Matt Gaetz reportedly sought blanket pardon from Trump

Five states responsible for nearly half of new COVID-19 infections.

By Liza Hearon TOP STORIES   Wednesday, April 7 NYT: GAETZ SOUGHT PARDON FROM TRUMP Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) asked former President Donald Trump for a blanket pardon during the final days of Trump's administration, The New York Times reported. The idea didn't gain any ground with White House lawyers, however, and it's unclear if Gaetz spoke directly to Trump about it. Gaetz is under investigation for alleged sex trafficking and having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. He denies it. [HuffPost]   ... YET STILL Gaetz has been invited to speak at a summit this week at Trump's Doral resort in Miami. The event is being organized by Women for America First, which has been described as a "pro-Trump dark money" organization. [HuffPost]   TIME TO RETHINK VACCINE DISTRIBUTION? Five states -- New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey -- are responsible for 44% of the nation's new COVID-19 infections in a seven-day period. The situation is putting pressure on the federal government to consider changing how it distributes vaccines. [AP]   SINEMA STANDS BY FILIBUSTER Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) conceded that the Senate is dysfunctional, but thinks that's a reason not to change the rules. The House has already passed a raft of legislation to advance Democrats' agenda, but the bills will likely be blocked by Republicans using the Senate's filibuster rules. [HuffPost] Where people want to visit first when it's safe to travel. I work in a ritzy restaurant and I've seen unbelievable behavior during COVID. Anxiety is more common among COVID-19 survivors. Young people are studying science "to stop the next pandemic." North Korea withdraws from Olympics over virus fears. Get the latest coronavirus updates on our dedicated page ATLANTA MAYOR FIGHTS BACK ON VOTING RIGHTS Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order meant to expand voting access in response to Georgia's racist new voting restrictions. Her order directs Atlanta's chief equity officer to develop a plan to mitigate the effects of the state law. [HuffPost]   EX-TRUMP AIDE BARRED FROM FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT Lynne Patton, a former Trump administration official, has been fined and barred from federal employment for four years after violating the Hatch Act by tricking public housing residents into participating in a Trump campaign video. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel said she "improperly harnessed the authority of her federal position to assist the Trump campaign." [HuffPost]   WHAT'S BREWING   WHEN WILL BIDEN END AFGHAN WAR? President Joe Biden is expected to soon blow past a planned deadline to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. But White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Americans should trust Biden to fulfill his pledge to end the 20-year intervention, without giving a timeline. Progressives and anti-war activists worry that if Biden doesn't act soon to bring troops home, he will just maintain the status quo. [HuffPost]   MCCONNELL: SHUT UP AND DONATE Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) changed his tune on corporate political speech rights on Tuesday. "My warning to corporate America is to stay out of politics," McConnell said at a news conference, adding, "I'm not talking about political contributions." He issued another threat to companies on Monday following their denunciations of Georgia's voting law. [HuffPost]   NRA'S WAYNE LAPIERRE SAFE ON YACHT The leader of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, said in a deposition that he fled to a private yacht out of fear for his safety following the Sandy Hook and Parkland school mass shootings. He remembered thinking, "Thank God I'm safe, nobody can get me here." LaPierre hopes the NRA's bankruptcy will rebuff the New York attorney general's lawsuit. [HuffPost]   VOTING RIGHTS PUSH IN TEXAS Texas political leaders and voting rights groups called on corporations based in the state to stop making campaign contributions to Republican lawmakers, as part of an effort to thwart the GOP state legislature's attempts to pass a radical new round of voting restrictions. The groups are mimicking a pressure campaign that began in Georgia but was too late there to stop the law's passage. [HuffPost]   ARKANSAS MAKES ANTI-TRANS BILL LAW The Republican-led Arkansas House and Senate voted to override GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson's veto of a harmful anti-transgender bill that bars doctors from providing medically necessary treatment for trans kids. The law will almost certainly be challenged in court. [HuffPost]   NYC DOORMEN FIRED AFTER ATTACK ON ASIAN WOMAN Two doormen were fired after a man attacked an Asian woman on the sidewalk outside their building in late March and, rather than intervening or trying to help her, they closed the door. The company noted the doormen came out of the building later. The doormen's union said the employees would challenge their terminations. [HuffPost] THE BEST OF THE REST  How I relearned to speak to my elders in lockdown. People who film police violence later struggle with trauma. The Tokyo Olympics, explained. Turkey's leader met two EU presidents. The woman among them didn't get a chair. Law enforcement agencies used controversial facial recognition tool thousands of times. Stunning photos of the volcano eruption in Iceland. BEFORE YOU GO Don Lemon demonstrates why Trump is king of cancel culture. I'm a man. It took years to recognize I had been sexually assaulted. A love letter to my granddaughter (who I knew as my grandson).  How to talk to someone you have nothing in common with. Rihanna goes incognito at anti-Asian hate rally. Milo Ventimiglia makes clear which of Rory's "Gilmore Girls" boyfriends he'd choose. Bob Odenkirk names guest who yelled at him on "SNL." Paris Hilton returns to Utah for signing of child welfare law. Lil Nas X hopes "haters are sad."  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar slams Hollywood for fueling "degrading perception" of Asians. Check out the trailer for the final season of "Pose." Caitlyn Jenner reportedly exploring run for California governor. Do bay leaves REALLY add flavor to food? Experts, convince me! Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? — Subscribe here!   ©2021 HuffPost BuzzFeed, Inc 111 E 18th St, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost   Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe