Kristi Noem: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who catapulted to prominence when she revealed that she deliberately shot and killed her 14-month-old dog, has been selected by Donald Trump to be the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for his administration. Among the agencies that fall under Homeland Security are Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Secret Service. Noem said she killed her dog because it wasn’t behaving like the hunting dog she wanted.
Lee Zeldin: Donald Trump has selected former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for his administration. Zeldin, who represented part of Long Island, ran against Kathy Hochul for governor and was defeated by her. In Congress, Zeldin opposed legislation designed to combat climate change. He promises that as head of the EPA he’ll help the auto and oil and gas industries. Environmental groups say he is unqualified to lead the EPA.
Recess appointments: Donald Trump has made a move designed to neutralize the Senate’s Constitutional power to advise and consent on presidential nominations. Trump has told Republicans in the Senate that whoever they select as Senate Majority Leader must agree to immediately put the Senate into recess so that he can make recess appointments of people to jobs in his administration. Appointments made when the Senate is in recess cannot be rejected by the Senate, giving the president dictatorial power to decide who holds various jobs.
Nonprofits: Republicans in the House are pushing legislation that would give Donald Trump sweeping new powers to go after nonprofit organizations that he considers to be his enemies. Under the legislation, if there’s an organization that Trump doesn’t like he can direct his Secretary of the Treasury to declare that the nonprofit is an organization that supports terrorism. That would allow the government to revoke its nonprofit status. There’s also a Senate version of the bill has been in committee. The ACLU says the legislation would stifle dissent and chill advocacy.
China attack: Police in China say that at least 35 people were killed and more than 40 injured when a 62-year old man deliberately drove his car into a crowd outside of the Zhuhai Sports Center. The man then stabbed himself with a knife while still in his car. He was hospitalized in a coma. Chinese President Xi said that the man should be severely punished. While a motive for the attack was not immediately known, the man was reported to have been upset due to a divorce.
Chris Wallace: Chris Wallace has announced that he’s leaving CNN at the expiration of his three-year contract with the news network. Wallace, who is 77 years old, is the son of former CBS News legend Mike Wallace. Chris Wallace had been with Fox News and before Fox with NBC before joining CNN. Wallace said that he looks forward to taking some time off and may do something in podcasting or internet streaming.
