The Daily Signal - TOP NEWS | Biden’s Home Searched for Classified Documents, Harris Speaks at Tyre Nichols’ Funeral, Where Did COVID-19 Money Go? | Feb. 1

Starting point is 00:00:01 I'm Virginia Allen. I'm John Pop. And this is the Daily Signal Top News for Wednesday, February 1st. Here are today's headlines. Earlier today, the Department of Justice conducted a search of President Joe Biden's Delaware home. They were looking for classified documents. The search, of course, comes after classified documents were found in Biden's garage at his Delaware House. The documents were from Biden's time as vice president. Bob Bauer is the president's attorney. He said in a state. that the DOJ search was carried out with the president's full support and cooperation. No other classified documents were found at Biden's home today, but investigators reportedly did take some handwritten notes from Biden's home that were from his time as vice president. The first classified documents in Biden's possession were discovered at the Penn Biden Center

Starting point is 00:01:05 in Washington, D.C. on November 2nd. That was just a few days before the midterm elections. But it was not made public until January that Biden had classified documents in his possession. This has caused some lawmakers and press to ask why there was a delay and was the information intentionally kept from the public. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said on Fox News Tuesday night that the National Archives was instructed not to issue a public statement on the discovery of Biden's classified documents back in November. A reporter ask a White House counsel spokesman about this today, here's the exchange compliments of Fox News. They were told, the archives was told it could not release a press release, at whatever point it was,

Starting point is 00:01:55 about the discovery of classified documents, and anyone with the White House tell them not to do that. Yeah, I don't know anything about that. If that's actually what he said, it's probably better to ask the archives if that's actually what was said and try to understand a little bit more what he meant. We will keep you all posted as there are more developments on this story in the future. With Republicans back in control of the House, they're launching investigations into the actions of the Biden administration. And one area being looked at is how COVID-19 pandemic money was spent. Earlier today, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing to investigate where billions of dollars of COVID-19 relief money went. Some Republicans argue that the financial COVID relief funding was a recipe for waste, fraud, and abuse.

Starting point is 00:02:39 About $5 trillion was used for COVID relief programs under President Trump and President Biden. Chairman James Comer opened the hearing this morning, blaming Democrats for a lack of oversight in how COVID relief funds were spent. We've seen reports that between $163 to $400 billion in unemployment insurance benefits were paid out improperly. We've seen reports that between $76 to more than $100 billion in Paycheck Protection Program and economic injury and disaster loan programs. programs were lost to improper payments. We've seen reports that 266 billion in improper payments were made by Medicaid during the pandemic. The oversight committee intends to find out where all

Starting point is 00:03:21 the money went and why the distribution of funds was not more carefully monitored. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met with President Biden today to discuss the debt ceiling. This was the first meeting between Biden and McCarthy to discuss the debt ceiling. Remember that America has already hit its $31.4 trillion debt ceiling. We hit that in January. Now lawmakers have until June 5th to strike a deal. Republicans say they won't raise the debt ceiling until Democrats agree to cut spending. But Biden says he won't negotiate over the debt ceiling. Ahead of the Biden McCarthy meeting today, Heritage Foundation President Dr. Kevin Roberts said there has to be first and foremost a dollar-for-dollar correspondence to whatever dollar amount is added to the debt ceiling with

Starting point is 00:04:12 spending cuts. Senators also weighed into the conversation today. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Majority Leader Charles Schumer was being hypocritical about negotiations over the debt limit. Schumer said the debt ceiling should be passed without negotiations, but when Trump was president, Schumer viewed the debt ceiling as a tool to negotiate spending increases. McConnell said on the Senate floor that it is right, appropriate, and entirely normal that our need to raise the debt limit would be paired with negotiations regarding Democrats' runaway printing and spending. Debate over the debt ceiling is expected to continue for several months since lawmakers have until June to reach an agreement. The funeral of Tyree Nichols was held at a church in Memphis, Tennessee today. Nichols died after being brutally beaten by police officers after he was allegedly pulled over.

Starting point is 00:05:06 for reckless driving in January. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the funeral via C-SPAN. This is a family that lost their son and their brother through an act of violence at the hands and the feet of people who had been charged with keeping them safe. Harris ended her comments by demanding that Congress passed the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act. The bill never passed all the way through Congress, but would end the use of certain police techniques that are viewed as more aggressive. Of course, the family of Nichols are grieving.

Starting point is 00:05:44 The 29-year-old leaves behind a four-year-old son. The college board has made changes to its Advanced Placement African-American Studies course. The announcement of the changes comes after Florida Governor Rhonda Santis said the advanced placement course would not be offered in Florida public schools, as it included critical race theory and gender ideology curriculum. The Hill had a chance to look at the new version of the curriculum, and they report that scholars associated with critical race theory have been removed from the curriculum. The writers in the course who discussed black queer and black feminism have also been removed from the course. And the course has added black conservatives as a possible research

Starting point is 00:06:28 area. It remains to be seen if DeSantis will allow the course back in Florida schools. NPR reports that a spokesman for DeSantis office said the State Education Department is reviewing the revised curriculum for compliance with Florida law. And that's going to do it for today's episode. Thanks so much for joining us here on the Daily Signals, Top News. Now, if you haven't gotten a chance, be sure to check out our morning show right here in this podcast feed. We talk to lawmakers, experts, and leading conservative voices. Join us tomorrow morning. I'm going to be sitting down with Stella Montebito.

Starting point is 00:07:04 discuss her new book, The Weaponization of Loneliness, How Tyrants Stoke Our Fear of Isolation to Silence, Divide, and Conquer. It's an interesting conversation you don't want to miss. Also, make sure to subscribe to The Daily Signal wherever you get your podcast and help us reach more listeners by leaving a five-star rating and a review. We read all of your feedback. Thanks again for listening. Have a wonderful night, and we'll see you right back here tomorrow morning.

Starting point is 00:07:33 The Daily Signal podcast is brought to you by more than half a million members of the Heritage Foundation. Executive producers are Rob Lewy and Kate Trinko. Producers are Virginia Allen and Samantha Asheris. Sound designed by Lauren Evans, Mark Geinney, and John Pop. To learn more, please visit DailySignal.com.

The Daily Signal - TOP NEWS | Biden’s Home Searched for Classified Documents, Harris Speaks at Tyre Nichols’ Funeral, Where Did COVID-19 Money Go? | Feb. 1

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