November 20, 2024
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Bragg case 'effectively over' in 'major victory,' Trump officials say . . . Trump officials told Fox News Digital that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case is "effectively over" after Bragg requested a stay until 2029, celebrating the development as a "major victory" for President-elect Trump. Bragg on Tuesday requested a stay in New York v. Trump until 2029, as the president's attorneys motion to dismiss the case entirely. New York prosecutors said Tuesday that, while they are likely to oppose the argument, they are open to being briefed on Trump defense attorneys' case for complete dismissal. Fox News
Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Politics
Trump picks Linda McMahon to lead Department of Education . . . President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday selected his transition co-chair, Linda McMahon, to serve as secretary of the Department of Education — an agency that he and his allies have pledged to abolish. McMahon, 76, previously served as the head of the Small Business Administration during Trump's first term and is the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, a company she started with her husband, Vince McMahon. New York Post
Dr. Oz to run Medicare
Trump team ramps up pressure on Senate GOP to approve controversial nominees . . . Republican senators say Vice President-elect Vance is heading the effort to shore up wavering GOP senators who were caught off guard last week by Trump's most controversial picks, such as former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to serve as attorney general and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Vance will begin arranging meetings this week between key Republican senators and Gaetz, according to a source familiar with Vance's plans. The Hill
Harris tops the field for 2028 . . . Kamala Harris leads her closest potential 2028 Democrat presidential contender by 33 points, according to polling from Echelon Insights.
Here's the breakdown:
Vice President Kamala Harris — 41 percent
California Gov. Gavin Newsom — 8 percent
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — 7 percent
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg — 6 percent
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — 6 percent
Breitbart
Meaningless, but a fun fact.
Senate Democrats Launch Eleventh-Hour Campaign To Kneecap Jewish State . . . Senate Democrats are launching a campaign against the Jewish state aimed at drumming up support for blocking arms sales to Israel. Led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), the congressional offensive consists of three Senate disapproval resolutions that call for an immediate pause in American arms sales to Israel and accuse the United States of supporting mass war crimes in the Gaza Strip. Sanders is joined by Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D., Md.), Jeff Merkley (D., Ore.), Peter Welch (D., Vt.), and other top Democrats. Washington Free Beacon
Culture
Johnson clarifies stance on House transgender bathroom debate: 'A man is a man' . . . Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) clarified his position on how he'll address proposals to ban transgender lawmakers from using female bathroom facilities inside the Capitol building after initially sidestepping questions about the topic earlier Tuesday morning. "Let me be unequivocally clear, a man is a man and a woman is a woman, and a man cannot become a woman," Johnson told reporters. "That said, I also believe that's what Scripture teaches, what I just said, but I also believe that we treat everybody with dignity." Washington Examiner
After consulting the Bible and a ninth-grade biology textbook, Johnson was finally able to reach a conclusion.
Mace On Trans Bathroom Ban: As a 'Rape Survivor,' 'I Know How Vulnerable Women' Are 'In Private Spaces' . . . Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said Tuesday that her push to ban men who identify as transgender women from being able to use women's restrooms in the House was about protecting women in private spaces. Mace introduced legislation this week that would force "members, officers, and employees of the House" to use bathrooms that correspond to their biological sex. "If being a feminist makes me an extremist, I'm totally here for it," Mace said. Daily Wire
'Zionists Are Not Welcome Here': Anti-Israel Harvard Students Protest Outside Jewish Center . . . Anti-Israel students protested outside Harvard University's Hillel on Monday evening, shouting, "Zionists are not welcome here," as students walked into the Jewish community center. The anti-Israel student group, Harvard Jews for Palestine, organized the protest against former Israel Defense Forces spokesman Ronen Manelis, who was speaking inside the Hillel. Washington Free Beacon
Few Americans use 'woke' terminology: Survey . . . In the YouGov survey, under a quarter of Americans polled said they "regularly use" words and phrases such as "safe space," "woke," 'lived experience" and "white privilege." The phrases are commonly used in progressive, left-leaning and social justice-oriented spaces. Twenty percent of Americans in the YouGov survey said they regularly use "safe space," 19 percent said they regularly use "woke," 16 percent said they regularly use "lived experience" and 15 percent said they regularly use "white privilege."The Hill
National Security
Iran Sharply Expands Stockpile of Nuclear Fuel Ahead of Trump's Return . . . Iran sharply increased its stockpile of nearly weapons-grade uranium amid its confrontation with Israel, according to the United Nations atomic-energy agency, in a challenge for the incoming Trump administration. Iran's decision to expand its stockpile of nuclear fuel and its failure to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, which monitors Tehran's work, is set to trigger fresh diplomatic pressure from Europe. Wall Street Journal
US Government Is 'World's Largest Child Sex Trafficking Organization,' ex-Border Patrol Agent says . . . Retired Border Patrol agent J.J. Carrell told the lawmakers that the "United States federal government is the world's largest child sex trafficking organization in modern history." Carrell served in the Border Patrol for 24 years, retiring as a deputy patrol agent in charge of the San Diego Sector before going on to author a book on the border crisis and film two documentaries on the topic. "I state with complete certainty that Biden, Harris, and Mayorkas intentionally, strategically and purposely weaponized illegal immigration and use it as a tool to fundamentally transform America," Carrell sai. Daily Signal
Los Angeles passes 'sanctuary city' plan to thwart mass deportations under Trump . . . The Los Angeles City Council enacted a "sanctuary city" ordinance Tuesday that aims to shield the city from President-elect Donald Trump's mass deportation plans. The city will refuse to share information with federal immigration authorities and bar resources from being used for immigration enforcement. "We're going to send a very clear message that the city of Los Angeles will not cooperate with ICE in any way," Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez said. Washington Examiner
Trump won't try to get them to cooperate. They'll just need to get out of the way.
Harris escapes to Hawaii as Democrats reel from 2024 losses . . . As Democrats reel from a Republican takeover of Washington, Harris traveled to Kalaoa, Hawaii, on Tuesday evening, capping a postelection period in which she has shifted back into the background of the Biden administration"She's never been the party leader," one Democratic strategist close to the White House said. "She couldn't get through a primary on her own, so it's fitting that she'd slink off to Hawaii while the party falls apart." Washington Examiner
International
Western embassies in Kyiv shut due to Russian air attack threat after Biden policy shift . . . The U.S. and some other Western embassies in Kyiv said that they would stay closed Wednesday for security reasons, with the American delegation saying it had received a warning of a potentially significant Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital. The precautionary step came after Russian officials promised a response to President Joe Biden's decision to let Ukraine strike targets on Russian soil with U.S.-made missiles — a move that angered the Kremlin. Associated Press
Ukraine front could 'collapse' as Russia gains accelerate, experts warn . . . Data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows that Russia has gained almost six times as much territory in 2024 as it did in 2023, and is advancing towards key Ukrainian logistical hubs in the eastern Donbas region. Meanwhile, Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region is faltering. Russian troops have pushed Kyiv's offensive backwards. Experts have questioned the success of the offensive, with one calling it a "strategic catastrophe" given manpower shortages faced by Ukraine. BBC
Money
Californians turn down minimum-wage increase . . . The defeat of an initiative to raise the minimum wage to $18 an hour makes California the first state to reject a statewide minimum-wage increase at the ballot in almost 30 years, an outcome likely to reverberate across organized labor nationally. Sponsored by entrepreneur and anti-poverty advocate Joseph Sanberg, the fight over Proposition 32 received less attention than other recent minimum-wage initiatives that have become contentious conflicts between business and organized labor. Politico
Trump looks to bring back workplace raids as part of mass deportation plans
Google Spent 15 Years Creating a Corporate Culture of Concealment . . . Google The exhibits and testimony showed that Google took numerous steps to keep a lid on internal communications. It encouraged employees to put "attorney-client privileged" on documents and to always add a Google lawyer to the list of recipients, even if no legal questions were involved and the lawyer never responded. Companies anticipating litigation are required to preserve documents. But Google exempted instant messaging from automatic legal holds. If workers were involved in a lawsuit, it was up to them to turn their chat history on. From the evidence in the trials, few did. New York Times
You should also know
Kissinger's final warning: Prepare now for 'superhuman' people to control Earth . . . Humanity must begin preparations to no longer be in charge of Earth because of artificial intelligence, according to a new book from the late statesman Henry Kissinger and a pair of the country's leading technologists. The rise of AI creating "superhuman" people is a major topic of concern in "Genesis," published Tuesday. It's the "last book" from Kissinger, who died last year at age 100. Washington Times
Florist who refused to serve Trump supporters closes shop amid fierce backlash . . . A Memphis florist said she didn't want to serve supporters of Donald Trump. Now she's not serving anyone else either. Kristin Wolter has closed her shop for the rest of the week "due to threats to me and my business," according to a statement made on the now-private Instagram account of Everbloom Design. Washington Times
Guilty Pleasures
Italian village offers 1-euro homes to Americans wanting to relocate after election . . . A small rural village in Italy is offering homes for as little as $1.06 after the 2024 presidential election. "Are you worned out by global politics? Looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities? It's time to start building your European escape in the stunning paradise of Sardinia," the promotional website says. The village of Ollolai on the island of Sardinia is working to increase their population size after decades of decline by attracting Americans seeking a new home. The Hill
Please, let's not ruin this lovely island.
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