US Senate Confirms Susan Monarez as Director of the CDC
Susan Monarez will take the helm as director of the Atlanta-based CDC following a 51 to 47 vote, after Republicans rallied behind the president's pick. She was the acting director when Dave Weldon, Trump's original choice, was abruptly pulled after members expressed concerns over his vaccine views.
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Ken de la Bastide column: Indiana should leave the districts alone
Will Indiana Republicans comply with the request of President Donald Trump to consider setting a precedent by redistricting again? Indiana has traditionally redrawn legislative and congressional districts after the completion of the U.S. Census every decade. The lines were redrawn in 2021 and should remain in place until at least 2031. Vice President JD Vance was in Indiana this week and met with Gov. Mike Braun and the state's GOP legislative leaders, in part, to discuss redistricting. With the Republican Party in complete control of the Legislature, all state elective offices and the majority of Congressional seats, it seems hard to believe that redistricting would be considered. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly, which means no Democratic votes are needed to pass bills. The GOP currently holds seven of the state's nine congressional seats, with only districts in Indianapolis and northwest Indiana represented by Democrats. Any new map drawn for Indianapolis would have to extend the boundary from Marion County into at least a few of the so-called 'doughnut counties.' A change in that map would impact every other congressional district as currently drawn. Would Hamilton County become part of a district to water down Democratic votes in Marion County? That would impact the 5th District, which includes all of Madison County. Would any new maps require some counties to be split between congressional districts, as in the past? The same effect would take place in northwest Indiana, as the Gary and Hammond area would have to be moved to the south to secure Republican votes. Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has already spoken out against any effort to redistrict in the state. 'It's certainly not going to reduce the level of public cynicism or increase the level of confidence,' Daniels said. 'It may be appropriate in some places, but I don't understand that Indiana is one. I think we have pretty fairly drawn lines now, and I don't see any good reason that they should be tampered with out of cycle.' Since the Legislature doesn't meet again until next year, any effort to redistrict this year would require Braun to call a special session. Will public hearings take place around the state to get citizen input on new district boundaries, or would it all take place in the Legislature? Would an effort to redraw the congressional lines also involve the redistricting of the state legislative boundaries? Should an effort be made to redraw the lines in Indiana, there is sure to be a public outcry and the filing of lawsuits to block the effort. Braun and the GOP leadership should not comply with Trump's efforts. They should leave the districts as currently drawn. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Vance in UK for high-stakes diplomacy day after Trump announces Putin meeting
Vice President JD Vance met with European allies and Ukrainian officials in a day of high-stakes diplomatic talks on Saturday -- less than a week before a historic meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks in the UK came just a day after Trump announced the face-to-face meeting with Putin set for Aug. 15 in Alaska to continue negotiations to end the war that has dragged on for more than three years. A U.S. official told ABC News the Saturday talks Vance took part in "produced significant progress toward President Trump's goal of bringing an end to the war in Ukraine." MORE: Trump says he'll meet with Putin next Friday in Alaska The talks Saturday took place at the UK foreign secretary's estate, Chevening House in Kent, England. Vance met with Foreign Secretary David Lammy and representatives from Ukraine and other European allies. The UK meeting came as the upcoming Trump-Putin summit -- set to happen without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the table -- has raised concern among Ukrainian officials and across Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday morning he had spoken with both Zelenskyy and other European leaders and that, "The future of Ukraine cannot be decided without the Ukrainians who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now." MORE: Trump administration weighs value of Putin summit: ANALYSIS Speaking from the White House on Friday, Trump suggested discussions to end the war could include "some swapping of territories," which Zelenskyy later swiftly rejected, saying Ukraine 'will not give Russia any awards for what it has done' and that 'Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.' Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have also insisted that any negotiations must include Ukraine at the table. "Our positions were clear: a reliable, lasting peace is only possible with Ukraine at the negotiating table, with full respect for our sovereignty and without recognizing the occupation," Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said in a statement Saturday that also thanked JD Vance for taking part in the UK talks. MORE: Zelenskyy rejects ceding Ukrainian territory, says Kyiv must be part of negotiations In an address Saturday evening, Zelenskyy called the talks Saturday in the UK "constructive" and said they came during an "active day of diplomacy" between Ukraine and several EU allies. "All our messages were conveyed," Zelenskyy said of the talks with Vance. "Our arguments are being heard. The risks are being taken into account. The path to peace for Ukraine must be determined together – and only together – with Ukraine. This is fundamental. And it is important that our joint approaches and shared vision work toward a genuine peace. A consolidated position. A ceasefire. An end to the occupation. An end to the war." Speaking more broadly, Zelenskyy said he believes Trump "has the leverage and the determination" to end the war, adding that "Ukraine has supported all of President Trump's proposals, starting back in February." Friday marked the deadline Trump set for Putin to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face "secondary sanctions" against countries that buy oil from Russia. But uncertainty remained as to whether the U.S. would hit Moscow with new economic penalties — and Trump has now agreed to meet with Putin. The meeting in Alaska will be Putin's first meeting with a major Western leader since Russia invaded Ukraine more than three years ago -- and his first visit to the U.S. in 10 years.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Considers Federal Oversight of D.C. After Former DOGE Staffer Attack
President Donald Trump said he is considering federal intervention in Washington, D.C., following an attack on a former member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) over the weekend. 'He went through a bad situation, to put it mildly, and there's too much of it. We're going to do something about it,' Trump said, according to NPR. He added that the intervention might involve activating the National Guard 'maybe very quickly, too.' Trump pointed to the city's crime rate as a reason for possible federal oversight. 'I could show you a chart comparing D.C. to other locations, and you're not going to want to see what it looks like,' he said, according to Fox News. 'We want to have a great, safe capital, and we're going to have it. And that includes cleanliness. And it includes other things. We have a capital that's very unsafe.' Trump said he is exploring whether Congress could overturn the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, passed in the 1970s, which granted D.C. limited self-governance. 'We have to run D.C. This has to be the best-run place in the country, not the worst-run place in the country,' Trump added. 'And it has so much potential, and we're going to take care of it. You're going to be safe. You're going to be safe walking down streets. You're not going to get mugged.' Trump's comments come amid rising concerns over public safety in the nation's capital, with some conservative leaders calling for increased federal oversight and accountability in high-crime areas.
