Feb 25, 2018

Florida House Speaker and 73 Republicans want sheriff to step down

Scott Israel, Sheriff of Broward County, and Florida Governor Rick Scott. Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images

Speaker of the Florida House Richard Corcoran and 73 other state Republicans are asking Gov. Rick Scott to suspend Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel for “his incompetence and neglect of duty” leading up to the recent Parkland school shooting that left 17 dead.

The backdrop: Their request, sent in a letter to Scott on Sunday, comes as Israel faces mounting backlash over his office's handling of the warning signs brought to their attention before the massacre. Scott, who said on Fox News Sunday that the local Sheriff's Department needs to be held accountable, declined the request from Republicans. But he did ask the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to probe the office's response to the Feb. 14 mass shooting, Politico reports.

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Dave Lawler, Zachary Basu
49 mins ago - World

Elliott Abrams to replace Brian Hook as Trump's Iran envoy

Brian Hook. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Image

President Trump's Iran envoy, Brian Hook, is stepping down, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed Thursday. He will be replaced with Venezuela envoy Elliott Abrams, a noted Iran hawk who will serve in both roles.

Why it matters: Hook had been tasked with executing Trump's "maximum pressure" policy toward Iran, working closely with Pompeo. That strategy has deepened tensions and thus far failed to force Iran back to the negotiating table, as Trump had hoped.

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Zachary Basu, Ursula Perano
Updated 59 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for coronavirus ahead of Trump visit

Photo: Justin Merriman/Getty Images

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has tested positive for COVID-19 and plans to quarantine at his home for the next 14 days, his office announced Thursday. He currently has no symptoms.

Why it matters: The 73-year-old DeWine was set to meet President Trump Thursday on the tarmac at an airport in Cleveland and was tested as part of standard protocol. He is the second governor known to have contracted the coronavirus, after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R).

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Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 12:30 p.m. ET: 18,860,908 — Total deaths: 708,676— Total recoveries — 11,394,821 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 12:30 p.m. ET: 4,834,546 — Total deaths: 158,445 — Total recoveries: 1,577,851 — Total tests: 58,920,975 — Map.
  3. Politics: Pelosi rips GOP: "Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn" — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive.
  4. Public health: Fauci says task force will examine aerosolized spread.
  5. Business: July's jobs report could be an inflection point for the recovery — Teladoc and Livongo merge into virtual care giant.
  6. Sports: Where college football's biggest conferences stand on playing.
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