The Daily Signal - Jordan Fails to Secure Speakership, Netanyahu Says “Hamas Are the New Nazis,” GOP Senators Call on Biden to “Refreeze $6 Billion in Iranian Funds” | Oct. 17

Starting point is 00:00:00 I'm Virginia Allen. I'm Samantha Sherris. And this is the Daily Signal Top News for Tuesday, October 17th. Here are today's headlines. Senate Republicans today called for the Biden administration to refreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds amid the Israel-Hamas war. The GOP senators are citing indicators that Iran helped Hamas plan the October 7th terrorist attack on the Jewish state as the reason for a reason for refreezing those funds. That's according to reporting by our colleague here at the Daily Signal, Fred Lucas, and we'll be sure to leave a link in today's show notes with Fred's full report. Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall said, you can't be pro-Israel and pro-Iran. Marshall added, Joe Biden is the most pro-Iranian president we've ever had. Think about it.

Starting point is 00:01:04 It goes way beyond the six billion we are talking about. Under this administration, the Iranian oil reserves went from $6 billion to $60 billion. How come? The senator went on to answer his own question, saying since the moment Joe Biden got into office, he turned his head to the economic sanctions we've had. Marshall was among nine GOP senators led by Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, who gathered on Tuesday on Capitol Hill to demand that the Biden administration refreeze the $6 billion used as ransom for five American hostages held by Iran. That amount was to be released after being frozen under U.S. sanctions. The deal also included U.S. release of Iranian prisoners. The Republican press conference comes shortly before Biden is set to travel to Israel to meet

Starting point is 00:01:56 with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Also on Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to hold a confirmation hearing on Jacob Liu, a former Treasury Secretary who Biden nominated to be ambassador to Israel. For his part, Biden denounced Hamas' surprise attack on Israel and compared the terrorist group to the Islamic State, a terrorist army, also known as ISIS. Biden administration officials have insisted that Iranians have yet to get any of the $6 billion. However, Marshall said the anticipated access to the $6 billion was likely enough for the world's leading sponsors of terrorism. You can check out Fred's full piece once again in today's show notes. Just two weeks after California Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy was removed as Speaker of the House, the spot is still vacant.

Starting point is 00:02:52 Our colleague Mary Margaret O'Lehann reports that Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio failed to garner support from enough Republicans during the first round of voting for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives earlier today. Jordan had seen a flurry of support from House conservatives who had formerly said they would not back him, including Mike Rogers of Alabama, Anne Wagner of Missouri, Ken Calvert of California, Vern Buchanan of Florida, all announced support for Jordan this week. House GOP chairwoman Elise DeFonic nominated Jordan for the speakership. Let's take a listen to some of her remarks via C-SPAN. Our friend and colleague Jim Jordan is a patriot. He is an America First warrior who wins the toughest of fights, going after corruption and delivering accountability at the highest levels of government on behalf of we, the people. Jim is the voice of the American people who have felt voiceless for far too long. Whether as judiciary chair, conservative leader or representative for his constituents in

Starting point is 00:04:00 West Central Ohio, whether on the wrestling mat or in the committee room, Jim Jordan is strategic, scrappy, tough, and principled. He is a mentor, a worker, and above all, he is a fighter. And the American people know, we know that Jim Jordan is a winner on behalf of the American people. But during the Tuesday vote, 20 Republicans voted for a candidate other than Jordan, and no member had the necessary votes to be elected. The House is now expected to undergo a second vote. Jordan received 200 votes, Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes,

Starting point is 00:04:39 and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy received six votes. McCarthy, who was ousted from his leadership position on October 3rd, announced on Monday that he would endorse Jordan to be the next speaker. McCarthy had won the speaker position back in January after 15 rounds of voting. McCarthy said in a social media post Monday evening, it's one thing to get elected, it's another thing to govern. It's time to get the house out of this tailspin. Come together and get America back on the right track.

Starting point is 00:05:11 Jim Jordan can do it. Stay tuned. Well, as the war between Hamas and Israel continues, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mince words while discussing Hamas. During a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Schultz in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said that Hamas are the new Nazis.

Starting point is 00:05:33 Let's take a listen to his remarks via the I-24 News English YouTube page. I must tell you, my friend, that the savagery that we witnessed perpetrated by the Hamas murderers coming out of Gaza were the worst crimes committed against Jews since the Holocaust. The decapitation of people, the shooting of little children with bound hands, the murder of children in front of their parents, the murder of parents in front of their children, the hiding of babies in the attic, and the murders who came to the attic to murder the babies, the rape and murder of women, the abduction of families, the tearing of grandmothers, and Holocaust survivors into captivity. The death pits that remind us of Babiard, where jeeps surround a depression in the ground where they crowd young people in and they shoot them with machines guns. This is the savagery that we only remember from the Nazi crimes in the Holocaust. Hamas are the new Nazis. Hamas is ISIS, in some instances, worse than ISIS. And just as the world united to defeat the Nazis, just as the world united to defeat ISIS,

Starting point is 00:07:04 the world has to stand united behind Israel to defeat Hamas. President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday after an invitation from Netanyahu on Saturday. White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said in a statement that Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday on October 18th to demonstrate his steadfast support for Israel in the face of Hamas' brutal terrorist attack and to consult on next steps. Jean-Pierre also noted that Biden will then travel to Ahmad Jordan, where he will meet with his majesty King Abdullah and Egyptian President Al-Sisi. And for our final story today, General Motors is postponing the opening of a large electric pickup truck factory in Michigan, according to reporting from the Wall Street Journal.

Starting point is 00:07:55 The Wall Street Journal also reports that General Motors said today that its Orion Assembly plant in suburban Detroit would start to make electric versions of the Chevrolet, Silverado, and GMC Sierra by the end of 2025, a year later that originally planned. The company said in a statement, General Motors today confirmed it will retime the conversion of its Orion assembly plant to EV truck production to late 2025. to better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving EV demand.

Starting point is 00:08:28 In addition, we have identified engineering improvements that we will implement to increase the profitability of our products. CNBC reports that the production delay calls into question GM's previously announced EV goals, including cumulative production of 400,000 EVs in North America from 2022 through mid-2020, which had already been pushing. back. CNBC further notes that GM also has a goal to exclusively offer consumer EVs by 2035. Well, with that, that's going to do it for today's edition of the Daily Signal's top news. If you haven't had the chance, make sure to check out our morning show right here in this podcast feed where we interview lawmakers, experts, and leading conservative voices.

Starting point is 00:09:15 Join us tomorrow morning for the Daily Signal interview edition. I will be sitting down with field reporter and U.S. Marine Julio Rosas, who was currently on the ground in Israel to discuss his reporting and how the situation has changed since he arrived last Wednesday in the war-torn country.

Starting point is 00:09:34 Also, if you have not done so already, make sure to take a minute to subscribe to the Daily Signal podcast. We are across all podcast platforms. And if you haven't done so, take a minute to leave us a five-star rating and review. Thanks again for listening. Have a great evening. And we'll be back

Starting point is 00:09:50 with you all tomorrow morning. The Daily Signal podcast is brought to you by more than half a million members of the Heritage Foundation. Executive producers are Rob Luey 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 DailySignal.com.

The Daily Signal - Jordan Fails to Secure Speakership, Netanyahu Says “Hamas Are the New Nazis,” GOP Senators Call on Biden to “Refreeze $6 Billion in Iranian Funds” | Oct. 17

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