1 Brittney Griner, Sarah Krivanek On Their Way Home
Brittney Griner is on her way back to the US…specifically, San Antonio after being jailed for 10 months. She's expected to land soon after being released from Russian custody. Once on the ground, she’ll be moved to the Brooke Army Medical Center foe evaluation. The WNBA star was exchanged for Viktor Bout [[ boot ]], a Russian arms dealer known as “The Merchant Of Death.” She was in custody since February when screeners at a Moscow airport found vape cartridges containing a small amount of hashish in her luggage. Also coming home? Sarah Krivanek, a former English teacher charged with assault last December for attacking her partner with a knife during a domestic dispute in which he received minor facial injuries. She has maintained that it was self-defense. Either way, she was jailed in a penal colony until her deportation. Who ISN’T coming home? Paul Whelan, a former Marine accused of espionage in December 2018. The White House has called the charges against Whelan politically motivate and has been working on his release – but has had no forward motion. The White House says the deal with Russia to release Griner was the only agreement on the table – and that Russia wasn't willing to negotiate in good faith to release Whelan.
2 Lawmakers Celebrate Passage Of Respect For Marriage Act
Lawmakers are celebrating the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act. The bill to codify the right to same-sex and interracial marriage will now head to President Biden's desk after the House passed it. On one side of the aisle, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said the bill was needed to uphold marriage equality under federal law and protect Americans from bigoted extremism. On the other – Rep. Vicky Hartzler – who cried as she begged her colleagues to vote against the bill – and “protect people who believe in the true meaning of marriage.” In the end, the House voted 258-169 to pass.
3 DOJ Asks Judge To Hold Trump Team In Contempt Over Mar-a-Lago Docs
The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to hold former President Trump's legal team in contempt of court over documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago estate. Why? The DOJ’s efforts to have classified documents returned has been fraught with problems. He was subpoenaed back in May and failed to turn over all the documents in his possession until his property was raided. Since then, Trump's lawyers says they found more classified items during a recent search of several properties before Thanksgiving. Trump is under criminal investigation for taking government documents from the White House when he left office.