Biden administration’s busy week …
President Joe Biden continued his push to diversify the judiciary with four new nominees, including a Black federal prosecutor and a Muslim American, to serve as federal judges across four states … Biden also tapped former senior aviation official Michael Whitaker to head the FAA … Biden rejected conditions of a plea deal for Sept. 11 attacks defendants … And the U.S. Interior Department announced oil and gas leases cancellation plan in a federal wildlife refuge that was bought by an Alaska state development agency.
Trump allies legal woes …
Former Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro was found guilty of two counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from a House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S Capitol … Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and lawyers John Eastman and Jeffrey Clark pleaded not guilty to charges in the Georgia election subversion case and waived their formal arraignment … Rudy Giuliani also waived a formal arraignment and pleaded not guilty in the Georgia case, days after a judge ruled that he is liable for defaming two Georgia election workers in a separate case … Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, presiding over the Georgia election case, said he was “very skeptical” that Trump and 18 co-defendants could stand trial together as soon as next month.
Judge Newman’s ethics probe …
A Federal Circuit judges panel investigating the behavior of Judge Pauline Newman asked a D.C. federal court to dismiss Newman’s lawsuit challenging the probe … Newman’s lawyers on Thursday said a forensic psychiatrist’s report found that the 96-year-old judge is still fit to serve in the court.
Automakers in the hotseat …
The United Auto Workers union made a labor contract counterproposal on economic issues to Ford Motor. The next day, Ford announced that it will give UAW workers an average $4.33 an hour in additional pay under provisions of the current contract agreed to in 2019 … General Motors offered workers a 10% wage hike and two additional 3% annual lump sum payments over four years, which the UAW president said was “insulting” … Chrysler-parent Stellantis offered U.S. hourly workers a 14.5% wage hike over four years.
