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Tag: Mitch McConnell

  • Is CBD Next On The Fed’s Hit List

    Is CBD next on the fed’s hit list amid slow cannabis reform, hemp restrictions, and rising regulatory pressure?

    For more than a decade, cannabis policy in the United States has moved at a glacial pace. Despite widespread public support, state-level legalization, and the emergence of a multibillion-dollar industry, federal reform has remained slow, fragmented, and often contradictory. That pattern has now raised a new and uncomfortable question across the wellness, agriculture, and retail sectors: Is CBD next on the fed’s hit list?

    RELATED: Cannabis Can Help PTSD

    The story begins with cannabis itself. While a majority of states have legalized medical or adult-use marijuana, federal law continues to classify cannabis as a Schedule I substance. Efforts to reschedule or deschedule cannabis have been announced, delayed, studied, and revisited, creating regulatory uncertainty touching everything from banking and research to interstate commerce. This slow walking of cannabis reform from both the current and past president has rippled outward, ensnaring industries once thought to be safely separated from marijuana.

    Hemp was supposed to be different. Federally legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp was championed as an agricultural and economic opportunity, particularly for struggling rural communities. No one played a more visible role in hemp’s return than Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who made the crop a centerpiece of his push to revive farm economies in deeply red regions of the state. For Kentucky farmers, hemp was not a culture-war issue but a pragmatic replacement for declining tobacco revenues and shrinking commodity margins.

    Kentucky quickly became one of the nation’s leading hemp producers, investing in processing facilities, research partnerships, and pilot programs tied to CBD extraction. The political history makes the current regulatory climate especially fraught. As lawmakers debate tightening hemp definitions and closing cannabinoid “loopholes,” the consequences would land not just on coastal wellness brands, but on farmers in conservative states that were encouraged to plant hemp under federal guidance.

    CBD now sits at the center of this tension. Initially promoted as a non-intoxicating compound with potential wellness applications, CBD products flooded the market in everything from oils and capsules to beverages and pet treats. Yet the Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly declined to recognize CBD as a lawful dietary supplement, while also failing to propose a clear alternative regulatory pathway. The result has been a gray market defined by warning letters, uneven enforcement, and growing risk for compliant businesses.

    At the same time, proposed revisions to the Farm Bill have raised alarms across the hemp industry. Efforts to restrict intoxicating hemp-derived products may be politically popular, but critics warn that overly broad language could effectively ban or severely limit CBD itself. For farmers, processors, and retailers, this would represent a dramatic reversal of federal policy—one that undermines years of investment encouraged by Washington.

    RELATED: Is Cannabis Now The #1 Sleep Aid

    What makes this moment particularly striking is the broader landscape of U.S. health policy. Regulators increasingly emphasize harm reduction and data-driven decision-making. Cannabis is widely acknowledged to be less harmful than many legal substances, and CBD has been studied for potential therapeutic uses. Yet instead of clarity, the industry faces contraction and prohibition by attrition.

    And throughout these shifts, one category remains largely untouched. Despite well-documented links between alcohol and chronic disease, addiction, and public safety risks, alcohol continues to enjoy stable federal treatment and powerful political insulation. While cannabis is slow-walked, hemp is narrowed, and CBD faces mounting pressure, alcohol remains fully normalized and aggressively marketed.

    As federal health policies evolve and cannabis reform continues to stall, the question is no longer whether CBD will be regulated, but whether it will be regulated out of existence—leaving behind farmers, including those in Kentucky’s heartland, who answered the call to grow a crop Washington once promised was safe.

    Terry Hacienda

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  • What a federal ban on THC-infused drinks and snacks could mean for the hemp industry

    MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The production lines at Indeed Brewing moved quickly, the cans filling not with beer, but with THC-infused seltzer. The product, which features the compound that gets cannabis users high, has been a lifeline at Indeed and other craft breweries as alcohol sales have fallen in recent years.

    But that boom looks set to come to a crashing halt. Buried in the bill that ended the federal government shutdown this month was a provision to ban those drinks, along with other impairing beverages and snacks made from hemp, which have proliferated across the country in recent years. Now the $24 billion hemp industry is scrambling to save itself before the provision takes effect in November 2026.

    “It’s a big deal,” said Ryan Bandy, Indeed’s chief business officer. “It would be a mess for our breweries, for our industry, and obviously for a lot of people who like these things.”

    Ryan Bandy, chief business officer at Indeed Brewing in Minneapolis, stands near a pallet of six-packs of seltzer containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in his brewery on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

    Here’s what to know about the looming ban on impairing products derived from hemp.

    Congress opened the door in 2018

    Marijuana and hemp are the same species. Marijuana is cultivated for high levels of THC in its flowers. Low-THC hemp is grown for its sturdy fibers, food or wellness products. “Rope, not dope” was long the motto of farmers who supported legalizing hemp.

    After states began legalizing marijuana for adult use over a decade ago, hemp advocates saw an opening at the federal level. As part of the 2018 farm bill, Congress legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp to give farmers, including in Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell’s home state of Kentucky, a new cash crop.

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    But the way that law defined hemp — as having less than 0.3% of a specific type of THC, called delta-9 — opened a huge loophole. Beverages or bags of snacks could meet that threshold and still contain more than enough THC to get people high. Businesses could further exploit the law by extracting a non-impairing compound, called CBD, and chemically changing it into other types of impairing THC, such as delta-8 or delta-10.

    The result? Vape oil, gummy candies, chips, cookies, sodas and other unregulated, untested products laden with hemp-derived THC spread around the country. In many places, they have been available at gas stations or convenience stores, even to teens. In legal marijuana states, they undercut heavily taxed and regulated products. In others, they evaded the prohibition on recreational use of weed.

    Some states, including Indiana, have reported spikes in calls to poison-control centers for pediatric exposure to THC.

    Cans of seltzer containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, are shown in a cooler at the Indeed Brewery taproom in Minneapolis on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

    Cans of seltzer containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, are shown in a cooler at the Indeed Brewery taproom in Minneapolis on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

    A patchwork of state regulations

    Dozens of states have since taken steps to regulate or ban impairing hemp products. In October, Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill banning the sale of intoxicating hemp products outside the state’s legal marijuana system.

    Texas, which has a massive hemp market, is moving to regulate sales of impairing hemp, such as by restricting them to those over 21. In Nebraska, lawmakers have instead considered a bill to criminalize the sale and possession of products containing hemp-based THC.

    Washington state adopted a program to regulate hemp growing. But the number of licensed growers has cratered since the state banned intoxicating hemp products outside of the regulated cannabis market in 2023. Five years ago, there were 220, said Trecia Ehrlich, cannabis program manager with the state agriculture department. This year, there were 42, and with a federal ban looming, she expects that number to drop by about half next year.

    Minnesota made infused beverages and foods legal in 2022 for people 21 and older. The products, which must be derived from legally certified hemp, have become so popular that Target is now offering THC drinks at some of its stores in the state.

    They’ve also been a boon to liquor stores and to small Minneapolis brewers like Indeed, where THC drinks make up close to one-quarter of the business, Bandy said. At Bauhaus Brew Labs, a few blocks away, THC drinks account for 26% of their revenues from distributed products and 11% of revenues at the brewery’s taproom.

    A powerful senator moves to close the loophole

    None of that was what McConnell intended when he helped craft the 2018 farm bill. He finally closed the loophole by inserting a federal hemp THC ban in the measure to end the 43-day federal government shutdown, approved by the Senate on Nov. 10.

    “It will keep these dangerous products out of the hands of children, while preserving the hemp industry for farmers,” McConnell said. “Industrial hemp and CBD will remain legal for industrial applications.”

    Some in the legal marijuana industry celebrated, as the ban would end what they consider unfair competition.

    They were joined by prohibitionists. “There’s really no good argument for allowing these dangerous products to be sold in our country,” said Kevin Sabet, president and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana.

    But the ban doesn’t take effect for a year. That has given the industry hope that there is still time to pass regulations that will improve the hemp THC industry — such as by banning synthetically derived THC, requiring age restrictions on sales, and prohibiting marketing to children — rather than eradicate it.

    “We are very hopeful that cooler heads will prevail,” said Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the industry group U.S. Hemp Roundtable. “If they really thought there was a health emergency, there would be no year-long period.”

    The federal ban would jeopardize more than 300,000 jobs while costing states $1.5 billion in lost tax money, the group says.

    Drew Hurst, president and chief operating officer at Bauhaus Brew Labs, has no doubt his company would be among the casualties.

    “If this goes through as written currently, I don’t see a way at all that Bauhaus could stay in business,” Hurst said.

    Drew Hurst, president and chief operating officer of Bauhaus Brew Labs in Minneapolis, stands outside a cooler for cans of seltzer containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in his brewery's taproom on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

    Drew Hurst, president and chief operating officer of Bauhaus Brew Labs in Minneapolis, stands outside a cooler for cans of seltzer containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in his brewery’s taproom on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

    What comes next?

    A number of lawmakers say they will push for regulation of the hemp THC industry. Kentucky’s second senator, Republican Rand Paul, introduced an amendment to strip McConnell’s hemp language from the crucial government-funding bill, but it failed on a lopsided 76-24 vote.

    Minnesota’s Democratic U.S. senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, are among those strategizing to save the industry. Klobuchar noted at a recent news conference that the ban was inserted into the unrelated shutdown bill without a hearing. She suggested the federal government could allow states to develop their own regulatory frameworks, or that Minnesota’s strict regulations could be used as a national model.

    Kevin Hilliard, co-founder of Insight Brewing in Minneapolis, said the hemp industry needs a solution before planting time next spring.

    “If a farmer has uncertainty, they’re not going to plant,” Hilliard said.

    ___

    Johnson reported from Seattle. AP congressional reporter Kevin Freking contributed from Washington, D.C.

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  • Who is Rep. Thomas Massie And Why It Matters For Cannabis

    Discover who is Rep. Thomas Massie and why it matters for cannabis policy, hemp bans, and legalization

    Who is Rep. Thomas Massie and why it matters for cannabis? He is the libertarian-leaning Republican congressman from Kentucky’s 4th District who has built a national reputation as an independent, tech-minded lawmaker willing to buck party leaders on principle. An MIT-trained engineer and entrepreneur who lives off-grid in a solar-powered home, Massie has served in the U.S. House since 2012 and is known for procedural savvy, high-profile lone “no” votes, and a consistent small-government worldview.  He is also a champion of hemp.

    RELATED: Study Reveals Stance By Physicians And Public About Cannabis

    That background helps explain why Massie is suddenly central to the current debate: he could act as a stopgap against the HEMP ban language that was tucked into the recent federal funding package — a provision backed by GOP leaders and joined by eight Senate Democrats sharply restrict intoxicating hemp-derived products. Massie and other Kentucky lawmakers have warned sweeping milligram or parts-per-container limits would devastate farmers and small businesses relying on hemp and broad-spectrum CBD products. His history of sponsoring hemp-friendly measures gives him credibility when he argues the fix is regulatory clarity, not a near-ban.

    What power does Massie actually hold? Formally he is a House backbencher — not committee chair or party whip — so he lacks the structural levers of leadership. Practically, however, Massie’s influence exceeds his formal rank in two ways. First, he’s a high-profile, well-connected voice on libertarian issues and hemp policy who can rally attention and allies in both parties; he has previously secured bipartisan support for hemp amendments and legislation. Second, in razor-thin or politically fraught votes — including must-pass funding measures — a small group of dissenters can stall or complicate passage. Massie’s willingness to use procedural tactics and his record of cross-bench cooperation make him someone negotiators watch when hemp language is on the line.

    How does Massie relate to Sen. Mitch McConnell? McConnell gleefully lead the effort to stop cannabis legalization despite popular opinion. The two are fellow Kentuckians but not a political tag team. McConnell has been a key figure in recent efforts to close what he and others call a “loophole” in the 2018 Farm Bill that allowed intoxicating hemp products to proliferate; McConnell’s more recent push to curtail those products puts him at odds with Massie’s pro-hemp, states’-rights stance. Historically both have backed expanding legal hemp in various forms, and both care about Kentucky agriculture — but on the current crackdown McConnell is a leading architect of restriction while Massie is among the loudest House opponents trying to shield the state’s hemp sector. That tension — a Senate leader vs. a contrarian House member from the same state — is a principal reason this fight has become high-stakes and highly visible.

    RELATED: The Feds Foul Play Around Cannabis

    Thomas Massie is not the biggest DC power player, but he is a consequential voice on hemp and cannabis policy — one who combines a consistent legislative record on hemp, a willingness to use procedural tools, and the credibility of representing a major hemp-producing state. In the weeks ahead, his actions (and whether other House Republicans from hemp states join him) could help determine whether the new restrictions become law as written or are softened or removed before final passage.

    Terry Hacienda

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  • Dem shellacked by McConnell in 2020 mounts new Senate bid: ‘cowards in Washington are bowing to Donald Trump’

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    Amy McGrath, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate who got walloped by incumbent GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2020, losing by nearly 20%, has mounted a bid to replace the long-serving Republican lawmaker who is not seeking re-election in 2026.

    “Our democracy is under siege, cowards in Washington are bowing to Donald Trump, and Kentuckians are paying the price,” she wrote in a post on X, which also featured a campaign video in which she declared, “What we’re seeing in this country from this president, not normal, dangerous, for Kentuckians, and for all Americans.”

    Prior to getting trounced by McConnell in 2020, McGrath lost a 2018 House race to incumbent Republican Rep. Andy Barr.

    FINAL SENATE CANDIDATE CHARLIE KIRK ENDORSED BEFORE HIS ASSASSINATION: ‘WE HAVE TO WIN’

    Amy McGrath onstage during the 2022 Concordia Lexington Summit — Day 1 at Lexington Marriott City Center on April 7, 2022, in Lexington, Ky. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images for Concordia)

    McConnell has held the seat since 1985.

    The Bluegrass State has not elected a Democratic senator for more than three decades.

    KENTUCKY SENATE CANDIDATES AVOID MCCONNELL ENDORSEMENT, SPAR OVER TIES TO EX-LEADER

    Sen. Mitch McConnell

    Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives for a vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, June 28, 2025.  (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    The last time Kentucky voters picked a Democrat to represent them in the upper chamber was when incumbent Sen. Wendell Ford won re-election in 1992.

    McGrath was “the first woman in the Marine Corps to fly a combat mission in an F/A-18,” according to her campaign website, which notes that during “20 years of service, Amy flew 89 combat missions.”

    KENTUCKY SUES ROBLOX, CITING CHARLIE KIRK ‘ASSASSINATION SIMULATORS’ IN CHILD SAFETY LAWSUIT

    Amy McGrath poses for photo between two other people

    (L-R) Aquilino Gonell, Amy McGrath and Pete Dominick attend the 2024 IAVA Heroes Gala at The Current at Chelsea Piers on Nov, 7, 2024, in New York City (Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)

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    She will face competition in the Democratic primary from others on the political left who are also vying for the Senate seat, including state Rep. Pamela Stevenson, the Kentucky House minority floor leader, and others.

    Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

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  • Senate GOP leader moves to lower filibuster threshold for Trump nominees through nuclear option

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    Late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) detonated the first Senate “nuclear option” in 2013, curbing the filibuster to confirm executive branch nominees – except for the Supreme Court.

    Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) ignited the second “nuclear option” in 2017 to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, and lower the filibuster bar for nominations to the High Court.

    THUNE LAYS GROUNDWORK FOR NUCLEAR OPTION IN SENATE FIGHT OVER TRUMP NOMINEES

    Now, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is likely to detonate the parliamentary equivalent of a “suitcase nuke” later this week.

    Thune will follow the playbook established by Reid and McConnell to alter the Senate precedent (not a rules change) to expedite the confirmation of lower-level nominees in groups. This plan will not include judges nor cabinet secretaries.

    U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks on behalf of one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 30, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)

    Thune sets his gambit into motion tonight by introducing a resolution to speed up a slate of about 40 nominees. By rule, the Senate will take a procedural vote to break a filibuster on his resolution to confirm the batch of nominees on Thursday. That needs 60 yeas. The Senate won’t get 60 yeas.

    But this is EXACTLY the scenario that Thune wants.

    TRUMP NOMINEES PILE UP AS GOP WEIGHS RULE SHIFT ONCE FLOATED BY DEMOCRATS

    The coin of the realm in the Senate is unlimited debate. But the only time it CAN’T DEBATE SOMETHING is when an issue fails. So a FAILED vote to break the filibuster backs the Senate into the exact parliamentary cul-de-sac which Thune wants.

    At the end of the roll call vote, Thune will likely switch his vote from yes to no on breaking the filibuster. That’s because Senate rules allow a senator to demand a re-vote if they are on the prevailing side of the issue. In this case, Thune is suddenly with the “noes,” even though he initially voted yes to break the filibuster.

    By doing so, Thune can then order a revote on the failed vote. And since the Senate is in this unique posture of not allowing any debate, Democrats are paralyzed. They can’t do anything to stop Thune from what he plans next.

    Thune will then make a point of order. 

    Thune will assert that on a resolution like the one he drafted, a bloc of lower-level nominees (e.g. – the ones now before the Senate) does not need 60 votes to break a filibuster. The chair – potentially Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) or even Vice President Vance, who is the President of the Senate – will rule that Thune is wrong. Senate rules and precedent DO require 60 votes to break a filibuster on this type of resolution.

    COMER VOWS ‘ACCOUNTABILITY,’ TRUMP RIPS ‘SCANDAL’ AFTER BOMBSHELL REPORT ON BIDEN AUTOPEN PARDONS

    Thune will then demand a vote OVERTURNING what the the chair ruled. He will assert that a simple majority is necessary for this type of resolution – even though that’s never been the case before.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    The Senate will vote. And if 51 senators vote in favor of ruling against the chair, the Senate will have established a new precedent for lowering the threshold from 60 to 51 on this type of resolution – quickly moving a batch of nominees all at once.

    Once the Senate does that, Thune will need to set up ANOTHER procedural vote under the NEW provisions to break a filibuster on Monday, September 15. That would enable the Senate to confirm all of the nominees in question – in one fell swoop – on Wednesday, September 17.

    Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.

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  • Here’s a look at some of the false claims made during Biden and Trump’s first debate

    Here’s a look at some of the false claims made during Biden and Trump’s first debate

    President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded barbs and a variety of false and misleading information as they faced off in their first debate of the 2024 election.

    Trump falsely represented the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as a relatively small number of people who were ushered in by police and misstated the strength of the economy during his administration.

    The latest on the Biden-Trump debate

    • The debate was a critical moment in Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s presidential rematch to make their cases before a national television audience.
    • Take a look at the facts around false and misleading claims frequently made by the two candidates.
    • Both candidates wasted no time sparring over policy during their 90-minute faceoff. These are the takeaways.

    Biden, who tends to lean more on exaggerations and embellishments rather than outright lies, misrepresented the cost of insulin and overstated what Trump said about using disinfectant to address COVID. Here’s a look at the false and misleading claims on Thursday night by the two candidates.

    ___

    JAN. 6

    TRUMP: “They talk about a relatively small number of people that went to the Capitol and in many cases were ushered in by the police.”

    THE FACTS: That’s false. The attack on the U.S. Capitol was the deadliest assault on the seat of American power in over 200 years. As thoroughly documented by video, photographs and people who were there, thousands of people descended on Capitol Hill in what became a brutal scene of hand-to-hand combat with police.

    In an internal memo on March 7, 2023, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said that the allegation that “our officers helped the rioters and acted as ‘tour guides’” is “outrageous and false.” A Capitol Police spokesperson confirmed the memo’s authenticity to The Associated Press. More than 1,400 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the riot. More than 850 people have pleaded guilty to crimes, and 200 others have been convicted at trial.

    ___

    TRUMP, on then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s actions on Jan. 6: “Because I offered her 10,000 soldiers or National Guard and she turned them down.”

    THE FACTS: Pelosi did not direct the National Guard. Further, as the Capitol came under attack, she and then-Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell called for military assistance, including from the National Guard.

    The Capitol Police Board makes the decision on whether to call National Guard troops to the Capitol. It is made up of the House Sergeant at Arms, the Senate Sergeant at Arms and the Architect of the Capitol. The board decided not to call the guard ahead of the insurrection but did eventually request assistance after the rioting had already begun, and the troops arrived several hours later.

    The House Sergeant at Arms reported to Pelosi and the Senate Sergeant at Arms reported to McConnell. There is no evidence that either Pelosi or McConnell directed the security officials not to call the guard beforehand. Drew Hammill, a then-spokesperson for Pelosi, said after the insurrection that Pelosi was never informed of such a request.

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    TAXES AND REGULATIONS

    TRUMP, on Biden: “He wants to raise your taxes by four times.”

    THE FACTS: That’s not accurate.

    Trump has used that line at rallies, but it has no basis in fact. Biden actually wants to prevent tax increases on anyone making less than $400,000, which is the vast majority of taxpayers.

    More importantly, Biden’s budget proposal does not increase taxes as much as Trump claims, though the increases are focused on corporations and the wealthy. Trump’s 2017 tax cuts for individuals are set to expire after 2025, because they were not fully funded when they became law.

    ___

    TRUMP, referring to Jan. 6, 2021, the day a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol in an effort to stop the certification of Biden’s victory: “On January 6th we had the lowest taxes ever. We had the lowest regulations ever on January 6th.”

    THE FACTS: The current federal income tax was only instituted in 1913, and tax rates have fluctuated significantly in the decades since. Rates were lower in the 1920s, just prior to the Great Depression. Trump did cut taxes during his time in the White House, but the rates weren’t the lowest in history.

    Government regulations have also ebbed and flowed in the country’s history, but there’s been an overall increase in regulations as the country modernized and its population grew. There are now many more regulations covering the environment, employment, financial transactions and other aspects of daily life. While Trump slashed some regulations, he didn’t take the country back to the less regulated days of its past.

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    INSULIN

    BIDEN: “It’s $15 for an insulin shot, as opposed to $400.”

    THE FACTS: No, that’s not exactly right. Out-of-pocket insulin costs for older Americans on Medicare were capped at $35 in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act that President Joe Biden signed into law. The cap took effect last year, when many drugmakers announced they would lower the price of the drug to $35 for most users on private insurance. But Biden regularly overstates that many people used to pay up to $400 monthly. People with diabetes who have Medicare or private insurance paid about $450 yearly prior to the law, a Department of Health and Human Services study released in December 2022 found.

    ___

    CLIMATE CHANGE

    TRUMP, touting his environmental record, said that “during my four years, I had the best environmental numbers ever” and that he supports “immaculate” air and water.

    THE FACTS: That’s far from the whole story. During his presidency, Trump rolled back some provisions of the Clean Water Act, eased regulations on coal, oil and gas companies and pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord. When wildfires struck California in 2020, Trump dismissed the scientific consensus that climate change had played a role. Trump also dismissed scientists’ warnings about climate change and routinely proposed deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency. Those reductions were blocked by Democratic and Republican lawmakers.

    ___

    ABORTION

    TRUMP: “The problem they have is they’re radical because they will take the life of a child in the eighth month, the ninth month, and even after birth, after birth.”

    THE FACTS: Trump inaccurately referred to abortions after birth. Infanticide is criminalized in every state, and no state has passed a law that allows killing a baby after birth.

    Abortion rights advocates say terms like this and “late-term abortions” attempt to stigmatize abortions later in pregnancy. Abortions later in pregnancy are exceedingly rare. In 2020, less than 1% of abortions in the United States were performed at or after 21 weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Abortions later in pregnancy also are usually the result of serious complications, such as fetal anomalies, that put the life of the woman or fetus at risk, medical experts say. In most cases, these are also wanted pregnancies, experts say.

    ___

    RUSSIA

    TRUMP on Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia: “He should have had him out a long time ago, but Putin’s probably asking for billions and billions of dollars because this guy pays it every time.”

    THE FACTS: Trump is wrong to say that Biden pays any sort of fee “every time” to secure the release of hostages and wrongfully detained Americans. There’s also zero evidence that Putin is asking for any money in order to free Gershkovich. Just like in the Trump administration, the deals during the Biden administration that have brought home hostages and detainees involved prisoner swaps — not money transfers.

    Trump’s reference to money appeared to be about the 2023 deal in which the U.S. secured the release of five detained Americans in Iran after billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets were transferred from banks in South Korea to Qatar. The U.S. has said that that the money would be held in restricted accounts and will only be able to be used for humanitarian goods, such as medicine and food.

    ___

    COVID-19

    BIDEN: Trump told Americans to “inject bleach” into their arms to treat COVID-19.

    THE FACTS: That’s overstating it. Rather, Trump asked whether it would be possible to inject disinfectant into the lungs.

    “And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute,” he said at an April 2020 press conference. “And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful.”

    ___

    SUPER PREDATORS

    TRUMP: “What he’s done to the Black population is horrible, including the fact that for 10 years he called them ‘super predators.’ … We can’t forget that – super predators … And they’ve taken great offense at it.”

    THE FACTS: This oft-repeated claim by Trump dating back to the 2020 campaign is untrue. It was Hillary Clinton, then the first lady, who used the term “super predator” to advocate for the 1994 crime bill that Biden co-authored more than thirty years ago. Biden did warn of “predators” in a floor speech in support of his bill.

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    MIGRANTS

    TRUMP, referring to Biden: “He’s the one that killed people with a bad border and flooding hundreds of thousands of people dying and also killing our citizens when they come in.”

    THE FACTS: A mass influx of migrants coming into the U.S. illegally across the southern border has led to a number of false and misleading claims by Trump. For example, he regularly claims other countries are emptying their prisons and mental institutions to send to the U.S. There is no evidence to support that.

    Trump has also argued the influx of immigrants is causing a crime surge in the U.S., although statistics actually show violent crime is on the way down.

    There have been recent high-profile and heinous crimes allegedly committed by people in the country illegally. But FBI statistics do not separate out crimes by the immigration status of the assailant, nor is there any evidence of a spike in crime perpetrated by migrants, either along the U.S.-Mexico border or in cities seeing the greatest influx of migrants, like New York. Studies have found that people living in the country illegally are less likely than native-born Americans to have been arrested for violent, drug and property crimes. For more than a century, critics of immigration have sought to link new arrivals to crime. In 1931, the Wickersham Commission did not find any evidence supporting a connection between immigration and increased crime, and many studies since then have reached similar conclusions.

    Texas is the only state that tracks crimes by immigration status. A 2020 study published by the National Academy of Sciences found “considerably lower felony arrest rates” among people in the United States illegally than legal immigrants or native-born.

    Some crime is expected given the large population of immigrants. There were an estimated 10.5 million people in the country illegally in 2021, according to the latest estimate by Pew Research Center, a figure that has almost certainly risen with large influxes at the border. In 2022, the Census Bureau estimated the foreign-born population at 46.2 million, or nearly 14% of the total, with most states seeing double-digit percentage increases in the last dozen years.

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    CHARLOTTESVILLE

    BIDEN, referring to Trump after the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017: “The one who said I think they’re fine people on both sides.”

    THE FACTS: Trump did use those words to describe attendees of the deadly rally, which was planned by white nationalists. But as Trump supporters have pointed out, he also said that day that he wasn’t talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists in attendance.

    “You had some very bad people in that group,” Trump said during a news conference a few days after the rally, “But you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides.”

    He then added that he wasn’t talking about “the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally.” Instead, he said, the press had been unfair in its treatment of protesters who were there to innocently and legally protest the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

    The gathering planned by white nationalists shocked the nation when it exploded into chaos: violent brawling in the streets, racist and antisemitic chants, smoke bombs, and finally, a car speeding into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one and injuring dozens more.

    ___

    ECONOMY

    TRUMP: We had the greatest economy in history.”

    THE FACTS: That’s not accurate. First of all, the pandemic triggered a massive recession during his presidency. The government borrowed $3.1 trillion in 2020 to stabilize the economy. Trump had the ignominy of leaving the White House with fewer jobs than when he entered.

    But even if you take out issues caused by the pandemic, economic growth averaged 2.67% during Trump’s first three years. That’s pretty solid. But it’s nowhere near the 4% averaged during Bill Clinton’s two terms from 1993 to 2001, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In fact, growth has been stronger so far under Biden than under Trump.

    Trump did have the unemployment rate get as low as 3.5% before the pandemic. But again, the labor force participation rate for people 25 to 54 — the core of the U.S. working population — was higher under Clinton. The participation rate has also been higher under Biden than Trump.

    Trump also likes to talk about how low inflation was under him. Gasoline fell as low as $1.77 a gallon. But, of course, that price dip happened during pandemic lockdowns when few people were driving. The low prices were due to a global health crisis, not Trump’s policies.

    What to know about the 2024 Election

    • Democracy: American democracy has overcome big stress tests since 2020. More challenges lie ahead in 2024.
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    Similarly, average 30-year mortgage rates dipped to 2.65% during the pandemic. Those low rates were a byproduct of Federal Reserve efforts to prop up a weak economy, rather than the sign of strength that Trump now suggests it was.

    ___

    MILITARY DEATHS

    BIDEN: “The truth is, I’m the only president this century that doesn’t have any — this decade — any troops dying anywhere in the world like he did.”

    ”THE FACTS: At least 16 service members have been killed in hostile action since Biden took office in January 2021. On Aug. 26, 2021, 13 died during a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, as U.S. troops withdrew from the country. An enemy drone killed three U.S. service members at a desert base in Jordan on Jan. 28 of this year.

    ___

    PRESIDENTIAL RECORD

    BIDEN: “159, or 58, don’t know an exact number, presidential historians, they’ve had meetings and they voted, who is the worst president in American history … They said he was the worst in all American history. That’s a fact. That’s not conjecture.”

    THE FACTS: That’s almost right, but not quite. The survey in question, a project from professors at the University of Houston and Coastal Carolina University, included 154 usable responses, from 525 respondents invited to participate.

    ___

    GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS

    TRUMP, on Minneapolis protests after the killing of George Floyd: “If I didn’t bring in the National Guard, that city would have been destroyed.”

    THE FACTS: Trump didn’t call the National Guard into Minneapolis during the unrest following the death of George Floyd. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz deployed the National Guard to the city.

    ___

    Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Elliot Spagat, Eric Tucker, Ali Swenson, Christina Cassidy, Amanda Seitz, Stephen Groves, David Klepper, Melissa Goldin and Hope Yen contributed to this report.

    ___

    Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.

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  • Some Congressional Candidates Support Marijuana

    Some Congressional Candidates Support Marijuana

    It used to be the thing to prevent marijuana use

    Roughly 65% of Congress members are white men around 60 or older who grew up supporting the war on drugs.  One of the leaders of the Senate is Mitch McConnell, who prides himself for stopping any positive marijuana legislation and bragging about his nickname Darth Vader.  But time are changing, especial the last major election cycle. Since then, over 50% of the population have full access to legal marijuana and 24 states have been raking in extra tax revenue thanks to consumer sales.  And now some congressional candidates support marijuana, openly.

    RELATED: People Who Use Weed Also Do More Of Another Fun Thing

    Up until the 2000s, it was normal for candidates to be anti-drugs, down on marijuana and, sometimes, hiding their personal use. But with the wave of state legalizations, most modern and under 60 (with a couple of exceptions) have a more open and practical mind.  Especially since of Veteran Affairs has become more open. Their new policy is veterans participating in a state-sanctioned medical marijuana program will not be denied benefits.

    One modern candidate is Lucas Kunce (D-M)) who is running for the Senate. With six million residents, it is the 18th most populated in the country. Yet, the state hit $1 billion in sales. Kunce recognizes it and is pushing for national legalization, including a sign up on his  campaign page.

    Indiana Fifth Congressional District candidate Raju Chinthal is also promoting a national campaign.

    Maine’s Jared Golden has been an advocate for cannabis-related matters.

    Elise Slotkin in Michigan states on her campaign site. “I strongly believe that for this matter, voters should be able to decide…I support the use of medical marijuana…I also support the decriminalization of marijuana.”

    No surprise in California in the tight 47th district race candidate Dave Min is pro marijuana.  He voted yes for the state to legalize marijuana.

    In New York, Mondaire Jones has openly supported marijuana and doesn’t seem to have a hand in the NY State mess.

    And in Pennsylvania, Matt Cartwright has been supportive.

    RELATED: California or New York, Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess

    Legal cannabis is no longer a public no no, 85% of the country (and voters), believe it should be legal in some form. But like other issues, Congress doesn’t always listen to the public.

    Terry Hacienda

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  • Trump backs Sam Brown in US Senate race, widening momentum gap in crowded Nevada GOP field

    Trump backs Sam Brown in US Senate race, widening momentum gap in crowded Nevada GOP field

    RENO, Nev. – Former president Donald Trump endorsed Retired Army Capt. Sam Brown in the Nevada U.S. Senate race on Sunday, choosing a candidate widely seen as the front-runner over a crowded primary field of candidates who have angled to align themselves with the former president.

    Trump’s endorsement came on Truth Social after he spent the day in Las Vegas holding a rally, where several of the GOP Senate candidates were in attendance. He said Brown was a “FEARLESS AMERICAN PATRIOT” and noted his Purple Heart status. He also said Brown will “fight tirelessly” for several of his priorities including border security and growing the economy.

    Trump chose Brown over several other candidates with close ties with the former president. One rival, Jeff Gunter, Trump’s former ambassador to Iceland, has campaigned with the slogan that he is “110% pro-Trump” and has described Brown as the establishment pick for being endorsed by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.

    Jim Marchant, another candidate, ran as a Republican candidate for Nevada Secretary of State in 2022 on a platform of election denialism spurred by Trump’s false claims of widespread election fraud. In 2022 he introduced Trump onstage when the former president visited Nevada to rally supporters for tight midterm elections.

    Republicans view the Nevada race as a pivotal pickup opportunity that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. Democrats hold a 51-49 majority but are facing a challenging 2024 Senate map, where they must defend incumbents not only in red states — Montana, Ohio and West Virginia — but also in multiple swing states including Nevada.

    The endorsement further lifts Brown above his opponents in terms of national backing. His opponents had long criticized Brown for skipping primary debates, a move that Trump also did when he polled well ahead of his opponents in the presidential primary.

    Brown, a Purple Heart recipient, was a heavily recruited candidate for Republicans in Washington looking to avoid a repeat of their lackluster showing in the 2022 midterm elections, when flawed GOP candidates helped Democrats win battleground races and hold the Senate majority.

    Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Gabe Stern, Associated Press

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  • Consumer Spending Validates Marijuana Rescheduling

    Consumer Spending Validates Marijuana Rescheduling

    It is a historic move for a country which had prohibition, but consumers are using their wallets to show they support it.

    Culture wars have been an American tradition – from the battle over TicTok to the alcohol prohibition in the 1920s. It was said the only thing to come out of the anti-liquor period was it taught good citizens how to break the law.  But in general, if the public wants it, the public will have it, legal or not. The perfect is example is the Pornhub ban in Utah and Texas, which has sent VPN sign ups sky high. And consumer spending validates marijuana rescheduling in a major way.

    RELATED: Beer Sales Flatten Thanks To Marijuana

    Some politicians and leaders believe in the nanny state option.  Those include a few governors lead by Ron DeSantis, Mitch McConnell, and a few other special interest groups.  But the Biden’s administration’s decision to reschedule cannabis lines up with public opinion. Over 85% believe it should legal in some form, and more importantly, they are putting their money toward what they want.  Leading analyst firm, BDSA, shared the public’s spending habit’s match their thoughts on rescheduling.

    Photo by Anton Petrus/Getty Images

    Following the tradition, cannabis sales moved higher again this year. Sales on 20 April 2024 sales were $167M, a 33% increase over the previous year.  Trends like California sober are going strong and Gen Z continues to move away from alcohol and move toward marijuana vapes and gummies. Lifestyle habits are starting to adjust slightly away from alcohol and more low alcohol drinks, mocktails, and cannabis eat away at the traditional market.  Alcohol is much rougher on the body, so many are opting for a semi-healthier option.

    It is a benefit for fully recreational states as even Missouri makes significant tax income on cannabis. Most governors are on board with rescheduling at it is not only the public’s will, but it helps the state’s coffers and actually helps in other areas. Even New York State, with over 1,500 non tax paying illicit stores making money, made some income.  They have less than 100 licensed dispensaries generating over $175 million.

    RELATED: How To Microdose Marijuana

    On an interesting sidebar, like holidays, there are some holidays where cannabis use is up. Here are the largest for 2023

    1. 420
    2. Green Wednesday
    3. Black Friday
    4. St Patrick’s Day
    5. Veteran’s Day

    In comparison, alcohol’s largest days are:

    1. New Year’s Eve
    2. St. Patrick’s Day
    3. July 4th
    4. Day Before Thanksgiving/ Blackout Wednesday/ Drinksgiving
    5. Black Friday

    Let’s see how the next 12 months works for the industry, the government and the public.

     

    Terry Hacienda

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  • Transcript: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on

    Transcript: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on

    The following is a transcript of an interview with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that will air on April 28, 2024.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for making time for us today.

    SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL: Glad to be with you.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: A lot of topics I need to get to you on in regard to national security. I want to start here at home with these protests that we have seen on college campuses throughout the US in support of Palestinians in Gaza, but mixed in there, some posters, some statements that are anti-semitic. Speaker Johnson visited Columbia and told CBS, “we need to call in the National Guard and law enforcement to take control.” Governor Abbott of Texas said “all of the protesters belong in jail.” There are protests in Texas. Do you agree with them?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, here’s the way I look at it. The First Amendment is important. But it doesn’t give you the ability to claim there’s a fire going on in a theater, because it threatens everyone else. What needs to happen, at least at the beginning, is these university presidents need to get control of the situation, allow free speech and push back against antisemitism. I thought that was largely gone in this country. But we’ve seen a number of young people who are actually antisemitic. Why don’t they all sit down and have a civil conversation rather than trying to dominate the talk? And I think the first line of defense is these university presidents.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: So you wouldn’t go to the National Guard at this point?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Let’s see if these university presidents can get control of the situation.They ought to be able to do that. Civil discussion is what college education is supposed to be about. I’d be interested in hearing the antisemitic people explain the justification for that kind of talk.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: President Biden said he condemns the antisemitic protests and condemns those who don’t understand what’s going on in Palestine, with the Palestinians. Do you agree with his statement?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: It’s not a question of whether I agree, I can speak for myself. And what I think is what I just said about how these college campuses ought to be controlled by the administrations.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. I want to move on to Ukraine. I understand you just hung up with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy. The US has shipped him capabilities, including these long range missiles as part of this new congressional aid package. What did he say to you? Does he need more specific weapons in the immediate term?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, one of the things I apologized for is it’s taken too long. If you go back to the beginning of this administration, even though I supported obviously the supplemental request and worked hard to get Republican votes for it, this all started with a precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan. It’s like sending out a green light to all the rogue regimes around the world that the Americans are going home. Number two, not giving the Ukrainians what they need soon enough. Didn’t just start with this administration, I remember the Obama administration sent them meals ready to eat. It’s not exactly a way to defend yourself.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Following the 2014 partial invasion?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Yes, yeah. So, it’s gradually gotten better. The administration has still been self deterring themselves, with some fear that the Russians would be deterred by our lack of action. So my main complaint is let’s get the weapons there as quickly as possible. I apologized for how long it took Congress to do its part, but we finally did. And he was also impressed by the fact that Republican support grew in the Senate substantially, substantially.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Because you were whipping those votes, you convinced nine additional senators.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well I tried- It wasn’t something I felt lightly about, let’s put it that way.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: But who did you feel you were apologizing for?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: The slowness of it.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: But when- that wasn’t in the Senate?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I’m sorry?

    MARGARET BRENNAN: The slowness was not in the Senate. Were you apologizing for House Republicans?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: No, it was in the Senate. We spent about four months trying to- to agree to a deal to deal with our own border with Mexico, which is a disaster. And initially, obviously, to make a law you have to deal with the other side. They’ve got the White House, they got the Senate. We came up with a proposal. It was, my members felt many of them were not good enough. Our nominee for President seemed to be unenthusiastic about acting on that. And so that took three or four months. Once we realized we were not going to be able to legislate on the border, we board in on the subject of the supplemental. And I think a number of my members focusing on that changed their mind, and we grew from 22 to actually 32. One member missed the last vote but would have voted for it.

    MARGARET BRENNAN:  You mentioned the border, you had empowered Senator Lankford to come to this bipartisan deal with the White House. The President says that he regrets that that wasn’t part of this final package. I know you mentioned the Republican nominee didn’t support it. Did Donald Trump kill that border bill?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I think there was a genuine lack of enthusiasm for the product. And the product–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: — But you liked the product?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, but I mean, in order to make a law- it’s a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate, you couldn’t do exactly what you wanted to do. Would I have liked to have had more? Absolutely. That was not possible if we were trying to make a law. And we were trying to negotiate. Senator Lankford did, in my view, an excellent job. But it wasn’t good enough for a majority of our members, or apparently for the House either.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: On Ukraine, the administration has reportedly told the Ukrainians not to target Russian energy supplies, not to fire into Russia with these US supplied weapons, and to avoid attacks on Crimea, out of fear of escalation. Should there be restrictions on these US weapons that you just helped provide them?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I don’t think so. They’re- they’re trying to tell the Israelis how to run their war against Hamas. These are democratic allies of ours, under serious threat, and I don’t think we ought to be trying to tell them to have an election which we did in Israel, or what their military tactics ought to be. So–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: — In Israel, you’re talking about now?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: In either country, I think we ought to give them what they need to win.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you believe that President Zelenskyy is empowered to use these weapons as he sees fit?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I hope so. I don’t think we- I don’t know how many times I can say it. I don’t think we ought to be telling them how to win their own war. They’re in the middle of it. They’re there. They know what they need. I think our job is to help them win.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: So you worked with the Democratic leader to get this package through. But in the time of the delay that you acknowledged, Russia’s military land forces have grown back to where they were before the invasion. The Army is 15% larger, and they’ve reinforced the 20% of Ukrainian territory that they hold. These are all the words of the Supreme Allied Commander himself. Do you feel your party is responsible for those setbacks?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Many of them, yeah. We took too long. This issue was like a family reunion, if you will, with a lot of different points of view being expressed around the table. Chuck did a good job. But all the Democrats were for Ukraine. There is no question that the debate was in our family, on our side. And there was a lot of skepticism for a long time, but I think it got better. And I think we proved that earlier this week.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you think changed minds?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: What do I think what?

    MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you think changed that?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: The actual facts. Once we realized we were not going to get a border result, I think our members really started focusing on the-the package. It was- it was clear that it was not going to have a border provision attached to it. And there are almost no good arguments against this. Almost no good ar- every argument that made it- made by the opponents is provably wrong. And the facts, I think, were convincing for a number of our members and they changed their minds.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: You are leader for another eight months. But you’ve said you’re going to stay and serve out your term. Donald Trump may again become president. According to our latest CBS polling, 79% of self-identified Republicans told us that the source of information they most trust on Ukraine and Russia is Donald Trump. The Pentagon came in lower than that at 60%. This sentiment doesn’t seem to be disappearing, how are you going to counter that?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Look, what I want to do and what I’m focused on is not the presidential race, but getting the Senate back. I’ve been the majority leader, I’ve been the minority leader, majority is better.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: But this isn’t the race. This is persuading public opinion.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Yeah. Let me finish. I think the single most important thing I can do is make sure my successor is the majority leader, no matter how the presidential election comes out. I haven’t been entirely satisfied with this administration. I think the fact that our nominee basically decided not to continue whipping people against the package was a good sign and I’m going to be advocating increasing the defense budget no matter who gets elected, and preparing ourselves for the long term, which is China, Russia, and Iran. This administration’s budget requests for defense haven’t even kept up with inflation. That needs to change and we need to change as well. Here in Congress, the Democrats have always insisted that we spend just as much on domestic as defense. That changed in the last appropriations process. Our spending needs to reflect the needs, and the needs now are on the defense side.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: So the Biden defense spending for fiscal year ’25, calls for a 1% increase, but your point is: doesn’t keep up with inflation because they’ll actually be decreasing year prior.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Right. Yeah. I- I think this conflict has gotten our attention on both sides, that the world has changed and that this is a very, very dangerous period for our country.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: So you said the Republican nominee decided not to whip against the package. In other words, stopped telling lawmakers that- not to vote for it, but we know Donald Trump is not a fan of- of Zelenskyy. Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, recently had dinner with Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago and then told reporters that Trump said he won’t give a penny to Ukraine and that’ll be the way he forces an end to the fighting. If that’s the fundamental belief of the man who’s going to be commander-in-chief, how do you stop him?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: What I’m doing is trying to change the Senate so that we have a majority and trying to produce a majority of the majority of the importance of defense spending, no matter who wins the presidential election. I can’t control that. I have some influence here in the Senate. I intend to use it no matter who gets elected president to increase our defense budget and get ready for the challenges that we have ahead of us, rather than just looking backward.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: But that’s a challenge where you might have to be the firewall against your own party and its leader.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I’ve been willing to do that. I had something to do with changing opinion in the Senate on this issue and I think a lot more of my members now understand the importance of it.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: You, in your press conference the other day, you unloaded a bit on Tucker Carlson for demonizing Ukraine and for going to Russia and speaking to Vladimir Putin. Donald Trump never endorsed this package and in your words had mixed views on it. How can you say that isolationism and the streak within your party is going to be controlled when there are powerful voices like this? You seem to be saying here the institution will prevent this.

    (CROSSTALK)

    SEN. MCCONNELL: We- we- we’ve been there. We may not have time for a history lesson, but we’ve been there before. Before World War II and after World War II, the most prominent Republican of that era was Robert Taft. He opposed lend-lease. He opposed NATO. He opposed the Marshall Plan. So that strand of isolationism prior to this last really big war was stopped when Eisenhower beat Taft for the nomination and had a totally different view of our role in the world and that’s been the case of most presidents since then. So having a debate about isolationism has occurred in my party before. It’s not fatal, but yet you need to engage and make the argument and that’s why I’m proud of the fact that we increased our support significantly in the Senate.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: And it came with it not just support for Ukraine, support for Israel, support for Palestinians and support for the Indo Pacific, including Taiwan. Do you think the way that you wrote this and structured this can withstand these forces of opposition and a potential Trump presidency?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I mean, we’ve got a lot more to do. I mean, this was an important episode. I think the fact that isolationism, at least on this issue, was defeated is not nearly enough.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: You do think it was defeated.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: On this particular issue. I don’t think it’s completely gone. We need to fund defense based upon the conditions and the conditions are we have two big adversaries: China, Russia. World War II, we had Japan, Germany. What do we have in addition to that now that we didn’t have then? Isolationism and the threat of Iran, and terrorists. That’s different and we need to defeat that mindset, and pass budgets that reflect where we are now and likely to be in the future.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: About a month after January 6, you voted to acquit Donald Trump after he was impeached. And you said on the Senate floor, “Trump didn’t get away with anything yet… We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation. And former presidents are not immune from being accountable by either one.” Do you still believe that former presidents are not completely immune from liability?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Let’s put it this way. I addressed that issue on February the 13th–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: It’s active before the Supreme Court as we speak.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –And January the 6th of 2021. I stand by everything I said then. Obviously, it’ll be up to the Supreme Court to decide whether I was correct.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: You got involved, though, and part of what you said is part of this case, in some ways. Because you argued for the Senate not to convict Mr. Trump, and central to his immunity argument is the claim that a former president who was impeached and convicted by the Senate can be criminally prosecuted. He was not. Do you regret your choice? It’s part of the defense.

    SEN. MCCONNELL:  I don’t regret anything I said then. I haven’t taken it- anything I said then back, but the answer to your question is going to be in the courts. The Supreme Court’s gonna decide that.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: What do you think of that argument?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I told you what I thought on January 6 and February 13 of 2021. I stand by everything I said then, but the answer is in court. The Supreme Court’s gonna determine that.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: So you stand by your description of Trump as practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of January 6, and potentially criminally responsible and liable?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I don’t know how many times you’re gonna ask me the same question. I stand by everything I’ve said on January 6, and February 13, 2021.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I’m asking you the question because since the past few months have passed, and our last conversation, you’ve endorsed him for reelection and you have clear moral clarity, as you describe it, and you say you still have these beliefs.

    SEN. MCCONNELL:  You need to get better research. I was asked that question three years ago. If he were the nominee, would I support him?

    MARGARET BRENNAN: And you said you would support whoever the nominee was.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: And I said yes. Because the voters of my party across the country have made a decision. As the Republican leader of the Senate, obviously, I’m gonna support the nominee of our party.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: But you have taken stands on issues you feel morally are- are- are of strong national security interests and morally imperative. That- that was your argument on Ukraine. And that you were bucking, in some ways, a populist opinion. So on this one, I’m just wondering how you explain that, when you say it was good enough for a number of Republicans that he’d be the nominee, because that is the populist opinion. It’s not taking the position that he has- he doesn’t live up to the role.

    (CROSSTALK)

    SEN. MCCONNELL: The issue is- the issue is- the issue is- what kind of influence, even if I had chosen to get involved in the presidential election, what kind of influence would I have had?

    MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re one of the most powerful Republicans.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I’m- I’m the Republican leader of the Senate. What we do here is try to make law. I like us to be in the majority. I’m spending my political time and my political capital, whatever amount I have, on trying to flip the Senate so that my successor is the majority leader and not the minority leader.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: I understand that. But you are fighting those forces, not just in the form of Donald Trump, but all these others- other senators, including J.D. Vance and others, who are espousing things that he supports that are counter to your worldview and counter to what you are saying is in the best interest of America.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, you and I–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: So it’s hard to understand sometimes.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: You and I sit here the week of a victory for the forces who are against isolationism, and you persist in talking about those who lost. I think the best evidence of how we’re doing pushing back against isolationism is the difference between 22 and 32.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re more aligned with Joe Biden than Donald Trump in your view of America’s role in the world, it would seem.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I’m sorry, what- what do you-

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Your worldview seems more aligned with Joe Biden when it comes to American leadership–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –I wouldn’t–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: –In these global conflicts–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –Well–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: –Then with Donald Trump–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –I certainly wouldn’t–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: –Who has spoken against Volodymyr Zelinskyy, who has not endorsed the package that you just worked so hard to get over the finish line.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Okay. Look, I- I wouldn’t have withdrawn from Afghanistan. I wouldn’t have submitted four budgets in a row for defense that don’t even keep up with inflation. I’ve got plenty of differences with the current administration. Whether I will have differences with the next administration remains to be seen. And so I’m not going to predict what might happen on this issue. I know what- what I think and it doesn’t make any difference what the outcome of the presidential election is. I’m going to be focusing on this remainder of my time in the Senate.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: But this has to be something that you think a lot about and struggle with. Donald Trump comes after you personally, he’s come after your wife.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, it- it’s not about me, it’s about what the right thing to do for the country is.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Is he the right thing to do for the country, as a Republican leader here–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –This is–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: –One of the most powerful in the country?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: This is the right–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: –Is he–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –Thing to do for the country and that’s what I’m advocating. No matter who gets elected president, I’m going to be pushing, what I’ve said repeatedly to you today is for an increase in defense budgets for us to take seriously the threat of China, Russia and Iran. And that requires more defense spending than we are currently engaged in.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: What I hear you saying, tell me if I’m getting it wrong, is that you can stop Donald Trump if he’s commander in chief. Even if you’re not leader, you’re going to do the most you can to counter this isolationist worldview and to counter, or limit, what he could do if reelected.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I’m gonna counter, no matter who’s elected president, advocating things that I think are not good for America. So as to whether I’m closer to one or another will depend on who the president is and what they advocate. Campaigns are pretty vociferous and what I care about is, what does the person who actually gets elected ultimately do. And I’ve made it perfectly clear, right, as we’ve discussed over and over and over again, where my interests are and where my advocacy will be.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Should he go to Kyiv like you did? Should Mr. Trump, as candidate, as representative of your party, go and see Ukraine for himself?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I’m not gonna give him any advice. I- I am try–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: –Other Republican candidates who are racing against him and lost, they did that. You did that. You put your own life at risk. You went and saw–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Margaret, I don’t know how many times I have to tell you. I’m focusing on turning the Senate Republicans into the majority here and focusing on advocating, as I think I successfully did this very week, for moving away from the isolationist movement that began with Tucker Carlson.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: It began with Tucker Carlson?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: It did. He has a huge- he had a huge audience among rank and file Republicans. And I think it was very destructive, very impactful on regular Republican voters and created a big problem.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Because he mimicked Republican propaganda and amplified it and then that’s been repeated on the House floor as the House Intel Chairman said?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I certainly disagreed with him and then he certainly ended up where he should have been all along, interviewing Vladimir Putin.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Will you fact check Donald Trump when he says these things? Because he has also repeated some of these claims —

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –I’m not gonna give any advice to our candidate in the- in the presidential election. What I’m focusing on is turning the Senate into a majority Republican.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: A number of your Republican senators, including JD Vance, repeat some of these ideas–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –Well, each of us make a decision–

    MARGARET BRENNAN: –That American can fight one war at once, that America, even if it’s not directly involved in Ukraine with its own troops is somehow–

    SEN. MCCONNELL: –Well, look, I- I- I choose how I spend my time and I’m not going to spend it giving the Republican candidate for president advice. I’m going to focus on trying to turn this Senate Republicans into a majority.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: How much of the time will your successor have to spend on this, on the infighting?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: Well, I think this was a big issue that we resolved this week. How many issues pop up between now and the end of the year that create controversy. Who knows?

    MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m being told, Leader, that we are out of time. Is there anything that we didn’t get to that you think we should discuss?

    SEN. MCCONNELL: I think we’ve covered it pretty well.

    MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for your time today.

    SEN. MCCONNELL: You’re welcome.

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  • Rand Paul: There’s No Difference Between Speaker Mike Johnson and The Democrats

    Rand Paul: There’s No Difference Between Speaker Mike Johnson and The Democrats

    Screenshots/YouTube

    Once again, the Republican Party completely caved and gave the Democrats everything they wanted. This time, GOP Speaker Mike Johnson flip-flopped on FISA. He’s also about to cave on more foreign aid for Ukraine and Israel.

    Enter Senator Rand Paul, who has never been shy about criticizing his own party.

    And now the senator is turning his sights on Speaker Johnson.

    RELATED: Speaker Mike Johnson Gives Explanation For His Flip-Flop On FISA Spying On Americans

    Paul Says No Difference Between Johnson and Democrats

    According to Paul, Johnson has “completely changed” and sold out his conservative principles since becoming House Speaker, and specifically focused on his recent support for the FISA government surveillance program.

    Paul said that Republican Johnson was now no different from the Democrats.

    Sen. Paul made his remarks on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.

    “People have to be strong in their convictions. He was seen as a conservative before he came to the speakership,” Paul said. “He’s completely changed and lost all his principles on the idea that we shouldn’t spy on Americans without a warrant.”

    “Johnson hasn’t held his ground,” Paul continued. “He has power. He has a majority. Use the power of the purse, Speaker Johnson. Do something to make us think you are different than the Democrats, but so far, I don’t see a lot of difference.”

    Johnson angered conservatives last week by helping to pass legislation that would reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702 for two more years.

    This allows for warrantless surveillance authority.

    Paul has long opposed Section 702 and federal government surveillance schemes in general.

    Paul was asked by the Fox News host if the government should be trusted with these warrantless spy powers.

    “Absolutely not,” Paul responded. “Americans shouldn’t be spied on by their own government.

    “The Fourth Amendment was put in by our founding fathers to protect us. FISA doesn’t obey the Fourth Amendment,” he added. “Speaker Johnson was incredibly wrong.”

    RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Kash Patel Talks FISA Reform: Suggests Program Could Still Be Used To Spy On Trump, Other Candidates

    ‘The Democrats Got Everything They Wanted’

    Paul also slammed Johnson over an appropriations deal the Speaker made with the Democrats that cleared Congress last month to fund the government for fiscal year 2024.

    “The Democrats got everything they wanted in the spending,” Paul lamented, which included Ukraine spending.

    Speaker Johnson isn’t the only Republican leader helping the Democrats, either. After Senate Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would be stepping down from his leadership role, he said he would remain a senator to fight against the “isolationist” forces in the GOP – meaning Rand Paul, for one.

    McConnell is a staunch advocate of the US funding Ukraine.

    Paul said of McConnell leaving leadership, “Anyone at this point would be better because he now has decided that Ukraine and sending our money to Ukraine — that we have to borrow — is more important than anything, including our border.”

    EXCLUSIVE: Kash Patel Talks FISA Reform: Suggests Program Could Still Be Used To Spy On Trump, Other Candidates

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  • Mitch McConnell backs House TikTok bill that could lead to ban

    Mitch McConnell backs House TikTok bill that could lead to ban

    TikTok’s future in U.S. remains unclear


    Experts weigh in on possible outcomes for users if Senate bans TikTok in U.S.

    04:34

    Washington — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday endorsed a bill that could lead to a ban of TikTok in the U.S. after its momentum slowed in the Senate following its whirlwind passage in the House last month. 

    “This is the matter that deserves Congress’ urgent attention, and I’ll support common sense bipartisan steps to take one of Beijing’s favorite tools of coercion and espionage off the table,” the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor, describing the platform as “a tool of surveillance and of propaganda.” 

    The legislation seeks to force its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok within six months to maintain access to U.S. web-hosting services and app stores. 

    “Requiring the divestment of Beijing-influenced entities from TikTok would land squarely within established constitutional precedent,” McConnell said. 

    Critics of the bill have questioned the bill’s constitutionality given the government’s targeting of a single company and have also said it would violate Americans’ free speech rights by taking away a platform they use for expression. 

    The bill’s path in the Senate, which typically moves slower than the lower chamber, is unclear. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, has been noncommittal about bringing it up for a vote, though he included TikTok legislation among his top priorities in a letter to Democrats last week. 

    Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell said Democrats on the panel were meeting Monday night to discuss next steps. After a classified briefing last month from national security officials, Cantwell said she was considering holding a hearing on the matter. She’s also indicated that the House bill could undergo changes or be scrapped. 

    “We’ll have a game plan on how to proceed after that,” the Washington Democrat said Monday. 

    Cantwell said committee members were also meeting this week with Schumer and Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee and has backed the House bill. 

    Alan He contributed reporting. 

    Caitlin Yilek

    Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at cbsnews.com and is based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

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  • John Dickerson on McConnell endorsing Trump despite Jan. 6 criticism

    John Dickerson on McConnell endorsing Trump despite Jan. 6 criticism

    John Dickerson on McConnell endorsing Trump despite Jan. 6 criticism – CBS News


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    Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump on Wednesday, despite once saying the former president committed a “disgraceful dereliction of duty” on Jan. 6. CBS News chief political analyst John Dickerson weighs in on the move.

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  • Are the top candidates to replace Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican leader MAGA enough?

    Are the top candidates to replace Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican leader MAGA enough?

    WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump knows how to influence an election, that much is clear. In the last few years, he has championed down-ballot nominees, wielded extensive influence over primary races and had his fingerprints on the House leadership race.

    But Trump is already beginning to leave his MAGA mark on a new sort of Republican race: the race to succeed Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from his leadership role in November after nearly two decades. After the 2024 election, but before newly elected members are sworn in, there will be closed-door Senate Republican Conference meeting in which members will nominate and elect a new leader.

    Trump has not yet publicly commented on McConnell’s departure, but the former president’s sway over the party as McConnell has waned in popularity is clear. Many Senate Republicans said on Thursday that they believe a candidate’s ability to work with Trump, and in many cases align with him, is an essential factor in their consideration of who they’ll back during the November contest.

    Listen to Mitch McConnell’s full speech on the Senate floor announces he will step down as Senate GOP leader in November.

    Top-tier contenders cozy up to Trump

    Already, top-tier contenders — referred to as the “three Johns” — are trying to cozy up to Trump, leaving many to speculate if they are MAGA enough for the job.

    In a statement formally announcing his candidacy for Republican leader, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, touted his Trump bona fides.

    “As the Republican Whip, I helped President Trump advance his agenda through the Senate, including passing historic tax reform and remaking our judiciary — including two Supreme Court Justices,” Cornyn said.

    In a gaggle with reporters, Cornyn said he spoke to Trump Wednesday — the same day McConnell announced his plans to step down — to make his “intentions” known.

    ‘I have learned a lot’: John Cornyn announces he’s running for Senate GOP leader

    Sen. John Cornyn officially announced he is running for Senate GOP leader a day after Mitch McConnell announced he was stepping down.

    Sen. John Thune, the South Dakota Republican and current GOP whip, has been slightly less overt about his intentions, but a spokesperson said Thursday that Thune is “reaching out to each of his colleagues directly to discuss the future of the Senate Republican Conference and what they would like to see in their next leader.”

    Thune issued an endorsement of Trump on Monday after speaking to the former president over the weekend.

    “I worked closely with him when he was president last time. You know, I was one of the key negotiators on the Senate Finance Committee on the tax cuts and Jobs Act. We put through, I want to say, 15 judges when I was the whip on the floor under his administration, and so yeah — we’ve got a record of accomplishment, of getting things done for the American people,” Thune said Thursday.

    Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a news conference on border security, following the Senate policy luncheon at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024.

    AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

    Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., hasn’t issued a formal statement on his intentions yet either. But on Wednesday he said he would “talk to members of the conference and hear what they have to say and listen to them in terms of what direction they want to take the conference.”

    Barrasso’s ties to Trump are well-documented. He is the most outspoken Trump supporter of the “three Johns” and was the first to endorse him, which he did in January.

    Other candidates are also expected to throw their hat in the ring in the coming months. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., ran against McConnell for leader in late 2022, and may run again. Some of Scott’s colleagues, including Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana, have already said they’d back him.

    Scott is still considering Trump when weighing a potential bid, too.

    “President Trump, I’m sure he wants somebody he can work with, so that’s probably what he’ll do. He’ll probably think about all the people who are considering running and whether he feels comfortable he can work with,” Scott said.

    Rank-and-file Republicans say Trump is a key factor

    It’s nine months until a leadership election — that’s quite a runway. But as contenders for the role begin jockeying for support within their conference, it’s clear a key factor for many will be how closely the candidate is able to work with Trump.

    Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said he’ll be looking to ensure that Senate leadership aligns with the party leader — presumptively Trump.

    “I think it’s really important that whoever our next Senate majority leader, shares the same priorities and goals as whoever the Republican president is,” Marshall said. “So it’s important that they share the same priorities.”

    Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said he expects Trump would be “very concerned” about who the eventual new leader is.

    “He should be involved,” Tuberville said of Trump.

    Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has asked for a special conference meeting to be called in March for contenders to outline their visions for the future of the conference.

    “This is something for the Republican Senate Conference to accomplish,” Johnson said, when asked about the impact Trump might have on that vision.

    Johnson said he did not think it would be productive for Trump to weigh in now. But if no consensus is reached before the November election, “Trump might have some influence,” Johnson said.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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  • Mitch McConnell Donates Body To Lobbyists For Research

    Mitch McConnell Donates Body To Lobbyists For Research

    WASHINGTON—In what many of his congressional colleagues have described as the most noble act of his storied career, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced Thursday that upon his death, he would donate his body to lobbyists for research. “By studying this extraordinary specimen capable of such tremendous feats of opportunism, lobbyists will gain great insights into the human capacity for corruption,” said Don Stewart, McConnell’s deputy chief of staff, explaining that lobbyists would be able to take what they learned from the remains of a seven-term senator without scruple and discover new ways to buy and pay for lawmakers. “They will be asking questions like: How much influence can the human body peddle? Was there something unique in Sen. McConnell’s genetic makeup that allowed him to engage in shameless obstructionism and fight against campaign finance reform for all those decades? And is this a quality that can be replicated in future generations of congressional leaders? The advances for the field of lobbying could be quite profound.” Reached for comment, top D.C. lobbyists said the donation of the senator’s body would finally allow them to pinpoint the exact location of the great emptiness inside of McConnell that could only be filled with cash.

    Americans Describe What It’s Like Surviving A Mass Shooting

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  • Does McConnell’s Exit Signal The End Of Marijuana Prohibition

    Does McConnell’s Exit Signal The End Of Marijuana Prohibition

    Mitch McConnell embraced being called the Darth Vader. For 17 years he has commanded the GOP Senate, and, had an oversized influence in the larger Republican Party. In the last year, he has been plagued by a divided party, a tussle with a former president, and health issues.  So it was only a somewhat surprise he announced he was stepping aside in leadership.  Politicians are lining up to take his place and he will have a tough go until November when he relinquishes the position. But does McConnell’s exit signal the end of marijuana prohibition?

    RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

    McConnell has been proud of remaking the Senate and accomplishing his personal political goals. While Senator, he and his wife has amassed a fortune of $35 million while stopping small marijuana business owners from getting ahead. Born in a different era, McConnell is a conservative from the old school, legal marijuana, LGBT rights, expanded voter access and are enemies to him.  As the legal state by state cannabis industry has blossomed to $20+ billion in sales filling state coffers, McConnell only grew more firm in his stand to block federal legalization.

    Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

    Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC), a strong ally of the industry, said publicly what everyone is thinking.  If McConnell is a no on federal legalization, it is a no go.  He has stonewalled the SAFE Banking Act multiple times. When the Senate flipped, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-WA) put forward the SAFER Banking Act with a bipartisan group only to have it die due to the House’s leadership chaos.

    McConnell has been fine going against public opinion when making policy he feels is correct. Marijuana federal legalization has over 87% of public approval and veterans groups have pleaded for support on cannabis for help with PTSD.  Both appeals have fallen on the deaf ears of the Grim Reaper. And he has seemed pleased when he wins a major battle against the public and voters.

    RELATED: People Who Use Weed Also Do More Of Another Fun Thing

    While his loss indicates a positive for the cannabis industry, there is a downside.  Like the House, the Senate could get swept up in a power play as the players reshuffle who is control. Meaningful legalization could come to a standstill without strong, focused leadership whipping votes.  With the Biden administration hesitate to move forward in the campaign procmises, the cannabis industry is holding its breath.

    Terry Hacienda

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  • After Thoroughly F**king Over America, Mitch McConnell Decides to Treat Himself to a Break

    After Thoroughly F**king Over America, Mitch McConnell Decides to Treat Himself to a Break

    Mitch McConnell announced on Wednesday that he will step down as the GOP’s Senate leader after next November’s elections. At 82, the guy is still alive and kicking, and come November, he’ll still have more than two years left on his current term in office. In other words, we’re not rid of him just yet. But it feels appropriate at this time to talk about legacy and what people will remember about the man when he’s gone, from both DC and the world. So, to be clear: If you remember one thing about Mitch McConnell, it should be that the Kentucky lawmaker, who famously has no principles,* could have rid us of the bubonic plague that is Donald Trump—and simply chose not to.

    Cast your minds back to February 2021. A month prior, the president of the United States had incited a literal insurrection in an attempt to stay in power. Shortly thereafter, he was impeached, which was followed by a Senate trial. On the day the votes were cast, McConnell said the following: “There’s no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day. No question about it. The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president. And having that belief was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories, and reckless hyperbole, which the defeated president kept shouting into the largest megaphone on planet Earth.”

    Those words would have been incredibly powerful if not for one thing: Moments before uttering them, McConnell voted to acquit Trump, because he is a shameless hack. As a reminder, had Trump been convicted by the Senate—which, yes, would’ve required more people than just McConnell to vote differently—the 45th president would have been barred from ever running from office again, and we wouldn’t currently be grappling with the very real chance of him winning reelection this fall.

    But hey, you might be thinking, My memory is sharp and I’d like to recall more than one thing about the majority leader when he’s gone. In that case, might we recommend McConnell’s handiwork in shaping the Supreme Court? Specifically the wheels he set into motion that led to Roe v. Wade being overturned?

    As Politico noted in 2022 after nearly 50 years of precedent was gutted, “there’s a direct line from the Senate minority leader’s decision to hold a high court vacancy open in 2016 to the potential demise of Roe six years later.” If you can’t remember that far back, or had to bury it in the deepest recesses of your mind so as to not spend all your waking hours screaming, a quick refresher: After conservative justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016, Barack Obama had the opportunity, because he was president, to nominate a justice to fill Scalia’s seat. Yet, before the 44th POTUS even mentioned the words Merrick Garland, McConnell was already pledging to block any and all nominees. “The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice,” McConnell insisted at the time. “Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.” That argument was obviously absurd given that the American people had already had a voice in the selection of the next Supreme Court justice, and they had it when they voted for Obama—who still had almost an entire calendar year left in office.

    But in the grand tradition of Republicans just making shit up when it suits them, McConnell held fast to what he would later claim was a historical precedent going back hundreds of years—wherein “no Senate ha[d] confirmed an opposite-party president’s Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year”—and refused to even hold a confirmation hearing for the guy who would ultimately become Obama’s pick to succeed Scalia. Which allowed Republicans to effectively steal a Supreme Court seat that should have gone to a liberal. Then, roughly four years later, McConnell was more than happy for Amy Coney Barrett to be confirmed and sworn in with less than two months before the 2020 election, despite his previous “election year” rule. Barrett’s ascension to the court, and its 6-3 conservative-liberal makeup would, by design, lead to the decimation of abortion rights.

    Speaking of the current Supreme Court, which McConnell had an outsize hand in shaping: On Wednesday, it said that it will take up Trump’s claims of immunity at the end of April. Which is very good for the ex-president and very, very bad for the fate of democracy.

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  • McConnell’s end as leader marks seismic shift for Republican Party

    McConnell’s end as leader marks seismic shift for Republican Party

    McConnell’s end as leader marks seismic shift for Republican Party – CBS News


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    Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell surprised Capitol Hill on Thursday by announcing he will step down from leadership in November. CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa examines what the move means for the Republican Party.

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  • Mitch McConnell Fast Facts | CNN Politics

    Mitch McConnell Fast Facts | CNN Politics



    CNN
     — 

    Here is a look at the life of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky.

    Birth date: February 20, 1942

    Birth place: Colbert County, Alabama

    Birth name: Addison Mitchell McConnell Jr.

    Father: Addison Mitchell McConnell

    Mother: Julia (Shockley) McConnell

    Marriages: Elaine Chao (1993-present); Sherrill Redmon (1968-1980, divorced)

    Children: with Sherrill Redmon: Porter; Claire; Eleanor

    Education: University of Louisville, B.A., 1964; University of Kentucky, J.D., 1967

    Religion: Baptist

    Contracted polio at age 2 and was not allowed to walk for two years while completing physical therapy.

    His wife, Elaine Chao, served as secretary of the Department of Labor under President George W. Bush and deputy secretary of the Department of Transportation under President George H.W. Bush. Chao served as the secretary of the Department of Transportation under President Donald Trump.

    1968-1970 – Chief legislative assistant to Senator Marlow Cook.

    1974-1975 – Deputy Assistant United States Attorney for Legislative Affairs.

    1975 – Acting Assistant Attorney General.

    1978-1985 – Judge-Executive of Jefferson County, Kentucky.

    1984 – Elected to the US Senate to represent Kentucky.

    1990 – Reelected to the US Senate.

    1996 – Reelected to the US Senate.

    2002 – Reelected to the US Senate.

    2003-2007 – Senate Republican Whip.

    November 16, 2006 – Elected Senate Republican leader. McConnell replaces Bill Frist.

    January 4, 2007-January 6, 2015 – Senate Minority Leader.

    2008 – Reelected to the US Senate.

    October 23, 2010 – During an interview with the National Journal, McConnell says, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President [Barack] Obama to be a one-term president.”

    November 4, 2014 – Reelected to the US Senate.

    November 13, 2014 – McConnell is reelected leader of the Republican party in the Senate. When Congress reconvenes in January 2015, McConnell will take over as Senate majority leader from Harry Reid.

    January 6, 2015–January 20, 2021 – Senate Majority Leader.

    December 12, 2016 – Announces he supports a congressional investigation into findings that Russian hackers attempted to influence the election.

    June 12, 2018 – Becomes the longest-serving Republican leader in the Senate’s history, surpassing former Sen. Robert Dole’s record.

    August 4, 2019 – McConnell fractures his shoulder after falling in his Kentucky home. “This morning, Leader McConnell tripped at home on his outside patio and suffered a fractured shoulder,” David Popp, McConnell’s communications director, says in a statement. “He has been treated, released, and is working from home in Louisville.”

    August 15, 2019 – McConnell undergoes surgery to repair the fracture in his shoulder. “The surgery was performed without incident, and the Leader is grateful to the surgical team for their skill,” Popp says in a statement.

    November 3, 2020 – Wins reelection to the US Senate, defeating Democratic opponent Amy McGrath and her massive fundraising efforts to unseat him.

    November 10, 2020 – McConnell is reelected as a Senate party leader, but the party holding the Senate majority won’t be determined until two runoff elections in Georgia take place in January.

    December 15, 2020 – Six weeks after Election Day McConnell finally acknowledges Joe Biden’s victory and refers to him as president-elect.

    January 2, 2021 – Police report that McConnell’s home has been vandalized. The damage takes place after the Senate stalls on increasing stimulus checks to $2,000. The home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the other highest-ranking member of Congress, was vandalized the previous day.

    January 20, 2021-present – Senate Minority Leader.

    February 13, 2021 – McConnell directly blames former President Trump for instigating last month’s riot at the Capitol but votes to acquit him anyway of inciting an insurrection.

    November 16, 2022 – Wins a secret-ballot leadership election, putting him on pace to become the longest-serving Senate party leader in US history. McConnell defeats Florida Sen. Rick Scott in a 37-10-1 vote, his first challenger in his 15 years atop his conference.

    March 8, 2023 – McConnell is being treated for a concussion and is staying at a hospital for observation after a fall at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington, DC.

    July 26, 2023 – McConnell stops speaking in the middle of remarks at his regularly scheduled weekly news conference on Capitol Hill. After a 30-second pause, his colleagues crowded around to see if he was OK and asked him how he felt. He later tells reporters that he’s “fine.”

    August 30, 2023 – Appears to freeze for about 30 seconds while speaking with reporters after a speech in Covington, Kentucky.

    February 28, 2024 – McConnell will step down at GOP leader in November, a source tells CNN.

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  • Schumer, McConnell suggest progress being made to avoid shutdown

    Schumer, McConnell suggest progress being made to avoid shutdown

    Schumer, McConnell suggest progress being made to avoid shutdown – CBS News


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    President Biden and congressional leaders met Tuesday to work on a solution toward averting a government shutdown. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has the latest on where negotiations stand.

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