Reuters US Domestic News Summary

The Republican-controlled chamber first voted 219-210 on a gun rights bill favored by McCarthy's hardline critics, under an agreement the two sides reached late on Monday, before moving on to the first of four measures that were sidelined last week. Explainer-What happens next in the Trump documents case? Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to federal criminal charges that he unlawfully kept national-security documents when he left office and lied to officials who sought to recover them.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US House resumes passing bills amid Republican infighting

The U.S. House of Representatives returned to the job of legislating on Tuesday, after a week-long standoff between Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a small group of hardline Republican conservatives ended in a temporary truce. The Republican-controlled chamber first voted 219-210 on a gun rights bill favored by McCarthy's hardline critics, under an agreement the two sides reached late on Monday, before moving on to the first of four measures that were sidelined last week.

Explainer-What happens next in the Trump documents case?

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to federal criminal charges that he unlawfully kept national-security documents when he left office and lied to officials who sought to recover them. Here is what to expect as the case proceeds.

White House to review ruling that press secretary violated act on political activity

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday that White House lawyers would review a ruling from a government agency that said she had violated a law limiting political activity by federal employees. The Office of Special Counsel on Monday announced that Jean-Pierre had violating the Hatch Act by referring to "mega MAGA Republicans" in talking to reporters last year.

Trump's defense team still taking shape as he appears in court

Donald Trump was accompanied by two of his attorneys on Tuesday when he appeared in a Miami courtroom and pleaded not guilty to federal criminal charges. But his defense team is still evolving after at least three key members left in recent weeks. Attorneys Todd Blanche and Chris Kise appeared with the former president during his arraignment, days after two other lawyers who had been helping Trump’s defense – Jim Trusty and John Rowley – resigned in the wake of his indictment. Both Blanche and Kise indicated at the hearing that they would remain on the case permanently.

US labor board ruling could spur unionizing by gig workers, others

The U.S. National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday made it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors rather than employees, handing workers in the gig economy and other industries a potential path to join unions. The Democrat-led board threw out a more business-friendly standard for classifying workers adopted during the Trump administration, which had said workers who operate their own businesses should generally be considered independent contractors who cannot join unions.

Senate Republican urges Biden to pick new US aviation nominee

The top Republican on a U.S. Senate panel whose party rejected President Joe Biden's nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on Tuesday urged Biden to pick a new nominee, saying the delay puts passengers at risk. The FAA has been without a permanent administrator since April 2022. Biden's nominee, Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington, withdrew in March in the face of opposition by Republicans and some undecided Democrats.

New York City in deal with teachers union, 5-year pact with over 15% wage hike

New York City has struck a tentative $6.4 billion five-year contract deal with the teachers union that includes more than 15% in pay hikes over five years and expands remote learning programs that began during the coronavirus pandemic. The contract, covering some 120,000 teachers and other school workers, also calls for a $3,000 ratification bonus for each member and establishes an annual cash payment – set to reach $1,000 by 2026 – to help in recruitment and retention.

NY top court hands win to Kesha in Dr. Luke defamation case

New York's top state court on Tuesday made it more difficult for music producer Dr. Luke to win his lawsuit claiming pop star Kesha defamed him by falsely accusing him of raping her nearly 20 years ago. The New York Court of Appeals said Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, is a "public figure" and so he must prove that Kesha acted with actual malice in order to prevail in his 2014 defamation lawsuit.

Trump pleads not guilty in federal documents case

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to federal criminal charges that he unlawfully kept national-security documents when he left office and lied to officials who sought to recover them. Trump's plea, entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman in a federal court in Miami, sets up a legal battle likely to play out over coming months as he campaigns to win back the presidency in a November 2024 election. Experts say it could be a year or more before a trial takes place.

E. Jean Carroll can pursue $10 million lawsuit against Donald Trump -judge

A federal judge on Tuesday said E. Jean Carroll, the New York writer who last month won a $5 million jury verdict against Donald Trump for sexual abuse and defamation, can pursue a related $10 million defamation case against the former U.S. president. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan ruled in favor of the former Elle magazine columnist, after Trump had argued that the defamation case must be dismissed because the jury had concluded he never raped her.