By STEPHEN GROVES and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press
Resignations came quickly this week from two congressmen accused of sexual misconduct toward staff members. Yet for many of the women of Capitol Hill, the moment of accountability was years in the making — and far from enough. Reps. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, and Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, both made announcements within hours on Monday afternoon that they would be stepping down from Congress. Yet some congresswomen said that the pair of resignations took too long and only showed that Congress must do more work to rid Capitol Hill of sexual predators.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision to step aside after nearly four decades in Congress kicks off a wide-open contest to replace her at a time when her home city of San Francisco is roiled in debate about what its future should look like. Pelosi announced Thursday she will not seek reelection next year. The race to replace her is unfolding as her deeply Democratic and famously liberal district — which encompasses virtually all of San Francisco — is contending with soaring housing costs and conflict over whether denser development is the answer to them.
By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press
Updated
Democrats are calling on President Donald Trump to get more involved with negotiations to end the government shutdown. Trump is showing no interest in interjecting in the fight that has stretched through three weeks with little movement. Republican leadership in Congress is hoping it stays that way, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune reiterating Thursday that negotiations are possible "once the government opens up." But some in Trump's party are expressing frustration with the lack of movement. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she thinks some in the Trump administration are happy that the role of Congress is being diminished.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says he won't resign his post, despite pressure from some in the party after he voted to move forward with Republican spending legislation that avoided a government shutdown. Schumer said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, "Look, I'm not stepping down." The New York senator's move has sparked outrage from some Democrats and progressive activists who protested at Schumer's office, calling on him to resign his position. Schumer's critics have pushed for him face a primary challenge — perhaps from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
By JILL COLVIN, DARLENE SUPERVILLE and BILL BARROW Associated Press
The presidential campaign comes down to a final sprint across a handful of states on the eve of Election Day. This year's race has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts. Kamala Harris is spending all of Monday in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the Electoral College outcome. Donald Trump is making four stops in three states, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan. He'll end in Grand Rapids, where he completed his first two campaigns.
