Category: Federal

  • SCOTUS to hear arguments in five cases in first week of November

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    On November 2, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States will begin its November sitting. All arguments during its November and December sittings will be conducted via teleconference with live audio. The court made the decision to hold proceedings this way in accordance with public health guidance in response to COVID-19. In the first…

  • Six national party committees raise combined $2 billion this cycle

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    Six party committees have raised a combined $2 billion since January 2019, according to pre-general election campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on October 22. The reports covered all fundraising and spending between October 1 and October 14. Democrats and Republicans each have three party committees: a national committee to coordinate…

  • U.S. Senate confirms Newman to federal district court judgeship

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    The U.S. Senate confirmed Michael Newman to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio by a 67-30 vote on October 22, 2020. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. After…

  • U.S. Senate rejects CRA resolution to block changes to the Community Reinvestment Act

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    On October 19, the U.S. Senate rejected a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to block a new banking rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The resolution, passed by the U.S. House in June, failed on a procedural vote of 48 to 43 in the U.S. Senate. Democratic members of…

  • U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to DHS ‘remain in Mexico’ policy

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    On October 19, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Wolf v. Innovation Law Lab. The case involves whether the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) properly implemented a policy called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The MPP requires people seeking asylum in the United States who travel from a third country through Mexico to…

  • U.S. Supreme Court accepts three new cases for its 2020–2021 term

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    On October 19, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) agreed to hear three new cases during its 2020-2021 term. These cases are Lange v. California, which came to the court on a writ of certiorari to the California First District Court of Appeal, and Wolf v. Innovation Law Lab and Trump v. Sierra…

  • Weekly Presidential News Briefing: October 23, 2020

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    Friday, October 23, 2020: Here’s the latest from the campaign trail. This week we discuss the latest presidential debate and updates on absentee ballot deadlines as well as provide you with your weekly overview of campaign ads, spending, and more. Presidential Race Ratings Inside Elections updated its race ratings on October 16, 2020: Iowa and…

  • Biden raises $281 million, Trump raises $81 million in September

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    Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) outraised President Donald Trump (R) by $200 million, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. The Biden campaign raised $281 million in September, a percentage difference of 110% from the Trump campaign’s $81 million. Biden’s campaign spent $285 million to the Trump campaign’s…

  • U.S. Supreme Court grants expedited review of case on census count

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    On October 16, the U.S. Supreme Court accepted Trump v. New York for expedited review and scheduled oral argument for November 30, 2020. The case came on a writ of certiorari to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. It concerns congressional apportionment following the 2020 U.S. Census. The U.S. government…

  • Office of Personnel Management implements Trump administration order regarding poor-performing federal employees

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    The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Friday issued final rules that revise federal agency methods for addressing poor-performing employees in the civil service. The rules implement President Donald Trump’s (R) Executive Order 13839, which aims to streamline the discipline and dismissal processes for poor-performing federal employees. The regulations implement the following changes to agency…