All Politics
In Ohio, abortion battle triggers fight over direct democracyWith abortion policy now up to states, activists are looking to state constitutions as a way to guarantee or deny rights. And that’s leading to battles over how easily constitutions can be amended.
First LookRazor wire and buoys: Texas escalates tactics along US-Mexico borderTexas Gov. Greg Abbott has added heightened barriers – such as buoys and razor wire – along the U.S.-Mexico border, using disaster declarations as his legal bedrock. But now the tactics are prompting criticism, even within Texas.
First LookIn protested House appearance, RFK Jr. denies antisemitism and racismRepublicans called Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to testify at a House hearing on government censorship. The longshot presidential candidate worked to defend himself from allegations of racism and antisemitism in the wake of a controversial leaked clip.
First LookFresh allegations: GOP moves in Hunter Biden investigationSen. Chuck Grassley released a document detailing unverified claims about Hunter Biden’s dealings with Ukrainian firm Burisma. The move escalates the probe into President Biden and his son, despite these unverified allegations being previously discredited.
Monitor BreakfastRussian exiled leader: Post-Putin era may be ‘months’ awayAt a Monitor coffee, Ilya Ponomarev expressed gratitude for U.S. weapons and aid to Ukraine – but said “regime change” is a cause for Russians alone.
Trouble for US support of Israel? Democratic criticism grows.Growing criticism of Israel on the left is raising concerns about the Democratic Party’s future support for the Jewish state.
First LookCriminal charges? Trump is under DOJ investigation for 2020 election.Former President Donald Trump said he has been told he is a target of the Justice Department’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Mr. Trump may soon face charges, a month after being charged in a separate investigation.
House Republicans ramp up investigation into Hunter BidenRepublicans allege U.S. President Joe Biden’s son received preferential treatment. Democrats say the GOP investigation is blatantly political.
First LookLegal for now? Iowa judge temporarily blocks governor’s abortion ban.Days after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a new law banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a state judge has blocked the measure. This means that abortion, until 20 weeks, will be legal while the courts assess the law’s constitutionality.
First LookGOP wants to plant 1 trillion trees. Can that stop a warming climate?Republicans are moving away from climate change skepticism, instead promoting tree planting as a solution that won’t infringe on energy production. Environmental scientists have called the idea a distraction from cutting emissions from fossil fuels.
Once seen as ‘conservative,’ FBI now faces attacks from the GOPTrust in the FBI has been plummeting among Republicans during the Trump era, as voters see institutions as being weaponized for political purposes.
How one senator has blocked the Pentagon over abortionBoth parties in Congress traditionally line up behind the military. But culture-war issues like abortion are changing that. Exhibit A: Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s monthslong blockade of Pentagon confirmations.
First LookFirst over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approvalIn a major change that will broaden access for women and teenagers, U.S. officials have approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill. Women’s health groups have long pushed to expand access to the pills.
Democrats prep shadow presidential campaignsSome ambitious Democratic governors appear to be laying the groundwork for presidential campaigns.
Contrarian or crank? The zeitgeisty campaign of RFK Jr.The scion of America’s most famous political family has tapped into a surprising well of grassroots support, at a time when distrust and conspiracy theories surround everything from elections to health to the news itself.
First LookCongress turns to the ballot box: Who decides who gets to vote?Congress will focus on voting and election laws in the coming weeks. As House Republicans present sweeping proposals to tighten voting restrictions, Democrats have their own proposals to set federal voting standards under the Voting Rights Act.
First LookEl Paso gunman who took 23 lives sentenced to 90 life sentencesThe Texas gunman who killed 23 people in a racist attack in 2019 at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, has been sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences for over 50 hate crime charges. A separate trial could still result in a death penalty sentence.
First LookNew laws restrict helping voters. Why Asian Americans feel targeted.New voting laws in Republican-led states impose criminal penalties or fines for helping people to vote. Asian American and Asian immigrant communities feel that the laws – which restrict, for one, translation services – especially target them.
Monitor BreakfastBreakfast with Biden’s top economic adviserLael Brainard, director of the National Economic Council, defended “Bidenomics” at a Monitor Breakfast – one of her first gatherings with reporters since joining the White House.
Proposed power plant emission cuts: Can US keep the lights on?A debate over how fast to transition to clean energy is gaining urgency, as a proposed EPA emissions rule stirs concerns about electric grid reliability.
