California, New York Plan Gerrymander Counter to Texas
By Sahil Kapur and Adam Edelman Democrats in America’s two biggest blue states are hatching plans to respond in kind to a mid-decade move by Texas to draw a friendlier House map for Republicans. Retaliation threats have come from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who lead states where Democrats control large legislative majorities. Two can play at this game, they say, vowing to similarly eliminate GOP-held seats in their states. But that’s easier said than done. Democrats have legal hurdles to clear in California and New York, which have restricted partisan gerrymandering, which liberal advocates pushed in previous years in
Senate Adjourns Without Deal on Trump Nominees After Clash
The Senate left Washington Saturday night for its monthlong August recess without a deal to advance dozens of President Donald Trump’s nominees, calling it quits after days of contentious bipartisan negotiations and Trump posting on social media that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer can “GO TO HELL!” Without a deal in hand, Republicans say they may try to change Senate rules when they return in September to speed up the pace of confirmations. Trump has been pressuring senators to move quickly as Democrats blocked more nominees than usual this year, denying any fast unanimous consent votes and forcing roll calls
GOP Split as Texas Redistricting Push Sparks Retaliation Threats
By Sahil Kapur and Scott Wong Some Republicans representing competitive districts in blue states are speaking out against their party’s push to redraw congressional lines in Texas in an attempt give the GOP up to five more House seats. Reps. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., have called to impose nationwide limits on partisan gerrymandering, a rare move for Republicans in Washington who have thwarted proposed bans for years. Democratic governors like California’s Gavin Newsom and New York’s Kathy Hochul have threatened to retaliate against Texas by pursuing their own redistricting plans that could knock out GOP-held swing districts, like those Lawler and
Trump Admin Orders Grand Jury on 2016 Election Probe
By Michael Kosnar, Dan De Luce, David Rohde and Vaughn Hillyard Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed Justice Department prosecutors to launch a grand jury investigation of whether Obama administration officials committed federal crimes when they assessed Russia’s actions during the 2016 election, a senior Trump administration official said. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard claimed at a White House news conference last month that top Obama administration officials carried out a “treasonous conspiracy” against Donald Trump. Gabbard said she was sending criminal referrals to the Justice Department. A former senior Justice Department official condemned the move as “a dangerous political stunt.” And a former senior
Kayla White Shines Over Sha’Carri Richardson in 100m Heat
Sha’Carri Richardson ran a season’s best in the USATF 100m on Friday — but a former HBCU star outshined her in the heat. Kayla White, a national champion at North Carolina A&T, ran a personal-best 10.89 to win her heat. She topped Sha’Carri Richardson’s time of 11.07 in the process. Kayla White dominates at HBCU For her career, White won 17 MEAC indoor and outdoor sprint and hurdle titles at HBCU track factory North Carolina A&T from 2016 to 2019. The Miami, Florida native secured her first career win at the 2016 MEAC Indoor Championships. She claimed the 60-meter hurdles title in 8.39 seconds. That
Texas Democrats Flee State to Block GOP Redistricting Plan
By Natasha Korecki and Ryan Chandler A showdown over redistricting in Texas played out here on Sunday as dozens of state Democrats took refuge roughly 1,000 miles away from home, saying they fled Texas to deny quorum to Republican efforts to add as many as five congressional seats to their map. It culminated with Texas’ Republican governor threatening to expel the Democrats from the Texas state House and potentially extradite them, saying they may be “felons.” The Texas state House Democrats filed off of buses and Ubers into a crammed county party headquarters at a strip mall Sunday night, standing alongside Illinois Gov.
Kamala Harris Says “System Is Broken,” Won’t Seek Office
By Lauren Chadwick Former Vice President Kamala Harris said she would not run for public office because the system is “broken,” as she reflected on her decision not to pursue a gubernatorial run in California and spoke about what she views as “capitulation” by those tasked with guarding democracy during Donald Trump’s second administration. In the former 2024 presidential candidate’s first interview since losing the election, Harris spoke about her career as a public servant, noting that when she was young she thought that people who want to improve or change a system should not just do so from the
Smithsonian Removes Trump from Impeachment Exhibit Update
Written By Lexx Thornton The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History has removed explicit reference to President Donald Trump from an exhibit about impeachment, a spokesperson said on Thursday. The museum in Washington D.C., made the change as part of a review that it agreed to undertake following White House pressure to remove an art museum director, the Washington Post, which first reported the removal, cited a source as saying. The spokesperson in a statement said, “A future and updated exhibit will include all impeachments.” Trump signed an executive order in March calling for “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology”
Cortez Masto Urges Moderate Path, Clashes with Cory Booker
By Natasha Korecki Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., clashed with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., this week when Booker, in a fiery floor speech, tried to block a package of police funding bills as he called for greater resistance to President Donald Trump’s policies. Afterward, Booker alluded to his efforts in the face of criticism from Cortez Masto saying, “What’s bothering me right now is we don’t see enough fight in this caucus.” In an interview, Cortez Masto had her own message. “I don’t need a lecture from anybody about how to take on and push back and fight against Donald Trump,” Cortez Masto
Kamala Harris Won’t Run for California Governor in 2026
By Michael R. Blood Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not run for California governor next year, leaving open the possibility that she could mount a third run for the White House in 2028. “Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation’s history and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear,” Harris said in a statement released by her office Wednesday. “I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as
