Florida IG report: 'Insufficient evidence' for DeSantis critic's claims of Covid cover-up

Source: NBC News

A prominent critic of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Covid response made “unsubstantiated” and "unfounded" claims that state health officials had fired her because she refused to present manipulated data online, according to an inspector general’s report obtained by NBC News on Thursday.

The 27-page report from the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Inspector General said it found "insufficient evidence" or no evidence to support Rebekah Jones' accusations that she was asked to falsify Covid positivity rates or misrepresent them on the state’s dashboard she helped design. The report also "exonerated" officials accused by Jones of wrongdoing because they removed a data section from the website to ensure that private individual health information was not released publicly.

The independent report paints a portrait of an employee who did not understand public health policy or the significance of epidemiological data, did not have high-level access to crucial information and leveled claims that made professional health officials "skeptical."

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-ig-report-insufficient-evidence-desantis-critics-claims-covid-rcna30647

Congressman Tom Reed resigns, effective immediately, following sexual misconduct accusation

Source: WKBW

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBW) — Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY23) announced his immediate resignation from office on the floor of Congress on Tuesday.

The resignation comes after Reed had previously announced in late March that he would not run for public office in 2022.

Reed was accused of sexual misconduct earlier this year, relating to an incident during a political trip to Minnesota in 2017.

His accuser, Nicolette Davis, told the Washington Post that Reed massaged her, unclipped her bra and put his hand on her thigh while at an Irish pub in Minneapolis.



Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wkbw.com/news/politics/congressman-tom-reed-resigns-effective-immediately-following-sexual-misconduct-accusation%3f_amp=true

Marcos set for landslide win in Philippine presidential election

Source: Nikkea Asia

MANILA -- Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator, is set to win the country's presidency by a landslide, in a remarkable reversal of fortunes for a political dynasty that 36 years ago was ousted by the "People Power" revolution.

Marcos is on course to secure around 60% of the vote in Monday's election, giving him the strongest mandate for president since his father's rule.

As of 11:24 p.m. and with votes counted from 77.32% of precincts, Marcos has 25.05 million votes, according to multiple local media outlets that cite data from the election commission late on Monday. His closest opponent, Vice President Leni Robredo, was on 11.92 million votes.

Marcos' win concludes a decadeslong effort by his family to reclaim power after the 1986 mass uprising, which abruptly ended his father's 20-year rule and forced the Marcoses into exile in Hawaii until the early 1990s.

Read more: https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Philippine-elections/Marcos-set-for-landslide-win-in-Philippine-presidential-election

Shontell Brown defeats Nina Turner again (This time it's a landslide)!

Supreme Court: Boston can't deny Christian flag if it flies other flags on City Hall flagpole

Source: USA Today

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Boston may not deny a Christian group the ability to raise a flag at City Hall alongside secular organizations that are encouraged to do so to celebrate the city's diversity.

The unanimous decision was the latest in a series of rulings from the high court in recent years that have favored the protection of religious groups asserting a violation of their rights, only in this case the group had support that transcended traditional ideological and partisan lines. The Biden administration, for instance, sided with the group and against Boston.

"We conclude that Boston’s flag-raising program does not express government speech," Associate Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the court. "As a result, the city’s refusal to let (the group) fly their flag based on its religious viewpoint violated the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment."

A mix of conservative and liberal justices joined the court's opinion, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. There were no dissents.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/05/02/supreme-court-boston-cant-deny-flying-christian-flag-flagpole/6916444001/