Poli Alert Politics & Civics

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III will step down at the end of the year after 38 years with the institution, ending a tenure that included the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and unfolded amid growing political scrutiny from the Trump administration. Bunch, who …

President Donald Trump gave White House aide Natalie Harp a $45,000 cash holiday gift last year, according to a financial disclosure filed with the administration, an unusually large personal payment to a federal employee that has drawn scrutiny from government ethics experts. Harp, Trump’s executive assistant and a frequent presence …

The Pentagon has subjected roughly 50 members of the military’s Joint Staff to polygraph tests as investigators search for the source of leaks to journalists about the war with Iran and declining U.S. weapons stockpiles, an unusually broad effort that has intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration’s approach to classified …

Missouri Republican House candidate Thomas Christopher Ross has withdrawn from the November election after being charged with allegedly conspiring to plant cocaine and Adderall on his Republican primary opponent, setting up a rapid change in the race for House District 161. Ross, 37, of Joplin, formally withdrew his name from …

A federal magistrate judge has ordered the Trump administration to identify the officials who conceived the structure of its now-defunct $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” rejecting repeated Justice Department efforts to keep the names from plaintiffs challenging the program in court. U.S. Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis issued the ruling Friday …

Canada has imposed a new round of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, escalating a trade dispute between the two North American allies after weeks of negotiations failed to produce an agreement. The tariffs took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday, Sept. 8, with rates ranging from 15% to 50%. …

The Trump administration has again asked the Supreme Court to temporarily allow the U.S. Postal Service to enforce new requirements for mail-in ballots, escalating a legal fight over federal authority over election mail less than two months before the November midterm elections. The administration filed its latest emergency application Sunday, …

An armed man was arrested Sunday after authorities said he pushed through a crowd and lunged toward Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio, during a campaign appearance at the Canfield Fair, injuring multiple people. Acton was not injured, according to her campaign and multiple news reports. The …

Thirty-three House Democrats joined Republicans this week in voting to restrict federal funding for colleges and universities that participate in certain boycotts of Israel, but the bill’s Democratic co-sponsor, Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, did not cast a vote. The House passed the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act, …

Sen. John Fetterman is facing renewed criticism from fellow Democrats after a Wall Street Journal report detailed instances of the Pennsylvania senator allegedly skipping constituent meetings, Senate hearings and other official responsibilities. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., called Fetterman “a disgrace” on X, accusing him of failing to do his job. …

The U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs in August, far exceeding expectations and signaling that the labor market remains stronger than previously thought despite mounting pressure on hiring. The unemployment rate held at 4.1%, according to Labor Department data released Friday. Economists had expected just 65,000 new jobs. Job growth was …

Maryland voters will decide in November whether to change the state Constitution’s rules for congressional redistricting after the Maryland Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a revised ballot question can go before voters. The divided court overturned lower-court rulings that had blocked the measure, but agreed that the General Assembly’s original …

Missouri voters will decide in November whether to approve a Republican-backed congressional map after the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled Thursday that voters can challenge redistricting plans through referendum. The ruling suspends the 2025 map and orders Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to use the 2022 congressional districts for the …

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to give the U.S. Postal Service broad power to withhold mail ballots from voters whose information does not meet new federal requirements, escalating a major election fight less than two months before the midterms. The emergency appeal seeks immediate permission to enforce …

House Republicans are canceling the chamber’s final two weeks of scheduled business before the midterm elections, allowing members to leave Washington by Sept. 17 and remain home until mid-November. The House will return for one additional week after next week’s Labor Day recess before ending its pre-election session. GOP leaders …