Jan. 6 committee releases video of tour by Rep. Loudermilk the day before the Capitol attack
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection released a video showing a tour of the U.S. Capitol led by Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., the day before the attack. The committee says that some of the people on the tour were at the Jan. 6 rally led by then-President Donald Trump, and then marched toward the Capitol.
news.yahoo.comGreta Van Susteren’s Newsmax Debut Kicks Off With Pure Cringe
NewsmaxKicking off her brand-new Newsmax program on Wednesday night, former Fox News star Greta Van Susteren couldn’t have asked for a more awkward and cringe-inducing debut.At the top of the premiere broadcast of The Record with Greta Van Susteren, the veteran anchor brought on Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for a live interview. Grassley, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, patched in via video feed from the halls of Congress.Getting right into it, Van Susteren asked a
news.yahoo.comA probe by GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley found that LA Mayor Eric Garcetti 'likely' was aware of sexual harassment, racism allegations against an ex-senior aide
The Republican senator from Iowa launched the probe following President Joe Biden nominating Garcetti to serve as ambassador to India last July.
news.yahoo.comIowa GOP open to non-Trump prospects as 2024 gets underway
Former President Donald Trump’s persistent flirtation with another White House run is doing little to discourage other potential Republican candidates from stepping up their activity in Iowa, the state that will formally launch the nomination process.
Democrat Finkenauer knocked off US Senate primary ballot
A state court judge has concluded that Democrat Abby Finkenauer cannot appear on the June 7 primary ballot for U.S. Senate, knocking off the candidate considered by many to be the party’s best chance to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley.
Sens. Grassley, Johnson allege $100,000 payment from Chinese oligarchs to Hunter Biden, provide receipt
Republicans Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson took to the Senate floor on Monday to sound the alarm about what they say are troubling financial entanglements between President Biden’s son Hunter and the Chinese government.
news.yahoo.comGOP shoots down Supreme Court boycott
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are shooting down the idea of boycotting the panel's vote on Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. "There's not going to be any boycott. There's zero, not one iota chance that we would boycott," said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a member of the committee.The idea of a committee boycott, which has floated around Capitol Hill for weeks, was spun up after 10 Republicans sent Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill...
news.yahoo.comJackson pushes back at GOP critics, defends judicial record
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson forcefully defended her record as a federal judge Tuesday, pushing back on Republican assertions that she would be soft on crime and declaring she would rule as an “independent jurist” if confirmed as the first Black woman on the high court.
Senators issue bipartisan call to restore donors' tax breaks
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers called Thursday for restoring the charitable deduction for donors who don’t itemize their taxes, a priority for nonprofits nationwide, but a key senator was noncommittal on the question of whether to support legislation designed to boost payout from foundations and donor-advised funds.
New step to curb tech giants' power advanced by Senate panel
Congress has taken a new step toward reining in the market dominance of Big Tech. Bipartisan legislation advanced by a Senate panel would bar the dominant online platforms from favoring their own goods and services over those of rivals on the platforms.
EPA lowers ethanol requirements, citing reduced demand
At the same time, the administration moved to reject requests by small oil refineries to be exempted from ethanol requirements, saying they had failed to show exemptions were justified under the Clean Air Act. Taken together, the actions reflect the administration’s “commitment to reset and strengthen” the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, “following years of mismanagement” by the Trump administration and disruptions to the gasoline market stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. The actions announced Tuesday will enable officials “to get the RFS program back in growth mode by setting ambitious levels for 2022 and by reinforcing the foundation of the program so that it’s rooted in science and the law,” said Michael Regan, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, which sets ethanol requirements under the RFS.
news.yahoo.comBlack Democratic chair gets lynching threat over Trump essay
The first Black chair of Iowa’s Democratic Party says he received a series of racist messages, including a lynching threat, after writing a newspaper op-ed criticizing former President Donald Trump and the state Republican officials who stood with him at a recent rally in Des Moines.
Iowa Democrat Finkenauer seeking GOP Sen. Grassley's seat
Democrat Abby Finkenauer, a former congresswoman, is running for Republican Chuck Grassley's U.S. Senate seat, hoping her blue-collar credentials will propel her forward in a state that has grown more conservative over the years. The 32-year-old former state lawmaker, who announced her candidacy by video Thursday morning, would offer a stark contrast to the 87-year-old Grassley, who was elected to his first term in the Senate eight years before Finkenauer was born. “I’m running ... to make sure that Iowans and, quite frankly, our country has someone sitting in the United States Senate representing them and working for them every day who actually understand working families,” Finkenauer told The Associated Press in an interview before the video release.
news.yahoo.comGOP senators want DOJ official who has 'bias' against Durham investigation to recuse herself
Republican senators are demanding answers from Attorney General Merrick Garland about Susan Hennessey’s role in the Justice Department’s National Security Division, highlighting her “bias” shown in comments critiquing John Durham’s investigation.
news.yahoo.comPoll: 64% of Iowans think it's time for Chuck Grassley to retire
A new poll published over the weekend indicates that 64% of those surveyed believe it's "time for someone else" to occupy Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-Iowa) Senate seat, the Des Moines Register reports.Why it matters: Grassley hasn't said yet whether he plans to seek re-election in 2022, but with an evenly divided Senate, "Iowa's race is one of the most closely watched" in the country, according to Politico.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.The big picture: O
news.yahoo.comRepublicans move to block inquiry into Trump DoJ’s secret data seizure
Democrats are pushing for investigations into Trump’s justice department for data seizures from Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff Mitch McConnell criticized the rapidly expanding congressional inquiries as unnecessary. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Top Republicans are moving to block a Senate inquiry into the Trump justice department’s secret seizure of data from Democrats to hunt down leaks of classified information, fearing a close investigation could damage the former president. Trump, who
news.yahoo.comIowa governor questions migrant flights into Des Moines
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds complained in a letter sent Thursday that the federal government didn't notify her before flying migrant children into the Des Moines airport in April, then shuttling them to other cities as part of an effort to join them with relatives. In a letter sent to Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Reynolds called for a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on immigration that should address the Biden administration’s lack of notice when it moves children through the states. Although similar migrant children relocation occurred during the Trump and Obama administrations, Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett said the recent flight was different because it occurred late at night and a federal agency initially denied it had organized the flight.
news.yahoo.comGov. Reynolds claims feds lied about flying migrant children to DSM
Unaccompanied migrant children were transported to Iowa and Tennessee this spring without any notice from federal agencies, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday in a call for transparency.Reynolds and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also claim that federal officials initially denied their involvement. Why it matters: Now the two Republican governors — who both denied the Biden administration's requests to house migrant children in their states — are calling on Congress to investigate the incidents.Stay on to
news.yahoo.comSenators push measure to accelerate DAF, foundation giving
Two key U.S. senators introduced legislation Wednesday designed to spur faster payouts from donor-advised funds and foundations, giving new momentum to an effort that has deeply divided philanthropy. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, a former chairman of the Finance Committee who still sits on that panel, and Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, have teamed up on legislation that closely tracks a plan put forward by the Initiative to Accelerate Charitable Giving, a group of prominent wealthy donors, foundations, and scholars of charitable giving. “The federal government offers tax incentives to Americans who give back, but in order to ensure that these funds are doing the most possible good, we must reform the rules that govern some charitable donations,” King said in a news release.
news.yahoo.comDemocratic Iowa farmer running for GOP Sen. Grassley's seat
Dave Muhlbauer, an Iowa farmer and a former county supervisor, on Monday became the first Democrat to announce he is running for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's seat. In a campaign video that shows farm scenes and small towns, Muhlbauer says onetime rural Democrats “just feel like Democrats are leaving rural areas high and dry.”
news.yahoo.comGrassley wants more information about John Kerry’s finances, potential conflicts of interest
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wants more details about John Kerry's personal finances and how the Biden climate envoy is avoiding conflicts between his official duties and private investments.The big picture: Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday seeking more information after Axios revealed new details about Kerry's lucrative work in finance and energy investing after he completed his tenure as secretary himself.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free"The operation of good government requires faithful adherence to ethical rules," Grassley wrote. "It’s unclear exactly what matters Mr. Kerry has been barred from working on and whether he has received any waivers for specific matters that he would otherwise be recused from."Between the lines: As Axios reported Friday, Kerry drew a $5 million salary from Bank of America last year and brought in hundreds of thousands more in speaking fees and consulting income.Some of his former clients do significant business in the energy and environmental space, over which Kerry is now poised to exert significant policy influence as special presidential envoy for climate.Kerry also has pressed major financial institutions to collaborate on efforts to address global climate change.According to a Politico report in March, that included entreaties to Brian Moynihan, Bank of America's CEO.The intrigue: The State Department told Axios last week Kerry has signed a Biden-imposed ethics pledge barring him from participating in specific official actions affecting his former clients and employers.He's also bound by federal ethics laws restricting that activity.Grassley wants to know precisely what Kerry is recused from doing, and whether any of those rules have been waived.The senator's letter also requests "all records, including memoranda, emails and other similar documents, relating to all evaluations of potential, apparent and/or actual conflicts of interest."The department declined to comment about the letter.More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
news.yahoo.comJustice Department Applauds Passage of the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act
On Dec. 23, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act (the “Act”), which prohibits employers from retaliating against certain individuals who report criminal antitrust violations. “We thank the President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives for their bipartisan commitment to criminal antitrust enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “By incentivizing disclosures of anticompetitive conduct, the Act will strengthen the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program, a cornerstone of our mission to protect the American consumer.”The Act supplements a range of recent initiatives designed to support the detection, investigation, and prosecution of criminal antitrust violations. Last month, the Antitrust Division celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force with the addition of 11 new national partners. In October 2020, the division applauded President Trump’s authorization of the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Permanent Extension Act, which had been supported by the department.
justice.govSen. Chuck Grassley returns to work after positive coronavirus test and quarantine
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) walks through Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. September 30, 2020. Sen. Chuck Grassley returned to the Capitol on Monday after he finished a quarantine period following a positive coronavirus test. In a statement, the 87-year-old Iowa Republican said he "did not experience symptoms" after his positive test on Nov. 17. Grassley, the oldest GOP senator, is the president pro tempore of the Senate and third in the line of presidential succession. When he went into quarantine, Grassley missed a vote in the Senate for the first time since 1993.
cnbc.comGOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, 87, tests positive for coronavirus
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has tested positive for coronavirus. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., also was not at the Capitol for the procedural vote as he isolated due to Covid-19 exposure. Grassley becomes the sixth senator to test positive for Covid-19. At least three House members have tested positive this month. Here is the full release from Grassley's office:WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has tested positive for COVID-19 after learning earlier today of an exposure to the coronavirus.
cnbc.comShelton Fed nomination fails key Senate procedure vote, possibly ending her chances
Judy Shelton's controversial nomination to the Federal Reserve suffered a possibly fatal blow Tuesday in a key procedural vote in the Senate. Following the vote, McConnell moved to preserve his right to bring Shelton's name up again for consideration. That would mean a Shelton vote likely would have to take place by next week. Among those joining the Democrats in voting down the procedural vote was Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, who for now remains a senator from California. Combined with the party divisions and the potential absences, the Democrats could have enough votes to block the Shelton nomination.
cnbc.comCoronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what happened Nov. 17 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area
Chicago Public Schools has announced that it will continue to provide classes through remote learning until after the winter break, but then plans to begin bringing students back on Jan. 11. CPS' announcement also coincides with decisions by several suburban district to revert to remote learning as COVID-19 cases surge in Illinois. At a news conference, Reynolds defended exceptions in her mask mandate that public health experts say makes it weak. As the number of new coronavirus cases in Illinois topped 15,000 for the first time — setting a record for consecutive days — Gov. —Michael HawthorneBreaking coronavirus news Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.
chicagotribune.comSenior GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley says Biden should receive classified intelligence briefings from Trump administration
Top Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley on Thursday said President-elect Joe Biden should be receiving classified intelligence briefings from the Trump administration. Spokesmen from the Trump and Biden campaigns did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment on Grassley's remarks. Grassley, the most senior Republican in the Senate and the chairman of its powerful Finance Committee, is not the only member of his party to insist Biden be granted access to the daily intelligence briefings. The campaign has filed lawsuits in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona — all states where Biden either leads Trump or is projected to win. Trump, meanwhile, has amplified a barrage of conspiracy theories to suggest that widespread voter fraud has "rigged" the election against him.
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