{"id":7466,"date":"2026-09-14T05:33:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T12:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/news\/7870640\/the-latest-2nd-judge-freezes-trump-mail-ballot-order-with-supreme-court-poised-to-rule\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T17:15:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T00:15:06","slug":"the-latest-supreme-court-rejects-trumps-mail-ballot-restrictions-for-now-ahead-of-midterms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/news\/7466\/the-latest-supreme-court-rejects-trumps-mail-ballot-restrictions-for-now-ahead-of-midterms\/","title":{"rendered":"The Latest: Supreme Court rejects Trump\u2019s mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of midterms"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Supreme Court<\/a> on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s<\/a>mail ballot restrictions<\/a> for now, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action with voting in the midterm elections already underway. The decision allows states to continue sending out mail ballots under the same processes they\u2019ve used for years. The case has major implications because nearly one-third of the country votes by mail.<\/p>\n

The Environmental Protection Agency<\/a> is repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions<\/a> from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, an action the agency said would remove more than $300 billion in costs for the industry and help \u201cunleash\u201d American energy.<\/p>\n

The EPA also announced it is taking a separate but related step to prevent future administrations from regulating climate pollution from power plants. The changes represent a fundamental shift from efforts by Democratic Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama to address climate change<\/a> and clean up industrial pollution, often in low-income and majority Black or Hispanic communities.<\/p>\n

Also Monday, Trump said he is a sufficient guardrail against rogue artificial intelligence<\/a>, claiming that any efforts to limit the technology were part of a \u201cSICK conspiracy.\u201d The president specifically said that the administration has already stopped the AI company Anthropic \u201cfrom doing bad, or potentially bad\u201d things.<\/p>\n

Here’s the Latest:<\/p>\n

\n \"|\"
A large box of pre-assembled mail-in ballots at the Wake County Board of Elections on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo\/Matt Ramey)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

US watchdog tallies Iran war\u2019s hit to weapons stockpiles, military bases and more<\/p>\n

A U.S. government watchdog released its first report on the impact of the Iran war, acknowledging the military\u2019s advanced weapons shortfalls and offering the first public look at the damage to American aircraft, bases and diplomatic outposts in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

The Pentagon inspector general\u2019s report noted that the U.S. war with Iran \u201chas resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply\u201d in regard to advanced weapons.<\/p>\n

The Pentagon and Trump have repeatedly pushed back against reports of any munitions shortage, saying that the U.S. military has all the weapons it needs to fight any conflict.<\/p>\n

The watchdog report acknowledges that Iranian strikes damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings and other structures at U.S. bases in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

\n \"|\"
Visitors walk past a display depicting artificial intelligence and a human hand at the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP Photo\/Ng Han Guan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NAACP praises court decision on mail ballots<\/p>\n

Kristen Clarke, the NAACP\u2019s general counsel, said the ruling was \u201ca big victory\u201d for voters and democracy, calling mail voting a secure practice \u201cdeeply rooted\u201d in U.S. history.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Supreme Court rightly rejected an effort that would have made it harder for millions of Americans to participate in our elections,\u201d Clarke said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Court\u2019s decision preserves a critical pathway to the ballot box and reaffirms that our democracy works best when every eligible voter can participate,\u201d Clarke continued. \u201cWe will continue to use every tool available to support Americans in registering their voices and their ballots this midterm election cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u25b6 Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

Attorney General Blanche to hold White House briefing<\/p>\n

Todd Blanche will take questions from reporters on Tuesday in the White House Rose Garden, according to the White House.<\/p>\n

Blanche is taking a turn answering questions from reporters following Vice President JD Vance\u2019s appearance in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room earlier this month.<\/p>\n

Trump has yet to announce a replacement for press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who held her last press briefing in late August before officially leaving the post.<\/p>\n

Supreme Court rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of midterms<\/p>\n

The Supreme Court<\/a> on Monday rejected Trump<\/a> \u2019s mail ballot restrictions for now, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action with voting in the midterm elections already underway.<\/p>\n

The decision allows states to continue sending out mail ballots under the same processes they\u2019ve used for years.<\/p>\n

The Trump administration had asked the court, once again at the center of a roiling political controversy, to clear the way for restrictions before the pivotal November contests for control of Congress. The case has major implications because nearly one-third of the country votes by mail.<\/p>\n

\u25b6 Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

JUST IN: Supreme Court rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of midterms<\/p>\n

Newsom says he wouldn\u2019t run for president if Harris does<\/p>\n

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he\u2019ll stay on the sidelines of the 2028 presidential race if former Vice President Kamala Harris, a fellow Californian, decides to run.<\/p>\n

He told CNN it would be \u201cmutually assured destruction\u201d if both of them ran, \u201ca gift from God\u201d for all the other candidates. Newsom and Harris both started their political careers in San Francisco local government and rose in tandem to national prominence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t do that to her. I wouldn\u2019t do that to you. I wouldn\u2019t waste everyone\u2019s time,\u201d Newsom told CNN\u2019s Jake Tapper while fly fishing in thigh-high water.<\/p>\n

Tapper said Newsom could argue that Harris already had her chance as the 2024 Democratic nominee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be the case you\u2019d make. Pretty good one, actually. That\u2019s objectively true,\u201d Newsom said. But their circles have too much overlap, he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Venn diagram on that is just pure crossover,\u201d Newsom said.<\/p>\n

House Democratic leader says Russian oligarch\u2019s wedding celebration for Trump\u2019s son raises \u2018concern\u2019<\/p>\n

Asked about the arrangement, Jeffries said flatly, \u201cOf course it\u2019s a concern.\u201d<\/p>\n

Democrats have vowed a robust investigation and oversight agenda if they win control of the House in this fall\u2019s election.<\/p>\n

Jeffries said that as with other aspects of the \u201cunprecedented corruption that the Trump cartel has unleashed on the American people, beginning on day one in the next Congress, we\u2019re going to hold all the crooks accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n

McConnell addresses reporters from wheelchair outside Senate chamber<\/p>\n

McConnell briefly addressed reporters from a wheelchair outside the Senate chamber, smiling but looking noticeably frail.<\/p>\n

Speaking slowly, McConnell joked that he wasn\u2019t sure how many reporters would be there after dodging questions for his almost two decades as leader.<\/p>\n

He said he was back in the Senate to work on a pending farm bill and because he has an ongoing interest in NATO and \u201cbacking up our good friends who are totally in the fight against the Russians.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u25b6 Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

Trump nominates wife of \u2018God Bless the USA\u2019 singer Lee Greenwood to serve as US ambassador<\/p>\n

Trump<\/a> on Monday nominated the wife of \u201cGod Bless the USA\u201d singer Lee Greenwood to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.<\/p>\n

Kimberly Greenwood was among a list of nominees the Trump administration sent to the U.S. Senate for confirmation.<\/p>\n

Later Monday, Kimberly Greenwood posted on Instagram a picture with her husband and Trump as she thanked the president for the nomination.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. President, thank you for believing in me and entrusting me with this extraordinary opportunity to serve,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

Her husband, Lee Greenwood, is one of Trump\u2019s favorite singers, whose signature patriotic anthem has been his chosen walk-on song at political events for years. Trump even went into business with Lee Greenwood, selling a $59.99 \u201cGod Bless the USA Bible,\u201d with him.<\/p>\n

\u25b6 Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

McConnell say he\u2019ll vote in Senate for the first time since his hospitalization in June<\/p>\n

McConnell says he\u2019ll be voting in the Senate on Monday for the first time since June 14, when he was hospitalized for a fall in his home.<\/p>\n

McConnell\u2019s three-month absence from the Senate generated a flood of criticism and online speculation, as the Kentucky senator initially remained quiet for weeks about his condition. The 84-year-old senator eventually disclosed that he had been \u201cbriefly unconscious\u201d due to a fall and had also been treated for mild pneumonia in the hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy recovery has been a long and often frustrating process, and the lingering effects of childhood polio haven\u2019t made it any easier,\u201d McConnell said in a statement. \u201cI\u2019m still not quite back to 100%, but I\u2019ve assured Leader Thune that, as I continue with physical therapy on the advice of my doctors, I will do my best to be present for tough votes when our Conference needs me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u25b6 Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

JUST IN: Republican Mitch McConnell says he\u2019ll vote in the Senate on Monday for first time since his hospitalization in June<\/p>\n

Trump taps outgoing congressman to serve as Saudi Arabia ambassador<\/p>\n

The president has nominated outgoing Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, to serve as his top envoy to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Hunt is near the end of his second term representing his Houston-area district. He finished third in the March 2026 Texas Republican primary for the U.S. Senate behind Ken Paxton and John Cornyn.<\/p>\n

If confirmed, Hunt will head to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia\u2019s capital, amid tensions in the Middle East as the U.S. and Israel\u2019s war against Iran continues and as fighting between the Saudis and Iran-backed<\/a> Houthi rebels in Yemen intensifies.<\/p>\n

Before politics, Hunt was a U.S. Army officer who served as a diplomatic liaison in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Hunt in a posting on X said he understood \u201cthe strategic importance of the partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and the profound responsibility of this position.\u201d<\/p>\n

Georgia governor makes belated endorsement in Senate race that he could have joined<\/p>\n

Gov. Brian Kemp endorsed Republican Senate nominee Mike Collins on Monday after urging GOP primary voters not to nominate him.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Kemp called the congressman a \u201ccommon-sense leader\u201d who can defeat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.<\/p>\n

Kemp\u2019s decision comes after weeks of bruising headlines about Collins\u2019 fundraising, associations with white nationalists and a House ethics investigation. Collins has denied wrongdoing.<\/p>\n

Republican Senate leaders initially wanted Kemp, who is term-limited as governor, to challenge Ossoff. The 63-year-old governor demurred. Instead he recruited former football coach Derek Dooley. Kemp campaigned with Dooley through his June runoff loss, arguing Collins was too conservative to win the battleground state.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only one candidate in the race, in my opinion, that can beat Jon Ossoff,\u201d Kemp told The Associated Press during the primary campaign. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot different running statewide than in a ruby red congressional district.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not clear how much Kemp will campaign with Collins.<\/p>\n

Whistleblower report alleges federal voter probe is breaking the law<\/p>\n

A whistleblower\u2019s account<\/a> released Monday contends a new Trump administration voter probe is ordering federal officials to unlawfully misrepresent themselves to access state voter data and create federal records that could wrongly implicate U.S. citizens.<\/p>\n

The Department of Homeland Security\u2019s new \u201cUnlawful Voter Initiative\u201d investigates voters based on unreliable data sources that may not accurately identify someone\u2019s citizenship, according to the report released by Democratic Sens. Alex Padilla and Chuck Schumer.<\/p>\n

The whistleblower said a group of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services staff has been mandated to review at least 40 voters a day to surface potential noncitizen voters. The effort builds on Trump\u2019s fixation on finding noncitizens who are illegally on the rolls, even though research shows they are exceptionally rare<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In a news conference, Schumer called the initiative an \u201cillegal scheme\u201d and said Trump was willing to go to extreme lengths to \u201ccheat, lie and steal in this election.\u201d<\/p>\n

DHS didn\u2019t immediately comment.<\/p>\n

Senate Majority Leader Thune says AI policy should \u2018strike a balance\u2019<\/p>\n

Sen. John Thune says any legislation in Congress to regulate artificial intelligence should \u201cstrike a balance\u201d and have a \u201clight touch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t want to stifle innovation, but I think you also want to make sure that the more advanced threats can be mitigated and there\u2019s a capability and place to do that,\u201d Thune said as the Senate returned to Washington after a five-week recess.<\/p>\n

He said he thinks Congress could find a way to put guardrails around \u201cthose types of more consequential threats\u201d without harming innovation and U.S. advancement.<\/p>\n

Thune, who was chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee before he was leader, has been working on bipartisan legislation to regulate AI companies. But he has not yet introduced the bill.<\/p>\n

House Democratic leader says the risks of AI \u2018not a hoax\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very real, despite what Donald Trump has to say,\u201d said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.<\/p>\n

Jeffries said congressional action is needed \u201cimmediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said Republicans need to quit burying their heads in the stand, as a rubber stamp to Trump.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t wait until the next Congress,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to act now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson says he expects White House to bring in AI officials for meeting<\/p>\n

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that he expects Trump to summon AI platform providers to the White House in the coming days.<\/p>\n

Johnson said the meeting hasn\u2019t been scheduled yet, but it\u2019s in process.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be a deliberate discussion about the responsibility of the companies to maintain safety, and what role, if any, the government has to play in that,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

Johnson said he\u2019s wary of taking steps that could slow down innovation, saying the U.S. must maintain an edge over China in AI development.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoever achieves automated general intelligence first probably has an edge over everybody else around the world,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

Independent Senate candidate in Montana gets literal about taking aim at Flock cameras<\/p>\n

In a video posted Monday<\/a> on social media, Seth Bodnar takes aim and fires at a small camera.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you tired of security cameras watching your every move? Yeah, me too,\u201d Bodnar, a military veteran, said.<\/p>\n

Flock cameras have emerged as a theme<\/a> in the midterm elections. Across the political spectrum, candidates have been increasingly critical of Flock Safety<\/a>, which sells the cameras to police around the country.<\/p>\n

The cameras take photos of license plates, and that data can be shared across law enforcement agencies. Critics have raised privacy concerns. Supporters say the cameras have strengthened policing.<\/p>\n

The company didn\u2019t respond to a request for comment. But in response to previous questions about campaigns\u2019 rhetoric, a spokesperson emphasized the role the technology has played in solving crimes.<\/p>\n

Trump says AI risks to humanity are a \u2018hoax\u2019<\/p>\n

Trump lashed out at AI critics on social media, saying that the AI companies calling for government regulation of their sector could end up bankrupt.<\/p>\n

\u201cConcerning AI, when, in the History of Business, did anyone see the Leaders of an Industry call for Regulation that, if strongly implemented, will drive them into oblivion and bankruptcy?\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

The president then said that claims that AI posed a threat to humanity was \u201choax\u201d along the lines of his two impeachments during his first term.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

Donald Trump Jr.\u2019s wife confirms May wedding celebration was partially funded by a Russian oligarch<\/p>\n

In a post on her Instagram page Monday morning signed by the couple, Bettina Trump wrote that the man, Umar Kremlev, was a \u201cdear friend,\u201d who \u201cvery generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n

ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative website, reported earlier Monday<\/a> that the wedding between Trump Jr. and socialite Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas was heavily funded by Kremlev, a Russian oligarch who heads the International Boxing Association. He also has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n

\u25b6 Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

New York and other Democratic-led cities, states challenge new immigration rule<\/p>\n

Democratic-led states and cities filed lawsuits Monday challenging a federal rule set to take Friday that they say gives the Trump administration broad discretion to deny green cards to immigrants who use food stamps and other public benefits.<\/p>\n

The lawsuits challenge Trump\u2019s plan to revive a \u201cpublic charge\u201d rule that he originally imposed<\/a> during his first term but that was reversed<\/a> under President Joe Biden.<\/p>\n

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading a coalition of 21 other states in one of the suits<\/a>, said the rule would force needy immigrant families to choose between seeking assistance and seeking legal status in the country.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s EPA to eliminate rule that limits emissions from power plants<\/p>\n

The Environmental Protection Agency is repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, an action the agency said would remove more than $300 billion in costs for the industry and help \u201cunleash\u201d American energy.<\/p>\n

The rule change, first proposed last year, represents a fundamental shift from efforts by Democratic Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama address climate change and clean up industrial pollution.<\/p>\n

EPA officials said the change would allow utilities to make the best decisions for their ratepayers rather than be forced to closed aging or inefficient plants.<\/p>\n

Manchin will back Susan Collins in her reelection bid<\/p>\n

Former Sen. Joe Manchin said Monday that he will campaign on behalf of Republican Sen. Susan Collins as she fights a tough reelection campaign in Maine.<\/p>\n

Manchin was a longtime Democrat and centrist who became an independent while nearing the end of his time in office in 2024. He said during an appearance on CNBC that he considers Collins a dedicated public servant.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou lose the Susan Collins of the Senate, you\u2019re losing the soul of the Senate. Basically, a person you can talk to, wants to do the right thing all the time,\u201d Manchin said.<\/p>\n

Collins, the only Republican senator in New England, faces Democratic former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson in November. The race is critical to Democratic aspirations to take control of the Senate.<\/p>\n

Landowners sue to stop Trump administration\u2019s plan for Texas border wall project<\/p>\n

Laura Allen, whose family owns a Texas ranch, was among the people who turned out Monday for the announcement of the lawsuit. The Trump administration plans to build a wall<\/a> and other border infrastructure through the remote Big Bend area.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere this project goes will be right through the middle of the property, over 2 miles from water,\u201d Allen, a former county judge and two-time Trump voter, said in Marfa, Texas. \u201cAll of our working facilities will now be behind the walls, with no guarantee of what will happen to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pointed out that illegal border crossings have plunged since Trump returned to office.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, President Trump. You\u2019ve secured the border. But now let it go. It\u2019s time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Kennedy Center board to propose new options for honoring Trump<\/p>\n

The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees plans to propose adding Trump\u2019s name to the facility\u2019s exterior in recognition of his saving the building from its \u201cprecarious fiscal position,\u201d according to a new court filing in a suit aimed at blocking the addition of his name to the building.<\/p>\n

The filing made by Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, an ex-officio member of the board who\u2019s led an effort to block Trump putting his name on the building, said she was alerting the court to the proposal because it could implicate a pending decision before the court.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Board understands that without such appropriate recognition it is unlikely that President Trump will provide the fundamental oversight of the renovation of the main building and lead the fiscal rescue of the Center,\u201d the board wrote in the proposed resolution.<\/p>\n

The document proposes 10 options for adding the president\u2019s name to the building\u2019s exterior.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’smail ballot restrictions for now, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action with voting in the midterm elections already underway. The decision allows states to continue sending out mail ballots under the same processes they\u2019ve used for years. The case has major implications because nearly one-third of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":521,"featured_media":7467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"guid":"2235cbaa-0499-4181-b3be-91a3ffe6d6a9","source":"The Associated Press","byline":"","published":"2026-09-14 05:33:12","updated":"2026-09-14 17:04:40","_infotelid":"","_prepressid":"","_multisite_post_sync":"","_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1303,1292,1304],"tags":[],"region":[1301],"class_list":["post-7466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","category-politics","category-world","region-world"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/news\/7466\/the-latest-supreme-court-rejects-trumps-mail-ballot-restrictions-for-now-ahead-of-midterms\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The Latest: Supreme Court rejects Trump\u2019s mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of midterms","url":"http:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/news\/7466\/the-latest-supreme-court-rejects-trumps-mail-ballot-restrictions-for-now-ahead-of-midterms\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/news\/7466\/the-latest-supreme-court-rejects-trumps-mail-ballot-restrictions-for-now-ahead-of-midterms\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/inwheels-efb452b039008508458670c9e7f2ab70dcb38ab8275d28550cccb99484efb5e9.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/inwheels-efb452b039008508458670c9e7f2ab70dcb38ab8275d28550cccb99484efb5e9.jpg"},"articleSection":"International","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"The Associated Press"}],"creator":["The Associated Press"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"iNwheels","logo":""},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2026-09-14T12:33:12Z","datePublished":"2026-09-14T12:33:12Z","dateModified":"2026-09-15T00:15:06Z"},"rendered":"