Friday, June 19, 2026

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Here Are the 65 Congressmen Who Voted to Protect the Chinese Communist Party’s Influence in America.

Rep. Mike Gallagher’s (R-WI) legislation, which would force the Chinese-owned technology and entertainment conglomerate ByteDance to divest itself from TikTok or else face a U.S. government ban on the social media app, sailed through the House of Representatives earlier today.

The legislation passed 352 to 65 on a suspension vote (requiring two-thirds of the House). However, 65 members voted against the measure, caving to a massive influence operation backed by the Chinese-controlled ByteDance, the Club for Growth, billionaire and GOP mega-donor Jeff Yass, and tens of thousands of TikTok users.

THE LIST:

REPUBLICANS

  • Andy Biggs (R-AZ)
  • Dan Bishop (R-NC)
  • Warren Davidson (R-OH)
  • John S. Duarte (R-CA)
  • Matt Gaetz (R-FL)
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)
  • Clay Higgins (R-LA)
  • Nancy Mace (R-SC)
  • Thomas Massie (R-KY)
  • Tom McClintock (R-CA)
  • Alexander X. Mooney (R-WV)
  • Barry Moore (R-AL)
  • Scott Perry (R-PA)
  • David Schweikert (R-AZ)
  • Gregory Steube (R-FL)

DEMOCRATS

  • Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
  • Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)
  • Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA)
  • Cori Bush (D-MO)
  • Greg Casar (D-TX)
  • Joaquin Castro (D-TX)
  • Katherine M. Clark (D-MA)
  • James E. Clyburn (D-SC)
  • Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)
  • Maxwell Frost (D-FL)
  • Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)
  • Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL)
  • Robert Garcia (D-CA)
  • Jimmy Gomez (D-CA)
  • Jahana Hayes (D-CT)
  • James A. Himes (D-CT)
  • Steven Horsford (D-NV)
  • Val T. Hoyle (D-OR)
  • Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL)
  • Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)
  • Sara Jacobs (D-CA)
  • Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
  • Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA)
  • Ro Khanna (D-CA)
  • Rick Larsen (D-WA)
  • John B. Larson (D-CT)
  • Barbara Lee (D-CA)
  • Summer L. Lee (D-PA)
  • Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
  • Morgan McGarvey (D-KY)
  • James P. McGovern (D-MA)
  • Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY)
  • Grace Meng (D-NY)
  • Gwen Moore (D-WI)
  • Kevin Mullin (D-CA)
  • Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
  • Richard E. Neal (D-MA)
  • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
  • Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
  • Dean Phillips (D-MN)
  • Mark Pocan (D-WI)
  • Katie Porter (D-CA)
  • Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
  • Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL)
  • Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL)
  • Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
  • Norma J. Torres (D-CA)
  • Juan Vargas (D-CA)
  • Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY)
  • Nikema Williams (D-GA)

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
Imagine my disappointment to see people like Nancy Mace, Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, and Greg Steuebe on this list
Imagine my disappointment to see people like Nancy Mace, Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, and Greg Steuebe on this list show more
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FTC Accuses Transgender ‘Health’ Group of Misleading Parents on Risks to Children.

A lawsuit accuses WPATH of making deceptive claims about transgender medical “treatments” for minors, minimizing the ethical and safety risks of such interventions.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and four Republican-led states have filed a lawsuit against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), alleging the organization misled parents and doctors about the safety and effectiveness of transgender “treatments” for minors. The suit claims WPATH made deceptive assertions regarding puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries while failing to adequately disclose risks.
📺 DETAIL: The complaint alleges the group removed age-based recommendations from its standards of care and promoted treatments not adequately supported by evidence. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said parents have a right to make informed healthcare decisions for their children and accused medical organizations of prioritizing profit over safety. The lawsuit is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to scrutinize medical interventions for transgender minors. WPATH rejected the allegations, arguing the FTC’s actions are retaliatory and part of a broader campaign to undermine so-called gender-affirming care and the independence of the medical organizations that promote it.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Parents have a right to make informed decisions about their children’s health. The FTC will not allow parents and children to be deceived by medical organizations and providers who are prioritizing profit over children’s health and safety.” – FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson
🎯 IMPACT: This lawsuit highlights the growing scrutiny of life-altering medical interventions for supposedly transgender minors. The case also underscores broader national debates over the role of organizations like WPATH in promoting controversial “treatments.”
📺 FLASHBACK: WPATH previously argued that the FTC’s investigation was an attack on its First Amendment rights. This legal clash follows years of intensifying debate over taxpayer funding for gender-related medical procedures and the ethical problems with applying such treatments for minors, inflicting irreparable harm at a stage in their lives when they are too immature to make informed decisions.

Image by Quinn Dombrowski.

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A lawsuit accuses WPATH of making deceptive claims about transgender medical "treatments" for minors, minimizing the ethical and safety risks of such interventions.

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Illegal Alien Sentenced for Rape and Robbery of Dead Man on Subway.

A Mexican national who repeatedly entered the U.S. illegally has been sentenced to five years in prison for the brutal assault and robbery of a dead man aboard a New York City subway.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Felix Rojas, a 44-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, was sentenced to five years in prison for the rape and robbery of Jorge Gonzalez, a deceased man, on a New York City subway in April 2025. Gonzalez, who had died hours earlier on a subway bench, was assaulted by Rojas aboard an R train near the Whitehall Street station.
📺 DETAIL: Prosecutors said Rojas sexually assaulted Gonzalez for more than 30 minutes, searched his pockets, and then remained on the train in an apparent effort to avoid detection. Surveillance footage helped identify Rojas, who surrendered to police three weeks later, accompanied by his son, although he initially denied involvement in the crime. As part of a plea agreement, Rojas will serve 15 years of supervised release following his prison term. Federal immigration officials said Rojas, a Mexican national, had previously attempted to enter the United States illegally on multiple occasions. Gonzalez’s family remembered him as a devoted father and hardworking laborer.
👤 WHO WAS INVOLVED: Felix Rojas, the perpetrator, is a Mexican national who had unlawfully crossed the U.S. Southern border multiple times. Jorge Gonzalez, the victim, was a 37-year-old father and family man who had worked various jobs in the U.S. to support his family in Mexico.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “He wasn’t just a random person, he was a father, he was a family man, he cared about his family in Mexico,” said Teresa, Gonzalez’s wife.
🎯 IMPACT: The case highlights the dangers presented by migrants who illegally enter the U.S. repeatedly, and the sanctuary laws in places like New York City that make it harder to enforce immigration law against criminal aliens.

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A Mexican national who repeatedly entered the U.S. illegally has been sentenced to five years in prison for the brutal assault and robbery of a dead man aboard a New York City subway.

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By Popular Demand.
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Suspect in Cross-Burning ‘Hate Crime’ is Anti-Trump Asian Who Was Protesting Christian Nationalism.

A 21-year-old Asian man faces multiple charges, including a hate crime, after setting a cross on fire in a Chicago park.

PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: Merlin Lu, 21, has been charged with a hate crime, arson, and other offenses after setting a cross on fire in Grant Park, Chicago. Lu admitted to the act, but said it was not intended as a symbol of racist intimidation but a protest against President Donald J. Trump and Christian nationalism.
📰 DETAIL: Lu admitted responsibility for the act in an interview with a local television station but denied that it was intended as a racist symbol of intimidation against black people. Police announced on June 17 that he faces four felony charges and four misdemeanors, including a hate crime and burning a cross to intimidate. Lu said he was protesting the “ruling class” and Christian nationalists who support President Trump, insisting that race played no role in his actions. He acknowledged knowing the historical significance of cross burnings, which are associated with the KKK, but said he did not fully understand how strongly the act would be perceived as racially motivated. Lu apologized for the interpretation of the incident while maintaining that his intent was political rather than racial.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I understand why it was interpreted that way, and I apologize for that, but no, the intent was not there.” – Merlin Lu.

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A 21-year-old Asian man faces multiple charges, including a hate crime, after setting a cross on fire in a Chicago park.

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Gay Former Teacher Given Rare Whole-Life Term for Sadistic Murder of Adopted Baby.

Jamie Varley has been sentenced to a rare “whole life” term in prison for the brutal murder and abuse of his adopted son, highlighting severe failures in British child protection systems.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Jamie Varley, a British former teacher, has been sentenced to a rare “whole life” order for the murder and sexual abuse of his adopted 13-month-old son, Preston Davey. The court found Varley guilty of murder, sexual offenses, grievous bodily harm, and child cruelty after an eight-week trial.
📰 DETAIL: Varley and his gay partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, from Staining near Blackpool in England, treated Preston as a “plaything”, subjecting him to routine ill-treatment, sexual abuse, and physical assaults that left him with 40 traumatic injuries, including a perforated bowel. The baby died from acute upper airways obstruction caused by smothering or something being forced into his mouth. Varley’s claim that the child drowned in the bath was disproven by medical evidence. Disturbing images and videos on Varley’s phone revealed prolonged physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Preston, born to a convicted killer and initially fostered happily, was placed with the couple at nine months old despite being seen multiple times by doctors, nurses, and social workers, including after a broken arm, with no action taken. A child safeguarding review by Oldham Council is now examining missed opportunities by authorities to save the child. Preston’s biological mother and foster parents expressed profound grief over his murder, while the Children’s Commissioner highlighted potential failures linked to Varley’s status as a teacher.
🎯 IMPACT: The case has raised serious questions about the effectiveness of child protection services and the oversight of homosexual adoptive parents. “Whole life” orders in Britain are reserved largely for repeat murderers and the most heinous crimes, with most “lifers” being eligble for parole after serving a minimum term of between 12 and 25 years. Notably, Varley’s partner, McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, was sentenced to only 25 years for sexual abuse, child cruelty, and allowing the death of a child.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This is a case of the most extreme gravity. You must stay in prison for the rest of your life. You will never be eligible for parole.” – Sentencing judge Mr Justice Turner
Preston Davey smiling in photo at home
Preston Davey

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Jamie Varley has been sentenced to a rare "whole life" term in prison for the brutal murder and abuse of his adopted son, highlighting severe failures in British child protection systems.

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Trump Calls Out GOP-Led State Moving to Expand Mail-In Voting.

President Donald J. Trump has criticized Utah’s potential shift to an all-mail voting system, warning of potential threats to election integrity and urging Republican lawmakers to block the proposal.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has criticized Utah’s potential move to an all-mail voting system, warning of potential election fraud.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “It seems as though the Great State of Utah, which I won each time, and handily, is going to the All Mail In Ballot format of Colorado, and the rest, that always head LEFT, as soon as the move is made… We should stop Utah from doing this. All Mail In Ballots, dishonestly handled, are a big advantage for the Dumocrats, whose only Road to Victory, because their Policies are so insane, is CHEATING.” – President Donald J. Trump, June 18 Truth Social post
📺 DETAIL: President Trump has consistently pushed to reform mail-in voting throughout his second term in office, noting the method’s vulnerability to fraud and exploitation. In response to Utah’s potential move to an all-mail voting system, the President warned Republican lawmakers that mail-in voting is used by Democrats, especially in Democrat-controlled states and localities, to rig elections. In a Thursday Truth Social post, he warned: “Does the Republican Party have any idea what is happening to it? Step by step, State by State, the Democrats are smiling all the way to the ‘Bank.’ Stop the onslaught by either immediately terminating the Filibuster and/or pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!” The Trump-backed SAVE America Act is a cornerstone piece of priority legislation for the administration, forming part of a broader ambition to establish stricter voter ID requirements and move to hand-counting ballots. In addition to calling for stronger measures nationwide, President Trump urged Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster, which has been used to stall the SAVE Act in Congress, arguing that Democrats would do so to pass their own legislation if given the opportunity.
🎯 IMPACT: President Trump’s warning underscores ongoing concerns within the administration, and the MAGA movement more broadly, about election integrity and the potential for mail-in ballot fraud. Given the overwhelming nationwide support for mandatory voter ID, an all-mail voting system could be seen as circumventing the public will. The President signed an executive order reforming mail-in ballots earlier this year, which has since become the target of a far-left lawfare campaign, underscoring the importance of weakening election integrity laws to the Democrats and their allies.

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President Donald J. Trump has criticized Utah's potential shift to an all-mail voting system, warning of potential threats to election integrity and urging Republican lawmakers to block the proposal.

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By Popular Demand.
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Pakistani Democrat Donor Charged Over $38 Million Medicaid Fraud.

A prominent Democrat donor and businessman has been accused of orchestrating a massive Medicaid fraud operation involving adult daycares in New York City.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Pervez Siddiqui, a Pakistani-American businessman and prominent Democrat donor, has been charged with running a Medicaid fraud scheme involving two adult daycares in Brooklyn. The alleged operation involved enrolling people who rarely attended the facilities and paying them kickbacks from fraudulent Medicaid reimbursements, totaling $38 million.
📺 DETAIL: Prosecutors allege that between 2019 and 2025, Siddiqui and seven other suspects paid Medicaid recipients cash kickbacks to enroll in the facilities, billed for services that were not provided, and created fraudulent attendance records for individuals who rarely or never attended. Investigators say the operation used shell companies and disguised payments as gifts or dividends to conceal the scheme, with some recipients continuing to receive payments even while living outside the United States. Siddiqui, a prominent Democratic donor who owns multiple pharmacies in New Jersey and has ties to New York political figures, was arrested Monday along with the other defendants. The indictment alleges the fraud generated tens of millions of dollars in improper Medicaid reimbursements before authorities shut down the operation.
🎯 IMPACT: The case highlights vulnerabilities in Medicaid oversight and raises questions about the political connections of those involved. Siddiqui’s ties to Democrat officials, including hosting fundraisers and meeting with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, are likely to draw scrutiny as the case unfolds.
📺 FLASHBACK: Siddiqui, as board chairman of the American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee (APPAC), has previously been praised by Democratic leaders for his community engagement efforts, including voter outreach campaigns that supported candidates like Mamdani.

Image by continentaleurope.

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A prominent Democrat donor and businessman has been accused of orchestrating a massive Medicaid fraud operation involving adult daycares in New York City.

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Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Marijuana User Banned from Owning Firearms.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision rejects a federal law that disarmed “habitual” marijuana users from owning firearms.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Supreme Court has unanimously limited a federal law that banned “habitual” marijuana users from owning firearms, ruling it violated the Second Amendment.
📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing the majority opinion of the Supreme Court, argued that the historical laws cited by the federal government to justify a ban were too dissimilar to modern restrictions. “The historical laws on which it relies targeted different kinds of people, did so for different reasons, and operated in different ways,” wrote Gorsuch. The Supreme Court’s opinion follows the federal prosecution case against Ali Hemani, a Texas man who was charged with a felony after admitting to regular marijuana use while possessing a handgun for self-defense. Hemani was prosecuted under the same law used to prosecute Hunter Biden. The Supreme Court argued that the law was overbroad and unconstitutional, and that the historical laws to justify the prosecution of Hemani, such as laws targeting “habitual drunkards,” were directed at individuals unable to manage their lives due to substance abuse, not all regular drug users, regardless of any threat posed. Gorsuch noted that such a broad view of the law could extend beyond marijuana users to “a college student who routinely uses a friend’s Adderall to cram for exams” or “a husband who regularly takes his wife’s prescription Ambien to sleep.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The government’s analogy fails under every measure it asks us to consider.” – Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch
🎯 IMPACT: This ruling could set a significant precedent for cases involving firearm ownership among drug users. Despite ruling in Hemani’s favor, the Supreme Court emphasized that its decision did not extend beyond Hemani’s case. As such, it does not address whether the federal government can bar firearm possession by addicts, felons, alcoholics, or other potentially dangerous individuals. “We do not address efforts to ban addicts, or those presently intoxicated, from possessing a firearm,” emphasized Gorsuch in the majority opinion. The Supreme Court’s ruling comes approximately a year after the Trump administration floated the possibility of downgrading marijuana on the federal list and a few months after the administration reclassified medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

Image by Joe Ravi.

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The Supreme Court's unanimous decision rejects a federal law that disarmed "habitual" marijuana users from owning firearms.

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By Popular Demand.
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Boat Migrant Crossings to England in 2026 Have Passed 10,000.

The number of illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel has exceeded 10,000.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Over 10,000 illegal migrants have now crossed the English Channel to the United Kingdom this year.
📺 DETAIL: The number of illegal migrants to have crossed the English Channel to the United Kingdom this year surpassed 10,000 after 236 small boat migrants were taken to port on Thursday. This follows the arrival of 710 migrants on 11 dinghies on Monday this week, a record for this year so far. British authorities claim that French cooperation has led to a 40 percent reduction in attempted Channel crossings in May compared to last year, although the overall number of small boat migrants remains high, and crossings from Belgium have increased. Notably, as part of the deal with France, Britain agreed to pay £662 million (~$874m) over the next five years.
🎯 IMPACT: As of Thursday this week, the total of small boat migrants to have illegally crossed the English Channel into the United Kingdom sits at just under 10,100. Despite the British government’s claim that illegal Channel crossings are being dealt with under the deal with France, over 2,700 migrants successfully reached the UK in May alone. This figure represents another concerning milestone for illegal Channel crossings. In early May this year, according to British government figures, over 200,000 boat migrants have crossed the English Channel to the United Kingdom since 2018.

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The number of illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel has exceeded 10,000.

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By Popular Demand.
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Vance: Israel Needs to ‘Wake Up and Smell the Reality’ of Its Situation.

Vice President J.D. Vance warned Israeli officials against criticizing President Trump’s Iran deal, emphasizing the critical and increasingly singular role of the U.S. in supporting Israel’s security.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Vice President J.D. Vance issued a stark warning to Israeli officials critical of President Donald J. Trump’s 14-point Memorandum of Understanding with Iran, signed at the Palace of Versailles in France on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Vance emphasized that the United States is Israel’s only powerful ally and urged critics to reconsider their approach.
📺 DETAIL: The memorandum sparked backlash from some in Israel, with certain Israeli officials declaring they will not be bound by it. Vance, addressing questions on the Lebanese component of the Iran war, with the Iranians suggesting they will not honor the deal if Israel keeps attacking Hezbollah there, credited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu for engaging constructively on the deal, but issued a warning to “people within Bibi’s cabinet who have come out and attacked the deal and in some ways very personally attacked the President of the United States.” He stressed that Israel has few friends in the world besides the U.S., and that it is heavily dependent on the U.S. to defend itself, warning Israeli critics of the Trump administration to “wake up and smell the reality” of their situation. 
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time… Two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars… wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in.” – Vice President J.D. Vance
🎯 IMPACT: Vance’s comments underline the tensions between the U.S. and Israel, which have frequently seemed less interested in making peace with Iran and its proxies in Lebanon than Washington. One of the early goals the Israelis set for themselves in the war was to permanently seize part of southern Lebanon as a buffer zone against Hezbollah, despite Hezbollah being officially outlawed by Lebanon’s official government.

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Vice President J.D. Vance warned Israeli officials against criticizing President Trump's Iran deal, emphasizing the critical and increasingly singular role of the U.S. in supporting Israel's security.

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By Popular Demand.
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Trump Labor Department Puts Democrat-Run States On Notice Over Unemployment Fraud.

The United States Department of Labor has issued a warning to every U.S. state to address unemployment fraud, threatening to withhold funding for unemployment programs if action is not taken.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The United States Department of Labor has announced that all 50 states must tackle unemployment fraud or lose federal welfare funding.
📰 DETAIL: The Labor Department’s announcement was officially addressed to all U.S. governors but highlighted specific issues in California, Illinois, and New York, all three of which are led by Democrats. The Department of Labor cited poor oversight, weak identity verification, lax controls, and outdated technology as factors enabling widespread unemployment fraud. Government audits revealed that nearly $1 in $9 spent as part of unemployment welfare programs was an overpayment, often due to non-fraudulent reasons, such as eligibility disputes. The extent of overpayment varied by state. From April 2020 through May 2023, the Government Accountability Office, the supreme audit agency of the federal government, estimated that fraud accounted for 11 percent to 15 percent of unemployment insurance payouts, highlighting longstanding issues in the system. In the new letter to the states, the department said that consequences from pandemic-era fraud “are still playing out.”
💬 KEY QUOTE:We are officially putting governors on notice… The American people will no longer tolerate the blatant waste, fraud, and abuse of their hard-earned tax dollars—no state should allow it either. If states allow it, they will suffer the consequences.” – Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling
🎯 IMPACT: States that fail to address these issues may face financial penalties and even lose funding for unemployment programs. The administration’s focus on fraud could lead to stricter oversight and changes in how unemployment programs are managed. The threat of penalties and cuts to funding has the potential to spark heavy opposition from state governors, especially the Democrat-controlled administrations named in the Department of Labor’s announcement.
👀 FLASHBACK: This represents the latest push by the Trump administration to crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse. This is not the first time the administration has sought to defund programs to tackle fraud. Earlier this month, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) suspended federal funding to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) following allegations of fraud, financial mismanagement, and failure to safeguard taxpayer dollars. LAHSA has received $1 billion in federal funding since 2021.

Image by G. Edward Johnson.

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The United States Department of Labor has issued a warning to every U.S. state to address unemployment fraud, threatening to withhold funding for unemployment programs if action is not taken.

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By Popular Demand.
The National Pulse Now has an on-site comments section for members. Sign up today and be part of the conversation in our community of almost 15,000.