National 3-5-21

Herb Scribner

3 years ago

Trump appointee arrested in connection with Capitol riot (Politico) – Frederico Klein worked for a time in the State Department’s Office of Brazilian and Southern Cone Affairs before being transferred to the office that handles Freedom of Information Act requests.
State Department aide appointed by Trump stormed the Capitol, beat police with a riot shield, FBI says (Washington Post) – Federal agents arrested Federico G. Klein, 42, a former State Department aide, on multiple felony charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He is the first member of the previous administration arrested in relation to the insurrection.
A guide to what you can expect to get from the $1.9 trillion Senate stimulus (CNN) – Senators narrowed the eligibility for stimulus checks and removed a provision to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Opinion: Why Democrats may look back on the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill with regret (CNN) – Because this is the first major legislative initiative of Biden’s presidency, the Democrats’ unwillingness to compromise may have poisoned the well when it comes to future bipartisan action.
Cuomo Aides Rewrote Nursing Home Report to Hide Higher Death Toll (New York Times) – The “intervention” in June was the earliest action yet known in an effort by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo that concealed how many nursing home residents died in the pandemic.
Capitol Police Call For Extension Of National Guard Help (NPR) – U.S. Capitol Police requested a 60-day extension for a portion of the National Guard troops currently in Washington, D.C., Thursday as the threat of a possible attack from militia groups looms over the city.
Texas family detention centers expected to transform into rapid-processing hubs (Texas Tribune) – The Ellis-Island-style hubs that will screen migrant parents and children with a goal of releasing them into the United States within 72 hours.
Biden limits eligibility for stimulus payments under pressure from moderate Senate Democrats (Washington Post) – Change comes as Senate prepares to move forward on Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief bill.
Biden celebrates House passing HR 1, Dems’ campaign bill, vows work to ‘refine and advance’ legislation (Fox News) – Biden called the right to vote “sacred and fundamental,” adding that it is “the right from which all of our other rights as Americans spring.”
Senate votes to open debate on Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill (Washington Post) – Democrats move forward without GOP support after flurry of 11th-hour negotiations.
‘I…really struggled through this one’: A Republican senator chose history over oil and gas (Washington Post) – Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted to confirm Rep. Deb Haaland’s nomination as the first Native American interior secretary.
What is this new voting rights act about? (Deseret News) – The new law would add new requirements that would weaken restrictive voter ID laws, create an automatic voter registration program, and expand early and mail-in voting, among other things.
Texas is ‘open 100%,’ but has it really crossed the pandemic finish line? (Deseret News) – The real answer doesn’t make for a good campaign slogan. It isn’t a politician’s dream. It won’t make the agitators happy right now, and no, it can’t be legislated.