Politics

Axios reports: The Israeli government has formed a special task force to pressure Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and its parent company Unilever to reverse their decision to boycott Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Israeli officials tell me. The Israeli government is concerned the move by Ben & Jerry’s will encourage other international companies to take similar steps to …

The Casper Tribune reports: Former Sen. Mike Enzi died Monday after suffering serious injuries in a recent bike accident. He was 77. The announcement of Enzi’s passing came in a tweet posted at 11:14 p.m. to his senatorial Twitter account. The Gillette News Record reported that Enzi was biking near his home in Gillette shortly before 8:30 p.m. Friday when …

That was quick. CNN reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Sunday she has appointed GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger to the House select committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. “Today, I am announcing the appointment of Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, an Air Force veteran and Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard, to serve on the …

Axios reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday that it is her “plan” to appoint Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) to the House select committee investigating the deadly Jan 6. Capitol riots. Pelosi’s statement to ABC’s “This Week” comes after she rejected two of the five Republican appointments offered by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Pelosi’s refusal led to …

The Washington Post reports: In a television interview two decades ago, the fringe congressman didn’t hesitate to say it: If he were president, he would shut down the Brazilian congress and stage a military takeover. “There’s not even the littlest doubt,” Jair Bolsonaro said. “I’d stage a coup the same day [I became president,] the same day. Congress doesn’t work. …

From Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett: Dear citizens, those who refuse vaccines are endangering their health, those around them and the freedom of every Israeli citizen. They are endangering our freedom to work, the freedom of our children to learn and the freedom to hold celebrations with the family. Those who refuse vaccines hurt us all because if all of …

The Texas Tribune reports: Stephen F. Austin, Donnie Darko and a person who calls himself the King of the Wild Frontier were among the first people to give money to support Gov. Greg Abbott’s border wall effort after he announced he would be seeking private donations to help fund it. But there’s no way to verify if Austin, who donated …

Nashville’s ABC News affiliate reports: A Tennessee panel has moved forward on a final vote to remove the Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Tennessee Capitol. The bust of the Confederate general and KKK Grand Wizard still sat in the Capitol, months after a vote to remove it and two other statues. Thursday’s vote from the State Building Commission was the …

Axios reports: Former Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D) announced Thursday that she’ll run in 2022 for the U.S. Senate in Iowa, a seat currently held by seven-term incumbent Sen. Chuck Grassley (R). Finkenauer is the first major Democrat to announce a Senate run in Iowa, which is expected to be a critical swing state next fall as the party looks to …

Reuters reports: YouTube said on Wednesday it had removed videos from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s channel for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus outbreak, becoming the latest tech giant to pull his pandemic pronouncements. YouTube said in a press release the decision was taken “after careful review” and without consideration for Bolsonaro’s job or political ideology. The far-right former army captain, …

Gothamist reports: Four weeks after Primary Day, the New York City Board of Elections finalized the results for primary elections including the Democratic contests for mayor, comptroller, all five borough presidents, the Manhattan district attorney, other party position. The certified results published by the Board after close of business on Tuesday, showed Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams defeated Kathryn Garcia, …

The Guardian reports: Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney did not hold back on her colleagues today, as she blasted House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and his decision to remove all the Republicans that he appointed to the House select committee tasked with investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol. She pointed out that one of the two Republican appointees …

The Guardian reports: The Guardian has identified an Alaska assistant attorney general as a supporter of the Mormon-derived extremist group the Deseret nationalists who has posted a series of racist, antisemitic and homophobic messages on social media. The Guardian’s investigation has triggered a review in the Alaska department of law, where the lawyer works. Matthias Cicotte, whose job means he …

The Associated Press reports: Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes on Tuesday joined the crowded Democratic field for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, vying to become the first African American from Wisconsin to serve in the Senate. Barnes, 34, is the first Black lieutenant governor in Wisconsin history. He is giving up a chance to …

Mediaite reports: The Department of Homeland Security reminded Floridians ahead of a flotilla scheduled to travel near Cuba on Thursday that it was “illegal” to travel to the island nation without permission from the federal government. “It is illegal for boaters to depart with the intent to travel to Cuba for any purpose without a permit,” the department said in …

Axios reports: In speeches, Bolsonaro, a former military captain, has been questioning the integrity of an electronic ballot system that’s been in place since 1996 and suggesting he might not even allow elections to happen. Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is currently the runaway favorite heading into the October 2022 contest. Driving the news: The Supreme Court opened …

The Juneau Empire reports: The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed an Anchorage Superior Court decision, ruling that the Recall Dunleavy campaign’s application satisfied the legal requirements to be sent to voters, prompting a strong rebuke from Gov. Mike Dunleavy. The recall campaign’s application alleged four complaints against Dunleavy, all of which were found “legally sufficient,” by the court. The Recall Dunleavy …

The Washington Post reports: A federal judge in Texas has largely halted an Obama administration initiative that grants work permits and protection from deportation to undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, though he allowed the more than 600,000 young people already in the program to keep their protected status. But the judge ruled that new applications may …

Australia’s The Advertiser reports: Getting into Australia is near on impossible at the moment. Except, it seems, if you are Hollywood royalty. There are reports that reality star Caitlyn Jenner has taken up one of a severely limited number of airline seats so she can take part in Channel 7 series Celebrity Big Brother. A group representing Australians stranded abroad …

The Texas Tribune reports: West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin — a key Democratic holdout over efforts to pass federal voting rights legislation — is expected to head to Texas on Friday for a fundraiser with a host committee that includes several wealthy Republican donors. The fundraiser comes just a day after Manchin met with Texas House Democrats on Capitol Hill …