REAL News 45

Connecticut needs safeguards on state government’s use of artificial intelligence including algorithms at child welfare and other agencies to prevent discrimination and increase transparency, an advisory panel to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said Thursday. The Connecticut Advisory Committee to the federal commission called on state lawmakers to pass laws regulating such systems, which … Continue reading Advisory panel rules Connecticut needs to further regulate state-used AI

The United States government is monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been moving over northern states over the past several days. Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing on Thursday afternoon that the U.S. government has detected a high altitude surveillance ballon over the continental United States. “The United States … Continue reading US government monitoring suspected Chinese spy balloon over northern states

Republicans’ quest to resume executions in South Carolina overcame another hurdle Thursday. The state Senate Corrections and Penology Committee approved a bill that would shield the identities of the companies that dispense the drug cocktail used to execute people on death row. The full Senate must now take up the latest effort in the state’s … Continue reading South Carolina bill shielding identities of death penalty drugmakers advances

Virginia Democrats in the state Senate killed two measures supported by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin aimed at combatting antisemitism just two days before Holocaust Remembrance Day last week. Senate bill 1252 would’ve had Virginia recognize a commonly used “working definition of antisemitism” adopted in 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental organization … Continue reading Virginia Dems killed measures aimed at combatting antisemitism — just before Holocaust Remembrance Day

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has tapped one of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment managers among other officials to join the new sweeping investigative panel led by the GOP. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., vowed this week that Republicans on that panel – the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government – will leave … Continue reading House Dems tap Trump impeachment officials for panel on Biden admin’s ‘weaponization’ of FBI

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Rep. Matt Gaetz on Thursday launched an investigation into Charles McGonigal — the former FBI special agent in charge of the counterintelligence division who was recently indicted on charges of money laundering and other counts stemming from his “collusion” with a Russian oligarch. Jordan, R-Ohio, and Gaetz, R-Fla., … Continue reading House Judiciary Committee launches investigation into ex-FBI official charged over ties to Russian oligarch

A group of Kentucky lawmakers called for new leadership Thursday in the state’s troubled juvenile justice agency, saying someone from outside the system should be brought in to make changes to quell violent outbursts in the youth detention centers. The legislators also pushed for independent reviews of the juvenile detention system, including unfettered access to … Continue reading Kentucky lawmakers press for juvenile justice changes

Oklahoma’s new attorney general has apologized to one of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s former cabinet secretaries for his criminal indictment in 2020 by a previous attorney general, saying he believes the secretary “committed no wrongdoing.” Attorney General Gentner Drummond sent the letter Wednesday to David Ostrowe, Stitt’s former secretary of digital transformation and technology. In it, … Continue reading Oklahoma AG apologizes for former state cabinet secretary’s indictment

Rep. George Santos, the New York Republican who voluntarily recused himself from all House committees over complaints that he has lied extensively about his past, congratulated House lawmakers Thursday for voting to punish Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., for her antisemitic remarks. “Today, I rise to congratulate my colleagues on voting to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar … Continue reading George Santos congratulates House for punishing Ilhan Omar for antisemitic remarks

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., addressed reporters on Thursday after the House voted to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from the Foreign Affairs Committee and called for a new “code of conduct” to be added to the House rules.  McCarthy said he spoke with Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and asked that Jeffries select … Continue reading McCarthy takes on press after House kicks Ilhan Omar off committee, calls for ‘code of conduct’

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday the House Republican vote to boot Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar off the House Foreign Affairs Committee was a “political stunt” and a “disservice to the American people.” “Look, the way that we see this, it’s a political stunt, much like House Republicans’ unjust removal of other … Continue reading White House calls Ilhan Omar punishment a ‘political stunt’ from Republicans

Critics lashed out at Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear this week following reports that his administration sent disaster relief fund checks worth thousands of dollars to people who never even filed claims to get them. More than 10,000 checks worth $1,000 each — roughly $10 million — were mailed by the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet … Continue reading Critics unleash on Democrat governor after disaster relief checks sent to random people: ‘Gross mismanagement’

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to secure the Southern border as “political stunts” Thursday. Abbott on Thursday appointed his own border czar to lead further efforts to curb illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, which has skyrocketed under President Biden’s administration.  Jean-Pierre argued such actions were political stunts … Continue reading Jean-Pierre calls Texas border czar a ‘political stunt,’ claims Biden’s actions ‘made a difference’

The U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) has raised the campaign contribution limits from individuals and non-multicandidate Political Action Committees (PACs) for the 2023-2024 elections, due to inflation. The FEC announced a $400 increase in the individual contribution limit – from $2,900 to $3,300 – in a statement Thursday, and also raised the amount married couples … Continue reading Federal Election Commission raises political campaign contribution limits

There’s an old saying in the nation’s capital that “every senator looks in the mirror and sees a president,” but that doesn’t appear to be the case right now in the hunt for the GOP nomination.  Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is sending plenty of 2024 signals, as the only Black Republican in the … Continue reading Cruz, Rubio, Paul, Cotton, Hawley, and Cotton — most GOP Senators stay on the 2024 sidelines

Republican Ohio Auditor Keith Faber wants more training for public employees to spot government fraud and corruption and requiring them to speedily report suspected crimes, as a way of improving the state’s ability to root out and prosecute bad actors and recoup taxpayer money. Faber said Thursday that his office has raised the bar for … Continue reading Ohio auditor backs corruption crackdowns in state government

The Wisconsin Election Commission unanimously approved on Thursday the results of a hand-count audit of the November election, which found that voting machines worked as intended. Auditors inspected 222,075 ballots — the largest audit in state history — and found only six errors, all caused by humans. They found no signs of hacking, programming errors … Continue reading No errors found in Wisconsin’s largest voting machine audit

FIRST ON FOX: West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin’s campaign spent more than $20,000 on catering services at his yacht club during the latter portion of 2022. On two separate occasions last year – in November and December – Manchin paid TPK Experience for catering services, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission … Continue reading Manchin campaign dished out $20K to yacht club caterer for luxury cuisine in the last two months of 2022

Former President Trump threw more jabs at his rumored Republican rivals for the GOP nomination, as more candidates make plans to enter the 2024 Republican primary. Trump is the only Republican to officially enter into the 2024 race, but other candidates appear to be planning on jumping in to take on the former president for … Continue reading Trump ramps attacks on ‘overly ambitious’ Haley and other potential 2024 GOP rivals

House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is probing Special Presidential Envoy (SPEC) for Climate John Kerry’s secretive negotiations with his Chinese counterparts. Comer informed Kerry in a letter sent Thursday afternoon that the committee, under his leadership, has opened an investigation into Kerry’s role in the Biden administration and, in particular, his … Continue reading John Kerry’s secret CCP negotiations probed by GOP Oversight chairman

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended making false statements at the podium regarding the ongoing investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents Thursday. Jean-Pierre insisted that she has been “consistent” in relying on the guidance of the White House Counsel’s Office. She has faced heavy criticism in recent weeks after assuring reporters that … Continue reading White House press secretary defends false statements at the podium: ‘I have been consistent’

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked House and Senate budget leaders Wednesday to include “the necessary resources” in their spending plans to address an error in a state-provided formula that led local school divisions to expect more state aid than they are set to receive. “I am requesting that as you finalize your budget amendments this … Continue reading VA Gov. Youngkin asks lawmakers to fill a $201 million shortfall in education aid