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Supreme Court rejects Republicans’ appeal in gerrymandering case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday tossed out an appeal in a high-profile racial gerrymandering case that challenged Virginia’s redrawn legislative districts. The high court ruled 5-4 that Virginia’s Republican-led House of Delegates did not have legal standing to pursue the appeal, a decision that allowed the justices to avoid some of the […]
Virginia delegation, like rest of U.S. House, splits on party lines on Trump subpoena fight
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Tuesday approved Democrats’ measure to make it easier for lawmakers to take legal action against Trump administration officials who defy congressional subpoenas. The resolution — passed 229-191 along party lines — specifically allows lawsuits against Attorney General William Barr and former White House counsel Don McGahn, both of whom […]
U.S. House passes bill to offer ‘dreamers’ path to citizenship
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Tuesday passed a bill that aims to give up to 2.5 million undocumented immigrants a pathway to U.S. citizenship. The legislation — a top priority for House Democrats — would offer protections for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and others who are currently […]
‘Frankly, it stinks:’ Virginia’s GOP freshmen say they’re frustrated by minority status in U.S. House
WASHINGTON — Life in the U.S. House of Representatives isn’t quite what Virginia’s two rookie Republican congressmen had hoped for. Their Democratic counterparts are enjoying some of the perks of the majority, like subcommittee chairmanships, a leader who’s setting the legislative agenda and a better shot at getting their own bills passed in the House. […]
Mueller says his team could not consider charging Trump with a crime
WASHINGTON — Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday stressed that his office did not consider it an option to charge President Donald Trump with a crime as he and his team completed their investigation. Mueller spoke for about 10 minutes Wednesday morning from a lectern at the Justice Department, marking his first public appearance since […]
Cuccinelli’s ‘xenophobia’ won’t be helpful, Kaine says
WASHINGTON — Virginia’s Democratic senators are concerned, but not necessarily surprised, that President Donald Trump is expected to hire former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli for a top immigration post. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that the former Virginia attorney general is expected to coordinate the administration’s immigration efforts. The Washington Post reported […]
Virginia, Maryland senators seek more federal Metro funding
WASHINGTON — Senators from Virginia and Maryland are pushing new legislation to ensure that Metro gets up to $200 million each year from the federal government — with some strings attached. Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine joined Maryland Democratic Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen at a press conference Thursday to […]
Va. Dems: Cuccinelli ‘too extreme’ to lead on immigration
WASHINGTON — Virginia Democrats said they were outraged by reports that President Donald Trump’s administration plans to hire Ken Cuccinelli to play a lead role in shaping immigration policy. The New York Times reported Tuesday that the former Virginia attorney general is expected to coordinate the administration’s immigration efforts. The scope of his job was […]
Virginia delegation splits on party lines on LGBTQ rights bill
WASHINGTON — U.S. House lawmakers on Friday voted to approve sweeping legislation aimed at barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in spite of broad opposition from House Republicans. In a major step for LGBTQ rights advocates, the House approved the bill, dubbed the Equality Act, by a vote of 236-173, including eight […]
Congressional committee eyes former Hunton Andrews Kurth employees who joined EPA
WASHINGTON — A congressional investigation is examining whether top U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials, former employees of a legal and lobbying outfit with long Richmond ties, violated ethics rules by working on behalf of their former clients. Lawmakers have asked for documents and an EPA inspector general investigation into whether the agency’s air chief Bill […]
Warner: ‘If this becomes an only one-party struggle, then I screwed up.’
WASHINGTON — Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is nowhere near ready to move on from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. Warner assailed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and President Donald Trump for their public declarations that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s findings exonerated […]
U.S. House committee votes on party lines to hold attorney general in contempt
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, escalating the war between President Donald Trump’s administration and House Democrats. The committee voted 24-16 along party lines to approve a resolution recommending that the full U.S. House find Barr in contempt for his refusal to […]