POLITICS

DC Council Expels Member Accused of Taking Bribes

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The ouster of Trayon White is the first time the council has expelled a member. His trial is set for January 2026. WASHINGTON—The local council in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4 unanimously expelled member Trayon White following bribery allegations. This is the first time the 13-member D.C. Council has expelled a member. Expulsion requires all

Unions Sue to Block DOGE Access to Labor Department Computer Systems

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The suit comes the same day as a nationwide protest action against DOGE’s planned overhaul of the federal government. WASHINGTON—A coalition of labor unions filed suit against the U.S. Department of Labor and its acting secretary Vince Micone on Feb. 5, in an effort to keep the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing the

Federal Judge Admonishes Cooper Union While Rejecting College’s Effort to Dismiss Anti-Semitism Case

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‘These events took place in 2023—not 1943,’ the judge wrote (@thislouis / X) A federal judge rejected Cooper Union’s request to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Jewish students that alleged the New York college violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to protect them from anti-Semitic attacks. Judge John Cronan also admonished

How USAID and Its $50 Billion Budget Became a Target for Reform

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The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was a little-noticed federal agency until it suddenly became the object of a fierce political battle over the limits of presidential power and the accountability of government bureaucracies. When the Trump administration closed the agency’s offices on Feb. 3 and later placed most employees on administrative leave, USAID