Politics & Policy
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Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt says death threats during TV fame pushed him to join GOP
“When I was a hated reality star, I got so many death threats –– I had so much security and police, and what did they tell me to do?” Pratt told CNN. “‘Get a gun.’ This is real. I know people don’t like guns, but L.A. was dangerous if you’re hated."
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Ex-DNC Vice Chair Hogg demands Ken Martin resign after 2024 autopsy release
The DNC on Thursday released an unedited and incomplete, 192-page report that featured considerable red-letter comments.
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GOP rep vows to 'kill' $1.8B 'anti-weaponization fund'
Fitzpatrick has long been regarded as ranking among the most moderate members of the Republican conference.
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Texas oil and natural gas industry paid record $26.3 billion in state and local taxes
What the industry paid in taxes and royalties translates to $72 million a day. The revenue funds Texas’ public schools, universities, roads, first responders and other essential services, the association notes. Record remittances funneled $2.81 billion into Texas Independent School Districts and $885.6 million to counties from property taxes paid from oil and natural gas production, pipelines and gas utilities.
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Election integrity watchdog recommends 14 reforms for states to improve election security
"You can go into the November election with the best laws on the books, but if those laws are gutted in your courts [...] then that law is not worth the paper that it’s written on,” Jason Snead said.
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The Messenger news outlet to shut down: reports
At least one journalist with the outlet confirmed his layoff on Wednesday, indicating he learned of his termination through other news sites.
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Federal whale protection strategy ‘partners’ with offshore wind and has no new mitigation rules
The strategy document summarizes the state of the North Atlantic Right whale population, which peaked in 2011 at 481. Since then, 237 of the whales have died. According to the document, deaths are so high that no adult Right whale has been found to have died as a result of natural causes in several decades.
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Florida bans gender switches on driver's licenses, state IDs
Florida has in recent years approved a litany of policies affecting the LGBTQ residents of the Sunshine State.
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Biden to name John Podesta as climate envoy to replace John Kerry, White House confirms
Kerry plans to leave the administration later this year to join Biden's 2024 reelection campaign. He has served as the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate since 2021 and is the inaugural officeholder.
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Department of Energy eases off efficiency standards that would have banned half of gas stoves
The DOE and home appliance manufacturers reached a joint agreement on proposed standards in September, which were less stringent. The final rules followed that agreement.
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New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham unveils 50-year water conservation plan
The governor unveiled a 23-page plan on Tuesday to combat the issue. Among other things, it proposes public education campaigns, infrastructure improvements, updated wastewater treatment plants and watershed restoration.
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Federal Reserve holds rates steady despite Democratic calls to cut
The bank is still working to lower inflation to the target rate of 2%.
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GOP House committee launches investigation into China-connected, US-based green energy nonprofit
By promoting wind, solar and electrification, China improves its economic and geopolitical position, raising concerns about Energy Foundation China funding U.S. organizations working to eliminate fossil fuels and transition to green energy.