Politics
Democrats subpoena Mueller report amid calls for impeachment
Published
7 years agoon
WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, has issued a subpoena for special counsel Robert Mueller’s full report as Democrats intensified their investigation of President Donald Trump, but leaders stopped short of liberal demands for impeachment proceedings.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has insisted on a methodical, step-by-step approach to the House’s oversight of the Trump administration, and she refuses to consider impeachment without public support, including from Republicans, which seems unlikely. But in light of Mueller’s findings , Democratic leaders are under mounting pressure from the party’s rising stars, deep-pocketed donors and even a presidential contender to seize the moment as a jumping-off point for trying to remove Trump from office.
Speaking Friday in Belfast as Pelosi wrapped up a congressional visit to Ireland, she declined to signal action beyond Congress’ role as a check and balance for the White House.
“Let me assure you that whatever the issue and challenge we face, the Congress of the United States will honor its oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States to protect our democracy,” she told reporters. “We believe that the first article — Article 1, the legislative branch — has the responsibility of oversight of our democracy, and we will exercise that.”
That approach isn’t enough for some liberals who see in Trump’s actions not just a president unfit for office but evidence of obstruction serious enough that Mueller said he could not declare Trump exonerated.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is now signed on to an impeachment resolution from fellow Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, bringing new energy to the effort. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a presidential candidate, said Friday the House “should initiate impeachment proceedings against the president.” And billionaire Tom Steyer, a leading advocate of impeachment, has grown impatient with the House’s pace of investigations and wants televised hearings to focus Americans’ attention on Trump.
“Let’s get the show on the road,” Steyer said in an interview Friday. “The Mueller report very clearly outlined obstruction by the president and basically said, I can’t do anything about it, it’s up to Congress to hold the president accountable.”
Democrats, though, may see greater power in pursuing an investigative effort, leaving impeachment on the shelf as a break-glass option.
The Judiciary chairman, Nadler, D-N.Y., says he expects the Justice Department to comply with the committee’s subpoena for the full report by May 1.
That’s the same day Attorney General William Barr is to testify before a Senate committee and one day before Barr is to appear before Nadler’s panel. Nadler also has summoned Mueller to testify by May 23.
“It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward,” Nadler said.
A Justice Department spokeswoman, Kerri Kupac, called Nadler’s move “premature and unnecessary.”
Barr sent Congress a redacted version of the Mueller report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence.
Nadler said he was open to working with the department on accommodations, but he also said the committee “needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice.”
But the committee’s top Republican, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, said the subpoena was “wildly overbroad” and that Trump already had declined to assert executive privilege over the Mueller report in a move of “unprecedented openness.”
“This is politically convenient,” Collins said, allowing the chairman “to grandstand and rail against the attorney general for not cooperating on an impossible timeline.”
Mueller’s report provides fresh evidence of Trump’s interference in the Russia investigation and challenges lawmakers to respond.
For Congress, though, organizing an immediate response been complicated by the spring recess that left leadership in both parties away from Washington and rank-and-file lawmakers.
GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has been on a delegation trip to South America, and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been in Africa.
One Republican, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was one of the few who spoke out Friday, saying he was “sickened” by the report’s findings of dishonesty at the highest levels of the administration, “including the president,” and appalled that some Americans were working with Russians during the 2016 election.
Pelosi will convene House Democrats for a conference call Monday, after the holiday weekend when many lawmakers are celebrating Easter and Passover.
With Barr, Democrats expect a long battle ahead. The attorney general has come under intense scrutiny over his handling of the Mueller report and subsequent comments that have left him exposed to criticism he is acting in Trump’s interest.
Late Friday Democrats rejected an offer from Barr for a limited number of congressional leaders to view some of the redacted materials in a confidential setting. They said it was inadequate.
It’s unlikely that the full Mueller report or the special counsel’s public testimony will untangle the dilemma that Democrats face. Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsel’s appointment in May 2017, and Trump made clear that he viewed the probe as a potential mortal blow — “the end of my presidency.”
Democratic leaders are walking a delicate line on what to do with Mueller’s findings.
The No. 2 Democrat, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, drew criticism for refusing to consider impeachment, and quickly revised his comments to say “all options ought to remain on the table.”
And Pelosi, in an interview last week, before the report’s release, reiterated her “high bar” for impeachment. But she also didn’t close the door on the option.
“The fact is the president has engaged in activities that are unethical, un-American. … In every way he is unfit to be president of the United States. Does that make it — is that an impeachable offense? Well it depends on what we see in the report.”
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Florida
Central Florida Lawmakers Challenge DeSantis Redistricting Map as Lawsuits Mount
Published
3 days agoon
May 6, 2026By
Willie DavidORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Central Florida Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials held a press conference on the steps of Orlando City Hall, criticizing a new congressional map signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Speakers included U.S. Congressman Maxwell Frost, State Senator Lavon Bracy-Davis, State Representative Bruce Antone, Orange County Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell, representatives from Equal Ground, and the Central Florida Urban League. Officials argued the map weakens minority representation and follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that scaled back key protections under the Voting Rights Act.
Florida National News has learned that three lawsuits have been filed seeking to block the newly approved congressional map following the redistricting process. The map is widely viewed as an effort to expand Republican representation in Florida’s congressional delegation ahead of upcoming elections.
IMPACT ON BLACK REPRESENTATION
Leaders warned the redistricting plan could significantly reduce the influence of Black voters in Central Florida and across the state. They argued that dismantling historically minority-access districts undermines decades of progress in equitable representation.
LEGAL CHALLENGES UNDERWAY
At least three lawsuits have been filed challenging the legality of the new map. Civil rights advocates contend the redistricting plan violates federal protections and could further erode voting rights following the Supreme Court’s recent decision.
FUTURE OF BLACK CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
Elected officials and advocacy groups expressed concern about the long-term effects on Black congressional representation. They emphasized the need for continued legal action and community engagement to protect fair representation in future elections.
Florida
DeSantis’ New Florida Congressional Map Could Spark Lawsuits, Legislative Showdown, and Statewide Protests
Published
2 weeks agoon
April 27, 2026TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a proposed congressional redistricting map that could significantly reshape Florida’s representation in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The proposal, released Monday, outlines districts that could favor Republicans in 24 seats, compared to four Democratic-leaning districts. Currently, Florida’s congressional delegation includes 20 Republicans and seven Democrats, with one vacant seat.
REDISTRICTING PROPOSAL & POLITICAL IMPACT
The governor said the new map reflects Florida’s population changes and fulfills his commitment to mid-decade redistricting. Lawmakers have been called into a special legislative session to consider the proposal.
The map appears to eliminate four Democratic-held seats, including a Tampa-area district represented by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, an Osceola County district held by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto—the first Puerto Rican elected to Congress from Florida—and a Palm Beach-Broward district that could displace U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz.
The proposal also affects a majority-Black voting district spanning Palm Beach and Broward counties, previously represented by former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, raising concerns about the future of minority representation.
Supporters, including Evan Power, say the map could better align districts with voter distribution. Critics, including Nikki Fried, have called the proposal unconstitutional gerrymandering. Florida law prohibits partisan gerrymandering, setting up potential legal challenges.
Rep. Tray McCurdy, D-Orlando and Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville sit on the Florida Seal in protest as debate stops on Senate Bill 2-C: Establishing the Congressional Districts of the State in the House of Representatives Thursday, April 21, 2022 at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Rep. Daisy Morales, D-Orlando, joins the protest, holding a sign. The session was halted on the protest. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)
LOOKING BACK: 2022 PROTESTS OVER REDISTRICTING
The current debate mirrors tensions from 2022, when Democratic lawmakers staged a sit-in protest on the Florida House floor in opposition to a previous congressional map backed by DeSantis.
Lawmakers including Yvonne Hinson, Angie Nixon, Travaris McCurdy, Felicia Robinson, and Daisy Morales participated in the protest, temporarily halting legislative proceedings.
Morales, a member of the Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee and the only Hispanic lawmaker involved in the sit-in, strongly criticized the map at the time.
“Our democracy is being attacked. The governor eliminating two Black congressional seats is a power grab and it’s wrong,” Morales said in a written statement. “Stripping seats from Black representation is the same as saying the Black voice—the Black vote—doesn’t matter.”
She also warned about potential impacts on Hispanic representation:
“With this map passing, I’m deeply concerned it could target the only Puerto Rican representing Florida in Congress, Darren Soto, to benefit partisan interests. We don’t want to disenfranchise the 1.2 million Puerto Ricans in Florida.”
WHAT COMES NEXT IN 2026
As lawmakers prepare to debate the new proposal, Democrats are expected to push back through legal challenges, legislative opposition, and public advocacy.
The outcome of Florida’s redistricting battle could play a pivotal role in shaping control of the U.S. House and influence the national political landscape heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Politics
Gov. Ron DeSantis Orders Flags at Half-Staff for Slain Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy M. Metayer Bowen
Published
3 weeks agoon
April 16, 2026TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy M. Metayer Bowen, who was killed April 1 in what authorities describe as a domestic violence incident.
The directive calls for U.S. and Florida state flags to be lowered from sunrise to sunset Friday, April 17, 2026, at the State Capitol in Tallahassee and at all local and state buildings, installations and grounds throughout Coral Springs.
According to Coral Springs Police, officers conducted a wellness check at Metayer Bowen’s home after city staff raised concerns when she missed scheduled meetings and could not be reached. Responding officers found her deceased inside the residence.
Investigators said the killing appears to be a domestic violence incident. Her husband, Stephen Bowen, was later taken into custody and faces charges of premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. The case remains under active investigation.
State and local leaders say the half-staff order honors Metayer Bowen’s service and legacy in the Coral Springs community, where she was recognized for her leadership and commitment to public service.
What We Know About Her Death
Police say Metayer Bowen was killed April 1 at her Coral Springs home. Officers discovered her body during a wellness check prompted by her unexplained absence from official duties and lack of communication.
Husband Arrested, Faces Charges
Authorities arrested her husband, Stephen Bowen, who now faces premeditated murder and evidence-tampering charges. Investigators have identified the case as an apparent domestic violence incident.
State Honors Her Legacy
Gov. DeSantis ordered flags lowered across key government buildings in Tallahassee and Coral Springs, recognizing Metayer Bowen’s public service and the impact of her loss on the community.