The Vote Smart Weekly Digest brings you timely, non-partisan insights straight to your inbox, helping you stay informed on key political facts and developments. | |
Research Highlights:
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Hunter Biden Pardoned: On Sunday, December 1st, President Joe Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden. The pardon protects Mr. Biden from being sentenced after he was convicted for violating federal tax and gun laws. In his statement issuing the pardon, President Biden said he issued his pardon because he felt his son was unfairly prosecuted due to who his father was. Furthermore, Biden noted that while he believes in the justice system, he also believes politics played a heavy role in this process, and led to a “miscarriage of justice.”
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2024 Congressional Elections Decided: With California’s 13th Congressional District election called for Democrat Adam Gray, all congressional races for the 2024 election have been decided. In the U.S. Senate, Republicans will hold 53 seats, with Democrats and Independents caucusing with 47 members in the minority. In the U.S. House, Republicans won 220 seats to Democrat’s 215 but, with the resignation of Representative Matt Gaetz and the upcoming resignations of Representatives Mike Waltz and Elise Stefanik, the Republican’s majority will be at 217 seats until the three vacancies are filled.
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President-Elect Trump’s Cabinet Appointments: President-elect Donald Trump has announced several key cabinet appointments, highlighting candidates who align with his vision and priorities. Notable selections include Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, former attorney Pam Bondi for Attorney General, and media figure Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense. These appointments have sparked conversations about balancing professional experience with alignment to the administration's goals.
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Key Votes: Congressional and State
- No congressional legislation this week.
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Ohio (OH) - Senate passed HB 5 - Amends and Modernizes State Adoption Systems
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Michigan (MI) - Senate passed SB 963 - Establishes Sentencing Guidelines for Crimes Related to the Employment of Minors
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Colorado (DE) - Governor signed SB 24-113 - Requires Employees and volunteer Coaches Obtain a Criminal Background Check if They Travel for Game
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Biographies and Elections: Here are some interesting candidates our team researched this week!
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Democrat Adam Gray narrowly won the election for California’s 13th Congressional District, defeating incumbent Republican John Duarte. This was the final congressional race to be called.
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Democrat Emma Kerr-Carpenter was appointed to represent Montana’s 24th State Senate district, replacing outgoing Senator Kathy Kelker. There will be a subsequent appointment for Kerr-Carpenter’s 49th State House seat.
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Republican Senator John Barasso of Wyoming will be the Majority Whip in the next Congress. This position is seen as the “number 2” in leadership, just behind Majority Leader.
Our team is hard at work processing the election results! Click on the office before to view the winners of each race!
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Giving Tuesday Recap!
We didn’t quite reach our Giving Tuesday Matching Campaign goal, but in the holiday spirit, we’re extending the match until we hit the $5,000 mark! This means your donation today will be doubled until we reach that goal—let’s make it happen together!
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