Poli Alert Politics & Civics

The trial of former President Donald Trump kicked off Monday in a lower Manhattan courtroom, marking the first time in U.S. history that an ex-president has been tried on criminal charges. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, appeared in the state of New York courtroom, where he is charged …

Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two bills Friday morning that would prohibit civilian oversight boards from investigating police misconduct and stop people from getting too close to first responders doing their jobs. The governor received both bills (HB 601 and SB 184) on Wednesday and held the …

Jacob Fischler, Michigan Advance Donald Trump on Monday in a New York City courtroom will make history as the first former U.S. president to stand trial in criminal proceedings. And it raises new issues for the presumptive Republican nominee for president in November, even as he builds a political brand …

Jimmy Williams In a significant move aimed at easing the financial burden on thousands of student loan borrowers, the White House has announced the forgiveness of an additional $7.4 billion in student loan debt. This latest relief effort, unveiled by the Biden administration, is expected to benefit approximately 277,000 borrowers …

Joshua Fechter, The Texas Tribune Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County on Tuesday to block a new guaranteed income pilot program that would provide financial assistance to families in the county’s poorest neighborhoods. Under the federally funded program, roughly 1,900 Harris County households would receive monthly cash payments …

Jimmy Williams A group of Maryland lawmakers introduced the Baltimore BRIDGE Relief Act, a two-page bill aimed at funding the reconstruction and repair of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge collapsed last month after a container ship struck one of its main supports, resulting in the tragic deaths of …

Two Maine state Republican lawmakers on Thursday were formally censured for saying during a legislative debate that the deadliest shooting in the state’s history was the result of God’s wrath over abortion, and issued apologies—but rights advocates said their views should not be treated as an aberration in the GOP. …

Ariana Figueroa, Colorado Newsline The Biden administration on Thursday finalized a new rule that would require anyone selling a gun to obtain a federal license and conduct background checks. The rule aims to close what’s known as the “gun show loophole.” Gun merchants who sell online, by mail or at …

Jimmy Williams A New York appeals court judge rejected Donald Trump’s third attempt to delay his upcoming criminal trial, which is set to begin on April 15. Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer denied Trump’s latest legal challenge after similar efforts were dismissed by state appeals court judges on two previous days. …

Jimmy Williams President Biden criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s management of the war against Hamas in Gaza, labeling it “a mistake.” Biden urged Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire of up to two months, allowing humanitarian organizations to deliver food and medicine to Gaza. In an interview with Univision, …

Jimmy Williams Allen Weisselberg, a retired executive from Donald Trump’s real estate empire, received a five-month jail sentence on Wednesday for lying under oath during testimony in a civil fraud lawsuit filed against the former president by New York’s attorney general. The Manhattan federal court judge, Laura Taylor Swain, condemned …

Jimmy Williams Aimee Harris, a Florida mother, faced sentencing on Tuesday for stealing and selling President Joe Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden’s diary four years ago to the conservative group Project Veritas. Judge Laura Taylor Swain sentenced Harris to a month in prison and three months of home confinement, describing her …

Jimmy Williams Former President Donald Trump made controversial remarks during an interview, suggesting that Jewish people who vote for President Joe Biden don’t truly support Israel and “should be spoken to.” Trump’s comments came as he criticized Biden’s stance on Israel amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. He claimed that Democrats, including …

Gloria Rebecca Gomez, Arizona Mirror The Arizona Supreme Court ruled to make abortion largely illegal in the Grand Canyon State, reinstating a 160-year-old law that forbids all procedures except those to save a woman’s life. Justice John R. Lopez IV, writing for the court in a 4-2 split decision, said …

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Rent is so high in the United States that half of the nation’s tenants can’t afford their monthly payments. Last year, more Americans than ever experienced homelessness after the temporary pandemic safety net collapsed. Mortgage rates and through-the-roof prices have left younger generations increasingly hopeless about …