Category: State News

‘We Must Act’: Matt Gaetz to Introduce Bill Defunding Jack Smith Investigation Targeting Trump

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz announced Tuesday that he would introduce a bill to the House of Representatives “to defund” Special Counsel Jack Smith’s grand jury investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. “I will be introducing legislation to DEFUND Jack Smith’s witch hunt against President Trump,” Gaetz wrote on…


OC Supervisors to Apply for State Funding to Turn Costa Mesa Motel Into Homeless Shelter

The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved plans on July 18 to apply for a state Project Homekey grant to acquire a motel in Costa Mesa to refurbish it and provide low-cost housing and shelter. The county wants to acquire and rehabilitate the 120-room Travelodge at 1400 Bristol St. with a $6,781,520 loan. Supervisor Doug…


OC Supervisors Approve Affordable Homekey Project in Costa Mesa

The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved plans on July 18 to apply for a state Project Homekey grant to acquire a motel in Costa Mesa to refurbish it and provide low-cost housing and shelter. The county wants to acquire and rehabilitate the 120-room Travelodge at 1400 Bristol St. with a $6,781,520 loan. Supervisor Doug…


Garden Grove Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Prostitute and Robbery

A 34-year-old man pleaded guilty on July 18 and was immediately sentenced to three years in prison for choking an underage prostitute until she passed out and hitting her with a brick in Stanton. Margarito De La Cruz Guigui of Garden Grove pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, assault with force likely to…


Garden Grove Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Underage Prostitute, Robbery

A 34-year-old man pleaded guilty on July 18 and was immediately sentenced to three years in prison for choking an underage prostitute until she passed out and hitting her with a brick in Stanton. Margarito De La Cruz Guigui of Garden Grove pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, assault with force likely to…


Judge Rejects Trump’s Bid to Move New York Felony Case to Federal Court

Former President Donald Trump’s attempt to shift his New York criminal case to federal court has been rejected by a U.S. judge. Trump and his lawyers argued that because Trump was president when he carried out the actions for which he’s been charged, the case should be heard in federal, not New York, court. U.S….


Texas Campaign Finance: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, AG Ken Paxton Raise Millions Ahead of Impeachment Trial

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the state Senate and is presiding over Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial, received $3 million in support from Fort Worth-based Defend Texas Liberty PAC. The PAC, led by former state Rep. Jonathan Strickland (R), made a $1 million donation, along with a $2 million loan, to Mr. Patrick’s…


At War for the Soul of America

Roughly 2,000 years ago, King Solomon wrote a moving letter addressed to the Jewish people of his generation. His wisdom in that letter has transcended every generation to ours, now captured in the 21st book of the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes. “To everything there is a season . . .” writes King Solomon. “[A] time for…


Middletown Ramps Up City Codes in Response to New York Bail Reform

During the past three years, the City of Middletown under Mayor Joseph DeStefano enacted several codes to ramp up local prosecutions of low-level offenses. Among them, an amended fireworks law and a new quality-of-life code took offenses traditionally in the domain of the county district attorney’s office into the hands of city prosecutors. Swift fines are…


New Jersey Governor Seeks to End All Gas-Powered Vehicle Sales by 2035

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy proposed rules this week requiring car manufacturers to increase the sales of electric vehicles and would mandate a total ban of all gas-powered vehicles over the next 12 years. In a news release on Monday, the Democrat governor announced the Advanced Clean Cars II proposal was submitted to the state’s Office…