A lot of this week’s stories are continuations of long-term topics we’ve been hearing about for some time–making it feel like Groundhog Day came a little late this month. Needless to say, this isn’t the first time we’ve been trapped in a news story, and it won’t be the last time either. But on the plus side, the NNR will be in Punxsutawney for the duration.
Standard standing reminders still apply: I may be starting a seventh year of journalism, but I summarize news within my areas of expertise. NNR summaries often contain some detailed analysis that’s outside my expertise–I’m a lawyer, not a discovery document!–but all offroad adventures are marked with an asterisk. And, of course, for the things that are within my lane, I’m offering context that shouldn’t be considered legal advice. Okay, I think that’s about it for the disclaimers. Onward to the news!
Cleanup in Aisle 45:
Most of this week’s Election Rejection news focuses on the investigation from Georgia, but there were a handful of other Trump updates as well. Here’s what I have for you:
- Court Doc Discoveries. The judge presiding over the GA election grand jury investigation ordered the release of some of their documents on Thursday, which is how we learned the grand jury believed that some witnesses perjured themselves during said investigation. Consequently, the they recommended multiple indictments, though the mostly-sealed records mean we still are missing a lot of details. Meanwhile, Fox News was in the hot seat after the Dominion lawsuit against them revealed that the network knew full well there was no election fraud–even as they aired segments claiming otherwise.
The main story in Biden Rebuilding involves the war in Ukraine. Here’s what has happened:
- Biden Time in Ukraine. President Biden went on an unannounced trip to Kyiv this week, days after his Vice President Kamala Harris called out Russia for war crimes against humanity. In response, Putin announced today that he will pull Russia out of its current nuclear arms détente with the US, a program called New START. Biden addressed Warsaw today in response, stressing that Russian aggression cannot be left unchallenged. Both sides are doubling down in part because we’re nearing one year of war in Ukraine, as the conflict officially began on February 24, 2022.
Your New Normal:
- COVID Costs. A lot of advocates, including myself, are currently very concerned about what COVID vaccines will cost after the public health emergency ends on May 12. We saw a bit of promising news on that front this week, as Moderna walked back its initial threat to charge $110-130 for its vaccine. The change was probably related to Bernie Sanders threatening a hearing about it, but frankly I’ll still take it.
The Bad:
- Care of a Statesman. Pennsylvania senator John Fetterman was hospitalized this week, apparently due to depressive symptoms that have worsened in recent weeks. Though Fox News was predictably catty, prominent Democrats have praised Fetterman for being transparent and seeking the care he needs through a brief medical leave. Several outlets have noted that depression is common for stroke survivors, which may be why his symptoms have worsened in recent weeks. That said, after three years of pandemic, studies show that depression is common for everybody, and will probably remain so for the foreseeable future. I hope that Senator Fetterman is getting the care he needs, and I also hope that this type of story becomes more normalized over time.
The Good:
- Paving the Way for Narcan Access. An FDA panel recommended this week that Narcan, a nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdoses, be made available for over-the-counter use. Though most states do make the treatment available without prescription in some contexts, obtaining it still generally requires interaction with a pharmacist. Given the stigma associated with overdose, which may prevent some people from wanting to approach a pharmacist about it, an over-the-counter determination would likely save lives. The change still needs to be cleared by the whole FDA, but this is a big step and I’m really excited about it.
So that’s all the news I have for this week, and I’m sorry, I cannot adjust the Internet to improve quality. For making it through, you deserve this fastidious greyhound and a more functional government. I’ll be back next week with more restructured and improved news, and I hope you will be back as well–but in the meantime, feel free to ping the National News Roundup ask box, which is there for your constructive comments. Send me questions! Send me feedback! Send me thoughts on what you’d do if you had to relive the same day indefinitely!
National News Roundup 