us-politics13.73 min read
CMS retracts Mehmet Oz fraud claim after NY Medicaid miscount revealed
1 day ago•Source: The Independent
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3 min•11 days ago
Pardoned Jan. 6 figure gets four-year sentence for massive child-pornography stash
A man pardoned by President Trump for Jan. 6 actions, Daniel Tocci, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for possessing more than 100,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse. Prosecutors highlighted disturbing material on his laptop, while his attorney argued the case originated from the pardoned Jan. 6 conduct. The DOJ has shown varying approaches to using Jan. 6 evidence in separate prosecutions, with this case reflecting the broader legal controversy surrounding post-pardon investigations.
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Timely trades before Trump announcements spark calls for probe
The Independent•13 days ago
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Trump teases DHS funding deal with partial ICE funding and a two-step plan
The Guardian•18 days ago
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Schumer pushes back as Trump ties DHS funding to voter-ID crackdown
As the DHS funding deadline nears amid a partial government shutdown, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer rejects Donald Trump’s demand to pass the Save America Act—a strict voter-ID bill—before approving DHS funding; Democrats say they’ll back standalone funding for TSA and other non-immigration components while seeking guardrails on immigration enforcement. Trump counters by deploying ICE to airports, intensifying the clash over immigration and voting-law policy.
Trump warns of political backlash as national voter-ID push stalls in Senate
President Donald Trump is pressuring Republicans to back the Save America Act, vowing political retribution against lawmakers who vote against it and arguing for strict citizenship proof and voter-ID requirements. The bill would also push ideas like banning mail-in ballots and sharing voter rolls with the DHS, but it has already failed in the Senate and faces steep odds to pass. If it advances, it would still need 60 votes, and Trump has signaled he won’t endorse opponents who oppose the measure.
Kennedy Center Faces Board Vote Over Trump-Driven Renovation Shutdown
The Kennedy Center board will vote on a plan to close the center for two years for renovations, as proposed by President Trump, with the start date set for July 6. A federal judge required transparency and allowed ex officio member Rep. Joyce Beatty to participate and voice opposition, though not vote. The meeting materials released ahead of the vote provide few concrete renovation details beyond the closure and potential changes, fueling ongoing legal and political debate about the center’s future and leadership.
Georgia 14th District Runoff: Harris vs. Fuller to Replace MTG
Georgia’s 14th district heads to a runoff between Democrat Shawn Harris and Trump-backed Republican Clay Fuller to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene; Fuller has Trump’s endorsement and has raised over $1m, while Harris has raised more than four times as much. The winner will serve the remainder of Greene’s term through year-end and could seek re-election; the runoff is set for April 7. The live blog also covers related national political and military updates.
Newsom seeks to reroute Noem’s $220M ad budget to LA wildfire relief
California Gov. Gavin Newsom urged the Department of Homeland Security to redirect the remaining funds from Kristi Noem’s $220 million vanity ad campaign to aid Los Angeles wildfire victims, arguing FEMA relief for LA has stalled and Noem’s contracting delays are slowing recovery.
Gonzales acknowledges extramarital affair as ethics probe opens
US Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas acknowledged an extramarital affair with married aide Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide last year, calling it a 'mistake' and a 'lapse in judgement' as the House Ethics Committee opened an inquiry into possible sexual misconduct and favoritism; the disclosure comes ahead of a GOP primary runoff and amid calls from fellow Republicans for his resignation, with text messages reportedly showing him seeking a sexy photo and Santos-Aviles’s husband alleging workplace turmoil after the affair's discovery. Gonzales says the aide's death was unrelated and that he did not reward her with special privileges.
Talarico clinches Texas Senate Dem nomination, eyeing November flip
State Rep. James Talarico defeated Jasmine Crockett to win the Texas Senate Democratic primary, giving Democrats a stronger candidate to flip the ruby-red state in November. The race highlighted questions of electability and coalition-building within a multiethnic Democratic base, amid concerns about Dallas precinct voting; Crockett conceded the race on Wednesday. Talarico is set to face either Sen. John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the general election.
Mamdani Begins NYC's 2-K Rollout with 2,000 Free Seats
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the first 2,000 seats of a free universal 2-year-old child care program (2-K), to be rolled out this fall across four boroughs in neighborhood clusters including Canarsie, Washington Heights, Fordham and the Rockaways. The aim is to expand to about 12,000 seats next fall and 55,000 once fully built, with state funding from Gov. Hochul for the initial year; however, long-term funding, worker pay, and staffing costs remain unresolved as the city scales up universal access.
Trojan Horse diplomacy: Mamdani wins Trump over NYC housing push
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with Donald Trump, pitching a $21 billion federal grants plan to build about 12,000 affordable homes (including a deck over Sunnyside rail yard). He also secured the release of a Columbia University student from federal immigration detention and urged dismissal of cases against four other students. Trump appeared receptive, suggesting a soft-power approach and potential concessions, while critics warn the approach could undermine progressive aims and signal greater leverage for the administration.
Clinton defends Epstein ties, says he saw nothing troubling
Former president Bill Clinton testified before the House Oversight Committee about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, insisting he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes and that he did nothing wrong, while Democrats praised his cooperation and urged Donald Trump to testify, signaling a new precedent for presidential depositions.