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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 9 months

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A freshman Republican lawmaker received bipartisan condemnation after he allegedly yelled at a group of high- school-age Senate pages for “defiling” the Capitol on Wednesday. New details shared with NBC News paint an even more disturbing picture of what took place that night.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., told the teenagers to “get the fuck out” of the rotunda, according to one source who witnessed the interaction and spoke on condition of anonymity. The source described Van Orden's demeanor as “physically aggressive” toward the pages.

The lawmaker was “screaming inches from the pages’ faces” and “shooed” at them with his hands several times, said the source, who described previously unreported details of Van Orden’s behavior.

The summer pages are part of a prestigious Senate tradition that dates back to 1829, and were enjoying their last week on the job. After completing a long shift, a group of them decided to take advantage of a typically empty rotunda at that time of night to take in the Capitol sights.

Van Orden approached the group. He had been hosting a beer and cheese event with constituents as he often does, a spokesperson said, and a photo posted to Twitter by a reporter for Punchbowl News showed empty alcohol bottles and trash in his office.

The pages were lying on the rotunda floor and taking photos of the exquisite dome 470 feet above them, a Senate page tradition, according to former pages, when Van Orden, who was leading a large tour group, approached them.

He called the pages “jackasses” and “pieces of shit,” according to a transcript written issued by a page minutes after the incident and first reported by The Hill.

“Wake the fuck up you little shits. What the fuck are you all doing? Get the fuck out of here. You are defiling the place,” the former Navy Seal shouted at the group.

The source told NBC News that Van Orden, 53, also said, “I don’t give a fuck who you are. I’m a congressman. My name is Derrick Van Orden, and I represent the 3rd District of Wisconsin,” and he called the group “pieces of shit” multiple times.

The pages, who were 16 and 17 years old, were “visibly shaken,” according to the source.

Reached for comment regarding the source's allegations, Van Orden's office shared a statement that it gave to some reporters previously but did not dispute the account.

“The Capitol Rotunda served as a field hospital where countless Union soldiers died fighting to free men in the Civil War. I have long said our nation’s Capitol is a symbol of the sacrifice our servicemen and women have made for this country and should never be treated like a frat house common room. Threatening a congressman with bad press to excuse poor behavior is a reminder of everything that’s wrong with Washington," the statement read.

The U.S. Senate Page Program offers high school students from all 50 states the opportunity to work on the Senate floor, assisting lawmakers and staff with administrative tasks.

“They come here bright-eyed, ready to learn about America … and serve the Senate, which they do,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said at a news conference Thursday evening. “They’re really invaluable to us.”

Several other senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., expressed their support for the pages and condemned Van Orden’s behavior. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called on Van Orden to apologize in a tweet Saturday.

“This is inexcusable and embarrassing behavior for a member of Congress or any adult for that matter. The Congressman should do the right thing and apologize,” said Tillis, who regularly sponsors pages from North Carolina.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., defended Van Orden, telling reporters on Friday that it wasn’t “the norm” of the congressman. “I guess the interns have some ritual of laying down or something like that. I think it’s a misunderstanding of all sides,” said McCarthy, adding that he had spoken to Schumer about the incident and plans to speak to Van Orden as well.

Other lawmakers have poked fun at Van Orden.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, himself a former member of the Senate, tweeted a photo from the floor of the rotunda, writing: “TGIF after a rough week, Senate Pages? I got a great photo, how about you?”

#us politics #news #nbc news #2023 #republicans #conservatives #us senate #Rep. Derrick Van Orden #us house of representatives #Punchbowl News #capitol rotunda #Wisconsin #U.S. Senate Page Program #sen. thom tillis #rep. kevin mccarthy #rep. chip roy

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muddypolitics · 1 year

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(via A GOP Senator Is Stalling a Bill to Let Pregnant Workers Take Bathroom Breaks)

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is holding the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act hostage over abortion, which the bill doesn't even mention

what a dick

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is holding the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act hostage over abortion, which the bill doesn't even mention.

#Sen. Thom Tillis #holding the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act hostage over abortion #politics

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simply-ivanka · 3 months

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Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN)

VOTE THESE PIECES OF SHIT OUT OF CONGRESS.

#Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)#Bill Cassidy (R-LA)#Susan Collins (R-ME)#John Cornyn (R-TX)#Joni Ernst (R-IA)#Chuck Grassley (R-IA)#John Thune (R-SD)#Thom Tillis (R-NC)#Roger Wicker (R-MS)#and Todd Young (R-IN)

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republicansaredomesticterrorists · 3 days

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They must be sensing a Trump defeat because they’re suddenly turning against the “chaos caucus”.

🤡

#moscow marjorie #marjorie traitor greene #maga morons #traitor #Trump sycophant #republican assholes #chaos caucus #Republican clown show #never trump #resist

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gwydionmisha · 11 months

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North Carolina GOP votes to censure Sen. Thom Tillis for straying from party platform

#Thom Tillis #North Carolina #Respect for Marriage Act #LGBTQIA+ Rights #News

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zvaigzdelasas · 3 months

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Some small signs of agreement in bipartisan border security negotiations are emerging, including new progress on plans to closely track and rapidly deport more migrants who cross illegally, according to a U.S. official familiar with the Biden administration’s point of view and a Republican senator briefed on the negotiations. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who is engaged in the bipartisan discussions but is not part of the main negotiating group, confirmed to NBC News that expanding the tracking and expedited removal of migrants is “one of the open areas of discussion.”

The idea being discussed is an expansion of a program already in place to track migrant families, known as Family Expedited Removal Management, or FERM, which places ankle bracelets on the heads of household, implements a curfew for all family members and requires migrants to be tracked until their court hearings. If they are determined not to qualify for asylum, they are prioritized for fast deportation under the program. The U.S. official said the Biden administration favors the idea and has already begun to expand FERM to more locations.[...]

The plan could help alleviate gridlock in the negotiations over mandatory detention for all migrants awaiting asylum decisions, a Republican request that Democrats have opposed. Immigration advocates have said it would be a reversal of then-candidate Joe Biden’s signature campaign promise to end family and prolonged detention. Other Democrats have said mandatory detention would be logistically impossible with detention facilities already well beyond capacity.[...]

Further complicating negotiations is funding for Israel and Ukraine, which Republicans demanded be tied to border security. The biggest sticking point that has plagued negotiations for weeks is humanitarian parole, an executive branch power that the Biden administration has used to allow people from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and other countries to come to the U.S. by applying from abroad to enter legally.

13 Jan 24

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rabbishlomonachman · 2 years

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GOP 2nd Amendment Enemies

These are the GOP traitors who just voted to steal your ability to defend yourselves and steal you gun rights. VOTE THEM OUT:

The 15 Republicans were:

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.

Sen. Shelly Moore Capito, R-W.Va. These "people" are enemies of the American people and YOUR family. If your state still honors election results (unlike my state Georgia) VOTE THESE TRAITORS OUT!

#gun confiscation #traitors #Repubicans #gop hypocrisy

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bitbybitwrites · 7 months

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SAG-AFTRA Applauds Announcement of the NO FAKES Act

October 12, 2023

Proposed Bill Establishes Protections in Voice and Likeness Performance

Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Thom Tillis today announced the NO FAKES Act, a proposed bill creating new and urgently needed protections for voice and likeness in the age of generative artificial intelligence.

The proposal offers historic federal intellectual property protection against the misappropriation of voice and likeness performance in sound recordings and audiovisual works. It prohibits the unauthorized use of digital replicas without the informed consent of the individuals being replicated.

The world has seen what generative artificial intelligence can do, and witnessed the ease with which an individual can be replicated without consent. The damage to lives, and careers, is real and immediate. This proposal provides an invaluable tool for performers, allowing them to maintain control over their most valuable assets.

“A performer’s voice and their appearance are all part of their unique essence, and it’s not ok when those are used without their permission. Consent is key, and I’m grateful that Sens. Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar and Tillis are working to give performers recourse and providing tools to remove harmful material,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher.

“The explosion in popularity and capability of generative artificial intelligence has flooded the internet with AI-created songs, videos, and voice recordings which exploit the voices and likenesses of our members without consent or compensation,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “For our members, their voice and likeness is their livelihood. They spend a lifetime improving their talent and building their value. It is outrageous to think someone can undermine that value with a few prompts and clicks on a keyboard. Thank you to Sens. Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar and Tillis for spearheading this urgent and important effort.”

SAG-AFTRA looks forward to working with Congress to finalize and pass this historic legislation.

SAG AFTRA NEWS RELEASE HERE

*****

Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, Tillis announce draft of bill to protect voice and likeness of actors, singers, performers, and individuals from AI-generated replicas

OCTOBER 12, 2023

U.S. Senator and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced they have released a discussion draft of their Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act today to protect the voice and visual likenesses of individuals from unfair use through generative artificial intelligence (AI).

“Generative AI has opened doors to exciting new artistic possibilities, but it also presents unique challenges that make it easier than ever to use someone’s voice, image, or likeness without their consent,” said Senator Coons. “Creators around the nation are calling on Congress to lay out clear policies regulating the use and impact of generative AI, and Congress must strike the right balance to defend individual rights, abide by the First Amendment, and foster AI innovation and creativity. I am thankful for the bipartisan partnership of Senators Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis as we work to protect all individuals from unauthorized replication and ensure that the United States sets clear rules governing the intersection of AI and intellectual property.”

“Songwriters, actors, and our incredibly talented creative community deserve the right to own their name, image, and likeness (NIL). This legislation is a good first step in protecting our creative community, preventing AI models from stealing someone’s NIL, and ensuring that those rights are given primary consideration under the law. I look forward to joining Senator Coons and my colleagues in the Senate and House to develop strong bipartisan legislation we can pass into law,” said Senator Blackburn.

“More and more, we’re seeing AI used to replicate someone’s likeness and voice in ads, images, and videos without consent or compensation. Our laws need to keep up with this quickly evolving technology,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We must put in place rules of the road to protect people from having their voice and likeness replicated through AI without their permission.”

“While AI presents extraordinary opportunities for technological advancement, it also poses some new problems, including the voice and likeness of artists being replicated to create unauthorized works,” said Senator Tillis. “We must protect against such misuse, and I’m proud to co-introduce this draft legislation to create safeguards from AI and protect the authentic work of these artists.”

The NO FAKES Act would prevent a person from producing or distributing an unauthorized AI-generated replica of an individual to perform in an audiovisual or sound recording without the consent of the individual being replicated. The person creating or sharing the unauthorized replication would be liable for the damages caused by the AI-generated fake. Exclusions are provided for the representation of an individual in works that are protected by the First Amendment, such as sports broadcasts, documentaries, biographical works, or for purposes of comment, criticism, or parody, among others.

With the rapid advance of generative AI, creators have already begun to see their voices and likenesses used without their consent in videos and songs. Notably, the song “Heart on my Sleeve,” which used AI-generated likenesses of the voices of pop stars Drake and The Weeknd, accumulated hundreds of thousands of listens on YouTube, Spotify, and other streaming sites within days and was poised to appear on streaming charts before it was removed by streaming services.

As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Intellectual Property Subcommittee, Senator Coons has long advocated for protecting U.S. intellectual property rights and making U.S. intellectual property law more reliable, effective, and predictable. Senator Coons has held a series of hearings focused on exploring the impact of AI, proposing regulation frameworks, and ensuring U.S. leadership on AI policies.

Clickm on a link below to see the draft of the act

#sag aftra strike #sag aftra strong #sag aftra #actors strike #sagaftrastrike #sag strike #actors #musicians #singers #songwriters #music industry #film #television #movies #cinema

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eretzyisrael · 3 months

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by Leo Shane III

A Veterans Affairs employee whose video mocking Israeli hostages caused outrage on social media has been required to undergo counseling for the incident but was not fired, department officials said Friday.

Shekeba Morrad, an appellate attorney for VA’s Office of the General Counsel, had been embroiled in controversy since November, when she posted a video on social media which appeared to mock Israeli citizens worried about hostages taken by Hamas militants in October attacks.

After quick condemnation of her action, the video was removed from public sites. But several conservative activists saved and reposted it, leading to wider criticism of her and the department.

In a statement Friday, VA Secretary Denis McDonough called Morrad’s video “inaccurate, abhorrent, and insensitive.” Morrad was instructed to undergo counseling, then completed required harassment prevention and accountability training in response to the incident.

“Let me be clear: I condemn antisemitism in the strongest terms possible. It is inconsistent with our core values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence,” McDonough said.

“There’s no space at VA for hate, not least because it hinders our ability to care for veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors who represent every race, creed, gender and belief and who swore an oath to defend the Constitution.”

VA officials noted, however, that past court rulings have established that federal employees have a right to express personal opinions, provided they do so on personal time and without identification as a federal employee.

Still, numerous Republican lawmakers called for severe action against Morrad in light of the video.

“This is unacceptable,” wrote Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, in a social media post sharing Morrad’s video. “Antisemitism has no place at the VA and this behavior should not be tolerated. (McDonough) should remove this employee immediately.”

In a letter to McDonough last month, 18 House Republicans called the behavior reprehensible and criticized the slow response of the department to the controversy.

“We are worried VA’s investigation, like many of its investigations the committee has performed oversight of, will be untimely and result in minimal consequences,” they wrote. “Ms. Morrad’s conduct was abhorrent and has no place at VA.”

Morrad is not a supervisor for any other VA employees and is a career staffer, not a political appointee. Department leaders said they regularly requires training to prevent harassment while supporting inclusion in the workforce.

#shekeba morrad #veteran's affairs

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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 2 years

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Fourteen Republican Senators, including Mitt Romney and Rand Paul, have voted against providing healthcare and benefits to US veterans who came home from America’s post-9/11 wars sick and dying from rare cancers and respiratory illnesses.

On Thursday, the Senate passed the SFC Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act – a landmark bill that will presumptively link 23 conditions to a veterans’ exposure to burn pits while on deployment overseas.

Now, around 3.5 million US veterans who lived and worked next to the huge open-air pits will finally be given automatic access to healthcare and disability benefits if they develop one of these conditions on their return home.

The bill sailed through the Senate with largely bipartisan support, with 84 Senators voting in favour of its passage.

All Democrats voted yes to passing the bill – but 14 Republicans voted no.

The senators who voted against were: Mitt Romney and Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Rounds and John Thune of South Dakota, Richard Shelby and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, and Mike Crapo and James Risch of Idaho.

Senators Steve Daines and Roger Wicker were absent from the vote.

Despite the efforts of the 14 Republicans, the bill is likely just days away from being signed into law.

It first needs to go back to the House for passage before it can be sent to the desk of President Joe Biden.

However, passage in the House is almost certain as all Democrats and 34 Republicans voted in favour of its passage back in March, sending it sailing over the threshold with a 256 to 174 vote.

In that vote, the only lawmakers voting no were also Republicans.

Among them was Rep. Lauren Boebert, who was slammed for heckling as Mr. Biden spoke about burn pits in his State of the Union address.

The Senate has modified the House version to create a phase-in period for illnesses presumptively linked to toxic exposure, meaning a new vote is needed in the House.

During America’s post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, huge open-air pits were used to burn mountains of trash including food packaging, human waste and military equipment on US military bases.

Thousands of US service members returned home from deployment and developed health conditions including rare cancers, lung conditions, respiratory illnesses and toxic brain injuries caused by breathing in the toxic fumes from the pits.

But, until now, the burden of proof has always been on veterans to prove their condition is directly caused by this toxic exposure and almost 80 percent of disability claims mentioning burn pits were turned down by the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The bill was renamed in March after the Sgt First Class Heath Robinson who died in May 2020 from a rare cancer caused by breathing in toxic fumes from burn pits while serving in Iraq in the Ohio National Guard. He was 39.

Two years on from his death, the bill passed on his daughter Brielle’s ninth birthday.

Susan Zeier, his mother-in-law, said that the bill’s passage means she now no longer needs to “carry Heath on my shoulders”.

Ms. Zeier gave an emotional speech outside the Capitol after Thursday’s vote where she told how she has been wearing her son-in-law’s army jacket for the past four years to draw attention to the plight of veterans fighting for healthcare and disability access as she and other advocates lobbied the US government.

“I’ve been wearing this since the summer of 2018 and today, with this bill passing the Senate, I think it’s time to retire it,” she said.

“I no longer have to carry Heath on my shoulders while I’m advocating for all the other veterans who are out there sick and dying.”

Ms. Zeier described her son-in-law as a “wonderful father” who was “always helpful and always generous” and fought his cancer “valiantly” to “survive as long as he could for his daughter”.

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maswartz · 5 months

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ms-cellanies · 2 years

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The HYPOCRITICAL PARTY (formerly known as The RepubliKKKan Party) are once again bitching about the “cake” but devouring it once it’s on the table. Needless to say they are telling their constituents: “LOOK WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU.” Apparently those folks who continue to vote for RepubliKKKans really enjoy swallowing the BULLSH*T the RepubliKKKans continue to shove in their mouths.

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socialjusticeinamerica · 1 year

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🤬

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kp777 · 1 year

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By Jake Johnson

Common Dreams

April 19, 2023

"If you want an example of how one side plays to win and the other does not, look at how Durbin refuses to get rid of blue slips—handing Republicans a unilateral veto of Biden’s judicial picks—while Republicans won't so much as let an ailing Feinstein be replaced temporarily."

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said Monday that she will not support an effort to temporarily replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein on the Senate Judiciary Committee, effectively sinking Democratic hopes of breaking a tie on the panel that has helped Republicans blockade President Joe Biden's federal judge nominees.

Collins (R-Maine), a self-styled moderate who has played a decisive role in the far-right takeover of the nation's federal court system, called the push to replace Feinstein (D-Calif.) as she recovers from shingles—something the senator herself requested last week—part of a "concerted campaign to force her off the Judiciary Committee."

"I will have no part in it," Collins added.

Collins was the latest Republican senator to express opposition to temporarily replacing Feinstein, a move Democrats were expected to attempt this week via the unanimous consent process—which was always a longshot given that any single senator could sink the effort.

Now it also appears highly unlikely that Democrats will be able to get the necessary 60 yes votes for a potential Feinstein replacement, with Collins joining Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and others in opposition.

While Collins framed her objection to replacing Feinstein as a show of respect for the longtime senator—even though the obstruction goes against Feinstein's stated wishes—other Republicans made clear that they simply want to keep stonewalling Biden's judicial nominees.

"I will not go along with [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer's plan to replace Senator Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee and pack the court with activist judges," Blackburn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote in a social media post earlier Monday. "Joe Biden wants the Senate to rubber stamp his unqualified and controversial judges to radically transform America." (Blackburn had no problem voting to confirm unqualified and highly "controversial" judges nominated by former President Donald Trump.)

Along with Feinstein's indefinite absence from the Senate Judiciary Committee—which has left the panel deadlocked at 10-10—the Democratic leadership's continued adherence to the antiquated "blue slip" tradition of giving senators veto power over nominees for federal court seats in their home states has ground the judge confirmation process to a halt.

Earlier this month, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) announced she would not return a blue slip for Scott Colom, a Biden U.S. district court nominee who had bipartisan support. Under current norms upheld by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Hyde-Smith's opposition is enough to sink Colom's nomination.

"If you want an example of how one side plays to win and the other does not, look at how Durbin refuses to get rid of blue slips—handing Republicans a unilateral veto of Biden’s judicial picks—while Republicans won't so much as let an ailing Feinstein be replaced temporarily," said Brian Fallon, executive director of the advocacy group Demand Justice.

There are currently 58 vacancies on U.S. district courts and six on circuit courts, according to Demand Justice chief counsel Christopher Kang. The American Constitution Society noted earlier this month that "the Senate has made limited progress on judicial nominations in recent weeks, with only three confirmations since March 16."

"As of April 6," the group observed, "there are still 18 Article III nominees pending on the Senate floor, waiting for cloture and confirmation votes."

A dozen Biden judges are awaiting a vote from the evenly split Senate Judiciary Committee, in which a tie means a nominee does not advance.

The consequences of failing to fill vacant lifetime federal court seats could be disastrous, given the Republican Party's willingness to abandon Senate norms to ram through extreme judges whenever they get the opportunity. During Trump's four years in office, the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed more than 230 federal judges—a recent record that appears safe given the slowing pace of Biden judicial confirmations.

With the Feinstein replacement effort all but dead, the path forward for Democrats is unclear.

Feinstein is facing growing calls to resign from the Senate entirely, which would allow California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint a replacement who would serve through 2024. That replacement would still have to win Senate approval to sit on the judiciary panel.