Democrats

The Hill reports: Lawmakers in Michigan have passed a bill to expand civil rights protections to the LGBTQ community, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) expected to sign the measure into law when it reaches her desk. The vote in the Democratic-led state House on Wednesday, which passed the bill with a 64-45 margin, would codify protections from discrimination based on …

San Francisco’s NBC affiliate reports: California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Walgreens in a tweet Monday morning, saying California would no longer be doing business with the chain and linking to a CNN story about the company not distributing abortion pills to 20 states. Walgreens last week announced it won’t sell abortion pills by mail to 20 conservative-led states. The statement …

Morning Consult reports: In the face of his first declared Democratic primary challenger in self-help author Marianne Williamson, President Joe Biden has slightly stronger base backing for renomination at this point in the campaign than former President Donald Trump did four years ago, according to a new Morning Consult survey. In the survey conducted after Williamson announced her candidacy, 77% …

The Daily Beast reports: Sen. Joe Manchin wants to “see who all the players are” before he commits to endorsing President Joe Biden for reelection. He continued toeing the line on Sunday, a week after he refused to say if he identifies as a Democrat. “My main purpose right now is to work for my country and for my state,” …

Politico reports: Self-help author Marianne Williamson, whose 2020 White House campaign featured more quirky calls for spiritual healing than actual voter support, launched another longshot bid for the presidency on Saturday, becoming the first Democrat to formally challenge President Joe Biden for the 2024 nomination. “We are upset about this country, we’re worried about this country,” Williamson told a crowd …

The Associated Press reports: A skin lesion removed from President Joe Biden’s chest last month was a basal cell carcinoma — a common form of skin cancer — his doctor said Friday, adding that no further treatment was required. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the White House doctor who has served as Biden’s longtime physician, said “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” …

Congress Minutes reports: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the longest-serving woman in Senate history, said she’s been hospitalized for treatment of shingles in San Francisco. She’s missed all the votes this week in the Senate. Democrats enjoy a functional 51-49 edge in the chamber, but are already down one vote as Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) receives treatment for clinical depression. Vice …

CBS News reports: Sen. Dianne Feinstein is undergoing treatment for shingles at a San Francisco hospital. The California Democrat was diagnosed with the infection in late February and has missed multiple votes this week. “I was diagnosed over the February recess with a case of shingles,” Feinstein said in a statement Thursday. “I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment …

Mediaite reports: President Joe Biden responded to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) claim he was responsible for deadly fentanyl overdoses that occurred during the Trump administration. The president then suggested that the more public exposure Greene’s antics get, the more Republicans will run toward Democrats. Biden recounted Greene blaming him for the fentanyl deaths. “The interesting thing is, that fentanyl …

Michigan Bridge reports: LGBTQ people would be explicitly protected by Michigan’s anti-discrimination law under legislation passed in the Michigan Senate on Wednesday. In what supporters called a historic moment, Senate Bill 4 — which would expand the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity — passed the Senate by a 23-15 vote …

The Hill reports: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) have sent a letter to Fox Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch asking him to stop Fox News personalities from “spreading false election narratives,” warning they could lead to “further acts of political violence.” The Democratic leaders focus on Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has …

The Associated Press reports: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her bid for re-election Tuesday, ending her historic run as the city’s first Black woman and first openly gay person to serve in the position. Lightfoot, a Democrat, failed to get enough votes in the nine-person race to move on to an April 4 runoff election. Paul Vallas, a former CEO …

“Mr. Gaetz wanted to offer an amendment to say the Pledge of Allegiance. That’s great. Every single person on our side supported that. Now, I don’t think he really genuinely cares about saying the Pledge of Allegiance, but he wanted to do it again to own the libs and to see if we would vote against it. We didn’t. But …

Gothamist reports: Asked about the mayor’s remarks, Fabien Levy, the mayor’s press secretary, clarified that the mayor is not in fact opposed to the separation of church and state. “The policies we make as an administration are rooted in the mayor’s belief in the creator,” Levy said in a statement. “The mayor personally believes all of our faiths would ensure …

The New York Daily News reports: Mayor Adams on Tuesday dismissed the notion that there should be a separation between church and state in American society, drawing ire from fellow Democrats and civil rights advocates who contended his line of argument runs counter to deep-rooted U.S. values. The tone was set by Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Adams’ chief adviser in City Hall, …

Roll Call reports: Joaquin Castro will be away from Congress for several weeks after undergoing surgery in Houston on Monday to remove cancerous tumors in his gastrointestinal tract, the Texas Democrat said in a statement. “Today, I successfully underwent surgery to remove gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors,” Castro said. “Last summer, doctors discovered these small, slow-growing, and mostly asymptomatic tumors following a …

The Hill reports: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is “doing well” and “remains on a path to recovery” according to his office on Monday, following the freshman lawmaker’s decision to check himself into the hospital earlier this month to seek treatment for clinical depression. “We don’t have a lot to update folks with since there’s no real news to report except …

The Detroit Free Press reports: U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Lansing, told the Free Press on Monday morning that she has made the decision to run next year for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Debbie Stabenow, giving the campaign its first widely known candidate. Slotkin, a former intelligence officer under former President Barack Obama, has proven herself a formidable …

Punchbowl News reports: Democrats from the high-powered New York delegation are lining up behind New York City’s bid to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), along with 16 of his congressional colleagues, are writing today to urge President Joe Biden to choose NYC over Atlanta or Chicago. The letter enjoys the support of Senate Majority Leader …

Medill News Service reports: Marianne Williamson confirmed in an interview with Medill News Service on Thursday that she is running for president as a Democrat, becoming the first announced candidate for the party. The best-selling spiritual author and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate is holding an event in Washington on March 4 to officially launch her campaign. During her previous candidacy, …