Tag Archives: Politics

North Carolina GOP announce plans to vote on new House map amid nationwide redistricting battle

North Carolina GOP announce plans to vote on new House map amid nationwide redistricting battle

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders say they will vote next week on redrawing the state’s U.S. House district map, with the likely aim of securing another GOP seat within already right-leaning boundaries. The plan announced Monday comes amid an emerging mid-decade battle nationally between Republicans and Democrats seeking advantage in the way U.S. House districts are drawn in several states for the 2026 session. North Carolina Republicans already created a map in 2023 that resulted in GOP candidates winning 10 of the state’s 14 U.S. House seats in 2024. That division compared to the 7-7 seat split between Democrats and the GOP under the map.… Continue Reading

North Carolina effort wipes out $6.5B in medical debt for 2.5M people

North Carolina effort wipes out $6.5B in medical debt for 2.5M people

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Officials say a North Carolina government initiative is eliminating over $6.5 billion in medical debt for more than 2.5 million residents. The totals released Monday exceed initial expectations for the effort announced last year. It offered hospitals extra Medicaid funds if they relieve patients’ debt and implement policies to prevent future liabilities. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein said word of the debt relief is “life-changing news for so many families” struggling with the financial weight of unexpected medical crises. Hospitals are already letting many patients know about their debt relief. A nonprofit group helping in the project is sending more than 250,000 notices this week.… Continue Reading

Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement

Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new round of layoffs at the Education Department is depleting an agency that was already hit hard in the Trump administration’s previous mass firings, threatening new disruption to the nation’s students and schools. The Trump administration started laying off 466 Education Department staffers on Friday amid mass firings across the government meant to pressure Democratic lawmakers over the federal shutdown. The layoffs would cut the agency’s workforce by nearly a fifth and leave it reduced by more than half its size when President Donald Trump took office. The cuts threaten disruption in areas from special education to civil rights enforcement and after-school programs.… Continue Reading

Trump directs the Pentagon to use ‘all available funds’ to ensure troops are paid despite shutdown

Trump directs the Pentagon to use ‘all available funds’ to ensure troops are paid despite shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’s directed the Defense Department to use “all available funds” to ensure that U.S. troops are paid on Wednesday despite the government shutdown. Trump said in a social media post Saturday that he was acting because “our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.” He said he was using his authority as commander in chief to direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “to use all available funds” to pay the troops. They were in danger of not receiving their next paycheck on Wednesday after the government shut down on Oct. 1.… Continue Reading

Speaker Johnson keeps the House away as he fights to end the government shutdown

Speaker Johnson keeps the House away as he fights to end the government shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — House members’ absence during the government shutdown is creating a political dilemma for Republican Speaker Mike Johnson and is testing his leadership. The Louisiana congressman sent members home three weeks ago, and they haven’t been back in working session since. In the intervening weeks, the government has shut down. President Donald Trump threatened a mass firing of federal workers. And Democrat Adelita Grijalva won a special congressional election in Arizona but has not been sworn in. Johnson says the House already did its job, passing a bill to fund the government. Johnson blames Democrats in the Senate, which is also controlled by Republicans. Democrats want health care funds for insurance subsidies that are set to expire.… Continue Reading

North Carolina state House member charged with sex crimes

North Carolina state House member charged with sex crimes

HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina state House member has been charged with sex-related crimes involving a teenager. Court records show six-term Democratic Rep. Cecil Brockman was arrested Wednesday on charges of statutory sexual offense and taking indecent liberties with a child. The alleged crimes involve a 15-year-old. Brockman was jailed without bond. The North Carolina Democratic Party and top state House leaders have called on Brockman to resign immediately. An assistant for Brockman said the legislator didn’t have a comment Thursday morning. A voice message left on a phone number connected to Brockman wasn’t immediately returned. Electronic court records provided no information on an attorney.… Continue Reading

Israel and Hamas agree to part of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, will free hostages and prisoners

Israel and Hamas agree to part of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, will free hostages and prisoners

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first Phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners. “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote Wednesday. “All Parties will be treated fairly!” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Negotiators have been meeting in Egypt for days to hash out a Trump-backed peace plan that he hopes will ultimately result in a permanent end to the two-year war.… Continue Reading

Federal government shutdown grinds into a second week, but quiet talks emerging

Federal government shutdown grinds into a second week, but quiet talks emerging

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight. No negotiations, at least publicly, are underway. But signs of political discomfort, and quiet talks, are emerging. The Republicans who have majority control in Congress believe they have the upper hand politically, as they fend off Democratic demands to quickly fund health insurance subsidies as part of any plan to end the shutdown. But Democrats are also dug in, convinced that Americans are on their side in the fight to prevent the looming health care price spikes. Meanwhile, certain lawmakers are discussing what it would take to reopen the government, starting with addressing the health care problem.… Continue Reading

Comey pleads not guilty to Trump Justice Department case accusing him of lying to Congress

Comey pleads not guilty to Trump Justice Department case accusing him of lying to Congress

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Former FBI Director James Comey has pleaded not guilty to lying to Congress five years ago. Comey is set to make his first court appearance Wednesday in a Justice Department criminal case accusing him of lying to Congress five years ago. The Comey case has amplified concerns President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is being weaponized in pursuit of the Republican president’s political enemies. Comey is expected to plead not guilty. That will kick-start a process of legal wrangling in which defense lawyers will almost certainly move to get the indictment dismissed before trial, possibly by arguing the case amounts to a selective or vindictive prosecution.… Continue Reading

At the center of shutdown fight, health care is one of the most intractable issues in Congress

At the center of shutdown fight, health care is one of the most intractable issues in Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats believe health care is an issue that resonates with a majority of Americans as they demand an extension of subsidies in exchange for their votes to reopen the shuttered U.S. government. But it is also one of the most intractable issues in Congress and a real compromise is not likely to be easy. There are some Republicans in Congress who want to extend the higher subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. But many GOP lawmakers are firmly opposed to any extension. The government shutdown is in its seventh day and hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going unpaid.… Continue Reading

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