US vice-president, at Washington’s Union Station with Stephen Miller and Pete Hegseth, defends use of troops in area with less crime

cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/33446083

• Governor Newsom's strategy ultimately will rest with voters

• California Democrats aim to finish legislative action by Friday

• Trump-backed Texas plan nears enactment as foes threaten to sue

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Aug 21 (Reuters) - The California Senate on Thursday was set to act on newly drawn political maps aimed at giving Democrats five more seats in Congress, countering a partisan advantage President Donald Trump hopes to gain from a Republican redistricting plan in Texas.

California Democrats, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, are pushing to achieve fast-track passage of their redistricting effort in the Sacramento statehouse by Friday, just in time to place it on the ballot for a special election on November 4.

Elon Musk was ordered on Wednesday by a federal judge to face a lawsuit by voters accusing the world's richest person of defrauding them into signing a petition to support the U.S. Constitution for a chance to win his $1 million-a-day giveaway.

U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin, Texas said Jacqueline McAferty plausibly alleged in her proposed class action that Musk and his political action committee America PAC wrongly induced her to provide personal identifying information as part of the giveaway, late in the 2024 election campaign.

Musk founded America PAC to support Republican Donald Trump's successful 2024 presidential run.

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed by state Republican legislators seeking to halt Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) plan to redistrict California’s congressional map.

“Petitioners have failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time under California Constitution article IV, section 8,” reads a brief order posted to the docket.

Newsom has hit back at Republican redistricting efforts in Texas by pushing for a special election this November to get voters’ approval on a more favorable House map for Democrats in California in time for the 2026 midterms.

Just Dance Vance is so much better than Couch Fucker...

James Donald Bowman should just take the win and dance like no one's watching!

So petty I love it.

These are the cheapest source of new electricity, and are generally cheaper than running existing coal-burning power plants

Former US president wades into national conflict over House maps, as Texas lawmakers approve map to favor GOP

Barack Obama waded into states’ efforts at rare mid-decade redistricting efforts, saying he agreed with California governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to counter the new Texas congressional map by launching an effort to redraw his own state’s map and create more Democratic-friendly districts, calling it “a responsible approach”.

“I believe that governor Newsom’s approach is a responsible approach. He said this is going to be responsible. We’re not going to try to completely maximize it,” Obama said at a Tuesday fundraiser on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. “We’re only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesn’t go into effect.”

Obama also called Newsom’s strategy “measured”, as it only temporarily grants the California legislature the ability to redraw maps mid-decade.

Incident comes as six states pledge to send at least 1,200 troops to Washington DC despite falling crime rate

A military vehicle crashed into a car in Washington DC on Wednesday morning, an incident that comes as six Republican-led states have all pledged to send more national guard troops to DC.

The city’s local CBS station first reported on the accident, which happened in Washington’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, and cited confirmation from the DC fire and emergency services. On social media, the department said that one person was extricated and transported with “minor injuries”.

In a battle between two Californians considering Democratic runs for president in 2028, Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a slight edge over former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a new poll.

The poll, conducted by Politico and The Citrin Center public opinion firm, found Newsom is the top choice of 25% of California's Democratic voters in the 2028 Democratic primary, leading all prospective candidates including Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee, who is supported by 19% of the state's Democrats.

The two high-profile Californians are followed in the poll by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (13%), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (10%), Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (4%) and New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (4%).

The 79-year-old US President made the unusual admission during an appearance on Fox and Friends, just a day after hosting European leaders, including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the White House. Linking his legacy to global diplomacy, Trump remarked that if he succeeds in brokering peace between Ukraine and Russia, it might help secure him a place in the afterlife.

To get a sense of how this works, look at how they're used to intimidate hecklers

Same extortion play as Nvidia.

Trump, 79, admitted to Fox News on Tuesday that he feels he is “at the bottom of the totem pole” regarding his odds of making it to the promised land, leading many to ponder: Why is the president suddenly so hell-bent on making it to the pearly gates?

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According to the lawyer:

“What evidence is there that he’s a flight risk other than that he lives in another country?” he asked, adding he did not think it would be difficult to bring the defendant back on a warrant.

Protests will put pressure on the president and weaken the extent to which he can say he commands broad support.

The protest takes place on Labor Day, a federal holiday dating back to 1894 recognizing workers' contributions to America. This year, it falls on September 1.

On the website, the organizers listed the following demands:

1. Stop the billionaire takeover corrupting our government.
2. Protect and defend Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs for working people.
3. Fully funded schools, and health care and housing for all.
4. Stop the attacks on immigrants, Black, indigenous, trans people, and all our communities.
5. Invest in people not wars."