Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 16

Democrats embrace a shutdown fight in a rare moment of unity against Trump

By STEVE PEOPLES, Associated Press National Politics Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — On this, at least, the Democrats agree: It’s time to fight.

Whether far-left activists, Washington moderates or rural conservatives, Democratic leaders across the political spectrum are shrugging off the risks and embracing a government shutdown they say is needed to push back against President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress.

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For Democrats, the shutdown fight marks a line in the sand born from months of frustration with their inability to stop Trump’s norm-busting leadership. And they will continue to fight, regardless of the practical or political consequences, they say.

“It’s a rare point of unification,” said Jim Kessler, of the moderate Democratic group Third Way.

“Absolutely there are risks,” he said. “But you’re hearing it from all wings of the Democratic Party: The fight is the victory. They want a fight. And they’re going to get one.”

As the shutdown begins, there are few signs of cracks across the Democratic Party’s diverse coalition.

Even progressive critics from the party’s activist wing are applauding Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who are insisting that any government spending package must extend health care subsidies that are set to expire at the year’s end. Trump, backed by the Republicans who control Congress, insists on supporting only a “clean” spending package that excludes the health care measure.

Trump blames ‘radical left’

The fight is already ugly as Trump uses his presidential bully pulpit — and taxpayer-funded government resources — to cast blame on the Democrats.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website on Tuesday welcomed all visitors with this message: “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands. The Trump administration wants to keep the government open for the American people.”

The president himself posted on social media a deepfake video of Schumer implying that Democrats are fighting to give free health care to immigrants in the country illegally. The fake video, widely condemned as racist, depicted Jeffries with a Mexican sombrero and fake mustache.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., center, attends a news conference with members of Democratic leadership about the looming government shutdown, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

In a press conference, Jeffries offered a harsh message to the president.

“The next time you have something to say about me, don’t cop out through a racist and fake AI video. When I’m back in the Oval Office, say it to my face,” the top House Democrat said.

‘I’d rather be us than them’

Privately, political operatives from both sides concede that government shutdowns are bad for both parties. But with Democrats dug in, the Trump administration appeared almost eager to shut down the government this time — having already threatened the mass firing of federal workers in the event of a shutdown.

And as the GOP blames its rivals in the other party, Democrats say they are confident voters understand that Trump’s party controls the White House and both chambers of Congress — and, therefore, Republicans will suffer more political consequences for the chaos in Washington.

“I think I’d rather be us than them in this fight,” veteran Democratic strategist James Carville said. “The incumbent party will suffer more.”

And yet Carville acknowledged that Democratic leadership in Washington had little choice but to take a hard line in the budget negotiations with Trump’s GOP. The party’s activist base, he said, demanded it.

Frustrated progressives have been screaming for months at Democratic leaders, who have limited power in Washington as the minority party, to use more creative tactics to stop Trump. They are getting their wish this week.

“They’re finally not just rolling over and playing dead,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of the progressive activist group Indivisible. “Indivisible leaders are cheering them on.”

What do voters think?

The political impact, meanwhile, is hard to predict as each side presents conflicting data points.

On the ground in Virginia and New Jersey, which host governor’s elections in little more than a month, the issue was only just beginning to be a focus on the eve of the shutdown.

Virginia’s Republican candidate for governor, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, refused to answer directly when asked during a Tuesday interview with NBC whether she would tell Trump not to fire any more federal workers in a shutdown.

Instead, she encouraged her Democratic opponent, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, to tell Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner to vote for a “clean” spending bill.

“If we’re talking about across-the-board cuts, then again, we have to include Sens. Kaine and Warner in this. They have a part to play,” said Earle-Sears, ignoring a follow-up question about her message to Trump.

Virginia’s large population of federal workers is preparing for major disruption.

More than 147,000 federal workers live in Virginia, second only to California, according to data compiled last year by the Congressional Research Service. Many may soon stop being paid.

During the 35-day partial shutdown in Trump’s first term, 340,000 of the 800,000 federal workers at affected agencies were furloughed. The remainder were “excepted” and required to work with or without pay, although they all received retroactive pay once the shutdown was resolved.

Warner, the Virginia senator, said the impact on his state’s workforce — or even permanent firings — does not change Democrats’ strategy.

“I’ve been very amazed at the comments I’ve got from federal workers who are saying they’ve been terrorized enough, they want us to push back,” the Democratic senator said.

On the Senate floor, Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2-ranked senator in the Democratic caucus, offered a similar message.

“On the Democratic side,” he said, “we think this is a battle worth fighting.”

AP writers Olivia Diaz in Richmond, Va.; Mike Catalini in Trenton, N.J.; and Joey Cappelletti and Eunice Esomonu in Washington contributed.

Robert Saleh’s 49ers defense gets ready to rumble with the Rams’ starry offense

SANTA CLARA – Robert Saleh wore a sheepish grin Tuesday back at the Levi’s Stadium mic, where he acknowledged last week’s “bad choice of words” about sign stealing enraged the 49ers’ opponent, or at least its coach, Jacksonville’s Liam Coen.

Saleh, the 49ers’ ever-passionate defensive coordinator, did not deny airing hostility right back at Coen as players separated them after Sunday’s 26-21 loss.

“Everyone has a trigger, I guess,” Saleh confessed Tuesday.

That coaching brouhaha overshadowed these facts about Saleh’s defense: no interceptions, no fumble recoveries, no sacks, no quarterback hits, and, glaringly, no Nick Bosa, who was fresh out of season-ending knee surgery.

So how will the 49ers have a fighting chance Thursday night in visiting the Rams and their Super Bowl-winning quarterback (Matthew Stafford), the NFL’s leading wide receiver (Puka Nacua), and Oscar-worthy supporting actors (Davante Adams, Kyren Williams)?

Bring them on, so say the Niners’ young defenders who hope Stafford’s barrage of passes will end their drought of 11 consecutive games without an interception.

“He’s going to find ways to pick me out and I’m going to have to counter that,” rookie safety Marques Sigle said. “He’s a skilled quarterback and I’m going to be a skilled DB.”

“I can’t become great taking the easy way,” rookie nickel back Upton Stout said, “so, shoot, throw me all the challenges right now, so at the end of it, I can come out and get a (Hall of Fame) gold jacket.”

Stout said so sitting at his locker Tuesday with gold towels draped around his freshly showered body. Come Thursday night in his prime-time debut, his 5-foot-9 frame must blanket and endure the physicality of Nacua (6-2) and Adams (6-1).

“That’s exciting going into any week knowing you have a chance to get highly targeted,” said Stout, who had an interception last game nullified by a pass-interference penalty, one that ex-49er Richard Sherman came to Stout’s defense against.

Fred Warner, the ring leader of the 49ers’ fifth-ranked defense, knows all too well what challenges the Rams present and especially Nacua, a fellow BYU product and “great kid” whom Warner advised before the Rams took Nacua in the 2023 fifth round.

“Something about those BYU guys. So happy for him,” Warner said. “Hopefully this is his worst outing of the year, then he can continue his success later.”

Warner raved about Nacua’s all-encompassing talent — great hands, run after the catch, run through contact, run blocks — then noted how “the energy he plays with is inspirational to his teammates.” Adams arrived as a teammate this year and has three touchdowns to launch his 12th season.

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“They’re incredibly tough,” Saleh said of Nacua and Adams. “Sean (McVay) has two guys and will put them everywhere – together, opposite, and they find ways to put them in positions where they’re leveraged.”

Saleh intended similar praise last week for Coen, his staff, and others from an NFL coaching tree tracing to — how’s this for a timely coincidence — the Rams’ Sean McVay and the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan.

“All of them do such a great job in formation identification and putting players in position to gain leverage,” Saleh added.

Which NFL coach, perhaps other than Detroit enforcer Dan Campbell, would have the upper hand on Saleh in a brawl?

“Just me,” Shanahan quipped. “… Saleh’s too nice usually, but it seemed like someone (Coen) struck a chord the other day. I don’t think there’s any fights going on. It was kind of comical now to look back at it.”

Horoscopes Oct. 1, 2025: Brie Larson, you need a clear conscience to move forward without regret

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Brie Larson, 36; Zach Galifianakis, 56; Esai Morales, 63; Julie Andrews, 90.

Happy Birthday: Be cautious about sharing too much information or agreeing to something without verifying the facts and what others expect of you. You need a clear conscience to move forward without regret. A domestic change will impact your emotional well-being and require time, patience and personal effort to maintain the freedom necessary to fulfill your heart’s desires. Trust your instincts, not what others tell you. Your numbers are 8, 14, 23, 28, 31, 37, 42.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put your energy where it counts. Sign up for a cause you believe in, and the people you meet will ignite your passion for your principles, your morals and what’s happening in your community. Be the one to step up and make a difference. The outcome will make you proud and connect you to someone special. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Direct your energy wisely. An emotional outburst at the wrong time or place will jeopardize your position or reputation. Focus on home, life and love instead of letting someone who doesn’t matter interfere in your day and disrupt your plans. Take care of domestic responsibilities, and make your surroundings conducive to your individual needs. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Change your perspective, and take on interesting challenges that make a difference to you and the outcomes of events or plans that can influence your life or where you live. A conversation or chance meeting will lead to a personal or physical change you’ve been considering. Update your appearance. 5 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A timeout will give you a chance to digest what’s coming down the pipeline. Be cautious about sharing your thoughts prematurely. Be open to hearing what others think or plan to do, and you’ll gain insight into how you should proceed. A secretive approach to home and work is in your best interest. Buy yourself time. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Redirect your attention to domestic issues before someone close to you complains. Taking care of your responsibilities early will ward off the need to make additional compensations later in the day. Use your imagination; present a plan that pleases loved ones and puts you in a much better position when you want something in return. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Get organized, and you’ll be able to deliver on your promises. An interesting change to how you earn or use your money will put you in a better position to negotiate and structure the lifestyle you want to live. Controlling your emotions and how others perceive you will have an impact on what you achieve. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Think before you agree to participate. Refrain from taking on too much or exaggerating what you can do. Pick up additional skills that encourage you to be more diverse and able to meet the demands others make. Honesty will help you maintain your status quo and buy you time to develop or fine-tune your skills. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Distance yourself from anyone who wants to engage in a debate. Volatile situations can escalate rapidly, leaving you in a precarious position. Protect your reputation at all costs, and let the dust settle before you counter intelligently and thoughtfully. When someone else goes low, you go high, and you’ll win the battle. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look for a unique outlet, and it will soothe your soul. Keep your distance from those who overreact, spend, indulge or tempt you with such lavish behavior. Use your intelligence and experience to get ahead professionally by suggesting cost-efficient alternatives, and you will become a savior instead of a delinquent. Do what’s right. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Learn, gain experience and explore your options. Participate in events that offer thought-provoking insights and exclusive information. You stand to gain if you are well-informed and ready to negotiate. Communicating at a level that your counterpart can understand easily will help you execute your plans without conflicts or hesitation. Be direct, thoughtful and fair. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You owe it to yourself and loved ones to chill and catch up. It will take the edge off your stress and give you a chance to realize how much you have. Attitude and gratitude will bring you back to earth and encourage realistic choices. Choose peace over discord, and something good will come of it. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep moving. Choose discipline over overreacting or letting things get to you. What you accomplish will ease your stress and encourage you to do something nice for yourself. A little downtime will bring you joy and encourage you to be open with someone special regarding your intentions. Love and romance are in the stars. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are talkative, emotional and charming. You are persuasive and changeable.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.
2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.
3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.
4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.
5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

$20,000 reward: Man seen sawing off head of sea lion near Monterey

Federal authorities are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a man who was filmed decapitating a sea lion on a beach in Monterey County earlier this summer.

Investigators from the National Marine Fisheries Service say the sea lion was believed to have already been dead on Point Pinos Beach in Pacific Grove, about 2 miles from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, when a man drove up in a Cadillac Escalade, and used a hunting knife to saw the animal’s head off.

He placed it in a plastic bag and drove away as horrified onlookers watched.

A similar incident occurred at Doran Regional Park in Bodega Bay in December. Then, a man in his 30s decapitated a dead sea lion, put the animal’s head in a plastic bag and rode away on an e-bike, witnesses said. The fisheries service, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has offered a $20,000 reward in that case also.

Under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, a landmark environmental law signed by President Nixon in 1972, it is illegal to harm or harass marine mammals like sea lions, sea otters, or whales, and collect their parts, even if they are dead.

Rachel Hager, a spokeswoman for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Washington D.C., declined requests for an interview on Tuesday.

On July 30, however, Rashelle Diaz, a Monterey County resident, told KSBW TV that she saw the man, whom authorities described as a white male, 5-feet-9, in his late 50s or early 60s, with a white beard, cutting the dead sea lion’s head off on the beach.

“He was decapitating a seal he had already skinned, and separated the skull from the body,” Diaz said.

She walked over to the man and told him he was breaking the law.

“90% of the locals in Monterey are aware of that,” Diaz said. “You cannot go near a seal alive or dead. It’s the law.”

He told her he was doing marine biology research and had a permit.

“This man is in flip-flops, huge hunting filet knife,” she said. “You know, he’s got a hoodie on, some camo shorts. Not professional looking at all.”

As he ignored her warnings, she filmed the incident, which occurred at 8:40 p.m. on July 27. Federal authorities began looking into it after that.

“I saw the man leave with a seal skull in a Ziploc bag,” she said.

They contacted Moss Landing Marine Lab, which is run by San Jose State University. The lab operates a stranded marine mammal program that investigates dead sea lions and other marine mammals, with workers measuring them, sometimes performing necropsies, or animal autopsies, and adding the information into NOAA databases so scientists can track trends in ocean health.

The program said none if its workers matched the description of the man, said Sebastian Caamano, stranding coordinator for the Moss Landing Stranding Network.

“When I first heard about this I was assuming it was a guy who just wanted some kind of memorabilia,” Caamano said. “It was weird.”

Marine mammals that are stranded and still alive are often picked up by the Marine Mammal Center, a nonprofit group in Marin County that runs an animal hospital to nurse ocean wildlife back to health.

Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesman for the Marine Mammal Center, said officials there don’t know why anyone would want the head of a dead sea lion. Nor do scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, said spokesman Emerson Brown.

The two California incidents are not the first.

In 2020, five headless sea lions were discovered off Vancouver Island, Canada. Four headless sea lions were found on Vancouver Island in 2013. And at least 12 seal carcasses were found on the banks of the St. Lawrence in Quebec in 2014, according to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports at the time.

Anyone with information about the California incidents is asked to call the National Marine Fisheries Service at 1-800-853-1964.

Government shutdown begins as nation faces new period of uncertainty

By LISA MASCARO, MARY CLARE JALONICK and STEPHEN GROVES

WASHINGTON (AP) — Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.

Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by Trump’s Republican administration. Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead, while education, environmental and other services sputter. The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide.

“We don’t want it to shut down,” Trump said at the White House before the midnight deadline.

But the president, who met privately with congressional leadership this week, appeared unable to negotiate any deal between Democrats and Republicans to prevent that outcome.

This is the third time Trump has presided over a federal funding lapse, the first since his return to the White House this year, in a remarkable record that underscores the polarizing divide over budget priorities and a political climate that rewards hard-line positions rather than more traditional compromises.

Plenty of blame being thrown around

The Democrats picked this fight, which was unusual for the party that prefers to keep government running, but their voters are eager to challenge the president’s second-term agenda. Democrats are demanding funding for health care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act, spiking the costs of insurance premiums nationwide.

Republicans have refused to negotiate for now and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks. After the White House meeting, the president posted a cartoonish fake video mocking the Democratic leadership that was widely viewed as unserious and racist.

What neither side has devised is an easy offramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure. The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil.

“What the government spends money on is a demonstration of our country’s priorities,” said Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official who is the managing director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington.

Shutdowns, she said, “only inflict economic cost, fear and confusion across the country.”

Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwide

An economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days. The government is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs report, which may or may not be delivered.

While the financial markets have generally “shrugged” during past shutdowns, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis, this one could be different partly because there are no signs of broader negotiations.

“There are also few good analogies to this week’s potential shutdown,” the analysis said.

Across the government, preparations have been underway. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans for not just furloughs, as are typical during a federal funding lapse, but mass firings of federal workers. It’s part of the Trump administration’s mission, including its Department of Government Efficiency, to shrink the federal government.

What’s staying open and shutting down

The Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are expected to continue, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services. The Pentagon would still function. And most employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Security.

But Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are important to Democrats, “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

As agencies sort out which workers are essential, or not, Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday. A group of former national park superintendents urged the Trump administration to close the parks to visitors, arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the public and put park resources at risk.

No easy exit as health care costs soar

Ahead of Wednesday’s start of the fiscal year, House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill, over opposition from Democrats, to keep government running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue.

But that bill has failed repeatedly in the Senate, including late Tuesday. It takes a 60-vote threshold for approval, which requires cooperation between the two parties. A Democratic bill also failed. With a 53-47 GOP majority, Democrats are leveraging their votes to demand negotiation.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans are happy to discuss the health care issue with Democrats — but not as part of talks to keep the government open. More votes are expected Wednesday.

The standoff is a political test for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for health care funding.

“Americans are hurting with higher costs,” Schumer said after the failed vote Tuesday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

“They want to fight Trump,” Johnson said Tuesday on CNBC. “A lot of good people are going to be hurt because of this.”

Trump, during his meeting with the congressional leaders, expressed surprise at the scope of the rising costs of health care, but Democrats left with no path toward talks.

During Trump’s first term, the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown, 35 days, over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Other closures date back decades.

___

Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Joey Cappelletti, Will Weissert, Fatima Hussein and other AP reporters nationwide contributed to this report.

Kurtenbach: Kuminga’s agent fumbled negotiations with Warriors, drew ire of Curry

In the courtroom, there’s a legal claim called “ineffective assistance of counsel” that a defendant can make when their attorney is so bad at their job that it effectively violates their constitutional rights.

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga should look into whether the same claim can be made in NBA contract negotiations.

The good news is that the Warriors-Jonathan Kuminga contract saga is over.

The bad news for Kuminga is that his agent negotiated for him a lesser deal than he could have received from the Warriors, and that same dragged him and his reputation along on an embarrassing and quixotic quest for self-aggrandizement in the process.

But, hey, Aaron Turner got his name out there.

After Tuesday, he should regret that decision.

Only one thing truly, assuredly came out of this process: Kuminga’s in-over-his-head agent made Steph Curry very, very mad.

That seems like a bad thing to do.

“I only listen to my teammate,” Curry said tersely after he was asked an eighth question about Kuminga’s contract situation at Monday’s media day. “I don’t listen to agents or anybody speaking on behalf.”

The quote isn’t just a soundbite; it’s a public execution of the agent’s credibility in this league. Kuminga would have been a lot better off had he listened to his legendary teammate (and a damn good businessman), not the sycophantic calls of a guy desperate to make a name for himself.

In a summer saga marked by more red flags than Beijing, the biggest one emerged just days ago, when Turner, on that media tour, claimed that his client would rather accept the $8 million, one-year qualifying offer than agree to a deal with a team option.

He genuinely believed he was playing poker with an unbeatable hand — his was a master-class bluff.

I guess he didn’t know that the Warriors have 17-time World Series of Poker champion Phil Helmuth as an off-the-books consultant.

Turner should stick to Go Fish.

Not only did Turner end up with a deal that stripped a year of guaranteed salary off the table—the Warriors’ previous offer was reportedly three years and $75 million (with a final-year team option)—but he then had the sheer audacity, through a public relations flack (or as ESPN calls him, “NBA Insider Shams Charania”), to try and spin the second-year team option as a deal that can be “ripped up and renegotiated next summer.”

That is not how a team option works. The Warriors don’t have to tear up anything. That would require the deal to have a mutual option or a player option, which, well, it doesn’t.

Maybe Turner knows that. Maybe he doesn’t. It doesn’t really matter because what actually matters is what’s on paper, and it doesn’t suit Kuminga and his alleged commitment to the Warriors, which his teammates said Monday he’s pledged to them.

What this deal actually does is simple, brutal, and utterly transparent: It forces Kuminga to keep his bags packed all season long.

So much for being a foundational piece in the Warriors’ future; the heir to Curry’s kingdom.

Kuminga is nothing more to the Warriors than a trade piece — one that’s eligible to be moved come Jan. 15.

His Warriors legacy will be relegated to fine print — the guy they sent to make salaries work for someone else. Anyone else, perhaps.

Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga (00) tries to get a shot off against Minnesota Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) in the second quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, May 12, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

And, make no mistake about it, he’ll move. The implicit no-trade clause that comes with what’s effectively a one-year deal like this has reportedly already been waived. (So Turner does know…)

The only reasonable conclusion? Kuminga has been victimized by the reckless, headline-chasing incompetence of the very man paid to protect him.

That sound you hear is other agents on the phone, trying to poach Kuminga as a client. They’ll make some strong points, and he should listen to them.

Between now and that fateful January day, I do not doubt that Kuminga will be a good soldier — a pro. No one wants to act up and mess up trade value when the end is so near. You have to be on your best behavior — you’re auditioning for other teams.

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At the same time, that audition process might be a problem for the end-of-2025 Dubs. Don’t expect Kuminga to change anything that he does on the court. He’ll still be a ball-stopper in the Warriors’ ball-movement offense and a when-I-feel-like-it defender.

Buy in?

The Warriors didn’t buy into Kuminga, and I can’t blame them for that.

At the same time, we won’t be able to blame Kuminga when he doesn’t buy in for the next few months, either.

This is the 2006 Jennifer Aniston-Vince Vaughn movie The Breakup. Kuminga and the Warriors have decided to go their separate ways — they just have to live together for a few months until the forward finds a new place to live.

And I know it’s that movie, because it’s certainly not Turner starring in a reboot of Jerry Maguire.

Seth Curry set to join older brother Stephen with Warriors: Report

SAN FRANCISCO — With the Jonathan Kuminga situation now resolved (if only temporarily), the Warriors bolstered their backcourt with a veteran with a familiar last name and sharpshooting skillset.

Seth Curry, 35, has agreed to sign a one-year deal, according to a report by ESPN on Tuesday afternoon. The 6-foot-1 guard, and younger brother of Warriors superstar Steph Curry, played in 68 games for his hometown Charlotte Hornets last season, and led the league with a 45.6% accuracy rate from behind the 3-point line.

After beginning his pro career with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors, he has played for nine teams over the course of an 11-year NBA career, one that has seen him shoot 43.3% from 3-point distance and average exactly 10 points per game.

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He is expected to add another quality shot-maker that the Warriors sometimes needed behind Steph Curry and Buddy Hield last season, an issue that became even more evident in the playoffs once Curry went out with a pulled hamstring.

Seth Curry will likely back up third-year guard Brandin Podziemski this season and compete with Hield and the expected-to-be-signed De’Anthony Melton for minutes in the backcourt.

Justice Department sues New Jersey synagogue protesters using law meant to protect abortion clinics

By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI

Federal officials have sued pro-Palestinian demonstrators involved in a heated protest outside a New Jersey synagogue last year, citing a law created to protect abortion clinics from obstruction and threats.

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Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said the civil lawsuit filed Monday against two pro-Palestinian groups and some demonstrators appears to be the first time the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act has been used against protesters outside a house of worship.

Monday’s lawsuit stems from a Nov. 13 demonstration outside Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, about 20 miles west of Manhattan. It occurred during a real estate fair that promoted the sale of homes in Israel and in settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The Justice Department, under President Donald Trump, has signaled it would use the 1994 law against pro-Palestinian demonstrators that have protested outside synagogues over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

“No American should be harassed, targeted, or discriminated against for peacefully practicing their religion,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement issued Monday. “Today’s lawsuit underscores this Department of Justice’s commitment to defending Jewish Americans — and all Americans of faith — from those who would threaten their right to worship.”

The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act was passed during a time when abortion clinic protests and violence against abortion providers, such as the murder of Dr. David Gunn in 1993, was on the rise. It specifically prohibits the use of force and physical obstruction to interfere with people at both reproductive health centers or houses of worship.

Under Trump, however, the agency has curtailed prosecutions against abortion clinic protesters, calling them an example of the “weaponization” of law enforcement. The Republican has also pardoned anti-abortion activists, including a number involved in the October 2020 invasion and blockade of a Washington clinic.

Monday’s lawsuit claims the protesters interfered with the attendees’ civil rights to exercise their religion, claiming they physically assaulted worshippers and used plastic horns known as vuvuzelas to disrupt the event.

The lawsuit names two groups — The American Muslims for Palestine New Jersey and the Party for Socialism and Liberation in New Jersey — and three individuals. The groups did not respond Tuesday to requests for comment, and telephone numbers for the individuals could not be located.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit does not include the two pro-Israel counter protesters who were charged with aggravated assault and other offenses against pro-Palestinian demonstrators. A spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said the agency doesn’t comment on pending prosecutions.

Warriors’ Steve Kerr addresses uncertain future with 1 year left on his contract

SAN FRANCISCO – A few minutes after concluding the first day of his 11th training camp as coach of the Warriors, Steve Kerr was uninterested in reflecting upon past glories with the team. 

He was also not keen on discussing several players who are not yet on the roster, with free agents Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton tied to the team through reports but unsigned as of Tuesday afternoon.

However, Kerr, 60, could not avoid addressing his own future. 

Kerr is in the final year of a deal inked in 2024. Adding a year to his deal would put him on the same two-year timeline as stars Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, but he said any extension likely would not come until after the season.

“I’m not the slightest bit concerned about it, and I don’t think about it,” Kerr said. “I think it makes perfect sense, and I think that however it ends, it’s going to be done in a really quality way. It’s going to happen in the right way.”

“If it’s meant for me to keep going, I’m going to keep going,” Kerr continued. “If it’s meant to be for the team to move on to somebody else, there will be nothing but gratitude and appreciation. This makes it easy for everybody. Let’s just see where we are at the end of the year.”

While Kerr’s contract runs out after this season, Jonathan Kuminga is set to be part of the team’s plans for the foreseeable future. 

Kerr spoke a few hours before Jonathan Kuminga ended his restricted free agency by agreeing to a new multi-year contract. 

Remaining in lockstep with the Warriors’ star trio, the veteran coach said he held no ill will toward Kuminga.

After all, Kerr was once in Kuminga’s shoes during a 15-year playing career that saw him win five titles.

“These are short careers, and I want all our players to do well,” Kerr said. “How it gets there can be messy, but I’m not worried about any of that.”

The Golden State Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr speaks during a press conference at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)

Managing an older roster

With all three of his stars in their mid-to-late 30s, and apparent incoming vet Horford, 39, Kerr admitted that managing minutes will be a priority this season. 

He said that the team will expect some of the younger players, among them third-year guard Brandin Podziemski, to step up when the veterans rest or miss games with inevitable injuries. 

In Podziemski’s case, Kerr expects more emotional maturity from the Santa Clara product, noting that his constant whining to the officials needs to stop. Podziemski agreed.

“When the veterans are out, how can we manufacture wins?” Podziemski said. “I want to be a focal part of that when they’re out, and if they look to me and I’m all out of whack emotionally, it’s going to be hard to win.”

Moody’s new role

Moses Moody enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 season, entrenching himself into the starting lineup as a capable shooter who could guard every position but center. 

Kerr expects the fifth-year player to continue to shoot near 40% from deep, but also sees him as being more of a playmaker in certain situations. 

“As a screener, a roller, playing out of the pocket, swinging the ball,” Kerr said. “He’s capable being a ballhandler too, and if they put the five on him, then we can absolutely do some of that.”

Butler’s presence

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As stagehands were busy building out the stage for pop star Laufey’s concert at Chase Center, Kerr raved about the positive impact of having Butler on the roster from the beginning of the season. 

The team went 23-8 to end last regular season, and the Warriors hope that will remain a trend once Butler has a full training camp with Golden State. 

The 36-year-old forward averaged 17.9 points and 5.9 assists last season while getting to the free-throw line a whopping 7.7 times per game. 

“You don’t really need to run sets with Jimmy, because he’s an iso player and one of the best in the league at creating shots for himself or others,” Kerr said. “But it’s nice to have him for the full camp, for the continuity and chemistry he’s building with teammates.”

Trump administration blames Democrats for shutdown in official government warnings as deadline nears

By MEG KINNARD

HOUSTON (AP) — With the first U.S. government shutdown in almost seven years looming, the Trump administration is using official government communications to blame Democrats and promote the president’s policies.

At least one agency has posted a public warning blaming “the massive pain” of any shutdown on “The Radical Left,” provoking questions about potential violations of the Hatch Act, which restricts partisan political activity by U.S. federal employees.

While furloughs of employees have been part of previous shutdowns, federal agencies under President Donald Trump have also been urged to consider more permanent reductions in force for programs “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

Here’s a look at the shutdown messaging coming from the federal government:

Housing and Urban Development website

Visitors to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website on Tuesday were greeted with a pop-up message warning that “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands.”

“The Trump administration wants to keep the government open for the American people,” the rest of the message read.

Asked about the banner on HUD’s website that accuses Democrats of trying to shut down the government, agency spokesperson Kasey Lovett said in a statement that “the Far Left is barreling our country toward a shut down, which will hurt all Americans.”

Some internet users suggested the message would violate the Hatch Act, an 80-year-old law that restricts partisan political activity by U.S. federal employees. HUD officials pushed back on those claims, noting the banner did not refer to an election, and did not mention any party or politician by name.

Messages to federal employees

Employees across the federal government have reported receiving messages noting Trump’s general opposition to a shutdown.

Employees at the Departments of Interior, the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Justice received a message noting that Trump “opposes a government shutdown, and strongly supports the enactment of HR 5371,” the GOP-backed bill to fund the government through Nov. 21.

“Unfortunately Democrats are blocking the resolution in the Senate due to unrelated policy demands,” the message went on. “If Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture and refuse to pass a clean continuing resolution to keep the government funded before midnight on Sept. 30, 2025, federal funding will lapse.”

Some agencies, like the Securities and Exchange Commission, posted more informational notices online, detailing planning for operating status changes “concurrently with the rest of the federal government.”

Furloughs and layoffs

Some federal employees would be furloughed during a shutdown, and the White House’s budget office has warned agencies to consider permanently cutting staff in some of the areas that would be affected, a new twist on the situation.

In a memo released last week, the Office of Management and Budget said agencies should consider a reduction in force for federal programs whose funding would lapse this week, are not otherwise funded and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.” That would be a much more aggressive step than in previous shutdowns, when federal workers not deemed essential were furloughed but returned to their jobs once Congress approved government spending.

A reduction in force would not only lay off employees but eliminate their positions. That would trigger another massive upheaval in a federal workforce that has already faced major rounds of cuts this year due to efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency and elsewhere in the Trump administration.

___

Ali Swenson in New York contributed reporting.