Poli Alert Politics & Civics

Cecilia Lenzen, The Texas Tribune Aug. 4, 2022 A Texas jury on Thursday ordered conspiracy theorist and media personality Alex Jones to pay $4.1 million to the parents of a Sandy Hook shooting victim who sued him for defamation after he repeatedly claimed the school shooting was a hoax. Neil Heslin …

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced late Thursday that she has agreed to back Democrats’ new reconciliation bill, but only after securing changes to a proposed levy on major corporations and forcing the removal of a provision targeting a notorious tax loophole exploited by rich investors. In a statement, Sinema (D-Ariz.) said that …

Ariana Figueroa, Arizona Mirror Lawmakers and legal experts at a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday outlined the need to pass legislation clarifying an archaic election law so that the peaceful transfer of presidential power is ensured. The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill being pushed …

Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Idaho Capital Sun The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the state of Idaho over the state’s trigger law that will ban nearly all abortions. The law is scheduled to take effect on Aug. 25, unless the Idaho Supreme Court puts the law on a temporary hold after …

Kira Lerner, Virginia Mercury Democrats on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday explored how to combat violent threats lodged against election officials, while Republicans questioned why the Department of Justice isn’t doing more to investigate threats against crisis pregnancy centers and Supreme Court justices. During a hearing on protecting …

Republican Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana blocked Democrats’ attempt Wednesday to pass legislation that would protect doctors who provide legal abortion care from right-wing threats and attacks. The effort to pass the bill by unanimous consent came as GOP officials in Indiana continue to target a physician in the state …

This story was originally published by The 19th Shefali Luthra In the first abortion-related election since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Kansas voters have rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have specified that the right to terminate a pregnancy isn’t protected. Though votes are still being counted, Decision Desk …

Indiana GOP Representative Jackie Walorski was killed in a car crash Wednesday about 12:32 p.m. near Nappanee, a city south of South Bend. Two other occupants in Walorski’s vehicle, heading southbound, were identified as Zachery Potts, 27, Mishawaka, and Emma Thomson, 28, of Washington, D.C. Both worked for Walorski’s office. The …

Steven Singer, Common Dreams Behind the story of missing text messages from the U.S. Secret Service and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, is a bigger scandal: Former President Donald Trump placed his loyalists in key executive branch positions for a reason. Many are still there. Trump’s Loyalists …

Jacob Fischler, Michigan Advance A federal judge threw out a lawsuit Monday from three U.S. House Republicans challenging fines they incurred for violating a post-Jan. 6 requirement that members pass through metal detectors before coming to the House floor. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly dismissed the suit brought by …

Jennifer Shutt, Nebraska Examiner The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed bipartisan legislation that would provide health care and benefits to millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances while deployed overseas, after many Republicans switched their votes and decided once again to back the legislation. The shift came after days of …

Eric Neugeboren, The Texas Tribune Guy Reffitt, a Texan who prosecutors said “lit the match” of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was sentenced to 7 1/4 years in prison on Monday, the longest sentence of any rioter to date but less than what the Justice Department had …

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several other members of Congress landed in Taiwan late on Tuesday for a much-anticipated visit that prompted China’s military to announce “targeted” military operations in the seas and airspace surrounding the island. Pelosi is the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to visit Taiwan since then-Speaker Newt …

Nadra Nittle Originally published by The 19th The healthiest meal students typically receive during the day isn’t at their dining room table — it’s in their school cafeteria. That finding from Tufts University researchers is just one reason child nutrition experts have urged Congress to pass legislation that would enable …

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan, President Joe Biden said Monday. “We make it clear again tonight that no matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the United States will find you …