Senators Briefed On U.S. Strikes In Iran, Offer Conflicting Reaction - Anderson Cooper 360 - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
The ceasefire between Israel and Iran continues to hold, but many questions remain about exactly what the state of Iran's nuclear capabilities are, as well as what their intentions are, and what will happen next. Today, members of the Senate were briefed behind closed doors by the administration with many emerging from the meeting divided over what they heard. Anderson speaks to Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, former senior operations manager with the CIA Norman Roule, and retired Air Force general and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Philip Breedlove.
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Texas Democrats slam GOP redistricting plan as "grossly unfair" and "deeply undemocratic"
Top Texas Democrats are sounding the alarm over a GOP plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps, warning in interviews with CBS News it would dramatically dilute minority representation in the Lone Star State and set off a nationwide ripple effect. Republican state lawmakers unveiled a draft congressional map on Wednesday that would turn five U.S. House districts currently held by Democrats into GOP-leaning seats — an idea blessed by President Trump as Republicans angle to hold onto their narrow congressional majority in next year's midterms. One Democratic member of Congress whose district could be impacted called the proposed map "grossly unfair," arguing Black and Latino communities are being "scrambled" and intentionally fractured for political gain. "They've already gerrymandered the map — and now they're trying to make it 30 to 8 in favor of Republicans," the lawmaker told CBS News, referencing the state's congressional delegation. "This is grossly unfair and starts a dangerous domino effect. If Texas lights the fire, it will spread to other states like California and New York. It's going to be a mess across the country." The Democratic representative also argued that Texas Republicans are banking on maintaining the historic margins they saw among Hispanic voters in November's election, but warned that recent polling shows a softening in GOP support among Latino voters — particularly in the wake of backlash over the Trump administration's deportation policies. Those voters "may not be there," the lawmaker said, cautioning the strategy could backfire and jeopardize Republican gains. Another top Democrat who has previously run statewide in Texas echoed the concern, calling the proposal "deeply undemocratic." "We're seeing losses of representation for people of color in Texas," the Democrat said. "Five of the affected districts are Latino-majority seats. They're not just stacking the deck — they're doing it without any expectation of being held accountable. But they will be held accountable." New congressional map could expand GOP's House edge Mr. Trump has publicly encouraged Texas Republicans to reshape the state's congressional districts, predicting to reporters earlier this month a "simple redrawing" could net five extra seats for his party. The GOP currently controls 25 of Texas' 38 House districts, which were last redrawn after the 2020 Census. House Republicans are defending a razor-thin seven-seat majority in next year's congressional elections — a challenging task since the party that controls the White House almost always loses upwards of a dozen seats in the midterms. Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott called the state legislature into a special session, and on Wednesday, lawmakers released an early draft map — though changes could be made. It will need to pass the GOP-controlled state House and Senate. The map would improve the GOP's edge by tilting two Democratic seats in the Rio Grande Valley to the right, making a pair of districts in the Dallas and Houston area redder and merging two Democratic seats near Austin into one. For example, Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar — who already represents a district won by Mr. Trump in 2024 — would lose parts of the San Antonio suburbs under the new map. And the Dallas-area district held by Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson would be redrawn to stretch more than 100 miles from Dallas County to deep-red parts of rural North Texas. Texas Republicans have pledged to ensure the redistricting plans are constitutional. Abbott has argued the maps need to be redrawn due to "constitutional concerns" raised by the Justice Department. CBS News has reached out to the Texas GOP for comment. But Democrats have blasted the map, which Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin called a "blatant gerrymander" and a "likely violation of the Voting Rights Act." Rep. Greg Casar — whose Austin-area district would be merged with that of fellow Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett — called the move "illegal voter suppression of Black and Latino Central Texans." The governors of some Democratic states, including California and New York, have floated launching their own mid-decade redistricting processes, with an eye to creating more blue seats. But those plans could require constitutional amendments since, unlike Texas, those two states have put independent commissions in charge of redistricting. Johnson — whose Texas district is set to be redrawn — says other states should redraw their maps in response. "This is an all-out war," she told CBS News senior White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe. "I am for fair and independent redistricting across the country, so long as we all do it. But if we're going to do partisan gerrymandering, then game on, we all should." 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U.S. sanctions massive Iranian oil shipping network
The Treasury under Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday issued dozens of sanctions targeting a massive Iranian shipping network. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo July 31 (UPI) -- The United States on Wednesday sanctioned dozens of individuals, entities and vessels accused of being an Iranian oil and petroleum shipping network, as the Trump administration continues with its so-called maximum pressure campaign targeting Tehran. The 50 people and entities and 50 vessels blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury, along with 20 entities and 10 vessels sanctioned by the State Department on Wednesday, represent the largest punitive package against Iran since 2018, when President Donald Trump first imposed mass sanctions against Iran during his first term. In 2018, Trump pulled the United States from a landmark multinational Obama-era accord aimed at preventing Tehran from securing a nuclear weapon, and slapped sanctions on the country as part of his maximum pressure campaign that failed to bring Iran to the negotiating table on a new deal. Instead, Iran escalated its nuclear program to the point that the State Department remarked in 2022 that it would need as little as a week to produce enough weapons-grade highly enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon. Trump reinstated his maximum pressure campaign on Iran in February and has been targeting its ability to generate revenue since. He also attacked three Iranian nuclear sites last month, amid Israel's war against Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza. The sanctions unveiled Wednesday target the vast shipping network of 49-year-old Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani that the United States accuses of laundering billions in profit from the sales of Iranian and Russian crude oil and other petroleum products to buyers mostly in China. Hossein is the son of Ali Shamkhani, a top political advisor to Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and who was sanctioned by the United States in 2020. "The Shamkhani family's shipping empire highlights how the Iranian regime elites leverage their positions to accrue massive wealth and fund the regime's dangerous behavior," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. "These actions put America first by targeting regime elites that profit while Tehran threatens the safety of the United States." Bessent added on X that with Wednesday's sanctions, the United States has sanctioned more than 500 Iranian and Iran-linked targets this year. The announcement of sanctions comes a day after Iran's foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, threatened to retaliate against any new threats to its nuclear program. "If aggression is repeated, we will not hesitate to react in a more decisive manner and in a way that will be IMPOSSIBLE to cover up," he said on X on Monday. Trump claimed his strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, while others have questioned the severity of the damage.
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28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Roy Cooper enters North Carolina Senate race in win for Democrats
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) is entering the state's Senate race, a recruitment win for Democrats who hope the popular former governor will give them a strong chance in one of the most competitive races next year. He announced his intention Monday morning in a social media post that leaned into attracting middle-class voters. 'It wasn't always this hard,' he said in the video launching his bid. 'I never really wanted to go to Washington. I just wanted to serve the people of North Carolina, right here, where I've lived all my life. But these are not ordinary times,' Cooper said. Cooper's decision comes after significant speculation that he would enter following his eight years as governor in the battleground state. He'll be trying to win the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R), who announced last month that he wouldn't seek another term in office. Democrats were already hopeful about their chances of picking up the seat next year, as Tillis was seen as potentially vulnerable. He seemed to potentially be on track to lose reelection in 2020 but pulled off a narrow victory after the Democratic candidate faced controversy stemming from an affair. But party members indicated they liked their chances even more after Tillis, who sought to develop a reputation as a more independent-minded member of the GOP, announced his retirement, particularly as Cooper seemed likely to enter the race. Cooper served an unprecedented four terms as state attorney general over 16 years before he unseated then-incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory (R) to be elected governor in 2016. He won that election and reelection in 2020, by a larger margin, despite President Trump carrying the state in the presidential election in both years. Cooper touted his long background in North Carolina, working on a farm as a child with his father, who was a lawyer and farmer, and starting his family and law practice in the state. He discussed his work as attorney general and governor, balancing the budget and working with Republicans to raise teacher's pay and expand Medicaid. He attacked 'D.C. politicians' for increasing the national debt, taking away health care and cutting off aid to poor people. 'That's wrong, and I've had enough,' Cooper said. 'I have thought on it and prayed about it, and I have decided: I want to serve as your next United States senator, because, even now, I still believe our best days are ahead.' Cooper isn't the only candidate seeking the Democratic nomination. Former Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) entered the race in April, while others such as Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) have expressed interest in potentially running. But Democrats in the state previously said they expected Cooper would be the clear choice for the Democratic nomination if he runs. And Semafor reported Nickel is exploring a possible run for district attorney in Wake County with Cooper as the favorite for the Senate nomination. Despite Cooper's popularity, he will face a challenge winning in a state where Democrats haven't won a Senate race since 2008. The party has seen more success in gubernatorial races, but they have frequently fallen short in federal contests despite hope for pulling off a win. Republicans were quick to go after Cooper, with Senate Republicans' campaign arm releasing an ad hitting his record. The ad attacked him over schools being closed and in-person operations being limited in the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic, rising taxes and his veto of a ban on transgender women playing on women's sports teams, among other issues. 'Roy Cooper isn't just off course,' the narrator states. 'He's a wreck.' Joanna Rodriguez, the communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called Cooper a 'Democrat lapdog' who worked to sabotage President Trump's agenda and do former President Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris's 'bidding.' 'North Carolina wants a senator who will champion working families, safety, and American values, not an incompetent, far-left career politician like Cooper who will wreck everything they care about,' Rodriguez said. The race for the GOP nomination initially seemed wide open with Tillis out, but Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley is planning to run for the seat with support from Trump. The president's daughter-in-law, former RNC co-Chair Lara Trump, had expressed interest in running, but she announced Thursday she ruled out a bid for the seat. Whatley hasn't run for elected office previously but led the state GOP for almost five years before being tapped to lead the national party. While a few other individuals have been rumored possible candidates, including Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.) and former Ambassador to Denmark James Cain, Whatley would likely have a clear advantage for the Republican nomination. The North Carolina Senate seat is one of the two main targets for Democrats next year, along with the one held by Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R). They would realistically need to win both to have a chance at flipping the Senate in 2026 along with winning in states considered more of an uphill climb. Updated at 9:42 a.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
