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.
Posts tagged as “Debate Clause of the United States Constitution”
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…
Thousands of foreign nationals, including 16,000 Americans, remain trapped in Sudan as the violence continues to escalate and the US government scrambles to evacuate diplomats and provide assistance to those in need. A travel writer from Massachusetts is among those desperately trying to find a way out of the country, as the US State Department urges all US citizens to leave Sudan as soon as possible.
Harry Belafonte, a beloved singer, actor and activist, passed away at the age of 96. He was credited with introducing the United States to Caribbean music and was a major financial contributor to the civil rights movement. He also used his fame and wealth to advocate for progressive causes, including the Vietnam War and the United Nations. Belafonte will be remembered for his courage, commitment to justice, and dedication to making the world a better place.
The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom has released a report showing that books with LGBTQ+ themes are the most likely to be banned or challenged in public schools and libraries. Maia Kobabe's graphic memoir “Gender Queer” topped the list for the second consecutive year. Amanda Darrow of the Utah Pride Center said that these challenges are “a direct attack on the rights of LGBTQ+ people to exist and be seen.” The OIF reported that in 2020, there were 566 challenges reported to them.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will meet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during a trade mission, as DeSantis considers a presidential bid. Netanyahu has also addressed the backlash sparked by his government's controversial judicial reforms, saying that the criticism is an "internal matter" and that there is a "broad consensus" that corrections need to be made. The reforms include an "override clause" which has been criticized as undemocratic, and Netanyahu has said he will meet with both Republican and Democratic governors to maintain bipartisan support.
The United States has successfully evacuated all personnel and their dependents from the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, in response to the security situation and risk posed to personnel. The evacuation was ordered by President Joe Biden and the Sudanese military agreed to guarantee evacuation requests from the U.S., Britain, France and China. The State Department is advising U.S. citizens in Sudan to consider departing the country, and is providing limited emergency services to U.S. citizens, but not routine services.
The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan has issued a security alert warning American citizens to stay in their homes due to escalating violence in the country. The Sudanese military has agreed to guarantee evacuation requests made by the U.S., Britain, France and China, and is coordinating efforts to evacuate citizens and diplomats from Sudan on military aircraft. The Embassy has warned against all travel to Sudan and urged those in the country to remain in their homes and avoid large gatherings.