White House says Republicans want to defund law enforcement

Rachel Schilke

March 23, 09:53 AM March 23, 09:53 AM

The Biden administration is accusing House Republicans of wanting to "defund or abolish" law enforcement, taking a new spin on a hot-button topic that usually is supported by more progressive Democrats.

The White House is gearing up to claim that the House Freedom Caucus's recently released budget would "make communities less safe" because it suggests cutting funding for 11,000 FBI personnel and freezing hiring at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, according to a statement obtained by Axios.

BIDEN PROPOSES A SPENDING HIKE OF $2 BILLION ON ATF FOR GUN CONTROL REGULATIONS

The slash in funding for the FBI and ATF follows the rhetoric of several top GOP lawmakers and certain committees claiming these agencies are weaponized to target conservatives. Since gaining a majority in the House, Republicans immediately began investigating the "weaponization of the federal government," particularly focusing on the FBI and the Justice Department overall.

Some Republicans, such as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), have called to abolish the FBI and Justice Department altogether.

"These same House Republicans who opposed the President’s bipartisan reforms and are now threatening to defund or abolish law enforcement agencies," White House spokesman Ian Sams said in the statement.

The White House's comments and the release of the Republicans' budget comes ahead of a joint subcommittee hearing titled "ATF's Assault of the Second Amendment: When is Enough Enough?" through the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). The hearing begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Some Republicans are hoping to make significant spending cuts across the government as they work to negotiate raising the debt ceiling, which Congress hit on Jan. 19.

Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) said during a speech on the House floor that he and several GOP members are worried that new ATF rules under President Joe Biden, such as limits on pistol braces, could put gun owners in legal trouble.

"It's going to render millions of Americans felons," Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) said in an interview with Axios last month.

Since the Republicans began launching investigations left and right into the Biden administration, the White House has been actively pushing back, with officials slamming "MAGA Republicans" for their attempts to slash spending in key areas.

Each day this week, the White House is releasing information to show how people will be hurt under the House Freedom Caucus's budget. Monday and Tuesday focused on cuts to police funding and healthcare, respectively. On Wednesday, the White House emphasized the cuts in incentives for manufacturing investments could undermine U.S. workers.

The White House is expected to focus on cuts to Medicare that would hurt seniors, a common attack from Biden that began during his State of the Union address, in which he goaded Republicans into publicly decrying his claims that GOP lawmakers wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Republicans have argued that if Biden will not agree to huge cuts across the board, they will not vote to raise the debt ceiling, which could lead to the United States defaulting on its debt. Congress has until this summer to raise the debt limit.

Ex-Democrat Kyrsten Sinema belittles former colleagues in private as she courts reelection

Cami Mondeaux

March 23, 07:46 AM March 23, 08:05 AM

Sen. Krysten Sinema (I-AZ) is hitting out against her former colleagues in the Democratic Party, belittling lawmakers on the Left as she courts GOP donors ahead of a possible reelection bid.

Sinema, who left the Democratic Party to become an independent late last year, has used her newly found freedom to distance herself from her former coworkers and praise her Republican allies as she mulls reelection in the Grand Canyon state. The Arizona senator has pushed to line her pockets with campaign cash by appearing at GOP-dominated receptions and retreats to criticize Democratic lawmakers.

KRYSTEN SINEMA REVEALS WHY SHE LEFT DEMOCRATIC PARTY

“I’m not caucusing with the Democrats, I’m formally aligned with the Democrats for committee purposes. But apart from that I am not a part of the caucus,” Sinema said, according to Politico. “Old dudes are eating Jell-O, everyone is talking about how great they are. I don’t really need to be there for that. That’s an hour and a half twice a week that I can get back.”

In private, Sinema becomes even more critical. When speaking one on one or in small groups with GOP allies, Sinema harshly criticizes Democratic leaders such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for their policy stances, the outlet reported.

That criticism has also extended to other party leaders, including President Joe Biden and top members of his Cabinet.

At one point during a fundraiser, Sinema recounted a moment in which former White House chief of staff Ron Klain called the Arizona senator last summer to ensure all 50 Senate Democrats were present for a confirmation vote for Roopali Desai to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Sinema told the aide that wasn’t necessary because the vote would be bipartisan, the senator said while flashing a middle finger to indicate her feelings of the conversation, according to Politico.

The shift in attitude has sparked hope in some Republicans that Sinema can be convinced to caucus with the GOP, or at least back some of their proposed legislation in the split Senate. However, it may not be enough to keep Republican challengers at bay as she considers a second term in 2024.

Sinema has emerged as one of the best fundraisers in the Senate, leading the pack alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in year-end campaign fundraising reports in 2022. Sinema raised more than $803,000 last year, ending 2022 with $8.2 million cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission.

However, the Arizona senator is considered to be a somewhat vulnerable incumbent heading into the next election cycle, especially after she left the Democratic Party and opened herself up to challenges from both sides of the aisle.

Biden to award Springsteen, Mindy Kaling, and Amy Tan arts and humanities medals

Emily Jacobs

March 20, 06:50 PM March 20, 06:50 PM

President Joe Biden will host Bruce Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Gladys Knight, Vera Wang, and other recipients of the 2021 National Medal of Arts at the White House on Tuesday.

The president will also award the 2021 National Humanities Medals to a group of authors and scholars including Amy Tan, Colson Whitehead, and Ann Patchett at the ceremony. The National Medal of Arts is the nation's highest honor for advancing the arts in the United States, and the National Humanities Medal honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities and broadened Americans’ engagement with history.

CELEBRITIES FLOCK TO KAMALA HARRIS'S RESIDENCE FOR EXCLUSIVE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH BASH

Both medals are the first of their kind awarded under the Biden administration, as ceremonies were delayed for the 2021 and 2022 classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden surprised Sir Elton John with a National Humanities Medal during a White House event last September.

First lady Jill Biden is expected to participate in Tuesday's event, which will take place in the East Room.

The 2021 National Medal of Arts recipients are musician Springsteen, actor Louis-Dreyfus, musician Knight, fashion designer Wang, musician Jose Feliciano, artist Judith Francisca Baca, radio station owner Fred Eychaner, actor Mindy Kaling, the International Association of Blacks in Dance, the Billie Holiday Theatre, producer Joan Shigekawa, and painter Antonio Martorell Cardona.

The Underground Railroad novelist Whitehead, poet Richard Blanco, author Walter Isaacson, educator Johnnetta Betsch Cole, academic Henrietta Mann, author Patchett, The Joy Luck Club author Tan, historian Earl Lewis, Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, Native America Calling, and author Tara Westover are the 2021 National Humanities Medal winners.

Celebrities have flocked to the White House and vice president's residence in recent days. The cast of the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso made an appearance at the White House press briefing on Monday before meeting with the president to discuss the importance of mental health.

On Saturday, rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion and supermodel Lori Harvey were among the guests at Vice President Kamala Harris's exclusive champagne brunch to celebrate Women's History Month and promote paid family leave.