SEATTLE RED

Best nominee is blocked for the worst reason

Jul 24, 2018, 1:47 PM

One of President Trump’s best judicial nominees has been blocked by indignant Democrats because of columns he wrote while a Stanford student 25 years ago. Yes: Stanford … as an undergraduate.

In one of these pieces, Ryan Bounds argued that ethnic identity groups promote campus divisions, and in another he demanded proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” before expelling young men accused of sexual assault. These are arguable but mainstream opinions, expressed by a teenager, that have now been used to wreck the hopes of a Yale Law graduate and a respected federal prosecutor.

Unfortunately, the fine Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina declined to support the Bounds nomination, giving the united Democrats the chance to keep him off the bench. If Republicans gain a few Senate seats in November, I hope President Trump will try again to win confirmation for the eminently deserving Ryan Bounds.

This combination photo shows Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, from left, Rahm Emanuel, Sen. Mark Kelly, ...

Associated Press

Democrats keep coming to South Carolina to stump for midterm candidates. It’s all about 2028

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — On paper, South Carolina might be an odd place for Democrats to converge to campaign for midterm candidates. Republicans dominate state politics, and there’s slim chance of that changing this year. But South Carolina is also the first state in Democrats’ next presidential nominating process, so White House hopefuls are looking […]

17 minutes ago

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks to the media during the 81st session of the United Na...

Associated Press

Officials say mediators are still working with Iran and the US on a possible deal

CAIRO (AP) — Three officials tell The Associated Press that mediators were still working with Iran and the United States on a deal to end the fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz, with the indirect talks expected to resume on Monday. The details were revealed as the war enters its eighth month after causing […]

20 minutes ago

wa natural gas ruling...

John Curley Show

‘They’ve put political hacks on the WA Supreme Court’: Jim Walsh says justices timed natural gas ruling to discourage voters

Washington Supreme Court struck down a voter-approved natural gas initiative in a 6-3 ruling, and state Republican Party chair said the timing was no accident.

46 minutes ago

A campaign sign in support of House Speaker Mike Johnson is pictured Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, in B...

Associated Press

In GOP Speaker Mike Johnson’s district, the political mood is mixed for the party in power

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — The GOP’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is rolling out in different ways across U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s home district — from steakhouse servers getting a tax break on tips to a community center where people line up for a free hot lunch as SNAP benefits are being cut. In this rough-and-tumble […]

1 hour ago

FILE - A logo of Nvidia is displayed at at the Computex Taipei exhibition, one of the world's large...

Associated Press

Nvidia unveils security platform to stop AI agents from going rogue

Nvidia on Monday unveiled a new security platform that the chipmaker said can stop artificial intelligence agents from going rogue. The company said that its Open Agent Safety Platform includes software that “sets boundaries for agents,” and follows a series of revelations from top AI companies about their models escaping and breaking into other organizations. […]

2 hours ago

Postmaster General David Steiner speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the United...

Associated Press

Trump’s mail voting crackdown tests Postal Service leader who says he’s ‘not political’

WASHINGTON (AP) — Long before he was the top official at the U.S. Postal Service, David Steiner was a corporate executive surfing mid-oughts television when he came across Donald Trump on “The Apprentice.” He was unimpressed. “If that is leadership, if that’s what we’re telling people that our culture and our media portrays as leadership, […]

2 hours ago

Best nominee is blocked for the worst reason