Lawmakers are returning to the Capitol to face a lengthy to-do list, including the looming debt limit crisis and the fallout from a leak of highly classified Pentagon documents. Republicans are pushing for spending cuts to be included in any debt ceiling deal, while Democrats are hoping to avoid a drawn-out battle over Senator Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) resignation due to her lengthy absence from the Senate. It remains to be seen how lawmakers will be able to address both issues in the coming weeks, as it is essential that both sides come together to reach an agreement that will prevent further damage to the economy.
Posts published in “Politics”
Mitch McConnell is set to return to the Senate on Monday to decide whether to remove Dianne Feinstein from the Senate Judiciary Committee, a decision which could have major implications for President Biden's plans and the 2022 Senate race. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has defended Feinstein's ability to serve in the Senate, saying that a senator should be able to make their own judgments about when they're retiring. McConnell's decision is expected soon.
Senators Mitch McConnell and John Fetterman are set to return to the U.S. Capitol on Monday after extended absences due to medical issues. McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, suffered a concussion after a fall at a Washington-area hotel, while Fetterman sought treatment for clinical depression. The coming work period will shape the debate over the debt ceiling and other important issues, while questions remain over the illness of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who was hospitalized with an undisclosed ailment last month.
The House Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Jim Jordan, will hold a field hearing in Manhattan on Monday to discuss crime in the city. The hearing is seen as a way for House Republicans to curry favor with former President Donald Trump, and to discredit Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's criminal case against him. It will include victims of violent crime and is expected to draw a lot of attention, as it is sure to be a contentious event.
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Kremlin critic, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday by a Moscow court for treason and denigrating the Russian military. His arrest and sentencing have been widely condemned by human rights groups and international organizations, including the US Ambassador to Moscow and the European Union. Kara-Murza has twice survived poisonings he blamed on the Kremlin and in his final statement said he remains proud of standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin's "dictatorship."
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Kremlin critic and Russian human rights advocate, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of treason and denigrating the Russian military by a Moscow court. His detention has been widely condemned as a politically motivated move to silence dissent, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the European Union expressing their deep concern over the ruling.
The trial between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News, which was expected to begin on Monday, has been delayed until April 18, 2023. The case is a high-stakes defamation case, with Dominion seeking $1.6 billion in damages from Fox News for allegedly spreading false claims about its role in the 2020 presidential election. The trial is expected to last three weeks and could have far-reaching implications for the media industry.
Thomas Peterffy, the wealthiest man in Florida, has announced that he and a group of his friends are withholding their support for Governor Ron DeSantis due to his stance on abortion and book banning. This decision is a major blow to DeSantis’s campaign, as Peterffy’s financial support has been a major source of funding for the Republican party in the past. It is likely that more wealthy donors will follow Peterffy’s lead and withhold their support from candidates who do not align with their values.