Author: Rana McCallister

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republican senators canceled their planned weekend fundraising event as the government shutdown continues, choosing to stay focused on the crisis at hand. Meanwhile Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is moving forward with plans for the Democrats’ fundraising getaway in California’s Napa Valley. The contrast is stark and it’s getting attention from voters who want action, not getaways. From a Republican standpoint this is about priorities: when federal pay stops and services are strained you stay on the job. Thune’s decision to pull back from fundraising sends a simple message that governing takes precedence over ticketed…

Trump administration begins to abolish CDFI Fund during government shutdown amid other layoffs The Trump administration has moved to shut down the Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund even as the government operates under a partial shutdown, and agencies are beginning to trim staff. The decision comes during a wider wave of federal workforce reductions tied to the budget standoff. The CDFI Fund was set up to steer federal support toward lenders serving low-income and underserved neighborhoods. Supporters say it helps communities that traditional banks ignore, but critics say it extended federal power and created predictable backers of more…

Katie Porter Crashes Under a Simple Question on Trump Voters Polling data had suggested that former Rep. Katie Porter was the leading Democrat in the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom. A recent interview, though, may have undercut that standing and handed Republicans a talking point. Her problem started with a straightforward question about Trump supporters and who she would need to win a general election. What followed was a short, sharp exchange that quickly felt off-script. Conservatives are already circling the footage. — Julie Watts (@juliewattsTV) “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?” Porter replied with…

John Bolton expected to be charged criminally as soon as next week John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, could face criminal charges as soon as next week, MSNBC investigative journalist Carol Leonnig reported Friday afternoon while on air. The case has been under grand jury review in Maryland for several weeks. People familiar with the matter say the acting U.S. attorney in Maryland is preparing to move forward with charging decisions. Investigators are examining whether Bolton improperly possessed classified national security information stored at his Maryland home. Bolton was dismissed by Trump during his first administration and…

New Jersey has declared a state of emergency as a strengthening low-pressure system organizes into a nor’easter, threatening major coastal flooding along the mid-Atlantic this weekend. The storm is forecast to peak Sunday into Monday, forcing officials to position resources and warn residents in low-lying areas. Evacuations are possible where surge and tides combine with heavy surf. Steady northeast winds will push battering surf from Virginia up into New England, driving water into bays and barrier beaches. Forecast models point to sustained heavy wind and long periods of onshore flow that will pile waves against the shoreline. Officials say the…

This is the second major agreement the Trump administration has negotiated, following an earlier compact with Pfizer. Both pacts focused on making medicines and technologies more affordable at home while persuading companies to put money into American science and factories. They also included the promise of possible tariff relief as part of the package. Lower prices in the U.S. were a headline outcome, and that matters to voters who juggle co-pays and monthly bills. When negotiated properly, price concessions mean immediate relief for families and for government budgets that buy medicines for seniors and veterans. That practical benefit has political…

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said Friday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is “hurting real Americans for his own political survival,” and that Schumer lacks the “moral fortitude to do the right thing.” Johnson framed his comments as a direct rebuke of Democratic leadership. The timing underscored GOP impatience with how Washington lawmakers set priorities. From Johnson’s perspective, the criticism is rooted in policy outcomes not personal attacks. He argues that when leaders prioritize party power over practical solutions, ordinary people pay the price. That argument is central to Republican messaging this cycle. Johnson points to stalled measures and…

Thousands of Catholics to Pray the Rosary Across Canada on October 11 Thousands of Catholics across Canada are set to gather on October 11 for a nationwide series of Rosary rallies. Canada Needs Our Lady is organizing roughly 1,500 separate events aimed at prayerful reflection. The stated purpose is to seek spiritual renewal and national unity. Canada Needs Our Lady grew from local volunteer efforts and now connects parishes, schools, and civic groups for coordinated days of prayer. Organizers use simple formats so small teams can run a rally in parks, churchyards, or community halls. The emphasis stays on participation…

GOP Senators Urge RFK Jr. and Marty Makary to Reverse Biden Policies on Abortion Pills GOP senators are pressing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Marty Makary to act now to protect babies and their mothers by reversing Biden-era policies that have allowed abortion pills to flood even pro-life states. The message is blunt: federal decisions that make mail-order abortion routine must be overturned. Senators warn these policies undercut state laws and put women and infants at risk. Under recent federal guidance, abortion medications have become widely available through mail and telemedicine, critics say. That availability has stripped away practical…

Trump-Brokered Gaza Ceasefire Now in Effect as IDF Pulls Back The Gaza ceasefire brokered by former President Trump went into effect this morning, the Israeli Defense Forces announced, and they confirmed that their troops had pulled back to the initial agreed line. The rollback was deliberate and coordinated rather than chaotic, signaling that both sides accepted at least the first terms on paper. That pause interrupts the worst fighting in weeks and offers a narrow window for other measures. On the ground, the shift is visible in quieter streets and fewer firefights near previously contested neighborhoods, but civilians remain in…