More than five years after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, some pardoned participants are seeking compensation from a newly created $1.776 billion federal fund established through a settlement tied to the 47th president’s lawsuit over the release of his tax returns. Critics, including former prosecutors, police officers and some former rioters, argue the fund could reward people convicted of crimes related to the attack, while legal challenges and bipartisan opposition have temporarily halted its implementation.
Category: Politics
Posted inPolitics
Louisiana’s Legislature has passed a new congressional map, eliminating majority-Black district
Louisiana lawmakers approved a new congressional map designed to strengthen Republican control by creating a 5-1 GOP advantage in the state’s six U.S. House districts. The plan eliminates one of Louisiana’s two majority-Black congressional districts, prompting Democrats and voting rights advocates to accuse Republicans of racial gerrymandering following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened protections under the Voting Rights Act.
Posted inPolitics
Chris Rabb wins Democratic primary to replace Dwight Evans in Congress
State Rep. Chris Rabb won the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, positioning himself to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans in the general election.
Posted inPolitics
NAACP calls for boycott of Southern college sports programs over voting rights
The NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus are calling for Black athletes and fans to boycott athletic programs at public universities in states that are restricting Black voting rights.
Posted inNational News
Facing 17 years in prison and pregnant, NJ Congresswoman LaMonica McIver fights federal charges tied to ICE oversight visitÂ
U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) is scheduled to appear before a federal appeals court on June 23, 2026, to challenge criminal charges stemming from a 2025 immigration detention center oversight visit. The high-stakes legal battle, which could cost the congresswoman over $1 million in legal fees and up to 17 years in prison, coincides with the announcement that she is 17 weeks pregnant with her second child.
Posted inMaryland News
FACT FOCUS: No. 47 falsely accuses Maryland of sending ‘illegal’ mail-in ballots to voters
An Associated Press fact check debunked the 47th president’s claim that Maryland officials illegally mailed 500,000 ballots to voters to help Democrats win elections. State election officials said a vendor error caused some voters to receive incorrect primary ballots, prompting replacement mailings with safeguards in place to prevent duplicate voting or fraud.
Posted inPolitics
Justice Department accuses Yale medical school of illegally using race in admissions
The Justice Department has accused Yale University of illegally considering race in admissions to its medical school, alleging Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted at higher rates than White and Asian applicants with stronger academic metrics. The federal agency said Yale’s admissions practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and warned it could pursue legal action if the university does not agree to reforms.
Posted inPolitics
How Iran turned trap and hip-hop into viral war propaganda
Viral AI-generated Lego rap videos tied to Iranian propaganda networks are flooding social media, using hip-hop, memes, and anti-White House humor to reach Americans already exhausted by war fears, inflation, and political chaos.
Posted inPolitics
FBI searches Virginia Senate leader’s office as part of corruption probe
FBI searches Virginia state Senate leader’s office and cannabis shop in corruption investigation. Sen. Lucas calls it politically motivated.
Posted inOPINION
The 60-year project to kill it
Attorney Portia Wood traces a six-decade legal campaign to dismantle the Voting Rights Act, arguing that Supreme Court decisions from Shelby County v. Holder to Louisiana v. Callais systematically weakened protections against racial discrimination in voting and redistricting. She contends that the erosion of the law was deliberate, not accidental, and highlights the AFRO’s long-standing role in documenting the ongoing struggle for Black voting rights.
Posted inPolitics
Legal professionals gather on steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to defend rule of law and judicial independenceÂ
Legal professionals and concerned Americans gathered on May 1 to reaffirm the importance of the rule of law, judicial independence, and the independence of the legal profession, and to protect democracy and justice for all.
Posted inPolitics
Tennessee enacts new US House map carving up majority-Black district in Memphis
Tennessee Republicans approved and enacted a new congressional map that dismantles the state’s lone majority-Black district in Memphis, sparking protests, legal challenges and accusations of racial gerrymandering. The move follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling weakening Voting Rights Act protections and is part of a broader Republican-led effort across Southern states to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.