News Roundup: Youngkin Targets CRT Curricula, School Mask Mandates in Day-One Flurry of Executive Orders

BY JACK CROWE

January 17, 2022

Good morning and welcome to the News Editor's Roundup, a weekly newsletter that will ensure you're up to date on the developments in politics, business, and culture that will shape the week's news cycle — as well as those that might escape mainstream attention.

Youngkin Targets CRT Curricula, School Mask Mandates in Day-One Flurry of Executive Orders

Immediately after being sworn in on Saturday, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a spate of executive orders on issues ranging from the teaching of critical race theory to mask mandates in schools.

A press release from Youngkin's office said the order "delivers on his Day One promise to restore excellence in education by ending the use of divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory, in public education."

Youngkin signed eleven executive orders after being sworn-in on Saturday, including an order lifting a mask mandate in public schools and another promising to investigate a sexual assault allegation at a Loudoun County high school.

"Executive Order Number Two delivers on his Day One promise to empower Virginia parents in their children's education and upbringing by allowing parents to make decisions on whether their child wears a mask in school," the release continued.

Former Clinton Adviser Says There's 'Good Chance' of Clinton-Trump Race in 2024

Dick Morris, who once served as a top adviser to former President Bill Clinton, predicted on Sunday there is a "good chance" both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will run against each other again in 2024.

During an appearance on John Catsimatidis's radio show, Cats Roundtable, Morris suggested there is a good chance Americans could see a Clinton-Trump rematch if Democrats lose control of Congress in the 2022 midterm elections, in which case President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris would struggle to maintain support.

"Hillary has set up a brilliant strategy that nobody else is able to do," Morris added. "Knowing the people around her, I believe there is only one person capable of that level of thinking — and that's her husband, Bill."

"The second the election is over … every Democrat is going to take a shot at Biden and Harris. They will be DOA," Morris said.

Poll: Half of Americans 'Frustrated,' 'Disappointed' with Biden's Presidency

Half of respondents in a new CBS News poll released Sunday said they were "frustrated" and "disappointed" with President Biden's presidency.

The poll, which comes days before Biden marks his first full year in office, found 40 percent of respondents said Biden's presidency made them feel "nervous" and just 25 percent of respondents said it made them feel "calm" and "satisfied."

The survey revealed a bleak outlook among a majority of respondents, with 75 percent saying they felt America was doing "somewhat" or "very" badly in a general sense.

Americans gave Biden poor scores on a number of issues. A majority of respondents disapproved of his handling of the economy, immigration, race relations, crime, inflation, policing and Afghanistan. Respondents were split on Biden's Covid-19 response, with 49 percent saying he was doing a good job and 51 percent saying he was doing poorly.

Clyburn: Sinema, Manchin Should Quit Their 'Foolishness' in Opposing Filibuster Suspension

House majority whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) on Sunday suggested senators Kyrsten Sinema (D., Ariz.) and Joe Manchin (D., W. Va.) must quit their "foolishness" in opposing Democrats' plans to suspend the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation.

Clyburn appeared on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, where host Jake Tapper noted that Manchin and Sinema both support both the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, but oppose sidestepping the filibuster to pass the bills.

Sinema said last week that "eliminating the 60-vote threshold will simply guarantee that we lose a critical tool that we need to safeguard our democracy from threats in the years to come."

Tapper asked Clyburn, "Doesn't she have a point? The Democrats might need that filibuster as soon as 2025 to stop Republicans from imposing even harsher voting restrictions."

"Look, no she is not right about that," Clyburn argued, noting that the Senate "just got around the filibuster to raise the debt limit."

"No one has asked her to eliminate the filibuster," he said. "The filibuster is there for all of these issues that may be policy issues but when it comes to the constitution of the United States of America, no one person sitting downtown in a spa ought to be able to pick up the telephone and say you are going to put a hole in my ability to vote and that's what's going on here."

Djokovic Loses Visa Appeal, Leaves Australia 'Disappointed'

Tennis champion Novak Djokovic left Australia Sunday on the eve of the Australian open following a court decision to deport him over his submission of what they deemed to be a dishonest vaccine medical exemption.

Three Australian Federal Court judges unanimously upheld a decision made Friday by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to cancel Djokovic's visa on public-interest grounds because he is not vaccinated against Covid-19.

Djokovic, who is the world's top-ranked male tennis player, will be unable to defend his title and make a bid for a 21st singles major title.

"I am extremely disappointed with the Court ruling to dismiss my application for judicial review of the Minister's decision to cancel my visa, which means I cannot stay in Australia and participate in the Australian Open," Djokovic said in a statement, according to ESPN.

"I respect the Court's ruling and I will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country," he added.

Texas Synagogue Hostages Rescued; Hostage-Taker Dead

All of the hostages in a Texas synagogue were rescued on Saturday night, ending the daylong standoff between an Islamic extremist and authorities.

Four people were being held inside the synagogue by the man, whose identity has not yet been confirmed. In a Facebook livestream broadcast from inside Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, the man ranted about a number of topics, including his family and Islam.

"If anyone tries to enter this building, I'm telling you . . . everyone will die," he said during the livestream. He also called for the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist found guilty of attempting to murder U.S. soldiers while Siddiqui was in their custody in Afghanistan in 2010.

Nikki Fried Claims Ron DeSantis Is Similar to Hitler 'in a Lot of Ways'

Florida agriculture commissioner Nikki Fried compared Governor Ron DeSantis to Adolf Hitler during a Friday interview on the podcast The Florida Roundup.

"Instead of listening and trying to govern with the people, he is trying to govern over the people, and, you know, that, I'm sorry, I'm a student of history, too. I saw the rise of Hitler," Fried told podcast cohost Melissa Ross of WJCT radio.

When Ross asked if Fried was comparing DeSantis to Hitler, Fried responded "in a lot of ways, yes . . . I have studied Hitler and how he got to power, you know, wanting his own militia."

Fried was apparently referring to DeSantis's proposal to reconstitute the Florida State Guard, which was disbanded in 1947, to help respond to "state-specific emergencies" such as natural disasters. The proposed Guard would consist of about 200 volunteers and would fall under the state's sole authority, with similar organizations currently active in 22 other states.

John Thune Says Trump 'Rehashing' 2020 Election Not Helpful for Midterms

Senate minority whip John Thune (R., S.D.) said former president Trump's spurious claims that the 2020 election was stolen will not be helpful for Republicans in the midterms, in comments to Fox News published Saturday.

"To the degree that President Trump can be helpful, can contribute to" helping Republicans take back the Senate, "we welcome that," Thune told Fox. "But I think any time we're talking about the 2020 election and rehashing that, it takes our eyes off the ultimate prize."

Thune added, "We welcome the former president's support of that, but would hope that he would play a constructive role and contribute to helping us win the majority back in 2022."

DirecTV Says It Will Not Renew Contract with OANN

DirecTV has decided not to renew its contract with the far-right One America News Network (OANN), according to several reports.

The DirecTV broadcast satellite service, which is owned by AT&T Inc. and TPG Inc., said in a statement that it has informed Herring Networks, the owner of OANN, that "following a routine internal review," DirecTV does not "plan to enter into a new contract when our current agreement expires."

The contract is set to expire in early April, one source told Bloomberg News, which first reported the decision.

DirecTV is currently the largest distributor of OANN. The network will still air on Verizon Fios and other smaller carriers. It is also available to stream online from KloudTV.