The Washington Sun
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In public statements and campaign ads, many members of Congress from both parties say they’re staunchly opposed to congressional stock trading. But despite a real opportunity to legislate changes, they didn’t deliver.
Why a Popular Push to Ban Congressional Stock Trading Crashed and Burned
But is it only mostly dead?
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Since Virginia finishes its ballot counting quicker than most states on Election Day, early calls in two House races that stretch south and east from Richmond and across the Chesapeake Bay will be key for determining the House majority.
The Surprising District That Could Determine the House Majority
All eyes turn to… Virginia?
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Cornell’s president called the alleged gang rape of a student at a fraternity house in 2024 “deeply disturbing,” as he pledged greater transparency amid mounting outrage over the school’s handling of the case.
Cornell President Calls Alleged Gang Rape ‘Deeply Disturbing’
He also committed Cornell’s support to legislative efforts to change New York’s sexual assault laws.
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DOGE overhauled the federal workforce and slashed government spending — moves that inspired nationwide protests and lawsuits. The backlash has given Democrats nationally an opportunity to reclaim the government efficiency mantle.
Democrats Are Plotting Government Efficiency in a Post-DOGE World
Rising stars in the Democratic Party are promoting their tech modernization teams in a post-DOGE political landscape.
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Texas State Sen. Angela Paxton is urging Texans to vote Republican down the ballot — including for the party’s Senate nominee, who happens to be her estranged ex-husband.
Ken Paxton’s Ex-Wife Says She’s Voting for Ken Paxton — Without Mentioning Ken Paxton
Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton’s message was paid for by a super PAC affiliated with Sen. John Thune.
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President Donald Trump said his administration would send nearly $100 in checks to more than 20 million adults to pay for their Medicare Part B benefits. The plan would cost nearly $2 billion dollars.
Trump Announces a Plan to Send $90 Checks to Millions of Medicare Recipients
The proposal would cost nearly $2 billion and draw from a congressionally allocated Medicare improvement funding pool.
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President Trump posted Sen. Tom Cotton’s cell phone number to the world on Saturday, as part of a plea for his Truth Social followers to badger his Republican ally into making daylight saving time permanent. A source confirmed that the number Trump shared actually belongs to Cotton.
President Trump Doxxes Tom Cotton’s Cell Phone
It’s all part of a unique push for permanent daylight saving time.
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If you’re an MLB fan, then you will invoke every lucky charm to help the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres in the MLB playoffs, writes Thomas Boswell.
Please Let Us Have a Brewers-Rays World Series
The baseball gods know good theater when they see it.
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The head of Tennessee’s prison system is resigning after the failed execution of Christa Pike, Gov. Bill Lee announced Saturday.
Tennessee's Prison Chief Will Resign After Failed Execution
Gov. Bill Lee announced the planned departure Saturday, after Wednesday's botched attempt to execute Christa Pike.
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Some lawmakers’ book sales have exceeded their paychecks from Congress. Here’s a complete rundown of who in Congress — along with a couple of prominent congressional hopefuls — is scoring the most money.
Members of Congress Score Major Paydays From Books
Some lawmakers’ book sales have exceeded their paychecks from Congress.
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A new ethics disclosure shows Karoline Leavitt's family investments included stock in Trump's social media company, defense contractors, oil companies and tech giants. https://www.washingtonsun.com/money/karoline-leavitt-discloses-family-investments-trump-media-tesla
Karoline Leavitt Discloses Family Investments in Trump Media and Tesla
An ethics document shows the former press secretary’s family holdings contain Trump’s social media company, defense contractors, oil companies and tech giants.
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The IRS tried to turn more than a thousand HR and IT staffers into tax processors. That failed. Now they're being assigned to a team that remains a mystery. https://www.washingtonsun.com/agencies/irs-reshuffling-staff-without-telling-them-why
The IRS Is Reshuffling Staff Without Telling Them Why
The tax agency tried to turn more than a thousand HR and IT staffers into tax processors. That failed. Now they’re being assigned to a team that remains a mystery.
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The NSA told lawmakers that it is spending billions of dollars in taxpayer funds this year testing advanced AI models, according to two sources familiar with classified intelligence estimates. https://www.washingtonsun.com/technology/classified-estimates-nsa-paying-billions-to-test-ai-models
Classified Estimates Show the NSA Is Paying Billions to Test AI Models
The price tag is significantly higher than previously known.
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The agency responsible for coordinating the government’s response to homelessness has been unable to fulfill some of its statutory duties in the aftermath of the Trump administration’s attempted cuts, a GAO report found. https://www.washingtonsun.com/policy/gao-homelessness-council-report
Congressional Watchdog Finds the Federal Homelessness Council Is in Limbo
“This report makes two things clear: the Trump Administration has no interest in following the law or solving homelessness,” Sen. Jack Reed said.
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Many of the companies Trump bought or sold stock in are corporate giants that his administration helps regulate or that do business with the federal government. https://www.washingtonsun.com/money/donald-trump-stock-trades-oil-ai-defense
Weapons, Oil, AI: Trump Made 1,156 Personal Financial Trades During July
Many of the president’s stock purchases and sales, which span numerous industries, were not disclosed by a federal deadline.
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The order prevents the Trump administration from waiving environmental protections that would allow it to quickly build across a national and state park. https://www.washingtonsun.com/courts/judge-border-big-bend
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito elaborated on his decision not to retire from the high court. https://www.washingtonsun.com/courts/alito-explains-decision-defer-retirement-supreme-court
Alito Explains His Decision to Defer Retirement
“I thought that I could still make a valuable contribution,” the 76-year-old Supreme Court justice told CBS News.
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Senate Republicans’ top campaign spending organization is pulling back in North Carolina and pouring money into Kansas. https://www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/republican-spending-north-carolina-kansas-senate-leadership-fund
Senate Republicans Move Spending From North Carolina to Kansas as Tides Shift
The change is a stark sign of how dramatically the Senate map has shifted just a month before the midterms.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a one-day “stand-down” to encourage service members to vote as he campaigns for Republicans ahead of the midterms. https://www.washingtonsun.com/defense/hegseth-stand-down-order-service-members-voting
Hegseth Orders One-Day ‘Stand-Down’ to Encourage Service Members to Vote
The defense secretary has campaigned for Trump-aligned Republicans on the midterm trail.
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Georgia’s election board this week asked the Trump administration to intervene in the state’s voting process before the midterms — but members of the Republican-controlled panel later struggled to agree on how to protect voters’ privacy without disrupting the election.
Georgia Election Panel Asks the DOJ to Block the State's Voting System
The Republican-controlled board faced an internal battle over several last-minute proposed changes.
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Paige Cognetti, running in Pennsylvania, is one of the Democrats making the case, as one voter put it, that elections don’t need to be “between shit and diarrhea.”
The Democratic Brand Is a Mess. Some Democrats Are Taking Advantage.
Paige Cognetti, running in Pennsylvania, is one of the Democrats making the case, as one voter put it, that elections don’t need to be “between shit and diarrhea.”
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The Fitzpatricks haven’t lost a race since 2006. Is this the year Democrats finally break through?
In ‘Swingiest County,’ a Republican Brand Faces Its Toughest Test in 20 Years
The Fitzpatricks haven’t lost a race since 2006. Is this the year Democrats finally break through?
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Democrats hope a tanking president, a sour economy and a strong candidate will turn the GOP bastion of Mississippi into the next Georgia.
Red States Are Trending Blue. Is Mississippi Really on the Table?
Democrats hope a tanking president, a sour economy and a strong candidate will turn the GOP bastion into the next Georgia.
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The Trump administration has classified its accounting of what happened to $300 million in military aid Congress provided for Taiwan, just days after President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House.
What Happened to $300 Million in Taiwan Aid? It’s Classified.
The Trump administration’s secrecy over the funding comes days after the president’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday scrapped an idea to field a baseball game in Grand Teton National Park after locals rejected the league’s interest as “hostile” to public lands.
MLB Drops the Idea for a Game at Grand Teton National Park
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said local opposition prompted the decision.
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The White House has instructed the Justice Department to move slowly on any abortion-related actions ahead of the midterm elections, The Washington Sun has learned.
White House Officials Told the DOJ to Delay Action on Abortion Ahead of the Midterms
Attorney General Todd Blanche has moved slowly in abortion pill litigation and department officials have told advocates to wait until after the election.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had signed an executive order appointing the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James as the special prosecutor to investigate the Cornell rape allegations.
Hochul Appoints a Special Prosecutor to Investigate Rape Allegations at Cornell
The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James will now oversee the investigation.
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SCOOP: White House officials, led by Susie Wiles, have told DOJ to delay any abortion-related action until after the midterms Wiles suggested to Todd Blanche that an aggressive approach on abortion would be negative for the GOP in November @washingtonsun.com www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/ab...
White House Officials Told the DOJ to Delay Action on Abortion Ahead of the Midterms
Attorney General Todd Blanche has moved slowly in abortion pill litigation and department officials have told advocates to wait until after the election.
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Today’s notice: ✋ The White House wants abortion politics to wait 💵 Where’s Taiwan’s $300 million in aid? 🤔 And: Democrats are excited about … Mississippi?
How to Keep Abortion Out of the Midterms
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A new arm of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s political committee disclosed $2.1 million in spending on an ad against Texas Republican Ken Paxton. https://www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/schumer-super-pac-drops-2-million-in-senate-democrats-first-texas-spend
Schumer Super PAC Drops $2 Million in Senate Democrats' First Texas Spend
The amount pales compared to the $130 million Senate Majority Leader John Thune's super PAC has spent so far in the state.
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