"Taxing Medical Marijuana Bill HB 1455 Appears Dead On Arrival In Florida Senate," by The Floridian's Jim McCool

"Jones Pushes Back Against Brandes’ SJR 854 Minimum Wage Amendment," by The Floridian's Jim McCool

“RNC Fires Back At Trump Cease-And-Desist Letter” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – The Republican National Committee (RNC) is dismissing a cease-and-desist demand from former President Donald Trump’s attorneys, who last week asked the party committee to stop using the former president’s name and likeness in fundraising appeals, arguing that the GOP campaign arm has “every right to refer” to Trump’s name in its fundraising efforts. RNC chief counsel Justin Riemer argued in a counter-letter to Trump’s attorney, saying that the committee “has every right to refer to public figures as it engages in core, First Amendment-protected political speech, and it will continue to do so in pursuit of these common goals.” The RNC letter also “reaffirmed” the “close relationship” between the former president and RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, while maintaining that Trump personally approved for the GOP committee to use of his name for fundraising appeals, including the upcoming spring donor retreat in Palm Beach scheduled for April. “The RNC is grateful for the past and continued support President Trump has given to the committee and it looks forward to working with him to elect Republicans across the country,” Riemer wrote.

“Democrats Rally Against Bright Futures SB 86 in Florida” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) slammed Senate Republicans who are pursuing a bill that would reshape Florida’s Bright Futures college scholarship. The effort looks to provide financial aid to degrees that lead directly to jobs, but opponents argue that it would only result in more college debt and a limit to career choices. The legislation, SB86, would change how much money students can receive for their awards, which is currently $119,925 for some students. Because of this, a number of opposition groups have risen to protest the bill. On Twitter, Rep. Wasserman Schultz shared her concern regarding the bill, arguing that “the brain drain and added student debt this bill will cause is immense.” She added that “the Legislature should increase education access, not limit.” State legislators like Rep. Anna Eskamani (D), who oppose the measure, feels that Bright Futures should be left as is. “Cutting Bright Futures should be OFF the table,” stated Rep. Eskamani. “We need higher education to be more accessible in Florida — not less!” Finally, she expressed her disappointment with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and Florida Republicans “for punishing Florida’s students.”

"Trump counters RNC dismissal of his cease-and-desist order," by The Floridian's Javier Manjarres

"Biden Forgets Name Of His Defense Secretary, Calls Him ‘The Guy Who Runs That Outfit,' by The Floridian's Mona Salama

"Florida-Based and Trump-Supporting Group Canceled by Clear Channel Media," by The Floridian's Javier Manjarres

"Hillary Clinton Says Its ‘Troubling To See’ GOP ‘Turn Themselves Into A Cult." by The Floridian's Mona Salama

Scandal-Plagued Governor Cuomo Says ‘No Way I Resign’ Amid Five Sexual Harassment Accusations” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is defiantly rebuffing calls, including those from within his own party for his resignations, telling them there is “no way” he is resigning just based solely on the recent allegations of sexual harassment lodged against him and insisting that he would not be “distracted” as he is focused on getting the state budget approved before April 1. Cuomo, however, remained adamantly resisting calls for his resignation in arguing that he was elected by the people and not “by politicians,” and called the premise notion to resign based on the allegations as “anti-democratic.” “There are some legislators who suggest that I resign because of accusations that are made against me. I was elected by the people of the state, I wasn’t elected by politicians. I’m not going to resign because of allegations,” Cuomo told reporters in a teleconference on Sunday. “The premise of resigning because of allegations is actually anti-democratic and we’ve always done the exact opposite. You know the system is based on due process and the credibility of the allegation. Anybody has the ability to make an allegation in democracy and that’s great, but it’s then the credibility of the allegation.” The governor made sure to highlight what both New York Senators, Democrat congress members, and the White House have stated, all who have refused to say Cuomo should resign and to let the attorney general conduct the independent investigation before making judgments, a process that could take months to even complete. Cuomo also emphasized that his office has granted and signed off on the probe, but failed to mention that he tried to control the basis on how the investigation should be conducted.

“Biden To Sign Executive Order Establishing A New White House Gender Policy Council” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – President Biden issued an executive order on Monday establishing the Gender Policy Council at the White House that aims to address promoting gender-based discrimination and violence throughout the federal government, as well as another order geared toward promoting gender equity, both in the United States and internationally. The executive order establishing the new council will play roles in domestic and foreign policy development, according to the White House. Biden had previously announced plans before entering the White House to establish the Gender Policy Council. The council is meant to address a range of issues, including combatting gender bias and discrimination, increasing economic security and opportunity, addressing the needs of caregivers in the United States, improving access to healthcare, and combatting gender-based violence. Biden in a statement commemorating International Women’s Day that his order creating the council ensures “that every domestic and foreign policy we pursue rests on a foundation of dignity and equity for women.” The White House said the effort “will be an essential part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s plan to ensure we build a more equal and just society — by aggressively protecting the rights and unique needs of those who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, including individuals who are Black, Latina, Native, Asian American and Pacific Islander, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI+.”

“Sabatini Launches His ‘Make America First Again’ Congressional Campaign” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Florida State Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R) has officially announced his congressional run for office. The Floridian first reported that Rep. Sabatini was strongly considering running for the U.S. House of Representatives, saying “I have been giving it a lot of thought.” In a campaign video announcement, Sabatini professed his “Make American First Again,” calling out “the spineless and corrupt Republican establishment” for turning its back on President Donald Trump. Sabatini’s announcement was full of Conservative red meat bona fines, referring to Democrats as the “radical left” and the government be “tyrannical.” Sabatini rattled off legislature he co-sponsored and/or voted on, including the recent “crackdown on Big Tech censorship” and a “ban on transgender men from competing in girls sports. It is not clear if Sabatini will challenge one of the sitting Republican or Democratic members of Congress, or if he will wait to see if Central Florida receives another congressional seat. In a campaign video announcement, Sabatini professed his “Make American First Again,” calling out “the spineless and corrupt Republican establishment” for turning its back on President Donald Trump. Sabatini’s announcement was full of Conservative red meat bona fines, referring to Democrats as the “radical left” and the government be “tyrannical.” Sabatini rattled off legislature he co-sponsored and/or voted on, including the recent “crackdown on Big Tech censorship” and a “ban on transgender men from competing in girls sports.

“DeSantis Responds to Vaccine Favoritism Allegations” by The Floridian’s Jim McCool – Florida Democrats, mostly led by the Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried (D), have accused Governor Ron DeSantis (R) of showing favoritism to donors in the Florida vaccine rollout, and have now asked the FBI to launch an investigation in the matter. DeSantis, who has relentlessly touted his ‘Seniors First’ plan denied these allegations on Thursday, claiming, “I’m not worried about your income bracket, I’m worried about your age bracket”, the governor claimed at a press conference in Crystal River. The intense accusations have even reached national prominence, as Brian Kilmeade of Fox News questioned the governor on this after the Miami Herald cracked a big story that residents of the Wealthy Keys enclave were vaccinated in January, before the rest of the state. When Kilmeade brought up the Florida story, DeSantis simply claims, “I just didn’t do that.” The governor then reaffirmed to the nation that the vaccine distribution started in Palm Beach and Broward County, FL. DeSantis finished off the interview with Fox, “If you’re 65 and older, we want to get the vaccine to you.” Then proceeded to Marion County, FL to continue his ambitious vaccine campaign.

“Trump At Odds with Scott Over Murkowski ‘Primary’ Race” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – During his speech at CPAC, viewers attentively listened to whether or not the embattled former President would announce a 2024 presidential run. However, President Donald Trump (R) did not make any mention of future plans. What he did do was confirm that he would be involved in the Republican party, and it appears that the first order of business for Trump is to unseat Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowksi (R), calling her a “disloyal and very bad Senator.” Florida Senator Rick Scott (R), the Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is a staunch supporter of President Trump, but he has also vowed to support incumbent lawmakers. When speaking to reporters in January, a number of Republican Senators were touted as being “primaried” by pro-Trump candidates, but Scott simply admitted that he’s “supporting the incumbents.” This will likely put him at odds with President Trump, considering the recent comments Trump unleashed regarding Murkowski. In a statement, Trump said that he “will not be endorsing, under any circumstances, the failed candidate from the great State of Alaska.” He added that Murkowski “represents her state badly and her country even worse,” expressing that he doesn’t know “where other people will be next year, but I know where I will be – in Alaska campaigning against a disloyal and very bad Senator.”

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis drops vaccine cutoff age to 60 starting Monday” by Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s John Kennedy – Gov. Ron DeSantis said he is dropping the age to 60 for those seeking vaccinations against COVID-19 – beginning next Monday. More than 2.6 million vaccines have been administered to Floridians age 65 and older in recent months. Those older Floridians will continue to be eligible even as the age cutoff is lowered. “This is the right time to do it,” DeSantis said Monday in a news conference at the state Capitol. “We’re starting to see demand soften. We anticipate hundreds of thousands of more seniors this week will get it.” Health care workers have been getting vaccinated, along with law enforcement, firefighters and K-12 employees age 50 and older in Florida. Federal Emergency Management Agency sites in several cities also are providing shots to a wider array of recipients, while pharmacies are now vaccinating school personnel, regardless of age, under protocols advanced by President Biden. “Each little five-year wicket in the age distribution, you’re looking at, what is that? About 1.5-2 million people?” DeSantis said. “We do still expect the demand to be pretty robust.” DeSantis also renewed his criticism of the federal $1.9 trillion stimulus package, which could win final approval Tuesday from Congress. About $17.3 billion is expected to come to Florida, with $10.3 billion for state government alone.

“Florida pharmacies participating in federal vaccine program told to prioritize teachers over seniors” by WFLA – At the direction of the federal government, pharmacy retailers participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program must prioritize school staff and child care workers in their vaccine registrations over other groups, a representative for one of the pharmacies said Monday. After teachers, child care workers, school staff and bus drivers are finished making appointments, any remaining appointments will be available to other eligible individuals, like seniors. This new directive, ordered by President Joe Biden, went into effect on March 2. The purpose is to “challenge states to get teachers, school staff and workers in child care programs their first shot by the end of March,” the CDC says. The CDC has created a web page that lists the pharmacy partners currently participating in the program in each state. The pharmacies participating in Florida are Publix, CVS, Winn-Dixie, Walgreens, Walmart and Sam’s Club. A public relations representative for Publix said their pharmacies will begin following the new directive Wednesday. You can sign up for an appointment online. Those prioritized after school teachers and child care workers are seniors, adults determined to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19, health care professionals, staff members at long-term care facilities and firefighters and police officers age 50 and up.

“Pro-Trump Florida state lawmaker to challenge Webster” by Politico’s Gary Fineout – One of the most conservative and pro-Trump members of the Florida Legislature announced on Monday that he will run for Congress, setting up a potential clash with a long-serving Republican who helped cement GOP control of state government. State Rep. Anthony Sabatini, a central Florida attorney who has been in the Legislature for just three years, said he would run for the district now held by Rep. Daniel Webster. In a minute-long campaign video kicking off his campaign, the Howey-in-the Hills resident said the “spineless and corrupt Republican establishment turned its back on President Trump and refuses to fight for our America first agenda. And it’s time we fight back.”mSabatini’s announcement comes nearly a year before legislators will draw up new congressional maps that could include two new additional seats. Legislators could also shift the lines for central Florida districts that are now held by Democrats. But Webster responded quickly to the news, saying in a statement that the pugnacious Sabatini told him last week he would not run against him only to now say he's running for the seat currently held by Webster. “He has chosen to file his paperwork for Congressional District 11 instead of another district,” Webster said in his statement, which he released about 30 minutes before Sabatini posted his video announcement. “I never take reelection for granted. I work hard every day to serve my constituents and campaign hard every election.”

“Florida gas prices surge to highest mark since May 2019” by Click Orlando’s Cathleigh Winningham – he average price for a gallon of gas in Florida jumped 11 cents last week. According to new numbers released by AAA, the average for a gallon of regular gas in the state is $2.72, the most expensive daily average in Florida since May 2019. “There’s nothing we can do, I mean, we have to roll with it,” said Chris Appana, a production manager at Melbourne Roofing Company. “This is what we’re stuck with. We have to go buy it. We can’t put $5 worth of gas and get a half a tank of gas. There’s no way.” AAA says there are several reasons for the increase, including lower gasoline supplies, rising fuel demand and the tightening of global crude oil supplies. According to AAA, the national average for regular gas is $2.77 per gallon. “Gas prices have been low for so long. Now, all of a sudden, they take a big jump,” said Gary Clinger, who is traveling from Pennsylvania to visit his daughter. “I just hope they start coming down again before we leave to get back home.” Experts say based on current trends, prices at the pump are expected to rise again this week, possibly by another 10 cents a gallon.

“Democratic leaders from Florida weigh in on vaccination efforts” by Local 10’s Saira Answer – Democratic U.S. representatives from Florida weighed in Monday morning on the vaccination effort in the Sunshine State. “We all need shots in the arms of all folks who want them. That means when it’s your turn, get your vaccine,” Congressman Charlie Crist said. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she’s impressed by the FEMA-supported site in northwest Miami-Dade. The politicians mentioned more money could be heading toward the vaccination and COVID-19 battle effort through the upcoming House vote this week on the American Rescue Plan. “I know I saw it myself this weekend at the Miami vaccination site. For starters, officials there acknowledge in a transparent way where we are failing right now to reach underserved and vulnerable communities, especially communities of color,” Wasserman Schultz said. But there was also confusion over the weekend at the FEMA-supported satellite site in Florida City. Low demand there may have prompted workers to administer shots to everyone in line 18 and up with no questions asked. Word spread quickly on social media and by Sunday, some who didn’t qualify drove hours hoping to get a shot “If it doesn’t work out then it doesn’t work out, but we did drive like two hours to come here,” Saima Haque, who drove down from Boynton Beach, said. Haque wasn’t able to get the vaccine as operators on Sunday reverted back to the governor’s mandate, only vaccinating those who currently qualify through age, occupation or health condition.

“Could Florida end qualified immunity, which gives cops ‘absolute shield’ in lawsuits?” by Tampa Bay Times’ Jack Evans – The Black Lives Matter movement wasn’t even a year old in 2014 when a pickup truck swerved into oncoming traffic in Seminole Heights. Tampa police officers said the Black man driving resisted their commands. They wrestled him out of the truck and handcuffed him. Then Arthur Green Jr. stopped breathing. Officers realized he was having a diabetic seizure and uncuffed him. The community activist died an hour later at the hospital. Green’s family sued the Tampa Police Department in federal court, saying officers restrained the 63-year-old man in a way that restricted his breathing — and failed to use CPR to revive him. The judge dismissed the case, citing a federal doctrine familiar to anyone who has tried to sue law enforcement. Qualified immunity largely shields government employees — most notably police officers — from civil liability when they’re accused of violating someone’s rights. ”I think people are surprised” when they learn about qualified immunity, said attorney Paul Rebein, who represents the Green family as they sue the city of Tampa for negligence in state court. “The reality is, most of the time, those cases end up getting dismissed and the family gets nothing.” A pair of Florida lawmakers, state Rep. Michele Rayner-Goolsby of St. Petersburg and Sen. Shevrin Jones of West Park, want to change that. The two Democrats have proposed legislation that would dismantle the defense at the heart of qualified immunity: That a constitutional right was not “clearly established” at the time of the violation. That phrasing makes it impossible to bring suits against officers in many cases, experts say, because some judges won’t let a case move forward unless it perfectly matches the facts of a previous case that established a rights violation.

“Florida Republicans take aim at teachers unions” by WCTV’s Jake Stofan – Florida Republicans are taking aim at public sector labor unions, with two bills passed through a House committee Monday morning. One specifically targets teachers unions. It would prohibit teachers from opting to have their union dues taken directly out of their pay check. House sponsor Cord Byrd said it’s about getting government out of the way. “We live in a digital age. It’s much simpler now for someone who derives a benefit from a service, that they pay that service directly,” said Byrd. But in the bill’s first committee hearing, the state’s largest teachers union said it would do just the opposite. “This is a bill putting government in between an individual’s right to join a union. Stop interfering in the rights of employees to direct how they get their paycheck and what they do with their paycheck,” said Stephanie Kunkel with the Florida Education Association. The teachers union bill would also expand a requirement passed last year that unions representing K-12 employees maintain at least 50% membership to keep their certification. Under the bill, unions representing university and college employees would also have to meet the 50% threshold. Democrats, like Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith questioned the timing of the legislation, pointing to teachers’ front line role through the pandemic. “It’s important for us to just call a spade a spade. These are union busting bills targeting our teachers who have been our heroes through this pandemic, who really have sacrificed so much,” said Smith.

“2021 Legislative Session Day 6: Florida unemployment issues, union bills, looking ahead” by WCTV – Capitol News Services’ Mike Vasilinda joined WCTV Eyewitness News at 5:30 p.m. to break down the sixth day of the 2021 Legislative Session. Mike joined Ben and Katie Kaplan to discuss ongoing unemployment issues in Florida, a pair of bills aimed specifically at unions and what’s on deck for Day 7 on Tuesday. You can watch the full talkback in the video player above.

“DeSantis faces deepening controversy over vaccines for ultra-rich Florida community” by Axios’ Ben Montgomery – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said "the state was not involved" in helping to vaccinate 1,200 residents of the super-rich Ocean Reef community in January. But both the hospital system that supplied the doses and Monroe County have contradicted his claims, saying the state authorized the vaccines, the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald report. Why it matters: DeSantis has faced increasing criticism for directing vaccines toward wealthy communities. Some of those who benefitted from the vaccine pop-ups also donated to the governor's political action committee, which has pulled in almost $4 million.

The state of play: A spokeswoman for Baptist Health Systems, which administered the Ocean Reef vaccines, told the Times/Herald that "Florida asked Baptist Health to take delivery of the doses to our ultra-cold freezer storage for delivery to the Medical Center at Ocean Reef." Brian Keeley, the Baptist Health Systems president and CEO, and his wife own a home in Ocean Reef, but the spokeswoman wouldn't comment on whether they had a hand in getting the vaccines.

Back in January, Baptist Health canceled vaccine appointments for hundreds of members of the general public because it had run out of supply. What's next: Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried and state Senate Democratic Leader Gary Farmer asked the FBI to investigate. "If this isn’t public corruption, I don’t know what is,’' Fried said.

“Don’t blame us for unemployment failures, Deloitte tells Florida senators” by Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower – Deloitte Consulting had no responsibility for last year’s meltdown of the Florida unemployment system the company built, executives said during a frequently tense two-hour hearing on Monday. Two executives said that the failure experienced by the online unemployment system, known as CONNECT, was “clearly unrelated” to the company’s work, which ended in 2015. And they did not know why CONNECT failed when other states with similar Deloitte software had an easier time coping with the massive increase in jobless claims related to the pandemic. “We have pride in the work we did in the project,” said John Hugill, a principal with Deloitte Consulting who worked on CONNECT from 2011 to 2015, when the company was paid more than $40 million to create the system. “Did everything go right? Absolutely not. Did we fight to deliver the best that we could and meet our requirements? Absolutely. So I am proud of that.”

“Riding Weed, Weapons and Water to the Florida Governor’s Mansion” by US News’ Time Smart – THERE'S A WOMAN NAMED Nikki who is looking to shake up American politics. Nikki Haley? No, Nikki Fried. While Fried may not yet be a household name like the former South Carolina governor and presumptive 2024 GOP presidential candidate, she still has her eyes on an office higher than her current one as Florida's commissioner of agriculture. And she is using her post to needle the man who currently holds the job many think she wants, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Recently, Fried, the top Democrat in the state, has lambasted DeSantis over his order to lower flags in Florida following the death of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, whom the governor called "a legend." And she has criticized DeSantis over his administration's management of the coronavirus vaccine rollout and called for an FBI investigation. Appearing on CNN on Feb. 22, Fried said of DeSantis' embrace of Limbaugh: "What he's doing is bending over backwards to honor a radio host who spent his entire career talking hate speech and talking bigotry and division and conspiracy theories." She said workers in her department would not be lowering any flags. On Thursday, she put more heat on DeSantis after the Miami Herald reported that since DeSantis began using "pop-up" vaccinations in certain communities, his political committee has raised $2.7 million in the month of February alone, more than any other month since he ran for governor in 2018. One resident of the wealthy private enclave of Ocean Reef in Key Largo who received a vaccine, former Republican governor of Illinois and former chairman of the Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR Bruce Rauner gave a $250,000 donation. A spokesperson for DeSantis said he was not involved in selecting the Ocean Reef Club for the early vaccine distribution, according to the Herald.

“Over 36,000 Florida Republicans leave GOP after election, voter records show” by Click Orlando’s Mike Deforest – More than 36,000 Florida voters previously registered as Republicans have left the GOP since the November election, a News 6 review of state voter records has revealed. Although three times as many Republicans have changed their party affiliation than Democrats post-election, the 57,000-plus Floridians who recently switched political parties is a small fraction of the state’s 14.5 million registered voters. Several former Republicans cited the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as a factor in their decision to abandon the party, while others expressed frustration that some GOP leaders did not support former President Donald Trump as much as they would have preferred. “(Changing party affiliation) gives people a feeling they’ve somehow protested,” said News 6 political analyst Jim Clark, a University of Central Florida history professor. “It’s not going to make any difference at all in an election.” State GOP leaders downplayed the recent defections, believing that most former Republican voters will eventually return. “It’s not that big of a deal,” said Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. “I think these people will end up voting for the Republican candidate at the end of the day because, when they registered as a Republican, they believed in the core principles of personal responsibility and individual freedom.”

National:

“New York Republicans announce Cuomo impeachment resolution: 'We believe the time has come'” by Fox News’ Brooke Singman – Republicans in the New York State Assembly on Monday announced an impeachment resolution against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying they believe the Democratic governor has lost "credibility and trust" and has an "inability to lead" the state of New York amid sexual harassment allegations leveled against him and investigations into his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. New York State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, alongside other Republicans, laid out the plan to introduce an impeachment resolution on Monday. "We’re going to introduce this resolution because we believe the time has come," Barclay said. "In order to lead this great state as governor, you need to have credibility and trust … and unfortunately, we feel the governor has lost that and now has an inability to lead." "I don’t think I’ve used the term ‘bombshell’ especially this week, any time more in my life, it has been one bombshell after another," Barclay added, laying out the issues plaguing the Cuomo administration. Cuomo is facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment and a federal probe into his administration’s tally on COVID-19 deaths tied to nursing homes. "We had the AG report come out saying that the governor was underreporting nursing home deaths by as much as 50%," Barclay said. "We had that secret political meeting where he had his top aides say they weren’t reporting the nursing home deaths because they were worried about a Department of Justice investigation—they were worried about the political fallout."

“Cuomo: Nearly 50 New York lawmakers call for governor to either resign or be impeached” by Fox News’ Edmund DeMarche – On Sunday, one of the most powerful Democrat lawmakers in New York issued a statement calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has been ensnared by two major scandals, to resign from office. Cuomo is facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment and a federal probe into his administration’s tally on COVID-19 deaths tied to nursing homes. State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat from Yonkers, said in a statement that the allegations are "drawing away from the business of government." "New York is still in the midst of the pandemic and is still facing the societal, health and economic impacts of it [the virus]," she said. "We need to govern without daily distraction. For the good of the state Governor Cuomo must resign." The Associated Press, citing an unnamed source, reported that Cuomo had a brief phone conversation with Stewart-Cousins and told her that he would not quit and that if they want him out of office, they would need to impeach him. Since the statement from Stewart-Cousins, more lawmakers from the state have stepped forward and are calling for his resignation. According to a tally from Fox News, a total of 37 lawmakers from either the Assembly or state Senate want him to resign, and 10 have called for impeachment. To impeach the sitting governor, the Assembly needs a majority vote in the 150-member body, and the state Senate—where there would be a conviction—would need a two-thirds majority of court members that would consist of both senators and judges from the state’s court of appeals.

“Trump endorses Arkansas Sen. John Boozman for reelection” by Fox News’ Sam Dorman – Former President Trump has thrown his weight behind Republican Sen. John Boozman, Ark., who recently announced a 2022 reelection bid. "Senator John Boozman is a great fighter for the people of Arkansas," read a Monday statement from Trump. "He is tough on Crime, strong on the Border, a great supporter of our Military and our Vets, and fights for our farmers every day. He supports our Second Amendment and has my Complete and Total Endorsement!" Boozman responded on Monday, saying he was grateful to have Trump's endorsement. "I’m grateful to have Pres. Trump’s endorsement for my re-election to the Senate," he said in a tweet. "We worked together to lower taxes, roll back regulations, secure our border, defend our Second Amendment rights and Protect Life." Last week, Boozman announced his re-election bid, saying, "Now more than ever Arkansas needs strong, conservative leadership in Washington."

“Biden grants temporary protected status to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans living in US” by Fox News’ Thomas Barrabi –The Biden administration said Monday it will offer temporary legal status to Venezuelans who illegally entered the U.S. after fleeing the nation’s economic crisis, a designation that could affect hundreds of thousands of people. Under the temporary protected status (TPS) designation, eligible Venezuelan nationals can apply to legally remain in the country for an 18-month span ending in Sept. 2022. The White House cited "extraordinary and temporary conditions in Venezuela," including a hunger crisis, societal repression, poor infrastructure and a rise in non-government armed groups, as the catalyst for the action. "The living conditions in Venezuela reveal a country in turmoil, unable to protect its own citizens," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. "It is in times of extraordinary and temporary circumstances like these that the United States steps forward to support eligible Venezuelan nationals already present here, while their home country seeks to right itself out of the current crises." Former President Donald Trump imposed severe sanctions on Nicolas Maduro’s regime but resisted bipartisan calls to grant a TPS designation for Venezuelans during his term in office. In January, Trump enacted the Deferred Enforced Departure program to protect some Venezuelan nationals from deportation for an 18-month period.

“NYC prosecutors' probe into Trump finances expands to include millions loaned for Chicago skyscraper” by CNN’s Kara Scannell – The Manhattan district attorney's office subpoenaed documents from an investment company that loaned the Trump Organization millions of dollars for its Chicago skyscraper in a sign that the investigation into the former president's finances continues to expand, according to people familiar with the investigation. Prosecutors issued the grand jury subpoena to Fortress Investment Management late last year, the people said, as part of their wide-ranging investigation into former President Donald Trump and his company. Investigators' interest in how Trump and his company treated the Chicago loan is an expansion of an inquiry that encompasses multiple aspects of the Trump business. Prosecutors are examining whether the company misled lenders or insurance brokers about valuations for certain properties. They are also investigating fees paid to consultants and a conservation easement taken on a New York family estate called Seven Springs. Their interest in Fortress relates to a $130 million loan the company made to the Trump Organization for the construction of a luxury hotel and condo tower in Chicago. By 2012, Fortress subsequently forgave more $100 million of the loan, which, including interest and fees, was worth about $150 million, according to court filings. The forgiveness was done to secure a partial re-payment of about $45 million at a time when the real estate market was suffering from the financial crisis.

“Will you get the third stimulus check? Here's how to know.” by CNN’s Katie Lobosco – A third round of stimulus payments is expected to be on the way later this month. The payments are included in a sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid relief package that was approved by the Senate on Saturday and could be signed by President Joe Biden soon after the House takes a final vote, now expected to be on Wednesday. Roughly 90% of American households will be eligible, according to an estimate from the Penn Wharton Budget Model. Here's what you need to know: How much will you get? The payments are worth up to $1,400 per person, including dependents. So a couple with two children could receive up to $5,600. Unlike prior rounds, families will now receive the additional money for adult dependents over the age of 17.

The full amount goes to individuals earning less than $75,000 of adjusted gross income, heads of households (like single parents) earning less than $112,500 and married couples earning less than $150,000. But then the payments gradually phase out as income goes up.

“Iowa governor signs controversial law shortening early and Election Day voting” by CNN’s Paul LeBlanc – Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday signed into law a controversial bill aimed at limiting voting and making it harder for voters to return absentee ballots, her office announced Monday. The legislation, which passed both Republican-controlled chambers of the state legislature last month, will reduce the number of early voting days from 29 days to 20 days. It will also close polling places an hour earlier on Election Day (at 8 p.m. instead of 9 p.m.). The bill additionally places new restrictions on absentee voting including banning officials from sending applications without a voter first requesting one and requiring ballots be received by the county before polls close on Election Day. "It's our duty and responsibility to protect the integrity of every election. This legislation strengthens uniformity by providing Iowa's election officials with consistent parameters for Election Day, absentee voting, database maintenance, as well as a clear appeals process for local county auditors," Reynolds said in a statement Monday. "All of these additional steps promote more transparency and accountability, giving Iowans even greater confidence to cast their ballot." The new law drew immediate backlash from Democrats in the state, including a tweet from the Iowa Democratic party stating, "We deserve better." "Rather than help Iowans keep food on the table and a roof over their family's heads, @IAGovernor and Iowa Republicans chose instead to fast-track legislation that stacks the deck in their favor and disenfranchises Iowans," the tweet said.

“Republican Party says it will continue to use Trump name in fundraising appeals” by Reuters’ James Oliphant – The Republican Party intends to keep using former President Donald Trump’s name in fundraising pitches and other materials, a lawyer for the party said on Monday, despite a cease-and-desist letter from Trump last week. The letter sent by lawyers for Trump on Friday to the Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Campaign and National Republican Senate Campaign had ramped up tension between the two camps as Trump seeks to preserve his political viability post-election. A Trump adviser said on Saturday that Trump was sensitive to the use of his name and likeness for branding purposes and was irked the three groups have supported Republican lawmakers who joined Democrats in voting to impeach him over the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. In a response letter, the Republican National Committee said that Trump “reaffirmed” to RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel over the weekend that he approves of the party’s current use of his name, wrote Justin Riemer, the RNC’s top lawyer. The party also argued it had “every right to refer to public figures as it engages in core, First Amendment-protected political speech.”

“Second Texas utility commissioner exits amid power outage fallout” by Reuters Staff – A second commissioner of the Texas utilities regulator resigned on Monday, in continued fallout from a weather-driven crisis in the state’s power market. Commissioner Shelly Botkin resigned effective immediately, the Public Utility Commission of Texas said. Her departure came a week after DeAnn Walker resigned as the regulator’s chair amid criticism of the PUC’S handling of a deadly blackout during a mid-February freeze. A PUC spokesman did not reply to a request for comment. Botkin could not be reached for comment. The firestorm over the outage worsened last week as the state’s independent market adviser said some power charges were increased in error and could be rolled back under commission rules. Botkin and PUC Chairman Arthur D’Andrea, who was named to replace Walker last week, rejected repricing on Friday, saying it could have unintended consequences for power producers. On Monday, however, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said some charges should be lowered. [nL4N2L70F6] Electricity and natural gas prices surged as an arctic air mass brought subzero temperatures, killing dozens of people and leaving much of the state’s power market in the throes of a deep financial crisis. One company filed for bankruptcy and a dozen face removal from the state’s grid for defaulting on power payments.

“U.S. says visa applicants denied due to Trump 'Muslim ban' can reapply” by Reuters Staff – Most U.S. visa applicants who were denied because of former President Donald Trump’s travel ban on 13 mostly Muslim-majority and African countries can seek new decisions or submit new applications, the State Department said on Monday. President Joe Biden overturned Trump’s so-called Muslim ban on Jan. 20, his first day in office, calling it “a stain on our national conscience” in his proclamation. State Department spokesman Ned Price said applicants who were refused visas prior to Jan. 20, 2020, must submit new applications and pay a new application fee. Those who were denied on or after Jan. 20, 2020, may seek reconsideration without re-submitting their applications and do not have to pay additional fees, Price said. Applicants selected in the diversity visa lottery prior to the current fiscal year are barred by U.S. law from being issued visas if they have not gotten them already, he said. The diversity lottery aims to accept immigrants from countries that are not normally awarded many visas. Since December 2017, after a revised version of the original travel ban was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, some 40,000 people have been barred from entering the United States under the ban, according to State Department data.

“Russian Disinformation Campaign Aims to Undermine Confidence in Pfizer, Other Covid-19 Vaccines, U.S. Officials Say” by WSJ’s Michael R. Gordon and Dustin Voltz – Russian intelligence agencies have mounted a campaign to undermine confidence in Pfizer Inc.’s and other Western vaccines, using online publications that in recent months have questioned the vaccines’ development and safety, U.S. officials said. An official with the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, which monitors foreign disinformation efforts, identified four publications that he said have served as fronts for Russian intelligence. The websites played up the vaccines’ risk of side effects, questioned their efficacy, and said the U.S. had rushed the Pfizer vaccine through the approval process, among other false or misleading claims. Though the outlets’ readership is small, U.S. officials say they inject false narratives that can be amplified by other Russian and international media. “We can say these outlets are directly linked to Russian intelligence services,” the Global Engagement Center official said of the sites behind the disinformation campaign. “They’re all foreign-owned, based outside of the United States. They vary a lot in their reach, their tone, their audience, but they’re all part of the Russian propaganda and disinformation ecosystem.” In addition, Russian state media and Russian government Twitter accounts have made overt efforts to raise concerns about the cost and safety of the Pfizer vaccine in what experts outside the U.S. government say is an effort to promote the sale of Russia’s rival Sputnik V vaccine.

“In George Floyd Death Trial, Prosecutors Seek Delay” by WSJ’s Joe Barrett and Deena Winter – Jury selection in the murder trial of a former police officer accused of killing George Floyd was on hold Monday after prosecutors filed for a delay pending an appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court over an additional charge of third-degree murder. It wasn’t immediately clear how quickly the Minnesota Court of Appeals would take to consider the motion to delay the start of the high-profile case, which has brought tight security measures and protesters to downtown Minneapolis. District Judge Peter Cahill, who is overseeing the trial, sent prospective jurors home for the day Monday but held an afternoon hearing during which the two sides went over a number of pretrial conditions. The prosecution and defense said that they had agreed to eliminate 16 of the first 50 prospective jurors but didn’t say why. The judge said he expected jury selection to continue Tuesday unless the Court of Appeals intervenes.

On Friday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals said Judge Cahill must reconsider his decision to exclude the third-degree murder charge. Eric Nelson, the attorney for the former officer on trial, Derek Chauvin, said in court Monday that he planned to appeal that ruling to the state’s highest court. Matthew Frank, Minnesota’s assistant attorney general, said the third-degree murder charge, if ultimately included, would be integral to how prosecutors present their case, beginning with jury selection. Mr. Frank asked the Court of Appeals to delay the trial until the third-degree murder issue was resolved.

“House Progressives Back Revised Covid-19 Aid Bill as Vote Nears” by WSJ’s Kristinia Peterson and Andrew Duehren – The House looked on track to pass the latest version of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package later this week, as liberal Democrats swallowed their frustration with the Senate’s changes and prepared to approve the bill for a second time. Democrats, who hold a slim majority in the House, will need to stay largely united behind the legislation given the absence of any GOP support, providing an early test for party leaders. The House is expected to narrowly pass the bill Tuesday or Wednesday, sending it to the White House for President Biden’s signature. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) had initially said the House would take its first procedural vote on the bill Monday, but processing the bill’s Senate paperwork pushed the vote slightly later in the week, aides said. The legislation would provide $300 in weekly unemployment benefits through Sept. 6, send $1,400 direct payments to many Americans, direct $350 billion to state and local governments, fund vaccine distribution and expand the child tax credit, among other aid. Democratic leaders can afford to lose no more than four Democratic votes if all Republicans vote against the bill again. Only two Democrats joined all Republicans to vote against the relief bill last month, both more centrist lawmakers: Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Jared Golden of Maine. “Our focus continues to be on the American Rescue Plan and getting it across the finish line,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “The president is taking nothing for granted.”

“Biden won’t embrace filibuster reforms even as the rest of his party does” by Politico’s Laura Barron-Lopez – President Joe Biden isn’t budging from his desire to keep the filibuster in place; at least not yet. And activists demanding reforms are growing increasingly befuddled by the administration’s hesitance. With more Senate Democrats expressing a willingness to abolish or modify the legislative filibuster, which establishes a 60-vote threshold to move most bills through the Senate, the White House on Monday continued to deflect on the issue. “The president’s preference is not to get rid of the filibuster,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday, repeating Biden’s position on maintaining the rule. “His preference is not to make different changes to the rules, to the filibuster rules.” Psaki’s statement was a reassertion of the White House’s long-standing position. But it came at a semi-critical juncture for the filibuster reform movement. On Sunday, one leading opponent of eliminating the filibuster, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), expressed a willingness to make some changes to the rule, prompting a wave of jubilation among progressives who have pushed for reforms. The president’s reluctance to go as far as one of his party’s most moderate members puts him at odds with civil rights leaders, labor and social justice advocates, as well as an increasing number of Democrats in and out of Congress. Eventually, they say, Biden is going to have to address the issue more directly rather than stick to carefully-crafted statements.