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☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

☆ Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to Buy Cannabis Operations in New York, Two Other States for Up to $185 Million
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, shown performing in Las Vegas in September, says he wants to increase Black participation in the cannabis industry. Sean “Diddy” Combs has agreed to purchase licensed marijuana operations in three states for up to $185 million, adding a new business to a portfolio that includes fashion, media and spirits. If approved by U.S. and state regulators, the deal could create the nation’s largest Black-owned and licensed cannabis company. Mr. Combs said he wants to use the business as a platform to increase Black participation in the cannabis industry.

☆ Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney faces off against Republican Michael Lawler in New York's 17th Congressional District election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney is running against Republican Michael Lawler in New York's 17th Congressional District. The 17th District is located in the lower Hudson Valley. New York's 17th Congressional District candidatesMaloney, who was first elected to the US House in 2012 after defeating Republican incumbent Nan Hayworth, serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Prior to his congressional career, Maloney served as senior advisor to former President Bill Clinton. Voting history for New York's 17th Congressional DistrictNew York's 17th Congressional District is located in the lower Hudson Valley and includes Rockland and Putnam counties, parts of Westchester, and three towns in southeast Dutchess County.

And the House Democrats’ campaign arm last week deployed hundreds of thousands of dollars to save its chairman in a Biden district north of New York City. “And I think that right there explains why this red wave is going to be so big.”The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the campaign arm for House Democrats, said it isn't throwing in the towel. “Nearly a week from Election Day, House Democrats are well positioned to retain the majority despite a Republican gerrymandered map and MAGA Republicans’ dark money-fueled campaigns. Connecticut’s 5th District: Democrats have already spent $4.5 million to re-elect Hayes in a district that backed Biden 54.6% to Trump's 43.9% in the last election. Between now and Election Day, Democrats said they plan to spend an additional $1.5 million in ads to combat comparable spending by Republicans.

ATLANTA — Democratic strategists are agonizing about headwinds in the closing stretch of the 2022 campaign, with some fearing the election will be worse for the party than polls indicate. Now comes the moment of truth: Can they pull off one final act of levitation in the sprint to Election Day? “I definitely think that the political gravity is starting to reinforce itself,” said Sean McElwee, executive director of the Democratic-affiliated polling firm Data For Progress. “Maybe they can stretch it to 6 or 7 [points], but I think somewhere gravity kicks in.”“There’s a tightening happening,” Taylor added. The recent NBC News poll found that Democrats led Republicans by 1 point on which party voters prefer to control Congress.

☆ Altria to Take on Juul, Philip Morris in Smoke-Free Tobacco
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Altria plans to work with Japan Tobacco to market two new devices that heat tobacco but don’t burn it or produce smoke. Marlboro maker Altria Group Inc. said it is forming a partnership with Japan Tobacco Group to develop and sell heated tobacco devices in the U.S. and abroad. The move pits Altria against its former strategic partners, Philip Morris International and Juul Labs Inc., in the race to dominate the market for smoke-free tobacco products. It also gives Altria access to markets outside the U.S. Altria’s sales have been limited to the U.S. since it split from Philip Morris in 2008.

House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., will introduce a bill Friday aimed at improving access to abortion services, as well as accurate information on the procedure, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, NBC News has learned. The Abortion Care Awareness Act of 2022 is the latest effort by Democrats to address the fallout from the Supreme Court’s decision to end the constitutional right to an abortion, which has since spurred multiple states to limit or outright ban the procedure. The bill would direct HHS to set up a national campaign to promote resources on where and how to obtain abortion care, medication abortion, and a patient’s right to travel across state lines to get the procedure. John Nacion / STAR MAX/IPx via AP fileA large coalition of reproductive health groups — including the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and more — will endorse Maloney’s bill. Karen Stone, Planned Parenthood Federation of America vice president of public policy and government relations, echoed the need to expand access to educational resources on reproductive health care.

Amazon quietly donated $400,000 to a conservative nonprofit last year as the group pushed back on antitrust bills being considered in Congress, according to documents reviewed by CNBC. The donation is tied for the second-highest contribution listed on the documents showing last year's top donors to the conservative nonprofit. She wrote, "antitrust efforts such as this bill, are not protecting consumers, but reducing their choices and driving up prices." The Independent Women's Forum was also among 30 organizations that co-signed an Oct. 2021 open letter to Senate lawmakers pushing back on antitrust legislation. We have highlighted our concerns about big tech censorship and publicly criticized what we see as censorship of conservative views.

For the second time in as many election cycles, Democrats are launching an 11th-hour rescue mission to save the very House campaigns chief responsible for protecting vulnerable incumbents and preserving their fragile House majority. The DCCC also informed front-line members before announcing the ad buy in Maloney's district, a Democratic aide said. He’s built a campaign and we’ve built an operation at the DCCC that can support that reality,” Taylor said. In an interview with NBC News earlier this year, Maloney laid out that very playbook for protecting vulnerable incumbent Democrats. “While Lawler was voting against common sense gun safety reforms like not allowing teenagers to buy semi-automatic weapons, Rep. Maloney was helping pass bipartisan gun safety reforms,” Ehrenberg said in a statement.

☆ Juul Discusses a Possible Bailout With Two of Its Biggest Investors
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Juul says it is continuing to explore several strategic options to secure its business. Juul Labs Inc. is in talks with two of its biggest investors on a bailout that could help the e-cigarette maker stave off a bankruptcy filing, according to people familiar with the matter. Hyatt Hotels heir Nick Pritzker and California investor Riaz Valani are considering putting up money to cover the vaping company’s operations and near-term legal liabilities, the people said. Messrs. Pritzker and Valani were early investors in Juul, have been longtime directors and are among the company’s largest shareholders.

☆ Coca-Cola Raises Outlook as Sales Jump 10%
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Coca-Cola raised its outlook for sales and profit for 2022, but said it was introducing packages at lower price points as it prepares for a global recession. The beverage company’s revenue increased 10% for the quarter ended Sept. 30, as consumers continued to absorb higher prices. Coca-Cola’s prices were 7% higher, on average, than in the same period last year, said the company’s finance chief, John Murphy .

☆ Republican gains in key states signal bad news for Democrats ahead of midterms, new polls show
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Republican candidates appear to be making gains in the final sprint to the November midterms, with new election forecasts in key swing states and partisan strongholds flashing warning signs for Democrats. Republican Senate hopeful J.D. Even in reliably blue states, Democrats' slim congressional majorities are under threat. The pollster surveyed 649 likely Texas voters between Oct. 16 and Oct. 19, and carries a plus or minus 5.1 percentage point margin of error. Accordingly, Democrats' chances of holding the Senate now look much tighter, according to FiveThirtyEight's tracker.

☆ Why the FDA Banned Juul E-Cigarettes
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When the Food and Drug Administration ordered Juul Labs Inc.’s e-cigarettes off the U.S. market in June, politicians and parents who had lobbied for a crackdown on underage vaping hailed their victory. But it turns out, the FDA didn’t cite a risk to children as the basis for the ban. The agency ordered Juul off the market because of technical issues, according to correspondence between Juul and the agency and other FDA documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

☆ Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan faces off against Republican Colin Schmitt in New York's 18th Congressional District election
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Democrat Pat Ryan is running against Republican state Rep. Colin Schmitt in New York's 18th Congressional District. Incumbent Rep. Sean Maloney is running for reelection in New York's 17th Congressional District. New York's 18th Congressional District candidatesRyan is the former county executive of Ulster County in New York. In addition to winning the special election in the 19th, Ryan handily defeated his Democratic primary opponents in New York's 18th Congressional District, bringing in over 80% of the vote. Voting history for New York's 18th Congressional DistrictNew York's 18th Congressional District is located in the Hudson Valley and encompasses the cities of Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, and Kingston.

The civil rights organization alleged that the state’s rollout of federal dollars has favored whiter communities, even as Jackson has struggled to comply with state and federal guidelines meant to protect drinking water quality. The NAACP’s federal complaint raises concerns about a loan program overseen by the state Department of Health that distributes federal funding to communities to improve their water systems. Problems with water billing and collections have also resulted in Jackson missing out on sorely needed revenue that could go toward repairs. The EPA’s inquiry comes just days after the launch of a congressional investigation concerning the city’s water crisis. Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., have asked Reeves to answer a series of questions about how the state has spent or plans to spend federal funds that can upgrade water systems in the state.

☆ Philip Morris Raises Offer for Swedish Match and Buys U.S. Rights for IQOS
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | Ben Dummett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Philip Morris International raised its offer for Swedish Match AB by 9.4% and has agreed to pay $2.7 billion to regain the U.S. rights for its IQOS heated tobacco products from Altria Group Inc.Philip Morris said it is now offering 116 Swedish kronor, equivalent to $10.34, for each Swedish Match share, up from the original offer in May of 106 Swedish kronor. The total value of that deal, though in dollar terms, is roughly unchanged from the original offer because the appreciation in the U.S. currency against the Swedish krona, made it easier for the company to raise its offer.

☆ Philip Morris to Raise Offer for Swedish Match and Buy U.S. Rights for IQOS
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jennifer Maloney | Ben Dummett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Marlboro maker Philip Morris has been under pressure from Elliott Management and other investors to sweeten its bid for Swedish Match. Philip Morris International plans to raise its offer for Swedish Match AB and has agreed to pay $2.7 billion to regain the U.S. rights for its IQOS heated tobacco products from Altria Group Inc., according to people familiar with the matter. Philip Morris’s original offer for Swedish Match in May was 161.2 billion Swedish Krona, which was then equivalent to $16 billion. The new offer is expected to be announced as soon as Thursday, the people said.

☆ Fact Check-U.S. elections: What we know about a new Massachusetts law that allows undocumented migrants to get a driver's license
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

A law set to go into effect in 2023 in Massachusetts would enable immigrants with non-legal status to obtain a driver’s license. The bill would eliminate a restriction that says a driver’s license cannot be issued unless a person has lawful presence in the United States. “This bill [HB 4805] also fails to include any measures to distinguish standard Massachusetts driver’s licenses issued to persons who demonstrate lawful presence from those who do not. Cecilia Calabrese, a Republican candidate for Massachusetts State Senate, wrote on Twitter: “Because in Massachusetts when you get a Driver’s License you are AUTOMATICALLY registered to vote! Unlawful voter registration and unlawful voting are both deportable offenses (see “falsely claiming citizenship” and “unlawful voters”) (here).

☆ Hey, New Yorkers: Meet Your Neighborhood’s New Congressional District
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Denise Lu | Nicholas Fandos | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The district this neighborhood falls in now has a very different shape from the district before. Mr. Biden won the old district by 69 points in 2020; if the election had been held in the new district, he would have won there by 56 points. Vote margin in 2020 election by precinctBiden Trump +75 +50 +25 0 +25 +50 +75 pts. 2020 (12th District) 2022 (14th District)Old Astoria has long been linked across the East River to some of Manhattan’s wealthiest and whitest neighborhoods, including the Upper East Side, home to the 12th Congressional District’s longtime representative, Carolyn B. Maloney. The new 14th District is much less affluent, more progressive and more Hispanic than the one Old Astoria had been voting in.

☆ Trump Properties Charged Excessive Rates to Government, House Democrats Say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Siobhan Hughes | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—House Democrats said a long-running probe found that properties controlled by former President Donald Trump’s company charged the Secret Service excessive rates on dozens of government trips but that investigators lacked many details. House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D., N.Y.) detailed the preliminary findings in a letter to Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service. In the Oct. 17 letter, she wrote that the committee still hasn’t received complete information on nightly rates or the total amount the Secret Service paid to the Trump Organization, and asked the agency for more records related to all stays at properties owned, controlled or branded by the former president’s company.

In one ledger obtained by the Oversight Committee and published in the report, the Secret Service was charged $1,160 for a room at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. for agents protecting Eric Trump on March 8, 2017. On Nov. 8, 2017, another ledger shows that the Secret Service was charged $1,185 to lodge agents protecting Donald Trump Jr. The Trump Organization and the Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump Organization properties overall charged the Secret Service more than $1.4 million for agents’ accommodations when traveling to protect former President Trump, according to figures first reported by The Washington Post. “The Secret Service received authorization for additional flexibility for expenses during protective missions, including per diem expenses above the government rate,” Maloney said in her letter to the Secret Service.

The breakdown occurred after Jackson was pummeled by days of heavy rain and the city’s main water treatment plant failed. In an interview on Monday, he said that withholding the funds Jackson needs to ensure safe drinking water puts lives at risk. “Mississippi is one of several states that absolutely rely on the generosity of the federal government,” Thompson said. More than 200 Jackson residents and supporters hold signs as they march to the governor's mansion to protest water issues in the city. Service was restored by the next week, and most Jackson residents no longer have to boil their water, but there are lingering concerns about water quality.

☆ Trump Organization charged Secret Service 'exorbitant rates' of up to $1,185-per night and over $1.4 million total, according to House Oversight Committee
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A top House Democrat says the Trump Organization massively overcharged the Secret Service. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney wrote to the agency's director to request more information on money spent at Trump properties. Maloney said the committee found that the Secret Service spent more than $1.4 million at properties owened by the former president. In total, Maloney said the committee found that the Secret Service spent more than $1.4 million at Trump properties during his time in office. Maloney cited one instance where the Secret Service spent as much as $1,185-per room at the now-defunct Trump International Hotel in Washington.

☆ No hope for the future: Economic struggles add fuel to Iran's protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Anti-government uprisings are to remain a sticking point and increase in frequency in Iran's political landscape as dissatisfaction with other factors like the country's economic conditions surface, according to analysts. These protests will be met with force, and increase the Islamic Republic's dependence on Iran's elite armed forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, she told CNBC. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khameinei broke his silence last week and called the protests "riots." Iran's economic troublesInflation in Iran is expected to remain high at over 30%, according to the World Bank. Anti-government uprisings are to remain a sticking point and increase in frequency in Iran's political landscape as dissatisfaction with other factors like the country's economic conditions surface, according to analysts.

☆ Factbox: Twelve U.S. House races to watch in the midterm election
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-04 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

CALIFORNIA'S 22ND DISTRICTRepublican Representative David Valadao was one of only 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in his second trial. He is now facing a tough challenge from Democratic state representative Rudy Salas in a Central Valley district that has been redrawn substantially since the last election. She will face Amanda Adkins, a former chair of the state Republican Party. McLeod-Skinner faces Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a former mayor of Happy Valley, a Portland suburb. Fung has heavily focused his campaign on inflation, while Magaziner argues that Fung would enable the far right House Republicans' agenda.

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