Political News

Sam Stockard, Tennessee Lookout The U.S. Department of Justice initiated a civil rights investigation Thursday of the city of Memphis and Memphis Police Department stemming in part from Tyre Nichols’s death in January after being beaten by police officers during a traffic stop. “Public safety requires public trust in police …

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Congressman Bobby Scott this week formally introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2023, which would increase the federal hourly minimum wage from $7.25 to $17 by 2028. The legislation was first announced in May but the lawmakers finally unveiled the bill text a day after …

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell experienced a concerning moment during a weekly Republican leadership news conference on Wednesday afternoon. As he was giving his opening remarks about an annual defense policy bill, he suddenly stopped speaking and appeared to freeze. For a disconcerting 19 seconds, McConnell remained silent. His fellow …

Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Saying that “housing is a human right,” U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida announced legislation in Congress Wednesday to help out struggling renters. He is co-sponsoring the End Junk Fees for Renters Act, which would crack down on added fees imposed on tenants by landlords, which …

Stanley Dunlap, Georgia Recorder Former President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani admitted this week to making false statements against two Fulton County poll workers who came under the dogged attack of election deniers in the aftermath of Georgia’s 2020 election. Giuliani acknowledged in a U.S. District Court filing on …

President Joe Biden delivered remarks Tuesday afternoon, sharing details of a plan to make it easier for people to receive mental health care. “Improving our mental health system means addressing the 3 C’s — coverage, care, and causes. Today, we took a big step in coverage. Now we need to …

Ariana Figueroa, West Virginia Watch A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Biden administration’s rule that restricts migrants from seeking asylum if they arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without first seeking protection in another country or applying for an asylum appointment online. Judge Jon S. Tigar, who was appointed by …

The pro-abortion rights movement in Ohio has gathered enough momentum to place a referendum on the ballot this coming November which could codify the right to abortion care in the state constitution—but advocates on Tuesday warned of a caveat which could make the amendment harder to pass unless rights advocates …

Ariana Figueroa, Nebraska Examiner On what would have been the 82nd birthday of Emmett Till, a Black boy kidnapped and murdered by two white men in Mississippi, President Joe Biden on Tuesday designated a new national monument at sites connected to the lynching that became a catalyst for the Civil …

Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch Former President Donald Trump has kept a hold on his frontrunner position as candidates head back to the Iowa campaign trail, but new polling shows there could be room for others to gain footing in the field. A Fox Business poll of Iowa Republicans published …

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Monday that he intends to vote against legislation authorizing $886 billion in military spending for the coming fiscal year, arguing the Pentagon budget should be cut in favor of investments in healthcare, education, housing, climate action, and other priorities. “As a nation, …

Noah Alcala Bach, The Texas Tribune The U.S. Justice Department announced Monday it is suing Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott after the state declined to remove the floating barrier deployed earlier this month on the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass. The lawsuit, filed in an Austin federal court, alleges the …

Ariana Figueroa, Kentucky Lantern The U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday announced $33 million in funding to 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities designated as land-grant institutions to support research and education projects. The funding through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will support 82 projects in sustainable farming practices …

Casey Quinlan, Idaho Capital Sun Members of the Senate banking committee explored the pros and cons of reforming deposit insurance last week, which has been a topic of debate among policymakers since the aftermath of bank collapses earlier this year. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, insures each depositor …

Voters in Alabama are preparing for another legal battle after the state’s GOP-dominated Legislature and Republican Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday approved new congressional districts that critics say defy a surprising recent decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. The latest map “is really a slap in the face, not only …