The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal Monday from Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania legislature to overrule a decision by the state Supreme Court to strike down the state's congressional map on the grounds of partisan gerrymandering. Time is running out for state lawmakers as they have 10 days to get new maps drawn and approved by Governor Tom Wolfe.

In this new series, Independent OGs, writers at IVN News will chronicle the lives and exploits of independents throughout history – or as we are calling them: Independent O.G.s (short for Original Gangstas).

Of course George Washington was THE Independent OG of all American history, and it would seem that every president since has departed further and further from the example and precedent that Mr. Washington set.

Business is booming for big data markets.

Read about what really matters from the news last week. We provide you the least-biased news about current events so you can go about your day informed, not brainwashed.

AUGUSTA, ME – Fighting sub-zero temperatures and an almost impossible 88-day timeline, Maine people are turning in more than 80,000 signatures today to keep Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) alive.

One of the panel events at this years Unrig The System Summit, brought together leaders from different political points of view. From transparency in government, to voting rights, to an a deep dive into IVN and the connections of business and politics, the Spark Talks offered attendees valuable insights into what some of the leading political organizations from across the county are thinking as we head into the 2018 election season.

Zoe Reiter, Transparency International Senior Project Leader

In the New York governor’s race, Larry Sharpe is ahead of the Republicans in fundraising.

He says he’s shaping the 3.0 version of the Libertarian Party and that it’s totally possible to take Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo's job in the 2018 election. He’s also kicked off fundraising with crypto on the WAVES blockchain. The name? “Sharpecoin.” Enjoy.

In his first State of the Union address, President Trump praised members of the military while calling for an increased defense budget in the face of another government shutdown. The continuing resolution passed last month only funded the military, and other government operations through February 8, a deadline that is fast approaching.

An unprecedented gathering of the brightest minds from the right and left with one common purpose: fix American politics. Leaders in advocacy, policy, politics, legal, movement-building, and popular culture share their knowledge and experience to build lasting solutions that inspire change.

President Trump rarely received a standing ovation from the entirety of the audience at his first State of the Union address. One of the rare moments came when he spoke about knocking down America’s outrageous drug prices.

“One of my greatest priorities is to reduce the price of prescription drugs. In many other countries, these drugs cost far less than what we pay in the United States. That is why I have directed my administration to make fixing the injustice of high drug prices one of our top priorities. Prices will come down.”