Latest news with #JosephAx
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats challenge Wisconsin congressional map, eyeing 2026 midterm elections
By Joseph Ax (Reuters) - Democrats have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to invalidate the state's congressional map as illegally advantageous to Republicans, a move that if successful could help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives after next year's midterm elections. The lawsuit was filed just five weeks after liberal Susan Crawford defeated conservative Brad Schimel for a pivotal seat on the state Supreme Court, maintaining a 4-3 left-wing majority. The race shattered U.S. spending records for a judicial race, with more than $100 million pouring into the campaign – including more than $20 million from billionaire Elon Musk and his network of political groups in support of Schimel. Under the current congressional district lines, Republicans control six of the state's eight U.S. House seats. Two of the districts are considered competitive by election analysts. Democrats would need to flip only three seats in November 2026 to retake the House majority. The Elias Law Group, headed by top Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias, filed the lawsuit on behalf of several Wisconsin voters, arguing that the map is an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. "Wisconsin's congressional map is antithetical to virtually every principle necessary to sustain a representative democracy," the complaint says. The court's liberal majority previously threw out the state's Republican-leaning legislative maps in 2023, leading to a new set of maps that helped Democrats flip 14 seats statewide in 2024. Musk said he got involved in the judicial race this year because he was worried a liberal majority on the court would redraw the state's congressional lines, endangering the Republican majority in the House. During the campaign, Republicans attacked Crawford for having met by video with a liberal group that presented the election as a chance to flip congressional seats. Crawford said she did not discuss redistricting on the call and only learned of the group's focus after the event. "Wisconsin voters deserve congressional districts that ensure all voices and viewpoints are fairly represented," Elias Law Group partner Abha Khanna said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Wisconsin's current congressional map has unfairly rewarded Republicans with a significant electoral advantage and will continue to do so for the remainder of the decade." After the lawsuit was filed, U.S. Representative Tony Wied, a Wisconsin Republican, wrote on X, "The 'party of democracy' can't win on their own policies so they need to change the playing field."
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New York City law allowing non-citizens to vote struck down by court
By Joseph Ax (Reuters) -New York State's top court on Thursday struck down a New York City law that would have permitted more than 800,000 legal non-citizens to vote in municipal elections. In a 6-1 decision, the Court of Appeals ruled that the law, passed by the City Council in 2021, violates the state constitution. "Americans have fought over the meaning of citizenship and the right to vote since the earliest days of our Republic," Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote for the majority. "Whatever the future may bring, the New York Constitution as it stands today draws a firm line restricting voting to citizens." New York's law would have allowed permanent legal residents and other legally documented non-citizens, such as those with work authorization, who had lived in the city for at least 30 days to cast ballots in municipal contests. Non-citizens would still have been barred from voting in state or federal elections. The law had been blocked from taking effect by lower court rulings, after state Republicans challenged its constitutionality. More than a dozen U.S. cities and towns, including San Francisco and Washington, D.C., allow non-citizens to vote in some local elections. Several Republican-controlled states have passed laws in recent years affirming that non-citizens cannot vote, prompted by President Donald Trump's false claims that millions of undocumented immigrants have voted illegally in U.S. elections.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Factbox-How hard have US agencies been bit by Trump and Musk's layoffs?
By Joseph Ax (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, one of his closest advisers, have mounted a sweeping campaign to slash the size of the 2.3 million-strong federal workforce, firing at least 9,500 employees this week in an unprecedented effort that shows no sign of slowing. The layoffs were primarily aimed at workers with less than a year of service who have fewer job protections than longer-tenured staffers. In addition, about 75,000 workers have accepted buyouts from the Trump administration. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Here are details on some of the layoffs at federal departments and agencies: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Around 2,300 workers were laid off from the Interior Department, sources said, including about 800 people from the Bureau of Land Management, which manages millions of federally owned acres for uses ranging from oil and gas development to timber harvesting, recreation and cultural preservation. Overall, the department employs more than 70,000 people and oversees 500 million acres of public lands, including dozens of national parks. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Around 1,200 to 2,000 workers were laid off at the Energy Department, sources told Reuters. The affected employees included more than 300 at the department's National Nuclear Security Administration, which manages the U.S. nuclear weapons fleet and works to secure radiological materials around the world, two of the sources said. Some of those layoffs were partly rescinded to retain essential nuclear security workers, one source said, though it was unclear how many. The department has approximately 14,000 employees and 95,000 contractors. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE The U.S. Forest Service, a division of the Agriculture Department, has fired 3,400 workers, Politico reported, nearly 10% of its workforce. In addition, workers at two Agriculture Department research agencies and its farm loan agency were fired, sources told Reuters. The exact number of staff members who lost their jobs was unclear. The affected research staff worked at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which supports agricultural science and technology research, and the Economic Research Service, which produces reports and data on the farm economy. The department employs nearly 100,000 people in all. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES About 45% of recently hired employees still considered probationary at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were laid off, a source told Reuters. The Associated Press reported on Friday that nearly 1,300 CDC staff members had been fired, comprising one-tenth of the agency's workforce. The Department of Health and Human Services, which also oversees the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, Medicare and Medicaid, has more than 80,000 employees. CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU The independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is responsible for consumer protection against banks, debt collectors and other companies in the financial sector, has been largely shuttered after the Trump administration ordered it to halt all activity. As many as 70 of the agency's probationary employees have been fired, and notices of termination were also sent to dozens of workers with fixed-term contracts, signaling that Trump officials were moving to lay off broader categories of staffers. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS More than 1,000 workers were let go from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides health and other benefits to millions of military veterans. The department employs more than 450,000 people and oversees more than 1,500 healthcare facilities. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT All probationary employees at the Office of Personnel Management, which handles human resources for the U.S. government, were fired on Thursday in a group call that included around 100 people, sources said. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION At least 45 probationary employees at the Small Business Administration were fired in a letter seen by Reuters. The agency, which employs several thousand people, provides support for small businesses and entrepreneurs. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION At least 160 recent hires at the Department of Education have been notified of their termination, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Trump has called for the dissolution of the entire department and its 4,400 employees, though Congress would need to approve. While local and state governments hold sway over most educational issues in the U.S., the federal department provides billions of dollars in student loans and grants for higher education as well as funding for students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. The department also enforces civil rights laws. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION About 100 employees at the General Services Administration received termination letters, according to sources. The independent agency, which manages the government's real estate portfolio and oversees most government contracts, has more than 12,000 workers. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE The Internal Revenue Service is preparing to fire thousands of workers next week, a source told Reuters. The agency, which collects tax revenue and administers the federal tax code, has more than 80,000 workers.
