National
Classified documents found by the FBI
By Jakob Nacanaynay
On Aug. 8, 2022, the FBI raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. searching for classified documents as part of a criminal investigation. As per the Presidential Records Act, Trump was required to return all classified documents when he left office in January 2021. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) noticed documents were missing and for months sent requests for the return of missing documents. In mid-January 2022, Trump returned 15 boxes of documents, which included classified information such as correspondence with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. On Feb. 9, NARA sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ) over classified documents. Several meetings and claims by people familiar with the material raised concerns that classified documents were still being held at Mar-a-Lago. On May 12, the DOJ issued a subpoena to Trump for missing documents. In June, Trump’s attorneys sent a signed declaration to the DOJ claiming they had searched for and returned all classified documents.
The DOJ and FBI obtained a search warrant under probable cause for the Mar-a-Lago estate from Judge Bruce Reinhart, who was notably appointed by Trump, and with approval from Attorney General Marrick Garland.
As of writing, the DOJ is still reviewing documents obtained in the search. According to newly released court documents, more than 11,000 records were found with 18 labeled “top secret,” 54 labeled “secret” and 31 labeled “classified.”
Trump could be charged with violation of the Espionage Act for retaining classified documents and mishandling documents. While Trump asserts that his actions were legal since he “declassified” all the documents, due to the nature of some of the records, he did not have the legal authority to do so. Whether Attorney General Garland will press charges is still questionable given the highly political and volatile nature of the case.
U.S. acts on economic crisis
By Jakob Nacanaynay
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Aug. 16, 2022. The law includes a slew of measures meant to address a range of issues from prescription drug pricing to energy – all part of Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda. An estimated $369 billion will be poured into fighting climate change, the largest climate investment in U.S. history.
Measures under the new law according to the summary on Congress.gov include, but are not limited to, the following:
- A 15% minimum annual income tax on corporations with over $1 billion in income.
- Excise tax of 1% on stock buybacks.
- IRS funding totalling $80 billion over the next 10 years for services and enforcement.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) may negotiate the price of certain prescription drugs, starting in 2026 with 10 then increasing to 20 in 2029 onward.
- A cap on the cost of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare recipients.
- A $4,000 out-of-pocket cap for Medicare recipients by 2024, $2,000 in 2025 (adjusted for inflation).
- Free vaccines for Medicare recipients.
- Tax credits for renewable energy sources and other related investments.
The name “Inflation Reduction Act” seems to be misleading. In an analysis sent by Congressional Budget Office (CBO) director Phillip L. Swagel to Senate Committee on the Budget Ranking Member Lindsey Graham and Chair Bernie Sanders, the estimated effect on inflation would be “negligible,” ranging from -0.1% to +0.1% by 2023.
However, other CBO reports estimate the plan will help reduce the national deficit by over $300 billion in 2031, the largest portion of which, over $287 billion, due to CMS being able to negotiate drug pricing. IRS enforcement and the new Corporate Minimum Tax is expected to bring in another $300 billion.
State
Rising cases of new virus sprout concern
By Rachel Davis
The monkeypox virus has been spreading throughout the country since May 18, and with medical care still recovering from rises in COVID cases, the public has been overwhelmed by the new virus. On Aug. 19, King County officially declared a public health emergency over the rise of cases in its own county, now having 375 cases, while Snohomish County has 16 as of Sept. 2. Overall, Washington state has seen over double the monkeypox cases in comparison to two weeks ago, going from 166 confirmed cases to 474. In order to combat the spread, the state is prioritizing monkeypox vaccines to those at the highest risk.
School lunch prices return
By Terina Papatu
When Washington schools returned to in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year, the state ensured students with economic difficulties due to the pandemic would be fed with the Community Eligibility Provision Program (CEP), which provided free meals to students thanks to the passed House Bill 1878 and COVID waivers. With this change, over 20 million more meals were served in Washington schools and 1,200 schools were able to join the CEP. But now as the 2022-2023 school year begins, the COVID waivers expire and students will have to begin paying for meals again.
Local
Summer heat hits Washington
By Rachel Davis
The halfway mark of August tends to represent the end of hot and dry weather, but this summer the heat seems to never end. With the exception of the first week of June, this summer the state has only seen about 47% of the usual rainfall, likely due to a drought. But as the last week of August passed by, the temperature has dropped from the regular mid-80s F to a comfortable mid-70s F, along with the lows getting lower. Clouds can also be seen starting to make their way into the sky, allowing for the air to start cooling without constant exposure to the sun.
Public transit free for students
By Terina Papatu
Starting Sept. 1, everyone under the age of 18 in the Puget Sound area is able to use public transit, including riding the light rail and ferry, for free with a youth ORCA card. Passed by the Senate and signed by Gov. Jay Inslee at the end of March 2022, the Move Ahead Washington bill is a funding package for transportation in the state of Washington. In section 211, the bill states that for transit agencies to receive a grant of $33 million, they must submit documentation of youth being fare-free by Oct. 1, 2022.
Social Media
Andrew Tate banned across the internet
By Kaylee Miyamoto
Andrew Tate, a controversial online personality, has racked up attention from millions of online users in the past couple weeks, only to be banned on all major social media platforms. The former kickboxing influencer had gained up to 4.7 million followers on Instagram, according to the BBC, before being taken down, known for expressing controversial, misogynistic views. Banned on Aug. 22 on Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram, TikTok and YouTube soon followed citing a violation of community guidelines. Recently, Tate has posted a close to hour-long video on Vimeo titled “Final Message” addressing his controversy and denying claims of being harmful.
