Poli Alert Political & Civics

By Joshua Fechter and Reese Oxner, The Texas Tribune May 26, 2022 A gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers at a South Texas elementary school walked unopposed onto school grounds, state law enforcement officials said Thursday — and once he was inside, it took police an hour to …

by Jennifer Shutt, Michigan Advance May 27, 2022 Updated, 11:25 a.m., 5/27/22 WASHINGTON — Monkeypox cases are slowly increasing throughout the United States, though public health officials said Thursday they have the tools needed to diagnose, treat and contain the virus that’s mostly spread by skin-to-skin contact. Centers for Disease …

by Ariana Figueroa, Virginia Mercury May 26, 2022 Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked legislation that would require federal agencies to monitor domestic terrorism incidents, including those potentially related to White supremacy. The failure of the Senate procedural vote showed again how difficult it is for Congress to agree on any …

by Ken Coleman, Michigan Advance May 25, 2022 Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis of Michigan was confirmed on Tuesday to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit with a bipartisan U.S. Senate vote. She is the first African American woman from Michigan, and the second African …

President Joe Biden signed an executive order to reform federal policing on Wednesday, the second anniversary of George Floyd‘s murder. Before signing the order, Biden spoke about the reform, saying it would promote accountability, raise standards and modernize policing. Among the changes are all federal agents will adopt and publicly …

by Ariana Figueroa, Florida Phoenix May 25, 2022 U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday implored Senate Republicans to work with Democrats to pass bipartisan gun control legislation, following a mass school shooting that took the lives of 19 children and two teachers in Texas. Tuesday’s massacre was the …

An Iraqi citizen living in Columbus, Ohio, has been charged federally with an immigration crime and with aiding and abetting a plot to assassinate former President George W. Bush. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said 52-year-old Shihab Ahmed Shihab, also known as “Abu Ahmed,” entered the United States in September 2020 …

Cable TV network MSNBC said Tuesday it has hired former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, confirming reports that have been circulating for months. Psaki will host a new program on MSNBC’s streaming platform starting in early 2023, the network said. “The program, set to debut in the first quarter …

Attorney General Merrick Garland has revised rules governing the use of force by law enforcement agencies overseen by the Justice Department, requiring federal agents to intervene when they see officials using excessive force or mistreating people in custody. The memo states that the department’s policy is to “value and preserve …

By Sneha Dey, The Texas Tribune May 24, 2022 Nineteen children and two adults were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde County on Tuesday, making the massacre the deadliest school shooting in Texas’ history. [“We are in mourning”: As parents awaited news, Uvalde residents processed their …

A U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on Monday ruled that a 2021 Florida law targeting social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter unconstitutionally restricts the companies’ First Amendment rights. Monday’s decision by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld most of a preliminary injunction imposed …

by Jennifer Shutt, Missouri Independent May 23, 2022 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday it’s likely the United States will see additional cases of monkeypox in the coming weeks, but officials cautioned that it’s harder to transmit the virus than it is to spread respiratory illnesses like …

The House Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into GOP Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina. The subcommittee will examine whether Cawthorn had an undisclosed interest in a cryptocurrency he promoted. It will also investigate whether he had an improper relationship with a member of his congressional staff. The questions stem …

by Jacob Fischler, Georgia Recorder The U.S. House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol on Thursday asked Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia to appear before the committee to answer questions about a tour of the Capitol that Loudermilk gave the day before the assault. …

The Department of Justice(DOJ) on Friday announced new initiatives to address and prevent hate crimes in the United States. Justice Department officials are calling the rise in hate crimes a crisis. “We know the threats we take are evolving and our strategies to confront them must involve, as well,” said …