April 30, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Supreme Court ruling is set to reshape American politics

The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Wednesday handed Republicans their biggest victory yet in the perpetual battle to control the House of Representatives and statehouses across the country — but it may have come too late to have much of an effect on this year’s midterm elections. The 6-3 ruling effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act’s requirement that districts be drawn to give minority voters a chance to elect representatives of their choosing. One practical effect of that requirement was the protection of reliably Democratic-voting majority-minority districts, even in solidly red states where lawmakers could otherwise favor the GOP. With that mandate now largely gone, Republican lawmakers across the country — and especially in the South — have a freer hand to eliminate Democratic-leaning districts and pad the total number of seats they can win to hold the U.S. House. There are more than a dozen such seats in Republican-controlled states.

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Shortly after the ruling, Republicans were urging a review of their congressional maps in Louisiana, Tennessee and elsewhere. Their immediate challenge is that the ruling came down well after filing deadlines for this year’s primary elections — and in some cases, after those primary elections have been held. That means ballots are set and in some states early and absentee voting has already begun. The timing makes it difficult to tear up maps and draw new ones. In Louisiana, where the mandate to draw a second, Democratic-leaning majority-Black House district led to Tuesday’s decision, the primary election for federal offices is set for May 16 — and early voting is scheduled to begin Saturday. Nevertheless, the state’s governor, attorney general and legislative leaders were meeting to discuss how the state would respond. Republicans have been scrambling to comply with President Donald Trump’s directive to redraw maps to add more winnable House seats to stave off losses in the midterms. In a sign of the pressure for Republicans to take advantage of the opportunity, multiple hopefuls running for governor in GOP primaries called for immediate redraws. “There is no time to waste,” Rick Jackson, a businessman and GOP governor candidate in Georgia, said in urging a redraw there even as voting is underway for the May 19 primary. “Georgia must act now to ensure secure elections in Georgia and counter the Democrats’ national assault on our elections.”

Oil surges to highest price since 2022 on growing supply fears

Oil briefly surpassed $126 a barrel Thursday, its highest price in four years, as traders worried about a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, following US President Donald Trump’s decision to extend a blockade of Iranian ports. Brent crude, the global benchmark, surged overnight to touch $126.41 a barrel, before falling 1.5% to $116.3 a barrel, as trading volumes thinned. WTI crude, the US benchmark, was broadly flat at $106.7 a barrel. “The oil market has moved from… hoping for resolution to fixating squarely on the physical scarcity and long-term threat to supply with the possible escalation of conflict now looming,” Neil Wilson, a strategist at investment bank Saxo wrote in a note. US average gasoline prices hit a four-year high of $4.30 a gallon on Thursday, according to the latest national average reading from the AAA.

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Global crude prices have now risen for nine straight days as face-to-face negotiations between the United States and Iran broke down, keeping the Strait of Hormuz – a critical oil and natural gas shipping channel – effectively shut. Thursday’s price spike was also driven by quirks in oil futures contracts, according to Wilson. The widely quoted June futures contract expires today and so trading volume has shifted to the July contract, which was trading above $110 a barrel. Last night, Trump said he wanted the US naval blockade of Iranian ports to continue, sources familiar with the talks with his senior advisers told CNN. US officials have begun laying the groundwork for such an extension, including a longer-term closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have “nowhere to go but up,” until the permanent reopening of the strait comes into view, said Vandana Hari, founder of energy market analysis firm Vanda Insights. “As of now, how and when that might happen is anybody’s guess,” she added, noting that another few weeks of stalemate would unlikely sit well with Trump.

Jerome Powell says he will continue to serve as a Fed governor, calls Trump criticism 'unprecedented'

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday said he will stay on the Board of Governors for an indefinite period while a probe into the renovation of the central bank’s headquarters continues. “I’ve said that I will not leave the board until this investigation is well and truly over with transparency and finality, and I stand by that. I’m encouraged by recent developments, and I’m watching the remaining steps in this process carefully,” Powell said near the beginning of his post-meeting news conference. “My decisions on these matters will continue to be guided entirely by what I believe is in the best interest of the institution and the people we serve after my term as chair ends on May 15, and will continue to serve as a governor for a period of time to be determined,” he added.

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By staying on, Powell for the moment is denying President Donald Trump a majority on the Board of Governors. Trump’s other appointees on the seven-member board include Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman. Trump appointee Stephen Miran, whose term has expired but has continued to serve, will leave after Warsh is confirmed. Powell’s decision to stay resolves for the moment a key question that hovered over the Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Markets already had largely expected to keep its key interest rate steady, with the bigger question over Powell’s future. Powell’s tenure as chair ends next month, but he has two years remaining on his seat as governor. The chair, who has served eight years, congratulated his appointed successor Kevin Warsh, whose nominee cleared a pivotal hurdle earlier Wednesday when the Senate Banking Committee voted to move Warsh forward to the full floor for a vote.

Texas health agency, lawmakers clash over authority to suspend Camp Mystic license

State lawmakers are pressing the Texas Department of State Health Services to suspend Camp Mystic’s license as the camp prepares to reopen its Cypress Lake location in about a month, but the agency says recently passed legislation does not clearly spell out how it can take that step. The dispute played out during Tuesday’s investigative hearing, where lawmakers questioned DSHS about its authority to suspend a youth camp license if a camp violates state safety requirements. “You have the ability to suspend,” state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, said. “And I'm asking you, will you suspend?” State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, also pushed for a definitive response, saying, “I need very clear answers on that, yes or no.”

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DSHS has identified 22 deficiencies in Camp Mystic’s emergency management plan. During the hearing, the agency said it is actively implementing newly passed youth camp safety legislation and emphasized that emergency planning is required for licensing. “We will not approve a camp's license unless it has an acceptable emergency plan,” said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the DSHS commissioner. The legislation at the center of the dispute is Senate Bill 1, passed in response to the deadly July 4 floods at Camp Mystic. The law updated emergency planning requirements, added enforcement provisions, and included language in the Texas Health and Safety Code stating: “The department shall suspend a youth camp license issued by the department if the camp or youth camp operator is in violation of state safety requirements, including emergency planning rules.” Lawmakers argued that language gives DSHS clear direction. “You have direct language, which gives you your marching orders. Do you agree?” Darby asked. Nycia Deal, chief deputy counsel for Texas Health & Human Services, said the agency does not interpret the statute that way, pointing to what she described as missing procedural language typically included when an agency is allowed to suspend a license immediately.

State Stories

14 Texas border county judges ask feds to include them in wall talks

All 14 county judges from the Texas border sent a letter to the head of the Department of Homeland Security asking “to serve as partners” in matters concerning security along the border with Mexico, including border wall construction. “Our purpose in writing is not to oppose or obstruct, but to help ensure that the people who live, work, ranch, farm and raise families along this border continue to have a meaningful voice in decisions that shape our daily,” they wrote. “Our counties lie directly along the international boundary. We see firsthand the impacts of unlawful crossings, including strain on local resources, risks to public safety, and challenges faced by landowners and law enforcement,” they said.

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Among their concerns is that new border wall construction will impact or diminish water supplies. The letter was sent April 21 to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. And was sent by: Hudspeth County Judge Joanna MacKenzie, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, Presidio County Judge Jose Portillo, Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Brewster County Judge Greg Henington, Terrell County Judge Dale Carruthers, Starr County Judge Eloy Vera, Kinney County Judge John Schuster, Zapata County Judge Joe Rathmell, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego, Jeff Davis County Judge Curtis Evans, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, and Val Verde County Judge Lewis Owens. The judges cite a change by the Trump administration to use more detection technology in the Big Bend region, for instance, after much pushback from the sheriffs of that region. “That approach reflects how thoughtful coordination can meet security objectives while preserving natural resources, access, and the unique character of the region,” they wrote.

Texas Republican Party chair talks Islam, midterms

In a speech at the Rowlett Republican Men’s Club, Texas Republican Party Chair Abraham George touted his efforts working with state legislators on conservative priorities in the two years he has led the party. George, former chair of the Collin County GOP, was elected state party chair in a six-way race at the party’s convention in San Antonio in May 2024. He is running for reelection at the party’s June convention in Houston. About 9,000 delegates from across the state, many of them Republican precinct chairs, will gather to discuss the party’s priorities and elect a chairperson. So far, George has only attracted one challenger, D’Rinda Randall, the current vice chair of the state party who was his running mate in 2024.

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George said he would lead the party through a competitive midterm election in November. Unlike two years ago when securing the Southern border was a priority for the party, Texas conservative activists have turned their attention to legal immigration pathways such as H-1B visas, which allow U.S. employers to hire foreigners for jobs requiring specialized knowledge. In fiscal 2024, 71% of H-1B visas issued nationwide went to Indian applicants, according to federal data. Activists have lamented the increase in Indian H-1B workers in cities such as Frisco, and some online have disparaged the Texas GOP for being led by George, who immigrated to the United States from India when he was 15 years old. Nativism in some corners of the GOP might influence George’s reelection chances, even though he said he supports banning H-1B visas in Texas. At a Monday night event at a Pentecostal church in Rowlett, a suburb one attendee dubbed a “red bastion in the corner of Dallas County,” about twenty five people gathered to hear George speak about a host of issues. “It's going to be a fight. It's not going to be easy for us,” George said of November elections for Congress and the Texas Legislature. He said representatives from the Republican National Convention told him about $1 billion will be poured into Texas in support of Democrats this election cycle.

Texas judge says agency must comply with agreement made with Plano-area Muslim development

A Travis County District Court has ordered the Texas Workforce Commission to comply with an agreement it made with the developer of a Muslim-oriented community. The Meadow, formerly known as EPIC City, has been repeatedly targeted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and other officials. Civil rights groups claim religious discrimination is behind the attacks on the housing development — which has not been built. The agency and the developer, Community Capital Partners, agreed last fall to resolve allegations of fair housing violations against the project. Community Capital Partners sued the Texas Workforce Commission after it sent the commission fair housing policies for the development but didn’t receive any review or response from the agency according to a press release from the developer.

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The proposed housing community a 402-acre development in unincorporated Collin and Hunt counties, roughly 40 miles northeast of Dallas near the city of Josephine. The project is years away from construction but has already faced intense scrutiny from top Republicans in the state. Texas officials have accused the development of implementing Sharia Law and creating a no-go zone for non-Muslims, something the developer has repeatedly denied. Imran Chaudhary, the president of Community Capital Partners, praised the court’s ruling in a press release. “This ruling confirms what we have maintained from the beginning — that Community Capital Partners has been willing, ready, and committed to complying with Texas law at every step,” said CCP President Imran Chaudhary. “We have acted in good faith throughout this process, and today’s decision reflects that.” The Texas Workforce Commission told KERA via email it plans to appeal the court's ruling.

Hispanic population experiences worst health care outcomes, access in Texas, report finds

A new report found that Texas has more severe racial and ethnic health disparities than other states in the Southwest. Hispanic people experienced the worst health outcomes, access and quality in Texas, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund – a private foundation focused on health equity in the U.S. The report notes that racial and ethnic health disparities “persist across every state” and may worsen as recent policy changes take hold. “In most states, American Indian and Alaska Native people and Black and Hispanic people and communities really continue to bear the highest burden and have the worst health access and affordability,” said Dr. Laurie Zephyrin, senior vice president for Achieving Equitable Outcomes at the Commonwealth Fund.

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The report also finds that these populations are more likely to die from “premature and avoidable deaths” – while being less likely to have health coverage. Researchers analyzed the most recent state data available on 24 measures related to health care access, quality and use of services and health outcomes to produce the state-by-state report. Based on that performance data, the report evaluates differences across racial and ethnic groups both within and between states. “The Hispanic population had some of the lowest scores achieved in the report, particularly in a handful of southern and southeastern states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas,” said Kristen Kolb, a research associate for the Commonwealth Fund. She said the Hispanic population tended to be among the lowest performance on measures of affordable access to care. “When health services are not affordable, people are more likely to forgo needed care,” Kolb said.

Inside SpaceX's IPO: Musk's most ambitious plan yet

In the days after the PayPal IPO in 2002, Elon Musk and company executives gathered at a Las Vegas casino to celebrate. But while others socialized by the pool, Musk was hunched over an old Soviet rocket manual and already planning ?his next venture: SpaceX. “He’d come off what was an unequivocally big win, he was one of the largest shareholders, and yet he was focused on this next thing,” Kevin Hartz, an early PayPal investor who ?was at the party, told Reuters. “Now it’s a multi-trillion-dollar business.” In the two decades since Musk took the reins at SpaceX, the company has grown into the world’s largest space business, launching thousands of Starlink internet satellites and pioneering reusable rockets, transforming the economics of space in a way Musk likens to inventing an airplane that no longer has to be destroyed after every flight.

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Musk’s years of defying accepted logic through audacious risk-taking in space look set to be validated when SpaceX goes public this year at a possible valuation of $1.75 trillion, in what would be the largest public listing on record ?and one that could put him on track to become the world’s first trillionaire. But what comes next may be an even bigger ask than building reusable rockets or the first mass-market electric vehicle, according to a Reuters review ?of more than 100 pages of excerpts from SpaceX’s confidential pre-IPO prospectus, offering the most detailed look at SpaceX’s financials and its future plans since Musk took the helm. Reuters published a series of exclusive ?stories based on the documents last week. “I always thought he was crazy,” said Walter Isaacson, who spent two years shadowing Musk while writing a biography of the billionaire. “But the danger of betting against him is that he ends up being crazy like ?a fox and gets things done.”

Hours before James Broadnax's lethal injection, chances to postpone his execution dwindle

One by one, legal options to postpone James Broadnax's execution are dwindling — with very little time left before his scheduled lethal injection. Hours before the sentence was scheduled to be carried out two chances in the Dallas County 2008 capital murder case remained. Broadnax's legal team on Tuesday requested from Texas Governor Greg Abbott a 30-day reprieve. Attorneys could learn the response when the public does, not before. Broadnax, now 37, is scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. Thursday in Huntsville, Texas for robbing, shooting and killing Christian music producers Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler in Garland in 2008. He was convicted in 2009.

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His cousin, Demarius Cummings, recently confessed to being the shooter. The U.S. Supreme Court had not yet issued a decision on one last appeal to pause the execution late Wednesday. Broadnax, 37, made two appeals to the Supreme Court to halt his execution: one alleging the use of rap lyrics as evidence against Broadnax during trial was unconstitutional, and another arguing prosecutors struck Black prospective jurors from the selection pool, resulting in a nearly all-white jury. "James continues to maintain faith and stoicism and belief that his case will still have a chance to be heard and that his life will be spared," said Allan Ripp, a spokesperson for Broadnax's legal team. Still pending is Broadnax's appeal after Cummings confessed in a sworn statement last month that he convinced Broadnax, then 19, to take the blame for the shooting while they were both high on PCP and marijuana. Cummings decided to come clean after finding out two months ago that Broadnax was scheduled to die, he said. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled earlier this month it would not consider the confession as a reason to pause Broadnax's execution.

UT Austin orders changes to KUT Festival days before inaugural event

A major portion of the inaugural KUT Festival, which Austin’s NPR station has billed as a springtime community celebration featuring live music, author talks and panel discussions, will have to change its location following a decision by the University of Texas at Austin. Citing safety concerns, university leadership announced in an email to attendees and staff on Tuesday evening that all of Saturday’s events — panels, musical performances and a street fair — will be moved off campus. The university announced that much of the Friday portion of the festival, including a keynote event with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, will continue as planned at the LBJ Presidential Library. Saturday’s events will be moving to Central Machine Works and East End Ballroom — two venues within walking distance of each other in East Austin.

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In a staff-wide email, KUT Public Media General Manager Debbie Hiott said the university first raised its concerns last Wednesday afternoon, adding that the station had begun planning the event in the fall. “On Friday, the university ordered KUT to cancel the outdoor portions of the events citing a safety analysis that they have yet to provide us,” Hiott said, noting that the university's order took the station by surprise. “In our months of planning, we have agreed to every health, security and safety request that has been made of us and our production company, which has produced the Texas Tribune Festival and many other major events over the years.” Hiott said the station “would have been happy to sit down with the appropriate officials and go over their concerns and any remedies, but have not been provided that opportunity.” Anita L. Vangelisti, interim dean of the Moody College of Communication, which includes KUT and its sister music station KUTX, said in an email to festival attendees and staff that "our analysis has identified key areas where KUT provided insufficient planning for safety measures, including security, health, fire, and emergency services." A UT spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment or a copy of the analysis.

Judge dismisses part of Eli Lilly's GLP-1 lawsuit against Houston's Empower Pharmacy

A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed part of Eli Lilly's lawsuit against the Houston-based Empower Pharmacy — the latest development in the pharmaceutical giant's bid to curb sales of cheaper, less-regulated versions of their blockbuster GLP-1 weight loss drug. The lawsuit is significant because millions of Americans have gained access to GLP-1s through compounding pharmacies like Empower, which make customized versions of drugs without going through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration review process. Empower describes itself as the largest and most advanced compounding pharmacy in the country. Eli Lilly argued in its lawsuit that Empower violated federal trademark laws and state unfair competition laws by selling "untested and unapproved" versions of their tirzepatide products, Mounjaro and Zepbound, which the company said it spent billions of dollars to develop.

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U.S. District Court Judge Sim Lake dismissed the federal trademark law claims because Eli Lilly did not show it lost sales or suffered "irreparable harm" from Empower's allegedly false advertising. The judge also dismissed Lilly's allegations that Empower violated Texas' unfair competition laws. He did, however, allow the allegation that Empower violated unfair competition laws in other states to move forward. Empower and Eli Lilly did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On its website, Empower continues to market versions of Eli Lilly's drugs with vitamin additives, in different concentrations and in pill form. Patients have commonly used compounded GLP-1s because they can be hundreds of dollars cheaper than the brand-name products, although the pharmaceutical companies have started to offer discounted cash prices. Compounding pharmacies were given the green light to produce copies of GLP-1 drugs starting in 2022, when the FDA declared a drug shortage. But the shortage has since ended, and the pharmacies have continued to make their own versions, under laws that allow them to make drugs for specific patients. Unlike brand-name drugs, compounded drugs are not required to go through the traditional FDA review process. Empower's revenue more than doubled when the drugs were on shortage, from $119 million in 2022 to $377 million in 2024, according to financial figures provided to the Houston Business Journal.

Austin music venues, promoters hope antitrust ruling breaks Live Nation's grip on booking concerts

When Pedro Carvalho tries to book a rising artist at the Far Out Lounge in South Austin, he sometimes offers substantially more money than larger promoters and still loses the show. The reason, he said, has less to do with price than access: Artists often stick with Live Nation-connected tours and venues in hopes of landing bigger bookings and festival slots later. That dynamic was at the center of a federal antitrust case that found Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as an illegal monopoly, a ruling that could reshape how concerts are booked nationwide, including in Austin. “They have these strong grips and holds on these agencies, and they say, ‘If you [don’t play] a Live Nation venue, then you are not gonna play one of the Live Nation festivals,’” said Carvalho, who co-owns Far Out Lounge. “So we can’t compete even with dollars.” The lawsuit, brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and a coalition of states, now moves into a remedies phase that could determine whether Live Nation must change how it operates. Potential outcomes could include limits on its control of venues and ticketing, or requirements to alter how it contracts with artists and promoters.

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Live Nation has already indicated it plans to appeal the ruling, though any challenge would likely come after a judge determines penalties, setting up what could be a prolonged legal fight. For independent promoters and venue operators in Austin, that timeline dampens any expectations of sweeping, business-altering changes anytime soon. Live Nation has become deeply embedded across the live event ecosystem. The company, which merged with Ticketmaster in 2010, operates as a promoter, venue owner and ticketing provider, giving it influence over multiple stages of how shows are booked and sold. For smaller companies, that reach can be difficult to work around. Randy Cohen, founder of Austin-based ticket broker TicketCity, said his company once tried to compete directly as a ticket marketplace but eventually moved away from that approach. It now focuses on buying blocks of tickets and reselling them on other platforms. “It’s a deep-pocket game,” Cohen said, describing how Ticketmaster can afford to spend far more on ads to get customers to click and buy through them. “We lost that battle.” In Austin, Live Nation’s influence often shows up not as a direct barrier, but as a factor in how tours are built from the start, shaping which venues artists play and which promoters get access to them.

EF-3 tornado injures 5 people, causes extensive damage in Mineral Wells, officials confirm

Multiple people were injured after an EF-3 tornado struck Mineral Wells on Tuesday, prompting a Tornado Warning in Palo Pinto County, according to city officials. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado’s strength Wednesday after surveying damage in some of the hardest-hit parts of the Metroplex. Five people were injured in the storm, Mineral Wells officials said during a Wednesday morning press conference. No reported deaths and no reports of any community members missing, officials confirmed “We’re going to get through this,” said Police Chief Tim Denison. “We’re going to be there for them.”

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The city also confirmed structural damage in the industrial areas and the northeast portion of the city. Downed power lines were reported on East Hubbard Street near Highway 180. WFAA also spoke with business workers who reported large hail in the area. Multiple homes were damaged and several families were displaced; however, officials are unclear of how many as of Tuesday evening. There are also several homes and businesses without power, city officials said. WFAA was allowed inside the Holliday Hills Country Club neighborhood, located right next to the golf course, and our crews saw extensive damage. Homes were ripped apart and tree limbs snapped in half.

Jasmine Crockett maps next moves: boost other candidates, road show

Rep. Jasmine Crockett gave a peek into her political future Wednesday, telling a daytime TV talk show host she will work to elect like-minded candidates and launch a road show to share her views. “My focus is going to be to pivot to support others,” Crockett told Sherri Shepherd on the Sherri show. “We want to fuel individual rights everywhere. And so we are going to support other candidates as well as I'm going to go on tour across the country and we are going to educate people about what it is that elected officials can do, should be doing and what they’re doing wrong.” Crockett was referencing her Fueling Individual Rights Everywhere political action committee, or FIRE PAC. Such leadership PACs represent a fundraising mechanism in which politicians collect donations and distribute them to other candidates. Crockett did not share details on the timing of the tour and did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

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Crockett’s plans come amid speculation about her next steps after losing the Democratic primary for Senate last month to state Rep. James Talarico of Austin. Talarico will face incumbent John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, who meet in the GOP runoff May 26. Crockett has said she expects a book deal and a return to practicing law after she leaves Congress, although House rules restrict her ability to lock those down now. Crockett’s work on behalf of other candidates included her endorsement Wednesday of former Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas in the Democratic primary runoff against Rep. Julie Johnson of Farmers Branch. Allred represented Congressional District 32 before leaving to run for Senate in 2024. Johnson succeeded him. After last year's mid-decade Republican redistricting revamped the district, Johnson opted to run in the newly drawn District 33 that favors Democrats. Article continues below this ad Allred initially announced a Senate bid but switched to District 33 after Crockett entered the Senate race. He and Johnson are locked in a heated runoff after neither finished with a majority of the vote in the March primary.

Mayor Jones’ chief of staff Jenise Carroll also departs City Hall

Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ chief of staff Jenise Carroll resigned Wednesday — days after her deputy chief of staff Pat Wallace also left the office. Like the mayor, Carroll is an Air Force veteran with a background in federal policy. She moved to San Antonio for the job in July of last year, replacing Jones’ first chief, Jordan Abelson, who served as campaign manager before resigning just weeks into the job. Though Carroll was new to city government, she seemed to gain the respect of the council staff in other offices. As of Wednesday evening, her city email address was providing an automatic reply saying she’s no longer with the mayor’s office. It directed questions to the mayor’s executive assistant Laura Atamosa. Carroll later confirmed in an email that she’d resigned.

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In a statement Wednesday night, Jones thanked Carroll for her leadership. “A superb professional, she brought a focused discipline that helped the office quickly make progress on my priority initiatives,” Jones said. “I wish Dr. Carroll only the very best in her next steps.” In the meantime, Jones’ communications director, Andrew Fuentes, will serve as acting chief of staff. Fuentes previously worked for the U.S. Department of Labor, and for then-U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California).

For Texans with disabilities, voting can take weeks — or be out of reach

For one Texas voter, casting a ballot in the March primary took weeks of coordination, multiple phone calls, two applications and help from several people just to meet the deadline. “As a multi-disabled, homebound senior living in a rural area … there are a number of barriers I have to overcome just to cast my ballot by mail,” he said in a written account to Texas Public Radio. The voter requested anonymity due to pending litigation with the state of Texas. Without regular care at home, even basic steps depend on others. Living on a county road without mail delivery, the voter relies on a post office box and a volunteer who can only pick up mail occasionally. “I get my mail once a month,” he said.

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After requesting a ballot by mail in January, delays meant the application did not reach election officials for several weeks. Then another problem came up. “County election staff called me that day and told me I had failed to choose a party preference, as required under Texas law, so I would not get a ballot for the primaries,” he said. He said local county election officials were helpful and did what they could within the limits of the system. With the deadline approaching, he had to start over. A second application was picked up, delivered and returned on the final day. Even then, retrieving and returning the ballot required coordination with a volunteer and a case manager to ensure it arrived on time. “The lack of regular home care and volunteers, not as easy to find as you might think, is the greatest obstacle to voting,” the voter said. Advocates and researchers say this experience reflects a broader pattern that may pose added challenges with two elections scheduled in May: The May 2 municipal elections and the May 26 primary runoffs. For many voters with disabilities, the biggest barriers are not the ballot itself, but the systems people rely on to navigate the process on time, including gaps in home care, transportation and access to assistance.

National Stories

Florida lawmakers pass a voting map that could help Republicans flip 4 House seats

Florida lawmakers have approved a new congressional map that could position Republicans to win four additional U.S. House seats in the midterm elections in November. The 21-17 vote for final passage in the Senate came just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in a decision on a Louisiana congressional district Wednesday morning. Both developments will assist President Trump's national push to help the GOP in the midterm elections. With the Florida redistricting, the GOP likely gains an advantage of two or three new seats as Republican-led states have followed Trump's call and Democratic-led states have countered it.

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However, control of the House will depend on the votes in November. Democrats have said the redraw in Florida makes several GOP seats more competitive, potentially leading to smaller seat gains if strong Democratic performances seen in recent special elections continue. The bill now goes for expected signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis. He has argued that the state's rapid population growth requires redistricting. And he's urged the redrawing of districts that were drawn with consideration for preserving the voting power of minority communities. He had predicted that the U.S. Supreme Court would weaken the Voting Rights Act in a way that would support redistricting in Florida. Indeed, after that morning ruling, he posted on X that the it "invalidates" a Florida constitutional ban on districts that deny "the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political process." But DeSantis' office has also released a color-coded map showing the partisan effect of the redistricting. Currently, the state has 28 districts with 20 leaning toward the GOP. The new map raises that to 24 districts favoring the GOP, according to the governor's office.

Legal filing raises questions about who shot Secret Service officer at press dinner

A U.S. government court filing on Wednesday raised questions about officials’ initial assertions that a gunman shot a Secret ?Service officer while allegedly attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, fired a ?shotgun "in the direction of the stairs leading down to the ballroom" where Trump, other administration officials and members of the press were gathered on Saturday night, according to the pretrial detention motion, which offered the government's most extensive account yet of the incident. In the motion, prosecutors referred to an officer firing five times, but the document does not mention that officer or any ?other being shot. A spent cartridge was found in the suspect's shotgun, according to Wednesday's motion.

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The document did not accuse Allen of aiming at or ?striking the Secret Service officer who authorities say was shot in the chest but protected by his body armor. That contrasts with ?statements made earlier by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. It also raises the question of who ?fired the round that struck the Secret Service officer. Hours after the incident, Pirro told reporters that the suspect would be charged with "assault on a federal officer using a ?dangerous weapon," though that is not among the charges brought so far. Pirro has said Allen could face additional charges. Prosecutors did charge Allen with attempting to assassinate the president. Blanche told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday that he believed shots from Allen's shotgun hit the officer. He reiterated that belief at a press conference on Monday, but added the caveat, "We're still looking at that."

Louisiana governor prepares to suspend House primaries after court ruling

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) told Republican House candidates Wednesday that he plans to suspend next month’s primary elections so state lawmakers can pass a new congressional map first, according to two people with knowledge of the calls. The move follows a Supreme Court decision earlier in the day that found Louisiana had unlawfully discriminated by race when it created a second majority Black congressional district under legal pressure. The ruling positions Republicans to gain one or two seats in the midterms as they fight to hold their narrow majority in the House. The 6-3 decision limited a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act and could lead to other Black Democrats across the South losing their House seats. Most states are unlikely to be able to redraw districts in time for the November midterm elections, but Louisiana could be one of the exceptions.

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Landry’s announcement to suspend the May 16 primary could come as early as Friday — one day before early voting is to begin, according to people familiar with his plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Election officials sent ballots to overseas voters weeks ago. It’s unclear whether the governor’s suspension would apply only to primaries for the six House seats, or include other elections, including the heated Senate primary that pits incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) against Rep. Julia Letlow (R). Louisiana has six House seats, two of which are held by Democrats. A spokesperson for Landry declined to comment on his plans for the primary. Earlier in the day, Landry said the Supreme Court “affirmed what we have said for years: drawing districts for political reasons is the States’ prerogative, not a federal civil rights violation.” If Landry suspends the House primaries but not other contests, primary voters would have to go to the polls twice, just weeks or months apart from each other.

Voting rights ruling means a big shakeup is coming for Black Caucus

Black members of Congress are bracing for a crippling shakeup of their ranks after a Supreme Court ruling gutted a key section of the Voting Rights Act that had protected minority communities in political redistricting and helped boost their representation. Wednesday’s decision clears the way for Republican-led states to redraw U.S. House districts without regard to race, potentially creating many more GOP-friendly seats. Rep. Yvette Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, told reporters that its members and Democrats would fight the effects of the ruling. “The Supreme Court has opened the door to a coordinated attack on Black voters across the country,” Clarke said. “This is an outright power grab.”

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Clarke was joined by over a dozen of the 60 Black Caucus members, including Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Their responses to the court’s decision ranged from outrage to defiance to mourning. It’s not clear how many seats will ultimately be affected by the ruling, but redistricting experts predict that more than a dozen now held by minorities could be swept away. Rep. Troy Carter, one of two Black Democrats from Louisiana, the state at the center of the case, called the ruling “a devastating blow to our democracy, plain and simple.” Republican leaders in several Southern states already have been discussing how to apply the ruling and create new GOP-friendly congressional maps. In Florida, Republicans wasted no time approving a new U.S. House map, part of which redrew one district created to elect a Black representative. “I would be surprised if we do not see former slave-holding states moving at lightning speed to target districts that provide Black voters and other voters of color an equal opportunity to elect candidates,” said Kristen Clarke, general counsel for the NAACP and the first Black woman to be assistant attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights division.

Takeaways from Hegseth’s testimony on Iran war and his tenure

In his first major public appearance before Congress since the beginning of the Iran war, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the biggest adversary the United States faced was not Iran’s military, but the “feckless and defeatist words” of Democrats and some Republican lawmakers. It was a preview of what turned out to be a contentious debate over the Iran war. The Defense Department’s nearly $1.45 trillion budget request was ostensibly the reason for the House Armed Services Committee hearing, but lawmakers made little mention of it during several hours of questioning.

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Mr. Hegseth offered a full-throated defense of “Operation Epic Fury,” which began on Feb. 28. Sitting next to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Jay Hurst, the Pentagon comptroller, Mr. Hegseth repeatedly stressed that the war was necessary because Iran posed an “existential threat” to the United States. The defense secretary grew testy during the hearing and mocked the questions of Democratic lawmakers, prompting a rare admonition from the committee chairman. Here are the main takeaways from the hearing. Mr. Hurst said that figure is mostly representative of the tens of thousands of bombs and missiles used in the conflict. It was the first time the Defense Department has publicly provided a cost estimate for the war. The war has consumed a large percentage of the Pentagon’s longest-range conventional munitions, such as air-launched stealth cruise missiles and ground-launched Precision Strike Missiles. General Caine mentioned that 14 U.S. military service members have died as part of Operation Epic Fury, although the Pentagon’s casualty analysis system online showed 13 U.S. deaths as of Wednesday morning. The 14th service member was Maj. Sorffly Davius of the Army National Guard, who according to ABC News died on March 6 after a medical emergency in Kuwait. Two Pentagon representatives, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, confirmed the death.

Airbnb hosts prepped their homes for a World Cup windfall. They’re still waiting.

Mae Stewart has prepared for two years to host Airbnb guests at her Atlanta home during this summer’s World Cup. The design consultant refurnished the floors, relit the rooms and replaced the vanities. She put in new countertops and faucets. She monitored the pricing strategy for competing homes and made sure to rent hers out enough times to generate reviews with a high rating. Stewart did all this, spending roughly $60,000 in total, to lure soccer ticket holders who would be willing to splurge on her three-bedroom house. She is charging roughly $4,500 for a weeklong stay in mid-July during the tournament, about three times the price of what she’ll charge shortly after the World Cup. Now, she just needs someone to actually come. With the games less than two months away, Stewart is among thousands of Airbnb hosts hoping for last-minute bookings.

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Uncertain travelers are grappling with surging costs from dynamic ticket pricing and pricier airfare. Hosts are also contending with the number of foreign fans put off by U.S. politics and more burdensome requirements to enter the country. Airbnb is advising hosts not to panic. Many bookings typically land shortly before a marquee event begins. Plenty of soccer fans won’t want to book a stay for a later round in the tournament until they know that their team has made it to that stage, according to Juan David Borrero, Airbnb’s global head of partnerships. “I think we’re going to see more demand as the tournament starts to unfold,” he said, “just because that is the nature of the tournament.” But that requires much patience from those who have been banking for months—sometimes years—on a hefty payday. The bulk of World Cup hosts on Airbnb, and other short-term rental companies such as Vrbo, are still waiting for guests.

Mike Johnson’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week

Just about everyone is mad at Mike Johnson this week. The majority of the House Republican Conference, GOP senators, the White House and even members of his own leadership team are fighting with the embattled House speaker and believe Johnson has lost control of his members. They are also confused by his strategy, as he has repeatedly fumbled attempts to get must-pass legislation through the chamber. “Right now, it’s a shit show,” Rep. Chip Roy said. Asked to described Johnson’s handling of this week, another member simply said: “fucked.” After days of false starts, Johnson was finally able to get the rule on a controversial provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act over the line and ultimately pass the FISA extension with Democratic votes and later pass the Republican budget resolution after hours of cajoling. But his conference walked away from the process scarred.

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Some Republicans told NOTUS it was unwise for Johnson to have clumped multiple controversial bills into one rule — including one for Republicans’ budget blueprint for reconciliation. That decision deterred Democrats, who went out of their way to support the failed rule on FISA earlier this month. “This is what happens when you have leadership who can’t organize a one-car parade,” one senior Republican told NOTUS. Johnson stood by his game plan and told NOTUS that “this was the only way to have done it, and we’ll get through it.” “We’ve been working really hard to get consensus in here from all corners of the conference and get all viewpoints,” the speaker added. “It’s sometimes impossible to touch nearly 220 people, but most of the interests certainly been listened to.” However, everything boiled over on Wednesday night. To get the rule passed, Johnson had to make a deal with the holdouts. In exchange for their support, Johnson promised that faction of the conference he would postpone a vote on the farm bill, three sources told NOTUS, which has not been reauthorized since 2018, angering another faction of Republicans who wanted the bill on the floor this week.

Copyright April 30, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved