Jun 29, 2019

Charlottesville attacker gets life sentence for federal hate crimes

Photo: LOGAN CYRUS / Contributor/Getty

A federal judge sentenced James Alex Fields Jr., a self-described neo-Nazi, to life in prison for federal hate crimes committed during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., the AP reports.

Driving the news: Fields, 22, was charged with both state and federal crimes for deliberately driving his car into a group of peaceful anti-racism protestors at the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally. One woman, Heather Heyer, was killed in the attack and more than 2 dozen others were injured. He still faces sentencing July 15 on the state conviction of first-degree murder.

After Friday's sentence, Thomas T. Cullen, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, said the Charlottesville attack set a new precedent for future cases of domestic terrorism, per the New York Times.

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Axios

Updated 8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 9:45 p.m. ET: 19,282,972 — Total deaths: 718,851 — Total recoveries — 11,671,491 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 9:45 p.m. ET: 4,937,441 — Total deaths: 161,248 — Total recoveries: 1,623,870 — Total tests: 60,415,558 — Map.
Politics: Trump says he's prepared to sign executive orders on coronavirus aid.
Education: Cuomo says all New York schools can reopen for in-person learning.
Public health: Surgeon general urges flu shots to prevent "double whammy" with coronavirus — Massachusetts pauses reopening after uptick in coronavirus cases.
World: Africa records over 1 million coronavirus cases — Gates Foundation puts $150 million behind coronavirus vaccine production.

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Alexi McCammond, Hans Nichols

9 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Warren and Clinton to speak on same night of Democratic convention

(Photos: Abdulhamid Hosbas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton both are slated to speak on the Wednesday of the Democratic convention — Aug. 19 — four sources familiar with the planning told Axios.

Why it matters: That's the same night Joe Biden's running mate (to be revealed next week) will address the nation. Clinton and Warren represent two of the most influential wise-women of Democratic politics with the potential to turn out millions of establishment and progressive voters in November.

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Caitlin Owens, Jacob Knutson

9 hours ago - Health

Trump considering order on pre-existing condition protections, which already exist

Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump announced on Friday he will pursue an executive order requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions, something that is already law.

Why it matters: The Affordable Care Act already requires insurers to cover pre-existing conditions. The Trump administration is currently arguing in a case before the Supreme Court to strike down that very law — including its pre-existing condition protections.