Lubbock celebrates native Dustin Burrows’ rise to Texas House speaker
Meanwhile in the Panhandle, Republicans were less excited that Burrows won the speaker contest thanks largely to Democrats.
Texas counties left scrambling after critical election equipment loses its certification
Texas decertified a widely used electronic pollbook after problems in November. Will a fix arrive in time for the next election?
Ogles and other Republicans push federal ban on chemical abortions
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., and more than a dozen other House Republicans are pushing a proposal to ban the provision of chemical abortion drugs. The congressman reintroduced the proposal that he previously put forward in 2023, according to a press release, which provides a link to the text of the 2023 version. “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whoever prescribes, dispenses, distributes, or sells, any drug, medication, or chemical for the purpose of procuring or performing an abortion on any woman, shall be imprisoned for not more than 25 years, fined under this title, or both,” the text reads. MANY WOMEN ‘UNPREPARED’ FOR INTENSITY OF PAIN FROM CHEMICAL ABORTION, STUDY FINDS The ban would not apply to the provision “of any contraceptive agent administered before conception or before pregnancy can be confirmed through conventional testing,” or to “treatment of a miscarriage,” or to situations “where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death.” The proposal also stipulates that a woman who receives a chemical abortion may not be prosecuted criminally. ABORTION SURVIVORS SLAM DEMS FOR BLOCKING ‘BORN-ALIVE’ ABORTION BILL: ‘WE ARE NOT TREATED AS HUMAN BEINGS’ “Chemical abortions not only end a human life but pose a serious risk to the lives of the mothers,” Ogles noted, according to both the 2023 and 2025 press releases about the proposal. “I’m taking a stand against the irresponsibility of the Democrats and working to protect women and girls across America. I’m taking a stand for life because, born or unborn, every single person is uniquely and wonderfully made. It’s not merely a political issue; it’s a moral duty to uphold the sanctity of life. I am committed to safeguarding the innocent and voiceless in our society,” he noted. Cosponsors include Republican Reps. Mary Miller of Illinois, Trent Kelly of Mississippi, Mike Bost of Illinois, Ben Cline of Virginia, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Rick Allen of Georgia, Randy Weber of Texas, Dan Crenshaw of Texas, Elijah Crane of Arizona, Mark Green of Tennessee, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Doug LaMalfa of California, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Barry Moore of Alabama, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, and Mike Ezell of Mississippi. LAWMAKER UNVEILS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO GIVE TRUMP THIRD TERM Ogles recently proposed a Constitutional amendment that would alter presidential term limits in a manner that would allow President Donald Trump to seek a third term in office. The proposal reads, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times, nor be elected to any additional term after being elected to two consecutive terms, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms mulling Georgia gubernatorial run
Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said she is considering a run to be Georgia’s next governor. Bottoms, who most recently served in the Biden administration, told Fox 5 Atlanta that she is seriously contemplating running in the Georgia gubernatorial election in 2026 but wants to finish some things she is working on first, including a new book. She also knocked President Donald Trump, who she believes is already failing to deliver on his campaign promises, as she eyes a return to public office. BIDEN’S FORMER SENIOR ADVISER KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS REJOINING WHITE HOUSE IN NEW ROLE The former mayor further criticized the president for mass deporting illegal migrants who have not committed violent crimes. “I don’t think there are many people who are against people who have violent criminal records being deported if they are in the country illegally,” she said. “When I see the raids, I immediately think of the families that are left behind, and it’s reminiscent of family separation policies that I had to deal with when I was mayor of Atlanta.” Bottoms resigned earlier this month from the White House, where she served on President Joe Biden’s Export Council. Trump claimed on Truth Social that he fired her after he took office, but she provided a letter from Biden thanking her for her service, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. “I had already resigned. I sent in my resignation letter the first week of January saying it was effective Jan. 20, and it also was an unpaid position,” Bottoms said. She also previously served in the Biden administration as senior advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement from July 2022 until April 2023. KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE FROM WHITE HOUSE ROLE Bottoms also wanted to address critics who say she quit her job as Atlanta’s mayor when she decided not to run for re-election in 2021. “I think people forget that mayors are elected to a four-year term,” she said. “I finished my term. If we want people to serve as mayor for eight years, we should make sure that they are elected to an eight-year term.”
Trumps claims military entered California to release water flow, but state says that did not happen
President Donald Trump claimed Monday night that the military entered California and “turned on the water,” but state water officials contend that the president’s claim is false. “The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER flowing abundantly from the Pacific Northwest, and beyond,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The days of putting a Fake Environmental argument, over the PEOPLE, are OVER. Enjoy the water, California!!!” he added. But the California Department of Water Resources responded that the military never entered the Golden State and that the state continues to have plenty of water resources. CALI REP. CHU SAYS ‘WILDFIRES HAVE NO POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS’ AFTER TRUMP FLOATED CONDITIONS FOR FEDERAL AID “The military did not enter California,” the department said on X. “The federal government restarted federal water pumps after they were offline for maintenance for three days. State water supplies in Southern California remain plentiful.” State Senate Pro Tem Mike McGuire, a Democrat, also pushed back against Trump’s post. “First off, shocker, water from the Pacific Northwest doesn’t flow to the Central Valley,” McGuire said on X. “Second, federal water pumps were down for repair and are now back on. Third, rest assured, the military has not invaded the delta. Facts are hard.” TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND This comes after Trump issued an executive order directing several federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, to determine how to deliver more water to Southern California and the Central Valley, as the state responds to wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area this month. Trump had said on Friday that two conditions must be met in California before the federal government offers disaster relief. He said he wants lawmakers to approve voter identification legislation and that water deliveries need to be increased from Northern California to drier areas further south. “I want to see two things in Los Angeles. Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina as he was touring hurricane recovery efforts in that state. “Those are the two things. After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen.” Trump visited Los Angeles later on Friday to view damage from the wildfires and meet with local officials and residents. Republicans in Congress have suggested tying wildfire aid to a debt ceiling increase or changes to California’s fire-mitigation policies.
Budget 2025: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to announce relief for salaried class? Know here
Experts anticipate an increase in this threshold to provide much-needed relief to small taxpayers, reducing their compliance burden and lowering mandatory tax filing obligations.
Freshman GOP lawmaker rallies behind Trump’s rapid illegal immigration crackdown: ‘No time to waste’
GOP Rep. Abe Hamadeh is praising President Trump’s swift actions on illegal immigration in the first days of his presidency and told Fox News Digital that the president has “learned a lot from 2017” and that he expects more of the same in the future. “President Trump campaigned on this and he’s delivering it for the American people,” the freshman congressman told Fox News Digital in an interview. “If you look at the polling, even Democrats are in favor of deportations of illegal immigrants. So right now, he’s deporting the most dangerous illegal immigrants and you’re starting to see the raids and it’s quite a sight to see because for too long, the Biden administration, they prioritized illegal immigrants over American citizens.” “They treated American citizens as second-class citizens and President Trump is about America first. So these deportation raids, it’s happened so fast and that’s exactly his style of leadership. He knows he has no time to waste and delivering the results for the American people as they already voted for these policies back on November 5th. So far, so good.” Hamadeh told Fox News Digital that Trump “learned a lot from 2017” and this time around knows “exactly what to do” to get his agenda accomplished. BORDER ENCOUNTERS DROP SHARPLY AS TRUMP LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION Republicans recently successfully pushed the Laken Riley Act through Congress, with 48 Democrat votes, which Hamadeh told Fox News Digital should have been a unanimous vote and doesn’t necessarily mean Democrats are embracing Trump’s agenda. “It’s kind of funny because many of the Democrats actually voted against the Laken Riley Act when it was in Congress last session, but now they’re supporting it because they see electorally that it’s beneficial to them.” “So no we always have to be cognizant of that. A lot of these Democrats don’t have any principles that they’re standing on. They just saw that they got shellacked in the end in the election, November 5th. So they’re trying to moderate themselves or appear to be moderate. But honestly it should have gotten unanimous support.” TRUMP’S ICE NABS CHILD SEX OFFENDERS AMONG 530+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SINGLE DAY Hamadeh said Laken Riley’s murder at the hands of an illegal immigrant was a “tragedy” that was “totally preventable” by the Biden administration who “opened the floodgates to millions of illegal immigrants.” Going forward, House Republicans will have to navigate a razor-thin majority in the House and be in lockstep in order to push through Trump’s agenda which Hamadeh said he is optimistic will happen. “I see my colleagues all the time and everybody understands that President Trump delivered the victory for many of them and that’s what’s different about this time around versus 2017,” Hamadeh explained. “Now, a lot of Republicans, you know, they’re on the same page, leadership’s on the same page. We’re all working together, no matter if you’re moderate, no matter if you’re MAGA, it’s a testament to see how Speaker Mike Johnson won his speakership on the first vote versus what happened two years ago, and it’s something to be seen. It’s really beautiful out here.” Hamadeh continued, “It’s been a lot easier for me being a freshman congressman to see us all united, unlike how it used to be in the past. But these executive orders have been fantastic. Every Republican is all in favor of them. You know, I’m especially happy about the designation of the drug cartels as a foreign terrorist organization and Arizona is as well, because we understand we have to go to war against these cartels. So just seeing the action that President Trump is doing so fast and his team is doing so fast is a testament to his leadership style and something that Congress must emulate and must back him up.”
Trump transportation secretary pick Sean Duffy to face Senate confirmation vote
The Senate is poised to vote on whether to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Transportation over the next four years. Trump tapped Sean Duffy, a former congressman, a father of nine and a former Fox News host, to serve as secretary of transportation under his administration, calling him a “tremendous and well-liked public servant.” Duffy underwent a grilling by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee this month, eventually advancing to a full Senate vote with unanimous, bipartisan support. A cloture vote for Duffy’s confirmation was held Monday evening, which, upon its passing, meant the chamber would conclude its debate over his nomination and proceed to a final vote. SPEAKER JOHNSON INVITES TRUMP TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID BUSY FIRST 100-DAY SPRINT The Senate is scheduled to vote on whether to confirm Duffy on Tuesday afternoon. If confirmed, Duffy will assume the position last held by former President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg. Buttigieg faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of transportation issues over the years, such as waiting 10 days to address the 2023 Ohio train derailment and widespread calls to hold airlines accountable for flight delays. As the new administration takes shape, lawmakers are making suggestions about what they would like to see in the new transportation head. REPUBLICANS REACT TO PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AS DEFENSE SECRETARY: ‘HE IS THE CHANGE AGENT’ Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah called for the Trump administration to abolish the Transportation Security Administration. Additionally, during Duffy’s confirmation hearing, Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., highlighted the importance of making sure Hurricane Helene victims are “not forgotten” after a stretch of a highway in North Carolina collapsed into the Pigeon River. Tuesday’s vote comes as Senate Republicans have been working to confirm Trump’s Cabinet nominees, holding a rare vote on Saturday to push through Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security.
Republicans vie to replace Matt Gaetz in crowded 10-way special election primary
Weeks after the Republicans’ triumphant performances in the November elections, it is primary day once again in Northwest Florida. Voters in Florida’s 1st Congressional District will select a GOP candidate on Tuesday, who will likely succeed former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., in the House of Representatives. The district, which covers part of the Florida panhandle, is heavily Republican. President Donald Trump won the area in his last three elections, and Gaetz himself held the seat from January 2017 until he resigned late last year. TRUMP’S ‘BLACKLIST’: PRESIDENT-ELECT DESCRIBES THE TYPE OF PEOPLE HE DOESN’T WANT TO HIRE There are 10 Republicans running to replace Gaetz in the Tuesday primary. They include Aaron Dimmock, whom ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., backed last year in a bid to force Gaetz out of office. Gaetz had triggered the maneuver that eventually led to McCarthy’s ouster from power after less than a year as House speaker. However, the favorite going into the race is likely Jimmy Patronis, who has been endorsed by Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. TRUMP’S LATEST HIRES AND FIRES RANKLE IRAN HAWKS AS NEW PRESIDENT SUGGESTS NUCLEAR DEAL “A fourth generation Floridian from the beautiful Panhandle, and owner of an iconic seafood restaurant, Jimmy has been a wonderful friend to me, and to MAGA,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier this month. “As your next Congressman, Jimmy will work tirelessly alongside of me to Grow our Economy, Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Secure our Border, Strengthen our Brave Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.” Tuesday is also bringing a special primary election for Florida’s 6th Congressional District to replace Trump’s new national security adviser, former Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla. Both general elections, expected to be won by Republicans, will take place April 1. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Gaetz resigned from Congress abruptly last year after Trump tapped him to be his attorney general, though Gaetz eventually withdrew himself from consideration amid growing Republican opposition. It also came as the House Ethics Committee had been preparing its report on allegations against Gaetz that included illicit drug use and sex with a minor, all of which he has denied.
Trump signs executive orders banning ‘radical gender ideology,’ DEI initiatives in the military
President Donald Trump signed a handful of executive orders on Monday, including two banning “radical gender ideology” and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives from all branches of the U.S. military. Trump stated that both orders, titled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” and “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” should be in the process of being implemented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the secretary of homeland security within 30 days. Under “Restoring America’s Fighting Force,” Trump states that DEI programs have undermined “leadership, merit and unit cohesion, thereby eroding lethality and force readiness” and have “violated Americans’ consciences by engaging in invidious race and sex discrimination.” “No individual or group within our Armed Forces should be preferred or disadvantaged on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color or creed,” the order states, adding that no branch should operate on race or sex preference. DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’: ‘NO EXCEPTIONS’ The order includes an internal review conducted by Hegseth within 90 days to document all instances of discrimination or promotion based on race or sex. It also includes banning all “un-American, divisive, discriminatory, radical, extremist and irrational theories” from being taught in the Armed Forces and educational institutions operated or controlled by the military. Those theories include “gender ideology,” divisive concepts surrounding race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating and the idea that “America’s founding documents are racist or sexist.” Instructors hired to teach at military academies will also be carefully reviewed to ensure “alignment with this order.” “In addition, these institutions shall be required to teach that America and its founding documents remain the most powerful force for good in human history,” the order states. Progress related to this order must be submitted by Hegseth and the homeland security secretary to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy within 180 days to track implementation and to find recommendations, if any, to fulfill the order’s objective. 3 IN 10 VOTERS THINK ENDING DEI PROGRAMS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, POLL SHOWS, AS FEDERAL DEADLINE LOOMS The order “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” states that the U.S. military has one mission – “to protect the American people and our homeland as the world’s most lethal and effective fighting force.” Trump states in the order that the mission cannot be met if the military is accommodating “political agendas or other ideologies harmful to unit cohesion.” He also said longstanding DoD policy says service members must be free of medical conditions and physical defects that would require excessive treatment or hospitalization. The “hormonal and surgical medical interventions” involved when an individual claims to be a gender differing from their sex do not meet the “rigorous standards” required of service members, including the commitment to being honorable, truthful and disciplined, the order states. Fox News Digital previously reported that while exact figures are not publicly available, there are an estimated 9,000 to 14,000 transgender people serving in the military. CRACKING DOWN ON TRANS TROOPS: TRUMP ORDER NIXES PREFERRED PRONOUNS, RESTRICTS FACILITY USE “For the sake of our Nation and the patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve it, military service must be reserved for those mentally and physically fit for duty,” the order states. “The Armed Forces must adhere to high mental and physical health standards to ensure our military can deploy, fight, and win, including in austere conditions and without the benefit of routine medical treatment or special provisions.” The DoD reportedly spent approximately $15 million on surgical and nonsurgical gender-affirming care for 1,892 active duty service members between Jan. 1, 2016, and May 14, 2021, per the Congressional Research Service. The order also states that males and females are not allowed to use or share sleeping, changing or bathing facilities unless it is absolutely necessary during an operation. Hegseth was already ordered to immediately end preferred pronoun usage within the DoD, and within 30 days, he must identify what is needed to implement the above order and submit a report summarizing the steps to the president. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The orders are two of many things Trump promised to change during his 2024 campaign and fall in line with the hundreds of executive actions issued during his first week in office.