Latest news with #Williams'
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Former Montana US representative Pat Williams, who won a liberal-conservative showdown, dies at 87
The 51% majority was the slimmest of Williams' congressional career — and the first election defeat in Marlenee's 16-year career. The matchup was billed as a classic liberal-conservative confrontation and a microcosm of political battles being waged throughout the West over control of the land and its resources. Advertisement It was a bitter, hard-fought contest — each man spent more than $1 million — and Williams said quickly after his victory that he would work to bring the state together. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Williams first tried for the congressional seat in 1974, but he lost to fellow Democrat Max Baucus. Williams was elected to the post in 1978 when Baucus moved to the U.S. Senate. By the time of the face-off with Marlenee, Williams was a deputy whip in the House. He was an unabashed liberal, a staunch advocate for organized labor and a believer in the potential of government to help people. That won him the enmity of conservative groups such as Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. Williams defended the National Endowment for the Arts against pornography charges and opposed proposed constitutional amendments to outlaw abortion and flag desecration and to require a balanced budget. He opposed U.S. military intervention in the 1991 Gulf War and wanted post-Cold War defense savings to be used for public works projects. Advertisement Williams tried to take a middle road in one of Montana's most divisive issues, wilderness, and environmental groups generally gave him strong support. He said the argument of jobs versus the environment presented a false choice because the state could not have one without the other. 'A clean environment ... has been and will be an absolute cash register for this state,' he said in 1992. His family said in a statement that Williams spent his life protecting wild lands and defending the working poor, arts, Native people and children with disabilities. 'He believed government could be a force for good, and that culture, wilderness, and education were not luxuries — but rights,' the statement said. After he left the House in 1997, Williams started teaching at the University of Montana, including courses in environmental studies, history and political science. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte recalled Williams as a 'dedicated public servant.' 'As Montana's longest-serving congressman, Pat championed Montana's interests, working to find common ground for nearly 20 years in Washington,' Gianforte said. Williams' wife, Carol, was the first woman to become minority leader in the state Senate. They have a son Griff, and two daughters, Erin and Whitney. Williams' cousin was daredevil Evel Knievel. Williams received a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver and a teaching degree from Western Montana College. Born Oct. 30, 1937, in Helena, Williams grew up in the mining city of Butte, and its traditionally Democratic unionized workforce was a major element of his power base. He taught in the Butte public schools for seven years, and the combination earned him a spot on the House Education and Labor Committee. Advertisement Williams served in the Montana House in the 1967 and 1969 sessions. In 1968 he headed the Montana presidential campaign for Hubert Humphrey. He did the same in 1976 for Jimmy Carter. Williams got a firsthand look at Washington, D.C., from 1969 to 1971 when he worked as executive assistant to Montana Democratic U.S. Rep. John Melcher. Williams returned to Montana in 1971 and spent seven years as state head of the federally funded Montana Family Education Program, a career program for disadvantaged people. Williams will lie in state at the Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday and Thursday.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former Montana US Rep Pat Williams, who won a liberal- conservative showdown, dies at 87
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Pat Williams, a New Deal-style Democrat who won Montana's great liberal-conservative showdown of 1992 to become the state's lone voice in the U.S. House of Representatives, died Wednesday. He was 87. His family announced the death in a statement. The cause was not specified. John Patrick Williams represented the western half Montana from 1979 to 1997. When the 1990 census eliminated one of two House seats the state held since 1912, Williams captured the new statewide district in a bruising race against the longtime eastern-district representative, Republican Ron Marlenee. The 51% majority was the slimmest of Williams' congressional career — and the first election defeat in Marlenee's 16-year career. The matchup was billed as a classic liberal-conservative confrontation and a microcosm of political battles being waged throughout the West over control of the land and its resources. It was a bitter, hard-fought contest — each man spent more than $1 million — and Williams said quickly after his victory that he would work to bring the state together. Williams first tried for the congressional seat in 1974, but he lost to fellow Democrat Max Baucus. Williams was elected to the post in 1978 when Baucus moved to the U.S. Senate. By the time of the face-off with Marlenee, Williams was a deputy whip in the House. He was an unabashed liberal, a staunch advocate for organized labor and a believer in the potential of government to help people. That won him the enmity of conservative groups such as Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition, Williams defended the National Endowment for the Arts against pornography charges and opposed proposed constitutional amendments to outlaw abortion and flag desecration and to require a balanced budget. He opposed U.S. military intervention in the 1991 Gulf War and wanted post-Cold War defense savings to be used for public works projects. Williams tried to take a middle road in one of Montana's most divisive issues, wilderness, and environmental groups generally gave him strong support. He said the argument of jobs versus the environment presented a false choice because the state could not have one without the other. 'A clean environment … has been and will be an absolute cash register for this state,' he said in 1992. After he left the House in 1997, Williams started teaching at the University of Montana, including courses in environmental studies, history and political science. 'As Montana's longest-serving congressman, Pat championed Montana's interests, working to find common ground for nearly 20 years in Washington,' Gov. Greg Gianforte said Thursday. Williams' wife, Carol, was the first woman to become minority leader in the state Senate. They have a son, John G., and two daughters, Erin and Whitney. Williams received a bachelor's degree from the University of Denver and did graduate work at Montana State University. Born Oct. 30, 1937, in Helena, Williams grew up in the mining city of Butte, and its traditionally Democratic unionized workforce was a major element of his power base. He taught in the Butte public schools for seven years, and the combination earned him a spot on the House Education and Labor Committee. Williams served in the Montana House in the 1967 and 1969 sessions. In 1968 he headed the Montana presidential campaign for Hubert Humphrey. He did the same in 1976 for Jimmy Carter. Williams got a firsthand look at Washington, D.C., from 1969 to 1971 when he worked as executive assistant to Montana Democratic U.S. Rep. John Melcher. Williams returned to Montana in 1971 and spent seven years as state head of the federally funded Montana Family Education Program, a career program for disadvantaged people. Williams will lie in state at the Montana State Capitol in Helena at a date to be determined, Gianforte said.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Louis Vuitton traded drama for quiet luxury with Pharrell Williams' latest menswear line
Gone are flashy colors and logos — Louis Vuitton unveiled its new men's line in all its neutral-toned, quiet luxury glory on Tuesday in Paris. The fashion house's spring-summer 2026 collection comprised 60 looks: button-downs, tailored blazers, formal pants, and denim jackets. Most were in earth-toned brown, black, and terracotta colors, with pops of blue and yellow. The stage, created by the Indian architecture firm Studio Mumbai, resembled a magnified version of a "Snakes and Ladders" game board. Designed by Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton's men's creative director since 2023, the collection is a departure from the louder, more avant-garde spring-summer collections of old. "Previous spring collections leaned heavily on spectacle—too many bags, logos, and runway theatrics. Here, Pharrell traded that for clarity and purpose," Daniel Langer, a professor of luxury strategy at Pepperdine University, told BI. A Louis Vuitton creative told GQ that Williams channeled a 2018 India trip into the collection's color palette and silhouettes. Williams' new, wearable collection comes as LVMH, along with most of the luxury industry, struggles to recover from a major sales slump. The industry has been plagued by a tough macroeconomic environment, weakened consumer confidence, lower spending in China, and a shift in consumer preferences to quiet luxury. The French luxury giant, which also owns Dior, Givenchy, and Bulgari, reported a 1% revenue increase in 2024 compared to 2023, with sales of 84.7 billion euros, or about $99.10 billion. It also reported a 17% decline in net profits in 2024 compared to the year before. The company's stock is down nearly 35% in the past year. Representatives for LVMH did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Leaning harder than ever into quiet luxury The collection shows Louis Vuitton's pivot to quiet luxury, the dominant consumer trend characterized by subtle, logoless designs, neutral colors, and a focus on quality. Brands that have long channeled quiet luxury, like Hermès, are thriving. Williams' new collection is a "smart move," especially at a time when LVMH is "trying to steady the ship," said Albert Varkki, cofounder of luxury leather goods company Von Baer. "Luxury is recalibrating right now. The era of logo-heavy flash is fading, and aspirational buyers are looking for pieces that feel more grounded," Varkki said. "This collection hits that sweet spot: still premium, still Vuitton, but without the shout." Langer, the Pepperdine professor, said the move to quiet luxury is "timely," as it draws in aspirational buyers — middle-income buyers wanting to splurge on luxury items. "Pharrell is tapping into aspirational buyers who crave understated elegance and long-term value. The collection is clearly designed to reignite interest among aspirational consumers drawn to the quiet luxury trend, Langer said. "Quiet luxury attracts not just older, established clients, but also Gen Z and younger millennials who seek authenticity over extravagance," he added. But some think the term 'quiet luxury' needs to die As Louis Vuittons leans hard into quiet luxury, some retail analysts think the trend is precisely what caused the luxury slump. Bank of America analysts said in a January note that the trend has allowed non-luxury retailers to get a slice of the luxury pie. "'Quiet luxury' is still in fashion. But it has created lower barriers to entry/scale and fuelled copycats/dupes," the analysts wrote. The analysts said quiet luxury has made the combination of a "beige cashmere jumper with wide gray pants" a top fashion style, an outfit that is easily replicable with pieces from COS or Uniqlo. The analysts wrote that instead of betting more on quiet luxury, brands should "pivot back to creativity, fashion content, and newness." Some LVMH insiders are over the "quiet luxury" name, even if the elements of the trend are all over the runway. Anish Melwani, the CEO of LVMH US, said on a panel in May, "I think, hopefully, we're past the term quiet luxury, that was getting pretty annoying." Melwani said some of LVMH's brands, like Loro Piana, have embraced quiet luxury for decades, while others have gone through spurts of logo-adorned products.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Notre Dame makes offer to wide receiver/cornerback Duvay Williams
The Fighting Irish could use Williams' ability to play more than one position Duvay Williams has received an offer from Notre Dame. The cornerback/wide receiver is class of 2027 out of Junipero Sierra in Gardena, Ca. and he stands six-foot-two and weighs 170 pounds. He's been a Polynesian Bowl All-American. He's also a five-star recruit. Notre Dame has been recruiting hard this offseason, with some exciting commitments. A run to the national championship game will do that. And while this is just an offer, not a commitment, the Irish could probably use a player with two-way skills like Williams. He could either bolster the passing game -- which probably does need bolstering -- or be a part of a defense that has been lockdown of late. We'll see what he chooses. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Tim on X: @tehealey
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
GOP attorneys general back Uthmeier at Supreme Court in case over immigration law
Republican leaders from 17 other states Tuesday filed a brief at the U.S. Supreme Court backing Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's push to enforce a law targeting undocumented immigrants who enter Florida. The brief came after Uthmeier last week asked the Supreme Court to step in and at least temporarily allow enforcement of the state law after a federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction to block it. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams in April ruled that the law likely was preempted by federal immigration authority. Uthmeier appealed the preliminary injunction, but a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected his request for a stay of Williams' ruling. Uthmeier last week asked for the Supreme Court to issue a stay, which would effectively allow the state to enforce the law while the underlying legal battle plays out. Tuesday's friend-of-the-court brief, led by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird's office, disputed that federal immigration laws preempt — essentially take precedence over — measures such as the Florida law. The brief also pointed to Republican-led states trying to help enforce President Donald Trump's policies. 'Indeed, every act punishable under these state laws is already a federal crime,' the 16-page brief said. 'And under the current administration, states and the federal government have never worked so closely together on immigration enforcement.' The brief added, 'In issuing a pre-enforcement facial preliminary injunction of Florida's law, the district court incorrectly predicted that plaintiffs would likely be able to show that Florida's law conflicted with and was an obstacle to the federal government's enforcement discretion and policies.' Joining the brief were Republican attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas. Also, the Guam attorney general signed on. The law, passed during a February special legislative session, created state crimes for undocumented immigrants who enter or re-enter Florida. Attorneys for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the Farmworker Association of Florida and two individual plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of the law in April. After initially issuing a temporary restraining order, Williams issued a longer-lasting preliminary injunction to block enforcement. The three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based appeals court on June 6 refused to issue a stay of Williams' ruling. The panel said its decision 'does not definitively resolve' whether federal immigration law preempts the state law (SB 4-C), but it said Uthmeier had not met tests for a stay. 'It seems likely — given the federal government's longstanding and distinct interest in the exclusion and admission of aliens, and the (federal) Immigration and Nationality Act's extensive regulation of alien admission — that this principle is satisfied with respect to the field of alien entry into and presence in the United States,' said the decision shared by Judges Jill Pryor, Kevin Newsom and Embry Kidd. 'Accordingly, the attorney general has not made a 'strong showing' that the district court was wrong to conclude that SB 4-C is likely field preempted.' In asking the Supreme Court for a stay, Uthmeier's office last week argued that the state has been barred from enforcing the law amid the legal battle 'to the detriment of Florida's citizens and the state's sovereign prerogative to protect them from harm.' 'Illegal immigration continues to wreak havoc in the state while that law cannot be enforced,' the request said. 'And without this (Supreme) Court's intervention, Florida and its citizens will remain disabled from combatting the serious harms of illegal immigration for years as this litigation proceeds through the lower courts.' The plaintiffs face a July 2 deadline for filing a response to the request, according to a Supreme Court docket. The battle over the law has been highly contentious, with Williams last week finding Uthmeier in civil contempt. That finding stemmed from a letter that Uthmeier sent in April to police after she ordered a halt to enforcement of the law. Williams said Uthmeier violated a directive to notify police agencies that what was then a temporary restraining order barred them from enforcing the law. Uthmeier has contended Williams' rulings should only apply to him and local state attorneys, the named defendants in the case, and not to law-enforcement officers. Facebook
