Warsh: I got no pressure

to cut key interest rates

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the Federal Reserve says that he never promised the White House he would cut interest rates, even as the president renewed his calls for the central bank to do so.

The comments underscore the challenge faced by Kevin Warsh, 56, a former top Fed official whom Trump named in January to replace the current Fed chair, Jerome Powell. Democrats on the committee accused Warsh on Tuesday of flip-flopping on interest rates over the years, supporting higher interest rates under Democratic presidents and advocating rate cuts during Trump’s time in office.

Dem Cherfilus-McCormick

resigns before any sanctions

WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has resigned, doing so just moments before the start of a hearing that could have led to a recommendation that she be expelled from Congress.

Cherfilus-McCormick says she would not pretend that a yearslong ethics investigation had been anything other than a “witch hunt,” and rather than play political games she would resign.

The committee had been set to weigh what punishment to recommend after an investigative panel found Cherfilus-McCormick committed 25 violations of House rules and ethical standards. Cherfilus-McCormick also faces federal criminal charges accusing her of stealing $5 million in coronavirus disaster relief funds. She denies any wrongdoing.

Trump’s approval on economy

and war in Iran remains low

WASHINGTON — A new AP-NORC poll finds that President Donald Trump’s approval rating on the economy has slumped over the past month as the Iran war drives prices higher. Trump’s approval rating on the economy dropped to 30% in April from 38% in a March AP-NORC poll. A similarly low share of U.S. adults, 32%, approve of the president’s leadership on Iran, which is unchanged since last month.

Even Republicans are showing less faith in his leadership, according to the poll, which shows a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.

Virginia voters approve

new redistricting plan

Virginia voters have approved a congressional redistricting plan that could help Democrats win up to four additional U.S. House seats in this year’s midterm elections.

Voters passed a constitutional amendment authorizing the unusual mid-decade redistricting. But their vote may not be the final say because the question still faces legal challenges, including before the state Supreme Court.

The Virginia referendum is the latest development in a national redistricting battle that began after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans to pass a map more favorable to the GOP.

Texas can require schools

to display Commandments

DALLAS — A U.S. appeals court says Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms.

The ruling Tuesday by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals was a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into schools. The ruling sets up a potential clash at the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue in the future. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said in the decision that Texas’ law did not violate the First Amendment, which protects religious freedom and prevents the government from establishing a religion.

Brennan subpoena tossed

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has withdrawn subpoenas issued in the investigation of former CIA Director John Brennan, with officials asking for voluntary interviews instead of testimony before a grand jury. That’s according to two people familiar with the matter. A small handful of subpoenas were known to have been issued over the weekend for witnesses to appear before a grand jury in Washington.

TheBut investigators on Monday evening informed lawyers that the subpoenas were being withdrawn in favor of requests for voluntary interviews, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to discuss developments in an ongoing investigation.

Florida’s attorney general launches criminal probe into ChatGPT over FSU shooting

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s attorney general has opened an investigation into OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The probe, announced Tuesday, examines the AI app’s interactions with a gunman charged with a fatal shooting at Florida State University last year. Attorney General James Uthmeier says prosecutors reviewed chat logs between ChatGPT and the gunman, Phoenix Ikner. They aim to determine if the app aided or abetted the crime. Florida’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has subpoenaed OpenAI for records. Ikner faces charges of murder and attempted murder, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. An OpenAI spokeswoman called the FSU shooting a tragedy but said the company had no responsibility.