This week was certainly a busy one. Here are some of the top news stories for the week of February 17th.
Mueller Investigation
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to deliver his report on Russian interference in the 2016 election within weeks. The investigation, which has lasted about two years, has already resulted in the indictments of dozens of people, including six former Trump campaign advisors. Once the final report is submitted it is unclear how much of it will become public. No matter what is concluded in the report, it is sure to cause a frenzy in Washington, even potentially opening Trump up to the possibility of impeachment. But it seems as though many Americans are so set on their opinions that the results won’t change many minds.
Bernie Sanders Joins the Presidential Race
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont officially declared his campaign on Tuesday. This is Sanders second consecutive presidential bid, losing the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton in 2016. His policy agenda is extremely progressive, clearly demonstrated throughout the video he released to rally support. His announcement received criticisms from many Democratic voters. Some worry that he will once again divide the voter base, others claim that there are already plenty of qualified progressives running, and the rest just think he’s too old.
National Emergency
Sixteen states have filed a lawsuit against President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency over illegal border crossings. The states, all primarily controlled by Democrats, include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia. The suit brings up questions about congressional spending and the scope of emergency powers granted to the president. Specifically, it argues that the president does not have the power to divert funds for the wall because Congress holds complete control over spending. The states claim that they are going to court to protect their residents, national resources, and economic interests.
Jussie Smollett
Empire actor Jussie Smollett has been arrested and accused of filing a false report with the Chicago Police Department. According to Smollett, two men assaulted him in a racist and homophobic attack including MAGA hats, tying a noose around his neck, and pouring a chemical substance on him. Police are saying that Smollett actually paid the two men $3,500 to stage the attack in order to advance his career. Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson claims the actor “took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.” Smollett denies playing any role in his attack. In a time when such acts are becoming more and more common, it is sadly not a farfetched notion to believe either side of the story.
In UConn News…
Everyone was excited about the new gym…until they learned how much it is going to cost them. According to spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz, undergrads will have to pay an extra $500 a year starting in Fall 2019. This is to pay for both the construction and operation of the new facility. The amount of revenue produced from the fee will depend on student population, however it is expected to generate about $10 million a year for 30 years (or $300 million). The center will cost, in total, about $75 million to construct. The majority of students had not heard of the new fee until a few days ago. Many are arguing that they should have been explicitly told before this was finalized.