HOUSE DEMOCRATS CHOSE HAKEEM JEFFRIES OF NEW YORK TO BE LEADER IN THE CHAMBER NEXT

YEAR.
HE WILL SUCCEED NANCY PELOSI, WHO ANNOUNCED SHE WOULD NOT RUN FOR HER ROLE AGAIN A
FEW WEEKS AGO.
PELOSI SERVED AS HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS LEADER FOR TWO DECADES.
JEFFRIES WILL BECOME THE FRIST BLACK PERSON TO LEAD ONE OF THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES IN
EITHER CHAMBER OF CONGRESS.
REPUBLICANS HAVE THE MAJORITY IN THE NEXT CONGRESS, MEANING JEFFRIES WILL BE MINORITY
LEADER.
HE IS JOINED IN LEADERSHIP BY REPRESENTATIVE KATHERINE CLARK AS WHIP AND REPRESENTATIVE
PETER AGUILAR AS CAUCUS CHAIRMAN TO LEAD THE 118TH CONGRESS.
THE NEW CONGRESS BEGINS AT NOON ON JANUARY THIRD, 2023, TWO YEARS AFTER THE CAPITOL
INSURRECTION.

THE “HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS” COMMITTEE RECEIVED SIX YEARS OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD
TRUMP’S FEDERAL TAX RETURNS WEDNESDAY.
THIS ENDS A MULTIPLE-YEAR PURSUIT BY DEMOCRATS TO DIG INTO TRUMP’S PERSONAL DETAILS.
FEDERAL COURTS DECIDED THE HOUSE COULD REQUEST SIX YEARS OF TRUMP’S RETURNS.
THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED THEM IN 2019 AND AGAIN IN 2021.
THE CHANGE COMES AFTER THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED NOT TO INTERVENE AND PREVENT THE
COMMITTEE FROM ACCESSING THE RECORDS.
SEVERAL JUDGES FOUND THAT THE HOUSE HAD POWER TO REQUEST THE RETURNS FROM THE IRS.
THE COMMITTEE SOUGHT RECORDS FROM THE TIME HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT, INCLUDING RECORDS
ABOUT BOTH TRUMP PERSONALLY AND SEVERAL OF HIS CORPORATE ENTITIES.
THE COMMITTEE IS MEETING THURSDAY BUT IS NOT EXPECTED TO REVIEW THE RECORDS YET AND THE
DOCUMENTS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC.

NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY ORDERED THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERAN
AFFAIRS WEDNESDAY TO SEEK AN OUTSIDE VENDOR TO RUN THE STATE-RUN VETERAN’S HOMES.
THE MOVE COMES AFTER THE US CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES CUT OFF
FEDERAL FUNDING LAST WEEK FOR NEW ADMISSIONS AT THE VETERAN’S MEMORIAL HOME AT MENLO
PARK.
THE HOME FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER CARE AND HAD MAJOR DEFICIENCIES WHEN IT CAME TO
CONTROLLING COVID INFECTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THE CMS THREATENED FINES AND OTHER PENALTIES, WARNING THE FACILITY THAT IT COULD SEE
PERMANENT TERMINATION OF ALL MEDICAID AND MEDICARE FUNDING BY MARCH IF THE SITUATION AT
MENLO PARK IS NOT FIXED.
MURPHY DIRECTED THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS TO BRING IN A VENDOR WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPROVING OPERATIONS AT
ALL THREE OF THE STATE’S VETERAN’S HOMES.
THE VENDOR WOULD PROVIDE A QUALIFIED TEAM OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.

THE RETURN OF THE NEW JERSEY BEAR HUNT HAS BEEN PUT ON AN INDEFINITE HOLD.
OPPONENTS OF THE RETURN OF THE HUNT WON AN EMERGENCY COURT STAY.
IT WILL HALT THE START OF THE SEASON THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BEGIN MONDAY.
THREE ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS FILED AGAINST THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE BEAR HUNT.
GOVERNOR MURPHY LONG PROMISED TO END THE HUNT, AND DID SO FOR THE 2021 SEASON, BUT
REVERSED HIS MOTION TWO WEEKS AGO.
THE COALITION OPPOSING THE HUNT HAS UNTIL FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO SUBMIT ITS LEGAL BRIEF.
MURPHY HAS OPPOSED THE SIX-DAY BEAR HUNT UP TO THIS POINT, BUT THE DIVISION OF FISH AND
WILDLIFE CITED A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BEAR COMPLAINTS.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BEAR COMPLAINTS BETWEEN JANUARY AND OCTOBER INCREASED BY 237%