Harvard University has announced that former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be joining the school later this year. Douglas Elmendorf, Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, praised Ardern for her “strong and empathetic political leadership” and said her presence at the school will “generate vital conversations about the public policy choices facing leaders at all levels of government.” Ardern’s appointment to Harvard is a testament to her leadership and commitment to public service.
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Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) has requested documents from Harlan Crow, a Texas billionaire who has donated millions to conservative causes, to investigate whether his gifts to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas violated federal tax law. Chief Justice John Roberts has responded to a request from Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) for Roberts to testify about Thomas’s relationship with Crow by providing a statement of ethics principles and practices to which all current Supreme Court members subscribe. Wyden's letter to Crow requests documents and communications related to the gifts, as well as any records of payments made to Thomas or his wife, to investigate whether the gifts violated federal tax law.
Chief Justice John Roberts has declined an invitation from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin to testify before the committee on May 2, citing judicial independence and separation of powers concerns. The revelations about Justice Thomas' close ties to a billionaire Republican donor have “contributed to a crisis of public confidence” in the nation’s highest bench. Roberts' decision to decline the invitation is likely to add to the controversy surrounding the court and will be met with further action to address the ethical issues raised by the reports on Justice Thomas.
Key takeaways: The amendment would change the language of the “resign to run” law so that the resignation requirement would not apply to “Persons seeking…
Jury deliberations began Wednesday in the seditious conspiracy trial of former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio and four co-defendants, who are accused of plotting to keep President Donald Trump in the White House after the 2020 election. Attorneys for the Proud Boys placed blame for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol on Donald Trump during closing arguments on Tuesday. If convicted, the defendants could face up to 20 years in prison, and the jury's decision will be closely watched by both sides of the political aisle.
The College Board announced on Monday that changes will be made to its new Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies course, following criticism from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis about its potential to “indoctrinate students.” The College Board has not yet revealed what changes will be made, but it has said that it is “committed to providing an accurate and comprehensive exploration of African American history and culture.” The company also said that it is “committed to providing an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture.”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has threatened to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, a major law he negotiated and passed in 2020, if the Biden administration does not honor the agreement. The Act includes billions of dollars in tax credits and deductions to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change, and Manchin has noted that $384 billion of the Act was allocated for energy security. He has said he will vote to repeal the bill if the administration does not change course.
Jury selection is set to begin Tuesday in a trial over former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll's claim that former President Donald Trump raped her nearly three decades ago in a department store dressing room. Trump has denied the allegations, leading Carroll to sue him for defamation. The trial has the potential to be politically damaging for the former president, testing his "Teflon Don" reputation, and could have a significant impact on Trump's political future.