Page 2354 – Texas Weekly Online

Former GOP Congressman Justin Amash announces bid for Michigan US Senate seat

Former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, who left the GOP in 2019 after calling for the impeachment of then-President Donald Trump, announced a Republican bid for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat Thursday. Amash represented Grand Rapids from 2011 to 2021, and he becomes the third former U.S. representative to join the Republican field vying for Michigan’s open Senate seat. Former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers and Peter Meijer have also announced Republican campaigns, as has businessman Sandy Pensler. “I’m convinced that no candidate would be better positioned to win both the Republican primary and the general election,” Amash said on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. “That’s why, today, I’m making it official: I’m joining the race for United States Senate in Michigan.” FORMER GOP CONGRESSMAN JUSTIN AMASH EXPLORES JOINING CROWDED MICHIGAN SENATE FIELD The decision to jump into the Republican primary comes after Amash left the party to become an independent. He had been the lone House Republican to support a Trump impeachment inquiry in 2019. He opted not to seek reelection to Congress after his fifth term and to instead pursue a Libertarian nomination for president. At the time, Amash said that millions of Americans do not feel well represented by either major political party. Amash seems to have come back to the party, but he promised in his announcement to be “an independent-minded senator prepared to challenge anyone and everyone on the people’s behalf,” if elected. Amash, whose father is Palestinian and his mother Syrian, was the first Palestinian American lawmaker to serve in the U.S. Congress. Earlier this year, Amash said on social media that several relatives were killed when an Israeli airstrike struck a church in Gaza City. Michigan’s U.S. Senate race is expected to be the lone competitive open seat in the country this year. Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced last January that she would not seek reelection after having served in the upper chamber since 2001. On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is considered the favorite to win the nomination and has dominated other candidates in fundraising — bringing in $11.7 million between her campaign launch in February 2023 and the end of that year. Rogers, who served seven terms in the U.S. House, has led all Republicans in fundraising. The Republican race is expected to be highly competitive, with Meijer and Pensler each having the ability to at least partially self-fund their campaigns. Former Detroit police Chief James Craig dropped his Republican bid earlier this month. FORMER REP. JUSTIN AMASH SAYS FAMILY MEMBERS KILLED IN GAZA CHURCH AFTER ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE Amash and Meijer — who are both from Grand Rapids — will each face the difficult task of overcoming past support for impeachments of Trump. Meijer was among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021 after the deadly mob siege of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump wields significant influence over Republicans in Michigan, and his endorsement for the U.S. Senate seat has the potential to dramatically impact the outcome of the race. The GOP has not won a Michigan U.S. Senate race since 1994. Defending the Michigan seat could prove crucial for Democrats in their effort to maintain the Senate, where the party holds a 51-49 majority and also faces tough headwinds as they defend seats in Republican-leaning states from West Virginia to Montana and Ohio.

GA House passes bill requiring police to detain undocumented immigrants after student beaten to death

Georgia House Republicans are backing a bill that would require every eligible police and sheriff’s department to help identify undocumented immigrants, arrest them and detain them for deportation. The House voted 97-74 on Thursday for House Bill 1105 after police accused a Venezuelan man of beating a nursing student to death on the University of Georgia campus. The measure moves to the state Senate for more debate. Jose Ibarra was arrested Friday on murder and assault charges in the Thursday death of 22-year-old Laken Riley. Ibarra, 26, is a Venezuelan citizen who immigration authorities say unlawfully crossed into the United States in 2022. It is unclear whether he has applied for asylum. LAKEN RILEY KILLING: GOP SENATORS DEMAND MAYORKAS RELEASE FILES ON MIGRANT MURDER SUSPECT Riley was a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, after starting her college career at the Athens campus of the University of Georgia. She was found dead Feb. 22 after a roommate reported that she didn’t return from a morning run in a wooded area. The bill would also set new requirements for how jail officials should check with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to determine whether people are known to be in the country illegally. Republican state Rep. Jesse Petrea of Savannah said that clause is needed to enforce existing state law requiring sheriffs to check with ICE on people who don’t appear to be American citizens. “Fixing policy in the face of unspeakable tragedy is not politics,” said Rep. Houston Gaines, an Athens Republican. “It’s doing the right thing to ensure something like this never occurs again.” Sheriffs deny they are disregarding the law to check with ICE. The bill would make sheriffs who don’t check immigration status guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would also deny state funding to jails and sheriffs that don’t cooperate. Democrats warned the bill would cause people to be detained for long periods, would separate parents born elsewhere from U.S.-born children and spark distrust of police in immigrant communities. They said it was rooted in a false narrative that immigrants bring crime, citing studies that show immigrants are less likely to be arrested. “We want justice for what happened to Laken Riley. We don’t want violent people who are here legally or not legally to be on the streets,” said Rep. Esther Panitch, a Sandy Springs Democrat. “But this bill won’t do it. This bill won’t close our borders. It will not make us safer, and it will not make women safer.” The law would move Georgia closer to states with more aggressive immigration laws like Texas, which starting in March will allow police to arrest migrants who enter the state illegally and give local judges the authority to order them out of the country. Georgia itself passed a prior harsh law cracking down on immigration in 2011, although it later backed away from parts of it. Rep. Pedro Marin, a Duluth Democrat who is the longest-serving Latino member of the House, said he has seen people capitalize on fear of foreigners before. “I have witnessed again and again, ambitious representatives and senators use fear as a strategy to attain and maintain electoral office,” Marin said. But Rep. Rey Martinez, a Latino Republican from Loganville, said his party is only targeting criminals. “We’re not after the immigrants. We’re not. We’re not after them,” Martinez said. “What we are after is these folks who commit crime. That’s what we’re after.” Petrea added pointed criticism of Ibarra: “He said he was here for asylum. He was here for assault.” The requirement to help ICE would require eligible cities and counties to apply for what is known as a 287(g) agreement to let local officers enforce immigration law. It’s unclear how many would be accepted — President Joe Biden’s administration has de-emphasized the program. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center in July counted six of 159 Georgia counties with 287(g) agreements with ICE. Five of those are only in jails. Oconee County, an Athens suburb, serves warrants for immigration violations and deportation orders. State agencies also cooperate with ICE. At least three Georgia counties dropped jail-based cooperation with ICE, according to the center, including two big suburban Atlanta counties where it was major campaign issue — Gwinnett County and Cobb County. “This program ripped apart families, children and families,” said House Democratic Whip Sam Park of Lawrenceville. But Petrea said local assistance is needed. “Not cooperating with the federal immigration authorities endangers public safety and it makes a mockery out of our nation’s immigration laws, period,” he said.

California could send cash to residents with disabilities to be more ‘inclusive’ amid billion-dollar deficit

As California grapples with a growing deficit, a new savings account pre-funded by the state for individuals with disabilities will be considered. Millions of Golden State residents with disabilities could qualify for a new savings account with a one-time payment of at least $250 ready to spend if a bill introduced this week by Democratic state Sen. Josh Newman becomes law. The liberal state would expand its existing California Achieving a Better Life Experience (CalABLE) under Senate Bill 1362. The bill, which could cost millions of dollars, is sponsored by state Treasurer Fiona Ma. CALIFORNIA BUDGET CRISIS WORSE THAN NEWSOM PROJECTED, AS STATE WATCHDOG WARNS DEFICIT COULD REACH RECORD $73B Newman said the bill would encourage eligible individuals to “fully utilize the savings accounts to which they’re entitled.” “By better ensuring the financial well-being of individuals with disabilities, we can create a more inclusive and prosperous California,” he said. CalABLE is the state’s savings and investment program for individuals with disabilities. It currently has more than 10,000 accounts and more than $120 million in assets. Officials estimate it only accounts for less than 1% of the state’s population. “Giving CalABLE the ability to incentivize accounts brings it in line with other state-sponsored savings programs and positions it for continued growth,” Ma said in a statement. Susan Shelley, a spokesperson for Howard Harvis Taxpayers Association, told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday that it “seems like a bad idea to start a new entitlement program or expand one until they know the true condition of the budget.” “The decision about whether this should be supported or not depends on an estimate of how many people would be able to access it and what the total cost would be going forward, year after year,” she said. CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM FACING ANOTHER RECALL THREAT, GROUP SAYS HE’S ‘ABANDONED’ STATE The bill does not have a legislative analysis yet of how much it could potentially cost taxpayers. California’s budget crisis is projected to expand more than previously thought and could hit a record deficit of $73 billion, according to a new report from the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) this week. The LAO laid out the grim forecast in a Tuesday report that cautions that a $24 billion “erosion in revenues” corresponds to a $15 billion increase in the state’s budget problem. Due to this, the budget deficit, which last month was estimated to hit $58 billion, could now go as high as $73 billion. The projected bad news comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom has worked to increase his profile nationwide. It also occurred as California continues to experience a mass exodus. Fox News’ Joe Schoffstall contributed to this report.

Massive fire kills dozens in Dhaka restaurant building

NewsFeed At least 46 people have died after a massive fire spread through a multi-storey building housing restaurants in Dhaka. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Published On 1 Mar 20241 Mar 2024 Adblock test (Why?)

Elon Musk sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman for putting profits above humanity

Billionaire entrepreneur says Microsoft-backed company originally promised to make an open-source, non-profit company. Elon Musk is suing OpenAI and its chief executive Sam Altman, alleging the start-up betrayed its original promise of working to benefit humanity when it forged a multibillion-dollar alliance with Microsoft. The lawsuit filed in San Francisco on Thursday said Altman and OpenAI’s co-founder Greg Brockman had initially pledged to make an open-source, non-profit company, and that its pursuit of profit constituted a breach of contract. The company had kept the design of GPT-4, its most advanced AI model, “a complete secret”, said Musk’s lawyers. Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015, but stepped down from its board in 2018. He also runs electric vehicle maker Tesla and rocket maker SpaceX, and bought Twitter for $44bn in October 2022. Sam Altman, CEO of Microsoft-backed OpenAI and ChatGPT creator speaks during a talk at Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 5, 2023 [Amir Cohen/Reuters] Last year, entrepreneur Altman was fired by OpenAI’s former board which said it was trying to defend the company’s mission to develop AI that benefits humanity. A few days later, Altman returned to the company with a new initial board. OpenAI is reportedly planning to appoint several new board members in March. OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, became the fastest-growing software application in the world within six months of its launch in November 2022. It also sparked the launch of rival chatbots from Microsoft, Alphabet and a bevvy of start-ups that tapped the hype to secure billions in funding. Adblock test (Why?)

Kenya, Haiti sign ‘reciprocal’ agreement on police deployment: Ruto

The agreement would allow Kenyan police to lead a UN-backed mission in the gang-riven Caribbean nation. Kenya and Haiti have signed a “reciprocal” agreement to deploy police from the East African country to lead a United Nations-backed law and order mission in the gang-riven Caribbean nation, Kenyan President William Ruto has said. Ruto said on Friday that he and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry had “discussed the next steps to enable the fast-tracking of the deployment”, but it was not immediately clear whether the agreement would counter a court ruling in January that branded the deployment “unconstitutional”. The deal was signed as the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince was racked by deadly gang-related violence, forcing businesses and schools to close and flight cancellations. Kenya had previously said that it was ready to provide up to 1,000 personnel, an offer welcomed by the United States and other nations that had ruled out putting their own forces on the ground. But a Nairobi court said the decision was unconstitutional, in part because the two countries had not signed a reciprocal agreement on the issue. On Friday, Ruto said he and Henry had “witnessed the signing” of a reciprocal agreement in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. “I take this opportunity to reiterate Kenya’s commitment to contribute to the success of this multi-national mission. We believe this is a historic duty because peace in Haiti is good for the world as a whole,” Ruto said in a statement. The UN Security Council approved the mission in early October but concerns in Kenya over Nairobi’s involvement prompted a court challenge. The ruling threw into doubt the future of a multinational force long sought by Haiti’s government, which has pleaded for international help to confront violence that has left nearly 5,000 dead. Opposition politician Ekuru Aukot, who had filed the petition against the deployment, told AFP on Friday that he would lodge a case “for contempt of court”. “We will question the validity of this secretive agreement,” he said. Haiti, the Western hemisphere’s poorest nation, has been in turmoil for years, with armed gangs taking over parts of the country and unleashing brutal violence, leaving the economy and public health system in tatters. A prominent gang leader said multiple factions were parlaying to launch attacks on state security forces in a bid to remove Prime Minister Henry. Known as “Barbecue”, gang leader Jimmy Cherisier publicised the attack in a social media video just before the battles began. “With our guns and with the Haitian people, we will free the country,” he said. There are currently no elected officials in Haiti, with Henry sworn in as prime minister with the backing of the international community shortly after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Under a political deal, the prime minister was supposed to hand over power to elected officials by February 7 this year, but this is yet to happen. Adblock test (Why?)

DC primary represents Haley’s best chance yet to beat Trump

Republican voters in Washington D.C. will be the next to decide on whom the party wants at the top of this year’s presidential ticket, with the nation’s capital presenting former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley her best chace at a primary victory yet. Washington D.C.’s primary will take place over three days this weekend, with polls opening on Friday and not closing until Sunday evening. The City’s 19 delegates will be up for grabs in the contest, with all 19 being awarded to the candidate who secures over 50% of the vote or being awarded proportionally if no candidate crosses the 50% threshold. Candidates with less than 15% of the vote will be ineligible to receive delegates. The nation’s capital, which is one of the most heavily Democratic cities in the entire country, represents a challenge for former President Donald Trump in his bid to remain undefeated in the GOP primary. TRUMP WINS THE MICHIGAN GOP PRIMARY, BRINGING HIM ONE STEP CLOSER TO SECURING REPUBLICAN NOMINATION The former president won the district in 2020 in an uncontested race, according to the Associated Press, but came in a distant third behind Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich during the 2016 primary. Trump has so far steamrolled his way to obvious frontrunner status in the primary season, coming out on top in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, the Virgin Islands, South Carolina and Michigan. Haley, meanwhile, remains the only contender in the GOP field to challenge the former president, vowing to stay in the race despite the recent loss in her home state of South Carolina. MICHIGAN PRIMARY PUTS MAJOR BATTLEGROUND STATE IN PLAY FOR 2024 The nation’s capital holds one of the more unique primaries on the calendar, with voting opening Friday morning and not closing until Sunday at 7 p.m. Early voting and absentee voting are not allowed, while results are not released live and instead announced by the district’s party officials roughly an hour after the polls close, according to the Associated Press. The primary comes just days before Super Tuesday, when 15 states will hold GOP contests and put 865 delegates up for grabs. Trump currently holds a commanding lead in the GOP primary, while President Biden holds an equally strong grip on the Democratic side, making it all but assured the two candidates square off for a rematch of the 2020 campaign.

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