RINGSIDE POLITICS – MARCH 5, 2021

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Welcome to another edition of Ringside Politics with Jeff Crouere

Today’s Hot Topics:

1) The governor of Alabama said Thursday that she will extend the state’s mask mandate through April 9 and then lift the order.

Gov. Kay Ivey said the extension would give businesses time to implement their own policies and make any necessary adjustments before to the deadline.

The current order requires people to wear masks in public whenever they are within 6 feet of someone else from a different household. Face coverings are also required in schools and colleges for both employees and students in the second grade and above.

Once the order ends next month, masks will no longer be mandated.

2) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the National Guard troops protecting the Capitol should stay as long as they are needed amid a new threat of another mob attack.

The House wrapped up its work early amid reports of a threat on the Capitol on Thursday.

Pelosi says a draft security review from the deadly Jan. 6 mob siege is making various recommendations to beef up Capitol security and is expected to be made public next week.

Law enforcement is on high alert around the Capitol after intelligence uncovered a “possible plot” by a militia group to storm the iconic building again. This comes two months after Trump supporters smashed through windows and doors to try to stop Congress from certifying now-President Joe Biden’s victory. Five people died.

3) Joe Biden sharply criticised the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi over their decision to end their state mask-wearing mandates, describing the move as a “big mistake” and accusing them of “Neanderthal thinking”. Speaking at the White House yesterday, Biden said the US was on the “cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease” due to the vaccine rollout, but warned that “the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything’s fine”.

Biden’s criticisms were echoed by public health experts. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said her organisation had been “very clear that now is not the time to release all restrictions”, adding that the “next month or two is really pivotal”. She has previously warned that a fourth surge of the virus is possible if adherence to public health restrictions slips.

4) New York Democrats are expected to pass a bill that would repeal some of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive powers.

The governor is taking fire from multiple fronts.

The Wall Street Journal and New York Times are reporting that the governor’s top advisors, got state health officials to remove data on a public report showing how many nursing home residents died from COVID-19.

The report from last summer only reported numbers of residents who actually died in the nursing homes and it did not including those residents who died at hospitals.

It’s a reporting difference that State Attorney General Letitia James has said under-reported the nursing home death toll by as much as 50%.

Today’s Guests:

1) Chris Holton, Vice President of Outreach, Center for Security Policy – calls to discuss the latest in the Biden administration.

2) Hon. Kyle Ardoin, Secretary of State of Louisiana – talks about local politics and his platform.

3)  Donna Carol Voss, Ringside All-Star – joins the show to talk about the hot topics of the week and opine with callers