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☆ New York Senate rejects Governor Hochul's pick for top state judge
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] New York Governor Kathy Hochul celebrates at her U.S. midterm election night party after winning re-election in New York, New York, U.S. November 8, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidNEW YORK, Feb 15 (Reuters) - New York's state Senate on Wednesday rejected Governor Kathy Hochul's choice to become the state's highest-ranking judge, a defeat for the state's top Democrat who failed to overcome opposition from her own party to the nomination. Hochul's choice, Hector LaSalle, is the presiding justice of a midlevel state appeals court in Brooklyn, and would have been the first Hispanic chief judge of the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals. Many had hoped Hochul would replace former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore with a more liberal judge. "But it was not a vote on the merits of Justice LaSalle, who is an overwhelmingly qualified and talented jurist.

Jan 18 (Reuters) - A New York state Senate panel on Wednesday rejected Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul's nominee to become the state's chief judge after some lawmakers and advocacy groups expressed concerns he was too conservative for the job. The Democrat-led Senate Judiciary Committee voted 10-2 against sending the nomination of Hector LaSalle, the presiding justice of a Brooklyn-based state appeals court, to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. If confirmed, LaSalle would be New York's first Latino chief judge. New York's chief judge heads the seven-member Court of Appeals, which has the final say in interpreting state laws, and oversees the state court system. While Democrats have a strong hold on state government, the Court of Appeals has leaned conservative since former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore joined in 2016.

☆ With over 100 anti-LGBTQ bills before state legislatures in 2023 so far, activists say they're 'fired up'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

So far, Texas has taken the lead with 36 such bills, according to Equality Texas, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group. Four states — Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and Arizona — have enacted restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors, though federal judges have blocked them from taking effect in Arkansas and Alabama. State Sen. David Bullard, the Republican sponsoring the bill, told The Oklahoman that gender-affirming medical care is a “permanent change in your body that cannot be reversed. Accredited medical associations — including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association — have supported gender-affirming care for minors. Advocates and doctors who treat trans youth have said many of the health care restrictions proposed by state legislators mischaracterize what gender-affirming care is.

JERUSALEM—A small group of Jewish men clad in black and white stood in a quiet nook of Judaism’s holiest site one recent morning, gently rocking and murmuring prayers before Israeli police motioned for them to move on. Such a scene would have resulted in arrests just a few years ago for violating a longstanding unofficial agreement between Israel and Islamic religious authorities, which forbids non-Muslims from praying on the site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.

With subpoena power, it will be tasked with investigating law enforcement agencies as part of a mandate to probe the “weaponization of the federal government." Language to establish the panel is tucked inside a House rules package expected to pass on Monday. Once a backbencher who had frosty relations with GOP leaders, Jordan has risen through the ranks in a reflection of the conference’s rightward shift. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he will serve on the new weaponization committee. Members of the committee will be formally named after the House passes the resolution.

Sotomayor, who has dissented in major cases including the abortion decision as the court's 6-3 conservative majority has become increasingly assertive, described herself as "shell-shocked" and "deeply sad" after that term ended in June. The court's current term, which began in October, could be just as consequential as its previous one. In October, conservative Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the Dobbs opinion, warned against questioning the court's integrity. At Wednesday's conference, Chemerinsky noted that he had never before seen his law students so discouraged about the Supreme Court. Sotomayor, appointed to the court by Democratic former President Barack Obama in 2009, expressed optimism that the direction of the court will change in the future.

JERUSALEM— Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in for the sixth time as prime minister of Israel on Thursday, having been propelled back to the premiership by a coalition of ultranationalist and religious parties that will wield unprecedented power. Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition aims to expand Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, give lawmakers greater control over the top court and make changes to matters of religion and state. His coalition will include six right-wing parties, five of which are religiously conservative, and will control 64 of 120 seats in the Israeli parliament, or Knesset. The new government is set to be the most right wing in Israel’s history, according to political analysts, and caps a decadeslong rightward shift among the electorate.

That’s all I have to say about that,” said Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a member of Senate Republican leadership. I don’t think he should be the nominee of our party in 2024,” he said. And I don’t think it’ll matter in terms of his political future, but I do believe we need to watch who we meet with. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., the outgoing NRSC chair, said, “There’s no room in the Republican Party for white supremacist antisemitism — so it’s wrong.”Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said: “Antisemitism is wrong, and white supremacy is wrong, and that’s all there is to it. Writing on Truth Social, Trump called Ye a “seriously troubled man” and said he had no idea who Fuentes was.

Those were among the driving questions leading up to the midterm elections about Latino voters. Latino voters have long had themes attached to them for elections. Greg Abbott, who declared he would get more than half of Texas' Hispanic vote, finished with 40 percent, 2 percent less than in his last election. That helped create a "bridge opportunity" with Latino voters, said Sanchez, also a University of New Mexico political science professor. George W. Bush was elected with 35% of the Latino vote and did even better in getting re-elected with 40% of the Latino vote.

Republicans won the House on Wednesday when they picked up a 218th seat, the majority needed to control the chamber. How House district results compare with presidential election results in Florida 2022 House margin 2020 presidential margin Voted more Democratic than presidential election 2020 presidential margin 2022 House margin Voted more Republican than presidential electionwon Republicanwonwon Democratwon Notes: Chart shows all districts where there was one candidate from each major party. How House district results compare with presidential election results in Michigan 2022 House margin 2020 presidential margin Voted more Democratic than presidential election 2020 presidential margin 2022 House margin Voted more Republican than presidential electionwon Republicanwonwon Democratwon Notes: Chart shows all districts where there was one candidate from each party. Clinton-Biden districts where Republicans won in 2022 Where Democrats won the presidential vote in 2016 and 2020 and a Republican won the House in 2022 Vote margin Rep. win by ≥10% Rep. win by <10% Dem. Trump-Biden districts where Republicans won in 2022 Where Trump won the presidential vote in 2016, Biden won in 2020 and a Republican won the House in 2022 Vote margin Rep. win by ≥10% Rep. win by <10% Dem.

☆ Palestinian kills three in West Bank as Israeli politics veer rightward
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Emily Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Members of an emergency response team and Israeli forces work at the scene of an attack, at the Ariel Industrial Zone in the Israeli-occupied West Bank November 15, 2022. Much of the focus is on the West Bank, which Israel - in the face of foreign censure - has peppered with Jewish settlements, deeming the land a biblical birthright and security bulwark. The Religious Zionism party, led by hardline West Bank settlers, placed third in Israel's Nov. 1 election, making it the likely no. "Only an iron fist will cut down terrorism," Religious Zionism co-head Itamar Ben-Gvir tweeted about the Ariel attack, adding that he would demand looser open-fire rules for soldiers. He was licensed to work in the industrial zone and had no known militant affiliations, according to Israeli officials.

☆ Kevin McCarthy faces high-wire act as Republicans close in on U.S. House majority
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

As speaker, McCarthy would be well placed to frustrate Democratic President Joe Biden's legislative ambitions. In Republican House leadership elections on Tuesday, McCarthy is expected to overcome a challenge from hard-line conservative Representative Andy Biggs. Republicans fell short of the "red wave" that some had predicted for a comfortable House majority and control of the Senate. The last two Republican House speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, came under varying degrees of pressure from the right flank of the Republican caucus. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group tied to him, contributed more than $160 million to help Republican House candidates.

REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstWASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. Congress aim to pass bills protecting same-sex marriage, clarifying lawmakers' role in certifying presidential elections and raising the nation's debt ceiling when they return from the campaign trail on Monday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen both signaled that addressing the nations' looming debt ceiling would be a priority during the session. Some Republicans have threatened to use the next hike in the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, expected in the first quarter of 2023, as leverage to force concessions from Biden. Pelosi, who would lose her position as speaker if Republicans win a majority in the House, told ABC News on Sunday that the best way to address the debt ceiling was "to do it now." "We'll have to, again, lift the debt ceiling so that the full faith and credit of the United States is respected."

☆ Midterm elections live updates: Pennsylvania races, New Hampshire Senate race too early to call
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Brandy Zadrozny | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Sahil-Kapur-Headshot.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +109 min

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate and governor's races too early to call It is too early to call the Senate and gubernatorial races in Wisconsin, according to NBC News. Share this -Link copiedNew Hampshire Senate race too early to call The Senate race in New Hampshire is too early to call, according to NBC News. Share this -Link copiedPennsylvania Senate and governor races are too early to call After polls closed at 8 p.m. While Maricopa County election officials initially categorized the problem as a “hiccup,” it took hours before a solution was identified early Tuesday afternoon. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said.

☆ Sen. Marco Rubio wins re-election in Florida, defeating Democratic Rep. Val Demings, NBC News projects
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

MIAMI — Republican Sen. Marco Rubio cruised to victory Tuesday night, securing his third term amid a statewide Democratic collapse, NBC News projects. Rubio is the first Florida Republican to win three terms in the Senate. Rubio’s career and his relationship with Trump tell the story of the Republican Party in Florida. "And that’s where we have really missed an opportunity of highlighting our strong Hispanic voices," Mucarsel-Powell said of her fellow Florida Democrats. The $30 million Demings spent just wasn't enough, he said.

“We’ve got to unite,” Oz said at a rally Friday in Wexford, a suburb north of Pittsburgh. Democrats see his message as blatant hypocrisy considering he is backed by former President Donald Trump and has campaigned with him. “Uhhhh will he refuse to campaign with Mastriano + Trump this weekend then?? He has mostly kept Mastriano at arm’s length while rarely mentioning Trump, instead focusing on crime, inflation and undocumented immigration. “As much as I loved Trump as president, he’s pushed the other party so far away.”

☆ Live Results: Ohio votes in congressional and state elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Polls close in the state at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Top editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy2022 Election icon An image of 2022. (3 Districts) Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. OH-13OH-01OH-09 House Governor Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

☆ Live Results: Florida votes in congressional and state elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Florida, long seen as the definition of a swing state, may this cycle affirm a rightward shift that would remove it from the list of states seen as seriously competitive. The state's growth meant it gained a congressional seat in the most recent redistricting, and all 28 seats are up this year, with five of them — the 7th District, the 13th District, the 15th District and the 27th District — seen as especially competitive. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio, both Republicans, are also facing re-election. Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. local time. Given the state has multiple timezones, the first polls close at 7 p.m. EST and the last polls close at 8 p.m. EST.

[1/2] The U.S. Supreme Court building is seen in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2022. The Senate has the authority to confirm a president's nominees to the federal judiciary including the Supreme Court. Biden's Republican predecessor Donald Trump put a major emphasis on getting judicial nominations confirmed as he worked to move the judiciary rightward. If Democrats retain control, Biden has a chance to match or surpass Trump's mark of having 234 judicial nominees confirmed over four years. Circuit courts are the regional federal appellate courts one step below the Supreme Court.

☆ Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu makes comeback as PM Lapid concedes defeat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Raf Sanchez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

On Thursday with nearly all the votes counted, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid conceded defeat to Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "The State of Israel comes before any political consideration," Lapid said, according to a statement. "I wish Netanyahu success, for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel." Netanyahu and his allies have won enough seats to form a majority government in Israel's parliament. The election delivered a decisive defeat for Israel's left.

☆ Police back Republican candidates in U.S. midterms, even those at Jan. 6 riot
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Julia Harte | Daniel Wiessner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

The rightward shift held true even in races where a Republican candidate attended the Jan. 6 rally. "But are you going to work with law enforcement, are you going to support law enforcement?" A union's backing also helps remove the stigma around a candidate's presence at the Jan. 6 rally, experts said. Van Orden has denied entering the grounds and said he left when the protest became a mob. Windorff, the Wisconsin police union president, said there was no evidence Van Orden had done anything wrong.

The court confronts this divisive issue four months after its major rulings curtailing abortion rights and widening gun rights. The court's 6-3 conservative majority is expected to be sympathetic toward the challenges to Harvard and UNC. The cases give the court an opportunity to overturn its prior rulings allowing race-conscious admissions policies. Blum's group said UNC discriminates against white and Asian American applicants and Harvard discriminates against Asian American applicants. UNC said there is a difference between a racist policy like segregation that separates people based on race and race-conscious policies that bring students together.

According to Harvard, around 40% of U.S. colleges and universities consider race in some fashion in admissions. The Supreme Court has been upheld such policies, most recently in a 2016 ruling involving a white woman who sued after the University of Texas rejected her. Ruling in favor of the plaintiffs could require the court to overturn its 2016 ruling and earlier decisions. 'DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION'The lawsuits accused UNC of discriminating against white and Asian American applicants and Harvard of discriminating against Asian American applicants. Circuit Court of Appeals found that Harvard's use of race was "meaningful" and not "impermissibly extensive" because it prevented diversity from plummeting.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in the two cases on Monday, with rulings due by the end of June. Blum's goal is for the Supreme Court to overturn its own precedents allowing race as a factor in admissions. Blum raised more than $8 million from 2015 to 2020 for Students for Fair Admissions, most going to covering legal fees. No Students for Fair Admissions members served as plaintiffs or testified in court in the Harvard and UNC cases as the group lost in lower courts. The Supreme Court in January agreed to hear appeals backed by Blum in both cases.

[1/2] Associate Justice Samuel Alito poses during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., April 23, 2021. Alito, speaking at an event organized by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington, also condemned the leak last May of his draft opinion overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, saying it made the justices "targets." Everyone is free to strongly criticize the court's decisions or the reasoning behind them, Alito said. In blunt terms, Alito also commented on the man who was charged with attempted murder after being arrested near the Maryland home of conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh in June. The conservative majority has shown an increasing willingness to take on divisive issues as it steers the court on a rightward path.

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