Meta Draws Congressional Scrutiny Over Ex-Employee Claims
Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, is leading the charge on examining allegations made by ex-Facebook staffer Sarah Wynn-Williams in her recently published memoir, Careless People, which spotlights the company's desires to break into the Chinese market in the mid-2010s. Facebook never succeeded in launching its social network in China, and the service is still banned there over censorship issues.
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Politico
21 minutes ago
- Politico
A GOP divide is growing over Trump's redistricting play
These strange divisions underscore the complex political dynamics of the president's latest power play. It's become a loyalty test that could boost Republicans' chances of keeping their trifecta in Washington, but one that also carries significant electoral risk for several of their own members in Congress and potential for broader voter backlash. Trump's team is barreling forward, bullish about having more opportunities to redraw maps across the states than Democrats and brushing off concerns as primarily coming from members whose seats are at risk. Administration officials and allies are working to fire up his base by noting that Democrats have already gerrymandered several states in their favor and have limited moves left to play. And MAGA online influencers like Steven Bannon and Charlie Kirk are encouraging their fans to jam Greg Abbott's phone lines so the Texas governor ratchets up pressure on quorum-breaking Democrats to return and let Republicans pass a new congressional map. But even that is showing some limits. 'Redistricting is not really an ideological exercise as much as a self-interest exercise,' California-based GOP strategist Rob Stutzman said. 'The safer you are and enjoy being in the majority, the more your self interest is 'lets see Texas get scrambled and if we sacrifice some colleagues from blue states, in California and New York, so be it.'' But for those more vulnerable Republicans, 'this poses a substantial risk to your career,' Stutzman said. And that's why some are reflecting at least a 'growing private sentiment of 'is this really worth it?'' A person familiar with the White House's thinking on redistricting and granted anonymity to describe it said 'we expect to have great success everywhere' if California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democratic governors attempt to retaliate. 'All of these members, they should just remain calm because they'll still be members,' the person said of the Republican lawmakers airing concerns. In Congress, House GOP leaders are trying to bridge the divide between the White House's 'maximum pressure' campaign to pad their majority, and the swath of GOP members who fear the gambit may backfire. Senior House Republicans have advised some rank and file GOP members to keep their concerns to private conversations, and not air criticisms in public.
Politico
21 minutes ago
- Politico
Crypto cash threatens Sherrod Brown's comeback campaign
Fairshake — which is funded primarily by the crypto firms Coinbase and Ripple and the venture capital group Andreessen Horowitz — spent more money on his Ohio race than any other contest it targeted. The PAC plastered ads across the state boosting Republican Bernie Moreno, a crypto enthusiast and car dealer who successfully defeated Brown and now sits on the Banking panel himself. It is unclear if Brown would return as the Banking Committee's Democratic leader if he won, replacing Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Senate Democrats' rules state that 'the seniority of a Member with interrupted service or service in another Party does not date from that Member's initial entrance into the Senate' — meaning he would not be entitled to count his prior service. But Democratic leaders could seek to change those rules or grant an exception to Brown, their top recruit for the Ohio race. Regardless, crypto lobbyists worry that Brown could pose problems for them if he returns — especially given the brute-force tactics the industry used to try to take him out. And his opponent, Republican incumbent Jon Husted, has been a reliably industry-friendly vote. Husted, who was tapped to fill the vacancy created when JD Vance became vice president, hasn't been vocal about crypto issues during his short time in the Senate, but he has voted in favor of industry-backed bills on the floor and supported its goals when he served as Ohio's lieutenant governor. Husted campaign spokesperson Tyson Shepard said in a statement that if Brown enters the race, 'he will be starting in the biggest hole of his political career,' dubbing him Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's 'handpicked candidate.' 'He has never faced a candidate like Jon Husted,' he said. 'Brown's slogans will ring hollow as his coalition walks away, tired of the radical policies he's forced to support to appease his coastal bosses in California and New York.' Despite losing by more than three percentage points to Moreno, Brown is seen as Democrats' best chance to win back the Ohio seat in 2026. He outran former Vice President Kamala Harris by more than seven points in the state, even as the crypto money contributed to a barrage of outside money that helped Republicans outspend Democrats in the race. Ohio Democrats hope a more favorable national environment will help propel Brown next year. 'Crypto can come in again and do whatever they're going to do,' said Jerry Austin, a longtime Democratic strategist in the state. 'I think they've shot their wad. And if they want to come back and do it again, I think a lot of things have happened between the last election and now, and that is what Trump's been doing in Ohio and the rest of the country.'
Newsweek
21 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Another State Looks To Ban Junk Food From SNAP Benefits
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. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has said his state may block the purchase of unhealthy foods using SNAP benefits. Newsweek has contacted Reeves' office for comment via email outside regular working hours. Why It Matters So far in 2025, a slew of states have either barred or are in the process of restricting what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries can buy using their benefits. Advocates for restricting SNAP purchases argue that cutting unhealthy foods from the program will improve public health, with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement leading the charge. Opponents counter that such limits dictate the diets of low-income Americans while overlooking deeper problems related to accessing affordable, nutritious food. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in Mississippi, some 384,800 people collect SNAP benefits, representing 13 percent of the state's population. What To Know Reeves, a Republican, said of restricting SNAP benefits, "It is on my radar," SuperTalk Mississippi Media reported on Wednesday. According to the outlet, he also discussed the idea with Health and Human Services Secretary Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spearheaded the MAHA movement, at the National Governors Association summer meeting. "I spent some time with my fellow governors a week or two ago," Reeves said. "We also had meetings with Secretary Kennedy while we were at the conference, very productive meetings, and that is something we are looking into." Republican Governor Tate Reeves speaks with supporters during an election night watch party at the Refuge Hotel & Conference Center in Flowood, Mississippi, on November 7, 2023. Republican Governor Tate Reeves speaks with supporters during an election night watch party at the Refuge Hotel & Conference Center in Flowood, Mississippi, on November 7, 2023. Brandon Bell/GETTY SNAP Changes Across the U.S. So far this year, 12 states have approved plans to restrict SNAP benefits. While the program is administered by states, it is overseen and largely paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). To make amendments to SNAP, states are required to send waiver requests to the federal agency for approval. Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia have all had their waiver requests approved. Tennessee and South Carolina have indicated that they are in the process of making similar requests to the USDA. Beginning in 2026, the approved waivers are set to prohibit certain foods from being purchased with electronic benefit transfer cards, which are reloaded monthly for use at participating grocery stores nationwide. Not all the new restrictions are the same. For example, in Colorado, Utah and West Virginia, only soft drinks and/or soda would no longer be purchasable with SNAP. In numerous other states, the restriction also extends to candy. What People Are Saying USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said in an August 4 news release regarding states with approved waivers: "It is incredible to see so many states take action at this critical moment in our nation's history and do something to begin to address chronic health problems. President Trump has changed the status quo, and the entire cabinet is taking action to Make America Healthy Again. At USDA, we play a key role in supporting Americans who fall on hard times, and that commitment does not change. Rather, these state waivers promote healthier options for families in need." Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in the news release: "For years, SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to fund soda and candy—products that fuel America's diabetes and chronic disease epidemics. These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health. I thank these governors who have stepped up to request waivers, and I encourage others to follow their lead. This is how we Make America Healthy Again." Valerie Imbruce, the director of the Center for Environment and Society at Washington College, previously told Newsweek: "Controlling how the poor eat is a paternalistic response to a problem that is not based in SNAP recipients' inability to make good decisions about healthy foods, it is a problem of the price differential in choosing healthy or junk foods. Soda and candy are much cheaper and more calorie dense than 100 percent fruit juices or prebiotic non-artificially sweetened carbonated beverages, thanks to price supports and subsidies by the federal government to support a U.S. sugar industry." What Happens Next Reeves' comments suggest that Mississippi has not formally requested a waiver from the USDA. It remains to be seen whether the state will do so.
