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☆ Lawmakers to grill CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media firms at hearing on child safety
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Mark Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel and other leading social media executives face a grilling on Wednesday from lawmakers concerned about child exploitation and safety on their services. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have blasted the companies for failing to properly address what some have called a "plague of online child sexual exploitation" on social media apps. Wednesday's hearing is focused specifically on issues pertaining to child exploitation and the prevalence of child sexual abuse material on social media. The social media executives are expected to detail their efforts combating child exploitation on their platforms, which include working with law enforcement and tasks like proactively identifying potential predators. Watch: Early Meta platforms investor Brad Gerstner tackles big tech ahead of key earnings week

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel, —, Shou Zi Chew, Jason Citron, Sen, Dick Durbin, Lindsey Graham, S.C, Citron, Meta, Brad Gerstner Organizations: Meta, U.S, Senate, Intelligence, Capitol, Washington , D.C, TikTok, Spiegel, Google YouTube, Committee, Lawmakers, Electronic Frontier Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union Locations: Washington ,, Washington, . New

☆ Opinion: Mark Zuckerberg’s extraordinary apology should only be the beginning
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Opinion Kara Alaimo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —On Wednesday, the chief executives of Meta, TikTok, X, Snap and Discord testified before the Senate about what they’re doing to protect kids from harm online. In the leadup to the testimony, tech companies announced new initiatives to protect kids. The Stop CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) Act of 2023 would make it possible to hold tech companies civilly liable for hosting child sexual abuse material. This would be an important way of incentivizing tech companies to do more to protect kids from sextortion and other forms of online exploitation. Tech companies also have a lot more work to do.

Persons: Kara Alaimo, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok’s Shou Chew, Democratic Sen, Dick Durbin, Snap’s Evan Spiegel, X’s Linda Yaccarino, Discord’s Jason Citron, Kara Alaimo Durbin, “, —, ” South Carolina Republican Sen, Lindsey Graham, Chew, Yaccarino, Spiegel, Zuckerberg, it’s, Taylor Swift Organizations: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Women, Press, Facebook, CNN, Meta, Senate, Democratic, Illinois, ” Senators, ” South Carolina Republican, Tech, Media Locations: ”

A core group of negotiators have been laboring for nearly two months over changes to U.S. border and immigration policy and hoped to unveil the legislation later this week. However, the emergency funding package has been delayed months in Congress after Republicans insisted that border policy changes also be included in the package. It remains to be seen whether the border policy changes, which have been negotiated in private with top White House officials, will be enough to satisfy most Republican senators. The group has mostly reached agreements on policy changes, but on Monday was working with Senate appropriators to determine funding levels for the programs. Democrats have bemoaned the Republican decision to tie Ukraine aid with border policy changes.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Mitch McConnell's, ” McConnell, Joe Biden, Biden, Chuck Schumer, “ It's, ”, Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, appropriators, Connecticut Sen, Chris Murphy, “, you’re, ” Biden, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Schumer, ” Schumer Organizations: WASHINGTON, Ukraine, Republican, Senate, Republicans, “, Democratic, White House, Biden, Democrats Locations: Washington, Ukraine, Israel, U.S, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois

☆ The Senate’s Supreme Court Subpoena Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The House Oversight Committee investigating Biden family business dealings has issued subpoenas to Hunter and James Biden to appear for depositions. Also requested for transcribed interviews are family members and associates including Sara and Hallie Biden. In a rush of rule-breaking at the end of a meeting, Mr. Durbin moved to bluster through subpoenas for two friends of Supreme Court Justices on a partisan vote. This is part of a Democratic political campaign to portray the High Court as a trinket bought by billionaires. “The pair have become genuine friends, according to people who know both men,” as even the left-leaning ProPublica admitted.

Persons: Biden, Hunter, James Biden, Sara, Hallie Biden, Mark Kelly Illinois, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, ProPublica Organizations: Reuters, Democratic

People visit the U.S. Supreme Court building on the day that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito released their delayed financial disclosure reports and the reports were made public in Washington, U.S., August 31, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Wurm/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Senate Democrats are expected on Thursday to vote on authorizing subpoenas to a pair of influential conservatives with ties to the U.S. Supreme Court as part of an ethics inquiry spurred by reports of undisclosed largesse directed to some conservative justices. Democrats are expected to face resistance from the panel's Republican members, who have painted the oversight effort as an attempt to tarnish the Supreme Court after it handed major defeats to liberals in recent years on matters including abortion, gun rights and student debt relief. Lawyers for Leo and Crow in letters to the committee criticized the committee's information requests as lacking a proper legal justification. Crow's lawyer proposed turning over a narrower range of information but Democrats rebuffed that offer, according to the panel's Democratic members.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Kevin Wurm, largesse, Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, Donald Trump's, Dick Durbin, Crow, Leo, Paul Singer, Trump, Thomas, Alito, Singer, John Kruzel, Andrew Chung, Nate Raymond, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Republican, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Texas, Alaska, New York, Boston

☆ Senate Democrats subpoena Harlan Crow, escalating probe of GOP megadonor's relationship with Justice Clarence Thomas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Senate Democrats pushed forward on a subpoena of Harlan Crow. The GOP megadonor has been at the center of ethics concerns regarding Justice Clarence Thomas. Republican senators previously filed 177 amendments to the subpoena authorization, including a subpoena of Jeffrey Epstein's estate for his private flight logs. Crow has been in the news for months related to his friendship to Justice Clarence Thomas. ProPublica uncovered numerous trips and gifts Crow lavished on the justice and his family, which Thomas often did not list on his financial disclosure.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, —, Leonard Leo, Dick Durbin, Jeffrey Epstein's, Sen, John Cornyn, Durbin, Lindsey Graham, Graham, Crow, Leo, ProPublica, Crow lavished, Thomas, Samuel Alito, Paul Singer, Alito Organizations: GOP, Service, Durbin, United States Senate, Texas Republican, Republican, Supreme Court, Courthouse News Locations: Texas

☆ Senate Judiciary authorizes subpoenas of Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo in Supreme Court ethics probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Frank Thorp V | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Harlan Crow, chairman and chief executive officer of Crow Holdings LLC, sits for a photograph at the Old Parkland estate offices in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to approve subpoenas for conservative activist Leonard Leo and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow in its Supreme Court ethics probe. Ahead of the meeting, Durbin told reporters that Republicans had filed 177 amendments, which would have taken hours to go through. Before the vote on the subpoenas, the meeting devolved into partisan bickering after Democrats tried to block Republicans from debating a nominee the panel was considering. "Congratulations on destroying the United States Senate Judiciary Committee," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said to Durbin after Republicans then refused to vote on the subpoenas.

Persons: Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Sen, Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn Organizations: Crow Holdings LLC, GOP, Democratic, Republican, NBC News, United States, Committee Locations: Parkland, Dallas , Texas, U.S, Texas

WASHINGTON (AP) — As record numbers of migrants surge at the southern U.S. border, many seeking asylum, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has told Congress the country's “broken” immigration system is in need of a top-to-bottom update. It comes as Mayorkas, the face of the administration’s immigration policy, bears down the threat of impeachment proceedings from House Republicans over what they view as failed border policies. “We’re at a point for three years we’ve been saying, ‘When are we going to secure the country? On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson told GOP senators behind closed doors that he needs real border security changes as part of Biden's broader war funding package. During recent hearings, Mayorkas told Congress the administration is working to manage the situation, even as Congress has failed to update the immigration system for decades.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden, “ We’re, ”, Republican Sen, James Lankford of, “, we’ve, Vladimir Putin's, Vanessa Cárdenas, Biden's, Thom Tillis, Mike Johnson, Chuck Schumer, Johnson, Mitch McConnell, ” “, ‘ We’re, ’ ” Schumer, they’ve, Donald Trump, Mayorkas, Sen, Alex Padilla, Dick Durbin of, Elliot Spagat, Seung Min Kim Organizations: WASHINGTON, Homeland, Republicans, House Republicans, Republican, Democrats, Eisenhower, Cato Institute, Congress, Defense Department, GOP, Associated Press, COVID, Capitol, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Press Locations: U.S, Ukraine, Israel, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Congress, North Carolina, Alex Padilla of California, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras

What Biden is asking forBiden's emergency request to Congress included aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies, along with $14 billion to bolster the immigration system and border security. “It is unanimous that our broken immigration system is in dire need of reform,” Mayorkas said. Republicans have made clear that will not be addressed in this package, which they want to be more narrowly focused on border security measures. Republicans argue that Ukraine aid could be a tough sell to some of their voters, and the border policy is the compromise. It’s border security for Ukraine aid.”So far, leaders in both parties have encouraged the talks.

Persons: Joe Biden, Arizona Sen, Kyrsten, ”, Pramila, Biden, Donald Trump, Alejandro Mayorkas, ” Mayorkas, Illinois Sen, Dick Durbin, What's, Barack Obama, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, ” Murphy, Arkansas Sen, Tom Cotton Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republicans, House Democrats, Republican, Democratic, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Infrastructure, Homeland, U.S, Democrats, Trump, House Locations: Ukraine, U.S, Mexico, United States, Arizona, Washington, Venezuela, Israel, Russia, Illinois, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Arkansas

Sen. Jeff Merkley became the second senator to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war this week. And with recent polling showing that a majority of Americans support a cease-fire in Gaza, the pressure from constituents has been thick. Sen. Chris Coons was badgered on a train about why he hadn’t endorsed a cease-fire. Both have drawn attention to humanitarian concerns in Gaza in recent weeks but stopped short of calling for a cease-fire. “I and others defended Israel’s right to respond with a campaign targeted at destroying Hamas,” Merkley wrote .

Persons: Sen, Jeff Merkley, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Coons, hadn’t, Israel –, –, Dick Durbin, Biden, Cori Bush, Joe Biden, eyeing, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, “, Chuck Schumer, Bernie Sanders, Netanyahu’s, Ilhan Omar, she’s, J, Edwin Benton, ”, ” Benton, ” Merkley Organizations: Oregon Democrat, White, Hamas, Democrats, Illinois Democrat, NBC, Biden, Israel, Minnesota Democrat, University of South Locations: Israel, Oregon, Gaza, Sen, Massachusetts, Illinois, Missouri, lockstep, ”, Vermont, Minnesota, University of South Florida

☆ US Marshals serve CEOs of X and Discord with congressional subpoenas ahead of Big Tech child safety hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Tech CEOs are once again being summoned to Congress to testify about their business practices — and this time, the US Marshals Service is getting involved. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee said it had subpoenaed three top social media executives — X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Discord CEO Jason Citron — for a Dec. 6 hearing on children’s online safety and content moderation. “At our February hearing on protecting children’s safety online, we promised Big Tech that they’d have their chance to explain their failures to protect kids. In a statement, X said it has been cooperating with the committee. “We have been working in good faith to participate in the Judiciary committee’s hearing on child protection online as safety is our top priority at X,” said Wifredo Fernandez, head of US & Canada government affairs at X.

Persons: —, Linda Yaccarino, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron —, Mark Zuckerberg, Shou Zi Chew, Yaccarino, Citron, ”, Dick Durbin, Lindsey Graham, X, “, Wifredo Fernandez, ” Meta, didn’t Organizations: CNN — Tech, US Marshals Service, Committee, US, Big Tech, Republican, ” Locations: Sens, Canada

☆ X, Snap and Discord CEOs subpoenaed by lawmakers to testify about child sexual exploitation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Lawmakers said Monday that they have issued subpoenas to the CEOs of X, Snap and Discord to compel the executives to testify on a hearing regarding online child sexual exploitation. Marshals Service to personally serve the subpoenas to Discord and X, which they characterized as "a remarkable departure from typical practice." Hearing from the CEOs of some of the world's largest social media companies will help inform the Committee's efforts to address the crisis of online child sexual exploitation." A Discord spokesperson said that, "Keeping our users safe, especially young people, is central to everything we do at Discord." "We have been actively engaging with the Committee on how we can best contribute to this important industry discussion," the Discord spokesperson said.

Persons: Linda Yaccarino, Vox, Dick Durbin, Lindsey Graham, Durbin, Graham, Wifredo Fernandez, Fernandez, Evan Spiegel, they've, Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok's Shou Zi Chew Organizations: The Ritz, Carlton, Lawmakers, U.S . Marshals Service, Big Tech, Twitter, CNBC, Committee, Meta, X Corp Locations: Laguna, Dana Point , California, Canada

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate committee has issued bipartisan subpoenas to the CEOs of Discord, Snap and X, demanding that the heads of the three companies testify at a December hearing on protecting children online. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the panel, announced Monday that they had issued the subpoenas to Discord CEO Jason Citron, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, “after repeated refusals to appear” during weeks of negotiations. "Big Tech’s failure to police itself at the expense of our kids cannot go unanswered,” the two senators said in a statement. The committee said that “in a remarkable departure from typical practice," Discord and X refused to accept service of the subpoenas and the panel was forced to enlist the U.S. Durbin and Graham said the committee remains in discussions with both Meta and TikTok and expects their CEOs, Mark Zuckerberg and Shou Zi Chew, to testify voluntarily.

Persons: Dick Durbin, South Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, Jason Citron, Evan Spiegel, Linda Yaccarino, “, X, Durbin, Graham, Mark Zuckerberg, Shou Zi Chew, Barbara Ortutay Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, South, Republican, U.S . Marshals Service, Social, Meta, Facebook, Associated Press Locations: South Carolina, Washington, San Francisco

☆ U.S. senators expect Meta, TikTok CEOs to testify at hearing on child sexual exploitation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) arrives for a hearing with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 25, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee said it will hold a Dec. 6 hearing on online child sexual exploitation and expects Meta (META.O) CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will agree to testify voluntarily. The committee also has issued subpoenas to the CEOs of Discord, Snap (SNAP.N), and X, formerly known as Twitter, to compel them to testify. "Big Tech’s failure to police itself at the expense of our kids cannot go unanswered,” said Durbin and Graham in a joint statement. Reporting by David Shepardson, Jasper Ward and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lindsey Graham, Joe Biden’s, Leah Millis, Mark Zuckerberg, Shou Zi Chew, Dick Durbin, Republican Lindsey Graham, ”, Durbin, Graham, X, David Shepardson, Jasper Ward, Doina, Caitlin Webber, Chizu Organizations: . Sen, U.S . Senate, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Senate, Committee, Republican, U.S . Marshals Service, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S

☆ US senators demand documents from Meta over its handling of teen mental health
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —A group of US senators is demanding that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hand over troves of emails and documents that could show how the company handled the knowledge that its platforms could harm the mental health of teens. The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. Meta spokesman Andy Stone said that the company is in touch with the members who signed the letter. The letter further accuses Meta of showing an “apparent willful disregard” for young people’s well-being, of “misrepresentations to Congress” and of “profiting from threats” to user safety. The letter requests a response by Nov. 30 and calls for Meta to provide its correspondence related to Bejar’s warnings to executives, as well as senior leaders’ own correspondence with Zuckerberg about proposed investments in user well-being.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, ”, Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal, Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn, Dick Durbin, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham ; Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, Missouri Republican Josh Hawley, Meta, Arturo Bejar, Andrea Joy Campbell, didn’t, Andy Stone, people’s, ’ Organizations: Washington CNN, Facebook, Connecticut Democrat, Tennessee Republican, South Carolina Republican, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham ; Massachusetts Democrat, Missouri Republican, Meta Locations: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Tennessee, Illinois, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham ; Massachusetts, Missouri

☆ Senate Judiciary Committee chair says the Supreme Court's new code of conduct lacking any enforcement mechanism 'falls short'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

On Monday afternoon, the Supreme Court announced each of its justices had signed a code of conduct. Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, said it "falls short." AdvertisementThe chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee said the Supreme Court's newly signed code of conduct — which lacks any enforcement mechanisms — "falls short of what we could and should expect." "Its new code of conduct is a step, but it falls short of what we could and should expect from a code of conduct." "No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period," Alito said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in July.

Persons: Sen, Dick Durbin, Durbin, —, Clarence Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor, Samuel Alito, Alito Organizations: Supreme, Service, Democratic, Wall Street

☆ Supreme Court adopts ethics code as justices face criticism over financial disclosures
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Supreme Court announced Monday it is adopting a code of ethics, a move that followed waves of criticism over reports about undisclosed gifts and travel received by some members of the high court. The 14-page code of conduct was written to "dispel" the "misunderstanding" that the court's nine justices "regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules," the court said in a statement. It was not immediately clear whether the code would mollify Senate Democrats who had pushed the court for ethics reform and launched an investigation in the wake of the reporting. Spokespeople for Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Senate Budget Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the new code. Republicans in Congress have vehemently objected to any effort to require the court to codify ethics standards for justices.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, ProPublica, Harlan Crow, Crow, Thomas, Samuel Alito, Paul Singer, Leonard Leo, Spokespeople, Dick Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, pushback, GOP Sen, Marsha Blackburn Organizations: Supreme, Republican, Congress, GOP, Tennessee Locations: Washington , DC, Georgia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday adopted its first code of ethics, in the face of sustained criticism over undisclosed trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors to some justices. The issue has vexed the court for several months, over a series of stories questioning the ethical practices of the justices. The committee has been investigating the court's ethics and passed an ethics code, though all 10 Republicans on the panel voted against it. The push for an ethics code was jump-started by a series of stories by the investigative news site ProPublica detailing the relationship between Crow and Thomas. ___Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

Persons: “, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, Koch, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Sen, Dick Durbin, Crow, Leonard Leo, Thomas, ProPublica, Leo, Sotomayor, Roberts, Durbin, ” Organizations: WASHINGTON, Gallup, Democratic, Republicans, Republican, GOP, Associated Press, U.S, Supreme Locations: Thomas, Georgia, United States

☆ Supreme Court ethics probe escalates with Leonard Leo, Harlan Crow subpoenas set for Senate approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this Nov. 16, 2016, photo, Federalist Society Executive Vice President Leonard Leo speaks to media at Trump Tower, in New York. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Thursday to approve subpoenas for two influential conservative political figures: judicial activist Leonard Leo and Harlan Crow, a Republican megadonor whose close friendship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has drawn intense scrutiny. The panel's Democratic majority says the subpoenas are necessary in response to Leo's and Crow's "defensive, dismissive refusals" to fully cooperate with its ethics investigation into the Supreme Court. He and Crow have defended their relationship and maintained that it has not affected Thomas' business before the court. Durbin responded to the report by calling for an "enforceable code of conduct" over the Supreme Court, whose nine members face little external oversight.

Persons: Leonard Leo, Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, Dick Durbin, Sen, Lindsey Graham, Thomas, Crow, Durbin, John Roberts Organizations: Federalist Society Executive, Trump, Republican, Democratic, Supreme Locations: New York

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Senate Democrats are set on Thursday to vote on authorizing subpoenas to a pair of influential conservatives with ties to the U.S. Supreme Court as part of an ethics inquiry spurred by reports of undisclosed largesse directed to some conservative justices. Lawyers for Leo and Crow in letters to the committee criticized the information requests as lacking a proper legal justification. Crow's lawyer proposed turning over a narrower range of information but Democrats rebuffed that offer, according to the panel's Democratic members. The Senate Judiciary Committee in July approved a Democratic-backed bill that would mandate a binding ethics code for the justices. Reporting by John Kruzel; Additional reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: largesse, Harlan Crow, Clarence Thomas, Leonard Leo, Donald Trump's, Dick Durbin, Crow, Leo, Durbin, Robin Arkley II, Samuel Alito, Paul Singer, Trump, Thomas, Alito, Singer, John Kruzel, Nate Raymond, Will Dunham Organizations: Democrats, U.S, Supreme, Democratic, Republican, Thomson Locations: Texas, Alaska, Boston

☆ Will Republicans Defend the Supreme Court?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo: Mariam Zuhaib/Associated PressSenate Democrats can’t accept that the Supreme Court no longer does their policy bidding, so they’re trying to discredit it. The latest effort is a subpoena threat against the friends of Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito . Led by Sheldon Whitehouse and his spokesman Dick Durbin , the Judiciary Committee has been threatening subpoenas against Harlan Crow , Leonard Leo and Robin Arkley II . Their supposed crime: bestowing “lavish, undisclosed gifts” on the Justices, enabling “private access to the justices” while “preventing public scrutiny,” and contributing to a Supreme Court “ethical crisis of its own making.”

Persons: Mariam Zuhaib, can’t, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Sheldon Whitehouse, Dick Durbin, Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, Robin Arkley II, ” Organizations: Associated Press

[1/2] Palestinians carry their belongings as they flee their houses, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City November 7, 2023. In a letter to Biden, more than 100 Democrats led by U.S. The humanitarian protections would only be available to Palestinians already in the U.S., not those in the war zone or refugees in other countries. The lawmakers called on Biden to use the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) programs to provide the relief. Some Democrats, civil rights and immigrant advocates criticized the bill, with Democratic Representative Bill Pascrell calling it "absolutely despicable."

Persons: Mohammed Al, Masri, Joe Biden, Biden, Dick Durbin, Biden's, Donald Trump, Ryan Zinke, Bill Pascrell, Ted Hesson, Rami Ayyub, Mary Milliken, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Wednesday, U.S, West Bank, TPS, Republican, Republicans, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza City, United States, Gaza, Israeli, U.S, Oslo, Washington

☆ 3,500 student-loan borrowers got $109 million in debt wiped out after being 'cheated' by their schools. Top Democrats want relief for taxpayers, too.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some Democrats want the Education Department to recoup funds from Ashford and University of Phoenix. The department previously accused those schools of fraud, granting thousands of borrowers debt relief. The lawmakers want the schools to pay up so taxpayers don't foot the bill for the relief. The Democrats referenced two recent actions to provide relief for borrowers who went to for-profit schools accused of predatory behavior: $72 million in relief for 2,300 borrowers "cheated" by Ashford University, and $37 million in relief for 1,200 borrowers "deceived" by the University of Phoenix, according to the Education Department. AdvertisementAdvertisement"This would send a strong warning signal to other predatory for-profit colleges that there are substantial financial consequences for defrauding students," the Democrats wrote.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Sen, Dick Durbin, Rosa DeLauro, — Sen, Elizabeth Warren —, Secretary Miguel Cardona, ike, hoenix, J ames Organizations: Education Department, Ashford and University of Phoenix, Service, Secretary, Ashford University, University of Phoenix Locations: Ashford, Phoenix

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has not said whether he supports the proposal released Monday by Republican Sens. But he told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that he has been discussing the entire package of aid with the White House, including border policies. McConnell, who has strongly pushed for the Ukraine aid, said he thinks “every single Republican in the Senate and the House” believes that the influx of migrants is a major problem. But finding agreement on the border will be difficult, and could easily hold up further Ukraine aid, as immigration has been one of the most intractable issues in Congress for decades. It would detain families at the border and require migrants to make the asylum claim at an official port of entry.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Republican Sens, Lindsey Graham of, Jim Lankford, ” McConnell, McConnell, ”, “, Israel, Mike Johnson, Biden, Dick Durbin, Kerri Talbot, Donald Trump, Colleen Long Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republicans, Republican, Associated Press, White, Democratic, House, Israel, Illinois Democrat, GOP, Immigration, Biden Locations: Ukraine, U.S, Mexico, United States, Israel, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Oklahoma, U.S ., Russia, Illinois, Afghanistan

☆ Israel's bombing of a refugee camp could be a turning point. Even its closest allies are expressing concern.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

An IDF attack on a refugee camp this week, which killed dozens, caused alarm in Washington. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Biden, in particular, "didn't like this at all," one person told CNN, referencing the attack on the refugee camp. While still defending Israel's right to defend itself, Blinken said that right does not mean anything the IDF does is acceptable. "I share Israel's desire to destroy the threat from Hamas," Sen. Chris Murphy, a liberal Democrat from Connecticut, said this week.

Persons: Joe Biden, —, Biden, Israel, Israel —, Hamas's, aren't, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, imploring, that's, Sen, Dick Durbin, apologism, Chris Murphy, Netanyahu Organizations: Israel, IDF, Service, Hamas, United Nations, Israel Defense Forces, UN, CNN, Israeli Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Washington, States, Gaza, United States, imploring Israel, Illinois, Connecticut

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