The Dhillon Law Group has filed a major lawsuit on behalf of the California Republican Party, state Rep. David Tangipa, and 18 California voters, arguing that Proposition 50 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit, led by attorneys from the prominent conservative firm, comes amid growing concerns that Democrats are manipulating redistricting nationwide to entrench their political power.
Dhillon Law Group Takes Aim at Racially Driven Redistricting
The legal challenge was filed shortly after voters approved Proposition 50 with 64% support on Tuesday. The measure, crafted and championed by California Democrats, was designed to redraw congressional districts under the claim of improving representation for Latino voters. But Republicans argue that the move is a blatant racial gerrymander that violates the 14th and 15th Amendments.
“This violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law, and the right under the 15th Amendment to not have one’s vote abridged on account of race,” said Dhillon Law Group partner Mike Columbo at a press conference. “When drawing the Proposition 50 map, the chief consultant who drew the map has stated that the first thing that he did was to increase the power of Latino voters.”
“Additionally, the state legislature has announced that the maps increase the power of Latino voters,” Columbo added.
Expanding Democratic Power Through the Ballot Box
The measure’s approval followed the Democratic-led legislature’s redistricting initiative that added five new congressional seats likely to favor Democrats — mirroring similar partisan efforts in states like New York, Illinois, and Maryland, where Democratic majorities have aggressively redrawn lines to lock in electoral advantages.
California Democrats justified the move by pointing to redistricting in Texas, where Republicans are expected to gain five seats under their new map. But GOP leaders argue that Proposition 50 goes far beyond a political counterpunch — instead crossing into unconstitutional racial engineering.
President Donald Trump weighed in on Tuesday, calling Prop 50 a “giant scam.” He added, “All ‘Mail-In’ Ballots, where the Republicans in that State are ‘Shut Out,’ is under very serious legal and criminal review.” While it’s unclear whether Trump’s remarks referred directly to the lawsuit filed the next day, they reflect widespread frustration among conservatives about what they view as systemic manipulation of elections by Democrats.
Legal Challenge: Prop 50 Fails the Supreme Court’s “Gingles Test”
According to the complaint, Proposition 50 expands the number of districts where Hispanic voters are likely to play a decisive role — from 14 to 16 out of California’s 52 congressional districts. The lawsuit points to the 1986 Supreme Court decision in Thornburg v. Gingles, which established a three-part test allowing states to draw minority opportunity districts under limited conditions.
Dhillon Law Group attorney Mark Meuser, who ran as the GOP Senate candidate in 2022, said California’s new map fails that test.
“We believe that the Supreme Court Gingles Test cannot be satisfied by the state, as such under the 14th and 15th Amendments, the maps drawn by Prop 50 will be considered unconstitutional,” Meuser said.
The lawsuit argues that Hispanics, now the largest ethnic group in California, cannot be considered a racial minority in the sense contemplated by the Gingles ruling — making Proposition 50’s race-based districting unjustifiable under federal law.
Rep. Tangipa: “Voices Are Being Diminished to Benefit Others”
Republican state Rep. David Tangipa, one of the plaintiffs, blasted the measure as a cynical ploy by Democrats to reshape the electorate in their favor.
“As the first Polynesian elected ever to the state legislature, I understand the diversity and the beauty that this state has,” Tangipa said. “And what we have seen with Prop 50, these maps, they are completely diminishing the voices of [some] groups to benefit other groups.”
A National Pattern of Democratic Redistricting Power Plays
The fight over California’s Proposition 50 is part of a broader national battle over redistricting, where Democrats have used state legislatures and ballot initiatives to secure long-term electoral advantages. In New York, Democrats are redrawing congressional lines to overturn a previous court-ordered map that favored Republicans. In Illinois, gerrymandering has been used to eliminate multiple GOP-leaning districts. And in Maryland, courts have repeatedly intervened to stop maps that heavily favored Democrats.
Republicans argue that Proposition 50 is the latest example of Democrats weaponizing race and redistricting to tilt elections.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is once again raising the stakes, doubling down on her previous claims that an unknown number of Trump voters might be gearing up for a Ruby Ridge or Waco-style standoff.
Waters’ rhetoric hit new heights during an appearance on MSNBC, where she dissected Trump’s language.
“I’m worried that he’s so divisive and that he’s talking about retribution, and they’re talking about revenge and I think that that’s dangerous. He’s even mentioned civil war at one point, talked about there would be bloodshed,” Waters told host Jonathan Capehart.
“Are they preparing a civil war against us?” she asked, leaving the question hanging in the air. “Should we be concerned about our safety? What is [Trump] doing with this divisive language? It is dangerous.”
The Los Angeles-area Democrat promised to enlist the “criminal justice system” to investigate what she described as the activities of “domestic terrorists,” clearly pointing the finger at Trump supporters.
Low IQ Maxine Waters calls supporters of President Trump "domestic terrorists" and wonders if they're "preparing a civil war against us" pic.twitter.com/iOvXuJXSwy
“It is not just that [Trump is] a criminal, this is a man who disrespects the Constitution and democracy and we have got to find out what they are doing as domestic terrorists [who] tried to take over the government on Jan. 6,” Waters continued.
With a flair for the dramatic, Waters posed another rhetorical question, “How far is this going to go? Are they going to be attacking? Whom are they going to attack? What are we going to do? We’re trying to get an investigation going about that.” (RELATED: CNN Lawyers Take Unexpected Stand – Blast Judge Merchan And Back Trump Big Time)
After Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts, Waters took to social media with gusto, lambasting the presumptive Republican nominee.
Trump shut your mouth! You talk about saving the Constitution? You’re the one who has disrespected the Constitution and you have supporters who believe we should get rid of the Constitution! Just shut your mouth, you’re convicted on all counts!
Chatting yet again with host Jonathan Capehart, Waters declared her plan to press the Justice Department and the White House on how President Biden would respond if his opponent refuses to accept the election results.
But she didn’t stop there – Waters went on to allege (without evidence) that shadowy “right-wing organizations” are “training up in the hills somewhere,” suggesting that extremist violence against the government isn’t just a possibility but practically a done deal.
A nonprofit advocacy group has taken legal action against former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance. They’ve filed criminal charges, accusing the Republican nominee for president and his running mate of making inflammatory statements about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio. Trump and Vance argue that the influx of migrants has overwhelmed the area, even going so far as to allege that some Haitians are eating dogs and cats – claims that remain unsubstantiated and highly controversial.
In response, the nonprofit is calling on the Clark County Municipal Court to issue a warrant for Trump and Vance’s arrest. The county’s largest city and seat, Springfield, is at the heart of this legal challenge.
The charges were requested by the Haitian Bridge Alliance, which has been backed for many years by Mark Zuckerberg’s FWD.us investor group, and by investor George Soros’ political campaigns. The jarring claim was loudly echoed by pro-Democratic media sites, such as NBCNews.com, who prefer to hide the ordinary civic and pocketbook damage of migration behind elite claims about racism.
“The Haitian Bridge Alliance made the move after inaction by the local prosecutor, said their attorney, Subodh Chandra of the Cleveland-based Chandra Law Firm,” the Associated Press reported Tuesday.
“Guerline Jozef, a co-founder and the executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, filed the charges on behalf of the group,” NBCNews reported:
“Over the last two weeks, both Trump and Vance led an effort to vilify and threaten the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio,” Jozef alleged.
“If anyone else had disrupted public service, made false alarms, and engaged in telecommunications harassment in the manner Trump and Vance did with their relentless and persistent lies – even after the governor and mayor said what they were saying was false, they would’ve been arrested by now,” the group’s attorney, Subodh Chandra, claimed.
“They must be held accountable to the rule of law in the same way any of the rest of us would be.”
The lawfare follows the government-arranged delivery of perhaps 20,000 Haitians to the city, which has had a huge civic and pocketbook impact in the town of almost 60,000 Americans.
The inflow has been welcomed by business, political, and media leaders in Springfield, but is decried by ordinary Americans who are losing wages, opportunities, housing, safe roads, civic aid, and their stable community to the chaotic migration.
What’s Behind the Legal Action?
The charges stem from Trump and Vance’s remarks, which critics argue fuel anti-immigrant sentiment. Haitian immigrants currently enjoy temporary protected status (TPS) under the Biden administration, a measure designed to protect them from deportation due to the severe unrest and violence gripping Haiti. This protection even applies to those who entered the U.S. illegally, with the goal of shielding them from the chaos that has left Haiti teetering on the edge of anarchy.
“We are providing this humanitarian relief to Haitians already present in the United States given the conditions that existed in their home country as of June 3, 2024,” stated Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the time of the announcement.
Immigration Advocates Push for More
While the Haitian Bridge Alliance welcomed the Biden administration’s decision, they’re pushing for long-term solutions. Jozef praised the humanitarian relief but made it clear that he believes this is just a temporary fix.
“I call on the U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would create permanent protection for all TPS recipients,” said Jozef.
The demand for a more permanent path to safety comes as violence continues to escalate in Haiti.
Former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, a Republican, launched a Sunshine State gubernatorial bid on Wednesday, jumping into the race after President Donald Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds for the role earlier this year.
“As a legislator and Speaker of the House, I stood with Ron DeSantis to brand our state the Free State of Florida,” Renner said in social media posts. “I’m running for Governor so that when the DeSantis era comes to an end, we can defend our victories and solve the challenges that remain.”
As a legislator and Speaker of the House, I stood with Ron DeSantis to brand our state the Free State of Florida. I’m running for Governor so that when the DeSantis era comes to an end, we can defend our victories and solve the challenges that remain. As a military veteran of two… pic.twitter.com/LFeLZOw7wx
Current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is serving his second-consecutive term and is consequently not permitted to be elected again in 2026, said that he is not backing Renner, noting, “I think it was an ill-advised decision to enter the race.”
Florida’s state constitution stipulates, “No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served as governor or acting governor for more than six years in two consecutive terms shall be elected governor for the succeeding term.”
Renner added in his posts, “As a military veteran of two wars, a state prosecutor, and Speaker of the House, I’ve fought the tough battles, and I will never back down from the fight for our conservative values. As a father, I am committed to securing Florida’s safety and prosperity for the next generation.”
Donalds jumped into the race earlier this year after Trump strongly backed him for the role, urging him to run.
Byron Donalds via Gage Skidmore Flickr
“Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!” Trump declared in a Truth Social post.
Former Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who is now serving as a U.S. Senator, has also endorsed Donalds.
Marine One lifts-off after returning President Donald J. Trump to Mar-a-Lago Friday, March 29, 2019, following his visit to the 143-mile Herbert Hoover Dike near Canal Point, Fla., that surrounds Lake Okeechobee. The visit was part of an infrastructure inspection of the dike, which is part of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee Everglades system, and reduces impacts of flooding for areas of south Florida. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) [Photo Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]
The legal reasoning of the Department of Justice isn’t too outlandish according to John Bolton, the former Trump National Security Advisor told CNN.
The problem is politically Trump is going to “slaughter” Garland, according to Bolton.
The Daily Caller reports, that Bolton told CNN that Trump doesn’t care about normal procedures, and Garland having to follow normal procedures of the DOJ is leaving him vulnerable.
So vulnerable, Bolton called him a lamb.
Botlon said, “If we were in a Colosseum with two gladiators, one of them Donald Trump, the other Merrick Garland, we’d be about to witness the slaughter of the lambs. The Justice Department understandably wants to follow its normal procedures. It’s facing an adversary who couldn’t care less about the normal procedures.”
Bolton also criticized the department’s PR strategy. Saying the need to do more to explain what they are up to in investigating Trump.
So far the department is “not doing enough” to justify why they needed to search Mar-a-Lago, according to Bolton.
Another big issue is that the DOJ and FBI violated Trump’s rights but violating the search warrant. The FBI overstepped its authority abd took documents that were attorney-client privileged and not considered presidential records.
As we reported yesterday, the FBI took three of Trump’s passports wrongfully.
President Joe Biden hugs his family during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)
ANALYSIS – Where there’s smoke there’s fire. And there is a lot of smoke surrounding Joe and Hunter Biden. It is increasingly clear that Joe Biden has repeatedly lied about his involvement in, and knowledge of, his son Hunter’s overseas influence peddling businesses.
And with Biden’s Department of Justice (DoJ) and FBI dragging their feet with documents requested by congressional investigators, an official impeachment inquiry may be the only way to get to the truth.
And that official inquiry may be coming very soon.
Republicans could open an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden over ties to his son Hunter’s shady and unethical business entanglements when Congress reconvenes on September 12.
In the final presidential debate of the 2020 U.S. election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joseph Biden, moderator Kristen Welker asked Biden: “there have been questions about the work your son has done in China and for a Ukrainian energy company when you were vice president; in retrospect, was anything about those relationships inappropriate or unethical?”
“Nothing was unethical. My son has not made money in terms of this thing about, what are you talking about, China,” Biden replied.
Biden also said he never discussed business with his son.
Well, to put it in Biden terms, that was all a bunch of malarkey.
Now, nearly three years later, Hunter has rebutted Joe Biden’s assertions directly. In court testimony in late June, Hunter acknowledged that he had been paid substantial sums in China – the first official confirmation that this was the case.
This direct contradiction creates a major problem for the White House, and Republicans insist there’s a lot more to find out.
“A lot of the things the president said about his family’s shady business dealings, we’re proving every day that they’re not true,” Republican James Comer, Chair of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, said.
An impeachment inquiry is the next logical step to find out what is true.
The Epoch Times (ET) reported: “House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that initiating an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden would be a ‘natural step forward.’” This, following unresolved questions from the House Oversight and Accountability Committee’s investigations into the Biden family’s business dealings.
The speaker said on Monday that the impeachment inquiry could start soon. McCarthy added that an impeachment inquiry would provide Congress “the apex of legal power to get all the information they need” to investigate whether President Biden misused his office to assist family businesses.
ET continued:
McCarthy said on Monday that the inquiry was needed to overcome stonewalling of congressional investigators looking for transparency about the Biden family’s business records following testimony from former Hunter Biden associate Devon Archer that President Biden met with son Hunter Biden’s business partners during the time he was vice president, as well as concerns raised by whistleblowers at the IRS regarding Hunter Biden’s tax records.
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee has so far subpoenaed six different banks, receiving thousands of bank records of businesses and individuals connected to Joe Biden’s family members.
Those records showed that more than $20 million in payments from foreign sources have been made to the president’s relatives, including Hunter Biden, and their business associates while Mr. Biden was acting as U.S. vice president from 2009 to 2017.
Romanian, Chinese, and Russian nationals were among those making payments to the Biden family and their associates. The records also revealed that the funds were funneled through a network of at least 20 shell companies before being transferred to Biden family members.
An inquiry doesn’t mean the House will impeach Biden. But it does give Republicans far more legal power to force reluctant Biden DoJ bureaucrats and others to come forward with the truth.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Great America News Desk.
President-elect Trump has named a number of nominees to flesh out his incoming Administration…
Check back in to stay up-to-date on the Trump administration:
Vice President JD Vance
Status: Certified
Current: Kamala Harris
Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio Senator and author of the bestselling book Hillbilly Eulogy, will be confirmed. The certification of the election will occur on Jan. 6 2025.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
Status: Appointed
Current: Ron Klain
Trump announced the appointment of Wiles as White House chief of staff. This position does not require Senate confirmation.
Wiles will make history as the first woman White House Chief of Staff.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio
(Miami – Flórida, 09/03/2020) Presidente da República Jair Bolsonaro durante encontro com o Senador Marco Rubio..Foto: Alan Santos/PR
Status: Confirmed
Trump nominated Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to succeed Antony Blinken as Secretary of State.
Blinken was confirmed on January 26, 2021, by a vote of 78-22.
Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent
Status: Confirmed
Senate Finance Committee lawmakers voted Tuesday to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, a 16-11 vote of approval that sends his confirmation to the Senate for a full floor vote.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
Status: Announced
Current: Ret. Gen. Lloyd Austin
Trump announced the selection of Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of Defense. Hegseth has faced an uphill road to confirmation over allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse which he has vehemently denied.
Sen. Joni Ernst recently annoucned her plans to support Hegseth’s confirmation in a statement:
I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process. Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.
1/5/24 UPDATE: According to three sources, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told incoming President Trump that Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed, though he refused to publicly comment on the matter
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
Status: Announced
Current: Alejandro Mayorkas
Trump tapped South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as the next Secretary of Homeland Security.
HOLY SH*T 🚨 DHS Secretary Kristi Noem fully supports Donald Trump’s deportation plan 🔥
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Status: Announced
Current: Xavier Beccera
President-elect Donald Trump announced Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). RFK Jr. previouslt ran against Trump as an Independent before suspending his campaign and endorsing the Republican.
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Status: Announced
Current: Merrick Garland
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to the key Cabinet position in late November after former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination.
Trump initially nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to be Attorney General but he withdrew from consideration after it became clear he would not muster the required support for confirmation. Congress recently released an ethics report finding the former lawmaker “engaged in sexual misconduct, used illicit drugs, “shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gifts.”
Gaetz has not been charged with any crimes.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
Status: Announced
Current: Avril Haines
Trump tapped former Democrat presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard to be his Director of National Intelligence.
In a statement, Trump said, “For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans. As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.”
United Nations Ambassador Elise Stefanik
Status: Announced
Current: Linda Thomas-Greenfield
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement to the New York Post.
Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, also released a statement:
“I am truly honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Stefanik told the Post. “During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate. President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad.”
FBI Director Kash Patel
Gage Skidmore Flickr
Status: Announced
Current: Christopher Wray
“Kash did an incredible job during my First Term, where he served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense, Deputy Director of National Intelligence, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council. Kash has also tried over 60 jury trials,” Trump posted to Truth Social shortly after his announcement.
“This FBI will end the growing crime epidemic in America, dismantle the migrant criminal gangs, and stop the evil scourge of human and drug trafficking across the Border. Kash will work under our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to bring back Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity to the FBI.”
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin
Status: Announced
Trump announced on November 11, 2024, that he had selected Zeldin as his nominee for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in his second presidential term.
After the announcement, Zeldin posted on X: “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum
Status: Announced
Current: Deb Haaland
Donald Trump (R) announced on November 14, 2024, that he had selected Burgum as his nominee for secretary of the interior in his second presidential term. This appointment requires Senate confirmation.
Trump also said Burgum would lead the National Energy Council, a newly formed group consisting of “all Departments and Agencies involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation, of ALL forms of American Energy.” In a statement, Trump said, “Doug Burgum will protect our Nation’s Natural Resources, restore our fabulous Oil and Gas advantage, and Make America, and its Energy, Dominant and Great Again!”
Energy Secretary Chris Wright
Status: Announced
Chris Wright is Donald Trump’s (R) announced nominee for secretary of Energy in his second presidential term.
In a statement Trump said, “Chris has been a leading technologist and entrepreneur in Energy. He has worked in Nuclear, Solar, Geothermal, and Oil and Gas. Most significantly, Chris was one of the pioneers who helped launch the American Shale Revolution that fueled American Energy Independence, and transformed the Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics.”
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy
Status: Confirmed
Duffy, the former five-term Republican Congressman, was advanced out of committee with a 28-0 vote during a brief Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing.
In a statement, Trump said, “Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our Nation’s Infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation.”
Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler
Kelly served in the U.S. Senate in 2020, where she brought her private-sector experience to Washington. She served on key committees including Agriculture, Joint Economic, HELP, and Veterans Affairs – championing conservative values, pro-growth policies, advocating for small businesses, and passing legislation to strengthen economic resilience.
As co-owner of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream for a decade, Senator Loeffler helped position the franchise as a platform to empower women through sports, demonstrating her commitment to community impact.
After her Senate service, Kelly founded Greater Georgia Action, an election integrity advocacy and voter registration non-profit, as well as RallyRight, a conservative tech startup – while serving on several corporate and philanthropic boards.
Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins
Brooke Leslie Rollins is from Glen Rose, Texas, a small agricultural community in the American heartland. She grew up working summers on her family’s farm in Minnesota, barrel racing, and raising livestock for 4-H and Future Farmers of America. She proudly served as a Texas State FFA Officer and worked for the National FFA Organization.
Rollins most recently served as the Founder, President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. Prior to that, she was Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives in the last White House under President Donald Trump. In these roles, she helped lead the transformational domestic policy agenda of the Trump Administration, enacting the President’s vision and leading to historic achievements for the American people.
Rollins graduated with honors from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural development and was the first woman in university history to be elected student-body president. After earning her Juris Doctor with honors at the University of Texas School of Law, she served as Governor Rick Perry’s policy director before building and leading the Texas Public Policy Foundation for fifteen years.
Rollins and her husband, Mark, reside in Fort Worth, Texas, with their four children.
Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick
Howard W. Lutnick has been nominated to serve as the 41st United States Secretary of Commerce. During President Trump’s 2024 election campaign, he was the Co-Chair of the Trump-Vance Transition Team.
Before entering public service, Mr. Lutnick was a prominent figure on Wall Street for over three decades, simultaneously serving as Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Group, as well as Executive Chairman of Newmark. He joined Cantor Fitzgerald in 1983 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming President and CEO at just 29 years old.
Tragedy struck on September 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 of its 960 New York-based employees, including Mr. Lutnick’s brother and his best friend. He emerged from these events with an indomitable sense of purpose to rebuild the firm to honor those lost, support their families, and become a beacon of hope for those who remained.
In the days after the attacks, Mr. Lutnick launched the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, which donated $180 million to families of his coworkers who died on 9/11. He has donated more than $100 million to victims of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies around the world.
Mr. Lutnick served on the Board of Directors of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Weill Cornell Medicine. He was named the Financial Times Person of the Year in 2001 and Ernst & Young’s United States Entrepreneur of the Year in 2010. Howard also received the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor granted to non-military personnel by the Navy.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner
Scott Turner, from Richardson, Texas, is a visionary leader with a distinguished career in public service, business, and professional sports. As Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, he led more than 200 policy actions to revitalize economically distressed communities. Turner served as Founder and CEO of the Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC), dedicated to revitalizing communities through mentorship, sports, and economic opportunity.
Turner served as a Texas State Representative for the 33rd District (2013–2017) and played nine seasons in the NFL. He also served as an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church. He holds a degree in Speech Communications from the University of Illinois and an honorary doctorate from Dallas Baptist University. Scott and his wife, Robin, are active in their church and community and are proud parents of Solomon, a recent University of Illinois graduate.
Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Lori Chavez-DeRemer has dedicated over two decades of her life to public service, beginning in 2002 on the Happy Valley Parks Committee in Oregon. She later served on the Happy Valley City Council, becoming council president, and was elected as the city’s first Latina mayor in 2010, serving two successful terms. Under her leadership, Happy Valley became Oregon’s fastest-growing community, with initiatives that strengthened working families and small businesses.
In 2022, Lori was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, making history as the first Republican woman and one of the first Latinas elected to Congress from Oregon. She served on the Agriculture, Education and Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees, championing practical solutions and securing critical investments for her constituents.
Lori is also a successful small businesswoman and the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a business administration degree. She and her husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, her high school sweetheart, founded an anesthesia management company and several medical clinics across the Pacific Northwest. A proud wife and mother, Lori is passionate about advocating for businesses, workers, and families across the country.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins
An Air Force Reserve colonel, chaplain and Iraq War veteran with more than 20 years of military experience, Doug Collins knows the complex issues facing veterans across the country.
As a longtime congressman and attorney, Collins has a deep understanding of the federal government and the policy expertise to solve complex problems, cut through red tape and get things done for those who have worn the uniform. Over eight years in Congress, Collins helped scores of veterans solve their Department of Veterans Affairs problems, and he will put that expertise to work making VA more user-friendly, so veterans won’t need outside help to navigate the department’s bureaucracy.
As a congressman, Collins championed bipartisan legislation like the First Step Act, the Music Modernization Act and the Defend Trade Secrets Act. Collins’ efforts in support of the First Step Act earned him the 2019 Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life.
When it comes to veterans policy, Collins voted for some of the most important VA reforms in recent history, including the Veterans, Access, Choice and Accountability Act, the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act and the MISSION Act.
Check back for updates…
The article was published with permission from Official Trump Tracker.
However, instead of rushing to defend his own party Gov. Hogan sided with the President and agreed he sees signs of Authoritarianism within the GOP.
The Washington Examiner reports:
“Well, there’s no question we see some — some signs of [authoritarianism in the Republican Party]. And I’m, you know, one of the ones speaking out,” Hogan said in an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation.
“You know, I think it’s that kind of divisive rhetoric on both sides that’s really bad for America,” the Maryland governor said of Biden’s comments. “And, you know, I’ve been talking about the toxic politics, and if Republicans are calling Democrats ‘socialists’ and ‘communists’ and we have the president of the United States calling Republicans ‘fascist,’ I don’t think it adds to the overall discussion.”
“I mean, the fact that the president would go out and just insult half of America, because, effectively, half of America votes Republican, half of America ultimately votes Democrat — it swings a little bit one way or the other, but effectively, call half of America semi-fascist, because he’s trying to stir up controversy, he’s trying to stir up this anti-Republican sentiment right before the election, it’s just — it’s horribly inappropriate,” Sununu said. “It’s insulting. And people should be insulted by it. And he should apologize.”
Gov. Hogan is a longtime critic of former President Trump and has often been accused of being a RINO, a Republican in name only, by other conservatives.
On Monday, Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway called President Biden’s comments on Republicans “more hateful” than anything said by former President Trump.
The more that he experiences some of his own decline with his mental faculties, the more that jerkiness comes out. This is more hateful than the worst thing Donald Trump ever said, and it’s being said about tens of millions of Republicans. He trying to walk it back and say it’s only about Trump supporters. That’s just another word for saying Republicans. Republicans support their previous presidents, including the most recent president, and this is just incredibly dangerous, dangerous rhetoric that nobody who purports to lead a country should be saying against half the country.
Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) is coming to the defense of disgraced former Congressman George Santos, who is currently serving out his prison sentence.
On Monday, Greene called on President Trump to issue a pardon to Santos, who began his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey last month after being sentenced to 87 months in prison for wire fraud and identity theft. (RELATED:Disgraced Former Rep. George Santos Gets Over 7 Years In Prison)
In a letter to President Trump’s U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin, Greene wrote:
I am writing to request that your office urge the President to commute the sentence of former Congressman George Santos. In April 2025, Mr. Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. I wholeheartedly believe in justice and the rule of the law, and I understand the gravity of such actions. However, I believe a seven-year sentence for such campaign-related matters for an individual with no prior criminal record extends far beyond what is warranted.
As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office. He committed himself to serving his constituents and did whatever it took to represent their interests in Washington, D.C. He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice.
While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges. I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.
Commuting his sentence would acknowledge the severity of his actions and simultaneously provide a path forward in allowing him to make amends for his crimes and strive to better serve the people in his community.
🚨 BREAKING: I just sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney urging President Trump to commute the sentence of former Congressman @MrSantosNY.
A 7-year prison sentence for campaign-related charges is excessive, especially when Members of Congress who’ve done far worse… pic.twitter.com/Isj2mxlhsd
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 4, 2025
In May, Santos teared up on Piers Morgan Uncensored and pleaded with Trump for a pardon, “commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me,” after being sentenced.
The former congressman also requested protective custody after expressing fear of being “brutalized” in prison.
“I’m not fearful of dying in there, I’m more fearful of being severely brutalized and harmed, if you get my drift,” he said.
Watch:
Last month, during an interview with Tucker Carlson, Santos also expressed concern that his time in prison could be a “death sentence.”
“Tucker, can I be honest with you?” Santos asked Carlson, who called Santos’s prison sentence unfair compared to lesser sentences handed to violent criminals.
“I hope you will,” Carlson responded.
“I don’t know that I survive it. They’re putting me in a violent prison. It’s a medium facility. I’m not a street-wise guy. I don’t know how to fight. I’m a gay man. We– statistics tell you what happens to gay men in prison. I didn’t know I survived this. I, I’m being honest. I mean, I can’t change that,” Santos said, later saying his only hope is prayer and a longshot pardon from President Donald Trump.
When Carlson pressed Santos on whether he was being serious, Santos insisted he is not “exaggerating” his fear, saying he’s lived a “sheltered” life that in no way prepared him for prison.
I’m heading to prison, folks and I need you to hear this loud and clear:
I’m not suicidal. I’m not depressed. I have no intentions of harming myself, and I will not willingly engage in any sexual activity while I’m in there.
If anything comes out suggesting otherwise, consider…
On Wednesday morning, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York announced he will seek re-election in next year’s midterms in his crucial battleground House district, which covers a large swath of New York City’s northern suburbs.
Lawler, who announced his news in an interview Wednesday morning on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends,” had been seriously considering a bid for New York State governor.
“There’s no question Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America,” Lawler told Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade, before adding, “In 2026, she needs to be defeated. But after months of deliberating over this and really working through it, I’ve decided the right thing to do for me and my family and my district is to run for re-election.”
Serving the Hudson Valley has been the greatest honor of my life, and I'm proud of the wins I’ve delivered for New York and the American people. From delivering historic tax relief, raising the SALT cap, securing our border, and strengthening our national security and America’s… pic.twitter.com/yfB7trXzd1
His news is seen as a major relief to the White House and congressional Republicans, who are defending their razor-thin House majority in the 2026 midterms.
Top House Republicans as well as President Donald Trump had pressed Lawler to seek re-election, and Fox News confirmed that Lawler met with Trump last week at the White House to discuss his 2026 plans and other issues.
“While I fundamentally believe I am best positioned to take on Kathy Hochul and offer New Yorkers a real choice for Governor, I have made the decision to run for re-election to the House and continue the important work I’ve been doing over the past two and a half years,” Lawler shared in a statement with Fox News Digital Wednesday morning.
The Democratic Governors Association called Lawler’s decision a “humiliating setback” for Republicans, arguing that his choice means he doesn’t believe a Republican can win statewide.
However, Republicans now seem likely to avoid a hotly contested primary, as they said they hoped only one of Lawler or Elise Stefanik would go forward with a gubernatorial run.
Elise Stefanik released a statement Wednesday morning, calling Republicans “more unified than ever in our mission to fire the Worst Governor in America Kathy Hochul in 2026” and Lawler a “great, effective, and hardworking Representative for New York’s 17th Congressional District.”
“As I have previously stated, I am focused on supporting strong Republican local and county candidates on the ballot this November to lay the groundwork with a strong team for next year. I will make a final decision and announcement after this year’s November election which we are all focused on,” Stefanik added.
Stefanik seems all but certain to run for governor, with a source familiar with her thinking telling The Hill last month that “it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”
Republicans have been hopeful that they could seriously compete for the office in 2026 after impressive performances in recent years. Hochul only won reelection in 2022 by about 6 points, a much closer margin than observers expected.
Trump also made significant gains in New York in last year’s presidential election, while still falling short by double digits of victory in the state.
