AGP Executive Report

Election Oversight: A federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s bid to set aside more than 20,000 California ballots over unproven citizenship claims, calling the effort unprecedented interference in state election procedures days before the midterms. Public Health: CVS agreed to pay $315 million to resolve federal allegations that it filled invalid opioid and other controlled-substance prescriptions and billed government health programs; the settlement also requires stronger safeguards. Cybersecurity: A vulnerability attack compromised 25 firewalls and servers, including systems linked to a U.S. government-affiliated organization, according to security researchers. Federal Lands: The National Park Service plans to close East Potomac Park’s public golf course on Nov. 15 for a proposed overhaul, despite ongoing litigation and a court order restricting damaging work. Trade Enforcement: DHS added three Chinese genomics companies to a forced-labor sanctions list, barring their goods from U.S. entry unless importers meet strict legal requirements.

Election Oversight: The Justice Department plans to send monitors to Louisville and Lexington polling places on Nov. 3. Meanwhile, a federal judge is weighing the government’s challenge to as many as 20,000 California ballots, adding to scrutiny of federal involvement in the midterms. Federal Courts: A judge ruled that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor and barred him from overseeing two cases; the Justice Department is expected to appeal. Disaster Policy: FEMA’s future role remains unsettled as officials discuss shifting more disaster costs to states. Louisiana’s emergency preparedness chief said federal guidance outlines “what” may change but not “how.” State Government: West Virginia launched an online permitting portal ahead of schedule, letting businesses apply for permits, pay fees and track applications across several agencies. Local Ballots: Wisconsin voters will decide state and congressional races alongside school funding and a proposed $32.3 million county jail referendum.

Election Oversight: A federal appeals court rejected the DOJ’s bid to set aside roughly 20,000 California ballots, a setback for the administration’s election challenge just a week before midterms. State Budgets: Missouri’s auditor race is turning on projected shortfalls: both candidates say audits could uncover savings, as the state’s projected $5.8 billion surplus shrinks toward $600 million by fiscal 2027’s end. Health Care: Federal policy changes could leave nearly 40,000 people on California’s Central Coast without coverage and raise costs for thousands more, local health leaders warn. Corporate Transparency: A coalition of 21 attorneys general sued to block the Treasury Department’s rollback of company ownership reporting, arguing it could hamper investigations into fraud and money laundering. Immigration Courts: The Supreme Court left in place a policy barring immigration judges from temporarily pausing deportation cases while a legal challenge proceeds.

Election Oversight: A federal judge is expected to rule by Wednesday on the Justice Department’s bid to block certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race. Courts have rejected the administration’s push to remove 20,000 California ballots, while DOJ is seeking to set aside more than 400 Washington ballots it says may belong to noncitizens. Federal Accountability: Alex Pretti’s parents say the government has withheld information about the nurse’s fatal shooting by federal agents and are demanding accountability. Census Policy: The U.S. bishops’ conference urged the Census Bureau to withdraw a proposed rule limiting the 2030 apportionment count to citizens and lawful permanent residents, warning it could affect representation and federal funding. Cybersecurity: CISA’s new 2030 strategy shifts toward finding and removing attackers from critical infrastructure networks before they cause disruption. Health Oversight: Records obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation raise fresh questions about Medicare’s AI prior-authorization pilot, including safeguards against inappropriate care denials.

Public Lands: A federal judge extended a block on Trump’s renovation of Washington’s historic East Potomac Golf Course after workers cut down at least 400 trees, citing the risk of irreversible damage. Justice Department: A judge ruled that prosecutor Maurene Comey was unlawfully fired and ordered her reinstated, finding the DOJ violated her due-process rights. Election Oversight: The Ninth Circuit dismissed the administration’s emergency bid to set aside 20,000 California ballots, saying the lower court had not had enough time to consider the request. Separately, DOJ plans to send election monitors to two Kentucky counties for the Nov. 3 vote. Immigration: An advocacy organizer told the Guardian that a Cuban detainee with diabetes and acute pancreatitis was told he could be deported to Africa after Mexico refused to accept him. Federal Authority: The Ninth Circuit upheld a ruling blocking Trump’s federalization of California National Guard troops, finding the administration lacked statutory authority.

Executive Accountability: A federal judge ruled that the Justice Department unlawfully fired former prosecutor Maurene Comey, ordering her retroactive reinstatement and back pay. Election Oversight: A federal appeals court questioned the Trump administration’s bid to set aside 20,000 California ballots, while the Justice Department says it will send election monitors to Louisiana and all 50 states. Education Funding: Rep. Paul Tonko warned that proposed changes to Head Start could cut funding and weaken standards for a program serving more than 500,000 young children. Nonprofit Oversight: A Minneapolis investigation found a city-funded violence-prevention nonprofit’s CEO pay rose to $246,000 as an audit flagged weak oversight of contracts worth about $1.5 million. Health Policy: The FDA dropped routine tuberculosis testing before Skyrizi treatment, following guidance from the National Psoriasis Foundation and other medical experts.

Election Oversight: A federal appeals court appeared skeptical of the Justice Department’s bid to block 20,000 California ballots, while DOJ separately demanded Fresno County identify noncitizens on voter rolls. Campaign 2026: Democrat Bob Harvie narrowly leads Republican Brian Fitzpatrick in a closely watched Pennsylvania House race, according to a new poll. AI and Local Government: Nearly three-quarters of Americans oppose new data centers in their communities, with voters citing concerns about power bills, water and neighborhood impacts. New Jersey, meanwhile, is launching a $125 million public-private computing initiative for colleges. U.S. and Brazil: Lula’s reelection keeps Latin America’s largest economy at odds with President Trump’s regional agenda, despite U.S. tariff pressure. Guam’s Political Status: Washington called for ending the U.N. decolonization committee, drawing concern that silence from Guam’s leaders could be seen as acceptance. Public Services: Public libraries are drawing more visitors as expanding programs meet community needs amid cuts to other resources.

Election Oversight: The Justice Department is defending its lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s Senate results if the Republican incumbent loses, while a separate DOJ push to set aside California ballots from suspected noncitizens faces an appeals-court hearing. Federal Accountability: A judge ruled that DOGE’s access to federal personnel data violated privacy law, raising fresh questions about safeguards for government records. Immigration and Courts: The 5th Circuit ruled that some immigrants can be detained indefinitely without bond hearings, a decision affecting more than 20,000 people held in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Health Care: Medicaid cuts set to take effect after the midterms and expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies are putting health care at the center of Iowa’s close races, with rural hospitals and safety-net clinics bracing for strain.

Election Oversight: The Justice Department says it identified just 28 people in California who may have voted illegally, even as it presses counties to set aside ballots from suspected noncitizens. State and local officials are resisting the demand, now before an appeals court. Alaska Senate Race: The DOJ is also suing to block certification if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, arguing a same-name candidate could confuse voters. Mary Peltola’s campaign and Senate Democrats are seeking to dismiss the suit. Voter Rolls: Michigan officials stopped an Antrim County clerk’s effort to remove more than 1,600 voters, some on inaccurate grounds, after state election officials said her actions violated state law. Federal Lands and Local Voice: Guam is asking the federal government to pause a planned seabed-mining lease sale until the island can review the proposal and weigh in. Campaign Finance: Montana voters will consider a ballot measure that would bar corporations from spending in state elections, including through nonprofits and unions.

Election Integrity: The Justice Department is pressing California counties to set aside ballots from voters it suspects are noncitizens, threatening prosecution if officials count them. The administration has also sued to block certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican Dan Sullivan loses; Trump said he ordered the lawsuit. Public Finance: Wisconsin’s Medicaid funding is rising by about $1 billion a year, but hospitals pay the state’s share through a sharply increased tax, and federal cuts are scheduled to begin in 2028. Cybersecurity: A newly discovered flaw in PHP, software used by an estimated 70% of websites, has prompted urgent warnings from federal agencies as hackers try to exploit it; government websites have been forced offline. Local Government: St. Mary’s County, Maryland, accepted an $800,000 Justice Department grant for a sheriff’s mobile command vehicle, with no local match required.

Election Battles: The Justice Department sued Alaska to block certification of its Senate race if Republican Dan Sullivan loses, while Trump said he ordered the case. In California, federal officials sought to set aside ballots from 20,000 voters over eligibility claims; a federal judge separately halted the administration’s noncitizen-voter investigations in Washington state. Voting Access: DOJ plans to send election monitors to Utah and Washington’s King County, as the Supreme Court upheld New Hampshire’s ban on student IDs for voter registration and ballots. Federal Oversight: A federal appeals court rejected the administration’s claim that it needed to federalize California’s National Guard, affirming a lower-court ruling against the deployment. Diplomatic Security: U.S. intelligence warned that alleged Iranian plots against American personnel had reached advanced stages; Washington is reducing staff at four Middle East embassies. Justice Department: Two former senior FBI officials were charged with lying to Congress about the bureau’s Hunter Biden investigations; both deny the allegations.

Election Battles: President Trump said he directed the Justice Department to sue over Alaska’s Senate race, seeking to block certification if a second candidate named Dan Sullivan stays on the ballot. The move adds to federal-state clashes over election rules; the Supreme Court also cleared New Hampshire to bar student IDs at the polls. AI Oversight: A Government Accountability Office report found Pentagon AI projects don’t always follow the department’s own guidelines, raising concerns as the military expands autonomous weapons work. Public Benefits: A Justice Department and USDA enforcement push targeted more than 40 defendants over alleged or proven schemes involving nearly $45 million in losses, including about $42 million tied to SNAP. Public Service: The administration dropped its appeal of a ruling blocking a rule that could have stripped loan-forgiveness eligibility from government and nonprofit workers. Cybersecurity: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered a statewide plan to prevent and respond to cyberattacks, including those enabled by AI.

Election Oversight: Federal judges have blocked or curtailed Trump administration investigations into noncitizen voters in several states, citing flawed data. Separately, the Justice Department plans to send about 1,000 monitors to the Nov. 3 polls, but most have no authority to enter polling places or override state rules. Immigration Enforcement: More than two dozen California residents face voter-fraud charges, though some say they did not know they were registered and prosecutors have not accused several of casting ballots. Many were seeking citizenship. U.S.–Canada Relations: The U.S. Embassy accused Canadian officials of trying to influence the midterms; Prime Minister Mark Carney and other leaders denied the claims, adding tension to already strained relations. Nonprofit Sector: The Ford Foundation says it will put greater weight behind democracy, a significant shift from one of the world’s largest grantmakers.

Election Oversight: Washington and 20 other states, plus D.C., are backing California against a federal lawsuit targeting more than 20,000 voters alleged to be noncitizens. The administration has not explained how it identified them, while a judge flagged error risks in related federal voter searches. USPS is urging voters to mail ballots early. Democracy Funding: The Dayton-based Kettering Foundation, with $594 million and a mission to protect democracy, says its work is increasingly urgent as more Americans express concern about the state of U.S. democracy. Public-Sector AI: A $1.1 million grant will help Oklahoma and Virginia assess how AI could reshape government jobs, hiring and workforce skills. Safety Net: New Jersey says federal rule changes could cost more than 300,000 residents Medicaid coverage and leave some legal immigrants without benefits they once qualified for. Senate Campaign: Illinois candidates Juliana Stratton and Don Tracy clashed over Trump, affordability and taxes in their only forum, with Stratton entering the final stretch as the favored candidate.

Election Oversight: Judges are pushing back on federal efforts to scrutinize voter rolls, citing flawed data; a California review also found U.S.-born citizens on a list of suspected noncitizen voters. Federal Data: A judge ruled the Office of Personnel Management unlawfully shared millions of employee records with DOGE, raising fresh questions about access to sensitive government data. Worker Protections: Instacart will pay $5 million to resolve federal allegations that its hiring practices favored visa holders over U.S. workers; most of the settlement is set aside for affected or deterred applicants. Immigration and Legal Aid: Seattle University law students are helping people held at Tacoma’s Northwest Detention Center challenge their detention in federal court. Safety-Net Programs: Head Start supporters warn proposed federal changes could put vital services for Pennsylvania children at risk.

Immigration: The State Department says the Trump administration has revoked more than 300,000 visas since January 2025, a sharp rise from the 175,000 reported in August. Supreme Court: The court rejected the administration’s emergency bid to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender federal prisoners, leaving a lower-court block in place while the case continues. Election Oversight: Reports that U.S. citizens were mistakenly flagged as ineligible to vote in California and Arizona raise questions about federal and local voter-list checks ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. AI-generated campaign mailers are also appearing in Wisconsin races. Federal Accountability: A government watchdog found the Pentagon’s AI oversight office understaffed as the department expands its use of the technology. HRSA’s planned 340B drug-rebate pilot, set for 2027, faces legal and legislative challenges over costs and administrative burdens for hospitals.