Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Trump is Getting Rid of Michelle Obama’s “Let Girls Learn”

Michelle Obama’s signature initiative for girls’ education, “Let Girls Learn,” will exist no longer. The program started in 2015 and focuses on education for girls in developing countries. White House officials have leaked that the program’s operations will end right away. Some aspects of the program will continue, but the name will no longer be used and it will cease to be a standalone program.

Tina Chen, Michelle Obama’s chief of staff, said that it was a disappointment considering the global recognition the initiative had. It also had bipartisan support and several years of funding already in place. Also yesterday, the new agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, announced changes to another one of Michelle’s initiatives–healthy school lunches. Perdue claimed that kids don’t like the healthier food with less sodium. “If kids aren’t eating the food, and it’s ending up in the trash, they aren’t getting any nutrition, thus undermining the intent of the program,” he said.

How is this moving the country forward and “Making America Great Again”? #trump100days https://t.co/0ijsKBj1LZ

— Delal Pektas (@delalpektas) May 1, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: May 2, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Michael Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser

Last night, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn handed in his resignation. This announcement came after a lot of controversy surrounding his phone call with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. in December, before Donald Trump was president. The phone call reportedly took place the same day that President Barack Obama sent home a bunch of Russian officials and imposed sanctions on Russia for interfering in the U.S. election. Flynn claimed that he didn’t discuss those sanctions with the ambassador, and VP Mike Pence initially defended Flynn to the media. But last week, intelligence officials claimed that Flynn hadn’t exactly been honest.

Worth noting that acting AG Sally Yates (!) first alerted Trump WH about Flynn’s vulnerability to Russian blackmail… several weeks ago. https://t.co/I1qar11JXi

— Alex Wagner (@alexwagner) February 14, 2017

A private citizen, which is what Flynn was at the time, is prohibited from discussing foreign relations with other countries. Flynn also allegedly lied about his conversation to Trump and Pence, which according to the Justice Department made him a target for blackmail from Russia. But a lot of people are also questioning who in the White House knew what:

But let’s not forget: GOP majority in Congress was silent. If Flynn had not shamed the VP, he might still be on job – and still compromised https://t.co/9iLgfHUrBC

— David Frum (@davidfrum) February 14, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: February 14, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Hollywood’s elite gathered last night in Los Angeles, California to celebrate the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, and the stars that hit the stage made it very clear that politics were on their minds.

The ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel in the Microsoft Theater, celebrated shows such as HBO’s political satire “Veep” and epic fantasy drama “Game of Thrones”–winning two and three awards respectively. Ryan Murphy’s crime anthology “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” scored big and won five awards, the most awards of the night.

Kimmel was quick to set the tone of the show during his opening number–a quick-witted video that showcased television’s favorite faces as the late-night host hitchhiked his way to the award ceremony. Kimmel eventually found himself in the presence of “Veep” President Selina Meyer’s motorcade, driven by former GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush.

The comedian stressed the importance of his arrival due to his hosting gig and nomination. Bush displayed excellent comedic timing and quipped, “If you run a positive campaign, the voters ultimately will make the right choice,” before telling a hopeful Kimmel that he was joking. The jab directed at Republican nominee Donald Trump, referenced his hostile tone and critical analysis of Bush’s energy.

Watch Kimmel’s Road to the Emmys below

Kimmel’s opening monologue proved to be successful. He garnered laughs from the crowd with jokes about diversity and the making of Donald Trump.

“If it weren’t for television, would Donald Trump be running for president? No,” Kimmel said. “He would be at home right now quietly rubbing up against his wife, Malaria, while she pretends to be asleep.”

Kimmel proclaimed the person who should be blamed for the Trump phenomenon was sitting in the audience–hidden amongst the sea of nominees.

“That’s right. That guy. Mark Burnett, the man who brought us ‘Celebrity Apprentice’,” Kimmel said. “Thanks to Mark Burnett, we don’t have to watch reality shows anymore, because we’re living in one. Thank you, Mark.”

The nominees who hit the stage only added to the fire.

“Veep” star Julia Louis-Dreyfus joked about life imitating art during her acceptance speech. On the topic of the current election she said:

I’d like to take this opportunity to personally apologize for the current political climate. I think “Veep” has torn down the wall between comedy and politics. Our show started out as political satire, but now feels more like a sobering documentary. So I certainly do promise to rebuild that wall and make Mexico pay for it.

Best comedy series writing winner Aziz Ansari also touched on politics during his acceptance speech, by declaring onstage “after careful consideration, I’m going with Trump!” He then went on to demand that they remove all Muslim and Hispanic nominees from the Emmy ceremony which he said would make things so much easier–“like the Oscars.”

“Transparent” star Jill Soloway took home Best Director of a Comedy Series. Soloway’s speech focused on the importance of LGBTQ+ issues and encouraged the toppling of the patriarchy.

Backstage she made bold statements about the current election cycle and drew upon the connection between Trump and Hitler. “It’s so incredibly timely, the notion of otherizing people to gain political power,” Soloway said. “Jews were otherized in Nazi Germany to gain political power, and right now Donald Trump is doing the same thing.” As an example, she said, “He calls women pigs if they don’t look like beauty-pageant contestants. He blames Muslims and Mexicans for our problems. He makes fun of disabled people. This is otherizing with a capital O. It has been used in our history before to start and win wars. “

Reactions from the public ranged. Users on Twitter were quick to praise the Emmys for celebrating diversity, as well as criticize the award show for the one-sided political storyline.

Last night’s wonderfully inclusive, diverse #Emmys was a rebuke of everything Trump stands for: https://t.co/sA03obd0VC

— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) September 19, 2016

At #Emmys, @jillsoloway called Trump “an inheritor to Hitler.” No comment on HRC calling an aide, “f—g Jew bastard,” calling Jews greedy?

— Larry Elder (@larryelder) September 19, 2016

As we inch closer and closer to the upcoming election, we should expect to see more political rhetoric filtering into our entertainment.

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Emmy Awards Provide A Platform For Political Agendas appeared first on Law Street.

Hillary Clinton stopped by “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Monday to finally set the record straight on “wacky” rumors that her health is failing–using, of all things, a jar of pickles.

When host Jimmy Kimmel asked Clinton point blank if she is in good health, she offered up her wrist so he could take her pulse, joking “Make sure I’m alive!”

Clinton then sarcastically mocked the baselessness of the rumors that she’s dying, adding, “With every breath I take, I feel like it’s a new lease on life.”

The Democratic presidential nominee’s health became a major campaign topic after several conspiracy theories (courtesy largely in part from Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and Breitbart) suggested she’s secretly ill, with Parkinson’s disease or some deadly brain blood clot, looks “tired” and “sick,” and lacks the “mental and physical stamina” to fight ISIS .

“It absolutely makes no sense,” Clinton said. “I don’t go around questioning Donald Trump’s health. I mean as far as I can tell, he’s as healthy as a horse.”

Kimmel then dared Clinton to prove she’s in good health by opening a jar of pickles in front of the studio audience.

Watch her exaggerated lid twist below:

Clinton also discussed plans to prepare for upcoming debates with Trump saying, “I watched a lot of his debates during the primaries and he insulted all of his opponents, he insulted all the moderators, he insulted, I guess about 80 percent of the American people and the rest of the world.” While she wants to “take it seriously,” she recognizes she needs to also prepare for any “wackiness” by drawing on her experience in elementary school with “pony tail pullers.”

Later during the interview, the topic then shifted to news that the State Department plans to release 15,000 new emails before the debate deadline. When asked if she’s concerned Hillary said, “Jimmy my emails are so boring. And I’m embarrassed about that. They’re so boring. So we’ve already released, I don’t know, 30,000 plus so what’s a few more.”

Kimmel closed out the segment by asking Clinton to pick out Donald Trump quotes from a toupee-topped fishbowl, and try to keep a straight face while reading them aloud. Clinton managed to stay expressionless while uttering a few memorable Trump lines, before finally refusing to read aloud Trump’s creepy comments about possibly wanting to date his daughter Ivanka.

Watch the full clip below:

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Clinton Proves She’s Fit to be Prez By Opening Jar of Pickles on Kimmel appeared first on Law Street.