Endangered Species rollback faced early pushback within administration, emails show

The U.S. agency responsible for marine fisheries considered pulling out of a recent Trump administration rollback of the Endangered Species Act over a disagreement with political appointees at the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), according to emails obtained by The Hill.

The emails from a Freedom of Information Act request show that during last year’s rulemaking process, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) considered withdrawing its support for a joint rule with FWS that makes it harder for areas to receive critical habitat protections.

The emails, though heavily redacted, reveal that Marine Fisheries officials were concerned with the “course” chosen by Trump officials at FWS in pursuing the rollback.

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NMFS, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), appeared ready to back out in April.

“We appear to be at a fork in the road,” FWS assistant director for ecological services Gary Frazer wrote to agency director Aurelia Skipwith.

The next paragraph in the email was redacted, but Frazer added that NMFS and NOAA would “stay on board” if FWS was open to working through White House Office of Management and Budget comments and “willing to consider substantive changes to the draft.”

A day later, Frazer wrote to FWS colleagues that he “heard back from the director” and that “she and the rest of the political team understand that this course may cause NMFS and NOAA to withdraw from this rulemaking.”

Spokespeople for NMFS and FWS, which is part of the Interior Department, declined to provide specifics on what caused the dispute.

Critics say the emails indicate that efforts by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to roll back the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have encountered pushback, even within the administration.

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“Interior under Dave Bernhardt is just gunning to gut the ESA, and the fact that clearly they were proposing things that were a bridge too far even for the Trump NOAA and National Fisheries Service is pretty telling,” said David Henkin, an attorney with Earthjustice.

The emails showed that FWS officials even started making contingency plans in case they lost support from NMFS.

Frazer told agency officials to get information about whether “converting this to a FWS-only rule” will impact its location in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Ultimately, both agencies jointly issued the habitat definition rule. It was finalized last month.

Spokespeople for both agencies declined to say how a resolution was reached or if any changes were made to the rule, which narrows the definition of a habitat under the ESA.

In order for an area to be classified as a critical habitat for endangered species and receive protections under the ESA, it must first be classified as a habitat.

The new rule, which was first proposed over the summer, says a habitat must be an area that can currently support species.

Environmentalists argue the revised definition ignores factors that could alter landscapes, including climate change, and the government needs to be able to protect land that could support species in the future.

Supporters of the change have argued that the previous rule was too burdensome on farmers and other industries.

An FWS spokesperson said the rule “importantly brings the ESA into the 21st century by more effectively balancing science-based conservation with common-sense policymaking.”

Shortly after issuing the rule, FWS alone issued a related one that further excluded certain areas from habitat protections under the ESA.

That rule said FWS can exclude an area from critical habitat protections if an analysis determined there are more benefits to taking no protective action.

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Those analyses could prove beneficial to companies who want to use the land for other purposes, and opponents argued that the evidence they can consider could tip the scale in favor of industry.

FWS spokespeople would not say why that rule was issued separately by the agency. 

Environmentalists say it’s unusual that the second rule does not also apply to NMFS-designated habitats.

“I don’t know of any substantive, material conservation-related reason why…exclusions would apply differently” said Jacob Malcom, director of Defenders of Wildlife’s Center for Conservation Innovation.

Malcom added that he believes the habitat rulemaking is part of a larger pattern of putting politics over science in the Trump administration.

“I don’t think that it matters what the domain is, whether it’s endangered species or climate or clean water or clean air where they haven’t done everything they can to remove science from the process,” he said.

China bans two WHO coronavirus investigators from entering country after positive antibody tests

A team of investigators from the World Health Organization (WHO) landed in Wuhan, China without two members on Thursday, over a year after the first coronavirus case was detected in the city.

The team is probing the virus’s source, but in what is interpreted as a sign of Beijing’s efforts to retain some control surrounding the investigation, two scientists were barred from entering China after testing positive for coronavirus antibodies, WHO said. The remaining scientists will start their investigation while undergoing a two-week quarantine.

“The international team of 13 scientists examining the origins of the virus that causes #COVID19 arrived in Wuhan, #China, today. The experts will begin their work immediately during the 2 weeks quarantine protocol for international travelers,” the organization tweeted. 

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“Two scientists are still in #Singapore completing tests for #COVID19. All team members had multiple negative PCR and antibody tests for COVID-19 in their home countries prior to traveling,” it added. “They were tested again in #Singapore and were all negative for PCR. But two members tested positive for IgM antibodies. They are being retested for both IgM and IgG antibodies.” 

“Relevant epidemic prevention and control requirements and regulations will be strictly enforced,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters when asked about the two scientists blocked from entering China, according to Reuters. 

WHO’s presence in Wuhan is one of the most concrete steps to date in international health officials’ efforts to understand how the coronavirus jumped from animals to humans before infecting nearly a billion people worldwide and killing nearly 2 million. 

However, the investigators are anticipated to face some resistance from China. Beijing let WHO experts into the country last July, but barred them from visiting Wuhan. WHO has also accused China of slow-walking permits for the current group of investigators.

The investigation comes as the world looks to turn the corner from the coronavirus with the widespread distribution of several different vaccines. Still, little is known about the origins of the deadly virus.

Facebook tells employees not to wear company shirts in public: report

Facebook on Monday issued a warning to employees urging them to avoid wearing company t-shirts and other branded products in public after the social media platform suspended President TrumpDonald TrumpHouse GOP leader tells members to quit spreading lies on riot, antifa DC attorney general says Trump Organization improperly paid K bill incurred during inauguration 70K QAnon Twitter accounts suspended in the wake of Capitol riot MORE’s account late last week in the wake of deadly rioting at the U.S. Capitol. 

In light of recent events, and to err on the side of caution, global security is encouraging everyone to avoid wearing or carrying Facebook-branded items at this time,” Facebook told employees in an internal memo obtained by The Information, a technology news site.

The Information reported that the social media company’s security team posted the memo to an internal workplace board accessible by more than 56,600 employees. 

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The Hill has reached out to Facebook for comment. 

Facebook announced in the aftermath of violent rioting by a pro-Trump mob at the Capitol last Wednesday that it was banning Trump from the platform at least until President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenCapitol Police confirm investigation into some officers’ behavior during riot GOP lawmakers told Trump takes some responsibility for Capitol riot Director of Army Staff disputes Capitol Police chief account of National Guard deployment MORE’s inauguration.

We believe the risks of allowing the president to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great,” CEO Mark ZuckerbergMark Elliot ZuckerbergFacebook says it’s now removing content containing the phrase ‘Stop the Steal’ Facebook’s Sandberg claims Capitol riots organized mostly on other social media platforms Hillicon Valley: Twitter permanently suspends Michael Flynn, Sidney Powell and others | Laptop stolen from Pelosi’s office during Capitol riots | Reddit bans r/DonaldTrump forum MORE wrote in a post,

On Monday, Facebook also announced it was taking down content containing the phrase “Stop the Steal” in the wake of the siege in order to prevent the further spread of Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him. Trump repeated the claims to a crowd of supporters before last week’s events at the Capitol. 

Law enforcement officials and experts monitoring online posts warn that Trump supporters and right-wing extremist groups are planning future demonstrations that could potentially lead to violent activity. 

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Trump supporters are expected to gather in Washington, D.C. and state capitals across the country on Sunday and then again three days later for Biden’s inauguration next Wednesday. 

One flyer associated with Sunday’s gatherings tells participants to “come armed at your personal discretion.”

The FBI has reportedly received information of a group calling for the “storming” of state, local and federal government buildings if efforts are taken to remove Trump from office before Biden’s inauguration, according to a bulletin first reported by ABC News

House Democrats on Monday introduced an article of impeachment against Trump, charging him with inciting a mob of his supporters to carry out last week’s violent attack on the Capitol. The House is expected to vote on impeachment Wednesday.

Pompeo's flurry of foreign policy moves hampers Biden start

Secretary of State Mike PompeoMike PompeoTop U.N. official to call on U.S. to reverse terrorist designation for Houthis, warning of mass famine Chinese dissidents who deny Trump’s defeat reinforce China’s propaganda The Hill’s Morning Report – How many Republicans will vote for Trump’s impeachment? MORE is pushing through last-minute foreign policy decisions ahead of President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenCotton: Senate lacks authority to hold impeachment trial once Trump leaves office Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will introduce impeachment articles against Biden ICE acting director resigns weeks after assuming post MORE’s inauguration as part of an effort to cement his and the Trump administration’s legacy in their final tumultuous and violent days in office.

The moves are likely aimed at hampering efforts by Biden to reverse Trump-era policy measures, creating a laundry list of intricate policies, big and small, that will take time, effort and organization to unravel.

With less than a week left in office, while much of Washington is focused on President TrumpDonald TrumpCotton: Senate lacks authority to hold impeachment trial once Trump leaves office Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will introduce impeachment articles against Biden ICE acting director resigns weeks after assuming post MORE’s second impeachment, Pompeo has instituted a flurry of policy changes and ramped up a public relations campaign to tout the administration’s accomplishments.

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He has elevated U.S. relations with Taiwan in an affront to China, designated Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthis as a terrorist organization and put Cuba back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Ryan Hass, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, called Saturday’s announcement on Taiwan “the policymaking equivalent of a hit-and-run.”

Pompeo “announced a policy shift on one of America’s most sensitive foreign policy issues in his final days in office, and with full knowledge he will not be around to contend with the consequences,” Hass said.

Ash Jain, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council who has served as a State Department official in Republican and Democratic administrations, said the eleventh hour actions by Pompeo “reflect a desire to box in the incoming administration.”

Removing the designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization is one area where Biden is likely to have bipartisan support.

Neither Democrats nor Republicans are sympathetic to the Houthi separatists, viewing them as responsible for gross atrocities in Yemen’s six-year civil war and dangerous allies with Iran, but Pompeo’s recent action toward them united lawmakers in opposition, saying such a designation would hinder the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to Houthi-controled areas.

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Experts say Pompeo’s action toward the Houthis is part of his push to solidify his legacy on Iran.

The secretary is the chief enforcer of the administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran, a policy geared toward financially and diplomatically isolating the Islamic Republic in an effort to thwart its nuclear ambitions and eliminate the threats from its proxy forces in the Middle East.

“The administration is seeking to fortify its pressure campaign against Iran in advance of the Biden administration, particularly given concerns that Biden may seek to return to a deal with Iran,” said Varsha Koduvayur, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank.

Biden has vowed to return the U.S. to the 2015 Obama-era nuclear deal if Iran returns to compliance. The agreement aims to reduce Iran’s uranium enrichment to levels that would significantly delay the time it would take to obtain nuclear capabilities.

The Trump administration, buoyed by Republican support, pulled out of the nuclear deal in 2018, and Pompeo has remained forceful in his arguments against any rapprochement with Iran.

“Let’s not lie to the American people about Iranian moderation and pretend appeasement will work,” Pompeo said in a speech Tuesday at the National Press Club.

He later announced new sanctions against members of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization being harbored in Iran, adding to what he said were nearly 1,500 sanctions levied by the Trump administration against individuals and entities that contribute revenue to the Iranian government.

Pompeo announced even more sanctions on Wednesday, targeting two charitable organizations controlled by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, charging the charities with corruption and enriching the religious and political leader.

Tehran is likely to benefit from immediate sanctions relief if the U.S. re-enters the 2015 nuclear deal, though it won’t eliminate all of those imposed under Trump.

Kaleigh Thomas, associate fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said that while the Trump administration’s policy decisions are not impossible for Biden to reverse, they will still eat up time and energy.

“It will take time, effort, and potentially even political capital to determine which policies must be rolled back and to actually undo those identified as roadblocks to the implementation of the Biden administration’s agenda,” she said.

“And in the context of all the Biden administration will have to address outside of the Middle East portfolio starting on Day One – including the ongoing pandemic and the Capitol Hill insurrection last week – it’s important to remember that time, effort, and political capital are finite resources.”

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It’s unclear how those resources will be directed toward action on Cuba. Pompeo’s last-minute designation of the country as a state sponsor of terrorism is being viewed as a direct snub and obstruction of Biden’s promise to return to Obama-era diplomatic engagement with Havana.

“Secretary Pompeo has self-righteously defended Donald Trump’s worst foreign policy failures, and on his way out the door he seems intent on making things as difficult as possible for his successor,” said Sen. Patrick LeahyPatrick Joseph LeahySenior Democrat says Hawley, Cruz should step down from Judiciary Congress unveils .3 trillion government spending and virus relief package Bottom line MORE (D-Vt.), an advocate for engagement with Cuba, and the highest ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Lawrence Ward, a partner at the international law firm Dorsey & Whitney who works with international businesses to prevent running afoul of federal sanctions on foreign governments, said reversing the Cuba designation will require time and energy that will be critical for larger issues like combating COVID-19 and confronting more threatening foreign adversaries.

“Removing the designation would require a certification to Congress. And because the Biden administration will be focused on achieving as much bipartisan support as possible on a host of important domestic issues, it is tough to imagine that the administration will prioritize such a certification over ongoing tensions with China, Iran, and Russia,” he said.

Jain, of the Atlantic Council, expressed more optimism about the ability of the Biden administration to quickly reverse or scale back some of Pompeo’s last-minute moves.

“Most of these policies can be fairly easily reversed, and the Biden team is certain to give careful scrutiny to each of these eleventh hour actions. In others, it may need to navigate through various review processes,” he said.

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Pompeo, who is considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has been using his official government Twitter account since Jan. 1 to lay out what he views as his and the Trump administration’s greatest successes.

On Wednesday, he issued a farewell ahead of Biden’s inauguration, saying followers should migrate to his personal page.

“One week from today, I will be stepping aside as Secretary of State and this account will be archived. Be sure to follow me @mikepompeo. Go do it now.”

Pompeo accused of politicizing VOA in speech calling for press freedom

Secretary of State Mike PompeoMike PompeoState Department cancels travel amid transition efforts The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump’s first public event since Twitter ban Pompeo warns Iran is new ‘home base’ for al Qaeda MORE set off alarms among ethics experts and whistleblowers this week when he leaned into his criticism of Voice of America (VOA) during a speech broadcast live by the government-funded media outlet.

Even before Pompeo stepped into VOA headquarters on Monday, there had been concerns he was trying to politicize the outlet. Reporters protested his visit, arguing the Trump administration was seeking to use the outlet as a propaganda tool while its journalists were blocked from questioning the secretary.

In his speech, Pompeo touted “American exceptionalism” and criticized VOA for a lack of positive coverage of the administration.

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“It’s not fake news for you to broadcast that this is the greatest nation the world has ever known,” Pompeo said on the broadcast. 

“I’m not saying ignore our faults. Acknowledge them. But this isn’t the Vice of America, focusing on everything that’s wrong with our great nation. It certainly isn’t the place to give authoritarian regimes in Beijing or Tehran a platform.”

In the hours after the speech, VOA reassigned reporter Patsy Widakuswara, its senior White House correspondent, after she was seen attempting to question Pompeo as he left the building.

David Seide, an attorney with the Government Accountability Project who is representing roughly 20 VOA employees in whistleblower proceedings, said Pompeo’s speech “confirmed all of the fears we raised ahead of time.”

Seide had sent a letter to VOA leadership Friday, warning that Pompeo’s speech and the decision to live broadcast it without questions from reporters, “will be one-sided and lacking the necessary objectivity.”

“The secretary’s speech largely consisted of worn-out propaganda. The mandatory dissemination of the speech worldwide through Voice of America breached the firewall protecting VOA reporters and editors from political meddling,” he said after the speech.

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“The subsequent ‘reassignment’ of VOA’s White House reporter because she dared to question the secretary after the speech is further evidence of misconduct by Secretary Pompeo and the political leadership at Voice of America.”

VOA would not comment on Widakuswara’s reassignment nor Pompeo’s speech. The State Department also did not return request for comment.

VOA, a branch of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, was founded amid World War II. Though its mission includes showing the diversity of America while presenting the policies of the U.S., its journalists are supposed to be walled off from political interference.

Its wide audience — the agency estimates it reaches 280 million people a week through its broadcasts in more than 40 languages — was noted by Pompeo during the speech.

“I read that some VOA employees didn’t want me to speak here today. I’m sure it was only a handful. They didn’t want the voice of American diplomacy to be broadcast on the Voice of America. Think about that for just a moment,” Pompeo said, noting that each institution has a role to play.

“This kind of censorial instinct is dangerous. It’s morally wrong. Indeed, it’s against your statutory mandate here at VOA. Censorship, wokeness, political correctness, it all points in one direction — authoritarianism, cloaked as moral righteousness.”

Pompeo took questions from Robert R. Reilly, VOA’s director, but VOA reporters were alarmed that the speech would be live broadcast, something they argued interfered with editorial decisionmaking as to whether and how to cover the event. 

“I just think there’s general prohibition on using public office for private gain. If this served a legitimate purpose, it would have been carried out in accordance with [VOA] standards and principles which calls for balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions. You can’t do that if you don’t allow questions,” said Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington.

“The irony is he’s criticizing China and he himself doesn’t take questions and limits other reporters from being able to participate in this event,” she said.

“I can see why the whistleblowers filed a complaint, and it looks like when someone confronted him about statements that he made that they were retaliated against.”

Pompeo’s speech was also criticized by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. 

“The value of U.S. international public broadcasting is in serving as objective, independent, and credible news services, particularly for global audiences desperate for information they can trust. That editorial autonomy should not bend for any one nation’s interest, including our own,” Bruce Brown, the group’s executive director, said in a statement.

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But David S. Jackson, who served as director of Voice of America from 2002 to 2006, said he was not alarmed by Pompeo’s speech or the decision to broadcast it without questions from reporters.

“I’m very surprised there were VOA employees who thought broadcasting a live appearance from the secretary of State was not news. Such a thing was always considered news and is part of what VOA was created to report on,” he said, calling Pompeo’s comments something of interest around the world. 

“In the past this would have been a totally uncontroversial issue, a nonissue, but suddenly a group of employees have decided that they should pre-censor a secretary of State and it’s a preposterous notion.”

Pompeo’s visit to the Voice of America capped off his nearly two-and-a-half years at the helm of the State Department where a hallmark of his tenure has been frequent clashes with reporters.

The secretary reportedly cursed at NPR veteran reporter Mary Louise Kelly after she pressed Pompeo on issues related to Ukraine; cut off reporters’ questions over his firing of the State Department inspector general; criticized a BBC reporter as spending her whole life “trying to drive a wedge” between American officials; and chastised reporters for asking “ridiculous questions.” 

He admonished the press again in his speech to VOA, accusing the media agency of politicization, crediting the Trump administration with rectifying the problem and imploring the journalists in the audience to cover that issue. 

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“We want to reorient VOA to its mission of truth and unbiased reporting. We want to depoliticize what takes place here,” he said.

“That’s a pretty good feature story for whoever wants to write it up.”

Delaney Marsco, an ethics expert with Campaign Legal Center, said Pompeo’s speech fits into a broader pattern across the Trump administration.

“I think there is a larger point about the politicization of government agencies and government roles that are supposed to be nonpartisan. It’s something we’re seeing across the Trump administration and something we’re seeing with him,” she said of Pompeo.

FBI tells police chiefs nationwide to be on high alert

The FBI is warning police chiefs nationwide to be on high alert and to continue sharing intelligence leading up to President-elect Joe BidenJoe BidenCotton: Senate lacks authority to hold impeachment trial once Trump leaves office Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will introduce impeachment articles against Biden ICE acting director resigns weeks after assuming post MORE’s inauguration.

The warning comes from a 45-minute phone call that acting FBI Director Christopher Wray and acting United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ken Cuccinelli held with police chiefs, The New York Times reported, citing participants.

The officials reportedly expressed concerns about potential for extremist violence, and called on law enforcement across the country to watch for any sign of trouble.

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Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina told the newspaper in an interview that Wray told them to “overshare intelligence,” adding “they don’t want for us to assume anything that they already know — anything that we come across to please forward it.”

Another unidentified police chief told the newspaper that officials seemed to be concerned about attacks on state capitol buildings, federal buildings and the homes of members of Congress.

The FBI confirmed to The Hill that the call took place Wednesday afternoon, but did not provide any further details. 

USCIS referred a request for comment about the call to the Department of Homeland Security.

The report comes amid concerns of more violence after a mob of President TrumpDonald TrumpCotton: Senate lacks authority to hold impeachment trial once Trump leaves office Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will introduce impeachment articles against Biden ICE acting director resigns weeks after assuming post MORE supporters breached the Capitol in what turned into a deadly riot, interrupting Congress as it was certifying the official count of the Electoral College vote. The FBI has issued a bulletin warning of armed protests at the U.S. Capitol and in all 50 States leading up to the inauguration. 

More than 20,000 armed National Guardsmen are expected to be in Washington ahead of the inauguration, and troops are already providing security inside the U.S. Capitol.

— Updated 8:07 p.m.

Space Command to be located in Alabama

The new permanent headquarters of U.S. Space Command, responsible for America’s military space forces, will be located at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal, Alabama lawmakers revealed Wednesday.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to learn that Alabama will be the new home to the United States Space Command!” Gov. Kay IveyKay IveySpace Command to be located in Alabama COVID-19 infections spread rapidly as officials race to distribute vaccine The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Congress moves to avert shutdown as virus talks stall again MORE (R) said in a statement on Twitter.

Ivey said that an Air Force official, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Installations Bob Moriarity, called her earlier on Wednesday to notify her of the decision.

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“Our state has long provided exceptional support for our military and their families as well as a rich and storied history when it comes to space exploration. This combination only enhances the outstanding relationships we have with the 65 diverse federal agencies on Redstone Arsenal, not to mention the growing presence of the FBI and other federal installations,” Ivey added.

Established in December 2019, U.S. Space Command is the military’s 11th unified combatant command. It is separate from the U.S. Space Force, which is responsible for organizing, training and equipping space forces. Space Command, meanwhile, employs forces from each of the military services to carry out directed missions in the space domain, according to the Pentagon.

The command’s predecessor, Air Force Space Command, was headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, a location seen as a front-runner in the competition.

Chosen after a two-year competition, Huntsville beat out 26 other locations vying to host the headquarters, including five other finalists: Peterson Air Force Base; Brevard County, Fla.; Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.; Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; and Port San Antonio, Texas.

Lawmakers had pitched the Air Force heavily on cities within their states, as the new headquarters will bring with it roughly 1,400 positions.

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Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Richard ShelbyRichard Craig ShelbyOvernight Defense: Trump impeached for second time | National Guard at Capitol now armed, swelling to 20K troops for inauguration | Alabama chosen for Space Command home Space Command to be located in Alabama NASA’s Europa Clipper has been liberated from the Space Launch System MORE (R-Ala.) also announced the selection, which would move the command from its temporary headquarters in Peterson Air Force Base to his home state.

“This is outstanding news, not only for our state but also for the Air Force,” Shelby said in a statement. “Huntsville is the right pick for a host of reasons – our skilled workforce, proximity to supporting space entities, cost-effectiveness, and quality of life, among other things.”

But the decision also drew negative reactions, including from Sen. Martin HeinrichMartin Trevor HeinrichOvernight Defense: Trump impeached for second time | National Guard at Capitol now armed, swelling to 20K troops for inauguration | Alabama chosen for Space Command home Space Command to be located in Alabama ‘I saw my life flash before my eyes’: An oral history of the Capitol attack MORE (D-N.M.), who called the choice rushed ahead of an administration changeover. 

“To rush such a large and consequential basing decision, mere days before the end of the Trump administration, should rightly lead to serious questions of political impropriety,” Heinrich said in a statement. 

He added that the Air Force evaluation team in the competition postponed an original site visit to Albuquerque in December 2019 and collected data on the city’s candidacy less than a week ago. 

“I don’t see how it is possible to properly evaluate one of the Air Force’s final candidates in less than a week and come to a decision on something so important. I have asked the incoming Biden administration to take a close look at this process and review the merits of this decision,” said the Senate Armed Services Committee member.

 

Former WWE Star Shad Gaspard Arrested Saturday

Former WWE talent Shad Gaspard was arrested Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. His wife claims he was arrested for ‘crossing the street’.

She wrote on Twitter:

“This is Shad’s wife everyone. I want to address the rumors that are going on around the Internet right now about Shad’s arrest. He was indeed arrested today, in Columbus. No use denying it. But Shad did nothing wrong, he was trying to attend the Arnold Classic, and can you guys believe that the Columbus police department has nothing better to do than arrest him for crossing the street????!! That’s what they got him for “pedestrian in roadway” I think we should all stand up and be heard! Too many cops abusing their authority!! Apparently they even decided that it was necessary to tackle him…. I am very disappointed in those who “serve and protect” right now.”

She later added that Gaspard’s bail has been posted and a lawyer has been hired. She noted that footage of Gaspard ‘being mistreated and arrested for nothing’ will be surface online today.

Sexy new photos of Stacy Keibler in her underwear ->