The former vice-president and potential 2020 presidential candidate says it is his ‘responsibility’ to be more careful after several women said his touching made them uncomfortable. Biden used the video to say 'social norms have begun to change. They have shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset, and I get it'
Continue reading...Category Archives: US Politics
Biden vows to respect women’s personal space amid new allegations
The former vice-president issued a video after two more women described interactions that made them feel uncomfortable
Joe Biden doubled down on his defense as he faced fresh allegations from women who said their past physical interactions with him left them uncomfortable, foreshadowing the former vice-president’s perils as he weighs a bid for the Democratic Party’s 2020 nomination.
In a video and statement released to his Twitter feed Biden said that he had always seen politics as about “personal connection” and defended his habit of hugging and touching people he met. But he also added that he would change his habits in the future.
Continue reading...Has Joe Biden’s US presidential bid ended before it began? – video explainer
In the past week Joe Biden has been the subject of damaging news reports after two women accused the former US vice-president of inappropriate behaviour. Biden - who has hinted at launching a bid to be the Democratic candidate for the US presidency in 2020 – responded by saying he does not believe he has acted inappropriately during his long public life. The recent developments have underscored some of the challenges he will face if he does make a bid for the White House
- Joe Biden's very bad week: has his White House run failed before it begins?
- Nancy Pelosi urges Joe Biden to keep his hands to himself
Trump’s taxes: Democrats request president’s returns from IRS – as it happened
Committee chairman seeks six years of personal returns and some business returns, calling for ‘accountability’
That’s it for me tonight! Here’s what happened Wednesday evening in politics:
Related: Trump’s Federal Reserve pick owes $75,000 in taxes, US government alleges
The President’s son-in-law has been identified as the “Senior White House Official” who appeared in reports to the House Oversight Committee, the Washington Post reports. The documents were released this week after whistleblower Tricia Newbold shared concerns with the committee, over Trump overriding career intelligence officers to grant clearances despite “significant disqualifying factors”.
Kushner was flagged for significant issues raised during his background investigation, including his potential to be swayed by foreign influence, his personal conduct, and business conflicts of interest.
The new details about the internal debate over Kushner’s clearance revives questions about the severity of the issues flagged in his background investigation and Kushner’s access to government secrets.
Last year, President Trump directed his then-chief of staff, John F. Kelly, to give Kushner a top-secret security clearance, despite concerns expressed by career intelligence officers”.
Related: Trump ordered officials to give Kushner top-secret security clearance – report
Continue reading...UN calls for food aid for starving North Koreans despite sanctions
Exclusive: western donors urged to ‘put children before politics’ in face of food shortfall
The head of the UN World Food Programme has called for the White House and other western donors to put children’s lives before politics and fund a major injection of aid to North Korea despite the failure of Donald Trump’s summit with Kim Jong-un.
David Beasley, a former Republican governor of South Carolina who backed Trump’s campaign for the US presidency, said he had heard concerns that responding to an appeal from Pyongyang would prop up the Kim regime.
Continue reading...Trump asks journalists to look into the ‘oranges’ of the Mueller investigation – video
During a meeting with the secretary general of Nato, US President Donald Trump continued his retaliation against the concluded Mueller investigation by calling for the media to look into its 'oranges', meaning origins. After repeating his claim that the report exonerates him from both collusion with the Russian government and obstruction of justice, Trump said his only disappointment with the report was that it didn't look into its own origins, which he claimed stem back to his presidential campaign announcement in June 2015. At another point in the meeting, Trump also claimed his father Fred Trump was born in 'a very nice part of Germany', when in fact his father was born in New York.
Continue reading...Mar-a-Lago: woman with malware and Chinese passports accused of illegal entry
Yujing Zhang is charged with lying to federal agents and illegally entering a restricted area, and remains in custody
A woman carrying two Chinese passports and a device containing computer malware lied to Secret Service agents and briefly gained admission to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club over the weekend during his Florida visit, federal prosecutors allege in court documents.
Yujing Zhang, 32, approached a Secret Service agent at a checkpoint outside the Palm Beach club early Saturday afternoon and said she was a member who wanted to use the pool, court documents said. She showed the passports as identification.
Continue reading...Congresswoman makes emotional speech about her gender-nonconforming child – video
The US congresswoman Pramila Jayapal gave an emotional speech in the House of Representatives about her gender-nonconforming child while advocating for LGBTQ civil rights legislation, saying her child had discovered 'newfound freedom'. Jayapal, a representative from Washington state, spoke out during a judiciary committee hearing on the Equality Act
Continue reading...Donald Trump gripes about Puerto Rico hurricane aid – live updates
President says all island’s politicians do is ‘complain & ask for money’ and that he is ‘the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico
Donald Trump is tweeting this morning and on a bit of a roll.
Puerto Rico got 91 Billion Dollars for the hurricane, more money than has ever been gotten for a hurricane before, & all their local politicians do is complain & ask for more money. The pols are grossly incompetent, spend the money foolishly or corruptly, & only take from USA....
....The best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico is President Donald J. Trump. So many wonderful people, but with such bad Island leadership and with so much money wasted. Cannot continue to hurt our Farmers and States with these massive payments, and so little appreciation!
In 1998, Rep.Jerry Nadler strongly opposed the release of the Starr Report on Bill Clinton. No information whatsoever would or could be legally released. But with the NO COLLUSION Mueller Report, which the Dems hate, he wants it all. NOTHING WILL EVER SATISFY THEM! @foxandfriends
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Washington and all things politics.
Before we dive in, let’s take a moment to recognize Equal Pay Day – the day into the year that women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year, according to the National Committee on Pay Equity. It’s 2 April.
Continue reading...Joe Biden’s very bad week: has his White House run failed before it begins?
After accusations of inappropriate physical contact from several women, Democrats are asking whether Biden is a ‘relic of the past’
Some presidential campaigns take time to hit their stride while others hit the ground running. But Joe Biden appears to be hobbling even before he reaches the starting blocks.
The past week has delivered a barrage of damaging news reports that might persuade the former vice president, long agonising over whether to make a third bid for the White House, to keep procrastinating a little while longer.
Continue reading...Trump shutting Mexico border would ‘cripple’ El Paso, Republican mayor says
Dee Margo warned Donald Trump that closing the border would have a ‘detrimental, almost draconian’ impact on the region
The Republican mayor of El Paso, the largest American city on the US border with Mexico, has warned Donald Trump that if he goes ahead this week with his threat to close the border it would have a “detrimental, almost draconian” impact on the entire region.
“It would be a critical killer to us, frankly”, the mayor, Dee Margo, said.
Continue reading...White House reversed more than 25 security clearance denials, says whistleblower – live
- Security adviser Tricia Newbold made revelation last month
- House Democrats to subpoena full Mueller report
- Go beyond the headlines: sign up to our US morning briefing
A fight between Donald Trump and Democrats over hurricane relief for Puerto Rico is imperiling a widely backed disaster aid bill that’s a top priority for some of the president’s southern Republican allies, the Associated Press reports.
More from the AP:
Democrats should stop fighting Sen. David Perdue’s disaster relief bill. They are blocking funding and relief for our great farmers and rural America!
From my colleague Lauren Gambino, an update on progressive superstar and perhaps the only member of Congress known by her initials, AOC:
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has raised more than $90,000 for progressive, swing-district Democrats less than 24 hours after she urged supporters to donate to their re-election campaigns.
Last night @AOC helped raise 3 candidates in tough districts more than 30k each in a few hours. Corporate PACs can give candidates 5K - & it comes with strings. Grassroots $$ lets us stay accountable to the people. That’s the power of this movement — let’s keep building, together
Can’t thank my friend @AOC enough for helping me to reach my Q1 goal. We rise by lifting others. Onward!! https://t.co/AoI7PM2vC0
The @DCCC’s new rule to blacklist+boycott anyone who does business w/ primary challengers is extremely divisive & harmful to the party.
My recommendation, if you’re a small-dollar donor: pause your donations to DCCC & give directly to swing candidates instead.
Some great ones:
The fact that I challenged an incumbent meant a lot of folks were told not to come anywhere near my campaign. But I was lucky to build a dynamic, innovative team of staff & consultants who understood the challenges our campaign faced, and who were willing to take a risk (4/x)
Continue reading...Joe Biden: ex-defense secretary’s wife says viral photo used ‘misleadingly’
Stephanie Carter said former vice-president had his hands on her shoulders ‘as a means of offering his support’
As Joe Biden faced intense scrutiny of his behavior toward women, the wife of former defense secretary Ash Carter dismissed claims a picture of her with the former vice-president was an example of unwanted touching.
Related: Biden denies inappropriate behavior after claim he kissed Nevada lawmaker
Continue reading...US will run out of avocados in three weeks if Trump closes Mexico border
President says there is a ‘good likelihood’ he will close border this week if Mexico does not stop immigrants from reaching US
US consumers would run out of avocados in three weeks if Donald Trump makes good on his threat to close down the US–Mexico border.
Trump said on Friday that there was a “very good likelihood” he would close the border this week if Mexico did not stop immigrants from reaching the United States.
Continue reading...Mulvaney: only ‘something dramatic’ will stop Trump closing Mexico border
- Move could have severe consequences for US economy
- US citizens who cross border for work or family fear hardship
The Trump administration reiterated on Sunday the president’s threat to close the border with Mexico, regardless of potentially severe consequences for the US economy.
Related: Under the bridge: migrants held in El Paso tell of dust, cold and hunger
Continue reading...‘Cause-play’: swamp monsters and unicorns take on Congress
Humorously absurd characters have been appearing in the background of congressional hearings for Trump nominees
Some unlikely protesters have been gracing the confirmation hearings of nominees for top government posts during Donald Trump’s time in office.
This week, the Senate energy and natural resources committee held a confirmation hearing for David Bernhardt, a former oil lobbyist who has been serving as the acting interior secretary since the resignation of Ryan Zinke in January. And as the committee pressed him on his lobbying record Thursday, a protester in the gallery highlighted the contradiction inherent in his nomination by dawning a swamp creature mask.
Continue reading...Donald Trump rails against ‘greatest hoax’ at first rally since Mueller report
President wrongly claims special counsel’s report fully exonerated him as he woos voters in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Donald Trump continued his assault on the media and Democrats on Thursday night, wrongly claiming “total exoneration, complete vindication” at his first rally since Robert Mueller submitted his report.
Trump dedicated about half of his approximately 90-minute speech in front of a raucous audience at Grand Rapids to the topic, labeling the accusations and investigation “ridiculous bullshit”. The president bounced between theories about why the special counsel’s investigation happened and attacks on his opponents.
Continue reading...Ex-Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe reportedly ‘leaning toward’ 2020 run – live
Meanwhile, key Republican reportedly tells Trump renewed plan to scrap Affordable Care Act ‘makes no sense’
Gabrielle Canon here, taking over for Jessica Glenza
Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe is getting closer to a decision on whether or not to enter the already heavily-saturated Democratic race for the white house in 2020, CNN reports.
While McAuliffe has spent the last week on a spring break vacation with his family, he has also been making calls to donors and longtime friends as he comes closer to making a final decision. One friend described him as ‘almost ready to jump in — he sees no reason not to’”.
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Biden condemns ‘white man’s culture’ as he laments role in Anita Hill hearings
Potential 2020 contender regrets not giving Hill ‘the hearing she deserved’ during Clarence Thomas confirmation process
The former vice-president Joe Biden condemned “a white man’s culture” on Tuesday night as he lashed out against violence against women and, more specifically, lamented his role in the supreme court confirmation hearings that undermined Anita Hill’s credibility nearly three decades ago.
Biden, a Democratic presidential prospect who often highlights his white working-class roots, said Hill, who is African American, should not have been forced to face a panel of “a bunch of white guys”.
Continue reading...Trump says hurricane-hit Puerto Rico has received too much aid
President opposes additional disaster aid for territory, saying funds were out of proportion to what mainland states got
Donald Trump told a meeting of Republican lawmakers that hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico had gotten too much rebuilding money compared with mainland states like Florida and Texas, hardening his opposition to further disaster aid for the US island territory.
Trump’s ardent opposition to additional Puerto Rico funding sets up a showdown with House Democrats, who insist that a $13bn to $14bn disaster aid package that’s a top priority for southern Republicans won’t advance without further aid for the island.
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