Republicans

Politico reports: The Justice Department has moved to drop its criminal prosecution of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a Nebraska Republican who resigned last year after a conviction on charges that he lied to the FBI. Fortenberry’s conviction by a federal jury in Los Angeles in 2022 was subsequently overturned by an appeals court that ruled he should have been tried …

Ars Technica reports: US Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is trying to block a plan to distribute Wi-Fi hotspots to schoolchildren, claiming it will lead to unsupervised Internet usage, endanger kids, and possibly restrict kids’ exposure to conservative viewpoints. “The government shouldn’t be complicit in harming students or impeding parents’ ability to decide what their kids see by subsidizing unsupervised access …

Florida Politics reports: DeSantis posted to social media Wednesday that he’s “happy to send flights from Florida down that way with deportees in tow,” in the wake of Trump saying he’s telling the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to “begin preparing the 30,000 person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay” for an influx of undocumented immigrants. DeSantis floated Florida as …

Via press release from GOP Rep. Eric Burlison: Today, Congressman Eric Burlison introduced the Life at Conception Act, to affirm the fundamental right to life for every human being, born and unborn. This landmark legislation declares that unborn children are “persons” under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, allowing their right to life to be legally recognized and …

The Arizona Mirror reports: A Republican bill that would bar LGBTQ pride flags on government property moved forward Wednesday, despite concerns about the bill’s free speech implications. The proposal would limit governments to flying only the United States, POW and MIA flags, the Arizona flag, Arizona Indian Nations flag, first responder flags, historic American flags and “blue star service or …

The Louisiana Illuminator reports: Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, penned the letter on behalf of her colleagues and sent it Monday to Phillip Sherman, chairman of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, and Robert Vosbein Jr., chairman of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, which oversees the Superdome. Hodges cited previous Super Bowl halftime performances that she found objectionable. She …

Fox News reports: Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Sen. Mike Lee are advocating for the U.S. to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). “If you could snap your fingers and get us out of NATO today, would you?” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, asked in a post on X. “Yes,” Massie replied. “I would withdraw us from NATO,” Massie …

“California Secretary of State has approved a campaign to gather signatures for a petition calling for a vote on if California should secede from the U.S. and become an independent country. Go ahead. “That would mean 43 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives would be GONE, giving House Republicans a HUGE majority! And 2 California Democrat U.S. Senators would …

Florida Politics reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis is at war with an Agriculture Commissioner for the second time in his tenure. But this time it’s a Republican. The feud comes amid a rift driven by competing visions of who should be in charge of immigration enforcement in the state. DeSantis and his staff continue to escalate the conflict with Wilton Simpson, …

USA Today reports: The U.S. Senate confirmed Sean Duffy on Tuesday as secretary of Transportation, clearing the way for another of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet officials to start working on plans to improve traffic safety, cut regulations on construction projects and restore public confidence in Boeing. Duffy was confirmed by a vote of 77 to 22. In nominating Duffy to …

“I worked my way through high school. I don’t know about you, but I was picking berries in the field before they had child labor laws. You’re telling me that kids who stay at home, instead of going to work at Burger King and McDonald’s during the summer, should stay at home sponging off the government and get their free …

Florida Politics reports: “I do think they’re gonna use Guantánamo Bay for (an) illegal alien processing site and then they’ll repatriate from their own country from there. What better state to take advantage of that than the state of Florida,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told podcaster Dave Rubin Tuesday. DeSantis was on Rubin’s show as part of a media blitz Tuesday …

New York City’s NBC affiliate reports: Federal law enforcement officials from multiple agencies and their local partners swept into New York City early Tuesday to conduct ICE raids in line with policy changes enacted by Trump. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was in New York City Tuesday for the round-up. “We are doing this right – doing exactly what …

The Hill reports: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is keeping the door open to conditioning California disaster aid on the state enacting voter identification laws, days after President Trump said he wanted to link the two priorities. The comments from Johnson came during a press conference at Trump National Doral in Miami on Monday. Asked if linking voter ID to California …

Florida Politics reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis is fueling the civil war between his executive office and the legislative branch, and he may be benefiting from friendly air cover as he makes less-than-friendly points about Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez. The Governor spoke to Mark Levin and Sean Hannity about his gripes with the GOP supermajority that …

The Deseret News reports: Utah Sen. Mike Lee renewed his call to abolish the Transportation Security Administration, suggesting that instead airlines should conduct their own security screenings, eliminating the need for the federal government to get involved. Lee, a Republican, also complained about TSA pat-downs, asking in a post on X, “Tired of being groped every time you travel?” “Abolish …

Fox News reports: Attorneys general in 19 states are warning Costco “to end all unlawful discrimination imposed by the company through diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies to reflect President Donald Trump’s recent executive order booting DEI out of federal agencies and warning private sectors to do the same. “Racial discrimination is both immoral and illegal. Race-based employment hiring violates state …

“Dr. Fauci, I think we’re going to find out was funding gain-of-function research on a Chinese lab and that the virus may have gotten out from the lab. “And Dr. Fauci saw that and he said, ‘Oh my God, I could get blamed for all this. So I’m going to have to establish complete control so nobody has questions and …

ABC News reports: Buckley Carlson, a former Capitol Hill aide and the son of conservative media personality Tucker Carlson, is set to join Vice President JD Vance’s press office, sources tell ABC News. The younger Carlson is set to serve as Vance’s deputy press secretary, sources said. Buckley Carlson has worked as an aide on Capitol Hill since 2019, including …

Politico reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis wanted Florida to be the state that led the nation in enacting the MAGA agenda. But it seems the normally compliant Florida Legislature has other ideas. It’s a staggering turn of events for a governor used to getting his own way — and a test of his national staying power as he stares down the …