Senate panel sets up hearing on impeachments of ‘rogue judges’

WASHINGTON — Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are poised to square off at a hearing Wednesday on a long-running, but so far unsuccessful, Republican push to impeach judges who have ruled against President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Republican House members have filed impeachment resolutions against a myriad of judges this Congress after rulings against immigration policies, Trump administration funding decisions and more.

But those efforts have stalled in the House, amid concerns that moving forward would break with a centuries-old tradition of not ousting judges based solely on their decisions.

Senators will have an opportunity to weigh in on the debate during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing Wednesday entitled, “Impeachment: Holding Rogue Judges Accountable.”

—CQ-Roll Call

Trump dismisses affordability concerns as Democratic ‘con job’

President Trump on Tuesday dismissed concerns about affordability as a Democratic “con job” in a remarkable shift after recently latching onto the buzzword encapsulating widespread consumer worries about the cost of living.

Trump branded affordability as a “hoax” in a speech to his Cabinet in which he also downplayed the chances of the Republican Congress passing a deal to prevent looming big increases in health insurance premiums.

“There’s this fake narrative that the Democrats talk about, ‘affordability,'” Trump said. “They just say the word. It doesn’t mean anything. The word ‘affordability’ is a con job by the Democrats,” he added.

Trump’s attack on criticism of his economic record marks a big shift from his recent efforts to talk up his concern about affordability and even to brand himself as the “affordability president” last week.

—New York Daily News

Texas families file class-action lawsuit over Ten Commandments classroom displays

A class-action lawsuit has been filed by a group of Texas families in the third legal challenge over displays of the Ten Commandments in classrooms across the state.

On Tuesday, a group of 18 multifaith and nonreligious families filed the class-action suit, which requests a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction against any school district not already involved in litigation over Senate Bill 10, the Texas law requiring schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The plaintiffs are represented by several civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union. The new lawsuit names 16 school districts, including seven in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The lawsuit is the latest development in a saga of lawsuits over the law. In July, a group of 16 families filed a suit against 11 districts, which resulted in a temporary injunction filed by U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in August. The school districts appealed that decision, and the case will be heard by an appeals court in 2026. The injunction filed remains standing until then.

—Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Pope Leo issues 'heartfelt appeal' for peace in Lebanon

BEIRUT — Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday issued a "heartfelt appeal" for peace in Lebanon as he ended his first overseas trip.

"May the attacks and hostilities cease," Leo said at Beirut airport ahead of his return to Rome. "We must recognize that armed struggle brings no benefit."

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah militia has been in place since last year's bloody conflict. Israeli attacks have continued on almost a daily basis in southern Lebanon, with almost 130 civilians killed according to U.N. figures, while suspected Israeli drones were heard over Beirut shortly before the pontiff's departure.

Leo, who succeeded pope Francis earlier this year, earlier called for Lebanon to "rise again" as he addressed 150,000 worshipers at a Mass in Beirut.

—dpa