“Another Cuomo Cover-Up? NY Governor Ordered Disabled Homes To Accept COVID Patients And Never Rescind Order” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) continues to face dual scandals over his administration covering up data of nursing homes COVID death and multiple allegations of sexual harassment, it appears the mishandling of the pandemic wasn’t just occurring in nursing homes but another vulnerable population — New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living in group homes. Cuomo’s nursing home scandal has plagued the governor in recent weeks after it was revealed by the state Attorney General Letitia James in late January when she released a damning report reporting the administration were undercounting the true data of nursing home residents death toll by over 50 percent. Another week later, Cuomo’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa admitted to state Democratic lawmakers that the administration didn’t provide Albany the data they requested in August because of “fear” it would be used against them by the Trump administration. Her bombshell revelation triggered a preliminary investigation from the FBI and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn into the Cuomo’s administration handling nursing home residents. And just last week, reports from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal revealed that Cuomo’s aides successfully pushed state health officials to obscure the true number of COVID-related deaths of nursing home residents in its public report at the same time the governor was busy writing a book about his “leadership” he dubbed as an achievement.

“Sabatini Fights Big Tech in Florida with HB-33” by The Floridian’s Jim McCool – Florida State Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R), has had a monstrous week after officially throwing his hat in the ring for the 2022 U.S. Congressional election, promising to ‘Make America First Again!‘ However, this has made it easy to overlook his bill in the Florida House, HB-33 which protects all Floridians from big tech censorship, mainly social media platforms. The bill entitled “Social Media Websites” intends to “authorize” Florida’s attorney general to bring legal action on behalf of website users.” The Floridian reached out to Rep. Sabatini today where he informed us that the bill, “will keep big tech accountable by allowing private citizens to sue big tech when they censor people for their political and religious speech.” Of course, the bill would only apply in the state of Florida. Sabatini then corrected this assertion and clarified, “this would apply to any social media company that enters the stream of commerce in Florida.” HB-33 has just hit its first reading in front of the House a week ago and would take effect on July 1, 2021, if it is signed into law.

“Florida Attorney General Sues Biden Admin Over “Dangerous Immigration Policies”” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) announced today that she would be filing legal action to protect Floridian’s from “President Biden’s dangerous immigration policies,” which she argued will jeopardize “the safety of Floridians and immigrant victims.” Moody filed a complaint and a motion for a preliminary injunction against the Biden administration over its directives to suspend the deportations and arrests of certain criminals in the United States that are here illegally. In a statement, Moody argued that “the Biden administration’s reckless policy of refusing to do their jobs and deport criminals, places all those gains and Floridians’ public safety at risk.” She specified that “until President Biden’s inauguration, presidents of both parties detained and deported criminals,” and “this is a radical shift that places Floridians and our law enforcement officers in greater danger, and that is why I filed suit.” In the preliminary injunction, AG Moody notes that “the Florida Department of Corrections reports at least even instances of ICE refusing to take custody of serious criminals upon release from state custody.” The convicts, “a number of whom have already been released, are in the country illegally and served prison sentences for burglary, cocaine trafficking, heroin trafficking, and other crimes.”

"Biden Remains Silent When Asked About Border Crisis As Aides Usher Reporters Away," by The Floridian's Mona Salama

"Psaki Refuses To ‘Put New Labels’ On ‘Challenging’ Crisis At The Border," by The Floridian's Mona Salama

Graham: Trump Can Make Republican Party ‘Stronger’ Or ‘Could Destroy It’” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – In an interview with Axios on HBO, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spoke about former President Donald Trump’s influence on the Republican Party, saying he thinks Trump has the power that can make the party “bigger” and “stronger,” or he “could destroy it.” “I mean it’s just this bigger-than-life deal. He could make the Republican Party something that nobody else I know can make it. He can make it bigger. He can make it stronger. He can make it more diverse. And he also could destroy it,” Graham told Axios’ Jonathan Swan. Graham warned that Trump had the power to destroy the Republican Party after the former president took aim at “Republicans in Name Only,” or RINOs, in a keynote remarks late last month at CPAC 2021. “The RINOs that we’re surrounded with will destroy the Republican Party and the American worker and will destroy our country itself. The RINOs, Republican in name only,” Trump said at CPAC. “But the Republican Party is united. The only division is between a handful of Washington, D.C. establishment, political hacks, and everybody else all over the country. I think we have tremendous unity.”

fby The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – At the conclusion of CPAC, questions began to arise regarding potential presidential candidates in the upcoming 2024 general election. President Donald Trump (R) did not rule out a third run at the presidency, but he did confirm that he would be involved in the upcoming 2022 midterm election. Another likely candidate is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), but he recently confirmed that “it’s too premature” to be thinking about a presidential run. However, another candidate that has been touted as a potential presidential candidate is Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R), who has scored his first endorsement in Roger Stone. The veteran political operative recently called Rep. Gaetz “a scrapper” and “a brawler.” In an interview with Steve Malzberg, Stone was asked about being under investigation and whether or not he believes that President Donald Trump will attempt to challenge President Joe Biden (D) in 2024. “As far as whether the president is going to run again, he seems to be teasing that he may, if he does he can count on me,” Stone admitted. He added that he “will be there” for the President should he need him to be.

“DeSantis Not Considering 2024 Presidential Run, Says “It’s Too Premature”” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) received damning condemnation from the press and Democrats for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and mounting criticism from Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) regarding his vaccine rollout. This comes as the Governor prepares for his 2022 reelection campaign. However, as his support from Floridians begins to rise above 50%, and as support for a presidential run looms over him, the Governor says he’s not “considering” the idea as he focuses on vaccine distributions across the Sunshine State. In an interview with FOX News, Brian Kilmeade followed the Governor to vaccine distribution sites, asking DeSantis if he himself had taken the vaccine. “I’m not eligible… I’m not gonna jump the line,” DeSantis answered, assuring that the goal is to provide the vaccines to the elderly and that he’ll get the vaccine once those at high-risk have been able to get it. In response to the criticism he has received for his handling of Florida during the pandemic, Governor DeSantis disregarded the comments from Democrats, saying that they’re “invested in lockdowns” when he believes that lockdowns have been detrimental to the American people.

“Miami Beach Plans So Florida's Pour Decision Isn't A Poor Decision For Spring Break” by NPR’s Ari Shapiro – NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber on what spring break looks like one year after the pandemic interrupted last year's celebrations. For the second time in a row, spring break will take place during a pandemic. Last year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis limited crowds on beaches, shut bars and told partiers to go home. This year, the state has no travel restrictions or statewide mask mandate, and businesses are open. That makes life difficult for city leaders in some popular travel destinations, like Miami Beach. Dan Gelber is mayor of Miami Beach, and he joins us now. Welcome. DAN GELBER: Hey, how are you? SHAPIRO: All right. To begin with, describe what Miami Beach looks like right now. I mean, is the scene a typical spring break like from before the pandemic? GELBER: At least. We're getting a lot of people coming here. Obviously, it's sort of the alignment of a lot of different trends that are happening. The first is we're one of the only places open. Other places are either closed or too cold or both. There's a lot of discount flights out because of air traffic. There's discount rooms available. People have been sitting around for a year or so. Lots of folks want to get out and go somewhere. And it's also the time when college kids are making their annual, you know, pilgrimage somewhere, and we're one of the more popular destinations. So we're getting a lot of activity, probably...

“Real estate agent abducted, robbed and shot to death. The suspect: A 15-year-old boy.”

By Sun Sentinel’s Wayne K. Roustan and Eileen Kelley – With two college degrees and an ebullient personality, Stefano Barbosa dabbled in accounting and investing before making the jump into the world of South Florida real estate. He was living out that passion the day his life came to an end. Barbosa, 37, had just obtained signatures from a customer when a 15-year-old boy approached him with a gun on the afternoon of Feb. 1. Barbosa, a skilled athlete with an unflappable nature, dropped his clipboard and raised his hands when the teen approached. The youth, with a long criminal record even at his age, forced the real estate agent to drive about a mile to a Bank of America, where Barbosa made two withdrawals of $500 each. Back in the car, Barbosa continued to drive when, police say, the teen shot him in the upper chest. Barbosa plowed the vehicle through a chain-link fence before hitting a tree. The teen raced off, though freedom would be fleeting. Despite the boy’s dark clothes and black ski cap, people at his school and in his neighborhood were able to identify him. The teen was arrested Friday while in custody in an unrelated case and was charged with second-degree murder and armed robbery. The South Florida Sun Sentinel is not identifying him because of his young age.

“Controversial Florida medical marijuana bill one step closer to becoming law” by Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson – If Florida doesn’t make significant reforms to its medical marijuana program, it could have another opioid crisis on its hands, a Republican lawmaker argued in a House committee Tuesday. Rep. Spencer Roach, R-Fort Myers, made this case while advocating for a bill he’s sponsoring which would limit the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in medical marijuana products offered to Florida patients. “We do know that people, doctors and patients, are taking advantage of our medical program to do two things: get rich, and get high,” Roach told the House Professions and Public Health Subcommittee. “We have seen this play out here before in Florida, and we know how it ends. We don’t need a sequel.” Opioids have killed tens of thousands of Floridians. Medical marijuana has killed zero. And when asked, Roach could provide no evidence of any adverse reactions to high-THC marijuana among Florida’s more than 500,000 medical cannabis patients. Roach’s bill cleared the committee with every Republican voting in favor of it, and every Democrat voting against it. The measure will need the approval of at least two more committees — both of which are controlled by Republicans — before it heads to the House floor. The Senate version of Roach’s bill, SB 1958, has yet to be heard in a committee. Proponents of the bill say even if patients aren’t overdosing on medical marijuana, high-potency versions of the drug come with consequences. They argue prolonged use of high-potency marijuana is associated with cases of psychosis. Cannabis that has high amounts of THC — the active ingredient in marijuana which primarily causes the drug’s euphoric effects — also has a negative effect on the developing brain, they argue. (The bill’s THC caps would not apply to terminal patients.)

“Deloitte: Florida's Flawed Unemployment Claims System Not Our Fault” by Spectrum News’ Justin Soto – The company that helped build CONNECT, the state of Florida's flawed unemployment benefits website, says the system's major problems during the pandemic is not its fault. The conversation with Deloitte on Monday was part of a meeting of the Florida Senate Select Committee on Pandemic Preparedness and Response. Deloitte leaders said they're sympathetic to the challenges Floridians have and are still facing with unemployment during this pandemic. When questioned by state legislators, Deloitte officials said the system was working well when it first launched in 2013 and was stress-tested to handle hurricanes and a financial crisis. But the pandemic caused a drastic spike in demand. For almost a year, Spectrum News has been reporting extensively on the issues with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's CONNECT system, including delayed benefits and issues accessing the site. Deloitte leaders said they fulfilled their contractual obligations with the state. "These challenges are unrelated to our work on CONNECT which began 10 years ago and concluded in May of 2015. CONNECT was designed to comply with Florida specific rules, requirements and policies, many of which were new and coincided with the launch of this complex system in October of 2013," said John Hugill, a consulting principal at Deloitte Consulting. A state report shows CONNECT was not tested to meet the demands of the pandemic, and many issues went unaddressed years after the system first started.

“Florida may ban drop boxes used for mail-in ballots” by Politico’s Gary Fineout – Florida could ban voting drop boxes just months after an election where they proved immensely popular with voters amid the pandemic.

Sen. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala), the chair of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee, on Tuesday released a revamped elections proposal that would completely ban drop boxes for ballots. It will be considered by a Senate committee on Wednesday. Baxley contended that he was pushing for the change due to concerns “due to a real security concern” and that boxes were being left unsupervised. “I just want to maintain that chain of evidence from the time they vote to the time until they get counted so we don’t have a mishap,” said Baxley, who could not name any specific incidents that sparked the legislation. Baxley added “you can mail it or bring it to the office. That’s it.” But the move immediately drew fire from local election supervisors. “I’m at a loss for words,” said Pasco County Supervisor of Election Brian Corley, a Republican. “It’s a solution looking for a problem.” Background: Florida’s Republican-led Legislature has steadily made it easier to vote by mail over the last 20 years. But the extensive use of vote-by-mail in 2020 came under constant fire from then-President Donald Trump, who made unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud.

“Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Revamp Put On Hold” by News Service of Florida’s Ryan Dailey – A controversial Senate proposal that would cut state-backed Bright Futures scholarships for students in degree programs that don’t “lead directly to employment” has been put on hold and is expected to undergo changes. Sponsored by Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, the bill (SB 86) would require the State Board of Education and the state university system’s Board of Governors to create lists of degree programs “that they determine lead directly to employment.” The two governing boards oversee higher education in the state. Under the bill, if students at state colleges and universities enroll in degree programs that are not on lists of “approved” programs, they would not be eligible for Bright Futures scholarships. Students who have not chosen degree programs would be eligible to have 60 hours of coursework covered by the scholarship. The 60 hours would typically be the amount needed to complete an associate of arts degree, but about half of what’s required for a four-year degree. The Senate Education Committee was scheduled to take up the bill Tuesday, but consideration was postponed Monday evening. Tabling a bill before it gets heard by its first committee can sometimes spell trouble, but Baxley said that’s not the case with the higher-education bill and he is “absolutely” confident it will be back during the legislative session, “We’re getting a lot of different inputs, and some of it looks interesting. I thought we should hit the brakes and check through some of this. There might be some things that we could make this a lot more understandable and appreciated by the folks affected,” Baxley told reporters Tuesday.

“Florida Doctor, Clinic Owner and Staff Charged with Falsifying Clinical Trial Data” by DOJ US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida – A federal grand jury in Miami has charged a Florida medical doctor and three others for their roles in an alleged scheme to falsify clinical trial data. According to court documents, Dr. Martin Valdes, 64, of Coral Gables, Florida, Fidalgis Font, 53, of Miami, Julio Lopez, 54, of Miami, and Duniel Tejeda, 35, of Canon City, Colorado, were charged in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Feb. 23, 2021. Each defendant was charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and at least one substantive count of mail fraud. In addition, Valdes and Font were charged with money laundering and Valdes was further charged with making a false statement to inspectors.

“Congress’ $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill brings sense of deja vu a year after pandemic took off” by Fox News’ Chad Pergram – It was late February last year. The Trump Administration sent a formal spending request to Capitol Hill to help address the spreading scourge of COVID-19. The administration’s request was a scant $2.5 billion. Less than half of that was "new money." $1.2 billion came from funds shuffled around from other accounts. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is now the leading Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Back then, Shelby chaired the panel in charge of the federal purse strings. "This is no ordinary crisis coming up," said Shelby. "I would call this a dire emergency." The Alabama Republican worried the administration and other fiscal conservatives might undercut what the true need was to address the virus. "If you lowball something like this, you’ll pay for it later," augured Shelby. One senior Trump administration official ridiculed Shelby’s approach, decrying him as a "big spender." It wasn’t long until the top Democrat in the Senate, then-Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., suggested $8.5 billion. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., characterized the administration’s proposal as "a little low." McCarthy pushed for $4 billion. The Trump Administration resisted the spending. But a compromise to address COVID-19 was already hurtling through Congress. President Trump dismissed the severity of the virus. "It’s going to disappear," said Mr. Trump. "One day, it’s like a miracle. It will disappear." The House and Senate have now approved differing versions of what is expected to become the sixth major piece of COVID-related legislation since last winter. This measure costs $1.9 trillion. The House is slated to align with Senate changes to the plan before sending the package to President Biden’s desk for signature.

“Hannity accuses White House of trying to 'buy time' for 'cognitively struggling' Biden” by Fox News’ Charles Creitz – Sean Hannity accused the Biden administration Tuesday of trying to conceal the fact of the president's "decline" in acuity. "What is going on with the president of the United States, Joe Biden? Seriously. What is wrong?" the "Hannity" host asked rhetorically. "The American people deserve answers. He barely has any public events. His vice president, Kamala Harris, is taking solo calls with world leaders. That would be the commander-in-chief's job." Hannity noted reports that Biden often goes to bed before prime-time television hours, contrasting that with former President Donald Trump, who was often up into the early morning hours. Hannity went on to criticize White House press secretary Jen Psaki for declining to give a firm answer to when Biden's first solo press conference will be. The president is expected to address the nation Thursday night about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic response. "See what is happening here? They are clearly trying to buy time," Hannity said. "They absolutely know that Joe Biden is struggling cognitively. He is a walking liability ... He can barely read from a teleprompter." The host added that he had "a theory on how this is all going to play out. Uncharacteristically, for now, I'm going to keep that to myself. I will share it in due time." Hannity asked why White House staff is "continuing to hide President Biden? What do they know? You, we have a right to know."

“US prosecutors allege Honduras president helped move drugs” by Associated Press – An accountant witnessed meetings between Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández and a drug trafficker in which they planned the trafficking of cocaine to the U.S., federal prosecutors in New York said Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gutwillig said during his opening statement at the trial of accused Honduran drug trafficker Geovanny Fuentes Ramírez that the accountant was present when Hernández allegedly said he wanted to "shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos.'" "They plotted to send as much cocaine as possible to the United States," Gutwillig said of the president and Fuentes Ramírez. Fuentes Ramírez was arrested in March 2020 in Florida. He is charged with drug trafficking and arms possession. But much of the prosecutors’ artillery appears aimed at Hernández, who they said helped Fuentes Ramírez’s drug trafficking along with other high-ranking officials. Hernández has previously denied any involvement with drug traffickers. He has not been charged. "His operations thrived because of his connections. Mayors, congressmen, military generals, police chiefs, even the current president of Honduras," Gutwillig said. "The defendant bribed them all." The meetings allegedly occurred in 2013 and 2014, Gutwillig said. The accountant, who prosecutors called José Sánchez, ran a rice business through which Fuentes Ramírez allegedly laundered drug proceeds. Sánchez will testify at the trial, the prosecutor said. Gutwillig described the "shock, the fear" that Sánchez had seeing Fuentes Ramírez meeting with the president. One of Fuentes Ramírez’s defense attorneys later said Sánchez wasn’t credible, suggesting the U.S. would approve his asylum application in exchange for his testimony.

“Oath Keepers founder directed Capitol rioters on January 6, Justice Department says

CNN Digital Expansion 2018 Katelyn Polantz”  CNN’s Katelyn Polantz – The founder of the Oath Keepers was giving directions before and during the US Capitol riot to alleged extremist conspirators among the right-wing paramilitary group, the Justice Department said in court filings Monday and Tuesday. The new details begin to capture more about the leadership and network within the Oath Keepers around the insurrection, as prosecutors fight to keep defendants in jail and charge additional members of the group. Monday night's filing highlighted newly disclosed communications over the messaging app Signal that investigators have found from Stewart Rhodes, the Oath Keepers' founder, and regional Oath Keepers leaders. The Justice Department describes Rhodes as a central presence among the Oath Keepers during the siege, telling some where to go and gathering with them in person at the Capitol. Prosecutors also described, in court documents supporting the arrest of an Alabama Oath Keeper on Tuesday, how members of the group carried out Rhodes' call to provide security for "VIPs" at events related to the "Stop the Steal" pro-Trump effort on January 5 and 6. Prosecutors have gradually been building out a major Capitol riot conspiracy case against nine Oath Keepers. The new details about Rhodes, which come in arguments to keep another alleged Oath Keeper who was arrested early in the investigation in jail, is the first time the Justice Department has offered a bigger picture of directions given that day and shared publicly what they've learned about the involvement of the Oath Keepers' national leader. Before this week, nine Oath Keepers from different states had been charged in a conspiracy case.

“FBI releases new security footage of person placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarters” by CNN’s Josh Campbell – The FBI released new security footage Tuesday as authorities continue to seek more information about the person who placed pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters that were discovered in Washington, DC, on the day of the Capitol riot.

Two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican party headquarters were planted on January 5, the night before the insurrection at the Capitol, the FBI has said.

The videos, which offer multiple angles from several surveillance cameras, offer a clearer look at a masked individual who is wearing a hood as the person moves through neighborhoods and near the RNC and DNC. At one point, the individual stops and wipes off their glasses. They also sit down on a bench near the DNC. In January, the FBI issued a wanted poster of the suspect, who was wearing Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes in yellow, black, and gray, and included enhanced photos of them, along with photos of the devices. Authorities have said the bombs were placed between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on January 5, the night before the insurrection. "We believe the information released today will help someone recognize the suspect, or something about them," FBI assistant director in charge Steven D'Antuono said in a video statement. D'Antuono said the person who is believed to have placed the pipe bombs wore a facemask, a gray sweatshirt, and black and gray Nike shoes.

“Georgia remains at center of voting rights fight after state Senate passes bill to restrict those rights” by CNN’s Fredreka Schouten – Georgia Republicans have advanced a sweeping bill in the state Senate that further restricts voting -- keeping a state that was pivotal to the 2020 elections at the forefront of the GOP backlash against expanded voting. The expansive package, which passed by a narrow margin Monday, would repeal no-excuse absentee voting for many Georgians -- a method 1.3 million of the state's residents used to cast ballots in last November's general election. The measure now moves to the Georgia House, which has passed its own slate of proposed voting restrictions. The developments in Georgia come amid a flurry of activity around the country by Republican-controlled legislatures to make it harder to vote after the GOP lost the presidency and the US Senate majority in the 2020 elections. On Monday, Iowa became one of the first states to enact new restrictions as the Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a new law that makes it harder to vote early. But Monday's vote in the Peach State -- which came on the final day that the Senate could send its voting package to the state House for consideration -- also underscored fresh tensions building among Republicans over how much to restrict paths to the franchise. Republican grassroots activists mounted a weekend campaign to ensure the bill's passage. In the end, the measure survived by only a one-vote majority of the Senate's 56 senators, once abstentions were taken into account. And the No. 2 GOP official in Georgia, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, opted to boycott Monday's debate.

“Supreme Court Dismisses Immigrant Public-Charge Cases”  by WSJ’s Jess Bravin – The Supreme Court dismissed several pending appeals over a Trump administration rule penalizing lawful immigrants for seeking public assistance, acting on joint requests filed Tuesday by the Biden administration and plaintiffs challenging the policy. The Justice Department, which didn’t publicly announce the move, declined to comment after the filings were docketed by the Supreme Court. Immigrant-rights groups said the filings were a precursor to rescinding the public-charge policy still in place. “This case is over, and this victory means the American Dream is alive and well,” said San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, one of several local officials who sued to block the Trump-era policy. “The previous administration’s attempt to impose a wealth test on immigrants who came here legally was bad for our economy, bad for public health and bad for our country.” Several immigrant advocacy groups that also sued the Trump administration said they expected the rule no longer would be enforced. “Immigrant families can now access lifesaving healthcare, food and housing assistance for which they are eligible without fear that they will lose the chance to obtain lawful permanent residence,” said a statement from Make the Road New York, the African Services Committee, the Asian American Federation, Catholic Charities Community Services and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

“Derek Chauvin Trial Begins With Jury Selection” by WSJ’s Joe Barrett – Jury selection in the murder trial of a former police officer accused of killing George Floyd began under tight security despite the prosecution’s request to a higher court to pause the case until an appeal over an additional charge of third-degree murder is resolved. Judge Peter Cahill, who is presiding in the case, welcomed prospective jurors into the courtroom Tuesday morning, and lawyers for former officer Derek Chauvin and prosecutors including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison introduced themselves. The prospective jurors’ faces weren’t broadcast, and the judge asked them not to identify themselves on social media, saying the court wouldn’t divulge their names during the trial. On Monday, prospective jurors were sent home after the prosecution asked the state Court of Appeals to order the case paused so the defendant could appeal a ruling over the additional charge to the state Supreme Court. On Friday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals said Judge Cahill must reconsider his decision to exclude the third-degree murder charge. Judge Cahill indicated Tuesday that Eric Nelson, Mr. Chauvin’s attorney, had filed to appeal the ruling with the Minnesota Supreme Court and that the court was seeking the prosecution’s response by 5 p.m. 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.

“National Guard to Remain at U.S. Capitol Through May 23” by WSJ’s Alexa Corse – The National Guard will extend its mission at the U.S. Capitol into May, the Defense Department said Tuesday, as congressional officials weigh how to secure the complex going forward. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin approved extending the Guard’s presence in Washington through May 23, after the U.S. Capitol Police requested continued support. The Guard’s mission previously was slated to end on Friday. Capitol Police formally requested the Guard extension last week, saying threats against members of Congress during the first two months of this year were up 93% compared with last year. “The National Guard has played a critical role to the Department’s enhanced security posture,’’ the Capitol Police said in a statement after the Pentagon’s announcement. As of this week, just under 5,200 Guards troops were deployed in Washington from more than 30 states and territories, defense officials said Monday. After Friday, nearly 2,300 Guard members will remain in Washington due to the extension, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday. Defense officials will work with the Capitol Police to “incrementally reduce the National Guard footprint as conditions allow,” Mr. Kirby said in a statement. The Guard members will be in and around the Capitol complex, a defense official said. They have been guarding the complex since Jan. 6, after Capitol Police leaders called for their help as a mob of Trump supporters breached the Capitol. Law-enforcement agencies have warned about the possibility of violence from domestic extremists following the assault on the Capitol.

“How Biden is betting on Buttigieg to drive a new era of racial equity” by Politico’s Sam Mintz – A central plank in President Joe Biden's agenda of improving racial equity requires dismantling or reimagining parts of America's transportation system, which has long stacked the odds against people who most rely on it to climb up the economic ladder. Black households are three times less likely to own a car than white households, meaning they lack access to the infrastructure most heavily prioritized and funded nationwide. People of color also make up a majority of transit riders and have longer commutes. And America’s urban landscape is packed with examples of highways carving up Black communities, cutting off accessibility and spewing disproportionate amounts of pollution. This is not just a matter of halfway accidental neglect,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in an interview. “We’re talking about some really intentional decisions that happened, and a lot of them happened with federal dollars.” Reversing the most harmful of those decades worth of decisions about how America's transportation system is designed falls to Buttigieg, Biden and a team determined to power a multi-trillion dollar infrastructure plan through Congress, transform the policies that underpin America's arterials of commerce and blunt the worst effects of climate change. Those lofty goals require turning buzzwords and pledges into real change that tackles systemic, ingrained ways of doing business.

“‘It’s a Kill Shot’: How Tish James Holds Cuomo’s Future In Her Hands” by Politico’s Anna Gronewold – There was a time not too long ago when Letitia “Tish” James’s tenure as New York attorney general was defined by one thing — the utter certitude with which she vowed to hold Donald Trump accountable for his political, personal and corporate offenses. Now, the 62-year-old James is known for something else: Her decision to confront her own political patron, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, over his handling of nursing-home deaths and then stiff-arm his attempts to maintain control of an investigation into his own behavior in office. Suddenly, one of the state’s most underestimated politicians may be holding the future of New York politics in her hands, even while she herself gets mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate. Meanwhile, Empire State pols are scrambling to reassess a woman who’s a mystery to many outside of her willingness to take on the former president. “I’m running for attorney general because I will never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate president when our fundamental rights are at stake,” James declared in an eye-catching 2018 campaign video. “He should be charged with obstructing justice. I believe that the president of these United States can be indicted for criminal offenses and we would join with law enforcement and other attorneys general across the nation in removing this president from office.” At the time, the Brooklyn-born James was New York City’s public advocate, a post she won after a decade navigating Big Apple politics on the City Council. Though New York City elected officials frequently have trouble winning statewide, her anti-Trump message, along with a warm endorsement from the powerful, soon-to-be three-term governor, was enough to make her the first Black person to serve as New York’s top law-enforcement officer.

“House passes labor overhaul, pitting unions against the filibuster” by Politico’s Eleanor Mueller and Sarah Ferris – The House passed Democrats’ wide-ranging overhaul of labor laws Tuesday, inching President Joe Biden closer to fulfilling a campaign promise and coinciding with Amazon workers’ ongoing push to unionize an Alabama warehouse. But the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which advanced mostly along party lines, is unlikely to win the 60 votes needed for passage in the narrowly controlled Senate. And already, some union leaders — who hold outsize sway in the Biden administration — are amping up pressure on Democrats to eliminate the filibuster so they can see one of their top priorities enacted. “We’re not going to let a few people stop it from happening,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said. “Its time has come. Its time is long past due to be enacted. And we’ll do it.” “Everything is on the table so far as we’re concerned.” Just five Republicans voted for the measure: co-sponsors Jeff Van Drew and Chris Smith (N.J.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), along with Reps. John Katko (N.Y.) and Don Young (Alaska). One Democrat voted against it: Henry Cuellar (Texas), an aide said. The bill’s advancement concludes several days of behind-the-scenes wrangling by Democratic leaders after a group of moderate members pushed for last-minute changes to the bill. By Monday night, top Democrats had agreed to include an amendment that would study the bill’s impact on gig workers, which the centrist bloc — led by Blue Dog Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), who voted against the bill last session — described as a win.