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Graham blasts Durbin over Garland hearing request before impeachment
Sen. Lindsey Graham, the outgoing chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent his successor, Sen. Dick Durbin, a letter that seemed to accuse the Illinois Democrat of political gamesmanship over his hearing request for Judge Merrick Garland, President Biden's pick to be attorney general.
Durbin requested that Graham holds a Feb. 8 hearing that would allow a day’s worth of testimony before the Senate shift focus to former President Trump’s impeachment trial. Graham referred to the trial as an "unprecedented act of political theater."
Graham wrote that Garland deserves a prompt hearing and went as far as to say that he is "inclined to support" him for the post. But he said a one-day hearing is insufficient and pointed to how the last five nominees have had two days of hearings and said it isn’t clear why Garland’s "extensive record deserves any less."
"Democrats do not get to score political points in an unprecedented act of political theater on one hand while also trying to claim the mantle of good government on the other," Graham wrote.
Politico reported that Durbin sent Graham a letter about having the hearing prior to the impeachment trial. The report said Republicans still control some committees due to the fact that an organizing resolution has yet to be completed by the Senate that is split 50-50. Durbin insisted in his letter that the lack of a confirmed attorney general is a safety concern for the country.
"There is simply no justification to object to a Feb. 8 hearing," Durbin wrote. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.
In other developments:
- AG nominee Merrick Garland to face questions over Hunter Biden probe in hearings
- Hans von Spakovsky: Can Biden AG nominee Merrick Garland run Justice Department without political bias?
- Merrick Garland: What to know about Biden's attorney general nominee
- Dems fret about possible Merrick Garland AG pick, opening circuit court spot
AOC says she’s a survivor of sexual assault
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., revealed Monday that she is a survivor of sexual assault while she was talking to followers on Instagram Live.
Ocasio-Cortez spoke to about 100,000 viewers about last month's riot at the Capitol and said she was getting emotional over calls to move on from the incident. She said that is the same tactic employed by "abusers."
The New York Post reported that she opened up how she took cover in her office and overheard someone say, "Where is she? Where is she?"
She said that she thought she was going to die.
"I have never been quieter in my entire life," she said, according to the paper. It turned out that the person was a Capitol police officer she said, but the fear was gripping. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- AOC's Ted Cruz tweet sparks growing pushback from House Republicans
- Rep. Burgess Owens rips AOC for invoking 'white supremacist' label to make point about health care
- Rep. Chip Roy calls on AOC to apologize for tweeting Cruz ‘almost had me murdered’
- White House silent on AOC’s claim Cruz ‘almost had me murdered’ amid push for country to unify
Zuckerberg, top Facebook execs admit they have 'too much power,' want to help Biden agenda, leaked video shows
Newly-released video footage features Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other executives admitting they have "too much power" while expressing eagerness to work with the Biden administration.
The right-wing guerrilla news outlet Project Veritas obtained recorded virtual conference calls from a Facebook "insider" that appear to shed light on how much influence the tech giant will have under the Biden presidency.
"In his first day, President Biden has already issued a number of executive orders on areas that we as a company really care quite deeply about," Zuckerberg says in a compilation video of his recorded remarks from Jan. 21. "I think that these were all important and positive steps, and I am looking forward to opportunities where Facebook is going to be able to work together with this new administration on some of their top priorities, starting with the COVID response."
Former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs, is heard acknowledging world leaders who have spoken out against the company's decision to ban former President Donald Trump's account following the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. According to Clegg, Facebook's critics say that "this shows that private companies have got too much power and they should be only making these decisions in a way that is framed by democratically agreed rules." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg used users' data as a bargaining chip to consolidate company's power, leaked documents reportedly reveal
- Twitter 'whistleblower' leaks video of Dorsey telling staff actions will be 'much bigger' than Trump ban
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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- McConnell rips Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, calls 'loony lies' a 'cancer' for the GOP
- Trump impeachment lawyer calls out Senate Dems, says ex-president has no chance of 'fair and full trial'
- BLM protesters surround Rochester police station after officers pepper-spray, restrain 9-year-old
- Gov. Andrew Cuomo drives to NYC during snowstorm after warning New Yorkers to stay off roads
THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- US home sales expected to remain constant over next two years, Reuters poll says
- Republicans say Biden stimulus meeting was ‘productive,’ but no deal struck
- American Airlines CEO tells employees to brace for furlough warnings
- Investment exec predicts GameStop will top $1,000 per share
SOME PARTING WORDS
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, discussed President Joe Biden’s "radical agenda" on Monday night’s "Hannity."
"Here’s the thing about Biden’s ‘America Last’ plan," Crenshaw said. "It doesn’t actually help the environment. They claim they’re saving the world, but it doesn’t. All it does is cede energy dominance to Russia, to Venezuela, to Saudi Arabia.
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