- WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon revoked former U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s “eligibility” to access classified information and barred him from holding “any sensitive position,” alleging Friday that he disclosed sensitive information about Air Force One’s capabilities to the media. It follows reporting last month, including from The New York Times, on security concerns […]
- RICHFIELD, Utah (AP) — A heavy-lift helicopter with two people on board battling a large Utah wildfire crashed as firefighters worked to corral an uncontained blaze in Oregon that killed a bulldozer operator, officials said Friday. There was no word on the conditions of the people aboard the helicopter as officials said they couldn’t immediately […]
- By Steve Gorman Aug 7 (Reuters) – New Jersey civil rights officials have opened an investigation into the treatment of detainees at a controversial Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark run by the private prison company GEO Group, the state attorney general said on Friday. A statement announcing delivery of investigative subpoenas in the […]
- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke died in May from the effects of heroin and cocaine, authorities said Friday. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said the 29-year-old basketball player’s death was accidental. Clarke was found dead inside a home near Los Angeles on May 11. A person familiar with […]
- WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito confirmed Friday he’s staying on the nation’s highest court, weeks after a swell of speculation about a possible retirement. “Obviously, I’m here for another term,” Alito, 76, said in an interview published in The Wall Street Journal’s editorial section. Discussion of Alito’s future hit a fever pitch […]
- Senators head for the exits without meeting Trump’s demands for voting bill
on August 8, 2026 at 9:18 amWASHINGTON (AP) — Senators headed for the exits in the predawn hours Saturday, ending for now a crushing standoff over President Donald Trump’s demands that they stay in session to pass a strict proof-of-citizenship voting bill before the summer recess. While they wrapped up many key priorities in the overnight votes, advancing Trump’s SAVE America Act was not among them. Instead, Republican senators who had brought the chamber to a standstill spoke to Trump late in the evening about an alternative plan: They would try again to approve elements of the voting bill as part of a broader GOP budget package to fund the Iran war and replenish the Pentagon when they return to work in September. “Obviously, with the president at his direction, this is what he wants to do,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, the GOP budget committee chairman, flanked by Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., after their phone call with the president. The sudden wind-down after weeks of Trump ramping up his demands shows just how deeply the president is able to reach into the halls of Congress to set the agenda or disrupt it, the executive directing the affairs of the legislative branch. While Trump is often seen as a de facto speaker of the House, he is invariably trying his hand at mastering the Senate. Trump had poked and prodded Senate Majority Leader John Thune for weeks to pass the SAVE America Act, a bill that does not have enough support from the Republicans who hold majority power, let alone the Democrats whose votes would be needed to advance it in the Senate. The president has gone so far as to insist the Senate abandon its filibuster rules to jam the SAVE America Act past the 60-vote threshold that is typically needed to advance legislation in the chamber — something Thune and most senators have no interest in doing. “John’s trying. He’s trying hard. I really believe that. But if he doesn’t get there, it would be unfortunate,” Trump said in an interview with Punchbowl News that posted Friday. Thune himself has worked to carefully balance the often unusual demands of the president with the political reality of his slim GOP majority. Republicans are down one vote with the prolonged absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the former leader, who said this week he was released from a rehabilitation center and is recovering at home. “I think everybody’s, for the most part, on the same page,” Thune, R-S.D., said about the trio’s call with Trump, adding that eventually the Senate would have to tackle another budget bill. During a daylong session that dragged for nearly 20 hours, Thune successfully powered through a lengthy list of other Trump priorities. Senators confirmed the president’s pick of Todd Blanche as the attorney general, passed a sweeping Russian sanctions package to aid Ukraine, and approved a bipartisan package to fund the government into December in an early step toward avoiding a government shutdown. The Republicans also tried to push forward a slimmer voting bill that would require people to show IDs before casting ballots for federal elections. It failed to advance, largely on a party-line vote with Democrats opposed. But the failure to make progress on the SAVE America Act had erupted as an online crusade for Trump’s allies in Congress, amplified by activists urging them on. Led by Lee, a growing group of senators was refusing to adjourn for the summer break without passing Trump’s priority voting bill. At dinnertime, Thune gathered all the Republican senators for a meeting as the standoff deepened at the Capitol. There was no immediate way forward for the SAVE America Act or the broader budget bill. Thune encouraged the trio of senators to talk to the president, which they did, before regrouping back at Thune’s office. “We had about a two-hour conference meeting trying to figure out, you know, what we need to do to, to come to an agreement, to accomplish what the president wanted,” Johnson said. “Then we had discussion with the president, he agrees.” Lee acknowledged he was disappointed by the outcome, but said he understood the political reality of the situation. “We are not in a position right now where we have the wherewithal to pass it,” Lee told reporters at the Capitol, after the three senators emerged from Thune’s office following their call with Trump. Near daybreak, when the Senate did call for the vote to adjourn, Lee and others objected with hearty nos. On the simple voice vote, the ayes had it, and the motion to adjourn was adopted. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- Todd Blanche narrowly confirmed as Trump’s attorney general in overnight vote
on August 8, 2026 at 9:18 amWASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a vote early Saturday morning, cementing President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney’s command of a Justice Department the Republican president has sought to bend to his will. The Republican-led Senate voted 50-49 to make Blanche the second confirmed attorney general since Trump returned to the White House last year with a stated desire to use the law enforcement agency to investigate his political enemies. While Blanche has already been leading the department in an acting capacity, his confirmation could free him to pursue the Trump administration’s agenda even more aggressively. Blanche said on social media that he was “deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me,” adding that he was “grateful” to senators for working late to confirm him. The vote followed a tumultuous confirmation fight that exposed deep concerns — from some Republicans as well as Democrats — about installing Trump’s close ally atop a Justice Department that historically prided itself on its independence from the White House. In the end, Blanche was confirmed by the narrowest of margins, opposed by two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — and by every Democrat. The path to confirmation for Blanche was unusually rocky, due in large part to Republican concerns about a controversial settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. Under pressure, Blanche publicly promised in writing that the department would abandon Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for the president’s allies, including those who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and rein in another piece of the settlement designed to shield Trump and his family from IRS tax audits. His appeals were enough to win over Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, the decisive vote who threw his support behind Blanche Friday morning. Cassidy said no other nominee may be able to run the department better under Trump and suggested Blanche’s role as Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer can make him more effective at pushing back on the president’s demands. “This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” said Cassidy, who lost his primary this year to a Trump-backed challenger. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said confirming Blanche would be a “serious mistake.” He begged his colleagues not to be on the “wrong side” of history. “If there is ever a moment in history when we need an Attorney General above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now,” Durbin said. The vote capped off a bruising confirmation fight, with Blanche’s loyalty to Trump at the center of the stalemate. Blanche was elevated to the top Justice Department post in an acting capacity after Trump fired Pam Bondi in April. Blanche moved swiftly to advance the president’s interests, accelerating investigations into Trump’s perceived foes and announcing the settlement that created the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits. The controversial settlement threatened to torpedo Blanche’s nomination until he formally rescinded the fund in writing under pressure from Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The deal reached between the senators and the department unlocked a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which advanced Blanche’s nomination earlier this week Even after the deal, Blanche faced opposition from some Republican senators concerned with the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and the tax audit immunity deal. Murkowski announced early Friday that she would join Collins in opposing Blanche’s nomination, saying the country needs an attorney general “who will check the worst impulses of this administration.” A former federal prosecutor in New York, Blanche rose to public prominence as a lead attorney on Trump’s defense team, including during the Republican’s hush money trial in New York. He also defended Trump against criminal charges in the two federal cases brought by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice — an experience Blanche has said provided him a firsthand look at what he contends was the weaponization of the criminal justice system against Trump. Blanche entered the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general under Bondi, overseeing the agency’s day-to-day operations and serving as the public face for high-profile and controversial matters, like the release of millions of investigative files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Democrats have accused Blanche of prioritizing his loyalty to Trump above all else through investigations against Trump foes such as former FBI Director James Comey and a radical reshaping of the department. Under Bondi and Blanche’s leadership, the department has lost thousands of employees through firings, resignations or voluntary departures. Blanche’s supporters say his experience as a federal prosecutor and the trust he earned from Trump in the courtroom make him better equipped than Bondi to explain to the White House the legal constraints of its demands. Republicans have also touted his efforts to bring down violent crime, tackle illegal immigration and combat violent cartels and drug trafficking. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, gave a full-throated endorsement of Blanche ahead of voting, saying he’s led the Justice Department with distinction. “Mr. Blanche is the right choice,” he said. But it remains unclear whether Blanche will fare any better in delivering on Trump’s desire for retribution than Bondi, whom Trump fired amid resistance from judges, grand jurors and the department’s own workforce as prosecutors sought to establish criminal conduct by one Trump foe after another. Shortly after Blanche took the top post, the Justice Department moved to indict Comey on charges of threatening the 47th president by posting a social media photograph of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.” Comey’s lawyers are pressing to have the case dismissed, accusing the department of misleading judges, submitting documents containing false statements and withholding key facts. Blanche has also appointed Joseph diGenova, a former Justice Department prosecutor from the Reagan administration, to oversee a Florida-based investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired over the last decade to undermine Trump. But it remains uncertain whether that probe will result in any criminal charges. __ Associated Press writers Bill Barrow, Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- Democrats plan Trump investigations over impeachment if they win House, sources say
on August 8, 2026 at 9:04 amBy Nandita Bose WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (Reuters) – U.S. House Democrats preparing for a possible return to power are developing a broad investigative strategy targeting companies and financial firms surrounding President Donald Trump, instead of trying to impeach him immediately, according to four people familiar with the discussions. Senior Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives and committee aides have discussed using hearings, subpoenas and document requests to obtain records from entities tied to Trump’s political and business orbit, the sources said. It is a bet that investigating private companies and outside financial players will prove more fruitful than directly confronting a White House they expect to resist oversight, they said. The approach reflects both Democratic caution and a lesson many in the party say they learned during Trump’s first term: that impeachment proceedings can consume Congress while allowing Trump to cast himself as the victim of a partisan campaign. Instead, Democrats involved in the planning envision using House investigative powers after November’s midterm elections to scrutinize the administration’s decision-making and examine whether Trump used his power to benefit himself, allies or donors. “We’re not going into this to impeach,” said a senior Democratic aide, describing the thinking among party leaders and committee staff. “No one wants a failed vote on day one. The focus is on building a body of evidence through investigations that can hold Trump accountable.” Republicans hold a narrow House majority, and polls favor Democrats regaining the majority in November. Winning control would give Democrats the power to issue subpoenas, compel testimony and documents, hold public hearings and pursue contempt proceedings. Democrats expect the White House to fight or ignore requests aimed at the executive branch, making companies, contractors and financial firms working with the administration an important route for obtaining information, the sources said. The White House said in a statement that Trump has worked to thwart the “radical left’s agenda” and remains committed to preserving Republican majorities in Congress. A White House official said the administration is “prepared to respond to oversight requests, no matter who is in the House or Senate.” Three sources said Apple, Alphabet, Palantir, Blackstone, BlackRock and companies owned by Elon Musk, such as Tesla, have surfaced in discussions because of their contracts, regulatory exposure or administration dealings. The sources said no final target list has been established and no formal investigations have begun. The sources provided no further details about the investigations. Reuters could not determine if they face any accusations of wrongdoing. Alphabet, Palantir, Blackstone and BlackRock declined comment. Apple and Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Democrats are expected to examine Department of Homeland Security contracts, financing for Trump’s planned White House ballroom, corporate donors and alleged pay-to-play arrangements, two sources said. They also plan a probe of Trump-linked financial vehicles including 1789 Capital – a venture capital firm where his son Donald Trump Jr. is a partner – and foreign sovereign wealth funds whose investments in Trump family-linked entities could raise questions about administration influence, the sources said. 1789 Capital did not respond to a request for comment. Because foreign funds may be harder for congressional committees to reach, Democrats are discussing seeking records from U.S.-based firms and funds tied to Trump’s family and other intermediaries, the two sources said. LAYING THE GROUNDWORK Democrats have already begun laying the groundwork for investigations, two of the sources said. Party leaders are sending letters to companies, contractors and other organizations connected to potential investigations, they said. The requests seek records and pave the way for subpoenas if Democrats win the House, the two sources said. Representatives Robert Garcia from California and Jamie Raskin from Maryland, the top Democrats on the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees, respectively, said existing investigations would expand if Democrats win the House. “From sketchy Pentagon contracts lining the pockets of the president’s sons, Trump’s crypto billions, and the shady backroom deals for Trump donors, we will ensure we combat corruption when Democrats take back the House in November,” Garcia said in a statement. The letters include requests for information from media company Paramount Skydance over its dealings with the Trump administration and the proposed Warner Bros. Discovery deal as well as video platform YouTube and parent company Alphabet over the company’s $24.5 million settlement with Trump in September. Letters have also been sent to private prison operator GEO Group and security firm Salus Worldwide Solutions for their contracts with the DHS as well as commodity traders Vitol and Trafigura over the administration’s sale of Venezuelan oil, the two sources said. Alphabet and Trafigura declined comment. The others did not respond to requests for comment. The companies can ignore the requests while Democrats are in the minority. But the letters put potential targets on notice and signal records Democrats could subpoena, the two sources said. IMPEACHMENT NOT FIRST MOVE House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in June on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Democrats haven’t ruled out impeaching Trump if they win back the House but that the party’s focus would be on pocketbook issues. Democrats involved in the planning say impeachment remains an option if investigations uncover evidence of an impeachable offense, but not as a first move. The calculation reflects the party’s experience during Trump’s first term, when he became the first U.S. president to be impeached twice by the House before being acquitted by the Senate each time. “If investigations uncover evidence that we believe meets the threshold, we will not hesitate to move forward,” said the senior Democratic aide. (Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Deepa Babington) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- Hawaii primary is latest to pit Democratic incumbent against younger, more left-wing challenger
on August 8, 2026 at 9:02 amBy Andy Sullivan Aug 8 (Reuters) – The ideological divide roiling U.S. Democratic politics moves to Hawaii on Saturday, where voters will decide whether to nominate a seasoned lawmaker to another term in Congress or pick a younger, more left-wing candidate. U.S. Representative Ed Case, 73, faces a challenge for the Democratic nomination from Jarrett Keohokalole, 43, a state senator who has argued the incumbent is too close to corporate interests. Keohokalole is also calling for expanded government healthcare and limiting aid to Israel, in line with other progressive candidates who have won Democratic primaries in Michigan, New York and Colorado this year. The outcome will not likely affect Democrats’ chances of winning control of the House of Representatives in the November midterm elections, as the Honolulu-based district is seen as safely Democratic. Case has held the seat since 2019, and also served in the House between 2002 and 2007. A moderate who holds a senior position on a key spending committee, Case has argued that Hawaii will attract fewer federal dollars if he is not reelected. Keohokalole has highlighted Case’s campaign donations from businesses to argue he has lost touch with voters. If he wins, Keohokalole would be the latest progressive challenger to capitalize on Democratic voters’ frustration with party leaders who they view as too old, too close to Israel, and unable to effectively oppose Republican President Donald Trump. But Case could draw support from independent and Republican voters, who can vote in primary contests in Hawaii. (Reporting by Andy Sullivan. Editing by Michael Learmonth and Rod Nickel) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- Senate approves funding bill to avoid a shutdown before the election
on August 8, 2026 at 8:18 amWASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate in an overnight vote Saturday approved a short-term measure to fund federal agencies into early December and avoid a potentially chaotic government shutdown during the middle of campaign season. The late-summer action on a funding fix is unusual. Normally, Congress waits until the final days or hours of a funding deadline to pass short-term patches, but this time senators acted nearly two months before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The 90-6 vote showed lawmakers are still smarting from the two historic shutdowns that occurred this past year and want to avoid another before voters go to the polls. Senate Majority Leader John Thune wanted the funding dealt with before senators went home for the next five weeks to focus on their reelection campaigns and other matters. It got caught up with other issues that pushed votes into the night, but the bill had broad bipartisan support. The House will also have to approve the measure when members return from their August recess before it can go to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature. The bill generally funds the federal government at current levels though Dec. 11, but includes a variety of exceptions that senators negotiated with the White House. Democrats secured language to ensure no money could be transferred to the Border Patrol. They also rejected the White House’s request of $1 billion for early work on a new “Trump-class” battleship that the administration announced on Dec. 22. “The only person who wants these golden ships is Donald Trump so he can slap his name on them,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said. The bill also includes language delaying a national ban on most intoxicating hemp products. That one-month delay prompted outrage from some Senate Republicans who say that too many such products are falling into the hands of often unsuspecting children. The packaging of the products often relies on bright colors and intentionally mimics popular snack brands to attract consumers. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., said that since 2017 there has been nearly a 10-fold increase in cannabis-related emergency room visits by minors in his home state. “This is a public health crisis that deserves this Senate’s immediate attention,” Budd said. “Our children should never be the testing ground for an industry willing to exploit a loophole in federal law for profit.” But the hemp industry said the delay buys time for Congress to craft legislation that protects hemp farmers and businesses while also putting in place safeguards to protect children. Trump himself has called Budd to discuss the issue, though the president did not specifically ask the senator to drop his effort, Budd’s spokesman said. “Senator Budd had a friendly phone call with President Trump discussing the legislative efforts regarding THC,” said spokesman Christian McMullen. He said the senator outlined his concerns about “any delay to closing the hemp loophole.” Budd tried to strip the hemp delay from the bill, but the Senate turned aside his effort. Democratic lawmakers, along with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also got language in the bill that would block, for the duration of the funding patch, new regulations on federal grants. The regulations would require a senior political appointee to review grants before they are awarded to ensure, among other things, that they advance the president’s policy priorities. Democrats worry it’s an effort to kill grants destined for Democratic-leaning states. “They are not interested in making our tax dollars work better — they just want them to work for Donald Trump,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The White House Office of Management and Budget says its effort is about improving accountability to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted or misused. The issue is sure to be a topic of future negotiations on a full-year spending measure. But Collins said the vast majority of the nearly 500,000 people and groups weighing in on the rule are opposed to it. “I don’t think in my time that I’ve been privileged to serve in the Senate that I have ever seen a proposed rule generate that many negative comments,” Collins said. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
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