Attorney General Merrick Garland has defended the Justice Department's handling of two separate special counsel investigations into classified documents linked to former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. He has stated that the Department applies the same norms and practices to all, and is now grappling with a growing political nightmare due to the investigations targeting two presidents. In his first public remarks on the topic, Garland was asked whether he believed the Justice Department was handling the probes fairly, to which he responded that the Department has a set of norms and practices that are applied to all.
Posts tagged as “Democratic”
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) announced his candidacy for the Arizona U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) on Monday, emphasizing his commitment to fighting for working families and giving every Arizonan the same chance at the American Dream. Gallego, who is of Mexican descent, has already launched videos in English and Spanish to promote his candidacy and has received endorsements from several prominent Democrats. The Arizona Senate race is expected to be one of the most competitive in the country.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has nominated California Representatives Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell to serve on the House Intelligence Committee, setting up a potential showdown with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who has vowed to block the pair. Jeffries cited Schiff and Swalwell's "decades of distinguished leadership providing oversight" of the intelligence community and their careers as prosecutors before serving in Congress. The move signals a rocky start to the relationship between Jeffries and McCarthy, with the potential conflict between them affecting the committee's work.
Democratic Representative Ruben Gallego of Arizona has announced his campaign for the United States Senate, setting up a potential 2024 clash with incumbent Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Gallego is a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq and has been a member of the House since 2015. He has asked for the support of his fellow veterans in his campaign and has hired well-known Democratic consultants and pollsters. The outcome of this potential three-way contest between Gallego, Sinema, and any other potential candidates will be closely watched by major Democratic leaders.
Representative George Santos (R-NY) has been assigned to two House committees, despite calls for his resignation from both Democrats and Republicans due to allegations of misrepresentation in order to gain a pension and health care for life. The controversy has sparked a debate over the ethics of misrepresentation in politics, and it is up to the voters to decide whether or not they will continue to support him. Santos has acknowledged that he had “embellished” his resume but added that he did nothing “criminal.”
President Joe Biden is set to appoint Jeff Zients, his former COVID-19 policy czar, as his next White House chief of staff. Zients brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served in high-ranking roles in the Obama administration. If confirmed, he will become the fourth chief of staff of the Biden administration and is expected to take the job shortly after the president's State of the Union address.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine announced on Friday that he will be running for a third term in 2024, after grappling with an eight-year commitment at age 64. Kaine has been in politics for 30 years and is younger than many of his Senate colleagues, including President Biden who is 16 years older. Kaine said he has been honored to serve people as a missionary, civil rights lawyer, and elected official and looks forward to continuing to serve the people of Virginia for another term.
A federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit brought by former Florida state attorney Andrew Warren against Governor Ron DeSantis for suspending him last year. The judge ruled that the suspension violated Warren's free speech rights, but that he could not reverse the state-level suspension due to federal law. Warren will now have to plead his case to the Republican-controlled Florida Senate, which has the final say on whether to permanently remove him from office.