RandySF
RandySF's JournalFederal officials investigating Renee Good's widow in shooting probe, sources say
WASHINGTON — Federal officials are investigating the widow of Renee Nicole Good to determine whether she may have impeded a federal officer moments before he shot and killed her wife in Minneapolis, according to two people familiar with the investigation who spoke to NBC News.
The federal investigation into the shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross is focusing more on Becca Good, including what officials said were her possible ties to activist groups, and less on Ross’ actions when he fired into Renee Good’s vehicle during an immigration operation last week, the people said.
The fatal encounter has touched off protests in Minneapolis and calls for accountability for immigration officers, whose tactics have resulted in at least 10 other shootings since September.
Antonio Romanucci, Becca Good’s lawyer, said in a statement Saturday that “there has been no contact from the FBI or federal officials indicating Becca Good is the subject of an investigation.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/federal-officials-investigating-renee-goods-widow-shooting-probe-sourc-rcna254038
Trials show successful ballot initiatives are only the beginning of restoring abortion access
The outcome of two trials in the coming weeks could shape what it will look like when voters overturn state abortion bans through future ballot initiatives.
Arizona and Missouri voters in November 2024 struck down their respective near-total abortion bans. Both states added abortion access up to fetal viability as a right in their constitutions, although Arizonans approved the amendment by a much wider margin than Missouri voters.
That was just the beginning of protracted legal battles.
Amy Myrick, senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said ballot measures are a powerful and important step in returning abortion access to a state, but success on Election Day doesn’t mean the fight is over.
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trials-show-successful-ballot-initiatives-are-only-beginning-restoring-abortion-access
Utah Republican lawmakers propose changes to judicial retention elections
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Two proposed bills at the Utah legislature would significantly change retention elections for Utah’s judges.
Perhaps the most straightforward of these is H.B. 262, a bill sponsored by Rep. Jason Kyle (R – Huntsville), which would raise the threshold for judges to be retained from a simple majority to 67%.
The proposals come as GOP lawmakers in Utah have repeatedly decried Utah’s recent redistricting decision by a Third District judge, and the time it took to get that ruling.
H.J.R. 13 sponsored by Rep. Walt Brooks (R-St. George) is a proposed constitutional change stating that “if the Legislature determines that a judge is unfit or incompetent, persistently fails to make timely decisions in a case, or has engaged in conduct that violates the judge’s oath of office, is improper, or creates an appearance of impropriety, the Legislature may initiate a process for the judge to be subject to a special retention election as soon as practicable.”
https://www.abc4.com/news/politics/inside-utah-politics/utah-republican-lawmakers-judicial-retention-elections/
Sanders tells Oz it's not 'cool' that robots performing ultrasounds in Alabama
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Friday told Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz that it is not “cool” that robots are performing ultrasounds in Alabama, after Oz brought up the subject at the White House earlier in the day.
Oz joined President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to tout rural health in the U.S. Oz said there are no OB-GYNs in most Alabama counties, “so they’re doing something pretty cool. They’re actually having robots do ultrasounds on these pregnant moms.”
“No, Dr. Oz. It is not ‘cool’ that we don’t have OBGYN’s in many rural counties in America. It is an international embarrassment,” Sanders wrote in a post on the social platform X. “In the richest country on earth, we need more doctors, nurses, dentists and mental health counselors, not more robots.”
Oz’s remarks are based on the CMS’s “rural health transformation program,” which contains project abstracts for all 50 states. States were required to provide summaries of their proposed projects with a projected funding amount awarded by the federal government.
PERSONAL NOTE: Doug Jones, the DGA and the Alabama Democratic Party should run with this.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5693814-sanders-oz-robots-ultrasounds-alabama/
Federal judges allow California to use new US House map ahead of 2026 election
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A federal three-judge panel on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voter-approved U.S. House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms.
In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel in Los Angeles denied requests from state Republicans and the U.S. Justice Department to block the map from being used in future elections. The complaint accused California of violating the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters when drawing the new district lines.
The map, aimed at giving Democrats a shot at flipping as many as five House seats next year, was decisively approved by voters through Proposition 50 in November. The effort was pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is eying a 2028 presidential run, to counter a similar effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump to help Republicans win five House seats. California Republicans currently hold nine of the state's 52 congressional seats.
The ruling is a victory for Democrats in the state-by-state mid-decade redistricting battle that could help determine which party wins controls of the U.S. House in 2026. Following the tit-for-tat showdown between the nation's two most populous states, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have adopted new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage. The Justice Department has only sued California.
https://abc7.com/post/federal-judges-allow-california-use-new-us-house-map-ahead-2026-election/18403705/
TX-SD09: A 'bellwether' election: Tarrant's Texas Senate runoff draws national attention
The runoff election to fill a Texas Senate seat representing much of Tarrant County is drawing national attention as Republicans and Democrats hope for wins that foreshadow November midterms.
On Jan. 31, voters weigh candidates Taylor Rehmet, a Fort Worth Democrat and mechanist union leader, and Leigh Wambsganss, a Southlake Republican and chief communications officer at Patriot Mobile, a conservative wireless service provider.
While Republicans have poured millions into seeking the seat, the runoff is largely ceremonial. The Legislature doesn’t return to session until 2027, and candidates must immediately seek reelection in November. Political analysts believe the winner could gauge a nationwide political temperature that will affect midterm results in November.
Early voting for the runoff opens next week on Jan. 21 and runs six days.
https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/14/a-bellwether-election-tarrants-texas-senate-runoff-draws-national-
TX-SD09: A 'bellwether' election: Tarrant's Texas Senate runoff draws national attention
The runoff election to fill a Texas Senate seat representing much of Tarrant County is drawing national attention as Republicans and Democrats hope for wins that foreshadow November midterms.
On Jan. 31, voters weigh candidates Taylor Rehmet, a Fort Worth Democrat and mechanist union leader, and Leigh Wambsganss, a Southlake Republican and chief communications officer at Patriot Mobile, a conservative wireless service provider.
While Republicans have poured millions into seeking the seat, the runoff is largely ceremonial. The Legislature doesn’t return to session until 2027, and candidates must immediately seek reelection in November. Political analysts believe the winner could gauge a nationwide political temperature that will affect midterm results in November.
Early voting for the runoff opens next week on Jan. 21 and runs six days.
https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/14/a-bellwether-election-tarrants-texas-senate-runoff-draws-national-attention/
Florida elections offices audited over marijuana amendment petitions
TALLAHASSEE — As Florida’s recreational marijuana campaign again tries to get in front of voters, the state has levied pressure on local elections supervisors — putting them, one official said, “in the middle of a political war.”
That scrutiny intensified this week, when the state Office of Election Crimes and Security told elections supervisors in Orange, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties that it would be conducting audits of certain verified petitions. It’s unclear if other counties will also be audited.
Gov. Ron DeSantis fiercely opposes recreational marijuana. In 2024, his administration used state power and millions of taxpayer dollars to fight a legalization proposal sponsored by the group Smart & Safe Florida.
That committee is again trying to get a recreational initiative through and in lawsuits has accused the DeSantis administration of delays and issuing directives aimed at stopping them.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/elections/2026/01/15/recreational-marijuana-elections-supervisors-ballot-petitions-signatures/
Arizona Dems say election transparency bills will jeopardize security
Arizona’s Senate Elections Committee moved to support a handful of bills that would increase public access to voter records, though Democrats say the measures would lead to safety concerns by publishing personal voter information.
The elections committee, chaired by Flagstaff Republican Wendy Rogers, voted 4-2 to pass two bills that Republicans say will increase transparency. Senate Bill 1038 would require a county recorder to make publicly available the full, unredacted vote cast record after an election. Senate Bill 1040 would require the full, unredacted voter registration roll to be made downloadable via an internet portal.
In July, a state judge ruled that full vote cast records are not public records according to current law.
“This just adds to the opportunity for transparency,” bill sponsor Mark Finchem of Phoenix said while voting in favor of SB1038. “It offers the opportunity for people to check their own ballot.”
https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/011626_az_election_bills/arizona-dems-say-election-transparency-bills-will-jeopardize-security/
Bias allegations lead to termination of Clay County Election Administrator
CLAY COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — Former Clay County Election Administrator Val McClain has been terminated following multiple allegations of bias toward certain local candidates during election periods.
“Ultimately, it all comes down to what is best for Clay County and what is best for the people’s trust in the election process,” stated Clay County Judge Mike Campbell.
McClain served as the county’s election administrator for nearly a decade, overseeing all elections conducted within Clay County.
Concerns about her neutrality first surfaced in 2020, when allegations emerged claiming McClain favored one political party over another while handling local election matters.
https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/bias-allegations-lead-to-termination-of-clay-county-election-administrator/
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