Category: congress

Mitch McConnell Shuts Down ‘Myth’ That Republicans Won’t Have Time To Confirm A SCOTUS Nominee

Posted on by LifeZette

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took to the floor of the Senate on Monday to completely debunk the “myth” that the GOP does not have time to confirm a Supreme Court nominee before the election.

McConnell Says There Will Be Confirmation Hearings For Trump SCOTUS Pick

McConnell cited a historical precedent in arguing that the Senate actually has lots of time to confirm a nominee to fill the Supreme Court seat that was left vacant by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg last Friday.

“President Trump’s nominee for this vacancy will receive a vote on the floor of the Senate,” McConnell said. “Now already, some of the same individuals who tried every conceivable dirty trick to obstruct Justice [Neil] Gorsuch and Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh are lining up to proclaim the third time will be the charm.”

RELATED: President Trump: If Dems Use Impeachment To Block Supreme Court Nomination, “We Win”

“The American people are about to witness an astonishing parade of misrepresentations about the past, misstatements about the present, and more threats against our institutions from the same people who’ve already been saying for months — well before this — already been saying for months they want to pack the court,” he added.

McConnell Cites Historical Precedents

Not stopping there, McConnell addressed the “incorrect” claims that the Senate does not have time to complete the process of confirming a nominee before the election.

“We are already hearing incorrect claims that there is not sufficient time to examine and confirm a nominee,” McConnell said. “We can debunk this myth in about 30 seconds.”

“As of today there are 43 days until Nov. 3 and 104 days until the end of this Congress,” McConnell said. “The late iconic Justice John Paul Stevens was confirmed by the Senate 19 days after this body formally received his nominations — 19 days from start to finish.”

“Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, another iconic jurist, was confirmed 33 days after her nomination,” he added. “For the late Justice Ginsburg herself it was just 42 days. Justice Stevens’ entire confirmation process could’ve been played out twice between now and Nov. 3 with time to spare. And Justice Ginsburg herself could’ve been confirmed twice between now and the end of the year, with time to spare.

“The Senate has more than sufficient time to process a nomination,” McConnell concluded. “History and precedent make that perfectly clear.”

And that, ladies and gentleman, is what we call a mic drop moment.

READ NEXT: Rush Limbaugh: Skip the Senate Hearings And Go Straight To A Vote On Trump’s SCOTUS Nominee

This piece was written by PoliZette Staff on September 21, 2020. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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The post Mitch McConnell Shuts Down ‘Myth’ That Republicans Won’t Have Time To Confirm A SCOTUS Nominee appeared first on The Political Insider.

Pelosi doesn’t rule out new impeachment inquiries to block Trump’s Supreme Court nominee

Posted on (Updated by Marissa Higgins

Appearing on ABC’s This Week on Sunday morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi honored the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by aptly describing her as a “brilliant brain” on the Supreme Court, reminded people that it’s absolutely imperative to get out and vote this November, and the ongoing importance of battling the novel coronavirus pandemic. On the subject of the vacant Supreme Court seat, the Democrat from California didn’t rule out launching an impeachment inquiry of Donald Trump (for the second time) or Attorney General Bill Barr, which would delay the Senate’s ability to confirm a Supreme Court nominee of Trump’s, either. 

When host George Stephanopoulos hypothesized a major concern of progressives—that even if former vice president Joe Biden wins the election, Republicans and the White House might try to push through a nominee anyway in a lame-duck session—Pelosi replied: "We have our options.” The speaker continued, “We have arrows in our quiver that I'm not about to discuss right now but the fact is we have a big challenge in our country. This president has threatened to not even accept the results of the election.”

She stressed that the “main goal” is ultimately to “protect the integrity of the election as we protect the people from the coronavirus." The speaker noted that she believed the late Ginsburg would want that same goal. Pelosi also clarified that “None of us has any interest in shutting down the government,” saying it would be too harmful to so many people in the nation.

“When people say, what can I do? You can vote,” the speaker stressed. “You can get out the vote, and you can do so as soon as possible.” She added that the same day we lost Ginsburg, ten states started early voting.

Stephanopoulos circled back to a potential impeachment inquiry and asked if the House would “rule anything out.” Pelosi drove home the basic tenant of public service: responsibility to the people. 

"We have a responsibility,” she stated. “We take an oath to protect and defend the constitution of the United States." (If only Trump saw it that way.) Pelosi continued: “We have a responsibility to meet the needs of the American people. When we weigh the equities of protecting our democracy, requires us to use every arrow in our quiver.”

Here is that clip.

“We have our options. We have arrows in our quiver that I’m not about to discuss right now,” Speaker Pelosi tells @GStephanopoulos when pressed on what Democrats would do if Pres. Trump and Republicans push a SCOTUS nomination ahead of the Nov. 3 election. https://t.co/JhU93KY3iQ pic.twitter.com/HOmI8AxREN

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 20, 2020

Lastly, Stephanopoulos asked about another big topic among progressives: expanding the court. To that, Pelosi said, “Well, let's just win the election,” adding that she hopes the president will “see the light.” The speaker then used her final talking time to home in on the importance of the Affordable Care Act, and how much the average American has at stake in this election cycle. 

Trey Gowdy Mocks Bolton: Pecking Away In His Pajamas, Saving the Country For Only $29.95

Posted on by Rusty Weiss

Former South Carolina congressman Trey Gowdy thoroughly shredded the integrity of John Bolton for thinking his book was a means to save the country from President Donald Trump.

Gowdy, with his usual rapier wit, pointed out what is true of most former administration members who are fired by the President – that he is seemingly only a threat when they’ve left the administration and have a book to sell.

James Comey and Omarosa come to mind.

Now Bolton joins the ranks of those former White House employees who have a story to tell, a story tainted by bitterness and the opportunity to make a quick buck.

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Calls Bolton Out

In an interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum, Gowdy was asked just how ‘damning’ he thought revelations from Bolton’s book might be to the President.

He essentially called Bolton a coward.

“If you really think he’s unfit to be the leader of the free world, why didn’t you say anything?” he pointed out.

“John Bolton’s argument now is that Trump is unfit for office and should be removed, that he’s committed high crimes and misdemeanors,” Gowdy continued.

The former Rep. explained that Bolton had opportunities to testify before the House, the Senate, or to even tell his story long ago to the mainstream media.

“But no, for $29.95, he’s going to save you from this existential threat to our republic,” derided Gowdy.

RELATED: Tim Scott Rips Dick Durbin To Pieces After He Calls Republican Police Reform Bill A ‘Token’ Approach

Gowdy Continues Hammering Away

Gowdy proceeded to explain why it was an easier route for Bolton to publish a book rather than go before Congress and be hailed a hero by the left for his ‘courage’ in trying to take down the President.

And he did so with his usual sense of humor.

“He ain’t being cross-examined, he’s sitting in his pajamas pecking away on his iPad,” Gowdy ripped. “The power of cross-examination is you actually have to withstand the cauldron, withstand the heat of being questioned on it.”

“Anybody can write a book and make assertions,” he added.

In the book, Bolton, the former National Security Adviser, alleges that President Trump asked for help with his election from Chinese President Xi Jinping, that he was okay with him building concentration camps, and that he wanted to jail CNN reporters.

Again, if he honestly believed these things – why didn’t Bolton immediately resign and insist on testifying before Congress to save the country?

Even Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who wouldn’t dare turn his nose up at anything that he could possibly use to create another impeachment witch hunt wasn’t exactly praising Bolton.

“Bolton’s staff were asked to testify before the House to Trump’s abuses, and did. They had a lot to lose and showed real courage,” Schiff pecked away on his iPad.

“When Bolton was asked, he refused, and said he’d sue if subpoenaed. Instead, he saved it for a book,” he continued. “Bolton may be an author, but he’s no patriot.”

The post Trey Gowdy Mocks Bolton: Pecking Away In His Pajamas, Saving the Country For Only $29.95 appeared first on The Political Insider.

Senator’s cellphone seized amid federal investigation of stock trades made ahead of COVID-19 spread

Posted on by Jessica Sutherland

Months after it was revealed that he had made dozens of questionable stock trades ahead of a global pandemic—and advised wealthy constituents to do the same—Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina had his cellphone seized by federal agents Wednesday night. The agents were at the senator’s Washington, D.C., residence.

Burr, who is a member of the “Gang of Eight” and the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, sparked scrutiny in mid-March after making 33 transactions in February, that rid him of a significant chunk of his stock portfolio and netted him anywhere between $628,000 and $1.72 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. The transactions came after briefings on the potential impact of the novel coronavirus from the U.S. Department of Health.

While NPR broke the story about the private warnings to rich Tar Heels, ProPublica was the first to report on the selloff. 

ProPublica’s analysis indicated that the Feb. 13 selling spree was Burr’s “largest selling day of at least the past 14 months.”

As the head of the intelligence committee, Burr, a North Carolina Republican, has access to the government’s most highly classified information about threats to America’s security. His committee was receiving daily coronavirus briefings around this time, according to a Reuters story.

A week after Burr’s sales, the stock market began a sharp decline.

[...]

Burr is not a particularly wealthy member of the Senate: Roll Call estimated his net worth at $1.7 million in 2018, indicating that the February sales significantly shaped his financial fortunes and spared him from some of the pain that many Americans are now facing.

The newest and wealthiest member of the Senate, Georgia’s Kelly Loeffler, also got in on the secret selloff, making 29 transactions that add up to millions.  It’s worth noting that Burr is just one of three senators (and the only one still in office) who voted against the 2012 STOCK Act, which, as McClatchy puts it, “explicitly prevents members of Congress and their staffs from using nonpublic information for insider trading.”  Both the FBI and the DOJ have refused comment, as has Burr’s team; however, as the LA Times notes, the search warrant indicates “a significant escalation” in the investigation into Burr’s possible violation of the STOCK Act.

AG Barr’s Justice Department still trying to deep-six Mueller grand jury materials

Posted on by Kerry Eleveld

Attorney General Bill Barr's Justice Department is going to extraordinary lengths to block House Democrats from seeing the grand jury evidence from the Mueller probe. 

In a Thursday filing, the department's solicitor general urged the Supreme Court to halt a lower court order directing the department to turn over the grand jury materials to the House Judiciary Committee by May 11. The Justice Department argued for the opportunity to complete its appeal of the appeals court ruling to the Supreme Court.

“The government will suffer irreparable harm absent a stay. Once the government discloses the secret grand-jury records, their secrecy will irrevocably be lost,” Solicitor General Noel Francisco wrote. “That is particularly so when, as here, they are disclosed to a congressional committee and its staff.”

Red alert, red alert! Congress might learn the truth about all the stuff that has heretofore been hidden from the public. 

At issue for House Democrats is whether Trump lied in his written testimony to the Mueller team. House Democrats sought access to the information last year as they mulled impeaching Trump. 

Congress is not necessarily granted access to such materials, but a Nixon-era precedent was set when the courts ruled an impeachment investigation a "judicial proceeding." In the current case, both the federal court and the appeals court panel followed that precedent to rule in favor of House Democrats gaining access to the materials. 

A few Republicans furrow their brows over Trump’s inspectors general purge

Posted on by Laura Clawson

Donald Trump’s firing of two inspectors general and public attack on a third, amid reports that he plans a broader purge of inspectors general, is drawing bipartisan concern—for now, anyway. 

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is working on a letter asking Trump to explain his firing of Michael Atkinson, the intelligence community IG who referred the Ukraine call whistleblower’s report to Congress, helping to trigger Trump’s impeachment. Of course, that right there is the explanation for Trump’s firing of Atkinson, so asking for information is kind of performative. Sens. Mitt Romney and Susan Collins are backing Grassley’s letter—but we know that only one of those three people has any possibility of actually standing up to Trump rather than plastering on a furrowed brow and folding.

“It is our responsibility to confirm that there are clear, substantial reasons for removal,” a draft of Grassley’s letter viewed by The Washington Post says. Which there are! They’re just totally corrupt reasons. And since every Senate Republican but one has let Trump know that they will never put any teeth in their concerns about him, he can safely ignore this like he has every other attempt at congressional oversight.

Trump also fired the acting inspector general for the Pentagon just before he was to take a position heading the panel conducting oversight of the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus. You know, the one where Trump claimed “I’ll be the oversight” amid concerns that he would use the money as a slush fund to reward allies.

Additionally, he publicly attacked Christi Grimm, the Health and Human Services inspector general who issued a coronavirus response report that didn’t make the Trump administration look great.

Democrats are drafting bills to strengthen oversight of coronavirus stimulus funds and to protect inspectors general from firing without “evidence-based good cause,” in addition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s formation of a select committee to look into the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic by issuing subpoenas that will be ignored.

Donald Trump is a corrupt and lawless president and he intends to use this crisis to free himself further from accountability and oversight.

The Country Should Be Pulling Together Right Now – But Then Again, We Have Democrats And The Media

Posted on by Wayne Dupree

The radical press and Nancy Pelosi are both complicit in lying to the American people with their misleading statements and actions that are not related to President Trump in any way.

DISHONESTY OF THE MEDIA

If the ignorant press would look into who is directly (not indirectly) responsible for the safety of the American people, it is the state governors who are on the front lines. Trump can only provide national support, like restricting flights, releasing the military, and forcing the production of needed supplies.

MORE NEWS: Gingrich: Coronavirus Pandemic Is ‘A Global Problem Caused By The Chinese’

The governors are those who direct what their state’s people are to do and how to do it. I am tired of everything being blamed on Trump when it is not up to the President to make those decisions. Did Trump delay action in New York City on telling people not to congregate in groups? No, it was the city’s health commissioner advising just the opposite and Mayor Bill de Blasio not making any directives until well after it was a huge problem. That was not Trump’s fault.

DEMS HAVE BEEN ON THE WRONG SIDE SINCE BEGINNING

Let’s look back at everyone’s comments three or four weeks ago. Democrats did not want Trump to ban travel from China. Do I “blame” them for that? No. They did not have ESP. However, for them to turn around and expect the President or any politician to have the same ESP they didn’t have is disingenuous. Anyone who does not rally behind the President who represents our country at this time of crisis is not patriotic. Quit criticizing and taking political shots. It shows ignorance, hatred, and a lack of patriotism.

The Democrats in Congress and the Senate, along with their friends in the media, need to be held accountable for disregarding the safety of our country for the last three years, to set up the Russia collusion hoax, the Ukraine impeachment hoax and any little thing to stop the progress of fixing this country after Barack Obama. They interrupted any and all activities in Washington, just to reverse the 2016 elections.

MORE NEWS: President Trump Has Done The Right Things To Combat Coronavirus From Day One

AMERICAN DYING

People were dying while Pelosi was messing around with impeachment. People were dying while Pelosi was sneaking in funding for the Kennedy Center and other projects unrelated to these same people she talks about. She only needs to look at herself to see who is fiddling.

As more people become ill, each country’s health care systems will be pushed to the brink to treat an increasing number of patients. Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States is helping its citizens and small businesses with a $2 trillion rescue package. Our President also made the right call by shutting down all passenger air traffic with China and Europe, and fast-tracking desperately needed medical equipment and supplies to critical hotspots like New York. He has the right team in place to see us through this crisis.

NEGATIVITY IS NOT CONSTRUCTIVE

The only way Mr. Trump, or any other heads of state, could have reacted better would have required them to be able to predict the unpredictable, to be prepared for the unpreparable. This is a WORLDWIDE pandemic. The spread in our country was unavoidable. We were under attack before we knew there was an attack before we knew what the enemy was. 20/20 hindsight and arguing about would have, could have, should have is not constructive. The only way to defeat this enemy is for EVERYONE to do their part and stay focused on that victory. The safety of others depends on YOU.

MORE NEWS: It’s Time To Remove Pelosi From Congress So This Country Can Move Forward

I can only speak for myself, but nobody is wholly prepared for something like this to happen. Frankly, I think Trump has done an excellent job of trying to minimize the fear-mongering the media has put out there. It’s not up to the government to save people; it’s mostly up to the people themselves.

They say you tell a lot about a person by how they behave during a crisis. How will Pelosi and the MSM be remembered after we get through this one? Just remember when a liberal blames somebody else, it is the liberal who is more guilty of that thing.

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It’s Time To Remove Pelosi From Congress So This Country Can Move Forward

Posted on by Wayne Dupree

On Sunday, during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (because I refuse to call her Speaker of the House) sharpened her criticism of President Trump’s early dismissal of the coronavirus, saying the delay cost American lives.

Pelosi said that “His denial at the beginning was deadly.”

OF COURSE, PELOSI IS GOING TO TAKE THIS APPROACH

That’s really what Democrats did and as usual, she’s blaming Trump for something she’s guilty of. Where was she at the beginning? I mean the district she governs, is in the worst shape of all, so she has to blame someone else causes hey elections are coming.

MORE NEWS: Nancy Pelosi: ‘As The President Fiddles, People Are Dying’

I don’t have to say how much more ignorant it is to use this virus and the deaths of Americans as a political weapon. I think if someone looks in the right place and asks the right questions, you’re going to find an ugly truth about what was really behind this virus pandemic starting and whose responsible.

WHAT HAS PELOSI DONE DURING THIS CRISIS?

Zip, she has done absolutely nothing but rips Trump, scare and divide Americans. Even when Trump banned travel from China – Pelosi blasted Trump for over-reacting. Now All health experts agree that the travel ban saves thousands of US lives.

Who was it that held up the relief bill to add emissions standards for aircraft, solar panel credits, amnesty for illegals and a bunch of other non-essential items that push their agenda? It seems to me, holding the American voter hostage for your party’s program is irresponsible and callus.

MORE NEWS: Hillary Clinton Hit With Backlash Over Joke About U.S. Leading In Coronavirus Cases: Trump ‘Did Promise America First’

Worldwide, at the time of this writing, there have been 685,000 cases, 481,000 are mild with little or no symptoms, 146,000 are already fully recovered. The world has had 32,000 deaths from COVID-19.

Where was San Fran Nan with her opinions when that was happening?

LET’S NOT FORGET JANUARY – MARCH

Let’s dig a little deeper. While this was going on in January and early February, what was Congress doing? Hmmm. Oh, they were impeaching Trump. Hindsight is 20/20, and Trump has made some mistakes, but don’t put it all on the President. The Congress was not exactly doing what they needed to do in January, February, and early March, either.

As more people become ill, each country’s health care systems will be pushed to the brink to treat an increasing number of patients. Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States is helping its citizens and small businesses with a $2 trillion rescue package. Our president also made the right call by shutting down all passenger air traffic with China and Europe, and fast-tracking desperately needed medical equipment and supplies to critical hotspots like New York. He has the right team in place to see us through this crisis.

MORE NEWS: Hillary Clinton Hit With Backlash Over Joke About U.S. Leading In Coronavirus Cases: Trump ‘Did Promise America First’

AMERICA SIDES WITH TRUMP

If I remember right, the latest Gallup poll shows that 60% of Americans approve of the president’s handle of the pandemic. Maybe it is Pelosi that is trying to deflect wasting time on impeachment, adding to non-health related items to the latest CO-VID bill, etc. Well, you get the idea.

President Trump could come up with a cure for this virus and Pelosi would complain he was trying to put the pharmaceutical companies out of business. Trump is doing a great job dealing with this crisis.

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White House halts participation in congressional coronavirus hearings

Posted on by Kerry Eleveld

The White House has told Congress that it's simply too busy to spare the time to testify at any coronavirus hearings, at least until the end of March, according to Roll Call. “While the Trump Administration continues its whole-of-government approach to stopping the spread of COVID-19, it is counter-productive to have the very individuals involved in response efforts appearing at congressional hearings,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement Wednesday. 

Apparently, "whole-of-government" doesn't include Congress in the view of the White House. The blackout approach to information sharing with Congress was outlined in a memo obtained by Roll Call. “We remain respectful of the essential role of Congress in this effort and we look forward to working with Congress closely as we all rise to meet this challenge,” the memo read.

Frankly, it's hard to believe anyone in the West Wing even bothered to write that line. The Trump administration has made it crystal clear that it views Congress's "essential role" as entirely subservient to that of the executive branch. In everything from basic congressional oversight to the impeachment inquiry to the most threatening public health epidemic in a century, the Trump administration has spiked cooperating with Congress at every turn. 

The only difference this time around is that the White House isn't exclusively stiff-arming House Democrats. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee was forced to cancel a hearing Wednesday that lawmakers had arranged to livestream publicly. Lawmakers had lined up witnesses from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration.

That hearing has been postponed indefinitely while the White House continues the "whole-of-government" response it adopted several days ago after Donald Trump finally realized his delusional world was no match for a highly contagious virus that threatens to kill nearly 1% of the people who get it or more, depending on available care for the most critical cases.