Politics Election category, Page 55
Kash Patel sworn in at White House as new FBI director, calls it the ‘greatest honor’
WASHINGTON — Kash Patel was sworn in Friday as the FBI director, calling the opportunity to lead the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency the “greatest honor” of his life. Patel was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday by a 51-49 margin, with two Republican lawmakers, Susan Collins of Maine...
Supreme Court won’t allow Trump to immediately fire head of whistleblower office
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily kept on the job the head of the federal agency that protects government whistleblowers, in its first word on the many legal fights over President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda. The justices said in an unsigned order that Hampton Dellinger, head of the...
Pentagon says it will cut 5,400 probationary workers starting next week
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department said Friday it’s cutting 5,400 probationary workers starting next week and will put a hiring freeze in place. It comes after staffers from the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, were at the Pentagon earlier in the week and received lists of such employees, U.S....
Steve Bannon, accused of doing a straight-arm Nazi salute at CPAC, says it was just ‘a wave’
OXON HILL, Md. — Steve Bannon was accused of making a Nazi salute as he concluded a speech at a conservative gathering where President Donald Trump is slated to speak this weekend, but Bannon said Friday the gesture was merely a “wave.” Bannon, who once served as Trump’s chief strategist...
Senate Republicans approve budget framework, pushing past Democratic objections after all-night vote
WASHINGTON — Republican senators pushed a $340 billion budget framework to passage early Friday, chugging through an all-night session and Democratic opposition in a step toward unleashing money the Trump administration says it needs for mass deportations and border security that top their agenda. The hours-long “vote-a-rama” rambled along in...
Federal judge allows Trump’s mass firings of federal workers to move forward
WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington has allowed President Donald Trump’s mass firings of federal workers to move forward. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper decided Thursday he could not grant a motion from unions representing the workers to temporarily block the layoffs. He found that their complaint amounted to...
Dr. Mehmet Oz holds millions from companies that he’d wield power over if confirmed, report shows
WASHINGTON — The wealth of Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity heart surgeon nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has swelled in part from for-profit health care companies over which he’d wield significant power if confirmed, according to a newly filed government ethics...
Trump administration flouting order to temporarily lift freeze on foreign aid, judge says
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has kept withholding foreign aid despite a court order and must at least temporarily restore the funding to programs worldwide, a federal judge said Thursday. Judge Amir H. Ali declined a request by nonprofit groups doing business with the U.S. Agency for International Development to...
IRS layoffs could hurt revenue collection and foil efforts to go after rich tax dodgers, experts say
WASHINGTON — The layoffs of roughly 7,000 IRS probationary workers beginning this week likely mean the end of the agency’s plan to go after high-wealth tax dodgers and could spell disaster for revenue collections, experts say. The majority of employees shown the door at the federal tax collector are newly...
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro appointed by Trump to bipartisan governors panel, will visit White House
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve on a little-known panel alongside other governors to strengthen partnerships between states and the federal government. Shapiro joins the council at a challenging time for governors — particularly Democratic ones — as Trump’s administration tries to slash the...
Trump names Josh Shapiro to bipartisan Council of Governors
President Donald Trump has appointed Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to a bipartisan council that works with federal officials on issues related to the National Guard, national security, and disaster preparedness and response. Shapiro, a Democrat from Montgomery County, joins four other Democratic governors and five Republican governors on the Council...
Trump loyalist Kash Patel confirmed as FBI director by Senate despite deep Democratic doubtsVideo
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday narrowly voted to confirm Kash Patel as director of the FBI, moving to place him atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency despite doubts from Democrats about his qualifications and concerns he will do Donald Trump’s bidding and go after the Republican president’s...
Sen. Mitch McConnell won’t seek reelection in 2026, ending long tenure as Republican power broker
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell is announcing on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decades-long tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in...
IRS plans to lay off 7,000 probationary workers beginning Thursday
WASHINGTON — The IRS will lay off roughly 7,000 workers in Washington and around the country beginning Thursday, a person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press. The layoffs affect probationary employees with roughly one year or less of service at the agency and largely include workers in compliance...
More staff members exit Sen. Fetterman’s office as he seeks a political middle ground
The staff churn in Sen. John Fetterman’s office continues. NBC News is reporting that two of Fetterman’s longest serving staff members are exiting as the Pennsylvania Democrat seeks to find a working lane between his party and the president. The departures of Charlie Hills, the communications director, and Tre Easton,...
Pete Hegseth directs Pentagon to find $50 billion in cuts this year to fund Trump military priorities
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the military services to identify $50 billion in programs that could be cut next year in order to redirect those savings to fund President Donald Trump’s priorities. Hegseth has committed to redirecting Pentagon spending to more directly support warfighters. In a statement...
Senators clash over FBI director pick ahead of confirmation vote
Republicans and Democrats sharpened their arguments over Kash Patel’s fitness to lead the FBI, offering starkly different versions of the nominee ahead of a confirmation vote expected Thursday. Senate Republicans have rallied around Patel’s nomination and his pledges to fight crime, while Democrats have described him as perilously unsuited for...
Sewickley’s Jason Richey in line to become Allegheny County GOP chair
A Sewickley attorney who formerly ran for governor is in line to become the next chairman of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, as both of his opponents have dropped out of the race. The Allegheny County GOP is scheduled to hold an election Saturday to replace outgoing Chairman Sam...
Trump administration orders halt to NYC toll meant to fight traffic, fund mass transit
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday ordered a halt to congestion pricing tolls in New York City, which thin traffic and fund mass transit by making people pay to drive into some parts of Manhattan. Launched on Jan. 5, the city’s system uses license plate readers to...
Trump moves swiftly on his agenda in a departure from his first-term stumbles
WASHINGTON — Months into his first term as president, Donald Trump was furious with the snowballing Russia investigation and ordered White House counsel Don McGahn to make sure that special counsel Robert Mueller got fired. “Mueller has to go,” McGahn recalled Trump saying. “Call me back when you do it.”...
Trump’s firing of 1,000 national park workers raises concerns about maintenance and operating hours
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has fired about 1,000 newly hired National Park Service employees who maintain and clean parks, educate visitors and perform other functions as part of its broad-based effort to downsize government. The firings, which weren’t publicly announced but were confirmed by Democratic senators and House members,...
Newly elected Democratic chairman begins national tour in Western Pa.
In his first road trip as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ken Martin made Western Pennsylvania his first stop, meeting Tuesday morning with steelworkers in Pittsburgh and campaigning in the afternoon with a state House candidate in McKeesport. Martin said the two stops signify what’s most important to him...
Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF and calls for ‘radical transparency’ from government
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to study how to expand access to in vitro fertilization and make it more affordable. The order calls for policy recommendations to “protect IVF access and aggressively reduce out-of-pocket and health plan costs for such treatments,”...
‘They can sense the tension in our society’: Rep. Summer Lee speaks to Gateway 5th graders, tours renovated facility
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee didn’t mince words Tuesday afternoon when a Gateway Middle School student asked the Swissvale Democrat what Congress’ biggest challenge is right now. “Can I be honest?” Lee said. “The president.” Lee, D-Swissvale, spoke with Gateway’s fifth grade class about her career path, achieving goals and the...
Judge declines to immediately block Elon Musk or DOGE from federal data or layoffs
WASHINGTON — A federal judge refused Tuesday to immediately block billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing government data systems or participating in worker layoffs. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan found that there are legitimate questions about Musk’s authority but said there isn’t enough evidence of...
