Below The Fold: The news that do not make the headlines but is important. By PL Hade.
The House passed the Covid19 relief bill last night. 219-212 The bill included the $15.00 minimum wage. (That will be taken out in the Senate due to the Parliamentarian’s ruling. Two Democrats [and 217 Republicans] voted against it – Rep Golden of Maine and Rep Schrader of Oregon. Reps Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew both voted against the bill.
- Assessing the Saudi Government’s Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi
- “We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.” Download the report.
- Background:
- Note: They still have not found Jamal Khashoggi’s dismembered body.
- Audio Offers Gruesome Details of Jamal Khashoggi Killing, Turkish Official Says https://www.nytimes.com/…/turkey-saudi-khashoggi…
- The month after his death the Washington Post reported that MBS had ordered his death. https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/98c89fe6-e9b2-11e8…
- “Although the CIA has concluded that the crown prince personally ordered Khashoggi’s murder, US President Donald Trump has signaled he will not take strong action against Saudi Arabia, a key US ally, or its crown prince, despite pressure at home and internationally.” https://www.cnn.com/…/middle…/jamal-khashoggi-fast-facts
- Jared Kushner advised Saudi prince on how to ‘weather’ Khashoggi slaying, report says https://www.usatoday.com/…/jared-kushner…/2257098002/
- The wooing of Jared Kushner; How the Saudis Got a Friend in the White House https://www.nytimes.com/…/saudi-mbs-jared-kushner.html
- Saudi court issues final verdicts for 8 people in death of journalist Jamal KhashoggiThe Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced the defendants to prison for the 2018 murder of the journalist, who was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. https://www.nbcnews.com/…/saudi-arabian-court-issues…
- The Biden administration is set to apply Sanctions:U.S. to Apply Sanctions on 76 Saudis Under ‘Khashoggi Policy’https://www.bloomberg.com/…/u-s-to-apply-sanctions-on…
- Yesterday Governor Murphy signed legislation permanently establishing the Community College Opportunity Grant Program in state law.
- The Equality Act passed the House on Thursday
- Jeff Van Drew #CD2 voted against the equality act.
- Chris Smith #CD4 voted against the equality act.
- On Thursday the House parliamentarian determined that the $15.00 minimum wage couldn’t be included in the Covid Relief Package in reconciliation. (In my humble opinion a new bill should include both the $15.00 graduated minimum wage and the money for Texas Disaster Relief. The 15.00 minimum wage taxes would help pay for the Disaster Relief since suddenly the GOP is concerned about spending again.)
- Texas Electric Bills Were $28 Billion Higher Under Deregulation https://www.wsj.com/…/texas-electric-bills-were-28…
- Covid19
- 511,959 Americans have died of Covid19
- NJ: 3,149 new positives, Rate of Transmission 0.89
- Counties with the highest positives: Bergen 400, Hudson 307, Monmouth 307