Author
Jacob covers federal policy as a senior reporter for States Newsroom. Based in Oregon, he focuses on Western issues. His coverage areas include climate, energy development, public lands and infrastructure.
Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Congress to add flights at Washington National, require new air refund rule in FAA deal
By: Jacob Fischler - April 30, 2024
Key members of Congress announced an agreement Monday on a $105 billion bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration for five years ahead of a May 10 deadline. The 1,000-page bill would raise hiring targets for air traffic control and would codify in law a rule the Biden administration introduced this month requiring airlines to offer refunds for canceled […]
U.S. Supreme Court floats return to trial court for Trump in presidential immunity case
By: Jacob Fischler and Ashley Murray - April 25, 2024
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court appeared skeptical Thursday of former President Donald Trump’s argument he is immune from criminal charges that he tried to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. But conservatives who dominate the court appeared open to returning key questions to a trial court, possibly delaying Trump’s prosecution beyond the November […]
NY judge spars with Trump lawyers over gag order in criminal trial
By: Jacob Fischler - April 23, 2024
The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal case in New York appeared to strongly disagree Tuesday with the former president’s lawyers’ explanation for why he should be considered in compliance with a gag order in the case. In a Tuesday morning hearing to determine whether to fine Trump for violating the order, Judge Juan Merchan warned […]
Full jury selected in Trump’s criminal trial on hush-money charges
By: Jacob Fischler - April 19, 2024
The New York state court trying former President Donald Trump on criminal charges empaneled a full 12-person jury on the third day of the trial Thursday, according to reports. The trial approached the end of its first phase Thursday afternoon as one of six alternate jurors was also selected. Selection of more alternates will continue Friday. […]
Trump’s repeated escapes from political damage to be tested in NYC trial
By: Jacob Fischler - April 15, 2024
Donald Trump on Monday in a New York City courtroom will make history as the first former U.S. president to stand trial in criminal proceedings. And it raises new issues for the presumptive Republican nominee for president in November, even as he builds a political brand that so far has seemed immune from accusations of […]
Trump immunity claim a ‘radical’ departure from democracy, special counsel Jack Smith says
By: Jacob Fischler - April 9, 2024
Donald Trump’s view of absolute immunity for actions he took as president would radically change U.S. democracy and give presidents unprecedented power akin to monarchs rather than elected leaders, U.S. Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith wrote in a reply brief to the U.S. Supreme Court late Monday. Smith’s 66-page brief, answering Trump’s argument to […]
Israel-Hamas war sets progressive and young voters on collision course with White House
By: Jacob Fischler - April 5, 2024
Joe Biden has a problem. Seven months ahead of the presidential election, some progressives, young voters and Muslim American voters are showing serious reservations about the Democrat’s reelection campaign as his administration backs Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “For some of those people — maybe a critical number — what’s happening in […]
Federal rebuild of Baltimore bridge ‘will not be quick or easy or cheap,’ Buttigieg says
By: Jacob Fischler - March 27, 2024
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg outlined Wednesday the immediate and longer-term priorities the Biden administration is pursuing in the aftermath of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore that left six presumed dead. While many questions remained roughly 36 hours after a massive cargo ship struck the bridge and caused the deadly collapse, Buttigieg at […]
Biden pledges federal dollars for ‘entire cost’ to rebuild collapsed Baltimore bridge
By: Jacob Fischler - March 26, 2024
President Joe Biden called Tuesday for the federal government to foot the bill to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore following its collapse earlier in the day. The ongoing search-and-rescue operation led by the U.S. Coast Guard is the top priority for now, Biden said in brief remarks from the White House on […]
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene files resolution to oust Mike Johnson as U.S. House speaker
By: Jacob Fischler - March 22, 2024
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a resolution Friday to remove U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson from his position, using the same parliamentary measure that led to Johnson ascending to the speakership last year. Following a bipartisan vote to approve the six remaining government spending bills for fiscal 2024, Greene filed a motion to vacate the office […]
U.S. Senate in bipartisan vote blocks Biden rule to reopen Paraguayan beef imports
By: Jacob Fischler - March 21, 2024
The U.S. Senate easily passed a resolution Thursday to repeal a Biden administration rule allowing for beef to be imported from Paraguay. The measure, introduced by Democrat Jon Tester of Montana and Republican Mike Rounds of South Dakota, passed on a bipartisan 70-25 vote. The resolution was made under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to […]
Massive $1.2 trillion spending package that would avert a shutdown released by Congress
By: Jennifer Shutt, Ariana Figueroa, Jacob Fischler and Ashley Murray - March 21, 2024
WASHINGTON — Congress released the final six government funding bills early Thursday, starting off a sprint toward the Friday midnight deadline to wrap up work that was supposed to be finished nearly six months ago. The bipartisan agreement on the $1.2 trillion spending package, which emerged just before 3 a.m., came less than two weeks […]