Politics & Law
Here’s the deal with Gov. DeSantis’ obligations in any Trump extradition
A twice-elected public official stands accused of violating his duty to enforce the law, casting doubt upon his legitimacy. No, we’re not talking about Democrat Andrew Warren, removed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as state’s attorney in Hillsborough County for alleged incompetence and neglect of duty for expressing opposition to prosecuting abortion- and trandgender-care-related crimes. We’re […]
Florida, Pennsylvania leaders speak out against DeSantis’ policies ahead of Harrisburg visit
Advocates and lawmakers warned against the spread of the far-right ideology embraced by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his followers ahead of a speaking appearance by DeSantis near Harrisburg on Saturday. DeSantis, who has been considering a presidential run in 2024, is set to speak at the conservative Pennsylvania Leadership Conference at the Penn Harris […]
Red-state elections officials balk at voter registration outreach
A day after taking office in January, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen withdrew his state from the Electronic Registration Information Center, an interstate data-sharing compact aimed at helping states keep clean voter rolls. Asked about the move a few days later by a conservative radio host, Allen, a Republican, at first talked about privacy concerns, […]
U.S. House members battle over ‘weaponization’ of government in hearing on Missouri lawsuit
WASHINGTON – U.S. House Judiciary Committee Republicans decried what they described as a partisan “weaponization” of the federal government over issues of free speech during a highly contentious Thursday hearing surrounding a lawsuit filed by the Missouri attorney general’s office. Democratic committee members objected strongly to the hearing as spreading “false narratives” and lies about […]
Louisiana governor candidate blames Nashville school shooting on ‘transgender indoctrination’
Hunter Lundy, a candidate for governor of Louisiana, places blame for Nashville’s school shooting Tuesday on “transgender indoctrination,” which he worries will lead to more violence in Louisiana and worldwide. Lundy, an independent who has self-funded his campaign, raised his concerns during an interview with the Illuminator about higher education. Lundy is a fundamentalist Christian and […]
Florida hemp industry fears for the worse as regulations loom
Hemp entrepreneurs from all parts of Florida have made the trek twice to Tallahassee this month to testify against a legislative proposal that they say poses an existential threat to their livelihoods. At the same time, states around the country have been enacting regulations regarding intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids, and that’s become a conundrum for all […]
Trump indicted by Manhattan grand jury, according to reports
WASHINGTON — A New York criminal grand jury has indicted former President Donald Trump, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed following news reports. A former president has never been indicted before. Trump is also a Republican candidate in the 2024 race for the presidency. “This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender […]
Senate debate over 6-week abortion ban sparks clash between Jews, Christians
An emotional argument over religious values broke out Thursday as the Florida Senate debated the proposal to ban abortion after six weeks’ gestation, with Jewish senators complaining bitterly that the bill would force fellow Jews to violate religious law. The drama broke out during a debate on an amendment by Democrat Tina Polsky, who represents […]
FL House fast-tracking contentious K-12 bills that could impact public education for years to come
The Florida House is fast-tracking several big changes to Florida’s K-12 education system — for better or worse. The legislation involved — a roundup of several education bills — includes prohibiting further discussions on LGBTQ+ topics in classrooms, determining the start times of middle and high schools and removing books from classrooms and school libraries […]
FL Legislature approves permitless gun bill; no license, no training course required
At a time when the nation has been shell-shocked by school shootings and other gun deaths, the Florida Legislature on Thursday approved a permitless gun bill that would allow people who carry concealed weapons forego a license or training course. The state Senate voted 27-13, with Republican Ileana Garcia of Miami-Dade joining with Democrats. The […]
U.S. House passes sweeping energy bill pushing back against Biden climate policies
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House on Thursday approved a bill packed with Republican energy priorities meant to counteract the Biden administration’s approach and boost U.S. oil and gas production. Numbered H.R. 1 as a signal that energy policy is the House majority’s top legislative priority, the bill includes a package of GOP proposals, ranging from reforming the […]
Experts see economic problems for U.S. as struggle over debt limit, spending cuts extends
WASHINGTON — Experts told the U.S. House Budget Committee on Wednesday the country’s economic outlook is problematic, as a fierce debate over the nation’s budget remains front and center. House Republicans, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, have repeatedly rejected raising the debt limit unless President Joe Biden agrees to a series of spending […]