INSIDER
Why the progressive 'Squad' is getting smaller after defeats this primary cycle
Read full article: Why the progressive 'Squad' is getting smaller after defeats this primary cycleThe “Squad,” a group of progressive lawmakers in the House, is set to shrink next year after two members suffered primary defeats after an unprecedented deluge of special interest spending.
Harris quickly pivots to convincing Arab American voters of her leadership
Read full article: Harris quickly pivots to convincing Arab American voters of her leadershipSome Arab American leaders in Michigan are expressing cautious optimism about Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign after months of outrage over President Joe Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
More than 20 progressive groups form a coalition to counter pro-Israel groups before the election
Read full article: More than 20 progressive groups form a coalition to counter pro-Israel groups before the electionMore than 20 progressive groups are coming together to forcefully reject pro-Israel groups’ efforts to primary challenge liberal members who've been critics of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Michigan's largest Arab American cities reject Biden over his handling of Israel-Hamas war
Read full article: Michigan's largest Arab American cities reject Biden over his handling of Israel-Hamas warDearborn and two other Michigan cities with large Arab and Muslim populations turned against President Joe Biden in the state’s primary after Democratic leaders there warned for months that voters were angry about his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
'Uncommitted' wins 2 Democratic delegates in Michigan, a victory for Biden's anti-war opponents
Read full article: 'Uncommitted' wins 2 Democratic delegates in Michigan, a victory for Biden's anti-war opponentsThe “uncommitted” campaign protesting President Joe Biden in Michigan has enough primary election votes to win two delegates.
Why AP called Michigan for Biden: Race call explained
Read full article: Why AP called Michigan for Biden: Race call explainedThe Associated Press declared President Joe Biden the winner of Michigan’s Democratic primary based on an analysis of initial vote returns as the incumbent continues to roll toward renomination.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Michigan's presidential primary
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Michigan's presidential primaryPresident Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are strong favorites to win the Michigan primaries on Tuesday, but there are complications on both sides.
How the 'squad' is fighting back against pro-Israel PACs with record fundraising
Read full article: How the 'squad' is fighting back against pro-Israel PACs with record fundraisingA group of progressive lawmakers are fighting back against a multimillion-dollar campaign to push them out of Congress for their vocal opposition to Israel's deadly bombardment of Gaza after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.
Israel and Hamas measures get a look as most US state legislatures meet for first time since Oct. 7
Read full article: Israel and Hamas measures get a look as most US state legislatures meet for first time since Oct. 7Legislatures returning to session in states across the U.S. early in 2024 will consider condemning the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel — and some could take even bigger steps.
'From the river to the sea': Why these 6 words spark fury and passion over the Israel-Hamas war
Read full article: 'From the river to the sea': Why these 6 words spark fury and passion over the Israel-Hamas warThe Jordan River winds for 200-plus miles to the east of Israel and the occupied West Bank, while the Mediterranean glitters to the west.
House votes to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib over her Israel-Hamas rhetoric in a stunning rebuke
Read full article: House votes to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib over her Israel-Hamas rhetoric in a stunning rebukeThe House has voted to censure Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan for her rhetoric about the Israel-Hamas war.
Ted Cruz says he expects to run for president again, criticizes Democrats for pro-Palestine rhetoric
Read full article: Ted Cruz says he expects to run for president again, criticizes Democrats for pro-Palestine rhetoricIn an interview about his upcoming book “Unwoke: How to Defeat Cultural Marxism in America,” Cruz talks about 2024, antisemitism and “woke” politics.
Rashida Tlaib defends pro-Palestinian video as rift among Michigan Democrats widens over war
Read full article: Rashida Tlaib defends pro-Palestinian video as rift among Michigan Democrats widens over warA video posted by U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan has caused widespread criticism, with some saying it's offensive to the Jewish community.
House rejects effort to censure Rashida Tlaib over the Palestinian-American's rhetoric about Israel
Read full article: House rejects effort to censure Rashida Tlaib over the Palestinian-American's rhetoric about IsraelThe House has rejected an effort to censure Democratic Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, scrapping a Republican attempt to condemn the only Palestinian-American in Congress over her recent rhetoric around the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Biden and House Democrats hope to make curbing 'junk fees' a winning issue in 2024
Read full article: Biden and House Democrats hope to make curbing 'junk fees' a winning issue in 2024The White House is taking on “junk fees,” those extra charges tacked on to plane tickets, hotel rooms, hospital bills and more.
Israeli president tells Congress his country is committed to democracy but concedes 'painful debate'
Read full article: Israeli president tells Congress his country is committed to democracy but concedes 'painful debate'Israel's president sought to reassure Congress about the state of Israel’s democracy and the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Jeffries wins historic bid to lead House Dems after Pelosi
Read full article: Jeffries wins historic bid to lead House Dems after PelosiNew York congressman Hakeem Jeffries has been elected House Democratic leader and will become in the new year the first Black American to lead a major political party in Congress.
Omar ekes out House primary win over centrist in Minnesota
Read full article: Omar ekes out House primary win over centrist in MinnesotaMinnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar won a closer-than-expected Democratic primary race against a centrist challenger who questioned Omar's support for the “defund the police” movement.
Primary vote could mean no Black Detroit member in Congress
Read full article: Primary vote could mean no Black Detroit member in CongressState Rep. Shri Thanedar has won Michigan’s 13th Congressional Democratic primary, topping a field of nine candidates in a district that covers most of Detroit and a number of surrounding suburbs.
Michigan GOP Rep. Meijer loses reelection after Trump vote
Read full article: Michigan GOP Rep. Meijer loses reelection after Trump voteMichigan Rep. Peter Meijer, who witnessed the Capitol riot days after taking office in 2021 and then cast one of the 10 Republican votes to impeach Donald Trump over the attack, has lost his reelection bid.
Florida man sentenced in death threat to Minnesota Rep. Omar
Read full article: Florida man sentenced in death threat to Minnesota Rep. OmarA federal court judge sentenced a former Trump supporter to three years probation for an emailed threat to kill Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and three other congresswomen.
Feds taking first steps toward revising race, ethnic terms
Read full article: Feds taking first steps toward revising race, ethnic termsThe federal government is taking preliminary steps toward revising racial and ethnic classifications that haven't been changed in a quarter century following calls for better categories for how people identify themselves in federal data gathering.
Tlaib running for new Detroit-area seat after redistricting
Read full article: Tlaib running for new Detroit-area seat after redistrictingRep. Rashida Tlaib says she will seek reelection in a new Detroit-area seat created through redistricting, an announcement that came hours after fellow Democratic Rep. Brenda Lawrence said she will retire from Congress.
Boebert in call refuses to apologize for anti-Muslim remarks
Read full article: Boebert in call refuses to apologize for anti-Muslim remarksConservative congresswoman Lauren Boebert has spoken by phone with congresswoman Ilhan Omar just days after likening the Minnesota Democrat to a bomb-carrying terrorist.
Omar seeks action over House colleague's remarks on Muslims
Read full article: Omar seeks action over House colleague's remarks on MuslimsMinnesota's Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is calling on House leaders to take “appropriate action" against Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert for using anti-Muslim language in describing a recent encounter with Omar.
Congressional leaders urge FCC to perform equity audit
Read full article: Congressional leaders urge FCC to perform equity auditCongressional leaders and a media advocacy organization are urging the Federal Communications Commission to investigate how policy decisions have disparately harmed Black Americans and other communities of color, according to a letter sent Tuesday to the acting FCC chair.
Hour-by-hour: Biden's behind-the-scenes push for cease-fire
Read full article: Hour-by-hour: Biden's behind-the-scenes push for cease-firePresident Joe Biden spoke with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu six times over nine days as the U.S. pressed a flurry of diplomatic efforts to try to quell the furious fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Rep. Greene's combative behavior could spark ethics review
Read full article: Rep. Greene's combative behavior could spark ethics reviewA year before her election to Congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene searched for Rep_ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at her Capitol office, challenging the New York Democrat to “get rid of your diaper” and “talk to the American citizens.”.
Castro leads congressional delegation of Carrizo Springs facility tour for unaccompanied migrant children
Read full article: Castro leads congressional delegation of Carrizo Springs facility tour for unaccompanied migrant childrenCARRIZO SPRINGS, Texas – U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio on Friday led a Democratic congressional delegation tour of the Carrizo Springs Office of Refugee Resettlement facility for unaccompanied children at the border. Castro said the lawmakers visited the facility to make sure the children are being “respected and humanely treated” and to make sure they are placed with their family sponsors or relatives as soon as possible. Castro said the current problems at the border were created by the Trump Administration. President Biden inherited a situation where the previous administration had sought to dismantle the infrastructure for processing asylum seekers in the United States,” Castro said. Castro also said the Trump Administration used the pandemic as an excuse to expel people who were seeking asylum.
Ocasio-Cortez leads lawmakers recalling Capitol siege
Read full article: Ocasio-Cortez leads lawmakers recalling Capitol siegeFILE - In this Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, file photo, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., questions Postmaster General Louis DeJoy during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on the Postal Service on Capitol Hill, in Washington. On Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, a teary-eyed Ocasio-Cortez recounted hiding in her office bathroom as a man repeatedly yelled Where is she?" during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and also revealed a sexual assault in her past as she talked about trauma. Phillips said that, as he heard the screams, he realized a pencil was about all he had for defense. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., said that, as representatives in Congress, the attack against the Capitol was an attack on their constituents.
A glance at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's incendiary words
Read full article: A glance at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's incendiary wordsRep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., goes back to her office after speaking on the floor of the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. Afterward, Greene suggested that the shooting might have been staged. Connecting a series of scattershot points, Greene suggested a bank controlled by the Rothschild family, who are Jewish, a utility company responsible for the fire and then-Gov. Greene “liked” the comment and replied, “Most people honestly don’t know so much. 9/11 ATTACKSIn November 2018, Greene shot a video in which she talked about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, referring to a “so-called” plane that crashed into the Pentagon.
Biden, Democrats hit gas on push for $15 minimum wage
Read full article: Biden, Democrats hit gas on push for $15 minimum wage“With the economic divide, I mean, I want to see a $15 minimum wage. Leading the charge is Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who unveiled $15 wage legislation this week with the backing of 37 Senate Democrats. The latest sign that a $15 minimum wage is popular with voters came in November, when more than 60% of voters in conservative-leaning Florida approved an amendment to the state’s Constitution that will raise the minimum wage there from $8.56 an hour to $15 an hour by 2026. “The real way to appreciate this work is to raise the minimum wage to $15,” she said. Currently, 29 states and Washington, D.C., have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
US charities raise millions in wake of Beirut port blast
Read full article: US charities raise millions in wake of Beirut port blast(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DEARBORN, Mich. – When Manal Saab heard that a massive explosion had struck Beirut, she grabbed her phone, frantically trying to reach loved ones there. “Otherwise, they wouldn’t have survived it,” said Saab, an American citizen who lives in Fenton, Michigan, near Flint, but was born in Lebanon. Knowing that her family and friends were safe, a feeling of relief washed over Saab. More than half of that amount was delivered via a FedEx-donated airlift that also included relief supplies from the American Task Force on Lebanon and the Lebanon Relief Project. They just wanted something to immediately give to, they wanted all that pain to basically get out and give something positive,” Saab said.
Sports venues across country in play on Election Day
Read full article: Sports venues across country in play on Election DayMichigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said "I'm grateful for our sports partners in Detroit," Benson said Tuesday night at the home of the Detroit Lions. "They really led the way for sports teams across the country to play a critical role in providing the resources we needed to run the election successfully this year. “I'm grateful for our sports partners in Detroit," Benson said Tuesday night at the home of the Lions. “They really led the way for sports teams across the country to play a critical role in providing the resources we needed to run the election successfully this year. Meanwhile, many Major League Baseball and NHL teams also put their stadiums and arenas in play on Election Day.
Arenas, stadiums find new life as safer options for voting
Read full article: Arenas, stadiums find new life as safer options for votingJen Cox poses for a photo on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, after voting early at State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta. “This was an amazing, fantastic experience,” Jen Cox said after voting at State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks were the first NBA team to commit their arena for early voting. There are 30 early voting locations scattered around Fulton County, which stretches 70 miles (112 kilometers) north to south. Florida has early voting at venues used by the NBA’s Orlando Magic, the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Black voters in Detroit key for Biden, but are they engaged?
Read full article: Black voters in Detroit key for Biden, but are they engaged?Black voters across Michigan will be pivotal in deciding who will win the battleground state in November. Biden visited Detroit earlier this month, and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, was spending time in Flint and Detroit on Tuesday. In an interview this month with longtime Detroit radio host Mildred Gaddis, Biden noted that Michigan, and its Black voters in Detroit, are “critically important." Democratic state leaders said they learned hard lessons and that the party has worked to connect with Black voters. But challenges remain in connecting with apathetic voters and with younger Black voters who might have more progressive leanings — key demographics that Branden Snyder, the executive director of Detroit Action, said his organization is trying to reach.
Georgia candidate's post removed for inciting violence
Read full article: Georgia candidate's post removed for inciting violenceATLANTA Facebook removed a photo illustration showing a Republican congressional candidate in Georgia posing with a rifle next to three Democratic House members, saying Friday that it violated the social media platform's policy against inciting violence. Greene's post featured four separate photos that had been combined to show her posing with a rifle next to Democratic U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. After her Aug. 11 runoff victory, she inveighed against spineless Republicans" and promised to kick Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi out of Congress. But she denied in a statement Friday that she was trying to incite violence. Those videos brought her criticism in the primary, with some Georgia Republicans pulling their support, but opposition eased after her runoff win over neurosurgeon John Cowan.
Progressive challengers' year: 3 wins and some close calls
Read full article: Progressive challengers' year: 3 wins and some close callsBut some challengers lost, and their overall wins were a modest number compared with the 535 House and Senate members. Kessler wasn't impressed with the three progressive challengers who defeated Democratic incumbents, either. Other high-profile progressive hopefuls lost Senate Democratic primaries in Colorado, Kentucky, Maine and Texas, and House contests in states including Georgia, New York and Ohio. Jamaal Bowman, a Black educator raised by a single mom, defeated House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel of the Bronx and Westchester, New York. They're an effective and well-funded operation now," said Sean McElwee, who does polling and research for progressive Democrats.
Movement for Black Lives seeks sweeping legislative changes
Read full article: Movement for Black Lives seeks sweeping legislative changesFILE - In this May 31, 2020, file photo, demonstrators kneel in a moment of silence outside the Long Beach Police Department in Long Beach during a protest over the death of George Floyd. Proposed federal legislation that would radically transform the nation's criminal justice system through such changes as eliminating agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration and the use of federal surveillance technology is set to be unveiled Tuesday, July 7, by the Movement for Black Lives. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)