Tom Ramstack
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Articles by Tom Ramstack
Justice Department Sues Alaska Over Certification of Senate Election Results
This photo taken with a smart phone, voters stand in line at an early voting location in a mall in Anchorage, Alaska, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Haven Daley) WASHINGTON — The Justice Department sued Alaska Thursday to prevent the state from certifying its Nov. 3 U.S. Senate election results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola while another candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan remains on the ballot.
Gun Rights Debate Inflamed by Arrests for Illegal Trafficking
A photo released by LAPD shows a cache of over 1,000 firearms seized from a mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, May 9, 2019. PHOTO COURTESY OF LAPD WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Wednesday that federal authorities charged five people in an alleged firearms trafficking operation that moved guns from North Carolina to the District of Columbia in the latest incident to incite arguments over gun rights.
Trump Announces $25M Whistleblower Program Against Government Fraud
An early morning at the White House. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a $25 million federal program offering whistleblowers financial rewards for reporting suspected fraud in government programs. The Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, known as WHIP, expands the Trump administration’s ongoing anti-fraud campaign led by Vice President JD Vance.
Alleged Unsanitary Conditions Prompt Justice Dept. Investigation of DC Jail
DC Central Detention Facility. (Wikimedia Commons) WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced Monday that it would investigate the District of Columbia Jail after a lawsuit by current and former inmates raised alarms about unsanitary conditions creating constitutional violations. Evidence for the lawsuit included photos of a dead mouse in a salad, rodent droppings on milk containers and cockroaches in oatmeal.
House Panel Investigates Nonprofits for Alleged Efforts to Influence DC Jurors
(A photo of a courtroom via Pixabay) WASHINGTON — A congressional committee is investigating two Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organizations over allegations they are training prospective jurors to conceal their political views during jury selection and to acquit criminal defendants for ideological reasons. Rep.
FBI Investigates Suspicious Powder in Mailings to Congress and Election Offices
Delivery vans are parked Tuesday, July 28, 2026, outside the main United States Postal Service headquarters in northeast Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) WASHINGTON — Federal law enforcement agencies are investigating a widening series of suspicious letters and packages sent to congressional offices and state election officials across the country.
Appeals Court Weighs Legality of Trump’s National Guard Deployment in DC
Members of the National Guard near the National Mall in Washington. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., plans to rule within days on the legality of the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital. Attorneys for the D.C. attorney general argued at a hearing Wednesday that the deployment violates federal law and infringes on local self-government under the Home Rule Act.
Lawmakers Urge FAA to Pause New AI Flight Management Tool in DC Area
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — More than two dozen lawmakers asked the Federal Aviation Administration Tuesday to pause its use of a new artificial intelligence tool designed to help manage flights in the Washington, D.C., area. The Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Sen.
Federal Judge Orders Halt to Tree-Cutting at Historic DC Golf Course Targeted by Trump
Golfers hit from the fairway near log sections cut from trees at the East Potomac Golf Links, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to temporarily halt tree-cutting at a historic public golf course near the White House that is part of the president’s plan to renovate the capital city. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes ordered a pause until at least Oct.
Trump Announces New Investigation of Federal Reserve Governor
Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Lisa Cook leaves the Supreme Court in Washington, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday announced the creation of a White House committee to investigate Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over allegations she made false statements on mortgage documents. The investigation renews Trump’s effort to fire Cook from the central bank. The committee plans to hold a closed door hearing on Nov.
Health Secretary Kennedy Announces New Vaccine Research Initiative
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, speaks during a meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a federal initiative Thursday to investigate suspected vaccine injuries. It includes a research clinic at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, that opened this week.
Trump Takes Over Funding of His Controversial Promotional Ads
The White House from the newly reopened Ellipse, on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump agreed this week to back away from running more taxpayer-funded promotional ads after facing bipartisan criticism. From now on, his super PAC, MAGA Inc., will pay for the television advertisements promoting his administration, he said. Trump denied trying to be self-indulgent as he confronted the disapproval. He said he was trying to inspire pride in Americans.
Disney Co. Attorneys Say Federal Communications Commission Is Seeking Revenge
Members of the press appear in the spin room during a presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, on screen at left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Defense Tries to Suppress Confession of Alleged US Capital Pipe Bomber
This image distributed by the FBI shows the alleged pipe bomber in the neighborhood of the RNC and DNC headquarters building around the time of the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. (Courtesy FBI) WASHINGTON — Attorneys for the man accused of placing pipe bombs outside the Democratic and Republican national committee headquarters before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol are trying to suppress his confession with new allegations of misconduct by the FBI.
DC Judge Permanently Dismisses Case Against Olympian Accused of Reflecting Pool Vandalism
Workers repairing damage to the reflecting pool last month. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — A Washington, D.C., Superior Court judge permanently dismissed the vandalism case Thursday against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn after he was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Later evidence proved the damage was caused by errors in the way workers installed a lining along the bottom of the pool.
Senate Reaches Agreement on Overhaul of Energy Project Permitting Process
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., outside the White House on Wednesday with White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats reached a deal Wednesday on proposed legislation intended to accelerate federal approval of energy and infrastructure projects. The proposal would modify procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental laws.
Senate Panel Examines Rogue AI Threats as Trump Backs Industry Self-Policing
The U.S. Capitol. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — A Senate panel on Wednesday considered how the federal government can protect the United States from potentially harmful artificial intelligence that acts outside its intended instructions. The hearing coincides with lawmakers trying to confront problems with autonomous AI systems — known as rogues — that penetrated government computer networks. The intrusions allowed the systems to access private information without human authorization.
Judge Stops Trump From Conditioning Terrorism Grants on Election Changes
A lone television camera outside the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Monday blocked the Trump administration from conditioning federal counterterrorism grants on state and local governments adopting policies that conform with the president’s preferences on how elections are administered.
Trump Seeks to Cancel $810M Congress Approved for Domestic Programs
The U.S. Capitol. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is trying to cancel or withhold $810 million in congressionally approved funding for domestic programs. The move announced Friday is prompting a dispute over the constitutional balance between the authority of Congress to appropriate funding and the authority of the president to control federal spending Article 1 of the Constitution requires that money be spent from the U.S. Treasury after Congress approves it.
Democrats Sue to Block Armed Federal Agents at Polling Places in November
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., during a recent briefing with reporters on Capitol Hill. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats sued this week to prevent the Trump administration from deploying armed federal agents to polling locations during the upcoming November election. The lawsuit is a response to President Donald Trump’s statements implying the possibility of using federal agents to monitor elections. During a Feb.
Senate Negotiators Race to Finish Overhaul of Infrastructure Permitting Rules
(Photo by Dominik Vanya via Unsplash) WASHINGTON — Senate negotiators are trying to complete work by the end of this week on a major overhaul of the federal environmental permitting system. They are considering revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act to speed the approval process for major infrastructure and energy projects. The proposed permitting changes could affect projects like oil refineries, pipelines and wind farms.
Hackers Claim to Hold Personal Information on Nearly All FBI Agents
FBI Director Kash Patel addresses reporters in the White House briefing room on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (Photo by Dan McCue) WASHINGTON — The FBI acknowledged Tuesday that it is investigating claims by the cybercrime group ShinyHunters that it stole personal information on thousands of bureau employees and job applicants after breaching the agency’s computer records. They included names, home addresses, Social Security numbers and job assignments.
Congressional Leaders Advise Trump Against Political Oversight of NIH Medical Grants
Youngmi Ji, Ph.D., research fellow, conducts research in the NIAMS Cartilage Biology and Orthopaedics Branch. (Photo courtesy of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health) WASHINGTON – Congressional leaders on Monday warned the Trump administration against proposals that would give the president greater control over National Institutes of Health research grants.
Trump Reportedly Plans More Sanctions Against International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. The ICC moved into this building in December 2015. (Wikimedia Commons) WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is preparing sanctions against the International Criminal Court that could prohibit U.S. citizens and companies from conducting financial transactions with the tribunal. Word of the sanctions was first reported by The Wall Street Journal and Reuters.
Trump Announces Program to Lower Drug Prices for Medicaid Recipients
President Donald Trump holds up a printout of a Breitbart article as Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, from left, Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., look on during an event about healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday Sept. 18, 2026, in Washington.
US Accuses Russian Intelligence Network of Targeted Killings
WASHINGTON — The FBI announced this week that it thwarted an alleged Russian intelligence plot to assassinate a prominent Russian dissident believed to be living in Washington, D.C. Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging five people accused of working with a Russian intelligence network to conduct targeted killings and other attacks.
Senate Blocks Cryptocurrency Regulation Bill Amid Ethics Dispute
Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi speaks as President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with technology leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday failed to advance a sweeping cryptocurrency bill designed to establish the first comprehensive federal regulatory framework for digital assets.
EPA Repeals Biden-Era Limits on Power Plant Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Mountains tower in the background as flames shoot from the flare stack of an oil production facility along Interstate 20 just west of Toyah, Texas on Nov. 1, 2018. (Ryan Michalesko/Dallas Morning News/TNS) WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it is repealing Biden-era limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas-fired power plants. The move marks a major rollback of federal climate regulations under President Donald Trump.
Federal Judge Says Planned Disaster Relief Staffing Cuts Are Illegal
Hurricane Dorian at Category 5 intensity approaching the northwestern Bahamas early Sunday morning. (NOAA) WASHINGTON — A federal judge in California ruled Friday that the Trump administration’s plan to cut the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s workforce by 50% is unlawful. The drastic personnel cuts appear to violate FEMA’s disaster response duties established by Congress, the judge’s ruling said.
Supreme Court Allows Undated Ballots to Be Counted in Swing State Lawsuit
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that undated mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania can be counted despite issue. Some voters filled in their ballots but neglected to put the dates on them. The Republican Party sued to have the undated ballots thrown out. They argued that possibly “tens of thousands” of undated ballots should be rejected. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling has the effect of characterizing the lack of dates as an insignificant issue that should not be a disqualifying factor.
Congressional Subcommittee Recommends Prosecuting Former New York Gov. Cuomo
WASHINGTON — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing possible criminal charges for an alleged cover-up of COVID-19 pandemic mistakes following a recommendation Wednesday from a congressional subcommittee. The issue is whether he lied to Congress about mismanagement that led to thousands of COVID-19-related deaths in New York nursing homes. After New York’s nursing home deaths shot up in the early days of the pandemic, Cuomo was blamed by health care professionals for mishandling the emergency.
Attorneys General Ask Congress to Intervene in Price Gouging
WASHINGTON — Sixteen attorneys general are asking congressional leaders to take action to prevent price gouging as popular opinion polls show inflation is becoming a major concern of consumers. Rising grocery prices top their list of complaints. Housing is another one. “Individual states face heightened challenges when protecting consumers from price gouging when so many product supply chains are nationwide,” says a letter the attorneys general delivered Wednesday to House and Senate leaders.
Justices Rule for Virginia in Purge of Noncitizen Voters
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Virginia can resume purging its registered voter list to prevent people who are not American citizens from voting. The Justice Department and immigrant advocacy groups had sought to prevent Virginia from altering its list of registered voters so close to Election Day next week. The ruling Wednesday also overturned a lower court decision against Virginia’s Board of Elections.
Bannon Resumes Conservative Rhetoric Hours After Release From Prison
WASHINGTON — Steve Bannon resumed his “War Room” conservative podcasts Tuesday hours after being released from prison. He was convicted two years ago of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bannon, 70, who served as a chief executive for former President Donald Trump’s successful campaign for president in 2016, has remained one of the former president’s staunchest supporters.
Fears of Violent Election Interference Increase With Immigration Controversy
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans have set a Friday deadline for a response from the Department of Homeland Security about how a suspected ISIS terrorist was able to enter the United States as part of a plot for an Election Day attack. The Afghan national was arraigned last week in federal court in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The incident adds to FBI warnings that continue this week about a heightened terrorist threat ahead of next week’s national elections.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Justice Department won a first-round victory Friday in its lawsuit against the state of Virginia over efforts by its election officials to delete registrations of voters they consider ineligible. The lawsuit says the Virginia State Board of Elections is violating a National Voter Registration Act provision banning the removal of ineligible voters from voter rolls within 90 days of a federal election.
Air Taxis Get FAA Certification to Fly in Urban Areas
WASHINGTON — Certification rules the Federal Aviation Administration finalized on Tuesday would allow air taxi companies to carry urban passengers on vertical takeoff and landing flights as soon as next year. The three main commercial air taxi companies say the battery-powered flights would travel an average of 25 to 30 miles, usually between airports and downtown areas.
DC and Nation Prepare Security for Election Protests and Violence
WASHINGTON — Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser assured the city council Tuesday that local police will be ready for any security concerns surrounding the Nov. 5 election. The local police force is being buttressed by law enforcement officers from across the country. They want to make sure there is no repeat of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in which police protecting the Capitol were overwhelmed. Police also are setting up 10-foot high riot fences and concrete barriers around key sites.
Trump Assassination Investigation Creates Possible Secret Service Reorganization
WASHINGTON — A House task force charged with investigating the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump found a need for dramatic reforms to the U.S. Secret Service in an interim report released Monday. The report said the Secret Service’s bureaucracy and complacency led it to overlook dangers that could have prevented the assassination attempt. “The tragic and shocking events of July 13 were preventable and should not have happened,” the House task force’s report said.
Judge Releases More Documents in Trump Election Interference Case
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is suffering another public relations fiasco after a federal judge in Washington, D.C., overseeing his criminal prosecution for election interference released more incriminating documents Friday. Most of them are public documents and an appendix but a few of them portray Trump as being unconcerned about the riot he incited at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
DC Council Legislation Would Require More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
WASHINGTON — Legislation approved unanimously this week by the District of Columbia Council would make the nation’s capital a leader in installing infrastructure for electric vehicles. The “right to charge” law would require installation of EV charging stations at multi-unit apartment and condominium complexes; they would have to be set up in parking garages or lots. Other provisions of the law would require property managers to set aside parking spaces for EV automobiles.
Supreme Court Rejects States’ Plea to Stop EPA’s Power Plant Rules
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court decided Wednesday that the Environmental Protection Agency can begin enforcing strict new rules on power plant emissions despite efforts by conservative states to block them. The rules have the effect of moving the nation away from fossil fuels to generate electricity. “[Fossil fuel-fired power plants] are the nation’s largest stationary sources of greenhouse gases,” the EPA said in a brief.
Trump’s Mental Acuity Becomes Campaign Issue
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump’s mental acuity is growing as a campaign issue as his political opponents and a former aide say his age-related mental decline is becoming obvious. Vice President Kamala Harris said the quirkiness Trump demonstrated while dancing at a campaign rally Monday in Pennsylvania seemed unusual for a presidential candidate. “Hope he’s okay,” Harris wrote on X. A video Harris posted with the message shows Trump dancing on stage for 38 minutes while music played.
New Federal Trade Commission Rule Targets Fake Business Reviews
WASHINGTON — A new Federal Trade Commission rule took effect this week that seeks to ban business reviews generated by artificial intelligence or ones that are internally fabricated. The reviews often are attached to internet-based listings for businesses. They can bring in new customers or scare them away. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group estimates that 90% of online shoppers base their purchase decisions partly on reviews.
Lawmakers Ask Chief Justice About Conflicts in Jan. 6 Case
WASHINGTON — Two congressional Democrats are awaiting answers from the Supreme Court’s chief justice about how he handled an apparent conflict of interest over a Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot case. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, wrote a letter this month to Chief Justice John Roberts asking about how the court handled publication of its ruling last year in Fischer v. United States. The ruling represented a partial victory for the Jan. 6 insurrectionists.
Judge to Decide Whether to Release More Criminal Evidence Alleged of Trump
WASHINGTON — Attorneys for former President Donald Trump are scrambling to beat a deadline next week to submit an explanation to a federal judge on why she should not publicly release more potentially incriminating evidence the former president tried to overturn the 2020 election. A special prosecutor’s indictment accuses Trump of four felonies related to the election and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
AOC, Sanders Defend FTC Head for Aggressive Antitrust Actions
WASHINGTON — Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., vowed on Wednesday to wage a political war on billionaires and their companies if they continue trying to oust Lina Khan as head of the Federal Trade Commission. Khan has established herself as a tough opponent of big businesses suspected of antitrust practices. She also has alienated some of the largest donors to the Democratic and Republican parties.
Attorneys General Sue TikTok Over Alleged Harm to Children
WASHINGTON — Fourteen attorneys general claimed in lawsuits they filed Tuesday against social media company TikTok that its platform is addictive for children and hurts their mental health. TikTok advertises itself as a safe social media platform for young persons. The attorneys general say TikTok downplays features such as the endless scrolling feeds and “challenge” videos designed to encourage children to become compulsive users of the app.
Supreme Court Leans Toward Allowing Ghost Gun Regulation
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed poised Tuesday to extend federal gun control laws over “ghost guns” that have provoked outrage and increased armed assault rates as the technology became more sophisticated in the past decade. Ghost guns refer to homemade guns that are unlicensed and lack serial numbers that can be traced by law enforcement. They most commonly are made from 3D printers or assembled from components that can be ordered through the mail.
Oct. 7 Attack Anniversary Marked by Ceremonies and More Explosions
WASHINGTON — The one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel came and went Monday without the terrorism against the United States feared by the FBI but with numerous demonstrations of empathy for Israel. Presidential candidates and President Joe Biden participated in the remembrance events. Vice President Kamala Harris planted a tree at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., in memory of the more than 1,200 Israelis killed on Oct. 7, 2023.
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