A Manafort-sized cloud Hangs Over Washington

“I didn’t eat my dog. I didn’t shoot my dog. I loved my dog, and my dog loved me.” — Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), quoted by HuffPost, dismissing comparisons to Gov. Kristi Noem (R).

“A panel of federal judges has tossed out Louisiana’s new congressional map, striking the state’s second majority-Black district just months after it was signed into law,” Politico reports. “The ruling, if it stands, could be a win for Republicans, since Democrats were almost certain to win the newly drawn district.”

Tim Kennedy (D) is projected to win the special election for New York’s 26th congressional district, the Washington Post reports. “When Kennedy is sworn in as a member of the House Democratic conference, it will temporarily shave the chamber’s Republican majority to one seat, leaving a small margin for error for party-line agenda items.”

“Hundreds of police officers in riot gear marched onto the campus of Columbia University in Upper Manhattan late Tuesday, where protesters had occupied a campus building, as clashes over the war in Gaza continued to escalate at American universities,” the New York Times reports.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem will headline a fundraising dinner for the Jefferson County Republican Party on Saturday despite backlash over a section in her soon-to-be-released book where she describes killing her dog over behavioral problems. The anecdote from Noem’s new book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” was first reported last week by The Guardian. Noem took her 14-month-old wirehaird pointer, Cricket, on a hunting trip with older dogs to try to calm the dog down, according to the Associated Press. But when Cricket killed some chickens during a stop on the return trip and tried to bite Noem, Noem took Cricket to a gravel pit and killed her. The incident took place 20 years ago, but Noem’s retelling sparked criticism from Republicans, Democrats and dog experts alike, the Associated Press reported. Noem addressed the backlash in a post on social media site X, stating the decision was difficult but she has “never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle.” Noem was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota in 2018 and “is on President Trump’s short list for Vice President,” organizers wrote on an event page. The $150-per-person fundraiser is set for 6 p.m.

The Denver City Council has approved a $30 million contract with ASM Global to manage stagehand staffing at Red Rocks and other city venues after discussing concerns about the company’s compliance with city wage laws. That unanimous vote was taken Monday after some council members warned that they planned to keep an eye on ASM and other city contractors to ensure those companies adhere to local wage rules. Councilwoman Sarah Parady, a labor attorney, postponed a final vote on the contract at the council’s April 22 meeting and then called it out for comments before the final vote.