Monday Scoop: Biden’s Behavior
The big story…
Biden Faces Criticism for Alleged Inappropriate Behavior Towards Women
It turns out that even “Ice Cream Joe” the country’s “Uncle-in-Chief” is not safe from the critical yet so necessary eye that the #MeToo movement has shed on the behavior of powerful men. Former Vice President and current presidential candidate Joe Biden is under scrutiny right now for what many view as his overfamiliar and even inappropriate behavior towards women.
The issue came to light when Nevada Democratic politician Lucy Flores publicly stated that Biden had kissed her on the back of the head, an act that may have gone unnoticed by the public in the pre-#MeToo era. AP writes: “The episode, recounted by Democrat Lucy Flores, highlighted an aspect of Biden’s persona that has been publicly known for years: the affectionate whispers, hugs and shoulder squeezes he has long doled out to women, often on camera and at high-profile public events. In a moment of national reckoning over sexual harassment and the treatment of women by powerful men, some Democrats said Biden’s actions have taken on a new light.” Biden defended his behavior towards women on Sunday.
In national news…
Maryland Will Raise its Minimum Wage to $15 an Hour
On Thursday, March 28 the state of Maryland became the 16th to raise its minimum wage from $10.10 per hour to $15 per hour by 2025. The state legislature in Annapolis overrode Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of the proposed legislation by 3/5th of the vote. Medium or large companies with 15 or more employees must pay workers at least $15 an hour by 2025 and smaller companies with less than 15 employees have until July 2026 to comply with the new law. Read more in Duane Paul Murphy’s report for CMN.
In higher education…
Harvard Employee Posts Idea to Auction Off Admissions Spots
A since deleted post on LinkedIn has been creating a new conversation about the college admissions process. Last Friday, a Harvard Management Company official posted his idea to to avoid a recurring of the college admissions scandal: auctions. In the post he wrote: “Why do we have a system where wealthy parents have to make shady payments to even more shady intermediaries to get their kids into college?…Why don’t the colleges just auction off a certain number of spots each year?” Needless to say this angered many people college-goers or otherwise, but it also brought up an interesting point. If parents and universities are going to participate in the buying and selling of admission to college, why not at least have a standardized and transparent process for such a transaction? Tweet us your thoughts.
In sports…
Final Four Get Ready to Face Off
With Michigan State beating Duke 68-87 and Auburn defeating Kentucky 77-71 Sunday, the Final Four has been set. CNN reports, “Next Saturday, Virginia will face Auburn, followed by Michigan State vs. Texas Tech. The first game is tentatively scheduled to start at 6:09 p.m. ET and the second game at 8:49 p.m. ET. On April 8, the winners of those games will face each other in the championship game.” All of the Final Four games will be played in Minneapolis, Minn. and televised by CBS. Following those games, the last two teams will face off on April 8.
In court…
Michael Avenatti to Appear in Court
Michael Avenatti, the famous lawyer of Stormy Daniels, is back in the news today as he will appear in court to face charges of fraud in California. Prosecutors allege that Avenatti filed fake tax returns to fraudulently obtain $4 million in bank loans and also stole $1.6 million from a client’s settlement. This has nothing to do with Avenatti’s recent arrest in New York for allegedly attempting to blackmail Nike — that’s a whole different story.
Trending today…
What’s Your Degree In?
Last but not least…
Rest in Power: Scott Walker (1943-1976)
He may not be a household name with current music fans, and some may have even confused him with the politician by the same name. The American-born singer, known for his deep baritone, first rose to fame in the 1960s as a teen pop star with the trio, The Walker Brothers. Later in the decade, he embarked on a solo career that included the albums Scott, Scott 3, and Scott 4. These albums all landed in the top ten in the UK. Read more in Curt Tagtmeier’s review for CMN.
Today’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Natalia Kolenko, Curt Tagtmeier, Duane Paul Murphy, and the CMN Staff. Someone gave the Louvre a new look, and it is mesmerizing — with a little April Fools’ twist. P.S. Was this newsletter forwarded by a friend? Subscribe here to get the Morning Scoop straight to your inbox every day.
