Political News

Originally published by The 19th The sex trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and alleged accomplice of wealthy investor and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, begins in New York on Monday. Maxwell, 59, faces six charges related to her involvement helping Epstein “recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims” for …

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its COVID-19 vaccine booster recommendations on Monday to include all adults, regardless of health status or occupation, as uncertainty surrounding the newly detected omicron variant swells. “The recent emergence of the omicron variant (B.1.1.529) further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters …

President Joe Biden urged Americans to get vaccinated and to receive a booster shot amid worries about the coronavirus omicron variant — saying the new strain is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” President Biden on omicron: "This new variant is a cause for concern. Not a …

Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi announced Monday at a virtual press conference that he is officially running for governor of New York in 2022. The former mayor of Glen Cove and Nassau County executive now describes himself as a “common sense Democrat” representing parts of Queens and Long Island in Congress. …

Carrie Meek, the first Black person to represent Florida in Congress since Reconstruction and a fierce advocate for Black communities in the state, died Sunday, her family said. She was 95. Meek died at her home in Miami after a long illness, family spokesperson Adam Sharon said in a statement. …

Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) have led the reintroduction of the ‘Access to Birth Control Act‘ in the Senate. The legislation—which has been endorsed by 50 national and local advocacy organizations—would guarantee patients’ timely access to birth control at the pharmacy—including by addressing pharmacies’ …

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $20 million in inaugural grants from its Eviction Protection Grant Program, the first of its kind for the Department. These grants will be awarded to legal service providers to assist in providing legal assistance to low-income tenants …

The White House said Friday the U.S. will impose travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries in the region beginning Monday due to a new COVID-19 variant. A World Health Organization panel named the variant “omicron” and classified it as a highly transmissible virus of concern, the same …

The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims fell to 199,000 last week for the lowest rate in more than 50 years, the Labor Department reported on Wednesday. “In the week ending November 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 199,000, a decrease of 71,000 from the …

A jury in Charlottesville, Virginia ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in the trial of the “Unite The Right” rally organizers, awarding more than $25 million in damages. The jury found that Richard Spencer, Christopher Cantwell, and Jason Kessler were responsible for damages for conspiracy to commit violence, assault and battery, …

A jury has found the three white men accused of killing a 25-year-old Black man, Ahmaud Arbery guilty of murder and most of the other 29 charges they faced. Travis McMichael, who shot Ahmaud Arbery, was convicted of all charges. His father, Greg McMichael was found not guilty of malice murder, …

President Joe Biden Is continuing to fulfill his promise of having the most diverse Cabinet in history by nominating Shalanda Young to be director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Today, it is my honor to nominate two extraordinary, history-making women to lead the Office of …

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced that the Department of Energy would make available releases of 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an emergency pool kept by the United States, in an effort to lower gas prices for Americans and address the mismatch between demand exiting the pandemic …

The House Select Committee investigating the attacks on the Capitol has issued a new round of subpoenas to groups, including the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, and others involved in violence both leading up to and on January 6th. The committee seeks testimony and records from individuals who may have information about the …

The Biden administration filed an emergency lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to immediately reinstate its vaccine mandate for private employers with 100 or more workers after it faced a series of legal challenges. Earlier this month, the Fifth Circuit Court in New Orleans issued a preliminary pause on the order, which …