Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 227

Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump’s sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters

By MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many Republican senators say they do not agree with President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon and commute sentences for more than 1,500 people who assaulted police officers, broke into the building or committed other crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol four years ago.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Estimated 24.6 million TV viewers watched inauguration coverage, smallest audience since 2013 National Politics | Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources say National Politics | Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave National Politics | Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches National Politics | Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law alleges abuse against second wife in affidavit But they aren’t pushing back on the decision.

“We’re not looking backwards, we’re looking forward,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, repeating his frequent response to questions about Trump’s promises of retribution from his first term.

Thune did not say whether he supported or opposed the pardons, which rattled many on Capitol Hill who lived through the attack and fled the mob of Trump’s supporters as they violently broke into the building and halted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.

Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said he would have preferred “a more surgical approach” to the pardons, looking at them case by case. “It’s not ideal in my mind,” Cramer said. “But I do think I understand the spirit of it, and I’m comfortable with it … hopefully we move forward now.”

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., agreed.

“It’s a hard one, because we work with them up here,” Tuberville said of the Capitol Police who were beaten by the rioters and guard lawmakers every day. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to get Jan. 6 behind us.”

Moving beyond the attack on the Capitol — and downplaying its violence — have become a central approach for congressional Republicans who have enthusiastically re-embraced Trump after his 2020 defeat and his attempts to overturn Biden’s win. And the muted GOP response to his sweeping pardons of both non-violent and violent Jan. 6 rioters was another display of their longtime strategy of praising Trump when they agree and ignoring him when they don’t.

“We’re looking forward and beyond on other policy issues,” said West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a member of Republican leadership.

The pardons, part of a flurry of executive orders on Trump’s first day in office, immediately upended what had become the largest prosecution in Justice Department history and freed criminals who brutally beat police and members of far-right extremist groups determined to stop Biden from assuming office. More than 100 police officers were injured. Some were never able to fully return to work.

Many prominent Republicans, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, had suggested that Trump would review the cases individually. But, as he had long promised, Trump’s actions were much more sweeping.

In defending Trump’s move, Republicans have also been able to point to Biden’s own flurry of preemptive pardons, including of his own family and House members who investigated the Jan. 6 attack, as he left office.

“How come everybody’s asking me about January 6th? Aren’t you going to ask me about the Biden pardons?” asked Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

“What we should be focusing on is the Biden pardons,” Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said angrily as reporters asked him about the clemency for Jan. 6 rioters.

Many Democrats said they disagreed with Biden’s actions, as well. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said that he opposed the preemptive pardons, and was frustrated that they gave Trump “an argument — even though it’s a false argument — to pardon the Jan. 6 insurrectionists as well.”

A few Republicans said they agreed with Trump.

New Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno said that he appreciates Capitol Police officers, but “nobody’s been treated worse” than the rioters. Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis said she is “so glad those people are out of jail.”

More than 200 people convicted of Jan. 6 crimes were released from federal Bureau of Prisons custody by Tuesday morning, officials told The Associated Press.

A few Republican senators said they opposed the pardons, even as they appeared resigned to the idea. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he has an “honest disagreement” with the president over pardoning violent offenders. South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds said he couldn’t defend them.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins said she had received a message from a police officer who sent her a video of his assault. “I don’t disagree with him at all,” she said. “People who committed violent crimes on January 6th, 2021, should not be pardoned.”

The pardons by both Trump and Biden “erodes public confidence,” she said.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was disappointed in the pardons, and pointed to a police officer who was guarding Republicans as they entered their weekly luncheon.

“I do fear the message that is sent to these great men and women that stood by us,” Murkowski said.

Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report.

Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources say

By ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has reassigned key senior officials across multiple divisions as part of a leadership shakeup ahead of the expected confirmation of President Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, multiple people familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Estimated 24.6 million TV viewers watched inauguration coverage, smallest audience since 2013 National Politics | Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump’s sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters National Politics | Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave National Politics | Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches National Politics | Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law alleges abuse against second wife in affidavit Among those moved to other positions inside the department is Bruce Swartz, the longtime head of the Justice Department’s office of international affairs, which handles extradition matters, according to two people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss personnel moves. As many as 20 or so officials in all have been reassigned.

Another affected official is George Toscas, a veteran deputy assistant attorney general in the department’s national security division who, in addition to helping oversee major terrorism and espionage investigations, has also been a key supervisor in politically charged probes over the last decade including into Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information and Trump’s hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The reasons for the moves were not immediately known. Though it is common for a new administration to appoint its own political hires at the top of the Justice Department, it is not standard for career lawyers to be reassigned. They serve the department across administrations and typically retain their positions even when control of the department changes hands.

The moves could foreshadow additional changes given Trump’s keen interest in the Justice Department, which investigated him in his first term through a special counsel and then indicted him twice last year in separate cases that never reached trial and were withdrawn after Trump’s November election win. A key veteran prosecutor in the classified documents case, Jay Bratt, retired earlier this month.

Trump’s fury over the investigations has raised alarms that he could seek to use the law enforcement powers of the department to pursue retaliation against his adversaries.

On his first day in office Monday, he pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, including people convicted of assaulting police officers. The reassignments were first reported by the Washington Post.

Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave

By ALEXANDRA OLSON

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is directing that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave, and that agencies develop plans to lay them off, according to a memo Tuesday from the Office of Personnel Management.

The memo follows an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs that could touch on everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners.

The memo direct agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5 p.m. Wednesday and take down all public DEI-focused webpages by the same deadline. Several federal departments had removed the webpages even before the memorandum.

By Thursday, federal agencies are directed to compile a list of federal DEI offices and workers as of Election Day. By next Friday they are expected to develop a list to execute a “reduction-in-force action” against those federal workers.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump has ordered a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs that could include everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Estimated 24.6 million TV viewers watched inauguration coverage, smallest audience since 2013 National Politics | Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump’s sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters National Politics | Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources say National Politics | Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches National Politics | Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law alleges abuse against second wife in affidavit The executive order accuses former President Joe Biden of forcing “discrimination” programs into “virtually all aspects of the federal government” through “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs, known as DEI. The order gives all federal agencies 60 days to close all offices and positions dedicated to DEI and dismantle any aspects of programs, grants and contracts related to diversity, equity or “environmental justice.”

That step is the first salvo in an aggressive campaign to upend DEI efforts nationwide, including leveraging the Justice Department and other agencies to investigate private companies pursuing training and hiring practices that conservative critics consider discriminatory against non-minority groups such as white men.

The executive order picks up where Trump’s first administration left off: One of Trump’s final acts during his first term was an executive order banning federal agency contractors and recipients of federal funding from conducting anti-bias training that addressed concepts like systemic racism. Biden promptly rescinded that order on his first day in office and issued a pair of executive orders — now rescinded — outlining a plan to promote DEI throughout the federal government.

While many changes may take months or even years to implement, Trump’s new anti-DEI agenda is more aggressive than his first and comes amid far more amenable terrain in the corporate world. Prominent companies companies from Walmart to Facebook have already scaled back or ended some of their diversity practices in response to Trump’s election and conservative-backed lawsuits against them.

Here’s a look at some of the policies and programs that Trump will aim to dismantle:

Diversity offices, training and accountability

Trump’s order will immediately gut Biden’s wide-ranging effort to embed diversity and inclusion practices in the federal workforce, the nation’s largest at about 2.4 million people.

Biden had mandated all agencies to develop a diversity plan, issue yearly progress reports and contribute data for a government-wide dashboard to track demographic trends in hiring and promotions. The administration also set up Chief Diversity Officers Council to oversee implementation of the DEI plan. The government’s released its first DEI progress report in 2022 that included demographic data for federal workforce, which is about 60% white and 55% male overall, and more than 75% white and more than 60% male at the senior executive level.

Trump’s executive order will toss out equity plans developed by federal agencies and terminate any roles or offices dedicated to promoting diversity. That will likely include eliminating initiatives such DEI-related training or diversity goals in performance reviews.

Federal grant and benefits programs

Trump’s order paves the way for an aggressive but bureaucratically complicated overhaul of billions of dollars in federal spending that conservative activists claim unfairly carve out preference for racial minorities and women.

The order does not specify which programs it will target but mandates a government-wide review to ensure that contracts and grants are compliant with the Trump’s administration anti-DEI stance. It also proposes that the federal government settle ongoing lawsuits against federal programs that benefit historically underserved communities, including some that date back decades.

Trump’s executive order is “seismic shift and a complete change in the focus and direction of the federal government,” said Dan Lennington, deputy council for the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, which has pursued several lawsuits against federal programs. The institute recently released an influential report listing dozens of programs the Trump administration should consider dismantling, such credits for minority farmers or emergency relief assistance for majority-Black neighborhoods.

He acknowledged that unwinding some entrenched programs may be difficult. For example, the Treasury Department implements housing and other assistance programs through block grants to states that have their own methods for implementing diversity criteria.

Pay equity and hiring practices

It’s not clear whether the Trump administration will target every initiative that stemmed from Biden’s DEI executive order.

For example, the Biden administration banned federal agencies from asking about an applicant’s salary history when setting compensation, a practice many civil rights activists say perpetuates pay disparities for women and people of color.

It took three years for the Biden administration to issue the final regulations, and Trump would have to embark on a similar rule-making process, including a notice and comment period, to rescind it, said Chiraag Bains, former deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under Biden and now a nonresident senior fellow with Brookings Metro.

Noreen Farrell, executive director of gender rights group Equal Rights Advocates, said that she was hopeful that the Trump administration “will not go out of its way to undo the rule,” which she said has proved popular in some state and cities that have enacted similar policies.

And Biden’s DEI plan encompassed some initiatives with bipartisan support, said Bains. For example, he tasked the Chief Diversity Officers Executive Council with expanding federal employment opportunities for those with criminal record. That initiatives stems from the Fair Chance Act, which Trump signed into law in 2019 and bans federal agencies and contractors from asking about applicants criminal history before a conditional job offer is made.

Bains said that’s what Biden’s DEI policies were about: ensuring that the federal government was structured to include historically marginalized communities, not institute “reverse discrimination against white men.”

Despite the sweeping language of Trump’s order, Farrell said “the reality of implementing such massive structural changes is far more complex.”

“Federal agencies have deeply embedded policies and procedures that can’t simply be switched off overnight,” she added.

Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches

By REBECCA SANTANA

WASHINGTON (AP) — Officers enforcing immigration laws will now be able to arrest migrants at sensitive locations like schools and churches after the Trump administration threw out policies limiting where those arrests could happen.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Estimated 24.6 million TV viewers watched inauguration coverage, smallest audience since 2013 National Politics | Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump’s sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters National Politics | Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources say National Politics | Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave National Politics | Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law alleges abuse against second wife in affidavit The move announced Tuesday reverses guidance that for over a decade has restricted two key federal immigration agencies — Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection — from carrying out immigration enforcement in sensitive locations.

“This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murderers and rapists — who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Tuesday.

The ICE guidance dates back to 2011. Customs and Border Protection issued similar guidance in 2013.

Trump has made cracking down on immigration a top priority, just as he did during his first term in the White House from 2017 to 2021. On Monday he signed a slew of executive actions that included cutting off access to an app that facilitated the entry of hundreds of thousands of migrants; suspending the refugee system; and promoting greater cooperation between ICE and local and state governments.

He has often portrayed his efforts as unleashing the ability of ICE agents and others in immigration enforcement from Biden-era guidelines that he said restricted their efforts to find and remove people who no longer have the authority to remain in the country.

The announcement Tuesday had been expected as Trump works to deliver on his campaign promise to carry out mass deportations of anyone in the country illegally. But it was still jarring for advocates who have argued that raising the prospect of deportation at churches, schools or hospitals can prevent migrants from getting medical attention or allowing their children to attend school.

“This action could have devastating consequences for immigrant families and their children, including U.S. citizen children, deterring them from receiving medical attention, seeking out disaster relief, attending school, and carrying out everyday activities,” the Center for Law and Social Policy said in a statement.

“Should ICE presence near such locations become more common, the likelihood also increases that children could witness a parent’s detention, arrest, or other encounters with ICE agents,” the organization said.

Pete Hegseth’s former sister-in-law alleges abuse against second wife in affidavit

By FARNOUSH AMIRI and TARA COPP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators vetting the nomination of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary received an affidavit Tuesday from a former sister-in-law alleging that the onetime Fox News host was abusive to his second wife, to the point where she feared for her safety. Hegseth denies the allegations.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Estimated 24.6 million TV viewers watched inauguration coverage, smallest audience since 2013 National Politics | Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump’s sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters National Politics | Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources say National Politics | Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave National Politics | Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches The sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, was formerly married to the nominee’s brother, and in an affidavit obtained by The Associated Press, she said she believes that Pete Hegseth is “unfit” to run the Defense Department based on what she witnessed and heard. She said she first relayed her allegations to the FBI in December but was concerned that the information was not shared with Congress as senators consider Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon.

The affidavit describes Hegseth’s treatment of his second wife, Samantha, and alleges repeat drunkenness and a domestic situation where Samantha Hegseth had a safe word to indicate if she was in danger at home. Danielle Hegseth said Samantha texted that safe word to her sometime in 2015 or 2016, which prompted her to call a third party for help.

“I have chosen to come forward publicly, at significant personal sacrifice, because I am deeply concerned by what Hegseth’s confirmation would mean for our military and our country,” she said.

An attorney for Pete Hegseth vehemently denied the allegations. Tim Parlatore said the affidavit was filled with “belated claims” by an ex-relative with “an axe to grind against the entire Hegseth family.”

“Sam has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview,” Parlatore said in a statement. “Belated claims by Danielle Dietrich, an anti-Trump far left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and never got along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that.”

The affidavit was filed in response to a request from Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, who said he was seeking her statement to gain “personal knowledge about Mr. Hegseth’s fitness to occupy this important position.”

In the affidavit, Danielle Hegseth says she believes Hegseth’s marriage to Samantha was abusive. She said Samantha in 2014 told her she once hid in her closet because she feared for her safety. She acknowledged she did “not personally witness physical or sexual abuse” by Pete Hegseth toward his wife.

“I believe what Samantha told me because what she told me is consistent with what I personally observed of Hegseth’s erratic and aggressive behavior over many years,” she said.

Neither Samantha Hegseth nor an attorney who represented her in divorce proceedings immediately responded to requests for comment. A lawyer for Danielle Hegseth noted that she wouldn’t be commenting further than the affidavit.

In a statement to NBC News, which first reported on the affidavit, Samantha Hegseth said there “was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision.”

Samantha Hegseth and Pete Hegseth both signed a Minnesota court document in 2021 during their divorce saying neither claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.

Republican leaders said they doubted the new allegations would change the votes of support they are lining up for Hegseth. They marched ahead with the nomination Tuesday evening, taking a key procedural step needed to confirm him by week’s end.

“Looks like a desperate ploy by Democrats who are being driven by the far left because they know that we have the votes to confirm,” said Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 GOP leader.

Asked if the new allegations changes the votes for Hegseth, he said: “No.”

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he was aware of the reported allegations and compared the situation to the claims made against Brett Kavanaugh during his own confirmation hearing, before he was eventually confirmed as a Supreme Court justice.

“I don’t really have anything to offer,” Cornyn said. “I was involved in the Kavanaugh hearings, where people came out of the closet making all sorts of false allegations.”

Questions were raised before Hegseth’s hearing last week about the scope of the FBI background check, which some said failed to include interviews with those who had raised allegations against him. Democrats pushed for a deeper FBI review that could be more broadly shared with senators.

During the hearing, Hegseth did not directly answer yes or no to questions about his drinking, instead saying the issue was part of an orchestrated smear campaign against him.

At the time, it was left to the Trump transition team to decide how much more information to pursue and share on Hegseth.

The information in the affidavit was not relayed to the leaders of the Armed Services Committee when FBI officials briefed them earlier this month on the results of Hegseth’s background check, according to a person familiar with the contents of the briefing who was granted anonymity to discuss it.

“As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation,” Reed said in a statement Tuesday. “I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms my fears.”

Hegseth was grilled by senators during his hearing about his behavior, including excessive drinking, extramarital affairs and allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied.

Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job and has denied a 2017 sex assault allegation but acknowledged paying the woman a settlement. He was going through a divorce at the time after having a child with a Fox News producer who became his current wife, according to court records and his social media posts.

In the affidavit, Danielle Hegseth also alleges that Pete Hegseth, while under the influence of alcohol and both were leaving a bar, repeatedly shouted “no means yes!”

“I took this to mean that, in his opinion, nonconsensual sex is ok,” Danielle Hegseth said in the affidavit.

AP reporters Eric Tucker and Lolita C. Baldor contributed from Washington.

Democrats struggle to pick their message against Trump’s shock-and-awe campaign

By STEVE PEOPLES

NEW YORK (AP) — Democrats knew this was coming.

Related ArticlesNational Politics | Estimated 24.6 million TV viewers watched inauguration coverage, smallest audience since 2013 National Politics | Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump’s sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters National Politics | Key career officials at Justice Department reassigned to different positions, AP sources say National Politics | Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave National Politics | Trump administration throws out policies limiting migrant arrests at sensitive spots like churches President Donald Trump promised a shock-and-awe campaign to deliver major policy victories immediately after he took office. Much of it was outlined in the Project 2025 document that Democrats predicted he would adopt.

But in the hours since Trump’s inauguration, Democrats are struggling to confront the sheer volume of executive orders, pardons, personnel changes and controversial relationships taking shape in the new administration.

In less than two days, the Republican president has moved to end diversity and inclusion programs across the federal government, withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris climate accords, blocked a federal law banning TikTok, and sought to end the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship. He has also pardoned the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and granted unprecedented access to some of the world’s richest men, raising questions about his commitment to the working-class voters who enabled his election.

Each of those actions enrages part of the Democratic base. Together, they make it difficult to formulate a response by an already fractured party.

“It is a fire hose right now. That’s what he does. He creates a ton of chaos so it’s hard to keep up with it,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who instructed her staff to track Trump’s executive orders, so her constituents could keep up. “Everything is overload.”

Democrats warn of Trump’s ‘plans to screw over America’

The Democratic National Committee, under the direction of retiring chair Jaime Harrison, has been running an active rapid response this week, issuing press releases and social media posts to push back against Trump’s actions. That stands in contrast to the party’s operation following Trump’s 2017 inauguration, which was largely dark as a far more active protest movement became the focal point of the Democratic resistance.

For now, the Democratic establishment is largely focused on the prominent role of billionaires in Trump’s nascent presidency, which follows Biden’s farewell warning about the rise of oligarchs.

The DNC shared talking points with its allies on Tuesday, encouraging them to focus on “Trump’s plans to screw over America.” Specifically, the talking points focus on the new president’s move to rescind a Biden order designed to limit the cost of prescription drugs.

The DNC guidance also seizes on ultra-wealthy tech executives like Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and Space X, and Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon and Blue Origin, who were seated in front of some of Trump’s Cabinet picks during his inauguration. On Musk, the talking points accuse him of giving multiple Nazi salutes during Trump’s inauguration parade.

Right-wing extremists are celebrating Musk’s straight-arm gesture during a speech Monday, although his intention wasn’t totally clear and some hate watchdogs are saying not to read too much into it.

The seating for some of the world’s richest men at the inauguration — with big-state governors and major allies relegated to an overflow area — initially offered Democrats an issue to rally around. Beyond the tech leaders featured at the inauguration, the Republican president has tapped more than a dozen billionaires for prominent roles.

Democratic strategist Andrew Bates, who left his job as a White House spokesman on Friday, attacked Trump’s GOP for “partying with rightwing billionaires” on their first day in control of Washington and “plotting tax welfare for the super rich” on Day 2.

“Republicans have revealed their establishment-bought true colors and are selling out every American except their well-connected donors,” Bates said.

The party remains fractured

Crockett, who has become one of her party’s most visible messengers on Capitol Hill, is concerned that the focus on billionaires might not resonate with average voters, who likely didn’t recognize Bezos or other tech executives at the inauguration.

“I’m not sure average people know that’s not normal,” Crockett said of the seating arrangement. “The brilliance of Trump, if I had to give him accolades, is that he understands how much people don’t understand.”

Even under normal circumstances, a transition to a new presidential administration would bring a flurry of executive orders and personnel changes that would be difficult to track. But little is normal about the second incarnation of President Trump, a 78-year-old term-limited outsider at the height of his political power with little regard for political norms or legal consequences.

“Everyone’s reeling and trying to process the information coming at them,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of the progressive advocacy group Our Revolution. “People are not confident that the Democratic Party knows what to do in this moment.”

Some prominent allies of the Democratic Party aren’t especially engaged either.

Billionaire businessman Mark Cuban, who was among Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ most visible surrogates last fall, downplayed the impact of Trump’s early moves when asked to weigh in.

“He hasn’t really done anything yet,” Cuban told The Associated Press. “I’ll pay attention to what he does. But my focus is figuring out healthcare rather than getting mad about what he does.”

“Just getting angry,” Cuban continued, “is not the way to go.”

Faiz Shakir, a candidate for DNC chair and a longtime ally of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, said he was shocked by the prominent placement of the billionaires in the nationally televised event, which he said threatened to undermine Trump’s popularity with working-class voters.

“He has given people a window into how he’s going to govern,” Shakir said.

Still, he acknowledged that Democrats must confront “fatigue and exhaustion” within their own ranks that lingers two months after Trump’s victory: “There’s a creeping hopelessness that needs to be fought against.”

Crockett encouraged her party to adopt a much more organized campaign to educate the public about Trump’s three most egregious moves. What are they? She’s not sure yet.

“But in my opinion, we can’t fight it all,” she said.

Segment one of FORTAG sees work in Del Rey Oaks and Seaside this week

DEL REY OAKS – Work along Highway 218, Canyon Del Rey Boulevard, through Del Rey Oaks, as well as a nearby Seaside neighborhood, continues as the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway’s first segment takes shape.

The 1.5-mile Canyon Del Rey segment, the first phase of the FORTAG project, runs from the intersection of North Fremont and Canyon Del Rey boulevards through Work Memorial and Del Rey parks, under Highway 218 — via a new roadway bridge constructed to carry vehicles using the highway — and into the corner of Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, back up to Highway 218 at Carlton Drive, and on to Plumas Avenue where it ends at Del Rey Woods Elementary School.

This week, FORTAG work on the east-west corridor that links Highway 1 and Highway 68 includes the ongoing construction on Highway 218 bridge abutment footings, wing walls and seats, according to the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, as well as the continued forming, pouring concrete, removing forms and backfilling for retaining walls and drainage systems in the Work Memorial Park area.

Workders place concrete for a retaining wall footing near the tennis courts in Del Rey Oaks as part of segment one of the Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway project. (TAMC)

Access to Work Memorial Park, the Butterfly Garden and tennis courts will be restricted during construction. The Frog Pond Wetland Preserve is closed for the remainder of stage one bridge construction and is expected to reopen in May 2025.

The portion of the Canyon Del Rey segment that runs under Highway 218 and links Work Memorial and Del Rey parks with the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, will allow hikers, cyclists and pedestrians to move freely under the roadway through a 10.5-foot-high passageway.

Work also planned for this week includes removing road striping and asphalt, grading, pouring concrete for sidewalk, curb and gutter and retaining curb along Plumas Avenue between Noche Buena and Highland streets in the city of Seaside.

Project work hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday, with some activities having further time restrictions such as no pile driving at night (when dark). The contractor’s plan is to limit most of the work between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. When needed, night work hours are 9 p.m.-6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday unless authorized for specific operations with advance notice. No nightwork is currently expected to occur during the next three weeks.

Construction of the Canyon Del Rey Segment of the FORTAG project is being done in phases and different areas of the project will be affected at different times. As the project moves forward, residents and businesses will be provided additional notifications in advance of bridge foundation work (pile driving) and work that restricts driveway access. Construction is expected to last through August 2026.

The Transportation Agency for Monterey County, the lead agency on the project, is working with Caltrans District 5, the cities of Del Rey Oaks and Seaside, and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, to complete the project.

FORTAG is proposed as an approximately 28-mile continuous 12-foot-wide paved bicycle and pedestrian trail with an open-space buffer on both sides. The Fort Ord Regional Trail and Greenway will connect to the existing Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail and will provide connections to unpaved trails in the Fort Ord National Monument, says TAMC.

The northern loop of FORTAG encircles Marina, following a 13-mile route that includes 3 miles of the existing Coastal Rec Trail. The southern loop of FORTAG encircles Seaside and bisects Del Rey Oaks, following a 15- mile route that includes 4 miles of the existing coastal trail system. The route includes spurs connecting with existing and planned bike/pedestrian infrastructure. Several sections of the paved trail will link to nearby unpaved trails.

For information about the FORTAG project or to sign up for updates, visit https://www.tamcmonterey.org/fort-ord..., or email 79829@ publicinput.com.

Surefire Hall of Famer Ichiro was an A’s killer and made All-Star Game history in SF

Bob Melvin was in his second year as manager of the Seattle Mariners when he realized the brilliance of Ichiro Suzuki was borne of a meticulous daily regimen.

Reporters from two continents were flocking to see the Japanese outfielder chase the all-time major league hits record of 257 set by George Sisler, a standard that had been set 84 years earlier.

“His routine and preparation before the game never changes,” Melvin told reporters. “His disposition during games is the same whether he has one hit or five. After every at-bat, he’ll duck into the video room to watch how the pitcher pitched him, how the catcher set up. He wants to know if the pitch was where the catcher called for it. That gives him an idea how they’re trying to pitch him.”

Pitchers never did figure it out. Ichiro — he’s been on a first-name basis with Major League Baseball since signing in November of 2000 and becoming the first Japanese-born position player in the league — is expected to be announced as an inductee Tuesday night into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It’s possible Ichiro could become just the second unanimous selection ever, joining the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera.

Ichiro broke Sisler’s single-season hit record in 2004 with 262, his third season after signing a three-year contract with the Mariners worth $14 million at age 27. By then, Ichiro had already amassed 1,278 hits and hit .353 in nine seasons with the Orix Blue Wave of the Japan Pacific League, winning seven consecutive batting titles in the process.

In his first season in 2001, Ichiro earned the American League Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards, hitting .350 with 242 hits as the Mariners won 116 regular-season games. He won the A.L. batting title and fielded his position flawlessly with precision and a powerful throwing arm.

By the time Ichiro retired in 2019 at age 45, he played 19 seasons for the Mariners, New York Yankees (2013-15), Miami Marlins (2016-17) and then Seattle again for the first two games of 2019 — against the A’s in Tokyo.

Ichiro finished with 3,089 hits, a .311 batting average, 117 home runs and several highlight moments in the Bay Area. In particular, Ichiro feasted on A’s pitching at the Coliseum. In 113 games in Oakland, Ichiro hit .354 (168-for-475) with two homers and 39 RBIs. The hit total is his most in any stadium except then-Safeco Field in Seattle. His overall batting average against the A’s was .324 with 320 hits in 987 at-bats.

Melvin, now manager of the Giants, was one of four A’s managers Ichiro would face, with the others being Ken Macha, Bob Geren and Art Howe.

Against the Giants, Ichiro hit .207 in 33 games (18-for-87) overall and just .067 (1-for-15) in San Francisco, although one of his signature moments came at then-AT&T Park in the 2007 All-Star Game.

Some key moments from Ichiro’s career that had Bay Area ties:

The first hit: April 2, 2001

Ichiro’s first MLB at-bat was in Seattle against the A’s. He grounded out to second baseman Jose Ortiz against Tim Hudson. In the seventh, against reliever T.J. Mathews, Ichiro grounded a single to center. He finished 2-for-5 and had a bunt single against Jim Mecir, who threw the ball away with Ichiro going to second. Seattle beat the A’s 5-4.

First hit in Oakland: April 10, 2001

Facing A’s pitcher Mark Guthrie, Ichiro lined a single to center on a 2-0 count with two outs to drive in a run as Seattle beat the A’s 5-1 before 14,480 fans.

The throw: April 11, 2001

Before a crowd of 16,652, Ichiro showed off his throwing arm. Leading the A’s 3-0 in the eighth, pinch hitter Ramon Hernandez singled to right with Terrence Long on first base. By the time Long reached third base, Ichiro had unleashed a strike to David Bell to get Long. “It was going to take a perfect throw to get me. And it was a perfect throw,” Long said. Said the A’s Eric Chavez: “Terrence was a pretty fast runner, but Ichiro came up with a hose. It was his ‘Here I am’ moment as an outfielder.” Ichiro finished his career with 123 outfield assists, 100 of them as a right fielder.

First homer in Oakland: June 6, 2002

With a crowd of 27,344 barely settled into their seats, Ichiro hit the first pitch he saw into the right field seats to lead off the game against Barry Zito. The Athletics would go on to win 10-4. Ichiro would hit three of his 117 career home runs against Zito, the most he had against any A’s pitcher.

First hit against the Giants: June 16, 2006

Leading off the game at Safeco Field against Giants’ left-hander Noah Lowery, Ichiro hit an 0-1 pitch for a home run to right field. He finished 2-for-4 and the Mariners won 5-4. Barry Bonds homered for the Giants.

File photoIchiro Suzuki is greeted by American League teammates after an inside-the-park home run at AT&T Park in San Francisco in 2007.

All-Star Game history: July 6, 2007

AT&T Park played host to the 78th All-Star Game. Ichiro, starting in center field and leading off, singled off Jake Peavy to open the game. He added a single to left against Ben Sheets in the third inning. In the top of the fifth against Chris Young, Ichiro hit a drive to right that caromed off the fence and rolled away from Cincinnati’s Ken Griffey Jr., a former teammate in Seattle. Ichiro scored standing up for the first and only inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history. The American League won 5-4 and Ichiro was named MVP.

The 2,000th hit: Sept. 6, 2009

Ichiro opened the game with a double against left-hander Gio Gonzalez for the 2,000th hit of his career in a 5-2 loss in Oakland. He hit .500 (15-for-30) in seven games at the Coliseum in 2009, a season in which he lost time due to an ulcer.

Passing Edgar Martinez: April 2, 2011

Ichiro broke the Seattle franchise hit record of Edgar Martinez with 2,248 in a 5-2 win over the A’s at the Coliseum. Ten years to the day after his first big league hit against the A’s, Ichiro hit an infield single that drove in the lead run in the ninth against Brian Fuentes. He had an estimated 694 infield hits in his career.

Yankee in Oakland: June 13, 2013

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Traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for a pair of minor league pitchers, Ichiro played his first series in Oakland in another uniform. He went 2-for-4 in the second of a three-game series as the A’s won 5-2.

Finale in Tokyo: March 21-22, 2019

Finishing his career in Seattle, Ichiro plays the final two games of his career as the Mariners open the season against the A’s in the Tokyo Dome before a crowd of sold-out crowds exceeding 45,000 for each game. Ichiro was 0-for-5 in the two games. His final at-bat is a ground out to second against Lou Trivino in a 5-4 win. Ichiro is removed in the bottom of the eighth inning to a standing ovation at age 45.

Horoscopes Jan. 21, 2025: Emma Bunton, live within your budget

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Booboo Stewart, 31; Ashton Eaton, 37; Emma Bunton, 49; Geena Davis, 69.

[image error] Geena Davis

Happy Birthday: Live within your budget. Stay informed and only change what’s necessary. Put your time and energy into learning, not into arguing or ignoring the truth. Set off on a path that helps reduce doubt, overhead and liabilities, and before you know it, you will enhance your lifestyle and attract better health, wealth and relationships. Pick up skills, knowledge and experiences that bring you joy. Your numbers are 3, 11, 18, 24, 32, 41, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Compromising yourself to help pay for someone else’s mistake will adversely affect your emotional well-being. Instead, volunteer to help a cause you believe in, and you’ll feel grateful and blessed to be able to give back to your community. The experience will renew your faith in humanity. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Pay attention to what’s happening at home. Revisit unfinished business, and budget for the things that make you happy. Rearrange your space to help improve your production, comfort and convenience. Refuse to let stubbornness or jealousy cloud your vision. Focus on what you do best instead of trying to outdo others. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’ll tend to exaggerate, fall victim to temptation and get involved with the wrong crowd. Take a moment to consider the outcome and redirect your energy into learning something that will help you get ahead. Picking up skills or a certification to do or teach something you enjoy will pay off. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Make your move. Hesitation is the enemy. Let your creativity shine through, and your energy will push you to succeed. A change will encourage personal and financial growth, as well as a lively encounter with someone special. Emotional spending and indulgent behavior will be your downfall. Know when to say no. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Face whatever comes your way head-on. The longer you let situations fester, the more difficult they will become. Relationship problems will mount if you don’t hit the reset button to inject positive change. Keep an open mind, curb your anger and meet in the middle. 2 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Set priorities and eliminate what irks you. Pay more attention to and spend more time with the people you feel share your concerns. Attend gatherings and open discussions that allow you to voice your opinion, and you’ll gain ground and respect and find your way forward. Romance and partnerships look promising. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll face opposition if you try to change something that will affect others. To gain approval, create a solid plan with incentives that make it easier for everyone to accept, allowing you to turn what you want into a reality. A positive approach will turn you into an influencer. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Attend functions of interest, reunions or activities that allow you to blow off steam. Your actions will set the mood and help create opportunities to explore new friendships, possibilities and lifestyle changes you crave. Don’t be shy when interacting; follow your heart and discover the route to happiness. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stick to whatever brings in the most cash and spares you from spending on things you don’t need. Look for opportunities that help you feel good about yourself, what you do and how you present yourself to others. Call the shots instead of letting others dictate what you do next. 4 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Constructive and productive tasks are vital in finding your way today. Concentrate on what you can accomplish by using your time, money and skills precisely; you will be happy with the results and prospects. A commitment or joint venture can stand the test of time. A self-improvement project will pay off. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Consider the possibilities and do your best not to sabotage your efforts to succeed. Anger and misreading the room are your nemeses today, so take a moment to collect your thoughts before you blurt out something you cannot take back. Change and progress are achievable using common sense and solid strategy. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Simplify, budget and enforce practicality into whatever you do, and success will follow. Your imagination, talent and energy will turn you into a strong contender and the go-to person in your circle. Refuse to let emotions throw you off your game. Play to win and lead the way. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are articulate, helpful and ambitious. You are energetic and temperamental.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

Trump grants sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 defendants, including rioters who violently attacked police

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, including people convicted of assaulting police officers, using his clemency powers on his first day back in office to undo the massive prosecution of the unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy.

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Trump’s action, just hours after his return to the White House on Monday, paves the way for the release from prison of people found guilty of violent attacks on police, as well as leaders of far-right extremist groups convicted of failed plots to keep the Republican in power after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden.

The pardons are a culmination of Trump’s yearslong campaign to rewrite the history of the Jan. 6 attack, which left more than 100 police officers injured as the angry mob of Trump supporters — some armed with poles, bats and bear spray — overwhelmed law enforcement, shattered windows and sent lawmakers and aides running into hiding. While pardons were expected, the speed and the scope of the clemency amounted to a stunning dismantling of the Justice Department’s effort to hold participants accountable over what has been described as one of the darkest days in the country’s history.

Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek the dismissal of roughly 450 cases that are pending before judges stemming from the largest investigation in Justice Department history.

Casting the rioters as “patriots” and “hostages,” Trump has claimed they were unfairly treated by the Justice Department, which also charged him with federal crimes in two cases he contends were politically motivated. Trump said the pardons will end “a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years” and begin “a process of national reconciliation.”

The pardons were met with elation from Trump supporters and lawyers for the Jan. 6 defendants. Trump supporters gathered late Monday in the cold outside the Washington jail, where more than a dozen defendants were being held before the pardons.

“We are deeply thankful for President Trump for his actions today,” said James Lee Bright, an attorney who represented Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was serving an 18-year prison sentence after being convicted of seditious conspiracy and other crimes.

Supporters of President Donald Trump gather outside the DC Central Detention Facility, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

It’s unclear how quickly the defendants may be released from prison. An attorney for Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys national chairman who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, said he expected his client to be released from prison Monday night.

“This marks a pivotal moment in our client’s life, and it symbolizes a turning point for our nation,” attorney Nayib Hassan said in a statement. “We are optimistic for the future, as we now turn the page on this chapter, embracing new possibilities and opportunities.”

Democrats slammed the move to extend the pardons to violent rioters, many of whose crimes were captured on camera and broadcast on live TV. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it “an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution.”

“Donald Trump is ushering in a Golden Age for people that break the law and attempt to overthrow the government,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in an emailed statement.

Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who lost consciousness and suffered a heart attack after a rioter shocked him with a stun gun, appeared taken aback to learn from an Associated Press reporter that those who assaulted police officers are among the pardon recipients.

“This is what the American people voted for,” he said. “How do you react to something like that?”

Fanone said he has spent the past four years worried about his safety and the well-being of his family. Pardoning his assailants only compounds his fears, he said.

“I think they’re cowards,” he said. “Their strength was in their numbers and the mob mentality. And as individuals, they are who they are.”

Trump had suggested in the weeks leading up to his return to the White House that instead of blanket pardons, he would look at the Jan. 6 defendants on a case-by-case basis. And Vice President JD Vance had said just days ago that people responsible for the violence during the Capitol riot “obviously” should not be pardoned.

Fourteen defendants, including several convicted of seditious conspiracy, had their sentences commuted, while the rest of those found guilty of Jan. 6 crimes were granted “full, complete and unconditional” pardons.

The pardons come weeks after the Justice Department abandoned its two federal criminal cases against Trump, citing its policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Had Trump lost the 2024 election, he may have ultimately stood trial on charges in the same federal courthouse in Washington in the case that had accused him of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in a desperate bid to cling to power.

More than 1,200 people across the U.S. had been convicted of Jan. 6 crimes over the last four years, including roughly 200 people who pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement.

Hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants who didn’t engage in any of the violence and destruction were charged with misdemeanor trespassing offenses, and many of those served little to no time behind bars.

But the violence that day has been documented extensively through videos, testimony and other evidence seen by judges and jurors in the courthouse that its within view of the Capitol.

Police were dragged into the crowd and beaten. Rioters used makeshift weapons to attack police, including flagpoles, a crutch and a hockey stick. Investigators documented a number of firearms in the crowd, along with knives, a pitchfork, a tomahawk ax, brass knuckle gloves and other weapons. Officers have described in testimony fearing for their lives as members of the mob hurled insults and obscenities at them.

Of the more than 1,500 people charged, about 250 people were convicted of crimes by a judge or a jury after a trial, while more than 1,000 others had pleaded guilty to offenses. Only two people were acquitted of all charges by judges after bench trials. No jury has fully acquitted a Capitol riot defendant.

More than 1,000 rioters had been sentenced, with over 700 receiving at least some time behind bars. The rest were given some combination of probation, community service, home detention or fines.

This story has been corrected to reflect that not all of the defendants who had sentences commuted were convicted of seditious conspiracy.