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New York Post
07-08-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Texas AG launches probe into Beto O'Rourke's political group over funding for Democrats who fled state
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation Wednesday into potential 'unlawful activity' undertaken by former Rep. Beto O'Rourke's political group to help state Democratic lawmakers stay away from the capital amid a Republican-led effort to redraw congressional maps. Paxton is probing whether Powered by People, a political action committee founded by O'Rourke in 2019, may have violated bribery and other state laws by 'bankrolling' the more than 50 Texas House Democrats who have stalled a special legislative session by fleeing the state. 'Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,' Paxton said in a statement. 'Texas cannot be bought. I look forward to thoroughly reviewing all of the documents and communications obtained throughout this investigation.' Advertisement 3 Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks during a town hall, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, at the University of Nebraska Omaha in Omaha, Neb. AP 'These jet-setting runaways have already lost public trust by abandoning our state, and Texans deserve to know if they received illegal bribes to do it.' O'Rourke's group, which reported having $3.5 million in cash at the end of June, has reportedly covered airfare, lodging and other logistical expenses the absent state reps have incurred, according to the Texas Tribune. Advertisement A 2021 effort by Texas Democrats to stall new state voting laws by fleeing the capital was similarly supported by Powered by People, which spent more than half a million dollars to back the stunt, the outlet reported at the time. O'Rourke criticized Paxton's investigation in an X post Wednesday, and referenced the AG's own bribery scandal for which he was acquitted in 2023. 'The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats,' O'Rourke wrote. 3 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton pauses while speaking during a news conference in Washington, DC, on April 26, 2022. REUTERS Advertisement 3 Paxton is investigating whether Powered by People, a political action committee founded by O'Rourke in 2019, violated bribery and other state laws by funding more than 50 Texas House Democrats who stalled a special legislative session by leaving the state. Getty Images Asked about his group's funding scheme in a CNN interview, the former congressman and Democratic presidential primary candidate said it was 'absolutely' worth it. 'If we fail, the consolidation of authoritarian power in America will be nearly unstoppable,' O'Rourke argued, warning that the redistricting push – which could give Republicans five additional seats in the House of Representatives by the 2026 midterm elections – would 'roll out a royal red carpet for a Trump third term.' Advertisement O'Rourke insisted that he believes the Democrats in hiding 'can stay out long enough to stop this steal in Texas.' As part of the investigation into Powered by People, Paxton has demanded documents and communications from the group regarding potentially unlawful activity, including its involvement in the Democrats' scheme to break quorum, his office said in a statement.
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Why are top US universities facing questions over who really qualifies for scholarships?
US universities face federal probes over scholarship eligibility and discrimination. (AP Photo) The US Department of Education has opened investigations into five prominent universities over concerns that some of their scholarships may be unlawfully excluding American-born students. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is examining whether certain scholarships reserved exclusively for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or undocumented students violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin. The universities under scrutiny include the University of Louisville, the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University. The investigations follow complaints filed by the Legal Insurrection Foundation's Equal Protection Project, which alleges that the scholarships in question unlawfully restrict eligibility, thereby discriminating against US citizens. Investigations focus on scholarships reserved for undocumented students According to the complaints, the University of Louisville's Sagar Patagundi Scholarship is designated for undergraduate DACA and undocumented students to subsidise the cost of higher education. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo The University of Nebraska Omaha's Dreamer's Pathway Scholarship targets DACA or DACA-eligible Nebraska residents seeking an undergraduate degree. Similarly, the University of Miami offers the U Dreamers Program to academically talented high school seniors and transfer students with DACA or undocumented status. The University of Michigan provides the Dreamer Scholarship, which is intended to support undocumented students or those with DACA status. Western Michigan University also offers the WMU Undocumented/DACA Scholarship for undergraduate students who cannot receive federal student aid due to their undocumented or DACA status. Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor stated, 'Neither the Trump Administration's America first policies nor the Civil Rights Act of 1964's prohibition on national origin discrimination permit universities to deny our fellow citizens the opportunity to compete for scholarships because they were born in the United States.' Further probes into scholarships based on race and colour In addition to the scholarships focused on national origin, the OCR will examine other scholarships that allegedly exclude students based on race and colour, which could also violate Title VI. Examples include the University of Louisville's Dawn Wilson Scholarship for undergraduate LGBTQ+ students of colour and the Louisville Tango Festival Scholarship for Latino/a/x and Hispanic students. The University of Nebraska Omaha's HDR Scholarship reportedly gives preference to underrepresented minority students. Western Michigan University's Elissa Gatlin Endowed Scholarship is designated for African American, Native American, or Hispanic American students. William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project, remarked, 'Protecting equal access to education includes protecting the rights of American-born students. Discrimination against American-born students must not be tolerated.' The Legal Insurrection Foundation's Equal Protection Project initiated these complaints in order to ensure equal protection under the law and prevent government discrimination in any form. The investigations mark a notable expansion of enforcement efforts under the current administration to address alleged discrimination in US higher education, emphasising the protection of American students and lawful residents from exclusionary scholarship practices. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
CNN
23-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights initiates investigation into 5 universities over DACA scholarships
Human rights Immigration Federal agencies Education policyFacebookTweetLink Follow Five universities are under investigation by the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights for providing scholarships to undocumented immigrants enrolled in the Obama-era DACA program, according to a statement from the Department of Education Wednesday. DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, allows hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children to live, work and pursue an education in the country. The department's investigation focuses on scholarships for DACA students but also includes LGBTQ+ students of color, Latin or Hispanic, African American, Native American or other minority students, the agency said in a statement. The schools under scrutiny are the University of Louisville, the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan and Western Michigan University. 'The investigations will determine whether these universities are granting scholarships only for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or 'undocumented' students, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964's (Title VI) prohibition against national origin discrimination,' the Department of Education said. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act bans any institution receiving federal funds from discriminating based on race, color and national origin. The investigations into the universities were launched following complaints from the conservative nonprofit Legal Insurrection Foundation's Equal Protection Project. 'Protecting equal access to education includes protecting the rights of American-born students. At the Equal Protection Project, we are gratified that the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights is acting on our complaints regarding scholarships that excluded American-born students,' said William A. Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project. 'Discrimination against American-born students must not be tolerated.' Calls and emails to the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of Miami and Western Michigan University were not immediately returned. John Karman, the University of Louisville's interim vice president for communications and marketing, told CNN, 'The university was just notified of the investigation yesterday. We are reviewing the claims.' Kay Jarvis, the University of Michigan's director of public affairs, said in a statement to CNN, 'The university has received a letter of notification relating to this matter. We have no further comment.' The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights office works to protect students by holding schools and colleges that receive federal funds accountable for combating antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and discrimination against students with disabilities. Efforts to dismantle the department are underway and the agency's civil rights office has been hit hard by a combination of layoffs and voluntary 'buyouts.' What will happen to the office is still uncertain, but employees within the office have told CNN they are extremely concerned about their ability to process the claims effectively with half of the staff. Earlier this year, the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights sent letters to dozens of colleges and universities it says are under investigation for alleged violations 'relating to antisemitic harassment and discrimination,' warning institutions of possible consequences if they don't take adequate steps to protect Jewish students. CNN's Karina Tsui, Elizabeth Wolfe and Shania Shelton contributed to this report.
New York Times
23-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Education Department Will Investigate Scholarships for DACA Students
The Trump administration opened another front Wednesday in its effort to target immigrants and root out diversity programming, promising to investigate scholarships for students brought to the United States illegally as children. The Education Department said it would investigate five universities that offer aid to students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, who are known among immigration advocates as Dreamers. The Trump administration argues that such scholarship programs violate civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination against national origin because they are open only to DACA students and not to U.S. citizens. Universities give aid to such students because they typically cannot access government financial aid as noncitizens, although recent political and legal scrutiny has led some universities to abandon such efforts. Republicans have argued that the programs divert resources away from American students. 'Neither the Trump administration's America first policies nor the Civil Rights Act of 1964's prohibition on national origin discrimination permit universities to deny our fellow citizens the opportunity to compete for scholarships because they were born in the United States,' Craig Trainor, the Education Department's acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement. The universities under investigation are the University of Louisville, the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University. John R. Karman III, a University of Louisville spokesman, said the university was notified of the investigation on Tuesday and was reviewing the government's claims. The other universities under investigation either declined to comment or did not immediately respond to a message. The complaints were filed by the Legal Insurrection Clinic, a conservative group that supports 'free speech, viewpoint diversity, and truly educating — not brainwashing — our students.' 'Protecting equal access to education includes protecting the rights of American-born students,' William A. Jacobson, the founder of the clinic's Equal Protection Project and a Cornell University law professor, said in the announcement. The Trump administration has unleashed a broad assault on colleges, including levying major funding threats against top colleges. Many of the efforts have been directed toward students who are not U.S. citizens. Federal agents have detained some international students for pro-Palestinian speech. The government has also targeted Harvard's ability to enroll international students, including opening a new investigation on Wednesday into the school's participation in the student visa program.
The Hill
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Threats against public officials persist in year after Trump assassination attempt
Threats against public officials have persisted in the year since the first assassination attempt of President Trump, as experts in political violence warn the upward trend shows no sign of fizzling out. The failed attack — one of two attempts on Trump's life as he sought a second term in the White House — yielded sharp condemnations of violence and ample calls to turn down the heat on political rhetoric. But since then, high-profile attacks have continued to mount, from the assassination of a Democratic lawmaker in Minnesota to Monday's shootout at a U.S. Border Patrol facility in Texas. 'We continue to see a normalizing of political violence, a very casual acceptance that some elected officials may be legitimate targets for violence — based on conspiracies, based on disinformation — and unfortunately and tragically, we've seen that that has real world consequences,' said Jon Lewis, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at the George Washington University. 'When there is so much rhetoric…it's only a matter of time before someone with a grievance and a gun finds that justification,' he said. In 2024, there were 180 federal arrests for threatening a public official — the highest number in the last 12 years, said Seamus Hughes, a researcher at University of Nebraska Omaha's National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE). Hughes said toward the end of the Biden administration, several incidents that would typically go to a local district attorney or be met with a warning from the FBI resulted in federal arrests. It's clear, he said, that law enforcement and prosecutors want to 'put their finger on the scale' on such threats, taking cases that they wouldn't have five years ago. Despite those efforts, it's particularly challenging to disrupt lone actor plots, Lewis said, 'even if you are doing everything else perfectly.' 'They're taking it seriously, without a doubt, but how much can they do?' Lewis said. Threats against the judiciary have also rocketed, especially as adverse rulings to Trump's far-reaching agenda have put targets on the backs of individual judges. U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, whose son was killed in 2020 by a misogynistic lawyer who had once appeared before her, spurring her advocacy for better protections for judges, said at a legal forum last month that she's tracked 408 threats against judges this year. 'We're going to break records, people, and not in a good way,' the judge said. High-profile attacks have put a spotlight on the warming threat climate in the U.S., but local officials have also faced rising threats and harassment, often without the greater protection of heavy security or a national profile. 'I'm more concerned about the city council member who gets a threat and doesn't have that apparatus behind them,' Hughes said. 'They don't know who to call…they don't know if they need to move their family out in the middle of the night to a hotel, they don't know what to do when they're doxxed, and maybe they don't raise their hand next time to run for office, because it's not worth the hassle and trouble and threats. 'That has a chilling effect on democracy,' he said. More than 200 reported threat and harassment incidents against local officials have occurred this year, according to Princeton University's Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI). Those incidents were largely driven by community-specific disputes and national issues like immigration policy and LGBTQ rights. Last year, roughly 600 incidents were recorded around the country — about a 14% increase from 2023 and an even larger jump from 2022, said Shannon Hiller, BDI's executive director. Hiller said a third of surveyed local officials fear experiencing hostility in the future, and two-thirds say they're less likely to engage in activities 'essential for a healthy democracy,' such as running for re-election or participating in public events. Additionally, three-quarters of those surveyed said they believe the hostility is connected somehow to their policy positions, leaving many more wary of taking on complex or controversial issues in their work, she said. 'This 'all-at-once' dynamic is part of what we hear local officials describing as this… 'fire hose' or 'the worst it's ever been,'' Hiller said. Threats against public officials were already on the rise when the attempt on Trump's life occurred. The U.S. Capitol Police said in February that threats against members of Congress more than doubled from 2017 to 2024. Last year, USCP's threat assessment team investigated more than 9,400 'concerning statements and direct threats' against lawmakers, their families and staff. In its annual assessment of threats, published in October, the Department of Homeland Security named politically motivated violence among its top concerns for 2025. The report noted that online users in forums frequented by some domestic violent extremists were increasingly calling for violence linked to the 2024 election and 'socially divisive topics,' including immigration, abortion rights and LGBTQ issues. It predicted that extremists would continue to rely on those issues to 'justify violence and promote their causes' into 2025. The motive for Trump's first attempted assassin in Butler, Pa., has still not been revealed a year later. But his second alleged would-be-assassin's federal criminal case in Florida is ongoing and could yield new answers soon. The defendant, Ryan Routh, faces five counts including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate over allegations he pushed the muzzle of a rifle through the perimeter of Trump's West Palm Beach golf course while the former president was a hole away, prompting a Secret Service agent to fire. 'Dear world, this was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you,' he allegedly wrote in a letter detailing his plans months before the attempted attack. 'I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster.' He's set to go to trial on Sept. 8, but this week, asked a federal judge to let him terminate his public defender and represent himself. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who also oversaw Trump's criminal case in Florida before it was dismissed, said she'll hold arguments on the matter later this month. The experts agreed that, without intervention, it's unlikely threats against public officials will taper off. However, it shouldn't be seen as destiny. 'We don't have to accept this climate of hostility as inevitable or a new normal that we just have to live with now,' Hiller said. 'Whether it's the assassination attempts on the current president when he was campaigning, or the assassination in Minnesota, these can be inflection points where we decide to say this is unacceptable.'
