Murray

Ashley Murray

[email protected] https://twitter.com/Ashley__Murray https://bsky.app/profile/ashleymurray.bsky.social

Ashley Murray is a journalist based in Washington, D.C. Her coverage areas include domestic policy and appropriations.

She has roots in Pittsburgh, Pa., where she began her first paid journalism gig in 2010 as a contributor to the local public radio show The Allegheny Front. Her bylines include Pittsburgh City Paper, Trib Total Media, Pittsburgh Quarterly and Salon.com.

Most recently, Ashley worked as the D.C. Bureau Chief for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she was also a member of the investigations team and the newspaper's city hall reporter for three years. Ashley was part of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize winning team for breaking news coverage of the mass shooting at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue, where 11 worshippers were killed.

President Donald Trump on July 31, 2026 defended his "anti-weaponization" settlement fund as he sought confirmation of his nominee for attorney general, Todd Blanche. In this photo, Trump looks on during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on May 27, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
National

Trump defends massive settlement for ‘great American Patriots’ of Jan. 6, attacks GOP senators

Jul 31, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump defended his highly criticized, nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” settlement fund on social media and in a Cabinet meeting Friday, as two key Republican senators withheld support for the president’s nominee for attorney general over Trump’s...
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
National

3 Republicans break with Trump in US Senate vote to block war in Iran

Jul 30, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — For the second time in as many weeks, a War Powers Resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s war with Iran failed to pass the U.S. Senate Thursday. The vote breakdown, 49-50, fell along familiar lines as previous...
President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Mount Rushmore National Memorial on July 3, 2026 in Keystone, South Dakota. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
National

Trump says he might pull Blanche nomination for AG until GOP holdouts leave office

Jul 30, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to pull acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to lead the Justice Department until two Republican holdouts, Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas, leave office. “Todd Blanche...
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2026. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)
National

Grassley postpones vote in US Senate panel on Blanche nomination for AG

Jul 29, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — A vote on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to permanently fill the nation’s top law enforcement role was postponed Wednesday after two Republican senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — remained...
Family, staff and current and former lawmakers, including former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, in background, filed past the flag-draped casket of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at the congressional tribute in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)
National

Washington says goodbye to South Carolina US Sen. Lindsey Graham

Jul 28, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — Members of Congress paid tribute to their longtime colleague, the late Republican Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda Tuesday morning ahead of a funeral service at Washington National Cathedral, where Graham’s close ally President Donald...
President Donald Trump imposed new import taxes on products from dozens of top U.S. trading partners on Friday, July 24, 2026. In this photo, Trump spoke before a friendly crowd at Wheeler High School near Marietta, Georgia, on July 22, 2026. (Photo by Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
National

Trump imposes new host of tariffs on trading partners, alleging they use forced labor

Jul 24, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump reignited his tariff agenda Friday by imposing new import taxes on products from dozens of top U.S. trading partners, immediately replacing temporary global tariffs he levied after the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major blow...
Soldiers at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware carry Army 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, who died July 18, 2026, from injuries suffered during an enemy attack on July 17, 2026, at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan, on July 22, 2026. (Photo by Jason Minto/U.S. Air Force)
National

US House and Senate split on ending Trump’s war in Iran, as gas prices rise

Jul 23, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — One day after President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer of the remains of four U.S. service members killed as a result of the Iran conflict, the two chambers of Congress were at odds over whether to rein...
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2026 criticized committee Democrats opposed to the nomination of Todd Blanche as attorney general. (Screenshot from committee webcast)
National

US Senate Judiciary holds over vote on Blanche nomination for AG as Grassley slams Dems

Jul 23, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — Members of the U.S. Senate tasked with advancing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to be the nation’s top law enforcer on Thursday pushed the vote one week. The Senate Judiciary Committee’s delayed vote to send the controversial...
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche walks by reporters at the U.S. Capitol on May 21, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)
National

As vote on Blanche for attorney general nears, ex-DOJ staffers warn against confirmation

Jul 22, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — Former career Department of Justice officials and a survivor of abuse by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sounded the alarm Wednesday on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s fitness to lead the Department of Justice, one day ahead...
A photo illustration shows stock tickers overlaid on the U.S. Capitol
National

US House approves joint measure to curb Congress’ stock trading, require voter ID

Jul 22, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans passed a measure to curb stock trading by members of Congress that was packaged with an unrelated voter ID bill, part of President Donald Trump’s push for major federal involvement in elections. The legislation passed...
President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit on June 17, 2026 in Evian-les-Bains, France. Leaders from the Group of 7 (G7) countries convened in Evian, France, near the Swiss border, for their annual summit to discuss challenges to peace and security for Ukraine and Europe, the situation in the Middle East, and other geopolitical issues. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
National

Canadian hockey sticks, wine and cement subject to new Trump tariffs

Jul 20, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump ordered 50% tariffs on several Canadian products Monday in response to what his administration describes as retaliatory restrictions on imports of American goods, including alcohol, dairy and automotives. Trump’s three separate proclamations to impose steep...
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears at his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill July 15, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Eric Lee/Getty Images)
National

US senators grill Blanche over ‘slush fund’ deal as he seeks attorney general confirmation

Jul 15, 2026
Ashley Murray
WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche vowed Wednesday to lawmakers on Capitol Hill that if he is confirmed for the top post, the Justice Department would not oppose an effort in Congress to permanently ban a controversial “anti-weaponization” fund...