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Friday, September 29, 2023

9/29 WAKE-UP CALL: First Biden Impeachment Hearing Held

House Republicans worked to establish a basis to impeach President Joe Biden even as witnesses they invited said there lacked evidence the president benefited financially from foreign business dealings of his son Hunter Biden in exchange for steering U.S. foreign policy. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, opened Republicans’ first impeachment inquiry hearing Thursday accusing "the Bidens and their associates" of creating 20 shell companies that raked in more than $20 million, including when Biden was vice president. “What were the Bidens selling to make all this money?” Comer said. “Joe Biden himself.”

Yet all three witnesses, including a constitutional lawyer and forensics expert, brought in by Republicans during the six-hour hearing told lawmakers the committee does not have evidence of an impeachable offense - that Joe Biden received payments and was bribed. The witnesses instead urged the committee to open an impeachment inquiry to keep digging.

➤NO TRIAL DELAY FOR TRUMP: A New York court on Thursday rejected Donald Trump's request to delay a civil trial, after a judge ruled Trump committed fraud for years while building his real estate empire. New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ruled Tuesday that Trump committed fraud in overstating the value and misstating the square-footage of properties for bank loans. He scheduled a non-jury trial to begin Monday to determine penalties, with state Attorney General Letitia James seeking $250 million. Trump argued at the state appeals court that Engoron failed to follow rulings that would have narrowed the allegations at the heart of the lawsuit. But the appeals court turned aside that challenge.

🛢OIL COULD HIT $100 A BARREL: Some analysts say oil prices could soon hit $100 a barrel, but U.S. shale companies aren’t rushing to drill more. Unlike past years when frackers flooded the market with crude and alleviated pressure, oil prices might remain elevated until someone else adds production or demand ebbs. Constrained by investor payouts, inflation and interest rates, frackers want to keep spending down. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Russia have raked in billions of dollars in extra oil revenues in recent months, after their production cuts sent crude prices soaring. The cutbacks were a risky strategy, both financially and politically, but they appear to be paying off for the two OPEC+ members.

➤GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: It appears almost certain now that the federal government will be shut down on Monday for lack of a budget. House Republicans have so far refused to act on a short-term measure passed by the Senate to keep the government open while a full budget is worked out. That means there will be no way to pay government employees or the military. Some critical functions might keep running, at least for a while. The holdup is caused by a relatively small group of House Republicans who refuse to act without substantial cuts to some programs, notably U.S. aid to Ukraine.


💲$1 FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY: The House voted to approve an amendment from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to cut Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s salary to $1 on Wednesday - a move that comes amid the growing tension in the House to avert a government shutdown. “Secretary Austin has not fulfilled his job duties,” Greene said on the House floor Wednesday. “As a matter of fact, he’s destroying our military.” She criticized Austin for his handling of military recruitment and the withdrawal of Afghanistan on the House floor and said in a video on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after the House vote that “there’s a loss in confidence in Lloyd Austin’s leadership and he deserves to be fired."

➤SHUTDOWN PAIN: The amount of pain that a government shutdown could inflict depends on President Biden.  An obscure 1884 law governing shutdowns has exceptions, giving the White House room to interpret the rules, legal experts say. Past presidents have taken vastly different approaches, depending on the politics of the day. The Biden administration might want voters to feel the effects because it believes that House Republicans—unable to agree among themselves how to keep the government funded starting Sunday—will shoulder the blame. The White House has warned that an extended shutdown could mean delayed workplace and food-safety inspections, long lines at airports and halted infrastructure projects. Over on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) embraced border security as a possible way to break a congressional impasse.


➤CALIFORNIA RAISES MINIMUM WAGE: Workers in fast food chain restaurants will be paid at least $20 an hour in California starting next April. The current minimum wage for fast-food workers is $15 an hour. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law yesterday.Two other bills signed by Governor Newsom yesterday prohibit people from carrying firearms in most public places and double the state tax on guns and ammunition sold in California.


➤SENATORS DRESS UP AGAIN: The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution formalizing a dress code that requires business suits to be worn on the Senate floor. There had been only an informal dress code, which Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer opted not to enforce. That caused an outcry from some members, who disapproved of Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman’s habit of wearing hoodies and running shorts to Senate sessions.



🐼CHINA WANTS ITS PANDAS BACK: In the latest sign of political tensions between China and the U.S., China has demanded that its pandas be sent home. Two giant pandas have lived at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington since 2000, when China lent them to the U.S. in an unusually warm and fuzzy gesture of goodwill. The two have a young male cub, born in Washington, who will join his parents for the long trip home in December.


➤MUSK WARNS OF BAD HOMBRES: Billionaire Elon Musk toured the southern border in Texas Thursday and warned “some pretty extreme” migrants are crossing into the US as he offered an “unfiltered” view of the ongoing crisis. Musk — the owner of X, formerly of Twitter — was accompanied by Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales during his visit to Eagle Pass, a city that declared a state of emergency last week over the unprecedented arrival of thousands of migrants. Wearing a cowboy hat and aviator sunglasses, Musk livestreamed his first hand observations and told Gonzales that while he is “extremely pro-immigrant,” he doesn’t believe people should be allowed to enter the US if they are “breaking the law.” “To be clear we’re both very much in favor of expanded legal immigration. I think anyone who is hardworking and honest and is really gonna add to … the economy, we should let them in,” Musk said. “But what we’re seeing here are in some cases some pretty extreme individuals coming through … obviously not suggesting everyone is like this.”

🏈NFL TNF: David Montgomery rushed for 121 yards and a career-high three touchdowns and the Detroit Lions moved into first place in the NFC North with a 34-20 victory over the host Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. Jared Goff completed 19 of 28 passes for 210 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Lions (3-1). Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a touchdown pass and Jerry Jacobs had two interceptions as Detroit won by 14 points for the second straight week.


⚾MLB ORIOLES 2 RED SOX 0: Anthony Santander homered, Dean Kremer pitched into the sixth inning and the Baltimore Orioles clinched the American League East crown with a 2-0 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Thursday night. It's the Orioles' 10th division title and first since 2014. Two years after losing 110 games, Baltimore (100-59) will be the top seed in the AL playoffs, earning a bye in the wild-card round and home field through the American League Championship Series if they reach it.

⚾MLB MARINERS 3 RANGERS 2: J.P. Crawford's two-run double with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 victory against visiting Texas on Thursday night, preventing the Rangers from clinching a playoff spot. Julio Rodriguez homered for the Mariners (86-73), who pulled within a game of the idle Houston Astros (87-72) in the race for the American League's third and final wild-card berth.

⚾MLB SCORES:

  • Pirates 3 Phillies 2
  • Blue Jays 6 Yankees 0
  • Tigers 8 Royals 0
  • Tigers 7 Royals 3
  • Athletics 2 Twins 1
  • White Sox 3 D-Backs 1
  • Brewers 3 Cardinals 0
  • Braves 5 Cubs 3
  • Rockies 14 Dodgers 5

🏈XFL, USFL PLAN TO MERGE: The XFL and USFL said on Thursday that the two troubled American grid iron leagues plan to merge and begin play next year. The XFL is owned by movie star Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson while the USFL is under the ownership of Fox Corp. In a joint statement the XFL and USFL said the merger will be subject to customary regulatory approvals. "If the transaction is consummated, the new league will establish best-in-class operations based on the most recent seasons of both leagues," said the statement.

➤FLOOD WARNING IN NEW YORK CITY REGION: Millions of people in New York City and the tri-state area are facing heavy rains today with a “moderate” risk of flash flooding. An inch an hour or more of rain is possible throughout the day. City emergency officials issued a travel advisory through Saturday morning, warning of the possibility of flooded streets and highways.



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