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Michael Lewis: Sam Bankman-Fried Donated Multi-Millions To McConnell's List Of Anti-Trump Republicans

Mon, 10/02/2023 - 01:56
Michael Lewis, author of the new book "Going Infinite" about disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, told "60 Minutes" that the former finance CEO met with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell ahead of the 2022 election to help pick "Republican candidates at odds with Donald Trump" to fund. Watch the full interview here via "60 Minutes." "The subtext of this dinner is Sam is gonna write tens of millions of dollars of checks to a super PAC that Mitch McConnell is then gonna use to get elected people who are not hostile to democracy," Lewis said. MICHAEL LEWIS: Sam Bankman-Fried ends up with a portfolio heavily concentrated in two things. Pandemic prevention, because there really are things the government should be doing. And the other thing that made his list that was so interesting was Donald Trump. He took the view that all the big existential problems are gonna require the United States government to be involved to solve them. And if the democracy is undermined, it-- like, we don't have our democracy anymore, all these problems are less likely to be solved. And he saw Trump trying to undermine the democracy, and he thought, "Trump is-- belongs on the list of existential risks." 60 MINUTES: To that end, Lewis writes that in 2022, Bankman-Fried met with the most unlikely of allies, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. According to Lewis, Bankman-Fried wanted to help McConnell fund Republican candidates at odds with Donald Trump. JON WERTHEIM, 60 MINUTES: You're flying with Sam and he tells you about a meeting he's gonna have with Mitch McConnell. MICHAEL LEWIS: Well, the interesting thing starts before we even get on the plane. I meet him at the airport, and he comes tumbling out of a car. And he's in his cargo shorts and his T-shirt. And he's got, balled up in his hand-- it takes me a while to see what it is, but it's a blue suit. It's got more wrinkles than any blue suit ever had. It's been just jammed into this little ball. (laughs) And a shoe, like, falls out of the pile that he's got in his arms. And I said, like, "What-- why you have the suit?" And he says-- (laughs) he says, "Mi-- Mitch McConnell really cares what you wear when you-- (laughs) when you meet with him." And he's having dinner in six hours with Mitch McConnell. And I-- I said, "Well, you got the suit. Is there-- you got a belt?" He goes, "No. I don't have a belt." I said, "You got-- you have a shirt?" He goes, "No. No shirt," "and the suit, you really can't really wear that suit." And he goes, "Yeah. But they told me to bring a suit." 60 MINUTES: According to Lewis, Bankman-Fried wanted to help McConnell fund Republican candidates at odds with Donald Trump… MICHAEL LEWIS: What is the subtext of this dinner, is Sam is gonna write tens of millions of dollars of checks to a super PAC that Mitch McConnell is then gonna use to get elected people who are not "hostile to democracy." JON WERTHEIM, 60 MINUTES: Wait. So, Mitch McConnell has a list of Republican candidates who are, sort of, on the playing field for democracy versus what he deemed outside? MICHAEL LEWIS: He and his team had done the work to distinguish between actual deep Trumpers and people who were just seeming to approve of Donald Trump but we actually willing to govern. 60 MINUTES: Bankman-Fried ended up giving multi-millions in support of the Republican candidates. Back in 2020, Bankman-Fried had ranked among Joe Biden's biggest donors. As 2024 approached, he planned on spending more, albeit in the most unconventional way.

Biden: "We Cannot Under Any Circumstances Allow America's Support For Ukraine To Be Interrupted"

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 19:57
President Joe Biden slammed House Republicans on Sunday after Congress nearly missed the deadline to pass a spending bill to avoid another government shutdown. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Last night Congress passed the spending bill that's gonna keep the government open. And it's good news for the American people because the government will not shut down and a needless crisis will have been averted, saving millions, millions of Americans, needless pain. That means more than 1,300,000 of our troops will continue to get paid and their families will be cared for. Tens of thousands of air traffic controllers and transportation security officers are going to stay on the job, get paid, preventing unnecessary delays at airports all across America. Millions of families will continue to have access to critical food and nutrition assistance, especially programs for women and infant children and so many other programs. ... The truth is we shouldn't be here in the first place. We shouldn't have gotten here in the first place. It's time to end governing by crisis, and keep your word when you give it in the Congress. A few months ago, after a long negotiation between myself and the Rpeublican Speaker, we came to agree on a budget agreement precisely to avoid this kind of manufactured crisis we just witnessed. But the last few days and weeks, extreme MAGA Republicans tried to walk away from that deal, voting for deep, drastic spending cuts of 30-80% that would have been devastating for millions of Americans. They failed again and we stopped them. But I'm under not issusions that they'll be back again. You know, where I come from, when you make a deal and give your word, you keep it. You give your word, you say you'll do what you're going to do, and you do it. You keep it, you keep your word. And I expect the Republican Speaker and Republicans in Congress to honor their word, and keep the deal they made months ago when they tried to threaten uis with international bankruptcy by not paying our debts. ... While the speaker and an overwhelming majority of the Congress have steadfastly supported Ukraine to defend itself against the aggression and brutality of the Russian attack on women and children, in addition to military in Ukraine, there is no Ukrainian funding in this agreement. Despite that, I did not believe we could let a million Americans go through the pain of a government shutdown. But let's be clear, I hope my friends on the other side keep their word about support for Ukraine. They said they were going to support Ukraine in a separate vote. We can not under any circumstance allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the Speaker to keep his commitment.

Nikki Haley: Joe Biden Has Done A Terrible Job Explaining Where Ukraine War Funding Actually Goes

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 16:25
GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley defends U.S. funding for Ukraine during an interview with FNC's "FOX News Sunday" host Shannon Bream. NIKKI HALEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, it's interesting that they give you that false choice. And this is why I think it's important for Americans to know the hard truth. Congress has only delivered a bill on time four times in 40 years. Think about that. That's one of their only jobs, four times in 40 years. And then you go and you look and we're having the shutdown of government or do we need to do it? Do we not do it? The reality is Republicans and Democrats all of them have been spending taxpayer dollars in a ridiculous way. They just take a budget from last year, add more to it and keep going. So the false narrative of we can either pay for certain things or Ukraine is wrong. What Ukraine is, is national security. Now, I will put the blame on Joe Biden. Joe Biden, and the president is always supposed to show leadership on why things are funded. Joe Biden has done a horrific job of really explaining to the American people and making it transparent of where this money goes. The fact that this is actually going to prevent war, the fact that this is only three and a half percent of our national budget. The -- three and a half percent of our national defense budget. The fact that, you know, this goes back to 11 European countries are spending more than us. But what is this going to? It's going to weapons. It's going to replenish our stockpile. It's going to make sure Ukraine has what they need. And it's going to make sure that if they win, this is not a win for Russia or China but it's preventing war, so that it doesn't go into Poland and other NATO countries.

'FOX News Sunday' Panel: Record Number Of Border Crossings, House GOP Budget Battle

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 16:20
FNC's Shannon Bream hosts Julia Manchester of The Hill, Juan Williams, Jason Rantz, and Kevin Roberts from the Heritage Foundation.

'FOX News Sunday' Panel: Why Is China Taking Back Their Pandas?

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 16:20
FNC's Shannon Bream hosts Julia Manchester of The Hill, Juan Williams, Jason Rantz, and Kevin Roberts from the Heritage Foundation to discuss the Chinese government's management of their strategic panda supply and U.S.-China relations.

Stephen Miller: "We Need 40 Republicans To Stand Up And Say No To Open Borders, No To Weaponized Government"

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 16:14
Former Trump speechwriter Stephen Miller talks about the battle over appropriations with FNC's Maria Bartiromo on "Sunday Morning Futures." STEPHEN MILLER, FORMER SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I, for one, am not celebrating the fact that we have extended government funding without making any change at all in the direction of this corrupt government. I understand how it got to this point, but the tragedy is this. We have walked for the last two or three days as everybody has been in a state of absolute panic, upheaval, outrage at the mere possibility that there could be a temporary lapse in government funding, as it happened dozens of times before. I have not seen the same level of outrage, or panic, or upheaval, or emotion over the fact that we have had an invasion our border for three straight years. Washington is up in arms over the prospect of a slight disturbance in their lives and their schedules, but the destruction of our country, except for but a handful of members, barely elicits any response at all. We need to use this funding process to stop the mass releases, and that also means we have to get Senate Republicans engaged. Maria, there's 49 Republicans. It takes 40 to change the direction of that institution. We need 40 Republicans to get behind the position that we will not approve any DHS funding long term that doesn't stop the mass releases. And then you go about breaking the spirit of Joe Manchin and Jon Tester and Tim Kaine and all of the other left-wing Democrats, and you say, either you're with us or you're for the invasion. But until we start doing that, Maria, we're not a serious country and we are not even remotely, remotely at the beginning of how bad this nightmare is going to get. BARTIROMO: Well, they tried to do that. They were pushing a continuing resolution. The House Republicans were pushing a resolution that included language that said, we will not fund anything, not a dime more, until we actually have a change in policy at the border. And it failed. MILLER: Yes, so, first of all, let me be clear. I supported the effort to do the 45-day stopgap with the border security measures included and then, during that 45-day period, to then pass the individual appropriations bills, including a DOJ bill that fully defangs, disables, and defunds weaponized government. That didn't happen. Here's where we are now. I'm just talking now to my friends all throughout the House Conference, people on the right, left, middle. You need to get on the same page. You need to see the greater good here. You need to understand that, if you don't find a way, somehow, some way, to pass 218 spending bills with 218 votes that disable this corrupt government, so you can meet and beat Chuck Schumer in a fight, then we will have failed. I don't expect to win every battle, Maria. I don't expect to prevail in every contest. But we need to show that we can force the Senate to consider the policies that will stop the invasion, that will stop weaponized government, that will stop the assault on our liberties and our freedoms. And if that means the government shuts once, or twice, or three times, then that is the smallest price against the loss of our country, against the loss of this republic. And it will force the whole American people to pay attention to the travesty that is unfolding every single day in this country. BARTIROMO: Well, it's incredible to me that the Senate is not more outraged by this. Now you have got Matt Gaetz putting forward -- he says he will this week -- a motion to vacate the speaker's chair. How does that play out, in your view? MILLER: I think, at this point in time, it's very clear that Kevin is not going to be going anywhere. He has the support of 218 members. And I understand, and I need to help everybody rise above. I understand all the emotions that are playing out right now. But, for the love of God, we are losing this country, and we are losing it fast. Republicans need to unify around the twin mission of stopping the open border invasion and stopping a government that has been weaponized against conservatives and Christians and anyone who does not subscribe to the tenets of the radical left. And that means we need to get moderates on board and conservatives on board, and even means that people are going to have to make compromises on spending levels to pass these bills. That means you're going to have to agree to spending levels you might not like, but to get the policy that you want. And then you need to get Senate Republicans, as I said, in the game, Maria. We need 40 Republicans to stand up and say no to open borders, no to weaponized government. Put the pressure on the Democrats who are in cycle. Put pressure with them and their voters. Make them understand that they will lose their seats if they don't get on board.

Rep. Jason Smith: We Issued Subpoenas This Week For Bank Records Of The President's Brother And Son

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 16:11
House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Jason Smith talks to Maria Bartiromo about the Biden impeachment inquiry on FNC's "Sunday Morning Futures." REP. JASON SMITH (R-MO): Maria, this week, the House Ways and Means Committee released over 700 pages of documents from the two IRS investigators, the whistle-blowers that came before us. And in those documents, it showed that not just was President Biden aware of his son Hunter Biden's business deals, but he was connected. He was connected through phone calls, through meetings at the White House, through trips on Air Force Two with Hunter Biden and his business associates. But even the IRS whistle-blowers connected a worksheet of all these Hunter Biden business meetings with official activity of Joe Biden. It's absolutely unacceptable. But you know what it also showed? It showed not just the obstruction that the Justice Department did in not prosecuting the president's son, but also the obstruction in any leads that led to the president of the United States. In fact, there was an interview with the president's brother, James Biden, that the Justice Department said, under no circumstances, can you ask any question about the president. There was a search warrant that had President Biden's name originally in it, and the Justice Department said, under no circumstances can Joe Biden be included. And then they wanted to pursue charges against the Biden campaign finance issues, but they said, we're not interested of any of that conduct. MARIA BARTIROMO: Well, all of this is in black and white in front of us all, and it's pretty obvious what has taken place here. But you're not going to be able to impeach Joe Biden without help from the Senate. Will it pass the Senate once you all -- and do you really expect the House will impeach Joe Biden, based on what you know so far? SMITH: Maria, this is an impeachment inquiry. We are focused on getting the facts. We issued subpoenas this week of bank records of Hunter Biden, and James Biden. We have also asked for numerous Biden officials to come before Congress and answer questions. We need the answers to those questions before we can proceed anywhere. We're going to follow the facts. And that's exactly what we're going to do.

Maria Bartiromo To Ron DeSantis: Would You Agree To Be Donald Trump's Running Mate?

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 16:01
FNC's Maria Bartiromo interviewed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on "Sunday Morning Futures" about whether he would ever serve as Donald Trump's running mate, the upcoming Iowa caucus, and his planned debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Bartiromo asked: "Let's face it, Governor. Donald Trump is ahead of you by a significant margin. I think the last poll was 52 percent above right now for Trump. How are you going to cut into Trump's lead? What truly is your path to victory?" "You show up. You make the case. You don't mail it in,," DeSantis said. "You don't go missing in action. You meet voters on the ground in the early states, Iowa, New Hampshire, in particular, and tell them about the future of the country and why you're the best candidate." MARIA BARTIROMO, FOX NEWS: Take a look at Iowa. Trump holds a 31-point lead over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis right now. And, in South Carolina, Trump holds a 28-point advantage over former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Meanwhile, President Biden's poll numbers continue to plummet, from voters key to his reelection bid, like suburban voters, women under age 45. Joining me right now with a reaction to all of this, in this "Sunday Morning Futures" exclusive, is Republican presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Governor, great to have you this morning. Thanks very much for being here. GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good morning. How you doing? BARTIROMO: You just heard President Trump. He said that his V.P. candidate was not on that stage. Let me begin right there, Governor. If President Trump came to you and said, let's partner up, you be my V.P., would you do it? DESANTIS: No. I'm running for president. We need somebody that can serve two terms. We need somebody that can win states like Georgia and Arizona, which President Trump cannot do or did not do, even though candidates like McCain and Romney had no problem winning those states. We need somebody who -- and I'm the only one running, including Donald Trump -- everything I have promised the voters that I would do as governor Florida, I have delivered on. We delivered budget surpluses, paying down debt, tax cuts, school choice, parents' rights, banning sanctuary cities, expanding Second Amendment rights. All and all down the line, I promise and I deliver. And that's really what we need, because the country is in decline. We can't just manage this decline a little bit better than the Democrats. We need to reverse the decline. But that means you have got to get in there and actually get all this stuff done. And I'm the candidate that can get -- do that, and that's why I'm running. And I think that, with all due respect to Donald Trump, we're not going to beat the Democrats by adopting Joe Biden's basement strategy. BARTIROMO: Yes. DESANTIS: You can't just be missing in action. You got to show up. You got to earn people's votes. And if you're not willing to do that, voters will take notice as we get closer to these contests. ... BARTIROMO: But real quick, before you go, let's face it, Governor. Donald Trump is ahead of you by a significant margin. I think the last poll was 52 percent above right now for Trump. How are you going to cut into Trump's lead? What truly is your path to victory? DESANTIS: You show up. You make the case. You don't mail it in. You don't go missing in action. You meet voters on the ground in the early states, Iowa, New Hampshire, in particular, and tell them about the future of the country and why you're the best candidate. And so I think that I will be the guy, been the most dependable leader the Republican Party's had in recent years. I have delivered. I haven't just talked. And that's what we need in Washington. The time for excuses is over. 2024 is make or break. We're not getting a mulligan on this one. We either get the job done, or we're going to be in a hole in this country for the next generation.

NY Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul: We Need "A Limit To Who Can Come Across The Border, It Is Too Open"

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 15:50
Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul asked Congress to "limit" the number of illegal immigrants streaming into this country "simply saying they need asylum." "People coming from all over the world are finding their way through, simply saying they need asylum, and the majority of them seem to be ending up in the streets of New York." "We want them to have a limit on who can come across the border. It is too open right now," she told CBS's "Face The Nation." "We are one of the most diverse places on earth because of our welcoming nature and it's in our DNA to welcome immigrants. But there has to be some limits in place," Hochul said. MARGARET BRENNAN, CBS NEWS: But it's stunning that a trillion dollars is not is not sufficient. nationally. I want to ask you as well about the other crisis you've been raising alarms about not is the strain due to migrants. There were no border provisions in this congressional bill that just passed. And I know you've said you've had to manage without help from Washington. What would you ask Congress to get done in the next 45 days? NEW YORK GOV. KATHY HOCHUL: Well, shame on Speaker McCarthy and the Republicans in Congress, including the nine from New York state who are complaining like crazy about the migrants, but refuse to work with President Biden and come up with a sensible border strategy. It can be done. This can be done in a bipartisan way, comprehensive immigration reform– BRENNAN: What specifically do you want? HOCHUL: Well, we want them to have a limit on who can come across the border. It is too open right now. People coming from all over the world are finding their way through, simply saying they need asylum, and the majority of them seem to be ending up in the streets of New York and that is a real problem for New York City. One hundred and twenty five thousand newly arrived individuals, and we are being taxed. We are always so proud of the fact that New York has the Statue of Liberty in our harbor. We are one of the most diverse places on earth because of our welcoming nature and it's in our DNA to welcome immigrants. But there has to be some limits in place. And Congress has to put more controls at the border and not in this budget threat, shutdown threat. Talk about eliminating positions for Border Patrol, well, we actually need to double or quadruple those numbers. So get back to work and do your jobs.

Matt Gaetz: I Have The Votes To Ensure Conservatives "Don't Own Kevin McCarthy Anymore"

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 15:21
CNN's Jake Tapper questions GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz over his battle with Speaker Kevin McCarthy to force votes on individual appropriations bills instead of an omnibus budget continuing resolution. REP. MATT GAETZ: Here's what I want to -- here's why I want to break the fever. Since the mid-'90s, this country has been governed by either continuing resolution or omnibus spending. JAKE TAPPER, CNN: Yes, and you have voted for a continuing resolution in the past. GAETZ: Well, I'm five years sober voting for continuing resolutions. And I should note that, during those years, President Trump was growing the economy. But January marked a difference. TAPPER: And the deficit. GAETZ: Yes. And you know what? TAPPER: Growing the deficits as well. GAETZ: But we were growing the economy. And, look -- look, you're talking about the national debt. TAPPER: You were growing -- what did he add, $7 trillion, $8 trillion dollars to the national debt? GAETZ: And, by the way, I voted against 10 continuing resolutions under Donald Trump. I did not stand with Donald Trump on all of his spending priorities. I voted against it way more than I voted for it. TAPPER: My point is, I don't know what this shutdown did to help the cause. GAETZ: What shutdown? TAPPER: The shutdown that almost happened. The threat of shutdown that you created. GAETZ: We have to break the fever. We have to move to single-subject spending bills. TAPPER: So you broke a fever? GAETZ: No, we didn't, unfortunately. That's why we have to now move to vacate, because we have to get a system where the House and Senate will negotiate over each of these agencies of government independently. And I understand that, in divided government, that means that you have to take into account the views of Senate Democrats, the views of the White House. But what I want to... TAPPER: You do? You understand that? Because you're on the floor of the House talking about what Kevin McCarthy needs to do is to allow line-item vetoes by people like you... GAETZ: That's not true. TAPPER: Line-item votes against the salaries of people who are investigating Donald Trump, the salaries of individuals who are offering sweetheart deals to Hunter Biden. That, to me, is not the language of somebody who understands the balance of power and House and Senate and how it -- all legislation actually functions. TAPPER: That, to me, is the language of somebody who is looking for clicks and likes and FOX hits, not somebody who actually is trying to reduce the debt. GAETZ: Well, I -- you might want to check FOX. I haven't been hitting there as much recently. What I can tell you is that the way the legislative process works, as a 12-year lawmaker in the state and federal level, the House passes legislation, the Senate passes legislation, and then you work to iron out those differences. I believe the best way to advance the interest of the American people is for the House to take the most conservative position and then engage that negotiation. Where that negotiation has failed all Americans of all stripes is when it centers around what ornament you're going to hang on a continuing resolution or an omnibus bill. The responsible, sober, adult way to handle this is with individual spending bills open to amendment. And, by the way, if people don't want to vote for the amendments that reduce salaries or cut spending or engage in programmatic analysis, they can vote no. And then the voters can hold people accountable. But the reason we set atop a $33 trillion debt is because a system has been designed in Washington, D.C., where no one is responsible for the spending. I want to force the votes. And here's what you're missing. McCarthy agreed to this. So, you may not like this deal. You may think that it's too many votes and too much governing. But McCarthy agreed to it in January. And his breaching that agreement is a problem. TAPPER: Well, I don't have an opinion on it one way or the other. And I actually agree with your position on the fact that we... GAETZ: Welcome aboard. TAPPER: ... we spend -- I have been here long before you were born, my friend. But, like, we spend way too much money, and we don't take in -- a hundred percent, I agree. GAETZ: Yes, we spend $7 trillion and take in 5. TAPPER: But where are you -- where are you when it comes to Senate Democrats, who actually control the Senate, and the president? And you could force the president's hand if you actually worked with Senate Democrats and got some sort of bill in front of him? That's how you force it? GAETZ: Sure. Well, in the time I have been here, we have not been able to cleave Senate Democrats away from President Biden. So, that's not true. TAPPER: How many Senate Democrats do you know? How many do you talk to? GAETZ: Well, I have talked to several of them. I go over to the Senate as much as many House members. I have talked to Senator Manchin, talked to Senator Sinema. She and I served together in the House. The -- we have had a number of folks go from the House to the Senate... TAPPER: One last question, because the reason -- I know... GAETZ: But, by the way -- but really important you get this point. I'm OK with bipartisan negotiation. I just want it to be on single-subject spending bills, not on a global deal that funds the whole government or doesn't. TAPPER: Right. And the appropriations bills are going through the process as... GAETZ: At a snail's pace, until I held a political gun to McCarthy's head and forced the Congress to stay until midnight to take these votes and move these bills. TAPPER: Oh, you should talk to the Appropriations Committee. There are four members of the Freedom Caucus on it. GAETZ: Well, by the way, the Appropriations chairman left the meeting we were having to iron these things out to go to a lobbyist fund-raiser, lobbyist fund-raiser, Jake. TAPPER: Last question -- last question for you, because the reason you talk about this being about the issue and not animus, because there are a lot of people, a lot of House Republicans who think that there is this personal animus between you and Speaker McCarthy. And I just have to ask you, how much do you blame Speaker McCarthy for the fact that you are under investigation by the House Ethics Committee? How much is that part of what's going on here? GAETZ: Not at all. Jake, I am the most investigated man in the United States Congress. I have been cleared by the DOJ, the FEC by a 5-0 vote. And the people who spread criminal lies about me are sitting in federal prison right now. So, I'm fine being investigated by anyone and everyone. TAPPER: But I have seen -- I have seen personal communications between you and other people in which you blame McCarthy for your ethics investigation. GAETZ: Well, when Kevin McCarthy went out publicly and said, this isn't about me breaking my word, it's because Gaetz has ethics problems, certainly, that was him gaslighting the Ethics Committee. But here's the thing, Jake. I'm not alone. People can say this is a party of one. I have tens of millions of Americans who stand with me on this. And I have a requisite number of House Republicans, a sufficient number, to ensure that we don't own Kevin McCarthy anymore. By week's end, he will either not be speaker or he will be speaker serving at the pleasure of House Democrats.

Rep. Byron Donalds: There Are A Lot Of Trust Issues Inside House Republican Conference

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 15:11
GOP Rep. Byron Donalds weighs in on the budget battle between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and hardline conservatives led by Rep. Matt Gaetz: REP. BYRON DONALDS: Well, I'm going to be honest. We did not get anything out of this continued resolution. The border is still unsecured in our country. Why is that? That's because Joe Biden and the Democrats got their way. The Democrat members are very happy with this deal. I think is a terrible deal for the American people because cutting this government spending down must happen. Inflation is still running rampant. That's not MAGA Republicans. That's MAGA Republicans, that's common sense. Having a secure border, that's MAGA Republicans. That's common sense. The Democrats are extremely radical on this position. And so I would implore my colleagues that whatever is going to happen over the next 45 days, we got to stand together, because at the end of the day, it is the Democrats who don't want to secure our border, they do not want to get the fiscal health of this nation back on track. They do not care about what's affecting the men and women in our country, regardless of their politics. BREAM: Do you think they will stand together? Do you think the speaker is in trouble? DONALDS: I think he is in trouble. Part of that is because there has to be some level of strong leadership in our chamber. I'm just going to be totally blunt, there are a lot of trust issues in my chamber right now, where people feel on both sides of our conference that everybody is not going to hold hands and continue to do this work together. That was indicative also of what happened yesterday on the floor, where it took more Democrats to pass this -- this deal to keep government open. The same thing happened on the debt deal. But at the end of the day, we've got to find a way to come together, stay focused as a -- as a conference. That's what I want to do. But border security has to be the number one thing that we find for going forward. We must secure our border. Joe Biden simply won't do it. He wants this catastrophe which is affecting all of our cities, and the only people standing in his way are House Republicans.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy: "Yes, I'll Survive," Budget Battle With Matt Gaetz "Is Personal"

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 15:05
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told CBS's "Face The Nation" that the effort by GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz to force votes on individual appropriations bills instead of an omnibus budget continuing resolution is "personal." "Bring it on," McCarthy said about the effort by Gaetz to remove him as Speaker. "He's more interested in securing TV interviews." "Let's get over with it. Let's start governing. If he's upset because he tried to push us into a shutdown and I made sure government didn't shut down, then let's have that talk," he said, "I'll survive." Full interview here:

Nancy Pelosi: Matt Gaetz Is A Waste Of Time Who Has "No Sway" In The House

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 14:55
Sunday on CNN, Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi had this advice for House Democrats as House Republicans wage an internal battle over the budget: REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): My advice to my fellow Democrats is simple. Follow the leader. Hakeem Jeffries has done a great job. Yesterday, we had a victory in the continuing resolution. It was a victory for Democrats, a defeat for the MAGAs. And I would say this one thing, listening to your conversation, if that's a conversation, your back-and-forth there. It's such a fraud when they start, the basis of this is about spending. These are people who gave a tax cut to the richest people in America, to the cost of $2 trillion to our national debt when what's-his-name was president of the United States, $2 trillion to the national debt. And that was to give 83 percent of the benefits to the top 1 percent. They're on the prowl for Medicare, Medicaid. They -- in their bill, they would cut a huge amount, almost a third of the administration of Social Security to help meet the needs of beneficiaries who have questions and the rest. So, they are -- and huge cuts in nutrition for WIC, Women, Infant and Children. It's not about the budget. It's about a values debate. And you're wasting your time on that guy, because he has no sway in the House of Representatives, except to get on TV and to raise money on the Internet. ... So, my advice, follow the leader.

'This Week' Roundtable: Will Democrats Bail Out McCarthy? Will Second Debate Impact GOP Primary?

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 14:26
ABC's Jon Karl hosts former DNC Chair Donna Brazile, Sarah Isgur from "The Dispatch," ABC political director Rick Klein, and Rachel Bade from Politico for the "This Week" roundtable about the Congressional budget battle and the second GOP primary debate.

GOP Rep. Matt Lawler: Gaetz Campaign Against McCarthy Is "Mealy-Mouthed And Frankly Duplicitous"

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 14:18
GOP Rep. Matt Lawler launched a personal attack on Rep. Matt Gaetz over his effort to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during an interview on ABC's "This Week." "This is a guy who says one thing out of one side of his mouth and speaks another thing out of the other side," Lawler said. "He's mealy-mouthed, and frankly duplicitous."

President Biden: "Trump Has Concluded That He Has To Win, And They'll Pull Out All The Stops"

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 14:12
In a rare, wide-ranging, formal interview with John Harwood with ProPublica, President Biden addressed broad "threats to democracy," ethical concerns about the Supreme Court, his campaign against former President Trump, and more. Read more: The Biden Interview: The President Talks About the Supreme Court, Threats to Democracy and Trump's Vow to Exact Retribution

Gaetz: If McCarthy Is Still Speaker Next Week, It Will Be With Support From Democrats

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 14:04
GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz told ABC's "This Week" that he and some of his conservative colleagues plan to withdraw their support for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy following the passage of a 45-day stopgap measure to continue budget negotiations until the week before Christmas. "I don't think 'the adult in the room' would allow America to sit atop a $33 trillion debt, facing $2.2 trillion annual deficits. I don't think 'the adult in the room' would allow $8 trillion dollars of this debt to come into refinancing at a higher level without serious spending cuts, and I don't think 'the adult in the room' would lie to House conservatives," Gaetz said. "And that's exactly what Kevin McCarthy did." "In January, to get the Speakership, Kevin had to agree to certain guardrails on spending and he had to agree to a process that would allow us to put some downward pressure on spending." "Since the mid-90s, this country has been governed by revolving continuing resolutions and omnibus spending bill. What that means is that America's lawmakers take one up-or-down vote on the funding of the entire government. That is crazy. That is the reason we're $33 trillion in debt. We want to move to single-subject spending bills. He made that commitment, he broke it," Gaetz said. "If at this time next week, Kevin McCarthy is still Speaker of the House, it will be because the Democrats bailed him out and he can be their Speaker, not mine."

X CEO Linda Yaccarino: The Foundation Of X Is Based On Free Expression And Freedom Of Speech

Sun, 10/01/2023 - 13:53
"X" CEO Linda Yaccarino says the new Twitter is a new company that will value free speech during a Q&A at the Code 2023 conference: LINDA YACCARINO: The foundation of X is based on free expression and freedom of speech. Everyone deserves to have that opportunity to speak their opinion, no matter who they are. Including Elon, including you, Julia [Boorstin of CNBC]. We can't just decide who doesn't get to post or have their opinion because we don't like it. It's actually what we talk a lot about, free expression is only successful, freedom of speech is only successful if someone you disagree with says something you disagree with. The rest of the conversation is available below:

Dem Rep. Ro Khanna: "The Dam's About To Break On The Establishment Control Of The Party"

Sat, 09/30/2023 - 20:08
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) in an interview with The Young Turk's told Uyguy the time is now to double down on the Democratic party being a progressive party. Khanna said that the Democrats need to improve their messaging and sell their agenda to the American people before the election. We're not communicating at the volume, speed, interest, vitality that we need to, Khanna said. Biden has been a much better and more progressive President than I thought, but the communication isn't even where Obama's was. There isn't a modern-day communication strategy. Khanna concluded with a message of hope for the American people: "People don't realize how close we are. The dam's about to break on the establishment control of the party. This is not the time for folks to give up. This is the time to double down and demand we [Democrats] become a progressive party.

Trump: If You Rob A Store, You Can Fully Expect To Be Shot As You Are Leaving That Store

Sat, 09/30/2023 - 01:53
Former President Donald Trump addressed shoplifting on Friday in his speech at the California Republican Party Convention: "When the police are allowed to do their job and that means in some cases shoot them. This will stop immediately. Immediately. Our police are amazing." "We will immediately stop all the pillaging and theft. Very simply, if you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store. Shot," Trump said to applause.

Trump on crime: "When the police are allowed to do their job, and means in some cases shot them, this will stop." pic.twitter.com/divMU6AEjh

- Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 29, 2023

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