[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
GOOD MORNING
I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI
IT’S WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2025
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND’S CLOSING IN.. BUT ON THE HILL.. A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK
SPEAKER JOHNSON ‘S PUSHING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BUDGET.. TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE
PLUS NEW FALLOUT FOR ANDREW CUOMO-
A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IS NOW UNDERWAY.. TIED TO HIS TIME AS new york GOVERNOR, covid response…AND NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HE KNEW.
AND THINKING ABOUT A COVID SHOT THIS YEAR?
THE FDA JUST CHANGED THE RULES.. AND MOST PEOPLE WON’T BE ABLE JUST TO BOOK IT AND GET IT
… UNLESS YOU’RE IN A SELECT GROUP.
L3: HOUSE PANEL MEETS OVERNIGHT ON TRUMP’S MASSIVE SPENDING BILL
WITH PRESSURE MOUNTING.. AND A FLOOR VOTE LOOMING, HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE STILL WRESTLING WITH THE FINAL SHAPE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MASSIVE AGENDA BILL
… AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING
THE HOUSE RULES COMMITTEE MET OVERNIGHT — KICKING OFF JUST AFTER 1 A-M … TO TRY TO HAMMER OUT A DEAL..
IT’S THE LAST STOP BEFORE A FULL HOUSE FOR A VOTE.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST STICKING POINTS?
THE STATE AND LOCAL TAX DEDUCTION… KNOWN AS SALT
REPUBLICAN LEADERS ARE WEIGHING A PLAN TO RAISE THE CAP FROM 10-THOUSAND TO 40-THOUSAND FOR HOUSEHOLDS MAKING UNDER 500-THOUSAND- A-YEAR. BUT CONSERVATIVES CALL IT A GIVEAWAY TO BLUE STATES WHERE TAXES ARE HIGH … AND THEY’RE PUSHING BACK.
THIS ALL FOLLOWS DONALD TRUMP’S VISIT TO CAPITOL HILL YESTERDAY TRYING TO RALLY REPUBLICANS BEHIND WHAT HE’S CALLING HIS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.
DESPITE THE REPORTED PUSH BACK FROM SOME REPUBLICANS, THE PRESIDENT REMAINED UPBEAT AFTER THE MEETING.
“I THINK IT WAS A REALLY GREAT. THAT WAS A MEETING OF LOVE. LET ME TELL YOU, THAT WAS LOVE IN THAT ROOM. THERE WAS NO SHOUTING. I THINK IT WAS A MEETING OF LOVE. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WHERE SOME PEOPLE FELT A LITTLE BIT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, NOT A BIG DEAL.
REPUBLICANS WILL NEED NEARLY FULL UNITY TO PUSH THE BILL THROUGH… WHICH INCLUDES SWEEPING TAX CUTS AND DEEP CUTS TO MEDICAID, FOOD STAMPS, AND GREEN ENERGY PROGRAMS.
ALL DEMOCRATS ARE EXPECTED TO OPPOSE THE LEGISLATION.
L3 JUSTICE DEPT. INVESTIGATING FORMER NEW YORK GOV. ANDREW CUOMO
NEW THIS MORNING-
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS NOW INVESTIGATING FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO… JUST AS HE LEADS THE RACE FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR
THE NEW YORK TIMES FIRST REPORTED ON THE PROBE…
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARE DIGGING INTO WHETHER CUOMO LIED TO CONGRESS ABOUT HOW HIS TEAM HANDLED NURSING HOME DEATHS DURING COVID.
AT ISSUE: A 2020 STATE REPORT THAT UNDERCOUNTED DEATHS BY NEARLY A HALF.
CUOMO SAYS THE ACCUSATIONS ARE QUOTE “LAWFARE AND ELECTION INTERFERENCE” — PURE POLITICS FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, JUST WEEKS AFTER THEY DROPPED A CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST CHIEF RIVAL, MAYOR ERIC ADAMS.
HOWEVER, THE GROUP VOICES FOR SENIORS APPLAUDED THE INVESTIGATION. THEY SAY AS GOVERNOR, CUOMO SENT THOUSANDS OF COVID POSITIVE PATIENTS BACK INTO NURSING HOMES WHERE ELDERLY RESIDENTS THEN DIED OF THE VIRUS.
THEY SAY THE PROBE IS LONG OVERDUE .. AND THEIR LOVED ONES DIED NEEDLESSLY.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ISN’T COMMENTING ON THE INVESTIGATION.
L3: POPE LEO XIV HOLDS FIRST WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE
POPE LEO THE 14TH DELIVERED HIS FIRST WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE IN SAINT PETER’S SQUARE THIS MORNING.
THE GENERAL AUDIENCE IS A LONGSTANDING TRADITION… A CHANCE FOR THE NEW PONTIFF TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO PILGRIMS AND VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
THE ADDRESS FOLLOWS A HIGH-PROFILE MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK BETWEEN POPE LEO, VICE PRESIDENT J-D VANCE, AND SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO.. HELD AT THE VATICAN
WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PUSHING FOR A CEASEFIRE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE, THE VATICAN HAS OFFERED TO HOST PEACE TALKS … AND TO SUPPORT HUMANITARIAN RELIEF EFFORTS.
SINCE HIS ELECTION EARLIER THIS MONTH, POPE LEO HAS CALLED FOR “EVERY EFFORT” TO BE END THE WAR IN UKRAINE.
L3: TRUMP ANNOUNCES $175 BILLION ‘GOLDEN DOME’ MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS ROLLING OUT WHAT HE CALLS A “GAME-CHANGER” IN NATIONAL DEFENSE
… A $175 BILLION MISSILE SHIELD CALLED THE GOLDEN DOME.
THE PLAN?
HUNDREDS OF SATELLITES AND LAUNCH PLATFORMS DESIGNED TO SPOT AND SHOOT DOWN ENEMY MISSILES
…EVEN FROM SPACE.
UNVEILING THE PLANS FROM THE OVAL OFFICE YESTERDAY, the PRESIDENT SAYS THE U.S. WILL BE PROTECTED LIKE NEVER BEFORE… SAYING HE’S CONFIDENT IT CAN BE UP AND RUNNING IN ABOUT THREE YEARS
:55 it should be fully operational by the end of my term, so we’ll have it done in about 3 years… oc: even if they are launched from space
BUT CRITICS ARE ALREADY RAISING RED FLAGS.
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE SAYS THE LONG-TERM PRICE TAG COULD HIT MORE THAN $500 BILLION
… AND SOME DEFENSE ANALYSTS SAY THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THERE YET.
L3: FDA TO LIMIT COVID-19 SHOTS TO THOSE 65 AND OLDER, AT-RISK GROUPS
THE FDA IS TIGHTENING ITS APPROACH TO COVID-19 VACCINES.. SAYING DRUGMAKERS WILL NOW NEED TO CONDUCT NEW CLINICAL TRIALS BEFORE TEH SHOTS CAN BE APPROVED FOR MOST AMERICANS.
UNDER THE NEW PLAN, UPDATED VACCINES WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE THIS FALL, BUT ONLY FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK.
THE CHANGE COMES AMID GROWING PUBLIC SKEPTICISM ABOUT VACCINE SAFETY.. AND A SHIFTING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY ROBERT KENNEDY JR. BOTH OPPOSING FUTURE MANDATES.
OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW RULES ARE DESIGNED TO RESTORE TRUST AND ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, WHILE STILL PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE.
THE NEXT ROUND OF VACCINES IS EXPECTED TO TARGET THE LATEST VARIANTS.. AND COULD BE READY BY SEPTEMBER
L3: Norm from ‘Cheers’ Dies
HEARTS ARE HEAVY THIS MORNING AT THE PLACE WHERE *** EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME”.
GEORGE WENDT DIED ON TUESDAY. HE PLAYED THE ROLE OF NORM PETERSON ON THE SIT-COM CHEERS, FOR 11 YEARS. IT CENTERED AROUND BAR IN BOSTON WHERE HARD WORKING FRIENDS GOT TOGETHER EVERY DAY AFTER WORK FOR A COUPLE OF BEERS, LAUGHS AND SOLVING LIFE’S PROBLEMS AND BOY WAS IT FUNNY.
HE WAS PRETTY MUCH THE GUY AT THE END OF THE BAR THAT YOU COULD COUNT ON FOR A ONE-LINER, THAT TRUSTY UNCLE TYPE WHO ALWAYS HAD A LAUGH, A QUIP OR A LIGHT-HEARTED JOKE TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD.
HE GARNERED SIX EMMY NOMINATIONS. TRIBUTES ARE COMING IN. TED DANSON WHO PLAYED SAM THE BARTENDER TOLD THE NEW YORK POST, HE IS DEVASTATED AND THAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET OVER.
RHEA PEARLMAN WHO PLAYED CARLA, CALLED HIM THE SWEETEST, KINDEST MAN SHE EVER MET, THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO LIKE HIM.
HIS FAMILY SAYS WENDT DIED PEACEFULLY IN HIS SLEEP IN LOS ANGELES. HE WAS 76.
L3: UNBIASED UPDATES: DAY, MONTH DATE, YEAR
THESE ARE YOUR UNBIASED UPDATES FOR THIS _______.
WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.
FOR ALL OF US HERE AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS — I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI. HAVE A GREAT DAY!
