Politics

VT Digger reports: Universal mail-in voting is now a permanent feature of Vermont’s general elections, under legislation that Gov. Phil Scott signed Monday. Now, local officials will be required to mail ballots to all registered voters in the weeks leading up to the November general elections, as they did in fall 2020. The state decided to automatically send ballots to …

The Hill reports: A tech vendor used by dozens of House offices on Capitol Hill for constituent outreach services has reportedly been hit by a ransomware attack, becoming the latest victim in a series of cyberattacks to target U.S.-based entities. Punchbowl News reported Tuesday that almost 60 House offices, from both parties, have not been able to retrieve constituent information …

The Washington Post reports: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to revive a lawsuit challenging the nation’s male-only draft registration policy as unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union, representing two men and a group called the National Coalition for Men, called the requirement that men, but not women, register with the Selective Service System at age 18 “one of the …

The Washington Post reports: These birds have pitted neighbor against neighbor, leading to shouting matches, talk of poisonings (of the birds), road rage (aimed at the birds) and sleepless nights (caused by the birds). Now the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is preparing to act. It could vote as soon as Tuesday on an ordinance to prohibit intentional feeding …

NY1 reports: Eric Adams has surged to the front of the pack, overtaking Andrew Yang and building a six-point lead in the Democratic primary for mayor, according to the exclusive results of a new Spectrum News NY1/Ipsos poll. The poll found Adams leading the field with 22% support from likely Democratic voters, compared with 16% for Yang. Kathryn Garcia leapfrogged …

Politico reports: The White House’s James S. Brady Press Briefing Room is slated to return to full seating capacity this week, the White House Correspondents’ Association announced on Sunday. The WHCA will also reintroduce its pre-pandemic seating chart for the briefing room, featuring a front row of reporters from outlets including NBC, Fox News, CBS News, the Associated Press, ABC …

Haaretz reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decried what he described as election fraud on an unprecedented scale on Sunday, dubbing the establishment of a government with a slim Knesset majority as an attack on Israeli democracy itself. Speaking before Likud lawmakers at a party faction meeting in the Knesset on Sunday, Netanyahu said that “journalists are taking part in this …

From an op-ed published today by the Charleston Gazette: Some in my party have argued that now is the time to discard bipartisan voting reforms and embrace election reforms and policies solely supported by one party. Respectfully, I do not agree. I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, …

Gothamist reports: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Maya Wiley, the former civil rights attorney who worked as counsel for Mayor Bill de Blasio, as her first choice for New York City mayor, an unexpected development that could galvanize progressives in a race where the left has been fractured by controversy and lack of excitement. The popular congresswoman, whose support is …

Reuters reports: The United States, Britain and other large, rich nations reached a landmark deal on Saturday to squeeze more money out of multinational companies such as Amazon and Google and reduce their incentive to shift profits to low-tax offshore havens. Hundreds of billions of dollars could flow into the coffers of governments left cash-strapped by the COVID-19 pandemic after …

CNN reports: The Nigerian government has ordered federal prosecutors to arrest and prosecute users of the Twitter app, after a ban on the social media company took effect on Friday. Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, issued the directive Saturday in a statement signed on his behalf by his spokesman, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu. Nigeria’s Ministry of …

CNN reports: The National Rifle Association has withdrawn its federal lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James, where it alleges she violated the organization’s constitutional right and asks for a jury to determine it’s been operating lawfully in the state. The NRA says in a statement that it “voluntarily” withdrew this suit “in favor of pursuing the same claims …

The New York Times reports: A federal judge in California on Friday overturned the state’s three-decade-old ban on assault weapons, which he called a “failed experiment,” prompting a sharp retort from the state’s governor. California prohibited the sale of assault weapons in 1989. The law was challenged in a suit filed in 2019 against the state’s attorney general by plaintiffs …

Salt Lake City’s NBC News affiliate reports: With hot, dry weather in the immediate and long-term forecasts, Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday called on Utahns to pray for rain this weekend as Utah’s drought conditions continue to worsen. In a pre-recorded video, the governor called on Utahns of all faiths to join him in a “weekend of humble prayer” from …

The Jerusalem Post reports: “The overthrowing of Netanyahu will cause a collapse of the global right-wing – from the United States to The Hague,” read the tweet shared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official Twitter account. The statement, made by Yamina MK Amichai Chikli, who has stated that he will not be joining the coalition led by Yamina leader Naftali …

Politico reports: Don McGahn is slated to testify before Congress today (sadly, behind closed-doors). It comes more than 25 months after House Democrats first sought to subpoena the former White House counsel for testimony related to his interviews with Robert Mueller that focused on the Russia interference probe and possible obstruction by Donald Trump. The White House sought to block …

Media Matters has the transcript: DAGEN MCDOWELL: I think any Medicare for all any government-run healthcare is now dead. Because you look at Tony Fauci. And who would want some spotlight-seeking, power-hungry bureaucrat who’s some fame floozy deciding who gets to live and die? JESSICA TARLOV: People without insurance would still prefer that. MCDOWELL: No, they wouldn’t. GREG GUTFELD: That’s …

The Verge reports: Facebook plans to end its controversial policy that mostly shields politicians from the content moderation rules that apply to other users, a sharp reversal that could have global ramifications for how elected officials use the social network. The change, which Facebook is set to announce as soon as Friday, comes after the Oversight Board — an independent …

The Hill reports: A federal court on Thursday sided with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in his lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission (FEC), striking down rules limiting how much money candidates can raise after an election to pay off loans. Cruz challenged a section of election law that says campaigns cannot pay back more than $250,000 in personal loans through …

Page Six reports: Former “RHONY” star Barbara Kavovit is out of the running — for now. Kavovit, 55, dropped out of the New York City mayoral race on Thursday after a short five-month campaign, but teased that she isn’t giving up on politics. “Running for mayor has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences of my professional career,” …