A Long Island County Banned Masks, and Disabled People Are Suing – Mother Jones

The county’s move has prompted the first class-action lawsuit against a mask ban, filed Thursday in federal district court by Disability Rights New York against Nassau County and county executive Bruce Blakeman on behalf of two anonymous residents.

“This mask ban poses a direct threat to public health and discriminates against people with disabilities,” said Timothy A. Clune, the group’s executive director, in a press release.

Source: A Long Island County Banned Masks, and Disabled People Are Suing – Mother Jones

‘Trump is unfit’: Fox News publishes mass-GOP endorsement for Kamala Harris – Raw Story

Twelve White House lawyers who represented former presidents Ronald Reagan’s, George H.W. Bush’s and George W. Bush’s administrations endorsed Harris over former President Donald Trump, whom they dubbed a danger to the nation.

“We endorse Kamala Harris and support her election as President because we believe that returning former President Trump to office would threaten American democracy and undermine the rule of law in our country,” the lawyers wrote in a letter obtained by Fox News.

“We urge all patriotic Republicans, former Republicans, conservative and center-right citizens, and independent voters to place love of country above party and ideology and join us in supporting Kamala Harris.”

Among the signatories is Michael Luttig, the conservative judge who made headlines earlier this week with his historic decision to back a democrat over Trump.

Source: ‘Trump is unfit’: Fox News publishes mass-GOP endorsement for Kamala Harris – Raw Story

Investigation Uncovers Trump’s Scheme That Has Funneled Millions in Campaign Donations to His Businesses

Since late last year, Trump’s influence has seen a surge in campaign spending at his properties. For instance, after endorsing Bernie Moreno for Ohio’s Senate seat, Moreno’s campaign rapidly spent $17,000 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, followed by an additional $79,000 the next month. This trend highlights a broader pattern of Trump leveraging his political endorsements to benefit his personal financial interests…In the first half of 2024 alone, nearly $3.2 million in campaign funds have been spent at Trump’s properties. Of this amount, more than 80% came from Trump’s own campaign and related groups, including $1.9 million spent on his private jet service and over $1 million at Mar-a-Lago. Additional spending includes around $200,000 at Trump’s other hotels and resorts.

The pattern of candidates investing heavily in Trump’s properties to secure his endorsement underscores his significant control over the Republican Party. Daniel Weiner, director of the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program, commented that this dynamic reflects Trump’s dominance, with spending at his businesses becoming a common means for candidates to demonstrate loyalty.

“They want to help his ticket win, and they want to express their support,” Weiner said. “To the extent that a campaign is used in part to prop up his businesses – that’s a concern.”

Federal Election Commission data shows that since Trump’s 2015 presidential campaign launch, Republican candidates have consistently spent campaign funds at his properties. The recent surge in expenditures at Mar-a-Lago and other Trump-affiliated venues illustrates the ongoing financial impact of Trump’s political endorsements.

This development raises ethical concerns, as some experts worry about the potential for conflicts of interest. Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert, noted the troubling implications of Trump’s financial gains from campaign spending, though Trump’s spokesperson has dismissed such concerns as politically motivated.

Source: Investigation Uncovers Trump’s Scheme That Has Funneled Millions in Campaign Donations to His Businesses

Suecia: 152 osos muertos a dos días del inicio de caza anual – Stigmatis News (Me: Horrible – anti-sustainabilitty an human elitism)

Más de 150 osos pardos (Ursus arctos) han sido asesinados en Suecia a dos días de haber comenzado la caza anual, un evento que enfrenta grandes críticas por parte de defensores del bienestar animal.

Un máximo de 486 osos pardos podrán ser cazados en las siete regiones administrativas del país, anunció el miércoles (21.08.2024) la agencia de protección del medio ambiente sueca.

Source: Suecia: 152 osos muertos a dos días del inicio de caza anual – Stigmatis News

RFK Jr. suspends presidential campaign, endorses GOP nominee Donald Trump – UPI.com

As they have before, members of Kennedy’s family on Friday blasted his political maneuvers as a “betrayal” of his legacy.

“We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride,” his sister Kerry Kennedy said in a statement co-signed by four other Kennedy siblings. “Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.”

Source: RFK Jr. suspends presidential campaign, endorses GOP nominee Donald Trump – UPI.com

Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicates interest rate cuts are coming amid lowered inflation – UPI.com

 — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Friday indicated interest rate cuts are on the way as economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic begin to fade.

In his Jackson Hole, Wyo., speech Powell said “the time has come for policy to adjust” amid positive economic data on inflation dropping to an annual rate of 2.5%.

Source: Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicates interest rate cuts are coming amid lowered inflation – UPI.com