Latest news with #then-Republican
The Hill
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Democrat calls for renaming of Russell Senate Office Building
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) is urging senators to rename the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill because of former Sen. Richard Russell's history of opposing civil rights and avowing white supremacy. 'Throughout his career, Senator Russell engaged in constant lobbying on behalf ofopponents to Civil Rights,' Green wrote in a letter to senators Thursday about the Georgia Democrat who died in 1971. 'Perhaps most telling of his beliefs, during a lengthy filibuster against anti-lynching legislation, Senator Russell professed a willingness to uphold 'white supremacy in the social, economic, and political life of our state.'' 'His public assertions, including ones that declared America 'a white man's country' and his outspoken opposition to 'political and social equality with the Negro,' further underscored his divisive ideology,' Green added. Russell, who was Georgia's governor for two years in the 1930s, held his Senate seat for nearly four decades until his death. Green asked senators to revert to using the name 'Old Senate Office Building' for the structure built in the early 1900s that 33 senators and five committees currently occupy. It was named in honor of Russell the year after he died. 'It has long past time to remove this insult to people of goodwill from a building paid for and maintained with public funds,' Green wrote. 'The notion that the Senate cannot agree on a new permanent name does not prevent the Senate from reverting to the previous name, which was 'The Old Senate Office Building,' until a new permanent name is approved.' Green sponsored a House resolution in 2020 urging senators to change the name, but the effort was opposed by the then-Republican senators from Georgia. 'Renaming the Russell Senate Office Building is a powerful step in rejecting Russell's legacy rooted in racial division and oppression,' Green said in a statement on his renewed push. Georgia Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock both took office in 2021. Warnock is the state's first Black senator, and Ossoff is the first Jewish senator from Georgia. Ossoff and Warnock's offices didn't immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment on whether they support the change.
Axios
2 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Early voting begins in special election to replace Raúl Grijalva
Early voting begins Wednesday in the primary to replace longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died in March. The big picture: Five candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination in the 7th Congressional District, which spans southern Arizona from Tucson to Yuma and into the southwestern Phoenix area. Why it matters: The race gives Arizona Democrats their first opportunity to vote since President Trump began his second term. Grijalva held the seat for 22 years. The district is overwhelmingly blue, so the Democratic primary winner could serve for decades. State of play: Deja Foxx, Adelita Grijalva, Patrick Harris Sr., Daniel Hernandez and Jose Malvido are on the Democratic ballot. The race initially appeared like a two-way contest between Grijalva and Hernandez, but Foxx has gained traction over the past two months. Daniel Butierez, Jorge Rivas and Jimmy Rodriguez are seeking the Republican nomination. Meet the candidates: Adelita Grijalva is widely viewed as the frontrunner. She's a political fixture in Tuscon, after 20 years on the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) board and four years on the Pima County Board of Supervisors. She's also Raúl Grijalva's daughter. She touts herself as a progressive and boasts big-name endorsements, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Daniel Hernandez is a former state representative and former Sunnyside Unified School District board member. He previously ran in the neighboring 6th District and had a reputation as a moderate who worked with the Republican majority. He rose to prominence as an intern for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, famously helping her after the 2011 shooting. Deja Foxx, 25, is an activist and social media strategist. She began organizing at 16, pushing for updates to TUSD's sex-ed policy, and went viral for confronting then-Republican U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake over voting to defund Planned Parenthood. Between the lines: Grijalva said there's a "progressive vs. moderate" dynamic between her and Hernandez, telling Axios: "A lot of people in this community want to continue to have a strong, progressive voice that they can count on." She said she shares her father's values but "stands on [her] own two feet." Hernandez said he built a strong legislative record despite GOP control. He rejects the moderate label, telling Axios: "I work on guns, gays and abortion." Foxx describes herself as the race's change candidate and says she wants to show Democrats that "young disruptors are winners." She says she's energizing young voters who might otherwise sit out.
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Shootings of Minnesota lawmakers come amid national rise in political violence
MINNEAPOLIS - The shootings of two state lawmakers by a suspect with a 'manifesto' of other political targets was an unprecedented act in Minnesota history. But it also comes at a divisive, volatile moment in U.S. politics. The assassination of Rep. Melissa Hortman and wounding of Sen. John Hoffman, both Democrats, follow other high-profile incidents of political violence across the country in recent years, both aimed at high-profile figures and community members. Violent rhetoric has ratcheted up and public officials say they have to hire more security because of the volume of threats. Members of both political parties have been targets of violence, including the assassination attempts of President Donald Trump last year and the plot to kidnap Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. In 2017, then-Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise was shot during a congressional baseball practice. Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords survived an assassination attempt in 2011. Reuters has been tracking incidents of political violence since Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and, as of last fall, had identified more than 300 cases - calling it the most sustained increase in political violence the country has seen since the 1970s. A rise of targeted violence toward elected officials, public employees and the judiciary are among the signs of the time for the country, said Brian Levin, a professor emeritus and founding director of the Center for the Study for Hate and Extremism at California State University. 'We have seen increases virtually across the board, relating to public officials over the last half decade,' Levin said. 'Moreover, within the realm of political violence, what we are seeing is these acts are often accompanied by political statements justifying the violence, which appears to be the case here.' In everyday discourse, including online forums, there is an increasing acceptability of 'eliminationist language,' Levin said, which is exacerbated by an online universe where 'aggression produces clicks and engagement.' This comes during a decline of community trust in institutions and the people who symbolize them, including state legislatures. 'This is part of a chain and part of this relates to how these extremists operate,' Levin said. 'They may think globally, but oftentimes they act fairly locally.' Along with elected officials, citizens, campaign staffers and election workers have been affected by political violence in recent years. A number of incidents occurred amid heightened political tensions in the lead-up to last year's election and aftermath of Trump taking office. In Minnesota, a man was charged with a felony for threats of violence after he said he would shoot people at a Rochester polling place last year. In Arizona, a man was arrested after three shootings at a Democratic Party campaign office in the Phoenix area, which hit the office's front door and window but did not injure anyone. And this spring, an Albuquerque man firebombed the Republican Party of New Mexico's headquarters and a Tesla showroom. A 2023 poll of nearly 300 former Congress members found almost half reported they or their family members received threats when they were in office. The poll, conducted by the University of Massachusetts with the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress, found that was substantially higher among people of color and women, of whom about 70% got such threats. State Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, said he's witnessed a troubling trend toward violence and extreme rhetoric in political speech. 'We have a permission structure where you can say things that are horribly violent and then take them back,' said Putnam, a communications professor at St. John's University in Collegeville. Pundits and politicians, he added with disbelief, then act surprised when 'horrible things happen.' 'There's another victim of today's senseless shootings: Democracy itself,' Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat, said a statement. 'Political violence is unacceptable. To perpetrate it, encourage it, or pretend to ignore it will only poison our democracy. We cannot go on like this as a state or nation.' Simon urged people to resolve political differences peacefully, through the ballot box. --- (Christopher Vondracek of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.) --- Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Newsweek
10-06-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Four Senior Biden Officials to Testify in Probe on His Health: Report
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. Four senior officials in former President Joe Biden's administration are set to testify in a House probe into Biden's health while in office. Newsweek reached out to Jill and Joe Biden's office via online form Tuesday for comment. Why It Matters Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race in late July following a disastrous debate performance against then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Biden repeatedly stared at Trump and made halting statements where he appeared to lose his train of thought. Biden later said he had "a bad, bad night." Questions swirled about his mental acuity and possible decline as the White House and then Vice President Kamala Harris fielded questions about his cognitive ability in the final months of his presidency. Biden also faced harsh feedback as excerpts from CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson's book Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again were published. What To Know According to Politico, citing a House Oversight Committee aid, former deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, former deputy director of Oval Office operations Ashley Williams, former director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden, and Anthony Bernal, former senior adviser to the then first lady, are all set to testify in either June or July. Committee Chair James Comer requested their cooperation with the probe in May and also sent Biden's physician, Kevin O'Connor, a subpoena last week, Politico reports. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Comer said that he requested O'Connor appear for a deposition on June 27, 2025. Trump has pushed White House lawyers to look into whether Biden's aides covered up his alleged health decline, Reuters reports. Biden also revealed last month that he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of prostate cancer that had metastasized to the bone. Former President Joe Biden can be seen posing at the opening night of "Othello" on Broadway at The Barrymore Theatre on March 23, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage) Former President Joe Biden can be seen posing at the opening night of "Othello" on Broadway at The Barrymore Theatre on March 23, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage) What People Are Saying House Oversight Committee on X over the weekend: "Even Obama's doctor admits the truth. This is precisely why Chairman @RepJamesComer subpoenaed Dr. Kevin O'Connor, Biden's physician. This is a scandal of historical proportions, and we will investigate it thoroughly!" Trump on Truth Social in May after Biden's diagnosis: "Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery." Biden in a statement last week: "Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false," Biden said. "This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations."
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'This is a disaster of epic proportion': How the Trump–Musk feud sparked a $150 billion meltdown
A high-profile feud between President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk continued to simmer on Friday after a Thursday crescendo saw more than $150 billion in value wiped from Tesla (TSLA) stock, prompting at least one investor to call Musk's government foray a "disaster" and leaving the future of Musk's government entanglements in question. "This is a disaster of epic proportion for Tesla and SpaceX," Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management CEO, told Yahoo Finance. "And whether Elon wants to accept it or not, he did help Trump get elected. It is his fault that Trump is president of the United States." Thursday's sell-off came after Musk slammed Trump's GOP-backed spending bill, prompting fiery responses from the president and raising concerns over the political risk now tied to one of the world's most valuable companies. Tesla stock rose as much as 6% Friday as Musk and Trump moved to cool tensions. The stock finished the trading session up a more modest 3.7%. Read more about Tesla's stock moves and today's market action. Musk endorsed the then-Republican candidate soon after the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pa. Afterward, Musk frequently appeared at rallies, voicing his support for the Republican Party at large and pledging millions to America PAC, a Trump-aligned super-PAC. A flood of support for Trump from the tech community followed as Musk became one of Trump's biggest public boosters in the final days of the campaign. After Trump was elected, the president appointed Musk as head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, otherwise known as DOGE. The purpose of the agency was to eliminate government waste. Musk officially exited the role late last month, claiming the agency had cut billions of dollars in costs. Days later, Musk began openly criticizing Trump's controversial tax legislation, which is estimated to add trillions to the national debt over the next decade. The bill would also eliminate EV tax credits, a crucial government incentive for Tesla and a potential "death blow" to the company's sales, according to Gerber. Having cleared the House, the bill now heads to the Senate, with Trump vowing to sign it into law by July 4. "I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore," Musk posted Tuesday on X. "This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it." The post opened the floodgates for a days-long escalation between the once-close confidants turned rivals. Trump wrote he was "very disappointed" in his former ally, while Musk fired back, saying the president wouldn't have won the election if it weren't for him. Investors reacted swiftly to the back-and-forth, sending Tesla shares down roughly 14% by Thursday's close — the largest single-day drop for the stock in almost five years. Gerber, whose firm holds about 235,000 Tesla shares, called the plunge "100% justified," pointing out that much of Tesla's stock value is driven more by perception than by the company's fundamentals. "I think we're just getting started for the declines because a lot of the stock price's value isn't based off the underlying business," Gerber said. "It's based off the perception that Elon being a part of Tesla is somehow wonderful." Prior to Thursday's sell-off, Tesla shares had rallied about 40% from their April lows, largely fueled by Musk's close relationship with the president and his pledge to return his focus to Tesla after leaving his role with the Trump administration. "As a shareholder, [this] couldn't be worse for Elon and his properties and his investments and the future that he has because Trump's got another three and a half years," Gerber added. "Elon, in his ego and sort of weird haze of reality, actually thinks he's more powerful than Trump. This is now a showdown." Still, other investors remain optimistic, particularly when it comes to Tesla's upcoming robotaxi rollout and long-term plans for autonomous robots. "I think people are going to be impressed," said Craig Irwin, a senior research analyst at Roth MKM and Tesla shareholder. "The political noise and the other volatility is more short term in nature, at least as far as I see it." Irwin added, "The closeness between these two men is something that needed to change a little bit. These guys have so much in common: tremendous egos, tremendous power, and very strong opinions. ... Their interests are still incredibly well aligned [and] I think cooler heads prevail." On Friday, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas reiterated his Overweight rating on Tesla and maintained a $410 price target, implying about 40% upside from current levels. Jonas said his bullish stance reflects confidence in Tesla's broader technological strengths spanning autonomous vehicles, robotics, and even space and communications infrastructure, which he believes present far greater long-term growth and margin potential than the company's traditional EV business, currently under pressure. "We believe the challenges facing Tesla's current business are widely reported and well known, while the opportunities in the future business are potentially greatly underestimated," Jonas said. Alexandra Canal is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X @allie_canal, LinkedIn, and email her at Sign in to access your portfolio
