GET THE APP
Friday, May 8, 2026

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

October 17, 2025
Election Integrity
News

Smartmatic Charged with Money Laundering, Bribing Election Officials.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal prosecutors charged Smartmatic with money laundering and bribing Philippine election officials.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Smartmatic, co-founder Roger Piñate, and Philippine election official Juan Andrés Donato Bautista.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Payments were made between 2015 and 2018, related to the 2016 Philippine presidential election.

🎯IMPACT: Raises questions about election integrity and corporate influence.

IN FULL

On Thursday, federal prosecutors charged Smartmatic, a controversial voting technology company, with money laundering and bribing Philippine election officials with $1 million. The allegations relate to payments Smartmatic allegedly made to win a contract with the Philippine government for managing the 2016 presidential election and to ensure prompt payment for its services. These transactions reportedly took place between 2015 and 2018.

In 2024, three former Smartmatic executives, including co-founder Roger Piñate, faced charges, though the company itself was not initially named as a defendant. Prosecutors also claim Piñate bribed a high-ranking Venezuelan election official with a luxury home in Caracas in exchange for political favors.

In the Philippines, Piñate faces charges in a $1 million bribery scheme involving overpriced voting machines, with the surplus funds allegedly channeled into secret accounts to bribe election official Juan Andrés Donato Bautista.

Smartmatic has sued multiple American news outlets for their reporting on allegations that its voting machines were used improperly during the 2020 elections, with Democrat megadonor and Epstein Island visitor Reid Hoffman funding the lawsuits. Previously, liberal plutocrat George Soros recruited a Smartmatic chairman to serve as president of his Open Society Foundations organization.

Image by Patrickroque01.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad
More From The Pulse

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

18 minutes ago
News
War

Iran Launches Missile and Drone Strikes After U.S. ‘Love Tap’ Overnight.

Iran launched missile and drone strikes against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following U.S. military action overnight, threatening the fragile Middle East ceasefire.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Iran launched missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian ports and boats overnight, putting the Middle East ceasefire at risk.
📰 DETAIL: The U.S. strikes were a response to an attack on American warships in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald J. Trump described the U.S. strikes as “just a love tap” and maintained that the ceasefire was still “in effect.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “They have to understand: if it doesn’t get signed, they’re going to have a lot of pain,” President Trump said of a proposed peace plan, which Iran is expected to accept or reject on Friday.
🎯 IMPACT: The escalation threatens ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Disruption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz by the Islamic Republic has spiked energy and fertilizer prices; a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports has, in turn, prevented over 70 tankers from transporting Iranian oil valued at more than $13 billion. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of the prospect of a peace deal being agreed, “Well, we should know something today [Friday]. I mean we’re expecting a response from them, we’ll see what the response entails. The hope is that it’s something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation.” He added: “Obviously we’ve seen the reporting overnight that Iran is trying to establish some agency that is going to control traffic in the straits, that would be unacceptable.”

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Iran launched missile and drone strikes against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following U.S. military action overnight, threatening the fragile Middle East ceasefire.

show more
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.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

2 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
News

Britain’s First Gay Surrogacy Dad Raided for Rape and Human Trafficking

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, a millionaire British reality TV star known for being one of the first gay men to purchase a child from a surrogate mother in the country, has had his home, his soccer team’s stadium, and other properties raided following allegations of human trafficking and rape.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: British police executed searches at the Drewitt-Barlow Stadium, home to Maldon and Tiptree FC, and a mansion linked to gay reality star Barrie Drewitt-Barlow as part of an investigation into human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and rape. Two men, aged 57 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of rape, human trafficking, and administering a noxious substance.
📺 DETAIL: Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 57, a reality TV star and CEO of a surrogacy company, became well-known as part of Britain’s first openly gay couple to purchase a child through surrogacy in 1999. He later became the CEO of the British Surrogacy Center of America, which operates in multiple countries to provide people the ability to acquire children from surrogate mothers in the United States. Surrogacy in the United States has previously been linked to human trafficking, and some argue that purchasing a child in itself is a form of human trafficking. The investigation also led to the closure of the Drewitt-Barlow Stadium, which had been scheduled to serve as a polling center for the May 7 local elections in Britain.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Searches remain ongoing at all of the locations. Two men from Danbury have also been arrested. A 57-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape, human trafficking for sexual exploitation, and administering a noxious substance.” – Essex Police statement.
🎯 IMPACT: The investigation has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of Drewitt-Barlow, a prominent figure in the British and American surrogacy industries.
📺 FLASHBACK: Drewitt-Barlow and his ex-husband made headlines in the late 1990s as pioneers in surrogacy, and their family wealth is estimated at $54 million, with properties in Essex and the U.S.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, a millionaire British reality TV star known for being one of the first gay men to purchase a child from a surrogate mother in the country, has had his home, his soccer team's stadium, and other properties raided following allegations of human trafficking and rape.

show more
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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

14 hours ago
Crime
Immigration

Illegal Immigrant Charged with Nursing Home Sexual Assaults.

A Nicaraguan illegal alien, released into the U.S. under former President Joe Biden, faces charges for sexually assaulting elderly women in a Wisconsin sanctuary jurisdiction.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Julio Cesar Morales Jarquin, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, has been charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault involving elderly residents at a nursing home in Dane County, Wisconsin. Morales Jarquin had been released into the U.S. in 2023 under the former Biden regime’s parole policies.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: The assaults occurred at an assisted living facility in Dane County, Wisconsin, a sanctuary jurisdiction that limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
📺 DETAIL: Morales Jarquin entered the U.S. under the Biden-era parole program, which has faced criticism for enabling illegal aliens to remain in the country. Despite the Trump administration ending the program in 2022, Morales Jarquin stayed in the U.S. illegally. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer against Morales Jarquin and urged local authorities not to release him back into the community. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) criticized sanctuary policies in Dane County, alleging local officials have limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This dirtbag was released into the country by the Biden Administration. DHS is calling on sanctuary politicians in Dane County, Wisconsin to not release this criminal from jail back onto the streets to commit more crimes. We need Wisconsin sanctuary politicians to cooperate with us to remove criminals from our country.” – Lauren Bis, DHS
🎯 IMPACT: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a detainer for Morales Jarquin, urging local officials not to release him back into the community. However, sanctuary policies in Dane County complicate federal enforcement efforts, creating potential risks for public safety.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

A Nicaraguan illegal alien, released into the U.S. under former President Joe Biden, faces charges for sexually assaulting elderly women in a Wisconsin sanctuary jurisdiction.

show more
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.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

14 hours ago
Crime
News

Border Patrol Raids Disney Cruise, Arrests Foreign Pedophiles.

A raid on five cruise ships by U.S. Customs and Border Protection unearthed child sexual exploitation material and resulted in 28 arrests.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uncovered child sexual exploitation material during raids on five ships, including a Disney cruise ship.
📺 DETAIL: Between April 23 and April 25, U.S. Customs and Border Protection raided five cruise ships, including a Disney cruise ship, in San Diego. The raid resulted in the arrest of 28 individuals. The suspects, primarily crew members from the Philippines, Portugal, and Indonesia, were charged with receiving, possessing, transporting, distributing, and/or viewing child sexual exploitation material (CSEM). Since the raid, the suspects’ visas have been canceled, and they will be removed from the United States. Passengers reportedly witnessed the raid happen but were unaware of the reasons behind it. “After boarding the vessels and interviewing 26 suspected crew members from the Philippines, one suspected crew member from Portugal, and one from Indonesia, officers confirmed all subjects were involved in either the receipt, possession, transportation, distribution, or viewing of CSEM or child pornography,” said a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior and fully cooperated with law enforcement. While the majority of these individuals were not from our cruise line, those who were are no longer with the company.” – Statement from a Disney spokesman.
🎯 IMPACT: In April 2024, Tirso Neri, a 44-year-old former Disney Cruise Line crew member from the Philippines, was arrested following allegations of CSEM possession. Also in 2024, Alvin Gonzales and Amiel Trazo were arrested on similar charges. Both were Disney Dream employees from the Philippines. In late April this year, President Donald J. Trump signed a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) minus ICE and CBP following a 76-day partial government shutdown. The Trump administration’s supporters argue that the CBP raids underscore the importance of funding DHS and its agencies to ensure public safety and national security.

Image by Dicklyon.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

A raid on five cruise ships by U.S. Customs and Border Protection unearthed child sexual exploitation material and resulted in 28 arrests.

show more
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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

15 hours ago
Crime
News

Illegal Sentenced to Life for Deadly Firebombing of Pro-Israel Protest.

An illegal immigrant has been sentenced to life in prison after firebombing a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: An illegal migrant has been given a life sentence after killing one and injuring a dozen others in a firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado.
📺 DETAIL: Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national living illegally in the United States, has been sentenced to life in prison after firebombing a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado. In June 2025, Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails at a group of pro-Israel activists demonstrating at a mall. Soliman shouted “Free Palestine” during the attack. Karen Diamond, an 82-year-old woman injured in the firebomb attack, died three weeks later. Twelve others were also injured. Prosecutors revealed that Soliman was motivated by a desire to “kill all Zionist people” and had been planning the attack for roughly a year. The investigation also revealed that while Soliman only threw two Molotov cocktails, he had 16 more unused Molotovs. His attorneys claimed that the attack was “profoundly inconsistent” with his prior behavior. On Thursday, Soliman pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
🎯 IMPACT: While Soliman pleaded guilty to the charge of first-degree murder, he has pleaded not guilty to federal hate crime charges. Prosecutors will potentially seek the death penalty for the federal charges. The firebombing attack has highlighted the relationship between illegal immigration and terrorist violence. When the attack was reported, it captured the attention of President Donald J. Trump, who said at the time: “Yesterday’s horrific attack in Boulder, Colorado, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in the United States of America.” He had moved to the U.S. from Kuwait with his wife and five children back in 2022. The Soliman family was living in Colorado Springs at the time of the attack. An immigration appeals court previously dismissed the family’s case to stay in the country, although a U.S. district judge granted them release under electronic monitoring.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “In those weeks, we learned the full meaning of the expressions ‘living hell’ and ‘fate worse than death.'” – Statement by Karen Diamond’s sons.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less
An illegal immigrant has been sentenced to life in prison after firebombing a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado. show more
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.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

16 hours ago
Corruption
News

SPLC Pleads Not Guilty to Fradulently Funding Extremism.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has officially pleaded not guilty after an 11-count indictment by the Department of Justice.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Southern Poverty Law Center has pleaded not guilty to alleged fraud and money laundering following an indictment by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
📺 DETAIL: In late April, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on 11 counts spanning alleged fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors claim the organization misled donors by funneling over $3 million to the leadership and organizers of extremist groups between 2014 and 2023, including the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, and the Unite the Right Rally in 2017. The SPLC claims the funds were used to pay informants within the extremist groups, a method the organization claims that it no longer uses. Prosecutors also allege that the SPLC misrepresented ownership of entities to banks. On Thursday, the SPLC officially pleaded not guilty to all 11 counts in the DOJ indictment filed last month.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The SPLC was not dismantling these groups. It was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.” – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
🎯 IMPACT: Following the indictment, the U.S. Treasury Department announced changes to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting requirements for nonprofits. Specifically, the Treasury announced reforms to the anonymity provisions in IRS Form 990. IRS Form 990 is an annual return that provides a public overview of a nonprofit’s activities. However, the form allows nonprofits to obscure donor identities and payment recipients, potentially acting as a loophole for misuse, such as money laundering. The SPLC has faced an increasing amount of criticism, not only for its methods, but for its misrepresentation of conservative figures and organizations as extremist and hateful. In late 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) severed ties with the SPLC, citing ideological bias and the unreliability of its research. “The SPLC long ago abandoned civil rights work & turned into a partisan smear machine,” said FBI Director Kash Patel at the time.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

The Southern Poverty Law Center has officially pleaded not guilty after an 11-count indictment by the Department of Justice.

show more
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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

17 hours ago
Immigration
News

Walz Moves to Shield Violent Criminal from Deportation.

The Minnesota Board of Pardons’ decision to grant clemency to an illegal immigrant with multiple assault convictions has drawn sharp criticism from federal officials, who argue it undermines deportation efforts.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Minnesota Board of Pardons, including Governor Tim Walz (D) and Attorney General Keith Ellison (D), unanimously voted to pardon Xayasounethone Chandee, an illegal immigrant from Laos with multiple assault convictions, to prevent his imminent deportation. Chandee had been convicted of assault in 1992 and two felony counts of aggravated assault with a weapon in 2008, leading to the loss of his immigration status.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: The pardon was granted during an emergency meeting on Monday, ahead of a deportation effort scheduled for this week.
📺 DETAIL: Minnesota officials reportedly convened an emergency pardon meeting after learning federal authorities planned to deport Chandee this week. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) condemned the decision, with Acting Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis calling it “absolute insanity.” Chandee’s attorney have disputed the existence of a 2008 conviction. Federal authorities may challenge the pardon in court. A federal appeals court has temporarily paused Chandee’s deportation for 14 days while the legal battle continues.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Minnesota’s sanctuary politicians’ pardon took away this violent thug’s qualifying convictions that made him removable from the U.S.,” said Acting Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis.
🎯 IMPACT: The pardon removes the legal grounds for Chandee’s deportation and has prompted federal authorities to consider challenging the decision.
📺 FLASHBACK: In 1995, an immigration judge ordered Chandee’s deportation following his 1992 assault conviction. His 2008 felony convictions further solidified his status as deportable under federal law.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

The Minnesota Board of Pardons' decision to grant clemency to an illegal immigrant with multiple assault convictions has drawn sharp criticism from federal officials, who argue it undermines deportation efforts.

show more
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.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

18 hours ago
Crime
Religion
World

Israel Charges Jewish Man for Violent Assault on Nun.

Israeli authorities have indicted a Jewish man for an unprovoked, violent assault on a num in Jerusalem, amid a spate of anti-Christian incidents that have damaged the country’s international reputation. 

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A Jewish man has been indicted for assaulting a Catholic nun in Jerusalem. The attack was reportedly motivated by religious hostility.
📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, Yona Schreiber, a 36-year-old Jewish man from the Israeli settlement of Peduel in the West Bank, was indicted for assaulting a Catholic nun near Jerusalem’s Old City last week. The attack was allegedly motivated by religious hatred. The nun was a researcher at the French School of Biblical and Archaeological Research, an academic institution in Jerusalem founded by the Dominican Order. Security footage, which went viral after being posted on social media, shows that the assault occurred in broad daylight. Schreiber is facing two charges: simple assault and assault motivated by religious hostility. 
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Many times in such cases there are no arrests and if there are arrests, sometimes after one or two days, [suspects] are released.” – Wadie Abunassar, Coordinator of the Holy Land Christian Forum.
🎯 IMPACT: Religious groups have warned about increasing violence and harassment against Christians in Jerusalem, including but not limited to physical assault, vandalism of Christian sites and symbols, and spitting. Meanwhile, in late April, two Israeli soldiers were sentenced to 30 days of military detention after smashing a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in Debel, a Christian village in southern Lebanon. Also in Debel, an Israeli soldier was photographed desecrating a Blessed Virgin Mary statue. The soldier is said to be facing disciplinary measures, following online backlash.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Israeli authorities have indicted a Jewish man for an unprovoked, violent assault on a num in Jerusalem, amid a spate of anti-Christian incidents that have damaged the country's international reputation. 

show more
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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

18 hours ago
Immigration
News

Homan Suggests Cabinet Members Are Having ‘Discussions’ With Trump About Amnesty.

Border Czar Tom Homan has suggested that some Cabinet members are having “discussions” with President Donald J. Trump about granting “legal status” to some illegal immigrants, sparking concern among his base.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump is having “discussions” with Cabinet members about offering some form of amnesty or legal status to some illegal immigrants currently in the United States, according to Border Czar Tom Homan.
📺 DETAIL: Pressed by a Colombia-born reporter on whether he would support a “compromise” that involves giving “legal status” to “millions” of illegal immigrants, such as so-called Dreamers, on Wednesday, Homan declined to endorse any specific proposal, saying he would not “get ahead of the President.” However, he confirmed that “discussions” are taking place between Trump and “various members of his Cabinet” on the subject.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I’m not going to get ahead of President. You know, the President’s talking to various members of his cabinet, there’s discussions going on, I’m involved with some and not others, but I’m not going to get ahead of the President on this.” – Tom Homan
🎯 IMPACT: Homan’s comments come as business groups and some lawmakers are pushing for measures that would expand the labor pool, with Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL) pushing a “Dignidad” (Dignity) granting amnesty to millions of migrants. Trump’s base, who want mass deportations and stricter immigration enforcement, have been extremely critical of Salazar’s bill. Homan and other administration officials have recently pledged to continue deportation efforts while shifting toward what they describe as “smarter enforcement” strategies, following unrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a major operation late last year.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Border Czar Tom Homan has suggested that some Cabinet members are having "discussions" with President Donald J. Trump about granting "legal status" to some illegal immigrants, sparking concern among his base.

show more
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.

WE ARE 100% INDEPENDENT AND READER-FUNDED. FOR A GUARANTEED AD-FREE EXPERIENCE AND TO SUPPORT REAL NEWS, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE, TODAY.

19 hours ago
News
Politics

Tennessee House Approves Redistricted Map Likely to Hand GOP Entire Congressional Delegation.

The Tennessee House has passed a redistricting proposal likely to reshape the political landscape by eliminating a racially gerrymandered Democrat district.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Tennessee House has passed a redistricting proposal that would divide Memphis, a Democrat-controlled, racially gerrymandered district, into three separate congressional districts. The final vote was 64 to 24, with two Republican lawmakers from Memphis joining Democrats in opposition.
📺 DETAIL: The proposed map would likely eliminate the only Democrat-held congressional seat in Tennessee by splitting Memphis, which was racially gerrymandered in order to create a Democrat-leaning black majority district, across three separate districts. This move follows a Supreme Court ruling that race should not be a factor in determining congressional lines, leading many Southern states to move to abolish racially gerrymandered districts they were forced to create by the Voting Rights Act. Similar redistricting efforts are underway in other states, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida, and, if successful, should secure more congressional seats for the GOP in the November midterms.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) in a statement, emphasizing the need for fairness and legality in the redistricting process.
🎯 IMPACT: If the redistricting plan is approved by the state Senate—where thge GOP commands a supermajority—and signed by Governor Lee, it could significantly alter Tennessee’s congressional representation, reducing Democrat influence in the state. The broader redistricting battles across the country could determine who controls the U.S. House of Representatives after November.

Image by FaceMePLS.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

The Tennessee House has passed a redistricting proposal likely to reshape the political landscape by eliminating a racially gerrymandered Democrat district.

show more
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.
Pulse Ad
Pulse Ad