A Pittsburgh constituent has filed a formal ethics complaint against Rep. Summer Lee's office, alleging her director of operations used a popular Instagram account and House resources to campaign for progressive candidates and amplify a post calling for federal agents to carry out extrajudicial killings. Jeremy Kazzaz, a Pittsburgh resident and Lee constituent, filed the […] The post Rep. Summer Lee faces ethics complaint over staffer's use of Instagram account to promote progressive candidates appeared first on American Almanac .
A Pittsburgh constituent has filed a formal ethics complaint against Rep. Summer Lee's office, alleging her director of operations used a popular Instagram account and House resources to campaign for progressive candidates and amplify a post calling for federal agents to carry out extrajudicial killings. Jeremy Kazzaz, a Pittsburgh resident and Lee constituent, filed the complaint with the House Ethics Committee on July 22, 2026, targeting both Lee, a Pennsylvania Democrat aligned with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's progressive faction, and her staffer Philip Bennett. Bennett serves as Lee's director of operations and controls the "Dear White Staffers" Instagram account, which has close to half a million followers. The account began as…Open
Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee stormed out midway through a briefing from Attorney General Pam Bondi enraged and raising the threat of an impeachment or contempt of Congress effort against her. Why it matters: Bondi has emerged as Democrats' top target for Democrats after the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem , a status that was further solidified on Wednesday. - "She is building a record," Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), an Oversight Committee member, told Axios outside the hearing. - "She basically set up a fake hearing under the guise of a briefing, she has defied subpoenas that we've put out already and then she has continued to be evasive and combative with us." Driving the news: Bondi briefed…
Top Democrats instructed members not to interrupt President Trump's State of the Union speech next Tuesday — so instead they're planning individualized responses to show opposition to his agenda. Why it matters: Fresh off a slew of reassuring election wins , Democrats are trying to mobilize every faction of their coalition before the midterms — but a range of messages could dilute their impact. State of play: As Axios previously reported , members are tailoring their approaches, though the common thread is to challenge Trump. - Some plan to deliver direct addresses or attend counter-rallies, including Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). - Others, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), will…
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) has been tapped to give the progressive Working Families Party's response to President Trump's State of the Union this year, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The spot is given to lawmakers seen as rising stars on the left. Past speakers include Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). - Lee "is the kind of leader this moment demands," Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell said in a statement first shared with Axios. - "She's fearless, rooted in working-class communities, and unafraid to take on both MAGA extremism and corporate power." What they're saying: Lee , a former state legislator first elected to her Pittsburgh-based seat in 2022, said in…
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) reportedly told donors that Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy would support his potential 2028 presidential bid.WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senator Ted Cruz, Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, local news companies Ruddy is trying to cripple, and Vice President J.D. Vance as a likely 2028 presidential candidate.WHEN & WHERE: Cruz’s comments were […] The post Cruz Brags Newsmax CEO Ruddy, Seeking to Cripple Local News, Will Endorse Him in 2028. appeared first on The National Pulse .
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) reportedly told donors that Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy would support his potential 2028 presidential bid. WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senator Ted Cruz, Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, local news companies Ruddy is trying to cripple, and Vice President J.D. Vance as a likely 2028 presidential candidate. WHEN & WHERE: Cruz’s comments were reportedly made at a fundraiser late last year; Ruddy is set to testify before Cruz’s Senate committee on Tuesday. KEY QUOTE: “Neither [Chris Ruddy] nor Newsmax have made any pledge of support for any candidate in 2028,” said a Newsmax spokesman. IMPACT: Ruddy’s endorsement, if it materializes, could provide Cruz with a significant media platform, with Cruz…Open