EXCLUSIVE — Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top candidate to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate on the presidential ticket, is minimizing the role that Chinese investing played in a high-altitude surveillance company that the former astronaut co-founded.

Tucson-based World View, which was created in 2012 and contracts with the federal government and private companies, received an unknown amount of funding in the years that followed from Chinese tech giant Tencent in at least two rounds of venture capital funding.

Kelly’s former ties to World View, which he separated from prior to becoming a senator but maintains a financial stake in, received fresh scrutiny in 2023 after Chinese spy balloons flew in American airspace and again this month as his name floated to the top of Harris’s vice presidential list. Kelly’s company is not linked to the Chinese spy balloons that were shot down over U.S. airspace.

However, the incidents brought renewed attention to the financial ties Chinese companies have in American companies such as Kelly’s. Kelly declined to address to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday the role that Chinese investing played in the firm.

“Myself and some other folks formed a company that has supported Department of Defense, NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration], special operations, to provide our warfighters with capabilities that they need,” said Kelly, who is also a former U.S. Navy combat pilot.

Kelly disclosed to the Senate in July 2021 that he’d placed his stock in World View, valued between $100,001-$250,000, in a blind trust, according to a financial disclosure report. He ceased working with the company in 2019 prior to unseating former Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) in 2020.

Kelly’s career is under the microscope amid vetting by Harris’s team to potentially join her on the ticket, and such episodes from his past that would be put further in the spotlight as a vice presidential candidate could present political liabilities for both Harris and some down-ballet Democrats.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of the Senate’s most vulnerable members this cycle as Democrats fight to keep their one-seat majority, also downplayed Kelly’s connections, telling the Washington Examiner that he had never heard of Kelly’s ties to the company before.

“That son of a bitch,” Tester quipped. “What you just told me is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Montana, home to nuclear missile silo fields, was among the states where a Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying over in 2023.

Tencent contributed at least twice in separate rounds of venture capital funding, including one in 2016 that was valued at $15 million. Tencent’s portion was unclear. An earlier investment in 2014 was also for an undisclosed amount.

Tencent previously told Axios it maintains “a very small stake” in World View that does not include a board seat or investment rights. Once World View shifted from its earlier focus on space tourism to its more current role as a U.S. government contractor, Tencent said they “stopped investing and no longer have any active communications with the company.”

Kelly met with the head of Tencent’s U.S. operations in 2014, according to an interview former World View CEO Jane Poynter gave that year to Chinese news outlet Pengpai. The article, when translated to English, reported that Poynter credited Kelly for having “introduced him to space travel technology” and said Tencent was “very interested and was willing to invest at this stage.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Kelly described that conversation with Tencent in a 2020 Arizona Republic pre-election interview as a “very brief conversation with one individual that lasted about 30 seconds, maybe a minute.”

The campaign arm of Senate Republicans at the time accused Kelly of having “sold out in order to persuade Chinese communist executives to invest in his space company.”

2024-07-31 20:53:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3106307%2Fharris-vp-contender-mark-kelly-downplays-founding-chinese-funded-spy-balloon-company%2F?w=600&h=450, EXCLUSIVE — Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top candidate to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate on the presidential ticket, is minimizing the role that Chinese investing played in a high-altitude surveillance company that the former astronaut co-founded. Tucson-based World View, which was created in 2012 and contracts with the federal government and private,

EXCLUSIVE — Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top candidate to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate on the presidential ticket, is minimizing the role that Chinese investing played in a high-altitude surveillance company that the former astronaut co-founded.

Tucson-based World View, which was created in 2012 and contracts with the federal government and private companies, received an unknown amount of funding in the years that followed from Chinese tech giant Tencent in at least two rounds of venture capital funding.

Kelly’s former ties to World View, which he separated from prior to becoming a senator but maintains a financial stake in, received fresh scrutiny in 2023 after Chinese spy balloons flew in American airspace and again this month as his name floated to the top of Harris’s vice presidential list. Kelly’s company is not linked to the Chinese spy balloons that were shot down over U.S. airspace.

However, the incidents brought renewed attention to the financial ties Chinese companies have in American companies such as Kelly’s. Kelly declined to address to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday the role that Chinese investing played in the firm.

“Myself and some other folks formed a company that has supported Department of Defense, NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration], special operations, to provide our warfighters with capabilities that they need,” said Kelly, who is also a former U.S. Navy combat pilot.

Kelly disclosed to the Senate in July 2021 that he’d placed his stock in World View, valued between $100,001-$250,000, in a blind trust, according to a financial disclosure report. He ceased working with the company in 2019 prior to unseating former Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) in 2020.

Kelly’s career is under the microscope amid vetting by Harris’s team to potentially join her on the ticket, and such episodes from his past that would be put further in the spotlight as a vice presidential candidate could present political liabilities for both Harris and some down-ballet Democrats.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of the Senate’s most vulnerable members this cycle as Democrats fight to keep their one-seat majority, also downplayed Kelly’s connections, telling the Washington Examiner that he had never heard of Kelly’s ties to the company before.

“That son of a bitch,” Tester quipped. “What you just told me is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Montana, home to nuclear missile silo fields, was among the states where a Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying over in 2023.

Tencent contributed at least twice in separate rounds of venture capital funding, including one in 2016 that was valued at $15 million. Tencent’s portion was unclear. An earlier investment in 2014 was also for an undisclosed amount.

Tencent previously told Axios it maintains “a very small stake” in World View that does not include a board seat or investment rights. Once World View shifted from its earlier focus on space tourism to its more current role as a U.S. government contractor, Tencent said they “stopped investing and no longer have any active communications with the company.”

Kelly met with the head of Tencent’s U.S. operations in 2014, according to an interview former World View CEO Jane Poynter gave that year to Chinese news outlet Pengpai. The article, when translated to English, reported that Poynter credited Kelly for having “introduced him to space travel technology” and said Tencent was “very interested and was willing to invest at this stage.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Kelly described that conversation with Tencent in a 2020 Arizona Republic pre-election interview as a “very brief conversation with one individual that lasted about 30 seconds, maybe a minute.”

The campaign arm of Senate Republicans at the time accused Kelly of having “sold out in order to persuade Chinese communist executives to invest in his space company.”

, EXCLUSIVE — Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top candidate to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate on the presidential ticket, is minimizing the role that Chinese investing played in a high-altitude surveillance company that the former astronaut co-founded. Tucson-based World View, which was created in 2012 and contracts with the federal government and private companies, received an unknown amount of funding in the years that followed from Chinese tech giant Tencent in at least two rounds of venture capital funding. Kelly’s former ties to World View, which he separated from prior to becoming a senator but maintains a financial stake in, received fresh scrutiny in 2023 after Chinese spy balloons flew in American airspace and again this month as his name floated to the top of Harris’s vice presidential list. Kelly’s company is not linked to the Chinese spy balloons that were shot down over U.S. airspace. However, the incidents brought renewed attention to the financial ties Chinese companies have in American companies such as Kelly’s. Kelly declined to address to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday the role that Chinese investing played in the firm. “Myself and some other folks formed a company that has supported Department of Defense, NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration], special operations, to provide our warfighters with capabilities that they need,” said Kelly, who is also a former U.S. Navy combat pilot. Kelly disclosed to the Senate in July 2021 that he’d placed his stock in World View, valued between $100,001-$250,000, in a blind trust, according to a financial disclosure report. He ceased working with the company in 2019 prior to unseating former Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) in 2020. Kelly’s career is under the microscope amid vetting by Harris’s team to potentially join her on the ticket, and such episodes from his past that would be put further in the spotlight as a vice presidential candidate could present political liabilities for both Harris and some down-ballet Democrats. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of the Senate’s most vulnerable members this cycle as Democrats fight to keep their one-seat majority, also downplayed Kelly’s connections, telling the Washington Examiner that he had never heard of Kelly’s ties to the company before. “That son of a bitch,” Tester quipped. “What you just told me is the first time I’ve heard of it.” Montana, home to nuclear missile silo fields, was among the states where a Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying over in 2023. Tencent contributed at least twice in separate rounds of venture capital funding, including one in 2016 that was valued at $15 million. Tencent’s portion was unclear. An earlier investment in 2014 was also for an undisclosed amount. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., stops to talk with reporters as he boards an elevator in the basement of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Tencent previously told Axios it maintains “a very small stake” in World View that does not include a board seat or investment rights. Once World View shifted from its earlier focus on space tourism to its more current role as a U.S. government contractor, Tencent said they “stopped investing and no longer have any active communications with the company.” Kelly met with the head of Tencent’s U.S. operations in 2014, according to an interview former World View CEO Jane Poynter gave that year to Chinese news outlet Pengpai. The article, when translated to English, reported that Poynter credited Kelly for having “introduced him to space travel technology” and said Tencent was “very interested and was willing to invest at this stage.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Kelly described that conversation with Tencent in a 2020 Arizona Republic pre-election interview as a “very brief conversation with one individual that lasted about 30 seconds, maybe a minute.” The campaign arm of Senate Republicans at the time accused Kelly of having “sold out in order to persuade Chinese communist executives to invest in his space company.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/mark-kelly-downplays-chinese-funding-spy-balloon-company.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Ramsey Touchberry,

Presidents are tasked with making a whopping 4,000 political appointments across the federal government, roughly 1,200 of which require Senate confirmation.

The director of the Secret Service, the agency tasked with protecting some of the most important U.S. political leaders, isn’t one of them. But that could soon change.

“We confirm everybody, like the deputy undersecretary to the elevators,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told the Washington Examiner. “You’ve kind of got me by surprise there. I would have assumed that it would be a Senate-confirmed position already.”

Murkowski isn’t alone. It’s why the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has spurred a bipartisan push for the Senate to add the position to its exhaustive list of confirmations.

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are lobbying their colleagues to pass a bill that would require any future Secret Service directors to receive confirmation and serve no more than a 10-year term after former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday amid mounting bipartisan calls for her ouster.

“Our bill is a crucial step toward providing the transparency and accountability that Congress and the American people deserve from the Secret Service,” Grassley said.

Cortez Masto noted the proposal would “ensure the same level of oversight as other federal law enforcement agencies,” such as the FBI, CIA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, immigration enforcement and border patrol, and the U.S. Marshals.

The intrigue is particularly palpable among Republican senators, who are usually more likely to oppose increased layers of government but are especially incensed about their presidential nominee nearly being assassinated during a campaign rally.

Proponents say Senate confirmation would make directors more beholden to not just the White House but also Congress, which approves the Secret Service’s budget, which has swelled to more than $3 billion annually.

“I think it’s time for oversight review of the budget,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) told the Washington Examiner. “There are some big picture issues about who answers to whom, and how they go about the work they do. It just seems like that’s lacking, and I think having somebody who is subject to more oversights and a confirmation process might fix that.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who is running against Thune, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who will be Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) successor as GOP leader, agreed.

“Clearly, what we’re doing now is not working,” Cornyn said. “It’s pretty shameful.”

Others, including Murkowski, are open to the prospect but haven’t previously considered it. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said she was “open” to the idea because “there would be more accountability.”

But not everyone is on board. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) appeared skeptical of senators’ ability to contribute significantly and was indifferent to changing the current process.

“I don’t know that we’re any better at making that evaluation than the administration,” he told the Washington Examiner. “I really don’t have an opinion on that. I don’t care one way or the other.”

Former Secret Service agent Tim Gobble, now on Tennessee’s Board of Parole, told the Washington Examiner that additional congressional scrutiny by way of Senate confirmation may not be a bad idea — so long as Washington politics doesn’t get in the way.

“As long as the process wasn’t politicized … and became a partisan fight, I don’t see a real problem with that,” Gobble said in an interview. “The Senate could handle it very similar to what they do with other agencies, and I think that it would probably, in the long run, be a positive thing for the Secret Service.”

A recent study by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service think tank warned that more appointees mean more unfilled positions due to an overwhelmed Senate. The number of roles requiring confirmation has ballooned by nearly 60% since 1960, per the group. Lower-level positions often take more than a year to be filled after a president’s inauguration.

The Washington Post’s Political Appointee Tracker, which keeps tabs on 817 of the roughly 1,200 confirmed positions in collaboration with the think tank, shows 96 roles currently have no nominees and 77 are awaiting Senate approval.

Both political parties are already behind on starting their possible transition planning, the think tank said this week. Transition support and resources from the General Services Administration will be available to the party nominees starting Aug. 27.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Republicans are currently fast-tracking the bipartisan legislation to get a write-off on their side of the aisle in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which it would need to clear before coming to the floor. Cortez Masto’s office did not respond to an inquiry about progress being made among Democrats.

The Senate departs for summer recess at the end of next week and won’t return until September. President Joe Biden has not yet installed a new Secret Service director.

2024-07-28 09:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3101111%2Ftrump-assassination-attempt-secret-service-director-confirmation%2F?w=600&h=450, Presidents are tasked with making a whopping 4,000 political appointments across the federal government, roughly 1,200 of which require Senate confirmation. The director of the Secret Service, the agency tasked with protecting some of the most important U.S. political leaders, isn’t one of them. But that could soon change. “We confirm everybody, like the deputy,

Presidents are tasked with making a whopping 4,000 political appointments across the federal government, roughly 1,200 of which require Senate confirmation.

The director of the Secret Service, the agency tasked with protecting some of the most important U.S. political leaders, isn’t one of them. But that could soon change.

“We confirm everybody, like the deputy undersecretary to the elevators,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told the Washington Examiner. “You’ve kind of got me by surprise there. I would have assumed that it would be a Senate-confirmed position already.”

Murkowski isn’t alone. It’s why the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has spurred a bipartisan push for the Senate to add the position to its exhaustive list of confirmations.

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are lobbying their colleagues to pass a bill that would require any future Secret Service directors to receive confirmation and serve no more than a 10-year term after former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday amid mounting bipartisan calls for her ouster.

“Our bill is a crucial step toward providing the transparency and accountability that Congress and the American people deserve from the Secret Service,” Grassley said.

Cortez Masto noted the proposal would “ensure the same level of oversight as other federal law enforcement agencies,” such as the FBI, CIA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, immigration enforcement and border patrol, and the U.S. Marshals.

The intrigue is particularly palpable among Republican senators, who are usually more likely to oppose increased layers of government but are especially incensed about their presidential nominee nearly being assassinated during a campaign rally.

Proponents say Senate confirmation would make directors more beholden to not just the White House but also Congress, which approves the Secret Service’s budget, which has swelled to more than $3 billion annually.

“I think it’s time for oversight review of the budget,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) told the Washington Examiner. “There are some big picture issues about who answers to whom, and how they go about the work they do. It just seems like that’s lacking, and I think having somebody who is subject to more oversights and a confirmation process might fix that.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who is running against Thune, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who will be Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) successor as GOP leader, agreed.

“Clearly, what we’re doing now is not working,” Cornyn said. “It’s pretty shameful.”

Others, including Murkowski, are open to the prospect but haven’t previously considered it. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said she was “open” to the idea because “there would be more accountability.”

But not everyone is on board. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) appeared skeptical of senators’ ability to contribute significantly and was indifferent to changing the current process.

“I don’t know that we’re any better at making that evaluation than the administration,” he told the Washington Examiner. “I really don’t have an opinion on that. I don’t care one way or the other.”

Former Secret Service agent Tim Gobble, now on Tennessee’s Board of Parole, told the Washington Examiner that additional congressional scrutiny by way of Senate confirmation may not be a bad idea — so long as Washington politics doesn’t get in the way.

“As long as the process wasn’t politicized … and became a partisan fight, I don’t see a real problem with that,” Gobble said in an interview. “The Senate could handle it very similar to what they do with other agencies, and I think that it would probably, in the long run, be a positive thing for the Secret Service.”

A recent study by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service think tank warned that more appointees mean more unfilled positions due to an overwhelmed Senate. The number of roles requiring confirmation has ballooned by nearly 60% since 1960, per the group. Lower-level positions often take more than a year to be filled after a president’s inauguration.

The Washington Post’s Political Appointee Tracker, which keeps tabs on 817 of the roughly 1,200 confirmed positions in collaboration with the think tank, shows 96 roles currently have no nominees and 77 are awaiting Senate approval.

Both political parties are already behind on starting their possible transition planning, the think tank said this week. Transition support and resources from the General Services Administration will be available to the party nominees starting Aug. 27.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Republicans are currently fast-tracking the bipartisan legislation to get a write-off on their side of the aisle in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which it would need to clear before coming to the floor. Cortez Masto’s office did not respond to an inquiry about progress being made among Democrats.

The Senate departs for summer recess at the end of next week and won’t return until September. President Joe Biden has not yet installed a new Secret Service director.

, Presidents are tasked with making a whopping 4,000 political appointments across the federal government, roughly 1,200 of which require Senate confirmation. The director of the Secret Service, the agency tasked with protecting some of the most important U.S. political leaders, isn’t one of them. But that could soon change. “We confirm everybody, like the deputy undersecretary to the elevators,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told the Washington Examiner. “You’ve kind of got me by surprise there. I would have assumed that it would be a Senate-confirmed position already.” Murkowski isn’t alone. It’s why the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has spurred a bipartisan push for the Senate to add the position to its exhaustive list of confirmations. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are lobbying their colleagues to pass a bill that would require any future Secret Service directors to receive confirmation and serve no more than a 10-year term after former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday amid mounting bipartisan calls for her ouster. “Our bill is a crucial step toward providing the transparency and accountability that Congress and the American people deserve from the Secret Service,” Grassley said. Cortez Masto noted the proposal would “ensure the same level of oversight as other federal law enforcement agencies,” such as the FBI, CIA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, immigration enforcement and border patrol, and the U.S. Marshals. The intrigue is particularly palpable among Republican senators, who are usually more likely to oppose increased layers of government but are especially incensed about their presidential nominee nearly being assassinated during a campaign rally. Proponents say Senate confirmation would make directors more beholden to not just the White House but also Congress, which approves the Secret Service’s budget, which has swelled to more than $3 billion annually. “I think it’s time for oversight review of the budget,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) told the Washington Examiner. “There are some big picture issues about who answers to whom, and how they go about the work they do. It just seems like that’s lacking, and I think having somebody who is subject to more oversights and a confirmation process might fix that.” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who is running against Thune, and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who will be Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) successor as GOP leader, agreed. “Clearly, what we’re doing now is not working,” Cornyn said. “It’s pretty shameful.” Others, including Murkowski, are open to the prospect but haven’t previously considered it. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said she was “open” to the idea because “there would be more accountability.” But not everyone is on board. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) appeared skeptical of senators’ ability to contribute significantly and was indifferent to changing the current process. “I don’t know that we’re any better at making that evaluation than the administration,” he told the Washington Examiner. “I really don’t have an opinion on that. I don’t care one way or the other.” Former Secret Service agent Tim Gobble, now on Tennessee’s Board of Parole, told the Washington Examiner that additional congressional scrutiny by way of Senate confirmation may not be a bad idea — so long as Washington politics doesn’t get in the way. “As long as the process wasn’t politicized … and became a partisan fight, I don’t see a real problem with that,” Gobble said in an interview. “The Senate could handle it very similar to what they do with other agencies, and I think that it would probably, in the long run, be a positive thing for the Secret Service.” A recent study by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service think tank warned that more appointees mean more unfilled positions due to an overwhelmed Senate. The number of roles requiring confirmation has ballooned by nearly 60% since 1960, per the group. Lower-level positions often take more than a year to be filled after a president’s inauguration. The Washington Post’s Political Appointee Tracker, which keeps tabs on 817 of the roughly 1,200 confirmed positions in collaboration with the think tank, shows 96 roles currently have no nominees and 77 are awaiting Senate approval. Both political parties are already behind on starting their possible transition planning, the think tank said this week. Transition support and resources from the General Services Administration will be available to the party nominees starting Aug. 27. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Republicans are currently fast-tracking the bipartisan legislation to get a write-off on their side of the aisle in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which it would need to clear before coming to the floor. Cortez Masto’s office did not respond to an inquiry about progress being made among Democrats. The Senate departs for summer recess at the end of next week and won’t return until September. President Joe Biden has not yet installed a new Secret Service director., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/secret-service-directors-senate-confirmation.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Ramsey Touchberry,

The White House is keeping its work on proposed changes to the Supreme Court under wraps from key Senate Democrats even as some seek to offer their two cents on policies they would play a crucial role in passing during President Joe Biden’s final months in office.

Several Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee surveyed by the Washington Examiner said they have not heard from the White House on the matter despite weeks of reports on the subject, including panel Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL).

“I haven’t heard anything directly from the White House,” Durbin, the chamber’s second-ranking Democrat as majority whip, said.

Instead, the White House appears to be leaning on a single Senate Democrat who, like Durbin, is a longtime advocate of implementing oversight measures on the high court: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

“I don’t want to characterize it, but yeah, we were in touch,” Whitehouse told the Washington Examiner.

Informed that fellow Democrats on the committee have not been in contact with administration officials, Whitehouse reiterated, “We were.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment or whether it has engaged with other lawmakers on the subject.

In his first remarks since dropping out of the presidential race, Biden on Wednesday laid out policy goals for his final few months as president in a speech from the Oval Office. Among them was Supreme Court reform.

“I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy,” Biden said.

The high court’s rightward slant that solidified under former President Donald Trump for years to come has fueled progressive calls for adding seats to the nine-justice body in a bid to, as Democrats describe it, level the playing field in the courtroom. Recent failures by justices to disclose lavish gifts from conservative GOP donors or proceeds made outside their government roles, as well as declining to recuse themselves from cases where Democrats have claimed they have conflicts of interest, have exacerbated Democratic demands for Congress to impost ethics laws.

Biden’s work-in-progress proposal reportedly includes endorsing term limits for justices and a legally enforceable ethics code, which would take precedence over the high court’s self-imposed ethics pledge. The prospects of such measures becoming law in a divided Congress are virtually zero, but the legislation would energize Democrats’ base just months before the election.

“I couldn’t be happier that they’re moving in this direction,” Whitehouse said. “It’s time, and I think that Vice President Harris will be completely on board and maybe even [give] a little bit more oomph.”

Other Democrats are likewise prepared to embrace such proposals, but some prodded the White House for better collaboration with Capitol Hill.

“I hope to have conversations with them because I am all for court reform,” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) told the Washington Examiner. “I have discussion drafts on some of those kinds of bills, and I’ve signed on to some of those bills.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) advocated term limits, replacing justices on a staggered basis, and enforceable ethics because he said the court “acts as though it’s responsible to no one.”

“I anticipate we’ll be having a robust conversation over these next few weeks,” he said.

Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) were also not contacted by the White House.

Other Democrats not on the Judiciary Committee, such as Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), want the party to go far further by packing the high court with four new justices.

But no matter Biden’s ultimate policy endorsements, the court’s most ardent defenders on the Republican side of the aisle are vowing to stop all reforms in their tracks.

“It’s a separate branch,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) told the Washington Examiner. “Keep the nose of Congress and the administration out of it.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said the only measure he would greenlight is his constitutional amendment to ensure there will never be more than nine justices.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas and head of the conservative legal advocacy group Judicial Crisis Network, assailed Biden for weighing any changes.

“Biden seems intent on pleasing his dark money benefactors with his pledge to pursue so-called court reform,” she said. “While he is still short on specifics, we can expect him to try to do an end run around the Constitution in his farewell effort to destroy the court.”

Haisten Willis contributed to this report.

2024-07-26 10:00:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3100211%2Fbiden-keeps-democrats-guessing-supreme-court-changes-some-seek-input%2F?w=600&h=450, The White House is keeping its work on proposed changes to the Supreme Court under wraps from key Senate Democrats even as some seek to offer their two cents on policies they would play a crucial role in passing during President Joe Biden’s final months in office. Several Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee surveyed,

The White House is keeping its work on proposed changes to the Supreme Court under wraps from key Senate Democrats even as some seek to offer their two cents on policies they would play a crucial role in passing during President Joe Biden’s final months in office.

Several Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee surveyed by the Washington Examiner said they have not heard from the White House on the matter despite weeks of reports on the subject, including panel Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL).

“I haven’t heard anything directly from the White House,” Durbin, the chamber’s second-ranking Democrat as majority whip, said.

Instead, the White House appears to be leaning on a single Senate Democrat who, like Durbin, is a longtime advocate of implementing oversight measures on the high court: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

“I don’t want to characterize it, but yeah, we were in touch,” Whitehouse told the Washington Examiner.

Informed that fellow Democrats on the committee have not been in contact with administration officials, Whitehouse reiterated, “We were.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment or whether it has engaged with other lawmakers on the subject.

In his first remarks since dropping out of the presidential race, Biden on Wednesday laid out policy goals for his final few months as president in a speech from the Oval Office. Among them was Supreme Court reform.

“I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy,” Biden said.

The high court’s rightward slant that solidified under former President Donald Trump for years to come has fueled progressive calls for adding seats to the nine-justice body in a bid to, as Democrats describe it, level the playing field in the courtroom. Recent failures by justices to disclose lavish gifts from conservative GOP donors or proceeds made outside their government roles, as well as declining to recuse themselves from cases where Democrats have claimed they have conflicts of interest, have exacerbated Democratic demands for Congress to impost ethics laws.

Biden’s work-in-progress proposal reportedly includes endorsing term limits for justices and a legally enforceable ethics code, which would take precedence over the high court’s self-imposed ethics pledge. The prospects of such measures becoming law in a divided Congress are virtually zero, but the legislation would energize Democrats’ base just months before the election.

“I couldn’t be happier that they’re moving in this direction,” Whitehouse said. “It’s time, and I think that Vice President Harris will be completely on board and maybe even [give] a little bit more oomph.”

Other Democrats are likewise prepared to embrace such proposals, but some prodded the White House for better collaboration with Capitol Hill.

“I hope to have conversations with them because I am all for court reform,” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) told the Washington Examiner. “I have discussion drafts on some of those kinds of bills, and I’ve signed on to some of those bills.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) advocated term limits, replacing justices on a staggered basis, and enforceable ethics because he said the court “acts as though it’s responsible to no one.”

“I anticipate we’ll be having a robust conversation over these next few weeks,” he said.

Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) were also not contacted by the White House.

Other Democrats not on the Judiciary Committee, such as Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), want the party to go far further by packing the high court with four new justices.

But no matter Biden’s ultimate policy endorsements, the court’s most ardent defenders on the Republican side of the aisle are vowing to stop all reforms in their tracks.

“It’s a separate branch,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) told the Washington Examiner. “Keep the nose of Congress and the administration out of it.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said the only measure he would greenlight is his constitutional amendment to ensure there will never be more than nine justices.

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Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas and head of the conservative legal advocacy group Judicial Crisis Network, assailed Biden for weighing any changes.

“Biden seems intent on pleasing his dark money benefactors with his pledge to pursue so-called court reform,” she said. “While he is still short on specifics, we can expect him to try to do an end run around the Constitution in his farewell effort to destroy the court.”

Haisten Willis contributed to this report.

, The White House is keeping its work on proposed changes to the Supreme Court under wraps from key Senate Democrats even as some seek to offer their two cents on policies they would play a crucial role in passing during President Joe Biden’s final months in office. Several Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee surveyed by the Washington Examiner said they have not heard from the White House on the matter despite weeks of reports on the subject, including panel Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL). “I haven’t heard anything directly from the White House,” Durbin, the chamber’s second-ranking Democrat as majority whip, said. Instead, the White House appears to be leaning on a single Senate Democrat who, like Durbin, is a longtime advocate of implementing oversight measures on the high court: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). “I don’t want to characterize it, but yeah, we were in touch,” Whitehouse told the Washington Examiner. Informed that fellow Democrats on the committee have not been in contact with administration officials, Whitehouse reiterated, “We were.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment or whether it has engaged with other lawmakers on the subject. In his first remarks since dropping out of the presidential race, Biden on Wednesday laid out policy goals for his final few months as president in a speech from the Oval Office. Among them was Supreme Court reform. “I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy,” Biden said. The high court’s rightward slant that solidified under former President Donald Trump for years to come has fueled progressive calls for adding seats to the nine-justice body in a bid to, as Democrats describe it, level the playing field in the courtroom. Recent failures by justices to disclose lavish gifts from conservative GOP donors or proceeds made outside their government roles, as well as declining to recuse themselves from cases where Democrats have claimed they have conflicts of interest, have exacerbated Democratic demands for Congress to impost ethics laws. Biden’s work-in-progress proposal reportedly includes endorsing term limits for justices and a legally enforceable ethics code, which would take precedence over the high court’s self-imposed ethics pledge. The prospects of such measures becoming law in a divided Congress are virtually zero, but the legislation would energize Democrats’ base just months before the election. “I couldn’t be happier that they’re moving in this direction,” Whitehouse said. “It’s time, and I think that Vice President Harris will be completely on board and maybe even [give] a little bit more oomph.” President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with Democratic lawmakers in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Other Democrats are likewise prepared to embrace such proposals, but some prodded the White House for better collaboration with Capitol Hill. “I hope to have conversations with them because I am all for court reform,” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) told the Washington Examiner. “I have discussion drafts on some of those kinds of bills, and I’ve signed on to some of those bills.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) advocated term limits, replacing justices on a staggered basis, and enforceable ethics because he said the court “acts as though it’s responsible to no one.” “I anticipate we’ll be having a robust conversation over these next few weeks,” he said. Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) were also not contacted by the White House. Other Democrats not on the Judiciary Committee, such as Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), want the party to go far further by packing the high court with four new justices. But no matter Biden’s ultimate policy endorsements, the court’s most ardent defenders on the Republican side of the aisle are vowing to stop all reforms in their tracks. “It’s a separate branch,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) told the Washington Examiner. “Keep the nose of Congress and the administration out of it.” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said the only measure he would greenlight is his constitutional amendment to ensure there will never be more than nine justices. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Carrie Severino, a former law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas and head of the conservative legal advocacy group Judicial Crisis Network, assailed Biden for weighing any changes. “Biden seems intent on pleasing his dark money benefactors with his pledge to pursue so-called court reform,” she said. “While he is still short on specifics, we can expect him to try to do an end run around the Constitution in his farewell effort to destroy the court.” Haisten Willis contributed to this report., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/biden-supreme-court-changes.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Ramsey Touchberry,

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been.

But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would make it easier for workers to form and join unions, and in years past has expressed opposition to passing the bill in its current form.

The battleground-state senator, who’s emerged as one of Harris’s top potential vice presidential candidates, has been panned by left-leaning union leaders in hopes of swaying her to reassess, or outright reject, picking him as a running mate.

“From the day I got here, I was planning on — I always said I would vote for the PRO Act. There’s still some things we’re working on to try to make it better,” Kelly, who took office in 2020, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it was day one of when I got sworn in or today if it came to the floor, I would vote for it.”

Kelly noted his parents were union members as police officers and that he hails from a “union family” of police officers and firefighters.

“For that reason, and also because unions are so important to working everyday people, I’ve always supported the PRO Act,” he said.

The PRO Act advanced from a committee last year that Kelly does not sit on, but Democratic leadership has not brought it to the floor for a full vote.

Kelly rejected the notion that his public embrace of the legislation, which would also penalize illegal union-busting, prevent employers from permanently replacing those on strike, and nullify state right-to-work laws, is in any way tied to his possible political future on a presidential ticket.

“That’s always been my position. That’s been my position on the PRO Act since the day I got here,” he stated.

But some of the current and former leaders at the country’s largest labor organizations disagree.

“Only 3 Democrats refused to sign on to the Pro Act, one of whom was Mark Kelly,” Richard Bensinger, former organizing director at the AFL-CIO, recently posted on social media. “The right to organize unions is the most important thing to labor, so that’s a hard no.”

The AFL-CIO endorsed Harris this week. But an affiliate of it, the Transport Workers Union, has not. That decision will be left to TWU President John Samuelsen, who has criticized Kelly for his statements on the PRO Act and past labor legislation.

“Kelly’s police union story is diminished by his refusal to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which reverses Janus and grants all public sector workers the right to organize and bargain contracts,” Samuelsen wrote on social media. “Combine this with his Pro-Act refusal and a pattern becomes undeniable.”

Kelly recalled that when he was younger and his mother was injured, “it was the union that got her her benefits.”

“So, I see the value of unions, and I come from a union family,” he said.

Kelly previously expressed concerns about the PRO Act to HuffPost in 2021 over giving collective-bargaining rights to independent contractors, stating that he wanted “to see some changes.” He was open at the time to approving certain provisions through a budgetary process known as reconciliation.  

“Depending on how it’s done, I’m not necessarily opposed to that,” Kelly told HuffPost at the time.

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The apparent concerns with Kelly from some in the labor movement evidently failed to persuade his home state party. The Arizona Democratic Party on Wednesday endorsed him for vice president, saying he’s been “a champion for Arizonans, engaging them in the path towards building a better Arizona and creating a strong and diverse coalition along the way.”

“The path to the White House runs through Arizona, and we are confident that with Kamala Harris and Mark Kelly at the top of the ticket, Democrats will win in November,” state party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano said.

2024-07-24 23:48:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3098427%2Fpossible-harris-vp-pick-mark-kelly-always-supported-pro-union-bill-once-resisted%2F?w=600&h=450, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been. But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would,

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been.

But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would make it easier for workers to form and join unions, and in years past has expressed opposition to passing the bill in its current form.

The battleground-state senator, who’s emerged as one of Harris’s top potential vice presidential candidates, has been panned by left-leaning union leaders in hopes of swaying her to reassess, or outright reject, picking him as a running mate.

“From the day I got here, I was planning on — I always said I would vote for the PRO Act. There’s still some things we’re working on to try to make it better,” Kelly, who took office in 2020, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it was day one of when I got sworn in or today if it came to the floor, I would vote for it.”

Kelly noted his parents were union members as police officers and that he hails from a “union family” of police officers and firefighters.

“For that reason, and also because unions are so important to working everyday people, I’ve always supported the PRO Act,” he said.

The PRO Act advanced from a committee last year that Kelly does not sit on, but Democratic leadership has not brought it to the floor for a full vote.

Kelly rejected the notion that his public embrace of the legislation, which would also penalize illegal union-busting, prevent employers from permanently replacing those on strike, and nullify state right-to-work laws, is in any way tied to his possible political future on a presidential ticket.

“That’s always been my position. That’s been my position on the PRO Act since the day I got here,” he stated.

But some of the current and former leaders at the country’s largest labor organizations disagree.

“Only 3 Democrats refused to sign on to the Pro Act, one of whom was Mark Kelly,” Richard Bensinger, former organizing director at the AFL-CIO, recently posted on social media. “The right to organize unions is the most important thing to labor, so that’s a hard no.”

The AFL-CIO endorsed Harris this week. But an affiliate of it, the Transport Workers Union, has not. That decision will be left to TWU President John Samuelsen, who has criticized Kelly for his statements on the PRO Act and past labor legislation.

“Kelly’s police union story is diminished by his refusal to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which reverses Janus and grants all public sector workers the right to organize and bargain contracts,” Samuelsen wrote on social media. “Combine this with his Pro-Act refusal and a pattern becomes undeniable.”

Kelly recalled that when he was younger and his mother was injured, “it was the union that got her her benefits.”

“So, I see the value of unions, and I come from a union family,” he said.

Kelly previously expressed concerns about the PRO Act to HuffPost in 2021 over giving collective-bargaining rights to independent contractors, stating that he wanted “to see some changes.” He was open at the time to approving certain provisions through a budgetary process known as reconciliation.  

“Depending on how it’s done, I’m not necessarily opposed to that,” Kelly told HuffPost at the time.

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The apparent concerns with Kelly from some in the labor movement evidently failed to persuade his home state party. The Arizona Democratic Party on Wednesday endorsed him for vice president, saying he’s been “a champion for Arizonans, engaging them in the path towards building a better Arizona and creating a strong and diverse coalition along the way.”

“The path to the White House runs through Arizona, and we are confident that with Kamala Harris and Mark Kelly at the top of the ticket, Democrats will win in November,” state party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano said.

, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been. But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would make it easier for workers to form and join unions, and in years past has expressed opposition to passing the bill in its current form. The battleground-state senator, who’s emerged as one of Harris’s top potential vice presidential candidates, has been panned by left-leaning union leaders in hopes of swaying her to reassess, or outright reject, picking him as a running mate. “From the day I got here, I was planning on — I always said I would vote for the PRO Act. There’s still some things we’re working on to try to make it better,” Kelly, who took office in 2020, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it was day one of when I got sworn in or today if it came to the floor, I would vote for it.” Kelly noted his parents were union members as police officers and that he hails from a “union family” of police officers and firefighters. “For that reason, and also because unions are so important to working everyday people, I’ve always supported the PRO Act,” he said. The PRO Act advanced from a committee last year that Kelly does not sit on, but Democratic leadership has not brought it to the floor for a full vote. Kelly rejected the notion that his public embrace of the legislation, which would also penalize illegal union-busting, prevent employers from permanently replacing those on strike, and nullify state right-to-work laws, is in any way tied to his possible political future on a presidential ticket. “That’s always been my position. That’s been my position on the PRO Act since the day I got here,” he stated. But some of the current and former leaders at the country’s largest labor organizations disagree. “Only 3 Democrats refused to sign on to the Pro Act, one of whom was Mark Kelly,” Richard Bensinger, former organizing director at the AFL-CIO, recently posted on social media. “The right to organize unions is the most important thing to labor, so that’s a hard no.” The AFL-CIO endorsed Harris this week. But an affiliate of it, the Transport Workers Union, has not. That decision will be left to TWU President John Samuelsen, who has criticized Kelly for his statements on the PRO Act and past labor legislation. “Kelly’s police union story is diminished by his refusal to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which reverses Janus and grants all public sector workers the right to organize and bargain contracts,” Samuelsen wrote on social media. “Combine this with his Pro-Act refusal and a pattern becomes undeniable.” Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a ceremonial swearing-in of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) with his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Kelly recalled that when he was younger and his mother was injured, “it was the union that got her her benefits.” “So, I see the value of unions, and I come from a union family,” he said. Kelly previously expressed concerns about the PRO Act to HuffPost in 2021 over giving collective-bargaining rights to independent contractors, stating that he wanted “to see some changes.” He was open at the time to approving certain provisions through a budgetary process known as reconciliation.   “Depending on how it’s done, I’m not necessarily opposed to that,” Kelly told HuffPost at the time. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The apparent concerns with Kelly from some in the labor movement evidently failed to persuade his home state party. The Arizona Democratic Party on Wednesday endorsed him for vice president, saying he’s been “a champion for Arizonans, engaging them in the path towards building a better Arizona and creating a strong and diverse coalition along the way.” “The path to the White House runs through Arizona, and we are confident that with Kamala Harris and Mark Kelly at the top of the ticket, Democrats will win in November,” state party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano said., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/mark-kelly-always-supported-pro-labor-bill.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Ramsey Touchberry,

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee.

“I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.”

Tester is one of only a handful of Democratic senators yet to endorse Harris and the only one among those considered vulnerable this election cycle.

His stance stands in stark contrast with other Senate Democrats in tough reelections, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who on Tuesday appeared with Harris at a Wisconsin campaign rally after previously skipping those held by President Joe Biden in her home state.

Harris has locked up support among the majority of Democratic National Committee delegates, all but securing her fate as the presumptive nominee for next month’s party convention.

Still, Tester questioned what lay ahead for Harris’ political future.

“We’ll let the process work out, then we’ll figure it out,” he said. “The process needs to work its way through.”

In criticizing Tester for keeping Harris at arm’s length, Senate Republicans have noted that when he led the campaign arm of Senate Democrats, he encouraged Harris in 2015 to run for the California Senate seat she held prior to becoming vice president. The campaign arm of the Senate GOP is advising candidates to cast Harris as “weird” and a “San Francisco radical.”

“Candidates should not be shy about aggressively tying their opponents to Kamala Harris’ extreme agenda,” Jason Thielman, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a campaign strategy memo.

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Tester’s Republican challenger is former Navy SEAL, Tim Sheehy.

“We’ll see who runs,” Tester said when asked what other possible Democratic presidential candidates he favored.

2024-07-23 21:57:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3096541%2Fvulnerable-senate-democrat-jon-tester-harris-nomination-isnt-done-deal%2F?w=600&h=450, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee. “I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.” Tester is one of only a handful,

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee.

“I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.”

Tester is one of only a handful of Democratic senators yet to endorse Harris and the only one among those considered vulnerable this election cycle.

His stance stands in stark contrast with other Senate Democrats in tough reelections, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who on Tuesday appeared with Harris at a Wisconsin campaign rally after previously skipping those held by President Joe Biden in her home state.

Harris has locked up support among the majority of Democratic National Committee delegates, all but securing her fate as the presumptive nominee for next month’s party convention.

Still, Tester questioned what lay ahead for Harris’ political future.

“We’ll let the process work out, then we’ll figure it out,” he said. “The process needs to work its way through.”

In criticizing Tester for keeping Harris at arm’s length, Senate Republicans have noted that when he led the campaign arm of Senate Democrats, he encouraged Harris in 2015 to run for the California Senate seat she held prior to becoming vice president. The campaign arm of the Senate GOP is advising candidates to cast Harris as “weird” and a “San Francisco radical.”

“Candidates should not be shy about aggressively tying their opponents to Kamala Harris’ extreme agenda,” Jason Thielman, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a campaign strategy memo.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Tester’s Republican challenger is former Navy SEAL, Tim Sheehy.

“We’ll see who runs,” Tester said when asked what other possible Democratic presidential candidates he favored.

, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee. “I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.” Tester is one of only a handful of Democratic senators yet to endorse Harris and the only one among those considered vulnerable this election cycle. His stance stands in stark contrast with other Senate Democrats in tough reelections, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who on Tuesday appeared with Harris at a Wisconsin campaign rally after previously skipping those held by President Joe Biden in her home state. Harris has locked up support among the majority of Democratic National Committee delegates, all but securing her fate as the presumptive nominee for next month’s party convention. Still, Tester questioned what lay ahead for Harris’ political future. “We’ll let the process work out, then we’ll figure it out,” he said. “The process needs to work its way through.” Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) walks to a vote on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) In criticizing Tester for keeping Harris at arm’s length, Senate Republicans have noted that when he led the campaign arm of Senate Democrats, he encouraged Harris in 2015 to run for the California Senate seat she held prior to becoming vice president. The campaign arm of the Senate GOP is advising candidates to cast Harris as “weird” and a “San Francisco radical.” “Candidates should not be shy about aggressively tying their opponents to Kamala Harris’ extreme agenda,” Jason Thielman, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a campaign strategy memo. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Tester’s Republican challenger is former Navy SEAL, Tim Sheehy. “We’ll see who runs,” Tester said when asked what other possible Democratic presidential candidates he favored., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/tester-questions-harris-as-nominee.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Ramsey Touchberry,

Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-OH) nomination as former President Donald Trump’s running mate means Senate Democrats will likely have more, albeit small, breathing room with their razor-thin majority during tight votes.

There’s a long history of senators from both sides of the aisle with presidential and vice presidential aspirations being chronically absent from their chamber. Those who have run for president or been on their party’s ticket throughout U.S. history have largely put their day jobs on the back burner, participating in fewer Senate votes and crisscrossing the country for campaign events more.

In today’s Senate, that could have significant ramifications in a chamber Democrats control by just one seat. Although there are limited days in session between now and Election Day in order to give incumbents ample campaign opportunity, crucial votes such as funding the government still lay ahead in the coming months.

Senate Democrats will have a little more wiggle room when it comes to party-line votes, such as on controversial judicial nominees, that offer vulnerable incumbents the opportunity to buck President Joe Biden without broader implications.

Vance’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s plans to balance his Senate job with his campaign schedule.

But looking at the attendance record of past senators who were on their party’s ticket as the vice presidential nominee, Vance would not be out of step with predecessors if he missed half or more of future votes.

From July through September of 2008, when Biden was running for vice president while holding his senate seat in Delaware, he missed roughly 28% of Senate votes, according to data from the Congress-tracking site GovTrack.

Since taking office in January 2023 until present day, Vance has missed approximately 7% of votes.

From July through September of 2016, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), then-vice presidential nominee, missed 44% of votes. Vice President Kamala Harris, as a California senator, was absent for 62% of votes from July through September of 2020 when she was on the ticket.

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During the same months in 1992, then-Sen. Al Gore (D-TN), tapped as former President Bill Clinton’s running mate, missed more than 84% of votes. In 1988, former President George H. W. Bush’s vice presidential nominee, then-Sen. Dan Quayle (R-IN) missed about 24% of votes.

In election years, Congress is often on recess for the majority, if not all, of October in the final days of campaigning before voters hit the polls in November.

The office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Wednesday criticized reporting from ABC News that the New York Democrat told President Joe Biden during a one-on-one meeting this weekend to drop out of the race.

Schumer’s office did not explicitly deny the reporting but labeled it “idle speculation” of a private conversation.

“Unless ABC’s source is Senator Chuck Schumer or President Joe Biden, the reporting is idle speculation,” a spokesperson for Schumer said in a statement. “Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus directly to President Biden on Saturday.”

ABC’s Jon Karl reported during the meeting that took place Saturday at Biden’s residence in Rehoboth, Delaware, Schumer “forcefully made the case that it would be better for Biden, better for the Democratic party, and better for the country if he were to bow out.”

White House spokesman Andrew Bates, however, said Biden is not bowing out: “The President told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.”

In public, Schumer has stuck to the same three words in recent weeks when prodded by reporters about Biden: “I’m with Joe.”

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The report comes amid sweeping anxiety among Democrats that Biden can no longer beat former President Donald Trump following his weak debate performance that called into question the president’s mental acuity. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) is the lone Senate Democrat to call for Biden to bow out, but others in the upper chamber have expressed deep concerns about his electability in swing states.

Schumer was also reportedly part of a lobbying effort, along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), to delay the nomination of Biden via a virtual roll call vote with party delegates and the Democratic National Committee ahead of next month’s convention.

Federal law enforcement officials will provide an all-senators unclassified briefing on Wednesday about the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

Briefers will conduct a senator-only conference call in the afternoon that will include officials from the FBI, Department of Justice, and Secret Service, according to the office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who requested the briefing.

The call will come as lawmakers are on recess for the week and away from Washington, D.C., in addition to mounting frustration over lingering questions about apparent security failures that nearly led to Trump’s death.

Finger-pointing has encapsulated the post-shooting investigation between Secret Service and local law enforcement, which assisted in the security of Saturday’s campaign rally where a gunman perched on an adjacent rooftop clipped Trump in the ear before being killed by Secret Service countersnipers. Local officers were alerted by rallygoers of the alleged shooter’s rooftop position prior to him firing on the GOP presidential nominee, according to eyewitness accounts and footage from the rally.

Meanwhile, House Republicans say the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service, is stonewalling its Oversight Committee’s efforts to receive information. The Secret Service was set to brief panel members on Tuesday but failed to do so after intervention from the Department of Homeland Security, according to the committee.

“The Department of Homeland Security took over communications with the Committee and has since refused to confirm a briefing time,” an Oversight Committee spokesperson said. “The Oversight Committee has a long record of bipartisan oversight of the Secret Service and the unprofessionalism we are witnessing from current DHS leadership is unacceptable.”

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Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) requested the briefing and will now subpoena Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to compel her appearance for a separate public hearing slated for next week.

The Secret Service could brief the House Homeland Security Committee as soon as Tuesday, a source familiar with the plans told the Washington Examiner.

Cami Mondeaux and Anna Giaritelli contributed to this report.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) has parted ways with one of his congressional staffers who said, “Don’t miss next time” in a social media post about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

The congressman’s office confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Sunday that Jacqueline Marsaw, a former case manager and field director for Thompson, was no longer employed. In a brief statement, Thompson did not specify whether Marsaw was fired or if she resigned.

“I was made aware of a post made by a staff member, and she is no longer in my employment,” he said.

In since-deleted Facebook posts, Marsaw wrote: “I don’t condone violence but please get you some shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time ooops that wasn’t me talking.”

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In others captured by SuperTalk Mississippi News, she wrote: “Couldn’t happened to a nicer fellow but was it staged” and “That’s what your hate speech got you!”

Thompson, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a Saturday statement following the shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania that there was “no room in American democracy for political violence” and he was “glad the former president is safe, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved.”

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday left his supporters still guessing who he will choose as his running mate despite mounting speculation about the veepstakes.

Speaking at a rally at his South Florida Doral golf resort near Miami, Trump only went so far as to praise Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), one of his VP finalists who was in attendance, as a “fantastic guy” and acknowledge the large amount of press present.

“I think they probably think I’m going to be announcing that Marco is going to be vice president because that’s a lot of press,” he said.

Trump’s other finalists include Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), who were not in attendance.

The presumptive GOP presidential nominee took a victory lap in the wake of last month’s debate, which left many Democrats questioning President Joe Biden’s political future and ability to defeat his predecessor over signs of advanced aging. Trump said he was eager to go another round with Biden on the debate stage but this time without the moderators.

“Let’s do another debate this week so that sleepy Joe Biden can prove to everyone all over the world that he has what it takes to be president,” Trump told supporters. “But this time, it will be man to man, no moderators, no holds barred. Just name the place — anytime, anywhere.”

The second debate is already scheduled to be hosted by ABC on Sept. 10.

Trump also challenged Biden to an 18-hole golf charity match on Doral’s championship Blue Monster course. Trump offered to give the president 20 strokes and said should Biden win, he’ll donate $1 million to the charity of Biden’s choice.

“It will be among the most watched sporting events in history,” Trump said. “May be bigger than the Ryder Cup or even the Masters.”

The Biden campaign rejected the challenge.

“Joe Biden doesn’t have time for Donald Trump’s weird antics — he’s busy leading America and defending the free world,” Biden campaign spokesman James Singer said. “Donald Trump is a liar, a convict, and a fraud only out for himself — par for the course.”

The two candidates got into a spat at the debate over their handicaps and who is the better golfer.

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The rally offered a debut of sorts for Trump’s youngest son, Barron, who attended. He received a standing ovation from the crowd upon being introduced by Trump.

“You’re pretty popular. He might be more popular than Don and Eric,” Trump said, referencing his two other sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. “Barron, it’s good to have you. Welcome to the scene, Barron.”