OPINION: Time to Finally Hold Donald Trump Accountable. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland reiterated recently that “no person is above the law in this country…I can’t say it any more clearly than that. There is nothing in the principles of prosecution and any other factors which prevent us from investigating anyone – anyone – who is criminally responsible for an attempt to undo a democratic election.” To date, the mob that stormed the Capitol have been and continues to be held accountable. We believe the Jan. 6 committee has provided evidence the former President played a significant role that day and one that should be adjudicated in a courtroom. It is time that those attacked that day—U.S. Capitol police officers—have their day in court for the man who approved of and then waited 187 minutes to stop the mob that stormed Congress that day: Donald J. Trump. North-JerseyNews.com
Lawmakers on the Jan. 6 House select committee are continuing to expand their probe ahead of more hearings in September, as they review more information and new witnesses testify behind closed doors on Capitol Hill. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), the panel’s vice chair, said the committee has a number of new interviews lined up next, including with additional members of former President Donald Trump’s cabinet and his campaign. “Certainly we’re very focused as well on the Secret Service and on interviewing additional members of the Secret Service and collecting additional information from them,” Cheney said. The Wall Street Journal
A network of conservative activists fixated on the idea that Donald J. Trump won the 2020 election is working to recruit county sheriffs to investigate elections based on the false notion that voter fraud is widespread. One of the conservative sheriffs’ groups, Protect America Now, lists about 70 members, and the other, the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, does not list its membership but says it conducted trainings on various issues for about 300 of the nation’s roughly 3,000 sheriffs in recent years. It is unclear how many sheriffs will ultimately wade into election matters. Many aligned with the groups are from small, rural counties. The New York Times
Rep. Mikie Sherrill last week saw first hand how the Russians are not keeping their word in an international accord less than 24 hours it agreed to one. Sherrill was part of a bipartisan Congressional Delegation (CODEL) visit to Ukraine and was meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the day after Turkey brokered a deal between Ukraine and Russia July 22 securing the transit of millions of tons of grain through Black Sea routes that was disrupted after Russia struck a key port city. “(Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war is contributing to surging global prices that Americans are feeling at the grocery store and the gas pump,” Sherrill said. “This trip reaffirmed what we all know to be true—the Ukrainian people have shown bravery and resolve second to none, despite atrocities committed by the Russian military and a looming food crisis.” North-JerseyNews.com
Ukraine is pressing ahead with its plan to resume grain exports across the Black Sea, a government official said on July 25, in the face of a Russian missile attack on the port of Odesa that raised doubts about the viability of an international agreement aimed at easing a global food shortage. A growing Ukrainian counteroffensive aimed at retaking territory in another coastal province, Kherson, risks further complicating the grain export plan. In a sign of the intensification of fighting in the south, Ukraine ordered the evacuation of residents from Shevchenkove, a village they control near the frontline in Mykolaiv Province, the Mykolaiv city council said on Monday. The residents were ordered to go to Odesa. The New York Times
The U.S. Senate is set to vote on July 25 to advance a far-reaching $280 billion package of subsidies and research funding to shore up U.S. competitiveness in advanced technology supported by Sen. Bob Menendez. The bill combines about $52 billion in subsidy funding to boost semiconductor production in the U.S., along with about $24 billion in advanced manufacturing tax credits that would also support the industry. The package would authorize about $200 billion in spending, mainly for federally backed scientific research over the next decade, fund about $1.5 billion for next-generation wireless research and establish new long-term policies for the nation’s space program. The Wall Street Journal
Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a bill that will require statewide police licensing under the Police Training Commission. Among the qualifications now to be an officer in New Jersey are passing a psychological examination; maintaining post-academy and ongoing professional training requirements; and not engaging in conduct including social media posts or being an acting member of violent groups. “This police licensing program will, formally and finally, recognize all who serve in law enforcement in our state as the specially trained and highly skilled professional they are,” said Murphy at a signing ceremony July 21 in Secaucus. North-JerseyNews.com
A conference of delegates from police unions throughout Passaic County voted overwhelmingly to give a thumbs-down to longtime Prosecutor Camelia Valdes and demand her resignation. In their letter, conference members said Valdes has ineffectively staffed her office, devoted resources to investigating her own officers while neglecting criminal investigations and demonstrated “little concern for the effective administration of her duties….Her lack of leadership has crippled our ability to effectively provide law enforcement services to the residents of our communities, and we call for her immediate resignation.” The Record
New Jersey’s public preschools and child care programs will soon get an infusion of cash to upgrade infrastructure and add or improve programs, receiving a one-time boost of $198 million in COVID relief funds from the American Rescue Plan and another $68 million from state coffers. The state’s funds will be divided, with $40 million going to 40 school districts to improve or create preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-old children and $27.6 million to adding new seats to existing preschool programs. The $40 million will be further broken down as the Economic Development Authority will offer $12.5 million in grants to small-business associations to provide employees with child care benefits and $28 million toward programming for infants and toddlers under the state’s “Thriving by Three” program to expand existing facilities and startup costs for child care. The Daily Record
For the third time since the pandemic hit in March 2020, New Jersey’s public schools will conduct testing in the Fall to assess students’ academic standing. School districts will be required to administer the state-run “Start Strong” testing between Aug. 31 and Sept. 30, the state Department of Education informed them last week. Designed as “snapshots” to assess gaps in learning early in the school year following disruptions from the pandemic, the Start Strong tests were optional for school districts in the Fall of 2020 when many were still operating remotely. Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration made the tests a requirement in 2021 and now again for 2022. New Jersey Herald
A prohibition on the altering of election results could be law in New Jersey, if State Sen. Joseph Cryan (D-20) gets his way. Cryan said he will introduce a bill that prohibits New Jersey Legislature from solely altering conduct or outcome of any election. “After following the hearings of the Select Committee on the January 6 attack (on the U.S. Capitol) and witnessing the potentially election-altering decisions coming from (the Supreme Court), I will be introducing this bill at the next legislative quorum,” said Cryan. New Jersey Globe
A member of Cedar Grove’s school board criticized for her role in distributing a gender identity survey to students last year could face a recall election after residents collected thousands of signatures on a petition for her ouster. Christine Dye, who has served on the Essex County district’s board of education for 11 years, including five years as president, is the target of the recall. Dye was board president when the pre-K-12 school district administered a survey last Spring that asked students as young as 9 about gender identity and other issues without first asking parents if they wanted to opt-in. NJ.com
Bayonne City Council has introduced new rules concerning public comment. Speakers will be limited to five minutes per resident and can only comment at in-person meetings. City Council President Gary La Pelusa said these changes were made in an effort to “better organize the city council meetings,” aimed to help create a “kinder, gentler” council moving into the future. A digital timer will sit on the dais, with La Pelusa controlling it with a remote control. Hudson Reporter
Ronald S. Dancer, a thoughtful and effective assemblyman from Ocean County for nearly 20 years, has died after a long illness at the age of 73. A conservative Republican from the 12th Legislative District, Dancer had earned respect and admiration from colleagues on both sides of the aisle. A horse breeder and trainer, Dancer began his political career in 1989, when he ran in a special election convention for State Assembly in the old 9th district after Assemblyman John Hendrickson resigned to take a job at the Department of Community Affairs. Gov. Pull Murphy ordered flags at half staff after his passing in his honor. New Jersey Globe
And finally…Severe thunderstorms with gusty winds today are set to bring New Jerseyans heat wave relief. NJ.com
