BG Reads | News You Need to Know (January 20, 2021)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Aiming to reinstate camping ban, group guarantees it has enough signatures to put controversial policy on ballot (Community Impact)
Austin’s controversial June 2019 decision to lift its ban on public camping—a move tied into the effort to decriminalize homelessness—could be revisited by voters this May if the city clerk validates a petition submitted Jan. 19 aimed at putting the policy up to a referendum.
Leaders from the nonprofit Save Austin Now, ardent opponents of the City Council decision, have been working since February 2020 to overturn the policy. In Austin, citizens can subvert the regular political process and put policy questions directly on the ballot if they collect at least 20,000 signatures from registered Austin voters in support of the referendum process. Matt Mackowiak, co-founder of Save Austin Now and chairman of the Travis County GOP, told Community Impact Newspaper he guarantees the petition had enough signatures.
“There is absolutely no way on God’s green earth that we did not turn in 20,000 valid signatures this time,” Mackowiak said.
The group tried to get the policy question on the November 2020 ballot, but the petition was rejected after City Clerk Janette Goodall said there were not enough valid signatures.
Mackowiak said his group took no chances this time around, using consumer data and digital tools to target likely signees and then “hammering them” with texts, calls, door knocks and mail, which led to an alleged 30,000 signatures in support since Dec. 1. Mackowiak said they put in “200 hours of manpower over the last two weeks” self-validating the signatures before submitting 24,000 to the clerk this week… (LINK TO STORY)
Austin police brace for Inauguration Day unrest, on 'tactical alert' until further notice (Austin American-Statesman)
The Austin Police Department will again be bracing for potential protests in the Texas capital city this week as President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
Austin Police Assistant Chief Joe Chacon said the Austin area had no known threats, but said the department would be on tactical alert to ensure that any and all demonstrations in the city remain peaceful. During a tactical alert, all officers at the department are uniformed and put on standby to respond to any major event in the city, according to law enforcement officials.
He added that police will be on tactical alert until further notice.
"We certainly do anticipate that people will be gathering and really what we’re seeing is going to be at the state Capitol," Chacon said. "We are used to and really support people being able to come out, assemble and exercising their First Amendment rights to free speech, and what we want to do is create a safe space to be able to do that."… (LINK TO STORY)
Austin's Black Pumas to perform during Biden-Harris presidential inauguration (Austin American-Statesman)
Austin's Grammy-nominated rock 'n' soul sensation Black Pumas will perform on Wednesday as part of the inaugural livestream for incoming President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
"Ayeee, sooo .... humbled beyond belief for the opportunity to join our next president and Vice President (Joe Biden) and (Kamala Harris) for inauguration 2021!!" Adrian Quesada, guitarist, composer and producer for the band, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning. "It’s really still a dream that we get to participate In this historic occasion. Tune in tomorrow night at 8:30 ET for a most special night celebrating our country’s resilience and diversity."
The "Celebrating America" presentation at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday will be hosted by Tom Hanks. In addition to the Pumas, the event will feature appearances from Ant Clemons, Jon Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, John Legend, Eva Longoria, Demi Lovato, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, and Kerry Washington… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
San Antonio mayor’s race off to slow start as campaign dollars trickle in amid coronavirus pandemic (San Antonio Express-News)
The rematch between San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and challenger Greg Brockhouse is off to a slow fundraising start as both sides said they felt awkward asking for campaign contributions while COVID-19 pummeled the region and battered the local economy. Nirenberg raised a relatively paltry $85,000 in the last six months of 2020, campaign finance filings released Friday evening show. At the end of last year, the two-term mayor sat on a war chest of $61,000 — less than a quarter of what he had at the outset of his first match-up with Brockhouse two years ago. At this time in the 2019 election, Nirenberg had brought more than $190,000 into his campaign coffers and had nearly $279,000 on hand.
Brockhouse, meanwhile, had nothing in his campaign accounts at the end of December — no contributions, no spending, no cash left over but a $17,000 loan. The former city councilman — who expects to formally declare his candidacy for mayor by the end of the month — had roughly $15,000 in his piggy bank at the same time in the last mayoral race. Though Nirenberg and Brockhouse seemed not to agree on anything in 2019’s bitter campaign, both men seemed to think actively pursuing campaign dollars last year wouldn’t look good given the pandemic’s economic devastation. “Honestly, we just didn’t feel that it was appropriate to be asking for donations in an aggressive manner during a pandemic,” said Gilberto Ocañas, Nirenberg’s chief political consultant and chairman of his re-election campaign. Ditto for Brockhouse. “Asking people for money in December, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, in the middle of a pandemic is just bad form,” Brockhouse said. But neither side seemed nervous about their finances as they said they’ve slowly ramped up fundraising in January… (LINK TO STORY)
Gov. Abbott blasts vetting national guard members ahead of inauguration as offensive, disrespectful (Dallas Morning News)
Gov. Greg Abbott used the words “offensive” and “disrespectful” in a tweet to describe the additional vetting of the 25,000 National Guard members on hand for the inauguration as U.S. defense officials attempt to erase any potential for an insider attack when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in Wednesday. “This is the most offensive thing I’ve ever heard,” Abbott said in his Monday night post. “No one should ever question the loyalty or professionalism of the Texas National Guard. I authorized more than 1,000 to go to DC. I’ll never do it again if they are disrespected like this.” With the inauguration landing just two weeks to the day after the insurrection of the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead, the FBI is working to identify ties to potentially violent groups or extremists by vetting every service member on duty in Washington D.C.
By Tuesday afternoon, The Associated Press reported that 12 U.S. National Guard members were removed from their inauguration duties. Two were removed for making extremist statements via posts or texts regarding Wednesday’s inauguration, according to Pentagon officials. The AP also reported that all 12 members either had ties to right-wing militia groups or posted extremist views online. No specific unit or groups have been reported, but two U.S. Army officials told The AP that there was no threat to President Elect Joe Biden. Sen. Donna Campbell, a Republican from New Braunfels, seconded Abbott’s remarks on Twitter saying, “questioning the loyalty of our service members is certainly a new low.”
While Abbott’s comments are garnering praise from some, they are also met with criticism from others who note the contrast between the tweet and his handling of Operation Jade Helm in 2015. Jade Helm 15 was a routinely planned eight-week military training exercise-turned-fiasco that former CIA director Michael Hayden later called an early example of Russian efforts to spread misinformation in the country. Jade Helm 15 was set to begin in Texas and six other states on July 15. Before the training got off the ground, though, conspiracy theories made some Texans worried that it was an exercise to impose martial law in the state. Then, Abbott called on the Texas State Guard to monitor the exercise, a move meant to ease worried Texans. But his actions were interpreted by others as providing a megaphone for the conspiracy theories… (LINK TO STORY)
Student sues Rice University, demands refund over online learning during COVID (Houston Chronicle)
A Rice University student, unhappy about paying full tuition for an online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, is demanding a refund. Undergraduate student Anna Seballos and her lawyers filed a lawsuit against Rice Jan. 11, stating that the private college touted and promised an “unconventional culture” and college experience, complete with in-person courses and opportunities, but breached its contract by failing to provide those services. The university, however, still charged students full price, the lawsuit says.
“Plaintiff and the members of the Class have all paid for tuition for a first-rate education and on-campus, in-person educational experiences, with all the appurtenant benefits offered by a first-rate university. Instead, students like plaintiff were provided a materially different and insufficient alternative, which constitutes a breach of the contracts entered into by plaintiff with the University,” Seballos’ attorneys wrote. The university does not comment on pending litigation, a Rice spokesman said in an email to the Houston Chronicle. Seballos’ lawyerss did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Listed on the suit as representation are the Edwards Law Group, Leeds Brown Law, and the Sultzer Law Group.
The suit is filed on behalf of all students who also paid tuition and/or fees to attend Rice in-person during terms affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including Spring 2020. The lawsuit alleges that more than 7,100 students attended Rice during the 2019-2020 academic year. Rice shifted its courses fully online in March at the beginning of the pandemic in the Houston area and offered a mix of in-person, online and hybrid courses in the fall to curb the spread of the coronavirus. But, the lawsuit alleges, the offerings did not compare to in-person courses, experiences and opportunities the university promised or contractually agreed to through various documents and materials provided to students, including the website, marketing and registration materials, acceptance letters, course catalog and listings, bills and invoices, and the student handbook… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
Biden plans 15 executive actions on his first day in office (Politico)
President-elect Joe Biden is planning a blitz of unilateral action shortly after taking office on Wednesday that will mark his first extensive effort to undo the last four years under President Donald Trump.
On his first day in the White House, Biden will sign 15 executive orders covering the pandemic, economic relief, immigration, climate change and racial equity. He will also move to freeze dozens of last-minute Trump administration regulations and send an immigration bill to Congress that will provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants.
The collective effort was characterized by multiple senior White House officials as “undoing” and “reversing” policies implemented by Trump that were “harmful” or “inhumane.” They’re also aimed at addressing the “overlapping and intertwined crises” that the Biden administration inherited, Gina McCarthy, the incoming White House domestic climate policy director, explained Tuesday on a call with other senior officials.
Biden’s orders signal an early willingness to flex his executive authority to advance core policy goals — though he has notably steered clear, so far, of using such powers to tackle the biggest wish-list items from progressives in his party. With a tied Senate, a slim House majority and a lasting Trump imprint on the federal judiciary narrowing the avenues open to Biden to enact his agenda, many Democrats have urged him to lean heavily on his executive powers in the years to come… (LINK TO STORY)
Kamala Harris's inauguration is historic milestone (The Hill)
Kamala Harris will make history Wednesday when she becomes the first female vice president in the nation's history.
Harris will also be the first Black vice president and first female vice president of South Asian descent. And when she takes the oath of office, the former senator and California attorney general will be one step closer to shattering the highest glass ceiling: the presidency.
“As important as a Vice President Harris will be politically, she will be just as important culturally,” said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. “There is an entire generation of young women who will grow up watching a woman of Black and South Asian descent help lead our country... (LINK TO STORY)
Trump issues 73 pardons, including to ex-aide Steve Bannon (Wall Street Journal)
President Trump issued a flurry of controversial pardons and commutations on his final day in office, rewarding a handful of longtime allies and well-connected celebrities, including his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, and onetime fundraiser Elliott Broidy.
The White House released the list of 143 pardons and commutations at 12:50 a.m.—less than eight hours before the president was set to leave for Florida—as Mr. Trump’s deliberations over who should receive clemency stretched late into the last full day of his term.
Of those ultimately granted clemency in the final hours of the Trump presidency, 18 were endorsed by the Justice Department office that reviews pardon applications, while the rest were recommended by an array of political leaders, criminal justice reformers and other allies of the president.
On Tuesday, the president was still calling advisers to ask them how he should proceed on certain pardons and waffled repeatedly over whether to grant one to Mr. Bannon, a person familiar with the conversations said.
At various points on Tuesday, advisers believed Mr. Bannon—who was charged in connection to a scheme to siphon money from a crowdfunding campaign for a border wall—wouldn’t get one. The White House in a statement said Mr. Bannon “has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen.”
The long-awaited list of pardons and commutations, which advisers and the president negotiated for weeks, also included rapper Lil Wayne, who met with the president in October and in December pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge; a former Democratic mayor of Detroit convicted of corruption; and Kenneth Kurson, a close friend of Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, who was charged in October with cyberstalking three people and harassing two others… (LINK TO STORY)