Trump Ends Federal DEI, Misuses MLK Quote, Sparks Backlash
By Char Adams When an incoming White House official announced Donald Trump’s executive order dismantling federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the official invoked a familiar line: “This order is meant to return to the promise and the hope that was captured by civil rights champions, that one day all Americans can be treated on the basis of their character, not by the color of their skin.” The statement echoed a well-known quote from Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, in which King declared, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live
Biden Posthumously Pardons Marcus Garvey Before Exit
By Tomas Kassahun In one of his final moves as President, Joe Biden posthumously pardoned Marcus Garvey, was convicted of mail fraud in the 1920s. Garvey’s supporters have long argued that the conviction effort to silence the social justice champion as he fought for racial equality for Black Americans, the Associated Press reported. Garvey, who was deported to his home country Jamaica after being convicted, died in 1940. In a statement on Sunday, the Howard University School praised Garvey as “the first national hero of Jamaica and leader of the U.S. Back to Africa political movement of the 1920s.” “Garvey founded the United Negro Improvement Association and
Delta Sigma Theta Aids SoCal Wildfire Survivors
The Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. answered the call for community action. On Jan. 11, 2025, the chapter hosted a support event to aid individuals and families devastated by the recent wildfires in Southern California. The gathering took place at Zion Hill Baptist Church from noon to 4 p.m. Alongside Delta Sigma Theta sorority members, local volunteers, Divine Nine fraternities and sororities, and concerned community members came together to help those in need. The event served as a lifeline for wildfire survivors, offering free meals, essential supplies, including clothing and hygiene products, and access to relief funds to
Texas Rep. Venton Jones Proposes at State Capitol
By Jo Yurcaba A Dallas lawmaker got engaged to his partner in the Texas State Capitol in Austin on Tuesday. State Rep. Venton Jones, a Democrat who became one of the first out Black gay men ever elected to the Texas Legislature in November 2022, proposed to his partner, Gregory Scott Jr., after Jones was sworn in on the first day of the legislative session. When the state House went into recess Tuesday, Jones got down on one knee and asked Scott to marry him. Scott said yes and wiped away tears as Jones gave him an engagement ring, according to a video shared
Trump discusses his viral moment with Obama
By Myah Ward Donald Trump is talking about what appeared to be a warm moment between him and Barack Obama. Trump concedes the pair did seem to be on friendly terms when cameras captured them chatting, and Obama laughing as they sat next to each other Thursday at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. The president-elect was asked about it later in a Fox News interview from his home in Florida. “It did look very friendly, I must say,” Trump said. “I didn’t realize how friendly it looked. I saw it on your wonderful network, just a little while
Spanberger, Sherrill Lead Democrats’ 2025 Governor Bids
By Deirdre Walsh Two Democrats are aiming to trade the halls of Capitol Hill for governor’s mansions in their home states of New Jersey and Virginia. Reps. Mikie Sherrill, 52, and Abigail Spanberger, 45, were part of a wave of Democratic recruits with national security credentials who helped their party regain control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterms, partly as a response to then-President Donald Trump’s chaotic first year in office. As Trump returns to the White House, their 2025 campaigns to voters could serve as a playbook to help Democrats turn the page from losses in 2024. Sherrill is a
GOP Pushes Voting Reform Despite 2024 Election Confidence
By Miles Parks For Donald Trump and his supporters, concerns about election administration quickly dissipated once it became clear he would win the 2024 presidential election, and in surveys since, most Republican voters say the election was run well. But for the wing of the Republican Party that has been pushing sweeping election reform since the 2020 contest, the work continues. On Jan. 3, the day the new Republican-led Congress was sworn in, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, reintroduced legislation aimed at stopping noncitizens from voting in federal elections — something that is already illegal and which research has universally shown rarely happens. The
Google Donates $1M to Trump’s 2025 Inauguration Fund
By Steve Overly Google has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, the company confirmed to POLITICO Thursday, matching contributions from Meta, Amazon, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Apple CEO Tim Cook. Tech companies have clamored to win Trump over in the months since his election, with Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai among a line of executives who have flocked to Mar-a-Lago for meetings with the incoming president. “Google is pleased to support the 2025 inauguration, with a livestream on YouTube and a direct link on our homepage. We’re also donating to the inaugural committee,” Karan Bhatia, Google’s global head of
Meta Drops Fact-Checks Amid GOP Talks and Policy Shift
By Hailey Fuchs Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan told reporters that he’s meeting with Mark Zuckerberg in the next few weeks, as the Meta CEO plans an upcoming visit to D.C. Meta announced on Tuesday that it would be getting rid of its fact-checking program, which Republicans have criticized as a way the parent company of Facebook and Instagram has suppressed conservative speech. Jordan said Tuesday he was hopeful that Zuckerberg would now be an ally in his crusade against censorship on social media platforms. It’s part of Meta’s broader push to make amends with the GOP as Republicans take control of the White House
GOP Faces Tax Cut Chaos Amid Budget and Policy Clashes
By Brian Baler Washington is geared up for a big debate over trillions of dollars in tax cuts. It’s going to be long, slow and messy. As the utter chaos that erupted as lawmakers struggled to write a year-end bill to fund the government demonstrated, the GOP has a tenuous grip on the House. President-elect Donald Trump has a penchant for chaos. And Republicans are at odds over a long list of issues, beginning with whether they should take up tax first this year or immigration. After weeks of negotiations, it looks like they’ll begin with the border. Here are
