WASHINGTON — Newly empowered House Democrats approved a centerpiece of their agenda Friday, a sweeping plan to reduce the role of big money in politics, ensure fair elections and strengthen ethics standards. But the leader of Republican-run Senate has pledged it will not come up for a vote and the...
Trump Tweets That Omar’s Israel Remarks Mark a ‘Dark Day’
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar's newest remarks about Israel mark a "dark day" for the Jewish state. His comment came as House Democrats prepared a resolution by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats, declaring that the House opposes anti-Semitism and bigotry. Some Republicans...
House OKs Democrats' Bill Blocking Trump Emergency on Wall
WASHINGTON — Democrats ignored a veto threat and rammed legislation through the House Tuesday that would stymie President Donald Trump's bid for billions of extra dollars for his border wall, escalating a clash over whether he was abusing his powers to advance his paramount campaign pledge. The House's 245-182 vote...
Walters: 'Ballot Harvesting' Just Latest Power Move by Politicians
Anyone who harbors the quaint notion that high-stakes politics are rational, much less ethical, should be disabused by two terms: “gerrymandering” and “ballot harvesting.” When Republicans won control of the House of Representatives in 2010 and maintained it for three subsequent election cycles, Democrats complained loudly that it was the...
Trump to Call for Unity, Face Skepticism in State of Union
WASHINGTON — The White House says President Donald Trump will call for optimism and unity in his State of the Union address, using the moment to attempt a reset after two years of bitter partisanship and deeply personal attacks. But will anyone buy it? Skepticism will emanate from both sides...
Walters: Two Ballot Measures Will Test Crime Attitudes
Over the last few decades, Californians have seen crime spike upwards to crisis levels and then decline just as sharply. Their attitudes about crime have been just as volatile, translating into ever-changing waves of policy. When crime rates were rising in the 1970s and 1980s, it became the state’s No....
Shutdown Goes on as Trump Offer Doesn’t Budge Democrats
WASHINGTON — Thirty-one days into the partial government shutdown, Democrats and Republicans appeared no closer to ending the impasse than when it began, with President Donald Trump lashing out at his opponents after they dismissed a plan he'd billed as a compromise. Trump on Sunday branded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi...
White House Tries to Hold Jittery GOP in Line on Shutdown
WASHINGTON — The White House is trying to hold jittery congressional Republicans in line on the 19th day of the partial government shutdown, with no end in sight to the impasse over President Donald Trump's demand for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. There's growing concern about the toll the...
Is Nunes Now a Backbencher? Or Will We See Even More of Him?
For the first time in eight years, Devin Nunes will be in the Washington minority. That means he is losing his position as chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. His stewardship of the committee combined with the emergence of President Donald Trump made Nunes one of the...
Gov. Brown Talks Health Care, 4 Terms in Office
SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Jerry Brown predicted Tuesday that Republicans would face disastrous electoral consequences if a federal judge's ruling to strike down the Affordable Care Act holds. "It will build such a backlash that the Democrats will not only overtake the Senate, they'll win the presidency and they'll win...