Suspected attacker of GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin arrested on federal assault charge

Source: CNN

(CNN)The man accused of attempting to stab New York gubernatorial nominee Rep. Lee Zeldin on stage at a campaign event has been arrested on a federal assault charge, a spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office in the Western District of New York said, after he was released on his own recognizance shortly following an initial arrest Thursday.

David Jakubonis, 43, was arrested Saturday and charged with assaulting a member of Congress with a dangerous weapon, according to Barbara Burns, a Department of Justice spokesperson. Jakubonis made his first court appearance before US Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson in Rochester on Saturday, according to court documents, and the weapon involved was described in court records as a self-defense keychain.

Jakubonis was already facing state charges over the alleged attack Thursday. He had been charged with attempted assault in the second degree after being accused of confronting Zeldin, a Republican, while he was giving a speech in Fairpoint, New York. Jakubonis "attempted to stab" Zeldin, a statement from the campaign said, and the GOP lawmaker "grabbed the attacker's wrist to stop him until several others assisted in taking the attacker down to the ground." Zeldin was not injured.

Steve Slawinski, assistant federal defender for the Western District of New York who is representing Jakubonis, said in a statement Jakubonis is next scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing Wednesday.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/23/politics/zeldin-suspected-attacker-federal-assault-charge/index.html

Dems including Ocasio-Cortez, Speier, Alma Adams arrested at abortion rights rally outside Capitol

Source: The Hill

Multiple Democratic lawmakers were arrested at an abortion rights rally outside the Capitol on Tuesday, less than one month after the Supreme Court issued a ruling that reversed Roe v. Wade.

Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Jackie Speier (Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.), Cori Bush (Mo.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Alma Adams (N.C.), Veronica Escobar (Texas) and Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.) were among those apprehended at the demonstration.

At 1:20 p.m., the U.S. Capitol Police wrote on Twitter that it began arresting activists blocking First Street NE. Authorities said they gave their traditional three warnings before taking protesters into custody.

As of 1:35 p.m. the demonstration was clear, according to Capitol Police, which reported that 16 lawmakers were arrested in total.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3566006-dems-including-ocasio-cortez-speier-alma-adams-arrested-at-abortion-rights-rally-outside-capitol/

Judge blocks Biden admin directives on transgender athletes, bathrooms

Source: Reuters

A federal judge in Tennessee has temporarily blocked Biden administration directives allowing transgender workers and students to use bathrooms and locker rooms and join sports teams that correspond with their gender identity.

Judge Charles Atchley Jr. of the Eastern District of Tennessee ruled on Friday that the administration's directives would make it impossible for some states to enforce their own laws on transgender athletes' participation in girls' sports and access to bathrooms.

A coalition of 20 Republican attorneys general brought a lawsuit last year against the federal government, noting that they stood to lose significant federal funding as the Biden directives were in conflict with their own state laws.

Atchley agreed with that, writing in his order that the states "cannot continue regulating pursuant to their state laws while simultaneously complying with Defendants' guidance."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/judge-blocks-biden-admin-directives-transgender-athletes-bathrooms-2022-07-16/

Liz Cheney down by 22 in her primary

Brand new poll, Hagemen 52 Cheney 30.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2022/house/wy/wyoming_atlarge_district_republican_primary-7829.html

GA poll: Warnock up by 3, Kemp up by 7

Not sure of the rating of this pollster, but their Senate poll seems about what the average polling indicates. Fabrizio/Anzalone is the polling company.

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/22087157/aarp-2022-state-survey.pdf

Biden's approval rating drops to 33%, according to NY Times/Siena

As much as I want to dismiss it, I just checked FiveThirtyEight, and they give the pollster an A+ rating. While I don't think it's that low, it is nevertheless alarming. While other Presidents have been lower (Nixon during Watergate, Trump right after January 6th, Poppy Bush in 1992, GW Bush in 2008) as no President has ever been at 33% or less this early in his term.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/11/us/politics/biden-approval-polling-2024.html

https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/us0722-crosstabs-nyt071122/33ffa85627ee4648/full.pdf

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg facing bipartisan calls to drop case against bodega clerk charged with murd

Source: CBS News

NEW YORK -- The case of a bodega clerk charged with murdering an ex-con who attacked him behind the counter is generating more controversy for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

A bipartisan group of City Council members is demanding the case be dropped, CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported Friday.

Prosecutors may have to go to the video tape to see what's on it and what's not in deciding how to handle the hot potato case of bodega clerk Jose Alba, who fatally stabbed a man who went behind the counter to menace him.

"Mr. Alba's attorney has said that off camera the person that came down the counter, his girlfriend, showed a knife and that that's why deadly physical force was needed," said Brian Wagner, a defense attorney and former prosecutor.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/jose-alba-austin-simon-alvin-bragg-manhattan-da-bipartisan-calls-to-drop-case-against-bodega-worker-charged-with-murder/

Gun applicants in NY will have to list social media accounts

Source: Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — As missed warning signs pile up in investigations of mass killings, New York state is rolling out a novel strategy to screen applicants for gun permits. People seeking to carry concealed handguns will be required to hand over lists of their social media accounts for a review of their “character and conduct.”

It’s an approach applauded by many Democrats and national gun control advocacy groups, but some experts have raised questions about how the law will be enforced and address free speech concerns.

Some of the local officials who will be tasked with reviewing the social media content also are asking whether they’ll have the resources and, in some cases, whether the law is even constitutional.

Sheriffs haven’t received additional money or staffing to handle a new application process, said Peter Kehoe, the executive director of the New York Sheriffs’ Association. The law, he asserted, infringes on Second Amendment rights, and while applicants must list their social media accounts, he doesn’t think local officials will necessarily look at them.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/technology-new-york-social-media-gun-politics-bd1fba804dfa2adb347c74bb6e52d2b0

Georgia Guidestones monument, called satanic by some, torn down after bombing

Source: PBS

ATLANTA (AP) — A rural Georgia monument that some conservative Christians criticized as satanic and others dubbed “America’s Stonehenge” was demolished Wednesday after a predawn bombing turned one of its four granite panels into rubble.

The Georgia Guidestones monument near Elberton was damaged by an explosive device, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said, and later knocked down “for safety reasons,” leaving a pile of rubble in a picture that investigators published.

Surveillance footage showed a sharp explosion blowing one panel to rubble just after 4 a.m. Investigators also released video of a silver sedan leaving the monument.

After prior vandalism, video cameras connected to the county’s emergency dispatch center were stationed at the site, said Elbert Granite Association Executive Vice President Chris Kubas.

Read more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/georgia-slabs-called-satanic-by-some-torn-down-after-bombing

Texas Governor's race poll (CBS), and other Texas issues polled