Key takeaways: Democrats have successfully maintained their majority in the state Senate, preventing the passing of the 15-week abortion ban. The party launched an early-voting…
News Mash
Yusef Salaam, a member of the Central Park Five who was wrongfully convicted in 1989, has been elected to the New York City Council. After his exoneration, Salaam became an advocate for criminal justice reform and a motivational speaker, and he is now "humbled and honored" to serve the people of Harlem. His election is a reminder of the power of the justice system to right wrongs and a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
Philadelphia has elected its first female mayor, Cherelle Parker, with her comprehensive neighborhood safety community policing plan to make the city the "safest, cleanest, greenest" big city in the nation. Parker won the city's mayoral general election, CBS News projects Tuesday night, and will be Philadelphia's 100th mayor. She ran against Republican David Oh, her former colleague on Philadelphia City Council, and secured the Democratic nomination in May.
Herbert Swilley, a 55-year-old Florida man, was arrested last Friday in connection to the death of his husband, Timothy Smith. An investigation found Smith had an excessive amount of diphenhydramine in his system, as well as blunt force trauma and a ligature mark on his neck. Swilley had also raised thousands of dollars on a GoFundMe page following Smith's death and was charged with murder and evidence-tampering.
Rhode Island held a special election to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. David Cicilline, with Democrat Gabe Amo, a former White House official in the Biden and Obama administrations, heavily favored. Amo ran on a platform of economic recovery, racial justice, and healthcare reform, while his Republican opponent Gerry Leonard ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility and government reform. Amo's win marks a historic moment for Rhode Island, as he is the first person of color to be elected to Congress from the state.
Witnesses reported that Kessler was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protestors at a pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian rally in Thousand Oaks, California. Deputies found Kessler conscious and responsive with injuries consistent with a fall, and he was taken to the hospital where he later died. The Sheriff's Office has declined to identify the suspect or classify the incident as a hate crime, but they are continuing to investigate and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Special Counsel John Weiss appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Monday to testify about the scope of his authority in the investigation into Hunter Biden's business dealings. He stated that he had full authority to pursue criminal charges, but declined to provide any information that could impede the ongoing investigation. His testimony marks the first time a special counsel has answered questions from congressional investigators before concluding a probe.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has warned that Israel is running out of time before its allies, including the United States, sour on its war effort against Hamas. President Biden has requested a pause in fighting from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing the high civilian death toll in Gaza. The Biden administration has made it clear that it will not tolerate any actions that could lead to further civilian casualties, and it remains to be seen how Israel will respond.