The pardon Pressley wants

Also: Boston city councilor under federal investigation; how to prevent porch pirates [❤️ Donate]( [View in Browser](   December 4, 2024  ☁️ Cloudy, with a high near 35. Good Morning Boston, This season's [first wintery storm arrives tonight]( with shovel-worthy snow expected in certain areas outside of the I-495 loop (depending on [which snow map]( you trust). But first, let's get to the news: - I beg your pardon: Rep. Ayanna Pressley had been hoping to see President Biden use his pardon power during his final weeks in office - but she had a different way in mind. In the wake of Biden's [unconditional pardon of his son Hunter this week]( the Massachusetts congresswoman is pushing the president for even more sweeping action to grant clemency to those she feels are being unreasonably punished by the criminal justice system. "President Biden should be using his pardon authority - keeping those hundreds of thousands of people in mind who pose no threat to society, whose lives are deteriorating due to this mass incarceration crisis and an unjust criminal legal system," Pressley [said yesterday during an interview on Radio Boston](. - Zoom in: Pressley first made her call for mass pardons in [a letter last month]( with over 60 fellow House Democrats. Specifically, they called for Biden to pardon federal inmates who are "elderly and chronically ill, those on death row, people with unjustified sentencing disparities, and women who were punished for defending themselves against their abusers." - Zoom out: Biden's controversial pardon of his son has [sparked a bigger conversation]( about what pardons could - or should - be next. It's [not uncommon]( for presidents to announce a flurry of pardons at the end of their term, and the White House says Biden is "thinking through that process very thoroughly." - Around the delegation: Pressley didn't have much to say about Biden's pardon for Hunter. However, some of her peers - including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Seth Moulton and Rep. Jake Auchincloss - haven't held back their criticisms, [as Boston.com reports](. "Wrong is wrong," Warren said. - Meanwhile: Sen. Ed Markey has suggested Biden should issue "preemptive pardons" for people who could potentially be targeted for retribution by President-elect Donald Trump. Amherst College political scientist Austin Sarat [writes in this Cognoscenti commentary]( it would be an unusual, but legal, move. - Meanwhile at City Hall: The feds have launched an investigation into Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson. But so far, we don't really know what it's about. The exact focus of the probe has not been publicly disclosed and no criminal charges have been filed. The Boston Globe first reported the existence of the probe yesterday, as well as the fact that subpoenas have been sent to City Hall. - The backdrop: Rumors about an investigation into the Roxbury councilor had been widespread in Boston political circles, [as WBUR's Sydney Ko and Walter Wuthmann report.]( Last month, state officials dinged her reelection campaign for [late financial reports and excessive contributions](. Fernandes Anderson was also [fined $5,000 last year]( for hiring her sister and son as paid staffers. - Eyes on 2025: Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller [announced]( yesterday she won't run for reelection next year. Fuller became the city's first woman elected mayor in 2017. But after two terms spanning the COVID pandemic and a [contentious teachers' strike]( Fuller said she's hoping to spend more time with her family (and grandchildren). - The race for her seat is already on, with Newton City Councilor Marc Laredo [announcing a mayoral campaign in September](. - Look up: Cambridge has officially unveiled its first bilingual street signs. The signs - which show street names in both English and the native language of the Massachusett Tribe - were installed last week in East Cambridge [as part of the first phase of a voter-selected project]( in the city's participatory budget. See photos [here]( and [here](. - Flame on: Go ahead and (carefully) have that campfire. The Department of Conservation and Recreation lifted a temporary ban yesterday on open flame and charcoal fires at state parks due to improving drought conditions. However, [most of the state]( does remain in a [drought]( so officials ask that you use water to make sure fires are completely extinguished. P.S.- With the possibility of snow in the forecast, we have hot chocolate on the mind. And we want to know: where's the best spot in Massachusetts for a warm cup of hot cocoa? [Fill out this form]( or reply to this email to tell us your pick! Also, if you subscribe to another WBUR newsletter [using this link]( before Dec. 31, you'll get an exclusive list of WBUR staffers' favorite hot chocolate spots. (It's not just L.A. Burdick.) Nik DeCosta-Klipa Senior Editor, Newsletters The Rundown [Supreme Court hears challenge to law banning gender-affirming care for trans kids]( At issue is a Tennessee law that bans access to hormones, puberty blockers, and other treatments for trans kids in the state. [Read more.]( [Supreme Court hears challenge to law banning gender-affirming care for trans kids]( At issue is a Tennessee law that bans access to hormones, puberty blockers, and other treatments for trans kids in the state. [Read more.]( [Sens. Warren, Blumenthal urge Biden to define limits of military use on American soil]( Two senators are urging President Biden to act now to limit President-elect Donald Trump's ability to use the nation's military against its own citizens. [Read more.]( [Sens. Warren, Blumenthal urge Biden to define limits of military use on American soil]( Two senators are urging President Biden to act now to limit President-elect Donald Trump's ability to use the nation's military against its own citizens. [Read more.]( [South Korea's president faces calls to resign or be impeached]( Opposition parties have filed a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol and plans for rallies in major cities are underway. [Read more.]( [South Korea's president faces calls to resign or be impeached]( Opposition parties have filed a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol and plans for rallies in major cities are underway. [Read more.]( [Elon Musk's more than $50 billion pay deal at Tesla was rejected again. Here is why]( A judge in Delaware has for the second time struck down a compensation package for Elon Musk after a Tesla shareholder filed suit. [Read more.]( [Elon Musk's more than $50 billion pay deal at Tesla was rejected again. Here is why]( A judge in Delaware has for the second time struck down a compensation package for Elon Musk after a Tesla shareholder filed suit. [Read more.]( [Judge sets trial date for Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man charged with killing his wife]( Brian Walshe faces first-degree murder, misleading a police investigation and other charges in the death of his wife, Ana Walshe, whose body has never been recovered. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. [Read more.]( [Judge sets trial date for Brian Walshe, the Cohasset man charged with killing his wife]( Brian Walshe faces first-degree murder, misleading a police investigation and other charges in the death of his wife, Ana Walshe, whose body has never been recovered. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Say goodbye to special character requirements. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is issuing new guidelines for passwords, in the hopes of making them more secure and easier to manage. Here & Now spoke with an expert about [what the changes mean for you](. - The Red Sox are adding a big name - with a big arm - to their beleaguered bullpen. The team [signed seven-time All-Star reliever Aroldis Chapman to a one-year contract yesterday](. The 37-year-old lefty could potentially serve as the team's closer in 2025. - In the new book "Rental House" (set partially on Cape Cod), award-winning author Weike Wang [explores the challenge of how to become part of a new family without becoming consumed by it](. - Even in the 3-pointer-crazed NBA, the Celtics are banking on the deep shot this season like no team in league history. For example, 47% of Boston's points come from 3s, while only 37% are from 2s. [Here's a closer look at the team's unprecedented reliance]( on long-range shots. What We're Reading 📚 - In Boston tax drama, Collins steps into the spotlight ([CommonWealth Beacon]( - Elizabeth Warren Signals Possible Support For Trump Labor Nominee ([HuffPost]( - My plea to newsroom leaders at this dangerous moment ([American Crisis](   Life Advice ['Tis the season for porch pirates. Here are some tips to help protect your items]( Retailers are warning Americans to be vigilant about their packages and not let porch pirates steal the holiday spirit. [Read more.]( ['Tis the season for porch pirates. Here are some tips to help protect your items]( Retailers are warning Americans to be vigilant about their packages and not let porch pirates steal the holiday spirit. [Read more.]( Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [We'll be watching this Boston 25 anchor's dance our whole lives long.]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 🔎 Explore [WBUR's Field Guide]( stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.](   [Donate](   # # Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences](.   I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. 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