Minnesota Supreme Court rules Minneapolis voters may decide on abolishing the police department in upcoming elections
By Raja Razek, The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Thursday that voters in Minneapolis may decide on abolishing the police department in the upcoming municipal elections. The measure, if approved, would amend the city charter to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety. The DPS would employ a “comprehensive public health approach to the delivery of functions” of public safety, according to the amendment, and “could include licensed peace officers (police officers), if necessary, to fulfill its responsibilities.” Essentially, the measure would also remove the police chief and the mayor’s power over the agency, and would be led
Justice Clarence Thomas says judges are ‘asking for trouble’ when they wade into politics
By Ariane de Vogue, On the verge of a new term in which the Supreme Court will wade back into the culture wars, Justice Clarence Thomas reflected Thursday on the role of the judiciary and warned against judges weighing in on controversial issues that he said are better left to other areas of government. “When we begin to venture into the legislative or executive branch lanes, those of us, particularly in the federal judiciary with lifetime appointments, are asking for trouble,” he said during a sweeping lecture at the University of Notre Dame that also touched on themes of equality, race and
Pennsylvania Republicans approve subpoena for partisan investigation into recent elections
By Sara Murray, Pennsylvania Senate Republicans voted Wednesday to subpoena the Pennsylvania Department of State for millions of voters’ personal information and voting histories as they launch a review that appears designed to relitigate the 2020 presidential election. The Pennsylvania Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee voted along party lines to authorize a wide-ranging subpoena aimed at the Pennsylvania Department of State. The demand covers an array of voter data — including voters’ names, addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial social security numbers. The request spans not just the nearly 7 million Pennsylvanians who voted in November 2020, but all of the roughly 9
Democrats eye end-of-month showdown with GOP on debt ceiling as anxiety grows in the ranks
By Manu Raju and Ted Barrett, Democratic leaders are actively discussing attaching an increase to the national debt limit onto a must-pass spending bill to keep the government open, setting up an end-of-the-month partisan standoff with Republicans on the eve of a key deadline to keep federal agencies operating. What’s still unknown: What will happen next if Republicans block that plan. And that’s causing anxiety in the Democratic ranks with the full faith-and-credit of the United States hanging in the balance ahead of a potential debt default next month. “Yes, very much so,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, when asked Wednesday
Democrats cut deal with Manchin to get party behind long-shot voting overhaul bill
By Manu Raju, Senate Democrats are proposing new legislation to overhaul voting laws after months of discussions to get all 50 of their members behind a single bill, allowing their caucus to speak with one voice on the issue even though it stands virtually no chance of becoming law. The proposal — announced in a statement by a group of Senate Democrats on Tuesday — comes in the aftermath of their party’s failed effort to open debate on the issue in June. Even though they unified behind the procedural vote at the time, Senate Democrats were not on the same page over
5 takeaways after Gov. Gavin Newsom prevails in California recall
By Eric Bradner and Dan Merica, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered a decisive answer to the question of whether voters would penalize those who enacted strict policies aimed at slowing the coronavirus pandemic, triumphing over an effort to recall him Tuesday. Newsom faced the first recall election in California in 18 years. At one point, weeks before the election, he appeared to be in serious enough jeopardy that Democrats decided to dispatch President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to campaign for him. Republicans sought a replay of 2003, when actor Arnold Schwarzenegger attracted support across ideological lines and voters decided to boot then-Gov. Gray Davis. This time,
Obamas, Bushes and Clintons teaming up in effort to aid Afghan refugees
By Betsy Klein, The Presidents’ club is teaming up to aid in a massive, bipartisan effort to welcome and support Afghan refugees that is being launched Tuesday. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — along with former first ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama — are serving as honorary co-chairs for the group Welcome.US. Welcome.US, the group said in a news release, is aimed at engaging “all Americans to welcome and support refugees, beginning with the individuals and families who fled Afghanistan” following the American withdrawal from the nation in recent weeks. After the biggest military evacuation
Democrats cut deal with Manchin to get party behind long-shot voting overhaul bill
By Manu Raju, Senate Democrats are proposing new legislation to overhaul voting laws after months of discussions to get all 50 of their members behind a single bill, allowing their caucus to speak with one voice on the issue even though it stands virtually no chance of becoming law. The proposal — announced in a statement by a group of Senate Democrats on Tuesday — comes in the aftermath of their party’s failed effort to open debate on the issue in June. Even though they unified behind the procedural vote at the time, Senate Democrats were not on the same page over
Biden agenda faces make-or-break moment as Democrats struggle to finalize deal
By Clare Foran and Manu Raju, House and Senate Democratic leaders are scrambling to unite their party behind a massive economic package to implement much of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda, but substantial disagreements remain and could threaten to derail the effort. Top Democrats have set a Wednesday deadline to finalize a deal and present a proposal that would dramatically expand the social safety net and address key priorities like health care and climate change, but it still remains a daunting task to unite the competing demands from moderates and progressives who have been at odds over the price tag, scope and
New network will offer free legal help to election officials to fight attacks and intimidation
By Fredreka Schouten, Two prominent election lawyers have joined forces to launch a network that will provide free legal assistance to election officials who have faced unprecedented threats during and after the 2020 election. Democrat Bob Bauer, former White House counsel in the Obama administration, and Ben Ginsberg, a leading Republican election lawyer who represented President George W. Bush’s campaign, on Wednesday announced the creation of the Election Official Legal Defense Network. The group will help election officials with a range of issues — from protecting themselves and their families against threats to navigating partisan subpoenas and a raft of new state laws