Sep04

Arizona governor names former Sen. Jon Kyl as McCain’s replacement

by Bob Funk on September 4, 2018 at 1:38 pm
Posted In: CURRENT NEWS

Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey chose former US Sen. Jon Kyl to replace the late John McCain in the Senate, the governor said at a news conference Tuesday.

Kyl’s appointment means the Republican attorney who had been guiding President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, through the confirmation process will now have a vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation.
In choosing Kyl, Ducey tapped a figure who is well-liked by both Trump’s political team and McCain’s family and allies. However, with Kyl saying he won’t run for re-election, it also leaves open the possibility of a bruising primary in 2020.

 

Source : MSN

Aug31

Nation’s political leaders pay tribute…

by Bob Funk on August 31, 2018 at 11:57 am
Posted In: CURRENT NEWS

The body of John McCain arriving at the U.S. Capitol in Washington before lying in state on Aug. 31, 2018.

 An astounding array of the nation’s political, military, diplomatic and cultural leaders paid tribute Friday to the late Sen. John McCain – “a drum major for courage, truth and justice” – as he lay in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

The somber assemblage kicked off three days of ceremonies honoring McCain, a former Navy aviator and prisoner of war in Vietnam who went on to win six terms in the Senate. Before it’s over, McCain will be remembered at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington National Cathedral and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

In a fitting testimonial, the skies erupted in a downpour as McCain’s flag-draped casket was carried up the marble steps of the Capitol by members of the U.S. armed forces Inside, tears welled up among mourners as it was placed on the simple pine catafalque hastily constructed in 1865 to hold the body of Abraham Lincoln.

Source : Billboard

Aug30

Trump cancels planned January pay increase

by Bob Funk on August 30, 2018 at 2:20 pm
Posted In: CURRENT NEWS, POLITICS

President Trump announced Thursday that he was canceling a pay raise due to most civilian federal employees in January, citing budgetary reasons.

In a letter to congressional leaders, the president wrote that locality pay increases would cost $25 billion. Those increases would come on top of a 2.1 percent across-the-board increase for most civilian employees.

“We must maintain efforts to put our Nation on a fiscally sustainable course, and Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases,” Trump wrote before announcing that for 2019, “both across-the-board pay increases and locality pay increases will be set at zero.”

“These alternative pay plan decisions will not materially affect our ability to attract and retain a well‑qualified Federal workforce,” Trump’s letter adds.

The Democratic National Committee described Trump’s letter as “yet another slap in the face to American workers” by the president, while Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., called it “the latest attack in the Trump Administration’s war on federal employees.

Source : Billboard

Aug29

Analysis: High-stakes primaries…

by Bob Funk on August 29, 2018 at 12:54 pm
Posted In: CURRENT NEWS

Tuesday’s primary elections featured races in two political battleground states, Florida and Arizona, and were being followed by voters around the country.

Aug28

FBI official says bureau leaked stories…

by Bob Funk on August 28, 2018 at 11:08 am
Posted In: POLITICS

An FBI intelligence analyst admitted to House committees last week that bureau officials were known to leak information to the press and then use the resulting articles to help obtain surveillance warrants, according to a source with knowledge of his testimony.

Jonathan Moffa, who worked with controversial former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, testified last Friday behind closed doors before the House Judiciary Committee and House Oversight Committee.

The source with knowledge of his statements confirmed to Fox News that Moffa said FBI personnel would use media reports based on information they leaked to justify applications for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants.

Republicans have long questioned to what extent leaked information, related to the unverified anti-Trump dossier, was used as a basis for surveillance warrants against former Trump adviser Carter Page in 2016 — when the bureau was led by James Comey and deputy Andrew McCabe.
Source : Fox News