The Full Belmonte, 11/15/2022
GOP on cusp of retaking House control with slim majority
By WILL WEISSERT
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who is hoping to be the next speaker of the House, arrives to meet behind closed doors as Republicans hold their leadership candidate forum, where everyone running for a post, including McCarthy, will make their case to the membership, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
“WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans were on the cusp of retaking control of the House late Monday, just one victory shy of the 218 seats the party needs to secure a majority, narrowing the path for Democrats to keep the chamber and raising the prospect of a divided government in Washington.
Democrats have already won control of the Senate, securing 50 seats with a runoff in Georgia next month that could give President Joe Biden’s party an additional seat. The GOP came into the election needing to gain a net of just five seats for House control.
Nearly a week after the midterm elections, Republicans were closing in on the majority, giving conservatives leverage to blunt Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of investigations. But a slim numerical advantage will pose immediate challenges for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern.
The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted. Still, the party was on track to achieve 218 with seats in California and other states still too early to call.
Even barely achieving 218, though, means Republicans will likely have the narrowest majority of the 21st century. It could rival 2001, when Republicans had just a nine-seat majority, 221-212 with two independents. That’s far short of the sweeping victory Republicans predicted going into this year’s midterm elections, when the party hoped to reset the agenda on Capitol Hill by capitalizing on economic challenges and Biden’s lagging popularity.
Instead, Democrats were able to largely blunt an expected big GOP election, holding on to moderate, suburban districts from Virginia to Minnesota and Kansas. The results could complicate House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy’s plans to become speaker as some conservative members have questioned whether to back him or have imposed conditions for their support.” Read more at AP News
Hobbs wins Arizona governor’s race, flipping state for Dems
By JONATHAN J. COOPER
“PHOENIX (AP) — Democrat Katie Hobbs was elected Arizona governor on Monday, defeating an ally of Donald Trump who falsely claimed the 2020 election was rigged and refused to say she would accept the results of her race this year.
Hobbs, who is Arizona’s secretary of state, rose to prominence as a staunch defender of the legitimacy of the last election and warned that her Republican rival, former television news anchor Kari Lake, would be an agent of chaos. Hobbs’ victory adds further evidence that Trump is weighing down his allies in a crucial battleground state as the former president gears up for an announcement of a 2024 presidential run.
She will succeed Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who was prohibited by term limit laws from running again. She’s the first Democrat to be elected governor in Arizona since Janet Napolitano in 2006.” Read more at AP News
Earth is about to be 8 billion strong
“The global population is projected to reach 8 billion people Tuesday, the United Nations says, in a historic milestone for humanity as the organization gives a look into what the future could look like. Lower-middle income and low-income countries contributed the most to the population growth, officials said. Current projections believe the life expectancy could be 77.2 years by 2050. Asia and Africa contributed the most to the growth, while Europe's population will soon decline. It took just a little more than a decade for the planet to add its latest billion in the population after it reached 7 billion in 2011.” Read more at USA Today
People move through a market in Mumbai, India, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. The world's population is projected to hit an estimated 8 billion people on Tuesday, Nov. 15, according to a United Nations projection.Rajanish Kakade, AP
G-20 to hold tough on Russia, urge end to Ukraine war
By SEUNG MIN KIM, ZEKE MILLER and ELAINE KURTENBACH
“NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — Leaders of the world’s largest economies appeared ready Tuesday to convey a strong message from most condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed the group to maintain pressure on Moscow over its nine-month war that has devastated Ukraine and roiled the global economy.
A draft declaration by leaders of the Group of 20 major economies under discussion Tuesday echoes the condemnation of Russia’s war on Ukraine by the United Nations, while acknowledging differing views among members. The careful wording of the statement reflects tensions prevailing at the gathering, which includes leaders from Russia and China, and the challenge facing the U.S. and its allies to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government as some nations seek to avoid becoming entangled in antagonisms between the big powers.
The statement seen Tuesday by The Associated Press ‘deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation’ and ‘demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine.’ The G-20 draft statement also noted there were different views on the situation and sanctions against Russia, saying that the G-20 was not the forum for resolving security issues.
At the summit, Zelenskyy joined Biden in trying to persuade the G-20 to further isolate Russia diplomatically and economically, despite a souring global financial outlook that has tested many nations’ resolve.
Inflation and slowing economies are weighing on countries that have imposed penalties on Russia for starting the war. Higher costs for energy and food have destabilized business activity around the world, as much of Europe prepares to brave the winter without imports of Russian natural gas.
In opening the summit, host Indonesian President Joko Widodo impressed on the gathering what’s at stake. ‘If the war does not end, it will be difficult for the world to move forward,’ he said.
In a video address to the leaders from Kyiv, Zelenskyy reiterated 10 conditions for ending the conflict that began in February, among them a complete withdrawal of Russian troops and full restoration of Ukrainian control of its territory. He spoke days after Ukraine retook the strategic city of Kherson from Russian forces, in his country’s latest step in a counteroffensive that has forced Moscow to withdraw its forces from previously-occupied areas.” Read more at AP News
Trump Family Signs Deal With Saudi Real Estate Developer
The Trump Organization will license its name for a planned golf course in Oman, renewing questions about the former president’s mixing of politics and business as he appears poised for another run.
By Eric Lipton, Maggie Haberman and Ben Protess
Nov. 14, 2022
“WASHINGTON — The Trump family has struck a deal with a Saudi-based real estate company to license its name to a housing and golf complex that will be built in Oman, renewing a swirl of questions about former President Donald J. Trump’s mixing of politics and business just as he appears poised to announce a third presidential candidacy.
News of the deal, the first such international marketing agreement the Trump Organization has negotiated since Mr. Trump left the White House, emerged as the former president already faces a string of investigations into his business.
The project is slated to be built in Muscat, Oman, on a hillside adjacent to the Gulf of Oman, and will include a golf resort, villas and two hotels, a company executive said.
The Trump family is teaming up with Dar Al Arkan, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest real estate companies, for the project.” Read more at New York Times
"A sad, shocking and tragic day"
A banner with the numbers and initials of the three UVA football players who were killed hangs from a home today in Charlottesville. Va. Photo: Nathan Ellgren/AP
“After an all-night lockdown, the University of Virginia announced during the middle of a news conference that a mass shooting suspect had been captured, Axios' Ivana Saric reports.
‘I just need a moment to thank God, breathe a sigh of relief,’ UVA police chief Timothy Longo said after relaying the update.
Former UVA football player Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. was arrested in the Richmond area today, authorities said.
Three UVA football players were killed in the shooting: Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry.
Two other people were wounded.
UVA president Jim Ryan said the shooting took place on a bus that had just returned to campus from D.C.
‘This is a sad, shocking and tragic day for our UVA community,’ Ryan said. ‘Let me say how deeply sorry I am for the victims and for their family and friends.’” Read more at Axios
4 University of Idaho Students Killed in ‘Crime of Passion’
The authorities were still piecing together what had transpired at a home near the University of Idaho campus.
By Rachel Sun, Mike Baker, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Serge F. Kovaleski
Published Nov. 14, 2022
“MOSCOW, Idaho — Four students at the University of Idaho were found dead near campus in what a local official described on Monday as a ‘crime of passion.’
Art Bettge, the mayor of Moscow, Idaho, said in an interview that the authorities were still investigating what had transpired but that the case was being treated as a homicide. He said the authorities did not believe that there was a ‘perceivable danger to the broader public,’ but he declined to say how the victims had been killed or whether a suspect was at large.
‘With a crime of this magnitude, it’s very difficult to work through,’ Mr. Bettge said, adding that the police needed time to piece together what had transpired. ‘The overall assessment is that it’s a crime of passion,’ he said.
The authorities said they responded to a call about an ‘unconscious individual’ on Sunday and discovered four dead people — three women and one man — at a house near the University of Idaho campus. On Monday, they identified the victims as Ethan Chapin, 20, of Conway, Wash.; Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Xana Kernodle, 20, of Avondale, Ariz.; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho.” Read more at New York Times
Appeals Court Blocks Biden’s Student Debt Cancellation Plan
The decision comes days after the government temporarily stopped accepting applications for the debt relief because of legal challenges.
“A federal appeals court on Monday issued an injunction halting President Biden’s student debt cancellation plan, further clouding the future of the president’s promise to eliminate hundreds of billions of dollars in debt for tens of millions of people.
In a six-page order, three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit unanimously blocked the government from canceling debts while the court considers a lawsuit brought by six Republican-led states, which claim that the president’s executive action to wipe out up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower exceeded his authority.
The case involves ‘substantial questions of law which remain to be resolved,’ the judges wrote, adding that its eventual outcome ‘will affect the finances of millions of Americans.’
Two of the three judges — Ralph R. Erickson and Leonard Steven Grasz— were appointed by former President Donald J. Trump. The third, Bobby Shepherd, was appointed by former President George W. Bush.” Read more at New York Times
Claims of Voter Fraud Build, but Not to Same Degree as in 2020
False narratives failed to take root on Election Day. But several Republican candidates pointed to election fraud as their prospects worsened.
Nov. 14, 2022
“It took a few days for people who have spent the past two years questioning the integrity of elections to find their voice.
Mark Finchem, the Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state, who has promoted conspiracy theories about 2020 election results, first sounded an optimistic note about this year’s vote count on Wednesday, telling supporters: ‘We will win when it’s all counted up.’
But by Saturday, after his Democratic rival had built a lead of more than 100,000 votes, Mr. Finchem took a different position. ‘They are screwing with the election counts,’ he wrote on Twitter.
Claims of election fraud have not been as prominent after this election as they were in 2020. But as chances dimmed for some Republican candidates in tight races, many false and misleading narratives started to gain steam, pushed by Republican candidates like Mr. Finchem and Kari Lake, who ran for governor in Arizona, and far-right influencers. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on Thursday that if the Republican candidate for the Senate in Nevada lost his race — the eventual outcome — then ‘it’s a lie.’” Read more at New York Times
Pence Says Trump Was ‘Reckless’ in Assailing Him on Jan. 6
In an interview with ABC, the former vice president said he was angered that President Donald J. Trump’s tweet during the Capitol attack had endangered him and his family.
“Former Vice President Mike Pence told ABC News that he was ‘angered’ by former President Donald J. Trump’s ‘reckless’ tweet assailing him during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, in his first interview about the violent efforts by Mr. Trump’s supporters to keep him in power.
The first excerpts from Mr. Pence’s interview, with the ABC anchor David Muir, were aired on Sunday and Monday, with more broadcast on Monday night. The former vice president gave the interview to promote his new book, ‘So Help Me God,’ which is scheduled to be released on Tuesday.
Mr. Pence provided his views as Mr. Trump prepares to announce a third presidential campaign on Tuesday night at a rally at his private club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, which the F.B.I. searched over the summer to recover dozens of classified documents that had left the White House with Mr. Trump.
‘The president’s words that day at the rally endangered me and my family and everyone at the Capitol building,’ Mr. Pence told Mr. Muir, referring to the former president’s comments at an event on Jan. 6, 2021, at the Ellipse near the White House. At the rally, Mr. Trump repeatedly pressured Mr. Pence to use his ceremonial role overseeing certification of the Electoral College results of the 2020 election to delay or overturn the outcome, and then called on the crowd to march to the Capitol.” Read more at New York Times
Air travel
“Several airlines have been forced to pay more than $600 million in refunds to passengers for canceled or changed flights since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Transportation announced this week. The department is also issuing more than $7 million in fines against six airlines for the ‘extreme delays in providing those refunds to passengers,’ Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. Meanwhile, understaffed airlines are struggling to keep up with a rapid rise in demand for air travel and are bracing for a holiday vacation surge next week. More than 54 million people in the US are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday period, according to AAA. If you have a flight booked in the near future, travel analysts recommend reserving airport parking spaces beforehand and allocating extra time for longer-than-usual TSA lines.” Read more at CNN
Covid-19 boosters
“Health officials say they're planning to push this week for people to get boosted against Covid-19 in order to offer maximum protection around Thanksgiving, but overall uptake remains low. Just 10% of people ages 5 and older have received an updated booster dose, despite 73% of that population having gotten their first two shots, according to data from the CDC. Additionally, a new study published Monday said higher Covid-19 vaccination rates among US children could prevent thousands of pediatric hospitalizations and millions of missed school days. Preventing Covid hospitalizations would also help ease the strain on pediatric hospitals, which have been dealing with an increase in flu and RSV cases for several weeks as the respiratory virus season sweeps the US earlier than usual.” Read more at CNN
Biden-Xi success
Presidents Xi and Biden shake hands today at the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
“The Biden-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit seems to have met the Biden administration's stated goal of establishing guardrails to responsibly manage competition between the two superpowers, Axios China author Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian reports.
President Xi made a surprisingly candid admission that the state of U.S.-China relations was ‘not what the international community expects from us,’ according to a readout.
President Biden emphasized that America's one-China policy has not changed, despite his repeated claims over the past year that the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the case of attack from China.
Zoom out: Bilateral relations between the world's two superpowers have deteriorated dramatically over the past few years.
What to watch: Biden and Xi agreed on a future visit to China by Secretary of State Tony Blinken to follow up on today's meeting.” Read more at Axios
“Supreme Court allows Jan. 6 committee to access Arizona GOP chair’s phone records: The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the House’s Jan. 6 select committee to obtain the phone records of Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward, a key ally during Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election. The justices, with noted opposition from Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, today denied Ward’s emergency motion to block the panel from enforcing a subpoena against T-Mobile to obtain Ward’s records.” Read more at POLITICO
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing those with dual citizenship to be drafted.
“The move could help bolster the ranks of the military as Moscow continues to pursue its campaign in Ukraine. Russia is looking to gain ground in the eastern part of the country after withdrawing from Kherson, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited today. Meanwhile, the CIA director was in Turkey to warn his Russian counterpart against using nuclear weapons, the White House said.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
C.I.A. Director Warns Russian Counterpart Against Using Nuclear Weapons
William Burns’s talks with Russia’s foreign intelligence chief are the most senior in-person meetings since the start of the war in Ukraine.
By Julian E. Barnes, Jim Tankersley and Edward Wong
Nov. 14, 2022
“WASHINGTON — The head of the Central Intelligence Agency warned his Russian counterpart against using nuclear weapons in a face-to-face meeting on Monday in Turkey, White House officials announced, part of the Biden administration’s effort to reduce the threat of escalation in the war in Ukraine.
The talks, led by William J. Burns, the director of the C.I.A., were the highest-level in-person meetings between senior Russian and American officials since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February. The discussions are part of the Biden administration’s efforts to step up its communications with senior Russian officials to convey concerns on the nuclear threat.
Mr. Burns’s meeting was not an attempt to negotiate with Russia over the end of the war — American officials have repeatedly insisted no peace talks will be conducted without the involvement of Ukraine’s government. The discussions, instead, were almost entirely focused on the threat of nuclear escalation, these officials said.
The talks between Mr. Burns and Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, were conducted at the behest of the Americans. They were scheduled after a period of rising tensions over nuclear issues.” Read more at New York Times
“Angry outbursts | Rare protests against ongoing Covid lockdowns broke out in Guangzhou, one of China’s biggest cities. Videos circulating online showed hundreds of people marching in the streets and pushing over police barriers, evidence of increasing public anger at the stringent rules. While some curbs have been eased in China, lockdowns show no signs of abating.” Read more at Bloomberg
“Haiti’s political turmoil. Haiti’s caretaker Prime Minister Ariel Henry has fired the country’s government commissioner, interior minister, and justice minister, the Associated Press reported, as he grapples with rampant gang violence and economic instability.
It’s not clear why they were dismissed, although last monthWashington unveiled visa sanctions against 11 unnamed Haitian officials with gang ties, from both the current administration and earlier ones.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“British-French migrant policy. Britain and France have agreed to a deal designed to limit the number of migrants who can reach Britain by traveling in small boats. In exchange for $74.5 million in British payments, France will significantly ramp up its coastal security, the New York Times reported.” Read more at Foreign Policy
Stymied by Protests, Iran Unleashes Its Wrath on Its Youth
Hundreds of minors have been detained for joining the demonstrations, and many others have died in the crackdown, according to Iranian lawyers and rights activists.
Nov. 14, 2022
“One girl, a 14-year-old, was incarcerated in an adult prison alongside drug offenders. A 16-year-old boy had his nose broken in detention after a beating by security officers. A 13-year-old girl was physically attacked by plainclothes militia who raided her school.
A brutal crackdown by the authorities in Iran trying to halt protests calling for social freedom and political change that have convulsed the country for the past two months has exacted a terrible toll on the nation’s youth, according to lawyers in Iran and rights activists familiar with the cases.
Young people, including teenage girls and boys, have been at the center of the demonstrations and clashes with security forces on the streets and university campuses and at high schools. Iranian officials have said the average age of protesters is 15.
Some have been beaten and detained, others have been shot and killed on the streets, or beaten in the custody of security services, and the lives of countless others have been disrupted as the authorities raid schools in an effort to crack down on dissent.” Read more at New York Times
America's Adderall shortage
Data: IQVIA. Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals
‘Prescriptions for stimulants have been skyrocketing as it's become easier and easier to get a diagnosis, Axios' Erica Pandey writes.
Why it matters: The rise in demand for Adderall has triggered a shortage of the drug — raising fears that some people can't get medicines they rely on, while many others may be misdiagnosed.
Some are experiencing stimulant withdrawal symptoms. Others are turning to unregulated dealers to replace their prescriptions, and others still are turning to illegal — and highly dangerous — drugs as substitutes, WIRED reports.
By the numbers: 41.4 million Adderall prescriptions were dispensed in the U.S. last year — up more than 10% from 2020, according to IQVIA, a health research firm.
What's happening: Getting a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD — which can be treated by Adderall and other stimulants — got easier during the pandemic.
A wave of telemedicine startups hit TikTok and Instagram with advertisements suggesting that people should look into ADHD medication if they felt distracted.
But the trouble with such rapid diagnoses is that it can be difficult to tell whether ADHD is actually the problem, experts say.
The bottom line: The new spike in diagnoses and prescriptions is raising questions about whether ADHD is being over-diagnosed.
Now supply can't keep up with demand. And experts are warning that we could be on the brink of a public health crisis.” Read more at Axios
“Amazon is going to fire 10,000 people, the largest-ever mass termination by the e-commerce giant founded by Jeff Bezos. The company faces slower growth and fear of a downturn, similar to other tech companies that have cut thousands of people over the past few weeks. Meanwhile Bezos, the fourth-richest person in the world, says he’s planning to give away the bulk of his fortune while he’s still alive.” Read more at Bloomberg
Jeff Bezos Photographer: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“University of California academic workers go on strike for higher wages in largest walkout in U.S. higher education: University of California academic workers walked off the job today across the 10-campus system, seeking higher wages and better benefits in what organizers are calling the largest strike in the history of U.S. higher education. Bargaining units for nearly 50,000 teaching assistants, researchers and other scholars failed to reach a contract that met union demands amid soaring housing costs and inflation for people who provide much of the instruction for undergraduates in the system.” Read more at POLITICO
“Club for Growth steps on Trump relaunch with polls showing DeSantis beating him: The conservative Club for Growth is sending a warning shot at Trump on the eve of his expected 2024 campaign launch — and indicating it might back his chief potential rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The anti-tax organization, which was once a staunch Trump ally but over the last year has broken with him, today provided POLITICO with a polling memo showing the former president trailing DeSantis by double digits in one-on-one matchups in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states on the GOP nominating calendar. The surveys also show DeSantis leading Trump by wide margins in Florida, their shared home state, and Georgia, which is holding a Dec. 6 runoff for one of its Senate seats.” Read more at POLITICO
Republicans Pushing to Move Past Trump Face One Big Obstacle: His Voters
A solid and devoted core of supporters appears ready to follow Donald Trump wherever he leads again — even if into defeat.
Nov. 14, 2022
“Trump rallies aren’t where you expect to hear hard-nosed analysis of Donald J. Trump’s chances of winning back the White House. But Chuck Smith, an ardent supporter who recently drove two hours to stand under the scorching Arizona sun to cheer Mr. Trump, was blunt.
‘I don’t think Trump is a viable person for re-election,’ he said. ‘I just don’t think it’s a wise decision, especially with the way he was attacked — and the way he’s still attacked — it would be a major risk to the Republican Party.’
But in the next breath, Mr. Smith followed up with a caveat that could define the Republican Party for months to come.
‘Don’t get me wrong,’ he added. ‘I would definitely support him if he ran.’
That unwavering support is the most significant reason Mr. Trump will enter a presidential contest as his party’s clear front-runner if he announces his bid, as expected, on Tuesday. Although his dominance of Republican politics has led to three disappointing elections in a row for his party, a solid and devoted core of conservative voters appears ready to follow him wherever he leads again — even if into defeat.” Read more at New York Times
Justice Department accuses Trump of ‘shell game’ with Mar-a-Lago documents: “Trump mischaracterized White House documents he retained after leaving office as ‘personal,’ the Justice Department argued in a newly unsealed court filing, accusing Trump of engaging in a ‘shell game’ to shield documents from criminal investigators. In the filing, unsealed today by U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon, prosecutors contended Trump has sought to restrict investigators’ access to materials — seized by the FBI in August from his Mar-a-Lago estate — by inappropriately claiming they’re his personal property. Federal law permits presidents to declare some records as ‘personal’ so long as they have no decision-making value to future administrations.” Read more at POLITICO
Documents Detail Foreign Government Spending at Trump Hotel
Six nations spent lavishly at the hotel during periods when they were seeking to influence the Trump administration, according to a breakdown released by the House Oversight Committee.
By Luke Broadwater and Eric Lipton
Nov. 14, 2022
“WASHINGTON — Officials from six nations spent more than $750,000 at former President Donald J. Trump’s hotel in Washington when they were seeking to influence his administration, renting rooms for more than $10,000 per night, according to documents that his former accounting firm turned over to Congress.
The governments of Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and China spent more money than previously known at the Trump International Hotel at crucial times in 2017 and 2018 for those countries’ relations with the United States, according to the documents, which were obtained by the House Oversight Committee and released on Monday.
The officials spent freely at the hotel, the records show. The Malaysian prime minister, for instance, hired a $1,500 personal trainer during his stay at the Trump hotel in 2017. The Saudi Ministry of Defense rented several suites, costing $10,500 each, with rooms reserved under the name ‘His Excellency.’ Qatari officials spent more than $300,000 there in the weeks leading up to a meeting with Mr. Trump in 2018.
The documents build on the public record of how Mr. Trump’s hotel brought in millions during his presidency from foreign governments. The Oversight Committee has previously estimated that the hotel received more than $3.75 million from foreign governments from 2017 to 2020, raising concerns about possible violations of the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause.
The new documents cover only a period of months, but they provide a revealing window into how foreign governments spent heavily at the hotel during key months when they were trying to influence Mr. Trump’s administration. The documents also show that Republican lobbyists working on behalf of these countries — some operating without registering as foreign agents, as required by law — spent tens of thousands more at the Trump hotel during the same periods.
‘It paints an extremely troubling picture,’ Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Democrat of New York and the chairwoman of the committee, said in an interview. She added that the documents ‘sharply call into question the extent to which President Trump was guided by his personal financial interest while in office rather than the best interests of the American people.’
Eric Trump, when asked about the spending by these government officials, said on Monday that any profit the family company earned on the hotel stays was returned to the federal government through a voluntary annual payment to the Treasury Department.
‘As a company, we went to tremendous lengths to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest,’ Eric Trump said in a statement, ‘not due to any legal requirement, but because of the respect we have towards the office of the presidency.’
Last month, the committee released records showing that the Secret Service had paid more than $1.4 million to Trump hotel properties since Mr. Trump took office in 2017, and had charged as much as $1,185 per night for hotel rooms used by agents protecting the president and his family.
What to Know About the Trump Investigations
Numerous inquiries. Since leaving office, former President Donald J. Trump has been facing several investigations into his business dealings and political activities. Here is a look at some notable cases:
Classified documents inquiry. The F.B.I. searched Mr. Trump’s Florida home as part of the Justice Department’s investigation into his handling of classified materials. The inquiry is focused on documents that Mr. Trump had brought with him to Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence, when he left the White House.
Jan. 6 investigations. In a series of public hearings, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack laid out a comprehensive narrative of Mr. Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. This evidence could allow federal prosecutors, who are conducting a parallel criminal investigation, to indict Mr. Trump.
Georgia election interference case. Fani T. Willis, the Atlanta-area district attorney, has been leading a wide-ranging criminal investigation into the efforts of Mr. Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. This case could pose the most immediate legal peril for the former president and his associates.
New York State’s civil case. Letitia James, the New York attorney general, has accused Mr. Trump, his family business and his three adult children of lying to lenders and insurers, fraudulently inflating the value of his assets. The allegations, included in a sweeping lawsuit, are the culmination of a yearslong civil investigation.
Manhattan criminal case. Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has been investigating whether Mr. Trump or his family business intentionally submitted false property values to potential lenders. The inquiry has yielded criminal charges against the Trump Organization and a plea deal with its chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg.” Read more at New York Times
Israeli liberals fear new government will undo progress
“JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s outgoing coalition has been the most diverse in the country’s history, bringing a slew of progressive policies on the environment, LGBTQ issues and funding for the country’s Arab minority.
But now, even before it takes office, Israel’s expected new coalition government — overwhelmingly male, religious and right-wing — is promising to roll back many of the achievements of its predecessor, prompting concern from activists and liberals over where their country is headed.
If its promises materialize, a tax on environmentally destructive single-use plastics could be abolished. New protections for gay Israelis could be reversed, and generous budgets for the long underserved Arab sector could be slashed.
The outgoing coalition lasted for just over a year and collapsed over disagreements on the Palestinians — although on that subject, its policies were largely unchanged from previous, hard-line governments.” Read more at AP News
Jay Leno suffers burns in gasoline fire, says he’s ‘OK’
FILE - Jay Leno attends the Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, 2017. Jay Leno suffered burns in a weekend fire at the car enthusiast's garage but said Monday that he was doing OK, according to reports. Leno, 72, had been set to appear at a financial conference in Las Vegas on Sunday but canceled because of a ‘serious medical emergency.’ (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File)
“LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jay Leno suffered ‘serious burns’ but said Monday that he was doing OK, according to reports.
‘I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire,’ Leno said in a statement to The Associated Press. ‘I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.’
The cause and time of the fire wasn’t immediately clear. The former ‘Tonight Show’ host is known for his famed car collection, which is housed at a garage in Burbank, north of Los Angeles.
Leno, 72, had been set to appear at a financial conference in Las Vegas on Sunday but canceled because of a ‘serious medical emergency,’ People magazine reported earlier Monday, citing an email sent to those attending the conference.
The comedian took over NBC’s ‘Tonight’ when longtime host Johnny Carson retired in 1992. Leno was succeeded by Conan O’Brien in 2009, but NBC got cold feet when the show’s ratings dropped and brought Leno back as host in 2010. He remained in the job until Jimmy Fallon took over in 2014.
Leno turned his love of cars into a CNBC series, ‘Jay Leno’s Garage,’ and now hosts a revival of the game show ‘You Bet Your Life.’” Read more at AP News
White House wedding
A schedule from Tricia Nixon's 1971 wedding planner, which is kept at the White House Historical Association in D.C. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP
“The White House is about to host its first-ever wedding for a presidential granddaughter, AP's Darlene Superville reports.
Naomi Biden is marrying Peter Neal on the South Lawn on Saturday.
It's the 19th White House wedding: Nine of the previous 18 were presidential daughters, most recently Tricia Nixon's wedding in 1971.” Read more at Axios
Photo: AP
Above: A collection of White House wedding photos as displayed at the White House wedding of LBJ's daughter Lynda in 1966.
Roberta Flack Has A.L.S. and Can No Longer Sing, Her Publicist Says
The highly decorated vocalist, known for hits like ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song,’ was diagnosed with the disease in August.
By Matt Stevens
Nov. 14, 2022
“Roberta Flack, the highly decorated vocalist whose smash hits like “Killing Me Softly With His Song” made her among the most recognizable voices of the 1970s, has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and can no longer sing, according to a statement released by her publicist on Monday.
The condition, known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, was diagnosed in August and has made it difficult for Ms. Flack to speak, the publicist, Elaine Schock, said in an email to The New York Times.
Ms. Flack, 85, won Grammy Awards for record of the year and best pop vocal performance in both 1973 and 1974 as she racked up No. 1 singles including “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (1972), “Killing Me Softly With His Song” (’73) and “Feel Like Makin’ Love” (’74). Over the course of her career, she earned 14 Grammy nominations.
Ms. Flack, who lives in New York, made an appearance at the Apollo Theater as recently as 2018. At the theater, she collapsed and had a stroke, Ms. Schock said.” Read more at New York Times