“Americans reacted to the news of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin being found guilty of all charges in the murder of George Floyd Tuesday with levels of joy, determination and fatigue. A sense of relief mixed with jubilation was palpable among Floyd's relatives Tuesday after the verdicts were read. The family thanked the legions of advocates and protesters who pursued justice since Floyd was killed in May 2020. But many know the battle for equality still looms and those in that fight will likely get back to work Wednesday. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, said she and her colleagues agreed with the verdict, ‘But we want our message to be very clear that this is just the first step.’ Chauvin was convicted of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, but he is expected to appeal the verdict.” Read more at USA Today
“Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother,sat with his head bowed and his hands folded in front of his face in prayer before the Derek Chauvin verdict was read. As each was read, his hands increasingly shook and his head nodded up and down.
A sense of relief mixed with jubilation was palpable among George Floyd's relatives after the jury found the former police officer guilty on all three charges, including second-degree murder. The family thanked the legions of advocates and protesters who pursued justice since Floyd's death in May 2020.” Read more at USA Today
“President Biden called for a ‘moment of significant change’ to fight systemic racism in policing after Derek Chauvin was found guilty in the murder of George Floyd. Specifically, he pushed for the Senate's passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that seeks to bolster police accountability and prevent problem officers from moving from one department to another.” Read more at USA Today
“CONGRESS: House Democrats rallied to the side of Waters, the chairwoman of the Financial Services Committee, and beat back a GOP attempt to censure her for saying that ‘we’ve got to get more confrontational’ about police brutality against African Americans.
In a strict party-line vote, lawmakers voted 216-210 to table a censure resolution brought up by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). McCarthy and Republicans argued that the California Democrat incited violence with police in the lead-up to Tuesday’s verdict and following Daunte Wright’s death by an officer.
‘Chairwoman Waters’ actions are beneath the dignity of this institution,’ McCarthy tweeted.
Democrats responded with accusations of hypocrisy after Republicans largely decided against impeaching former President Trump following the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol and stood by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
‘Clean up your mess, Kevin. Sit this one out. You’ve got no credibility here,’ said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), pointing to Greene, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as examples (The Hill).
The last member of Congress to be censured was then-Rep. Charlie Rangel(D-N.Y.) in 2010, while only four have been in the past four decades.
The Associated Press: Waters’s bold words echo civil rights, draw criticism.
NBC News: “Did I strike a nerve?”: House police reform hearing erupts into shouting match between Reps. Val Demings (D-Fla.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).” Read more at The Hill
“In an unprecedented move, police in Columbus, Ohio, showed some body camera footage of the fatal shooting Tuesday of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant, who was Black, as she appeared to attempt to stab two people with a knife. The shooting, which happened about 20 minutes before a guilty verdict was announced in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, prompted hundreds to protest at the shooting site and outside Columbus police headquarters Tuesday night. Interim Columbus Police Chief Michael Woods said the investigation still needs to be completed to determine if the actions of the officers were justified. Woods added the department has to follow the Ohio law on public records before it can share the full video. That process should be completed and the video is expected to be released Wednesday. Officials will also release other details of the shooting and the officers involved, Woods said.” Read more at USA Today
“The Senate is scheduled to vote on the COVID-19 Hates Crimes Act, which aims to combat hate crimes against Asian Americans and strengthen hate crime reporting. Last week, the Senate voted 92-6 to open debate on the bill, which was introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono , D-Hawaii. On Monday, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, noted that two bipartisan amendments were added that will ‘strengthen the bill.’ The amendments Schumer alluded to follow comments from Hirono last week saying that about 20 amendments had been filed at that point, with some from Republicans that "have absolutely nothing to do with the bill."“ Read more at USA Today
“The Covid-19 vaccine supply in the US may soon outpace demand, and while that sounds like a good thing, it actually presents serious challenges. Experts say this will result in slowed vaccine enthusiasm, even though only about 40% of Americans have had a single vaccine dose and only 26% are fully vaccinated. Dr. Anthony Fauci and other infectious disease experts say, in order to reach that all-important herd immunity, between 75% and 80% of the population needs to be immune to the virus, whether through inoculation or previous infection. Meanwhile, CDC advisers will meet again Friday to decide what to do about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was paused due to a handful of reports of dangerous blood clots. However, blood clot experts are still urging people to get the vaccine because they know of something that is far more likely to cause deadly blood clotting complications: Covid-19 itself.” Read more at CNN
Leeds United players warmed up in anti-Super League T-shirts in England. Photo: Clive Brunskill/Pool via Reuters
Not a single ball was kicked.
Plans for the Super League collapsed spectacularly as six English clubs walked away from the plan only two days after it was announced, reports Axios Sports editor Kendall Baker.
Just after midnight in Europe, the Super League released a statement confirming the project had been suspended.” Read more at Axios
“A bill that would impose a host of new restrictions on voting in Florida passed a key committee in the state Senate on Tuesday after a fiery debate among senators and hours of citizen testimony opposing the measure. The vote set the stage for a possible full floor vote in the Republican-controlled chamber in the coming weeks.
The bill, known as S.B. 90, had significantly been revised last week by Dennis Baxley, the Republican state senator who introduced it, to roll back some of the more strident restrictions in the original bill, like banning drop boxes. It passed the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday along a mostly party-line vote, with one Republican member of the committee, Jeff Brandes, voting against it.” Read more at Boston Globe
“$1 trillion — The amount of tax money that the IRS estimates goes uncollected annually, more than the entire defense budget. President Biden's economic agenda hinges on the IRS stepping up its enforcement and collection services, in addition to handling logistical challenges posed by pandemic-response legislation. The agency, which lost a net 15% of its employees between 2010 and 2020, is seeking billions of dollars for a turnaround plan that it says will more than pay for itself.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“The largest coal miners union in America is backing President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion green energy plan. It may seem like a case of strange bedfellows. But the coal industry would benefit from the Biden proposals to rebuild bridges, ports and airports -- likely boosting demand for steel, which typically uses coal as a key ingredient. The infrastructure plan also calls for expanding access to broadband in rural areas where many coal mining communities are located. The president of the United Mine Workers of America also said the plan would create lots of new job opportunities. In a completely different infrastructure realm, the Biden administration kicked off a 100-day effort to beef up cybersecurity in the nation's power grid, calling for industry leaders to install technologies that could thwart attacks on the electricity supply. This comes after a cyberattack in Florida that sought to compromise a water treatment plant.” Read more at CNN
“More than four out of 10 Americans, or about 135 million people, live where the air is polluted, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Lung Association. The organization's 22nd annual ‘State of the Air’ report also found that people of color were more than 61% more likely to live in a county with unhealthy air than white people . More generally, the report's findings show that climate change is contributing to the worsening air quality. This year's report covers data from the years 2017-2019, so any pollution decreases in the past year stemming from COVID-19 lockdowns were not included.” Read more at USA Today
“China and Russia are modernizing their nuclear weapons and capabilities faster than the US, the top military official in charge of the US’ nuclear arsenal says. Adm. Charles Richard, the head of US Strategic Command, says the two countries are updating their technologies so frequently, and so broadly, that it’s hard to keep up with all of the developments. If the US doesn’t start investing more in nuclear defense and infrastructure, Richard warns, the nation will be ‘at risk of losing credibility in the eyes of our adversaries.’ The Biden administration is currently carrying out a nuclear posture review, which is examining the total amount of money invested in the nuclear modernization program. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated operations, interim upgrades and full modernization of the US nuclear weapons program could cost $1.2 trillion.” Read more at CNN
“Chad's long-serving President Idriss Deby has died following front-line clashes with rebels. Deby had reportedly been visiting troops fighting members of a group called ‘Rebels of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad’ in the north of the country. The group has been trying to oust Deby for years. Chadian officials say a transitional military council would take charge of the country for 18 months, led by Deby’s son General Mahamat Kaka. Chad worked closely with Nigeria and Cameroon in the fight against militant group Boko Haram and formed part of a joint task force fighting insurgents in the region. It also borders Libya, the Darfur region of Sudan, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and the Central African Republic, and there are fears Deby’s death could stoke imbalances in the region.” Read more at CNN
“The European Union’s executive arm proposed a bill that would limit police use of facial-recognition software in public and ban the marketing or use of certain kinds of AI systems, in one of the broadest efforts yet to regulate high-stakes applications of artificial intelligence.
The bill proposed on Wednesday would also create a list of so-called high-risk uses of AI that would be subject to new supervision and standards for their development and use, such as critical infrastructure, college admissions and loan applications. Regulators could fine a company up to 6% of its annual world-wide revenue for the most severe violations, though in practice EU officials rarely if ever mete out their maximum fines.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“The White House endorsed a bill to make the District of Columbia a state. The House of Representatives will vote on it soon.” Read more at New York Times
“The House, voting on party lines, did not censure Representative Maxine Waters for suggesting an acquittal of Chauvin could lead to violence.” Read more at New York Times
“George W. Bush described the modern Republican Party as ‘isolationist, protectionist and, to a certain extent, nativist.’” Read more at New York Times
“A dozen megadonors and their spouses accounted for about one out of every 13 dollars in federal political donations since 2009 — an effect of the Supreme Court’s loosening of restrictions.” Read more at New York Times
“Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is seriously considering running for president in 2024, three people familiar with his thinking tell Axios' Jonathan Swan.
While Christie, 58, isn't saying anything publicly about his thinking — besides telling radio host Hugh Hewitt he's not ruling it out — people close to him have an early sense of the rationale and outlines of a potential candidacy.
Christie has told friends that he'd be the only person in the 2024 field with executive experience who has run a presidential race before.
That's a clear shot at one potential rival — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who's enjoying a surge of Republican popularity for his media-bashing and handling of COVID, but hasn't endured the scrutiny of a presidential race.
Christie could run on a reputation for toughness that appeals to Trump's base, minus the former president's recklessness, said one source. Another said he has a mix of combativeness and charisma that Republicans are looking for to take on President Biden and Democrats.
He has potential crossover appeal to blue-collar and suburban right-of-center voters.
And his experience as a former federal prosecutor could help distinguish him in debates.
Christie has told associates that former President Trump's decision about running again in 2024 won't affect his own decision-making.” Read more at Axios
“Lives Lived: In 1980, Chuck Geschke and a colleague created a way to send documents between a computer and a printer. The company they founded, Adobe, got the attention of Apple, and the rest is history. Geschke died at 81.” Read more at New York Times
“It will be a sad birthday when Queen Elizabeth II turns 95 on Wednesday, just days after her husband Prince Philip's funeral. The Duke of Edinburgh died early on April 9 at Windsor Castle. He was 99, just short of his 100th birthday in June. He had been the Queen's closest adviser and supporter, the longest-serving royal consort in British history, and the man credited with helping to make her long reign a success. Even if Prince Philip were still alive, the queen's birthday would have been a private celebration; now COVID-19 requires she remain cloistered in Windsor Castle and she is still in mourning, so a big family party is not on.” Read more at USA Today
Reactions to the guilty verdict at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. Victor J. Blue for The New York Times
One in 2,000
“The murder conviction of a police officer is an exceedingly rare event.
There have been only seven murder convictions of officers for fatal police shootings since 2005, according to Philip Stinson of Bowling Green State University. That suggests the chances of a killing by the police leading to a murder conviction are about one in 2,000.
Yet a jury in Minneapolis yesterday convicted Derek Chauvin of second-degree murder (as well as two other charges) for killing George Floyd last May. A typical sentence for that felony in Minneapolis is 12½ years in prison, although prosecutors have asked for more and the maximum is 40 years. A judge will sentence Chauvin in about eight weeks.
Floyd’s relatives said they felt relieved by the verdict. ‘I finally have the opportunity to hopefully get some sleep,’ Philonise Floyd, George’s brother, said.
Chauvin’s conviction does not automatically signal a new era of police accountability. The Floyd case was the exception of all exceptions. A video, watched around the world, showed Chauvin pressing his knee onto Floyd for more than nine minutes. That footage led to weeks of protests that were among the largest in U.S. history. And at the trial, the so-called blue wall of silence — that is, many officers’ willingness to protect colleagues, regardless of their misbehavior — crumbled. ‘For so many, it feels like it took all of that for the judicial system to deliver just basic accountability,’ President Biden said late yesterday.
Most of those factors will not apply to future police killings. Those cases will instead be more likely to resemble the deaths of Michael Brown, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Daniel Prude, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor and hundreds of other cases that have not lead to a murder or manslaughter conviction.
Still, the Chauvin trial is not guaranteed to be simply a one-off event, either. Some of the same factors that make it distinct could also cause it to have a wider impact. Before Floyd’s death, it was hard to think of a signature trial of an American police officer, one that received sustained national attention, as the trial of a celebrity might.
This trial, of course, did receive such attention. Television networks halted their normal coverage yesterday to broadcast the verdict, and the president of the United States organized his schedule around it.
That attention has made it clear that a police officer can be charged with murder and convicted of it. It’s an idea that will linger in the minds of prosecutors and future jurors. Perhaps most important, it may affect the thinking of other officers, when they find themselves considering whether to use physical force when it is not necessary.
Commentary roundup
Barack Obama: ‘True justice requires that we come to terms with the fact that Black Americans are treated differently, every day. … And it requires us to do the sometimes thankless, often difficult, but always necessary work of making the America we know more like the America we believe in.’
Rosa Brooks, in Politico: ‘While the national media understandably puts a spotlight on Chauvin, we should not forget that three other Minneapolis police officers were also on the scene that day last May: Officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng. Their sheer passivity was, in some ways, more stunning than Chauvin’s casual cruelty.’
Quin Hillyer of The Washington Examiner: ‘The judicial system worked. It usually does. It won’t bring George Floyd back, or eliminate all bad policing — but police are now on notice.’
Michele Norris: ‘Can we all sing a praise song for Darnella Frazier who had the presence of mind to film that video that made such a difference.’
Minneapolis residents greeted the verdict with joy and relief. ‘We matter,’ one woman said outside the convenience store where Floyd was killed.
Racial justice activists saw the trial as a step toward a larger goal. ‘We have not yet dealt with the disease,’ a pastor in Chicago said.
These photos show reactions to the verdict around the country.” Read more at New York Times
Harriet Tubman in a photo taken in the early 1870s. Photo: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Archaeologists believe they've found the site of a cabin where legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman lived from the ages of 17–22, WashPost reports.
‘Officials said bricks, datable pieces of 19th-century pottery, a button, a drawer pull, a pipe stem, old records and the location all pointed to the spot being the likely site’ of her father's cabin.
Why it matters: The potential find ‘illuminates the role that her father, and her family, played in her development into the fearless Underground Railroad conductor that she became.’
‘Those years she lived with her father were absolutely crucial to the development of Harriet Tubman,’ Tubman biographer Kate Clifford Larson told the WashPost.
The cabin site was found in the federal Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, across the Chesapeake Bay from D.C. Read more at Axios