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☆ Western allies receive increasingly ‘sobering’ updates on Ukraine’s counteroffensive: ‘This is the most difficult time of the war’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Weeks into Ukraine’s highly anticipated counteroffensive, Western officials describe increasingly “sobering” assessments about Ukrainian forces’ ability to retake significant territory, four senior US and western officials briefed on the latest intelligence told CNN. But for them to really make progress that would change the balance of this conflict, I think, it’s extremely, highly unlikely,” a senior western diplomat told CNN. Ukrainian forces have incurred staggering losses there, leading Ukrainian commanders to hold back some units to regroup and reduce casualties. “Russians have a number of defensive lines and they [Ukrainian forces] haven’t really gone through the first line,” said a senior Western diplomat. “The problem, of course, here is the prospect of the blame game that the Ukrainians would then blame it on us,” said a senior western diplomat.

Persons: CNN —, Ukraine’s, “ They’re, ”, We’re, Mike Quigley, haven’t, “, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Mark Milley, Zaluzhnyi, Milley, ” Zaluzhnyi, Putin, ” Quigley, Volodymyr Zelensky, ’, ” Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Illinois Democrat, US, Ukrainian, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Aspen Security Forum Locations: Illinois, Europe, Ukrainian, Western, Ukraine, West

☆ Clarence Thomas purchased his luxury RV with the help of a wealthy former healthcare executive: NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas purchased a $267,000 RV with the help of a wealthy friend. A spokesperson for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement to the Times, Welters said he had provided Thomas a loan so he could buy the RV. But Welters refused to say how much money he had lent the Supreme Court justice, nor on what terms. The revelation comes amid a push to impose new ethics requirements on Supreme Court justices.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Anthony Welters, Welters, Barack Obama, Ginni, —, Reagan, Beatrice, Obama, Harlan Crow, Sen, Dick Durbin Organizations: The New York Times, Service, Supreme, New York Times, Times, Historical Society, Illinois Democrat Locations: The, Wall, Silicon, America, Illinois

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to four separate U.S. venture capital firms, including Qualcomm's venture arm, expressing "serious concern" about their investments in Chinese tech startups. The letters, which were made public on Wednesday, were sent to GGV Capital, GST Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, and Walden International. Qualcomm Ventures, for example, made 13 investments in Chinese A.I. Walden, a smaller firm, was identified as a particularly significant backer of Chinese AI companies. He said at the time he found there was "broad support" among venture capitalists and others to keep U.S. asset managers from investing in Chinese AI firms.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi, SenseTime, GGV, Didi, Megvii, Abu, Walden, Intellifusion, Neil Shen helming Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Chinese Communist Party, GGV, Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Walden International, Wisconsin Republican, Treasury, New York Times, Qualcomm, Tiger Global Management, Tiger Global, Denglin Technology, Georgetown's Center for Security, Emerging Technology, Macquarie Group, GSR Ventures, Center for Security, Horizon Robotics, Silicon Valley, CNBC, U.S . Commerce Department, Street, Sequoia Capital, Sequoia Locations: Illinois, China, U.S, Silver, Denglin, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Megvii, Sequoia China

☆ Takeaways from the latest controversial and contentious Supreme Court term
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Ariane De Vogue | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

In his opinion blocking the student debt program, Roberts insisted he is concerned about criticisms of the court. “Make no mistake: Supreme Court ethics reform must happen whether the Court participates in the process or not,” he warned. In June, the court sided with a cement mixing company that sought to bypass federal labor law and sue a union in state court for the destruction of property caused by striking workers. On Tuesday, when Roberts announced the court’s opinion in Moore v. Harper, liberals and even some conservatives exhaled, relieved that the court was rejecting a controversial Trump-backed election law theory. “Justice Jackson has a different view,” he said at one point.

Persons: John Roberts, Roe, Wade, ” Roberts, Roberts, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, he’d, Joe Biden’s, Roberts –, –, It’s, Donald Trump’s, ”, Gorsuch, Neil Gorsuch, Bostock, Lorie Smith, ” Alito, Alito, Dobbs, Jackson, Brett Kavanaugh’s, hadn’t, Paul Singer, Singer, ProPublica, “ we’d, “, ” ProPublica, Thomas, Dick Durbin, Elena Kagan, KBJ, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Dr, Adam Feldman, ” Feldman, Sonia Sotomayor, Kagan, Barrett, Thomas couldn’t, ” Jenny Hunter, ” Jackson, ‘, Harper, exhaled, Barack Obama, Rick Hasen –, Hasen, Moore, Thomas Long, Kevin Merida, Michael Fletcher, “ Justice Jackson, Thomas ’ “, ” Thomas Organizations: CNN, Civil, Creative, Politico, Wall Street Journal, Street, GOP, Illinois Democrat, pounced, University of North, National Labor Relations, Independent, Trump, Federal, “, UNC Locations: Colorado, Washington , DC, United States, “, Rome, Illinois, American, Moore, North Carolina

☆ Senators press Google, Meta and Twitter on whether their layoffs could imperil 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Three US senators are pressing Facebook-parent Meta, Google-parent Alphabet and Twitter about whether their layoffs may have hindered the companies’ ability to fight the spread of misinformation ahead of the 2024 elections. “This is particularly troubling given the emerging use of artificial intelligence to mislead voters,” wrote Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Vermont Democratic Sen. Peter Welch and Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, according to a copy of the letter reviewed by CNN. Since purchasing Twitter in October, Elon Musk has slashed headcount by more than 80%, in some cases eliminating entire teams. Meta has previously said it would eliminate about 21,000 jobs over two rounds of layoffs, hitting across teams devoted to policy, user experience and well-being, among others. Tuesday’s letter asked Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino how each company is preparing for the 2024 elections and for mis- and disinformation surrounding the campaigns.

Persons: ”, Minnesota Democratic Sen, Amy Klobuchar, Vermont Democratic Sen, Peter Welch, Illinois Democratic Sen, Dick Durbin, Elon Musk, headwinds, Peers, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Linda Yaccarino, Ron DeSantis Organizations: CNN, Google, Minnesota Democratic, Vermont Democratic, Illinois Democratic, Twitter, Meta, Microsoft, YouTube, Florida Gov Locations: Vermont, Florida

☆ Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito takes heat for trip on private jet owned by hedge-fund billionaire
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senate Democrats on Wednesday blasted Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for failing to disclose as a gift his trip on a private plane owned by hedge-fund billionaire Paul Singer to travel with Singer to a luxury fishing excursion. "He allowed me to occupy what would have otherwise been an unoccupied seat on a private flight to Alaska," Alito wrote. But ProPublica said that Alito appears to have broken the financial disclosure law because the law requires disclosure of gifts of private jet flights. "I will tell you this defense offered by Justice Alito is laughable, laughable," Durbin said, referring to Alito's op-ed, according to NBC News. Durbin called on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to issue a code of ethics for the high court, which lacks one.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Paul Singer, Singer, Alito, ProPublica, Sen, Dick Durbin, Justice Alito, Durbin, John Roberts Organizations: Wednesday, Management, Street, Supreme, Illinois Democrat, NBC News Locations: Argentina, Alaska

☆ Lawmakers wrangle over measures to address pilot shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Greg Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A series of controversial proposals to address the airline pilot shortage is complicating Congress’ consideration of a new slate of Federal Aviation Administration policies with one senator warning fellow lawmakers there will be blood on their hands if reduced pilot training causes a fatal accident. The measures presented by lawmakers include raising the pilot retirement age, allowing more training to occur in a flight simulator rather than aircraft cockpit, and fast-tracking training programs. The measures are hotly contested and are aimed at addressing a shortage in airline pilots that was exacerbated by the pandemic. The Illinois Democrat scolded those who feel simulator training will be equivalent and said she didn’t believe reducing training hours would solve the shortage. On the House side, the House Transportation Committee narrowly approved an amendment that would raise the mandatory pilot retirement age by two years to 67.

Persons: Sen, John Thune of, Republican Sen, Jerry Moran, ”, “, Jason Ambrosi, Tammy Duckworth, Troy Nehls, ” Nehls, You’re, Rick Larsen, Nehls Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Republican, Senate, Air Line Pilots Association union, Illinois Democrat, Transportation, Texas Republican, AARP, Regional Airline Association, United, ” Locations: John Thune of South Dakota, Kansas, Iraq, Illinois, Texas, American, Delta

☆ Uber is trying to sway Chicago's mayor and Illinois Democrats against a bill seeking to make rides safer for customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

An Illinois bill could hold companies like Uber and Lyft liable for harm done to passengers. Uber launched a "pressure campaign" to avoid liability for these incidents, the law group behind the bill said. JB Pritzker, it would eliminate an exemption in Illinois law that has protected ride-hailing companies since 2015. Salvi said Illinois exempted ride-hailing companies from the state's common-carrier civil-liability doctrine in 2015 to "allow them to come to market" and "give them an ability to compete." Moreover, the exemption has protected ride-hailing companies in even more extreme cases.

☆ Utah bicycling groups and Democrats call on Mitt Romney to rethink his comments calling bike lanes 'the height of stupidity'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Romney faced widespread criticism after telling Insider that bike lanes are "the height of stupidity." "I love Mitt," Schatz told Insider recently in the Capitol. "We're not forcing anybody from an automobile onto a bike, but the truth is, the market is starting to demand that, but the bike lanes haven't caught up. And then in a matter of months, people are putting in their real estate advertisements that it's next to a bike lane. "As much as I ride my bike, unless it's a protected bike lane I don't trust it," he said.

☆ Senate Judiciary chair says ‘everything is on the table’ in response to Clarence Thomas revelations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Aileen Graef | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin said Sunday that “everything is on the table” as the panel scrutinizes new ethics concerns around Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Crow also purchased several real estate properties, including the home where Thomas’ mother lives, from the Thomas family and paid boarding school tuition for Thomas’ grandnephew, according to ProPublica. But Durbin said Sunday the recent revelations “just embarrasses me” as he called on Chief Justice John Roberts to impose a code of conduct on the court. Roberts previously declined Durbin’s request to voluntarily testify in a hearing on Supreme Court ethics. Feinstein, 89, has been away from the Senate since March as she recovers at home in California from shingles.

☆ Chicago mayoral election live results: Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas face off in runoff election
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas are facing off in the Chicago mayoral runoff election. The winning candidate will succeed Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was the third-place finisher in the initial Feb. 28 mayoral election behind Vallas and Johnson, respectively, missing her chance to compete in the runoff. Garcia came in fourth place in the February mayoral election; in 2015, he was also a mayoral candidate, forcing then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel into a runoff election, which he eventually lost. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Vallas raised $6.4 million in the lead-up to the initial February mayoral election and has raked in at least $10.9 million since March 1. Johnson raised nearly $4 million before the February election and has taken in at least $5.8 million since March 1.

WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - The secretive world of Federal Reserve bank supervision has been laid bare by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and critics say it needs an overhaul to make it more nimble, transparent and decisive. Typically, bank supervisors do most of their work behind closed doors. Bank supervision is typically conducted behind closed-doors because of concerns that publicizing bank missteps could spur bank runs and undermine confidence in the overall system. SVB's rapid growth also was a factor for Fed supervisors. Barr said part of his review would look at whether Fed supervision was appropriate for the bank's "rapid growth and vulnerabilities."

☆ US Trade Rep fires back at GOP House member who said she has 'too nice a smile' to do her job: 'I don't need your pity'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A US House member said the US Trade Representative had "too nice a smile" to do her job. "I don't need your pity. "I don't need your pity. "You don't need his crocodile tears," she added. A member of Biden's Cabinet, Tai is the principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on U.S. trade policy.

☆ U.S. Senate Democrat Durbin tests positive for COVID, will quarantine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

2 Democrat, said on Sunday that he will quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, adding to a number of lawmakers from both parties who have been absent from the Senate. "Thankfully, I am fully vaccinated and boosted and only experiencing minor symptoms," Durbin said in a tweet. The Illinois Democrat said he would follow Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which call for five days of quarantine for those who test positive. Two other Democrats, Senators Dianne Feinstein and John Fetterman, have been absent from the Senate for health reasons. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell entered a rehabilitation facility last week after fracturing a rib in a fall earlier this month.

Following are some of the guests expected to attend:* Brandon Tsay: Tsay was called a hero by authorities for disarming a gunman who shot dead 11 people during a celebration of the Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California. The White House called it a "recognition of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked attack." * The White House has also invited Paul Pelosi, husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "The attack reportedly was politically motivated, with the intruder's alleged intent to harm and kidnap the former Speaker," the White House said. The United States completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 after a 20-year war.

The new House GOP majority returns to elect a speaker after failing on three votes Tuesday. ... Nancy Pelosi reacts to GOP dysfunction: “As one who loves this institution, I think it’s a sad day.” ... And President Biden appears with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell to tout the bipartisan infrastructure law. Andy Beshear) all appear at an event in Kentucky promoting a bridge improvement from the bipartisan infrastructure law. 16: How many years Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has served as Senate GOP leader, making him the longest-serving Senate leader ever, per NBC News’ Frank Thorp. Eyes on 2024: DeSantis takes office amid GOP chaosAs the GOP descended into chaos on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Florida GOP Gov.

CNN —Top congressional negotiators announced Tuesday evening that an agreement had been reached for a framework that should allow lawmakers to complete a sweeping full-year government funding package. The comments from McCarthy may even add more urgency to the effort to reach a deal before the new Congress convenes. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin warned about the prospects of the government funding fight moving into next year. If a broader bipartisan deal does come together, it would be poised to pass both chambers. The lawmakers are hoping to include the provision in the government spending bill that Congress is scrambling to craft.

☆ Fact Check-Most Democrat wins for U.S. Senate races were called by Nov. 9; Dems did not ‘only’ win in states with mail in voting
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

For the midterm election on Nov. 8, there were 35 states that had Senate races. Delays were seen in Arizona and Nevada, where the Senate races were called for Democrats on Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 respectively. All four projected Democrat wins for the Senate races on election night, after the polls closed. In Illinois and Maryland, known as “Solid Democratic” states, the Senate race was called on election day. Only two of 14 U.S. Senate races resulting in Democrat wins in states that allow mail-in voting were not called by Nov 9.

☆ Democratic Rep. Lauren Underwood faces off against Republican Scott Gryder in Illinois' 14th Congressional District election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Lauren Underwood is running against Republican Scott Gryder in Illinois' 14th Congressional District. IL-17IL-06IL-13 HouseDemocratic Rep. Lauren Underwood faces off against Republican Scott Gryder in Illinois' 14th Congressional District. Illinois' 14th Congressional District candidatesUnderwood, a two-term Democrat first elected in 2018, is the youngest Black woman to serve in the US House of Representatives. He previously chaired Kendall County's Young Republicans and the Kendall County Republican Central Committee. Voting history for Illinois' 14th Congressional DistrictIllinois' 14th Congressional District sits below the 11th District and extends southwest along Interstate 80 into LaSalle County.

☆ Rep. Marie Newman and her husband are packing their stock portfolio with COVID-19 vaccine makers and other pandemic-sensitive companies
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-21 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Democratic Rep. Marie Newman's husband has an active stock portfolio. Jim Newman, chief operating officer at Figo Pet Insurance, bought and sold stock in companies that either soared or sputtered during the pandemic, including Pfizer and Moderna, the companies behind the nation's two leading COVID-19 vaccines. Financial disclosures show Jim Newman sold up to $65,000 in Moderna stock on January 2. By February, he turned his interest to Pfizer, twice trading as much as $15,000 worth in the company's stock shares that month. For instance, Newman sold as much as $250,000 in Netflix stock in January, as much as $50,000 in Apple stock in February, and as much as $50,000 in Salesforce stock in January.

☆ 'Cases up the wazoo for years to come': Legal insiders brace for a world where Trump loses and the ex-president faces down a slew of reinvigorated court fights
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-02 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The Trump campaign did not respond to Insider's questions about the possible legal challenges ahead for the president and his team. Justice Department investigation 'plausible'Could Trump's own Justice Department, at this moment, be criminally investigating the Trump reelection campaign? And that means officials there would "likely be avoiding public investigative steps" even if they were examining Trump campaign activity, Petalas said. Separately, Insider in mid-July reported that the Trump campaign was conducting an internal review of campaign spending irregularities overseen by Parscale. "If I was President Trump, that's what I would be worried about."

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