Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Saturday, September 21, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some very dynamic stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s going on.
Congress has voted to make some very critical changes to the way the Secret Service operates, we’re learning more about the alleged murder of a district judge in Kentucky, and the U.S. Supreme Court has just weighed in with a ruling that impacts the upcoming presidential election.
Also, a federal judge says he’s extending the freeze on President Biden’s latest student loan plan, and the leader of an enormous athletic-apparel company decides it’s time to step down.
Secret Service Bill Passes House Unanimously
The House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill yesterday that gives both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris the same level of Secret Service protection that President Joe Biden gets.The new bill requires the Secret Service director to review the protection that the agency gives to the president, the vice president, and all major candidates, and then to submit a detailed report to both the House and Senate.
The bill—called The Enhanced Presidential Security Act—was passed yesterday by a vote of 405-0.
You should know that the 150-year-old Secret Service has come under intense scrutiny since the July 13 attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the second apparent assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, less than a week ago.
One of the congressmen who sponsored the bill says that the fact that Trump was not assassinated in Butler was due to “luck,” not the Secret Service’s efforts, and another representative says that these assassination attempts are undermining the electoral process.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe said earlier this week that Biden told the agency to increase its protection of Trump following the July assassination attempt.
Rowe says that countersnipers, counterassault teams, and drones were all in place at the golf course last weekend, following Biden’s order, and lawmakers are now considering additional funding for the agency.
Interesting to note, the Senate still needs to pass this measure before it can be sent to the president’s desk.
Kentucky County Sheriff Suspected of Killing District Judge Inside Courthouse
54-year-old District Judge Kevin Mullins was fatally shot in his chambers, and a local sheriff has been charged with the crime.A spokesperson for the Kentucky State Police says that Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines shot the judge following an argument inside the county courthouse in Whitesburg.
A local newspaper, The Mountain Eagle, reports that Stines entered the building and told court employees that he needed to speak with the judge privately. The two men then went together into the judge’s chamber, and moments later, gunshots were heard.
State police say they received a 911 call just before 3 p.m. reporting that shots had been fired in the courthouse, and that several law enforcement agencies and emergency medical teams were immediately dispatched to the scene.
Police say that the suspect was taken into custody without incident, after emerging from the judge’s private office with his hands in the air.
First responders at the courthouse tried to save the judge’s life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner’s office.
You should know that Stines has since been charged with one count of first-degree murder, and the Kentucky Attorney General says that his office will investigate the case thoroughly before pursuing justice.
Supreme Court Refuses to Restore Green Party Access to Nevada Ballot
The high court has rejected the Green Party’s request to restore its candidates to the Nevada state ballot.This new decision arrives weeks after the Nevada Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the party’s candidates could not appear on the ballot because the organization had used the wrong form when gathering signatures from the public.
Interesting to note, none of the justices dissented from this new order, and the judges did not explain why they denied the Green Party’s request.
You should know that earlier this year, the Nevada State Democratic Party sued to keep the Green Party off the ballot, pointing out that incorrect paperwork had been used for the petition which would have allowed Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein to appear on the ballot.
However, the Green Party says that keeping its candidates from the voters is a violation of rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.
Interesting to note, Nevada is a hotly contested battleground state in the current presidential election, and the presence of Stein on the ballot could influence the outcome there.
By the way, in 2020, then-candidate Joe Biden, a Democrat, prevailed over President Donald Trump, a Republican, by fewer than 34,000 votes in the state.
Judge Extends Freeze on Student Loan Relief
A federal judge has just extended a restraining order that blocks the federal government’s latest student loan forgiveness plan.You should know that a number of states claim that the program is being implemented secretly, without proper public notice or approval.
A U.S. District judge in Georgia recently ruled that there is “good cause” to continue the temporary order, which he first issued earlier this month, by another two weeks. He says that the additional time will allow the court to thoroughly review all of the materials before making a broader ruling.
That decision is part of an ongoing lawsuit led by the state of Missouri against the U.S. Department of Education, which has been pushing for the case to be thrown out.
Earlier this week, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey called the decision a “huge win” for the plaintiffs, which also include the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Dakota, and Ohio.
You should know that the complaint was filed earlier this month, and it names Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, the Department of Education, and President Joe Biden as defendants.
The federal government says the plan is meant to reduce monthly payments for eligible borrowers, and help students get out of the burden of debt.
Interesting to note, both of the federal government’s previous attempts to cancel student loan debts have also been blocked by the courts.
Nike CEO Stepping Down
The company announced earlier this week that current CEO John Donahoe will vacate his post next month, and says that he’ll be replaced by former senior executive Elliott Hill.Donahoe says it was time for the company to make a change at the top, and that the retirement was a mutual decision between him and the company.
Interesting to note, Donahoe has been president and CEO of Nike since January 2020. He will continue to advise the team for the next several months to ensure a smooth transition.
His replacement worked for Nike for 32 years, and he previously held numerous senior leadership positions for the company in both Europe and North America before retiring in 2020.
The company’s board says that Hill’s experience, leadership style, and deep understanding of the industry make him the right choice to take the reins of the legendary organization.
You should know that the shakeup at the top comes amid a turbulent year for Nike, which has seen a drop in both sales and its stock price.
The Beaverton, Oregon-based company is facing increased competition from rival brands, and earlier this year, it laid off roughly 2 percent of its global workforce in an attempt to cut costs.
And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re gonna call it a wrap for the Saturday edition (the weekend edition) of the Epoch Times News Brief.
Just a reminder—you can reach out to us anytime via email and we’re at [email protected] and you can also leave comments for us on the Epoch Times app which you can download for free.
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And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote and this one comes to us from the great gymnast and Olympic gold medalist, Nadia Comaneci who said:
“Jump off the beam, flip off the bars, follow your dreams and reach for the stars.”
A very timely quote because today is National Gymnastics Day. It’s an incredible sport and I just can’t get enough.
Tomorrow, Sunday is National White Chocolate Day. We all like milk chocolate and dark chocolate, but don’t forget white chocolate.
For all of us here at the Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
The Epoch Times News Brief program was written today by David Ross.
Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate and unbiased daily synopsis of many of the news stories you need to know about.
Enjoy the remainder of your Saturday and we’ll see you right back here next time for another edition of the Epoch Times News Brief.
For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another and have an absolutely superb day today, enjoy the weekend and bye for now.
