America's Talking

Census projections show red states to see gains in U.S. House seats, electoral college

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 1 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) - Several blue states appear set to lose electoral college votes while red states will make sweeping gains, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests. On Tuesday, the U.S. Census Bureau announced a significant decrease in U.S. population growth, largely due to less international immigration. However, analysis of the census data revealed several noteworthy takeaways in domestic migration trends that could affect electoral college and congressional makeup.

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Omar attacked during Minneapolis town hall

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall event in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. During a call for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for the resignation of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, a man stood up and yelled at Omar. He also sprayed an unknown substance on her with a syringe.

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Partial government shutdown looms after funding deal failure

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 20:45:14 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Senate failed to advance a package of the six remaining federal funding bills Thursday, leaving less than 40 hours until the federal government partially shuts down. More than $1.2 trillion is at stake in the House-passed legislation, funding State-Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Transportation-HUD, and Homeland Security throughout fiscal year 2026. After the second fatal shooting of a protester in Minneapolis, Democrats are demanding that the Homeland Security appropriations bill include new restrictions on immigration enforcement officers.

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TCS stories about Illinois' diversity agency prompt call for audit

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:29:14 +0000

(The Center Square) – Illinois diversity commissioners are paid tens of thousands more than other state boards but aren't required to work full time, allowing them to run a digital media company, freelance as a human resources contractor, teach and consult for universities, direct a play and run a business hosting Dungeons and Dragons games at bars, an investigation by The Center Square found. Lawmakers of both parties expressed concern about what the TCS three-month investigation found – with one state representative calling for an audit of the agency.

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Virginia Gov. Spanberger rescinds EO 47; sheriffs say ICE cooperation unchanged

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s decision to rescind former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 47 does not immediately end state or local law enforcement cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to law enforcement officials and the order itself. Executive Order 47, issued by Youngkin in February 2025, required the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Corrections to enter into 287(g) agreements with ICE. The order also encouraged local law enforcement agencies to participate in the federal immigration enforcement program. Spanberger rescinded the order as part of her first round of executive actions after taking office.

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First arrests made following St. Paul church protest, 'more to come'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Federal officials have made three arrests in connection with a protest that disrupted a Sunday morning church service in St. Paul. U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi made two of the announcements Thursday morning, with a third announced Thursday afternoon.

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Trump says Greenland deal underway despite few details

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:56:06 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal structure regarding Greenland is developing after he stepped back from threatened tariffs on European allies, which he previously linked to Denmark handing over control of the semi-autonomous Arctic island. Danish officials say Greenland's sovereignty is non-negotiable. Trump, however, asserts that an agreement is being worked on, but he gave no additional details. This all unfolded around President Trump's visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum.

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Govt. funding process advances as three more bills to become law; six remain

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – With the U.S. Senate sending a roughly $180 billion funding package to the president’s desk Thursday, Congress has now knocked out half of the annual appropriations bills funding federal agencies in fiscal year 2026. The three-bill minibus, which passed the House last week, grants full-year appropriations for the departments of Commerce; Justice; Energy; Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency, and more.

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Title IX central to transgender sports cases, advocates say

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases on transgender athletes participating in girls' and women’s sports. Advocates for state laws banning transgender participation said the definition of "sex" under Title IX will be central to a favorable ruling from the court. Little v. Hecox and B.P.J. v. West Virginia dealt with whether preventing transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports violated Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination.

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Scrutiny over Minnesota childcare fraud continues

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:50:48 +0000

The Center Square staff discuss federal scrutiny of Minnesota childcare fraud and increasing unrest in Minnesota.

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Republicans go on attack in hearing over $9 billion of social services fraud

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the state attorney general were either “complicit” in the now-estimated $9 billion of social services fraud that has taken place in the state in recent years or “asleep at the wheel,” according to Republican Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. “How could they allow this massive fraud to go on for years? This is why we're here today. We must expose this theft of taxpayer dollars and hold everybody accountable who let it happen,” Comer said. Comer chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which on Wednesday held the first of at least two scheduled hearings looking into the fraud that has occurred in Minnesota and how to respond.

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Maduro, wife plead not guilty in first court appearance

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty as he was arraigned in a New York court on Monday, facing federal drug and weapons charges. Maduro described himself as a “decent man,” claiming to be the president of Venezuela, despite the U.S. and dozens of countries contradicting him as a legitimate leader. “I am not guilty … I am a decent man. I am still the president of my country,” Maduro told the court. “I am the president of Venezuela. I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela.”

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GOP majority narrows in U.S. House with exit of Georgia Rep.

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 Jan 2026 21:36:40 +0000

(The Center Square) – Former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's congressional seat will be empty at least two months, likely three, as a special election already drawing 24 candidates will not take place until March 10. If a runoff is needed, April 7 would be the earliest the seat could be decided, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Tuesday. Georgia law requires winning candidates to receive 50% of the vote plus one. The timing is pivotal for many reasons, including potential government shutdowns. Republicans have a 218-213 advantage with four vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives, the trend has been four to five continuing resolutions per year.

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Tariffs to transgender athletes: SCOTUS cases to watch in 2026

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 4 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court will head into 2026 with numerous high profile decisions to issue. Transgender athletes, birthright citizenship, presidential firing power, tariffs and redistricting are several issues that hang in the balance of the high court’s decision making.

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Will Congress pull together a budget in January?

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 Jan 2026 17:49:17 +0000

The Center Square staff discusses what to expect from Congress in 2026

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2025 Year in review: Congress

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Center Square staff discuss Congress' accomplishments and challenges in the past year.

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2025 Year in review: Trump's presidency

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Center Square reporters discuss President Trump's first year of his second term.

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2025 Year in review: Tariffs

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 21:12:38 +0000

The Center Square staff discuss the developments in Trump's tariff policies throughout 2025.

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Ohio's $16 million to celebrate country's birth has limited oversight

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) -- Ohio's elected leaders have earmarked more than $16 million to commemorate the nation's 250th birthday next year – significantly more than some of the first U.S. states. And they have committed those funds over the course of five years to a commission that is outside of typical state oversight and that is spending significant amounts of money on projects that are not directly related to the country's founding, according a Center Square review.

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U.S. House passes GOP health care bill, sends to Senate before leaving for holidays

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. House passed the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act in a party line, 216-211, vote Wednesday, sending the bill to its likely demise in the Senate. The bill, which will almost certainly fail to reach the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, is Republicans’ alternative to extending enhancements to the Obamacare Premium Tax Credit. Congress temporarily expanded the PTC during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its reversion to original pre-pandemic levels will partially contribute to rising premiums in 2026.

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Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_8932223d-1b7a-4a31-b7c2-34c9b7ca3ce5.html

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Trump touts accomplishments, future policies during primetime address

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – In what is likely his final address to the nation of the year, President Donald Trump touted what he said were his accomplishments, and previewed some policies to come in the new year. The president spent a significant amount of time in his 18-minute address discussing affordability, which has taken center stage in recent weeks as he and Vice President JD Vance have been highlighting the administration’s policies trying to bring down costs, one of the central themes of his campaign.

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Read more: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_647a5dba-1cb4-4b69-b210-2bbf9f99bd11.html

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Trump administration to deliver $12 billion in relief to American farmers

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The Trump administration has proposed $12 billion in federal aid to American farmers, with many undergoing what Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described as an economic crisis. The Department of Agriculture will deliver the aid through one-time direct payments under its new Farmer Bridge Assistance program, meant to carry farmers from their current struggles to a “golden age for agriculture” the administration has promised. Payments will be released by Feb. 28, 2026, but farmers who qualify and apply will know what they’re getting by the end of December, according to Rollins.

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U.S. House passes $901 billion annual Defense bill, sends to Senate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – U.S. House members advanced the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, the must-pass annual Pentagon funding bill, in a 312-112 vote Wednesday. The roughly $901 billion compromise legislation, which now heads to the Senate, is $8 billion more than the White House requested, but $24 billion less than the Senate’s version of the bill.

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EXCLUSIVE: HUD terminates Biden-era guidance, claiming it unfairly favors Afghans

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 21:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Amid a national housing crisis, the Biden administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development produced guidelines encouraging property owners to forgo some fair housing practices to favor Afghan refugees, the Trump administration argues in a new directive terminating previous guidelines. The Center Square obtained a HUD directive from the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity rescinding the guidance document, “Operation Allies Welcome: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Fair Housing Issues” and withdrawing from a FHEO guidance document “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Renting to Refugees and Eligible Newcomers,” which the agency claims violates the Fair Housing Act.

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'No data, no money': USDA says states who don't hand over info will lose SNAP funding

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Mon, 8 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – States that refuse to turn over data on food stamp recipients will lose all SNAP funding, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday. “If a state won’t share data on criminal use of SNAP benefits, it won’t get a dollar of federal SNAP administrative funding,” Rollins posted on X. “Let’s see which states stand for accountability and which are just protecting their bribery schemes.” USDA is combing through states’ SNAP recipient data to reduce ineligible enrollment, but 21 Democrat-governed states have so far refused to provide that information, citing citizen privacy concerns.

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Trump vows to pause migration after D.C. shooting

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 7 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump said Thursday he will pause migration from some countries following the shooting of two National Guard members near the White House. The suspected gunman, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in 2021 under a Biden-era immigration program for Afghans fleeing the Taliban movement. He was reportedly granted asylum this year. U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from injuries she sustained in the Wednesday shooting, Trump told service members in a video call Thursday night. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was in critical condition. Lakanwal was also injured in the shooting.

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Hegseth, Pentagon stand by explanation of second boat strike

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 6 Dec 2025 19:33:18 +0000

(The Center Square) – After a story was published last week claiming that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered a second strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat to kill those remaining, both Hegseth and the Pentagon reiterated their defense of the War Department’s actions as completely legal. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told reporters Tuesday that the U.S. has performed 21 strikes on drug boats in the Western Hemisphere, killing “82 narco-terrorists.” Wilson repeatedly described the boats as narco-terrorist vessels at the Pentagon's first press briefing under this administration, underscoring that the terrorist designation allows the Trump administration to respond more forcefully while remaining within the law.

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Trump election interference case in Georgia dismissed

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 Dec 2025 23:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Election interference charges in Georgia against second-term Republican President Donald Trump were motioned for dismissal Wednesday by the Prosecuting Attorney's Council. In response, the president later in the day said again the 2020 election was stolen. On social media, the second-term Republican called the case the "Fani Willis Witch Hunt" and accused Democrats of orchestrating it. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had sought to prosecute Trump and his allies, charging them with trying to overturn the state's election results.

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In New York, some school secretaries make six-figures and more

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Secretaries are well known for earning modest wages, but not the ones who work at Pocantico Hills Central School District. The school district of 500 students outside New York City has its secretaries rack up $130,000 and $190,000 a year, an investigation by The Center Square found.

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Legal immigration policy debate continues

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:35:36 +0000

As the Trump administration makes changes to visa programs and other political leaders call for further changes, the debate continues about how much legal immigration and what kind should be facilitated by visa programs.

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Awash with billions per year in federal money, Louisiana's funding surges

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:18:18 +0000

(The Center Square) – Louisiana’s annual budgets swelled more than 71% over the past decade, ticking up year after year under a Democratic governor who expanded Medicaid and led the state through the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pace of spending slowed under a Republican governor elected two years ago, the bottom line keeps growing, an analysis of state records by The Center Square found.

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With shutdown over, fight over Obamacare reform is on

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – With the record-long government shutdown finally over, Republicans are ramping up conversations about how to reform Obamacare and address the rising cost of insurance premiums. Democrats, who refused to authorize government funding for 43 days, used the shutdown to bring attention to the expiring enhanced Obamacare Premium Tax Credit. The enhanced subsidies are set to revert to original, pre-pandemic levels on Dec. 31, which would partially contribute to enrollees’ monthly plan payments rising in 2026.

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Congress passes bill to release Epstein files

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday agreed to pass a bill by unanimous consent requiring the U.S. attorney general to release all documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer initiated passage of the U.S. House of Representatives bill to release the files. The U.S. House passed the measure earlier Tuesday afternoon.

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https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_e47dba81-feaf-4caf-8396-8751b8e4147b.html

https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_abaeee4e-2665-4154-b0bf-acffc9fe9491.html

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Trump rolls back tariffs on over 200 foods in sharp reversal

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 21:06:52 +0000

(The Center Square) – Responding to Americans' frustrations over high grocery prices, President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday exempting more than 200 food products from tariffs. "Certain qualifying agricultural products will no longer be subject to those tariffs, such as certain food not grown in the United States," according to the White House. The executive order includes coffee, beef and bananas. Prices for all three have increased significantly, at least in part due to Trump's tariffs, which the exemptions are intended to address.

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Lawmaker: Prediction markets coming if Wisconsin doesn't approve sports betting

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:47:37 +0000

(The Center Square) – One of the sponsors of Wisconsin’s statewide sports wagering legislation is warning prediction markets could take over the sports wagering marketplace if state lawmakers don’t pass a law in the Assembly Wednesday allowing the state’s 11 tribes to offer online sports wagering in the state.

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Federal services to slowly recover following end of government shutdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – With the longest government shutdown in history finally over, federal agencies are slowly bringing affected services back online and hoping to resume normal operations by the end of next week. Tens of millions of low-income Americans on food stamps should receive November benefits within 24 hours, Politico reported. Some of the most disruptive consequences of the 43-day shutdown, however, may take longer to remedy.

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Analysis: Trump's proposed tariff rebate would cost twice as much as tariffs

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump has again floated the idea of sending Americans $2,000 from tariff revenue, but a new analysis suggests the import taxes won't bring in enough money to cover the proposed checks. Trump's tariff rebate suggestion comes a week after the Supreme Court sharply questioned his authority to impose tariffs under a 1977 law that he has used to justify the bulk of the tariffs announced on April 2, which he dubbed "Liberation Day" for U.S. trade. The cases challenging Trump's tariff authority remain pending before the nation's highest court, but even if the revenue source were not in question, Trump could face challenges in getting the checks out to taxpayers.

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Jan. 6 panel cost twice previous estimates, hiring TV producers to dramatize attack

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 20:09:03 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol cost almost twice as much as previously reported, including spending taxpayer funds for TV news producers and documentary filmmakers to create videos dramatizing its case against President Donald Trump, an investigation by The Center Square found.

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Govt shutdown crippling U.S. airports; thousands of flights delayed, cancelled

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 9 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – As the government shutdown drags into its 38th day and forced flight reductions begin taking effect, the number of daily flight cancellations Americans are experiencing has skyrocketed. By noon Friday, airlines had slashed 850 flights within, into, or out of the United States – quadruple the number of cancellations made the previous day. The numbers will only increase over the coming days as 40 major U.S. airports implement the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce flight volume by 10%, a necessary safety measure as staffing shortages become more severe.

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ELECTION DAY 2025: NYC elects Mamdani, Democrats sweep VA, NJ governors' races

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 8 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Self-proclaimed democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani will be the next mayor of New York City after taking down the former Democrat New York governor for a second time on Tuesday. Democrats also won their respective races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia Tuesday.

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U.S. Supreme Court frosty on Trump's tariff power as world watches

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Nov 2025 21:24:48 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court gave President Donald Trump's tariff authority a chilly reception on Wednesday, with his economic agenda hanging in the balance and businesses and consumers watching for higher prices. After the president spent months talking about how much money his tariffs would generate, Trump's Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the nation's highest court Wednesday that the import duties are solely focused on regulation, not raising revenue. Even the conservative wing of the Supreme Court was skeptical.

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Congressional Perks: House account spending jumped 21% in 2022

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Nov 2025 00:07:55 +0000

(The Center Square) – Spending on U.S. House of Representatives office accounts increased by more than 85% over the past three decades but nearly half of that occurred since 2020, an investigation by The Center Square found. The Members' Representational Allowance (MRA) provides each of the 435 U.S. representatives in Congress about $2 million a year to pay staff, travel, buy equipment and run their Washington, D.C., and district offices, giving members wide latitude on how to spend the money within House ethics and administration committee rules

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Millions of Americans brace for food stamp cutoff Nov. 1

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 1 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Millions of Americans reliant on food stamps will not receive benefits for the month of November, due to the ongoing government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will not issue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits until the government reopens, with the agency saying on its website that “the well has run dry.” Federal agencies like the USDA have remained unfunded since Oct. 1, when the government shuttered after Senate Democrats blocked Republicans’ Continuing Resolution, a seven-week funding stopgap. Since then, all but three Democratic senators have continuously filibustered the House-passed CR, demanding that Republicans promise to renew a costly pandemic-era expansion of Obamacare Premium Tax Credits.

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Trump slices China fentanyl tariff in half following meeting with Xi

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 21:41:16 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump feels confident the flow of fentanyl from China will be curbed following a “great meeting” with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. The meeting prompted Trump to cut in half the tariffs the U.S. put on China due to the flow of the deadly drug. “I've agreed, as you know, I put a 20% tariff on China because of the fentanyl coming in, it's a big tariff, and based on [Xi’s] statements today, I reduced it by 10%, so it's 10% instead of 20% effective immediately. I believe he's going to work very hard to stop the death that's coming in,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington.

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Illinois agency buys incompatible computer system meant to 'streamline' DEI efforts

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 19:04:52 +0000

(The Center Square) The number of businesses owned by racial minorities and women that are certified by Illinois plummeted in the past year, partly due to a new computer system the state bought for as much as $750,000 and was designed to help boost the number, an investigation by The Center Square found. In an annual report this year to lawmakers, the Commission on Equity and Inclusion cited its new supplier diversity management portal as one of its main accomplishments, noting that it would enhance the commission's work by "streamlining processes."

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Record-long govt shutdown threatens food, early childhood education assistance

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Senate Democrats are set to block Republicans’ government funding bill for the 12th time Wednesday, keeping the federal government shut down despite tens of millions of low-income Americans at risk of losing food stamps or early childhood education assistance. Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture will resume core Farm Service Agency financial services Thursday, the unfunded agency cannot provide money to support SNAP or WIC benefits for the month of November, which together serve up to 49 million people.

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Poll: Majority of Americans favor voter ID requirement, split on mail-in voting ban

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:08:13 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump’s plans to “restore election integrity” and prevent voter fraud include banning mail-in voting and requiring that voters present identification at the polls. The majority of Americans support the voter ID requirement but are divided on a mail-in voting ban, according to a new poll. Trump’s proposal to ban mail-in voting nationally – something he could not do via executive order but may be able to pressure some states to implement – receives support from 47% of Americans nationally, while 48% oppose it.

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Wisconsin's highly paid state investors pay others to do most investing

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:09:22 +0000

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin has paid billions of dollars in recent years for outside investors to manage most of the state's retirement funds even though it has an expansive team of highly paid investment employees, according to state data. State auditors this year urged the state of Wisconsin Investment Board to create specific plans that might shift more of that management to state employees "because external management is more expensive," a recent report by the Legislative Audit Bureau said.

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Trump approval rating at 48% in October, poll finds

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – A new poll shows that President Donald Trump’s approval rating reached 48% in October, a number mostly bolstered by Republicans. The Center Square Voters' Voice Poll, conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, surveyed 2,565 registered voters from Oct. 2-6, 2025. Half of voters surveyed objected to how Trump is handling his job as president, with 10% somewhat disapproving and 40% strongly disapproving. Nearly 30% strongly approve of his performance and 19% somewhat approve.

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Democrats tank bipartisan bill to fund DOD in midst of government shutdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 19:35:49 +0000

(The Center Square) – In an act of defiance, Democratic senators blocked the House-passed full-year funding bill for the Department of Defense from advancing Thursday. The procedural vote on one of the 12 annual appropriations bills to properly fund the government in fiscal year 2026 failed despite Republican leaders bringing it to the floor to remedy some of the worst effects of the ongoing government shutdown. The bill would have authorized funding for the DOD and its employees’ salaries, as well as restore pay for military service members won't see their next paycheck if the shutdown drags on. The Pentagon has already dipped into untapped research and development funds in order to subsidize Oct. 15 paychecks.

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Some New York school districts spend almost or more than $100,000 a student

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:48:12 +0000

(The Center Square) — A half-dozen school districts in New York state reported spending more than $70,000 per student recently, with two districts spending almost or more than $100,000, an investigation by The Center Square found. Each of the six districts were among the smallest in the state, with fewer than 340 students. Still, the figures dwarfed those of a typical pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school district in the Empire State in 2023-’24. According to the New York State Department of Education, the median figure for per-pupil spending was $35,095.

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'Shameful:' GOP leaders frustrated with Dems on tenth day of shutdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – U.S. senators have left town for the weekend and will not vote again on a federal funding bill until Tuesday, meaning the ongoing government shutdown will stretch into its third week. Meanwhile, today marks the last time that over 700,000 civilian federal workers will receive a partial paycheck, leaving federal employees either furloughed or working without pay until the government reopens. About 1.3 million active-duty service members, who normally would receive their pay Monday, will be left out in the cold unless Congress passes a bill to prevent that.

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Trump administration to designate Antifa a foreign terror organization

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 20:35:21 +0000

(The Center Square) – During a round table discussion with independent journalists at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, President Donald Trump said his administration would designate Antifa a foreign terror organization. The Center Square asked the president if he would designate Antifa, which he designated a domestic terror group last month, a foreign terror organization (FTO). Trump appeared to be under the impression that it was already an FTO.

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Illinois diversity commission's budget ballooning but results lag

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Wed, 8 Oct 2025 22:29:05 +0000

(The Center Square) – Despite federal pushback for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Illinois has spent millions of dollars in the past few years for new, high-paying government jobs to increase the amount of state contracts that go to businesses owned by racial minorities, women and people with disabilities, an investigation by The Center Square found. Yet, at least on paper, the relatively new Commission on Equity and Inclusion is farther from its goal than when it began work in 2022.

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Administration strikes deal with Pfizer to reduce drug costs

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 5 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The results of a May executive order aiming to reform drug pricing are beginning to materialize, per an administration announcement Tuesday. Major pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer has agreed to slash prices on many of its drugs in the U.S. after months of negotiations with the administration. Both those involved in the discussions and observers were uncertain how they would accomplish the president’s directive.

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Health care policy remains sticking point in Senate's govt shutdown talks

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 4 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – It’s day three of the government shutdown, and U.S. lawmakers are no closer to a government stopgap compromise, with both parties believing they’ll win the standoff. The Senate is set to vote Friday afternoon on both Democrats’ and Republicans’ competing short-term Continuing Resolutions for the fourth time, but neither is likely to pass. Democratic leaders remain staunch in their demands that Republicans commit to renewing the COVID-19 era enhanced Obamacare Premium Tax Credits, while Republicans are betting that enough rank-and-file Democrats will fold to public pressure to reopen the government as the shutdown drags on.

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Trump gives Hamas a Sunday deadline to agree to peace deal, or else

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Oct 2025 18:51:19 +0000

(The Center Square) – A hard deadline has been set for Hamas to agree to a peace deal proposed by President Donald Trump and accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning this is their “last chance.” Trump told Hamas leaders that they have until 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, Washington, D.C. time, warning this is their last chance or “all HELL” will break loose. In a Friday Truth Social post, the president described the terror group as a “ruthless and violent threat” in the Middle East.

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Congressional Conflicts: Lawmakers dump Tylenol stock before autism controversy

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Wed, 1 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) — Before President Trump warned pregnant women to avoid taking Tylenol, three members of Congress dumped stock in the Fortune 500 company that makes the popular painkiller -- sell-offs that saved them from incurring sizable losses, an investigation by The Center Square found. The lawmakers sold $1,001 to $15,000 each in Kenvue Inc., a Summit, New Jersey-based consumer products company that spun off from Johnson & Johnson two years ago. The sales are notable also because most investment analysts recommended that investors hold their shares.

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Trump administration prepares for mass layoffs if government shuts down

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – With only six days until the federal government shuts down, Republicans and Democrats have yet to secure a funding deal – and the Trump administration is already planning on how to make the most of it. In a leaked memo, the Office of Management and Budget outlines plans for federal agencies that would run out of funding during a government shutdown to “use this opportunity” to consider permanently eliminating certain positions in federal programs, projects, and activities “not consistent with the President’s priorities,” consistent with applicable law. “[W]e must continue our planning efforts in the event Democrats decide to shut down the government,” the memo reads.

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Routh guilty on all charges in plot to kill Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Ryan Routh was found guilty of all charges in a plot to kill Donald Trump by a federal jury that needed little time to reach a verdict Tuesday afternoon. Deciding to represent himself and getting cautions many times from Judge Aileen Cannon along the way, Routh nevertheless presented himself as incapable of the five charges prosecutors levied against him. The jury of seven women and five men in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Fort Pierce ultimately were swayed more – needing only about two hours, 20 minutes – by the United States' attorneys and their 38 witnesses over seven days of testimony.

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Business leaders respond to H-1B reform, weekend turmoil

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:29:36 +0000

(The Center Square) – Business leaders and corporations across the country that employ foreign workers through the H-1B visa program have scrambled to respond to President Donald Trump’s recent reform efforts. Last week, Trump announced the United States would charge companies $100,000 for each H-1B visa issued to a temporary foreign worker. The administration imposed a Sept. 21 deadline for charges to start on H-1B visa holders.

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Illinois spending swells 43% under Pritzker

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:46:42 +0000

(The Center Square) – Discretionary spending by Illinois state leaders has increased more than $16 billion since J.B. Pritzker became governor nearly seven years ago. That is a total increase of about 43%. Before Pritzker, the state's general fund spending was roughly flat or had modest increases, according to state data. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner was in office for part of that time.

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Senate rejects both Republican and Democrat govt funding stopgaps, risking a shutdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Senate failed to pass either Democrats’ or Republicans’ government funding proposals Friday to prevent a government shutdown. Senators have now left town for a week-long recess, leaving only two days when they return to pass some kind of funding stopgap before the government shuts down on Oct. 1. Republicans’ Continuing Resolution would have extended current government funding levels until Nov. 21, buying lawmakers time to pass all 12 annual appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. It also included $30 million for additional lawmaker security and $58 million for U.S. Supreme Court judges and members of the executive branch.

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Trump designates Antifa a 'major terrorist organization'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump is designating Antifa a “major terrorist organization,” he announced in a social media post Wednesday evening. The Center Square asked the president Monday afternoon if he would be designating the left-wing group a domestic terror group following a spate of political violence against conservatives and Republicans, including the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices,” the president posted.

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Death penalty being sought for Charlie Kirk assassination

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 20:51:55 +0000

(The Center Square) – Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said Tuesday he will seek the death penalty for Tyler James Robinson, the man charged with the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk. Gray told reporters he was filing a total of seven counts against Robinson, 22, including aggravated murder, discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury and counts of obstruction of justice and witness tampering. "The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy," Gray said. Kirk, a devoted ally of Trump, was shot and killed during an event Wednesday that 3,000 people attended at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

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MAHA releases strategy to improve children’s health

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The Make America Healthy Again Commission released a sweeping strategy Tuesday to nationally improve children’s health, which includes more than 120 initiatives – including advancing research on autism, pesticides, vaccine injury and water quality – aimed at that end. The strategy fulfills a directive from an executive order the president signed in February requiring an assessment of American children’s health and a subsequent strategy for improving it. The assessment identified “four potential drivers behind the rise in childhood chronic disease” that it said simultaneously “present the clearest opportunities for progress”: poor diet, exposure to synthetic chemicals, lack of physical activity and chronic stress and over-medicalization.

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Two weeks later, outrage rises in Charlotte rail killing

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Chilling video of the Aug. 22 stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail has drawn increased awareness of the incident. Included are social media audiences wondering about the lack of national mainstream media coverage, and second-term Republican President Donald Trump. He’s not only vowed to crack down on crime but sought to take action including through use of National Guard troops in certain cities.

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'We got him:' Kirk shooting suspect in custody

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 19:13:04 +0000

(The Center Square) – Authorities on Friday confirmed the suspect in the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is in custody. The suspect was identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah. "We got him," Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said at a Friday news conference. Cox said that on Thursday night, a family member of Robinson's "reached out to a family friend," saying Robinson had implicated himself in the shooting. The friend then contacted authorities, who took Robinson into custody.

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‘Lap of Luxury:’ Section 8 Covering Arizona Rents up to $6,020 a Month

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Tue, 9 Sep 2025 19:40:27 +0000

(The Center Square) - Taxpayers are covering rents of up to $6,020 per month in Arizona, leading taxpayer advocates to question the growing duration of federal Section 8 housing choice voucher (HCV) usage. "Section 8 needs to focus on lifting people out of the trap of poverty, not putting them into the lap of luxury," said National Taxpayers Union president Pete Sepp in an interview with The Center Square. "It's unfair to ask taxpayers who can't afford mortgages or rents of six thousand dollars per month to foot the bill for subsidies amounting to that much."

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Routh, Representing Himself, Begins Picking Florida Jury Monday

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 7 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Ryan Routh will have court-appointed lawyers nearby as he represents himself in a Florida court against charges related to attempting to assassinate Donald Trump. Jury selection starts Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Routh, 59, is a construction worker from North Carolina more recently working in Hawaii. He pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

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Lawmakers Eye Bipartisan Funding Stopgap as Appropriations Bills Make Minimal Headway

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 6 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – With 26 days until the federal government runs out of money, top appropriators have narrowed in on their preferred funding gameplan: push the equivalent of the Senate’s three-bill minibus through the House, then let a Continuing Resolution temporarily cover the rest. Approving a CR would mark the fourth time in a row that U.S. lawmakers have punted on funding the government properly, having passed three CRs in fiscal year 2025 to keep government funding essentially on cruise control. Congress is supposed to craft and pass 12 appropriations bills on an annual basis, providing updated funding for federal agencies to spend on programs.

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Trump Asks Supreme Court for Speedy Review of Tariff Authority

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 Sep 2025 19:38:18 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court late Wednesday to rescue his trade deals and economic agenda after two lower courts said the president has no authority to issue broad tariffs. Trump's team told the high court that the nation's future depends on a quick ruling. Two courts have already said the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act doesn't give the president unbounded tariff authority.

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Trump Moves to End Cashless Bail in D.C., Nationwide

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Two weeks after declaring “Liberation Day” in Washington, D.C., to combat crime, President Donald Trump signed executive orders to end cashless bail in the nation’s capital, while taking steps to eliminate it throughout the country. The president signed the executive orders on Monday morning in the Oval Office. The moves threaten to withhold federal funding from states and jurisdictions that don’t comply with his executive action, which could have a major impact on states like California and Illinois.

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New Orleans Population Numbers Remain Lower 20 Years After Katrina

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 21:37:08 +0000

(The Center Square) – Before Hurricane Katrina ravaged the coast, the New Orleans population was about 460,000. Twenty years later, the city has dropped to about 380,000 as it continues to rebuild. Katrina still ranks as one of the deadliest and costliest storms to hit the United States in history. With more than 1 million displaced and 1,833 deaths, the population in New Orleans was severely impacted by the natural disaster.

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Nonprofit Files Complaints Against Trump Attorneys but Almost No Public Discipline

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 22:09:14 +0000

(The Center Square) – Two nonprofits run by an attorney with long-time Democratic connections have been filing ethics complaints against lawyers who represented Trump officials or issues, seeking to get them disbarred or disciplined. But an investigation by The Center Square found nearly all of the attorneys the groups targeted received no public discipline years after the complaints were filed.

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Dems Oppose Trump’s Bid to End Mail-in Ballots, Voting Machines

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Casting a ballot may look different for millions of American voters in the 2026 midterm elections if Republican-led states follow President Donald Trump’s wish to abolish mail-in voting and electronic voting machines. In a lengthy social media post Monday, the president announced he is planning to “lead a movement” to end mail-in ballots and voting machines, beginning with issuing an executive order in the near future. Trump said the changes would restore election integrity and “help bring HONESTY to the 2026 Midterm Elections.” He called mail-in voting a “SCAM” that can enable “MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD” and labeled paperless voting machines "Inaccurate," “Expensive” and “Seriously Controversial.”

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Some Russia-Ukraine Questions Answered Tuesday, More Remain

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The White House has helped open the channels of communication between Russia, Ukraine and the rest of Europe, but the details of any resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war remain murky. The White House continues to highlight the differences in how President Donald Trump has responded to the overseas conflict versus former President Joe Biden. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared some remarks from European leaders to that effect from Monday’s discussions at the White House at a Tuesday press briefing.

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White House Touts D.C. Crackdown; No Timeline on National Guard Deployment

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 19:17:31 +0000

(The Center Square) – More than a week after President Donald Trump declared “Liberation Day” in Washington, D.C., his administration is touting the operation as a success as more Republican governors commit National Guard troops. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that since the operation began on Aug. 11, law enforcement officials have made 465 arrests, adding that “nearly half” of the “arrests have occurred in the high-crime areas” of the district. The D.C. Police Union has calculated major decreases in crimes since “Liberation Day,” including 83% drops in carjackings, 46% decreases in robberies, 22% drops in violent crime, 21% decreases in car theft, and 6% drops in property crime. The group adds that there has been an 8% reduction in crime overall.

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Inflation Holds Steady Amid Trade War Threats

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – As President Donald Trump’s tariff policies come into effect, July’s Consumer Price Index showed overall consumer prices rose 2.7% annually, slightly lower than forecasted by economists. The CPI measures changes in price of everyday consumer goods like groceries and clothes over time. July’s CPI rose 0.2% on a monthly basis since June’s reading which came in at 2.7%. Since a universal 10% tariff was implemented in April, economists have been watching how levies would affect costs for consumers. Data has shown that tariff impacts have been marginal so far this year, in part due to businesses stockpiling goods before tariffs went into effect.

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Trump Declares ‘Liberation Day’ in D.C., Calls in National Guard

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 20:03:31 +0000

(The Center Square) – “Liberation Day” arrived Monday in Washington, D.C., as declared by President Donald Trump. The president declared a crime emergency in the district and said the National Guard will soon patrol the streets in an effort to curb crime. Flanked by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and U.S. Attorney of the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, the president announced that he is invoking the D.C. Home Rule Act to take federal control of Metropolitan Police Department while deploying the National Guard, with threats more military could be called in to assist.

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Senate Passes Minibus Before Recessing, Making Slight Progress on Govt Funding

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 9 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Right before leaving for its week-long August recess, the U.S. Senate passed a minibus Friday evening containing three out of the 12 annual government funding bills. The package allocates more than $153 billion for military construction and Veterans Affairs in fiscal year 2026 alone, $27 billion for agriculture and rural development, and $2.2 billion for the Legislative branch. More than 80 senators ultimately voted for the minibus. Appropriations bills are typically passed individually. The unorthodox move is the result of Republican leaders spending days negotiating with uncooperative Democrats, who stalled on confirming the rest of President Donald Trump’s civilian nominees and by doing so prevented progress on the funding appropriations process.

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Cornyn: FBI to Assist With Locating, Arresting Texas Dems Who Fled State

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Aug 2025 18:49:01 +0000

(The Center Square) – The FBI on Thursday agreed to assist with locating Texas Democrats who fled the state to prevent the Texas House from reaching a quorum and conducting official business. On Sunday, more than 50 Democrats fled the state, many to Chicago, to prevent a House vote on redistricting, and all other votes during a special session of the legislature, by preventing a quorum from being reached. They also fled Texas to avoid being arrested by state law enforcement. On Monday, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, signed civil arrest warrants and by Tuesday, only eight Democrats showed up for work. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the missing Democrats to return to Austin by Monday or face being arrested and removed from office.

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Judges Question Arguments in Case Over Trump’s Tariff Power

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 3 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Appellate court judges scrutinized President Donald Trump's tariff authority on Thursday, asking attorneys on both sides of the case tough questions about the president's authority to restructure global trade without help from Congress. Trump has used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to underpin his "Liberation Day" tariffs. On April 2, Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners. He later suspended those higher tariffs but used the threat of higher taxes to get foreign nations to agree to new trade deals. Most of the deals Trump has announced so far come with a 15% import tax on foreign countries, although some face higher rates.

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EPA Proposes Massive Deregulations for Greenhouse Gases

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 2 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to rescind an Obama-era environmental finding impacting the automobile industry. The EPA chief says it costs $1 trillion in regulations. Lee Zeldin, administrator of the EPA, made the announcement Tuesday in the backdrop of an auto dealership in Indianapolis, Ind., to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which the Trump EPA claims is responsible for the Biden administration's electric vehicle mandate — pushing to reduce the production of gas-powered vehicles.

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Bombshell Report Indicates Clinton, Soros Group Plotted to ‘Demonize’ Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Aug 2025 21:08:12 +0000

(The Center Square) – Newly declassified intelligence documents indicate that Hillary Clinton, her 2016 presidential campaign managers, and a top member of a George Soros group plotted to fabricate the Trump-Russia collusion campaign to distract the public from Clinton’s email scandal. Declassified by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, the 29-page “Durham annex” from 2023 chronicles the Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC) investigation into purported efforts by the Clinton campaign and its allies to falsely tie Russia’s cyber interference attempts during election season to Trump.

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Economist: Hotel Data Shows Hosting NFL Draft Has Minimal Positive Effect

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Cities that host the NFL Draft have seen small increases in hotel revenue in recent years but those gains are far smaller than what is claimed by teams, the National Football League and the marketing and tourism departments in local government have claimed. The first three cities to host the draft after it left New York saw insignificant changes in hotel stays during the event while host cities since 2019 have seen between $4 million and $6 million in hotel revenue increases due to the event, according to a new paper provided to The Center Square from economist E. Frank Stephenson from Georgia’s Berry College.

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Trump Announces Trade Deal With Japan, 15% Tariff on Japanese Imports

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump said Tuesday he had reached a framework for a trade deal with Japan that will include a 15% tariff on imports from the island nation. Trump outlined the broad terms of the deal in a post on Truth Social, as he has for other trade pacts. Trump said imports from Japan will face a 15% tariff, while U.S. exports to Japan will be tariff-free.

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Gabbard Releases New Intel Claiming FBI, CIA ‘Knowingly Created’ Russia Hoax

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 18:52:27 +0000

(The Center Square) – Federal officials have released more documents indicating a Democratic-led intelligence community politically targeted President Donald Trump by claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin influenced the 2016 presidential election to help Trump win. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified a 2020 House Intelligence Committee report Wednesday that “exposes how the Obama Administration manufactured the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that they knew was false.” Notably, the report found that the majority of the intelligence community’s judgements on Russia’s confirmed attempts to meddle with the 2016 election were “sound,” including its findings that Putin ordered “conventional and cyber influence operations” to undermine faith in the U.S. democratic process and the legitimacy of an expected Hillary Clinton presidency.

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Analysis: Trump Tariffs Could Cancel Out Benefits of GOP Tax Cuts

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump's tariffs could cancel out the economic benefits of the GOP's tax cuts, according to a new analysis from the Tax Foundation. "Our analysis finds the current U.S.-imposed and scheduled tariffs threaten to offset much of the economic benefits of the tax cuts, while falling short of paying for them," according to a report from the national nonprofit. The tax cuts included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are expected to cost about $4 trillion over the next decade, or about $3 trillion factoring in economic growth. At the same time, Trump's tariffs are expected to drag on the U.S. economy.

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House Delivers Trump Another Win, Passing $9 Billion Spending Cut Bill

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 19:57:41 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. House in a late night vote passed Republicans’ $9 billion rescissions package, delivering another win for President Donald Trump and his promise to cut federal spending. The measure, which cuts already appropriated federal spending on some foreign aid projects and public broadcasting programs, passed 216-213 in the House, the final voted needed to send it to Trump's desk for his signature. Two Republicans – U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Mike Turner, R-Ohio, joined all Democrats in voting against the measure. Originally clawing back a total of $9.4 billion, the package now revokes roughly $7.9 billion in “woke” foreign aid programs and $1.1 billion meant to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which finances NPR, PBS and some radio stations.

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New Orleans District Attorney Declined Nearly 40% of Felony Cases in 2024

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) − Court records reviewed by The Center Square show a pattern in which defendants in Orleans Parish initially facing multiple felony weapons charges have had the vast majority of those charges dismissed, often as part of plea deals that result in minimal jail time and little long-term supervision. Meanwhile, the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office, led by District Attorney Jason Williams, revealed last week that they have refused nearly 40% of felony cases in the last year. Take the case of Tyrone Howard, for instance. Arrested in September 2023 and charged with eight counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, along with illegal weapons possession and drug charges, Howard was facing a potential years-long sentence if convicted on all counts.

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Attacks Against Ice up 700%, 10 Arrested in ‘Planned Ambush’ in North Texas

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Ten people have been arrested so far in a “planned ambush” of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in north Texas. On July 4, the Alvarado Police Department announced that one of its police officers had been shot in the neck after responding to a call without stating the incident occurred outside of an immigration facility. It was the first of two officer involved shootings outside of a federal immigration facility in Texas this week, The Center Square first reported.

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Gov. Abbott Revises Special Session Agenda to Include Emergency Preparedness

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 19:41:03 +0000

(The Center Square) – Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new agenda for a special legislative session to begin July 21. After the regular legislative session concluded in May, Abbott vetoed 26 bills and called a special session to address six legislative priorities, The Center Square reported. After the historic July 4 flooding and catastrophic loss of life, he announced a revised session agenda that prioritizes emergency preparedness and many other issues. The session will convene at noon July 21 and last for 30 days with the possibility of being extended by another 30 days.

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Full story:

Gov. Abbott revises special session agenda to include emergency preparedness

Texas Hill Country death toll reaches 119, with 173 missing statewide

Meteorologists debunk 'cloud seeding conspiracy theorists'

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Trump Tours ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ That’s Assisting in Deportation Efforts

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 5 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump traveled to Florida Tuesday to visit ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ the new, quickly constructed immigrant detention center that will hold up to 5,000 foreign nationals facing deportation. “Very soon, this facility will house some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet,” Trump said at a panel Tuesday. The facility – which might ultimately look more like a deportation camp – is the nearly 40-square-mile Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Miami-Dade County. Nestled amidst the wetlands of the Big Cypress National Preserve and with a nearly 11,000-foot runway, it was selected to be quickly transformed into a deportation site. It is typically used for military training.

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Against Odds, GOP’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Passes House, Heads to Trump’s Desk

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 3 Jul 2025 20:06:34 +0000

(The Center Square) – Against all odds, U.S. House Republicans finally united around the Senate-revised “big, beautiful bill” and passed it in a 218-214 vote Thursday afternoon, sending the multitrillion-dollar budget reconciliation package to the president’s desk. The bill’s passage marks yet another herculean feat by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who not only persuaded – with President Donald Trump’s help – the most recalcitrant GOP holdouts to vote for the bill as is, but also passed it by a self-imposed July 4 deadline. The $3.3 trillion megabill, formerly titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, hikes the debt ceiling by $5 trillion and implements the bulk of Trump’s tax, energy, border and defense agenda.

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Trump Leaves NATO Touting Multiple Successes

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump heads home from the NATO summit in the Netherlands touting a slew of international successes, including the member nations committing to more than doubling their defense spending. NATO partners, comprised of 32 member nations, agreed to Trump’s demands that the countries increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP. The proposal initially had been met with resistance, given that the current spending threshold is 2%. However, in recognition of Russian aggression and terrorism threats on member nations, the leaders agreed to increase their spending by 2035 substantially.

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Iran Disputes U.S. Claims Nuclear Facilities Destroyed

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 20:43:04 +0000

(The Center Square) – Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that the U.S. gained nothing from its strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Khamenei, in his first public comments since a ceasefire with Israel on Tuesday, said the U.S. "gained no achievements" from strikes on Fordow, a key nuclear site in Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump has said the strikes "obliterated" Iran nuclear facilities. On Wednesday he assessed Iran's nuclear program was destroyed.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_743ba3d3-b5f8-4858-9442-2810641cb4b5.html

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Trump Refuses to Commit to Military Involvement in Iran, Won’t Rule It Out

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – As the conflict between Israel and Iran closes in on a week since it began, President Donald Trump won’t say if U.S. will get involved in the conflict. Despite dire warnings from Iran against the U.S. and its potential involvement, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that Iranians want to meet, adding they want to come to the White House. However, he appeared to throw water on the idea, adding the Islamic Republic should have made a deal.

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Full story:

https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_5814eeb9-2b77-4f3c-b9cb-21a483161e11.html

https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_a6925015-3bad-4478-bc01-423c29f645bd.html

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Federal Charges Brought Against Minnesota Shooter

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:52:26 +0000

(The Center Square) – Federal stalking and murder charges have been filed against 57-year-old Vance Boelter in a 20-page charging document on Monday in what was described as the “stuff of nightmares.” Boelter is expected to have a 1:30 p.m. Monday appearance in federal court in St. Paul. The charges include firearms offenses, stalking using interstate commerce and murder for the stalking and killing of Minnesota House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband along with the shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and his wife. The Hoffmans are expected to make a full recover.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/minnesota/article_b97e3a4a-6a08-4982-90cd-531dc7a5ad4e.html

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DeSantis Offers Plan to Eliminate Property Taxes for Poor, Rural Counties

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the state to take over some funding of government services for rural, thinly-populated fiscally constrained counties and allow them to eliminate their property taxes. DeSantis made the statement at an economic development announcement in Crawfordville on Monday. His estimate of how much this would cost Florida taxpayers would be about $300 million per year, a drop in the bucket of the nearly $50 billion in general fund spending that is part of a tentative budget deal by lawmakers.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_02bc5827-0aca-4bda-a991-5fbf6333225a.html

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Trump Says Tariff Truce With China Back on Track

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that U.S. talks with China in London resulted in a tentative deal that still needs China's President Xi Jinping's final approval. The president announced the deal in an all-caps post on Truth Social. "FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!)." Tariffs will stay at levels agreed to in the deal struck in Geneva last month, an administration official told the Wall Street Journal.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_48c15543-fc69-4a2b-8a1b-49333750249a.html

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$9.4B Rescissions Package Narrowly Passes House, Cutting Foreign Aid

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:19:06 +0000

(The Center Square) – The House barely passed a controversial rescissions package Thursday, pulling billions in already allocated federal funding from multiple foreign aid and public broadcasting programs. The Rescissions Act of 2025, compiled by the Office of Management and Budget, cancels $9.4 billion, including $8.3 billion for non-life saving foreign assistance and $1.1 billion for public broadcasting systems. Six Republicans initially opposed the package, endangering the bill’s passage since all Democrats present voted against it. But two of the holdouts — Reps. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., — flipped their votes last-minute, making the final vote 214-212.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_d72c2dd9-abd6-4410-a9ef-58a408cffc02.html

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Budget Orgs Agree ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Add Over $15T to National Debt

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 7 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Despite the White House’s assertions that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will not add to the federal debt or deficit, four independent budget watchdogs agree that debt growth will accelerate and reach over $50 trillion by 2034, if the policy megabill becomes law. As emphasized Friday by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, the Budget Lab at Yale predicts $52.3 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office predicts $52.4 trillion, the Tax Foundation predicts $52.8 trillion, and the Penn Wharton Budget Model predicts $56.3 trillion as the national debt number a decade from now.

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Boulder Attack Suspect Said He Had No Regrets, Would ‘Do It Again'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 6 Jun 2025 17:28:42 +0000

(The Center Square) – The man charged in Sunday’s terrorist attack in Boulder told law enforcement that he had no regrets for his actions and would “do it again” if released. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national illegally in the country, is being held in the Boulder County Jail on a $10 million bond. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the attack at Tuesday's White House briefing, calling Soliman a "monster" and the attack "pure evil."

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Full story:

WATCH: Boulder attack suspect said he had no regrets, would 'do it again'

Boulder 'terror' suspect's family in ICE custody, pending deportation

Judge blocks order to deport Boulder suspect's family

Boulder attack suspect appears in court, 118 charges filed

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Trump Administration Moves to Cut Federal Contracts With Harvard

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 1 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – In another blow to Harvard University, the Trump administration has moved to cancel federal contracts with the Ivy League school. The General Services Administration announced that it is working with various federal agencies to “review” government contracts with the university in preparation to “terminate” or “transition” the contracts. The move by the independent federal government agency, funded only about 1% through congressional appropriation, comes at the behest of President Donald Trump.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_3fd7bf25-7786-4020-8b87-d8138de6b470.html

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Senators Worry About Spending, Debt Increase in Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 31 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Republicans’ behemoth budget reconciliation bill still faces major hurdles after passing the U.S. House last week, with multiple senators raising concerns about the legislation’s cost. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act in its current form hikes the debt ceiling by $4 trillion and funds large swaths of Trump’s tax, border, energy, and defense agenda, including codifying President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. The legislation consists of 11 separate House committee prints that collectively fulfill the April budget resolution’s 10-year spending and savings instructions.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_91f88393-7ac6-4eef-8bfb-17f6f071e382.html

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Work Underway on Trump’s Golden Dome, to Be Done Within Four Years

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 25 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The Trump administration is moving forward with his Golden Dome missile defense system that is similar to Israel's. The administration has selected an architecture firm for the advanced missile-defense system, and Trump’s "big, beautiful" budget bill before Congress has allotted $25 billion for its initial construction. President Donald Trump said Tuesday the dome would cost about $175 billion in total and would be completed before the end of his term. “We will have the best system ever built. As you know, we helped Israel with theirs, and it was very successful, and now we have technology that’s even far-advanced from that,” Trump said.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_bb48d379-5c71-4435-82bd-d324ef1b8ec1.html

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White House ‘Suiting Up’ to Push Budget Bill Across Senate Finish Line

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 24 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The budget bill containing many of President Donald Trump’s fiscal priorities and campaign promises narrowly passed the House of Representatives early Thursday morning in a 215-214 vote, and now the White House is “suiting up” to get the bill through the Senate. The president has been vocal about the passage of the "One Big, Beautiful Bill" for months, calling on Republicans to unite behind it. With narrow majorities in the House and Senate, Republicans need near-unanimous support for measures they want to see pass either chamber.

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Full story: White House 'suiting up' to push budget bill across Senate finish line

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Biden Receives Support, Questions About Transparency Amid Cancer Diagnosis

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 May 2025 17:03:06 +0000

(The Center Square) – Leaders in both political parties are showing former President Joe Biden their support after Biden announced he is dealing with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Biden’s personal office released a statement Sunday saying he had prostate cancer “characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone." “Cancer touches us all,” Biden wrote on X Monday morning. “Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.” The former president has received an outpouring of support since the news was released.

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Full story: Biden receives support, questions about transparency amid cancer diagnosis

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Stocks Soar After Temporary Tariff Reduction Between U.S., China

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 17 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – U.S. stocks soared Monday after the world's two largest economies reached a temporary trade deal to significantly lower tariffs while talks continue. The Dow gained 2.8% to close at 42,410, above where it closed on April 2 before President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs drove markets down. The S&P 500 gained 3.26% on the day while the Nasdaq was up 4.3%, entering a new bull market by closing 20% above its April low point. On Monday morning, China and the U.S. released details of a trade pact reached over the weekend after talks in Geneva. The U.S. and China said they will cut tariffs on imports from each other by May 14.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_700f445f-e11a-4496-9456-402a50f0b243.html

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Feds Investigating Whether Comey Post Was Threat on Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 May 2025 17:22:32 +0000

(The Center Square) – Federal authorities are investigating whether a message posted on social media by former FBI Director James Comey was meant to be a threat against President Donald Trump. Comey, who was fired by Trump in his first term, posted an image on Instagram Thursday of seashells in the sand spelling the numbers "8647." The number "86" often is used to refer to getting rid of something, including an individual. Trump is the 47th (and 45th) U.S. president. Accompanying the "8647" image was a message Comey captioned the post with: "Cool shell formation on my beach walk…" he wrote.

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Louisiana Lawmakers Reject Several Carbon Capture Bills

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Mon, 12 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) — Legislators rejected seven bills on Tuesday that would have greatly hindered the development of carbon capture and sequestration, a major blow to Louisiana constituents concerned about eminent domain and CO2 leaks. Only one bill moved through the House Natural Resources Committee. Senate Bill 73, from Sen. Mike Reese, R-Beauregard, passed without objection. The bill requires the commissioner of conservation to give significant weight to local government input when making decisions on carbon dioxide sequestration projects that involve public comments or hearings.

Full story:

https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_79dd7e46-6b50-44d8-9bff-aee00cdf8232.html

https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_ae0d1f09-9b47-440c-8557-91b681b0471c.html

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Noem Grants Slight Reprieve for Real ID Compliance

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 11 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that travelers without Real ID-compliant cards will still be able to board flights – for now – even when the law takes effect on Wednesday. "What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line, and [they] will issue their ID and show it," Noem told lawmakers on Tuesday. "If it's not compliant, they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly." The requirement for REAL IDs comes from legislation passed by Congress in 2005 after the 9/11 attacks, and was intended to make IDs more difficult to fake. The REAL ID Act established minimum security standards for driver’s licenses and other forms of state-issued identification.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_0e789f3f-1e67-414a-95cd-9dbe6d69a240.html

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Republican Leaders Face Competing Budget Demands From GOP Lawmakers

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 10 May 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – As the final House committees markup the lion’s share of the budget reconciliation package, nearly three dozen fiscally conservative lawmakers are reminding party leaders to fulfill their spending reduction promises. The $5.8 trillion concurrent budget resolution, which gives congressional committees funding directions to pass President Donald Trump’s tax and other policy goals, barely passed both chambers in April. Fiscal hardliners only backed it on the promise of deep spending cuts.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_11a46b34-0226-4161-bc11-85c4d3c1040e.html

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Circle May Have Missed Out by Rejecting Ripple’s Offer, Crypto Experts Say

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 May 2025 19:31:19 +0000

(The Center Square) – The crypto company Ripple recently offered big money to purchase the company best known for issuing the USDC stablecoin. Ripple, best known for its XRP token, offered somewhere between $4 billion and $5 billion to take over Circle Internet Group Inc. However, its proposal was rejected by Circle, Bloomberg reports. The offer would have consolidated two prominent stablecoin companies had Circle accepted the deal. Although Ripple hasn't ruled out making another offer, the rejection baffled crypto experts. Some argue Circle will regret its decision.

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State Supreme Court Suspends Milwaukee Judge Charged With Helping Man Evade ICE

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 3 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended a Milwaukee judge facing two federal charges for allegedly trying to help a man illegally in the country escape from immigration officials. The order, released late Tuesday, said Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan faces two federal charges – one a felony and one a misdemeanor – and it is in the public interest to relieve her of her duties temporarily. “The court is charged in the Wisconsin Constitution with exercising superintending and administrative authority of the courts of this state. In the exercise of that constitutional authority and in order to uphold the public’s confidence in the courts of this state during the pendency of the criminal proceeding against Judge Dugan, we conclude, on our own motion, that it is in the public interest that she be temporarily relieved of her official duties,” the order reads.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/article_79fa734e-dc49-48b4-94e0-acebe1b68a6f.html

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‘Main Street, Not Wall Street’: Trump Defends Tariffs, Touts Immigration Success

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 May 2025 19:06:59 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump delivered remarks at a rally in Michigan Tuesday evening, his 100th day in office of his second term. Trump touted his progress cutting federal waste, “protecting workers, restoring the rule of law” and ending illegal immigration as part of “the most successful 100 days in the history of any administration.” “Instead of putting China first, I'm putting Michigan first and I'm putting America first,” Trump said at the Macomb County Rally.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_6a808be8-45e3-4fa5-97e0-554851cb0d33.html

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Trump’s Cost-Cutting Project Continues as Musk Prepares to Step Back From DOGE

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump's goals for the Department of Government Efficiency remain even as leader Elon Musk prepares to spend less time on government matters and more time with electric vehicle maker Tesla. When Trump first created DOGE, before taking office, he said it would be the government cost-cutting equivalent of the "Manhattan Project." Both Trump and Musk promised Americans would get a more efficient government after DOGE addressed government waste and cut regulations, but the final product – a streamlined government – isn't due until July 4, 2026, the nation's 250th birthday.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_6b6d3bd7-80e3-4c5e-8186-c4aaa8bf696e.html

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Poll: American Support for Trump on the Economy Is Falling

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:59:07 +0000

(The Center Square) – Americans aren’t thrilled with how President Donald Trump is handling the economy, despite the economy and immigration being his top-performing issues in polls leading up to the election. The president’s overall job approval ratings are barely distinguishable from how he’s polling on the economy, according to The Center Square Voters' Voice poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights. Among the more than 2,500 registered voters surveyed, 44% indicated they approved of how the president is doing his job and 43% approved of how he’s handling the economy. More than half – 53% and 54%, respectively – indicated they were unhappy with his economic and overall job performance.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_28b1e47e-6a55-4086-8f1c-599050340d34.html

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Businesses Sue Trump Admin Over ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – A nonprofit public-interest litigation firm filed a lawsuit Monday alleging President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs require congressional approval. The Liberty Justice Center, based in Texas, challenged the administration's reciprocal tariffs, which Trump announced on April 2 and suspended on April 9, hours after they went into effect. The Liberty Justice Center filing argues that the administration has no authority to issue across-the-board worldwide tariffs without congressional approval. The nonprofits lawsuit alleges Trump has broadly overstepped his authority by claiming "the authority to unilaterally levy tariffs on goods imported from any and every country in the world, at any rate, calculated via any methodology – or mere caprice – immediately, with no notice, or public comment, or phase-in, or delay in implementation, despite massive economic impacts that are likely to do severe damage to the global economy."

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_e9db5f3b-3417-4d53-981e-08253316dbcb.html

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Budget Group Says the Actual Federal Debt Is $158.6 Trillion

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 19:33:53 +0000

(The Center Square) – As Americans file their taxes at the last minute this April 15, the federal debt – and Americans’ federal debt burden – continues to grow. While the federal government reports a national debt nearing $37 trillion, one budget watchdog says the figure is actually much higher: $158.6 trillion, amounting to $974,000 for each federal taxpayer. Truth in Accounting, a nonprofit budget accountability group that emphasizes a different approach to government accounting, released those figures, arguing that they more accurately represent the fiscal situation of the federal government.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_9fe2aaac-eba8-45ac-be32-67be2d90fb35.html

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Chevron Verdict Could Mark Turning Point in Oil Industry Litigation

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) − A Louisiana jury's decision last week to award $745 million in damages against Chevron has become the latest flashpoint in the national legal battle over climate accountability, drawing fierce reactions from industry allies, legal reform advocates, and watchdog groups warning of broader implications. The verdict, issued by the 25th Judicial District Court in Plaquemines Parish, marks the first jury trial result from a slate of more than 40 lawsuits filed by Louisiana parishes since 2013. The suits claim that oil and gas operations contributed significantly to coastal erosion and environmental degradation. But critics say the lawsuits could imperil the state's economic prospects while doing little to directly restore coastal lands.

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Border Czar Addresses Arizona Lawmakers, Cites Success on Crackdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 17:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The massive crackdown on illegal immigration at the southern border is making the U.S. safer, but there’s more work to do, border czar Tom Homan told Arizona lawmakers during a joint session of the Legislature Tuesday. “In a matter of weeks, we’ve had illegal border crossings down 94%. President (Donald) Trump did in five weeks what Joe Biden wouldn’t do in four years,” said Homan, who advises Trump on border issues. Lawmakers in the Legislature, which has a Republican majority in both houses, applauded regularly during Homan's speech. Members of the Democratic minority walked out at the start of the speech to protest the Trump administration policies.

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Senate’s Budget Policy Change Sparks Debate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – As Senate Republicans work on the floor to pass a compromise budget resolution, fiscal watchdogs are warning that permanently extending President Donald Trump’s tax cuts will have dire consequences. The Senate’s amendment to the House’s $4.5 trillion budget resolution would theoretically subtract $3.8 trillion from the price tag by adopting a current policy baseline, which treats renewing the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as a continuation of current law rather than new policy. The unconventional tactic would also allow the TCJA to become permanent since it puts the costs of extension at zero.

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China Stands Firm After Putting 125% Tariffs on U.S. Imports

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:26:10 +0000

Trade between the world's two largest economies could soon come to a standstill as the U.S. and China dig in on trade war. President Donald Trump hit China with 145% tariffs on imports from the globe's second-largest economy. China hit back with 125% tariffs, but said there's no point in going higher.

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Crawford Wins Highly Contested Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 6 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Susan Crawford won the highly contested Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday night as both CNN and The Associated Press called the race. Crawford held 55.9% of the vote compared to 44.1% for Brad Schimel as of 9:25 p.m. central time on Tuesday on an Election Day where seven locations in Milwaukee ran out of ballots, causing voting delays. Schimel conceded the race shortly after 9:30 p.m. central time.

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Critics: Climate Change Lawsuits on Tenuous Legal Grounds

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 5 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – A flurry of lawsuits have been filed around the country in recent years attempting to make oil and gas companies pay for the costs of climate change. But critics of these lawsuits say that they are on tenuous legal ground because of a 2011 U.S. Supreme Court case, and proving direct causation is difficult. One such case is underway in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a moderate state known for its energy industry and that is inevitably at the center of presidential politics each election cycle. The Bucks County government – like many other local and state governments around the country – has filed a lawsuit against the largest and most recognizable oil companies in the U.S., demanding huge payouts for their alleged role in causing climate change.

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U.S. Markets Take Steepest Dive Since Pandemic Amid Tariff Worries

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 4 Apr 2025 21:53:32 +0000

(The Center Square) – U.S. markets took their steepest dive Thursday since the pandemic hit in March 2020 as investors worry about how the U.S. economy will handle President Donald Trump's latest tariffs. The Dow industrials dropped 1,679 points, or 4%. The tech-focused Nasdaq slumped 6%. The S&P 500 fell 4.8%. The dollar slipped to its lowest level of the year. It was the sharpest one-day decline since March 2020, when many states shut down large parts of the U.S. economy to slow the spread of COVID-19. U.S. markets plummeted after Trump's "Liberation Day" for U.S. trade on Wednesday, when he announced a 10% baseline tariff on all countries that will take effect Saturday. Trump also put higher individualized reciprocal tariffs on the countries with which the United States has the largest trade deficits, including China, India and Vietnam, among others.

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Jury Finds Greenpeace Liable Over Dakota Pipeline Protests, Awards $660 Million

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – A North Dakota jury of nine on Wednesday found environmental activist group Greenpeace liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages in a years-long lawsuit brought by Energy Transfer, the company that built the Dakota Access Pipeline that became the subject of sometimes violent protests and international attention. Energy Transfer sued Greenpeace for $300 million over the protests that delayed the pipeline's completion by five months, but jurors awarded the energy infrastructure giant and its subsidiary, Dakota Access LLC, a total of more than $660 million.

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Air Force Options Plentiful for Basing of New F-47 Fighter

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Boeing earned a contract to build the U.S. Air Force's top air dominance fighter, the F-47 and the service has plenty of options to base operational squadrons both in the U.S. and overseas. The sixth-generation aircraft is intended to replace the Air Force's existing top fighter, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and will work with uncrewed aerial vehicles. The service says the aircraft will fly by the end of the decade.

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Trump Calls for Defunding NPR, PBS

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump Thursday called for defunding National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service, two partially federally funded groups under scrutiny in the DOGE era. Trump’s comments come after heads of both NPR and PBS defended their work at a Wednesday Congressional hearing. At the Wednesday hearing, Republican critics honed in on aggressively anti-Trump coverage, inclusion of trans content in children’s programming, and a former senior editor at NPR who uncovered that 87 registered Democrats and not a single registered Republican worked in NPR’s D.C. office.

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White House Playing Defense Amid Fallout of Signal Blunder

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:11:29 +0000

(The Center Square) – Nearly two weeks after a reporter was erroneously looped into a Signal messaging chat between top national security officials, the White House said it is "making changes" to address the issue. “We have never denied that this was a mistake, and the national security adviser took responsibility for that and we have said we are making changes," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday morning. "We are looking into the matter to ensure it can never happen again." On Monday, The Atlantic broke the news of how its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, had mistakenly been included on a text thread between a number of cabinet members and administration higher-ups in the encrypted Signal messaging app.

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Chief Justice Criticizes Trump’s Call to Impeach Judges

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts criticized President Donald Trump's move to impeach judges who have ruled against the president's policies, saying that the court system should be left to resolve legal disputes. "For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” Roberts said Tuesday in a statement. "The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose." The Chief Justice's rare public comments came after Trump demanded the impeachment of a federal judge overseeing a legal challenge to the removal of alleged Venezuelan gang members using the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th century statute.

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Trump Dismantles Education Department, Will ‘Fully Preserve’ Programs

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:36:12 +0000

(The Center Square) – In a move that will undoubtedly incite legal challenges, President Donald Trump dismantled the U.S. Department of Education via executive order Thursday, sending education policy back to the state level. The long-promised, controversial order preserves and redistributes the Education department’s responsibilities to other federal agencies and departments. Education Secretary Linda McMahon will facilitate the closure process.

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Cost of SpaceX Mission to Recover Stranded Astronauts Could Top $150M

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 19:53:16 +0000

(The Center Square) – The cost to bring home a pair of stranded astronauts that have spent most of a year in space aboard the International Space Station could be as much as $150 million. Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, boarded a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and splashed down in the Gulf of America near the Big Bend region of Florida late Tuesday afternoon. Williams and Wilmore arrived on the Space Station on June 6 and had spent 286 days in space, stranded because of issues with the Boeing Dreamliner spacecraft, which later returned without them in September.

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Ontario Walks Back U.S. Electricity Surtax After Trump Threats

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday he would suspend the province's 25% tariff on U.S.-bound electricity after getting a meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and hours after President Donald Trump threatened to double tariffs on Canada. Ford previously said Tuesday he wouldn't budge on the electricity surtax until Trump dropped his tariff threats. Hours later, he changed course after scheduling a meeting Thursday with Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. "I'm not out to hurt the American people,” Ford told reporters in Toronto. "Sometimes you have to play your cards, and this is one of the cards we played, and hopefully we're going to have a very good constructive conversation." Ford reversed course hours after Trump said that he would double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in response to the 25% tariffs Ontario put on electricity going to the U.S. Trump said the tariffs would cripple Canada's auto industry.

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Schumer Says He’ll Now Vote to Approve GOP Spending Bill, Avoid Shutdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 17:37:19 +0000

(The Center Square) – With just a day before the potential for a government shutdown, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., switched course Thursday night and said he would vote to approve House Republicans' Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year. “I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. Just a day earlier, Schumer said Democrats would not support the House bill unless a Democratic amendment was added to shorten the stopgap budget to one month. The measure passed by the Republican majority in the House funds the government for more than six months, through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.

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Sanctuary City Mayors Deflect, Defend Policies Under Lawmaker Questioning

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 9 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Four sanctuary city mayors who spent millions of state and federal taxpayer dollars to accommodate illegal immigrants denied that blocking federal agents from deporting criminal migrants violated federal law at a committee hearing Wednesday. Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform committee grilled Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams in a hearing Wednesday. The mayors defended restrictions they approved that prevented local authorities from cooperating with detainer and deportation requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for illegal immigrants that committed crimes.

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Trump Walks Back Tariffs on Mexico, Canada for Another Month

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 8 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Stocks sunk Thursday afternoon despite President Donald Trump's decision to grant major exceptions to the 25% tariffs he put on Mexico and Canada earlier this week. All three major U.S. market indexes were in the red by the time of Trump's afternoon bill signing. Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office that steel and aluminum tariffs were on track for next week without modifications. Trump shrugged off the stock losses, blaming the decline on "globalists."

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Trump ‘Just Getting Started’ as He Talks Border, DOGE, Tariffs, More

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Mar 2025 17:37:08 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump addressed both the House and Senate Tuesday evening in a wide-ranging speech at about the six week-mark into his second term in office. Trump’s remarks come amidst a series of executive orders, a successful border crackdown, new tariffs, tumultuous foreign policy, and some lawsuits threatening to halt part of his progress. The president began his speech by touting his ambitious pace since taking office.

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Lawmakers Debate DOGE Cuts to Foreign Aid, Shuttering of USAID

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 1 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – While expert witnesses gave divided views on the shuttering of the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID), lawmakers sparred Wednesday during a House Oversight subcommittee hearing over the alleged corruption within the independent agency. Democrats on the Subcommittee on Delivery on Government Efficiency argued that the closing of USAID’s operations by the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has politicized and jeopardized vital humanitarian work globally. Republicans, on the other hand, insisted that politicization is already endemic within USAID and necessitates either drastic reforms or abolishing the agency entirely and placing foreign aid under the purview of the State department.

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House Republicans’ $4.5 Trillion Budget Resolution Overcomes Odds, Passes

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 19:15:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, border, defense, and energy promises are one step closer to enactment after the U.S. House narrowly passed its $4.5 trillion budget resolution Tuesday night, officially kickstarting the budget reconciliation process. Following hours of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., convincing Republican holdouts to commit, a brief cancellation of the vote, and then an abrupt recalling of all House members, the resolution passed 217-215 and now heads to the Senate. Republicans have a majority in the upper chamber with 53 members to the Democrats' 45 and two independents caucusing with them.

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DOGE Says It Has Saved Taxpayers $55 Billion So Far

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The month-old Department of Government Efficiency led by billionaire Elon Musk has saved American taxpayers $55 billion, according to the latest update from the group. Its ‘Wall of Receipts’ on its new website catalogues where the department has made cuts and how much those cuts are worth. The biggest line item on ‘the wall’ is one from the Department of Homeland Security for $8 billion. The U.S. Agency for International Development appears the most in DOGE’s records and so far, shows more than $6.5 billion slashed from its budget, according to the site, though it is still being updated. USAID and the Department of Education top DOGE's list for 'total contract savings' for government agencies. The DHS is sixth.

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Southwest Border Apprehensions Drop By 85%, at Ports of Entry by 93%

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:08:12 +0000

(The Center Square) – In the first 10 days of the Trump administration, apprehensions dropped by 85% between ports of entry at the southwest border, according to new data published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. From Jan. 21 through Jan. 31, 2025, the number of U.S. Border Patrol apprehensions along the southwest border dropped by 85% compared to the same period in 2024. The number of inadmissible illegal border crossers using a CBP One phone app arriving at ports of entry at the southwest border dropped 93% in 11 days compared to the same time period one year prior.

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Trump Signs Order Forcing Agencies to Work With DOGE

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Billionaire Elon Musk joined President Donald Trump in the oval office Tuesday as the president signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to work with Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. The order will require federal agencies to work with DOGE to significantly reduce their labor force. A White House fact sheet, first reported by Semafor, says the order requires agencies hire “no more than one employee for every four employees” that are fired, with some exceptions, including for public safety and law enforcement. DOGE and Musk have dominated the news cycle since Trump took office by exposing an onslaught of controversial federal spending, most notably as USAID, an agency that has been all but destroyed since Trump took office.

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Inflation Rises in Latest Data

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Prices rose more than expected last month, newly released inflation data shows. The Consumer Price Index, a leading marker of inflation, rose 0.5% in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The January increase contributed to a 3% increase in the last 12 months, the highest level since June. The rising cost of shelter drove much of the increase.

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Full story:

Inflation rises in latest data

WATCH: Can Trump really lower gas prices?

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‘Illegal Takeover’ of USAID Operations by Trump, Musk Draws Ire From Democrats

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 8 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Foreign aid has become the newest target of the Department of Government Efficiency, with President Donald Trump reportedly planning to merge the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the State department. Trump has already made Secretary of State Marco Rubio the acting administrator of USAID and halted the agency’s work via a foreign funding freeze, moves Democratic lawmakers say amount to an “illegal takeover.” The changes follow DOGE leader Elon Musk’s social media announcements over the weekend that Trump is planning on dismantling USAID entirely, a claim that Rubio dismissed Monday when he told reporters that the goal is “not about ending the programs that USAID does per se,” but rather ensuring it operates in a responsible, America-centric way.

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Trade War Fears Ease as Trump Pauses Tariffs After Concessions From Canada, Mexico

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Feb 2025 20:45:53 +0000

(The Center Square) – Major markets pared some losses after President Donald Trump paused his plans for 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada while starting talks with China on a 10% additional tariff over fentanyl smuggling. Trump on Saturday ended decades of duty-free trade between the U.S., Mexico and Canada with a 25% tariff on imported goods from the two countries with a lower 10% tariff on Canadian energy resources. Trump said he'd keep the tariffs in place until the illegal fentanyl trade subsided. He also added a 10% tariff on imports from China over that country's role in producing the chemicals needed to make fentanyl, a powerful opioid blamed for the majority of U.S. overdose deaths.

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White House to Trim Federal Workforce Through Buyouts

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 1 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The White House took steps to make good on its promise to cut the federal government down to size by giving federal workers a choice: return to the office full-time or leave with eight months of pay. The Office of Personnel Management told federal workers Tuesday night that they have until Feb. 6 to decide to stay or go. If they step down, they will continue getting all pay and benefits and be exempt from in-person work requirements until Sept. 30. However, the Trump administration said that even government employees who stay on could still eventually lose their jobs as the president reshapes the federal government and its workforce.

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In Less Than a Week, Ice Agents Arrest Thousands Nationwide

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 18:39:42 +0000

Within a week of President Donald Trump being sworn into office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers working with multiple federal agencies are arresting nearly 1,000 people every day set to be deported. On Jan. 26, federal agents arrested 956 illegal border crossers and made 554 detainer requests with local jails, ICE reported. On Jan. 27, they arrested 1,179 foreign nationals in the country illegally and made 853 detainer requests. The agency is publishing daily updates on social media. Those working with ICE include agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Marshals Service.

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Trump Issues Series of Border Security Orders ‘To Protect America From Invasion'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump Monday night declared a national emergency at the U.S. southwest border and issued multiple directives to implement border security. Former President Joe Biden “allowed millions of people to pour through our borders from jails, prisons, mental institutions, insane asylums, gang members to be taken off the streets of Venezuela and deposited in our country and not just Venezuela … through an open border policy," Trump said. "All over the world, they're emptying their prisons into our country, they're emptying their mental institutions into our country. It stopped as of one o’clock this afternoon.” After returning to the Oval Office, Trump signed a series of proclamations and executive orders to implement border security measures.

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Trump issues series of border security orders 'to protect America from invasion'
Trump declares national energy emergency

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Inside Look: On the Streets of Washington D.C. For the Inauguration

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 20:58:41 +0000

(The Center Square) – As President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. President on Monday, his supporters made a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. to show their support. The Center Square joined them in the blistering cold streets of the nation’s capital to get a sense of what Trump’s base is hoping for in this administration. Per conversations on inauguration day, one theme rang loud and clear: securing the southern border.

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What to Expect From President Trump on His First Day in Office

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square)- President-elect Donald Trump is expected to take a wide range of actions on his first day in office. They include potentially signing executive orders related to border security and immigration issues, energy and education. He also vowed to institute a range of tariffs on foreign goods shipped into the country. He also could issue pardons to some convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol.

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Hegseth Grilled on Sexual Assault Allegations, Nonprofits at Confirmation Hearing

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 20:12:01 +0000

(The Center Square) – For more than four hours Tuesday, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth fielded questions regarding both his professional qualifications and personal character during a heated hearing before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. Pam Bondi, Doug Burgum, Marco Rubio, Kristi Noem, and other nominees also began their confirmation hearings in the Senate this week.

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Hegseth grilled on sexual assault allegations, nonprofits at confirmation hearing

Rubio: U.S. foreign policy must serve national interests

WATCH: Both sides raise concern of weaponized Justice Department at Bondi hearing

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New York’s Congestion Pricing Toll System Gets Underway

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) — The nation's first congestion pricing system got underway in New York over the weekend after a last-ditch legal challenge failed to block the controversial new tolling program. New York’s new toll for drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street began just after midnight on Sunday after a U.S. District Court judge late Friday denied New Jersey’s push to keep the plan from going into effect. Under the program, passenger cars will pay a $9 toll between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends. New York officials say the toll will reduce tailpipe pollution and provide more funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the public transit system. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Pushes Ahead With Plan to Buy Greenland, Won’t Rule Out Using Force

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 15:00:44 +0000

(The Center Square) – President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that U.S. economic security depends on controlling Greenland and the Panama Canal. Trump's comments came the same day his son, Don Jr., landed on the arctic island. "Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland," the president-elect wrote on Truth Social. "The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!" As Trump prepares to return to the White House for a second term, he has once again brought up the idea of buying or otherwise taking control of the autonomous territory, which is part of Denmark. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former President Jimmy Carter Dies at Age 100

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 4 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Former President Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Ga. Carter on Oct. 1, 2024, became the first U.S. president to live to be 100. Commander in chief for four years after winning election in 1976 in the aftermath of President Richard Nixon's resignation followed by two years of President Gerald Ford, the Democrat is remembered for negotiating a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, the Camp David Accords, and his post-presidential work for free elections, human rights and building homes for the poor with Habitat for Humanity. Carter also was president during the Iran hostage crisis, when a group of armed Iranian college students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held 53 American diplomats and citizens hostage for 444 days. The hostages were finally released on Jan. 20, 1981, the day President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

FBI Identifies Texas Man as Bourbon Street Attacker; At Least 15 Dead

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Jan 2025 14:41:26 +0000

(The Center Square) – The FBI has identified the driver of a truck that plowed into a crowd of people celebrating New Year's on Bourbon Street early Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 35. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a U.S. citizen and U.S. Army veteran from Houston, rented the F-150 Lightning truck, the FBI said. Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said the agency doesn't believe he acted alone. The law enforcement agency said in a news release that he had improvised explosive devices that were found in both the truck and in two different locations in the French Quarter, body armor and an ISIS flag hanging from the tailgate. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2024 Year in Review: Trump's Comeback, Wars Abroad, & More

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The Center Square's 2024 Year in Review including the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, his ensuing political comeback, wars abroad, & more. Keep up with all of the national news in 2025 at The Center Square: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pentagon Says East Coast Drone Sightings Not a Threat

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Federal officials said Tuesday that drones spotted along the East Coast over the past month do not pose a threat to national security or public safety. Four federal agencies – the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Defense – issued a statement Tuesday after weeks of reports about drone activity. In some cases, airports have been closed as a result of the drones. The Pentagon statement said that the majority of the more than 1 million drones registered with the FAA are used legally for commercial, recreational or governmental purposes. The agencies noted that the recent sightings likely involve a combination of these legal activities and misidentifications of manned aircraft, helicopters, or even celestial objects such as stars.

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House Rejects Trump-Influenced Stopgap Bill, Threatening Government Shutdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 19:41:25 +0000

(The Center Square) – The House has overwhelmingly voted against the stopgap bill presented to the House floor Thursday evening by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., after a last-minute scramble. With 174 yeas and 235 nays, opposition from both Democrats and Republicans tanked the 116-page American Relief Act, 2025 which needed a two-thirds majority to pass. The measure would have funded the government through March, allocated roughly $100 billion in disaster relief, extended the farm bill for a year, and suspended the debt ceiling until January 2027.

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Increase in Food Costs Drives Rise in Inflation

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – Newly released inflation data shows a rise in producer prices. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday released its Producer Price index, a key marker of inflation, which rose 0.4% in November. The November increase is part of a 3% increase in the past year, which BLS pointed out is “the largest rise since moving up 4.7% for the 12 months ended February 2023.” Much of the PPI was driven by a rise in food prices, most notably the cost of eggs. “A quarter of the November rise in prices for final demand goods is attributable to a 54.6-percent jump in the index for chicken eggs,” BLS said. “Prices for fresh and dry vegetables, fresh fruits and melons, processed poultry, non-electronic cigarettes, and residential electric power also increased.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

NYC Mayor Adams Ready to Work With Republicans on Border-Related Crime

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 15:25:10 +0000

(The Center Square) – After blaming Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for over a year for illegal border crossers inundating New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said on Thursday he now welcomes federal help to remove criminals in the city who are illegally in the country. After meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, Adams held a news conference expressing his support for Homan’s efforts. When asked if Homan requested help from the city to target the most violent criminals illegally in the country, Adams said his goal “is clearly again with my target area.” Adams, a Democrat, said his goal aligned with Homan’s to improve public safety and reduce crime. Homan’s focus is on removing the most violent offenders first, The Center Square reported. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Canada Pledges to Improve Border Security After Meeting With Trump Official

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 7 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

(The Center Square) — A leading member of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet says that Canada will bolster its border security after meeting with President-elect Donald Trump's Commerce Secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc made the comments to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation after Trump threatened broad 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico if they do not help stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S. "As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before," Trump said in a statement last week threatening the 25% tariff. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Biden Under Fire for Pardoning Hunter Biden

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 6 Dec 2024 15:02:03 +0000

(The Center Square) – President-elect Donald Trump responded to President Joe Biden’s expansive pardon of his son, Hunter, calling it a “miscarriage of justice.” Trump’s comments were echoed by a wave of criticism following the Sunday night pardon. The president and his White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, both previously said Biden would not pardon his son. “President Biden insisted many times he would never pardon his own son for his serious crimes,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement. “But last night he suddenly granted a ‘Full and Unconditional Pardon’ for any and all offenses that Hunter committed for more than a decade! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Homan: Deportation Plan to Prioritize National Security Threats, Violent Criminals

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 17:52:40 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump’s new border czar Tom Homan is putting together an extensive deportation plan for when he hits the ground running after they are both sworn into office in January. Homan spoke to The Center Square about his priorities, illustrating a marked difference from President Joe Biden’s border czar, Vice President Kamala Harris, who repeatedly said the border was secure and she didn’t need to go to there. Under the Biden-Harris administration, the greatest number of illegal border crossers, roughly 14 million, were reported in U.S. history, The Center Square reported.

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DEI Gone?: GOP Lawmakers Prep to Clean House in Federal Government

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump’s win and his subsequent creation of a Department of Government Efficiency have galvanized lawmakers to pave the way for legislation to clean out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, staff and programs that have ballooned under the Biden-Harris administration. The Center Square was given advance copy of two bills filed Thursday by U.S. Rep. Bob Good, R-La., to end DEI practices at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The first bill, the Flexibility in Housing Act of 2024, would block a Biden-Harris administration rule at HUD. That rule is about to be finalized and would require HUD grant recipients to implement “equity-driven housing plans.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gaetz Withdraws From Attorney General Consideration

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:57:41 +0000

Matt Gaetz, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick to lead the U.S. Department of Justice as attorney general, said Thursday he was withdrawing his name from consideration to lead the federal law enforcement agency. Gaetz’ decision comes after meeting with U.S. senators, many of whom had expressed misgivings about Gaetz, who made enemies in Congress, including for his role in ousting former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The Senate must vote to confirm Trump cabinet nominees. Republicans on the House Ethics Commitee blocked the release of a long-awaited ethics report on Gaetz earlier this week despite some senators calling for its release. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Senate Republicans Elect John Thune Majority Leader

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000

U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday elected Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., to lead the party in the Senate. Senate Republicans voted via secret ballot to elect a new party leader as longtime Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky,. is stepping down. Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Thune and John Cornyn of Texas also ran for the position. "I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House," Thune said in a statement. "This Republican team is united behind President Trump's agenda, and our work starts today." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Taps Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, Tulsi Gabbard as Intelligence Official

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 16:52:57 +0000

President-Elect Donald Trump named two more high-profile figures to his administration Wednesday afternoon, the latest in a flurry of presidential picks. Trump tapped U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to serve as attorney general and former Democratic Congresswoman and Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of National Intelligence. “For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans,” Trump said in a statement. “As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Republicans on Track to Control All Three Branches of Government

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 9 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Republicans are on track to control all three branches of government for the first time since former President Donald Trump took the nation by surprise with his win in 2016. Although many votes are left to be counted and Americans will not know the final results with certainty for days or possibly weeks, analysts generally agree that Republicans are favored to take the U.S. House of Representatives after already reclaiming the Senate. A big development broke Thursday evening when media outlets called the tight Pennsylvania Senate race in favor of Republican Dave McCormick, who narrowly beat incumbent Sen. Bob Casey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mandate? Trump’s Big Win Fuels Talk of Policy Actions

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Nov 2024 15:46:31 +0000

Former President Donald Trump is on track to potentially receive 300 electoral votes or more. He won the national popular vote by about 5 million with votes still being counted. As a result, some analysts and Republicans say Trump and the GOP have a “mandate” to aggressively push forward with their agenda. "America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate," Trump said in his speech early Wednesday morning, creating a refrain echoed by his supporters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump, Harris Hit the Home Stretch

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Nov 2024 18:26:15 +0000

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are locked in a tight race with Election Day right around the corner. Trump hosted a rally at Madison Square Garden Sunday night, riffing off the fiery crowd and hitting on a range of topics in his typical style. The same day, Harris spoke at a lively rally of her own in Philadelphia in the key swing state of Pennsylvania.

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At Least 1.6 Million Illegal Border Crossers From Countries of Concern Under Biden

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Of the record 14 million illegal border crossers reported under the Biden-Harris administration, more than 1.62 million are from four Countries of Particular Concern (CPC): China, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia. The U.S. State Department has designated CPCs for their policies of “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom,” which includes “torture, prolonged detention without charges, forced disappearance, or other flagrant denial of life, liberty, or security of persons.” U.S. designated CPCs include Burma, the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The CPCs of Cuba, North Korea, and Iran are also designated State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Polling Guru, Expert Picker Reveal Who Will Win Presidential Election

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 15:01:37 +0000

One of America's top polling experts shared his "gut" prediction on who will win the 2024 presidential election, joining other notables who have shared different predictions for the tight race. With less than two weeks before voters decide between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, polling guru Nate Sliver said he thinks Trump will win, but with a caveat. "My gut says Donald Trump. And my guess is that it is true for many anxious Democrats," Silver wrote in a New York Times opinion piece. "But I don’t think you should put any value whatsoever on anyone's gut – including mine." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

FEMA Changes in Senate Bill Filed Before Helene, Milton

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A proposal senators from Michigan and North Carolina say could be helping victims of natural disasters was already filed before Hurricanes Helene and Milton ruptured lives in the southeastern United States. On Wednesday of the third week since Helene struck the Blue Ridge Mountains in Sen. Thom Tillis’ native North Carolina, FEMA is under attack, the Disaster Survivors Fairness Act of 2024 remains parked in committee since introduction Sept. 17, and another cold night is coming with dozens still missing and 95 dead. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bets: Morning After Unkind to Harris

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:36:13 +0000

The morning after was not kind to Vice President Kamala Harris, at least not at the leading national betting books. Already the betting favorite Monday by 9.2%, Republican former President Donald Trump surged to 17.2% by midday Thursday – the biggest headlines from each happening on Wednesday in interviews rather than campaign rallies. And each happened on the home of Fox News, a network known for the conservative lean to the right. Trump, appearing with Harris Faulkner on “The Faulkner Focus,” said transgender athletes competing in women’s sports would be banned if he’s given a second administration. Transgender woman means a person assigned the male sex at birth who identifies and lives femininely. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Deficit Nears $2 Trillion as Lawmakers Borrow $5 Billion per Day

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The U.S. annual deficit is nearing $2 trillion for this fiscal year, almost double the record deficits before the COVID-19 pandemic, as federal borrowing hit more than $5 billion per day. The U.S. Congressional Budget Office reported that the federal deficit hit an estimated $1.8 trillion in fiscal year 2024, $139 billion higher than the deficit from the previous fiscal year. The troubling deficit news comes as the national debt continues to soar, drawing closer to $36 trillion. “Within the next dozen years, three major trust funds – for highways, Medicare, and Social Security – will run out of reserves, forcing us to reckon with even tougher decisions on how to keep important government priorities afloat,” Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said in a statement. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Poll: Harris Holds Slight National Lead Over Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 16:10:06 +0000

Vice President Kamala Harris holds a slight edge over former President Donald Trump in national polling less than one month from election day. The Center Square Voters' Voice poll, conducted with Noble Predictive Insights and released Wednesday, shows Harris leads Trump 49% to 47%, a tight race that's within the poll's +/-2.1% margin of error. The poll is one of only six national tracking polls in the United States. The race likely will be determined by a handful of swing states where other polling shows a near tie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Longshoremen end port strike after reaching potential deal

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 5 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association will return to work after the port workers' union reached a tentative contract agreement with the United States Maritime Alliance. "The International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. have reached a tentative agreement on wages and have agreed to extend the Master Contract until January 15, 2025 to return to the bargaining table to negotiate all other outstanding issues," the two groups posted Thursday in a joint statement to Facebook. "Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Vance, Walz Debate Economy, Immigration, Abortion in Tight Presidential Race

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 4 Oct 2024 18:15:19 +0000

U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz exchanged barbs on the debate stage Tuesday night in what may be the final debate before Election Day just five weeks away. CBS News anchors Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan hosted the 100+ minute debate of the vice presidential nominees, where the candidates grappled over the economy, immigration, abortion and the records of their respective running mates. Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris remain in a tight race according to polling nationally and in the swing states. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Campaign Boosted in Latest Poll

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Newly released polling data may give fresh hope to the Trump campaign this week as Vice President Kamala Harris’ triumphant entry to the race fades and is replaced by the day-to-day grind of modern presidential campaigning. A New York Times/Siena poll released Monday shows Trump performing well in three key states, including a 5-point lead in the swing state of Arizona. The poll also showed Trump up by 2 points in North Carolina and up by 4 points in Georgia. Former President Joe Biden beat Trump in both Arizona and Georgia in 2020 by a narrow margin.

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Indictment: Routh Charged With Attempted Assassination of Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 19:06:53 +0000

Federal authorities on Tuesday secured an indictment charging Ryan Wesley Routh with the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The indictment also charges Routh with four other counts, including knowingly possessing a firearm during a crime of violence; and forcibly assaulting, intimidating and interfering with a Secret Service agent. Trump was playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach when a Secret Service agent scouting the course about a hole ahead of the Republican candidate for president spotted a rifle sticking out from the tree line. The agent fired in the direction of the rifle before a witness told authorities Routh sped away in a Nissan sport utility vehicle. Local police pulled Routh over and arrested him a short time later.

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Fed Announces Cut to Federal Interest Rate, Driving Stocks Up

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The U.S. Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday announced a slight cut to the federal funds rate, the first cut since March of 2020, when rates were near 0%. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell pointed to good data on the job market like unemployment, labor force participation and fewer job vacancies. The Fed announced a cut of 50 basis points, or half a percentage point, as economists and the market closely watched the news, making the new federal funds range 4.75-5%.

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Lawmakers Call for Changes at Secret Service After Second Assassination Attempt

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:27:35 +0000

U.S. lawmakers are calling for changes in how the U.S. Secret Service protects former President Donald Trump after a second assassination attempt Sunday. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was able to hide outside a golf course where Trump was golfing. Authorities say Routh pointed the barrel of an assault-style rifle through a chain-link fence toward the golf course, was spotted by an agent, who fired at Routh. The suspect was soon arrested after fleeing the scene.

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Former Border Patrol Agent Asks 23 Years After 9/11: What Does ‘Safe’ Mean?

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Twenty-three years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Americans are not any safer than they were before because of a border crisis facilitated by the Biden-Harris administration, national security experts argue. One U.S. Army veteran who later served as a Border Patrol agent for 10 years but left citing Biden-Harris policies told The Center Square that Americans’ safety and security means something different depending on the administration in charge. Since fiscal 2021, more than 12.5 million foreign nationals have illegally entered the country under Vice President Kamala Harris, designated the “border czar” by President Joe Biden. That's by far the greatest number of any administration in U.S. history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump, Harris Enter the Home Stretch With Question Marks Around Next Debate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 17:12:57 +0000

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are less than eight weeks away from election day, and whether they will debate again remains in question. The two faced off for their first-ever debate Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Before this week's debate, neither campaign had agreed to another debate. Harris' campaign released a statement welcoming a second debate, but whether Trump's team feels the same, and whether the two camps can agree on the network to host and the details of the debate remain major question marks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

North Carolina, Delaware First in Nation to Begin Voting

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 6 Sep 2024 16:20:08 +0000

North Carolina is the first battleground state to begin the voting process, sending out absentee by mail ballots on Friday. Delaware is also first in the nation with a law of “60 days before Election Day.” The number of days ahead of the election to send out absentee by mail ballots in the other consensus battleground states is 50 in Pennsylvania, 47 in Wisconsin, 45 in Michigan, 25 to 29 in Georgia, and 24 to 27 in Arizona. In Nevada, it is not specified. The seven states represent 93 electoral college votes among them. Pennsylvania has 19, North Carolina and Georgia 16 each, Michigan 15, Arizona 11, Wisconsin 10 and Nevada six. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Biden-Harris Admin Under Fire for Pressuring Facebook to Censor Americans

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicked off a firestorm of controversy this week when he sent a letter to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee admitting his mistake in caving to pressure from the Biden administration to censor Americans’ posts that contradicted the administration’s viewpoints on COVID-19. "In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree," the letter said. Zuckerberg also said that Facebook made posts about Hunter Biden’s laptop harder to see during the 2020 election at the request of the FBI, the latest evidence of coordinated social media censorship driven by the federal government. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Polling Mixed on Tight Harris-Trump Race

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 14:12:51 +0000

New polling on Thursday showed Kamala Harris with a widening margin over former President Donald Trump in Reuters/Ipsos poll published Thursday. It found Harris leaders Trump 45% to 41%. Among registered voters, the four-percentage point lead was more significant than the one-point lead Harris had over Trump in the outfit's last poll in July. The poll had a 2% margin of error. Over in polling guru Nate Sliver's latest models, Harris didn't fare as well. "Although we wouldn't advise worrying too much about the difference between a 52/48 race one way versus a 48/52 race the other way – it's not a big difference – this wasn't a good day for Kamala Harris in our model, as Donald Trump is the slight favorite for the first time since August 3," Silver wrote in the Silver Bulletin. "There's one big reason for that – Pennsylvania, which is the tipping-point state more than one-third of the time and where it's been quite a while since we've seen a poll showing Harris leading." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Biden Explains Why He Dropped Out of Presidential Race

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

President Joe Biden explained to reporters Tuesday in more detail his rationale for suddenly ending his reelection bid earlier this year. Biden told reporters that his race against former President Donald Trump would have been close and that he “could have won.” Biden said he wasn’t “that far behind” but that he was worried that he would hurt Senate and House Democrats running for their seats. “What have happened though, if the discussion had been, was I going to cost seats for Democrats, that would have been the whole subject matter for the remainder of the campaign,” Biden told reporters at Chicago O'Hare International Airport before boarding Air Force One. “You'd have to cover it, that would be the issue, and it would give him an advantage.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Harris Accepts Democratic Presidential Nomination, Setting up Showdown With Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 17:42:30 +0000

Vice President and now-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris formally accepted the party’s nomination on the final day of the Democratic National Convention Thursday night in Chicago. Harris’ comments come after several days of speeches at the convention from party leaders, including former President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden. The event sets the stage for the remaining weeks in the race with Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump heading into November. Harris began her speech by telling her life story, from her Indian mother and Jamaican father meeting, to moving often as a child, including a handful of family anecdotes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Critics: Where’s Debt Plan as Deficit Hits $1.5 Trillion, Debt Tops $35 Trillion?

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The federal deficit so far this fiscal year has already hit $1.5 trillion, the U.S. Treasury Department reported in its monthly fiscal update. The federal data comes just days after the national debt surpassed $35 trillion, an unprecedented figure that worries economists and budget analysts. For now, though, neither Republicans nor Democrats have prioritized getting the deficit under control or showed unity in putting a plan forward to do so. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Previewing the Upcoming DNC in Chicago

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 18:49:48 +0000

A preview of the upcoming DNC in Chicago as Democrats prepare to formally nominate Vice President Kamala Harris. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

House Judiciary Report: Biden-Harris Admin Releasing Known, Suspected Terrorists Into US

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Biden-Harris administration policies are resulting in Border Patrol agents releasing known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) into the U.S., a new congressional report states. “The open-borders policies of President Joe Biden and border czar Vice President Kamala Harris have allowed millions of illegal aliens to enter the United States, including terrorist organizations and other bad actors looking to harm Americans,” creating a national security threat, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement said in a new interim report released Monday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kamala Harris Picks Walz as Running Mate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 Aug 2024 15:38:01 +0000

Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for the Democrats' presidential ticket against Republican former President Donald Trump. The news comes 16 days after President Joe Biden said he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris, who immediately acknowledged her candidacy. No other candidates emerged, and the party by virtual roll call Thursday through Monday awarded her the nomination. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Failures of Secret Service Mount as Senators Demand Accountability

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 3 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The failures of the Secret Service around the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump are mounting but members of Congress say there’s not been enough accountability. Trump suffered a wound to the ear, a spectator was killed and two others were critically wounded when a sniper opened fire in Butler, Pennsylvania, at a campaign rally on July 13. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned last week after a U.S. House hearing failed to get answers. On Tuesday in a U.S. Senate hearing, Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe told U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, those on the ground making decisions that day have not been fired. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New Poll: Trump Leads Harris by 4 Points Nationally

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 Aug 2024 18:22:02 +0000

President Donald Trump outperforms Vice President Kamala Harris in a head-to-head matchup, according to a new poll. The Harvard/Harris poll released Tuesday was taken after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and asked respondents: “If the 2024 election for President were held today and it was between Donald Trump, the Republican and Kamala Harris, the Democrat, who would you vote for?” Results showed Trump beats Harris by four points, 52% to 48%. Other polls in the short time since Harris kicked off her presidential bid have showed a tie or slight edge for Trump. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cheatle Resigned After Two Articles of Impeachment Were Filed Against Her

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Two articles of impeachment were filed against U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle just before she resigned Tuesday over security failures at the Pennsylvania campaign event where former President Donald Trump was shot. A Florida congresswoman asked for criminal charges to be brought against her, and two Republicans, Greg Steube, R-Florida, and Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, took actions for her to be impeached. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump, Harris Nearly Tied Nationally in New Poll

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:38:02 +0000

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris is nearly tied with former President Donald Trump in national polling, according to the latest survey results. A New York Times/Sienna poll released Thursday shows a near tie between Trump and Harris. The poll was conducted July 22-24, after President Joe Biden left the race, and reports Trump leads Harris 48% to 47% in the poll of likely voters and 48% to 46% among registered voters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

‘Gift From God’: Trump Describes Assassination Attempt as He Accepts GOP Nomination

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Former President Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for President Thursday night, less than a week after surviving an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Concluding the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Trump laid out his policy priorities and described in detail the attack that nearly killed him at the Saturday rally. “I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength, and hope,” Trump said to begin the speech. “Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

‘Total Failure:’ Oversight Committee Subpoenas Head of Secret Service

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:54:28 +0000

U.S. House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said Wednesday he is subpoenaing the head of the Secret Service, the latest step in the ongoing investigation and scrutiny of the agency after the near assassination of former president Donald Trump on Saturday. U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle in particular has faced criticism and calls for her resignation over how the Secret Service handled, and in many ways failed, during Saturday's event. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Speculation High Over Trump’s Potential Running Mate Ahead of Convention

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Republicans who once criticized former President Donald Trump are on the presumptive Republican nominees' short-list for vice president ahead of the Republican National Convention next week. Trump's campaign reportedly sent informational requests to eight GOP leaders: Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, Florida U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, New York U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, Arkansas U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson. Trump has mentioned several of those same names during public appearances in recent weeks, teasing at his pick before the convention.

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Biden Refers to Harris as ‘VP Trump’ During Mistake-Filled NATO Presser

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 19:24:47 +0000

In his first news conference since his critically panned debate performance two weeks ago, President Joe Biden on Thursday made numerous mistakes while talking for about an hour on a range of policy issues. He answered questions from 10 hand-picked reporters focused mostly on his fitness for office, but included issues such as the conflicts in Israel and Ukraine. "I've been given a list of people to call on here," Biden said when the Q&A portion of his news conference began, later mistakenly referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as "Vice President Trump."

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Biden’s Title IX Rewrite Threatened by New Legal Landscape

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 6 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

President Joe Biden’s attempt to re-interpret Title IX and thereby implement a sweeping LGBTQ agenda at schools around the country may be put on hold after a few key court rulings. The Biden administration’s overhaul of Title IX is set to take effect Aug. 1, but a flurry of court decisions in recent weeks may be enough for critics to stop the changes before they fully take effect. One of those cases included a win for “Moms for Liberty,” a group that successfully sued the Department of Education and obtained an order this week blocking the enforcement of the Title IX changes in several states. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Biden: Supreme Court Ruling on Presidential Immunity ‘Dangerous Precedent'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 Jul 2024 13:37:05 +0000

President Joe Biden Monday night said the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the president has "absolute immunity" when acting in his core constitutional duties is "a dangerous precedent" that "undermines the rule of law of this nation." Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision ruled that the "president's exercise of his core constitutional powers, this immunity must be absolute. As for his remaining official actions, he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Federal Judges Block Biden’s Plan to End Student Loan Repayments

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Two federal judges on Monday ruled to block part of President Joe Biden's recent attempt to indefinitely postpone or cancel nearly half a trillion dollars in student loan debt. U.S. District Judge John Ross in Missouri and U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Kansas issued two separate rulings on Monday after Republican-led states' attorneys general filed a legal challenge to Biden's plan, which would have indefinitely postponed payments for a huge swath of borrowers, likely costing taxpayers about half a trillion dollars. Ross' ruling is a preliminary injunction halting part of Biden's plan until a ruling is made. The issue will likely be appealed and could move up through the courts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More Than 12 Million Illegal Border Crossers Since Fiscal 2021

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0000

More than 12 million people have illegally crossed the border into the U.S. since 2021, data obtained and analyzed by The Center Square show. That includes the more than 241,000 apprehensions of illegal border crossers in May. The total number who’ve illegally entered the U.S. nationwide in fiscal 2024 through May is more than 2.2 million, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. The majority of illegal border crossers are overwhelmingly single adults. In fiscal 2024 through May, they totaled over 1.35 million. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Biden, Trump Spar Over Inflation, Border, More in First Presidential Debate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:21:40 +0000

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump grappled over inflation, illegal immigration, abortion and more during the first debate of this election cycle Thursday night in Atlanta. A Quinnipiac poll released the day before the debate shows Trump with a 49%-45% lead over Biden, showing Biden needed to turn the tide Thursday night. But throughout the debate, Biden showed moments of murmuring, blank stares, trailing off in his responses, or seeming to lose his train of thought. “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence,” Trump said early in the debate. “I really don’t think he knows what he said either.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

GOP Leadership Decries Alleged Retaliation Against Hunter Biden Whistleblowers

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0000

A coalition of leading Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives is raising concerns about allegations that the Internal Revenue Service has retaliated against whistleblowers. IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler came forward and testified before Congress last year that the Biden administration mishandled the investigation into the alleged tax misdeeds of Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son. The whistleblowers testified before Congress, as the Center Square previously reported, that Hunter received special treatment. Hunter Biden faces pending tax charges. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Biden & Trump Debate Preview

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0000

This 2024 election cycle has seen several major developments in recent weeks as the nation barrels toward November. At the end of May, a jury in New York found former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts related to his alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. Polling since that verdict, though, shows the conviction has not hurt Trump’s chances against Biden. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll released last week shows Trump with a two point lead over Biden. The current Real Clear Politics average of recent polls shows Trump with a 0.8 point lead. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Biden Announces Widespread Amnesty Plan for Illegal Immigrants

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:14:58 +0000

President Joe Biden announced a new plan on Tuesday that will fast track a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals who’ve been living in the country illegally for more than 10 years and married a U.S. citizen. He also expanded protections for DACA recipients, according to several reports. In a statement issued by the White House, the president blamed Republicans in Congress for not securing the border and fixing the "broken immigration system." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Convictions Fail to Sink Trump’s Campaign

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

A New York jury convicted former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts last week, but so far it seems to have done little to dampen Trump's electoral hopes. The conviction naturally raised the question of whether they would topple Trump’s 2024 White House bid. For now, the answer appears to be no. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jury Finds Hunter Biden Guilty in Delaware Gun Case

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 14:42:51 +0000

A Delaware jury convicted President Joe Biden's son of gun charges on Tuesday, marking the first-ever criminal conviction of a president's son. Special counsel David Weiss indicted Hunter Biden in September 2023 in federal court in Delaware on three counts tied to the possession of a gun while using drugs. Two of the counts involve allegations that he allegedly lied on a form attesting that he was not using illegal drugs when he bought a .38 Special Colt Cobra revolver in October 2018. The third count alleges that he possessed a firearm while using illicit drugs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After Conviction, Trump Draws Crowd in Phoenix Heat

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 8 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Former President Donald Trump has kicked off a western U.S. campaign tour, stopping in Phoenix on Thursday. Though the rally was held indoors at the Dream City Church, the heat outside of the event sent several people to the hospital, according to multiple news reports. The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning until Friday night for the Phoenix area, noting highs reaching near 110 degrees later in the day. Like previous events held at the church, Thursday's event, which was held by Trump-allied Turning Point Action, was expected to draw upward of 3,000 people.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/arizona/article_16d295b0-2461-11ef-9608-571bae01b13d.html

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Biden Announces ‘Border Security’ Measures Five Months Ahead of Election

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Jun 2024 16:21:53 +0000

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced what he dubbed a border security plan – five months ahead of the November election and after at least 11 million foreign nationals illegally entered the country since his inauguration. At a news conference at the White House, Biden said, “I’ve come here to do what Republicans in Congress have failed to do, take the necessary steps to secure our border. … Today, I’m moving past Republican obstruction and using executive authorities available to me as president to do what I can on my own to address the border.” The president said that foreign nationals illegally entering the country between ports of entry would be barred from receiving asylum.

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Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_95eace28-22bb-11ef-9284-dfb452577a04.html

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Jury Convicts Trump in Hush Money Case on All 34 Charges

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 31 May 2024 16:57:59 +0000

A Manhattan jury on Thursday convicted former President Donald Trump on all counts in his hush money case, a history-making verdict that could reshape the 2024 presidential election. Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records for disguising hush money payments to an adult film actress as legal costs ahead of the 2016 election. Under New York state law, falsifying business records in the first degree is a Class E felony that carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Federal Scholarship Program Under Fire for Alleged Bias Against Conservatives

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 25 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Lawmakers have threatened to revoke the appropriations for a federally-funded scholarship program that an audit found favors liberally leaning students over conservatives by a ratio of 10 to 1. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation was established in the 1970s to award scholarships to students who “demonstrate outstanding potential for and who plan to pursue a career in public service.” An audit of those scholarships performed by the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, though, reported strong liberal bias at the taxpayer-funded foundation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump Decides Not to Testify in Hush Money Case

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 24 May 2024 14:03:24 +0000

Donald Trump's defense team rested, wrapping up its side of the case after calling two witnesses, including one who contradicted testimony provided by former Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, the prosecution's star witness. Trump had said he would testify at his trial if necessary, but decided not to take the stand in the history-making trial. His defense team rested Tuesday, clearing the way for jury deliberations to begin next week. Justice Juan Merchan told jurors to return for closing arguments next Tuesday after the Memorial Day weekend. Deliberations could begin the next day, Reuters reported. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.S. Spending on Interest Tops National Defense, Medicare

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 18 May 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Congress has spent more money on interest so far this year than it has spent on both national defense and Medicare. Spending on net interest hit $514 billion in the first seven months of fiscal year 2024. That's more than spending on both national defense ($498 billion) and Medicare ($465 billion). Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those 65 and older and younger people with disabilities. During the same time period, the U.S. spent $873 billion on Social Security, the federal program that provides retirement, disability, survivor, and family benefits to more than 67 million Americans. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Trump, Biden Want to Debate Before Election, but Details Vague

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he plans to debate former President Donald Trump twice before the November election, but the details have yet to be worked out. Biden challenged Trump to debate in a video message posted Wednesday. "Well, make my day, pal," Biden said in the video. "I'll even do it twice." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Judge Fines Trump for 10th Gag Order Violation, Warns About Jail

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 May 2024 15:24:10 +0000

A judge on Monday fined former President Donald Trump for violating a gag order in his New York hush money case for a tenth time. Prosecutors had alleged Trump violated the gag order an additional four times, but Judge Juan Merchan found only one instance violated the order. In his ruling, the judge fined Trump $1,000 for comments he made during an April 22, 2024, interview with "Just the News No Noise." During the interview, Trump said the jury was packed with Democrats.

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Several States File Suit Challenging New Title IX Rules

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 4 May 2024 10:39:00 +0000

Tennessee and West Virginia led a five-state lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education challenging the federal overhaul of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act. The lawsuit is one of several filed nationally on the topic after Biden’s administration rewrote the Title IX statute to expand the definition of “sex” to include “gender identity.” “The U.S. Department of Education has no authority to let boys into girls’ locker rooms,” Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti said in a statement. “In the decades since its adoption, Title IX has been universally understood to protect the privacy and safety of women in private spaces like locker rooms and bathrooms.

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‘Radical Left Revolution:’ Trump Weighs in on Pro-Hamas Campus Chaos

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 May 2024 16:39:08 +0000

Former President Donald Trump weighed in online on the ongoing chaos on college campuses as pro-Hamas protesters occupy and vandalize colleges around the country. “THIS IS A RADICAL LEFT REVOLUTION TAKING PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY,” Trump wrote Thursday on TruthSocial, his social media site. Trump’s comments capture a repeated conservative argument, that conservative protesters like those on Jan. 6 were met with severe consequences while liberal protesters, like the Black Lives Matter rioters and the college campus pro-Hamas protesters, have been given a pass. Biden has remained silent as local leaders navigate the protests, which have featured arrests, vandalism, some viral moments of fights, and calls for violence against Jews. Many of the protests have also expressed outright support for Hamas, the group that killed hundreds of Israelis, many of them civilians and children, in the Oct. 7 attack last fall. The State Department has officially named Hamas a terrorist organization.

Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_b3eeff10-0886-11ef-a8b5-3bc6a77b3376.html

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University Antisemitism Reaches Fever Pitch With Calls for Violence Against Jews

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 10:25:00 +0000

A Jewish Yale student was reportedly stabbed in the eye with a Palestinian flag during a pro-Hamas protest on campus over the weekend, the latest incident highlighting the ongoing tensions on college campuses since the Hamas terror group attacked Israel Oct. 7 and ignited an ongoing war. Amidst ongoing calls for violence, lawmakers have ramped up calls for accountability for the taxpayer-funded universities as well as groups supporting Hamas, which the State Department has officially labeled a terrorist organization.

Full story:

https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_01f1743e-005a-11ef-bcdc-9b5bcee28d7f.html

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Supreme Court Questions How Immunity Would Shape Presidency in Trump Case

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 18:08:08 +0000

U.S. Supreme Court Justices on Thursday grappled with multiple questions about what a president can and can't do as they heard oral arguments in a case that could have wide-reaching political ramifications not only for the 2024 election, but well beyond. Supreme Court justices are considering a case involving former President Donald Trump and if presidents have immunity from criminal prosecutions. Trump's attorney D. John Sauer said the president must have immunity for a functioning democracy to flourish.

Full story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_3e8012f8-02a2-11ef-856b-37be46049bb5.html

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White House Says $521 Billion Annual Federal Fraud Estimate ‘Not Plausible’

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 10:55:00 +0000

The White House Office of Management and Budget openly criticized a report from a Congressional watchdog that estimated the federal government loses up to $521 billion a year to fraud. Jason Miller, the deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, detailed OMB concerns in a 3-page letter to officials with the Government Accountability Office. He said the fraud estimate was "not plausible."

Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_36e9fdba-fccb-11ee-ad77-57171fd78925.html

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Johnson Risks His Job Over Israel, Ukraine Votes

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:55:27 +0000

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has set up a week of controversy, political posturing and even risked his own job over federal funding for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. The Senate passed a $95 billion aid package earlier this year that combined Israel and Ukraine funding that included $60 billion for Ukraine and $14.1 billion for Israel. That bill made no progress in the House so far, but the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel have pushed the issue to the forefront.

Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_c40105ae-fc12-11ee-b11a-339751511969.html

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States File Suit to Block Biden’s Student Debt Forgiveness Plan

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 09:28:00 +0000

A coalition of states has filed a legal challenge to President Joe Biden’s latest executive effort to forgive a portion of Americans' student loan debt.

The lawsuit comes after Biden on Monday announced the plan, which the states in question say is an overreach of executive authority. The White House claims that Biden has so far canceled at least some of the debt for 4 million Americans, totaling $146 billion so far.

The White House said the newest effort would partially forgive debt for 30 million Americans, though independent analyses have not confirmed that figure.

Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_80cc5f48-f688-11ee-82c6-93cf698c33d0.html

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Fact Check: Biden Touts Inflation Has ‘Fallen'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 16:25:15 +0000

President Joe Biden this week touted what he called a major drop in inflation, saying prices had fallen more than 60%. Those comments come on the heels of more federal data showing prices are on the rise, raising the question: Has inflation really fallen or is something else going on? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation that has spiked recently. BLS found the CPI rose another 0.4% last month, part of a 3.5% increase over the previous twelve months. Soon after that data was released, Biden released a statement boasting of a drop in inflation.

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Feds Report About $2.7 Trillion in Improper Payments in Two Decades

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 6 Apr 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The federal government reported hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars in improper payments last fiscal year and trillions over the last two decades.

According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, the federal government reported $236 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2023. The true number, though, is actually much higher, but federal reporting is often lacking.

“GAO has found that these payments represent a material deficiency or weakness in internal controls,” GAO said. “Specifically, GAO has noted that the federal government is unable to determine the full extent of its improper payments or to reasonably assure that appropriate actions are taken to reduce them.”

Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_e0f897fc-f137-11ee-811d-5b4aa35ab139.html

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House Leaders Demand Answers From Mayorkas on Terrorists Being Released Into Us

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 Apr 2024 19:04:49 +0000

Republican members of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security are demanding answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after learning that Border Patrol agents are releasing known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) into the country.

The demand comes after Republican members led the charge to impeach Mayorkas in February and after FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before Congress expressing concerns about those illegally entering the U.S. with ties to the terrorist group ISIS.

Full Story: https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_24207312-f2b7-11ee-9fd7-df016d720a58.html

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‘Disappointed:’ Senator Blasts Biden Admin for Cutting Back Union Transparency Site

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 12:05:00 +0000

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., blasted the Biden administration Wednesday for cutting back on a federal effort to increase union accountability and transparency. The Center Square exclusively obtained a letter this week that was sent from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to 10 U.S. senators. In the letter, OPM Director Kiran Ahuja defended the agency’s decision to remove a webpage built to hold unions accountable. The federal webpage in question included data on “official time,” a common practice where federal employees use work time to do union business and are therefore paid by taxpayers to do so.

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Americans Say States Should Have a Say in Border Security Efforts

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:05:09 +0000

(The Center Square) – Americans want states to have a role in stopping the flood of illegal immigration, which comes as the federal government and Texas grapple over who has the right to secure the southern border amidst the ongoing crisis there. According to the survey, 29% said border states, 29% said the federal government, and 37% said a combination of both should have the final say on immigration policy. The rest are unsure. This new poll comes as the Biden administration and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott are embroiled in a legal battle over what Abbott says is the state's right to defend itself from an invasion.

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Supreme Court Justices Consider Whether Feds Can Regulate Speech on Social Media

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 09:32:00 +0000

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in a case evaluating how the federal government censored Americans’ speech online, especially about COVID-19 and other controversial topics. During the arguments, justices seemed to express doubts about a prior ruling that limited federal cooperation and coercion of social media companies, particularly when the federal government pushes those companies to censor Americans’ speech. “My biggest concern is that your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the government in significant ways in most important time periods,” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said during oral arguments for Murthy v. Missouri Monday.

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Poll: Third Party Candidates Boost Trump’s Lead Over Biden

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 15:29:59 +0000

(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump is narrowly beating President Joe Biden in a head-to-head faceoff going into November, a new national poll shows. The Center Square’s Voter’s Voice poll conducted with Noble Predictive Insights was released Wednesday, showing Trump beating Biden 46%-45% with likely voters. The rest are unsure. When you include options to vote for third party candidates as well, Trump’s lead over Biden grows. When the poll includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West and Jill Stein, Trump’s lead grows to 3 points.

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FBI Director: Smuggling Organizations Connected to ISIS Coming Through Us Border

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 09:32:00 +0000

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Monday confirmed that a smuggling organization working with the terrorist organization ISIS is funneling criminals through the U.S. border. He also said the FBI is currently investigating its operations that “we’re very concerned about.” In a U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing held on Monday on worldwide threats to the United States, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, asked Wray about threats coming through the U.S. border. “Over the last three years, millions of people crossed the U.S. border illegally and many have been released into the country,” Rubio said, asking first about “people with ties to dangerous gangs.”

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Biden Budget Seeks to Spend Hundreds of Millions to Train School Teachers in DEI

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 14:32:16 +0000

President Joe Biden's budget proposal seeks to set aside billions of dollars to push progressive gender, sexuality and race ideology at home and around the globe. Released this week, the $7.3 trillion budget also proposes spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to train school teachers in diversity, equity, and inclusion dogma. The White House touted the spending in its announcement of Biden’s budget, which includes $3 billion to “advance gender equity and equality worldwide.”

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Haley Drops Out of Presidential Race, Does Not Endorse Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 9 Mar 2024 11:14:00 +0000

Former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dropped out of the Republican presidential primary Wednesday and declined to endorse former President Donald Trump. "I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received from all across our great country, but the time has now come to suspend my campaign," Haley said during her remarks. "I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that." Haley said she has no regrets.

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Biden Blasts GOP on Border, Is Called Out Over Laken Riley Murder by Illegal Immigrant

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Mar 2024 16:14:03 +0000

President Joe Biden delivered a wide-ranging State of the Union address Thursday evening, touching on the economy, Ukraine, the border and more while attacking Republicans during his remarks, possibly his last time to give the address as president. “Good evening, if I were smart I’d go home now,” Biden said to begin, drawing laughs from the assembly. Biden quickly turned serious, though, saying that freedom and Democracy have not been under such great threat since the Civil War, making reference to the Jan. 6 riots. He said that the same threat is abroad, beginning his speech focusing not on domestic issues, but on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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Biden Blames Republicans for Border Crisis

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 2 Mar 2024 10:40:00 +0000

In his first trip to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas since he took office, President Joe Biden blamed Republicans for the border crisis that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, 25 Republican governors, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and many others argue he created. Biden arrived in Brownsville on Thursday afternoon and met with local law enforcement, Border Patrol agents and Democratic officials around the same time that former President Donald Trump arrived in Del Rio, Texas, and met with Abbott and Republican officials.

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Trump, Biden Win Michigan Primary & Super Tuesday Preview

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Mar 2024 15:39:57 +0000

Former President Donald Trump defeated former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in Michigan’s Republican presidential primary while President Joe Biden cruised to an easy victory on the Democrats' side. The races were called within an hour of polls closing, with the GOP primary determined with about 80% of the vote counted. Biden received more than 126,000 votes while the “uncommitted” spot received more than 23,000 votes, a vote protesting the Israel-Hamas conflict and the U.S’s continual funding of the war.

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Jewish College Students in the U.S. Face Antisemitism, Little Help From Officials

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 11:40:00 +0000

The rise of pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. university campuses often feature protesters calling for violence against Jews, leading to Jewish students feeling unsafe and frustrated by the lack of response from school administrators and federal officials. Pro-Palestine sentiment is not new to many of these campuses, but the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians and the ensuing war in Gaza have sparked far more frequent and zealous demonstrations. For Ethan Melman, a born-and-raised Chicagoan attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, that issue came to a head last fall when he, a Jewish student, attended one of the pro-Palestine protests to investigate.

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Joe Biden’s Brother Defends President as Impeachment Inquiry Continues

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 18:39:51 +0000

James Biden, the president’s brother, testified before lawmakers Wednesday in the ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The testimony comes as the indictment of a key witness in the inquiry has left Republicans playing defense and Democrats calling for the inquiry to end. Several media outlets reported Wednesday that during his opening statement, James defended his brother, President Biden, saying the president was not involved in his dealings and did not financially benefit from those deals. House Republicans on the Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees are leading the inquiry, alleging that the Biden family and associates, with the president’s knowledge, raked in more than $20 million from entities in adversarial nations, including Russia and China.

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Mayorkas Is First Sitting Cabinet Member to Be Impeached in U.S. History

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 10:24:00 +0000

In its second vote attempt in exactly a week, the U.S. House on Tuesday night impeached Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who becomes the first sitting cabinet member to be impeached in U.S. history. Mayorkas was impeached largely along party lines by a vote of 214-213, with three Republicans voting with 210 Democrats against. As more than 10 million illegal border crossers entered the country in three years and a record number of known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended under Mayorkas’ watch, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, MD, R-Tenn., led the charge to impeach him.

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Trump’s First Criminal Trial Date March 25 in New York

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 15:24:18 +0000

Former President Donald Trump’s first criminal trial date, in a case involving porn actress Stormy Daniels, will be March 25. A New York judge rejected a request from Trump to dismiss the case. He faces charges in multiple states while commanding the lead for the Republican nomination in the presidential race. His lawyers, appearing before Judge Juan Manuel Merchan, said the case will interfere with his campaign to return to the White House. Trump has three other prosecutions unresolved, one of which involved a district attorney under heavy scrutiny in Georgia on Thursday.

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U.S. Supreme Court Justices Challenge Colorado’s Actions to Keep Trump off Ballot

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 11:38:00 +0000

All nine U.S. Supreme Court justices challenged constitutional arguments for removing former President Donald Trump from Colorado’s 2024 presidential primary ballot during arguments before the court on Thursday. During arguments scheduled to last 80 minutes, the justices spent almost 130 minutes listening to and questioning three attorneys: Jonathan Mitchell representing Trump, Jason Murray representing six Colorado Republicans who filed suit last year to remove the former president from the ballot, and Shannon Stevenson representing the Colorado secretary of state.

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U.S. House Votes Against Impeaching Mayorkas

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 11:31:00 +0000

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday against impeaching U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in voting against impeachment. The vote was 216 to 214 after one Republican changed his vote from "aye" to "nay," breaking what initially appeared to be a 215-215 tie. After the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson sought to have a revote, which hasn't happen.

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Biden Defends His Mental Fitness After DOJ Report Calls Him ‘Elderly Man With Poor Memory’

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 Feb 2024 18:45:49 +0000

A visibly upset President Joe Biden addressed the nation late Thursday to respond to news that the special counsel tasked with investigating his handling of classified documents had chosen not to charge him, but also detailed numerous examples of his memory loss. The blockbuster special counsel report, while clearing Biden, sparked questions about Biden’s mental fitness when it called him an “elderly man with a poor memory.” Biden is 81 years old. "My memory is fine," Biden fired back before getting hostile with reporters who asked about his mental fitness to serve as president.

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Tax Bill Heads to Senate, Faces Uncertain Future

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 4 Feb 2024 09:30:00 +0000

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan tax bill with a vote of 357-70 late Wednesday, but that bill now faces an uncertain future in the Senate. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act had bipartisan support after months of behind-the-scenes deals involving both parties. Whether the Senate can get the bill passed, though, remains unclear. The Senate faces several other deadlines, including a March deadline to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Act, two looming government shutdown deadlines the same month, as well as a border bill and a potential spending bill for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine. Meanwhile, the potential impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary could soon land in the Senate’s lap.

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World Awaits Response to Death of U.S. Service Members in Drone Strike

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 3 Feb 2024 09:26:00 +0000

The world is awaiting President Joe Biden’s response to a drone attack in Jordan over the weekend that left three U.S. service members dead and more than 30 injured. In his statement Sunday, Biden said “we know [the attack] was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq” and pledged to respond to the “despicable and wholly unjust attack.” That statement raised questions about what the response could look like and if it would be severe enough to escalate to a broader war in the region.

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After Hours of Debate, House Committee Advances Mayorkas Impeachment Articles

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 Feb 2024 17:25:39 +0000

The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security voted along party lines early Wednesday to advance two articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It did so after over several hours of debate, multiple motions filed, objections, appeals, points of order and motions to table; multiple voice and recorded votes, several recession breaks and even arguments over the breaks, as Democratic committee members continuously tried to delay the final vote.

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Trump Touts Victory as Primary Steamroll Continues

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 10:57:00 +0000

Former President Donald Trump touted his victory Wednesday afternoon in the state of New Hampshire, where he won the Republican presidential primary and may have sealed the fate of his only remaining opponent: former UN Ambassador and South Carolins Gov. Nikki Haley. Trump won contested races in Iowa last week and New Hampshire this week, making him the first non-incumbent presidential candidate to do so in modern history. In another record, Trump’s win was fueled in part by record voter turnout, with 320,000 New Hampshire voters heading to the polls.

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Republican Governors Rally to Support Texas, Gov. Abbott in Border Fight With Biden Administration

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 16:57:01 +0000

Support continues to pour in for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from fellow Republican governors who have sent their National Guard troops to Texas. They are also participating in an Emergency Management Assistance Compact with Texas, sending personnel to assist in Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star. In the face of ongoing threats by the Biden administration to strip Texas of what Abbott says is its constitutional right to defend itself, the governors have vowed to “stand with Texas.”

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House Republicans Have the Votes to Impeach Mayorkas, Green Says

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 10:53:00 +0000

House Republicans have the votes to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, MD, R-Tenn., said Thursday. Green, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, said all 18 Republican committee members support impeaching him. Three articles of impeachment have been filed against Mayorkas alleging he is derelict in duty, violating laws established by Congress, and creating a national security threat.

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Poll: Only 22% of Likely Voters Confident Biden Is Innocent of Corruption Allegations

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 10:51:00 +0000

One-third of Americans say that President Joe Biden is guilty of corruption and should be impeached, including some Democrats, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voter’s Voice Poll found that 34% of likely voters say “Joe Biden is guilty of corruption and should be impeached.” An additional 35% said it’s not clear if the president did anything wrong but that a Republican-led House investigation into the president should continue.

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‘Only Getting Started’: Trump Full Steam Ahead, DeSantis Faltering as Primary Moves Forward

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:06:01 +0000

Former President Donald Trump dominated the Iowa Caucuses Monday evening, leaving little room for his opponents to forge a path forward and make the pitch they are viable candidates. Regardless, they seem intent on trying and still do have hope, since Iowa only has 40 delegates to offer and it takes 1,215 to win the GOP nomination. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s campaign suffered this week in particular, investing heavily in time and campaign funds in Iowa, his best chance to prove his viability before New Hampshire, where he is expected to lose handily.

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Inflation Rose More Than Expected in Latest Data

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 12:29:00 +0000

Consumer costs increased at an elevated level again in December, according to newly released federal economic data, raising new concerns about spiking inflation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday released the Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation, showing the cost of a range of every day goods and services for Americans rose more than expected. According to the federal data, the CPI rose 0.3% in December alone, a break from the recent months of very low inflation. Overall, prices rose 3.4% in the last 12 months.

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Lawmakers to Hold Hearing on ‘Woke Ideologies’ Influencing the Military

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 13 Jan 2024 11:27:00 +0000

U.S. lawmakers will hold a hearing Thursday on “woke ideologies” influencing the military and how that may be negatively impacting national security, including recruitment of new members. Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Chairman Glenn Grothman, R-Wisc., will host the hearing. “The men and women who bravely serve within the military must stay focused on combat readiness, not left-wing objectives which serve no military purpose,” Grothman said in a statement. “It is imperative to extract this poisonous and unhelpful thinking from our military and return the armed services to their core functions.”

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Haley Surpasses DeSantis for 2nd in New GOP Primary Poll

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 15:27:06 +0000

Former South Carolina Gov. and ambassador Nikki Haley has surpassed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis among Republican voters, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voter’s Voice poll shows former President Donald Trump with a wide lead and Haley in second, surpassing DeSantis by one percentage point.

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Ballot Battles, Impeachment Inquiry, Indictments Disrupt Election Cycle

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 6 Jan 2024 10:14:00 +0000

The Republican primary’s Iowa caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 15, the first chance for voters to determine who they want to represent their party in November's presidential election. Iowa's January caucuses are a regular tradition for a presidential primary season that – this time around – has been unusually enshrouded in indictments, impeachment inquiries and lawsuits heading into election year.

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Calls for Fiscal Commission Continue as U.S. Debt Tops $34 Trillion

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 Jan 2024 19:14:41 +0000

As the U.S. gross national debt topped $34 trillion, groups across the political spectrum continue to call for a fiscal commission to address the mounting federal debt. The thinking behind the idea is that a bipartisan commission could help facilitate agreement on difficult fiscal issues. However, few see such a commission as a panacea for a problem with deep roots and politically controversial solutions.

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Michigan Supreme Court Allows Trump to Be On State’s 2024 Ballot

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:25:00 +0000

The Michigan Supreme Court has refused to hear a case that would have attempted to ban Donald Trump from being on the state's 2024 presidential primary ballot. In November, Michigan Court of Appeals Justice James Redford ruled Trump would remain on the primary ballot. The state's highest court declined to hear an appeal. There has been a nationwide movement to have Trump removed from state ballots across the country, alleging he incited an insurrection against the government on Jan. 6, 2021, during a speech he gave at the U.S. Capitol.

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Biden Approval Rating Hits New Low at 34%

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 10:50:00 +0000

President Joe Biden's approval rating has hit a new low on the eve of 2024, when the president will seek a second term in the White House, according to a new poll. Monmouth University on Monday released the poll, which show's Biden's approval rating has dropped to 34% approval, the lowest rating Monmouth has collected since Biden became president. The same poll shows Biden has 61% disapproval rating, the highest since Biden took office.

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Colorado Supreme Court Bans Trump From 2024 Ballot

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 15:50:39 +0000

The Colorado state Supreme Court voted 3-4 Tuesday to block former President Donald Trump from receiving votes on the 2024 presidential ballot, saying he is disqualified because he “engaged in an insurrection,” a reference to his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol protests gone awry. The majority opinion acknowledged the U.S. Supreme Court could weigh in, and as a result postponed the effect of its ruling until Jan. 4, giving the court about two weeks. The Colorado secretary of state has until Jan. 5 to certify the 2024 ballot.

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‘Appalling’: Abortion Advocacy Groups Received Nearly $2B in Taxpayer Money

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 10:23:00 +0000

Abortion-providing groups received $1.89 billion in taxpayer money from fiscal years 2019 to 2021, a newly released federal watchdog report shows. The Government Accountability Office, a federal agency, conducted the report at lawmakers' request, showing that Planned Parenthood received the lion's share, taking in $1.78 billion in those years. Planned Parenthood is estimated to have performed more than one million abortions during that time.

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House Votes to Back Impeachment Inquiry Into President Joe Biden

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 18:23:25 +0000

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 221 to 212 Wednesday to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, who faces allegations that he personally benefited from and lied about his son's overseas business dealings, which raked in millions of dollars. This vote was not a vote to impeach the president, only to formalize the impeachment inquiry which has been gathering and releasing evidence for months.

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DeSantis: Trump Is Too Old to Be President

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 11:04:00 +0000

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attacked former President Donald Trump’s age and sparred with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over Trump’s mental fitness to be president during the Republican primary debate at the University of Alabama on Wednesday night. The remarks came after DeSantis was asked about previous comments in which he said Trump has “lost the zip on his fast ball” and whether that meant he was questioning Trump’s mental fitness.

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U.S. National Debt Surpasses $100K per Person

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 9 Dec 2023 10:59:00 +0000

The rapidly growing debt of the U.S. federal government has hit another milestone, topping more than $100,000 per person. While the U.S. population and the U.S. national debt are large numbers that are difficult to calculate, the rough debt estimate and rough population estimate end up at about $100,000 of federal debt per person in the U.S.

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Hunter Biden Hit With New Tax-Related Indictment in California

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Dec 2023 17:59:18 +0000

President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, is facing new charges. Federal prosecutors released a 56-page indictment late Thursday. The indictment unsealed in the Central District of California alleges Biden failed to file and pay taxes, evaded an assessment and filed false or fraudulent tax returns. The indictment alleges Biden attempted to dodge paying taxes of at least $1.4 million from 2016 through 2019. The new indictment contains nine charges, including lying about the taxes he eventually filed in 2018 to significantly reduce what he owed.

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Federal Website Tracking Taxpayer-Funded Union Work Disappears

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 3 Dec 2023 11:22:00 +0000

The Biden administration is under fire after a website to help keep federal funding of union work transparent disappeared. The federal site in question tracks what is called “official time,” a term for when taxpayer-funded federal employees use part of their work hours to work on behalf of a public union. The Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit group that works on these issues, released a report on the Biden administration change. The tracking site was on the Office of Personnel Management’s website since 2013, but appears to have been taken down over the summer.

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Biden Rule Takes Lunch Money From Schools That Reject Progressive Gender, Sexuality Agenda

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 2 Dec 2023 10:18:00 +0000

A new Biden administration rule forces schools to comply with progressive ideology on gender and sexuality or risk losing the federal aid for free and reduced-price school lunches. Legal observers say this is just the first in a slew of new rules on the horizon tying federal education funding to far-left policies on gender and sexuality.

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Comer: Bank Investigator Flagged Questionable Payments to Hunter Biden

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Dec 2023 16:18:33 +0000

House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., has released email communication showing that a bank investigator raised concerns about Hunter Biden's overseas deals with a China-linked company. Comer's office said one of his several subpoenas to Biden family members and associates uncovered an email where a bank investigator raised concerns about "$5 million funding from Northern International Capital Holdings, a CEFC affiliated entity linked to the Chinese government, and the subsequent erratic payments to Hudson West III, Hunter Biden's joint venture with a Chinese national, and Owasco, P.C, an entity owned by Hunter Biden."

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New Report Projects Economic Recession Coming for the U.S.

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 10:56:00 +0000

A new economic analysis of the U.S. economy projects a recession around the corner. An international nonprofit, The Conference Board, has released its Leading Economic Indicators report, which projects into the next year for the U.S. economy. That analysis, among other things, projects high inflation, high interest rates and declining consumer spending.

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Update: U.S. House Investigation Into Biden Family Business Dealings

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:38:48 +0000

An update on the ongoing U.S. House investigation into the business dealings of President Biden's family. Stay up to date with this story and more at TheCenterSquare.com.

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Poll: Trump Performs Better Than Biden on Top Issues for Voters

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 11:40:00 +0000

Voters trust former President Donald Trump more than President Joe Biden on the economy, immigration, national security, foreign affairs and crime. Biden, however, is more trusted on health care, climate change, education and abortion. Those findings come from The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights.

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Border Crisis, ‘Rebuilding’ Terror Groups Pose Threat to U.S.

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 16:15:17 +0000

The crisis at the southern border, the growing threat of terrorism, and overseas conflicts that could entangle the U.S. are among the growing threats to national security, U.S. House lawmakers were told at a Wednesday hearing. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Christopher Wray and National Counterterrorism Director Christine Abizaid testified at the hearing about the danger of worldwide threats spilling into the U.S.

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Oversight Committee Subpoenas Biden Family Members

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:13:00 +0000

U.S. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., signed and issued subpoenas Wednesday for Hunter Biden, the president’s son, James Biden, the president’s brother, and their business associate Bob Walker. Pointing to released bank records and testimony from IRS whistleblowers and Devon Archer, Hunter Biden’s business associate, Comer says the Biden family and associates received more than $24 million that was shuffled between about 20 shell companies.

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Trailing Trump, Republican Candidates Talk Entitlement Reform

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 11:10:00 +0000

Five Republican candidates trailing former President Donald Trump in the polls took to the debate stage to talk about foreign and domestic policy while trading barbs Wednesday in the third GOP debate. Trump skipped the debate Wednesday in Miami as he did the first two debates. The candidates on the stage – former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina – had plenty to discuss without Trump.

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Poll: In Faceoff With Biden, Haley, DeSantis Outperform Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 16:10:44 +0000

Former Ambassador and Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis both perform better against President Joe Biden in a hypothetical general election matchup than former President Donald Trump, according to The Center Square Voters' Voice poll. Conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights, the poll found that in a hypothetical general election head-to-head faceoff, Biden would have 48% support among likely voters compared to Trump’s 44%. However, DeSantis does better in the same faceoff, with Biden getting 44% support compared to DeSantis' 47% support.

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New Bill Would Block Biden’s Equity ‘Climate Corps’ Army

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 5 Nov 2023 11:01:00 +0000

U.S. Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., will introduce legislation Friday to block President Joe Biden’s “Climate Corps.” The bill, given in advance to The Center Square, would “prohibit federal funds from being made available for the Justice40 Initiative or for the American Climate Corps.” Biden announced in September he was formally creating the Climate Corps, promising to hire a “diverse generation” of 20,000 workers to improve the environment.

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Israel Funding Bill Takes Fire, Draws Battle Lines for Johnson Tenure

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 4 Nov 2023 10:58:00 +0000

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote as early as Thursday on a controversial spending measure to send funds to Israel and pay for it by cutting from the Internal Revenue Service. The Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act is the most contentious move yet backed by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in his new leadership role, a move that President Joe Biden has vocally opposed and which will face significant opposition in the Senate.

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Former Border Chief: Mayorkas Underreported Gotaway Data in Senate Hearing

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Nov 2023 15:48:34 +0000

Former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Chief Mark Morgan estimates the number of people who entered the U.S. illegally and evaded capture in fiscal 2023 is closer to one million, much higher than the "over 600,000" that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told U.S. senators at a Tuesday hearing. Morgan told The Center Square Wednesday in response to questions about Mayorkas' testimony that official known gotaway data could hit one million in fiscal 2023, and the nearly 1.7 million gotaways since January 2021 is underreported by at least 20%.

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Biden Launches Strikes on Iranian-Linked Forces in Syria

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 09:06:00 +0000

The Pentagon released a statement late Thursday saying the U.S. military had struck two sites in Eastern Syria known to house Iranian-linked forces. Those strikes come after a series of attacks on U.S. troops in the region from forces linked to Iran. "Today, at President Biden's direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups," the Pentagon said in a statement. "These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17."

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Illegal Border Crossers Total Over 10 Million Since Biden Inauguration

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 09:44:00 +0000

More than 10 million people have been reported illegally entering the United States since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, the greatest number in history and of any administration. They total more than the individual populations of 41 states.

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New Speaker Lays Out Legislative Agenda, Receives Broad Support From Party

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:43:42 +0000

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has laid out his vision for the House and legislative goals, but he faces the daunting task of reuniting a divided party in a slim majority and funding the government before the partial shutdown deadline in the middle of November. Before the vote to elect Johnson as speaker on Wednesday, Johnson sent a memo to his fellow Republicans asking for their support and promising an “ambitious” legislative agenda.

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Feds Warn of Potential Terror Attacks Overseas as Israel-Hamas War Escalates

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:46:00 +0000

The federal government is warning Americans to "exercise increased caution" when traveling overseas as tensions mount over Israel's war with the terrorist group Hamas in the Mideast." Due to increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution," the department said in a "Worldwide Caution" alert posted Thursday.

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House Committee: Biden Administration Policies Empower Cartels, Undermine National Security

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 10:44:00 +0000

Republican members of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security say they are continuing to produce evidence to support their claim that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is derelict in his duty and should be removed from office. In July, the committee published its first report detailing the laws and court orders the committee says Mayorkas has “ignored, abused or failed to follow.” Members cite alleged violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), including an abuse of its parole program, detention and removal requirements, instituting mass parole programs, ignoring federal court orders, among other actions.

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Jordan: Speaker Vote Is Back On, No McHenry Deal

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 15:43:58 +0000

U.S. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters Thursday afternoon that he would in fact keep running for speaker and hold another floor vote, despite reports that he was considering postponing his effort. The news came after Jordan reportedly said behind closed doors he would back the speaker pro Tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. for a limited temporary speakership role so that lawmakers can hit key funding deadlines coming this year.

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659 Known, Suspected Terrorists Captured in Fiscal 2023, Most in Recorded History

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 09:13:00 +0000

More known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended at the northern and southwest borders in fiscal 2023 than any other fiscal year in recorded history. In fiscal 2023, 659 known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) were apprehended attempting to illegally enter the U.S. – with the majority being apprehended at the northern border, according to CBP data last updated Sept. 15. The fiscal year ended Sept. 30.

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Biden Says at Least 14 Americans Killed in Hamas Terror Attack

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 09:10:00 +0000

President Joe Biden addressed the Hamas terror attacks in Israel during a speech from the White House Tuesday, pledging the support of the U.S. and saying that at least 14 American citizens had been killed and that some were being held hostage. Biden condemned the "brutality of Hamas" calling it "abhorrent" and comparing it to ISIS terrorism. "Women raped, assaulted, paraded as trophies, families hid their fear for hours and hours desperately trying to keep their children quiet to avoid drawing attention," Biden said during the speech, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris on one side and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the other.

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Scalise Drops Out of Speakership Bid After Significant Opposition

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:10:16 +0000

U.S. House Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was the leading contender to be the speaker of the House Thursday morning, but by the evening, news broke that he was dropping his bid for the position. Multiple lawmakers and media outlets reported Scalise's announcement, which he made to a group of reporters at the Capitol late Thursday. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is a key contender as well, but at least for now, neither seems able to nab the 217 needed votes to become speaker of the House.

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Inflation Rose the Most in These States, Data Shows

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 8 Oct 2023 09:27:00 +0000

Newly released inflation data breaks down how much prices have increased in each state. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released new data Wednesday for how the Personal Consumption Expenditure, a key marker of inflation, rose in each state last year. According to the BEA, PCE is a measure of the prices Americans pay for goods and services.

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Changing Course, Homeland Security to Construct Border Wall in Rio Grande Valley

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 7 Oct 2023 10:24:00 +0000

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is waiving 26 federal laws to finish completing a wall in the Rio Grande Valley in an area where it halted construction over two years ago. It announced the change in the Federal Register on Thursday after receiving pressure from Democratic elected officials.

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Scalise, Jordan Announce Bids to Replace McCarthy as Speaker of the House

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 6 Oct 2023 15:24:22 +0000

U.S. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La, both announced Wednesday their bid to replace Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as Speaker of the House. A vote for a new speaker is reportedly not expected until Oct. 11, giving lawmakers about a week to plan their next move. McCarthy, who was pushed out after striking a deal with Democrats to keep the government open, said he does not plan to run again for the position.

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GOP Contenders Debate in California as Trump Speaks in Michigan

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 1 Oct 2023 10:27:00 +0000

During a rapid-fire two-hour debate, seven Republican presidential hopefuls exchanged canned one-liners and hurried remarks as they tried to stand out among a crowded field. Meanwhile, the elephant not in the room, former president Donald Trump, again opted out of the debate and stopped in Michigan to speak to a crowd of auto workers. Hosted by Fox Business and Univision, the Wednesday debate for top billing in the Republican Party presidential primary is a race for second, with the Real Clear Politics polling average having Trump at 56.%, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 14.4%, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley at 5.8%, businessman and author Vivek Ramaswamy at 5.1%, and former vice president Mike Pence at 4.2%, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie at 2.7%, and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, who barely made the cutoff for the debate, at just 0.9% support.

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Republicans Kick off President Biden’s Impeachment Inquiry

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 12:30:00 +0000

U.S. House Republicans launched the first impeachment inquiry Thursday into President Joe Biden, who faces an array of allegations around bribery and financial impropriety related to personal business dealings spearheaded by his son, Hunter Biden. Republicans say they have significant evidence to back allegations that Hunter Biden received more than $20 million from several overseas entities in China, Ukraine, Russia and more. Hunter also faces gun and tax-related legal difficulties.

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Congress Faces Looming Government Shutdown

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:49:41 +0000

Lawmakers are scrambling to avoid a partial government shutdown this week. Funding for the federal government runs out at the end of September, Saturday at midnight, and lawmakers are still far from getting agreement on a deal that President Joe Biden can sign into law. In the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been unable to persuade enough conservative Republicans to back his push for a Continuing Resolution, a temporary funding measure to buy time.

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House Schedules First Biden Impeachment Inquiry Hearing

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:14:00 +0000

The Republican-led House Oversight Committee announced its first impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is scheduled for Sept. 28, next Thursday. The impeachment inquiry committee will have power to subpoena records and communications to dig up evidence and will likely be a thorn in Biden’s side heading into the 2024 election year.

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Governors Ask Biden for ‘Honest, Accurate’ Information on Illegal Immigration

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 10:11:00 +0000

Twenty-four Republican governors said illegal immigration burdens every state and asked President Joe Biden for "honest" and "accurate" information about the situation. A letter sent Tuesday blamed Biden's policies for a surge in illegal crossings at the southern border.

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National Debt Surpasses $33 Trillion

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 15:11:42 +0000

The U.S. gross national debt surpassed $33 trillion, a troubling benchmark as lawmakers show little interest in reining in spending, let alone a balanced budget. The milestone comes as Congress faces a deadline of Sept. 30 to pass another spending measure or face a federal government shutdown.

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Gas, Shelter Prices Spike Inflation in August

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 10:16:00 +0000

Prices spiked more than expected in August. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday released its Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation, which showed it rose 0.6% last month alone, the biggest spike this year. That spike was largely driven by an increase in the price of shelter and gasoline.

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Republicans Blast National Archives’ Taxpayer-Funded Equity Policies, Trainings

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 10:53:00 +0000

The federal archive agency that helped spark former President Donald Trump's first federal indictment has come under fire from Republicans after reporting showed the agency has embraced far-left diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Republicans blasted the National Archives and Records Administration after The Center Square reported that the agency’s latest 2022 DEI plan pledges to double down on equity training for employees.

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House Opens Formal Impeachment Inquiry Into President Joe Biden

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 15:53:12 +0000

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday opened a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. McCarthy directed a House Committee to open the inquiry, pointing to the mounting evidence that the president's son, Hunter Biden, and associates took millions of dollars from foreign interests and that President Biden knew about it.

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Federal Agency May Withhold Records From Hunter Biden Investigators

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 9 Sep 2023 10:58:00 +0000

House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., pushed forward the investigation into President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, Wednesday by calling out a federal agency that may be withholding information. Comer put the spotlight on the National Archives and Records Administration, the federal recordkeeping agency that tipped off the Department of Justice when former President Donald Trump had allegedly held on to classified documents. Comer says NARA has held back certain information, claiming it is “personal.”

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New Education Bills Would Block CRT, Back Parents

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Sep 2023 15:58:30 +0000

A new trio of House education bills would push back on Critical Race Theory and federal rules in local public schools, the latest in an ongoing battle led by Republicans to respond to curriculum and policy changes in education.

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Food Prices Expected to Rise Through 2024

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 2 Sep 2023 09:07:00 +0000

Recently released federal pricing analysis from the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that food prices will continue to rise through 2024. The USDA pointed to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index released earlier this month, which showed consumer prices overall rose 3.2% in the previous twelve months. Food prices, though rose more quickly at 4.9% during the same time. Now, USDA says that increase will continue.

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Trump Pleads Not Guilty to Georgia Election Charges

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Sep 2023 19:07:05 +0000

Former President Donald Trump plead not guilty Thursday to charges he faces in Georgia that he worked to overturn the state’s 2020 election results, according to court filings. The Georgia indictment includes 41 charges against Trump and 18 of his alleged co-conspirators. Trump was processed in the local jail last week, and his mugshot quickly went viral online.

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Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Concerned About Situation at Border

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 11:36:00 +0000

The vast majority of Americans are concerned about the situation at the U.S. border, according to new polling. The Center Square Voters' Voice Poll, conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights, asked 2,500 registered voters, including 1,000 registered Democrats, 1,000 registered Republicans, and 500 independents: "How concerned are you about the situation at the border?"

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Trump Surrenders on Charges of Trying to Overturn the 2020 Election

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:33:00 +0000

Former President Donald Trump surrendered to Fulton County authorities Thursday on charges he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Fulton County authorities charged Trump and 18 others, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former state Republican Party Chair David Shafer, as part of the effort. The Fulton County indictment of Trump is the fourth against the former president and the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

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GOP Candidates Spar in First Presidential Debate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:33:32 +0000

Eight Republican candidates trailing former President Donald Trump in the polls vied for second place Wednesday in the first primary debate. The candidates traded barbs and one-liners in a high-stakes contest at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Each of the candidates touched on some of the nation's hot-button issues, including crime, abortion and climate change. Interruptions were widespread. Many candidates talked over their peers, at times making it difficult to hear what was said. But the issues at the U.S.-Mexico border brought out some of the strongest rhetoric of the evening.

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Republican House Oversight Committee Ramps Up Investigation Into Biden Family

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 10:43:00 +0000

House Oversight Committee James Comer, R-Ky., is pushing for President Joe Biden’s records from his time as Vice President to probe allegations that he worked with his son to bring in $20 million from overseas entities. Comer sent a letter to the the National Archives and Records Administration demanding unredacted records related to then-Vice President Biden’s meetings and communications with his family members, the latest step in the ongoing investigation into allegations that the Biden family raked in millions using the White House.

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Georgia Grand Jury Indicts Trump on Charges of Attempting to Overturn 2020 Election

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 10:41:00 +0000

Former President Donald Trump was indicted for the fourth time Monday night, this time on charges related to the 2020 election in Georgia. A Fulton County grand jury indicted the former president on 13 counts of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, which narrowly went to President Joe Biden.

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Trump, DeSantis Both Virtually Tied With Biden in Potential Faceoff

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 15:41:27 +0000

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron Desantis are virtually tied with President Joe Biden in theoretical head-to-head matchups heading into the 2024 presidential campaign, according to new polling data. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights, found that in a faceoff, Trump has 41% support compared to Biden’s 44% support, while 15% remain unsure. DeSantis does slightly better, with 41% support to Biden’s 43% and 16% unsure.

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Comer: Bank Records Show More Than $20 Million in Payments to Biden Family, Associates

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 10:51:00 +0000

U.S. House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., released financial documents he says backs up allegations that the Biden family and associates received more than $20 million in payments from foreign entities. Comer released the bank records Wednesday, the latest installment in a string of troubling evidence for President Joe Biden. Notably, the records raise the alleged income to the Biden family and associates to over $20 million and highlight alleged involvement from Russia and Kazakhstan.

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Border Crisis Creates National Security Threat for U.S., Observers Say

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 10:48:00 +0000

The number of terror suspects captured trying to enter the U.S. illegally has soared since President Joe Biden took office. But with more than 1 million unidentified foreign nationals evading apprehension after entering the U.S., the potential that at least some are on the international terrorist watch list poses a potential major threat to national security and raises the chances of terror attacks, observers warn.

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Inflation Rose More Than Expected in Latest Federal Data

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:47:55 +0000

Newly released federal inflation data shows that producer prices rose more than expected. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Producer Price Index, a key indicator of inflation, which showed producer prices rose 0.3% in July and 0.8% over the last 12 months, higher than expected.

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‘Wake-up Call’: Top Credit Agency Downgrades U.S. Rating

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 6 Aug 2023 10:28:00 +0000

One of the top international credit rating agencies has downgraded the United States government’s credit rating from the highest level of AAA down one tier to AA+, a serious economic signpost as U.S. debt continues to soar and deficits remain elevated. Fitch Ratings made the decision, pointing to the U.S. government’s high national debt and deficits as well as an “erosion of governance.”

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Testimony Contradicts Biden’s Claims He Was Not Involved in Son’s Overseas Dealings

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 5 Aug 2023 10:27:00 +0000

The House Oversight Committee released a transcript Thursday of its meeting with Devon Archer, a long-time Hunter Biden associate who alleges President Joe Biden joined phone conversations with Hunter’s business associates several times. The Archer testimony made headlines earlier this week, and now the transcript gives more details into what new evidence the committee has in its investigation.

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Donald Trump Pleads Not Guilty to Charges From 3rd Indictment

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 4 Aug 2023 17:26:45 +0000

Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon to all charges related to his role in protesting the 2020 election results. Trump was indicted for the third time this week. According to the latest indictment, Trump faces four federal charges related to his contesting the 2020 election and connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol building. The indictment charges include conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction, and conspiracy against rights.

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Despite Reversal, Discharged Military Members Still Feel Impact of COVID Vaccine Mandate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 10:18:00 +0000

Federal COVID-era vaccine policies hurt U.S. service members, according to witnesses testifying at a House Oversight Hearing Thursday examining the mandates. The Pentagon announced in January of this year that it would lift its COVID vaccine mandate but not before the vast majority of U.S. service members already were forced into vaccination. Those who refused were usually denied their exemption request and often discharged.

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Sanctuary Cities Have Regrets as Flood of Illegal Migrants Continues

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 10:16:00 +0000

Leaders of major metros around the U.S. have pushed for more progressive immigration policies in recent years by declaring themselves safe havens for illegal immigrants. Now, however, as the realities of the financial and social impacts of those policies sink in, some local leaders are thinking twice. Millions of illegal immigrants have flowed across the southern border since President Joe Biden took office, with many seeking haven in self-proclaimed "sanctuary cities."

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Hunter Biden Pleads Not Guilty After Plea Deal Falls Apart

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 18:16:36 +0000

Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to tax-related charges after a highly unusual court hearing where his previously established plea deal fell apart. Biden’s plea deal, which was expected to be finalized Wednesday, was undone in court after last minute disagreements over whether Biden faces further charges in the future for other alleged crimes still under investigation.

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RFK Jr. Testifies About Censorship Before Congress

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 08:22:00 +0000

Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before Congress Thursday about government censorship of Americans, especially related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reporting has shown that the federal government has worked with companies like Facebook and Twitter to have posts removed on a range of topics, including COVID-19 and the vaccine.

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Trump Says DOJ Is Opening Criminal Probe Into Him Over Jan. 6

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 08:20:00 +0000

Former President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Tuesday that Special Counsel Jack Smith informed him he is the target of a criminal probe related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. This update, which has not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice, is the latest in a series of legal challenges for the former president. Trump released a lengthy statement on his social media site of choice laying out what he says was told to him.

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FBI Informant Says Ukrainian Exec Spoke of Bribe to President Joe Biden, His Son

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 19:19:55 +0000

President Joe Biden and his son Hunter "coerced" a several-million-dollar bribe from Burisma Holdings to protect the company and get a Ukrainian executive prosecutor investigating Burisma fired, a long-awaited FBI document made public Thursday alleges.

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Biden’s Pick to Lead Joint Chiefs of Staff Faces Questions Over DEI Record

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 08:48:00 +0000

President Joe Biden’s pick to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff faced questions from lawmakers Tuesday over his history of backing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Charles Q. Brown testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday as the next step in his nomination process. The expected questions about Ukraine and munitions were accompanied by a less common line of questioning: how DEI has infiltrated the military and might be hurting recruitment.

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Wray Faces Questions Over FBI’s Alleged Bias, FISA Abuse From Republicans

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 08:47:00 +0000

FBI Director Christopher Wray faced questions from Republicans lawmakers Wednesday over the federal law enforcement agency’s alleged bias against conservatives and Republicans. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, kicked off the hearing by blasting the FBI, laying out several instances of alleged bias, including the FBI’s role in cautioning social media companies to censor certain COVID-19 viewpoints as well as the Hunter Biden laptop story weeks before the presidential election.

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Senate Republicans: Biden ‘Created Largest Child Trafficking Ring in US History’

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 20:47:02 +0000

U.S. Senate Republicans launched a video on Wednesday claiming that President Joe Biden has “created the largest child trafficking ring in U.S. history.” The video quotes Republican senators at hearings expressing concern about the extraordinary number of unaccompanied minors being trafficked to and through the U.S. southern border. In one clip, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, says “Biden does not care about the 300,000 plus unaccompanied children that have been placed with sponsors since he became president.”

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Supreme Court Strikes Down Biden’s Student Loan Cancellation

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 9 Jul 2023 10:44:00 +0000

Cancelling hundreds of billions of dollars in student loan debt cannot be done by President Joe Biden and his administration, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday. In a 6-3 opinion, the court said Biden’s administration did not have the authority to unilaterally cancel student loan debt, blocking the president’s plan to cancel $10,000 per borrower. Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the case known as Biden v. Nebraska.

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Air Force Embraces DEI as Recruitment Falters

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 8 Jul 2023 10:39:00 +0000

The U.S. Air Force has become increasingly focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, and critics say it is hurting recruitment. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Charles Q. Brown has been a major backer of the DEI efforts. Brown said in the fall of 2020 that DEI was a key focal point of recruiting and a factor in promotions. The Air Force launched a Diversity and Inclusion Task Force in September 2020.

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Secret Service Test Confirms Cocaine Found in White House

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Jul 2023 16:39:35 +0000

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability plans look into how cocaine ended up in the West Wing of the White House. Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, sent a letter to United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Friday requesting a briefing and information related to the discovery of cocaine in the White House.

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Feds: National Debt Will Be Nearly Twice as Large as U.S. Economy in 30 Years

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 2 Jul 2023 07:37:00 +0000

The national debt will be nearly twice as large as the U.S. economy in 30 years, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office projects. That figure assumes no new major spending projects from Congress in that time, which is unlikely, meaning that debt levels could actually rise much more quickly. Conversely, Congress could slow that trend by cutting spending.

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Inquiry Into Teachers Unions Influence Over School COVID Closures Ramps Up

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 1 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The U.S. House Committee tasked with reviewing the federal pandemic response is ramping up its investigation into what influence teachers unions had over federal rules that kept schools closed. Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, sent a letter to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky demanding all records and communications between her and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

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SCOTUS Strikes Down Affirmative Action Policies at Harvard, UNC

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 19:34:49 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Harvard and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s race-based affirmative action admission policies violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

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Americans Oppose Gas Stove Ban, Polling Shows

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 10:27:40 +0000

The majority of Americans oppose a federal ban on gas stoves, according to a new poll. The Harvard CAPS Harris poll found that 69% of those surveyed opposed such a ban. The question rose to national prominence after news broke that the federal government was considering regulatory changes that would make gas stoves either banned or prohibitively expensive for Americans. Since that news broke, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democratic lawmakers in the state implemented a ban on gas stoves in most new housing buildings.

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Hunter Biden Reaches Plea Deal, Republicans Call It ‘Slap on the Wrist’

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 08:25:01 +0000

President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, will reportedly plead guilty to two federal misdemeanor tax-related charges. Court documents made public Tuesday show that Hunter Biden also faces a charge related to possessing a gun while being a drug user. The firearm charge will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement, which means Hunter Biden's team cut a deal and will likely not see prison time for the gun charge.

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Durham: Feds Had No Real Evidence to Investigate Russian Collusion, Monitor Trump Campaign

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 17:25:19 +0000

Former Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice John Durham testified Wednesday that the federal government had no substantive basis to begin its 2016 probe into Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. During the Trump administration, former Attorney General Bill Barr tapped John Durham to investigate Crossfire-Hurricane, the name for the FBI probe into alleged collusion between Russia and the campaign of then-candidate Donald Trump.

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Watchdog: Feds Wasted $683 Million per Day in Improper Payments in 2022

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:34:29 +0000

The federal government wasted over a half a trillion dollars in improper payments during the first two years of the Biden administration, a new analysis from a spending watchdog group found. The analysis comes from Open The Books, which reports that 82 programs across 17 agencies made improper payments in fiscal year 2022 alone, averaging $20.5 billion per month, or $683 million per day.

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Illegal Border Crossers So Far This Year Outnumber the Population of 8 States

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 10:31:39 +0000

At least 1.2 million people have been apprehended or reported evading capture at the southern border in the first five months of this year, according to data obtained and analyzed by The Center Square. The estimate is based on official apprehension data reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as gotaway data. A Border Patrol agent provides this data exclusively to The Center Square on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Gotaways are those who illegally enter the U.S. and intentionally seek to evade capture. Border Patrol agents report those who have illegally entered and evaded capture based on several factors. CBP doesn’t publicly report gotaway data.

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Trump Pleads Not Guilty in Documents Case, Claims Documents ‘Planted’

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:49:30 +0000

Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 37 counts that allege he kept sensitive military documents, shared them with people who didn't have security clearance, and tried to get around the government's efforts to get them back. Trump's arraignment at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Courthouse was largely procedural except for heightened security, lots of media coverage and hundreds of supporters outside the federal courthouse in Miami.

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Critics Blast DOJ Funding for Projects Tailored to Gender, Sexuality Politics

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 10:34:05 +0000

A taxpayer-funded grant from the Department of Justice distributed $150,000 to “amplify the voices” of transgender people in New Orleans who are accusing the police of discrimination. Based on the assumption that LGBT people of color are discriminated against by police, Rutgers University researchers pledged to find 25 subjects and “conduct narrative interviews” to document their experiences. This study is one of many examples of taxpayer-funded federal research dollars going to projects tailored to progressive gender and sexuality politics.

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Biden Energy Official Under Scrutiny for Family Ties to Environmental Lobby

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 10:33:13 +0000

Republican lawmakers are raising concerns about a Biden administration official’s questionable family ties to far-left groups lobbying lawmakers. U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., chair of the Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland this week demanding records, communications, documents and more related to allegations that Haaland’s family members may be unethically connected to anti-fossil fuel groups.

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Trump Says He Has Been Indicted, Must Appear in Federal Court

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 Jun 2023 16:03:55 +0000

Former President Donald Trump said on Truth Social Thursday that he had been federally indicted for his handling of classified documents. Trump reportedly faces 7 counts around refusing to give back the documents, allegedly making false statements, an Espionage Act violation, and more. The indictment is not yet public. Trump has already been indicted by a New York grand jury for a different state matter, but a federal indictment from the Department of Justice overseen by President Joe Biden, an opposing political opponent, is unprecedented ground for U.S. politics.

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Pence to Announce 2024 White House Bid

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 4 Jun 2023 10:25:05 +0000

Former Vice President Mike Pence will announce his 2024 candidacy for president in Iowa next week. Several media outlets broke the news Wednesday, indicating the announcement will likely come June 7 in Des Moines, Iowa. The latest polling from Morning Consult puts Pence at 5% support, behind former President Donald Trump at 56% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 22%. Pence earned the ire of Trump and many of his supporters for refusing to back the former president’s challenge to the election results, especially after the infamous Jan. 6 Capitol protests.

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States Push Back Against Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Universities

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 3 Jun 2023 10:23:39 +0000

A coalition of education experts, governors and lawmakers are pushing back against the "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" policies that have become the norm in public colleges and universities around the country. Several states have legislative efforts underway to require intellectual diversity, and professors tell The Center Square they welcome the change. Texas is the latest state to take on DEI, a broad category that employs teams of administrators to enforce equity and racial policies at the educational institution.

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Senate Passes Debt Limit Deal, Sends It to Biden

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 Jun 2023 15:20:20 +0000

The U.S. Senate voted 63-36 late Thursday to pass the debt limit deal brokered by President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “We may be a little tired, but we did it,” Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after the vote. The legislation suspends the nation's debt limit until Jan. 1, 2025, notably after the 2024 presidential election; caps non-defense spending but also limits defense spending increases; and expands work requirements for some of those receiving food stamps, among other things.

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McCarthy Says Debt Deal Will Require Spending Cuts

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 26 May 2023 09:24:08 +0000

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday that the White House must agree to spending cuts as part of a debt deal. "You have to spend less than you did last year," McCarthy said at a news conference. "That's not that difficult to do, but in Washington, somehow, that is a problem." McCarthy said he was hopeful negotiators would make progress although he described the two sides as "far apart."

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Ron DeSantis Announces 2024 White House Bid

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 25 May 2023 21:23:18 +0000

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday evening that he is running for president. "Our border is a disaster. Crime infests our cities," DeSantis said in his announcement. "The federal government makes it harder for families to make ends meet. And the president flounders. But decline is a choice. Success is attainable. And freedom is worth fighting for." DeSantis took subtle shots at former President Donald Trump, saying he had frustration with Trump's inability to enact his agenda and blasted the "culture of losing" in the GOP.

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‘Ambitious’ Biden Regulation Would ‘Force’ Most Americans Out of Gas Cars, Critics Say

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 21 May 2023 10:28:19 +0000

Will the Biden administration’s latest energy regulations force Americans out of gas vehicles and into more expensive electric cars? Lawmakers in the U.S. House held a hearing Wednesday tackling that key question. The hearing, held by the Oversight Committee’s Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee, focused on newly proposed Environmental Protection Agency tailpipe emission rules that the federal agency itself called “ambitious.”

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Report: China Showed Its Hand, Unwittingly Verified Wuhan Lab Leak

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 20 May 2023 10:27:01 +0000

A new report released Wednesday shows how Chinese researchers and government officials provide evidence that the virology lab in Wuhan, China, could be the origin point of COVID-19. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Foreign Relations, released the report, which marks another federal-level source backing the Wuhan origins theory, which was once “debunked” as a conspiracy, mocked by news outlets and censored by social media companies.

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Whistleblower: FBI Manipulated Jan. 6 Cases to Make Domestic Terrorism Appear Widespread

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 19 May 2023 15:26:14 +0000

A former FBI agent testified before Congress Thursday saying that the FBI manipulated data to make domestic terrorism linked to Jan. 6 seem like a nationwide phenomenon instead of an isolated incident. The revelation came as part of a hearing held by the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government where FBI whistleblowers testified before lawmakers about abuse and politicization of the FBI. They also testified about backlash they received, even losing their jobs as retaliation for refusing to toe the narrative established by FBI leadership.

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No Progress on Debt Ceiling as Deadline Approaches

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 14 May 2023 11:55:55 +0000

President Joe Biden met with legislative leaders on Tuesday, but neither side gave any indication of progress on the debt ceiling ahead of a potential June 1 default deadline. President Joe Biden met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at the White House.

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New Bill Would Ban U.S. Department of Defense From Funding Adult Cabaret, Drag Shows

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 13 May 2023 11:00:03 +0000

A Republican lawmaker wants to prohibit the U.S. Department of Defense from using taxpayer funds for drag queen shows and other adult cabaret performances. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., introduced legislation to stop the department from using taxpayer funds or taxpayer-funded facilities to host such performances. The bill comes after the U.S. Navy said it had one of its sailors, a drag performer and social media influencer, serve as a Digital Ambassador for military recruitment.

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Border Patrol Braces for Surge at Southern Border as Title 42 Enforcement Ends

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 May 2023 16:41:09 +0000

U.S. Border Patrol agents are bracing for a surge of foreign nationals entering the U.S. illegally as the public health authority Title 42 came to a close at midnight. At a border conference in El Paso, Texas, Border Patrol chiefs and Department of Homeland Security executives discussed what the end of the federal policy, that’s enabled agents to quickly process some foreign nationals for removal, would be like for federal agents as millions of people are expected to cross after the Biden administration drastically changed U.S. border policies.

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Americans’ Banking Fears Worst Since 2008 Financial Crisis

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 7 May 2023 10:46:00 +0000

Americans are worried about the safety of their money in the banking system after multiple banks have collapsed in recent weeks, according to a new poll. Gallup released the survey data, which showed that 19% are “very” worried about the safety of their money in banks and another 29% are “moderately” worried.

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Police Groups Blame Broken System as Cities See Crime Rise

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 6 May 2023 11:33:58 +0000

A rise in crime, looting, and unhindered theft around the U.S. has helped fuel Americans' rising concerns about crime. Some of the nation’s largest cities are experiencing crime waves in recent years, and new polling shows Americans are worried. Gallup released new polling Tuesday showing that more Americans are concerned about higher crime with Americans ranking it as the sixth largest problem facing the nation, behind other issues like “poor leadership” and inflation.

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Biden Administration’s Controversial Rule Raising Fees for Those With Good Credit Goes Into Effect

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 May 2023 17:17:08 +0000

The latest in a series of new Biden administration rule changes that charge higher fees to certain home buyers with good credit and lower fees for buyers with worse credit went into effect this week despite pushback from Republicans and many financial experts.

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Biden’s Labor Secretary Nominee Passes Committee, Faces Senate Fight

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:58:55 +0000

The U.S. Senate HELP Committee on Wednesday voted to send President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Labor to the Senate for consideration. The lawmakers voted in favor of Julie Su, who served as deputy secretary for the Department of Justice under the Biden administration.

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Biden Blasts Republicans’ Debt Ceiling Plan

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:57:35 +0000

President Joe Biden blasted the Republicans' recently unveiled spending plan to raise the debt limit and cut spending, calling it "a reckless attempt to extract extreme concessions as a condition for the United States simply paying the bills it has already incurred." The Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget released the statement, making clear the president would veto the Republicans’ recently unveiled bill, "The Limit, Save, Grow Act."

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Biden Announces Run For Reelection

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:04:16 +0000

President Joe Biden announced early Tuesday that he is running for reelection. "Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms," Biden wrote on Twitter in his announcement. "I believe this is ours. That’s why I’m running for reelection as President of the United States. Join us. Let’s finish the job."

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House Republicans Pass Bill Banning Biological Males From Competing in Women’s Sports

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:03:02 +0000

Republicans in the U.S. voted Thursday to pass the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act," the latest salvo in the ongoing battle over transgender athletes. The legislation would ban schools that receive federal funding, which is nearly all schools, from allowing biological males to compete in sports designated for women and girls.

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McCarthy Lays Out Republican Debt Ceiling Plan

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 10:02:01 +0000

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Monday Republicans will vote to cut federal spending when it agrees to raise the debt ceiling, setting the stage for a pending political struggle over growing federal debt and what to do about it.

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‘Enormous’: Dems reintroduce Green New Deal

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 13:48:55 +0000

A group of liberal Democrats reintroduced the Green New Deal Thursday, the controversial environmental legislation that experts say would spike energy costs in the U.S. and cost taxpayers tens of trillions of dollars. Advocates, though, argue the changes are needed to prevent worsening climate change and get ahead of an inevitable renewable energy transition.

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Republican Senator Exploring Run for President

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:53:23 +0000

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., announced Wednesday that he is launching an exploratory committee in a potential run for president in 2024. “I will never back down in defense of the conservative values that make America exceptional,” Scott said in his announcement on Twitter. “That's why I'm announcing my exploratory committee for President of the United States. This fight is personal. I want every American to have the same opportunities I had.”

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50-State Report: GOP-Led States Are in Best Economic Condition

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 10:48:57 +0000

A new report ranks all 50 states from best to worst for economic conditions, showing which states have improved, and worsened, in creating an economic climate where businesses want to invest. The American Legislative Exchange Council released the state analysis, which ranks Utah as the number one state, North Carolina as second, and Arizona as third. Idaho and Oklahoma fill out the top five spots, ranking fourth and fifth, respectively.

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Questionable COVID-Relief Spending Allegations Pile Up

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:44:09 +0000

Lawmakers are outraged after reports that federal COVID-relief tax dollars may have gone to wealthy hospitals while avoiding helping out poor hospitals in recovering from the pandemic. Republican members of Congress have raised this very question, asking why $17 billion of COVID-19 relief funds was used by hospitals with profits topping more than $53 billion, “while $35 billion went to hospitals that reported a loss of almost $130 billion.”

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Gas Prices Steadily Rise, Biden Takes Fire

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 8 Apr 2023 10:21:23 +0000

Gas prices continue to rise this week in the U.S., hitting the highest level in months. Now, the concerns and political ramifications for the Biden administration are starting to rise as well. "Gas prices are rising," said economist Stephen Moore. "Joe Biden is doing nothing except push a crazy green agenda that will make prices even higher. "If America went back to Trump's energy policies, we'd be producing 2 million barrels more a day."

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Feds Create Race, Gender Speech Codes for Scientists to Direct Report Language

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Apr 2023 15:06:55 +0000

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, a federal and science technology office, has made race and gender speech codes for its scientists a top priority. The guidance, for example, tells federal employees not to use the words "blacklist" or "whitelist" because of the racial connotations and also cautions against "using terms that assign a gender to inanimate objects, such as male/female connectors."

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Trump Blasts Prosecutor, President Biden After His Arraignment

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 6 Apr 2023 21:09:58 +0000

President Donald Trump called the charges against him unprecedented election interference in a speech Tuesday night from his Mar-a-Lago home, just hours after pleading not guilty to nearly three dozen felony charges during his arraignment in New York City.

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‘Taxpayer-Funded Censorship Campaign’ Under Fire at Congressional Hearing

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 2 Apr 2023 11:14:11 +0000

The Biden administration's collusion with social media companies and others to censor speech related to COVID-19, election integrity and other issues "was far more pervasive and destructive" than initially thought, a key witness and sitting U.S. senator testified at a Thursday Congressional hearing. Republicans on the subcommittee called it "the largest speech censorship operation in recent history." “Their censorship has extended to critical topics like how best to respond to COVID-19 and even to elections themselves,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who leads the relevant subcommittee.

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Senator Marco Rubio: ‘Woke Activists’ Are Hollowing Out Our Military

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 1 Apr 2023 09:00:02 +0000

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio blasted the Pentagon’s increasingly leftward bent as it struggles to keep up with national security interests. “The United States military is the greatest fighting force in the world, but woke activists in the Biden Administration are undermining military readiness, cohesion, and purpose,” Rubio, R-Fla., told The Center Square. “We cannot allow these left-wing crazies to hollow out our military. The world is an increasingly dangerous place and America’s security requires a strong military capable of deterring – and if need be, defending – our nation.”

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Donald Trump Indicted by New York Grand Jury

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 14:34:16 +0000

Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a grand jury in New York Thursday, potentially kicking off one of the most controversial court cases in decades and the first criminal charges against a former or sitting president. The specific charges and details of the indictment have not yet been released, but prosecutors presented evidence that Trump allegedly paid hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels through a lawyer seven years ago and illegally covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president.

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Inflation Continues to Outpace Wages, Data Shows

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:07:10 +0000

Inflation has outpaced wages for nearly two years, federal data shows. A closer look at federal wage and pricing data shows workers are making less overall as the price for all kinds of goods and services rise faster than average hourly wages. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks “real” average hourly earnings, which are wages of Americans with rising inflation taken into account. “From February 2022 to February 2023, real average hourly earnings decreased 0.3 percent, seasonally adjusted,” BLS said. “The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a decrease of 0.9 percent in the average workweek resulted in a 1.2-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.”

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DC Council’s Push for Liberal Crime Bill Backfires

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 10:30:53 +0000

The liberal crime bill pushed by local Washington, D.C. leaders and killed by President Joe Biden has backfired, inviting fresh oversight and the clamping down of federal authority on the capital city at a time when local leaders are pushing for autonomy. The crime bill would have lessened penalties for a range of crimes even as D.C. has experienced a spike in homicides, arson, and other crimes. House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., announced an oversight hearing of Washington, D.C.’s local government, an unwelcome intrusion in the eyes of local leaders who are pushing for D.C. statehood.

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U.S. Border Data: 284 Suspected Terrorists Apprehended So Far in Fiscal 2023

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:18:52 +0000

Nearly 300 suspected terrorists have been apprehended attempting to enter the U.S. in the first few months of fiscal 2023 as 28 members of Congress formed a new caucus to address the crisis at the northern border, where record numbers of foreign nationals continue to illegally enter from Canada. The Northern Border Security Caucus, formed by U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania, and Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, is expressing concerns about “the increased human and drug trafficking, along with the decrease in Border Patrol agents and lack of security, along the U.S.-Canada border.”

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Treasury Department Agrees to Hand Over Hunter Biden Files

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 11:02:27 +0000

The House Oversight Committee said Tuesday that the U.S. Treasury Department is providing the investigatory committee with access to Hunter Biden’s Suspicious Activity Reports after months of delay. The revelation is the latest chapter in the committee’s ongoing investigation into the president’s son and his associates. The lawmakers concerned with the issue argue the president could be compromised if foreign sources have knowledge of his or his son’s alleged wrongdoing. "According to bank documents we’ve already obtained, we know one company owned by a Biden associate received a $3 million wire from a Chinese energy company two months after Joe Biden left the vice presidency,” House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky, said “Soon after, hundreds of thousands of dollars in payouts went to members of the Biden family.”

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‘No Painless Option’: Fed Faces Tough Choice on Inflation Following Bank Collapses

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 10:27:54 +0000

The U.S. Federal Reserve may be less likely to use its key tool to combat inflation because of recent bank failures. The Fed has been aggressively hiking interest rates for months to help combat inflation. While inflation has slowed, it remains elevated. Given the recent bank collapses, hiking rates again may be too risky for the Fed. “The Federal Reserve is going to have to pick its poison – tolerate some inflation for a bit to see if its current series of rate hikes takes hold and pause or keep hiking and deal with the financial instability caused by their own policy decisions,” Jamie Cox, managing partner for Harris Financial Group in Virginia, said in a statement.

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Biden Requests Billions to Advance Gender Agenda Worldwide

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:07:54 +0000

President Joe Biden’s 2024 budget proposal requests billions of dollars to advance his gender and sexuality agenda around the world, allocating far more taxpayer dollars to that than dozens of other spending priorities, such as stopping fentanyl from being smuggled across the southern border. Biden’s budget request for this issue in particular has more than doubled in the last two years. In the past, that focus would have been almost entirely on women and young girls. In recent years, though, advancing women's rights across the globe is sharing the focus, and the funds, with the president's gender agenda.

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Republicans Dive Into COVID Origins With Fresh Fervor

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 11:15:37 +0000

U.S. House Oversight lawmakers held a subcommittee hearing Wednesday to dig further into where COVID-19 originated and who may be responsible. Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, led the hearing, saying they will be investigating not just COVID’s origins, but also decisions made during the pandemic. He began by laying out evidence that the virus came from a lab. "The genome of COVID-19 is inconsistent with expectations and is unique for its group of viruses," he said. "COVID-19 has both a binding domain optimized for human cells and a furin cleavage site – or a small part of the virus that makes it so infectious – that has never been seen before in SARS related viruses. In other words, COVID-19 has unique characteristics that made it very infectious to humans. These have never been seen before in any other viruses of its type."

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U.S. Senate Widely Rejects Democrats D.C. Crime Plan

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 12:00:01 +0000

The U.S. Senate voted 81-14 Wednesday to overturn the Washington, D.C. city council's plan to lower the penalties for a range of criminal offenses. Biden had expressed support for Congress stepping in. As previously reported, the bill would have reduced the maximum penalties for offenses like murders, armed robberies, armed home invasion burglaries, armed carjackings, unlawful gun possession, and some sexual assault offenses. Late Wednesday, 33 Democrat Senators voted with Republicans to block the criminal penalties reform in a rare exertion of Congress' jurisdiction over the capital city. Total crime is up 25% in D.C. so far this year.

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Biden Touts New Budget With Tax Hikes, Critics Push Back

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 16:34:33 +0000

President Joe Biden released his 2024 budget Thursday that includes a trove of tax hikes, quickly sparking pushback from critics. The White House said the budget will cut deficits by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade. Critics argued that despite those cuts, the national debt is still soaring, projected to surpass $50 trillion in the next decade. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said despite Biden's claims, U.S. Gross Domestic Product would increase from 98% at the end of this year to a record 110% by 2033.

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Democrats Vote to ‘Rein in’ Biden’s Executive Orders

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 5 Mar 2023 12:00:59 +0000

Nearly 60 House Democrats voted with Republicans in the U.S. House Wednesday to put a check President Joe Biden’s executive orders. The House voted on the REIN IN Inflation Act, which would require the Biden administration to publish the “inflationary impact” of each executive order before issuing it. The bill passed 272-148 with 59 Democrats in support. “Pushing one big-spending policy after another, President Biden has continued to throw fuel on the inflationary fire,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said on the House floor. “That fire is rapidly consuming the wages of our constituents. They have had to pay higher and higher prices for everything from eggs to electricity – all while inflation pushes their real wages farther and farther behind.” Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb & Casey Harper.

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FBI Confirms COVID-19 Likely Came From Wuhan Lab

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 4 Mar 2023 12:00:23 +0000

The FBI has confirmed initial reports that the Biden administration is now saying the most likely source of COVID-19 is the virology lab in Wuhan, China. The news comes after the Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Energy gave classified briefings to key lawmakers and the White House saying the most likely origin of the virus was the lab in China. “[FBI] Director Wray confirmed that the Bureau has assessed that the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from a lab incident in Wuhan, China,” the agency said in a statement.

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Recent IRS Controversies Raise Doubts About Auditing Army’s Potential Bias

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Mar 2023 18:07:51 +0000

President Joe Biden's call for funding for 87,000 IRS agents to audit Americans has raised questions about whether the new rash of auditing will target poorer Americans or be politically motivated. The Inflation Reduction Act included $80 billion to beef up IRS efforts, which Biden says will more than pay for itself in new audits. Biden’s nominee to lead the Internal Revenue Service, Daniel Werfel, addressed concerns over this policy at his recent confirmation hearing but promised lawmakers the audits would target wealthier Americans. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper.

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‘Anti-Woke’ Candidate Announces Presidential Bid

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0000

A new Republican candidate threw his hat into the presidential race late Tuesday, focusing his campaign on an “anti-woke” agenda. Vivek Ramaswamy, an author, activist, and a multimillionaire businessman, announced his candidacy on Tucker Carlson tonight and with a string of Tweets. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper on this episode of America in Focus.

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Researchers: City-Wide Vaccine Mandates Did Nothing to Stop the Spread of COVID-19

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 18:00:58 +0000

A slew of city-wide vaccine mandates announced in 2021 across parts of the U.S. made virtually no difference in stopping the spread of COVID-19, newly released research found. “These mandates imposed severe restrictions on the lives of many citizens and business owners,” the study, conducted through George Mason University’s Mercatus Center, says. “Yet, we find no evidence that the mandates were effective in their intended goals of reducing COVID-19 cases and deaths.” Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper on this episode of America in Focus.

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Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Ukraine

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 16:48:52 +0000

President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday as the nation nears its one-year anniversary of repelling the invasion of Russian troops. Biden met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and held a joint press conference to “reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” The Russian invasion of Ukraine hits its one-year anniversary this week, and lawmakers want to know: where has all the money gone? With $113 billion allocated by Congress to help Ukraine in the past year, House Oversight Committee Chair U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., sent a letter to the Biden administration demanding oversight of how those funds are being spent. Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper on this episode of America in Focus.

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Fauci Takes Heat After Casting Doubt on Efficacy of COVID Vaccines

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 18:55:08 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Dr. Anthony Fauci taking criticism after his recently published paper cast doubt on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. The federal government released its latest inflation data Tuesday, drawing fresh fire for President Joe Biden as the cost of living continues to rise. President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Internal Revenue Service took a slew of tough questions from lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday as the agency he seeks to lead faces a series of controversies.

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Episode 85: Biden Touts Successes During State of Union, Critics Point To Inflation, Deceptions

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 21:21:07 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss President Joe Biden touting what he said were his administration's many accomplishments since taking office during his Tuesday night State of the Union address, heralding economic gains, the bounce back from COVID-19, funding for Ukraine and more. The Super Bowl has become something like an annual holiday for Americans full of football, food and beverages, but the recent spike in food prices means catering a Super Bowl gathering will cost Americans more than ever. Half of Americans report their personal finances are “worse off” than they were a year ago, according to a new survey.

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Episode 84: How Much Pandemic Aid Was Lost to Fraud? Answer Still ‘Impossible to Estimate'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Feb 2023 20:04:13 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and Reporter Brett Rowland as they discuss a U.S. House committee hearing made clear the total cost of fraud and waste in taxpayer-funded pandemic relief programs remains unknown. An oversight committee hearing Wednesday highlighted the cost of fraud in taxpayer-funded pandemic relief programs as federal agencies continue to tally losses. Hays County, Texas, resident Brandon Dunn lost his son to illicit fentanyl poisoning last year. His son and two other teenage boys from the same rural county died of fentanyl overdoses less than 60 days apart.

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Episode 83: Unemployment Fraud May Top $60 Billion During Pandemic

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 21:19:42 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and Reporter Brett Rowland as they discuss the federal government spending trillions of dollars a year on programs, but it doesn't have an inventory of all federal programs despite a 2011 law that says they must be tracked. Government report: Unemployment fraud may top $60 billion during pandemic. Classified documents were discovered at the Carmel, Ind., home of former Vice President Mike Pence last week, according to CNN.

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Episode 82: Debt Ceiling Sets up Major Battle in Congress

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 20:42:45 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the debt ceiling setting up a major battle in Congress. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen sent a letter to Congressional leaders Thursday notifying them that the agency has begun taking “extraordinary measures” as the federal government bumps up against its debt limit of just over $31 trillion. President Joe Biden touted Americans' rising wages over the weekend, but a closer look shows there is more to the story.

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Episode 81: AG Garland Appoints Special Counsel to Investigate Biden Over Classified Documents

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 20:11:06 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Attorney General Merrick Garland saying Thursday he has appointed Robert Hur as special counsel to lead the investigation into President Joe Biden after classified documents were found at Biden’s office at the Penn Biden Center and at his home in Delaware. President Joe Biden touted falling food prices Thursday, but the latest federal data shows the price of food is actually on the rise and has been for more than a year. The Department of Defense has officially lifted the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for U.S. service members.

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Listen to Other ATN Productions:

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

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Episode 80: McCarthy Continues Losing Streak in Bid to Lead House of Representatives

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 6 Jan 2023 20:35:36 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss that after four days and 11 failed attempts to elect a Speaker of the House on Thursday, many political pundits demanded that roughly 20 Republican members give in and elect U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as House Speaker, arguing not doing so was creating a “crisis". Gunfire erupted between the Mexican Defense Forces and the Sinaloa Cartel after the cartel leader's son was arrested and shortly after President Joe Biden announced he was meeting with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador next week.

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Listen to Other ATN Productions:

America's Talking: An interview podcast hosted by Austin Berg. Guests include professors, journalists, artists, business and nonprofit leaders, authors, and more.

Everyday Economics: Join economist Dr. Orphe Divounguy and Chris Krug as they discuss global markets, inflation, and everything else that will help you understand the economic world around you.

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Episode 79: Supreme Court Allows Pandemic-Related Border Security Policy to Stand & 2022 Year in Review

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 11:00:47 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the top news stories out of the nation’s capital in the year 2022. Supreme Court allows pandemic-related border security policy to stand for now. Southwest Airlines says it's doing 33% of scheduled flights in wake of federal probe. New ‘Twitter files’ allege Biden administration worked with Twitter to control COVID conversation.

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Episode 78: Battle Over Omnibus Spending Continues

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 00:24:56 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the battle over omnibus spending continues as Congress faces shutdown Friday. Biden hosts Ukrainian head as lawmakers weigh $45 billion in new war funding. Dems face backlash over FTX scandal, return millions in donations.

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Episode 77: Border Experts Warn of Post-title 42 Migrant Surge

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 20:26:41 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the state of the southern border. Congress considers omnibus as deadline approaches. Small businesses report hardship due to inflation this Christmas season. Federal inflation data: Grocery prices continue to rise nationally.

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Episode 76: Arizona Senator Leaves Democratic Party, Declares to Be Independent

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 Dec 2022 21:33:16 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Arizona Senator Leaves Democratic Party, Declares to Be Independent. WNBA star Britney Griner released by Russia via prisoner swap. COVID vaccine mandate for troops may finally get the axe via military budget.

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Episode 75: Republican Governors Ask For End to U.S. Military COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 Dec 2022 18:56:14 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Republican governors ask for end to U.S. military COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Polls: Afghanis' suffering has spiked since U.S. troop withdrawal. Inflation rose slightly in October.

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Episode 74: Former President Trump Reinstated to Twitter but Refrains From Tweeting

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 18:00:45 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss former President Trump being reinstated to Twitter but refraining from tweeting. AGs demand health-care worker COVID vaccine mandate ends. Trump refrains from tweeting despite receiving account back. National debt to GDP ratio worse than CBO estimates, group says.

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Episode 73: Trump Announces 2024 Presidential Bid & Pelosi to Step Down From House Leadership

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 15:01:46 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss Pelosi’s decision to step down from House leadership as Senate Republicans pick McConnell to lead the GOP. Former President Donald Trump announces 2024 presidential bid.

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Episode 72: Red Wave Hits Florida, Stops There

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 22:07:59 +0000

Join The Center Square’s Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss the red wave that hit Florida but stopped there. Amid GOP gains, Warnock, Walker headed to Dec. 6 runoff to decide pivotal Georgia Senate seat.

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Episode 71: Early Voting on the Rise Ahead of Midterm Elections

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 4 Nov 2022 15:14:48 +0000

Join The Center Square's D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper & ATN's General Manager Cole McNeely as they discuss: Probe launched into Homeland Security’s 'taxpayer-funded censorship campaign'. Early voting on the rise ahead of midterm elections. ‘Trick on Taxpayers’ outlines questionable projects funded by COVID-19 relief. Survey: Growing number of small businesses can’t pay rent.

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Episode 70: Congressional Republicans Build Lead Over Democrats Heading Into Midterm Elections

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 17:44:07 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Congressional Republicans Build Lead Over Democrats Heading Into Midterm Elections. GDP bounces back with 2.6% growth after decline earlier this year. ‘Declining ever since’: Home prices continue to fall since spring.

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Episode 69: Republicans Maintain Edge in Battle for House, Senate, Gubernatorial Races

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 17:37:44 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Republicans Maintain Edge in Battle for House, Senate, Gubernatorial Races. PayPal faces House inquiry after $2,500 'misinformation' fine controversy. Americans cut back on groceries because of inflation. Polls show gas prices are top concern for midterm voters with increase looming.

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Episode 68: Biden Takes Heavy Fire, Defends Himself After Inflation Data Shows Continued Price Increases

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:54:52 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden takes heavy fire, defends himself after inflation data shows continued price increases. 'Breathing Room': Social Security Administration announces major raise for seniors. Prices continue to rise with food costs soaring, inflation data shows.

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Episode 67: Gas Prices Rise for Two Straight Weeks, OPEC Expected to Drive Them Higher

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Oct 2022 17:23:43 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gas Prices Rise for Two Straight Weeks, OPEC Expected to Drive Them Higher. Americans see 'most severe' pay cut in 25 years due to inflation. Poll: 74% are becoming more concerned about inflation.

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Episode 66: Military Subsidizes Service Members’ Grocery Bills Amid Higher Prices

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 17:12:49 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Military subsidizes service members' grocery bills amid higher prices. Republican leadership pledges to 'repeal' IRS auditor expansion if GOP wins majority. Taxpayer-funded cancel culture? Lawmakers ask Education Secretary to push for tolerant campuses. Running on Empty: Petroleum reserve hits low point, gas prices begin to rise again. Report: Higher energy prices nationwide tied to government policies.

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Episode 65: Out-Of-State Parents Say California Bill Ignores Their Rights When Kids Want Sex Reassignment

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 15:41:26 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Out-of-state parents say California bill ignores their rights when kids want sex reassignment. Fed announces another rate hike to combat inflation, signals more on the way. Democrats block release of Hunter Biden financial documents in probe.

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Episode 64: Clinton & Obama Economist Says U.S. ‘Has a Serious Inflation Problem'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 15:25:37 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Truckers, small businesses, train industry warn of ‘dire consequences’ if rail strike occurs. Producer price index rises 8.7% in past year. Inflation report: Food prices continue sharp rise as gas costs drop. Clinton, Obama economist says U.S. 'has a serious inflation problem'.

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Episode 63: U.S. Army recommends food stamps for soldiers struggling with inflation

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 Sep 2022 15:33:42 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden policy tying school funding to LGBT mandates comes under scrutiny. Report: Record 63% of small businesses freeze hiring. U.S. Army recommends food stamps for soldiers struggling with inflation. Independent voters say Biden’s attacks on ‘MAGA Republicans’ went too far.

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Episode 62: Pandemic-era school shutdowns caused decades of student learning loss, federal report shows

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 Sep 2022 16:52:39 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Pandemic-era school shutdowns caused decades of student learning loss, federal report shows. Biden calls Trump and 'Maga Republicans' a threat to democracy. Union deletes document after report shows taxpayer-funded collusion with Biden administration.

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Episode 61: Taxpayers to pay billions after Biden administration 'forgives' $10K to $20K in student loan debt per borrower

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:53:44 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Feds confirm GDP decreased for two consecutive quarters this year. Biden plan: Taxpayers to pay billions after administration 'forgives' $10K to $20K in student loan debt per borrower. Biden administration uses taxpayer dollars to help grow public unions, critics push back.

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Episode 60: Poll shows FBI's Mar-A-Lago raid has eroded trust in the agency

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 15:14:01 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Washington, D.C.’s vaccine mandate for kids under fire as school year approaches. Poll: FBI's Mar-A-Lago raid has eroded trust in the agency. Cheney's hint at presidential run after loss met with skepticism. Biden signs $740 billion climate, tax and health care bill into law.

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Episode 59: Department of Justice moves to unseal Trump search warrant amid widespread criticism

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 13:04:53 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Department of Justice moves to unseal Trump search warrant amid widespread criticism. 'Make My Day,' Gov. Abbott says to Mayor Adams in response to threats. Critics: Small businesses in the crosshairs of new IRS auditing 'army'.

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Episode 58: Democrats push IRS auditing, but Americans say agency is too politicized

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 Aug 2022 19:43:16 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & ATN General Manager Cole McNeely as they discuss: Monkeypox outbreak declared national public health emergency. Flight canceled? Major delay? Rule change could net refund from airline. More Democrats question Biden on 2024 ticket. Dems push IRS auditing, but Americans say agency is too politicized.

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Episode 57: GDP shows 2nd consecutive quarter of negative growth

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:09:56 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Recession? GDP shows 2nd consecutive quarter of negative growth. Federal Reserve announces rate hike to combat high inflation. Americans feeling pain of inflation as they begin back-to-school shopping. Inflation is hammering rural America, report shows. ‘Uncharted Territory:’ U.S. debt will nearly double GDP within 30 years, Feds say. Poll: 83% of parents are not planning to vaccinate their kids under 5 years old.

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Episode 56: Biden approval rating hits new low, poll shows

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 15:15:52 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden appears to say he has cancer; White House clarifies (Combined with) President Joe Biden has COVID with 'very mild' symptoms, White House says. Biden approval rating hits new low, poll shows. Nearly half of small businesses are in hiring freeze, citing inflation and costs. Nikki Haley hints strongly at 2024 presidential run.

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Episode 55: Poll shows Democrats don't want Biden to run again in 2024

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 23:56:40 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: 'They are wrong:' Biden rebuffs ‘The Squad,’ praises Israel. Hispanic groups blast Jill Biden for taco ‘caricature’. Producer Price Index rises 11.3%, another worrying inflation marker (Combine with Consumer Price Index). Return of Congressional earmarks gets pushback as lawmakers blast $3 million for Brooklyn art museum.

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Episode 54: Texas Governor authorizes returning illegal immigrants to border

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Jul 2022 14:39:15 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gov. Abbott authorizes returning illegal immigrants to border, but doesn’t declare invasion, New Jobs Report Out, & Most Americans expect higher gas prices this year as they struggle to make ends meet, polls shows.

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Episode 53: Manchin, Sinema defy Biden on removing filibuster for abortion law as Republicans rally opposition

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Jul 2022 17:40:54 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Manchin, Sinema defy Biden on removing filibuster for abortion law as Republicans rally opposition. FBI’s response to attacks on pregnancy clinics undergoes scrutiny. Feds: 46 states saw GDP decline in first quarter of this year. Poll: 83% of Americans cutting back on personal spending due to inflation & Poll: 88% of small businesses concerned recession is around the corner. Study: Teen cannabis use rose, mental health declined in states with fewer legal restrictions

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Episode 52: U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade & Exclusive Interview with Former President Trump

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 15:19:10 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb & D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Exclusive TCS Interview with former President Donald Trump in which he talks about the economy and the January 6th hearings. Supreme Court strikes down New York's restrictions on concealed carry. Biden calls for federal and state gas tax holidays, a move critics call a 'gimmick'.

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Episode 51: Democrats face 'greater-than-average loss of seats' in November

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 15:58:10 +0000

Join The Center Square's D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper and America's Talking Network's General Manager Cole McNeely as they discuss: Record high diesel prices threaten domino effect to other goods, Federal Reserve announces interest rate hike, White House faces questions on Biden's mental fitness, 2024 plans, Democrats face 'greater-than-average loss of seats' in November, report says, & Producer prices spike 10.8% in past year as inflation soars.

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Episode 50: Gas prices hit record highs every day this month

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 14:56:30 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Consumer costs jump 8.6% in May, driven by record gas prices. Gas prices hit record highs every day this month. House passes ‘red flag’ law as gun control bills await fate in the Senate. Demand for mortgages drops to lowest point in 22 years amid higher rates.

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Episode 49: Quarter of Americans will delay retirement because of inflation, survey says

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Jun 2022 15:03:30 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gas prices jump in leaps and bounds, setting another new record. Quarter of Americans will delay retirement because of inflation, survey says. New Biden administration rule will tie federal education funding to LGBT mandates. Debate over arming teachers resurfaces after shootings. Air Force service members sue over COVID vaccine mandate.

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Episode 48: The Aftermath of the Uvalde School Shooting

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 27 May 2022 16:47:21 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Victims of Uvalde mass shooting include cousins, best friends, honor roll students. O’Rourke interrupts Texas school shooting news conference, confronts Gov. Abbott. Texas shooting reignites debate over gun control. CBO: Debt to surpass GDP at record level over next decade.

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Episode 47: Majority of Americans say they are ‘falling behind’ rising cost of living

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 20 May 2022 16:58:24 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Gas prices surge to new record high Thursday, a day after stock market plummets. DHS disinformation board paused after blowback. Majority of Americans say they are ‘falling behind’ rising cost of living. Majority of Americans support restrictions on abortion as nation awaits Supreme Court ruling. Border observers: Illegal immigration surge helped fuel U.S. drug overdose spike.

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Episode 46: Biden administration cancels new oil leases as gas prices hit record highs

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 13 May 2022 14:58:17 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: Biden administration cancels new oil leases as gas prices hit record highs. Senate passes Supreme Court Justice security upgrade as protests heat up. Businesses fail to find workers, and experts say federal policies have made it worse.

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Episode 45: Leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion would overturn Roe v. Wade

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 6 May 2022 15:52:46 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and America's Talking Network's Cole McNeely as they discuss: Leaked U.S. Supreme Court opinion would overturn Roe v. Wade. Roberts: Supreme Court to investigate leak of abortion opinion. Abortion could be severely limited in 23 states if Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Democratic judge in Texas border county implores Biden to visit before suspending Title 42. While Mayorkas continues to defend DHS 'Disinformation Bureau,'.

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Episode 44: U.S. economy shrank in Q1, raising concerns about stagflation, possible recession

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:59:06 +0000

Join The Center Square's Executive Editor Dan McCaleb and D.C. Bureau Chief Casey Harper as they discuss: U.S. economy shrank in Q1, raising concerns about stagflation, possible recession. Americans more worried about inflation than they have been in decades. Biden administration faces mounting Title 42 concerns. Critics raise alarm over new DHS ‘speech police’.

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Episode 43: Biden administration will fight to keep mask mandate for planes, trains and airports.

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 15:02:54 +0000

Fed report: Inflation passed on to consumers, will continue for months. Biden administration will fight to keep mask mandate for planes, trains and airports. States launch 'border strike force' to challenge Biden on lack of enforcement

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Episode 42: Biden approval hits low point, loses youth and minority voters

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 14:00:10 +0000

Biden approval hits low point, loses youth and minority voters. Amid inflation and worker shortage, small businesses pessimistic about the future. Producer prices rise record 11.2%, fueling more inflation fears. Consumer prices rise 8.5%, highest in 40 years.

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Episode 41: Senate votes to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to U.S. Supreme Court

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Apr 2022 16:04:27 +0000

Senate votes to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to U.S. Supreme Court. Americans more worried about crime amid violence, retail crime wave. Oil executives: Government policies play 'critical role' in cost of gas.

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Episode 40: Majority of Americans report ‘falling behind’ rising cost of living

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Apr 2022 14:28:41 +0000

Majority of Americans report ‘falling behind’ rising cost of living. Biden to release oil reserves, a move critics say is too little, too late. GOP report: Teachers unions got ‘unprecedented access’ after donating tens of millions to Democrats. Biden unveils $5.8 trillion budget proposal with increased taxes on businesses, wealthy individuals. Critics rally against Biden’s capital gains tax proposal.

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Episode 39: SCOTUS nominee has majority support but takes hard questions in Senate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 14:38:47 +0000

SCOTUS nominee has majority support but takes hard questions in Senate. Polls: Voters blame Biden for inflation. Economists expect elevated inflation as projected U.S. GDP plummets. Airline CEOs ask Biden to lift mask mandate.

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Episode 38: Bipartisan effort to repeal federal mask mandate on planes gains momentum

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 15:27:34 +0000

Bipartisan effort to repeal federal mask mandate on planes gains momentum. Biden blames gas prices, inflation on Putin, but critics push back. Inflation and rising costs likely to impact food prices in particular.

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Episode 37: Inflation expected to get worse this year

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 20:48:44 +0000

Inflation expected to get worse this year. Consumer prices rise nearly 8% causing major inflation fears. Small businesses concerned as job openings hit record high. As gas prices reach record highs Biden to band Russian oil imports.

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Episode 36: Biden takes on Ukraine, inflation in State of the Union address

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 4 Mar 2022 15:42:33 +0000

Join The Center Square's Dan McCaleb and Casey Harper as they discuss: Satisfaction with Biden's performance was low ahead of state of the union address. Biden takes on Ukraine, inflation in State of the Union address. Biden divides Democrats with calls to 'fund police' and Critics pan Biden's plan to fight inflation.

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Episode 35: Biden addresses nation on Ukraine, says U.S. troops will defend NATO allies

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 16:10:25 +0000

Biden addresses nation on Ukraine, says U.S. troops will defend NATO allies. Poll: Americans do not want to play a major role in Ukraine conflict. Lawmakers call for investigation, criticize federally-funded CRT program. 'Still Waiting': Lawmakers pressure IRS amid major backlogs. Poll: Voters unhappy with Biden’s work on Russia, the economy.

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Episode 34: Senate considers suspending federal gas tax, but critics are wary

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 16:52:00 +0000

Senate considers suspending federal gas tax, but critics are wary. Poll: Majority of Americans unhappy with current immigration levels. Number of Americans living paycheck to paycheck jumps 7 percent, report shows. Durham filing alleges Hillary Clinton's team ‘mined’ White House servers to dig up dirt on Trump.

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Episode 33: Senators introduce bill to prevent 'crack pipe' funding

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 16:52:30 +0000

Senators introduce bill to prevent 'crack pipe' funding. Feds warn local police about trucker convoy protesting vaccine mandates. Inflation climbs higher, worst numbers in 40 years. Poll: 75% say ‘Defund the Police’ caused violent crime wave.

America in Focus is a production of America's Talking Network.

You can listen to all of our podcasts at www.AmericasTalking.com!

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Episode 32: Study highlights high costs, limited benefits of government pandemic restrictions

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 4 Feb 2022 15:35:36 +0000

January job growth much better than expected. Study highlights high costs, limited benefits of government pandemic restrictions. Most Americans say their finances are not better off since Biden took office. White House defends spending as federal debt tops $30 trillion.

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Episode 31: U.S. Supreme Court to consider legality of affirmative action in colleges

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 16:00:50 +0000

U.S. Supreme Court to consider legality of affirmative action in colleges. Battle lines drawn, speculation circulates over Breyer replacement. Courts push back against COVID mandates as Americans' support for such measures dwindles. Taxpayers could experience major refund delays this year from backlogged IRS. Americans' pessimism on inflation hits record high.

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Episode 30: Polls Show Voters favor Congressional Republicans on range of key issues heading into midterms.

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 16:00:44 +0000

Poll: Voters favor Congressional Republicans on range of key issues heading into midterms. Biden's filibuster, voting legislation failure leaves issue to the states. Rand Paul: Federal COVID stimulus to blame for record inflation. U.S. political alignments experienced historic shift in 2021.

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Episode 29: U.S. Supreme Court blocks Biden's private sector vaccine mandate, upholds health worker mandate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:08:12 +0000

U.S. Supreme Court blocks Biden's private sector vaccine mandate, upholds health worker mandate. Sinema stands up to Biden, Dem leadership on axing filibuster. Producer prices rise highest on record, adding to inflation concerns.

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Episode 28: Navy SEALs secure legal win ahead of Supreme Court vaccine arguments

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 7 Jan 2022 15:20:39 +0000

Supreme Court oral arguments today. Poll: Majority supports blocking Biden’s private sector vaccine mandate. Dems threaten ousting filibuster, but moderates hold the line. Biden disapproval rating reaches new high. December sees significant job growth, but millions of Americans are calling it quits. Navy SEALs secure legal win ahead of Supreme Court vaccine arguments.

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Episode 27: U.S. Supreme Court to hear challenges to Biden vaccine mandates in early January

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 15:03:38 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court early next month will hear challenges to two of President Joe Biden's worker-related COVID-19 vaccine mandates. 24 U.S. states have joined to file suit to block the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administration for Children and Families from requiring Head Start program staff, certain contractors and volunteers to wear masks and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 31. One of the country’s most moderate Democrats, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin from West Virginia, will not vote for President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Plan, effectively killing the legislation in the Senate. New York, California and Illinois saw the largest declines in population due to outmigration in 2020, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data, as overall population growth slowed to the lowest levels since the nation's founding.

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Episode 26: Report claims inflation costs American families $3,500 in one year

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 16:47:22 +0000

Inflation causing Americans to doubt Biden on economy, polls show. Producer prices spike highest level on record at 9.6%, signaling higher inflation. Report: Inflation costs American families $3,500 in one year. Senate votes to raise debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion. Congress passes $770 billion defense bill, allows discharge over vaccine refusal.

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Episode 25: Biden's COVID measures lose favor with voters as Senate joins courts in rejecting vaccine mandates

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 16:51:37 +0000

Experts predict less economic growth, elevated inflation for years to come. Poll: Voters unhappy with economy, Biden’s leadership. Federal judge blocks Biden's vaccine mandate for federal contract workers.

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Episode 24: Biden Administration Rolls Out More COVID Measures

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Dec 2021 16:03:13 +0000

Taxpayer-funded critical race theory training program draws criticism. Biden administration rolls out more COVID measures, says vaccine requirements for domestic flights not ‘off the table’. Congress faced government shutdown this weekend.

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Episode 23: CBO says Biden spending plan adds to deficit

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 15:45:13 +0000

CBO says Biden spending plan adds to deficit. Lawsuits challenging Biden's private sector vaccine mandate consolidated, sent to Sixth Circuit. Biden loses legal battle, COVID confidence as vaccine mandate stalls. FBI 'tagging' parents fuels debate over school boards, parental rights. Energy companies to Biden: Poor policy decisions are responsible for spike in energy costs

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Episode 22: Inflation hits highest level in years

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 15:33:00 +0000

Inflation hits highest level in years as wholesale prices rise 8.6% in 12 months. Bipartisan infrastructure bill passes, leaving larger Dem bill in limbo. Navy SEALs sue Biden administration over COVID mandate.

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Episode 21: Lawsuits Target Biden Administration Over Mandatory Vaccinations

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 5 Nov 2021 14:26:48 +0000

Analysis: Heavy Democratic losses hurt Biden agenda. Lawsuits target Biden administration over mandatory worker vaccinations for larger employers. COVID mandates oust cops nationwide, police leaders warn of fallout. Supreme Court to consider major gun rights case this week.

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Episode 20: White House Releases New '$1.75 Trillion' Spending Plan

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 14:08:47 +0000

White House releases new '$1.75 trillion' spending plan. New corporate minimum tax proposal gives hope to Democrats on reconciliation. Manchin likely kills proposed tax to fund reconciliation bill. Polls: Biden and Congress hit new lows among voters.

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Episode 19: Food prices reach highest level in a decade

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 05:00:02 +0000

Food prices hit a 10-year high worldwide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s food price index. U.S. companies are feeling the pinch, resorting to increasing prices to offset their costs to purchase goods and deal with labor and transportation problems.

The FAO index measures the monthly change of international prices of five food commodity prices, including cereals, vegetable oil, dairy, meat and sugar.

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Episode 18: Job creation for September falls far short of expectations

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 8 Oct 2021 22:26:18 +0000

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the monthly jobs report Friday showing the economy created far fewer jobs in the month of September than experts expected.

Total nonfarm employment increased 194,000 in September, well below the Dow Jones estimated 500,000 jobs for the month.

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Episode 17: Democrats try to sell $3.5 trillion spending plan as government shutdown looms

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 1 Oct 2021 19:52:54 +0000

President Biden made headlines for claiming the bill would cost “zero dollars,” despite media reports and members of both parties commonly naming the bill’s cost at $3.5 trillion for the last several months.

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Episode 16: Potential exodus of Navy SEALs brings backlash on vaccine mandate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 22:56:57 +0000

President Joe Biden’s federal vaccine mandate sparked controversy among Americans, but one of the nation’s most elite fighting forces may be hit harder than other groups by the new requirement.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in August, with Biden’s approval, that all U.S. service members must receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The decision came after the Pfizer vaccine received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

That mandate, though, leaves many U.S. troops facing a tough personal decision. Just the News reported this week that hundreds of Navy SEALs have been told they will not be deployed if they don't receive the vaccine and will no longer be able to serve as a Navy SEAL.

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Episode 15: Report suggests new spending plan would shrink the economy

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 23:01:31 +0000

House Democrats have unveiled a litany of new tax proposals to fund President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion federal spending bill, but a new report suggests the spending plan would shrink the economy.

The University of Pennsylvania’s business school, Penn Wharton, released a new budget model based on the Democrats’ plan that projects a major decrease in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the coming years if the plan were to pass.

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Episode 14: President Biden unveils controversial COVID plan

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 21:56:33 +0000

President Joe Biden announced sweeping new COVID-19 vaccine mandates that will force millions of unvaccinated Americans to receive the vaccine, undergo weekly testing or lose their jobs, flipping on a promise the president made in 2020 that he would enact no such mandate.

Biden rolled out the list of stringent new rules via executive orders and federal regulatory changes Thursday, most notably requiring that all private employers with 100 or more employees ensure that their employees are vaccinated or get tested weekly.

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Episode 13: US economy created only a third of expected jobs in August

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 3 Sep 2021 21:22:03 +0000

A new federal jobs report released Friday showed that job creation for the month of August fell far short of expectations.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed nonfarm jobs increased by 235,000 with unemployment at 5.2%. Dow Jones economic experts expected 720,000 new jobs for the month.

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Episode 12: Kabul terrorist attack results in deadliest day for US military in a decade

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 20:31:48 +0000

Explosions in Afghanistan outside the Kabul airport Thursday have led to several civilian and military casualties and further heightened the chaotic evacuation of American citizens and Afghan nationals.

The Pentagon confirmed that "a number" of U.S. service members have been killed. Several media reports said the death toll includes at least 12 U.S. service members. Fox News reported that 11 were Marines and one was a Navy medic.

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Episode 11: Inflation drives record increase in SNAP benefits

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:16:00 +0000

As inflation continues its upward trend, government programs are giving Americans raises to keep up.

The Biden administration announced Monday a historic increase to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated the Thrifty Food Plan, a wide-ranging report that updates the expected cost to healthily feed a family of four.

The federal food report cited inflation as the driving factor behind the need for more benefits, which is the biggest increase in the program's history.

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Episode 10: Trillions of dollars are moving through the Senate

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 17:31:52 +0000

On the heels of passing a $1 trillion infrastructure bill, Senate Democrats passed a $3.5 trillion budget resolution Wednesday that sets Congress up for a major battle later this year.

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Episode 9: Gas prices and mask mandates on the rise across the country

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 6 Aug 2021 22:26:24 +0000

After experiencing low fuel costs last year in most parts of the country, gas prices have now hit a new seven-year high nationwide while multiple major U.S. companies announced Tuesday they would require vaccinations for their employees, a decision that has sparked controversy and likely legal challenges.

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Episode 8: New CDC guidance could revive mask mandates and COVID restrictions

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 20:51:03 +0000

President Joe Biden on Thursday said his administration will require all federal employees and contractors to show proof of vaccination, a move met with swift opposition from Texas elected officials.

Federal workers or contractors who can’t show a proof of vaccination will be required to wear masks, practice physical distancing, and be subject to twice-weekly COVID-19 tests under the new rules.

Biden encouraged the private sector and professional sports leagues to follow suit in an address on Thursday.

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Episode 7: Home prices and jobless claims on the rise

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 19:38:48 +0000

Earlier this week, President Joe Biden touted the country’s economic growth since he took office, but the latest economic data show that progress may not be as sturdy as experts would like.

The Department of Labor released new unemployment data Thursday showing a major spike in new jobless claims, meaning more Americans are filing for unemployment for the first time even as concerns grow over the Delta variant of COVID. The jobless increase came as a surprise to many experts, who hoped the U.S would continue an overall downward trend as the economy recovers from the pandemic-related economic shutdowns.

The troubling unemployment data comes amid continued debate over the efficacy of the $300 federal weekly unemployment payments passed by Congress that are in addition to state benefits. More than two dozen states have announced they will turn away the federal benefits, citing business owners who say they are unable to fill positions despite the elevated unemployment.

Meanwhile, home prices increased at a rapid rate in the last year.

The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that the median existing-home sales price increased by 23.4% from June 2020 to June 2021, the second highest recorded since January 1999.

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Episode 6: Fed Reserve Chair tells Congress inflation to be 'elevated for months'

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 17:12:47 +0000

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell tried to calm lawmakers’ fears about rising inflation but also said it would probably remain elevated for months to come.

Testifying before Congress this week, Powell said the Federal Reserve was willing to step in to address the situation, but that inflation should level out next year.

Powell’s testimony comes on the heels of troubling news of a major spike in inflation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Tuesday released federal data showing the largest one-month spike in consumer prices in more than a decade.

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Episode 5: "Politicization" of IRS becoming concern for Republicans

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 9 Jul 2021 19:51:57 +0000

President Joe Biden has pushed for beefing up IRS audits of corporations to raise revenue for his new spending proposals, but Republicans are raising the alarm about the potential consequences of the plan.

Biden unveiled his "Made in America Tax Plan” earlier this year as a strategy to help fund his trillions of dollars in proposed new federal spending that includes several tax hikes. Despite this, a bipartisan coalition in the U.S. House and Senate have agreed to a basic framework for Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan, but one element has been the theme of the negotiations among Republicans: no new taxes.

The GOP pushback against raising taxes, though, puts more pressure on the Biden administration to find ways to fund his agenda. Aside from Biden’s controversial tax hike proposals, the president also has proposed adding $80 billion in funding to the IRS so it can increase audits of corporations. READ MORE

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Episode 4: Supreme Court rulings and a backlog at the IRS

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 2 Jul 2021 22:03:31 +0000

For many Americans still waiting to receive their tax refund, it appears the wait could be far from over.

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Episode 3: President Biden unveils plan to address rising crime across US

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 22:11:55 +0000

President Joe Biden unveiled a major gun regulation and crime prevention plan Wednesday as cities around the country struggle with rising violent crime.

Amid the wave of violence nationwide, Biden released a plan for more gun control measures and called on local governments to hire more police officers, a departure in rhetoric from some in his party who have pressured local municipalities to "defund" or cut back on police.

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Episode 2: New unemployment claims spike after weeks of decline

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:13:43 +0000

The number of people filing new unemployment claims spiked last week, the latest economic indicator that's troubling economists.

Data released by the Department of Labor Thursday showed that for the week ending June 12, unemployment claims hit 412,000, a jump of 37,000 from the previous week. That increase comes after several weeks of steadily declining claims.

Next week’s report will show whether the most recent data was an anomaly or if it may be a reversal of the previous trend.

The data comes after the White House touted a steady drop in jobless claims last week.

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Episode 1: Inflation spikes to highest levels since 2008 crisis

cmcneely@franklinnews.org (The Center Square) — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 18:15:55 +0000

The latest federal report suggests more troubles for the U.S. economy, even as experts hoped for a post-COVID economic surge.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Thursday released new data showing a major spike in inflation, the largest since the financial crisis from over a decade ago.

Some goods increased in price more than others. Household furnishings saw “its largest monthly increase since January 1976” and new vehicles increased 1.6% in May, its “largest 1-month increase since October 2009.”

The inflation report comes one day after the U.S. Department of Labor showed disappointing job creation for the month of May. The U.S economy added only 559,000 nonfarm jobs last month, short of 650,000 predicted by economists. Unemployment for the month was 5.8%.

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