Politics

The Hill reports: TikTok is restricting state-affiliated media accounts, broadening the platform’s efforts to foster “authenticity” and limit their influence heading into elections later this year. The social media platform announced Thursday that accounts “that attempt to reach communities outside their home country on current global events and affairs” will not pop up in the personalized feeds of users. TikTok …

Manchester’s NBC affiliate reports: A man who admitted to sending out robocalls mimicking President Joe Biden’s voice on the day of the New Hampshire primary is now facing criminal charges. Ten indictments have been returned against Steve Kramer out of Rockingham County for bribing, intimidation and suppression and impersonation of candidates. The indictments name five people who said they received …

The Florida Phoenix reports: Florida Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody wants the state agency in charge of investigating violations of the Florida Civil Rights Act to inspect Starbucks’ diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Moody announced the complaint against Starbucks on Wednesday during the governor’s guest host stint on “The Sean Hannity Show.” “We’re going to make …

Politico reports: Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott launched a bid Wednesday afternoon to succeed Mitch McConnell as the next Republican leader, telling colleagues he wants to make “dramatic change” in the way the conference operates. The first-term senator will face an uphill battle against Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a former whip himself. Scott …

The Guardian reports: Rishi Sunak has called a surprise early election for 4 July in a contest that will see Keir Starmer try to take power for Labour after 14 years of Conservative-led government. The prime minister announced the election will be in the early summer in a high-risk move for the Conservative party as it trails 20 points behind …

The Hill reports: A Tennessee Democrat introduced a resolution in the House to censure Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito after reports showed an upside-down flag was flown outside his residence shortly following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the Capitol. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, introduced the censure resolution Tuesday, “for knowingly violating the federal …

The Washington Post reports: The Congressional Leadership Fund, an independent group affiliated with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.), plans to reserve $141 million in fall advertising this week, with spending planned for about 30 races that it has identified as likely to decide the balance of Congress. The initial spending plans are nearly $20 million larger than similar reservations …

The New York Times reports: Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, plans next month to fast-track a Senate vote on a bill to protect access to contraception nationwide, the start of an election-year push to highlight Republicans’ record of opposing reproductive rights that voters view as at risk of being stripped away. The Right to …

Politico Europe reports: Ireland, Spain and Norway on Wednesday said they would officially recognize Palestine as a state from next week, in a diplomatic move that triggered fury in Israel. In Dublin, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris [photo] said Palestine deserved the same right to be recognized as a sovereign state that Ireland received after fighting a war of independence …

Axios reports: Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) communications director Raj Shah is gearing up to leave his position, with the former Trump deputy press secretary expected to leave before the end of the summer, Axios has learned. Shah’s planned exit comes on the heels on multiple policy staffers for Johnson — who also worked for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — …

The Associated Press reports: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor who brought a sprawling racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and others, has won the Democratic primary in her bid for reelection. Willis defeated progressive attorney Christian Wise Smith in the primary election and is now set to face off against Republican Courtney Kramer in the …

CBS News reports: State Assembly member Vince Fong, a California legislator backed by former President Donald Trump, has captured a special election to complete the remainder of the term of deposed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which runs through January. Fong — a McCarthy protege who also had the former speaker’s endorsement — defeated fellow Republican and Tulare County Sheriff …

The Huffington Post reports: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told critics to lay off the Supreme Court following the revelation that an upside-down flag flew at the home of Justice Samuel Alito shortly after the Jan. 6 insurrection. The upside-down flag ― a symbol of the “Stop the Steal” movement protesting Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory ― was …

CNN reports: GOP Rep. Greg Murphy announced on Tuesday that he has a likely benign tumor in the base of his skull and will be absent from Congress as he undergoes surgery. His absence further narrows House Speaker Mike Johnson’s historically thin majority to 216 Republicans and 213 Democrats in the chamber — though impending special elections should help extend …

USA Today reports: Last week’s insult-laden House committee hearing may soon be immortalized on a hoodie or pair of socks. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, filed a trademark application Sunday for rights to the phrase “BLEACH BLONDE BAD BUILT BUTCH BODY.” Crockett hurled the alliterative insult at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., Thursday during a heated House Oversight Committee session. Crockett …

The Hill reports: GOP Maryland Senate candidate and former Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) has launched a new advertisement in which he says he will codify Roe v. Wade, “so every woman can make her own choice.” “As governor, I promised to uphold Maryland law on abortion, while providing over-the-counter birth control covered by insurance,” Hogan says in the ad. “And …

The Huffington Post reports: More than 40 House Democrats are calling on Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself from cases involving the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection over the display of an upside-down U.S. flag at the conservative justice’s home shortly after the attack on Congress occurred. In a letter addressed to Alito and obtained by HuffPost, Reps. Hank …

The Associated Press reports: Israeli officials seized a camera and broadcasting equipment belonging to The Associated Press in southern Israel on Tuesday, accusing the news organization of violating a new media law by providing images to Al Jazeera. The Qatari satellite channel is among thousands of clients that receive live video feeds from the AP and other news organizations. The …

The Huffington Post reports: Republican senators criticized Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito over the flying of an upside-down American flag at his house following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building. “Emotions are apparently high in that neighborhood but no, it’s not good judgment to do that,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary …

The New York Post reports: Hundreds of nursing homes in Florida have been forced to shut their doors over the past five years because of the soaring cost of commercial property insurance in the state. In the five-year period ending in 2023, an average of 146 nursing homes or assisted-living facilities in Florida have closed each year, according to the …