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☆ By passing Ukraine aid, the accidental speaker became an unlikely Churchill
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Republican Speaker Mike Johnson showed political courage that is rare in Washington and notable legislative skill for an inexperienced leader in forcing a long-delayed $60 billion aid bill for Ukraine through the House of Representatives on Saturday. And 112 Republicans — a majority of the conference — voted against the Ukraine bill. And any Republican speaker propped up by Democrats might hemorrhage support among GOP lawmakers and be forced to resign. “As we deliberate on this vote, you have to ask yourself this question: Am I Chamberlain or Churchill?” he said. The accidental speaker makes an unlikely Churchill, but on Saturday he proved to be a far more daring and substantial figure than many of his Republican and Democratic critics previously believed.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Ronald Reagan, Joe Biden’s, “, Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, ” CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen, Putin, —, Biden, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene, Johnson —, Kevin McCarthy’s, Marc Molinaro, CNN’s Manu Raju, Trump, Zelensky, Trump’s, Hakeem Jeffries, Mike Quigley, It’s, ” Quigley, Chuck Schumer, Jeffries, Mike McCaul, ‘, it’s, McCaul, Chamberlain, Churchill Organizations: CNN, West, GOP, America, MAGA, United States House, Representatives, Ukraine, Republican Party, Trump, Republicans, Georgia, Mar, Democratic, Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Illinois Democrat, Foreign, Texas Republican, Republican Locations: Washington, Ukraine, Russian, Louisiana, United States, Russia, Europe, Iran, China, Israel, Taiwan, Mexico, Georgia, New York, Kyiv, Texas, Nazi Germany

CHICAGO (AP) — Voters are set to cast their ballots Tuesday to decide competitive U.S. House races during the Illinois presidential primary. Democratic incumbents in at least two Chicago-area congressional races are locked in energetic challenges in the strongly Democratic territory. “We plan on finishing what we started.”It’s a crowded five-candidate primary field, including Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, a former Davis ally who now says it’s time for him to be voted out. “I’m running to use my knowledges, my expertise, my intellect.”He has backing from top Illinois Democrats. Also running are Chicago educator Nikhil Bhatia and Kouri Marshall, a former deputy director for Pritzker.

Persons: Danny Davis, Kina Collins, Davis, ” Collins, “, ”, Melissa Conyears, Ervin, Conyears, “ I’m, I’m, J.B . Pritzker, Nikhil Bhatia, Kouri Marshall, Pritzker, “ Chuy ” Garcia, Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez, Lopez, Garcia, “ He’s, hasn’t, suburbanites Organizations: CHICAGO, —, Democratic, DISTRICT U.S . Rep, Chicago Democrat, Chicago, Chicago Teachers Union, Chicago ) Bears, Illinois, Gov, Chicago Alderman, City Council, Democrat, Chicago police, Republican Locations: Chicago, “, Mexico

☆ TikTok: House panel unanimously approves bill that could ban app from US app stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

If enacted, the bill would give ByteDance 165 days, or a little more than five months, to sell TikTok. The legislation also has the support of the White House and House Speaker Mike Johnson. House lawmakers voted unanimously in the same session Thursday to advance a second bill, one that would limit US companies’ ability to sell Americans’ personal information to foreign adversaries. Speaking to reporters on the Capitol steps Thursday, Gallagher rejected characterizations of the bill as a TikTok ban. A legislative factsheet from the sponsors of the House bill claims the proposal does not censor speech.

Persons: ”, TikTok, Shou Chew, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Frank Pallone, “, ” Pallone, Shou Zi Chew, Jose Luis Magana, Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Johnson, Steve Scalise, Washington Sen, Maria Cantwell, ” Cantwell, Gallagher, “ It’s, Dan Crenshaw, It’s, ” Crenshaw, snoop, ByteDance, Trump, Tom Williams, —, “ We’re, Jenna Leventoff, Stephanie Joyce, ” CNN’s Haley Talbot, Melanie Zanona Organizations: Washington CNN, TikTok, House Energy, Commerce, Apple, Google, “, Washington Republican, New, New Jersey Rep, Capitol, Wisconsin Republican, Illinois Democratic Rep, White, Senate, Democratic, Washington, CNN, Chinese Communist Party, Texas Republican, Oracle, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Foreign Locations: China, New Jersey, Washington, United States, Beijing, State, Rayburn, Montana

Mr. Abbott tried to cast I.V.F., which has been available for more than 40 years, as a novel subject confronting legislators. “need to worry.”After the Alabama ruling rocked presidential and congressional campaigns over the past week, Mr. Trump said on Friday that he supported I.V.F. “And so this Alabama Supreme Court ruling is a natural extension of that.”Gov. Many Republicans have struggled to oppose the result of the Alabama ruling while supporting the principle it is based on. Nikki Haley did so on Wednesday, saying it was important to let doctors and patients navigate the I.V.F.

Persons: Greg Abbott of, Donald J, Trump, Roe, Wade, Dobbs, Trump’s, Abbott, we’re, ”, “, “ I’m, Dana Bash, I.V.F, Gretchen Whitmer, Biden’s, “ We’ve, Donald Trump, ” Gov, Gavin Newsom, Neil M, Gorsuch, Brett M, Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Nikki Haley, Byron Donalds, Donalds, Tammy Duckworth, they’ve, Ms, Duckworth Organizations: Alabama Supreme Court, ”, CNN, Sunday, Republican, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senate, I.V.F, Gov, United States Supreme, California, NBC, Press, Alabama Constitution, Republicans, ABC News, Illinois Democrat Locations: “, Greg Abbott of Texas, Texas, Alabama, Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, I.V.F

☆ Biden’s balancing act with Iran aims for deterrence, not a wider war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“I think it is a real strong deterrence,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and Iraq War veteran. It was only about an hour after Biden departed Dover Air Force Base in Delaware that the first US strikes began in Iraq and Syria. Inside the Situation Room, Biden and his team assessed a set of options that each came with a certain degree of risk. And there are clear indications that Iran isn’t looking for a war with the United States — just as Washington insists it isn’t seeking a broader conflict. “There’s been no communications with Iran since the attack that killed our three soldiers in Jordan,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Friday night.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Biden, won’t, “, ”, Sen, Tammy Duckworth, ” Biden, Mark Esper, Donald Trump’s, ” Esper, he’d, William Jerome Rivers, Kennedy Ladon Sanders, Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, United States —, —, haven’t, Biden’s, “ There’s, John Kirby, Beth Sanner, Qasem, ” Sanner Organizations: CNN, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, Illinois Democrat, Iraq, Biden, Dover Air Force Base, US Army Reserve Command, Spc, Breonna, United, White, ” National Security Locations: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Red, Illinois, Jordan, Delaware, United States, Gaza, South Carolina, Tehran, Yemen, Washington, Iranian

☆ As Biden Judicial Confirmations Slow, Senate Gains Ground on Red-State Judges
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden and Senate Democrats have fallen behind the rapid pace set by Republicans in shaping the federal courts during the Trump era, but they have made fresh headway in advancing judicial nominees in states represented by Republicans. By negotiating with Republicans over judicial picks, Mr. Biden and majority Democrats have been able to exert some influence over the makeup of trial courts in red states and install people of color on the bench for the first time in some regions. “It has worked because I think I have convinced the White House that it is better to get a moderate Republican today than a MAGA Republican tomorrow,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee. Still, the Senate would need to confirm at least 63 more judges this year to match or better the record of the Trump years, when Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican who was then the majority leader, pushed through 234 conservative-leaning jurists, including three to the Supreme Court.

Persons: Biden, Trump, ”, Richard J, Durbin, Mitch McConnell Organizations: Senate, Republicans, Republican, MAGA Republican, Illinois Democrat, Kentucky Republican, Supreme Locations: MAGA

☆ The Senate’s Supreme Court Subpoena Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The House Oversight Committee investigating Biden family business dealings has issued subpoenas to Hunter and James Biden to appear for depositions. Also requested for transcribed interviews are family members and associates including Sara and Hallie Biden. In a rush of rule-breaking at the end of a meeting, Mr. Durbin moved to bluster through subpoenas for two friends of Supreme Court Justices on a partisan vote. This is part of a Democratic political campaign to portray the High Court as a trinket bought by billionaires. “The pair have become genuine friends, according to people who know both men,” as even the left-leaning ProPublica admitted.

Persons: Biden, Hunter, James Biden, Sara, Hallie Biden, Mark Kelly Illinois, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, ProPublica Organizations: Reuters, Democratic

Sen. Jeff Merkley became the second senator to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war this week. And with recent polling showing that a majority of Americans support a cease-fire in Gaza, the pressure from constituents has been thick. Sen. Chris Coons was badgered on a train about why he hadn’t endorsed a cease-fire. Both have drawn attention to humanitarian concerns in Gaza in recent weeks but stopped short of calling for a cease-fire. “I and others defended Israel’s right to respond with a campaign targeted at destroying Hamas,” Merkley wrote .

Persons: Sen, Jeff Merkley, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Coons, hadn’t, Israel –, –, Dick Durbin, Biden, Cori Bush, Joe Biden, eyeing, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, “, Chuck Schumer, Bernie Sanders, Netanyahu’s, Ilhan Omar, she’s, J, Edwin Benton, ”, ” Benton, ” Merkley Organizations: Oregon Democrat, White, Hamas, Democrats, Illinois Democrat, NBC, Biden, Israel, Minnesota Democrat, University of South Locations: Israel, Oregon, Gaza, Sen, Massachusetts, Illinois, Missouri, lockstep, ”, Vermont, Minnesota, University of South Florida

CNN —American Airlines said it is reviewing a video posted on TikTok that shows a baggage handler releasing a passenger’s wheelchair to slide down a jet bridge chute, where it crashed into a metal barrier, flipped over and tumbled onto an airport tarmac. In the video, as the first man lets the wheelchair go, a second baggage handler, who is on the ground at the other end of the chute and wearing an American Airlines vest, steps back. American Airlines said in a statement, “We recognize how important it is to support the independence of customers with disabilities by ensuring the proper care of mobility devices throughout their journey with us. In 2022, American Airlines’ rate of damaging, delaying or losing wheelchairs and scooters was 2.00 per 100, DOT statistics show. It also calls on the agency to study whether it is possible for passengers to use wheelchairs in the main cabin.

Persons: Haeley Dyrdahl, Dyrdahl, ”, “, Pete Buttigieg, Sen, Tammy Duckworth, ” Duckworth, “ It’s, Duckworth, John Thune, –, Steve Cohen, Pete Stauber, CNN’s David Williams, Ross Levitt, Gregory Wallace Organizations: CNN — American Airlines, Miami International Airport, CNN, American Airlines, Transportation, Department of Transportation, DOT, United Airlines, Illinois Democrat, Republican, Senate Commerce, Science, ”, Tennessee Democrat, Minnesota Republican Locations: America, American, Illinois, South Dakota, Tennessee, Minnesota

☆ US senators demand documents from Meta over its handling of teen mental health
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —A group of US senators is demanding that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hand over troves of emails and documents that could show how the company handled the knowledge that its platforms could harm the mental health of teens. The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. Meta spokesman Andy Stone said that the company is in touch with the members who signed the letter. The letter further accuses Meta of showing an “apparent willful disregard” for young people’s well-being, of “misrepresentations to Congress” and of “profiting from threats” to user safety. The letter requests a response by Nov. 30 and calls for Meta to provide its correspondence related to Bejar’s warnings to executives, as well as senior leaders’ own correspondence with Zuckerberg about proposed investments in user well-being.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, ”, Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal, Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn, Dick Durbin, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham ; Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, Missouri Republican Josh Hawley, Meta, Arturo Bejar, Andrea Joy Campbell, didn’t, Andy Stone, people’s, ’ Organizations: Washington CNN, Facebook, Connecticut Democrat, Tennessee Republican, South Carolina Republican, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham ; Massachusetts Democrat, Missouri Republican, Meta Locations: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Tennessee, Illinois, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham ; Massachusetts, Missouri

People walk across the plaza of the U.S. Supreme Court building on the first day of the court's new term in Washington, U.S. October 3, 2022. The court takes up appeals when at least four of its nine justices agree to hear a case. Jackson described Johnson's solitary confinement as "unusually severe," noting that "prison officials completely deprived Johnson of exercise for nearly all of his incarceration" at Pontiac Correctional Center. Johnson has a history of mental illness, including depression and bipolar disorder, and suicide attempts, according to his lawyers. Johnson sought monetary damages, medical treatment and other relief in the lawsuit accusing prison officials of violating the Eighth Amendment by denying him exercise for a prolonged period.

Persons: Jonathan Ernst, Michael Johnson's, Johnson, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Jackson, Kwame Raoul, Daniel Greenfield, compulsively, Johnson's, John Kruzel, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, REUTERS, Rights, Pontiac Correctional Center, Illinois Democratic, Circuit, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Illinois, Chicago, Washington, New York

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and China are the two global economic heavyweights. The meeting will bring together 21 Pacific Rim countries, which collectively represent 40% of the world’s people and nearly half of global trade. Indeed, imports of Chinese goods to the United States were down 24% through September compared with the same period of 2022. Xi, too, has reason to try to restore economic cooperation with the United States. “This will not be an easy sell.’’Complicating matters is that the tensions between Washington and Beijing go well beyond economics.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi, Eswar Prasad, “, Prasad, Donald Trump, Trump, Biden, Chad Bown, Janet Yellen, Lifeng, —, ” Yellen, ’ ’, Wendy Cutler, Raja Krishnamoorthi, ’ ’ Krishnamoorthi, ’ Organizations: WASHINGTON, International Monetary Fund, “, Cornell University, Economic Cooperation, Biden, World Trade Organization, U.S, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Prosperity, Trump, Group, Bain & Co, Micron, IMF, United, Asia Society Institute, Chinese Communist Party, Republicans, Pew Research Center, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Rep, Illinois Democrat Locations: United States, China, Washington, Beijing, U.S, Ukraine, Gaza, Asia, San Francisco, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, India, Philippines, South China, Taiwan, Chinese, Kenya, Nigeria, Illinois

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has not said whether he supports the proposal released Monday by Republican Sens. But he told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that he has been discussing the entire package of aid with the White House, including border policies. McConnell, who has strongly pushed for the Ukraine aid, said he thinks “every single Republican in the Senate and the House” believes that the influx of migrants is a major problem. But finding agreement on the border will be difficult, and could easily hold up further Ukraine aid, as immigration has been one of the most intractable issues in Congress for decades. It would detain families at the border and require migrants to make the asylum claim at an official port of entry.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Republican Sens, Lindsey Graham of, Jim Lankford, ” McConnell, McConnell, ”, “, Israel, Mike Johnson, Biden, Dick Durbin, Kerri Talbot, Donald Trump, Colleen Long Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republicans, Republican, Associated Press, White, Democratic, House, Israel, Illinois Democrat, GOP, Immigration, Biden Locations: Ukraine, U.S, Mexico, United States, Israel, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Oklahoma, U.S ., Russia, Illinois, Afghanistan

☆ US lawmakers question tax prep companies on sharing of taxpayer data with Big Tech platforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Americans should be able to file their taxes without fear that their sensitive data will be shared with Big Tech companies,” said the letters, copies of which were obtained by CNN. The letters — led by Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren — focus on the use of tracking technology developed by tech platforms and embedded within the tax prep companies’ websites that quietly transferred users’ personal information to Meta and Google, allegedly without their consent. Of the five tax prep companies, Intuit was not a major focus of the initial congressional probe because it did not use tracking pixels to the same extent as the others, the investigation found. They also asked the same question of each of the four other tax prep companies, as well as requesting a commitment to abide by the FTC’s warning not to use customer data in ways consumers did not expressly approve. The lawmakers requested that the tax prep firms respond by Nov. 8.

Persons: ”, Massachusetts Democratic Sen, Elizabeth Warren —, Warren, Meta, — Sens, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse, Katie Porter Organizations: CNN, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech, Massachusetts Democratic, Meta, Google, FTC, Intuit, Ramsey Solutions, Oregon Democrat, Connecticut Democrat, Vermont Independent, Rhode, Rhode Island Democrat, House Democratic Locations: Oregon, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, California

The Hamas terrorist attack on Israel is reprehensible. Israel is under heavy attack right now by Hamas and taking action to defend itself and its people. Israel has every right to defend itself.”Sen. Jon Tester, Montana Democrat“I strongly condemn the terrorist attacks launched by Hamas against our ally Israel. I will continue to closely monitor the situation.”Sen. Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire Democrat“Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel is nothing short of horrifying. Israel has every right to defend itself from this unjust war.”Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat“The terrorist attack on Israel is appalling.

Persons: Hakeem Jeffries, “, Steve Scalise, ” Kevin McCarthy, ” Chuck Schumer, –, Herzog –, ” Mitch McConnell, ” Tom Emmer, ” Katherine Clarke, ” Dick Durbin, ” John Thune, ” Sen, Debbie Stabenow, Michigan Democrat “, Israel, Amy Klobuchar, Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat “, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Cory Booker , New Jersey Democrat “, Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrat “, Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Democrat “, Gary Peters, Gary Peters , Michigan Democrat “, Catherine Cortez Masto, Brian Schatz, Hawaii Democrat “, Jeff Merkley, Oregon Democrat “, John Barrasso, Joni Ernst, Iowa Republican “, Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia Republican “, Steve Daines, Montana Republican “, Mike Lee, Mike Crapo, Chuck Grassley, Tommy Tuberville, Katie Britt, Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, Kyrsten, Mark Kelly, John Boozman, Tom Cotton, Arkansas Republican “, Alex Padilla, Laphonza Butler, California Democrat “, today’s, Michael Bennet, Colorado Democrat “, John Hickenlooper, Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat “, Chris Murphy, Tom Carper, Delaware Democrat “, Chris Coons, Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, Jon Ossoff, Georgia Democrat “, Anat Sultan, Raphael Warnock, “ I’m, Mazie, Tammy Duckworth, Todd Young, Mike Braun, Jerry Moran, Kansas Republican “, Hamas’s, Roger Marshall, Netanyahu, Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican “, Bill Cassidy, John Kennedy, Susan Collins, Maine Republican “, Ben Cardin, Maryland Democrat “, Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Tina Smith, Minnesota Democrat “, Roger Wicker ,, Roger Wicker , Mississippi Republican “, Cindy Hyde, Josh Hawley, Eric Schmitt, Jon Tester, Montana Democrat “, Deb Fischer, Nebraska Republican “, Pete Ricketts, Jacky Rosen, Nevada Democrat “, Jeanne Shaheen, Jeanne Shaheen , New Hampshire Democrat “, Maggie Hassan, Maggie Hassan , New Hampshire Democrat “, Bob Menendez, Bob Menendez , New Jersey Democrat “, Martin Heinrich, New Mexico Democrat “, Biden, Ben Ray Lujan, Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Democrat “ I'm, Thom Tillis, Ted Budd, North Carolina Republican “, John Hoeven, John Hoeven , North Dakota Republican “, Kevin Cramer, Sherrod Brown, Ohio Democrat “, J.D, ”, Vance, James Lankford, Markwayne Mullin, Israel –, Ron Wyden, Bob Casey, John Fetterman, craven, Jack Reed, Sheldon Whitehouse, Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott, South Carolina Republican “ I’m, Mike Rounds, South Dakota Republican “ Shocked, Marsha Blackburn, Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Republican “ Israel, Bill Haggerty, Tennessee Republican “, John Cornyn, John Cornyn , Texas Republican “, Ted Cruz, Mitt, Vile, Peter Welch, Vermont Democrat “, Tim Kaine, Patty Murray, Washington Democrat “, Maria Cantwell, Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Republican “ Israel, Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming Republican “, Jim Jordan, Jared Moskowitz, Abigail Spanberger, Elissa Slotkin, Don Bacon, perpetrating, Cori Bush, Missouri Democrat “, Kevin Hern, Kevin Hern , Oklahoma Republican “, ” Rep, Ritchie Torres, Ritchie Torres , New York Democrat “, Michael McCaul, Michael McCaul , Texas Republican “ I, Ilhan Omar Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Biden, House, Michigan Democrat, Minnesota Democrat, Virginia Democrat “, Senate Intelligence, Massachusetts Democrat, Islamic, Cory Booker , New, Cory Booker , New Jersey Democrat, West Virginia Democrat, Wisconsin Democrat, Gary Peters , Michigan Democrat, Nevada Democrat, Hawaii Democrat, State, Oregon Democrat, John Barrasso , Wyoming Republican, Iowa Republican, West Virginia Republican, Montana Republican, Utah Republican, Idaho Republican, Alabama Republican, Alaska Republican, Alaska Republican “, Arizona Democrat, John Boozman , Arkansas Republican “, Jewish, Arkansas Republican, California Democrat, Colorado Democrat, Connecticut Democrat, Delaware Democrat, Israel, Florida Republican, Georgia Democrat, Hawaii Democrat “, Indiana Republican, Indiana Republican “, Kansas Republican, Kentucky Republican, Louisiana Republican, Maine Republican, Maryland Democrat, Roger Wicker , Mississippi Republican, Smith , Mississippi Republican, Josh Hawley , Missouri Republican, Missouri Republican, Montana Democrat, Nebraska Republican, Jeanne Shaheen , New, Jeanne Shaheen , New Hampshire Democrat, Maggie Hassan , New Hampshire Democrat, Bob Menendez , New, Bob Menendez , New Jersey Democrat, New Mexico Democrat, New, New York Democrat, United, North Carolina Republican, John Hoeven , North Dakota Republican, Kevin Cramer , North Dakota Republican “, Ohio Democrat, Vance , Ohio Republican, James Lankford , Oklahoma Republican, Oklahoma Republican, “ Hamas, Rhode, Lindsey Graham , South Carolina Republican, South Carolina Republican, South Dakota Republican, Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee Republican, Tennessee Republican, John Cornyn , Texas Republican, Ted Cruz , Texas Republican, Vermont Democrat, Washington Democrat, Wisconsin Republican, Wyoming Republican, ”, Ohio Republican “, Missouri Democrat, Kevin Hern , Oklahoma Republican, Ritchie Torres , New, Ritchie Torres , New York Democrat, Jewish State, Michael McCaul , Texas Republican Locations: Israel, United States, Tehran, The United States, Iran, Michigan, U.S, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Vermont, Cory Booker ,, Cory Booker , New Jersey, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Gary Peters , Michigan, Nevada, Hawaii, Oregon, John Barrasso , Wyoming, America, Iowa, West, Montana, Iranian, Utah, Idaho, Alabama, Alaska, Alaska Republican “ America, @Israel, Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona, John Boozman , Arkansas, Jewish State, Arkansas, Saudi Arabia, California, Gaza, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mazie Hirono, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Palestine, Roger Wicker , Mississippi, Smith , Mississippi, Josh Hawley , Missouri, Missouri, Nebraska, Jeanne Shaheen ,, Jeanne Shaheen , New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan , New Hampshire, Bob Menendez ,, Bob Menendez , New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North, John Hoeven , North, Kevin Cramer , North, Ohio, Vance , Ohio, James Lankford , Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Lindsey Graham , South, South, States, Marsha Blackburn , Tennessee, Tennessee, John Cornyn , Texas, Ted Cruz , Texas, Mitt Romney, Virginia, “ Hamas, Washington, Wyoming, Ohio Republican “ America, Kevin Hern , Oklahoma, Ritchie Torres ,, Ritchie Torres , New York, Michael McCaul , Texas

Yet several hard-right conservatives told CNN they are prepared to take down the rule over the spending bill if their demands aren’t met. Democrats are already trying to pin the blame on any shutdown on the House GOP. Ukraine funding a key flashpoint in HouseHow McCarthy deals with the immediate spending demands remains to be seen, including whether he’ll agree to pair the short-term spending bill with any aid to Ukraine. Simpson said of tying Ukraine aid to the short-term spending bill: “That’s a tougher sell. “Once you get truly into the presidential cycle, everything gets that much more difficult.”Hardliners may upend McCarthy’s strategyHard-line conservatives are already threatening to make McCarthy’s calculus more complicated if he cuts a short-term spending deal with Democrats.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, It’s, ” McCarthy, Department of Homeland Security –, Joe Biden, Ukraine –, aren’t, Mike Simpson of, ” Simpson, Don Bacon, Biden, “, ”, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Kevin Hern of, Hern, Simpson, Vladimir Putin’s, we’re, Sen, Tammy Duckworth, upend, Ralph Norman –, –, hasn’t, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Darrell Issa, ” Issa Organizations: CNN, GOP, White, Department of Homeland Security, White House, Democrats, ”, Senate, Republican, Republican Party, Party, Illinois Democrat, South Carolina Republican, Virginia Locations: Ukraine, Mike Simpson of Idaho, Washington, Nebraska, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Illinois, Florida, California

☆ Western allies receive increasingly ‘sobering’ updates on Ukraine’s counteroffensive: ‘This is the most difficult time of the war’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Weeks into Ukraine’s highly anticipated counteroffensive, Western officials describe increasingly “sobering” assessments about Ukrainian forces’ ability to retake significant territory, four senior US and western officials briefed on the latest intelligence told CNN. But for them to really make progress that would change the balance of this conflict, I think, it’s extremely, highly unlikely,” a senior western diplomat told CNN. Ukrainian forces have incurred staggering losses there, leading Ukrainian commanders to hold back some units to regroup and reduce casualties. “Russians have a number of defensive lines and they [Ukrainian forces] haven’t really gone through the first line,” said a senior Western diplomat. “The problem, of course, here is the prospect of the blame game that the Ukrainians would then blame it on us,” said a senior western diplomat.

Persons: CNN —, Ukraine’s, “ They’re, ”, We’re, Mike Quigley, haven’t, “, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Mark Milley, Zaluzhnyi, Milley, ” Zaluzhnyi, Putin, ” Quigley, Volodymyr Zelensky, ’, ” Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Illinois Democrat, US, Ukrainian, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Aspen Security Forum Locations: Illinois, Europe, Ukrainian, Western, Ukraine, West

☆ Clarence Thomas purchased his luxury RV with the help of a wealthy former healthcare executive: NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas purchased a $267,000 RV with the help of a wealthy friend. A spokesperson for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement to the Times, Welters said he had provided Thomas a loan so he could buy the RV. But Welters refused to say how much money he had lent the Supreme Court justice, nor on what terms. The revelation comes amid a push to impose new ethics requirements on Supreme Court justices.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Anthony Welters, Welters, Barack Obama, Ginni, —, Reagan, Beatrice, Obama, Harlan Crow, Sen, Dick Durbin Organizations: The New York Times, Service, Supreme, New York Times, Times, Historical Society, Illinois Democrat Locations: The, Wall, Silicon, America, Illinois

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to four separate U.S. venture capital firms, including Qualcomm's venture arm, expressing "serious concern" about their investments in Chinese tech startups. The letters, which were made public on Wednesday, were sent to GGV Capital, GST Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, and Walden International. Qualcomm Ventures, for example, made 13 investments in Chinese A.I. Walden, a smaller firm, was identified as a particularly significant backer of Chinese AI companies. He said at the time he found there was "broad support" among venture capitalists and others to keep U.S. asset managers from investing in Chinese AI firms.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi, SenseTime, GGV, Didi, Megvii, Abu, Walden, Intellifusion, Neil Shen helming Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Chinese Communist Party, GGV, Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Walden International, Wisconsin Republican, Treasury, New York Times, Qualcomm, Tiger Global Management, Tiger Global, Denglin Technology, Georgetown's Center for Security, Emerging Technology, Macquarie Group, GSR Ventures, Center for Security, Horizon Robotics, Silicon Valley, CNBC, U.S . Commerce Department, Street, Sequoia Capital, Sequoia Locations: Illinois, China, U.S, Silver, Denglin, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Megvii, Sequoia China

☆ Takeaways from the latest controversial and contentious Supreme Court term
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Ariane De Vogue | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

In his opinion blocking the student debt program, Roberts insisted he is concerned about criticisms of the court. “Make no mistake: Supreme Court ethics reform must happen whether the Court participates in the process or not,” he warned. In June, the court sided with a cement mixing company that sought to bypass federal labor law and sue a union in state court for the destruction of property caused by striking workers. On Tuesday, when Roberts announced the court’s opinion in Moore v. Harper, liberals and even some conservatives exhaled, relieved that the court was rejecting a controversial Trump-backed election law theory. “Justice Jackson has a different view,” he said at one point.

Persons: John Roberts, Roe, Wade, ” Roberts, Roberts, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, he’d, Joe Biden’s, Roberts –, –, It’s, Donald Trump’s, ”, Gorsuch, Neil Gorsuch, Bostock, Lorie Smith, ” Alito, Alito, Dobbs, Jackson, Brett Kavanaugh’s, hadn’t, Paul Singer, Singer, ProPublica, “ we’d, “, ” ProPublica, Thomas, Dick Durbin, Elena Kagan, KBJ, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Dr, Adam Feldman, ” Feldman, Sonia Sotomayor, Kagan, Barrett, Thomas couldn’t, ” Jenny Hunter, ” Jackson, ‘, Harper, exhaled, Barack Obama, Rick Hasen –, Hasen, Moore, Thomas Long, Kevin Merida, Michael Fletcher, “ Justice Jackson, Thomas ’ “, ” Thomas Organizations: CNN, Civil, Creative, Politico, Wall Street Journal, Street, GOP, Illinois Democrat, pounced, University of North, National Labor Relations, Independent, Trump, Federal, “, UNC Locations: Colorado, Washington , DC, United States, “, Rome, Illinois, American, Moore, North Carolina

☆ Senators press Google, Meta and Twitter on whether their layoffs could imperil 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Three US senators are pressing Facebook-parent Meta, Google-parent Alphabet and Twitter about whether their layoffs may have hindered the companies’ ability to fight the spread of misinformation ahead of the 2024 elections. “This is particularly troubling given the emerging use of artificial intelligence to mislead voters,” wrote Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Vermont Democratic Sen. Peter Welch and Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, according to a copy of the letter reviewed by CNN. Since purchasing Twitter in October, Elon Musk has slashed headcount by more than 80%, in some cases eliminating entire teams. Meta has previously said it would eliminate about 21,000 jobs over two rounds of layoffs, hitting across teams devoted to policy, user experience and well-being, among others. Tuesday’s letter asked Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino how each company is preparing for the 2024 elections and for mis- and disinformation surrounding the campaigns.

Persons: ”, Minnesota Democratic Sen, Amy Klobuchar, Vermont Democratic Sen, Peter Welch, Illinois Democratic Sen, Dick Durbin, Elon Musk, headwinds, Peers, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Linda Yaccarino, Ron DeSantis Organizations: CNN, Google, Minnesota Democratic, Vermont Democratic, Illinois Democratic, Twitter, Meta, Microsoft, YouTube, Florida Gov Locations: Vermont, Florida

☆ Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito takes heat for trip on private jet owned by hedge-fund billionaire
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Senate Democrats on Wednesday blasted Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for failing to disclose as a gift his trip on a private plane owned by hedge-fund billionaire Paul Singer to travel with Singer to a luxury fishing excursion. "He allowed me to occupy what would have otherwise been an unoccupied seat on a private flight to Alaska," Alito wrote. But ProPublica said that Alito appears to have broken the financial disclosure law because the law requires disclosure of gifts of private jet flights. "I will tell you this defense offered by Justice Alito is laughable, laughable," Durbin said, referring to Alito's op-ed, according to NBC News. Durbin called on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to issue a code of ethics for the high court, which lacks one.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Paul Singer, Singer, Alito, ProPublica, Sen, Dick Durbin, Justice Alito, Durbin, John Roberts Organizations: Wednesday, Management, Street, Supreme, Illinois Democrat, NBC News Locations: Argentina, Alaska

☆ Lawmakers wrangle over measures to address pilot shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Greg Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A series of controversial proposals to address the airline pilot shortage is complicating Congress’ consideration of a new slate of Federal Aviation Administration policies with one senator warning fellow lawmakers there will be blood on their hands if reduced pilot training causes a fatal accident. The measures presented by lawmakers include raising the pilot retirement age, allowing more training to occur in a flight simulator rather than aircraft cockpit, and fast-tracking training programs. The measures are hotly contested and are aimed at addressing a shortage in airline pilots that was exacerbated by the pandemic. The Illinois Democrat scolded those who feel simulator training will be equivalent and said she didn’t believe reducing training hours would solve the shortage. On the House side, the House Transportation Committee narrowly approved an amendment that would raise the mandatory pilot retirement age by two years to 67.

Persons: Sen, John Thune of, Republican Sen, Jerry Moran, ”, “, Jason Ambrosi, Tammy Duckworth, Troy Nehls, ” Nehls, You’re, Rick Larsen, Nehls Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Republican, Senate, Air Line Pilots Association union, Illinois Democrat, Transportation, Texas Republican, AARP, Regional Airline Association, United, ” Locations: John Thune of South Dakota, Kansas, Iraq, Illinois, Texas, American, Delta

☆ Uber is trying to sway Chicago's mayor and Illinois Democrats against a bill seeking to make rides safer for customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

An Illinois bill could hold companies like Uber and Lyft liable for harm done to passengers. Uber launched a "pressure campaign" to avoid liability for these incidents, the law group behind the bill said. JB Pritzker, it would eliminate an exemption in Illinois law that has protected ride-hailing companies since 2015. Salvi said Illinois exempted ride-hailing companies from the state's common-carrier civil-liability doctrine in 2015 to "allow them to come to market" and "give them an ability to compete." Moreover, the exemption has protected ride-hailing companies in even more extreme cases.

☆ Utah bicycling groups and Democrats call on Mitt Romney to rethink his comments calling bike lanes 'the height of stupidity'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Romney faced widespread criticism after telling Insider that bike lanes are "the height of stupidity." "I love Mitt," Schatz told Insider recently in the Capitol. "We're not forcing anybody from an automobile onto a bike, but the truth is, the market is starting to demand that, but the bike lanes haven't caught up. And then in a matter of months, people are putting in their real estate advertisements that it's next to a bike lane. "As much as I ride my bike, unless it's a protected bike lane I don't trust it," he said.

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