Speaker Johnson Comes Out Against Midcycle Redistricting … When Dems Do It
Vulnerable blue state Republicans in his conference — like Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Andy Harris (R-MD) and Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) — have criticized the power grab that Trump is pushing in Texas. But Johnson hasn't taken a position beyond saying that issues of redistricting are best left up to individual states. Per reporting from Politico last week:
Senior House Republicans have advised some rank and file GOP members to keep their concerns to private conversations, and not air criticisms in public. Speaker Mike Johnson and other House GOP leaders have repeatedly said in public they prefer to leave redistricting decisions up to individual states. Johnson and his leadership circle have been wary of crossing the White House on the issue, and won't put any bill on the floor that would contradict Trump's push, despite private urgings from some GOP members, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter.
Inside the House GOP conference, Republicans are keenly aware that Trump has been fixated for months on keeping his House majority in the upcoming midterms. Many in deep-red districts are openly supportive of the effort to give Republicans an edge.
However, Johnson put out a new statement on Twitter today formally coming out against gerrymandering. That is, when Democrats do it.
'Democrats across the nation have played politics with redistricting for decades, and this is just the latest example. Republicans who are following state and federal laws will not be lectured by people who abused the system,' Johnson wrote in a statement on X Monday morning.
Obviously, to those paying attention, the reason that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is trying to work around his state's independent redistricting commission is because of the gravity of the moment. He and Democratic officials in New York and other states have been publicly considering how they might beat Republicans at their own gerrymandering game by redrawing maps to offset the impact of what's going on in Texas.
Many blue states have measures in place, like the indy commissions, to prevent against the exact kind of partisan gerrymandering that Republicans in Texas are trying to pull off mid-cycle. States like California and New York have adopted these protocols — where an independent, non-partisan panel is tasked with drawing congressional maps, based on census data, for state legislatures to vote on — in order to ensure fair representation in Washington. Texas and many other red states don't have those kinds of rules (though some have laws in place against race-based gerrymandering) because they're totally fine with partisan map drawing if it favors Republicans.
'I have instructed the NRCC to use every measure and resource possible to fight the California Democrats' illegal power grab,' Johnson added, referencing the House Republican conference's campaign fundraising arm. 'I will continue to lead efforts to defend our House Republican incumbents and grow our majority so that we can continue to deliver on our commonsense, America First agenda.'
The statement comes just a few days after new reports surfaced suggesting that his predecessor, ousted-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), was quietly coming out of retirement to help fundraise against the effort in California.
While Newsom attempts to get voters to support his plan with a special election this fall, there's a chance Californians will reject the effort. However, Texas Republicans are getting close to pulling off their power grab on behalf of the Trump administration. The Texas Dems who left the state to deny their colleagues a quorum to vote on the new maps have mostly returned. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has called for a new special session for the maps to be approved in the state House, which expects to take a vote on the plans Wednesday.
— Nicole Lafond
Freedom Caucus Chair is All For Illegal Pocket Rescissions
Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-MD) wants the White House to send over a pocket rescissions request before Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year, according to Politico.
The request Harris is referring to is a loophole Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and his allies believe they have found in the budgeting process that, they claim, allows them to declare congressionally approved funding rescinded if a rescissions package is sent to Congress close to the end of the fiscal year when funds will expire. The move, they claim, would allow them to withhold congressionally approved funds for 45 days — just like in a regular rescissions package. And regardless of whether Congress takes action on the package or not, the administration can claim that the funding expired with the end of the fiscal year.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) — the nonpartisan legislative branch agency tasked, in part, with determining if the executive branch and the president is impounding funds in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) — recently reaffirmed that pocket rescissions are illegal. Experts have also told TPM that the so-called pocket rescissions are illegal.
Harris' push for pocket rescissions is certainly not popular among all congressional Republicans. Several Senate Republican appropriators have already indicated they are against another rescissions package for the foreseeable future, let alone pocket rescissions.
Meanwhile, Harris is also reportedly pushing for a guarantee that Congress will pass several more rescissions packages, clawing back previously approved funding, in exchange for his support for a flat-funded continuing resolution with earmarks for the next fiscal year.
— Emine Yücel
GOP Cuts Are Already Shuttering Access to Disaster Warning Systems
Public radio and TV stations are already struggling in the wake of the rescissions package that nearly all congressional Republicans approved this summer that cut funding for public broadcasting.
Stations are scrambling to keep disaster-warning systems functional, according to Politico. This was a consequence many, including some congressional Republicans, warned about during the weeks leading up to the vote on the measure.
Station managers in Alaska — serving rural communities and tribal villages — said funding has already dried up, per Politico. PBS outlets in Northern California towns that send alerts during earthquakes are facing shutdowns; stations in Oklahoma are unable to replace aging transmitters that provide warnings for emergencies.
'Our community is going to hurt,' Gretchen Gordon, general manager of KUAC in Alaska, told Politico. 'We're not going to be the same, and it won't be for lack of trying, but it's just that we just can't anymore.'
Meanwhile, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the non-profit that distributed federal funds to public media, recently announced it will be shutting down operations by Jan. 2026.
— Emine Yücel
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Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
As partisan redistricting battles flare, Maine constitutional officers weigh in
Voters cast their ballots at the Quimby School gymnasium in Bingham, Maine on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. (Photo by Michael G. Seamans/ Maine Morning Star) Since President Donald Trump asked Texas to redraw its congressional maps to find five more Republican seats ahead of next year's elections, some Democratic states are considering redistricting to counter the effort. Maine is not, at least according to Gov. Janet Mills, though an anonymous group tried to encourage the Pine Tree State to intervene earlier this month by flying planes over Augusta with banners that read 'Mess with Texas.' The state's constitutional officers, Attorney General Aaron Frey and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, both Democrats, condemned Texas' move, and Trump instigating it, as a blatant abuse of power. But, they said Democratic states exploring the avenues legally available to them to redistrict outside the regular schedule is understandable. Bellows refrained from any judgement of those counter efforts, while Frey was more critical, particularly due to what he sees as a likely snowball effect. 'I am lamenting what this might mean for how our politics will continue, in terms of people trying to do the one-upsmanship,' Frey said in a sit-down with Maine Morning Star. 'As much as it probably sounds like it's a critique, it really is more of a concern about this being the evolution of where the politics is going.' The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the official party committee dedicated to electing Democrats to statehouses, called on Democrats on Aug. 4 to pursue redistricting opportunities to respond to possible changes to Texas' congressional map. Last week, California was the first state to release a proposal to that aim. Such ideas have also been floated by officials in New York, Maryland, and Illinois — whose governor has already waded into the redistricting battle by welcoming Texas Democrats who fled the state to block a vote on the Republican proposal. They've since returned. But, Republicans control more state legislatures than Democrats and Vice President JD Vance is touring those states to encourage more gerrymandering. Several, including Missouri, Florida and Indiana, are now considering redrawing their maps to counter the Democrats' countering. 'It should be a concern for all of us about what this means for the next time that the next majority is in power,' Frey said. 'I am hoping that I would have just as much concern if California would have been the first state to say that they were going to do this as I have about Texas saying that they're going to do this, even though it may be perfectly appropriate legally.' Redistricting procedures vary state by state but largely happen every ten years following new census data. Under the Maine Constitution, the state Legislature must establish a bipartisan advisory commission to draw its congressional and legislative districts every ten years. These maps are then sent to the Legislature for approval, though lawmakers aren't bound to those recommendations. Approval requires a two-thirds vote, and because neither party has held a supermajority in the last decade, this has typically required bipartisan support. The map is then subject to the governor's approval. Maine last went through this process in 2021. Mills did not respond to multiple requests for comment about whether she supports the actions other Democratic states are considering to redraw their maps in response to Texas Republicans' attempts. A spokesperson told the Portland Press Herald in early August that she was not considering any actions related to redistricting in Maine. If the Legislature is unable to reach the two-thirds threshold, the Maine Supreme Court would draw the maps instead. 'It's understandable that other states are seeking to fight fire with fire,' Bellows said, echoing California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 'but none of what's happening outside of Maine would change unless the Legislature and the people of Maine decided to pursue a constitutional amendment.' A constitutional amendment in Maine requires a two-thirds vote, plus approval by the voters, so such a change, especially before the 2026 midterms, is not likely. When asked if Maine should get involved in the nationwide redistricting fight, Frey said, 'No, not at this point.' As the officer representing the state on legal matters, Frey said he doesn't see an opportunity for legal recourse given that other states drawing congressional districts is a state-level process pertaining to their residents and it doesn't have a direct harm to Maine. However, how these maps ultimately shape Congress will inevitably impact Maine, he said, looking at a list on his desk of lawsuits Maine has filed or joined against the Trump administration. Particularly if Trump gets his way in Texas, Frey said it could result in a continuation of a Congress that doesn't serve as an adequate check to the executive branch. Some politicians are seeking to choose their voters instead of their voters choosing them. – Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Like other Democrats across the country, Frey and Bellows walked a line to frame their party's use of redistricting differently than Republicans'. 'The Trump administration is trampling all over the norms in our democracy, and it is really important that people stand strong for our values in this moment,' Bellows said. 'What's concerning about what Texas is trying to do is they are basically trying to cheat their way into electoral success in 2026 and 2028, so it's understandable that some of the larger states that are blue states are thinking about how they might respond.' Of those clear political aims, Frey similarly said, 'There's no mask to it,' arguing it would be different if Texas had come to a conclusion that redistricting mid-cycle was needed because its districts were no longer representative due to population shifts or another clear reason. 'Let's say this was Joe Biden who in 2023 was like, 'California, Gavin Newsom, you like us, California does a lot of stuff that supports the administration, I need you to go redistrict and get me five more seats in Congress,'' Frey said. 'What would people say?' But while Frey said Democratic states may be legally within their right to explore counter measures, he doesn't see it as a productive way to resolve political discord nor address the priority issues of everyday Americans, such as the cost of living. 'If anything, it's creating a system that is going to be more unable to meet what it is that, I think, Mainers and the American people are asking for,' Frey said. As Trump eyes election changes, Secretary Bellows warns of fallout Earlier this month Bellows officially responded to the U.S. Department of Justice's request for sweeping voter data, questioning the federal agency's intentions and asking that the request be withdrawn. She sees a throughline with that effort, Trump's executive orders and his push for Texas Republicans to redistrict. 'Some politicians are seeking to choose their voters instead of their voters choosing them,' Bellows said. 'Many of these initiatives seem designed to shrink the population of people who are participating in elections, to spread fear and deter people from participating, or to create artificial barriers to participation.' Frey also sees connections. The day before speaking with Maine Morning Star, Frey had returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where he saw National Guard troops and FBI agents gathered on the mall. 'They are pushing boundaries to see how far they can get,' Frey said of the administration. Pulling up the president's post on Truth Social ordering the U.S. Commerce Department to start working on a new U.S. Census that does not count people in the country illegally, Frey asked, 'What's the end?' He sees all of these moves as a test of the democratic foundation of the country, the U.S. Constitution. 'If enough citizens out there who are protected by this contract decide that they are unwilling to hold the president to the limitations that the constitution places on government action, I mean, at a certain point that contract by both parties is just going to dissolve,' Frey said. The book 'The Storm Before the Calm' sat on his desk as he added a hopeful nod, explaining the current moment could provide an opportunity to be reminded of the importance of those protections. The book, by geopolitical forecaster George Friedman, views American history through cycles, enduring upheaval and conflict but, ultimately, increasing in strength and stability. With 2026 on the horizon — when Maine's governorship, U.S. Senate seat, two U.S. House seats and Legislature are all up for reelection — Frey said, 'Maybe there will be an opportunity for renewal.' Time will tell how redistricting may play a part in that. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Los Angeles Times
9 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
California Republicans push Democrats on transparency, timeline for redistricting
SACRAMENTO — California's push to redraw the state's congressional districts to favor Democrats faced early opposition Tuesday during legislative hearings, a preview of the obstacles ahead for Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies as they try to convince voters to back the effort. California Democrats entered the redistricting fray after Republicans in Texas moved to reconfigure their political districts to increase by five the number of GOP members of Congress after the 2026 midterm elections, a move that could sway the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections. The proposed map of new districts in California that could go before voters in November could cost as many as five Golden State Republicans their seats in Congress. In Sacramento, Republicans criticized Democrats for trying to scrap the independent redistricting process approved by voters in 2010, a change designed to remove self-serving politics and partisan game-playing. GOP lawmakers argued that the public and legislators had little time to review the maps of the proposed congressional districts and questioned who crafted the new districts and bankrolled the effort. In an attempt to slow down the push by Democrats, California Republicans filed an emergency petition at the California Supreme Court, arguing that Democrats violated the state Constitution by rushing the bills through the legislature. The state Constitution requires lawmakers to introduce non-budget bills 30 days before they are voted on, unless the Legislature waives that rule by a three-fourths majority vote. The bills were introduced Monday through a common process known as 'gut and amend,' where lawmakers strip out the language from an older pending bill and replace it with a new proposal. The lawsuit said that without the Supreme Court's intervention, the state could enact 'significant new legislation that the public has only seen for, at most, a few days,' according to the lawsuit filed by GOP state Sens. Tony Strickland of Huntington Beach and Suzette Martinez Valladares of Acton and Assemblymembers Tri Ta of Westminster and Kathryn Sanchez of Trabuco Canyon. Democrats bristled at the questions about their actions, including grilling by reporters and Republicans about who had drawn the proposed congressional districts that the party wants to put before voters. 'When I go to a restaurant, I don't need to meet the chef,' said Assembly Elections Committee chair Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz). Democrats unveiled their campaign to suspend the independent redistricting commission's work Thursday, proposed maps of the redrawn districts were submitted to state legislative leaders Friday, and the three bills were introduced in the legislature Monday. If passed by a two-thirds vote in both bodies of the legislature and signed by Newsom this week, as expected, the measure will be on the ballot on Nov. 4. On Tuesday, lawmakers listened to hours of testimony and debate, frequently engaging in testy exchanges. After heated arguing and interrupting during an Assembly Elections Committee hearing, Pellerin admonished Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) and David Tangipa (R-Clovis). 'I would like you both to give me a little time and respect,' Pellerin said near the end of a hearing that lasted about five hours. Tangipa and the committee's vice chair, Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo (R-Tulare), repeatedly questioned witnesses about issues that the GOP is likely to continue to raise: the speed with which the legislation is being pushed through, the cost of the special election, the limited opportunity for public comment on the maps, who drew the proposed new districts and who is funding the effort. Tangipa voiced concerns that legislators had too little time to review the legislation. 'That's insanity, and that's heartbreaking to the rest of Californians,' Tangipa said. 'How can you say you actually care about the people of California? Berman dismissed the criticism, saying the bill was five pages long. In a Senate elections committee hearing, State Sen. Steve Choi (R-Irvine), the only Republican on the panel, repeatedly pressed Democrats about how the maps had been drawn before they were presented. Tom Willis, Newsom's campaign counsel who appeared as a witness to support the redistricting bills, said the map was 'publicly submitted, and then the legislature reviewed it carefully and made sure that it was legally compliant.' But, Choi asked, who drew the maps in the first place? Willis said he couldn't answer, because he 'wasn't a part of that process.' In response to questions about why California should change their independent redistricting ethos to respond to potential moves by Texas, state Sen. Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) was blunt. 'This is a partisan gerrymander,' she said, to counter the impacts of Trump administration policy decisions, from healthcare cuts to immigration raids, that are disproportionately impacting Californians. 'That's what we're talking about here.' Her comments prompted a GOP operative who is aiding the opposition campaign to the ballot measure to say, 'It made me salivate.' California Common Cause, an ardent supporter of independent redistricting, initially signaled openness to revisiting the state's independent redistricting rules because they would not 'call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarianism.' But on Tuesday, the group announced its opposition to a state Senate bill. 'it would create significant rollbacks in voter protections,' the group said in a statement, arguing that the legislation would result in reduced in-person voting, less opportunities for underrepresented communities to cast ballots and dampens opportunities for public input. 'These changes to the Elections Code ... would hinder full voter participation, with likely disproportionate harm falling to already underrepresented Californians.'
San Francisco Chronicle
9 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
NATO defense chiefs hold virtual meeting on Ukraine security guarantees
NATO defense chiefs were due to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, a senior alliance official said, as countries pushing for an end to Russia's war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement. Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATO's Military Committee, said that 32 defense chiefs from across the alliance would hold a video conference as a U.S.-led diplomatic push seeks to end the fighting. U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, will take part in the talks, Dragone said on social platform X. U.S. President Donald Trump met last Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and on Monday hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders at the White House. Neither meeting delivered concrete progress. Trump is trying to steer Putin and Zelenskyy toward a settlement more than three years after Russia invaded its neighbor, but there are major obstacles. They include Ukraine's demands for Western-backed military assurances to ensure Russia won't mount another invasion in coming years. 'We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly secure and lasting peace,' Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post Wednesday after Russian missile and drone strikes hit six regions of Ukraine overnight. Kyiv's European allies are looking to set up a force that could backstop any peace agreement, and a coalition of 30 countries, including European nations, Japan and Australia, have signed up to support the initiative. Military chiefs are figuring out how that security force might work. The role that the U.S. might play in is unclear. Trump on Tuesday ruled out sending U.S. troops to help defend Ukraine against Russia. Attacks on civilian areas in Sumy and Odesa overnight into Wednesday injured 15 people, including a family with three small children, Ukrainian authorities said. Zelenskyy said the strikes 'only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential.'
