Failed CR, SAVE Act Vote Represents Another Loss for Speaker Johnson’s Leadership

Mike Johnson

The failed House vote for a continuing resolution attached to the SAVE Act is another example of failure in Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership. 

The House voted 202-220 to kill the continuing resolution that had the SAVE Act attached to it. A total of 14 Republicans voted against the resolution along with 206 Democrats, while three Democrats voted across the aisle in support of the bill. Two Republicans voted present.

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GOP-Led House Breaks Promise to Voters, Fails to Pass Appropriations Bills Before August Recess

Congress at Night

The GOP-led House canceled votes ahead of the August recess without getting the 12 appropriations bills passed, breaking a promise to voters.

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Hakeem Jeffries Boasts About Dems ‘Effectively’ Running House — Despite GOP Majority

Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York claimed that Democrats were “governing as a majority” in the House of Representatives even with nominal Republican control during an interview that aired Sunday.

Jeffries noted that Democrats provided over twice as many votes than Republicans in passing HR 8035, the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act in April during the interview with Norah O’Donnell of CBS News that aired on “60 Minutes.” Jeffries boasted of Democratic successes in the GOP-controlled House during the interview, saying that Dems “get things done.”

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China Lobbying Congress amid TikTok Ban Efforts

iPhone with TikTok app logo

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been secretly attempting to lobby members of Congress over recent proposals to ban the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok.

As reported by Breitbart, employees of the Chinese Embassy have been meeting with congressional staffers to try to persuade members to vote against the bill that would force the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok, or else face an indefinite ban on the app’s use in the United States. The bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in March with bipartisan support, and is now being reviewed by the Senate.

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House Members of Progressive ‘Squad’ Grab More than $220 Million of Earmarks Since 2023

Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Rep. Ilhan Omar standing in front of the US capitol (composite image)

Members of the “Squad” of progressive lawmakers in the House of Representatives, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., wrangled more than $220 million worth of earmarks included in spending bills since the start of fiscal year 2023, according to a watchdog group.

“These eight members, up from 6 last year, have put almost $220 million worth of earmarks into the last two years of congressional spending packages, for causes like environmental justice, diversity, and immigration assistance,” read a new report from OpenTheBooks.com.

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Mayorkas, DHS Get Massive Funding Boost in House’s Newest Spending Bill

Alejandro Mayorkas speaking with border officers

The House of Representatives’ second consolidated spending bill for fiscal year 2024 includes significant increases in funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and to the office of its secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas.

The 2024 fiscal year began on Oct. 1, 2023 — by which the appropriations process was supposed to be completed — but political disagreements in Congress led to the enactment of four continuing resolutions to avoid a government shutdown and preserve funding at the previous year’s levels. After Congress completely passed its first permanent spending bill for the year on March 8, the House on Thursday released its second permanent bill, a consolidation of six constituent bills, which includes an increase of $19 million to the Office of the Secretary over fiscal year 2023 levels, for a total of $404 million until Sept. 30, 2024. 

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Taxpayers to Pay $3 Million for Mayorkas Impeachment Defense

Alejandro Mayorkas

The Department of Homeland Security so far has spent $3 million of taxpayer money to defend embattled Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas against impeachment by the House of Representatives, according to documents obtained by The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project.

The DHS contract with a law firm was to cover the cost of a failed attempt to stave off a House impeachment, as well as to defend President Joe Biden’s homeland security secretary in a possible Senate trial.

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House Subcommittee Chairmen Pressure DC Mayor, Police to Preserve Aborted Baby Remains

Roy Biggs

The chairmen of two House of Representatives subcommittees are calling on D.C. authorities to preserve the remains of “The Five” aborted baby bodies.

“Our subcommittees are conducting oversight of the District of Columbia’s and the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) enforcement of federal law,” Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government Chairman Chip Roy and Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Chairman Andy Biggs say in the letter, addressed to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Metropolitan Police Department’s chief, Pamela Smith. Roy, a Republican, represents Texas. Biggs, also a Republican, represents Arizona.

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House January 6 Investigator Says White House Foot-Dragging ‘Unacceptable,’ Warns of Subpoenas Ahead

Barry Loudermilk

The House subcommittee chairman leading the Jan. 6 investigation is declaring that the Biden White House’s foot-dragging has been “unacceptable” and he is putting both presidential aides and the Georgia county prosecutor pursuing Donald Trump on notice that Congress is prepared to pursue evidence, up to and including subpoenas and contempt.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., on Thursday evening gave a sweeping update on his House Administration oversight subcommittee’s efforts to obtain evidence, saying Democrats from the White House and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., were not providing the cooperation needed to give Americans the facts and answers they are missing from the tragedy three years ago in the U.S. Capitol.

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Analysis: Democratic Retirements Could Help the House GOP Grow Its Majority in 2024

House Republicans appear to be in a better position to capitalize off of a wave of congressional retirements, as there are more Democratic-held open seats in swing districts that pose an opportunity for the GOP to flip in 2024.

There are currently 31 House members who are not seeking another term in the lower chamber, including 20 Democrats and 11 Republicans — nearly all of whom hold seats that are considered safe for the GOP. Four Democratic-held open seats in battleground districts in Michigan, Virginia and California are most likely to flip red, while several other seats are also up for grabs by the GOP in 2024, according to political analysts and electoral rankings.

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George Santos Announces He Will Not Run for Re-Election

Republican Rep. George Santos of New York’s 3rd District announced that he will not seek reelection to the House of Representatives following the release of a report by the House Ethics Committee regarding his actions.

Santos was indicted by federal prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York for a number of alleged felonies related to his 2022 congressional campaign, including wire fraud, false statements, identity theft and credit card fraud, among others. After the House Ethics Committee released a report corroborating the allegations of prosecutors following its independent investigation of the matter, Santos announced on Twitter that he would not seek re-election to his office in 2024.

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Nancy Pelosi Says She’ll Seek Reelection in 2024

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Friday that she will seek reelection to a twentieth term in the House of Representatives in 2024, according to a post on Twitter, now known as X.

Pelosi, age 83, served previously as the speaker of the House of Representatives for eight years cumulatively, and was leader of the House Democratic Caucus for twenty years from 2003 to 2023. After retiring from leadership at the end of the 117th Congress, Pelosi has remained a member of the House from San Francisco and announced on Friday that she would run again in 2024, according to a tweet.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene Demands Biden Impeachment Inquiry in Exchange for Government Funding

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has vowed not to vote for government spending bills unless the House of Representatives launches an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden during a Thursday town hall.

Greene has introduced five articles of impeachment against Biden during his presidency, the first being introduced the day after his inauguration in 2021. As inquiries into Biden’s connections to his son’s business dealings in Ukraine intensify, Greene has demanded an impeachment inquiry in exchange for her vote to pass 12 appropriations bills before Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown, according to a video of her remarks posted on Twitter, now known as X.

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House of Representatives Votes to Censure Adam Schiff over Russia Collusion Hoax

The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to censure California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff after previously failing to do so in an earlier vote.

The lower chamber rebuked the California lawmaker by a narrow 213-209 vote. Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna had introduced the plan, citing Schiff’s vocal support of the now-thoroughly debunked Trump-Russia collusion hoax.

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GOP Lawmaker Introduces Articles of Impeachment Against Biden, Harris

A Tennessee Republican lawmaker on Monday introduced articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Rep. Andy Ogles accused the president of having used his position as both president and previously vice president to protect his family business and their alleged illicit activities from congressional oversight.

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House Rejects Matt Gaetz’s Resolution to Remove Troops from Somalia

The House of Representatives has rejected a war powers resolution introduced by Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to remove U.S. military personnel from Somalia.

The recorded vote, held on Thursday afternoon, yielded 321 members voting against the bill with 102 voting in favor. The resolution, designated H.Con. Res. 30 and co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar of Arizona as well as Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, would have directed President Joe Biden to order all American troops to leave the country, with the exception of Marine Security Guards who protect the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu.

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House Passes Legislation to Give Parents More Say in Their Kids’ Education

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a piece of legislation on Friday aimed at giving parents more of a say in school curriculum and more control in their children’s education.

In a 213 – 208 vote, the House approved the Parents Bill of Rights, which would require school districts to annually post their curriculum online, allowing parents to review the materials. The bill, considered the “Politics over Parents Act” by Democratic politicians, moves to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where it is unlikely to pass.

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House Votes to Overturn ‘Overreaching’ Biden Water Rule

The House of Representatives voted 227-198 Thursday to overturn the Biden administration’s “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, which has been heavily criticized for broadening the definition of what are considered “navigable waters” subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act.

Republicans say the rule places a costly burden on landowners, ranchers, and farmers by claiming regulatory control over lands containing small streams and wetlands. All but one Republican, Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, voted to overturn the rule, with nine Democrats joining.

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McCarthy Wins Speakership in Dramatic 15 Round Voting Marathon for the History Books

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy captured the House speakership in dramatic fashion early Saturday, winning enough votes on a historic 15th ballot that saw 20 renegade Republicans changing their votes under enormous pressure after winning significant concessions about how Congress will operate going forward.

The final vote was 216-212-6.

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House Adjourns Until 10 p.m. After McCarthy Comes Up Short for Speaker in 13 Rounds

The House of Representatives convened on Friday for the fourth day of voting for speaker and House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has picked up 15 votes from GOP holdouts but he’s still short of the simple majority needed to win.

The House passed a motion to adjourn until 10pm. McCarthy told reporters he’s confident he will have the votes to win Friday evening.

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House Adjourns After 11th Failed Vote to Elect McCarthy Speaker, Deal Reportedly in the Works

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the evening after California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to win the speaker’s gavel for the 11th time.

The speaker election started Tuesday but McCarthy has fallen short of reaching the simple majority threshold needed to win in the 222-212 GOP-led House.

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Kevin McCarthy Vows to Form Select Committee on China as Speaker

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), in his bid to become the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, said on Sunday that if elected, he would form a select committee to investigate China.

As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, McCarthy declared that the Biden Administration is not doing enough to stand up to the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its leader, newly-reelected President Xi Jingping.

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New Republican Majority Plans to Target ‘Woke’ Businesses

exterior of BlackRock

One of the top agenda items for the GOP’s new majority in the House of Representatives is the targeting of “woke” corporations on Wall Street, threatening investigations and other government action if such companies do not reverse anti-American policies and practices.

Politico reports that some of the measures the GOP will be scrutinizing include “ESG (environmental, social, and governance)” policies, divesting from fossil fuels, and race-based affirmative action hiring policies for the sake of “diversity.”

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McCarthy May Not Have the Votes to Become Speaker

In the aftermath of the disappointing 2022 midterm election results, conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives have signaled that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) may not have the support he needs to become the next Speaker of the House.

As reported by The Hill, some Republicans have asked that the party’s closed-door leadership election be delayed while the results of the outstanding races come in.

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Kevin McCarthy May Not Have the Votes to Become Speaker

In the aftermath of the disappointing 2022 midterm election results, conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives have signaled that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) may not have the support he needs to become the next Speaker of the House.

As reported by The Hill, some Republicans have asked that the party’s closed-door leadership election be delayed while the results of the outstanding races come in.

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Commentary: Democrats Face Historic Headwinds in Tuesday’s Midterm Elections

Regardless of all that wispy smoke Democrats and their allies in the news media are blowing, key polls suggest Republicans are still likely to win back control of the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections and have a better than even chance to take over the Senate.

Historically, one of the strongest indicators – perhaps the strongest indicator – of how a party will do in midterm elections is the job approval rating of the incumbent president. Parties of presidents who are down in the polls usually lose congressional seats. Parties of presidents up in the polls generally gain seats in the midterms.

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Commentary: Including Noncitizens in Census Devalues Votes of Citizens, Unjustly Alters House Representation

You may have missed it, but a recent Census Bureau report revealed that the bureau made significant errors in the most recent census, overcounting the population of eight states and undercounting the population of six states.

As a result, the citizens in undercounted states, such as Florida, did not receive all of the congressional representation to which they are entitled, while citizens in states such as Minnesota and Rhode Island that were overcounted are overrepresented in Congress.

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Majority of House Seats Now Lean Republican, Election Forecaster Says

A majority of seats in the House of Representatives now lean Republican, according to a new election forecast from Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia.

Competitive races are breaking heavily in favor of Republicans, and analysts moved four House races in New York, Oregon, California and New Mexico from “toss up” to “leans Republican” from last week’s predictions. The GOP is now slated to win 218 House seats by Sabato’s forecast, taking control of the chamber.

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House Passes Sweeping Antitrust Package Targeting Big Tech

The House of Representatives passed sweeping antitrust legislation targeting Big Tech with bipartisan support following a Thursday afternoon vote.

The bill, known as the Merger Fee Filing Modernization Act, passed 242 to 184, combining a trio of antitrust bills designed to limit the impact of Big Tech firms by increasing merger application fees to fund stricter antitrust enforcement, requiring companies to disclose foreign subsidies when applying for a merger and exempting antitrust lawsuits brought by state attorneys general from processes that can result in court cases being transferred to districts more favorable to defenders. The package, passed with 39 Republican votes, was endorsed by the White House on Tuesday as part of its ongoing efforts to beef up antitrust enforcement.

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Republican Leadership Pledges to ‘Repeal’ IRS Auditor Expansion if GOP Wins Majority

President Joe Biden sparked controversy for pushing through Congress increased federal funding for 87,000 new IRS employees to audit Americans, but Republican leadership has pledged to overturn that expansion if they win the majority.

House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., pledged at a Pennsylvania event to “repeal” the IRS expansion.

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Arizona Representatives React to House Passing the Inflation Reduction Act

Arizona Representatives, including Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04), and Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), all recently released statements slamming the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as it passed the U.S. House Friday and will move on to President Joe Biden.

“President Biden and congressional Democrats are so out of touch with everyday Americans that they just pushed through a massive tax and spending bill that will increase taxes, gasoline prices, and utility rates all while making the lives of Americans worse,” Lesko said. “I won’t do that to the American people and that is why I voted no.”

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Bannon Discusses Testifying for Jan. 6 Panel After Trump Agrees to Waive Executive Privilege

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who was held in criminal contempt for not testifying to the Jan. 6 Capitol committee, is now in talks with the Democrat-led panel about testifying after former President Donald Trump sent a letter agreeing to waive his executive privilege.

Trump wrote in a letter obtained Sunday by The Guardian to Bannon and his attorney, Robert Costello, explaining why he changed his mind regarding privilege.

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Biden’s Education Secretary Calls Arming Teachers ‘One of the Stupidest Proposals’ Ever

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona criticized proposals to arm teachers to stop school shootings during a Thursday appearance on “The View.”

“Those are some of the stupidest proposals I’ve heard in all my time as an educator,” Cardona said when asked about arming teachers by co-host Sunny Hostin. “So that’s my answer to that. Listen. We need to make sure we’re doing sensible legislation, making sure our schoolhouses are safe as much as possible, but to say that we’re going to arm teachers to protect students, what happens when a teacher goes out on maternity leave?”

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Economists Expect Elevated Inflation as Projected U.S. GDP Plummets

Economists across the U.S. expect ongoing inflation as the growth projections for the U.S. economy have plummeted, according to a newly released survey.

The National Association for Business Economics released a survey of 234 economic experts Monday that highlights major concerns about the U.S. economy. The report found inflation ranks as a top worry for economists.

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Small Business Administration Not Taking Direct Action Against Partner Lenders That Issued Billions in Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program Loans

The Small Business Administration is not taking action against its partner lenders that issued billions of dollars in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans, Just the News has learned.

Congress appropriated almost $1 trillion in forgivable PPP loans to assist businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 15% of the $961 billion is projected to have been obtained fraudulently, according to a study.

A House of Representatives panel estimated that $84 billion in PPP funds was issued fraudulently.

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Attorney General Garland Grilled by GOP Senators over Department of Justice Memo Targeting Parents at School Meetings

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday faced a litany of hard-edged Senate questions about agreeing to allow federal law enforcement to investigate alleged incidents of outspoken parents at school board meetings.

Garland, in a memo, agreed to responded to a Sept. 29 letter from the National School Board Association to President Biden asking that the FBI, Justice Department and other federal agencies to investigate potential acts of domestic terrorism at the meetings. Parents across the nation have been voicing their concerns about the curricula being taught to their children, in addition to instances like the one currently playing out in northern Virginia, in which there was an apparent coverup of the sexual assault of a female student in a bathroom.

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House Holds Steve Bannon in Criminal Contempt, Refers Matter to Justice Department

The House of Representatives voted Thursday to hold former Trump White House advisor Steve Bannon in criminal contempt of Congress following his refusal to cooperate with the House’s investigation of the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.

The resolution passed largely along party lines in a vote of 229-202, with nine Republicans voting in favor of the bill.

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Biden, Congress Seek to Chip Away at Gun Rights with United Nations Arms Treaty, Military Red Flag Law

handgun with ammo

Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration are attempting to nibble away at the Second Amendment from both within and without the U.S., gun rights advocates warn, as Congress seeks to pass a red flag law for military members and the president eyes signing on to a United Nations arms treaty.

Red flag laws that would apply to military members were slipped into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the House of Representatives last week with the help of 135 Republicans.

Red flag laws are “essentially bypassing due process,” Gun Owners of America’s Director of Outreach Antonia Okafor told the John Solomon Reports podcast on Wednesday. “It is going from one person who says they accuse you of being a danger to yourself, or to somebody else, and then going to a judge that then gets reasonable suspicion, right, that you are a danger to yourself or somebody else.”

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Kamala Harris Praises Anti-Semitic College Student Who Accused Israel of Genocide

On Tuesday, while addressing students at George Mason University, Vice President Kamala Harris praised a female student who made false and anti-Semitic claims about the state of Israel, accusing the U.S. ally of “ethnic genocide,” as reported by the New York Post.

Harris’s remarks to the gathering of students were in commemoration of National Voter Registration Day; after her brief speech, the masked Vice President called on the students for a question-and-answer session.

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House Passes $1 Billion Measure for Israel’s Iron Dome, Despite Lack of Progressive Support

Despite opposition from progressive lawmakers, the Democratic-led House passed $1 billion of funding for Israel’s Iron Dome on Thursday with the help of Republican votes.

Oregon Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenhaur, the presiding officer, deemed the bill passed with a simple voice vote but a request was made for a recorded yes or no vote.

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Texas Passes Law Targeting Social Media Companies for Alleged Censorship

The Texas state Senate passed a bill Tuesday that aims to curb perceived political censorship by social media companies.

The bill, introduced in the Texas Senate by state Sen. Bryan Hughes, would prohibit social media platforms from “censoring” users based on their viewpoints. “Censoring” includes actions such as removing content, banning users, demonetizing users, and suppressing posts, according to the bill.

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Ilhan Omar Possibly Committed a Felony by Concealing Her Finances in Required Disclosure Form, Watchdog Group Alleges

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar possibly committed a felony by failing to properly report her assets and income in her financial disclosure reports to the House of Representatives, a conservative-leaning watchdog group alleged in a complaint filed Tuesday.

The group, National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), demanded the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) investigate why Omar’s financial disclosures make no reference to the income she may have received from her memoir published in May 2020, as well as the Democratic lawmaker’s apparently gross undervaluation of her new husband’s consulting firm, which raked in nearly $3 million from Omar’s political campaign from 2018 through 2020, campaign finance records show.

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