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☆ The House Ethics Committee is officially investigating George Santos for his campaign activity, financial disclosures, and a sexual misconduct allegation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The House Ethics Committee has officially launched an investigation into scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos. But the evenly-divided committee doesn't have a history of taking strong action against wrongdoing. "The Committee notes that the mere fact of establishing an Investigative Subcommittee does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred," read a statement from the committee. Additionally, the committee has historically been subject to the whims of party leadership, which has so far stopped short of taking harsh action against Santos. George Santos (@RepSantosNY03) March 2, 2023

For Love & Money is a biweekly column from Insider answering your relationship and money questions. This week, a reader lost his job and wants to know how to get his wife to help out financially. Our columnist tells him he needs to have this conversation with his wife and trust her to be smart. Write to For Love & Money using this Google form. Rooting for you both,For Love & Money

☆ See how a couple got an abandoned home for free — then moved it, rodents and all. They're about to fix it up all by themselves.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A historic home in Lincoln, Kansas, was up for demolition until a group of locals intervened. In August 2022, Julie and Eddie Flores won the home from the local group and a corporate owner. Flores explained how she is renovating the house with a strict budget of $250,000. The over-100-year-old home gained notoriety after local residents created a special committee tasked with the salvation of the decaying house. The family moved to Lincoln in January as they've continued their renovations, an experience they write about on the blog Nursing Back to Life.

☆ Brainard's move to the White House leaves a big gap for Biden to fill at the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In her more than eight years as a Federal Reserve official, Lael Brainard was an influential voice, particularly for the side that favored keeping monetary policy loose and interest rates low. "Brainard's departure from the Fed leaves a dove-sized hole in its monetary policy," Beacon Policy Advisors wrote in its daily newsletter Wednesday. Indeed, Brainard's influence only accelerated the longer she served as a Fed governor. Her subsequent appointment in 2022 as vice chair solidified her influence, installing her as part of the "troika" of policy-directing power that includes current Chairman Jerome Powell and New York Fed President John Williams. Some candidates outside the Fed ranks, according to Guha, include Karen Dynan, Jason Furman, Janice Eberly and Christina Romer, all of whom served under former President Barack Obama (and his vice president, Biden).

☆ Kevin McCarthy is working tirelessly and spending a lot of his political capital to win fights that don't actually matter.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Kevin McCarthy rallied GOP lawmakers to oust Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. But taking Omar off the Foreign Affairs panel took a good deal more effort on his part. The Omar vote was seen as a huge victory for the party, especially coming off McCarthy's protracted 15 rounds of balloting to secure the House speakership. Republicans led a successful effort to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. While Republican leaders were pleased with the outcome, the behind-the-scenes work to push through a successful vote against Omar took up a lot of political oxygen.

☆ The House Ethics Committee may not go after 'loyal soldier' George Santos, ethics experts warn
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The House Ethics Committee could investigate George Santos over his alleged malfeasance. But ethics experts warn that the evenly-divided committee — composed of five Republicans and five Democrats — is unlikely to move swiftly or even take significant action on Santos. That's where the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) — a separate investigative entity run by a non-partisan staff — could step in. And the Department of Justice could simply ask both the Ethics Committee and OCE to stand down, as they've already reportedly done with the Federal Election Commission. The office frequently makes preliminary investigations of complaints against members of Congress, making a referral to the House Ethics Committee if they determine the offense to warrant further inquiry.

☆ George Santos says it 'wasn't very Mormon' of Mitt Romney to tell him he doesn't 'belong' in Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Chris Panella | Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. George Santos told reporters Wednesday that Sen. Mitt Romney's comment "wasn't very Mormon of him." The two had a tense moment at the State of the Union, with Romney telling Santos, "You don't belong here." Reporters and outlets like CNN reported that Romney and Santos had a heated exchange at the State of the Union Tuesday night, with Romney telling Santos: "You don't belong here." According to other reports, Romney told reporters Tuesday night that the ongoing issues around Santos' repeated lies and embellishments are "an embarrassment." "I've made bad judgment calls, and I'm reaping the consequences of those bad judgment calls," Santos later told a prospective staffer.

☆ Seniors urge Congress to protect Social Security, Medicare ahead of State of the Union
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden speaks about protecting Social Security, Medicare, and lowering prescription drug costs, during a visit to OB Johnson Park and Community Center, in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on Nov. 1, 2022. Kevin Lamarque | ReutersSocial Security and the debt ceiling debateThe future of Social Security and Medicare have increasingly come up in the debate around the debt ceiling. Both Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have vowed to keep changes to Social Security and Medicare off the table. That would include Social Security's pension and disability, Medicare Part A and highway trust funds. Social Security changes require bipartisan support

☆ Republicans vote to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Scott Wong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

House Republicans on Thursday voted to oust Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from the Foreign Affairs Committee — the latest skirmish in a long-running partisan battle over committee assignments. One Republican, Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, a senior member of the Ethics Committee, voted present. All 211 Democrats unified behind Omar, who gave an emotional and defiant floor speech before the vote that left many of her colleagues in tears. Last week, several Republicans voiced opposition to the GOP taking action against Omar, threatening to derail the vote given their new, razor-thin majority. Moments before the vote, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, the lone GOP holdout, emerged from McCarthy's office and announced she would also vote yes.

☆ House GOP study group is proposing changes to Medicare. Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

There also is Part D (prescription drug coverage) and Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans), both of which are offered by private insurers. The stakes in a debate like this are high, given the importance of Medicare. Tricia Neuman executive director for the Kaiser Family Foundation's program on Medicare policyRight now, Neuman said, the savings proposals are being described at a fairly high level. "The policy debate starts to get real when the specifics are laid out," she said. "The stakes in a debate like this are high, given the importance of Medicare [for] seniors and younger people with disabilities."

They said they plan to share the footage with the Justice Department. The main entrance to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. Mississippi Department of CorrectionsThe crisis in state prisons had become so acute that Gov. Some changes were already in the works under new leadership, the Justice Department said at the time, with cooperation coming from state officials. The Justice Department did not immediately return a request for further comment.

☆ 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.

☆ Morgan Stanley’s Slimmon says stocks will surprise Wall Street in 2023 — and names two he likes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Wall Street strategists expect this year to end on a much better note than 2022 — but they still warn that the path ahead looks volatile. However, Morgan Stanley's Andrew Slimmon said he believes stocks are going to do "far better" than most expect. Slimmon also likes Pool Corp , a Louisiana-based company that sells swimming pool supplies. Fed pivot in the works His relatively positive read on the economy is a big reason for his optimism about the market. But Slimmon said he believes the bond market is signaling that the U.S. Federal Reserve will pivot "sooner than it expects."

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved an Alzheimer’s drug shown in clinical trials to slow cognitive decline in patients in the early stages of the illness. The FDA approved Leqembi for use in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease. Most drugs approved by the FDA for Alzheimer’s are aimed at helping symptoms, not actually slowing the progression of the disease. Friday's announcement comes on the heels of a scathing congressional report released last week detailing the approval of a different Alzheimer’s drug, called Aduhelm. The Alzheimer's Association has said that based on the Eisai and Biogen phase 3 clinical trial results, the FDA should approve Leqembi for early-stage Alzheimer’s.

☆ It's still not clear what the Senate Ethics Committee is doing with a 2-year-old January 6 probe into Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Democrats lodged an ethics complaint against Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz nearly two years ago. No one's heard anything since from the Senate Ethics Committee, which one advocate calls a "black hole." Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island led the complaint against Cruz and Hawley. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, the chairman and vice-chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee. Little has emerged in the last two years to suggest that Cruz and Hawley were intimately involved in the assault on the Capitol.

COVINGTON, Ky. — A key part of the White House plan to combat the new House GOP majority was on vivid display Wednesday: President Joe Biden talked about bridges and bipartisanship, while Republicans bickered among themselves. They plan to show him addressing real-world problems that are Americans' top concern while painting congressional Republicans as being focused on raw politics. They are refining plans to pressure House Republicans in swing districts to stop any impeachment votes in committee — before the issue reaches the House floor. The general view inside the White House is that there is little of substance to worry about. There, Barack Obama challenged McConnell and congressional Republicans to “help us rebuild this bridge!” and put unemployed construction workers to work.

☆ Democrats' Senate Majority PAC plans to return $3 million in donations from disgraced former FTX executives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The pro-Democratic Senate Majority PAC plans to return $3 million in donations from former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and the crypto exchange's ex-head of engineering, Nishad Singh, the group said Tuesday. The super PAC, which spent more than $160 million supporting Democratic bids for Senate seats, received $2 million from Singh and $1 million from Bankman-Fried during the 2022 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records. The Democratic National Committee and the party's Senate and House campaign arms — the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — have made similar commitments to return donations from former FTX executives. Bankman-Fried has contributed millions toward other PACs aligned with the Democratic Party, including to the House Majority PAC, Protect Our Future and Future Forward USA. Bankman-Fried also donated $6 million in April to House Majority PAC, which raises money for Democratic candidates running for the lower chamber, according to an FEC filing.

The committee obtained six years' worth of Trump's tax returns in November, following a years-long court fight for documents that other presidents have routinely made public since the 1970s. The meeting in "consideration" of the Trump documents comes just before Republicans are set to reclaim control of the House — and the committee — next month. While tax returns are confidential under federal law, there are some exceptions — including if the chair of the Ways and Means committee requests them. “No one believes that Chairman Neal requested President Trump’s tax returns so he can study legislation about IRS audits. Every president since Richard Nixon has made their tax returns public.

☆ House Democrats reject a rules change that could've empowered junior members amid concerns about aging leadership
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"Six years is a pretty long time," Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia told Insider at the Capitol earlier this month. "I'm not for term limits," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told Insider during a briefing with reporters at the end of November. "I'm not taking a position on any single rules proposal that is before the House Democratic Caucus," he said. Another prominent young lawmaker — 33-year-old Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York — has also been vocal in her criticism of the system. "Whatever the mechanism is, we need to have more opportunities for people to bring their leadership to bear in different places," she told Insider.

☆ Trump, Kanye West, and Nick Fuentes pushing antisemitism to the forefront of the GOP could pull the Christian nationalist movement apart
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

But they also exposed a darker side of Christian nationalism that was always there, experts say. Americans who support Christian nationalist ideas may not identify as Christian nationalists. Andrew Whitehead, a sociologist at IUPUI and co-author of "Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States," has found similar connections between Christian nationalism and antisemitism. Additional research has also found close connections between Christian nationalism, antisemitism, QAnon followers, and supporters of Trump. Greene has said the GOP should be the party of Christian nationalism and even sells merch adorned with the term.

☆ A top GOP lawmaker staunchly opposed to Biden's student-loan forgiveness policies pledges to make 'oversight a priority' if selected to lead the House education committee
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx received a waiver to run for chair of the House education committee. She has been highly critical of Biden's student-debt relief and plans to bolster oversight over the reforms. "If I am selected to Chair the Committee, I will make oversight a priority and put the federal government in its place. Since Biden took office, Foxx has been highly critical of the higher education policies and reforms he has enacted, specifically related to student debt. Biden's administration is continuing to fight for it's student-debt relief plan, with the matter now sitting at the Supreme Court.

☆ Giving babies a government trust fund at birth could help get rid of student debt and build wealth, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Democrats released a report highlighting the benefits of "Baby Bonds," which are trust funds given to kids at birth. The report said that the funds would help Americans build wealth over a lifetime. It could help reduce the need for students to take on excessive debt to go to college. On Wednesday, the Joint Economic Committee — led by Democratic Rep. Don Beyer — released a report on the benefits of "Baby Bonds." Baby Bonds could be a part of that.

☆ January 6 committee will make criminal referrals to the DOJ, chair Bennie Thompson says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The January 6 committee has decided on criminal referrals, chairman Bennie Thompson said. Thompson did not provide further details on who or how many referrals the panel plans to issue. "We have made decisions on criminal referrals," the Mississippi Democrat said. Thompson declined to provide details on who may be referred or how many referrals the committee may issue, adding that the panel still has to discuss the matter further. Four lawmakers on the nine-member committee — Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin, Adam Schiff and Zoe Lofgren — have been focused on whether to issue potential criminal referrals to the DOJ, CNN reported.

☆ Mike Lindell is running to lead the Republican National Committee and unseat longtime foe Ronna McDaniel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is running for RNC chair against incumbent Ronna McDaniel. "With all my due diligence and in prayer, I am 100% running for RNC chairman against Ronna McDaniel," Lindell said. Former President Donald Trump, Lindell's longtime ally, hasn't yet publicly supported his bid against McDaniel. Lindell told Insider that he hasn't spoken to Trump about the matter yet. As for McDaniel, she has signaled that she plans to run for another term as RNC chair, per Politico.

House Democrats swiftly pushed back at Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in response to his threat to strip them of their committee assignments if he is elected as speaker. After Republicans narrowly won back control of the House in the midterm elections, McCarthy this weekend doubled down on his pledge to remove several prominent House Democrats from their committee assignments if he becomes speaker. McCarthy said he would not allow Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., to serve on their committees. “He will adhere to the wishes of the lowest common denominator,” Schiff said when asked about McCarthy’s vow to remove him from the House Intelligence Committee. Removing Democrats from their committee assignments would require a vote of a majority of the House.

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