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☆ SeaWorld Shuffles Executives, Names Interim Financial Chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Will Feuer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. is shuffling its executives, moving Chief Financial Officer Chelle Adams, who took that job less than a year ago, to the newly created role of chief transformation officer. Ms. Adams will work to streamline organizational processes and oversee business development and growth activities, the company said. SeaWorld named Jim Forrester, who joined the company in 2019, to the role of interim finance chief and treasurer. Mr. Miller will oversee all Florida parks, alongside another co-chief parks operations officer, Byron Surrett, who will oversee all non-Florida parks. The company also named three new park presidents, and promoted Shekufeh Boyle to the role of chief accounting officer.

☆ Head of Israeli Cyber Firm NSO Group Reaffirms Company Commitment to Spyware
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Byron Tau | Dustin Volz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Embattled Israeli technology firm NSO Group acknowledged that its clients had sometimes misused the company’s high-powered hacking tools but defended the need to give law-enforcement and intelligence agencies the ability to digitally break into and monitor smartphones. In his first media interview since taking over as chief executive in 2022, Yaron Shohat said NSO Group has lost customers since the Biden administration levied stiff measures against the company in late 2021, but has stabilized itself financially and recently attracted new deals. Mr. Shohat didn’t specify how many customers NSO Group currently has but said it was around a few dozen.

☆ Byron Donalds Schools Joy Reid on Social Security
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jason L. Riley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

He is also a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and provides television commentary for various news outlets. Mr. Riley joined the paper in 1994 as a copy reader on the national news desk in New York. He moved to the editorial page in 1995, was named a senior editorial page writer in 2000, and became a member of the Editorial Board in 2005. He joined the Manhattan Institute in 2015. Born in Buffalo, New York, Mr. Riley earned a bachelor's degree in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

☆ Matt Gaetz tried playing kingmaker during the House speaker vote after spending 2 years as a political pariah. Republicans say the grandstanding is unlikely to stop.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz was a key player in the House speaker vote fight. "I don't think this guy's looking to be a policymaker," the GOP strategist told Insider. Doug Heye, a former House leadership aide turned GOP strategist, said the jury's still very much out on Gaetz's motivations and his endgame. Or, it could be as easy as believing that guy who donned a gas mask to ridicule a House vote on COVID-19 relief is committed to troublemaking. Not a workaholicA former House GOP leadership aide said Gaetz's reputation precedes him on Capitol HIll.

Five decades ago, Jim Ziglar witnessed the landmark Roe v. Wade decision take shape inside the Supreme Court chambers. Jim Ziglar, center left, clerked for Justice Harry Blackmun, center right, in 1972-1973, the session in which Blackmun wrote the landmark majority decision for Roe v. Wade. Blackmun, Frampton said, "really wanted to become an expert in the history of abortion and the history of abortion law." The Supreme Court clerks who served in the 1972-1973 session, in which the Roe v. Wade decision was handed down. Richard Hoffman and Rhesa Barksdale worked as clerks for Supreme Court Justice Byron White in the 1972-1973 session, in which White wrote the dissenting opinion in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

☆ Trump Hit With $1 Million Fine for Lawsuit Deemed Frivolous
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Byron Tau | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—A federal judge in Florida levied a nearly $1 million fine this week on former President Donald Trump and his attorney, Alina Habba, over their filing of what he called a frivolous lawsuit alleging a political conspiracy during the 2016 election. “This case should never have been brought,” U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks wrote in a scathing 46-page order imposing sanctions against the former president and his legal team. He called Mr. Trump “a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries” and declared the former president jointly liable with his lawyer for paying the fine.

☆ Rep. George Santos pushes back on 'insane' reports he took funds for veteran's dying dog
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"The reports that I would let a dog die is shocking & insane," the freshman lawmaker from New York tweeted Thursday morning. Santos' office did not immediately provide any of those photos when asked by CNBC. Santos then became elusive, and finally told Osthoff he had moved the money into his charity to use "for other dogs," the veteran told Patch. If Santos were to leave office, it would likely trigger a competitive special election in New York for his seat. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., made a similar argument Thursday when asked by CNN whether he believed Santos should resign.

Her successor as Labour leader and prime minister faces a stern test in a general election in October, with support for the party falling and the country expected to fall into a recession next quarter. Despite her high global profile, Ardern's Labour Party has slid in the polls, hurt by rising living costs, growing crime and concern about social issues. That meant that even with traditional coalition partner the Green Party, polling at 9%, Labour could not hold a majority. Ardern most likely stepped down to give the Labour Party a chance to refresh and reposition itself ahead of an election in October, experts said. CONSERVATIVES BUOYEDThe conservative National Party may be buoyed by Ardern's resignation.

☆ House GOP's 'all-star' oversight panel features 13 election deniers, 10 impeach-Biden-world advocates, and 3 congressional subpoena dodgers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

House Republican leaders have stocked the oversight panel with partisan bomb-throwers. Many of the new panelists voted to overturn the 2020 election and defied Jan. 6 investigators. Retired Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who chaired the House Oversight Committee last session, asserted that this new cast of characters were getting into it for the wrong reasons. "The personal vendettas these committees pursue are not a legitimate use of the oversight power. "These are basically the people who own Kevin McCarthy at this point," Bardella told Insider at the Facts First event.

☆ Little-Known Surveillance Program Captures Money Transfers Between U.S. and More Than 20 Countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Dustin Volz | Byron Tau | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON—Hundreds of federal, state and local U.S. law-enforcement agencies have access without court oversight to a database of more than 150 million money transfers between people in the U.S. and in more than 20 countries, according to internal program documents and an investigation by Sen. Ron Wyden . The database, housed at a little-known nonprofit called the Transaction Record Analysis Center, or TRAC, was set up by the Arizona state attorney general’s office in 2014 as part of a settlement reached with Western Union to combat cross-border trafficking of drugs and people from Mexico. It has since expanded to allow officials of more than 600 law-enforcement entities—from federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to small-town police departments in nearly every state—to monitor the flow of funds through money services between the U.S. and countries around the world.

Rep. Dan Bishop of South Carolina , one of 13 holdouts who flipped to back McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will continue to serve on the Judiciary Committee. , one of 13 holdouts who flipped to back McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will continue to serve on the Judiciary Committee. , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won a seat on the Homeland Security Committee. , who also flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, won a new seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which controls federal spending. Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois , who flipped to McCarthy on the 12th ballot, will remain on the Agriculture Committee.

☆ GOP Freedom Caucus is reaping its reward for holding House speaker election ransom, with even holdout Boebert given plum committee role
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP Freedom Caucus members initially held out on voting for Kevin McCarthy for House speaker. Many have now received key appointments, including Lauren Boebert on the Oversight Committee. Boebert and several other Freedom Caucus Republicans have been given seats on the House Oversight Committee, the main oversight body in the House of Representatives. Reps. Byron Donalds, Paul Gosar, and Scott Perry, other members of the Freedom Caucus, were also put on the committee, Axios reported. Members of the Freedom Caucus, which include vocal Trump supporters and 2020 election deniers, repeatedly refused to support McCarthy in his bid for House speaker.

☆ George Santos Raised Money for Company the SEC Says Was a Ponzi Scheme
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Byron Tau | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

George Santos was hired in 2020 by Harbor City Capital, where his job was to bring in investors for the company’s financial offering, according to people familiar with the matter. WASHINGTON—Embattled Rep. George Santos persuaded at least one person to make a six-figure investment in a Florida-based company that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission later said was a Ponzi scheme, according to people familiar with the matter and documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Santos was hired in 2020 to raise capital for the company, Harbor City Capital , and landed at least one significant investment from a wealthy investor, the people said. When the investment failed to deliver on the promised returns, according to one of the people, Mr. Santos sought to reassure the investor by saying he had personally raised nearly $100 million and had invested his own family’s money in Harbor City.

☆ U.S. House Republicans who bucked McCarthy are powered by small-dollar donors
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Jason Lange | Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives Republicans who tried to block Kevin McCarthy’s leadership bid last week share more than far-right political views. That’s about twice the share reported by the rest of the Republican House conference. Trump raised massive amounts of cash from small donors, thanks to a supply of controversial statements that drew him constant media attention. Close to 60% of his funding came from small donors. Both Gaetz and Boebert were in the top 15 House Republican campaigns ranked by funds raised.

☆ Safety official's remarks about possible gas stove ban fuel hot GOP takes about Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Republicans are warning that the Biden administration is coming for your stove if it's fueled by gas. “Gas stoves are the next thing the Biden Administration is coming after,” he tweeted. “Washington bureaucrats should have no say in how Americans prepare their dinner.”Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., told Biden to "get your hands off our gas stoves!!!!" “There’s been a lot of gaslighting today about gas stoves,” Beyer tweeted Tuesday. “To be clear, I didn’t call for a ban on gas stoves.

☆ Damar Hamlin thanks everyone for support in first public comments since cardiac arrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Dennis Romero | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is continuing to recover from cardiac arrest, thanked fans Saturday in his first public statement since he collapsed and asked them to keep their prayers coming. ... On a long road keep praying for me!”Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sept. 19, 2022. A painted 30-yard line honoring Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, #3, at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday. Buffalo players plan to wear jersey patches with Hamlin's number, 3, to express support for his recovery, according to the NFL. For pregame warmups, Bills players planned to wear t-shirts emblazoned with the statement, "Love for Damar 3," the league said.

Share this -Link copiedMcCarthy elected speaker in 15th round McCarthy was elected House speaker Saturday shortly after midnight on the 15th ballot. Share this -Link copiedHouse reconvenes to hold 14th round of speaker votes The House has reconvened to begin the 14th round of speaker votes. Read the rest of the story, The House speaker election, in three charts. Share this -Link copiedHouse begins 13th round The House is beginning the 13th round of speaker votes. At least 14 House GOP flip to support McCarthy in twelfth speaker vote Jan. 6, 2023 01:52 Share this -Link copied

“It’s critically important that the Rules Committee reflect the body and reflect the will of the people. “What we’re seeing is the incredibly shrinking speakership,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in an interview Friday. “The reason these people want to be on the Rules Committee is they want to screw things up for McCarthy. The message the leader received from his deal-making centrists: We can live with giving Freedom Caucus members committee slots but committee gavels are a “nonstarter.”“Nobody should get a chairmanship without earning it,” Bacon said. That pisses us off.”Díaz-Balart said he had received assurances that “there are no deals cut about chairmanships” to committees as part of swaying votes to make McCarthy speaker.

☆ GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz on his decision to vote 'present' in the final House speaker roll call vote despite his opposition to McCarthy: 'I ran out of things I could even imagine to ask for'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Matt Gaetz was one of the last holdouts in backing challengers to Kevin McCarthy's speakership bid. Gaetz told CNN that he "ran out of things" to ask for by the end of the public leadership fight. However, by the 14th ballot — when the vast majority of the conservative holdouts had finally moved behind McCarthy — Gaetz shifted his vote from Jordan and instead recorded himself as "present." Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama after the 14th round of voting then confronted Gaetz and appeared to lunge at the Floridian over the vote. CNN reported that Gaetz on Monday had asked McCarthy to chair a House Armed Services subcommittee, but the GOP leader had declined the request.

JOSH BRECHEEN - FLIPPEDThe Oklahoman freshman went for McCarthy on Friday afternoon, saying a deal "will allow conservatives to rein in out-of-control spending." ANDREW CLYDE - FLIPPEDClyde of Georgia is a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, which is driving opposition to McCarthy. He moved to support McCarthy on Friday. ANDY BIGGS - OPPOSEDThe Arizona lawyer ran against McCarthy in the first round of voting for speaker. MATT ROSENDALE - OPPOSEDThe lone congressman from Montana has remained opposed to McCarthy, voting repeatedly for fellow Republican Kevin Hern instead.

☆ After flipping 13 votes in his favor, McCarthy loses yet another floor vote in seemingly endless speaker bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kevin McCarthy lost his 12th speaker ballot Friday. The converts are still reviewing rules changes McCarthy has promised in exchange for the gavel. "Watch here and you'll see some people who have been voting against me voting for me," McCarthy told reporters at the US Capitol. Republican Reps.-elect Ken Buck of Colorado and Wesley Hunt of Texas, both McCarthy supporters, were both absent Friday morning because of personal reasons. "You only earn the position if you get the votes," Gaetz said on the House floor, a taunt that caused McCarthy supporter Rep-elect Mike Bost of Illinois to shout his disapproval.

☆ Exclusive: China Energy places order to import Australian coal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Muyu Xu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

India's share of Australian coal increased to 15.7% in 2022 from 12.3%, while Europe's share increased to 8% from 4.6%, the Kpler data showed. "Australian thermal coal is of better quality and is expensive. Global prices of both coking and thermal coal shot up after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. Analysts and traders expect the return of Australian coal to challenge the market share of suppliers such as Russia and add to pressure on prices in the longer term. "Entry of Australian coal into Chinese markets could ease coking coal prices, which are currently on the higher side," an Indian coal trader said.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about how a nonfunctional House hurts national security. "If a national security crisis arises, the President of the United States is right down the street," he said. "I'm informed by House Security that, technically, I don't have a clearance," Gallagher, a former Marine Corps intelligence officer, told reporters. "I'm a member of the [House Intelligence Committee], I'm on the Armed Services Committee, and I can't meet in the SCIF to conduct essential business." "President Xi says, 'Our system of governance works because democracy don't,'" Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, told reporters.

The group of hard-line Republicans standing firm in opposing Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid for speaker has coalesced around an alternative: Rep. Byron Donalds, a conservative two-term lawmaker from Florida who is considered a rising star in the GOP but is still relatively unknown nationally. Donalds said the incident inspired him to change his life and eventually emerge from businessman to politician. In 2021, Donalds was denied membership in the Congressional Black Caucus and insisted it was because of his conservative views. Donalds’ wife, Erika Donalds, with whom he has three children, is also a conservative Republican and involved in state politics. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., center right, speaks with a colleague in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol, on Wednesday.

☆ Fact Check-Fabricated Trump statement endorsing Rep. Byron Donalds as Speaker of U.S. House of Representatives circulates online
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An Image purporting to show a statement from former U.S. President Donald Trump has been shared online to claim that he rescinded his support to Rep. Kevin McCarthy and endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds for the position of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. House members should now rally behind Bryon Donalds, who will be sure to push the MAGA agenda. Trump clarified in a Truth Social post on Jan. 4 that, “the story and statement that was just put out that I endorsed Byron for Speaker of the House is Fake and Fraudulent” (here). The claim is being shared after Republicans in the House of Representatives failed again on Wednesday to elect a leader, Reuters reported (here). Trump did not release a statement endorsing Rep. Byron Donalds for the House Speaker.

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