What to Know
- Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded an Obama-era policy that paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in some states
- A new warning has been issued by Consumer Reports to avoid romaine lettuce while health officials investigate E. coli infections
- Taping of the game show "Jeopardy!" has been suspended while host Alex Trebek recovers from surgery to remove blood clots from his brain
Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.
Jeff Sessions Ending Federal Policy That Let Legal Pot Flourish
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescinded an Obama-era policy that paved the way for legalized marijuana to flourish in states across the country, creating new confusion about enforcement and use just three days after a new legalization law went into effect in California. Instead of the previous lenient-federal-enforcement policy, Sessions' new stance will instead let federal prosecutors where marijuana is legal decide how aggressively to enforce longstanding federal law prohibiting it. Sessions' plan drew immediate strong objection from Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, one of eight states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Gardner said in a tweet that the Justice Department "has trampled on the will of the voters" in Colorado and other states. He said the action would contradict what Sessions had told him before the attorney general was confirmed and that he was prepared "to take all steps necessary" to fight the step including holding up the confirmation of Justice Department nominees.
Trump-Bannon Feud Lays Bare New Fissure in Fractious GOP
The acrimony surrounding former White House adviser Steve Bannon's very public break with President Trump escalated, suggesting a permanent split between the president and the pugilistic strategist who helped put him in the Oval Office. The new fissure in an already fractious Republican Party cast doubt on Bannon's hopes to foment a movement centered on "Trumpism without Trump." It already has cost him a key backer. Rebekah Mercer, the billionaire GOP donor and Breitbart co-owner, issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. White House officials described the president as furious at Bannon's criticisms.
Trump Had Lawyer Urge Sessions Not to Recuse Self, Sources Say
Local
President Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Attorney General Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Department's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, according to a person familiar with the matter. The conversation between Don McGahn, the president's White House counsel, and Sessions took place on the president's orders and occurred just before the attorney general announced he would step aside from the ongoing inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to a person with knowledge of the interaction. Two other people confirmed details of the conversation between McGahn and Sessions. All three people spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to avoid publicly discussing an ongoing investigation.
Stay Away From Romaine Lettuce, Consumer Reports Advises
A new warning has been issued by Consumer Reports to avoid romaine lettuce while U.S. and Canadian health officials continue their investigation after 58 people were reported sick from E. coli infections, NBC News reported. One person has died. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued warnings about the outbreak. The outbreak spread across 13 states: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont and Washington. The Public Health Agency of Canada reported on 41 illnesses, NBC News reported. According to Consumer Reports, this strain of E. coli has a toxin that could lead to serious illness, kidney failure and even death in some cases. NBC reported that it could take weeks to track down the source of an outbreak because most food is shipped to central locations from various farms, where it is processed, packaged and redistributed.
“Jeopardy!” on Hiatus After Host Alex Trebek Has Brain Surgery
Taping of the game show "Jeopardy!" has been suspended while host Alex Trebek recovers from surgery to remove blood clots from his brain, Trebek and the show's producer said. Trebek, 77, who has hosted the show for more than 33 years, said he was diagnosed with the blood clots, a condition called subdural hematoma, in December after he suffered a bad fall in October. In a video from his home, Trebek downplayed the operation as "a slight medical problem" and said he hoped to resume taping "very, very soon." Sony Pictures Entertainment, which produces the program, said in a statement that Trebek was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Dec. 15 and underwent surgery the next day.
