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<title>Aussie Daily &#45; Australia News &#45; : Headlines</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/rss/category/headlines</link>
<description>Aussie Daily &#45; Australia News &#45; : Headlines</description>
<dc:language>en</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Copyright 2026 Aussie Daily &#45; All Rights Reserved.</dc:rights>

<item>
<title>‘This just isn’t good’: Democrats hold their breath on Platner</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/this-just-isnt-good-democrats-hold-their-breath-on-platner</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/this-just-isnt-good-democrats-hold-their-breath-on-platner</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Some are praying that a significant protest vote emerges in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for Maine Senate seat. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘This, just, isn’t, good’:, Democrats, hold, their, breath, Platner</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Sen. Brian Schatz offers first show of support for scandal&#45;ridden Graham Platner</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/sen-brian-schatz-offers-first-show-of-support-for-scandal-ridden-graham-platner</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/sen-brian-schatz-offers-first-show-of-support-for-scandal-ridden-graham-platner</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ He hasn’t formally endorsed yet, but he is scheduled to appear at a virtual donor event Sunday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Sen., Brian, Schatz, offers, first, show, support, for, scandal-ridden, Graham, Platner</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Nancy Mace knows her Epstein vote screwed her with Trump. She doesn’t care.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/nancy-mace-knows-her-epstein-vote-screwed-her-with-trump-she-doesnt-care</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/nancy-mace-knows-her-epstein-vote-screwed-her-with-trump-she-doesnt-care</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ She’s battling several controversies and headwinds — including the president endorsing her opponent. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Nancy, Mace, knows, her, Epstein, vote, screwed, her, with, Trump., She, doesn’t, care.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The women who could make or break MAGA</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-women-who-could-make-or-break-maga</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-women-who-could-make-or-break-maga</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bubbling under the surface of Turning Point USA&#039;s Women&#039;s Leadership Summit are divisions within the GOP that have enveloped the online voices of the young female right. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, women, who, could, make, break, MAGA</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How a populist mayor from the British exurbs could remake England</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/how-a-populist-mayor-from-the-british-exurbs-could-remake-england</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/how-a-populist-mayor-from-the-british-exurbs-could-remake-england</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By-elections — the British equivalent of a U.S. special election — are held when a member of Parliament resigns, dies or becomes enmeshed in tabloid scandal and are flung out of office by angry voters. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, populist, mayor, from, the, British, exurbs, could, remake, England</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV: We must rediscover signs and symbols of the sacred liturgy</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-we-must-rediscover-signs-and-symbols-of-the-sacred-liturgy</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-we-must-rediscover-signs-and-symbols-of-the-sacred-liturgy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The pontiff continued his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council&#039;s teaching on the liturgy during his weekly general audience. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV:, must, rediscover, signs, and, symbols, the, sacred, liturgy</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope calls on Catholic universities to be authentic, instill ‘passion for the truth’</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-calls-on-catholic-universities-to-be-authentic-instill-passion-for-the-truth</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-calls-on-catholic-universities-to-be-authentic-instill-passion-for-the-truth</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday addressed presidents and senior administrators from Catholic institutions belonging to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, calls, Catholic, universities, authentic, instill, ‘passion, for, the, truth’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV accompanied him through his cancer battle. Now they will meet again in Madrid</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-accompanied-him-through-his-cancer-battle-now-they-will-meet-again-in-madrid</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-accompanied-him-through-his-cancer-battle-now-they-will-meet-again-in-madrid</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ After surviving cancer, a Spanish teen prepares to reunite with the pope who accompanied him through his illness. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, accompanied, him, through, his, cancer, battle., Now, they, will, meet, again, Madrid</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cardinal Koovakad to lead Sanremo meeting on interreligious dialogue</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/cardinal-koovakad-to-lead-sanremo-meeting-on-interreligious-dialogue</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/cardinal-koovakad-to-lead-sanremo-meeting-on-interreligious-dialogue</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The October gathering follows a pastoral letter by Bishop Antonio Suetta on charity, Christian witness, and the proclamation of the Gospel to Muslims living in the diocese. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cardinal, Koovakad, lead, Sanremo, meeting, interreligious, dialogue</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>June consistory of cardinals will address synod, war, artificial intelligence</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/june-consistory-of-cardinals-will-address-synod-war-artificial-intelligence</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/june-consistory-of-cardinals-will-address-synod-war-artificial-intelligence</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The gathering will function as &quot;a space for mutual listening, discernment, and shared exploration of certain issue,&quot; Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>June, consistory, cardinals, will, address, synod, war, artificial, intelligence</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo urges Catholic universities to instill passion for the truth found in Christ</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-urges-catholic-universities-to-instill-passion-for-the-truth-found-in-christ</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-urges-catholic-universities-to-instill-passion-for-the-truth-found-in-christ</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV told Catholic university leaders on June 3 that they have a responsibility to instill in their students a passion for &quot;not only intellectual truth, but the truth that is Christ himself.&quot;
The post Pope Leo urges Catholic universities to instill passion for the truth found in Christ first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, urges, Catholic, universities, instill, passion, for, the, truth, found, Christ</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Intrepid missionaries and martyrs: The origins of Catholicism in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/intrepid-missionaries-and-martyrs-the-origins-of-catholicism-in-ohio-indiana-illinois-and-michigan</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/intrepid-missionaries-and-martyrs-the-origins-of-catholicism-in-ohio-indiana-illinois-and-michigan</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In this continuing series on the origins of Catholicism in the 50 states, we now turn our attention to the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
The post Intrepid missionaries and martyrs: The origins of Catholicism in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Intrepid, missionaries, and, martyrs:, The, origins, Catholicism, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and, Michigan</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Priest gets life in prison in Texas for sexual abuse of women under his spiritual care</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/priest-gets-life-in-prison-in-texas-for-sexual-abuse-of-women-under-his-spiritual-care</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/priest-gets-life-in-prison-in-texas-for-sexual-abuse-of-women-under-his-spiritual-care</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A Catholic priest from Nigeria has been sentenced in a Texas court to life in prison, as well as to two 20-year prison terms plus $30,000 in fines, for sexually abusing several women under his spiritual care -- a felony crime in that state.
The post Priest gets life in prison in Texas for sexual abuse of women under his spiritual care first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Priest, gets, life, prison, Texas, for, sexual, abuse, women, under, his, spiritual, care</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Meet the amazing missionary priest who could be one of Minnesota’s first saints</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/meet-the-amazing-missionary-priest-who-could-be-one-of-minnesotas-first-saints</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/meet-the-amazing-missionary-priest-who-could-be-one-of-minnesotas-first-saints</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The U.S. bishops are set to take a key step in the sainthood cause of Msgr. Joseph Francis Buh (1833-1922).
The post Meet the amazing missionary priest who could be one of Minnesota’s first saints first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Meet, the, amazing, missionary, priest, who, could, one, Minnesota’s, first, saints</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spaniards hope Pope Leo’s visit promotes reconciliation amid Civil War wounds</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/spaniards-hope-pope-leos-visit-promotes-reconciliation-amid-civil-war-wounds</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/spaniards-hope-pope-leos-visit-promotes-reconciliation-amid-civil-war-wounds</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As Pope Leo XIV visits Madrid June 6, a towering cross rising above the cemetery on the outskirts of town will likely catch his eye.
The post Spaniards hope Pope Leo’s visit promotes reconciliation amid Civil War wounds first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spaniards, hope, Pope, Leo’s, visit, promotes, reconciliation, amid, Civil, War, wounds</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Kerbside parking is great for drivers &#45; but terrible for everyone else. Could we get rid of it?</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/kerbside-parking-is-great-for-drivers-but-terrible-for-everyone-else-could-we-get-rid-of-it</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/kerbside-parking-is-great-for-drivers-but-terrible-for-everyone-else-could-we-get-rid-of-it</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Share articlePrint articleIt may seem like it&#039;s impossible to find a car park on the street. As a recent Grattan Institute report makes clear, Australia actually has an oversupply of parking, both on streets and in parking lots. Across five ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Kerbside, parking, great, for, drivers, but, terrible, for, everyone, else., Could, get, rid, it</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Digital frauds now driven by organised cross&#45;border crime networks: Maharashtra official</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/digital-frauds-now-driven-by-organised-cross-border-crime-networks-maharashtra-official</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/digital-frauds-now-driven-by-organised-cross-border-crime-networks-maharashtra-official</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): Digital fraud has evolved from isolated cases of forgery and fake signatures into a highly organised, cross-border criminal enterprise, with cybercrime networks operating through dedicated compounds in countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, Maharashtra Principal Secretary Brijesh Singh said on Thursday.Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the FICCI Conference on Next-Gen Fo ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Digital, frauds, now, driven, organised, cross-border, crime, networks:, Maharashtra, official</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Shreyas Iyer to replace Suryakumar Yadav as India&amp;apos;s T20I captain, Tilak Varma to be his deputy: BCCI sources</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/shreyas-iyer-to-replace-suryakumar-yadav-as-indias-t20i-captain-tilak-varma-to-be-his-deputy-bcci-sources</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/shreyas-iyer-to-replace-suryakumar-yadav-as-indias-t20i-captain-tilak-varma-to-be-his-deputy-bcci-sources</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ By Vipul KashyapNew Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): Shreyas Iyer is set to replace Suryakumar Yadav as the captain of India&#039;s senior men&#039;s team in T20Is, with Tilak Verma to be his deputy, according to Board of Control for Cricket in India&#039;s (BCCI) sources.BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and the selection committee have reached a consensus on appointing Iyer as T20I captain, whil ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Shreyas, Iyer, replace, Suryakumar, Yadav, Indias, T20I, captain, Tilak, Varma, his, deputy:, BCCI, sources</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Expectations on rise, excitement level &amp;apos;picking up&amp;apos; for USMNT</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/expectations-on-rise-excitement-level-picking-up-for-usmnt</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/expectations-on-rise-excitement-level-picking-up-for-usmnt</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ (Photo credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- Things are finally starting to feel real for the United States men&#039;s national team.Eight years after the U.S. was granted the rights to host the 2026 World Cup in partnership with Mexico and Canada, Thursday marks one week out from the start of the tournament.The Americans left their initial camp at the brand-new Arthur M. Blank U.S. Socce ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Expectations, rise, excitement, level, picking, up, for, USMNT</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Vikings OTA Observations: Big Man Finesse; Offensive Rhythm &amp;amp; Timing</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/vikings-ota-observations-big-man-finesse-offensive-rhythm-timing</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/vikings-ota-observations-big-man-finesse-offensive-rhythm-timing</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Rob KleifieldEAGAN, Minn.Summer hasn&#039;t started but it felt a little like fall out on the grass at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center as the Vikings continued voluntary Organized Team Activity practices.Cloud coverage, wind gusts, intermittent rain sprinkles and basic Minnesota humidity provided a pleasant backdrop for Thursday&#039;s 2-hour practice, the first of the offseason program ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vikings, OTA, Observations:, Big, Man, Finesse, Offensive, Rhythm, Timing</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Paralympic gold medalist Josh Turek wins Iowa Senate primary with establishment support</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/paralympic-gold-medalist-josh-turek-wins-iowa-senate-primary-with-establishment-support</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/paralympic-gold-medalist-josh-turek-wins-iowa-senate-primary-with-establishment-support</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The state representative hopes to become the first Democrat to win a Senate race in Iowa since 2008. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Paralympic, gold, medalist, Josh, Turek, wins, Iowa, Senate, primary, with, establishment, support</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump&#45;backed Rep. Randy Feenstra loses Iowa governor primary</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-backed-rep-randy-feenstra-loses-iowa-governor-primary</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-backed-rep-randy-feenstra-loses-iowa-governor-primary</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s a blow for the president, who has seen most of his chosen candidates this cycle sail to victory or advance to runoff elections — until now. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump-backed, Rep., Randy, Feenstra, loses, Iowa, governor, primary</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democrats see the stars aligning in Iowa</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-see-the-stars-aligning-in-iowa</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-see-the-stars-aligning-in-iowa</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ With Rob Sand atop the ticket, Josh Turek as their newly minted Senate nominee and multiple House races in play, Democrats believe they have the best shot to win big in Iowa in more than a decade. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, see, the, stars, aligning, Iowa</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>She hired investigators to track her opponent</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/she-hired-investigators-to-track-her-opponent</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/she-hired-investigators-to-track-her-opponent</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ FIRST UP: Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s commitment to back Rep. Adriano Espaillat was initially so ironclad they shook hands on it last summer. But Mamdani broke that promise last week when he endorsed Espaillat’s primary opponent, democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier — and the fallout is mounting. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, an early supporter of Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral run, said she’s not sure she can trust the mayor anymore after the Espaillat snub and won’t take just his word on anything going forward. “I will say I want it in writing,” Velázquez said. 
Read more from POLITICO’s Chris Sommerfeldt and Madison Fernandez here.MANNY ADDRESSES: Francesca Castellanos has run for state and city office in Upper Manhattan eight times, and lost every single time. 
In her ninth bid for public office, she’s going to even greater lengths to oust her local assemblyman, Manny De Los Santos. 
Castellanos has spent $8,000 of her own money on private investigators to surveil him at his wife’s Rockland County home and to stake out the Washington Heights apartment where De Los Santos says he lives, and she’s circulated thousands of flyers that question his residency and include a photo of his young child. 
De Los Santos says Castellanos, a Spanish-language interpreter, is harassing him and his family. Castellanos says she’s applying well-intentioned scrutiny to a public official who, she claims, lives way outside the district he represents. And election law says the residency requirement for state legislative candidates actually isn’t that strict. 
“I understand that public service comes with scrutiny. But this opponent has crossed a line,” De Los Santos said in a statement. “My opponent has spent thousands of dollars on private investigators to follow me and even my children.” 
On Monday, Castellanos filed a complaint with Attorney General Letitia James alleging her opponent “moved out of Northern Manhattan, moved to the suburbs, cashed his taxpayer paycheck, and continues to hold a political seat he abandoned.” 
“Mr. De Los Santos receives an annual salary of $142,000 as an Assemblymember. He has chosen suburban life for his own children, who attend well-funded Rockland County schools, while families in Northern Manhattan struggle with overcrowded classrooms and insufficient resources,” the complaint reads. 
James’ office would not comment on the allegations but said they’ve received Castellanos’ letter. 
Castellanos’ call for the state’s top prosecutor to investigate her opponent’s residency is the latest act from a perennial candidate and local politics junkie who has spent the last two decades trying to oust the army of elected officials allied with Rep. Adriano Espaillat. This time, her opponent says, she’s gone too far. 
“That is not politics. It is wrong,” De Los Santos said. “I am an Assemblymember, but I am a father first. My children should not be dragged into a political campaign. This needs to stop.” 
Castellanos’ complaint includes images from a grainy video recorded on April 12 by R.Q. Investigations outside a home owned by De Los Santos’ wife, Josenia Dominguez, who serves as the chief administrative officer for Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. The images show a man who appears to be De Los Santos entering a two-car garage home in the Hudson Valley. Other photographs from the following day show a man again identified as De Los Santos raking leaves at the property. A different private investigator hired by Castellanos stood watch inside the Washington Heights apartment building where De Los Santos says he lives on two April mornings. That private eye, Michael Cotto, said in a signed affidavit that he never spotted De Los Santos or anyone else enter or exit the unit. 
“He&#039;s a public figure, and he&#039;s lying,” Castellanos claimed to Playbook, adding that her scrutiny of him is completely within bounds. “If he doesn&#039;t want it, then he shouldn&#039;t run for public office.” 
She denied De Los Santos’ claim that she assigned an investigator to watch his children and said she only told the shamus to surveil the Assemblymember. 
Dominguez told Playbook she and De Los Santos are separated and co-parent their children, and that De Los Santos has lived in his Manhattan apartment “literally his entire life — since he arrived from the Dominican Republic at the age of 12 years old.” 
“I hope this clarifies whatever narrative that crazy woman wants to spread,” she said. 
Castellanos’ complaint includes records showing that De Los Santos’ Washington Heights apartment was placed under receivership in 2024. She says building staff told her they weren’t aware of De Los Santos living there and pointed to a 2014 Daily News article describing allegations that his apartment was “warehousing” voters, with six different people registered to vote out of the unit, including two with the same name born a month apart. 
“His relatives live there, but he does not live there,” she asserted. 
In 2024, when Castellanos was mounting her second Assembly bid, she and an ally, Michael Hano, began gathering evidence to try to prove De Los Santos lived outside the city. Two years prior, Hano himself had launched a quixotic primary challenge against Espaillat. 
According to Hano and Castellanos, the pair noticed that scholastic athletic records indicated at least one of De Los Santos’ children was enrolled in Rockland County public schools and that property records showed his wife owning a home in Clarkstown. 
So Hano said he and Castellanos drove there in May 2024 and saw Dominguez and the couple’s kids from afar. A week or two later, Hano claims he “swung by” the house again around 11 p.m. because it was on the way home from a karaoke night he attended in Haverstraw. 
“I just drove past to see for instance if a car was in the driveway, you know, and as I’m driving past, there he is in the window,” Hano said. “It&#039;s not like I was sitting there, scoping the place out. In fact I had a friend with me, I was coming home from karaoke that night. These people, when they take public office, they&#039;re giving up a little bit of privacy.” 
That year, Castellanos says she mailed about 4,000 Spanish-language flyers telling residents De Los Santos “resides in the suburbs.” The flyer included a photo of one of De Los Santos’ children, which she pulled from his Instagram account, and the address of his wife’s Rockland County home. (Hano says he told Castellanos at the time he thought this was wrong, and stopped talking to her after this happened, though the two have resumed communication.) 
By the time 2026 rolled around, Castellanos was again running for the De Los Santos seat after losing a City Council race to Carmen De La Rosa last year. In April, she sued to knock De Los Santos off the ballot on the grounds that he doesn’t live in the district, but she says the case was tossed out on a technicality when the judge asserted Castellanos didn’t serve her opponent before the deadline. De Los Santos, for his part, also sued unsuccessfully to knock Castellanos off the ballot, but Castellanos represented herself and won. 
She’s also printing more flyers about his residency — this time up to 10,000. Last month, she says a city health inspector came to her door because someone filed a complaint that a foul odor was coming from her apartment, where she lives with six cats. Without evidence, Castellanos suspects De Los Santos was behind it, so she says she’s sending flyers to neighbors of the Rockland County home. De Los Santos says he has no idea what she’s talking about. 
The state constitution says any state legislative candidate must reside in their district in the 12 months before their election. But a 2016 Court of Appeals decision reaffirmed previous rulings that a candidate can legally claim residence anywhere they have “legitimate, significant and continuing attachments,” as long as there’s no fraud, deception or “reason to assume that a residence has been asserted merely for the purposes of voting.” 
De Los Santos said his Assembly district “has been my home for decades” and “remains my home today.” 
“I am a proud resident of District 72,” he said. “I continue to live in and represent the community that raised me and that I have spent my life serving.”From the CapitolGO NEW YORK: The Uber-funded group that spent heavily on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push to overhaul car insurance regulations is unveiling a final TV ad today with a Knicks theme. 
The ad features delirious Knicks fans celebrating the team’s success while the “Hallelujah” chorus plays. 
“Every once in a while New Yorkers stand united, celebrating as one, overcome with joy and reveling in an unexpected and remarkable achievement: Yeah, Governor Hochul’s lowered New York’s sky-high car insurance,” the ad’s narrator says. 
That claim is an exaggeration: The governor herself has said New Yorkers won’t see a difference in car insurance premiums immediately. 
Just in time for the NBA Finals, the basketball-themed spot will bring the advertising blitz full circle after it launched with a Buffalo Bills-centric ad at the start of the year. — Nick ReismanHELPING NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS: The State University of New York is launching two new initiatives aimed at boosting supports for adult learners and students with kids. 
The university system intends to work with community colleges to increase the number of in-person courses offered on evenings and weekends. And the final state budget included $12 million in additional operating dollars for community colleges. 
SUNY is also establishing a grant program to help campuses better support student parents, including the addition of child-friendly lounges and study areas. 
“Because one in five college students across the country are parents, we&#039;re boosting support for student-parents,” SUNY Chancellor John King said during his annual “State of the University” address in Albany today. 
The state has also been taking steps to help college students with kids. 
Earlier this year, Hochul moved to extend child care hours on community college campuses to align with the schedules of students enrolled in high-demand programs. SUNY has also used $10.4 million in state funding to open additional child care centers and increase the number of spots. 
The state kicked off a program this school year that offers free tuition to older students seeking associate degrees in high-demand fields at SUNY and the City University of New York. — Madina TouréFROM CITY HALLHIGH HOPES: Mamdani offered a bold prediction this morning for the NBA Finals. 
“Knicks in four — inshallah,” Mamdani said with a chuckle on Hot 97 radio. 
For their first finals since 1999, the Knicks are playing the San Antonio Spurs tonight in Texas. The Knicks have been on a red-hot run in this year’s playoffs, winning 11 straight games, but it’d no doubt be a steep feat for the hometown team to sweep the Spurs as the mayor prophesies. 
Mamdani’s office wouldn’t immediately say if the mayor will attend any of the games the Knicks are playing at Madison Square Garden (the first home game is Monday night). 
“I’m going to be at a lot of different watch parties tonight — I can&#039;t wait,” Mamdani told Playbook at City Hall this morning when asked if he planned on attending the watch party hosted inside MSG tonight for Game 1. 
Mamdani spokesperson Sam Raskin declined to immediately provide more details on where the mayor will be. Raskin did tout that the mayor’s office played a role in securing a permit for a separate watch party to be held outside the Garden tonight. (The NYPD previously suggested no more such bashes would be permitted after one turned especially chaotic during the Eastern Conference Finals last month.) 
“As a Knicks fan and a New Yorker, the mayor feels the energy and excitement this team has brought to the city,” Raskin said. “This is a special moment for all five boroughs, and we&#039;re thrilled these celebrations are moving forward. Let&#039;s go Knicks.&quot; 
Politics have already loomed heavy over the finals. On Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted an AI-generated image on X of himself dunking over a Knicks jersey-clad Hochul, as President Donald Trump can be seen sitting courtside laughing. 
Speaking of Trump: The president, who’s widely reviled in his native New York, said last week he will likely attend one of the Knicks’ home games at the Garden after being invited by team owner James Dolan. — Chris Sommerfeldt IN OTHER NEWS— LONE STAR BACKING: A pro-Palestinian Texas businessman has poured major funding into American Prioirties, an anti-Israel super PAC that’s backing Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez’s congressional campaigns. (New York Post) 
— SOUND THE ALARMS: Major fires have more than doubled in the Bronx and are being linked to deteriorating electrical infrastructure in older buildings. (Gothamist) 
— ALL ABOARD: Mamdani has tapped former Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and former budget chief Melanie Hartzog to represent New York City on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board. (New York Daily News) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>She, hired, investigators, track, her, opponent</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Georgia Republicans want to avoid what happened to Randy Feenstra</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/georgia-republicans-want-to-avoid-what-happened-to-randy-feenstra</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/georgia-republicans-want-to-avoid-what-happened-to-randy-feenstra</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ They know President Donald Trump’s endorsement will carry weight with runoff voters. But only if his preferred candidate has enough time to show it off. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://static.politico.com/aa/97/39d88ac749f791916ff3d80b42b1/trump-51436.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Georgia, Republicans, want, avoid, what, happened, Randy, Feenstra</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Vance invokes Pope Leo on AI and warfare in Air Force Academy graduation address</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/vance-invokes-pope-leo-on-ai-and-warfare-in-air-force-academy-graduation-address</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/vance-invokes-pope-leo-on-ai-and-warfare-in-air-force-academy-graduation-address</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Vice President JD Vance said he wanted to &quot;endorse&quot; Pope Leo XIV&#039;s concerns about AI and warfare at the U.S. Air Force Academy commencement ceremony.
The post Vance invokes Pope Leo on AI and warfare in Air Force Academy graduation address first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vance, invokes, Pope, Leo, and, warfare, Air, Force, Academy, graduation, address</media:keywords>
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<title>Meet the Silicon Valley priest advising tech companies on artificial intelligence ethics</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/meet-the-silicon-valley-priest-advising-tech-companies-on-artificial-intelligence-ethics</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/meet-the-silicon-valley-priest-advising-tech-companies-on-artificial-intelligence-ethics</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Father Brendan McGuire used to be a Silicon Valley technology executive. Now he&#039;s hearing their confessions.
The post Meet the Silicon Valley priest advising tech companies on artificial intelligence ethics first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Meet, the, Silicon, Valley, priest, advising, tech, companies, artificial, intelligence, ethics</media:keywords>
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<title>Lawmakers back US bishops’ bid to block abortion from pregnant worker protection rules</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/lawmakers-back-us-bishops-bid-to-block-abortion-from-pregnant-worker-protection-rules</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/lawmakers-back-us-bishops-bid-to-block-abortion-from-pregnant-worker-protection-rules</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fifty members of Congress offered their support to a lawsuit by the U.S. Catholic bishops&#039; conference and other Catholic organizations seeking to block a federal agency from enforcing an abortion provision within a set of federal regulations meant to add workplace protections for pregnant workers.
The post Lawmakers back US bishops’ bid to block abortion from pregnant worker protection rules first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Lawmakers, back, bishops’, bid, block, abortion, from, pregnant, worker, protection, rules</media:keywords>
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<title>Peru: Church asks forgiveness to victims of suppressed lay movement</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/peru-church-asks-forgiveness-to-victims-of-suppressed-lay-movement</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/peru-church-asks-forgiveness-to-victims-of-suppressed-lay-movement</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Cardinals and bishops in Peru fell to their knees at a Mass of reparation, asking forgiveness of poor farmers for the suffering they endured at the hands of the now-suppressed lay movement Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.
The post Peru: Church asks forgiveness to victims of suppressed lay movement first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Peru:, Church, asks, forgiveness, victims, suppressed, lay, movement</media:keywords>
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<title>Relics of sister to whom Jesus appeared, showing his Sacred Heart, will come to the U.S. in June</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/relics-of-sister-to-whom-jesus-appeared-showing-his-sacred-heart-will-come-to-the-us-in-june</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/relics-of-sister-to-whom-jesus-appeared-showing-his-sacred-heart-will-come-to-the-us-in-june</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the French Visitation sister who experienced visions of Jesus revealing his Sacred Heart, will visit United States.
The post Relics of sister to whom Jesus appeared, showing his Sacred Heart, will come to the U.S. in June first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Relics, sister, whom, Jesus, appeared, showing, his, Sacred, Heart, will, come, the, U.S., June</media:keywords>
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<title>Faster, greener, more affordable: China&amp;apos;s modular building solution goes global</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/faster-greener-more-affordable-chinas-modular-building-solution-goes-global</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/faster-greener-more-affordable-chinas-modular-building-solution-goes-global</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- When Chinese national Anna decided to locate a granny flat in her backyard in the Australian city of Perth, a video showing a prefabricated Chinese house got her attention.The clip showed a white, folded house resting on a lawn, four workers unfastening the locks, swinging open the walls, and unfolding the floor. Within hours, a 70-square-meter home stood ready, complete with a bedroo ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Faster, greener, more, affordable:, Chinas, modular, building, solution, goes, global</media:keywords>
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<title>Pakistan win toss, opt to bowl first against Australia in ODI series opener at Rawalpindi</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pakistan-win-toss-opt-to-bowl-first-against-australia-in-odi-series-opener-at-rawalpindi</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pakistan-win-toss-opt-to-bowl-first-against-australia-in-odi-series-opener-at-rawalpindi</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Rawalpindi [Pakistan], May 30 (ANI): Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi won the toss and opted to bowl first against Australia in the first ODI of the three-match series, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Notably, the series marks a crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the next year&#039;s ODI World Cup.After winning the toss, Shaheen Afridi said Pakistan chose to bowl first because the pitch looks s ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pakistan, win, toss, opt, bowl, first, against, Australia, ODI, series, opener, Rawalpindi</media:keywords>
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<title>Oliver Peake eclipses Ricky Ponting&amp;apos;s 31&#45;year&#45;old record during PAK vs AUS 1st ODI</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/oliver-peake-eclipses-ricky-pontings-31-year-old-record-during-pak-vs-aus-1st-odi</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/oliver-peake-eclipses-ricky-pontings-31-year-old-record-during-pak-vs-aus-1st-odi</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Rawalpindi [Pakistan], May 30 (ANI): Victoria batter Oliver Peake became the 252nd Australian to play men&#039;s one-day international cricket during the first ODI against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Saturday.The 19-year-old from Geelong has been on a meteoric trajectory since playing a star role in Australia&#039;s U19 World Cup win in 2024, when aged just 17, according to the cricket.com.au. At 19 years and 261 day ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Oliver, Peake, eclipses, Ricky, Pontings, 31-year-old, record, during, PAK, AUS, 1st, ODI</media:keywords>
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<title>Veteran D Tim Ream to captain U.S. at World Cup</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/veteran-d-tim-ream-to-captain-us-at-world-cup</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/veteran-d-tim-ream-to-captain-us-at-world-cup</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ (Photo credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)Tim Ream will captain the U.S. men&#039;s national team at the upcoming World Cup.Manager Mauricio Pochettino awarded the armband to the 38-year-old Charlotte FC defender on Saturday.&#039;I am so grateful he is with us -- he is a great captain not only (on the) field but more importantly off the field. He has the experience and capacity to be the leader we want ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Veteran, Tim, Ream, captain, U.S., World, Cup</media:keywords>
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<title>Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh holds talks with Dutch military chief on defence cooperation at Shangri&#45;La Dialogue</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/defence-secretary-rajesh-kumar-singh-holds-talks-with-dutch-military-chief-on-defence-cooperation-at-shangri-la-dialogue</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/defence-secretary-rajesh-kumar-singh-holds-talks-with-dutch-military-chief-on-defence-cooperation-at-shangri-la-dialogue</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Singapore, May 30 (ANI): Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Saturday held bilateral discussions with the Chief of Defence of the Netherlands, General Onno Eichelsheim, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, focusing on enhancing defence cooperation between the two countries.According to the Ministry of Defence, the discussions focused on expanding military exchange programmes and bilatera ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Defence, Secretary, Rajesh, Kumar, Singh, holds, talks, with, Dutch, military, chief, defence, cooperation, Shangri-La, Dialogue</media:keywords>
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<title>Audience questions, special cameos &amp;amp;amp; behind&#45;the&#45;scenes stories with Dasha Burns</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/audience-questions-special-cameos-behind-the-scenes-stories-with-dasha-burns</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/audience-questions-special-cameos-behind-the-scenes-stories-with-dasha-burns</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Audience questions, special cameos &amp; behind-the-scenes stories with Dasha Burns 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Audience, questions, special, cameos, &amp;amp, behind-the-scenes, stories, with, Dasha, Burns</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Poll: Trump’s economic message isn&amp;apos;t breaking through</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-trumps-economic-message-isnt-breaking-through</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-trumps-economic-message-isnt-breaking-through</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ New results from The POLITICO Poll show voters are as skeptical of the president&#039;s economy now as they were in November. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://static.politico.com/89/85/d8ebcee646969434e2170dd45ced/affordability-may.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Poll:, Trump’s, economic, message, isnt, breaking, through</media:keywords>
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<title>Louisiana Republicans pass gerrymandered map that eliminates majority&#45;Black district</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/louisiana-republicans-pass-gerrymandered-map-that-eliminates-majority-black-district</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/louisiana-republicans-pass-gerrymandered-map-that-eliminates-majority-black-district</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The new map has five of the state’s six House districts as GOP-leaning. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Louisiana, Republicans, pass, gerrymandered, map, that, eliminates, majority-Black, district</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Brisport walks off the $$$ plank</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/brisport-walks-off-the-plank</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/brisport-walks-off-the-plank</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ WHAT A DIFFERENCE A FEW YEARS MAKE: When state Sen. Jabari Brisport ran for City Council in 2017, he promised that, if elected, he would forgo most of his government salary. 
In social media posts, candidate questionnaires and even on his own campaign website, Brisport argued it isn&#039;t reasonable for Council members to pull $148,000 annually when working class New Yorkers survive off far less. So he pledged in a Citizens Union questionnaire that he would cut his wage down to $47,000 — the median income in Brooklyn — and distribute the surplus to his staff so they’re “paid adequately.” 
“I&#039;m the only candidate not only talking the talk about income inequality and calling for higher taxes on the wealthy, but also walking the walk and pledging to slash my own salary to the median income of Brooklyn,” the democratic socialist said in an April 7, 2017 interview with Gothamist. “It&#039;s a socialist plank.” 
But Brisport — who’s facing a primary challenge this year — quietly walked off that plank once he actually got elected to public office. 
After losing his 2017 Council race, Brisport switched gears and successfully ran for state Senate in 2020 — and he has never given up part of his legislative salary since taking office in January 2021, according to a Playbook review of payroll records. 
In fact, Brisport even voted to increase pay for himself and other lawmakers in 2023, bumping the salary floor from $110,000 to $142,000, records show. 
The 2023 raises made legislators in Albany the highest paid state lawmakers in the nation. Yet despite his 2017 campaign commitment, Brisport has drawn his full salary every year since being elected. As of fall 2025, he had in total raked in more than $607,000 in government salary — in addition to about $100,000 in taxpayer-funded travel stipends, records show. 
When asked why he never stuck to his 2017 promises, Brisport suggested Thursday he had a change of heart upon launching his state Senate campaign in 2019. 
“When I ran for state Senate I decided to focus on fighting for higher wages for working class people and making New York more affordable for everyone,” Brisport told Playbook. 
Brisport, who represents a swath of Brooklyn that includes Bedford-Stuyvesant and Clinton Hill, faces a challenge in the June 23 Democratic primary from community activist Marlon Rice, who’s running on a more moderate platform than the incumbent. 
Brisport is a close friend, political ally and former roommate of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. 
Mamdani has yet to offer an endorsement for Brisport. But a person close to the mayor recently told Playbook he plans to roll out a slate of state-level endorsements in the coming weeks. — Chris Sommerfeldt From the CapitolBUDGET REFORM’S LONG ODDS: This year’s budget was the tenth-tardiest in state history, leaving legislators disgruntled with the governor’s lopsided power over the process. 
“Members are really tired,” said Assemblymember Anna Kelles, who’s sponsoring one of several proposed constitutional amendments seeking to reduce the governor’s powers. “It’s not just that people are angry. It’s been year after year, and it’s affected our ability to do our job.” 
Still, as has been the case after contentious budget processes in years past, the odds remain long that lawmakers’ displeasure will turn into drastic changes anytime soon. 
“Do I support a change in the budgetary powers? Yes, personally I do,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said last month. “But you pass a constitutional amendment. Now this is the tough part: Now you’re in a campaign, the governor versus the Legislature. Who’s paying for that?” 
If an amendment doesn’t receive first approval by next week, it’ll be too late to enact one that applies to any budget before the spending plan for the 2031 fiscal year. 
Lawmakers could pass statutory changes later this year or in January, though. They’ve discussed treating the governor like they’re treated when budgets run late through withholding her paycheck until talks are done. But that would serve as a mostly symbolic move, at least under a governor with a seven-figure household income and a mansion subsidized by taxpayers. There are also technical changes backed by budget wonks such as moving the due date to July, but those wouldn’t necessarily address the power imbalance. 
“My expectation is there are going to be at least informal conversations after we’re done with session, ahead of the budget process next year, about how this process can work more fairly,” state Sen. James Skoufis said. “But it’s one of those things that, after so many years of banging this drum, I’ll believe it when I see it.” — Bill Mahoney 
‘THANK YOU, GOV’: Gov. Kathy Hochul didn’t give the immigration advocates everything they wanted, but they’re not raking her over the coals for it. 
“I&#039;ll say it 100 times: New York is not a sanctuary for criminals, and we will cooperate when crimes are being committed,” Hochul said today while hailing new measures in the state budget that push back against ICE’s aggressive enforcement tactics. 
The new policies include a ban on ICE agents wearing masks, a measure to block them from entering sensitive locations like schools and churches without a judicial warrant and an end to official agreements between localities and federal law enforcement, which have allowed counties to lend their jails to ICE. 
But the final budget deal does nothing to prohibit law enforcement from informally tipping off ICE when someone undocumented commits a crime, something that’s explicitly prohibited in the New York for All act that advocates have pushed for. 
Still, groups like Make the Road New York and the New York Immigration Coalition are joining in on Hochul’s party. 
“We commend the Governor and Legislature for passing this package, and for creating new meaningful protections for immigrant New Yorkers,” said New York Immigration Coalition President and CEO Murad Awawdeh. 
“This is really meaningful to us,” Make the Road New York’s co-executive director Natalia Aristizabal said during the event. — Jason BeefermanFROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILWHY WFP DIDN’T ENDORSE: Rep. Adriano Espaillat’s record on Israel cost him an endorsement from the Working Families Party, according to two people familiar with the matter. 
The people, granted anonymity to discuss internal party decisions, told Playbook that Espaillat’s refusal to support the Block the Bombs Act was a major problem for the party, which ultimately decided not to weigh in as he faces a challenge from democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier in NY-13. The legislation would prohibit the sale of military equipment to Israel until the country guarantees compliance with international law. 
Mamdani endorsed Chevalier on Thursday night, a move that has injected energy in a race that was previously viewed as an uphill climb for the democratic socialist. She has been fiercely critical of Israel and its war in Gaza since the start of the race, and has criticized the hundreds of thousands of dollars the incumbent Congress member has accepted from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee over the years. 
“I think Espaillat missed the moment,” one of the people told Playbook. “There was a moment — there still is a moment — to evolve, and he didn’t. And now he has a real race.” 
The second person said the Working Families Party did appreciate how Espaillat, the first formerly undocumented person elected to Congress, has led the charge on immigration from the House, but his inability to support the weapons sale bill caused concern among its members. 
Meanwhile, Hochul took the opportunity today to praise Espaillat after Mamdani’s endorsement. 
“I&#039;m not commenting on why other people do what they do,” Hochul said. “I don&#039;t think anyone has done a better job than Adriano Espaillat, and that&#039;s important to know. This is not intended to set up a collision course of who&#039;s endorsing who. I support long-standing allies … and the people that I believe in. — Jason Beeferman 
PAC IT UP: An independent expenditure committee backed by a prominent Albany-based lobbying firm is ready to spend big in a handful of legislative races. 
New York Forward, the group backed by the firm Brown &amp; Weinraub, is expected to spend “several hundred thousand dollars” in several races. That includes backing the state Senate bid of Assemblymember Grace Lee, who’s running for the seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Brian Kavanagh. 
The group is also providing get-out-the-vote support for state Sen. Joe Addabbo and Assemblymembers Catalina Cruz, Andrew Hevesi and Jordan Wright. 
“New York Forward was created to support candidates who do the hard, constructive work of governing,” said Evan Rantzaklis, who is leading the effort for Brown &amp; Weinraub. “That means backing leaders who deliver for their districts, build coalitions, and take their responsibilities seriously. These first expenditures reflect exactly that mission.” — Nick Reisman 
THE DEBATE DEBATE: One of the city’s more under-the-radar primaries seems like it won’t be getting a debate. 
The New York City chapter of the League of Women Voters said it’s canceling a planned face-off between Democratic Rep. Grace Meng and former diplomat Chuck Park, who’s running to the incumbent’s left. Kai Rosenthal, the chapter’s co-president, cited “many conflicts and short timing” for the cancellation. 
Park is blaming Meng. 
“Over the course of a month, we accepted all of Rep. Meng&#039;s requests for new dates, a new venue, and a shorter time, but she was still unwilling to make it work,” he said in a statement. “If she’s ready to face the public, she can name a date and time, and I’ll be there.” 
A spokesperson for Meng’s campaign pushed back, saying she “worked in good faith to make a debate happen.” In an email this morning responding to the cancellation, Meng campaign manager Harry Brussel wrote that the campaign is “truly sorry to hear that the debate won’t be possible” and asked to be kept apprised “if circumstances change.” 
“It’s disappointing it didn’t come together,&quot; Meng’s spokesperson continued in a statement to Playbook. “But this has been a long campaign and voters know full well what their choices are. They know Grace works hard and delivers and that Chuck complains about process.” — Madison FernandezIN OTHER NEWS— RED LINE: A contentious NY-21 Republican primary between Robert Smullen and Anthony Constantino was on full display Thursday, where sharp debate exchanges ended with a snubbed handshake. (Times Union) 
— PRIME EXAMPLE: Court filings by Attorney General Letitia James and the Teamsters union in Amazon’s challenge to a New York labor law defended state action, citing yearslong delays and dysfunction by the federal labor board. (amNY) 
— ACT NOW, REVIEW LATER?: New York City’s child welfare agency is facing a class-action lawsuit from families alleging it removes children without prior court approvals. (The New Yorker)    
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Brisport, walks, off, the, plank</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>When to say ‘no’ to AI in the classroom and at home: A key warning of Magnifica Humanitas</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/when-to-say-no-to-ai-in-the-classroom-and-at-home-a-key-warning-of-magnifica-humanitas</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/when-to-say-no-to-ai-in-the-classroom-and-at-home-a-key-warning-of-magnifica-humanitas</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV issues a broad call to rethink what it means to educate people in the use of artificial intelligence and its implications, especially for young people. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>When, say, ‘no’, the, classroom, and, home:, key, warning, Magnifica, Humanitas</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>From the Vatican to Australia: Sistine Chapel exhibit debuts in Sydney</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/from-the-vatican-to-australia-sistine-chapel-exhibit-debuts-in-sydney</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/from-the-vatican-to-australia-sistine-chapel-exhibit-debuts-in-sydney</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Vatican Museums and the Archdiocese of Sydney held a conference in Rome to launch the exhibition ahead of the 2028 International Eucharistic Congress. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>From, the, Vatican, Australia:, Sistine, Chapel, exhibit, debuts, Sydney</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope decries ‘drastic sterility,’ discrimination against motherhood in Europe</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-decries-drastic-sterility-discrimination-against-motherhood-in-europe</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-decries-drastic-sterility-discrimination-against-motherhood-in-europe</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Leo addressed members of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Demography and others during a conference on the family and demographics. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, decries, ‘drastic, sterility, ’, discrimination, against, motherhood, Europe</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Anthropic co&#45;founder points to 3 ethical challenges of AI at Magnifica Humanitas presentation</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/anthropic-co-founder-points-to-3-ethical-challenges-of-ai-at-magnifica-humanitas-presentation</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/anthropic-co-founder-points-to-3-ethical-challenges-of-ai-at-magnifica-humanitas-presentation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Christopher Olah singled out the duty to the global poor, rediscovering and rethinking what it means to flourish as a human being and the need for discernment on the part of AI model developers. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Anthropic, co-founder, points, ethical, challenges, Magnifica, Humanitas, presentation</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Society of St. Pius X names priests to be consecrated bishops July 1</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/society-of-st-pius-x-names-priests-to-be-consecrated-bishops-july-1</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/society-of-st-pius-x-names-priests-to-be-consecrated-bishops-july-1</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The SSPX named four priests to be consecrated as bishops without papal permission — despite a warning from the Vatican that the “schismatic” consecrations would incur excommunication. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Society, St., Pius, names, priests, consecrated, bishops, July</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Leo XIV authorizes beatification of 80 civil war martyrs ahead of his trip to Spain</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/leo-xiv-authorizes-beatification-of-80-civil-war-martyrs-ahead-of-his-trip-to-spain</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/leo-xiv-authorizes-beatification-of-80-civil-war-martyrs-ahead-of-his-trip-to-spain</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In addition, the pope will declare four other religious from various countries as venerable. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:50:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Leo, XIV, authorizes, beatification, civil, war, martyrs, ahead, his, trip, Spain</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV discusses major challenges of EU and its future with European bishops</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-discusses-major-challenges-of-eu-and-its-future-with-european-bishops</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-discusses-major-challenges-of-eu-and-its-future-with-european-bishops</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ While the bishops proposed many possible topics for the meeting, the pontiff emphasized dialogue and peace as priorities. The pope also said migrants must be respected and needed services not denied. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:50:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, discusses, major, challenges, and, its, future, with, European, bishops</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Why Catholics celebrate Mary as ‘mother of the Church’ the day after Pentecost</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/why-catholics-celebrate-mary-as-mother-of-the-church-the-day-after-pentecost</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/why-catholics-celebrate-mary-as-mother-of-the-church-the-day-after-pentecost</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church each year on the Monday after Pentecost. This year, it falls on May 25. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:50:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, Catholics, celebrate, Mary, ‘mother, the, Church’, the, day, after, Pentecost</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>In Italian region marred by toxic waste, Pope Leo XIV praises ‘beauty no injustice can erase’</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/in-italian-region-marred-by-toxic-waste-pope-leo-xiv-praises-beauty-no-injustice-can-erase</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/in-italian-region-marred-by-toxic-waste-pope-leo-xiv-praises-beauty-no-injustice-can-erase</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Holy Father on May 23 met with Church leaders and local residents at Acerra in Italy&#039;s &quot;Land of Fires.&quot; ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:50:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Italian, region, marred, toxic, waste, Pope, Leo, XIV, praises, ‘beauty, injustice, can, erase’</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>In Italy’s ‘Land of Fires,’ Pope Leo XIV laments ‘the cry of creation and the poor’</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/in-italys-land-of-fires-pope-leo-xiv-laments-the-cry-of-creation-and-the-poor</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/in-italys-land-of-fires-pope-leo-xiv-laments-the-cry-of-creation-and-the-poor</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Holy Father said Pope Francis&#039; encyclical Laudato Si&#039; is a framework for addressing the social and environmental crises of the region. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:50:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Tomas Kauer - Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Italy’s, ‘Land, Fires, ’, Pope, Leo, XIV, laments, ‘the, cry, creation, and, the, poor’</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo: AI, ‘culture of power’ make just war theory ‘outdated,’ demand new ‘rigorous’ constraints</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-ai-culture-of-power-make-just-war-theory-outdated-demand-new-rigorous-constraints</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-ai-culture-of-power-make-just-war-theory-outdated-demand-new-rigorous-constraints</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In his new encyclical on artificial intelligence, Pope Leo XIV took aim at the normalization of war, made more dangerous by a digital revolution.
The post Pope Leo: AI, ‘culture of power’ make just war theory ‘outdated,’ demand new ‘rigorous’ constraints first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:49:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo:, AI, ‘culture, power’, make, just, war, theory, ‘outdated, ’, demand, new, ‘rigorous’, constraints</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Bishops welcome Pope Leo’s encyclical as ‘crystal’ clear guidance for the AI era</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/bishops-welcome-pope-leos-encyclical-as-crystal-clear-guidance-for-the-ai-era</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/bishops-welcome-pope-leos-encyclical-as-crystal-clear-guidance-for-the-ai-era</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Catholic bishops are welcoming Pope Leo XIV&#039;s first encyclical, dedicated to safeguarding human dignity by invoking Catholic social teaching as a framework for anchoring artificial intelligence.
The post Bishops welcome Pope Leo’s encyclical as ‘crystal’ clear guidance for the AI era first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:49:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bishops, welcome, Pope, Leo’s, encyclical, ‘crystal’, clear, guidance, for, the, era</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘Magnifica Humanitas’ explores being human in the age of artificial intelligence</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/magnifica-humanitas-explores-being-human-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/magnifica-humanitas-explores-being-human-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ New developments promise extraordinary innovation and economic opportunity. Yet they also raise profound moral questions.
The post ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ explores being human in the age of artificial intelligence first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:49:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Magnifica, Humanitas’, explores, being, human, the, age, artificial, intelligence</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV tells Vatican press conference AI must be ‘disarmed’ for humanity’s sake</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-tells-vatican-press-conference-ai-must-be-disarmed-for-humanitys-sake</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-tells-vatican-press-conference-ai-must-be-disarmed-for-humanitys-sake</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Speaking after the promulgation of &quot;Magnifica Humanitas,&quot; the pope explained that he had consulted with scientists, engineers, policymakers, educators and parents as he was working on the encyclical.
The post Pope Leo XIV tells Vatican press conference AI must be ‘disarmed’ for humanity’s sake first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:49:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, tells, Vatican, press, conference, must, ‘disarmed’, for, humanity’s, sake</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘Magnifica Humanitas’ a call for moral wisdom in the age of AI, panelists say</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/magnifica-humanitas-a-call-for-moral-wisdom-in-the-age-of-ai-panelists-say</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/magnifica-humanitas-a-call-for-moral-wisdom-in-the-age-of-ai-panelists-say</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A May 25 presentation coincided with the Vatican&#039;s release of Pope Leo&#039;s first encyclical on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.
The post ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ a call for moral wisdom in the age of AI, panelists say first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:49:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Magnifica, Humanitas’, call, for, moral, wisdom, the, age, AI, panelists, say</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Chitkara University Partners with JAN AI to Drive Inclusive Innovation and AI&#45;Led Entrepreneurship</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/chitkara-university-partners-with-jan-ai-to-drive-inclusive-innovation-and-ai-led-entrepreneurship</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/chitkara-university-partners-with-jan-ai-to-drive-inclusive-innovation-and-ai-led-entrepreneurship</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ NewsVoirChandigarh [India], April 11: Chitkara University has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JAN AI, a flagship initiative of the Head Held High Foundation, to advance innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive access to Artificial Intelligence. The MoU was formalised in the presence of Dr. Madan Padaki, ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:48:45 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Chitkara, University, Partners, with, JAN, Drive, Inclusive, Innovation, and, AI-Led, Entrepreneurship</media:keywords>
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<title>Amity Students Secure Offers from Top Global Universities</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/amity-students-secure-offers-from-top-global-universities</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/amity-students-secure-offers-from-top-global-universities</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ NewsVoirNew Delhi [India], April 21: With a strong focus on experiential learning, personalised mentoring, and global exposure, Amity Schools continue to nurture students into confident, future-ready individuals. The institution&#039;s progressive pedagogy, combined with a robust career guidance framework, empowers students to achieve excellence at some of the world&#039;s most prestigious universities. Reflecting ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:48:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Amity, Students, Secure, Offers, from, Top, Global, Universities</media:keywords>
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<title>Supercharge &amp;apos;26, Powered by Apple, Ignites Innovation at Chitkara University</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/supercharge-26-powered-by-apple-ignites-innovation-at-chitkara-university</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/supercharge-26-powered-by-apple-ignites-innovation-at-chitkara-university</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ NewsVoirChandigarh [India], April 22: Chitkara University hosted the second edition of Supercharge &#039;26, powered by Apple, a two-day flagship event designed to immerse students in the tools, technologies, and ideas shaping the future of digital innovation.Building on the success of previous editions, Supercharge &#039;26 brought together students from Computer Scie ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:48:40 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Supercharge, 26, Powered, Apple, Ignites, Innovation, Chitkara, University</media:keywords>
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<title>World&amp;apos;s Leading Building and Climate Organizations Launch Coalition to Green AI Data Centers</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/worlds-leading-building-and-climate-organizations-launch-coalition-to-green-ai-data-centers</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/worlds-leading-building-and-climate-organizations-launch-coalition-to-green-ai-data-centers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ NewsVoirMumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 23: Nine of the world&#039;s leading built environment and sustainable finance organizations today launched the Greening AI Data Centers Coalition (GADCC) -- a new global initiative to set clear, credible standards for sustainable data center development as AI-driven demand for computing power accelerates worldwide.The GADCC will develop transparent benchmarks that d ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:48:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Worlds, Leading, Building, and, Climate, Organizations, Launch, Coalition, Green, Data, Centers</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Chitkara University Hosts Research Excellence Awards 2026 in Chandigarh, Marks 10&#45;Year Milestone</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/chitkara-university-hosts-research-excellence-awards-2026-in-chandigarh-marks-10-year-milestone</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/chitkara-university-hosts-research-excellence-awards-2026-in-chandigarh-marks-10-year-milestone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ NewsVoirChandigarh [India], April 27: Chitkara University hosted the 10th edition of its Research Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding contributions in research, innovation, and academic excellence across disciplines. The milestone edition marks a decade of advancing high-impact research and interdisciplinary collaboration.The awards rec ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 18:48:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Chitkara, University, Hosts, Research, Excellence, Awards, 2026, Chandigarh, Marks, 10-Year, Milestone</media:keywords>
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<title>Albany reels in ICE</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/albany-reels-in-ice</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/albany-reels-in-ice</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 51 
CROWD CONTROL: State Democrats are aligned on reining in ICE — but there’s sharp disagreements over whether the measures will meaningfully impact the NYPD. 
Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers passed a package of measures this afternoon that seek to curtail federal immigration enforcement agents’ operations in New York. 
“Tom Homan can shove it,” Brooklyn state Sen. Andrew Gounardes said at a press conference this morning, referring to the Trump administration’s border czar. 
The package aims to restrict the ability of police departments like the NYPD to control crowds while federal officers conduct immigration enforcement actions. 
“If ICE or DHS ask a local police department to facilitate their operations — lock down the street, clear out traffic, cordon off an area, put up, ‘do not cross signs,’... those types of actions would no longer be allowed,” Gounardes said of the immigration package. 
Also in the agreement: banning masks for federal and local law enforcement and creating a list of “sensitive locations” that ICE won’t be able to enter without a judicial warrant. 
The slew of anti-ICE measures are just the latest effort by Democrats in blue states like New York to push back against the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration tactics. 
But the push to prohibit local police departments from cooperating with federal immigration authorities is likely to prove messy on the ground — as evidenced by a recent fracas in Brooklyn. 
A host of elected allies of Zohran Mamdani pointed fingers at the mayor and police commissioner Jessica Tisch earlier this month when the NYPD took steps to control a crowd of anti-ICE protesters who tried to obstruct federal officers that detained an undocumented man and transported him to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. 
The NYPD says officers were doing their job by responding to 911 calls about disorderly protesters — and they also say these new measures wouldn’t have had any effect on how they operated that evening in front of Wykoff. During those efforts, eight people were arrested due to scuffles with cops and attempts to block the federal officers’ exits. Videos depict a chaotic scene, with the NYPD seen throwing a protester to the ground. 
But protesters say the NYPD’s efforts to control the crowd made it so the city’s cops, directly or indirectly, were supporting ICE and clearing a path for their movements. 
Brooklyn state Sen. Julia Salazar, a key backer of the immigration measures, insists the new language from the state would’ve stopped the NYPD from interfering with anti-ICE protesters outside the Brooklyn hospital that day. 
“Someone was quite violently taken into ICE custody by ICE agents,” Salazar said, recounting the incident. “Then they were taken to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick, and the police officers from the NYPD facilitated the entry and exit of those officers — which would be prohibited going forward.” 
An NYPD spokesperson told Playbook the “legislation will not impact the NYPD because we do not engage in civil immigration enforcement, period.” 
The actual language of the bill would bar any “informal agreement” with federal immigration authorities “under which an officer or employee may engage in or assist immigration enforcement, or otherwise may perform a function of an immigration officer.” The dispute over its actual effect prompts questions about the role of local cops to ensure order in the face of anti-ICE demonstrations, especially after similar protests turned deadly in Minnesota. 
Mamdani’s spokesperson Dora Pekec said city policy already prohibits coordination between the NYPD and ICE and that “the Mayor supports this piece of legislation and has made clear that he believes ICE has no role in promoting public safety here in New York City.” 
Tomorrow Mamdani will release a report – resulting from a February executive order – examining all city interactions with federal immigration enforcement efforts. 
At a May 12 event hosted by the Association for a Better New York, Tisch slammed critics who said the NYPD was colluding with ICE at Wyckoff. 
“NYPD officers, in the middle of the night, amid chaos outside of their control, did their job professionally and skillfully and made sure events did not spiral into a calamity,” she said. “The critics of the NYPD’s actions -- those who would have us stand aside and call cops doing their jobs collusion – have lost sight of the lives at stake.” 
The Wyckoff incident prompted rare public criticism of the Mamdani administration from left-leaning lawmakers who held an emergency press conference and wrote a letter decrying the NYPD’s actions that evening. 
“They provided security for ICE,” City Council member Sandy Nurse, who represents the area, said of the incident. 
In a statement, Hochul spokesperson Jen Goodman said the new law “would not ban local law enforcement from actions like crowd control in the interest of protecting New Yorkers.” — Jason BeefermanFROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILPOLL-A-PALOOZA: We’ve got the latest snapshots of the city’s most competitive primaries in a trio of surveys from Emerson College Polling for PIX 11 — rare outside polling in these races. 
The biggest gap: Former City Comptroller Brad Lander, who’s challenging Rep. Dan Goldman, is leading by a whopping 34 points. The survey has Lander with 57 percent support, compared to the incumbent’s 23 percent. One in five likely Democratic primary voters are undecided. 
Goldman’s campaign was quick to dispute the results: “This poll is not remotely close to an accurate read of this race,” campaign manager Simone Kanter wrote on X. “The data we’ve seen shows a dead heat after messaging.” 
He went on to argue that the survey oversampled college-educated voters and young people, writing that the poll “is assuming an electorate that looks exactly like the once-in-a-generation turnout Mamdani mobilized when he was on the ballot.” (Mamdani has endorsed Lander in the race, which will be a test of the mayor’s political muscle.) 
Emily Minster, a spokesperson for Lander’s campaign, said they are “taking nothing for granted.” 
A recent internal poll from a pro-Goldman super PAC found the incumbent trailing Lander by 5 points. Goldman has been up on the air for weeks; Lander began advertising today. 
The polls showed far tighter races in the other primaries for NY-07 and NY-12, which are being vacated by retiring Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Jerry Nadler, respectively. 
In NY-07, state Assemblymember Claire Valdez has 23 percent support, followed by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso with 21 percent. City Council member Julie Won comes in at 13 percent and public defender Vichal Kumar at 1 percent. 
Valdez leads among Hispanic voters and is running about even with Won among Asian voters. 
An eye-popping 43 percent of respondents are undecided — giving the campaigns a major opportunity to grow their support. 
The race for NY-10 is competitive between state Assemblymembers Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, who come in at 22 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg has 11 percent, while anti-Trump commentator George Conway has 10 percent and public health practitioner Nina Schwalbe has 3 percent. Around a third of respondents are undecided. 
Recent surveys — nearly all of which have been internal polls — also showed a tight race, with Lasher and Bores toward the front of the pack. Earlier this year, Schlossberg had a slight lead in polls. Heavy outside spending has occurred in recent weeks in favor of Lasher, as well as groups both spending for and against Bores. 
Mamdani has a strong approval rating in all three districts: 78 percent approve of him in the 7th, 79 percent in the 10th and 66 percent in the 12th. 
The polls were conducted May 16-17 among likely Democratic primary voters. In the 7th, there were 350 respondents and a margin of error of plus-or-minus 5.2 percentage points. In the 10th, there were 450 respondents and a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.6 percentage points. In the 12th, there were 425 respondents and a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.8 percentage points. — Madison Fernandez 
NOT THERE: Democrats are feeling good heading into this year’s midterms. But good enough to not donate to battleground Rep. Laura Gillen? 
Oath, a donor platform that measures which Democrats it would be most effective to support, shared new recommendations for which candidates should make the cut, our colleagues in D.C. reported this morning. Among those who fall into the do-not-donate category is Gillen, whose Long Island seat that she narrowly flipped in 2024 is widely considered a crucial 2026 contest for control of the House. In a memo, Oath rationalized that Gillen’s seat is “moving into safe Democratic territory” and “does not have a Republican opponent who even raised $100,000.” 
However, it’s unclear how much Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Jeanine Driscoll, local Republicans’ candidate of choice, has raised. She entered the race in April — after the second fundraising quarter began — and has not filed a financial report with the Federal Election Commission. Driscoll’s primary opponent, Air Force veteran Marvin Williams, has raised close to $90,000 — most of which was self-funded. 
Also adding uncertainty to upcoming elections is a pending case in the Supreme Court that could open the floodgates to massive political spending from the national parties and benefit Republicans. 
“Laura Gillen is running in a fiercely competitive Frontline seat,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Riya Vashi said in a statement. “The DCCC is committed to ensuring Laura has the resources and support she needs to win this November.” — Madison FernandezFrom the CapitolTHE WHEELS ON THE BUS: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has spent months working with other agencies planning for “nightmare scenarios” involving waylaid trains and buses during the World Cup, its executive director said Thursday. 
Those plans could come in handy given the history of heat-related problems in the region and a pair of fires that disrupted service in and out of Penn Station in the past week. 
New Jersey Transit’s backup plan for waylaid trains is a fleet of buses to carry fans. But those buses also break down in the heat and will need to get through the Port Authority’s tunnels to reach MetLife Stadium where eight World Cup matches will be played. So the Port Authority is working on a backup plan for the backup plan, including freeing up lanes in the Lincoln Tunnel that normally go in one direction to go in another. 
“It’s going to be July, it’s going to be hot, on any given day we have bus break downs because the engine gets too hot,” Port Authority head Kathryn Garcia told reporters following a board meeting today. “We need to be able to be very flexible.” 
Port Authority Chair Kevin O’Toole said during the hottest day last week he was behind a bus that broke down in the Lincoln Tunnel. Within five minutes a tow truck was there and another bus came to pick up the passengers. 
“We are going to anticipate certain breakdowns and hopefully we can do our best to accommodate the public,&quot; he said. — Ry RivardFROM CITY HALLNOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE: Mamdani announced a deal today to provide 1,000 World Cup tickets to New Yorkers at $50 a pop. 
The mayor unveiled his discount ticket scheme this morning at a beer garden in Harlem, rattling off teams, players and moments from World Cups of yore before getting to the meat of his announcement. 
&quot;We&#039;re so excited, frankly, because we know that there are so many New Yorkers who thought that there was no way they could afford to go to this tournament, and now there is that glimpse of an opportunity,&quot; the mayor said. 
But New Jersey Democrats were having none of it. They attacked FIFA – soccer’s global governing body – for the discounted tickets, which are only available to New York residents, even though the matches are being played in the Garden State. 
“This publicity stunt does nothing to address the cost of tickets,&quot; New Jersey Democratic Reps. Nellie Pou and Frank Pallone said in a joint statement. 
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s spokesperson, Stephen Sigmund, said “FIFA not caring about costs for New Jersey residents isn&#039;t new.” 
FIFA said the agreement was between the local host committee and the mayor’s office, and that FIFA was only involved in ensuring the tickets went to fans who genuinely planned to attend rather than sell tickets. 
New York and New Jersey officials have repeatedly sparred over how to run the upcoming tournament, despite being co-hosts. Most of that dust up to date has been over dueling bus and train services to get fans to matches. — Ry Rivard and Joe Anuta In Other News— SUITED UP: Mamdani’s top lawyer, Ramzi Kaseem, brings a history of suing the NYPD and defending high-profile civil liberties cases to City Hall. (The New York Times) 
— ICED OUT: A Manhattan parking garage removed federal vehicles after protesters alleged they were being used by immigration enforcement agents. (Gothamist) 
— SHEIK UP: The Mamdani administration distanced itself from the views of an Islamic leader who has cast doubts on basic facts about the Holocaust. The mayor has met with the controversial figure at least three times since January 2025. (Washington Free Beacon) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Albany, reels, ICE</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Ukraine’s ambassador on Trump, Putin and the path to peace</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/ukraines-ambassador-on-trump-putin-and-the-path-to-peace</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/ukraines-ambassador-on-trump-putin-and-the-path-to-peace</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Ukraine’s ambassador on Trump, Putin and the path to peace 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ukraine’s, ambassador, Trump, Putin, and, the, path, peace</media:keywords>
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<title>The Zelig&#45;like DNC autopsy author</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-zelig-like-dnc-autopsy-author</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-zelig-like-dnc-autopsy-author</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Programming note: We’ll be off this Monday but will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday. 
DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 52 
ALBANY AUTOPSY ANGST: National Democrats entrusted their 2024 autopsy to a strategist entwined with another long-ago party calamity: the Obama-era implosion of the New York Senate. 
Paul Rivera previously served as a key adviser to state Senate Democratic leader John Sampson, a Brooklyn lawmaker who led an infamously dysfunctional majority for part of 2009 and into 2010 — and was later convicted of federal fraud charges. 
Rivera arrived in the Senate with a strong resume after working on gubernatorial and presidential campaigns, including Al Gore and John Kerry. Staffers and lawmakers alike found him to be an inscrutable, enigmatic aide who murmured advice in the background. It was the kind of shapeless profile many advisers hone in power centers across the globe, but seemed especially befitting a state Capitol known for its bewildering opacity. 
“The man lurked in the shadows. No one knew where he came from,” former Democratic Senate press aide Travis Proulx said. “It was like a ship in the night working with him. Of everyone I’ve ever worked with he stands out as the man behind the curtain. No one knew how he got there.” 
Rivera did not return five phone calls and text messages seeking comment on Thursday and Friday. Sampson also did not return messages seeking comment. 
The strategist has little national profile, but his involvement in crafting the widely panned autopsy report was befuddling to Albany Democrats who recall with unease a deeply broken era of New York politics. They still shudder when thinking about their unhappy two-year state Senate majority during the Obama years. 
Rivera’s Zelig-like reputation was fostered during that benighted era and even lawmakers struggled to figure out where his power flowed from in the building. 
“You never know who he was really loyal to, on whose behalf he was acting,” said former Democratic state Sen. Diane Savino. 
Rivera’s name does not appear on the Democratic National Committee’s 192-page report on the 2024 election, formally released Thursday after it was published online by CNN. The autopsy was widely criticized by party officials, ex-Harris campaign aides and former Biden staffers. 
The report did not include any references to the party’s challenges over Israel and Gaza, while only making passing references to President Joe Biden’s decision to step aside — widely considered two crucial reasons for the party’s failure two years ago. 
DNC Chair Ken Martin apologized for the document in a long statement. But that hasn’t stemmed widespread calls for him to resign the leadership post he’s held for less than 18 months. 
Democratic alumni of the fractious state Senate Democratic conference in Albany were flabbergasted that the national party would hand such an important job — analyzing why droves of Americans backed President Donald Trump’s unlikely White House return — to a strategist associated with a disastrous era for Empire State Democrats. 
“He sold himself as a guy who knew everything and that he was a master of politics,” Savino said of the former Senate aide’s Albany tenure. “He didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about.” 
Read more from POLITICO&#039;s Nick Reisman. From the CapitolMICAH’S SUPERNATURAL VOTE: Assemblymember and former teen magician Micah Lasher seemingly made a miraculous journey to New York City from Albany on Thursday. 
And Lasher — who is running for the congressional seat held by retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler — is refusing to answer questions about how it happened. 
The assemblymember apparently was able to cast his vote from Albany at around 4:50 p.m. and make it to Manhattan’s Upper West Side in time for a 7 p.m. candidate forum. 
Anyone who’s ever driven the roughly 150 miles from Albany to New York City knows that timetable stretches the limits of reality — unless you’re driving well over the speed limit and get a lucky streak of zero traffic congestion. 
Lasher’s campaign refused to say where he physically was at the time he voted, and then ignored multiple follow-up calls from Playbook. 
The vote was on a budget bill that included a slate of measures designed to protect immigrants from the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement tactics. Lasher has called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the campaign trail, and even traveled to Minnesota in January to join protests against the federal agency. 
Earlier today, Lasher touted passage of the bill, saying “I am incredibly proud to have authored this legislation to protect the dignity and safety of all.” 
Assembly rules state members need to be in the “bar of the House” in order to be considered present. The “bar” is defined as “the entire Assembly Chamber and lobbies contiguous thereto as designated by the Speaker.” 
As our Playbook colleague Bill Mahoney reported last month, members have taken advantage of the policy by routinely being absent from the chambers during votes and debates. Instead, many clock in during the morning and then spend session elsewhere in the Capitol or the adjacent Legislative Office Building. Because they’re technically checked-in and considered present, the members are automatically counted as a “yes” vote on legislation — even if they’re holed up somewhere else in the Capitol complex. 
But there’s no indication the “bar” of the House extends to the Catskill exit of the New York State Thruway — a reasonable, but still tight, starting point for someone hoping to make it all the way to West 97th St. in 130 minutes. 
And if members do need to leave town early, they’re instructed to tell Assembly leadership so they don’t get mistakenly counted in the vote tally when they’re in another zip code. 
Assemblymember Alex Bores, who is also running for the congressional seat — along with Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg and former Republican Trump antagonist George Conway — made it to the forum late because he voted for the bill and also took time to explain his vote on the floor. 
After Bores apologized for his tardiness at the forum, which was hosted by a group of tenant associations, he expressed befuddlement at how Lasher was seemingly able to beam across the Hudson Valley and also cast his vote. 
“You got to tell me the route that gets me here in two hours. That’s remarkable,” Bores said, in a video reviewed by Playbook. “You voted on it?” 
“I did,” Lasher said, giving a nod. — Jason Beeferman 
BURSTING INTO TIERS: A package of changes to the Tier 6 pension plan have been finalized as state budget talks come to an end, two people familiar with the conversations said. 
&quot;Tier 6 is done,&quot; said one of the people, who was granted anonymity to relay the closed-door negotiations. 
The changes will allow teachers to retire at age 58 after 30 years of service. Employee contribution rates for many public workers will fall to 3 percent of their pay checks. The total cost stands at more than $550 million a year spread out between the state government, municipalities and school districts. 
The provision is expected to be tucked inside the transportation and economic development budget bill. 
The overhaul represents a major victory for labor, which has detested the less-generous pension tier since its 2012 inception. 
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman.FROM CITY HALLSIGNS OF LIFE: The zombie charter revision commission created by former Mayor Eric Adams will release a report next week listing proposed changes to the City Charter the body may pursue — even as state legislation seeks to kill the outfit altogether and ensure it stays dead. 
The report, which was obtained by Playbook, is set to appear in the City Record Tuesday. In addition to the prospect of open primaries, it suggests more reforms to the city’s land use process, prohibiting elected officials from giving themselves pay raises and making it harder to change term limit laws. The report also muses about making permanent several mayoral offices relating to combating hate crimes and antisemitism and forcing City Hall to fund future charter revision commissions. That last one is key. 
This particular commission was created on the last day of Adams’ tenure and is being spearheaded by his first deputy mayor, Randy Mastro. 
The rogue body is advancing proposals that would make life difficult for Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Open primaries, for example, would empower more moderate candidates and complicate the mayor’s reelection prospects. The report also recommended putting to voters several executive orders related to combating antisemitism that were signed by Adams — also in the waning days of his term — and left to lapse by the current mayor. The expiration of the executive orders predictably sparked consternation with many Jewish residents. 
The commission has been criticized as an abuse of the process by city and state government ethics organizations — even by those who support the concept of open primaries. And while Mamdani has starved the commission of funds, Albany went a step further by passing legislation Thursday that effectively dissolves the body. 
The mayor has been playing coy about what he will do (despite being the person who asked for the state provision in the first place). He said at a press conference Thursday he is still considering his options. 
The commission remains undeterred, however. It plans to sue over the state legislation while plowing ahead with its work. A public hearing remains on the schedule for next week. 
Kayla Mamelak Altus, a commission member, said state lawmakers are attempting to silence the will of the people, who would otherwise be able to help shape the commission’s eventual ballot questions. 
“That should send chills down the spines of all New Yorkers who care about having a voice in our local democracy,” she said in a statement. “This attempt to retroactively dismantle a legally constituted Charter Revision Commission in the middle of its work flies in the face of municipal home rule.” — Joe Anuta 
FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILBREWING SUPPORT: City Council member and Upper West Side fixture Gale Brewer has endorsed Stephanie Ruskay in the race for an open state Assembly seat covering the vote-rich enclave. 
“We need leaders who are smart, compassionate, and deeply rooted in the communities they serve,” Brewer said in a statement shared exclusively with Playbook. “That’s why I’m proud to support Stephanie Ruskay for State Assembly.” 
Ruskay, who would be the first female rabbi elected to the state Legislature, is running for the seat being vacated by Assemblymember Micah Lasher, who himself is vying for an open congressional seat. 
In addition to Brewer, who has represented the area over two stints in the Council, Ruskay is being backed by a number of sitting officials including City Comptroller Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and City Council member Shaun Abreu. 
She’s locked in a battle with Eli Northrup, a public defender who has received endorsements from local Democratic clubs and organizations farther to the left in a proxy war between different wings of the Democratic Party. — Joe AnutaIN OTHER NEWS— PRESSURE FROM WITHIN: Hundreds of immigrants detained at a Newark immigration detention center went on a hunger and labor strike, demanding the facility’s closure, their release and visits from elected officials. (Gothamist) 
— PLAY NICE!: Kathy Wylde, former head of the Partnership for New York City and a key business broker, is again playing go-between for Mamdani and corporate leaders. (New York Post) 
— FARE FIGHT: World Cup fans are opting for $20 buses over $98 train rides to MetLife Stadium, amid backlash over steep transit prices. (The New York Times) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Zelig-like, DNC, autopsy, author</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The DC mayor race’s ‘delicate dance’</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-dc-mayor-races-delicate-dance</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-dc-mayor-races-delicate-dance</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The shift in management is certain to spark a flurry of new fates for the capital, spanning public parks, national monuments and the Metropolitan Police Department. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, mayor, race’s, ‘delicate, dance’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Progressive firebrand Chris Rabb wins Democratic primary for the nation’s bluest House seat</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/progressive-firebrand-chris-rabb-wins-democratic-primary-for-the-nations-bluest-house-seat</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/progressive-firebrand-chris-rabb-wins-democratic-primary-for-the-nations-bluest-house-seat</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The self-styled “troublemaker” and unabashed progressive was backed by members of the “Squad.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Progressive, firebrand, Chris, Rabb, wins, Democratic, primary, for, the, nation’s, bluest, House, seat</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Mike Collins and Derek Dooley head to runoff in Georgia Senate GOP race</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/mike-collins-and-derek-dooley-head-to-runoff-in-georgia-senate-gop-race</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/mike-collins-and-derek-dooley-head-to-runoff-in-georgia-senate-gop-race</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The result extends a bitter intraparty fight and delays Republicans&#039; ability to focus their attacks on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mike, Collins, and, Derek, Dooley, head, runoff, Georgia, Senate, GOP, race</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump’s MAGA brand dominates Georgia primary night</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-maga-brand-dominates-georgia-primary-night</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-maga-brand-dominates-georgia-primary-night</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Traditionalists like Brad Raffensperger and Chris Carr were able to withstand the president’s furor for years — until now. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump’s, MAGA, brand, dominates, Georgia, primary, night</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump completed his revenge tour. Allies wonder what it cost.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-completed-his-revenge-tour-allies-wonder-what-it-cost</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-completed-his-revenge-tour-allies-wonder-what-it-cost</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ At the end of a month that put on full display Trump’s dominance over his own party, his season of settling scores may not have advanced the ball toward November. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, completed, his, revenge, tour., Allies, wonder, what, cost.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Jeff Bezos’ mixed bag for Mamdani</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/jeff-bezos-mixed-bag-for-mamdani</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/jeff-bezos-mixed-bag-for-mamdani</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ BEZOS’ BLESSING: Mayor Zohran Mamdani found an unlikely supporter today for his push to raise taxes on rich property owners: Jeff Bezos, one of the wealthiest men in the world. 
“The pied-à-terre tax is a fine thing for New York to do,” Bezos said in a wide-ranging interview this morning on CNBC. 
The billionaire Amazon founder was referring to the new surcharge that the state — after prodding from Mamdani — is expected to levy on individuals who own secondary homes in the city worth more than $5 million. Bezos, who resides mainly in Miami, gave his thumbs up even though he owns multiple homes in the city — reportedly worth well over $5 million each — meaning he’s likely to be impacted by the new tax. 
But Bezos, who ranks as the fourth richest man in the world, also had plenty of flack for the mayor and his democratic socialist philosophies. 
On pied-à-terre, Bezos blasted Mamdani for releasing a social media video in which he stood outside billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin’s Manhattan penthouse to tout the tax. 
“To go stand in front of Ken Griffin&#039;s house and act like he&#039;s some kind of villain — Ken Griffin isn&#039;t a villain,” Bezos said in the interview, which was shot inside his Florida space rocket manufacturing facility. “He hasn&#039;t hurt anybody. He&#039;s not hurting New York. In fact, quite the opposite. And so that piece of it isn&#039;t right, and there was no reason to do that.” 
Mamdani’s video stunt has triggered a sustained uproar from business leaders who say the video was in poor taste. They’ve also argued a pied-à-terre tax is flawed because it could drive the rich to sell their properties, depleting the local tax pool. 
Griffin himself threatened to pull the plug on a $6 billion office development project in the city in response to Mamdani’s video. The mayor has since taken pains to meet with local business giants, like the chief executives of JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, though Griffin himself has so far rejected Mamdani’s entreaties for a sit-down. 
While Bezos gave Mamdani an unexpected boost on the pied-à-terre front, the Amazon honcho’s gripes with the mayor went well beyond Griffin. 
Mamdani has long favored raising income taxes on the rich — on both the state and federal level — arguing such hikes would create more revenue to fund services for the average person. 
Bezos contends that’s nonsense and pointed to the fact that the city’s public school system spends about $44,000 on every student annually — a markedly higher sum than other major U.S. cities — with little to show for it in terms of educational outcomes. 
“You could double the taxes I pay and it&#039;s not going to help that teacher in Queens, I promise you,” said Bezos. 
Instead, he said the focus should be on eliminating taxes altogether for low-income earners. “A nurse in Queens who makes $75,000 a year pays 12 — more than $12,000 a year in taxes. Does that really make sense?” he said. “So, people talk about making the tax system more progressive. How about we start by having the nurse in Queens not pay taxes?” 
CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin pressed Bezos on whether billionaires like himself would need to pay more in income taxes if nurses and teachers are given a pass on their bills, given there might otherwise be a revenue shortfall. Bezos replied that is “certainly a perfectly valid policy debate.” 
A spokesperson for Mamdani would not comment on Bezos’ support for the pied-à-terre tax. But responding to a CNBC clip of Bezos criticizing higher taxes on the wealthy, Mamdani wrote on X: “I know a few teachers in Queens who would beg to differ.” 
Queens holds a special place in Bezos’ mind. In 2019, Amazon canceled plans to build a massive headquarters in Long Island City after progressives such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Mayor Bill de Blasio fought against awarding the mega-corporation $3 billion in public subsidies for the project. 
Indeed, Bezos kept coming back to Queens in his CNBC hit, even while talking about what a great career choice he believes Amazon is for working class Americans. 
“Amazon, we have our entry level wage for, in Queens, is $23 an hour,” he said. “That works out to be like $52,000 a year, and this is an entry level job that doesn’t require any educational attainment. It doesn’t require any preexisting skills. We will train you. It’s actually a great first job.” — Chris Sommerfeldt From the CapitolZOMBIE FIGHT: State lawmakers are expected to grant Mamdani the power to dissolve a Charter Revision Commission launched by his predecessor, providing him with a clear path to kill the controversial panel. 
The new authority, set to be approved in a budget bill scheduled for a Thursday vote, will give Mamdani until June 1 to either approve or rescind the commission’s creation by former Mayor Eric Adams, two people familiar with the deal said. 
The people, who were granted anonymity to discuss details of the yet-to-be released legislation, said Mamdani asked state officials to insert the language into the tax-and-spending plan. They also said Mamdani — who has for months sought a way to kill the Adams commission — is expected to use the authority to disband the panel once and for all. 
Kayla Mamelak, Adams’ former press secretary who’s among several aides and political loyalists he appointed to the commission, told POLITICO on Wednesday that no one from the panel received a heads up from state lawmakers or the mayor’s administration about the new legislation. 
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman and Chris Sommerfeldt. 
LANDFILL LATTE: A plastic cup tossed into the recycling bin at a Starbucks in Park Slope traveled 463 miles to its final resting place at Apex Landfill in Amsterdam, Ohio. 
The cup’s long and winding road from eco-minded, brownstone Brooklyn to a tiny Ohio village underscores how little consumer plastic ends up getting recycled — even through a corporation that touts its sustainability cred. 
The journey was tracked by Beyond Plastics, which released a report today documenting how it attached trackers to plastic cups in Starbucks recycling bins to see where they ended up. Not a single cup ended up at a recycling facility. 
“When a company tells you something is being recycled and it isn’t, it doesn&#039;t just mislead the customer, it also takes the pressure off for real solutions, which is using less plastic in the first place,” Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics, told reporters Wednesday. 
The group, a non-profit that advocates for ending plastic pollution, is lobbying for the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act to pass in Albany this session. The bill is aimed at reducing single-use packaging in New York and is sponsored by Assemblymember Deborah Glick and state Sen. Pete Harckham, both Democrats. 
The cups in question are made of polypropylene, or No. 5 plastic. And while they are indeed recyclable, Beyond Plastics could only find a handful of commercial recycling operators in the country that claim to recycle post-consumer polypropylene. 
Starbucks is already using fiber to-go cups in hundreds of its outposts across 14 states. The report calls on the coffee chain to use those cups nationwide. Starbucks pushed back on the report. 
“Our cups are designed to be recyclable, and the ‘widely accepted for recycling’ designation reflects that,” Emily Albright, a spokesperson for Starbucks, said in a statement. “Obviously, recycling in practice also requires local community infrastructure. That&#039;s why we work closely with others, including the recycling companies, to help expand access and help improve the system.” — Mona ZhangFROM CITY HALLEYES ON AI: Council member Julie Won is rolling out legislation that would establish an artificial intelligence oversight office in the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. 
The director of the office would be responsible for investigating “allegations of the use of artificial intelligence in violation of the consumer laws” and for implementing an “outreach and education campaign to raise public awareness regarding the use of artificial intelligence to harm the rights, safety, or interests of consumers.” 
The Council has long attempted to regulate AI. 
Won is running for Congress in the competitive Democratic primary to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez. As part of her campaign, she’s put out a technology policy platform focused heavily on AI and using the technology “responsibly.” 
“We have to change the public sentiment from being so afraid of becoming obsolete to making sure there’s protections so that people don’t become obsolete,” Won said in a recent interview. 
The debate over the path forward for AI has reshaped elections across the country — especially in the Democratic primary for retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler’s seat, where millions of dollars have poured in from groups on both sides of the regulation conversation. 
There’s no indication, though, that those entities are planning to get involved in this race, where Won is up against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Assemblymember Claire Valdez. — Madison Fernandez 
BUFFERING, PLEASE HOLD: City Council Speaker Julie Menin is planning to introduce a revised version of the “buffer zone” protest bill for educational facilities, scaling back the proposal after Mamdani vetoed the original measure in late April. 
The new legislation narrows the definition of educational facilities to early childhood sites and most K-12 schools, explicitly excluding libraries, teaching hospitals and — notably — colleges and universities. 
The bill, similar to the buffer zone protest bill for religious institutions, would require the NYPD to create and publicize security perimeter plans around those schools during protests. Both measures have undergone significant revisions compared to earlier versions, which initially proposed 100-foot buffer zones between protestors and the sites in question. 
The changes mark a significant concession from Menin on the bill’s core scope, as she moves to address member concerns rather than attempt an override — despite saying she had the votes to do so. 
“We have the ability to do an override, but to jam through an override on an issue where even members who were going to support the override had real concerns — I don&#039;t think that&#039;s a responsible path forward,” the speaker said. “It&#039;s my job as speaker to build consensus.” 
Changes to the school-focused bill also include replacing its original prime sponsor, Council member Eric Dinowitz, with Council member Elsie Encarnacion. Under the new version, Dinowitz will appear as second co-prime sponsor. 
Menin pushed back on criticism that the revisions weaken the legislation. 
“I don&#039;t view it as a watering down. I actually view it as a strengthening,” Menin said. “It means we&#039;re going to get more members involved in supporting this bill.” 
The original proposal — part of the Council’s five-point plan to combat antisemitism — was driven in part by concerns over campus protests tied to Israel’s war in Gaza. Mamdani vetoed it in April, citing constitutional concerns and the bill’s broad definition of educational institutions, which he argued could have applied to libraries, museums and hospitals. 
“The Mamdani administration has not seen the specific legislative language, and we look forward to reviewing it,” a spokesperson for the mayor said. “The Mayor believes New York City must remain a place where students can access their schools safely as well as exercise their constitutional right to protest.” — Gelila NegesseIN OTHER NEWS— CHECKERS, NOT CHESS: OpenAI is pivoting to a state-by-state lobbying strategy to shape AI regulation, aiming to build momentum as federal efforts stall. (POLITICO) 
— CASE NOT CLOSED: Citizens Union, a government watchdog group, is urging the Manhattan district attorney to pursue state charges against Eric Adams despite the Trump administration dropping a federal case against him. (The New York Times) 
— NO PLAYING AROUND: New York health officials say they are closely monitoring an Ebola outbreak in the Congo as international travel ramps up ahead of the World Cup. (Gothamist) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Jeff, Bezos’, mixed, bag, for, Mamdani</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Colorado governor says he will grant clemency to Trump&#45;aligned election conspiracy theorist</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/colorado-governor-says-he-will-grant-clemency-to-trump-aligned-election-conspiracy-theorist</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/colorado-governor-says-he-will-grant-clemency-to-trump-aligned-election-conspiracy-theorist</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tina Peters allowed a far-right activist to access her county’s election system to help efforts to overturn the 2020 election. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://static.politico.com/39/8b/b681f9bf412999d6a435c8b42a92/elections-colorado-clerk-66800.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Colorado, governor, says, will, grant, clemency, Trump-aligned, election, conspiracy, theorist</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Poll: Israel is dividing Republicans, too</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-israel-is-dividing-republicans-too</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-israel-is-dividing-republicans-too</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The emerging fractures carry significant implications for the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance and GOP efforts to keep together President Donald Trump’s coalition. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://static.politico.com/2b/f5/b24159ba4e82a40cb14f8dc9cc7f/aipac-gop-split.png" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Poll:, Israel, dividing, Republicans, too</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cassidy’s in the fight of his political life</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/cassidys-in-the-fight-of-his-political-life</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/cassidys-in-the-fight-of-his-political-life</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The two-term incumbent is polling in third place in the GOP primary for his Louisiana Senate seat, as he faces a Trump-backed challenger. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cassidy’s, the, fight, his, political, life</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cassidy defiant as Trump&amp;apos;s revenge campaign closes in</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/cassidy-defiant-as-trumps-revenge-campaign-closes-in</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/cassidy-defiant-as-trumps-revenge-campaign-closes-in</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ “I’m going to win today,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said in an interview, brushing off Trump&#039;s efforts to oust him and MAHA&#039;s influence in the race. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://static.politico.com/1f/5d/fccf0b1340f7b459fba12bd6c644/gettyimages-2274180292.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cassidy, defiant, Trumps, revenge, campaign, closes</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>In the birthplace of Civil Rights Movement, groups rally to defend Black political representation</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/in-the-birthplace-of-civil-rights-movement-groups-rally-to-defend-black-political-representation</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/in-the-birthplace-of-civil-rights-movement-groups-rally-to-defend-black-political-representation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ “We are not going down without a fight. We are not going down to Jim Crow maps,” said Shalela Dowdy, a plaintiff in the Alabama redistricting case. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>the, birthplace, Civil, Rights, Movement, groups, rally, defend, Black, political, representation</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>What to expect when you’re expecting a budget</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-a-budget</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-a-budget</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 41  
SPENDING SPECIFICS: Crucial state budget details — including aid for New York City, the structure of a surcharge on high-value second homes and the contours of major pension changes — are yet to be fully ironed out. 
Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced a &quot;general agreement&quot; for a $268 billion spending plan — but without specifics on many items. The closed-door discussions remain underway in Albany and none of the nine remaining budget bills have been printed. 
The state budget is now destined to be at least six weeks past its March 31 due date. Yet Hochul is counting on voters to appreciate her policy wins and not focus on what has been an at-times messy process. 
Hammering out these final specifics won&#039;t make or break a final deal. But the fine print will matter for how much New York plans for its massive tax-and-spend plan — impacting some 19 million people. 
Here&#039;s what&#039;s to still expect when you&#039;re expecting a budget. 
New York City aid: More help for the Big Apple is on the way from Albany. Lawmakers and Hochul are discussing additional foundation aid, potentially changing the formula for how public education spending is determined, and more cash for homeless students. At the same time, enabling legislation for pension amortization is being considered. 
Those measures are designed to help New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani close what&#039;s left of a $5.4 billion budget gap. And they come on top of the additional $1.5 billion Hochul agreed to earlier this year. 
The governor told reporters Monday morning her office has been working well with the Mamdani administration to fix the city&#039;s budget woes. 
&quot;There&#039;s quite a bit that needs to be OK&#039;d by New York state,&quot; she said. &quot;I spent last night talking to the mayor, Friday night talking to the mayor. It&#039;s been a great level of cooperation.&quot; 
Pied-à-terre structure: Lawmakers are yet to see any detailed budget language for Hochul&#039;s proposed surcharge on non-primary second residences worth $5 million and above. How that surcharge is structured — including how much it will rely on a home&#039;s assessed value — will matter for how many residences are actually captured by the tax. 
Overhauling Tier 6: Overhauling the Tier 6 pension category is a potentially costly endeavor. Hochul and lawmakers are now considering what&#039;s being called a &quot;skinny&quot; version of a plan originally pushed by unions, according to two people familiar with the talks. 
The change would lower the retirement age for teachers to 58 after 30 years of service, but it would not alter how much they contribute from their paychecks. For the rest of the public workforce, contributions of no lower than 3 percent of a worker&#039;s take-home pay is under consideration, but no change would be made to their retirement age. 
The move is expected to cost $500 million combined for the state, local governments and school districts. That&#039;s far less than the $1.5 billion proposal advanced earlier this year by the New York State AFL-CIO. 
Buffer zones: As POLITICO Pro reported earlier, lawmakers and Hochul have weighed a 50-foot protest buffer zone that would allow local officials to expand it as they see fit. Having those zones around houses of worship is largely agreed to, but working through the specifics remains a sticking point. — Nick ReismanFrom the CapitolHANTAVIRUS IN NEW YORK: Three New Yorkers were aboard a cruise ship at the center of an international hantavirus outbreak, state Health Commissioner James McDonald said in a statement this afternoon. The three passengers were sent to the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, where they are expected to be subject to a 42-day monitoring period, according to McDonald. 
&quot;While the Department is working in close coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health departments to gather information, at this point it is unclear how long they will stay in Nebraska and whether, or when those individuals intend to return to New York,” McDonald said. 
“At this point, it is important to emphasize that there is no immediate risk to the public. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed,&quot; he added. 
When asked about the threat of the virus to New Yorkers, Hochul said the state health agency is working with the CDC, and she is monitoring the federal government to make sure officials have the capacity to handle any potential outbreak. 
“I want to make sure that the CDC is capable of handling something that could be larger than they are predicting, and I say that because I know that over a year ago, there were significant cuts to the CDC,” Hochul said. “We have outstanding resources here in the state of New York…so I’ve activated them to start preparing New York for worst-case scenarios and hope they do not come.” 
She noted that the state is putting together a plan to address any spread of the virus, but she does not believe it will turn into another coronavirus pandemic. She said she will begin doing briefings if it spreads beyond the three individuals flown in from the ship. — Katelyn Cordero  
GOV’S SOCIAL ACCOUNT GETS PLAUDITS: The state government’s eyebrow-raising, joke-telling, irreverent social media accounts were honored with a Webby Awards “Honoree” award last week, Hochul’s office told Playbook. 
The accounts, which go under the handle @NYGov on Instagram and X, are separate from the “Governor Hochul Press Office” account, which drew the ire of Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy last week when it mocked him for his age. 
@NYGov, also known as “State of New York” on X, most recently posted messages like “it’s hole filling season” to spread the word about the state’s pothole reporting hotline on X, or &quot;UNALIVE THOSE FLYS&quot; as an Instagram PSA on the invasive spotted lantern fly. 
“I’ve always believed that government is for the people, and in order to reach people, we need to communicate like them,” said Milly Czerwinski, a digital content strategist who works in Hochul’s comms shop and runs the account. “NYGov’s oddity and authenticity has broken down the traditional bureaucratic barriers to reach millions of people. Being weird works — this award is proof of that.” — Jason BeefermanFROM CITY HALLCCR-CHI COMPLAINT: City Councilmember Chi Ossé filed a misconduct complaint today against an NYPD officer who arrested him, advancing a case that stands to drive a further wedge between the police department and Mayor Mamdani. 
The complaint, which Ossé shared with POLITICO, alleges the officer used excessive force during the April 22 arrest in Brooklyn, where the Council member and others were protesting the planned eviction of a woman who claims she’s the victim of deed theft. 
The Civilian Complaint Review Board, which investigates and prosecutes cases of police misconduct, has received Ossé’s claim and is reviewing it, a spokesperson confirmed. 
Ossé, a democratic socialist and ally of Mamdani, told POLITICO he believes the arresting officer violated his civil rights. “My rights were violated, but more importantly, my responsibility to my community and constituents demands a fact-finding,” said Ossé, who claims he suffered a concussion from being slammed to the ground. 
The NYPD previously said Ossé and three other protesters were only arrested after refusing verbal commands to stop blocking access to the property where the eviction was set to be executed. 
A spokesperson for Mamdani — who called video of Ossé’s arrest &quot;incredibly concerning” last month — said in response to the Council member’s complaint that &quot;the mayor respects the independence of the CCRB and will allow the disciplinary process to play out based on the evidence, established procedures, and the NYPD’s disciplinary matrix.&quot; 
Mamdani, a longtime NYPD critic, faces a fraught situation in responding to Ossé’s complaint. 
If he doesn’t back up his fellow democratic socialist, Mamdani is likely to anger his allies on the left. On the flipside, if he condemns the arresting officer, he risks drawing the ire of NYPD leaders, including Commissioner Jessica Tisch, as well as the department’s rank-and-file cops. 
Read more about the CCRB and Ossé from Chris Sommerfeldt in POLITICO. 
CASE CLOSED: Council member Vickie Paladino has reached a settlement with the City Council to resolve disciplinary charges focused on her controversial social media posts. 
The takeaway? The Council has withdrawn its disciplinary charges, and Paladino is dropping her lawsuit challenging the proceedings. 
The agreement, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday, effectively dismisses the charges and cancels an ethics hearing that could have led to censure, fines or expulsion. As part of the settlement, Paladino must delete three posts cited in the case. She must also remove “Council Woman” from her personal X account display name within 48 hours of court approval to communicate to the public a clearer separation between her official posts, which are subject to some of the Council’s rules and regulations, and her personal opinions, one member familiar with the parameters of the settlement told Playbook. 
The case stemmed from a string of inflammatory posts starting in December where, in a deleted post, she called for the “expulsion of Muslims from western nations,” prompting the committee to look into her conduct. 
In February, she posted that New York was under “foreign occupation” following Mamdani’s appointment of a top immigration official. Paladino questioned whether the administration included “one single actual American” and later described a photo of Muslim sanitation workers praying as part of an “Islamic conquest.” 
The Council’s Rules and Ethics Committee had charged Paladino with disorderly conduct and violations of its anti-harassment and discrimination policy in March. 
Paladino sued to block the proceedings, arguing she was being targeted for her conservative views and that the discipline violated her First Amendment rights. 
As part of the settlement, Paladino must issue a statement saying she did not intend to make colleagues or staff feel “unwelcomed or unsafe.” Council member Sandra Ung, who chairs the ethics committee, issued her own statement Monday afternoon saying the resolution “strikes the balance” between protecting staff and lawmakers’ free speech rights. 
Both sides agreed to issue limited public statements and refrain from further comment. — Gelila NegesseFROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILEYES ON AI: Rep. Pat Ryan is backing state Assemblymember Alex Bores to succeed retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, making him the latest member of the New York delegation to weigh in on one of the state’s most competitive primary elections. 
In making his endorsement, the Hudson Valley Democrat cited the high-profile AI fight that’s become a central theme of the race as a key reason for backing Bores. 
“He’s going to be the next member of Congress for the New York 12th District,” Ryan said at an event in Midtown with Bores today. “If you have any doubt, you don’t have to take my word for it — follow the money. Look at the incredible unprecedented amount … It’s because these tech billionaires are terrified, they’re terrified of Alex specifically.” 
The millions of dollars in spending by a pro-artificial intelligence super PAC against Bores — an alum-turned-critic of data analytics company Palantir and a sponsor of the AI safety RAISE Act in the state Legislature — has also drawn an influx of money from regulation-friendly AI and tech-affiliated groups to boost him. 
Bores’ campaign said that both he and Ryan “share a belief that the next Congress must take decisive action to regulate artificial intelligence before this transformative technology outpaces the rules meant to govern it” — a debate that continues to rage on in Washington and globally. 
Bores is viewed as one of the top contenders for the 12th District, which covers a large swath of Manhattan. He’s up against Assemblymember Micah Lasher, Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg and anti-Trump commentator George Conway, as well as a handful of lesser-known challengers. Public polling has been sparse in the race, and internal polls from earlier this year don’t show a clear front-runner. — Madison FernandezIN OTHER NEWS— CLOCK’S TICKING: Mamdani has less than a month to fill two longstanding vacancies on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board — and the appointments could be key for his mission to make the city’s buses “fast and free.” (THE CITY) 
— NECK AND NECK: Hochul made a joint campaign appearance with Rep. Dan Goldman who’s running for reelection in New York&#039;s 10th congressional district, with a primary challenge from Mamdani-backed Brad Lander. (Gothamist) 
— SARCONE DOGGED: The top prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of New York is accused of misconduct, according to the watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability. (POLITICO Pro) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, expect, when, you’re, expecting, budget</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump nominates Kari Lake and Doug Mastriano to diplomatic posts</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-nominates-kari-lake-and-doug-mastriano-to-diplomatic-posts</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-nominates-kari-lake-and-doug-mastriano-to-diplomatic-posts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The two staunch allies ran failed campaigns for governor in battleground states in 2022. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, nominates, Kari, Lake, and, Doug, Mastriano, diplomatic, posts</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Michigan Senate hopeful El&#45;Sayed calls himself a ‘physician’ but has little history treating patients</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/michigan-senate-hopeful-el-sayed-calls-himself-a-physician-but-has-little-history-treating-patients</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/michigan-senate-hopeful-el-sayed-calls-himself-a-physician-but-has-little-history-treating-patients</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ “It’s a weird thing to hang your hat on in terms of a biographical detail if you never actually practiced medicine,” one Dem operative said. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Michigan, Senate, hopeful, El-Sayed, calls, himself, ‘physician’, but, has, little, history, treating, patients</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>South Carolina Republicans tank redistricting, for now</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/south-carolina-republicans-tank-redistricting-for-now</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/south-carolina-republicans-tank-redistricting-for-now</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tuesday’s vote doesn’t mark a definitive end for efforts to redraw the state’s maps — but it does make it harder to accomplish this year. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>South, Carolina, Republicans, tank, redistricting, for, now</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Is Mamdani’s ‘Tax the Rich’ fight done?</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/is-mamdanis-tax-the-rich-fight-done</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/is-mamdanis-tax-the-rich-fight-done</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 42 
ZO, THAT’S IT? For months, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pressed the case that Albany must raise income and corporate taxes to help plug New York City’s $5.4 billion budget deficit. 
So in rolling out an executive budget today that closes the gap without his favored state-level tax hikes, Mamdani made a significant concession, showing he did not, in fact, need the increases from Albany to shore up his spending plan. 
When Playbook asked whether that means he’s throwing in the towel on his push for income and corporate tax increases, Mamdani signaled he’s content with the commitments he’s already secured. 
“I’ve been very open and honest about my vision, whether it be fast and free buses, or whether it be higher personal income taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers or the most profitable corporations — this budget is a reflection of that vision in its tax on the rich,” Mamdani said. 
Mamdani was referring to the pied-à-terre tax Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislators in Albany have committed to enacting as part of this year’s badly overdue state budget. The tax, which impacts owners of secondary homes in the city worth more than $5 million, is expected to generate $500 million in new annual revenue for the municipal coffers. 
That’s a far cry from the $9 billion in fresh revenue the democratic socialist said his income and corporate tax increases would annually produce during last year’s mayoral race. 
Still, Mamdani offered nothing but praise for Hochul when asked today whether he’s a little bit disappointed that she hasn’t conceded any ground on those fronts. “I see this as a win,” he said at City Hall. “And I do want to thank Gov. Hochul for her partnership. It is a partnership that reflects a commitment to the long-term health and vitality for the city.” 
A close Mamdani supporter echoed his sentiment — but added a caveat. 
“What we heard from the mayor today signals that between the governor and New York City, the deal is done and they have reached the goals that they are going to accomplish this year,” Jasmine Gripper, director of the New York Working Families Party, told Playbook. “But nonetheless, the fight doesn’t die.” 
Gripper’s comment opens the door to 2027, when Mamdani may have a better shot at convincing Hochul to push through his preferred tax hikes. 
Locked in a reelection race against Republican Bruce Blakeman, Hochul has been consistently reluctant to support tax increases this year. As long as she’s reelected to a second full term in November, the governor may be more inclined to back tax hikes in 2027, when the pressures of a competitive reelection contest aren’t looming. 
A Hochul spokesperson declined to comment on 2027 considerations. And a spokesperson for Mamdani didn’t comment on what his 2027 plans are vis-à-vis tax priorities in Albany. 
Mamdani’s executive budget this year indicates he will be in dire need of new revenue streams from Albany next year. 
The budget gap the city faces for fiscal year 2028 stands at over $7 billion, budget documents released today show. The gap for fiscal year 2029 is even larger, topping $9 billion, according to the new projections. 
Without additional intervention from the state next year, closing such exorbitant outyear gaps could prove difficult for the young democratic socialist — unless he shifts gears to further trim spending. 
Gustavo Gordillo, a co-chair of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, made clear his group will continue pressuring Hochul to get behind higher taxes on the wealthy to stave off future municipal service cuts. 
“Closing the deficit was challenging. We did it. That’s an actual victory showing that socialists can govern,” Gordillo said. “But to deliver the full affordability agenda we will need a governor who stands with working New Yorkers instead of billionaire donors to make the rich pay what they owe.” — Chris Sommerfeldt and Joe AnutaFrom the CapitolBLAKEMAN WINS CASE ON MATCHING FUNDS: An Albany County judge has blocked an attempt from Democrats to deny GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman access to $3.5 million in campaign matching funds. 
Blakeman was booted from the program in March after the Democratic majority on the Public Campaign Finance Board concluded he never filled out a nonexistent form identifying his running mate. Justice Denise Hartman concluded today that maneuver was &quot;arbitrary and capricious.” 
“Blakeman registered his campaign and certified compliance with the Program, attended mandatory training, publicly identified their joint-ticket, and submitted certified amended filings 11 days before the filing deadline,” Hartman wrote. “Yet he received no notice that the PCFB considered the submissions deficient until after the filing deadline had lapsed.&quot; 
Democrats on the board said “an appeal is likely.” 
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Bill Mahoney.  
UNIONS BACK PRISON REFORM: A dozen unions will soon announce their support for a pair of penal reform bills that advocates hope will be on the agenda for this year’s brief post-budget session. 
Labor organizations including 1199SEIU, District Council 37 and the New York State Nurses Association are backing the Earned Time Act, which would increase options for early release credits for participation in job training programs, and the Second Look Act, which would let inmates petition for early release after a decade. 
“New York is facing an ongoing labor shortage that is slowing economic growth and straining industries across the state,” the unions wrote in a letter to state leaders. “Hundreds of thousands of jobs remain unfilled, even as thousands of New Yorkers are locked out of the workforce due to long prison sentences and limited access to programs that would allow them to earn release.” 
Lawmakers are facing the likelihood they’ll have only two weeks to deal with post-budget issues before adjourning for the summer. But the Center for Community Alternatives’ Katie Schaffer was optimistic these measures might have some momentum, noting that state Sen. Jeremy Zellner’s decision today to cosponsor the Second Look Act means it’s now supported by a majority of his chamber. — Bill Mahoney 
STRIKING A DEAL — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road and five unions threatening to strike are only at odds over the fourth year of a three-year contract. 
The last contract expired three years ago. The unions and the MTA have already reached a deal on the retroactive pay for those years, but remain apart on the fourth year, which begins this summer, according to people familiar with the sensitive negotiations on both sides of the table. 
In public, the union’s last offer was a 5 percent pay increase, while the MTA’s was about 3 percent. 
At one point, the MTA looked for changes to work rules, which critics of the unions say are arcane and overly generous. Now, the MTA has moved on to looking for one-time lump sum payments as an alternative to salary increases in the fourth year. The advantage to the MTA is that one-time payments aren’t reoccurring, but the unions want a built-in pay increase and cite ongoing inflation. 
The unions said they are continuing to prepare for a strike and that no “contract talks” were scheduled today, though a formal bargaining session is scheduled for tomorrow. 
&quot;We are having discussions today,&quot; MTA spokesperson John McCarthy told POLITICO today. — Ry Rivard 
SEEKING A ZYN WIN: Some form of a tax on nicotine pouch products like Zyn is expected to be included in a final state budget deal. 
A coalition of private sector groups — including The Business Council of New York State — is trying to shape the details. 
The business organizations are pushing state lawmakers and Hochul to adopt a 67-cent flat, unit-based tax as an alternative to the original proposal, which would place a 75 percent wholesale tax on the products. The groups wrote in a letter to the governor and top state legislators that their proposal will still prevent those under 21 from accessing the products and curtail an illegal market. 
“It is a proven tax structure that keeps adult consumers purchasing through legal, taxed, and regulated channels, minimizes illicit trade, and preserves enforcement safeguards,” they wrote. “Importantly, it also provides stable and reliable revenue without importing the community and youth harms that accompany illegal markets.” — Nick Reisman 
GRAND JURY SUBPOENA: NYU Langone received a grand jury subpoena last week requesting six years of information on patients under 18 who received gender-affirming care and the medical staff involved, according to an online disclosure. 
Several other unnamed institutions received the subpoena, NYU Langone said in the notice. Under New York’s shield laws, local health care organizations must report subpoenas or requests for information regarding legally protected health activities to the state attorney general’s office. 
“We understand that these developments may be concerning to our patients, providers, and others,” the health system wrote in the notice. “Please know that NYU Langone takes the privacy of your protected health information very seriously and we are evaluating our response to the subpoena.” 
The subpoena by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas, which was first reported in the newsletter Erin in the Morning, indicates federal prosecutors empaneled a grand jury to weigh potential criminal charges. Federal agencies reportedly subpoenaed NYU Langone and Mount Sinai last year demanding information on care for transgender minors. 
NYU Langone shuttered its program for transgender youth earlier this year, citing the current regulatory environment. — Maya KaufmanFROM CITY HALLTHINKING ABOUT THE UNTHINKABLE — New York City Police Commissioner Jassica Tisch told a ballroom of civic leaders this morning that the city remains a terrorist target, especially this summer, with a series of “major international events, enormous public gatherings and historic commemorations,” including the World Cup and America’s 250th birthday party. 
“New York City is not only a global hub, it is a global target,” she said during a breakfast hosted by the Association for a Better New York. 
Tisch said that “what begins overseas often finds its way here,” alluding to the war with Iran, the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and emerging warfare strategies involving drones. She also mentioned domestic threats and lone actors. 
What she didn’t go into is how a terrorist attack could scramble the political picture in New York City and affect the perception of her boss. 
&quot;An attack will always be exploited by the Mamdani derangement crowd, but I think a lot of it would depend on where it comes from,&quot; said Richard Flanagan, a professor at the College of Staten Island, who wrote a book on challenges facing mayors. 
Maki Haberfeld, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said if an attack comes from a Muslim group or individual inspired by ISIS, &quot;It will be a huge liability for him because of who he is, being the first Muslim mayor of New York City.” 
Basil Smikle, a Democratic strategist and political analyst, said Mamdani would be criticized in the same ways he was during his campaign, as young and progressive. And Mamdani, unlike Rudy Giuliani, who was praised after the 9/11 attacks, hasn’t had years in public life building a reputation around law and order. The information and political environment is also different now. 
&quot;That is a big difference from 2001 to now. You didn&#039;t have the access to alternative viewpoints in the way you do now,&quot; he said. 
Right now, Flanagan sees Mamdani, in part because he kept Tisch on as head of NYPD, as balancing the law-and-order coalition and his own base, which looks for police reforms. &quot;It&#039;s a fine line and he&#039;s walking it,&quot; he said. — Ry RivardIN OTHER NEWS— DYNAMIC DUO: President Donald Trump defended Mamdani on a conservative talk radio show Tuesday, calling him a ‘nice guy,’ but he criticized his proposed second-home tax, warning it could drive the rich out of the city. (POLITICO) 
— NOT-SO-NICE SUNSET: The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents in New York City is impacting immigrant-majority neighborhoods like Sunset Park, where nearly 80% of businesses reported a decrease in sales and foot traffic. (Gothamist) 
— FEES ON NOTICE: The New York senate is pushing to pass consumer protection bills that go after deceptive business practices, including surveillance pricing and junk fees. (Spectrum News) ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mamdani’s, ‘Tax, the, Rich’, fight, done</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Tennessee Republicans pass new gerrymander following Supreme Court&amp;apos;s Voting Rights Act ruling</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/tennessee-republicans-pass-new-gerrymander-following-supreme-courts-voting-rights-act-ruling</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/tennessee-republicans-pass-new-gerrymander-following-supreme-courts-voting-rights-act-ruling</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The map aims to give the GOP a clean sweep of the state’s nine congressional districts by fracturing Black-majority Memphis between three districts. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tennessee, Republicans, pass, new, gerrymander, following, Supreme, Courts, Voting, Rights, Act, ruling</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Hochul’s Mission Accomplished</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/hochuls-mission-accomplished</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/hochuls-mission-accomplished</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 37 
WHEELIN’ AND DEALIN’: Gov. Kathy Hochul claimed this morning she has a budget deal. Moments later, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie told reporters that, actually, nothing is final. 
It’s a Planet Albany pantomime that’s played out over the last several years — a governor anxious to tout what&#039;s generally been agreed to after a weeks-long impasse and an Assembly speaker who denies anything is truly finalized. 
Only this year is different. 
Heastie was noticeably more exasperated than in prior years when he told reporters this morning that the Legislature has yet to sign off on a budget agreement, contradicting the governor’s victory lap. 
“There’s no budget deal,” the Bronx Democrat said. “There’s no deal. I said to her last night I was comfortable with saying we’re close. It’s close.” 
He pledged to no longer discuss policy-related matters with Democratic lawmakers until the budget’s financial picture was in clear focus — suggesting he’s at something of a breaking point with a governor he considers an ally. 
“We’ve signed off on nothing major,” he said. “This is what’s wrong with this process.” 
Earlier in the morning, Hochul stood in the Red Room praising the “general agreement” (a chestnut that will join the pantheon of other state budget-deal upspeak like “tentative framework”). 
She ran through a list of what has been, well, generally agreed to: Protections for undocumented immigrants, changing the environmental review process in order to fast-track home building and a package of car insurance laws meant to reduce premium costs. 
Budget details tend to matter, not just to the 19 million New Yorkers who the document will impact, but to the army of advocates, lobbyists, staffers and lawmakers who have sweated the specifics for the last four months. And what’s yet to be determined is consequential. 
The pied-à-terre tax on pricey second homes?  
“We are working to come up with the right way to calculate,” Hochul said. “What you have is a rather bizarre property tax system in New York City right now.” 
Changing the Tier 6 pension, a move that may cost $1.5 billion? 
“We’ll release those numbers as soon as it’s absolutely done, but it won’t be the scale that was out there in the news,” she said. 
Why come out now with so much TBD? 
“All these financial details — as we’ve done in the past — we talk about initially the policy agreements, and this is a policy agreement we’ve accomplished, working tirelessly with the two leaders I have such respect for, Carl Heastie and Andrea Stewart-Cousins,” Hochul said. 
It’s true that this has been Hochul’s strategy in the late stages of the budget — to fete the policy wins and leave the financial stuff written in pencil. 
It’s also true that most voters aren’t following the blow-by-blow of the arcane Albany process and care far more about the results. As she runs for reelection, Hochul can show voters victories on issues like a school cellphone ban. 
But while the governor has long placed a bet on voters not minding late budgets, Republicans are eager to trot out the “D” word — dysfunction — to describe the Albany fracas. 
“We’ve gone so far away from having responsible leadership in this state and caring about what it means to have a budget on time,” Republican Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra said. “It’s May 7 — the latest budget in my time in the Legislature — and she’s out here announcing a deal that doesn’t actually exist.” — Nick ReismanFrom the CapitolWONKS WEIGH IN: As noted above, details on the state’s spending plan remain scant. But some experts are seeing good news in what’s out there. 
The fiscal hawks at the Citizens Budget Commission applauded policy measures like changes to the State Environmental Quality Review Act that were made to spur more home building, as well as the car insurance changes 
Still, the group has concerns even as the final numbers aren’t yet clear. The $268 billion topline spending figure may increase once the dust settles. 
“What we do know is that the budget is bigger, but not likely better for fiscal stability compared to the governor’s proposal,” the group said. — Nick ReismanFROM CITY HALLICE CLASH: Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting pressure from progressive leaders to enact stricter rules on how the NYPD can interact with federal immigration authorities — the latest sign of a broadening chasm between the mayor and his own supporters, our Chris Sommerfeldt reports today. 
Attention on the issue intensified Saturday when police officers blocked protesters advancing toward U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who were transporting an immigrant detainee from a Brooklyn hospital. As video of the chaos went viral, accusations that Mamdani’s NYPD had coordinated with ICE in violation of local sanctuary laws quickly accumulated. The mayor has rejected that claim. 
In a letter to Mamdani, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and four other elected Democrats who endorsed the mayor’s 2025 campaign wrote that they believe the NYPD “coordinated on the ground with ICE agents” outside the hospital. And they implored him to immediately overhaul NYPD policies in response. 
“Officers arriving at a scene where federal agents are already operating cannot be left to improvise. They need a bright-line rule, communicated up and down the chain of command, that informs them when to disengage, when to step back, when to refuse a request for assistance, and how to document what they observed,” they wrote in the Wednesday letter, which was obtained by POLITICO. “The absence of such a standard, or the failure to enforce one, is how we ended up with NYPD officers visibly working alongside ICE outside a hospital.” 
Specifically, they called on Mamdani to release new rules within 30 days that “clearly outline” how NYPD officers should interact with ICE agents in the field. The rules, they wrote, should dictate when “disengagement” and “refusal of assistance” to ICE is appropriate so NYPD officers “do not aid, facilitate, or appear to facilitate civil immigration enforcement.” 
Among the letter’s other signatories was state Sen. Julia Salazar, one of the earliest supporters of Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral campaign and a fellow democratic socialist. 
The fact that Mamdani’s elected supporters opted to call him out in such a direct way is a strong indication elements of his base are growing frustrated with his handling of public safety issues — and his perceived drift to the political center since entering City Hall. 
Read more from Chris in POLITICO Pro. 
SECOND TRY: Council Speaker Julie Menin is moving forward with a controversial bill that would boost pay for home health workers — legislation that’s also tangled up with her run for the leadership post last year. 
As POLITICO previously reported, Menin is working with Council Member Chris Marte on a measure that would outlaw 24-hour shifts for home health aides who are only paid for 13 hours. Their collaboration began to unfold after Marte dropped his own bid for the speakership last fall and threw his support behind Menin. 
The effort, however, has put the speaker in a political bind. A previous version of the bill drew opposition from major labor unions, the mayor and Hochul over concerns it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, endanger patients and deprive workers of flexibility. 
Menin, in the hopes of blunting that opposition, prepped a new version for a vote last night. The modified bill exempts home health workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement, delays the implementation for a year and allows home health workers to opt into longer shifts through the fall of 2027. 
“As part of the ongoing legislative process, the Council has updated the bill after many conversations with stakeholders,” Council spokesperson Benjamin Fang said in a statement. “We look forward to phasing out the 24-hour workday, an outdated practice that places workers under extreme physical and emotional strain.&quot; 
The changes to the bill, however, do not seem to have appeased much of the opposition that killed it the first time around. A person with knowledge of negotiations said the modified version sparked backlash this morning. The legislation still sticks the state with the cost — the reason Hochul opposed it last time around. And some of the same critics are now reiterating their opposition, putting the bill on shaky ground should Menin attempt to bring it to a vote. 
“This bill still leaves people with disabilities without care, creates legal conflicts with State Medicaid rules, lacks the funding necessary to keep from endangering the lives of people with disabilities, and risks destabilizing access to critical care for thousands of New Yorkers,” a Legal Aid Society spokesperson said in a statement. “We can and must pursue reforms that protect home care workers from exploitation without jeopardizing the health, independence, and dignity of the people who depend on these services every day.” — Joe AnutaIN OTHER NEWS— QUOTE CONTROVERSY: A recent TV ad from Anthony Constantino’s congressional campaign used a fabricated quote attributed to the Times Union. The dubiously sourced claim? “Constantino is now guaranteed to be a major entity in Congress.” (Times Union) 
— STUDENT EXODUS: Enrollment in New York City’s public schools could plunge by as many as 153,000 students over the next decade. Falling fertility rates and more charter schools are driving the downturn. (The New York Times) 
— ICE UPHEAVAL: Nigerian immigrant sues ICE after his arrest sparked chaotic protests in Brooklyn. Chidozie Wilson Okeke&#039;s lawsuit says he was “unlawfully, brutally and violently detained.” (Gothamist) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Hochul’s, Mission, Accomplished</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Leon Panetta on Iran, Ukraine and the new global power struggle</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/leon-panetta-on-iran-ukraine-and-the-new-global-power-struggle</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/leon-panetta-on-iran-ukraine-and-the-new-global-power-struggle</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Leon Panetta on Iran, Ukraine and the new global power struggle 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Leon, Panetta, Iran, Ukraine, and, the, new, global, power, struggle</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>NY Dems are primed to pull redistricting punches</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/ny-dems-are-primed-to-pull-redistricting-punches</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/ny-dems-are-primed-to-pull-redistricting-punches</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 38 
VOTING RIGHTS DILEMMA: With Democrats’ national redistricting calculus now in disarray over today’s court order blocking new Virginia maps, party leaders are looking to New York as a prime opportunity to keep pace with Republicans. 
But as top Democrats in the Empire State move ahead with their attempt to redraw lines in 2028, they’re also far more likely to pull their punches in the ongoing gerrymandering wars. 
The Supreme Court’s decision last week to end a key provision of the Voting Rights Act allows states to break up districts previously drawn to accommodate minority voters. Republicans in states like Alabama and Tennessee are rushing to take advantage by dissolving majority Black districts. In New York — the state where Democrats have the most to gain by drawing new lines — there’s virtually no appetite to respond in kind, underscoring a looming barrier for blue states in the redistricting fight. 
“People were walking across bridges and being mauled, and have lost their lives for these rights,” New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said of the VRA. “These laws are there because there has been a real effort to disenfranchise certain people, certainly Black people, from being able to vote. So we want to protect that.&quot; 
In the coming weeks, New York lawmakers are expected to begin the lengthy process of approving a constitutional amendment that would let them redraw congressional lines in 2028. If successful, the measure stands to turn a state with 19 Democrats and seven Republicans into one with a 22-4 or 23-3 edge. 
Such an outcome is akin to what Republicans pushed through in Texas last summer — but not as extreme as the 9-0 Republican map Tennessee lawmakers drew Thursday by eliminating a Black majority district in Memphis. 
In New York, a 26-0 map isn’t plausible. But in a deep blue state where Democrats routinely receive around 60 percent of the vote in statewide races, maps that feature tendrils extending from the Bronx and Brooklyn into the furthest regions of upstate and Long Island are possible. And such a reconfiguration would give Democrats an even greater advantage compared with maps they’ve floated in the not so distant past. 
Doing that would require eliminating districts that were protected by the VRA until last week. Those districts include the Brooklyn seat held by House Minority Hakeem Jeffries. 
“I don’t think we want to roll back protections for minority communities in New York,” said Senate Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris who’s led his conference’s redistricting efforts since 2012. 
The fact that keeping these districts intact is a core personal political belief for leaders like Stewart-Cousins — and a political third rail for everyone in the state’s Democratic Party — will likely limit how aggressively Democrats will approach redistricting. 
On Long Island, for example, Democrats might be able to draw lines in 2018 that increase the delegation from a tenuous 2-2 to a safer 3-1. But taking a swing at a 4-0 set of maps isn’t possible without destroying districts in Brooklyn and Queens. 
Read more from Bill Mahoney in POLITICO Pro here.From the CapitolCASE CLOSED: State investigators closed two probes into undisclosed conflicts of interest by SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s former CEO, David Berger, according to records reviewed by POLITICO. 
The New York State Office of the Inspector General and the state’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government each opened investigations into Berger upon a referral from SUNY. 
Investigators confirmed Berger had professional relationships with multiple companies that had contracts with SUNY Downstate, which he did not initially report. But investigators also discovered Berger — and potentially hundreds of other SUNY Downstate employees — hadn’t been placed on the institution’s list of people required to file financial disclosures. 
Richard Friedman, an attorney representing Berger, said his client promptly filed the necessary forms once notified of his obligations. Berger does not believe his affiliation with the companies created any conflicts of interest, Friedman added. 
Berger, who was hired in 2020, reported serving as an adviser to digital health startups Plannery, Opmed.ai, Mishe and Copient Health while he was CEO of the Brooklyn teaching hospital, according to copies of 2022 and 2023 financial disclosures. Berger also reported a consulting agreement with Murata Vios, which sells technology for remotely monitoring patients. 
“At SUNY, we expect the highest ethical conduct from senior officials, and we will always uphold that value,” SUNY spokesperson Holly Liapis said in a statement. — Maya Kaufman 
HOCHUL VERSUS TEACHERS UNIONS: The state and city’s powerful teachers unions pressed Gov. Kathy Hochul to reject a GOP-backed federal tax credit program after she signaled support for the initiative. 
States can voluntarily opt into the program, which lets taxpayers write off contributions to charitable organizations that offer scholarships for private school tuition and other expenses. Hochul’s office confirmed her support today, but insisted she wants to review the details “for poison pills that could harm New York’s education system.” 
The teachers unions contend the program will funnel billions of tax dollars away from public schools and into private schools with no oversight. 
“Vouchers — by any name — take money away from neighborhood schools and hand it to private institutions that don’t answer to the public,” New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person said in a statement. “New Yorkers have rejected this approach before, and we sincerely hope that once the full details of President Trump’s voucher scheme emerge, it will be clear state leadership should reject it again.” 
Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said his union is “vehemently opposed to this optional federal voucher program.” 
Support for the program could also set up a showdown between the governor and the Democrat-led state Legislature, which is closely aligned with the teachers unions. 
State Sen. John Liu, who chairs the Senate’s New York City Education Committee, said the tax credit may appear “enticing” but warned of long-term damage to states’ ability to provide public education. 
“Many governors and legislatures around the country have recognized this tax credit for the Faustian bargain it is and have already opted out, and I sincerely hope that New York will opt out as well,” Liu said in a statement. — Madina Touré 
CARL CLARIFIES: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is dialing back his Hochul criticism today after his peevish press gaggle denying there was a state budget deal. 
“The governor and I had a really good conversation,” the Bronx Democrat told NY1. “My issue was never with her. I feel like I have an amazing relationship with the governor. My concern was more of the process. I do think we’re very close on the budget and expect we’ll get it done in short order.” 
For weeks Heastie has decried the amount of non-fiscal policy matters in the budget negotiations. Hochul on Thursday announced a “general agreement” on the spending plan without many details filled in, including specifics for pension changes, education spending and health care. — Nick ReismanFROM CITY HALLBOYLAN BACKS OUT: Lindsey Boylan, an activist who became the first woman to accuse former Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual misconduct in 2020, is pulling the plug on her campaign for a Manhattan-based City Council seat. 
Boylan already lost last month’s special election for the vacant seat to Council staffer Carl Wilson. But after her defeat, she didn’t immediately say whether she would remain on the ballot for this summer’s Democratic primary for the 3rd Council District, which spans a section of Manhattan’s West Side. 
This morning, Boylan announced she will bow out from the June primary, putting Wilson on a glidepath to winning a full term. 
“After much consideration, I have decided not to run in the June 23 Democratic Primary,” Boylan said in a statement. “While I will not be running in the primary, I could not be prouder of what we built together.” 
Boylan’s loss was a blow to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who endorsed her shortly before the April 28 special election. It was also a feather in the cap for Council Speaker Julie Menin, who endorsed Wilson along with other more moderate forces in the Democratic Party. — Chris Sommerfeldt  
MAKING THE PITCH: Airbnb, a company whose primary business in New York City is all but banned, is trying to get back in the game during the World Cup. 
The company held an event today at a Bronx public school to celebrate mini soccer pitches it’s bankrolling at several schools across the region — projects meant to leave what the company called a “meaningful and lasting impact on local communities in New York and New Jersey.” 
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and the city Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels attended the groundbreaking. 
A week ago, the company was at the Jamaica YMCA announcing it would provide kids with 1,000 tickets to the World Cup. 
The goodwill events come as the company’s allies are looking to reopen doors through a revived City Council bill that would make way for short-term rentals in one- and two-family homes. The company made a similar push under former Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who tried but ultimately failed to get a previous version of the bill passed last year. 
“We&#039;re committed to helping ensure the legacy of the World Cup lasts far beyond this summer and actually benefits everyday New Yorkers, like our hosts and communities they call home in the outer boroughs — not just Midtown Manhattan hotels,” Nathan Rotman, a company spokesperson, said in a statement. 
Airbnb’s appearances haven’t gone unnoticed by the company’s chief foe, the politically powerful Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, which this week launched the “GOALS Coalition” aimed at, among other things, ensuring that the anti-Airbnb restrictions are enforced during the World Cup. 
Whitney Hu, a spokesperson for the coalition, said “people are tired of seeing mega-corporations use every major event as an excuse to weaken protections, exploit loopholes, and revive policies that primarily benefit corporate investors at the expense of the communities that actually live here.” — Ry Rivard 
SECOND SUIT: A prominent NYPD union is suing the city’s police oversight board for the second time in two weeks. 
The Police Benevolent Association filed a lawsuit Friday in state Supreme Court alleging the Civilian Complaint Review Board — which investigates cases of alleged police misconduct and recommends punishments to the NYPD commissioner — is mishandling officers’ records. 
Specifically, the union alleges that the CCRB is failing to follow a state law requiring notification to any member of the force whose disciplinary records are sought via a Freedom of Information Law request. 
“CCRB is so thoroughly infected with anti-police bias that it refuses to comply with even the most basic requirements of fairness and due process under the law,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said in a statement. 
The city’s Law Department declined to comment and referred Playbook to the CCRB. A representative for the board countered the PBA’s assertions. 
“The CCRB’s investigations are complete, thorough and impartial,” spokesperson Dakota Gardner said in a statement. “The Agency continually reviews all applicable laws and regulations regarding the public release of its records, including disciplinary histories of members of service, to ensure it is fully compliant.” 
The legal volley is part of a broader effort to push back against the CCRB through the courts, according to the PBA, which has often clashed with the oversight body. 
Two weeks ago, the union filed a federal lawsuit alleging the CCRB released unsubstantiated complaints against officers without redacting sensitive information. — Joe AnutaFROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILLOYALTY: Antonio Reynoso has some thoughts on Mamdani. 
The Brooklyn borough president is one of three Democrats running in a contentious primary to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who has endorsed him. Mamdani, meanwhile, is backing Assemblymember Claire Valdez, a fellow member of the Democratic Socialists of America. 
In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Editorial Board — after Reynoso relayed that the mayor suggested he shouldn’t run for Congress — he was asked what that meant to him. Reynoso, who endorsed Mamdani in the mayoral primary, replied that Mamdani doesn’t “know” him or his “history.” 
“I think I was good enough to be in citywide Spanish media for him,” Reynoso said. “I was good enough to do a commercial in all of Brooklyn for him, supporting his candidacy. I think that we were aligned because I’m a [Working Families Party] pup, I’m a kid that’s always been with the WFP. He’s seen a lot of the progressive work that I’ve done, and he knows me as Antonio, maybe that way as a politician, but he doesn’t know my history.” 
He’s not bothered, though. 
When asked if he thinks Mamdani is “disloyal,” he responded: “I think he is disloyal,” referring to the tension between Mamdani and Velázquez. “And I want to say this, not to me so much. He’s DSA, he’s loyal to the DSA. I respect that. I’m not going to be mad at that.” 
“I think it’s what he did to Nydia more so than me,” Reynoso continued. “I think he’s doing what he’s got to do for his people, and he doesn’t need to be with me, and it doesn’t bother me one bit. Even if I endorsed him, I get it. I think Nydia was asking him to sit down and come to an agreement and saying, ‘Hey, it doesn’t need to be Antonio.’” 
A Mamdani spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment. 
Mamdani had a commanding performance in the district last year, and his endorsement is seen as a huge asset to Valdez’s candidacy. So the harsh words might not land particularly well with the Mamdani fans in the primary electorate. 
City Council member Julie Won, the other Democrat vying for the seat, has also come out against Mamdani on at least one issue: Sunnyside Yard, the housing redevelopment project that Mamdani met with Trump about earlier this year. — Madison FernandezIN OTHER NEWS— SLICE OF TROUBLE: New York officials are struggling to finalize Hochul’s proposed pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes as legal hurdles and budget infighting stall the plan. (Bloomberg) 
— KNOCK KNOCK: New York’s top utility regulator has launched a probe into debt-collection practices at major utilities, including PSEG Long Island and Con Edison, after reports of controversial remarks at a Florida conference. (Newsday) 
— OFF THE RAILS: Five unions representing 3,500 Long Island Rail Road workers say contract talks with the MTA have stalled, accusing the agency of “surface bargaining” as a potential May 16 strike looms. (New York Daily News) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. 
Correction: An item in Friday’s Playbook PM misspelled the name of Airbnb spokesperson Nathan Rotman. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dems, are, primed, pull, redistricting, punches</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Trump shakes up Kentucky Senate race with endorsement of Rep. Andy Barr</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-shakes-up-kentucky-senate-race-with-endorsement-of-rep-andy-barr</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-shakes-up-kentucky-senate-race-with-endorsement-of-rep-andy-barr</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The president reshuffled the race by asking MAGA-aligned businessperson Nate Morris to step aside. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, shakes, Kentucky, Senate, race, with, endorsement, Rep., Andy, Barr</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Ohio Republicans fear former ICE official could cost them a battleground House seat</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/ohio-republicans-fear-former-ice-official-could-cost-them-a-battleground-house-seat</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/ohio-republicans-fear-former-ice-official-could-cost-them-a-battleground-house-seat</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Madison Sheahan is facing attacks from GOP primary opponents over her tenure in the Trump administration. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ohio, Republicans, fear, former, ICE, official, could, cost, them, battleground, House, seat</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Poll: The midterms&amp;apos; new big players are pushing agendas that voters don’t fully support</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-the-midterms-new-big-players-are-pushing-agendas-that-voters-dont-fully-support</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-the-midterms-new-big-players-are-pushing-agendas-that-voters-dont-fully-support</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ An April POLITICO Poll finds broad skepticism about both crypto and AI, creating a growing tension for candidates benefiting from the influx of cash. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Poll:, The, midterms, new, big, players, are, pushing, agendas, that, voters, don’t, fully, support</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>A note to our readers</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-note-to-our-readers</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-note-to-our-readers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As I begin my first week as POLITICO&#039;s Global Editor-in-Chief, I want to start by thanking you — our readers and subscribers — for the trust you place in POLITICO. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>note, our, readers</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Republicans&amp;apos; youth voter problem</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/republicans-youth-voter-problem</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/republicans-youth-voter-problem</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A new national poll of 1,000 young Americans finds deep discontent over the economy and signs of a base problem for Republicans. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://static.politico.com/f5/4b/5a38da3f49d5a278c3eadee69099/vance-turning-point-31137.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Republicans, youth, voter, problem</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Kat and Zo’s affordability goooooaaaals</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/kat-and-zos-affordability-goooooaaaals</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/kat-and-zos-affordability-goooooaaaals</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 27 
FREE KICKS: After days of headlines about exorbitant costs to get to the World Cup, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday unveiled a series of free watch parties in each borough. 
The public events are a sign that the Democrats, who appeared together at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, are trying to make the tournament affordable for fans who can’t afford to watch in person. 
“Every fan should be able to watch the greatest tournament on earth without dipping into their savings,” said Mamdani, who attended the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. 
Several of the events, dotted around the city, will have daily programming, even when matches aren’t being played. 
Hochul has worried the high fares New Jersey Transit is charging to get fans to matches at MetLife Stadium will throw “cold water” on the tournament. She said that while MetLife will only fit 80,000 people, “this moment belongs to millions of New Yorkers.” 
“If you can’t get to the World Cup, the World Cup is coming to you,” she said. 
The announcement comes amid heightened security concerns because of several overlapping events, including a naval review President Donald Trump is likely to attend on July 4. 
At the press conference, Mamdani used a question about security concerns to denounce this weekend’s attempted attack at the White House Correspondents Dinner, saying there’s “no room for this kind of political violence.” 
“What we saw at the press correspondents dinner is one part of a very troubling reality across this country, which is how political violence has become part of our politics,” he said. “It is something that we are taking into consideration whenever we are planning anything in our city.” 
The World Cup events took years of planning. Hochul has also announced other events upstate. And New Jersey is rolling out events in each of its 21 counties. 
Mamdani teased further events in the city, including Department of Transportation “watch parties,” despite a moratorium on certain public events in parks that came at the request of the NYPD amid staffing concerns. — Ry RivardFrom the CapitolPIED-À-PUSH: Hochul adopted some populist rhetoric with a video released today pitching her pied-à-terre tax plan as one that impacts “billionaires and oligarchs.” 
The language is striking for a governor who has opposed broader tax hikes like raising rates on income for rich New Yorkers and large corporations. 
Yet Hochul is contending with sustained left-flank pressure to raise those taxes in the state budget, which is now nearly a month late. 
The governor’s proposal, which would apply an annual surcharge on non-primary New York City residences worth $5 million and more, is expected to generate some $500 million. The money would help close a $5.4 billion city budget gap. 
In her explainer video, Hochul asserts the surcharge would affect investors who “are not paying some of the same taxes as the people who live here year round.” It’s worth noting, though, that these owners are paying city property taxes. 
Business leaders, including the Real Estate Board of New York and the Partnership for New York City, are concerned that the tax would hinder investment in the city. — Nick Reisman 
SEE MY VEST: State Capitol security personnel have started wearing tactical vests — a move the State Police said was done as “a proactive safety measure.” 
State Police spokesperson Beau Duffy told Playbook on Monday that the introduction of ballistic vest carriers, which are designed to hold armor plates, at the Capitol complex isn’t connected to a specific incident or threat. 
The change comes as the state Capitol and surrounding state office buildings have tightened security in recent months, which includes a visible State Police presence at entrances. — Nick Reisman 
PAY DELAY PERK: A new bill would let state legislators stop paying their personal utility bills whenever there’s a late budget. 
The measure from Assemblymember Larinda Hooks would allow state workers and “elected officials” whose checks are delayed due to a delinquent spending plan to immediately stop paying their utility and internet bills. Under the legislation, they would not have to resume payments until two months after the budget is passed. 
Practically every state employee has been paid since lawmakers missed the March 31 budget deadline — that’s why members have passed seven budget extenders. 
The one exception? State legislators, who are statutorily barred from collecting checks until the oft-tardy spending plan is finalized. 
“It’s clear who the main beneficiaries of this bill are,” Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra said. “There hasn’t been a situation in recent memory where state employees had paychecks withheld as a result of a late budget.” 
Hooks’ office did not return a request for comment. 
Senate Finance Chair Tom O’Mara characterized the bill as “one of the most ridiculous ideas I’ve ever heard.” 
“These legislators that are worried about not paying their utility bill while the budget’s late should be worried about lowering peoples’ utility bills,” O’Mara said. “Everything we do around here makes them more expensive.” — Bill Mahoney 
DOH STEPS UP: As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scales back its testing for pathogens, the state Department of Health said today it’s stepping in to fill the gap. The state’s Wadsworth Center will take on testing paused by the CDC, a role it’s already been filling for 23 states that lack the resources to test pathogens. 
The state lab announced that it’s now working with the CDC on testing for viruses such as influenza, pox and rabies. The Health Department noted that a pause in testing by the CDC has created a public health risk across the country, particularly for states that don’t have the necessary resources for robust testing. The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
“The New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center stands at the forefront of innovation, protecting the health of New Yorkers and communities far beyond the State’s borders,” State Health Commissioner James McDonald said in a statement. “Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, New York State continues to lead in disease surveillance – work that is critical to responding effectively to public health threats.” 
Read more here in POLITICO Pro from Katelyn Cordero.FROM CITY HALLBREAKING RANKS: A key member of the City Council Progressive Caucus has quietly resigned from the bloc, a departure that comes amid a wider rift between the chamber’s lefties and Council Speaker Julie Menin. 
Council Member Nantasha Williams, who serves as the body’s deputy speaker and is part of Menin’s leadership team, stepped down from the Progressive Caucus last week, a spokesperson told Playbook. The spokesperson suggested serving on the caucus is incompatible with Williams’ leadership responsibilities, given she has “shifted to supporting priorities across the full Council alongside the speaker.” 
In a statement, Williams confirmed she left “to focus on my broader leadership role in the Council.” Despite departing, she said she remains committed to the “values” of the caucus. 
“I look forward to continuing to partner with colleagues to advance shared priorities for New Yorkers,” said Williams, who has served as deputy speaker since Menin tapped her for the post in January. 
Council Members Sandy Nurse and Tiffany Cabán, the Progressive Caucus’ co-chairs, lauded Williams for her “years of service within our caucus.” 
“Her decision to step back due to the new structural expectations that come alongside her role within Council leadership is not an easy one, but it is understandable,” they said. “We will continue to advocate for budget justice and the protection of civil liberties, which are our shared priorities. We hope to do so in continued partnership with our deputy speaker.” 
Williams’ exit leaves the Progressive Caucus with 23 members, most of whom are aligned with Mamdani. That puts the caucus just shy of a majority in the 51-member Council. 
Menin, a more moderate Democrat, has increasingly embraced her role as a foil to Mamdani, clashing with him over how to address the city’s budget deficit and other policy matters. 
Given their alignment with Mamdani, Progressive Caucus members have also had more frequent clashes lately with Menin. 
A recent example: Last week, Progressive Caucus leaders praised Mamdani for vetoing a bill that would permit the NYPD to set up buffer zones outside educational facilities during protests. 
By contrast, Menin, a key supporter of the bill, condemned the veto and signaled she might try to whip votes to override Mamdani to force the legislation into law. Despite still being a Progressive Caucus member at the time, Williams voted for the school buffer zone bill when it first passed the Council in late March. 
In an X post on Friday, Cabán, the caucus co-chair, encouraged her colleagues to vote against any override attempt by Menin. 
“I trust that my colleagues will sustain this veto so that we can protect our civil liberties and work together to address the root causes of hate violence,” Cabán wrote. Menin would almost certainly need the support of a handful of Progressive Caucus members to pull off a successful override of the mayor’s veto of the protest-related bill. — Chris Sommerfeldt 
SUCCESS HEADS TO SUNSHINE STATE: New York City’s largest charter network announced Monday that it will open five elementary schools in Miami next year, marking its first expansion outside of New York. 
Success Academy will co-locate with five schools across Miami-Dade County, specifically Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School, Homestead Senior High School, Miami Jackson Senior High School, North Miami Senior High School and Westland Hialeah Senior High School. 
The schools are slated to open during the 2027-28 school year, serving 1,500 students in kindergarten through first grade, according to a Success spokesperson. They will add an additional grade each year. 
“Success Academy is excited to bring our proven, high-quality educational model to Miami’s families,” Eva Moskowitz, Success founder and CEO, said in a statement. “We look forward to serving these communities, partnering with parents and delivering on the promise of an exceptional education for every child.” — Madina TouréIN OTHER NEWS— ALL BETS ARE OFF: Attorney General Letitia James sued cryptocurrency exchanges that allow users to trade, joining the fight over federal and state regulations for prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. (Gothamist) 
— THAT’S NOT FAIR: The Montgomery County fair promoted a post by Republican congressional candidate Anthony Constantino, whose company has sponsored the fair, urging people to sign nominating petitions to get him on the ballot. (Times Union) 
— ON SECOND THOUGHT: New York City’s public school system announced it was pulling controversial plans to open an AI-focused high school and to relocate three middle schools following community backlash. (POLITICO Pro) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Kat, and, Zo’s, affordability, goooooaaaals</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A rare Mamdani&#45;Menin alliance</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-rare-mamdani-menin-alliance</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-rare-mamdani-menin-alliance</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 28 
WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE: Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin have been at loggerheads over how to close New York City’s multibillion-dollar budget gap. 
Mamdani has maintained the deep deficit can only be plugged if the state raises taxes on millionaires and large corporations. Menin has countered that the gap can be addressed by trimming municipal bloat — a proposal Mamdani panned as “unrealistic” just weeks ago. 
Today brought a major deescalation: The two leaders joined forces to call on Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers to scale back a tax credit largely benefitting millionaires. Doing so would generate $1 billion in new revenue for the city, a windfall that could go a long way in helping the city balance its books, Menin and Mamdani said at a joint press conference. 
“We are standing together today, we will stand together again,” Mamdani said, appearing alongside Menin in the City Hall Rotunda. “If we were to reduce this tax credit by just a quarter, as the speaker said, we would be talking about raising nearly $1 billion in additional revenue that would be critical in our city’s ability to balance this budget.” 
Hochul, who’s still grappling with a state budget that’s now nearly a month late, immediately threw cold water on the new push from Mamdani and Menin, putting a dent in their unusual alliance. 
“It’s not happening. We’re not changing the PTET,” Hochul told reporters in Albany later in the day, using an acronym for the Pass-Through Entity Tax credit eyed for reform by Mamdani and Menin. 
In slamming the door on the proposal, Hochul is leaving Menin and Mamdani without a clear path forward on how to fill the city’s budget hole. The governor’s opposition to the tax credit push also creates an unusual new front in the negotiations on this year’s overdue state budget, with Mamdani and Menin on one side and Hochul on the other. 
The fraught dynamic comes at a politically delicate time for the Buffalo-born governor, who is gearing up for a reelection bid and will need deep blue New York City if she wants to cruise to a second full term. Being at odds with Mamdani, who draws support from a fervent left-leaning base, would complicate Hochul’s political standing with many Democratic voters. 
Mamdani and Menin made the joint plea for the tax credit changes in tandem while announcing they had agreed to push back the release of the mayor’s executive budget proposal until May 12, a deal first reported by POLITICO on Monday night. 
The executive spending plan, which forms the basis for the final stretch of negotiations before the mayor and the Council must finalize a city budget by July 1, is technically due this Friday. 
But as the state budget is now nearly a month late with its own budget, Mamdani and Menin are agreeing to delay the executive plan’s release in hopes that Albany will have its fiscal outlay in order by May 12. Without knowing how much revenue will flow to the city from the state, Mamdani and Menin both said there will be holes in the city’s spending plan that would be hard to reconcile. 
Read the full story from Chris and Nick in POLITICO. FROM CITY HALLSHELTER MOVES: A man died by suicide after he was abruptly moved out of a shelter as part of Mayor Mamdani’s plan to close the long-decaying Bellevue intake center on East 30th Street in Manhattan. 
Mamdani announced the closure plan on March 5, kicking off a weeks-long rush to clear out two East Village shelters and convert them into intake centers for homeless men and adult families requesting beds. Mamdani said the move was a proactive measure based on expert guidance, noting the Bellevue intake center’s state of “severe disrepair.” 
Advocates who work with homeless New Yorkers warned that the relocations posed serious health risks if not done in a careful and coordinated way. 
Then Steven Rosa — who was moved from an East Village shelter with on-site behavioral health services to a hotel-turned-shelter in Brownsville, Brooklyn — seemingly fell through the cracks. 
Rosa’s family told POLITICO his depression worsened after the move, and he started spending much of his time alone in his hotel room. He was found dead in early April. 
“We are saddened by this tragic loss, and our hearts are with this individual’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” a spokesperson for Comptroller Mark Levine’s office said in response to POLITICO’s reporting. “The deployment of care and support for vulnerable New Yorkers is extremely delicate and our office had raised concerns with the City about the effect changes may have on New Yorkers. We are seeking to better understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.&quot; 
A Department of Social Services spokesperson called Rosa’s death a “heartbreaking tragedy” but said the agency cannot comment specifically on his case due to client confidentiality. 
“We continue to build on our efforts to assess potential risk factors — which might not be evident based on self-reported information and case history available to the agency — while strengthening connections to healthcare for all clients,” DSS spokesperson Neha Sharma said in a statement. 
The new intake sites were supposed to open on May 1, but the timeline is in flux due to pending litigation. — Maya Kaufman 
HIGH STAKES: There was a woman in candy stripes on a stilt. There was Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato wearing her lucky shoes. There was Nas doing shoutouts to Resorts World during a rendition of his 1996 hit, “If I Ruled the World.” 
All of this at 9:30 this morning for a ribbon cutting at New York City’s first full-fledged casino. 
Resorts World is the first of three newly licensed casinos to have live table games as it begins a massive expansion of its existing gambling facility at the Aqueduct racetrack in Queens. 
Boosters hail the economic opportunity from the coming overhaul, which would add a new resort and make the casino among the largest in the world. The company has also promised $2 billion in community benefits that local leaders have high hopes for. 
“I have to allude to the fact that we lost a 15-year-old, Jaden Pierre, in this community,” Borough President Donovan Richards said during his remarks at the ribbon cutting. “So these benefits are largely not just about benefits for this site, it’s about the lives that this site will save.” 
Resorts World was a surprise winner of a casino license following a years-long process. Proposals from Bally’s in the Bronx and billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen also were awarded licenses in December. 
Amato, who chaired a community advisory board that tested local support for the casino, began wearing a pair of shoes studded with baubles and fake diamonds during the process. She wore the same pair to the opening of the casino, which she already visits regularly. 
Other speakers, like Richards and City Council Member Ty Hankerson, made a point of saying they don’t gamble, but that they want the casino to do well. 
Former Council Speaker Adrienne Adams — who is running for lieutenant governor on Hochul’s ticket — said Resorts World first approached her about building a gaming facility at Aqueduct 15 years ago, when she was working for the NAACP. She said it took a while for the civil rights group to trust Resorts World but she now views the company as an “amazing” partner who has been held accountable to its community and its promises. 
The head of Genting — Resorts World’s Malaysian parent company — came to do the ribbon cutting. 
“Our planned expansion will bring a world-class integrated resort to this site, and when it is complete, New York will have something no other city in America can match,” Genting chair KT Kim said. 
From closer to home, Nasir Jones, the New York rapper known as Nas, wore a tuxedo to help roll the ceremonial first dice. 
Resorts World’s parent company has a history of late or overbudget projects, which even the body that recommended it received a license warned about, but it has some advantages: It’s open now, years before the two others will be. It also has pledged an enormous share of its revenue to the state. 
It also outlasted other bidders, most notably a trio of developers who wanted to put casinos in Manhattan, including Caesars’ plan to have a gaming emporium in Times Square. Ironically, one of the older slot machine rooms at Resorts World is called Time Square Casino – and it’s the only one in New York for the foreseeable future. – Ry RivardFrom the CapitolCLIMATE TANGO CONTINUES: The debate over changes to weaken New York’s 2019 climate law appears to be moving toward an end. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s latest proposal is for emissions reduction regulations by 2028 with an interim flexible target in 2040 and keeping the firm 2050 mandate. 
“It is certainly better than it was,” said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins on Tuesday. “We’re trying to work on an entire package. … It is a huge push to make sure that we do not lose ground that we should not cede while we are waiting for the promulgation” of the regulations. 
Stewart-Cousins said that rebates to help New Yorkers with high energy bills and proposals to accelerate solar investments were on the table as part of the discussions. 
Hochul’s proposal includes the controversial accounting change long sought by the governor that would essentially require less aggressive action to reduce fossil fuel use, particularly natural gas, according to four people familiar with the agreement. 
Some Democratic lawmakers remain dissatisfied with the proposal, and environmental groups like Food and Water Watch and New York Communities for Change are calling for them to vote no on any budget that includes changes to the climate law. 
“I don’t really understand why we have to compromise so much when the entire environmental advocacy community is saying that’s a bad idea,” said Democratic Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal. “We passed the climate law. We don’t want to roll it back so dramatically.” 
Hochul on Tuesday declined to commit to providing estimates of how much her proposal would cost businesses and households. She’s raised concerns about the cost of abruptly implementing a cap-and-trade program to meet the near term 2030 deadline in the climate law. 
Her push to update the law would moot that target and the lawsuit over regulations to achieve it brought by environmental advocates. Hochul originally championed “cap and invest” in 2023 but has soured on the program. 
“I don’t know if there will be cap and invest,” the governor said. “If there’s cap and invest, is it capped cap and invest? Is it set at a certain number? All that is unknown right now. All I know is that to give some breathing room for New York families and business I have to have a longer runway.” 
The governor’s proposal currently under discussion would specify cap and invest would be part of the regulations due in 2028, according to the people familiar with the discussions. — Marie J. French 
HOOD IN THE HOOD: Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood pledged to be an active lieutenant governor if elected on Republican Bruce Blakeman’s ticket this fall. 
“I’m definitely not a sit-in-the-office kind of guy,” Hood said. 
There’s been a split in visions for the office in recent decades — with some candidates characterizing the role as a cheerleader for the governor, and others saying it should be an independent office. Hood falls in the former category, saying his job would be to help Blakeman succeed at lower taxes and heating costs. 
The Republican was at the Capitol as part of the NY Sheriffs’ Association lobby day, where he railed against Hochul’s plan to ban 287(g) cooperation agreements with ICE, saying that “cutting off communication between agencies makes everyone less safe and reverses post-9/11 progress.” 
Like his ticket-mate, the sheriff took a tough-on-crime approach. 
“There are tons of false allegations against police,” he said when asked about a Hochul-backed plan to let New Yorkers sue ICE agents who infringe on their rights. “That’s what I’ve seen the most of in my career, are lies.” 
Hood also downplayed the uproar over the recent killings of Renee Good — saying she was using her vehicle as “a deadly instrument” — and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. 
“Yeah, you’re fighting with a police officer with a loaded firearm on you and that weapon is discovered – that’s bad things,” he said of Pretti. — Bill Mahoney 
RFK JR. BEWARE: The state Assembly is pushing back against federal policy changes to vaccine recommendations with a package of six bills that would strengthen the state’s laws surrounding immunization. 
Lawmaker says the package of bills is aimed at countering efforts by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to roll back immunization recommendations issued by the federal government. 
The package includes legislation that would allow the state Department of Health to recommend vaccine schedules for New Yorkers using longstanding medical standards and taking into consideration recommendations from the American Academy of Family Physicians, a private professional association not beholden to recommendations made at the federal level. The state previously relied on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a federal panel responsible for making vaccine recommendations that Kennedy attempted to overhaul in an effort to install his allies before a judge blocked the appointees. 
“Vaccines are foundational to public health and have long been a trusted and effective bulwark against harmful and deadly diseases, especially for our most vulnerable populations,” Speaker Carl Heastie said in a statement. “New York will stand on the side of proven science as attacks on lifesaving immunizations continue from the federal administration place our residents at risk. This legislation puts the health and well-being of New Yorkers first and ensures that these vital resources remain accessible for our communities.” 
The package also includes legislation that would require college students to be immunized for Hepatitis B, a bill that would set immunization mandates for children attending summer camps and a bill that would require health insurance coverage for vaccines without cost-sharing. 
An additional measure was passed that would create liability protections for health care providers administering vaccines that follow state and local guidance, a protection that could become key if providers’ actions are alleged to contradict federal guidance. — Katelyn Cordero 
CAR WARS: Hochul wants to address how car insurance companies set rates for premiums — potentially a key provision that would help resolve a major sticking point in the ongoing state budget talks. 
&quot;Yes, we are looking closely at how insurance companies set their rates and what criteria they use,&quot; Hochul told reporters Tuesday. &quot;So there&#039;s two sides of the equation. One is I want to make sure that some of the drivers of why we have such high insurance premiums in the state are addressed, but also the insurance companies, we&#039;re taking a close look at their practices as well. &quot; 
POLITICO reported Monday that Hochul and state lawmakers have discussed addressing so-called flex increases that car insurance companies use to raise premiums. 
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman here. IN OTHER NEWS— NEVER THE SAME: Timothy Brown, the man police beat in a Brooklyn liquor store, which went viral on social media, is suing New York City for $100 million in damages, saying he will never recover from the incident. (Gothamist) 
— NEW PROTOCOLS: The New York Police Department has stalled or rejected policy changes recommended by the Department of Investigations regarding its controversial gang-database, which critics argue is used to target Black and Hispanic youth. (THE CITY) 
— GETTING PERSONAL: Citadel CEO Ken Griffin will meet with Hochul to discuss New York City’s direction following a quarrel with Mamdani after the mayor announced a proposed new tax on pricey second-homes in front of the billionaire&#039;s Manhattan penthouse. (Bloomberg) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>rare, Mamdani-Menin, alliance</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Mills drops out of Maine Senate race, setting up Platner to face Collins</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/mills-drops-out-of-maine-senate-race-setting-up-platner-to-face-collins</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/mills-drops-out-of-maine-senate-race-setting-up-platner-to-face-collins</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The shocking move shakes up one of the year’s most important Senate races and is a blow to Chuck Schumer. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mills, drops, out, Maine, Senate, race, setting, Platner, face, Collins</media:keywords>
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<title>Louisiana suspends House primaries after Supreme Court redistricting ruling</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/louisiana-suspends-house-primaries-after-supreme-court-redistricting-ruling</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/louisiana-suspends-house-primaries-after-supreme-court-redistricting-ruling</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ GOP Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order Thursday delaying the elections until July 15 at the earliest — though the state’s Senate primary is unaffected. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Louisiana, suspends, House, primaries, after, Supreme, Court, redistricting, ruling</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Hochul’s Dear Tom letter</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/hochuls-dear-tom-letter</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/hochuls-dear-tom-letter</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Gov. Kathy Hochul wants assurances from President Donald Trump’s administration that a very specific federal immigration officer isn’t operating in New York. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Hochul’s, Dear, Tom, letter</media:keywords>
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<title>Tammy Haddad on Barbra Streisand, Trump and DC’s A&#45;List weekend</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/tammy-haddad-on-barbra-streisand-trump-and-dcs-a-list-weekend</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/tammy-haddad-on-barbra-streisand-trump-and-dcs-a-list-weekend</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tammy Haddad on Barbra Streisand, Trump and DC’s A-List weekend 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>From Iran to Paris weather: Alleged prediction market violations start stacking up</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/from-iran-to-paris-weather-alleged-prediction-market-violations-start-stacking-up</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/from-iran-to-paris-weather-alleged-prediction-market-violations-start-stacking-up</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fault lines over who is in charge of regulation are already emerging, with several frontline Democrats leading the charge on reining in the companies. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>From, Iran, Paris, weather:, Alleged, prediction, market, violations, start, stacking</media:keywords>
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<title>Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and U.S. Interior secretary, dies at 74</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dirk-kempthorne-former-idaho-governor-and-us-interior-secretary-dies-at-74</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dirk-kempthorne-former-idaho-governor-and-us-interior-secretary-dies-at-74</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Republican was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dirk, Kempthorne, former, Idaho, governor, and, U.S., Interior, secretary, dies</media:keywords>
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<title>‘Come and make the ask’: Talarico faces a test with Black voters in Texas</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/come-and-make-the-ask-talarico-faces-a-test-with-black-voters-in-texas</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/come-and-make-the-ask-talarico-faces-a-test-with-black-voters-in-texas</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democrats’ hopes of taking Texas ride on the state’s nearly 3 million Black voters, many of whom supported Jasmine Crockett in the primary. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Come, and, make, the, ask’:, Talarico, faces, test, with, Black, voters, Texas</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Dems brace for a close finish on Virginia redistricting effort</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-brace-for-a-close-finish-on-virginia-redistricting-effort</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-brace-for-a-close-finish-on-virginia-redistricting-effort</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ If approved, the redistricting effort could deliver Democrats a 10-1 seat advantage in Virginia, a net pickup of as many as four House seats. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dems, brace, for, close, finish, Virginia, redistricting, effort</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Trump’s pick to replace Stefanik</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-pick-to-replace-stefanik</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-pick-to-replace-stefanik</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 21 
TRUMP FOR CONSTANTINO: Republican House candidate Anthony Constantino’s campaign to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik is a textbook example of how aligning with the MAGA extended universe pays off. 
President Donald Trump today endorsed Constantino, the brash and hard-edged CEO of Sticker Mule, over Assemblymember Robert Smullen. 
Trump’s nod for the businessperson is a microcosm of a decade of Republican politics. Smullen has lined up institutional support from the state GOP, county chairs and his fellow elected officials in Albany. 
But none of that matters to Trump, who won his own insurgent primary a decade ago by bucking the Republican establishment. 
Now the president is backing Constantino, who has assembled his own slate of endorsees far more suited to Trump’s temperament. That includes Rudy Giuliani, who backed Constantino after the candidate, according to his telling, wrote a “beautiful two-page letter” to the former New York City mayor. 
Constantino has also enlisted Trump confidant and political operative Roger Stone. 
Those ties were not lost on the president when he posted on Truth Social this afternoon. “Anthony is strongly supported by many of the most Highly Respected MAGA Warriors in our Movement, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Roger Stone!” he wrote. 
Then of course, there’s the large “Vote for Trump” sign Constantino erected atop a building that can be seen from Interstate 90. 
That kind of tangible loyalty — which withstood a legal challenge by local Democrats — also played well with the president. 
“Anthony has been such a Great Supporter that he actually put up a somewhat ‘controversial’ sign, against strong opposition, in my honor,” Trump posted. “The sign is still there!” 
For his part, Smullen — whose support from numerous county chairs doesn’t quite equate to the large pro-Trump signage visible from I-90 — was publicly unconcerned by the president weighing in on the primary. 
“A consultant got to the president, somebody who is being paid by my opponent,” he told our Bill Mahoney. “And I think the president’s made a mistake here.” 
Still, it’s hard not to view this development as anything but a massive blow for Smullen, running to succeed an ardently pro-MAGA House lawmaker in a district that the president won three times. 
The endorsement also highlights the strange position the state GOP finds itself in. The party took the unusual step of backing Smullen in the race amid deep concerns from party leaders over Constantino’s temperament. 
New York Republicans are preparing for a future without Stefanik as its leader and top fundraiser with national standing. The North Country House lawmaker was in line to become Trump’s United Nations ambassador, only to have the nod yanked amid a messy selection process to pick her successor. Hard feelings from Stefanik’s team following the scuttled special election to replace her have lingered as a result. 
One GOP official chortled at the situation, which also comes after Stefanik bowed out of the race for governor following Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s entrance. 
“They knifed Elise in the special and then they got crushed by Roger Stone,” said the person, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “It is just the beginning of Elise’s allies including the president settling the score as Elise is in the midst of her successful book tour!” 
For Constantino’s part, the endorsement is another step in what had initially seemed like a long-shot bid. 
&quot;I had a great talk with President Trump and am honored to receive his endorsement,” he said in a statement. “He noted every primary candidate he endorses wins so I look forward to winning the general election and making everyone who supported me very proud once I am in Congress.”FROM CITY HALLCC YOU IN COURT: A prominent police union filed a federal lawsuit against the Civilian Complaint Review Board today, alleging the oversight body is tarnishing officers’ reputations by releasing unredacted — and unsubstantiated — complaints against cops. 
Beginning in October, the suit from the New York City Police Benevolent Association alleges, the CCRB began responding to Freedom of Information Law requests about three types of allegations against officers — sexual misconduct, racial bias and offering false statements — by releasing unredacted complaints that are then subsequently uploaded to a public database. Because CCRB does not redact identifying information, the police union argued, the accused officers’ reputations, safety, and employment prospects are unduly damaged. 
“CCRB’s under-the-table collusion with anti-police activists to smear cops with false complaints is not only unfair and unconstitutional — it is a calculated effort to end proactive enforcement and drive cops away from the job,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said. 
The PBA argued the complaint board is aware of how damaging the allegations can be to cops. The CCRB publishes a redacted version of the complaints on its own website. 
The city’s Law Department declined to comment. And a CCRB spokesperson defended the agency but noted its ability to comment was limited by the suit. 
“The CCRB’s investigations are complete, thorough and impartial,” spokesperson Dakota Gardner said in a statement. “The Agency continually reviews all applicable laws and regulations regarding the public release of its records, including disciplinary histories of members of service, to ensure it is fully compliant.” — Joe Anuta 
CHARTERING A NEW COURSE?: Mamdani said at an unrelated press conference that his administration is weighing its options regarding the future of former Mayor Eric Adams’ Charter Revision Commission, which convened publicly for the first time Monday. 
“We are reviewing all of the options that we have when it comes to this previously set up charter review,” Mamdani said at the press conference in Brooklyn. 
Pressed on what those options might entail, the mayor added little clarity aside from noting with a laugh that “more and more are being presented by the day.” 
The commission’s meeting focused on procedural steps, including selecting acting chair Gilford Monrose, as reported in today&#039;s Playbook. 
Created on Adams’ final day in office, the commission is tasked with crafting ballot proposals, including one to establish an open primary election system. This shift could complicate reelection prospects for Mamdani by opening the Democratic primary electorate up to a larger, more moderate-leaning pool of voters. 
Mamdani — who has previously criticized the body as undemocratic — has several avenues to blunt its work. Charter experts say one option for the mayor’s office would be installing a chair who could stall proceedings. 
Randy Mastro, the former first deputy mayor under Adams who’s now advising the commission pro bono, told Playbook yesterday he has received no assurances from the Mamdani administration about its plans. A person familiar with the matter said Mastro has also discussed the commission with Mamdani’s corporation counsel, Steve Banks. 
Still, Mastro downplayed the influence of any single appointee amid the possibility of a Mamdani-selected chair helming the commission. 
“I welcome anyone who wants to participate in a constructive process to improve our local democracy,” Mastro said. — Gelila NegesseFROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILPRIMARY COLORS: Former state Assemblymember Taylor Darling ended her primary bid against battleground Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen earlier this week. 
“Unfortunately, the technicalities of the current system make it challenging for community focused campaigns to fully participate in the Democratic process,” Darling wrote on social media. “While I respect the rules, it is clear that these barriers need to be addressed if we want a system where all voices, especially those from our communities, are heard and valued.” 
Any primary challenger is poised to have an uphill climb against the incumbent Gillen, who has more than $3 million on hand. Darling, who entered the race after Gillen voted in support of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, raised just $24,000 last quarter and had $15,000 in the bank. Progressive organizer Kiana Bierria-Anderson is also in the race, though she said her petitions to get on the ballot are being challenged. — Madison FernandezIN OTHER NEWS— WATCHDOG BARKS: Citizens Budget Commission urges lawmakers to limit government spending and hold off on tax hikes as new report shows tens of thousands of New Yorkers are leaving the city. (Gothamist) 
— POLLUTERS PAY: Republicans in Congress are aiming to end New York’s climate law that requires fossil fuel companies to pay for weather-related damages. (Newsday) 
— THAT STINKS: As state-funded daycare expands in New York, new education mandates regarding potty training and diaper changes for young students have left schools scrambling to create new policies. (New York Post) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump’s, pick, replace, Stefanik</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Virginia voters give Dems big win in the gerrymandering wars</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-voters-give-dems-big-win-in-the-gerrymandering-wars</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-voters-give-dems-big-win-in-the-gerrymandering-wars</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The new map could wipe out Republicans&#039; gains so far in the race President Donald Trump kicked off last summer in Texas. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Virginia, voters, give, Dems, big, win, the, gerrymandering, wars</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘The GOP should’ve done more’: Virginia Republicans point fingers after gerrymandering loss</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-gop-shouldve-done-more-virginia-republicans-point-fingers-after-gerrymandering-loss</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-gop-shouldve-done-more-virginia-republicans-point-fingers-after-gerrymandering-loss</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ They are frustrated the party didn’t spend extensively and are putting pressure on Florida to give them back an edge. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘The, GOP, should’ve, done, more’:, Virginia, Republicans, point, fingers, after, gerrymandering, loss</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Grindr is on the political rise</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/grindr-is-on-the-political-rise</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/grindr-is-on-the-political-rise</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The LGBTQ+ dating app has expanded its political presence since Donald Trump’s return to office as it seeks to flex its influence muscles on a range of policy priorities. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Grindr, the, political, rise</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Why Steve Hilton thinks he can turn California red</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/why-steve-hilton-thinks-he-can-turn-california-red</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/why-steve-hilton-thinks-he-can-turn-california-red</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Why Steve Hilton thinks he can turn California red 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, Steve, Hilton, thinks, can, turn, California, red</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Poll: Trump’s immigration message changed. Voters&amp;apos; opinions have not.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-trumps-immigration-message-changed-voters-opinions-have-not</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-trumps-immigration-message-changed-voters-opinions-have-not</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A new POLITICO poll finds half of Americans — including one quarter of Trump’s 2024 voters — said his mass deportations campaign is too aggressive. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Poll:, Trump’s, immigration, message, changed., Voters, opinions, have, not.</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Forced out of the military — and into the redistricting wars</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/forced-out-of-the-military-and-into-the-redistricting-wars</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/forced-out-of-the-military-and-into-the-redistricting-wars</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bree Fram&#039;s long-shot campaign may hinge on Virginia&#039;s redistricting referendum, which could decide whether the trans veteran rocket scientist booted out of the military under Trump stands any chance of winning. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Forced, out, the, military, —, and, into, the, redistricting, wars</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘A trend that can’t be ignored’: Dems have made up ground in nearly every election since Trump took office</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-trend-that-cant-be-ignored-dems-have-made-up-ground-in-nearly-every-election-since-trump-took-office</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-trend-that-cant-be-ignored-dems-have-made-up-ground-in-nearly-every-election-since-trump-took-office</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ POLITICO’s analysis shows a clear trend in red and blue districts alike. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘A, trend, that, can’t, ignored’:, Dems, have, made, ground, nearly, every, election, since, Trump, took, office</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘It would be catastrophic’: A Supreme Court decision could upend Alaska’s crucial Senate race</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/it-would-be-catastrophic-a-supreme-court-decision-could-upend-alaskas-crucial-senate-race</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/it-would-be-catastrophic-a-supreme-court-decision-could-upend-alaskas-crucial-senate-race</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A Supreme Court decision could bar late-arriving mail ballots and potentially disenfranchise thousands of Alaskan voters in a race that could determine Senate control. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘It, would, catastrophic’:, Supreme, Court, decision, could, upend, Alaska’s, crucial, Senate, race</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘Just get in and stir sh&#45;t up’ — Lawler as chaos agent</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/just-get-in-and-stir-sh-t-up-lawler-as-chaos-agent</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/just-get-in-and-stir-sh-t-up-lawler-as-chaos-agent</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 13 
OPERATIVES GONNA OPERATE: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler isn’t facing a primary challenge for his seat — but he’s got his hands full with the one across the aisle anyway. 
The GOP member of Congress spent the last few days meddling in the crowded Democratic primary for his seat — sending covert text messages that some say were designed to look like they’re from Democrats and deploying his campaign manager to challenge the signatures of a lefty Democratic candidate. 
In the meantime, Lawler — who also serves as the Rockland County Republican Chair — held a rally Sunday to launch his own campaign. 
“This is him. This is his deviousness,” Putnam County Democratic Chair Jennifer Colamonico said of Lawler’s strategy. “Just get in and stir shit up.” 
Last week, a blast text message reached dozens of Democratic voters in NY-17 highlighting how one Democrat in the race was allegedly attacking the other by challenging their signatures to get on the ballot. 
“Kathleen Kahng, a Conley campaign surrogate and former Putnam County legislative candidate, filed objections to the petitions of two Democrats competing in the June primary,” the message read, referencing Army vet Cait Conley, who is running for Lawler’s seat as a Democrat. “Not a concerned voter. A Conley insider. This isn’t democracy. It’s field-clearing.” 
The text — which was sent out on the night of the Democratic debate in the district — included a picture of Conley and Kahng and the words “DC INSIDER KICKING LOCAL CANDIDATES OFF BALLOT.” 
It didn’t say who it was from, but when recipients texted back “help,” a second text popped up: “Mike Lawler: For help, reach out to mike@lawlerforcongress.com. To opt-out, reply STOP.” 
Lawler’s campaign declined to comment on the blast text. But it’s his latest barrage into the competitive Democratic primary as he’s likely looking at tougher odds at reelection than in 2024, after the Cook Political Report moved its rating of the district from “Leans Republican” to “toss-up.” 
Lawler, a former campaign manager, lobbyist and political strategy firm founder, has long been recognized by Republicans and Democrats alike for his shrewd political abilities and tireless campaigning. Two years ago, he was one of the only House Republicans to win reelection in a district that voted for Kamala Harris for president by less than a one-point margin. 
In that election, he was also accused by the Working Families Party of being the mastermind who encouraged a “ghost candidate” to run on the lefty third-party’s ballot line. The candidate — who was almost never seen in public — was running in an apparent attempt to siphon votes from former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones. Last year, on Lawler’s home turf, a similar strategy appears to have played out in races for town council. 
This year, no mysterious candidates will be on the ballot for Congress in NY-17 from the Working Families Party, filings show. However, board of elections filings show Lawler’s campaign manager, Ciro Riccardi, filed preliminary paperwork to contest Democratic Rep. Effie Phillips-Staley’s ballot access signatures. 
“Lawler is wasting everyone’s time with frivolous political games that will go nowhere,” Phillips-Staley spokesperson John Tomlin said in a statement. “Clearly Effie’s momentum is making him nervous and he’s terrified to face her in November.” 
Riccardi responded in a statement saying that Phillips-Staley’s signatures were “rife with fraud and errors” but did not identify what those errors were. Team Lawler plans to file a “specific objection” by tomorrow, which will reveal more details. 
He also said that Lawler “will be happy to face whoever survives this clown show in November.&quot; 
“Democrats whining about our campaign defining our opponents are the same ones trying to rig their own primary,” Riccardi said. “We&#039;re not hiding anything.” 
In the meantime, Lawler’s mass text about Democrats filing preliminary challenges to other candidates’ petitions appears to have successfully struck a nerve. 
When Playbook reached out to Putnam County Democratic Vice Chair Kathleen Kahng — the person who objected to Democratic candidate Mike Sacks and John Cappello’s petitions — she referred Colamonico, the Putnam County chair, back to us for comment. 
Colamonico told us her party won’t follow through with its initial objections to the two Democratic candidates’ petitions and dismissed the move as “regular order committee business, that&#039;s all.” 
Conley’s campaign refused to answer questions about whether Kahng was acting on their behalf to challenge her opponents’ petitions. And Suzanne Berger, the Westchester Democratic chair, told Playbook she and the other Democratic county chairs talked to each other about “doing our due diligence” in advance of Colamonico making the challenge. 
“The more candidates there are in a race, the less ability there is to focus on the candidates that are more likely to win the primary,” Berger said. 
Sacks, whose petitions were challenged, didn’t like that. 
“I find that deeply anti-Democratic,” Sacks said. “It goes further to the deep dissatisfaction that everyday Democratic voters have here with our party leadership. — Jason BeefermanFrom the CapitolSHED A TIER: The labor-led drive to overhaul the Tier 6 pension category is steamrolling through the state Capitol — with few officials disagreeing with powerful unions seeking to lower the retirement age and reduce employee contributions. 
It’s a disheartening development for Republican Assemblymember Michael Fitzpatrick, a Long Island lawmaker who is perhaps the most vocal and rare opponent to changing the pension. 
“You now, in a sense, have a professional Legislature,” Fitzpatrick said in an interview. “That’s right where the unions want us. You’re asking the legislators to vote against their own financial best interest. So who is going to say no to the alphabet soup of unions when, if I lose, I’m out of the pension system.” 
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman. 
TRAVELING SEPARATELY: New York lawmakers passed a third temporary stopgap spending bill Monday afternoon as deadlock sets in over Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push to overhaul the state’s car insurance laws. 
The state budget is now more than two weeks late as the governor and Democratic-led Legislature remain at odds over a host of issues, including her push to weaken a 2019 climate law and opposition to raising taxes. 
But the Hochul-backed car insurance proposals have emerged as a major sticking point — with lawmakers beginning to publicly grumble that the governor is not willing to negotiate on the subject. 
“It’s a one-way street on the auto insurance issue,” Senate Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris said. 
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Bill Mahoney and Nick Reisman.FROM CITY HALLMAMDANI AND ZUCMAN&#039;S TAX DAY: The deadline to file income taxes is Wednesday, and to commemorate the occasion, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, top French economist Gabriel Zucman and Nobel prize laureate Joseph Stiglitz will host a joint conference on “confronting global inequality&quot; at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York. 
Mamdani and Zucman are both advocating for a 2 percent tax on the ultra-rich, but with some major differences. While Mamdani is calling for a 2 percent tax increase on New Yorkers earning more $1 million per year, Zucman wants rich households to pay at least 2 percent of the value of all their assets in taxes every year. 
In 2024, during the Brazilian G20 presidency, Zucman pitched a global version of his tax, targeting the world’s billionaires. A national version of the “Zucman tax” dominated the French political debate last year, but it has not been implemented. Zucman, though, remains confident that sooner or later his dream will come true. Mamdani, Zucman and Stiglitz are expected to also spell out their ideas in a joint op-ed. — Giorgio Leali and Anthony Lattier 
PRIDE FLAG FLIES: The Trump administration is agreeing to fly a pride flag at Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village after civil rights groups sued the federal government following the flag’s sudden removal in February. 
“We fought the Trump administration — and we won,” Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said in a statement. “The Trump administration has blinked and backed down from its contemptuous attempt to erase American history.” 
Earlier this year, the Trump administration quietly removed the flag after it issued a memo mandating that “only the U.S. Flag, flags of the [Department of the Interior], and the POW/MIA flag will be flown” by the National Park Service. Groups like The Gilbert Baker Foundation, Village Preservation and EQNY Fund Inc. sued to say the flag’s removal was an “arbitrary and capricious action.” 
Today’s agreement settles that suit. — Jason BeefermanIN OTHER NEWS— MISS DIRECTION: Council Member Farrah Louis directed $450,000 to BHRAGS Home Care, a Brooklyn nonprofit currently under a federal corruption investigation. (Gothamist) 
— PARK, MEET PLAZA: Mamdani is proposing to shut down a hazardous roadway at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza in the hopes of restoring the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch as a direct gateway to Prospect Park. (The New York Times) 
— TOUGH CROWD: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler faced a hostile audience at his latest town hall in Putnam County, where residents pressed him on his support of the Trump administration and the ongoing war in Iran. (Lohud) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Just, get, and, stir, sh-t, up’, —, Lawler, chaos, agent</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>A dozen battleground Dems send Swalwell’s campaign donations to charity</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-dozen-battleground-dems-send-swalwells-campaign-donations-to-charity</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-dozen-battleground-dems-send-swalwells-campaign-donations-to-charity</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Candidates in key House and Senate races are distancing themselves from his money and endorsement as the fallout over the misconduct allegations against him continues. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>dozen, battleground, Dems, send, Swalwell’s, campaign, donations, charity</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Gov. Brian Kemp’s big tent pitch for a fractured Republican Party</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/gov-brian-kemps-big-tent-pitch-for-a-fractured-republican-party</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/gov-brian-kemps-big-tent-pitch-for-a-fractured-republican-party</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Gov. Brian Kemp’s big tent pitch for a fractured Republican Party 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Gov., Brian, Kemp’s, big, tent, pitch, for, fractured, Republican, Party</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Albany’s influence wars</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/albanys-influence-wars</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/albanys-influence-wars</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 14 
STONES AND GLASS STATEHOUSES: Gov. Kathy Hochul has raked in almost $200,000 in campaign contributions from insurance companies as she pushes for a proposal she argues would help save both their policyholders — as well as those same companies — lots of money. 
But while reaping that campaign cash, Hochul has also attacked members of the Legislature for taking their own political contributions — and she is now arguing their political positions are tainted by those dollars in a way hers are not. 
“I&#039;m proud of what we&#039;re doing,” Hochul told reporters today at an unrelated event in the Capital Region. “Money has no influence in what we&#039;re doing.” 
One of the sticking points holding up the now two-weeks-late-and-counting state budget is Hochul’s push to limit who can sue for damages when they’re in an auto accident. Right now, even if the accident is your fault, you can still reap a reward. Limiting who can receive damages would save insurers money, and, in theory, cut monthly insurance rates for New York’s millions of drivers, Hochul argues. 
But members of the Legislature — who often receive political donations from the state’s trial lawyers, which represent plaintiffs in personal injury suits — say they’re skeptical the push would equate to any real savings for New Yorkers, and they worry it would prevent injured people from receiving the money they deserve in court. 
On Monday, Deputy Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris made waves in the Capitol when he blamed Hochul for acting like an obstructionist in state budget negotiations. 
“It takes three parties to agree, and the person who proposed the budget seems less than willing to appreciate that,” Gianaris said on the Senate floor. He later told reporters Hochul’s negotiating strategy is “a one-way street” when it comes to auto insurance reforms. 
A few hours later, Hochul’s spokesperson Kara Cumoletti fired back: “If Sen. Gianaris is interested in making progress, he should urge his colleagues to support the governor’s efforts to lower auto insurance rates, rather than defending a broken system that benefits trial lawyers — one of the top donors to the Senate Campaign Committee he controls.” 
Ouch. 
Despite her spokesperson insinuating that those looking for Gianaris’ motivations need only follow the money, Hochul insisted her political contributions have nothing to do with her stances, which are driven by a tireless fight for affordability. 
“I was responding to criticism that is trying to infer that we are the roadblocks; that we’re not trying to cooperate,” Hochul said today, explaining Cumoletti’s statement. 
Since 2021, Hochul has received $194,250 from auto insurance companies and insurance industry associations, per public records. The state Democratic Party, which Hochul controls, also raked in $70,250 from those same groups between 2024 and 2025. 
“If interests are aligned, then those interests are also aligned with the interests of every single New Yorker who wants to see their rates go down,” Hochul said when asked about those donations. “I don’t think the trial lawyers’ interests are aligned with New Yorkers.” 
The New York State Trial Lawyers Association President Andrew Finkelstein responded in a statement accusing Hochul of getting “into bed with the insurance industry.” 
“NYSTLA will fight both in the courthouse and out to keep the doors of justice open to everyone, not just the wealthy few,” Finkelstein said. “Albany is right to pull back the covers and expose who this plan really serves.” — Jason BeefermanFrom the CapitolNO CONCERNS OVER RETIREMENTS: Hochul brushed off any concerns caused by a rash of legislators who have announced their retirements after filing paperwork to get on the ballot, effectively letting them choose their own successors in some cases. 
“The process is what it is,” Hochul said. “The vast, vast majority of the time, the system is such that candidates plan to run, they plan to stay, they petition to get on the ballot, and, again, if something unforeseen happens, there is a mechanism that’s in place, the committee on vacancies, that allows that person to be filled. I’m not concluding there’s something sinister about a process that has been in place for a long time.” 
Republican state Sen. Jack Martins bowed out of a battleground Nassau County district over the weekend. He previously denied rumors he might retire — but announced his plans to do so after submitting petitions that let area party leaders select Assemblymember Jake Blumencranz to run in his stead. 
In the Cortland area, Assemblymember Jeff Gallahan pointed to health concerns when announcing his retirement. He’s giving his spot on the Republican line to Mark Benjamin, the community relations director for a landfill. 
And Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced her retirement last week. Her spot on the ballot will go to Buffalo Common Council Member Leah Halton-Pope, and the party will avoid the primary that likely would’ve occurred had Peoples-Stokes announced her plans earlier. 
“I think Crystal Peoples-Stokes was planning to stay longer,” Hochul said. “I don’t know if this is some sort of conspiracy to do something untoward. She’s following the laws, and this is how it is. It’s actually pretty rare. It doesn’t happen with great regularity.” — Bill Mahoney 
HOCHUL DEFENDS POPE: Hochul said President Donald Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV are “abhorrent” in emotional comments to reporters today. 
“The pope is a man of peace,” said Hochul, a Catholic. “He has a right to speak out and wise leaders would be right to listen to him.” 
On Sunday, Trump, following a veiled critique from Leo that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” wrote on Truth Social that “Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Later that day, the president posted a picture that depicted himself as Jesus, an image he deleted the following morning. 
Hochul told reporters that “Jesus would be rather shocked at what’s happening these days.” 
“The Pope deserves more respect and for someone to release an image that equates the president of the United States with Jesus — or anyone with Jesus — is just reprehensible to, hopefully, everybody,” she said. — Jason BeefermanFROM CITY HALLBREAD AND ROSES: The mayor unveiled new details about five city-run grocery stores he plans open by the end of his term — a key campaign promise that has kindled strong feelings from opponents. 
The stores will sit on city-owned land, absolving them of paying market-rate rent and property taxes. In exchange, the yet-to-be selected private operators will be contractually required to offer several staples like bread and eggs at a fixed price below the New York City average. 
How far below, though, the administration still has not determined. 
“What I can tell you is that when New Yorkers come to city-run grocery stores, they will see a clear price differential when it comes to those essentials,” Mamdani said at La Marqueta, the site of a $30 million grocery store set to open in 2029. 
Unlike the East Harlem location, other city-run stores will not be built from the ground up, meaning they will open earlier. The first is set to welcome shoppers next year, for example. 
While the mayor is planning just five stores, the concept of government grocers has sparked heated backlash from the mayor’s more moderate detractors. John Catsimatidis, owner of the supermarket chain Gristedes, threatened to close all of his stores if Mamdani won, a pledge he walked back after the democratic socialist’s November victory. — Joe Anuta 
BUSINESS AS USUAL: New York City Council Member Farah Louis returned to work Tuesday after federal investigators raided her home and her sister’s amid a federal probe on bribery and fraud allegations. 
Louis, who has not been charged, appeared at a scheduled Zoning and Franchises subcommittee meeting, which she chairs. 
As part of the investigation that led to the indictment, prosecutors have questioned whether Louis and her sister, Debbie Esther Louis, accepted kickbacks in exchange for steering city funds to shelter provider BRAHGS Home Care, according to a search warrant. 
Louis directed more than $450,000 in city funds over five years to the nonprofit, according to city documents reviewed by Gothamist. 
Louis left the building shortly after the hearing concluded and did not take questions. — Gelila Negesse FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAILD’ESPOSIT-NO: Former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito will not be making a comeback bid for Congress against Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen in a battleground Long Island district. 
D’Esposito, who is currently inspector general in the U.S. Labor Department, signaled his interest in returning to Congress earlier this year — though it was unclear if he would quit his job in the Trump administration to do so. 
Last month at a House subcommittee hearing, he skirted questions about his congressional aspirations, and the politically powerful Nassau County Republican Committee backed John DeGrace, a former Valley Stream mayor, as its nominee. DeGrace declined the nomination last week, leaving the possibility of a D’Esposito return on the table. 
But D’Esposito ruled it out in a statement Tuesday, the final day for local Republicans to choose a replacement candidate. He expressed his personal support for Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Jeanine Driscoll, whom he called a “dear friend.” 
“I will continue serving as the 9th Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor, working with our team nationwide to root out fraud and put those who steal from Americans behind bars,” D’Esposito said in the statement. “It is an honor to serve in President Trump’s administration and on the Anti-Fraud Task Force led by Vice President JD Vance.” 
Read more from Madison Fernandez in POLITICO Pro. 
TRUMP BOOSTS BLAKEMAN: The president emphasized his support for Republican Nassau County Executive and gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman shortly after an appearance on Fox Business that was ridiculed by Hochul’s campaign. 
“Bruce Blakeman, the highly respected and very popular Nassau County Executive, who is running for Governor, is surging in the New York State Polls,” Trump wrote, after Blakeman appeared on Fox Business. “He is one of the best politicians in the U.S. Watch him work his magic!!!” 
About 30 minutes before Trump’s post, Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo and her partner pressed Blakeman on the following: 
“I’m not seeing a lot of you, where have you been Bruce?” 
“I don’t see enough of you. I need to start seeing you more on social media.” 
“How are you going to get New Yorkers out to actually vote for you, Bruce?” 
Hochul’s campaign mocked the appearance for Blakeman as “humiliating.” 
For his part, Blakeman responded to Bartiromo by saying New Yorkers are sick of the high cost of living in New York. 
New Yorkers “want a new governor, a governor that puts them first, cares about them, will cut their utility bills in half, will lower taxes, create job prosperity and create safer neighborhoods,” Blakeman said. “I have the experience, the ability and policies that people want.” — Jason BeefermanIN OTHER NEWS— MATCH DAY: Train tickets to MetLife Stadium from New York City are projected to cost more than $100 during World Cup games — despite regular prices of $12.90. (The New York Times) 
— INDEPENDENT: Scotia Mayor David Bucciferro rejected Republican backing for his incumbent bid with Scotia-Glenville GOP Chairman David Lindsay announcing plans to run a candidate against Bucciferro. (Times Union) 
— RISK TOLERANCE: Wall Street firms continue hiring and expanding in New York City at record levels, even as Mamdani advances a tax-the-rich agenda that some predicted would drive companies out of the city. (THE CITY) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Albany’s, influence, wars</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Harris gives her clearest signal she is mounting a 2028 presidential bid</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/harris-gives-her-clearest-signal-she-is-mounting-a-2028-presidential-bid</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/harris-gives-her-clearest-signal-she-is-mounting-a-2028-presidential-bid</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ She has toyed with the idea before, but her comments Friday took on a new meaning in front of an audience full of Black power brokers. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Harris, gives, her, clearest, signal, she, mounting, 2028, presidential, bid</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV condemns war, rejects claims of divine backing</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-condemns-war-rejects-claims-of-divine-backing</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pope-leo-xiv-condemns-war-rejects-claims-of-divine-backing</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Pope is pushing back against rhetoric used by U.S. leaders to frame the Iran war as divinely sanctioned. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, condemns, war, rejects, claims, divine, backing</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Inside the DNC’s Middle East (not) working group</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/inside-the-dncs-middle-east-not-working-group</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/inside-the-dncs-middle-east-not-working-group</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Democratic National Committee set up a task force to tackle the Middle East. Seven months later, the working group still has work to do. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Inside, the, DNC’s, Middle, East, not, working, group</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Mamdani&amp;apos;s 100th day</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/mamdanis-100th-day</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/mamdanis-100th-day</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Mayor Zohran Mamdani crisscrossed the city on his 100th day in office, relishing a milestone in a mayoralty that for much of last year seemed like an impossibility. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mamdanis, 100th, day</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Is Hochul the unlikely hero of Adams’ world indictments?</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/is-hochul-the-unlikely-hero-of-adams-world-indictments</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/is-hochul-the-unlikely-hero-of-adams-world-indictments</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Gov. Kathy Hochul has spent the last four months beating the auto-insurance affordability drum and fighting the trial lawyers and unconvinced lawmakers who stand in her way. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Hochul, the, unlikely, hero, Adams’, world, indictments</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>April</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/april</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/april</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Political cartoons from the desk of Matt Wuerker ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>April</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Wes Moore criticizes Trump for talking about Medicare cuts</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/wes-moore-criticizes-trump-for-talking-about-medicare-cuts</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/wes-moore-criticizes-trump-for-talking-about-medicare-cuts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;We don&#039;t want to be fighting foreign wars while you&#039;re taking away our health care,&quot; Maryland&#039;s governor said. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Wes, Moore, criticizes, Trump, for, talking, about, Medicare, cuts</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Mamdani’s investigation nominee faces questions on independence</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/mamdanis-investigation-nominee-faces-questions-on-independence</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/mamdanis-investigation-nominee-faces-questions-on-independence</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ During his campaign, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had a historic number of volunteers who canvassed on his behalf. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mamdani’s, investigation, nominee, faces, questions, independence</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Dems hit the airwaves over Iran</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-hit-the-airwaves-over-iran</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-hit-the-airwaves-over-iran</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ VoteVets Action Fund’s $250,000 ad campaign targeting vulnerable GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden represents an escalation in Democrats’ efforts to hammer Republicans over the war. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dems, hit, the, airwaves, over, Iran</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump’s MAGA allies have a new plan for mass deportations. It could splinter the coalition.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-maga-allies-have-a-new-plan-for-mass-deportations-it-could-splinter-the-coalition</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-maga-allies-have-a-new-plan-for-mass-deportations-it-could-splinter-the-coalition</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Surpassing 1 million deportations this year hinges on worksite enforcement — which would enrage farm and construction groups (and possibly voters). ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump’s, MAGA, allies, have, new, plan, for, mass, deportations., could, splinter, the, coalition.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Georgia&amp;apos;s GOP Senate primary is a mess. Republicans are blaming each other.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/georgias-gop-senate-primary-is-a-mess-republicans-are-blaming-each-other</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/georgias-gop-senate-primary-is-a-mess-republicans-are-blaming-each-other</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Their infighting is complicating the party&#039;s chances of defeating Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Georgias, GOP, Senate, primary, mess., Republicans, are, blaming, each, other.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>&amp;apos;What the hell did he just say?&amp;apos; GOP Iran worries build after Trump speech.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/what-the-hell-did-he-just-say-gop-iran-worries-build-after-trump-speech</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/what-the-hell-did-he-just-say-gop-iran-worries-build-after-trump-speech</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Republicans wanted a clear message on the war from Trump. Instead, some feel like they got the runaround. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, the, hell, did, just, say, GOP, Iran, worries, build, after, Trump, speech.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The POLITICO Poll &#45; 2026 March</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-politico-poll-2026-march</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-politico-poll-2026-march</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The poll asked respondents about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., MAHA and the politics of both. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, POLITICO, Poll, 2026, March</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>DHS confirms that Lewandowski left the department along with Noem</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dhs-confirms-that-lewandowski-left-the-department-along-with-noem</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dhs-confirms-that-lewandowski-left-the-department-along-with-noem</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Still unexplained is why he accompanied the former secretary to Guyana. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>DHS, confirms, that, Lewandowski, left, the, department, along, with, Noem</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘He’s lied about everything’: Iran war puts Trump on shaky ground with young MAGA men</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/hes-lied-about-everything-iran-war-puts-trump-on-shaky-ground-with-young-maga-men</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/hes-lied-about-everything-iran-war-puts-trump-on-shaky-ground-with-young-maga-men</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Their frustrations and anger with the conflict were on full display at CPAC this week. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘He’s, lied, about, everything’:, Iran, war, puts, Trump, shaky, ground, with, young, MAGA, men</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Why some Democrats want to shut off Hasan Piker’s ‘megaphone’</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/why-some-democrats-want-to-shut-off-hasan-pikers-megaphone</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/why-some-democrats-want-to-shut-off-hasan-pikers-megaphone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The popular streamer’s rise as a Democratic influencer coincides with the party’s long search for a path out of the wilderness. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, some, Democrats, want, shut, off, Hasan, Piker’s, ‘megaphone’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A month into Iran, the GOP’s political reality sinks in</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-month-into-iran-the-gops-political-reality-sinks-in</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-month-into-iran-the-gops-political-reality-sinks-in</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Republicans in battleground states are largely sticking by the president&#039;s war — but they’re finding it harder to brush off the consequences. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>month, into, Iran, the, GOP’s, political, reality, sinks</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Cori Bush wants her seat back — and a rematch over AIPAC</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/cori-bush-wants-her-seat-back-and-a-rematch-over-aipac</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/cori-bush-wants-her-seat-back-and-a-rematch-over-aipac</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ She is back on the campaign trail after a 2024 multimillion-dollar campaign by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee unseated her. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cori, Bush, wants, her, seat, back, —, and, rematch, over, AIPAC</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>They once called him a ‘goose&#45;stepping extremist.’ They’re now sitting out his comeback bid.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/they-once-called-him-a-goose-stepping-extremist-theyre-now-sitting-out-his-comeback-bid</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/they-once-called-him-a-goose-stepping-extremist-theyre-now-sitting-out-his-comeback-bid</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Brandon Herrera, the GOP nominee in Texas’ 23rd congressional district, won’t get help from pro-Israel and GOP Jewish groups. But they aren’t backing his Democratic opponent, either. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>They, once, called, him, ‘goose-stepping, extremist.’, They’re, now, sitting, out, his, comeback, bid.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>2028 Dem hopefuls scramble for distance from AIPAC</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/2028-dem-hopefuls-scramble-for-distance-from-aipac</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/2028-dem-hopefuls-scramble-for-distance-from-aipac</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democrats eyeing White House bids are distancing themselves from the powerful pro-Israel group amid slumping support for Israel within the party’s base. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>2028, Dem, hopefuls, scramble, for, distance, from, AIPAC</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Newsom: We could lose the country in 2028</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/newsom-we-could-lose-the-country-in-2028</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/newsom-we-could-lose-the-country-in-2028</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Newsom: We could lose the country in 2028  
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Newsom:, could, lose, the, country, 2028</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump&#45;endorsed North Carolina state Senate leader loses by 23 votes</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-endorsed-north-carolina-state-senate-leader-loses-by-23-votes</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-endorsed-north-carolina-state-senate-leader-loses-by-23-votes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Phil Berger conceded the race to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump-endorsed, North, Carolina, state, Senate, leader, loses, votes</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Political operatives with Trump ties raked in millions of dollars in commissions from DHS ad campaign</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/political-operatives-with-trump-ties-raked-in-millions-of-dollars-in-commissions-from-dhs-ad-campaign</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/political-operatives-with-trump-ties-raked-in-millions-of-dollars-in-commissions-from-dhs-ad-campaign</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The ads became a sore spot within the White House over Kristi Noem. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Political, operatives, with, Trump, ties, raked, millions, dollars, commissions, from, DHS, campaign</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Ruben Gallego wants to make Democrats fun again</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/ruben-gallego-wants-to-make-democrats-fun-again</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/ruben-gallego-wants-to-make-democrats-fun-again</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Ruben Gallego wants to make Democrats fun again 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ruben, Gallego, wants, make, Democrats, fun, again</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pete Buttigieg’s 2026 project</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pete-buttigiegs-2026-project</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pete-buttigiegs-2026-project</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The former Transportation secretary and onetime presidential candidate is traveling the country for the midterms. The road may lead him beyond. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pete, Buttigieg’s, 2026, project</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>&amp;apos;I’m super&#45;Republican, but you got my vote&amp;apos;: The Democratic deer hunter setting his sights on flipping Iowa</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/im-super-republican-but-you-got-my-vote-the-democratic-deer-hunter-setting-his-sights-on-flipping-iowa</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/im-super-republican-but-you-got-my-vote-the-democratic-deer-hunter-setting-his-sights-on-flipping-iowa</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democrats are desperate to find locally authentic candidates after 2024. They think people like Iowa gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand might help. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>I’m, super-Republican, but, you, got, vote:, The, Democratic, deer, hunter, setting, his, sights, flipping, Iowa</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>2028 Dem veteran? Uncle Sam wants you.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/2028-dem-veteran-uncle-sam-wants-you</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/2028-dem-veteran-uncle-sam-wants-you</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In a year after many Democrats pined for a metaphorical fighter, the party is now wondering whether it needs a more literal fighter. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>2028, Dem, veteran, Uncle, Sam, wants, you.</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘We’re going to have a problem’: Republicans want Trump to move on from 2020</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/were-going-to-have-a-problem-republicans-want-trump-to-move-on-from-2020</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/were-going-to-have-a-problem-republicans-want-trump-to-move-on-from-2020</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Facing a difficult midterm landscape, there&#039;s a growing view in the GOP that revisiting election grievances risks distracting from the issues that matter most. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘We’re, going, have, problem’:, Republicans, want, Trump, move, from, 2020</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Hochul promotes her agenda with state&#45;funded ad campaign</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/hochul-promotes-her-agenda-with-state-funded-ad-campaign</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/hochul-promotes-her-agenda-with-state-funded-ad-campaign</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ HOCHUL’S AD CAMPAIGN: Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office is using taxpayer money to fund an advertising blitz promoting her agenda, brushing up against a ban on governors appearing in promotional material. 
State law prohibits elected officials from appearing in ads paid for with state funds. 
Hochul doesn’t directly appear in any of the ads. Instead, they encourage people to visit a state-run website where she’s prominently featured talking about wanting to cut red tape to build affordable housing. 
“They’re skirting the very intent of what that law was meant to do, and that’s using taxpayer dollars to promote the image or likeness of the governor,” Republican Assemblymember Matt Slater said. “It’s clearly something that needs to be looked into so we can figure out what consequences she should be facing if she is in fact violating the law.” 
The ads have appeared over the past week on Facebook, YouTube, and at least one billboard. The governor’s office said a FOIL request would be required to see the full scope. 
One example is a YouTube commercial that simply states “Let Them Build” and directs people to the state’s website. The Executive Chamber has spent between $10,000 and $15,000 on that ad — one of 21 to air on YouTube or Google over the past week. The ad has been viewed one million times. 
&quot;The state routinely engages in awareness and education campaigns on critical policy priorities and this campaign was designed in compliance with all ethics laws,” said Hochul spokesperson Jen Goodman. 
Reinvent Albany’s Rachael Fauss said that if the 20-year-old law had been written today, “it probably would take into consideration” campaigns like this. 
“From a technical perspective, she may not be violating the law,” she said. “But I think the spirit of the law is to not have the governor’s likeness be promoted through the use of taxpayer funds. That was the intent of it. Unfortunately, this is an area where the law hasn’t kept up with the way people consume media and ads these days.” 
The ban on advertising came about after former Gov. George Pataki ran state-funded commercials during an election year in which he encouraged people to register in a new healthcare program. Ethics reforms passed as part of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s inaugural agenda included language prohibiting the practice. 
Hochul isn’t the first elected official to brush up against the intent of the law in recent months. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s likeness has appeared on WiFi kiosks, a practice that’s permitted since the city is given the screentime for free. And Mamdani, unlike Hochul, isn’t up for reelection anytime soon. 
“She’s got plenty of campaign funds that she could be using to pay for these things,” Slater said. “What she’s doing right now is spending taxpayer money to enhance her image when she’s on the ballot this year.” — Bill MahoneyFROM THE CAPITOLPRICING POLITICS: Democratic state Attorney General Letitia James is throwing her support behind a bill meant to crack down on retailers’ use of algorithmic pricing. 
James was in Albany this morning to back legislation meant to halt the practice, which uses a consumer’s personal data to set individually tailored prices. 
The bill, backed by Assemblymember Michaelle Solages and Deputy Senate Majority Leader Mike Gianaris, is part of a broader push being made by elected officials to address peoples’ pocketbook concerns. 
“This online pricing model hits hardest where it hurts the most — food, medicine, diapers and other essentials,” James said at a news conference. “We all have all been focused on the issue of affordability across this state.” — Nick ReismanFROM CITY HALLEVIDENCE HUNT: The former NYPD sergeant accusing former mayoral aide Tim Pearson of sexual harassment wants to get her hands on the evidence that prompted the Mamdani administration to stop paying for Pearson’s legal bills. 
In 2024, the former sergeant, Roxanne Ludemann, sued Pearson, a confidant and top adviser to former Mayor Eric Adams, accusing him of sexually harassing her at work and then professionally retaliating against her when she rejected his overtures. 
Thanks to an unusual arrangement greenlit by Adams’ Law Department, Pearson received taxpayer-funded private lawyers to defend him against Ludemann’s suit. But Mamdani’s corporation counsel, Steve Banks, announced last week that he had rescinded Pearson’s arrangement, citing unspecified “new evidence” that warranted terminating it. 
In a court filing late Friday, John Scola, an attorney representing Ludemann, demanded that the Law Department provide his client with access to the evidence in question, arguing it’s relevant to her ongoing case. 
“Produce all documents, records, evidence, reports, memoranda, and materials of any kind that constitute, refer to, or relate to the ‘new evidence’ relied upon, reviewed, considered, or referenced by corp counsel in making its determination to decline or withdraw representation of Defendant Timothy Pearson in this matter,” Scola wrote in the filing. 
Also last week, Banks terminated a similar arrangement that allowed Jeffrey Maddrey, an Adams ally and former NYPD chief of department, to receive taxpayer-funded attorneys in the Pearson matter, too. Maddrey is accused by Ludemann of helping Pearson retaliate against her. 
Scola’s filing demanded access to the information that prompted Banks to slash Maddrey’s arrangement as well. 
Pearson and Maddrey, who resigned from city government in late 2024 after being ensnared in unrelated corruption investigations, have denied any wrongdoing. 
A Law Department spokesperson did not comment when asked today about Scola’s demand. 
New York City taxpayers have already paid more than $620,000 to cover Pearson’s legal tab alone. — Chris SommerfeldtFINANCE SHUFFLE: Mamdani is zeroing in on a pick to run the Department of Finance, a normally under-the-radar agency that has taken on new prominence amid the mayor’s push to raise property taxes. 
Mamdani’s administration is in talks to hire Richard Lee for the job, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions who were granted anonymity to discuss an internal personnel matter. 
Lee currently serves as director of the City Council’s Division of Finance. That means his move to Mamdani’s finance department would leave Council Speaker Julie Menin without her top budget adviser amid increasingly tense negotiations over the city’s $127 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. 
The Council is conducting budget oversight hearings throughout the month to better ascertain how city agencies are planning to operate amid a precarious fiscal situation. The city is facing a projected multi-billion dollar deficit over the next fiscal year, and Mamdani’s administration is relying on cash reserves, optimistic revenue projections and an increase in property taxes to bridge that gap and balance the spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. 
Increasing levies on property owners would require approval from the Council, and Menin has dismissed the idea as a nonstarter. She has argued the city needs to look for other ways to cut costs beforehand. The mayor, by contrast, says drastic steps like property levy hikes can be avoided if Albany gives the city the authority to raise local taxes on millionaires and corporations — proposals Menin has declined to support. 
Lee, should he ultimately join Mamdani’s administration, would be working for the finance department as it tabulates a key variable — the assessed value of property in New York City — which helps determine how much revenue the city collects from owners each year. 
Read the story from Joe Anuta and Chris Sommerfeldt in POLITICO Pro. AROUND NEW YORK— MACHIAVELLIAN MAMDANI: The mayor forced his political will on fellow lefty lawmakers, including by squashing Tiffany Cabán’s congressional prospects and threatening Chi Ossé. (The New York Times) 
— ADAMS OFFICIAL UNDER PROBE: The former commissioner of the city’s probation department under Mayor Eric Adams is being investigated by the Manhattan district attorney. (Gothamist) 
— MAYOR DINES WITH KNICKS: Mamdani broke his Saturday Ramadan fast with Senegalese Knicks player Mo Diawara. (GQ) 
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Hochul, promotes, her, agenda, with, state-funded, campaign</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>AIPAC makes a $22M gamble in Illinois</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/aipac-makes-a-22m-gamble-in-illinois</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/aipac-makes-a-22m-gamble-in-illinois</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The group has taken a sharp tactical shift in several House races as it weathers Democrats’ souring views of Israel — and of AIPAC itself. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>AIPAC, makes, 22M, gamble, Illinois</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>5 things to watch in Tuesday’s Illinois primaries</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/5-things-to-watch-in-tuesdays-illinois-primaries</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/5-things-to-watch-in-tuesdays-illinois-primaries</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tensions over AIPAC’s influence in the Democratic Party, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s fundraising power and generational fights will be in the spotlight. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>things, watch, Tuesday’s, Illinois, primaries</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Democrats are trouncing Republicans in state elections since Trump took office</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-are-trouncing-republicans-in-state-elections-since-trump-took-office</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-are-trouncing-republicans-in-state-elections-since-trump-took-office</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Voter turnout in state elections over the last 14 months has Republicans concerned as the midterms approach. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, are, trouncing, Republicans, state, elections, since, Trump, took, office</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How a top DC strategist courted Jeffrey Epstein</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/how-a-top-dc-strategist-courted-jeffrey-epstein</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/how-a-top-dc-strategist-courted-jeffrey-epstein</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Crisis communications consultant Juleanna Glover corresponded with the late sex offender during a 15-month period shortly before his death in 2019. She says it was all in service of tanking Trump. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, top, strategist, courted, Jeffrey, Epstein</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>There&amp;apos;s a new wedge issue playing out in Senate Dem primaries</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/theres-a-new-wedge-issue-playing-out-in-senate-dem-primaries</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/theres-a-new-wedge-issue-playing-out-in-senate-dem-primaries</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Candidates in Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota are locked in largely symbolic debates over taking corporate PAC money. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Theres, new, wedge, issue, playing, out, Senate, Dem, primaries</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Can Democrats actually flip this red Kentucky district?</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/can-democrats-actually-flip-this-red-kentucky-district</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/can-democrats-actually-flip-this-red-kentucky-district</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ With Mitch McConnell retiring and Andy Barr opting to run for the upper chamber, a rare open House seat is now in play. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Can, Democrats, actually, flip, this, red, Kentucky, district</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Gonzales is out in Texas, and Dems see a chance to beat ‘The AKGuy’</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/gonzales-is-out-in-texas-and-dems-see-a-chance-to-beat-the-akguy</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/gonzales-is-out-in-texas-and-dems-see-a-chance-to-beat-the-akguy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Brandon Herrera’s controversial online presence and hardline politics could open another opportunity for House Democrats in a deep-red district. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Gonzales, out, Texas, and, Dems, see, chance, beat, ‘The, AKGuy’</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The rural Democrats who say their party has affordability all wrong</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-rural-democrats-who-say-their-party-has-affordability-all-wrong</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-rural-democrats-who-say-their-party-has-affordability-all-wrong</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Two Democrats running long-shot campaigns in rural regions against GOP incumbents say their party isn&#039;t hitting the mark to address cost-of-living concerns. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, rural, Democrats, who, say, their, party, has, affordability, all, wrong</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The next races where Latino voters will be decisive</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-next-races-where-latino-voters-will-be-decisive</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-next-races-where-latino-voters-will-be-decisive</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ From Colorado to Arizona to Nebraska, Democrats are watching the record Latino turnout numbers and making these voters a top target for their campaigns. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, next, races, where, Latino, voters, will, decisive</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Jesse Jackson Jr. turns to AI to amplify Rush endorsement</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/jesse-jackson-jr-turns-to-ai-to-amplify-rush-endorsement</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/jesse-jackson-jr-turns-to-ai-to-amplify-rush-endorsement</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The spot restores the voice of the longtime former Chicago congressman — just as AI super PACs get involved in the race. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Jesse, Jackson, Jr., turns, amplify, Rush, endorsement</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Trump is delaying Texas Senate endorsement to pressure GOP senators on SAVE America Act</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-is-delaying-texas-senate-endorsement-to-pressure-gop-senators-on-save-america-act</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-is-delaying-texas-senate-endorsement-to-pressure-gop-senators-on-save-america-act</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are vying for a nod from Trump ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, delaying, Texas, Senate, endorsement, pressure, GOP, senators, SAVE, America, Act</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Texas Latinos turned out in massive numbers for Democrats</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/texas-latinos-turned-out-in-massive-numbers-for-democrats</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/texas-latinos-turned-out-in-massive-numbers-for-democrats</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In multiple Latino-majority counties, more people cast Democratic votes on Tuesday than voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Texas, Latinos, turned, out, massive, numbers, for, Democrats</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Nervous Republicans rally behind Cornyn as they wait on Trump’s Texas pick</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/nervous-republicans-rally-behind-cornyn-as-they-wait-on-trumps-texas-pick</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/nervous-republicans-rally-behind-cornyn-as-they-wait-on-trumps-texas-pick</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ John Cornyn and his allies are trying to turn a surprising lead over firebrand Ken Paxton into a decisive presidential nod. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Nervous, Republicans, rally, behind, Cornyn, they, wait, Trump’s, Texas, pick</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘This L is on her’: Black lawmakers and strategists dump on Crockett</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/this-l-is-on-her-black-lawmakers-and-strategists-dump-on-crockett</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/this-l-is-on-her-black-lawmakers-and-strategists-dump-on-crockett</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ “She has been and has felt like a woman on an island,” says one operative. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘This, her’:, Black, lawmakers, and, strategists, dump, Crockett</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>&amp;apos;Good riddance&amp;apos;: Dems cheer Noem’s ouster — and call for more departures</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/good-riddance-dems-cheer-noems-ouster-and-call-for-more-departures</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/good-riddance-dems-cheer-noems-ouster-and-call-for-more-departures</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democratic lawmakers said Stephen Miller and Pam Bondi should be next after President Donald Trump announced Kristi Noem would be stepping aside as DHS secretary. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Good, riddance:, Dems, cheer, Noem’s, ouster, —, and, call, for, more, departures</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Republican group attacks Thomas Massie for his opposition to Iran war</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/republican-group-attacks-thomas-massie-for-his-opposition-to-iran-war</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/republican-group-attacks-thomas-massie-for-his-opposition-to-iran-war</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ An ad supporting the lawmaker’s rival aired hours after the House rejected a War Powers resolution. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Republican, group, attacks, Thomas, Massie, for, his, opposition, Iran, war</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Kamala Harris backs Jasmine Crockett in bitter Texas Democratic Senate primary</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/kamala-harris-backs-jasmine-crockett-in-bitter-texas-democratic-senate-primary</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/kamala-harris-backs-jasmine-crockett-in-bitter-texas-democratic-senate-primary</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The former vice president recorded a robocall to boost Crockett over James Talarico. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Kamala, Harris, backs, Jasmine, Crockett, bitter, Texas, Democratic, Senate, primary</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘Let him think he won&amp;apos;: Inside Minnesota Dems&amp;apos; effort to fend off Trump&amp;apos;s immigration surge</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/let-him-think-he-won-inside-minnesota-dems-effort-to-fend-off-trumps-immigration-surge</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/let-him-think-he-won-inside-minnesota-dems-effort-to-fend-off-trumps-immigration-surge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Attorney General Keith Ellison shared previously unreported details with POLITICO about the agonizing seven-week immigration crackdown that left two Americans dead. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Let, him, think, won:, Inside, Minnesota, Dems, effort, fend, off, Trumps, immigration, surge</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democrats split over response to Trump’s Iran strikes</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-split-over-response-to-trumps-iran-strikes</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-split-over-response-to-trumps-iran-strikes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The breaks between the party’s peace and interventionist wings are ones Democrats will have to contend with ahead of the midterms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, split, over, response, Trump’s, Iran, strikes</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Many of Trump’s own voters didn’t want to attack Iran. Now he has to win them over.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/many-of-trumps-own-voters-didnt-want-to-attack-iran-now-he-has-to-win-them-over</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/many-of-trumps-own-voters-didnt-want-to-attack-iran-now-he-has-to-win-them-over</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ President Trump is navigating an evolving issue where support within his coalition — at least before the strikes — was real but not overwhelming. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Many, Trump’s, own, voters, didn’t, want, attack, Iran., Now, has, win, them, over.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Strikes at Iran could reshape primary election dynamics</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/strikes-at-iran-could-reshape-primary-election-dynamics</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/strikes-at-iran-could-reshape-primary-election-dynamics</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democratic candidates face new litmus tests as AIPAC money and U.S. intervention dominate primary races. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Strikes, Iran, could, reshape, primary, election, dynamics</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Nicki Minaj’s social media propped up by thousands of bots, analysis finds</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/nicki-minajs-social-media-propped-up-by-thousands-of-bots-analysis-finds</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/nicki-minajs-social-media-propped-up-by-thousands-of-bots-analysis-finds</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ An analysis shared with POLITICO reveals the rap sensation’s advocacy for conservative causes has been amplified by an army of bots and coordinated activity. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Nicki, Minaj’s, social, media, propped, thousands, bots, analysis, finds</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Dems refuse to make 2024 mistakes in the wake of tariff ruling</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-refuse-to-make-2024-mistakes-in-the-wake-of-tariff-ruling</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-refuse-to-make-2024-mistakes-in-the-wake-of-tariff-ruling</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The party is betting that a strong economic message will resonate better than emphasizing that the president is violating the law with his trade agenda. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dems, refuse, make, 2024, mistakes, the, wake, tariff, ruling</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘A really really big decision’: The court cases looming over the midterms</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-really-really-big-decision-the-court-cases-looming-over-the-midterms</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-really-really-big-decision-the-court-cases-looming-over-the-midterms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ High-stakes legal cases that could determine the majority loom in nearly a dozen states, with just months to go until the November election. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘A, really, really, big, decision’:, The, court, cases, looming, over, the, midterms</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Abigail Spanberger gave Democrats’ response to Trump. But she didn’t have the stage to herself.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/abigail-spanberger-gave-democrats-response-to-trump-but-she-didnt-have-the-stage-to-herself</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/abigail-spanberger-gave-democrats-response-to-trump-but-she-didnt-have-the-stage-to-herself</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democratic groups staging counterprogramming events offered a snapshot of a party divided over how best to approach the midterms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Abigail, Spanberger, gave, Democrats’, response, Trump., But, she, didn’t, have, the, stage, herself.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>DHS official promises election officials that ICE will not be at polling places</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dhs-official-promises-election-officials-that-ice-will-not-be-at-polling-places</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dhs-official-promises-election-officials-that-ice-will-not-be-at-polling-places</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ “Any suggestion that ICE is going to be present at polling places is simply disinformation,” said Heather Honey, a DHS official focused on elections. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>DHS, official, promises, election, officials, that, ICE, will, not, polling, places</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Ohio’s GOP governor sidesteps defending Kristi Noem</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/ohios-gop-governor-sidesteps-defending-kristi-noem</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/ohios-gop-governor-sidesteps-defending-kristi-noem</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Mike DeWine did, however, say he supported billionaire Les Wexner despite his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ohio’s, GOP, governor, sidesteps, defending, Kristi, Noem</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bowser requests Trump’s help on Potomac sewage spill</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/bowser-requests-trumps-help-on-potomac-sewage-spill</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/bowser-requests-trumps-help-on-potomac-sewage-spill</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The request from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser comes days after the president blamed the spill on Democrats and said local officials should call and ask for help “politely.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bowser, requests, Trump’s, help, Potomac, sewage, spill</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-nations-cartoonists-on-the-week-in-politics</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-nations-cartoonists-on-the-week-in-politics</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here&#039;s an offering of the best of this week&#039;s crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, nation’s, cartoonists, the, week, politics</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Top German soccer team cancels trip to Minneapolis, citing Trump immigration crackdown</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/top-german-soccer-team-cancels-trip-to-minneapolis-citing-trump-immigration-crackdown</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/top-german-soccer-team-cancels-trip-to-minneapolis-citing-trump-immigration-crackdown</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Werder Bremen, one of the founding members of the Bundesliga, said playing in the city “does not fit with our values” in light of two federal law enforcement shootings last month. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Top, German, soccer, team, cancels, trip, Minneapolis, citing, Trump, immigration, crackdown</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Republicans quietly celebrate the demise of tariffs. That relief might not last.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/republicans-quietly-celebrate-the-demise-of-tariffs-that-relief-might-not-last</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/republicans-quietly-celebrate-the-demise-of-tariffs-that-relief-might-not-last</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Many in the GOP, especially those in battleground states, are happy to see the blanket tariffs go in a heated election year. Trump has already pledged to bring them back. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Republicans, quietly, celebrate, the, demise, tariffs., That, relief, might, not, last.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Fetterman on ICE, Israel and identifying as a Democrat | The Conversation</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/fetterman-on-ice-israel-and-identifying-as-a-democrat-the-conversation</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/fetterman-on-ice-israel-and-identifying-as-a-democrat-the-conversation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Fetterman on ICE, Israel and identifying as a Democrat | The Conversation 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Fetterman, ICE, Israel, and, identifying, Democrat, The, Conversation</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Shapiro grows his donor network ahead of 2028</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/shapiro-grows-his-donor-network-ahead-of-2028</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/shapiro-grows-his-donor-network-ahead-of-2028</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Pennsylvania governor is using his book tour and his reelection bid as a way to expand his donor list. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Shapiro, grows, his, donor, network, ahead, 2028</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>In South Texas, the GOP immigration hard line is now political kryptonite</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/in-south-texas-the-gop-immigration-hard-line-is-now-political-kryptonite</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/in-south-texas-the-gop-immigration-hard-line-is-now-political-kryptonite</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Texas Republicans bet on continuing to win over Latino voters. Then Trump began his aggressive deportation campaign. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://static.politico.com/ae/13/ca674b514278859253db6682b2ac/texas-daily-life-10531.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>South, Texas, the, GOP, immigration, hard, line, now, political, kryptonite</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>DHS watchdog warns shutdown could imperil immigration enforcement oversight</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dhs-watchdog-warns-shutdown-could-imperil-immigration-enforcement-oversight</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dhs-watchdog-warns-shutdown-could-imperil-immigration-enforcement-oversight</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The lapse in funding is forcing the department’s inspector general to suspend the majority of its audits and probes. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>DHS, watchdog, warns, shutdown, could, imperil, immigration, enforcement, oversight</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How Maryland Democrats are thwarting Wes Moore’s political ambitions</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/how-maryland-democrats-are-thwarting-wes-moores-political-ambitions</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/how-maryland-democrats-are-thwarting-wes-moores-political-ambitions</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;The operations of his political tentacles are weak,&quot; says one Democratic strategist. &quot;His inside political network is weak.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Maryland, Democrats, are, thwarting, Wes, Moore’s, political, ambitions</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The POLITICO Poll &#45; 2026 February &#45; U.S. Alliance</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-politico-poll-2026-february-us-alliance</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-politico-poll-2026-february-us-alliance</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The POLITICO Poll, conducted Feb. 6-Feb. 9, surveying respondents&#039; views of the United States as a partner and ally on the global stage. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, POLITICO, Poll, 2026, February, U.S., Alliance</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democrats are cashing in after DOJ failure to indict them</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-are-cashing-in-after-doj-failure-to-indict-them</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-are-cashing-in-after-doj-failure-to-indict-them</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Trump wanted to take six Democrats down for telling servicemembers to ignore illegal orders. He might’ve made them more influential instead. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, are, cashing, after, DOJ, failure, indict, them</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A tech group is launching a new effort to keep Democrats from falling behind on AI</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-tech-group-is-launching-a-new-effort-to-keep-democrats-from-falling-behind-on-ai</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-tech-group-is-launching-a-new-effort-to-keep-democrats-from-falling-behind-on-ai</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tech for Campaigns plans to partner with Democratic groups to test what works. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>tech, group, launching, new, effort, keep, Democrats, from, falling, behind</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How Virginia’s top court might decide Democrats’ gerrymandering fate</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/how-virginias-top-court-might-decide-democrats-gerrymandering-fate</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/how-virginias-top-court-might-decide-democrats-gerrymandering-fate</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The state Supreme Court is likely to determine the fate of redistricting in Virginia. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Virginia’s, top, court, might, decide, Democrats’, gerrymandering, fate</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump continues to lash out at ‘RINO’ GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-continues-to-lash-out-at-rino-gop-gov-kevin-stitt</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-continues-to-lash-out-at-rino-gop-gov-kevin-stitt</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Oklahoma governor has found himself in a protracted dispute with the president over an upcoming event at the White House. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, continues, lash, out, ‘RINO’, GOP, Gov., Kevin, Stitt</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘It’s pissing people off’: Centrist Democrats are livid with AIPAC after primary fiasco</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/its-pissing-people-off-centrist-democrats-are-livid-with-aipac-after-primary-fiasco</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/its-pissing-people-off-centrist-democrats-are-livid-with-aipac-after-primary-fiasco</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ AIPAC spent $2 million attacking moderate-leaning Tom Malinowski in a House special election — and may have handed the race to progressive Analilia Mejia. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘It’s, pissing, people, off’:, Centrist, Democrats, are, livid, with, AIPAC, after, primary, fiasco</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The Epstein scandal is taking down Europe’s political class. In the US, they’re getting a pass.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-epstein-scandal-is-taking-down-europes-political-class-in-the-us-theyre-getting-a-pass</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-epstein-scandal-is-taking-down-europes-political-class-in-the-us-theyre-getting-a-pass</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As Europe moves to address its shame, it’s highlighting the comparative lack of accountability in the U.S. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Epstein, scandal, taking, down, Europe’s, political, class., the, US, they’re, getting, pass.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A MAGA push to erase a Dem House seat is triggering accusations of fraud and violence in Utah</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-maga-push-to-erase-a-dem-house-seat-is-triggering-accusations-of-fraud-and-violence-in-utah</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-maga-push-to-erase-a-dem-house-seat-is-triggering-accusations-of-fraud-and-violence-in-utah</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Assault allegations, potential fraud and a roster of Trumpworld supporters are rocking the Beehive State. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>MAGA, push, erase, Dem, House, seat, triggering, accusations, fraud, and, violence, Utah</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bad Bunny created a cultural phenomenon. Can he spark a political one?</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/bad-bunny-created-a-cultural-phenomenon-can-he-spark-a-political-one</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/bad-bunny-created-a-cultural-phenomenon-can-he-spark-a-political-one</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Puerto Rican superstar’s music has brought Latinos together. Democrats are jealous. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bad, Bunny, created, cultural, phenomenon., Can, spark, political, one</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Inside Trump’s critical minerals push | Energy Pod</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/inside-trumps-critical-minerals-push-energy-pod</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/inside-trumps-critical-minerals-push-energy-pod</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Inside Trump’s critical minerals push | Energy Pod 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Inside, Trump’s, critical, minerals, push, Energy, Pod</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Choppier seas await Mamdani&#45;backed candidates after Diana Moreno&amp;apos;s landslide win</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/choppier-seas-await-mamdani-backed-candidates-after-diana-morenos-landslide-win</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/choppier-seas-await-mamdani-backed-candidates-after-diana-morenos-landslide-win</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A pair of June congressional primaries Mamdani has endorsed in are expected to be far more competitive than Moreno’s race. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Choppier, seas, await, Mamdani-backed, candidates, after, Diana, Morenos, landslide, win</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Shapiro needs big policy wins for a 2028 run. He’s gunning for a Democratic trifecta to achieve them.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/shapiro-needs-big-policy-wins-for-a-2028-run-hes-gunning-for-a-democratic-trifecta-to-achieve-them</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/shapiro-needs-big-policy-wins-for-a-2028-run-hes-gunning-for-a-democratic-trifecta-to-achieve-them</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Pennsylvania governor is mounting an aggressive down-ballot push this year alongside his reelection bid. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Shapiro, needs, big, policy, wins, for, 2028, run., He’s, gunning, for, Democratic, trifecta, achieve, them.</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>February</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/february</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/february</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Politico cartoons from the desk of Matt Wuerker ]]></description>
<enclosure url="" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>February</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Virginia Supreme Court will hear redistricting challenge</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-supreme-court-will-hear-redistricting-challenge</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-supreme-court-will-hear-redistricting-challenge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The state&#039;s High Court will decide if Virginia Democrats&#039; gerrymander push can move forward. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Virginia, Supreme, Court, will, hear, redistricting, challenge</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Janet Mills’ first TV ad hits ICE</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/janet-mills-first-tv-ad-hits-ice</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/janet-mills-first-tv-ad-hits-ice</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The ad uses footage of the Maine governor criticizing the agency in a speech this week. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Janet, Mills’, first, hits, ICE</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘A pretext to rig the election’: Democrats scramble to block ICE crackdowns near polling sites</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-pretext-to-rig-the-election-democrats-scramble-to-block-ice-crackdowns-near-polling-sites</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/a-pretext-to-rig-the-election-democrats-scramble-to-block-ice-crackdowns-near-polling-sites</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Election officials are preparing for the possibility of immigration enforcement activity at or near polling sites in November. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘A, pretext, rig, the, election’:, Democrats, scramble, block, ICE, crackdowns, near, polling, sites</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Houston runoff sets up next Democratic generational fight</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/houston-runoff-sets-up-next-democratic-generational-fight</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/houston-runoff-sets-up-next-democratic-generational-fight</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Saturday’s oddly timed runoff is occurring after months of delays. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Houston, runoff, sets, next, Democratic, generational, fight</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>ICE halted its surge in Maine. The state might not be quick to forget.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/ice-halted-its-surge-in-maine-the-state-might-not-be-quick-to-forget</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/ice-halted-its-surge-in-maine-the-state-might-not-be-quick-to-forget</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Sen. Susan Collins’ announcement of ICE’s drawdown relieved some of the pressure in the blue state. But Democrats still say it’s not enough. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ICE, halted, its, surge, Maine., The, state, might, not, quick, forget.</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>&amp;apos;There’s something bigger going on&amp;apos;: State election chiefs rebuff Trump bid to seize voter rolls</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/theres-something-bigger-going-on-state-election-chiefs-rebuff-trump-bid-to-seize-voter-rolls</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/theres-something-bigger-going-on-state-election-chiefs-rebuff-trump-bid-to-seize-voter-rolls</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Roughly two dozen states have rejected the Trump administration’s request, prompting an unprecedented legal clash between the Justice Department and state election officials. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>There’s, something, bigger, going, on:, State, election, chiefs, rebuff, Trump, bid, seize, voter, rolls</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Klobuchar delays governor campaign launch as Border Patrol killing upends Minnesota</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/klobuchar-delays-governor-campaign-launch-as-border-patrol-killing-upends-minnesota</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/klobuchar-delays-governor-campaign-launch-as-border-patrol-killing-upends-minnesota</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Before Alex Pretti’s death, Sen. Amy Klobuchar had planned to launch her gubernatorial campaign Monday, two people tell POLITICO. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Klobuchar, delays, governor, campaign, launch, Border, Patrol, killing, upends, Minnesota</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>How a Democratic heavyweight is using AI in the midterms</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/how-a-democratic-heavyweight-is-using-ai-in-the-midterms</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/how-a-democratic-heavyweight-is-using-ai-in-the-midterms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ American Bridge 21st Century is publishing its research for everyone to see ahead of the midterms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Democratic, heavyweight, using, the, midterms</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Philip Glass pulls new symphony from Kennedy Center</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/philip-glass-pulls-new-symphony-from-kennedy-center</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/philip-glass-pulls-new-symphony-from-kennedy-center</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ He joins a growing list of artists who have canceled performances at the beleaguered institution this year. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Philip, Glass, pulls, new, symphony, from, Kennedy, Center</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Virginia state court blocks Democrats’ redistricting push</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-state-court-blocks-democrats-redistricting-push</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-state-court-blocks-democrats-redistricting-push</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The ruling is a major setback for Democrats’ efforts to redraw the lines in the state. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Virginia, state, court, blocks, Democrats’, redistricting, push</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Janet Mills: Maine ‘will not be intimidated’ amid ongoing ICE surge</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/janet-mills-maine-will-not-be-intimidated-amid-ongoing-ice-surge</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/janet-mills-maine-will-not-be-intimidated-amid-ongoing-ice-surge</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Maine governor delivered her annual address as immigrant enforcement surges in the state and she gears up for a Senate run. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Janet, Mills:, Maine, ‘will, not, intimidated’, amid, ongoing, ICE, surge</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘Brain the size of a walnut’: Bessent goes off on Newsom</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/brain-the-size-of-a-walnut-bessent-goes-off-on-newsom</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/brain-the-size-of-a-walnut-bessent-goes-off-on-newsom</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Treasury Secretary pushed back the California governor’s criticisms of the Trump administration. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Brain, the, size, walnut’:, Bessent, goes, off, Newsom</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>These Gen&#45;Z Trump voters don’t want JD Vance in 2028</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/these-gen-z-trump-voters-dont-want-jd-vance-in-2028</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/these-gen-z-trump-voters-dont-want-jd-vance-in-2028</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A recent focus group of 18- to 24-year-old Trump voters suggests weaknesses for Vance among young Republicans. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>These, Gen-Z, Trump, voters, don’t, want, Vance, 2028</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Mark Kelly’s money bomb</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/mark-kellys-money-bomb</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/mark-kellys-money-bomb</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Arizona senator&#039;s moves thus far have positioned him to be a key fundraiser in 2026 and offer him a platform to build out a 2028 base. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mark, Kelly’s, money, bomb</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>RNC takes steps toward a 2026 GOP midterm convention</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/rnc-takes-steps-toward-a-2026-gop-midterm-convention</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/rnc-takes-steps-toward-a-2026-gop-midterm-convention</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Republican National Committee voted Friday to allow for an off-cycle national convention this summer. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>RNC, takes, steps, toward, 2026, GOP, midterm, convention</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The states fighting to be at the front of Democrats’ 2028 presidential primary</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-states-fighting-to-be-at-the-front-of-democrats-2028-presidential-primary</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-states-fighting-to-be-at-the-front-of-democrats-2028-presidential-primary</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ States have until Friday to apply to be an early primary contest in 2028. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, states, fighting, the, front, Democrats’, 2028, presidential, primary</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Scott Adams, whose comic strip ‘Dilbert’ ridiculed white&#45;collar office life, dies at 68</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/scott-adams-whose-comic-strip-dilbert-ridiculed-white-collar-office-life-dies-at-68</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/scott-adams-whose-comic-strip-dilbert-ridiculed-white-collar-office-life-dies-at-68</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ His first ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced the death on a livestream posted on Adams’ social media accounts. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Scott, Adams, whose, comic, strip, ‘Dilbert’, ridiculed, white-collar, office, life, dies</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Virginia Democrats look to decimate GOP seats in redistricting effort</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-democrats-look-to-decimate-gop-seats-in-redistricting-effort</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/virginia-democrats-look-to-decimate-gop-seats-in-redistricting-effort</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ But some Democrats warn that the effort may be more difficult than it looks. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Virginia, Democrats, look, decimate, GOP, seats, redistricting, effort</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Latino voters powered Trump’s comeback. Now they’re turning on his economy.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/latino-voters-powered-trumps-comeback-now-theyre-turning-on-his-economy</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/latino-voters-powered-trumps-comeback-now-theyre-turning-on-his-economy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Hispanic small business owners are souring on the Trump economy, a warning sign to Republicans ahead of this year’s midterms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Latino, voters, powered, Trump’s, comeback., Now, they’re, turning, his, economy.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bill Cassidy raises $1.65 million for reelection fight</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/bill-cassidy-raises-165-million-for-reelection-fight</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/bill-cassidy-raises-165-million-for-reelection-fight</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Sen. Bill Cassidy raised $1.65 million in the latest fundraising quarter and has $11 million in cash on hand, his team told POLITICO, as he seeks to ward off a right-wing primary challenge. 
The Louisiana Republican is facing several primary challengers on the right fueled by his past criticism of President Donald Trump. Cassidy voted to impeach Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack against the Capitol, a stance that angered the GOP base in Louisiana. 
Cassidy has consistently posted slightly higher fundraising numbers than his opponents, John Fleming, the state treasurer and a former congressman, and state Sen. Blake Miguez, but has a significantly larger war chest. Cassidy has raised more than $17 million this cycle to date. Fleming and Miguez haven’t released their latest numbers; they had just over $2 million and $2.5 million in the bank respectively as of the end of September. Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) has also flirted with a bid, though sources told POLITICO she is not expected to run; she had $2.3 million in the bank as of the end of September. 
The senator will have some help. A pair of super PACs supporting Cassidy’s reelection will show they had $5 million in cash on hand at the end of 2025 and received an additional $2 million in the first two weeks of January, according to a person close to those efforts. The PACs expect to spend between $13 million and $15 million on his behalf. 
Cassidy is one of a trio of GOP senators facing tough reelection fights where Trump is declining to endorse a candidate, along with Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Maine Sen. Susan Collins. 
Cassidy’s Senate GOP colleagues are backing his reelection. On Thursday, Majority Leader John Thune will host a fundraiser for Cassidy in Baton Rouge that’s expected to bring in $600,000. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bill, Cassidy, raises, 1.65, million, for, reelection, fight</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Talarico leads Crockett in Texas Senate primary, according to new poll</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/talarico-leads-crockett-in-texas-senate-primary-according-to-new-poll</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/talarico-leads-crockett-in-texas-senate-primary-according-to-new-poll</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ An Emerson College poll finds state Rep. James Talarico with a 9-point lead in the Democratic primary and Sen. John Cornyn neck and neck with Attorney General Ken Paxton on the GOP side. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Talarico, leads, Crockett, Texas, Senate, primary, according, new, poll</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘The party has done an abysmal job’: Israel tensions threaten Dems’ midterm plans</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-party-has-done-an-abysmal-job-israel-tensions-threaten-dems-midterm-plans</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-party-has-done-an-abysmal-job-israel-tensions-threaten-dems-midterm-plans</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ From New York to Michigan, left-leaning challengers are taking on pro-Israel incumbents ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘The, party, has, done, abysmal, job’:, Israel, tensions, threaten, Dems’, midterm, plans</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The POLITICO Poll &#45; December 2025</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-politico-poll-december-2025</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-politico-poll-december-2025</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ December 2025 POLITICO Poll results on economy, tariffs, taxes, energy, and more ]]></description>
<enclosure url="" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, POLITICO, Poll, December, 2025</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Republicans need Susan Collins to win reelection. Trump keeps going after her.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/republicans-need-susan-collins-to-win-reelection-trump-keeps-going-after-her</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/republicans-need-susan-collins-to-win-reelection-trump-keeps-going-after-her</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Maine senator has consistently won reelection in a blue state thanks to support from independents and some Democrats. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Republicans, need, Susan, Collins, win, reelection., Trump, keeps, going, after, her.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>GOP talk of Rubio 2028 heats up in wake of Venezuela op</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/gop-talk-of-rubio-2028-heats-up-in-wake-of-venezuela-op</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/gop-talk-of-rubio-2028-heats-up-in-wake-of-venezuela-op</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The secretary of State has signaled he may not run for president in 2028, but he’s changed his mind on such matters before. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>GOP, talk, Rubio, 2028, heats, wake, Venezuela</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>New York Gov. Kathy Hochul confronts a rising populist tide</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/new-york-gov-kathy-hochul-confronts-a-rising-populist-tide</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/new-york-gov-kathy-hochul-confronts-a-rising-populist-tide</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Democratic governor is navigating a political world dominated by Trump and Mamdani as she runs for reelection. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>New, York, Gov., Kathy, Hochul, confronts, rising, populist, tide</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Tim Walz drops out of Minnesota governor’s race, Klobuchar considers jumping in</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/tim-walz-drops-out-of-minnesota-governors-race-klobuchar-considers-jumping-in</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/tim-walz-drops-out-of-minnesota-governors-race-klobuchar-considers-jumping-in</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The former vice presidential nominee announced his decision on Monday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tim, Walz, drops, out, Minnesota, governor’s, race, Klobuchar, considers, jumping</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Dems use Venezuela to hammer affordability issues at home</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-use-venezuela-to-hammer-affordability-issues-at-home</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/dems-use-venezuela-to-hammer-affordability-issues-at-home</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The party is showing a rare moment of unity following the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dems, use, Venezuela, hammer, affordability, issues, home</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>George Conway enters crowded NYC Democratic House primary with singular focus — Trump</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/george-conway-enters-crowded-nyc-democratic-house-primary-with-singular-focus-trump</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/george-conway-enters-crowded-nyc-democratic-house-primary-with-singular-focus-trump</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The former Republican is calling for the president&#039;s impeachment over his actions in Venezuela. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>George, Conway, enters, crowded, NYC, Democratic, House, primary, with, singular, focus, —, Trump</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>House Majority PAC raises record sum ahead of midterms</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/house-majority-pac-raises-record-sum-ahead-of-midterms</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/house-majority-pac-raises-record-sum-ahead-of-midterms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ House Majority PAC and its affiliated nonprofit, House Majority Forward, brought in $121 million ahead of the 2026 midterms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>House, Majority, PAC, raises, record, sum, ahead, midterms</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democrats spy rare opening in rural America</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-spy-rare-opening-in-rural-america</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-spy-rare-opening-in-rural-america</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ President Donald Trump&#039;s unpopular tariff and health care decisions have created an opportunity for the Democratic Party to court a GOP-loyal bloc. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, spy, rare, opening, rural, America</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump’s super PAC enters the midterms with $300 million in the bank</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-super-pac-enters-the-midterms-with-300-million-in-the-bank</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trumps-super-pac-enters-the-midterms-with-300-million-in-the-bank</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ MAGA Inc. reported raking in over $100 million in the second half of the year, adding to Trump’s substantial war chest heading into the midterms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump’s, super, PAC, enters, the, midterms, with, 300, million, the, bank</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘An illegal war’: Democratic 2028ers scold Trump on Venezuela</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/an-illegal-war-democratic-2028ers-scold-trump-on-venezuela</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/an-illegal-war-democratic-2028ers-scold-trump-on-venezuela</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Most would-be Democratic White House hopefuls piled on the president — while his possible Republican successors quickly voiced their support. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘An, illegal, war’:, Democratic, 2028ers, scold, Trump, Venezuela</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Hageman launches bid for Wyoming Senate seat</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/hageman-launches-bid-for-wyoming-senate-seat</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/hageman-launches-bid-for-wyoming-senate-seat</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The two-term representative and strong Trump supporter announced her campaign on Tuesday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Hageman, launches, bid, for, Wyoming, Senate, seat</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>From the field to the ballot: Athletes crowd GOP tickets ahead of 2026</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/from-the-field-to-the-ballot-athletes-crowd-gop-tickets-ahead-of-2026</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/from-the-field-to-the-ballot-athletes-crowd-gop-tickets-ahead-of-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Former athletes and coaches are coming off the bench to run for office as political outsiders. So far, that strategy has produced mixed results. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>From, the, field, the, ballot:, Athletes, crowd, GOP, tickets, ahead, 2026</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The nation’s cartoonists look back on the year that was.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-nations-cartoonists-look-back-on-the-year-that-was</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-nations-cartoonists-look-back-on-the-year-that-was</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here&#039;s a look back on the past year through the eyes of the cartoonists. Edited by Matt Wuerker. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, nation’s, cartoonists, look, back, the, year, that, was.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Donald Trump and Mike Lindell are targeting Tim Walz. Some Republicans are worried that could backfire.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/donald-trump-and-mike-lindell-are-targeting-tim-walz-some-republicans-are-worried-that-could-backfire</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/donald-trump-and-mike-lindell-are-targeting-tim-walz-some-republicans-are-worried-that-could-backfire</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tim Walz wants a third term. Donald Trump and Mike Lindell want to beat him. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Donald, Trump, and, Mike, Lindell, are, targeting, Tim, Walz., Some, Republicans, are, worried, that, could, backfire.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The top 5 interview moments of 2025 | The Conversation</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-top-5-interview-moments-of-2025-the-conversation</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-top-5-interview-moments-of-2025-the-conversation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The top 5 interview moments of 2025 | The Conversation 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, top, interview, moments, 2025, The, Conversation</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Vance tries to weather the MAGA storm at Turning Point</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/vance-tries-to-weather-the-maga-storm-at-turning-point</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/vance-tries-to-weather-the-maga-storm-at-turning-point</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The weekend-long gathering has been enveloped in intraparty fighting. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vance, tries, weather, the, MAGA, storm, Turning, Point</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democrats are united in bashing GOP on Obamacare. Medicare for All could reopen a rift.</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-are-united-in-bashing-gop-on-obamacare-medicare-for-all-could-reopen-a-rift</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-are-united-in-bashing-gop-on-obamacare-medicare-for-all-could-reopen-a-rift</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The single-payer health care system is again becoming a rallying cry for progressives in the midterms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, are, united, bashing, GOP, Obamacare., Medicare, for, All, could, reopen, rift.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ segment on notorious El Salvador prison</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/cbs-pulls-60-minutes-segment-on-notorious-el-salvador-prison</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/cbs-pulls-60-minutes-segment-on-notorious-el-salvador-prison</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The decision, made by editor in chief Bari Weiss, was condemned as &quot;political&quot; by lead correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>CBS, pulls, ‘60, Minutes’, segment, notorious, Salvador, prison</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Trump critic George Conway files to run for NY House seat</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-critic-george-conway-files-to-run-for-ny-house-seat</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/trump-critic-george-conway-files-to-run-for-ny-house-seat</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Conway, a sharp critic of President Donald Trump, has filed to run as a Democrat. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Trump, critic, George, Conway, files, run, for, House, seat</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>More than a dozen staffers leave Heritage to join Pence&#45;led nonprofit</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/more-than-a-dozen-staffers-leave-heritage-to-join-pence-led-nonprofit</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/more-than-a-dozen-staffers-leave-heritage-to-join-pence-led-nonprofit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It’s the latest in a string of departures from the embattled organization. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>More, than, dozen, staffers, leave, Heritage, join, Pence-led, nonprofit</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Ramaswamy calls on conservatives to reject Groypers</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/ramaswamy-calls-on-conservatives-to-reject-groypers</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/ramaswamy-calls-on-conservatives-to-reject-groypers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In a New York Times op-ed, the former GOP presidential candidate said Nick Fuentes and his supporters have “no place in the conservative movement.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ramaswamy, calls, conservatives, reject, Groypers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Poll: The economy is fueling political anger in 5 major countries</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-the-economy-is-fueling-political-anger-in-5-major-countries</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-the-economy-is-fueling-political-anger-in-5-major-countries</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The international poll illustrates the uphill battle many leaders face in trying to contain the intertwined economic and political backlash. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Poll:, The, economy, fueling, political, anger, major, countries</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pramila Jayapal pushes Medicare for All polling</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/pramila-jayapal-pushes-medicare-for-all-polling</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/pramila-jayapal-pushes-medicare-for-all-polling</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Washington Democrat plans to brief her House Democratic colleagues on the findings in early 2026. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pramila, Jayapal, pushes, Medicare, for, All, polling</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democratic National Committee blocks release of its 2024 election autopsy</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democratic-national-committee-blocks-release-of-its-2024-election-autopsy</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democratic-national-committee-blocks-release-of-its-2024-election-autopsy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Despite a pledge from DNC Chair Ken Martin to release the post-election report, the committee announced Thursday it would not share it publicly. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democratic, National, Committee, blocks, release, its, 2024, election, autopsy</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Four&#45;term North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, a leader in education reform, dies at 88</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/four-term-north-carolina-gov-jim-hunt-a-leader-in-education-reform-dies-at-88</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/four-term-north-carolina-gov-jim-hunt-a-leader-in-education-reform-dies-at-88</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Hunt&#039;s career, including an unprecedented 16 years in the governor&#039;s office, provided a prototype for the modern “education governor.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Four-term, North, Carolina, Gov., Jim, Hunt, leader, education, reform, dies</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bill Gates on vaccine hesitancy, AI and global health | The Conversation</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/bill-gates-on-vaccine-hesitancy-ai-and-global-health-the-conversation</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/bill-gates-on-vaccine-hesitancy-ai-and-global-health-the-conversation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bill Gates on vaccine hesitancy, AI and global health | The Conversation 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bill, Gates, vaccine, hesitancy, and, global, health, The, Conversation</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>GOP health care chaos spills into battleground midterm races</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/gop-health-care-chaos-spills-into-battleground-midterm-races</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/gop-health-care-chaos-spills-into-battleground-midterm-races</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Republican Senate candidates aren’t on the same page about extending Obamacare subsidies, reflecting a broader tension that is creeping into House and Senate races. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>GOP, health, care, chaos, spills, into, battleground, midterm, races</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Indiana GOP’s Trump rebuke could lead to temporary redistricting detente</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/indiana-gops-trump-rebuke-could-lead-to-temporary-redistricting-detente</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/indiana-gops-trump-rebuke-could-lead-to-temporary-redistricting-detente</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It doesn’t mean the redistricting wars are over. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Indiana, GOP’s, Trump, rebuke, could, lead, temporary, redistricting, detente</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Democrats gather in California feeling sunny once again</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-gather-in-california-feeling-sunny-once-again</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-gather-in-california-feeling-sunny-once-again</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ At the Democratic National Committee’s winter meetings in L.A., party leaders are feeling good for the first time in a year. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, gather, California, feeling, sunny, once, again</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Poll: Trump&amp;apos;s own voters begin blaming him for affordability crisis</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-trumps-own-voters-begin-blaming-him-for-affordability-crisis</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/poll-trumps-own-voters-begin-blaming-him-for-affordability-crisis</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Americans continue to say affordability is out of control, and they place the responsibility on Trump, The POLITICO Poll found. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Poll:, Trumps, own, voters, begin, blaming, him, for, affordability, crisis</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘Constitutional hardball’: National gerrymander battle turns the heat up in Missouri</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/constitutional-hardball-national-gerrymander-battle-turns-the-heat-up-in-missouri</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/constitutional-hardball-national-gerrymander-battle-turns-the-heat-up-in-missouri</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Allies of both parties are pouring money into the fight over a referendum to bring the state’s new congressional maps in front of voters. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Constitutional, hardball’:, National, gerrymander, battle, turns, the, heat, Missouri</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Economy &amp;amp;amp; Education: U.S. trade rep. Greer and teacher&amp;apos;s union head Weingarten | The Conversation</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/economy-education-us-trade-rep-greer-and-teachers-union-head-weingarten-the-conversation</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/economy-education-us-trade-rep-greer-and-teachers-union-head-weingarten-the-conversation</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Economy &amp; Education: U.S. trade rep. Greer and teacher&#039;s union head Weingarten | The Conversation 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Dec 2025 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>A MAGA World Cup? | The Playbook Podcast</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/a-maga-world-cup-the-playbook-podcast</link>
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<description><![CDATA[ A MAGA World Cup? | The Playbook Podcast 
lead image ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 07 Dec 2025 01:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>MAGA, World, Cup, The, Playbook, Podcast</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Democrats’ path back to power is littered with primaries</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-path-back-to-power-is-littered-with-primaries</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/democrats-path-back-to-power-is-littered-with-primaries</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Democrats face over a dozen contested primaries across the country exposing deep divisions in their ranks ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats’, path, back, power, littered, with, primaries</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Indiana House releases draft congressional map that could net Republicans 2 seats</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/indiana-house-releases-draft-congressional-map-that-could-net-republicans-2-seats</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/indiana-house-releases-draft-congressional-map-that-could-net-republicans-2-seats</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The proposed map still faces a number of obstacles in order to pass. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Indiana, House, releases, draft, congressional, map, that, could, net, Republicans, seats</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Top Mace adviser leaves her campaign, citing loyalty to Trump</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/top-mace-adviser-leaves-her-campaign-citing-loyalty-to-trump</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/top-mace-adviser-leaves-her-campaign-citing-loyalty-to-trump</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Austin McCubbin, a longtime GOP operative, announced his resignation in a pointed post on X on Monday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Top, Mace, adviser, leaves, her, campaign, citing, loyalty, Trump</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The Democrat who refuses to gerrymander</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/the-democrat-who-refuses-to-gerrymander</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/the-democrat-who-refuses-to-gerrymander</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ His party is on a cross-country redistricting win streak. But Maryland’s Senate president isn’t ready to go along. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Democrat, who, refuses, gerrymander</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Mandela Barnes jumps into crowded race for Wisconsin governor</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/mandela-barnes-jumps-into-crowded-race-for-wisconsin-governor</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/mandela-barnes-jumps-into-crowded-race-for-wisconsin-governor</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ He’s not expected to clear the Democratic primary field. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mandela, Barnes, jumps, into, crowded, race, for, Wisconsin, governor</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How Trump targeting these Democrats could backfire</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/how-trump-targeting-these-democrats-could-backfire</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/how-trump-targeting-these-democrats-could-backfire</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The administration’s attacks have elevated the six moderate lawmakers who cut an anti-Trump video urging troops to disobey illegal orders. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 29 Nov 2025 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Trump, targeting, these, Democrats, could, backfire</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Mike Johnson set to huddle with Indiana Republicans amid redistricting fight</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/mike-johnson-set-to-huddle-with-indiana-republicans-amid-redistricting-fight</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/mike-johnson-set-to-huddle-with-indiana-republicans-amid-redistricting-fight</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The meeting is an escalation of the speaker&#039;s involvement. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 29 Nov 2025 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mike, Johnson, set, huddle, with, Indiana, Republicans, amid, redistricting, fight</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How Trump&amp;apos;s base could break</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/how-trumps-base-could-break</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/how-trumps-base-could-break</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A significant portion of 2024 Trump voters — more than a third — do not consider themselves to be MAGA Republicans, according to The POLITICO Poll. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 29 Nov 2025 01:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Trumps, base, could, break</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Army Secretary Dan Driscoll on transforming the armed forces</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/army-secretary-dan-driscoll-on-transforming-the-armed-forces</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/army-secretary-dan-driscoll-on-transforming-the-armed-forces</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Driscoll detailed what technological and institutional reforms are necessary to bring the Army into a new era of warfare. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Army, Secretary, Dan, Driscoll, transforming, the, armed, forces</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>RFK Jr.’s breakaway political party has plans for the midterms</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/rfk-jrs-breakaway-political-party-has-plans-for-the-midterms</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/rfk-jrs-breakaway-political-party-has-plans-for-the-midterms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Former staffers and supporters of Kennedy’s presidential campaign are quietly rebuilding the political party he formed last year with an eye toward the next election. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>RFK, Jr.’s, breakaway, political, party, has, plans, for, the, midterms</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>House Democratic super PAC drops $1 million on Tennessee special election</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/house-democratic-super-pac-drops-1-million-on-tennessee-special-election</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/house-democratic-super-pac-drops-1-million-on-tennessee-special-election</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ House Majority PAC is wading into a deep-red special election, signaling Democrats’ continued optimism about their recent overperformance. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>House, Democratic, super, PAC, drops, million, Tennessee, special, election</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>What Trump’s Mamdani praise — and MTG’s ouster — says about MAGA’s future</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/what-trumps-mamdani-praise-and-mtgs-ouster-says-about-magas-future</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/what-trumps-mamdani-praise-and-mtgs-ouster-says-about-magas-future</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A whirlwind Friday is the freshest reminder that the MAGA movement has always been defined more by id than ideology. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, Trump’s, Mamdani, praise, —, and, MTG’s, ouster, —, says, about, MAGA’s, future</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>‘Is the price of doing this worth it?’: North Carolina Republicans worry about Trump immigration raids</title>
<link>https://aussiedaily.net/is-the-price-of-doing-this-worth-it-north-carolina-republicans-worry-about-trump-immigration-raids</link>
<guid>https://aussiedaily.net/is-the-price-of-doing-this-worth-it-north-carolina-republicans-worry-about-trump-immigration-raids</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The concerns surrounding Trump’s immigration clampdown in the Tar Heel state speak to a tension at the center of the president’s immigration agenda. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Moderated by Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
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