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The surgeon general’s 837-page report on tobacco use found that 37.8% of gay, lesbian and bisexual U.S. adults have tried electronic cigarettes, compared with just 16.5% of their straight counterparts. He said that LGBTQ people use tobacco products at higher rates largely because of “long-standing stigma” within health care settings. Still, 36 million U.S. adults and 760,000 middle and high school students smoke tobacco products, according to the report. Since 2014, the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youths and young adults is e-cigarettes. “These and other noncombustible tobacco products such as nicotine pouches have the potential to undermine overall progress in preventing and reducing young people’s use of tobacco products,” the authors stated.

Persons: general’s, ”, Kristy Marynak, ” Marynak, Scott Hadland, he’s, ” Hadland, “, KFF, Hadland, Red Kamel Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, American Lung Association, Mass, Children, Harvard Medical School, Kaiser Family Foundation, Tobacco, Red, Justice Department and Food and Drug Administration Locations: United States, San Francisco, U.S

☆ Trump escalates test of strength over Gaetz pick
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Video Ad Feedback Lawyer describes client's testimony in House Ethics Committee investigation of Gaetz 03:04 - Source: CNNThe Ethics Committee report has quickly become the first big crisis of the nascent second Trump administration. A small handful of Republican senators would be needed to defect in order to block Gaetz’s nomination when the party controls the Senate majority next year. GOP senators could pay a price for a prolonged confirmation fightIf Trump sticks with his pick, Republican senators feeling the MAGA movement’s pressure could be forced to defend Gaetz for weeks. Maine Sen. Susan Collins told CNN’s Raju that it would be “helpful” to see the House Ethics report. “Whether we get the ethics report or not, the facts are going to come out one way or the other,” Cornyn said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Joel Leppard, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Gaetz, Mike Johnson, Trump, Dakota Sen, Kevin Cramer, ” Cramer, CNN’s Manu Raju, MAGA, Cramer, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Florida Republican –, Capitol Hill, it’s, Washington Trump, Bill Clinton, Zoë Baird, Kimba Wood, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, CNN’s Raju, Texas Sen, John Cornyn, ” Cornyn, “, Johnson, Susan Wild of, won’t, —, ” CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Axios, Kennedy, Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, It’s Organizations: CNN, Florida Republican, Justice Department, Trump, Gaetz, Fox News, Human Services Department, GOP, Capitol, FBI, Democrat, —, National Intelligence, Senate, Republican, North Dakota Republican Locations: Dakota, Washington, Texas, Susan Wild of Pennsylvania

☆ At least 15 dead as inmates clash at notorious Ecuadorian prison
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-12 | by ( Ivonne Valdés | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —At least 15 people have been killed and 14 injured in clashes between inmates at one of Ecuador’s largest and most notorious prisons, local authorities say. The violence broke out early Tuesday in one of the pavilions at Litoral Penitentiary in the coastal city of Guayaquil, according to national prison agency SNAI. Both Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, and the prison itself are notorious for violent confrontations between rival gangs. Inmates' relatives embrace outside the Litoral Penitentiary in the coastal city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Nov. 12, 2024, after a fight among inmates left more than a dozen dead. Litoral Penitentiary is among five facilities that make up a major prison complex in Guayaquil.

Persons: General’s, Cesar Munoz, María Daniela Icaza, José Adolfo “ Fito ” Macías, Daniel Noboa, CNN’s Abel Alvarado, Michael Rios Organizations: CNN, AP, Security Locations: Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador’s, Ecuador

“We take this type of targeting very seriously.”The FBI said it “is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter,” according to a statement Thursday. At least some appear to have been sent through TextNow in what the company believes “is a widespread, coordinated attack,” it told CNN on Friday. Texts addressed recipients by nameScreenshots of the texts shared with CNN and appearing on social media show the racist messages addressed the recipients by name. Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland said in a statement Thursday that some of its students received the racist texts. CNN affiliates have also reported instances of students receiving the racist texts in South Carolina, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, among other states.

Persons: Derrick Johnson, ” Donald Trump’s, Karoline Leavitt, Orangeburg , South Carolina –, Jessica Rosenworcel, ”, “, Liz Murrill, ” Murrill, Murrill, Cori Faklaris, ” Faklaris, Letitia James, ” Kenneth Gray, Alysa, Arleta McCall, ” McCall, Nimrod, ” Megan Shafer, ‘, ’, Jackie Bradley, WISN, ” Bradley, Bradley, you’re, ” Talaya Jones, Talaya Jones, ” Jones, —, Jim Crow, Johnson, Jones, Tasha Dunham, WCVB, wasn’t, ” Dunham Organizations: CNN, Federal, District of Columbia, NAACP, stoke, Black Colleges, Universities, Hampton University, Fisk University, Claflin University, Federal Communications Commission’s, FBI, Justice Department, & Safety, General’s, Louisiana Bureau, Investigation, University of North, Associated Press, New York, University of New, Montgomery County Public Schools, ”, University of Alabama, Missouri State University, Missouri NAACP, Lower, Lower Merion School District, Milwaukee, WISN Locations: New York, California, Hampton , Virginia, Nashville , Tennessee, Orangeburg , South Carolina, TextNow, Louisiana, Poland, Napoleonville , Louisiana, Washington , DC, Virginia , New Jersey , Illinois, Maryland, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, University of New Haven, Montgomery County, Missouri, South Carolina , Massachusetts , Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Lower Merion, Montgomery County , Pennsylvania, Piscataway , New Jersey, United States, Lodi , California, North Carolina

“Our Executive Slaves will come get you in a Brown Van,” the message read, “be prepared to be searched down once you’ve enter the plantation.”A text message received by Monét Miller. But that day, with the climate and everything going on, I genuinely felt scared.”Black social media users across the country said they have received text messages similar to Miller’s. Various Clemson University students reported receiving the text messages, prompting a public statement from the school. It is unclear who is behind the mass text messages, what motivated them or how they obtained phone numbers for swaths of Black people. Although college students seem to be the most targeted with the texts, Black people of varying ages have reported receiving the messages.

Persons: Monèt Miller, Donald Trump, “, Monét Miller, Monet Miller Miller, ” Miller, Domonique, ” Valles, “ TextNow, ”, Brian Hughes, Trump, ” Hughes, Corryn Freeman, ” Freeman, John Anthony, ” Anthony, ‘ let’s, Miller Organizations: White, Ohio State University, Clemson University, University of Southern, Missouri State University, NBC News, Kappa Alpha Psi, FBI, U.S . Department of Justice, & Safety, Police, “, NAACP, Democrats weren’t, Black Republican, Federal Communications Commission Locations: Atlanta , Georgia, Brown, South Carolina, University of Southern California, Domonique Valles, Virginia, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Illinois, Trump

It was not immediately clear who sent the messages, and there is no complete list of whom they were delivered to. “My initial reaction was probably like disbelief, like I thought it was like a joke,” said Jones, who forwarded the text message to loved ones. The “racist and vile spam text messages” have also spread to Louisiana, Republican state Attorney General Liz Murrill confirmed said Thursday via X. And in Washington, DC, the attorney general’s office also is “aware of racist text messages being sent to residents there, condemning them unequivocally,” spokesperson Gabriel Shoglow-Rubenstein said. If you believe your safety is at risk, please contact local law enforcement,” he said in a statement to CNN.

Persons: ”, Derrick Johnson, ” Donald Trump’s, Karoline Leavitt, TextNow, “, Talaya Jones, Jones, Alysa, Arleta McCall, ” McCall, Liz Murrill, Letitia James, Brown, Sam Burwell, Chloe Smith, Laura Bass, Gabriel Shoglow, Rubenstein, ” TextNow, Alayna Treene, Andy Rose Organizations: CNN, Authorities, NAACP, stoke, & Safety, Federal Communications Commission, FBI, Justice Department, ” University of Alabama, University of Alabama, Republican, Louisiana Bureau, Investigation, ” New York, Montgomery County Public Schools, KHOU, General’s Locations: United States, Alabama, Georgia, Maryland , Michigan , New Jersey , New York, South Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, Nevada, Piscataway , New Jersey, New, Maryland, Montgomery County, Houston, Washington , DC, Hanna

☆ California governor calls special session to protect liberal policies from Trump presidency
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-07 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Gavin Newsom, a fierce critic of former President Donald Trump, on Thursday called for lawmakers to convene a special session later this year to safeguard the state’s progressive policies on climate change, reproductive rights and immigration ahead of another Trump presidency. The move — a day after the former president resoundingly defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race — effectively reignited California’s resistance campaign against conservative policies that state Democratic leaders started during the first Trump administration. California’s move is part of a growing discussion among Democratic state officials across the country seeking to protect policies that face threats under Trump’s leadership. Newsom and Democratic lawmakers said they are acting now to shield the state’s policies that have made it a leader in the nation. “He wants to be seen as a political revivalist, and so that puts him front and center,” McCuan said.

Persons: —, Gavin Newsom, Donald Trump, Trump, resoundingly, Kamala Harris, ” Newsom, “ Trump, California’s, Kathy Hochul, Letitia James, ” Hochul, Hochul, Maura Healey, Andrea Campbell, JB Pritzker, ” Pritzker, Newsom, “, Harris, Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Rob Bonta, Trump’s, David McCuan, won’t, ” McCuan Organizations: Democratic, Associated Press, Republican, Senate, Gov, Trump, ”, Illinois Gov, White House, Pro Tempore, America, State, White, Sonoma State University Locations: Sacramento, California, New York, State, New, Massachusetts, Chicago, Illinois, ” California, America, Southern California, U.S

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who ascended to office vowing sweeping reforms to the criminal justice system and then faced intense criticism over public safety issues, lost his bid for re-election, The Associated Press projected. In office, Gascón quickly got to work implementing his reformist agenda. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was recalled from office in 2022 after his critics assailed him as a soft-on-crime progressive. He then was the assistant attorney general for the U.S. Justice Department’s tax division under former President George W. Bush. Gascón, 70, previously was San Francisco attorney general — a job once held by Vice President Kamala Harris before she won the state attorney general’s office.

Persons: George Gascón, Gascón, Nathan Hochman, Erik, Lyle Menendez, George Floyd, Jeff Gritchen, Chesa Boudin, Hochman, “, ” Hochman, people’s, —, ” Gascón, George W, Bush, Kamala Harris Organizations: Angeles, Associated Press, Netflix, MediaNews, Getty, California . San, Hochman, Republican, Central, Central District of, U.S . Justice Locations: Angeles County, Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Buena Park, Calif, California, California . San Francisco, Angeles, County, Gascón, U.S, Central District, Central District of California, Francisco, Los Angeles, Mesa , Arizona, San Francisco

Clad in dress clothes, the man identified himself as a private investigator and said he was conducting a criminal investigation into election fraud. “You’re not going to come in here, grill me like this and I’m not going to find out what’s going on.”Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf. Bridget Bennett / Reuters fileShe soon learned that the deputy and the private investigator had visited other township offices as part of an effort to find evidence of election fraud. And the man responsible for it was the top lawman in the area — Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf. Leaf fashions himself as a “constitutional sheriff.” Sheriffs like him see themselves as holding supreme authority in their counties, exceeding that of state and federal law enforcement officials.

Persons: ”, Robin Hawthorne, Hawthorne, Emily Elconin, “, “ You’re, I’m, Dar Leaf, Bridget Bennett, Matt Sanderson, Frank Figliuzzi, ” Figliuzzi, Trump, Leaf, Richard Mack, Mike Lindell, Michael Flynn, Mack, America ”, Mark Abramson, Chris Schmaling, Calvin Hayden, Johnson, “ I’ve, ” Hayden, Gretchen Whitmer, ” Leaf, it’s, Joe Biden, Stefanie Lambert, Sidney Powell, Doug Van Essen, Van Essen, Biden, Hillary Clinton, Van, ” Van Essen, “ He’s, Barry, ” — Lindell, Leaf’s, Lambert, Hilson, ” Lambert, he’s, ” Hawthorne, Kamala Harris, Jan, she’s, “ I’m Organizations: Republican, Dar, Sheriffs, FBI, Trump, U.S, Constitutional Sheriffs, Peace Officers Association, Las Vegas, gestapo, U.S . Army, CSPOA Conference, NBC, Associated Press, Michigan, Fox, Biden, Michigan Attorney General’s, Reuters, Leaf, Texas Attorney General’s, Sheriff’s Locations: Rutland, Township, Michigan, Rutland Charter Township , Michigan, ” Barry County, Barry County, Washington, Wisconsin, Arizona, Las, America, Las Vegas, Racine County , Wisconsin, Johnson County , Kansas, Mack's, Dar Leaf, Grand Rapids, Detroit, reddest, Van Essen, “, Rutland Charter Township, Woodlawn Township

☆ Boston pizzeria owner gets 8.5 years in prison for forced labor of undocumented workers
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The owner of a Boston area pizza chain who forced undocumented victims to work for him in grueling conditions, and under violent physical abuse and threats of deportation, has been sentenced to over eight years in prison. He was convicted in a jury trial on three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor in June. The sentencing of Papantoniadis marks just the latest in a string of complaints over labor practices at his businesses. In 2019, the business owners were ordered to pay more than $300,000 in back wages, according to NBC Boston. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office said it received three complaints since 2019 against Stash’s Pizza, similarly over wage and hour violations.

Persons: Stavros Papantoniadis, “ Papantoniadis, “, Papantoniadis, ” Papantoniadis, Carmine Lepore, ” Lepore, Joshua S, Levy, ” Levy, Stash’s Pizza, Stavros “ Steve ” Papantoniadis, Polyxeny “ Paulina ” Papantoniadis Organizations: U.S, Attorneys, District, NBC, United, NBC Boston, U.S . Department of Labor, Stash’s, Co, Weymouth Pizza Co, General’s Locations: Boston, pizzerias, Dorchester, Roslindale, Massachusetts, Norwood, United States, Norwell, Randolph, Weymouth, Wareham

Donald Trump has more than just the presidency on the line Nov. 5 — the outcome of his various legal troubles hinges on the election, as well. The “witch hunts against President Trump have imploded” and “should all be dismissed in light of the Supreme Court’s historic decision on immunity and other vital jurisprudence,” Cheung said in a statement. Hush money caseWin or lose, Trump’s biggest immediate challenge after the election is his potential sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York. Federal election interference caseIf Trump loses, special counsel Jack Smith’s election interference case is also on the horizon. Similar to the criminal cases, Trump has argued that his actions were protected by presidential immunity.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, he’s, ”, Chuck Rosenberg, Trump, Steven Cheung, ” Cheung, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Rosenberg, Jack Smith’s, Smith, Hugh Hewitt, “, ” Trump, don’t, Fani Willis, Scott McAfee, Willis, McAfee, Steve Sadow, ” Sadow, Barbara McQuade, Aileen Cannon, Jean Carroll, general’s, Carroll, ” McQuade, ‘, they’d, Clinton, McQuade, Paula Jones, Bill Clinton Organizations: Trump, NBC, Republican, New, NBC News, Department, Justice Department, Fulton, Fulton County, White, Division, U.S . Capitol Locations: New York, United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Fulton, U.S, New

☆ Bus crash in central Mexico kills 19 people
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —Nineteen people died and six others were injured when a bus crashed on a highway in Mexico’s central state of Zacatecas on Saturday, local authorities said. The accident occurred in the early morning hours when the bus carrying the victims collided with the back of a tractor-trailer carrying corn, which had come loose. Zacatecas Governor David Monreal earlier on Saturday had initially reported a preliminary death toll of 24 people, but the state attorney general’s office later revised the tally in a statement. The attorney general’s office said it was “carrying out investigations to arrest the driver” of the tractor-trailer. The victims did not include migrants, according to the attorney general’s office.

Persons: David Monreal Organizations: Reuters, Ciudad Juarez Locations: Mexico’s, Zacatecas, Mexico, Chihuahua

Elon Musk’s daily $1 million lottery for registered swing state voters who sign his super PAC’s petition falls into a legal gray area and could potentially violate election law, three experts told NBC News. Paying someone to vote or to register to vote is explicitly illegal under federal law. “This is at best very questionable legally,” said Michael Morse, an assistant professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. But none of the experts who spoke with NBC News believed law enforcement is likely to stop the lottery or fine Musk before the election. “You can only register to vote in Pennsylvania until today.

Persons: “, ”, John Fortier, Elon Musk, Michael Swensen, Michael Morse, ” “ I’ve, Nate Persily, it’s, Musk, Rick Hasen, Hasen, Justice Department’s, it’s “, Josh Shapiro, Morse, Trump, Kristine Fishell, Penn Organizations: Elon, NBC News, Musk’s America PAC, America PAC, American Enterprise Institute, NBC, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, “, Stanford Law School, Musk’s PAC, UCLA School of, Democracy, Justice, ”, ” Pennsylvania Gov, Press Sunday, Department, Justice Department, Pennsylvania, Federal, Trump, Republican, New York Times Locations: Pittsburgh, ” Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Michigan

☆ What we know: Fate of Texas death row inmate’s testimony before a state legislative committee is uncertain
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Dakin Andone | Ed Lavandera | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

By Thursday evening, after a series of court battles and escalating appeals, the Texas Supreme Court had issued a temporary stay of execution. The AG is representing TDCJ, and is calling the shots, while simultaneously attacking the underlying subpoena before the Texas Supreme Court. We expected that the subpoena would be honored pursuant to Texas law and the Committee’s intent. “It’s the entire case, and that is Mr. Roberson’s case,” Keith Findley, professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin Law School, testified before the Texas Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence last week. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals previously issued a stay of execution in Roberson’s case in 2016, sending a claim under Article 11.073 (among others) back to the trial court.

Persons: Robert Roberson, it’s, Roberson, Nikki Curtis –, Paroles, Gretchen Sween, Sween, Joe Moody, ” Sween, Nikki, Nikki “, –, Brian Wharton, pediatricians, “, ” Keith Findley, ” Dr, Antoinette Laskey, ” Dani Allen, Michael Wyke, ”, Roberson’s, ” Findley, ” Moody, ” CNN’s Ashley Killough, Nicole Chavez Organizations: CNN, Texas, Texas Supreme, US, Texas Attorney General’s, Texas Department, Criminal, Capitol, American Academy of Pediatrics, Palestine, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, US Army, National Registry, Exonerations, University of Wisconsin Law School, American Academy of Pediatrics ’, Child, Appeals Locations: Texas, TDCJ, Austin, Palestine , Texas, Huntsville , Texas

Robert Roberson, the condemned man whose execution was halted late Thursday because of an unprecedented legal gambit by Texas lawmakers, is expected to appear in person Monday at a legislative hearing in Austin, his legal representatives said. The subpoena was issued to help buy more time for Roberson, who has bipartisan support. The Office of the Attorney General quickly appealed the district court judge’s temporary injunction to the state’s highest criminal court, which agreed with allowing Roberson’s execution to continue. But lawmakers then petitioned their case to the Texas Supreme Court late Thursday as the hours ticked down before midnight — when Roberson’s death warrant was set to expire. State Rep. Brian Harrison, a Republican who helped to introduce the motion to subpoena Roberson, acknowledged Friday that although the execution was blocked, various issues remain at play.

Persons: Robert Roberson, Roberson, Nikki, Brian Harrison, “, ” Harrison, “ We’re, Brian Wice, Greg Abbott, Abbott, ” Wice, Harrison, ” Organizations: Texas Supreme, of Criminal, State, Republican, U.S, Supreme Locations: Texas, Austin, U.S, Nikki’s, Houston

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked Alabama’s voter removal program that flagged thousands of registered voters and accused them of illegally registering in the state. The Justice Department sued the state of Alabama challenging the program aimed at removing voters from its election rolls, arguing it was too close to the Nov. 5 election. Allen announced a process for purging 3,251 registered Alabama voters in August, 84 days before Election Day. The case is among several instances of voter purges in Republican-led states ahead of this fall’s presidential election. The Justice Department lawsuit said it has already been determined that legal voters were mistakenly purged from the voter rolls.

Persons: Wes Allen, Allen, Anna Manasco, Donald Trump, ” Manasco, ”, Glenn Youngkin, Youngkin Organizations: The Justice Department, Republican, Alabama, Justice Department, Gov, Department of Motor Vehicles, Justice Locations: Alabama, “, States, Virginia

☆ Sealed TikTok court documents show time limit tool effectively did nothing to reduce teen usage — NPR
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-11 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —A screen-time limit tool on TikTok doesn’t work in limiting teen usage, the company’s own analysis reportedly found, according to in unredacted documents accidentally revealed as part of a major lawsuit. One issue revolves around TikTok’s effects on teenagers scrolling on the app for several hours, which could be harmful to their mental health. Following public scrutiny about the app’s effects on vulnerable people, TikTok released time management tools for users under 18 years old. Friday’s report from NPR and KPR came after the Kentucky Attorney General’s office accidentally filed unredacted versions of its legal filing against TikTok. We provide robust safeguards, proactively remove suspected underage users, and have voluntarily launched safety features.”

Persons: ”, TikTok, “, KPR, Alex Haurek, “ We’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Kentucky Public, NPR, CNN, TikTok, Kentucky Attorney Locations: New York

And they’ve kept up a drumbeat of dubious claims about voting, along with the lie that the election was stolen in 2020. Prosecutors allege that the Trump campaign used similarly aggressive tactics in Philadelphia to force confrontation with election officials, which Trump and his allies used to claim his supporters were denied access to observe the count. Election officials have been operating in an increasingly hostile environment as GOP skepticism of election administration has climbed. Among them: shifting numbers of noncitizens Trump allies claimed had voted in the 2020 election. In Georgia, state courts are reviewing new rules from the State Election Board that Democrats say give county election officials broad authority to delay certification of the results in search of purported election irregularities.

Persons: Donald Trump, They’ve, they’ve, ”, Sean Morales, Doyle, Brennan, ’ playbook, Jack Smith’s, Trump, Hannah Fried, Smith, Rebecca Cook, Brooks, Republican Al Schmidt, Schmidt, “, You’ve, Michael Whatley, Whatley, Zach Manifold, Joshua Lott, noncitizens Trump, hasn’t, Cleta Mitchell, –, “ I’ve, ” Lisa Posthumus Lyons, ” Posthumus Lyons, Jocelyn Benson, Patrick T, Fallon, Mike Pence, Pence, Trump’s, Smith’s, Adrian Fontes, ” Fontes, It’s, Morales, ” CNN’s Marshall Cohen, Fredreka Schouten Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Republican, Trump, GOP, TCF Center, Detroit’s TCF Center, Prosecutors, Republican National, RNC, Guadalupe, Washington Post, Getty, Republicans, America, Legal Foundation, United Sovereign Americans, Center, Fox News, Republican Party, Board, Arizona, Brennan Locations: Detroit , Michigan, Florida, Philadelphia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Gwinnett County , Georgia, ”, Gwinnett County, Guadalupe Mercado, Guadalupe , Arizona, Kent County , Michigan, Swing, Georgia , Michigan, Maricopa, AFP, Georgia, Arizona, Cochise County

☆ Colorado to pay web designer’s legal fees after losing LGBTQ anti-bias law case
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Colorado and web designer Lorie Smith’s lawyers at conservative law firm Alliance Defending Freedom disclosed the accord in a court filing last week. Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Bryan Neihart in a statement on Monday said it was common for the prevailing party in a civil rights case to ask for and receive legal fees after winning in court. Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom is a faith-based legal advocacy organization that pursues lawsuits related to religious liberty. In Smith’s bid for fees, Alliance Defending Freedom said its $2 million request would reimburse them for 2,174.4 hours of work on the litigation. Smith and lawyers for Colorado in a court filing said they planned to file their finalized settlement notice to the court by Oct. 16.

Persons: Lorie Smith’s, Smith, Bryan Neihart, Lorie Smith, ” Neihart, Freedom Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Alliance Defending, US Supreme, Colorado Locations: Colorado, Arizona

☆ FBI to pay $22M to settle claims of sexual discrimination at training academy
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“These problems are pervasive within the FBI and the attitudes that created them were learned at the academy,” said David J. Shaffer, the lawyer for the women. One of the women said she was admonished to “smile more” and subjected to repeated sexual advances. Men still make up some three-quarters of the bureau’s special agents despite efforts to diversify in recent years. The bureau also has agreed to a review by outside experts who will work to ensure that female recruits face a fair evaluation process. In one case, an FBI assistant director retired after the inspector general’s office concluded he harassed a female subordinate and sought an improper relationship with her.

Persons: ”, David J, Shaffer, leered, ” Paula Bird, Larry Nassar Organizations: CNN, FBI, Old Boy Network, FBI Academy, Associated Press, Justice Department Locations: Quantico , Virginia

☆ NY appeals court on Thursday to hear arguments on Trump’s $454 million civil fraud judgment
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Kara Scannell | Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A New York appeals court is set to hear arguments Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s bid to have the $454 million civil fraud judgment against him dismissed. The appellate hearing is yet another legal development for Trump playing out the same time as his presidential campaign hits the homestretch. In addition to the civil fraud appeal, Trump’s lawyers have argued to dismiss the guilty verdict in the New York criminal case, the federal election interference case in Washington, DC, and the E. Jean Carroll defamation verdict – all in the past month. The judgment against Trump was for $354 million, with an additional $100 million in interest that had accrued when the judge’s ruling was issued in February. “The award of $464 million in a case with no victims, no proven injuries, and no losses is not remotely defensible,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Jean Carroll, Arthur Engoron, Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Engoron, ’, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Trump, New Locations: York, New York, Washington ,

☆ Korean adoptees say they were ‘commodified’ and governments ignored fraud, investigation finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

“It showed the callous way in which children going to the US. At a hearing in 1977, a U.S. congressman asked why so many children were still coming from South Korea. But with hundreds of stories to verify in a single week, only a tiny fraction of adoptions were denied. How is that possible?” said Susan Jacobs, a retired State Department official who has worked on adoption reform efforts. Robert Ackerman, immigration attache at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, told reporters in 1988 that he had heard allegations of birth mothers being bribed.

Persons: Patricia Nye, “, ” Nye, ”, Susan Jacobs, Laws, Homer Stark, ” Stark, David Will, ” Will, Stark, Donald Wells, “ I’ve, Robert Ackerman, Ackerman, ” Ackerman, Michelle Bernier, Toth, adoptees, Elizabeth Bartholet Organizations: Social Service, U.S, Embassy, University of Minnesota Libraries, ISS, State Department, State, United Press International Locations: Seoul, Asia, U.S, South Korea, Tokyo, Gwinnett County , Georgia, strollers, Georgia, United States, Europe, Hague, Korea

☆ Israel steps up deadly Lebanon attacks and ExxonMobil sued over plastics recycling: Morning Rundown
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Elizabeth Robinson | Elizabeth Robinson Is A Newsletter Editor For Nbc News | Based In Los Angeles. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Israel’s military warned residents in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate certain areas, spurring tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. The lawsuit alleges ExxonMobil misled consumers for decades, encouraging Americans to pursue a “throw-away lifestyle” and downplaying concerns about plastics’ ecological risks. Effort to change Nebraska’s electoral vote system blockedA Republican state senator’s opposition to a law changing how Nebraska allocates its electoral votes drew anger from former President Donald Trump. State Sen. Mike McDonnell wrote in a letter that he is opposed to changing Nebraska’s system — which awards electoral votes by congressional district — to a winner-take-all approach so close to Election Day. Under a winner-take-all model, Trump would be all but certain to win all of Nebraska’s electoral votes.

Persons: Fadel Itani, Israel, ”, Rob Bonta, “, Read, Donald Trump, Donald Trump . State Sen, Mike McDonnell, McDonnell, Trump, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, Ryan Wesley Routh, Marcellus Williams, Felicia “ Lisha ” Gayle, Bill Anders, — Elizabeth Robinson, Elizabeth Robinson Organizations: ExxonMobil, Getty, International Organization for Migration, U.S . State Department, NBC News, Republican, Donald Trump . State, drugmaker Novo Nordisk, Service, Justice Department, Trump, National Hurricane Center, King, Gettysburg College, NASA, NBC, Walmart Locations: Lebanon . California, Lebanon, Israel, Beirut, AFP, California, Nebraska, Omaha, Florida, Trump’s, Lago, Butler , Pennsylvania, Missouri, Caribbean, Colorado, Boulder, Boulder ., Pennsylvania, Spain

☆ Marcellus Williams is executed despite prosecutors and the victim’s family asking that he be spared
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Cindy Von Quednow | Holly Yan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Around 100 demonstrators were present on the prison grounds protesting capital punishment and Williams’ execution, Pojmann said. Williams’ team filed a clemency petition to the US Supreme Court last week, noting Missouri’s previous governor had postponed Williams’ execution indefinitely amid questions about the integrity of Williams’ trial. Eric Greitens previously halted Williams’ execution and formed a board to investigate his case and determine whether he should be granted clemency. “The Board investigated Williams’ case for the next six years — until Governor Michael Parson abruptly terminated the process,” Williams’ attorneys wrote. “The Governor’s actions have violated Williams’ constitutional rights and created an exceptionally urgent need for the Court’s attention,” Williams’ attorneys said in court documents.

Persons: Marcellus Williams, Williams, Williiams, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Felicia Gayle, Gayle’s, Mike Parson, Trevor Foley, “, Larry Komp, ” Komp, Tricia Rojo Bushnell, CNN’s Jake Tapper, doesn’t, Governor Parson, Parson, Louis County, Williams ’, ” Williams, Karen Pojmann, Imam Jalahii Kacem, Pojmann, Andrew Bailey, Wesley Bell, Louis, ” Bailey, Jonathan Potts, Michael Spillane, ” Spillane, “ Mr, ” Parson, ”, – Williams, Alford, general’s, Eric Greitens, Michael Parson, ” CNN’s Dakin Andone, Lauren Mascarenhas, John Fritze, Jennifer Hauser Organizations: CNN, US, ”, Missouri Department of Corrections, NAACP, Williams, of Corrections, Attorney’s Office, Missouri Attorney General’s, Jail, Court, Missouri Supreme, Republican Gov, Supreme, Attorney’s, GOP Gov Locations: Missouri, Bonne Terre, St, Louis

☆ California sues ExxonMobil, alleging a 'campaign of deception' about plastics recycling
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The Summary California’s attorney general is suing ExxonMobil, alleging the company misled consumers into believing that recycling was a viable solution for plastic waste. California’s attorney general sued ExxonMobil on Monday, alleging that the company had waged a “campaign of deception” for decades to mislead consumers and convince them that recycling was a viable solution for plastic waste. I hope this is going to open the floodgates," said Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics, a nationwide project seeking to end plastic pollution. In 1973, industry leaders called those concerned about plastic waste “enemies,” according to internal communications from the Society of the Plastics Industry (now known as the Plastics Industry Association), which are cited in the lawsuit. In the U.S., the plastic recycling rate has never exceeded 9%, the lawsuit says.

Persons: Rob Bonta, Bonta, Judith Enck, Enck, Leehi, “ We’ve, ” Yona, “ Organizations: ExxonMobil, Superior Court of, Beyond Plastics, Exxon, Mobil, Boy Scouts, Society of, Plastics Industry, Plastics Industry Association, Council, Waste Solutions, Cornell University, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation Locations: Superior Court, Superior Court of California, San Francisco, California, U.S, Antarctica, Everest

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