Month: November 2021

The murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse began Monday with the start of jury selection, however the process of selecting 12 impartial jurors could be difficult due to the high-profile nature of the case.

Rittenhouse shot two men dead and injured a third, during anti-racism protests in Kenosha, Wis., last year, Demonstrators were protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake in August 2020 when the then-17-year-old Rittenhouse shot and killed Anthony Huber, 26, and Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, now 27. He faces charges of criminal homicide for the deaths. Defense attorneys argue that he fired his assault-style rifle in self-defense. Now 18 years old, Rittenhouse has been free since he posted $2 million in bail a year ago. He has pleaded not guilty to felony homicide and misdemeanor charges.

Rittenhouse was arrested a day after the shootings and was indicted as an adult on charges of being a fugitive from justice. Since then, he’s been charged with five felonies, including first-degree intentional homicide, first degree reckless homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. Other charges include misdemeanor possession of a dangerous weapon under the age of 18 and non-criminal violation of failure to comply with an emergency order.  In his defense, Rittenhouse’s attorney has argued that he left his home across the border in Illinois and traveled to Kenosha to protect businesses during the protests. fearing for his life.

Editorial credit: Aaron of L.A. Photography / Shutterstock.com

On Monday, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said he will continue to withhold his support for a $1.75 trillion social spending package backed by President Joe Biden and Democratic progressives. Manchin diminished hopes that he would support Biden’s historic ‘Build Back Better’ social safety net plan during a Capitol Hill press conference.

Manchin told reporters: “As more of the real details outlined in the basic framework are released, what I see are shell games and budget gimmicks that make the real cost of this so-called $1.75 trillion dollar bill estimated to be twice as high if the programs are extended or made permanent.”  The votes of Democratic holdouts Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are necessary to move the spending bill through the Senate on a 50-50 vote via the filibuster-proof budget reconciliation process. A standoff has developed between Manchin and progressives in the House Democratic caucus, who are holding up the passage of a companion $1 trillion, bipartisan infrastructure bill which Manchin helped negotiate with Senate Republicans.

The president on Thursday announced a “framework” agreement on the re0conciliation bill, which has been greatly pared down due to Manchin’s concerns about its size, however the West Virginia senator remained insistent Monday that the bill is still too big: “Simply put, I will not support a bill that is this consequential without thoroughly understanding the impact that it will have on our national debt, our economy and most importantly all of our American people. The political games have to stop. Holding this [infrastructure] bill hostage is not going to work in getting my support for the reconciliation bill.”

Editorial credit: Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com