Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 68

Appeals court finds Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship unconstitutional, upholds block

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST and HALLIE GOLDEN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s order seeking to end birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, affirming a lower-court decision that blocked its enforcement nationwide.

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The ruling from a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes after Trump’s plan was also blocked by a federal judge in New Hampshire. It marks the first time an appeals court has weighed in and brings the issue one step closer to coming back quickly before the Supreme Court.

The 9th Circuit decision keeps a block on the Trump administration enforcing the order that would deny citizenship to children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily.

“The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order’s proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree,” the majority wrote.

The 2-1 ruling keeps in place a decision from U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour in Seattle, who blocked Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship and decried what he described as the administration’s attempt to ignore the Constitution for political gain. Coughenour was the first to block the order.

The White House and Justice Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The Supreme Court has since restricted the power of lower court judges to issue orders that affect the whole country, known as nationwide injunctions.

But the 9th Circuit majority found that the case fell under one of the exceptions left open by the justices. The case was filed by a group of states who argued that they need a nationwide order to prevent the problems that would be caused by birthright citizenship only being the law in half of the country.

“We conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in issuing a universal injunction in order to give the States complete relief,” Judge Michael Hawkins and Ronald Gould, both appointed by President Bill Clinton, wrote.

Judge Patrick Bumatay, who was appointed by Trump, dissented. He found that the states don’t have the legal right, or standing, to sue. “We should approach any request for universal relief with good faith skepticism, mindful that the invocation of ‘complete relief’ isn’t a backdoor to universal injunctions,” he wrote.

Bumatay did not weigh in on whether ending birthright citizenship would be constitutional.

The Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment says that all people born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to U.S. jurisdiction, are citizens.

Justice Department attorneys argue that the phrase “subject to United States jurisdiction” in the amendment means that citizenship isn’t automatically conferred to children based on their birth location alone.

The states — Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon — argue that ignores the plain language of the Citizenship Clause as well as a landmark birthright citizenship case in 1898 where the Supreme Court found a child born in San Francisco to Chinese parents was a citizen by virtue of his birth on American soil.

Trump’s order asserts that a child born in the U.S. is not a citizen if the mother does not have legal immigration status or is in the country legally but temporarily, and the father is not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. At least nine lawsuits challenging the order have been filed around the U.S.

Associated Press writer Rebecca Boone contributed to this story.

State Department approves $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine

The State Department said Wednesday that it has approved $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine to enhance its air defense capabilities and provide armored combat vehicles, coming as the country works to fend off escalating Russian attacks.

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The potential sales, which the department said were notified to Congress, include $150 million for the supply, maintenance, repair and overhaul of U.S. armored vehicles, and $172 million for surface-to-air missile systems.

The approvals come weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed a pause on other weapons shipments to Ukraine to allow the Pentagon to assess its weapons stockpiles, in a move that caught the White House by surprise. President Donald Trump then made an abrupt change in posture, pledging publicly earlier this month to continue to send weapons to Ukraine.

“We have to,” Trump said. “They have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now. We’re going to send some more weapons — defensive weapons primarily.”

Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade recruits train at the polygon in Kyiv region, Ukraine, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)A Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade recruit runs to take a position during a training at the polygon in Kyiv region, Ukraine, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)In this photo and provided by Ukraine’s 24th Mechanized Brigade press service, soldiers have a rest in a shelter on the frontline near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine’s 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP)President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio listen during a meeting with Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)Show Caption1 of 4Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade recruits train at the polygon in Kyiv region, Ukraine, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)Expand

Trump recently endorsed a plan to have European allies buy U.S. military equipment that can then be transferred to Ukraine. It was not immediately clear how the latest proposed sales related to that arrangement.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. has provided more than $67 billion in weapons and security assistance to Kyiv.

Since Trump came back into office, his administration has gone back and forth about providing more military aid to Ukraine, with political pressure to stop U.S. funding of foreign wars coming from the isolationists inside the Trump administration and on Capitol Hill.

Over the course of the war, the U.S. has routinely pressed for allies to provide air defense systems to Ukraine. But many are reluctant to give up the high-tech systems, particularly countries in Eastern Europe that also feel threatened by Russia.

Columbia University reaches a deal with Trump to restore federal research funds

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore federal research money that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus, the university announced Wednesday.

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Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay the $200 million settlement over three years to the federal government, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty, acting University President Claire Shipman said.

The administration pulled the funding, because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023.

Columbia then agreed to a series of demands laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and adopting a new definition of antisemitism. Wednesday’s agreement codifies those reforms, Shipman said.

GOP House members want to run in other races. Trump is telling them to stay in their seats

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and JILL COLVIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michigan Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga was ready to launch a U.S. Senate bid. All he needed was President Donald Trump’ s blessing.

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But in a White House meeting last week, the president encouraged Huizenga to run for reelection rather than challenge former Rep. Mike Rogers for Senate in the battleground state, hoping to keep his west Michigan seat secure, according to three people with direct knowledge of the conversation.

On Wednesday, Huizenga announced he was skipping the Senate race.

“After careful consideration … as well as in consultation with President Trump, I have decided against a bid for U.S. Senate in Michigan,” he said in a statement.

It’s the latest example of Trump’s increasingly heavy-handed efforts to keep incumbent House members in their seats and keep those seats in GOP hands as he and his political team try to avoid what happened in his first term, when Republicans lost the chamber after just two years. From Michigan to New York to Iowa, Trump has actively worked to reshape Republican primary fields, demonstrating the enormous influence he wields over a party that, by and large, answers to him.

Trump puts his thumb on the scale for the 2026 midterms

In Iowa, Rep. Zach Nunn had been weighing a run for governor until his own conversation with Trump, after which he opted to seek reelection to a seat that national Republicans feel would have been more competitive without an incumbent on the ballot. Trump offered a full-throated endorsement of Nunn’s reelection after he said he spoke with him.

Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, takes a selfie following the passage of President Donald Trump’s signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, Thursday, July 3, 2025, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

And on Wednesday, New York Rep. Mike Lawler announced he would defend his pivotal swing seat rather than launch a gubernatorial bid after a private meeting with Trump last week.

“He obviously encouraged me to run for reelection to the House,” Lawler said about his conversation with Trump. “That’s where his focus is.”

The efforts are the latest demonstration of Trump and his political operation’s intense focus on keeping control of the House next year.

The party in power historically loses seats in midterm elections. But Trump, according to people familiar with his thinking, is determined to avoid a repeat of 2018, when Democrats took over the House and proceeded to block his legislative agenda and then impeach him twice.

Trump is hoping he can buck history and maintain maximum power for the next three-and-a-half years, despite his lame duck status.

To that end, he and his team have worked to dissuade incumbents in potentially vulnerable seats from stepping down to pursue runs for the Senate or governor, delivering the message that they are all on the same team and that it is in the party’s best interest to keep control of the chamber.

FILE — U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, of New York’s 17th District, marches in the 2025 Israel Day Parade, on New York’s Fifth Avenue, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

“We have a tight margin. These competitive districts are going to be determinative of the outcome,” said Lawler. “Of course, the president has a focus on wanting to keep these seats and avoid unnecessary primaries.”

Trump still wields power over GOP members

Trump’s success in dissuading members from pursuing what are effectively promotions is yet another demonstration of the enormous power he wields over members, many of whom have made clear that they will not run unless they have the president’s blessing.

At the same time, he’s shown a willingness to greenlight bids from members in safer seats. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, who represents a deep red district, continues to move toward a potential run for governor. Trump also signaled support for a Senate bid by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia, though she ultimately decided against it.

Republican House candidates this year are generally trying to run in lockstep with the president — a reflection of his sky-high popularity with Republican voters and his success last November in drawing new voters to the party. Republicans are eager to replicate that model after struggling in the past to turn out Trump’s supporters when the president isn’t on the ballot.

Democrats, meanwhile, have tried to cast the moves as a sign that Republicans are nervous about 2026.

“They know their prospects for reelection are grim. They have been ordered by Donald Trump to seek reelection. In other words, Donald has signed their political death sentence,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Wednesday. “They chose to bend the knee.”

Huizenga steps aside

Huizenga, for months, had been contemplating challenging Rogers in the Republican primary, waiting for a more formal discussion with Trump about the race, although they had spoken on the phone multiple times. Some Republicans in the state felt that Rogers should be challenged, since he lost last year even as Trump won by nearly 80,000 votes. Rogers has hired a number of Trump’s staffers, including his former campaign co-manager, Chris LaCivita.

FILE – Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., speaks at a campaign rally, Nov. 4, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

While the emphasis from the White House was on keeping the House seat — which Huizenga won by just under 12 percentage points — he has not yet made a final decision on reelection.

“Every two years, Bill sits down with his wife to discuss what is best for their family,” Brian Patrick, Huizenga’s spokesperson, said in a statement. “This election cycle is no different.”

Lawler said that while Trump shared his desire for the congressman to stay in the House, “I didn’t get here by doing as told.”

“It’s something that I’ve thought extensively about and went through a very unemotional process and a more data driven process than anything,” said Lawler.

Not everyone has abided by Trump’s wishes. Rep. John James of Michigan is running for governor in a crowded GOP field, leaving open a competitive House seat.

“He’s running for governor but I’m not sure I’m too happy about that, John,” said Trump during an event in June, with James in the audience.

“Do we have somebody good to take your seat? ‘Cause otherwise we’re not letting him run for governor,” Trump said with a laugh.

James’ spokesperson, Hannah Osantowske, said in a statement that James has earned “the President’s endorsement in every race and is committed to earning it again.”

“He’s a proven winner, and President Trump backs winners who’ve stood by him,” Osantowske said.

Trump has leveraged other power over Republicans

Beyond discouraging members from running, Trump is flexing his power in other ways. In Texas, he has pushed Republicans to try to redraw House district maps to help protect Republicans’ slim majority next year. He wants Republicans to carve out as many as five more winnable congressional districts — a high-risk, high-reward maneuver that could energize Democratic voters.

The intense involvement in House races stands in contrast to the Senate, where Trump, until now, has generally avoided wading into contentious and open primaries in crucial battleground states like North Carolina and Georgia, as well as in Texas. In the Lone Star State, a longtime ally, Ken Paxton, is challenging incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, to the dismay of many national Republicans who fear Paxton would be toxic in a general election.

Even in Michigan, where Rogers is now expected to be the lone high-profile Republican in the open race, Trump has yet to endorse.

The contrast, allies say, reflects the more disciplined approach his political operation is taking compared to years past. That includes subjecting candidates Trump may endorse to a careful vetting process that includes an assessment of their teams and fundraising capacity.

Colvin reported from New York.

US government is building a 5,000-person immigrant detention camp in west Texas

The U.S. government is building an immense 5,000-person detention camp in west Texas, government contract announcements said, sharply increasing the Trump administration’s ability to hold detained immigrants amid its ever-growing mass deportation efforts.

A Defense Department contract announcement on Monday said Acquisition Logistics, a Virginia-based firm, had been awarded $232 million in Army funds to build the facility, which would be used for single immigrant adults.

Procurement documents called it a “soft sided facility,” a phrase often used for tent camps.

The announcement came just weeks after Florida authorities rushed to construct a new immigration detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” which was built on an isolated airstrip surrounded by swampland in the Florida Everglades.

The announcement said the new facility would be built in El Paso, which is home to Ft. Bliss, an Army base that stretches across parts of Texas and New Mexico.

President Donald Trump recently signed a law setting aside $170 billion on border and immigration enforcement, including $45 billion for detention, even as the number of illegal border crossings has plunged. ICE will see its funding grow by $76.5 billion over five years, nearly 10 times its current annual budget.

Trump has vowed to deport millions of immigrants living illegally in the U.S.

Bondi facing Democratic calls to testify following report she told Trump he was in Epstein files

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing Democratic calls to testify before Congress following a newspaper’s revelation that she told President Donald Trump that his name appeared in the files of the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation.

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The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Bondi told Trump his name was among many high-profile figures mentioned in the files, which the Justice Department this month said it would not be releasing despite a clamor from online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and members of Trump’s base.

Trump’s personal ties to Epstein are well-established and his name is already known to have been included in records related to the wealthy financier, who killed himself in jail in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.

Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, responded to the report by calling on Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“We need to bring Bondi and Patel into the Judiciary Committee to testify about this now,” Schiff said in a video posted on X.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the report but issued a joint statement from Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying that investigators had reviewed the records and “nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.”

“As par of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,” the statement said.

The mere inclusion of a person’s name in Epstein’s files does not imply wrongdoing and he was known to have been associated with multiple prominent figures, including Trump.

Over the years, thousands of pages of records have been released through lawsuits, Epstein’s criminal dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests.

They include a 2016 deposition in which an accuser recounted she spent several hours with Epstein at Trump’s Atlantic City casino but didn’t say if she met Trump and did not accuse him of any wrongdoing.

Trump has also said he once thought Epstein was a “terrific guy” but they later had a falling-out.

White House spokesman Steven Cheung on Wednesday said the reports were “nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media.”

House GOP seeks to censure Democrat McIver over New Jersey detention center incident

By LISA MASCARO

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House Republican proposed a resolution Wednesday to censure Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver over an incident with law enforcement during a congressional oversight visit to a new immigration detention facility in her home state of New Jersey.

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Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana pushed forward the measure, which also calls for removing McIver from her seat on the Homeland Security Committee, as the House was preparing to recess for the August break. As a privileged resolution, it can be considered for swift action as soon as lawmakers return in September.

Higgins read from the resolution on the House floor, arguing that McIver violated the chamber rules that require a member “to behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.” He said her continued service on the Homeland Security Committee “would represent a significant conflict of interest.”

The GOP action comes as House Republicans in the majority have been quick to punish Democratic lawmakers for transgressions large and small — and in this situation, before McIver’s case has played out in court. She has pleaded not guilty to charges brought by interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump, stemming from the May 9 incident. A trial date has been set for November.

The congresswoman has vowed not to be intimidated by the legal and political actions against her.

“Clay Higgins is a bigot who wants to be back in the news,” McIver said in a statement.

She pointed to the way House Republicans are “running home to hide,” having recessed for August break a day early.

“This resolution aims to kick me off the committee that presides over the Department of Homeland Security and shame me for doing the oversight work that is my job. Good luck, Clay,” she said.

Members of Congress have been conducting oversight of the federal detention centers that are being stood up by the Trump administration across the nation as part of the president’s mass deportation agenda. Lawmakers have been assessing how best to conduct such work amid blowback by the Trump administration.

At the time, McIver, a new lawmaker first elected in 2024, was making the visit with other House Democrats and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at the privately owned 1,000-bed facility that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using as a detention center.

McIver was indicted on three counts of assaulting, resisting, impeding and interfering with federal officials. Two of the counts carry a maximum sentence of up to eight years in prison. The third is a misdemeanor with a maximum punishment of one year in prison.

Baraka was also arrested on a trespassing charge that was later dropped and is suing Habba over what he called a malicious prosecution.

A nearly two-minute video clip released by the Department of Homeland Security shows McIver at the facility inside a chain-link fence just before Baraka’s arrest on other side of the barrier, where other people were protesting.

The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and officers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an officer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform emblazoned with the word “Police.”

It is not clear from police bodycam video if the contact was intentional, incidental or the result of jostling in the chaotic scene.

The prospect of a House censure used to be rare, with fewer than 30, but has become more frequent in recent years.

Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed to this report.

Gabbard uses surprise White House appearance to attack Trump’s enemies on the Russia investigation

By DAVID KLEPPER, ERIC TUCKER and CHRIS MEGERIAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the national intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard is responsible for guarding America’s secrets and discovering threats from overseas. But when she made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room Wednesday, her targets were President Donald Trump’s political enemies.

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Escalating her attempts to undermine the long-settled conclusion that Russia tried to help Trump beat Hillary Clinton for the presidency nearly a decade ago, she unspooled what she called unshakeable proof that then-President Barack Obama and his advisers plotted nothing short of a coup.

“They conspired to subvert the will of the American people,” she said, claiming they fabricated evidence to taint Trump’s victory.

Little of what she said was new, and much of it was baseless. Gabbard said her investigation into the former Democratic administration was designed to stop the weaponization of national security institutions, but it spurred more questions about her own independence atop a spying system intended to provide unvarnished intelligence.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who ran for president herself before joining Trump’s idiosyncratic political ecosystem, seemed prepared to use her presentation to burnish her own standing. She was trailed by her cinematographer husband, who held a video camera to capture the moment.

And Trump, who had previously expressed public doubts about Gabbard’s analysis of Iran’s nuclear program, appeared satisfied. He posted a video of her remarks, pinning them at the top of his social media feed.

It was a display that cemented Gabbard’s role as one of Trump’s chief agents of retribution, delivering official recognition of Trump’s grievances about the Russia investigation that shadowed his first term. The focus on a years-old scandal also served Trump’s attempts to shift attention from the Jeffrey Epstein case and questions about the president’s own association with an abuser of underage girls.

Gabbard touts her latest release

During her White House remarks, Gabbard said she has referred the documents to the Justice Department to consider for a possible criminal investigation.

Obama’s post-presidential office declined to comment Wednesday but issued a rare response a day earlier. “These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,” said Patrick Rodenbush, an Obama spokesman.

The White House rejected questions about the timing of Gabbard’s revelations and whether they were designed to curry favor with Trump or distract attention from the administration’s handling of files relating to Epstein.

Still, Trump was quick to reward Gabbard’s loyalty this week, calling her “the hottest person in the room.”

On Wednesday, she released a report by Republican staff of the House Intelligence Committee during the first Trump administration. It does not dispute that Russia interfered in the 2016 election but cites what it says were tradecraft failings in the assessment reached by the intelligence community that Russian President Vladimir Putin influenced the election because he intended for Trump to win.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Gabbard went beyond some of the conclusions of the report in describing its findings from the White House podium. She, along with the report, also seized on the fact that a dossier including uncorroborated tips and salacious gossip about Trump’s ties to Russia was referenced in an annex of an intelligence community assessment made public in 2017 that detailed Russia’s interference.

It was not the basis for the FBI’s decision to open an investigation in July 2016 into potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, but Trump supporters have seized on the unverified innuendo in the document to try to undercut the broader probe.

Timing of the reports prompt questions

Gabbard said she didn’t know why the reports weren’t released during Trump’s first administration. Her office did not respond to questions about the timing of the release.

Responding to a question from a reporter about Gabbard’s motivations, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused journalists of looking for a story where there wasn’t one.

“The only people who are suggesting that she would release evidence to boost her standing are the people in this room,” Leavitt said.

Trump, however, has said he wants the media, and the public, to focus on Gabbard’s report and not his ties to Epstein.

“We caught Hillary Clinton. We caught Barack Hussein Obama … you ought take a look at that and stop talking about nonsense,” Trump said Tuesday.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe served briefly as director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term but did not release any of the information declassified by Gabbard. The CIA declined to comment on Gabbard’s remarks Wednesday.

Trump and Gabbard’s evolving relationship

Gabbard told Congress in April that Iran wasn’t actively seeking a nuclear weapon, and Trump dismissed her assessment just before U.S. strikes on Iran.

“I don’t care what she said,” Trump said in June on Air Force One when asked about Gabbard’s testimony.

Gabbard recently shared her findings in an Oval Office meeting with Trump, according to two administration officials who requested anonymity to discuss a private conversation. Afterward, one of the officials said, Trump expressed satisfaction that Gabbard’s findings aligned with his own beliefs about the Russia investigation.

Other recent releases on the Russia investigation

On Friday, Gabbard’s office released a report that downplayed the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 election by highlighting Obama administration emails showing officials had concluded before and after the presidential race that Moscow had not hacked state election systems to manipulate votes in Trump’s favor.

But Obama’s Democratic administration never suggested otherwise, even as it exposed other means by which Russia interfered in the election, including through a massive hack-and-leak operation of Democratic emails by intelligence operatives working with WikiLeaks, as well as a covert influence campaign aimed at swaying public opinion and sowing discord through fake social media posts.

Earlier this month Ratcliffe released a report earlier this month criticizing the 2017 investigation into the election, but it did not address multiple investigations since then, including a report from the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee in 2020 that reached the same conclusion about Russia’s influence and motives.

Democrats call for Gabbard’s resignation

Lawmakers from both parties have long stressed the need for an independent intelligence service. Democrats said Gabbard’s reports show she has placed partisanship and loyalty to Trump over her duty and some have called for her resignation.

“It seems as though the Trump administration is willing to declassify anything and everything except the Epstein files,” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement Wednesday.

Warner predicted Gabbard’s actions could prompt U.S. allies to share less information for fear it would be politicized or recklessly declassified.

But Gabbard enjoys strong support among Republicans. Rep. Rick Crawford, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said she and Ratcliffe were working to put the intelligence community “on the path to regaining the trust of the American people.”

Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence panel, said Gabbard hasn’t offered any reason to ignore the many earlier investigations into Russia’s efforts.

“The Director is free to disagree with the Intelligence Community Assessment’s conclusion that Putin favored Donald Trump, but her view stands in stark contrast to the verdict rendered by multiple credible investigations,” Himes said in a statement. “Including the bipartisan report released by the Senate Intelligence Committee.”

Pacific Grove residents attend townhall with Supervisor Daniels

Pacific Grove residents had the opportunity to meet in person with their Board of Supervisors representative to discuss the status of long- and short-term projects, as well as any changes in positions or opinions.

District 5 Supervisor Kate Daniels met with residents Tuesday night at the Pacific Grove Recreation Center to get a feel for what residents were thinking about and share her own ideas and progress.

“From the time I was elected to now, my big issues and goals have not changed,” Daniels said. “Lately, I’ve been thinking about ways to preserve our services, how can this place be more sustainable?”

About a dozen residents were in attendance, in addition to Pacific Grove Mayor Nick Smith, Council members Cynthia Garfield and Tina Rau and Carmel City Administrator Chip Rerig.

Topics ranged from water to housing to infrastructure, with Daniels detailing updates from the Board of Supervisors and her own work on different boards and commissions.

She spoke about how she believes the area won’t need as much was as California American Water Co. is projecting. She also is working with PG&E officials on projects like under-grounding powerlines to protect the area from wildfires.

Residents in attendance said they were satisfied with Daniels speaking points, and felt that a good discussion was had.

“I like the fairness and honesty of her (Daniels) answers,” said Warren Blier of Pacific Grove. “I came to this meeting to get a better feel for what’s going on and see how involved our public officials are.”

Attendees lauded Daniels for being up to date on several different issues and being able to answer an array of different questions.

“I’m always ready to listen to Kate Daniels,” said Meganne Yeoman of Pacific Grove. “So many issues and things that I’m worried about, she’s always there and has similar views. She’s so responsive, and just everything you’d want in a public official.”

Daniels said she enjoys taking the time to meet with people and is planning more meetings in the future.

“I would do this again,” Daniels said. “Whenever there’s an opportunity to engage with people in person I want to be there, I need to hear from residents face-to-face so I know what’s important, and I can represent them well.”

Horoscopes July 23, 2025: Marlon Wayans, share your thoughts and feelings

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Daniel Radcliffe, 36; Paul Wesley, 43; Marlon Wayans, 53; Woody Harrelson, 64.

Happy Birthday: Share your thoughts and feelings. Stop laboring over what others do or say, and clarify what matters to you. Take responsibility for your actions, choose to do what makes sense and offers the slice of happiness you want and deserve. Take an assertive stance when dealing with finances, joint ventures or how you invest your skills, cash and time. Focus on health, appearance and emotional well-being. Your numbers are 7, 15, 23, 27, 34, 38, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take a midweek breather; it will help you see any troubles you face through a different lens. Too much of anything can weigh you down; whether you overeat, overspend or overdo, it’s best to reevaluate the reasoning behind such behavior. A lifestyle change may be in order. Put health and finances first. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Gauge situations as they unfold. Keep things in perspective and avoid overreacting or letting those who try to force their drama on you get to you. Focus your energy where it matters and work diligently to resolve outstanding issues. Less talk and spending will help you avoid unfortunate situations. Take control. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Mingle, gather information and pay attention to the changes those in power initiate. Make a concerted effort to block or protect yourself from any fallout that can hurt you physically. A concept someone offers will spark your imagination and encourage you to develop something you can market. Home improvements look appealing. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Avoid aggressive situations. Put your energy where it can do some good and encourage you to get ahead. Consider ways to reduce your overhead, increase revenue or generate a profit from items you no longer use. Focus on decluttering, lifestyle changes and making more time for the people and pastimes you enjoy most. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Curiosity will lead to research and positive change. Focus your energy on something that leads to a happy outcome. Refuse to waste time on trivial matters or those trying to pick a fight with you. Let your charm lead the way, and your path will result in personal growth and the lifestyle you desire. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Simplify your plans to suit your needs. Stay close to what and who matters, and maintain a good rapport to ensure you get the best outcome. An opportunity to meet someone who can offer insight based on experience will give you the confidence you need to forge ahead with your plans. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A day trip will change how you think about or do things. Attending a function that offers knowledge or guidance on filtering, decluttering and making your life run efficiently will give you hope for a brighter future. Adopt the change of your choice, and adapt it to fit your lifestyle and prospects that lie ahead. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Someone will crush your optimism if you are too accommodating or share personal information. Take advantage of what’s available and consider unique ways to intertwine what you discover into your long-term plans. Refuse to let hostile encounters disrupt your day or your pursuit of your goal. Work alone if possible. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep moving, thinking and implementing positive change. Set boundaries to offset anyone taking up too much of your time. Protect your rights, space and ability to satisfy your needs first. Happiness is your responsibility, so don’t allow anyone else to invade your freedom. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Set goals and stick to your schedule. Meeting the demands you set for yourself will build confidence that allows you to go the distance and achieve even more. Keep your budget in mind and quickly shut down anyone suggesting you spend more than your budget allows. Own and control the outcome. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to fade into the background when you have so much to say and offer. Show your worth and challenge anyone who tries to belittle or outshine you. Trust and believe in your ability to use your resources and intelligence to reinvent any idea you want to play out in real time. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A break will recharge your energy to ensure you can finish the week with vim and vigor. A change of atmosphere, coupled with some pampering, will go a long way in soothing your soul and opening your mind to utilizing your skills effectively and efficiently. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are sensitive, outgoing and affectionate. You are innovative and methodical. 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.

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