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☆ Clarence Thomas, who has faced scrutiny over his ethics, discusses people who 'bomb your reputation'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The subsequent uproar resulted in Thomas updating financial disclosures to indicate his ties to the conservative donor. "I think what you are going to find and especially in Washington, people pride themselves on being awful. It is a hideous place as far as I'm concerned," Thomas told his Friday audience, per the AP. Representatives for Thomas and the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: —, Clarence Thomas, he's, Thomas, Justice, Kathryn Kimball Mizelle —, Donald Trump, it's, Harlan Crow, Ginni Thomas Organizations: Service, Circuit Judicial, Associated Press, Business, US, The New York Times, Finance Locations: Clear , Alabama, Washington

☆ UnitedHealth CEO tells lawmakers the company paid hackers a $22 million ransom
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Change Healthcare provides payment, revenue management and other solutions like e-prescription software. UnitedHealth told CNBC in April that it paid a ransom to try and protect patient data. Its business unit Optum — which provides care to 103 million customers — and Change Healthcare — which touches one in three patient records — merged in 2022. Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in his opening remarks that the Change Healthcare breach serves as a "dire warning about the consequences of too-big-to-fail mega-corporations." Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., pressed Witty to share how UnitedHealth is working to ensure something like the Change Healthcare breach will not happen again.

Persons: Andrew, UnitedHealth, Sen, Ron Wyden, Wyden, Thom Tillis, they're, Tillis, Blackcat, Michael Bennet Organizations: Senate, Capitol, U.S ., Finance, UnitedHealth, Healthcare, CNBC, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, U.S . Department of Justice Locations: Washington , DC

☆ IRS free tax filing pilot processed more than 140,000 returns, saved consumers $5.6 million in prep fees
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel testifies during the Senate Finance Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 IRS budget and the IRS' 2023 filing season, in the Dirksen Building in Washington, D.C., on April 19, 2023. This season, more than 140,000 taxpayers successfully filed returns using IRS Direct File, a free tax filing pilot from the IRS, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS. The program fully opened for certain taxpayers in 12 states in early March and saved filers an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees for federal returns, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told reporters on a press call. Direct File surveyed more than 15,000 users and some 90% rated their experience as "excellent," the agencies reported. The IRS plans to release a more detailed report about the Direct File pilot "in the coming days," he added.

Persons: Danny Werfel, Werfel Organizations: Senate, IRS, Washington , D.C, U.S . Department of, Treasury, Finance Locations: Washington ,

☆ Lawmakers Question Bank of America About Leon Black’s Payments to Epstein
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A U.S. Senate committee investigating the tax avoidance work that Jeffrey Epstein, the registered sex offender, did for the private equity mogul Leon Black has questioned Bank of America over Mr. Black’s hefty payments to Mr. Epstein, according to a letter viewed by The New York Times. They included fees paid to Mr. Epstein for advising on a sophisticated trust that saved Mr. Black more than $1 billion in taxes. Mr. Black’s decades-long business dealings and personal relationship with Mr. Epstein have dogged him ever since Mr. Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019. (Mr. Epstein hanged himself in a federal jail a month after his arrest.) Mr. Black, a co-founder of Apollo Global Management, with a net worth of $13 billion, ultimately stepped down from all leadership posts because of the controversy.

Persons: Jeffrey Epstein, Leon Black, Epstein, Ron Wyden, Black, Banks Organizations: U.S, of America, Mr, The New York Times, Senate Finance Committee, Apollo Global Management Locations: Oregon

☆ Bank of America's dealings with Leon Black and Jeffrey Epstein are in the Senate's crosshairs
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A Senate committee is asking Bank of America about payments from Leon Black to Jeffrey Epstein. The Senate is investigating tax avoidance strategies used by the mega-rich, The New York Times reports. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementA Senate committee investigating $158 million in payments that private equity investor Leon Black made to Jeffrey Epstein has brought Bank of America into the mix.

Persons: Leon Black, Jeffrey Epstein, —, Ron Wyden Organizations: Bank of America, New York Times, Black, Service, Senate Finance Committee, Business Locations: Oregon

☆ 'On life support': Senate Republicans are prepared to sink the child tax credit bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Sahil Kapur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Teddy bears, meant to represent West Virginia children, appear on the National Mall during an event with the Unbearable Campaign to urge Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Finance Committee, said he'd be happy to see the entire tax bill fade away. Saying the bill would "create entitlement spending that would generate significantly higher deficits," he called for spending cuts to fund the child tax credit expansion. He said there's "no question" Senate Republicans are trying to sink the bill to deny President Joe Biden an achievement in an election year. "This tax bill looks like, to me, it's in very serious trouble," he said Tuesday.

Persons: Teddy, Jason Smith, Ron Wyden, Sen, Thom Tillis, he'd, Tillis, Mike Crapo of, Mitch McConnell, Crapo, Chuck Grassley, , Grassley, who's, Richard Neal, Joe Biden, Josh Hawley, Wyden, We're, Donald Trump, that's, Chuck Schumer, he'll, we'll, Schumer Organizations: Republicans, House, Senate, Republican, Democrats, Democratic, Finance, Finance Committee, GOP, NBC, Manhattan Project Locations: West Virginia, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Iowa

☆ Treasury chief Yellen defends Biden budget against Republican senators' fears of tax increases
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Provisions of the TCJA — a landmark tax law proposed by the Trump administration and passed by Congress in 2017 — that are set to expire in 2025 include the child tax credit. An additional "other dependent credit" offers a tax credit of $500 to people with less than $400,000 in income who have qualified dependents who are ineligible for the child tax credit. Biden's budget will restore the expanded child tax credit, the White House has said. "Would you agree that if the TCJA child tax credit provisions are not extended, this would also result in a tax hike for Americans making under $400,000?" The budget would impose a minimum 25% tax rate on the unrealized income of the very wealthiest households and raise the IRA's corporate alternative minimum tax for billion-dollar companies from 15% to 21%, while increasing the larger corporate tax rate to 28%.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Joe Biden's, Biden, Sen, Steve Daines, Yellen, Daines, Trump, Mike Crapo, pare Organizations: Treasury, Capitol, WASHINGTON —, Congress, White, Child Tax, Rescue, National Conference of State Legislatures, . Census, House Republicans, Lawmakers, Department of Homeland Security Locations: Washington , U.S, Idaho

☆ 5-hour Energy billionaire named in Senate Swiss bank tax probe
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Eamon Javers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — Billionaire 5-hour Energy entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava maintained allegedly undeclared bank accounts worth hundreds of millions of dollars at the Swiss bank Pictet, according to documents cited by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in a letter sent Wednesday to the bank's managing partner in Geneva. The letter, which seeks information as part of an ongoing committee investigation, did not name Bhargava, instead referring to him as "Person 1." But according to a source familiar with the investigation and documents reviewed by CNBC, Bhargava was the account holder at issue. "According to records reviewed by the Committee, Person 1 has been a Pictet client for at least fifteen years," Wyden wrote. An attorney for Bhargava, Bryan C. Skarlatos, told CNBC he had no comment on the letter.

Persons: Manoj Bhargava, Ron Wyden, Bhargava, Wyden, Bhargava —, Bryan C, Skarlatos Organizations: WASHINGTON —, Senate Finance, CNBC Locations: Swiss, Geneva, Bahamas

☆ How Wealthy Investors Got Rich Looting America's Needy Hospitals
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Bethany Mclean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

That added to the massive debt burdens already placed on the hospitals by their for-profit owners, deepening their financial woes. In January, MPT reported that its biggest tenant, a nationwide chain of 32 hospitals called Steward, could no longer pay its rent. The core idea was simple: to buy hospital real estate, pocket the lease payments, and use the money to reward investors. The more hospital real estate that MPT buys, the more money it makes in rent payments from the hospitals. But that doesn't mean that MPT's leaders didn't get rich off its hospital deals.

Persons: Leonard Green, Sherman Cahal, Rob Simone, Hedgeye, MPT, Steward —, Justin Simon, Jasper Capital, they've, Ed Aldag, Eddie Lampert's, Eileen Appelbaum, Rosemary Batt, MTP, Marc Rowan, Richard Mortell, Leonard Green couldn't, they'd, Stephen Feinberg, Ralph de la Torre, Steward, Simone, Cerberus, Chandan Khanna, That's, de la, de la Torre, la Torre, Amaral, Aldag, Apollo, Eileen O'Grady, Moody's, didn't, Sen, Chuck Grassley Organizations: Northside Regional Medical Center, Ohio Valley Medical, East Ohio Regional Hospital, Luke's Medical, Glenwood Regional Medical Center, Medical Properties Trust, Jasper, Sears, Bain Capital, Affordable, Cornell University, Business, Third Coast Real Estate Capital, Cerberus, Health Care, Boston Globe, Bloomberg, Getty, Easton Hospital, Local, de la Torre, la, MediaNews, Boston Herald, Prospect, Private, Yale New Haven Health, Yale, Apollo, MPT, SEC, Republican, Senate Finance Locations: Youngstown , Ohio, Ohio, Wheeling , West Virginia, Martins Ferry , Ohio, St, Luke's, Phoenix, Massachusetts, West Virginia, California , Pennsylvania, Texas, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, America, Alabama, MPT, Greater Boston, Steward, Easton, Lehigh, Elizabeth's, Boston, Connecticut, it's

☆ IRS aims to close 'inequity gap' for unpaid taxes. How the agency targets top earners for audit
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on April 19, 2023. The tax gap, or the difference between taxes owed and paid, was an estimated $688 billion for tax year 2021, the IRS reported in October. Instead, profits flow through to the business owners' tax returns. Other 'red flags' for higher earnersIn addition to complex partnerships, the IRS is watching for other "red flags" from higher earners, according to Hylton. Another area of for increased audits could be estate and gift tax returns, particularly those using "aggressive valuation discounts" for assets, Hylton said.

Persons: Daniel Werfel, Chip Somodevilla, Danny Werfel, Werfel, Eric Hylton, Hylton, Colin Walsh, Baker Tilly, Baker Organizations: Senate, IRS, Alliantgroup Locations: U.S, Hylton, Puerto Rico

☆ IRS weighing 'audit selection algorithm' changes for low-income taxpayer credit
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAfter vowing to "substantially" reduce audits on a low-income tax credit in September, the IRS confirmed it's taking steps to address the inequity. "We also are testing changes in the audit selection algorithm," that could "remediate the disparate impact that has been occurring," he said. The report pointed to a faulty software algorithm used by the agency that selects who gets audited and noted the earned income tax credit contributed to this disparity. The credit has a high 'improper payments rate'In 2022, about 23 million filers received $57 billion from the earned income tax credit, and the tax break averaged $2,541. For tax year 2023, the credit is worth up to $7,430 for a household with three or more children, according to the IRS.

Persons: Danny Werfel, Al Drago, We've, Werfel, Erin Collins Organizations: Washington , D.C, Bloomberg, Getty, IRS, Stanford University, University of Michigan, U.S . Department of, Treasury, University of Chicago, Senate Finance Locations: Washington ,

☆ To shore up Social Security, this controversial proposal calls for limiting retirement plan tax perks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But a new research proposal published by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College by experts at the opposite ends of the political spectrum has sparked considerable opposition. Together, they call for limiting current tax preferences for retirement savings plans, and instead redirecting those funds to help shore up Social Security. How retirement plan tax incentives workIn 2024, the limit for total employee and employer contributions to a defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s is $69,000 in 2024. By rolling back the tax incentives provided through defined contribution retirement plans, the money saved could be used to help fix a portion of Social Security's funding gap, the researchers argue. "We now have an industry and a policy based on 401(k)s and defined contribution plans that has been, relatively speaking, successful," Fichtner said.

Persons: Andrew Biggs, Alicia Munnell, Biggs, Munnell, Michael Wicklein, Jason Fichtner, Fichtner Organizations: Istock, Getty, Center for Retirement Research, Boston College, American Enterprise Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Social Security, U.S, Mercatus, George Mason University, Cato Institute, National Association of Plan, Center, Board

☆ Senate probe zeroes in on Harlan Crow tax deductions for superyacht used for Clarence Thomas vacations
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Eamon Javers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

How Crow uses his 160 foot yacht has drawn the attention of Senate Finance Committee investigators, who are probing Crow's financial and personal ties to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Thomas and his wife Ginni Thomas have taken several cruises aboard the ship, the Michaela Rose, including trips around Indonesia and New Zealand. Rochelle Charter, Inc., which was formed by the Crow family to lease out the yacht, reported tax-deductible business losses in 10 of the 13 years for which ProPublic has records. In order for business losses to be deducted from federal income taxes, a company must be engaged in an actual business with paying customers. "Mr. Crow engages professional accounting firms to prepare his tax returns and complies with tax law in good faith.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Al Drago, Harlan Crow's, Crow, Thomas, Ginni Thomas, Michaela Rose, Ron Wyden, Sen, Erin Scott, ProPublic, Wyden, Harlan Crow, Mr Organizations: U.S, Supreme, White, Washington , D.C, Bloomberg, Getty Images WASHINGTON — Billionaire, IRS, CNBC, Finance, Democratic, Reuters Tax, Inc, Internal Revenue Service Locations: Washington ,, Indonesia, New Zealand, Washington, Rochelle

☆ Premarket stocks: Wall Street is worried about another regional banking crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But while the last crisis was all about interest rate risk, this one revolves around the $20 trillion commercial real estate market. What’s happening: After decades of growth bolstered by low interest rates and easy credit, commercial real estate has hit a wall. The increase was driven partly by expected losses on commercial real estate loans, it said. “As losses from a [commercial real estate] loan portfolio accumulate, they can spill over into the broader financial system,” they wrote. “There’s some smaller and regional banks that have concentrated exposures in these areas that are challenged and we’re working with them,” he said.

Persons: It’s, Goldman Sachs, Anna Cooban, Janet Yellen, Jerome Powell, Gary Gensler, ”, Chip Somodevilla, She’s, Powell, “, ” McDonald’s, McDonald’s, Jordan Valinsky, Samantha Murphy Kelly, “ We’ve Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, New York Community Bancorp, US Regional Bank, Japan’s Aozora Bank, Deutsche Bank, Canadian Public Pension Investment Board, Boston Properties, US Securities and Exchange, Financial, Biden, Senate, CBS, Verizon, Old Telephone Service, landlines, UK, Consumers, CNN, California Public Utilities Commission Locations: New York, Manhattan, Boston, Washington ,, East, United States, California, France, California ”

Virginia is not the only state grappling with skill games, but the efforts there reflect points in a larger debate nationwide as they have exploded in popularity. It is also backed by skill games producer Pace-O-Matic, which has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations to legislators in recent years. It would tax skill games revenue at 15% and would not explicitly limit the total number of machines that could exist. The skill games debate is a rare issue that doesn't split along partisan lines, and lawmakers have gone around and around on it for years. The General Assembly voted in 2020 to ban skill games, taking on the issue at the same time they were clearing the way for casinos for the first time.

Persons: ”, Sen, Aaron Rouse, Louise Lucas, Pace, Rouse, Chris Cylke, Ahmed Makhani, —, ” Cylke, Mark Peake, “, ” Peake, Democratic Sen, Jeremy McPike, Prince William County, McPike, Matt Hortenstine, Hortenstine, Lucas, Glenn Youngkin's, Christian Martinez, Ralph Northam Organizations: Senate Finance Committee, ABC, American Gaming Association, Republican, Democratic, Virginia Lottery Board, J Ventures, Accel Entertainment, Republican Gov, General, Virginia Supreme Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Virginia, Virginia Beach, Commonwealth, Lynchburg, Georgia, Illinois

☆ Child tax credit could change — but ‘don't wait on Congress’ to file your taxes, IRS commissioner says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesAs the tax season kicks off, Congress is still negotiating a $78 billion tax package with retroactive changes, including a boost for the child tax credit. If enacted, the child tax credit changes could affect 2023 filings this season. If enacted, the child tax credit changes could expand access, increase the refundable portion of the tax break and add future inflation adjustments. How to handle retroactive child tax credit changesMeanwhile, there are lingering questions from tax professionals about how to handle possible tax law changes for 2023, especially for those who file early. By law, filers claiming the child tax credit or earned income tax credit won't receive refunds until Feb. 27 at the earliest, according to the IRS.

Persons: Danny Werfel, Tom Williams, Jason Smith, Bill Smith, CBIZ, Werfel, filers Organizations: Senate, IRS, Washington , D.C, CQ, Inc, Getty, Urban, Brookings Tax, Republicans, Friday Locations: Washington ,

The answer explains why Congress is racing to wind down what is known as the employee retention tax credit. Lawmakers aim to use the savings to offset the cost of three business tax breaks and a more generous child tax credit for many low-income families. Households benefitting from the changes in the child tax credit would see an average tax cut of $680 in the first year, according to an estimate from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. Under current law, taxpayers have until April 15, 2025, to claim the employee retention credit. But in this case, the employee retention tax credit appears to have few friends left on Capitol Hill.

Persons: Danny Werfel, ’ ”, Sen, Ron Wyden, Elizabeth Warren, Ron Johnson, ” Johnson, “, ” Warren, Wyden, Jan, Larry Gray, Gray, ”, ” Gray, preparer, Werfel, Mark Warner Organizations: WASHINGTON, Senate, IRS, —, Center, Senate Finance, Capitol Locations: Rolla , Missouri, America, New Jersey

☆ IRS set to launch its free tax-filing pilot program for some taxpayers. Here's what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Known as Direct File, the agency's free filing software pilot will begin as an invitation-only service for a group of government workers before rolling out to certain taxpayers in 12 states by mid-March. Direct File comes after a feasibility report authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act. Internal Revenue ServiceDirect File is 'starting small' with 12 statesThe IRS Direct File pilot intentionally starts with a limited group of taxpayers with relatively simple filings, according to IRS officials. While Direct File won't cover state returns, Arizona, Massachusetts and New York residents can immediately continue to state filing by importing Direct File data. While only certain taxpayers can use Direct File, the bilingual software includes built-in live chat support with IRS assistors.

Persons: Daniel Werfel, Kevin Lamarque, Laurel Blatchford, Danny Werfel, Werfel Organizations: Reuters, U.S . Department, Treasury Department, IRS, CNBC, Internal Revenue, Social Locations: Arizona , California, Florida , Massachusetts, Nevada , New Hampshire , New York, South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas, Washington and Wyoming, Arizona , Massachusetts, New York, California

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Legislation that would allow a referendum on a casino in the northern Virginia suburbs of the nation’s capital cleared a hurdle Wednesday when a state Senate committee voted to advance the bill. Another bill that passed the committee Wednesday would allow Petersburg to hold a referendum on a casino in place of Richmond. Marsden said allowing a casino in northern Virginia provides geographic diversity and fairness. Legislative studies have also shown that a northern Virginia casino would generate more tax revenue than anywhere else. The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce supports the bill.

Persons: Glenn Youngkin, Sen, David Marsden, ” Marsden, Marsden Organizations: Senate, Committee, Delegates, Virginia Gov, Fairfax, Technology, Richmond, Northern, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Locations: Va, Virginia, Fairfax County, Tysons, Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Petersburg, Richmond, Maryland, Potomac, Bethesda, Northern Virginia

ATLANTA (AP) — With a runup in home values sparking higher property taxes for many Georgia homeowners, there is a groundswell among state lawmakers in this election year to provide relief. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesIn Texas, voters in November approved a plan cutting property taxes by $18 billion. Pennsylvania is using lottery proceeds to cut property taxes and subsidize rent for seniors and people with disabilities. That owner would have paid more except for a $950 million property tax rebate championed by Gov. More than $2 billion in property value in Columbus is shielded from taxation by homestead exemptions which don't allow for any rise in value.

Persons: Jon Burns, Newington, ”, Jared Walczak, Chuck Hufstetler, Bill, I’ve, Hufstetler, Burt Jones, It's, Atlanta Sen, Jason Esteves, Esteves, Burns, Shaw Blackmon, Kathleen, That's, Suzanne Widenhouse, Brian Kemp, Widenhouse, ” Widenhouse Organizations: ATLANTA, Georgia's, Republican, Tax Foundation, Democratic, Finance, Rome Republican, Associated Press, Georgia Department, Revenue, Georgia counties, Association of, of Georgia, Gov, Atlanta Locations: Georgia, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, California, Muscogee County, Columbus

☆ A bigger tax break for parents and companies is getting closer to becoming a reality
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewThere might be welcome tax news for parents and businesses soon — if legislators are finally able to wrangle a deal. "We've made a substantial kind of progress," Wyden told Semafor. AdvertisementRyan Carey, a spokesperson for Wyden, told BI last week that discussions were "ongoing" and "productive." At the same time, Democrats have been pushing for some renewal of pandemic-era expansions to the Child Tax Credit that expired in December 2021. Wyden told Semafor that he'd want the package in front of President Joe Biden by January 29, when filing season begins.

Persons: —, Ron Wyden, Jason Smith, Semafor's Joseph Zeballos, We've, Wyden, Semafor, Smith, Ryan Carey, Carey, Spokespeople, Donald Trump's, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Senate, Democrat, Tax, Business, Senate Finance, Child Tax, American, Child, ARP CTC

☆ Elizabeth Warren Takes on ‘Big Sandwich’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( James Freeman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington earlier this month. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg NewsA Journal editorial notes that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) But don’t expect the senator to stop promoting misguided market interventions, no matter how ludicrous. “Elizabeth Warren wants to break up Big Sandwich,” reads the headline on a Washington Examiner op-ed from Tom Joyce. Since consumers tend to love a big sandwich, a little explanation is in order—not that it will make Ms. Warren’s latest campaign any more appetizing.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Al Drago, Sen, ”, Tom Joyce, Warren’s Organizations: Bloomberg, Washington Examiner Locations: Massachusetts, Washington, Sandwich

☆ Mormon church sued again over how it uses tithing contributions from members
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, historic Mormon Salt Lake Temple is shown here with Christmas light display in Salt Lake City, Utah. The church agreed to pay $1 million and Ensign Peak will pay $4 million. Their lawsuit seeks class-action certification, potentially involving millions of church members, and an independent entity to oversee collection and use of church donations. Ensign Peak has spent funds only twice in its 26-year history, according to both lawsuits. From 2010-2014 it put $1.4 billion to build a mall near Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City.

Persons: of Jesus Christ, doesn't, James Huntsman, Jon Huntsman, Jr, didn't, Huntsman's, Daniel Chappell, Masen Christensen, John Oaks, Huntsman, David Nielsen, Ensign Peak Organizations: of Jesus, Utah Gov, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Corporation of, Advisors, U.S . Senate, U.S, Ninth Circuit Locations: Salt Lake, Salt Lake City , Utah, U.S, Salt Lake City, California, Virginia, Utah, Temple

President Joe Biden’s Cabinet secretaries will be advocating for the foreign aid to a mostly friendly audience in the Senate, where majority Democrats and many Republicans support tying aid for the two countries together. Despite growing questions about the Ukraine aid within the Republican conference, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell has forcefully advocated tying the aid for Ukraine and Israel together. As they returned to Washington on Monday night, Senate Republicans who support the Ukraine aid were uncertain of the path forward. 2 Senate Republican, said it could complicate Democrats’ efforts to pass the two together if there were a bipartisan vote for the Israel aid alone in the House. In recent weeks, though, a growing group of Senate Republicans have joined the majority of House Republicans who are advocating to slow down or stop U.S. aid to Ukraine.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden’s, Mike Johnson, Biden, ”, Chuck Schumer, Vladimir Putin, Patty Murray, Maine Sen, Susan Collins, ” Murray, Mitch McConnell, Oksana Markarova, ” Markarova, embolden Putin, Sen, John Thune of, Thune, Republican Sen, Joni Ernst, Iowa, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance, Putin, Johnson, Schumer, “ we're, Richard Neal, Ron Wyden, ” Wyden, Karine Jean, Pierre, ” “, —, Seung Min Kim, Fatima Hussein, Tara Copp Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Senate, Republican, Internal Revenue Service, Republicans, Hamas, Senate Republicans, House Republicans, Fox News, Democrat, New York Rep, White, Associated Press Locations: United States, Israel, Ukraine, America, Russia, Taiwan, China, U.S, Mexico, Ukrainian, Kentucky, Washington, John Thune of South Dakota, Ohio

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats said Monday they plan to subpoena Republican megadonor Harlan Crow and conservative activist Leonard Leo for more information about their roles in organizing and paying for luxury travel for Supreme Court justices. The announcement by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee comes as the court is being pressed to adopt an ethics code, a move that has been publicly endorsed by three of the nine justices. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesArkley and Leo have refused to cooperate with the committee's investigation of the justices' largely undisclosed private travel, the committee said. In a statement after Durbin’s announcement, Crow’s office called the subpoena politically motivated and said Crow had offered information to the committee. “It’s clear this is nothing more than a stunt aimed at undermining a sitting Supreme Court Justice for ideological and political purposes,” the statement said.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, Sen, Dick Durbin, Crow, Leo, Robin Arkley II, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Donald Trump, Arkley, Samuel Alito, Crow “, ” Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, “, Anthony Welters Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Federalist Society, Republicans, Committee, Senate Finance Locations: Georgia, Alaska

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