January 1, Obama’s Former Ethics Chief Slams Hunter Biden’s Art Grift

Greetings Americans,

President Joe Biden’s son Hunter is selling his art for exorbitant prices to anonymous buyers. Walter Shaub, former Office of Government Ethics director during the Obama administration, had some unflattering words regarding Hunter Biden’s lucrative art sales. “The notion of a president’s son capitalizing on that relationship by selling art at obviously inflated prices and keeping the public in the dark about who’s funneling money to him has a shameful and grifty feel to it,” Shaub said on Monday.

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA in a compensation battle with college athletes. The Court decided that the NCAA can’t enforce rules that limit education-related benefits that colleges offer to student-athletes, i.e. paid internships and computers. “It is our hope that this victory in the battle for college athletes’ rights will carry on a wave of justice uplifting further aspects of athlete compensation,” said Steve Berman, an attorney for the former student-athletes.

If you were planning on leaving the country, you may have to postpone your plans. The US extended covid-19 restrictions for non-essential travel to Canada and Mexico. “To reduce the spread of #COVID19, the United States is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through July 21, while ensuring access for essential trade & travel,” said the Department of Homeland Security via Twitter.

In California, hundreds of firefighters are battling to contain a wildfire that began near Big Sur last week. More than 2,400 acres have burned since the fire started on Thursday. Over 400 firefighters are on the task, which remained at 0% containment as of Monday morning. The cause of the fire is currently still under investigation.

In financial news, the stock market has recouped some of its sizable losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped nearly 1.8% on Monday, marking its best day since March 5. The S&P 500 gained 1.4%, and the Nasdaq gained 0.8%. Stocks took a tumble last week after comments from the Federal Reserve stoked fears of rate hikes.

Lastly, a Florida bartender’s quick thinking saved two women from an uncomfortable encounter. St. Petersburg’s Max Gutierrez noticed that a patron was repeatedly hitting on two women, so he handed one of them a note disguised as a receipt that read: “If this guy is bothering you, put your ponytail on your other shoulder, and I will have him removed. He’s giving me the creeps.” Gutierrez’s chivalrous actions were widely lauded on social media.

Signing off,

Fraser Dixon

Sources

• Obama ethics chief: Hunter Biden selling art at ‘obviously inflated prices’ to mystery buyers feels ‘grifty’
• High court sides with ex-athletes in NCAA compensation case
• US extends Covid-19 travel restrictions with Canada and Mexico
• Big Sur fire: hundreds of firefighters battle blaze raging in California
• Dow rallies 580 points for best day since March as market roars back from post-Fed sell-off
• Bartender’s fake receipt saves women from being hit on by ‘creep’