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The Secret Service has added additional protection for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ahead of a potential win, while Nevada becomes the first state to protect same-sex marriage and Vladimir Putin may leave office.
As Joe Biden has moved ahead of President Trump in Pennsylvania and Georgia, which had previously appeared to be leaning toward Trump, the Secret Service has enacted additional protection for the Democratic presidential nominee ahead of a potential win.
The Biden campaign informed the Secret Service that the former vice president will continue to utilize a Wilmington convention center at least another day and could make a major speech as early as Friday, according to anonymous sources who described the security protocols, the Washington Post reported.
While Biden security will be ramped up, it will still be less than if he were the president-elect, Fox reported. Biden previously had Secret Service protection until six months after he left the White House in 2017. All former vice presidents get protection for six additional months, according to the report by Fox.
Nevada has become the first state in the union to recognize gay couples’ right to marry in its constitution by overturning a ban on same-sex marriage. The passage of the measure will remain a state law no matter if the US Supreme Court overturns its 2015 decision which legalized same-sex marriage throughout the nation.
The passage of the new legislation by voters removes an inactive same-sex marriage ban from the state constitution, CBS reported. Prior to the right being an official part of the Constitution, in 2000 in 2002 voters in Nevada had already passed constitutional amendments that effectively banned same-sex marriage, which is now been overturned.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning on stepping down as leader next year, according to a report released by the Sun on Thursday, the New York Post reported.
Moscow-based political scientist Valery Solovei said Putin’s 37-year-old girlfriend, Alina Kabaeva, and his two daughters are pushing him to leave office. Solovei suggested Putin was possibly suffering from Parkinson’s disease, as the president has been seen recently exhibiting symptoms common to the central nervous system disorder.
One of the most common symptoms is tremors, and the report said that reviewed footage showed Putin’s fingers twitching as he held the cup. Other footage showed Putin constantly shifting his legs, appearing to be in agony. Stiffness and loss of balance are other common symptoms.
The report that Russian President Vladimir Putin may step down has uncanny timing, occurring at the same time as reports that Russia may grant ex-president’s lifetime immunity from prosecution, the Moscow Times reported.
On Thursday, lawmakers in Russia submitted legislation that would grant lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution to former presidents, Interfax reported.
Currently, presidents in Russia cannot be held criminally or administratively liable for crimes committed while serving their terms. “The bill secures immunity guarantees for ex-presidents beyond the terms of their presidential powers,” Russian Senator Andrei Klishas said.
One can only speculate whether Putin will wait to step down until after such legislation is passed.
