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Report says former University of Florida president Ben Sasse spent $1.3 million on social events
Read full article: Report says former University of Florida president Ben Sasse spent $1.3 million on social eventsA new report says former University of Florida president Ben Sasse spent over $1.3 million on private catering for lavish dinners, football tailgates and extravagant social functions.
University of Florida president Ben Sasse is resigning after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy
Read full article: University of Florida president Ben Sasse is resigning after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsyUniversity of Florida president Ben Sasse, a controversial pick almost two years ago when he was named to lead one of the top public universities in the U.S., plans to leave his position to focus on taking care of his family after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Nebraska's presidential and state primaries
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Nebraska's presidential and state primariesNebraskans will cast presidential primary ballots Tuesday in a reliably Republican state that could nonetheless be decisive in the race for the White House.
Pete Ricketts sworn in as Nebraska senator, replacing Sasse
Read full article: Pete Ricketts sworn in as Nebraska senator, replacing SasseFormer Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts was sworn into the U.S. Senate on Monday, replacing Republican Sen. Ben Sasse as the Senate returns from several weeks of recess and begins a new session of closely-divided government.
Outgoing Sen. Sasse knows Trump criticism shapes his legacy
Read full article: Outgoing Sen. Sasse knows Trump criticism shapes his legacyNebraska's outgoing U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse left office Sunday to become the University of Florida's new president and said he knows he may be remembered more for his criticisms of former President Donald Trump than for the policies he supported.
Sen. Sasse wins final vote to be next U of Florida president
Read full article: Sen. Sasse wins final vote to be next U of Florida presidentNebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse has won final approval to become the 13th president of the University of Florida, capping a swift and sometimes contentious process.
U. of Florida trustees approve Sen. Sasse as next president
Read full article: U. of Florida trustees approve Sen. Sasse as next presidentNebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse won approval Tuesday from the University of Florida Board of Trustees to be the school's next president despite vocal opposition from some faculty and students.
Protest ban at University of Florida after anti-Sasse rally
Read full article: Protest ban at University of Florida after anti-Sasse rallyThe University of Florida is going to start enforcing a decades-old prohibition against indoor protests following a raucous demonstration earlier this month against the selection of U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse as a finalist for the school president’s job.
All eyes on Nebraska Gov. Ricketts to replace Sen. Sasse
Read full article: All eyes on Nebraska Gov. Ricketts to replace Sen. SasseSpeculation is rampant that Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is the most likely person to replace U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, who appears ready to resign to become president of the University of Florida.
Nebraska senator likely to resign for Fla. university job
Read full article: Nebraska senator likely to resign for Fla. university jobNebraska Sen. Ben Sasse is the sole finalist to become president of the University of Florida, the school says, and the Republican senator has indicated he will take the job.
US lawmakers affirm Japan alliance eyeing China, North Korea
Read full article: US lawmakers affirm Japan alliance eyeing China, North KoreaJapanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and visiting U.S. lawmakers have reaffirmed their commitment to working together under a longstanding alliance at a time of heightened global tensions and threats from China and North Korea.
Lawmakers say US delays some intel to Ukraine in Russia war
Read full article: Lawmakers say US delays some intel to Ukraine in Russia warSome Democratic and Republican lawmakers say the United States is delaying providing some intelligence to Ukraine in its fight against Russia as the U.S. also seeks to limit any direct confrontation with Moscow.
Epstein guards to skirt jail time in deal with prosecutors
Read full article: Epstein guards to skirt jail time in deal with prosecutorsThe two Bureau of Prisons workers tasked with guarding Jeffrey Epstein the night he killed himself in a New York jail have admitted they falsified records, but they will skirt any time behind bars under a deal with federal prosecutors.
Impeachment vote becomes defining moment for GOP senator
Read full article: Impeachment vote becomes defining moment for GOP senatorBut the North Carolina Republican’s vote to convict former President Donald Trump should not have come as a shock. AdWith Burr retiring at the end of his term in 2022, it’s a vote that could end up defining his career. Exactly a year later, as the Russia investigation was wrapping up, Burr’s time leading the committee came to an abrupt end. He sided with most Republicans in a vote to dismiss the trial, creating an expectation he’d also vote to acquit. AdSo when Burr stood up to vote for Trump's conviction, many in the chamber wondered if there would be other surprises.
Pelosi says independent commission will examine Capitol riot
Read full article: Pelosi says independent commission will examine Capitol riot(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday that Congress will establish an independent, Sept. 11-style commission to look into the deadly insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol. In a letter to Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said the House will also put forth supplemental spending to boost security at the Capitol. After former President Donald Trump’s acquittal at his second Senate impeachment trial, bipartisan support appeared to be growing for an independent commission to examine the deadly insurrection. AdInvestigations into the riot were already planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month in the Senate Rules Committee. An independent commission along the lines of the one that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks would probably require legislation to create.
Support grows for Capitol riot inquiry after Trump acquittal
Read full article: Support grows for Capitol riot inquiry after Trump acquittalSen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., walks on Capitol Hill after the Senate acquitted former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. Trump was accused of inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and the acquittal gives him a historic second victory in the court of impeachment. Investigations into the riot were already planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month in the Senate Rules Committee. We needed more senators with spines.”AdMcConnell told Republican senators shortly before the vote that he would vote to acquit Trump. Beutler's statement late Friday that Trump rebuffed a plea from House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy to call off the rioters was ultimately entered into the trial record.
After impeachment acquittal, Trump remains dominant in GOP
Read full article: After impeachment acquittal, Trump remains dominant in GOPBut in the end, only seven of 50 Senate Republicans voted to convict Trump in his historic second impeachment trial on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)NEW YORK – The Republican Party still belongs to Donald Trump. But in the end, only seven of 50 Senate Republicans voted to convict Trump in his historic second impeachment trial on Saturday. Indeed, in Trump's Republican Party, there are very few willing to cross him if they harbor future political ambitions. “The authoritarian side of the Republican Party is the dominant side,” he said.
Trump remains dominant force in GOP following acquittal
Read full article: Trump remains dominant force in GOP following acquittalBut in the end, only seven of 50 Senate Republicans voted to convict Trump in his historic second impeachment trial on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)NEW YORK – The Republican Party still belongs to Donald Trump. But in the end, only seven of 50 Senate Republicans voted to convict Trump in his historic second impeachment trial on Saturday. Indeed, in Trump's Republican Party, there are very few willing to cross him if they harbor future political ambitions. “The authoritarian side of the Republican Party is the dominant side,” he said.
7 Republicans vote to convict Trump in impeachment trial
Read full article: 7 Republicans vote to convict Trump in impeachment trialSen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, arrives at the start of the fifth day of the second impeachment trial of former President Trump, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021 at the Capitol in Washington. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Seven Republicans voted Saturday to convict former President Donald Trump in his Senate trial, easily the largest number of lawmakers to ever vote to find a president of their own party guilty at impeachment proceedings. AdAlso striking was the “guilty” vote by Cassidy, who was reelected in November from a deep-red state where GOP support is widespread. I voted to convict President Trump because he is guilty,” Cassidy said in a one-sentence statement issued after his vote to convict. He said he wouldn't vote against his own conscience “simply because it is politically convenient.”Romney’s “guilty” vote at Trump’s initial impeachment trial last February made him the first senator to ever vote to convict a president of the same party.
Nebraska Sen. Sasse bets political future on opposing Trump
Read full article: Nebraska Sen. Sasse bets political future on opposing TrumpThe 63-year-old auto mechanic praises Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse for condemning former President Donald Trump's actions before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. AdSasse's criticism of Trump is angering plenty of activists in deeply Republican Nebraska. He is, in effect, betting there's a political future in trying to fight for the comeback of the establishment Republican party. Limited government.”Even in Nebraska, Sasse has some reason to think there's a market for what he's selling. Meanwhile, 7% of Republicans voted for Biden, while 3% of Republicans voted for Sasse's challenger, Democrat Chris Janicek.
Trump trial video shows vast scope, danger of Capitol riot
Read full article: Trump trial video shows vast scope, danger of Capitol riotAd"They did it because Donald Trump sent them on this mission,” said House prosecutor Stacey Plaskett, the Democratic delegate representing the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ad“On Jan. 6, President Trump left everyone in this Capitol for dead,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a prosecutor. At one dramatic moment, the video shows police shooting into the crowd through a broken window, killing a San Diego woman, Ashli Babbitt. “Greatly disturbing.”Trump is the first president to face an impeachment trial after leaving office and the first to be twice impeached. Trump's second impeachment trial is expected to diverge from the lengthy, complicated affair of a year ago.
What to watch as Trump's 2nd impeachment trial kicks off
Read full article: What to watch as Trump's 2nd impeachment trial kicks offWhat to watch as the trial kicks off:FIRST, AN EFFORT TO DISMISSTuesday’s proceedings will begin with a debate to dismiss the trial before it even begins. The effort to dismiss is expected to fail, allowing arguments in the trial to begin on Wednesday. They point to an 1876 impeachment trial of a secretary of war who had resigned and note that Trump was impeached before he left office. But the managers can ask for a Senate vote on calling witnesses if they so choose. A (LESS) CAPTIVE AUDIENCEAs they were last year, at Trump’s first impeachment trial, senators are expected to listen to every word of the arguments before they cast their votes.
Senate: Trump’s impeachment trial is constitutional; opening arguments next
Read full article: Senate: Trump’s impeachment trial is constitutional; opening arguments nextEven Trump’s backers in the Senate winced, several saying his lawyers were not helpful to his case. On the vote, six Republicans joined with Democrats pursue the trial, just one more than on a similar vote last week. Under an agreement between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell, the substantive opening arguments will begin at noon Wednesday. Trump's second impeachment trial is expected to diverge from the lengthy, complicated affair of a year ago. This time, Trump's “stop the steal” rally rhetoric and the storming of the Capitol played out for the world to see.
Trump's trial starting: 'Grievous crime' or just 'theater'?
Read full article: Trump's trial starting: 'Grievous crime' or just 'theater'?Under COVID-19 protocols senators will distance for the trial, some even using the visitors' galleries. “This trial is one way of having that difficult national conversation about the difference between dissent and insurrection," he said. Trump's defenders are preparing to challenge both the constitutionality of the trial and any suggestion that he was to blame for the insurrection. The trial was set to break Friday evening for the Jewish Sabbath at the request of Trump's defense team, and resume Sunday. Trump's second impeachment trial is expected to diverge from the lengthy, complicated affair of a year ago.
Senate Republicans back Trump as impeachment trial nears
Read full article: Senate Republicans back Trump as impeachment trial nearsAdMany senators including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell immediately denounced the violence and pointed a finger of blame at Trump. Those partisan divisions appear to be hardening ahead of Trump’s trial, a sign of his continuing grip on the GOP. On Sunday, Wicker described Trump's impeachment trial as a “meaningless messaging partisan exercise." Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont will preside over the trial as Senate president pro tempore. Forty-four Republican senators sided with Paul and voted to oppose holding an impeachment trial at all.
EXPLAINER: What's next after House impeachment vote
Read full article: EXPLAINER: What's next after House impeachment voteWhat is certain for now is that the impeachment trial will be held after Trump has already left office. But it's still unclear exactly how the trial will proceed and if any Senate Republicans will vote to convict Trump. In the House, 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican. Every single House Republican voted against Trump's first impeachment in 2019. DIFFERENT CHARGES, DIFFERENT IMPEACHMENTThis impeachment trial is likely to differ from the last one in many ways.
GOP senators in spotlight as second impeachment trial looms
Read full article: GOP senators in spotlight as second impeachment trial looms(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – For a second time, Republican senators face the choice of whether to convict President Donald Trump in an impeachment trial. Others to watch include GOP senators up for reelection in 2022 and several Republicans who have publicly backed impeachment. “Make no mistake: There will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate,'' Schumer said. MURKOWSKI, TOOMEY DENOUNCE TRUMPAt least two GOP senators — Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania — have joined Romney in denouncing Trump. Portman pledged to do his duty as a juror in a Senate impeachment trial, but said he is “concerned about the polarization in our country'' and hopes to bring people together.
GOP senators in spotlight as second impeachment trial looms
Read full article: GOP senators in spotlight as second impeachment trial looms(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON – For a second time, Republican senators face the choice of whether to convict President Donald Trump in an impeachment trial. Others to watch include GOP senators up for reelection in 2022 and several Republicans who have publicly backed impeachment. “Make no mistake: There will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate,'' Schumer said. MURKOWSKI, TOOMEY DENOUNCE TRUMPAt least two GOP senators — Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania — have joined Romney in denouncing Trump. Portman pledged to do his duty as a juror in a Senate impeachment trial, but said he is “concerned about the polarization in our country'' and hopes to bring people together.
EXPLAINER: What's next after House impeachment vote
Read full article: EXPLAINER: What's next after House impeachment voteWhat is certain for now is that the impeachment trial will be held after Trump has already left office. But it's still unclear exactly how the trial will proceed and if any Senate Republicans will vote to convict Trump. In the House, 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican. Every single House Republican voted against Trump's first impeachment in 2019. DIFFERENT CHARGES, DIFFERENT IMPEACHMENTThis impeachment trial is likely to differ from the last one in many ways.
House speeding to impeach Trump for Capitol 'insurrection'
Read full article: House speeding to impeach Trump for Capitol 'insurrection'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is calling for congressional action to rein in President Donald Trump after inciting last week's deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol. Trump faces a single charge -- “incitement of insurrection” — after the deadly Capitol riot in an impeachment resolution that the House will begin debating Wednesday. “President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government,” reads the four-page impeachment bill. Their Democrats' House resolution was blocked by Republicans. But House Republicans are split and a few may vote to impeach.
Pelosi says House will impeach Trump, pushes VP to oust him
Read full article: Pelosi says House will impeach Trump, pushes VP to oust himScott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday the House will proceed with legislation to impeach President Donald Trump as she pushes the vice president and the Cabinet to invoke constitutional authority force him out, warning that Trump is a threat to democracy after the deadly assault on the Capitol. The House action could start as soon as Monday as pressure increases on Trump to step aside. Trump, holed up at the White House, was increasingly isolated after a mob rioted in the Capitol in support of his false claims of election fraud. “We will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat,” Pelosi said in a letter late Sunday to colleagues. After that, Pence and the Cabinet would have 24 hours to act before the House would move toward impeachment.
Top Republican says Trump committed 'impeachable offenses'
Read full article: Top Republican says Trump committed 'impeachable offenses'(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)WASHINGTON – Democrats' momentum for a fresh drive to quickly impeach outgoing President Donald Trump gained support Saturday, and a top Republican said the president's role in the deadly riot at the Capitol by a violent mob of Trump supporters was worthy of rebuke. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said he believed Trump had committed “impeachable offenses.” But he did not explicitly say whether he would vote to remove the president from office at the conclusion of a Senate trial if the House sent over articles of impeachment. “I do think the president committed impeachable offenses, but I don’t know what is going to land on the Senate floor, if anything," Toomey said. Late Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to her Democratic colleagues reiterating that Trump must be held accountable — but stopped short of committing to an impeachment vote. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I, a leader of the House effort to draft impeachment articles — or charges — accusing Trump of inciting insurrection, said his group had grown to include 185 co-sponsors.
Dems' momentum builds to impeach Trump, Pelosi hits rioters
Read full article: Dems' momentum builds to impeach Trump, Pelosi hits riotersPelosi, addressing her hometown San Francisco constituents during an online video conference, shed no fresh light on Democrats' plans. Trump has not publicly made such threats, but officials warn of grave danger if the president is left unchecked. A person on the call said Pelosi also discussed other ways Trump might be forced to resign. ”Democratic leaders have called on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to force Trump from office. The House impeached Trump in 2019, but the Republican-led Senate acquitted him in early 2020.
EXPLAINER: How Trump could be impeached again, but faster
Read full article: EXPLAINER: How Trump could be impeached again, but fasterThere's little chance that the Republican-led Senate would hold a trial and vote on convicting Trump in less than two weeks. Still, action by the House would still make Trump the first president in history to be impeached twice. That’s what happened in 2019, when the House impeached Trump over his dealings with the president of Ukraine. “In all of this, President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government,” the Democratic draft reads. WHAT IMPEACHMENT WOULD MEANRepublicans, even those who have criticized Trump, say impeachment would be unhelpful.
Republicans recoil from Missouri Sen. Hawley after siege
Read full article: Republicans recoil from Missouri Sen. Hawley after siege“Supporting Josh Hawley ... was the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life,” former Missouri Sen. John Danforth told The Associated Press on Thursday. “Assault on democracy: Sen. Josh Hawley has blood on his hands in Capitol coup attempt,” read the headline of the editorial. Hawley, who defeated Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018, was once celebrated by the Republican establishment as a rising star. David Humphreys is president and CEO of Tamko Building Products in Joplin, Missouri, who has donated millions of dollars to Hawley and other Republicans. Now Danforth wonders how Hawley will be able to work with his Senate colleagues, even Republicans, moving forward.
'Great damage': Republicans recoil from Missouri Sen. Hawley
Read full article: 'Great damage': Republicans recoil from Missouri Sen. Hawley“Supporting Josh Hawley ... was the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life," former Missouri Sen. John Danforth told The Associated Press on Thursday. Soon Hawley and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz were leading about 10 other senators in the effort — notably not winning over Sens. With Hawley sitting near, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney blasted those who objected to finalizing President-elect Joe Biden’s election. The student bar association at the University of Missouri law school, where Hawley taught, issued a statement calling for his resignation. Now Danforth wonders how Hawley will be able to work with his Senate colleagues, even Republicans, moving forward.
Reaction from leaders pours in after mob breaks into Capitol
Read full article: Reaction from leaders pours in after mob breaks into CapitolA mob of violent protesters made its way into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, forcing police to evacuate lawmakers and delaying the constitutional process to affirm Joe Biden’s victory in the November election. Some of the reaction from around the United States and the world:British Prime Minister Boris Johnson: “Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress. Vice President Pence, who was evacuated from the Capitol, should seriously consider working with the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to preserve democracy." Rep. Liz Cheney, Republican from Wyoming: “We just had a violent mob assault the Capitol in an attempt to prevent those from carrying out our Constitutional duty. There is no question that the President formed the mob, the President incited the mob, the President addressed the mob.
Trump supporters storm US Capitol, lawmakers evacuated
Read full article: Trump supporters storm US Capitol, lawmakers evacuatedWASHINGTON – “Where are they?” a Trump supporter demanded in a crowd of dozens roaming the halls of the Capitol, bearing Trump flags and pounding on doors. Trump told his morning crowd at the Ellipse that he would go with them to the Capitol, but he didn’t. Yet Trump, in a video posted 90 minutes after lawmakers were evacuated, told the insurrectionists “We love you. Video footage also showed officers letting people calmly walk out the doors of the Capitol despite the rioting and vandalism. He said security officers urged lawmakers to put gas masks on and herded them into a corner of the massive room.
EXPLAINER: How Congress will count Electoral College votes
Read full article: EXPLAINER: How Congress will count Electoral College votes(Samuel Corum/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Wednesday's congressional joint session to count electoral votes could drag late into the night as some Republicans plan to challenge Democrat Joe Biden's victory in at least six states. Under federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.
EXPLAINER: How Congress will count Electoral College votes
Read full article: EXPLAINER: How Congress will count Electoral College votesUnder federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. The appointed "tellers" from the House and Senate, members of both parties, then read each certificate out loud and record and count the votes. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.
EXPLAINER: How Congress will count Electoral College votes
Read full article: EXPLAINER: How Congress will count Electoral College votesUnder federal law, Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states. At the end, the presiding officer announces who has won the majority votes for both president and vice president. If they do not both agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.
More GOP lawmakers enlist in Trump effort to undo Biden win
Read full article: More GOP lawmakers enlist in Trump effort to undo Biden winSen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Saturday announced a coalition of 11 senators and senators-elect who have been enlisted for Trump's effort to subvert the will of American voters. But their challenges, and those from House Republicans, represent the most sweeping effort to undo a presidential election outcome since the Civil War. said the Republican effort to create a federal commission “to supersede state certifications" is wrong. On the other side of the Republican divide, several senators spoke out Saturday against Cruz and Hawley's effort. McConnell had previously warned GOP senators not to participate in raising objections, saying it would be a terrible vote for colleagues.
GOP rebuffs Trump on $2K aid, defense as Congress wraps up
Read full article: GOP rebuffs Trump on $2K aid, defense as Congress wraps upSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., walks back to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. The New York senator said “the only thing standing in the way" is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republican senators. McConnell has shown little interest in Trump's push to bolster the $600 relief checks just approved in a sweeping year-end package, declaring Congress has provided enough pandemic aid, for now. Nancy Pelosi regained the speaker's gavel after Democrats swept to the House majority in the midterm election. The Republican-led Senate acquitted Trump in 2020 of the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
GOP torn over Trump's Electoral College challenge of Biden
Read full article: GOP torn over Trump's Electoral College challenge of BidenCaught in the middle is Vice President Mike Pence, who faces growing pressure and a lawsuit from Trump's allies over his ceremonial role in presiding over the session Wednesday. Biden is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20 after winning the Electoral College vote 306-232. “A suit to establish that the Vice President has discretion over the count, filed against the Vice President, is a walking legal contradiction,” the department argues. The Republican leader pointedly called on Hawley to answer questions about his challenge to Biden's victory, according to two of the Republicans. When Biden was vice president, he, too, presided over the session as the Electoral College presented the 2016 vote tally to Congress to confirm Trump the winner.
GOP senator rebukes 'dangerous ploy' to fight Biden victory
Read full article: GOP senator rebukes 'dangerous ploy' to fight Biden victory“I will not be participating in a project to overturn the election,” Sasse wrote. When Congress convenes to certify the Electoral College results, any lawmaker can object to a state’s votes on any grounds. If they disagree, the original electoral votes are counted. Trump and his allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits challenging election results, and nearly all has been dismissed or dropped. The group of House Republicans has said it plans to challenge the election results from Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada.
New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies
Read full article: New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other alliesFILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate — whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.
Supreme Court rejects Republican attack on Biden victory
Read full article: Supreme Court rejects Republican attack on Biden victoryKathy Kratt of Orlando, Fla., displays her Trump flags as she and other protesters demonstrate their support for President Donald Trump at the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. Trump bemoaned the decision late Friday, tweeting: “The Supreme Court really let us down. Two days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed his suit, Trump jumped into the high court case. “If the Supreme Court shows great Wisdom and Courage, the American People will win perhaps the most important case in history, and our Electoral Process will be respected again!” he tweeted Friday afternoon. Many Republican voters in several states won by Biden have demanded that their elected officials find a way to invalidate the president-elect's victories.
Acting Pentagon chief cites risks during troop reductions
Read full article: Acting Pentagon chief cites risks during troop reductions“After this retreat, there will still be American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We believe that there is strong bipartisan support from Congress and the administration for both Iraq and Afghanistan,” they wrote. That person, whose title is assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, currently reports to the defense secretary through the undersecretary of defense for policy. This change in the administrative chain of command for special operations was required by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. There currently is no Senate-confirmed assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict; Ezra Cohen holds the job in an acting capacity.
Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote security
Read full article: Trump fires agency head who vouched for 2020 vote securityWhile abrupt, the dismissal Tuesday of Christopher Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was not a surprise. Hours before being dismissed, Krebs tweeted out a report citing 59 election security experts saying there is no credible evidence of computer fraud in the 2020 election outcome. Biden campaign spokesman Michael Gwin noted that bipartisan election officials have dismissed Trump’s claims of widespread fraud. Some state election officials and Republicans, suspicious of federal intrusion on their turf, were opposed to the designation. But the Trump administration supported the designation, and, eventually, skeptical state officials welcomed the assistance.
GOP backs Trump as he fights election results, transition
Read full article: GOP backs Trump as he fights election results, transitionIn fact, election officials from both political parties have publicly stated that voting went well and international observers also confirmed that there were no serious irregularities. And the White House moved to crack down on those not deemed sufficiently loyal as Trump continued to refuse to concede the race. White House officials and Trump political appointees informed career government staffers they were not to begin acting on transition planning until GSA approved it, according to officials familiar with the matter. The White House hasn’t provided a “readout” of any call between the president and a foreign leader in weeks. He hasn’t met with members of the White House coronavirus task force in months.
Refusing to concede, Trump blocks cooperation on transition
Read full article: Refusing to concede, Trump blocks cooperation on transitionIn fact, election officials from both political parties have publicly stated that voting went well and international observers also confirmed that there were no serious irregularities. And the White House moved to crack down on those not deemed sufficiently loyal as Trump continued to refuse to concede the race. Trump is not expected to formally concede but is likely to grudgingly vacate the White House at the end of his term, according to several people around him. The White House hasn’t provided a “readout” of any call between the president and a foreign leader in weeks. He hasn’t met with members of the White House coronavirus task force in months.
Trump's wild claims test limits of Republican loyalty
Read full article: Trump's wild claims test limits of Republican loyaltyWASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's wild and unsupported claims of voter fraud have emerged as a high-stakes Republican loyalty test that illustrates the tug of war likely to define the future of the GOP whether he wins or loses the presidency. Larry Hogan, a second-term Republican who has not ruled out a 2024 White House bid. ... We've always been a noisy democracy.”Yet history suggests that Trump's rhetoric and actions go well beyond the normal trappings of democracy. With polls showing him lagging, Trump raised questions about the integrity of the voting system for much of the year. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, a staunch Trump ally, highlighted the obvious downside of Trump's questions about the integrity of the voting process.
Trump's wild claims test limits of Republican loyalty
Read full article: Trump's wild claims test limits of Republican loyaltyWASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's wild and unsupported claims of voter fraud have emerged as a high-stakes Republican loyalty test that illustrates the tug of war likely to define the future of the GOP whether he wins or loses the presidency. Larry Hogan, a second-term Republican who has not ruled out a 2024 White House bid. ... We've always been a noisy democracy.”Yet history suggests that Trump's rhetoric and actions go well beyond the normal trappings of democracy. With polls showing him lagging, Trump raised questions about the integrity of the voting system for much of the year. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, a staunch Trump ally, highlighted the obvious downside of Trump's questions about the integrity of the voting process.
Senate Latest: Kelly win gives Arizona 2 Democratic senators
Read full article: Senate Latest: Kelly win gives Arizona 2 Democratic senatorsThe former astronaut defeated Republican Sen. Martha McSally, who was appointed to the seat after McCain’s death in 2018. Daines’ first election in 2014 broke a Democratic lock on the Senate seat that had lasted more than 100 years. The six-term congressman from northern New Mexico defeated Republican Mark Ronchetti, a former television meteorologist, and Libertarian Bob Walsh. Reed cruised to victory over Waters, an investment consultant who mounted earlier unsuccessful campaigns for state Senate and U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. Warner defeated Republican challenger Daniel Gade in a low-key race in which the incumbent had a massive cash advantage.
Trump leans into fear tactics in bid to win Midwest states
Read full article: Trump leans into fear tactics in bid to win Midwest statesIn back-to-back rallies, Trump accused the left of wanting to “erase American history" and “purge American values.” He claimed, with no basis, that Democratic rival Joe Biden would put communities at risk. Trump offered the dark message as he faces headwinds not only in national polling, which shows Biden leading, but also in key battleground surveys. And while he repeatedly predicted victory, Trump seemed to grapple throughout the day with the prospect that he could indeed lose in November. Trump has an aggressive campaign schedule in the coming days, with rallies planned Sunday in Nevada, Monday in Arizona and Tuesday in Pennsylvania. Trump also has had to court voters in Iowa, which he carried by almost 10 percentage points four years ago.
Nebraska Sen. Sasse rips Trump over COVID-19, foreign policy
Read full article: Nebraska Sen. Sasse rips Trump over COVID-19, foreign policySen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., speaks during the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Two other Nebraska Republicans, U.S. Rep. Dan Bacon and state GOP executive director Ryan Hamilton, told the Omaha World-Herald that they disagree with Sasse's characterizations of the president. “Senator Sasse is entitled to his own opinion,” U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, another Nebraska Republican, said in a statement. Sasse has positioned himself as a conservative willing to criticize Trump, and he is seen as a potential presidential candidate for 2024. “I mean, he and I have a very different foreign policy,” Sasse said.
Virus spreads on panel handling Supreme Court nomination
Read full article: Virus spreads on panel handling Supreme Court nominationLee, who did not wear a mask at the White House event, said he had “symptoms consistent with longtime allergies." "We now have two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who have tested positive for COVID, and there may be more," tweeted Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Blackburn said she tested negative after the event. Graham was not at the White House on Saturday but sees Trump frequently. He feels healthy, hasn’t exhibited any COVID-19 symptoms, and has tested negative.
Trump, coaches push for college football as cracks emerge
Read full article: Trump, coaches push for college football as cracks emerge(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)President Donald Trump joined a U.S. senator and a number of coaches Monday in the push to save the college football season from a pandemic-forced shutdown. There was speculation that two of the five most powerful conferences the Big Ten and the Pac-12 might call off their seasons. The Virginia school canceled football and other fall sports less than a week after Conference USA set out a plan to play a football season. There are no guarantees that college football will be completely safe thats absolutely true; its always true, he wrote. Please dont cancel college football.___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Trump order allows some unemployment pay, defers payroll tax
Read full article: Trump order allows some unemployment pay, defers payroll taxTrump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak. The previous unemployment benefit, which expired on Aug. 1, was fully funded by Washington, but Trump is asking states to now cover 25%. In addition to the extension of some unemployment benefits, Trump's orders call for a deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments and efforts to halt evictions. Trump said the employee portion of the payroll tax would be deferred from Aug. 1 through the end of the year. He added that Trump "does not have the power to unilaterally rewrite the payroll tax law.
Trump faces pressure over Russia bounties to kill US troops
Read full article: Trump faces pressure over Russia bounties to kill US troopsMajority Leader Steny Hoyer and a small group of other House Democrats met with White House officials as Trump downplayed the allegations. One official said the administration discussed several potential responses, but the White House has yet to authorize any. Intelligence officials told the AP that the White House first became aware of alleged Russian bounties in early 2019 a year earlier than had been previously reported. Bolton declined to comment on that matter, and the White House did not respond to questions. The intelligence officials and others with knowledge of the matter insisted on anonymity to discuss the highly sensitive matter.
Nebraska Democrats struggle with 'dumpster fire' reputation
Read full article: Nebraska Democrats struggle with 'dumpster fire' reputationIn this Nov. 4, 2016, photo, Nebraska Democratic Party chairwoman Jane Kleeb is about to introduce Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during a rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, in Omaha, Neb. The 29% of Nebraska voters registered as Democrats is the smallest in at least 50 years, and thats only one indication of the partys problems. The local Republican Party chapter in Omaha put it bluntly in a recent tweet: Nebraska Dems have a dumpster fire on their hands." Or as former Nebraska Democratic Party executive director Paul Landow noted, For a Democrat to win statewide office, something really crazy would have to happen.It wasn't always this way. Nebraska Democrats have fared somewhat better in local elections and the nonpartisan Legislature, but theyre still relegated to the minority.
Trump photo op, talk of military force amp up GOP challenge
Read full article: Trump photo op, talk of military force amp up GOP challengeBut when Trump was caught bragging of sexual assault and seeking political help from Ukraine, the country was relatively comfortable. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, told reporters Tuesday when asked whether Trump's use of force against peaceful protesters was the right thing to do. Even now, as they squirm about the president's suggestion of using the military to enforce the law, most Republicans aren't breaking with Trump. Defense Secretary Mike Esper, who allowed himself to be squarely at the center of Trump's photo op at St. Johns, scrambled. As of right now, Secretary Esper is still Secretary Esper, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during her midday briefing.
Esper opposes using Insurrection Act for law enforcement
Read full article: Esper opposes using Insurrection Act for law enforcement(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday he opposes use of the Insurrection Act, which would allow President Donald Trump to use active-duty military forces for law enforcement duties in containing street protests. But interest in exerting that extraordinary federal authority appeared to be waning in the White House. Trump added, (thank you President Trump! He was also angry about the news coverage revealing he had been rushed to the White House bunker during Fridays protests. They had been in Washington to coordinate with federal law enforcement officials but were diverted to the White House to brief Trump on military preparations, the officials said.
Trump photo op, talk of military force amp up GOP challenge
Read full article: Trump photo op, talk of military force amp up GOP challengeBut when Trump was caught bragging of sexual assault and seeking political help from Ukraine, the country was relatively comfortable. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, told reporters Tuesday when asked whether Trump's use of force against peaceful protesters was the right thing to do. Even now, as they squirm about the president's suggestion of using the military to enforce the law, most Republicans aren't breaking with Trump. Defense Secretary Mike Esper, who allowed himself to be squarely at the center of Trump's photo op at St. Johns, scrambled. As of right now, Secretary Esper is still Secretary Esper, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during her midday briefing.
GOP senators offer rare rebuke of Trump on church visit
Read full article: GOP senators offer rare rebuke of Trump on church visit(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool, File)WASHINGTON A handful of GOP senators spoke out Tuesday against President Donald Trump, criticizing his visit to a church after police removed peaceful demonstrators from a park near the White House. In a memorable scene captured live on television, police cleared Lafayette Park so Trump could walk to nearby St. John's Church and pose with a Bible. Republicans have frequently muted any criticism of Trump, and only GOP Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah voted in favor of Trump's impeachment in February. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he was glad Trump went to a "historic church in our capital city that was firebombed by terrorists. All of us have a First Amendment right to speak, but you dont have a right to burn a church.''