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☆ New Senate Leadership Tussle Is a Throwback to the Old Days
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and longest-serving Senate leader, decided to step aside from his leadership role at the end of the year, it signaled the turning of a new page in the chamber. For all the power they wield in Congress, Senate leaders have not had to fight too hard for their positions in recent years. Mr. McConnell, the current record-holder with almost 18 years at the top, did not face an opponent when he first won the job in 2006. Before Senator Harry Reid’s retirement in 2017, the Nevada Democrat and party leader passed the reins seamlessly to Senator Chuck Schumer of New York. Mr. Reid himself had quickly sewn up the Democratic job when it suddenly came open in 2004.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, McConnell, Rick Scott of, Harry Reid’s, Chuck Schumer, Reid Organizations: Kentucky Republican, Nevada Democrat, Democratic Locations: John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, Rick Scott of Florida, New York

☆ Kyrsten Sinema’s exit puts the spotlight on the Senate’s shrinking pool of dealmakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

For months, the two of them had worked tirelessly alongside Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma to craft a bipartisan deal on immigration. “The base of each party wants individuals who will fight, but not individuals who will reach across the aisle to get things done,” Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said. “I’ve seen a shift towards basically really not wanting to do anything,” West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said. Last cycle alone saw the retirement of Ohio Republican Sen. Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt, another GOP pragmatist, retired after the 2022 election, replaced by Sen. Eric Schmitt.

Persons: Sen, Kyrsten, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, Sinema, Murphy, ” Murphy, “, ” Sinema, Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, Joe Manchin, he’d, Romney, Trump, ” Romney, I’ve, ” West Virginia Republican Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, Ohio Republican Sen, Rob Portman, J.D, Vance, Trump . Missouri Republican Sen, Roy Blunt, GOP pragmatist, Eric Schmitt, appropriator Sen, Richard Shelby of, Richard Burr of, Bob Corker, Marsha Blackburn, Anna Moneymaker, we’ve, Lamar Alexander, ”, Tim Kaine, “ We’re, Kari Lake, –, Mark Kelly, ” Corker, Kaine, Todd Young, Thom Tillis, It’s, Brian Schatz, ” Sen, Mark Warner, Nathan Howard, Manchin, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, isn’t Organizations: Democratic, Connecticut, Republican, CNN, Senate, ” West Virginia Republican, Ohio Republican, GOP, Trump . Missouri Republican, Intelligence, Senate Foreign Relations, 118th, Democrat, North Carolina Republican, Getty, America Locations: Arizona, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Ohio, Richard Shelby of Alabama, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Hawaii, Washington , DC, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, America

Gail Collins: So, Bret — are you gonna miss Mitch McConnell? Bret Stephens: I guess it all depends on who succeeds him. If it’s a fairly traditional Republican, like John Cornyn of Texas or John Thune of South Dakota, I don’t think it will make much of a difference. But lately, McConnell has certainly seemed more civilized than a lot of the other Republican leaders. Bret: A first — Bret is harder on Mitch than Gail is.

Persons: Gail Collins, Bret —, Mitch McConnell, Bret Stephens, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, Rick Scott, Nicholas II, Gail, Trump, McConnell —, Barack, Merrick Garland, McConnell, Bret, Trump’s, Gail :, who’s Organizations: Republican Locations: John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota

☆ Republicans Nod to Trump’s Influence in Race to Succeed McConnell
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Kayla Guo | More About Kayla Guo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

With nine months before Senate Republicans select their new leader to succeed Senator Mitch McConnell, some are acknowledging the shadow of one figure outside Congress who looms over the race: former President Donald J. Trump. “He’s the Republican front-runner; he’s going to have a voice in it,” Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota, said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. A third John, Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 3 Senate Republican, may also jump into the race. He has maintained close ties to Mr. Trump and positioned himself to the right of Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Thune.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Donald J, “ He’s, Mike Rounds, “, McConnell, —, Trump, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, John, John Barrasso of, Cornyn, Thune Organizations: Republicans, Trump, Republican, Mr Locations: South Dakota, United States, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming

☆ Trump won't get to hand-pick McConnell's successor — just look at what happened to Jim Jordan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Mitch McConnell is stepping down, and Republican senators have months to decide who succeeds him. The end of his reign marks a shift in the GOP, but Trump won't get to fully decide the next leader. But one thing's for sure: Trump's not going to hand-pick the next Senate GOP leader. House Republicans first chose House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to be their candidate, only handing the nomination to Jordan after Scalise dropped out. It will be important for the eventual GOP leader to demonstrate that he or she could work with Trump if he's elected, but it won't be the only thing.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Trump, Jim Jordan's, —, Mitch McConnell's, Donald Trump, It's, Sen, John Cornyn, Johns, McConnell, Joe Biden, McConnell —, McConnell's, Kevin McCarthy, Rick Scott of, Scott, Trump's, they're, Jim Jordan, Jim Jordan of, Steve Scalise, Jordan, Scalise, Anna Moneymaker, it's, Tom Emmer Organizations: GOP, Trump, Service, Republicans, Kentucky Republican, Capitol, House Republicans, Senate, Ohio Republican, Texas Republican Locations: Texas, Rick Scott of Florida, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Ohio

☆ Mitch McConnell is stepping down in November. 3 men named John have long been angling to succeed him.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementBut three men have long been considered to be candidates — and they're all named John. John Thune, John Barrasso, and John Cornyn. John Thune of South DakotaKevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesThune, 63, is the second-highest-ranking Senate Republican. AdvertisementJohn Barrasso of WyomingAnna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesBarrasso, 71, is the third-highest-ranking GOP senator, serving as chair of the Senate GOP conference. AdvertisementJohn Cornyn of TexasAnna MoneymakerCornyn, 72, is not in Senate GOP leadership — but he served as the conference's whip from 2013 to 2019.

Persons: —, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Donald Trump, John, John Thune, John Barrasso, John Cornyn, John Thune of, John Thune of South Dakota Kevin Dietsch, Thune, Sen, Tim Scott, Trump, Trump's, John Barrasso of, John Barrasso of Wyoming Anna Moneymaker, He's, Barrasso, John Cornyn of, John Cornyn of Texas Anna Moneymaker Cornyn, he's, Cornyn Organizations: Service, Kentucky Republican, Business, Republican, GOP, Thune, South Dakota Republican, Senate, Safer Locations: Sens, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming, John Cornyn of Texas, Thune, Uvalde , Texas

☆ Joe Biden might end up missing Mitch McConnell
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewPresident Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are not friends — at least not in the sense of how any normal person would use the word. Even Obama couldn't help roll his eyes at the narrative of Biden and McConnell's relationship after the 2020 presidential election. "I'm enjoying reading now about how Joe Biden and Mitch have been friends for a long time," Obama told The Atlantic. The Kentucky Republican has also defended NATO, a major defense alliance that Trump has repeatedly questioned over his life. Biden will miss the Kentucky Republican at times.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Biden, Barack Obama's, Antonin Scalia, Obama, Mitch, McConnell, he's, We've, Trump, Mike Johnson, McConnell's, Ronald Reagan, Reagan, haven't, It's, Johns, Sen, John Cornyn of, Cornyn, John Thune of, John Barrasso of, Barrasso, browbeaten McConnell, Elaine Chao, Trump's Organizations: Service, Kentucky Republican, Business, GOP, Russia, Biden, Ukraine, NATO, Capitol, Republican Party, Cabinet, The New York Times, Trump, Republican Locations: Washington, Kentucky, villainy, Ukraine, ungovernable, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Israel, Taiwan

☆ McConnell’s GOP critics grow louder as party descends into feud over Ukraine and immigration
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Manu Raju | Lauren Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Mitch McConnell had long prided himself on maintaining GOP unity during his 17-year tenure as Senate GOP leader. Now they’ve spilled into public view as the Kentucky Republican heads into what could be his final year as leader. “We did what Donald Trump wanted.”With McConnell’s backing, the Senate is now taking a different approach. “Sen Cruz talks every day with his colleagues, and his conversations with fellow senators are confidential,” the Cruz spokesperson said. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama and close Trump ally, said that “everybody” has concerns about McConnell’s handling of the talks.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, That’s, Donald Trump, McConnell, “, Mitch, ”, Sen, Kevin Cramer, “ Mitch, he’s, Cramer, Larry Hogan, ” McConnell, Trump, Alex Brandon, …, I’ve, Josh Hawley, Republican Sen, Rand Paul, what’s, McConnell’s, GOP Sen, James Lankford of, –, Trump –, “ Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, John Cornyn of, John Thune of, John Barrasso of, ” Sen, Ron Johnson of, “ He’s, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, ” “, Ted Cruz, “ McConnell, Chip Somodevilla, Cruz, nodded, “ Cruz, “ Sen Cruz, Mike Rounds, Rounds, ” McConnell’s, Tucker Carlson, ” Romney, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, ” CNN’s Morgan Rimmer Organizations: GOP, Kentucky Republican, North Dakota Republican, Republican, Democratic, Senate, 436th Aerial Port Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Missouri Republican, Republicans, Lankford, Committee, Texas Republican, CNN, Trump, Capitol Locations: Ukraine, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware, Missouri, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Utah, Israel, Taiwan, Sens, John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune of South Dakota, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, Washington ,, South Dakota, Alabama

Republicans in Congress are ramping up pressure on the Biden administration to strike Iran in retaliation after three U.S. troops were killed and dozens were injured in a drone attack that officials have linked to Tehran on Sunday in Jordan. The eventual U.S. response to the attack has raised concerns about escalating conflict in the region, which is already growing as the Israel-Hamas war continues. But GOP lawmakers are sure to be critical of the president as a rematch of Biden and former President Donald Trump appears more likely in the 2024 election. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas originally posted “Target Tehran” before clarifying that he was not calling on the Biden administration to bomb Iranian civilians. White House spokesman Andrew Bates dismissed the calls as “attempts by far right congressional Republicans to politicize our national security.”

Persons: Biden, Lloyd Austin, Jens Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Steve Scalise, ”, ” Sen, Lindsey Graham of, Tom Cotton, Cotton, Sen, John Cornyn of, Andrew Bates Organizations: Defense, Pentagon, NATO, Congress, Biden Administration, Target, Republicans Locations: Iran, Tehran, Jordan, Israel, U.S, America, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Arkansas, John Cornyn of Texas, Target Tehran

☆ Biden risks deepening Middle East conflict with pressure to respond to deadly troop attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

How each party proceeds in the coming days could significantly alter the trajectory of the Israel-Hamas war and the broader tensions it has sparked in the Middle East. The issues have been the subject of hours of intense Situation Room discussions and high-level talks between the leaders. Already, Biden was coming under pressure to ratchet up the scale of American counterattack. American officials have said they have used backchannels to convey to Iran and its proxies that the attacks on US troops must stop. American officials said they were cautiously optimistic that the talks were moving in the right direction, and that an agreement could soon be in reach.

Persons: Jordan —, ’, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, We’ve, Adam Smith, ” Smith, ”, Smith, Biden, Sen, Lindsey Graham of, ” Sen, John Cornyn of, Lloyd Austin, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, Sunday’s, Burns, Elissa Slotkin Organizations: CNN, Hamas, United, ”, House Armed Services Committee, Iran, Sunday, “ Target, Defense, CIA, Michigan Democrat Locations: States, Gaza, Israel, France, Washington, Tehran, United States, Iran, Jordan, South Carolina, Iraq, Syria, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, “, “ Target Tehran, Paris, Qatar, Egypt, Michigan

☆ Opinion | The Wrong Party May Be Worrying About Its Nominee
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jamelle Bouie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“I do think there is a message that is coming out from the voters which is very clear. We need to unite around our eventual nominee, which is gong to be Donald Trump, and we need to beat Joe Biden,” Ronna McDaniel, the R.N.C. “To beat Biden, Republicans need to unite around a single candidate, and it’s clear that President Trump is Republican voters’ choice,” Cornyn said on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. But at least one Republican has, unsurprisingly, sounded a sour note about the prospect of another candidacy for Trump. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who recently left the race for president (and who also endorsed Trump).

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, ” Ronna McDaniel, John Cornyn of, Nikki Haley, “, Biden, Trump, ” Cornyn, Reagan, ”, Ron DeSantis, he’s Organizations: Republican National Committee, Fox News, Republican, Trump Locations: New Hampshire, John Cornyn of Texas, ’, Florida

But with regard to endorsements, Haley hasn’t necessarily benefited from the Trump holdouts, notably because they haven’t gone as far as to endorse her for the nomination. So while the holdouts might bother him on a personal level, they likely don’t have much influence over the Republican nomination in 2024. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellMcConnell has said he has “essentially stayed out” of the GOP nomination process. 2 Republican, had endorsed Scott as a candidate for the GOP nomination. He’s in a commanding position, and I’ve said all along I’ll support the nominee,” Thune said about Trump on Wednesday.

Persons: Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Haley, she’s, ” Haley, ”, Trump, Nikki ‘ Birdbrain ’ Haley, ” Trump, MAGA, Haley hasn’t, Chris Sununu, –, Ron DeSantis, Sen, Tim Scott of, Marco Rubio, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham of, John Barasso of, John Cornyn of, Deb Fischer, Nebraska, Mitch McConnell McConnell, McConnell, Mitt Romney, Utah Romney, Romney, hasn’t, Joe Biden, West Virginia Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, Susan Collins of Maine Collins, Collins, John Thune of, Scott, Thune, “ I’m, I’ve, ” Thune, I’ll, Schumer, ” Sen, Joni Ernst, Iowa Ernst, Ernst Organizations: Republican, South Carolina Gov, Trump, Iowa, Donald Trump View, Republican Party, True American Patriots, New Hampshire Gov, Florida Gov, GOP, Capitol, West Virginia Democratic, John Thune of South Dakota Thune, Senate, Biden Locations: New Hampshire, “, South Carolina, Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida , Arkansas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas, Sen, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Barasso of Wyoming, John Cornyn of Texas, Utah, John Thune of South Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa

Trump marches onAs widely expected, Donald Trump handily won the New Hampshire Republican primary, defeating Nikki Haley by double digits. That has left anti-Trump donors and the broader business community glimpsing an increasingly likely future: The former president will become the Republican nominee, and stands a good shot of winning in November. Haley said she would fight on, arguing last night that “this race is far from over.” But the former South Carolina governor will head to her home state — she’s skipping the Nevada caucuses on Feb. 8 — badly trailing Trump in polls there, with many of her Palmetto State colleagues having endorsed her opponent. A growing number of Republicans are now suggesting that she should drop out: Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a senior G.O.P. lawmaker, said that his party needed “to unite around a single candidate.”

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Haley, John Cornyn of, ” Organizations: New Hampshire Republican, Trump, Republican, South, Palmetto State Locations: South Carolina, Nevada, John Cornyn of Texas

☆ Kari Lake, previously a fire-breathing, hard-charging, far-right candidate for Arizona governor, may attempt to pivot to normie for her Senate bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Kari Lake on Tuesday launched her bid for the Republican Senate nomination in Arizona. But during her kickoff, Lake didn't focus on grievances and instead framed election integrity as a bipartisan issue. (The move likely dooms the prospects of Blake Masters, the unsuccessful 2022 Senate nominee who The Wall Street Journal previously reported had been set to jump into the 2024 Senate race.) AdvertisementAdvertisementLake defeated Karrin Taylor Robson in last year's Arizona Republican gubernatorial primary. In last year's gubernatorial election, Lake earned 49.6% of the vote, losing by about 17,000 votes out of nearly 2.6 million ballots cast.

Persons: Kari Lake, Trump's, —, Donald Trump, Katie Hobbs, Lake, Trump, Blake Masters, Mario Tama, It's, Doug Ducey, Sen, Jon Kyl, John McCain, Karrin Taylor Robson, Justin Sullivan, John Barrasso of, John Cornyn of, Steve Daines, Mitch McConnell, Kyrsten Sinema —, Ruben Gallego, Gallego, Sinema, she'll, Kyrsten Sinema, Chip Somodevilla, Republican Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who's Organizations: Republican, Service, Democratic, Lake, Trump, Street, Democrat, GOP, Arizona, Regents, Arizona Republican, Washington Republicans, Politico, Capitol, Senate Republican Conference, National Republican Senatorial, Democratic Party, Democratic Rep, Emerson College, Republican Pinal County Sheriff, Republicans, Democrats Locations: Arizona, Mexico, Washington, John Barrasso of Wyoming, John Cornyn of Texas, Montana, Kentucky, Republican Pinal County

“They’re working as a uniparty up there,” said GOP Rep. Max Miller of Ohio, referring to Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. Their split was also on full display last week when McConnell and Schumer publicly appeared together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Capitol, while McCarthy opted not to. “If you make a deal, you’ve got to stick to the deal,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, a member of Senate GOP leadership, told CNN. “I’m comfortable with the way we put together the Senate bill,” McConnell said. “I don’t see the support in the House,” McCarthy told reporters, referring to the bipartisan stopgap bill.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, McCarthy, wouldn’t, McConnell, Chuck Schumer, –, GOP Sen, John Cornyn of, McConnell’s, ” McCarthy, you’ve, Schumer, Hakeem, Jeffries, Cory Mills, “, Republicans couldn’t, ”, Max Miller of Ohio, Joe Biden, Donald Trump –, Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Sen, Shelley Moore Capito, ” Capito, Schumer –, “ Mitch, “ He’s, Sen, ” McConnell, they’re, it’s, Kevin Cramer, Cramer, ‘, ’ ” Cramer Organizations: CNN —, GOP, Republicans, Democrats, Florida Republican, CNN, ”, Senate, Biden, Capitol, Republican, North Dakota Republican, House Republicans Locations: Washington, John Cornyn of Texas, Ukraine, Russia, Florida, West Virginia

☆ After Mitch McConnell's 2nd freezing episode, a Kentucky GOP county chair says he's 'disappointed' that the senator didn't relinquish his leadership role in 2022: 'That would've been a wise decision'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

After Mitch McConnell froze again, a Kentucky GOP leader said the senator should have left last year. Bob Barney, the GOP chair in Jessamine County, told The Post he was "disappointed" in the situation. But McConnell's Republican Senate colleagues have, by and large, rallied around him. Barney told the newspaper he feels as though McConnell won't be selected as the GOP leader once again, which will eventually push him to leave office. "We're all very disappointed that he didn't let someone else take over as leader in 2022," Barney told The Post.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Bob Barney, Sen, John Cornyn of, McConnell, Cornyn, didn't, Barney, Rick Scott of, Barney —, Joe Biden, —, Mitch, he'd, Scott Jennings, Jim Banks, Jennings Organizations: Kentucky GOP, GOP, Republican, Service, Kentucky Republican, Washington Post, Safer Communities, Post, Kentucky Republicans, Indiana Rep, Democratic, Bluegrass State Locations: Kentucky, Jessamine County, Wall, Silicon, John Cornyn of Texas, Rick Scott of Florida

☆ What Trump thinks of Mitch McConnell's potential replacements
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —It would be a mistake to presuppose these are the final days of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s record-setting run as the Republican leader in the Senate. In January, Trump referred to Barrasso as McConnell’s “flunky” during a radio interview in Barrasso’s home state of Wyoming. Trump views McConnell as an enemyNo Senate leader will be able to maintain a flawless relationship with Trump, but McConnell’s has been particularly fraught. McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, who served in Trump’s administration as transportation secretary, has more recently been the subject of racial insults from Trump. Any successor would have to navigate Trump’s control of the party – and the very real potential that Trump could return to the White House.

Persons: Sen, Mitch McConnell’s, Donald Trump’s, Trump, McConnell, Rich Lowry, “, ”, CNN’s Manu Raju, Raju, It’s, George W, Bush, Lowry, ” Lowry, Johns ” – Sen, John Thune of, John Cornyn of, John Barrasso of, Thune, ’, Tom Daschle, – “, Kristi Noem, Tim Scott of, Cornyn, “ He’s, ” Cornyn, Utah’s Sen, Mitt Romney, Barrasso, McConnell’s, Elaine Chao, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Republicans, National Review, Capitol, GOP, New York Times, today’s GOP, Senate, South Dakota Gov, Trump, Republicans ’ Locations: John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas, John Barrasso of Wyoming, today’s, Trump, Thune, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Cornyn, Wyoming

☆ How Mexican narcos use remittances to wire U.S. drug profits home
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Reuters Graphic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +28 min

Now the news agency is the first to detail how Mexican drug gangs have harnessed legitimate remittance networks to repatriate their U.S. drug profits, and the factors that make this activity so difficult for authorities to detect and thwart. But authorities say Mexican drug cartels are piggybacking on this legal network to repatriate earnings from U.S. narcotics sales. A Reuters search of Mexican court records dating back to 2012 turned up no cases involving money laundering through remittances. Still, prosecutors in those cases mentioned several of those firms in court documents because they said the defendants had used their platforms to wire drug money. His office did not respond to requests for comment about law enforcement allegations that Mexican cartels are using remittances to launder drug money.

Persons: Money, ”, “, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, ” Jorge Godínez, ” Godínez, John Cornyn of, Chuck Grassley, ” Grassley, pocketing, John Horn, remitters ”, Horn, – Oscar Gustavo Perez, Bernal, Itzayana Guadalupe Perez, Susan Fiorella Ayala, Chavez –, Los, –, Jose Luis Rosales, Ocampo, Josue Gama, Perez, Thania Rosales, Dulce Rosales, – Ana Lilia Leal, Martinez, Ana Paola Banda, Maria de Lourdes Carbajal, Henri Watson, Carbajal, Sigue, Sangita Bricker, Transfast –, ” Sigue, Transfast, fanny, Juan de Dios Gámez, Rubén Rocha, BanCoppel, Banorte, hadn’t, El, López Obrador, ” López Obrador, Signos, Signos Vitales, Oquitoa, Enrique Cardenas, Tim Walz, Keith Ellison Organizations: Sinaloa Cartel, Reuters, Jalisco New, Mexican, WorldRemit, ., National Intelligence, narcos, U.S, Republican U.S, Treasury, U.S . Department of, U.S ., Financial Intelligence Unit, “, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Los Rosales, Kansas City, ”, Leal, IDT Corporation, IDT, Mastercard, Express Cellular, Prosecutors, IRS, Western Union, U.S . Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, ‘, Banco Azteca, Elektra, World Bank, Minnesota, Caborca Locations: CULIACÁN, Mexico, Mexican, Culiacán, Sinaloa, United States, Jalisco, U.S, Colorado, Union, Americas, London, John Cornyn of Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Colorado , Georgia , Ohio , Oklahoma , Texas, Virginia, Washington, Georgia, Atlanta, Columbus, Rosales, Nayarit, Michoacan, Missouri, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Miami, , New Jersey, Ria, Kansas, California, New York, Western, Sinaloan, Costa Rica, BanCoppel, India, China, Mexico City, Minnesota, Arizona , Colorado , Florida , Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, Oquitoa, Sonora

☆ GOP senators defend Clarence Thomas' billionaire benefactor's Nazi memorabilia collection: 'Harlan Crow's a terrific person'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The GOP megadonor also keeps Nazi artifacts at his Dallas home, where he's hosted fundraisers. In interviews with Insider at the Capitol on Tuesday, several of them defended the Republican megadonor amid broad scrutiny of his taste in historical artifacts. The Texas senator argued that the media is "deliberately" mischaracterizing the nature of Crow's collection in order to tarnish Justice Thomas' reputation. 'He's not a drug dealer or cocaine trafficker'Crow also collects other historical artifacts, including thousands of documents, books, and historical artifacts pertaining to American history. But when asked about Crow's Nazi memorabilia and dictator sculptures, Ernst said she had "no idea" about it.

☆ Opinion: Gun control after Louisville shooting has a chance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Max Burns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Meanwhile, Democrats — once wary of mentioning gun control at all — have finally rediscovered their voice. See heated gun control discussion between lawmakers in the halls of Congress 01:19 - Source: CNNDemocrats’ rising confidence in fighting for gun reform comes against a backdrop of tireless coalition-building from gun safety activists and community organizers across the country. Everytown credits at least 51 pieces of state-level gun safety legislation passed in 2022 to their state-by-state strategy. Over the summer, an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that 59% of American adults think it’s more important to control gun violence than to protect gun rights (35%) — “its highest point in nearly a decade.” These figures have surely factored into Democrats new assertiveness on gun control. “Republicans look completely unreasonable when they won’t even discuss background checks, gun safety measures like storage or red flag laws,” Del Percio warned.

☆ Clarence Thomas' billionaire benefactor Harlan Crow has also spent thousands boosting Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and an anti-Trump super PAC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They include Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, major Senate campaigns, and an anti-Trump PAC. The Texas billionaire also gave $50,000 in 2015 to "Right to Rise," a super PAC associated with Jeb Bush. Senate super PAC spendingIn addition to being a major super PAC spender at the presidential level, Crow has given thousands to outside spending groups supporting the party's Senate candidates over the years. He also gave $50,000 to "Show Me Values PAC," a super PAC set up to prevent the scandal-plagued former Gov. And in 2016, he gave $55,000 to "Let America Work," a super PAC boosting Sen. Ron Johnson against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.

☆ Top Republicans bash DeSantis for calling Ukraine war a territorial dispute: 'Obviously, he doesn't deal with foreign policy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ron DeSantis called the Ukraine war a "territorial dispute" and said it's not a "vital" US interest. "Obviously, he doesn't deal with foreign policy every day as governor," said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. His comments quickly elicited pushback from other Republicans, both for his characterization of the conflict as a "territorial dispute" and for suggesting that defending Ukraine is not a vital national interest. Rubio went on to say that "foreign policy is about nuance" while taking pains not to criticize DeSantis directly. And Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas told POLITICO that he was "disturbed" by DeSantis' statement.

☆ Here are the 5 senators who voted against giving workers break time to pump breast milk
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Five senators voted against expanding protections for breastfeeding workers. The PUMP Act will now be included in the federal Omnibus bill, which the president is expected to sign. In online statements on Thursday, Merkley and Murkowski celebrated the passage of the PUMP Act. "I am encouraged to see the PUMP Act pass the Senate—good progress toward ensuring no mother ever has to choose between a job and nursing her child," Murkowski said. Merkley and Murkowski initially tried to get the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act voted on as a standalone bill on Tuesday, but the attempt was blocked by Paul.

☆ Here are the 14 Republican senators who may have doomed their bills in the new GOP House by voting for a major spending bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kevin McCarthy even vowed to block House consideration of bills sponsored by GOP senators who voted for it. But a slew of GOP senators voted for it anyway, including 4 who are retiring and 14 who will remain. "Kevin's in a tough spot," Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, a former House Republican and an opponent of the omnibus himself, told CNN's Manu Raju. "Statements like that... is the very reason that some Senate Republicans feel they probably should spare them from the burden of having to govern." Additionally, four Republican senators who voted for the bill are retiring, making the threat meaningless to them.

☆ Republicans boost outgoing Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey as a potential challenger to Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Republicans hope that outgoing Arizona Gov. "I hope that he'll get in," Utah Sen. Mitt Romney told The Hill of a potential Ducey candidacy. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, told The Hill that Ducey would be "excellent candidate." This year, Arizona Republicans nominated venture capitalist Blake Masters as their Senate nominee, but he went on to lose to Kelly by 5 points last month. "He's not our only chance, but he's probably our best chance," an Arizona-based Republican operative told The Hill of Ducey.

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