All writers

Kevin Rector

www.latimes.com
30
articles (90 days)

Recent articles

House Democrats to hold California 'shadow hearings' on midterm election security
House Democrats will hold informal hearings in California on midterm election security, following multiple threats of intervention in state-run voting by the Trump administration.
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The loophole that keeps a Trump loyalist serving as L.A.'s top federal prosecutor
While other appointees have been forced out by judges, Bill Essayli has been allowed to lead the L.A. office under the title of 'first assistant U.S. attorney.'
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Trump fires Pam Bondi after tumultuous 14-month term as attorney general
The announcement follows months of scrutiny over the Justice Department's handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking investigation that made Bondi the target of angry conservati...
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Trump speech on Iran war, recent remarks on oil, NATO, daycare costs land with a thud
Trump's meandering speech did little to assuage U.S. allies and world markets concerned about the conflict's ongoing disruptions to the global oil supply.
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In major speech, Trump says Iran war will be over 'shortly' but offers little clarity
Trump's remarks were his first formal address to the nation since the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.
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Trump signs executive order limiting mail-in ballots; California leaders say they'll fight
President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday purporting to place new federal controls on voting by mail in states such as California.
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Trump jokes, rants, talks price of pens as Iran war enters fifth week
President Trump has maintained a flippant, casual tone since the Iran war began a month ago, a vast departure from past wartime presidents.
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Trump projects confidence, claims Iran is 'begging' for deal, but war exit remains murky
While President Trump projected confidence in the U.S. war effort in Iran and claimed Iranian leaders were "begging" for a deal to end it, a path out of the conflict remained unclear.
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Trump delays promised attacks on Iran, claiming negotiations to end war. Iran denies talks
President Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. and Iran have begun negotiations.
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U.S. officials face growing concern about Iran war escalating amid energy facility attacks
Iran has intensified its attacks on oil and gas facilities around the Persian Gulf, sending shock waves through the global economy.
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'Cannot in good conscience': Trump's counterterrorism chief quits over Iran war
Joe Kent, a Trump appointee to lead the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned Tuesday, saying he could not back the administration's war in Iran.
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Iran's top security official killed in airstrike, Israel says
Israel said Tuesday that Iran's top security official and the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij militia were both killed in overnight strikes.
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Trump's war rhetoric is coarse. It's also heard differently, depending on the audience
President Trump and other administration officials have projected confidence and power in Iran in a coarse tone that is unprecedented, according to experts in wartime rhetoric.
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400 million barrels of oil to be released from strategic reserves as Iran targets commercial ships
Attacks on multiple commercial ships around Iran on Wednesday increased global energy concerns and pushed nations to unleash strategic oil reserves.
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U.S. and Israeli war in Iran, which Trump says will be 'short term,' has global reach
In less than two weeks, the Trump administration has instigated a truly global conflict, and with no clear path to resolution.
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Trump says U.S. ground troops in Iran 'possible' as Iran rejects ceasefire possibilities
Trump declined to rule out the possibility of sending U.S. forces inside Iran, saying it could 'possibly happen' as the conflict intensifies.
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After week of war and political upheaval, Trump remains defiant as ever
In the last week, Trump has instigated or been forced to navigate a stunning cascade of political threats, but has remained defiant, sounding more unbothered than embattled.
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Hegseth says U.S. is 'accelerating' war on Iran, but strike at Turkey won't trigger NATO
The U.S. war effort against Iran was gaining momentum Wednesday, top U.S. officials said. A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship.
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Sen. Padilla preps for Trump trying to seize control of elections via emergency order
Padilla sent a letter to his Senate colleagues saying that any election takeover order by Trump would be 'wildly illegal and unconstitutional.'
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Vulnerable Republicans in California's redrawn congressional districts back war in Iran
Republicans facing tough reelection fights in this year's midterms are backing President Trump's attacks on Iran, which are unpopular, according to recent polling.
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'Imminent threat' or 'war of choice'? Trump justifies Iran attack as Democrats raise doubt
President Trump justified attacking Iran without congressional approval by claiming the Iranian regime presented an 'imminent' threat to the U.S., which Democrats questioned.
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News Analysis: Trump threw some elbows in his speech, but hardly beat back his critics
President Trump's nearly two-hour State of the Union speech was laced with political broadsides blaming Democrats for the nation's major problems.
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Trump projects power but heads weakened into a season of tough political challenges
President Trump is in a precarious position with the 2026 midterm elections just ahead, but he and his supporters express confidence.
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Takeaways from Trump's State of the Union address
President Trump struck a confident and defiant tone in a nearly two-hour State of the Union speech.
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California's Congress members' plans for Trump's State of the Union address
California has the nation's largest congressional delegation, so its elected officials frequently have an outsized presence in the nation's capital.
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Trans athletes face intense efforts to sideline them. These California teens are resisting
Several California teenagers have found themselves at the center of an intense national debate around transgender kids participating in school sports. They aren't backing down.
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Voter trust in U.S. elections drops amid Trump critiques, redistricting, fear of ICE
Voter trust in U.S. elections has declined across party lines ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new poll.
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Judge blocks Trump administration move to cut $600 million in HIV funding from states
A federal judge granted California and other states a temporary restraining order halting the administration's health funding cuts for 14 days while the litigation continues.
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California, other states sue over Trump administration's latest cuts to HIV programs
California and three other states sued the Trump administration Wednesday over its plans to slash $600 million from programs designed to prevent and track the spread of HIV, including in the LGBTQ+...
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Super Bowl LX fans will enjoy nice weather for kickoff
Nice weather is on tap for Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, where clouds and fog should clear before kickoff at 3:30 this afternoon.
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