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Republicans use filibuster to block debate on Democrats' 'rotten' election reform bill
Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked sweeping legislation on election and campaign finance reforms that Democrats argued was crucial to ensuring voting rights and saving democracy but the GOP blasted as a partisan power grab.
The "For the People Act" needed 60 votes to clear a procedural vote in the Senate, but Republicans filibustered and killed the legislation from advancing to debate. No Republicans joined with the 50 Democrats on the motion to proceed.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Republicans won't stand for Democrats' attempt to impose new voting standards on states that would "rig" elections in their favor. He called the substance of the nearly 900-page bill "rotten" to its core.
Republicans took issue with imposing federal standards on state elections that they said would weaken state ID requirements. They also oppose starting a new public financing system for congressional elections and politicizing the Federal Elections Commission that enforces campaign finance laws.
Democrats, with the White House on their side, framed the legislation as an urgent priority to save democracy in the face of GOP efforts in state legislatures around the country to pass "voter suppression laws" in the wake of former President Trump's 2020 election loss and unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.
In other developments:
- Sen. Kennedy slams Dems' 'cynical' election bill: The 'Screw the People Act'
- MSNBC guest compares Senate GOP blocking Democrat's voting bill to apartheid
- AOC slams filibuster after Republicans block voting rights bill: 'Call me radical'
- Kamala Harris breaks tie as Senate confirms Kiran Ahuja, Biden nominee with critical race theory ties
- Manchin strikes deal with Schumer to vote 'yes' on advancing voting reform bill
Virginia's Loudoun County School Board silences public comment after raucous meeting, 2 men arrested
The embattled school board of Virginia’s Loudoun County cut off public comment during a fiery meeting Tuesday as residents traded barbs over new transgender policy proposals.
The meeting came after weeks of protests from district parents who opposed to some of the measures, which they have criticized as potential left-wing indoctrination and a violation of parental rights.
The policies affect transgender student rights, privacy and restroom accommodations and would require Loudoun County Public Schools employees to use students’ preferred names or pronouns. An official school board vote on the proposal is not expected until at least Aug. 10.
But it has become a hot-button issue in the district, where 259 residents signed up to speak during the public comment session and people lined up at the doors early to get seats in the packed auditorium. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Virginia parents torch Loudoun County school board over critical race theory, 'pornographic' books in school
- Loudoun County, Va., parents call out 'wokest and worst school board in America' after meeting erupts into chaos
- Minnesota girl slams school board over BLM posters after 'no politics' promise
- Every Black Life Matters president knocks Black Lives Matter movement as 'too narrow' in scope
Michigan cop breaks down in tears after killing woman who shot at him during Juneteeth parade
New video shows a Flint Police Department officer breaking down in tears after shooting and killing a 19-year-old woman who authorities say opened fire on him during a parade on Saturday.
The officer was directing traffic during the city's Juneteenth Celebration Parade when Briana Sykes pulled up to him and fired a gun at 2:14 p.m., according to Michigan State Police.
Video of the incident shows the officer walking along Sykes' car as he gives her orders.
"Let me see your hands," the officer can be heard yelling several times.
After the gunfire, Sykes' car slowly creeps forward as the officer appears to collapse to the ground in tears. Other nearby officers rushed to assist him. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Police union says media, politicians ‘gaslighting’ public into supporting defund movement
- Austin shooting update: New suspect ID'd, charges against 2 juveniles dropped, police say
- California driver charged with murder after suspected DUI crash kills young sisters, 11 and 8: report
- Reno man, who was homeless, to likely get probation in mother’s hot car death
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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Eric Adams takes lead in Dem NYC mayoral primary race, Yang concedes; Sliwa wins GOP nod
- Vanessa Bryant, families reach settlement in helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, daughter
- Portland police officers will no longer make certain traffic stops, must follow new consent search guidelines
- Biden pledge to end cash bail unchanged amid violent crime surge
- Tucker Carlson: Scientists want to use human engineering to solve climate change
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#TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History."
SOME PARTING WORDS
Greg Gutfeld and his panel discussed transgender athletes in women’s sports on Tuesday’s "Gutfeld!"
"I live by a very simple rule," Gutfeld said. "Don’t get angry about anything if the people closer to the issue aren’t angry first. If the people directly impacted by this stuff aren’t willing to speak up, then why should I?"
"They’re pissed off 'cause they’re scared," he continued, "for the same reasons everyone is scared today – they don’t want to be ostracized for their beliefs."
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