Politics

New Orleans’ CBS News affiliate reports: The New Orleans City Council pardoned thousands of people who have been cited for marijuana possession. According to Council President Helena Moreno, about 10,000 convictions and pending case penalties for small amounts of cannabis possession have been pardoned as well as any future summons. The council hopes that the new move will help the …

Politico reports: Rep. Conor Lamb is launching his long-expected Senate bid in Pennsylvania Friday, joining the crowded Democratic field in a state that is critical for the party as it seeks to protect or expand its narrow Senate majority. Lamb, 37, a Marine and former prosecutor, rose to prominence when he won a nationally-watched House special election in 2018 months …

ABC News reports: The first woman to publicly accuse New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment plans to sue him for allegedly retaliating against her after she came forward. Lindsey Boylan, who formerly worked as an aide to the governor, spoke out in December in a series of tweets claiming Cuomo “sexually harassed me for years.” “Our plan is …

Axios reports: The Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue has removed a donation page that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s campaign committee used to solicit contributions, the company confirmed to Axios. ActBlue is the lifeblood of grassroots Democratic fundraising. Its decision to cut off Cuomo following damning allegations of sexual harassment and assault deals a body blow to what’s left of his …

The Washington Post reports: AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, one of the country’s most powerful labor leaders and an influential voice in many Washington debates, has died at 72, according to a source at the union federation. Trumka, a third-generation coal miner who rose to power through the United Mine Workers, had become one of the most powerful labor leaders in …

The New York Times reports: The State Assembly’s impeachment investigation into Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is “nearing completion” and the body will soon consider “potential articles of impeachment” against him, the chair of the committee overseeing the inquiry said in a statement on Thursday. Charles D. Lavine, who leads the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, said that lawyers hired by the judiciary …

“Because the example of Hungary is so powerful — not just in Europe, but to the world, to the entire world, not simply the west — what you can do with a relatively small economy and not many people, if you’re just serious about keeping your nation from being destroyed. “Because the lessons are so obvious, and there’s such a …

The Washington Post reports: The Mexican government said Wednesday it plans to file legal action against several major U.S.-based gun manufacturers, alleging that lax controls contribute to the illegal flow of weapons over the border, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. The unusual suit is expected to be filed in U.S. federal court in Boston, since some of …

From the New York Times editorial board: Mr. Cuomo has always had a self-serving streak and been known for his political bullying. He also has used those traits to be an effective politician and, in many of his achievements as governor, won the public’s trust. What this report lays out, however, are credible accusations that can’t be looked past. As …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Democrats who control the New York state Assembly accelerated their impeachment investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo as former supporters called for his removal after a report detailed numerous instances of sexual harassment by the governor. The Assembly’s judiciary committee, which is conducting the impeachment inquiry, plans to meet Monday and combine the report with evidence …

USA Today reports: Voters in the 11th Congressional District took the first step Tuesday toward choosing a new representative for Northeast Ohio as County Councilwoman Shontel Brown held off progressive Nina Turner to win the Democratic primary for an open U.S. House seat. The contest Tuesday had emerged as a proxy for the future of the Democratic Party. Brown had …

Roll Call reports: Legislation to honor the Capitol Police and Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department with congressional gold medals — recognizing them for their heroism in protecting members of Congress from rioters loyal to then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 6 — is headed to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. The Senate passed, by unanimous consent, a bill that …

Politico reports: Ex-con and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich sued his home state Monday for booting him from the governor’s seat after his 2008 arrest for corruption and stripping him of his right to run for elective office in Illinois. Before filing the lawsuit, an unapologetic Blagojevich addressed reporters outside the same federal courthouse in Chicago where he was convicted, declaring: …

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: North Carolina and Alaska are the only two states that allow 14-year-olds to marry. Some North Carolina lawmakers want to stop this from happening and have said that allowing minors to marry has made the state a destination for child trafficking. Sen. Danny Britt, a Lumberton Republican, said his colleagues have told him they …

Reuters reports: A Belarusian athlete who took refuge in the Polish embassy in Tokyo on Monday a day after refusing her team’s orders to board a flight home from the Olympic Games has been granted a humanitarian visa by the Warsaw government. Sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya plans to leave for Poland in the coming days, a Polish deputy foreign minister, Marcin …

The Associated Press reports: After much delay, senators unveiled a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, wrapping up days of painstaking work on the inches-thick bill and launching what is certain to be a lengthy debate over President Joe Biden’s big priority. Despite the hurry-up-and-wait during a rare weekend session, emotions bubbled over once the bill was produced Sunday night. …

USA Today reports: “There were many communications with President Trump that day,” Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday, when asked during CNN’s “State of the Union” whether Trump allies should appear before the panel about his role in inciting the riots at the Capitol. “While the rioters are primarily responsible for what happened, there’s no doubt in my mind that President …

“I would support subpoenas to anybody that can shed light on that. If that’s the leader, that’s the leader. If it’s anybody that talked to the president they can provide us that information. “I want to know what the president was doing every moment of that day after he said, ‘I’m going to walk with you to the Capitol.’ “And …

Reuters reports: A Belarusian sprinter said she was taken to the airport against her wishes on Sunday to board a flight back home after she complained about national coaches at the Tokyo Olympics. Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who was due to compete in the women’s 200 metres on Monday, told Reuters she did not plan to return to her home country. She …

Reuters reports: Hungary’s National Election Committee (NEC) approved on Friday the government’s list of questions on LGBT issues it wants to put on a referendum as part of what Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called an “ideological war” with the European Union. Orban, a nationalist who has been in power since 2010, proposed a referendum on ruling party legislation that …