aacj

Walz Abandons Reelection Bid as Minnesota Fraud Probes Deepen; Trump Administration Freezes $10 Billion in Aid to Five Democratic States

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday he will not seek a third term, citing the need to focus on governing as federal investigators expand probes into alleged pandemic-era fraud in child-care and nutrition programs that have already produced dozens of indictments. The decision came amid renewed scrutiny following viral videos alleging sham child-care centers and a federal pause on child-care funding to the state pending stronger verification safeguards. The Trump administration announced plans to freeze approximately $10 billion in funding for child care subsidies, social services and cash assistance programs in Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois and Colorado, claiming widespread fraud in those Democratic-controlled states. The funding cuts would affect roughly $7 billion in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families payments, $2.4 billion for the Child Care Development Fund and $870 million in social services grants.

Citizen Journal / NYT

Minnesota Fraud Cases Signal Broader Pandemic-Era Losses as Watchdogs Estimate Hundreds of Billions Stolen Nationwide

Federal watchdogs and prosecutors say Minnesota's fraud investigations—including the Feeding Our Future case alleging theft of more than $240 million—represent just one part of a nationwide pattern of abuse tied to the rapid expansion of pandemic relief programs between 2020 and 2021. The Government Accountability Office has documented more than $300 billion in fraudulent payments across unemployment insurance and Small Business Administration loan programs alone, while some analysts estimate total pandemic fraud losses could range from hundreds of billions to roughly $1 trillion of the $6 trillion in emergency aid authorized during the crisis.

Citizen Journal

CDC Slashes Childhood Vaccine Recommendations From 17 to 11 Diseases Under Kennedy's Direction

Federal health officials announced Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has dramatically revised its childhood immunization schedule, reducing the number of diseases covered by routine vaccinations from 17 to 11 in what represents the most significant change to federal vaccine policy under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While states retain authority to mandate vaccinations, CDC recommendations heavily influence state regulations, and Kennedy—a longtime advocate for reducing the number of shots children receive—has now implemented changes with far broader impact than earlier adjustments to the schedule.

NYT

Nineteen States Raise Minimum Wages, Lifting Pay for 8.3 Million Workers as $15 Floor Becomes National Norm

Nineteen states increased their minimum wage at the start of January through inflation adjustments, new legislation or voter-approved ballot measures, with Washington state adopting the nation's highest rate at $17.13 per hour and Hawaii implementing the largest single jump at $2 to reach $16 per hour. For the first time, more American workers now live in states paying $15 or higher per hour than in states maintaining the federal minimum of $7.25, according to the Economic Policy Institute, as Missouri and Nebraska joined the $15 tier following voter-passed initiatives.

WSJ

CIA Assessment Backed Maduro Loyalists for Venezuelan Transition, Influencing Trump's Decision to Sideline Opposition

A classified CIA assessment briefed to President Trump concluded that top members of Nicolás Maduro's regime—including Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—were best positioned to lead a temporary Venezuelan government and maintain stability following the U.S. military operation that captured the autocrat last week. The intelligence analysis was a factor in Trump's decision to support regime loyalists rather than opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, reflecting his belief that near-term stability required backing from Venezuela's armed forces and political elites.

WSJ

January 6 1838: Samuel Morse unveils the telegraph, revolutionizing communication

Morse convinced Congress to fund a Washington–Baltimore telegraph line in 1843 and sent the first official telegram in May 1844: “What hath God wrought!”. Private firms rapidly expanded networks; Western Union completed the first U.S. transcontinental line in 1861, a permanent transatlantic line followed in 1866, and by century’s end telegraph systems spanned Africa, Asia, and Australia.

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Greg Loving