William Burns, the nominee for CIA director, called the Chinese government a “formidable, authoritarian adversary” during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, while facing questions about his tenure as president of a foreign policy think tank that received funding from a businessman and Chinese front group with links to the Chinese Communist Party. During the […]
Harris Won’t Overrule Senate Parliamentarian on Minimum Wage, White House Chief of Staff Says
Vice President Kamala Harris will not attempt to overrule the Senate parliamentarian if she rules that a federal minimum wage increase cannot be enacted through a process known as budget reconciliation, according to White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. “Certainly that’s not something we would do. We’re going to honor the rules of the […]
Biden Revokes 7 Trump Executive Orders, Offers No Explanation
President Joe Biden revoked seven executive orders on Feb. 24 issued by President Donald Trump between 2017 and 2021. The White House offered no explanation for the revocation in its formal press release. Biden’s action revoked one of the first executive actions Trump signed upon taking office—an executive order titled Core Principles for Regulating the […]
Biden’s OMB Nominee Neera Tanden Lacking Confirmation Votes: Bernie Sanders
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday that her two confirmation hearings were postponed because she “didn’t look like she had the votes.” “I think there’s no secret she’s lacking the votes right now and she’s working hard to try to get the votes,” Sanders told reporters at the Capitol on […]
Australia Passes ‘World First’ Google, Facebook Media Payment Law
The contentious “world-first” media payment law that spurred Facebook to censor news content in Australia will soon be in force after the Australian federal Parliament ratified it on Thursday. The media payment law locks Google and Facebook into a framework where eligible news outlets in Australia, with a minimum revenue of $150,000, can enter negotiations […]
Biden Revokes Trump Immigration Restriction Issued Amid Pandemic
President Joe Biden late Wednesday issued a proclamation to revoke an immigration restriction issued by former President Donald Trump in 2020 amid the CCP virus pandemic. In April 2020, Trump issued Proclamation 10014 to suspend entry into the United States for 60 days to foreigners who did not have a valid immigrant visa or official […]
Trump Appeals Suspension to Rejoin Facebook, Instagram
Former President Donald Trump has submitted a statement of appeal to an oversight board funded by Facebook in a bid to rejoin the platform. The decision is expected to take around two and a half months. Former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who is a co-chair of the oversight board, told UK’s Channel 4 News […]
No Charges For Officers Involved in Daniel Prude’s Death
A grand jury in New York state on Feb. 23 voted against indicting police officers on charges related to the March 2020 death of Daniel Prude. Prude, 41, was pronounced dead a week after his arrest on March 23, 2020. His relatives had called the police for help when he was suffering a mental episode. […]
Schumer Calls for Democratic ‘Unity’ Despite Wage Hike Debate
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Feb. 23 called for unity within the Democratic Party amid clashes over whether an hourly minimum wage hike should be included as part of a COVID-19 relief bill. He emphasized in a conference call with Senate Democrats the importance of Democrats sticking together on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion […]
Conservative Groups to Start New Election Transparency Initiative
Two conservative groups, Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) and American Principles Project (APP), announced on Tuesday in a joint statement that they will start a new election transparency initiative to be led by Ken Cuccinelli, former deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration. “I’m proud to join SBA List […]