Federal Level
Blanche Nomination Clears Panel After Deal
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday morning to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general, a day after Senator John Cornyn struck a deal confirming that Blanche had formally terminated President Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund.” A Cornyn spokeswoman said Monday the Justice Department agreed to issue a binding written order making clear the fund, which could have compensated Trump allies including Jan. 6 defendants, was permanently dead. The panel’s approval sends Blanche to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote before lawmakers leave for their August recess. 1, 2
Senate Advances Funding Bill 89-4 to Avoid Shutdown
The Senate voted 89-4 on Monday to clear the first procedural hurdle for a stopgap spending bill that would fund federal agencies through Dec. 11, putting the measure on track for passage before the August recess. Majority Leader John Thune called it a strong bipartisan step toward avoiding a third shutdown this year, while Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it allows Congress to keep negotiating a full-year budget without added pressure. The bill blocks a White House plan letting political appointees screen federal grants for ideological reasons, though it still differs from the House version, meaning more talks lie ahead before a shutdown is fully avoided. 3
Trump Says New Iran Talks Underway After Pausing Strikes
President Trump told reporters Monday that negotiations with Iran had begun after he called off a planned military strike over the weekend, saying a deal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz was close and calling it Tehran’s “last chance to sign a good document.” The announcement continues a five-month pattern in which Trump has repeatedly threatened and then paused military action against Iran without a final agreement being reached. Analysts cautioned that while a narrow shipping deal may be within reach, a broader and lasting agreement remains far off. 4
GOP Senators Break Ranks, Urge Miller to Resign
Multiple Senate Republicans joined Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno on Monday in calling for Representative Max Miller to resign amid domestic abuse allegations brought by Moreno’s daughter, Miller’s ex-wife. One senator said plainly that Miller should quit, and others voiced similar concerns after Moreno called his former son-in-law a danger to his family. Miller, who represents a Cleveland-area district and has denied all the allegations, is facing growing pressure from his own party just as he seeks re-election this fall. 5
25-State Coalition Sues Over New Trump Tariffs
A coalition of 25 states led by New York, California and Oregon filed suit Monday in the U.S. Court of International Trade to block a new round of tariffs the Trump administration imposed last month on goods from 60 trading partners. The states argue the tariffs, framed as a response to inadequate forced-labor enforcement, are simply a workaround for broader tariffs the Supreme Court already struck down earlier this year. New York Attorney General Letitia James said the administration is trying to impose “an illegal tax hike on families and corporations” after losing in court once before, and the coalition is asking the trade court to declare the new duties unlawful. 6, 7
Trump Signs Order on Utah Monument Boundaries
President Trump signed an executive order Monday at the White House altering federal monument designations in Utah, appearing alongside Governor Spencer Cox and members of the state’s congressional delegation. The signing continues the administration’s broader push to shrink or redraw protected federal lands that Trump has said were designated too broadly by past administrations. Utah Republicans have pressed for the change for years, while conservation groups are expected to challenge the order in court. 8
State Level
California Democrats Defy Newsom on Billionaire Tax
The California Democratic Party’s executive board narrowly voted Sunday to endorse Proposition 40, a one-time 5% wealth tax on the state’s roughly 200 billionaires, breaking with Governor Gavin Newsom and several major labor unions. The measure failed on a first ballot at 59.2% before clearing the required 60% threshold on a second vote, 61.7% to 38.3%, after Representative Maxine Waters worked the room to flip holdouts. Newsom, along with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Xavier Becerra and the California Teachers Association, opposes the tax over fears it would drive wealthy residents from the state, while the SEIU healthcare workers union that wrote the measure says it would raise roughly $100 billion for Medicaid. The split exposes a widening rift inside the party over its direction heading into 2028. 9, 10
Beshear Shoots Down Rumors on McConnell Senate Seat
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear moved Monday to knock down online speculation that August 3 was a legal deadline forcing his hand on filling Senate Republican Mitch McConnell’s seat, which has sat effectively vacant during McConnell’s seven-week hospitalization. Beshear said in a social media post that the date carries no legal weight over his options should a true vacancy occur, adding that McConnell’s absence already means one less GOP vote on measures like the SAVE Act. Kentucky’s Republican secretary of state pushed back on Beshear even considering an appointment, arguing state law gives him no authority to fill a seat that is not formally vacant. 11
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Article Sources
1. CNBC, “Senate appears ready to advance Blanche for AG after Cornyn deal”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/03/todd-blanche-doj-ag-senate-cornyn.html
2. C-SPAN, “Senate Judiciary Committee Votes on Todd Blanche To Serve as Attorney General”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.c-span.org/event/senate-committee/senate-judiciary-committee-votes-on-todd-blanche-to-serve-as-attorney-general/4457
3. Politico, “Senate easily advances stopgap funding deal past first hurdle”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/08/03/congress/senate-cr-vote-01023190
4. Al Jazeera, “Trump says new Iran negotiations starting: What we know”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/3/trump-says-new-iran-negotiations-starting-what-we-know
5. Politico, “’He should quit’: Republican senators sound alarms about Max Miller accusations”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/03/max-miller-senate-gop-quit-01023309
6. New York Governor’s Office, “Governor Hochul and Attorney General James Announce Lawsuit Against Trump Administration to Stop Latest Round of Illegal Tariffs”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-and-attorney-general-james-announce-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-stop
7. Inside Trade, “Twenty-five states sue Trump administration over forced-labor tariffs”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://insidetrade.com/daily-news/twenty-five-states-sue-trump-administration-over-forced-labor-tariffs
8. C-SPAN, “President Trump Signs Executive Order on Utah Monument Designations”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.c-span.org/event/white-house-event/president-trump-signs-executive-order/445698
9. San Francisco Standard, “California Democratic Party endorses wealth tax after two failed votes”, Aug. 2, 2026.
https://sfstandard.com/2026/08/02/california-democratic-party-endorses-prop-40-billionaire-tax/
10. Politico, “California Democratic Party endorses billionaire tax”, Aug. 2, 2026.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/02/california-democratic-party-endorses-billionaire-tax-01021974
11. The Courier Journal, “Beshear debunks Aug. 3 McConnell special election deadline in Kentucky”, Aug. 3, 2026.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/mitch-mcconnell/2026/08/03/beshear-debunks-mcconnell-special-election-deadline/91143443007/