Trump brings fight over mailed ballots back to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON −The Trump administration is once again asking the Supreme Court to let the U.S. Postal Service tighten the use of mail-in ballots ahead of the November midterm elections, which will decide control of Congress.
In an emergency appeal filed on Sept. 3, the administration asked the court to lift a judge's ruling that paused President Donald Trump's new role for the Postal Service.
That ruling came after the Supreme Court last month said a previous ruling from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani was premature because it came before the Postal Service had finalized rules for how it would implement Trump’s executive order.
Talwani issued the latest block a day after the Postal Service published its final rules, finding that they are probably unconstitutional and would be impossible to carry out in time for this year's elections.
Her hold on the policy is temporary and will expire on Sept. 10 unless she extends it, a move the judge is considering.
The administration told the Supreme Court that they should intervene now − despite the lack of a final decision from Talwani and before an appeals court has weighed in − because of the fast-approaching election.
North Carolina will begin mailing absentee ballots to voters on Sept. 4.
Rick Hasen, an elections expert and law professor at UCLA, called the early intervention request by the administration "highly unusual procedurally".
Under the controversial order Trump signed in March, the Postal Service sets standards for ballot mail envelopes and states must submit lists of verified voters. The Postal Service can refuse to deliver ballots that don't meet the new rules or bear the name of a voter who is not on a list.
A whistleblower has warned that the technology developed by the U.S. Postal Service to carry out the order could "derail the midterm elections," saying it hasn't been properly tested and risks "catastrophic failure" if implemented.
A Postal Service spokesperson has said the agency is "carefully reviewing" the issues raised by the whistleblower. The agency has spent months developing a "simple, secure, and efficient" mail ballot system, and the work was "conducted in a manner consistent with court orders," the spokesperson said.
Under the Constitution, states are assigned the role of administering federal elections. But Trump has called for greater federal control since losing his 2020 reelection campaign. He’s continued to push the false claim that he lost because of widespread voter fraud.
Regardless of whether voter fraud is common or not, Trump's policy will help protect the integrity of federal elections, the Justice Department said in its appeal.
The fight over what rules govern absentee ballots could be crucial for the 2026 midterms, which will determine which party controls Congress. Democrats can take control by flipping a handful of seats in the House and Senate.
Voting by mail has decreased since its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. But nearly 30% of voters still cast a ballot that way in the 2024 elections.
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to vote by mail, according to the MIT Election Data & Science Lab.
You were a smartass, I was flat-out rude. No excuse for that.
My apologies, I let frustration get the best of me.
I apologize as well, and will go a step further to say I sometimes vent frustration on here when work is getting to me (this is one of those times). That type of energy really isn't needed (to put it mildly) in these threads.
Perhaps. The Browns problem in the past is that we have mistaken PS fodder needing longer looks and development of our 53. Maybe Monken has a handle on it.
Irish, I'd keep two lists going. As you stated, a list of the top 4, but I'd keep a list of QBs outside the top 4.
I'm assuming the Browns win 7-9 games. The Browns may not be able to draft one of the top guys.
My gut says Berry wants LaNorris Sellers.
If you recall, both Jackson and Mahomes had question marks about their ability to transition to the NFL. Thus, neither was drafted first.
That is not to say Sellers is as talented as these two guys. Sellers has some unique talent that, with the right surroundings, could potentially be a great QB.
I'll be watching Sellers pretty closely to see how he responds after a rough season. Hopefully he bounces back.
Me too. Probably my favorite QB likely to see the '27 draft.
Billionaire Leon Black sues House Oversight Committee over Epstein probe subpoenas
A lawyer for the former Wall Street private equity investor argued that the committee was overstepping its authority.
Leon Black, a former Wall Street private equity investor, on Thursday sued the House Oversight Committee, seeking to stop the panel from enforcing its subpoenas against him in an ongoing probe of the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“The Committee is on a fishing expedition that oversteps its authority and completely ignores its responsibility. This is no longer about finding the truth about Epstein. It is about trying to destroy Mr. Black. We were left with no choice but to file this lawsuit in response to an abuse of Congressional power,” Black’s attorney, Susan Estrich, said in a statement.
Black had been set to appear before the committee Thursday morning.
The lawsuit comes after Black voluntarily sat for a closed-door transcribed interview with the Oversight Committee in late June but left the hearing early.
Lawmakers have for months sought more information on the financial web that allowed Epstein to fund his sex trafficking operation and whether Black was at all involved or aware of any illegal activity. They specifically have sought information about any nondisclosure agreements Black signed with women.
Black has denied any wrongdoing, involvement in or awareness of Epstein’s illegal activity.
In Thursday’s statement, she said that Black was “misled” about the intentions of the committee’s chair, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky.
“Mr. Black has cooperated with the Committee by voluntarily appearing to answer questions in a transcribed interview. Despite being misled about the intent of that interview, he then fully complied with the Committee’s subpoena related to Epstein,” Estrich said.
She added, “To imply misconduct because of the existence of a confidentiality agreement is entirely unjustified. Confidentiality agreements are routinely used in business.”
Estrich went on to wholly deny any allegations against Black, saying, “We want to reiterate that Mr. Black had no awareness of the criminal activities that led to Epstein’s arrest in 2019. Mr. Black never abused a woman. He never was with an underage woman. He never engaged in sex trafficking. He never paid Epstein for access to women. He was never blackmailed by Epstein.”
Black’s name appears more than 300 times in files released by the Justice Department late last year and early this year related to Epstein. His name appears often in emails from Epstein’s assistant, directing the financier to call Black. More than 100 of the mentions of Black are in emails from Epstein’s assistant, who wrote, “Leon Black returned your call.”
In a statement, Comer reacted to Black’s failure to appear before the committee Thursday, saying, “It’s a shame Leon Black is hiding behind litigation rather than provide answers to the American people.”
He added, “Mr. Black’s testimony is crucial to our investigation as he was one of Mr. Epstein’s fee paying clients and has several non-disclosure agreements. Our deposition is moving forward this morning for the record and there will be an empty chair for Mr. Black. I will speak with our members about next steps.”
Black’s career and his reputation have been marred for years due to his relationship with Epstein, a convicted child sex offender who died in 2019.
In 2022, Black was sued over allegations that he raped a woman in Epstein’s New York City mansion in 2002. That case was later dropped with prejudice after both parties reached an agreement to do so and Black denied the allegations against him. A separate but ongoing lawsuit, filed in 2023, accused Black of raping a 16-year-old girl at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse in 2002. A lawyer for Black denied the allegations, calling them “frivolous and sanctionable.” In April, a judge overseeing the case wrote that the plaintiff and her attorney “engaged in serious, sanctionable misconduct in this case,” but allowed the case to proceed.
Black in 2021 stepped down from the hedge fund he co-founded, Apollo Global Management, after the firm conducted an independent review looking into his ties to Epstein. The review found that Black was not involved in Epstein’s criminal activities.
Earlier this year, he was set to be deposed in a lawsuit filed by survivors of Epstein and his associates alleging that Bank of America facilitated and profited from Epstein’s illegal sex trafficking activity. Bank of America later settled that lawsuit for more than $70 million and did not admit any liability in that case.
“While we stand by our prior statements made in the filings in this case, including that Bank of America did not facilitate sex trafficking crimes, this resolution allows us to put this matter behind us and provides further closure for the plaintiffs,” a Bank of America spokesperson told NBC News at the time.
In a statement reacting to news of the lawsuit Thursday, Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said, “By refusing to testify today, Leon Black is now defying two Congressional subpoenas. Black gave Jeffrey Epstein over $180 million over six years. He funded Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of women. Multiple women have also accused Black of sexual assault. His connections to Epstein and his unwillingness to cooperate are unacceptable.”
Garcia also called to hold Black in contempt of Congress.
A judge blocks Trump’s new bid to curb birthright citizenship, citing Supreme Court precedent
A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to limit birthright citizenship, granting a preliminary injunction against an executive order that the administration said would target “birth tourism.”
U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman in Maryland on Wednesday issued the injunction until a class-action lawsuit brought by immigrant families and advocacy groups is resolved.
“The Supreme Court has spoken: Children in the certified class are ‘citizens at birth,’” Boardman, appointed by President Joe Biden, wrote in Wednesday’s ruling.
Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under current law for anyone who is born on U.S. soil, with a few exceptions. The law stretches back to 1868, when the 14th Amendment was ratified in the aftermath of the Civil War.
But Trump has long wanted to end birthright citizenship, issuing a previous executive order declaring that children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens. The Supreme Court struck down that attempt in June.
In August, the president tried again with a narrowed executive order that appeared to restrict automatic citizenship for specific categories of people, including children born to adults with connections to foreign embassies or organizations or to anyone considered an “alien enemy” of the United States.
The order defined birth tourism as someone who enters the United States on a “nonimmigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil.” Birth tourism is already considered fraud and grounds to restrict a visa if someone seeks one specifically to obtain U.S. citizenship for a child.
The order sought to deny citizenship to children born to adults who “engaged in a commercial transaction to purchase or access birthright citizenship,” and some families said they feared their children could be denied citizenship simply because they purchased airfare to come to the U.S. and got pregnant after they arrived.
Families and organizations who sued over the birthright citizenship restrictions told the court that the executive branch has taken a broad view of who qualifies as an alien enemy, sometimes relying on speculation or misinformation to make that determination.
Others said they feared their children would be denied citizenship because a member of the parents’ extended family was connected to a gang in their home country, even though the parents were not gang members.
Uncertainty surrounding the order left them with confusion and fear, the families said.
They were joined in the lawsuit by We Are CASA, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.
The administration’s attorneys argued that the request to block the order was premature and said the federal agencies tasked with enforcing it would use “appropriate measures” to do so, relying on official guidance that hasn’t been issued yet.
The judge rejected that argument.
“No matter what the guidance says, the 2026 Executive Order commands agencies to deny citizenship documents to several broad categories of children,” Boardman wrote.
“The White House must recognize it will not succeed in stripping children of their right to citizenship, evading binding court decisions or placing the president’s anti-immigrant agenda above the Constitution,” Shana Khader, legal director at We Are CASA, said in a prepared statement.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Name one politician who tells as many lies as trump? We see it pretty much on a daily basis and he leaves receipts on his social media account. Stop trying to make any actual comparison. It's foolish. And remember, George Santos is no longer a politician.
I thought I would bring up a change I have noticed lately. It's large pop ups appearing on my screen when I hit on a thread or change forums. It doesn't really bother me when I hit for a change between forums. The problem is when I hit on accessing a topic. It will pop up before it goes to the topic and totally screw up the post jumper function that takes you to where you last were on that topic.
It's not something i can't live with but I thought I would inform you of it and the issue it was causing.
The Athletic is doing a piece on Rookies who shined in preseason - Fano got a mention.
Spencer Fano, OT, Cleveland Browns (No. 9) After playing mainly right tackle at Utah, Fano has had no trouble adjusting to the left side. He’s such a perfect fit for Todd Monken’s offense, and though he’s still feeling his way around NFL power, Fano will be a day-one starter. I loved this pick — and still do.
Concepcion also got a mention - but not Boston (which I find a little strange given everything I have read) ... but here is his blurb:
KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns (No. 24) Concepcion was built to play in Monken’s offense, in the same manner Zay Flowers once was. We’ve already seen examples in training camp, both in Concepcion’s ability after the catch and the versatility he offers.
You're welcome. Things seem to be moving more and more in that direction..................
Gov. Lee proposes renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is proposing renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton, joining a growing push to put the Tennessee icon’s name on BNA.
Lee and Nashville International Airport announced the proposal Friday, but the name change is not yet final. The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority’s current naming policy and Lee’s proposal are expected to be discussed at the authority’s Sept. 17 meeting. The video player is currently playing an ad.
The announcement comes as support for renaming the airport has surged following Parton’s death. As of Thursday afternoon, about 140,000 people had signed a Change.org petition calling for the airport to be named after her, including roughly 90,000 signatures added since her death.
The petition was launched in 2025 by Nashville residents who originally hoped to honor Parton while she was still alive.
State Rep. Todd Warner has also said he plans to introduce legislation to rename the airport when lawmakers return to session.
Lee spoke with Parton’s team about his proposal this week. According to the governor’s office, her team expressed appreciation for the outpouring of support and said they are open to continuing the conversation.
“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Lee said. “From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her.”
The proposal, however, is far from final.
The governor does not have the authority to rename the airport on his own. The decision would likely fall to the airport’s governing board, though there is an ongoing dispute over whether the state-appointed board or Metro Nashville’s board is ultimately in control.
The change could also require action from the Tennessee General Assembly or Metro Council.
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority said Lee’s proposal and its current naming policy will be addressed at its Sept. 17 meeting.
Any name change could also come with a significant price tag. Previous estimates made during an earlier push to rename BNA after President Donald Trump put the cost of replacing airport signs and branding at about $10 million.
Parton was born in Sevier County and became a global music icon while maintaining deep ties to Tennessee. Her legacy also includes decades of philanthropy through efforts including the Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library.
“BNA® is the front door to Music City, and with that comes a responsibility to reflect the very best of who we are as a community,” said Doug Kreulen, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.
The airport authority previously said its naming policy, originally adopted in 2010 and updated in 2024, lays out the formal process for naming its buildings, spaces, facilities and streets.
More details about the proposal are expected in the coming weeks.
In the end I doubt anyone makes some major movement to try and stop it. That would be an extremely unpopular thing to do here in Tennessee. I have seen some people from east Tennessee that oppose it because she is from there and not Nashville. But then Knoxville is the only major airport in that area and while it's called an International Airport it has no international flights and the Nashville airport dwarfs it is size and traffic.
U.S. imposes 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods after trade talks collapse
I'm just curious why any of this is even happening? It seems some people have very short memories. Trump claimed that NAFTA was a terrible trade deal. As such he made a new trade agreement with both Canada and Mexico calling it the USMCA. He claimed it was "the best and most important trade deal ever made". It is not set to expire until July 1st 2036.
Now all of a sudden he says both Canada and Mexico are taking advantage of us and wishes to ignore the very trade deal he himself agreed to and signed with both Canada and Mexico. WTH?
Is it any wonder nations around the globe no longer trust the U.S. and Donald Trump?
First they know that Trump's word isn't worth the paper it''s written on and secondly they now understand that any agreements the U.S. has with anyone, anywhere can be ignored based on a single election. We are no longer the trustworthy partners we used to be.
It seems as though now trump is saying the very deal he made in 2018 no longer counts because he made a crappy deal to begin with?
![[Linked Image from i.gifer.com]](https://i.gifer.com/1tae.gif)
![[Linked Image from media.tenor.com]](https://media.tenor.com/J7FF8RBGpgMAAAAM/point-mad.gif)
