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National Seniors Group Endorses Rebecca Bennett in Crucial Swing District, Criticizes Tom Kean Jr. on Social Security and Medicare

National Seniors Group Endorses Rebecca Bennett in Crucial Swing District, Criticizes Tom Kean Jr. on Social Security and Medicare

The National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare PAC (NCPSSM), a prominent political organization advocating for older adults, has officially endorsed Rebecca Bennett for Congress in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District. Bennett, a Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare leader, is challenging incumbent Republican Tom Kean Jr. The NCPSSM's endorsement comes with strong criticism of Kean Jr., accusing him of supporting measures that would privatize Social Security and Medicare and of giving tax handouts to billionaires. The organization also highlighted that a bill, referred to as the 'Big, Ugly Bill,' which Kean Jr. supported, cut nearly a trillion dollars from Medicaid. Bennett, in response, stated her commitment to fighting to control the deficit and invest in Social Security and Medicare, ensuring the guaranteed retirement benefits owed to Americans. She also criticized Kean Jr. for his perceived inaction regarding Elon Musk's alleged actions against the Social Security Administration and M...

Federal Judge Denies Immediate Recount for Portland Police Ballot Initiative

Federal Judge Denies Immediate Recount for Portland Police Ballot Initiative

A federal judge in Oregon has denied an immediate recount for a ballot measure that aimed to divert money from Portland's climate fund to local police. The initiative, led by the 'Safer Portland' campaign, failed to meet the 40,437-signature minimum required to qualify for the November ballot, as ruled by Portland elections officials on August 4. Safer Portland subsequently sued, alleging discrimination and requesting an emergency recount of the signatures. However, U.S. District Judge Michael Simon denied these requests, stating that the initiative's supporters lacked evidence that Portland elections workers deviated from state election laws. Deborah Scroggin, who manages Portland's elections division, viewed the decision as a vindication, asserting that Portland City Elections followed the law and accurately reported the result.

Explainer-Will Trump's restrictions on mail-in ballots be in place for the midterms?

Explainer-Will Trump's restrictions on mail-in ballots be in place for the midterms?

By Luc Cohen Sept 4 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow it to enforce a new U.S.

Representative Kean Launches Negative Ad Against Rebecca Bennett Over Healthcare Ties in New Jersey's 7th District

Representative Kean Launches Negative Ad Against Rebecca Bennett Over Healthcare Ties in New Jersey's 7th District

Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) has initiated his first negative television advertisement, titled 'Accountable,' targeting his Democratic opponent, Rebecca Bennett, in the race for New Jersey's 7th congressional district. The ad features a Bernardsville woman, Christina, who recounts her struggles with health insurance companies while advocating for her daughter's 24-hour medical care. In the advertisement, Christina criticizes Bennett for allegedly working with healthcare companies that denied care and prioritized profits. Representative Kean echoed these sentiments, stating that Bennett 'made a fortune by denying people healthcare and putting profits over patients' and vowed to 'continue standing up to powerful insurance companies and holding bad actors like Rebecca Bennett accountable.' The Kean campaign asserts that Bennett's career involved brokering deals with hospital chains accused of patient abuse and working with insurers criticized for denying coverage. However, the source clarifies t...

Congressman Kean Introduces Bill to Prohibit Taxpayer-Funded First-Class Flights for Members of Congress

Congressman Kean Introduces Bill to Prohibit Taxpayer-Funded First-Class Flights for Members of Congress

U.S. Representative Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) has introduced the 'No Taxpayer Funds for Congressional First Class Flights Act,' H.R. 10244. This legislation aims to prevent members of Congress from using official travel funds to pay for first-class or other premium flight accommodations, restricting them to coach class. According to Kean's office, the bill was introduced on Thursday. Congressman Kean stated that public service should not be used for personal luxury and that taxpayers should not bear the cost of first-class travel for elected officials. He emphasized the importance of treating every taxpayer dollar responsibly and ensuring politicians prioritize public interest over special privileges. Kean, who represents New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, has also supported other legislative efforts to restrict financial activities of members of Congress, including voting for the 'Stop Insider Trading Act' in July, which would prohibit members, their spouses, and dependent children from purchasing indiv...

Alaska Legislator Requests Prosecution of Lieutenant Governor Candidate and Former Attorney General for Alleged Election Law Violations

Alaska Legislator Requests Prosecution of Lieutenant Governor Candidate and Former Attorney General for Alleged Election Law Violations

Democratic Rep. Andrew Gray of Anchorage has formally requested that acting attorney general Cori Mills prosecute former attorney general Treg Taylor and his wife, Republican lieutenant governor candidate Jodi Taylor, for alleged failures to file required financial reports. Rep. Gray, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter outlining his concerns, stating that he was motivated by the ongoing criminal prosecution of 11 Whittier residents from American Samoa for alleged illegal voting. Gray argues that it is inconsistent to prosecute individuals who may have been misinformed about election laws while not pursuing action against a former attorney general who allegedly knowingly violated similar regulations. Treg Taylor was previously disqualified as a gubernatorial candidate by Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom for failing to disclose the full names of renters in properties he owned, as recommended by the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Jodi Taylor, now running as the lieutenant governor candidate, f...

Washington State Faces Surge in Uncounted Late Ballots Amidst Federal Mail-in Ballot Disputes

Washington State Faces Surge in Uncounted Late Ballots Amidst Federal Mail-in Ballot Disputes

Washington State experienced a significant increase in uncounted late ballots during its recent primary election, with over 20,000 ballots rejected due to late arrival, a 32% jump from 2024. This issue is attributed to changes in U.S. Postal Service (USPS) policies, including a rule stating that a mailpiece's postmark date does not necessarily align with the date of acceptance. Election officials, including Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, have raised concerns that reduced service and distant processing centers are causing delays, particularly impacting rural counties where ballot drop box access is limited. These officials are urging voters to use drop boxes or mail ballots at least a week before Election Day. The state is also engaged in litigation with the Trump administration over its mail-in ballot system, with the administration seeking tighter federal control through the Postal Service. A federal judge has temporarily blocked these federal moves, but the cas...

Rep. Chris Smith Calls for Removal of New Jersey's Sanctuary Status Following Fatal Accident Involving Undocumented Immigrants

Rep. Chris Smith Calls for Removal of New Jersey's Sanctuary Status Following Fatal Accident Involving Undocumented Immigrants

Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) has publicly called for the removal of New Jersey's sanctuary status. This demand comes in the wake of a tragic incident where a nine-month-old boy was killed and his mother and sister injured in a grocery store parking lot accident. The driver, María Cobon-Guzmán, 20, a Guatemalan national, was unlicensed and is an undocumented immigrant. She has been charged with manslaughter. The car's owner, Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, 22, a Mexican national, also an undocumented immigrant, was charged with knowingly creating a substantial risk of death for allowing Cobon-Guzmán to drive. Both women are now facing deportation proceedings initiated by ICE. A Department of Homeland Security official stated that both Cobon-Guzmán and Lazaro-Flores illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration. Lazaro-Flores had been removed from the country five times in October 2023, and Cobon-Guzmán had a deportation order approved on July 31. Rep. Smith expressed shock that Lazaro...

GOP Candidate Thomas Ross Charged with Conspiracy to Plant Cocaine on Opponent in Missouri House Race

GOP Candidate Thomas Ross Charged with Conspiracy to Plant Cocaine on Opponent in Missouri House Race

Thomas Ross, a Republican candidate for state representative in Missouri, has been federally charged with one count of conspiring to distribute a controlled substance. The charges stem from allegations that Ross instructed his former campaign manager to plant cocaine and amphetamines on his political opponent, Louise Secker. Ross defeated Secker by a narrow margin of 33 votes in the Republican primary for Missouri's House District 161 last month. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri, the unnamed former campaign manager contacted the Joplin Police Department regarding a "public corruption" matter. The manager provided authorities with a black nylon glove containing a small amount of white powder, which FBI testing confirmed to be cocaine, and one capsule of Adderall. Prosecutors state that text messages from Ross to his campaign manager allegedly detailed instructions to plant the drugs in Secker's purse or car while Ross was out of state. Investigators believe Ross u...

Colorado Judge Allows Libertarian Party to Replace Secretary of State Candidate After Late Withdrawal

Colorado Judge Allows Libertarian Party to Replace Secretary of State Candidate After Late Withdrawal

A Denver District Judge has ruled that the Libertarian Party of Colorado can replace its secretary of state candidate on the November ballot, despite the original candidate, Alex Astley, withdrawing a day after the official deadline. Astley dropped out on August 26, 69 days before the election, missing the 70-day cutoff for minor party candidate replacement. However, the party met the subsequent deadline of 64 days before the election to request a replacement. The Secretary of State’s Office initially denied the request due to Astley's late withdrawal, leading both the Libertarians and the Secretary of State's Office to seek a judicial decision. Judge Adam J. Espinosa determined that the party had substantially complied with election rules and that adding the replacement candidate, Sean Vadney, would not hinder the Secretary of State’s Office in preparing the ballot. This ruling ensures that Colorado's approximately 33,000 active Libertarian voters will have their preferred candidate on the ballot, alignin...

ACLJ Files Amicus Brief at Supreme Court to Defend Arizona's Voter ID and Citizenship Verification Laws

ACLJ Files Amicus Brief at Supreme Court to Defend Arizona's Voter ID and Citizenship Verification Laws

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, urging it to reverse a Ninth Circuit ruling that impacts Arizona's voter registration requirements. The case, Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota, centers on Arizona's mandate for voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship and its process for confirming and canceling registrations of self-identified noncitizens. The Ninth Circuit previously ruled that the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) preempts these Arizona requirements. The ACLJ argues that this ruling undermines Arizona's ability to maintain accurate voter rolls and ensure election integrity by making it harder to verify voter eligibility. The organization asserts that confirming a voter's citizenship is a fundamental check for trustworthy elections and that the NVRA was intended to facilitate voter registration while allowing states to keep their rolls secure, not to force states to accept registrations without reliable eligibil...

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh Requests Response from Michigan Officials in Ballot Proposal Case

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh Requests Response from Michigan Officials in Ballot Proposal Case

Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh has requested a response from Michigan officials by noon Wednesday regarding an emergency application filed by Americans for Citizen Voting — Michigan. This group, along with Michigan voter Fred Smith, is seeking a Supreme Court order to place a measure requiring proof of citizenship to vote on the November ballot. The application was submitted to Justice Kavanaugh, who handles such requests from the Michigan region. The state's ballots are expected to be finalized around Friday, and the group claims Michigan's Democratic Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, has not specified a 'drop dead date' for finalization. The measure is currently not slated for the ballot due to a deadlock among state officials over signature sufficiency. The applicants previously sought relief from the Michigan Supreme Court, which they contend effectively denied their request by not acting on it, leading them to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. They argue that their due process and equal protec...