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A special grand jury in Georgia recommended criminal charges against three U.S. senators and more than a dozen additional allies of former President Donald Trump as part of its investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election – individuals who were not ultimately indicted in the sweeping racketeering case. The special grand jury report, which has been sealed for nine months and was made public Friday, sheds light on the scope of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ two-year investigation into Republican efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in Georgia. Trump blasted the breadth of the special grand jury report on Friday. In addition to the three GOP senators, the special grand jury also recommended charges against 21 additional individuals, including former national security adviser Mike Flynn, Trump lawyers Cleta Mitchell, Boris Epshteyn and Lin Wood, a slew of Georgia lawyers and state Republicans and others. To be sure, Willis may have several reasons for not indicting an individual against whom the grand jury recommended charges, including that they are helping the district attorney's office or that the individual has a strong defense.

Persons: Donald Trump, Sen, Lindsey Graham of, Kelly Loeffler, David Perdue, Fani Willis ’, ”, Willis, Trump, taints Fani Willis, Hunt, Mike Flynn, Cleta Mitchell, Boris Epshteyn, Lin Wood, Graham Organizations: Republican, Donald Trump View, GOP Locations: Georgia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Fulton County, State, State of Georgia, U.S

President Joe Biden will nominate a former Obama administration official to lead the Federal Aviation Administration after his first choice withdrew March after running into opposition from Republican senators. Whitaker's nomination had been expected for months, and Biden's announcement was praised by several industry and labor groups. The FAA, which regulates airline safety and manages the nation's airspace, has been run by back-to-back acting administrators since March 2022. The first, Billy Nolen, who left FAA in June to join another air taxi company, Archer Aviation, praised Whitaker's nomination in a recent interview. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, urged the Senate to confirm Biden’s pick quickly.

Persons: Joe Biden, Obama, Biden, Michael G, Whitaker, Phillip Washington, Kyrsten Sinema, Sen, Ted Cruz, Biden's, Mike, ” Cruz, Stephen Dickson, Donald Trump, Billy Nolen, “, ”, ” Nicholas Calio, Sara Nelson, “ Whitaker Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Republican, FAA, Hyundai, TWA, American Airlines, United Airlines, Denver International Airport, Senate, Washington, GOP, Archer Aviation, Airlines for, Association of Flight Locations: InterGlobe, India, United States, Denver, Ted Cruz of Texas, Airlines for America

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is underway with live television coverage, a former aide who reported him to the FBI on the witness stand and his wife watching from her desk in the state Senate but prohibited from participating. But how much Paxton himself will take part in the historic trial that resumes Wednesday is up in the air. Paxton pleaded not guilty Tuesday but did not return for opening arguments, when his attorneys sharply criticized the impeachment and urged Republican senators to acquit. The vote immediately suspended Paxton and made him only the third sitting official in Texas’ nearly 200-year history to be impeached. What they are doing is taking away the vote of the majority of the people of Texas,” Bowen said.

Persons: Ken Paxton, Paxton, Paxton’s, “, Dan Cogdell, Jeff Mateer, Mateer, “ Mr, ”, Andrew Murr, Biden, Austin, Nate Paul, Tony Buzbee, Paxton “, Paul, Gov, Dan Patrick, Sen, Angela Paxton, —, Peter Bowen, ” Bowen Organizations: Texas, FBI, Senators, Republican, “, Capitol, Texas Republicans, Trump, Texas ’, Senate Locations: AUSTIN, Texas, acquit, May, Houston

☆ Texas AG Ken Paxton's former aide who reported him to FBI is first key witness in impeachment trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"The problem is the office is being used for the benefit of one person," said Jeff Mateer, who was Paxton's second-in-command at the Texas attorney generals' office. Their relationship is central to the case led by Republican impeachment managers that Paxton should be removed from office. Mateer took the stand with few onlookers in the Senate gallery for what is Texas' first impeachment trial in nearly a half century. Paxton attorney Tony Buzbee said Paxton "gave nothing of significance" to Paul and framed the proceedings as an attempt to overturn the will of voters. Paxton attorney Tony Buzbee said Paxton "gave nothing of significance" to Paul and framed the proceedings as an attempt to overturn the will of voters.

Persons: Ken Paxton, Jeff Mateer, Mateer, Paxton, Nate Paul, Paul, Dan Cogdell, Biden, Tony Buzbee, Gov, Dan Patrick, Paxton's, Sen, Angela Paxton, —, Mr, Andrew Murr, Austin, Peter Bowen, Bowen Organizations: Texas, FBI, Texas Senate, Republican, The Associated Press, Senators, Texas Republicans, Trump, Capitol, Senate Locations: Texas, U.S, Washington , U.S, Austin, May, Houston

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s health episodes show “no evidence” of being a stroke or seizure disorder, the Capitol physician said in a letter on Tuesday, offering little further explanation for the apparent freeze-ups that have drawn concerns about the 81-year-old's situation. But the episodes have fueled quiet concern among Republican senators and intense speculation in Washington about McConnell’s ability to remain as leader. Nevertheless, many Republican allies have flocked to McConnell’s side, ensuring the famously guarded leader a well of support. McConnell’s health has visibly declined since the concussion in March, after which he took some weeks to recover. Before freezing up last week, McConnell had just given a 20-minute speech with no issues.

Persons: Mitch McConnell’s, Brian P, Monahan, ” Monahan, McConnell, Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republican, Capitol, GOP, Rivals, Republicans, White House, White Locations: Kentucky, Washington, Ukraine, Russia, U.S

☆ Saving Tadpoles Taught Me A Valuable Lesson About Community and Political Action - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Belle Boggs | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

During the first spring of the pandemic, my two daughters and I taught ourselves to rescue frogs. On our daily walks along a riverbank in rural North Carolina, we often came across the stirring of young life. Transparent strings of tadpole eggs and wriggling green tadpoles lay in murky puddles that would soon dry up in the sun. It’s a reminder to look at our immediate environment, our close neighbors and community spaces, and to take action from there. Eventually, I realized that my most significant impact would be on the political races closest to home.

Persons: Trump Locations: North Carolina, tote

☆ What Trump thinks of Mitch McConnell's potential replacements
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —It would be a mistake to presuppose these are the final days of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s record-setting run as the Republican leader in the Senate. In January, Trump referred to Barrasso as McConnell’s “flunky” during a radio interview in Barrasso’s home state of Wyoming. Trump views McConnell as an enemyNo Senate leader will be able to maintain a flawless relationship with Trump, but McConnell’s has been particularly fraught. McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, who served in Trump’s administration as transportation secretary, has more recently been the subject of racial insults from Trump. Any successor would have to navigate Trump’s control of the party – and the very real potential that Trump could return to the White House.

Persons: Sen, Mitch McConnell’s, Donald Trump’s, Trump, McConnell, Rich Lowry, “, ”, CNN’s Manu Raju, Raju, It’s, George W, Bush, Lowry, ” Lowry, Johns ” – Sen, John Thune of, John Cornyn of, John Barrasso of, Thune, ’, Tom Daschle, – “, Kristi Noem, Tim Scott of, Cornyn, “ He’s, ” Cornyn, Utah’s Sen, Mitt Romney, Barrasso, McConnell’s, Elaine Chao, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Republicans, National Review, Capitol, GOP, New York Times, today’s GOP, Senate, South Dakota Gov, Trump, Republicans ’ Locations: John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas, John Barrasso of Wyoming, today’s, Trump, Thune, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Cornyn, Wyoming

☆ Capitol physician medically clears McConnell after health scares prompt new questions over his leadership position
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington CNN —Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell is medically cleared to continue his schedule, the US Capitol physician said Thursday, after he froze for the second time in as many months in public. “I have consulted with Leader McConnell and conferred with his neurology team. Even if they have a meeting, there’s no mechanism to force a vote on the party’s leadership. “The leader sounded like his usual self and was in good spirits,” said Ryan Wrasse, a spokesman for Senate GOP Whip John Thune, who spoke to the GOP leader. “Obviously his first responsibility is to the voters of Kentucky,” GOP Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota told CNN in July.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, McConnell, “, Dr, Brian Monahan, ”, Monahan, –, hasn’t, McConnell’s, Sen, John Barrasso, Jim Banks, McConnell didn’t, Banks, Joe Biden, neurosurgeons, ” Biden, Ryan Wrasse, John Thune, Kelley Moore, Shelley Moore Capito, “ Sen, Capito, ” Capito’s, GOP Sen, Kevin Cramer of North, ” Cramer, John Cornyn, Cornyn Organizations: Washington CNN, GOP, Capitol, CNN, Republican, West Virginia Republican, Senate, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota Locations: Covington , Kentucky, Indiana, Kentucky, “

☆ Forget the Deep State. Trump is at war with the whole state
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Trump's new object of hatred is the surface state — the state itself. The attack on the surface state began, of course, on January 6, when a violent mob, assembled and encouraged by Trump, descended on the Capitol to overturn a presidential election. AdvertisementAdvertisementToday, Trump's attacks on the surface state are accelerating. Maybe Trump has forgotten that less than three years ago, he was head of the surface state. Even defendants who, like Trump, attempt to sabotage the integrity of the justice system are entitled to the same due process and protections under US law.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, He's, Jack Smith, Fanni Wills, Let's, I'm, he'd, That's, Hillary Clinton, Mark Meadows, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Tommy Tuberville, Cindy Hyde, Smith, Roger Marshall, John Kennedy, Cruz, Hawley, didn't, We've, it's, Mattathias Schwartz Organizations: Trump, Capitol, Department of Justice, Mar, DOJ, White, CIA, FBI, NSA, White House, GOP, Committee Locations: Afghanistan, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, New York, Iraq

☆ US commerce secretary to visit China next week for talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Elizabeth Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreWASHINGTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will travel to China next week for meetings with senior Chinese government officials and U.S. business leaders, the department said on Tuesday. Last month, Raimondo vowed to go forward with the visit despite the reported Chinese hacking of her department's emails. The talks would cover issues related to the U.S.- China commercial relationship, challenges faced by U.S. businesses, and areas for potential cooperation, it added. Last week, China said it welcomed Raimondo's expected visit. Her trip follows a four-day visit last month by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who held more than 10 hours of meetings with senior officials in Beijing.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, Raimondo, Raimondo's, Janet Yellen, Biden, Wang Wentao, David Shepardson, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Commerce, . Security, Competitiveness, U.S ., REUTERS, Elizabeth, . Commerce, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: China, Washington , U.S, WASHINGTON, Beijing, Shanghai, U.S, United States, Washington

☆ Trump hits Mitch McConnell for 'destroying our oceans' with 'windmills' when asked about the GOP leader's health scare
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Trump weighed in on Mitch McConnell's recent health scare, in which he froze up at a podium. Trump said it was a "sad thing to see" — but spent most of his time bashing the GOP leader. "It was also sad that he gave trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars to the Democrats," he said. "That was a sad thing to see. So that's a very sad thing also."

Persons: Trump, Mitch McConnell's, Donald Trump, Mitch, Breitbart, McConnell, Joe Biden Organizations: GOP, Service, Kentucky Republican, Green New, Green, Infrastructure Law, Trump Locations: Wall, Silicon, Scotland

☆ Analysis: Why Republicans can't get out of their climate bind, even as extreme heat overwhelms the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“We need to be talking about this,” Rep. John Curtis, a Republican from Utah and chair of the House’s Conservative Climate Caucus, told CNN. “The good news is Republicans are stopping arguing with thermometers,” Inglis told CNN. “I think the evidence so far is that the West is getting drier and hotter,” Romney told CNN. He later told CNN the GOP is “way behind” on climate and there’s been “too little” progress on the party’s stances. “I think we’d get a lot more done with a Democratic House, a Democratic president and continuing to have a Democratic Senate,” Schumer told CNN.

Persons: they’re, Donald Trump, Trump, it’s, ” Sen, Mitt Romney, “, Donald Trump’s, ”, ” Rep, John Curtis, Bob Inglis, ” Inglis, Romney, Curtis, ” Romney, Sen, Francis Chung, Mead, ‘, ’, Curtis ’, Kevin McCarthy, Eva Marie Uzcategui, Chuck Schumer, ” Schumer, “ Regrettably, ” Edward Maibach, “ Donald Trump’s, Inglis, “ That’s Organizations: CNN, GOP, ”, Republican, Conservative Climate Caucus, Republicans, South Carolina Rep, AP, Democrats, Senate, Rep, Utah Republican, Bloomberg, New York, Democratic, Democratic Senate, Republican House, Senate Super, Representatives, Trump, George Mason University, Yale University Locations: Utah, Arizona, AP Utah, Powell, Salt, Curtis, Curtis ’ Utah, Ohio, New, ”, America

☆ Top US Senate Republican McConnell to stay in post through 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - Top U.S. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell plans to remain in his leadership post through the 2024 elections, a spokesperson said on Friday, two days after the minority leader froze up for about 21 seconds while speaking to reporters. "He plans to serve his full term in the job they (Republican senators) overwhelmingly elected him to do," the spokesperson said. The top four Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress, including McConnell, typically play a crucial role in this effort as they try to avert partial government shutdowns for a lack of funds. McConnell served as Senate majority leader from 2015 to 2021 and as Senate minority leader since then. Democrats, including three independents who vote with them, currently hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, when all senators are present.

Persons: Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Mitch, John Barrasso, McConnell's, Dianne Feinstein, Ramsay Hunt, Barack Obama, Richard Cowan, Tim Ahmann, Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S, Senate Republican, Republican, Politico, Senate, Democratic, Democratic U.S, Reuters, Supreme, Thomson Locations: Washington

WASHINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) - U.S. senators, alarmed by the malevolent potential of artificial intelligence, will summon developers, executives and experts for hearings later this year on possible legislative safeguards, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday. Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer, the chamber's leading Democrat, said the Senate would convene what he called "the first-ever AI Insight Forums" to hear what experts had to say. Democratic and Republican senators voiced alarm this week about artificial intelligence's potential use to create a biological weapon. Schumer said senators were briefed on AI on Wednesday by experts at the U.S. Energy Department, the National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, which had laid the groundwork for the internet. Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Diane Bartz, Howard Goller Organizations: Democratic, U.S . Energy Department, National Science Foundation, Defense, Research Projects Agency, DARPA, Senate Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs, Thomson

☆ US senators express bipartisan alarm about AI, focusing on biological attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] ChatGPT logo and AI Artificial Intelligence words are seen in this illustration taken, May 4, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoWASHINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - Both Democratic and Republican senators expressed alarm on Tuesday about the potential for a malevolent use of artificial intelligence, focusing on the possibility of AI being used to create a biological attack. In a hearing before a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dario Amodei, chief executive of the AI company Anthropic, said that AI could help otherwise unskilled malevolent actors develop biological weapons. Amodei said that AI was not yet capable of helping to build a biological weapon, calling it a "medium-term" risk. "By enabling many more actors to carry out large-scale biological attacks, we believe this represents a grave threat to U.S. national security," he said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Dario Amodei, Amodei, Richard Blumenthal, Josh Hawley, Diane Bartz, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Democratic, Google, Republican, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ It's not just JD Vance: Republican senators are open to criminalizing gender-affirming care for minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sen. JD Vance introduced a bill to criminalize providing certain treatments to transgender minors. Other Republican senators told Insider that they're open to the idea as well. Asked about potentially harmful effects on transgender people who are already receiving care, Vance conceded that the bill is largely a messaging device for now. "But it doesn't have any effect on the capacity of people to receive this care if they're adults. While the bill has the support of 46 mostly hard-right House Republicans, Vance just has one official co-sponsor in the Senate: Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

Persons: Sen, JD Vance, Vance, Vance isn't, Marjorie Taylor Greene, that's, Joseph Zeballos, Tommy Tuberville, aren't, Marco Rubio, Ron Johnson, Josh Hawley, who's, Ted Cruz of, he's Organizations: Service, Ohio, Senate, Republicans, Human Rights, House Republicans Locations: Wall, Silicon, Georgia, Alabama, America, Marco Rubio of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas

☆ Senate panel set to vote on US Supreme Court ethics reform
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 20 (Reuters) - A Senate panel on Thursday was set to debate and vote on Democratic-backed legislation that would mandate a binding ethics code for the U.S. Supreme Court following revelations that some conservative justices have failed to disclose luxury trips and real estate transactions. It would require the justices to adopt a code of conduct as well as create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations. Unlike other members of the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court's nine life-tenured justices have no binding ethics code of conduct. The legislation would face long odds to win passage on the Senate floor, where it would need some Republican support to advance. Democratic senators have said these reports show that the court cannot be trusted to police itself.

Persons: Sheldon Whitehouse, Clarence Thomas, Harlan Crow, ProPublica, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, John Kruzel, Will Dunham Organizations: Democratic, U.S, Republican, Representatives, Dallas, Politico, Thomson Locations: Alaska, Colorado

Weeks later, Mr. Trump is the former President Trump. Instead, in a brief televised address shortly before 2:30 a.m., Mr. Trump furiously laid down his postelection lie. For weeks, Mr. Trump had been peppering him with tips of fraud that, upon investigation by federal authorities, proved baseless. The cavalry “is coming, Mr. President,” Kylie Kremer tweeted to Mr. Trump on Dec. 19. On Jan. 15, Mr. Trump acquiesced to an Oval Office meeting with Mr. Lindell, who arrived with two sets of documents.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Joseph R, Biden, Justin Clark, Rudolph W, Giuliani, Clark, Weeks, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Jared Kushner, McConnell’s, Biden’s, William P, Barr, Mr, Trump’s, Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, sleuths, MyPillow, Mike Lindell, Patrick Byrne, Stephen K, Bannon, Michael T, Flynn, platformed, Jared Taylor, Enrique Tarrio, Doug Mills, Eric, “ We’re, ”, Fox, Eric Trump, Newt Gingrich, Joe Biden’s, Kevin McCarthy, Laura Ingraham, Obama, Dennis Montgomery, Thomas McInerney, McInerney, John McCain, Bannon’s, “ it’s, Paul Gosar, Doug Ducey, Roy Blunt of, Roy Blunt, Anna Moneymaker, —, “, ” Mr, Mark Meadows, Josh Holmes, Kushner, — Mr, Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Lindsey Graham, Sean Hannity, Lindsey Graham of, Sean Hannity’s, — I’ve, Let’s, Graham, Pat A, Axios, Brendan Smialowski, “ Hannity, Thomas, Jenna Ellis, Matt Morgan, Al Gore, George W, Bush, Brooks, Stefan Passantino, Powell, Lynsey Weatherspoon, Gore, William H, Rehnquist, Giuliani —, Kris Kobach, Mark Martin, Lawrence Joseph, Kobach, Uncle Sam, Mr . Biden, Ken Paxton, Jeffrey M, Landry, Paxton, Kyle D, Hawkins, Jacquelyn Martin, Joseph, Richard L, Chris Carr, Carr, Mike Johnson of, Mike Johnson, McCarthy, Privately, Ted Cruz of, John Sauer, ’, ” James E, Nicolai, North, Wayne Stenehjem, Stenehjem, Wayne, Tasos Katopodis, MAGA, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Marsha Blackburn of, Ms, Blackburn, Amy Kremer, Ann Stone, Roger Stone, Amy Coney Barrett, Kremer’s, Kylie Jane Kremer, Jennifer Lawrence, Dustin Stockton, Lawrence, Stockton, I’ve, Lindell, they’d, Taylor, Greg Locke, Covid, Michael McKinney, Tucker Carlson, Carlson’s, “ Donald Trump, ” Ms, Meadows, Georgia runoffs, Byrne, Cipollone, he’d, Martin, Mike Pence, reconvene, ” Kylie Kremer, James Yeager, Kylie Kremer, Yeager’s, Lawrence whooped, John Kennedy, James Lyle, Josh Hawley, “ You’ve, Lyle, Couy Griffin, Kennedy, Pete Marovich, Kremer, Julie Jenkins Fancelli, Alex Jones, Caroline Wren, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr, Katrina Pierson, Brad Raffensperger, Jeffrey A, Rosen, Department’s, Jeffrey Clark, Scott Perry, Hawley, Cruz, Year’s, Tom Cotton of, Cotton, Cindy Chafian, Chafian, Jones, Stone, Locke, Jan, “ You’ll, Gosar, Griffin, Robert O’Brien, I’m, ’ ”, Kenny Holston, Donald Trump, ” Mark Walker, Ben Margot, Stefani Reynolds, Samuel Corum, Erin Schaff, David J, Ted Cruz, John Bazemore Organizations: Twitter, Dominion Systems, Trump, Biden, Dominion, New, New York City, The New York Times, Senate, New York, Republican Party, Capitol, White, Times, The Times, America News Network, Fox, America, Boys, New York Times, American, Air Force, Electoral College, Republicans, Joe Biden’s Democratic Party, Republican, Facebook, Democrats, Associated Press, “ Fox & Friends, White House, West Wing, “, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Veritas, Justice Department, Postal Service, York Daily, Agence France, Zignal Labs, Amistad, Thomas More Society, Mr, Electoral, Supreme, Lawyers, General Association, Associated, State, University of California, Republican House, Women, Tea Party, Trump -, Breitbart, of, Credit, SPAN, Tea Party Express, Republican National Committee, Internet, Army, Des Moines Register, Marine, General Services Administration, Swedish, Cowboys, Capitol ., Street Journal, Save, General Association ., Law Defense Fund, Freedom, Coalition, Proud Boys, Willard, Homeland Security, Party, Getty, Georgia Electoral College Locations: Detroit, Arizona, Georgia, New York, America, China, Trump, Grand Rapids, Mich, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Santa Cruz ,, Arizona —, Russia, North Vietnam, United States, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Kentucky, Utah, Alaska, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Erie, Pa, Pennsylvania, Long, Bush, Florida, tightest, Kansas, North Carolina, Ken Paxton of Texas, Texas, State of Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Irvine, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Ted Cruz of Texas, Missouri, Washington, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Trump’s, Hudson, Stockton, Tennessee, Des Moines, Meadows, White, fistfights, Nashville, West Monroe, La, Louisiana, drumbeating, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Delaware

July 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed an Ohio public interest lawyer as President Joe Biden's latest nominee to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a vote that was largely along party lines. Rachel Bloomekatz was approved by a vote of 50-48 to the Cincinnati-based appeals court as Senate Democrats push to confirm judges ahead of a planned recess next month. Bloomekatz, who launched the public interest law firm Bloomekatz Law in Ohio in 2019, has represented consumers, workers and voters in appellate cases. Bloomekatz previously worked at Washington, D.C.-based Gupta Wessler, a law firm that represents plaintiffs in appellate litigation, and global law firm Jones Day.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Rachel Bloomekatz, Chuck Schumer, litigator, Bloomekatz, Joe Manchin, Stephen Breyer, Donald Trump, Gupta, Jones, Andrew Goudsward, Jacqueline Thomsen, Jamie Freed Organizations: U.S, Senate, Circuit, Appeals, Democrats, Top, Bloomekatz Law, Gun Safety, Republicans, Democratic, Supreme, Washington , D.C, Thomson Locations: Ohio, Cincinnati, U.S ., Tennessee, Washington ,, Washington

☆ Blinken Calls Blockade of Diplomatic Nominees a National Security Risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Michael Crowley | More About Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Vance of Ohio, have also blocked nominees for different reasons. “These delays are undermining our national security,” Mr. Blinken told reporters during an unusual appearance at the State Department’s daily news media briefing. The overwhelming majority of the stalled State Department nominees are career diplomats, and more than a third have been awaiting votes for about a year or more, he added. The aide noted that the vacancies put the United States at a disadvantage in its global competition with China, which many Republicans call their top foreign policy priority. Beijing has ambassadors in dozens of foreign capitals where the United States lacks them, the aide said.

Persons: Rand Paul of Kentucky, Biden, Ted Cruz of, Vance of, Mr, Blinken, ”, chargé d’affaires Organizations: State Department, Republican, State, Department, Democratic, Foreign Relations, World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund Locations: Ted Cruz of Texas, Vance of Ohio, United States, China, Beijing

☆ Montana GOP Senate candidate's old Facebook includes lewd photos of women, racist costumes, and homoerotic jokes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Montana GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy's old Facebook profile is full of questionable photos. Screenshot/Tim Sheehy's FacebookOne week earlier, Sheehy posted a photo of a woman posing on exercise equipment with one nipple exposed. Screenshot/Tim Sheehy's FacebookOther photos appear to show Sheehy partying with friends while a student at the Naval Academy. "Well hey, at least you don't look like Sam here [sic]," Sheehy wrote, possibly referring to the woman in the photo. Screenshot/Tim Sheehy's FacebookSheehy (right) and other students posing in a homoerotic manner in a dorm room.

Persons: Tim Sheehy's, Sheehy, Tim Sheehy, They'd, Sen, Jon Tester, who've, Matt Rosendale, That's, Timothy Patrick, —, Carmen Sheehy, Carmen, Sheehy's, carmen, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong Il, KIM, Hussein, Carmen —, weiner, Sam, Sheehy's Facebook Sheehy, Katie Martin, Tester, Ben Terris, Terris, Martin Organizations: Montana GOP, Facebook, Service, US, Republicans, Navy, Republican, US Army Ranger School, US Naval Academy, Naval Academy, Sheehy's Facebook Locations: Montana, Wall, Silicon, Georgia, Maryland, American, North Korean, Afghanistan, Fort Benning , Georgia

☆ GOP Senate candidate uses Kentucky photo to tout his support for Montana agriculture — then quickly replaces it when asked about it
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy's website touts his support for Montana agriculture. But the photo he originally used wasn't taken in Montana — it was taken in Kentucky. After Insider reached out to Sheehy's campaign, the photo — and two others — were quickly replaced. The original portion of Sheehy's website touting his support for Montana agriculture — alongside a photo taken in Kentucky. Reached for comment, Sheehy campaign spokeswoman Katie Martin blamed their campaign's digital vendor, Push Digital, for the "unfortunate error."

Persons: Tim Sheehy's, Tim Sheehy, —, Patrick Jennings, Sheehy, Katie Martin, Martin, Montana, Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, Democratic Sen, Jon Tester, Donald Trump, Matt Rosendale Organizations: Service, Custer Gallatin National Forest, Democratic, Republicans, National Republicans, Navy, Republican Locations: Montana, Kentucky, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Ukraine, Livingston Montana, Custer Gallatin, America

☆ Republicans could filibuster the replacement of Dianne Feinstein, but it's unclear if they actually would: 'We couldn't do that'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

They argue that Republicans could filibuster the appointment of a new senator to the Judiciary Committee. "We couldn't do that," said Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who chaired the committee from 2015 to 2019. "I don't know why that would be a problem," said Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, another member of the committee. With Feinstein absent, the Judiciary Committee could not quickly approve and send to the floor a slate of nominees that lacked GOP support. Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida expressed amazement that replacing Feinstein's seat could be subject to the Senate's 60-vote filibuster.

Persons: Dianne Feinstein, —, Sen, Dianne Feinstein's, Joe Biden's, Biden, Republican Sen, Chuck Grassley, Josh Hawley, Democratic Sen, Ben Cardin, Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, Lindsey Graham of, Graham —, Committee —, Mitch McConnell, Rick Scott, Anna Moneymaker, Barack Obama's, Amy Coney Barrett, Donald Trump's, Sheldon Whitehouse, Barbara Boxer, Cardin, Schumer, Ted Cruz, Cruz, McConnell, Graham, Scott, Schumer didn't Organizations: Committee, Service, Democratic, GOP, Republican, Republicans, CNN, Judiciary, California —, New York Times, Times Locations: Iowa, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ben Cardin of Maryland, California, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Washington, Florida, Rhode, Ted Cruz of Texas

☆ Republicans’ Problem in Attacking Biden: They Helped Pass His Economic Bills
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Jonathan Weisman | Reid J. Epstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden isn’t the only one doing a full summer embrace of federal spending on infrastructure and semiconductor manufacturing — so are some of the Republicans aiming to remove him from office next year. The White House has labeled the president’s new economic campaign Bidenomics, a portmanteau that until now has been a pejorative used by Republicans and conservative news outlets primarily to underscore inflation. But in a speech on Wednesday in Chicago about the economy, Mr. Biden latched on, with a renewed focus on the two most significant bipartisan legislative accomplishments of his term, the infrastructure bill and the CHIPS and Science Act. One significant benefit for Mr. Biden: Republicans helped pass those bills. presidential candidates and the Republican National Committee continue to paint Mr. Biden’s economic stewardship as a rolling disaster, Republican senators who helped shape the legislation say they anticipated that those accomplishments would accrue to Mr. Biden’s political advantage — as well as to their own.

Persons: Biden isn’t, Biden Organizations: Mr, Republican National Committee Locations: Chicago

☆ More than 100 U.S. political leaders have ancestors who were slaveholders
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Lawrence Delevingne | Thomson Reuters | Delevingne Works Primarily On Enterprise Stories Related To Finance. He Joined Reuters In | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

At least 100 members of the last sitting Congress are direct descendants of ancestors who enslaved Black people, representing at least 8% of Democrats in Congress and 28% of Republicans. President Joe Biden and every living former U.S. president except Donald Trump are direct descendants of slaveholders: Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Governors of 11 of the 50 U.S. states in 2022 were descendants of slaveholders, as were two U.S. Supreme Court justices. The Congressional slaveholding ancestors were among the richest in America before the Civil War; three-quarters were among the richest 10%. In researching America’s political elite, Reuters found names of more than 700 people enslaved by ancestors of the leaders.

Persons: Black, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton, James Lankford, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Jimmy Carter, George W, Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama Organizations: Governors, Supreme, Reuters Locations: U.S, America

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