The redistricting battle in Texas has gone far beyond the state’s borders, as Democrats fled the state to various blue safe-havens (New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois) –breaking quorum and grinding legislative business to a halt. Texas Governor Greg Abbott – incensed by Dems bolting – has vowed to expel lawmakers who fail to return to the Capitol in Austin by 3pm CT. The Texas House Democratic Caucus snapped back in a statement: “Come and take it”.
Abbott has also threatened to pursue legal action if any Texas Democrats solicit campaign donations that are used to pay the $500-a-day fine they’re racking up by leaving the Capitol during a legislative session without permission.
The new mid-decade congressional map by Texas Republicans – redrawn earlier than usual at the behest of Donald Trump – has ignited a counterattack from Democrats. In an effort to offset the five seats that the GOP could pick up in 2026 if Texas successfully passes their map, Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing for a special election to reinstate the California legislature with the power to redraw the state’s own map. Meanwhile, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said at a press conference earlier today that she’s exploring “every option” to redraw New York’s state congressional lines. However, this would require a re-write of the state’s constitution.
- In the days since Donald Trump fired Erika McEntarfer – the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) – he has doubled down on his baseless claims that her latest, and last, jobs report was “rigged” and the data was “manipulated”. Despite the lack of evidence, his circle maintain the president “wants his own people” at the BLS.
Also earlier, the president announced a new tariff hike for India – the exact number currently unknown. It comes as a penalty for India continuing to buy and sell Russian oil. A choice, that Trump says, is helping fund “the Russian war machine” in Ukraine. India’s government has called the increased levies “unjustified and unreasonable”.
