Author: Chris Henderson
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Sniffen resigns as acting Alaska attorney general
On Jan. 29, acting Alaska Attorney General Ed Sniffen announced his resignation and withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general due to an allegation of sexual misconduct. Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) had appointed Sniffen as attorney general on Jan. 18, but he had not yet been confirmed by the Alaska Legislature. Nikki Dougherty White,…
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Manar resigns from Illinois state Senate
On Jan. 17, Illinois state Sen. Andy Manar (D) resigned to become a senior advisor to Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D). He will provide counsel on the state’s economy and plans for the COVID-19 recovery. In Illinois, vacancies in the state Senate are filled within 30 days by appointment by the political party that last held…
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Jenner takes office as Indiana Secretary of Education
On Jan. 11, Katie Jenner took office as Indiana’s first Secretary of Education. Jenner, a former senior education advisor to Gov. Eric Holcomb (R), assumed the role after the former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jennifer McCormick (R), left office the previous week. Jenner was appointed to the position by Gov. Holcomb in November 2020,…
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Mike Kennedy sworn in to Utah State Senate
On Jan. 5, Mike Kennedy (R) was sworn in as a member of the Utah State Senate. Kennedy won a special election on Dec. 29, 2020, to fill the seat vacated by former Sen. Daniel Hemmert (R). Hemmert resigned to take a job as the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development under…
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U.S. Rep. Mitchell leaves Republican Party
U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-Mich.) announced on Dec. 14 that he was leaving the Republican Party and changing his affiliation to independent. Mitchell cited differences with the Republican Party leadership for his departure from the party. As a result of leaving the party, Mitchell’s positions on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Armed Services…
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Ward resigns from Alabama state Senate
Alabama State Sen. Cam Ward (R) resigned Dec. 7 to become the director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles. Ward was appointed to his new position by Gov. Kay Ivey (R) on Nov. 17. “It’s got to be the hardest job in state government,” Ward said in a phone interview. “They have a…
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Franklin Babauta appointed to Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
On Nov. 11, Northern Mariana Islands Governor Ralph Torres appointed Franklin Babauta to the District 1 seat in the NMI House of Representatives. The seat had been vacant since October when former NMI House Minority Leader Edwin Propst resigned due to sexual misconduct allegations. The Northern Mariana Islands constitution requires that legislative vacancies that occur…
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Alonso Vega resigns from Puerto Rico House of Representatives
Rep. Néstor Alonso Vega (New Progressive Party) resigned from his seat in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives on Nov. 10. Alonso Vega, who held an at-large seat in the chamber, had been arrested and indicted for allegedly increasing an employee’s salary in order to receive half of the increase in return. Alonso Vega had…
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Angelica Allen-McMillan appointed as New Jersey commissioner of education
On Oct. 20, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced that he was appointing Angelica Allen-McMillan as the New Jersey commissioner of education. She will replace outgoing interim Commissioner Kevin Dehmer, who had served since the resignation of Lamont Repollet on July 1. Allen-McMillan will serve in an acting capacity until her confirmation by the…
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SCOTUS allows Trump administration to end 2020 census count
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order on Oct. 13 which allows the Trump administration to end the 2020 census count. SCOTUS stayed an order from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had directed the Trump administration to continue to gather data through the end of October. The Trump administration had argued that…