Latest news with #JohnCornyn
Reuters
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
New York shooting unlikely to prompt US Congress to tighten gun controls
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - A shooting in a Manhattan skyscraper late on Monday that killed four people, including a New York City police officer, has been marked by statements of sorrow and prayers for the victims' families, but no sign of the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress seeking tougher controls on guns. Here is a summary of recent political developments around the issue: Gun rights, which are protected by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, are a virtually untouchable issue for Republicans, who control the White House and both chambers of Congress and strongly oppose any encroachment on them. Democrats' long-standing calls for more stringent controls on firearms, which now number around 400 million in the U.S., have shown few results. Indeed, part of Trump's sweeping tax-cut bill, which he signed into law on July 4, eased a century-old tax on gun silencers, known as "suppressors," and short-barrel rifles. When Democrats last had majorities in Congress and held the White House, the first significant gun control legislation in nearly 30 years was enacted in 2022. It was approved with some Republican support and came after mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, which killed more than 30 people, including 19 children. The measure took modest steps, including tightening background checks for would-be gun purchasers convicted of domestic violence or significant crimes as juveniles. Since then, Congress has shown little appetite to build on that law, and Republican support for gun rights may have hardened. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, for example, was met with a backlash from some constituents and party activists over his support for the 2022 measure, and he now faces a potentially stiff challenge in his 2026 primary election. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in 2022 found that 84% of Americans supported extending background checks for all firearms purchases. In a report published on July 24, the Pew Research Center noted a 2023 survey finding that 61% of Americans said it is too easy to legally obtain a gun, with 58% favoring stricter gun laws. And 66% wanted a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, while 64% favored a ban on assault-style weapons, Pew wrote. In a speech to the Senate after the Manhattan shootings on Park Avenue, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said: "As we mourn this awful day in New York, we cannot keep meeting these moments with thoughts and prayers alone. We owe these families more than silence. We owe them action." But he did not use his somber speech to call for the passage of specific legislation.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Graham, Cornyn call for special counsel in Obama case
A pair of top Senate Republicans called for a special counsel to be appointed Thursday to probe whether former President Obama aided an effort to undermine President Trump's 2016 White House bid. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) pressed for the appointment, saying they want answers about how Obama and his administration 'manipulated' matters in the hopes of a Hillary Clinton victory in 2016 'For the good of the country, Senator @JohnCornyn and I urge Attorney General Bondi to appoint a special counsel to investigate the extent to which former President Obama, his staff and administration officials manipulated the U.S. national security apparatus for a political outcome,' Graham posted on the social platform X. The call came a day after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a new document casting doubts on Russian President Vladimir Putin's desire to aid Trump in the contest, though it backed up the argument that Russia wanted to interfere in the election writ large. The document was part of a House Intelligence Committee report stemming from when Republicans controlled the chamber, and it was classified until Gabbard released it. Although it does not dispute that Moscow interfered in the election, it sheds light on the Obama administration's handling of Russia's activity at the time. It was the second recent disclosure by Gabbard seeking to discredit the Obama administration. Last week, she released a report alleging Obama officials manipulated intelligence related to Russian interference in the 2016 election and accused former officials of engaging in a 'treasonous conspiracy.' A number of intelligence reviews determined the Russians sought to influence the 2016 contest and that Putin wanted Trump to emerge victorious. 'As we have supported in the past, appointing an independent special counsel would do the country a tremendous service in this case,' Cornyn said in a statement. 'With every piece of information that gets released, it becomes more evident that the entire Russia collusion hoax was created by the Obama Administration to subvert the will of the American people.' 'Democrats and the liberal media have been out to get President Trump since 2016,' he continued. 'There must be an immediate investigation of what we believe to be an unprecedented and clear abuse of power by a U.S. presidential administration.' An Obama spokesperson issued a rare rebuke of Trump's claim that the ex-president committed 'treason,' noting the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020 backed that the Russians attempted to sway votes but were not successful. The committee at the time also backed up the work of the intelligence community during that stretch. That panel was chaired by then-Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who now leads the State Department. 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one,' said Patrick Rodenbush, an Obama spokesperson. 'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.' The Trump administration has released the documents as it tries to pivot away from the Jeffrey Epstein story, while lawmakers issue subpoenas in search of answers on the case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘You can't dodge the truth': Sen. Booker & Cornyn face off in fiery clash over Epstein files - The Economic Times Video
A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing erupted into a tense confrontation as Senators Cory Booker and John Cornyn clashed over the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents. Senator Booker asserted that the American public has a right to know the full extent of Epstein's connections and potential cover-ups.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
The fight to keep space shuttle Discovery at the Smithsonian: L.A. arts and culture this weekend
The Smithsonian Institution has faced pressure from President Trump since March when he issued his 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History' executive order, which demanded an end to federal funding for exhibitions and programs based on racial themes that 'divide Americans.' Amid Trump's headline-grabbing gambits to remake the landscape of American arts and culture into a more MAGA-friendly image, another challenge to the Smithsonian flew largely under the radar. In early April, Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz introduced the Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act, which proposed to move the space shuttle Discovery from the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to a spot near NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The act was folded into President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, which Trump signed into law on July 4. NASA gifted the Discovery to the Smithsonian in 2012 and it has been in Virginia ever since. Discovery launched on its maiden voyage in 1984 and flew 39 Earth-orbital missions — more than any other orbiter. The Smithsonian considers it a key part of its collection and issued a statement to Congress objecting to the proposed move. According to the Hill, the statement noted that 'the case against relocating the orbiter Discovery is both philosophical and practical … It would be unprecedented for Congress to remove an object from a Smithsonian collection and send it somewhere else.' In late June, the Houston Business Journal reported that the Smithsonian estimated the cost of moving Discovery to Texas would be between $300 and $400 million, far more than the $85 million cited by Cornyn and Cruz in Trump's massive reconciliation and spending package. Since the passage of of the bill, the fight over Discovery has heated up. Earlier this week, Rep. Joe Morelle, a Democrat from New York, introduced an amendment to keep Discovery at the Smithsonian. The Appropriations Committee agreed to the amendment, which now moves to the Rules Committee before going to the House floor for a vote. 'The forced removal and relocation of the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum is inappropriate, wasteful, and wrong. Neither the Smithsonian nor American taxpayers should be forced to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on this misguided effort. I am grateful for the bipartisan support of my colleagues on this amendment and hope we can continue working together throughout the remainder of the Appropriations process to keep a treasured Smithsonian artifact where it belongs,' Morelle said in a statement sent to The Times. The Smithsonian did not respond to a request for comment on the evolving situation, or its quest to keep the Discovery in its collection. I'm arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt, hoping to orbit a positive news cycle someday soon. Here's your arts and culture roundup for this week. The Corpse FlowerThe infamously stinky plant, formally Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum), 'produces the largest unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom' and is known for its pungent aroma. 'Green Boy,' one of 43 corpse flowers in the Huntington's collection may have already blossomed by the time you read this, so be sure to check it out as the bloom lasts only 24-48 hours. 'It smells pretty bad,' Brandon Tam, the Huntington's associate curator of orchids,' told Times summer intern Aspen Anderson in her story on the event. But for those who prefer to avoid the full olfactory experience, there's a livestream.10 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Tuesday. The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. Father John MistyJosh Tillman, whose Misty persona was described in a 2017 profile by Times pop music critic Mikael Wood as 'a convivial (if polarizing) chronicler of society's growing absurdity,' is joined by Lucinda Williams and Hamilton Leithauser for an eclectic evening of indie rock and folk.7 p.m. Friday. Greek Theatre, 2700 N. Vermont Ave. Phasmagorica: The Room Between WorldsLimited to nine audiences members at a time, this 'experiential paranormal encounter' proudly boasts that it is not a performance and does not use actors. Instead, sacred geometry, occult methodology, immersive light phenomena and 13 speakers of Dolby Atmos sound produce 'a fully-contained, tactile installation designed to provoke contact.' Guests are guided through a séance featuring spirit communication via arcane instruments and trigger objects, fortune-telling and psychological thresholds.7:30 and 9:15 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Heritage Square Museum, 3800 Homer St. Austin Powers triple feature Yeah, baby! The academy's 'Summer of Camp' series continues with the shagadelic trilogy of 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery' (1997), 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me' (1999) and 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' (2002). Director Jay Roach will be in attendance.2 p.m. Saturday. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. Billy WoodberryThe MOCA Artist Film Series presents the L.A. Rebellion filmmaker's 2016 feature, 'And when I die, I won't stay dead,' a documentary on the life of Beat poet Bob Kaufman. Best known for 'Bless Their Little Hearts' (1983), Woodberry assembled archival footage and photos, interviews with Kaufman's contemporaries, and readings from Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and others, plus a jazz soundtrack featuring Billie Holiday and Ornette Coleman.3 p.m. Saturday. Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Queens of SoulThe peacocks and peahens will not be the only ones strutting and preening at the L.A. County Arboretum when the Pasadena Pops performs this salute to such divas as Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Adele and others, featuring hit songs such as 'Respect,' 'Proud Mary, 'I'm Every Woman' and 'Rolling in the Deep.'7:30 p.m. Saturday. L.A. County Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. Black Pasifika: Deep Sea ProtocolsWriter, relational architect and guerrilla theorist Neema Githere hosts this program exploring the links between climate crisis and technology across Melanesia. Githere will provide context and discuss deep-sea protocols and the consequences of technological accelerationism on sea-stewarding peoples from the Swahili coast to Melanesia with their grandfather, Dr. Gilbert Githere, founder of the Mombasa-Honolulu Sister City society. The filmic essay 'AI: African Intelligence' by Manthia Diawara searches for a more humane and spiritual control of algorithms. Ahead of the program, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., the time-based somatic works 'Oceanic Refractions' and 'Cries From the Moana' will be shown on monitors in LACMA's Smidt Welcome Plaza.6 p.m. Sunday. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. L.A. Phil at the Hollywood BowlIn a week of debuts, Italian conductor Daniele Rustioni, recently appointed principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, makes his Los Angeles Philharmonic bow leading the orchestra through Mendelssohn's 'Violin Concerto' (with soloist Veronika Eberle), selections from Berlioz and Liszt, and Respighi's 'Pines of Rome.' Two nights later, former Dudamel Fellow and current Boston Symphony Orchestra assistant conductor Anna Handler makes her first Bowl appearance, leading the Phil in the world premiere of Eunike Tanzil's 'Ode to the City of Dreams,' Mozart's 'Concerto for Flute and Harp' and Richard Strauss' 'Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30.' Mendelssohn, 8 p.m. Tuesday; Tanzil, Mozart and Strauss, 8 p.m. Thursday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. — Kevin Crust Times art critic Christopher Knight was thrilled to see the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's exhibit 'Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art Across Asia.' Currently installed in the temporary exhibition spaces of the Resnick Pavilion, the show consists of roughly 180 objects that have been in storage for years after being boxed up in preparation for the demolition of the museum's original campus and the debut of the new David Geffen Galleries. Catch the exhibit now, before it gets stowed away again, writes Knight, adding that it 'includes some of the most splendid sculptures and paintings' in the museum's permanent collection. Times classical music critic Mark Swed hopped a plane to Austria and headed for the small town of Bregenz, where a major arts festival that attracts more than 250,000 visitors in July and August and boasts a $31-million budget is hosted. The biggest draw at the bustling festival is opera, and the biggest show is a production staged each year on the Seebühne — a massive stage built directly on Lake Constance with bleachers to accommodate an audience of 7,000. 'This year's 'Die Freischütz,' Carl Maria von Weber's early 19th century opera about a huntsman who makes a very bad deal with the devil for a magic bullet, opened last week and runs through Aug. 17,' writes Swed. 'All 27 performances are expected to sell out as usual for the kind of spectacle that exists nowhere else.' Read all about the world-famous technical and artistic extravaganza, here. Johanna Burton is leaving the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, to become the new director of the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, ICA Philadelphia announced Thursday. Burton became MOCA's first female director in 2021 after its recently named Artistic Director Klaus Biesenbach unceremoniously left his position for a job in Berlin. Burton's departure makes her the fifth director to leave MOCA since 2008. Burton will fill the role at ICA Philadelphia left vacant by Zoë Ryan who exited the museum to take over leadership at the UCLA Hammer Museum in Westwood after its longtime director Ann Philbin retired. MOCA did not respond to a request for comment about Burton's departure. Architect Paul R. Williams' L.A. building, Founders Church of Religious Science, is among five structures across the country picked to receive funding through the Getty Foundation's Conserving Black Modernism Initiative. Announced earlier this week by the foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation's American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the money will support preservation plans for the buildings and further train caretakers in maintenance best practices. Another overarching goal is to increase public awareness of the architects' legacies and the buildings they created. The other four buildings receiving Getty funds are the ITC Administration Building in Atlanta, designed by Edward C. Miller; First Church of Deliverance in Chicago, an adaptive reuse project redesigned by Walter T. Bailey; McKenzie Hall in Eugene, Ore., designed by DeNorval Unthank Jr.; and Vassar College's 2500 New Hackensack building in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., by Jeh Vincent Johnson. Artist Amy Sherald has canceled her upcoming solo show, 'American Sublime,' at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, citing censorship after she was told the museum wanted to exclude a painting featuring a transgender woman holding a torch in a pose meant to evoke the Statue of Liberty. Sherald was told that the museum did not want to provoke a reaction from President Trump, who has brought anti-trans ideals into the federal government. In a statement to the New York Times, Sherald wrote, 'It's clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role.' The Ebell of Los Angeles has named Camille Schenkkan its chief operating officer. The nonprofit organization, which dedicates itself to 'inspiring women and fostering community through arts, culture and education,' was founded in 1894 and occupies one of the city's most storied historic buildings — a campus and theater designed in 1927 by architect Sumner Hunt. Schenkkan arrives at the Ebell from Center Theatre Group, where she served as deputy managing director. Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee introduced a proposal earlier this week to rename the Opera House at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington after the first lady, Melania Trump. — Jessica Gelt Marlee Matlin shared her favorite Sunday activities with The Times — including a stop for pizza in Eagle Rock (hint: it's a classic). See you there!
CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Texas AG Ken Paxton claimed three homes as primary residence, records show
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, are longtime owners of a $1.5 million house in a gated community in McKinney. In 2015, they snapped up a second home in Austin. Then another. The problem: Mortgages signed by the Paxtons contained inaccurate statements declaring that each of those three houses was their primary residence, enabling the now-estranged couple to improperly lock in low interest rates, according to an Associated Press review of public records. The lower rates will save the Paxtons tens of thousands of dollars in payments over the life of the loan, legal experts say. The records also revealed that the Paxtons collected an improper homestead tax break on two of those homes at the same time. It is a federal and state crime to knowingly make false statements on mortgage documents. It's also against the law in Texas to collect a homestead tax break on two separate properties. The mortgage revelations are sure to become fodder in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat in which Paxton is seeking to topple the incumbent, John Cornyn. The situation is further complicated by the Trump administration's pursuit of Democrats over similar issues. President Donald Trump has accused two of his political foes — Sen. Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James — of committing mortgage fraud in similar, though far less serious, circumstances. The Democrats have long been targets of Trump's ire for having led various investigations into his conduct as president and as a business executive. The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation of James. It received a criminal referral for Schiff last week from the Federal Housing Finance Agency. James' attorney, Abbe Lowell, urged the Trump administration to investigate Paxton instead. "If this administration was genuinely interested in rooting out fraud, it appears they should stop wasting their time on the baseless and discredited allegations against the New York Attorney General James and turn their attention to Texas," said Lowell, a prominent Washington attorney whose past clients include Hunter Biden and Ivanka Trump. In a statement, Marisol Samayoa, a Schiff spokeswoman, blasted the criminal referral as "a transparent attempt" by Trump "to punish a perceived political foe who is committed to holding him to account." It's unlikely that Paxton, a staunch Trump ally, will face the same federal scrutiny as James and Schiff. It's equally doubtful that Paxton will face much legal trouble in Texas: His office is one of the primary agencies tasked with investigating allegations of mortgage fraud. Ken Paxton and his spokesman did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Angela Paxton did not respond to requests made through her office. The Cornyn campaign released a statement Thursday that said in part, "At a time when millions of Americans are fighting to survive under high home mortgage rates, Ken Paxton lied to banks to amass a property empire making him a multimillionaire while on a government salary." Documents reviewed by the AP show the Paxtons hold mortgages on three homes — one in suburban Dallas, two in Austin — that are each listed as their primary residence. The designation comes with a considerable financial upside. Interest rates on primary homes are significantly lower than those for mortgages on secondary homes or investment properties, saving buyers tens of thousands of dollars — if not more — over the life of a loan. Legal experts say it's possible that the Paxtons' lenders prepared the documents and that the couple did not carefully review them before signing. Even if that were the case, some legal experts say that Paxton, as an attorney and Texas' top law enforcement officer, ought to have known better. "If he filled out lender documents knowing that they were false, then that is a false statement to obtain a mortgage on favorable terms. That would be actionable," said Arif Lawji, a veteran Texas real estate attorney. Low interest rates are not the only perk the Paxtons secured, records show. In 2018, they simultaneously collected homestead property tax breaks on their family's home in McKinney, as well as on a $1.1 million home in Austin, property records and tax statements show. A homestead tax break is a property tax reduction that a homeowner is only eligible to collect on one property that is also their primary home. The suburban Dallas home is where the Paxtons' family has long resided. It's where Ken and Angela Paxton are registered to vote. It is located in the state Senate district that Angela Paxton represents in the Legislature, which Ken Paxton held before his election in 2014 to be attorney general. Lawji said the Paxtons' simultaneous collection of two homestead tax breaks appears to be a more clearcut violation. That's because one must obtain a form and submit it to taxing authorities to receive such a tax break, making it an "intentional act," he said. The tax break was worth several thousand dollars, a fact that confounded real estate lawyers. "Why would you try to do all of this," Lawji said, "when you are the attorney general? That's a bigger question to me than the money, when you are AG and have to enforce this law." Paxton's real estate dealings are in many ways distinct from those of James and Schiff, the Democrats targeted by the Trump administration. The investigation of James centers on forms she signed in 2023 while helping a niece buy a home. One form stated that James intended to occupy the home as her "principal residence." But in other documents, the New York attorney general made clear she had no intention of living there. An email to the mortgage loan broker two weeks before she signed the documents stated the property "WILL NOT be my primary residence." For over a decade, Schiff owned homes in Maryland and California, the state he represents, that were both designated as a primary residence. Schiff corrected the issue in 2020 — a step Paxton has not taken. Paxton's real estate dealings are not the first time he has drawn scrutiny for his conduct while in office. He spent roughly 10 years under state indictment on securities charges while serving as the state's top law enforcement official. The charges were eventually dropped in 2024. Other alleged misdeeds led to his impeachment by Texas' GOP-controlled House in 2023. He was acquitted in a trial by the Senate. What ultimately unleashed the impeachment push was Paxton's relationship with Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who pleaded guilty this year to one count of making a false statement to a financial institution. In 2020, eight top aides in Paxton's office told the FBI they were concerned the state's top law enforcement official was misusing his office to help Paul.
