Environmental nonprofits are gearing up to challenge the number of actions President Donald Trump has issued since he took office.
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Political News Compilation - Weekend Updates - Dec. 14 & 15, 2024
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The GOP stoked fears of noncitizens voting. Cases in Ohio show how rhetoric and reality diverge
By JULIE CARR SMYTHUpdated 4:29 PM CST, December 15, 2024
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Before the November presidential election, Ohio’s secretary of state and attorney general announced investigations into potential voter fraud that included people suspected of casting ballots even though they were not U.S. citizens.
It coincided with a national Republican messaging strategy warning that potentially thousands of ineligible voters would be voting.
“The right to vote is sacred,” Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, said in a statement at the time. “If you’re not a U.S. citizen, it’s illegal to vote -– whether you thought you were allowed to or not. You will be held accountable.”
In the end, their efforts led to just a handful of cases. Of the 621 criminal referrals for voter fraud that Secretary of State Frank LaRose sent to the attorney general, prosecutors have secured indictments against nine people for voting as noncitizens over the span of 10 years — and one was later found to have died. That total is a tiny fraction of Ohio’s 8 million registered voters and the tens of millions of ballots cast during that period. ...
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Sen. Bernie Sanders says Biden should 'very seriously' consider pre-emptive pardons
The senator spoke to NBC News' "Meet the Press" after President-elect Donald Trump said members of the House Jan. 6 committee "should go to jail."
www.nbcnews.com
Romney stands by Trump criticism but says MAGA is now the Republican Party | CNN Politics
Sen. Mitt Romney, a frequent Donald Trump critic who will soon retire from Congress, stood by his criticism of the president-elect’s character but said Trump and his MAGA movement now define the Republican Party.
www.cnn.comABC agrees to give $15 million to Donald Trump's presidential library to settle defamation lawsuit
ABC News has agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit over inaccurate on-air assertions by anchor George Stephanopoulos.
apnews.com
Rep Gimenez warns China is 'greatest threat' to US, Trump admin will 'project strength' to CCP
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Carlos Gimenez of the Select Committee on the CCP says President-elect Trump will bring “peace through strength, not peace through appeasement" when dealing with China.
Syria live updates: US aircraft carrier strike group arrives in Middle East
Rebel forces in Syria captured the capital Damascus and toppled the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in a lightning-quick advance across the country.
Federal response to mysterious drone sightings draws bipartisan criticism | CNN Politics
Lawmakers from across the political spectrum on Sunday criticized the federal government’s response to mysterious drone sightings in the Northeast, as officials emphasize there is no evidence of a security threat.
www.cnn.comTrump gets warm welcome as he watches Army-Navy game alongside key allies, nominees and Daniel Penny
Trump, who attended Army-Navy games as president-elect in 2016 and during his first term, has been making an increasing number of public appearances before his inauguration.
apnews.com
Mitt Romney predicts JD Vance will be 2028 GOP nominee: 'MAGA is the Republican Party'
Sen. Mitt Romney called Vice President-elect JD Vance "smart, well spoken, part of the MAGA movement."
www.usatoday.com
Sen. Amy Klobuchar says presidential pardon process "cries out for reform"
Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the entire presidential pardoning process "cries out for reform" following President Biden's record number of commutations made in a single day last week.
www.cbsnews.com
Chris Wray's FBI departure won't immediately clear path for Kash Patel: Experts
The federal government has strict guidelines for temporarily filling the void that will be left by FBI director Chris Wray's pending resignation, experts say.
Trump leaves China guessing what his next move is with unusual inauguration invitation
President-elect Trump took China by surprise when he invited President Xi Jinping to his upcoming inauguration, a friendly gesture ahead of a widely expected trade war.
Donald Trump's transition team wants to scrap a car crash requirement opposed by Elon Musk's Tesla
The Trump transition team wants the incoming administration to drop a car-crash reporting requirement opposed by Elon Musk’s Tesla.
www.usatoday.com
Trump appoints longtime foreign policy adviser Richard Grenell to serve as special missions envoy
President-elect Donald Trump has picked longtime foreign policy adviser Richard Grenell to serve as an envoy for special missions.
apnews.com
Russia batters Ukraine power grid amid rising concern Putin could order ballistic missile attack this weekend
Ukraine's energy infrastructure was again pummeled in a "massive blow" by Russian missiles and drones on Friday, just days after the U.S. warned Russia might be planning another Oreshnik missile strike.
Rep. Mike Waltz says Orbán "clearly has a good relationship" with Trump amid Russia-Ukraine discussions
Rep. Mike Waltz said President-elect Donald Trump has a good relationship with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who he said also has ""regular engagement" with Russia amid its war with Ukraine.
www.cbsnews.comTrump nominees should ‘steer clear’ of undermining polio vaccine, McConnell says
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, said any of President-elect Donald Trump’s picks requiring Senate confirmation should “steer clear” of efforts to discredit the polio vaccine.
apnews.com
Harris debates her future: A run for California governor that would take 2028 off the table | CNN Politics
Top aides and people close to Kamala Harris have divided over whether she should head home to run for California governor in 2026 — and it all comes down to whether they believe she could win the Democratic nomination for president in an expected competitive primary in 2028.
www.cnn.com[URL...
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Rubio scores key wins for Trump immigration agenda with blitz through Latin America
Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up his first overseas trip across Latin America with several wins on immigration, a top priority for President Donald Trump.
America’s new top diplomat returns home with a binder full of agreements from foreign governments on day-one priorities to interdict human and drug trafficking – a testament to how the Trump administration wields America’s economic might.
"I think the fact that his first trip was to Latin America, I think was a huge statement in itself," said Joseph Humire, executive director of the...
Continue reading...America’s new top diplomat returns home with a binder full of agreements from foreign governments on day-one priorities to interdict human and drug trafficking – a testament to how the Trump administration wields America’s economic might.
"I think the fact that his first trip was to Latin America, I think was a huge statement in itself," said Joseph Humire, executive director of the...
Trump’s cuts to foreign aid could benefit US position in Iran negotiations, expert says
President Donald Trump's decision to cut foreign aid funding could strengthen the president’s bargaining position as he looks to contain Iran.
"I look at the USAID cutoff and the praise that the Iranians have given as part of President Trump’s negotiating skills," EJ Kimball, director of Policy & Strategic Operations at the U.S. Israel Education Association, told Fox News Digital.
The comments come after Trump’s controversial decision to halt funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and send most of the employees...
Continue reading..."I look at the USAID cutoff and the praise that the Iranians have given as part of President Trump’s negotiating skills," EJ Kimball, director of Policy & Strategic Operations at the U.S. Israel Education Association, told Fox News Digital.
The comments come after Trump’s controversial decision to halt funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and send most of the employees...
Trudeau says Trump is serious about Canada becoming 51st state: reports
President Donald Trump has for weeks suggested that Canada become the United States’ 51st state, and while opinion has been divided about whether Trump is serious or merely trolling its neighbor, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reportedly said that it’s the former, according to reports.
In a closed-door meeting with Canadian business and labor leaders, Trudeau reportedly affirmed that Trump’s ambitious aims of annexation are "a real thing."
"Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country and it is a real thing. In...
Continue reading...In a closed-door meeting with Canadian business and labor leaders, Trudeau reportedly affirmed that Trump’s ambitious aims of annexation are "a real thing."
"Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country and it is a real thing. In...
Transgender, nonbinary people sue Trump administration over passport policy
A new lawsuit accuses the State Department of freezing document changes for transgender or nonbinary people.
Continue reading...Trudeau reportedly says Trump's talk of annexing Canada is "a real thing"
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught on a hot mic on Friday saying that President Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state is "a real thing," local media reported.
Canadian public broadcaster CBC reported that Trudeau made those comments to business leaders and labor leaders in a closed-door session that was mistakenly carried by a loudspeaker.
Trudeau suggested Mr. Trump has floated the idea of annexing Canada because he wants access to the country's critical minerals.
"Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it...
Continue reading...Canadian public broadcaster CBC reported that Trudeau made those comments to business leaders and labor leaders in a closed-door session that was mistakenly carried by a loudspeaker.
Trudeau suggested Mr. Trump has floated the idea of annexing Canada because he wants access to the country's critical minerals.
"Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it...
Former top NOAA scientist under Trump issues a "Sharpie-gate" warning
The former top government scientist during President Trump's first term in office has a cautionary tale to tell about the politicization of science. It involves Neil Jacobs, Mr. Trump's nominee to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Jacobs, who led the agency on an acting basis during Mr. Trump's first term, was reprimanded for ethics violations in what became known as "Sharpie-gate" — when the president held up a hurricane forecast map with black marker appearing to extend the storm's potential path into Alabama.
Craig...
Continue reading...Jacobs, who led the agency on an acting basis during Mr. Trump's first term, was reprimanded for ethics violations in what became known as "Sharpie-gate" — when the president held up a hurricane forecast map with black marker appearing to extend the storm's potential path into Alabama.
Craig...
Released Palestinian prisoners greeted in Ramallah
Some 180 prisoners are being freed in exchange for three Israeli hostages.
Continue reading...Judge blocks Musk team access to Treasury Department records
Nineteen state attorneys general sued the Trump administration after the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) was given access.
Continue reading...Judge blocks Trump plan to put thousands of USAID staff on leave
A last-minute lawsuit means Trump's efforts to dismantle the overseas aid agency have been put on hold.
Continue reading...Watch: How triple Israeli hostage release unfolded
Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi are returning home after being released in Gaza on Saturday.
Continue reading...Judge blocks Trump from placing 2,200 USAID workers on leave
A federal judge on Friday ordered a temporary block on plans by the
Continue reading...Republicans in House, Senate on collision course over sweeping Trump budget bill
House Republicans are racing to get ahead of their Senate counterparts on plans to pass sweeping conservative policy legislation and advance President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Plans to take the first step in the budget reconciliation process this week were scuttled in the House, with fiscal hawks pushing GOP leaders to raise their proposed floor for spending cuts after balking at an initial rough proposal presented last month at the House Republican issues retreat in Miami.
Meanwhile, the Senate is moving full steam ahead with their own plan to...
Continue reading...Plans to take the first step in the budget reconciliation process this week were scuttled in the House, with fiscal hawks pushing GOP leaders to raise their proposed floor for spending cuts after balking at an initial rough proposal presented last month at the House Republican issues retreat in Miami.
Meanwhile, the Senate is moving full steam ahead with their own plan to...
Here's what happened during Trump's 3rd week in office
President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benajamin Netanyahu to the White House Tuesday, marking the first visit from a foreign leader during Trump's second term.
During Netanyahu's visit, Trump also unveiled massive plans suggesting that the U.S. would "take over" the Gaza Strip in a "long-term ownership position" to deliver stability to the region.
"The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too," Trump said Tuesday evening in a joint press conference with Netanyahu. "We'll own it and be responsible for...
Continue reading...During Netanyahu's visit, Trump also unveiled massive plans suggesting that the U.S. would "take over" the Gaza Strip in a "long-term ownership position" to deliver stability to the region.
"The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too," Trump said Tuesday evening in a joint press conference with Netanyahu. "We'll own it and be responsible for...
Modi's BJP wins big in high-stakes Delhi election
PM Modi's party is set to form a government in the Indian capital after 27 years.
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