Paychex Inc. stock underperforms Tuesday when compared to competitors despite daily gains
WASHINGTON — Republican senators were shocked last week when President-elect Donald Trump announced Matt Gaetz would be his nominee for attorney general. Republicans seemed far less shocked Thursday by news Gaetz had withdrawn himself from consideration. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said he was “grateful” because the Senate could move on. And Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said he was not surprised. “I think the decision to withdraw the nomination is the right decision,” Rounds told reporters. “I thought it was problematic, and I think, as some of our members have expressed, as they’ve learned more about it, there was perhaps some information out there that the president was not aware of when he made the original recommendation.” Even before Trump chose Gaetz, it was widely known the then-congressman had been under investigation by the Justice Department for alleged sex trafficking in a case involving a 17-year-old. The department didn’t press charges, but the House Ethics Committee was still investigating the matter until Gaetz resigned from Congress last week. After Trump said he wanted Gaetz as his top cop, further details leaked. On Thursday, CNN reported that Gaetz was accused of having not just one, but two sexual encounters with the 17-year-old. Several Republicans publicly questioned the nomination, and several more reported privately they would vote against Gaetz and that he had little chance of being confirmed by the Senate. Gaetz was going to fail in a floor vote, withdraw himself from consideration, or else Trump would have to bypass Congress, triggering a constitutional crisis , to install Gaetz at the top of the Justice Department. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said that with Gaetz dropping out, the process “played out faster than we thought.” Part of the process included Gaetz making the rounds on Capitol Hill, meeting with senators in an effort to win them over. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-S.C.) met with Gaetz on Wednesday and suggested he might have seen the writing on the wall. “I had several discussions with him. He’s very methodical, and I think he was going through a process himself,” Tillis told HuffPost. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said perhaps Gaetz “came up here and just didn’t get a good feel to get confirmed.” As he made his way among offices on Wednesday, Gaetz told reporters his meetings were going great. “Senators have been giving me a lot of good advice,” Gaetz said. The long odds facing Gaetz’s nomination set off speculation that Trump would try to circumvent the Senate and staff his administration with an unprecedented slate of recess appointments, triggering a major court battle over the separation of powers between the presidency and Congress. Republicans told HuffPost this week they didn’t much like the prospect of recess appointments . Not everyone was relieved by Gaetz dropping out. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), an outspoken Trump ally, told HuffPost he felt “disappointed.” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who said last week Gaetz was not “a serious nomination,” indicated Thursday she was pleased. “I think it was the right decision,” she said. Gaetz was one of the least-liked members of Congress. Many House Republicans revile the former Florida congressman for his leading role in the ouster of former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the speaker’s office. Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said on social media ― along with a picture of McCarthy wielding a gavel with blazing red eyes — that justice had been served. Justice has been served. pic.twitter.com/b5Aq5yQZfz Democrats are happy, too. “Now the question is,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said, “how many others are going to have to withdraw as well?” Related From Our PartnerNEW YORK (AP) — Walmart's sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump's incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches -- the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President -- are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI," Glasgow said. "The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America's top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart's announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart's need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer's ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart." Walmart's announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including , Harley-Davidson, and . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.The New Jersey-based retailer is shuttering all its locations after 40 years in business. In the Region, it has stores at 10229 Indianapolis Boulevard in the Highland Grove Shopping Center in Highland, at 2565 E. 80th Ave. by the Walmart near the Southlake Mall, at 2410 Laporte Ave. in the Valparaiso Marketplace and at the West Shopping Center at 450 River Oaks Drive by the River Oaks Center in Calumet City. Gordon Brothers, an asset liquidation specialist, was brought in to help wind down Party City's operations. It is now conducting store closing sales at 692 Party City stores across the country. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts “Customers are encouraged to shop early and stock up for upcoming celebrations while supplies last,” said Durien Sanchez, managing director of retail at Gordon Brothers. “Stores are fully stocked, and, with the announcement of these sales, top categories are expected to sell out fast.” Party City is marking down inventory on all its items in stock, including party supplies for birthdays, holidays, wedding receptions, retirement parties and other special occasions. It for instance stocks noisemakers, confetti cannons and other staples of New Year's Eve festivities. All sales will be final. Party City had a run of nearly four decades but has fallen victim to ecommerce competition that has claimed so many other traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. It was founded in 1986 and grew into the country's largest party supplies retailer, with a presence in most major commercial trade areas, including near the Southlake Mall, Highland Grove, River Oaks and the collection of outdoor malls on the east end of Valpraiso.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok's Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday. But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill. Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform. In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled. The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment. TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment. The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses. The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities. TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled. But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal. A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews. Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique. Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence. JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children. Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity. Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok. “I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said. But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials. AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report. This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The killer of schoolgirl Danielle Jones has made a new bid for freedom despite still refusing to tell where her body is buried. The parole board confirmed on Wednesday that they are reviewing Stuart Campbell's case. The 66-year-old has never confessed to killing his 15-year-old niece in 2001. Despite this, he was jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years in 2002 and was refused release after his first parole application two years ago. Danielle's mum Linda, 64, previously called for him to remain behind bars until he reveals where he hid her daughter, reports the Mirror. Speaking before the hearing, Linda said: "It's important I tell him face-to-face how this has impacted on me and I will be reading my statement out myself. He's going to see what he has done to me. It's not something I'm looking forward to. Whether I look at him, I couldn't tell you, but he needs to be in that room listening to what he has done to the family." Danielle's dad Tony and Linda have repeatedly appealed to Campbell to "allow us to lay our daughter to rest". Linda said: "It's like when someone dies and you have a few weeks between them passing away and the funeral. It's a limbo, it's just unbearable really." Campbell's brother Alix Sharkey, 66, who wrote a book entitled My Brother the Killer , said in 2022: "I do not believe my brother should be released until he discloses what he did with Danielle Jones' body. Her parents have been through a living hell. They have never had closure. My brother hasn't even given them their daughter so they have a place to grieve." Alix urged his brother: "Stop being a monster, why don't you act like a human being? Even murderers can say 'I'm sorry'." The "no body" case was one of the first to go before the Parole Board since the passing of the Mirror-backed Helen's Law, making it a legal requirement for panels to consider "non-disclosure". Danielle left home in Tilbury, Essex on June 18, 2001, to catch a bus to school. Her parents never saw her again. Campbell, then a builder, lured her into his blue transit van and abducted her. Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The killer, who had married into the Jones family, had groomed Danielle for months. He also hid a violent criminal past. At 18, he was jailed for four years for robbing a teenage girl. Campbell also had a 1989 conviction for holding a 14-year-old girl at his home. Danielle's disappearance led to a search of more than 1,500 locations. Campbell was arrested within weeks and found guilty at trial after a pair of white stockings with Danielle's DNA on them were discovered at his home. He was also found to have faked texts from Danielle and lied about where he was at the time of the murder. In 2017 Essex Police dug up some garages near Campbell's former home, without success. Linda, 62, said at the time: "It is like she is just discarded." The Parole Board confirmed Campbell's review was "following standard processes" and added: "Public safety is our number one priority." Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian made the decision in a written ruling following a bail hearing last week, when lawyers for the hip-hop mogul argued that a $50 million bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs doesn’t flee and doesn’t try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses. Two other judges previously had been persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars. Lawyers did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the decision. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years, aided by associates and employees. An indictment alleges that he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. A federal appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan considers his bail request. Prosecutors have insisted that no bail conditions would be sufficient to protect the public and prevent the “I'll Be Missing You” singer from fleeing. They say that even in a federal lockup in Brooklyn, Combs has orchestrated social media campaigns designed to influence prospective jurors and tried to publicly leak materials he thinks can help his case. They say he also has contacted potential witnesses through third parties. Lawyers for Combs say any alleged sexual abuse described in the indictment occurred during consensual relations between adults and that new evidence refutes allegations that Combs used his “power and prestige” to induce female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs.” Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Browns get 497-yard performance from QB Jameis Winston and lose anyway in season long gone sourNEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian made the decision in a written ruling following a bail hearing last week, when lawyers for the hip-hop mogul argued that a $50 million bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs doesn’t flee and doesn’t try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses. Two other judges previously had been persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars. Lawyers did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the decision. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to for years, aided by associates and employees. An indictment alleges that he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. A federal appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan considers his bail request. Prosecutors have insisted that no bail conditions would be sufficient to protect the public and prevent the “I'll Be Missing You” singer from fleeing. They say that even in a federal lockup in Brooklyn, Combs has orchestrated social media campaigns designed to influence prospective jurors and tried to publicly leak materials he thinks can help his case. They say he also has contacted potential witnesses through third parties. Lawyers for Combs say any alleged sexual abuse described in the indictment occurred during consensual relations between adults and that new evidence refutes allegations that Combs used his to induce into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs.”