Mediaboss Marketing

Top Ukrainian government officials blasted Sen. Rand Paul on Friday after he objected to a bill that would send $40 billion in additional military and humanitarian aid to the Eastern European country.

The Kentucky Republican denied leaders of both parties the unanimous consent needed for the Senate to quickly debate and vote on the package, which had already been passed by the House Tuesday evening.

We all saw a @CNN video where [Russian] soldiers shot civilians in the back just for fun, tweeted Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys office. How many such crimes are happening at the moment in the east and south of [Ukraine]? Price of delay per day hundreds killed and raped. Price per week thousands. Have a nice morning coffee, @RandPaul.

We could have already started using the new U.S. assistance package to more effectively save lives of Ukrainians who defend the democratic world. @POTUS, @SecBlinken, @SenateGOP, @SenateDems and American people were in strong support, and @RandPaul delayed so much needed support, wrote Dymtro Kulbea, Ukraines minister of foreign affairs.

The bill is almost certain to pass the Senate and be signed by President Biden next week, but Republicans and Democrats alike expressed exasperation at Paul over his block on legislation that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) insisted Thursday should be approved at once.

Ukraine is not asking us to fight this war, Pauls fellow Kentuckian said. Theyre only asking for the resources they need to defend themselves against this deranged invasion, and they need help right now.

The package is ready to go. The vast majority of senators on both sides of the aisle want it, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). There is now only one thing holding us back. The junior senator from Kentucky is preventing the swift passage of Ukraine aid because he wants to add at the last minute his own changes directly into the bill.

His change is strongly opposed by many members of both parties, Schumer added. He is not even asking for an amendment [vote]. He is simply saying my way or the highway.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) told MSNBCS Morning Joe Friday that Pauls actions were completely inexcusable.

The truth is, this honestly could have been done Wednesday night, Tester said. I mean, everything was ready to go. Its one of the problems with the US Senate when you have one person that can obstruct everything.

And you know, we had this debate back in January that we shouldnt be allowing this, the lawmaker went on, referring to the Senate filibuster. If you want to hold the floor, hold the floor, but at some point in time that has to end.

Paul has insisted on adding language to the bill that would create a special inspector general position to oversee the distribution of the funds.

My oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution, not to any foreign nation. Congress is trying yet again to ram through a spending bill one that I doubt anyone has actually read and theres no oversight included into how the money is being spent, Paul explained in a Twitter thread Thursday night.

All I requested is an amendment to be included in the final bill that allows for the Inspector General to oversee how funds are spent. Anyone who is opposed to this is irresponsible, he continued.

Paul insisted that he sympathizes with Ukraine and their fight against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin but said the US cannot continue to spend money we dont have.

Passing this bill brings the total weve sent to Ukraine to nearly $54 billion over the course of two months, he wrote. Its threatening our own national security, and its frankly a slap in the face to millions of taxpayers who are struggling to buy gas, groceries, and find baby formula.

In an attempt to move forward on the aid, McConnell and Schumer offered a deal to Paul that would have allowed a vote on his amendment, but would also have required it to receive 60 votes to be added to the bill.

Paul still refused to budge.

While I sympathize with the people of Ukraine, and commend their fight against Putin, we cannot continue to spend money we dont have. Passing this bill brings the total weve sent to Ukraine to nearly $54 billion over the course of two months.

I think theyre going to have to go through the long way, he told The Hill.

Biden administration officials have said they expect the latest Ukraine aid measure to suffice through September, which would be seven months after Russias initial invasion.

With Post wires

Continue reading here:
Ukraine, US politicians rip Rand Paul over aid bill holdup

On Thursday, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul became the lone holdout against a bipartisan effort to approve $40 billion in aid to Ukraine.

Paulstood in objectionto the effort supported by both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, blocking the unanimous vote they needed to quickly approve the funding.

Paul asked that the bill be debated and subjected to a 60-vote threshold and insisted that an inspector general be installed to oversee the spending of the money in Ukraine.

"No matter how sympathetic the cause, my oath of office is to the national security of the United States of America," Paul said. "We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the US economy."

Paul's objection stood in stark contrast to McConnell's statement in the Senate.

"Ukraine is not asking us to fight this war. They're only asking for the resources they need to defend themselves against this deranged invasion. And they need this help right now," said McConnell.

Similarly, Schumer urged the Senate to move quickly on the matter, calling it a "moral obligation" to help Ukraine fight "Putin's immoral war."

"The package is ready to go. The vast majority of senators on both sides of the aisle want it," Schumer said.

Responding to Paul's objection, Schumer called Paul's objection "reckless" and said he thought it was clear from Paul's remarks that he "doesn't want to aid Ukraine."

"All he will accomplish is to single-handedly delay desperately needed Ukraine aid," Schumer added.

The Senate has nowscheduled an initial votefor the bill for late Monday afternoon.

The bill that Paul objected to was passed by the House 368 to 57. Lawmakers topped up President Joe Biden's request for $33 billion in aid, adding another $7 billion to aid Ukraine in its war against Russia.

For his part, Paul doubled down on his stance in aThursday tweet.

"My oath of office is to the US Constitution, not to any foreign nation. Congress is trying yet again to ram through a spending bill one that I doubt anyone has actually read and there's no oversight included into how the money is being spent," Paul argued.

He added in subsequenttweets: "While I sympathize with the people of Ukraine, and commend their fight against Putin, we cannot continue to spend money we don't have."

Follow this link:
Rand Paul Singlehandedly Delays $40 Billion Ukraine Aid ...

Asking basic questions about the $40 billion blank check to the Ukrainians is just one of several savvy moves by the Kentucky senator on the political rebound.

PHILADELPHIAIts been almost seven years since the dumbass livestream, a United States senators words, not mine.

The third question, most popular question from Google is: Is Rand Paul still running for president? Sen. Paul read out from the campaign trail. And, I dont know, I wouldnt be doing this dumbass livestreaming if I werent. So, yes, I still am running for presidentget over it.

It wasnt the official end of the Rand Paul for president endeavor, but it was for all intents and purposes the true coda. In the swirling months around the livestreaming remark, Senator Paul would be the subject of a debate-stage inquisition at the hands of Donald Trump: Why was he even there? Trump, the Rain Man of polls he is doing well in, argued Paul was really in 11th, not 10th place. I take the future presidents word for it.

Rand Paul 2016, despite the candidate being labeled by Time magazine as The most interesting man in politics, just did not go well. And so the players in Washington wrote him off as political roadkill.

But in the years since the last real presidential campaignTrump thinks 2020 doesnt count, and as America looks down the barrel of a rematchapparently the country agrees with himSenator Paul has quietly focused on his strengths. While his fellow Kentuckian, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, announced a visit to Ukraine this weekend, the Bluegrass States junior senator had the temerity to ask: Wait, what are we doing again?

As I currently flee eight dollar gas prices in Californian (The Ocho, as Golden Staters are calling it; the 2000s really are back), Sen. Paul drives to the heart of the matter.

No matter how sympathetic the cause, my oath of office is to the national security of the United States of America, Paul said, announcing a procedural trick to gum up the passage of a $40 billion aid package that no one has read. We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the U.S. economy.

Recalling now that I flew out of the Cincinnati airport, which is in Kentucky, last week, I think its a reasonable question to ask: Whats the (Good) Matter With Appalachia? Mitch notably excepted, the area represented by Paul and now potentially J.D. Vance could be the national cradle of rebellion, as the region historically has beenthis time against another 21st-century lobotomy land of endless war.

But its not just resisting a boondoggle in Ukraine where Rand Paul has made his mark.

Hes emerged as the Senates Anthony Fauci heckler par excellence. A medical doctor (quietly, all the actual doctors in the Senate are Republican), Paul repeatedly defenestrated (so to speak!) the Bad Doctor throughout the pandemic. Meanwhile, Dr. Mehmet Oz out here in Pennsylvania pledges to lead the charge for us all to forget-about-Fauci come next year.

Attacking the Pentagon old guard and human historys most empowered hypochondriac are perhaps easy targets, but wins are wins, and there is a stunning paucity of folks in D.C. actually doing it. It also jives better with Pauls more successful folk libertarianism portfoliobetter that than carping about the minimum wage in an era when We The People feel as oppressed by the corporate state as the actual one. At the height of 2020, it was more than reasonable to ask: Is there even a difference?

So, taking into consideration his legendary father Ron, Im not clear on what Paul Family revival were on.

Like Axl Rose in the mid-2000s, this has a feel of a Final Comeback, one in which encores are assured. But writing this here in the historical cradle of American liberty, Philly, it no longer seems absurd that Trump in recent years has listed Paul as a future president.

Paul is noted by associates as a cerebral man above all, not a glad hander in the Willie Stark style. I dont know Bill Clinton; Bill Clinton is not a friend of mine, but I am confident Rand Paul is no Bill Clinton. Still, its the 21st century, not the 20th. Viral online reach is as important now as eye contact once was.

In the influencer age, perhaps its time for Sen. Rand Paul to crank up the dumbass livefeeds once again.

Excerpt from:
The Comeback of Rand Paul - The American Conservative

The Senate on Monday voted to limit debate on a nearly $40 billion Ukraine aid bill after it was initially blocked by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) last week, allowing the bill to move toward passage. The vote was 81-11, with all votes against coming from Republicans.

The bill, which allots more funds than requested by President Joe Biden, would supply Ukraine with military and other humanitarian and medical resources amid Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion. It was previously passed in the House.

'BIGOTED': OZ BLASTS SENATE GOP RIVALS' ATTACKS ON HIS DUAL TURKISH CITIZENSHIP

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who recently visited Ukraine and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, indicated that the upper chamber would approve the bill this week despite Paul's objections.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set up Mondays procedural vote, a cloture vote, to limit debate on the legislation, moving past any filibusters and toward final passage.

Pauls opposition to the bill, which he argued was against the nations interests, delayed bipartisan efforts to pass the bill quickly without making changes and avoiding having to send the bill back to that chamber.

Paul objected to the deal between Schumer and McConnell to pass the bill with unanimous consent, calling instead for the addition of an amendment to create a special inspector general to monitor how the aid is spent, which is unlikely to pass.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The final vote on the bill is expected later this week.

Original post:
Senate votes to advance $40B Ukraine aid bill over Rand Paul's objections - Washington Examiner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:April 11, 2022Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) announced that he saved more than $480,000 from his official fiscal year 2021 operating budget, bringing the total amount Dr. Paul has returned to the taxpayers to over $5.7 million since taking office in January 2011.Its easy to picture Washingtons out-of-control spending as a massive, untamable beast, said Dr. Paul. Im determined to show change is possible by starting in the area under my control, while working everywhere else I can to stop business as usual. When I ran for office, I promised Kentuckians I would stand for smaller, more efficient government, balanced budgets, and spending restraint. Im proud my staff and I have kept that pledge while operating one of the most active federal offices.Dr. Paul has achieved the savings by asking his staff to do more with less.While most congressional offices remained closed under the guise of the COVID pandemic, Dr. Pauls office stayed open. This past year, Dr. Paul and his staff have assisted thousands of Kentuckians with casework all across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, fielding over 18,000 calls and over 14,000 letters, emails, and faxes to Kentuckians in need of assistance. They were among the first on the ground and have continued to assist local and state officials in the aftermath of the December tornadoes across Kentucky. They have also traveled and met with Kentuckians in all 120 counties over this past year.In Washington, D.C., Dr. Paul and his staff continue working for all Kentuckians and taxpayers by fighting for commonsense, fiscally conservative solutions to bureaucratic problems and waste. Dr. Paul has led the way for reform by introducing a five-year balanced budget, and shining a spotlight on reckless federal spending. Dr. Paul and his staff continue to defend the liberties and rights of every American, and are committed to doing so while also preserving your tax dollars.

###

The rest is here:
Dr. Rand Paul Returns Over $5.7 Million to US Taxpayers | Senator Rand Paul - Senator Rand Paul