Torrence Banks

I received my M.J. degree from @merrillcollege yesterday. I’m excited to announce my next opportunities: -I’ll be interning with @usnews as a summer education reporter intern. In September, I’ll be reporting for @NOTUS as a @AJI_Fellowships fellow. Looking forward to starting!

A fascinating look at the wealth — and lack of wealth — among members of Louisiana’s consequential congressional delegation. Via ⁦@BanksTorrence⁩ and ⁦@taylorgiorno_⁩ of ⁦@NOTUSreports⁩: notus.org/capitol-gains/…

NEW: Sens. Adam Schiff and Ruben Gallego paid thousands of dollars to Rep. Eric Swalwell’s political AI startup through their campaigns. They’re part of a group of friends and allies paying tens of thousands to use Swalwell’s AI platform. notus.org/money/eric-swa…

Following Mullin's confirmation hearing, committee members headed to a closed door briefing room. At issue? Mullin's previously undisclosed travel related to what the nominee called "official travel" as part of a "special program in the House." w/ @BanksTorrence notus.org/senate/senator…

Sen. Markwayne Mullin told senators Wednesday that he plans on ending Kristi Noem’s spending policy, which delayed disaster aid, if confirmed to replace her as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. @NOTUSreports notus.org/senate/markway…

Lawmakers are looking at Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to be the new DHS secretary as an opportunity to make FEMA more efficient. Ahead of his hearing, Senators discussed the changes they'd like to see to FEMA if he is confirmed. @NOTUSreports notus.org/trump-white-ho…

The adage “the rich get richer” does not appear to apply to leaders of Louisiana’s powerful congressional delegation. @taylorgiorno_ and I dug through public records to show how Speaker Johnson and others’ wealth has stagnated since coming to Congress notus.org/capitol-gains/…

Introducing NOTUS’ exploration of wealth and influence in Congress: Capitol Gains. Members of Congress make decisions that profoundly affect the health and wealth of all Americans — from the richest to the poorest among us. These decisions can also influence lawmakers’ own financial fortunes. This NOTUS special project illuminates the personal finances of U.S. senators and the U.S. House members in the delegations covered by our Washington Bureau Initiative. Its goal is to show how their private assets intersect with their public responsibilities. Explore the methodology our reporters used to derive lawmakers’ median worth, identify millionaires in the Senate and reveal the investments that are driving their personal wealth. notus.org/capitol-gains

@taylorgiorno_ @benavides_colon @adorathejourn @JiraViolet @manuelas957 @shifradayak @Rayyyfernandez Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Sen. Bill Cassidy have not cashed in during their congressional service, bucking expectations. via @BanksTorrence & @taylorgiorno_ notus.org/capitol-gains/…

Leaders of Louisiana's powerful congressional delegation saw their wealth stagnate, @BanksTorrence and I found, bucking the expectation (and frequent reality) that accumulating political power corresponds to increasing personal wealth notus.org/capitol-gains/…

The Senate is a millionaires club 💰 73% of senators have a median net worth of more than $1 million, compared to just 7% of the U.S. population! That's one of the many findings from Capitol Gains, a @NOTUSreports project all about wealth in Congress notus.org/capitol-gains/…

Ahead of Sen. Mullin's confirmation hearing Wednesday, I looked at how Senators are thinking about plans to turn warehouses into ICE detention centers - a key piece of Kristi Noem's agenda. Sen. Roger Wicker, who successfully convinced Noem to reverse course on a plan for his state, told me that he's looking for a "more deliberative process that works with state and local governments." notus.org/immigration/dh…

A political ad bonanza funded by some of America’s wealthiest and most controversial special interest groups has swamped four Democratic House primaries in the Chicago area --> w/@samuellarreal_, on the extraordinary spending in House races that Dems fear could spread elsewhere this primary year notus.org/2026-election/…

NRCC chair Rep. Richard Hudson believes President Trump has a magic touch with endorsements in primaries. As parts of Trump’s agenda grow increasingly unpopular, Republicans say his endorsement gives them the best shot to win their races.@NOTUSreports notus.org/republicans/do…

More than a dozen Florida law enforcement agencies told me they're still waiting for state reimbursement for their officers' immigration work overtime and bonuses. Read my latest: notus.org/immigration/fl…

SCOOP: House Republicans are mad they haven't been included in the negotiations on Congress' housing package Sen. Tim Scott, who is leading the Senate version of the bill, has not been returning his counterpart Rep. French Hill's calls w/@Rayyyfernandez notus.org/housing/house-…

Georgia DA Clay Fuller is heading into a runoff against Democrat Shawn Harris in a special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene. With 75% of the ballots counted, Harris received 38% of the votes compared to Fuller’s 34.7%. @NOTUSreports notus.org/georgia/marjor…

Between his lengthy speech to House Republicans and subsequent news conference, President Trump didn’t use the word war once. Instead, he referred to the conflict in Iran as “a little excursion.” notus.org/defense/trump-…

SCOOP: Rep. Kevin Hern, who is eyeing Sen. Markwayne Mullin's Senate seat, appears to have failed to properly disclose millions of dollars worth of stock and corporate-security trades during the past year. His office disputes he's late. notus.org/money/kevin-he…

SCOOP: Oil magnate Harold Hamm called Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt last night to ask for the appointment to Markwayne Mullin's Senate seat. w/@reesejgorman notus.org/senate/harold-…

President Donald Trump announced that he is removing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem from her position. And nominating Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her. See what some FEMA employees are saying: notus.org/climate-enviro…

North Carolina Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross said Wednesday her state "magically" received millions in disaster aid from FEMA the day after Sen. Tillis admonished the Homeland Security secretary for failing to release the funds. @NOTUSreports notus.org/trump-white-ho…