Politics

The Texas Tribune reports: Kelcy Warren, the Dallas pipeline tycoon and top donor to Gov. Greg Abbott, is suing Abbott’s Democratic challenger, Beto O’Rourke, over his criticism of the windfall profits that Warren’s company made after the 2021 winter storm — and his $1 million donation to Abbott afterward. During a news conference in Dallas, O’Rourke said Warren is alleging …

CNN reports: The North Carolina congressional map drawn by state judges would likely give Democrats at least another seat in Congress next year. The court — over the noted dissents of Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch — turned away an emergency request from Republican legislators to use a different map that would be more favorable to their …

The Associated Press reports: Just six months after he resigned from office in disgrace over sexual harassment allegations, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared to be hinting at a political comeback in remarks at a Brooklyn church on Sunday. The Democrat made a campaign-like stop at a Brooklyn church Sunday, delivering a speech in which he condemned “cancel culture.” …

Austin’s NBC News affiliate reports: After clinching the Democratic nomination for Texas governor, Beto O’Rourke took the stage and made a promise that could possibly define his fall campaign. “And don’t you think it’s time we legalize marijuana in the state of Texas? I do too. We can get that done”, O’Rouke said. A heavy promise, but one that he …

The Associated Press reports: A judge has rejected an effort by New York’s attorney general to put the National Rifle Association out of business, but will allow her lawsuit accusing top executives of illegally diverting tens of millions of dollars from the powerful gun advocacy organization to proceed. Manhattan Judge Joel M. Cohen said allegations of NRA officials misspending on …

NBC News reports: The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 on Thursday that Kentucky’s Republican attorney general can pick up the legal fight over a restrictive abortion law that the state’s Democratic governor no longer wishes to defend. Already this term, the court has allowed a Texas abortion law, the strictest in the nation, to remain in force. And it has yet …

The Arizona Republic reports: Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey will not run for the U.S. Senate this year, he told donors in a letter obtained by The Arizona Republic, finally putting to rest whether he held aspirations for elected office this cycle. Ducey’s announcement to some of his closest financial allies ends the long-running effort by national and local Republican …

The Washington Post reports: Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson will begin on March 21, the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Wednesday, a timetable that could put President Biden’s first pick for the nation’s most influential court on track to be confirmed by mid-April. The announcement came as Jackson, currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals …

The New Jersey Advance reports: A bipartisan collection of legislators introduced a bill Monday called the “Motorist Fueling Choice and Convenience Act,” which would allow stations in New Jersey to have self-service pumps and end its status as the only state left in America where self-serve gasoline is illegal statewide. It comes at a time when gas station owners say …

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports: U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, who has represented parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties since 2010, is resigning from the House of Representatives, he said Monday. A close associate of the congressman said Deutch will become CEO of the American Jewish Committee. Deutch has focused much of his attention in office on Israel and the …

Politico reports: The Hill’s police department confirmed Sunday that some perimeter fencing would be reinstalled around the Capitol days before President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address and expected protests in Washington, D.C. “Out of an abundance of caution, and in conjunction with the United States Secret Service, a plan has been approved to put up the inner-perimeter fence …

Politico reports: Sen. Jim Inhofe is expected to announce his retirement in the coming days, according to a person familiar with his plans, likely triggering a special election to replace him this fall. The 87-year-old Oklahoma Republican was elected to another six-year term in 2020, but has missed more votes than usual recently and told reporters in December his wife …

From the Justice Department: Beginning in 2017, MULLINS devised a scheme to fund his personal expenses through SBA dollars. Specifically, MULLINS charged his personal credit card for, among other things, hundreds of high-end meals, clothing, jewelry, home appliances, and a relative’s college tuition. MULLINS then submitted, typically by email, fraudulent and inflated expense reports to the Treasurer of the SBA, …

Raleigh’s NBC News affiliate reports: The North Carolina Supreme Court late Wednesday upheld voting maps finalized earlier in the day by a trial court, a ruling likely to give Democrats a boost in this year’s elections. The decision paves the way for candidate filing to resume Thursday after a long delay. The congressional plan Republican lawmakers passed in November would …

The Daily Beast reports: “We are real Coloradans. We deserve a living wage, small government that actually works, and freedom of choice,” Democrat Alex Walker says. “Instead, we have bullshit.” Alongside references to the unhinged conspiracy theory QAnon—which Boebert has previously supported—the ad also features an actress portraying the congresswoman spraying her office with sewage. “Don’t you ever wonder where …

The Associated Press reports: The Democratic-majority state Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision picked a 17-district map that had been proposed by a group of Democratic-aligned voters who sued last year in an effort to get the court involved. It is unlikely to create a big shift in the makeup of the congressional delegation, as the state loses a seat, …

The Washington Post reports: Ukraine announced plans Wednesday to declare a state of emergency, as the nation prepared to defend itself from an expected Russian invasion. The 30-day state of emergency would impose curfews and restrict mass gatherings in certain regions “if necessary” to confront increased Russian aggression, the chief of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council said. Ukrainian President …

The Washington Post reports: Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and other members of the U.S. women’s national team reached a $24 million settlement with their employer, the U.S. Soccer Federation, over claims that they had been systematically underpaid for years compared with the men’s team.  The settlement, announced Tuesday, ends a landmark case over gender discrimination, one that could resonate throughout …

Florida Politics reports: Florida hasn’t moved toward making cannabis legal for recreational adult use yet, but a new poll suggests voters would have no issue with it. A survey released Tuesday by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab revealed that three in four Floridians are ready to legalize pot. But while Floridians may want legalized cannabis, it …

Gothamist reports: “He’s 62-county Chuck,” said Bronx Democratic Chair Jamaal Bailey, a state senator representing the northeast section of the borough. “Chuck Schumer is one of the best, if not the best, retail politicians that we’ve known.” The state Democratic Committee endorsed Schumer’s re-election bid by unanimous consent after no other candidate sought the party’s nod. It cleared the way …