Judge Jeanine Pirro's scheduled visit to Tulare is not happening. The Fox News personality was scheduled to speak at a rally organized by the Valley Young Republicans PAC on Nov. 7. However, the event is no longer mentioned in the group's social media. The International Agri-Center in Tulare, where Pirro's...
GOP Stands by Trump, Gingerly, After Diplomat's Testimony
WASHINGTON — They pleaded ignorance, saying they'd not read the diplomat's damning statement. They condemned the Democrats' tactics as unfair. They complained that the allegations against President Donald Trump rested on second- or third-hand evidence. Wednesday was a day of careful counterargument by congressional Republicans, the day after America's top envoy in...
California Independents Can Vote in Democrats' 2020 Primary
SACRAMENTO — California's more than 5.6 million independent voters will be allowed to vote in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, but not in the Republican contest, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced Monday. The two parties have used a similar setup in recent presidential primaries. The state's presidential primary will...
Trump's Syria Withdrawal Announcement Draws GOP Condemnation
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's sudden decision to pull back U.S. troops from northern Syria drew quick, strong criticism Monday from some of his closest allies in Congress. It was condemned, too, by Kurdish fighters who would be abandoned to face a likely Turkish assault after fighting alongside Americans for...
Conservatives Clap Back Against California in Court — Twice
It was a busy Tuesday for GOP-affiliated courtroom battles against the state of California. In the morning, conservatives sued the state claiming it was failing to “ensure that non-citizens are never placed on the voter rolls.” In the afternoon, they scored an early, anticipated victory to block a new state law that...
AP FACT CHECK: Trump's Fiction About Whistleblower Complaint
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and his GOP allies are making groundless accusations that a whistleblower complaint by a CIA officer was improperly filed because it was not based on first-hand knowledge. In tweets and public statements, they assert that a whistleblower cannot submit a complaint if it relies on so-called hearsay...
McConnell: Senate Must Take up Impeachment if House Approves
WASHINGTON — Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that Senate rules would require him to take up any articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump if approved by the House, swatting down talk that that the GOP-controlled chamber could dodge the matter entirely. "I would have no choice but to...
Trump Ties US Success to 2nd term: 'You Have to Vote for Me'
MANCHESTER, N.H. — President Donald Trump sought to reassure his supporters about the state of the U.S. economy despite the stock market volatility and told rallygoers in New Hampshire, a state that he hopes to capture in 2020, that their financial security depends on his reelection. "Whether you love me...
After 'Send Her Back!' Chant, Ohio Rally a Test for Trump
CINCINNATI — President Donald Trump's latest rally will be a test for both candidate and crowd. The Cincinnati gathering Thursday night will be Trump's first since his audience chanted "Send her back!" about a Somali-born congresswoman during a July rally in North Carolina, raising the prospect of a 2020 presidential campaign...
Does GOP Tax Law Help Small Businesses?
At a House hearing to discuss whether the 2017 GOP tax law — the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) — is a “help or a hindrance to Main Street,” small business owners disagreed over whether the law will benefit them in the long run. Justin Conger, owner and president...