Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono wins Democratic primary for third term, will face McDermott in general
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and Hawaii's incumbent congressional representatives have won their state Democratic Party primary races.
Vice President Kamala Harris leads new campaign effort to reach out to Asian American voters
President Joe Bidenโs reelection campaign is launching its formal outreach campaign to Asian American voters and putting Vice President Kamala Harris at the forefront of the effort with events in Nevada and Pennsylvania this week.
Navy issues written reprimands for fuel spill that sickened 6,000 people at Pearl Harbor base
The Navy is issuing written reprimands to three now-retired military officers for their roles in the spill of jet fuel into Pearl Harborโs drinking water in 2021.
Justice Department details threats against election workers
A top official says the Justice Department has charged five people for making threats of violence against election workers amid a rising wave of harassment and intimidation tied to the 2020 presidential election.
Biden signs bill for national Asian Pacific history museum
President Joe Biden has signed a bill creating a commission to study establishing a national museum on the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
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Anti-telescope protesters oppose US attorney pick for Hawaii
Some Native Hawaiians are objecting to President Joe Bidenโs choice for U.S. attorney in the 50th state, saying Clare Connors treated dozens of elders like criminals when her office prosecuted them for blocking a road while protesting the construction of a telescope in Hawaii.
![Ted Cruz changes course and votes to support bill to address hate crimes against Asian Americans](https://www.ksat.com/resizer/e-8V0pE2VSnR7wl0agA58AF_LqY=/800x536/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/I6CNP6VR5ZGFZCGMLLHIANQUAY.jpg)
Ted Cruz changes course and votes to support bill to address hate crimes against Asian Americans
After initially opposing it, Sen. Ted Cruz voted in favor of a Senate bill that aims to combat hate crimes against Asian Americans, which overwhelmingly passed the Senate through a bipartisan 94-1 vote Thursday.
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Ted Cruz among a small number of Republicans opposing bill to address hate crimes against Asian Americans
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Biden's disciplined agenda rollout tested by the unexpected
Biden's meticulous approach to the presidency is intended to serve as a stark departure from the chaos of his predecessor, Donald Trump. Two Democratic senators, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, condemned the lack of diversity in Biden's Cabinet. AdDuckworth said she raised her concerns with the White House on Tuesday and she and Hirono threatened to withhold their votes on nominations until the administration addressed the matter. Just before news of the Colorado shooting, White House aides leaked preliminary word about their next priority, a potentially $3 billion package with money for developing roads, hospitals, schools and green energy systems. But for that program, like other legislative priorities, the White House faces tough prospects for any Republican support and would be forced to proceed along a party-line vote.
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Senators back off vow to withhold support of Biden nominees
The only senators of Asian American heritage, they said they would withhold their support for his nominees until the diversity issue was addressed. AdDuckworth had said earlier that she raised the issue with top Biden advisers on Tuesday and afterward called the situation โnot acceptable." โIโve been talking to them for months and theyโre still not aggressive, so Iโm not going to be voting for any nominee from the White House other than diversity nominees,โ Duckworth told reporters. But Hirono later said in a statement of her own that she too welcomed the appointment of an AAPI White House liaison and was dropping her objections. Tai, who was confirmed last week, is the first Asian American and first woman of color to serve as U.S. trade representative.
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Biden's $1.9T rescue signed, and now things get tougher
Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Tough as it was for Democrats, passing President Joe Bidenโs sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package into law was the easy part. Bidenโs signing of the American Rescue Plan on Thursday marks a milestone for his administration and for Democrats who have command of the House, Senate and White House for the first time in a decade. If Senate Republicans start blocking the legislation, Democrats are prepared to force them into long days and nights of dramatic floor filibusters, like the movie version in โMr. The filibuster gives the minority enormous ability to halt action, and Senate Democrats used it plenty of times when they were out of power. Still, Biden's infrastructure package may be one bill that could win over Republican support.
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Biden's $1.9T rescue signed, agenda now a slog in Congress
Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Tough as it was for Democrats, passing President Joe Bidenโs sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package into law was the easy part. If Senate Republicans start blocking the legislation, Democrats are prepared to force them into long days and nights of dramatic floor filibusters, like the movie version in โMr. The filibuster gives the minority enormous ability to halt action, and Senate Democrats used it plenty of times when they were out of power. Still, Biden's infrastructure package may be one bill that could win over Republican support. Doubting bipartisanship will emerge, there is growing support among Democratic senators to do away with the filibuster if Republicans use it to block Biden's bills.
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Dem retreat on witnesses brings messy end to Trump trial
The House Democrats charged that Trump incited the violent insurrection, which left five dead, and the former president appeared to side with the rioters on the call. A few hours later, the Senate voted to acquit Trump, 57-43, the majority falling short of the two-thirds needed for conviction. The momentary chaos, and the House Democratsโ eventual retreat on witnesses, was emblematic of the prosecutorsโ challenge throughout the trial. But โwe overwhelmingly proved our case.โSeveral senators agreed โ three of the seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump had voted not to call witnesses. โThe House managers did a masterful job,โ he said after the final vote.
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Democrats ask ethics panel to investigate Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley
Thousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Bidenโs victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Bidenโs victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising,โ the Democratic senators said in their letter. Cruz helped force a vote on Biden's victory in Arizona, while Hawley helped force one on Biden's victory in Pennsylvania. โThis latest effort is a flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact partisan revenge."
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Gov. Newsom challenged to address Senate's lack of diversity
Gavin Newsom speaks at a COVID-19 testing facility in Valencia, Calif. As California Gov. Gavin Newsom's shoulders as he considers his pick to serve out the rest of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' Senate term through 2022. The South saw its highest number of Black Senate candidates ever this year, but none won races outright. Labor icon Dolores Huerta and California Latinas for Reproductive Justice want Newsom to appoint a Black woman. De Leon won the endorsement of the California Democratic Party and prominent labor unions, in part because of his support for immigrant rights and aggressive policies to curb climate change.
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AP FACT CHECK: Trump distorts military role in vaccines
The military theme originated in the May 15 announcement of the creation of Operation Warp Speed. โWe will defeat the enemy.โBut it has been Trump, not Perna, who has miscast the military's role. Trump said in his initial announcement the military would โdeploy every plane, truck and soldier required" to distribute a vaccine when ready. โThere will not be this vision that some people have that there will be Army trucks driving through the streets delivering vaccine,โ Perna said Oct. 27. The prominence of military officials in Operation Warp Speed has drawn scrutiny on Capitol Hill, where some have questioned whether an outsize military leadership role would marginalize public health agencies.
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Graham, Harris share spotlight as Barrett hearings begin
Hearings before the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee will begin Monday, Oct. 12, for President Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. SEN. KAMALA HARRIS, D-CALIF.Harris, Joe Biden's running mate in the presidential election, will again be in the spotlight as Democrats question a Trump nominee for the Supreme Court. Harris and other key Democrats said the hearings should not move forward without plans to test people attending, including senators, for coronavirus. In a sign of the heightened scrutiny, Vice President Mike Pence tried to get Harris to reveal whether she and Biden support expanding the Supreme Court, as many liberals advocate. In just three years on the 7th Circuit, Barrett has twice argued for approval of abortion restrictions that violated Supreme Court precedent, Hirono said.
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No 'dogma': Democrats walk tightrope on Barrett's faith
Democrats are treading carefully on religious faith as they prepare to question President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee. โI donโt intend to question her about her personal views or private religious faith or views,โ Coons, a key Biden ally, said this past week. Fearful of losing the high court for a generation, the left is demanding that Democrats resist Barrett's nomination with everything they have. Republicans have preemptively declared any discussion of Barrettโs faith out of bounds. But specifics about Barrettโs faith, such as broaching People of Praise, would have โa bad odor,โ Franke said.
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Senate panel advances Mississippi appeals court nominee
The American Bar Association is rating the Mississippi judge as well qualified to serve on one of the most conservative federal appeals courts. Circuit Court of Appeals, which handles cases for Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)WASHINGTON The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday advanced a federal appeals court nominee from Mississippi, despite Democratic objections over derisive comments he made about former President Barack Obama and his signature health care legislation. The GOP-led panel endorsed Mississippi Appeals Court Judge Cory Wilson on a 12-10, party-line vote. Wilson, a former Republican state legislator who has been on the state appeals court for 16 months, was nominated by President Donald Trump for a seat on the New Orleans-based 5th U.S.
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New Mexico close to historic all-female US House delegation
(AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)RIO RANCHO, N.M. New Mexico has moved closer to possibly sending a historic delegation of all women of color to the U.S. House. Former state lawmaker Yvette Herrell, a member of the Cherokee Nation, won a heated Republican primary race to challenge Torres Small November in a swing district representing southern New Mexico. Hawaii had a two-member all women of color U.S. House delegation with GOP U.S. Rep. Patricia Saiki and Democratic U.S. Rep. Delewares lone member of the House is Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a black woman. But New Mexico could wind up with the largest U.S. House delegation of women or women of color in history.