Month: March 2021

On Thursday, the judge in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin reinstated a third-degree murder charge after defense attorneys failed to get the Minnesota Supreme Court to overturn a lower ruling. Chauvin now faces the third-degree murder charge, along with charges of murder and manslaughter in the second degree, in the death of George Floyd last year. Jury selection in Chauvin’s trial began on Tuesday and continued Thursday.

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill initially rejected third-degree murder charge from prosecutors, but an appellate court ordered him last week to consider reinstating it. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court denied Chauvin’s request to appeal that order.

Chauvin was the officer shown on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than 8 minutes on May 25, 2020. Floyd died after repeatedly calling for help, saying he couldn’t breathe. Chauvin’s attorneys argue that the officers were following protocol when they subdued Floyd after he resisted arrest.

Judge reinstates 3rd-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin in death of George Floyd

Via abcnews.go.com

2021 The judge presiding over the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in…

03/11/2021 1:40 PM

 

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The House gave its final approval to President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on Wednesday. The House sent the president for his signature the bill which contains $1,400 stimulus checks, billions more to help schools and colleges reopen, and funding for vaccine distribution. The final vote was 220-211, with one Democrat voting against the bill and all Republicans opposing it. 

The White House confirmed that President Biden will sign the bill into law Friday. Biden introduced the bill in mid-January before he took office. However he faced united opposition from Republicans, pushback from moderate Democrats and progressives, and multiple legislative hurdles. Biden said in a statement following the vote: “This legislation is about giving the backbone of this nation – the essential workers, the working people who built this country, the people who keep this country going – a fighting chance.”

The $1.9 trillion legislation will provide most Americans earning under $75,000 a year a $1,400 check, provide billions for vaccine distribution and development, allocate aid for schools to reopen, and expand the child tax credit to up to $3,600 per child.  

Live updates: President Joe Biden will sign COVID-19 stimulus package on Friday; Pelosi, Schumer laud it

Via www.msn.com

Joe Biden announced his COVID-19 stimulus plan before he even entered office. It’s up for a…

03/10/2021 2:26 PM

 

On Wednesday the Senate confirmed Merrick Garland to serve as President Joe Biden’s attorney general. Garland was confirmed in a 70-30 vote, five years after he was nominated to the Supreme Court by former President Barack Obama.

Garland, a former federal prosecutor before becoming a judge on the influential U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., said during his confirmation hearing that overseeing the prosecution of supporters of former President Donald Trump who took part in the Jan. 6 riot at the capitol would be the agency’s top priority. He also said the Justice Department will work to correct racial and social inequality in the justice system, address an upswing in violent crime in some of the nation’s largest cities and could be open to federal gun control reforms, while dismissing calls to defund police.

Garland was selected by Obama to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in March 2016, however, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP senators blocked his nomination, declaring that the winner of that year’s presidential election should fill the vacancy. McConnell cast a vote to confirm Garland on Wednesday, citing his “long reputation as a straight-shooter and legal expert.”

Senate confirms Merrick Garland as Biden’s attorney general

Via www.nbcnews.com

The bipartisan vote came almost five years to the day after Garland was nominated for the…

03/10/2021 2:48 PM

 

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On Tuesday, the FBI released new video of the person suspected of placing pipe bombs at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee the night before the Capitol riot.  

The video shows a person in a face mask, a grey sweatshirt, black pants, and Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes carrying a backpack, which the FBI says was used to transport the pipe bombs. The pipe bombs were discovered around noon at both the RNC and DNC on Jan. 6, just hours before a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building. Both headquarters are within a few blocks of the Capitol, though it is unclear if there is any connection between the riot and the pipe bombs. According to FBI Washington Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono, both explosive devices had “1×8-inch threaded galvanized pipes, a kitchen timer, and homemade black powder. These pipe bombs were viable devices that could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death.”

The FBI and ATF are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the suspect. Anyone with information on the case should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

FBI releases new video of suspected pipe bomber before Capitol Hill attacks

Via www.cbsnews.com

The FBI has released new video of the suspect who left two pipe bombs near the Democratic and…

03/09/2021 5:03 PM

 

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Teen Vogue’s new editor-in-chief Alexi McCammond has apologized to employees after 20 staffers publicly slammed her over resurfaced tweets she posted back in 2011 mocking Asians and homosexuals. The 27-year-old’s old tweets emerged over the weekend after the former Axios political reporter was named as Teen Vogue’s new editor in chief on Friday. About 20 Teen Vogue staffers then penned a letter to parent company Conde Naste slamming McCammond’s ‘past racist and homophobic tweets’.

McCammond apologized to her staff in an email for what she said were ‘offensive, idiotic tweets’. ‘You’ve seen some offensive, idiotic tweets from when I was a teenager that perpetuated harmful and racist stereotypes about Asian Americans,’ she wrote. ‘There’s no excuse for language like that. I apologize deeply to all of you for the pain this has caused.’  

McCammond was embroiled in a scandal involving her boyfriend TJ Ducklo just weeks ago. Ducklo, who worked as President Biden’s deputy press secretary, was forced to resign from the White House for threatening a Politico journalist who wanted to report on McCammond and Ducklo’s secret relationship. 

Teen Vogue’s new editor apologizes over racist tweets amid staff concerns

Via www.nbcnews.com

“I apologize deeply to all of you for the pain this has caused. There’s no excuse…

03/09/2021 11:48 AM

 

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