Poli Alert Politics & Civics

The Federal Reserve delivered its first interest rate cut of the year on Wednesday, signaling that mounting concerns about a slowing labor market now outweigh the risks of rising inflation. Policymakers reduced the central bank’s benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point, setting it at 4% to 4.25%. The move …

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez testified before a U.S. Senate committee Wednesday that she was fired after just 29 days because she refused to pre-approve vaccine recommendations or fire career officials for no reason. Monarez, who was nominated by President Donald Trump earlier this year …

ABC confirmed Wednesday that Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been “pre-empted indefinitely” following comments Kimmel made about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The network’s late-night show, on air since 2003, has been a longtime ABC staple, but executives offered no timetable for its return. “Jimmy Kimmel Live will …

FBI Director Kash Patel endured a contentious oversight hearing Tuesday, fending off heated criticism from Senate Democrats over the bureau’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the firing of senior agents, and his controversial social media posts during the investigation into the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Appearing before …

The House on Tuesday approved two Republican-led bills to override Washington, D.C.’s local criminal justice system, advancing measures that would lower the age at which offenders can be charged as adults and restrict the District’s juvenile sentencing policies. The votes came as part of a broader GOP push to paint …

The Senate on Monday narrowly confirmed economist Stephen Miran, a top adviser to President Donald Trump, to the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, handing the president fresh influence over the central bank just as it prepares for a pivotal decision on interest rates. The 48-47 vote filled the vacancy left …

U.S. House Republican leaders released a seven-week stopgap government funding bill Tuesday that’s intended to avoid a shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. But GOP leaders opted not to negotiate the legislation with Democrats, who may be needed to approve the bill in the House and will …

Prosecutors filed an aggravated murder charge Tuesday against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University, saying investigators linked him to the killing through DNA evidence, surveillance footage and his own confession. “The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American …

President Donald Trump is celebrating after the Georgia Supreme Court refused to hear District Attorney Fani Willis’ appeal, officially disqualifying her from prosecuting the Georgia election interference case. The ruling, handed down September 16, means the earlier decision from the Georgia Court of Appeals stands. That court removed Willis due …

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ignited a firestorm of debate Monday after saying the Justice Department would “target” people who engage in “hate speech,” comments she later sought to clarify as referring to violent threats rather than protected expression. On The Katie Miller Podcast, Bondi drew a sharp line between …

President Donald Trump announced late Monday that he has filed a sweeping defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, seeking $15 billion in damages and accusing the newspaper of being a “virtual mouthpiece” for the Democratic Party. The lawsuit, filed in a Tampa federal court, also names Penguin Random House …

A panel of federal appeals court judges on Monday blocked President Donald Trump from removing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, hours before she and other top central bank officials were set to begin a closely watched meeting on interest rates. The ruling, issued by two of the three judges on …

The Trump administration is redirecting nearly $500 million in federal funding to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges, the Education Department announced this week, in what it described as a one-time investment made possible by cuts to other minority-serving programs. The move represents a 48% increase in …

President Donald Trump Monday directed Tennessee’s National Guard deployed to the Democratic-led city of Memphis, following similar actions in the District of Columbia that Trump has said were needed to tackle crime. “We’re going to make Memphis safe again,” Trump said. It’s the latest test of Trump’s presidential powers in …

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, will not seek reelection in 2026 after serving his 11th term in Congress. The former chair of the powerful House Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security committees announced the decision Sunday, saying that he is looking for a new challenge in the same policy space. “My …