across the US economy.
(Bloomberg) -- Women have more to worry about than men from a coming wave of automation and artificial intelligence that could replace almost a third of hours worked across the US economy.
That’s one of the takeaways from a new report by the research arm of consultants McKinsey & Co. that examines US labor-market trends through the end of 2030.
It calculated that women are 1.5 times more likely to need to move into a new occupation than men during that period. The reason: They’re over-represented in the industries with lower-wage jobs the report reckons will be most impacted by automation, including office support and customer service. Blacks and Hispanics will also be adversely affected as demand for food and production workers shrinks.
In all, the McKinsey Global Institute said that at least 12 million workers in the US will need to change occupations by the end of 2030. Some of that turnover will stem from the drive for net-zero emissions, which will disrupt millions of jobs.
What’s concerning, said Institute director Kweilin Ellingrud, is that the churn will be concentrated among low-wage workers. They’re up to 14 times more likely to need to change occupations than those in the highest-wage positions, and most will need additional skills to do so successfully.
White-collar workers – everything from lawyers and teachers to financial advisers and architects — will be among those most affected by the spread of generative artificial intelligence such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, according to the report. But McKinsey argued that will largely result in changes in how those jobs are carried out, rather than in the destruction of huge swathes of positions.
It “probably won’t be that kind of catastrophic thing,” institute partner Michael Chui said. But “it is going to change almost every job.”
Some 3.5 million positions could be wiped out as the US seeks to end emissions of greenhouse gases, with workers in oil and gas production and automotive manufacturing taking the hit, according to the report.
But McKinsey argued that will be more than offset – to the tune of about 700,000 jobs — by gains stemming from the build-up of renewable energy, primarily though capital investments in new plants, charging stations and the like.
The energy transition, coupled with stepped-up government spending on infrastructure, will increase demand for construction workers who are already in short supply. McKinsey sees construction employment growing 12% from 2022 through 2030.
If the reshuffling of jobs in coming years is handled correctly, it could result in a huge increase in US productivity and prosperity, according to the institute. In what Ellingrud admitted was a “pretty optimistic” scenario, the report posits an eventual rise in annual productivity growth to 3% to 4%. It’s about 1% now.
To get there, though, “the US will need workforce development on a far larger scale,” McKinsey said.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | Labor Activism |
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), both former presidential candidates, will go head-to-head in a live debate on Monday at 12 p.m. ET, with Fox News anchor Bret Baier moderating. The 1-hour event will stream live exclusively on Fox Nation.incoming update…
Click here to watch live streamPosted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"We're looking at a real threat to democracy in America," Sanders said on the topic of voting rights. "Because we have a former president whose name is Donald Trump who goes around the country saying hey I won the election.""I voted to certify the election," Graham said when asked by Baier if the 2020 election was "stolen.""President Biden is the president," Graham said."He won the election?" Sanders responded."Yeah," Graham said.
"Here's the point," Graham continued. "Why is he talking about Trump? Because he can't talk about anything else."Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"Inflation is not just Joe Biden's issue," Sanders said. "You have to explain why it takes place around the world and that has to do with supply chain, the terrible war in Ukraine, and in my view, corporate greed."Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"Bernie and I agree, Putin sucks," Graham said.Moderator Bret Baier then asked Sanders if he agreed."I'm not in favor of the vulgarity but the intent is correct," Sanders responded.Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share "America deserves better than this," Graham said. "We can do better than this. But the path chosen by Bernie Sanders is full on socialism. Full on unequivocal socialism from cradle to grave. That is not going to fix America."Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share
Posted by Andrew Mark Miller SharePosted by Andrew Mark Miller SharePosted by Andrew Mark Miller ShareSanders called on Congress to "stand up to the NRA" and pass meaningful gun legislation.Posted by Andrew Mark Miller SharePosted by Andrew Mark Miller SharePosted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"Full on unequivocal socialism from cradle to grave will not fix America," Graham said.Graham added that it's "bull" to blame oil companies for high gas prices after Sanders calls on windfall profit tax on oil companies.Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share“Lindsey is a very good and effective representative of the establishment," Sanders said.
Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"We can get back to that pre-COVID America, but you’re never going to get back unless you change leadership in this country in 2022," Graham said.Posted by Andrew Mark Miller SharePosted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"Defund the police has taken a toll," Graham said.Sanders says he "never" called for defunding the police."Incorrect," Graham responded.Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"Two million people will come across the border illegally this year," Graham said. "It's just a matter of time before some terrorist comes over and kills us all."Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"I just want to remind you that Democrats are in charge," Graham said in his opening statement. "The Democrats have the House, the Senate, and the White House. All these problems that we're talking about, they could change or fix if they could. Their agenda isn't working."Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege," Sanders said.Posted by Andrew Mark Miller Share"The working class and the middle class in this country are in serious trouble," Sanders said in his opening debate statement, warning that society is becoming oligarchical.Posted by Andrew Mark Miller ShareSen. Bernie Sanders chooses "heads" and wins coin toss. Elects to speak first in debatePosted by Andrew Mark Miller ShareFox Nation will present a landmark, live-streaming event on Monday at 12 p.m. ET when Fox News anchor Bret Baier moderates a one-hour policy debate between Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bernie Sanders, I-VT, to kick off The Senate Project. "It’s really exciting," Baier said Sunday on Fox News. "You can't think of two senators who are more ideologically split apart."The U.S. Senate has often been referred to as "the world’s greatest deliberative body" since the 19th century, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation & the Bipartisan Policy Center have teamed up to launch a series of Oxford-style debates between leading U.S. Senators dubbed The Senate Project to build upon the longstanding tradition. Click here to read more on Fox NewsPosted by Andrew Mark Miller ShareAnchor Bret Baier will kick off the first in a series of bipartisan Senate Project debates in Boston, Mass.
Posted by Andrew Mark Miller ShareFOX News Media President and Executive Editor Jay Wallace said viewers can expect fireworks during Monday's debate between Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bernie Sanders, I-VT. "We are pleased to partner with the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute to present this full debate without interruption to our Fox Nation subscribers," Wallace said.
"FOX News Media is home to the most politically diverse audience in cable news and The Senate Project’s mission of providing the public with access to thoughtful, extensive debates from all sides of the political spectrum is well-suited for our viewers," he added.Posted by Fox News ShareSens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bernie Sanders, I-VT, will participate in a one-hour policy debate on Monday at 12 p.m. ET hosted by The Senate Project. Fox News anchor Bret Baier, who will moderate the debate, said he is looking forward to hearing the two senior lawmakers go head-to-head over several key issues facing the country.
"It’s really exciting," Baier said Sunday on Fox News. "You can't think of two senators who are more ideologically split apart."The high-profile Senators should have no shortage of topics to consider, as the Jan. 6 committee, inflation, gas prices, gun control, the war in Ukraine, the recent assassination attempt of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and a looming Supreme Court abortion decision have filled the recent news cycle with polarizing topics.Posted by Fox News ShareLive Coverage begins here | US Congress |
US Initial Jobless Claims Tick Up, Still Near Lowest This Year
Initial claims for unemployment benefits ticked up by 6,000 to 227,000 in the week ending July 29.
(Bloomberg) -- US applications for unemployment benefits held near the lowest levels of the year, underscoring resilient demand for workers.
Initial claims for unemployment benefits ticked up by 6,000 to 227,000 in the week ending July 29, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 225,000 applications.
Continuing claims, which include those who have received benefits for longer than one week, edged higher to 1.7 million in the week through July 22.
The initial claims data can be particularly volatile in the summer months as automakers close for their annual retooling period. The four-week moving average, which smooths out some of that volatility, fell to 228,250, the lowest since March.
The low level of claims highlights what’s still a strong labor market, marked by historically low unemployment and layoffs. However, some signs of softness are emerging, like decelerating wage growth and fewer job openings.
A separate report Thursday showed US labor productivity logged its biggest increase in the second quarter in nearly three years, helping to offset rising labor costs.
The data precede Friday’s employment report, which is forecast to show the US added 200,000 jobs in July. While that’d be the weakest print since the end of 2020, it’s still a strong advance historically.
What Bloomberg Economics Says...
“The marginal increase in seasonally adjusted unemployment insurance claims masks a return to work evident in the unadjusted data. That said, rehiring of temporarily idled workers has been slower than anticipated, reflecting some incremental softening of the labor market.”
— Stuart Paul and Zachary Agenbroad
To read the full note, click here
Another report Thursday from Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. showed an 8% decline in job cuts announced by US-based employers in July from a year earlier. It marked the first annual decrease since May 2022 and suggests employers are reluctant to reduce headcount amid healthy demand.
“The job market is remaining resilient in the face of rising interest rates, as consumers continue to spend and inflation falls,” said Andy Challenger, senior vice president at the firm. “Companies, weary of letting go of needed workers, are finding other ways to cut costs.”
On an unadjusted basis, claims fell to 205,012, the lowest in about two months and was led by Ohio, California and Georgia. Applications in Missouri rose by the most since early May.
--With assistance from Jordan Yadoo and Augusta Saraiva.
(Adds Bloomberg Economics comment)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P. | US Federal Policies |
A rule change proposed by US labor officials that could make it easier for contract workers to be reclassified as employees shook investor confidence in the future of "gig economy" firms such as Uber and Lyft. United States labor officials proposed a rule change Tuesday that could make it easier for gig workers such as Uber drivers to be reclassified as employees entitled to benefits. The move by President Joe Biden's Labor Department would lower a bar set by his predecessor regarding when someone is considered an employee instead of a contract worker.
It also comes as "gig economy" companies from rideshare platforms to food delivery services strive to maintain the status quo.
The new formula includes factors such as how long a person works for a company and the degree of control over the worker, as well as whether what they do is "integral" to a business, according to the proposed rule.
"We believe the proposed regulation would better protect workers from misclassification while at the same time providing a consistent approach for those businesses that engage or wish to engage with independent contractors," Jessica Looman of the US Department of Labor said at a press briefing.
Being classified as employees would entitle workers to sick leave, overtime, medical coverage and other benefits, driving up costs for companies such as Uber, Lyft and DoorDash that rely on gig workers.
The proposed rule change is subject to a 45-day public comment period, meaning there is no immediate impact, but share prices took a hit on the news.
Uber and Lyft shares ended the formal day down more than 10 percent, while DoorDash was down nearly six percent.
"It's a clear blow to the gig economy and a near-term concern for the likes of Uber and Lyft," despite uncertainty about how the new rule might be interpreted across the country, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors.
"With ride sharing and other gig economy players depending on the contractor business model, a classification to employees would essentially throw the business model upside down and cause some major structural changes if this holds."
Uber and Lyft have consistently argued that their drivers want independence, provided benefits are added to the mix.
In California, the cradle of the gig economy, voters in late 2020 approved a referendum backed by firms such as Uber that preserved keeping drivers classified as independent contractors.
The measure effectively overturned a state law that would require the ride-hailing firms and others to reclassify their drivers and provide employee benefits.
The vote came after a contentious campaign with labor groups claiming the initiative would erode worker rights and benefits, and with backers arguing for a new, flexible economic model. © 2022 AFP Citation: US proposes redefining when gig workers are employees (2022, October 12) retrieved 12 October 2022 from https://techxplore.com/news/2022-10-redefining-gig-workers-employees.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. | Labor Activism |
CNN — Kenneth Winston Starr, a former US solicitor general who gained worldwide fame in the 1990s as the independent counsel who doggedly investigated President Bill Clinton during a series of political scandals, has died. He was 76. Starr died of complications from surgery, according to a statement from his family. “We are deeply saddened with the loss of our dear and loving Father and Grandfather, whom we admired for his prodigious work ethic, but who always put his family first. The love, energy, endearing sense of humor, and fun-loving interest Dad exhibited to each of us was truly special, and we cherish the many wonderful memories we were able to experience with him,” Starr’s son, Randall, said in the statement on behalf of his children. Starr, who was a member of former President Donald Trump’s defense team during Trump’s first impeachment, also served as president of Baylor University from 2010 to 2016. “Judge Starr was a dedicated public servant and ardent supporter of religious freedom that allows faith-based institutions such as Baylor to flourish,” Baylor President Linda Livingstone said in a statement Tuesday. A conservative Republican, Starr’s investigations into Clinton began when he was appointed by a federal appeals panel in 1994 as an independent counsel in the probe of the then-President and Hillary Clinton’s involvement in the Whitewater real estate scandal. The Clintons ultimately were not prosecuted in that case, but Starr’s investigation in the Clintons’ dealings later expanded to include Paula Jones’ allegations of sexual harassment, and that inquiry led to Starr leading the investigation into the President’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. The Lewinsky affair ultimately resulted in Clinton being impeached on two charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice, though he was acquitted by the Senate in February 1999 and served out the remainder of his term. The scandal dominated Washington and much of the news media for more than a year, and both Starr and Clinton were named Time’s Men of the Year in 1998. Starr’s investigation was seen as a reflection of an era of increasingly bitter partisanship coupled with a tabloid-like interest in the personal lives of politicians. In particular, Starr’s report to Congress on the affair was criticized for containing numerous lurid details about the sexual relationship between Clinton and Lewinsky. Starr rejected accusations that his pursuit of Clinton was politically motivated. “I was assigned to do a job by the attorney general, and that was to find out whether crimes were committed in this (Paula Jones) sexual harassment lawsuit,” Starr said at the time. “The whole idea of equal justice under law means that you’ve got to play by the rules. It has nothing to do with the underlying subject matter. You just tell the truth.” He stepped down from independent counsel position in October 1999, citing the “intense politicization of the independent counsel process.” Starr is survived by his wife, Alice, whom he married in 1970, and three children. Born in Vernon, Texas, on July 21, 1946, Starr attended Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, and transferred to George Washington University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1968. He graduated from Brown University with a master’s degree in political science in 1969 and received a law degree from Duke University Law School in 1973. After law school, Starr clerked for Fifth Circuit Judge David W. Dyer and Chief Justice Warren E. Burger before working for the law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles. After serving on President Ronald Reagan’s transition team, he became counselor to US Attorney General William French Smith in 1981. Then, in 1983, he was nominated by Reagan and confirmed by the Senate as a federal judge to the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. After serving as a federal judge, he was nominated by President George H.W. Bush in 1989 to be US solicitor general, in which he argued 25 cases before the Supreme Court, according to the Department of Justice. In 1993, he returned to private practice working for the law firm Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who worked under Starr on Smith’s staff and as his deputy when he was solicitor general, said Tuesday that “Ken loved our country and served it with dedication and distinction. He led by example, in the legal profession, public service, and the community.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell remembered Starr, who served as lead counsel in McConnell v. FEC, as “a brilliant litigator, an impressive leader, and a devoted patriot.” “Through his distinguished service on the D.C. Circuit, as Solicitor General, as independent counsel, and beyond, Ken poured his remarkable energy and talent into promoting justice, defending the Constitution, and upholding the rule of law,” the Kentucky Republican said. Starr was also part of Jeffrey Epstein’s legal team when the accused pedophile was given a deal in 2008 that immunized him from federal prosecution. He also represented Blackwater USA contractors who were accused of war crimes for killing civilians in Fallujah during the Iraq War. In 2014, four former Blackwater contractors were found guilty and sentenced to long prison terms, though Trump pardoned them in 2020. Outside of his legal career, Starr was a dean and professor at Pepperdine University’s law school from 2004 to 2010. He also served as president of Baylor University, but was fired after an independent investigation showed a “fundamental failure” to respond adequately to student sexual assault allegations. Starr returned to the public eye in 2020, when Trump asked him to join his legal team in his first Senate impeachment trial to argue for his acquittal. The pick inevitably conjured memories of another time when Washington was consumed with an impeachment investigation, when Beltway politics grew fiercer and a president with a tumultuous personal life and zeal for dominating the media was in office. This story has been updated with additional details Tuesday. CNN’s Brian Rokus, Alex Rogers, Ariane de Vogue and Joan Biskupic contributed to this report. | US Political Corruption |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! With jokes, upbeat Caribbean music and vacation scenes of sun-kissed beaches and palm trees, Haitian influencers on YouTube and TikTok advertise charter flights to South America.But they are not targeting tourists.Instead, they are touts for a thriving, little-known shadow industry that is profiting from the U.S. government sending people back to Haiti, a country besieged by gang violence.More than a dozen South American travel agencies have rented planes from low-budget Latin American airlines — some of them as large as 238-seat Airbuses — and then sold tickets at premium prices. Many of the customers are Haitians who had been living in Chile and Brazil before they made their way to the Texas border in September, only to be expelled by the Biden administration and prevented from seeking asylum. They are using the charter flights to flee Haiti again and return to South America.HAITI: ALL KIDNAPPED US MISSIONARIES NOW FREEDSome, clearly, plan to make another try to enter the United States.Rodolfo Noriega of the National Coordinator of Immigrants in Chile said Haitians are being exploited by businesses taking advantage of their desperation. They "are at the end of a chain of powerful businesses making money from this circuit of Haitian migration," he said.The airlines and travel agencies say they work within the legal norms of the countries where they are operating from and are simply providing a service to the Haitian diaspora in South America.The thriving business model was revealed in an eight-month investigation by The Associated Press in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley’s Human Rights Center and its Investigative Reporting Program.Haitians sick of the deprivations of their island home resettled in Chile or Brazil, many after Haiti’s catastrophic 2010 earthquake. Then, last fall, struggling as the pandemic hit local economies and beset by racism, thousands decided to make their way to the Texas border town of Del Rio. There, they ran afoul of a public health order, invoked by the Trump administration and continued under the Biden administration, that blocks migrants from requesting asylum.Authorities returned them not to South America, where some of their children were born, but to their original homeland — Haiti.Some interviewed by the AP said they feared for their lives there and wanted to return to South America. But airlines had stopped direct commercial flights from Haiti to Chile and Brazil during the pandemic; their remaining option was the charters.The flights from Haiti became a lucrative business as restrictions aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus decimated tourism, according to the travel agents. Planes arrive empty to Haiti but return to South America full. Texas illegal immigrants are being sent back to South America. From November 2020 until this May, at least 128 charters were rented by travel agencies in Chile and Brazil for flights from Haiti, according to flight tracking information, online advertisements matching the flights to agencies and other independent verification by the AP and Berkeley.Since taking office in January 2021, the Biden administration has sent more than 25,000 Haitians back to Haiti despite warnings from human rights groups that the expulsions would only contribute to Haiti’s travails and feed more Haitian migration to Latin America and the U.S.Not all of the passengers on the charters had tried to immigrate to the U.S., but based on interviews with dozens of travel agents, Haitian migrants and advocates, and an analysis of flight data using the Swedish service Flightradar24, it is clear that the charters have become a major means to flee Haiti.Some who took charter flights back to South America have headed north again on the network of underground routes that wind through Central America and Mexico and that ultimately lead to the United States, according to immigration attorneys, advocates and interviews with dozens of Haitians.REPORTER FILMS HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS RUNNING ACROSS ARIZONA BORDER, SAY'S BORDER AGENTS ‘FEEL LIKE UBER DRIVERS’Many of the Haitians go back to Chile and Brazil, rather than places close to the U.S. like Mexico, because they have visas and other legal paperwork to get into those countries. And having lived there, they can find jobs quickly to make money for the trip north.Some, like Amstrong Jean-Baptiste, also have children who were born in South America. The 33-year-old father of two said he spent $6,000 on a harrowing trip from Chile to Texas, only to be sent back to Haiti.He said he had knives pulled on him, forged rivers that carried others away to their deaths and encountered highway robbers. In the end, he said the Haitians were handcuffed and "treated like animals" by U.S. immigration authorities. He said his son caught pneumonia in the immigration detention center.As he waited in Port-au-Prince for a charter flight back to Santiago, news from northern Chile underscored why he wanted to go to the United States in the first place: A demonstration against immigrants drew thousands of protesters who turned violent and destroyed the belongings of migrants living in a camp.Would he try to go to the U.S. again? He did not rule it out."The risks are so numerous that this shouldn’t be an experience to repeat," he said. "However, one should never say never."Ana Darcelin, a travel agent with Travel VIP, a Santiago-based agency that rents planes for flights from Haiti to Chile, said Haitians who migrated north from the South American country, only to be sent back to Haiti, are scrambling to leave Haiti and get back to Chile again."Everyone is offering charter flights. There is a lot of demand," she said.Travel agencies in Brazil and Chile said in interviews that they pay anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000 to rent an aircraft. At that rate, the three airlines that rented planes for 128 charter flights between Haiti and either Brazil or Chile would have been paid a total of anywhere from $12 million to $25 million. Meanwhile, some prices for one-way tickets from Haiti to Chile have more than doubled in eight months, from $625 to more than $1,600.BIDEN HAS FILLED ADMIN WITH OPEN BORDER ADVOCATES WHO ‘DO NOT CARE’: BRANDON JUDD In Brazil, many agencies offering flights from Haiti rented from the low-cost Azul S.A. airlines, which was started by JetBlue founder David Neeleman.Most of the charters to Chile are on planes rented from SKY Airline, owned by the Chilean Paulmann family, which is worth billions.Neither Neeleman nor Holger Paulmann, chairman of SKY, responded to emails and LinkedIn messages requesting comment.SKY also signed a $1.8 million contract in April with the previous administration of Chilean President Sebastián Piñera to fly Latin American immigrants, mostly Venezuelans and Colombians expelled from Chile, back to their homelands. SKY earned about $670 for each expelled immigrant it flies to Central and South America. Under the contract obtained by the AP and Berkeley, the carrier must complete at least 15 flights carrying 180 passengers each.John Paul Spode, who has worked 35 years in the travel industry and manages NewStilo, which rents planes from SKY for the flights, said Haiti is not the only place in crisis that offers an attractive market for the charter flight business.His agency also offers charter flights between Venezuela and Chile. But there are few places with the demand for charter flights like Haiti, though he said it’s not an easy place to do business. In March, protesters stormed the tarmac at an airport in the countryside and set a small plane on fire. Gangs also operate in and around the airport, he said."Unfortunately, we have had many passengers who have not been able to board because there are people who stand outside (the airport) with some kind of a list and some kind of uniform and they started charging, saying ‘You are not on the list, sir, but for $250 you can be added,’ and then they let them enter the airport," Spode said.Some passengers said once inside the airport they were blocked again by so-called airport business employees and told that their names were still not on the list, and they must pay again, Spode said. Many do before they reach the ticket counter where they finally are checked in by a legitimate employee with the flight.But would-be passengers brave all that. "It’s tough to sell tickets from Santiago to Port-au-Prince. The plane leaves usually almost empty," Spode said. "But we know that on the return trip it’s going to be full, literally, like people practically hanging from the plane, so to speak."The demand has been so great that a second low-cost airline based in Ecuador, Aeroregional, entered the Chilean market for the first time and started offering charter flights from Haiti to Chile. At least 11 Aeroregional charters have arrived from Haiti to Chile since December.Dan Foote, a former U.S. envoy to Haiti who resigned over the Biden administration’s handling of Haitians at the Texas border, said he is not surprised to hear Haitians expelled from the U.S. are making their way back to South America, and that businesses are lining up to help them."Until the root causes of instability are truly attacked in a patient, systematic, holistic way, it’s going to keep going,″ Foote said.BORDER SURGE: MIGRANTS CROSS RIVER OBSTACLESThe travel agencies and airlines denied they are facilitating Haitian migration.Aeroregional’s managing director, Luis Manuel Rodriguez, said in a statement via LinkedIn that the airline’s role is simply to transport people. He said that the immigration status of its passengers is checked by immigration authorities of the countries involved.Azul confirmed by email that it has provided charter flights between Haiti and Brazil, but said those contracts have confidentiality clauses. The company did not respond to a follow-up request for more information.Carmen Gloria Serrat, the business manager of SKY, said in a statement that the company offers safe, legal transportation "for whoever wants it and needs it." She said airlines are responsible for validating the paperwork of passengers and must eat the costs of returning anyone who is denied entry to a country.She said the flights run four times monthly on average and represent a minuscule part of SKY’s business."The act of providing safe and legal transportation is a guarantee to avoid the possibility of abuses," Serrat said. "It’s important to point out that in SKY we operate within the established norms for entering a country and always in coordination and under the supervision of immigration authorities."At least one travel agency is open about offering to help those who hope to reach the United States.Alta Tour Turismo Travel Agency rents planes for charter flights between Haiti and Chile.A TikTok account with the handle @altatourtravelagency posted a video on June 14, 2021, discussing how to avoid the Darien Gap, a treacherous, roadless area of thick jungle between Colombia and Panama traversed by migrants from South America heading north.In the video, two men are talking about different routes north as they show a big boat at sea."Considering the level of mistreatment Haitians endured from the Colombians in the jungle, I will never go through the jungle," says one as the camera zooms in on the boat on the horizon.It was unclear if the video was meant to connect people to boats or was a marketing tool to attract customers in need of flights to South America who intended to then take the migrant route north.Alta Tour Turismo started with a video on Facebook at the start of 2021 that informed viewers that Bolivia was not deporting people. The agency incorporated a month later.The slogan of the Santiago-based agency is "travel with joy." Reservations for flights are largely done through WhatsApp. The agency’s social media accounts have nearly 40,000 followers; they promote travel from Haiti to such countries as Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, Chile and Mexico.Ezechias Revanget said he started the agency with three other Haitian immigrants in Chile to rent planes so fellow Haitians in Chile could go back home to see family. His agency has leased 186-seat Airbus planes from SKY airlines."Our objective is to work with our compatriots, and there are also other people — such as Chileans, Bolivians, Dominicans, anyone, any nationality can buy tickets at our agency," he said.Alta Tour Turismo also advertised flights to Suriname. In an April 2021 post, the agency posted on its Facebook page that Haitians who had only a passport and wanted to leave Haiti should not miss this opportunity, asserting: "you know if you arrive in Suriname you can go to other places too," followed by three smiling emoji and the agency’s numbers.Revanget, who also uses the name Dave Elmyr, refused to answer more questions."They should be investigating these flights — they should," said Carolina Rudnick Vizcarra, an attorney and director of LIBERA, a Santiago-based nonprofit combatting human trafficking. "And by now, everyone knows that Haitians are vulnerable — they don’t have the money" or places to stay.U.S. officials told the AP they were unaware of the charter flights from Haiti. Some South American nations have taken action to prevent their use by migrants and smugglers. Last year, Suriname stopped charter flights from Haiti and issuing visas to Haitians, according to Suriname's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.That same year, neighboring French Guiana complained about Haitians coming across its border."What was strange was that in the middle of a pandemic, so many flights were arriving from Haiti ... there were unaccompanied minors on the flight, as well as several Haitians without visas," Antoine Joly, the former French ambassador in Suriname told the French Guiana TV station, Guyane la 1ere in a video posted May 4.Shortly after that, Guyana, which also borders Suriname, canceled an earlier order allowing Haitians in without a visa, contending the country was being used as a destination for human smugglers who were taking migrants into neighboring Brazil where they would stay briefly before heading north to Mexico and the U.S.Giuseppe Loprete, chief of mission in Haiti of the International Organization of Migration, said the United Nations agency learned about charter flights from Haiti to Chile in interviews with migrants who had been sent back from the United States and Mexico."We tried to find out more, but we don’t have the means to investigate these flights," he wrote in an email to the AP on April 22. "Our assumption was that from Chile they move on to other countries heading (to) the Mexican-USA border, if not right away, after some time. Probably when they have collected enough money and information to move forward."The Azul charter flights started on Nov. 14, 2020, from Port-au-Prince to Manaus, Brazil. The city of 2.2 million boasts one of Brazil’s biggest airports, is the capital of the Amazon region with a Haitian immigrant population and is also a well-known jumping-off point for Haitian migrants who travel by boats from there along a river connecting the Colombian, Peruvian and Guyanese borders before continuing north.Flight data showed that 54 Azul planes flew charter flights from Port-au-Prince to Manaus. The flights stopped in October. That same month, the Brazilian embassy in Haiti stopped issuing all visas to Haitians, according to a document from the Brazilian ambassador in Haiti obtained by AP and Berkeley.Jean Robert Jean Baptiste, 49, said he bought a $1,400 ticket for an Azul flight in December 2020 to Brazil. He spent a month in Haiti after he was deported from Louisiana, where he was held at an immigration detention center following his arrest on a DUI charge. Back in Haiti, he said an enemy threatened to kill him and had the backing of the police.He said he decided to fly to Brazil because he had a visa to get into the country after living there from 2011 to 2012 before making his way to the United States in 2016 and settled in Alabama.In 2021, he made his way from Brazil by bus and on foot. He walked for a week, most of it in the rain, through the Darien Gap, where he said he saw dead bodies of those who didn’t make it. He said he had to pay bandits who blocked his path; robbers stole his phone and $500 from him.All told, he said it cost him about $7,000 to return to Tijuana, where he was trying to find a way back to the U.S. He’s driven, he said, by a determination to "have a good life" for his children.The Paulmann family's SKY, meanwhile, is the charter of choice between Haiti and Chile; of 71 such flights since 2020 that AP and Berkeley tracked, 60 were on SKY. The Paulmanns run one of Latin America’s biggest retail companies, Cencosud, and have a net worth of $3.3 billion, according to Forbes magazine. SKY charter planes also flew three flights between Haiti and Brazil in 2021.MAYORKAS WARNS THAT BORDER NUMBERS COULD RISE FURTHER, TELLS MIGRANTS: ‘DO NOT COME TO THE BORDER’Etienne Ilienses said she was sent back to Haiti from Texas on Dec. 14. She talked to the AP before flying to Santiago with her three children on a Jan. 30 charter flight on SKY. "To get to the USA, I braved hell," she said. Still, she did not dismiss the possibility of doing it again "because Haiti offers nothing to its children. We are forced to suffer humiliations, affronts everywhere."But just because Haitians fly to Chile, it doesn’t mean they can stay. Dozens have been held by immigration officials after arriving in Santiago in recent months. One group spent weeks sleeping at the airport before Chile’s Supreme Court on Jan. 31 ordered police to release them and allow them to request asylum.Others were sent back to Haiti within hours of landing.SKY’s Serrat said the airline works closely with immigration officials to avoid that situation, while the marketing aimed at passengers is the responsibility of the travel operators. (Aeroregional’s manager did not respond to questions about flying in Haitians who were later expelled.)Theleon Marckenson, 31, was sent back to Haiti from Texas last fall. He said he spent $1,650 for a charter flight on Aeroregional to return to Chile, where he had lived since 2017.After Marckenson landed in Santiago, Chilean authorities told him the application he had submitted for permanent residency before he left for the U.S. border had expired. Hours later he was put on another Aeroregional flight to Haiti with six others."I don’t have any more money," Marckenson said by phone after landing back in Port-au-Prince. "I don’t know what I am going to do. But I can’t stay here. There is only hunger. There is no life." | US Federal Policies |
Published June 25, 2022 3:26PM Updated 3:33PM Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade abortion case The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the Roe vs. Wade landmark case that legalized abortion nationwide, which will likely leading to many states enacting restrictive laws or full abortion bans. Protesters had gathered outside the Supreme Court in anticipation of the 6-3 ruling. The court went down ideological lines, with Chief Justice Roberts concurring with the five other conservative justices. A recent Gallup poll shows Americans have hit their lowest confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices receive praise and backlash for overturning Roe v. Wade, giving states power regarding abortion rights. "Twenty-five percent of U.S. adults say they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court, down from 36% a year ago and five percentage points lower than the previous low recorded in 2014," Gallup said on its website. The results were based on a poll from June 1 to June 20, days before the abortion ruling was handed down in Washington. However, the poll happened after a draft of the opinion was leaked back in May. RELATED: Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade; abortion bans anticipated in several states "Many institutions have suffered a decline in confidence this year, but the 11-point drop in confidence in the Supreme Court is roughly double what it is for most institutions that experienced a decline," researchers said. The Supreme Court on Friday stripped away women’s constitutional protections for abortion, a fundamental and deeply personal change for Americans’ lives after nearly a half-century under Roe v. Wade. The court’s overturning of the landmark court ruling is likely to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. Roe v. Wade overturned: Biden speaks to nation, saying 'This is not over' | LiveNOW from FOX President Biden spoke to the nation after the Supreme Court ruling to overturn the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision. The outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. The ruling, unthinkable just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents made possible by an emboldened right side of the court fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump. Pregnant women considering abortions already had been dealing with a near-complete ban in Oklahoma and a prohibition after roughly six weeks in Texas. Clinics in at least eight other states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin and West Virginia — stopped performing abortions after Friday’s decision. RELATED: State by state: Where abortion will be illegal after Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson ruling Abortion foes cheered the ruling, but abortion-rights supporters, including President Joe Biden, expressed dismay and pledged to fight to restore the rights. Biden said Friday he would fight to preserve access to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and he called on Americans to elect more Democrats who would safeguard rights upended by the court’s decision. "This is not over," he declared. Supreme Court Abortion Ruling Lawmakers react BREAKING NEWS: The Supreme Court of the United State on Friday overruled Roe v. Wade. Sen. McConnell and other lawmakers are reacting to the ruling. Subscribe to LiveNOW from FOX! https://www.youtube.com/livenowfox?sub_confirmation=1 Where to watch LiveNOW from FOX: https://www.livenowfox.com/ Follow us @LiveNOWFOX on Twitter: https://twitter.com/livenowfox Raw and unfiltered. Watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events and stories across the nation. Limited commentary. No opinion. Experience LiveNOW from FOX. "Let’s be very clear, the health and life of women across this nation are now at risk," he said from the White House on what he called "a sad day for the court and the country." Biden added that "the court has done what it’s never done before — expressly taking away a constitutional right that is so fundamental to so many Americans." RELATED: Supreme Court abortion ruling exposes deep chasm in the U.S. Biden warned that other legal precedents ensuring same-sex marriage and access to birth control could also be at risk. "This is an extreme and dangerous path this court is taking us on," he said. The White House and the Justice Department said they would look for ways to blunt the impact of the ruling, and Biden said his administration would try to ensure that abortion medication is available as widely as possible. However, no executive actions were announced Friday, and Biden conceded that his options were limited. White House officials tried to rally allies in a virtual meeting after the president spoke. Biden and other Democrats hope to use outrage over the court decision to rally voters in November’s midterm elections. Although nationwide legislation ensuring access to abortion appears out of reach, more Democratic victories at the state level could limit Republican efforts to ban the practice. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles. | SCOTUS |
The Supreme Court on Friday protected access to a widely used abortion drug by freezing lower-court rulings that placed restrictions on its usage as appeals play out.
As a result, the US Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug mifepristone and subsequent actions that made it more easily accessible will remain in place while appeals play out – potentially for months to come.
The Friday night move is a striking victory for the Biden administration and its allies in the abortion rights community, which suffered a withering defeat at the Supreme Court last year when the conservative majority reversed the Roe v. Wade precedent that protected abortion rights nationwide.
The court’s brief, unsigned order did not explain why it granted the request by the Biden administration and a manufacturer of the drug to intervene. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito publicly dissented.
The case is the most important abortion-related dispute to reach the high court since the justices overturned Roe v. Wade, triggering conservative states across the country to either ban or severely restrict the procedure. How the dispute over medication abortion is ultimately resolved could make it more difficult for women to obtain abortion, even in the states that still allow it.
At issue is the scope of FDA’s authority to regulate mifepristone, a drug that the medical community has deemed safe and effective. Mifepristone has been used by millions of women across the country in the more than two decades that it has been on the market.
The next step in the litigation will be a hearing in front of a New Orleans-based federal appeals court on May 17.
“The case could well come back to the justices once the Fifth Circuit rules, but nothing is going to change with respect to mifepristone access until and unless the court both takes the case on the merits and sides with the challengers,” said Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at the University of Texas School of Law. “That’s not going to happen for a long time – if ever.”
President Joe Biden praised the order.
“As a result of the Supreme Court’s stay, mifepristone remains available and approved for safe and effective use while we continue this fight in the courts,” Biden said in a statement Friday evening.
Biden also urged Americans “to use their vote as their voice, and elect a Congress who will pass a law restoring the protections of Roe v Wade.”
Alito suggests government might have ignored mifepristone ban
In his dissent, Alito said he voted to deny the request for a stay because the 5th Circuit has scheduled such an expedited hearing on the merits of the dispute.
He suggested that allowing the restrictions to remain in place would not lead to “any real harm during the presumably short period at issue.”
Alito wrote that the stay would not “remove mifepristone from the market” but would have simply restored “the circumstances that existed” from the time the drug was approved in 2000 to when the FDA passed new regulations to ease access to the pill starting in 2016.
“The Government has not dispelled legitimate doubts that it would even obey an unfavorable order in these cases, much less that it would choose to take enforcement action to which it has strong objections,” Alito wrote.
No other justice joined his dissent.
Lower court rulings that second guessed FDA’s assessments
The legal controversy began last November when a group representing doctors who oppose abortion filed suit, arguing that the FDA had not done enough to ensure the safety of the drug some two decades earlier.
US District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, issued a broad ruling on April 7 that blocked the approval of the drug, as well as changes the FDA made in subsequent years to make the drug more accessible. He, however, delayed the effective date of his ruling by seven days to give time for an appeal.
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Rejecting the consensus of the medical community, Kacsmaryk raised questions about the safety of the drug, peppering his opinion with jargon that is often used by opponents of abortion. He labeled doctors who perform the procedure “abortionists” and explained that he would reject the term “fetus” in favor of the more inflammatory “unborn human.” Instead of referring to the procedure as a “medication abortion,” he insisted on calling it a “chemical abortion.”
The FDA, Kacsmaryk contended at one point, “acquiesced on its legitimate safety concerns – in violation of its statutory duty – based on plainly unsound reasoning and studies that did not support its conclusions.”
Mainstream medical associations have rebuked his assertions about the dangers of the drug, and mifepristone has been shown to be safer than common medicines like penicillin and Viagra.
On a key threshold issue, the judge insisted that the plaintiffs – doctors who do not use or prescribe the drug – had the legal right to be in court to make their case because they allege that the use of the drug could “overwhelm” the medical system.
Stunned by the breadth of the decision, the Biden administration and Danco, a manufacturer of the drug, filed an appeal with the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals.
The appeals court ultimately let stand the government’s approval of the drug, but agreed with Kacsmaryk that access could be limited.
A divided three-judge panel ordered a return to the stricter, pre-2016 FDA regime around the drug, which prevents mailing the pill to patients who obtained it through telehealth, or virtual visits with their providers, rather than traveling to a clinic or hospital to obtain the drug in person. It also effectively revokes the 2019 approval of the generic version of the drug. The restrictions also affect the instructions on the label for the medication, shortening the window of obtaining the pill to seven weeks into pregnancy as opposed to 10.
It’s possible however that even with the ruling in effect, some providers could go “off-label” and continue to prescribe mifepristone up until 10 weeks.
The 5th Circuit claimed that the FDA’s rules for the drug created “an exceedingly unusual regime,” and that the anti-abortion doctors had the right to sue over it because they would “necessarily be injured by the consequences” of the FDA’s decision “to cut out doctors from the prescription and administration of mifepristone.”
The appeals court said that the statute of limitations likely barred the plaintiffs from challenging the 2000 approval, but that they were likely to succeed in their claims against the FDA’s more recent moves to adjust the rules around the drug.
The court accused the FDA of having an “ostrich’s-head-in-the-sand approach” to the drug that was “deeply troubling.”
President Joe Biden last week decried how those lower courts had handled the case.
“I think it’s outrageous what the court has done, relative to concluding that they’re going to overrule the FDA on whether something is safe or not,” he said. “I think it’s out of their domain.”
Pleas for the Supreme Court to intervene
The Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene last week, with court filings from Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar citing “unprecedented lower court orders countermanding FDA’s scientific judgment and unleashing regulatory chaos by suspending the existing FDA-approved conditions of use for mifepristone.”
Implementing the changes to mifepristone’s rules ordered by the lower courts would “deny women lawful access to a drug FDA deemed a safe and effective alternative to invasive surgical abortion,” while putting the FDA and the entities they regulate “in an impossible position.”
Danco Laboratories, a manufacturer of the brand-name version of the drug that had intervened in the case to defend FDA’s approval of mifepristone, also requested the high court to step in.
Leaving the lower court rulings in place, the company’s attorney said in filings, would “irreparably harm Danco, which will be unable to both conduct its business nationwide and comply with its legal obligations.”
“The lack of emergency relief from this Court will also harm women, the healthcare system, the pharmaceutical industry, States’ sovereignty interests, and the separation-of-powers,” the attorney, Jessica L. Ellsworth, told the justices.
The anti-abortion doctors who had brought the case meanwhile told the justices that the restrictions the appeals court placed on the drug were “reasonable.”
“The lower courts’ meticulous decisions do not second-guess the agency’s scientific determinations; they merely require the agency to follow the law,” the challengers argued.
This story has been updated with additional details. | SCOTUS |
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Classical Christian education is an antidote to concerns many parents have about indoctrination and liberal education in public schools, Pete Hegseth told Fox News Digital, drawing on the research and themes of a book he co-authored with David Goodwin titled "Battle for the American Mind." Hegseth described how progressives began transforming America’s schools in the early 20th century, removing Christianity from education. "What the progressives did, was they knew that … God was the centerpiece of truth and what the Western Christian worldview required, but they knew they couldn’t take Him out of the classroom in the early 20th century, because if they did, parents would have noticed, and they would have revolted, like we’re seeing at school board meetings now." Instead, Hegseth said, progressives replaced God with a "forgery.""In this particular case, that forgery was patriotism, it was Americanism, it was the Pledge of Allegiance, which was actually written by Francis Bellamy, a socialist, and it was intentionally inserted to create a new allegiance away from God toward the state." EDUCATION CONSULTANT USES CRITICAL RACE THEORY TO TRAIN SCHOOL TEACHERS, STAFF, ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTSThis realization, Hegseth said, was "jarring" for him and others who love America and the flag, and consider themselves patriots. School corridor with lockers. 3d illustration (iStock)"Now today, when you see the 1619 [Project], all the nonsense in the classroom, they don’t need patriotism in the classroom, they never believed in it in the first place, it was always just a forgery. So they removed that as well, and now they’re going for full on indoctrination and activism." The New York Times' 1619 Project is a long-form collaboration that seeks to "reframe the country's history" by bringing slavery and racism to the forefront of the national narrative.THE LEFT WANTS TO USE EDUCATION TO ‘DISRUPT’ AND ‘DISMANTLE’ AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS: EDUCATION EXPERTHegseth pointed out that nearly everything in education – from social studies classes to the 7-period day – were all the invention of progressives. One solution to the liberal takeover of schools, Hegseth said, is classical Christian schools, which is where he sends his own children. Classical Christian schools have "rediscovered that more ancient form of classic education and infused Christianity throughout it," he said. There are nearly 500 classical Christian schools around America, Hegseth said, with online and homeschool options for families not near a physical location. Fox News host Pete Hegseth (John Lamparski)"If you’re a parent today, you cannot afford to be sending your kids to a government school," he added. "It’s a bad idea to try to take one day a week in church on Sunday, and a couple of evenings a week at home trying to undo what is 40-hours a week of indoctrination in the classroom." Hegseth was skeptical that this kind of education would ever make its way into the public schools, noting that America is "heading in the opposite direction." HEGSETH DETAILS PROGRESSIVES' ‘DESTRUCTION’ OF US EDUCATION IN NEW BOOK, FOX NATION SPECIAL Empty school room. (istock)Hegseth also encouraged a system of educational choice, where parents have the options to send their children to the school of their choice. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"Our idea is not that we’re going to change the public schools, I don’t think that’s going to happen," he said. "If you create educational choice and give parents options, you can create a scenario where the system starts to recognize it either changes, or it shrivels."Goodwin, who co-authored "Battle for the American Mind" with Hegseth, is the president of the Association of Classical Christian Schools. Kelsey Koberg is an Editor with Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @KelseyKoberg. | US Federal Policies |
A judge overturned Georgia’s ban on abortion starting around six weeks into a pregnancy, ruling on Tuesday that it violated the US constitution and US supreme court precedent when it was enacted.The ruling by Judge Robert McBurney of Fulton county superior court applies statewide. The ban had been in effect since July.It prohibited most abortions once a “detectable human heartbeat” is present. Cardiac activity can be detected by ultrasound in cells within an embryo that will eventually become the heart as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. That means most abortions in Georgia were in effect banned at a point before many women knew they were pregnant.McBurney’s ruling came in a lawsuit that sought to strike down the ban on multiple grounds, including that it violates the Georgia constitution’s right to privacy and liberty by forcing pregnancy and childbirth on women in the state. The lawsuit filed by doctors and advocacy groups in July also argued that Georgia’s abortion ban was invalid because it violated the US constitution and US supreme court precedent when it was enacted.McBurney agreed with that argument in his decision.Georgia’s law was passed by state lawmakers and signed by the Republican governor, Brian Kemp, in 2019 but had been blocked from taking effect until the supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, which had protected the right to an abortion for nearly 50 years. The 11th US circuit court of appeals allowed Georgia to begin enforcing its abortion law just over three weeks after the high court’s decision in June.McBurney said when the law was enacted, “everywhere in America, including Georgia, it was unequivocally unconstitutional for governments – federal, state, or local – to ban abortions before viability.”He said the state’s law “did not become the law of Georgia when it was enacted and it is not the law of Georgia now”.The state has argued that the Roe decision itself was wrong and the supreme court ruling wiped it out of existence. | SCOTUS |
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