Chris Matthews Destroys Netanyahu and Republicans for Trying to Hijack U.S. Foreign Policy
Chris Matthews rips Benjamin Netanyahu and the Republicans for trying to hijack US foreign policy from President Obama... This clip from the Majority Report,...
By: Sam Seder
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Chris Matthews Destroys Netanyahu and Republicans for Trying to Hijack U.S. Foreign Policy - Video
Kansas republicans unveil school funding proposal
KAKE News at Six - Thursday, March 5, 2015.
By: KAKE News
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Kansas republicans unveil school funding proposal - Video
Published February 12, 2015
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have delayed the panel's vote on President Obama's attorney general nominee, at least until the end of the month.
Republicans asked new Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, to delay the vote Thursday morning, saying they have more questions for Loretta Lynch, who is now the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Grassley agreed, saying it was standard procedure when members request more time for inquiry. He said the vote will take place after the Presidents' Day recess.
Lynch, who would be replacing Eric Holder, appeared before the panel in late January and faced a barrage of questions from Republicans regarding the president's executive actions on immigration, gay marriage, voting rights laws, the IRS scandal and Holder's handling of the office in general. On Thursday, Republicans said they still have questions.
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said he wanted to know more about a $1.9 billion settlement imposed by the Lynch's office three years ago that allowed Europe's largest bank, HSBC, to avoid prosecution in a massive drug money laundering scandal. The settlement has been questioned by lawmakers on Capitol Hill now that the bank has been implicated with new charges that it helped its wealthiest clients avoid paying taxes in their home countries.
"I would offer that as a specific reason to hold [the vote] over," Vitter said during the hearing.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, offered some reticence on the delay, saying that while he would respect Grassley's decision to delay, he planned to vote in favor of Lynch based on her qualifications for the job.
But freshman Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., suggested the panel had not given Lynch's nomination a thorough enough examination in January, and wanted to ask "specific answers on how [she] is going to operate as the chief executive of the Department of Justice."
"I'm looking at this like an executive job interview," he said, claiming the "very brief" time he had to question her in January was not enough. "I'm simply trying to do my job and to do a thorough review to make sure we have somebody who not only has the legal mind but the wherewithal to manage a department" as critical as the DOJ.
The holdover drew criticism from Democratic committee members who saw it as an ideological stalling tactic.
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Republicans delay vote on attorney general nominee
A partial agency shutdown looming, Senate Republicans offered Tuesday to permit a vote on Homeland Security funding legislation stripped of immigration provisions backed by conservatives but strongly opposed by President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats.
"We could have that vote very quickly," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said as his party struggled to escape a political predicament of their own making involving an agency with major anti-terrorism responsibilities.
McConnell said he did not know how the Republican-controlled House would respond if a stand-alone spending bill passed the Senate. Underscoring the realities of divided government, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada initially said he wouldn't agree to the proposal unless it had the backing of House Speaker John Boehner, in a sign it would be likely to clear the House.
With House Republicans scheduled to meet privately Wednesday to discuss the issue, Boehner's office issued a statement that neither accepted nor rejected the proposal McConnell outlined to end weeks of gridlock.
"The speaker has been clear: The House has acted, and now Senate Democrats need to stop hiding. Will they continue to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security or not?" said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel.
Some House conservatives criticized the proposal, but one lawmaker allied with the leadership predicted it might win approval. Noting that a federal judge in Texas has issued an order blocking implementation of Obama's plan to shield millions of immigrants from deportation, Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said the court had "effectively stopped the president's executive action," at least for now. "So I don't think we'd run the risk of shutting down Homeland Security," he added.
Even in the Senate, though, McConnell's plan had its GOP critics.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a tea party favorite and potential 2016 presidential contender, called it a mistake. "Congress is obliged to use every constitutional check and balance we have to rein in President Obama's lawlessness," he said in a statement.
Senate Republican officials said McConnell's offer of a vote on a stand-alone funding bill also envisions a vote on a separate measure to repeal a directive from Obama last fall that shields about 4 million immigrants from deportation even though they live in the United States illegally. That measure would almost certainly fail in the Senate at the hands of Democrats.
At the same time, the proposal would eliminate an attempt by the House to repeal an earlier presidential order that allows tens of thousands of immigrants to remain in the country if they were brought here illegally as youngsters by their parents. Officials said Boehner's office had been informed of McConnell's plans before they were made public.
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In a bind, Senate Republicans offer vote on Homeland Security bill
The 1971 San Diego Padres were a wretched lot. The team lost 100 games. Finished in last place, 28-and-a-half games out of first. They were the least-patronized team in the National League. The front office tired of the Padres losing ways and applied pressure on manager Preston Gomez. One day there was a close call at third base which clearly went against San Diego. But Gomez skipped out of the dugout anyway to argue with umpire Harry Wendelstedt. Upon arriving at third base, Gomez told Wendelstedt he knew the call was right but he was on orders from the Padres brass to put on a show. The Padres may not look like much on the field. But maybe the manager could show some spark and get into a good rhubarb with the umpires.
I dont mind, Preston, replied Wendelstedt. Take as long as you want.
House and Senate Republicans may not be as pathetic as Gomezs 71 Padres. But they sure cant figure out a way to avoid a calamitous shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on February 27. And like Gomez, they need to put on a good show and kick some dirt around the infield to show the conservative base they wont cave and will fight President Obama immigration executive orders.
Congress fully funded all federal departments except DHS in December. DHS was the lone stray because conservatives insisted to leaders they use that spending bill to block the executive orders. The House easily passed a DHS bill a few weeks ago. Now the Senate is stymied, unable to even summon the DHS legislation to the floor due to a Democratic filibuster. Democrats are more than willing to consider a clean DHS funding bill. But not one with the immigration attachments.
Senate Republicans have already engineered three procedural votes over the past few weeks to cut off the filibuster. Such an operation requires 60 yeas. Republicans only hold 54 Senate seats. Thus, the votes failed each time. Congress is now on recess for a week. Yet Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has scheduled a fourth procedural vote for Monday, February 23 with little chance of success.
But Republicans will put on a show.
Republicans will use the recess to stir up voters upset about the executive action. Republicans want them to call and write moderate Democratic senators who they think could be pressured into relenting to vote in favor of allowing the DHS bill to come to the Senate floor. For instance, Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN) cut a video message for Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN), urging him to switch his vote.
By voting to block debate, youre voting to block the democratic process. If you dont like the bill we sent you, change it. Offer amendments. Let democracy work, beseeched Messer of his fellow Hoosier.
This may not get anywhere. But it boosts the GOP faithful and blames the Democrats. And it comes at a time when the House Republican leadership and Senate Republican leadership cant agree on a path forward.
The House has done its job.Weve passed a bill. Its up to the Senate, said House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).
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Republicans must stage a show on immigration