Wake-Up Call: U-S Marks Anniversary of Capitol Attack

(Washington Post photo)

President Biden and members of Congress will mark the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol today. Biden will speak from Statuary Hall inside the Capitol, with White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying yesterday that he'll speak the truth about what happened and contrast that with, quote, "the lies some have spread since." There will also be a number of remembrance events during the day, but AP said while they're expected to be widely attended both in person and virtually by congressional Democrats, that most Republicans won't attend. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a moment of silence in the House, as well as a session with testimonials from members who were there that day.

Are the Capitol Police ready to thwart another attack like the Jan. 6 insurrection? Experts say major changes are underway, including better funding and communication with other law enforcement. But more systematic issues remain.https://t.co/bDamzlTAb3

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 5, 2022

➤GARLAND PROMISES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ANYONE RESPONSIBLE FOR CAPITOL ATTACK: On the day before the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Attorney General Merrick Garland yesterday promised accountability for anyone responsible for the assault, whether or not they were there in person. In a speech to Justice Department employees, Garland said, "We will follow the facts wherever they lead," stating that prosecutors were, quote, "committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law." He added, "The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last." Over the past year, more than 700 people have been arrested over the Capitol attack and 350 others are still being sought by the FBI.

➤CDC WON'T CHANGE 'FULLY VACCINATED' DEFINITION TO INCLUDE BOOSTER, URGES STAYING 'UP TO DATE': U.S. health officials said yesterday that they aren't changing the definition of being "fully vaccinated" against Covid-19 to include a booster shot. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, "Individuals are considered fully vaccinated against Covid-19 if they’ve received their primary series. That definition is not changing." So it stays either two shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or a single Johnson & Johnson shot. At the same time, health officials are urging people to get booster shots when eligible amid data on waning protection from the initial vaccinations, using the terminology of encouraging them to stay "up to date" on their protection.

Watch: Reporter tells Jen Psaki: There's a sense the country has “lost control” of the virus amid surging cases pic.twitter.com/m76Oz3wGi0

— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) January 4, 2022

 The CDC yesterday also endorsed boosters shots for children ages 12 to 15, and strengthened its previous recommendations that older teens ages 16 and 17 get it too after it was opened for them last month. The Pfizer vaccine is the only one currently approved for children of any age.

➤MAXWELL TO ASK FOR NEW TRIAL AFTER JUROR REVEALS WAS SEX ABUSE VICTIM: Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of the late Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted last week of conspiring to recruit and groom underage teen girls for him to sexually abuse, plans to ask for a new trial after a juror in the case revealed that he was a sex abuse victim. Her attorneys said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan that there should be a new trial, and late yesterday she said the request must be made by January 19th and prosecutors must respond by February 2nd. In interviews published Tuesday and yesterday by The Independent and the Daily Mail, the juror described telling his fellow jurors during deliberations that, like some of Epstein's victims, he'd been sexually abused as a child, and he said he'd convinced other jurors that a victim's imperfect memory of the abuse doesn't mean it didn't happen. Potential jurors in the case were asked if they had been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse or sexual assault. The juror reportedly said in the press reports that he didn't recall being asked if he’d been a victim of sex abuse.

🔥12 KILLED, EIGHT OF THEM CHILDREN, IN PHILADELPHIA FIRE: Twelve people were killed, eight of them children, in a fire yesterday morning at a three-story row house in Philadelphia that had been converted into two apartments, the city’s deadliest single fire in more than a century. Records show the house is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, a municipal agency that leases homes to low-income people. Fire officials said 26 people lived in the building, eight on the first floor, and 18 on the second and third floors, and that there were apparently no working smoke detectors. A spokesperson for the housing authority said they weren't aware that 26 people were living there, and were checking on how many were allowed to live in the house. The cause of the fire is being investigated. 

➤EX-PREZ CARTER WARNS U.S. ON 'BRINK OF A WIDENING ABYSS': Former President Jimmy Carter warned last night (January 5th) on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol about the political division in the country, writing in a New York Times guest essay, "Our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss. Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late." Carter urged Americans to agree on constitutional principles and norms of fairness and respect for the law, and to push for reforms to ensure accurate and accessible elections. He also called citizens to condemn violence and polarization and counter the spread of disinformation.

➤OLDEST WORLD WAR TWO U.S. VETERAN, LAWRENCE N. BROOKS, DIES AT 112: The oldest U.S. World War Two veteran, Lawrence N. Brooks, who also was believed to be the oldest man in the country, died yesterday at age 112. Brooks lived in New Orleans with his daughter, Vanessa Brooks, one of his five children. His wife, Leona, died soon after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which destroyed his home. The National World War Two Museum began throwing Brooks annual birthday parties starting with his 105th birthday. President Biden posted a video on Twitter yesterday of him calling Brooks to wish him a happy Veterans Day last year, and wrote, "He was truly the best of America."

 

➤SALES OF NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS WERE UP 290% IN 2021: It seems people were trying hard not to drink in 2021. Alcohol delivery service Drizly reports that sales of non-alcoholic spirits were up 290 percent last year. While booze-free spirits only make up 0.3 percent of the alcohol sector, non-alcoholic wine, beer, and spirits have been among the fastest-growing subcategories year-over-year in their respective categories. Millennials and Gen Zers are the ones making the most non-alcoholic spirit purchases, and they’re nearly evenly split among men and women. Right now, the most popular non-alcoholic beverages are gin alternatives, though whiskey and aperitif substitutes are also gaining traction. One potential issue, though, is that booze-free spirits cost more than the alcoholic variety. The Spirits Business reports that the average price per unit of non-alcoholic “spirits” is $28.60, while the average price of liquor is $28.10.

➤NASCAR RJECTS 'LET'S GO BRANDON' BITCOIN SPONSORHIP FOR DRIVER BRANDON BROWN:  NASCAR has rejected a "Let's Go Brandon" cryptocurrency sponsorship deal for Xfinity Series driver Brandon Brown, his team said yesterday. The meme coin "LGBcoin" refers to the phrase "Let's Go Brandon," that's become popular on the right, meant to stand for "F**k Joe Biden." Brown had announced the sponsorship deal last week, and his team, Brandonbilt Motorsports, claims NASCAR initially approved it, and is now rescinding it, accusing NASCAR leadership of trying to, quote, "gaslight" them. The Washington Post cited a NASCAR official with knowledge of the deliberations as saying the decision wasn't a reversal, but their, quote, "first and final word on the matter." The Post also reported, "NASCAR made clear during a November discussion about the potential sponsorship that it would not allow any reference or imagery based on the chant." The "Let's Go Brandon" chant started after Brown won his first career race in October and as he was being interviewed after the win, the crowd started chanting, "F**k Joe Biden," and the reporter interviewing him mistakenly said the crowd was chanting, "Let's go Brandon."

Tampa Bay Times 1/6/22

🏈BROWN SAYS HE WAS FORCED TO PLAY ON INJURED ANKLE: Antonio Brown on Wednesday addressed his walking off the sideline in the middle of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' game against the New York Jets Sunday, charging that the he was forced him to play on an injured ankle, and that head coach Bruce Arians fired him when the wide receiver told him he wasn't able to re-enter the game because of his ankle. Brown also said in his statement that an MRI Monday showed broken bone fragments, a ligament tear and cartilage loss in his ankle, calling the injuries "beyond painful." Arians told reporters Monday that Brown didn't claim he was injured when he refused to go back into the game and said he had "no clue" why Brown stripped off his pads and shirt and walked off. Brown contended that he told Arians he couldn't go in because of his ankle, stating, "He didn’t call for medical attention. Instead, he shouted at me, 'YOU’RE DONE!' while he ran his finger across his throat." He stated, "I didn’t quit. I was cut. I didn’t walk away from my brothers. I was thrown out."

🎾DJOKOVIC DENIED ENTRY TO AUSTRALIA OVER VACCINE EXEMPTION ISSUE: Novak Djokovic, the world's top-ranked men's tennis player, was denied entry to Australia yesterday and had his visa canceled ahead of the Australian Open, where he's hoping to win a record 21st Grand Slam title. The Serbian athlete was confined to a hotel room in immigration detention as he fought legally against the deportation, after Australian Border Force officials rejected his evidence to support a medical exemption from the country's strict Covid-19 vaccination rules. Djokovic had announced on social media a day earlier that he'd been given an "exemption permission" to play in the Australian Open, which begins on January 17th. Djokovic has refused to say if he's vaccinated.

🏀NETS' IRVING HAS SEASON DEBUT IN INDIANAPOLIS IN WIN OVER PACERS: Brooklyn's Kyrie Irving made his season debut in the Nets' 129-121 over the Indiana Pacers last night in Indianapolis, scoring 22 points. Because of New York City mandates, Irving can't play in home games because he's not vaccinated, and the Nets had initially decided not to allow him to play just in road games. But they changed their mind last month, a reversal that came amid an omicron-driven spike in Covid cases that has left some teams scrambling to field enough players.

🏈RODGERS BLASTS MVP VOTER WHO SAID WOULDN'T CAST BALLOT FOR HIM BECAUSE HE'S A 'JERK,' 'BAD GUY': Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who's a favorite to win his fourth NFL MVP award, yesterday blasted an MVP voter who said in a radio interview that he wouldn't vote for Rodgers because he's, quote, "a bad guy" and "the biggest jerk in the league." Hub Arkush, the editor of Pro Football Weekly, cited Rodgers' off-field behavior for his stance, in part his decision not get vaccinated against Covid. Rodgers said yesterday, "I think he's an absolute bum. He doesn't know me." He continued, "[I]f he wants to go on a crusade and collude and come up with an extra letter to put on the award just for this season and make it the Most Valuable Vaccinated Player, then he should do that." Arkush has since said he regrets saying what he did, including because he put other voters in a position to have to answer questions about their votes.

🏀MAVERICKS RETIRED NOWITZKI'S NUMBER 41: The Dallas Mavericks retired franchise great Dirk Nowitzki's Number 41 last night after the Mavs beat the Golden State Warriors 99-82. The honor came nearly three years after Nowitzki announced his retirement after a record 21 seasons with the same franchise, during which he led them to their only championship in 2011. Nowitzki, who was the 2007 NBA MVP and the 2011 Finals MVP, is sixth on the career scoring list with 31,560 points, and leads the Mavericks in career three-pointers, rebounds and blocks.