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☆ Feinstein's death poses two big questions for US Senate Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Filling the 90-year-old lawmaker's seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee touches one of the most critical levers of partisan power in Washington and will require cooperation from Republicans. "There is simply nobody who possessed the poise, gravitas and fierceness of Dianne Feinstein," Newsom said. JUDICIARY VACANCYFeinstein's death leaves a 10-10 deadlock on the Judiciary Committee, which is in charge of reviewing presidential nominations to federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. With the Republican-controlled House blocking most attempts at bipartisan legislation, the Democratic Senate has focused this year on approving Democratic President Joe Biden's judicial nominees. Senate Republicans said on Friday they do not intend to contest a move to replace Feinstein on the committee after her death.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein, Gavin Newsom, Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, NEWSOM Newsom, Newsom, Representative Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, Joe Biden's, Biden, That's, Donald Trump's, Republican Mitch McConnell, Barack Obama's, Antonin Scalia, Richard Cowan, Patricia Zengerle, Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: U.S . Senate, Capitol, California Democratic, Republicans, Democrats, Democratic Party, Democrat, Republican, Democratic, Liberal U.S, Representative, U.S, Committee, Supreme, Democratic Senate, Thomson Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON, U.S, California

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) in San Francisco, California, U.S., September 27, 2023. Separately, they also allege the Justice Department interfered with a tax investigation of Hunter Biden. House Republicans have said they plan to seek personal and business bank records for Hunter Biden and James Biden, the president's brother. A prolonged shutdown could slow the impeachment inquiry as fewer administration officials would be available to respond to information requests. White House spokesman Ian Sams said House Republicans were prioritizing "conspiracy theories" over keeping the government open.

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, Hunter Biden, James Comer, Biden, Barack Obama's, Republican Donald Trump, Burisma, Petro Poroshenko, James Biden, Hunter, Joe Biden's, Ian Sams, Trump, Makini Brice, Andy Sullivan, Alistair Bell Organizations: President's, Advisors, Science, Technology, REUTERS, Rights, Republican, House, Democratic, U.S . Justice Department, Republicans, Senate, Fox News Channel, Former, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, Ukraine, Delaware

☆ Kevin McCarthy's House is the least productive in modern history — and it's not just because of divided government
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The current GOP-run House is the least productive in modern history, according to a new analysis. It's not just due to divided government — McCarthy's House falls short of other similar periods. AdvertisementAdvertisementKevin McCarthy is leading the least productive House in modern history, according to an analysis of legislative data shared exclusively with Insider. According to the analysis, the average number of bills to pass the House during periods of divided government by September 19 is 299. "The extremists in the house run the show," said Nayak.

Persons: It's, —, Kevin McCarthy, MAGA, Navin Nayak, Joe Biden, McCarthy, that's, Barack Obama's, Spokespeople, Nancy Pelosi Organizations: GOP, Service, MAGA Republicans, Center for American Progress, CAP, Capitol, McCarthy's, Democratic Party, 118th, Infrastructure Law

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Accountability for Russian Atrocities in Ukraine", on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 31, 2023. It is the second time Cardin, a senior senator known for human rights advocacy, replaces fellow Democrat Menendez in committee leadership. Cardin also stepped in from April 2015 to February 2018 after Menendez faced federal corruption charges that were later dropped. Less hawkish than Menendez, Cardin has focused on human rights throughout his career, notably by authoring the Magnitsky Act, named for a lawyer who exposed corruption in Russia before dying in prison. Passed in 2012 and expanded globally in 2016, the act allowed the U.S. government to sanction individuals involved in human rights violations, not just governments.

Persons: Ben Cardin, Julia Nikhinson, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Barack Obama's, Joe Biden's, Patricia Zengerle, Timothy Gardner Organizations: Foreign, Russian Atrocities, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, Communist, Obama's, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Washington , U.S, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, Egypt

Some elected officials, including the Democratic governor of Menendez's state of New Jersey, have publicly urged him to step down. Sherrod Brown became the second Senate Democrat to call for Menendez to resign, saying in a statement: "Senator Menendez has broken the public trust and should resign from the U.S. Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, on Saturday urged Menendez to resign in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Senator Peter Welch also said he encouraged Menendez to resign because the allegations against him had "compromised his capacity" to be an "effective senator." Menendez, his wife Nadine Menendez and the businessmen are expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Nancy Pelosi, Menendez, Sherrod Brown, John Fetterman, Peter Welch, Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Karine Jean, Pierre, Andy Kim, Barack Obama's, Makini Brice, Doina, Steve Holland, Kanishka Singh, Scott Malone, Mark Porter, Matthew Lewis, Sonali Paul Organizations: Democratic, Former U.S . House, MSNBC, Republican, Foreign Relations, New, U.S, Democrat, U.S . Senate, Pennsylvania Democrat, Saturday, Democratic U.S, REUTERS, Prosecutors, Benz, New Jersey Democrat, Thomson Locations: Jersey, Menendez's, New Jersey, Former, Pennsylvania, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, Egypt, Manhattan, Cuba, Iran, Washington

☆ I worked in the White House as an unpaid intern. The job was intense and fascinating — here's what my day looked like.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Aria Yang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Julian Sarafian is a 29-year-old former White House intern from Sacramento, California. AdvertisementAdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Julian Sarafian, a 29-year-old former White House intern from Sacramento, California. It's a 10 to 15 minute walk to the White House grounds, and I even walked there on cold and snowy days. It's the side where visitors often gather to take photos of the White House, so it was neat walking in like a VIP. They were accompanied by the White House groundskeeper and were often spotted around the grounds.

Persons: Julian Sarafian, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, —, Barack Obama's, Obama, Jason Furman, I'd, It's, wasn't, Sarafian, interning, Sunny, Yang Organizations: White, Service, UC Berkeley, UC Washington Program, of Economic Advisors, FBI, of Economic, of Economic Advisers, DC, UC Washington, Secret, Harvard Law School Locations: Sacramento , California, Washington ,, Dupont, Washington

Some elected officials in his state of New Jersey, including the state's Democratic governor, have publicly urged him to step down. Menendez has stepped down temporarily from his role as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senate Democratic rules require any member charged with a felony to give up their leadership position, though they can take it back if they are found not guilty. The probe is the third time Menendez has been under investigation by federal prosecutors, though he has never been convicted. Menendez, his wife and the businessmen are expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Menendez, Karine Jean, Pierre, Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Barack Obama's, Makini Brice, Doina, Steve Holland, Scott Malone, Mark Porter Organizations: Democratic, Republican, Foreign Relations, New, U.S, White, REUTERS, Benz, Thomson Locations: Jersey, New Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, Egypt, Manhattan, Cuba, Iran

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) delivers remarks, after he and his wife Nadine Menendez were indicted on bribery offenses in connection with their corrupt relationship with three New Jersey businessmen, in Union City, New Jersey, U.S., September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic Senator Bob Menendez denied wrongdoing and vowed to stay in Congress on Monday after prosecutors charged him and his wife with taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen. Menendez's stance defied calls from elected officials in his state of New Jersey, including the state's Democratic governor, to step down. Senate Democratic rules require any member charged with a felony to give up their leadership position, though they can take it back if they are found not guilty. Prosecutors want Menendez to forfeit assets including his home, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz convertible and $566,000 in cash, gold bars and bank account funds.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Barack Obama's, Makini Brice, Doina, Scott Malone, Mark Porter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Jersey businessmen, Republican, Foreign Relations, New, Prosecutors, Benz, Thomson Locations: Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, New Jersey, Egypt, Manhattan, Cuba, Iran

Menendez said he decided to step down temporarily as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez has been a crucial partner for Biden on these and other foreign policy priorities. "Like him or dislike him, Menendez has played an incredibly influential role when it comes to shaping U.S. foreign policy," said Daniel Vajdich, a Republican former Foreign Relations Committee staffer. Vajdich noted that Menendez's departure adds to uncertainty on Capitol Hill about foreign policy, given sharp divisions among Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, on issues like aid to Ukraine. Under Senate Democratic Conference rules, any member charged with a felony must give up his or her committee leadership position.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Elizabeth Frantz, Joe Biden, Menendez, Biden, Daniel Vajdich, Vajdich, Ben Cardin, Karine Jean, Pierre, Suzanne Wrasse, Jim Risch, Risch, Barack Obama's, Patricia Zengerle, Don Durfee, Timothy Gardner Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Senate Foreign Relations, Justice Department, Russian, Senate, Ukraine, Republican, Foreign Relations, Hill, Republicans, White House, Senate Democratic Conference, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Ukraine, China . U.S, New Jersey, China, United States, UKRAINE, Kyiv, Iran

☆ Why former Goldman Sachs partners say they left the firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Dakin Campbell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

Goldman Sachs partners are leaving — some 202 during David Solomon's five years as CEO by Insider's calculation. In particular, before Solomon, Goldman nurtured many fiefs and then spread the wealth from the most successful ones across the firm. Of the former Goldman executives that Insider interviewed, here are the most cited reasons they gave for leaving Goldman. When both men struggled, senior partners left, and Goldman stumbled in its efforts to wind down its balance-sheet investments. Goldman Sachs partners are paid well by any standard: $950,000 in base salary and often multiples of that in annual bonuses.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, David Solomon's, Solomon, Goldman, David Solomon, John Waldron, Goldman's, Adebayo Ogunlesi, Mike Mayo, Andrew Toth, Devin Ryan, Ryan, Waldron, Tony Fratto, Mike Blake, Eric Lane, Julian Salisbury, Lane, Luke Sarsfield, Sarsfield, Marc Nachmann, he's, Fratto, Stephanie Cohen, Cohen, Kathy Ruemmler, Charles Dharapak, Barack Obama's, Kenneth Lay, Jeffrey Skilling, Ruemmler, Unbeknown, Jeffrey Epstein, dealmaking, David S, Holloway, Mayo, David doesn't, GreenSky, Brendan McDermid, It's, Alison Mass, Hank Paulson, Russell Horwitz, David, it's, Emmalyse Brownstein Organizations: Wall, JPMorgan, Wells, Wells Fargo Securities, Investors, Goldman, AWM, Sarsfield, BAE Systems, Justice Department, Street Journal, Bloomberg, Employees, Partners, Federal Reserve, United Capital Financial Partners, Reuters, GreenSky Locations: New York, Wells Fargo, Salisbury, Manhattan, Texas, Plano, London, Paris, Chicago

Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, accompanied by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (not pictured), speaks at the U.S. The ambassador, Rahm Emanuel, has always spoken in "a colorful manner," said Matthew Miller, restraining a smile, although he declined to say whether Emanuel's comments had been cleared by the State Department. "I would guess that the Chinese government views Ambassador Emanuel's remarks as authoritative and deliberate signaling. I doubt that's the case," said Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. All of that suggests that the administration is unlikely to rein in its Japan ambassador.

Persons: Japan Rahm Emanuel, Antony Blinken, Andrew Harnik, Rahm Emanuel, Matthew Miller, Emanuel, Agatha Christie's, Qin Gang, Li Shangfu hasn't, Li, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Obama, Emanuel's, Bonnie Glaser, Biden, Rahm, AMBASSADOR Emanuel, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama's, Laquan McDonald, Fumio Kishida, Yun Sun, He's, Humeyra Pamuk, David Brunnstrom, Michael Martina, Trevor Hunnicutt, Patricia Zengerle, Timothy Kelly, Don Durfee, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: U.S, Ambassador's, WASHINGTON, . State Department, State Department, Foreign, Rocket Force, Defense, Reuters, German Marshall Fund of, CHINA U.S, AMBASSADOR, Obama, House, West Wing, China Program, Stimson, Biden, Thomson Locations: Japan, Tokyo, TOKYO, Washington, Britain, China, United States, Beijing, U.S, CHINA, Chicago

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Asked about Republicans launching an impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Joe Biden in Congress, Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman clutched his head in mock horror and declared "Oh my God, really?" "Starting an impeachment inquiry will hopefully force the media to cover the mountains of evidence linking Joe Biden to Hunter's business dealings in a way that the American people haven't seen yet." Less than half believe Joe Biden did anything illegal and most voters polled in June said Hunter's legal issues had little impact on their plans to vote for or against his father. The White House sent out a list of comments from Republican House members saying evidence that Biden had done anything wrong had not been found. He did not cite any evidence of misconduct by Joe Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, John Fetterman clutched, Fetterman, Kevin McCarthy, Biden, Barack, Hunter, Karine Jean, Pierre, didn’t, Donald Trump, Hogan Gidley, haven't, Trump, General Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, Obama, McCarthy, Donald Trump’s, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Heather Timmons, Will Dunham, David Gregorio Our Organizations: World Trade, Joint Base Elmendorf, REUTERS, Rights, Pennsylvania Democratic, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Constitution, Democratic, Senate, White House, Trump, House, U.S, Reuters, Gallup, Yahoo, White, Thomson Locations: Richardson, Anchorage , Alaska, Congress, Pennsylvania, U.S

The White House denies any impropriety, calling the impeachment move "extreme politics at its worst." "Starting an impeachment inquiry will hopefully force the media to cover the mountains of evidence linking Joe Biden to Hunter's business dealings in a way that the American people haven't seen yet." He was under pressure from them to launch the impeachment inquiry. The White House sent out a list of comments from Republican House members saying evidence that Biden had done anything wrong had not been found. It also released a previous McCarthy quote in which he said a vote would be needed ahead of an impeachment inquiry otherwise it "would create a process completely devoid of any merit or legitimacy."

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, John Fetterman clutched, Fetterman, Kevin McCarthy, Biden, Barack, Hunter, Donald Trump, Hogan Gidley, haven't, Trump, General Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, Obama, McCarthy, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Heather Timmons, Will Dunham Organizations: World Trade, Joint Base Elmendorf, REUTERS, Rights, Pennsylvania Democratic, Republican, GOP, Republicans, White, Constitution, Democratic, Senate, White House, Trump, House, U.S, Reuters, Gallup, Thomson Locations: Richardson, Anchorage , Alaska, Congress, Pennsylvania, U.S, people's

☆ Elon Musk told biographer that Trump is 'the world champion of bullshit'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk told his biographer that he's "not Trump's fan." Musk, according to Walter Isaacson's new book, also called the former president "the world champion of bullshit." According to Isaacson, Musk approached Trump's election with cautious optimism that later vanished. "Trump might be one of the world's best bullshitters," Musk told Walter Isaacson, according to Isaacson's "Elon Musk." "I'm not Trump's fan," Musk told Isaacson.

Persons: Elon Musk, he's, Walter Isaacson's, Isaacson, Musk, Donald Trump, Trump, Walter Isaacson, Bullshitting, Barack Obama's, Musk's Organizations: Service, Trump, White, Paris Climate Accord, Twitter Locations: Wall, Silicon, Paris

☆ What’s the basis of the Republicans’ Joe Biden impeachment inquiry?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The White House says Biden has done nothing wrong and Republicans have no basis for an impeachment inquiry. Another Hunter Biden associate, Eric Schwerin, also told the panel that he was not aware of any financial involvement by Joe Biden in his relatives' businesses. A Washington Post fact check found that $7 million of that money went to Biden family members, most of it to Hunter, and none went to Joe Biden. PRESSURING UKRAINE'S PROSECUTORWhile serving as vice president, Biden pressured Ukraine to remove its top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin. Republicans and Shokin have separately said Biden was trying to protect Burisma and Hunter Biden from a possible corruption investigation.

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn, Hunter, Biden, Devon Archer, Hunter Biden, Archer, Jamie Raskin, Burisma, Mykola Zlochevsky, Eric Schwerin, Viktor Shokin, Shokin, Barack Obama's, Petro Poroshenko, David Weiss, Weiss, General Merrick Garland, Andy Sullivan, Makini Brice, Scott Malone, Alistair Bell, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: World Trade, Joint Base Elmendorf, REUTERS, U.S . House, Democratic, Republicans, FBI, Washington Post, European Union, International Monetary Foundation, House Democrats, Burisma, Fox News Channel, IRS, Justice Department, Trump, U.S, Thomson Locations: Richardson, Anchorage , Alaska, U.S, Ukrainian, Ukraine

☆ Biden told a friend Obama couldn't say 'fuck you' properly: book
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Joe Biden said that Barack Obama couldn't use one of the core curse words properly. According to a new book, Biden once told a friend that Obama didn't properly pronounce "fuck you." The love between Biden and Obama is very real, Foer wrote. AdvertisementAdvertisement"Biden also chafed at the constraints of his job — and if Obama sometimes rolled his eyes at him, he would roll his own right back," Foer wrote. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs for Biden and Obama, the core premise of Foer's book is that former President Donald Trump, and to a lesser degree Obama, failed to adequately appreciate the art of politics.

Persons: Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Biden, Obama, Barack Obama's, it's, Franklin Foer, Joe Biden's, Foer, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Ron Klain, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Ivy League university, Biden, Havard Law School, White Locations: Wall, Silicon, Delaware, Washington ,

☆ House Republican committee leader says Trump is too old to be the GOP nominee: 'No boomers for nominee'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Mike Gallagher said Trump is simply too old to be the GOP's presidential nominee. Gallagher, who is 39, told a Milwaukee TV station that he has "a no-boomer policy right now." "You know, obviously, I prefer someone younger to be the nominee," Gallagher, who represents Wisconsin, told WISN 12 NEWS, a local Milwaukee TV station. Gallagher said he "intend[s] to support the nominee" when repeatedly pressed on what he would do if Trump reclaims the title. When asked what he would do if Trump won the nomination, Gallagher would only say "I intend to support the nominee."

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Trump, Gallagher, Biden, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Trump's, There's, Barack Obama's, Vivek Ramaswamy, Democratic Sen, Tammy Baldwin, Gallagher's Organizations: Milwaukee TV, Service, GOP, Trump, Florida Gov, Democratic Locations: Milwaukee, Wall, Silicon, Wisconsin, China

WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Residents of Florida were largely spared a devastating blow from Hurricane Idalia this week, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also appeared to avoid the political peril that could have hurt his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. DeSantis faced a similar test this week when he suspended his campaign to oversee his state's response to Hurricane Idalia. "The real work comes post-storm, and seeing what the damage is and how he reacts," Christian Ziegler, the head of the Florida Republican Party, told Reuters. In the lead-up to the storm, DeSantis held several press conferences per day, always flanked by a bevy of emergency response officials. On the other side, Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott touted his response to 2017's Hurricane Irma in a successful bid for U.S. Senate the following year.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Hurricane Ian, Ian, Idalia, Donald Trump, Christian Ziegler, Joe Biden, Chip Roy, Ford O'Connell, Rick Scott, Irma, Barack Obama's, Sandy, Jeffrey Rumlin, Katrina, Gram Slattery, Ross Colvin, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Republican, Florida Republican Party, Reuters, Governors, Florida Republican, U.S, Senate, Thomson Locations: Florida, Idalia, New Orleans, Republican Florida, Jacksonville

☆ Sage Steele departs ESPN following lawsuit settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Lillian Rizzo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sage Steele and ESPN have parted ways. "ESPN and Sage Steele have mutually agreed to part ways," an ESPN spokesman said Tuesday. During the Sept. 2021 podcast, Sage said she had been vaccinated against Covid but referred to the company's vaccine mandate as "sick." Steele is the daughter of Gary Steele, the first Black football player at West Point, and Mona Steele, a white woman. During the same podcast, Steele also suggested that women who wear provocative clothes in the workplace bear responsibility for sexism they may experience.

Persons: Sage Steele, Steele, Jay Cutler, Sage, Barack Obama's, Barack Obama, Black, —, Barbara Walters, belittling, Gary Steele, Mona Steele Organizations: ESPN, NBA, Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors, Oracle Arena, Disney, NFL, Black Locations: Oakland , California, West

☆ Yellen's Las Vegas stop shows Bidenomics can be a tough sell
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLAS VEGAS, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Daemein Hargrove, 21, recently dropped plans for a four-year college degree to sign up for an apprenticeship program in Las Vegas that he says has given him higher pay, good medical benefits and a pension. But he's also shouldering gas costs of $500 a month as he commutes to a massive solar site 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's visit Monday to the Las Vegas training center where Hargrove and nearly 700 other apprentices are being paid to work and learn new skills raises some questions about Biden's approach. Yellen's trip to Las Vegas won praise from union leaders, but drew scant public or local media attention. Casey Harrison, a political reporter at the Las Vegas Sun, said the coverage reflected a lack of demand but also inadequate preparation by the administration.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Leah Millis, Daemein Hargrove, Joe Biden's, Hargrove, They're, he's, He's, Biden, Republican Donald Trump, Janet Yellen's, Casey Harrison, Harrison, it's, we've, Gina Raimondo, Deb Haaland, Yellen, what's, Barack Obama's, Rachelle Warren, Warren, It's, Andrea Shalal, Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell Organizations: Treasury, Development Finance, Strategic, International Studies, REUTERS, LAS VEGAS, U.S, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Republican, Democrats, Las Vegas, NBC, Las, Sun, U.S . Treasury, Reuters, Biden, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Las Vegas, United States, Vegas, Nevada

[1/2] Israeli President Isaac Herzog looks on during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, not pictured, in Washington, DC, on October 25, 2022. Stefani Reynolds/Pool via REUTERSWASHINGTON, July 19 (Reuters) - Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address Congress on Wednesday, completing a visit aimed at reassuring the United States that Israel's democracy remains strong despite government attempts to overhaul the country's judicial system. The invitation was extended by the leaders of Congress last year to mark the 75th anniversary of Israel's founding. Biden had held off extending the invitation out of concern over Jewish settlements and the planned judicial overhaul. Proponents of the Israeli government's judicial overhaul say the country's Supreme Court has become too interventionist and that the change will facilitate effective governance.

Persons: Isaac Herzog, Antony Blinken, Stefani Reynolds, Joe Biden, Herzog, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Biden, Chaim Herzog, Herzog's, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Jamaal Bowman, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Omar, Isaac Herzog’s, Narendra Modi's, Netanyahu, Barack Obama's, Patricia Zengerle, Don Durfee, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, Israeli, U.S . House, Senate, West Bank, Washington, Twitter, Capitol, —, Indian, Democrats, Republicans, Democratic, White, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, REUTERS WASHINGTON, United States, Israel, Washington, Palestinian, Alexandria, Barack Obama's Iran

Herzog, who as head of state plays a largely ceremonial role, begins his two-day Washington visit on Tuesday when he meets U.S. President Joe Biden before addressing a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday. Herzog will also meet Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, a senior administration official said. Biden and Herzog last met at the White House in October. On Monday, Biden invited Netanyahu to the United States for an official visit later this year. SPEECH BOYCOTTSIn Congress, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar said on Twitter "there is no way in hell" she would be at Wednesday's speech.

Persons: Isaac Herzog, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Herzog, Netanyahu's, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Netanyahu, Ilhan Omar, Isaac Herzog’s, Omar, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Narendra Modi's, Barack Obama's, Primila Jayapal, Israel, Jayapal, Patricia Zengerle, Steve Holland, Richard Cowan, David Morgan, Don Durfee, Howard Goller Organizations: Democratic, West Bank, White, Twitter, —, Indian, Democrats, Republicans, Senate, Democratic House, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, Washington, Iran, United States, Israel, Barack Obama's Iran

BRUSSELS, July 18 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday criticised EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's decision to hire a U.S. economist over a European to help oversee Big Tech, adding her previous work could lead to conflicts of interest. Macron added he was "attached to reciprocity", and noted that the U.S. and China would not have appointed an overseas national in such a role. Scott Morton will advise the European Commission on its investigations into Big Tech and its enforcement of a series of landmark rules to rein in tech giants. Macron pointed to her previous work for "many companies" as something that could also result in conflicts of interest. She said previous chief economists at the Commission had also done consulting work without posing any issues.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Margrethe Vestager's, Vestager, Fiona Scott Morton, Barack Obama's, Macron, Scott Morton, Jean Tirole, Scott Morton's, Sudip Kar, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton, Jan Harvey Organizations: Big Tech, U.S . Department of Justice, European Union, Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, China

☆ EU Commission sticks to US economist pick for senior antitrust job
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 14 (Reuters) - The European Commission stuck to its guns on Friday, saying it was not reconsidering EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's pick of a U.S. economist to a senior job helping to oversee Big Tech despite criticism from French ministers and EU lawmakers. Fiona Scott Morton, 56, the former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's tenure, will take up her three-year stint on Sept. 1 when the current chief economist, Pierre Regibeau, retires. She will be the first non-EU national, first U.S. national and first woman for the job. They cited the strategic importance of the post, potential conflicts of interest due to Scott Morton's previous work with Big Tech, and her previous public antitrust comments. Head of the centre-right group European People's Party Manfred Weber, president of the liberals' group Renew Europe Stephane Sejourne, head of the socialists group Iratxe Garcia Perez and the heads of the green party Philippe Lamberts and Terry Reintke said they opposed the new hire.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager's, Fiona Scott Morton, Barack Obama's, Pierre Regibeau, Vestager, Scott Morton's, Dana Spinant, European People's Party Manfred Weber, Europe Stephane Sejourne, Iratxe Garcia Perez, Philippe Lamberts, Terry Reintke, Scott Morton, Foo Yun Chee, Jan Harvey Organizations: European Commission, Big Tech, U.S . Department of Justice, EU, European People's Party, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, Europe

BRUSSELS/PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - France's foreign minister and government minister have called EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager to reconsider her appointment of a U.S. economist and former antitrust official to a senior job at the European Commission overseeing Big Tech. Vestager on Tuesday announced the hiring of Fiona Scott Morton, the former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's tenure. Scott Morton will take up her post on Sept. 1 when the current chief economist, Pierre Regibeau, retires. French foreign minister Catherine Colonna said she was astonished at the appointment. "I invite the @EU_Commission to reconsider their choice."

Persons: Margrethe Vestager, Fiona Scott Morton, Barack Obama's, Scott Morton, Pierre Regibeau, Catherine Colonna, Jean, Noel Barrot, Foo Yun Chee, Conor Humphries Organizations: European Commission, Big Tech, Vestager, Tuesday, U.S . Department of Justice, Charles River Associates, DG, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, PARIS, France, Europe

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