Latest news with #Kentucky
Fox News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Fox News
House GOP subpoenas Biden aide to testify about former president's concerning mental fitness
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., issued a subpoena to have former President Joe Biden's deputy chief of staff appear before the committee on Friday to provide testimony regarding her former boss's mental state while serving in the Oval Office. Comer, who leads the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent interview requests to four key Biden White House aides, including former assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini. The former assistant's voluntary appearance was requested on May 22, 2025, and it was scheduled for her to appear before the committee on July 18, or this Friday. For unknown reasons, though, Tomasini's counsel requested Comer issue a subpoena to compel her to appear. Comer broke down the events leading up to the subpoena in his letter to Tomasini, before directing her to the bottom of the letter for the legal request. "The Committee seeks information about your assessment of and relationship with former President Biden to explore whether the time has come for Congress to revisit potential legislation to address the oversight of presidents' fitness to serve pursuant to its authority under Section 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, or to propose changes to the Twenty-Fifth Amendment itself," Comer wrote in the subpoena. "The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate 'any matter' at 'any time' under House Rule X," he continued. "Further, House Rule XI clause 2(m)(1)(B) grants Committees of the House of Representatives the authority 'to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents as it considers necessary.'" Comer added that should Tomasini have any questions, she should call the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority staff. The chair previously told Fox News that these "unelected bureaucrats" had an overwhelming influence over Biden and were possibly serving as "de facto" presidents in his stead." Along with Tomasini, the committee sent interview requests to former director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden, former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal and former deputy director of Oval Office operations Ashley Williams. Bernal was also subpoenaed after refusing to voluntarily appear before the committee. Williams and Tanden have already been interviewed by committee members. The GOP effort to uncover the truth of what went on behind closed doors during the Biden administration comes shortly after the release of "Original Sin" by CNN host Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, which claims that the Biden White House was going all out trying to control the perception of the aging president's failing health. The book exposes the cover-up of Biden's decline and his decision to run for re-election. Tapper said during an interview with Piers Morgan last month that what Biden's aides did to hide his condition from the public could be "even worse" than the Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon's presidency. "It is a scandal. It is without question, and maybe even worse than Watergate in some ways," Tapper said. "The only reason we invoke Watergate is just to make clear like, it's not Watergate — this is an entirely separate scandal, maybe even worse." In his letters, Comer said that while the committee has been investigating the cover-up for nearly a year, "newfound details regarding President Biden's obvious decline demand renewed scrutiny of White House personnel actions and knowledge of relevant information over the course of the prior administration." Comer said the committee is seeking "to understand who made key decisions and exercised the powers of the executive branch during the Biden Administration."
Fox News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Fox News
House GOP subpoenas former Biden aide to testify about president's concerning mental fitness
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., issued a subpoena to have former President Joe Biden's deputy chief of staff appear before the committee on Friday to provide testimony regarding her former boss's mental state while serving in the Oval Office. Comer, who leads the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent interview requests to four key Biden White House aides, including former assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini. The former assistant's voluntary appearance was requested on May 22, 2025, and it was scheduled for her to appear before the committee on July 18, or this Friday. For unknown reasons, though, Tomasini's counsel requested Comer issue a subpoena to compel her to appear. Comer broke down the events leading up to the subpoena in his letter to Tomasini, before directing her to the bottom of the letter for the legal request. "The Committee seeks information about your assessment of and relationship with former President Biden to explore whether the time has come for Congress to revisit potential legislation to address the oversight of presidents' fitness to serve pursuant to its authority under Section 4 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, or to propose changes to the Twenty-Fifth Amendment itself," Comer wrote in the subpoena. "The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate 'any matter' at 'any time' under House Rule X," he continued. "Further, House Rule XI clause 2(m)(1)(B) grants Committees of the House of Representatives the authority 'to require, by subpoena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents as it considers necessary.'" Comer added that should Tomasini have any questions, she should call the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Majority staff. The chair previously told Fox News that these "unelected bureaucrats" had an overwhelming influence over Biden and were possibly serving as "de facto" presidents in his stead." Along with Tomasini, the committee sent interview requests to former director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden, former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal and former deputy director of Oval Office operations Ashley Williams. Bernal was also subpoenaed after refusing to voluntarily appear before the committee. Williams and Tanden have already been interviewed by committee members. The GOP effort to uncover the truth of what went on behind closed doors during the Biden administration comes shortly after the release of "Original Sin" by CNN host Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, which claims that the Biden White House was going all out trying to control the perception of the aging president's failing health. The book exposes the cover-up of Biden's decline and his decision to run for re-election. Tapper said during an interview with Piers Morgan last month that what Biden's aides did to hide his condition from the public could be "even worse" than the Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon's presidency. "It is a scandal. It is without question, and maybe even worse than Watergate in some ways," Tapper said. "The only reason we invoke Watergate is just to make clear like, it's not Watergate — this is an entirely separate scandal, maybe even worse." In his letters, Comer said that while the committee has been investigating the cover-up for nearly a year, "newfound details regarding President Biden's obvious decline demand renewed scrutiny of White House personnel actions and knowledge of relevant information over the course of the prior administration." Comer said the committee is seeking "to understand who made key decisions and exercised the powers of the executive branch during the Biden Administration."
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Celtics' Amari Williams Leaves Lasting Legacy With Kentucky's Mark Pope
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 4: Amari Williams #22 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts during the game ... More against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena on January 4, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by) The Boston Celtics utilized the No. 46 pick in this year's NBA Draft on Amari Williams. The Nottingham, England, native spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Drexel before taking his talents to the University of Kentucky. Wildcats head coach Mark Pope couldn't wait to insert the seven-foot center with a pterodactyl-like seven-foot-five wingspan into his lineup to patrol the pivot. Flashing a smile, Pope glowingly told Forbes of his initial assessment of Williams' game upon arriving in Lexington, "We loved him. We loved his defensive prowess. His work on the glass was exceptional. His rim-protection capability was great. He's the three-time Defensive Player of the Year [in the Coastal Athletic Association]. "So all those things. His athleticism and size, his physicality, were all really important to us. And then, the unique feature of him that fit us so well was his ability to pass the ball. Elite level passer, elite level playmaker, has the personality and the desire to be a great, great passing big, and he certainly proved to be that." Williams's facilitating capabilities have already been on display at Summer League. On the heels of getting drafted, he joined the rest of the Celtics' draft class, Hugo Gonzalez and Max Shulga, in helping conduct a youth basketball clinic at a renovated court unveiling at a YMCA in the greater Boston Area. There, he shared the combination that cultivated his playmaking prowess. "A lot of people are saying [that] by playing soccer growing up, that was my first sport, and [by] not hitting a growth spurt until late," said Williams. "I feel like those two things helped my skill set, and something that's helped me get to this level." As for what his passing and the ability to play through him unlocked for Coach Pope's offense, he conveyed how crucial it was for the Wildcats to have someone of his talent in that role. "Well, that's the way we play," said Pope. "We're very much a point-center organization. We'll turn the game inside-out and we love to have our bigs be decision makers, whether it's in a five-out offense, whether it's in a trail kind of into a flow zoom offense, whether it's having them be the playmaker out of a short roll or the Bull's head post or we put the ball in our five man's hands so that he could be a playmaker. And Amari allowed us to do all of those things." When it mattered most, Kentucky leaned on Williams "He was such an elite-level guy," voiced Pope. "In fact, he saved us. We spent the last two months of the season without our starting point guard, our backup point guard, and our third-string point guard, who was our starting two. We lost all of them. And so Amari had this massive burden of kind of righting the ship. We saved ourselves by putting the ball in his hands. "He was breaking the press off the bounce. He was leading the break off the bounce. We could use him as a pressure release to get the ball out of somebody else's hands early in a possession, so we could be settled with him starting the play. I can't overstate the importance of the impact that he had in our season." That ability to grab a rebound and push the ball up the floor, or initiate a transition attack, matters more than ever. The game now operates at a breakneck pace. Williams's new team, the Celtics, is determined to play at a faster tempo with greater regularity. "It's an incredible luxury," expressed Pope. "It also allows you to take elite-level scorers, it allows you to take them, and instead of them being on the ball to start a possession, you could get them away from the ball and let them use some actions coming back to the ball early in a possession, early in the clock. So, the point guard doesn't have to give up the ball and get it back. He can start with it out of his hands, or a two guard, or a shooting guard, or a scoring guard can start with it out of his hands. "Amari can do that work of getting the ball down the floor, and then they can be the first one to come back to it in a scoring position. I think it affords coaches an incredible luxury, with how to rethink the game, which is what we're seeing in the league all the time anyway, right? There are so many bigs that are handling." Kentucky's head coach also shared that where Williams grew the most in his year in "The Blue Grass State" was the evolution of his standout trait. "I just think he became incredibly -- he was used as a play initiator before he got here, but him being a guy that was actually fueling the entire offense, he was the director of the orchestra for us, and so I thought he grew there exponentially." A look into Amari Williams's competitive character The Wildcats boast a blue-blood men's basketball program with a rich tradition and a history of winning. No Division I program has more wins [2,422]. No school has had more NBA Draft selections than Kentucky's 140. That includes three No. 1 overall picks. The Wildcats' eight national championships are the second most in NCAA men's basketball history behind UCLA's 11. While many NBA stars first showcased their talents in Lexington, Williams utilized his one year there to etch his name into the program's history books. "You think about what he did; this is the University of Kentucky," said Coach Pope. "I mean, we're talking about A.D. [Anthony Davis] and KAT [Karl Anthony-Towns], and a billion others, right? And for him to be a record-setting guy, he's the first big ever to have a triple-double in the history of the University of Kentucky, which is just staggering when you think about the talent there. And he did it in SEC play on the road with the way the SEC was this year. "So, just his everyday approach. He never missed a single rep of a single practice or a single game the entire season, was just incredibly reliable, and carried himself like a beautiful vet." The plan is for Williams to start his NBA career on a two-way deal. He'll divide his time between Boston and the organization's G League affiliate in Maine. As he strives for a standard NBA contract and to carve out his place in the league, Coach Pope detailed where Williams needs to improve to stick at the next level. "On the offensive side of the ball, being a finisher. That's a part of the game where he's really growing. He has some real potential. I think he really grew in terms of his junk game, his kind of 10-foot-and-in creative shot-making game. I think he really grew there. So, I think that's a space. "I think he's got the potential to be an elite-level defensive player switching one through five. And he certainly showed a lot of signs for that and did that well for us in important moments. "I think that's going to be important for him to continue growing and just learning the NBA game. We play, very much, an NBA style. But there's nothing like actually being in the mix." A glimpse into Amari Williams the person The Celtics put a premium on their culture. It has a significant influence on who they bring into their work environment. When asked for insight into who Amari Williams is off the court and who the franchise is getting as a person, Coach Pope gushed over his high-charactered former center. "He is unbelievable. You talk about a guy who cares about all the right things. He's incredibly protective of his teammates. He loves his teammates. He would take a bullet for his guys, and that's not a cliche. That's actually deep in his heart. Like, it matters. His locker room matters to him. His guys, his staff, they matter to him. And so he's going to be a welcome addition in the locker room. "He is a culture guy. He's soft-spoken. He's incredibly unassuming. He is willing to do whatever it takes for a team to be successful and win. He doesn't ask to bring any attention to himself ever. He is a perfect teammate in that sense."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Semifinalists Announced For Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award
Semifinalists Announced For Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award originally appeared on Paulick Report. Six semifinalists for the 19th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award have been selected by a panel of judges, representing excellence in Thoroughbred sports literature published in 2024. These six titles illustrate the scope of the Book Award, including histories, biographies, a memoir, and two works of fiction. They were chosen from nearly 20 submissions, an indicator that literature on horse racing remains very much alive despite the Thoroughbred industry controversies and the global economic hardships of recent years. With a $10,000 winner's prize, this competition has for nearly two decades ranked among the most lucrative in all of publishing, offering more than the Hugo, Edgar, and Nebula Awards, and with money equal to that of the prestigious National Book Award and Bancroft Prize. The late businessman/philanthropist Dr. Tony Ryan launched it in 2006 as the Castleton Lyons/Thoroughbred Times award, to recognize a long-overlooked segment of race-writing: the book. After Dr. Ryan's passing a year later, his son Shane carried on, while changing the name of the award to honor his late father. Three finalists will be announced in the coming weeks, and a winner will be crowned this fall at a cocktail reception at the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons farm near Lexington. Advertisement For additional information, contact Kerri Cahill at kcahill@ Following is a synopsis of the six semifinalists published during the 2024 calendar year, listed alphabetically by title. 'A Beggar's Ride' by John Perrotta Author Perrotta's latest mystery is a sequel to his 2015 novel If Wishes Were Horses, in which he introduced runaway teenager and New York backstretch worker Hamilton Greer. In A Beggar's Ride, Greer is ten years older and still learning the hard lessons of life. The nomadic young man eventually lands in Europe, where he finds love and adventure both on and off the racetrack—not all of it good. Along the way, Greer becomes unwittingly involved with a shady group of characters, including smugglers, killers, and drug dealers, which makes for a rollicking, albeit dangerous, romp to the dark side. 'Dark Horses: A Memoir of Redemption' by Arthur B. Hancock III Dark Horses is the story of a pre-eminent racing family, a legendary Thoroughbred farm, a personal and profound fall from grace, and, ultimately, a triumphant redemption—one that propelled Arthur B. Hancock III to the heights of the Thoroughbred industry. It is told from the heart and with sometimes painful vulnerability by the man himself, who seems to hold nothing back as he chronicles his wild-child youth filled with boozing, fighting, and debt, to the point where he walked away from his family's historic Claiborne Farm and rebuilt his life on his own terms. Eventually, Hancock would establish his own very successful Thoroughbred operation and became the first of his family to be the breeder and owner of a Kentucky Derby winner. Throughout the memoir, Hancock bares his soul in the country music lyrics he penned, a passion that continues today. 'The History of the Kentucky Derby in 75 Objects' by Kentucky Derby Museum and Jessica K. Whitehead Released in time for the sesquicentennial celebration of the Kentucky Derby, this lovely coffee-table book tells the fascinating story of America's longest continuously held sporting event. Both visual and textual, it highlights important points in the Derby's 150-year history by focusing on 75 objects housed in the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs. It was written and pulled together by Museum historian and Senior Curator of Collections Jessica Whitehead, who brings readers along on a cultural journey through time, beginning with the Derby's birth during the Gilded Age, through the rise of black and female jockeys, and beyond. Advertisement 'Jockey Queen: Lillian Jenkinson Holder, Horse Racing's Fearless Lady' by Roger Peach Long before women were licensed to ride in American parimutuel races, a girl from Nebraska was tearing up the rough, tough bush tracks of the Midwest, often putting chauvinistic male riders to shame. Where Lillian Jenkinson Holder (1909–1992) rode for 47 years, there were no rules, no restrictions, no safety equipment, no holds barred. All that was required was skill in the saddle and courage, both of which Holder had in abundance during her 10,000+ races under cutthroat conditions. Jockey Queen traces the life of this extraordinary woman who made national news three times pursuing her denied right to ride in parimutuel races. For decades, her remarkable story somehow flew under the radar of racing history, but not anymore. 'Letters From Country Life: Adolphe Pons, Man o' War, and the Founding of Maryland's Oldest Thoroughbred Farm' by Josh Pons Josh Pons is a two-time Eclipse Award-winning writer, third-generation horseman, and co-owner of Maryland's famed Country Life Farm. In 2016, he uncovered a treasure trove of letters in the century-old farmhouse basement—trunks packed with correspondence to his grandfather Adolphe Pons. Those letters provided a rare glimpse into the life of a special man, told by voices from the deep past. The elder Pons, who founded Country Life during the Great Depression, had served as personal secretary to August Belmont II, and had a hand in the breeding and eventual sale of a yearling named Man o' War—among many other contributions to the sport. Who wouldn't want a peek inside the letters that came his way? Even better, the author shares his own erudite thoughts on the wisdom and joy gleaned in discovering this long-ago family history. 'What Horses Do After Racing: The Story of Good Carma' by Jay Privman For decades, Jay Privman has been one of the most respected and decorated journalists in racing, in print and on television. Now, he is a children's author. Long passionate about Thoroughbred aftercare, Privman has become increasingly involved in that arena. His latest literary effort, What Horses Do After Racing: The Story of Good Carma, features four ex-racehorses who dream of what their second careers might be—whether show jumping, trail riding, dressage, or therapy. In simple words accompanied by charming illustrations by Christine Siegel, Privman's book is an enchanting primer for young readers who love and care about horses. All proceeds benefit the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), a nonprofit that provides funds for the rehabilitation, retraining, or retirement of horses that have raced in California. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Entrepreneur
6 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Congress Moves to Clarify Joint Employer Rule
After years of back-and-forth regulatory changes, a new bill aims to bring long-awaited clarity to the franchise industry. Franchise owners could soon see relief from one of the industry's most contentious legal issues: the joint employer standard. A bill working its way through the U.S. House of Representatives aims to permanently define when two businesses can be considered joint employers — an issue with major implications for the more than 800,000 franchise establishments across the country. Together, those businesses generate hundreds of millions in annual economic output and support close to nine million jobs in the U.S. Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget. The Save Local Business Act, sponsored by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), would lock in the current, narrower joint employer definition that requires "direct and immediate control" over essential terms of employment. This would replace the shifting regulatory standards that have bounced back and forth for more than a decade, depending on which party controls the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). At stake is the legal relationship between franchisors and franchisees. Under a narrow joint employer standard, franchisees are considered independent operators responsible for hiring, firing, scheduling and supervising their own employees. But under broader definitions — like the one the NLRB attempted to implement in 2023 — franchisors could be held liable simply for having the potential to influence those decisions, even if they never exercised that power. Related: 'Send a Man Next Time': How an Entrepreneur and Her Daughters Built a $2.5 Million Franchise in a Male-Dominated Field The 2023 rule faced immediate backlash from the business community, including franchise owners, labor attorneys and trade organizations, led by the International Franchise Association. Many argued that it was too vague and broad, leaving employers uncertain about their legal responsibilities. A federal judge struck down the rule in March 2024, calling it overly expansive and difficult to enforce. Despite that legal win for franchise businesses, the concern remains that future administrations could revive similar language. The Save Local Business Act is designed to prevent that by codifying the narrower standard into federal law. Previous attempts to expand the joint employer standard have had measurable economic consequences. When a broader rule was adopted in 2015, the franchise sector saw an estimated $33 billion in lost output, according to IFA research. Related: I Walked Away From a Corporate Career to Start My Own Small Business — Here's Why You Should Do the Same The uncertainty has also made some franchisors more hesitant to support or expand their franchise networks. Under a broader rule, offering training, guidance or shared HR tools could expose them to legal liability, undermining the collaborative model that helps local owners succeed. Supporters of the new bill argue that locking in a clear, consistent joint employer definition would restore confidence for franchise operators, investors and employees alike. They say the current model balances brand standards with local control and allows small business owners to grow within a proven system. Related: 3 Lessons I Learned Selling My Billion-Dollar Company Opponents of the bill, including some labor advocates, argue that the narrow standard makes it harder for workers to hold the appropriate parties accountable in cases of labor violations. They believe companies that benefit from franchise labor should also share in the responsibility. Still, for most franchise businesses, the issue is about clarity, not politics. Whether they run gyms, restaurants, home services or child care centers, local owners are looking for regulatory stability so they can plan for growth without fear of surprise liability. The Save Local Business Act now heads to committee and may be folded into broader labor or small business legislation later this year. Whether or not it passes, the debate over who qualifies as a joint employer is likely to remain a flashpoint in labor policy — and a top priority for the franchise sector heading into 2025. Join top CEOs, founders and operators at the Level Up conference to unlock strategies for scaling your business, boosting revenue and building sustainable success.
