June 27, 2016

A watchdog is accusing federal environmental stewards of granting preferential treatment to a corporate fundraiser. Japanese carmaker Subaru was given special permission last year to shutdown parts of Shenandoah National Park, the group says, to shoot an advertisement using unmanned aerial vehicles—activities that are prohibited by the US National Park Service (NPS). Records obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) show that an exemption was granted to Subaru after the company became a sponsor of the upcoming NPS Centennial celebrations. The festivities are set…

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The Supreme Court decided in a 5-3 vote on Monday to strike down a Texas law that imposed strict regulations on abortion clinics. Justice Breyer, writing for the majority, said the 2013 legislation, HB2, violated the Bill of Rights by failing the “undue burden” test. The precedent had been delivered in an opinion written in 1992 by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy, a Reagan-appointee, again voted on Monday to uphold access to abortion. The other conservative justices on the bench dissented in unison. “We conclude that neither of…

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Treasury Secretary Jack Lew urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to advance legislation required to avoid an immediate deepening of the financial crisis in Puerto Rico. Lew told McConnell on Monday that “the Senate should take up the matter immediately,” noting the island has $2 billion in debt payments due Friday. “In the event of default, and if creditor lawsuits are successful, a judge could immediately order Puerto Rico to pay creditors over essential services such as health, education, and public safety,” Lew warned.…

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