Tougher retail theft laws face opposition

With help from Shawn Ness Boosting penalties for people who assault retail workers is running into the state budget buzzsaw. Legislative Democrats have formally rejected Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to make it a felony for assaulting a retail worker, a reflection of how the party remains split over criminal justice issues and how to address

New lines, old debate

With help from Shawn Ness The New York state Capitol is seen prior to Gov. Kathy Hochul delivering her State of the State address in the Assembly Chamber at the state Capitol on Jan. 10, 2023, in Albany, New York. | Hans Pennink/AP For the seventh time in the past few years, New York mapmakers

Ronna McDaniel to step down as RNC chair next week

Ronna McDaniel was elected as chair in 2017 and was the second woman to lead the RNC. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images Ronna McDaniel announced Monday she will step down from her role as Republican National Committee chair on March 8 following Donald Trump’s endorsement of a new RNC leader. McDaniel’s departure comes as Trump has

Beyond shock and awe: Inside Trump’s potential second-term agenda

What these proposals have in common: They would go well beyond steps Trump took — or in many cases even attempted — from 2017 to 2021. Trump’s campaign has repeatedly dismissed media reports about his potential second-term agenda, saying in a statement in November that policy recommendations from his conservative allies “are certainly appreciated and

Polis won’t rule out a 2028 presidential bid

“I’m focused on being governor of Colorado,” Polis said. Instead, Polis said he hopes to address Colorado’s affordable housing issue in the next three to four years. Polis, a key surrogate for President Joe Biden, also defended the president’s age, policies and reelection campaign throughout his interview with POLITICO — even as voters become increasingly

Biden calls Putin ‘a crazy SOB’ and ridicules Trump at San Francisco fundraiser

Biden then scoffed at Trump for comparing his legal troubles to the political persecution of Navalny, an outspoken Putin critic who died in a Russian prison last week. During a Fox News town hall Tuesday, Trump described the $350 million business fraud judgment he faces as “a form of Navalny.” Biden called Trump’s remarks unhinged.