Jonathan Shorman

Republican push for tips on Charlie Kirk posts drives firings of public workers • Stateline Hours after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Suzanne Swierc shared two thoughts on her private Facebook page — that the killing of the right-wing activist was wrong, and that his death reflected “the vio...

After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Republicans have been actively soliciting tips and info on social media comments about Kirk, helping drive a wave of firings in academia and government. My story for @stateline.org on free speech in this moment

stateline.org/2025/09/26/r...

Grand Jury Indicts James Comey, Former FBI Director and Longtime Trump Target The move came after the president intensified his pressure campaign on the Justice Department in recent days, publicly demanding that top officials prosecute Mr. Comey.

Breaking News: A federal grand jury is said to have indicted James Comey, after President Trump intensified his pressure campaign on the Justice Department.

Some Republican states resist DOJ demand for private voter data • Stateline When the U.S. Department of Justice asked Kansas Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab to turn over a copy of his state’s full voter list, including sensitive personal data, he responded with gra...

Last week I looked at how some Republican states (in addition to Democratic states) had refused to turn over voter data

stateline.org/2025/09/18/s...

New Hampshire is on the list, meaning Trump’s DOJ is now suing a Republican election official for voter data

Justice Department sues 6 states for failing to turn over voter registration rolls The lawsuits were filed against top election officials in California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

BREAKING: The Justice Department sues six states for failing to turn over voter registration rolls.

There’s a growing number of these lawsuits fighting employment actions related to comments about Charlie Kirk — and some early signs of success. A federal judge ordered a South Dakota professor reinstated on Wednesday.

SC elections agency faces ongoing legal challenges over voter rolls amid directors' firings • SC Daily Gazette SC's elections agency continues to face challenges from two directions — a lawsuit over voter information and a series of firings at the top.

SC elections agency faces ongoing legal challenges over voter rolls amid directors’ firings scdailygazette.com/2025/09/24/s... by @jmholdman.bsky.social

🚨 NEW: The Trump DOJ has filed its friend-of-the-court brief in the Louisiana case challenging the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act.

www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24...

Virginia federal prosecutors preparing to seek Comey indictment, people familiar with the matter say The investigation centers on testimony James B. Comey gave before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 30, 2020.

Breaking news: The DOJ will seek to indict former FBI director James B. Comey for allegedly giving false testimony about his role in investigating efforts to influence the 2016 election, days after President Trump told prosecutors punish his opponents.

Firefighter arrested at Washington state wildfire released by ICE • Stateline A wildland firefighter who was arrested by immigration agents while fighting a wildfire in Washington state has been released from detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, his attorneys ...

A wildland firefighter who was arrested by immigration agents while fighting a wildfire in Washington state has been released from detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, his attorneys said Wednesday.

stateline.org/2025/09/24/f...

Washington denies DOJ request for voter rolls • Oregon Capital Chronicle Washington’s secretary of state denied the Trump administration’s request for personal information contained in the state’s voter rolls.

A week after the federal government sued Oregon and Maine for not turning over personal information in state voter rolls, Washington’s secretary of state on Tuesday denied the Trump administration’s request for Washington voters' personal data. buff.ly/6VofmNL via @washingtonstatestandard.org

Any Dem faces significant challenges winning a Senate race in Kansas (last happened since the 1930s).

That said, Davids has worked to build up her ag cred in recent years & was endorsed by Kansas Farm Bureau last year.

Any path includes tamping down margins in rural counties...those votes add up

Cashless bail, explained: What it is, how it works and why Trump is targeting it • Stateline Dozens of jurisdictions, including some states, have taken steps to change their bail systems, but there is no single definition of what constitutes “bail reform” or how such changes are applied.

When President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening to withhold funding from places with “cashless bail” policies, he escalated a national fight over how courts decide who should remain behind bars before trial.

@amandavhernan.bsky.social reports:
stateline.org/2025/09/23/c...

People with autism and their families find Trump-Kennedy autism message harmful and wrong Megan Hufton’s two sons, AJ and Asher, both have been diagnosed with autism. Neither speaks. But she doesn’t see autism as the “horrible, horrible crisis,” President Donald Trump described at a Washin...

People with autism, their family members and advocates said the messages coming from the Trump administration are harmful and wrong.

via @wisconsinexaminer.com
www.newsfromthestates.com/article/peop...

That's the memorable scene, but the actual ending of the movie is Ford testifying before Congress (I think)

Fewer households, businesses will get high-speed internet under revamped federal plan • Stateline Tens of thousands of homes and businesses without internet access will not receive it.

From @maddyfitz.bsky.social + @amelianews.bsky.social: Under a revised federal broadband program, thousands of households, businesses and community buildings across the country will be disqualified from the government’s push to provide more internet access.

stateline.org/2025/09/22/w...

Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is imposing strict new rules that would severely limit the ability of journalists to report on the Pentagon.

NEW: The Pentagon told journalists it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. @washingtonpost.com

BREAKING: A federal judge just sumamrily struck Trump's complaint against the New York Times, essentially calling it, essentially, garbage.

Must be rewritten within 28 days.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Some Republican states resist DOJ demand for private voter data | Alabama Reflector Four states with Republican chief election officials have offered public data but not the sensitive information sought by the Justice Department. Another has refused to turn over any data.

Via @jonshorman.bsky.social and @stateline.org: At least four states with Republican chief election officials have offered public data but not sensitive information sought by the Justice Department, while trying to avoid a fight with President Donald Trump. Another has refused to turn over any data.

Some Republican states resist DOJ demand for private voter data • Stateline When the U.S. Department of Justice asked Kansas Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab to turn over a copy of his state’s full voter list, including sensitive personal data, he responded with gra...

From @jonshorman.bsky.social: As the Trump administration demands that states turn over voter data, some Republican state officials are pushing back.

stateline.org/2025/09/18/s...

Texas A&M President Mark A. Welsh III to resign after a week of turmoil over viral classroom video Calls for Welsh’s ousting intensified over his handling of a student’s complaints about gender identity discussions in a children’s literature class.

Breaking: Texas A&M University President Mark A. Welsh III will resign after more than a week of turmoil sparked by a viral video of a student confronting a professor over gender content in a children’s literature course.

Breaking | RFK Jr.-Backed Vaccine Panel Advises Against MMRV Vaccine for Young Children New members of a key committee tweak routine childhood vaccine guidance as some states and insurers go their own way.

RFK Jr.'s vaccine panel voted to no longer recommend a combined shot for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella for children under age 4.

Missouri Police Officers Often Stay Licensed After Serious Misconduct Missouri’s system often takes years to resolve a misconduct allegation, in some cases allowing officers to move on to a new department.

Essential reading for Missourians from @katiereports.bsky.social. www.themarshallproject.org/2025/09/18/m...

Some Republican states resist DOJ demand for private voter data • Stateline When the U.S. Department of Justice asked Kansas Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab to turn over a copy of his state’s full voter list, including sensitive personal data, he responded with gra...

DOJ this week sued Democratic officials in two states for refusing to turn over voter data. We’ll see whether the department expands its litigation to additional states

stateline.org/2025/09/18/s...

Some Republican states resist DOJ demand for private voter data • Stateline When the U.S. Department of Justice asked Kansas Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab to turn over a copy of his state’s full voter list, including sensitive personal data, he responded with gra...

NEW - Republican election officials are divided on how to respond to the push by Trump’s DOJ for private voter data, with some states turning over only public info

My latest for @stateline.org
stateline.org/2025/09/18/s...

A couple ways for Missouri Rs to try to address this...
1) Kehoe doesn't sign. New special to fix or try again in regular session in January
2) Kehoe signs, tries to punt fix until January

What I don't know is whether fixing in January could moot any repeal referendum effort/force it to start over

A big "one person, one vote" problem

bsky.app/profile/luke...

Fed statement tracker tells you what they're trying to say.

That first paragraph represents a sharp downgrade in the Fed's confidence about our economic conditions.

Trump Justice Department sues Oregon, Maine for not turning over voter data • Oregon Capital Chronicle The U.S. Justice Department said it has sued Oregon and Maine for not turning over sensitive voter data in response to demands.

Coverage from Maine Morning Star & Oregon Capital Chronicle

mainemorningstar.com/2025/09/16/t...

oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/09/16/t...