Jonathan Shorman

Justice Department demand for state voter lists underscores their importance • Wisconsin Examiner In President Donald Trump’s second term, the Department of Justice is demanding that states turn over their voter registration lists.

Justice Department demand for state voter lists underscores their importance. @stateline.org democracy reporter @jonshorman.bsky.social has the latest.

Good morning from the National Association of Secretaries of State conference in Biloxi. If you’re here (or know someone I should meet), let me know! It would be great to connect

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas House falls short of quorum after Democrats leave state to prevent Trump-backed redraw of US House maps.

Justice Department demand for state voter lists underscores their importance • Stateline The Trump administration’s effort to scoop up voter registration lists and other information from a growing number of states underscores how state-controlled voter lists are a major battleground in fi...

From @jonshorman.bsky.social: The Trump administration’s effort to scoop up voter registration lists and other information from a growing number of states underscores how state controlled voter lists are a major battleground in fights over access to the polls.

stateline.org/2025/08/04/j...

Congrats, Jesse!

Justice Department demand for state voter lists underscores their importance • Stateline The Trump administration’s effort to scoop up voter registration lists and other information from a growing number of states underscores how state-controlled voter lists are a major battleground in fi...

Roald Hazelhoff, a naturalized U.S. citizen in Alabama, illustrates the high stakes of voter lists. Alabama tried to purge him before a court intervened in 2024

DOJ’s actions today worry him

“…I am a legal citizen of this country and I will fight for that right.”

stateline.org/2025/08/04/j...

Justice Department demand for state voter lists underscores their importance • Stateline The Trump administration’s effort to scoop up voter registration lists and other information from a growing number of states underscores how state-controlled voter lists are a major battleground in fi...

NEW - As the DOJ seeks state voter lists, I dive into why these lists are so important — and have long been contested

The power to influence voter lists, either directly or indirectly, is the power to shape the electorate

For @stateline.org

stateline.org/2025/08/04/j...

Texas House Dems just put out a press release confirming they've left the state in sufficient numbers to deny the GOP a quorum to pass its new gerrymander. A press conference is scheduled for 7:15 PM (presumably CT). mailchi.mp/texashousede...

Texas Democrats to Leave State to Block G.O.P. From Redrawing Political Map

Breaking News: Democrats in the Texas House planned to leave the state in a last-ditch attempt to stop Republicans from adopting an aggressively redrawn congressional map. Their absence would prevent the House from reaching the quorum needed to hold a vote this week.

DOJ plans to ask all states for detailed voting info • Stateline U.S. Department of Justice officials say the department will seek voting and election information from all 50 states, according to a national group that includes many top state election officials.

U.S. Department of Justice officials say the department will seek voting and election information from all 50 states, according to a national group that includes many top state election officials.

stateline.org/2025/08/01/d...

Missouri Senate leader says special session is ‘likely’ to redraw congressional map  • Missouri Independent Momentum is building for the Missouri Legislature to redraw the state’s congressional districts with the aim of gaining a Republican seat.

Momentum is building for a special session of the Missouri Legislature to redraw the state’s eight congressional districts with the aim of gaining a seat for Republicans. #moleg #mogov

Supreme Court appears have significantly raised the stakes in a Louisiana racial redistricting case that it was supposed to decide in June but didn't. It now asks for briefing on whether the state's attempt to comply with Voting Rights Act means it violated 14th Amendment.

Live Updates: After a Weak Jobs Report, Trump Says He’s Firing That Agency’s Commissioner

Unhappy with today's weak jobs report, Trump shoots the messenger, ordering the firing of the labor official in charge of tabulating employment numbers. @bencasselman.bsky.social @tonyromm.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07...

DOJ plans to ask all states for detailed voting info • Stateline U.S. Department of Justice officials say the department will seek voting and election information from all 50 states, according to a national group that includes many top state election officials.

U.S. Department of Justice officials say the department will seek voting and election information from all 50 states, according to a national group that includes many top state election officials.

@jonshorman.bsky.social reports:

stateline.org/2025/08/01/d...

Nonprofit hospitals spend millions on stadium naming rights, raising eyebrows • Stateline Nonprofit hospital systems are spending millions to plaster their names on sports stadiums and arenas, even as federal Medicaid cuts and economic uncertainty cloud their financial futures.

Health systems spend millions in marketing dollars to plaster their names on sports stadiums and arenas, but some local officials have criticized the efforts as a poor use of funds.

@acvollers.bsky.social reports:

stateline.org/2025/08/01/n...

Federal Leavenworth prison modifies conditions for migrants after letters reveal squalor • Kansas Reflector Problems linger in a Kansas federal prison holding immigrant detainees, even after altering practices that a coalition revealed were harmful.

Federal Leavenworth prison modifies conditions for migrants after letters reveal squalor | via @anna-writes.bsky.social #ksleg

SD election office publishes voter list labeling thousands as public assistance applicants • South Dakota Searchlight Thousands of South Dakotans have been publicly labeled as applicants for government assistance due to a new state law and its implementation.

SD election office publishes voter list labeling thousands as public assistance applicants southdakotasearchlight.com/2025/07/31/s...

Lawmakers must be allowed immigration detention visits, US House Dems’ suit says WASHINGTON — A dozen Democratic members of Congress filed a lawsuit Wednesday charging that the Trump administration is blocking lawmakers from conducting congressional oversight of federal immigratio...

NEW IMMIGRATION LAWSUIT: Lawmakers must be allowed immigration detention visits, US House Dems’ suit says @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social for @statesnewsroom.com DC www.newsfromthestates.com/article/lawm...

State officials again refuse to release Kansans’ personal data to USDA • Kansas Reflector Kansas officials stood firm against a July 30 deadline set by the federal government to turn over personal data of SNAP recipients.

Kansas officials once again stand up to the feds who want personal data (like SS#, date of birth) for food program recipients. kansasreflector.com/2025/07/30/s...

Bove misled lawmakers about his actions in NYC mayor case, evidence suggests The details from a whistleblower complaint emerged hours before a final vote on Bove’s nomination to a federal judgeship.

Emil Bove misled lawmakers in his confirmation hearings for a federal judgeship when he denied targeting prosecutors who refused to go along with his dismissal of corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams.

Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.

NEW
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year

Chokes off billions in research funding

Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social

ICE says detained Maine police officer overstayed visa. The chief says he cleared a federal check The chief of police in a resort town in Maine has called for an investigation into the arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of one of its officers.

The chief of police in a resort town in Maine has called for an investigation into the arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of one of its officers.

‘Good government’ group urges blue states to back away from a redistricting arms race States led by Democrats should resist the temptation to conduct their own mid-decade redistricting in response to Republicans in the Texas Legislature moving to redraw U.S. House lines before the 2026...

‘Good government’ group urges blue states to back away from a redistricting arms race. Story by @fischler.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/good...

Statehouse Democrats want to use Trump’s big bill to drag down Republicans • Stateline After disappointing results in November, Kansas state House Democrats are touring the Republican-leaning state, trying to improve relationships and set the stage for a comeback.

As national Democrats prepare to target Republicans over Trump mega-bill, state-level Democrats also see an opening to link their GOP counterparts to the cuts in the sweeping federal law

Reporting from Pittsburg, Kansas >

Kevin Hardy & me for @stateline.org
stateline.org/2025/07/29/s...

www.kansascity.com/news/local/a...

Hours before deadly Family Dollar collapse, KC neighbors warned of danger At 11:15 a.m. Saturday, one day before the a Family Dollar store in Kansas City collapsed, killing one man and sending a woman to the hospital in critical condition, concerned neighbor Noah Banks, 61,...

An astounding story from The Star’s Eric Adler: Hours before deadly Family Dollar collapse, KC neighbors warned of danger

www.kansascity.com/news/local/a...

Medicaid cuts are likely to worsen mental health care in rural America • Stateline Medicaid cuts in the massive tax and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law earlier this month will worsen mental health disparities in rural America, experts say, as patients lose ...

Medicaid cuts will worsen mental health disparities in rural communities, experts say, as patients lose coverage and rural health centers are unable to remain open amid a loss of funds.

@nhassanein.bsky.social reports:

stateline.org/2025/07/22/m...

Exonerated Missouri woman sues police for conspiracy and coverup that put her in prison for 43 years Sandra Hemme's federal lawsuit accuses St. Joseph Police of suppressing and destroying evidence that pointed to a fellow officer who was guilty of the 1980 murder. Before being freed last year, Hemme served the longest sentence of any wrongly convicted woman in American history.

Sandra Hemme's federal lawsuit accuses St. Joseph Police of suppressing and destroying evidence that pointed to a fellow officer who was guilty of the 1980 murder.

Hemme served the longest sentence of any wrongly convicted woman in American history. https://loom.ly/j5y-laU

Rep. Cleaver slams Trump's push to redraw House maps in Missouri and split his district Missouri’s Freedom Caucus is calling on Gov. Mike Kehoe to call a special session to redraw Cleaver’s Kansas City-based district.

New this morning:

- @cleaver.house.gov says Trump-led push to redraw #MO5 part of a plan to push "one-party rule."
- MO Gov. Mike Kehoe open to a redistricting special session
- As @missouriindependent.com reported, Missouri state legislators getting lobbied by Trump administration on new map:

Homicides in the U.S. have continued to fall sharply this year, according to a new analysis, based on data from more than three dozen American cities. The country could post a third straight year of record declines in homicides if the trend continues. https://trib.al/n6XLiGm