Kerry Picket
Articles by Kerry Picket
Louisiana ready to ban ranked choice voting
The Louisiana state Senate gave final approval to legislation to ban ranked choice voting, joining the backlash to the expansion of an election process that has helped Democrats flip Republican-leaning House districts in Alaska and Maine. Published May 21, 2024
House Dems ahead in fundraising race but GOP says they’ll win elections anyway
Democrats are counting on their huge fundraising machine, which is outpacing the House GOP campaign arm, to take back the lower chamber. Published May 20, 2024
100 penis balloons mocking prosecutors and judges released outside Trump trial
One hundred pink penis-shaped balloons with the faces of Donald Trump's opponents, including Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and special counsel Jack Smith, floated Thursday near the venue for the former president's hush money trial. Published May 17, 2024
Democrats abandon ‘defund the police’ movement; rallying cry changes after crime waves
Politicians are making clear during National Police Week that the days of "defund the police" are firmly in the past. Published May 15, 2024
House Judiciary calls FBI official to testify about retaliation against whistleblowers
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan on Wednesday called upon a high-ranking FBI official to testify behind closed doors about his alleged involvement in retaliating against whistleblowers. Published May 15, 2024
FBI pressured to give recourse to suspended whistleblowers; joblessness seen as means of punishment
The Justice Department inspector general's office revealed that the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies stripped whistleblower agents of security clearances and pay without providing an opportunity to appeal the decision within a reasonable time frame. Published May 14, 2024
New rule proposed by HHS aims to reduce racial disparities among Black kidney transplant patients
A new rule proposed by the Biden Department of Health and Human Services intends to increase access to kidney transplants for all people with end-stage renal disease by reducing racial disparities among Black patients. Published May 14, 2024
New York Democratic primary debate zeroes in on Israel-Hamas war, immigration
Sparks flew between two New York Democrats during a congressional primary debate Monday that focused on Israel's war with Hamas. Published May 14, 2024
Michael Cohen considers congressional run over frustration about congestion pricing
Michael Cohen, former President Donald Trump's onetime personal lawyer and now a star witness in the hush money case against him, recently announced he wants to run for Congress as a Democrat this year in part because he is fed up with congestion pricing policies and the enormous state and federal taxes in New York. Published May 10, 2024
FBI agent accuses top brass of retaliation for defending whistleblower
An FBI special agent notified Congress on Thursday that the top brass at the bureau removed him from his job in retaliation for defending a fellow whistleblower. Published May 9, 2024
Marjorie Taylor Greene says she has no near-term plans to oust Speaker Johnson
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she never promised further votes to oust Speaker Mike Johnson from his leadership post if lawmakers tabled her motion to vacate the chair. Published May 8, 2024
Democrats rescue GOP House Speaker Johnson from hardliner move to oust him
In a historic vote, 163 Democrats voted to save House Speaker Mike Johnson from a move to push him out by an ultra-right conservative who said the Republican had capitulated to the left. Published May 8, 2024
House conservative moves to oust GOP speaker following two days of talks
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conservative hardliner opposed to bipartisan legislation ushered through the House by Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, moved to oust him Wednesday using an arcane motion that will force a vote on his speakership. Published May 8, 2024
House Democrats call on Biden to ‘restore order’ on the border
Over a dozen vulnerable House Democrats this election cycle wrote President Biden to take executive action on the southern border with Mexico. Published May 8, 2024
WATCH: The high price paid by taxpayers to support illegal immigrants
Each illegal immigrant costs the U.S. more per year than it spends on the average food stamp recipient or Medicaid beneficiary, according to an analysis by the House Budget Committee that was shared first with The Washington Times. Published May 7, 2024
Speaker Johnson staves off hardliners’ push to force him out — for now
House Speaker Mike Johnson has temporarily stalled a political coup attempt by a trio of conservative hard-liners after negotiating for nearly two hours with their ringleader, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Published May 6, 2024
House Republicans’ campaign arm pressures Democrats to call on indicted Rep. Cuellar to resign
The campaign arm of House Republicans urged Democrats Monday to call on indicted Rep. Henry Cuellar to resign, just like Democrats pushed the GOP to oust former Rep. George Santos over criminal charges. Published May 6, 2024
Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and wife hit with federal bribery indictment
The Justice Department indicted Rep. Henry Cuellar and Imelda Cuellar on Friday for allegedly accepting bribes of close to $600,000. Published May 3, 2024
Democratic congressman in Texas declares his innocence ahead of expected federal indictment
Rep. Henry Cuellar is professing his innocence ahead of an expected federal indictment. Published May 3, 2024
Shooting the breeze: Women on Capitol Hill wind down by revving up motorcycles
In the rough and tumble halls of Congress there's one thing a group of Democratic and Republican female lawmakers can agree on: the thrill of riding motorcycles. Published May 3, 2024
