INSIDER
California Assembly approves $50M to defend immigrants and protect state policies from Trump plans
Read full article: California Assembly approves $50M to defend immigrants and protect state policies from Trump plansCalifornia’s Democratic-dominated Assembly has endorsed up to $50 million in funding to defend the state’s progressive policies against challenges by the Trump administration.
Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow preparing to enter US Senate race in Michigan, AP sources say
Read full article: Democratic state Sen. Mallory McMorrow preparing to enter US Senate race in Michigan, AP sources sayMichigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow is preparing to announce a Democratic bid for an open U.S. Senate seat in the state.
USAID website goes offline in Trump administration's 2-week-old freeze on foreign aid worldwide
Read full article: USAID website goes offline in Trump administration's 2-week-old freeze on foreign aid worldwideUSAID’s website has dropped offline without explanation in the Trump administration's two-week-old funding freeze of U.S. foreign aid and development funding.
Conspiracies, espionage, an enemies list: Takeaways from a wild day of confirmation hearings
Read full article: Conspiracies, espionage, an enemies list: Takeaways from a wild day of confirmation hearingsPresident Donald Trump’s most controversial Cabinet nominees have flooded the zone in back-to-back-to-back confirmation hearings.
US cybersecurity agency's future role in elections remains murky under the Trump administration
Read full article: US cybersecurity agency's future role in elections remains murky under the Trump administrationThe nation’s cybersecurity agency has played a critical role in helping states shore up the defenses of their voting systems, but its election mission appears uncertain amid sustained criticism from Republicans and key figures in the Trump administration.
Florida lawmakers pass sweeping immigration bill to help with Trump crackdown
Read full article: Florida lawmakers pass sweeping immigration bill to help with Trump crackdownFlorida lawmakers have passed a sweeping immigration bill, setting aside half a billion dollars in public funds to help carry out President Donald Trump’s crackdown on people in the country illegally.
Deb Haaland made history as Interior secretary. Now she’s running for governor of New Mexico
Read full article: Deb Haaland made history as Interior secretary. Now she’s running for governor of New MexicoFormer Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is running for the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico after championing conservation and clean energy during her tenure as Interior secretary under President Joe Biden.
In the early going, Trump 2.0 approach on foreign policy is to talk loudly and carry a big stick
Read full article: In the early going, Trump 2.0 approach on foreign policy is to talk loudly and carry a big stickDonald Trump in his return to the White House has already previewed his second term foreign policy approach: Talk loudly and wield a big stick.
Spanberger and Earle-Sears want to make history in Virginia. But voters have election exhaustion
Read full article: Spanberger and Earle-Sears want to make history in Virginia. But voters have election exhaustionDemocratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears are picking up steam in their bids to be Virginia's next governor.
Alaska Sen. Murkowski has faced Trump's wrath. She was willing to defy him after his return to power
Read full article: Alaska Sen. Murkowski has faced Trump's wrath. She was willing to defy him after his return to powerIn the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski had openly challenged or rebuked him at least three times.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Florida's special congressional primaries
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Florida's special congressional primariesRepublicans are eager to find replacements for former GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz and Michael Waltz in Tuesday’s special congressional primaries in Florida to add some breathing room to their slender majority in the U.S. House, but control of the chamber isn’t on the line.
Democrats' Minnesota House boycott echoes earlier walkouts in other states
Read full article: Democrats' Minnesota House boycott echoes earlier walkouts in other statesDemocrats in the Minnesota House who have boycotted daily sessions are using tactics that lawmakers elsewhere have tried dozens of times in seeking to thwart their opponents.
Utah Republicans take aim at teachers unions amid political clash over education
Read full article: Utah Republicans take aim at teachers unions amid political clash over educationUtah lawmakers have advanced a bill that experts say would establish one of the most restrictive labor laws in the country.
Trump order ending federal DEI programs leaves agencies and stakeholders on uncertain ground
Read full article: Trump order ending federal DEI programs leaves agencies and stakeholders on uncertain groundFederal agencies, employees and contractors are trying to process how President Donald Trump’s sweeping anti-DEI executive order will upend their work.
California will spend $2.5 billion to help the Los Angeles area recover from wildfires
Read full article: California will spend $2.5 billion to help the Los Angeles area recover from wildfiresCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a more than $2.5 billion package to help the Los Angeles area recover from its recent deadly wildfires.
Cracks emerge in House GOP after speaker's threat to saddle California wildfire aid with conditions
Read full article: Cracks emerge in House GOP after speaker's threat to saddle California wildfire aid with conditionsSome U.S. House Republicans in California are breaking with Speaker Mike Johnson over his suggestion that federal disaster aid be coupled with as-yet unspecified conditions on the wildfire-ravaged state.
GOP-led states are emboldened to keep rolling back trans rights. Democrats struggle with a response
Read full article: GOP-led states are emboldened to keep rolling back trans rights. Democrats struggle with a responseRepublicans in statehouses are emboldened by GOP electoral successes to push a new wave of bills to restrict transgender rights and gender-affirming care.
Republicans renew efforts to limit people in US illegally from census count
Read full article: Republicans renew efforts to limit people in US illegally from census countRepublican efforts to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from numbers used to divvy up congressional seats among states have begun anew, with four Republican state attorneys general suing to alter the once-a-decade head count even before President Donald Trump’s second term in office began.
Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump's sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 rioters
Read full article: Republican senators are mostly quiet on Trump's sweeping pardons of Jan. 6 riotersMany Republicans on Capitol Hill do not agree with President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon and commute sentences for more than 1,500 people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Senate passes immigrant detention bill that could be the first measure Trump signs into law
Read full article: Senate passes immigrant detention bill that could be the first measure Trump signs into lawThe Senate has passed a bill that would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes.
The Senate advances a migrant detention bill that could be Trump's first law to sign
Read full article: The Senate advances a migrant detention bill that could be Trump's first law to signThe Senate is set for an Inauguration Day vote on legislation that would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes.
Few know Shalanda Young. But she saved the US from the kinds of economic crises Trump now faces
Read full article: Few know Shalanda Young. But she saved the US from the kinds of economic crises Trump now facesFew Democrats found ways to negotiate with Republicans quite like Shalanda Young — whose work as White House budget director stopped several potential economic crises from erupting.
Few US adults confident Justice Department and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll finds
Read full article: Few US adults confident Justice Department and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll findsAs President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, gets set for her Senate confirmation hearings, only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” confident the Justice Department will act in a fair and nonpartisan manner during his second term.
Millions have had student loans canceled under Biden — despite the collapse of his forgiveness plan
Read full article: Millions have had student loans canceled under Biden — despite the collapse of his forgiveness planDespite failing to deliver his promise for broad student loan forgiveness, President Joe Biden has now overseen the cancellation of student loans for more than 5 million Americans — more than any other president in U.S. history.
Arizona's Democratic governor faces uphill battle as Republicans control Legislature
Read full article: Arizona's Democratic governor faces uphill battle as Republicans control LegislatureArizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs knows she is outnumbered this legislative session as Republicans expanded their statehouse majorities in the last election.
Many Democrats don't think they'll see a woman become president, AP-NORC poll finds
Read full article: Many Democrats don't think they'll see a woman become president, AP-NORC poll findsAn increasing number of Democrats are questioning whether their party’s commitment to diverse candidates, especially women, may lead to more political struggles in the Trump era.
Senate Democrats join Republicans in voting to advance bill to detain migrants accused of crimes
Read full article: Senate Democrats join Republicans in voting to advance bill to detain migrants accused of crimesNewly in the minority, Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to advance legislation that would require federal authorities to detain unauthorized immigrants who have been accused of certain crimes — signaling that they will try and find spots to work with President-elect Donald Trump while simultaneously trying to block much of his agenda.
Trump's inaugural committee has already raised a record $170M in donations
Read full article: Trump's inaugural committee has already raised a record $170M in donationsPresident-elect Donald Trump has raised more than $170 million for his upcoming inauguration, a record amount as tech executives and big donors have eagerly written large checks.
Virginia elections signal no major shift in voter sentiment in a state watched closely for clues
Read full article: Virginia elections signal no major shift in voter sentiment in a state watched closely for cluesVirginia’s three special elections this week garnered national attention as Democrats protected their slim statehouse majority by winning two left-leaning districts.
Trump gives GOP senators no set strategy as leaders struggle to craft his priorities
Read full article: Trump gives GOP senators no set strategy as leaders struggle to craft his prioritiesPresident-elect Donald Trump emerged from a lengthy Capitol Hill meeting with Senate Republicans with no set strategy for tackling his legislative priorities.
Ex-FBI informant who fabricated bribery story about Biden and his son Hunter gets 6 years in prison
Read full article: Ex-FBI informant who fabricated bribery story about Biden and his son Hunter gets 6 years in prisonA former FBI informant who fabricated a story about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter accepting bribes has been sentenced to six years in prison.
New Majority Leader Thune kicks off Senate session with pledge to preserve filibuster
Read full article: New Majority Leader Thune kicks off Senate session with pledge to preserve filibusterNew Senate Majority Leader John Thune is kicking off the new session with a promise to preserve the filibuster, saying in his first floor speech as leader that his priority will be to “ensure the Senate stays the Senate.”.
Republicans' trust in accuracy of US elections jumps after Trump's win, AP-NORC poll finds
Read full article: Republicans' trust in accuracy of US elections jumps after Trump's win, AP-NORC poll findsA new poll finds that Republican voters are more confident in the accuracy of U.S. elections now that Donald Trump has won.
FBI releases new video of a suspect planting a pipe bomb near DNC offices on eve of the Capitol riot
Read full article: FBI releases new video of a suspect planting a pipe bomb near DNC offices on eve of the Capitol riotThe FBI is releasing new information about a suspect who planted pipe bombs four years ago outside the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees near the Capitol.
Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January
Read full article: Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-JanuaryTreasury Secretary Janet Yellen says her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14th, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon.
Fate of Trump's Cabinet picks unclear as Republicans prepare to take power in Senate
Read full article: Fate of Trump's Cabinet picks unclear as Republicans prepare to take power in SenateThe fate of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions.
Lara Trump says she's removing herself from consideration to be Florida senator
Read full article: Lara Trump says she's removing herself from consideration to be Florida senatorLara Trump, the daughter-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, says she’s removing herself from consideration to be a Florida senator.
Shutdown saga exposes new fault lines for Speaker Johnson and tests his grip on the gavel
Read full article: Shutdown saga exposes new fault lines for Speaker Johnson and tests his grip on the gavelOne of the most turbulent sessions of Congress in the modern era is about to make way for the next one.
Senate review of Supreme Court ethics finds more luxury trips and urges enforceable code of conduct
Read full article: Senate review of Supreme Court ethics finds more luxury trips and urges enforceable code of conductA nearly two-year investigation by Democratic senators of Supreme Court ethics details more luxury travel by Justice Clarence Thomas and urges Congress to establish a way to enforce a new code of conduct.
The latest: House speaker says Republicans have agreed on a new spending deal
Read full article: The latest: House speaker says Republicans have agreed on a new spending dealWith hours to go before a midnight government shutdown, the House has approved a new plan from House Speaker Mike Johnson that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, but dropped President-elect Donald Trump’s demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.
Trump was poised to inherit a strong economy. Then things got rocky and he added to the uncertainty
Read full article: Trump was poised to inherit a strong economy. Then things got rocky and he added to the uncertaintyDonald Trump seemed poised to inherit a relatively strong economy when he begins a second term in the White House in January.
Pentagon warns that a government shutdown will cost troops their pay over the holidays
Read full article: Pentagon warns that a government shutdown will cost troops their pay over the holidaysThe Pentagon is warning that Republicans’ decision to abandon a congressional spending plan will cost more than 2 million troops their paychecks over the holidays unless some agreement is reached before Friday’s deadline to prevent a government shutdown.
New House GOP budget proposal revives Farm Bill extension and aid money but drops ethanol provision
Read full article: New House GOP budget proposal revives Farm Bill extension and aid money but drops ethanol provisionAmerican farmers are hoping that aid to agriculture will be revived as Congress struggles to avert a looming partial government shutdown.
House rejects Trump-backed plan on government shutdown, leaving next steps uncertain
Read full article: House rejects Trump-backed plan on government shutdown, leaving next steps uncertainThe House has resoundingly rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s new plan to fund federal operations and suspend the debt ceiling a day before a government shutdown.
A power grab by Republicans in North Carolina becomes a referendum on democracy in the states
Read full article: A power grab by Republicans in North Carolina becomes a referendum on democracy in the statesDemocrats in North Carolina were celebrating big wins in the swing state after the November election, including victories for governor and other top statewide offices.
House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release Matt Gaetz ethics report, source says
Read full article: House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release Matt Gaetz ethics report, source saysThe House Ethics Committee has voted in secret to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Senate passes defense bill that will raise troop pay and aims to counter China's power
Read full article: Senate passes defense bill that will raise troop pay and aims to counter China's powerThe Senate has passed a defense bill that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion.
After investigating Jan. 6, House GOP sides with Trump and goes after Liz Cheney
Read full article: After investigating Jan. 6, House GOP sides with Trump and goes after Liz CheneyWrapping up their report on the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, House Republicans have concluded it’s former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney who should be prosecuted for her work probing the riot.
Congress unveils funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid
Read full article: Congress unveils funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aidCongressional leaders have unveiled legislation that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.
Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for 2 Venezuelan men accused of killing Texas girl
Read full article: Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for 2 Venezuelan men accused of killing Texas girlProsecutors in Texas will seek the death penalty for two Venezuelan men who are accused of killing a 12-year-old Houston girl after they entered the U.S. illegally.
About 3 in 10 are highly confident in Trump on Cabinet, spending or military oversight: AP-NORC poll
Read full article: About 3 in 10 are highly confident in Trump on Cabinet, spending or military oversight: AP-NORC pollAmericans may have elected Donald Trump to a second term in November, but that doesn’t mean they have high confidence in his ability to choose well-qualified people for his Cabinet or effectively manage government spending, the military and the White House.
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
Read full article: IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in powerIRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes.
House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
Read full article: House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threatThe House has passed what was once a bipartisan effort to expand the number of federal district trial court judgeships across the country.
Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of America
Read full article: Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of AmericaPresident-elect Donald Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world.
Michigan Democrats move to protect reproductive health data before GOP takes control of House
Read full article: Michigan Democrats move to protect reproductive health data before GOP takes control of HouseDemocrats in Michigan are pressing to pass reproductive health care legislation before the party loses its majority with the new legislative session next year.
Unlikely battleground California plays key role -- again -- in setting US House's political balance
Read full article: Unlikely battleground California plays key role -- again -- in setting US House's political balanceDemocrats and Republicans agreed on at least one thing before November's election: California would play a central role in determining which party controls the U.S. House.
Democrat Adam Gray captures California's 13th US House District, ousting Republican Rep. John Duarte
Read full article: Democrat Adam Gray captures California's 13th US House District, ousting Republican Rep. John DuarteDemocrat Adam Gray has won election to a U.S. House seat representing California’s Central Valley, defeating Republican Rep. John Duarte in the final House contest to be determined this year.
Minnesota Republicans sue to force election rerun in tight House race where 20 ballots are missing
Read full article: Minnesota Republicans sue to force election rerun in tight House race where 20 ballots are missingMinnesota Republicans are suing to try to force a rerun of a state House race where the incumbent Democrat won by 14 votes but investigators concluded that election workers probably destroyed 20 valid absentee ballots after failing to count them.
Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appeals
Read full article: Young men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appealsYoung men shifted toward Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election in a change from recent years, when most young male voters backed the Democratic candidate.
Trump and Republicans in Congress eye an ambitious 100-day agenda, starting with tax cuts
Read full article: Trump and Republicans in Congress eye an ambitious 100-day agenda, starting with tax cutsRepublicans swept to power on Election Day and now control the House, the Senate and the White House, with plans for an ambitious 100-day agenda come January.
College sports reform could advance in GOP-controlled Congress, with Sen. Ted Cruz as NCAA ally
Read full article: College sports reform could advance in GOP-controlled Congress, with Sen. Ted Cruz as NCAA allyThe NCAA’s yearslong efforts to get lawmakers to address myriad problems in college sports could pay off in the new, Republican-controlled Congress.
Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime
Read full article: Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crimePresident-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
Tim Walz accepts turkey presentation as he eases back into his duties as Minnesota's governor
Read full article: Tim Walz accepts turkey presentation as he eases back into his duties as Minnesota's governorTim Walz has accepted the symbolic presentation of a turkey as he eases back into his duties as Minnesota’s governor following the Harris-Walz ticket’s defeat in the presidential election.
Biden's public lands director named to lead environmental group
Read full article: Biden's public lands director named to lead environmental groupA senior official in President Joe Biden’s administration who oversaw its contentious efforts to address climate change by curbing drilling and mining on federal lands has been named the next president of a prominent environmental group.
An influx of outsiders and money turns Montana Republican, culminating in a Senate triumph
Read full article: An influx of outsiders and money turns Montana Republican, culminating in a Senate triumphDemocrats’ crushing loss in Montana’s nationally important U.S. Senate race settled a fierce political debate over whether a surge of newcomers in the past decade favored Republicans.
Democrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjourns
Read full article: Democrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjournsThe Senate won’t hold votes on four of President Joe Biden’s appellate court nominees as part of a deal with Republicans to allow for speedier consideration of other judicial nominations.
McConnell to head subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he prepares to step down as GOP leader
Read full article: McConnell to head subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he prepares to step down as GOP leaderSen. Mitch McConnell says he will lead a subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he carves out new roles once he relinquishes his long-running post as Senate Republican leader.
North Carolina elections chief wants senator to take back comment about vote manipulation
Read full article: North Carolina elections chief wants senator to take back comment about vote manipulationThe North Carolina State Board of Elections’ top administrator wants a powerful legislator to retract a comment that he made suggesting this month’s results were being manipulated.
House passes bill that would allow Treasury to target nonprofits it deems to support terrorism
Read full article: House passes bill that would allow Treasury to target nonprofits it deems to support terrorismThe U.S. House passed legislation that would give the Treasury Department unilateral authority to strip the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it claims support terrorism.
A battle over mail ballots in Pennsylvania is latest example of messy disputes over election rules
Read full article: A battle over mail ballots in Pennsylvania is latest example of messy disputes over election rulesThe recount underway in Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race marks the end of a chaotic post-election period that has become the latest example of how disputed election rules can expose weak points in a core function of American democracy.
Donald Trump Jr. says pushback against Cabinet picks proves they're the disrupters voters wanted
Read full article: Donald Trump Jr. says pushback against Cabinet picks proves they're the disrupters voters wantedDonald Trump Jr. says any pushback from the Washington establishment around his father’s unconventional choices for Cabinet proves they are just the kind of disruptors that voters are demanding.
Big voter turnout this year benefited Republicans, contradicting conventional political wisdom
Read full article: Big voter turnout this year benefited Republicans, contradicting conventional political wisdomThe 2024 presidential election featured sky-high turnout, approaching the historic levels of the 2020 contest.
House elections produced a stalemate. Can Republicans figure out how to work with a thin majority?
Read full article: House elections produced a stalemate. Can Republicans figure out how to work with a thin majority?After one of the most chaotic and least productive U.S. House sessions in modern history, voters made a surprising choice in elections — they overwhelmingly stuck with the status quo.
Pennsylvania courts get lawsuits over ballot-counting in Senate contest headed toward a recount
Read full article: Pennsylvania courts get lawsuits over ballot-counting in Senate contest headed toward a recountRepublicans are going to court in Pennsylvania amid vote counting in the U.S. Senate election between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick, with the contest headed toward a state-mandated recount.
Trump issues early challenge to GOP Senate with defiant nominations
Read full article: Trump issues early challenge to GOP Senate with defiant nominationsJust hours after Republican Sen. John Thune was elected as the incoming Senate majority leader, President-elect Donald Trump presented him with one of his first tests — an announcement that he intends to nominate House Republican Matt Gaetz as attorney general.
Pennsylvania Senate contest headed toward a recount, and possibly litigation
Read full article: Pennsylvania Senate contest headed toward a recount, and possibly litigationThe U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick is headed for a statewide recount, as counties continued Wednesday to sort through outstanding ballots and the campaigns jousted over which ones should count.
Trump picks Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Marco Rubio for secretary of state
Read full article: Trump picks Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Marco Rubio for secretary of statePresident-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general, opting for a loyalist who has built a national reputation as a disruptor and has vowed to dramatically overhaul the Justice Department.
Federal judge blocks Louisiana law that requires classrooms to display Ten Commandments
Read full article: Federal judge blocks Louisiana law that requires classrooms to display Ten CommandmentsLouisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill says the state will ask a federal appeals court to quickly stay a lower court's order declaring unconstitutional a law requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom by Jan. 1.