President Joe Biden’s decision to grant clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals has sparked controversy, with critics questioning the inclusion of individuals convicted of serious offenses.
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is calling for a major overhaul in how public school superintendents are selected, proposing that communities elect superintendents directly rather than relying on school board appointments. Walters argues this change will boost parental influence and weaken what he describes as the hold of “left-wing, woke bureaucrats” on public education.
Another tragic death has underscored the consequences of lax immigration enforcement in Harris County, Texas. On December 1, 7-year-old Ivory Smith was killed by a drunk driver in northeast Houston. Her mother sustained serious injuries in the crash. The alleged driver, 41-year-old Venezuelan national Joel Enrique Gonzalez Chacin, was in the country illegally and had a prior criminal record. He now faces charges of intoxicated manslaughter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is preparing to unveil a government spending bill that could include key components of President-elect Donald Trump’s healthcare agenda. Among the priorities under consideration is reforming Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) practices, a move aimed at lowering prescription drug costs for seniors by tackling middleman-driven price inflation.
Mark Zuckerberg has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, the Wall Street Journal reports. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the donation but declined to provide an additional comment.
President Joe Biden issued 39 pardons and commuted nearly 1,500 sentences on Thursday, marking the largest single-day act of clemency in U.S. history. The move affects Americans convicted of non-violent crimes, with the White House citing rehabilitation and contributions to community safety as reasons for the clemency.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is poised to challenge Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo over her reported rush to allocate the remaining CHIPS and Science Act funds before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. In a letter expected to be delivered Wednesday, Ernst calls Raimondo’s expedited spending plan “extremely concerning” and urges her to stop any “binge buying” of taxpayer dollars.
Human rights activists, former corrections officials, and families of crime victims have called on President Biden to commute the sentences of all 40 federal death row inmates before leaving office.
Incoming Deputy Chief of Policy Stephen Miller confirmed on Sunday that comprehensive tax reform will be a top priority for President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, dispelling rumors of any potential delays. Miller stated that Congress will begin addressing tax reform immediately after tackling the border crisis, with a proposed timeline starting in January or early February.
