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Vice President Kamala Harris matches record for tiebreaking votes in Senate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris, who made history as the first woman, the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president, has made history again by matching the record for most tiebreaking votes in the Senate. Her 31st such vote, on Wednesday, advanced the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The only other vice president to cast so many was John C. Calhoun, vice president from 1825 to 1832.“It is a moment and I think that there’s still so much left that we have yet to do,” Harris told reporters afterward.“My mother gave me great advice, which is that I may be the first to do many things,” she added. “I’m going to make sure I’m not the last.”Unlike Calhoun, who spent eight years accumulating his total, Harris reached 31 in 2 1/2 years. It’s a reflection of her unique circumstances, with a narrowly divided Senate and a sharply partisan atmosphere.“It really says more about our time, ...

US Attorney seeking federal takeover of NYC’s troubled Rikers Island jail complex

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal prosecutor said Monday his office is seeking to have control of New York City’s trouble-plagued Rikers Island jail taken away from Mayor Eric Adam’s administration, calling conditions there a “collective failure with deep roots.”U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York said Rikers “has been in crisis for years” over several mayors’ administrations and leaders of the corrections system and he favors a court-appointed outside authority to take charge of the complex.“But after eight years of trying every tool in the toolkit, we cannot wait any longer for substantial progress to materialize,” he said in a statement, adding that his office would seek to have a court-appointed receivership put in place.An email seeking comment was sent to the mayor’s press office. Adams has resisted the idea of a federal takeover of the system and has said his administration has been taking steps to stabilize Rikers, w...

Civil rights groups sue Florida officials over new immigration law

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Several civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit on Monday challenging Florida’s new immigration law.The Southern Poverty Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, Americans for Immigrant Justice and the American Immigration Council filed the lawsuit in Miami federal court against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Statewide Prosecutor Nicholas B. Cox on behalf of the Farmworker Association of Florida and others, according to court records.The legislation that DeSantis, a Republican, signed into law in May bolsters his migrant relocation program and limits social services for immigrants lacking permanent legal status. It also expands requirements for businesses with more than 25 staffers to use E-Verify, a federal system that determines if employees can legally work in the U.S. Another provision requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to include a citizenship question on intake forms.The lawsuit specifically focuses ...

White House lawn turns to playground for kids’ soccer clinic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kidz Bop rang out on the stereo as groups of sweaty children beamed with joy at the chance to kick around soccer balls with major league professionals at the White House Monday. Children donning jerseys of their favorite Major League Soccer teams joined first lady Jill Biden and players from FC Cincinnati, DC United, Chicago Fire and other teams for a youth soccer clinic on White House South Lawn on a sweltering afternoon. They played pickup games of soccer until the early evening. White House staff eagerly passed out water to the kids and their parents.The White House billed the event as part of Biden’s continued effort to “highlight how sports unites us, and supports and empowers young people.”“Sport is the international language, from the thrill of the goal to the joy of the win,” Biden said during the event, standing at a podium next to MLS Commissioner Don Garber and 16-year-old Nevaeh Burroughs, a D.C. Parks and Recreation representative. Before i...

BC Coroners Service investigating death of 9-year-old boy, connection with wildfire smoke

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

The BC Coroners Service is issuing a public safety bulletin about wildfire smoke after the death of a nine-year-old boy.In a news release, the service says it is investigating the death of Carter Vigh, whose passing was “related to an existing medical condition aggravated by wildfire smoke.”In a post on Facebook, Amber Vigh shared the news of Carter’s death.“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our precious Carter Anthony Vigh,” the post reads.“Carter will always be remembered for his contagious smile and laugh and always ensuring everyone felt special, loved, and welcomed into this life. Carter loved to play soccer and was the biggest cheerleader for his favorite hockey team the Wranglers. His love for cars, trucks, and motorcycles along with his extraordinary dance moves will never be forgotten.”Amber confirms that Carter faced challenges with asthma, and the service notes that wildfire smoke can be especially dan...

Wisconsin police chief, 2 CPD chiefs being considered for Chicago's next 'Top Cop' position

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

CHICAGO -- When the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability confirmed its finalists for Chicago’s next police superintendent last Thursday it started a 30-day clock for Mayor Brandon Johnson to make his pick.Mayor Johnson received the names last week, and on Monday, the mayor said he’s still looking closely at the contenders."It’s going to be important that we go a little bit deeper with our conversations," Mayor Johnson said. "I’ll have a conversation individually with all three candidates that have been provided to me."The Chicago mayor can hire one of finalists or he can reject all three and order a new search.Two candidates for $260,000 a year job come from within CPD’s ranks -- Chief of Counterterrorism Larry Snelling and Chief of Constitutional Policing and Reform Angel Novalez.As well as Shon Barnes, who serves as the police chief in Madison, Wisconsin. 3 finalists for Chicago police superintendent announced Mayor Johnson has repeatedly said he believes it...

Man holding gun critical after being shot by police in Joliet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — A man is in critical condition after a shooting involving officers from the Joliet Police Department early Monday evening, according to Joliet PD.Officers were called to the 600 block of Elmwood Avenue for a report of shots fired. When they arrived on scene, officers encountered a man walking while holding a handgun.Police said responding officers discharged their weapons, hitting the man.Officers then rendered medical aid to the suspect following the shooting, before he was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Family speaks out after 10-year-old boy flung from Antioch carnival ride The officers involved were taken to a local hospital in accordance to Joliet PD policy.A handgun was recovered at the scene by investigators.Police said this is an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public.The Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.

Proposed Alabama map rejects Supreme Court-mandated second Black-majority district

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

Alabama Republicans tasked by the U.S. Supreme Court with redrawing the state’s congressional map are so far rejecting the court’s order to create a second majority-Black district in the state.  While Alabama’s population is 27 percent Black, only one out of the state’s seven districts is majority-Black. In a 5-4 decision in June, the Supreme Court affirmed a three-judge panel’s ruling that Alabama’s current map likely violates the Voting Rights Act, taking away from the voice of Black voters. The group of voters who sued and won before the Supreme Court proposed a second district where Black residents are 50.5 percent of the population, according to The Associated Press. Facing down a Friday deadline, Republican state lawmakers proposed a congressional map on Monday that would increase the percentage of Black voters in the 2nd Congressional District from around 30 percent to nearly 42.5 percent, but still below the court's prescribed level. The proposal was...

Jim Jordan considers holding Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is considering holding Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress, a source familiar with the situation confirmed to The Hill Monday.Fox Business was the first to report on Jordan’s potential move, with sources telling the news outlet Meta has not provided any internal communications on its censorship processes.  Zuckerberg was among five tech company heads who received subpoenas in February from the House Judiciary panel to turn over “documents and communications relating to the federal government’s reported collusion with Big Tech to suppress free speech," along with any documents related to their content moderation measures, the committee said at the time.  Jordan previously called the subpoenas “one step to accountability,” as House GOP members ramped up efforts earlier this year to investigate Big Tech.  Zuckerberg testified in Congress in 2018 over GOP concerns that Facebook censored conservative accou...

Georgia Supreme Court denies Trump bid to quash Fulton County investigation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:35 GMT

The Georgia Supreme Court Monday declined to take up an effort from former President Donald Trump to quash an investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state.The unanimous decision from the court’s nine justices was swiftly delivered just days after Trump’s legal team asked the court Friday to block an investigation by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D).Trump in March filed a motion to block Willis’s investigation, a matter that has not yet been decided by a lower court.The court called out Trump’s efforts as procedurally dubious, dismissing his team’s legal argument at every turn. “The Court has made clear that a petitioner cannot invoke this Court’s original jurisdiction as a way to circumvent the ordinary channels for obtaining the relief,” the justices wrote in the five-page opinion.“Petitioner has not shown that this case presents one of those extremely rare circumstances in which this Court’s original jurisdiction should...