When my grandmother came to visit, I could hardly wait to show her my latest accomplishments.

We’ve not had an execution since 2018, and there’s none on the horizon. That means 113 killers − one of whom I helped prosecute − snicker and chortle on death row. They know they’re more likely to die of natural causes than the capital punishment they so richly deserve.

Last week, I was proud to introduce a bipartisan, bicameral resolution that recognizes April as Second Chance Month. This resolution raises awareness for unlocking opportunities for successful reentry into society following incarceration that ultimately reduces recidivism rates.

At the core of the Working Families Tax Cuts law is its prevention of a $4 trillion tax hike, paired with permanently lowered rates to spur economic growth. The law also extended and expanded a swath of deductions and tax credits to help Americans withstand the Biden-created affordability crisis.

When I was a little boy, my dad snookered me into lawn mowing by suggesting this is an activity “big boys do.”  

I am grateful to this bountiful country for allowing me in, and to its generosity for allowing me to try. I am grateful that it isn’t dominated by one city or one culture. I am grateful that at its best, it shines as the North Star for the world.

Pope Leo XIV may be a man of the cloth, but he is also a Chicago Southsider, so it is not surprising that he can’t rise completely above the fray. How else to explain his ramped-up criticism of the Iran war right after granting an audience to fellow Chicagoan David Axelrod, the influential Democratic operative and Barack Obama advisor – and the appearance of three anti-war cardinals on “60 Minutes” two days later?

The Democrats who are now trying to misuse that important guardrail of governance must be stopped before they cause irreparable damage to our constitutional system of checks and balances.

Tax Day was April 15, the day of reckoning between the Internal Revenue Service and millions of (procrastinating) taxpayers. Two recent surveys give us a sense of how Americans view their annual obligation to pay Uncle Sam.

There is widespread confusion about what the United States has actually done. Washington has not blockaded the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. is blockading vessels entering or departing Iranian ports. Ships from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other nations pass freely. This is Iran’s blockade — not the world’s. That distinction matters enormously, both legally and strategically.

By the late 19th century, western expansion had played a role in bringing both outstanding economic growth and horrible tragedies to America. Territories added to the Union between 1803 and 1867 supplied enormous amounts of gold, silver, industrial ores, timber, petroleum, natural gas, incredibly rich farmland and other resources which fueled America’s rise to the top rank of nations.

Concurrent with the Trump administration’s War on Fraud, a survey shows that most American voters believe government fraud is responsible for the nation’s high cost of living, with one expert saying that fraud is the “invisible tax.”

As I've long written in four decades of newspaper work: All politics would be a lot cleaner if each party would police its own house. If that were to ever happen – instead of each party playing whataboutism – we'd have better public servants. For some reason, it reminds me of the Ohio General Assembly Code of Ethics.

Why did Jesus use the breaking of bread to reveal Himself? Because Jesus uses the breaking of bread as a symbol of His Body being broken on the cross to give you the abundance of life.

The plan was that I would climb the tree she had selected and wait. She would go to the edge of town and watch for a boat and car that fit our needs. The car could really be anything but the boat must not have a cover on it so I could get in and be lower than the sides.