The new map has five of the state’s six House districts as GOP-leaning.
President Trump announced on Saturday that he plans to hold a political rally to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary after several artists said they will no longer perform at the upcoming Great American State Fair on the National Mall. “I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I…
A federal judge on Friday temporarily suspended the Trump administration’s plans for a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund—an attempt to pay President Trump’s friends, allies, supporters, and anyone else who felt wronged by the previous administration.The order, sent down by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, states that the president is not allowed to pursue “the creation or operation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund, which includes the transferring of money to the Fund; the consideration of any claims submitted to the Fund; and the disbursing of any funds from the Fund.”The Department of Justice fund has been met with protest from both Democrats and Republicans alike for its deep conflicts of interest—given that this all came about after Trump sued his own IRS for $10 billion, then settled for this fund for people who acted in his name. This ruling came after former January 6 prosecutor Andrew Floyd and the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sued the Trump administration on the grounds that the settlement was “a jaw-dropping act of presidential corruption,” which was “designed to funnel $1.776 billion in taxpayer dollars from the Treasury’s Judgment Fund to purported victims of what the President considers ‘lawfare’ and government ‘weaponization.’” The issue will be adjudicated on June 12, when Brinkema will decide whether to issue a more lasting suspension. This story has been updated.
President Donald Trump made a major endorsement in Oklahoma on Friday evening — and it left Republican officials there flabbergasted."It is my Great Honor to endorse MAGA Warrior, Mike Mazzei, who is running for Governor of Oklahoma, a State which I love, and WON BIG," wrote Trump on his Truth Social platform, describing Mazzei as "a successful Businessman, and former Chairman of the State Senate Finance Committee, and later, as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Budget" who will embrace "AMERICA FIRST Policies."But this endorsement didn't make any sense to Oklahoma insiders."Ummm Trump endorses @MazzeiMike for Governor of Oklahoma," wrote Reese Gorman of NOTUS on X. "Mazzei is widely considered a massive underdog against AG Drummond, McCall and Chip Keating. Absolutely unexpected and wild endorsement."Gorman went on to add, "My phone is blowing up with Oklahoma officials and politicos absolutely SHOCKED at this endorsement. Nobody saw this coming."This comes as Trump makes a number of other endorsements in key races around the country, including Pam Evette in South Carolina's gubernatorial race, which deals a blow to Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, who had been vying for that endorsement themselves.
Any self-styled advocate for limited government should be furious about Trump's $1.8 billion slush fund, but few Republicans are willing to denounce it.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) was the sole Republican lawmaker present during a closed-door interview with former Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. According to MS NOW, the atmosphere was tense, with Bondi appearing frustrated during questioning. Rep. Melanie (D-NM) Stansbury criticized her Republican colleagues' absence, noting that, despite their stated commitment to justice for survivors, none traveled to attend the important interview. The questioning focused on redactions, withholding, and Ghislaine Maxwell's prison sentence. Legal experts suggest Republicans may have strategically scheduled the interview during congressional recess to limit tough questioning from their own party members, potentially to avoid pursuing additional subpoenas for current Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel.Watch the video below. Your browser does not support the video tag.
A federal judge waylaid Donald Trump's legal team Friday by reopening his $10 billion IRS lawsuit, declaring she wants to investigate "grievous allegations" that the deal to settle it was "premised on deception," The New York Times reported.In what the Times called a "striking turnabout," U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams revived the case just days after she had closed it. The Obama appointee said she wants to scrutinize the circumstances surrounding Trump's effort to settle the suit in a way that benefited him, his family, and his political allies — including the controversial $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund" that critics have blasted as a slush fund.Williams ordered Trump's lawyers to respond by June 12 to two damning questions: whether "the court was the victim of a fraud," and whether the president colluded with his own government to settle the case "to avoid judicial scrutiny."The ruling came in response to a bipartisan filing from 35 former federal judges earlier this week. The retired judges argued Trump improperly used the IRS suit to dole out taxpayer money "without constitutional or congressional authority" and to obtain "unlawful private benefits" for his family, including permanent immunity from tax audits.If Williams proceeds, top Justice Department officials could face hard questions — including acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who signed the audit shield, and Stanley Woodward Jr., the No. 3 DOJ official who signed the fund agreement.The ruling adds to a wave of legal challenges the fund faces. A judge in Virginia previously blocked the administration from disbursing money from it.
