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☆ Walmart Mass-Shooting Suspect Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Walmart in El Paso, Texas, became home to a makeshift memorial to victims after the killings. The man accused of killing 23 people and wounding 22 more in a racist attack on an El Paso, Texas, Walmart in 2019 pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes charges Wednesday. Patrick Crusius, 24, agreed to accept 90 consecutive life sentences for the mass shooting, according to the Justice Department, one for each of the counts that included hate crimes resulting in death, hate crimes resulting in bodily injury and dozens of firearms violations.

☆ Yellen wants bolder World Bank steps on climate change, global issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrives to a news conference during the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, U.S., October 14, 2022. Yellen said countries urgently needed the World Bank and other multilateral development banks to evolve, given declining progress addressing global poverty that began even before the COVID-19 pandemic. "In today’s world, sustained progress on poverty alleviation and economic development is simply not possible without addressing the global challenges that face us all." She said Treasury was asking the Bank to identify concessional resources - low or zero-interest loans - to help countries tackle global challenges. The bank also needed new diagnostic tools to identify global challenges affecting development, and it needs to boost its financial capacity, she said.

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden pledged to work with the opposition party on Tuesday in a State of the Union speech that served as an olive branch to skeptical Republicans and a blueprint for his 2024 re-election bid. The White House has said Biden will not negotiate over that necessity; Republicans want spending cuts in exchange for their support. McCarthy said earlier on Tuesday that he would not rip up Biden's speech, referencing the actions of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi after Trump's 2020 State of the Union address. He said he urged Biden not to use the phrase "extreme MAGA Republicans" in his speech, a reference to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. Some House Republican lawmakers have questioned Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential race against Trump, vowing to investigate his Cabinet and family.

"To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress," Biden, a Democrat, will say, according to excerpts of the speech released by the White House before the speech scheduled for 9 p.m. One test of that challenge will be the White House push to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, which must be lifted in the coming months to avoid a default. The White House has said Biden will not negotiate over that necessity; Republicans want spending cuts in exchange for their support. He said he urged Biden not to use the phrase "extreme MAGA Republicans" in his speech, a reference to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. Some House Republican lawmakers have questioned Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential race against Trump, vowing to investigate his Cabinet and family.

☆ State of the Union brings brief unanimity on Social Security, Medicare. Why experts say there's still reason to worry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

That would include Social Security and Medicare. The Republican Study Budget Committee, which included a host of House GOP leaders, has also suggested other changes — raising the retirement ages for both Social Security and Medicare, as well as changing the measurement for annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. More recently, former Vice President Mike Pence called for reforming Social Security with the creation of private savings accounts. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., has led a House bill that would apply reapply payroll taxes on $400,000 in earnings while also making benefits more generous. Biden similarly proposed expanding benefits and increasing payroll taxes on high earners during his presidential campaign.

☆ Romney tells embattled Republican George Santos he 'shouldn't be in Congress'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 6, 2022. Senator Mitt Romney told embattled fellow Republican Representative George Santos on Tuesday that should not be in Congress and shouldn't have taken a central seat at President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. "He shouldn't be in Congress and they're going to go through the process and hopefully get him out," Romney told reporters after the speech. "But he shouldn't be there and if he had any shame at all he wouldn't be there." Romney said he had told Santos as much.

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will declare U.S democracy is bruised but "unbowed and unbroken" on Tuesday in a State of the Union speech that will serve as an olive branch to skeptical Republicans and a blueprint for his 2024 re-election bid. "To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress," Biden, a Democrat, will say, according to excerpts of the speech released by the White House ahead of the speech scheduled for 9 p.m. Biden's public approval rating edged one percentage point higher to 41% in a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll that closed on Sunday. McCarthy said on Tuesday that he would not rip up Biden's speech, referencing to the actions of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi after former President Donald Trump's 2020 State of the Union address. He said he urged Biden not to use the phrase "extreme MAGA Republicans" in his speech, a reference to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.

☆ U.S. House Ethics panel has not yet launched probe of Rep. Santos -McCarthy aide
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] U.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) departs his office to attend a House vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 12, 2023. "There’s no investigation, as the Ethics Committee hasn’t organized yet. Earlier in the day, McCarthy, asked by CNN if the freshman lawmaker is under investigation by the panel, McCarthy said, "Yes." "Ethics is moving through, and if Ethics finds something, we’ll take action," McCarthy told the cable news outlet. Later, McCarthy said he meant to say that Santos was the subject of Ethics Committee complaints.

Biden's public approval rating edged one percentage point higher to 41% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Sunday. In the speech, Biden will hail the resilience and strength of the U.S. economy, which saw unemployment drop to a nearly 54-year low in January, while pledging continued efforts to lower inflation and protect Social Security and other benefits. [1/3] The U.S. Capitol building is seen on the day of U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 7, 2023. He will push Congress to require background checks for all gun sales and ban assault weapons, the White House said, although the prospects for passage remain slim. McCarthy said on Tuesday that he won't rip up Biden's speech, referencing the actions of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi after former President Trump's 2020 State of the Union address.

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will face Republicans who question his legitimacy and a public concerned about the country's direction in Tuesday's State of the Union speech that is expected to serve as a blueprint for a 2024 re-election bid. Biden's public approval rating edged one percentage point higher to 41% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Sunday. Reforms in policing will loom large in Biden's speech after the death of Tyre Nichols, a Black man fatally beaten by officers in Memphis, Tennessee last month, with his mother and stepfather to be guests of first lady Jill Biden. He will also run through a wish list of economic proposals, many of which are unlikely to be passed through Congress, the White House said. [1/3] The U.S. Capitol building is seen on the day of U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 7, 2023.

REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzWASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will face Republicans who question his legitimacy and a public concerned about the country's direction in Tuesday's State of the Union speech that is expected to serve as a blueprint for a 2024 re-election bid. Biden would urge lawmakers to "build on these historic bipartisan achievements" to improve the lives of Americans, Christen Linke Young, deputy assistant to Biden for health and veterans affairs, told reporters. He will also run through a wish list of economic proposals, many of which are unlikely to be passed through Congress, the White House said. They include a minimum tax for billionaires, and a quadrupling of the tax on corporate stock buybacks. Speaker Kevin McCarthy will sit behind Biden for the address for the first time.

☆ U.S. Rep. Santos expected to face House ethics probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] U.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) departs his office to attend a House vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzWASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative George Santos is expected to face a House Ethics Committee probe after admitting he fabricated much of his resume, but Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave conflicting responses on Tuesday about whether an investigation into his fellow Republican had begun. Asked by CNN if the freshman lawmaker is under investigation by the panel, McCarthy said, "Yes." "Ethics is moving through, and if Ethics finds something, we’ll take action," McCarthy told the cable news outlet. Later, McCarthy said he meant to say that Santos was the subject of Ethics Committee complaints.

☆ Suspect Arrested in Dallas Zoo Missing Monkeys Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Two emperor tamarin monkeys went missing from the Dallas Zoo earlier this week. They were found in a house in a Dallas suburb. DALLAS—Police arrested a man Thursday accused of involvement with the case of two emperor tamarin monkeys that went missing from the Dallas Zoo earlier this week. Davion Irvin , 24, is accused of six counts of animal cruelty not involving livestock, according to a news release. After police publicly identified Mr. Irvin as someone they would like to speak to involving the monkeys, someone spotted him near animal exhibits at the downtown Dallas Aquarium Thursday, the release said.

☆ Covid Emergency Orders Live On in Some States, as Biden Winds Down Federal Declarations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Governors in eight states have retained emergency powers related to the Covid-19 pandemic, three years after the emergence of the virus. California, Texas, Rhode Island, Delaware, Illinois and New Mexico still have governor-issued Covid emergency or disaster orders in place, which they have continued to renew over the past three years. Colorado has an active executive order focused on pandemic recovery and Georgia has a supply-chain-disruption emergency order focused on easing trucking restrictions.

☆ U.S. Representative Schiff sets sights on fellow Democrat Feinstein's Senate seat
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Schiff joined other California Democrats aiming for the seat currently held by Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein. U.S. Representative Katie Porter launched her U.S. Senate campaign this month. The Washington Post has reported that Representative Barbara Lee was also planning to run for the seat. The new Republican House Speaker, fellow Californian Kevin McCarthy, has blocked Schiff from serving on the prestigious panel again. Schiff, a prominent House Democrat who was first elected in 2000, gained national attention for his high-profile role in the 2020 Trump impeachment trial.

☆ Who Is the Prosecutor Planning to Charge Alec Baldwin for the ‘Rust’ Shooting?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | Katherine Sayre | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Before taking office two years ago, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies vowed to target the community’s worst criminal offenders, increase crime diversion programs, build trust with immigrant families, address a rape-kit backlog and crack down on gun crime. She will likely become best known as the woman who prosecuted Alec Baldwin.

☆ Ron Klain expected to step down as Biden's White House Chief of Staff - NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain arrives to attend a Senate Democratic lunch meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., February 17, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File PhotoJan 21 (Reuters) - White House Chief Of Staff Ron Klain is expected to step down in coming weeks in the most significant changing of the guard since Biden took office two years ago, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Reporting by Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru Editing by Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ Manslaughter Charges Put Spotlight on First-Term Prosecutor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | Katherine Sayre | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Speaking to reporters in Senegal, Yellen warned that Washington could spur a global financial crisis and undermine the role of the dollar if it does not raise the $31.4 trillion debt limit. McCarthy said on Twitter he would meet Biden to "discuss a responsible debt ceiling increase to address irresponsible government spending." The U.S. government hit its $31.4 trillion borrowing limit on Thursday, a figure that reflects money already spent by the government. But the percolating battle over the U.S. debt limit later this year already is rattling markets and investors. Yellen noted the debt ceiling needs to be raised to cover borrowing on spending already authorized by Congress.

☆ Rio Grande Water Deal Between Texas and New Mexico Is Opposed by U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A decadelong battle between Texas and New Mexico over the future of the water in the Rio Grande might have an end in sight. But the proposed resolution has opponents that include the U.S.A settlement to be considered by the U.S. Supreme Court outlines a new system for managing the division of water between Texas and New Mexico, assuaging objections lodged by New Mexico that Texas was taking more than its share and Texas’ concerns that water measurements were being taken far above its border.

☆ Biden flubbed the name of Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter-in-law while singing 'Happy Birthday' to her onstage
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden sang "Happy Birthday" to Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter-in-law on Monday. Arndrea Waters King was attending the National Action Network's Annual MLK breakfast alongside her husband, Martin Luther King III, on Monday. "It's an honor to spend King holiday with the National Action Network and with the King family," Biden said. When it's somebody's birthday, you sing 'Happy Birthday.' Arndrea Waters King speaks before the start of a Peace Walk to urge Democrats to pass a law protecting voting rights, during Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2022.

☆ Analysis: U.S. House Republicans favor message over substance in early legislation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) speaks during a news conference following Senate Republican leadership elections that included the re-election of U.S. The bills are meant to provide a political benefit, as Republicans seek to fulfill 2022 campaign promises and formulate plans to capture the Senate and White House in 2024. "You'll watch it week after week after week." "The real purpose for the House Republican conference is to hold down spending and try to limit the debt," said Republican strategist Charles Black. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise said would target people earning less than $400,000 and break Biden's promise not to raise taxes on that income group.

[1/3] U.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) departs his office to attend a House vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 12, 2023. "If 142 people ask for me to resign, I will resign," he said. Santos has repeatedly said he will not resign, even as pressure has grown within his own party for him to do so. On Wednesday, more than a dozen Republicans officials, many of them from Santos' New York City-area district, demanded the newly elected congressman's resignation. An online petition calling for Santos' resignation has been started by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit ethics watchdog organization.

☆ U.S. Rep. Santos opens door to resignation - 'if 142 people 'ask'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Representative George Santos (R-NY) walks to a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 12, 2023. "If 142 people ask for me to resign I will resign," the Republican congressman replied to reporters as he hurriedly exited a Capitol Hill office and entered an elevator. However, upon walking into his office during a separate exchange with reporters, Santos was asked whether he would resign, and he said, "I will not resign. On Wednesday, more than a dozen Republicans officials, many of them from Santos' New York City-area district, demanded the newly elected congressman's resignation. Deceived and connived his way into Congress," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also from New York, told reporters.

☆ U.S. Appeals Sutherland Springs Mass Shooting Verdict
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

U.S. Air Force officials had failed to add the shooter in the 2017 Sutherland Springs shooting to a database that would have prevented him from buying the gun he used in the attack. The U.S. is fighting a court finding that it was largely responsible for a 2017 mass shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. A judge in 2021 found that the U.S. Air Force was mostly responsible for the rampage, which killed 26 people and injured 22. Air Force officials failed to add the shooter, a former airman who had been convicted of domestic assault, to a federal database that would have barred him from legally buying the gun he used in the attack.

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