Tag: Mitch McConnell

Trump’s judicial nominee clashes with Democrats over his comments critical of health care law

Washington Post logoPresident Trump’s nominee to the most influential federal appeals court clashed with Democrats over his past comments about the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans praised his recent ruling allowing limited Easter church services during the coronavirus pandemic.

Judge Justin Walker, a protege of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, faced criticism at Wednesday’s confirmation hearing over his remarks two years ago that rulings upholding the ACA were “indefensible” and about jokes he made at the law’s expense at a ceremony in March marking his entry to the federal bench.

Republicans are pushing to elevate Walker to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit — a promotion that Democrats decry as too quick for the 37-year-old after just six months as a district judge in Kentucky. Continue reading.

A key judge just opened the door for an ethics inquiry into Mitch McConnell’s actions to shape federal courts

AlterNet logoSen. Mitch McConnell may be facing an independent investigation into whether he pressured federal judges into retiring.

“Just days before a high-profile Senate confirmation hearing to fill a vacancy on the prestigious U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the court’s chief judge has opened the door to an inquiry into whether ethical improprieties occurred in the creation of the coveted opening,” The New York Times reported Monday.

“In an order dated May 1, Judge Sri Srinivasan asked Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. to assign another circuit to look into a complaint filed by the progressive advocacy group Demand Justice, which questioned the timing and circumstances of Judge Thomas B. Griffith’s retirement announcement in early March,” the newspaper explained. Continue reading.

Pelosi, McConnell decline White House offer of rapid COVID-19 tests

The Hill logoIn a rare bipartisan joint statement, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) turned down the White House’s offer of rapid COVID-19 testing kits as the Senate returns to the Capitol this week amid concerns about the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

“Congress is grateful for the Administration’s generous offer to deploy rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities to Capitol Hill, but we respectfully decline the offer at this time,” the congressional leaders said. “Our country’s testing capacities are continuing to scale up nationwide and Congress wants to keep directing resources to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the most quickly.”

The Senate will reconvene Monday at 5 p.m. on a confirmation vote for Robert Feitel to become inspector general of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Continue reading.

Republicans are indulging in a nasty gambit — but they won’t like the final endgame

AlterNet logoNothing angers Andrew Cuomo more than the notion that taxpayers in “red states” should resent or resist assistance for “blue states” struggling against the coronavirus. Hearing that message from Senate Republicans provoked the Democratic New York governor to remind the nation several times of the gross disparity between what his state remits to the Treasury and what their states reclaim in federal benefits.

Cuomo noted acidly that New York pays $116 billion more than it gets back annually, while lucky Kentucky, the home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, gets $148 billion more than it pays. By that reckoning, New York has kicked in far more over the past few decades than any of the states whose Republican leaders criticize supposed liberal profligacy.

“Give us our money back, Sen. McConnell,” roared the New Yorker. Continue reading.

Bless Their Hearts: How Red States Screw Blue States

Nothing angers Andrew Cuomo more than the notion that taxpayers in “red states” should resent or resist assistance for “blue states” struggling against the coronavirus. Hearing that message from Senate Republicans provoked the Democratic New York governor to remind the nation several times of the gross disparity between what his state remits to the Treasury and what their states reclaim in federal benefits.

Cuomo noted acidly that New York pays $116 billion more than it gets back annually, while lucky Kentucky, the home of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, gets $148 billion more than it pays. By that reckoning, New York has kicked in far more over the past few decades than any of the states whose Republican leaders criticize supposed liberal profligacy.

“Give us our money back, Sen. McConnell,” roared the New Yorker. Continue reading.

Capitol physician says Senate lacks capacity to test all senators

The Capitol’s attending physician said Thursday that coronavirus tests will be available for staffers and senators who are ill, but not enough to proactively test all 100 senators as the chamber comes back in session, according to two people familiar with the matter.

In a conference call with top GOP officials, Dr. Brian Monahan said there is not sufficient capacity to quickly test senators for coronavirus — a contrast with the White House, where any people meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are tested for the disease. Monahan said test results in the Senate will take two or more days, while the White House has rapid testing.

The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Monday after more than a month away, bringing as many as 100 senators from across the country. Roughly half the senators are 65 or older and at increased risk for the coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continue reading.

GOP prepares to hit the gas on Trump nominees

Senate Republicans are preparing to fire up the nominations engine when they return to Washington next week.

GOP senators are discussing ways to advance several key nominations after a five-week recess temporarily threw the future of President Trump’s picks into limbo. To accomplish that, they plan to press ahead with confirmation hearings, committee votes and floor votes.

When the Senate reconvenes on Monday, after having left town in late March to help curb the spread of the coronavirus on Capitol Hill, their first order of business will be a vote related to a Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominee. Continue reading.

A New Message For Mitch: No More Red-State Bailouts

As of 48 hours ago, few people knew that Kentucky was the nation’s leading recipient of federal largess, and certainly had no clue just how much the state received compared to the rest of the country. Then, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican from Kentucky, started whining about “Blue state bailouts,” and the shit has hit the fan.

Looks like it’s time to reexamine Kentucky’s privileged status.

Blue states have been happy to carry the burden of funding red states for … kinda forever. California, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, in particular, have pumped untold hundreds of billions over the last several decades into mostly rural red states. Continue reading.

State bankruptcy furor shakes up McConnell reelection bid

The Hill logoDemocrats are seizing on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) suggestion that states should be able to declare bankruptcy as the party looks to bring his Kentucky seat into play.

The GOP leader has made his outsized influence in Washington a key pillar of his campaign, positioning himself as the driving force behind Congress’s coronavirus relief  bills and touting his efforts to score critical federal aid for his state.

But Democrats believe McConnell’s remarks — that states facing budget shortfalls amid the pandemic should be able to “use the bankruptcy route” — blow a hole in his reelection argument. Continue reading.

McConnell scrambles to walk back his threat to let states go bankrupt after bipartisan backlash

AlterNet logoSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., walked back his threat to let states that request federal assistance go bankrupt rather than extend additional aid, which would require further deficit spending.

“I’m open to additional assistance,” he told Politico. “It’s not just going to be a check, though. You get my point?”

McConnell also suggested to Fox News Radio host Guy Benson that President Donald Trump should cut back on the time he spends speaking at White House coronavirus briefings, saying most Americans would rather hear information about the pandemic from medical professionals. Continue reading.