#GoodMorningDC. Here’s the world you are waking up to this Tuesday morning.
Good Morning DC. “I can’t say we miss him [Trump] on Twitter,” said Press Secretary Jen Psaki at the briefing. The news is much calmer since Biden took office, but is it less partisan?
Yesterday morning, Good Morning DC had insider info that the UK is applying to join the TPP and that the announcement was coming soon. Just a few hours after we reported the scoop, Liz Trust came out to formally notify the TPP nations of the UK’s intention to join.
Mayor Muriel Bowser is looking for a Chief Equity Officer for the government of the District of Columbia. Someone who will be responsible for developing and leading the District’s equity team and racial equity initiatives.
“We have a unique opportunity to double down on our efforts to put racial equity at the forefront and revitalize systems to ensure a more inclusive and prosperous future for all Washingtonians,” D.C. Mayor echoed Biden’s plan to give everyone a fairer shot at success in life.
Last evening at the Oval Office, Biden met Republican Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Rob Portman (R-OH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Todd Young (R-IN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) to discuss COVID-19 relief legislation and the Republican proposal to match.
President Biden and Vice President Harris were seated in plush armchairs in front of a lit fireplace. Senator Collins sat on a couch to Biden’s left. The two were chatting quietly. Senator Romney was seated to Harris’s right. The rest of the senators were spread out throughout the room, and Senator Rounds participated in the meeting via phone.
Collins later said that the meeting that lasted two hours was very cordial and productive. “I wouldn’t say that we came together on a package tonight no one expected that in a two-hour meeting”, she revealed.
Today, Jenet Yellen will meet, virtually, with the Senate Democratic Caucus to discuss the American Rescue Plan. America is ready for rescue, especially those who have exhausted all unemployment benefits and still have no job due to the pandemic.
What will Biden do today?
After the daily morning brief, President Biden will jump back on his executive action streak. Today’s topic: immigration. The Biden Harris Administration will begin to roll back “the most damaging policies adopted by the Trump administration.”
President Biden will create a Task Force to reunify families at the southern border and develop a strategy to address irregular migration by creating a more humane asylum system.
POTUS will also sign an Executive Order that elevates the White House’s role in coordinating the federal government’s strategy to promote immigrant integration and inclusion. He will re-establish a Task Force on “New Americans.
Today’s activities build on executive actions the President took on his first day in office, including steps to preserve and fortify protections for Dreamers, end the Muslim and Africa ban, halt border wall construction and protect Liberian nationals living and working in America.
Meanwhile, in the Senate…
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is a “survivor of sexual assault,” the New York Democratic congresswoman revealed last night. Talking about the terrifying events of January 6 on the US Capitol, AOC said that she was forced to hide in the bathroom, fearing for her life.
“The reason I’m getting emotional at this moment is because these folks who tell us to move on, that it’s not a big deal, that we should forget what’s happened, or even telling us to apologize, these are the same tactics of abusers,” she said. “And I’m a survivor of sexual assault, and I haven’t told many people that in my life,” AOC explained how traumatic events in those who had experienced them before in their life get triggered.
“We are not safe with people who hold positions of power who are willing to endanger the lives of others if they think it will score them a political point,” AOC concluded.
Is Wall Street trying to silence Main Street? U.S. Senator Roger Marshall thinks so. Recently he talked with Neil Cavuto about AMC Theatres and GameStop being shut out of retail trading. “Everyone deserves equal opportunity to make money on Wall Street…We want an equal shot at this… We have to be careful here and not overreact, but let’s take a dive into this and see why they pull the rug out from under us…” Senator Marshall said.
As the pressures for the removal of Marjorie Taylor Greene continue, Adam Kinzinger wants to rebrand the Republican party. He has high hopes with the new PAC he just started. Trump’s “America first” is here replaced with “Country First.” Same cover, different book?
All eyes are on Myanmar and President Biden is considering reintroducing sanctions.
“The United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy,” President said. “The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action. The United States will stand up for democracy wherever it is under attack,” he added.
“The return of military rule to Burma is a tragedy for the country’s people and their decades-long struggle for democracy,” said Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul.
Lead Republican McCaul cosponsored the BURMA Act in the 116th Congress to impose sanctions on the Tatmadaw. He also took part in authorizing humanitarian aid and pushing for a genocide determination.
Across the pond, PM Boris Johnson tweeted: “I condemn the coup and unlawful imprisonment of civilians, including Aung San Suu Kyi, in Myanmar..The vote of the people must be respected and civilian leaders released.”
Today, in Russia, Navalny’s court hearing takes place.
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke to Andrew Mitchel of MSNBC about Russia’s situation, among other things. “We are deeply disturbed by this violent crackdown against people exercising their rights to protest peacefully against their government, rights that are guaranteed to them in the Russian constitution. The arrests and violence used by police are deeply disturbing. And of course, the arrest of Mr. Navalny itself, which triggered this, is also profoundly disturbing to us,” Blinken said.
A new issue of British Vogue is out featuring Angelina Jolie on two elegant covers. Why couldn’t Anna Wintour do something to that standard with Kamala Harris’s cover in the US?
‘I feel like I’m lacking in all the skills to be a traditional stay-at-home mom. I’m managing through it because the children are quite resilient, and they’re helping me, but I’m not good at it at all,’ Jolie offered an honest view of parenting.
Finally, word reached Good Morning DC that on Saturday, a 23-year-old posed as a GrubHub pizza delivery guy to con people in Jacksonville, Florida. The moment Kimberly Block turned her back to take the pizza into the kitchen, a conman, identified as ArlinsonChilito, snatched the Block’s 10-month-old puppy, Lexi, and fled.
Police were called immediately. As it turned out, Chilito was not even a GrubHub employee, but his girlfriend is. She had given her GrubHub credentials to Cilito to deliver food to unsuspecting GrubHub customers while she worked at a completely different job.
Block, a trial attorney with Morgan and Morgan’s international firm, tried several times to contact GrubHub, who stated that it was cooperative with the law enforcement and that the person who committed the crime, who is now in jail, is not their employee.
“The fact that GrubHub couldn’t care less only pours salt in the wound,” Block told Good Morning DC.
“We just want people to know that, especially during this Covid crisis, so much food is being delivered from restaurants, and it may well be delivered by criminals out to rob you, “ she added.
That’s a wrap for Wednesday morning. Beware and take care. Good Morning DC will be with you tomorrow to take you to the heart of the stories that matter vis-a-vis America and the world.
