Politics

Reuters reports: The mother of the man arrested for the killing of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is a member of the Unification Church, the head of its Japanese arm said on Monday. Tetsuya Yamagami, an unemployed 41-year-old, has been identified by police as the suspect who approached Abe and opened fire during a campaign speech on Friday. Yamagami …

CNN reports: Former House Speaker Paul Ryan was “sobbing” as he watched the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol unfold on television, a new book reports. Ryan, who has criticized former President Donald Trump and his hold on the Republican Party, “found himself sobbing” during the insurrection, journalist Mark Leibovich writes in his forthcoming book, “Thank You For …

The Hill reports: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) said on Sunday he was “hugely humbled” by people calling on him to run for president in 2024 but said he has not come close to making such a decision. “That’s not a decision that we have even begun to undertake,” Youngkin told CBS “Face the Nation.” The Washington Post reported late …

The Washington Post reports: Stacey Abrams’ fundraising continues to accelerate, swamping Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and pushing close to $50 million raised in the seven months since the Georgia Democrat announced her campaign in December. Abrams announced Friday that her direct campaign and its associated One Georgia committee raised $21.8 million during the two months ended June 30 and together …

USA Today reports: A retired three-star general has been suspended from a $92-an-hour contract consulting the Army and is under investigation after posting a tweet that appeared to mock First Lady Jill Biden on a hot-button social issue, according to the Army. Retired Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky, the Army’s former top spokesman and recipient of the Silver Star for gallantry …

The Hill reports: President Biden ordered flags at the White House and other federal buildings and military installations to be flown at half-staff through Sunday as a mark of respect for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe after he was assassinated at a campaign event. “The longest serving Prime Minister in Japan’s history, Abe Shinzo was a proud servant of …

Florida Politics reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis went to Cape Coral for a policy press conference Friday, but Florida Channel viewers were treated to some speculation about his future political possibilities as well. The Governor introduced a speaker at the event, who kicked off his remarks with a seemingly off-script prediction about the race for the presidency. “The man standing behind …

Playbook reports: On Wednesday night, D.C. protesters targeting the conservative Supreme Court justices who signed onto the Dobbs decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion got a tip that Justice Brett Kavanaugh was dining at Morton’s downtown D.C. location. Protesters soon showed up out front, called the manager to tell him to kick Kavanaugh out and later tweeted that the …

The Tucson Sentinel reports: Gov. Doug Ducey endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate developer Karrin Taylor Robson Thursday to replace him over former President Donald Trump’s choice, former local news anchor Kari Lake. “I’ve looked at each of the candidates for Governor this year, and there’s no question who is the proven conservative ready to lead on Day One,” Ducey said in …

Reuters reports: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader, died on Friday hours after he was shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election, shocking a country in which political violence is rare and guns are tightly controlled. A man opened fire on Abe, 67, from behind with an apparently homemade gun as he spoke at a drab traffic island …

Reuters reports: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a rising Republican star, has been careful not to nurture growing speculation that he will make a presidential bid in 2024. He has brushed off questions about his political ambitions, while the party’s presumptive front-runner, Donald Trump, repeatedly hints he will run again. But there are signs that DeSantis could be preparing for a …

Florida Playbook reports: It still remains unclear how much work — and how many investigations of voter fraud and other election law violations — the state’s newly created Office of Election Crimes and Security will actually undertake during this year’s midterm elections. After all, the office touted by Gov. Ron DeSantis didn’t get signed into law until late April and …

Reuters reports: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was sad to be leaving the best job in the world in a resignation statement on Thursday, and added: “Thems the breaks.” “I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad …

The Hill reports: A group of Pennsylvania Republicans threw their support behind Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s gubernatorial bid on Wednesday, going against their party’s gubernatorial nominee and state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R). The list of Republicans supporting Shapiro includes eight former GOP officials and the sitting chairman of the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners, Morgan Boyd. The former Republican …

The Associated Press reports: Maine will not cooperate with other states’ investigations into people who seek abortions or health care providers that perform them, the state’s governor said Tuesday. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed an executive order that she said will protect access to abortion in her state. She said she made the order as a response to the Supreme …

The BBC reports: Boris Johnson is battling to stay in office, amid a growing wave of resignations from his government in protest at his leadership. New chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has urged unity after his predecessor, the health secretary, and several junior ministers walked out. But the prime minister has been hit by six further resignations, taking the total to 16 …

The New York Times reports: For the last 20 years, the plan to dig new train tunnels under the Hudson River — among the most ambitious and important transportation projects in the country — has been repeatedly tripped up by political wrangling. So when the governors of New York and New Jersey agreed on Tuesday to split evenly their share …

Fox News reports: In a recent interview, podcast host Joe Rogan admitted he never had former President Donald Trump on his popular show because he was “not interested in helping him.” Rogan, who has had his fair share of controversial guests come on his show, mentioned that he would never have Trump on his podcast. “By the way, I’m not …

The Associated Press reports: The 30 NATO allies signed off on the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland on Tuesday, sending the membership bids of the two nations to the alliance capitals for legislative approvals — and possible political trouble in Turkey. The move further increases Russia’s strategic isolation in the wake of its invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February …

CNN reports: Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis aren’t just avatars for the different futures of their parties, but also for the separate realities blue and red Americans are living in — two people of opposing viewpoints looking at the exact same set of facts and coming to vastly different conclusions. They’re both governors, rising stars and speculated soon-to-be presidential candidates, …