Poli Alert Political & Civics

In a signal of what the U.S. House of Representatives could look for like the next two years, the chamber adjourned Tuesday evening after GOP Congressman Kevin McCarthy repeatedly failed to secure the 218 votes needed to become the next speaker due to a revolt by several far-right Republicans. During …

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy failed Tuesday to get enough support in the first three votes as his bid for Speaker of the House struggles to cross the finish line. The vote leaves the race for speaker up for grabs, and Republicans divided with more rounds of votes expected. U.S. Rep. …

Matthew Choi, The Texas Tribune As Republicans prepare to take control of the U.S. House on Tuesday, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, is emerging as a central figure in the right-wing fight against business as usual within his own party. Roy, first elected in 2018, has a history of rebuffing the …

Karli Winfrey, Verite, Louisiana Illuminator The New Orleans City Council, following the footsteps of other local governments in Cook County, Illinois, and Toledo, Ohio, passed a last-minute line item in early December to the city’s 2023 budget: a $1.3 million expenditure that is earmarked to be used to erase more …

Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams Government watchdog groups on Monday blasted plans by U.S. House Republicans to gut an independent, nonpartisan ethics office that was established 15 years ago to review allegations of misconduct against members of the chamber and their staffers. The GOP is set to have a narrow House …

The Marine Corps has a Black woman commanding in its ranks as a two-star general for the first time in history. President Joe Biden nominated Brig. Gen. Lorna Mahlock for the promotion to major general earlier in December and the Senate later confirmed her nomination by voice vote. Mahlock, 54, …

Andrew Roth, Michigan Advance Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer outlined her vision for her second term during her inaugural address Sunday, kicking off complete Democratic control of the state for the first time in four decades. Whitmer promised additional details in her upcoming State of the State address and budget proposal, …

President Joe Biden granted full pardons to six individuals, the White House announced Friday. The individuals receiving pardons were mostly convicted of drug- and alcohol-related crimes as well as a woman convicted of murder for killing her abusive partner. “Today, President Biden is granting six full pardons for individuals who …

President Joe Biden has announced six new judicial nominees, who will be among the first nominees sent to the Senate this year once the new Congressional session begins. The Biden administration looks to continue to reshape the federal courts during the final two years of this presidential term as Democrats …

Margaret M. Russell, Santa Clara University After 18 months investigating, the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol held its final public meeting on Dec. 19, 2022. The panel recommended that the U.S. Department of Justice bring criminal charges against former President Donald …

The Biden administration is facing mounting pressure from states to let them import medicine from Canada to help lower prescription drug costs. Colorado on Dec. 5 became at least the fourth state to seek federal permission to use the strategy, following Florida, New Hampshire, and New Mexico. President Joe Biden has endorsed the approach, …

Originally published by The 19th Jennifer McClellan, a veteran state legislator, could soon become the first Black woman to represent Virginia in the U.S. House in what would be a stunning first for a district that was home to the capital of the Confederacy. McClellan on Thursday handily defeated three opponents …

Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams The Biden administration on Thursday filed suit against one of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical distributors, AmerisourceBergen, and two of its subsidiaries for allegedly violating federal law and contributing to the opioid epidemic. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the complaint …

Caitlin Sievers, Arizona Mirror Kari Lake and her lawyers will not face sanctions for bringing a suit that challenged her loss in the race for Arizona governor, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday. Judge Peter Thompson on Christmas Eve ruled in favor of defendants, Gov-elect Katie Hobbs and …

A Long Island prosecutor on Wednesday launched an investigation into George Santos after the Republican congressman-elect admitted to telling a litany of campaign trail lies about his religious background, education, and employment history. “The numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-Elect Santos are nothing short of stunning,” Nassau County District …