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Senators Introduce Bill To Block Mueller Firing

Booker, Graham introduce bill to protect Special Counsel from firing.  Salon: "The Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, sponsored by Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senators Chris Coons and Cory Booker, would make federal law of Justice Department regulations stating that the special counsel can only be fired for 'good cause.' It would also require the Justice Department to preserve evidence from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, as well as allow Mueller to challenge his dismissal in court. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has said he will bring the bill up for a vote this week.""

WH Wants To End Health Supports for Transgender, Native Groups

Trump admin wants to roll back health rules for underrepresented groups. Axios: "The Trump administration has plans to reverse Obama-era health care rules that currently protect transgender individuals from discrimination and decades-old exemptions that shelter Native Americans from certain burdensome federal health requirements. Why it matters: These health moves would target two of the nation's most underrepresented and vulnerable communities. he administration is planning to end a rule created under the Obama administration that prohibits doctors, hospitals and insurers from discriminating against transgender individuals, reports the New York Times. The Department of Health and Human Services is also considering enforcing Medicaid work rules for Native Americans in states that choose to implement work requirements to access Medicaid, Politico reports. Three states have already begun putting Medicaid work requirements in place and at least 10 others are expected to apply."

Dems Sue Over Russia Election Meddling


Democrats Sue Russia, WikiLeaks And Trump Campaign Over Election 'Conspiracy'. NPR:
"The Democratic National Committee filed an attention-grabbing lawsuit against the Russian government, WikiLeaks and Donald Trump's presidential campaign that says they conspired to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The suit — which faces legal obstacles because of the Justice Department's investigation into Russia's attack and the difficulties involved with suing a foreign government — develops a theory about alleged collusion between Trump's campaign and the Russians. 'The conspiracy constituted an act of previously unimaginable treachery: the campaign of the presidential nominee of a major party in league with a hostile foreign power to bolster its own chance to win the presidency,' the DNC writes in the suit."

SCOTUS To Hear Pivotal Immigration Case

SCOTUS to decide if 'time stopped' for Brazilian immigrant. WBUR: "The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments Monday in Pereira v. Sessions, a case that, for thousands of immigrants, could mean the difference between staying in the country and being deported. At the center of it all is a Brazilian immigrant who overstayed his visa and for almost 16 years has lived on Martha's Vineyard. It all started in 2006 when federal immigration officials sent Pereira what's called a 'Notice to Appear,' charging him with overstaying his visa. By statute, this 'Notice to Appear' should have given the date and time of the hearing, but it didn't. These missing details form the basis of the Supreme Court case and may very well determine Pereira's future. Sarah Sherman-Stokes is an immigration attorney and associate director of Boston University's Immigrants' Rights and Human Trafficking Program. She says that once a proper Notice to Appear has been served, it " 'stops the time' for a non-citizen who is trying to accrue 10 years of presence in this country."

Nixon Challenges Cuomo On Climate

Cynthia Nixon Gets Big Applause for Going Huge on Climate. Common Dreams:Challenging Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo from the left, Cynthia Nixon received a ringing endorsement from one of the nation's most respected climate action groups on Friday just after she unveiled a far-reaching plan to make sure the state is doing everything possible to transition off fossil fuels and towards a more sustainable and just energy future. 'We need to make a bold commitment to invest in renewable energy, one that will get us off fossil fuels completely and provide thousands of new jobs — especially in the communities most impacted by pollution and climate change,' Nixon said as she announced her Climate just platform. 'We must transition from an economy based in toxic carbon emissions toward an economy that protects workers, our communities, and our planet,' she added. 'It won’t be easy. But we don't have a choice.'"

More from OurFuture.org:

The Fake Frugality of the Fabulously Rich. Sam Pizzigati: "The myth of merit holds that the ultra rich among us owe their incredibly good fortune to good behavior of one sort or another. Either they work incredibly hard or perform incredible feats — or discipline themselves to lead fantastically frugal lives. As a society, in effect, we simply do not want to believe that our rich may have gained their riches through exploiting others or rigging our economy or just finding themselves in the right place at the right time. So we ascribe to our awesomely affluent rich noble qualities that make them ever so deserving of their wealth."

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