And Mangi's nomination is historic.
If confirmed, he'll be the nation’s first ever Muslim American appeals court judge, and only the third Muslim American federal judge.
Biden nominated him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, based in Philadelphia.
At best, Republican senators’ questioning of Mangi was terrible optics.
At worst, it was plainly Islamophobic. www.huffpost.com/entry/muslim...
Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton's hostility toward Biden nominee Adeel Mangi was "Islamophobic and un-American," said the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
www.huffpost.com
Never mind that judicial nominees aren't supposed to give their personal views on anything.
The GOP questions Mangi faced were especially offensive given that he is Muslim and repeatedly had to say that he isn't antisemitic or sympathetic to terrorists.
“We strongly condemn Sens. Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley for subjecting Mr. Mangi to irrelevant, hostile questions about Israel and Palestine,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell of CAIR.
"So is raising the hateful trope that presumptively assumes that Muslims are antisemitic."
Cruz, Cotton and Hawley repeatedly berated and interrupted Mangi during his Weds confirmation hearing.
The demanded that Mangi, who is Muslim, share his personal views on 9/11, the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel and the Israeli-Hamas conflict in general. Yeah.
NEW: Leading Muslim civil rights group condemns GOP Sens. Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton and Josh Hawley for their "Islamophobic and un-American" treatment of Biden's historic judicial nominee, Adeel Mangi.
www.huffpost.com/entry/muslim...
Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton's hostility toward Biden nominee Adeel Mangi was "Islamophobic and un-American," said the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
www.huffpost.com
Come for the Santa Claus defense, stay for the digs at soy milk -- "it's not milk!" -- and the GOP posters with President Xi's face on a milk carton and a COME AND TAKE IT taunt.
One of the most unintentionally hilarious House debates I've ever seen.
One of the most unintentionally hilarious House debates I've ever seen.
'COME AND TAKE IT, USDA': House Republicans Passionately Defend Milk
“We want only the most nutritional option for Santa,” argued Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.). “Whole milk is the unsung hero of his Christmas journey.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/house-...
“We want only the most nutritional option for Santa,” argued Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.). “Whole milk is the unsung hero of his Christmas journey.”
www.huffpost.com
NEW: The top GOP candidate for North Carolina governor spread Islamophobia on Facebook for years, a review of his posts reveals.
“Someone should open an Islamic theme park. That would be a blast,” Mark Robinson said in one of many posts tying Muslims to violence. www.huffpost.com/entry/mark-r...
“Someone should open an Islamic theme park. That would be a blast,” Mark Robinson said in one of many posts tying Muslims to violence.
www.huffpost.comParks Director Charles Sams wants visitors to the nation’s 428 park sites to learn the stories of how modern tribal governments came to be, “regardless of the bad, the ugly or the good.”
NEW: The National Park Service is teaming up with Indigenous tribes to tell a "more complete story" of American history.
I interviewed director Charles Sams about plans to teach visitors to the country's 428 national park sites about modern tribal govts. www.huffpost.com/entry/nation...
Director Charles Sams wants visitors to the nation’s 428 park sites to learn about modern tribal governments, “regardless of the bad, the ugly or the good.”
www.huffpost.com
NEW: Peggy Flanagan just became the first Native woman ever elected to lead a national party committee.
“We’ll make a difference in 2024,” said the Minnesota lieutenant governor, the new chair of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association. www.huffpost.com/entry/peggy-...
“We’ll make a difference in 2024,” said the Minnesota lieutenant governor, the new chair of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association.
www.huffpost.com
Kevin McCarthy, guy who talks from notes, says Biden is old because he talks from notes.
Photographic evidence reveals that U.S. presidents, lawmakers and even a 58-year-old former GOP House speaker talk from notes all the time in meetings. www.huffpost.com/entry/kevin-...
Photographic evidence reveals that all U.S. presidents, lawmakers and even a 58-year-old former GOP House speaker use notes in meetings.
www.huffpost.comThese conversations about potential, not-going-to-happen conditions on Israel aid are a reminder of the legal conditions that already exist for foreign countries receiving U.S. military support ― and how Israel has traditionally been exempt from them. www.huffpost.com/entry/condit...
“We’re doing it already,” Sen. Tim Kaine said, when asked what Congress can realistically do to influence Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
www.huffpost.com
I asked how Israel has changed its tactics.
Blumenthal: “If bombing is resumed, it will take steps like avoiding the use of 2000-lb bombs. I think they will bomb less frequently. And I think they’ll take steps to try to protect civilians, just based on my general conversations.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said he feels heard by Israeli officials, too.
“I’ve urged both publicly and privately that they take additional efforts to minimize civilian casualties, which they are doing,” he said.
“They are paying attention,” Kaine said. “I am always impressed by the Israelis, during my time here, they pay very close attention to what happens in this place.”
“We’re doing it already,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), when I asked what the most realistic thing is that Congress can do to influence Israel's war.
An emphatic "yes" when asked if he thinks Israeli officials pay attention to senators like him airing concerns about civilian casualties.
NEW: Congress is not going to put any new conditions on US aid to Israel.
But Dem senators say the most effective thing they can do to try to minimize civilian deaths in Gaza is what they're already doing: *talking* about conditions. www.huffpost.com/entry/condit... w/ @akbarshahidahmed.bsky.social
“We’re doing it already,” Sen. Tim Kaine said, when asked what Congress can realistically do to influence Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
www.huffpost.com
Johnson presided over the vote.
“In light of the expulsion of the gentleman from New York, Mr. Santos, the whole number of the House is now 434."
Weak applause could be heard somewhere in the House chamber. www.huffpost.com/entry/george...
The House voted to eject the New York Republican after its ethics panel alleged he spent campaign money on Botox, designer fashion and other personal items.
www.huffpost.com
Despite the strong bipartisan vote to expel Santos, House Republican leaders all voted against it.
Speaker Mike Johnson
Majority Leader Steve Scalise
Majority Whip Tom Emmer
GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik
The breakdown of Santos' expulsion vote:
*105 Republicans + 206 Dems voted yes.
*112 Republicans + 2 Dems voted no
*2 Dems voted present
*5 Republicans + 3 Dems did not vote.
There have only been 20 people expelled from Congress in its entire history.
Most were in the Senate and kicked out in the 1860s for supporting the Confederacy.
Santos is the sixth House member to be expelled, and the first Republican House member.
EXPELLED: Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is out. The final vote was 311 to 114.
Speaker Mike Johnson presided over the vote.
"The whole number of the House is now 434." www.huffpost.com/entry/george...
The House voted to eject the New York Republican after its ethics panel alleged he spent campaign money on Botox, designer fashion and other personal items.
www.huffpost.com
This move by Durbin is the kind of thing progressives have been agitating for. As in, play hardball with confirming judges. Republicans did.
Durbin still isn't budging on the blue slip courtesy. But yesterday's move was a shift in him going along to get along. He pulled rank.
I feel like this dust-up over the "new precedent" in the committee got lost in the drama of the committee's other business of the day, which was issuing subpoenas to Leonard Leo and Harlan Crow.
That happened too. Republicans all walked out. www.huffpost.com/entry/suprem...
Republicans walked out of the hearing as Democrats voted to compel billionaire GOP donor Harlan Crow and conservative legal activist Leonard Leo to testify.
www.huffpost.com
GOP Sen. John Kennedy: "You’re saying because you think Sen. Grassley violated the rule, you’re going to violate the rule?”
Durbin: “It’s called precedent, senator."
That is as sick of a burn as it gets from Dick Durbin.
Maybe the best line was from Marsha Blackburn:
“Is this an illegal vote?”
In fact, it was Durbin following a precedent set by Republicans, who twice violated committee rules to bypass Dems and move straight to votes on matters before the committee. www.huffpost.com/entry/dick-d...
"It's called precedent," the Senate Judiciary Committee chair said of violating the same rule that Republicans ignored to move forward with judicial nominees.
www.huffpost.com
“You’re telling us to shut up? You want us to SHUT UP?” said Marsha Blackburn.
“Come on, man,” said Lindsey Graham. “I mean, OK. Do this. Just do it!”
“Congratulations on destroying the United States Senate Judiciary Committee,” said John Cornyn.
Okay. 😂
Durbin went straight to their votes, saying senators already had 2 chances to debate these nominees -- and that the GOP previously broke committee rules, twice, to deny Dems more debate in the same way.
Republicans' reactions went from confusion to anger to high-octane tantrums.
Durbin completely blind-sided Republicans by moving straight to votes on 2 district court nominees, Mustafa Kasubhai and Eumi Lee, without debate on them.
They'd both previously had two hearings, and both times were debated. But typically they'd get another chance. Not Thursday!
Good morning. ☕
Senate Republicans had full-blown, over-the-top tantrums in the Judiciary Committee yesterday after Dick Durbin used their tactics for advancing Biden judges without allowing more debate on them. www.huffpost.com/entry/dick-d...
"It's called precedent," the Senate Judiciary Committee chair said of violating the same rule that Republicans ignored to move forward with judicial nominees.
www.huffpost.comJohnson's other lawsuits included a traveling evangelist wanting to evangelize on a public university campus, teenagers (twice) denied a public school bus to “Just for Jesus” events + parents suing a TX school district for "distributing religious items" on public school grounds.
That's just one of many lawsuits that Johnson led or helped lead during his years with Alliance Defending Freedom, an evangelical legal group, aimed at chipping away at the separation of church and state in public schools.
Deep dive in here: www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-j...
“The ultimate goal of the enemy is silencing the Gospel," the Republican said in 2004 after Jewish parents sued a school for pushing Christianity on their kids.
www.huffpost.comJohnson’s comments at church came a week after he wrote an opinion piece in the Shreveport Times calling the Jewish family’s lawsuit “the latest example of the radical left’s desperate efforts to silence all public expression of religious faith.”
Amid this 2004 lawsuit involving the Jewish parents, Johnson told his Christian congregation that “if we don’t (win), they’re going to shut down all private religion expression.”
“The ultimate goal of the enemy is silencing the Gospel," Johnson said in 2004 amid a lawsuit involving Jewish parents suing a school for pushing Christianity on their kids.
“This is spiritual warfare.”
NEW: Before coming to Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) spent years taking up lawsuit after lawsuit in defense of Christian speech and activities in public elementary schools and universities.
t.co/NtBwZ6Pli1
“The ultimate goal of the enemy is silencing the Gospel," the Republican said in 2004 after Jewish parents sued a school for pushing Christianity on their kids.
t.coHere is Casey's fundraising campaign: ripmedicaldebt.org/campaign/and...?
Casey Ryan McIntyre, 38, beloved mother, wife, sister, daughter, niece, and aunt died on November 12th, 2023. As Publisher at Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House, she derived great joy from ...
ripmedicaldebt.orgHere's how the nonprofit Casey has set up a campaign with, RIP Medical Debt, translates every $1 donated to $100 of medical debt being erased:
"If you’re reading this I have passed away.”
Casey's husband tweeted her pre-written message last week, which included a link to a fundraising campaign via the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt.
She has since helped to ~$633,000 -- enough to erase $63 million in medical debt for other people. 😭🙏
I also keep thinking of the kindness and grace shown by Casey McIntyre, a 38-year-old woman who died last week from cancer and has posthumously helped to erase millions of dollars in medical debt for other people. www.huffpost.com/entry/bc-us-...
Casey McIntyre died Sunday from cancer, but her posthumous plea helped erase $14 million in medical debt.
www.huffpost.com
One thing I am grateful for is that we collectively take a day to think about what we're all grateful for.
It's also a good time to learn what the "First Thanksgiving" was actually about. americanindian.si.edu/nk360/inform...
Today, the chairman of the House Ethics Committee filed a resolution to expel George Santos from Congress, calling it “the most appropriate punishment" for spending campaign $ on Botox, designer products and access to a site primarily used by sex workers. t.co/DlD4Huiu31
The GOP congressman “blatantly stole from his campaign,” and “the most appropriate punishment is expulsion,” said Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.).
t.co