Advani elected to third term after mollifying party critics
New Delhi — Prime Minister Bijan Advani was approved for a third term as prime minister after quelling a possible rebellion within his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the disappointing results of the recent national election. After backroom negotiations between the government, backbench MPs (members of parliament) and the BJP's coalition partners, Advani was appointed by President Haiya Prabhakar to form a third government.
After winning two large victories in 2011 and 2016, BJP supporters and outside observers expected the governing right-wing coalition to win a similarly large majority this year. However, Advani's personal popularity failed to translate to support for his party, and the damaging effects of a late-breaking scandal over the role of BJP government ministers' overruling of health authorities leading to a massive cholera outbreak in northern India further pushed down support for the coalition.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained a majority of seats in the Lok Sabha, but the loss of the overwhelming majority it had previously enjoyed had given opponents of Advani within the alliance and the BJP itself an opportunity to demand concessions. Most notably, the prime minister agreed to expand the number of non-BJP ministers in his cabinet from two to five, and returned some supporters of former prime minister Reva Achari Dharashiokar to the cabinet after purging most of them following the 2016 landslide.
Domestic opposition and international human rights groups have criticized Advani and his government for what they say is a campaign of promoting anti-Muslim bigotry and using the threat of war with Pakistan to crack down on public criticism and political opposition. Several parties have left the NDA since Advani took office in 2011 over disputes related to Advani's authoritarian style of leadership and attempts to re-write India's constitution to incorporate Hindu nationalist elements.
---------------------------------------
Cast
Rajinikanth as Bijan Advani
Sharmila Tagore as Sonia Vora (new casting)
Farida Jalal as Kakoli Bakshi (new character)
National Democratic Alliance (NDA): 288 seats United Progressive Alliance (UPA): 134 seats Federal Front: 35 seats independent/other: 104 seats
The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) is essentially the center-left equivalent to the NDA, while the Federal Front is an alliance of regional parties.
Vora was established way back in the old thread as a possible INC leader, so I went with her as the current INC leader.
Something that was meant to be corrected in Prometheus_2300's write-up of India here but was missed was that Nohamid retired in 2011 rather than being defeated.
My headcanon is that Vora led the INC in 2011, then handed power over after the INC lost the election. After 2016's shellacking, the rudderless INC then turned back to her as the next best thing.
It's not in the article, but Bakshi is the chief minister of West Bengal, hence why she isn't in parliament.
Investigation Finds Evidence of NYPD Misconduct Friday May 28, 2021
The New York Times
An investigation by The New York Times has found evidence of serial misconduct by NYPD officers stemming from emergency powers granted by municipal government in the aftermath of the 2015 Times Square bombing. At that time, the New York City Council passed several laws allowing the police unprecedented powers of investigation and detainment in the interest of preventing further acts of terrorism. These laws are generally referred to as "Section 19" provisions, referring to Section 19 of the 2015 police funding bill that established most of these powers. The evidence found by the Times has revealed that these powers were regularly abused by the police, expanding in scope far beyond their original purpose to detain people without reasonable cause or evidence and conducting hundreds of searches on weak grounds.
Sources within several NYPD precincts as well as the Commissioner's Office who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity have confirmed that "Section 19" orders would be given out whenever there was difficulty pinning a suspect to a crime with loose evidence, allowing the police to continue detaining a suspect without charge indefinitely. These cases were not connected to investigations into acts or planned acts of terrorism. Additionally, "Section 19" warrants would be sought retroactively when the police had already conducted searches. The NYPD also set up a secret counter-terrorism surveillance department that primarily targeted Muslim communities, infiltrating mosques and conducting digital surveillance of Muslims.
It is unclear how prevalent these tactics are. However, sources indicate that they are well known to most officers and are sanctioned by captains and other high ranking officials. Incumbent Commissioner John R. Kelly has long been an advocate for more forceful policing and less oversight into police activities. In a leaked 2016 internal directive, Kelly urged officers to take proactive measures when investigating terrorism and suggested that they "should not worry about legal consequences or ramifications," as the Commissioner's Office could "handle any problems" that would arise. "The specter of legal interference should not hinder the duty of a police officer," he wrote. "Thankfully, [the NYPD] has favorable relations with New York prosecutors and a friend in City Hall. This is not a California city suffering from unfettered criminal activity shielded by the tyranny of government oversight." The Commissioner's Office declined to comment when contacted.
The NYPD has already been at the center of this year's mayoral election. Candidates of both political parties have offered their positions and proposals for the future of policing in New York City. Former Congressman Eli Rosen has significant police support, having been endorsed by the Municipal Policeman's Brotherhood and the United Officers Alliance, two major police unions in New York that have not backed a Democrat in over 20 years. On the other hand, his opponent Comptroller Gerald Kim has been a leading voice in the call for police reform and has previously proposed investigations into NYPD malfeasance. The Comptroller has also had several public spats with the Commissioner. With time running out on Mayor Richard Corey's term, it will probably fall to one of these two men to determine the city response to the NYPD's actions.
Well no matter what I suspect little will be done as picking a fight with police department and its unions will not be popular.
And the department will argue it keeps the city safe. And the important leading business figures don’t care if the police are aggressive, they want that tourist money. There was likely a serious drop in tourism after the bombing.
It will be the balance like this, what matters more to the city, money or civil liberties?
I think NYC will pick money.
Plenty of OTL sources for inspiration of NYPD and DOC corruption and abuse.
Veteran MP Toby Sharp could enter leadership election as the candidate of the "Eurosceptic" wing
Several Conservative backbenchers from the "Eurosceptic" wing of the party are planning to put forward a candidate to "push for our withdrawal from the EC" and a "return to fundamental Conservative values and policies".
Backbencher Bob Eastwick, the self-confessed leader of the backbench "awkward squad" told the Andrew Marr Show this morning "The five candidates declared so far are good people, but they are continuity Samuels and Carter, we need to return to first principles" adding "we are leading in the polls, but we are losing voters to the NPP, voters who are concerned about the EU, a failure of the Police to tackle real crime and the continued growth of immigration into the country".
Andrew Marr asked if it meant he would be a candidate for the leadership "I will if no-one else does, but Toby Sharp is openly discussing running". Sharp has been a MP for Wantage since 1983, he almost defected to join the National Democratic Party in 1995, but decided to stay. In 2010 he was key player in the coup against then leader James Taylor. He served in the Cabinet for the first sixteen months of the Carter government between April 2011 and September 2012, before being sacked as Health Secretary. One of the things against him will be his age (he is 71), but it seems he wouldn't be running to win but to try and influence those also running to move the party back to more "Thatcher/Graty" style policies.
Norton-Stewart still leads the way in early polling
The second Eye & Gallup poll of the 2022 presidential campaign shows a growing lead for Ohio Senator Ruth Norton-Stewart. Her main opponent now appears to be Michigan Governor Ben Laurion who has also increased his numbers.
In both polls with "don't knows" and "excluding don't knows" Norton-Stewart has increased her lead by 2 %, with Governor Ben Laurion up 1% in the "don't knows" poll and up 2% in the "excluding don't knows". Former Senator Alan Duke has stalled in the "don't knows" with 13%, and has dropped 3% in the "excluding poll".
The only new entry into the race since the first poll from April former North Carolina Governor Andrew Wu has not made much of an early impact polling 4% in both polls. It is clear that over six months into the 2022 race, at the moment it seems to be a clear race between Norton-Stewart and Laurion.
The Eye/Gallup
poll conducted May 28th-May 29th-May 30th, 2,500 Republican voters
With "Don't Knows"
Senator Ruth Norton-Stewart, Ohio - 32% (+2)
Governor Ben Laurion, Michigan - 17% (+1)
Former Senator Alan Duke, Oklahoma - 13% (N/C)
Senator Jasper Irving, Illinois - 10% (-1)
Senator Charlie Forrester, Georgia - 8% (-1)
Former Governor Andrew Wu, North Carolina-4% (N/E)
Former Congressman Gus Edwards, Michigan - 2% (-1)
Congressman Alton Moore, California - 1% (N/C)
Don't Know - 13% (-4)
Excluding "Don't Knows"
Senator Ruth Norton-Stewart, Ohio - 39% (+2)
Governor Ben Laurion, Michigan - 20% (+2)
Former Senator Alan Duke, Oklahoma - 17% (-3)
Senator Jasper Irving, Illinois - 11% (-1)
Senator Charlie Forrester, Georgia - 7% (-3)
Former Governor Andrew Wu, North Carolina - 4% (N/E)
Former Congressman Gus Edwards, Michigan - 2% (-1)
"Is he a Spy?"- Daily Press Briefing gets awkward as reporter peppers Tatum with Edwards questions
Washington D.C.- This afternoon's White House Press Briefing turned awkward during a lengthy exchange between White House Press Secretary Cassie Tatum and Fox News White House Correspondent Karen Finnegan. Finnegan's questions, most of which focused on Deputy White House Communications Director John Edwards, bordered on what observers called "insanity". Finnegan asked several questions about the past "absences" of John Edwards, including his notable absence from the proceedings honoring the 75th anniversary of D-Day and his "mysterious" trip to Japan over Christmas & New Years 2020 (where he was photographed with former Japanese Senator and legendary wrestler Antonio Inoki). Tatum repeated her comments that she made at the time, that the trip was part of a long-planned vacation. "John went to a wrestling event in Tokyo, and that's all I really know; except that whomever he wanted to win didn't. You're gonna ask him about the rest of it." She then advised the White House Press Corps to, quote, "never" ask John Edwards about Professional Wrestling. "Never ask him about Wrestling. Those of you who were around when John Hoynes was in office will be well remined to share those experiences with your lesser informed colleagues".
Despite attempts to end the briefing, Finnegan pressed further, questioning if Edwards was actually a spy of the CIA. "Can you confirm that John Edwards has been an employee of the CIA since being recruited in college? Is he a spy?". Tatum informed Ms. Finnegan that "Mr. Edwards never went to college. You might be mistaking that with the plot of several Hollywood films."
The briefing was ended before Ms. Finnegan could respond. This is far from the first time that John Edwards has been shrouded in controversy and mystery. He is known for keeping his private life very private and not much is known about his life prior to politics.
Thomas Erikson Bailey (December 24, 1908 – March 12, 2008) was a United States Air Force General who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) of NATO in the 1960s. Born in Brainerd, Minnesota, Bailey graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1930 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He graduated from Advanced Flying School in 1932 and was assigned to the 9th Bombardment Group. After the attack on Pearl Harbor and American entry into World War II, Bailey moved the Ninth Air Force, which fought in North Africa. It was during this time that he met Dwight D. Eisenhower, who would become one of his mentors and close friend. He remained with the 9th Air Force for the duration of the war, rising to become chief of staff by its end. After the war, the 9th Air Force was demobilized and Bailey was reassigned to the new United States Air Forces in Europe, serving as assistant chief of staff. In 1956, Bailey became commanding officer of USAFE and air deputy to SACEUR. He became Supreme Allied Commander Europe in 1963 and served in this position until his retirement in 1969. He was SACEUR during the Cyprus crisis and French withdrawal from integrated NATO forces. He had a rocky relationship with French president Charles de Gaulle but was a favorite of U.S. presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Upon his retirement in 1969, Bailey embarked on a five year goodwill tour of Europe and the Middle East. In the years after his retirement, he was vocally political, becoming a fierce critic of the Vietnam War and endorsing candidates for elected office. He advised several presidents on military affairs and performed covert diplomacy on a number of occasions. He left public life in the 1980s and moved to Florida, where he would die in 2008, only months short of his 100th birthday. Bailey was married three times and had six children. He had five children with his first wife Mary-Beth Lawson, among them Thomas Bailey Jr., who was killed in action in the Vietnam War, and George Bailey, a Commandant of Cadets the Air Force Academy. Mary-Beth Bailey died in 1964. With his second wife Jenny Attie he had one son, Congressman and White House Chief of Staff Will Bailey. Bailey and Attie were divorced in 1973.
---- Albert Duncan (February 17, 1921 – February 3, 2021) was an American diplomat who served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs under three presidents from 1997 to 2008. A highly regarded expert on geopolitics, particularly East Asian affairs, Duncan advised presidents for nearly 40 years. Although he was a Republican, he served under Republican and Democratic presidents and was highly regarded by all. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Matt Santos in 2009. He was also a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army. He is the namesake of the Duncan Institute at Yale University, which provides an international studies and global affairs program at his alma mater.
---- Theodore Barrow (July 6, 1949 – September 30, 2010) was an American lawyer and diplomat. He alternated between service at the State Department and being a professor and scholar of international law. He was appointed Counselor to the Department of State by President Josiah Bartlet in his first term, and was then appointed Under Secretary of State for Arms Control in Bartlet's second term. Barrow was an expert on nuclear proliferation and rogue state diplomacy, having considerable experience and research regarding North Korea and Iran. His time as Under Secretary came to an abrupt and unusually public end in the early days of the Matt Santos administration, due a spat with new Secretary of State Arnold Vinick. Barrow, who had expected a promotion in the State Department under a new Democratic president, was instead shuffled off to Mexico, where he was ambassador for 3 years before dying in the 2010 Mexico City earthquake, which also claimed the life of British Ambassador Reginald Styles.
---- Jean Paul, Prince of Condé (Jean-Paul Pierre Claude Charpentier de Condé de Bourbon; 15 February 1979 – 2 August 2019) was a French socialite and member of the House of Bourbon-Condé, a cadet branch of the deposed royal House of Bourbon. His family are supporters of the Orléanist claim to the French throne.
Condé was a highly visible socialite and tabloid figure, first gaining notoriety as the boyfriend of Zoey Bartlet, daughter of American president Josiah Bartlet. This relationship was terminated when Condé, then known as the Vicomte de Condé, was used to drug Bartlet in order to facilitate her kidnapping. He avoided prosecution by cooperating with federal investigators and hastily left the United States thereafter, returning to France. He later sparked controversy again when he gave an interview claiming that Zoey Bartlet was a drug addict in an effort to rehabilitate his own image. After Bartlet, Condé was attached to a string of actresses, models, and socialites before marrying German supermodel Jacqueline Eicher-Diehl in 2006. Diehl, eight years his senior, was pregnant with his child at the time. Condé continued his exploits immediately afterwards.
In 2008, he faced criminal charges in Italy for solicitation of prostitutes and was under investigation in connection to the death of another prostitute. He narrowly avoided arrest by fleeing the country on a boat in a highly publicized escape. He then hid in southeast Asia for several years, evading the Italian investigation as well as French charges of tax evasion and tax fraud. In 2011, his father died and he gained the title of Prince of Condé. The French government seized his assets not long after. Condé was apprehended by German authorities in 2013 while attending his mother's funeral in Poland and brought to court to face divorce charges from his wife. After the end of divorce proceedings, he surrendered himself to French authorities in order to combat his financial charges and regain control of his estate. The matter was settled when he agreed to pay a lump sum of 19.5 million euros. After paying only 1.2 million euros, he fled the country for Brazil in order to dodge arrest by the Italians. In 2015, he married Brazilian tennis star Stéphanie Solario, with whom he would have one child. In 2017, Maria Estella Falcó of Spain alleged that Condé was the father of her twin children. Condé acknowledged the children on Twitter.
Condé was found dead in Ibiza, Spain in 2019. An autopsy confirmed that he died of a fatal mixture of various drugs. France refused to allow his body to be buried within its borders. As such, he was buried in Brazil by his second wife. He was succeeded in his titles by his 12 year old son, Louis Henri, whose mother successfully sued the French government for the return of the Condé estate on his behalf.
---- David Aaron Ziegler (January 8, 1956 – February 16, 2006) was an American astronaut. He was part of the 1990 NASA selection and completed five Space Shuttle flights with a total mission time of over 60 days between 1993 and 2003, when he retired. A biomedical researcher, Ziegler had graduate degrees in biology and physiology from Stanford University. On the Space Shuttle flights, he studied the effects of microgravity and other extraterrestrial environmental factors on biological life. Ziegler died by suicide in 2006 after a cancer diagnosis. He was survived by his wife and children, as well as his brother Toby Ziegler, a political operative.
Well this was fun!
Cast:
Richard Widmark as General Thomas Bailey (new casting)
Hal Holbrook as Albie Duncan
Ron Canada as Ted Barrow
Trent Ford as Jean Paul, Prince of Condé
Michael Emerson as David Ziegler (new casting)
Thomas Bailey was pretty old seeing as Sam guessed that he was Will's grandfather and no one could immediately place him as his son. Appropriately, the elder Bailey was 58 at the time of his last son's birth. The father is Air Force just like the son, and is in fact one the early heroes of the Air Force. He is primarily based on Lauris Norstad, who was the first Air Force General to serve as SACEUR in real life. Bailey was born in Minnesota as a reference to Norstad and his actor, Richard Widmark. Bailey lived quite a long life, since he was alive for Bartlet's second inauguration. Widmark was also remarkably long lived. Bailey dies in the same year as his actor. Will's mom was named by lord caedus. She divorces General Bailey and I assume a few years later married Elsie Snuffin's dad.
Most information about Albie Duncan was established by lord caedus in the post announcing his death. I have only established his wife's maiden name and the school at Yale.
Ted Barrow was an Under Secretary of State in the show. I gave him the Arms Control one since the big one was held by Albie Duncan, and it would reasonably be a position involving North Korea, Iran, India, Pakistan, and China, areas which Barrow advised on. The end of Ted Barrow's career was documented in the old thread, including his unceremonious exile to Mexico and subsequent demise. Not mentioned in the writeup is that he was expecting to succeed the man to his left as Under Secretary of Political Affairs before Vinick and Santos installed their people.
Yes, I killed Jean Paul. His life of crime and debauchery seems like a natural trajectory for someone of his background and character. Many of the events are based on the escapades of real life deposed royalty. In the show, he was referred to as the Vicomte de Condé de Bourbon. Although Jean Paul is named a prince here, he was a Vicomte during his time on the show because his grandfather was the Prince of Condé and his father was the Comte de Condé. It was only after both of them died that he became a prince.
David is Toby's astronaut brother from the show. He was on four shuttle missions up to the mission the Columbia went on in "What Kind of Day Has It Been?" An alternate STS-90 is the Columbia mission here. I gave him one mission after that to cap off his career. Then we know the sad end of his story. Also, it's very impressive that a Brooklyn mobster and coatmaker had two highly accomplished sons, one astronaut and one advisor to presidents. Must have done something right. Ironically I think David could have been the more famous brother, in-universe.
Mayoral Candidates Clash in Final Debate
June 3, 2021
NEW YORK — The Democratic candidates for Mayor of New York City sparred on the debate stage one last time ahead of the primary on June 22. The frontrunners, Comptroller Gerald Kim and former Congressman Eli Rosen, took center stage in a heated back-and-forth, crowding out most of the other candidates, who also focused their energies on attacking the top two. Of particular interest tonight was last week's bombshell report by The New York Times detailing rampant abuse of power in the New York Police Department. Candidates split on how much responsibility Commissioner John R. Kelly bore, and whether the actions of the police were justified or not. Rosen asserted that the police took "necessary steps to combat terrorism" and argued they had "the responsibility to do whatever it takes." Kim, already a vocal critic of the police and noted rival of Commissioner Kelly, took the opposite position, criticizing the police as "transgressors of the law they were sworn to uphold" and calling for a through investigation of all police activity in recent years. This follows on the heels on Monday's announcement by the Department of Justice that they will be investigating the NYPD for the so-called "Section 19" violations.
Rosen and Kim turned their ire towards each other as they veered away from the issues. Rosen called Kim "soft on all crime, from petty theft to international terrorism." He touted his experience as a veteran and Congressman, calling himself "the only fighter on this stage" while the rest were mere "arguers." "Arguers argue, fighters win," he added. Kim had a litany of descriptors for Rosen, including inexperienced, disconnected, "out-of-touch, out of time, and out of answers," the last set getting a raucous response from the audience. "He does not share the values of a majority of New Yorkers. He only represents the special interests that have plagued this city since its inception, the same special interests that gave us the ineffective and incompetent mayors of the last several decades and made them govern with one hand tied behind their back."
The other candidates had a few moments to themselves, especially eccentric late entrant Donald McDonald, a former bank executive and lawyer in the Bartlet Justice Department, who gave many bizarre and incongruent answers to questions. He has already been a meme on the internet since he launched his campaign and will likely remain one. Councilman Marvin Jolly got the audience laughing with his lamentations for the recently-eliminated New York Knicks and Inara Nussbaum got cheers when she said "the last thing this city needs is a return to the old ways," criticizing Rosen's positions on crime.
Here's how the candidates came down on these issues and other topics that were addressed last night:
Compt. Gerald Kim
Rep. Eli Rosen
Cllr. Marvin Jolly
Mrs. Emilia Castillo
Boro Pres. Manny Garcia
Ms. Inara Nussbaum
Mr. Donald McDonald
Section 19 justified?
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Investigate NYPD?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Are protests peaceful?
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Support protest? (in general)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Commissioner Kelly
Fire him
Do not fire
Do not fire
Fire
Fire
Fire
Fire
What do about police? (in general)
Reform
Nothing
Cut budget
Reform
More oversight
Radical change
Restrict civil forfeiture
What do about crime?
Community based solutions
Fund police
Nothing, crime is at an acceptable level
Invest in communities
Harsher penalties
Invest in people
More police
Bail reform?
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Mayor Corey grade
C+
C
A
D
B-
Needs Improvement
Unclear
Housing/rent
Build more public housing, rezoning
Public and private development
Nothing
Rent control, private development
Private-public partnership
Public housing, end private contracts and exemptions
Seize supertalls for public housing
Education
More schools, more funding
Public school funding, more charter schools
Investigate Board of Education for fraud
"All of the above" policies
Renegotiate with teachers unions
Public school funding, hire more teachers
Allow students to attend any city school
Transportation
MTA funding, more bike lanes, cut down on car usage
City control of MTA, more bus routes, more tolls
Lower subway fare, more MTA funding
More bikes, more pedestrian focus, less cars
Stricter enforcement of traffic laws, MTA funding
MTA funding, green travel, encourage car phaseout by 2035
End free parking, sell parking spaces, increase bus routes
Samuels formally resigns as Conservative Leader as party gears up for leadership contest
Prime-Minister Richard Samuels formally handed in his resignation as leader of the Conservative party at 10.am this morning. A letter was sent to David Wright, the Chairman of the 1922 Committee which will run the leadership election.
He will remain as leader of the party and Prime-Minister until a successor can be elected. The result is due to be announced on Tuesday July 20th, with the new leader becoming Prime-Minister the following day after Mr Samuels formally travels to Buckingham Palace to tender is resignation to the Queen.
Nominations for the leadership open at 10.00 am on Monday and close at 17.00 the same day. The announcement of whom is in the race is expected to be announced by David Wright at around 17.30 hrs. To be nominated a candidate is required to have the support of two MP's. The first ballot will be held next Thursday, June 10th.
So far five candidates have announced they are running, Michael Duggan, Karen Purvis, John Freeman, James Hawthorne and George Tamm. Former Health Secretary Toby Sharp is still deciding if he will enter the race, if he decides against it, then backbencher Bob Eastwick is expected to run instead of him. Former Business Secretary Martin Greenwell who famously lost his seat at the 2018 general election by just five votes, but returned to the House of Commons last year at the Esher & Walton by-election has been gauging support all week over a possible run. Greenwell had been regarded as a possible successor to Richard Samuels prior to his defeat in 2018, and although he did not return to the cabinet last year he has does have support in the parliamentary party as a whole.
Lukins joins push for restitution for Tulsa survivors, descendants after 100th anniversary of massacre
After the commemoration of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre that left up to 300 mostly black Tulsans dead and destroyed and displaced thousands more African-Americans in one of the worst race incidents of racial violence in the country's history, Senator Daryl Lukins (R-OK) spoke out forcefully for the need to offer financial restitution to few remaining victims and descendants of survivors.
"One hundred years ago a white mob destroyed the 'black Wall Street' and unlawfully deprived thousands of black people of their property and in some cases their lives," Lukins said in a statement, "The federal and state governments did nothing for the devastated community...It is long past time for this horrible injustice to be corrected."
Lukins, who spent 14 years in the House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate last November, had previously co-sponsored legislation that would have provided direct financial reparations for Tulsa survivors and the descendants of deceased victims. A 2001 Oklahoma state commission had recommended providing financial restitution to Tulsa victims and their descendants, but the state legislature did not include a provision authorizing direct financial reimbursement in the bill that was signed by then-governor Peggy Wade (R).
President Sam Seaborn (D) visited Tulsa on the June 1st anniversary and commemorated the massacre, the first sitting president to do so. He spoke with several survivors, including 107 year-old Lessie Fletcher, who had testified to a House Judiciary subcommittee on May 19th about her memories of the massacre.
Seaborn called the massacre a crime and injustice "so egregious, so grievous and so horrific, that it cannot, and should not, ever be forgotten."
Capitol Hill insiders say that Lukins and Andrew Thorn (D-NY), the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, have been discussing working on bipartisan legislation to offer compensation to Tulsa victims and their descendants in a way similar to the restitution made to surviving Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II.
Edwards pokes fun at Fox News with James Bondesque tweet
Washington D.C.- A mere two days after being accused of "being a spy" by Fox News White House Correspondent Karen Finnegan, John Edwards had some fun at Fox's expense on social media.
White House Press Secretary Cassie Tatum reiterated today that the President and the White House had "Full confidence" in John Edwards and that an rumors to the contrary "are just that, rumors."
"Support of Troops", "Thank a Veteran", "Veteran's Discount"; and my personal favorite, "Thank You for Your Service".These are signs and slogans that we see and hear all the time, so much so that no one give's them even a second thought; so much so, that no one seems to know what they mean anymore. It's just become a way that everyone has developed to delude themselves into thinking they've actually done something, without having to actually do anything at all. It's not that we don't want to be thanked for our service, but it's come to a point where even the act has become meaningless. Everyone's guilty of it. The guilt recognizes no borders, no political party. It's all the same. Its all talk. It's all kicking the can down the road. When soldiers returned from Vietnam, there are accounts that they were spit on, called baby killers, and countless other disgraces. Rather than correcting that, we've overcorrected, into the absurd. Just last weekend, Ambassador Stray made the "unforgiveable" mistake tweeting out, "Enjoy the long weekend". Many were quick to express their outrage over the Ambassador's "disrespect to the American fighting man". The tweets flooded in from people who no doubt our their way to a barbeque, opening their pool, or out and about enjoying the "Memorial Day Sale" at their favorite retailers. But once again, everyone felt the need to virtue signal. They had to make sure that everyone else knew that they "support the troops". Should Ambassador Stray tweeted that? No, she shouldn't have. But please spare all of the the damn virtue signaling. The real meaning of Memorial Day was lost long ago, so please spare us all the fake outrage. My personal favorite was from a porn star, yes, a porn star, who "couldn't believe her eyes. How dare she write such a thing". This is also the very same porn star who was offering 50% her OnlyFans to celebrate memorial day. Yeah, cause that's what Memorial Day is really all about. Back home in Braddock, there's some guy running for the school board with the slogan, "Vote for me, I'm a veteran". So we're all just supposed to vote for him, for a job that will help dictate and guide education policy, because he's a veteran? That's apples to bowling balls are far as I'm concerned. I didn't get a job in the White House because I used to jump out of airplanes. I got it because I earned it; just like the millions of other veterans who earned the jobs they have now, through hard work, grit and determination.
In the course of the public's "overcorrection" on how it perceives and treats veterans, they've placed them upon a pedestal, a pedestal of cards; which, much like a house of cards, is at all times a split-second away from toppling over. Today is June 6th, D-Day. 77-years ago, 156,000 young Americans, British, Canadian & Free Frenchmen prepared for the greatest invasion in the history of the world. They didn't do it because they'd get a 10% discount at Home Depot, or so some random stranger could walk up to them and say "thank you for your service". They did it because, because their country called, and they answered. They did it, to help free the world of tyranny. They did it, because it was the right thing to do.
John Edwards is the Deputy White House Communications Director and a retired US Army First Sergeant, where he served for 20-years from 1996 to 2016.
Nominations open for Conservative leader, BBC understands Greenwell is running but Sharp has declined
Nominations for the next leader of the Conservative Party opened at 10.00 am this morning. The BBC understands that former Business Secretary Martin Greenwell has been nominated after speculation over the last few days that he would run, but former Health Secretary and veteran eurosceptic Toby Sharp has decided against running apparently telling MP's who had been urging him to run "I have no credibility with my age (he is 71)" but looks likely he has nominated back bencher Bob Eastwick to run on much the same issues as Sharp would have done.
The list of the candidates would have been nominated will be announced after voting closes at 17.00 hrs tonight.
Seven contenders nominated for the Conservative leadership
David Wright has just announced the nominated candidates for the leadership of the Conservative party. These are:
Michael Duggan
Bob Eastwick
John Freeman
Martin Greenwell
James Hawthorne
Karen Purvis
George Tamm
Now the 1922 Committee will host a two day long forum which the candidates are questioned by an audience of MP's. The first ballot will take place on Thursday June 10th. Balloting is from 10.00 am to 13.00 pm with the result due to be announced just after 13.00 pm. The Lowest ranked candidate will be eliminated and candidates need 5% of votes cast to stay in.
Virginia primary: Harrison wins Democratic nomination, Shepherd takes GOP nod
Virginia primary voters have chosen state representative Hugh Harrison (D) and former state attorney general Cal Shepherd (R) as the nominees for their respective parties.
Harrison defeated lieutenant governor Rachel Cornwall by a surprising ten percent margin (55% of the vote to Cornwall's 45%) to become the Democratic nominee. Harrison previously ran for the nomination in 2017 but lost to then-Richmond mayor Bobby Tyler. Tyler would go on to defeat former Walken administration staffer Cliff Calley in the general election.
Unique among the states, Virginia does not allow its governors to seek immediate re-election, making Tyler ineligible to contest this year's election. The charismatic African-American governor has been rumored to be on the shortlist for the party's vice presidential nomination next year. Tyler did not endorse either candidate during the primary, but was considered to have favored Cornwall, to the left of Harrison, to be his successor.
On the Republican side, former attorney general Cal Shepherd easily defeated state senator Tommy Curtis, with Shepherd receiving 78% of the vote from the party's primary voters. Shepherd served two terms as the state's attorney general from 2010 to 2018. He has promised a campaign on "law and order" and has pushed for a reversal of the state's recently-passed law that legalizes adult recreational marijuana use.
Virginia and New Jersey will be the only states that have gubernatorial elections this year. In New Jersey, incumbent governor Kelly Hoffman (D), another person rumored to be on the shortlist for the Democratic vice presidential nomination in 2022, will face Ruth McCabe (R), the state's senate minority leader in the first statewide election between two women in Garden State history.
and the school at Yale.