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☆ Adam Schiff to Run for California Senate Seat
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Siobhan Hughes | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) was chairman of the Intelligence Committee when the House was under Democratic control. Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.), one of the most prominent Democratic critics of former President Donald Trump, said he would run for Senate, joining a crowded race for the seat currently held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein , who hasn’t announced whether she plans to run again. Mr. Schiff served as the chairman of the Intelligence Committee when the House was under Democratic control and joined the panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. In 2020, he was lead manager of Mr. Trump’s first impeachment trial. This week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) blocked Mr. Schiff from continuing to serve on the intelligence panel, saying he had misused his position for political purposes.

Haines also refused to discuss the sensitive material, citing ongoing special counsel investigations, according to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee who attending the classified briefing. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was so furious after the briefing that he threatened to block presidential nominees or funding for some federal agencies until the Biden administration shows key lawmakers the classified documents. “Whether it’s blocking nominees or withholding budgetary funds, Congress will impose pain on the administration until they provide these documents. The bipartisan leaders of the Senate Intelligence panel emerged together from the secure briefing room and rejected the administration’s argument. “I’m not saying anything bad about the three [Biden, Trump and Pence], but classified information in the wrong hands can create problems for our country, put people at risk.

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) said Wednesday it will reinstate former U.S. President Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts in the coming weeks, following a two-year suspension after the deadly Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021. He has 34 million followers on Facebook and 23 million on Instagram, platforms that are key vehicles for political outreach and fundraising. "I worry about Facebook's capacity to understand the real world harm that Trump poses: Facebook has been too slow to act." Whether, and how, Trump will seize upon the opportunity to return to Facebook and Instagram is unclear. He did not indicate if or when he would begin posting on Meta platforms again.

☆ Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff launches bid for Sen. Dianne Feinstein's California seat
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks at a press conference on committee assignments for the 118th U.S. Congress, at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. Rep. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who led an impeachment effort against former President Donald Trump, launched a bid for the high-profile Senate seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. "I'm going to the U.S. Senate to fight for working people, not the rich or corporations who don't need yet another voice in Congress," Schiff said in a press release Thursday unveiling his 2024 Senate bid. Today's Republican Party is gutting the middle class, threatening our democracy," Schiff said in a video accompanying his announcement. Schiff's Senate bid follows Democratic Rep. Katie Porter's announcement that she will campaign for Feinstein's seat.

☆ U.S. Representative Schiff sets sights on fellow Democrat Feinstein's Senate seat
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Schiff joined other California Democrats aiming for the seat currently held by Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein. U.S. Representative Katie Porter launched her U.S. Senate campaign this month. The Washington Post has reported that Representative Barbara Lee was also planning to run for the seat. The new Republican House Speaker, fellow Californian Kevin McCarthy, has blocked Schiff from serving on the prestigious panel again. Schiff, a prominent House Democrat who was first elected in 2000, gained national attention for his high-profile role in the 2020 Trump impeachment trial.

☆ Kevin McCarthy lashed out at reporters when asked why he hasn't punished George Santos
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

He was being questioned about why he continues to back Rep. George Santos. "What happens in the Intel Committee, [with the] secrets that are going on in the world other members of Congress don't know," McCarthy said. McCarthy is under increasing pressure to take action against Santos as calls grow for the New York congressman to resign. "We urge you to act swiftly to prevent George Santos from abusing his position and endangering our nation," the two New York congressmen said. They wrote: "It is clear that Congressman George Santos has violated the public's trust on various occasions and his unfettered access to our nation's secrets presents a significant risk to the national security of this country."

☆ McCarthy says Santos will be removed from Congress if Ethics Committee finds he broke the law
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that while he stands by Rep. George Santos, the freshman congressman from New York would be removed from office if the Ethics Committee finds he broke the law after he admitted fabricating parts of his background. Asked whether he is standing by Santos because his resignation would cut into the House Republicans' narrow majority, McCarthy pushed back. “If for some way when we go through Ethics that he has broken the law, then we will remove him, but it’s not my role,” McCarthy said. The voters elected him to serve,” McCarthy said earlier this month. “If there is a concern, he has to go through the Ethics [Committee]; let him move through that.

McCarthy made good on his promise to block former House Intelligence chair Adam Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell — both California Democrats — from serving on that panel. In addition to keeping Schiff and Swalwell off the Intelligence Committee, McCarthy previously said he intended to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from the Foreign Affairs Committee. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who backed McCarthy but has caused headaches for GOP leadership in the past, also got a slot on the panel. The coronavirus committeeRep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, will chair the special committee investigating the spread of the coronavirus. Last week, McCarthy named GOP members to a third select committee, focused on competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party.

The U.S. government’s system for labeling and tracking classified documents appears to be broken, with potentially serious consequences for the country’s national security, lawmakers, former officials and scholars said Tuesday. Democratic and Republican lawmakers said there was a “systemic failure” if both the Obama and Trump administrations could not keep track of classified documents after their tenures ended. I don’t know how anybody ends up with classified documents. “We clearly don’t have an effective management system to oversee where classified documents go and how they’re retrieved,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah. Goitein and others said the recent discoveries of classified documents present a political opportunity for the White House, and possibly Congress, to at last tackle the problem.

A "small number" of classified documents were discovered last week at former Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana home, according to two letters Pence’s counsel sent to the National Archives obtained by NBC News on Tuesday. Pence's team “immediately” secured the classified documents in a locked safe, Jacob said. The transfer was facilitated by Pence’s personal attorney, who has experience in handling classified documents and was involved with the Jan. 16 discovery. Pence spokesman Devin O’Malley later told NBC News that “no potential classified documents” were found at the offices of Pence’s organization Advancing American Freedom after Pence’s team searched the offices and the former vice president’s home in Indiana. In a statement Tuesday, Comer said Pence reached out to the panel about classified documents found at his Indiana residence.

☆ McCarthy kicks 2 top Democrats who spearheaded Trump impeachment efforts off of the intelligence committee
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy rejected two democrats' bids to be on the intelligence committee. McCarthy said that Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell were not fit to serve on the committee. The two democrats served on it from 2015 to 2019 and headed up impeachment efforts against Trump. Previously, McCarthy had argued that because of Swalwell's past association with a Chinese spy, he should not serve on the committee. He claimed that Schiff "lied to the American public" about his knowledge of the whistleblower at the center of the first impeachment proceedings.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Victoria Spartz, an Indiana Republican, said Tuesday she'll oppose Speaker Kevin McCarthy's efforts to keep a handful of Democrats off key House committees. But he may need the support of a majority of the House to block Omar from Foreign Affairs. Given McCarthy's slim Republican majority, every vote is important. The speaker's plans are widely seen as retaliation against Democrats for kicking Republican Reps. Paul Gosar, of Arizona, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, off their committees in the last Congress over incendiary or violent rhetoric. “Speaker Pelosi took unprecedented actions last Congress to remove Reps. Greene and Gosar from their committees without proper due process.

As speaker, McCarthy has the authority to choose a chairman and Republican members of the panel. Jeffries, as minority leader, can nominate Democrats to serve on the panel, but McCarthy has the power to reject them. He has specifically targeted Schiff and Swalwell who played a major role in the impeachments of former President Donald Trump. Those actions angered McCarthy and for months he has vowed to block Schiff and Swalwell from the Intelligence panel. As recently as Jan. 12, McCarthy told reporters he would not seat Schiff and Swalwell who regularly antagonize McCarthy during cable news appearances.

☆ Hakeem Jeffries tells Kevin McCarthy that it's a 'double standard' if 'serial fraudster' George Santos serves on committees but Schiff and Swalwell get kicked off of the intelligence committee
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hakeem Jeffries is arguing that Reps. Schiff and Swalwell should be kept on the intelligence committee. The House Democratic leader sent a letter to Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Saturday making the case. He pointed out that George Santos has been "welcomed" by the GOP despite being a "serial fraudster." "The apparent double standard risks undermining the spirit of bipartisan cooperation that is so desperately needed in Congress." "It does not serve as precedent or justification for the removal of Representatives Schiff and Swalwell, given that they have never exhibited violent thoughts or behavior," he wrote.

☆ GOP Rep. Mike Turner, who suggested Trump took about 300 classified documents to write a memoir, calls Biden a 'serial classified document hoarder'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP Rep. Mike Turner said President Biden is a "serial classified document hoarder" after more documents were found at his residence. Turner previously suggested Donald Trump had hundreds of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago to help him write a memoir. "Apparently, he's become a serial classified document hoarder," Turner said of Biden Sunday morning on "Face the Nation" on CBS News. I mean the only reason you can think of as to why anyone would take classified documents out of a classified space and home is to show them to somebody." Both incidents have prompted special counsel investigations, but Turner appeared to have more concerns over Biden's classified documents.

☆ Adam Schiff, Disinformation Man
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

House Republicans are preparing to strip Adam Schiff of his Intelligence Committee seat, and his media allies are rallying to the California Democrat’s defense. Maybe that’s because he was such a useful source against Republicans over the years, as the latest documents released by Twitter show. The media says House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ’s motive for removing the ranking House Intel member is retribution for Nancy Pelosi’s unprecedented decision to strip two Republicans of committee seats in the last Congress. No doubt Republicans want Democrats to meditate on the consequences of their norm-busting. But Mr. McCarthy has offered a good reason for giving the Californian the boot: “Adam Schiff openly lied to the American public.”

☆ Top Democrat Adam Schiff criticizes Biden, saying mishandled classified documents may have been a security risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Adam Schiff addressed the discovery of classified docs in Joe Biden's office and residence. "We have asked for an assessment in the intelligence community of the Mar-a-Lago documents," Schiff said. "I think we ought to get that same assessment of the documents found in the think tank, as well as the home of President Biden." Schiff said it was right that Biden was facing a special-counsel investigation into his handling of classified information. When pressed on whether the White House should've been more forthcoming on the issue, Schiff said he would "reserve judgement" until the investigation had been conducted.

☆ House Oversight chair calls for release of visitor logs from Biden’s Delaware home
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julie-Tsirkin-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Julie Tsirkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

WASHINGTON — House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on Sunday asked for the release of visitors logs from President Joe Biden’s home in Delaware in a letter to White House chief of staff Ron Klain. “Given the serious national security implications, the White House must provide the Wilmington residence’s visitor log,” Comer wrote in the letter to Klain. The former president’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida was searched by the FBI last year after multiple attempts to obtain classified documents. The president is cooperating with the Justice Department and National Archives amid the discovery of the classified documents, she said. "He showed no interest in investigating the far more serious situation with about 100 classified documents at Mar-a-Lago with evidence in the public domain of obstruction.

☆ Republicans want Biden home visitor logs - but not Trump's
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Doina Chiacu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Republicans have sought to compare the Biden documents case with that of former President Donald Trump, who faces a federal criminal probe of how he handled classified documents after he left the White House. Comer said he would not seek visitor logs for Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, where more than 100 classified documents were found in an FBI search. There is no legal requirement that U.S. presidents disclose visitors at their home or at the White House. The Biden administration reinstated disclosures of official guests to the White House and released its first batch of records in May 2021. TRUMP VS. BIDEN DOCUMENT ISSUESRepublicans in the U.S. House of Representatives launched an investigation on Friday into the Justice Department's handling of improperly stored classified documents possessed by Biden.

☆ Utah GOP Rep. Chris Stewart rejects notion that Biden was unaware of classified documents found in his possession: 'It just is nonsense'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Stewart rejected the notion that President Biden was unaware of classified documents in his possession. Biden last week said that he did not realize that he was in possession of the Obama-era documents. "I've dealt with classified documents almost my entire life. "This isn't the kind of thing that you just sit on your desk and you think, 'Oh, I forgot that they're classified.' The House Judiciary Committee on Friday announced that it would launch an investigation into the unearthing of the Biden materials.

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), said she has personally spoken to Jeffries and recommended that Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., should be the ranking member. “The Republicans made it very clear that the committee is primarily focused on … counter intelligence and economic espionage issues which have been the focus of my own work, especially on the Intelligence Committee,” Krishnamoorthi said in an interview. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., a former CIA analyst who is eyeing a possible Senate bid in 2024, has also expressed interest in the top role on the China panel. But while CAPAC is divided, its members agree that the ranking member of the new panel should be Asian American. Think about that," said one CAPAC member.

WASHINGTON — Aides to President Joe Biden have discovered at least one additional batch of classified documents in a location separate from the Washington office he used after leaving the Obama administration, according to a person familiar with the matter. The initial discovery of classified documents in an office used by Biden after his vice presidency was first reported on Monday by CBS News. It also was not immediately clear when the additional documents were discovered and if the search for any other classified materials Biden may have from the Obama administration is complete. Two sources familiar with the matter said less than a dozen documents with classified markings were found at the office. Trump's possession of over 100 documents with classified markings despite have been subpoenaed for their return is the subject of a federal criminal investigation by the Justice Department.

☆ Biden aides find second batch of classified documents at new location, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Aides to U.S. President Joe Biden have discovered at least one more batch of classified documents in a location separate from a think tank office he used after serving as vice president, news outlets reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. The NBC News report said the classification level, number and precise location of the additional documents was not immediately clear. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. A spokesperson for Senator Marco Rubio, the committee's Republican vice chair, said Rubio and Warner had written to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, asking for access to the classified documents. The Justice Department is separately probing Trump's handling of highly sensitive classified documents that he retained at his Florida resort after leaving the White House in January 2021.

☆ Senate Intel chair calls for a briefing on classified docs found in Biden office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner, D-Va., is calling for his committee to receive a briefing on the classified documents discovered in an office used by President Joe Biden. Warner has voiced frustration that a briefing for congressional leaders about the classified documents found in Trump’s possession at Mar-a-Lago never materialized. He told NBC News in December, "it’s a bit embarrassing" that a group of eight top congressional leaders was never looped in on the scope of the classified material found at the resort. "Unlike former President Donald Trump, who allegedly obstructed efforts to recover hundreds of classified documents, the handful of classified documents reportedly found at the Biden Center were immediately sent to the National Archives and President Biden is allowing the Justice Department to operate free of political interference," Durbin said. This comes as Jack Smith, a special counsel appointed by the Department of Justice, is investigating Trump for his possession of classified material.

☆ Katie Porter Launches 2024 California Senate Bid, Isn't Waiting on Feinstein
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Katie Porter of California on Tuesday officially announced a 2024 Senate bid. Sen. Feinstein is up for reelection in 2024, but hasn't yet announced whether she'll run for another term. "In times like these, California needs a warrior in Washington," she said in her official campaign announcement on Tuesday. In entering the race, Porter is staking out a lane as an lawmaker who would usher in a different sort of governance. In November, Porter won a tough reelection race, edging out former California assemblyman Scott Baugh by four points (52%-48%).

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