All articles tagged with #defunding
Republicans, with some Democratic support, are moving to empower President-elect Trump to potentially shut down nonprofits by labeling them as threats under anti-terrorism measures. This includes a GOP strategy to defund climate and clean energy groups they oppose.
Austin, Texas is facing a crisis as police staffing shortages and longer 911-call response times persist following the city council's decision to defund the department in 2020. The ongoing shortages have led to instances where entire sections of the city were left without a single police officer for hours, prompting outrage from residents. The staffing decline has been exacerbated by a population growth of over 250,000 new residents and a district attorney's focus on targeting officers and releasing criminals. Families of victims and residents are expressing concerns over the impact of the shortages on public safety, with some fearing for the safety of their children. City officials acknowledge the pressing staffing and training concerns within the police department and are working on measures to address the crisis.
Nandini Jammi, co-founder of Check My Ads, a nonprofit advertising watchdog organization, is leading efforts to defund far-right influencers and creators by alerting advertisers to their platforms and content. Jammi successfully played a role in de-platforming Alex Jones in 2018 and has since focused on holding advertisers accountable for their support of extremist and hateful content. By filing complaints, raising awareness, and working with industry accountability boards, Jammi has persuaded companies like SimpliSafe, SoundCloud, and Mailchimp to stop advertising on platforms associated with far-right influencers. Her work aims to disrupt the revenue streams that fuel the spread of disinformation and hate speech in the influencer ecosystem.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before a House committee, warning that Republican threats to defund the FBI would have catastrophic consequences and emphasizing that the Justice Department does not exist to serve political interests. Garland pushed back against criticism of the department's handling of indictments against former President Donald Trump and Hunter Biden. He stated that the FBI plays a crucial role in protecting the nation from various threats, including domestic extremism and foreign influence. Garland's testimony comes amid ongoing investigations into Trump and Hunter Biden, as well as a potential government shutdown and an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.
Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns has rejected calls from some Republican colleagues to defund Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' office, stating that it would violate the separation of powers. Several Georgia Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have criticized Willis after she unsealed a RICO indictment that named Trump as a co-defendant. Burns called out the hypocrisy of his colleagues, highlighting that defunding the district attorney's office would hinder the prosecution of serious offenses and harm public safety. Impeaching Willis would require Democratic support, and Governor Brian Kemp has refused to comment on the case.
House Republicans are using every tool at their disposal to undermine the special counsel's investigation into former President Donald Trump, from subpoenas to the power of the purse strings. They are exploring ways to force Jack Smith to testify or provide information about the special counsel probe of Trump's handling of classified documents. The GOP is also pushing to use spending bills to cut funding to federal law enforcement, with some members proposing Congress defund the special counsel's office. However, these efforts are unlikely to succeed in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she will introduce a measure to defund special counsel Jack Smith's office and his investigation into former President Donald Trump, claiming it is a politically motivated attempt to take down Trump. Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November to investigate Trump's handling of classified documents. Greene argued there was a double standard between Trump and Democrats who also were found to have removed classified material. Trump is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Miami, Florida, on 37 charges connected to the classified documents and alleged obstruction of justice.
A Texas library at the center of a banned book battle will remain open for now after Llano County voted to drop discussion of possibly defunding the county's library system. This comes after a federal judge ordered the library to return more than a dozen banned books to its shelves.