Anne K. Walters

Associated Press/Photo by J. Scott Applewhite

Census controversy

Politics | The U.S. census is moving forward with a citizenship question as Congress pushes back

by Anne K. Walters
Posted 6/13/19, 05:43 pm

WASHINGTON—The controversy over a decision to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 census has dominated the news coming out of the nation’s capital this week. Critics say the change was designed to provide an electoral advantage to white Republicans, while the Trump administration claims it is just trying to enforce voting laws.

Associated Press/Photo by Michael Conroy (file)

The trouble with tariffs

Politics | Some of the president’s supporters push back on his trade policy

by Anne K. Walters
Posted 5/16/19, 03:45 pm

WASHINGTON—U.S. business leaders and some of President Donald Trump’s Republican allies are warning that increased tariffs on Chinese goods will bring economic pain to agricultural and manufacturing regions in the country where the president has enjoyed strong support.

Controversial question

Politics | Supreme Court weighs asking about citizenship on the census

by Anne K. Walters
Posted 4/25/19, 05:27 pm

WASHINGTON—Conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court appear likely to vote in favor of asking respondents if they are U.S. citizens on the 2020 census after hearing oral arguments in Department of Commerce v. New York on Tuesday. The case seeks to block the Trump administration from adding the question to the once-a-decade survey of all U.S. residents.

North Carolina congressional district to hold new election

Anne K. Walters | 2/22/19, 12:14 pm

The North Carolina State Board of Elections on Thursday ordered a new vote in the 9th Congressional District because of an illegal absentee ballot operation that skewed the results. Republican Mark Harris, who garnered the most votes in November, told the board at a Thursday hearing that he thought a new election was necessary. “It’s become clear to me that the public’s confidence in the 9th District seat general election has been undermined to an extent that a new election is warranted,” he said.

Another storm still rages in Florida

Politics | The contentious gubernatorial race is a microcosm of U.S. politics

Anne K. Walters | 10/25/18, 04:31 pm

Florida’s gubernatorial candidates have faced a slew of political storms along with a literal hurricane in their closely watched contest to lead the nation’s third largest state.

White House tight-lipped on census citizenship question

Politics | The Supreme Court will decide whether Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross must give a deposition

Anne K. Walters | 10/11/18, 03:30 pm

The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily protected Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross from facing legal questions about the 2020 U.S. census amid an ongoing battle over a question about respondents’ citizenship.

The Census Bureau, which is part of the Commerce Department, plans to ask all U.S. residents about their citizenship as part of the once-a-decade population survey of every household in the United States.

Religious influence on the ballot box

Politics | A recent poll finds voters are split on the importance of a candidate’s faith

Anne K. Walters | 9/13/18, 06:26 pm

WASHINGTON—U.S. voters are split ahead of November’s midterm elections on whether the faith of political candidates matters. More Americans said the religious faith of candidates was at least somewhat, if not very important, than those who thought it wasn’t very important or not important at all, but only by a very small margin, a poll released this week by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found.

A freedom song sung softly

Politics | The United States fights religious persecution in the general sense

Anne K. Walters | 7/26/18, 04:11 pm

WASHINGTON—At a gathering with representatives from more than 80 nations this week in the nation’s capital, the U.S. State Department pushed other countries to advance religious freedom. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo still has not answered questions about whether the issue came up during closed-door talks between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin last week in Helsinki.

Friend or foe?

Politics | Trump’s intentions toward Putin and what Washington is saying about them

Anne K. Walters | 7/19/18, 02:48 pm

President Donald Trump is trying to mend relationships with lawmakers on Capitol Hill after his efforts to improve relations with Russia backfired at home. Trump faced backlash this week from members of his own party and drew cries of treason from some Democrats for his approach to Russia at talks Monday in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which Trump publicly questioned U.S. intelligence assessments of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S.