Insurrections loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. A felony case stemming from the U.S. Capitol riot appears to have been resolved in secret, with the man released from federal custody this week despite no public record of a conviction or sentencing. Pennsylvania resident Samuel Lazar was arrested in July 2021 and had been jailed since then on charges in the Jan. 6 insurrection. There's no public record of a conviction or a sentence in Lazar’s court docket. But the Bureau of Prisons tells The Associated Press that Lazar was sentenced in March to 30 months behind bars for assaulting or resisting a federal officer. (Photo: AP/Jose Luis Magana/File)
A Pennsylvania man’s guilty plea and prison sentence for attacking police during the U.S. Capitol riot has remained under seal for months, but a court filing on Monday reveals a reason for the unusual secrecy: He cooperated with federal authorities after the Jan, 2021, siege.
Prosecutors want to keep certain details of Samuel Lazar’s cooperation under wraps, but they have acknowledged for the first time that he supplied the government with information as part of a plea agreement.
Publicly releasing information that Lazar provided could interfere with ongoing investigations, according to a joint court filing by prosecutors and Lazar’s attorney. The filing, which is dated Friday but was docketed on Monday, also says Lazar “named individuals responsible for criminal conduct who may not have been charged.”
More than 1,100 people have been charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, and hundreds of them have pleaded guilty. But it is rare for records of a guilty plea and sentence to be sealed, even in cases involving a defendant’s cooperation. Court hearings and records are supposed to be open and available to the public unless there’s a compelling need for secrecy.
Lazar, 37, of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, was released from federal custody on Sept. 13 after serving a 30-month prison sentence. His cooperation with the government was discussed at a March 2023 sentencing hearing that was closed to the public, the joint filing says.
A coalition of news outlets, including The Associated Press, on Friday renewed its request for the court to unseal records of Lazar’s guilty plea and punishment. Prosecutors and Lazar’s attorney are asking for 30 days to redact records of his cooperation before they are publicly released.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who sentenced Lazar, didn’t immediately rule on either request.
In May, Jackson had rejected the initial request from media outlets to release any sealed records that may exist. Jackson said the case law cited by the press coalition “plainly recognizes that there may be circumstances where a need for secrecy can be outweighed by competing significant interests.”
Lazar was arrested in July 2021 on charges that he came to the Capitol on Jan. 6 dressed in tactical gear and protective goggles and used chemical spray on officers who were trying to hold off the mob of Donald Trump supporters.
Videos captured Lazar approaching police lines outside the Capitol and discharging an orange chemical irritant toward officers, an FBI agent said in a court filing. Lazar shouted profane insults at police through the bullhorn, calling them tyrants and yelling, “Let’s get their guns!”
Lazar remained jailed for nearly two years before his sentencing. A magistrate judge who ordered Lazar’s detention concluded that his pretrial release would pose «a concrete, prospective threat to public safety.”
Attorneys for the news outlets questioned why records of Lazar’s guilty plea and sentence remained under seal even after his release from prison.
“The press, the public, and presumably even the police victims of Lazar’s violence on January 6 therefore have no idea how or why this January 6 riot participant, deemed just a couple of years ago to be too dangerous to release, is now free,” the lawyers wrote on Friday.
As recently as last month, the Justice Department refused to say why the case remains under wraps, while attorneys for Lazar did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The AP.
PHILADELPHIA. — Philadelphia police officers on Monday shot and killed a man suspected in a quadruple shooting hours earlier that left three people dead, authorities said.
The quadruple shooting took place shortly before 5 a.m. in the Lawncrest section of northeast Philadelphia. The police department’s interim commissioner, John Stanford, said police responding to a home found three people dead and one person wounded who was taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition.
Three hours later, in the East Mount Airy section of northwest Philadelphia, officers tried to pull over a vehicle reported fleeing the shooting location, Stanford said. The man in the vehicle, believed to be responsible for the shooting, fired at least one round at police, and officers returned fire, hitting him, Stanford said. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead a little more than an hour later. One officer had minor injuries to a hand from broken glass.
The names of the suspect and the shooting victims, who Stanford said were related, were not immediately released.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, in Philadelphia. (Photo: AP/Matt Slocum)
PHILADELPHIA. — Jalen Hurts won games for the Philadelphia Eagles by margins large and small, with his arms and his legs, with eye-popping playmaking that earned him one of the richest contracts in NFL history.
But it took Hurts until Sunday to achieve a new feat — leading the Eagles to an overtime win.
No matter how late in the game — and Jake Elliott’s 54-yard field goal in a 34-31 win over Washington was about as late as it gets — Hurts and the Eagles find a way to pull out a win.
They are 4-0 for the second straight season, one of two undefeated teams in the league. The other is San Francisco, and an NFC championship game rematch — even in October — doesn’t seem so far out of reach.
Hurts turned in his first true 2022 performance of this season. He threw for 300 yards for the first time this year and connected with A.J. Brown for two touchdowns. Brown, one of Hurts’ closest friends on the team, said he saw a fire in the QB that had been missing.
The Eagles were hardly inspiring over a 3-0 start but were to quick to remind fans, the media — anyone who complained — that 3-0 is still 3-0 no matter how they got there. After gutting out a win over the Commanders, the Eagles feel they ended the first quarter of the season playing like a Super Bowl contender.
“I think a win like this does so much for the spirit of a team because winning is not easy,” Hurts said. “Winning is hard. It’s hard in this league and it’s very hard in this division. In multiple ways, it lights a fire for us to continue to do what we want to do.”
Hurts led the Eagles to their first OT win since 2019. The Eagles have won 21 of the last 22 regular-season games (.957) started by Hurts.
As well as he played, Hurts still hasn’t busted many long plays open on the ground. But like he said about his passing game, the plays and stats will come. Winning is the main thing.
“I think it is reassuring for us,” he said. “I think more so, man, when you feel those moments, they build so much character for you. Just hammering in on that, it builds so much character, and I think that can mold the character of this team to trend forward and continue to grow.”
WHAT’S WORKING
Brown topped 100 yards receiving for the second straight game after failing to hit that mark in the first two games. He also snagged his first two TD catches of the season.
He had nine catches for 131 yards against Tampa Bay and nine catches for 175 yards on Sunday. As Hurts play better, it’s no coincidence Brown’s numbers have skyrocketed.
Brown was the first Eagle to produce 175-plus receiving yards and two TDs in a game since Jeremy Maclin in 2014 at Arizona. He was the first to hit those marks at home since Kevin Curtis in 2007. Brown became the fifth Eagle since the 1970 merger to have 130-plus receiving yards in back-to-back games, joining Maclin (2014), DeSean Jackson (2009, ’10), Mike Quick (1983, ’85) and Harold Jackson (1971, ’72).
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Attention to detail. The Eagles committed 11 penalties after averaging only five each over the first three games. Brown was hit with a taunting penalty after he scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Commanders got an extra 15 yards on their final drive and scored the tying touchdown.
“A.J., obviously, was apologetic about that coming off the field,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “A lot of emotions in that game. We’ll definitely learn from that. It’ll be a teaching moment from that.”
STOCK UP
All Elliott does is kick long field goals.
Elliott won the game on a 54-yarder in OT, adding to his team record for career 50-plus-yard field goals (22). Elliott also made kicks from 41, 47 and 36 yards. The winner was the longest game-winning field goal by an Eagle in overtime since the 1970 merger. Elliott has converted four times from 50-plus yards this season, one shy of his career high (reached in 2017 and 2022).
“I love it when those situations come down to me,” Elliott said. “I always have.”
STOCK DOWN
Cornerback Josh Jobe, starting for the injured James Bradberry, let Commanders receiver Jahan Dotson get in front of him for the tying touchdown with no time left on the clock in regulation.
INJURIES
RG Cam Jurgens suffered a foot injury.
KEY NUMBER
7 — The Eagles are 4-0 for the seventh time, having accomplished the feat during the 1954, 1981, 1992, 1993, 2004 and 2022 seasons.
NEXT STEPS
The Eagles head to Los Angeles to face the Rams (2-2).
Josh Kruger, left, then the Communications Director, the Office of Homeless Services at City of Philadelphia, at a tent encampment in Philadelphia, on Jan. 6, 2020. The journalist and advocate who rose from homelessness and addiction to serve as a spokesperson for Philadelphia's most vulnerable was shot and killed at his home early Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 police said. (Photo: AP/Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer)
PHILADELPHIA. — A journalist and advocate who rose from homelessness and addiction to serve as a spokesperson for Philadelphia’s most vulnerable was shot and killed at his home early Monday, police said.
Josh Kruger, 39, was shot seven times at about 1:30 a.m. and collapsed in the street after seeking help, police said. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later. Police believe the door to his Point Breeze home was unlocked or the shooter knew how to get in, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. No arrests have been made and no weapons have been recovered, they said.
Authorities haven’t spoken publicly about the circumstances surrounding the killing.
“Josh cared deeply about our city and its residents, which was evident both in his public service and in his writing. His intelligence, creativity, passion, and wit shone bright in everything that he did — and his light was dimmed much too soon,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement.
Kruger handled social media for the mayor and communications for the Office of Homeless Services from about 2016 to 2021. He left city government to focus on writing projects for news outlets and progressive causes.
He wrote at various times for Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia City Paper, The Philadelphia Inquirer and other publications, earning awards for his poignant and often humorous style.
On his website, he described himself as a “militant bicyclist” and «a proponent of the singular they, the Oxford comma, and pre-Elon Twitter.“
In a statement Monday, District Attorney Larry Krasner praised Kruger’s contributions to the city.
“As an openly queer writer who wrote about his own journey surviving substance use disorder and homelessness, … Josh Kruger lifted up the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in our communities — particularly unhoused people living with addiction,” Krasner said. “Josh deserved to write the ending of his personal story.”
Shown is the aftermath of ransacked liquor store in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Police say groups of teenagers swarmed into stores across Philadelphia in an apparently coordinated effort, stuffed bags with merchandise and fled. (Photo: AP/Matt Rourke)
PHILADELPHIA. — Additional suspects will be charged with smashing into stores in Philadelphia last week as law enforcement officials review video of the social-media fueled mayhem, prosecutors said Monday.
More than 70 people already face a range of charges, such as burglary, conspiracy and riot, in the flash mob-style break-ins Tuesday night at dozens of stores including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple. All but six of the defendants are adults.
“There was a lot of video from that first evening and evenings that went after that, so we continue to work with (police) on reviewing affidavits, with reviewing evidence that they submit to us,” Assistant District Attorney Clint Orem said at a news conference Monday. «We expect more of those individuals to be charged in the coming days.»
Before the smash-and-grab thefts, a group of protesters — who officials say had no connection to the burglary suspects — peacefully rallied against a judge’s decision to dismiss murder and other charges against a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver, Eddie Irizarry, through a rolled-up window. The protesters were marching in support of Irizarry’s family. Prosecutors are seeking to have the charges reinstated against the fired officer, Mark Dial.
The thefts and unrest left smashed display windows and broken storefront coverings. Video on social media showed masked people in hoodies running out of Lululemon with merchandise and police officers grabbing several and tackling them to the sidewalk.
Pharmacies, a hair salon, a cellphone store, and and state-run liquor outlets were among the other businesses targeted in several parts of the city, with suspects using social media to organize. One woman with hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, who livestreamed some of the rioting, is among those charged, and authorities said they are looking for additional ringleaders.
“We are very, very interested in bringing justice to people who view it as their task to encourage others to join them in breaking the law,” District Attorney Larry Krasner said Monday.
Most of the ransacking took place on the night that charges against Dial were dismissed, although six arrests were made the following night.
Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal rebuked people who took part in what Krasner called “opportunistic crime.”
“The thieves weren’t walking with the family in support,” Bilal said. “Rather, they were too busy stealing.»
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (1) calls to teammates during the first half of Game 5 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinals playoff series, Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Boston. James Harden skipped the Philadelphia 76ers’ media day and his status for training camp this week in Colorado is unclear because the franchise has yet to meet the disgruntled guard’s demand for a trade.“He's not here today,” team president Daryl Morey said Monday. (Photo: AP/Charles Krupa/File)
James Harden skipped the Philadelphia 76ers’ media day and his status for training camp this week in Colorado is unclear because the franchise has yet to meet the disgruntled guard’s demand for a trade.
“He’s not here today,” team president Daryl Morey said Monday. “He continues to seek a trade and we’re working with his representation to resolve that in the best way for the 76ers and hopefully all parties.”
Morey said Harden was being treated like any other player on the roster and was expected to attend training camp.
The 34-year-old Harden’s relationship with the Sixers has been obliterated following an offseason in which he was fined $10,000 for publicly calling Morey a liar. Harden did picked up his $35.6 million contract option this season in June with the expectation the team would try to trade him. When no deal materialized for the seven-time All-NBA player, he blasted Morey at a promotional event in China.
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden said at the event. “Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”
Harden has been one of the league’s top players for the past decade, having won three scoring titles and the 2018 league MVP award. He led the league in assists last season.
‘He’s on the roster. We’re excited for him to help him if he chooses that,» Morey said.
Harden is a 10-time All-Star but essentially forced his way with trades out of Houston and Brooklyn and now seems intent on adding the Sixers to the list. It appears playing as the second option behind NBA MVP Joel Embiid and chasing a championship in Philly is no longer seriously on the table.
“We’ll either move James for a player of a caliber that helps our championship contention or for draft picks that will let us go in short order go get a player like that,” Morey said.
Embiid —whose four-year, $196 million extension that takes him through the 2026-27 season kicked in this year — said he remained committed to winning a championship in Philadelphia.
“I think it’s been unfortunate what has been going on,” Embiid said. “The goal is to be together and try to win a championship.”
The Sixers are set to open camp under new coach Nick Nurse, who was hired to replace Doc Rivers, who never led the Sixers past the second round of the playoffs. Harden’s play last season was a pivotal reason why the Sixers’ championship run stalled.
“James is a really good player. We love him on the team,” said Embiid, the two-time NBA scoring champion. “If he’s here, great. We’d love to have him. If not, we’ve still got a job to do.”
Harden, acquired at the 2022 trade deadline from Brooklyn for Ben Simmons, scored 45 points in Game 1 and 42 in Game 4 victories against the Boston Celtics. Harden was 0 for 6 on 3s in Game 2 and Game 6 losses. He scored only nine points in Game 7, and he went scoreless in the second half.
The 76ers already went through a similar situation two years ago when Simmons was unhappy with the franchise and asked for a trade. Simmons missed training camp and made a brief return to practice but never again played a game for the Sixers.
Without Harden, or an able replacement, the Sixers are suddenly well behind in the Eastern Conference after the Milwaukee Bucks added seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard and the Boston Celtics on Sunday pulled off a deal for All-Star guard Jrue Holiday.
Embiid bristled at the suggestion that the Bucks and Celtics are better than the Sixers in the East — “Who said they surpassed us?” The rest of the Sixers have put up a united front that the team can still contend for a championship.
“We have the MVP. We have a really good coach,” guard Tyrese Maxey said. “I feel like we have the pieces around the MVP to really be competitive.”
The Sixers — who haven’t won an NBA title since 1983 or advanced past the second round in the East since 2001 — were set to leave Monday for camp at Colorado State.
“We have a lot of questions,” Morey said. “Obviously, James is the big one.”
Esperanza Academy student working on an engineering project. (Photo: Credits/Sierra Guenst)
Philadelphia, PA – Esperanza Academy Charter School, a K-12 school in the Hunting Park neighborhood, is thrilled to announce that it has been selected as a quarterfinalist in the prestigious 2023 Yass Prize competition.
The mission of the Yass Prize and STOP Awards Initiative is to identify and support more best-in-class education providers who can tackle the big education challenges of the day. These schools deliver an education for students that is Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless. In conjunction with The Yass Prize, the STOP Awards initiative provides over $20 million in support annually to honor educators who achieve excellence. Being named a quarterfinalist is a testament to Esperanza Academy’s unwavering dedication to providing a quality education that prepares critically thinking, socially capable, spiritually sensitive, and culturally aware young adults who can use English, Spanish, and technology as tools for success in the 21st century.
Esperanza Academy works to maximize students’ opportunities for learning and to focus on individual student outcomes as their bottom line. Because the students in its surrounding community have historically been underserved, Esperanza Academy recognizes the urgency of its work in education as a vehicle for social and economic progress for marginalized communities. Two programs in particular that exemplify this kind of transformative educational experience are the high school majors program and the dual enrollment program, which is offered in partnership with Esperanza College of Eastern University. If chosen as a Yass Prize award recipient, Esperanza Academy would use the funds to support and expand one of these programs.
High school students select from 13 curricular major programs, including technology, entrepreneurship, teacher education, journalism, engineering, criminal justice, health sciences, visual arts, dance, drama, film, instrumental music, and voice. This experience makes students more competitive in the job market and on college applications, engages them in learning in new ways, and helps them develop their skills, interests, and passions. Through the dual enrollment program, students have access to individual college-level courses at Esperanza College or the option of enrolling in the Early College Program. Students who are accepted into the Early College Program take all of their junior and senior year classes at the College and receive both their high school diploma and associate degree upon successful completion of the program.
Esperanza Academy dance ensemble. (Photo: Credits/Sierra Guenst)
«We are incredibly honored to be recognized as a quarterfinalist in the 2023 Yass Prize competition,» said Mr. David Rossi, Chief Executive Officer at Esperanza Academy. «This achievement is a result of the dedication and hard work of our talented educators, staff, and students who continuously strive for excellence. It reinforces our commitment to providing a high-quality education to the students in our community and working to move students forward in all areas.»
As a quarterfinalist, Esperanza Academy will move forward in the competition with the hope of joining the group of semifinalists who will be announced on October 10, 2023. To learn more about the Yass Prize, and to follow Esperanza Academy’s journey in the competition, please visit the Yass Prize website at: https://yassprize.org/.
For media inquiries, please contact: David Rossi, Chief Executive Officer, drossi@neacademy.net, (267) 270-4044 ext. 1123
About Esperanza Academy Charter School:
Esperanza Academy Charter School is a K-12 charter school in the Hunting Park neighborhood of Philadelphia. Esperanza Academy Charter School is dedicated to providing a quality education that prepares critically thinking, socially capable, spiritually sensitive, and culturally aware young adults who can use English, Spanish, and technology as tools for success in the 21st century. For more information, visit www.esperanzaacademycs.org.
El Capitolio de EE. UU. en Washington DC, sede del Congreso, en una foto del 13 de junio de 2023. (Foto: VOA)
El gobierno de EE. UU. no llegó a cerrar el primer día de octubre, pero tampoco hay tranquilidad en el Capitolio, donde algunos republicanos de la Cámara de Representantes no quedaron conformes con el resultado.
El gobierno de Estados Unidos permaneció abierto el domingo, con la financiación asegurada hasta mediados de noviembre, pero las luchas políticas internas entre los legisladores republicanos en torno a las votaciones para mantenerlo en funcionamiento no hicieron más que intensificarse.
El congresista republicano conservador Matt Gaetz de Florida dijo en programas de noticias el domingo que esta semana intentaría derrocar al presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, Kevin McCarthy, líder de la estrecha mayoría republicana en la Cámara Baja.
Esto tiene lugar después de que McCarthy, en un brusco giro el sábado, aprovechó un bloque casi unánime de legisladores demócratas de oposición que votaron para evitar un cierre parcial del gobierno.
“Creo que tenemos que arrancarnos la venda. Creo que debemos avanzar con un nuevo liderazgo que pueda ser confiable”, dijo Gaetz en el programa “State of the Union” de CNN.
Gaetz ha acusado a McCarthy de incumplir las promesas hechas a los legisladores de extrema derecha cuando McCarthy se convirtió en presidente en enero de recortar el gasto gubernamental a los niveles anteriores a la pandemia del coronavirus de 2020 y no aprobar una legislación clave con votos demócratas.
Pero McCarthy no pareció preocuparse por el impulso de Gaetz contra su puesto de presidente y dijo en el programa “Face the Nation” de CBS: “Sobreviviré”.
“Él está más interesado en conseguir entrevistas televisivas que en hacer algo. Quería empujarnos a un cierre”, un paro laboral que, según McCarthy, habría retrasado los cheques de pago del personal militar que vive en el distrito electoral del propio Gaetz.
Agregó: “Adelante (con la medida para derrocarlo). Terminemos con esto».
Gaetz, quien lleva ocho años en la Cámara de Representantes, dijo sobre McCarthy en el programa «This Week» de ABC News que «casi no hay promesa que no haya violado».
McCarthy impulsó medidas patrocinadas por los republicanos con fuertes recortes del gasto en los últimos días, pero todas perdieron en las votaciones de la Cámara, a menudo cuando los legisladores más de extrema derecha del grupo republicano exigieron reducciones aún mayores.
Pero ante el inminente cierre parcial del gobierno a medianoche del sábado, McCarthy impulsó una legislación aceptable para la mayoría de los legisladores republicanos, aunque no para el bloque más conservador.
“Tiene que haber un adulto en la sala”, dijo McCarthy después de la votación. “Voy a gobernar con lo mejor para este país. Voy a ser un conservador que hará cosas para el público estadounidense. Sea lo que sea, que así sea porque creo que no debemos rendirnos con Estados Unidos”.
La mayoría de los 221 republicanos de la Cámara de 435 miembros todavía apoyan a McCarthy como presidente, lo que deja a Gaetz muy por debajo de una mayoría de 218 para elegir otro líder de la cámara.
El representante Michael Lawler, republicano de Nueva York, dijo a ABC que las quejas de Gaetz contra McCarthy son una «diatriba de pensamiento delirante».
El representante republicano pore Florida Matt Gaetz. (Foto: VOA)
Pero podría haber dos docenas o más de republicanos dispuestos a ponerse del lado de Gaetz para intentar derrocar a McCarthy, una cifra basada en los que votaron en contra de los planes de gastos preferidos por éste en los últimos días.
Seis republicanos dijeron que no votarían por ninguna medida de financiación a corto plazo, como la que finalmente obtuvo la aprobación del Congreso y fue firmada por el presidente Joe Biden.
Hasta qué punto el bloque minoritario demócrata de 212 legisladores votará con Gaetz para derrocar a McCarthy o respaldará su continuidad como presidente probablemente será motivo de intrigas y acuerdos esta semana.
Gaetz dijo a CNN: “Si a esta hora la próxima semana Kevin McCarthy sigue siendo el presidente de la Cámara, será porque los demócratas lo rescataron y él puede ser su presidente, no el mío”. Gaetz no mencionó nombres de ningún otro legislador republicano que prefiriera para el cargo.
Una legisladora demócrata, la representante Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez de Nueva York, dijo a CNN: “No depende de los demócratas salvar a Kevin McCarthy” y dijo que votaría “absolutamente” para destituirlo.
Dijo que si los demócratas finalmente votan a favor de que McCarthy continúe como presidente, “no renunciaremos a nada gratis. Tiene un precio”.
Añadió que el bloque republicano en la Cámara “no es un partido moderado. Simplemente hay diferentes grados de lealtad hacia (el ex presidente) Donald Trump”, quien alentó a los legisladores republicanos a permitir un cierre del gobierno.
No está claro qué podrían exigir los demócratas a cambio de apoyar a McCarthy, pero un objetivo quizás sea alguna forma de compartir el poder en las comisiones de la dividida Cámara: con su estrecha ventaja, los republicanos ahora controlan la agenda en los paneles.
Donald Trump tiene un objetivo familiar en la mira las reglas de votación de Pensilvania. Nunca dejó de atacar las decisiones judiciales sobre el voto por correo durante la pandemia de COVID-19, alegándolas falsamente como una de las razones de su derrota en 2020 en el crucial estado campo de batalla. Ahora, el expresidente republicano está aprovechando una decisión del gobernador demócrata Josh Shapiro de eludir la Legislatura e iniciar el registro automático de votantes.
El retroceso tiene ecos de las elecciones de 2020, cuando Trump y sus aliados criticaron implacablemente las decisiones de la Corte Suprema del estado, de mayoría demócrata. Eso incluyó extender la fecha límite para recibir boletas por correo debido a las advertencias de que la pandemia había ralentizado las entregas del servicio postal.
Los republicanos se han unido a Trump para criticar la acción de Shapiro, diciendo que no hay suficientes salvaguardas para evitar que menores o inmigrantes indocumentados se registren. La administración Shapiro lo cuestiona.
«LOS DEMÓCRATAS ESTÁN INTENTANDO ROBAR PENSILVANIA OTRA VEZ HACIENDO LA ESTAFA DEL ‘REGISTRO AUTOMÁTICO DE VOTANTES'», escribió Trump en su plataforma de redes sociales.
Fotografía de archivo del expresidente de los Estados Unidos, Donald J. Trump. EFE/EPA/SHAWN THEW
Algunos legisladores republicanos amenazan con demandar, diciendo que Shapiro debería haber buscado la aprobación de la Legislatura, donde el control está dividido entre los partidos. Mientras tanto, los partidos republicanos nacionales y estatales están buscando una explicación de la administración de Shapiro sobre cómo garantizará que los ciudadanos no estadounidenses y los menores no puedan registrarse para votar.
En una declaración, la presidenta del Comité Nacional Republicano, Ronna McDaniel, dijo que Shapiro está lanzando a los votantes un “cambio de reglas de último minuto poco claro e innecesario” semanas antes de las elecciones del 7 de noviembre, que incluyen una carrera por un escaño en la Corte Suprema estatal. Al gobernador en su primer mandato “le importa más conseguir tiempo de transmisión en MSNBC que asegurarse de que las elecciones de Pensilvania sean seguras y transparentes”, dijo McDaniel.
Shapiro también está tratando de sacar provecho de su movimiento. Hizo una ronda de apariciones en televisión por cable a nivel nacional después del anuncio del 19 de septiembre y lo utilizó como argumento para recaudar fondos, promocionándolo como un avance importante para la democracia.
«Esto ayudará a decenas de miles de habitantes de Pensilvania a hacer oír su voz, sin importar por quién elijan votar o cuáles sean sus opiniones», dijo Shapiro en un correo electrónico de recaudación de fondos.
Los demócratas sostuvieron que Shapiro estaba dentro de su autoridad legal para autorizar el registro automático de votantes. Un abogado electoral, Adam Bonin, dijo que los republicanos que lo critican simplemente buscan cobertura, en caso de que Trump pierda en 2024, y lo están utilizando para recaudar donaciones de campaña.
Los estados comenzaron a implementar sistemas automáticos de registro de votantes en 2015, y sus versiones ahora se han extendido a 24 estados y al Distrito de Columbia, según la Conferencia Nacional de Legislaturas Estatales. La mayoría de esos estados son democratas, pero también incluyen Alaska, Georgia y Virginia Occidental, controladas por los republicanos.
Georgia lo implementó en 2016 y ha visto un aumento en los registros y no ha habido problemas con el registro de ciudadanos no estadounidenses para votar, según la oficina electoral estatal. Una encuesta realizada en varios estados con registro automático de votantes reveló experiencias similares.
En Pensilvania, las personas notarán el cambio cuando acudan a un centro de licencias de conducir para obtener o renovar una licencia. En las computadoras allí, un mensaje les indicará que estarán registrados para votar “a menos que usted rechace registrarse”.
Anteriormente, las indicaciones preguntaban a los usuarios si querían registrarse y marcar afirmativamente una casilla que decía «sí».
La administración Shapiro dijo que ya cuenta con protecciones para evitar que se ofrezca el registro a ciudadanos no estadounidenses o menores de 18 años.
Algunas de esas protecciones datan de 2017, cuando el estado dijo que solucionó un problema técnico de dos décadas que podría haber permitido que varios miles de ciudadanos no estadounidenses se registraran inadvertidamente para votar. Los funcionarios estiman que las personas de ese grupo emitieron alrededor de 540 votos en 35 elecciones en 17 años.
Los republicanos en algunos estados que han cambiado al registro automático dicen que conducirá a fraude o votación ilegal, y los conservadores en Alaska han intentado derogar el registro automático de ese estado.
Los investigadores electorales dicen que del proceso no ha surgido ningún fraude generalizado ni votación ilegal. Los problemas más comunes son fallas iniciales al cotejar información desactualizada o al dar instrucciones poco claras a las personas que se registraban o actualizaban su información electoral.
Los partidarios dicen que es una forma más segura, eficiente y rentable de mantener las listas de votantes.
«Es más importante observar cuáles son las ventajas aquí, y hay muchas ventajas de esta reforma en particular y hay una razón por la cual muchos estados han avanzado en esta dirección», dijo Tammy Patrick, directora ejecutiva de programas de la Asociación Nacional. de Funcionarios Electorales.
Cuando se han realizado investigaciones, no mostraron ninguna ventaja particular para ningún grupo más que un ligero aumento en el registro republicano y el de los votantes blancos rurales, dijo Charles Stewart III, director de Datos y Ciencia Electoral del Instituto Tecnológico de Massachusetts.
“Eso es algo que tanto los demócratas como los republicanos deben tener en cuenta: que este no será el punto de inflexión que nadie cree, espera o teme”, dijo Stewart.
En Pensilvania, aproximadamente 8,6 millones de personas están registradas para votar, mientras que poco más de 1 millón tienen al menos 18 años pero no están registradas, según cifras del gobierno.
Los grupos de izquierda aplaudieron la adopción del registro automático. El Proyecto Nueva Pensilvania dijo que “sin duda ayudará a cerrar la brecha en el registro de votantes, especialmente en las comunidades de color, donde la brecha es más pronunciada”.
Investigadores del Instituto de Políticas Públicas de California, la Universidad del Sur de California y la Universidad de California, Berkeley, concluyeron en un estudio de 2021 que el registro automático de votantes había aumentado el registro en un 3% en los estados donde estaba vigente.
Pero el aumento en el número de personas que realmente votaron fue sólo de alrededor del 1%, lo que significa que la mayoría de las personas que se registraron de esa manera no terminaron votando.
Aún así, incluso ese pequeño porcentaje podría significar que decenas de miles de nuevos votantes acudan a las urnas en Pensilvania, una cifra potencialmente significativa en unas elecciones reñidas. En 2020, el demócrata Joe Biden ganó por unos 80.500 votos, mientras que Trump ganó en 2016 por unos 44.200 votos.
La orden de Shapiro podría estar encaminada a una impugnación judicial, lo que sería un punto de partida familiar para las disputas sobre las leyes electorales en el estado.
En los meses previos a las elecciones de 2020, la campaña de Trump, los funcionarios estatales, el Partido Demócrata y otros pelearon por las reglas para el voto por correo, ya que a Trump le preocupaba que esas papeletas le costaran la elección y las calumniaba infundadamente como plagadas de fraude.
Sam DeMarco, presidente republicano del condado de Allegheny, que incluye a Pittsburgh, dijo que no está preparado para decir que 2024 será una repetición de 2020. Pero la forma en que Shapiro promulgó el registro automático (sin audiencias, legislación ni un proceso de educación pública) no ayudó a promover el tipo de transparencia que podría disipar las teorías de conspiración, dijo.
“No sé adónde vamos. Dependerá de las acciones de algunos qué tan mal se ponga la situación”, dijo DeMarco. «Pero creo que ambas partes tienen que estar preparadas porque, como ha demostrado la historia, no pueden evitarlo».
Combo de fotografías de archivo que muestra, desde la izquierda, al tenista serbio Novak Djokovic, el piloto español Alex Palou, el futbolista argentino Lionel Messi, el brasileño Neymar y el pelotero venezolano Ronald Acuña Jr. EFE
Hernán Bahos Ruiz
Septiembre, el noveno mes del año, dejó para el deporte en América una gigantesca hazaña del serbio Novak Djokovic en el tenis, el segundo título en la Indycar del español Alex Palou y una marca en el béisbol de Grandes Ligas del venezolano Ronald Acuña Jr.
Lionel Messi alcanzó a su amigo uruguayo Luis Suárez como máximo goleador de las eliminatorias sudamericanas de los mundiales con 29 dianas.
Messi anotó de tiro libre el tanto de la victoria ajustada de Argentina sobre Ecuador en el comienzo de las eliminatorias sudamericanas del Mundial de 2026, el 7 de septiembre.
Un día después, Neymar aportó un doblete para la goleada por 5-1 sobre Bolivia, y con 79 goles en su cuenta personal, el delantero de 31 años se erigió como máximo goleador en la historia de la Verdeamarela, con dos más que el inolvidable Pelé.
Estos fueron los hechos
Tenis: Djokovic no tiene techo
El 10 de septiembre coronó por cuarta vez a Novak Djokovic en la historia del Abierto de Estados Unidos y, como si fuera poco, ese mismo día el serbio se consagró con 24 títulos de Grand Slam como el más premiado en la historia del tenis al lado de Margaret Court.
Son ya diez ediciones del Abierto de Australia que lo tienen como máximo ganador, siete de Wimbledon, un récord que comparte con Roger Federer; tres de Roland Garros y las cuatro del US Open.
Con estos números amplió su ventaja frente a las conquistas del español Rafael Nadal (22) y el suizo Roger Federer (20).
‘Nole’ se citó en el estadio Arthur Ashe de Nueva York con el ruso Daniil Medvedev para reeditar la final de 2021. El desenlace no fue el mismo.
Tres horas y 17 minutos después la Leyenda viva de Belgrado se convirtió a los 36 años se impuso por 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 al número 3 y se convirtió en el hombre de mayor edad en ganar el título individual del último Grand Slam del año, un torneo con 143 años de añejamiento.
Y los récords crecieron y otros cayeron.
Djkovic recuperó la cima de la clasificación mundial de la ATP, su hábitat natural en el que ya ha estado 390 semanas, y se erigió en el primer hombre que gana por cuarta vez tres títulos de Grand Slam en una temporada. Ya lo había hecho en 2011 y 2015. y 2021.
Automovilismo: Alex Palou lo vuelve a hacer
Juró que nunca pensó en que un día sería campeón de la IndyCar. Pues resulta que lo es por segunda vez desde el 3 de septiembre.
A los 26 años, el español Alex Palou puso la guinda en el circuito internacional de Portland (Oregon) a una temporada brillante Se corría la penúltima de las 17 pruebas del campeonato de Indycar y con su primer puesto en el podio, Palou completó cinco victorias en la temporada y se hizo inalcanzable para todos.
Ningún rival puso en riesgo el logro del nacido en San Antonio Vilamajor. Ni su compañero en Chip Ganassi Racing, el neozelandés nacido en Australia Scott Dixon, que a los 43 años es una leyenda en el circuito, con un récord de seis títulos en los últimos veinte años.
El primer título de Palou llegó en 2021, cuando cumplía su segundo año en esta disciplina que transcurre entre circuitos ovalados y callejeros.
La nueva consagración del piloto español llegó en una temporada convulsa en los despachos, que comenzó con la noticia de su frustrado paso a la escudería McLaren, lo que parecía acabar con su paso a la Formula Uno.
Por entonces Chip Ganassi hizo valer su opción de retenerle con una demanda. La marea pareció bajar en los siguientes meses gracias a un acuerdo que permitió a Palou cumplir entrenamientos con McLaren, que ahora quiere le quiere para su proyecto.
El problema es que el español quiere permanecer en Chip Ganassi, por lo que el constructor británico de F1 le ha demandado y exige a cambio una indemnización que ronda los 30 millones de dólares.
Fútbol: La Canarinha y el campeón ya miran por el retrovisor
Brasil y Argentina extendieron a seis puntos su campaña perfecta en las eliminatorias sudamericanas del Mundial 2026, cuya segunda jornada, jugada el 13 de septiembre, resultó negativa para Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Perú y Chile.
Por contra, ese martes dio nuevo aliento a Ecuador, que el 7 de septiembre comenzó su andadura con un castigo de tres puntos negativos impuesto por la FIFA
Colombia ocupa el tercer puesto con 4 puntos, en el cuarto yace Uruguay (3), el quinto es Venezuela (3) por su primer triunfo a expensas de Paraguay, que es sexto. Perú séptimo y Chile octavo, todos con un punto.
Sin puntos cierran la clasificación Ecuador, a pesar de la victoria sobre Uruguay, y Bolivia.
Béisbol: Acuña Jr quiere más.
El estelar jardinero venezolano Ronald Acuña Jr. agrandó su leyenda en las Grandes Ligas al convertirse el 27 de septiembre en el quinto jugador que en una temporada conecta 40 o más jonrones y roba 40 o más bases.
Nacido hace 25 años en La Guaira, Acuña se sumó al cubano José Canseco (1988), el estadounidense Barry Bonds (1996) y los dominicanos Alex Rodríguez (1998) y Alfonso Soriano (2006).
La estrella de los Bravos de Atlanta elevó el listón con una relación 41-70 mientras ayudaba a asegurar en casa la ventaja al menos hasta la Serie de Campeonato de la Liga Nacional.
Acuña bateó un sencillo impulsor que empató el juego y se robó su base 70 en la décima entrada antes de anotar con el sencillo de Ozzie Albies para sentenciar el triunfo por 6-5 sobre los Cachorros.
