Latest news with #Paxton
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New York county clerk rejects Texas's effort to fine doctor in abortion pill case
A New York county clerk again rejected an effort by Texas to fine a New York-based doctor accused of shipping abortion pills across state lines, in a case that could tee up a US supreme court showdown between states that protect abortion access and those that ban it. On Monday, the acting Ulster county clerk, Taylor Bruck, rejected a court filing by Texas's attorney general, Ken Paxton, which sought to collect a $113,000 penalty against Dr Margaret Carpenter. Paxton had sued Carpenter in December 2024 over allegations she shipped abortion pills to a Texas woman in defiance of the state's ban on virtually all abortions. When Carpenter did not show up to a court hearing earlier this year, a judge automatically ruled against her and ordered her to pay the fine as well as stop mailing pills to Texas. However, New York is one of a handful of blue states that has enacted a 'shield law', which blocks state officials from extraditing abortion providers to other states or complying with out-of-state court orders. In his initial refusal to levy the fine, issued in March, Bruck cited the shield law. Related: Planned Parenthood offices begin rejecting Medicaid after Trump signs bill to defund healthcare organization 'The rejection stands. Resubmitting the same materials does not alter the outcome,' Bruck said in his response to Paxton on Monday. 'While I'm not entirely sure how things work in Texas, here in New York, a rejection means the matter is closed.' As a signoff, Bruck added New York state's motto: 'Excelsior.' The word means 'ever upward' in Latin. Paxton's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After the first rejection, Paxton said in a statement that he was 'outraged'. 'New York is shredding the constitution to hide lawbreakers from justice, and it must end,' he continued. 'I will not stop my efforts to enforce Texas's pro-life laws that protect our unborn children and mothers.' Shield laws like New York's, which sprang up in the years since the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, have never been tested in court. However, anti-abortion activists are trying to change that, as they have grown increasingly frustrated by the accessibility of abortion through out-of-state travel and the availability of abortions pills through telehealth. Despite the wave of state-level abortion bans unleashed by the fall of Roe, the number of abortions performed in the US is still on the rise, in large part thanks to providers' ability to facilitate the procedure through shield laws. In December 2024, shield law providers facilitated almost 14,000 abortions in states that ban almost all abortions or that restrict telehealth abortions, according to #WeCount, a research project by the Society of Family Planning. Experts widely expect that the Texas case, or another similar case involving shield laws, will ultimately be decided by the supreme court. Solve the daily Crossword
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Senate map for 2026 is tough for Democrats, but Republicans have headaches, too
Advertisement Republicans stress that it remains early in the cycle and say there is plenty of time left for candidates to establish themselves and Trump to wade in. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up A look at what is happening in some key Senate races: Senator John Cornyn, Republican from Texas. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty An ugly Texas brawl Democrats have long dreamed of winning statewide office in this ruby red state. Could a nasty GOP primary be their ticket? National Republicans and Senate strategists are worried that state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is facing a bevy of personal and ethical questions, could beat Sen. John Cornyn for the nomination. They fear Paxton would be a disastrous general election candidate, forcing Republicans to invest tens of millions of dollars they would rather spend elsewhere. But Cornyn has had a cool relationship with Trump over the years, while Paxton long has been a loyal Trump ally. And Paxton raised more than three times as much as Cornyn in the second quarter, $2.9 million compared with $804,000, according to Federal Elections Commission reports. Advertisement Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas is also weighing a run. Will Trump be persuaded to endorse or will he choose to steer clear? Roy Cooper, the former governor of that state, is a possible Democratic candidate for Senate. Chris Carlson/Associated Press Will North Carolina have a Trump on the ballot? The surprise retirement announcement by two-term Sen. Thom Tillis has set off a frenzied search for a replacement in a state widely seen as Democrats' top pickup opportunity. He had repeatedly clashed with Trump, including over Medicaid changes in the tax cut bill, leading the president to threaten to back a primary challenger. All eyes are now on Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, who is mulling whether to run in her home state as other potential candidates stand by. Having a Trump on the ballot could boost a party that has struggled to motivate its most fervent base when Donald Trump is not running. But Lara Trump currently lives in Florida and has so far sounded muted on the prospect. Others possible contenders include RNC chair Michael Whatley, who led North Carolina's GOP before taking the national job, and first-term Reps. Pat Harrigan and Brad Knott. Democrats are waiting on a decision from former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper, seen as a formidable candidate by both parties in a state Trump carried by just 3.2 percentage points last year. Senator Jon Ossoff, Democrat of Georgia. John McDonnell/Associated Press In Georgia, a pickup opportunity with no candidate yet Republicans see Georgia and the seat held by Democrat Jon Ossoff as one of their top pickup opportunities next year. But the party remains in search of a well-known challenger after failing to persuade term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp to run. A growing potential field includes Reps. Buddy Carter, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick, Insurance Commissioner John King and Derek Dooley, a former University of Tennessee football coach. Advertisement Ossoff took in more than $10 million in the second quarter of the year, according to FEC filings, after raising $11 million from January through March. He ended June with more than $15.5 million cash on hand. Senator Gary Peters, Democrat of Michigan, is retiring. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Michigan GOP waits on Trump Republicans hope the retirement of Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and a crowded, expensive Democratic primary, will help them capture a seat that has eluded them for more than three decades. Here, too, all eyes are on Trump. Republicans are rallying around former Rep. Mike Rogers, who came within 20,000 votes in 2024 of ending that losing streak. But other Republicans could complicate things. Rep. Bill Huizenga has said he is waiting for guidance from the president on whether he should run against Rogers. Democrats have their own messy primary, with state Sen. Mallory McMorrow up against Rep. Haley Stevens, state Rep. Joe Tate, and former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed. They were pleased to see that, even without any declared challengers, Rogers' main campaign account raised just $745,000 during the second fundraising quarter, lagging behind both Huizenga and several Democrats. (He brought in another nearly $779,000 through a separate joint fundraising committee.) McMorrow, by comparison, raised more than $2.1 million. Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana. Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press In Louisiana, another Trump antagonist faces voters Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy has faced scrutiny from his party in Louisiana, in no small part for his 2021 vote to convict Trump after his second impeachment. Will Trump decide to seek retribution against the vulnerable two-term senator or ultimately back him? Though Cassidy already faces two primary challengers, Louisiana is a reliably Republican state, which Trump won last year by 22 percentage points. Democrats are hoping a strong contender — potentially former Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has attracted Republican votes in the past — might mount a competitive challenge. Advertisement Republicans are awaiting word on whether Rep. Julia Letlow will run. In May, Gov. Jeff Landry and Trump privately discussed the two-term congresswoman entering the race. Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
MAGA Evangelicals Love Their Sinners More Than They Hate Sin
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Time was that the Republican Party was the party of family values, troubled and incensed by the supposed sins and moral failings of Democrats like Bill Clinton. Even Ronald Reagan's status as a divorcee didn't sit right with some Republicans. All of those misgivings seem quaint now, as the Trump era has re-written the playbook for what's acceptable behavior. Republicans seemingly forgive all sins as long as you're on the right team. Now comes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to test the outer limits of forgiveness in his battle against Senator John Cornyn. Paxton's wife, Angela Paxton, recently announced on X that she had filed for divorce on 'biblical grounds,' suggesting allegations of adultery. 'What Ken Paxton has put his family through is truly repulsive and disgusting,' National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez posted on X in reply to Paxton. 'No one should have to endure what Angela Paxton has and we pray for her as she chooses to stand up for herself and her family during this difficult time.' But that was the pearl-clutching establishment, the GOP of old. MAGA, filled with evangelicals of a different sort, sees this much differently. On X, which often captures the sentiment of the MAGA base, Paxton's announcement was met, not with sympathy, but with scorn and suggestions that she was making public a private matter in order to damage her soon-to-be ex-husband. While some in the political class suggested the revelations would alter the race, Paxton seems just as likely to get a boost as MAGA solidifies their support and champions him as a thumb-in-the-eye to the establishment. 'He is still going to beat Cornyn by 10 points in the primary. The rank and file are going to vote for Paxton because they think that baggage is a badge of honor,' said Jon Taylor, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. 'When they do this for Donald Trump, why in the hell wouldn't they do it for Ken Paxton?' In 2016, Trump won 81% of White born-again evangelical voters, a historic share for a Republican presidential candidate. And after his victory, White Americans who didn't identify as evangelical but viewed Trump favorably 'were much more likely than White Trump skeptics to begin identifying as born-again or evangelical Protestants by 2020,' according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. Trump won a similar share of the White evangelical vote in 2020 and 2024, and they remain among his most ardent supporters. Which is good news for any candidate who casts themselves in Trump's mold, sins and all. 'The people who would have cared about immortality, the old guard, they are gone. The MAGA-style evangelicals are not regular church-goers, they aren't sitting in church pews every Sunday and spreading the gospel. They are evangelicals in name only,' said Anthea Butler, chair of the religious studies department at the University of Pennsylvania. 'The bar is in hell right now, they don't care about this stuff. There is no sin that can't be forgiven for evangelical political candidates. Now the door is open for anybody.' Consider the case of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth who faced allegations of marital infidelity and abuse, all of which he denied. He wrapped himself in the language of faith, claiming the 'two Js' — Jennifer, his third wife, and Jesus — had changed his life. Paxton, who was acquitted in an impeachment trial where he faced allegations of bribery in 2023, has been leading Cornyn in most polls and is an ally of Trump. Cornyn has said that he will make the race about character. He outraised Paxton by $1 million in the last quarter. Paxton wrapped himself in God and pointed to his enemies. 'After facing the pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny, Angela and I have decided to start a new chapter in our lives,' Paxton posted on X. 'I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with, and I remain committed to supporting our amazing children and grandchildren. I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time.' Paxton will get privacy, as a Texas state court ordered that records in his divorce proceedings be sealed. And he will likely get prayers. What's unclear is whether he will get Trump's endorsement. But he might be the very candidate who doesn't need it. He's got something that might just be better, as far as MAGA's evangelicals are concerned: the specter of a battle, with forgiveness always at the ready. More From Bloomberg Opinion: This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Nia-Malika Henderson is a politics and policy columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. A former senior political reporter for CNN and the Washington Post, she has covered politics and campaigns for almost two decades. More stories like this are available on
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Texas AG Sues Swimming Group Over Transgender Athletes at Masters Meet
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. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS), alleging the organization engaged in "deceptive practices" by allowing transgender women to compete in women's events at a San Antonio meet this spring. Newsweek reached out to Paxton's office and USMS via email on Saturday for comment. Why It Matters This legal action represents the latest escalation in a nationwide debate over transgender athlete participation in competitive sports, occurring alongside intensified federal action under President Donald Trump's administration. The lawsuit could set precedent for how consumer protection laws are applied to sports organizations' policies regarding transgender athletes, potentially influencing similar cases across the country. What To Know The suit specifically references the Spring Nationals competition in April, where transgender swimmer Ana Caldas placed first in five events in the 45-49 age group, and Jennifer Rines finished ahead of dozens of women competitors. The lawsuit claims USMS undermined consumer trust through "false, deceptive, and misleading practices" by creating what Paxton describes as an unfair competitive disadvantage for other female swimmers. The lawsuit alleges that female participants were "deprived of the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels" when competing against transgender women. Paxton's office characterized the situation as allowing "men to win countless events," reflecting the state's position that biological sex should determine competitive categories. This legal challenge comes amid broader federal action targeting transgender athletes. In February, Trump signed an executive order intended to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports. The administration has also threatened to withhold federal funding from states that don't comply with these directives. The policy debate recently escalated in California where Trump threatened "large scale fines" against Governor Gavin Newsom after 16-year-old transgender athlete AB Hernandez won gold in high jump and triple jump at the state high school championship. The California Interscholastic Federation subsequently changed its rules to allow more cisgender girls to compete and medal in events where transgender athletes participate. USMS had already begun revising its policies before the Texas lawsuit was filed. The organization now bars transgender women from receiving official recognition for placing in women's events while still allowing them to participate in competitions. However, the lawsuit dismisses these changes as "too little, too late." Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seen in the East Room of the White House on March 20 in Washington, D.C. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seen in the East Room of the White House on March 20 in Washington, People Are Saying USMS released a Facebook statement on Friday: "The Texas Office of the Attorney General notified U.S. Masters Swimming on May 19 that it was conducting an investigation into policies pertaining to transgender athlete participation in USMS competitions. USMS has been cooperating fully with the investigation and has been working with the Texas Office of the Attorney General to hopefully reach an agreement about the policy. USMS implemented an interim eligibility policy on July 1 in response to feedback from our members and the Attorney General's office and in line with our partnership with World Aquatics, which USMS is a member federation of." "USMS surprisingly learned yesterday via social media that the Texas Office of the Attorney General filed a lawsuit against USMS and the five LMSCs that operate in the State of Texas. USMS is currently reviewing the allegations. To be clear, under USMS's policy (which aligns with World Aquatics policy), trans women are not eligible to receive records, Top 10 times, or awards in the women's category at all USMS-sanctioned events, and trans men are eligible for those competitive recognition programs in the men's category. Moreover, trans women swimming in the women's category do not displace other women from participating or receiving recognition in any USMS event. USMS policies referenced have been publicly posted on our website since 2012 and are outlined in our annually published Code of Regulations. More information about USMS's interim eligibility policy can be found in our FAQs." The statement concluded: "USMS is a national nonprofit community of adult swimmers focused on health and fitness. It is deeply disappointing to see our organization and individual members publicly targeted in a lawsuit that appears to be more about generating headlines than seeking justice. USMS will continue to cooperate fully with the Texas Office of the Attorney General and to uphold the values that have guided our community for more than 50 years." What Happens Next? USMS says it will continue cooperating with the attorney general's investigation while defending its policies in court. Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Texas attorney general sues adult swimming group for allowing transgender competitors
The Texas attorney general has sued an adult swimming program after two transgender women were allowed to compete at a meet this spring in San Antonio, with one placing first in several events. The suit alleged that U.S. Masters Swimming undermined the trust of consumers through 'false, deceptive, and misleading practices" because it said the other swimmers faced what it described as an unfair disadvantage in the Spring Nationals competition in April. U.S. Masters Swimming said in a statement that it has been cooperating fully with Attorney General Ken Paxton's investigation, which comes as a nationwide battle over the participation of transgender athletes has played out at both the state and federal levels. 'It is deeply disappointing to see our organization and individual members publicly targeted in a lawsuit that appears to be more about generating headlines than seeking justice,' the statement said. Republicans have leveraged the issue as a fight for athletic fairness for women and girls. Paxton said in a news release Thursday that U.S. Masters Swimming "has deprived female participants of the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels by letting men win countless events.' The suit said Ana Caldas placed first in the five events in the 45-49 age group, and Jennifer Rines finished ahead of dozens of women. Rines wrote in a guest editorial in Swimming World in May that creating a separate category for transgender athletes might be the equitable solution for national-level events. But she said coming out as transgender carries the risk of losing jobs and friends. 'At what point does the level of competition justify forcing someone to out themselves or barring them from participation altogether?' she asked. Even before the suit was filed, U.S. Masters Swimming revised its policy to bar transgender women from receiving recognition for placing in women's events, but still allowing them to compete. But the suit said, 'This is all too little, too late.'
