Benjamin L. Hooks, Civil Rights Leader, Dies At 85

Massimo Calabresi speaks with CNN's Jake Tapper

Cannabis advocates in Colorado cheered the Biden Administration’s reported move to reclassify marijuana and said the decision likely would reduce businesses’ tax burden significantly. Industry leaders cautioned that such a move — if finalized — would not resolve some major challenges facing the industry, such as limited access to banking. But they pointed to the symbolic importance of preparations by the U.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem will headline a fundraising dinner for the Jefferson County Republican Party on Saturday despite backlash over a section in her soon-to-be-released book where she describes killing her dog over behavioral problems. The anecdote from Noem’s new book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” was first reported last week by The Guardian. Noem took her 14-month-old wirehaird pointer, Cricket, on a hunting trip with older dogs to try to calm the dog down, according to the Associated Press. But when Cricket killed some chickens during a stop on the return trip and tried to bite Noem, Noem took Cricket to a gravel pit and killed her. The incident took place 20 years ago, but Noem’s retelling sparked criticism from Republicans, Democrats and dog experts alike, the Associated Press reported. Noem addressed the backlash in a post on social media site X, stating the decision was difficult but she has “never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle.” Noem was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota in 2018 and “is on President Trump’s short list for Vice President,” organizers wrote on an event page. The $150-per-person fundraiser is set for 6 p.m.

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign criticized Donald Trump on Tuesday for saying that, if elected, he would close an office in the White House tasked with making sure the country is better prepared for the next pandemic. In an interview with TIME published Tuesday, Trump said he would disband the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR), which opened last summer after Congress approved a bill in 2022 with bipartisan support to mandate its creation.

The Denver City Council has approved a $30 million contract with ASM Global to manage stagehand staffing at Red Rocks and other city venues after discussing concerns about the company’s compliance with city wage laws. That unanimous vote was taken Monday after some council members warned that they planned to keep an eye on ASM and other city contractors to ensure those companies adhere to local wage rules. Councilwoman Sarah Parady, a labor attorney, postponed a final vote on the contract at the council’s April 22 meeting and then called it out for comments before the final vote.

The New York judge presiding over former U. S. President Donald Trump's trial for allegedly falsifying business records on Tuesday held the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee in criminal contempt for repeatedly violating a gag order, fined him $9,000, and threatened to jail him if he does it again. Judge Juan Merchan ordered Trump to pay $1,000 for each violation of the gag order and directed him to remove eight offending social media posts. "Defendant violated the order by making social media posts about known witnesses pertaining to their participation in this criminal proceeding and by making public statements about jurors in this criminal proceeding," Merchan wrote in his 8-page decision. Trump is "hereby warned that the court will not tolerate continued willfull violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment," the judge added. Note: Judge Merchan warns Trump that if he continues to violate the order, the Court “will impose an incarceratory punishment.” pic.twitter.com/psvkiOwNWxread more