Biden news - live: President assesses storm damage in California as classified documents scandal hurts polls

President Joe Biden assessed storm damage in Santa Cruz County, California on Thursday accompanied by Governor Gavin Newsom. Mr Biden met first responders and locals impacted by the succession of storms that struck the region.

His visit comes a day shy of his second anniversary in the White House, and as the US hits the debt ceiling forcing the government to take “extraordinary measures to make payments on the national debt”.

Meanwhile, the White House remains adamant it will not interfere in the ongoing investigation into the classified materials found at the president’s home and former office.

Pressed by reporters about having an official from the Department of Justice answer questions from the briefing room podium, spokesperson Karin Jean-Pierre said that any inquiries should be made direct to the Justice Department.

A new poll has found that the investigation into the classified documents may be starting to hurt the president with the number of Democrats wanting to see a new nominee in 2024 on the rise.

Key points

• Classified documents case starting to hurt Biden, poll finds

• White House stands firm over DOJ Biden documents probe

• NBC reporter heard chiding Biden for dodging classified documents questions

• Biden continues to dodge questions on classified documents

• Biden welcomes the Warriors as he pledges support for California

Classified documents case starting to hurt Biden, poll finds

22:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Nearly two-thirds of American adults support Congress investigating classified documents found at President Joe Biden’s home and post-vice presidential office, according to a new poll.

The survey from Yahoo News/YouGov found that 39 per cent of Democrats per cent of Democratic-leaning independents want to see another person be the Democratic nominee for president in 2024, while 38 per cent said they wanted Mr Biden. In December, 46 per cent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents wanted Mr Biden to be the nominee and 37 per cent said “someone else”, marking a drop in support for the incumbent president.

In addition, the number of people who said they were “not sure” about who they wanted as the Democratic nomineee climbed seven points in the past month.

Eric Garcia has the details.

Classified documents case is starting to become a problem for Biden, poll finds

In pictures: Biden surveys California storm damage

22:41 , Oliver O'Connell

Investigation? Review? Legal process?

22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The language the White House uses to describe the special counsel investigation into the handling of classified documents that ended up in a farage and a former office of President Joe Biden’s after his time as vice president is very carefully chosen.

Any White House or campaign tends to choose its words carefully, but never moreso than when under a prosecutor’s scrutiny. It’s a rhetorical dance where political figures weigh demands for full disclosure against the political imperative to cast investigations in the least ominous light — not to mention the desire to avoid potential criminal charges.

Read on:

"Investigation"? Nope, "review:" White House describes probe

Biden surveys storm damage up close

22:11 , Oliver O'Connell

After an aerial tour of the region’s storm damage, President Joe Biden visited business owners whose properties had been devastated by the atmospheric river that slammed into California for much of January.

Biden has battled inflation, but more economic headwinds await

22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia reports on why high inflation, a hallmark of President Biden’s second year in the White House, is such a tricky issue to overcome — and what might come next.

Inflation rocked Biden’s second year. There’s more trouble on the horizon

View from the ground in Capitola, California

21:40 , Oliver O'Connell

CBS Sacramento’s Madisen Keavy is in Capitola awaiting the arrival of President Joe Biden.

She notes there is a sense of excitement but also sadness at the damage.

McCarthy invited on California trip by White House

21:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Jennifer Jacobs of Bloomberg News reports that House Speaker and California Rep Kevin McCarthy was invited to join the president on his trip to California to assess the damage from the succession of storms that battered the state. He was not on Air Force One earlier.

It is not clear if Mr McCarthy may have travelled to the West Coast separately.

In a deeply divided DC, here’s how Biden the dealmaker took action

21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg reports on how Joe Biden — known as the dealmaker in the Obama administration — has continued in that role as president.

How Biden the dealmaker faced down a deeply divided DC

House intel committee requests national security assessment of Biden documents

21:24 , Oliver O'Connell

House Intelligence Committee Chair MikeTurner has requested a national security “damage assessment” of the classified documents found at two properties related to President Joe Biden.

Fox News’s Jacqui Heinrich reports that there has not been a response yet from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the request was made nine days ago on 10 January.

Does Biden’s $369bn green plan live up to its hype?

21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Can the Inflation Reduction Act deliver on the emissions cuts it promised and that are so desperately needed?

Lousie Boyle investigates.

Biden’s $369bn green plan was hailed as a triumph – but does it live up to the hype?

Trump bemoans ‘two standards of justice’, claiming Biden gets ‘white glove’ treatment

20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

In a new campaign-style video address, former president Donald Trump bemoans what he sees as two standards of justice in the US — one for him and the general public, and one for the “corrupt political class”.

Mr Trump trotted out many of the gripes he has voiced about the investigation into the trove of classified documents recovered from his Palm Beach home (which he maintains is “ultra-secure” despite operating as a members club) and what he sees as the “white-glove” treatment of President Joe Biden after the discovery of a small number of documents at an office and in his garage (”which was probably very wet and damp as many garages are”).

The former president also criticised special counsel Jack Smith who is investigating on behalf of the “Injustice Department” claiming Mr Biden has weaponised the department against him.

If he returns to the White House he promises to end partisan investigations.

Watch below:

‘Actions speak louder than words’

20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Richard Hall explains how Joe Biden faced a test of his pro-union claims in late 2022 — but did he fail it?

Labour movement loses patience over Biden’s ‘lip service’

Biden given aerial tour of damage from ‘unprecedented storms'

20:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Joining President Joe Biden aboard Marine One for an aerial tour of impacted areas of California are: Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Alex Padilla, Administrator Deanne Criswell of FEMA, Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff, and Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor & Deputy National Security Advisor.

Meanwhile, still no comment on national security risks of Biden docs

20:22 , Oliver O'Connell

White House reporters are hitting dead ends when trying to establish if there was any national security risk from the classified documents found in the office formerly used by President Biden and at his Delaware home.

Fox News’s Jacqui Heinrich tweets that both the White House and White House counsel referred her to the Department of Justice, where she was referred to the Special Counsel, which then declined to comment citing “longstanding practice”.

Biden, the ‘consistently inconsistent’ ally for racial justice and civil rights

20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Josh Marcus reports on how the president has struggled to turn progressive stances on capital punishment, policing, and voting rights, into lasting actions.

Why Joe Biden has been a ‘consistently inconsistent’ ally for civil rights so far

Biden greeted by Newsom as he touches down in California to inspect storm damage

20:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Supreme Court internal probe did not identify Dobbs ruling leaker

20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A monthslong investigation by the Marshal of the Supreme Court has failed to determine who leaked a draft version of the court’s decision overturning Roe v Wade to Politico last year, the court said on Thursday.

In a statement, the court said the leak of Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization was “one of the worst breaches of trust in its history” and “a grave assault on the judicial process,” but the person who provided the draft to a pair of reporters for the Washington, DC-based publication has not yet been identified despite the Marshal’s best efforts.

Andrew Feinberg has the latest from Washington, DC.

Supreme Court says internal probe hasn’t found leaker of Dobbs ruling

Biden 2024 announcement likely after SOTU

19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden is likely to officially declare himself a candidate for reelection after he delivers his second State of the Union address in February, CBS and CNN reported citing sources familiar with his plans.

Andrew Feinberg has the story.

Biden reportedly planning 2024 launch after State of the Union

Special report: Joe Biden’s second anniversary in office

19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

To mark the second anniversary and halfway point of President Joe Biden’s term in office, The Independent takes an in-depth look at his time in the White House so far.

This special report looks at how Mr Biden, a Washington survivor, has managed to last so long in government, as one of the longest-serving senatorsm before becoming the oldest-ever president.

Josh Marcus introduces the series by showing how Mr Biden has changed over his five decades in national office as he went from backslapping, tough-on-crime Democrat to passionate speaker on global warming, racial equity, and abortion rights. These days, he usually manages to fall in the exact middle of a Democratic caucus ranging from socialists to coal boosters.

Meet the six Joe Bidens:

Joe Biden: ‘Miraculous’ dealmaker or ‘consistently inconsistent’?

ICYMI: Biden welcomes Golden State Warriors to White House

19:20 , Oliver O'Connell

US has hit the debt ceiling – here’s what that means

19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The United States hit its debt limit on Thursday, which triggered the US Treasury Department to take “extraordinary measures” to ensure that the country could fulfill its debt obligations.

Eric Garcia explains what that means.

US has hit the debt ceiling – here’s what that means

Biden 2024 announcement still due after SOTU, report says

18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN reports President Joe Biden planned to launch his 2024 campaign sometime in the period after his 7 February State of the Union address before the classified documents scandal erupted – but that still remains the plan.

The network cites people familiar with the discussions as saying plans haven’t changed and the timeframe remains.

The president and his closest advisers are not speaking publicly about the documents found at the Penn Biden Center and Mr Biden’s home to avoid any legal complications and to allow the Justice Department investigation to proceed without any outside influence.

They believe that unless there are any damaging revelations, respecting the process of investigation will allow the issue will be resolved and it will blow over.

CNN reports that the feeling is that the scandal is mostly “DC elite” making “DC noise”.

What do Biden’s biggest fans think of him now?

18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg talks to a few of Joe Biden’s biggest boosters from 2020 about what they think of the president two years in. Does the reality match the hype?

They were once Biden’s biggest fans. What do they think of him now?

Lara Trump’s Biden documents discussion devolves into conspiracy theories

18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump held a discussion about Joe Biden’s retention of classified documents from his time as vice president this week which quickly devolved into conspiracies about allies of Mr Biden.

Lara Trump hosted a podcast discussion with ex-Trump administration official Lynne Patton and Turning Point USA contributor Erin Elmore where the three quickly agreed that there was a nefarious conspiracy afoot behind the discovery of documents at Mr Biden’s Wilmington home and a DC think tank linked to him. The comments were first reported by RawStory.

John Bowden has the story.

Lara Trump’s show devolves into conspiracies over Joe Biden’s classified papers

Can the Biden White House win the war against Covid-19?

18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Woodward talks to public health experts about President Biden’s battle with widespread Covid-19 disinformation, indifferent politicians and the American people’s apathy.

Joe Biden’s ‘ticking time bomb’: Can the White House win the war against Covid-19?

House GOP Oversight committee to hold border hearing on week of State of the Union

17:47 , Oliver O'Connell

The Republican-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Accountability with hold a hearing on the “invasion of our southern border” on the week of 6 February to investigate the Biden administration’s policies “that have fueled the ongoing border crisis”.

“President Biden’s radical open borders agenda has ignited the worst border crisis in American history. The Biden Administration’s deliberate actions are fueling human smuggling, stimulating drug cartel operations, enabling deadly drugs such as fentanyl to flow into American communities, and encouraging illegal immigrants to flout US immigration laws. Republicans will hold the Biden Administration accountable for this ongoing humanitarian, national security, and public health crisis that has turned every town into a border town,” said Chairman James Comer.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union address on 7 February.

Biden has battled inflation, but more economic headwinds await

17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia reports on why high inflation, a hallmark of President Biden’s second year in the White House, is such a tricky issue to overcome — and what might come next.

Inflation rocked Biden’s second year. There’s more trouble on the horizon

In a deeply divided DC, here’s how Biden the dealmaker took action

17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg reports on how Joe Biden — known as the dealmaker in the Obama administration — has continued in that role as president.

How Biden the dealmaker faced down a deeply divided DC

Does Biden’s $369bn green plan live up to its hype?

16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Can the Inflation Reduction Act deliver on the emissions cuts it promised and that are so desperately needed?

Lousie Boyle investigates.

Biden’s $369bn green plan was hailed as a triumph – but does it live up to the hype?

16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Richard Hall explains how Joe Biden faced a test of his pro-union claims in late 2022 — but did he fail it?

Labour movement loses patience over Biden’s ‘lip service’

Newsom to greet Biden in California

15:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden, the ‘consistently inconsistent’ ally for racial justice and civil rights

15:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Josh Marcus reports on how the president has struggled to turn progressive stances on capital punishment, policing, and voting rights, into lasting actions.

Why Joe Biden has been a ‘consistently inconsistent’ ally for civil rights so far

US hits debt ceiling forcing government to take ‘extraordinary measures’

15:25 , Oliver O'Connell

The United States hit the debt limit on Thursday, which triggered the US Treasury Department to take “extraordinary measures” to ensure that the country could fulfill its debt obligations.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sent a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Thursday warning that her department would begin taking “extraordinary measures.” She told Mr McCarthy in her letter that she will be “unable” to fully invest the portion of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund that is not immediately required to pay beneficiaries.

She also told him that she would begin a “debt suspension period” starting on Sunday and continuing into 5 June 2023.

Eric Garcia has the latest from Washington, DC.

US hits debt limit forcing government to take ‘extraordinary measures’

Special report: Joe Biden’s second anniversary in office

15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

To mark the second anniversary and halfway point of President Joe Biden’s term in office, The Independent takes an in-depth look at his time in the White House so far.

This special report looks at how Mr Biden, a Washington survivor, has managed to last so long in government, as one of the longest-serving senatorsm before becoming the oldest-ever president.

Josh Marcus introduces the series by showing how Mr Biden has changed over his five decades in national office as he went from backslapping, tough-on-crime Democrat to passionate speaker on global warming, racial equity, and abortion rights. These days, he usually manages to fall in the exact middle of a Democratic caucus ranging from socialists to coal boosters.

Meet the six Joe Bidens:

Joe Biden: ‘Miraculous’ dealmaker or ‘consistently inconsistent’?

Biden heads to California

14:42 , Oliver O'Connell

ICYMI: Biden confident in White House team as fallout from classified documents continues

12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden took no questions about the ongoing investigation into his own handling of classified documents on Tuesday while his press secretary insisted that he had confidence in the team responsible for managing the situation in the public eye.

John Bowden reports.

Biden ‘has confidence’ in White House team amid fallout from classified papers

Why aren’t there visitor logs for Biden’s home?

11:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump claims he kept classified folders as ‘cool’ keepsakes

10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump insisted on Wednesday in posts on Truth Social that many of the documents marked “classified” found at Mar-a-Lago — of more than 300 in total — were in fact empty folders marked “classified” that he had taken as “cool” keepsakes.

Mr Trump went on to reiterate his baseless accusation claiming that federal law enforcement agents would plant more classified documents among the seized materials in order to further incriminate him.

John Bowden has the details.

Trump boasts he kept classified folders as ‘cool’ keepsakes in TruthSocial rant

‘Iconic’: Steph Curry commends Biden for taking the knee

09:15 , Oliver O'Connell

After the Golden State Warriors presented him with a “46” jersey at a White House ceremony honouring the team, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris lined up for a photo with the NBA champions, with the president taking a knee in the front row.

Alex Woodward reports.

Steph Curry commends ‘iconic’ moment Biden took the knee during Warriors presentation

Harris takes abortion fight to Florida for Roe anniversary

07:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Vice President Kamala Harris will headline the White House’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on Sunday, a bitter historical milestone for the Biden administration after the US Supreme Court rolled back the national right to abortion.

Administration officials said she’ll speak in Florida, where Democrats have been on guard for new efforts to restrict abortion from Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate. The speech is a continuation of Harris’ focus on reproductive rights in recent months, which has included meetings with activists, healthcare providers and state lawmakers from around the country.

Harris to push abortion fight in Florida on Roe anniversary

Personally mismatched, professionally bound: Biden and McConnell

06:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Bridge in northern Kentucky this month, he couldn’t stop showering praise on the state’s senior Republican senator, who had fought to repair the ramshackle span for decades.

It was quite a contrast to the clipped introduction delivered just a few minutes earlier by Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader. He referenced Biden only in noting that the president had signed the bill to finally fix the aging bridge.

By temperament and manner, the two men — whose relationship in Washington has been scrutinized, analyzed and satirized for years — are decidedly mismatched. Biden is tactile, gregarious and gaffe prone; McConnell is tactical, often grim-faced and rarely utters an unscripted word.

But with the new days of divided government underway, the Biden-McConnell relationship will become more important.

Here’s why:

Biden-McConnell: personally mismatched, professionally bound

Ilhan Omar ‘glad’ that special counsel is investigating Biden classified papers

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrat Ilhan Omar is among the progressive Democrats calling for an investigation into president Joe Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Last week attorney general Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate the discovery of the classified papers.

Appearing on MSNBC’s Symone, Ms Omar said to host Symone Sanders-Townsend that she believes Mr Biden should face an investigation into the documents.

Sravasti Dasgupta reports.

Ilhan Omar ‘glad’ special counsel is investigating Biden classified documents case

Biden to visit Santa Cruz County

04:31 , Sravasti Dasgupta

President Joe Biden will visit Santa Cruz County today to assess storm damage in the area.

He will meet first responders, talk to locals and deliver remarks.

The president will conduct an aerial survey of the damage in Santa Cruz County.Once in Santa Cruz County, he is expected to meet with business owners and locals impacted by the storm at the Capitola Pier in Capitola.

He is also expected to deliver remarks in Aptos at Seacliff State Park.

Voices: Why Kevin McCarthy can’t quit George Santos

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Another day, another George Santos headline. Several of them, actually.

Eric Garcia explains why Kevin McCarthy – let alone the rest of GOP leadership – likely can’t afford to quit Mr Santos for one simple reason.

Read on:

Why Kevin McCarthy can’t quit George Santos

Anger as Sinema and Manchin high five at Davos summit

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The US Senate’s two most controversial Democrats appeared eager to taunt their party’s left flank as they appeared in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum this week.

John Bowden has the story.

Anger as Sinema and Manchin high five at Davos summit over filibuster support

Voices: The dangerous troll under the Republican House bridge

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Noah Berlatsky writes:

Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has repeated his intention to keep Democratic representatives Eric Swalwell, Adam Schiff, and Ilhan Omar off the House intelligence committee. The move is widely seen as revenge for Democrats removing Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar. It is also, though, a reiteration of Republican commitment to government by trolling.

Read on:

The dangerous troll under the Republican House bridge | Opinion

White House slams House GOP for putting extremists on key committees

Wednesday 18 January 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The White House has hit out at the House Republican Conference for bestowing plum assignments on the House Oversight Committee to far-right Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona, Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado.

The White House called their additions to the panels a sign that the GOP plans to use their majority to engage in performative stunts rather than govern responsibly.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

White House slams House GOP for putting far-right members on key committees

Maryland’s first Black governor sworn in

Wednesday 18 January 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore was sworn in as the state’s first Black governor on Wednesday, pledging to work for greater inclusion and economic equity while also focusing on improving education, fighting crime and climate change.

Moore, after being introduced by Oprah Winfrey in front of the Maryland State House, noted that the state is one of the wealthiest in the nation, but he also described it as “asset-rich and strategy poor.”

Read on:

Wes Moore sworn in as Maryland's first Black governor

Biden chided over classified documents on hot mic

Wednesday 18 January 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

An NBC reporter has been caught on hot mic speaking to another reporter about president Joe Biden ignoring his question on his handling of classified documents.

Sravasti Dasgupta reports.

Biden chided over classified documents on hot mic

Trump claims he kept classified folders as ‘cool’ keepsakes

Wednesday 18 January 2023 21:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump insisted on Wednesday in posts on Truth Social that many of the documents marked “classified” found at Mar-a-Lago — of more than 300 in total — were in fact empty folders marked “classified” that he had taken as “cool” keepsakes.

Mr Trump went on to reiterate his baseless accusation claiming that federal law enforcement agents would plant more classified documents among the seized materials in order to further incriminate him.

John Bowden has the details.

Trump boasts he kept classified folders as ‘cool’ keepsakes in TruthSocial rant

White House staying hands off in DOJ Biden documents probe

Wednesday 18 January 2023 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Pressed repeatedly whether the White House would have a representative from the Department of Justice come and answer questions in the briefing room about the classified documents found at President Joe Biden’s home and former office, spokesperson Karin Jean-Pierre holds firm insisting that all questions should be directed to the DOJ.

As an active investigation, the White House is keen to avoid interfering and maintain the independence of the Justice Department.

Watch:

Despite a 45-minute phone briefing on Tuesday from the White House counsel’s office, the press corps remained persistent in their demands for an on-camera briefing.

Watch: White House says McCarthy handed keys to most extreme members of GOP

Wednesday 18 January 2023 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Why aren’t there visitor logs for Biden’s home?

Wednesday 18 January 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Voices: Why Biden is picking a new fight with Kevin McCarthy

Wednesday 18 January 2023 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

The Biden White House has fired its opening salvo against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as they prepare to face off on the debt limit: The deals the speaker made with conservatives will cause a crisis.

Read on:

Biden is picking a new fight with Kevin McCarthy – here’s why

Bidens issue statement on Ukraine helicopter crash

Wednesday 18 January 2023 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden released the following statement:

Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of all those killed in the tragic helicopter crash in Ukraine this morning, including Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrskyy and other senior Ukrainian government officials. Our hearts are also with the dozens of civilians who were killed or injured, including precious children, and their families. We grieve with all those who are mourning this heartbreaking tragedy. Mr. Monastyrskyy and his team were deeply involved in the preservation of Ukraine’s democracy—both its defense against Russian aggression, and the vital work of reforms to strengthen Ukraine’s institutions through this war and into the future. A reformer and patriot, Mr. Monastyrskyy championed the will of the Ukrainian people. We will continue to honor that legacy through efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s institutions, and in our unfailing partnership with the people of Ukraine to keep the flame of freedom bright. Today, we are praying for healing for the wounded and comfort for those who have lost loved ones. The United States stands with the people of Ukraine in the face of this tragedy, and for as long as it takes.

DeSantis swipes at possible 2024 rivals Biden and Trump over documents row

Wednesday 18 January 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took a swipe at both President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump over their handling of classified documents.

Most of his remarks were directed at Mr Biden’s handling of classified documents: “He stashed them behind his Corvette at his house Hunter had access to, definitely a security risk.”

But he equated Mr Biden and Mr Trump’s transgressions and the investigations, adding: “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, you can’t have two different sets of rules based on your political party.”

Watch:

Personally mismatched, professionally bound

Wednesday 18 January 2023 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

When Joe Biden stepped to the lectern in the shadow of the Brent Spence Bridge in northern Kentucky this month, he couldn’t stop showering praise on the state’s senior Republican senator, who had fought to repair the ramshackle span for decades.

It was quite a contrast to the clipped introduction delivered just a few minutes earlier by Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader. He referenced Biden only in noting that the president had signed the bill to finally fix the aging bridge.

By temperament and manner, the two men — whose relationship in Washington has been scrutinised, analysed and satirised for years — are decidedly mismatched. Biden is tactile, gregarious and gaffe prone; McConnell is tactical, often grim-faced and rarely utters an unscripted word.

Read on:

Biden-McConnell: personally mismatched, professionally bound

Harris takes abortion fight to Florida on Roe anniversary

Wednesday 18 January 2023 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Vice President Kamala Harris will headline the White House’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Roe v Wade on Sunday, a bitter historical milestone for the Biden administration after the US Supreme Court rolled back the national right to abortion.

Administration officials said she’ll speak in Florida, where Democrats have been on guard for new efforts to restrict abortion from Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate.

Read on:

Harris to push abortion fight in Florida on Roe anniversary

If the Oval Office isn’t secure, then where is?

Wednesday 18 January 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Lincoln Project battles MAGA narrative on Biden documents

Wednesday 18 January 2023 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

In its efforts to fight the rot of political dialogue by equating the Biden and Trump documents cases, the anti-Trump conservative group The Lincoln Project lays out why they are different in a tweet thread this morning.

The group states that ultra-MAGA talking points are endangering the political conversation and that the media has a bad habit of normalising bogus narratives from the right-wing ecosystem.

“We’re fighting bothsidesism (bias that presents an issue as balanced even when the evidence doesn’t support it),” the group tweeted.

“The right-wing media trying to equate Biden’s handling of classified documents with Trump’s malintent rots the political dialogue - and one of the Lincoln Project’s missions is to stop it.”

Setting out the facts as they stand in an attempt to help people set the record straight, the tweet thread continues:

1. No intent: There is no evidence President Biden ever actively knew about these documents.

2. Zero Coverup: President Biden has made no bizarre claim to have retroactively declassified these documents with his mind (you know, like the insane Trump excuse).

3. Total Cooperation: President Biden has completely cooperated with the investigation from the onset, including fully accepting the newly appointed special counsel.

“Disinformation can come in many different forms, and even small equivocations can damage the long-term health of our democracy,” the group concludes before directing followers to previous content on how to battle the right-wing ecosystem.

Biden: ‘Hang in there and keep the faith’ on student loan debt relief

Wednesday 18 January 2023 17:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Ilhan Omar ‘glad’ special counsel investigating Biden classified documents case

Wednesday 18 January 2023 16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrat Ilhan Omar is among the progressive Democrats calling for an investigation into president Joe Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Last week attorney general Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate the discovery of the classified papers.

Appearing on MSNBC’s Symone, Ms Omar said to host Symone Sanders-Townsend that she believes Mr Biden should face an investigation into the documents.

Sravasti Dasgupta has the story.

Ilhan Omar ‘glad’ special counsel is investigating Biden classified documents case

Sinema and Manchin taunt left flank of Democratic Party at Davos summit

Wednesday 18 January 2023 16:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The US Senate’s two most controversial Democrats appeared eager to taunt their party’s left flank as they appeared in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum this week.

John Bowden has the story.

Anger as Sinema and Manchin high five at Davos summit over filibuster support

Steph Curry commends ‘iconic’ moment Biden took the knee during Warriors presentation

Wednesday 18 January 2023 15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

After the Golden State Warriors presented him with a “46” jersey at a White House ceremony honouring the team, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris lined up for a photo with the NBA champions, with the president taking a knee in the front row.

Then-President Donald Trump revoked the team’s invitation to the White House in 2017 after Warriors star Steph Curry criticised his attacks on Black athletes for their on-field protests against racism and police violence.

Rather than visit the Trump White House, the team toured the National Museum of African-American History and Culture with local Washington students. In remarks on 17 January, Mr Biden acknowledged the controversy, saying, “The Golden State Warriors are always welcomed in this White House.”

Alex Woodward has the story.

Steph Curry commends ‘iconic’ moment Biden took the knee during Warriors presentation

Explainer: Biden inaction, mixed signals on death penalty

Wednesday 18 January 2023 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

In Boston, the Justice Department is pressing judges to uphold Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev‘s death sentence. In New York, it’s asking jurors to impose the death penalty on a man who killed eight people in an attack on a bicycle path.

President Joe Biden campaigned on a pledge to work toward abolishing federal capital punishment but has taken no major steps to that end, though the Justice Department has imposed a moratorium that means no federal executions are likely to happen anytime soon.

The department continues to press for the death penalty in certain cases but not in others.

Read on:

EXPLAINER: Biden inaction, mixed signals on death penalty

Biden confident in White House team as fallout from classified documents continues

Wednesday 18 January 2023 14:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden took no questions about the ongoing investigation into his own handling of classified documents on Tuesday while his press secretary insisted that he had confidence in the team responsible for managing the situation in the public eye.

John Bowden reports.

Biden ‘has confidence’ in White House team amid fallout from classified papers

NBC reporter caught on hot mic attacking Biden for not responding to classified document questions

Wednesday 18 January 2023 14:15 , Rachel Sharp

An NBC reporter has been caught on hot mic speaking to another reporter about president Joe Biden ignoring his question on his handling of classified documents.

On Tuesday, Mr Biden met Netherlands prime minister Mark Rutte for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.

Ahead of the meeting, reporters were present as the two leaders made remarks at a photo op. After the photo op, reporters started shooting questions at the president.

Read more here:

NBC reporter caught on hot mic attacking Biden for not responding to questions

White House defends document disclosure

Wednesday 18 January 2023 13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The White House brushed aside criticism Tuesday of its fragmented disclosures about the discovery of classified documents and official records at President Joe Biden‘s home and former office, saying it may withhold information to protect the Justice Department‘s investigation.

Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House counsel’s office, told reporters that the White House was releasing information as it deemed it “appropriate.” Responding to criticism of the piecemeal disclosures, Sams said the White House was trying to be mindful of the “risk” in sharing information “that’s not complete.”

White House defends its delayed, limited document disclosure

Voices: Will Biden’s rising approval rating sink after classified documents headache?

Wednesday 18 January 2023 13:15 , Rachel Sharp

Will Biden’s rising approval rating sink after classified documents headache?

DOJ considered joining classified document search – but decided not to

Wednesday 18 January 2023 12:45 , Rachel Sharp

It has now emerged that the Justice Department (DOJ) considered joining the search for classified documents at President Joe Biden’s home – but decided not to.

Sources told the Wall Street Journal that Mr Biden’s attorneys and the DOJ discussed having FBI agents oversee the search.

But instead they reached an agreement where Mr Biden’s team would notify the DOJ immediately if any potentially classified documents were found.

According to the sources, both sides agreed that – if the FBI joined in the search – it could complicate matters later in the investigation. The decision was also reached because Mr Biden’s attorneys had been cooperating with the investigation and had turned over the initial batch of documents as soon as they were discovered.

Biden to visit flood devastated California on Thursday

Wednesday 18 January 2023 12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden will travel to California‘s central coast Thursday to visit areas that have been devastated by extreme weather.

The White House said in a statement Monday that the president would visit with first responders and state and local officials, survey recovery efforts and assess what additional federal support is needed.

The president’s trip was announced as the ninth atmospheric river in a three-week series of major winter storms was churning through California.

Read on:

Biden to visit devastated areas of California on Thursday

Obama administration official slams Biden over classified documents

Wednesday 18 January 2023 11:51 , Rachel Sharp

President Joe Biden continues to face pointed questions over the discovery of a small number of classified documents from his time as vice president in the garage of his Wilmington, Delaware, home and at an office at a Washington DC think tank.

On Tuesday, former Obama administration ethics chief Walter Shaub weighed into the scandal, slamming the president for what he described as “an inexcusable neglect” of basic security protocols.

“It’s nothing like Trump’s deliberate refusal to return classified records demanded by the National Archives, but Biden’s own retention of classified records reflects an inexcusable neglect of the most basic security protocols,” he told Fox News Digital.

“The fact that the White House didn’t mention that records were found in more than one location when first asked about them was a breach of trust with the public and a self-inflicted wound.

“Based on what we know so far, it seems unlikely that he’s at risk of any of legal consequences, but I’m glad Garland appointed a special counsel to show even-handed treatment of the current and former president.”

Biden condemns ‘fiscally demented’ congressional GOP

Wednesday 18 January 2023 11:15 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden has pledged to strike down a “fiscally demented” tax agenda from House Republicans, which would strip funding to and ultimately abolish the federal tax agency, explode the deficit by tens of billions and shift the nation’s tax burdens on lower-income Americans.

In remarks spanning civil rights and wealth inequality on Martin Luther King Jr Day, the president condemned the new Republican House majority and its recently passed legislation to revoke new Internal Revenue Service funding aimed at boosting compliance against tax cheats.

The president pledged to veto such legislation, which is guaranteed to fail in a Democratic-controlled Senate.

Alex Woodward reports.

Biden condemns ‘fiscally demented’ congressional Republicans for IRS and tax agenda

CNN host confronts GOP lawmaker for only caring about Biden classified documents find

Wednesday 18 January 2023 10:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep James Comer was asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday whether he and other Republicans were holding Joe Biden to a double standard after refusing to criticise former president Donald Trump for his stash of classified material at Mar-a-Lago.

The question came as the GOP, including Mr Comer, have vowed to investigate whether Mr Biden mishandled classified materials as they take power in the House. Mr Comer is set to lead at least some of that effort as the incoming chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the House’s main investigative body.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

GOP lawmaker confronted on CNN over statements about Trump’s classified documents

GOP demands for logs of visitors at Biden homes won’t be met... because they don’t exist

Wednesday 18 January 2023 08:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Republicans who are demanding to see visitor logs from President Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware home will be disappointed to learn that no such logs exist because none have ever been kept.

Andrew Feinberg explains.

GOP demands for logs of visitors at Biden homes won’t be met because they don’t exist

Biden’s MLK remarks revive demands to protect voting rights after defeat in Congress

Wednesday 18 January 2023 06:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A lot can happen in a year.

One year ago in Atlanta, President Joe Biden warned how history has treated the architects of voter suppression and the opponents of landmark civil rights laws as state lawmakers mulled a wave of antidemocratic legislation taking aim at the right to vote.

One year later, not a single piece of critical federal legislation that he championed – including the renewal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was to be named in honour of the late civil rights leader John Lewis – passed in Congress. The new Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a paper-thin Democratic majority in the Senate are unlikely to revisit them.

Alex Woodward reports.

Biden’s MLK remarks revive demands to protect voting rights after defeat in Congress

ICYMI: Video of Biden overseeing the creation of MLK Day in 1983 goes viral

Wednesday 18 January 2023 04:15 , Oliver O'Connell

An old video of Joe Biden overseeing the 1983 creation of Martin Luther King Jr Day was widely shared on Sunday ahead of the president’s scheduled sermon at Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Sravasti Dasgupta has the story.

Video of Biden overseeing the creation of MLK Day in 1983 goes viral

Jill Biden's skin cancer could fuel advocacy

Wednesday 18 January 2023 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Jill Biden‘s advocacy for curing cancer didn’t start with her son’s death in 2015 from brain cancer. It began decades earlier, long before she came into the national spotlight, and could now be further energized by her own brush with a common form of skin cancer.

The first lady often says the worst three words anyone will ever hear are, “You have cancer.” She heard a version of that phrase for herself this past week.

Read on:

Jill Biden's skin cancer could fuel advocacy in cancer fight

Explainer: How ominous is the debt limit problem?

Wednesday 18 January 2023 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

On the brink of hitting the nation's legal borrowing limit on Thursday, the government is resorting to “extraordinary measures” to avoid a default.

Sounds ominous, right?

But — take a breath — the phrase technically refers to a bunch of accounting workarounds. Yes, accounting.

EXPLAINER: How ominous is the debt limit problem?

Schiff calls for threat assessment of Biden’s handling of classified papers

Tuesday 17 January 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

California Rep Adam Schiff says that the handling of classified documents discovered at President Joe Biden’s home and former office must be assessed to see if it endangered US national security.

Adam Schiff calls for intelligence assessment of Biden handling of classified papers

Biden: ‘Golden State Warrior alway welcome in this White House’

Tuesday 17 January 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden welcomes the Warriors, pledges support for California

Tuesday 17 January 2023 22:55 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden celebrated the NBA champion Golden State Warriors at the White House on Tuesday as he expressed concern for Californians who have suffered through waves of destructive weather.

“We’re all closely monitoring the storms, the floods, the landslides all across California, and our heart is with all of the families of the communities that are hurting,” he said.

Biden plans to visit the state Thursday, and he has approved disaster assistance for the state.

Biden welcomes the Warriors, pledges support for California

Voices: Biden is picking a new fight with Kevin McCarthy – here’s why

Tuesday 17 January 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

The Biden White House has fired its opening salvo against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as they prepare to face off on the debt limit: The deals the speaker made with conservatives will cause a crisis.

Biden is picking a new fight with Kevin McCarthy – here’s why

Watch: Steph Curry commends VP Harris for being a Warriors fan and representing Bay Area in DC

Tuesday 17 January 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden to survey devastated areas of California as extreme weather subsides

Tuesday 17 January 2023 21:39 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden will travel to California‘s central coast Thursday to visit areas that have been devastated by extreme weather.

The White House said in a statement Monday that the president would visit with first responders and state and local officials, survey recovery efforts and assess what additional federal support is needed.

The president’s trip was announced as the ninth atmospheric river in a three-week series of major winter storms was churning through California.

Read on:

Biden to visit devastated areas of California on Thursday

Voices: Will Biden’s rising approval rating sink after classified documents headache?

Tuesday 17 January 2023 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Will Biden’s rising approval rating sink after classified documents headache?

White House defends document disclosure delay

Tuesday 17 January 2023 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The White House brushed aside criticism Tuesday of its fragmented disclosures about the discovery of classified documents and official records at President Joe Biden‘s home and former office, saying it may withhold information to protect the Justice Department‘s investigation.

Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House counsel’s office, told reporters that the White House was releasing information as it deemed it “appropriate.” Responding to criticism of the piecemeal disclosures, Sams said the White House was trying to be mindful of the “risk” in sharing information “that’s not complete.”

Read on:

White House defends its delayed, limited document disclosure

Goldman schools Jordan over ‘dumb questions’ about FBI and Biden classified documents

Tuesday 17 January 2023 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

When Ohio Republican Rep Jim Jordan tried drawing attention to alleged disparities between how former President Donald Trump was treated over his trove of classified documents versus how President Joe Biden has been, he might not have thought he was about to be schooled at the hand of new Democrat rep and Trump impeachment officer, Daniel Goldman.

Mr Jordan asked on Twittter: “Why was President Trump’s home raided but not President Biden’s? Why did the FBI take pictures of President Trump’s so-called classified documents but not President Biden’s?”

He added: “Americans are tired of the double standard.”

Mr Goldman, who represents downtown Manhattan and northern parts of Brooklyn, responded: “1) because Trump obstructed justice by failing to comply with a subpoena. Biden volunteered all docs. 2) It’s standard procedure for the FBI to photograph everything they find during a search warrant.”

He added: “In the future, feel free to reach out to me directly with your questions.”

Mr Goldman didn’t stop there. In a follow-up tweet, he wrote: “And before you ‘investigate the FBI’ to obstruct their investigations into you and others, you might want to brush up on the FBI Manual of Investigative Operations and Guidelines (MIOG) so you don’t ask any more dumb questions.”

Ouch.

Biden condemns ‘fiscally demented’ congressional GOP

Tuesday 17 January 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden has pledged to strike down a “fiscally demented” tax agenda from House Republicans, which would strip funding to and ultimately abolish the federal tax agency, explode the deficit by tens of billions and shift the nation’s tax burdens on lower-income Americans.

In remarks spanning civil rights and wealth inequality on Martin Luther King Jr Day, the president condemned the new Republican House majority and its recently passed legislation to revoke new Internal Revenue Service funding aimed at boosting compliance against tax cheats.

The president pledged to veto such legislation, which is guaranteed to fail in a Democratic-controlled Senate.

Alex Woodward reports.

Biden condemns ‘fiscally demented’ congressional Republicans for IRS and tax agenda

Golden State Warriors attend White House press briefing

Tuesday 17 January 2023 20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden dodges questions on classified documents

Tuesday 17 January 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden ignored shouted questions from reporters regarding the discovery of classified documents at his Delaware home and at a think tank’s office he once used after his time as vice president.

As White House staff led the press out of the Oval Office following a photo spray with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, Mr Biden sat in silence appearing to smirk as reporters asked about the investigation into the papers.

CNN anchor confronts GOP lawmaker for ‘only caring about’ Biden and not Trump classified documents

Tuesday 17 January 2023 19:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep James Comer was asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday whether he and other Republicans were holding Joe Biden to a double standard after refusing to criticise former president Donald Trump for his stash of classified material at Mar-a-Lago.

The question came as the GOP, including Mr Comer, have vowed to investigate whether Mr Biden mishandled classified materials as they take power in the House. Mr Comer is set to lead at least some of that effort as the incoming chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the House’s main investigative body.

John Bowden has the story.

GOP lawmaker confronted on CNN over statements about Trump’s classified documents

McCarthy accuses Biden of hypocrisy over classified documents

Tuesday 17 January 2023 19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy accused President Joe Biden of hypocrisy over the classified documents found at his home and former office when he criticised former president Donald Trump for a similar misdeed.

The White House has in turn accused Republicans of hypocrisy for dismissing Mr Trump’s handling of classified papers last year and only demanding action when it was Mr Biden at fault.

Watch Mr McCarthy’s comments below via C-Span.

GOP demands for logs of visitors at Biden homes... but they don’t exist

Tuesday 17 January 2023 19:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Republicans who are demanding to see visitor logs from President Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware home will be disappointed to learn that no such logs exist because none have ever been kept.

On Sunday, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain asking for the White House to turn over records of who has visited the Wilmington residence where Mr Biden has spent most weekends since taking office in January 2021.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

GOP demands for logs of visitors at Biden homes won’t be met because they don’t exist

White House response on classified documents find

Tuesday 17 January 2023 18:50 , Oliver O'Connell

“The president takes this seriously and he believes in handling it the right way. And that’s because he believes deeply in the rule of law. We’re also providing the public with information about this matter, as it’s appropriate.”

"But the very nature of being cooperative with an ongoing investigation means that we need to let that investigation play out and to try to be respectful of facts as they come to light through that investigation."

Watch: Biden hosts Dutch prime minister

Tuesday 17 January 2023 18:35 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden is hosting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Oval Office today. Mr Biden wants to persuade the Netherlands to further limit China’s access to advanced semiconductors with export restrictions.

Tuesday’s wide-ranging talks are also expected to cover the countries’ efforts to thwart Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and an upcoming democracy summit, according to the White House.

Biden’s remarks honouring MLK revive demands to protect voting rights

Tuesday 17 January 2023 18:21 , Oliver O'Connell

A lot can happen in a year.

One year ago in Atlanta, President Joe Biden warned how history has treated the architects of voter suppression and the opponents of landmark civil rights laws as state lawmakers mulled a wave of antidemocratic legislation taking aim at the right to vote.

One year later, not a single piece of critical federal legislation that he championed – including the renewal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was to be named in honour of the late civil rights leader John Lewis – passed in Congress. The new Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a paper-thin Democratic majority in the Senate are unlikely to revisit them.

Alex Woodward reports.

Biden’s MLK remarks revive demands to protect voting rights after defeat in Congress