Lawmakers to hold FTX hearing despite former CEO arrest
NEW YORK — (AP) — The House Financial Services Committee plans to hold a hearing into the collapse of crypto exchange FTX on Tuesday, but its star witness will be missing. Sam Bankman-Fried was scheduled to testify in front of the House Financial Services Committee, along with the company's current CEO, John Ray III. FTX filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11, when the firm ran out of money after the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. and chairwoman of the financial services committee, said while she understands that Bankman-Fried must be held accountable, she is “disappointed” that the arrest happened before he got to testify. He previously testified in favor of certain bills that would regulate the crypto industry in ways that favored FTX.
wftv.comEx-FTX CEO Bankman-Fried says he will testify to Congress
The former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX said in a tweet Friday that he is willing to testify to Congress next week, but that he will be limited in what he can say and that he "won't be as helpful" as he'd like to be. Since its collapse, FTX's new management has called the cryptocurrency exchange's management a " complete failure of corporate controls." One of the accusations made against Bankman-Fried is that he arranged for Alameda to use customers' assets in FTX to place bets in the market. Bankman-Fried has said in public interviews that he did not "knowingly" co-mingle customers' assets with Alameda. Waters has said that FTX's collapse had “harmed over one million people," and tweeted on Tuesday that if Bankman-Fried was not willing to testify that a subpoena was “definitely on the table.”Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.
wftv.comFormer FTX CEO Bankman-Fried says will testify to Congress
The former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX said in a tweet Friday that he is willing to testify to Congress next week, but that he will be limited in what he can say and that he “won't be as helpful” as he'd like to be. The tweet came in response to a tweet from House Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters, who on Monday requested that Bankman-Fried attend next week's hearings over the collapse of FTX. Since its collapse, FTX’s new management has called the cryptocurrency exchange’s management a “complete failure of corporate controls.”Bankman-Fried has admitted his own failures in preventing the collapse. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
wftv.comHouse panel to hold hearing on crypto exchange FTX collapse
WASHINGTON — (AP) — Lawmakers plan to investigate the failure of FTX, the large crypto exchange that collapsed last week and filed for bankruptcy protection, leaving investors and customers staring at losses that could total in the billions of dollars. The panel also expects to get testimony from FTX representatives, other crypto exchanges including Binance, Bankman-Fried’s hedge fund, Alameda Research, and others at a December hearing. But the sheer size of FTX's collapse highlights the massive market risks inherent in the growing crypto industry. The circumstances have prompted investigations by the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission. “We must get to the bottom of this for FTX’s customers and the American people,” ranking member Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) said.
wftv.comOklahoma-based tribes say followed rules on Freedmen rights
Leaders and representatives of five Oklahoma-based tribes have told a U.S. Senate committee they have followed treaties and court rulings regarding the citizenship of Freedmen and that the federal government should respect their sovereignty.
Obamas, students cheer high court's 1st Black female justice
And with that, the nation's first female and first Black vice president announced the confirmation of the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. Ketanji Brown Jackson will join the high court following Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement this summer. “We have a dark-skinned, Black woman on the Supreme Court with locks and she’s going to be looking for clerks,” said first year student Jasmine Marchbanks-Owens, 27, referring to the young lawyers who spend a year helping Supreme Court justices with their work. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, the city’s second Black woman to be mayor, called it “a day filled with great hope for the future of our country.”Lawmakers weren't the only ones cheering. Representation does matter,” Jackson State University President Thomas K. Hudson wrote to students, faculty and staff at the historically Black school in Mississippi.
wftv.com'A moment like this': Senate history in Supreme Court vote
Scott Applewhite) (J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Moments before the Senate began Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation vote to become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, the chamber filled with the swell of history. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus walked through the doors of the Senate to witness the moment. A short delay emerged when Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was late, making him the last to vote and slightly prolonging the inevitable outcome. The assignment for the only two Black Democrats in the Senate, she told them, was to write a letter to a young Black woman in their life to mark this day in history. After the vote, the vice president, herself a history-making leader, took stock of the moment, at a time of brutal war overseas.
wftv.comCrowd, cheers, history as Senate confirms Supreme Court pick
Scott Applewhite) (J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Moments before the Senate began Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation vote to become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, the chamber filled with the swell of history. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus walked through the doors of the Senate, entering the chamber to witness the moment. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was late, making him the last to vote while slightly prolonging the outcome. Many Republican senators had already left. The remaining Republican senators filed out of the chamber.
wftv.comCrypto execs head to Capitol as Congress mulls regulations
How to regulate digital assets has been a thorny issue, with companies operating under a patchwork of state and federal oversight. Tennessee Rep. John Rose, for example, asked industry executives how Congress could prevent innovation from leaving the United States and happening offshore. “I’m optimistic that on the regulatory side, we’re not that far from that point,” said Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of trading exchange FTX. Alesia Haas, chief financial officer of Coinbase Global, said the U.S. government should create a new regulatory framework for digital assets. “Our existing regulatory system does not work effectively for the open, decentralized networks that crypto has created,” she said in written testimony.
wftv.comProgressives see blueprint for next fights in eviction win
The rare clash this week between the Biden administration and congressional Democrats over a lapsed eviction moratorium could become a blueprint for even larger fights that lie ahead. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades) (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The rare clash this week between the Biden administration and congressional Democrats over a lapsed eviction moratorium could become a blueprint for even larger fights that lie ahead. Finding allies in congressional leadership, a new generation of progressive lawmakers insisted the White House pay attention to them. But after days of bad headlines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new eviction moratorium that would last until Oct. 3. But the eviction moratorium was an undeniable win for the progressives — and proof of their clout heading into a budget package that is especially central to Biden’s promise to reshape government’s relationship with its citizens.
wftv.comPelosi, Democrats call on Biden to extend eviction ban
Congress Eviction Moratorium People from a coalition of housing justice groups hold signs protesting evictions during a news conference outside the Statehouse, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Boston. “We cannot in good faith blame the Republican Party when House Democrats have a majority,” the progressive congresswoman said on CNN's "State of the Union." Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, appeared on “Fox News Sunday” to echo that sentiment. The White House has maintained that Biden wanted to extend the moratorium but that concerns remained over challenging the court. In the end, Democratic lawmakers had questions and concerns and could not muster support to extend the ban.
wftv.comPelosi, Democrats call on Biden to extend eviction ban
Congress Eviction Moratorium People from a coalition of housing justice groups hold signs protesting evictions during a news conference outside the Statehouse, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Boston. “We cannot in good faith blame the Republican Party when House Democrats have a majority,” the progressive congresswoman said on CNN's "State of the Union." As the deadline approached Saturday night, Pelosi urged House Democrats to check into how the money already allocated had been distributed so far in their own states and localities. The White House has maintained that Biden wanted to extend the moratorium but that concerns remained over challenging the court. In the end, Democratic lawmakers had questions and concerns and could not muster support to extend the ban.
wftv.comAnger mounts as Biden, Congress allow eviction ban to expire
Congress Eviction Moratorium People from a coalition of housing justice groups hold signs protesting evictions during a news conference outside the Statehouse, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) (Michael Dwyer)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Anger and frustration mounted in Congress over the weekend as a nationwide eviction moratorium expired during a surge in the COVID-19 pandemic. "What we need is the time.”The eviction ban was intended to prevent further virus spread by people put out on the streets and into shelters. Biden set off the scramble by announcing Thursday he would allow the eviction ban to expire instead of challenging a recent Supreme Court ruling signaling this would be the last deadline. On a 5-4 vote in late June, the Supreme Court allowed the broad eviction ban to continue through the end of July.
wftv.comFrustration as Biden, Congress allow eviction ban to expire
Congress Eviction Moratorium People from a coalition of housing justice groups hold signs protesting evictions during a news conference outside the Statehouse, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Boston. The eviction ban was intended to prevent further virus spread by people put out on the streets and into shelters. The day before the ban was set to expire, Biden called on local governments to “take all possible steps” to immediately disburse the funds. Biden set off the scramble by announcing Thursday he would allow the eviction ban to expire instead of challenging a recent Supreme Court ruling signaling this would be the last deadline. On a 5-4 vote in late June, the Supreme Court allowed the broad eviction ban to continue through the end of July.
wftv.comEvictions loom after Biden, Congress fail to extend ban
Congress Eviction Moratorium People from a coalition of housing justice groups hold signs protesting evictions during a news conference outside the Statehouse, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Boston. Hours before the ban was set to expire, Biden called on local governments to “take all possible steps” to immediately disburse the funds. Biden set off the scramble by announcing he would allow the eviction ban to expire, rather than challenge a recent Supreme Court ruling signaling this would be the last deadline. But after hours of behind-the-scenes wrangling throughout the day, Democratic lawmakers had questions and could not muster support to extend the ban even a few months. On a 5-4 vote last month, the Supreme Court allowed the broad eviction ban to continue through the end of July.
wftv.comEvictions looming, Biden fails to get Congress to extend ban
Congress Eviction Moratorium People from a coalition of housing justice groups hold signs protesting evictions during a news conference outside the Statehouse, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Boston. Hours before the ban was set to expire, Biden called on local governments to “take all possible steps” to immediately disburse the funds. “Every state and local government must get these funds out to ensure we prevent every eviction we can,” he said. He called on Congress on Thursday to swiftly pass legislation to extend the date. On a 5-4 vote last month, the Supreme Court allowed the broad eviction ban to continue through the end of July.
wftv.comWith evictions looming, Congress strains to extend ban
Scott Applewhite) (J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Hours before a nationwide eviction moratorium is set to expire, Congress raced Friday to try to extend the ban in a longshot effort to prevent millions of Americans from being forced from their homes during a COVID-19 surge. A House panel convened to consider emergency legislation to extend the ban, which expires Saturday, through Dec. 31. But facing difficulty in quickly passing a measure through Congress, Pelosi on Friday urged the administration to step in. The White House said Biden would have liked to extend the federal eviction moratorium due to spread of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. The Supreme Court mustered a bare 5-4 majority last month, to allow the eviction ban to continue through the end of July.
wftv.comCongress in longshot bid to extend expiring eviction ban
Congress Eviction Moratorium House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., left, and House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., go over their notes at the House Rules Committee as they prepare an emergency extension of the eviction moratorium, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, July 30, 2021. President Joe Biden called on "Congress to extend the eviction moratorium to protect such vulnerable renters and their families without delay." Scott Applewhite) (J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Hours before a nationwide eviction moratorium is set to expire, Congress raced Friday to try to extend the ban in a longshot effort to prevent millions of Americans of being forced from their homes during a COVID-19 surge. A House panel convened to consider emergency legislation to extend the ban, which expires Saturday, through Dec. 31. The White House said Biden would have liked to extend the federal eviction moratorium due to spread of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.
wftv.comHot mic: Biden suggests Maxine Waters run for Senate and encourages Nancy Pelosi to 'keep it up'
President Joe Biden encouraged California Rep. Maxine Waters to run for Senate during a bill signing event at the White House, which produced a series of hot microphone moments for the president.
news.yahoo.comMaxine Waters opponent Joe Collins loses lawsuit, ordered to pay her legal fees
Waters wrote of her Republican challenger that he “has, once again, done what he does best — lose.” During the 2020 election cycle, longtime California Rep. Maxine Waters was challenged by Republican Joe Collins, who later accused her of libel and slander in a lawsuit that was dismissed by a judge last month. Judge Yolanda Orozco has ruled that Collins will have to pay more than $53,000 in Waters’ attorneys’ fees.
news.yahoo.comBank CEOs tell Congress they'll work to avoid foreclosures
Congress Bank CEOs This image from video provided by the House Financial Services Committee shows Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser being sworn in to testify virtually to the House Financial Services Committee Thursday, May 27, 2021. The House hearing comes after senators on Wednesday questioned the six CEOs on topics including climate change, voting rights and racial inequities. This was the second hearing Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California and chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, has held with the big bank CEOs since Democrats took control of the House in 2019. In the earlier hearing, many of the same CEOs were questioned about their commitments to diversity and about the fees they charge customers. In response, the bank CEOs who have mortgage businesses — Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase — all said they planned to continue offering flexibility to borrowers even past the expiration date.
wftv.comBank CEOs return to testify in front of divided Congress
Congress Bank CEOs This image from video provided by the Senate Banking Committee shows Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser testifying virtually to the Senate Banking Committee Wednesday, May 26, 2021. The House’s hearing Thursday comes after senators on Wednesday questioned the six CEOs on topics ranging from climate change, voting rights to racial inequities. In the earlier hearing, many of the same CEOs were questioned about their commitments to diversity and about the fees they charge customers. The chief executives of JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are appearing via video for the hearing, as they did for the Senate hearing. The CEOs are appearing as the U.S. economy is recovering from the recession triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
wftv.comBank CEOs tell Congress they'll work to avoid foreclosures
The chief executives of the nation’s largest banks have been back in front of Congress, facing questions ranging from bitcoin to their efforts to keep Americans in their homes after government aid to pandemic-hit mortgage holders expires this summer.
Bank CEOs return to Congress at time of deep partisan divide
The first hearing is happening in front of the Senate Banking Committee, headed by the Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. A self-described progressive, Brown said that when he became chair of the committee earlier this year, he planned to subpoena the CEOs to testify as soon as he could. The banks are appearing in front of Congress as the U.S. economy is recovering from the pandemic. A new face on the panel is Jane Fraser, the new CEO of Citigroup, and the first female CEO of a big bank. Gone are the two CEOs of two banks, Bank of New York-Mellon and State Street.
wftv.comChauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death
Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, the explosive case that triggered worldwide protests, violence and a furious reexamination of racism and policing in the U.S. The jury deliberated about 10 hours over two days in a city on edge against another outbreak of unrest.
Biden hails House passage of $1.9T virus bill, now to Senate
“We have no time to waste,” Biden said at the White House after the House passage early Saturday. That ships the bill to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues. Biden said weeks ago that he didn't expect the minimum wage increase to survive the Senate's rules. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes. Republicans oppose the $15 minimum wage target as an expense that would hurt businesses and cost jobs.
Robinhood CEO defends actions in GameStop saga at hearing
(House Financial Services Committee via AP)WASHINGTON – The CEO of Robinhood defended the trading platform to Congress Thursday for its actions during the GameStop trading saga, while apologizing to customers for restricting their ability to trade at the height of the frenzy. AdTenev said Robinhood imposed the trading restrictions because regulators had increased capital requirements tenfold due to the spike in trading volume. Gill earned a handsome profit and a legion of online followers for making the case for GameStop shares on Reddit and YouTube long before the big price surge in January. Beyond Robinhood’s actions during the GameStop frenzy, lawmakers raised concern about its business model generally and possible downsides of its “democratization” of stock trading. The company offers commission-free trading, but critics say customers pay another, hidden price because Robinhood provides their data on buying and selling to Wall Street firms.
Lawmakers from AOC to Ted Cruz are bashing Robinhood over its GameStop trading freeze
Robinhood announced earlier in the day that it had limited trade in GameStop and other stocks targeted by investors on the irreverent WallStreetBets Reddit forum, citing "recent volatility." "While retail trading in some cases, like on Robinhood, blocked the purchasing of GameStop, hedge funds were still allowed to trade the stock," Khanna said. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., a member of the Financial Services Committee, went further, calling Robinhood's move "beyond absurd" and demanding a hearing on "Robinhood's market manipulation." Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., the chair of the Financial Services Committee, didn't return a request for comment. Charles Schwab said Thursday that its customers could still trade GameStop but noted that it limited certain kinds of transactions involving more risk.
cnbc.comSome in the GOP parrot far-right talk of a coming civil war
Some leftists have used similar language, which Republicans have likened to advocating a new civil war. “At the time of the Civil War, this took the form of Southern white men angry at the idea that the federal government would interfere with their right to own Black slaves. “The favorite son of this city was murdered because of a civil war as he was president. She resigned after she was barraged by calls from Trump supporters, some of whom demanded a military coup to keep Trump in office “no matter what it takes." Silber, the Civil War historian, said she is worried the attack on the Capitol wasn't the last stand for enraged Trump supporters.
Trump impeachment trial to focus on his attacks on election
Whenever it starts, the impeachment trial will force a further reckoning for the Republican Party and the senators who largely stood by Trump throughout his presidency and allowed him to spread false attacks against the 2020 election. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is open to considering impeachment, having told associates he is done with Trump, but he has not signaled how he would vote. At least four Republican senators have publicly expressed concerns about Trump’s actions, but others have signaled their preference to move on. Under Senate procedure, the trial is to start soon after the House delivers the article of impeachment. After Trump’s first impeachment, in 2019, she withheld the articles for some time to set the stage for the Senate action.
A day of historic impeachment, a Capitol as armed encampment
But only steps away, outside the chamber doors, there was the look of an armed encampment. The Capitol grounds were wrapped in fences, and scores of other law enforcement officers and troops kept a watchful eye. A replica of the dome that stands atop the Capitol, the Statue of Freedom, resides in the Capitol’s visitor center. The tensions were also apparent inside the House chamber. In the House chamber, there have been Capitol Police officers and civilian door monitors but no screening stations.
A day of historic impeachment, a Capitol as armed encampment
But only steps away, outside the chamber doors, there was the look of an armed encampment. The Capitol grounds were wrapped in fences, and scores of other law enforcement officers and troops kept a watchful eye. A replica of the dome that stands atop the Capitol, the Statue of Freedom, resides in the Capitol’s visitor center. The tensions were also apparent inside the House chamber. In the House chamber, there have been Capitol Police officers and civilian door monitors but no screening stations.
Capitol police were overrun, little defense against rioters
The revelations shed new light on why Capitol Police were so quickly overrun by rioters. One disturbing video shows a bloodied Metropolitan police officer screaming for help as he’s crushed by protesters inside the Capitol building. Still, they advised lawmakers to plan to use the underground tunnels that connect House office buildings to the Capitol. Benedict was at the bomb scene when Capitol Police captains there told him their officers were being overrun. When they began entering the Capitol complex at 2:40 p.m., the hallways were packed with rioters.
Capitol assault a more sinister attack than first appeared
Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. Minutes later, Pence was taken from the Senate chamber to a secret location and police announced the lockdown of the Capitol. Even before the mob reached sealed doors of the House chamber, Capitol Police pulled Pelosi away from the podium, she told “60 Minutes.”“I said, ‘No, I want to be here,’”she said. Back in the House chamber, a woman in the balcony was seen and heard screaming. When they breached the abandoned Senate chamber, they milled around, rummaged through papers, sat at desks and took videos and pictures.
The unfolding of 'home-grown fascism' in Capitol assault
Minutes later, Pence was taken from the Senate chamber to a secret location and police announced the lockdown of the Capitol. Even before the mob reached sealed doors of the House chamber, Capitol Police pulled Pelosi away from the podium, she told “60 Minutes.”“I said, ‘No, I want to be here,’”she said. Back in the House chamber, a woman in the balcony was seen and heard screaming. When they breached the abandoned Senate chamber, they milled around, rummaged through papers, sat at desks and took videos and pictures. These domestic terrorists were in the People’s House, desecrating the People’s House, destroying the People’s House.”___Associated Press writers Dustin Weaver in Washington and Michael Casey in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.
Capitol police were overrun, 'left naked' against rioters
The revelations shed new light on why Capitol Police were so quickly overrun by rioters. One disturbing video shows a bloodied Metropolitan police officer screaming for help as he’s crushed by protesters inside the Capitol building. Still, they advised lawmakers to plan to use the underground tunnels that connect House office buildings to the Capitol. Benedict was at the bomb scene when Capitol Police captains there told him their officers were being overrun. When they began entering the Capitol complex at 2:40 p.m., the hallways were packed with rioters.
Shocking mob attack on Capitol reflects array of security failures, infuriating Congress
Officers at a U.S. Capitol perimeter fence tried to hold their line but failed as intruders overturned the barrier. Other law enforcement experts said front-line officers were simply let down by their commanders, who failed to properly prepare. Still, federal law enforcement had planned to keep the presence of heavily armed police or military to a minimum, sources said. He said more than 50 Capitol and D.C. police officers were injured, with several Capitol officers hospitalized with serious injuries. Law enforcement is continuing to search for suspects.
latimes.comFed and Treasury urge Congress to approve more virus relief
(Greg Nash/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin urged Congress to approve COVID-19 relief funds without further delay, though Democrats continued to attack a decision by Mnuchin to allow five Fed lending programs to expire during the pandemic. In his most direct comments so far, Powell told the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday that it's “very important” for Congress to provide economic support. Without more assistance, Powell said, people will lose their homes and small businesses will fail. “We are hearing from all over that small businesses are really under pressure," Powell told lawmakers. “There is no justifiable reason for taking these tools away,” Rep. Maxine Waters, chair of the House panel, told Mnuchin.
What a Democrat-controlled SEC might look like and what it would mean for markets
"They will look at ESG disclosures, like climate and risk disclosure -- how much carbon and greenhouse chemicals are you putting into the air?" More involvement in corporate governance, climate change, worker pay, worker treatment, diversity and health care. What does the SEC have to do with climate risk? To many observers the requirement to "disclose" risks around climate change masks a broader agenda: "What is the goal here? "The SEC has been aggressive in expanding the pool of private markets, making it easier to raise money," he said.
cnbc.comLA Sheriff to politicians: emphasize trust in justice system
This Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, still image taken from video released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, shows Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva taking questions at a late-night news conference about the condition of two Sheriff's deputies in Compton, Calif. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via AP)LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County sheriff on Monday criticized elected officials, sports figures and civic leaders for “fanning the flames of hatred” as America grapples with racism and police brutality, saying they instead should emphasize trust in the criminal justice system. Hundreds marched to the Sheriff’s Department South LA station in Compton on Saturday to protest the fatal shootings of a Black man on Aug. 31 and a Black teenager in 2018. The NBA playoffs were delayed last month when Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and other stars supported the Milwaukee Bucks' decision not to play following Blake's shooting. She said the Sheriff's Department is out of control and called on state Attorney General Xavier Becerra to investigate “the pattern of abuses."
GOP targets Democratic-run California in election gamble
(AP Photo/Sait Serkan Gurbuz, File)LOS ANGELES Republican candidates eager for a turnaround in heavily Democratic California are spotlighting what they see as a dire threat to families and communities their own states policies. If Joe Biden says hes fighting for the soul of America, Republican candidates say they are fighting for the soul of California. Yet, in an election year that could produce a record Democratic turnout in California, Republican chances of gaining ground are uncertain at best. The California Republican Party was once a national powerhouse, and Orange County was a foundation block in the conservative revolution that sent the former California Gov. The numbers are witnessed at the ballot box: The GOP hasnt won a statewide election since 2006 and George H.W.
Hamilton dedicates F1 pole position to Chadwick Boseman
Hamilton will start in pole position for race on Sunday. A superhero died last night so that was really weighing heavy on me today," Hamilton said. I woke up today to the saddest news of Chadwick passing away, Hamilton said. Hamilton, the only black driver in F1, explained the impact both Chadwick and his film character had on him. Ferraris lack of form was such that Leclerc, who won last year from pole position, was happy to qualify in 13th.
Black lawmakers reflect on civil rights then, and now
Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream Speech, yet torn apart by the Black Lives Matter protests against the police shooting of another Black man, this time in Wisconsin. Friday's commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington comes as a new civil rights era is unfolding in real time in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after Sunday's shooting of Jacob Blake. REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIF.Maxine Waters said she started focusing on police violence in 1979 after Los Angeles police shot a Black homemaker, Eula Love, during a confrontation over an unpaid gas bill. Now the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, Clyburn was speaking Friday at a satellite rally in Columbia, South Carolina. So theres a lot of work for Black Lives Matter to do," Clyburn told AP, and I hope to live long enough to help them get it done.
55 years after riots, Watts neighborhood still bears scars
Lorinda Lacy, 45, stands outside her party store painted with a mural depicting Martin Luther King Jr. in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, Tuesday, June 30, 2020. There was violence and looting in some places, including Los Angeles, but not in LAs Watts neighborhood, forever linked to an uprising that broke out in the segregated community 55 years ago and became known as the Watts riots. Black residents, people born here and those who work to make life better in Watts spoke to The Associated Press about the challenges they faced and those that remain. He said the legacy of the Watts riots is something he keeps in mind as he tries to make life better for residents. Were not the same California we were 55 years ago or the city of Los Angeles 55 years ago.
Spirit warns of layoffs; aid for contractors being examined
Separately, key members of Congress said they are investigating aviation contractors that took federal payroll aid and then laid off thousands of workers. Airlines and airline contractors who received cash from a $32 billion pool of federal payroll aid agreed not to lay off workers until Oct. 1. Airline labor unions are lobbying Congress for six more months of federal aid. Some contractors who received money laid off workers anyway, according to three Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. At Spirit, the pilots union said it was notified Wednesday that 806 pilots could be furloughed, or terminated with rehiring rights.
Trump administration to give Congress full virus loan data
WASHINGTON After prodding from Democratic lawmakers, the Trump administration has agreed to give Congress but not the public complete data on the millions of small businesses that received loans from a $600 billion-plus coronavirus aid program. Their concession came with a warning to lawmakers not to divulge confidential loan information to the wider public. Last week, the Treasury Department and SBA relented to pressure from lawmakers and watchdogs and agreed to publicly disclose details on which businesses received loans under the program. Under the new agreement, the agencies will provide the complete data on loans of all sizes to the congressional oversight panels. Economists have said the small business loan program has helped, though its hard to know by how much.
Pick for top NY prosecutor won't withdraw from Trump matters
(Brendan Smialowski/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps pick to be the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan won't say whether he would withdraw from overseeing matters related to Trump in his current job, as Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, or if confirmed as U.S. attorney. Under questioning from Democrats, Clayton pledged to be independent as U.S. attorney but would not commit to stepping aside from matters related to Trump or his associates. Clayton would not say whether he had talked to anyone at Trumps organization or in his family about the nomination. Under her questioning, Clayton declined to say whether he had approached Trump and Barr about the job or whether they had approached him. But those Democrats have already rejected the nomination and say Clayton should withdraw.
The Latest: Mpls union leader says members scapegoated
FILE - In this July 30, 2018 file photo, Minneapolis Police Union President Lt. Bob Kroll speaks during a news conference in Minneapolis. (Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP)TOP OF THE HOUR: Minneapolis union president says members scapegoated. Kroll said Tuesday on CBS This Morning he thinks union members are being scapegoated for incompetent department leadership. Police chief Medaria Arradondo said after Floyds death that hes pausing contract negotiations with the union to consider major changes. Anna Hedberg, another union director, says the union had been having great conversations with city leaders and Arradondo before Floyds death.
House lawmaker calls for freezing consumer and business credit payments
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - All payments on mortgages, credit cards, small-business loans and other consumer debt would be indefinitely suspended under a plan unveiled on Wednesday by a senior Democratic House lawmaker in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Waters plan is the latest in a series of proposals from members of Congress and the White House as policymakers are scrambling to contain the spread of the flu-like virus and the economic fallout accompanying widespread quarantines. Her plan would also bar negative credit reporting, debt collection and repossession of goods during the pandemic. As chairwoman of the banking panel, Waters has considerable sway over financial policy. But there are multiple policy plans emerging from lawmakers and the White House, making it unclear how much of her plan could gain traction.
feeds.reuters.comDemocratic Rep. Maxine Waters sees little difference in Bloomberg using his fortune and others tapping donors
Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters defended Mike Bloomberg's right to self-finance his presidential campaign Thursday on CNBC, suggesting the billionaire's own money was not much different from money raised by other candidates. "We live in a democracy, unless it's undermined by this president who doesn't know what he's doing," Waters said on "The Exchange." "The democracy, and the way it gives everybody an opportunity, is what we basically believe in." Waters, chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, said she did believe democratic processes can be "distorted when people have extraordinary amounts of money." But even if Bloomberg's campaign spending is far ahead of his rivals, the former New York mayor has not "violated any laws, any rules," Waters said.
cnbc.com5 things to know before the stock market opens Wednesday
Spencer Platt | Getty Images News | Getty Images2. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty ImagesThe Democratic-controlled House needs just a simple majority vote to impeach Trump. On Thursday, a day after expected impeachment, the House is set to vote on a major rewrite of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday cleared the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a major Trump priority, to the full House. Here's what Wall Street expects if Trump were to be reelectedwall street sign with new york stock exchange blured flags as background Fischerrx6 | iStock | Getty Images
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