Category: Federal
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Tiffany defeats Zunker in special election for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District
Tom Tiffany (R) defeated Tricia Zunker (D) in the special election for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. With 95% of precincts reporting, Tiffany received 57% of the vote to Zunker’s 43%. The special election was called to fill the vacancy left by former Rep. Sean Duffy (R), who left office in September 2019 in anticipation of the…
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2,862 major party candidates filed for 2020 Congress elections
As of May 11, 2,862 major party candidates have filed to run for the Senate and House of Representatives in 2020. So far, 423 candidates are filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for U.S. Senate in 2020. Of those, 344—176 Democrats and 168 Republicans—are from one of the two major political parties.…
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Three of nine candidates in crowded Republican primary for Georgia’s 9th District seat have completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey
Earlier this week, Ethan Underwood, a candidate running in the Republican primary for Georgia’s 9th Congressional District, completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. He joins Michael Boggus and Maria Strickland, both of whom previously completed surveys. Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey so voters can discover what motivates them on…
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Sen. Lamar Alexander to self-quarantine after staff member tests positive for coronavirus
On Sunday, May 10, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) announced he would self-quarantine for 14 days after a member of his staff tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Instead of returning to D.C., Alexander will work remotely from Tennessee. He chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Ballotpedia tracks politicians…
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Federal Register weekly update; highest weekly presidential document total of 2020 to date
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity. From May 4 to May 8, the Federal Register grew by 1,326 pages for a year-to-date total of 27,644 pages. Over the same…
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10th Circuit upholds ATF redefinition of “machinegun” that banned bump stocks, citing Chevron deference
On May 7, a panel of judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that an ATF redefinition of machinegun that banned bump stocks did not violate Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Plaintiffs argued that since Congress had not banned bump stocks by law, the ATF and DOJ lacked…
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NYT highlights federal law allowing for the repeal of administrative agency regulations
The New York Times in its May 7 morning briefing discussed the use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) during the Trump administration to reverse certain regulations issued by the Obama administration. Trump administration officials, according to the Times, are working to ensure that the administration’s own regulations are not similarly vulnerable to reversal under…
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U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear case about judicial review of IRS regulations
On May 4, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear CIC Services, LLC v. Internal Revenue Service, which asks whether a law that blocks preemptive lawsuits against tax collection applies to potentially unlawful regulations issued by agencies that are not taxes. Plaintiff CIC Services, LLC argues citizens should be able to “challenge illegal regulations in…
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Supreme Court issues opinions on cases involving property fraud and immigration
On May 7, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued rulings in two cases argued during its October 2019 term. The court has issued 31 decisions this term. Kelly v. United States concerned a scheme to reduce local traffic lanes on the George Washington Bridge as retaliation after Fort Lee’s mayor refused to…
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SCOTUS declines to take up challenge against Pennsylvania order curtailing non-essential business operations
On May 6, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to intervene in a lawsuit over a Pennsylvania order curtailing the operations of non-essential businesses, allowing the state supreme court’s ruling, which upheld the order, to stand. On March 24, the plaintiffs (a number of Pennsylvania businesses) petitioned the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to vacate Governor Tom Wolf’s (D) March…