The Justice Department has released Volume One of special counsel Jack Smith's final report, detailing his election interference investigation into Donald Trump.
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Political News Compilation - Weekend Updates - Jan. 4 & 5 , 2025
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Higher Social Security payments are coming for millions of people from a bill that Biden is signing
By FATIMA HUSSEIN
Updated 5:28 PM CST, January 5, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Sunday signed into law a measure that boosts Social Security payments for current and former public employees, affecting nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and in other public service jobs.
Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put strain on Social Security Trust Funds, which face a looming insolvency crisis.
The bill rescinds two provisions the Windfall Elimination Provision
and the Government Pension Offset that limit Social Security benefits for recipients if they get retirement payments from other sources, including public retirement programs from a state or local government.
“The bill I’m signing today is about a simple proposition: Americans who have worked hard all their life to earn an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity — that’s the entire purpose of the Social Security system,” Biden said during a signing ceremony in the White House East Room.
“This is a big deal,” he said. ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Trump invites House Republicans to Mar-a-Lago ahead of inauguration
President-elect Donald Trump is set to host several groups of House GOP lawmakers in Florida next weekend.
www.nbcnews.com
GOP congressional leaders set the stage to move on Trump’s agenda | CNN Politics
Donald Trump and his GOP allies in Congress have recently shared some of the first details of their ambitious agenda — sweeping tax cuts, border security and raising the debt limit — which they hope to muscle through in the first 100 days of the president-elect’s term.
www.cnn.comAs he prepares to leave office, Biden urges incoming Democratic lawmakers to reach across the aisle
The new slate of roughly 30 Democratic lawmakers arrive prepared to be in the minority in the executive and legislative branches.
apnews.com
Thune has privately told Trump that Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed as Defense Secretary, sources say
When asked for comment, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader John Thune said "two things we don't discuss publicly: Whip counts and private conversations with the president."
www.cbsnews.com
Trump rounds out White House team with four new picks - Washington Examiner
Trump made four picks for his White House staff on Saturday night, three of whom served in his first administration.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Biden signs Social Security Fairness Act into law
President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law Sunday, marking what is expected to be one of the last major pieces of legislation of his presidency.
Pro-Israel Dem could tip scales in key Senate committee as Middle East war continues
Sen. Jacky Rosen, a new Democrat assigned to a key Senate committee, could bolster support for Israel in the new Congress.
Lawmakers brace for Trump's promised Jan. 6 pardons. Some are urging restraint
More than 1,250 have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials in connection with Jan. 6, with more than 650 receiving prison time ranging from a few days to 22 years.
apnews.com
Hamas says it’s ready to free 34 captives under ceasefire deal, reports say
Israeli and Hamas officials are holding talks in Qatar in renewed push to secure ceasefire deal.
Sen. Adam Schiff says the New Orleans attack shows Kash Patel shouldn’t lead the FBI
Schiff told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that it was an “easy” decision to vote against Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI.
www.nbcnews.com
Russia ‘getting what it deserves,’ Ukraine says, after launching counterattack in border region | CNN
Ukraine has launched a counterattack in the southern Russian border region of Kursk, warning that Russia is “getting what it deserves.”
www.cnn.com
'Is it realistic to deport everybody?' Top Senate Republican on Donald Trump's mass deportation promises
Senate Majority Leader John Thune also said in an interview Sunday that he's willing to stand up to President-elect Donald Trump when they disagree.
www.usatoday.com
Trump appears with Italian Prime Minister Meloni at his Florida club
Meloni follows Argentina President Javier Milei, who became the first world leader to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago after his Election Day victory in November.
apnews.com
Winter Storm Blair latest: Millions hit by huge winter storm as seven US states declare state of emergency
A state of emergency has been declared in seven states, with the storm set to bring the coldest temperatures in over a decade.
www.bbc.com
Ukraine presses attacks in Russia's Kursk region
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will urge allies to boost his country's air defenses at a meeting this week in Germany.
apnews.com
Nancy Pelosi says violence of Jan. 6 "didn't end that day"
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday the violence of Jan. 6, 2021, "didn't end that day," accusing president-elect Donald Trump of stoking continued violence in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol.
www.cbsnews.com
Joe Biden sits down with USA TODAY's Susan Page for exclusive interview about his legacy, 2024 election
Susan Page, USA TODAY's Washington Bureau chief, exclusively interviewed outgoing President Joe Biden about his legacy, the 2024 election and more.
www.usatoday.com
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Latest Political News Feed
Pete Hegseth heads to Capitol Hill for fiery hearing on his record, plans to shake up Pentagon
Pete Hegseth is set to take the hot seat before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday in a hearing that is sure to break out into fireworks.
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Hegseth to shake up the Pentagon as his defense secretary, but the former Fox News host has been entangled in controversies that Democrats on the committee can be expected to question him about.
"Democrats certainly aren’t going to make this a walk in the park by any means," one Republican aide said.
"You'll see Democrats are pretty organized, they're...
Continue reading...President-elect Donald Trump nominated Hegseth to shake up the Pentagon as his defense secretary, but the former Fox News host has been entangled in controversies that Democrats on the committee can be expected to question him about.
"Democrats certainly aren’t going to make this a walk in the park by any means," one Republican aide said.
"You'll see Democrats are pretty organized, they're...
Pedophiles could see death penalty under new House GOP bill: 'Taken off the streets permanently'
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is unveiling a new set of bills that could have child sexual predators facing the death penalty.
"If you are raping someone, if you're molesting someone, you are essentially murdering their soul. Those people never actually fully recover. I've actually sat on a committee with a very prominent [female House Democrat] who actually talked about the fact that she was molested as a child. And so you can see that it impacts and really hurts people," Luna said.
Two of her three bills, all of which are being introduced in...
Continue reading..."If you are raping someone, if you're molesting someone, you are essentially murdering their soul. Those people never actually fully recover. I've actually sat on a committee with a very prominent [female House Democrat] who actually talked about the fact that she was molested as a child. And so you can see that it impacts and really hurts people," Luna said.
Two of her three bills, all of which are being introduced in...
Planned Parenthood chapter provided Harris campaign workspace, breaking tax law: IRS complaint
A Planned Parenthood chapter in Florida allegedly violated its
Continue reading...The tricky questions facing Trump's nominees for top jobs
Allies of the president-elect can expect intense questioning when Senate confirmation hearings begin this week.
Continue reading...Human remains ‘in various states of decomposition’ found on public hiking trail
Human remains that had been decomposing “for an extended period of time” have been discovered just off of a public hiking trail in Utah, police said.
Continue reading...WATCH: Cal Fire battalion chief speaks on battling the fires on the front lines
ABC News’ Linsey Davis speaks to the Cal Fire battalion chief, David Acuna, about responding to the fires on the front lines and what the plan is to keep the fires out.
Continue reading...WATCH: Woman whose wedding ring was found in rubble after California fire shares her story
Victoria DeSantis' Altadena house was completely destroyed by the Eaton fire, but firefighters helped her uncover a symbol of hope amid the rubble.
Continue reading...Man charged with stalking for allegedly threatening WNBA star Caitlin Clark
Michael Lewis, 55, was arrested on Sunday in Indianapolis and has been charged with stalking for allegedly sending "numerous threats" to Caitlin Clark, officials said.
Continue reading...North Korea tests 'several' missiles, South Korean military says
North Korea launched "several short-range ballistic missiles," that landed in the Sea of Japan Tuesday morning local time, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
Continue reading...DOJ releases Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on investigation into Trump election interference case
The Justice Department made public Volume I of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s final report on his now-closed investigations into President-elect Donald Trump, days before he is set to be sworn into office.
Attorney General Merrick Garland released the first volume, which focuses on the election case against Trump, of Smith’s report on Tuesday at midnight after back-and-forth in the federal court system.
An opening letter from Smith to Garland said that it is "laughable" that Trump believes the Biden Administration, or other political actors...
Continue reading...Attorney General Merrick Garland released the first volume, which focuses on the election case against Trump, of Smith’s report on Tuesday at midnight after back-and-forth in the federal court system.
An opening letter from Smith to Garland said that it is "laughable" that Trump believes the Biden Administration, or other political actors...
Trump would have been convicted of election interference, DoJ report says
Special Counsel Jack Smith says Trump would have been convicted if he hadn't been elected.
Continue reading...'Your husband's being tortured, and it's your fault'
The wife of a Ukrainian prisoner of war explains how Russia attempted to recruit her for sabotage.
Continue reading...Moment slackliner conquers highline walk between Dubai towers
The world champion slackliner crossed the 100m-long highline walk set up at a height of 224m between the towers.
Continue reading...Trapped in the dark for 35 hours - Red Sea dive-boat survivors tell of terrifying escapes
Eleven survivors describe what happened and raise safety questions about the dive boat Sea Story.
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