Following former President Donald Trump’s acquittal in the Senate and more than a month and a half after the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing for a special panel to be created. According to Pelosi, the independent panel would investigate the events of that day in order to hold those responsible for enabling it, including Trump himself, accountable. 

“Now, as always, security is the order of the day: the security of our country, the security of our Capitol which is the temple of our democracy, and the security of our Members,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to colleagues on Monday. “To protect our security, our security, our security, our next step will be to establish an outside, independent 9/11-type Commission to ‘investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021 domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex.'”

In her letter, Pelosi explained that the evidence presented during the most recent impeachment trial of Trump justifies moving ahead with a more full investigative process carried out by an independent panel. Apart from wanting to investigate Trump for inciting violence, Pelosi also believes that there are personal reasons to look into the former president. Like other Democratic politicians including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the events of that day traumatized Pelosi — who was personally targeted by alt-right rioters who entered her office and attempted to find and hurt her. 

So, how will this independent investigation be carried out? Several lawmakers have now called for a bipartisan commission. And Pelosi explained that this would function similarly to the proposal stemming from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. That specific Commission, formally called The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, was a bipartisan initiative led by former Republican New Jersey Governor Tom Kean and former congressmen Lee Hamilton.

The process involved many interviews with witnesses as well as multiple public hearings and subpoenas over the course of almost two years. In the end, the investigation found that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) failed to do its job correctly and properly warn the correct parties about impending danger. The “9/11-type commission” process also provided recommendations that led to the reshaping of congressional oversight as well as intelligence coordination in America.

Pelosi has explained that this new panel examining the riots in January would prioritize investigating the “interference with the peaceful transfer of power, including facts and causes relating to the preparedness and response of the United States Capitol Police and other Federal, State, and local law enforcement in the National Capitol Region.” Currently, she’s chosen Ret. Lieutenant General Russel Honoré to head up the assessment of the Capitol’s security capabilities and gaps in security following the horrific events of January 6, which left five people dead.

Surprisingly enough, there are also several Republicans calling for the investigation in order to hold Trump to account. Despite Trump already having been acquitted and evading full impeachment for the second time in the last year, some members of Congress have said this panel is an opportunity to finally hold the former president responsible for the harm he’s done. Senator Chris Coons said it’s necessary to “lay bare the record of just how responsible and how abjectly violating of his constitutional oath President Trump really was.”

“I think there should be a complete investigation about what happened on 1/6,” Senator Bill Cassidy, one of seven Republicans in the Senate who voted to convict Trump, said. According to Cassidy, it’s important to learn “why was there not more law enforcement,” in addition to “what was known, who knew it, and when they knew it.” Even Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News Sunday that, “We need a 9/11 commission to find out what happened and make sure it never happens again,” and that we need to “make sure that the Capitol footprint can be better defended next time.”

Establishing this special commission would also undoubtedly require special legislation that would look into how to prevent any similar attacks in the future. In an ideal world, the investigation would succeed in providing Donald Trump consequences for his lack of leadership and his incitement of violence — and ensure that would likely face consequences including incarceration. But it’s unclear now what can and will come of it.

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Claudia Conway, the daughter of former senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, is returning to the spotlight in a big way. According to reports on Tuesday morning, the 16-year-old daughter of the former Trump adviser and anti-Trump attorney George Conway is set to appear on the upcoming season premiere of American Idol.

American Idol judge Katy Perry revealed several months ago on Instagram that Claudia would be appearing in the 19th season. But now, trailers show the teen activist standing before judges in the upcoming February 14 premiere episode. “Well, well, well, let the games begin, because Claudia just tried out for American Idol,” Perry said in her Instagram story. 

In the posts advertising for the new season of American Idol that dropped this week, Claudia is seen strolling into her audition. “My parents are high profile political figures,” she says to the judges. “I’m very nervous but very excited.” And, in her own Instagram video debuting the experience on the singing competition show, Claudia said: “Hey guys, I’m here at American Idol Confessional! I met Ryan Seacrest today and I have my audition soon, so stay tuned for that… very very nervous for that but very very excited.” 

You heard that right. @claudiamconwayy is looking for a golden ticket 🤯🎤 Find out Sunday if she has what it takes to be #TheNextIdol on #AmericanIdol 🌟 pic.twitter.com/DyjZWk2w1r

— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) February 9, 2021

According to the promo television spot, George and Kellyanne will also appear on the show as well to discuss their daughter. But the news of Claudia’s participation in American Idol comes just weeks after recent abuse allegations surfaced about Kellyanne. Although it appears her Idol stint was filmed in November 2020 before the family made headlines, Kellyanne has been a subject of concern among many after allegedly releasing topless photos of her daughter on a Twitter Fleet. This coincided with her daughter, Claudia, detailing stories of abuse she endured from her mother on Tiktok. Claudia’s posts resulted in a public outcry, with many Tiktok fans and supporters attempting to get her help and calling Child Protective Services and the police to report Kellyanne.

At the end of January, Claudia briefly left Tiktok to take time and work on her relationship with her parents, according to her last posts. But even the year leading up to the allegations and the photo scandal were difficult for the Conway family. Claudia has openly disavowed Trump and her mother’s ties to the former president, promoting more liberal beliefs and becoming known as an online activist. This allegedly resulted in Kellyanne leaving her job to focus on her family, as her daughter became more and more outspoken about the inner workings of both their home and the White House.

Currently, Kellyanne Conway is being investigated for sharing child pornography online. Though the former political advisor has since claimed that this was entirely accidental, allegations of emotional abuse and retaliation against her daughter are being factored in to the investigation.

At the time, Kellyanne commented on her daughter’s participation in the competition: “We are proud of Claudia for entering the arena and sharing her beautiful voice and inspirational message about mental health with others.”

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Early Friday morning, President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package was finally approved in the Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. Following nearly a year of constant back-and-forths between Republicans and Democrats over how much aid to provide during the coronavirus pandemic, the measure that was passed this morning is especially significant because it would allow Congress to try to rush President Biden’s COVID-19 budget into effect without requiring any Republican support. It also prevents Republicans from filibustering the relief package. 

The vote passed in the early hours of the morning and was a party-line vote of 51-50. This comes just two days after the House also approved a budget measure, and is expected to make moves on the Senate’s version later today. While this action itself does not mean that the relief package has been officially passed, this resolution does allow Democrats to move forward eventually with a bill that can work around the 60-vote threshold required to end a filibuster. Essentially, that sets the stage for Democrats to be able to pass a future relief bill with a simple majority. 

So, what is in the hotly contested bill? Biden’s American Rescue Plan Law, which aims to help Americans recover from the devastation caused by COVID in the last eleven months, would provide $1,400 payments to millions of Americans. In addition, $130 billion of the $1.9 trillion relief package would go towards reopening schools across the country. Approximately $350 billion would be distributed to state and local governments, $160 billion would go towards vaccine testing and equipment, $50 billion would provide grants and loans to businesses, and $30 billion would be used for a rent and utility assistance fund. Furthermore, $400 in unemployment benefits per week would be distributed through September 2021. And, the federal minimum wage would rise to $15 an hour. 

Although Republicans have strongly voiced their opposition to the size of Biden’s proposal and have offered a smaller package as an alternative, the President has insisted that he “will not settle.” Despite the fact that Biden has said he won’t give up and that he does hope to win Republican support after all, Democrats have gone the safe route by creating the means to push the budget through without compromising with Republicans.

Before finishing its session this morning, the Senate approved amendments to the budget outline as well, which means that the House must also vote again to accept the Senate’s changes. The amendments will ultimately become guidelines for developing the actual aid bill over the course of February. According to reports, lawmakers will hold a procedural vote midday today. 

Should that vote succeed, the budget will be adopted relatively immediately. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that this process moving forward is a “giant first step” towards passing the comprehensive COVID aid bill that Biden has promised. “I am so thankful that our caucus stayed together in unity,” he stated following the vote. “We had no choice given the problems facing America and the desire to move forward. And we have moved forward.” He has claimed that, despite pushback from Republicans, this is an entirely bipartisan effort. 

While not significantly, this bill proposal does differ from previous ones pushed through during the Trump administration. Prior bills passed provided much less funding and went out to fewer people. These bills also did not prioritize giving aid to individual people and families in America who have suffered from job loss, unemployment, lack of rent cancelation, and more. Despite the original promise of $2,000 stimulus checks, individuals instead received $600 checks in January — only the second round of financial aid provided to people during the entire pandemic. This bill specifically prioritizes putting the second half, the $1,400 into people’s hands as soon as possible. 

Should the relief bill officially pass the Democratic-led House, funds would be distributed to individuals, government agencies, and companies. “As we all know, a budget is a statement of our values,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “Next week, we will be writing the legislation to create a path to final passage for the Biden American Rescue Plan, so that we can finish our work before the end of February.”

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During an Instagram Live chat on Monday night, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared how she’s feeling nearly a month after the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6. During the live stream, Ocasio-Cortez shared her experience as armed rioters entered the building while Congress was in session. While recounting, she revealed that she took refuge in Rep. Katie Porter‘s office while insurrections yelled, “Where is she?” And in those moments, Ocasio-Cortez said she was truly scared she was going to die.

“I start ripping through Katie’s office like a madwoman. Poor Katie, I’m opening every closet, I’m opening every nook, I’m opening every cranny looking for where I’m going to hide when they get into this office,” she said. “I mean, I thought I was going to die.”

Ocasio-Cortez was able to hide in Porter’s office where she was reassured they were safe inside. In another interview on Monday, Porter corroborated AOC’s story that the New York congresswoman expressed anguish that she might die before getting to have kids.

“I was saying: ‘Well, don’t worry, I’m a mom, I’m calm, I’ve got everything here we need — we could live for like a month in this office.’ And she said, ‘I just hope I get to be a mom — I hope I don’t die today,’” Porter described of her conversation with Ocasio-Cortez during the siege in an interview. Clearly, one of the most excruciating parts of this for the young Congress member was the prospect of dying without getting the chance to have her own children — an especially traumatizing realization for a young woman with hopes of starting a family like Ocasio-Cortez.

But this wasn’t the only trauma that Ocasio-Cortez shared in her Instagram Live: “I am a survivor of sexual assault, and I haven’t told many people that in my life. These folks who tell us to move on, that it’s not a big deal, that we should forget what’s happened or even telling us to apologize,” she said, referencing both politicians and broader public that have scrutinized her trauma. The Congresswoman was vulnerable about how being trapped in the Capitol during the insurrection triggered those memories and similar feelings, and what they have to do with each other.

“These people are just trying to tell us, ‘It’s not a big deal.’ And they’re trying to say, ‘You’re making too big a deal over it.’ Whether you are a survivor of abuse, whether you experience any sort of trauma in your life, small to large — these episodes can compound on one another.”

In tweets following the Instagram Live, Ocasio-Cortez said that this “isn’t the only story, nor is it the central story” of what happened on Jan 6. “It is just one story of many of those whose lives were endangered at the Capitol by the lies, threats, and violence fanned by the cowardice of people who chose personal gain above democracy,” she stated.

If you are experiencing anxiety and are in need of crisis support, please call the Crisis Call Center’s 24-hour hotline at 1-775-784-8090.

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Just after footage of QAnon conspiracist Marjorie Taylor Greene harassing Parkland High School shooting survivor David Hogg surfaced this week, another unhinged politician has logged on to join the fight. Lauren Boebert — a Republican Congressperson from Colorado and gun fanatic — jumped in on late Thursday night to mock David Hogg for not being “tough” enough about the shooting he survived in 2018 as a high school senior. 

The aggressive cyberbullying comes after Hogg has repeatedly called out Boebert, Greene, and other Republican politicians for failing to take action on gun control. Hogg tweeted previously that both Greene and Boebert are “real threats” in Congress. “They can put up all the fencing around the capitol the real threats of @mtgreenee and @laurenboebert will still be inside until @GOPLeader takes a stand,” he tweeted.

In response, Boebert shot back with a quote tweet, saying, “David, please. We all saw how tough you were when questioned face to face. Give your keyboard a rest, child.” No, you didn’t misread that — a politician is mocking a school shooting survivor specifically for supporting gun control laws following a violent attack on the Capitol, no less.

Initially, Hogg responded by quote tweeting and saying, “Sorry I was a little more worried about MTG not shooting my friends and staff with her concealed gun she was threatening us with than responding to your evil twin. It’s a little thing called deescalation you probably haven’t heard of it.” Then, he replied directly to Boebert: “Ha- funny enough last I checked I wasn’t the Congresswomen trying to bully a college student on twitter. I’ll say the same thing to you I said about your evil twin- if you shoot me you prove my point.”

Along with his response, he asked people to text “resign” to 954-954 to demand via petition that Marjorie Taylor Greene resign from her position for her dangerous views and behaviors. 

Early this morning, March For Our Lives Georgia showed up at Greene’s office with a petition that has over 112,500 signatures demanding her resignation. When Hogg tweeted to raise awareness about the petition, he called Greene out as “a person who calls the unarmed teenagers she stalks with guns ‘cowards’” who “when teenagers show up in her district with over 100k signatures calling for her resignation she runs and hides.” Hogg called her “just another cowardly corrupt DC millionaire politician.” 

Both representatives Boebert and Greene believe and have continued to push former President Trump’s election fraud conspiracy theories, but it’s unknown whether Boebert holds a shared belief in Greene’s conspiracy theory that the Parkland shooting was staged. Boebert herself does have extreme views on guns, and refused to walk through a metal detector following the insurrection at Capitol Hill.

It’s no wonder that the woman who walks around Washington, D.C. with a glock is going after a Parkland survivor. But perhaps her time would be better spent addressing the thousands of people who already want her removed from office instead.

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On Monday, Kellyanne Conway, former counselor to President Donald Trump, was accused of posting a topless picture of her 16-year-old daughter Claudia to Twitter. The political strategist allegedly posted the photo on Twitter’s 24-hour Fleet feature after Claudia had posted multiple videos to Tiktok accusing her mother of abuse. 

Screenshots and screen recordings of Kellyanne Conway’s Fleet allegedly featuring an image of her topless teenage daughter began to surface late last night following the teenager’s claims about her mother earlier in the day; the Twitter Fleet was quickly removed. Simultaneously, users on Tiktok began commenting on the 16-year-old’s videos to alert her that Kellyanne had posted the photo. After being informed about the post on her mother’s account, Claudia recorded another video to confirm that the picture posted by her mother was indeed a photo of her. Claudia then also deleted a video of her mother allegedly abusing her.

This all comes after months of Claudia posting videos to her platform discussing her mental health, her political views, and her issues with her parents. Within the last week, the teenager has posted a slew of videos to Tiktok showing what appeared to be video evidence of her mother hitting her and screaming at her. Claudia also uploaded videos of her mother apparently being confronted by the police inside their home — and denying abuse allegations. 

Since 2017, Kellyanne served as a top counselor to and frequent mouthpiece for former president Donald Trump. But in August of 2020, she announced that she would be leaving her role at the White House to focus on her family — a move that many believed was a direct result of her daughter’s claims at the time that she was seeking immediate emancipation from both of her parents, alleging trauma and abuse.

“Our four children are teens and ‘tweens starting a new academic year, in middle school and high school, remotely from home for at least a few months. As millions of parents nationwide know, kids ‘doing school from home’ requires a level of attention,” Kellyanne said in a statement at the time. “This is completely my choice and my voice. In time, I will announce future plans. For now, and for my beloved children, it will be less drama, more mama.”

Kellyanne and her husband, George Conway, have yet to comment on the allegedly leaked photos. However, Claudia has continued to post videos to her Tiktok account, where, on Tuesday, she asked that followers stop calling the police on her behalf.

Claudia says that both she and her mother will be taking a break from social media for now.

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Only two days in, President Joe Biden is making sweeping changes in an attempt to undo four years of damage from the Trump administration. After exacting a slew of executive orders since he took office on Wednesday — including protections for the LGBTQ+ community, relief for student loan borrowers, and more — Biden is expected to sign two more today that aim to specifically help the working class.

One of the orders will expand food assistance and deliver stimulus checks to Americans in the lowest income brackets. The other will raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 for the federal workforce, a fight that organizers have been pushing for tirelessly for years. With the new executive orders, Biden is also directing the Department of Labor to establish that unemployed people can refuse to take jobs they worry will jeopardize their health and still qualify for unemployment benefits, which has previously not been the case.

The latest executive orders will also boost food aid to people in low-income communities, as well as prioritize getting the approved $1,400 stimulus checks to people who don’t usually file taxes and aren’t easily reached by the government. As one of the executive orders demands, the Department of Agriculture will consider increasing Pandemic-EBT benefits by 15%, giving any family with three children more than $100 in additional support every two months. 

Additionally, the government will begin to provide funds to replace the lack of free or reduced-price meals that families in low-income communities have lost because of school closures. The order will direct the department to potentially allow states to increase food stamp benefits for approximately 12 million people who did not receive emergency benefits earlier in the pandemic. The agency will also revisit the plan to redetermine how much is provided in food stamp benefits to more accurately reflect how much it currently costs to afford a basic healthy diet in America. 

Millions of people in America have continued to suffer during the coronavirus pandemic — financially, physically, and emotionally. In addition, the economy lost jobs in December for the first time since April 2020, making these changes imminent to tackling both COVID-19 and restructuring a suffering working class that is still recovering from Trump’s presidency.

“The American people can’t afford to wait. And so many are hanging by a thread. They need help, and we are committed to doing everything we can to provide that help as quickly as possible,” said Brian Deese, the National Economic Council director, on a press call Friday. He noted that at least 30 million people in America are currently experiencing some level of food insecurity, and worse. “More than 10 million Americans are out of work, 14 million Americans are behind on their rent and nearly 30 million adults and as many as 12 million children are experiencing food insecurity.”

While the executive orders are being signed fairly early on in Biden’s term, the effects won’t take place immediately. For example, the minimum wage increase won’t happen just yet. Instead, Biden has planned to direct the federal government “to start the work that would allow him to issue” an order “within the first 100 days” so that federal contractors will also work up to issuing $15 per hour, as per a White House press briefing.

Advocates and organizers have continued to demand that more comprehensive relief be provided after more than ten months of the pandemic with little to no government aid. And one thing is clear, already: Biden is trying to make good on his campaign promises to overturn many of President Donald Trump’s discriminatory policies.

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It’s the Trump family’s last day in the White House — a day that many worried would never arrive. And over the course of four years we’ve come to know the real Melania (and the fake Melania) better than we ever would have wanted to. To recap some of her greatest hits: there was the “I don’t really care, do you?” jacket debacle, the Melania doppelganger conspiracies, and, of course, who could ever forget what she did to that poor rose garden? Not to mention that it took her nearly a week to denounce the insurrection, which she missed because she was having her rugs photographed in the White House. Yes, really.

With all of these things and more in mind, Melania is leaving the White House with the worst popularity rating of any first lady at the end of her term in polling history. That means she’s ending this term with just about as much favorability as her husband. “The latest CNN/SSRS poll had Trump’s favorable rating at 42% to a 47% unfavorable rating. The 47% is the highest unfavorable rating we ever recorded for Trump. It’s also amazingly high from a historical perspective,” the report reads. “The first lady’s current favorability rating is notably higher than the President’s (33%) and among Republicans, her favorability number (84%) is higher than either the President’s (79%) or the Vice President’s (72%).”

CNN’s polls have shown that the average first lady’s final popularity rating pre-Trump was 71% with an unpopularity rating of 21%. And the only first lady to leave office with a popularity rating below 40 points was Hillary Clinton, who ended her term at 52% favorable and 39% unfavorable — of course wrapped up in the Monica Lewinsky scandal and her husband’s impeachment. Yet even that beat Melania Trump’s polling numbers.

But how much of this actually has to do with Melania and how much of it has to do with Donald Trump? Nothing can be sure, but her constant defense of him likely hasn’t helped her among crowds that are already displeased with their behavior and their policies. And compared to her predecessor, Michelle Obama, who has a 69% favorability rating, she’s lagging far behind.

Her approval rate plummeted in 2018 initially. Now, this newly abysmal rating comes after Melania’s odd farewell message, her touting the Be Best campaign, and her clear snub of Jill Biden’s transition into the role. While none of us were or are looking forward to any more Trumps winning anything in the future, ultimately, it’s unsurprising that Melania — hater of Christmas, critic of undocumented immigrants, and complicit in enabling many of her husband’s harmful behaviors — should win this particular race. It will hopefully be the last one that she ever does.

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On Tuesday, President-elect Joe Biden announced that he is nominating Dr. Rachel Levine to be assistant secretary for health in the department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Levine, who has been leading Pennsylvania’s work to combat COVID-19, would become the first openly transgender federal officer to win a Senate confirmation. This ultimately underlines Biden’s promise to address the severe health disparities that transgender people in America face.

Dr. Levine graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine. Prior to her work to fight COVID-19, she also developed expertise in the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, eating disorders while continuing to practice LGBTQ+ and queer-affirming health care. In 2015, she won the state Senate confirmation in Pennsylvania and became the state’s physician general. She also works as a professor at Penn State’s College of Medicine and serves as the president of ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Official). 

In a recent interview, Dr. Levine discussed her thoughts on nationwide COVID-19 vaccine distribution. “Pharmacies will be very important and necessary, but not sufficient. It’s not the vaccine that’s the issue. It’s vaccination. We have to get them administered to people. We need to get the vaccines into arms,” she said. She’s currently poised to join Biden’s HHS secretary nominee Xavier Becerra, a Latinx politician, and Jeff Zients, who was nominated as coronavirus response coordinator. Along with these picks, Dr. Anthony Fauci — whose work has been irreplaceable during the pandemic so far — will work closely with the new administration. 

But Dr. Levine is not only one of the most professionally qualified officials that Biden has chosen thus far — she is also bringing representation to trans women in health care in America, which will only benefit a trans community that has faced massive discrimination under four years of President Trump. According to GLAAD, the Trump administration has waged 181 attacks on LGBTQ+ people through policies since 2017 — including the introduction of a rule barring health care access for transgender people, and the infamous trans military ban. 

Dr. Levine has not been exempt from enduring transphobia while working as a health care professional, either. Due to her high-profile position leading Pennsylvania’s pandemic response, she has frequently faced targeted anti-transgender harassment and abuse online. In July of 2020, she took a stance against the transphobia she was facing online: “While these individuals may think that they are only expressing their displeasure with me, they are, in fact hurting the thousands of LGBTQ Pennsylvanians who suffer directly from these current demonstrations of harassment,” she said during a conference, as well as on her Twitter. “Your actions perpetuate the spirit of intolerance and discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, and specifically transgender individuals … To perpetrators of these actions, if your apologies are sincere, then I accept them. But an apology is the beginning, not the end, of the conversation.” 

Now, in this higher-profile milestone role, the Biden administration must be prepared to defend her from the same transphobia and abuse — on a national scale. “Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris touted that she is “a remarkable public servant with the knowledge and experience to help us contain this pandemic, and protect and improve the health and well-being of the American people.”

Dr. Levine’s appointment sends a clear message that the Biden administration intends to reverse much — if not all — of the systemic harm that’s been imposed on LGBTQ+ people under the Trump administration. “I have no room in my heart for hatred and frankly, I do not have time for intolerance. My heart is full with a burning desire to help people,” she said.

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Following Joe Biden’s inauguration next week, there will be quite a few changes to COVID-19  vaccine distribution in the country. Under the Biden administration, not only will the President be changing the name from Operation Warp Speed, but he will also be changing the whole system itself.

One of Biden’s transition officials told CNN they are “moving to a new phase” of the coronavirus response. “Operation Warp Speed was the Trump administration’s name for their response. We are structuring it differently and ours will have a new name,” said the official.

As part of the transition and the new vaccine effort, Biden’s team announced the President-elect’s choices for his vaccine response team. This includes the promotion of Dr. David Kessler, who will be the chief scientific officer of the COVID-19 response. Dr. Kessler is a former head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and was appointed by the Bush administration to lead the FDA in 1990. There, he oversaw the rollout of the “Nutrition Facts label” on packaged foods and streamlined the FDA’s drug approval process. Then, he led the agency during the AIDS/HIV epidemic.

“We are in a race against time, and we need a comprehensive strategy to quickly contain this virus,” Biden said in a statement regarding the new vaccine strategy. “The individuals announced today will bolster the White House’s COVID-19 Response team and play important roles in carrying out our rescue plan and vaccination program. At a time when American families are facing numerous challenges I know these public servants will do all that is needed to build our nation back better.”

Dr. Kessler will work within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Xavier Becerra. His role will prioritize maximizing the supply of vaccines that are authorized or approved, and will also revolve around getting more vaccines online. General Gustave Perna, the current chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, will remain in the role in the new administration but under its “new structure.” Dr. Kessler will also be taking over for Moncef Slaoui, who has led the vaccine effort under the Trump administration and announced this week he would resign as the Biden team requested. Joining these new officials in charge of vaccine rollout is Andy Slavitt, the former acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Obama, who will serve as a senior adviser to Jeff Zients, the coronavirus response coordinator. 

So, what changes are in store? All of the new officials announced today will work to accelerate vaccine distribution and meet Biden’s ultimate goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans in his first 100 days in office — a lofty one considering how faulty the distribution process has been so far. The President-elect has fiercely criticized the Trump administration for severely falling short of initial vaccine distribution goals. Biden is expected to lay out the full vaccine plan in detail during an address today. Thursday evening, he called the current vaccine rollout a “dismal failure.” 

Without explicitly admitting this failure, the Trump administration has adapted its vaccine plan to stop lagging behind in distribution, and has begun releasing second doses immediately. “If President-elect Biden is suggesting that the maximum number of doses should be made available, consistent with ensuring that a second dose of vaccine will be there when the patient shows up, then that is already happening,” Operation Warp Speed spokesman Michael Pratt said last week before changing its plans. This move comes after the Trump administration criticized Biden’s plan to do the same under his presidency.

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It’s only been a little over one week since the failed but deadly Capitol coup staged by far right extremists. And there are only five days left until Inauguration Day when President-elect Joe Biden will officially be sworn in. Although Trump has now finally denounced the violence that took place January 6 and asked for armed protesters to cease any further action — especially on his behalf — many are still planning to crash Inauguration Day in the worst ways.

Ahead of next Wednesday’s event, Washington, D.C. and many states across the country are ramping up security measures and preparing reinforcements in case of armed protests on or before Inauguration Day. Currently, federal officials have reiterated warnings to leaders around the country that there are indefinite concerns about more extremists gathering for rallies and riots. An internal agency bulletin that was obtained by CNN this week warned that the FBI has received threats of “armed protests” in all 50 state capitols and at the Capitol.

“While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, the FBI is supporting our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners with maintaining public safety in the communities we serve,” the FBI said in a statement. “Our efforts are focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals that are inciting violence and engaging in criminal activity. As we do in the normal course of business, we are gathering information to identify any potential threats and are sharing that information with our partners. The FBI respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. Our focus is not on peaceful protesters, but on those threatening their safety and the safety of other citizens with violence and destruction of property.”

Additionally, Facebook has identified a serious rise in violent rhetoric surrounding the inauguration. A spokesperson at Facebook, who chose to remain anonymous for safety purposes, told Reuters that the company has tracked content that shows the storming of the Capitol has galvanized other far-right extremists who are now planning other gatherings.

But various states are taking extreme measures to prevent any further violence. Extra security precautions are being implemented in battleground states like Pennsylvania that were crucial to Biden’s presidential victory, given the dangerous rhetoric around the “stolen election.” Governors are making plans to activate the National Guard, closing state capitols, and putting up barriers to protect property. In Virginia, a state of emergency has already been declared in Richmond, and Capitol Square will be closed ahead of anticipated protests and potential violence. Larger, more populous states like New York and California are also on high alert. In New York, police are boosting security both in and surrounding the State Capitol in Albany, and in California fences have been erected around the Capitol. 

Washington, D.C., specifically, is going all out: the National Guard has already practically taken over on Capitol Hill to protect government officials, with images of guardsmen littering the entire building for the duration of the week. Robert Contee, the D.C. Police Chief, said this week that more than 20,000 National Guard members could be expected in that area alone to protect Biden’s inauguration.

In spite of all of this, the in-person inauguration has not been traded in for a virtual one — which many are concerned about both because of the pandemic as well as potential violence. Already, Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol planned to capture and assassinate public officials, federal prosecutors said in court filings released this week. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke at length about the “close encounter” she had with rioters, during which she thought she was going to die. And Trump has already faced his second impeachment, while many of the extremists who were part of the violent attack are still being arrested.

With all of this coming to light, it’s very likely that this is not the last we’ve seen from Trump supporters who seek to cause havoc and exact revenge for what they believe is Biden’s “false” win. The same dangerous actors who raided the Capitol on January 6 — including QAnon conspiracists, the Proud Boys, Nazis and more — are expected to show up to riot within the next week. Right now, the only thing known for sure is that this will be an Inauguration Day unlike any other.

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On Tuesday, new details emerged regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) knowledge of the attack on the Capitol prior to January 6 — and they show that the agency knew how fair dangerous extremists might take things. According to a report from the FBI, the day before the rioters stormed Congress, their office issued an internal warning that extremists were traveling to Washington to commit violence and “war.”

The report, which was written up by the FBI Norfolk office, warned of a dire scene that was threatened to unfold last Wednesday. “As of 5 January 2021, FBI Norfolk received information indicating calls for violence in response to ‘unlawful lockdowns’ to begin on 6 January 2021 in Washington, D.C.,” the report outlines. “An online thread discussed specific calls for violence to include stating, ‘Be ready to fight. Congress needs to hear glass breaking, doors being kicked in, and blood from their BLM and Antifa slave soldiers being spilled. Get violent. Stop calling this a march, or rally, or a protest. Go there ready for war. We get our President or we die. NOTHING else will achieve this goal.’”

But this is a pretty significant departure to how the FBI originally downplayed their knowledge of the attack. In fact, it directly contradicts a previous statement from a senior official that said the bureau had no information that indicated anyone at the riot planned to do actual harm. Last Friday, the head of the FBI’S Washington Field Office, Steven D’Antuono, said there had been “no indication” of anything planned for January 6 “other than First Amendment-protected activity.” Similarly, the author of the internal report expressed that putting a stop to the event that the extremists had planned might encroach on the their free speech rights. 

Many have pointed out, though, that the same concern was not granted to organizers who conducted anti-racism protests in June. “Individuals/Organizations named in this [situational information report] have been identified as participating in activities that are protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” the report stated. By contrast, the National Guard was repeatedly employed at Black Lives Matter protests and the FBI frequently arrested protesters in 2020 for exercising their free speech to criticize the government and attend demonstrations.

At least five people died during Wednesday’s insurrection, which could have amounted into livestreamed assassinations if it went on any further. And yet this warning, which the FBI had clear knowledge of, is the most damning piece of evidence yet that the event could have been stopped in its tracks by the government. Clearly, the failure was not about lack of intelligence but failure to act on the information. Still, an FBI official who spoke with The Washington Post explained that while they knew of the threats, they did not know the identities of the online users who were making the statements about the coming “war.” 

Agencies that received the internal report from the FBI were also “requested not to take action” based on the reporting “without prior coordination with the FBI.” And for many weeks leading up to January 6, the FBI waived away concerns about Trump voters being upset enough about the election to pose a serious enough security threat.

Now, the FBI continues to face many questions about why it didn’t do more, and why they were so unprepared to handle the mass violence. Going forward, it’s likely that the Bureau will once again be much more widely scrutinized for who it targets and who it chooses to let proceed with true threats. It’s also likely, given the evidence, that the bureau will have to more intensely reexamine what’s considered “free speech” — and what’s actually violence.

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