Skip to main content

Ex-Ukraine envoy interview, admissions scandal sentencing, playoff baseball: 5 things you need to know Thursday

Editors  |  Paste BN

House Dems to question former Ukraine envoy in impeachment inquiry

A former special envoy to Ukraine on Thursday is set to be the first official interviewed by House Democrats as they investigate allegations that President Donald Trump used the power of his office to seek foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election. Kurt Volker, who resigned Friday, allegedly played a central role in connecting Trump personal attorney Rudy Giuliani with Ukrainian officials. Giuliani was trying to get them to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seeking to unseat Trump in 2020. House Democrats opened an impeachment inquiry last week, focused on the "extent to which President Trump may have jeopardized national security" by pressing Ukraine to investigate Biden.

play
President Trump gets heated with Reuters reporter about Ukraine
President Trump had a heated exchange with a reporter after being asked what he wanted the Ukrainian president to do about Joe Biden and his son.
Paste BN

Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 things podcast below and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts: 

Top attorney faces sentencing in college admissions bribery

A prominent New York attorney is set to be sentenced in Boston federal court Thursday afternoon for paying $75,000 to have someone correct answers on his daughter's ACT to inflate her score. Gordon Caplan, a former partner at one of the world's largest international law firms, will become the fourth parent sentenced in the nation's college admissions scandal. Prosecutors are seeking eight months of prison, a $40,000 fine and 12 months of supervised release.Caplan's defense team has asked for no prison time, but no more than 14 days if incarceration is deemed warranted for all defendants, matching what actress Felicity Huffman got for similar actions involving test cheating.

play
How investigators say Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman gamed the system
The college admissions scam involving Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman shows how some rich families use a “side door” to game an already unfair education system.
Just the FAQs, Paste BN

Several top Democratic candidates keep campaigning as Sanders sits out

Three of the top-polling Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election will continue their campaigns with public events on Thursday, while Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will be forced to temporarily go off the road following a bit of a medical scare. Sanders had a heart procedure after suffering chest discomfort during a campaign event Tuesday in Las Vegas, a top aide confirmed. "Following medical evaluation and testing, he was found to have a blockage in one artery and two stents were successfully inserted," adviser Jeff Weaver said. Meanwhile, according to their campaign websites, on Thursday Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will host a town hall in San Diego, California Sen. Kamala Harris will host a town hall in Reno, Nevada and South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg will return to his hometown for the official opening of his campaign's city field office. Also on Wednesday, a new Monmouth University poll revealed Warren is leading the pack with former Vice President Joe Biden second and Sanders further back in third place.

'Bring Your Bible to School Day' has governor's support

A Christian group promoting Thursday as "Bring Your Bible to School Day" nationally has the enthusiastic backing of Kentucky's governor. "If you have an extra Bible, bring it and share it with somebody who doesn’t have one, who maybe has never read this book," Gov. Matt Bevin said in a video posted to social media. The Christian group Focus on the Family said more than 650,000 students participated in "Bring Your Bible to School Day" last year, when Bevin —  supporter of ACLU-opposed "Bible literacy" courses to be taught in public high schools — also promoted it.

MLB Division Series get underway

The best-of-five National League Division Series begin Thursday afternoon, with the NL East champion Atlanta Braves hosting the NL Central winner St. Louis Cardinals (5:02 p.m. ET, TBS) and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers taking on the Washington Nationals (8:37 p.m., TBS). The Dodgers had the NL's best record at 106-56 and are the league's odds-on favorite to reach the World Series for a third consecutive season. Both series play Game 2 on Friday, followed by a travel day and Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday. On Wednesday night in the American League Wild Card game, the Tampa Bay Rays smashed four home runs and beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 in Oakland. The Rays will take on the Houston Astros, who won 107 games during the regular season, in the American League Division Series.

Facebook Twitter Email