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Disinformation expert Nina Jankowicz, commenting on the thousands of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol last week, incited in large part by misinformation and conspiracy theories about the presidential election having been “stolen” from President Trump. (AP News — Jan. 7, 2021)
The amount that Dominion Voting Systems is suing former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell for damages, resulting from her disinformation regarding the safety of the voting machines.
A ruling by the Labor Department has made it easier for businesses to classify their gig workers as independent contractors, which don’t require standard employee protections such as minimum wage and benefits.
After the storming of the Capitol last week, several social media platforms have enacted bans on President Trump’s accounts; Twitter suspended Trump for 12 hours, while Facebook blocked him through Inauguration Day.
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Gina Raimondo to serve as Commerce secretary, which will put her in charge of the 2020 Census closure and economic recovery from the pandemic-driven recession.
Mayor Martin Walsh, who has had a long tenure with labor leadership, was selected to act as Labor secretary for the Biden Administration.
How much authority should governments have to protect people misbehaving in ways that are, in most cases, dangerous only to themselves?
With Democrats in control of the Senate and the rest of Washington, further stimulus is a near-certainty. State and local aid, which has been held up by the GOP, will be part of the mix.
The focus has been on the attack's impact on federal agencies and the private sector, but state and local governments need to inventory their vulnerabilities and prepare for a long recovery.
It's the only way to undo the damage the Supreme Court did when it overturned laws regulating the raising and spending of campaign money. It has bipartisan support, and states should lead the way.
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, speaking of efforts to identify the rioters who stormed the capitol and posted photos and videos of the siege on social media. (Reuters — Jan. 6, 2021)
The number of new unemployment claims that were filed during the week ending on Jan. 2. 19.17 million people received some form of unemployment aid in mid-December, which is still ten times greater than the levels this time last year.
The state health department reported pandemic-related fatalities have risen to nearly 300 with more than 22,000 cases. The state hopes 15 percent of the population will download the mobile alert tool.
Officials in the state capital need to start working with at-risk communities to ensure the COVID vaccine is distributed rapidly when it’s readily available.
Some think the rollout of vaccines means we've turned the corner, but things are likely to get worse before they get better. Public officials have a role, and messaging is more important than ever.
For months, protesters have been targeting government buildings and even the homes of public officials, with some making death threats. Their actions reflect a growing acceptance for political violence.
In 1800, the country struggled to survive its first transition of power between John Adams, America’s first one-term president, and Thomas Jefferson, thanks to political intrigue, chaos and panic.
Nicol Turner Lee, of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation, commenting on the website crashes and technology glitches that have hindered the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the nation. (The Hill — Jan. 5, 2021)
The amount that Amazon will spend creating or preserving 20,000 affordable homes in Virginia, Tennessee and Washington, the three regions near Amazon’s headquarters.
There were 54 traffic-related deaths in Portland last year even as the coronavirus pandemic forced millions of people to stay home much more than usual. The city wants to eliminate all traffic-related deaths by 2025.
The state’s regional jails have had more than 800 inmates test positive for COVID-19, due in part to over capacity by 1,300 inmates, making virus control extremely difficult.
As the summer months approach, state energy officials are scrambling to find ways to reduce stress on the state’s power grid, including reductions in air conditioner use and briefly powering down refrigerators.
The state’s vaccination rollout has been far from perfect. Local officials have asked Gov. Cuomo to allow county leaders to activate their vaccination plans that have been carefully crafted and prepped.
We need to give the public servants who manage safety-net systems the technology tools and incentives to track critical outcomes and meet people where they are.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, speaking to criticisms that the Republican governor isn’t taking coronavirus response seriously after a New Year’s Eve gala took place at the resort he owns, which had guests packed into a ballroom without masks. The governor did not attend the gala and has been an advocate of mask-wearing and vaccinations. (AP News — Jan. 4, 2021)
The proportion of Americans who support monthly stimulus checks of $2,000 during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many Americans are beginning to receive the $600 payments that were approved in the most recent stimulus package, some lawmakers don’t believe this is enough financial support and more needs to be done.
The contested Senate race will determine which political party has control of the U.S. Senate. If Republicans maintain majority, Biden will enter into a divided government that has not been seen since George H.W. Bush.
Councilmember Steven Matteo wants a detailed cost breakdown of extending the HOV lane on the Staten Island Expressway, which the state has estimated to cost as much as $800 million and has been debated for years.
Gov. Baker signed a law that requires police officers to recertify every three years and subjects them to losing their certification if they violate certain standards that will be set by an independent state entity.
With incoming President Joe Biden pledging to unify the country, author David French talks about the nation’s current divide, whether the country is in decline and the prospects for a lasting union.
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