February 3, 2025

Rep. Jamie Raskin's remarks at Democrats' USAID press conference

BBC Live updates

Democrats put focus on Musk's influence in Trump Administration
published at 13:27

Jamie Raskin, a frequent political foe of Donald Trump, is taking the fight directly to Elon Musk, who is leading efforts to dismantle USAID.

Musk leads the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) - which is not a government department, but a team within the Trump administration.

"Elon Musk, you didn't create USAID, the United States Congress did for the American people. And just like Elon Musk did not create USAID, he doesn't have the power to destroy it," he says.

"We don't have a fourth branch of government called 'Elon Musk,'" he also says.

He then notes that Musk's SpaceX company has contracts with the defence department and says he "became the richest man in the world off our money".

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cy08dkgej8pt

February 3, 2025

Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-MD) remarks at Democrats' USAID press conference

BBC LIve updates:

Maryland Representative Johnny Olszewski is at the microphone continuing the attacks on Trump and Musk.

“Our phones have been ringing off the hook with constituents terrified by what President Trump and Elon Musk have been doing since their very first moment in office, which is defying Congress, ignoring the law, and denying the will of the American people,” he says.

Olszewski says the Trump freeze on foreign assistance is delaying life-saving aid and ceding ground to countries like China.

He also mentions an incident where prison guards funded by the US and overseeing thousands of Islamic State fighters in Syria almost walked off the job.

“This is real life, this is dangerous and this is serious,” says Olszewski, who was elected to the US House for the first time in November and has been in Congress for just a month.

"We will do all that we can in Congress, but we need you, America to listen and to act," says Representative Johnny Olszewski of Maryland.

"Because today, it's USAID. Tomorrow it's our healthcare, it's social security, it's our livelihoods, it's our freedoms.”

USAID funding accounts for less than 1% of the US budget. It provides assistance "to strategically important countries and countries in conflict; leads US efforts to alleviate poverty, disease, and humanitarian need; and assists US commercial interests by supporting developing countries’ economic growth", according to the Congressional Research Service.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cy08dkgej8pt

February 3, 2025

Sen. Chris Murphy's remarks at press conference on USAID

BBC Live updates:

Senator Chris Murphy, of Connecticut, says he will not "pull any punches about why this is happening".

"Elon Musk makes billions of dollars based off of his business with China, and China is cheering at this action today," he claims.

"There is no question that the billionaire class trying to take over our government right now is doing it based on self interest, their belief that if they can make us weaker in the world, if they can elevate their business partners all around the world, they will gain the benefit."

He then accuses the Trump administration of shuttering agencies and laying off workers to create an illusion of saving money, to cover for a tax cut Trump has said he wants to enact.

"This is all a smoke screen, a shell game."

Then he repeats something that more and more Democrats are starting to say.

"This is a constitutional crisis that we are in today. Let's call it what it is," he says.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cy08dkgej8pt

February 3, 2025

Rep. Ilhan Omar's remarks at Democrats' news conference on USAID

Congresswoman shares experience with USAID
published at 13:38
BBC Live updates

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who came to the US as a refugee from Somalia and now represents parts of the state of Minnesota, shares firsthand perspective about USAID's role.

Omar shares that she once lived in a refugee camp and that USAID assistance "kept my family fed and safe".

She said aid programmes "creates goodwill for the American people" because it reinforces the US's soft power in the world.

Omar claims that the Trump administration's moves made against USAID are "what the beginning of a dictatorship looks like".

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cy08dkgej8pt

February 3, 2025

Musk is a 'special government employee,' the White House confirms

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk is working for President Donald Trump as a “special government employee,” according to a White House official, solidifying his controversial role in the administration but sidestepping some disclosure rules that are typical of federal workers.

The official, speaking Monday on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters, said that Musk has a government email address and office space in the White House complex.

Musk, the world’s richest man, has been granted broad latitude by Trump to reduce the size of the federal government. On Monday morning, the headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development was abruptly shut down. Musk’s team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, also has received access to sensitive payment systems at the U.S. Treasury Department.

Democrats fear that Musk is consolidating power within the federal government, acting without accountability and potentially against the law.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-21153a742fbad86284369bb173ec343c

February 3, 2025

Sen. Chris Van Hollen accuses Elon Musk of "doing China's bidding" on USAID shutdown

I took extensive notes during the Congressional Democrats news conference shown on CSPAN just now.

"This is an absolute gift to our adversaries," Van Hollen (D-MD) told the crowd of members of Congress and USAID employees, noting that the agency was established by Congress and can only be eliminated by an act of Congress. "This is a corrupt use of power that's going on that's plain illegal."

Van Hollen attempted to lead the assemblage into the building on a fact-finding effort after the news conference, but the outcome is unknown as CSPAN cut off coverage at that point.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn) called the shutdown of the agency a "smokescreen shell game to turn the government over to un-elected billionaires and corporate interests. This is a constitutional crisis."

"We're not going to let this happen," vowed Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D-MD) "This is about the termination and obliteration of all the foreign aid programs of the United States.

"Elon Musk, you don't control the money of the American people," Raskin said, adding "We don't have a 4th branch of government called Elon Musk."

The Democratic members of Congress said they would use their powers to put a stop to the shutdown.

February 3, 2025

I just watched the Congressional Democrats' news conference on USAID

C-SPAN cut them off as they began trying to enter the USAID building.

UPDATE: The Democrats were blocked from entering the USAID building according to BBC.


Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led the group of members of Congress and USAID employee to the doors.

One hell of a lot of great speeches.

The gist was that they would not allow an unelected oligarch like Musk to unconstitutionally shut down USAID or other federal agencies.

Only Congress has the power to do that, the speakers said, vowing to stop what they called an illegal action.

BBC has live updates on the Democrats' remarks at https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cy08dkgej8pt

BBC: Democratic lawmakers call aid shutdown illegal
published at 13:54

We've just heard from a number of Democratic Party lawmakers. Here's a recap of some of the main points from the press conference:

Democrats pushed back at Trump's attempts to shutter the US government's main international aid department, calling the moves illegal
They also took aim at Elon Musk who appears to be leading the charge - one lawmaker called him an "unelected billionaire oligarch"
The Democrats have emphasised the agency's life-saving aid work but have also raised national security concerns and geopolitics - noting that money from USAID goes to guarding Islamic State prisoners, and that US rivals are celebrating the turmoil
The lawmakers contend that the shutdown of the agency is against the law and that changes can only be made after debate in Congress

February 3, 2025

New York shields abortion pill prescribers after a doctor was indicted in Louisiana

Source: AP

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a bill to shield the identities of doctors who prescribe abortion medications, days after a physician in the state was charged with prescribing abortion pills to a pregnant minor in Louisiana.

The new law, which took effect immediately, allows doctors to request for their names to be left off abortion pill bottles and instead list the name of their health care practices on medication labels.

The move came after a grand jury in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana indicted New York Dr. Margaret Carpenter and her company on Friday for allegedly prescribing abortion pills online to a pregnant minor.

The case appears to be the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state, at least since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-new-york-hochul-12dc697d30967808aed9c3e4db2b1ff2

February 3, 2025

DOJ Warned: Firing Of Prosecutors, FBI Agents Involved In Jan. 6 May Trigger Legal Action

Source: HuffPost

A group of attorneys have put the Justice Department “on notice,” warning that the continued firing of prosecutors or FBI agents could trigger swift legal action. In recent days, Trump appointees have begun terminating or threatening to terminate people who lawfully investigated Jan. 6 or President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home when he was under criminal indictment for allegedly illegally retaining classified documents.

Lawyers representing some of these now-former career officials said in a letter to deputy acting Attorney General Emil Bove that the firings that began last week may violate simple due process rights and that those targeted for termination are profoundly concerned that the Justice Department is now “planning to publicly disseminate the names of those employees they plan to or will actually be terminating, despite the risk of stigmatization.”

Attorney Mark Zaid and representatives of the State Democracy Defenders Fund, including the watchdog’s executive chair Norm Eisen and its board member and retired federal judge Nancy Gertner, wrote, “The continuation in this course of action is a direct assault on the national security of the American citizens you have sworn to faithfully and unselfishly serve.”

Last week, the FBI’s acting director Brian Driscoll informed staff at the bureau that Bove — who once represented Trump in his criminal cases — asked for a list of FBI agents or other employees who worked on Jan. 6 prosecutions. Bove said he would then “determine whether any additional personnel actions were necessary.”

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/doj-jan-6-firing-warning-legal-action_n_679a2affe4b0535cbc5fce98

February 3, 2025

How NJ Senators voted on cabinet nominees (chart)

https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/d-c-dispatch-what-n-j-s-members-of-congress-did-in-washington-this-week-38/