Politics

Court directive to notify voters in close North Carolina election blocked for now

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Supreme Court has temporarily halted enforcement of a decision by an appeals court that favored a Republican candidate in a close and unresolved November election for the state’s highest court. The Supreme Court blocked Friday’s order by a Court of Appeals panel that otherwise would have essentially taken effect immediately. Monday’s stay means a directive telling election workers statewide to identify and contact potentially tens of thousands of voters whose ballots were challenged by Republican Jefferson Griffin won’t be carried out for now. Justice Allison Riggs leads by 734 votes. Her attorneys asked for the delay over the weekend.… Continue Reading

Trump says he’s not backing down on tariffs, calls them ‘medicine’ as markets reel

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump says he won’t back down on his sweeping tariffs on imports from most of the world unless countries even out their trade with the U.S. He’s digging in on his plans to implement the taxes that have sent financial markets reeling, raised fears of a recession and upended the global trading system. Speaking to reporters Sunday aboard Air Force One, Trump said he didn’t want global markets to fall, but also that he wasn’t concerned about the massive sell-off either, adding, “sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something.” His comments came after Trump’s aides sought to soothe market concerns by saying more than 50 nations had reached out about launching negotiations to lift the tariffs.… Continue Reading

North Carolina judges side with Republican colleague in close Supreme Court race

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina appeals court has sided with the trailing candidate in a close state Supreme Court election from November. The intermediate-level Court of Appeals ruled Friday that ballots covering three categories should be disallowed. This overturns decisions of the State Board of Elections and favors Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin. He’s 734 votes behind Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs. Griffin’s postelection protests challenged over 65,000 ballots. The decision tells election officials to give voters in two of the categories about three weeks to provide needed information so their ballots could count. But the ruling first will likely be appealed to the state Supreme Court.… Continue Reading

Rare greenhouse gas law in NC could get pulled back by GOP legislators

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina enacted a rare energy law in the South in 2021 that directed power plant emissions be sharply reduced. But now the state’s GOP-controlled legislature is seeking to repeal a key element in that law. The Senate wants to do away with the requirement to take “all reasonable steps to achieve” reducing carbon dioxide output 70% from 2005 levels by 2030. Bill sponsors say regulators have already delayed the deadline as the law allows and the change would help Duke Energy assemble less expensive power sources now. Bill critics say the interim goal is useful to meet a 2050 carbon neutrality standard that still would be in place.… Continue Reading

Trump announces sweeping new tariffs to promote US manufacturing, risking inflation and trade wars

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is imposing a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries and even higher tariff rates on dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the United States. It threatens to upend much of the architecture of the global economy and trigger broader trade wars. Trump is declaring a national economic emergency to launch the tariffs, which are expected to produce hundreds of billions in annual revenues. He has promised that factory jobs will return back to the United States as a result of the taxes, but his policies risk a sudden economic slowdown as consumers and businesses could face sharp price hikes on autos, clothes and other goods.… Continue Reading

North Carolina Senate Republicans pick Lee as next majority leader

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The next majority leader of the North Carolina Senate is a top budget-writer who has managed to keep his Senate seat by winning close swing district races. A news release says the Senate Republican Caucus elected Sen. Michael Lee of New Hanover County as majority leader by acclamation on Tuesday. He succeeds outgoing Sen. Paul Newton, who resigned from the Senate last week for a university job. The majority leader is considered a chief lieutenant to the chamber’s No. 1 leader, GOP Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger. Lee was first appointed to the Senate in 2014, lost his seat in 2018 but won it back in 2020.… Continue Reading

States sue Trump administration for rescinding billions in health funding

Attorneys general and other officials from 23 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration for its decision to claw back $11 billion that went to public health departments for COVID-19 efforts and addiction and mental health programs. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Rhode Island on Tuesday. The lawsuit says not paying the rest of the federal money will have a devastating effect on public health. Local and state public health departments are still assessing the impact of the loss of funds.… Continue Reading

North Carolina judge challenging outcome of race wore Confederate uniform in college photo

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge challenging the outcome of his North Carolina Supreme Court race was photographed wearing Confederate military garb and posing before a Confederate battle flag when he was a member of a college fraternity that glorified the pre-Civil War South. The emergence of the photographs comes at a delicate time for Jefferson Griffin. The Republican appellate judge is seeking a spot on North Carolina’s highest court. Griffin is facing mounting criticism as he seeks to invalidate over 60,000 votes cast in last November’s election. He trails the Democratic incumbent by over 700 votes. The photographs obtained by The Associated Press were taken when he was a student at the University of North Carolina in the early 2000s. Griffin said he regrets wearing the Confederate uniform.… Continue Reading

Was classified information shared? Senators overseeing military request probe into Signal leak

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee are requesting an investigation into how Trump national security officials used the Signal app to discuss military strikes. A federal judge also says he will order the preservation of the messages. Thursday’s action ensures some scrutiny on an episode President Donald Trump has dismissed as frivolous. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and Democratic Sen. Jack Reed signed onto a letter to the acting inspector general at the Defense Department for an inquiry into the potential use of unclassified networks to discuss classified information. Contents of the Signal chat published by The Atlantic show Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listed weapons systems and a timeline for an attack on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.… Continue Reading

North Carolina government makes big tax revenues quickly from first year of sports betting

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina government cashed in early when it came to reaping fiscal benefits from authorized sports wagering in the ninth-largest state. Legalized online sports betting began in North Carolina in March 2024. A report Wednesday to a state commission says the state expects it will have collected over $131 million in taxes from the first full year of sports betting operations. An earlier estimate by state legislative researchers before the law was enacted in 2023 said taxes could reach $100 million annually within five years. The windfall is connected to big betting — the taxes are based on a percentage of betting revenue minus paid winnings.… Continue Reading

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