A close associate of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) says he doesn’t expect the governor to resign over the emergence of a racist photo in a past yearbook and his disclosure that he had once worn blackface. The scandal surrounding Northam has rocked Virginia’s state house and since engulfed other top figures in separate controversies. […]
Lawyers representing a college professor who alleged Virginia Lieutenant Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) sexually assaulted her say their client is willing to testify at impeachment proceedings or to cooperate with law enforcement in an investigation of her claims. In a statement Saturday night, attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks write that Vanessa Tyson is “fully prepared” to […]
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill Thursday requiring middle schools and high schools across the state to incorporate historical societal contributions of notable LGBTQ people into their curricula. S1569 requires “each board of education to provide instruction on the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender […]
California’s governor is preparing to withdraw most of the state’s National Guard troops who are stationed at the southern border. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will withdraw about 260 of the 360 troops at the border, a spokesman for him told The Associated Press. Newsom is expected to address the situation in his State of the State speech […]
A new law taking effect Tuesday made gender-neutral birth certificates available in New York City. The law, signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) in October, allows for a third gender category for selection on city-issued birth certificates, according to The Associated Press. The nonbinary category, known as “X,” can be selected by those who choose […]
Oregon on Tuesday came one step closer to becoming the first state to impose mandatory rent control laws after legislation passed the state House. The House voted 35-25 to approve the measure, which previously passed the state Senate, according to The Associated Press. It now heads to the desk of Gov. Kate Brown (D), who is expected […]
Two Michigan laws taking effect this month will steepen penalties for animal abuse in the state after lawmakers said existing penalties were insufficient. The Associated Press reports that a law that takes effect in March will more than double the penalty for animal abuse in the state from a maximum of four years to a maximum of 10 years in […]
The Georgia House on Tuesday approved a bill that would allow medical marijuana to be grown, manufactured and distributed in the state. The bill passed on a 123-40 vote and will allow patients a legal way to obtain medical marijuana oil in the state, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. “These aren’t people who are seeking a […]
Democrats this week used the one-year anniversary of the deadly Parkland, Fla., high school shooting to advance legislation cracking down on access to firearms in states across the country. Bills moved not in blue states, but in purple states like Nevada and New Mexico where Democrats hold newfound political power. And on Capitol Hill the […]
The Rev. Al Sharpton on Wednesday called for Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) to resign after Herring admitted to wearing blackface as a teen, the latest scandal to engulf the state’s top leaders. “We must deal with the fact that there’s a constitutional crisis in Virginia and that it’s based on race on the […]