Senate Democrats hold leadership elections as GOP prepares to take control
CBSN
Washington — Senate Democrats are meeting Tuesday morning to elect their leadership for the next two years, after Republicans flipped the chamber in the 2024 elections.
Though the party warded off a handful of challenges and held onto key seats in the upper chamber, Senate Democrats faced a particularly difficult map this cycle, and Republican flipped four seats, retaking the majority. After four years with a narrow Democrat majority in the chamber, the party is set to be in the minority next year, with 47 seats to Republicans' 53.
But the outcome of the election isn't expected to cause a shakeup in Democratic leadership, with the top posts expected to remain unchanged. Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who's been in the role since 2017, and whip Dick Durbin, who's been the no. 2 Senate Democrat for nearly two decades, are expected to remain in their roles.
A Hawaii man who spent 30 years in prison for a murder he long denied committing declared the day "Freedom Friday" and said he was eager to visit his mother after a judge ordered him released because of new DNA evidence.
Hamas has handed over three more Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in the latest exchange under the fragile ceasefire.
The Defense Department said Friday that it's cutting about 5,400 probationary workers starting next week and will put a hiring freeze in place.
A federal judge on Friday blocked a sweeping executive order from President Trump that sought to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Department of Justice has eliminated its national database that tracked misconduct incidents among federal law enforcement officers.
Former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio was arrested Friday near the U.S. Capitol on a charge that he assaulted a woman protesting a gathering attended by Tarrio and others who received presidential pardons for crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in the nation's capital.
The Associated Press sued three Trump administration officials Friday over access to presidential events, citing freedom of speech in asking a federal judge to stop the 10-day blocking of its journalists.
The Trump administration is considering moving the U.S. Postal Service, an independent federal agency, under the Commerce Department, two sources tell CBS News.
Washington — A federal judge on Friday declined to block the Trump administration from putting thousands of employees with U.S. Agency for International Development on administrative leave and recalling others from overseas, clearing the way for the president to resume his efforts to overhaul the agency as part of his plans to slash the size of the federal government.
An attorney employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allegedly made "racist, bigoted, xenophobic, hateful, harassing and dishonest" posts on an X account where he tried to hide his identity, according to a legal complaint filed against him.
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Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has continued to slash through federal agencies, firing workers and canceling contracts. But as it tallies its savings online, there are continuing indications that the group, which President Trump has referred to as Musk's team of "super geniuses," is overstating its achievements.
Ford and Rivian have issued recalls affecting a total of about 257,000 vehicles in the United States over separate seatbelt and headlight issues, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday.