Need to Know for Sept. 25

Hogan-Jealous debate, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Rod Rosenstein and Gal Gadot on “The Simpsons”

Jealous and Hogan — Ben Jealous (left) and Gov. Larry Hogan (Handout photos)

Up for Debate

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and Democrat Ben Jealous met Sept. 24 for their one and only debate of the election. The two offered distinct visions not only for what Maryland should look like in four years, but also for what life is like now, according to WYPR. Jealous’ plan for Maryland includes Medicare for all, higher pay for teachers, debt-free college and increased access to public transit. Hogan wants to build on his four years in office — four years that he said saw tax and toll reductions, economic growth and — “record funding in education, record funding in transportation,” Hogan said. But both men seemed to be starting with different versions of reality.

Also see: Gov. Hogan and His Democratic Rival, Ben Jealous, Discuss Md.-Israel Ties

Charges in March Shooting at Owings Mills Target

A half a year after a gun was fired inside a Target café in Owings Mills, police announced on Sept. 24 they’ve indicted five people, including the man who authorities say was set up to be robbed in a meet-up there, according to Baltimore Fishbowl. The most serious charges apply to 19-year-old Kaneil Krashawn Vaughn, of Owings Mills, who police say fired a gun inside the store’s coffee shop area at around 5:40 p.m. on March 12. He’s charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and assorted gun offenses, and is being held without bail. Three others—23-year-old Deion Larmont Petty and 21-year-old Elexis Milahn Turner, both of Baltimore, and 26-year-old Ronald Anthony Williams, of Owings Mills—are charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree assault and misdemeanor theft. Petty and Williams remain detained without bail. Turner posted bail Aug. 21 and was released. A fifth suspect, 22-year-old Travonne Jamal Smith, of Gwynn Oak, is charged with obstructing and hindering an investigation and making a false statement to an officer. He posted bond and was released in late August.

The 15th president of the United States, James Buchanan (center) is largely remembered by history for failing to prevent the Civil War. (Wikipedia)

Doris Kearns Goodwin on Trump

The acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin came to town Sept. 23 to talk about “Leadership in Turbulent Times,” her new book about four of America’s presidential legends: Abraham Lincoln, both Roosevelts and Lyndon B. Johnson. Also, she mentioned James Buchanan. Buchanan, she noted, has mostly been legendary for finishing last in every poll of the best and worst presidents of all time – until now, Michael Olesker writes. With the Civil War looming, and slavery and southern secession tearing the country apart, Buchanan did virtually nothing. He finishes last based on merit. But there is new polling, Goodwin told the overflow crowd at midtown Baltimore’s Church of the Holy Redeemer, which has caused much “celebrating” among all of Buchanan’s descendants. Their man is no longer rated the worst American president. Donald Trump is.

Read the complete story: Historian Places Trump Presidency into Context

Rod Rosenstein to Meet with Trump

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will meet with President Donald Trump Sept. 27 amid mounting questions about his future and what a dramatic Justice Department shake up would mean for special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, according to CNN. Trump, speaking in New York, said Sept. 24 he spoke with Rosenstein earlier in the day and anticipated their meeting at the White House once he returned from the United Nations General Assembly. “I’m meeting with Rod Rosenstein on Thursday when I get back from all of these meetings,” Trump said. “And we’ll be meeting at the White House, and we’ll be determining what’s going on. We want to have transparency, we want to have openness and I look forward to meeting with Rod at that time.” Trump’s remarks capped off a tumultuous morning in Washington when it was, at times, unclear if the deputy attorney general still had his job. The confusion began late last week, when Rosenstein and White House chief of staff John Kelly met at the White House in the hours after The New York Times and others reported that he secretly suggested recording the President and discussed recruiting Cabinet members to remove Trump from office. Rosenstein emphatically denied that he ever sought to record Trump or weighed invoking the 25th Amendment, at first calling the story “inaccurate and factually incorrect.” But Kelly relayed to Rosenstein that a firmer denial was required, resulting in a second statement from the deputy attorney general, sources told CNN.

Also see:

Shown here in a passport photo, Rosalie Simon is among the plaintiffs in the case of Simon, et al., Appellants v. the Republic of Hungary.

Seeking a Delayed Justice

Around 565,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, according to Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust museum and memorial. “Hungary has never acknowledged culpability nor accepted responsibility for its participation in the Holocaust,” says attorney Charles S. “Chuck” Fax of the law firm Rifkin Weiner Livingston LLC. Fax is co-lead counsel among a team of lawyers bringing a class action suit in federal court seeking reparations from the Hungarian government. Other lead counsel for the plaintiffs include attorneys L. Marc Zell, Paul G. Gaston and David H. Weinstein, as well as Liesel J. Schopler, who is also with Rifkin Weiner Livingston. After eight years of litigation, the legal team is preparing to move forward with financial assistance from ongoing and new sources of support regarding the case of Simon, et al., Appellants v. Republic of Hungary. Jmore recently spoke about the case with Fax, who lives in North Bethesda with his wife, Michele Weil, and belongs to Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase.

Read the interview here.

Israeli Medical Co. Mazor Robotics Sold for Record-Breaking $1.6B

Israeli medical robotic company Mazor Robotics will be acquired by Dublin-based Medtronic in a deal worth approximately $1.64 billion, the companies announced. The deal, which the Irish firm announced Sept. 20, represents the largest sale or “exit” of an Israeli medical company to date, surpassing the $1.1 billion acquisition of NeuroDerm by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma in 2017, according to The Jerusalem Post. Founded in 2001, Caesarea-based Mazor Robotics has pioneered the application of robotics technology and guidance for use in spinal procedures. The company is the holder of more than 50 patents worldwide. Its 200 systems have guided the placement of more than 250,000 implants during 40,000 spinal operations, the company claims. Medtronic previously held a stake of approximately 11 percent of Mazor shares. In August 2017, Medtronic became the sole worldwide distributor of the Mazor X robotic guidance system. Shares in Mazor Robotics rose by 4.91 percent to $52.75 at the Nasdaq Stock Market on Sept. 20.–JTA

Gal Gadot on ‘The Simpsons’

Actress Gal Gadot will audition for the movie role of Bart Simpsons’ sister Lisa in a cameo appearance on the first episode of “The Simpsons” 30th season. Fox released a preview of the episode ahead of its Sept. 30 airing date. In the episode, titled “Bart’s Not Dead,” Homer Simpson and his neighbor Ned Flanders hold auditions for actors to portray the family after a group of Christian producers decide to make a movie following Bart Simpson’s claim that he went to heaven and met Jesus. Once Gadot starts reading the script, Ned immediately offers her the part, but Homer is not so sure. “I know you were great in ‘Fast and Furious,’ but what else have you been in?” he asks her after putting the brakes on Ned. “Uh, did you see ‘Wonder Woman’?” says Gadot. “Whenever I see the DC logo I immediately fall asleep,” Homer answers.

High Holidays 2018

Everything you ever wanted to know about Sukkot, Yom Kippur Rosh Hashanah and more right here.

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