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☆ Elon Musk restores Twitter accounts of journalists but concerns persist
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Dec 17 (Reuters) - Elon Musk reinstated the Twitter accounts of several journalists that were suspended for a day over a controversy on publishing public data about the billionaire's plane. A Twitter poll that Musk conducted later also showed that a majority of the respondents wanted the accounts restored immediately. Accounts who doxxed my location will have their suspension lifted now," Musk said in a tweet on Saturday. A Reuters check showed the suspended accounts, which included journalists from the New York Times, CNN and the Washington Post, have been reinstated. Musk accused the journalists of posting his real-time location, saying it amounted to providing "basically assassination coordinates" for his family.

☆ U.S. Senate sets first vote on stopgap funding bill Thursday -aide
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters following the Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 1, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate is expected to hold an initial procedural vote Thursday on a week-long stopgap funding bill to avoid a partial government shutdown ahead of a midnight Friday deadline, a Senate Democratic aide said. Passage of the measure, which senior Senate Democrats and Republicans back, would forestall the risk of a year-end partial government shutdown. While top Senate Republicans signed onto that deal, House Republicans rejected it, wanting negotiations delayed until after they assume the House majority on Jan. 3, which would give them more leverage to cut domestic spending. The last time Democrats and Republicans allowed government funding to lapse, a record-long, 35-day partial shutdown ensued, spanning from Dec. 22, 2018, until Jan. 25, 2019.

☆ U.S. Senate must work quickly to pass stopgap funding bill, Schumer says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters following the Senate Democrats weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 1, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate needs to move quickly to pass a weeklong stopgap funding bill ahead of a midnight Friday deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday. Passage of the measure, which senior Senate Democrats and Republicans back, would forestall the risk of a year-end partial government shutdown. While top Senate Republicans signed onto that deal, House Republicans rejected it, wanting negotiations delayed until after they assume the House majority on Jan. 3, which would give them more leverage to cut domestic spending. The last time Democrats and Republicans allowed government funding to lapse, a record-long, 35-day partial shutdown ensued, spanning from Dec. 22, 2018, until Jan. 25, 2019.

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a stopgap one-week funding bill, a move intended to give lawmakers more time to pass a bill to fully fund the federal government through its fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2023. Top congressional negotiators announced on Tuesday agreement on a framework for the full-year "omnibus" bill. Richard Shelby, the top Senate Republican negotiator, said the package should be finished by Dec. 23. House Republicans object to a full-year bill, saying they would prefer to vote on funding the government early next year when they take majority control of the chamber and will have more power to slash domestic spending. Reporting by Makini Brice and Gram Slattery; Editing by Sandra Maler Additional reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Scott Malone and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Survivors of mass shootings targeting U.S. LGBT nightclubs detailed the violence they endured and criticized inflammatory political rhetoric in a congressional hearing on Wednesday. "We are being slaughtered and dehumanized across this country, in communities you took oaths to protect," said Matthew Haynes, owner of the Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where five people were killed and 22 wounded in a mass shooting last month. Michael Anderson told lawmakers he was bartending at Club Q, when the gunman entered the nightclub and began shooting. There have been 628 mass shootings across the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Brandon Wolf, an activist and survivor of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in which 49 people were killed and 69 wounded, told the hearing.

☆ Factbox: When it comes to spending big on elections, few can challenge America
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

While readily-comparable numbers aren't available across nations, India's spending in 2019 was at least in the neighborhood of the estimated $8 billion spent on U.S. federal elections in 2016, the year Republican Donald Trump won the White House. In the United States, campaigning often begins more than a year before election day and regulators put no limits on spending by campaigns. FRANCEFrance also places strict limits on spending. During France's presidential elections in 2022, all 12 candidates combined spent just over 83 million euros, or about $88 million, according to the French government. President Emmanuel Macron spent the most, with his campaign spending 16.7 million euros.

☆ Factbox: How will the U.S. House of Representatives choose a new speaker?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The speaker of the House, second in the line of succession for the presidency after the vice president, leads the chamber and sets the legislative agenda and political tone. Pelosi will step down as speaker when the next Congress is sworn in, but the 82-year-old has not detailed her plans. He cleared the first hurdle on Tuesday in his bid to become the next House speaker, when most Republicans backed him in an internal party vote. The full House of Representatives will vote for the speaker after the next Congress is sworn into office. No Republican lawmaker has said they plan to challenge McCarthy for the speaker role in the January vote.

☆ Rick Scott will challenge McConnell for leadership of U.S. Senate Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Senator Rick Scott will challenge current U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for leadership of Senate Republicans in an election on Wednesday, he said on Tuesday. McConnell, who has not faced opposition for the job since he became the Republican leader in 2007, is seeking to become the longest-serving party leader in the chamber. Scott also sent colleagues a letter outlining his reasons for the challenge, saying he'd heard complaints about the process and priorities of the Senate and about lack of coordination between House and Senate Republicans. "I believe it's time for the Senate Republican Conference to be far more bold and resolute than we have been in the past. McConnell told reporters that Republicans could delay the internal vote, but he still expected to be re-elected as the Senate Republican leader when it took place.

☆ Election denier loses secretary of state race in Nevada
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 12 (Reuters) - Jim Marchant, a former Nevada state assemblyman who opposed the certification of President Joe Biden's election win in the state in 2020, was defeated in his race to become Nevada's secretary of state, Edison Research projected on Saturday. Democrat Cisco Aguilar won the secretary of state race in Nevada, defeating Marchant, according to Edison Research. In Nevada, the secretary of state does not have the power to certify election results, but can set and enforce election rules. Nevada is a swing state that could play an important role in determining the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Marchant lost a race for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020.

Control of the Senate - and the shape of President Joe Biden's next two years in office - will now hinge on contests in Nevada and Georgia. Democrats needed one more seat for control, since Vice President Kamala Harris can cast the tie-breaking vote. Political analysts anticipate a rush of campaign funds into Georgia as Republicans and Democrats gear up for the final battle of the 2022 midterm elections. In the fight for control of the House of Representatives, Republicans were inching closer to becoming the majority and ending four years of rule by Democrats. The Republican House leader, Kevin McCarthy, has already announced his intention to run for speaker if Republicans take over, an outcome he has described as inevitable.

Either Democrats or Republicans can capture a Senate majority by sweeping the contests in both states. A split, however, would transform a Dec. 6 runoff Senate election in Georgia into a proxy battle for the chamber, which among other powers holds sway over President Joe Biden's judicial appointments. The Republican House leader, Kevin McCarthy, has already announced his intention to run for speaker if Republicans take over, an outcome he described as inevitable on Wednesday. The outcome of the Arizona and Nevada Senate races, where Democratic incumbents were trying to fend off Republican challengers, may not be known for days yet. Even a narrow Republican House majority would be able to demand concessions in exchange for votes on key issue such as raising the nation's borrowing limit.

[1/11] The sun rises over the U.S. Capitol, as control of Congress remained unclear following the 2022 U.S. midterm elections in Washington, U.S., November 9, 2022. The fate of the Senate, meanwhile, rests with a trio of fiercely contested states. (Live election results from around the country are here)Though Republicans remained favored to take over the House, their performance on Tuesday was seen as underwhelming. A Republican Senate would hold sway over Biden's judicial appointments, including any potential Supreme Court vacancies. VOTE-COUNTING CHUGGING ALONGAs ballots were tallied, Democrats expressed cautious optimism about both the Nevada and Arizona Senate races.

[1/11] The sun rises over the U.S. Capitol, as control of Congress remained unclear following the 2022 U.S. midterm elections in Washington, U.S., November 9, 2022. Either party can win a majority by sweeping the races in Nevada and Arizona, where counting late-arriving ballots is expected to last several more days. (Live election results from around the country are here)Though Republicans remained favored to take over the House, their performance on Tuesday was seen as underwhelming. A Republican Senate would hold sway over Biden's judicial appointments, including any potential Supreme Court vacancies. VOTE-COUNTING CHUGGING ALONGAs ballots were tallied, Democrats expressed cautious optimism about both the Nevada and Arizona Senate races.

[1/11] The sun rises over the U.S. Capitol, as control of Congress remained unclear following the 2022 U.S. midterm elections in Washington, U.S., November 9, 2022. "Women in America made their voices heard, man," President Joe Biden said at a political event in Washington. At the political event, Biden noted that many so-called "election deniers" had accepted their own losses. A White House official said Biden spoke by phone with Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, who announced on Wednesday his intention to run for speaker of the House if Republicans control the chamber. Republicans are expected to demand spending cuts in exchange for raising the nation's borrowing limit next year, a showdown that could spook financial markets.

☆ U.S. Senate up for grabs as Republicans move toward House majority
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

(Live election results from around the country are here.) But Democrats were able to avoid the major defeat that Republicans had anticipated and were holding on in the close Senate battles in Nevada and Arizona. Even a slim House majority would allow Republicans to shape the rest of Biden's term, blocking priorities such as abortion rights and launching investigations into his administration and family. A White House official said Biden spoke by phone with Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, who announced earlier in the day his intention to run for speaker of the House if Republicans control the chamber. Control of the Senate, meanwhile, would give Republicans the power to block Biden's nominees for judicial and administrative posts.

☆ Republicans close in on U.S. House majority, Senate still up for grabs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A split would mean the Senate majority would come down to a runoff election in Georgia for the second time in two years. Even a slim House majority would allow Republicans to shape the rest of Biden's term, blocking priorities such as abortion rights and launching investigations into his administration and family. A White House official said Biden spoke by phone with Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, who announced earlier in the day his intention to run for speaker of the House if Republicans control the chamber. Control of the Senate, meanwhile, would give Republicans the power to block Biden's nominees for judicial and administrative posts. MIXED RESULTSThe party in power historically suffers heavy casualties in a president's first midterm election, and Biden has struggled with low approval ratings.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy had hoped to celebrate a resounding victory that would propel him into the top job of speaker. But Republican hopes for a "red wave" of victories faded as Democrats showed surprising resilience in several key races. Pelosi said in a statement, "It is clear that House Democratic members and candidates are strongly outperforming expectations around the country." [1/9] Supporters cheer U.S. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) at a House Republicans' party held late on the night of the 2022 U.S. midterm elections in Washington, U.S., November 9, 2022. The Georgia Senate race could end up in a Dec. 6 runoff, possibly with Senate control at stake.

By early Wednesday, Republicans had flipped six Democratic House seats, Edison Research projected, one more than the minimum they need to take over the chamber. But Republican hopes for a "red wave" of victories faded as Democrats showed surprising resilience in several key races. Pelosi said in a statement, "It is clear that House Democratic members and candidates are strongly outperforming expectations around the country." But television host and heart surgeon Mehmet Oz failed to win his Pennsylvania Senate race. In Pennsylvania, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who sought to overturn the state's election results after Trump lost, was defeated by Democrat Josh Shapiro.

☆ Runoff election in Georgia may decide fate of U.S. Senate, again
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Reverend Raphael Warnock, Democratic Senator from Georgia, speaks to supporters at a U.S. midterm election night party in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., November 9, 2022. REUTERS/Bob StrongWASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Control of the U.S. Senate may once again be decided in Georgia, weeks after Election Day as a tight race between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker could be headed to a Dec. 6 runoff. But Warnock has not yet reached the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff, according to data from Edison Research. It was one of two Senate seats up for grabs in the formerly reliably Republican state. So far, Warnock's campaign has spent $135.8 million, while Walker's campaign has spent $32.4 million, according to data from the Federal Election Commission.

PHILADELPHIA/LATROBE, Pa., Nov 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden told voters in Pennsylvania that a Democratic loss in Tuesday's midterm elections would have "decades" of consequences, while Republican candidates for Congress predicted a sweeping victory. Still, opinion polls show a significant number of Republican voters accept the claim, as do many candidates for Congress, governor and state offices overseeing election administration. Speaking before Trump at a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Representative Glenn Thompson told supporters that Republicans were headed for major gains on Tuesday. TRUMP READIES ANOTHER RUNTrump is set to gin up support for his handpicked Republican Senate nominee, Oz, and Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano at a rally in Latrobe, southeast of Pittsburgh. Nonpartisan election forecasters and polls show Republicans are heavy favorites to win control of the House, with the Senate a toss-up.

PITTSBURGH/LATROBE, Pa., Nov 5 (Reuters) - Former President Barack Obama warned about divisions fueling a "dangerous climate" in U.S. politics as he stumped for Democratic candidates on Saturday three days ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. "This habit we have of demonizing political opponents, of saying crazy stuff, it creates a dangerous climate," Obama said, without referencing Republicans directly. Republicans contend that Democrats have also engaged in political violence, citing the widespread anti-racism protests that rocked the country in 2020. They have criticized Democrats for failing to keep their focus on inflation and crime, two of voters' principal concerns, according to most opinion polls. Scott Flaherty, a 53-year-old mechanic from Pittsburgh who was heading to the Trump rally, said he is tired of Democrats calling Republicans extreme.

It will need to resolve differences with a similar Senate bill before it can head to Biden to sign. In addition, 139 House Republicans and eight Senate Republicans voted to challenge the results in some key states. Lawmakers in both parties acknowledge the vague law needs to be updated, but the House version faced strong opposition from House Republicans who argued this bill goes too far. For instance, the Senate bill would require one-fifth of the House and Senate to object to states' electors, instead of one lawmaker in both chambers. The House bill, on the other hand, requires one-third of each chamber to issue an objection.

☆ With an eye on the U.S. ballot box, Democrats to push policing bills on Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Funds would help smaller police departments attract and retain officers and help local governments develop mental health programs to lower crime rates, including gun murders. Prospects for the legislation were unclear in the Senate, split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, where 60 of the chamber's 100 votes would be needed for passage. Congressional Democrats have yet to find a way to enact legislation making it easier to hold police departments and their officers accountable for the use of excessive force, especially against minorities. This is not a substitute for that in any way," Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal said of the legislation being debated on Thursday. Jayapal said a key change in the bill reduced to 125, from 200, the maximum size of small police departments qualifying for federal funds under the bill.

☆ U.S. House Democrats release framework for bill to restrict members trading stocks
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzWASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. House Democrats on Thursday released a framework for legislation that would restrict lawmakers and other senior government officials, including the Supreme Court, from trading in stocks. "These stories undermine the American people's faith and trust in the integrity of public officials and our federal government. Members of the public may ask, are our public officials acting in the public interest or their private financial interest?" The House may consider the legislation next week, according to a schedule announced by the House Majority Leader on Thursday. The White House has said President Joe Biden would leave it to Congress to decide the rules on members trading stocks.

On a vote of 219-209, with most Republicans in opposition, the House approved the rules for debating the measure, clearing the way for a vote on passage. In addition, 139 House Republicans and eight Senate Republicans voted to challenge the results in some key states. Lawmakers in both parties acknowledge the vague law needs to be updated, but the House version faced strong opposition from House Republicans who argued this bill goes too far. For instance, the Senate bill would require one-fifth of the House and Senate to object to states' electors, instead of one lawmaker in both chambers. The House bill, on the other hand, requires one-third of each chamber to issue an objection.

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