Sen. Wyden introduces bill to expand Supreme Court, overhaul judicial system
A top Senate Democrat has introduced a sweeping bill to not only expand the Supreme Court but change its ability to make rulings on acts of Congress. The legislation was brought forward by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the chairman of the Finance Committee, who said it will help the court as it faces what he called a “legitimacy crisis.”
If passed, the bill would expand the Supreme Court to 15 seats over 12 years. The president would appoint two justices per term over the next three presidential terms. It would expand the number of circuit courts from 12 to 15 which Wyden said will help with workload issues.
The bill would also require a two-thirds supermajority to overturn acts of Congress.
“This legislation preserves the key role of the courts to provide judicial review and the authority to overturn federal law on a constitutional basis when Congress has made a clear error, while restoring the judicial branch’s appropriate deference to the legislative branch of government on matters of federal law construction,” Wyden’s office said.
Many of the proposals directly address issues progressives have had with the court over recent years.
For instance, when President Obama nominated then-Judge Merrick Garland to the high court in March 2016, Republicans refused to hold a hearing and left the seat vacant for the next president. Wyden’s bill creates a new rule that automatically places nominations on the Senate calendar if they’re not reported out of committee within 180 days.
Democrats wanted Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from multiple cases, including Trump v. Anderson, which addressed former President Donald Trump’s eligibility to remain on the presidential ballot. Wyden’s bill would allow a justice to be recused from a case with a vote of two-thirds of the justices.
Democrats also wanted the DOJ to investigate Justice Thomas for possible ethics and tax law violations after it was revealed he did not disclose luxury trips he received as a gift. Wyden’s bill would require the IRS to audit each justice’s income tax return and publicly release both the return and the audit’s findings.
“The Supreme Court is in crisis and bold solutions are necessary to restore the public trust,” Wyden said in a statement. “More transparency, more accountability and more checks on a power hungry Supreme Court are just what the American people are asking for.”
Republicans have opposed Democrats’ efforts to reform the court.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., once wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that President Biden’s Supreme Court reform proposal was “merely an extension of this liberal frustration at an independent judiciary that follows the Constitution and applies the laws as written.”
Long COVID Research Moonshot Act would allocate $10B toward illness
The COVID-19 pandemic may be over. However, for millions of Americans still suffering from the lingering health effects of COVID-19 infections, the fight to recover continues.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is hoping to help those Americans who have been diagnosed with a condition known as long COVID, which can follow COVID-19 cases. She is reportedly introducing a bill on Friday, Sept. 27, dedicating $10 billion to help treat the disease and fund research to discover a cure.
Omar’s Long COVID Research Moonshot Act is a companion bill to that of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who introduced his bill to the U.S. Senate in August. Omar said that funding and research are much needed.
“Long COVID is a silent health crisis impacting over twenty-three million Americans, including one million children,” Omar wrote in a statement.
The bill would establish a research program within the National Institutes of Health to better understand the illness by compiling a database, establishing an advisory board, and developing a grant process to speed up clinical trials related to long COVID research.
The legislation would also send money toward public education and care clinics for long COVID, particularly focusing on communities of color and the disabled, who are reportedly disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Additionally, new treatments developed through the act would need to be more easily accessible and affordable for patients.
Advocates for long COVID patients called on U.S. Congress to pass this bill in the hopes that it will fund vital research.
However, it’s not the first attempt by members of Congress to get long COVID legislation passed. In 2022, the Treat Long COVID Act failed to make it out of committee despite 41 cosponsors, which Omar unsuccessfully reintroduced in 2023. The bill would have prioritized grants to clinics focusing on long COVID and related conditions.
Long COVID is often associated with debilitating fatigue, and it’s been linked to other infectious diseases, according to researchers.
Tropical Storm Helene is fast approaching Florida with the potential to form into the biggest hurricane to hit the U.S. in over a year. And Donald Trump’s campaign says he’s been briefed by U.S. intelligence officials on threats from Iran to assassinate him. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024.
The National Hurricane Center’s latest updates have Helene on track to make landfall in the Sunshine State late Thursday, Sept. 26, as a Category 3 hurricane.
This system is expected to impact the near Big Bend area. Everyone is discussing how Ian had the same cone, turning last second and catching many off guard. As this storm strengthens, the track can shift. It’s normal during rapid intensification. Pay attention!#PTC9#Helenepic.twitter.com/5Dk7hriyB1
The last Category 3 hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. was Idalia last year, which also made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region and brought record-breaking storm surge to most of the state’s western coast.
Congress set to pass stopgap government funding bill
The U.S. House and Senate are both on track to pass a stopgap funding bill Wednesday, Sept. 25, that will avert a government shutdown early next week. The measure would keep federal agencies funded at their current levels through Dec. 20.
It also sets aside an additional $231 million to bolster the budget for the Secret Service. That comes as concerns over the agency’s efficacy continue to mount in the wake of two assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump.
While the stopgap bill is the brainchild of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, many in his party still say they will not vote in favor of it, forcing House GOP leadership to rely on Democratic votes for it to pass.
Trump campaign says former president briefed on Iranian assassination threats
In a statement Tuesday, Sept. 23, a Trump campaign spokesperson said, “President Trump was briefed earlier today by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence regarding real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States.”
Trump later posted on Truth Social that there have been “big threats” on his life by Iran — saying while they didn’t work out, Iran will try again.
Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York has not responded to media requests for a statement.
This news comes after two assassination attempts on the former president, one in Butler, Pennsylvania and another at his Florida golf course. There has been no indication of Iranian involvement in either case.
Congress passes bill to boost presidential candidate security
The bill would require an equal standard of protection be applied to presidents and all major party candidates.
The bill is not expected to make a difference in the level of protection former President Trump receives, as the Secret Service says he was already under the highest level of protection at the time of both assassination attempts.
Caroline Ellison sentenced to two years over cryptocurrency fraud
The judge and prosecutors agreed to give Ellison a lighter sentence after she pleaded guilty and testified against FTX founder and her former boyfriend Sam Bankman-Fried during his trial last November. He was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Coca-Cola pulling new flavor off the shelves after 7 months
Soda drinkers may be having flashbacks to the New Coke miss of the 1980s as Coca-Cola is pulling another version of its signature beverage off store shelves just seven months after its debut. Coca-Cola Spiced went on sale in February as the newest entry in Coke’s permanent line-up.
A Coca-Cola spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday, “We’re always looking at what our customers like and adjusting our range of products. As part of this strategy, we’re planning to phase out Coca-Cola Spiced to introduce an exciting new flavor in 2025.”
The company said earlier this year the spiced soda was part of its strategy to innovate and respond to industry trends. It added the flavor was developed in just seven weeks — as opposed to the 12 months plus it typically takes the company to develop a new product.
Former NFL MVP Brett Favre reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis before Congress
NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre revealed that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The former Green Bay Packers quarterback made the announcement while testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 24, where he was addressing matters related to welfare reform.
“Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others and I’m sure you’ll understand,” Favre told lawmakers. “While it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, often causing tremors, stiffness and balance difficulties. Favre’s testimony about his diagnosis came amid accusations that he was associated with the misuse of welfare funds intended for low-income individuals in Mississippi.
The state of Mississippi filed a civil lawsuit, which included the three-time NFL MVP, after a state audit conducted in 2020 uncovered that over $77 million from Mississippi’s welfare program was spent improperly.
“I believe that I got swept up in a civil lawsuit at the instigation of State Auditor Shad White, an ambitious public official who decided to terminate tarnish my reputation to try to advance his own political career,” Favre said during his testimony this week.
Among these funds, approximately $2 million reportedly went to Prevacus, a company that was developing a concussion treatment drug. Favre was the company’s top outside investor. Evidence showed that Favre had been in communication with state officials in 2018, seeking assistance to secure funding for the company.
However, over the summer, Jacob VanLandingham, the founder of Prevacus, pled guilty to wire fraud, admitting that the money received from Mississippi’s welfare funds was used to pay off his personal gambling debts rather than toward the development of the drug.
While Favre has not faced any criminal charges in connection with the scandal, his naming in Mississippi’s suit comes along with more than three dozen other individuals and entities, as the state looks to recover millions in misused welfare funds.
US funding helped China’s military modernization: Congressional report
Hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. federal research funding has contributed to China’s technological advancements and military modernization, according to a new report. Republicans on the House Committee on the Chinese Communist Party found that partnerships between Chinese and American universities helped the CCP make advancements in hypersonic and nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, advanced lasers, semiconductors and robotics.
The committee said that the funded technology is the same kind that the People’s Liberation Army would use against the U.S. military in the event of a conflict.
“The research funded by the [Department of Defense] and the [Intelligence Community] is providing back-door access to the very foreign adversary nation whose aggression these capabilities are necessary to protect against,” the report stated.
The committee said there is a lack of legal guardrails around the federal funds. It recommends stricter guidelines for federally funded research, including restricting researchers who receive U.S. grants from working with Chinese universities and companies that have military ties.
The committee pointed to multiple universities which have received grants including the University of California, Berkeley, UCLA and the Georgia Institute of Technology. It said Georgia Tech and UC Berkeley are both working to cut ties and relinquish ownership of their Chinese partners and programs.
The report also said that joint education institutions at UC Berkeley and the University of Pittsburgh “serve as conduits for transferring critical U.S. technologies and expertise to China, including to entities linked to China’s defense machine and the security apparatus it uses to facilitate their human rights abuses.”
The report blamed the Biden-Harris administration for not enforcing foreign gift and contract requirements through the Department of Education.
“These undisclosed foreign gifts—likely hundreds of millions, if not billions in total—gives PRC entities troubling influence without transparency and contribute to building the research relationships that pose risks to U.S. national security,” the committee said.
This report follows a yearlong investigation between the House Committee on the CCP and House Education and Workforce Committee.
Hezbollah blames Israel for deadly pager explosions
Hezbollah is blaming Israel after pagers used by the militant group exploded killing at least nine people and injuring thousands. And former President Donald Trump holds his first campaign event since the second apparent assassination attempt on his life. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
Hezbollah blames Israel for deadly pager explosions
Multiple explosions in Lebanon have killed at least nine people and left nearly 3,000 injured. Explosives inside pagers used by the militant group Hezbollah were set off Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 17.
The Iran-backed group blames Israel for the attack. Hezbollah said an 8-year-old was among those killed and Iran’s envoy to Beirut was among the injured.
Sources told Reuters Israel’s Mossad spy agency had planted the explosives inside 5,000 pagers. An American source and other officials confirmed to the New York Times that Israel was behind the operation.
The pagers appeared to be from Taiwan-based Gold Apollo. In a statement released Wednesday, Sept. 18, Gold Apollo said they were manufactured by another company based in Budapest that was authorized to use Gold Appollo’s brand.
Hezbollah fighters have been using pagers to bypass Israeli location-tracking following a warning by group leaders earlier this year saying cell phones were more dangerous than Israeli spies.
Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel.
Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging strikes shortly after Hamas’ deadly terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Tuesday’s blasts add to the growing concern over a larger war in the Middle East.
Secretary of State of Antony Blinken will be in Egypt Wednesday to work on securing a cease-fire agreement to put an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas and see the release of the hostages who remain in Gaza.
Trump, Harris both use assassination attempt to highlight policy proposals
Former President Donald Trump was back on the campaign trail Tuesday, holding his first event since the second apparent attempt on his life over the weekend. During a town hall in Flint, Michigan Trump told Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders the assassination attempts are proof his policy proposals are powerful.
“It’s a dangerous business however, being president,” Trump said. “It’s a little bit dangerous. It’s, you know, they think racecar driving is dangerous. No. They think bull-riding, that’s pretty scary, right? No, this is a dangerous business and we have to keep it safe.”
He later added, “You know, only consequential presidents get shot at.”
Trump also said both President Joe Biden and, his opponent in the 2024 presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris called him after the assassination attempt, saying it was “very nice” and he appreciated it.
“Not everybody has Secret Service,” Harris said, “and there are far too many people in our country right now who are not feeling safe. I mean, I look at Project 2025 and I look at the ‘don’t say gay laws’ coming out of Florida. Members of the LGBTQ community don’t feel safe right now. Immigrants or people with an immigrant background don’t feel safe right now. Women don’t feel safe right now.”
Both candidates are focusing on swing areas that could decide the election, which is expected to be a close one.
Trump is set to campaign in New York, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina this week. Harris will also stop in Washington as well as Michigan and Wisconsin in the coming days.
Speaker Johnson to bring spending bill up for vote
House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to put his short-term spending plan up for a vote Wednesday, though there are signs it will not get the GOP support needed to pass.
Johnson previously pulled a stopgap bill that was coupled with the SAVE Act — which would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections — after it became clear it was unlikely to get enough Republican approval to pass. House Democrats also opposed the plan, though it would keep the government funded through most of March.
Congress has until the end of September to pass at least a temporary measure keeping the government open, otherwise a shutdown looms Oct. 1.
Federal Reserve expected to cut interest rates for first time since 2020
The Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates for the first time since 2020. However, it’s not yet known by how much.
Straight Arrow News Business Correspondent Simone Del Rosario has a closer look here.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail in racketeering, sex trafficking case
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail and will remain in custody as he faces serious charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Authorities say Combs will be held by himself at a “special housing unit” in a detention center in Brooklyn.
In a federal courtroom in New York City on Tuesday, Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges he’s facing. Prosecutors allege that Combs used his business empire to force women into engaging in sexual acts with professional sex workers and himself.
Prosecutors allege that in late 2023, following public accusations of these crimes, Combs and his associates attempted to pressure victims into silence through bribery.
If convicted on all charges, Combs faces decades in prison.
Billie Jean King to make history as Congressional Gold Medal recipient
Tennis hall of famer Billie Jean King is being recognized with a prestigious Congressional Gold Medal for her efforts on and off the tennis court.
The measure had already passed the Senate and on Tuesday night, it passed the House, making Billie Jean King the first individual female athlete to ever receive the congressional honor.
🚨 History made! 🚨 The House just passed my bipartisan, bicameral bill to award my friend, @BillieJeanKing, legendary athlete, and ardent advocate, the Congressional Gold Medal, making her the first female athlete to ever receive this honor—yet another iconic trailblazing moment… pic.twitter.com/kbkkym0aVN
“Mister speaker, it is now time to enshrine Billie Jean King’s legacy as not only a champion of tennis, but a champion of equality whose impact will continue to inspire women and girls and people across America and across the world,” Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) said before the measure was passed.
After receiving the news that she would receive the Congressional Gold Medal, King took to X to say, “Thank you. I am deeply humbled and honored.”
Congress tries to counter China’s cheating, theft with new bills
It is China week in the House of Representatives and members are voting on dozens of bills related to U.S.-China policy. The legislation covering economics, military, education and more has received extraordinary bipartisan support.
It requires the president to certify at least once a year that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices still qualify for the International Organizations Immunities which provides immunity from certain lawsuits and exemption from property taxes.
It is a resolution calling for further strategic coordination between the three nations to ensure they’re a stabilizing influence in the Western Pacific and world.
Congress approved the Biosecure Act in a 306-81 vote.
It prohibits federal contracting with certain biotechnology providers connected to foreign adversaries. The companies essentially blacklisted are: BGI, MGI, Complete Genomics, WuXi AppTec. Other companies also fall within the bill’s parameters for a prohibition.
Straight Arrow News’ Ray Bogan spoke with the chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., about U.S.-China policy.
The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Ray Bogan: What is it about countering China that has become so bipartisan?
Chairman Moolenaar: I think people across the board are recognizing that the China of today is very different than even the last few years. And under Xi Jinping, China has become more aggressive, the CCP is becoming aggressive at home and violating human rights, as well as abroad. They’re becoming more militarily aggressive in the South China Sea.
They did their first flyover in Japan where they invaded Japanese airspace. You know, spying, you know we’ve had spies in America. So I think people are more aware that the China that we’d hoped for — one that would promote freedom, democracy, be a responsible leader in the world community — very different when we see they aren’t respecting the rule of law. I think there’s a general awareness that we need to push back and make sure that we’re promoting the values that as Americans and the free world share.
Bogan: You just mentioned the South China Sea. There’s NATO in Europe to counter Russia. We’ve got Japan, South Korea, there’s also a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines to protect each other in the Pacific should either one of us come under attack — is it fair to say there is going to be a coalition similar to NATO, whether formal or informal, in the Pacific to counter China?
Moolenaar: I think there’s a collaboration of allies. And I would put the ones that you mentioned right up there. Japan is our strong ally, South Korea, the Philippines. I think other nations are concerned as well. Australia is taking the lead on more things to make sure that we have a free and open Indo-Pacific. And on the flip side, you see China, and their no limits partnership with Russia, and you see partnering with North Korea, with Iran. And that is very troubling when you see those nations forming alliances.
Bogan: A lot of the policy in the United States right now, in regards to China, kind of takes the position that China does not play by the rules and China cheats. For instance, President Biden put a 100% tariff on EVs from China because they were artificially lowering the prices to get a foothold in the market.
China is also known to steal intellectual property so they can make the products cheaper because they didn’t have to invest in research and development. Is there any diplomacy, or do you think there’s enough diplomacy going on to say, “Hey, China, you know, we could be much more strategic partners if you stop cheating?”
Moolenaar: I think that message has been communicated. Unfortunately, I don’t think — reciprocity has not taken place. So I think people have been very clear that we expect respect for private property rights, for the rule of law, and China simply doesn’t value that in the same way we do. And so when it comes to things like patent protection, intellectual property, even partnering with universities and stealing technology, it’s rampant with respect to China. So, you know, we need to recognize that we’ve been delivering that message, they haven’t been hearing it and so there needs to be a stronger approach.
China protests after US House passes bill targeting Hong Kong’s trade offices
The U.S. House passed a bill that could lead to the closure of Hong Kong’s representative offices in America, igniting a diplomatic dispute between China and the United States. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in a vote of 413-3. The bill targets Hong Kong’s trade missions in New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, framed the act as a crucial step in showing solidarity with Hong Kong citizens facing persecution.
This House bill is in response to a Chinese 2020 security law, which Beijing implemented after large-scale anti-government protests in 2019. The security law led to the arrests of high-profile, pro-democracy activists.
The bill follows recent controversies surrounding Hong Kong’s representative offices in America, including allegations of surveillance and foreign interference by staff linked to the London office.
Hong Kong’s Chinese-run government condemned the bill as a “politically driven” attack that violates international law and interferes with the city’s internal affairs.
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry criticized the act as an “egregious” politicization of normal trade cooperation, warning of potential harm to China-U.S. relations.
Hong Kong serves as the second-largest source of trade surplus for the United States, with approximately 1,200 American companies operating there.
Hong Kong officials warn that the proposed legislation could backfire, potentially harming American interests and undermining the mutually beneficial relationship between the two economies.
The bill still needs to clear the Senate and be signed by the U.S. president before becoming law.
Johnson’s government spending plan on rocky ground as shutdown looms
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., effort to approve a temporary government spending plan is on rocky ground. His bill would keep the government open for six months at current funding levels and require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Both Democrats and the right flank of the Republican Party oppose the bill.
“House Republicans are leading us toward a government shutdown.” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said.
“The worst thing that Republicans in the House can do is create a fake fight that the base knows they’re lying about and frustrate our voters going into Nov. 5,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said. “That’s how you lose the House of Representatives on[sic] an election.”
Congress needs to approve funding by Sept. 30 to avoid a shutdown. Both sides have different issues with Johnson’s spending plan.
Republicans who oppose the bill do not think it sufficiently reduces spending, after all, a continuing resolution is an extension of the current budget.
“You have to vote for a continuing resolution that continues the Biden administration’s budget that pays for the Green New Deal that pays for all these horrific things that all these people are sick of,” Greene said. “It’s absurd.”
Republicans are also concerned Johnson could remove the measure to require proof of citizenship for voter registration once Senate Democrats refuse to approve it. But Johnson said he is standing strong.
“I am resolved on this and I don’t know what more I can say to show that conviction,” Johnson said.
House Democrats are also opposed to the measure. It appears a clean continuing resolution that keeps everything exactly as it is now with no strings attached is becoming increasingly likely.
“The only way to pass a government funding bill is to pass it on a bipartisan basis,” Aguilar said.
Typically, when congressional leadership in either party bring forward a bill they know will not be signed into law, they do it to strengthen their negotiating position. If they can get all the members of their party behind to vote for it, they have a lot more leverage. But in this case, Johnson will lose leverage if he brings this up for a vote and a number of Republicans vote against it.
The federal government’s budget for fiscal year 2025, which goes from October 2024 to September 2025, is supposed to be finalized this year, under this Congress and this president. Pushing it to March means the new president and new Congress would finalize the spending bills.
There is disagreement on how long a continuing resolution should last, with suggestions between three and six months. That will also need to be sorted out.
Day 1 of Democratic National Convention, Biden slated to speak tonight
The Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago as President Joe Biden is among the names scheduled to speak the first night. And Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel preparing for what he calls a ‘decisive moment’ in cease-fire talks. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
Day 1 of Democratic National Convention, Biden slated to speak
The stage in Chicago for the start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) that kicks off Monday. The four-day event will conclude with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz formally accepting the Democratic nominations for president and vice president.
Part of the agenda for day one includes special tributes planned to honor the opening night’s headline speaker, President Joe Biden. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also slated to speak at the DNC Monday night.
Other speakers you’ll see over the next few days include former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former first lady Michelle Obama.
Mayor Brandon Johnson said Chicago is “prepared and ready” and security has been beefed up inside and outside the convention as thousands of Gaza war protesters are planning to descend on the city.
The Democratic Party has released some of its key policy points it expects to address over the next four days. Those include raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, making the child tax credit permanent and IVF and abortion protections.
Ahead of the DNC, Harris and Walz spent time in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Former President Donald Trump will be back in Pennsylvania Monday after also spending time over the weekend in the Keystone State.
A new ABC News poll has Harris leading Trump overall 50 to 45%. However, Trump is leading Harris on key issues for voters: the economy and immigration.
Former Congressman George Santos to plead guilty to federal charges
Former Congressman George Santos, R-N.Y., is expected to plead guilty to federal charges Monday, Aug. 19 afternoon. It’s a reversal of his previous plea of not guilty.
Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives, faces 23 felony charges, including defrauding donors, lying about his finances and needlessly accepting unemployment benefits, among other things.
A guilty plea would avoid a trial, which is scheduled to begin next month. Sources close to the matter told The New York Times Santos is expected to give a statement acknowledging the crimes he has agreed to plead to.
Blinken: ‘This is a decisive moment’ in cease-fire talks
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel Monday, meeting with top Israeli officials before traveling to Egypt for ongoing negotiations to reach a cease-fire and hostage release agreement. This is his ninth trip to the region since the Israel-Hamas War began.
“This is a decisive moment,” Blinken said at a press conference in Tel Aviv. “Probably the best, maybe the last opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a cease-fire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has expressed “cautious optimism” that a deal can be reached, while Hamas is accusing Israel of stalling efforts to reach a deal in order to continue striking inside Gaza.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting applications for individuals requesting “parole in that place” that would allow migrant spouses without legal status to apply for a green card and eventually get on a path to citizenship.
To be eligible, the spouses must have been continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, not pose a security threat or have a disqualifying criminal history, and have been married to a U.S. citizen before June 17 — the day before the program was announced. They must also pay a $580 fee to apply and fill out an application explaining why they deserve humanitarian parole and providing a list of supporting documents proving how long they have been in the country.
The Biden administration says about 500,000 people could be eligible for “parole in place” plus about 50,000 of their children.
Egg prices on the rise again as bird flu impacts supply
Egg prices are on the rise — again. According to the Consumer Price Index, egg prices were up by nearly 20% in July, and economists say inflation is not the issue this time.
Rather, it’s believed to be the ongoing bird flu outbreak limiting the supply of eggs.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the average rate for a dozen large, grade A eggs topped $3 in July for the first time in more than a year. July also marked the third month egg prices rose on an annual basis, a reversal after a year of relative decreases.
Perdue recalls over 167K pounds of chicken after wire found in packaging
The products are the Perdue Simply Smart Organic gluten-free breaded chicken breast nuggets, the breaded chicken breast tenders, and the Butcher Box organic free fully frozen-cooked breast chicken nuggets. All have a “best-if-used-by date” of March 23, 2025.
