(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Lisa Cook to be the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors.
The vote was 51-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie.
The confirmation comes as inflation rates continue to soar.
“As President Biden said today, addressing inflation remains a top priority of the Biden-Harris Administration, as we work to lower costs for hardworking families,” a White House official said. “It is important to have a fully-staffed Federal Reserve who can take on these challenges for the American people.”
Senate Republicans argued that Cook is not qualified for the position, especially when it comes to interest rate policy.
“Professor Cook has no proven expertise in monetary economics at all, much less fighting inflation,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, on the Senate floor earlier Tuesday.
Senate Democrats defended the nomination.
“We got more letters, I believe, in support of Lisa Cook than any nominee for the Fed,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee chair.
Cook earned her doctorate in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a joint professor at Michigan State University in economics and international relations,. The university lists her expertise as being in macroeconomics, development, innovation, economic history and international finance.
She also served as an adviser for the Federal Reserve, Banking, and Securities Regulators Agency Review Team on the Biden-Harris transition team and on the White House Council of Economic Advisers from 2011 to 2012.
(NEW YORK) — Of the numerous primary races held Tuesday, two resonated beyond state politics: the Republican gubernatorial primary in Nebraska and the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary in West Virginia — two races that together offered mixed messages about the power of an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
ABC News projected Jim Pillen, a businessman and member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, as the winner in the Nebraska Republican gubernatorial primary, beating Trump’s endorsed candidate, wealthy businessman Charles Herbster, who has been accused of sexual assault by eight women — allegations he has denied.
The former president held a rally in Nebraska last week in support of Herbster, but almost all of Nebraska’s GOP establishment leaders, including Gov. Pete Ricketts, supported Pillen.
Across the country, in the rare matchup between two incumbent lawmakers in West Virginia, ABC News projected Trump-backed Rep. Alex Mooney as the winner.
Rep. David McKinley faced off against Mooney and three other challengers in the primary.
Trump put his weight behind Mooney, who has echoed the former president’s false claims about the 2020 election. McKinley, however, had the support of Republican West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
Manchin even released an ad denouncing Mooney and declaring his support for McKinley.
“Alex Mooney has proven he’s all about Alex Mooney. But West Virginians know David McKinley is all about us,” Manchin said in the ad.
The impact of congressional redistricting was also on full display in the race.
West Virginia lost one of its three House seats, and while both existing districts lean strongly Republican, there is one fewer seat for Republicans to hold onto, according to analysis from FiveThirtyEight.
West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner told ABC News Live’s Diane Macedo on Monday that he didn’t think the Trump or Manchin endorsements would decide the race.
“He’s certainly very popular… I think people still are tuned in to what he has to say. But I really don’t think that’s going to be the decisive factor in this election,” Warner said of the former president. “Endorsements are important, but I think people really vote their conscience.”
As for Manchin’s endorsement, Warner was unsure of whether it would have “much play at all in this in this particular race,” which was also a test of one of President Joe Biden’s signature policies.
West Virginia is one of the nation’s poorest states, and McKinley is one of 13 Republicans who voted for Biden’s infrastructure bill that is expected to funnel $6 billion to the state. Mooney voted against it and won Trump’s endorsement when Biden signed the bill into law.
Greg Thomas, a Republican political consultant in the state who knows both candidates and once worked for McKinley, was of the belief that Trump’s support for Mooney could, in fact, be a tipping point.
“Trump’s personality isn’t something that we see a lot here in West Virginia. But his issues, these are West Virginia conservative issues and have been before Trump came along,” he told ABC News.
McKinley was also been hurt by Trump’s focus on his vote to establish an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
Unfounded claims about the 2020 election overshadow the two races, as both Herbster and Mooney have pushed the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Herbster attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, which preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Mooney has also supported a Texas-led lawsuit seeking to throw out the election results in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin; and he objected to certifying the election results in Pennsylvania and Nevada.
(WASHINGTON) — Just weeks before the first midterm primary elections, the Department of Education issued a “Dear Colleague” letter reminding postsecondary institutions throughout the country of their legal requirement to distribute voter registration materials and provide voter education.
The 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 began requiring colleges and universities to distribute voter registration information to all enrolled students, but according to Elizabeth Bennion, campus director of the American Democracy Project at Indiana University, South Bend — a university initiative that supports civic engagement for undergraduates — very few campuses were actually doing so.
“This is really a great time just to remind campuses of, you know, their responsibility under the Higher Education Act under federal law, as we head into the primaries and midterm elections,” said Clarissa Unger, co-founder and executive director of the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition — the largest nonpartisan coalition dedicated to increasing student voter participation.
Nonprofit coalitions like SLSV exist to serve and support universities as they fulfill their civic engagement requirement.
Katie Montgomery, director of government relations at Cuyahoga Community College, said the college prepares students for primaries by advertising a voter registration day at nearly 70 campus locations. Students are encouraged to have a “voting plan,” whether they are voting in-person, early, or on Election Day, she said.
“Once you register to vote and vote once, you’re more likely to be tagged as a likely voter in the massive databases that campaigns run and that nonprofits run,” said Adam Gismondi, director of impact at the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. “So then, you’re more likely to be contacted in future elections and reminded about your social responsibility to vote and you’re more likely to be asked for your vote by candidates. That actually perpetuates your involvement.”
The letter, issued by Michelle Asha Cooper, acting assistant secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education, strongly encourages higher education institutions to make preparations over the next several months to fulfill their legal requirement this election cycle. It also includes a clarification that federal work-study funds may be used for voter registration activities on- or off-campus.
“One of the reasons why the Department of Education issuing this letter is so important is they have the reach of all the campuses, which is over 2,000 in the whole country,” Unger said, calling it a step toward greater “equity.”
A reminder like this has not been sent out to colleges and universities since 2013, said Unger, noting her coalition has been calling for one since 2016. Instead, she said, groups like Students Learn Students Vote, a nonpartisan network focused on “student voter participation,” have been helping to educate students while some institutions themselves do not.
Part of the problem has been ambiguity. While the Higher Education Act says colleges and universities have to make a “good faith effort” to educate students, according to Unger it doesn’t specify who at a university should be responsible for handling that role. Her coalition has been pushing the Department of Education to incentivize campuses to participate and give some form of recognition to campuses that already have voter education initiatives in place, she said.
Joy Fulkerson, director of Leadership and Civic Engagement at East Tennessee State University, said the letter helps provide “encouragement” to continue doing the work.
“We’re holding regular voter registration drives and looking at our data in terms of who’s voting and who’s not, and thinking about ways in which we can engage particular populations of students,” said Fulkerson. “We’ve been out tabling and visiting organization meetings or classrooms or residence halls to really make students know about the opportunity to participate in democracy.”
Youth voter participation is generally trending upward, with 50% of young people ages 18-29 voting in the 2020 presidential election. That was an 11-point increase from 2016’s 39% youth turnout and “likely one of the highest rates of youth electoral participation since the voting age was lowered to 18,” according to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
It also estimated that voter participation among eligible young people more than doubled in midterm elections from 2014 to 2018 — increasing from 13% to 28%. Data on youth voter participation from the most recent midterm primaries is not yet available.
In addition to educating young voters, college-based voter education programs can also provide meaningful experiences for students who participate through work-study or as volunteers.
Sebastián Canales, a student advisory board member with the Campus Vote Project at Cleveland State University, which partners with the school’s Office of Civic Engagement, said being a democracy fellow with the organization has been “one of the most inspiring, motivating, life-changing experiences” that he’s had in college. As a fellow, he educates peers on registering to vote and navigating their ballots.
He cast his own first ballot in the 2016 presidential election alongside his dad, a first-time voter from Honduras who had just been granted citizenship. He said he and his father felt “lost” in the voting process, but they were able to get through it because they had each other’s support.
“My dad came from a country where voting was not necessarily encouraged, there was a lot of voter suppression, a lot of ballot-box stuffing and we would have conversations about that. He would say, ‘You know, we live in America where your voice should be heard,'” Canales said.
Dierks Bentley proved himself to be the biggest hockey fan when he managed to get his hands on the Stanley Cup — and brought it to his house.
The country star posted a video on Twitter of his kids Knox, Jordan and Evalyn coming home from school one day to find the giant silver cup sitting on the kitchen island in the family’s Nashville home.
It was a sight to behold for eight-year-old Knox, who was jumping up and down with excitement, barely able to get out the words “is this actually the Stanley Cup?,” as he screams with glee.
“Yesterday Knox came home from school thinking it was just another day… the surprise was a success! Not every day the Stanley Cup is in your house @NHL,” Dierks captions the epic moment.
Later in the video, each member of Dierks’ family answered the question “if you could eat anything out of the Stanley Cup, what would it be?” Jordan declared “ice cream,” and Knox and Evalyn both agreed, with Evalyn revealing that she would make a giant sundae with all the toppings.
“I think I’d put a big burrito in there,” Dierks shared, which was not met with approval from his children, who called the suggestion “disgusting.”
Dierks recently performed with Miranda Lambert at the NHL Stadium Series in Nashville, where the Nashville Predators faced off against Tampa Bay Lightning.
(NEW YORK) — Comedian Amy Schumer revealed Monday that she is taking the COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid as part of her overall care package as she recovers from the infection.
Paxlovid is a Food and Drug Administration-authorized treatment given as a series of pills over five days that can dramatically reduce the risk of severe illness. The U.S. government has purchased millions of doses in an effort to expand access to the drug for everyday Americans.
But in a series of social media posts, Schumer rhetorically asked if she is eligible for Paxlovid considering she is also taking the antidepressant, Lexapro. Although experts say it’s safe to take Lexapro and Paxlovid at the same time, they say Schumer’s posts raise awareness of an important issue: Paxlovid works, but it should be used with caution.
“Paxlovid is very important and has really been a game-changer as it’s the first oral antiviral that’s been authorized by our FDA and recommended by the CDC for high-risk patients with COVID 19 symptomatic infection…and has been shown to decrease hospitalization and death by close to 90%,” said Dr. Todd Ellerin, director of Infectious Disease and Chief of Medicine at South Shore Health.
But the drug shouldn’t be used at the same time as many common prescription drugs, including some medications to treat mood disorders, heart conditions, high cholesterol, hypertension, migraines and many others. A full list of drugs that can react with Paxlovid can be found on the FDA Fact Sheet.
According to Ellerin, anyone taking a prescription medication should speak to their pharmacist or doctor before taking Paxlovid.
In some circumstances, people can stop taking their existing medication for five days while they take Paxlovid. In other cases, a doctor might be able to adjust drug doses, or recommend an alternative to Paxlovid, such as Remdesivir or a monoclonal antibody to help reduce the risk of severe COVD-19.
Paxlovid contains two drugs, Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir and experts warn that Ritonavir in particular can cause unsafe reactions with a long list of medications. Paxlovid can inhibit the ability to break down other medicines within the body, leading to an unsafe buildup of those medicines when recently taken.
Ellerin says people shouldn’t feel discouraged from seeking Paxlovid to ease COVID-19 symptoms, but anyone with questions should speak to a healthcare provider first.
“Your pharmacist can be really helpful,” said Ellerin. “If they say you have to be careful with these meds, then you want to speak to your provider.”
Viva Las Vegas! Carrie Underwood returns to Las Vegas this week for her Reflectionresidency at Resorts World, and she couldn’t be more excited.
“We love it being in Vegas at Resorts World. We love this theater and have a great time on stage, and I think that’s the most important thing,” she expresses. “We’ve put a lot of hard work, a lot of love. The show is high-energy. We packed it full of hits, so hopefully people can just come and sing along to their favorite songs and just have fun. It’s Vegas, baby!”
Carrie offered a peek inside the awe-inspiring Vegas show with a performance of her latest single, “Ghost Story,” at the CMT Awards, where she transformed into an aerialist, suspended from the ceiling as she twirled in mid-air while belting out the track.
Reflection resumes on Wednesday and continues through May 21.
After two years of very few concerts, or none, the summer of 2022 has come roaring back when it comes to tours, says online ticket seller StubHub. And when it comes to the artists pop music fans most want to see on the road, Justin Bieber is tops.
According to StubHub’s annual summer tour preview, Justin Bieber is the only pop act on the website’s list of the 10 most in-demand artists this summer; he’s number four, behind country stars Morgan Wallen and Kenny Chesney, and the summer’s number-one tour: The double bill of Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe.
Unfortunately, Justin also has the highest average ticket price among pop acts: a whopping $327 per ticket. Among this year’s in-demand pop acts, Backstreet Boys have the most affordable ticket price: Just $127.
After Justin, Lady Gaga is the second-most in-demand pop act, and the number one female act overall. Backstreet Boys are number three, followed by The Weeknd.
Here’s the full top 10 list of the most in-demand artists this summer, according to StubHub:
1. Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard (36 tour dates)
2. Kenny Chesney (41 tour dates)
3. Morgan Wallen (22 tour dates)
4. Justin Bieber (12 tour dates)
5. Elton John (8 tour dates)
6. Chris Stapleton (35 tour dates)
7. Paul McCartney (6 tour dates)
8. Billy Joel (6 tour dates)
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers (14 tour dates)
10. Rage Against The Machine (14 tour dates)
As part of the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival’s “Tribeca At Home” series, the highly regarded documentary Kaepernick & America will make its debut by way of a nationwide virtual screening.
Those looking forward to watching the Don Lemon-executive produced feature, which explores the intersection between former NFL player Colin Kaepernick‘s protest and the revealing reaction it spurred across the U.S., can now purchase $15 tickets for the film premiere, scheduled for Thursday, June 9, at 6 p.m. ET.
As detailed in an official press release about the film’s virtual premiere, Kaepernick & America “will examine the man and his protest, exploring the remarkable conflict stirred by such a simple gesture,” and will include conversations with Lemon, DeRay Mckesson, Pam Oliver and more.
The documentary is co-directed by Emmy-nominated producer Tommy Walker, whose credits include Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am.
“As a Black man, the Kaepernick saga captivated me from the start. It raised so many of the core issues that Black people deal with everyday in America,” Walker said. “And yet, the experience of Blacks in America is not monolithic. While Kaepernick knelt in a football uniform in San Diego, another Black man wearing a military uniform stood nearby and proudly sang the national anthem. We are all different as are our American journeys.”
Regarding the mission of the documentary, Walker said, “The film we have made seeks to discover the parallels between the life and activism of Colin Kaepernick and the tumultuous and divisive factors that have colored America’s racial divide. It is only partly about Kaepernick, as it actually reveals more about America, the land that reacted so profoundly to such a simple gesture.”
Kaepernick & America will premiere onthe festival’s official viewing site; Tribeca At Home screenings will also be available on major streaming platforms.
If you were excited to hear the new Phoebe Bridgers song “Sidelines” in the Conversations with Friends trailer, then you and the show’s stars have something in common.
Speaking with ABC Audio, cast member Joe Alwyn shares that he thought the track was “wicked.”
“I really liked her music beforehand,” Alwyn says. “I’d heard that they were gonna ask her to do it, and so when she said yes, and when I heard the song, I loved it. I think it’s amazing.”
Alison Oliver, who plays the lead role of Frances in Conversations with Friends, adds that she’s “obsessed” with the Grammy-nominated “Kyoto” artist.
“That was so, so cool that she was gonna do it,” Oliver says. “It’s an amazing song.”
Beyond Alwyn’s love for Bridgers’ music, the two have another connection: the actor is dating Taylor Swift, with whom Bridgers collaborated on the song “Nothing New” for the pop star’s Red (Taylor’s Version) album.
Bridgers, meanwhile, is in a relationship with Paul Mescal, who starred in the show Normal People. Both Conversations with Friends and Normal People are based on novels by author Sally Rooney.
Conversations with Friends premieres on Hulu this Sunday, May 15.
Here’s some disappointing news for Journey fans planning to see one of the last few shows of the band’s current North American tour — the final four concerts have been postponed because an unspecified member of the group has tested positive for COVID-19.
The affected dates were scheduled to take place last night in Washington, D.C.; tonight in Hartford, Connecticut; this Friday, May 13, in Toronto; and this Monday, May 16, in Quecbec City, Canada.
In a message posted on their socialmediapages, Journey says, “The shows will be rescheduled for a later date, more information will be provided on the band websites shortly. Please hold on to your tickets at this time.”
The concerts in Washington, D.C.; and Hartford were to have featured Toto as the opening act, while Heart‘s Ann Wilson was to have opened the two Canadian gigs.
Journey’s Freedom Tour 2022 kicked off on February 22 in Pittsburgh, with Toto as the featured support act throughout the U.S. leg.
As previously reported, Journey will release a new studio album titled Freedom on July 8. Two advance tracks from the album have been released so far — “The Way We Used to Be” and “You Got the Best of Me,” which debuted in June 2021 and last month, respectively. You can pre-orderFreedom now.
Meanwhile, in a conversation thread on his official Facebook page, founding Journey guitarist Neal Schon revealed that a second leg of the Freedom tour is being organized and he hinted that Toto also will be involved as an opening act on the upcoming series of shows.
Journey’s touring lineup currently features Schon, longtime keyboardist/backing singer Jonathan Cain, lead singer Arnel Pineda, drummer/backing singer Deen Castronovo, keyboardist/backing vocalist Jason Derlatka, and bassist Todd Jensen.
