1 The Defense In The Arbery Murder Trial Rests
The defense has rested in the Ahmaud Arbery, but chances are the defendants aren’t resting much as the case moves to it’s next phase: closing arguments. That’s because State prosecutor Linda Dunikoski positively grilled Travis McMichael about every aspect of his testimony. Most notably? Dunikoski’s questions saw McMichael testify that 25-year-old Arbery didn’t actually threaten him in any way before McMichael pointed his shotgun. “All he’s done is run away from you,” Dunikoski noted. “And you pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at him.” The two other defendants did not testify. He also admitted that at no time when police were originally at the scene, did he or his defendants ever say they were trying to affect a “citizens arrest.” Travis, his father Gregory McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan, Jr are accused of shooting the 25-year-old Arbery while he was out for a jog.
2 GOP Leader McCarthy Stalls House Vote On Biden's Social Spending Bill
After being held off overnight, House Democrats are now planning an early morning vote on President Biden's sweeping social safety net bill. Democrats had hoped to pass the bill last night, but House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy delayed the vote with an hours-long speech. The aim of the one-point-nine trillion-dollar economic package is to dramatically expand social services, invest in addressing climate change, increase access to healthcare, and deliver aid to families and children. A vote is expected at 8am Eastern time. Something that might give lawmakers pause? Unlike what the Biden administration has been proclaiming, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is estimating the social spending package will add to the national debt. The CBO said the one-point-seven-trillion-dollar-bill would increase the budget deficit by 367-billion-dollars from 2022 to 2031. The number doesn't include any estimates for revenue raised by increased IRS enforcement of tax laws.
3 Biden Administration Suspends Vax Mandate
The Biden administration is suspending the new vaccine mandate for large companies. OSHA announced it will stop implementing and enforcing the rule after a federal appeals court temporarily halted the mandate. The court cited serious statutory and constitutional issues. The rule requires businesses with more than 100 employees to either mandate COVID vaccinations or require regular testing. Last week, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote that the administration’s vaccine and testing mandate was “fatally flawed.” It also ordered that OSHA to hold off “pending adequate judicial review” of a motion for a permanent injunction.