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Newsom bans some offers to buy destroyed Calif. properties after fires

January 16, 2025
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, signed an executive order this week to stop what he calls predatory real estate investors from taking advantage of wildfire victims. The order makes it illegal for anyone to make an unsolicited offer on property for an amount less than the fair market value in areas impacted by the Palisades and Eaton Fires for the next three months.

Newsom said the ban comes after hearing from people in the community who’ve received unwelcome and unfair offers.

“This predatory behavior is disgusting at the best of times and of course here in the midst of this tragedy, it’s disgraceful,” Newsom said in a video posted to X.

Today, I signed an executive order prohibiting greedy land developers from ripping off LA wildfire victims with unsolicited, undervalued offers to buy their destroyed property.

Make no mistake — this is a prosecutable crime. pic.twitter.com/FhrqEhaaE0
— Governor Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 15, 2025

The Los Angeles area remains under a state of emergency, which means the order took effect immediately as it was announced Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Those who fail to comply can get up to six months in prison, a $1,000 fine, or both.

The ban, which is modeled after a similar order made by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, D, for the Lahaina wildfires, is getting some criticism from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

“Now, Dem politicians are making it harder for those devastated by the wildfires to sell their destroyed properties. This will only hurt the victims,” Cruz said on X.

Misguided CA policies (1) limited fire mitigation efforts, (2) produced water shortages & (3) under-funded fire fighters.

Now, Dem politicians are making it HARDER for those devastated by the wildfires to sell their destroyed properties.

This will only hurt the victims. https://t.co/vLpSmQKZQm
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 15, 2025

Newsom responded to Cruz, “Our executive order doesn’t prevent anyone from selling their property. It prohibits scammers from making unsolicited offers to buy property for pennies on the dollar.”

Openly shilling for scammers and bottom feeder land speculators is a weird play — even for you, Ted.

Our Executive Order doesn’t prevent anyone from selling their property.

It prohibits scammers from making unsolicited offers to buy property for pennies on the dollar. https://t.co/agSnPwT1d4
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 15, 2025

The disaster left homeowners with several questions about insurance coverage.

State Farm reversed its initial plan to cancel hundreds of policies for homes in the Pacific Palisades over the summer to avoid “financial failure,” but is now offering renewals for policy holders in the Los Angeles area.

AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss from the wildfires is at least $250 billion.

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Minnesota Democrats look to run down clock until new member restores tie

January 15, 2025
Who controls the Minnesota state House? The answer might depend on who you ask.

After an Election Day where Democrats and Republicans tied with 67 seats apiece, a subsequent vacancy put Republicans ahead, 67-66, when the legislature started Monday, Jan. 13.

Now, Democrats have left the Capitol, hoping to force Republicans to abide by a power-sharing agreement the two sides agreed upon until a special election in two weeks likely restores the tie.

In the absence of 66 Democrats, Republicans voted in a speaker, which would give them power to set the House’s agenda and decide who runs House committees.

However, it’s unclear whether the vote was legal. Republicans said that with one vacancy, their 67 members reached the required quorum of the majority. But Minnesota’s Democratic secretary of state said the vote was illegal.

Republicans, in response, said that House Democrats’ decision to swear in their members off Capitol grounds during a private ceremony was also illegal.

However, two issues remain with the seats: Democratic State Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson gave up the seat he won after a court ruled that he didn’t meet the residency requirement to represent his district. A special election to fill the seat will take place on Jan. 28, and Democrats hold a strong advantage in the district.

Republicans, meanwhile, have considered blocking re-elected State Rep. Brad Tabke, a Democrat, from taking his seat. He won by 14 votes. With the race going to a hotly contested recount, Republicans have considered forcing a special election.

Minnesota Republicans say state law would allow them to launch petitions to recall the Democratic legislators.

This isn’t the first time state legislators have fled to try and block the opposing party from wielding power. Oregon Republicans and Texas Democrats have used the tactic in recent years.
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Laken Riley Act advances in Senate as chamber debates immigration law

January 13, 2025
The Senate will consider amendments to the Laken Riley Act Monday, Jan. 13, a bill Republicans hope will be a first step in overhauling United States immigration law. The bill would require immigrants to be held in detention if they are arrested or convicted of a burglary, theft or shoplifting offense.

Even if the criminal case is adjudicated, the individual would remain in custody while their immigration case proceeds.

The House passed the Laken Riley Act on a bipartisan basis on Tuesday, Jan. 7, after 48 Democrats voted yea, bucking party leadership.

Senate Democrats also supported the legislation during an initial vote so they could propose amendments later in the process. They hope to make multiple changes to the bill, including removing a measure that will allow states to sue the federal government if they believe it is not properly enforcing the law.

“I don’t think we want the entire immigration system being litigated in district courts all across the country,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told reporters, according to CNN.

Laken Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an immigrant in the country illegally. She was attacked while going for a run.

Her attacker, a Venezuelan man, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He had previously been arrested on shoplifting charges and released.

“Right now ICE is unable to detain and deport these illegal criminals who commit these minor level crimes. But the Laken Riley Act will fix this,” Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., said.

House Democratic leadership opposed the Laken Riley Act, and told their members to vote against it.

They objected to the bill applying to immigrants who are protected from deportation, like DACA recipients, and that it only requires an arrest for detainment, not a conviction.

“This bill does nothing to fix the immigration system or to prevent future tragedies like this,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said. “It is simply an attempt to score cheap political points off of a tragic death. And in the process it unfairly sweeps up many more innocent lives with no due process.”

Republicans tried to pass this bill last year but it never went beyond the House.
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Trump calls Fetterman ‘impressive’ after meeting at Mar-a-Lago

January 13, 2025
President-elect Donald Trump met with Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, Pa., at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend of Jan. 11. In an interview with the Washington Examiner after the meeting, Trump called Fetterman a “fascinating” person, and said he was impressed with the Pennsylvania senator.

“It was a totally fascinating meeting. He’s a fascinating man, and his wife is lovely. They were both up, and I couldn’t be more impressed,” Trump told the Washington Examiner. “He’s a commonsense person. He’s not liberal or conservative. He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful.”

Trump met with Fetterman and his wife for an hour, discussing a range of topics, including U.S. Steel, support for Israel in the Israel-Hamas conflict, border security and the “geopolitical benefits” of Trump’s attempts to acquire Greenland.

Before flying to Florida for the meeting, Fetterman joked to reporters that he accepted Trump’s invitation so he could become the “Pope of Greenland.”

Later, Fetterman said in a statement, “President Trump invited me to meet, and I accepted. I’m the senator for all Pennsylvanians — not just Democrats in Pennsylvania. I’ve been clear that no one is my gatekeeper. I will meet with and have a conversation with anyone if it helps me deliver for Pennsylvania and the nation.”

Trump said his initial impression of Fetterman was that he was “very liberal,” but that changed after Fetterman publicly showed unwavering commitment to supporting Israel.

Since then, Fetterman has broken from fellow Democrats on issues like immigration, and has voiced support for some of Trump’s cabinet picks. He also became the first Senate Democrat to join Trump’s Truth Social platform after Trump won the election.

Most recently, Fetterman cosponsored the “Laken Riley Act” with Republican Sen. Katie Britt, Ala., urging his Democratic colleagues to pass the bill when it is considered for a possible vote this week.
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Idaho representative wants Supreme Court to end same-sex marriage

January 8, 2025
Idaho Republican state Rep. Heather Scott called on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its landmark 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Scott made the announcement just days into the state’s 2025 legislative session.

Scott, who represents Idaho’s 1st District, introduced a resolution on Tuesday. Jan. 7, asking the state House committee to challenge the high court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which established marriage equality for same-sex couples.

The resolution claims the Supreme Court’s ruling conflicts with Idaho’s Constitution, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Scott said the court’s decision was an “illegitimate overreach” and ultimately bypassed the democratic process.

The resolution says, “Court rulings are not laws, and only legislatures elected by the people may pass laws.”

The measure, which passed in committee, has no legal weight but rather serves as a symbol to reassert the state’s traditional definition of marriage. If passed by both legislative chambers, the resolution would be sent to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Idaho Democratic Party leaders quickly criticized Scott’s proposal, calling it a “sad distraction” and argued the government should not interfere with personal relationships between two consenting adults.

In a statement, they said, “This is yet another example of the extreme wing of the Republican Party ginning up divisive social issues in order to create problems where none exist.”

In 2014, Idaho’s District Court ruled the state’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

The decision by the federal judge allowed legal recognition of same-sex unions.

It strikes down the 2006 constitutional amendment that previously prohibited such marriages.
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Congress members stock portfolios more than doubled in value in 2024

January 8, 2025
Five members of Congress more than doubled the value of their stock portfolios in 2024, in some cases they beat the market by 4-6 times. The increase will raise further questions about members trading stocks while being privy to information the public is not.

Overall, Democrats saw their portfolios increase 31%, while Republicans increased by 26%. They both beat the S&P 500 which skyrocketed 24%.

The information was compiled by Unusual Whales, a company that provides services to retail traders.

Here are the top five individual members:
- Rep. David Rouzer, R-N.C., whose stock portfolio increased 149%.
- Rep. Debbie Schultz, D-Fla., who saw an increase of 142.3%.
- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., had a 123.8% increase.
- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, who was up 111.2% for the year.
- Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., who hit 105.8%.
How did they do so well? They overwhelmingly bought into Big Tech companies like Nvidia, which went up 154% for the year.

If you look at holdings by sector — Democrats’ portfolios are 49.4% tech stocks, while Republicans’ are 15.8%, which is still more than any other industry.

The report also points out that some of the gains were in stocks that benefited from bills they passed like the CHIPS Act.

Unusual Whale created this report by reviewing members’ Periodic Transaction Reports, or PTRs, which are available online. Members must disclose stock transactions greater than $1,000 within 45 days. The public reports contain the type of asset, the amount and the date of the transaction.

Why should you care?

Unusual Whales says lawmakers trading stocks while legislating is inherently problematic.

“Congress members shape policies that can directly impact markets. Whether or not they act on insider knowledge, the appearance of potential abuse undermines public trust,” the report stated.

There are many members who say lawmakers should not be allowed to buy individual stocks. A ban on the practice has not been approved, despite multiple attempts.
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House passes Laken Riley Act, a bill to increase immigrant detention

January 7, 2025
The House passed the Laken Riley Act on a bipartisan basis on Tuesday, Jan. 7, after 48 Democrats voted yea, bucking party leadership. The bill would require immigrants to be held in detention if they are charged, arrested or convicted of a burglary, theft or shoplifting offense.

Even if the criminal case is adjudicated, the individual would remain in custody while their immigration case proceeds.

“Right now ICE is unable to detain and deport these illegal criminals who commit these minor level crimes. But the Laken Riley Act will fix this,” Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., said.

Laken Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an immigrant in the country illegally. She was attacked while going for a run.

The Venezuelan man was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He had previously been arrested on shoplifting charges and released.

Collins sponsored the bill and represents the town where Riley lived.

“This legislation could have prevented her death. Her murderer was in our country illegally, was a known criminal, he had abused a child in New York City, was flown to Athens, Georgia, a sanctuary city, and all of this on the taxpayers dime,” Collins said. “Every part of our system failed Laken that day.”

Democratic leadership opposed the Laken Riley Act, and told their members to vote against it.

They objected to the bill applying to immigrants who are protected from deportation, like DACA recipients, and that it only requires an arrest for detainment, not a conviction.

Democrats accused Republicans of using Riley’s death for political gain.

“This bill does nothing to fix the immigration system or to prevent future tragedies like this,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said. “It is simply an attempt to score cheap political points off of a tragic death. And in the process it unfairly sweeps up many more innocent lives with no due process.”

The bill now heads to the Senate, where it needs 60 votes for approval. All 53 Republicans and multiple Democrats announced they’ll vote yes, though it is not yet clear if that will be enough for it to pass.
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- How media highlighted or omitted illegal status of Laken Riley murderer
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Trump weighing executive order to protect gas stoves: Report

January 7, 2025
President-elect Donald Trump is considering an executive order to protect gas-fueled appliances like stoves and heaters. The executive order would shield the appliances from regulations designed to phase them out of American homes and businesses, according to what two sources familiar with Trump’s plans told Reuters on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Republican leaders including President-elect Trump have criticized local Democratic efforts to reduce the use of gas-powered appliances in construction projects over concerns about climate change and people’s health.

At least one federal study looked into a potential link between respiratory conditions such as asthma and gas-fueled appliances.

Dozens of Democrat-run cities, including San Francisco and Berkeley, California, have tried to limit the use of gas stoves in new buildings in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

New York state also approved a law in December that bans natural gas stoves and furnaces from most new buildings.

However, those efforts have faced legal challenges.

Berkeley, the first city to pass such a ban, was blocked from enacting the rule by a federal court in 2023 and repealed the law last year.

In protest of the regulations, at least 20 Republican-led states have passed legislation outlawing local governments from banning natural gas appliances in buildings.

Meanwhile, details of Trump’s potential executive order are still unclear.

The sources told Reuters that the order may be similar to efforts in Congress to limit federal dollars going toward state and local measures to limit or impose regulations on gas-powered devices that increase their cost.

According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than 75 million American households use natural gas for at least one appliance. Natural gas is used mostly for heat and hot water.

The survey by the administration also found that 2 out of every 5 American homes have a gas stove.
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Minnesota Democrats threaten to stay home to protect tie in state House

January 6, 2025
On Election Day, Minnesota voters split the state House evenly, with 67 Republicans and 67 Democrats winning their races. The two parties reached a power-sharing agreement to share committee control.

But with one Democratic legislator legally unable to take his seat, Republicans say they’re ready to use their majority and elect a Republican speaker. Democrats, in turn, are considering boycotting the session to prevent a speaker vote.

The issue stems from a judge’s ruling that Democratic Rep.-elect Curtis Johnson cannot take the seat he won in District 40B. The judge found Johnson did not meet the district’s residency requirements.

While either party would need a quorum of 68 seats to pass laws and hold a speaker vote once the legislature starts on Jan. 14, Republicans could appoint a speaker with the current 67-66 majority. And assuming Republicans hold together, Democrats could not remove the Republican speaker in a tied legislature.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, set a special election to fill the seat for Jan. 28. It’s a heavily Democratic district where both parties expect a Democrat to win.

However, as long as Republicans hold the majority, they can also take control of committees instead of collaborating as planned under the power-sharing agreement.

Democrats have options, but all of them come with potential risks.

Democrats are weighing a boycott to prevent Republicans from meeting the requisite quorum to elect a speaker and pass bills. However, Minnesota law would allow Republicans to compel Democrats to attend while also opening the door to recall petitions against Democratic lawmakers.

Another option, reported on by local news outlet the Minnesota Reformer, would be for Democrats to launch a two-week filibuster. Lawmakers would give speeches to eat up time in order to prevent a speaker vote.

Legislators fleeing to prevent a quorum is an increasingly common tactic. In recent years, both Texas Democrats and Oregon Republicans have boycotted sessions to try to hold up major bills.
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Former President Bill Clinton checks into hospital after coming down with fever

December 23, 2024
Former President Bill Clinton is in the hospital after developing a fever. A spokesperson for the 42nd president said he checked into Georgetown University Medical Center on Monday, Dec. 23, for testing and observation.

The spokesperson told outlets, including CNN and NBC, that Clinton is in good spirits and that he hopes to be home by Christmas.

A New York Post source suspected that the hospital trip came after the former president suffered from dehydration.

Clinton has had multiple health scares since leaving office in 2001. In both 2004 and 2010, Clinton underwent heart surgeries. And in 2021, he spent six days in the hospital dealing with a urological infection.

Clinton spent the last few months making an array of public appearances. He campaigned this summer and fall for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, followed by interviews and book talks that coincided with the release of a new memoir in November.

During his speech at this summer’s Democratic National Convention, Clinton noted his advancing age.

“I have no idea how many more of these I will be able to come to,” Clinton said, adding that he had attended every Democratic National Convention since the 1970s before joking, “Lord, I’m getting old.”

Clinton is one of three former presidents who is 78 years old, alongside former President George W. Bush and President-elect Donald Trump.
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