With so many crazy things happening, sometimes things fall through the cracks. Here are some headlines that you may find interesting and worth discussing.
- President-elect Joe Biden appeared to blame the “Defund the Police” movement for contributing to surprising Democratic downballot losses in the November election, telling civil rights leaders this week that they should proceed carefully on criminal justice issues.
- “That’s how they beat the living hell out of us across the country, saying that we’re talking about defunding the police. We’re not. We’re talking about holding them accountable,”
- Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., is threatening to subpoena CDC Director Robert Redfield and Health and Human Services Secy. Alex Azar over allegations over concealing information on the administration’s coronavirus response. NBC’s Heidi Przybyla reports
- The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allegedly ordered the destruction of an email written by a top Trump administration health official who was seeking changes in a scientific report on the coronavirus’s risk to children, the head of a congressional oversight subcommittee charged Thursday.
- In a letter to CDC Director Robert R. Redfield and his superior, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), expressed “my serious concern about what may be deliberate efforts by the Trump Administration to conceal and destroy evidence that senior political appointees interfered with career officials’ response to the coronavirus crisis at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
- President-elect Joe Biden is reported to select former national security adviser Susan Rice to lead his Domestic Policy Council. NBC’s Mike Memoli has details.
- As ICU beds in Albuquerque, New Mexico hit 118% capacity, Mayor Tim Keller says “the city’s ready to convert anything into a hospital or a care space.”
- Starbucks is set to raise its wages Monday, bringing 30 percent of its employees or “partners” above $15 an hour.
Pass around the smelling salts!
- Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on Thursday introduced legislation to provide a second round of stimulus checks to most Americans as negotiations on a larger coronavirus relief package struggle to reach a breakthrough.
- Hawley, who has said he will oppose any deal that doesn’t include another round of direct assistance, said his legislation mirrors a proposal from the March CARES Act that provided a $1,200 check for individuals who made up to $75,000.
- A federal judge denied a request from the Trump administration to reinstate a longstanding rule requiring that people seeking abortion pills obtain them in person in a health care setting.
- Someone in Ohio gets it:
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Georgia House Speaker Says Voters Shouldn't Pick Secretary of State in the Future
House Speaker David Ralston (R-Ga) said that lawmakers should pick the secretary of state if a constitutional amendment were to pass by voters. Ralston is asking for the legislative proposal after Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) angered Georgia lawmakers and Donald Trump by denying Trump’s stupid claims of voter fraud.
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New Hampshire's Speaker of the House Dies of COVID-19
New Hampshire House Speaker Richard “Dick” Hinch died of COVID-19, the according to the NH Attorney General onThursday, citing the autopsy report. He was 71.
The Republican had been formally elected on December 2, and had been speaker previously from 2015 to 2018.
He was only one of 3,124 Americans who died from COVID-19 on Wednesday.
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Family calls for the arrest of cop who killed Casey Goodson Jr.
Family members are calling for a sheriff's deputy to be arrested and charged with murder for the killing of Casey Goodson Jr.
The 23-year-old was fatally shot last Friday in Ohio.https://t.co/AFnj67Qpgi
— NPR (@NPR) December 10, 2020
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More on Paxton
Former aides accuse Paxton of a number of crimes in his relationship with Austin investor Nate Paul. Paxton has denied any wrongdoing.
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) December 10, 2020
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Someone may need a pardon
NEW: FBI agents delivered at least one federal subpoena to the Texas Attorney General's office Wednesday for information in an ongoing investigation involving AG Ken Paxton, three sources confirm, indicating the seriousness with which they are taking allegations against Paxton. pic.twitter.com/hn77HfcDwj
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) December 10, 2020
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Republican women not too keen on the vaccine
The number of Republicans who said they will take a coronavirus vaccine has increased, but they remain largely split, a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Maris poll finds.
Just 34% of Republican women say they would take a vaccine, compared with 61% of Republican men. https://t.co/V8uWn9EPLn
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) December 10, 2020
Perhaps, they’re buying into the whole changing of the DNA thingy and they might become normal.
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Still at it:
Great. Most corrupt Election in history, by far. We won!!! https://t.co/nGMMaRQmz8
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020