Oregon considers transportation tax hike on EVs to save government jobs



In an effort to prevent mass layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (D) is proposing a new, mandatory tax program for electric vehicles. While Republicans say the governor's proposal would be unnecessary if the state managed its money well, the tax proposal is set to be considered today in a special session announced last month.

Oregon is attempting to fill a $354 million budget gap for transportation infrastructure construction and repairs, possibly resulting from vehicles becoming more fuel-efficient.

'We invite Democrats to join us in funding essential services without raising taxes, to stand with Oregonians who cannot afford to shoulder more costs.'

“This could still be prevented today, without a special session, if Democrats made the decision to use existing revenue from the emergency board. We can still protect these jobs without raising taxes — and we should,” Oregon House Republican Leader Christine Drazan said last month. "We invite Democrats to join us in funding essential services without raising taxes, to stand with Oregonians who cannot afford to shoulder more costs.”

RELATED: Out of juice: Only 5% of US car buyers want an electric vehicle

Christine Drazan, former Oregon gubernatorial candidate and current House Republican Leader.Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images

The proposal, according to the AP, includes an EV road-usage charge that is equivalent to 5% of the state’s gas tax. It also includes raising the gas tax by six cents to 46 cents per gallon, among other fee increases.

EV drivers would be required to enroll in a pay-per-mile system based on road usage. They could either pay 2.3 cents per mile or a flat $340 annual fee, with a break-even point just under 14,800 miles per year.

ODOT policy adviser Scott Boardman said drivers would have several options for the government to track their mileage, including a smartphone app and the vehicle's telematics technology.

Oregon's existing system, OReGO, which was launched on July 1, 2015, is currently a voluntary program. Kotek's proposal would mark a departure from this system by making it mandatory. Skeptics warn that this may discourage car buyers from considering buying electric vehicles in the future, with the program set to take effect starting in 2027 and extending to hybrids in 2028.

If it passes, Oregon will join Hawaii as the only states to begin a mandatory pay-per-mile program for electric vehicles. Oregon lawmakers will debate and vote on the bill, which requires a supermajority in both the House and Senate to pass.

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Democrats Can’t Take A Joke, So They’re Trying To Outlaw Free Speech

Sen. Amy Klobuchar wants you to know it was not her saying such 'vulgar and absurd' things. And she wants to punish the people who do.

Disney Ditches Lilo And Stitch’s Core Message Of ‘Ohana’ For The Sake Of Feminism

This new interpretation of the 2002 cult film has a brand-new ending that changes the story's message.

Hawaii Sues Oil Industry for Causing Climate Change—But Spares State's Largest Refiner Whose Executives Donate to Dems

The State of Hawaii filed a major lawsuit against a dozen major oil companies and the nation's largest oil industry group, accusing them of marketing and selling products that have caused higher temperatures, increased sea levels, more frequent flooding, coastal erosion, and more intense heat waves.

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Trump Admin Sues Michigan and Hawaii Over States' Plans To Pursue Climate Damages From Oil and Gas Industry

The Trump administration is suing both Michigan and Hawaii over the states' plans to take oil companies to court over their alleged role in causing global warming and environmental damage. In complaints filed late Wednesday, federal prosecutors said the two states' planned actions against the oil and gas industry would directly counter the Trump administration's […]

The post Trump Admin Sues Michigan and Hawaii Over States' Plans To Pursue Climate Damages From Oil and Gas Industry appeared first on .

Dems Collide As Sen. Brian Schatz Joins Whip Race

'It’s a mistake'

Anesthesiologist accused of trying to toss his wife off 'must-visit' Hawaiian cliff, charged with attempted murder



An anesthesiologist is accused of attempting to kill his wife by trying to throw her off a picturesque cliff in Hawaii, according to reports.

Dr. Gerhardt Konig — a 46-year-old anesthesiologist from Maui — was charged Wednesday with second-degree attempted murder of his wife.

'Arielle expressed that she did not feel comfortable taking a picture with him that close to the edge, so she declined and began to walk back.'

The doctor and 36-year-old wife — Arielle Konig — had been married since 2018 but had been struggling with their relationship for the last few months, KITV-TV reported.

She claimed her husband accused her of cheating on him in December.

The New York Post reported that the pair had been "participating in both couples and individual therapy and counseling" in an attempt to salvage their marriage.

Therapy reportedly helped the couple's relationship, and Gerhardt allegedly planned a weekend getaway to Oahu to celebrate Arielle's 36th birthday.

The couple arrived in Maui on March 23, according to court filings.

The next day, Arielle said her husband suggested that they hike a trail near the Nu’uanu Pali Lookout.

"This breathtaking viewpoint, perched 1,200 feet above sea level, offers sweeping views of the lush Windward Coast, the turquoise waters of Kāne‘ohe Bay, and the picturesque town of Kailua," according to Hawaii.com. "It’s one of the most stunning scenic stops on O‘ahu and a must-visit destination for both first-time visitors and locals alike."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, "Ms. Konig, in her court filing, noted the topography of the trail: 'narrow ridge sections with steep drop-offs on both sides.' She said she became uneasy and told her husband she didn’t want to go any farther."

Arielle told police that her husband wanted to take a photo with her at the edge of the cliff. However, she allegedly was uncomfortable with the idea, and she moved away from the cliff.

"She mentioned that while on the trail, Gerhardt was standing close to the edge and asked her to take a selfie with him,” an officer with the Honolulu Police Department said. "Arielle expressed that she did not feel comfortable taking a picture with him that close to the edge, so she declined and began to walk back."

Arielle allegedly said of her husband, "He was yelling something to the effect of, ‘Get back over there, I’m so [expletive] sick of you,’ and continued to push me."

The wife told investigators that at first she thought her husband was joking but then “quickly realized he was seriously trying to make me fall off the cliff.”

Arielle claimed that she threw herself to the ground and away from the edge of the cliff — but then Konig allegedly climbed on top of her.

Arielle — a renowned nuclear engineer — alleged that she told her husband to think about their children, ages 2 and 5.

According to court documents, Arielle said her husband grabbed a bag and pulled out two syringes then tried to inject her.

“I do not know what was in the syringe, but Gerhardt is an anesthesiologist and has access to several potentially lethal medications as part of his employment,” Arielle said.

Police immediately issued an all-points bulletin for Dr. Konig and shut down the trails during a multi-hour manhunt.

Gerhardt also was accused of grabbing a rock and bashing Arielle in the head. He allegedly tried to push her off the trail and then punched her.

The alleged assault is said to have ended only because two women on the trail heard the commotion.

The first woman — identified only as "Amanda" — told police she started walking up the trail around 10:30 a.m. and 10 minutes later allegedly heard a female screaming: "Help! Help me!"

According to the court affidavit, the woman alleged that she saw Arielle on her back "with a man on top of her hitting her on the head."

The hikers recalled Arielle shouting, "He is trying to kill me! He is hitting me in the head with a rock!"

Amanda claimed that Arielle's attacker stopped assaulting her once he realized he was being watched.

The hikers reportedly yelled that they were calling 911, and the assailant fled the crime scene.

According to the court filing, Arielle also claimed to have learned that her husband had called one of his adult children from a previous marriage on FaceTime.

Arielle alleged in the court filing that Konig told his child, "I just tried to kill Ari, but she got away."

The wife said her husband was covered in blood, and Arielle allegedly needed assistance from the hikers to go down the trail.

She was transported to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition with multiple facial and head injuries.

Police immediately issued an all-points bulletin for Dr. Konig and shut down the trails during a multi-hour manhunt.

Gerhardt was found and arrested around 6 p.m., police said.

Konig is being detained at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

His bail initially was set at $5 million. However, Arielle wrote to the judge that she is afraid for herself, her children, and the rest of her family if her husband is released, and the judge on Friday ordered him to be held without bail.

Arielle on Thursday filed a restraining order against her husband. She told the court that Gerhardt had become prone to “extreme jealousy” and “has attempted to control and monitor all of my communications.”

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Appeals court blocks DOGE records-grab ordered by lower court



A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked a lower court's order seeking records from the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency regarding its plans to significantly reduce the size of the federal government.

Earlier this month, United States District Judge Tanya Chutkan directed the DOGE to turn over the documents in response to a lawsuit filed by 14 Democratic-led states, headed by New Mexico. Additional plaintiffs included Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

'That should be the end of this ill-conceived challenge.'

The states' lawsuit claimed that the DOGE and Elon Musk violated the U.S. Constitution's Appointments Clause and separation of powers, arguing that Musk was not confirmed by the Senate. The states aimed to block the DOGE from accessing several government systems and terminating federal employees.

The complaint requested records from the department as part of the discovery process.

"Defendants argue that the 'inner workings of government' are immaterial to an Appointments Clause claim," Chutkan wrote in her decision. "The court is not convinced, but that is a legal issue appropriate for resolution after fulsome briefing. At this stage, it is sufficient that Plaintiffs' discovery requests intend to reveal the scope of DOGE's and Musk's authority."

She noted that the plaintiffs' requested materials "seek to identify DOGE personnel and the parameters of DOGE's and Musk's authority—a question central to Plaintiffs' claims."

Chutkan ordered the DOGE to produce recordings concerning "agencies, employees, legal agreements, or data management systems" pertaining to the states. The judge gave Musk and the DOGE until April 2 to comply.

On Wednesday, a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit temporarily blocked Chutkan's order, suggesting she first rule on the Trump administration's motion to dismiss before moving to discovery.

Chutkan canceled a Thursday status hearing following the appeals court's ruling.

The administration's motion to dismiss argued, "By the Complaint's own terms, the States agree that Elon Musk 'does not occupy an office of the United States'; they allege only that he wields 'de facto power.'"

"That should be the end of this ill-conceived challenge," it read. "The States' contrary view rests on conflating influence and authority."

The White House has insisted that Musk is not the head of the DOGE but a senior adviser to President Donald Trump.

Despite facing an onslaught of litigation, the DOGE has not slowed its cost-cutting efforts. On Wednesday, the DOGE applauded the Department of Labor for terminating $557 million in "America Last" grants, totaling $237 million in savings.

According to the department, the wasteful awards included $10 million for "gender equity in the Mexican workplace," over $12 million for "worker empowerment in South America," $5 million for "elevating women's participation in the workplace" in West Africa, more than $4 million for "assisting foreign migrant workers" in Malaysia, $3 million for "enhanc[ing] social security access and worker protections for internal migrant workers" in Bangladesh, another $3 million for "safe and inclusive work environments" in Lesotho, and $6.25 million for "improving respect for Worker's rights in agricultural supply chains" in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

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20 Democrat AGs sue Trump's Education Department over 'massive' staff cuts



A coalition of attorneys general from 20 states and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the Trump administration over its move to lay off nearly 50% of the Department of Education's workforce.

Earlier this week, the Education Department terminated over 1,300 employees. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the action the "first step" in President Donald Trump's "mandate" to shut down the department.

'Elected with a mandate from the American public to return education authority to the states.'

"What we did today was to take the first step of eliminating what I think is bureaucratic bloat," McMahon stated.

In February, the Education Department fired 63 probationary workers. Another 600 staffers voluntarily quit as part of the Trump administration buyout offer.

Earlier this week, a DOE spokesperson stated that the layoffs were meant to cut the department's workforce "roughly in half," adding that 131 teams would be eliminated.

"We are focusing on eliminating full teams whose operations are either redundant or not necessary for the functioning of the department," the spokesperson said.

"We're going to have these folks roll over their responsibilities by Friday, March 21. They will then go on paid administrative leave until the reduction in force is complete," the DOE official continued. "They will be teleworking from tomorrow until March 21. Then all of that is being done for safety reasons to protect the 2,183 employees that are going to remain after the [reduction in force] is complete."

The states suing the administration, the department, and McMahon included New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii, California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The Democratic attorneys general wrote in their lawsuit that the layoffs were "an effective dismantling of the Department." They argued that the Trump administration lacks the authority to eradicate the Education Department.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell stated, "Neither President Trump nor his secretary have the power to demolish a congressionally created department."

New York Attorney General Letitia James said, "This outrageous effort to leave students behind and deprive them of a quality education is reckless and illegal."

The complaint contended that the department is "essential."

"The dismantling of the Department will also result in the termination of afterschool programs," the lawsuit read. "Regardless of what alternative resources are put in the place of the Department of Education, the process of the Department's dismantling will create and has created chaos, disruption, uncertainty, delays and confusion for Plaintiff States and their residents."

Madi Biedermann, an Education Department spokesperson, declared that Trump was "elected with a mandate from the American public to return education authority to the states."

She noted that the layoffs were "strategic, internal-facing" and "will not directly impact students and families."

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Hawaii Democrats Talk a Big Game on the 'Climate Crisis.' They're Also Shielding an Oil Company Whose Execs Backed Their Campaigns

Hawaii Democrats have for years been at the forefront of the climate change movement, pushing policies designed to slash carbon emissions and stave off cataclysmic global warming. Those same officials, however, are protecting a giant oil and gas company that is likely responsible for more emissions in the state than any other company—but whose executives have donated thousands to Democrats in the state.

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