rights

White House mulls defunding DOJ civil rights election observer program that aims to protect minority voting rights, sources say

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The White House is considering ending funding for a longtime civil rights election program aimed at protecting the rights of minority populations to vote, sources familiar with the matter tell CBS News. The federal observer program, authorized under the Voting Rights Act and launched in 1966, is an Office of Personnel Management operation that partners … Read more

Iowa bars local gender identity protections after rolling back its civil rights code

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DES MOINES, Iowa — A new Iowa law bans local nondiscrimination protections on the basis of gender identity after the state became the first in the U.S. to rollback its civil rights code last year. The preemption law took effect Tuesday, as soon as Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed it. It prevents cities and counties … Read more

DOJ’s Alex Pretti shooting probe excludes prosecutors who specialize in civil rights cases, sources say

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The rank-and-file career federal prosecutors at the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division who specialize in excessive force cases are not playing any role in the investigation into the shooting death of Alex Pretti by two federal agents, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter told CBS News. Instead, the head of the Civil Rights Division … Read more

Decades after violence in Selma spurred the Voting Rights Act, organizers worry about its fate

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SELMA, Ala. — Sixty-one years after state troopers attacked Civil Rights marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, thousands are gathering in the Alabama city this weekend, amid new concerns about the future of the Voting Rights Act. The March 7, 1965, violence that became known as Bloody Sunday shocked the nation and helped … Read more

Gonzales’ departure clears path for Republican gun rights ‘absolutist’ in Texas congressional race

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AUSTIN, Texas — The abrupt decision by U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales to not seek reelection clears the path for a self-described gun rights “absolutist” to secure the Republican nomination in a sprawling Texas congressional district. Brendan Herrera, 30, originally gained notoriety by posting videos of himself shooting weapons, calling himself “The AK Guy.” He lost … Read more

Bernard LaFayette, civil rights leader and Selma voting rights organizer, dies at 85

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Bernard LaFayette, the advance man who did the risky groundwork for the voter registration campaign in Selma, Alabama, that culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, has died, according to the Associated Press. Bernard LaFayette, III, said his father died Thursday morning of a heart attack. He was 85. Bernard Lafayette … Read more

Bernard LaFayette, Selma voting rights organizer, dies at 85

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bernard LaFayette, the advance man who did the risky groundwork for the voter registration campaign in Selma, Alabama, that culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, has died. Bernard LaFayette, III, said his father died Thursday morning of a heart attack. He was 85. On March 7, 1965, … Read more

Gun rights expert says Minnesota Dems tried to block her testimony on firearm bills to ‘avoid’ policy debate

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A Second Amendment expert is accusing Minnesota Democrats of attempting to sideline policy advocates as they push for passage of a pair of gun control bills, arguing the lawmakers are leaning on emotional appeals instead of debating the measures’ real-world impact. Amy Swearer, a senior legal fellow … Read more

Supreme Court ruling on secretive California gender policy could reshape parent rights fights nationwide

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Parental rights advocates celebrated Monday after the Supreme Court temporarily stopped California from blocking school policies requiring parents to be told when their child identifies as transgender. Corey DeAngelis, a research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital the high court’s order, in which … Read more