Senate
October 3, 2023 — Scott Johnson
You can see why California Governor Gavin Newsom had to go beyond California to find a fitting replacement for the late Dianne Feinstein in the United States Senate. He put a lot of thought into it. He conducted an extensive search. Before Feinstein’s body was cold, Newsom was ready with his announcement. He had found the compleat Democrat: Laphonza Butler of Silver Spring, Maryland. It’s almost funny. But consider, to
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October 2, 2023 — Scott Johnson
California Governor Gavin Newsom promised to appoint a black woman to replace the late Dianne Feinstein in the Senate, so you know this is a man who has his priorities in order. Politico reveals that Newsom will appoint Laphonza Butler to fill Feinstein’s seat. Butler apparently does not reside in California — Politico reports that she is registered to vote in Maryland. However, Butler owns a home in California. When
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September 29, 2023 — John Hinderaker
Dianne Feinstein died last night. She cast a Senate vote earlier in the day. Tributes to her are pouring in, which is natural and appropriate. But check out how the Washington Post described her: I think it is true that Feinstein was not as crazy as some of her Democratic colleagues, but is there any plausible sense in which she was a centrist? The American Conservative Union rates members of
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September 28, 2023 — John Hinderaker
An interesting news story. Make of it what you will: The Senate passed a bipartisan resolution Wednesday to restore the formal dress code in the upper chamber following blowback over the loosening of the unofficial rule. Under the resolution, which passed unanimously, senators will once again be required to wear business attire on the floor. Does that mean Fetterman voted for it? Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who publicly split with
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September 26, 2023 — Scott Johnson
Senator Robert Menendez wants to hang on to his Senate seat and who can blame him? It has served him well. The pending indictment against Menendez alleges a mind-boggling level of depravity and corruption. Among other things, he seems to have abused his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a disgusting manner. The betrayal of trust involved is difficult to fathom. Having dodged the bullet on the corruption
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September 22, 2023 — John Hinderaker
As Scott noted earlier, Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been charged with bribery. Allegedly he was using his influence on behalf of the government of Egypt, along with several individuals or companies. The feds executed a search warrant at his house: The feds raided Menendez’s Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022 and found “the fruits” of his “corrupt bribery agreement” — including the 2019 Mercedes
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September 22, 2023 — Scott Johnson
New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez has been indicted along with his wife and three other defendants in the Southern District of New York. The detailed three-count indictment runs to 39 pages and alleges a bribery scheme benefiting Menendez and his wife in exchange for official acts undertaken by the senator. The prosecutors seek forfeiture involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and numerous gold bars seized from a safe
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September 20, 2023 — John Hinderaker
More accurately, clothes reflect the man. John Fetterman dresses in a manner that is deliberately slovenly and inappropriate, and that appears intended to mock the institution of which he is a member. But it’s not just that: the rest of his conduct is similarly inappropriate and demeaning to the office he holds. When Fetterman speaks, his brain damage is evident, and he can be an object of sympathy. But when
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September 19, 2023 — Scott Johnson
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has unfettered John Fetterman. Undoing the Senate’s sumptuary code, Schumer disclosed that staff for the chamber’s Sergeant-at-Arms will no longer enforce a dress code on the Senate floor. Schumer left the neck of the Democratic Party unmentioned, but everyone understands that Fetterman is the inspiration for Schumer’s initiative. Now Fetterman can freely wander the Senate in his accustomed attire of hooded sweatshirt and shorts. Cartoonist
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September 1, 2023 — Scott Johnson
The Washington Free Beacon has compiled the video below contrasting the media treatment of John Fetterman’s stroke-related brain damage with Mitch McConnell’s something-related “freeze” (related story here). ¿Quien esta mas impedido? John Fetterman’s stroke-related disability appears to be a credit to the human spirit and to the United States Senate, formerly known as the world’s most exclusive club. By contrast, McConnell’s most recent “freeze” gets an unsympathetic, i.e., realistic treatment,
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August 30, 2023 — Elizabeth Stauffer
Speaking to reporters in Covington, Kentucky, on Wednesday, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 81, was asked if he plans to run for reelection in 2026. After McConnell failed to respond, an aide repeated the question to him. “I’m sorry you all, we’re going to need a minute,” the aide said, winking at the group as McConnell remained silent. The senator experienced a similar “freeze” in July during a Capitol
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July 27, 2023 — John Hinderaker
It has been obvious for quite a while that Dianne Feinstein is not capable of discharging her duties as a senator. Earlier today Feinstein became confused in a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing and began reading a statement instead of casting a vote. An aide tried to help her, and Patty Murray audibly said, “Just say ‘aye.'” I haven’t paid much attention to the Feinstein saga because it is not surprising
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July 19, 2023 — Elizabeth Stauffer
Several Republican senators told The Hill this week that more and more frequently, they are being “confronted by constituents who buy into discredited conspiracy theories such as the claim that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election or that federal agents incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.” The Hill spoke to at least three GOP senators, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and two others who requested anonymity.
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July 10, 2023 — Scott Johnson
Senator Grassley worked over the weekend to crank out some questions for United States Attorney David Weiss in connection with his shambolic “investigation” of Hunter Biden. Senator Grassley has posted his July 9 letter to Weiss online here. The operative principle governing the Weiss investigation seems to have been that no harm was to be done to Hunter or the Biden family business. Indeed, no one was to look too
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June 22, 2023 — Scott Johnson
University of Minnesota Law School Professor Richard Painter holds himself out as an ethics guru. During the Trump administration, for his numerous appearances on MSNBC, Painter also held himself out as a Republican critic of Trump. When he undertook a campaign for the United States Senate in 2018, however, he challenged incumbent appointee Tina Smith as a Democrat in the DFL primary. Indeed, he ran to Smith’s left. Painter is
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June 12, 2023 — Scott Johnson
Senator Grassley took to the floor of the Senate to make a statement with several notable items in it on the investigation of the Biden family business and the related FBI’s coverup. The statement is posted here. This is the heart of it (emphasis in original): With respect to the 1023 shown to that House Committee, from what I’ve been told by folks who’ve reviewed it, it’s filled with redactions.
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May 18, 2023 — Scott Johnson
Back from the treatment for depression that followed on his stroke, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman pretends he is capable of doing his job. Earlier this week Fetterman questioned Silicon Valley Bank executive Greg Becker during a Senate Banking Committee hearing about SVB’s March collapse. Steve Hayward posted this pathetic video clip. This is just sad. pic.twitter.com/q1NKwUWcMR — Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld_) May 16, 2023 See if you can follow
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