“Bilirakis Named ‘Most Effective Republican in the House’” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – The Center for Effective Lawmaking, an independent organization that is a joint partnership between the College of Arts and Science at Vanderbilt University and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, has just issued its ranking of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives. Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R) was named the Most Effective Member from the Tampa Bay area in Congress. Moreover, Bilirakis also scored as Florida’s Most Effective Republican in the House, he scored as Florida’s 2nd Most Effective Lawmaker in the House, and he scored as the 12th Most Effective Republican Lawmaker in the entirety of Congress. The ranking is determined by each Member’s “proven ability to advance agenda items through the legislative process and into law.” It’s explained that “in defining legislative effectiveness in this way, it is important to note that our definition consists of four separate components: proven ability, advancing legislation, members’ agenda items, and progression through the legislative process into law.” In response to the ranking, Bilirakis commented that his “constituents send me to Washington to get things done on their behalf, and that is my primary focus as I work to better our community and the lives of those I serve,” adding that “achieving that goal requires ongoing relationship-building with all stakeholders.”

“Trump Warns Ending Filibuster Would Be ‘Catastrophic For The Republican Party’” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Former President Trump is warning Republicans that any effort from Senate Democrats to abolish the filibuster would cause “catastrophic” damage to the party. “Look, he’s hanging by a thread right now with respect to the filibuster,” Trump said, discussing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) attempts to stave off any changes to eliminate the longstanding filibuster rule during an hour-long interview with Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe new podcast “The Truth with Lisa Boothe.” “And if they get the fili — he’s hanging on Joe Manchin, who always goes with the Democrats. Joe talks, but he ends up going with the Democrats. Now there’s another great senator from the state of Arizona. He’s hanging by a thread and if they get rid of the filibuster, if they knock it out, it will be catastrophic for the Republican Party. And now, they knock out the filibuster, it’s going to be a real problem… they’re going to have a free for all,” Trump added. The filibuster, which makes most legislation in the Senate subject to a 60-vote threshold, is a procedure used to delay or block legislative action the minority party mostly opposes. Currently, 60 votes are needed in the Senate to end debate and pass legislation, and the measure is meant to protect the interests of the minority party, which is currently the GOP. Eliminating the filibuster and moving to a simple majority requirement in the Senate would significantly limit the Republican party’s key power in stymying President Biden’s liberal agenda in the narrowly divided Senate.

“Sen. Baxley: ‘Not Such a Bright Future’ on FL Scholarship” by The Floridian’s Jim McCool – The Bright Futures Program has created an equal opportunity pathway for Florida public school students to attend college. However, the over 20-year-old program has made headlines and a new piece of legislation circling in the Florida House of Representatives is now worrying parents across the state. State Senator Shevrin Jones (D-35) took to Twitter last week, where he hinted at addressing the number of black students that are awarded the Bright Futures Scholarship, telling the state of Florida, “let’s figure out why the number of black students receiving Bright Futures since its inception (1997) has never gone over 7%.” The Floridian approached Jones last week in the Florida Capitol to ask him about his remarks, where he says he is, “not sure” if the solution to a more diverse Bright Futures is an exterior or interior problem with the program. Jones continues to believe that Bright Futures is, “Not an entitlement program”, contrary to what Senator Dennis Baxley (R-12) controversially claimed in that Bright Futures is an entitlement program. The Floridian reached out to Senator Baxley over the weekend to further comment on the fate of the Bright Futures Program in Florida. The Senator was able to clear the air about his comments, telling us that he, “has a lot of interest in this [Bright Futures] bill.” “We don’t want to eliminate any programs if they can inject some other classwork in there that would qualify them for short-term careers, or even extended careers. But we got a problem when a third of graduates aren’t reaching stable employment.”

“Trump Backs Hice’s Bid Against Raffensperger For Georgia Secretary of State” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Former President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed Rep. Jody Hice in a campaign to take down and unseat Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in next year’s Republican primary, saying that “unlike” the incumbent, “Jody leads out front with integrity.” “Jody has been a steadfast fighter for conservative Georgia values and is a staunch ally of the America First agenda. Unlike the current Georgia Secretary of State, Jody leads out front with integrity. I have 100% confidence in Jody to fight for Free, Fair, and Secure Elections in Georgia, in line with our beloved U.S. Constitution,” the former president said in a statement released by his political action committee, Save America PAC. “Jody will stop the Fraud and get honesty into our Elections! Jody loves the people of Georgia, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump emphasized. The Georgia congressman, rather than seek reelection to Georgia’s 10th Congressional District opted to run again Raffensperger. In his campaign launch announcement prior to Trump’s endorsement, Hice savaged the secretary of state, saying “what Brad Raffensperger did was create cracks in the integrity of our elections, which I wholeheartedly believe individuals took advantage of in 2020.” “Free and fair elections are the foundation of our country,” Hice said in a separate statement. “Georgia deserves a Secretary of State who will own the responsibilities of the office. If elected, I will instill confidence in our election process by upholding the Georgia Constitution, enforcing meaningful reform, and aggressively pursuing those who commit voter fraud.”

“Moody Issues Consumer Alert for Police Imposter Scams” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Today, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) issued a Consumer Alert warning Floridians that there is an increase in imposter scam phone calls that are claiming to be from Florida law enforcement. A recent report issued by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center warned that a number of scammers have been posing as Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies while attempting to call local residents in an attempt to receive personal and financial information. In a statement, Moody informed that “criminals are always looking for new angles to scam Floridians, but it is extremely brazen to impersonate law enforcement in an attempt to defraud others.” Adding that she is married to a law enforcement officer, she noted that she is “appalled that scammers are posing as police to steal from Floridians.” “If anyone receives one of these imposter calls claiming to be a local law enforcement official – ask questions, record the phone number and then look up the correct number for the law enforcement agency and report the crime,” Moody urged. Last year, Moody released a resource called Scams at a Glance: Imposter Scams, which helps “consumers protect themselves from imposter scams similar to the emerging police imposter scam.”

“Florida Democrats, with help from Bloomberg, raise $2 million” by Politico’s Gary Fineout – Buoyed by large donations from New York City billionaire Michael Bloomberg and a South Florida health care executive, Florida Democrats have stabilized their finances and are poised to move ahead with ambitious plans to expand their operations ahead of the 2022 elections. Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz helped raise $2 million in the two months since he took over — enough to let the party wipe out much of its debts. Party officials say that Bloomberg gave $500,000, while Mike Fernandez, who was once a large Republican donor before President Donald Trump was elected, kicked in $100,000. It’s a turnabout for the Democrats’ Florida operation, which allowed health insurance for its employees to lapse late last year and prompted Diaz to fire two-thirds of the staff, a move that angered people in the unionized state party. “It feels really good because those first few weeks were brutal because of the amount of money we owed and were about to owe,” Diaz told POLITICO in an interview. Diaz said the financial woes set back his plans by a “couple of months” to expand operations, including setting up Democratic offices in Orlando. “First and foremost, you have to clean up your own house before looking outside,” Diaz said. The party filed its latest federal report late Saturday, and it showed that Democrats had almost $200,000 cash on hand at the end of February and still had close to $99,000 in debts and pending obligations. More than $1 million was raised in the month of February.

“Gaming deal ‘is close,’ Desantis tells parimutuel leaders” by Tampa Bay Times’ Mary Ellen Klas – Florida legislators are “getting close” to a new gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Senate President Wilton Simpson told 20 top officials of Florida’s casinos, poker rooms, horse tracks and jai-alai facilities on Thursday, according to the some of the men in attendance at the closed-door meeting in the Capitol. Simpson, DeSantis and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, all Republicans, have been in behind-the-scenes talks with the Tribe over a new gambling compact for several months as part of an ambitious plan to draft a proposal this legislative session. “We will probably know one way or the other within the next week or so whether we have a path to agreement,” DeSantis told reporters after the meeting with the pari-mutuel leaders. For more than a decade, legislators have been asked to update the state’s gaming laws, authorize new games for the industry and allow wealthy hotel owners to open a casino. But the bills never pass, often dragged down by their own weight. “It seems to be the third rail of the Legislature,’' said Sprowls, from Palm Harbor. In his six years in state House, no gaming bill has ever passed, he said, because there are so many interlocking parts involving competing interests. “The issue with gaming is wildly complex,’' Sprowls said. He said he will listen this year but emphasized this is a priority for Simpson, an egg farmer from Pasco County who is widely expected to run for agriculture commissioner in 2022.

“State Democrats call for special election after arrests in sham candidate case” by Tampa Bay Times’ Samantha J. Gross and Ana Ceballos – Florida Democrats on Friday called for Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia’s resignation and for a special election to be held in Miami-Dade Senate District 37, a day after state prosecutors accused a Miami GOP operative of planting a no-party candidate to sway the outcome of the race in November. Garcia’s 2020 victory strengthened Senate Republicans’ decades-long control of the Florida Senate. But Democrats are calling into question the integrity of the election after a 25-page arrest affidavit laid bare an alleged scheme by former Republican state Sen. Frank Artiles that involved him paying an auto-parts dealer more than $40,000 to run and influence the race. The sham candidate, Alexis “Alex” Rodriguez, shared the same surname as the incumbent, Democrat José Javier Rodríguez. The point of his candidacy, investigators said, was to “confuse voters and siphon votes from the incumbent.” Garcia won by 32 votes out of 215,000 ballots cast. Alex Rodriguez received more than 6,000 votes. “In the interest of fairness and the sanctity of our democratic electoral process, we call upon Senator Garcia to resign immediately,” Florida Democratic Party Chairman Manny Diaz said during a press conference Friday morning. “My late father would have never allowed me to accept any benefit that was clearly obtained through fraudulent means. He also taught me that where there is smoke, there is usually fire.”

“Vice President Kamala Harris visits Feeding Northeast Florida, leaving optimistic feeling” by First Coast News’ Ken Amaro – It was a quick trip to Jacksonville for the Vice President Kamala Harris. She came to tout the benefits of the American Rescue Plan. However, her short trip was long enough to understand the needs and impact of COVID-19 especially when it comes to food insecurity. "I am tickle pink," said Frances Clark. As her motorcade rolled into feeding Northeast Florida, after a slight delay, Madam Vice President was greeted by 50 or more supporters. "I think it is a great plan and look forward to everyone that gets to benefit from that program," said Olivia Meadows. Vice President has been visiting cities to spell out the benefits of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, and in the process, listening to the community needs. She held one of those listening session at Feeding Northeast Florida. "I bring thanks on behalf of the President," said Madam Harris, "because the work that we did with the American rescue plan was designed with you on my mind. And with the folks who serve in mind." In 2020, Feeding Northeast Florida distributed nearly 31 million pounds of food that is an 82 % increase over 2019. "I was so moved by the vice president's genuine concern," said Susan King. King is CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida and while the non profit does not benefit directly from the ARP, she said her constituents, or those who use the program, will and that's good news.

“Prosecutors pursue hate crime charges against Florida doctor” by Associated Press – Florida prosecutors say they’re pursuing hate crime charges against a South Florida doctor accused of attacking a Hispanic man at a supermarket. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle announced Monday that her office is charging Dr. Jennifer Susan Wright with battery with prejudice and two other counts. At a Hialeah supermarket on Jan. 20, officials say, Wright became angry after the victim asked her to keep her distance because of COVID-19. Officials say the doctor later hurled racial and other insults at the man in the store parking lot. The doctor’s attorney issued a statement calling the matter an “ugly attack” filled with “lies and twisted information.”

“An Air Force training drone washed ashore on a Florida beach” by CNN’s Shirin Ali – Beachcombers in southeast Florida got a surprise last week when the tide brought forth a 20-foot aerial target drone used by the US Air Force. The drone, part of the Air Force's weapons system evaluation program, was found on Friday on the shore of Boynton Beach in southeast Florida's Palm Beach County. It was quickly recovered by the Air Force and never posed a threat to the public. Lt. Savannah Bray, spokeswoman for the US Air Force's 53rd Wing, told CNN that the BQM-167A drone is a subscale target drone used specifically for training exercises throughout the entire military. The drones are used to test weapons systems and train fighter pilots during live-fire exercises. "They are flown remotely, and they simulate a real air-to-air combat mission," said Bray, adding that shooting down one of these drones would be like firing at an enemy aircraft. Air Force officials were called to Boynton Beach and the drone was removed within a few hours. Bray estimated that the BQM-167A found was likely shot down during a training exercise that occurred two to three sessions ago. The Air Force's 53rd Wing conducts training exercises year round, with one held roughly every month. The Air Force recovers the drones, either by boat rescues or through a parachute recovery system, as the drones can be repaired, tested and reused, according to the Air Force. The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron operates and maintains the drones at Tyndall Air Force Base located 12 miles east of Panama City on the Florida Panhandle. The squadron maintains three 120-foot drone recovery vessels and four smaller patrol boats, the only vessels in the Air Force, to recover the drones and support range safety.

“Florida Sen. Rick Scott questions social media CEOs, Google on platforms' child impact” by WEAR Staff – Florida Senator Rick Scott is asking the CEOs of multiple social media platforms and Google for more information on their platforms' impact on children and young adults. The senator announced the action on Monday on his official Twitter account. Scott says "we must understand and address how social media affects the health and well-being of Americans." The letter dated Thursday was sent to Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter's Jack Dorsey, Evan Spiegel of Snapchat and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Citing the constant use of social media by children and teenagers, Scott says this has raised parent concerns about the impacts this may cause. Scott also saying the platforms' activities, including "the ongoing censorship of conservatives", have raised concerns. The senator is asking for more information on the social media impacts of children and teens as they spend more times indoors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on all Americans, but young adults have had their lives drastically altered. With school closures and more time indoors, teens have been spending even more time on the internet and on social media.”

“Millions more in Florida now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine” by Local 10’s Christina Vazquez, Madeleine Wright, Amanda Batchelor – Florida is relaxing age restrictions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday, with residents ages 50 and up now eligible to receive the vaccine. Those receiving vaccines at state-run sites simply need to bring a valid government ID to prove their age. Changing the cutoff age allows millions more to get the COVID-19 vaccine. “I think the vaccine should be available for everybody, given that there is a pandemic, right? And if we’re all vaccinated, I think it would be great for the community,” said L.J. Ricardo, whose parents were getting the vaccine Monday at Hard Rock Stadium. City of Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez announced that those 50 and older will also now be able to receive the vaccine at its location at Bucky Dent Park at 2250 W. 60th St. A total of 400 vaccines will be available daily beginning at 8:30 a.m., and vaccines are being administered there on a first come, first served basis. Miami-Dade County, meanwhile, is going one step further than the state. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava tweeted last week that she’ll lower the age of eligibility to 40 plus on March 29, and then lower it again by another 10 years each week after that. Individuals do not need to live in Miami-Dade to receive the vaccine there, but they must be a resident of Florida. Also, those wishing to visit these county-run sites must pre-register through the county’s appointment portal to receive a vaccine.

“Vice President Kamala Harris visits federal COVID-19 vaccine site, Feeding Northeast Florida in Jacksonville” by Action News Jax Staff – Vice President Kamala Harris visited Jacksonville on Monday, visiting Gateway Mall, the city’s federal COVID-19 vaccination site, and participating in a listening session at Feeding Northeast Florida. It’s her first trip to Florida since crisscrossing the state in the fall during the presidential campaign. She spoke about the benefits of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. It’s expected to bring an estimated $17 billion to the state. Vice President Kamala Harris has arrived at Feeding Northeast Florida for a listening session on food insecurity in Northeast Florida. Jacksonville City Councilmembers Garrett Dennis and Joyce Morgan, Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene, Congressman Al Lawson and Feeding Northeast Florida President and CEO Susan King are also in attendance at the session. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried, told Harris that 40% of black families and 39% of Hispanic families in the area are experiencing chronic hunger.

“Election reforms advance in the Florida House” by Capitol News Service’s Jak Stofan – The 2020 election was one of the safest and securest in Florida history, but lawmakers are still looking to make changes to the state’s election laws. Preventing ballot harvesting and increasing transparency and security of vote by mail are the focus of a bill approved by its first House committee Monday. The sponsor of the House’s election reform legislation agrees, Florida’s 2020 election was a success. “And we should never pass up an opportunity to make a good thing even better,” Representative Blaise Ingoglia said. The bill would prevent election supervisors from taking private grants. “Elections are a function of government and government should be paying for it,” Ingoglia said. It would also require mail ballots be requested each election cycle instead of every other cycle, but requests made before July 1st 2021 would still be honored. Mail ballot drop boxes would have to be monitored at all times and only family members or a roommate could drop off another person’s ballot. Democrats worry those limitations don’t account for all situations. “There’s no allowance for a guardian in here, there’s no allowance for a caregiver,” Representative Allison Tant said. The sponsor said the goal is to crack down on ballot harvesting. “We just got to make sure that we’re not opening it up where any one just signs a piece of paper saying that I’m the caregiver for this person and they can return the ballot. We don’t want to turn it into the fireworks where people sign saying they’re not going to do it and they do it anyway,” Ingoglia said.

“Florida governor proposes $75M in federal funds to support workforce training initiative” by Click Orlando – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking the State Legislature to approve the use of $75 million in federal funds to support what he’s dubbed the “Get There Faster” initiative, aimed at boosting residents’ access to technical education programs. During a news conference at Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne on Monday, DeSantis said the initiative would be broken down into two programs: the Get There Faster Technical Prep and Work-Based Learning Initiative for current high school students and the Get There Faster Post-Secondary Workforce Initiative for Florida adults with or without a high-school degree. The governor is asking $50 million be dedicated to part one of the initiative, which focuses on students still in the K-12 school system, and $25 million for the portion aimed at helping adults. The governor said the initiatives will support learners and workforce training programs, technical schools and work-based learning opportunities with Florida businesses by providing wraparound services and covering costs not accounted for by traditional financial aid. The programs will place a particular emphasis on work-based learners and career training programs that allow students and adults to “earn while they learn,” he said.

National:

“A second House Democrat objects to overturning Iowa congressional election GOP won by six votes” by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser – Saying that "the election is over and it’s time to move on," a second House Democrat is raising a red flag to a potential push by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to overturn GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa’s razor-thin victory in last November’s election. Miller-Meeks defeated Democrat Rita Hart by just six votes out of nearly 400,000 cast to represent Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers most of the southeastern part of the Hawkeye State. It was the closest margin of any U.S. election in nearly half a century. Hart is challenging the results, which were certified by the state following a recount. But rather than go through Iowa’s courts, she asked the Committee on House Administration to investigate 22 ballots she argues were improperly counted and which she says would have put her in the lead. Pelosi provisionally seated Miller-Meeks in January when the House was sworn in. Asked two weeks ago by reporters if she might potentially remove Miller-Meeks and seat Hart, Pelosi said "there could be a scenario to that extent." Any potential move by the House Administration Committee to award the victory to Hart would have to be approved by a vote in the full chamber, and with a fragile majority, Pelosi can’t afford to lose many Democratic votes.

“Boulder grocery massacre leaves 10 dead including cop, suspect in custody” by Fox News’ Stephanie Pagones and Louis Casiano – Ten people, including a police officer, were fatally shot Monday afternoon inside a grocery store in Boulder, Colo., authorities said at a news conference. The suspect is in custody. The officer was identified as Eric Talley, 51, who was one of the first on the scene. He has served on the department since 2010. Boulder Police Cmdr. Kerry Yamaguchi said a person of interest was being treated for injuries and was in police custody. "We don't know. They are still processing the scene," Yamaguchi told reporters. Kelly McGannon, a spokeswoman for the grocery store, offered her condolences to the loved ones of the victms and first responders. "Our hearts are broken over this senseless act of violence," she said. It was not clear how many people were injured during what police described as an active shooter situation at the grocery store on Table Mesa Drive shortly before 3 p.m. local time. Officers were heard on loudspeaker telling someone to exit a vehicle. "I need you to exit the vehicle now!" the Boulder Police Department said.

“Biden regularly consults with Barack Obama on a 'range of issues', Psaki says” by Fox News’ Brittany De Lea – White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday said that President Biden maintains "regular" communication with Barack Obama on a number of issues. Psaki was asked by a reporter whether Obama had visited the White House and how often the two speak, to which she responded that Obama and Biden have a relationship that is not defined as president and vice president – instead, they are "friends." "They consult and talk about a range of issues and I would expect that continues through the course of President Biden’s presidency," Psaki said. "That can be done over the phone it turns out, and I think if President Obama had been here, you would all know." Psaki declined to give an exact number of times that the powerful pair had spoken, but said they "keep in regular touch" and their respective teams also were in regular touch "about a range of issues." Psaki added that given Obama’s work on the Affordable Care Act, which Biden has committed to strengthening and expanding, that is one issue they will talk about. She pointed questions as to what else Obama would specifically be involved in to his team. Biden has tapped a number of individuals who previously served in the Obama administration to join his team, including chief of staff Ron Klain, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Despite the longstanding friendship, Obama drew interest from the media after he waited until late in the campaign cycle to formally endorse Biden.

“Colin Allred: Ex-NFL star Congressman bewildered by Jan 6 insurrection's 'rage and mob mentality'” by CNN’s Don Riddell – As a second-term Congressman Colin Allred carefully respects the traditions of his hallowed workplace. "You can't even step on the floor without a suit jacket on," he told CNN Sport via a remote link from his office in Dallas. But on January 6, 2021, after witnessing the horrors of a deadly, armed insurrection at the US Capitol building, he deemed that -- in that moment -- such a tradition was no longer appropriate, or indeed practical. "When I heard the attackers trying to get in," Allred explained, "I took off my suit jacket coat, stood up and was prepared to fight or do whatever I had to do if somebody got on the floor." Allred knows how to look after himself; he spent five years as a linebacker with the Tennessee Titans in the NFL and thought he'd seen it all -- until January. "It was surreal, it really was. I've played in some really tough atmospheres; I've had things thrown at me and people cursing at me, but I've never seen anything like the rage and mob mentality that we saw that day." Allred had heard the glass breaking, witnessed the doors being hurriedly fortified and knew the Capitol building had been breached for the first time in more than 200 years.

"It really is the heart of heart of our democracy," the 37-year-old Democratic lawmaker said. "And to see violence come to that place, to see Americans using the American flag to attack police officers, the Confederate flag being walked through the halls of Congress -- something that never happened during the Civil War, I was very sad that day."

“Sidney Powell argues in new court filing that no reasonable people would believe her election fraud claims” by CNN’s Katelyn Polantz – Right-wing lawyer Sidney Powell is claiming in a new court filing that reasonable people wouldn't have believed as fact her assertions of fraud after the 2020 presidential election. The election infrastructure company Dominion Voting Systems sued Powell for defamation after she pushed lawsuits and made appearances in conservative media on behalf of then-President Donald Trump to sow doubt about the 2020 election results. Dominion claims that Powell knew her election fraud accusations were false and hurtful to the company. In a new court filing, Powell's attorneys write that she was sharing her "opinion" and that the public could reach "their own conclusions" about whether votes were changed by election machines. "Given the highly charged and political context of the statements, it is clear that Powell was describing the facts on which she based the lawsuits she filed in support of President Trump," Powell's defense lawyers wrote in a court filing on Monday. "Indeed, Plaintiffs themselves characterize the statements at issue as 'wild accusations' and 'outlandish claims.' They are repeatedly labelled 'inherently improbable' and even 'impossible.' Such characterizations of the allegedly defamatory statements further support Defendants' position that reasonable people would not accept such statements as fact but view them only as claims that await testing by the courts through the adversary process." Election authorities and Dominion have resoundingly called Trump's loss in the election accurate and untainted by any possible major security risks. Trump's lawyers and his allies quickly lost or dropped all but one minor case out of nearly 60 following the election, as the then-President sought to overturn Joe Biden's win in multiple key states.

“Top Fox producer dies from coronavirus” by CNN Business’ Oliver Darcy – Eric Spinato, the head booker and senior story editor for the Fox Business Network, died over the weekend, the network said Monday. Spinato's brother, Dean, wrote on social media that the cause of death had been the coronavirus. "COVID took my brother today," he wrote. "He was a gem and one of a kind. I'm so broken and lost for words." Spinato worked at Fox for nearly 20 years. He joined the network in 1998, before briefly leaving in 2004 to work at CNN and MSNBC. He returned to Fox in 2007 and worked at the company ever since, working primarily with Maria Bartiromo.

Fox Business host David Asman reported on Spinato's death Monday afternoon. In a memo sent to employees Monday, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott, Fox News president Jay Wallace, and Fox Business president Lauren Petterson said Spinato's contributions to the company "were immeasurable." "Eric was an immensely gifted and aggressive booker and was renowned for booking the innumerable 'gets' we've seen on both FNC and FBN over the years," they wrote. "He was also always willing to lend a hand to help a colleague, mentor union staffers or troubleshoot an issue — countless bookers throughout the industry learned the ropes and the tools of the trade from Eric at one point or another in their careers." "His excitement, positivity and energetic team spirit were one of a kind and will be greatly missed," Scott, Wallace, and Petterson added. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to Eric's entire family, including his two sons and his girlfriend."

“Supreme Court Shows Inclination to Limit Union-Access Law” by WSJ’s Jess Bravin – The Supreme Court seemed ready after Monday arguments to pare back union organizers’ ability to visit farmworkers in California’s agricultural fields, but it was unclear whether the justices viewed the case narrowly or as an opportunity to dramatically expand property rights. California growers argue that organizer’s access rights, authorized in 1975 under the state Agricultural Labor Relations Act, amounts to a governmental taking of their private property for public use, for which the Constitution requires they be paid just compensation. The state contends that the access regulation, which allows union organizers to meet with workers during lunch and immediately before and after work under restricted conditions, lacks the characteristics of real property. It doesn’t involve a recorded easement, for instance, and exists only when the land is used for commercial farming. Several justices said the court already addressed the issue in 1956, when it considered a property-rights argument against National Labor Relations Board orders to admit union organizers onto factory grounds. “This is not a problem of always open or always closed doors for union organization on company property,” the court said then, in NLRB v. Babcock & Wilcox Co. Rather, the labor board could require access “when the inaccessibility of employees makes ineffective the reasonable attempts…to communicate with them through the usual channels.”

“Biden Administration Officials Put Together $3 Trillion Economic Plan” by WSJ’s Ken Thomas and Andrew Duehren – Administration officials are crafting a plan for a multipart infrastructure and economic package that could cost as much as $3 trillion and fulfill key elements of President Biden’s campaign agenda, according to people involved in the discussions. The first proposal would center on roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects and include many of the climate-change initiatives Mr. Biden outlined in the “Build Back Better” plan he released during the 2020 campaign. That package would be followed by measures focusing on education and other priorities, including extending the newly expanded child tax credit scheduled to expire at the end of the year and providing for universal prekindergarten and tuition-free community college, the people said. The packages could face a difficult path through the narrowly divided Congress, and Democrats aren’t all in agreement on how they should move forward with their spending and tax proposals. Mr. Biden is expected to be briefed on the details of the proposals this week, and the people warned that the strategy is preliminary. Mr. Biden would need to sign off on the legislative strategy for it to move forward. Some details of the strategy under consideration were reported earlier by the New York Times. The White House declined to elaborate on the proposals under consideration. “Those conversations are ongoing, so any speculation about future economic proposals is premature and not a reflection of the White House’s thinking,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

“Filibuster Debate Tears at Biden and Senate, With Long-Term Consequences” by WSJ’s Gerald F. Seib – When Richard Arenberg, a longtime Democratic congressional staffer, co-wrote a book in 2012 defending the Senate’s filibuster, he was pleasantly surprised to get a nice reaction from a high-level reviewer: He received a complimentary note from then-Vice President Joe Biden. “It should be required reading for this session of the Senate. Great job,” reads the note that hangs in the office of Mr. Arenberg, who now teaches at Brown University. It wasn’t just Mr. Biden who liked the book; the foreword was co-written by Ted Kaufman, a longtime Biden Senate aide who took over Mr. Biden’s Senate seat when his former boss became vice president. The note merely underscores how Mr. Biden is being torn by the debate over the filibuster, now under sustained attack from critics on his Democratic Party’s progressive left. The debate has brought both the Senate and the Biden administration to an important inflection point; both will be living with the consequences of this moment for years to come. The pressure is building as Democrats in a Senate divided 50-50 between the two parties see Republican filibusters as the main obstacle to the next two big Democratic priorities: passing legislation to broaden voting access, and a big bill to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure while also tilting it away from fossil fuels. In a nutshell, the argument is that the filibuster is being abused more frequently to obstruct the Senate, and that this now is a more acute problem because the Senate is growing ever more anti-democratic (with a small “D”) as the population of the country shifts to urban centers.

“U.S., allies announce sanctions on China over Uyghur ‘genocide’” by Politico’s Nahal Toosi – The United States and its allies in Canada, Britain and the European Union on Monday announced sanctions on several Chinese officials alleged to have links to what U.S. officials say is a genocidal campaign against Uyghur Muslims. The international, coordinated sanctions, first reported by POLITICO, drew condemnation and some immediate retaliatory sanctions from Beijing. The moves offered a glimpse into the growing divide between China and the United States and its trans-Atlantic allies, which, like Washington, are increasingly wary of China’s global ambitions and internal repression. The sanctions are an opportunity for the Biden administration to justify its emphasis on working with allies, one major aspect of its foreign policy that it says distinguishes it from the administration of former President Donald Trump. The sanctions also come after a tense high-level meeting between U.S. and Chinese officials in Alaska. “Amid growing international condemnation, the [People’s Republic of China] continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity” in the Xinjiang region, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. “The United States reiterates its calls on the PRC to bring an end to the repression of Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang, including by releasing all those arbitrarily held in internment camps and detention facilities.”

“Eric Greitens announces Missouri Senate run” by Politico’s James Arkin – Eric Greitens, the disgraced former Republican governor of Missouri, announced Monday he is running for Senate next year. Greitens, who resigned in the middle of his term following allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman, became the first prominent Republican to enter the race to replace GOP Sen. Roy Blunt, who announced earlier this month he would not seek a third term. "I have been so encouraged by the people of Missouri that I'm happy to announce tonight that I am running for the United States Senate to continue serving the people of Missouri," Greitens said during the interview on Fox News Channel. The prospect of Greitens' campaign has alarmed Republicans who fear he could put the otherwise safe Republican seat in jeopardy if he wins a crowded and split primary. Several other Republicans are considering bids, including state Attorney General Eric Schmitt and state Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick, and Reps. Vicky Hartzler, Jason Smith and Ann Wagner. Two state officials, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe said they will not run. Several Democrats are running, including former state Sen. Scott Sifton, Marine veteran Lucas Kunce and activist Tim Shepard.

“AstraZeneca struggles to rebuild confidence in vaccine after PR blunders” by Politico’s Sarah Owermohle – AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine could be the key to vaccinating billions of people worldwide — if the company can overcome a series of public relations missteps that have clouded the shot’s reputation and left governments wary. The company reported Monday that its two-dose vaccine provided strong protection against the virus without serious side effects in its largest trial yet: a 32,000-person U.S. study. The shot was 79 percent effective at preventing symptomatic disease and completely effective at preventing hospitalization and death, AstraZeneca said. But it’s not clear that those results, which could clear the way for the U.S. to allow emergency use of the shot, will shore up global opinion. When the U.S. announced last week that it would ship millions of AstraZeneca doses to neighboring countries, European regulators were busily trying to quell safety concerns; all told, 13 EU countries suspended use of the vaccine amid unsubstantiated fears it caused blood clots. And AstraZeneca had earlier drawn criticism after a dosing mistake muddled results from its U.K. trial. Now, more than half of people surveyed in France, Germany and Spain think the shot is unsafe, according to a YouGov poll published Monday. American officials and health experts are increasingly worried that AstraZeneca’s shot, once billed as the world’s coronavirus vaccine for its low price and ease of storage, could be dragged down by anti-vaccine rhetoric already trained on Covid-19 shots because of the record pace of their development. Crumbling confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine in particular could have devastating results among hard to reach, underserved U.S. populations already skeptical of the government’s inoculation campaign — not to mention people in developing countries who may feel like they are getting the third- or fourth-best option.

“Ghislaine Maxwell loses third bid for bail” by Reuters’ Jonathan Stempel – A U.S. judge on Monday rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s third request for bail, after the British socialite had offered to renounce her British and French citizenships if she were freed. U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan said Maxwell remained a “significant risk of flight” and that no conditions, including her proposed $28.5 million bail package, would reasonably assure she would show up in court. Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges she helped the financier Jeffrey Epstein recruit and groom three teenage girls for sex between 1994 and 1997, and lied about her role. She has been held in a Brooklyn jail since her arrest last July, which came 11 months after Epstein died in his Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Lawyers for Maxwell did not immediately respond to requests for comment. After Nathan rejected two prior bail requests, Maxwell on Feb. 23 offered to renounce her non-U.S. citizenships, and move most of her and her husband’s assets into an account to be monitored by a retired federal judge. Her lawyers said Maxwell wanted to defend herself at trial, and the new conditions should assuage concern she might seek a “safe haven” in the United Kingdom or France. But the judge said Maxwell could still resist extradition if she fled, and even with the monitor still had access to “sufficient” assets to help her evade prosecution.

“South Dakota governor aims to block trans athletes from women's sports nationwide” by Reuters’ Daniel Trotta – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem on Monday urged fellow governors, high-profile athletes and everyday citizens nationwide to join an initiative seeking to bar transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. Noem, a Republican, announced her “Defend Title IX Now” effort three days after coming under fire from both sides of the political aisle for rejecting a bill that would ban students designated as male at birth from women’s and girls’ sports. The governor, who disappointed conservatives in her party by not signing the bill into law, said she agreed with its sentiment but feared it would not withstand legal challenge. She returned it to the legislature to narrow its scope to non-collegiate sports, among other refinements. Transgender advocates criticized Noem for keeping alive legislation they deem unnecessary, unconstitutional and based on outdated stereotypes, as only a handful of transgender athletes have achieved high levels of success in sports. Noem is seeking to gain enough pledges of support to stand up to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which previously supported transgender rights by boycotting North Carolina for restricting transgender bathroom access. The NCAA also allows transgender athletes to compete, provided they comply with rules on hormone usage.