— Pedro Pascal, after winning a SAG Award for “The Last of Us.” Suck it, Kieran Culkin.
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The NRA
The Story
A jury found the National Rifle Association (NRA) and its former CEO liable in a civil corruption trial.
Catch me up.
In 2020, the New York Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against the NRA, a nonprofit organization, alleging its executives used the organization as a personal piggy bank. That includes former CEO Wayne LaPierre, who led the NRA from 1991 until earlier this year when he resigned. LaPierre allegedly used NRA cash to spend more than $270,000 on luxury suits, reportedly more than $5,000 at an Italian restaurant over 15 days, and about $800 on mosquito control for his home. Now, a jury has found the NRA liable for financial mismanagement and ordered LaPierre and another former senior executive to pay a combined $6.35 million. But the verdict arrives as the NRA faces even larger problems.
Explain.
The NRA has long been one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the US — often pushing to expand gun rights. However, the association’s power and influence has weakened over the years amid an epidemic of mass shootings. There have been more than 50 mass shootings in the first seven weeks of 2024, per the Gun Violence Archive. Meanwhile, one poll found that nearly 60% of American adults want stricter gun laws. The NRA has seen things like a decrease in revenue, contributions, and grants. Fewer and fewer people are also signing up for an NRA card, as smaller gun rights groups expand. The NRA, which has seen infighting amid the allegations against LaPierre, now says it was “victimized by certain former vendors and ‘insiders’ who abused the trust placed in them.”
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For years, the NRA has been credited with making gun rights a key political issue for the right. This case may indicate how much power and influence the organization has lost over the years.
Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley's. Over the weekend, Haley lost the GOP presidential primaryin her home state of South Carolina,where she served as governor for six years. Haley lost by about 20 pointsto former President Trump, who has swept all the Republican contests so far. The result is amplifying the question: Why is Haley staying in the GOP race? After her loss in South Carolina, Haley said she’s staying in the race to give voters “the right to a real choice, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate.”Haley has vowed to keep campaigning through Super Tuesday. She’s likely to suffer another loss before then, with Michigan's Democratic and Republican presidential primaries happening tomorrow.For his part, Trump says he’s “never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now.”
What could bring people with food allergies some relief…
A drug that reduces the risk of allergic reactions.A new study, published yesterday, foundthatXolairdecreased therisk of life-threatening allergic reactions (like anaphylaxis) in people with multiple food allergies.In the trial,patients who received Xolairtolerated trace amounts of food they were allergic to — including peanuts, cashews, eggs, and milk.Xolair has been on the market for two decadesto treat allergic asthma. But following the trial, the FDA made the drug availableto those with food allergies who are one year or older.Now, the drug could offer a layer of safety for millions of people and children with food allergies in case of accidental exposure. Experts warn people should still avoid foods that can trigger a reaction, since the drug is only effective against small amounts of an allergen.
Who's got all eyes on them...
The Supremes. Today, the Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in a pair of cases that could transform free speechon social media platforms likeFacebookandX. In 2021, Texas and Florida each passed a law aiming to restrict how social media companies moderate content. The laws were in response to concerns that platforms were censoring conservative political views — an allegation that one report found to be false. But the tech industry says the laws infringe on their First Amendment rights to publish what’s on their platforms. Now, it’s time for the high court to weigh in. A decision is expected in June.
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