4 Ways Andrew Cuomo’s Political Future Could Play Out – FiveThirtyEight
4 Ways Andrew Cuomo’s Political Future Could Play Out – FiveThirtyEight

Hailed as “America’s governor” just one short year ago, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is now fighting for his political life. In late January, the state attorney general reported that Cuomo’s administration purposefully failed to disclose thousands of nursing-home residents who died of complications related to COVID-19, reportedly in an effort to protect Cuomo from possible political retaliation. The FBI and U.S. attorney’s office are now reportedly investigating the Cuomo administration’s handling of COVID-19 at nursing homes.

[How Do We Get Back To Normal Fastest? Prioritize Access To The Vaccine.]

Separately, between Feb. 24 and March 8, five women, including four former aides, have accused Cuomo of sexual harassment or uncomfortable romantic overtures, such as unwanted kissing or asking them about their sex lives. Although his office has denied some of the allegations, Cuomo apologized last week for making the women feel uncomfortable and said it was unintentional. He also agreed to let the attorney general lead an independent investigation of the claims.

How White House economists are thinking about COVID-19 relief | FiveThirtyEight

The twin scandals have taken a toll on Cuomo’s once-high approval ratings and have even led to an increasing number of calls for his resignation. But so far, Cuomo is insisting he’ll stay put, and in many ways he still remains a formidable candidate for reelection in 2022, which leaves open a variety of different outcomes for Cuomo. Here are the four key ways Cuomo’s political future could unfold.

1. Cuomo resigns

Although Cuomo has insisted as recently as Sunday that he would not resign, politicians tend to deny they’re resigning right up until the moment they do. If either of these scandals worsen for Cuomo — say, more women come forward, or the FBI announces criminal charges — the pressure to step down could become too great to bear. The two latest sexual-harassment allegations have already inspired the leaders of the state Senate and Assembly to call for his resignation; if other leading New York politicians, such as Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, follow suit, he may not have much of a choice.

It’s possible, though, that Cuomo can ride these allegations out. In recent years, plenty of politicians have successfully resisted calls for their resignation: By my count, since 2017, 57 federal or statewide politicians (not including Cuomo) have faced scandal while in office, and only 12 resigned. An embattled leader need look no further than Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, whose popularity has rebounded after a 2019 blackface scandal, as proof that it’s possible to wait out calls for one’s resignation and emerge with one’s career intact.

That said, I did find that officeholders accused of unwanted sexual advances resigned at a higher rate: seven out of 14. However, “unwanted sexual advances” is a broad category, encompassing everything from inappropriate Facebook messages to allegations of rape, and there is no perfect comparison to Cuomo’s sex scandal — although the accusations so far are not as serious or graphic as many of the other scandals I’ve tracked in this category.

And as loud as the calls for Cuomo’s resignation have been in the media, they represent only a minority of New Yorkers. According to a Quinnipiac University poll from March 2-3, although 40 percent of New York registered voters think Cuomo should resign, 55 percent of registered voters do not. And while registered voters did tell Emerson College/WPIX-TV/NewsNation (in a poll conducted March 3-4), 43 percent to 34 percent, that Cuomo should resign over the sexual harassment allegations (numbers for the nursing-home scandal were similar), 23 percent weren’t sure — so the public pressure on him to resign is hardly overwhelming.

At this moment, a Cuomo resignation seems unlikely — but that could change quickly with another bombshell report or more high-profile calls for his resignation. In addition, there are already at least 10 legislators who want to impeach him, according to Fox News. Although Cuomo being removed from office is theoretically a fifth scenario, so far there appears to be less appetite for that among legislators than resignation (10 vs. 37), and he may prefer to resign rather than become the first New York governor to be removed from office since 1913.

2. Cuomo retires

A likelier outcome might be that Cuomo serves out the rest of his term but does not run for reelection in 2022. This would allow him to leave on his own terms (avoiding the embarrassment of potentially losing reelection) while also preserving his legacy by not resigning. First elected in 2010, Cuomo has already served longer than any other sitting governor, and although New York does not have gubernatorial term limits, only two New York governors have ever served more than 12 years in office — so it would hardly be unusual timing for him to step aside. Retirement is also the public’s preferred course of action: In that Quinnipiac poll, New York registered voters said 59 percent to 36 percent that Cuomo should not run for reelection.

[How Many Americans Are ‘Very’ Worried About COVID-19?]

On the other hand, politicians — even ones under fire — don’t give up power voluntarily very often. Of the 57 scandal-plagued officeholders since 2017, 34 sought reelection or higher office (and four more may yet do so in 2022). Cuomo hasn’t commented on his plans since these scandals broke, but back in 2019 he said that he planned to run for reelection. He has also amassed a $16.8 million campaign war chest that clearly signals an intent to run — and that may tempt him to think he can brute-force his way to a fourth term.

3. Cuomo runs for reelection and loses

If Cuomo does decide to seek reelection, he’ll likely face strengthened opposition in both the primary and general elections. He was probably already going to face a primary challenge even before these scandals; in both 2014 and 2018, he faced a serious primary challenge from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Although he still won more than 60 percent of the vote in both races, in large part thanks to his strength among nonwhite voters, that still leaves roughly one-third of New York Democrats who are solidly anti-Cuomo.

And Cuomo’s recent scandals may finally make that bloc big enough to defeat him, especially if a strong opponent like Attorney General Letitia James emerges. In the Emerson poll, only 44 percent of Democratic voters said they would reelect Cuomo if the election were held today, while 56 percent said it was time for someone new. And Quinnipiac found that James is the most popular politician in the state, with a whopping 82 percent to 3 percent approval/disapproval rating among Democrats. A Black opponent like James or New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams might be particularly well-situated to eat into Cuomo’s base, too; in the Quinnipiac poll, James was the only state politician tested who had a higher approval rating than Cuomo among nonwhite respondents.

Cuomo’s main vulnerability probably lies in the Democratic primary, though even if he survives it, the general election might not be a cakewalk either. According to Emerson, Cuomo has become downright unpopular in the Empire State, with an approval rating of 38 percent and a disapproval rating of 49 percent. (His situation is not quite as dire in the Quinnipiac poll: 45 percent approval, 46 percent disapproval.) And while New York’s strong Democratic lean would help Cuomo, partisanship is not as strong in state races as it is in federal ones, and sometimes the state’s dominant party nominates a candidate so controversial that the other side scores an upset. (Just ask Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly of Kansas or Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana.) If the usual pattern of out-party strength in midterm elections holds true, 2022 will also be a Republican-leaning election year nationwide.

4. Cuomo runs for reelection and wins

Of course, it’s also possible that these scandals are merely a bump in the road and Cuomo goes on to win reelection in 2022 — as he was very likely to do before all this. He still has all the advantages of incumbency, plus that $16.7 million war chest. And voters won’t make their decision based on Cuomo’s scandals alone. Per Emerson, 62 percent of New York voters say a COVID-19 vaccination plan is more important than an investigation into either one of the scandals, and per Quinnipiac, they still approve of Cuomo’s handling of the pandemic 56 percent to 41 percent. And by 2022, it’s very possible that other issues will have eclipsed these scandals in the news cycle as the measures by which Cuomo is judged.

[What Americans Think About The Minimum Wage And Their Governors]

Even today, Cuomo probably starts out with the advantage in both the primary and the general. Both Emerson (53 percent to 34 percent) and Quinnipiac (65 percent to 27 percent) found that he still has a positive approval rating among Democratic voters, and Quinnipiac found that Democrats still want him to run for reelection, 50 percent to 44 percent. That’s largely thanks to his durable strength with voters of color, who are frequently forgotten in conversations about Cuomo’s intraparty popularity yet make up about 40 percent of New York’s Democratic electorate. It will be difficult for any Democrat to beat him without breaking his grip on these voters — and while that could certainly happen, there’s another complication. Multiple primary challengers could split the anti-Cuomo vote and make it easier for him to win with just a plurality of loyal supporters. Cuomo would have the highest odds of losing if he faces a single, strong primary challenger — but given how vulnerable Cuomo looks (and how many ambitious Democrats there are in New York), that could prove difficult for his opponents to coordinate.

As for the general election, while everything in the previous section still stands, the cold hard truth is that New York is a very blue state: President Biden carried it by 23 percentage points, and no Republican has won a statewide election there, at any level, since 2002. While Cuomo wouldn’t be guaranteed victory if he makes it to November 2022, he would certainly be the favorite — scandals and all.

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Democrats’ COVID relief bill is popular, but GOP may not vote for it

Source Article from https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/4-ways-andrew-cuomos-political-future-could-play-out/

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Sen. Roy Blunt Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection In 2022 – NPR
Sen. Roy Blunt Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection In 2022 – NPR

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, seen here during a Senate hearing on Wednesday, announced he will not run for reelection in 2022.

Greg Nash/Getty Images


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Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, seen here during a Senate hearing on Wednesday, announced he will not run for reelection in 2022.

Greg Nash/Getty Images

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt has announced he will not seek another term next year, making him the latest in a string of long-serving Senate Republicans to decline a reelection bid.

“There’s still a lot to do and I look forward to every day this year and next year as I continue to work for you in the Senate,” Blunt said in a video he shared on Twitter on Monday.

Blunt, a member of Senate Republican leadership, said he intends to “finish strong” with his remaining time in the Senate. He currently serves as the ranking member of the Senate Rules Committee.

He added: “I’ve tried to do my best. In almost 12,000 votes in the Congress, I’m sure I wasn’t right every time. But you really make that decision based on the information you have at the time.”

Blunt, 71, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 after serving 14 years in the House of Representatives.

He’s the fifth Republican to announce his plans to leave the upper chamber, joining Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rob Portman of Ohio and Richard Shelby of Alabama. All of the retirement announcements, save for Burr, who announced his plans years ago, came within the past year.

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/2021/03/08/974785507/sen-roy-blunt-announces-he-wont-seek-reelection-in-2022

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Supreme Court keeps ex-students’ lawsuit alive in college speech zone case – NBC News
Supreme Court keeps ex-students’ lawsuit alive in college speech zone case – NBC News
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Stimulus check calculator: Find out if you qualify for $1,400 payment – KTLA
Stimulus check calculator: Find out if you qualify for $1,400 payment – KTLA

Many Americans can expect to receive a $1,400 stimulus check after the Senate on Saturday narrowly approved a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, but there’s still some lingering confusion over who’s eligible and how much they’ll receive.

Under the legislation passed by the Senate, individuals earning up to $75,000, and couples up to $150,000, would get $1,400 checks per person. It halts the payments for individuals making $80,000 and couples earning $160,000.

On top of that, parents also qualify to receive up to $1,400 for each of their dependent children, including adults and college students.

So how much can you expect to get?

The American Rescue Plan calculator created by Jasmine Mah, a web developer for Omni Calculator, will figure out what your Economic Impact Payment will look like based on your tax filing status, number of dependents, adjusted gross income and whether or not you filed taxes in 2019 or 2020.

U.S. residents with a social security number can qualify for a stimulus check, though certain people who didn’t file taxes recently may still receive a payment.

Mah updates the tool as new developments arise in Washington, D.C., but says some users experiencing an exceptional situation to which the calculator is not applicable can find guidance in the tool’s FAQs or in the bill itself under 2021 Recovery Rebates to Individuals.

The ceilings in the Senate bill were higher in the House version, which would gradually phase down that amount, with individuals making $100,000 and couples earning $200,000 receiving nothing.

That means some people who received the last round of $600 relief checks approved in December wouldn’t get anything this time. The liberal Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated that the pared-down Senate eligibility levels means 280 million adults and children would receive stimulus checks, compared to 297 million people under the House plan.

What’s next for the COVID-19 relief bill?

The passage of the Senate’s legislation sets up final congressional approval by the House this week so lawmakers can whisk it to President Joe Biden for his signature.

Saturday’s vote was a crucial political moment for Biden and Democrats, who need nothing short of party unanimity in a 50-50 Senate they run with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tiebreaking vote. They hold a slim 10-vote House edge.

The sprawling package was approved along a 50-49 party-line vote, with Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, missing the votes to attend his father-in-law’s funeral.

In the House, not one Republican backed the bill in the Senate or when it initially passed, underscoring the barbed partisan environment that’s characterized the early days of Biden’s presidency.

A small but pivotal band of moderate Democrats leveraged changes in the legislation that incensed progressives, hardly helping Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., guide the measure through the House. But the rejection of their first signature bill was not an option for Democrats, who face two years of running Congress with virtually no room for error.

In a significant sign, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, representing around 100 House liberals, called the Senate’s weakening of some provisions “bad policy and bad politics” but “relatively minor concessions.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, said the bill retained its “core bold, progressive elements.”

“They feel like we do, we have to get this done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said of the House. He added, “It’s not going to be everything everyone wants. No bill is.”

In a written statement, Pelosi invited Republicans “to join us in recognition of the devastating reality of this vicious virus and economic crisis and of the need for decisive action.”

In addition to stimulus checks, the bill provides direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans and extended emergency unemployment benefits. There are vast piles of spending for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, states and cities, schools and ailing industries, along with tax breaks to help lower-earning people, families with children and consumers buying health insurance.

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Source Article from https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/stimulus-check-calculator-find-out-if-you-qualify-for-1400-payment/

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Biden to deliver first primetime address as president, will mark anniversary of coronavirus shutdowns – Fox News
Biden to deliver first primetime address as president, will mark anniversary of coronavirus shutdowns – Fox News
Video

Biden sides with teachers unions over students in reopening debate

FOX News analyst Kayleigh McEnany joins ‘The Next Revolution’ to discuss the president’s school reopening plan, pandemic response.

President Biden is expected to deliver his first primetime address since taking office on Thursday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdowns.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki previewed the president’s remarks during the press briefing on Monday.

“The president will deliver his first primetime address to commemorate the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 shutdown on Thursday,” Psaki said. “He will discuss the many sacrifices the American people have made over the last year, and the grave loss communities and families across the country have suffered.”

Psaki said the president “will look forward, highlighting the role that Americans will play in beating the virus and moving the country toward getting back to normal.”

FLASHBACK: WHO DECLARES CORONAVIRUS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

The World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

Biden’s address Thursday will be his first major address since Inauguration Day. The president has yet to hold a formal press briefing and has yet to schedule a date for his first joint session address to Congress.

Video

“We certainly intend on the president delivering a joint session speech, not a State of the Union, in the first year that they are in office,” Psaki said Friday. 

“But we don’t have a date for that or a timeline at this point in time,” she continued. “And we have been engaged closely with leaders in Congress about determining that.”

Psaki was also asked about the delay earlier in the week, and she said Biden will wait address a joint session of Congress until after lawmakers decides on the American Rescue Plan, his coronavirus relief package.

BIDEN STILL HAS NOT YET SCHEDULED A DATE FOR HIS FIRST ADDRESS TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

“When it became clear, which it should have been from the beginning, that the American Rescue Plan would take until about, hopefully, about mid-March to get passed and signed into law, we made a decision internally that we weren’t going to have the president propose his forward-looking agenda beyond that,” Psaki said, noting that parts of Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda are “still being determined” and that there are still discussions ongoing “internally.”

Psaki maintained, though, that he would not deliver his address “until after that bill is signed, until after those checks are going out to Americans, until after that vaccine money is going out, and after the money is going out to schools.”

The House passed a version of the package last weekend, and the Senate passed its version of the bill over this weekend. 

The House is expected to consider the Senate-approved legislation this week. 

Lawmakers are racing to send the legislation to Biden’s desk before March 14, when more than 11 million Americans will lose their jobless aid when two key federal jobless aid programs created a year ago under the CARES Act — and extended in the $900 billion relief package that Congress passed in December — lapse.

Meanwhile, Psaki said Monday that the president will hold a formal press conference before the end of the month.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-first-primetime-address-anniversary-covid-shutdowns

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Georgia Republicans are pushing dozens of ‘election integrity’ bills. Black voters are the target, rights groups say. – NBC News
Georgia Republicans are pushing dozens of ‘election integrity’ bills. Black voters are the target, rights groups say. – NBC News
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Jury selection paused in Chauvin trial as additional charge is pending – Minneapolis Star Tribune
Jury selection paused in Chauvin trial as additional charge is pending – Minneapolis Star Tribune

Jury selection was delayed for at least a day in the murder case against fired police officer Derek Chauvin, the fired police officer charged with killing George Floyd on a Minneapolis street corner nearly 10 months ago.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill said he wants to hear from the state Court of Appeals about the prosecution’s desire to revive a third-degree murder charge to the counts of second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death last May, which was captured on a bystander’s cellphone video and broadcast around the world.

Cahill, who threw out the disputed count last fall, sent the prospective jurors home for the day ahead of bringing them back on Tuesday.

Chauvin, dressed in a navy blue suit and tie and wearing a black mask, looked on intently while attorneys and the judge discussed motions and other matters, occasionally taking notes on a yellow legal pad.

Proceedings resumed at 1:43 p.m. CST Monday for the airing of motions. Among them, both sides agree to witness sequestration, or not allowing witnesses to watch the trial before or after they testify. Expert witnesses can watch the testimony of other expert witnesses.

In the meantime, prosecutors filed a petition to the state Court of Appeals to stop jury selection until the appeals court rules on whether Cahill has jurisdiction while the third-degree murder charge is pending. Names should be used as much as possible, rather than “defendant,” or “victim.”

If trial proceeds, they argued, Chauvin is in a “Heads I win, tails you lose” scenario because he could take his chances at trial, and if convicted, can appeal with the claim that Cahill lacked jurisdiction when jury selection began.

“There is no need for this kind of uncertainty in any case, let alone a case of this magnitude,” the state wrote in its petition.

“The state is fully ready to go to trial, but the trial must be conducted in accordance with the rules and the law,” Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is leading the prosecution team, said in a statement late Monday morning. “Now that Mr. Chauvin has stated his intention to appeal Friday’s Court of Appeals ruling to the Minnesota Supreme Court, as is his right, the District Court does not have jurisdiction to conduct jury selection or hear and rule on other substantive matters in the trial.”

Cahill initially said he would start jury selection with the third-degree murder issue unresolved. Finding an impartial panel is sure to be a meticulous task that could take up to three weeks to accomplish before an anticipated March 29 date for opening statements from the defense and the prosecution.

Chauvin’s defense attorney, Eric Nelson, said he intends to ask the State Supreme Court to overturn a Court of Appeals ruling Friday that directed Cahill to reinstate the third-degree murder charge against the former cop.

But Nelson also said he was ready to begin trial with the charge still pending. He said he expected to petition to the Supreme Court as soon as Tuesday.

“I want to inform the court that we’re prepared to try this case,” he said. “It is not our intent to cause delay. However, I feel I have an ethical obligation to my client to [petition the Supreme Court].”

Prosecutor Matthew Frank contended that proceedings are best to be delayed.

“This court will be seating jurors for a trial about which we don’t know what the exact charges are going to be yet,” Frank said. “What we are asking the court to do is stop the jury selection process at this time.”

Cahill contended that the third-degree murder charge is a narrow issue and questioned whether a jury could continue to be seated before that charge is resolved. Waiting for the Supreme Court to rule, the judge cautioned, could delay the trial by at least 30 days.

“We want it out in the open, we don’t want to wait for a condition that may not get satisfied when a jury is sitting there,” Frank said. “We’re not trying to delay this case, we want to try it right, and we can only try it once.”

Floyd died after the 46-year-old Black man was pinned under the knee of the white officer for roughly 9 minutes touching off days of violent demonstrations in Minneapolis, neighboring St. Paul and across the country.

On Monday, outside the Hennepin County Government Center, hundreds of protesters mingled on a mild and sunny late-winter morning. Some were selling or giving away flowers. Posters with activist messages were attached to barricades and chain-link fencing that rings the building. Law enforcement personnel and heavy vehicles were obvious in their presence but modest in number.

Three other fired officers implicated in Floyd’s death are scheduled for a single trial in August.

The 18th-floor courtroom has been revamped to allow for social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Big clear plastic dividers separate the judge and court staff from the limited number of other people in the courtroom. Clear dividers also run down the middle of the defense and prosecution tables.

Staff writer Rochelle Olson contributed to this report.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

Source Article from https://www.startribune.com/as-afternoon-court-resumes-jury-selection-remains-paused-in-derek-chauvin-trial-as-additional-charge/600031714/

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CDC says people who are fully vaccinated against Covid can meet safely indoors without masks – CNBC
CDC says people who are fully vaccinated against Covid can meet safely indoors without masks – CNBC

About 58.9 million people in the U.S. have received at least one shot with 30.7 million of those people receiving two doses, just over 9% of the nation’s population, according to the CDC, which doesn’t break down which vaccine people received.

People who are fully inoculated can also visit with unvaccinated people from a single household without wearing masks or social distancing as long as they’re at low risk for severe disease, the CDC says.

“For example, fully vaccinated grandparents can visit indoors with their unvaccinated healthy daughter and her healthy children without wearing masks or physical distancing, provided none of the unvaccinated family members are at risk of severe COVID-19,” according to the CDC guidance.

Fully vaccinated people don’t have to quarantine or get tested for Covid-19 if exposed to someone with the virus as long as they’re not showing symptoms, the agency advises. However, if a vaccinated person begins to display symptoms, they should isolate themselves and get tested for Covid-19.

There are still some activities fully vaccinated people can’t do just yet, the CDC warns. Vaccinated Americans should still avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings, and they should also continue wearing face masks and social distancing when in public.

If a vaccinated person is visiting someone who is at risk for severe disease and is unvaccinated, they should still wear a mask, keep a 6-foot distance and try to visit outdoors when possible, the agency says.

While a growing body of evidence suggests that people who are inoculated against Covid-19 are less likely to transmit the disease to others, it’s still not known how long someone’s protection might last or the effectiveness of the shots against emerging Covid-19 variants, the CDC said in a statement.

“While the new guidance is a positive step, many more people need to be fully vaccinated before everyone can stop taking most COVID-19 precautions,” the CDC said. “It is important that, until then, everyone continues to adhere to important mitigation measures to protect the large number of people who remain unvaccinated.”

The CDC will continue issuing guidance for vaccinated people as more Americans are given shots, Walensky said at a White House Covid-19 press briefing.

For weeks, top U.S. health officials have warned that highly transmissible variants of the virus, specifically the strain first identified in the U.K., known as B.1.1.7, could derail the nation’s progress and exacerbate the pandemic. Despite those warnings, a handful of state leaders have moved to reopen their economies and eliminate mask mandates.

“Today’s action represents an important first step; it is not our final destination,” Walensky said. “As more people get vaccinated, levels of Covid-19 infection decline in communities, and as our understanding of Covid immunity improves, we look forward to updating these recommendations to the public.” 

Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/08/cdc-issues-new-guidance-for-people-who-are-vaccinated-against-covid-.html

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30 Of The Most Hilarious Tweets Reacting To Meghan And Harry’s Oprah Interview – BuzzFeed News
30 Of The Most Hilarious Tweets Reacting To Meghan And Harry’s Oprah Interview – BuzzFeed News
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Jury selection on pause for ex-cop charged in Floyd’s death – The Associated Press
Jury selection on pause for ex-cop charged in Floyd’s death – The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The judge overseeing the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused in the death of George Floyd on Monday paused jury selection for at least a day while an appeal proceeds over the possible reinstatement of a third-degree murder charge.

As hundreds of protesters gathered outside the courthouse to call for the conviction of Derek Chauvin, Judge Peter Cahill said he does not have jurisdiction to rule on whether the third-degree murder charge should be reinstated against the former officer while the issue is being appealed. But he said prosecutors’ arguments that the whole case would be impacted was “tenuous.”

Cahill initially ruled that jury selection would begin as scheduled on Monday, but prosecutors filed a request with the Court of Appeals to put the trial on hold until the issue is resolved. The judge then sent the potential jurors home for the day, while prosecutors tried to contact the appellate court. Cahill took a recess to give the Court of Appeals time to respond, but planned to bring attorneys back into the courtroom Monday afternoon to deal with other matters.

Cahill said he would proceed with the trial unless the higher courts told him to stop.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death. Legal experts say reinstating the third-degree murder charge would improve the odds of getting a conviction. Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, said Monday he would ask the state Supreme Court to review a Court of Appeals decision that ordered Cahill to reconsider the charge.

Jury selection is expected to take at least three weeks, as prosecutors and defense attorneys try to weed out people who may be biased against them.

“You don’t want jurors who are completely blank slates, because that would mean they’re not in tune at all with the world,” Susan Gaertner, a former prosecutor, said. “But what you want is jurors who can set aside opinions that have formed prior to walking into the courtroom and give both sides a fair hearing.”

Floyd was declared dead May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against the handcuffed Black man’s neck for about nine minutes, holding his position even after Floyd went limp. Floyd’s death sparked sometimes violent protests in Minneapolis and beyond, and led to a nationwide reckoning on race.

Chauvin and three other officers were fired; the others face an August trial on aiding and abetting charges.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the courthouse as proceedings began, many carrying signs that read, “Justice for George Floyd” and “Convict Killer Cops.”

One speaker took a microphone and decried the concrete barriers topped by chain-link fencing, barbed wire and razor wire set up around the courthouse. He also ridiculed talk of the Chauvin trial as “the trial of the century,” saying all the jury needs to do is “the right thing.”

Then he led the crowd in chants of “The whole world is watching!”

Inside the courtroom, Chauvin, in a blue suit and black mask, followed the proceedings attentively, making notes on a legal pad.

Nelson earlier argued that pretrial publicity of the case and the subsequent violent unrest in Minneapolis would make it impossible to find an impartial jury in Hennepin County. But Judge Peter Cahill said last year that moving the trial probably wouldn’t cure the problem of a potentially tainted jury pool because “no corner of the State of Minnesota” has been shielded from pretrial publicity.

The potential jurors — who must be at least 18, U.S. citizens and residents of Hennepin County — were sent questionnaires to determine how much they have heard about the case and whether they’ve formed any opinions. Besides biographical and demographic information, jurors were asked about prior contacts with police, whether they have protested against police brutality and whether they believe the justice system is fair.

Some of the questions get specific, such as how often a potential juror has watched the bystander video of Floyd’s arrest, or whether they carried a sign at a protest and what that sign said.

Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney, said prosecutors will likely seek out jurors who have favorable opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement or might have more outrage over Floyd’s death, while Chauvin’s attorneys would likely favor jurors who support the police.

Unlike typical jury selection proceedings, potential jurors will be questioned individually rather than in a group. The judge, defense attorney and prosecutors will all get to ask questions. The defense can object to up to 15 potential jurors without giving a reason; prosecutors can block up to nine without providing a reason. Either side can object to these peremptory challenges if they believe the sole reason for disqualifying a juror is race or gender.

Both sides can also argue to dismiss an unlimited number of jurors “for cause,” meaning they must provide a reason why they believe that juror shouldn’t serve. Those situations can get into some detailed machinations, Brandt said, and it’s up to the judge to decide whether a juror stays or goes.

“Sometimes there is some tortured questioning,” Brandt said.

He said that even if a juror says they have had a negative interaction with the police, or a negative opinion about Black Lives Matter, the key will be trying to find out whether they can put those past experiences or opinions aside and be fair.

“We all walk into these with biases. The question is, can you put those biases aside and be fair in this case,” he said.

Jury selection will end after 14 people are picked — 12 jurors who will deliberate the case and two alternates who won’t be part of deliberations unless needed. The jurors will be escorted to the courthouse daily and sequestered during deliberations. Their names will be kept confidential until further order of the court.

The number of seats in the courtroom has been limited to maintain social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and seats for jurors have been spaced out. Like others in the courtroom, jurors will be required to wear masks.

The earliest opening statements will begin is March 29.

___

Associated Press writer Mohamed Ibrahim contributed this report.

___

Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

Source Article from https://apnews.com/article/derek-chauvin-trial-jury-e4acea4516571b9c2af8cce685e221f2

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GOP Sen. Roy Blunt announces he will not run for reelection – CNN
GOP Sen. Roy Blunt announces he will not run for reelection – CNN

By Clare Foran, Ted Barrett and Ethan Cohen, CNN

Updated 11:30 AM ET, Mon March 8, 2021

Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/08/politics/blunt-not-running-reelection/index.html

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Cuomo says "there is no way I resign" amid sexual harassment allegations – CBS News
Cuomo says "there is no way I resign" amid sexual harassment allegations – CBS News

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo defiantly rebuffed calls for his resignation as more women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against him, saying Sunday “there is no way” he will step down. But shortly after his press conference, New York State Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, said he “must resign.”

“Everyday there is another account that is drawing away from the business of government,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement Sunday afternoon. “We have allegations of sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, the loss of credibility surrounding the COVID-19 nursing home data, and questions about the construction of a major infrastructure project. New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign.” 

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, also a Democrat, stopped short of saying outright that Cuomo should resign, but said in a statement that Cuomo should “seriously consider” if he can lead the state. “I too share the sentiment of Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins regarding the Governor’s ability to continue to lead this state,” Heastie said.

Cuomo insisted earlier Sunday that he continues to be focused on the state’s COVID-19 response and vaccination effort, and said he would not be “distracted” by the allegations.

“I was elected by the people of the state, not by politicians,” Cuomo told reporters Sunday. “I’m not going to resign because of allegations. The premise of resigning because of allegations is actually anti-democratic.”

Cuomo has spent the weekend reaching out to state leaders and legislators telling them he will not resign, two people familiar with the conversations told CBS News. In telephone calls, the governor is repeating what he has said publicly: Be patient and allow an investigation overseen by New York Attorney General Letitia James to proceed.

In these conversations, Cuomo is asking for due process, saying that others who’ve faced similar allegations have been afforded an opportunity for investigations to play out before potential accountability, according to one of the people familiar with the outreach.

Another person told CBS News that Cuomo has support across the state, “But you never know how deep or wide.”

It was not clear who exactly the governor spoke with or how many calls he made, but the list includes Stewart-Cousins and other legislators, the two people said.

Two more women came forward on Saturday with allegations that Cuomo acted inappropriately, making it five women who have accused him. While Cuomo said last week he was “embarrassed” and apologized for “any pain I caused,” he struck a more defiant tone on Sunday. He has said an alleged incident with one woman, Lindsey Boylan, “didn’t happen,” and he said Sunday allegations from a former aide, Karen Hinton, are “not true.” 

One of Cuomo’s accusers, Charlotte Bennett, described him as a “textbook abuser” in an exclusive interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell. Bennett alleges that on June 5 — during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in hard-hit New York — Cuomo asked her if she was ever intimate with an older man and said he was comfortable dating women decades younger than him.

Text messages sent by Bennett to a friend and reviewed by CBS News memorialized her encounter with Cuomo immediately after the alleged conversation. In the messages, Bennett told a friend that Cuomo “talked about age differences in relationships.”

Her friend, who verified the messages, asked: “Wait what,” and “Did he do something.” 

“No,” Bennett responded. “But it was like the most explicit it could be.” 

When asked by CBS News on Sunday if he was made aware of Bennett’s complaint at the time, Cuomo said he was not. He again insisted he would be awaiting the results of an investigation by Attorney General Letitia James.

“This is not about me or accusations about me — the attorney general can handle that. This is about doing the people’s business,” Cuomo said. “These next six months will determine the future trajectory of New York state.”

On Sunday, the editorial board of the Albany Times Union, a newspaper that endorsed Cuomo’s three campaigns for governor, said Sunday that he must step down.

But the newspaper focused on the other scandal embroiling the governor: The deaths of thousands of state residents at nursing homes during the pandemic and his administration’s alleged attempts to cover up the full scope of the problem.

“New York cannot get through this public health crisis if New Yorkers don’t know whether the governor and health officials are being honest with them from one day to the next,” the editorial board wrote.

“Today was a body blow, for sure,” said a state official, granted anonymity to speak frankly about the governor’s political standing amid concerns about potential retribution. “It ain’t over ’til it’s over, but this was a bad 24 hours for him.”

Cuomo said he has been focused on getting the state budget approved. New York state’s constitution mandates the budget be approved by April 1, and Cuomo submitted his budget in mid-January. According to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York will be getting $12.5 billion in stimulus money in the recently passed federal relief package, although Cuomo had sought $15 billion. 

“This does not mean it’s going to be an easy budget, but now it will be a possible budget,” Cuomo said. 

Cuomo also announced Sunday that with the exception of New York City, restaurants in New York state will now be able to open at 75% capacity.  

Norah O’Donnell, Michael Kaplan, Julie Morse, Adam Verdugo and Caitlin Yilek contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cuomo-will-not-resign-sexual-harassment-allegations/

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House set to take up $1.9 trillion stimulus, putting Biden on track to sign this week – The Washington Post
House set to take up $1.9 trillion stimulus, putting Biden on track to sign this week – The Washington Post

The latest: Senate passes Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill

What’s in the Senate’s bill: Checks, unemployment insurance and more

Calculators: Third round of stimulus checks | Child tax credit

FAQ: What you need to do to get the third stimulus payment

Child Tax Credit FAQ: The Democratic plan to give most parents $250 a month

Small businesses: Biden administration revamp PPP rules in attempt to reach smallest companies

PPP FAQ: How to get a small-business loan from the new PPP program

Show More

Source Article from https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/03/08/stimulus-house-biden-coronavirus/

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Security review recommends enhanced background checks, retractable fencing to secure Capitol – POLITICO
Security review recommends enhanced background checks, retractable fencing to secure Capitol – POLITICO

“Any security measure that reduces physical access to the Capitol Complex makes it less accessible to the public it serves,” Honore and his team wrote. “As representatives of the people, Members understandably seek to be available to their constituents and transparent about their travel and activities, yet such openness can create physical security vulnerabilities.”

Honore’s review will ignite what is expected to be a tense reckoning among lawmakers who have been surrounded by thousands of National Guard troops, fencing and razor wire since the assault. It arrives at a moment of extreme distrust among lawmakers themselves, with many Democrats viewing the 138 Republicans who voted against certifying some of the states’ election results as a driver of the violent riots. And Republicans have blasted Honore for his comments accusing some GOP lawmakers and Capitol Police officials of complicity in the attack. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has also argued that he worries Honore’s recommendation would permanently turn the Capitol into a “fortress.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tasked Honore with the review as part of an initial bid to shore up overtaxed Capitol Police and identify significant gaps in the capacity of the force, District of Columbia law enforcement and other federal agencies to aid in an emergency. Other officials on Honore’s team include retired Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, who helped organize aid to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, and Mary McCord, a former acting assistant attorney general for national security.

The group’s most significant recommendation includes the establishment of a “dedicated quick reaction force” for all of Washington D.C., one that could respond to developing emergencies and quickly ramp up law enforcement capacity. Honore’s team will propose three options: a force consisting of multiple law enforcement agencies that is granted legal authorities and funding; a quick reation force run by the D.C. National Guard that draws form National Guard units across the country; and a permanent military police battalion housed within the D.C. National Guard.

Honore will also suggest adding 874 new positions within the Capitol Police to cut down on overtime — which stretched to 720,000 hours in the last fiscal year, they found, an “unsustainable” dynamic.

“[I]t leaves the force with no ability to pull officers from the line to train at the individual, leader, or collective level or to prepare for evolving threats,” they wrote.

The advisers also found that the Capitol Police’s ability to process intelligence about the rising volume of threats against lawmakers is inadequate.

“Individuals and groups advocating extremist views actively use the internet to propagandize, recruit, radicalize, and organize political violence such as the Capitol Attack,” they wrote in their report. “Some also target Members with threats of violence. The USCP is not postured to track, assess, plan against, or respond to this plethora of threats due to significant capacity shortfalls, inadequate training, immature processes, and an operating culture that is not intelligence-driven.”

Honore’s group also recommended overhauling the Capitol Police Board — the obscure entity that includes the USCP chief, as well as House and Senate security officials and the architect of the Capitol — to make it less cumbersome during a crisis. That would include, in part, empowering the Capitol Police chief to act unilaterally during a crisis.

Among other recommendations:

-Expanding the Capitol Police’s canine explosive detection program, reestablishing horse-mounted patrols, requiring the presence of specially trained “civil defense units” every time Congress is in session and equipping all uniformed officers with riot gear and less-than-lethal weapons.

-Establishing an “unblinking” monitoring system of cameras and other sensors to help slow and track emerging threats to the building.

-Better route planning for Capitol evacuations during an emergency.

Honore also delved into what is likely to be a controversial subject: Enhanced background checks of all members, staff and Capitol employees to prevent any “insider threat.”

“Requiring background checks for identification card holders and employing card readers more widely throughout the complex would decrease insider threat risks and enhance the safety of all Members, staff, and legislative employees,” his group concluded.

That recommendations comes as Democrats have continued to allege that some Republicans may have wittingly or unwittingly aided the Jan. 6 riots, either by stoking then-President Donald Trump’s false claims that the election had been stolen or by encouraging people to march on D.C. amid Trump’s calls to stop Congress from certifying his defeat. Honore will also recommend pushing Capitol screening further back from the building and adding more “screening portals” throughout the complex.

Aside from security within the Capitol complex, Honore also offered initial recommendations about security for lawmakers while they’re traveling or in their districts. Though current protocols provide for security for legislative leaders, rank-and-file members often have “limited or inconsistent protection at their homes, in their districts, and while in transit,” the group found.

The advisers recommend establishing a “threat-based” system for providing security to non-leaderhsip members, and the establishment of a “Member Travel Operations Center” to manage security for lawmakers while in transit. District offices should also be upgraded to ensure a “uniform” level of monitoring and safety.

Source Article from https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/08/security-review-capitol-building-recommendations-474335

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Cuomo: Nearly 50 New York lawmakers call for governor to either resign or be impeached – Fox News
Cuomo: Nearly 50 New York lawmakers call for governor to either resign or be impeached – Fox News
Video

New York lawmaker says ‘walls are closing in’ on Cuomo, calls for resignation

Rep. Claudia Tenney R-N.Y., joins ‘Fox Report’ to discuss allegations of sexual harassment against the New York governor, nursing home data cover-up.

On Sunday, one of the most powerful Democrat lawmakers in New York issued a statement calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been ensnared by two major scandals, to resign from office.

Cuomo is facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment and a federal probe into his administration’s tally on COVID-19 deaths tied to nursing homes.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat from Yonkers, said in a statement that the allegations are “drawing away from the business of government.”

CHRIS CUOMO RIPPED FOR BEING ‘F-ING OFFENSIVE’ FOR SAYING THIS TO DON LEMON

“New York is still in the midst of the pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it [the virus],” she said. “We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign.”

The Associated Press, citing an unnamed source, reported that Cuomo had a brief phone conversation with Stewart-Cousins and told her that he would not quit and that if they want him out of office, they would need to impeach him.

Since the statement from Stewart-Cousins, more lawmakers from the state have stepped forward and are calling for his resignation.

According to a tally from Fox News, a total of 37 lawmakers from either the Assembly or state Senate want him to resign, and 10 have called for impeachment.

To impeach the sitting governor, the Assembly needs a majority vote in the 150-member body, and the state Senate—where there would be a conviction—would need a two-thirds majority of court members that would consist of both senators and judges from the state’s court of appeals.

Cuomo has flatly denied some of the allegations against him and his office has denied altering the count of nursing home deaths.

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State officials now estimate that more than 15,000 residents of New York’s nursing homes and long-term-care facilities may have died of the coronavirus — a much larger number than the 6,400 estimate state officials previously reported, according to a story published Thursday night by The Wall Street Journal.

Cuomo was once embraced by many in the media and was seen as the moderate Democrat who could one day be the party’s presidential nominee.

Progressive columnist David Sirota of The Guardian asserted that waiting until “harassment is investigated” would ignore what he called Cuomo’s “other big scandal.”

“Cuomo should face impeachment & calls to resign because 15,000 people died in nursing homes while he helped his donor shield nursing home execs from legal consequences & withheld casualty data,” Sirota tweeted Wednesday.

Lindsey Boylan, one of Cuomo’s accusers, took to Twitter on Saturday after another woman came forward, and posted, “Resign you disgusting monster.”

Fox News’ Brie Stimson, Remy Numa and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cuomo-nearly-50-new-york-lawmakers-call-for-governor-to-either-resign-or-be-impeached

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Meghan and Harry’s explosive Oprah interview: The biggest revelations – CNET
Meghan and Harry’s explosive Oprah interview: The biggest revelations – CNET

Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah has created massive buzz. 


Getty

US celebrity royalty met British royalty Sunday night when Oprah Winfrey interviewed Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. And no one held back. Among other revelations, American-born Meghan Markle told the talk show queen that representatives of the palace were concerned about her unborn son’s skin color and didn’t offer her help when royal pressures drove her to very real thoughts of suicide.

Here are some of the headline-making revelations to emerge from the much-anticipated televised interview on CBS. 

Baby Archie’s skin color

Meghan, now pregnant with the couple’s second child, revealed that at least one person in the palace expressed concerned about the skin color of the Sussexes’ first child, son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born in 2019. She did not name that person. 

“There were also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born,” Meghan said.

Tweeted ITV royal editor Chris Ship, “This is very strong and the Palace will face serious questions.”  

When Prince Harry joined the interview after Oprah first talked with Meghan alone, Winfrey asked him if he’d reveal the name of the person who made comments about skin color. He said he never would.

Meghan’s suicidal thoughts

Harry’s mother, the late, beloved Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, freely shared that she had suicidal thoughts and and even attempted suicide due to the monumental pressure of marrying in to the royal family. Harry’s wife, decades later, stated that she’d had essentially the same feelings.

“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” the duchess told Oprah during the interview, calling the suicidal thoughts “constant,” and saying she “thought it would solve everything for everyone.”

In a chilling detail, she revealed that she went to the human resources department at the palace (yes, they have one), and was told she wasn’t an employee and couldn’t be helped.

Royal baby gender reveal

The royal couple revealed they’re expecting a girl. She will be eighth in line to the throne, following her brother, Archie, and will bump Prince Andrew down a notch.

The couple said they will not have more children, but if they were to have a boy after this daughter, he would not leapfrog his sister in the line of succession. That wasn’t always true — Princess Anne is the second of the queen’s children, but her two younger brothers, Andrew and Edward, are higher in the line than she is. But the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act changed that sexist rule. Now Princess Charlotte, Prince William’s second child, keeps her place in line even though a boy, her brother Prince Louis, arrived later.

Cut off financially

Money has never been a problem for the royals, but in the interview, Harry said the royal family has “literally cut me off financially.”

It’s not like the couple will be poor, ever. Harry inherited millions from his mother, who died in a Paris car wreck in 1997. Meghan has her own money from her Hollywood acting career. And the royal couple has signed big deals with Netflix and Spotify. 

But considering the number of less important royals who collect money, and the riches Harry’s father, Prince Charles, pulls in from the Duchy of Cornwall, this feels like a shocker. Harry said the couple would not have had the money to relocate to California without his inheritance from Diana.

Loss of royal protection

Like other heads of state, the royal family have always had bodyguards, and there have been times when they have needed them. Princess Anne was almost kidnapped in 1974, an intruder broke into the queen’s bedroom in 1982, and a man fired blanks at the queen as she rode in the Trooping of the Color ceremony in 1981.

So it was startling to hear that the royal family cut off Harry and Meghan’s security detail when the couple moved to Canada and then California. Meghan especially was the target of death threats, some based on her race, she told Winfrey, yet that didn’t change the palace’s decision. 

Stepping up to help? Hollywood director Tyler Perry, who offered the royal couple use of his California home and security.

Kate made Meghan cry

Meghan and Harry and Prince William and his wife, Catherine, were the Fab Four of British royalty for a while, much as Charles and Diana and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson briefly were in the 1980s. Since the Sussexes went their own way, there have been plenty of rumors about issues between the brothers and their wives.

Meghan addressed one of the major rumors in the interview. The tabloids reported that Meghan made Catherine cry before Meghan and Harry’s wedding due to a fight about Princess Charlotte’s flower-girl dress. Sunday night, however, Meghan said it was the other way around — that Catherine made Meghan cry about the outfit.

Meghan said Kate later apologized and sent her flowers: “She was upset about something, and she owned it.”

But when the tabloids put the blame on Meghan instead, the royal family didn’t correct the record, something Meghan called a “turning point” in her relationship with the royals.

They married early

Meghan told Winfrey that she and Harry actually married three days before the televised ceremony watched by millions.

This isn’t over

Even though the interview itself is over now, the revelations and fallout are not. Winfrey promised she’ll offer up some additional details in a chat with her BFF, Gayle King, on CBS This Morning. That’ll air Monday morning.

“Oprah Winfrey will join us live with never-before-seen clips from her interview with Duchess of Sussex, Meghan & Prince Harry,” the show’s official account tweeted.

And even before the interview finishing airing, British tabloids were splashing the details all over their websites. The Daily Mail had about a dozen stories live before the interview had started to air on the U.S. West Coast. There’ll be more to come from both U.S. and U.K. sources as the reaction to the interview continues.

How can I watch?

If the interview hasn’t yet aired in your area, we’ve got a whole article on how you can tune in, but in short: Turn your dial to CBS, via regular television or a streaming service that offers the network.

Why is this interview such a big deal?

Markle has made an insane amount of headlines for pretty much everything she does. From an apparent feud with her father Thomas (who didn’t attend the wedding), to her biracial background and American citizenship, to her writing positive messages on bananas for sex workers. Her latest controversy involves reports that she bullied royal staffers. She’s “saddened by this latest attack on her character,” the BBC reports.

You may have heard that Meghan and Harry (their royal titles are just too tangled to keep using here) moved first to Canada, then to California in 2020. In February 2021, after a year trial, Buckingham Palace announced the couple would not return as working members of the royal family, through they would remain “much loved.” 

Meghan and Harry now live in the Santa Barbara, California, area now, as does Winfrey, so this pairing of famous names was as natural as tea and crumpets, or burgers and fries, if you prefer. Winfrey has been a friend of the couple for some time, even attending their wedding. While not normal for royal family members to seek out this kind of public interview, Meghan and Harry have been making their own way for some time, including moving first to Canada, then California, in 2020.

There is precedent for public airing of royal grievances. Harry’s mother, Diana, sat down for a shocking televised interview in 1995, where she openly discussed Prince Charles cheating on her with Camilla Parker-Bowles, his current wife.

The royal reaction

It isn’t like Queen Elizabeth II to comment on such a breach of royal protocol. But it’s easy to assume the sheer idea of her beloved grandson and his wife blabbing about family issues to an American media celeb is giving the monarch more of a headache than her Imperial State Crown.

But due to the dramatic revelations in the interview, the palace is going to have to say something, it would appear. They can’t let the biggest topics just sit out there with no attempt to smooth things over.

“Tonight’s revelations will reverberate in the British tabloids for days, weeks, eons to come,” the New York Times reports. “It seems hard to imagine that the palace will be able to stay silent.”

The British tabloid press, never exactly a model of quiet regal decorum, have taken this interview to an even crazier level. According to author Edwin Hayward, “50 — yes, 50 — articles attacking Meghan Markle were published on the Express website on Saturday. That’s *50* articles in *24* hours.”

Other publications published almost as many, Hayward reported.

And one tabloid, the Star, published a do-it-yourself barf bag for those who were so disgusted by the interview they needed to throw up. 

“It’s almost impossible to understand why Harry and Meghan would want to leave this very normal country…” tweeted writer Bella Mackie.

If you’re struggling with negative thoughts, self harm or suicidal feelings, here are 13 suicide and crisis intervention hotlines you can use to get help.

You can also call these numbers:

US: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. 
UK: The Samaritans can be reached at 116 123. 
AU: Lifeline can be reached at 13 11 14.

Source Article from https://www.cnet.com/news/meghan-and-harrys-explosive-oprah-interview-the-biggest-revelations/

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New York State Senate Leader Calls For Cuomo’s Resignation – NPR
New York State Senate Leader Calls For Cuomo’s Resignation – NPR

On Sunday, New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign amid sexual harassment allegations from multiple women.

Office of the New York Governor via AP


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Office of the New York Governor via AP

On Sunday, New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign amid sexual harassment allegations from multiple women.

Office of the New York Governor via AP

The top Democratic lawmaker in New York called for the resignation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo Sunday amidst allegations of sexual harassment and an ongoing investigation around botched counts of COVID-19 deaths in the state’s nursing homes.

New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins became the highest-ranking state lawmaker and most prominent state Democrat to request Cuomo quit.

“Everyday there is another account that is drawing away from the business of government. We have allegations about sexual harassment, a toxic work environment, the loss of credibility surrounding the Covid-19 nursing home data and questions about the construction of a major infrastructure project,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. “New York is still in the midst of this pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it. We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign.”

At least five women have accused Cuomo of inappropriate behavior. In an article published Saturday, former policy and operations aide Ana Liss told The Wall Street Journal Cuomo touched her lower back, kissed her hand and made inappropriate comments. Another former aide, Karen Hinton, told The Washington Post that Cuomo had asked her personal questions in his hotel room and hugged her in a way that was “very long, too long, too tight, too intimate.”

On Sunday, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie followed Stewart-Cousins in condemning Cuomo, but stopped just shy of calling for his resignation.

“The allegations pertaining to the Governor that have been reported in recent weeks have been deeply disturbing, and have no place whatsoever in government, the workplace or anywhere else. I too share the sentiment of Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins regarding the Governor’s ability to continue to lead this state,” Heastie said in a statement. “We have many challenges to address, and I think it is time for the Governor to seriously consider whether he can effectively meet the needs of the people of New York.”

Earlier, two former aides and a woman who met the governor at a wedding accused Cuomo of unwanted touching and inappropriate comments.

In a press call on Sunday, Cuomo responded that it would be “anti-democratic” for him to step down.

Cuomo said New York lawmakers “don’t override the people’s will, they don’t get to override elections.” He added, “I was elected by the people of New York state. I wasn’t elected by politicians.”

He addressed Liss’ comments, saying his talk was “my way of doing friendly banter.” According to The Associated Press, Cuomo acknowledged societal norms have changed, but said he “never meant to make anyone feel any uncomfortable.” In regards to Hinton’s accusations, Cuomo said they were not true and told reporters she was a longtime political opponent of his.

Last week, Cuomo apologized for actions that may have made others uncomfortable, but denied touching anyone inappropriately. He refused to resign and called for an independent investigation to be conducted.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is now conducting that investigation.

On top of the allegations, the attorney general in January accused Cuomo’s administration of underreporting COVID-19 deaths in New York’s nursing homes and assisted living communities. The investigation reported that New York officials’ count of nursing home deaths may be half the actual number.

As a result, the Senate and Assembly voted to strip Cuomo of his emergency use powers on Friday.

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/2021/03/07/974621279/new-york-state-senate-leader-calls-for-cuomos-resignation

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Manchin Expresses Openness to Making Filibuster Harder to Use – The New York Times
Manchin Expresses Openness to Making Filibuster Harder to Use – The New York Times

Mr. Manchin ultimately agreed to extending the $300 provision through Labor Day, a week longer than the $400 increase the House approved, and signed off on keeping the tax benefits for those whose household income was less than $150,000. On Sunday, he rejected the suggestion that Democrats would have to tailor their agenda to his beliefs, arguing that he wanted to just “look for that moderate middle” and emphasizing that they ultimately reached a compromise.

“I’m the same person I have been all my life and since I’ve been in the public offices. I’m the same,” Mr. Manchin said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I’ve been voting the same way for the last 10 years.”

Mr. Manchin’s comments came as Democrats celebrated the passage of the bill. Even with some provisions whittled down to accommodate both moderate concerns and arcane Senate rules, progressives were ebullient on Saturday, with Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, telling reporters: “This is the best day of my Senate life. It really is.”

Democrats took time to shower praise on Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia, as well as the voters who sent them to Washington and cemented Democratic control of the Senate.

“There is no question that the people of Georgia deserve a great deal of credit for what happened here today,” Mr. Warnock said after the vote. “We simply would not be here had they not stood up in such a profound way in this historic election, and I’m deeply honored to be playing a role in government actually working for the people.”

But with frustration still bubbling over the exclusion of a provision raising the federal minimum wage to $15, some liberal lawmakers and activists have mounted a renewed campaign to end the filibuster, which has long curtailed their legislative ambitions. In the interview, Mr. Schumer acknowledged that some Democratic ambitions could not be advanced using the reconciliation process because of the strict rules, but insisted that the unity on Saturday “is going to help us stay unified to go on to other things.”

Luke Broadwater contributed reporting.

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/07/us/politics/joe-manchin-filibuster-stimulus.html

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Brent crude breaks $70 after Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities attacked by Yemen’s Houthis – CNBC
Brent crude breaks $70 after Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities attacked by Yemen’s Houthis – CNBC

A spokesman said neither attack caused any injury or loss of life or property, but shrapnel from the intercepted missile fell near residential areas in the city of Dhahran, SPA reported.

“Such acts of sabotage do not only target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but also the security and stability of energy supplies to the world, and therefore, the global economy,” the ministry said via state media. “They affect the security of petroleum exports, freedom of world trade, and maritime traffic.”

Yahya Sare’e, a spokesman for Yemen’s Houthis, said it carried out a “broad joint offensive operation” involving 14 drones and eight ballistic missiles.

He said on Twitter that other military sites were also targeted with four drones and seven ballistic missiles, adding that “the hit was precise.”

“We promise the #Saudi regime painful operations as long as it continues its aggression and blockade on our country,” he said in another post.

A Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 and has continued to fight against the Houthis in what is seen as a proxy war with Iran.

The Houthis have reportedly stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

The Biden administration last month said it would remove the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen from the Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist lists, according to NBC News.

John Driscoll, director at JTD Energy Services, told CNBC that the primary effect of the attacks is psychological.

“They serve as a reminder that the Mideast is vulnerable and rife with tensions and rivalries that could overheat at any time,” he said in an email.

However, he said the run up in prices could be short lived, noting that the Saudis said there was no significant damage to infrastructure.

Driscoll also said the timing is “noteworthy,” given that the U.S. took military action against Iran and Iraq targets last week.

“One senses [that] lines are being drawn in the sand,” he said.

Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/08/brent-breaks-70-after-houthis-attack-saudi-arabias-oil-facilities.html

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Blinken offers plan to bolster Afghan peace process, report indicates – POLITICO
Blinken offers plan to bolster Afghan peace process, report indicates – POLITICO

Secretary of State Antony Blinken. | Alex Edelman-Pool/Getty Images

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is proposing a series of steps to help jumpstart Afghanistan’s stalled peace process between the government and Taliban, according to a letter from Blinken to Ashra Ghani, Afghanistan’s president, published Sunday by Afghanistan’s TOLONews.

The letter calls for bringing the two sides together for a U.N.-facilitated conference with foreign ministers and envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and the United States “to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan.”

Blinken also calls for holding talks between the Afghan government and Taliban in a senior-level meeting in Turkey in the coming weeks to hammer out a revised proposal for a 90-day reduction in violence. The secretary of state has also called on special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to share with both the Afghan government and Taliban written proposals to help accelerate discussions, according to the TOLONews report.

Source Article from https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/07/tony-blinken-afghanistan-peace-474330

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Biden signs executive order promoting voting rights on 56th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ – The Washington Post
Biden signs executive order promoting voting rights on 56th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ – The Washington Post

“For all the complaints that you heard about the election in 2020, the complaint that no one said was, ‘It was too difficult to vote,’ ” Ratcliffe said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” “And yet, what [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi and President Biden say is, ‘Well, we have got to remove obstacles from people voting,’ when, in fact, that really was not a problem.”

Source Article from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-voting-bloody-sunday-order/2021/03/07/ce45b082-7f60-11eb-9ca6-54e187ee4939_story.html

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