TLT Explains

California Overview

By The Liberty Tribune Staff

Published: 9/16/2025 · Updated: 9/16/2025 · 5 min read

A recent poll indicates that a significant majority of California voters favor maintaining an independent redistricting commission, which Governor Gavin Newsom is reportedly seeking to bypass.

What's happening

California Overview — A recent report has raised alarms about potential censorship tactics being employed by political activists in the U.K. and their implications for free speech in the United States. The investigation by Paul Holden, published in Drop Site News, details a campaign linked to the Labour Party aimed at demonetizing news outlets deemed unfavorable, including The Federalist. Explainer California Overview The campaign reportedly involved the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a British nonprofit that has been accused of targeting various media outlets. According to Holden, CCDH collaborated with NBC News and Google to blacklist The Federalist during the 2020 presidential campaign. "The attacks on Breitbart were part of a targeted campaign against media outlets on both the left and right considered hostile to the centrist faction of the Labour Party," Holden noted. During this period, Google banned the website ZeroHedge from its advertising platform and warned The Federalist that it might face similar consequences. This action followed a report from CCDH, which claimed that several U.S.-based websites were publishing racist content related to protests. NBC News played a role in notifying Google about CCDH's findings, which some critics argue was a politically motivated effort to silence dissenting voices. Morgan McSweeney, chief of staff to U.K. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is facing scrutiny after the Department of War announced that he could be recalled to active duty for court-martial proceedings due to his involvement in a controversial video dubbed the "Seditious Six." The video features Kelly and other Democratic lawmakers encouraging military personnel to disregard orders from President Donald Trump, their commander-in-chief.

What's at stake

War Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that while five of the individuals in the video do not fall under the Department of War's jurisdiction, Kelly, as a retired Navy Commander, remains subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Explainer Supreme Court Questions Legality of Trump's Emergency Tariffs In the video, Kelly asserted, "Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders," without specifying which orders he deemed illegal. This statement has raised its implications within the military, as it could be interpreted as a politically motivated influence operation. Kelly's actions are not new; he has a history of decisions that critics argue undermine . Earlier this year, during a Senate confirmation hearing for Air Force nominee Dan Caine, Kelly defended former Joint Chiefs Chair Mark Milley, who is under investigation for allegedly reassuring Chinese officials about U.S. Kelly's defense of Milley, rather than condemnation, has drawn criticism from various quarters. Moreover, Kelly's ties to entities linked to the Chinese Communist Party have also come under scrutiny. The recent Transgender Day of Remembrance highlighted ongoing tensions surrounding transgender issues, particularly in the context of media coverage and political discourse. Critics argue that the left, including major media outlets, remains deeply invested in promoting transgender ideology despite growing opposition from conservative circles.

Explainer Trump Administration Reassesses Approach to Sanctuary Officials During the Trump Administration, significant strides were made against transgender policies, including the International Olympic Committee's decision to ban male athletes from competing in women's sports. This move was reportedly influenced by pressure from former President Trump, who has also criticized Kamala Harris's support for transgender medical procedures for detained migrants, a stance that some believe contributed to her campaign's struggles. The recently published an editorial responding to an updated report from the Department of Health and Human Services on the treatment of gender dysphoria. In a separate CNN article, the network memorialized eight transgender individuals who died in the past year, framing their stories within the context of violence and societal challenges faced by the transgender community. The piece suggested that the 's policies have contributed to the struggles of transgender Americans, stating, "For transgender Americans, this year’s memorials will take on particular poignance, as the Trump administration and conservative lawmakers have taken great strides to restrict how they can live publicly and privately." Critics argue that such narratives often lack substantiated evidence linking violence against transgender individuals to political opposition. California Governor Gavin Newsom has faced criticism following the recent approval of a congressional map that some experts argue is racially motivated. The editorial questioned the ethics of subjecting adolescents to hormonal and surgical interventions, stating, "it is not ethical to subject adolescents to hormonal and surgical interventions … until and unless the state of the evidence suggests a favorable risk/benefit profile for the studied intervention." This statement has drawn attention for its implications regarding the treatment of minors. CNN's Leah Asmelash expressed confusion over the 's stance on "gender ideology" and "trans ideology," questioning the meaning of these terms. She noted, "What does that mean?" This reflects a broader uncertainty within some media circles regarding the implications of current political rhetoric surrounding transgender issues. What to watch next is whether new filings, agency actions, votes, or court decisions change the timeline—and how officials respond in the weeks ahead.

Why it matters

The coverage highlights: Supreme Court Allows Texas to Implement New Congressional Map. The coverage highlights: Concerns Rise Over Political Censorship Tactics in the U.S. and U.K.. The coverage highlights: Suit: California's Race-Based Gerrymandering Is Unconstitutional. The coverage highlights: Undermining National Security Is Nothing New For Mark Kelly. The coverage highlights: Comey, James Escape Justice For Now Thanks To 'Partisan Judge'. The coverage highlights: Media and Left's Continued Focus on Transgender Issues Amid Controversy.

Key facts & context

2025-12-05: Supreme Court Allows Texas to Implement New Congressional Map. 2025-12-04: Concerns Rise Over Political Censorship Tactics in the U.S. and U.K.. 2025-12-03: Suit: California's Race-Based Gerrymandering Is Unconstitutional. 2025-11-25: Undermining National Security Is Nothing New For Mark Kelly. 2025-11-25: Comey, James Escape Justice For Now Thanks To 'Partisan Judge'. 2025-11-21: Media and Left's Continued Focus on Transgender Issues Amid Controversy. 2025-11-21: Why California's Race-Based House Maps Will Fail. 2025-11-05: California Passes Proposition 50 to Redistrict Congressional Map. 2025-09-30: Political Rhetoric Raises Concerns Over Violence in U.S.. 2025-09-03: Democrats Engage in Speculation Amid Political Uncertainty.

Timeline & key developments

Primary sources

Www.fec — fec.gov