VIRUS OUTBREAK-FLORIDA-SCHOOL MASKS
Florida’s largest school district drops all mask mandates
MIAMI (AP) — Florida’s largest school district is dropping all mask mandates, allowing parents in all grades decide whether their children should wear a face covering. Miami-Dade County School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho made the announcement Tuesday after a judge ruled last week that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was within its authority to allow parents to opt out of strict mandates. But rather than cite the decision, Carvalho said coronavirus cases are dropping and said protocols could change if cases spike again. Broward County, the second largest school district, also made masks optional Tuesday.
AP-US-COVID-MISINFORMATION-WARREN-LAWSUIT
Sen. Warren’s concerns over COVID-19 book draw lawsuit
SEATTLE (AP) — A small publishing company in Vermont is suing Sen. Elizabeth Warren, saying her chastising Amazon over the sale of a book that promotes misinformation about COVID-19 amounted to censorship. The company, Chelsea Green, published a book called “The Truth About COVID-19,” which accuses the “global elite” of using the pandemic to grab “unprecedented power.” It also promotes unapproved and possibly dangerous treatments for the virus, while falsely suggesting COVID-19 vaccines approved by the government have not been properly tested. The lawsuit says the book contains opinions protected by the First Amendment. Warren’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
CAPITOL BREACH-SUBPOENAS
House Jan. 6 panel subpoenas 10 former White House aides
WASHINGTON (AP) — House investigators have issued subpoenas to 10 more former officials who worked for Donald Trump at the end of his presidency. They are part of a committee’s effort to find out more about what the president was doing and saying as his supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a bid to overturn his defeat. The subpoenas issued Tuesday include demands for documents and testimony from senior adviser Stephen Miller and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. They bring the House panel tasked with investigating the insurrection even closer inside Trump’s inner circle — and to Trump himself.
LIZ CHENEY-NEW HAMPSHIRE
Rep. Liz Cheney says Trump is at war ‘with the rule of law’
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming says former President Donald Trump is at war “with the rule of law and the Constitution” and that GOP lawmakers who sit by silently are aiding his efforts. Cheney is a Trump critic who serves as vice chair of a congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Speaking at a First Amendment event in New Hampshire on Tuesday, she asked, “Will we put duty to our oath above partisan politics or will we look away from the danger and the threat, embrace the lies and enable the liar?” Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection.
AP-US-SOLAR-POWER-PONZI-SCHEME
California man gets 30 years in prison for $1B Ponzi scheme
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The owner of a San Francisco Bay Area solar energy company has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for an audacious Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of $1 billion. Jeff Carpoff received the maximum penalty Tuesday after pleading guilty last year to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Paulette Carpoff faces up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty at the same time. The couple agreed to forfeit more than $120 million in assets, such as luxury homes and a fleet of collector cars including the 1978 Firebird previously owned by late actor Burt Reynolds.
DAUNTE WRIGHT-OFFICER
Judge changes course, allows video coverage of Potter trial
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Live video coverage will be allowed in the trial of a former suburban Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of Daunte Wright. The judge overseeing the case reversed herself Tuesday, citing the state of the pandemic. Judge Regina Chu had ruled in August against recording or livestreaming Kim Potter’s trial, which starts Nov. 30. Under Minnesota court rules, audio and video coverage of a criminal trial is usually barred unless all parties consent, and Potter has not agreed. A coalition of media organizations including The Associated Press made a fresh plea last week for reconsideration, citing the right to media and public access.
AP-US-AIR-FORCE-VIOLENCE
Air Force report: Nearly half in survey saw abuse, violence
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new report says more than half of Air Force and Space Force personnel who responded to a survey said they’ve experienced some type of mental or physical abuse in the past two years. That ranges from workplace bullying and hazing to rape or murder. Of the roughly 68,000 active duty personnel, reserves and civilians who responded to the survey, nearly two-thirds of the women and 48% of the men described incidents of what the Air Force called “interpersonal violence.” Most said they never reported it to commanders or law enforcement, and many of those who did believed that nothing would be done about it.
TRIPLE MURDER-WRONGFUL CONVICTION
Woman says her sister ID’d wrong man in Missouri slayings
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two more witnesses have testified that the only eyewitness to a 1978 triple murder in Kansas City told them that she identified the wrong suspect. Cecile “Cookie” Simmons testified Tuesday that her sister, Cynthia Douglas, tried to tell prosecutors in the past that Kevin Strickland was not involved in the shootings but she was told it was “too late” to recant her identification. Douglas’ ex-husband also testified that she told him she identified the wrong man. The testimony came in the second day of an evidentiary hearing that could lead to Strickland’s release. The current Jackson County prosecutor has said she believes Strickland was wrongly convicted of murders.
BLACK MOTORIST KILLED
Florida officer’s convictions upheld in fatal shooting
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of a police officer convicted of manslaughter and attempted murder for the fatal shooting of a Black motorist whose car had broken down on an interstate off-ramp. In a two-paragraph statement, the court said it would not consider the appeal filed by fired Palm Beach Gardens officer Nouman Raja. He is serving a 25-year sentence for the 2015 killing of 31-year-old Corey Jones. The decision lets stand appeals court decision that said a defendant can be convicted of both manslaughter and attempted murder in the shooting of a single person. Raja was the first Florida officer in 30 years to be convicted of an on-duty shooting.
TRUMP-HATCH ACT
Probe finds Trump officials repeatedly violated Hatch Act
NEW YORK (AP) — At least 13 former Trump administration officials violated the law by intermingling campaigning with their official government duties. That’s according to a new federal investigation released Tuesday. The report from the Office of Special Counsel finds the officials broke the law without consequence and with the approval of the administration in what it describes as a “willfull disregard for the Hatch Act.” The act prohibits government officials from using their official roles to influence elections, including supporting candidates while acting in their official capacities. It says, “The cumulative effect of these repeated and public violations was to undermine public confidence in the nonpartisan operation of government.”
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