Politics and views in the United States

The DOJ wants the personal data of county 2020 election workers in Georgia, states work on their versions of the Voting Rights Act and Commerce Secretary Lutnick testifies to House Oversight on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

I'm always concerned of who's around me.

I've lost my name and I've lost my reputation.

I've lost my sense of security.

Fulton County, Georgia poll worker Ruby Freeman told the House January 6th committee that nowhere felt safe after President Donald Trump called her a, “professional vote scammer following the 2020 election.”

A jury found Trump team accusations defamed Freeman, but now the Justice Department wants the personal data of every county employee who worked on the balloting.

County lawyers say the demand is about harassing the president's opponents and note that increasing threats are making an unprecedented number of poll workers leave.

With the Supreme Court gutting an important Voting Rights Act safeguard, Democratic lawmakers are urging states to enact their own civil rights laws.

At least nine states have similar provisions now, while 11 more are debating voting protection legislation.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore says a new law signed there one day before the high court's ruling ensures the minority vote can't be diluted.

And it ensures that if you honestly believe in democracy, it means more people should participate and not fewer.

A recent analysis by voting rights group Fair Fight Action says the court's ruling could give the GOP 200 federal, state, and local seats, mainly held by black officials in the South.

South Carolina lawmakers are urging the governor to call a special session to eliminate the state's only Democratic congressional district.

Tennessee legislators are also aiming for a complete GOP sweep by breaking up the Memphis seat.

The FBI has searched the office of Virginia's state Senate president, a Democrat who helped lead redistricting there.

Voters just approved a referendum allowing maps to be redrawn in favor of Democrats, although they are now tied up in court.

Local media report the raid could be tied to excess THC levels in products sold by a cannabis dispensary owned by the lawmaker.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appeared at a closed-door meeting of House Oversight to answer questions about his ties to notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Republican Chair James Comer of Kentucky says Lutnick, quote, wasn't 100 percent truthful about previous visits to Epstein's Island.

People can see that this is a bipartisan investigation.

We're really sincerely trying to get the truth.

Our goal is to provide justice for the victims and hopefully today will be helpful.

Lutnick's name appears in more than 250 Epstein-related documents released by the DOJ.

And the Trump administration is suing Colorado over a state law banning high-capacity magazines used in numerous mass shootings.

Earlier this week, the DOJ sued the city of Denver over a 40-year-old city law banning assault weapons.

I'm Katherine Carley for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.