Prisons chief: Official who beat inmates deserves 2nd chance
The director of the federal Bureau of Prisons is defending her decision to rally behind a high-ranking agency official who climbed the ranks after beating Black inmates, saying Tuesday that she feels he’s shown contrition and deserves a second chance.
Walker, Kemp campaign in Ga. together for the 1st time
Fresh off his commanding re-election victory, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Saturday is playing the role of dutiful Republican soldier campaigning for the first time alongside Senate hopeful Herschel Walker after spending months steering clear of his ticket-mate.
Senate probe finds nearly 1,000 unaccounted prison deaths in 2021
During the hearing of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Sen. Jon Ossoff said a report showed that at least 990 individuals died in custody in 2021, and that the Department of Justice failed to investigate those deaths as they are required to by law.
news.yahoo.comAbrams' strategy to boost turnout: Early voting commitments
Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is launching an intensive effort to get out the vote by urging potential supporters to cast in-person ballots the first week of early voting as she tries to navigate the state’s new election laws.
Prisons chief deflects blame for failures, angering senators
With just days left in his tenure, the embattled director of the federal prison system faced a bipartisan onslaught Tuesday as he refused to accept responsibility for a culture of corruption and misconduct that has plagued his agency for years.
Bill pushes feds to notify families of sick, dying inmates
New legislation in the Senate requires the Justice Department to establish guidelines for the federal Bureau of Prisons and state correctional systems to notify the families of inmates if their loved one has a serious illness, a life-threatening injury or if they die behind bars.
Republicans block proposal to let voters standing in line receive water at the polls
Republicans in the Senate Rules Committee rejected an amendment to the For The People Act that would ban states from restricting volunteers from handing out food or water to people standing in line to vote. The amendment was proposed by Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia – where Republicans have recently passed a law that criminalises giving out food and water to voters at the polls – as part of his Voter Access to Water Act. Republicans have claimed that allowing people to hand out food and water would encourage electioneering at the polls, which is already illegal.
news.yahoo.comRepublican David Perdue of Georgia decides against running for the Senate in 2022
Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., who is running for reelection, speaks during a campaign event at Peachtree Dekalb Airport in Atlanta, Ga., on Monday, November 2, 2020. Georgia Republican David Perdue said Tuesday he will not mount a new bid for the Senate in 2022, abruptly ending speculation he had stoked just one week earlier. The seat is held by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, who defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in one of two Georgia runoffs on Jan. 5. The victories by Ossoff and Warnock delivered effective control of the Senate to Democrats by the narrowest or margins. Perdue's potential challenge in 2022 was expected to be against Warnock, who is serving out the term of Republican ex-Sen. Johnny Isakson.
cnbc.comDemocrats take majority in the Senate after Biden's inauguration
With Ossoff, Padilla and Warnock seated, Democrats hold the narrowest possible majority in the Senate. New Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday that lawmakers would get to work on implementing the "lengthy agenda" set by President Biden, such as addressing the coronavirus pandemic. Schumer said that the Senate would work differently under a Democratic majority, implicitly drawing a contrast with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who as majority leader blocked several bills passed in the House from moving forward in the Senate. However, in his first speech as minority leader, McConnell indicated that he did not believe Democrats had a mandate, given their narrow majority in the Senate. Democrats will have such a narrow majority in the Senate that it could be difficult for Congress to pass some of Mr. Biden's legislative priorities.
cbsnews.comDemocrats take Senate majority, sealing control of the White House and Congress
Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California took office, bringing the Senate party split to 50-50. Democrats took control of the Senate on Wednesday when three new members of the party were sworn in, giving a boost to President Joe Biden 's ambitions in the White House. Though Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats will decide what the Senate pursues, they face a challenge in finding Republican support to pass most legislation. This will be an exceptionally busy and consequential period for the United States Senate," Schumer said in his first speech as majority leader. Some Democrats have called to get rid of the tool to allow bills to pass with a simple majority vote.
cnbc.comHere's how wealthy families will save on estate taxes in the Biden presidency
That will help President-elect Joe Biden push his legislative agenda, and higher taxes are expected to be a major part of his plans The estate tax could be a prime target for Democrats. Households will file about 4,100 federal estate tax returns for people who died in 2020 — only approximately 1,900 of them will be taxable, according to estimates from the Tax Policy Center. Alvina Lo chief wealth strategist for Wilmington TrustThose returns could generate roughly $16 billion in estate tax liability for 2020, the center estimated. "Even with a Democratic president, House and Senate, the estate tax may not be at the top of their agenda," she said. In other words, the window to use the huge exemption to avoid estate taxes may remain open for another year.
cnbc.comDemocrats' historic Georgia Senate wins were years in the making thanks to local grassroots
Just two months later, Georgia voters made history again in two competitive runoff elections by sending Democrats to the Senate for the first time in two decades. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, will be the first Black senator from Georgia. Strong turnout from Black voters and other voters of color fueled Warnock and Ossoff's historic wins in Georgia – the culmination of on-the-ground organizing and voter mobilization efforts years in the making. More than 4.4 million ballots have already been counted in the runoffs, shattering turnout records for such elections in Georgia. Roughly 30% of the registered voters in Georgia are Black and 92% of Black voters supported the Democratic Senate candidates, according to NBC exit polls.
cnbc.comThe voters who turned out for Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in Georgia
Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock's projected historic wins come on the heels of President-elect Joe Biden's victory in Georgia in November. While these numbers are impressive for a runoff, they did not match the even larger rates in more Democratic counties. While it was a small chunk of the electorate, accounting for 4% of the early vote, every vote is critical in tight races. Six in 10 of these new early voters were under 40, and four in 10 were Black — groups that were favorable to Ossoff and Warnock. An analysis by Charles Stewart of MIT showed Warnock over-performed Ossoff by relatively more in Democratic precincts and in precincts with more White voters, suggesting that straight-ticket Democratic voting was less common among White voters than among Black voters.
cbsnews.comHistoric wins tip control of U.S. Senate to Democrats
Historic wins tip control of U.S. Senate to Democrats Democrat Jon Ossoff beats incumbent Georgia Senator David Perdue while Democrat Raphael Warnock is the projected winner in the state's other runoff against incumbent Kelly Loeffler. Neither Perdue nor Loeffler have conceded. Mark Strassmann reports.
cbsnews.comDemocrats Warnock and Ossoff pick up Georgia Senate seats: Exit poll analysis
Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff picked up two Senate seats in Georgia, and those victories won control of the U.S. Senate for their party. Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock received over 90% of their support, which was even higher than the 88% who voted for Joe Biden in November. Ossoff and Warnock each got the support of two-thirds of voters under 30, compared to Biden's 56% in November. Just like November, seven in 10 White voters voted Republicans, including majorities of both White men and White women, and White voters of all age groups and education levels, and overwhelmingly by White evangelicals, who made up more than a third of all voters. The survey included in-person interviews with Election Day voters, those at early voting locations and phone interviews that measured the views of absentee/by mail voters and early voters.
cbsnews.comDemocrats secure Senate control as Warnock, Ossoff clinch Georgia runoffs
Democrats secure Senate control as Warnock, Ossoff clinch Georgia runoffs Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won the Georgia runoffs, handing control of the Senate to Democrats. Mark Strassmann reports from Atlanta, including analysis from CBS News political correspondent Ed O'Keefe and CBS News' chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett.
cbsnews.comControl of Senate allows Democrats to act on Biden's climate change agenda
Without a GOP-controlled Senate, Biden has greater leeway to pass climate change legislation. The goals of Biden's climate plan are in line with targets set by other major economies including China and the European Union. But experts are optimistic for some broader bipartisan-backed climate legislation to pass in upcoming years. Additionally, one of Biden's earliest expected executive orders would require that every government agency and department tackle climate change. "President-elect Biden and the administration he is building understand this and are ready to act," Deatrick said.
cnbc.comJon Ossoff becomes the youngest Democrat elected to the Senate since Joe Biden in 1973
Jon Ossoff will win his Georgia Senate runoff race, CBS News projects, beating incumbent Republican Senator David Perdue. Ossoff, 33, will be the youngest Democrat to serve in the U.S. Senate since President-elect Joe Biden, who assumed office in 1973 at the age of 30. When he was sworn in, Mr. Biden became the sixth youngest senator ever at 30 years, 1 month, and 14 days. Former Oklahoma Senator Don Nickels, a Republican, was the youngest senator since Biden when he was sworn in at 32 years old in 1981. He is the youngest Republican ever elected to the Senate.
cbsnews.comDemocrats gain control of Senate with 2 victories in Georgia runoffs
Ossoff and Warnock are the first Democrats Georgia has sent to the Senate since 2005, another signal that Georgia may be turning blue after President-elect Joe Biden won the state in November. This dynamic will make it easier for Mr. Biden to begin implementing his agenda upon entering office. It all but guarantees that Mr. Biden's Cabinet nominees will be confirmed quickly, without a Republican majority to delay the process. The Republican majority in the Senate had previously blocked dozens of President Obama's nominations in the waning years of his term. With Democrats in control of the Senate, Mr. Biden will see his judicial nominees confirmed for the next two years at least.
cbsnews.comDemocrats clinch slim majority in Senate as Jon Ossoff is projected to beat David Perdue
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jon Ossoff of Georgia speaks to supporters during a rally on November 15, 2020 in Marietta, Georgia. Ossoff faces incumbent U.S. Sen. David Purdue (R-GA) in one of two January 5 runoffs for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Democrat Jon Ossoff beat Republican David Perdue in one of Georgia's two Senate runoffs, NBC News projected Wednesday, sealing his party's control of Congress and the White House. The victories set up a 50-50 split in the Senate, giving Democrats a slim majority with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote. He and Warnock — who will become the first African American senator from Georgia and the third sitting Black senator — sealed the first Democratic Senate majority since 2014.
cnbc.comBiden’s tax plan has a better chance as Democrats sweep Georgia
Jessica McGowan | Getty ImagesDemocrats will now have a narrow lead in the Senate, which may give President-elect Joe Biden's tax plan a better chance at passing. Increasing the top individual income tax rate to 39.6%: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set a top marginal individual income tax rate of 37%. Biden's proposal would tax unrealized capital gains. Biden's proposal calls for lowering this limit to $3.5 million per individual in bequeaths and $1 million in gifts. The corporate tax rate is currently 21%, but Biden's proposal calls for increasing it to 28%.
cnbc.com$15 minimum wage edges closer as Democrats near Senate control
A $15 federal minimum wage edged closer after Tuesday's Georgia runoff election, which seems likely to flip Senate control and unify government under the Democratic Party. Such a pay boost would more than double the current federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, but would likely face resistance from some Republicans and business groups. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, won the U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia on Tuesday, beating the Republican incumbent, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, according to NBC News projections. Democratic victories in those contests would give Democrats control of the Senate, the House and the presidency. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who typically votes with Democrats, said in a Tuesday tweet that a $15 minimum wage was at stake in Georgia's runoff election.
cnbc.comGeorgia runoffs and the path ahead for Democrats and Republicans
Georgia runoffs and the path ahead for Democrats and Republicans CBS News projects Democrat Raphael Warnock will beat out Senator Kelly Loeffler in Georgia, while votes are still being counted in the runoff between Jon Ossoff and GOP Senator David Perdue. Political contributors Leslie Sanchez and Antjuan Seawright spoke joined CBSN to discuss about the futures of the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the effort by some GOP lawmakers in Congress to object to Electoral College votes.
cbsnews.com$2,000 stimulus checks possible if Democrats win Senate majority
Democratic candidates for Senate Jon Ossoff (L) and Raphael Warnock (R) bump elbows on stage during a rally with US President-elect Joe Biden outside Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 4, 2021. The U.S. Senate runoff races in Georgia currently point to a victory for Democrats. That could also mean a win for one issue that has become more prominent in recent days — $2,000 stimulus checks. The idea of the $2,000 checks was a big issue in the Georgia races. Raphael Warnock who ran against incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, and Democrat Jon Ossoff who faced off against Republican Sen. David Perdue.
cnbc.comGovernor Andrew Cuomo says Georgia election "changes everything" for New Yorkers
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Georgia's runoff election "changes everything" during a Wednesday briefing, saying shifts in the Senate will return money to New York and help the state fight the spread of the coronavirus. An Ossoff win would give the Senate a 50-50 split along party lines, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaker vote. And New Yorkers have been crime victims as far as I'm concerned by the theft of the federal government," he said. The state saw its first confirmed diagnosis of the new, apparently more contagious virus variant this week, detected in Saratoga Springs. Total coronavirus hospitalizations in the state Wednesday stood at 8,655 and there were 161 new deaths due to the virus.
cbsnews.comJon Ossoff claims victory in close Georgia Senate race as vote count continues
Jon Ossoff claims victory in close Georgia Senate race as vote count continues Democrat Jon Ossoff claimed victory in the Georgia Senate runoff race against Republican Senator David Perdue as votes were still being counted. CBS News has not yet projected a winner in the race, but Ossoff held a razor-thin margin over Perdue on Wednesday morning. Watch Ossoff's remarks.
cbsnews.comTrump and Republicans face reckoning as Democrats turn out in Georgia
Trump and Republicans face reckoning as Democrats turn out in Georgia CBS News projecting Democrat Raphael Warnock will win his Georgia Senate runoff, but the other election between Democratic Jon Ossoff and Republican Senator David Perdue is still too close to call. Now, Republicans and President Trump face a reckoning after losing the White House and possibly the Senate. CBS News senior national correspondent Mark Strassmann reports from Decatur, Georgia, and CBSN political reporter Caitlin Huey-Burns joins CBSN from Atlanta with the latest developments.
cbsnews.comJon Ossoff to Georgians: "I'll be for you"
Democrat Jon Ossoff declared victory Wednesday morning in one of two Georgia Senate runoff elections. CBS News, however, has not projected a winner in the race, although Ossoff currently holds a slight edge over his Republican opponent David Perdue. "This campaign has been about health and jobs and justice for the people of this state, for all the people of this state, and they will be my guiding principles as I serve this state," Ossoff said. Noting the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Ossoff urged Georgians to "unite now to beat this," and vowed to support economic relief to both the state and the American people. Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff speaks with members of the media at Dunbar Neighborhood Center on January 05, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.
cbsnews.comWarnock projected to beat Loeffler, Ossoff gains edge over Perdue in Georgia Senate runoffs
Warnock projected to beat Loeffler, Ossoff gains edge over Perdue in Georgia Senate runoffs Democrats have picked up at least one Senate seat in Georgia's special elections, according to CBS News data. CBS News projects Reverend Raphael Warnock has defeated his Republican opponent, incumbent Senator Kelly Loeffler, while, Jon Ossoff is now taking the lead over Republican incumbent Senator David Perdue. Mark Strassmann reports.
cbsnews.comHow outcome of Georgia Senate runoffs could affect Biden's agenda
How outcome of Georgia Senate runoffs could affect Biden's agenda If both Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff can prevail in Tuesday's runoff election, Democrats would take control of the Senate. CBS News correspondent Nikole Killion joins CBSN's "Red & Blue" anchor Elaine Quijano to discuss how the outcome of these races could impact President-elect Joe Biden's chances of moving legislation through Congress.
cbsnews.comGeorgia's runoff elections are too close to call with Senate control up for grabs
Both Senate runoff elections in Georgia were too close to call early Wednesday, according to NBC News, as Democratic Rev. The contests will determine which party holds the Senate majority for the next two years. Warnock led Loeffler with roughly 98% of the vote counted early Wednesday morning, according to NBC. "I am going to the Senate to work for all of Georgia, no matter who you cast your vote for in this election." Both elections went to runoffs after no candidate garnered more than 50% of the vote in the general election.
cnbc.comControl of the Senate hangs in the balance as Georgia votes in runoffs
Control of the Senate hangs in the balance as Georgia votes in runoffs Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are hoping to unseat Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the Georgia runoffs. The GOP needs just one win to hang onto control of the Senate. Mark Strassmann reports.
cbsnews.comSenate runoffs in Georgia will shape what Biden can achieve in the White House
President-elect Joe Biden speaks in Atlanta, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, as he campaigns for Georgia Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. President-elect Joe Biden went to Atlanta a day before the Georgia Senate runoff to do more than boost the two Democrats in Tuesday's election. As he stumped for Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, Biden stressed that votes in Georgia will ripple beyond the Peach State to shape the success of the incoming president's agenda nationwide. One GOP win means Republicans hold the chamber — and more sway over what policy emerges from Washington. Still, a Senate led by GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can steamroll Biden at every turn — on legislation, executive branch nominees and judges.
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