Within moments of widespread media reports that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will retire when the current term ends this summer, the Washington parlor game of making a short list of judges President Joe Biden might consider to replace him began. After all, Biden had pledged during the campaign that he would nominate a Black woman to the nine-Justice panel in an historic first.
There’s one major problem facing Biden’s prospects, though: he might not be able to win confirmation for the expected pick. So much of influence in Washington isn’t in the press conferences or performative turns on cable news. The real power comes from mastering the process by which it is transferred, accumulated and defended. And, when it comes to managing a generational shift of power in America’s judicial system, no one has proven more adept than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The Senate is split 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie. So far, so good, given past Senators have changed the rules for judicial nominees to get across the finish line with just 51 votes. The so-called nuclear option is meant as a last resort, but with the exception of Chief Justice John Roberts, none of the current conservative Justices cleared a 60-vote benchmark.
LONDON, Ky. (AP) — A man pardoned by Kentucky’s former governor for a 2014 drug robbery killing will return to prison to serve a 42-year federal sentence for the same crime.
Patrick Baker was convicted of murder committed during a drug trafficking crime last year in a federal trial. He had been out of prison since 2019 when former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin pardoned him for the slaying of Donald Mills.
Federal prosecutors are reviewing fake Electoral College certifications that declared former President Donald Trump the winner of states that he lost, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told CNN on Tuesday.
“We’ve received those referrals. Our prosecutors are looking at those and I can’t say anything more on ongoing investigations,” Monaco said in an exclusive interview.
The fake certificates falsely declaring Trump’s victory were sent to the National Archives by Trump’s allies in mid-December 2020. They have attracted public scrutiny amid the House’s January 6 investigation into the pressure campaign that sought to reverse Trump’s electoral defeat.
Monaco did not go into detail about what else prosecutors are looking at from the partisan attempt to subvert the 2020 vote count. She said that, more broadly, the Justice Department was “going to follow the facts and the law, wherever they lead, to address conduct of any kind and at any level that is part of an assault on our democracy.”
This is the first time that the Justice Department has commented on requests from lawmakers and state officials that it investigate the fake certifications.
The certificates contain the signatures of Trump supporters who falsely claimed to be the rightful electors in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada and New Mexico — all states that President Joe Biden had won. Some of the certificates were sent by top officials representing the Republican Party in each state, according to the documents, which were obtained and made public by the watchdog group American Oversight.
In response to Monaco’s new comments, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul told CNN in a statement that it was “critical that the federal government fully investigates and prosecutes any unlawful actions in furtherance of any seditious conspiracy.”
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, a Democrat, told CNN in a statement on Tuesday that he is “pleased the DOJ is looking into this matter, as these disturbing allegations require that federal authorities partner with state law enforcement agencies across the country to ensure integrity in the election process.”
The New Mexico Attorney General’s office previously said it is reviewing the matter under state law, and like other states, has referred it to the Justice Department via their US attorney’s office.
“We have received information from the New Mexico Attorney General’s office, but we can’t comment on it at this time,” Scott Howell, a spokesman for the US attorney for New Mexico, told CNN on Monday.
In her interview with CNN, Monaco also touted the efforts the Justice Department has made to address the threats and harassment that election officials have faced.
“I’m concerned about the really disturbing nature of the threats that we’ve seen. They’ve been disturbingly aggressive, and violent and personal,” Monaco said. She pointed to an indictment unveiled by the Justice Department last week alleging that a Texas man had threatened to kill Georgia election officials. The indictment was the first to be brought after the formation of a department task force focused on the issue.
“Those charges were the first coming out of that task force but they will not be the last,” Monaco said.
This story has been updated with additional information.
‘AirCar’ is certified to fly after passing safety tests in Slovakia where it completed 200 take-offs and landings
The dual-mode flying vehicle can transform from a sports car to a flying vehicle in less than three minutes
Developers say the AirCar would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys in the future
While no price details have been revealed as of yet, AirCar could go on sale in the next 12 months
A futuristic flying car that can reach heights of more than 8,000ft and speeds over 100mph is one step closer to going on sale.
That’s because the dual-mode ‘AirCar’ craft, which can transform from a road vehicle into a plane in under three minutes, is now officially certified to fly after passing safety tests in Slovakia.
It was awarded its new status after completing more than 200 take-offs and landings during 70 hours of rigorous flight testing to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards.
AirCar’s developers said the tests included the full range of flight and performance manoeuvres, before adding that the craft ‘demonstrated an astonishing static and dynamic stability in the aircraft mode’.
They said AirCar’s take-off and landing procedures were achieved even without the pilot’s need to touch the flight controls.
Now that the craft has been granted its Certificate of Airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority, the developers say a new production model is expected to be certified in 12 months.
No price details have been revealed for the futuristic vehicle, but it could be seen in the air and on the roads by next year at the latest.
Now that the craft has been granted its Certificate of Airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority, the developers say a new production model is expected to be certified in 12 months
AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars,’ said Professor Stefan Klein, AirCar’s inventor, the leader of the development team and test pilot.
‘It is official and the final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel forever.’
The project’s co-founder Anton Zajac said: ‘Fifty years ago, the car was the epitome of freedom. AirCar allows us to be free again.’
René Molnár, the director of the Transport Authority of Slovakia, said: ‘Transportation Authority carefully monitored all stages of unique AirCar development from its start in 2017.
‘The transportation safety is our highest priority.
‘AirCar combines top innovations with safety measures in line with EASA standards.
‘It defines a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft.
‘Its certification was both a challenging and fascinating task.’
The certification of flying comes six months after AirCar completed its first ever inter-city flight in Slovakia.
After landing the vehicle then transformed into a sports car in less than three minutes before being driven to the centre of Bratislava.
The AirCar Prototype 1, which has a 160 horsepower fixed-propeller engine, is the brain child of Professor Klein and was developed by Slovakian firm KleinVision.
Netflix shares tumbled 20% Friday after the company quietly admitted that streaming competition was eating into its own growth in its fourth-quarter earnings release Thursday.
However, Netflix still beat analyst expectations on the top and bottom line and in user numbers for the quarter.
The question of competition is even more crucial given Netflix recently raised prices in its standard plan from $13.99 to $15.49 per month.
Reed Hastings, Co-CEO, Netflix speaks at the 2021 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. October 18, 2021.
Netflix shares are down 20% in trading Friday after the company quietly admitted in its fourth-quarter earnings that streaming competition is eating into its growth. If it remains down more than 20% until close it will be Netflix’s worst day since Oct. 16, 2014, when shares fell 19.3%.
Despite beating analyst expectations on the top and bottom line and in user numbers for the quarter, the admission seemed to rock investors. Netflix executives have infamously pointed to things like sleep as potential competitors, claiming anything else users could be doing with their time is competition.
But even as the streaming wars heated up with Disney and even CNBC owner NBCUniversal entering the mix, Netflix leaders mostly maintained resolved about the new competition.
“While this added competition may be affecting our marginal growth some, we continue to grow in every country and region in which these new streaming alternatives have launched,” the company said in its shareholder letter on Thursday.
The question of competition is even more crucial given Netflix increased prices just last week in the U.S. and Canada, raising its standard plan from $13.99 to $15.49 per month. With other alternatives available to consumers, higher prices could become a trickier gamble.
This proves NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!!!! SIX of the NINE Justices were appointed by Republican Presidents. Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, did NOT object to the outcome and neither did the other two Justices Trump selected, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett…….PapaMike
The picture below was posted by PapaMike and not by the “source” of this article.
Posted onBy Mark Sherman who has covered the Supreme Court for The Associated Press since 2006
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a rebuff to former President Donald Trump, the Supreme Court is allowing the release of presidential documents sought by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The justices on Wednesday rejected a bid by Trump to withhold the documents from the committee until the issue is finally resolved by the courts. Trump’s lawyers had hoped to prolong the court fight and keep the documents on hold.
Following the high court’s action, there is no legal impediment to turning over the documents, which are held by the National Archives and Records Administration. They include presidential diaries, visitor logs, speech drafts and handwritten notes dealing with Jan. 6 from the files of former chief of staff Mark Meadows.
The committee already has begun to receive records Trump wanted kept secret, said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the committee chairman and vice chairwoman, respectively.
“The Supreme Court’s action tonight is a victory for the rule of law and American democracy,” Thompson and Cheney said in a statement pledging to “uncover all the facts about the violence of January 6th and its causes.”
White House spokesman Mike Gwin called the ruling “an important step forward” for the investigation, “and in ensuring accountability for an unprecedented assault on our democracy and the rule of law.”
The House committee agreed to defer its attempt to get some documents, at the request of the Biden White House. The current administration was concerned that releasing all of the Trump administration documents sought by the committee could compromise national security and executive privilege.
Alone among the justices, Clarence Thomas said he would have granted Trump’s request to keep the documents on hold.
Trump’s attorneys had asked the high court to reverse rulings by the federal appeals court in Washington and block the release of the records even after President Joe Biden waived executive privilege over them.
In an unsigned opinion, the court acknowledged there are “serious and substantial concerns” over whether a former president can win a court order to prevent disclosure of certain records from his time in office in a situation like this one.
But the court noted that the appeals court determined that Trump’s assertion of privilege over the documents would fail under any circumstances, “even if he were the incumbent.”
It said the issue of a former president’s ability to claim executive privilege would have to wait for another day.
The court took issue with the conclusion of the appeals court that downplayed a former president’s interests, suggesting that the current president could in essence ignore his predecessor’s claims.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who worked in the White House under President George W. Bush, wrote separately to argue that “a former President must be able to successfully invoke the Presidential communications privilege for communications that occurred during his Presidency, even if the current President does not support the privilege claim.”
But Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, did not object to the outcome Wednesday, and neither did the other two justices Trump selected, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.
Before and after the riot, Trump promoted false theories about election fraud and suggested the “real insurrection” was on Election Day, when he lost to Biden.
Repeating arguments they made before lower courts, Trump’s attorneys had urged the justices to step in, arguing that the case concerned all future occupants of the White House. Former presidents had “a clear right to protect their confidential records from premature dissemination,” Trump’s lawyers said.
“Congress cannot engage in meandering fishing expeditions in the hopes of embarrassing President Trump or exposing the President’s and his staff’s sensitive and privileged communications ‘for the sake of exposure,’” they added.
But the House committee responded in its high court brief that although the facts of the case are “unprecedented,” the decision was “not a difficult one.”
There was no explanation for the timing of the court’s action. But the National Archives told the appeals court and Trump’s lawyers that it would turn over some documents it asserted were not part of the court case on Wednesday absent a new court order.
Also on Wednesday, the House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection issued subpoenas to leaders of an alt-right group who appeared at events promoting baseless claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election.
The committee demanded records and testimony from Nick Fuentes and Patrick Casey — internet personalities who have promoted white supremacist beliefs — regarding what lawmakers say is their promotion of unsupported claims about the election and their presence on Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021.
Since its creation last summer, the committee has interviewed almost 350 people as it seeks to create a comprehensive record of the attack and the events leading up to it.
___
Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
These are three of the more charitable adjectives that describe President Joe Biden’s execrable speech on Tuesday. He flew to Atlanta to promote so-called “voting rights” legislation that would nationalize state election laws and codify many of the dangerous measures that “temporarily” loosened ballot security in 2020, as COVID-19 terrorized America.
Biden could have laced his words with honey. Instead, Biden bombed a vinegar factory.
“Do you want to be on the side of Dr. [Martin Luther] King or George Wallace?” Biden asked. “Do you want to be on the side of John Lewis or Bull Connor? Do you want to be on the side of Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis?”
So, Biden argues, if one disfavors mass mail-in ballots—because they break the chain of custody that links the casting, collection, and tabulation of ballots—then one is just like Wallace, Alabama’s former Democrat governor. Wallace’s slogan was “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!” He stood in a doorway in June 1963 to prevent black students from integrating the University of Alabama.
Repulsive.
Millions of Americans dislike forcing states to practice ballot trafficking, i.e., letting campaign workers collect mail-in ballots from voters’ homes and then submit fistfuls of them on the honor system. Biden equates these people with Bull Connor.
Bull Connor sounds like a rodeo star. Hardly. As Birmingham’s Commissioner of Public Safety, Theophilus “Bull” Connor used canines, not bovines. He sicced barking, snarling, police dogs on peaceful, mainly black civil rights protestors in May 1963. He also used fire hoses to blast demonstrators across sidewalks and into gutters.
Surely, such a villain was a racist Republican. Au contraire, in 1960, Bull Connor was elected one of Alabama’s two members of the Democratic National Committee.
Grotesque.
Banks, hotels, airlines, and other businesses routinely ask Americans of all races to present photo ID. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently required residents to carry vaccination cards and photo ID whenever they leave home. An August Honest Elections Project survey of 1,200 voters found that 81% favored voter ID, including 77% of blacks. Biden asserts that these millions of Americans are just like President of the Confederate States Jefferson Davis, a slaveowner whose…
