President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that his administration will pursue the death penalty in every homicide case in Washington, D.C. During a cabinet meeting at the White House on August 26, Trump made the announcement with a play on words: “anybody murders something in the capital, capital punishment. Capitol — capital punishment, if […]
Other News
Trump Administration Ends ‘De Minimis’ Trade Exemption, Triggering Global Shipping Disruption
Starting tomorrow, Aug. 29, one of the biggest changes to hit online shopping in decades takes effect across the United States. President Donald Trump’s administration officially terminated the decades-old “de minimis” exemption, eliminating duty-free treatment for low-value imports that has served as the backbone of international e-commerce for nearly a decade. […]
Hundreds of police departments use camera company accused of breaking state law
by Andrew Adams, Capitol News Illinois August 27, 2025 Article Summary Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias alleged that Flock Safety, a police tech company, illegally shared data with federal border enforcement. This escalates an ongoing conflict between Giannoulias and the agency. Flock officials admit they didn’t create strong enough compliance […]
FDA Sharply Restricts COVID-19 Vaccine Access, Ending Broad Vaccination Recommendations
The Food and Drug Administration has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for fall 2025, but limited their use to adults 65 and older and younger individuals with underlying health conditions. The decision eliminates the broad vaccination framework that recommended shots for all Americans aged 6 months and older. Health and Human […]
Attorney General Raoul Secures $219 Million in Federal Education Funds for Illinois Schools After Lawsuit Against Trump Administration
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a legal victory for Illinois schools on Wednesday, following his office’s July lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to freeze federal education funding. The lawsuit was part of a broader multistate action, with Illinois joining a coalition of states arguing that the administration’s move […]
Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Cashless Bail Policies Nationwide
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 25, 2025, directing federal agencies to withhold funding from jurisdictions that have eliminated or substantially reduced the use of cash bail for certain crimes. The executive order requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to compile within 30 days a list of states and local jurisdictions that have […]
Trump’s Week of Dictator Rhetoric: A Timeline of Authoritarian Comments
This week, President Donald Trump made a series of unprecedented statements about dictatorship: alternating between denying he is one while simultaneously suggesting Americans might prefer authoritarian rule. Trump’s most striking comments came Monday during an Oval Office event where he signed executive orders related to federal takeover of the D.C. […]
Trump threatens Illinois’ federal funding for eliminating cash bail
by Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois August 26, 2025 Article Summary President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to block federal funding to states that eliminated cash bail. Illinois eliminated cash bail as of 2023 under the Pretrial Fairness Act. Trump claimed Illinois is less safe since cash […]
FEMA Employees Issue Unprecedented Warning to Congress Over Agency’s Capacity to Handle Disasters
Nearly 200 current and former Federal Emergency Management Agency employees have issued a warning to Congress: leadership decisions under the Trump administration are undermining the agency’s disaster response capabilities and could lead to catastrophic failures similar to Hurricane Katrina. The letter, titled the “Katrina Declaration and Petition to Congress,” was released Monday […]
DOJ demands Illinois voter personal information by Sept. 1
by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois August 25, 2025 Article Summary The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking access to Illinois’ complete, unredacted statewide voter registration database, including voters’ personal information such as dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. The Illinois State Board of Elections […]