Day: January 13, 2017

Jake Arrieta Will Not Attend Cubs’ White House Ceremony

The Chicago Cubs are going to be heading to the White House to visit with President Barack Obama, but one of their biggest stars will not be accompanying them on the trip to the nation’s capital. That player is pitcher Jake Arrieta, who picked up a key win in Game 6 of the World Series en route to the team winning its first championship in 108 years.

Betsy DeVos omitted $125,000 anti-union political donation from Senate disclosure form

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team acknowledged Friday that Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump’s pick for education secretary, omitted a $125,000 political donation from disclosures she submitted to a Senate committee in advance of her confirmation hearing, which is scheduled for Tuesday. “We appreciate this being called to our attention and we will be updating our committee submission,” a transition team spokeswoman said Friday.

Reviewing the other night’s travesties

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan reads from a list of states with increasing health insurance premiums during his weekly news conference in the Capitol Visitors Center at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. Yesterday, January 12, was a shameful day for us in Colorado.

Chicago Public Schools mandate 4 furlough days for staff

In a letter sent Friday to district employees, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool blamed Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a measure providing $215 million in state aid to the district for the action. However, The Chicago Teachers Union says the district’s action is the latest consequence of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s and Claypool’s failure to pursue “progressive revenue for our schools.”

Top Trump aide in frequent contact with Russia’s ambassador

President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser and Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. have been in frequent contact in recent weeks, including on the day the Obama administration hit Moscow with sanctions in retaliation for election-related hacking, a senior official said Friday. Trump spokesman Sean Spicer acknowledged contacts between Michael Flynn and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, but said a phone conversation occurred on Dec. 28, one day before the sanctions were levied.

Sen. Markey to vote against Trump attorney general nominee

Sen. Edward Markey says he’ll vote against President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama. The Massachusetts Democrat said Friday that a review of Sessions’ record “demonstrates anything but the type of commitment to the equal and impartial administration of justice that we must demand from the nation’s top law enforcement officer.”

Report says Chicago police violated civil rights for years

The Justice Department on Friday laid bare years of civil rights violations by Chicago police, blasting the nation’s second-largest department for using excessive force that included shooting at people who did not pose a threat and using stun guns on others only because they refused to follow commands. The report was issued after a yearlong investigation sparked by the 2014 death of a black teenager who was shot 16 times by a white officer.

2 arrested in protest in US Sen. Grassleya s Iowa office

A news release by the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund says the arrests followed a four-hour sit-in Friday at Grassley’s office in Des Moines to protest the nomination of fellow Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions as the next attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. The group says Hugh Espey, executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund, and Reddit Hudson, regional director for the NAACP, were arrested.

When and where the newest Black Heritage series stamp will be issued

A new nondenominated commemorative forever stamp honoring civil rights advocate Dorothy Height will be issued Feb. 1 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The stamp, which is the 40th issue in the United States Postal Service’s Black Heritage commemorative series, will be offered in a pane of 20, offset printed by USPS contractor Ashton Potter USA Ltd., of Williamsville, N.Y. The Black Heritage series began in 1978 with a 13A stamp honoring abolitionist Harriet Tubman . One new stamp in the series is issued each year.

Attorney: DC sniper life sentence unconstitutional

An attorney for a man convicted of taking part in sniper shootings that left 10 people dead in the Washington area is asking a judge to toss his life sentence because he was convicted as a juvenile. In a motion filed Friday in a Maryland county court, public defender James Johnston argues that Lee Boyd Malvo’s mandatory life sentence is illegal because the U.S. Supreme Court determined such sentences are unconstitutional for juveniles.

House takes first step toward gutting Obamacare

Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, center, walks to the House floor where representatives voted Friday to approve a budget resolution that is the first step in repealing the Affordable Care Act in Washington, D.C. Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, center, walks to the House floor where representatives voted Friday to approve a budget resolution that is the first step in repealing the Affordable Care Act in Washington, D.C. Congress took its first step toward rolling back President Obama’s health care reform law Friday, with the House voting along party lines to pass key preliminary legislation.

After 2016 campaign, more Americans consider Russia a threat: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Americans are more concerned than they were before the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign began about the potential threat Russia poses to the country, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Friday. The Jan. 9-12 survey found that 82 percent of American adults, including 84 percent of Democrats and 82 percent of Republicans, described Russia as a general “threat” to the United States.

Personalized IRS letters nudge uninsured to get coverage

If you haven’t signed up for health insurance, you may soon be getting a not-too-subtle nudge from the taxman. The IRS is sending personalized letters to millions of taxpayers who might be uninsured, reminding them that they could be on the hook for hundreds of dollars in fines under the federal health care law if they don’t sign up soon.

Takata will plead guilty, pay $1B in airbag coverup

Takata Corp. has agreed to plead guilty to a single criminal charge and will pay $1 billion in fines and restitution for a years-long scheme to conceal a deadly defect in its automotive air bag inflators, federal prosecutors announced Friday, Jan. 13, 2017. At least 11 people have been killed by the inflators in the U.S. and 16 worldwide.

Vilsack leaving USDA early, no Trump replacement named

Secretary Tom Vilsack left the Agriculture Department a week before his tenure ends and before President-elect Donald Trump has chosen his replacement. Vilsack, who has led USDA for eight years and was President Barack Obama’s longest-serving Cabinet secretary, told employees in an email that Friday is his final day.

Trump Acosta by rude reporter, fake news CNN, liberal media

For eight years, the elite members of our national news media treated Barack Obama as a conquering hero, a political superstar who overcame racism and intolerance to become our first African American President. The vast majority of our media heavyweights idolize the President and agree with his liberal policies.

Rep. Lewis: ‘I Don’t See Trump as Legitimate’

In an exclusive interview for “Meet the Press,” Rep. John Lewis said he believes Donald Trump’s election is illegitimate because of Russian interference in last year’s election. Asked whether he would try to forge a relationship with the president-elect, Lewis said that he believes in forgiveness, but added, “it’s going to be very difficult.

Sen. Shaheen Supports Confirmation of Mattis, Not Sure Yet on Tillerson

It’s been a busy week in Washington, D.C. Lawmakers have heard from some of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for his Cabinet and they’ve also taken steps to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and the Armed Services Committees, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen had the opportunity to question two of Trump’s nominees-Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State and James Mattis for Secretary of Defense-and she joined NHPR’s Peter Biello to talk about those hearings and other news of the week.

SEC’s Power to Recoup Illegal Profits Draws High Court Scrutiny

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to rule on the scope of a favorite tool used by securities regulators to recoup money from people found to have violated federal laws. The court said it will decide whether the Securities and Exchange Commission is bound by a five-year statute of limitations when it seeks “disgorgement,” or the return of illegal profits.

Malloy to attend Trump’s inaugural

JULY 26: Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy at the Glamour And Facebook Host Conversation With Cindi Leive, Chelsea Clinton, Lena Dunham, America Ferrera At The Democratic National Convention on July 26, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. less PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 26: Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy at the Glamour And Facebook Host Conversation With Cindi Leive, Chelsea Clinton, Lena Dunham, America Ferrera At The Democratic National Convention … more The head of the nation’s Democratic governors – Connecticut’s Dannel P. Malloy – has reversed his decision to skip Donald Trump ‘s inauguration.

Lockheed Martin CEO meets with Trump, announces 1,800 more jobs coming to Fort Worth

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson leaves after a meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida on December 21, 2016. Marillyn Hewson met with President-elect Donald Trump in New York on Friday, and emerged from the meeting promising to reduce the costs of the company’s signature fighter plane and to add 1,800 jobs at its Fort Worth facility.

Ethical failures

Obamacare has saved livesa S-a Ssomething cancer survivor Jeff Jeans knows well. But House Speaker Paul Ryan wasn’t interested in hearing from Jeans at last night’s town hall.