Category: Federal
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Luke Letlow wins Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District race
Luke Letlow (R) defeated Lance Harris (R) in the general election for Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District on Dec. 5. With all precincts reporting, Letlow received 62% of the unofficial election night vote.
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Two judicial nominees confirmed to federal district courts
On December 1, 2020, the U.S. Senate confirmed two nominees to federal district court judgeships. Philip Calabrese was confirmed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio by a vote of 58–35. Taylor McNeel was confirmed to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi by a vote…
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U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals rejects judicial deference to agency commentary that expanded sentencing guidelines
On December 1, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled unanimously in U.S. v. Malik Nasir that courts should reject judicial deference to United States Sentencing Commission commentary that expands federal sentencing guidelines. The case involves Malik Nasir’s marijuana conviction and the decision to sentence him as a career offender using definitions…
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Johnson, Beaton receive judicial commission as U.S. District Court judges
On December 1, 2020, Kristi Johnson received her judicial commission to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. On the same date, Benjamin Beaton received his judicial commission to the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Johnson was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R)…
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Trump has appointed second-most federal judges through December 1 of a president’s fourth year
Donald Trump has appointed and the Senate has confirmed 227 Article III federal judges through December 1, 2020, his fourth year in office. This is the second-most Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidencies since Jimmy Carter (D). The Senate had confirmed 260 of Carter’s appointees at this point in his term.…
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U.S. Supreme Court hears oral argument in case involving when people may challenge IRS regulations
On December 1, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in CIC Services 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. CIC Services, LLC argues citizens should be able to “challenge illegal regulations in court,…
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Republican win certified in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, with challenge possible
The state of Iowa certified results in the election for its 2nd Congressional District, which indicate Republicans are primed to pick up their second open seat previously held by a Democrat in the 2020 U.S. House elections. Certified results showed Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) beating Rita Hart (D) by six votes. Hart indicated she would challenge…
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OIRA reviewed 57 significant rules in November
The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) reviewed a total of 57 significant regulatory actions issued by federal agencies in November 2020. The agency approved five rules without changes and approved the intent of 50 rules while recommending changes to their content. Agencies withdrew two rules from the review process. OIRA reviewed…
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Four Pivot Counties flip from Trump to Biden as results continue to be updated
Ballotpedia has been analyzing the 206 Pivot Counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and Donald Trump (R) in 2016 by creating two new categories: Retained Pivot Counties, which voted for Trump again in 2020, and Boomerang Pivot Counties, which voted for Joe Biden (D). The analysis continues to shift as…