5 things you need to know Monday
1. Ted Cruz is first high-profile Republican to announce he's running for president
Ted Cruz announced Monday via Twitter that he will seek the presidency, with a campaign that aims to energize the Tea Party and socially conservative wings. Cruz, the first Republican to declare his candidacy, is set to deliver formal remarks Monday morning from Liberty University. He's just starting the third year of his first Senate term and at age 44, he is an undisputed leader of the Tea Party movement, known for his brash, uncompromising style and conservative beliefs that target both President Obama as well as his fellow Republicans. Here are 6 things to know about Cruz as he launches his 2016 bid.
2. Police to release report of alleged U.Va. rape
The Charlottesville Police Department will release the results of an investigation into an alleged sexual assault at the University of Virginia that was reported in Rolling Stone magazine in fall 2014. In a statement on its website, the department said it will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Monday and would not release any information before their announcement. The Rolling Stone piece, A Rape on Campus, detailed a female student's gruesome tale of a three-hour gang rape by seven men at Phi Kappa Psi fraternity's chapter house in 2012. But a Washington Post article found discrepancies in the story, which led to an investigation into the alleged assault by Charlottesville police.
3. Corden takes 'Late Late Show' seat
James Corden is the new host of CBS' The Late Late Show (premiering Monday, 12:37 a.m. ET/PT) — despite the fact that most Americans don't know who he is. Corden comes to late-night television with an enviable entertainment résumé: a 2012 Tony Award for his Broadway performance in One Man, Two Guvnors; feature-film roles (Into the Woods, Begin Again); British TV awards; recognition by the queen (Order of the British Empire); and a big fan following in the United Kingdom for shows including The Wrong Mans. Despite such accomplishments, he's aware many Americans don't know him. "Most people. Pretty much everyone. Everybody," he says, escalating. "That's going to take a bit of time, because the very nature of these shows is that they're bred on familiarity."
4. Supreme Court to take up case of Confederate flag license plates
Drive across the vast expanse of Texas and you're liable to see license plates celebrating everything from Dr. Pepper and Mighty Fine Burgers to Horned Lizards and Wild Turkeys. Nothing is more popular in one of the nation's most conservative states, however, than the U.S. military and its veterans. No fewer than 92 of its 385 specialty plates honor their service. But when it came to adding a 93rd such license plate — one commemorating Confederate soldiers —Texas balked. Its refusal, following objections raised by residents who equate the Confederate flag with slavery and oppression, will be taken up Monday by the Supreme Court.
5. Darren Sharper reaches plea deal on rape charges
Former NFL star Darren Sharper is expected to serve several more years behind bars after reaching a plea agreement that could resolve all nine rape charges against him in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Tempe, Ariz. The terms of the plea deal are expected to be revealed in court Monday in Los Angeles, where he is expected to enter a guilty plea. In exchange for the guilty plea, he is likely to receive a multiyear prison sentence — a stunning turn of events for a popular former player who allegedly became a serial rapist just a few years after he won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints in 2010.
Bonus: It's National Puppy Day! Celebrate the magic of your puppy and share a pic with us. Don't have a puppy? It's the perfect day to adopt.
And, the essentials:
Weather: It looks like it will be a soggy day for much of country.
Stocks: U.S. stock futures were lower Monday.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Eloise and Castle.
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