News

In a commentary for Reason, J.D. Tuccille argues against proposals to cap credit card interest rates. He calls the idea bad economic populism and notes that it has support from both parties. President Trump called in January for a one-year cap of 10 percent. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told CBS she has a bill ready, though the two have produced nothing concrete so far. Tuccille argues that rate caps make credit harder to get rather than cheaper. To support this he cites a 2021 Federal Reserve paper finding that nonprime borrowers in Arkansas were rationed under that state's 17 percent cap. He also cites an American Enterprise Institute report predicting that card issuers would cancel most near-prime and subprime accounts under a 10 percent cap. He points to Japan and South Korea, where he says tighter caps pushed borrowers toward illegal lenders. He concludes that higher-risk borrowers would turn to costlier options such as payday lenders or loan sharks.

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A historical pattern in presidential elections suggests the Democratic Party may win the 2028 race. Since World War II, the incumbent president’s party has lost seven of eight open-seat elections, where the sitting president does not seek re-election. The only exception was 1988, when Republican George H.W. Bush won with strong economic growth and high approval ratings. For Republicans to win in 2028, analysts say Trump’s approval must rise above 50 percent and the economy must improve significantly. Otherwise, the trend may continue.

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Alaskan voters have rejected a proposal to repeal ranked choice voting and open primaries, maintaining the electoral system first adopted in 2020. The measure, backed by top Republicans including Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Rep. Nick Begich, was defeated by a narrow margin. Supporters argue the system reduces vote-splitting and ensures majority winners, while critics claim it is confusing. The outcome preserves Alaska’s unique approach to elections, which includes top-four primaries and ranked choice voting in general elections.

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In a review for Reason, Eric Boehm reads José Hernández's 1872 Argentine epic poem El Gaucho Martín Fierro as built around what he calls a fundamentally libertarian question: what happens when the state claims a person's life as its own. The poem follows a cattlehand who is seized at a festival, conscripted, and sent to fight on the frontier. There he faces poor supplies and corrupt commanders who take his horse and put him to work on their own farms, and he goes unpaid in full for three years. When he deserts and returns home, his ranch is ruined, his cattle are sold, and his family is gone, so he becomes an outlaw. Boehm argues that the poem shows a government that, by using a man for its own violent ends, undermined the social cohesion it claimed to defend. The excerpt provided covers only the opening of the review, so its full assessment is not reflected here.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has endorsed Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who announced Thursday that he will challenge Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for Senate Democratic leader. Schumer, the current minority leader, wants to lead the chamber as majority leader next year. Fox News reports the contest mainly through the senators' own posts on X. Sanders said voters want a party that takes on special interests and the billionaire class. Van Hollen said the election called for new leadership to fight an economy he described as rigged against working people. Schumer replied that he welcomes the discussion, pointed to Democrats winning 55 seats and counting, and said he has the votes to stay on as leader. Earlier in the week, Sanders had said at a press conference that he would not back Schumer, and said in an interview with Jon Stewart that he would support Van Hollen. Michigan Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed, who beat Trump-backed former Rep. Mike Rogers, also endorsed Van Hollen. The Republican National Committee's press secretary, Natalie Baldassarre, criticized Van Hollen and called the contest Democratic infighting. Senate Democrats will choose their leader in a caucus vote, which will decide who leads the new majority.

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In a short review for Reason, Peter Suderman writes about Fernet con Coca, a mix of the Italian bitter digestif Fernet-Branca and full-sugar Coca-Cola that has become a cultural fixture in Argentina, especially in Córdoba province. The piece reports that Argentina drinks more than 75 percent of all Fernet-Branca produced worldwide, and that Córdoba accounts for nearly 30 percent of that, which is more than all of Italy drinks. It notes that Argentine advertising has compared the drink's cultural standing to the tango. Suderman describes the pairing of a bitter, earthy liqueur with sweet soda as satisfying, and argues that a drink combining an Italian spirit with an American soda makes a bittersweet case for globalization. The review is commentary rather than news and announces no policy or upcoming development.

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Democrats and the Trump administration are preparing for a legal and political showdown over congressional oversight, with both sides accusing each other of overreach. Rep. Robert Garcia and others say they will use the courts to enforce investigations into Trump-era conduct, while the White House warns against what it calls abusive investigations. The conflict is expected to intensify after Democrats regain control of the House.

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In an opinion column in the Washington Examiner (author not named), the writer argues that Stephen Miller's appointment as White House chief of staff, which followed Republican losses in the midterm elections, is likely to escalate an already tense political period. The column says President Trump has claimed that voting machines rigged the midterms, and it criticizes Democrats as well. It contrasts Miller with his predecessor, Susie Wiles, whom the writer says tried to restrain him. As examples of what it calls Miller's preference for escalation, it cites his 2025 demand that ICE make 3,000 arrests a day, and the administration's description of Alex Pretti, who was killed by federal agents in Minneapolis in January, as a 'domestic terrorist', a claim it says bystander videos contradicted. The writer cites an Economist/YouGov poll suggesting most Americans hold middle-ground views on deportation, and argues that both progressives and nationalist hard-liners benefit from unrest. The column also notes that Miller, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and several commentators posted 'Patriots in control' after the appointment, and calls the phrase a QAnon slogan. The writer concludes that a White House led by Miller points to more conflict ahead. These views are the columnist's own.

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A Washington Examiner exclusive reports on a memo from Plymouth Union Public Research, a Republican-aligned group, that analyzes healthcare advertising in the 2026 Senate midterms. The memo says 24 Democratic-aligned groups spent $97.6 million on 89 healthcare TV ads between Labor Day and Election Day in nine states with competitive Senate races. The most money went to Michigan, Maine and Georgia, and the group WinSenate spent the most, $34 million. Most of the spending went to ads attacking Republicans, and many of those ads tied rising costs to the GOP's decision not to extend the enhanced Obamacare premium tax credits in 2025. The memo argues that this decision hurt Republican candidates in Michigan, Georgia, Maine and Kansas. It puts Republican healthcare ad spending at about $65 million. The article also cites exit polls: 51% of voters said Democrats were better able to handle healthcare, and healthcare ranked as the fourth-most important issue. A Republican operative told the paper the party let Democrats own the affordability debate. The piece also notes President Trump's 'Great Healthcare Plan', released in January, as the administration's effort to answer criticism on healthcare.

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In an opinion column for the Washington Examiner, James Rogan, a former U.S. diplomat and finance writer, looks at Anthropic's planned initial public offering. He writes that the AI company, founded in 2020 by former OpenAI staff, plans to raise about $90 billion through the IPO and a private share sale to firms including Nvidia, Google and Microsoft. That would value it at $1.5 trillion to $1.7 trillion. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are expected to price the deal on Nov. 18, with trading set to begin Nov. 19. Rogan cites pre-market trading that implies a premium over the proposed $70–$78 share range, and says bankers may raise the price. He points to rapid revenue growth driven by enterprise customers, including about $17 billion in third-quarter revenue. He also names risks: roughly $450 billion in compute and chip commitments through 2030, competition from Google, Microsoft and Meta, and open-source models from Nvidia and Chinese developers. He says where the stock trades after the debut is an open question and advises caution. The writer discloses that he owns shares in Nvidia, Google and SpaceX.

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The Washington Free Beacon reports that the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), an adult-education program at about 120 U.S. colleges, plans to offer a course called "The History of Palestine" next semester at its George Mason University branch. The instructor is Haitham Arafat, a Palestinian-American activist born in Gaza. Course materials say he lost more than 100 relatives in Gaza and recently sailed with the Global Sumud Flotilla. The Free Beacon cites Israeli officials and the State Department as linking that flotilla to Hamas. Several OLLI members complained, along with Middle East commentator Eric Rozenman and the Zionist Organization of America. They objected to the course description and to the instructor's views, and one complaint called the course one-sided propaganda. In an email, OLLI Mason executive director Lisa Mariam said a member had recruited the instructor and the class went through the usual curriculum process. She said the board will meet in executive session, that the course will carry a sensitive-topic label and a disclaimer, that its Zoom section will be cancelled, and that a separate class from an Israeli and Jewish perspective is planned for spring. A George Mason spokesman said OLLI is separate from the university and that instructors' views are their own. The Free Beacon disputes that separation.

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In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, his first since the 2026 midterms, former Vice President Mike Pence declined to rule out a 2028 presidential run. In September he had said he had "no plans" to seek office. He said people around the country have contacted him about running, but gave no timeline for a decision. Pence blamed the party's midterm losses, in which Democrats won a large House majority and took back the Senate, on what he called President Trump's second-term move away from traditional conservative principles toward populism. He argued the party must return to strong defense, limited government, fiscal responsibility and opposition to abortion. Asked whether he might back Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he said he would look for candidates who hold that traditional agenda. White House spokesman Davis Ingle dismissed Pence's remarks and pointed to his early exit from the 2024 primary. The account rests on Pence's own interview with the outlet.

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Reason's Brickbat column, by Charles Oliver, reports that Jackie Espinosa, the mayor of Kissimmee, Florida, has been charged with one felony count of grand theft and one of organized scheme to defraud. Investigators say she helped design Business Boost 2.0, a city program that handed out federal COVID-19 relief money to small businesses. They say she then applied for grants alongside her immediate family. Three businesses owned or controlled by her family received a total of $50,000 in November 2025: $20,000 for one and $15,000 each for two others. According to the account, the city attorney warned her the following month that accepting the grants created a prohibited conflict of interest, and she did not return the money. Espinosa has pleaded not guilty. Her attorney argues that the grants came through a publicly approved program run by city employees. The case will now go forward in court.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is term-limited and leaves office in January, said he will decide in early January whether to run for president in 2028. Fox News reports that he made the comments to Turkey's Anadolu news agency while attending the U.N. climate conference in Antalya, Turkey, and said he would spend the coming weeks with his family before deciding. The article also cites a September CNN interview in which Newsom told Jake Tapper he would not run if former Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race. Fox News names Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Jon Ossoff among other Democrats mentioned as possible candidates. According to the report, Newsom spoke just over a week after midterm elections in which Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress. Newsom called the result a rebuke of President Trump and said his party must now offer an alternative agenda. Most of the story rests on Newsom's interviews with Anadolu and CNN rather than on Fox News's own reporting.

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Piedmont High School's girls volleyball team was swept 25-18, 25-18, 25-16 by top-seeded Pacific Grove in the first round of the CIF Division 3 Northern California tournament on Nov. 10, ending its season. The Highlanders came in as the 16th seed. Their season included the school's first North Coast Section championship, only its second state tournament berth, and a 19-14 record. It was the program's best record since 2017, and the team won its first playoff games since 2015. Pacific Grove, now 28-5, went unbeaten in its league and finished as Central Coast Section Division 4 runner-up. Players and coach Mike Glass said they were proud of how far the team went. Only two seniors are on the roster, and junior Maika Ting said she expects the program to keep improving next year.

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In an opinion column, Pleasanton Weekly publisher Gina Channell Wilcox reflects on the 2026 Tri-Valley election season, which she says has grown more vicious. She cites an October Carnegie report on rising concern about local polarization. She also describes reports that campaign signs were removed from public places and that volunteers pressured residents at their doors to replace yard signs with an opponent's. She notes large sums in some district races: one candidate raised $15,000 and another put $50,000 of their own money into a race of about 9,600 to 13,000 voters. On the Pleasanton mayoral race, she defends Mayor Jack Balch for enforcing a three-minute limit on a public speaker at a July 27 council meeting. She criticizes former mayor Karla Brown and former councilmember Valerie Arkin for using that incident while campaigning for Councilmember Julie Testa. Wilcox argues that hostile campaigns drive good candidates away from public service, and she urges voters to judge candidates on what they offer rather than on social media posts or sign counts. The column also congratulates the paper's editorial director on the birth of his daughter.

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Pamela Price, former Alameda County DA, responded to Mario Juarez’s ongoing testimony in Sheng Thao’s corruption trial, defending her 2024 decision to charge him with fraud. Juarez admitted to defrauding a print shop owner and sent negative mailers targeting Price and Thao’s opponents. Price criticized media and activists for amplifying false claims against her during her recall campaign. The trial continues to examine alleged bribery schemes involving Thao, her partner, and the Duong family.

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Oakland is seeing a rise in traditional healing practices as local entrepreneurs open spaces offering culturally rooted wellness services. These businesses, such as Freedom Community Clinic and Casa Hechizos, provide holistic care rooted in ancestral traditions like Ayurveda, Santería, and herbal medicine. They aim to address emotional and collective trauma while making healing accessible to the community.

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The federal corruption trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and three co-defendants is expected to extend into December after a judge criticized attorneys for underestimating the trial's duration. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers expressed frustration over scheduling delays and revealed a recent biking injury that may require surgery. Prosecutors plan to call several key witnesses, including former city officials and campaign staff, while defense teams also outlined potential testimony. The trial, which began in late October, centers on allegations of a bribery scheme involving campaign finance and a modular housing project.

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Berkeley High School is grappling with how to comply with a state mandate requiring students to complete two years of physical education to graduate. The school is considering changes to its bell schedule, including adding a seventh period or implementing a block schedule, which could extend the school day or alter class structures. The changes, expected to take effect in 2027, raise concerns about impacts on electives, special education students, and college-bound students needing A-G courses. Parents and students are divided, with some worried about disruptions to academic pathways and others seeing potential benefits in a block schedule.

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Aspire Public Schools, which operates four charter schools in East Oakland, has sued the Oakland Unified School District after its Golden State College Preparatory Academy charter was denied renewal. The district cited declining math scores and reading proficiency as reasons for the denial, which Aspire argues was not legally justified due to a missed 60-day decision deadline. The lawsuit seeks to have the charter approved by default under state law. The district and state education department have not commented on the pending case.

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Pleasanton has started replacing more than 22,000 water meters at homes and businesses under its Water Meter Replacement Project. The city says its meters and Advanced Metering Infrastructure system have been failing widely, which has caused billing errors, water loss and higher maintenance costs. Public Works had already replaced about 4,000 meters. The work is expected to cost about $12 million. It will be paid for from the city's Water Enterprise Fund, water revenue bonds and revenue from recent water rate increases. Contractors Core & Main LP and Concord Utility Services will start in south Pleasanton and move zone by zone. The city says installation begins this month, but its online timeline map says next month. Customers will get notice in advance. On installation day a technician will knock first, the meter must be accessible, and water will be shut off for about 30 minutes. Residents do not need to be home. The city expects to finish around May 2027, depending on weather and delays.

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In a Reason commentary, Robby Soave responds to libertarian comedian Dave Smith, whose viral remark in an interview with YouTuber Jack Neel was that young men need about $1 million a year to live a middle-class lifestyle. Soave says the claim is wrong taken literally. He cites Michigan, where a median household income of about $65,000 can buy a typical home. He says he still understands the frustration. In his view, housing in high-opportunity cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. is very costly, and childcare and education costs are pushed up by regulation, such as D.C.'s push to require degrees for daycare workers. He also notes that many consumer goods have become cheaper over time. Soave argues that politicians in both parties favour tax relief for other groups over young professionals starting families. As an example he cites Michigan Democratic Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed's proposal to freeze property taxes for retirees only. He notes Republicans' weak showing with young male voters in the recent midterms. His advice to win them back is broad income and property tax cuts, licensing and zoning reform, and school choice. The newsletter ends with an unrelated review of a video game remake.

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The Firehouse Arts Center in Pleasanton is showing "Sari ki Saree, The Whole of Saree," a free solo exhibition of 15 works by San Jose-based artist Ria Sharma. Sharma is a civil engineer who came to the U.S. from Dubai in 2020. She combines whole sarees and other traditional textiles with acrylic paint and geometric, Cubist-influenced forms, and the works explore rhythm, transformation and cultural memory. The Pleasanton Weekly profile traces her interest in textiles to childhood handicraft work with her mother in India and to her Sindhi heritage. Some pieces use fabrics donated by others, including one from a Pleasanton friend. The show is in the arts center's lobby through Dec. 19, with a public reception from 1 to 3 p.m. on Nov. 21.

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LGBTQ representation on TV dropped significantly during the 2025-2026 season, according to GLAAD's annual report. Transgender characters saw the largest decline, falling by 79 percent, while queer characters dropped by half. Broadcast and cable TV now show the lowest LGBTQ representation in over a decade. Researchers linked the decline to increased political targeting of transgender issues and fewer projects being greenlit for transgender artists.

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In a Reason commentary, Christian Britschgi argues that Taylor Frazier McCollum, a Maryland activist who became the public face of opposition to the proposed $5 billion Brightseat Tech Park data center on a defunct mall site in Landover, is being given too much credit and too much blame for stopping it. The project received county planning approval in 2024. Since September 2025 it has been stalled by moratoriums issued and repeatedly extended by Prince George's County Executive Aisha Braveboy, the latest of which expires at the end of this year. The county council separately approved a two-year pause on new data centers that does not cover Landover. Britschgi calls her claims about water pollution wrong and her aesthetic objections silly. He contends that both the sympathetic press profiles and her conservative critics overstate her role. In his view the real drivers are county politicians and a nationwide backlash against data centers, which he calls a 'moral panic' built on largely erroneous water and electricity concerns. He notes that the county formed a data center task force and rejected a streamlining ordinance before her petition, and that 13 other Maryland counties have paused data center construction. He says critics should direct their fire at the officials turning those arguments into policy.

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A Washington Examiner report examines Secretary of State Marco Rubio's role now that presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are leading U.S. talks with Russia, Ukraine and Iran. The envoys led this week's round of U.S.-Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Abu Dhabi. They are next due to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin. Rubio stayed in Washington during the talks, where he met Ukraine's foreign minister. A Ukrainian diplomat said Kyiv works directly through the envoys' channel but believes Rubio is kept informed. A former envoy-office official said Rubio sets the strategy while the envoys speak for the president. Former ambassador John Herbst described Rubio as balancing loyalty to President Trump against his own foreign-policy views. The report notes that Rubio has called Russia the aggressor and has backed Trump's Iran policy, favoring continued sanctions. It also says Trump told Vice President JD Vance to drop efforts toward an Iran deal. According to the report, Latin America remains Rubio's own area, including a South American tour, tighter Cuba sanctions and a visa for Brazil's Flavio Bolsonaro. The future of the Iran talks is unclear.

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Caltrans planned to close all but the far-left westbound lane of Interstate 80 on the Bay Bridge from 11 p.m. Thursday to 4 a.m. Friday, Bay City News reports. Crews were to hang the annual holiday wreath above the Yerba Buena Island tunnel. The closure ran from the metering lights to the tunnel. The on-ramp from Yerba Buena and Treasure islands to the westbound lanes was also closed. Drivers from the islands heading to San Francisco had to go east toward Oakland and turn around at the toll plaza. Caltrans said detour signs and traffic control crews would be in place, and asked drivers heading west from the East Bay to expect delays and allow extra time. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the same 13-foot, 300-pound wreath is reused each year on anchors installed in 2011. It stays up until after the new year.

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A three-story apartment building in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood collapsed into a neighboring construction site on Wednesday afternoon while workers were excavating the next lot. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said six adults and two children were killed and 18 people were injured, four of them firefighters. Most of the injured are in stable condition and one is in critical condition. Rescue crews used heavy machinery and dogs to search the debris overnight, and officials warned that part of an adjoining building could still collapse. On Thursday afternoon the FDNY said rescue operations had ended, that no more victims had been found, and that the city's Department of Buildings was taking over the site. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation. Mamdani said the five main companies involved in the construction project are linked to about 100 other sites across the city, and that building inspectors were starting sweeps of those sites. Inspectors are also checking whether nearby buildings are structurally stable.

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In a Washington Examiner opinion column, the writer argues that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has conflicts of interest tied to Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm he led for 35 years before passing it to his sons. The column says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned after admitting an affair with a woman accused of being a Chinese spy. It says Lutnick refused White House requests in May, August and November to put her company, Megaspeed, on the Commerce entity list, and that a department inquiry into suspected chip smuggling to China was effectively dropped. The writer then lists Cantor positions the column calls suspicious: a $362 million stake in Nvidia, a larger AMD holding after Commerce eased export licensing for AMD chips, a bigger Intel stake after the government took a 10% share in the company, a Rigetti Computing stake raised in the same quarter Commerce invested in it, and a large short position on Treasurys taken around the April 2025 tariff announcements. The column also points to an exit poll in which most voters called corruption a major issue in the midterms. These are the columnist's arguments and claims. The text does not say whether Lutnick or Cantor responded, or whether any inquiry is planned.

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President Trump said he wants to address the situation in Cuba before leaving office, calling it a 'failed nation' and suggesting he would consider military action to end its communist regime. He praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his efforts and reiterated a desire to help Cubans who have been 'treated badly.' The administration recently imposed new sanctions targeting Cuban government figures and entities.

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Former Vice President Mike Pence has left the door open for a potential 2028 presidential run, though he did not confirm any plans in a recent Fox News interview. Pence emphasized the need to return the Republican Party to conservative principles, without specifying a timeline for a decision. Earlier this year, he said he had 'no plans' for a White House bid or other elected office in 2028. Pence previously ran against President Trump in the 2024 GOP primary but dropped out due to fundraising and polling challenges.

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In a Reason commentary, Billy Binion reports that Daniela Bittner is in immigration detention and could be deported to Germany, even though she is married to U.S. citizen Mark Longo. The couple owned Peanut, the pet squirrel that New York's Department of Environmental Conservation seized and euthanized in October 2024. J.D. Vance cited that case during the 2024 campaign as an example of government overreach. The Department of Homeland Security says Bittner overstayed in defiance of U.S. law. Longo told the Associated Press that the problem appears to be a mistake on one of her forms, and that his family seems to be a repeated target. Binion argues that detaining someone over an alleged paperwork violation shows the same intrusive government that Republicans condemned in Peanut's case. He cites CBS exit polling, which found that 58 percent of midterm voters thought the Trump administration's immigration enforcement had gone too far, as a possible factor in the GOP's midterm losses. He closes by asking what question Vance thinks Bittner's detention raises. The article does not say what happens next in her case.

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Fox News reports that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer plans to seek another term as Democratic leader as his party prepares to take control of the Senate next year, but his caucus is divided over backing him. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elissa Slotkin and senators-elect Adam Hamilton, Peggy Flanagan, Scott Colom and Abdul El-Sayed have said they will not support him; some of them were not the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's preferred primary picks. Opponents are looking to Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who is talking with colleagues about a challenge and has criticized Schumer for siding with the crypto industry and AIPAC against progressive candidates. The progressive group Indivisible has started a campaign urging senators not to back Schumer. Schumer called Van Hollen a friend and said the two are united on lowering costs and ending the Iran war. His allies include Sen. John Fetterman, who dismissed Van Hollen's record, and DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrand, who credited Schumer with the party's Senate gains. The article relies on public statements and on Fox News Digital's own interview with El-Sayed. The leadership election has not been scheduled in the text.

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In an analysis for Reason, Tosin Akintola looks at the Department of Homeland Security's claim that ICE set records in fiscal 2026, with more than 491,000 arrests and 483,000 deportations. TRAC data obtained through public-records requests confirm the deportation total is the highest since 2009. Akintola notes, however, that ICE carried out fewer removal operations than in earlier years. Voluntary departures and voluntary returns made up 37 percent of deportations in July and August, compared with under 5 percent early in the administration, and immigration judges ordered 11 times as many voluntary departures as in FY 2024. The author argues that the combined figure hides what he calls an atmosphere of fear. He points to lowered hiring standards as ICE pushes to add 10,000 officers, to Washington Post and New York Times reports of misconduct red flags among new hires, including the officer who shot a Colombian immigrant in Maine, and to the risk of third-country deportations. The piece cites exit polls showing the tactics were unpopular with midterm voters. It notes that President Trump has ruled out amnesty, and it argues that the incoming Democratic-led Congress could use its appropriations power to rescind unspent ICE and CBP funds.

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California voters approved Proposition 5, a constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by Democratic lawmakers, which changes how recall elections work. CalMatters reports the measure led about 52% to 48% with roughly 91% of the vote counted nine days after Election Day. Under the old system, voters decided in a single election whether to remove an official and who should replace them. Recalls will now take two elections: first a vote on removal, then, if that succeeds, a separate election to choose a successor. Supporters, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber, argued the old process was costly and confusing and could be exploited for partisan ends, and that it let a replacement win without a majority. Newsom's failed 2021 recall cost taxpayers about $200 million. Republican lawmakers opposed the measure. They said it was unnecessary, would dilute voters' power, and would add special-election costs by requiring two elections. The measure passed by wide margins in counties including Alameda, San Francisco and Los Angeles, while rural Northern California counties such as El Dorado and Shasta opposed it. No group spent money campaigning for or against it. The new rules will apply to future recalls of state and local officials.

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Fox News Digital reports that several Democratic lawmakers it interviewed say they are weighing investigations, hearings and possible impeachment proceedings against senior Trump administration officials once Democrats take control of Congress in January. The story follows a failed impeachment effort against War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday. The officials named include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House chief of staff Stephen Miller and border czar Tom Homan. Sen. Ruben Gallego and Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Adelita Grijalva, Ted Lieu and Ro Khanna voiced support for more oversight. Gallego said the details of any removal efforts remain to be seen. Lieu and Khanna called for an inquiry into what Lutnick, and possibly Rubio, knew about allegations involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and a suspected Chinese intelligence operative. The article notes that no wrongdoing by the named officials has been established. Lutnick, Rubio, Miller and Homan did not respond to requests for comment. Republican Rep. Brian Mast said Democrats want to impeach anyone the president appointed. Impeachment needs a simple House majority, while removal requires a two-thirds Senate vote.

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In a Reason piece, Jacob Sullum covers an appeal by the Silver Spring Jewish Center, an Orthodox synagogue, and congregant Rabbi Menashe Shapiro against a Montgomery County, Maryland, law. The law bans firearms in places of public assembly, including parks, schools and houses of worship, and within 100 yards of them. In September a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction letting permit holders carry inside the synagogue on free-exercise grounds, but she left the buffer zones in place. The plaintiffs are represented by the Becket Fund and the New Civil Liberties Alliance. They say that ruling leaves the synagogue's armed volunteer security team unable to bring guns to the door. They say this hits Orthodox members hardest, because they walk on the Sabbath and must pass other covered sites. They cite antisemitic incidents at the synagogue. In their brief to the 4th Circuit, they argue that under the Supreme Court's Bruen decision the county has shown no historical tradition supporting the buffers. They also argue that the judge wrongly treated their challenge as a facial one. Sullum's analysis largely agrees with the plaintiffs, saying the county's historical analogs fall short. The appeals court has not yet ruled.

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Fox News reports that Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a founder of the House Freedom Caucus, will lead House Republicans as minority leader in the next Congress. He defeated House Majority Leader Steve Scalise in an internal leadership election this week. Unnamed sources told Fox News Digital the vote was 106 to 73. The article rests largely on praise from Jordan's allies, a former aide and some of Scalise's supporters. They say his experience confronting Democrats on the Oversight and Judiciary committees suits a minority party expected to face Democratic investigations, and possibly impeachment efforts, aimed at the Trump administration. Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who will be Jordan's deputy, called him a decision-maker. Colleagues also say Jordan has moved from criticizing fellow Republicans to calling for party unity. On Fox's 'Hannity', Jordan said Republicans would push back in every committee. It is still unclear whether he will make deals with Democrats. Republicans say their goal is to win back the House majority in 2028.

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A new Turkish restaurant, Divan, has opened in West Berkeley, offering a modern take on traditional Turkish cuisine with a contemporary, garden-like ambiance. The restaurant features a variety of Turkish dishes, including pides, labneh-based starters, and kebabs, alongside a full bar and creative cocktails. Co-owners Serkan Sozer and Serhat Şahin aim to highlight the region’s culinary heritage with a Californian twist. The restaurant is located at 1788 Fourth St., Berkeley, and is open for lunch and dinner.

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A new Turkish restaurant, Divan, has opened in West Berkeley, offering a modern take on Turkish cuisine with a focus on mezzes and grilled meats. The restaurant features a sleek, garden-like ambiance and a menu that blends traditional Turkish flavors with a Californian touch. Co-owners Serkan Sozer and Serhat Şahin aim to bring a fresh, ingredient-driven approach to the local dining scene.

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This Pleasanton Weekly news digest covers three items. First, the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association is holding its 36th annual Autumn Get-Together at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton this weekend, with more than 2,500 cars and trucks. It runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and is the fairgrounds' last car show of the year. Adult tickets cost $28.67, and veterans and active military get in free for Veterans Day weekend. Second, "Madden," a biographical film about the late football coach and broadcaster John Madden, premieres Nov. 18 on Amazon Prime. Madden lived in Pleasanton for many years. David O. Russell directed the film, and Nicolas Cage plays Madden. Third, CityServe of the Tri-Valley has started its annual "Adopt a Senior" Christmas program. Community members buy gifts from an Amazon wish list, and volunteers deliver them in gift bags to seniors the nonprofit already serves.

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The Washington Free Beacon reports that Chris Rabb, a Democratic congressman-elect from Pennsylvania, did not condemn a recent 'Bicycle Boycott' protest aimed at Jewish-owned businesses in his Philadelphia district when CBS News's Major Garrett asked him about it on Wednesday. Rabb answered by stressing the organizers' First Amendment rights to speech and assembly. He said he had heard objectionable remarks from counterprotesters, acknowledged that some people were hurt by the protest's timing on the eve of the Kristallnacht anniversary, and said he hoped to act as a convener, but he described no specific plan. Gov. Josh Shapiro and Mayor Cherelle Parker both criticized the protest, and the outlet says Jewish leaders had faulted Rabb for staying silent. The Free Beacon, a conservative outlet, also points to Rabb's past work with two of the protest's organizing groups and to positions he took on Israel during his campaign. Rabb takes office in January.

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Pleasanton held its annual Tri-Valley Veterans Day Parade and concert downtown last Sunday to honor local veterans and active-duty military members. This year's event focused on student veterans: two Las Positas College student veterans, Trevor Penero and Anthony Sandoval, were the grand marshals. A color guard from Pleasanton VFW Post 6298 and American Legion Post 237 led the procession. Afterward, the Pleasanton Community Concert Band performed outside Veterans Memorial Hall. The VFW post, the American Legion post and the City of Pleasanton organize the event together. This item is mainly a photo feature and does not mention any upcoming events.

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In an opinion column for The Federalist, Brianna Lyman argues that Democrats campaigned on affordability to win this year's midterms, in which they took control of both chambers of Congress, but that the party and its base were more interested in investigations of the Trump administration. She cites polling and press reports showing the economy was a top concern for voters, including Latino voters who had backed Trump in 2024. She describes street interviews she conducted in Manhattan for a Hannity segment, saying no one she spoke with named cost of living as a priority for the new Congress; respondents mentioned the environment, abortion and impeaching Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. She also points to post-election social media posts from Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Delia Ramirez and Robert Garcia and Sens. Ron Wyden and Ed Markey, promising subpoenas and oversight. In her view, the affordability message was meant to win over swing voters rather than to set the agenda. The new Democratic majorities take office in January.

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In an opinion column for The Federalist, writer Eddie Scarry mocks Fox News host and informal White House adviser Mark Levin, comparing him to the sitcom characters Steve Urkel and Screech. Scarry points to several recent public posts by Levin. In one, Levin tried to get ahead of an expected Politico story suggesting that attacks on Vice President J.D. Vance by Levin and others could help Vance in the 2028 election, and wrote that 'we are not going to be played.' In others, Levin described spending a day trying to get AOL to unlock his email account, then said that he and his wife had been warned by a federal agency that the Iranian regime might target them with a cyberattack, and that one appeared to have happened. Scarry notes that President Trump has urged the public to watch Levin. He argues that the continuing Iran war is making the president and Republicans less popular, and says he hopes Trump will come to treat Levin as a figure of comedy rather than as a serious adviser. These are the columnist's own views, not news reporting.

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In an analysis for Reason, Eric Boehm argues that ICE raids in southwestern Kansas in September cost Republicans votes in November's midterm. Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, becoming the first Democrat Kansas has elected to the Senate since 1932. Boehm points to the county results. Hamilton carried Finney, Ford and Seward counties, which Trump won by wide margins in 2024. Seward swung 52 points toward the Democrat and Ford swung 39. Those counties are the center of the region's livestock industry and were the site of the enforcement operations. Business groups and Marshall himself had criticized those operations as disruptive. Boehm notes that the region did not decide the race, since Hamilton won statewide by more than 50,000 votes. He still calls the shift telling, and cites a CBS exit poll in which 58 percent of voters said immigration enforcement had gone too far. He also describes Trump saying on 60 Minutes that his policy 'might be too tough.' Boehm contrasts that remark with Trump's promotion of Stephen Miller, the architect of the deportation policies, to White House chief of staff. He says it remains unclear whether the administration will change course.

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was asked at a Thursday press conference whether Democrats would attach a provision ending the Iran war to an appropriations bill, which could risk a government shutdown when federal funding runs out on Dec. 11. He did not answer the shutdown question directly. He restated that ending the war is a Democratic caucus priority and said House Democrats oppose giving the Trump administration any more money for it. Jeffries deferred the details of the spending talks to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. She is negotiating with the leading appropriators of both parties in both chambers ahead of the deadline. The Washington Examiner notes that commentators and exit polls have linked the war's unpopularity and higher gas prices to Democratic gains in the 2026 midterms. According to the Associated Press, Democrats will hold at least 255 House seats in 2027, with 12 races still uncalled.

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Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who chairs a Senate investigative subcommittee, sent President Trump a letter asking the White House to declassify the remaining records from the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investigation into alleged ties between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia. They say key materials are still classified more than a year after Trump's March 2025 executive order directing declassification. The letter names three sets of records: a December 2019 FBI email and attachment, which the senators say supports their view that the inquiry was politically motivated; an inspection report from the Justice Department of roughly 400 pages; and full transcripts of interviews conducted by the DOJ inspector general. The senators describe the records as evidence of government weaponization against Republicans and say the public interest favors releasing them. According to the Washington Examiner, the request comes before Republicans lose control of the Senate in January, when Democrats, who will also control the House, are expected to use congressional committees to investigate the administration. Earlier this year the White House declassified records from a related sub-investigation known as "Oxferd Comma."

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Two former members of Congress, Cheri Bustos and Joe Crowley, advise new lawmakers to prioritize affordability issues like housing, energy costs, and scam prevention. They emphasize focusing on real-world problems voters care about, rather than partisan agendas, and suggest bipartisan collaboration as a path to progress. The guidance comes as new members prepare to take office and face pressure to align with various factions in Washington.

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A Florida Republican has invited Tesla CEO Elon Musk to relocate the company’s headquarters from Texas, citing concerns over the incoming Democratic governor’s policies. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) expressed support for Musk’s concerns about government interference and called Florida’s business-friendly environment an attractive alternative. The move comes amid tensions between Musk and Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa, who has raised objections to SpaceX’s potential land deal in Texas. Hinojosa has paused the sale of Boca Chica State Park and signaled a willingness to work with Musk on her terms. Musk has not publicly responded to the invitation.

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Kellyanne Conway criticized Republican ad spending in the 2026 midterms, calling it a waste of billions. She argued that traditional TV ads are ineffective as people increasingly use screens, social media, and streaming. Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate, with Democrats making gains in historically difficult states like Kansas and Texas. Issues like the Iran war, Trump’s low approval rating, and economic concerns hurt GOP performance. Total ad spending reached over $10 billion, surpassing previous election cycles.

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President Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday that he has asked Vice President JD Vance to give his full attention to what Trump called widespread corruption and crime in Democratic-led cities and states. He named Minnesota, California and Illinois, said billions of dollars are stolen each month, and said fixing it could balance the federal budget. Fox News Digital reports that Trump gave no specific examples and did not explain how the budget would be balanced. Vance already leads the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, created by a March 16 executive order to tackle fraud in federally funded benefit programs. That order also named the same three states. The task force has said it found $260.7 billion in suspected fraud since Trump took office. Fox News notes that figure has not been independently verified. It is not clear whether the new directive expands Vance's role or only signals a renewed emphasis. In the same post, Trump said the U.S. no longer needs a deal with Iran and made unexplained claims about Iranian funds and the Strait of Hormuz. Fox News Digital has asked the White House, the Justice Department and the State Department for comment.

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The Department of Homeland Security has identified the man accused of trying to storm the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 2174 as Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, a Honduran national. DHS says he was deported twice, came back, and was granted asylum by an immigration judge in 2020, during President Trump's first term, after saying he feared being killed in Honduras because he is transgender. The flight was going from Newark to New Orleans with 46 passengers and six crew on Nov. 9. Authorities say he claimed to have a bomb, and United issued its highest-level hijacking alert. The plane landed safely and he was arrested. He is held at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Louisiana on charges of communicating false information about planned arson and of terrorizing. ICE has lodged a detainer asking to be notified before he is released. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called him a criminal illegal alien who had gamed the system, and tied the case to the administration's wider crackdown on asylum fraud. DHS did not say what fraud it alleges in his case. Instead it cited unrelated asylum-fraud prosecutions in Florida and Illinois. The Washington Examiner's report relies on the DHS statement and on earlier reporting by the Daily Wire.

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Fox News Digital reports, in an exclusive built on its own interviews, that two California Democrats want Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick investigated once their party takes control of the House in January. The calls follow Jensen Huang's resignation as NVIDIA CEO this week amid allegations that he had an affair with an executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed whom U.S. intelligence suspects of being a Chinese spy. The case against Lutnick rests on investigative reports from other outlets, which the article does not name. Those reports say Lutnick received a classified memo warning him about the relationship. Rep. Ted Lieu said Lutnick failed to act on that warning. Rep. Ro Khanna also backed an inquiry and did not rule out examining Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Neither lawmaker said how an investigation would proceed. Neither secretary has been formally accused of wrongdoing, and neither responded to requests for comment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also did not respond. It is unclear whether Republicans would support such investigations. Separately, House China Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar said Huang has agreed to brief congressional committees. Moolenaar urged Congress to pass bipartisan chip export-control legislation in the year-end defense bill.

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Fox News Digital reports that some Senate Republicans are open to reopening immigration policy after President Trump said in a "60 Minutes" interview that his deportation policies might be "too tough." In the same interview he suggested a deal for longtime residents without criminal records. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin quickly said there would be no amnesty. The report says Republicans are willing to talk after losses in the midterm elections, and it cites a September Fox News poll in which 53% of voters said the administration's immigration policy had gone too far. Senators Jim Banks and Ted Budd said amnesty is off the table. Budd also said enforcement should not return to the approach taken under former Secretary Kristi Noem. Majority Leader John Thune said the party would hear out any proposal. Sen. Thom Tillis, who is retiring, said he urged Trump in March to put border measures into law alongside merit-based reform, and he blamed adviser Stephen Miller for the walk-back. Sen. James Lankford helped write the bipartisan border deal that collapsed in 2024 and is expected to become the ranking Republican on the Homeland Security committee. He said that role would put him at the center of any talks once Democrats take power next year. The story is the outlet's own reporting, based on named senators' on-record comments.

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