In a heated stance on Capitol Hill, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) has positioned herself against H.R. 9495, the “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.”
The bill seeks to strip tax-exempt status from nonprofits allegedly involved in terror funding. Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, and other progressives argue the bill grants unchecked power to the Treasury to label any organization as “terrorist-supporting” without the need for transparent evidence, posing what they see as a potential clampdown on freedom of speech.
laib has voiced sharp opposition to H.R. 9495, claiming it opens the door for the incoming Trump administration to target nonprofits under the guise of combating terrorism. Critics argue that this bill could unfairly impact organizations that engage in legitimate humanitarian and social justice efforts.
Tlaib contends that the legislation is a dangerous step toward authoritarianism, giving the Treasury unprecedented control without requiring concrete proof or due process.
Supporters of the bill argue that stronger measures are necessary to prevent foreign funding from fueling extremist groups within U.S. borders. However, Tlaib and others warn that it could result in a witch hunt, stifling organizations advocating for marginalized communities, environmental protections, and reproductive rights. Click here to read more.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have their work cut out for them.
The pair is heading up the meme-worthy Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), part of President-elect Donald Trump’s effort to slash the federal bureaucracy and runaway spending.
Both entrepreneurs have said they’ll take an aggressive approach with the project, and there is no shortage of places they could start.
The government spends $6.75 trillion a year. Already this year, federal spending has increased by $114 billion. Within that massive amount is a seemingly never-ending list of eyebrow-raising expenditures.
Around $900 billion in wasted taxpayer dollars were counted last year in Senator Rand Paul’s (R-KY) “Festivus Report,” his annual tally of government waste that highlights glaring and often humorous examples.
Among the bigger expenses, in fiscal year 2023, the Treasury spent $659 billion on just the interest on the national debt, much of that borrowed from China, the report noted.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) spent $200 million on pandemic support to “small business” artists that ended up including big names like Usher, Nickelback, Post Malone, Chris Brown, Smashing Pumpkins, and Lil Wayne, the report said. Click here to read more.
A key deadline has passed in the $1 billion realtor settlement, but it is still possible to claim a share of the payout.
The real estate industry was hit by its biggest shakeup in a century in August, when the agent commission system was overturned after a series of lawsuits against major brokerages.
Before August 17, an agent working on behalf of a seller would charge their client a fee of around 5 to 6 percent, which would then be shared with the buyer's agent.
hese fees became baked into house prices, helping to inflate values, and some realtors would push buyers toward homes with larger commissions.
The lawsuits argued the practice violated antitrust laws by allowing brokers to collude in order to raise commission prices, and the brokerages agreed to settle.
Anyone who sold a home during a specific date range and paid commission to a real estate agent is eligible for a payout. Here are the key dates to know. Click here to read more.
WASHINGTON STATE — Eight people in Washington are sick after a multistate outbreak of E. coli linked to multiple brands of recalled organic whole-bagged carrots and baby carrots.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) said the outbreak is linked to recalled organic whole-bagged carrots and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms.
As of Nov. 17, 2024, 39 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli have been reported from 18 states. Eight of those infected are in Washington.
According to the CDC, illnesses started on dates ranging from Sept. 6, 2024 to Oct. 28, 2024.
15 people have been hospitalized and one person has died in California.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli,” the CDC said on their website.
Grimmway Farms recalled multiple sizes and brands of bagged organic baby and whole carrots on Nov. 16: Click here to read more.
WYANDOTTE, Mich. — On a day that could have ended with a 49-year-old Allen Park woman being the hero, it actually concluded with her spending the night in the Wyandotte city jail.
The incident started around 11:30 a.m. Nov. 8 when an 84-year-old woman from Trenton was out walking her dog, which she had just picked up from the groomers. Wyandotte Police Chief Archie Hamilton said it’s suspected the groomers or the elderly dog owner did not fasten the dog’s harness tight enough.
When she went to take her pet for a walk at Bishop Park in Wyandotte, the dog broke free and jumped into the river. Nearby, a 49-year-old woman from Allen Park came to the rescue and jumped into the river in an attempt to save the dog, which she ultimately was successful in doing.
The Wyandotte Fire Department arrived on the scene, lowered a ladder into the water, returned the dog to the elderly woman and then helped the “hero” to climb out of the water too.
“This is when things get atypical,” Hamilton said. “The officer right away, just to do his basic report, he asked the woman for her name, if she has any identification, anything like that, just so he can note it down because she did a fantastic job.”
The woman refused to give her name to the police and was not cooperative. As the conversation went on, the officer noticed that the woman was highly intoxicated, Hamilton said. Click here to read more.
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