Politics news summaries — Page 16
Essential facts and source links for recent politics stories.
-
Sources expect Dale Caldwell to resign as New Jersey lieutenant governor Friday
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell is expected to resign Friday, three Democratic sources said, less than a day after Gov. Mikie Sherrill urged him to step down following an investigation that found he sexually harassed women and violated state ethics rules. -
Former Biden White House counsel represents Harvard in DOJ admissions-data fight
At Thursday’s hearing, Harvard opposed the Justice Department’s demand for applicant-level admissions data, saying it is too broad and threatens applicants’ privacy. DOJ says it needs the records to check compliance with the 2023 Supreme Court ruling; the judge has not ruled. -
Supreme Court leaves Missouri’s 2022 districts in place for midterms
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday blocked a bid to revive Missouri’s Trump-backed congressional map for November, leaving the 2022 districts in place as absentee voting continues. The court left intact a state ruling that bars the new map unless voters approve it in November. -
White House likens Trump’s “Love Me” ad to earlier government PSAs
The White House called a government-funded Fox News ad featuring President Donald Trump a patriotic public-service announcement, not a campaign ad. Officials compared the “Love Me” spot, which includes policy images, with past healthcare, anti-drug and wartime PSAs. -
Supreme Court lets Trump administration advance SAVE database; midterm effect likely limited
The Supreme Court let the Trump administration move ahead with SAVE, which officials could use to flag voter registrations. States need not use it, and federal law bars major registration changes during the 90 days before this year’s midterms, limiting the ruling’s likely impact. -
Seven new California laws address data center power costs and water use
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed seven data center bills this week, including measures requiring facilities to cover rising electricity costs and giving local governments water-use data. The package aims to protect ratepayers and the environment. -
A 14-day court order restores credentials for affected CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists
A federal judge ordered the White House to restore credentials for affected journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, which President Donald Trump barred from its grounds last week. The 14-day order is temporary; a longer preliminary injunction remains undecided. -
Attorney calls Spartanburg council's post-vote data center meeting illegal
Spartanburg council passed a 12-month pause on new data centers Sept. 25, then reconvened after adjournment to reconsider it. Attorney Jay Bender said the session violated notice law; the county said it followed council rules and would re-adopt the online version in October. -
New Jersey report finds substantiated sexual harassment; Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigns
Dale Caldwell resigned Friday as New Jersey lieutenant governor after a probe found repeated ethics violations and a substantiated sexual-harassment finding, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said. She is appointing an interim secretary of state to oversee midterm elections. -
White House list names 134 guests for Trump-Xi state dinner
The White House guest list for Donald Trump’s state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday named 134 people, including tech leaders Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook, three Supreme Court justices, Fox News hosts and senior Republican officials. -
HUD says fair-housing backlog fell 46% as advocates challenge its figures
HUD says it reduced pending Title VIII fair-housing complaints by 46%, but provided few details. The National Fair Housing Alliance says the figure lacks context, points to cuts in enforcement staffing and funding, and says HUD withheld public 2025 complaint data. -
Comey’s trial over alleged Trump threat from seashell photo pushed to 2027
U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan delayed James Comey’s arraignment until January and said his trial on a charge of threatening President Donald Trump will not begin until 2027. The case stems from Comey’s Instagram photo of “8647” written in seashells. -
Nevada officials say 185 DHS-flagged voters are US citizens
Nevada election officials say they reviewed 185 records DHS sent them after flagging the people as non-citizens, and confirmed all 185 were US citizens. A DHS spokesperson did not say Friday whether the department still considered them non-citizens. -
Bipartisan senators push to codify U.S. limits on Chinese vehicles
Senators Bernie Moreno and Elissa Slotkin back a bill to codify U.S. limits on China-made vehicles and connected technology and curb executive waivers. It has 51 Senate supporters; a bid for unanimous approval was delayed until next week over one senator's concerns. -
Tillis says GOP dissent from Trump should not be seen as disloyal
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said Thursday Republicans should be able to disagree with President Donald Trump without being branded disloyal, urging White House officials to drop a loyalty test. He cited the Iran war as an issue where GOP members may differ. -
White House defends taxpayer-funded Trump ads; first spot cost at least $443,000
AP reported the Trump administration spent at least $443,000 on its first taxpayer-funded TV ad by Friday. Lawmakers from both parties say the ads look like campaign spots, but the White House says they are public-service announcements. -
N.J. commission approves 34.4% premium hike for school employee health plan
New Jersey's School Employees' Health Benefits Commission voted 4-2 Friday to raise premiums 34.4%, a move likely to keep the employee plan open. A 2020 law puts most of the increase on districts, not workers; critics warn districts may cut jobs or raise property taxes. -
Most tracked AI campaign ads in 2026 lacked disclosure, data show
The Wesleyan Media Project identified at least 164 AI-generated or AI-enhanced political ads in the 2026 cycle; 69% lacked AI disclosures. Its co-director found disclosures on 29% of ads in states with such laws, versus 32% in states without them. -
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigns after probe finds sexual harassment
Dale Caldwell resigned as New Jersey lieutenant governor Friday, less than 24 hours after Gov. Mikie Sherrill urged him to quit following an investigation that found he sexually harassed women and violated state ethics rules. Sherrill defended the probe as thorough. -
Appeals court keeps Pentagon’s Anthropic supply-chain exclusion in force
A US appeals court on Friday upheld the Pentagon’s supply-chain exclusion of Anthropic after Anthropic refused to remove Claude safeguards. The designation canceled military contracts and bars Pentagon contractors from using its technology. -
Hegseth's annual filing lists over $1 million in an account once reported below $50,000
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new annual financial disclosure lists more than $1 million in an account labeled “U.S. bank #2,” after his 2024 nominee filing placed the same-labeled account between $15,001 and $50,000. The filings do not explain the change. -
At UNESCO, Pope Leo urges AI to put human dignity first
At UNESCO in Paris Friday, Pope Leo XIV warned AI could threaten human dignity and become an instrument of domination, saying it must serve people. Donald Trump, by contrast, called AI concerns a “hoax” at the UN Tuesday and said he would not stifle growth. -
Tehran says Hormuz could reopen within seven days if terms are met
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran had conveyed Washington, through Qatar, a plan to restore normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if necessary conditions are met. He said the choice now rests with the United States. -
After ethics probe, New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigns
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigned Friday after an independent probe found he behaved inappropriately with women and committed other ethical violations, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said. His attorney said they contest the report and are weighing legal remedies. -
Liccardo asks Treasury to review Menlo Park project over Yusufov allegations
Rep. Sam Liccardo urges federal review of a proposed Menlo Park project, alleging landowner Vitaly Yusufov acted for former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and has links to people tied to organized crime. He cites nearby defense, AI and quantum-tech firms as a security concern. -
Trump welcomes Xi as Republicans grapple with midterm headwinds
With fewer than 40 days until the midterms, Trump hosted Xi Jinping for a state dinner and offered guests a tour of his ballroom. Eric Garcia argues the spectacle leaves Republicans little to offer voters worried about gas prices, AI and the Iran war. -
Kingfield voters will decide Nov. 3 on leaving MSAD 58
Kingfield voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to leave MSAD 58 and form a town-run school unit. The proposal would keep Kingfield Elementary open through eighth grade and send high-school students to Mt. Abram under a 10-year tuition deal; it needs two-thirds approval. -
Michigan voters trust El-Sayed over Rogers on AI and data centers, poll finds
A New York Times/Siena poll found 46% of Michigan voters trust Abdul El-Sayed more than Mike Rogers to handle AI and data centers. El-Sayed leads Rogers 49%-44% in the Senate race among likely voters; 66% oppose building AI data centers and 29% support it. -
Mary Peltola’s campaign dismisses conduct allegations, says she struggled with grief
Mary Peltola is challenging Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s 2026 Senate race, a contest that could help determine Senate control. Her campaign dismissed New York Times reports of slurs and staffers’ claim she shoved an aide, citing grief after her husband and mother died in 2023. -
Altman and Amodei urge AI cooperation as Trump rejects regulation
OpenAI chief Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged international cooperation on AI risks at the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. Amodei said AI could pose a risk to humanity if unmanaged; Altman said competition was no reason for rash decisions.
