Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.
Trump ally wants details of wealth excluded from foreign agent trial
Tom Barrack, a former private equity executive and fundraiser for Donald Trump, wants evidence of his wealth, spending and lifestyle excluded from his upcoming trial on charges he acted as an illegal foreign agent, his lawyers said on Tuesday. Prosecutors have charged Barrack, 75, with using his influence between 2016 and 2018 to advance United Arab Emirates foreign policy goals without notifying the U.S. attorney general of his involvement as required by law.
New Mexico county commissioner first to be removed from office over Jan. 6
A New Mexico county commissioner became the first public official to lose their job for participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol when a state judge on Tuesday ruled that the Republican violated the U.S. Constitution by engaging in an insurrection. State District Court Judge Francis Mathew wrote in his decision that Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin, founder of a group called “Cowboys for Trump,” violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution when he took part in the riot that left four people dead and 100 police officers injured, disqualifying him from holding local, state or federal office.
U.S. labor board to expand companies’ ‘joint employer’ liability
A U.S. labor board on Tuesday moved to make it easier for workers and unions to hold companies liable for labor law violations by their franchisees and contractors, proposing to revive an Obama-era standard heavily criticized by trade groups.
The proposed rule from the National Labor Relations Board would treat companies as so-called “joint employers” when they have indirect control over working conditions such as scheduling, hiring and firing, and supervision.
U.S. Senate Democrats could link same-sex marriage, gov’t funding bills -source
Democratic leadership in the U.S. Senate could add language protecting gay marriage rights to a stopgap measure to keep the federal government funded and running, in a bill that will need Republican support for passage, a Democratic source said on Tuesday. Such a move could up the pressure in the evenly divided chamber, as it faces a Sept. 30 deadline to avoid partial federal agency shutdowns when money runs out. Republicans on Tuesday warned that they considered the pairing a political stunt.
Explainer-Can Trump claim executive privilege to shield Mar-a-Lago documents?
A federal judge on Sunday granted former U.S. President Donald Trump’s request for a “special master” to review documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago resort, including to determine if some may be protected by executive privilege. Below is an explainer on the scope of executive privilege and whether former presidents can claim it.
Shark attack in the Bahamas kills 58-year-old American woman
A 58-year-old Pennsylvania woman died in a shark attack in The Bahamas on Tuesday, police said. The woman and her family, who were passengers on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, were visiting New Providence for the day when they booked an excursion.
FDA warns against use of Mother’s Touch baby formula
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday advised parents and caregivers against feeding Mother’s Touch Formula to infants as the product has not undergone proper testing. The directive comes as the United States recovers from a severe infant formula crunch that began with pandemic-led supply issues and worsened after Abbott closed its Michigan plant in February due to reports of bacterial contamination.
U.S. Senate Republican campaign chief denies feud with McConnell
The U.S. Senate Republican campaign chief denied on Tuesday that he is at odds with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell over the quality of party candidates in key swing states that could determine whether Republicans win control of the congressional chamber in the Nov. 8 midterm elections. Senator Rick Scott, who heads the Senate Republican campaign committee, triggered party concerns about a potentially damaging quarrel with McConnell last week by railing against people in the party who he said were “trash-talking” Republican Senate candidates.
U.S. appeals court upholds Washington state’s conversion therapy ban
A U.S. federal appeals court on Tuesday unanimously upheld Washington state’s ban on conversion therapy for children, rejecting a therapist’s claim that it undermined his free speech and targeted him because he is Christian. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Washington’s legislature acted rationally and did not violate the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment by imposing the ban to protect the “physical and psychological well-being” of children.
U.S. Commerce aims to seek chips funding proposals by February
The U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday it hopes by February to begin seeking applications for $39 billion in government semiconductor chips subsidies to build new facilities and expand existing U.S. production. Congress in August approved $52.7 billion for semiconductor manufacturing and research and a 25% investment tax credit for chip plants, estimated to be worth $24 billion. That credit applies to projects that start construction after Jan. 1.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
