Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
President Trump's embattled nominee for Attorney General will likely squeak by in his Senate confirmation.
“As appears, Barbara Sprunt reports, Todd Blanche, is getting key support from Louisiana”
Republican Senator Phil Cassidy. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has been facing an increasingly uphill battle in his Senate confirmation. Republican senators Lisa Markowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, both are opposing his nomination, which meant all eyes were on Senator Cassidy of Louisiana.
Cassidy said he had concerns over Blanche's judgment and help politicize the department has become.
But ultimately said, he'll support him.
The choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump and who, indeed, may not be as good as Mr. Blanche. Candidates support gives Blanche the votes he'll need for confirmation and is a major win for the White House.
Barbara Sprunt and Pair News, Washington. The wait continues for a Supreme Court ruling on whether the Trump administration can
“resume carrying out key parts of the President's executive order to limit voting by mail”
in the midterm election. And Piers Hansi LaWang reports another ruling on Trump's order may come soon from a lower court. The judge embossed in is considering a request to block the U.S. Postal Service from carrying out President Trump's directives across the country, American Civil Liberties Union
Sophia Lin Lake and Hellfiler request. Changing the rules of the game at this point in time is such a significant matter. Does nothing to ensure confidence in the election this November, and would only create chaos and confusion for voters. Trump's order calls for a U.S. P.S. which is vanential support of NPR to get lists of
eligible voters from states and deliver mail and balance only to people on those lists. The President has said he issued this order to stop illegal voting by non-U.S. citizens. A problem that many studies have found to be extremely rare. The Supreme Court is now considering Trump's request to pause an earlier ruling that
“blanks implementation of the policy in the 23 states plus Washington D.C. that sued over”
the order. On Zila Wang and Pyawnus. The Federal Appeals Court has blocked construction on the White House ballroom saying Congress needs to give the green light, and Piers' Rachel Treesman has more. A three judge panel Friday ruled that building a White House ballroom is a question for
Congress, not, quote, a matter for executive self-help. That's a win for the historic preservation nonprofit that sued the administration back in December.
After it demolished the east wing of the White House to build a $400 million ballroom.
The ruling halts further above ground construction, but does not take effect for two weeks to give the Trump administration time to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. President Trump immediately said that it will. Rachel Treesman and P.R. News. Under the oil prices lower by the close, you're listening to NPR News from Washington.
The Senate passed a Russian sanctions bill that was a top priority for the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The bipartisan legislation would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil gas and other exports, and it allows President Trump to impose tariffs on the world's top five buyers of Moscow's oil or natural gas.
It's meant to stifle Russia's economy, this bill now heads to the House of Representatives. The United Nations Agency says, "Children's Agency says at least 300 children have been reported killed in Gaza since a ceasefire was signed nearly a year ago. If you're a generous report, that's an average of one child a day." Israel agreed last October to suspend military operations and allow in more food and medicine
in the agreement with Hamas. UNICEF said the ceasefire was failing children and noted that hundreds more children had been injured. The Israeli military is now occupying more of the Gaza Strip with families crowded into
roughly a third of the territory without adequate clean water or waste facilities.
UNICEF said children there continue to face acute malnutrition and disease. A UN Commission in June found that Israel had deliberately killed Palestinian children throughout the war in Gaza and said Israel continued to fail to protect children after the ceasefire. Israel rejected the findings, "Jane, Arath, and Pyrenees."
Wall Street higher by the closing bell, the Dow up 151 points NASDAQ up 342. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington. This week on the NPR Politics podcast, another progressive Democrat edges out an establishment candidate. Joel L. Sayed, one Michigan Senate primary campaigning on affordability, health care, and
ending U.S. military aid to Israel. Join us as we break down his victory and what it could signal for November's midterms on the NPR Politics podcast.
