Politics and views in the United States.

WV National Guard members are shot near the White House. The Georgia election interference case is dropped and 21 attorneys general sue over a new SNAP benefits rule.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We have assembled the full force of the federal and state and local law enforcement agencies to bring bare all of our resources to make sure we find the perpetrators responsible for this heinous act.

And make no mistake, they will be brought to justice.

FBI Director Kash Patel is promising quick action on the reportedly targeted shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House.

One suspect is in custody and is reportedly wounded, though a search is ongoing.

The guard members were part of a deployment for crime reduction.

In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump said the shooters "will pay a very steep price in his ordering more guards be deployed to Washington."

A federal judge recently ruled Trump's deployment of the National Guard there for crime deterrence was illegal, given the district's historic low levels of crime.

The impact of the decision was postponed to give the administration time to appeal.

City officials are cooperating on the shooting.

At the same time, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says she won't seek a fourth term, likely meaning a fierce battle to succeed her.

Bowser guided the city through the pandemic and had some success on economic development, but more recently sparred with Trump.

She says the mayor of Washington has to work with a sometimes difficult but ever-changing federal leadership.

"We tell them who we are.

We keep coming.

We tell them how they can help.

And we tell them how they can stay out of the way.

They don't always listen, but that's always our approach."

A supporter of D.C. statehood, she says she would consider running for governor if that succeeds but wouldn't seek the city's congressional delegate seat.

Current Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton is being asked to step aside after serving for more than three decades.

Meanwhile, the Georgia election interference case against Trump and much of his inner circle is being dropped at the request of its new prosecutor.

The case suffered setbacks, including the scandal caused by the previous prosecutor engaging in an affair with one of her colleagues.

Attorneys general from 21 states are suing the Trump administration for cutting SNAP funding for immigrants and asylum seekers who've obtained legal status.

They argue the new USDA guidance saying those groups aren't eligible is unlawful.

California AG Rob Bonta says it puts a vital lifeline at risk at a time when families struggle to put food on the table.

It helps families get groceries, it keeps children fed, it keeps people afloat during hard times.

It's one of the most essential anti-hunger programs in the United States.

And once again, the Trump administration is putting that lifeline at risk.

A federal court has ruled North Carolina can use a Republican-friendly district map for the midterms.

That could net the GOP one more seat in Congress, the objective of Trump's redistricting requests.

Ohioans may face new restrictions voting in next year's midterms, including no more grace period for returning absentee ballots post-election day.

Mike DeWine will soon decide whether to sign a bill pushed through the GOP-led legislature.

It would only allow election offices to count absentee ballots if they arrived before polls close on Election Day.

The grace period had already been whittled down to four days.

And Jen Miller of the League of Women Voters of Ohio says it would be logistically hard for local administrators to make another adjustment and inform voters.

It is highly likely that a lot of voters will go into the next election cycle and have no idea that these rules have changed.

And then their ballots are going to get thrown out.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.