politics

Summary

A U.S. House hearing on the Secret Service’s response to assassination attempts against Donald Trump devolved into a shouting match between acting director Ronald Rowe and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX).

Fallon accused Rowe of endangering President Biden and Vice President Harris for a photo op during a 9/11 event, which Rowe denied, calling the accusations politically motivated.

The hearing follows criticism of the Secret Service for failing to prevent the July attack on Trump, which killed an attendee.

Rowe admitted to “abject failure” and outlined reforms, including drone surveillance and better coordination with local authorities.

A final taskforce report is forthcoming.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/22819667

"If our overheating planet is a result of human greed, then it must be a special kind of greed, a kind that emerged puzzlingly late in the long history of our species and then with a sudden vengeance."

Summary

House Republicans blocked efforts to release the Ethics Committee's report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz, prolonging uncertainty over allegations of sexual misconduct despite his resignation from Congress.

Democrats pushed for transparency, accusing Republicans of hiding credible allegations. Speaker Mike Johnson argued that publishing the report sets a bad precedent.

While ethics reports have rarely been released post-resignation, tensions remain high on the bipartisan committee.

Gaetz denies wrongdoing, and DOJ previously closed its sex trafficking probe without charges. The report's fate is unclear as the congressional session nears its end.

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Lawmakers will soon vote on a bill directing a nonprofit to draft curriculum on atrocities carried out by communist regimes.

“My colleagues can no longer deny that this is genocide,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan). “We must follow our own U.S. laws. We need an Arms Embargo now.”

On Thursday, Amnesty released a sprawling report determining that Israel’s assault of Gaza amounts to genocide, citing Israel’s relentless attacks, blocking of humanitarian aid, targeting of health and other basic infrastructure, forced displacement of 90 percent of Gaza’s population, and more.

Amnesty is the first major international humanitarian organization to outright label Israel’s actions as a genocide. The group was also one of the first major human rights organizations to label Israel’s violent occupation and oppression of Palestine as apartheid, back in 2022.

The human rights group, one of the largest in the world, specifically called out the U.S. as a major collaborator in the genocide due to the Biden administration’s policy of sending Israel weapons with zero red lines. Just last week, despite Israel’s clear, ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza, reports emerged of the Biden administration advancing yet another sale of weapons to Israel worth $680 million.

Summary

House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to cut 75% of federal agencies, reducing them from 428 to 99, in collaboration with Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), led by Vivek Ramaswamy.

Johnson’s agenda includes defunding PBS, Planned Parenthood, and curbing the “administrative state” through legislation and executive orders under Donald Trump.

Critics warn such cuts would impact jobs, healthcare, and essential services.

Backed by recent Supreme Court rulings limiting agency authority, Johnson and DOGE aim to reduce federal regulations, sparking significant debate over these drastic proposals.

Summary

The think tank behind Project 2025, the conservative blueprint linked to President-elect Donald Trump, is launching an effort to back Trump’s imperiled selection for secretary of defense in its latest attempt to wield influence in the incoming Republican administration.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said Thursday that his group will spend $1 million to pressure senators unwilling to back Pete Hegseth, whose nomination to lead the Pentagon has come into question due to his views on women serving in combat and reports about his personal behavior. A number of Republican senators have declined to commit to backing Hegseth or have asked for more information about his drinking and treatment of women.

If all 15 liquefied natural gas plants in Texas and Louisiana open, reductions in overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions would slow

The protest marked a shift in some LGBTQ+ activists’ approach to calling for change ahead of a second Trump administration that is expected to enact harsh anti-LGBTQ+ policies.

Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth addressed concerns over his use of alcohol in an interview with a former colleague, Megyn Kelly, pledging not to drink on the job if confirmed to oversee the vast U.S. military apparatus.

Even if that wasn't vastly different from "staying sober" it's still pathetic.

Next Administration's Policies Would Worsen US Abuse at the Border

“Kelly will bring her experience in business and Washington to reduce red tape, and unleash opportunity for our Small Businesses to grow, innovate, and thrive. She will focus on ensuring that SBA is accountable to Taxpayers by cracking down on waste, fraud, and regulatory overreach,” Trump posted on Truth Social, also noting that she’s co-chairing his inauguration.