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House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has a fresh spring in his step after the Republicans defied the odds and professional political prognosticators by picking up 15 seats in the 2020 congressional elections. McCarthy, who has his eyes on the majority in November 2022, approached the 2020 congressional elections differently than Republicans in recent history have traditionally targeted congressional electoral efforts, and his moves paid off—and not only infuriated but befuddled the beltway pundit class. For the first time since 1994, in 2020 no GOP incumbent running for reelection lost. Meanwhile, McCarthy blew away fundraising records previously set by former House Speaker Paul Ryan—astonishing since he did it from the minority. Usually, House political leaders do better raising money from the majority. That’s not to mention the most significant development which is a freshman class entering Congress in 2021 that represents perhaps the most diverse in party history with the most … [Read more...] about Exclusive: After 2020 Gains, Kevin McCarthy Eyes House GOP Majority, Speaker’s Gavel in Midterms

close Video Eric Shawn: China could be in your kid's classroom Sen. Marsha Blackburn supports effort to end Beijing's 'Socialist, Marxist ideas' in schools. EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Elise Stefanik on Tuesday rolled out legislation that would limit federal funding for institutions of higher education that have partnerships with the People’s Republic of China as Republicans take aim at taxpayer money for so-called Confucius Institutes. The bill, first obtained by Fox News, is titled the "End College Chinese Communist Partnerships Act" or the "End College CCP Act." DEMS BLOCK STEFANIK AMENDMENT BARRING FUNDS TO CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE PARTNERS AFTER BIDEN NIXES TRUMP RULE The legislation would block any institution of higher education or postsecondary educational institution from receiving federal funds if it has "a contractual partnership in effect with an entity that is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Government of the People’s … [Read more...] about Stefanik proposes legislation to limit federal funding for colleges, universities with Chinese partnerships

The pandemic, social unrest, and presidential election upended life as usual in 2020. It was also an unprecedented and devastating year of violence. It is almost certain that the 2020 rise in the homicide rate will go down as the largest on record. Denver bucked the national trend but in the wrong direction. The city’s homicide rate jumped by 50% — there were 95 homicide victims last year, compared to 63 in 2019. That’s well above the 30% average rise observed by the Council on Criminal Justice in 34 large U.S. cities. Why did violence rise so dramatically in Denver? Our evidence points to a legitimacy crisis with the criminal justice system. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its cascading consequences, was no doubt important. In fact, it’s quite possible that the legitimacy crisis wouldn’t have taken hold as strongly in the pandemic’s absence. But the killing of George Floyd, which shocked the conscience of the country, had ramifications that were swift and substantial. … [Read more...] about Opinion: Understanding Denver’s devastating rise in homicides in 2020, the largest in at least 5 years

By Michael Hurley , CBS Boston BOSTON (CBS) — From the moment that Jimmy Garoppolo went down with an injury in early November, thereby ending his 2020 season, speculation ran rampant that the 49ers would be looking to move on from their high-priced young QB. The fact that the Niners could cut or trade Garoppolo this offseason without taking a big hit on their salary cap made that possibility seem realistic. READ MORE: Former State Rep. David Nangle Pleads Guilty To Fraud Charges Alas, whether it’s due to an inability to find an upgrade on the open market, or whether it’s due to an actual commitment to Garoppolo, or whether it’s due to the 49ers throwing out a big-time bluff while trying to negotiate a trade for some other quarterback currently with some other team, it seems as though San Francisco is intent on moving forward with Jimmy G. under center. 49ers GM John Lynch was asked on the “Eye Test For Two” podcast if he has any doubt that Garoppolo will be the 49ers’ … [Read more...] about Patriots QB Watch: A Jimmy Garoppolo Reunion Seems Less Likely, With GM John Lynch Committing To QB

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers For this week’s “ Don’t Dillydally ,” we’ve uncovered several items we’re sure will sell out, including a new body-care line from Jada Pinkett Smith, new colors of Away’s most popular suitcases , and limited-edition colors of Girlfriend Collective that are sure to go quickly. Hey Humans Body Wash in Apple Matcha $6 $6 Jada Pinkett-Smith can now add brand founder to her résumé. The actress and Red Table Talk host launched the personal-care brand Hey Humans, an affordable and sustainability-minded line of body-care products available exclusively at Target. The line includes a body wash, body lotion, deodorant, and two types of toothpaste (fluoride and non-fluoride). Everything is bottled in shelfie-friendly aluminum packaging and priced under $6. We’re most excited about the body wash, which contains moisturizers like jojoba oil and glycerin and comes in lush scents like rosewater ginger … [Read more...] about 6 Things That’ll Almost Definitely Sell Out: From Adidas to Away