Latest news with #VoteSmart
Newsweek
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Is Robert Prevost a Republican? What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The political views of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, whose birth name is Robert Prevost, have come into question following his election on Thursday. Why It Matters White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel's chimney at 6:07 p.m. local time, signaling that at least 89 of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave had elected a successor to Pope Francis. Leo instantly became perhaps the most recognizable and influential living religious figure, holding considerable sway over the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Like his predecessor Francis, Leo will have the ability to reshape the church's approach to a range of social and political issues. Francis, for instance, made headlines for his focus on climate change and tolerance for the LGBTQ+ community. The issues Leo will emphasize will be seen over the coming years. What To Know Speculation grew over the new pope's beliefs after his papacy was announced around 7 p.m. in Rome, or 1 p.m. ET, on Thursday, about an hour after it became clear a new pope had been chosen. Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk shared a post to X, formerly Twitter, saying that Leo, who lived in a Chicago suburb, was a "registered Republican." Illinois, however, does not register voters by political party; when they go to vote in a primary, they state which party's primary they would like to vote in, according to VoteSmart. New Pope Leo XVI leads rosary prayers in the Vatican City on March 3. New Pope Leo XVI leads rosary prayers in the Vatican City on March posted screenshots appearing to show voter registration data for Leo, living in New Lenox, though that information could not be independently verified by Newsweek. The data, which is not publicly available, suggested he voted in the Republican primaries in 2012, 2014 and 2016. It also suggests he did not vote in the 2016 or 2020 general elections but did so in 2024. Whom he voted for is not public information. Newsweek was able to confirm a Robert Prevost, with the same birthday as the new pope, was registered to vote in New Lenox, but the rest of the data is not publicly available. Voter registration data did not show him with any partisan affiliation. Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy Center responded to Kirk's post: "Illinois has no party registration. This merely means he cast a Republican ballot in the last party primary." There have been other signals about Leo's political views. Observers have turned to his social media presence for hints about where he stands on key issues like abortion and immigration. For instance, his account on X shared an article by the National Catholic Reporter criticizing Vice President JD Vance. In April, Leo also reshared a post appearing to criticize President Donald Trump's immigration policies. It's not the first time his posts have leaned against Trump's immigration views. In January 2017, he shared several posts against Trump's refugee ban during his first term in office. On the other hand, the new pope was also reported by The New York Times as saying in 2012 that pop culture created "sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel." In the speech to bishops, he referenced the "homosexual lifestyle" and "alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children." He's also shared posts opposing abortion rights on X, including an article about former Vice President Mike Pence's view on abortion. What People Are Saying Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment! Father Robert Hagan, Leo's friend, said on CNN: "Pope Leo represents all that is good about being an American. To work for the freedom and the justice and the opportunity for all people. The core values upon which this country was founded. To leave some of the other things behind and to be an instrument, a promoter of all things good for the common good. For people on the margins. For the poor. These are the values that Pope Leo has lived." French President Emanuel Macron wrote on X: "A historic moment for the Catholic Church and its millions of faithful. To Pope Leo XIV, and to all Catholics in France and around the world, I extend a message of fraternity. On this May 8th, may this new pontificate be one of peace and hope." What Happens Next Leo's authority began immediately upon his election, which sparked celebration among Catholics around the globe.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protestors rally outside Rep. Meuser's office
POTTSVILLE — Nearly 50 people on Thursday gathered outside the local office of U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-9, to protest what they said is a lack of responsiveness to important questions and requests posed by his constituents. The event, hosted by Schuylkill Indivisible and dubbed an 'Empty Chair' meeting, gave people a chance to voice their frustration with Meuser after he apparently ignored a request to hold an in-person town hall meeting with local constituents in March. Many protestors carried signs criticizing Meuser and President Donald Trump administration's policies. Using a megaphone, some members of the group asked questions they planned to submit to Meuser later, touching on topics such as the economy, Ukraine, mass deportations, federal spending cuts, the White House Press meetings and funding for infectious diseases. 'I have objections to Mr. Meuser because he never makes himself available to his constituents,' said Kris Norton, Pine Grove. 'He never has. He did meet with our Indivisible group years ago when he was first elected, but it took us months to get a seating with him.' Norton has used Vote Smart to track Meuser's position on important policies. She said she found that Meuser consistently voted against measures during the Biden administration that would have boosted the local economy, employment and security in Schuylkill County. 'He can't say that he's for the constituents and the people of (the 9th District) when he doesn't do anything,' Norton said. * Michael Schroeder chants and holds up signs in front of the Pottsville office of U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9), Thursday, April 24, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Edward Zelonis speaks to the crowd in front of the Pottsville office of Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9), Thursday, April 24, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Claire Miller asks a question of U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9) outside his Pottsville office on Progress Avenue Thursday, April 24, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Protestors gather in front of the Pottsville office of U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9), Thursday, April 24, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) * Catherine Pasierb, Josephine Kwiatkowski and Rachel Keck sing 'Where Have all the Town Halls Gone?' in front of the Pottsville office of Congress member Dan Meuser (R-9), Thursday, April 24, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Show Caption 1 of 5 Michael Schroeder chants and holds up signs in front of the Pottsville office of U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9), Thursday, April 24, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR) Expand The event also drew protestors from Berks and Lebanon counties, including members of Mondays with Meuser, a group that gathers weekly at the Lebanon County Courthouse demanding that Meuser meet with his constituents there in a town hall-like setting. Laura Quick, a co-organizer of Mondays with Meuser, said she and other members of the group attended the event to show solidarity with their fellow constituents in the 9th District. Claire Kempes, of Pottsville, said Meuser has not scheduled a meeting in response to Schuylkill Indivisible's request, but he did hold a telephonic town hall-style meeting. While he allowed callers to pose critical comments, he did not give them an opportunity to follow up on or dispute his talking points at that meeting, Kempes said. Among her many questions for Meuser, Kempes asked about President Trump defying the recent Supreme Court order on the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. 'Why aren't you advocating for the administration to take assertive steps in returning Kilmar Abrego Garcia?' she wrote. 'Why wasn't he and all of the others provided 'due process'?' Sue Leiby, of Hamburg, said the event was one of several protests she's participated in. She carried a sign with an ominous message for Meuser, stating that some of his 'MAGA' followers will turn on him when 'Grandma loses her Social Security; their kids die from preventable illnesses; they lose their jobs and homes; no teachers are here to teach their kids; and food is unsafe because the inspectors were fired.' Many motorists passing through the demonstration on Progress Avenue honked their horns or gave a thumbs up in approval. No one from Meuser's office staff was present at the demonstration Thursday. Josephine Kwiatkowski, a member of Schuylkill Indivisible, posted a note outside the office window, asking 'When will you answer your emails?' Kwiatkowski prepared a number of lengthy questions for the congressman. In one, she referenced Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance's recent statement that the U.S. should 'walk away' from ceasefire negotiations if Ukraine and Russia do not sign a peace deal soon. Another question was about the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, proposing $880 billion in spending cuts. Kwiatkowski also noted the expensive aircraft and equipment used for mass deportations, asking Meuser if he would support an investigation into this 'fraud, waste and abuse.' Throughout the demonstration, the group occasionally made call-and-response chants, such as 'Tell me what democracy looks like' / 'This is what democracy looks like.' The event concluded with a recitation of 'Where Have All the Town Halls Gone?', an original song accusing the congressman of avoiding or silencing his constituents' voices.
