Senate Republicans Block Government Funding, Debt Ceiling Bill

Senate Republicans blocked a government spending and debt ceiling bill Monday, setting up a dramatic showdown between Republicans and Democrats on whether Congress should raise the debt ceiling while Democrats plan to spend trillions on infrastructure and social spending.

The Senate failed to invoke cloture, 48-50, on H.R. 5305, the continuing resolution (CR). Senate Republicans blocked the CR as House Democrats remain poised to vote on the $3.5 trillion infrastructure bill.

Democrats, rather than put the debt ceiling increase in the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, decided that they would pack the debt ceiling increase in the government funding bill.

The Democrats’ CR would lift the debt ceiling through the 2022 midterm elections and fund the government through December.

The federal government will run out of funding on September 30, and the debt ceiling must be lifted in early October.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who voted no, said in a statement after the vote:

Democrats are in control of the executive and legislative branches of government. As they demonstrated in passing massive spending bills on a purely partisan basis, they are fully capable of increasing the debt ceiling without Republican votes. I drafted a letter that 46 Republican senators signed in early August giving Democrats fair warning that they would not receive Republican help in raising the debt ceiling to accommodate their partisan deficit spending. Inflation is wiping out wage gains, deficit spending is mortgaging our children’s future, and Democrats need to take responsibility and be held accountable for adding trillions of dollars more to our national debt.

Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), who voted against the CR, said in a statement after the vote:

Instead of working on clean, bipartisan legislation to fund the federal government and avoid a shutdown, Democrats forced a vote on a bill that ties government funding to a two-year suspension of the debt limit that will enable Democrats’ $3.5 trillion reckless tax-and-spend bill. A vote to raise the debt limit is a vote to co-sign on the Democrats’ partisan and unprecedented spending spree.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that if Republicans block the CR, they will carry the blame.

“If Republicans follow through with their plans to vote no, they will be on record to deliberately sabotaging our country’s ability to pay the bills & likely causing first-ever default in American history,” Schumer said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote.

He added, “After today there will be no doubt about which party in this chamber is working to solve the problems that face our country, and which party is accelerating us towards unnecessary, avoidable disaster.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said ahead of the vote that Republicans would support a government funding bill as long as it does not raise the debt ceiling.

“Let me make it abundantly clear one more time: We will support a clean continuing resolution that will prevent a government shutdown … We will not provide Republican votes for raising the debt limit,” McConnell said.

“Republicans are not rooting for a shutdown or a debt limit breach,” he added.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/09/27/senate-republicans-block-government-funding-debt-ceiling-bill/

Arizona Senate Hears Of Multiple Inconsistencies Found By Election Audit

Arizona lawmakers were told on Friday during a hearing on an audit conducted in the state’s most populous county of inconsistencies uncovered during a forensic audit into the 2020 election.

The Maricopa County audit was commissioned by Republicans in the Arizona Senate.

Senate President Karen Fann, a Republican, issued a letter on the same day to Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich recommending further investigation following the audit’s findings. In the letter, she raised concerns over signature verification on mail-in ballots, the accuracy of voter rolls, the securing of election systems, and the record-keeping of evidence related to the elections.

“I am therefore forwarding the reports for your office’s consideration and, if you find it appropriate, further investigation as part of your ongoing oversight of these issues,” Fann told Brnovich in the letter.

Brnovich, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate, said in a statement, “I will take all necessary actions that are supported by the evidence and where I have legal authority. Arizonans deserve to have their votes accurately counted and protected.”

His office said that its Election Integrity Unit “will thoroughly review the Senate’s information and evidence.” Specific allegations cannot be commented on until the review is complete, the office added.

Fann said Friday at the hearing that the audit had faced unnecessary obstruction from Maricopa County officials, who went to court in a bid to try to block the audit and subpoenas from the state Senate. While the forensic audit did not uncover a significant difference in the total vote tallies—the difference was only hundreds in the final report— evidence was uncovered of numerous other anomalies, including statutes being broken and chain of custody not being followed, Fann added.

Cyber Ninjas, a Florida-based company hired by the state Senate to conduct the audit, said its review involved over 1,500 people and a total of over 100,000 hours. While the company said it only found in the recount a vote discrepancy of 994 in the presidential race and 1,167 in a U.S. Senate race, the report highlighted potential issues with a combined total of 53,305 ballots.

Maricopa County on Friday issued a series of statements on its Twitter page in response to findings laid out in a purported draft audit report of Cyber Ninja’s forensic audit that had been released ahead of the Senate audit hearing.

The draft audit report’s figures did not entirely correlate with that of Cyber Ninja’s final report. Fann said Friday at the hearing, “As you know somebody leaked one of the draft reports out over the last 24-48 hours. It was a draft report, so I can tell you that what’s in that is not entirely what’s in the final report.” However, some key allegations in the draft report regarding ballots did match that of the final report.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/arizona-senate-hears-multiple-inconsistencies-found-election-audit

>>14675822

Schumer Lashes Out After Senate Republicans Block Debt Limit Hike

The Senate GOP on Monday blocked a measure that would raise the debt ceiling.

The bill needed 60 “yea” votes to overcome the filibuster and open debate.

The vote total was 48 ‘yeas’ to 50 ‘nays’ – and Schumer blew a gasket.

Schumer is expected to bring another vote to the floor later this week before government funding expires at 11:59:59 pm et Thursday.

AP reported:

Republican senators blocked a bill Monday night to keep the government operating and allow federal borrowing, but Democrats aiming to avert a shutdown are likely to try again — at the same time pressing ahead on President Joe Biden’s big plans to reshape government.

The efforts are not necessarily linked, but the fiscal yearend deadline to fund the government past Thursday is bumping up against the Democrats’ desire to make progress on Biden’s expansive $3.5 trillion federal overhaul.

It’s all making for a tumultuous moment for Biden and his party, with consequences certain to shape his presidency and the lawmakers’ own political futures.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the GOP will not vote to raise the debt ceiling.

“For more than two months now Senate Republicans have been completely clear about how this process will play out. So let me make it abundantly clear one more time, we will support a clean continuing resolution that will prevent a government shutdown. …We will not provide Republican votes for raising the debt ceiling,” said McConnell.

Schumer lashed out at Republicans and called the GOP “the party of default.”

“Senate Republicans are playing games with the full faith and credit of the United States,” said Schumer adding that Social Security checks, Medicare benefits, veteran benefits and more are all on the chopping block.

Schumer took to the senate floor before the vote and warned it would be catastrophic if Republicans blocked the debt limit hike.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/09/schumer-lashes-senate-republicans-block-debt-limit-hike/

Jury Convicts Clarksville Doctor Of 36 Counts Related To Pill Mill Operation

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/jury-convicts-clarksville-doctor-36-counts-related-pill-mill-operation

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces $72.6 Million Settlement Of Fraud Lawsuit Against Wells Fargo Bank For Overcharging Foreign Exchange Customers Over Seven Years

Wells Fargo Admits to Overcharging and Providing False Information to Customers, Pays Restitution and Civil Penalties, and Makes Asset Forfeiture Payment

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-us-attorney-announces-726-million-settlement-fraud-lawsuit-against-wells

PEDO BUN 27 September 21

Utica Man Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/utica-man-arrested-child-pornography-charges-0

Bath Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Child Pornography

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdny/pr/bath-man-pleads-guilty-distributing-child-pornography

Berkeley County man sentenced to 13 years for child pornography

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/berkeley-county-man-sentenced-13-years-child-pornography

Chester County Man Sentenced to 28 Years for Secretly Recording Multiple Children in the Bathroom

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/chester-county-man-sentenced-28-years-secretly-recording-multiple-children-bathroom

Richland Man Extradited from Kazakhstan Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production of Child Pornography

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/richland-man-extradited-kazakhstan-pleads-guilty-attempted-production-child-pornography

Biddeford Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/pr/biddeford-man-pleads-guilty-child-sexual-exploitation-offenses

14th person charged in relation to $20 million fraud investigation

A man from Sydney's inner west will today become the 14th person to face charges relating to a deceptive $20 million fraud and money laundering operation.

The 54-year-old Earlwood man is set to appear before Downing Centre Local Court today, charged with recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime to the value of $100,000 or more, contrary to section 400.4(2) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years imprisonment.

He was issued a court attendance notice by Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigators on Thursday, 9 September 2021, as part of Operation Bordelon, following a close evidence review by federal prosecutors at the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. Operation Bordelon is a Serious Financial Crime Taskforce (SFCT) joint agency operation into a criminal syndicate using labour hire and payroll companies associated with the building and construction industry to defraud the Commonwealth.

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/14th-person-charged-relation-20-million-fraud-investigation