The Daily Signal - Hunter Biden May Be Held in Contempt of Congress, Massachusetts Aims to Get Trump Off Ballot, Ohio Governor Surprising Action of Trans Surgeries | Jan. 5

Starting point is 00:00:02 I'm Virginia Allen, and this is the Daily Signal Top News for Friday, January 5th. Here are today's headlines. A group of Massachusetts voters are trying to get former President Donald Trump's name off the primary ballot in the Commonwealth. The organization Free Speech for People has organized the effort to get Trump's name removed from the ballot. They claim that Trump can't be on the ballot because of the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment states that no person shall be a senator or representative in Congress or elector of president and vice president or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States or under any state who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. The group of voters claims that Trump's actions on January 6th constitute him taking part in an insurrection, and therefore they say, say that he's in violation of the 14th Amendment and can't be on the ballot.

Starting point is 00:01:16 Trump is facing almost identical challenges in Minnesota, Michigan, Oregon, and Illinois. In Colorado and Maine, Trump's name has actually already been removed from the state's primary ballots using the 14th Amendment argument. Trump has appealed these decisions and is fighting to get back on the ballots in both Maine and Colorado. Massachusetts has its primary on March 5th. so we'll let you know what ultimately happens, both in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

Starting point is 00:01:46 but also in the other states where Trump is facing challenges to remain on the ballot. House Speaker Mike Johnson is firing back at the White House after the Biden administration claimed that the crisis at the border is the fault of Republicans. You'll recall that a delegation of about 60 GOP lawmakers was down at the southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas on Wednesday. The trip was led by Speaker Mike Johnson, and there were many calls from GOP lawmakers while at the border that day for Democrats to act and secure the border right now.

Starting point is 00:02:22 But after the trip, White House Press Secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said Republicans have blocked Biden's efforts to secure the border. Take a listen. In May, House Republicans decided to vote on a bill that would cut 2,000 border border patrols. agents at the border. That's what they did. That's what they did. And they continue to obstruct and get in the way of trying to, of the president wanting to move forward with a supplemental that includes border security. They're getting in the way of it. In response to these comments, the office of House Speaker Mike Johnson circulated a memo to correct the record. According to his office, the White House claims are a desperate attempt to shift blame for a crisis their policies

Starting point is 00:03:08 have induced. The memo from the Speaker's Office states, to be clear, the House never voted on any appropriations bill that would have cut thousands of agents from Southwest Border Operations. And the memo goes on to say that the Republican House passed the Homeland Security Appropriations bill to increase border security funding above the President's budget request, including Border Patrol agents at the highest level ever funded, and ICE-Corp. custody operations at a level more than even previously appropriated. And Johnson's office noted that all but two House Democrats voted against that bill and the president threatened to veto it.

Starting point is 00:03:51 With Johnson's trip to the border, along with 60 other GOP members and Republicans moving ahead with the impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, the GOP is making it very clear that the border will be a major priority in 2024. In a rather surprising turn of events today, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an emergency executive order banning transgender surgeries for minors. It's surprising because just a week ago, DeWine vetoed a similar bill that would have essentially done the same thing. The bill out of Ohio's majority conservative state house would also have banned cross-sex hormones and so-called puberty blockers for children. But it appears that DeWine's executive order does not address these things. The bill would also have prevented men from competing in women's sports.

Starting point is 00:04:46 And again, DeWine's executive order does not address this. DeWine announced the executive order earlier today, per the recount. Take a listen. This will ensure that surgeries of this type on minors could never happen in Ohio. I know that's been one of the concerns that has been expressed. I've never disagreed with that. if we look at what evidence there is, there is very little that that is occurring, but let's make sure. And so that's what this does.

Starting point is 00:05:18 In the executive order, DeWine explained his actions, saying, although I vetoed House Bill 68, I stated clearly in my veto message that I agree with the General Assembly that no gender transition surgeries should be performed on anyone under the age of 18, and I directed agencies under my purview to draft rules to ban this practice in Ohio. Ohio lawmakers had called a special session on January 10th to override the veto. It remains to be seen whether the lawmakers were still convened to override the veto on that bill so that minors in Ohio are blocked from accessing cross-sex hormones and so-called puberty blockers and to provide safeguards for women's sports in the state of Ohio.

Starting point is 00:06:06 Stay tuned. Next week, Congress is back in session here in Washington, D.C. And one of their first actions after the holidays will be considering a resolution holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress. You may remember that at the end of 2023, the House Oversight Committee and House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Hunter Biden, specifically for a closed-door deposition. Hunter Biden said that he would testify in a public hearing, but not in a closed-door one. The offer was rejected, so instead of appearing for the closed door deposition, Hunter Biden arrived outside the Capitol building on that morning, gave a public statement, and said that the political right has betrayed him for political purposes.

Starting point is 00:06:54 After speaking for about six minutes, Hunter Biden got back in his car and left. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, Republican from Kentucky, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio have announced that they will meet on Wednesday to consider a resolution to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for denying the subpoena. Comer said today, we plan to question Hunter Biden about this record of evidence,

Starting point is 00:07:23 but he blatantly defied two lawful subpoenas, choosing to read a prepared statement outside the Capitol instead of appearing for testimony as required. Next week stands to be a busy one with Congress back in session. Also make sure to mark your calendars for Wednesday night for the final presidential primary debate between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis before the Iowa caucuses on January 15th. With that, that is going to do it for today's edition of the Daily Signal's top news.

Starting point is 00:07:54 Thanks for being with us this Friday. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Join us here on Monday morning. I will be sitting down for a really interesting conversation with author and speaker, Andre Archie, to discuss his brand new book, The Virtue of Colorblindness. We talk about the vision that Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass had for America and how things like DEI policies have strayed very far from that vision. Also, if you haven't done so already, take a minute to leave the Daily Signal, a five-star rating and review on your favorite pie. platform and make sure to give us a subscribe on that little plus button at the top of the screen. All right. Thanks again. Have a great weekend. We will see you right back here on Monday.

Starting point is 00:08:45 The Daily Signal podcast is brought to by more than half a million members of the Heritage Foundation. Executive producers are Rob Bowie and Kate Trinko. Producers are Virginia Allen and Samantha Asheras. Sound designed by Lauren Evans, Mark Geinney, and John Pop. To learn more, please visit visitdailysignal.com.

The Daily Signal - Hunter Biden May Be Held in Contempt of Congress, Massachusetts Aims to Get Trump Off Ballot, Ohio Governor Surprising Action of Trans Surgeries | Jan. 5

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