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☆ Audit Questions Purchase of $19,000 Lectern by Arkansas Governor’s Office
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Eduardo Medina | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Legislative auditors in Arkansas found that the purchase last year of a $19,000 lectern by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s office potentially violated state laws, according to a report released on Monday. But the findings may be moot after the state attorney general, Tim Griffin, said last week that state purchasing laws do not apply to the governor or other executive branch officials. Ms. Sanders, a Republican, faced sharp scrutiny for the purchase, even from members of her own party. The legislative auditors said that their report would be forwarded to the Sixth Judicial District prosecuting attorney and to Mr. Griffin’s office.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee, Tim Griffin, Sanders Organizations: Republican, Sixth Judicial Locations: Arkansas

(AP) — A report detailing the audit of a $19,000 lectern purchased for Arkansas Gov. Norman said the governor's office requested an extension for its “management response," which is included in reports issued by the Division of Legislative Audit, and that response is due Friday. Legislative Audit conducts more than 1,000 reviews of state agencies, school districts and local governments every year. Sanders’ office said it received the lectern in August. Sanders' office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Roger Norman, Norman, Sanders, Sanders ’, Donald Trump, It's Organizations: Arkansas Gov, Wednesday, Division, Legislative Audit, Republican Party of Arkansas, Republican Locations: Virginia

☆ Meet Sen. Katie Britt: The 42-year-old Alabama Republican who gave the GOP response to Biden's State of the Union
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Katie Britt delivered the GOP's official response to the 2023 State of the Union. AdvertisementAlabama Sen. Katie Britt, the youngest Republican woman to ever be elected to the US Senate, gave the GOP's official response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union on Thursday night. While delivering the State of the Union response is considered a thankless task, then-Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Sen. Rand Paul all delivered their respective responses before later running for the Republican presidential nomination. Then-Rep. Paul Ryan delivered the GOP's 2011 response and less than two years later was tapped to be then-former Massachusetts Gov.

Persons: Sen, Katie Britt, Britt, Joe Biden, —, Alabama Sen, Joe Biden's, Nikki Haley, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Rubio, Joseph Kennedy III Organizations: Union, Service, Alabama, Republican, Massachusetts Gov, Arkansas Gov, White House, Trump Locations: Joe Biden's State, Massachusetts

☆ From doubter to devotee: How New York’s Elise Stefanik emerged as a top Trump ally
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Gregory Krieg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Stefanik has often explained it herself: She saw Trump’s popularity in her upstate New York district and got on board. That first impeachment proceeding made her a “Republican star,” as Trump himself said at the time. When there was a nationwide baby formula shortage in 2022, Stefanik blamed the “White House, House Dems, & usual pedo grifters” on social media. One upset donor told CNN in 2023 that he gave to Santos “because of Elise Stefanik’s endorsement.” Stefanik frequently denied any previous knowledge of his Santos’ history. “The American people stand with President Trump,” Stefanik wrote, “against the unethical, unconstitutional, and unprecedented weaponization of the judicial system.”CNN’s Alayna Treene contributed to this story.

Persons: –, Donald Trump –, Elise Stefanik, Trump’s, ”, Stefanik, Trump’s staunchest, Joe Biden’s, Claudine Gay, she’d, Paul Ryan, Trump, she’s, MAGA, “, ” Stefanik, Kevin McCarthy, Ohio Sen, J.D, Kari Lake, Kristi Noem, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Nikki Haley, Vance, Ben Carson, Jim Jordan of, Florida’s Matt Gaetz, Steve Bannon, Vivek Ramaswamy, ’, he’s, Nancy Pelosi, ” “, George Santos, Santos “, Elise Stefanik’s, Santos, Letitia James, Alayna Treene Organizations: CNN, Donald Trump – New York, Republican, GOP, Yorker, Harvard University, Time Magazine, Trump, California Rep, Ohio, South Dakota Gov, Arkansas Gov, White House, Conservative Political, Conference, Former South Carolina Gov, Trump Republicans, New, House Dems, ” “, New York Republican, New York Times, Washington and New York, Congress, New York, Trump’s Locations: “, America, alma mater, New York, Vance , Arizona, South, Washington, Lake, Jim Jordan of Ohio, detractor, Lago, vouching, Washington and New, Florida

☆ ‘Saturday Night Live’ star Colin Jost selected as White House Correspondents Dinner headliner
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Colin Jost will be live from Washington, DC — not New York — on the final Saturday night of April. The “Saturday Night Live” comedian, featured in the “Weekend Update” segments, was selected by the White House Correspondents’ Association as the entertainer for the press organization’s 2024 dinner, set to take place on April 27. “Colin Jost knows how to make Saturday nights funny, and I am thrilled Colin will be live from the nation’s capital as the headline entertainer for this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” said Kelly O’Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and NBC News senior White House correspondent. Throughout his career he has nabbed five Writers Guild Awards and two Peabody Awards, in addition to 14 Emmy Awards nominations. After Wolf ignited controversy for a joke she made about then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House Correspondents’ Association pivoted to a non-comedian headliner, inviting presidential biographer Ron Chernow to helm the dinner.

Persons: Colin Jost, Donald Trump, “ Colin Jost, Colin, ”, Kelly O’Donnell, Jost, Jamie McCarthy, PEN America “, ” O’Donnell, Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, Michelle Wolf, Wolf, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Ron Chernow, Roy Wood Jr Organizations: CNN, White, ’ Association, NBC News, White House, Peabody, PEN America, ’ Locations: Washington, New York

(AP) — Residents of an east Arkansas town have been without running water for the past two weeks after the state was hit by below-freezing temperatures, and the outage has forced them to line up for bottled water, fill up jugs or take showers at a truck brought in by the state. The town faced a similar crisis last summer, when the same part of the city was without water in June. The outages are affecting one of two water systems for Helena-West Helena, which was two separate cities until 2006. Each day, distribution sites for the water have seen a steady line of people filling up on water to use for their homes. He said citizens in general have been understanding of the emergency water distribution process.

Persons: ”, John Edwards, ” Russell Hall, ” Mack Williams, “ You’ve, ” Gerald Jennings, “ I’ve, “, ” Laprece, Pipes, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sanders, ” Hall, Edwards, “ We've, ___ DeMillo, Rebecca Reynolds Organizations: HELENA, WEST HELENA, — Residents, Emergency Management, National Guard, ”, Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, Associated Press Locations: Arkansas, Helena, West Helena, Memphis , Tennessee, Mississippi, Phillips, Tennessee, Mason, Kentucky, Virginia, Little, Louisville , Kentucky

But with regard to endorsements, Haley hasn’t necessarily benefited from the Trump holdouts, notably because they haven’t gone as far as to endorse her for the nomination. So while the holdouts might bother him on a personal level, they likely don’t have much influence over the Republican nomination in 2024. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellMcConnell has said he has “essentially stayed out” of the GOP nomination process. 2 Republican, had endorsed Scott as a candidate for the GOP nomination. He’s in a commanding position, and I’ve said all along I’ll support the nominee,” Thune said about Trump on Wednesday.

Persons: Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Haley, she’s, ” Haley, ”, Trump, Nikki ‘ Birdbrain ’ Haley, ” Trump, MAGA, Haley hasn’t, Chris Sununu, –, Ron DeSantis, Sen, Tim Scott of, Marco Rubio, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham of, John Barasso of, John Cornyn of, Deb Fischer, Nebraska, Mitch McConnell McConnell, McConnell, Mitt Romney, Utah Romney, Romney, hasn’t, Joe Biden, West Virginia Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, Susan Collins of Maine Collins, Collins, John Thune of, Scott, Thune, “ I’m, I’ve, ” Thune, I’ll, Schumer, ” Sen, Joni Ernst, Iowa Ernst, Ernst Organizations: Republican, South Carolina Gov, Trump, Iowa, Donald Trump View, Republican Party, True American Patriots, New Hampshire Gov, Florida Gov, GOP, Capitol, West Virginia Democratic, John Thune of South Dakota Thune, Senate, Biden Locations: New Hampshire, “, South Carolina, Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida , Arkansas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas, Sen, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Barasso of Wyoming, John Cornyn of Texas, Utah, John Thune of South Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa

☆ Nikki Haley won the backing of New Hampshire's GOP governor. It's a key advantage she just won't have again for a long time.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chris Sununu's endorsement of Nikki Haley seemingly boosted her in NH despite her loss to Trump in the state's primary. The S.C. primary will be a key test, but Haley will also need backing from Republicans in Super Tuesday states. AdvertisementWhen New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu threw his support behind former UN ambassador Nikki Haley's presidential bid last month, it was a huge coup for her campaign. Phil Scott is the only other GOP governor currently backing Haley's presidential bid.

Persons: Chris Sununu's, Nikki Haley, Haley, —, Chris Sununu, Nikki Haley's, Phil Scott of, Trump Haley, Henry McMaster —, Donald Trump, McMaster, Trump, Phil Scott, Glenn Russell, VTDigger, Joe Lombardo, Scott of Vermont, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Greg Abbott, Kevin Stitt, Mike Dunleavy, Glenn Youngkin, Kay Ivey, Spencer Cox, Bill Lee, she's, Sununu Organizations: Trump, Republicans, Service, New Hampshire Gov, Republican, Phil Scott of Vermont ., Gov, GOP, Arkansas, Texas Gov, Oklahoma Gov, Alaska Gov, Virginia Gov, Alabama Gov, Utah Gov, Tennessee Gov, Trump ., New Locations: Super, New Hampshire, Phil Scott of Vermont, Phil Scott of Vermont . Vermont, South Carolina, Vermont, Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Utah

While vice presidential candidates typically aren't picked until after a candidate has locked down the nomination, Trump's decisive win in last week's Iowa caucuses and the departure of Florida Gov. That interest comes despite the fate of Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe Trump campaign has held several events in both Iowa and New Hampshire with high-profile surrogates. Tim Scott’s a very, very good dude and would make a great vice president,” he said. “I absolutely love what she did, this whole thing with the Harvard.”Ingrahm-Kelly, who is leaning toward voting for Trump on Tuesday, said she also likes the idea of another woman vice president.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Elise Stefanik, Trump's, Ron DeSantis, Republicans covet, Trump’s, Mike Pence, Pence, Trump, Joe Biden’s, Stefanik, “, ”, I'd, I've, Sen, JD Vance, Kristi Noem, Kari Lake, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Vivek Ramaswamy, Tim Scott of, Donald Trump, Scott, Bret Baier, ” Jason Miller, —, wouldn't, backfiring, Vance, Nikki Haley, Kristi Noem’s, Tim Scott’s, Haley, Trump's “ MAGA, Donald Trump Jr, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Tennessee Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Doug Burgum, Byron Donalds, Tucker Carlson, Susan Ingrahm, Kelly, ” Ingrahm Organizations: MANCHESTER, , New York, Florida Gov, Republican, Republicans, Trump, South Dakota Gov, Fox News, Press, ”, United States Senate, Arkansas Gov, Marsha Blackburn , North Dakota Gov, Florida Rep, Ivy League, Harvard Locations: N.H, Donald Trump’s New Hampshire, ,, Iowa, Stefanik, New Hampshire, Ohio, South, Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Tim Scott of South Carolina, New York, Kingston, Concord, Arkansas, Marsha Blackburn ,, Bedford , New Hampshire

☆ ‘America Is Under Attack’: Inside the Anti-D.E.I. Crusade
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Nicholas Confessore | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +44 min

‘America Is Under Attack’: Inside the Anti-D.E.I. “In support of ridding schools of C.R.T., the Right argues that we want nonpolitical education,” Mr. Klingenstein wrote in August 2021. In a 2023 exchange, Dr. Yenor and two associates discussed how to defend Amy Wax, a conservative law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Yenor and his allies bristled at the conventions of academic life as overly solicitous toward female and nonwhite students. Samuel Ginn, Claremont donor“The president then told him, ‘Things will change,’” a Claremont fund-raiser wrote to Dr. Yenor and other officials there.

Persons: “ wokeism ”, Chancellor Sharp, Sam Ginn, DeSantis, !, Searle, Scott Yenor's, Alabama Jeff Sessions, peter thiel, thiel, Dan Patrick, Patrick, Texas Long, Claudine Gay, Harvard’s, Trump, Ron DeSantis, Peter Thiel, Heather Mac Donald, ”, Scott Yenor, “, ” Scott Yenor, Claremont, Critics, George Floyd, Donald J, Trump’s, Thomas D, Thomas Klingentstein, ” Mr, Klingenstein, Yenor, Christopher Rufo, fromScott Yenor, Floyd, Mao Zedong’s, Ryan P, Williams, Jack Miller, Ryan Williams, Miller, zealots, Mao Zedong's, ” Claremont, Taube, tothe, Arthur N, Chris Ross, Dockweiler, Elizabeth Ailes, Roger Ailes, Daniel C, Searles, fromChris Ross Ryan, I'd, Dorian Abbot, Mr, Ross, Dr, Amy Wax, Wax, Wax’s, David Azerrad, . Azerrad, fromScott, Azerrad, —, ’, Mac Donald, Mac Donald1 —, fromDavid Azerrad Heather, that's, Thiel —, Thiel’s, bristled, Riffing, Bill Burr, hadn’t, Burr, George W, Bush, ” Tennessee’s, Susan Kaestner, Jeff Sessions, Samuel Ginn, Christopher B, Roberts, Roberts “, Ginn, ” Bowdoin, Thomas Klingenstein, Janet Mills, Mills, ‘, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kevin Stitt, he’d, fromThomas, Glenn, sputtered, retool, didn’t, Jim Banks, Banks’s, Banks, Gay, Elise Stefanik Organizations: MIT, Trust, Texas, Claremont, Republicans, Senate, The New York Times, Republican, Claremont Institute, Gov, D.E.I, New, Manhattan Institute, Maine Policy Institute, ”, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Equity, Jack Miller Family, Jack Miller Family Foundation America, Capitol, Freedom Trust, Rupe Foundation, Scaife, Fox News, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, Hillsdale College, Boise State University, Boise, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Trump, Boise State, University of Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn University, University of Alabama, Auburn, Bowdoin College in, NAS, Bowdoin, Democratic, Mr, Maine Public Radio, American, Association, Maine Department of Education, Indiana Republican, Education, Harvard, New York Republican Locations: Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Maine, Montana , Utah , Oklahoma , Texas, South Carolina , Florida, Louisiana, America, defund, Alabama, Tallahassee, Union, California, Florida, Maine , Tennessee, Idaho, New York, Florida , Louisiana, North Carolina , Oklahoma , Tennessee, Wisconsin, Darling, Dallas, Utah, C.R.T, United States, Hillsdale, Eau, India, Boise State, Boise, Manhattan, Canadian, Dixie, Maine —, Bowdoin College in Maine, Colonial America, ”, Maine’s, la, Portland, Northern Maine, Arkansas, Yenor, Indiana, Israel

That's when Rep. Elise Stefanik, the hard-charging upstate New York Republican, came up, according to a person at the dinner table. At the thought of Stefanik as a possible choice for vice president, Trump nodded approvingly. "I'm not going to get into any of my conversations with President Trump. In New York, Stefanik is known as a frequent presence not only in her district but across the state — and someone who can easily be reached. Aside from Stefanik, Bannon ticked through his view of Trump's deep bench of potential VP picks.

Persons: Elise Stefanik, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump, Trump, Stefanik, Steve Bannon, Trump's, Mike Pence, Mitt Romney's, I'm, NBC's, Pence, Dan Goldman, —, Gerry Kassar, General Merrick Garland, Michael Cohen, Jack Smith's, MAGA, Bannon, Kevin Hern, Kristi Noem, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Kari Lake, Nikki Haley, Haley, Stefanik's, Barack Obama, Gavin Wax, Elise, Wax, Roger Stone, Stone, She's, it's, It's Organizations: Capitol, Mar, Republican, New, New York Republican, Trump raved, Trump, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, White, White House, NBC, New York, Conservative, House Republican Conference, GOP, Senate, South Dakota Gov, Wall, Fox, New York Young Republican Club, It's Trump Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON, New York, Stefanik, Iowa, Trump, York, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y, Lago, Arkansas, Arizona, Stefanik's New York

The National Weather Service warned that windy, subfreezing conditions in Montana and the Dakotas could push wind chills as low as minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56 degrees Celsius). An estimated 95 million people were under weather warnings or advisories for wind chills below zero F (minus 17 C), according to the weather service. Wind gusts as high as 50 mph (80 kph) were also possible, said Zack Taylor, a National Weather Service meteorologist in College Park, Maryland. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather to give utility trucks and trucks hauling essential supplies greater flexibility to respond. More than 150,000 homes and businesses in Oregon were without electricity Sunday following heavy snow and ice storms, according to poweroutage.us.

Persons: Zack Taylor, “ They’re, ” Taylor, “, Sarah Huckabee Sanders Organizations: National Weather Service, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers NFL, Rockies, Tennessee ., Tennessee . Arkansas Gov, Authorities Locations: U.S, Montana, Texas, Buffalo , New York, College Park , Maryland, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Tennessee . Arkansas, Oregon, Michigan, Wisconsin, Portland, Lake Oswego , Oregon, California , Idaho , Illinois

I don’t know. ross douthatIt’s true that he didn’t want the vice president to have a sort of separate political agenda. I don’t think that it was a fait accompli —ross douthatThat’s true. He would legitimately sabotage, kneecap his own vice president, just to prove no one else could do it. carlos lozadaLet’s just say, I will be your vice president, Michelle, anytime.

Persons: michelle cottle, I’m Michelle Cottle, ross douthat I’m Ross Douthat, carlos lozada I’m Carlos Lozada, lydia polgreen, Lydia Polgreen, ross douthat, carlos lozada, That’s, Ross, Michelle, what’s, — carlos lozada Oh, ”, Donald John Trump, it’s, Lozada, LYDIA, — carlos lozada Selena, michelle cottle We’re, they’re, Selena Meyer, michelle cottle Ross, Carlos, ross, Joe Biden, Biden, Obama, — carlos lozada Super, haven’t, Dick Cheney, carlos lozada Pence, Pence, Cheney, Kamala Harris, — carlos lozada, carlos lozada Weirdly, won’t, Richard Nixon, Al Gore, — ross douthat, lydia polgreen —, Kamala Harris —, Mike Pence, ross douthat They’re, Harris, George H.W Bush, Ronald Reagan, Nelson Rockefeller, Gerald Ford, Clinton, Joe Lieberman, Lieberman, — carlos lozada Joementum, michelle cottle Joementum, Gore, Trump, Newt Gingrich, It’s, michelle cottle Let’s, carlos lozada Well, Elaine Kamarck, J.F.K, Southern L.B.J, Carter, Mondale, Bush, Jules Witcover, lydia polgreen Scintillating, Quayle, Jesus, carlos lozada Right, Dan Quayle, George H.W, lydia polgreen Hah, V.P.s, Truman, — ross, ross douthat Really, — Yup, carlos lozada Biden, lydia polgreen Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew, George H.W . Bush, Dan, John McCain, Sarah Palin, — michelle cottle, gosh, Palin, lydia polgreen “, Tina Fey, carlos lozada The Palin, We’ve, John the Baptist, Donald Trump’s, lydia polgreen Wow, michelle cottle Oh, ross douthat Sarah, Jimmy Carter, White, carlos lozada Jimmy Carter, michelle cottle Fine, polgreen, michelle cottle Alrighty, hasn’t, CARLOS SIGHS, lydia polgreen Boy, michelle cottle Carlos, Donald Trump, who’s, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kari Lake, carlos lozada I, michelle cottle He’s, he’s, —, lydia polgreen That’s, lydia polgreen MAGA King, Lydia, — michelle cottle That’s, let’s, there’s, Nikki Haley, MICHELLE, Haley, There’s, carlos lozada Doesn’t, George W, Bush’s, michelle cottle Dick Cheney, ross douthat I’m, — michelle cottle You’re, Vivek, Nikki Haley’s, I’m, Ron DeSantis, Kristi Noem — lydia polgreen, Michelle — michelle cottle —, Kristi Noem, Rushmore, CARLOS, it’ll, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, MAGA, Vance, michelle cottle There’s, Elise Stefanik, doesn’t, ross douthat Trump, we’ll, — lydia polgreen, ross douthat —, carlos lozada —, Mueller, Nikki doesn’t, ROSS, don’t, can’t, Nikki, Nikki —, Peter Baker, Susan Glasser — michelle cottle, carlos lozada It’s, michelle cottle Hey, carlos lozada There’s, Walter Mondale, michelle cottle Can’t, carlos lozada Oh, carlos lozada Whoa, michelle cottle Woohoohoo, carlos lozada Potato, lydia polgreen Oh, MICHELLE GASPS, lydia polgreen Oooh, I’ve, michelle cottle That’s, michelle cottle I’d, michelle cottle Don’t, carlos lozada Let’s, Phoebe Lett, Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Derek Arthur, Alison Bruzek, Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker, Michelle Harris, Efim Shapiro, Carole Sabouraud, Pat McCusker, Shannon Busta, Kristina Samulewski, Rose Strasser, carlos lozada — “, ” Jimmy Carter’s, lydia polgreen Woo, Frank Church, Scoop Jackson, John Glenn, Ed Muskie, Adlai Stevenson, Pete Rodino, Muskie, ross douthat We’re, — carlos lozada It’s, — carlos lozada Yes, Lord Jesus Organizations: New York, Iowa Republicans, ross douthat Real, HBO, Hollywood, Bush, Republican, Trump, Biden, Republicans, Southern, Conservative, Democratic, “, carlos lozada Central, Heritage Foundation, Supreme, State, New Hampshire, Michigan, University of Notre Dame, Irish, Associated Press, Notre Dame, hashtag Locations: Iowa, Minnesota, California, ‘, Massachusetts, Clinton, Gore, Cheney, America, George H.W ., Russia, —, New Spain, South Dakota, New, American, Michigan, Washington, Plains

☆ At University of Arkansas, a State Law Stifles Pro-Palestinian Speakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Vimal Patel | More About Vimal Patel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But there was one catch: To be paid for his visit, Mr. Thrall was told that he had to pledge, according to a 2017 state law, that he would not boycott Israel. “That is unacceptable and won’t happen in Arkansas.”At college campuses around the country, students and faculty have been engulfed in vitriolic debates over students’ pro-Palestinian speech. Brandeis, Columbia and George Washington University have banned or suspended pro-Palestinian student protest groups. At a large public university in a more conservative state like Arkansas, the debate is playing out in a somewhat different way. Well before the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, state lawmakers had tried to control the debate on the Middle East, for instance demanding in the 2017 law that anyone contracting with the state sign a pledge against boycotting Israel.

Persons: Nathan Thrall, Thrall, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, ” Ms, Sanders Organizations: University of Arkansas, Israel, ”, ’, Brandeis, George Washington University Locations: American, America, Israel, Arkansas, Columbia

☆ Sarah Huckabee Sanders to endorse Trump at Wednesday rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Kristen Holmes | Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is expected to endorse Donald Trump for president and appear alongside her former boss during his Wednesday rally outside of Miami, a source familiar told CNN. Trump denied asking for Sanders’ endorsement in a Truth Social post at the time. Sanders’ expected endorsement, which was first reported by NBC News, comes as Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is expected to endorse Trump’s GOP 2024 rival, Florida Gov. “I couldn’t be prouder to have the opportunity to serve my country and particularly to work for this president,” Sanders said at the time of her departure.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Donald Trump, Sanders, Trump, Sanders ’, Kim Reynolds, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, ” Sanders, “ I’ve Organizations: CNN, Arkansas, Trump, Republican, NBC News, Iowa Gov, Florida Gov, Iowa Republican, White, Republican National Committee Locations: Miami, Hialeah , Florida, Iowa

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as former President Donald Trump's press secretary, on Monday endorsed his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. It’s normal versus crazy, and President Biden and the left are doubling down on crazy," Sanders said in a statement. He had called on the former president to drop out of the race after Trump was indicted in March by a grand jury in New York. Trump publicly encouraged Sanders to run for governor when she left the White House in 2019 to return to Arkansas. As a candidates and after taking office, Sanders adopted many of his targets, including critical race theory and the media.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Donald Trump's, Sanders, Trump, “ It’s, Biden, Donald Trump, ”, “, it’s, Asa Hutchinson, Joe Biden's, ” Sanders Organizations: —, Republican, Trump, ” NBC, White, GOP, White House Locations: — Arkansas, Arkansas, Florida, America, Hialeah, New York, Joe Biden's State

That lectern hasn't been seen at Sanders' public events, and the governor's office won't say where it is. A photo the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ran on the front page after Sanders' office allowed the paper to view it has been widely circulated. When The Associated Press asked to see the lectern, Sanders' office sent an official photo of it instead. Mike Huckabee, has offered lawmakers the testimony of a client he says has firsthand knowledge of the governor's office interfering with public records requests. That includes a governor's office employee in September adding the undated “to be reimbursed” note to the original June invoice.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, —, Washington —, Sanders, haven't, Jimmy Kimmel, Trump, we’re, ” Sanders, she's, “, Janine Parry, Matt Campbell, Campbell, ” Campbell, it's, Virginia Beckett, Tom Mars, Mike Huckabee, Biden, Bart Hester, ” Hester, ” Organizations: Republican, White House, The New York Times, Republican Party, Republican Party of Arkansas, Pentagon, University of Arkansas, Arkansas Democrat, Gazette, Associated Press, GOP, Beckett, Democrats, State Police, Gov, New, PAC Locations: Arkansas, Washington, Virginia

Northrup is a subsidiary of Syngenta Seeds, which is owned by China National Chemical Company, or ChemChina, a Chinese state-owned company. Concern has been growing in many states about foreign ownership of farmland. Prior to this year, 14 states had laws prohibiting or restricting foreign ownership and investments in private farmland. Under the Arkansas law, if a company doesn’t divest of the land, the state can take action in court. The surge in state laws targeting land ownership by certain foreigners represents a “a political flashpoint” that Brown says stems from some highly publicized cases of Chinese-connected entities purchasing land near military bases in North Dakota and Texas.

Persons: Tim Griffin, Northrup King, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Northrup, ” Sanders, Griffin, Syngenta, Micah Brown, ”, Brown, David Lieb Organizations: —, Northrup King Seed, Republican, GOP Gov, Syngenta, China National Chemical Company, National Agriculture Law Center, University of Arkansas, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Associated Locations: — Arkansas, Craighead County, Arkansas, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, North Dakota, Texas, Jefferson City , Missouri

☆ Arkansas orders Chinese-owned seed producer Syngenta to sell US farmland
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

CHICAGO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Arkansas ordered Syngenta to sell 160 acres (65 hectares) of farmland in the U.S. state within two years on Tuesday because the company is Chinese-owned, drawing a sharp rebuke from the global seeds producer. U.S. farm groups and lawmakers are increasingly scrutinizing foreign land ownership due to concerns about national security. "Our people in Arkansas are Americans led by Americans who care deeply about serving Arkansas farmers," Das said. The state also fined Syngenta $280,000 for failure to report foreign ownership in a timely manner. "All Syngenta land holdings have been examined by the U.S. government, through two administrations, as Syngenta was transitioning to ChemChina ownership," Das said.

Persons: Syngenta, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Saswato Das, Das, Tim Griffin, Griffin, Northrup, Huckabee Sanders, Tom Polansek, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: BASF, Bayer, Sinochem Holdings Corp, Northrup King Seed, Syngenta, U.S . Department of Agriculture, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Arkansas, U.S, Craighead County, China, ChemChina, Shanghai

(AP) — Arkansas lawmakers on Thursday voted to audit the purchase of a $19,000 lectern for Gov. The Republican Party of Arkansas reimbursed the state for the purchase on Sept. 14, and Sanders’ office has called the use of a state credit card for the lectern an accounting error. Sanders’ office said it received the lectern in August. Sanders’ office has not said what features contributed to the lectern’s seemingly high cost. The lectern's purchase was uncovered by Matthew Campbell, a blogger and attorney who has sued Arkansas State Police and claimed the agency withheld documents about Sanders' security and travel.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sanders, Sanders ’, ” Hickey, Donald Trump, Alexa Henning, ” Henning, Tom Mars, Hickey, Matthew Campbell, Campbell, Roger Norman, Jimmy Gazaway, “, ” Norman, Grant Hodges, Republican Sen, John Payton Organizations: —, Republican, Republican Party of Arkansas, GOP, Beckett, Arkansas State Police, Legislative Audit, ” Republican Locations: — Arkansas, Virginia

Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office planned to use Republican Party funds to reimburse the state for a $19,000 lectern, which was bought in June using a government credit card. The undated reimbursement note adds to weeks of scrutiny over the purchase, which has dominated political talk in Arkansas. Mars has said he has a client willing to give a confidential statement to lawmakers who has firsthand knowledge that Sanders' office interfered with open records requests. Earlier emails about the purchase released Monday don't reference plans for the Arkansas Republican Party to reimburse the state. Sanders’ office has not said what features contributed to the lectern’s seemingly high cost.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, ”, Republican Sen, Jimmy Hickey, Sanders, Donald Trump, Laura Hamilton, Cassie Cantlon, doesn't, Hamilton, “, Alexa Henning, Tom Mars, Hickey, Mars, Joseph Wood, Sanders ’, Matthew Campbell, Campbell Organizations: —, Arkansas Gov, Republican, Arkansas GOP, Associated Press, AP, Republican Party of Arkansas, Department of Transformation, Beckett, Arkansas Republican Party, Arkansas State Police Locations: Arkansas, Virginia

During the coronavirus pandemic, states were prohibited from removing people from Medicaid in exchange for receiving enhanced federal funding. States have 14 months to finish their backlog of eligibility reviews, according to guidelines from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Like in most states, many of those who lost Medicaid coverage in Arkansas were removed for procedural reasons, such as not returning renewal forms needed to verify their eligibility. People removed from Medicaid can regain coverage retroactively if they provide information proving their eligibility within 90 days. Arkansas' percentage decline in children covered by Medicaid ranks among the largest in the nation, Alker said.

Persons: ”, Joan Alker, Kristi Putnam, ” Putnam, Sarah Huckabee Sanders ’, Grant Tennille, “ It’s, ” Tennille, Tippi McCullough, ” McCullough, Joe Biden's, Alker, ___ Lieb Organizations: Republican, Georgetown University Center for Children, Medicare, Services, Arkansas Department of Human, Republican Gov, Arkansas Democratic, Medicaid, District of Columbia, Arkansas Locations: Arkansas, Jefferson City , Missouri

☆ Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Has a $19,000 Lectern Problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Adolfo Flores | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, huckabee, sanders Locations: arkansas

Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law Thursday restricting release of her travel and security records after the Legislature wrapped up a special session marked by a fight to more broadly scale back the state Freedom of Information Act. Sanders sought the security exemptions as the State Police was sued by an attorney and blogger who accused the agency of illegally withholding records about the governor’s travel and security. Supporters of the bill said the governor's higher profile has raised the security risk she and her family faces. The broader exemptions originally sought prompted an outcry from media groups, transparency advocates and some conservatives who said it would create massive holes in the state's open records law. Sanders also signed legislation prohibiting state and local governments from requiring someone to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sanders, she's, Donald Trump, ” Sanders, Andrew Collins, ” Collins, Matthew Campbell, Campbell, David Ray, We're, David Couch, ” Couch Organizations: —, GOP, State Police, White, Democratic, Republican, COVID, Legislative Locations: — Arkansas

(AP) — Arkansas lawmakers voted Wednesday to shield travel and security records for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ administration, a day after ditching a more far-reaching proposal that critics said would weaken government transparency. Sanders and Republican legislators on Tuesday backed off a broader plan that would have closed off access to other records, including any “reflecting communications” between the governor's office and her cabinet secretaries. I want to be able to see the documents,” Joey McCutchen, a Fort Smith attorney who has specialized in public records cases, told lawmakers. Sanders is seeking the limits as State Police is being sued by an attorney and blogger who has accused the agency of illegally withholding records about the governor’s travel and security.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sanders, ” Joey McCutchen, “, Scott Gray, she's, Donald Trump's, Sen, Clarke Tucker, It's, ” Tucker, Nicole Clowney, Lawmakers, Bart Hester, he’s, Hester Organizations: —, Gov, Republican Senate, State Police, Tuesday, Fort, The Arkansas Press Association, Saline County Republican, Democratic Locations: — Arkansas, Fort Smith, Saline County, Pulaski County, Arkansans

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