Arnold Schwarzenegger vows to fight redistricting plan in California
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New York Post
3 minutes ago
- New York Post
California park ranger fired after helping hang transgender pride flag on popular Yosemite monolith
A non-binary park ranger was fired by Yosemite National Park after they were caught hanging a transgender pride flag from the park's famous El Capitan rock formation in May. Shannon 'SJ' Joslin, 35, was first hired as a ranger and wildlife biologist at the park in 2021 — their dream job that they said was stripped away in a violation of their First Amendment right. 5 Shannon 'SJ' Joslin was fired from the Yosemite National Park after they helped hang a transgender pride flag on El Capitan rock. Miya Tsudome Advertisement Joslin claimed that a temporary deputy superintendent fired them on Aug. 12 for 'failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct' within their capacity as a wildlife biologist for the park. 'I want my rights and I want my career back,' Joslin wrote on Instagram. Joslin noted that they hung the flag in their 'free time, off-duty, as a private citizen.' Advertisement 5 Joslin was with the park for four and a half years. Instagram / shannonekj 'NOTHING about it had anything to do with my work,' they fumed. Joslin highlighted all that they've done for the National Parks Service over the years, including willingly stacking overtime hours and accepting a lower-paying job when they could easily be 'making a lot more money in Silicon Valley' with their bioinformatics PHD. 'I'm devastated. We don't take our positions in the park service to make money or to have any kind of huge career gains. We take it because we love the places that we work,' Joslin told NBC News. Advertisement 5 Joslin said that they hung the flag in opposition to the Trump administration's policies. Instagram / shannonekj The axed ranger said that the inspiration for their stunt came in the spring after President Trump issued an executive order barring transgender women from competing in women's sports. 'I was really hurting because there were a lot of policies coming from the current administration that target trans people, and I'm nonbinary,' Joslin told The Associated Press. The flag only flew for two hours before park officials ordered climbers to remove it, never once mentioning any overt violations that it posed, Joslin told NBC News. Advertisement The day after their stunt, the NPS issued a new rule banning the hanging of large flags in wilderness areas. 5 Joslin plans on fighting the park's decision. Instagram / shannonekj Then, a week later, Joslin said a criminal investigation into the flag's display was launched. Their firing came at the end of the three-month investigation. Joslin asserted that they — and two other NPS employees under investigation for helping hang the flag — are the only people to ever be punished for draping a flag on El Capitan. The NPS, however, is apparently working on 'pursuing administrative action against multiple National Park Service employees for failing to follow National Park Service regulations,' a spokesperson for Yosemite National Park told the outlet. 5 Two other National Park Service employees are also being investigated for hanging the flag. Instagram / shannonekj The spokesperson did not elaborate on what regulations the employees allegedly violated. A spokesperson for the NPS added that it is currently taking administrative actions against several employees and even 'possible criminal charges against several park visitors who are alleged to have violated federal laws and regulations related to demonstrations' in tandem with the Justice Department. Advertisement The Post reached out to the NPS for comment. Joslin plans on fighting the park's decision through the use of an executive order penned on Trump's inauguration seeking to restore the First Amendment and 'end federal censorship.' The NPS is a government bureau within the US Department of the Interior overseen by former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. 'Preservation has been my life's work—of Yosemite, the wildlife, the land, recreation, of peoples rights and safety, of community and acceptance, and now the Constitutional First Amendment,' Joslin wrote.
Newsweek
4 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg's Chances of Beating JD Vance in 2028: Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new poll shows potential 2028 presidential election matchups between Vice President JD Vance and prominent Democratic leaders as next year's midterm campaigns are on the horizon. Why It Matters Early polls, especially in crucial swing states, have gained significance as potential contenders for the 2028 presidential election begin to emerge. Even with the election still a few years away, polling could offer insight into candidate viability, voter sentiment and evolving party dynamics, particularly after the pivotal 2024 election cycle. What To Know In the poll released Tuesday by SoCal Strategies and sponsored by On Point Politics and Red Eagle Politics, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom secured 39 percent in a potential matchup with Vance, who landed 37 percent. The survey shows 23 percent were undecided in the matchup. In a race against former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Vance trailed with 37 percent of the vote compared to Buttigieg's 41 percent. The survey shows 21 percent were undecided. The poll surveyed 700 U.S. adults on August 18. "The survey was weighted by age, gender, race, education, and 2024 vote to match the Bonfire National Voter File," the pollster noted. ESPN host Stephen A. Smith also came close to Vance in the survey, receiving 35 percent of the vote compared to Vance's 37 percent. Previous polling has shown Vance as the clear GOP primary front-runner. The field is more crowded for Democrats, as former Vice President Kamala Harris, Newsom and Buttigieg all are early top contenders. Tuesday's poll also shows President Donald Trump's overall approval rating at 45 percent versus a disapproval rating of 48 percent. California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks on the state's redistricting plans at a news conference on August 14 in Los Angeles. (Photo by) California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks on the state's redistricting plans at a news conference on August 14 in Los Angeles. (Photo by) What People Are Saying Columbia University professor Robert Y. Shapiro, to Newsweek via email on Tuesday: "It is of course much too early to tell anything significant from this other than the 2028 election is likely to be close just like the last presidential elections. See the high percent undecided as well. "The data may suggest that Vance is not as strong a candidate as Donald Trump, but we would need to compare the hypothetical of Trump running for an imaginary third term against Newsom or Buttigieg. Regardless of what might happen in the midterm election, it looks like 2028 will be another nail biter..." Trump, while answering questions during a news conference on the 2028 Olympics, when directly asked if Vance is the successor to MAGA: "Well, I think most likely in all fairness, he's the vice president. I think Marco [Rubio] is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form. I also think we have incredible people, some of the people on the stage right here, so it's too early obviously to talk about it but certainly he's doing a great job, and he would be probably favored at this point." What Happens Next Pollsters and analysts were expected to release additional national and state-level surveys in the coming months as midterm campaigning ramps up.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Appeals court overturns order that stripped some protections from pregnant Texas state workers
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a law strengthening the rights of pregnant workers, vacating a judge's earlier order that had stripped those protections from Texas state employees. The ruling was a victory for advocates of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a law that passed with bipartisan support in 2022 but quickly became embroiled in controversy over whether it covers workers seeking abortions and fertility treatments. A federal judge last year blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act for Texas state employees, ruling that its passage was unconstitutional because a majority of House members were not physically present to approve the law as part of spending package in December 2022. In a 2-1 decision, the Fifth Circuit appeals court disagreed, finding that the law was properly passed under a COVID-19 pandemic-era Congressional rule allowing members to vote by proxy to meet the quorum requirement. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act strengthens the rights of women to receive workplace accommodation for needs related to pregnancy and childbirth, such as time off for medical appointments and exemptions from heavy lifting. Its passage came after a decades long campaign by women's advocacy groups highlighting the struggles of pregnant workers, especially those in low-wage roles, who were routinely forced off the job after requesting accommodations. The Texas case differed from other lawsuits that have narrowly focused on federal regulations stating that abortion, fertility treatments and birth control are medical issues requiring protection under the new law. The lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, instead took aim at the entirety of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, drawing opposition from Republican lawmakers including former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who defended the pandemic-era proxy voting rule. Under the Trump administration, the Department of Justice has continued to fight Paxton's lawsuit, which if successful, could help open the door to legal challenges of other pandemic-era laws passed by proxy. Paxton's office did not reply to emails seeking comment, and it was not clear whether he would appeal Friday's ruling. The Justice Department declined to comment. 'This is a big win for women's rights. We are really happy to see that the Fifth Circuit agreed with us that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act was passed constitutionally and will continue to fight for the PWFA to stay legal,' said Inimai Chettiar, president of a Better Balance, an advocacy group that spearheaded the campaign for passage of the law. Texas state employees are not immediately protected, however, because the appeals court ruling doesn't become final for several weeks to give time for a possible appeal, Chettiar said. Conservative officials and religious groups, meanwhile, have been largely successfully in challenging the regulations passed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which established that workers seeking abortions are entitled accommodations. In May, a federal court struck down the abortion provisions of the EEOC regulations in response to lawsuits brought by states of Louisiana and Mississippi, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic University and two Catholic dioceses. The Trump administration is almost certain to comply with that ruling. President Donald Trump in January fired two of the EEOC's democratic commissioners, paving the way for him to quickly establish a Republican majority at the agency. EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, a Republican, has signaled her support for revising the regulations, arguing the agency exceeded its authority by including not only abortion but fertility treatments and birth control as medical needs covered by the law. Solve the daily Crossword
