Category Archives: Republican

Experts say a default would be catastrophic for US economy, but political standoff has persisted as deadline looms.

United States President Joe Biden and the Republican speaker of the US House of Representatives have both said they were optimistic the country would avert a potentially catastrophic default on its debt commitments, even as negotiations remain ongoing.

Both Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Wednesday that they would push ahead on talks to raise the countrys $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, which has been the subject of a months-long standoff. A deal would need to be struck before the government runs out of money to pay its bills, something the US Treasury has said could happen as soon as June 1.

Were going to come together because theres no alternative, Biden told reporters at the White House.

To be clear, this negotiation is about the outlines of the budget, not about whether or not were going to [pay our debts], Biden added. The leaders [of Congress] have all agreed: We will not default. Every leader has said that.

Meanwhile, McCarthy, during an interview with CNBC, said recent progress in negotiations has made averting a default with a deal by Sunday doable.

I think at the end of the day, we do not have a debt default, McCarthy said. Now we have a structure to find a way to come to a conclusion. The timeline is very tight. But were going to make sure were in the room and get this done.

Republicans, who control the House by a 222-213 majority, for months had been insisting that Democrats agree to spending cuts in exchange for a deal to raise Congresss self-imposed debt limit, a move needed regularly since the government spends more than it takes in taxes.

At particular issue has been Republicans desire to impose heightened requirements for individuals to work to receive support from some government programmes.

On Wednesday, Biden said there is a possibility that some work requirements which many Democrats strongly oppose will be included in a final deal.

The comments came after Biden and McCarthy met for about an hour at the White House on Tuesday with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

The US president spoke shortly before he departed for a Group of Seven summit of world leaders that will take place Friday through Sunday in Japan. He said he will remain in constant contact with top lawmakers by telephone while attending the meetings.

The White House had previously announced that Biden was cutting short his trip including canceling a visit to Australia to meet with the Quad grouping of Asia Pacific allies and what would have been the first presidential visit to Papua New Guinea in light of the standoff.

Negotiators are aiming to hammer out an agreement before Bidens scheduled return to Washington on Sunday.

Read this article:

Biden, top Republican say confident debt default will be averted - Al Jazeera English

FILE PHOTO: Kentucky's Democratic Governor Andy Beshear looks on after a memorial service for those who died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), held on the Capitol grounds in Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S., November 14, 2021. REUTERS/Jon Cherry/File Photo

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Daniel Cameron won the Republican primary for Kentucky governor on Tuesday, becoming the first major-party Black nominee for governor in the state's history and setting up a November showdown with Democratic incumbent Andy Beshear.

Cameron, the state's attorney general who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, claimed a convincing victory over a 12-candidate field that included Kelly Craft, who served as United Nations ambassador in the Trump administration, and state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles. Beshear easily dispatched two under-the-radar Democratic challengers in his own primary.

WATCH: A look at primary elections and battles over abortion rights at the state level

Cameron, the state's first Black attorney general, played up the historic nature of his nomination in his victory speech Tuesday, saying his campaign aims to "embody the promise of America, that if you work hard and if you stand on principle, anything is possible."

"To anyone who looks like me, know that you can achieve anything," Cameron told his supporters. "Know that in this country and in Kentucky, all that matters are your values."

The race now shifts to the general election, which will be one of November's most closely watched contests and could provide clues heading into next year's presidential race. Beshear, a popular Democratic governor, will face a tough reelection bid in a Republican-dominated state after a first term marked by a series of tragedies the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and a mass shooting that killed one of his closest friends.

Beshear on Tuesday touted his stewardship of Kentucky's economy pointing to record economic development successes in setting the stage for his fall reelection campaign. And he blasted the tone of the GOP gubernatorial primary after taking hits for months from the Republican candidates.

"Right now somewhere in America, there is a CEO deciding where to move their business and they're considering Kentucky," Beshear told a gathering of supporters. "Let me ask you: Is seeing people talk down our state and our economy, insult our people and stoke divisions going to help that next company choose Kentucky? Of course not."

The fall matchup between Beshear and Cameron conjures parallels from the state's last governor's race but with a reversal of roles for the governor. In 2019, Beshear used the attorney general's office as a springboard to the governorship. During his single term as attorney general, Beshear challenged a series of executive actions by then-governor, Republican Matt Bevin. Beshear narrowly defeated Bevin in a race that revolved around Bevin's combative personality.

Turnout was light in many locations as rain fell across much of the state during part of the day, the secretary of state's office said. Storm warnings were issued in some areas but there were no reports of voting disruptions. Election officials hoped for an upswing in turnout after the storms passed.

Cameron succeeded Beshear in the attorney general's office, and the Republican turned the tables on Beshear, mounting numerous legal challenges against state and national Democratic policies that endeared him to conservatives. Cameron led the successful challenge that essentially halted the governor's COVID-era restrictions, which Cameron said amounted to executive overreach. Beshear says that his actions saved lives and that he leaned heavily on guidance from Trump's coronavirus task force.

A former aide to Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, Cameron has risen through the political ranks to become one of the most prominent Black Republicans in the country. His victory Tuesday will play into Trump's efforts to solidify his status as the leader of the Republican Party heading into the 2024 presidential primary.

If Beshear follows his campaign formula from 2019, he will avoid talking about Trump or dwelling on polarizing national issues that could risk further energizing his opponent's conservative base.

He is also expected to draw on his family's strong political brand his father, Steve Beshear, is a former two-term Kentucky governor who spoke at his son's primary victory celebration Tuesday and lean into his role of leading through adversity after a multitude of crises during his first term.

Through it all, Beshear emerged as the front man, holding daily pandemic briefings for months and then leading relief efforts to help those left devastated by tornadoes and floods.

Last month, Beshear publicly and emotionally grieved the loss of a close friend who died when a Louisville bank employee opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing five coworkers. He has frequently invoked his Christian faith as a cornerstone of his efforts to lead the state through tough times.

In addition to Craft and Quarles, Cameron also defeated state Auditor Mike Harmon and Somerset Mayor Alan Keck, among others.

But it was the combative rivalry between Cameron and Craft that dominated the primary campaign. Cameron endured an advertising blitz by Craft's campaign backed by her family's fortune and an outside group supporting her campaign. The pro-Craft group portrayed Cameron as an "establishment teddy bear" in claiming he wasn't tough enough as attorney general. A pro-Cameron group swung back with attacks against Craft, who nabbed a last-minute endorsement from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Cameron's handling of an investigation into the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police in 2020 could come under renewed scrutiny as he campaigns as the GOP nominee. Taylor's death and the police-related killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests.

In announcing a grand jury's findings in Taylor's death, Cameron said jurors "agreed" that homicide charges were not warranted against the officers, because they were fired upon. Three of the jurors disputed Cameron's account, arguing that Cameron's staff limited their scope and did not give them an opportunity to consider homicide charges against the police in Taylor's death.

Cameron's immediate attention will turn toward building party unity for the fall campaign slog, a task for which he has demonstrated skills in the past. He bridged the gulf between Trump and McConnell despite a growing rift between the two GOP heavyweights. Cameron worked as the senator's legal counsel and made a high-profile pitch for Trump's unsuccessful reelection campaign at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

The gubernatorial campaign topped primary races for other constitutional offices in Kentucky.

Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams, who pushed successfully for expanded voter access, won his primary against two candidates, including one who cast doubt on the integrity of elections. He faces Democrat Charles "Buddy" Wheatley in November in his reelection bid.

Other primary winners included Republican Allison Ball, who is running for state auditor after two terms as state treasurer, and now will face Democrat Kimberley Reeder, who ran unopposed. Garrard County Attorney Mark Metcalf won the GOP primary for state treasurer and faces Democrat Michael Bowman in November. The general election race for agriculture commissioner pits Republican Jonathan Shell against Democrat Sierra Enlow, who won their respective primaries. The fall campaign for attorney general will feature Republican Russell Coleman against Democrat Pam Stevenson. Both were unopposed in the primary.

Original post:

Trump-backed candidate wins Republican primary to face Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in November - PBS NewsHour

As negotiating teams for President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy work on hammering out a deal to raise or suspend the debt ceiling with under two weeks untila possible U.S. default each side has demands, and so-called red lines have been drawn.

Democrats want "clean" legislation, a debt ceiling increase without conditions. They reason that negotiations on spending and the budget can be undertaken after the debt ceiling is resolved. That's not a solution Republicans like much.

Republicans are holding out for spending cuts and other provisions. Here are some of them and how they're being received.

click to expand

Republicans want to see work requirements added and tightened for able-bodied adults who apply for entitlements and benefits, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. The across-the-board work requirement would apply to those who do not have dependents.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that this is a red line for him. TANF, formerly known as food stamps, already has some work requirements, as does SNAP. Currently, childless, able-bodied adults 18 to 49 are required to work 20 hours a week or enroll in a work training program to be eligible for SNAP benefits.

Republicans want to add work requirements for Medicaid, too, and toughen existing work requirements.

Mr. Biden on Tuesday didn't rule out the possibility of additional work requirements, but he rejected work requirements that could negatively affect Americans' health outcomes.

"I'm not going to accept any work requirements that's going to impact on medical health needs of people," the president said, adding that he wouldn't accept work requirements "much beyond what is already" in place.

Republicans are also adamant that spending caps or spending cuts need to be a part of any agreement. They're unlikely to make a deal without them.

The debt ceiling bill House Republicans recently passed along party lines contains their proposed cuts. McCarthy wants to cap future spending and grow federal spending by just 1% each year.

The White House isn't willing to come close to the spending constraints in the House-passed bill. But they are likely to make some concessions here.

Still, many Democrats won't like it.

"There will be a huge backlash if we do something like institute work requirements or cut spending more broadly," Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a progressive Democrat from Washington, told CBS News. "All of these things disproportionately affect poor people, people in rural areas, Black, Brown, indigenous folks. Those are the people that are going to feel the burden of spending cuts of work requirements. That is not in line with our democratic values at a time when hunger is at a very high rate across the country."

Republicans also want to claw back funds appropriated for COVID-19 relief but that have not yet been spent, pointing out that even the administration has declared the pandemic emergency is over.

Congress passed six large spending bills to manage the fallout from the pandemic, totaling $4.6 trillion. By January, the about $4.2 trillion of that had already been spent, according to the Government Accountability Office, leaving billions still unspent.

The president said of the funding last week that "we don't need it all," although he added that he still needed to "take a hard look at it" to assess what obligations remained. Still, "it's on the table," he said.

Reforming and streamlining federal infrastructure permitting rules is another item on the GOP's list of demands. And it's an area of possible compromise that the White House hasn't publicly shot down.

Republicans also want to tie any debt ceiling increase to cuts to clean-energy incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act. Those incentives include things like credits for energy-efficient HVAC system installations. Slashing those incentives is not something the White House wants to do, but it remains to be seen whether there's room for compromise.

Last week, Mr. Biden said he was "considering" invoking the 14th Amendment to circumvent Congress and raise the debt ceiling unilaterally. But he also appeared to express doubt about the practicality of such a move, saying it would "have to be litigated," and in the meantime, without an extension on the debt ceiling, it could still cause financial instability.

Five Senate Democrats are nonetheless circulating a letter urging the president to invoke the 14th Amendment.

"Republicans have made it clear that they are prepared to hold our entire economy hostage unless you accede to their demands to reduce the deficit on the backs of working families. That is simply unacceptable," the letter reads.

The president also has not ruled out the possibility of a short-term debt ceiling increase, although neither side thinks that's an ideal solution.

All parties hope that the decision this week to narrow the negotiations to the White House and House speaker's representatives will help them reach a deal more quickly. Before he left for Japan Wednesday morning, the president said he's"confident" the nation "will not default."

Jack Turman contributed to this report

Trending News

Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.

Read the original here:

Debt ceiling demands and red lines for the White House and Republicans - CBS News

The expansion of basic scientific research enshrined in a 2022 bipartisan law, funded through the National Science Foundation, is at pretty serious risk, Atkinson said in an interview. Biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health and clean energy programs at the Energy Department also are at risk, he said.

After signing the legislation, which authorized $81 billion for the National Science Foundation over five years to advance research in several critical areas, President Joe Biden called it a once-in-a-generation investment in America itself.

Lawmakers from both parties called it a long overdue response to Chinas growing strength in high-tech areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotech.

The legislation also separately appropriated $52 billion in federal grants to U.S. semiconductor manufacturers to rebuild domestic chip production that has moved abroad over the years.

House Republicans, faced with a vote to raise the national debt limit, are using it to put pressure on Biden and congressional Democrats to cut spending. The House passed a bill last month that would reduce the deficit by $4.8 trillion in exchange for lifting the debt limit until the first quarter of next year.

Here is the original post:

House Republican deficit plan seen as shift in thinking on China - Roll Call

House Republicans frustrations with the Biden administrations education policies and embrace of the culture wars over education were on full display Tuesday when Education Secretary Miguel Cardona testified before the House Education and the Workforce Committee.

What color is your suit? asked Michigan representative Lisa McClain, a Republican, during a heated exchange. Im just trying to figure out if we can answer a question.

The nearly five-hour hearing, which became contentious at times, featured questions, talking points and discussion about a wide range of higher educationrelated topics from the administrations budget proposal to the influence of the Chinese government on American universities to student loan policies.

Most Popular

This was Cardonas first appearance before the committee since Republicans took over the House.

Cardona repeatedly defended his departments work to improve the student loan system and help students recover from the pandemic, among other issues, echoing his press statements and comments at recent budget committee meetings. He also tried to steer clear of debates about culture war topics.

The choice we face now is whether were going to build on the common ground that we have to invest in our children or protect the broken status quo thats failed too many of our schools, Cardona said in his opening remarks. Now is not the time to break down in partisan or divisive culture wars.

North Carolina representative Virginia Foxx, the Republican who chairs the committee, outlined a series of concerns about the departments actions under President Biden in her opening remarks.

Mr. Secretary, I wish this hearing was an endorsement of your departments cooperation with our requests, so we could then proceed in good faith to the FY 2024 budget request, she said. Instead, your department has engaged in disingenuous and misleading actions while being minimally responsive to congressional oversight.

Virginia representative Bobby Scott, the committees ranking Democrat, and other Democrats used their time to show support for student loan forgiveness and other policies as well as to detail how the budget cuts proposed in the House debt-ceiling bill would affect the department and students.

Scott credited Cardona with helping to restore the departments commitment to supporting students and educators.

These investments would be transformational for our education system, Scott said of the departments budget proposal. Regrettably, my Republican colleagues have chosen to use their time in the majority to pursue policies that harm students and roll back the clock on our progress.

Foxx and other committee members voiced frustration repeatedly over the departments pace in responding to oversight and data requests.

Foxx said the department has largely ignored requests for documents and not yet responded to some of the committees 11 oversight letters. When the agency did respond, she said the responses were minimal and nearly all were late.

We will continue to press for the answers to the questions that were asking and the information that well need, she said.

Near the end of the hearing, after Foxx asked for a clear commitment to respond to the oversight letters, Cardona said the department will respond to letters and provide the information we can provide to you in good faith.

As the hearing progressed, Republicans increasingly criticized Cardona for what they said was dodging their questions as they grew more annoyed with the secretarys answers.

Ive been listening to you evade yes-or-no questions all day, said Representative Kevin Kiley, a California Republican.

Cardona defended his departments work in responding to oversight and Freedom of Information Act requests.

We provided over 2,400 pages of documents in this Congress alone, Cardona said. Weve responded to 45 letters this Congress alone. Were going to continue to take that very seriously.

Foxx questioned Cardona on whether the department was prepared to restart student loan payments and whether he would commit to no further extensions of the payment pause. Foxx asked the department last month for more details on its plan.

After the Supreme Court decision is made, we plan to start payments within 60days, he said, reiterating a commitment he made at a Senate budget hearing last week.

Democrats on the committee said they were concerned about the impact of resuming payments after a three-year pause and asked if the agency had the resources to pull off the operation.

Were geared up and ready to go, Cardona said.

However, if the administrations budget proposal is not supported, that would significantly impact the departments ability to serve borrowers, he said.

We look forward to making sure that you have the resources that you need, Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, said.

Throughout the hearing, Cardona repeatedly defended the departments student loan policies, including proposed reforms to the income-driven repayment program, which offers borrowers more generous terms to help them pay back their loans.

Income-driven repayment is going to open access to college for many more students, Cardona said. The goal is for them to pay their debt based on their income. As their income increases, their debt payment increases. Ive seen too many studentsintelligent students, students who have tremendous potentialrule out college because of fear of the cost Imagine the talent in this country thats going untapped.

Not all committee members liked Cardonas explanations.

You are implying that if you didnt go to college, your ability is untapped, Wisconsin representative Glenn Grothman, a Republican, said. I think thats a little bit snobby.

Cardona replied that some of his best and most influential teachers never went to college.

Kentucky representative James Comer, the top Republican on the House Oversight Committee, asked for more information about the departments enforcement of Section117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which requires colleges and universities to, twice a year, disclose all foreign gifts and contracts totaling $250,000 or more. Comer and others said they were concerned about the influence of the Chinese government on American universities and worried that the department was backtracking on efforts to require colleges to report the foreign gifts and contracts.

Cardona said the administration is improving the system for reporting and on track to make more filings public.

Weve got a problem with our universities, Comer said. According to multiple university presidents Ive spoken with, we have Chinese students that are stealing our intellectual property. They are essentially serving as spies for the Chinese Communist Party. We have certain universities that are receiving enormous anonymous gifts from the Chinese government. This is a concern for the House Oversight Committee.

Republicans also repeatedly criticized the proposed rule amending the TitleIX of the Education Amendments of 1972 regulations to prohibit blanket bans on transgender students participating in sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

We should be focusing on what the American people are asking us for, Cardona said. They are not asking for divisive comments. They are asking us to work together. Student safety is a primary one. Making sure that students are accepted in schools and acknowledged for who they are is critically important.

Some Democrats on the committee asked Cardona for more information about the departments plans to oversee the online program managersthe outside companies that colleges and universities contract with to run their online offerings. Several committee members have criticized the outside companies and want the department to do more to hold them accountable.

Cardona said that theres an increased demand for flexibility in higher education, but the department wants to ensure greater oversight as well.

So that it doesnt result in what weve experienced with borrower defense and having almost $14billion in loans discharged because students were taken advantage of by certain online, predatory practices, he said.

Florida representative Aaron Bean, a Republican, said that proprietary schools are under attack by the department and asked Cardona, Why are you at war with proprietary colleges?

I dont think were at war, Cardona said. Were fixing a broken system.

See the original post here:

House Republicans clash with Cardona over student loans, other ... - Inside Higher Ed

The U.S. Capitol is seen on July 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON A House appropriations panel advanced a spending bill Wednesday for the Department of Veterans Affairs that Republicans touted as proof of their commitment to veterans but Democrats dismissed as an empty promise.

The House Appropriations Committee's VA and military construction subcommittee agreed to move the legislation to the full committee over the loud objections of Democrats who say the Republican-led plan does not fully fund toxic exposure benefits.

Republicans, in turn, argued their bill supports fiscal responsibility while still meeting the Biden administrations $143 billion budget request for the VA for fiscal 2024, which begins Oct. 1.

We kept our promise, and we did it responsibly, said Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, chairman of the subpanel.

The bill is the latest showdown between House Republicans and Democrats over funding for veterans health care and benefits following the passage of a controversial measure last month to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for slashing federal spending.

Democrats, the VA and veterans groups criticized the Republican proposal for failing to carve out protections for spending on veterans and said it would result in a 22% budget cut to the VA.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the top Democrat on the VA appropriations subcommittee, accused Republicans on Wednesday of continuing a disturbing trend of underfunding veteran services.

I cannot in good conscience support this bill, and it saddens me, the Florida congresswoman said. Ive been in a leadership role on this subcommittee since 2014, and I have never felt more sickened and sad about the product that we are producing today.

The main point of contention is the Toxic Exposures Fund, a dedicated reserve set up by last years sweeping Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT, Act to cover the treatment costs of veterans exposed to burn pit smoke and other toxins. The fund is considered mandatory spending and is not subject to the annual congressional spending process.

The Republican spending bill proposes putting $5.5 billion into the fund nearly $15 billion less than the VA requested and supplementing the difference with discretionary spending that can be adjusted annually.

Democrats said Wednesday that the move breaks the promise made to veterans under the PACT Act to guarantee health care and benefits and puts the fund at the mercy of future political fights.

The Republicans in Congress are now proposing we toss that guarantee in the garbage and put funding at risk on an annual basis, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of California, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. That goes beyond morally reprehensible, it is just plain cruel.

Carter said Republicans did not accept the shift of nearly $15 billion to the mandatory side of the budget.

We utilized the Toxic Exposure Fund as intended: to cover the incremental costs above the fiscal year 2021 baseline to implement the PACT Act, he said.

Democrats said Republicans were also seeking to remove dedicated funding for military installation climate change and resilience projects, oversight of privatized housing and the cleanup of toxic PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

They slammed the bill for failing to provide adequate funding for military construction though the bill proposes spending $1 billion more on barracks and other facilities than the $17 billion that the White House had requested.

Committee chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, said the Republicans budget plan, the first of 12 appropriations bills that will be introduced by the House committee in the next few weeks, demonstrates how were able to reduce overall spending without impacting our committee commitment to veterans, national defense and homeland security.

In addition to budgeting, the bill advances a conservative agenda that takes aim at several liberal initiatives. It includes a ban on implementing executive orders on diversity, equity and inclusion and prohibits the use of funds to promote or advance critical race theory, which examines structural racism and inequality.

The bill also notably eliminates funding for the VAs public affairs office in response to what Republicans described as inaccurate and politically motivated press releases making false claims about budget cuts.

More than 50 House Republicans lashed out at the VA earlier this month for publicizing the potential impact to veterans of a debt ceiling bill that returns federal spending to 2022 levels. The bill narrowly passed the Republican-led House but lacks support in the Democrat-led Senate. The VA budgeting bill in its current form is also unlikely to gain traction in the upper chamber.

Read the original here:

VA spending bill approved by Republican-led House subcommittee ... - Stars and Stripes

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) on Tuesday issued some embarrassing reminders to Republicans during their House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing on crime in Washington.

Im so excited that my colleagues across the aisle care about sexual abuse considering that the front-runner right now for the presidency has just been found liable of sexual abuse, said Crockett, in an apparent response to election denier Rep. Anna Paulina Lunas (R-Fla.) comments about rising cases.

A Manhattan jury earlier this month found former President Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation in advice columnist E. Jean Carrolls civil lawsuit against him. Carroll alleged Trump in the 1990s raped her in a department store dressing room.

So, Im excited because this may mean that, finally, some folk will back off from supporting him because we dont support sexual abusers in this chamber, Crockett added. So, Im happy about this.

Crockett also appeared to swipe at Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) and Republicans continued defense of the serial liar congressman, who earlier this month was charged on 13 federal counts including allegations he pocketed campaign donations and unlawfully received unemployment benefits. Santos has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

My Republican colleagues want to talk about keeping the streets of D.C. crime-free but they cant even keep the halls of Congress crime-free, said Crockett, who has co-sponsored a bill to expel Santos from Congress.

My freshman colleague has just been indicted on 13 felony counts. But have they exhibited any courage to say, You know what, we will not allow this in our body. We will disallow this in our body. We will make sure that we expel this individual? she asked.

They have not, Crockett answered her own question. So, what I dont want to hear is that they care about crime because if they did they would start by cleaning up our own house and mind our own business instead of coming after D.C.

Story continues

Watch from the 2:03 mark below:

Read the original:

Freshman Democrat Hits Republicans With 2 Painful Truths In House Hearing On Crime - Yahoo News

The News

Denying the results of the 2020 election and casting doubts about the nations voting system cost statewide Republican candidates 2.3 to 3.7 percentage points in the midterms last year, according to a new study from States United Action, a nonpartisan group that promotes fair elections.

Even at the lowest end of the spectrum, 2.3 percentage points would have been enough to swing several critical midterm races that Republicans lost, including the contests for governor and attorney general in Arizona and the Senate elections in Nevada and Georgia.

In each of those races, the Republican nominee had either expressed doubts about the 2020 election or outright rejected its legitimacy.

And as former President Donald J. Trump illustrated at a town-hall event last week, election denialism is very much alive within the Republican Party.

But spreading such conspiracy theories again could hamper Republicans as they look to take back the Senate in 2024.

The problem for a lot of Republicans right now is that the gap between what the base wants and what swing voters will tolerate has gotten very long, said Sarah Longwell, an anti-Trump Republican strategist.

In the midterms, a slate of election-denying candidates ran together as the America First coalition. These candidates, organized in part by Jim Marchant, the Republican nominee for secretary of state in Nevada, sought to take over critical parts of the nations election infrastructure by running for secretary of state, attorney general and governor in states across the country.

But in every major battleground state, these candidates lost.

What we found was lying about elections isnt just bad for our democracy, its bad politics, said Joanna Lydgate, the chief executive of States United Action.

The group arrived at the 2.3 to 3.7 percentage-point penalty number by comparing election-denying candidates in 2022 with Republicans who did not espouse similar views, and then comparing the 2022 performance to that of 2018.

On the whole, 2022 was a better year for Republicans than 2018 was. As expected, in statewide races with no election denier, Republicans did much better in 2022 than in 2018 on average, but the same did not hold true for election-denying candidates.

Several candidates who were a core part of the election denial movement have signaled an intent to run again in 2024, including Mr. Marchant in Nevada. Others, including Kari Lake and Doug Mastriano, who lost races for governor in Arizona and Pennsylvania, are reportedly considering bids for Senate.

And as Mr. Trump continues to demand fealty to such beliefs and hold sway over Republican primaries, the issue is likely to linger in G.O.P. politics.

Most battleground states are not holding contests for governor and secretary of state until 2026, but several marquee Senate races next year will determine control of the chamber.

Whats really interesting is that the results there are different from the results for congressional races and state legislative races, Ms. Lydgate said. We think thats because in these statewide races for governor, state attorney general, secretary of state, voters really came to understand that those are the people who oversee voting. Those are the people who are in charge of your freedom to vote.

More:

How Much Did Election Denial Hurt Republicans in the Midterms? - The New York Times

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Democrat Dan McCaffery and Republican Carolyn Carluccio won their parties primaries for a vacant seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday, setting up a fall contest to join a high court that is at the center of cases on guns, abortion and elections in a presidential battleground state.

Each nominee won a two-way primary race. McCaffery defeated Deborah Kunselman, a colleague on the Superior Court, and Carluccio defeated Patricia McCullough, a Commonwealth Court judge who lost a primary for a high court seat in 2021. Party allies reported spending nearly $1 million to help her beat McCullough.

On the campaign trail, McCullough repeatedly boasted of being the only judge in 2020 in the presidential election in the entire country to order a halt to her states election certification.

McCullough was ruling in a Republican-backed post-election legal challenge that sought to tilt victory to Donald Trump in the presidential battleground state. The states high court quickly overturned McCulloughs order.

Democrats currently hold a 4-2 majority on the court, which has an open seat following the death last fall of Chief Justice Max Baer, a Democrat.

The court has handled a number of hot-button issues over the past few years.

It is currently examining a challenge to a state law that restricts the use of public funds to help women get an abortion as well as Philadelphias challenge to a state law that bars it and other municipalities from restricting the sale and possession of guns.

In recent years, the justices rejected a request to invalidate the states death penalty law and upheld the constitutionality of the states expansive mail-in voting law. The court also turned away challenges to the 2020 election result from Republicans who wanted to keep Trump in power, and ruled on a variety of lawsuits over gray areas in the mail-in voting law.

In one 2020 election case, justices ordered counties to count mail-in ballots that arrived up to three days after polls closed, citing delays in mail service caused by disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ruling spurred an outcry among Republicans, who challenged the decision in the U.S. Supreme Court.

The nations highest court ultimately declined to take the case. The ballots nearly 10,000 of them were never counted in any federal race, including for president, because the election was certified while their fate remained in legal limbo. State elections officials said the votes werent enough to change the results of a federal election.

In lower court races, Republican Megan Martin and Democrat Matt Wolf each won a two-way primary for an open seat on the Commonwealth Court while Democrats Jill Beck and Timika Lane captured the nomination in a three-way race for two open seats on the Superior Court, which hears appeals of civil and criminal cases from county courts.

___

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/timelywriter

Read more from the original source:

Democrat McCaffery, Republican Carluccio win primaries for ... - The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), a senior member of the U.S. Finance Committee, today questioned witnesses during a hearing about how House Republican funding cuts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would contribute to the federal deficit and would reverse recent improvements to customer service and processing at the agency. The Senator also pointed out the GOPs hypocrisy, noting Congressional Republicans voted to avoid default under President Trump without hesitation as they simultaneously ballooned the deficit with their tax giveaway of 2017.

Time and again my colleagues across the aisle have hijacked negotiations to avoid default in order to extract spending cuts in the name of fiscal responsibility, said Sen. Menendez. It seems hypocritical to me for Congressional Republicans to threaten default and call for spending cuts on the backs of working families when they have depleted the revenue side of the ledger over the last five years.

In response to a question from Sen. Menendez during the hearing, Dr. Natasha Sarin, an economist and associate professor at Yale Law School, emphasized how the 2017 Republican Tax Law will add about $3 trillion to the federal deficit over ten years.

During the exchange, Sen. Menendez added, [I proudly] voted for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which actually cuts deficit spending while supercharging investments in renewable energy. It also provides resources for the IRS to modernize its IT system, restore customer service, and hire the personnel necessary to collect the taxes that everyone, including wealthy individuals, legally owe.

Sen. Menendez highlighted how the IRA made a significant difference in reversing a concerning trend from the last decade that had resulted in 20 percent of the IRS workforce being laid off and exacerbated customer service problems at the agency.

While middle class families and small businesses bear the brunt of the IRS customer service problems, wealthy individuals and large corporations are all too happy to take advantage of the IRS limitations. Ultimately, that means less revenue to cover the costs of our federal budget, said Sen. Menendez. We are already seeing improvements at the IRS due to the Inflation Reduction Act. Customer service has significantly improved, and the IRS is planning to hire the personnel needed to ensure the wealthiest are paying what they legally owe. But now Republicans answer to balance the budget is to slash this critical IRS funding and reverse this progress.

Because of the Senators oversight efforts over the last year, including eight letters to the head of the IRS, paired with Inflation Reduction Act investments in the IRS, the agency has hired 5,000 new customer service workers to help meet taxpayers needs. Over this years tax filing season, the IRS consistently answered the phones between 80 and 90 percent of the time, at an average speed of answer of 4 minutes, compared to last year where the average level of phone service was 17 percent with a speed of answer rate of 27 minutes.

The Senator concluded by calling out Republican efforts to slash other critical government programs proven to grow jobs and the economy, such as the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). This block grant is the main federal program that provides funding for child care providers to support low-income families in accessing affordable child care.

Last month, Sen. Menendez joined with advocates, providers and parents to highlight the devastating impacts the House Republican Default on America plan would have on working families and to the child care industry which is already struggling to stay afloat from the impact and strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Menendez has long been a strong supporter of increased child care support for families. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senator, along with Democratic colleagues secured $10 billion in additional funding for the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program through the Consolidated Appropriations Act in December 2020. In March 2021, Sen. Menendez and Democratic colleagues, through the American Rescue Plan, appropriated an additional $40 billion in stabilization grants through the CCDBG program, including $694,327,527 to support New Jersey child care providers.

###

Go here to see the original:

Sen. Menendez Denounces Republican Threats of a National ... - Senator Menendez