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Emergency Declaration Rebuke To Pass Senate, Congress Unlikely To Garner Votes To Overturn Trump Veto
As the first-ever veto from President Trump will strike down the border wall rebuke, it could set up the first-ever Supreme Court case directly dealing with the formalization of the emergency powers of the commander in chief under the National Emergencies Act.
Democrat’s Sweeping Gun Legislation Expands Background Checks To Most Sales, Transfers
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Protections For Pets And Animals Passed By Virginia House GOP
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Border Wall Rebuke Introduced In Congress, Setting Up Trump Veto
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Governor Northam’s Push To Strike Down Voter ID Laws Fails
Proposals to rescind voter ID laws have remained widely unpopular across the U.S., which tells the tale of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s effort to repeal them.
President Trump, Congress Reach Deal To Temporarily Reopen Government With No Wall Funding
On Friday morning in the Rose Garden at the White House, President Donald Trump announced that a “deal has been reached” to reopen the 25 percent of the federal government that has been closed since December 22, 2018. The sudden change in momentum came as major airports are experiencing long delays and over 800,000 federal workers are getting ready to miss a second paycheck.
President Trump pledged to sign a bill on day 35 of the shutdown that would reopen the government for three weeks, until February 15. The funding package, however, will not include any money for the proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall.
On Thursday, Trump relayed to reporters that he would support “a reasonable agreement” to reopen the government as the impasse between the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives has reached extreme divisiveness. That same day, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) scheduled votes for two likely failing plans to reopen nine federal agencies.
Under the Republican plan, $5.7 billion would be allocated to building the U.S.-Mexico border wall (or barrier) in “strategic locations” and, per President Trump‘s remarks, provide for a three-year extension of protections for over 700,000 undocumented immigrants shielded from deportation under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Trump’s funding request also includes $800 million for humanitarian assistance, $805 million for drug detection technology, 2,750 more border agents and law enforcement officers, and 75 more immigration judges.
Democrats, on the other hand, have continued to work on a package that would ignore the president’s demand for $5.7 billion for a southern border wall and would instead allocate funds for other ideas aimed at protecting the border, what they call a “21st Century plan.” Although the Democratic Party’s border security plan and its costs remain a work in progress, it is said to include money for scanning devices and other advanced technological tools to bolster security at certain ports of entry at the southern border, as well as money for additional border agents and immigration judges.
According to a report from AP, the Senate first rejected the Republican plan, garnering just a 50-47 vote for the measure, 10 shy of the 60 votes needed. Minutes later, senators voted 52-44 for the Democratic alternative, eight shy of the 60 votes needed.
Last night and this morning, at least five Republican Senators called Trump to urge him to reopen the government, having the upper chamber consider his $5.7 billion request for border wall money through different legislation.
With the government set to reopen for the next three weeks, the president added in his speech that a bipartisan contingent of lawmakers from both the House and Senate will meet to develop a border security funding proposal for the Department of Homeland Security.
William Barr, Trump’s Pick For Attorney General, Testifies In Senate Confirmation Hearing
The Senate confirmation hearing for William Barr, President Donald Trump’s new pick for attorney general, began Tuesday morning, seemingly less contentious than the hearings that dominated autumn 2018 with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Barr served as the 77th Attorney General under the late former President George H. W. Bush from 1991 to 1993.
The Reagan-era policy staffer was known as a strong defender of presidential power and aggressive actions on terrorism and drug-trafficking. Regardless, during his 1991 confirmation hearing he received a good reception from both Republicans and Democrats.
One of the biggest issues surrounding the confirmation of Barr is how he will handle White House Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian collusion into the 2016 presidential election. Many on the Senate Judiciary Committee prompted Barr to reveal if he would act to protect the president if the eventual release of the report would incriminate the commander in chief.
With talk of the upcoming departure of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who has been at odds with President Trump in the recent past, Barr explained that he has nothing to do with the decision. Although Barr would be allowed to choose his deputy for the Department of Justice (DOJ), he reiterated that he has asked Rosenstein to stay on for “a period” if he is confirmed.
Barr also answered questions on whether he would allow Trump to direct him in the Russia investigation, after ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself in the weeks after the president’s inauguration – an issue that began the tumultuous relationship between the two.
“I will not be bullied into doing anything I think is wrong,” Barr said.
Recently, however, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), a widely-speculated 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, believes Barr should recuse himself from overseeing Mueller’s investigation.
On Tuesday, senators Richard Blumenthal (D-MA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) charged that Barr that he must act as a fully independent attorney general, regardless of the wishes of the president, who has said that he does not want a DOJ head that will recuse himself. Furthermore, Feinstein prodded Barr to commit to not interfering in the Russia probe.
“The special counsel’s investigation is set by his charter and by the regulations, and I will ensure those are maintained,” Barr said, adding that he will not terminate the investigation “without good cause.” He also said the special counsel “is not involved” in a witch hunt.
Although Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said the process to confirm and the subsequent responsibilities of Trump’s pick for attorney general “will be challenging,” he expressed confidence in Barr during the questioning insofar as Mueller’s investigation is concerned. Barr said Mueller will be allowed to continue the investigation, making the results public, consistent with federal regulations.
“I believe it is in the best interest of everyone…Bob will be allowed to finish his work,” he said, who also has a friendly relationship with the special counsel.
As the confirmation hearings continue, Barr will also be grilled on presidential powers, immigration enforcement, abortion and the validity of Roe v. Wade (1973), the handling of enemy combatants and the constitutionality of torture, protections for journalists, and his past actions in previous administrations.
If Barr becomes the 85th attorney general, he will be the first to repeat the position since its inception in 1789. He will replace acting-Attorney General Matt Whitaker who was thrust into the position following his tenure as chief of staff to former Attorney General Sessions after a two-year, mostly bad-tempered relationship with President Trump.