These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, February 19, 2020:
  • PARDON POWER: President Trump handed down a list of pardons and commutations on Tuesday. Among those spared were former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and removed from office in 2009 after essentially trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Trump also pardoned former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who had pleaded guilty to eight felonies including tax fraud, and Michael Milken, the former Wall Street bigwig who inspired the Gordon Gekko character in the film “Wall Street.” CBS News
  • BOY SCOUTS BANKRUPTCY: Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy amid a wave of lawsuits over allegations of sexual abuse in the organization, although the long-expected filing is not expected to shut down the organization. BSA will reorganize finances to handle hundreds of claims. NBC News
  • BLOOMBERG WILL SELL: A senior Bloomberg adviser told CNN the billionaire will release his tax returns and sell Bloomberg LP if elected president. Bloomberg has been criticized for spending hundreds of millions of dollars of his fortune on his campaign. The current president, who had also promised to release his tax returns previously, has not. CNN
  • AFGHANISTAN HAS A PRESIDENT: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has officially won re-election nearly five months after the Taliban carried out attacks aimed at destabilizing the vote. Ghani’s win comes as U.S. and Taliban negotiators work on a peace deal that could be signed by the end of February, although his political opponents could still make that deal harder to execute. The New York Times
  • DISNEY WEDDING DRESSES: For the many brides hoping to feel like princesses on their wedding day, Disney has launched a wedding dress collection inspired by its beloved characters from classics like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. The full Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Collection (priced from $1,200 to $10,000) will be unveiled at New York Bridal Fashion Week in April. Newsweek
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