Former Trump aid Cassidy Hutchinson accuses Giuliani of groping her on Jan. 6 – National & International News – WED 20Sep2023

Former Trump aid Cassidy Hutchinson accuses Giuliani of groping her on Jan. 6.

UAW, automakers still far apart in negotiations; strikes may expand Friday.

Azerbaijan hails “end” of decades of conflict with Armenian separatists.

NATIONAL NEWS

Former Trump aid Cassidy Hutchinson accuses Giuliani of groping her on Jan. 6

Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson made headlines last summer when she testified before the Jan. 6 Committee in Congress. During those hearings, Hutchinson described outbursts from former President Trump following his speech at the Ellipse before his supporters marched towards Congress. She’s now coming out with a new book called “Enough” that tells the story of her days in the White House and the disillusionment that eventually drove her to turn her back on her former bosses and testify against them. In the book, Hutchinson describes another more personal interaction with Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, during Trump’s speech at the Ellipse.

Hutchinson claims that Giuliani groped her, while John Eastman, another Trump lawyer, looked on with a “leering grin”. While Hutchinson is perhaps the best known person to accuse Giuliani of sexual assault, she is not the first. Giuliani is currently facing a $10 million lawsuit from his former assistant. The assistant has accused him of wage theft, abuse of power, and sexual harassment and assault.

It also brings to mind a clip from Sasha Baron Cohen’s second Borat film that came out a couple of years ago. In the clip, which did not make the final release, Giuliani appears to initiate an inappropriate interaction with an actress posing as a TV reporter. Giuliani has explained away the clip, saying that he was just tucking in his shirt. Cohen has since said it was “pretty clear” to him and actress Maria Bakalova what was happening, but urged viewers to watch the clip (which you can do here) and decide for themselves.

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UAW, automakers still far apart in negotiations with strikes set to expand Friday

Automakers Ford, GM and Stellantis remain far apart in negotiations with the United Auto Workers. UAW has set a noon Friday deadline to expand the ongoing strikes against the company unless there is significant progress in negotiations by then. The union is using a “stand up” strike strategy in which workers at a certain key facility walk off while others continue working. The strategy allows the union more flexibility in negotiations and helps them conserve their $825 million strike fund. 

All three automakers have now apparently offered 20% raises for workers over four years. While this is a record increase, it is only half of what UAW is demanding. UAW President Shawn Fain is calling for a 40% raise for workers over four years which he says is commensurate with a 40% rise in pay for the companies’ CEOs over the last four years. The union is also seeking the restoration of defined benefit pensions and the end of an unpopular tiered compensation system which pays some workers less for the same job. The majority of current workers are now being paid less than those same positions did in 1996.

It appears that the automakers are digging in their heels and are now becoming more vocal in their rejection of the union’s demands. However, union members seem determined to last “one day longer” than their employers in order to get a fair contract.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Azerbaijan hails “end” of decades of conflict with Armenian separatists

For decades, ethnic Armenians living in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan have been attempting to form a breakaway state. The 120,000 ethnic Armenians in the region had formed a rival government, which periodically led to violence with Azerbaijan’s military. Tensions flared again nine months ago and Azerbaijan responded with a blockade of neighboring Armenia, which had been arming the rebels. 

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan initiated an “anti-terrorist” action in Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing the rebels to surrender with no help coming to Armenia. Azerbaijan also demanded that the rival Armenian state be disbanded and disarmed. Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s president, declared today that his country’s sovereignty has been restored. Time will tell if this is proves to be the case or not.

In the past, Russian peacekeepers had been instrumental in keeping a lid on hostilities. In this case, Russian negotiators helped to cement the disbandment of the Karabakh rebel troops and rival government.

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