July 10, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Migrants who saw man killed by ICE in Houston say he did not ram officers

The three men who were arrested during an immigration operation that resulted in the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo said a federal officer fired at them almost immediately after exiting his vehicle and that at no point did the driver veer in his direction. The migrants are disputing key elements of the Department of Homeland Security’s account of what transpired during a chaotic traffic stop in a predominantly Mexican American neighborhood in Houston on Tuesday. They spoke from immigration detention with attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, who shared their written and oral accounts with The Washington Post. DHS released a statement hours after the deadly shooting saying that Salgado Araujo had rammed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle and “weaponized” his white work van “in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer.”

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“That is a lie,” wrote Jose Trinidad Rojas, 51, in a handwritten statement. “It is impossible for them to say that they were going to get run over … there were no officers in front of or behind the vehicle. They were on the sides.” Balderas-Ibarra spoke to Rojas, Daniel Tirado Pantoja, 43, and the shooting victim’s brother, Victor Salgado, 44, and said he heard the same story from each as he interviewed them separately. The men are not being housed together, the attorney said. All three are undocumented Mexican immigrants who are now facing removal proceedings. “All of them reiterated that there were never any ICE agents in front of the van,” Balderas-Ibarra said. “They came in and started shooting from the sides.” The incident has sparked fresh anger in one of the nation’s largest cities over the Trump administration’s deportation campaign. Salgado Araujo’s family said he was a father of three and a business owner who had lived in the United States as an undocumented immigrant for more than three decades and had no criminal record. Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), who represents the district where the shooting took place, said in a television interview on Thursday that an ICE official told her that Salgado Araujo was not the intended target of the traffic stop.

Experts warn Gov. Greg Abbott’s property tax plan could bankrupt Texas, hobble cities

As the Texas gubernatorial race heats up, Gov. Greg Abbott last week introduced a new plan that calls for eliminating school property taxes and putting severe restrictions on cities’ ability to tax and provide basic services. “Texans shouldn’t be taxed out of their homes,” the Republican governor said in a statement about his five-plank tax plan. “Working with Texas representatives and senators, we will overhaul the system to deliver lasting relief, creating a brighter, more prosperous future for all. It’s time for greater predictability and lower tax burdens. Next session, we will ensure that local governments cannot raise property taxes without people’s votes.”

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Abbott’s proposal may sound appealing to voters struggling with property taxes. However, experts warn it could bankrupt the state, further defund already struggling public school districts and force cities to rely on meager state funding and grants to provide basic services. “It’s purely ideological and wishful thinking,” said Jon Taylor, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Mathematically speaking, Texas’ economy would have to sustain average to exceptional growth in perpetuity for Abbott’s numbers to work without implementing a state income tax, Taylor said. Complicating matters, a state constitutional amendment passed in 2019 made it illegal for lawmakers to institute a state income tax. Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson told the Current the governor has a “zero-percent chance” of getting all his proposals passed — even though his own party controls both houses of the Texas Legislature.

Texas Dream Act remains unenforceable after appeals court ruling

With one dissenting vote, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied students' request to intervene in a case that ended enforcement of the Texas Dream Act, upholding the decision to bar thousands of non-U.S. citizens residing in Texas from receiving in-state tuition benefits. In June 2025, the United States sued Texas over its 24-year-old Dream Act, which provided students without legal documentation access to in-state tuition if they graduate from a Texas high school, have lived in the state for at least three years, and sign an affidavit stating their intent to pursue citizenship at the first opportunity.

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The U.S. argued that the law violated federal law that bars special benefits for non-U.S. citizens, and Texas declined to fight the suit. Within hours, a district judge ruled students without legal presence could not access in-state tuition. Exactly a year later, Austin Community College, a student group and the nonprofit La Union Del Pueblo Entero argued before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans that a judge should let them represent students impacted in Texas’ place and restore the Dream Act. The appeals court ruled 2-1 that it could not intervene because federal law successfully blocks the Dream Act, according to the decision filed Thursday. Rochelle Garza, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project, said her organization was "extremely disappointed" in the decision and that it would continue working for undocumented Texans.

Democratic AG candidate targets Musk grants in anti-corruption plan

Democratic attorney general candidate Nathan Johnson on Friday called for a review of recent state grants giving Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider Starlink about $110 million. Johnson, a Dallas state senator, said the Starlink broadband awards should face additional legislative scrutiny as he unveiled an anti-corruption policy plan that he is making a centerpiece of his statewide campaign. "I am not declaring that corruption was at work in this instance. I am saying that it sure looks like it,” Johnson said in an interview.

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Starlink parent company SpaceX did not return messages seeking comment. His plan comes after Starlink received 99% of the state grants in a government program designed to improve rural broadband access. Johnson said the company received an estimated $110 million. Testimony at a recent Senate committee hearing indicated that awards to Musk’s satellite internet company came after Gov. Greg Abbott’s office revised the grant qualifications to favor low Earth orbit internet providers. Starlink currently dominates the market for low Earth orbit satellite internet service, though an Amazon-backed provider also submitted grant proposals. Johnson’s campaign said that the lopsided award was steered to Musk because of his Republican political connections. The governor’s office has defended the process, saying that low Earth orbit satellite service is essential for reaching the most remote areas, where traditional fiber connections are too costly and time-consuming to build.

State Stories

Dallas business, civic leaders named to guide GOP convention

A team of prominent business and civic leaders will lead fundraising and planning as Dallas moves to host the first Republican midterm convention, one of the city's biggest political events in decades. The Dallas 2026 Host Committee is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization formed to welcome visitors, support local businesses, offset costs for local governments and promote the region. The announcement marks the most significant step since President Donald Trump picked Dallas for the Sept. 9-10 convention at the American Airlines Center. It is expected to draw thousands of Republican delegates, donors, elected officials and activists ahead of the November elections.

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In a news release Wednesday, the committee named its co-chairs: former Republican National Committee finance chairman and Dallas developer Ray Washburne and his wife, Republican fundraiser Heather Washburne; Dallas entrepreneur and investor Kenny Troutt and his wife, philanthropist Lisa Troutt; and former Trump administration official Trent Morse. Former RNC Chairman Reince Priebus will act as a senior adviser as the group leads efforts to raise money for the Host Committee. "Our city has a long tradition of hosting major events, and we look forward to welcoming guests while highlighting the businesses, people, and hospitality that make Dallas such a special place,” said Ray Washburne, chairman of Sunoco and vice chairman of Dallas-based family investment company Gillon Capital. The co-chairs also said the convention will showcase Dallas to the nation while boosting local businesses.

Families can buy Bible studies, AI classes, more with private school vouchers

Texas families can now use state tax dollars to pay for Bible studies, faith-based curriculum, online courses taught by artificial intelligence, and much more using their new private school vouchers. The Texas Comptroller’s Office has accepted over 102,000 students to receive vouchers through Texas Education Freedom Accounts, ranging from about $10,000 to $30,000 for homeschool and private education, costing the state $1 billion in its first school year. Almost 1,200 vouchers have been awarded to families within Austin ISD as of June 24. On July 1, the first voucher payouts went to almost 73,000 accounts. And on the same day, the TEFA marketplace opened, where parents can spend their child’s voucher funds at-will to privately hire tutors, special education (SPED) and therapy service providers, and purchase textbooks and curriculum. They can use the funds to pay for extracurriculars, like horseback riding and Christian summer camp.

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Parents can also purchase Bible studies from providers like Driven by Grace, the Scripture Memory Fellowship, and The Gospel Project; AI-taught homeschool classes from the Delaware-based software company LittleLit AI; and the Philadelphia-based AI parenting coach HeyKiddo. The comptroller’s office could not provide the Chronicle with data about the religious affiliation of vendors. The TEFA program is also abruptly changing leadership. Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock sent the governor his notice of resignation on July 1, months after losing the Republican primary against Don Huffines for the position in March. On July 2, Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Huffines to become the third comptroller to lead the program since July 2025, set to take office Aug. 1. Democrat Sarah Eckhardt will still run against Huffines for the comptroller seat in November, with the promise to audit the TEFA program a centerpiece of her campaign. The comptroller’s office did not reply to a request for comment about the transition of TEFA leadership to Huffines.

Bell County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2 appears to operate in violation of state law, records show

Bell County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2 (WCID2) continues facing transparency issues and may be operating in violation of state law, according to records obtained by the Telegram. Texas Water Code Section 49.199 requires district boards to adopt an investment policy, a professional services selection, monitoring and evaluation policy, a travel expenditure policy, a uniform method of accounting and reporting for industrial development and pollution control bonds, and a board and employee Code of Ethics. When the Telegram filed a public records request May 12 seeking copies of those policies, Office Manager and Public Information Officer Bridjet Gillis emailed the Telegram: “After a diligent search, no documents responsive to this request were located. If they are located or if the Board adopts policies responsive to your request by June 9th, we will supplement the response.”

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Meeting agendas posted since then show the board has not adopted those policies. District records posted online also continue to show inaccurate and significantly delayed agenda notices. “The company who handles our website is in the process of uploading the minutes to the website,” Gillis emailed the Telegram. Metadata reviewed by Telegram shows district agenda notices uploaded to the district website happened months after the new website was created Jan. 13. Records show the January 12 through May 13 meeting agendas were all uploaded on May 15. Additionally, most agendas available online lack posting certifications or signatures showing when they were physically posted, leaving no documentation available to independently verify the district complied with physical posting requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Act. Only the June 2 meeting agenda was uploaded before the meeting date, according to metadata showing it was posted May 28, and has a signature.

Next week's FIFA World Cup semifinal is sending D-FW hotel prices skyward

Next Tuesday, the winners of Thursday’s France-Morocco and Friday’s Spain-Belgium quarterfinals will face off at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, marking the end of North Texas' FIFA World Cup era, and visitors to the region will pay accordingly at local hotels. Surveying nightly rates as of Thursday morning for a sample stay from Friday, July 10 to Wednesday, July 15, prices at local hotels are significantly elevated. Comparing a stay from Friday, July 10, to Wednesday, July 15, against the same length stay from Friday, Aug. 21, to Wednesday, Aug. 26, the nightly rate was an average of 85% higher across a sampling of 12 hotels in Dallas, Arlington and nearby Dallas Stadium along Interstate 30. And that’s before the teams playing in Arlington have even been decided.

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Some hotels, particularly luxury hotels, were more than double the price per night this weekend versus in August. For example, the swanky Hotel Swexan in Victory Park is $1,143 per night from July 10-15, compared with $521 a night from Aug. 21-26. Marriott Dallas Uptown is $722 versus $260 over the same periods. Arlington’s two entertainment district luxury stays, Live! by Loews and Loews Arlington, are 167% and 136% more expensive per night, respectively, with Live! by Loews costing $768 for a last-minute stay this weekend. There are still comfortable stays to be had for less eye-popping prices. Omni Dallas Hotel is $262 this weekend, $100 a night more expensive than in August, while the JW Marriott in the Arts District is $394 a night this weekend, pricey but only $50 more than normal. Similarly, budget hotels are still available at elevated but affordable prices. Though the Holiday Inn Arlington NE-Rangers Ballpark is $280, double its August price of $142, Extended Stay America Suites — Arlington — Six Flags is at $120, up from $85. Staying in Arlington near the stadium comes with a premium, as evidenced by the difference in price between Motel 6 in Arlington ($150) per night and its sister property just up Interstate 30, Motel 6 Grand Prairie, which is at $90 a night. Both are significant premiums over their usual price, with the equivalent stay in August at both going for a round $70 a night. This trend is in line with research from Visit Dallas, which said that hotel revenues on nights around the semifinal are pacing 80% ahead of this time last year. The tourism organization noted that, because the teams playing in the semifinal are still unknown, “the next two days will have significant impacts,” in how final hotel demand and revenue works out.

Taylor rejects citizens' effort to temporarily ban data centers

The Taylor City Council was set to consider a proposed ordinance Thursday night that would temporarily ban data centers. But 15 minutes after the council meeting began, the city released a statement on its Facebook page saying council members would not be taking any action on the proposed ban. "State law does not allow a city to enact or change its zoning by popular vote," Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Cmerek said at the meeting. "This is a determination about the legal process made available to the city. It's not a judgment about a policy issue — about the concerns you guys have voiced." The decision and the way it was communicated caught many people attending the meeting off guard. Multiple residents inside the council chamber gasped as they learned about the Facebook post from organizer Sarah Winters' public remarks criticizing it.

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"After this meeting started, y'all posted this on Facebook, knowing we were all coming here?" Winters told council members. She pointed out that the mayor wasn't at the meeting, adding: "Tell me this is not shady, shady business. Shame on all of y'all." Cmerek said Mayor Jim Buzan was not at the council meeting because he was out of the country on vacation. The citizen-initiated ordinance was submitted to the city last month, along with more than 1,400 signatures from residents. The hope was that if council members didn't take action on the proposed ban themselves, they would place it on the ballot for voters to decide. Cmerek said council members made the determination to not take action on the proposed ban or place it on the ballot after speaking with outside counsel. He also apologized for the way the council's decision was communicated. "Obviously, this information was put on the website inappropriately. I do apologize for that," he said.

More Houston license plate-reading cameras found damaged as police investigate

More license plate-reading Flock cameras have been cut down in Houston. Earlier this week, ABC13 reported on two Flock cameras vandalized near Washington Avenue and Westcott. Now, two more have been found on the ground near Memorial Park. The damage comes as questions continue over the growing use of this surveillance technology in public spaces. Houston Police confirmed an investigation into this. While the motive is unknown, the technology itself has drawn criticism in the past from people concerned about the data it's collecting. "What level of frustration have we encountered?" asked Texas Southern University Professor Howard Henderson.

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Henderson, the founding director of the Center for Justice Research, said the backlash reflects broader concerns over privacy and who ultimately has access to the information these cameras collect. "For many in society, they're looking at what the negative unintended consequences may be if this information gets leaked or someone uses it and finds themselves in the wrong hands," Henderson said. A crowdsourced map from DeFlock showed thousands of Flock cameras across the Greater Houston area. Because anyone can submit locations, ABC13 cannot independently verify the data shown, but we know that multiple law enforcement agencies use the cameras. Houston expanded its use of the technology through a multi-million-dollar agreement with Flock in 2022. In that contract, HPD described the cameras as an investigative tool, writing that "All data from vehicles observed will be provided to HPD for further assessment in detecting vehicles wanted in suspicious or post-event investigations for law enforcement purposes."

THLN, Austin Pets Alive!, others on how to keep your pets safe from New World screwworm

Animal welfare leaders and veterinarians across Texas are warning pet owners to remain vigilant as the state battles an escalating outbreak of the New World screwworm. New World screwworm is a flesh-eating parasite that has disrupted shelter operations and triggered strict interstate transport bans. What they're saying: The Texas Humane Legislation Network hosted a live panel discussion on Wednesday to address the operational and health implications of the outbreak. As of July 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed 32 domestic cases of the parasite nationwide, with 31 occurring in Texas and one isolated case involving a dog in New Mexico.

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While the parasite primarily affects livestock, officials emphasize that any warm-blooded animal—including companion pets—is vulnerable. "West, Central, and South Texas are affected by this," said Mia Bendixsen, executive director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network. "That’s where the quarantine areas are." The rapid reemergence of the pest has caused immediate logistical gridlock for Texas animal shelters, many of which rely heavily on out-of-state transport to manage local pet populations. While state animal health officials race to contain the New World screwworm, federal officials confirmed the first case of the parasite in a dog. FOX 7 Austin's Alec Nolan has more on what pet owners might want to be aware of. States including New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania have instituted total bans on animal shipments originating from Texas. Other states, such as Alabama, Maryland, and Massachusetts, have established strict and varying execution windows for Certificates of Veterinary Inspection.

Inside the investigation that ousted the Judson ISD superintendent

As superintendent of the Judson Independent School District, Milton Fields mishandled district finances and academics, jeopardized student safety and fostered a hostile work environment, school board attorneys concluded in an investigation that led to his termination. The findings, included in a 143-page report by the district’s legal adviser, JCA Law, offer the most detailed account yet of the turmoil that marked Fields’ final months leading the district. The law firm’s investigation found that Fields violated district policies and ethical standards, as well as state-mandated procedures for reporting suspected child abuse, among other failings. In interviews with JCA Law, several district staff members said they witnessed Fields clash with employees, in some cases threatening their jobs.

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After two years leading Judson ISD, Fields was put on leave by trustees in January pending the results of an investigation. That same month, the board hired JCA Law to conduct the inquiry. Based on the firm’s findings, the board fired Fields in February on a 4-3 vote. He waived his right to appeal the decision, and trustees ended his employment with the district in April. JCA Law interviewed district administrators and trustees and reviewed emails, financial plans, board evaluations of Fields, communications with the Texas Education Agency and other records. Lawyers included in their report excerpts of interviews with five trustees — including four in the board majority that voted to fire Fields. The investigation found that Fields put unqualified people in key positions and was unable “to hire and maintain” a chief financial officer to help deal with the district’s deteriorating budget. Instead, he appointed a deputy superintendent with no background in finance to oversee the CFO, a position that was a revolving door during his tenure. “Further, the HR department was run by an Assistant Superintendent who had no background in HR,” the lawyers wrote. That caused a spate of problems, including the district’s failure to do proper background and reference checks on job applicants and run their names through the state’s Do Not Hire Registry, the investigation found.

Harris County grants Kamin wide authority to file elections lawsuits

Commissioners voted 4-1 on Thursday to grant recently appointed County Attorney Abbie Kamin broad authority to file lawsuits and take legal action related to the 2026 elections. Kamin said the move was a necessary measure that would allow her office to take prompt action should federal or state leaders seek to curtail local control of elections. Otherwise, she said the county attorney’s office would be forced to wait days or weeks for the next court meeting to get approval from commissioners — time that could be spent taking immediate action.

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“In the past few years, we have astonishingly watched attempts to overturn legitimate election results, undermine confidence in our democratic process and keep eligible voters from casting ballots,” Kamin said. “They're happening without notice and require the ability to rapidly respond.” The decision came two days after the U.S. Department of Justice sent letters to all 50 states warning them that local elections administrators could face prosecution should they allow undocumented residents to vote. Kamin said the letters were just the latest in the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to shake public faith in elections. Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the court’s lone Republican, was the only member to vote against Kamin’s proposal. Ramsey said the item was overly broad and delegated too much authority to the county’s top civil litigator, who typically must seek approval from commissioners before pursuing any litigation.

DHS might spare historic chapel from fast-tracked border wall, Cuellar says

Congressman Henry Cuellar on Wednesday visited two Rio Grande Valley sites where new border wall is slated to be built, and he had good news for opponents at one, and not-so-good news at the other. Cuellar, D-Texas, began his border tour at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge on a hot Wednesday afternoon in Alamo, Texas. Several environmentalists met with him at the border levee at the refuge, where just a quarter-mile to the west, surveyors already were hammering and painting stakes to indicate where U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to put new border wall.

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Earlier this week, Border Report saw contractor crews cutting grass and clearing debris along the border levee. The surveyors told Border Report on Wednesday that the pink stakes indicate where the center of the 30-foot tall steel border wall will be built. The orange stakes on the side indicate 5-foot offset areas. They didn’t call it a border wall, however, but referred to it as a “vertical barrier.” “They’re trying to beat the clock. So we gotta talk to them and see if we can get them to slow down but they are purposely trying to beat the clock and I don’t appreciate that,” Cuellar told Border Report. Cuellar is ranking member of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, and he says that he is trying to get language written into the 2027 Homeland Security appropriations bill that would exempt Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, as well as La Lomita Chapel, Bentsen-State Park, the National Butterfly Center, SpaceX and historic cemeteries from border wall construction. Congress had exempted these areas in the past, but new border wall is being built by the Trump administration with $46.5 billion from the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which had no exemptions.

Bell County family fights proposed data center

A Bell County family says they learned crews were clearing land behind their home to make way for a proposed data center only after smoke filled their house and ash fell from the sky. Their opposition sparked a community response that led to a two-year moratorium on data center construction in the county. Randy Gibson has lived on his land in Bell County for 68 years. It’s where he was raised, and where he chose to raise his children. The property is also where his son Adam, who died of brain cancer last year, is buried outside his bedroom window. “This is not just my home, it’s home to a lot of people,” Randy Gibson said. “This is hallowed ground to us now.” His daughter Emily Diaz said the family had no advance notice of the project.

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“When the smoke entered their home and ash was falling, that’s how we found out that something was happening and that our home and our lives and our health was in danger,” Diaz said. Diaz took to social media to alert neighbors after crews began clearing the land with plans to build a data center. “Pretty much since the first or second day of this month, June, it’s been hell living here,” Gibson said. The full scope of the proposed project remains unclear. Gibson said he believes the facility would be approximately 660,000 square feet, though WKYT has not been able to independently confirm that figure. The family said they did not receive that information from the developer and had to gather it themselves through the community.

5 Fort Worth City Council members call for data center moratorium

Five members of the Fort Worth City Council called for a data center moratorium on Thursday following feedback from two public meetings. Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores, District 6 council member Mia Hall, District 8 council member Chris Nettles, District 9 council member Elizabeth Beck, and District 11 council member Jeanette Martinez signed a letter calling for the pause. The group acknowledged the potential economic benefit of data center development, citing their role in supporting industries like healthcare, finance, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. At the same time, the group argued there are legitimate concerns about the impact of data centers on water, energy, noise and neighborhoods.

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The letter comes as the city is in the midst of a push to update its rules around data center development. On July 8, the Fort Worth Zoning Commission voted against recommending that the City Council approve a sweeping proposal that would bring data centers into the city’s zoning code and establish development standards for them. The city held an open house on June 30 with proposals for ways to regulate data center land use, water use, noise pollution, and economic development incentives. Those proposals were first presented during a Fort Worth City Council work session meeting in June. Several residents who attended said the open house event was helpful, while others described the city’s efforts as “half-measures.” During the Zoning Commission meeting on July 8, commissioner Jacob Wurman remarked that the city’s push to approve the new rules by the Aug. 11 council meeting felt rushed.

Harris County DA says his office is investigating fatal ICE shooting in Houston

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare told Houston Public Media on Thursday that his office is conducting its own investigation into a federal immigration agent’s fatal shooting of a man in Houston earlier this week. Speaking on the Hello Houston show, Teare said his office is “running an investigation” into the shooting despite not being invited to participate in an investigation by federal authorities. He acknowledged that his office does “not have the same level of access that we do in almost any other officer-involved shooting,” adding, “I can tell you unequivocally, we don't have everything." “If a state crime was committed, be it a murder, be it a manslaughter, be it tampering with evidence, we are going to investigate it,” Teare said. “And if someone committed that crime, you don't get to hide behind a badge.”

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Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a longtime Houston resident originally from Mexico, was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on Tuesday morning in Houston’s predominantly Latino East End. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement that Salgado Araujo did not have legal status in the U.S. and attempted to evade arrest. A department spokesperson also said Salgado Araujo tried to run over an ICE agent with his vehicle, prompting the agent to shoot Salgado Araujo in self-defense. The man’s family has disputed that account while calling for an independent investigation. Local Democratic elected officials also have called for an independent investigation. The FBI said Tuesday that DHS’ Office of Inspector General is investigating the shooting death, while the FBI is investigating whether a federal law enforcement officer was potentially assaulted during the encounter. Teare said that typically, his office would conduct an investigation alongside other agencies in the event of an officer-involved shooting, but that his office has not been invited to do so. The DA’s office investigates and prosecutes crimes in Harris County, which includes Houston.

National Stories

Trump ousts remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission ahead of midterms

President Donald Trump has ousted the remaining commissioners from a bipartisan federal agency charged with helping state and local officials conduct elections in an apparent move to assert control over voting ahead of the midterms. The president removed the two Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission on Thursday while a Republican was allowed to resign, according to a White House official and three other people familiar with the dismissals. The White House’s move leaves the commission, which was created by Congress in 2002, without any leaders heading into the midterms. The EAC, which is headquartered in Washington, does not handle ballots or voter rolls, generally does not communicate with voters and has no authority over election officials in the states. But it has worked to improve balloting across the country.

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It serves as a clearinghouse for election officials, helping to train them and provide information about the latest voting technology. It also manages the national mail voter registration form — which Trump sought to change via executive order last year — and oversees a voluntary testing and certification program for various voting machines. The EAC also distributes election security grants. The two Democratic commissioners — Chair Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland — were fired from their roles, according to the three of the people familiar with the dismissals, who were granted anonymity to discuss the news. Republican commissioner Christy McCormick was allowed to resign. VoteBeat first reported the dismissals. Hicks declined to comment, and McCormick and Hovland did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House official defended the move when asked about it. “The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted,” said the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss what the White House sees as an internal matter.

Grocery stores lower prices as consumers pare spending

Competing for strained consumers, America’s grocery stores are cutting prices on some key products. That doesn’t mean overall grocery bills will be lower. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, said Monday that it would lower the price of ground beef rolls, fresh corn, cherries, potato chips and Coca-Cola as part of a slew of summertime discounts. It’s the latest grocery chain to do so, increasing competition in a relatively low-margin industry reliant on people buying shopping carts packed with items, including some at more profitable prices. The grocery industry has struggled over the past 18 months as higher food bills, reductions in food-stamp programs and the rise in the use of weight-loss medications have led shoppers to buy less. On top of that, elevated gas prices due to the war with Iran are also hitting shoppers’ wallets.

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A May CNN poll found that 61 percent of Americans had changed which groceries they bought in order to stay within their budget. High grocery prices have been a political issue for several years, so much so that President Trump sought to take credit for Walmart’s announcement, posting on social media that the retailer “will be lowering prices, by a lot, at my administration’s request to celebrate our great country’s 250th birthday.” Walmart did not mention Mr. Trump or his administration in its press release. But while shoppers may get better deals on some items, their overall grocery bill is unlikely to fall. Prices across all food categories are expected to rise 3.2 percent in 2026, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. While egg prices have dropped from last year’s record levels, the U.S.D.A. predicts that prices for beef, pork, poultry, sweets, nonalcoholic beverages, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit will increase this year. That comes on top of the 18 percent price increase in food consumed at home since the beginning of 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Beef prices continue to hit record levels this year; Walmart said it would reduce the price of its one-pound log of ground beef to $5.94 from $6.74.

Trump seeks do-overs at a Supreme Court that rarely grants them

When it comes to the Supreme Court, President Donald Trump has become a believer in unlikely second chances. In the days since the court’s term ended last week with a flurry of high-profile opinions, the president and his legal team have floated the idea of invoking a longshot request to have the justices reconsider decisions they just made — a procedure that, in some cases, hasn’t worked in more than half a century. Trump’s lawyers have already filed for a rehearing of the court’s decision to deny an appeal over a $5 million verdict finding that he sexually abused and defamed magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll. And on Wednesday, Trump vowed to ask the court to re-do its decision shutting down his birthright citizenship order.

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“The Supreme Court’s ruling is wrong,” Trump posted on social media. “I will be asking for a Rehearing by the United States Supreme Court, IMMEDIATELY. This miscarriage of justice will destroy America if they don’t change their absolutely insane decision.” Supreme Court rules technically allow parties to file for a rehearing within 25 days of a decision. But in practice, the court usually only grants such requests when a significant development comes to light in the aftermath of a ruling, not because the losing party simply disagrees with the outcome. “The court essentially never grants those motions,” said Daniel Epps, a law professor at Washington University who closely follows the Supreme Court. “It only would do so in a case where a party could bring to the court something material, like a critical fact, that the justices were unaware of.” “I think what’s happening is that Trump is very mad about the decisions and he is going to order the solicitor general’s office to take all possible measures but there is no hope of success here,” Epps said.

Inside Trump’s Oval Office decision to ditch the Iran ceasefire

President Trump was preparing to leave the White House for Turkey on Monday evening when his top national-security aides walked into the Oval Office with reports of new Iranian attacks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told him that Iran had fired antiship cruise missiles and one-way attack drones at vessels seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz through a southern route, according to people familiar with the discussion. Three ships had been struck within hours of each other, including a liquefied-natural-gas tanker, they told the president. Angered by the strikes, Trump pressed them on whether they believed Iran was serious about reaching a final deal. In the end, after discussing it with his senior aides, the president decided they weren’t.

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The surprise attacks triggered a fierce response from Trump that stripped away some of the accord’s remaining incentives, leaving little of the peace framework he had signed at the Versailles palace in France two weeks ago to much applause. The president revoked Iran’s oil-selling license, ordered several rounds of strikes on Iranian targets in and around the strait on Tuesday and Wednesday, and threatened to hit civilian infrastructure in the country, including desalination plants that supply drinking water. An Iranian diplomat said Wednesday that the U.S. had violated the peace deal by setting up a shipping lane that wasn’t coordinated with Tehran, contending that it justified the Islamic Republic’s decision to fire at traffic. The sudden breakdown left the ceasefire framework in limbo, with foreign leaders trying to determine whether Trump’s declaration signals a return to all-out war or another violent detour back to negotiations. As Gulf allies brace for more retaliation, energy markets steeled themselves for another economic hit, and traffic through the strait is once again stalling. “To me, I think it’s over,” Trump said of the ceasefire at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Ankara, Turkey. “I don’t want to deal with them…They’re liars, they’re cheats, they’re sick people.”

Kennedy allies sour on Trump's EPA over missing MAHA agenda

Last December, after Make America Healthy Again activists drew up a petition to get him fired, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin pledged to release a formal agenda of MAHA priorities that his agency would pursue, including protections against harmful chemicals and other health concerns. But eight months after its first mention and after repeated promises it was being drafted, the so-called MAHA agenda is nowhere to be found. When asked for a status update this week, an EPA spokesperson said MAHA is an ongoing effort, not a single report. The apparent reversal on release of a formal environmental health agenda is the latest in a cascade of disappointments for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA movement, who say they’ve lost faith that the Trump administration will take any significant action on pesticides, chemicals or other issues they view as key to address America’s chronic disease epidemic.

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It also reflects the EPA’s relentless rollback of environmental regulations even in the face of pressure from an important voting bloc that has supported President Donald Trump. “I had really hoped that there would be specific steps that were taken through a MAHA agenda,” said activist Kelly Ryerson, whose social media account “Glyphosate Girl” focuses on nontoxic food systems. “We haven’t had any of the wins that we were requesting.” Many in the diverse coalition of MAHA activists that Trump credits for helping him win back the White House say they plan to vote on issues over party in November’s congressional elections, raising the political stakes of their increasingly public tensions with the Republican administration. “People are done with the profits of corporations being prioritized over public health,” said Alexandra Muñoz, a molecular toxicologist who collaborates with activists on certain issues. “And I think that will have an important role in the midterms.”

The red flag that led to Graham Platner’s implosion was hiding in plain sight

The red flag that led to Graham Platner’s collapse was hiding in plain sight. For months, a 2024 Facebook post cautioning women against dating Platner, the Democratic nominee for the Senate in Maine, had been circulating among the political class in the state and in Washington, D.C. The post was written by one of Platner’s former romantic partners, and her name was attached. It was one of many signs overlooked by a set of upstart political activists who recruited Platner and ran his campaign. They had set out to prove that they knew better than Democratic leaders how to win elections, but they failed to reckon with the flaws in the candidate they had backed for one of the party’s most important elections of the year. On Wednesday, Platner abandoned his candidacy after the woman who had signaled her cautions about him, Jenny Racicot, said publicly that he had sexually assaulted her in her home in 2021.

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Platner has denied the accusation. Yet within hours, a candidate who had built a dominating presence in his party saw his endorsements and funding options evaporate. A campaign official said there were no allegations mentioned in Racicot’s Facebook post. Platner’s collapse shows the challenges facing a theory of politics that the activists behind his campaign have been pressing in races around the U.S. It rests on the belief that the Democratic Party’s leadership has betrayed wage-earning Americans and that populist outsiders new to politics, many with working-class profiles, can generate the excitement the party lacks. Now, the party is left to sort out not only how to replace Platner on the ballot but also how to prevent another costly miscalculation from an upstart faction that has captured voters’ attention. Activists who believe political outsiders carry more authenticity with voters had managed to force the party to bank on someone who had never been tested. Some argue that Platner was a flawed messenger for a winning message.

Rubio tries to enlist other nations in antifa fight, but some allies recoil

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invited senior ministers from more than 60 countries to a meeting next week about what the Trump administration views as a major peril: the “resurgence of transnational far-left terrorism,” according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post. The meeting has prompted consternation among career and political U.S. officials, some European allies and independent analysts who do not see the threat in the same terms. Some U.S. officials told The Post that they worry it is part of a Trump administration effort to use powerful counterterrorism tools to crack down on U.S. activists they view as left-wing extremists. The administration’s counterterrorism czar, Sebastian Gorka, has had discussions with colleagues about using foreign terrorism labels for antifa to justify going after Americans with links to the movement, a loosely knit association of far-left activists who militantly oppose fascism and right-wing ideologies, three current and former U.S. officials said.

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A linkage to foreign terrorist groups “can unlock certain investigative tools,” such as surveillance, said one U.S. counterterrorism official, who like several other officials interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions and to avoid retribution. Gorka did not respond to a request for comment. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the event was organized because far-left terrorism is “an old threat re-emerging with strong transnational links and new convergences.” “Because this threat has not been adequately addressed in the past, each engagement, designation, or security assistance program creates a compounding effect supporting countermeasures at home and abroad,” Pigott said in a statement.

France brush Morocco aside at World Cup — but Mbappe injury scare raises concern

France brushed Morocco aside with another hugely impressive World Cup performance — but there was concern for Kylian Mbappe after he was forced off late on. Mbappe bounced back from having an early penalty saved to curl France into the lead with a fine finish. It was his eighth goal of the tournament, drawing him level with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. Mbappe then turned provider for France’s second, setting up Ousmane Dembele to finish low into the bottom corner. France will next face either Spain or Belgium for a place in the final, with all eyes now on whether the 27-year-old can overcome that late injury scare.

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France’s spot in the semi-finals is secured and tomorrow we will find out who they will face in Dallas on Tuesday. Spain and Belgium face off in Los Angeles for that honour, with kick-off at 3pm ET in the second quarter-final of this World Cup. Will Spain finally concede a goal? With the United States’ victors defy the odds once again? We find out tomorrow! Then on Saturday we have a double-header to decide the second semi-final line-up: Norway vs England (Miami) — 5pm ET; Argentina vs Switzerland (Kansas City) — 9pm ET. In short, we have an incredible 48 hours of World Cup football on the way — and we will be here with you for every kick and whistle.

Copyright July 10, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved