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☆ DeSantis got a glowing reception during a secretive, high-profile conservative summit at Trump Doral — then the ex-president called in
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

An influential conservative group, the Council for National Policy, held one of its summits this weekend. The Council for National Policy held a summit this weekend at Trump National Doral, a golf club owned by former President Trump that's just on the outskirts of the City of Miami. The Council for National Policy has been meeting for roughly four decades under a shroud of silence in upscale locations three times a year. "President Trump was honored to have the Council for National Policy at the world-renowned Trump National Doral," he said. "Somebody gets you in, you sort of be loyal to that person," Trump said.

☆ Missouri decides not to ban unsupervised minors from carrying guns on public property
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters were disappointed Wednesday when an amendment aimed at restoring the language failed in the state House of Representatives on a vote of 104 opposed and 39 in favor. Last year the legislature passed a state law banning enforcement of federal gun laws that officials believe violate the U.S. Constitution's protection of a citizen's right to bear arms. A state law, for example, allows people of any age to openly carry weapons in many locations, even though federal law prohibits ownership of handguns by minors. The amendment's author, Representative Donna Baringer, a Democrat from St. Louis, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Thursday. The Associated Press reported that she said she made the proposal to stop "14-year-olds walking down the middle of the street in the city of St. Louis carrying AR-15s."

☆ Democrats win control of Pennsylvania House, end GOP rule in competitive swing state
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Reading, PA - May 10: Pennsylvania State Rep and Democratic Leader Joanna E. McClinton speaks in front of Reading City Hall. Democrats won control of the Pennsylvania House in special elections Tuesday, wresting partial power from Republicans for the first time in a dozen years in the competitive swing state. Three of those Democratic seats quickly became vacant, casting uncertainty over who actually controlled the chamber. Democrats had been expected to win Tuesday's special elections, because they had easily won the same seats last fall. That's because Republican Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver won a special election Jan. 31 to fill a vacant state Senate seat.

☆ An Arkansas GOP bill targeting drag performances is so confusing it may not even apply to drag, a law expert said
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A GOP Arkansas bill targeting drag is so confusing it may not even apply to most drag performances, according to a constitutional expert. According to an Arkansas drag queen, the bill would severely impact the LGBTQ+ community. If enacted, it would classify a drag performances and places that host them as "adult-oriented" — like adult video stores and strip clubs. Arkansas drag queen MD Hunter has been "on the front lines" fighting against SB43On January 19, Arkansas drag queen MD Hunter gave a testimony before the Arkansas Senate about SB43. Despite the confusing nature of the bill, drag advocates are worried about how it could be applied.

NEW YORK, Jan 30 (Reuters) - A grand jury is hearing evidence in New York over former President Donald Trump's role in hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. A grand jury could lay the groundwork for possible criminal charges against the former president by the Manhattan district attorney's office. Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified before the grand jury, one source told Reuters. Pecker was seen entering the lower Manhattan building where the grand jury is empaneled, according to the New York Times, which first reported on the grand jury on Monday. The moves are an indication that the district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is closer to a decision on whether to charge Trump.

☆ Manhattan grand jury begins to hear evidence in Trump hush money case: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign stop to unveil his leadership team, at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S., January 28, 2023. Shannon Stapleton | ReutersA Manhattan grand jury began hearing evidence Monday in a criminal probe of a 2016 hush money payment that former President Donald Trump authorized to porn star Stormy Daniels, a new report said. A witness in that investigation, former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, was seen with his attorney entering the courthouse Monday where the grand jury is meeting, according to The New York Times. The newspaper also reported that prosecutors from Manhattan's District Attorney's Office have recently contacted officials from Trump's 2016 campaign about it. Cohen later admitted he made that payment at Trump's behest, to avoid Daniels damaging his chances of winning the White House.

Towns said the lawmakers could have until early spring, otherwise, to develop and fine tune any proposals that emerge from Nichols' death. Share this -Link copiedMemphis police’s vaunted Scorpion unit is deactivated after Tyre Nichols' death Memphis police’s vaunted Scorpion unit has been permanently deactivated. Share this -Link copiedNFL calls for change after 'senseless death' of Tyre Nichols A day after the release of video showing the police beating of Tyre Nichols, the NFL on Saturday condemned the violence. Demonstrations continued Saturday in Atlanta, Boston and Charlotte following the release of video footage showing five former Memphis police officers beating Tyre Nichols, who died on Jan. 10. Attorney Blake Ballin’s comments follow the release of video footage showing the officers punching and kicking Tyre Nichols during a Jan. 7 traffic stop.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S., January 28, 2023. In Columbia, Trump spoke to about 200 people in the state's capitol building, with Governor Henry McMaster and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina flanking him. There were several conspicuous absences in South Carolina, including the state party chairman, five Republican U.S. representatives from the state and South Carolina U.S. Reporting by Gram Slattery in Columbia, South Carolina and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin, Daniel Wallis and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ HBO's 'The Last of Us' is really good. That doesn't mean other video-game TV shows will be.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

From "Fallout" to "God of War," a slew of other video-game TV shows are in the works. The second episode was watched by 5.7 million viewers on Sunday, a 22% increase from the premiere's first night, HBO said this week. But just because "The Last of Us" creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, managed to bring the game to TV in a satisfying way, doesn't mean other video-game shows will have the same fate. That's not to say that they don't feature compelling narratives, and they could still be great TV shows. The "Assassin's Creed" and "God of War" games feature a bevy of side missions that could convolute an adaptation.

☆ Trump kicks off his 2024 campaign: 'We are at the brink of World War III'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Jonathan-Allen-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Jonathan Allen | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

"Through weakness and incompetence, Joe Biden has brought us to the brink of World War III," Trump said. "We’re at the brink of World War III, just in case anybody doesn’t know it. And they're sending, frankly, terrorists, or terrorists are coming on their own, and we can't allow this to happen," Trump said. At both stops, Trump singled out Hunter Biden, the president's son, for derision and appeared to blame the elder Biden for his adult child's problems. The campaign stops Saturday follow a lull since Trump launched his campaign at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in November.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S., January 28, 2023. New Hampshire and South Carolina are among the first four states to hold presidential nominating contests, giving them outsized influence as candidates jockey for position. Several top Republicans in both states that Trump visited on Saturday - including New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley - are weighing presidential campaigns. There were several conspicuous absences in South Carolina, including the state party chairman, several Republican U.S. representatives from the state and South Carolina U.S. Reporting by Gram Slattery in Columbia, South Carolina and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Ross Colvin and Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Black maternal deaths and disparities increase in Mississippi
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The Mississippi Maternal Mortality Report shows that the maternal mortality rate increased by 8.8% between 2013‐2016 and 2017‐2019, with the latter period being the most recent one analyzed by researchers. Of the maternal deaths directly related to pregnancy, 87.5% were determined to be preventable. Velvet Johnson holds a sign calling for support of the Mississippi Black Women's Roundtable legislative agenda at Capitol in Jackson, Miss. It found that 42.5% of the maternal deaths it identified occurred more than 60 days but less than one year after delivery. Advocates from the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, an advocacy group, gathered at the Capitol to urge lawmakers to extend postpartum coverage.

The new rules adopted by both GOP-led chambers effectively shield members and their staff from public records requests, making investigations into any potential wrongdoing far more difficult. The exemptions from public records laws and the ability to destroy emails after 90 days apply to both chambers. Because the chambers adopted the changes via rule changes, not legislation, Republicans were able to bypass the need for Democratic Gov. Legislatures having the ability to shield themselves from public records laws is not unheard of. Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma and Massachusetts also have laws in place effectively exempting state legislators from public records requests, according to record request nonprofit MuckRock, though it remains exceedingly common for lawmakers in states where such exemptions don't explicitly exist to avoid complying with public records laws.

☆ Yellen urges Zambia debt restructure after talks with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen signs a guest book at the State House during her visit, in Lusaka, Zambia, January 23, 2023. REUTERS/Namukolo SiyumbwaLUSAKA, Jan 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday during a visit to Zambia that it was critically important to restructure the country's debt, and she believes progress could be made after her frank talks with key creditor China last week. Yellen added that Zambia's debt overhang was a drag on its whole economy and that China had been a barrier to resolving the southern African country's debt problem. "I specifically raised the issue with Zambia (with Chinese officials) and asked for their cooperation in trying to reach a speedy resolution. "We will continue to press for all official bilateral and private-sector creditors to meaningfully participate in debt relief for Zambia, especially China," she said.

As Africa struggles with economic headwinds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and, notably, Washington's own monetary policy, Africans are asking for proof the United States will stay the course this time. African countries have become collateral victims of this year's rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve, aimed at curbing inflation at home. African countries are also finding it harder to access capital markets to meet their fiscal needs and refinance maturing debt. The United States, meanwhile, has largely failed to offer viable alternatives to cheap Chinese credit, officials said. One senior U.S. Treasury official said the United States had long been engaged in Africa, funding anti-HIV work and working on other health issues.

The investigation into a failed New Mexico political candidate and a string of shootings has expanded, with officials now looking to determine if contributions to the suspect's campaign were funneled by drug trafficking, police said. No one was hurt in the shootings, which all involved elected Democratic officials. But a man who police have said was allegedly involved, Jose Trujillo, donated more than $5,000 to Pena's campaign and that man's mother also donated about $4,000 to the campaign, officials said. Trujillo is listed as a cashier in Pena's campaign reports. In the following days, a shooting occurred outside the home of new state House Speaker Javier Martinez.

☆ Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego expected to announce a bid for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's seat in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Haley Talbot | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., is expected to announce Monday that he's running for Senate in Arizona in 2024, according to a source familiar with his planned rollout. Gallego, a progressive Democrat, is running for the seat held by Sinema, who decided in December to leave the Democratic Party and become an independent. If she does, and Gallego wins the Democratic nomination, they'd face each other in the general election. In December, after Sinema announced she was changing her party affiliation, Gallego signaled to NBC News he was likely to launch a Senate bid. Gallego went on to say he believes if Sinema runs, “it will almost ensure the fact that the Senate seat will stay in Democratic hands” because of the GOP’s struggles to hold its coalition together.

☆ Nikki Haley teases a 2024 presidential run: 'We need to go in a new direction'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Republican Nikki Haley strongly hinted in an interview that aired Thursday that she might run for president, though stopped short of declaring a bid. "Yes, we need to go in a new direction," Haley said. "I don’t think you need to be 80 years old to go be a leader in D.C. I think we need a young generation to come in, step up and really start fixing things," she said. Before serving in federal government, Haley was the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017.

Kaye Hearn, a justice on South Carolina’s Supreme Court, wrote the majority opinion this month that struck down the state’s six-week abortion ban. Two women, Court of Appeals Judges Stephanie McDonald and Aphrodite Konduros, were initially in the running for Hearn’s seat but withdrew Tuesday. (The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, the state’s highest court for criminal cases, also has an all-male bench; the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which hears civil cases, has both female and male justices.) In 1988, Toal was elected to the South Carolina Supreme Court. Hearn, who was elected to the state’s Court of Appeals in 1995, joined her on the bench in 2010.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Republican lawmakers scrambled on Wednesday to distance themselves from shooting suspect and failed GOP candidate Solomon Pena. Pena, who lost his race for the New Mexico state House, was arrested Monday in connection with a string of shootings at the homes of state and local Democratic leaders, police said. This individual was a felon in possession of a gun who conspired to terrorize and harm New Mexico families,” New Mexico Senate Republican Leader Senator Greg Baca said in a statement. He lost in a landslide to House incumbent Democrat Miguel P. Garcia by 5,679 to 2,033, or 74% to 26%. On Wednesday, New Mexico Republican leaders insisted they are opposed to "violence in any form."

☆ North Dakota weighs ban of 'sexually explicit' library books
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Books containing “sexually explicit” content — including depictions of sexual or gender identity — would be banned from North Dakota public libraries under legislation that state lawmakers began considering Tuesday. Though supporters of North Dakota’s bill repeatedly called the sexual content “obscene,” opponents said the material in question is not actually considered legally obscene. Library Director Christine Kujawa at Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library said the library has a book with two little hamsters on the cover. Bills to restrict mature content in school libraries became laws last year in Tennessee, Utah, Missouri, Florida and Oklahoma. The investigation followed a complaint by the ACLU and appeared to be the first based on a nationwide movement to ban school library books dealing with sexuality and gender.

☆ Solomon Pena was belligerent to neighbors who opposed his political views, condo official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Deon J. Hampton | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Mirna-Alsharif-Byline-Jm.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Pena claimed his defeat was the result of election fraud, Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said Monday at a news conference. Bode said her partner, who died a year ago, had several interactions with Pena. “My partner got into difficult, unsolicited conversations with him as she came in and out of the building,” Bode said. “He’s not a polite, nice person.”Parks said Pena often expressed his political thoughts. “You didn’t necessarily want to get in the elevator with him, because you may not have a nice conversation,” Parks said.

☆ Capitol Police investigated more than 7,500 threats against lawmakers last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Capitol Police investigated 7,501 threats against members of Congress last year, according to new figures released Tuesday. Last year's numbers marked the first decline in at least five years but remained "historically high," nearly double the 3,939 cases investigated in 2017, Capitol Police said. “The threats against Members of Congress are still too high,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in a statement. Threats of political violence have also extended to the state and local levels. Solomon Pena, an unsuccessful GOP candidate for the New Mexico state House, was arrested Monday in connection with four shootings at the homes of two county commissioners and two state legislators.

☆ Election denial drove New Mexico Democrat attacks, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Andrew Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 18 (Reuters) - Election conspiracy theories drove a defeated Republican candidate in New Mexico with a criminal past to hire gunmen to attack homes of Democratic legislators, marking a dangerous new level of political violence, officials said on Wednesday. The string of shootings follows other recent acts of politically motivated violence, including the attack in San Francisco on the husband of then-House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Republican National Hispanic Assembly said it had backed Pena, a political novice, in the belief the former U.S. Navy medic and political science graduate had left crime behind. Under New Mexico law, felons can have voting rights restored after serving sentences. Reporting by Andrew Hay; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Solomon Peña, New Mexico GOP candidate, visited homes of Democratic politicians to dispute election prior to shootings, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Deon J. Hampton | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A failed New Mexico state House candidate visited the homes of local Democratic leaders to vehemently dispute his election loss weeks before he allegedly orchestrated a series of shootings at the residences, elected officials said. “Peña came to my house right after the (November) election. Police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said at a news conference early Monday evening that Peña alleged his defeat was the result of election fraud. Peña lost his state House challenge to incumbent Democrat Miguel P. Garcia by 5,679 to 2,033, or 74% to 26%. He took his case to three county commissioners and a state senator — some whose homes were targeted in the shootings — to no avail, Gallegos said.

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