Time now for a midweek check in of some major political developments in the last few days.

I'm Rene Schor, joined by Ryland Barton, a senior editor with NPR States team.

Good to see your island.

Good to see you, Renee.

So let's start with the big news that still people are talking about and headlines are still replete with.

And that's the reaction to the verdict in the former President Donald Trump hush money trial and the 34 felony counts on which he was convicted.

Republicans and Kentucky certainly have voiced their reaction and but they're not all unanimous in how they feel.

There are a couple of outliers or at least one.

Yeah, this is and this is a story we're going to hear a lot more about over the course of this year.

But immediately, you know, everybody in Kentucky's our federal delegation, all the Republicans in Kentucky's federal delegation came out and criticized the ruling.

Even Republican Congressman Brett Guthrie, who's kind of, I think, like often the one who has the mildest statements over these sort of things, called it a kangaroo court.

Congressman Thomas Massie called the rug the partizan hacks, as he called the judges Partizan hacks.

Sixth District Congressman Andy Barr came out and criticized it.

But in response to Andy Barr's statement on that, Republican State Senator Whitney Westerfield, who is an outgoing state senator, you know, he's somebody who's criticized the former president a lot and said that this was an example that, you know, saying that that he was he was disappointed in this this kind of rhetoric, disappointed in that statement, saying that the courts are functioning as they should.

And and sometimes these rulings don't always go in anybody's favor.

But he encouraged folks to to not go out of their way to criticize the justice system because that's something that's really happened a lot over the last few years, especially under the Trump, you know, candidacy and the presidency, kind of undermining trust in elections and also the justice system.

You know, part of why Sara Westerfield, I think, feels able to be so bold in making these sort of statements is because he's not going, Senator, but it's something that he's he has drawn out of his way to now as a former prosecutor, try and discourage Republicans from making statements like that.

And as the state's chief top prosecutor, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, he seems to be in line with the men, the members of the federal congressional delegation and his response.

And that's, you know, that I think that's something we're we're just seeing from all Kentucky's elected Republicans at this point right now.

Yeah.

So let's shift gears to talk about some more.

Hundreds of millions of dollars.

220 something million dollars that will go to those tornado ravaged counties.

This is from the December 2021 tornado outbreak.

There.

And there are some counties there that are going to benefit from some possible rental housing money.

Tell us about this.

Supposed to build about it's a $223 million, a lot of money to build over a thousand rental units across four counties, a Christian county, Graves County, Hopkins County, Warren County, all places that were hit hard by that December 2021 tornado.

You know, that was a thing that everybody was wondering after that tornado is what's the rebuilding process going to look like?

Are there is is the housing stock going to be there for for people to remain here, to stay tuned to move to these types of areas if that is going to happen, something like this needed to happen.

So a lot of doubt that a lot of that assistance is coming into place.

Finally, you know, a little over two years after that disaster.

But I think every little bit to to these counties in western Kentucky and south central Kentucky will help folks stay in the area.

That's right.

Yeah.

And the last story.

Going back to developments in Washington.

So there is an odd couple, if you would.

There is a Republican congressman from Kentucky who is aligned with at least for one cause, where the Democratic congresswoman from California.

Who are we talking about and what's the cause?

Republican Congressman James Comer, both of Kentucky's first District, and also Democratic Representative Katie Older from California, have come out with a proposal in Congress to require presidents to reveal more of their financial entanglements.

It's a really interesting moment for the for a bipartisan effort like this during a presidential election where both Republicans and Democrats have something to criticize about the opposing parties likely nominees for president.

So it's this doesn't really have too much of a chance of making it through Congress because it is a presidential election year.

Democratic President Joe Biden pointed out that he is he had already done a lot of what this bill would call for, which a lot of it is releasing your own income tax returns.

But these are these are things that are going to continue to be campaign fodder going forward.

But I do just think it's you know, this is one of those moments that, hey, there's there's cynicism on both sides right now in in elected officials and at least some of this one moment, people are reaching across the aisle for an effort like this.

Well, and considering some of congressman comas and past actions as chairman of the House Oversight Committee and the Biden investigation.

Right.

It seems maybe like a far reach for him to reach across the aisle in this way at this time.

Some may seem it seems like it strikes odd.

He continues to urge you for a long time was pursuing that investigation into Hunter Biden.

But I think Democrats are hoping for the same outcome here in looking into that really former President Trump's in saying once, but also his children's angel and segments with his businesses.

Yeah.

Well, it's always good to catch up with you, Raylan.

Take good care and we'll see you next week.

Good to see you, Renee.