Skimm'd with bedtime reading

"Assman" – The name of a real Canadian man who apparently can't get his name on a license plate. Butt why?

ANOTHER DAY IN DC

The Story

New day, new story.

What's the latest?

Well then let's update you on that first. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker will testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee today.

Snooze.

Ok hear us out. Whitaker's the temporary top dog of the DOJ and currently overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. House Dems asked him to swing by and answer a few questions. And threatened to subpoena him if he didn't.

Woah. That escalated quickly.

Yep. Here's why it gets dicey: convos with the prez can be protected under executive privilege. Meaning, Whitaker can refuse to answer some of Dems' questions. Dems aren't happy about that – and wanted to know in advance how cooperative Whitaker will be. After a full-day showdown Whitaker said, 'calm down, I'll be there.' But it's still not clear what he's willing to answer. He's also not expected to have his job as acting AG much longer. That's because yesterday, William Barr – Trump's pick for attorney general – got the go-ahead for a full Senate vote on his nomination. It could happen as soon as next week.

Alright. I'm ready for the new stuff.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court voted to temporarily block a Louisiana law that could have restricted abortion access there. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the liberals to vote against letting the law go into effect while it's being challenged in the courts. And then there's the "Green New Deal."

I'm thinking FDR, I'm thinking climate change…

Close. It's a resolution Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and other progressive Dems unveiled yesterday, committing to get the US down to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions within 10 years.

How exactly?

It's not clear. But it says we'll need big changes to US infrastructure, like expanding high-speed rail to reduce the need for planes. Plus, a lot of investment into developing wind and solar energy. Supporters – which include prez hopefuls like Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) – say it's about time we took climate change seriously. Especially considering the many alarm bells. Critics say 'yeah but changing the entire economy within 10 years isn't exactly realistic.'

theSkimm

Dems are flexing. For now: this is a message to the president that while he may not like being investigated, they control the House now and the power to investigate that comes with it. For later: they're setting up a major talking point for Dem candidates in 2020. Yep, that Green New Deal has very little chance of passing in the current divided Congress. But expect it to be a big campaign issue.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

Who people are talking about…

Woody Allen. Yesterday, the director filed a lawsuit against Amazon. In 2017, Amazon got into deals with Allen to distribute some of his movies. But then #MeToo brought more attention to his daughter Dylan Farrow's long-standing accusations of molestation against him (which Allen has always denied). Amazon – also dealing with its own sexual harassment scandal – decided to end the deal. Now, Allen is suing for more than $68 million, saying it's an old false allegation and that Amazon can't terminate the contract. This isn't the only thing on the 'Zon's mind. Yesterday, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said he was the target of "extortion and blackmail" by the publisher of the National Enquirer. Last month, Bezos and his wife announced they were getting divorced after 25 years of marriage. Shortly after, the Enquirer published a story that revealed an extramarital affair on Jeff's part with former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez. He then started investigating how the tabloid got text messages about the relationship, and his investigators suggested this was politically motivated. Now, Bezos is alleging the Enquirer threatened to publish revealing personal photos if he didn't back off and publicly say it had nothing to do with politics.

Who people are remembering…

Frank Robinson and John Dingell. Yesterday, Frank Robinson – the 83-year-old baseball legend – passed away. He was the first black manager in Major League Baseball and the only player to win MVP in both the National and American leagues. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible. Meanwhile, former Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) – the longest-serving member of Congress – passed away yesterday at the age of 92 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee for 16 years and played an important role in passing many major pieces of legislation we have today (think: the Civil Rights Act, the Affordable Care Act, and more). He was also an absolute gem on Twitter. RIP to both of these incredible men.

What to say when your boss catches a mistake during a presentation…

Is it too late to fix it? Apple is hoping it's not. Yesterday, the Fruit said it fixed FaceTime's group chat feature that let you call and eavesdrop on people even if they didn't answer. You know, that small issue. Now the company is thanking the 14-year-old who discovered this by helping to pay for his education. Meanwhile, Instagram is changing things up and putting IGTV previews in your main feed. Don't say we didn't warn you.

What to say to your friend who always asks the waiter for extra bread…

This might ruin it for you.

SKIMM READS

To help celebrate Black History Month, February's Skimm Reads are from black authors who made history.

"Elbow Room" by James Alan McPherson

This collection of short stories explores race relations. In one, parents disapprove of an interracial marriage. In another, a white lawyer and black client struggle to understand each other. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1978, making McPherson the first black author to ever win the award.

SKIMM'RS

Spotlight on…Angela M (MO). She was picked to be part of a leadership program through the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and has a chapter in a peer reviewed scholarly book. And got it all done while she has a full-time job.

Cheers to…Maria C (WA), who's the CEO of a pay equity startup that just landed $5 million in seed funding. And Emily A (PA), who got a promotion and salary bump after asking several times over the past year. Persistence will get you everywhere.

(Some) Birthdays…Skimm Grandma Bernice Zakin's 101st birthday (FL), Ellen Richman (CT), theSkimm's Sam Baines (NY), Chris Malcolm (OR), Michelle Moser (NY), Andrew Lerner (NY), Savannah Barkdull (VA), Courtney Wendel-Stevenson (WA), Riccardo Berto (ITA), Johnny Walker (ID), Leslie Saponaro (OH), Nicole Capalbo Dingle (SC), Sydney James (IL), Tamika Wiggins (AL), Thom Moore (OK).

*Welcome to a new section we're testing with members of theSkimm. Want to take it to the next level? Reach out here for a chance to be featured.