Seth McLaughlin
Articles by Seth McLaughlin
Blue state bungles put Democrats’ governing competency in question
From the federal government to the country's biggest cities, Democrats find themselves grappling with a crisis of incompetence, facing off against voters who feel the party's leaders have forgotten how to deliver on the government's basic jobs. Published January 16, 2025
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she’s ready to work with Donald Trump
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer offered an olive branch Wednesday to President-elect Donald Trump, saying she is "really looking forward to" working with him while suggesting any plan to impose new tariffs on imports must consider the impact on the state's auto industry. Published January 15, 2025
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds launches state DOGE commission
President-elect Donald Trump's new DOGE commission is inspiring copycats at the state level. Published January 15, 2025
Bannon-Musk feud underscores political tension going into Trump 2.0
Steve Bannon hopes to get Elon Musk to see the populist light after President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House and starts implementing his policy vision. Published January 14, 2025
D.C. officials say they’re prepared for Trump inauguration amid heightened security concerns
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and law enforcement officials on Monday sought to assure the public they are prepared for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration next week in what they described as a "higher threat environment." Published January 13, 2025
Whose gulf is it anyway? Mexico has a longer shoreline, but policing is all American
President-elect Donald Trump's demand that Gulf of Mexico get a new, more American has sparked a feverish debate over who gets to name geography and when it should be changed. Published January 13, 2025
Biden weighs preemptive pardons for Cheney, Fauci, other Trump foes
President Biden is flirting with handing out preemptive pardons to some of President-elect Donald Trump's favorite political targets. Published January 8, 2025
Trump plants MAGA flag on world stage, puts Denmark, Panama, Canada on notice
President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday outlined an ambitious plan for U.S. expansion by seizing control of Greenland, the Panama Canal and maybe even Canada. Published January 7, 2025
VP Kamala Harris oversees certification of her election nightmare
In one of her final acts as the 49th vice president, Kamala Harris oversaw the ceremonial certification of President-elect Donald Trump's victory -- and her soul-crushing loss -- in the 2024 election. Published January 6, 2025
Democrat punished for pro-life stance casts doubts on his party’s post-election soul-searching
Weeks after their political wipeout, Democrats are casting about for answers on where things went wrong and where they should go from here, including on the issue of abortion. Published December 31, 2024
Biden closes federal government for Jimmy Carter’s funeral
President Biden signed an executive order on Monday to close the federal government on Jan. 9 to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, whose funeral will be that day. Published December 30, 2024
Death row inmate whom Biden reprieved now seeks to be freed from prison
President Biden spared Brandon Council's life, and the former death row inmate is asking for more -- a get-out-of-jail-free card. Published December 30, 2024
Trump urges Republicans to rally behind Mike Johnson as speaker
President-elect Donald Trump on Monday gave his full-throated support for House Speaker Mike Johnson keeping his job in the new Congress. Published December 30, 2024
Mitch McConnell protege Scott Jennings shines as the Trump Republicans’ voice on CNN
President-elect Donald Trump keeps tabs on him. So does Elon Musk. And GOP-friendly media regularly circulates videos of him roasting his Democratic counterparts and the "woke" mob on live television. Published December 27, 2024
Federal watchdogs give DOGE a North Star in quest to slash wasteful federal spending
Dozens of inspectors general toil away in federal agencies every day, spotting waste, mismanagement and just plain bad decision-making, all of which ends up in dry reports that collect dust in government archives. They may now provide a blueprint for President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency. Published December 26, 2024
Ways and Means chairman: Family farmers will suffer if Trump tax cuts expire in late 2025
The House Ways and Means Committee chairman is warning his colleagues that there will be dire consequences for farmers if Congress allows the Trump tax cuts to expire. Published December 23, 2024
‘Tis the season for Rand Paul’s ‘Festivus Report’ on the government’s wild spending
For Sen. Rand Paul, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year -- to air his grievances about wasteful government spending. Published December 23, 2024
2024 election breaks spending record on House campaign ads
The 2024 election saw $1.7 billion spent on TV ads in House races, the most money ever dumped into congressional marketing. Published December 20, 2024
Congress grapples with calls for more federal regulations on sports betting
The head of the NCAA on Tuesday urged Congress to pass a ban on player-specific prop bets in college athletics, saying it would help protect student-athletes from harassment and the pressure of fixing games. Published December 17, 2024
Sen. Kennedy grills NCAA president on transgender athletes, urges him to buy a spine on Amazon
Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana took the president of the NCAA to task on Tuesday for not taking a firm stand against biological men participating in women's sports. Published December 17, 2024
