Texas Supreme Court has allowed a new state law banning gender-affirming care for minors to take effect on Friday, making Texas the most populous state with such restrictions. The law will prevent transgender minors from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries. LGBTQ rights advocates have criticized the ruling and vowed to continue to fight the law in court.
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The Biden administration has proposed a new regulation that would expand the definition of a firearm dealer and require them to register with the federal government and conduct background checks on customers. This would close the so-called "gun show loophole" and ensure that all gun sales involve background checks. The proposed rule is open for public comment for 60 days, after which the Justice Department will review the comments and make a final decision.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) has rejected calls from some members of his party to hold a special session of the General Assembly to censure or remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, citing the potential unconstitutionality of such an action. Kemp also noted that the state has a process in place to deal with any misconduct by elected officials, and has called for an independent audit of the 2020 election results. Willis is currently overseeing the indictment of former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants on felony charges as part of her investigation into their efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Dr. Brian Monahan, Attending Physician of Congress, has declared Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell medically cleared to continue with his duties after experiencing a second freezing episode. McConnell, 81, had previously suffered a concussion in March, but Monahan determined that occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration. McConnell is expected to continue his duties as normal.
Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 13 felony charges related to overturning the 2020 presidential election, entering his plea through a filing released by his attorney. This has sparked controversy in Georgia, with far right members of the state legislature attempting to punish the Fulton County District Attorney, Fani Willis, for the indictment. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has shot down these proposals, and at least five state senators have reported receiving threats from Trump supporters. The outcome of the case remains to be seen.
Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have launched the People's Fund of Maui to provide financial support to those affected by the devastating wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. The fund will provide $1200 per month to every adult resident who lives in the affected area and was displaced by the wildfires. Applications are being accepted from anyone 18 or older who lives in the affected area and has been displaced by the wildfires. The fund is being supported by an esteemed advisory board and the local community.
Joe Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys organization and former Army veteran, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on Thursday after being convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection to the January 6th attack on the US Capitol. The sentence is the second longest handed down in the Justice Department's investigation into the Capitol attack, and Biggs was also convicted of conspiring to obstruct Congress and civil disorder. The US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement that Biggs "served as an instigator and leader" during the attack and had "encouraged and directed other Proud Boys members to join him in the attack on the Capitol."
Former President Donald Trump and two of his co-defendants have requested to have their cases separated from the indictment in Georgia over attempts to overturn the state's 2020 election results. Trump entered a plea of not guilty and waived his right to appear in court, while attorneys Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro filed motions to have their cases severed from the other defendants. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is currently in negotiations with the squadron of co-defendants, and the outcome of the requests for separation is yet to be seen.