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Politico
an hour ago
- Politics
- Politico
Appeals court keeps block on Trump administration's downsizing of the federal workforce
SAN FRANCISCO — An appeals court on Friday refused to freeze a California-based judge's order halting the Trump administration from downsizing the federal workforce, which means that the Department of Government Efficiency-led cuts remain on pause for now. A split three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that the downsizing could have significant ripple effects on everything from the nation's food-safety system to veteran health care, and should stay on hold while a lawsuit plays out. The judge who dissented, however, said President Donald Trump likely does have the legal authority to downsize the executive branch and there is a separate process for workers to appeal. The Republican administration had sought an emergency stay of an injunction issued by U.S. Judge Susan Illston of San Francisco in a lawsuit brought by labor unions and cities, including San Francisco and Chicago, and the group Democracy Forward. The Justice Department has also previously appealed her ruling to the Supreme Court, one of a string of emergency appeals arguing federal judges had overstepped their authority. The judge's order questioned whether Trump's administration was acting lawfully in trying to pare the federal workforce. Trump has repeatedly said voters gave him a mandate to remake the federal government, and he tapped billionaire Elon Musk to lead the charge through the Department of Government Efficiency. Tens of thousands of federal workers have been fired, have left their jobs via deferred resignation programs, or have been placed on leave. There is no official figure for the job cuts, but at least 75,000 federal employees took deferred resignation, and thousands of probationary workers have already been let go. Illston's order directs numerous federal agencies to halt acting on the president's workforce executive order signed in February and a subsequent memo issued by DOGE and the Office of Personnel Management. Illston, who was nominated to the bench by former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, wrote in her ruling that presidents can make large-scale overhauls of federal agencies, but only with the cooperation of Congress. Lawyers for the government say that the executive order and memo calling for large-scale personnel reductions and reorganization plans provided only general principles that agencies should follow in exercising their own decision-making process.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politics
- Politico
Working Families Party picks Mamdani first in ranked-choice endorsements for NYC mayor
NEW YORK — The Working Families Party ranked state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani in the top slot for its mayoral primary slate Friday night, following hours of closed-door deliberations. The progressive organization picked City Comptroller Brad Lander second, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams third and state Sens. Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos fourth and fifth in the hopes of defeating frontrunner Andrew Cuomo. 'The polls and fundraising numbers tell a clear story about who is best poised to defeat Cuomo — that candidate is Zohran,' New York WFP co-directors Ana María Archila and Jasmine Gripper said in a statement. The party endorsed four candidates in late March, but did not rank them. The idea at the time was to eventually coalesce behind the person best poised to beat the former governor. That pronouncement led to speculation before Friday's endorsement vote whether the party would only anoint one person or go with a ranked slate. Democratic voters can pick up to five candidates in ranked order ahead of the June 24 primary. While Mamdani has been polling second to Cuomo — with an Emerson College survey this week placing him within 9 points of the former governor in the final round — Lander has a long history with the organization. He has been a longtime WFP member and was aligned with the group on legislation he pursued during his time in the Council. With the progressive standard bearer's position solidified, eyes are now turning to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who carries significant heft in New York City Democratic primaries and has yet to endorse with under four weeks until voters head to the polls. 'The Working Families Party has fought for a more affordable New York for decades and I am honored to lead their slate as their first choice for mayor,' Mamdani said in a statement. Lander's camp, meanwhile, expressed gratitude for the second-place nod. 'This is now a clear three-person race, and Brad is the only candidate with the bod progressive vision, the record and chops to actually get it done,' spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement.
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Hegseth warns Asia allies that China threat is ‘imminent'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stark warning to Asian allies on Saturday, portraying the threat China poses to the region as 'real, and it could be imminent.' In his first speech to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth was blunt about Washington's view of the Chinese military buildup in the region and the threat it poses to Taiwan, calling on allies to spend more on defense while pledging continued American partnership and support. 'There's no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,' Hegseth said. Any Chinese military move on Taiwan 'would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,' he added. The secretary's comments were delivered in front of a packed room of Asian diplomats, military officials and business leaders, who heard the most fulsome comments on the threat of China delivered by any member of the Trump administration to date. It comes after President Donald Trump delivered a speech in Saudi Arabia this month outlining his vision of a reduced American military footprint around the world, while pushing allies to invest more heavily in their own security. Vice President JD Vance followed that up with a speech emphasizing the vision of a United States that will no longer attempt to impose democracy and democratic values on other countries, but seek economic and military partnerships that offer value to both sides. While Hegseth pledged American support for allies in the region, he built upon that theme by telling allies they weren't spending enough on their own defense at a time when the U.S. is increasingly looking inward, moving troops and equipment to its southern border with Mexico instead of new deployments overseas. 'Credible deterrence starts at home. It starts at our borders,' he said. 'We have put troops on the Southwest border and are driving towards 100 percent operational control there.' The stop in Singapore marked the secretary's second trip to the region since his January swearing-in. It followed a trip to NATO headquarters in Europe where he admonished allies for not spending enough on defense, a criticism he imported to Singapore. 'It's hard to believe, a little bit, after some trips to Europe, that I'm saying this, but thanks to President Trump, Asian allies should look to countries in Europe as a new found example,' Hegseth said. The NATO goal of spending at least 2 percent of GDP on defense has been updated by the Trump team to a whopping 5 percent, a goal that will be extremely difficult for most allies to achieve, including the United States, which spends about 3.5 percent on defense. Hegseth brought that message of more spending with him to Asia, telling the audience that 'we ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part on defense. Sometimes that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations.' On the spending issue, Hegseth remained frank. 'It doesn't make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies in Asia spend less on defense in the face of an even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea,' he said. That message will rankle some allies in the region, as Australia is spending billions on a partnership with the U.S. and U.K. to build a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, and Japan and South Korea have invested heavily in their own militaries in recent years. South Korea has emerged as a defense-industrial powerhouse, selling artillery and air defense systems across Europe. Hegseth also suggested that European nations should focus their efforts on securing European territory, allowing the U.S. to focus more on the Indo-Pacific. 'We're pushing our allies in Europe to own more of their security — to invest in their own defense ... Thanks to President Trump, they are stepping up,' Hegseth said.
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Wes Moore dives into 2028 race in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Wes Moore made an early and urgent appeal Friday to one of the nation's most important Democratic constituencies. The first-term governor of Maryland said Democrats must adapt and change to counter President Donald Trump and improve life for the middle class if they have any hope of returning to power. 'Gone are the days when we are the party of bureaucracy, multi-year studies, panels, and college debate club rules,' Moore said in a speech before party insiders at the South Carolina Democrats Blue Palmetto Dinner. 'We must be the party of action.' South Carolina has a track record of vaulting Democratic primary winners to the White House, and Moore's premium speaking slot before the state's well-connected party leaders does little to tamp down speculation he's kicking the tires on an upcoming presidential bid. In a state where Donald Trump cruised to an 18-point victory nearly seven months ago, Moore said Democrats must also take cues from an unlikely instructor: the president himself. 'Urgency is the instrument of change. And do you know who understands that really well? Donald Trump,' Moore said. 'I want to be clear: We can — and we must — condemn Donald Trump's reckless actions. But we would also be foolish not to learn from his impatience.' Moore talked about his roots in Charleston, where his grandfather was born, his Army service and record on crime and job creation in Maryland. He also spoke about the perilous times the country faces, and told the crowd that he is on a 'mission' to help deliver adequate health care and livable wages for those who need them. It's a vision Moore sought to contrast with the 'reckless actions' of Trump. Moore, 46, is seen as one of the party's most promising young stars and has caught the attention of Hollywood icon and Democratic megadonor George Clooney. While many Democrats are eager to turn the page after difficult electoral losses last cycle, the governor told the party faithful that mustering up the courage to fight can't wait until the next presidential cycle. 'Anyone who is talking about 2028 does not understand the urgency of 2025,' Moore said. Earlier on Friday, Moore toured the Scout Motors Production Facility in nearby Blythewood and planned to attend a campaign-style fish fry after the dinner — making his visit seem even more like a tryout for 2028. Moore, Maryland's first — and currently the nation's only — Black governor has drawn the ire of a handful of Democrats back home and in South Carolina over his veto of a reparations bill passed by the state legislature. The measure called for the study of historic race-based inequality in the state. At least one South Carolina lawmaker, state Rep. John King, called for Moore to be disinvited from the gala. 'The governor's veto doesn't just affect Maryland,' said King, who boycotted the dinner. 'It echoes in every state where Black lawmakers are already working uphill. It makes our jobs harder, and that's something we can't afford to ignore.' The issue of reparations remains politically divisive, with a 2022 Pew Research Center survey showing that 77 percent of African Americans supported them, while less than 20 percent of white respondents did. In the governor's veto letter he suggested that with economic headwinds facing his state, it is an inopportune time to fund 'another study.' Moore has also followed other Democrats thought to be eyeing White House runs by sitting for more podcast interviews. This includes a recent appearance on 'The Breakfast Club' co-hosted by Charlamagne tha God and Kara Swisher's podcast to talk about DOGE cuts and impact to his state. He recently traveled to Georgia, a key swing state, to record an episode of a podcast hosted by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and taped a hoops workout with basketball shooting coach and influencer Chris Matthews. A person familiar with Moore's schedule said he's limiting the number of out-of-state invites he is accepting to focus on his role in Maryland. But the person stressed he plans to hit the campaign trail in Virginia and New Jersey — both of which hold statewide elections this fall.
Politico
3 hours ago
- Business
- Politico
With time running out, Florida's GOP-led Legislature forges budget deal
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida legislative leaders said late Friday they have forged a budget deal that will guarantee $2.25 billion shifted into tax cuts and reserves while also establishing a path for legislators to avoid a potential shutdown of state government this summer. The agreement does not include a permanent reduction in the overall sales tax rate, which at one point had been a top priority of state House Speaker Daniel Perez but had come under fire by Gov. Ron DeSantis amid a bitter feud between Sunshine State Republicans. The deal announced late Friday by Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton is on top-line level spending levels that will be used to hammer out a final budget in June. In a memo to senators, Albritton said the plan is for lawmakers to start budget conference meetings Tuesday, with the goal to work over the next two weeks and vote out the budget no later than June 16. 'The framework set forth in these allocations provides for a fiscally responsible, balanced budget that reduces state spending, lowers per capital spending, and reduces the growth of state bureaucracy,' Albritton wrote. Albritton and Perez have been at odds for weeks over the size and scale of potential tax cuts, as well as a disagreement on how much spending should be authorized in the coming year. Perez had maintained that the Republican-controlled Legislature and DeSantis had spent too much the last several years. The state House and Senate on Friday evening did not release all the details of the proposed deal, including the amount of state tax dollars that will be allocated to specific areas such as the environment, health care and education. A spokesperson for Albritton said those numbers would be released Monday. But the agreement calls for the Legislature to reduce 'recurring revenue' by $2.25 billion including the elimination of sales tax charged on commercial leases and what is being billed as 'permanent sales tax exemptions targeted toward Florida families.' This was not explained further, but Albritton earlier in the year had proposed the permanent elimination of sales taxes on clothing and shoes valued at less than $75. The $2.25 billion, however, also includes $750 million for the state's main budget reserve while also setting aside $250 million a year to pay off outstanding debt — another top priority for DeSantis. Legislative leaders also announced that they would ask voters to increase the size of the Budget Stabilization Fund mandated in the state constitution. The fund is currently capped at 10 percent of the net revenue collected for the state's main budget account. Lawmakers want voters to increase the amount authorized for the fund to 25 percent and to require the state to set aside $750 million a year until that cap is reached. The proposed amendment would go on the November 2026 ballot. Perez and Albritton have promised to keep $1.5 billion in reserves over the next two years before the ballot measure goes before voters. During their regular 60-day session, the state House and Senate initially pushed out starkly different spending plans that had a $4.4 billion spending gap as the House proposed a massive $5 billion permanent reduction in the state's sales taxes. The session was supposed to end earlier in early May, but lawmakers were forced to extend it beyond the normal 60 days due to their budget disagreement. On what was supposed to be the final day of the session, Albritton and Perez said they had agreed to slash taxes by $2.8 billion, including a permanent reduction in the state sales tax rate. But that deal blew up after DeSantis threatened to veto the sales tax plan, saying it would undermine efforts to cut property taxes the governor has been championing. Albritton earlier this month stated in a memo that many senators were also concerned about the impacts of such a large cut. Perez reacted harshly, saying Albritton had broken his promise.
