Freddie Stubbs
Freddie Stubbs's JournalSenate hopeful Patrick Murphy rolls out Broward endorsements
Eight of Broward's top elected Democrats are signing on with Patrick Murphy's U.S. Senate campaign.
Murphy, currently a congressman representing northern Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties, is so far the only candidate seeking his party's nomination to run for U.S. Senate next year.
Part of his strategy is rolling out endorsements to show momentum and strength as his Orlando-area colleague, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, weighs whether he'll also seek the party's nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Marco Rubio, who is running for president.
Thursday's endorsements come from Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, Broward Sheriff Scott Israel and Broward Property Appraiser Lori Parrish.
more: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-patrick-murphy-broward-endorsements-20150528-story.html
Habitat for Humanity seeks Dodd-Frank relief
Source: The Hill
Add an unexpected group to the list of critics seeking relief from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law: Habitat for Humanity.
The housing nonprofit is fighting for an exemption from the Dodd-Frank regulation that requires housing appraisers to receive "customary and reasonable" compensation.
The regulation was aimed at boosting housing market protection by making sure mortgage companies and banks wouldn't receive faulty financial advice from cheap appraisers.
But Habitat for Humanity — which relies on appraisers who volunteer their services for free — says it's created a regulatory headache for their more than 1,400 U.S. affiliates who fear they're bucking Dodd-Frank in accepting free appraisal services.
Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/finance/243400-habitat-for-humanity-seeks-dodd-frank-relief
Sanders: 1972 rape essay was ‘dumb attempt’ at satire
Source: The Hill
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sought to distance himself Thursday from an essay he wrote in the 1970s that discusses rape fantasies.
Michael Briggs, a spokesman for the 2016 White House contender’s campaign, called the essay a "dumb attempt at dark satire in an alternative publication,” according to CNN.
Briggs added that the writing "in no way reflects his views or record on women,” saying it “was intended to attack gender stereotypes of the '70s.”
The essay, published by the Vermont Freeman in 1972, discussed violent sexual fantasies.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/dem-primaries/243411-sanders-1972-rape-essay-was-dumb-attempt-at-satire
Fraternal Order of Police president rips Alan Grayson over ‘irresponsible’ tweet
Source: The Palm Beach Post
If Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson runs for Senate in 2016, his recent tweet with obscene graffiti disparaging police might make it tough for him to win the Florida Fraternal Order of Police endorsement.
Grayson used his Twitter and Facebook accounts on Saturday to criticize the militarization of local police forces and included a picture of police in riot gear pointing guns at a man with his hands up in Ferguson, Mo. On Twitter, the picture included a mailbox with graffiti saying “F— the Police.”
Florida State Fraternal Order of Police President Jim Preston today accused Grayson of contributing to bad relations between police and the public.
“Mr. Grayson’s irresponsible comments and photo completely disrespect the difficult and dangerous job of today’s police officers,” Preston told The Palm Beach Post in an email.
Read more: http://postonpolitics.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2015/05/27/fraternal-order-of-police-president-rips-alan-grayson-over-irresponsible-tweet/
France: No nuclear deal without access to Iran's military sites
Source: The Hill
France is threatening to oppose a nuclear deal with Iran if it doesn't include access to military sites in the country.
“France will not accept (a deal) if it is not clear that inspections can be done at all Iranian installations, including military sites,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told the French Parliament on Wednesday, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Fabius added that France still supported working toward a pact, but only one that ensures Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons.
“’Yes’ to an agreement, but not to an agreement that will enable Iran to have the atomic bomb,” he added. “That is the position of France, which is independent and peaceful."
Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/international/243198-france-no-nuclear-deal-without-access-to-irans-military-sites
L.A. labor leaders seek minimum wage exemption for firms with union workers
Source: LA Times
Labor leaders, who were among the strongest supporters of the citywide minimum wage increase approved last week by the Los Angeles City Council, are advocating last-minute changes to the law that could create an exemption for companies with unionized workforces.
The push to include an exception to the mandated wage increase for companies that let their employees collectively bargain was the latest unexpected detour as the city nears approval of its landmark legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020.
For much of the past eight months, labor activists have argued against special considerations for business owners, such as restaurateurs, who said they would have trouble complying with the mandated pay increase.
But Rusty Hicks, who heads the county Federation of Labor and helps lead the Raise the Wage coalition, said Tuesday night that companies with workers represented by unions should have leeway to negotiate a wage below that mandated by the law.
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-los-angeles-minimum-wage-unions-20150526-story.html
White House argues trade will help environment
Source: The Hill
The White House on Wednesday released a report detailing its efforts to protect the global environment through trade agreements as President Obama tries to build support on Capitol Hill for his ambitious agenda.
The 64-page report is the latest in a series of attempts by the Obama administration to detail how far-reaching trade agreements can improve the enforcement of global rules, a major concern of congressional lawmakers wary of signing off on the trade agenda.
Specifically, it argues that trade pacts can combat a broad range of global environmental concerns including wildlife trafficking as well as illegal logging and fishing.
The Obama administration argues that once implemented, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement “will help protect one of the most ecologically and economically significant regions of the world — from the deserts and plains of Australia, to the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam, to the Andes mountains of Peru,” the report said.
Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/242636-white-house-argues-trade-will-help-environment
House Dems held secret talks about Van Hollen succeeding Pelosi
Source: The Hill
Allies of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi held secret talks about having Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) succeed her in the wake of the party’s disastrous 2014 elections, according to a new story in The New York Times Magazine.
The effort was aimed at setting up Van Hollen as Pelosi’s successor and preventing House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.), the No. 2 Democrat and a longtime Pelosi rival, from ascending to the top Democratic position.
Van Hollen worked with seven other Democrats to build the case that he could win enough votes to defeat Hoyer in a leadership election to replace Pelosi, according to the report.
Those Democrats were Reps. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), Steve Israel (N.Y.), Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Paul Tonko (N.Y.), Beto O’Rourke (Texas), Dan Kildee (Mich.), and Donna Edwards, the Maryland lawmaker now running against Van Hollen in the Senate primary.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/242634-dems-held-secret-talks-about-Van-Hollen-succeeding-Pelosi
Alan Grayson called cops on wife for allegedly using his credit card
Source: Politico
Florida Rep. Alan Grayson recently called his estranged wife a “gold digger,” but a review of the potential Senate candidate’s soap-opera divorce case shows he unsuccessfully tried to have her criminally charged for far less: ringing up grocery, gasoline and car-repair expenses on his credit card.
Grayson’s previously unreported effort to have Lolita Grayson arrested on credit-card fraud charges was revealed in one of her court filings that complained about the wealthy Democrat’s tactics to withhold money from her.
“The Husband has denied the Wife access to marital assets or funds that could be used to pay for attorney’s fees and costs, even going to the extent of filing a criminal complaint against the Wife for her alleged use of a marital credit card account,” her attorney said in a successful March 13 motion to compel Grayson to pay up.
In previous court filings and interviews, Lolita Grayson, who’s now on her sixth lawyer, has depicted Grayson as abusive and so tight-fisted that she and their four minor children had to go on food stamps. She said she couldn’t afford to repair a leaky septic tank and broken windows that allowed mold to fester in the family’s Orlando home. Her situation and the corresponding images of the home’s disrepair aired on local TV in October 2014, just before Grayson — a trial lawyer worth about $31 million — won reelection to a third term in the House.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/alan-grayson-called-cops-on-wife-for-buying-groceries-with-his-credit-card-118112.html
Fla. rep on estranged wife: 'Gold diggers gotta dig'
Source: The Hill
The saga between Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) and his estranged wife took another turn after an agreement on terms for their divorce fell apart.
"I'll sum it up for you. Gold diggers gotta dig. That's all I gotta say," he told local ABC affiliate WFTV on Monday after leaving the courtroom, accusing Lolita Grayson of reneging on an agreement.
His estranged wife of 25 years, Lolita, filed for divorce early last year. The House member and former telecom company co-founder has sought an annulment on the basis of bigamy, and they appeared to reach terms last month on an annulment, which would not require equal division of $30 million in assets.
She also said last October that she and her four kids were living in a moldy house after he didn't pay for repairs, and that her husband had cut off her credit cards.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/242470-fla-rep-on-estranged-wife-gold-diggers-gotta-dig
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