George Floyd’s family attorney, Ben Crump, met with lawmakers to search for bipartisan legislation to reform policing in the United States. “We’re optimistic that — as President Biden has encouraged us — to try to have this George Floyd Act pass before May 25, the one-year anniversary of the killing …
Read More »The FDA Announces Plan To Ban Menthol Cigarettes
On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration announced its plan to ban menthol cigarettes in response to a 2013 citizen petition advocating the ban of mint-flavored cigarettes, the Washington Post reports. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 20 million Americans smoke menthols. Phillip Gardiner, the co-chair of the …
Read More »Gretchen Whitmer Kidnap Suspects Facing ‘Weapon Of Mass Destruction’ Charge
Federal prosecutors are charging the three men who are accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. The US Attorneys Office for the Western District of Michigan says that Adam Fox, Barry Croft, and Daniel Joseph Harris were going to …
Read More »President Biden Nominates Texas Sheriff For ICE Director
President Joe Biden will nominate Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to serve as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. If confirmed, Gonzalez will be the first politically appointed director. Gonzalez, who has a decades-long career in law enforcement, was elected as sheriff of Harris County in 2016. He is …
Read More »NYC Mayoral Candidate Accused Of Sexual Assault
A former intern of New York City mayoral candidate, Scott Stringer, is accusing him of groping and soliciting her for sex. Jean Kim, who interned for Stringer’s 2001 campaign, says, “[during] this campaign, I traveled back-and-forth to campaign events with him. Scott Stringer repeatedly groped me, put his hands on …
Read More »Three Men Charged With Federal Hate Crimes In Killing Of Ahmaud Arbery
The three men involved in the death of Ahmaud Arbery are now facing federal hate crime charges, separate from the murder charges they each face at the state level. On Wednesday afternoon, a federal grand jury indicted Gregory McMichael, 65; his son, Travis McMichael, 35; and William “Roddie” Bryan, 51, with a …
Read More »Federal Agents Raid Rudy Giuliani’s Manhattan Home And Office
Federal agents executed search warrants at the Manhattan home and office of Rudy Giuliani. Guiliani, former President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, has been under investigation for two years for his activities in Ukraine. Federal prosecutors are trying to figure out whether he conducted illegal lobbying for Ukrainian officials. Federal agents …
Read More »Families Earning Below $75,000 A Year Could Have A Tax Rate Of Zero
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan will lower the average individual tax rate to zero or less for families earning $75,000 or less. According to estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation, middle-class taxpayers earning $50,000 to $75,000 will have an average tax rate of -1.9%. Low-income families will get …
Read More »Biden Raising Minimum Wage For Federal Contractors To $15
President Joe Biden is signing an executive order to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour for federal contractors. The executive order states that federal agencies will have to include the $15 wage in new contracts by March 30, 2022. In 2014, the minimum wage was increased to $10.10. …
Read More »Democrats Are Pushing President Biden To Lower Medicare Eligibility Age
House Democrats are asking President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to lower the Medicare eligibility age and expand its benefits in the American Families Plan. Congressman Joe Neguse, Representative Pramila Jayapal, Representative Conor Lamb, and Representative Jared Golden are leading Democrats in their efforts to expand Medicare. The …
Read More »Democrats Unveil ‘Care Infrastructure’ Plan; Includes Paid Leave And Child Care
Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) unveiled a ‘Care Infrastructure‘ Plan that includes universal paid family and medical leave, guaranteed access to child care, and permanently extending worker and family-related refundable tax credits from the American Rescue Plan. The Building an Economy for Families Act …
Read More »The Justice Department Is Investigating The Louisville Police Department
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Justice Department is investigating the practices of the Louisville Police Department. The investigation comes after Breonna Taylor was killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky last year. Her death sparked widespread protest around the world. “It will determine whether LMPD engages in unconstitutional stops, …
Read More »Texas House Rejects Budget Amendment To Expand Healthcare Coverage
The Texas House rejected a proposal that would have allowed the state to use billions in federal dollars to provide healthcare coverage to uninsured Texans. Democrat State Representative Garnet Coleman who sponsored the amendment said a federal funding agreement would help to provide coverage for Texans. Texas has the highest …
Read More »West Virginia To Give $100 Savings Bond To Residents Under 35 To Get Vaccine
West Virginia will give $100 savings bonds to residents ages 16 to 35 who get vaccinated against Covid-19. The state’s Republican Governor, Jim Justice, announced the program as part of his ongoing initiative to get more younger residents vaccinated. “We have vetted this in every way that we possibly can …
Read More »Florida’s Senate Advances Restrictive Voting Bill That Limits Drop Boxes And Voting By Mail
Florida’s Republican-led Senate has advanced a voting bill that limits drop boxes and voting by mail. The bill would require voters to show identification to an election official before casting a ballot, limit where drop boxes could be located, and prevent anyone except official election workers from handing out food and …
Read More »