TX Observer: “March 1 Update: On Thursday, federal judge David Ezra blocked Texas from enforcing its state deportations law, Senate Bill 4, which was set to take effect March 5. In his ruling, Ezra stated that both the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court precedent “affirm that states may not exercise immigration enforcement power except as authorized…
“Sen. Britt to give GOP response after State of the Union”
AL Political Reporter: “Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., declared that Senator Katie Britt, R-Ala., will deliver the Republican Address to the Nation following the President’s State of the Union address on March 7.”
Every Black Person Tried in Capital Case in One NC County Given Death Penalty Since 1991
NC Newsline: “Every Black person who has faced a jury in a capital trial in Johnston County between 1991 and 2014 received a death sentence, an expert in an ongoing hearing testified on Thursday. Data analyzed by Richard Smith, a professor of statistics at UNC-Chapel Hill, revealed that no Black defendants tried in capital cases…
“Richmond plans memorial to its prominent role in trade of enslaved people”
WaPo: “The city [of Richmond, VA] has announced plans for a major memorial to its history as the nation’s second-largest market in the pre-Civil War trade in enslaved people, culminating years of frustrated efforts to recognize a difficult past. “We have collectively, as a city, been neglectful for far too long in recognizing the part…
“McConnell to Step Down as GOP Leader”
Political Wire: “Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the longest-serving Senate leader in history who maintained his power in the face of dramatic convulsions in the Republican Party for almost two decades, will step down from that position in November,” the AP reports. “McConnell, who turned 82 last week, was set to announce his decision Wednesday in the well…
“Don Scott was a fiery partisan; as Va. speaker, he’s top negotiator”
WaPo: “Scott became one of Youngkin’s top critics soon after the governor took office in 2022, saying the Republican’s emphasis on race-related culture war issues such as banning critical race theory called into question Youngkin’s profession of Christian faith. The tough partisan approach quickly vaulted Scott to the position of House minority leader when Republicans…
“‘Star witness’ testifies his claims about Fani Willis were only ‘speculation’”
WaPo: “A lawyer billed as the “star witness” in the case to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D) testified Tuesday that it was mere “speculation” when he told a defense attorney that Willis began a romantic relationship in 2019 with the outside lawyer she appointed to lead the case against Donald Trump, years earlier than…
“Slaying of Georgia student becomes part of U.S. immigration debate”
WaPo: “The killing of a Georgia nursing student, allegedly by a Venezuelan migrant, has quickly intensified the country’s immigration debate as President Biden and leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prepare trips to the border this week. The body of 22-year-old Laken Hope Riley was found in the woods near a jogging trail Thursday on the University of Georgia…
“‘Cop City’ Prosecutions Hinge on a New Definition of Domestic Terrorism”
NY Times: “As several states have added or expanded laws related to terrorism, or are considering doing so, the case in Georgia is at the center of debate about the need for these measures, the dangers they pose and, more fundamentally, what constitutes terrorism. (One proposal in New York has suggested that blocking traffic, a…
“Alabama embryo ruling may have devastating effect on cancer patients”
WaPo: “A cancer diagnosis often comes with a host of difficult decisions, including what to do about the impact of treatment on a person’s fertility. Many individuals grappling with this dual burden turn to in vitro fertilization (IVF) as a way to preserve their reproductive options. That’s why cancer patients and oncologists are expressing shock…